christian letters full of spiritual instructions tending to the promoting of the power of godliness, both in person and families. alleine, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : b or : ) christian letters full of spiritual instructions tending to the promoting of the power of godliness, both in person and families. alleine, joseph, - . p. printed for and sold by nevil simmons and dorman newman, london : . item at : b bound with: the life and death of that excellent minister of christ mr. joseph alleine. [s.l. : s.n.], . reproduction of originals in the british library and the union theological seminary library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life. conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - kirk davis text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christian letters full of spiritual instructions , tending to the promoting of the power of godliness , both in person and families . london , printed for and sold by nevil simmons , at the princes-arms in st. pauls church-yard , and dorman newman at the kings-arms in the poultrey . . christian letters , full of spiritual instructions , tending to the promoting of the power of godliness , both in persons , and families . letter . i. to his wife to dispose her to his ac●…ptance of taunton , on small maintenance . my dear heart , by this time i hope thou hast received mine by martin , and also an answer touching their resolution at taunton . my thoughts have been much upon that business of late , so small as the outward incouragements in point of maintenance are , and methinks i find my heart much inclining that way . i will tell thee the principles upon which i go . first , i lay this for a fouudation , that a mans life con●…isteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth . ●…t was accounted a wise prayer that agur put up of old , that ●…e might only be fed with food convenient for him . and ●…ertain it is that where m●…n have least of the world ; they ●…steem it least , and live more by faith and in dependance upon god , casting their care and burden upon him . o the sweet breathings of davids soul ! the strong actings of his faith and love , that we find come from him , when his condition was low and mean in the world. how closely doth he cling ? how fully doth he relie upon god ? the holy ghost seems to make it a priviledge to be brought to a necess●…ty of living by faith , as , i think , i have formerly hinted thee , out of deut. . , . where canaan is prefer'd before Ægypt , in regard of its dependance upon god for the former and latter rain , which in Ægypt they could live without , and have supplies from the river . and certainly could we that are unexperienced , but feel the thorns of those cares and troubles that there are in gathering and keeping much , and the danger when riches increase of setting our hearts upon them , we should prize the happiness of a middle condition much before it . doubtless , godliness with contentment , is great gain . seekest thou great things for thy self ( saith the prophet to baruch ) seek them not . certainly a good conscience is a continual feast , and enough for a happy life : no man that wareth intangleth himself with the affairs of this life , that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier . we should be but little incumbred with the things of this world , and withal free from a world of intanglements , which in a great place committed wholly to our charge , would be upon our consciences as no small burden . secondly , i take this for an undoubted truth , that a dram of grace , is better than a talent of wealth ; and therefore such a place where our consciences would be free , and we had little to do in the world to take off our hearts and thoughts from the things of eternity , and had the advantage of abundance of means , and the daily opportunities of warming our hearts with the blessed society and conference of heavenly christians , and no temptations to carry us away , nor discouragements in our walking with god , and the due performance of our duty is ( if we pass a true and spiritual judgement , as the holy ghost in scripture would ) without comparison before another place , void of those spiritual helps and advantages . let us think with our selves , what though our purses , our estates , may thrive better in a place of a large maintenance ? yet where are our graces , our souls , like to thrive any way answerable to what they are in this ? we should have but little in the world , and we could live hereafter ; but alas , what is this if it be made up to us , as it will surely be in communion with god and his people ? if we thrive in faith , and love , humility , and heavenly mindedness , as above all places i know we are likely to do there , what matter is it though we do not raise our selves in the world ? the thing it may well be accounted but mean ; but alas , let us look upon it with a spiritual eye , and then we shall pass another judgement of it . oh! who would leave so much grace , and so much comfort in communion with christ and his saints , as we may gain there , for the probabilities of living with a little more gentility and handsomness in the world ? 't is a strange thing to see how christians generally do judge so carnally of things , looking to the things that are seen and temporal , and not the things that will stick by us to eternity . what is it worth a year ? is the maintenance certain and sure ? what charges are there like to be ? these are the questions we commonly ask first , when we speak of setling . but alas , though those things are duly to be considered too , yet what good am i like to do ? what good am i like to get ? ( both which questions i think might be as comfortably answered concerning this , as any place in england ; ) these should be the main interrogatories , and the chief things we should judge of a place to settle in . what if we have but a little in the world ? why then we must keep but a short table , and shall make but a little noise in the world , and must give the meaner entertainments to our friends . o but will not this be abund●…ntly made up , if we have more outward and inward peace , as we may well count we shall have . one dram of saving grace will weigh down all this . let others hug themselves in their corn , and wine , and oyl , in their fat livings , and their large tables , and their great resort , if we have more of the light of gods countenance , more grace , more comfort , who would change with them ? surely if paul were to chose a place , he would not look so much what 't was a year , but would wish us to take that where we might be most likely to save our own and others souls . thirdly , that the best and the surest way to have any outward mercy , is to be content to want it . when mens desires are over-eager after the world , they must have thus much a year , and a house well furnished , and wife , and children , thus and thus qualified , or else they will not be content ; god doth usually , if not constantly , break their wills by denying them , as one would cross a froward . child of his stubborn humour : or else puts a sting into them , that a man had been as good he had been without them , as a man would give a thing to a froppish child , but it may be with a knock on his fingers , and a frown to boot . the best way to get riches , is out of doubt to set them lowest in ones desires . solomon found it so : alas , he did not ask riches , but wisdom and ability , to discharge his great trust ; but god was so pleased with his prayer , that he threw in them into the bargain . if we seek the kingdom of god , and his righteousness in the first place , and leave other things to him , god will not stand with us for these outwards , though we never ask them we shall have them as over measure ; god will throw them in as the vantage . and to this suits the experience of our dear honorathius : and indeed ( saith he , speaking of god ) honorathius finds that his only hiding place and refuge , and a place of succour , from the storms that fall upon him , and hath had such helps at dead lift there , that he is engaged for ever to trust the●…e . for when he hath been lowest , and in the greatest straights , he hath gone and made his moan heaven-ward , with free submission to the rightful disposer of all things , and he hath been so liberally supplied , as makes him very confident the best way to obtain any mercy , or supply , is to be content to be without it : and he is perswaded nothing set gods mercies farther off , than want of free suhmission to want them . certainly , god will never be behind hand with us . let our care be to build his house , and let him alone to build ours . fourthly , that none ever was , or ever shall be , a loser by jesus christ. many have lost much for him , but never did , never shall any lose by him . take this for a certainty , whatsoever probabilities of outward comforts we leave , whatsoever outward advantages we balk , that we may glorifie him in our services , and enjoy him in his ordinances more than otherwhere we could , we shall receive an hundred fold in this life . 't is a sad thing to see how little christ is trusted or believe in the world : men will trust him no farther then they can see him , and will leave no work for faith. alas , hath he not a thousand ways , both outward and inward , to make up a little outward disadvantage to us ? what doth our faith serve for ? have any ventured themselves upon him in his way , but he made good every word of the promise to them ? let us therefore exercise our faith , and stay our selves upon the promise , and see if ever we are ashamed of our hope . fifthly , that what is wanting in the means , god will make up in the blessing . this i take for a certain truth , while a man commits himself and his affairs to god , and is in a way that god put him into : now if a man have but a little income , if he have a great blessing , that 's enough to make it up . alas , we must not account mercies by the bulk . what if another have a pound to my ounce , if mine be gold for his silver , i will never change with him . as 't is not bread that keeps men alive , but the word of blessing that proceedeth out of his mouth of god ; so 't is not the largerness of the means , but the blessing of the lord that maketh rich . oh! if men did but believe this , they would not grasp so much of the world as they do . well , let others take their course , and we will take ours , to wait upon god by faith and prayer , and rest in his promise ; and i am confident that is the way to be provided for : let others toyl to enlarge their income , ( but alas , they will find they go not the right way to work ) we will bless god to enlarge our blessing , and i doubt not but we shall prove the gainers . sixthly , that every condition hath its snares , crosses , and troubles , and therefore we may not expect to be without them where ever we be , only that condition is most eligible that hath fewest and least . i cannot object any thing against the proposal of taunton , but the meaness of the maintenance ; but if our income be but short , we can i hope be content to live answerably , we must fare the meaner , that will be all the inconvenience that i know , and truly i hope we are not of the nature of that animal , that hath his heart in his belly . i know how daniel thrived by his water and pulfe , and think a mean diet is as wholesome to the body , yea . and far less hurtful than a full and libéral is ; and perswade my self it would be no such hard matter for us contentedly to deny our flesh in this respect . but let us consider how little and utterly inconsiderable this inconvenience is , in comparison of those we must reckon upon meeting with , if god cast us into another place , and whether this be not a great deal less than the trouble we shall have for want of comsortable and christian society , for want of the frequent and quickening means we shall here have , in wrangling and contending with the covetous , or else losing our dues , in the railings and scandalous , and malicious reports , that are we see raised upon the best by the wicked in most places , in their contentions about their right to the sacraments , in our intanglement in the cares and troubles of this life , &c. all which we should be here exempted from . upon these and the like considerations , i find my heart very much inclined to accept of their offer at taunton . i beseech thee to weigh , and throughly consider the matter , and tell me impartially thy thoughts , and which way thy spirit inclines , ●…or i have always resolved the place i settled in should be thy choice , and to thy content . the least intimation of thy will to the contrary , shall overballance all my thoughts of settling there , for i should account it the greatest unhappiness if i should thus settle , and thou shouldst afterwards be discontented at the straightness of our condition . but i need not have wrote this , hadst not thou fully signified thy mind already to me , i had never gone so far as i have . well , the lord whose we are , and whom we serve , do with us as it shall seem good unto him . we are alwayes as mindful as is possible of thee here , both together and apart . captain luke desired me to intreat thee to meet him one two hours in a day , for the commemoration of mercies upon the twenty third day of every month. send word to me of their resolution at taunton , in two letters , least possibly one should miscarry , though never a one did yet . i dare not think of settling under sixty pound at taunton , and surely it cannot be less . i have written as well as i could on a sudden my mind to thee , i have been so large in delivering my judgement , that i must thrust up my af●…ctions into a corner . well , though they have but a corner in my letter , i am sure they have room enough in my heart : but i must conclude ; the lord keep thee my dear , and cherish thee for ever in his bosom . farewel mine own soul , i am as ever thine own heart , jos. alleine oxon , may . . letter ii. [ prepare for suffering . ] to my dearly belo●…ed the flock of christ in taunton , grace and peace . most dear christians , my extream straights of time will now force me to bind my long loves in a few short lines ; yet i could not tell how to leave you unsaluted , nor chuse but write to you in a few words , that you should not be dismayed neither at our present sufferings , or at the evil tidings that by this time i doubt not are come unto you . now , brethren , is the time when the lord is like to put you upon the trial ; now is the hour of temptation come . oh! be faithful to christ to the death , and he shall give you a crown of life . faithful is he that hath called you , and he will not suffer you upon his faith●…ulness to be tempted above what you are able . give up your selves and your all to the lord , with resolution to follow him fully , and two things be sure of , and lay up as sure grounds of everlasting consolation . . if you seek by prayer and study to know the mind of god , and do resolve to follow it in uprightness , you shall not fail either of direction or pardon ; either god will shew you what his pleasure is , or will certainly forgive you if you miss your way . brethren , fix upon your souls the deep and lively affecting apprehensions of the most gracious , loving , merciful , ●…eet , compassionate , tender nature of your heavenly father , which is so great that you may be sure he will with all readiness and love accept of his poor children when they endeavours to approve themselves in sincerity to him , and would fain know his mind and do it , if they could but clearly see it , though they should unwillingly mistake . . that as sure as god is faithful , if he do see that such or such a temptation ( with the forethought of which you may be apt to disquiet your selves , lest you should fall away when thus or thus tried ) will be too hard for your graces , he will never suffer it to come upon you . let not , my dear brethren , let not the present tribulations or those impending move you . this is the way of the kingdom : persecution is one of your land marks : self-denial and taking up the cross is your a b c of ●…eligion ; you have learnt nothing , that have not begun at christs-cross . brethren , the cross of christ is your crown , the reproach of christ is your riches ; the shame of christ is your glory ; the damage attending strict and holy diligence , your greatest advantage : sensible you should be of what is coming , but not discouraged ; humbled , but not dismayed ; having your hearts broken , and yet your spirits unbroken ; humble your selves mightily under the mighty hand of god ; but fear no●… the face of man : may you even be low in humility , but high in courage ; little in your own apprehensions of your selves , but great in holy ●…ortitude , resolution and holy magnanimity , lying in the dust before your god , yet triumphing in faith and hope , and boldness and confidence over all the power of the enemies . approve your selves as good souldiers of jesus christ , with no armour , but that of righteousness ; no weapons , but strong crying and tears ; looking for no victory but that of faith ; nor hope to overcome , but by patience : now for the faith and patience of the saints , now for the harness of your suffering grace : o gird up the loyns of your mind , and be sober , and hope to the end : fight not but the good fight of faith : here you must contend and that earnestly : strive not but against sin , and here you may resist even unto blood : now see that you chuse life , and embrace affliction rather than sin . strive together mightily and frequently by prayer : i know you do , but i would you should abound more and more : share my loves among you , and continue your earnest prayers for me , and be your assured that i am and shall be through grace , a willing thankful servant of your souls concernments . from the common goale may . . joseph alleine . letter iii. [ warning to professors . ] to my most dearly beloved , my christian friends in taunton , salvation . most loving brethren , i shall never forget your old kindnesses , and the entire affections that you have shed upon me , not by drops , but by floods , would i never so fain forget them , yet i could not , they are so continually renowned ; for there is never a day but i hear of them ; nay , ●…ore than hear of them , i feel and taste them . the god that hath promised to them that give to a prophet though but a cup of cold water , shall receive a prophets reward ; he will recompence your labour of love , your servent prayers , and constant cryes , your care for my welfare , your bountiful supplies who have given me , not a cup of cold water , but the wine of your loves , with the sense and tidings whereof i am continually refreshed . i must , i do and will bless the lord as long as i live , that he hath cast my lot in so fair a place , to dwell in your communion ; and especially to go in and out before you , and to be the messenger of the lord of host to you , to proclaim his law , and to preach his excellencies , to be his spokesman to you , and to woo●… for him , and to espouse you to one husband , and to present you as a chaste virgin unto christ. lord ! how unworthy am i , everlastingly unworthy of this glorious dignity , which i do verily believe the most brightest angels in heaven would be glad of , if the lord saw it fit to imploy them in this work ! well , i do not , i cannot repent , notwithstanding all the difficulties and inconveniences that do attend his dispised servants , and hated ways , and that are like to attend them ; for we have but sipped yet of the cup ; but i have set my hand to his plow ; my ministry i took up with you , and my testimony i finished with you , though i thought i had espoused you till death ; and when i was entred into that sacred office , which through rich grace i was imployed in , i told you in the close of what i spake before the laying of the holy hands upon me ( most gladly do i take up this office with all the persecution , affliction , difficulties an tribulation and inconveniencies that do and may attend it ) and blessed be god , i am through his goodness of the same mind still , and my tribulations for christ , do ( to him be glory , for to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face ) confirm my choice and my resolution to serve him with much more than my labours . verily , brethren , it is a good choice that i have commended to you : oh! that there might not one be found among you that hath not made maries choice , i mean of that good part which shall never be taken away from you . brethren , let them take up with the world that have no better portion : be content that they should carry the bell , and bear away th●… riches and perferments and glory , and splendor of the world. alas ! you have no reason to envy them : verily , they have a lye in their right hand : ah! how soon will their hopes fail them : how soon will the crackling blast be out , and leave them in eternal darkness : they shall go to the generation of their fathers , they shall never see light , like sheep they shall be laid in their graves , and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning . but for my brethren , i am jealous that none of you should come short of the glory of god. i am ambitious for you that you should be all the heirs of an endless life , the living hopes of the saints , the inheritance incorruptible , undefiled , and that fades not away . ah my brethren ! why should not you be all happy ? i am jealous for you with a godly jealousie , lest a promise being left you of entering into his rest , any of you should come short of it . o look diligently , lest any man fail of the grace of god : alas ! how it pities me to see this rest neglected : how it grieves me that any of you should fall short of mercy at last ! that any of that flock over which the holy ghost hath made be in part overseer , should perish ; when christ hath done so much for you , and when his under officers ( through his grace , for we are not sufficient of our selves ) have done somewhat to recover and save them . ah dear brethren ! i was in great earnest with you when i besought you out of the pulpit , many a time , to give a bill of divorce to your sins , and to accept of the match and the mercy that in the name of god almighty i did there offer to you . alas ! how it pitied me to look over so great a congregation , and to think that i could not , for my life i could not , perswade them , one quarter of them , in likelihood to be saved ? how it moved me to see your diligence in flocking , not only to the stated exercises , but to the repetitions and to most hazardous opportunities , for which you are greatly to be commended , since the law forbad my publick preaching , and yet to think that many of you that went so far , were like to perish for ever for want of going further . i must praise your diligent attendance on all opportunities : blessed be god that made a willing ministry and a willing people : for i remember how i have gone furnished with a train ! how i went with the multitude to the house of god , with the voice of joy and praises , with the multitude that kept holy-days . the remembrance of which moves my soul , but , o my flock , my most dear flock , how fain would i carry you farther then the external and outward profession ; o! how loath am i to leave you there ! how troubled to think that any of you should go far and hazard much for religion , and yet miscarry for ever by the hand of some unmortified lust ! as secret pride or untamed passion , or an unbridled tongue , or which i fear most of all , a predominate love of the world in your hearts . alas ! must it be so , and is there no remedy but i must carry you to heavens-gate and leave you there ! oh , that i should leave the work of your souls but half done ; and bring you no farther than the almost of christianity , hear , o my people , hear , although i may command you , upon your utmost peril in the name of the lord jesus that shall shortly judge you , i beseech you , i warn you as a father doth his children , to look to the setling and securing of your everlasting condition ; and for life take heed of your resting in the outter-part of religion , but to be restless till you find the through-change of regeneration within , that you are quite new in the frame and bent of your hearts : for here is the main of religion in the hidden man of the heart : for christs sake , for your soul-sake look to it , that you build upon the rock , that you be sure in the foundation work , that you do unfeignedly deliver over your selves to the lord to be under his command and at his dispose in all things : see that you make no exceptions , no reserve , that you cast over board all your worldly hopes , and count upon parting with all for christ : that you take him alone for your whole happiness . wonder not that i often inculcate this : if it be well here , it is well all ; if unsound here , the error is in the foundation , and you are undone . brethren , i see great tryals coming , when we shall see professors fall like leaves in the autumn , unless they be well setled : therefore is it that i would so fain have you look to your standing , and to secure the main . and for you whose souls are soundly wrought upon , o make sure whatever you do : get and keep your evidences clear ! how dreadful would your temptations be , if you should be called to part with all for christ , and not be sure of him neither : get a right and clear understanding of the terms of life , which i have set before you in that form of covenanting with god in christ , that i commended to you . i would that none of you should be without a copy of it : be much in observing your own hearts , both in duties and out-crying mightily to god for assurance : if you cannot discern your estate your selves , go to some body that is albe and faithful , and fully open your case , your evidences and doubts , and be extraordinary strict and watchful in your whole course , and i doubt not but you will quickly grow up to assurance . i cannot tell how to make an end , methinks i could write all the day to you , but my straights of time are great , and my letter already too long , yet i cannot conclude till i have given you my unfeigned than●… for your most kind and gracious letter . surely it shall be in store with me , and laid up among my treasures ; that god is pleased so to unite your hearts to me , and to make use of me for your edification , is matter of highest joy unto me ; as also to see your stedfas●…ness in christ , your unshaken resolutions , notwithstanding all the tempters wiles . go on , my dearly beloved , and the lord strengthen your hands and your hearts , and lift you up above the fears of men . my most dear brother norman salutes you with manifold loves and respects , earnestly wishing that you may wear the crown of perseverance ; as also brother turner . the lord strengthen , establish , settle you , and after you have suffered a while , make you perfect : i leave my brethren in the everlasting arms , and rest , from the common goale at juelchester , june th . . your embassador in bonds , joseph alleine . letter iv. [ a call to the unconverted . ] to the beloved people the inhabitants of the town of taunton , grace , mercy , and peace from god our father , and from the lord jesus christ. most endeared and beloved friends : i do most readily acknowledge my self a debtor to you all , and a servant of all , and therefore i have sent these few lines to salute you all . my lines did fall in a fair place when the lord did cast my lot among you ; for which i desire to be thankful . god hath been pleased to work a mutual affection between me and you . i remember the tears and prayers that you have sent me hither with , and how i saw your hearts in your eyes ; how can i forget how you poured out your souls upon me . and truly you are a people much upon my heart , whose welfare is the matter of my continual prayers , care , and study . and oh ! that i knew how to do you good : ah? how certainly should never a son of you miscarry if i knew how to save you . ah! how it pities me to think how that so many of you should remain in your sins after so many and so long endeavours to convert and bring them in . once more , oh? my beloved , once more hear the call of the most high god unto you . the prison preaches to you , the same doctrine that the pulpit did hear , o people , hear ; he that hath an ear let him hear . the lord of life and of glory offers you all mercy , and peace , and blessedness : oh , why should you die ! whosoever will , let him take of the waters of life sreely ; what miss of life when it is to be had for the taking ? god forbid . o my brethren , my soul yerns for you , and my bowels towards you . ah! that i did but know what arguments to use with you : who shall chuse my words for me that i may prevail with sinners not to reject their own mercy : how snall i get within them ? how shall i reach them ? oh! that i did but know the words that would pierce them ? that i could but get between their sins and them . beloved brethren , the lord jesus hath made me , most unworthy , his spokesman , to bespeak your hearts for him : and oh , that i knew but how to wooe for him , that i might prevail ! these eight years have i been calling , and yet how great a part do remain visibly in their sins , and how few , alas ! how few souls have i gained to christ by sound conversion . once more i desire with all possible earnestness to apply my self to you , i have thought it may be a sermon out of a prison might do that which i could not do after my long striving with you , but have left undone : come then , o friends , and let us reason together . many among you remain under the power of ignorance : ah! how often have i told you the dangerous , yea , damnable estate that such are in . never make excuses , nor flatter your selves that you shall be saved though you go on in this ; i have told you often , and now tell you again , god must be false of his word , if ever you be saved without being brought out of the state of ignorance : if ever you enter in at the door of heaven , it must be by the key of knowledge , you cannot be saved , except you be brought to the knowledge of the truth . a people that remain in gross ignorance , that are without understanding , the lord that made them , will not have mercy on them . o why will you flatter your felves , and wilfully deceive your own selves ? when the god of truth hath said you shall surely die if you go on in this estate : oh , for the love of god and of your souls , i beseech you awake and bestir your selves to get the saving knowledge of god : you that are capable of learning a trade to live by , are you not capable of learning the way to be saved ? yea , i doubt not but you are capable if you would but beat your heads about it , and take pains to get it . and is it not pity that you should perish for ever for want of a little pains , and study , and car●… to get the knowledge of god : study the catechism , if possible get it by heart , if not , read it often , or get it read to you , cry unto god for knowledge ; improve the little you have by living answerable . search the scripture daily , get them read to you if you cannot read them . improve your sabbaths diligently , and i doubt not but in the use of these means you will sooner arrive to the knowledge of christ than of a trade . but for thee , o hardned sinner , that wilt make thy excuses that thou hast not time nor abilities to get knowledge , and to sit still without it , i pronounce unto thee that thou shalt surely perish : and i challenge thee to tell me , if thou canst , how thou wilt answer it before the most high god when he shall sit in judgement upon thee , that thou wouldest be contented to undergo a seven years apprentiship to learn how to get thy living , and that thou mightest have got the knowledge of the principles of religion in half the time , but thou wouldest not beat thy head about it . many are swallowed up in meer prosaneness : alas ! that there should be any such in a place of such means and mercie●… ! but it cannot be concealed . many of them proclaim the●…r sin like sodom , and carry their deadly ●…prosie in their for●…-heads . i am ashamed to think that in t●…unton there should be so many ale-house-haun●…ers and tiplers , so many lewd gamesters , and rioters and debauched livers ; so many black mouthed swearers , who have oaths and curses for their common language , so many raylers at godliness , and prcfane scoffers , so many lyars and deceitful dealers , and unclean and wanton wretches . o what a long list will these and such like make up , if put together : it saddens me to mention such as these . o how crimsen is their guilt ! how often have you been warned , and yet are still unreformed , yea loose and profane . yet one warning more have i sent after you from the lord to repent . return , o sinners , what ! will you run into everlasting burnings with your eyes open ? repent , o drunkards , or else you shall be shut out of the kingdom of heaven , cor. . , . repent , o swearers , else you shall fall into condemnation , james . . repent , o lyars , put away lying , and speak every one truth to his neighbour ; else you shall have your part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone , rev. . . repent , o company-keepers , forsake the foolish and live , but a companion of the wicked shall be destroyed , prov. . . repent you deceivers of your unrighteous dealings , or else you shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of god , cor. . , . the lord that made us , knows my earnest desire for your conversion and salvation , and that i speak not this to you out of any evil will toward you , for i will lie at your feet to do you good , but out of a sense of your deplorable estate , while you remain in your sins . i know there is mercy for you if you do soundly repent and reform , and bow to the righteousness and government of the lord christ : but if you go on , and say , you shall yet have peace , i pronounce unto you , that there is no escape , but the lord will make his wrath to smoak against you , he will wound the head of his enemies , and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses . others have escaped the gross pollutions of the world , but stick in the form of godliness , and content themselves with a negative righteousness , that they are no drunkards , nor swearers , &c. or at best with an outward conformity to the duties of religion , or some common workings , instead of a saving . o i am jealous for you that you should not lose the things that you have wrought , and miss you reward for want of sincerity : for the lords sake put on , and beware of perishing in the suburbs of the city of refuge : beg of god to make through-work with you , and be jealous for your selves ; get a right understanding of the difference between a hypocrite and a sincere christian , and try you estates much , but only with those marks , that you are sure from the scripture will abide gods tryal . but for you that fear the lord in sincerity , i have nothing but good and comfortable words : i have proclaimed your happiness in the last token i sent to the town : i mean the abstract for the covenant of grace , upon the priviledges , comforts , mercies there summed up , and set before you . may your souls ever live ; what condition can you devise wherein there will not be abundance of comfort , and matter of joy unspeakable , to you . o beloved , know your own happiness , and live in that holy admiring , commending , adoring , praisings of your gracious god , that becomes the people of his praise . i have been long , yet methinks i have not emptied half my heart unto you : i trespass much , i fear , upon the bearer , therefore in haste i commend you to god. the good will of him that dwelt in the bush be with you all . the lord create a defence upon you , and deliverance for you : the lord cover you all the day , and make you to dwell between his shoulders ; i desire your constant , instant , earnest prayers for me , and rest , from the common goale in juelchester , july th . . a willing labourer , and thankful sufferer for you , jos. alleine . letter . v. [ trust god , and be sincere . ] to my most endeared friends , the servants of christ in taunton , grace and peace . most dearly beloved and longed for , my joy and crown : my hearts desire and prayer to god for you is , that yo●… may be saved . i know that you are the but of mens rage and malice : but you may satisfie your selves as dapid in his patient sustaining of shemei's sury and curses : it may be the lord will look upon our aff●…ction , and require good for their cursing this day . but however it be for that , be sure to hold on your way : your name indeed is cast forth as evil , and you are hated of all men for christs-sake , for your profession of his gospel , and cleaving to his ways and servants : but let not this discourage you , for you are now more than ever blessed : onely hold fast , that no man take your crown . let not any that have begun in the spirit , end in the flesh . do not forsake god , till he forsake you ; he that endureth to the end shall be saved : the promise is to him that overcometh ; therefore think not of looking back : now you have set your hands to christ's pow , though you labour hard , and suffer long , the crop will pay for all : now the lord is trying what credit he hath in the world , and who they be that will trust him . the unbelieving world are all for present pay ; they must have ready money , something in hand , and will not follow the lord when there is like to be any great hazard and hardship in his service . but now is the time for you , my beloved , to prove your selves believers , when there is nothing visible but present hazard and expence , and difficulty in your makers service . now it will be seen who can trust the lord , and who trusts him not : now , my brethren , bear you up , stand fast in the faith , quit you like men , be strong : now give glory to god by believing . if you can trust in his promises for your reward now , when nothing appears but the displeasure of rulers , and bonds , and losses , and tribulation on every side , this will be somewhat like believers . brethren , i beseech you to reckon upon no other but crosses here . let none of you dream of an earthly paradise , or flatter your selves with dreams of sleeping in your ease , and temporal prosperity , and carrying heaven too . think not to keep your estates , and liberties and consciences too : count not upon rest till you come to the land of promise . not that i would have any of you to run upon hazards uncalled : no , we shall meet them soon enough in the way of our duty , without we will balk it , and shamefully turn aside : but i would have you cast over-board your worldly hopes , and count not upon an earthly felicity , but be content to wait till you come on the other side the grave . is it not enough to have a whole eternity of happiness yet behind ? if god do throw in the comforts of this life too into the bargain ; i would not have you throw them back again , or despise the goodness of the lord : but i would , my brethren , that you should use this world , as not abusing it , that you should be crucified to the world , and the world to you ; that you should declare plainly that you seek a countrey , a better countrey , which is an heavenly . ah! my dear brethren , i beseech you carry it like pilgrims an strangers , i beseech you abstain from fleshly lusts , which war against your souls ; for what have we to do with the customes and courses and fashions of this world , who are strangers in it ! be contented with travellers lots : know you not that you are in a strange land ? all is well as long as it is well at home ; i pray you , brethren , daily and srequently to consider your condition and station : do you not remember that you are in an inn ; and what though your be but poorly attended , and meanly accommodated ? though you ●…are hard , and lie hard ? is this a strange thing ? what should travellers look sor else ? will you set forth in a journey , and promise your selves nothing but sair way and fair weather ? shall a man put forth to sea and reckon upon nothing but the calm ? if you were of the world , the world would love his own . but now god hath chosen you , and called you out of the world , therefore the world hateth you : but remember , my brethren , it is your duty to love them , even while they hate you ; and to pray for mercy for them that will shew no mercy , nor do no justice for us . this i desire you to observe as a great duty of the present times : and let not any so far forget their duty and pattern , as to wish evil to them that do evil to us , or to please themselves with the thoughts of being even with them . let us commit our selves to him that judgeth righthously , and shew our selves the children of the most high , who doth good to his enemies , and is kind to the unkind and unthankful : and what though they do hate us ? their love and good-will were much more to be feared , than their hatred , and a far worse sign . brethren , keep your selves in the love of god ; here is wisdom . o happy souls , that are his favourites ! for the lords sake look to this , make sure of something : look to your sincerity above all things in the world : let not any of you conclude , that because you are of the suffering party , therefore all is well : look to the foundation , that your hearts be soundly taken off from every sin , and set upon god above as your blessedness : beware that none of you have only a name to love , and be no more than almost christians . for the love of your souls , make a diligent search , and try upon what ground you stand , for it heartily pities me to think that any of you should be in so deep , and hazard so much as these must do that will now cleave to the hated ways of the people of god , and yet lose all at last for want of being thorow and sound in the main work , i mean conversion and regeneration . none so miserable in all the world as an unsound professor of religion now is , for he shall be hated and persecuted of the world , because he takes up a profession , and yet rejected of god too , because he sticks in a profession : but when once you bear the marks of gods favour , you need not fear the worlds frowns : cheer up therefore , brethren , be strong in the lord , and of good courage under the worlds usage : fear not , in our fathers house there is bread enough , and room enough ; this is sufficient to comfort us under all the inconveniences of the way , that we have so happy a home , so worthy a portion , so ready a father , so goodly an heritage , so sure a tenure . oh , comfort one another with these words : let god see that you can trust in his word : let the world see that you can live upon a god. i shall share my prayers and loves among you all , and commit you to the almighty god : the keeper of israel that never flumbereth nor sleepeth , be your watchman and keeper to the end , farewel . i am from the common goal at juelchester , july . . a fervent well-wisher of your temporal and eternal happiness , joseph alleine . letter . vi. [ look out of your graves upon the world. ] to my most dearly beloved friends , the chosen of god in taunton , grace and peace . most endeared christian , my heart is with you , though i am absent , as to my bodily presence from you , and therefore as i have often already , so i have now written to you to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance , and to call upon you for your stedfast continuing , and vigorous proceeding in the ways of god. dear friends , and fellow souldiers under christ the captain of our salvation , consider your calling and station , and approve your selves as good souldiers of jesus christ , as men of resolution and courage , be discouraged with no difficulties of your present warfare . as for humane affairs , it would have you to be as you are , men of peace . i would have you armed not for resisting , god forbid , but for suffering onely , as the apostle hints : you should resist , even to the uttermost , striving against sin. here you must give no quarter , for if you spare but one agag , the life of your souls must go for the life of your sins : you must make no peace ; for god will not smile on that soul that smiles on sin , nor have any peace with him , that is at peace with his enemy . other enemies you must forgive , and love , and pray for ( which i again desire you to mind as one special duty of the times ) but for these spiritual enemies , all your affections , and all your prayers must be engaged against them ; yea , you must admit no parley : it 's dangerous to dispute with temptations . remember what eve lost by parleying with satan : you must flie from temptations , and put them off at first with a peremptory denial . if you will but hear the devils arguments , and the fleshes pleas , and fair pretences , it is an hundred to one but you are insnared by his sophistry . and for this present evil world , the lord deliver you from its snares . surely you had need watch and be sober , and use your spiritual weapons dexterously a●…d diligently , or else this world is like to undo you , and destroy yo●… . i have often warned you not to build upon an external happiness . and that you should promise yo●…r selves nothing but hardship here : oh still remember your station ; souldiers must not count upon rest , and fulness , but hunger , and hardness . labour to get right appreh●…sions of the world. do not think these things necessary ; one thing is need●…ul : you may be happy in the want of all outward comf●…s . do not think your selves undone , if brought to want or poverty : study eternity , and you will see it to be little material to you , whether you are poor or rich ; and that you may have never such an opportunity for your advantage in all your lives , as when you put all to hazard , and seem to run the vessel upon the rocks . set your enemies one against the other : death against the world ; no such way to get above the world , as to put your selves into the possession of death . look often upon your dust that you shall be reduced to , and imagine you saw your bones tumbled out of your graves , as they are like shortly to be , and men handling your skulls , and enquiring whose is this . tell me of what account will the world be then , what good will it do you : put your selves often into your graves , and look out from thence upon the world , and see what judgement you have of it then . must not you shortly be forgot among the dead ? your places will know you no more , and your memory will be no more among men , and then what will it profit you to have lived in fashion and repute , and to have been men of esteem ? one serious walk over a church-yard , as one speaks , might make a man mor●…ified to the world. think upon how many you tread , but you know them not : no doubt they had their estates , their friends , their trades , their businesses , and kept as much stir in the world as others do now . but alas , what are they the better for any , for all this ? know you not that this must be your own case very shortly : oh the unhappiness of deceived man ! how miserably is he bewitched , and befooled , that he should expend himself for that which he knows shall for ever leave him . brethren , i beseech you lay no stress upon these perishing things , but labour to be at a holy indifferency about them : is it for one that is in his wits to sell his god , his conscience , his soul , for thi●…gs that he is not sure to keep a week , nor a day , and which he is sure after a ●…ew sleepings and wakings more , to leave behind him for ever ? go and talk with dying men , and see what apprehensions they have of the world ? if any should come ●…o such as these , and tell them here is such and such pr●…ferments for you , you shall have such titles of honour and delights , if you will now disown religion , or subscribe to iniquity ; do you think such a motion would be embraced ? brethren , why should we not be wise in time ! why should we not now be of the mind of which we know we shall be all shortly ! woe to them that will not be wise till it be to no purpose ! woe to them whose eyes nothing but death and judgement , will open ! woe to them that though they have been warned by others , and have heard the worlds greatest darlings in death to cry out of its vanity , worthlessness and deceitfulness , and have been told where and how it would leave them ; yet would take no warning , but only must serve themselves to , for warnings to others . ah my beloved , beware there be no worldly professors among you , that will part rather with their part in paradise , than their part in paris ; that will rather part with their consciences , than with their estates ; that have secret reserves in hearts to save themselves whole , when ●…t comes to the pinch ; and not to be of the religion that will undo them in the world. beware that none of you have your hearts where your feet should be , and love your mammon before your maker . it is time for you to learn with paul , to be crucified to the world. but it is time for me to remember that 't is a letter , and contain my self within my limits . the god of all grace , stablish , strengthen , and settle you in these shaking times , and raise your hearts above the fears of the worlds threats , and above the ambition of its favours . my dearest loves to you all , with my servent desire of your prayers may the lord of hosts be with you , and the god of jacob your refuge . farewell my dear brethren , farewel , and be strong in the lord , i am from the common gaole at juelchester , june . . yours to serve you in the gospel , whether by doing or suffering . jos. alleine . letter vii . [ first , christian marks : . duties . ] to the beloved , my most endearing , and endeared friends , the flock of christ in taunton , salvation . most dearly beloved and longed for , my joy and crown : i must say of you as david did of jonathan , very pleasant have you been unto me , and your love to me is wonderful . and as i have formerly taken great content in that my lot was cast among you , so through grace i rejoyce in my present lot , that i am called to approve my love to you by suffering for you ; for you , i say : for you know that i have not sought yours but you ; and that for doing my duty to your souls , i am here in these bonds , which i do cheerfully accept through the grace of god that strengtheneth me . oh! that your souls might be quickened and enlarged by these my bonds ! that your hands might be strengthened , and your hearts encouraged in the lord your god by our sufferings ! see to it , my dearly beloved , that you stand fast in the power of the holy doctrine which we have preached from the pulpit ; preached at the bar ; preached from the prison to you : it is a gospel worth the suffering for : see that you follow after holiness , without which no man shall see god : oh! the madness of the blind world , that they should put from them the only plank upon which they can scape to heaven . surely the enemies of holiness are their own enemies . alas for them ! they know not what they do . what would not these foolish virgins do at last , when it is too late for a little of the oyl of the wise ; oh , for one dram of that grace which they have scorned and despised . but let not any of you , my dear people , be wise too late : look diligently lest any man fail of the grace of god. beware that none of you be cheated through the subtlety of satan and deceitfulness of your hearts with counterfeit gr●… . there is never a grace but hath its counterfeit : and there is nothing in all the world that is more common or more easie , than to mistake common and counterfeit grace for true and saving : and remember you are undone for evermore , if you should die in such a mistake : not that i would shake the confidence of any sound believer , who upon often and through searce into the scripture and his own heart , and putting himself upon gods tryal , hath gotten good evidence that his graces are of the right kind : build your confidenee sure : see that you get the knowledge of the certain and infallible marks of salvation , and make sure by great observing your own hearts that these marks be in you , and then you cannot be too confident . but as you love your souls take heed of a groundless confidence . take heed of ●…ing confident before you have tried . dear brethren , i would fain have you all secured against the day of judgement ; i would that the state of your souls were all well setled : oh how comfortably might you think of any troubles , if you were but sure of your pardons ! were your salvation out of doubt , no matter though other things were in hazard . i beseech you , whatever you neglect , look to this : i am afraid there are among you that have not made your peace with god yet ; that are not yet acquainted with that great work of conversion : such i would warn and charge before the living god to speed into christ , and without any more disputes or delayes to put away their iniquities , and to come in and deliver up themselves to jesus christ , that they may be saved . it is not your profession , nor performing external duties , nor partaking of external priviledges that will save you : no , no , you must be converted or condemned . it is not enough that you have some love and liking to gods ways and people , and are willing to venture something for them ; all this will not prove you sound christians : have your hearts been changed ? have you been soundly convinced of your sins ? of your da●…nable and undone condition in your selves ? and your utter ina●…lity to lick your selves whole again by your own duties ? have you been brought at least to such a sight and sense of sin , as that there is no sin , though agreeable to your constitution , though a support to your gain but you do heartily abhor it , and utterly disallow of it ? are you brought to such a sense of the beauty of holiness , and of the laws and ways of god , as that you do desire to know the whole mind of god , and would not excuse your selves by ignorance from any duty , and that you do not allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of any thing that conscience charges upon you as a duty ? are your very hearts set upon the glorifying and enjoying of god , as your greatest happiness , which you desire more than corn and wine , and oyl ? had you rather be the holiest than the richest and greatest in the world ? and is your greatest delight ( ordinarily , and when you are your selves ) in the thoughts of god , and in your conversings with god in holy exercises ? is christ more precious than all the world to you ? and are you willing upon the through consideration of the strictness and holiness , and self-denyińg nature of his laws , yet to take them all for the rule of your thoughts , words , and actions ? and though religion may be dear , do you resolve if god will assist you by his grace , to go through with it , let the cost be what it will ? happy the man that is in such a case . this is a christian indeed , and whatever you be and do short of this , all is unsound . but you that bear in your souls the marks of the lord jesus above mentioned , upon you i should lay no other burden , but to hold fast , and make good your ground and to press forward towards the mark . thankfully acknowledge the distinguishing grace god to your souls : and live rejoycingly in the hopes of the glory of god , the hopes that shall never make you ashamed : live daily in the praises of your redeemer : be much in admiring god , and study the worthiness , excellency , and glory of his attributes : let your souls be much taken up in contemplating and commending his glorious perfection , and blessing your selves , in the goodly portion you have in him : live like those that have a god , and then be disconsolate if you can : if there be not more in an infinite god to comfort you , than in a prison , or poverty , or other affliction to deject you , our preaching is vain , and your faith is vain . let the thoughts of god be your daily repast : and never be satisfied till your heart●… run out as freely , naturally , constantly , unweariedly after god , as others do after the world : a little force upon your hearts for a while to turn them into this holy channel , may quickly come so to habituate your minds to holiness , that they may na●…urally run that way . but it is time to shut up : farewel ; my dear brethren , the lord god almighty be a protection to you , and your exceeding great reward : farewel in the lord i am yours in the bowels of the lord jesus , jos. alleine from the common goale at juelchester , sept. . . just now i received your melting letter , to which i am not able now to return an answer , but shall with speed : your very great affections for me cannot but move me , and make me ready to repeat again the first words of my letter above . the lord inable me to return something to you for your great loves ; i am sensible i have come very short of my duty to you : but i must needs tell you , my bowels are moved with your loves , which i hope i shall greatly prize : once more farewel . my dear brother norman remembers you with much love , desiring that you may be blameless and harmless , the sons of god without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation , among whom ye should snine as lights in the world. letter viii . [ how to shew love to ministers , and live joyfully . ] to the most loving and dearly beloved , my christian friends in taunton , grace , mercy , and peace from god our father , and from the lord jesus christ. most endeared brethren , i have received your moving melting letter , and could not look over such tender expressions of your working affections , without some commotions in my own : i may confidently say , i spent more tears upon those lines , than ever you did ink : your deep sense of my labours in the ministry , i cannot but thankfully acknowledge , and take notice of : yet withal , heartily and unseingedly consessing , that all was but the duty which i did owe to your precious and immortal souls : which god knows , are very much short of my duty . the omissions , imperfections , defects , deadness , that accompanied my duties i do own , i must and will own ; and the lord humble me for them . but all that was of god ( and that was all that was good ) be sure that you give to god alone . to him i humbly ascribe both the will , and the deed , to whom alone be glory for ever . my dear brethren , my business as i have often told you , is not to gain your hearts , or turn your eyes towards me , but to jesus christ : his spokesman i am , will you give your hearts to him ? will you give your hands , your names to him ? will you subscribe to his laws , and consent to his offices , and be at through defiance with all his enemies ? this do , and i have my errant . who will follow christs colours ? who will come under his banner ? this shall be the man that shall be my friend ; this is he that will oblige me for ever . do these letters come to none that are yet unsanctified ? to no loose sinner ? to no ignorant finner ? to no unsound professor ? oh that there were none such indeed ! oh that i had left no such behind me ! but would they do me a kindness as i believe they would , oh then let them come away to jesus christ at this call ! lie no longer o sinner , in thy swill , be no more in love with darkness ! stick no longer in the skirts and outside of religion , demure no longer , dispute not , and waver no more , halt no further , but strike in throughly with jesus christ , except nothing , reserve nothing , but come off throughly to the lord , and follow him fully . and then happy man that thou shalt be , for thou will be made for ever ; and joyful man that i shall be , for i shall save a soul from death . the earnest and pittiful beggings of a poor prisoner , do use to move some bowels : hear o friends , will you do nothing for a minister of christ ? nothing for a prisoner of jesus christ ? methinks i hear you answer , [ yea , rather what will we not do , he shall never want while we have it ; he shall need no office of love , but we will run and ride to do it . ] yea , but this is not that i beg of you ; will you gratifie me indeed ? then come in , kiss the son , bow to the name of jesus ; not in a complement , with cap and knee , but let your souls bow , let all your powers bend sail , and do him homage . let that sacred name be graven into ●…he substance of your hearts , and lie as a bundle of mirth between your breasts . let me freely speak for him , for he is worthy for whom you shall do this thing ; worthy to be beloved of you ; worthy to have your ve●…y hearts , worthy to be admired , adored , praised , served , glorified to the uttermost by you , and every creature ; worthy for whom you should lay down all , leave all : can any thing be too much for him ? can any thing be too good for him ? or too great for him ? come give up all , resign all , lay it at the feet of christ jesus , offer all as a sacrifice to him , see that you be universally the lords ; keep nothing from him : i know through the goodness of god , that with many of you this work is not yet to do : but this set solemn resignation to the lord is to be done more than once ; and to be followed with an answerable practice when it is done : see that you walk worthy of the lord ? but how ? in the fear of the lord , and in the comfort of the holy ghost ; let these two go together . so shall you adorn the doctrine of god our saviour : and experience , the heavenly felicity of a christians life : while holiness is made the but of others persecution , do you make it the white , the mark of your prosecution ; that you live it up , as much as others cry it down . o watch and keep your garments about you ; the plain , but comely clothing of humility , the seamless coat of christian unity , the strait and close garment of strictness , mortification and self-denial , the warm winter-garment of love and charity , this garment will keep you warm in the winter : love will not be quenched by the waters , nor cooled by the nipping frosts of persecution and opposition . cleave fast to christ , never let go your hold ; cling the faster , because so many are labouring to knock off your fingers , and loosed your hold . hold fast your profession , hold fast your integrity , hold ●…ast the beginning of your confidence stedfast to the end : if you do but keep your hold , and make goud your ground , and keep your way ; all that the world can do , and all that the powers of darkness can do , can never do you harm . keep your own vinyard with constant care and watchfulness , and be sure that there be no inroad made upon your consciences , that the , enemy do not get between you and home , between your souls and god ; and then let who or what will assail you without , you need not fear : let this be your daily exercise , to keep your consciences void of offence : keep fair weather at home , however it be abroad . but i would not only that you should walk holily , but that you should walk comfortably : but i need say the less to this , because the fear of the lord , and the comfort of the holy ghost , do lie together . on the provision god hath made for your continual joy and comfort : dear brethren , do but understand your own blessedness , happy men that you are , if you did but know and consider it ; who would count himself poor and miserable that hath all the fulness of the godhead for his : sound in this deep : can you find any bottom ? take the heighth of the divine perfections if you can , till then you cannot tell your own felicity . take a servey of immensity , tell me the longitude or latitude of infinite goodness and mercy , of the eternal diety : if you can do this , you may guess at your own happiness . oh christians ! live like your selves , live worthy of your portion , of your priviledge , and your glorious prerogatives . i am in haste , and it is time for me to end ; however , that you may walk worthy of your glorious hopes , and may live answerably to the mercies you have received from above , is the great desire of from the prison at juelchester , september . . your souls fervent well wisher in the bonds of affliction and tribulation . jos. alleine . letter . ix . [ easie sufferings . ] to the most loving and beloved , my christian friends at ●…aunton , salvation . dearly beloved and longed for , my joy and crown , for whom i am an embassadour in bonds : what thanks to render to god in your behalf , i know not , for your fervent charity towards me , and all the servants of my lord , for all your labours of love , for all your diligence , and bold●…ess , and resolution , in owning the despised way , and hared ser●…ants of the lord jesus , in an evil day . the lord is not unrighteous to forget this : is not this upon record with him and ●…aled up among his treasures ? surely the lord will have mercy upon tauntou : i have no doubt but that the god of ●…our mercies hath yet a choice blessing in store for you ; be not weakned by my bonds . glory be to god in the highest , that he hath accounted me worthy not only to preach the gospel to you , but also to confirm it by the pa●…ing with my much valued liberty , so dear a people , so swee●… relations , comforts , conveniencies , which i enjoyed in all a●…dance when i was with you . when i look back upon all the circumstances of the late providence , i must say as they of christ upon his miracles , he hath done all things well ; it is all as i would have it , i am fully satisfied in my fathers good pleasure . verily there is no little honour and happiness , no little peace and priviledge in these bonds . verily all is true that i have told you of the all-sufficiency of god , of the fulness of christ , of the satisfactoriness of the promises of the peace , tranquility , content , and security , that is to be had in a life of faith. surely methinks i should be content to seal to these things at a much dearer rate than this ; but my gracious father will not put me to the hardest les●…on at first : oh what reason have i to speak good of his name ! what else should i do all my days , but love , and fear , and preach , and praise , so good a god ? when i look back upon the gentle dealings of god with me , i often think he hath brought me up as indulgently as david did adoni●…ah , of whom it is said , his father had not displeased him . i have received nothing but good at the hands of the lord all my days ; and now he doth begin to afflict , i see so much mercy in this very goal , that i must be more thankful for this than for my prosperity . surely the name of the place is , the lord is here : surely it may be called peniel . be strong in the lord , my bre●…hren , be patient , stablish your hearts , for the coming of the lord draws nigh . in nothing be terrified by your adversaries . now let those that fear the lord be often speaking one to another . i hear that satan is practising to send more of you after me : i desire and pray for your liberty : but if any of you be sorced hither for the testimony of the gospel , i shall embrace you with both arms fare you well , my most dearly beloved : be perfect , and be of good comfort , be of one mind , live in peace , and the god of love and peace shall be with you . my brethren in bonds salute you with much affection , rejoycing to behold your order and the stedfastness of your faith in christ : share my heart among you , and know that i am the willing servant of your faith and joy , jos. alleine . from the common gaole at juelchester , sept. . . letter . x. [ the love of christ. ] to my beloved in the lord , the flock of christ in ] taunton , grace and peace . most loving and best beloved , my heart is with you , my affections are espoused to you . and methinks i could even say with the apostle , ( you are in my heart , to live and die with you : ) and who can but love where they have received so much love ( and continually do ) as i have from you ! the lord requi●…e your love which is great ( and if compared with his , but little ) with his which is infinite ; this is a love worthy of your ambition , worthy of your adoration and admiration . this is the womb that bore you from eternity , and out of which have burst forth all the mercies , spiritual and temporal , that you enjoy . this was the love that chose you , when less offenders , and those that being converted , might have been a hundred sold more serviceable to their makers glory , are l●…ft to perish in their sins : may your souls be filled with the sense of this love . but it may be you will say , how shall i know if i am an object of electing love ? least an unbelieving thought should damp your joy ; know in snort , that if you have chosen god , he hath certainly chosen you . have you taken him for your blessedness ? and do you more highly prize , and more diligently seek after conformity to him , a●…d the fru●…tion of him than any , than all the goods of this world ? if so , theu away with doubts , for you could not have loved , and have chosen him , unless he had loved you first . now may my beloved dwell continually in the thoughts , the views , the tastes of the love . get you : down under its shadows , and taste its pleasant fruits . oh the provisions that love hath made for you , before the foundation of the world ! ah silly dust , that ever thou shouldest be thought upon so long before thou wast : that the contrivances of the infinite wisdom , should be taken up about thee ! that such a crawling thing , such a mite , a flea , should have the consultations of the eternal diety exercised about thee ! verily his love to thee is wonderful . lord what is man ! thou tellest us he is dust and vanity , a worm , nothing less than nothing ; how then dost thou love him ! oh wonderful ! be astonished yea heavens at this : be moved ye strong foundation of the earth . fall down yea●… elders , strike up ye heavenly quires , and sing yet again , glory to god in the highest : for all our strings would crack to reach the notes of love , praise , and admiration that this love doth call for . oh that ever emptiness and vanity , should be thus prized ! that jehovah should make account of so worthless , so useless a thing as man ! that ever baseness should be thu●… preferred ! that ever nothing should be thus dignified ! tha●… ever rottenness should be thus advanced , a clod , a shaddow potsheard , should be thus glorified ! oh brethren , study beseech you , not to require or retaliate ( there 's impossibility , and blasphemy in such a thought ) but to admire and im●…tate his love . let love constrain you , let love put you upo●… doing , and prepare you for suffering ; forget not a love s●… memorable , undervalue not a love so unvaluable ; i would have you all the captives of love : may the cords of love dra●… you towards , and knit you to your redeemer ? may the ●…vided streams be united in him . alas , that our souls are s●… narrow , that the waters are so shallow with us ! how little how very little would our love be , if he had it all , infinit●… less than the glow-worm to the suu , or the attome to the universe ? and have we any of this little to spare for him oh that we might love him with our little ah! that all o●… little powers were ingaged for him ! brethren , here is no ex●…cess : oh love the lord ye his saints ! he is worthy for who●… you shall do this . do but think what love hath done for yo●… and think if you can , what it means to do for you . this is th●… love that yarned upon you , when in your blood no eye pitying you . this is the love that took you up when you wer●… robbed and wounded , and left for dead , and poured in win●… and oyl into your wounds . this is that love that reprieved and spared , and pardoned , when the law had condemne●… you , and justice would have had you delivered up ; an●… your self-condemning consciences gave up all for lost , co●…cluding there was no hope . this is the love , the expensiv●… love that bought you from the power of darkness , from the eternal burnings , the devouring fire in which you must otherwise have dwelt . do you not remember how you were hungry , and it fed you , naked and it cloathed you , strangers and it took you in , sick and it visited you , in prison and it came unto you ? you were dead and are alive , you were lost and are found . and me thinks i see how love runs to meet you , and falls upon your necks , and kisseth the lips that deserve to be loathed , and rejoyces over you , and makes a festival , and as it were a holiday in heaven to you , inviting angels to rejoyce . and if the friends do rejoyce , how much more doth the father ? for saith he , these my sons were dead and are alive , were lost and are sound . oh melting love ! ah brethren , how strange is this , that our recovery should be heavens triumph , the joy of god and angels . that this love should feast us , and feast over us , and our birth-day should be kept in heaven : that this should be the round at heavens table , and the burden of the song above : [ for this my son was dead , and is alive , ] and well , what remains but that you should be another manner of people , than ever yet you have been , more holy , more humble , more even , more resolved , more lively , more active ? where is your zeal for the lord of hosts ? will slender returns suffice you in answer to such a love ? god forbid . but necessity calls me off from going any further . may the love that chose you , and redeemed you , for ever dwell in you , and overshaddow you , and bear you safe to the kingdom . in the holy arms of divine love i desire to leave you . may you live under its daily influences , and be melted and overcome with its warming beams , with its quickning , piercing , powerful rays . my most dear love , to you all . see that you live not in a dull , fruitless , liveless course . be patient , be watchful , instant in prayer , fervent in spirit , serving the lord : i am very healthful and chearful through grace . see that none of these things move you that befal us . fare you well my dear brethren , farewel in the lord , i am from the prison at juelchester , october . . yours in the strongest bonds of affection , and affliction . joseph alleine . letter xi . [ remember christ crucified , and crucifie sin. ] to the faithful and well-beloved people , the servants of christ in taunton , salvation . most dear christians , i am by office a remembrancer , the lords remembrancer for you and your remembrancer in the behalf of christ. my business is , with the apostle , to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance . and what or whom should i remember you of , but your mindful friend , your intercessour with the father , who hath you always in remembrance , appearing in the presence of god for you ? may his memory ever live in our hearts , though mine should die : oh remember his love more than wine , remember in what a case he found you , and yet nothing could anihilate his heart , nor divert the purpose of his love from you : he loathed not your rags nor your rottenness : he found you in a loathsome vomit and filthiness , in a nasty and verminous tatters , ( think not these expressions too odious : no pen can describe , no heart can imagine the odiousness of sin in his sight , in which you lay and rolled your selves as the filthy swine in the mire ) yet he pitied you , his bowels were moved , and his compassions were kindled , when one would have thought his wrath should have boiled and his indignation have burned down to hell against you : he loathed not but loved you , and washed you from your sins in his own blood : ah monstrous and polluted captives ? ah vile and putrid carkases ? that ever the holy jesus should take the hands of you , and shou●…d his own self wash you , and wrinse you ! merh●…nks i see him weeping over you ; and yet it was a more costly bath by which he cleansed you . ah sinners ! look upon the streaming blood flowing out warm from his blessed body , to setch out the ingrained filthiness that you by sin had contracted . alas ! what a horrid filthiness in sin , that nothing but the blood of the covenant could wash away ! and what a love is christs , than when no sope nor nitre could suffice to cleanse us , when a whole ocean could not wash nor purifie us , would open every vein of his heart to do the work ! look upon your crucified lord : do you not see a sacred stream flowing out of every member ? ah , how those holy hands , those unerring feet do run a stream to purge us ! alas , how that innocent back doth bleed with cruel scourgings to save ours ! how the great drops of blood fall to the ground from his sacred face in his miraculous sweat , in his bitter and bloody agony , to wash and beautifie ours ! how his wounded hearts and side twice pierced , first with love and pity ; and then with souldiers cruelty do pour out their healthful and saving flouds upon us ? lord , how do we make a shift to forget such a love as this ? ah mirrors or rather monsters of ingratitude , that can be unmindful of su●…h a friend : do we thus requite him : is this our kindness to such an obliging friend ! christians , where are you affections ? to what use do you put your faculties ? what have you memories for : but to remember him ! what have you the power of loving for , but that you should love him ? wherefore serves joy or desire , but to long for him and delightfully to embrace him ? may your souls and all their powers be taken up with him : may all the little doors of your souls be set open to him . here ●…ix your thoughts , he●…e terminate your desire ; here you may light your candle and kindle your fire when almost out . rub and chafe your hearts well with the deep consideration of the love of christ , and it is a wonder if they do not get fome warmth . the lord shed abroad his love in your hearts by the h. ghost : oh , that this love might constrain you ! brethren what will you do now for jesus christ. have you never a sacrifice to lay upon his altar ? come , and i will shew you what you shall do , let your hands be in the blood of your sins , fall foul with them , search them out with diligence , search your hearts and your houses ; whatever iniquit●…es you find there , out with them , put them far from your tabernacles ; if you crucifie them not , you are not jesus his friends . godforbid that there should be a lying tongue , or any way of deceit in your shops . that his service should give place to the world in your families . far be it from any of you , my brethr●…n , that you should be careful to teach your children and servants the way of your trades and callings , and negl●…t to instruct them in the way of life . is weekly ca●…echising up in every one of your families ? the lord convince any of you that may be guilty of this neglect : oh , set up god in your houses ; and see that you be not slovenly in closet performances : beware of serving the lord negligently ; serve not the lord with that which cost you nothing : look to it that you content not your selves with a cheap and easie religio●… . put your flesh to it : be well assured that the religion that costs you nothing will yeeld you nothing : keep up the life of religion in your family and closet duties . fear nothing like a customary and careless performance of gods service . judge your own selves whether lazie wishes , idie complaints , and yawning prayers are like to carry you through the mighty difficulties that you must get through if ever you come to heaven . when you find your selves going on in a liftless , liveless , heartless course , and have no mind to your work , ask your selves , is this to take the kingdom of heaven by violence , or can i hope to win it without ? see that you sacrifice your selves to the lord , that you deliver up your selves to him , that now you live to christ himself as christ hath made over his life and death to you , so let it be your care to live and die to him : labour to forget your selves and look upon all your enjoyments as christs goods ; upon your time , parts , strength , as his talents : look upon your selves onely in the quality of servants and stewards that are to husband all these for your lords advantage , and as those that must give an account . and pray for me that i may take the counsel that i give . i ●…ss the lord , i want nothing but the opportunity of being ●…ceable unto you , and to enjoy you : but i hope the lord will make my bonds for you to be useful to your edification ; that is the white i aim at , if i may glorifie god , and serve your souls best by being here , i shall never wish to come out , though i confess liberty of its self is very precious . finally , brethren , farewel : be perfect , be of good comfort , be of one mind , live in peace , and the god of love and peace shall be with you , i the ready servant of your faith and joy , jos. alleine . from the prison at juelchester , octob. . . my dear brother norman salutes you tenderly , desiring you to be patient , to stablish your hearts , for the coming of the lord draweth nigh . letter xii . [ for daily self-examination . ] to the most beloved people , the flock of christ in taunton , salvation . most dear brethren : i would my time were as long as my heart , that i might open my self to you ; but i was not without some discontent diverted , when i was setting my self to have written at large to you . now i am pinched , however i could not leave my dear charge altogether unvisited , but must needs salute you in a few lines . brethren , how stands it with you ? doth the main work go on ? do your souls prosper ? this is my care , beware that you flag not , that you faint not now in the evil day . i understand that your dangers grow upon you , may your faith and courage and resolution grow accordingly , and much more abundantly to overtop them . some of your enemies i hear are in great hopes to satisfie their lusts upon you : well , be not discouraged my dear brethren , but bless the lord who of his abundant mercy , hath so remarkably preserved you so long beyond all expectation . let it not be a strange thing to you , if the lord do now call you to some difficulty : forsake not the assembling of your selves together , as the manner of some is . i plainly see the coal of religion will soon go out , unless it have some better helps to cherish it , then a carnal ministrie , and lifeless administration . dear brethren , now is the time for you that fear the lord , to speak often one to another : manage your duties with what prudence you ●…an , but away with that carnal prudence , that will decline duty to avoid danger . is the communion of saints worth the venturing for ? shut not up your doors against godly meetings . i am told that it is become a hard matter , when a minister is willing to take pains with you to get place : ●…ar be this from you my brethren . what , shut out the wor d ! suppose there be somewhat more danger to him that gives the minister entertainment ? is there not much more advantage accordingly ? did not o●…ed edom , and his house get the blessing by entertaining the ark there ? or do you think god hath never a blessing for those that shall with much self-denial entertain his messengers , his sain●…s , his worship ? are you believers , and yet are affraid you shall be loosers by christ ? do you indeed not know that he that runs most hazard for christ , doth express most love to christ , and shall receive the greatest reward ; away with that unbelief , that prefers the present safety , before the future glory . i left you some helps for daily examination , i am jealous least you should grow slack , and slight , and car●…less in that duty . let me ask you in the name of the lord , doth never a day pass you , but you do solemnly and seriously call your selves to an account , what your ●…arriage hath been to god and men ? speak conscience , is there never an one within the hearing of this letter , that is a neglecter of this duty ? dot●… every one of your consciences acquit you ? oh that they did ! oh that they could ! tell me , would not some of you be put shrewdly to it , if i should ask you when you read or thought over the questions that were given you for your help ? and would you not be put to a blush , to give me an answer ? and will you not be much more ashamed , that god and conscience should find you tardy ? not that i would necessarily bind you up to that very method , only till you have found a way more profitable : i would desire you , yea , methinks i cannot but deeply charge you , to make daily use of that . awake conscience , and do thou fall upon that soul that thou findest careless in this work , and never let him be at rest till thou canst witness for him , that he is a d●…ily and strict observer of himself , and doth live in the constant practice of this duty . what shall neither gods charge , nor your promise , nor profit hold you to your work ? yet i may not doubt , but some of you do daily perform this duty . the lord incourage you in it : yet give me leave to ask you what you have gained ? are you grown more universally consci●…ncious , more strict , more humble , and more sensible of your many and great defects , then you were before ? if so , blessed are you of the lord ; if otherwise , this duty hath been performed but slightly by you . what can you say to this question ? doth your care of your ways abate , or doth it incr●… , by the constant use of this duty ? if it abate , remember from whence you are fallen , and repent ; as good not do it at all , as not to the purpose . my pen is apt to run , when i am writing unto you . i beseech you , that my letters may not be as so much waste paper to you ; may they be provocations to your duty , and medicines to any corruptions that they m●…et with ; oh that they might find out mens sins , and excite their graces ! i have run much farther than i thought i should have done , but now i am called upon , and must shur up . the lord god be a sun and a shield to you . my most dear love to you all , fare you well in the lord , i am your embassador in bonds , jos. alleine . from the common goal at juelchester , octob. . . letter xiii . [ motives and marks of growth . ] to the most loving , and best beloved , the servants of christ in ●…aunton , grace and peace : most dear and tender friends , whose i am , and whom under god i desire to serve ; to build you up in holiness , and comforts hath been through grace my great ambition . this is that which i laboured for ; this is that which i suffer for : and in short the end of all my applications to you , and to god for you . how do your souls prosper ? are they in a thriving case ? what progress do you make in sanctification ? doth the house of saul grew weaker and weaker , and the house of david stronger and stronger ? beloved , i desire to be jealous of you with a godly jealousie , lest any of you should lose your ground in these declining times : and therefore cannot but be often calling upon you to look to your standing , and to watch and hold fast , that no man take your crown . ah! how su●…ely shall you reap in the end if you faint not ! take heed therefore that you lose not the things you have wrought , but as you have begun well , so go on in the strength of christ. and give diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end , 't is your thriving , i tell you , i drive at . do you need motives ? ] . how much are you behind-band ? oh , the fair advantages that we have lost ! what time , what sabboths , sermons , sacraments , are upon the matter lost ? how much work have we yet to do ? are you sure of heaven yet ? are you fit to die yet ? surely they that are in so much poverty , under so many great wants , had need to set upon some more thriving courses . secondly , consider what others have gained , whilst we it may be sit down by the loss : have we not met many vessels richly laden , while our souls are empty ? oh , the rich booties , the golden prizes that some have won ? while we have folded the hands to sleep ! have not many of our own standing in religion left us far behind them ? thirdly , consider what a spending time there is coming : affliction and tribulation seem to be not far from you : had you not need to be well stocked against such a day ? go to the ant thou sluggard , she layeth up her meat in the summer . happy man that can say to his soul on good grounds , what he vainly spake , thou hast much good laid up for many years : who will not victual the castle against the siege ? and the ship against the voyage ? fourthly , consider you will find all little enough when you come to die : the wise among the virgins have no oyl to spare at the coming of the bridegroom ; distress and temptations , and death will put all your graces to it . how much ado have many poor saints had at last to put into this harbour ? david cties for respite till he had recovered a little more strength . fifthly , consider how little it will avail you to thrive in your estates , and not thrive i●… your souls : poor gehazi ! what did he get by it when he gained naamans talents , and came off with his leprosie ? sixthly , consider how short your time for gathering in probability is : the israelites gathered twice so much manna against the sabboth as they did at other times , because at that time there was no manna fell . brethren you know not how long you have to lay in for . seventhly , consider gods expectations are great from you : he hath been lopping and pruning you , and now he looks for more fruit : he hath had you for some time under his more severer discipline , and therefore expects you should be better proficients : he hath tried new means with you , and is come to you with a rod ; and he will be angry with a witness if he do not find you now to mend . times of afflictions use to be gaining times to gods people ; god forbid that you alone should be losers . do you ask for marks how you may know your souls to be in a thriving case ? first , if your appetites be more strong . do you thirst after god , and after grace , more than heretofore ? do your cares for and desire after the world abate ? and do you hunger and thirst after righteousness ! whereas you were wont to come with an ill-will to holy duties , do you come to them as a hungrie stomach to its meats ? secondly , if pour pulses beat more even . are you still off and on , hot and cold . or is the a more even spun thred of holiness through your whole course ? do you make good the ground from which you were formerly often beaten off ? thirdly , if your natural heat do grow more vigorous , and your digestion more quick . do you take more notice of god in every thing , than heretofore ? and let none of his works , nor words pass without some careful attention , and observation ? do you ponder upon , and pray over his word , and his providences ? fourthly , if you do look more to the compass , and latitude of religion , and mind more than ever , the carrying on together the d●…s of both tables . do you not only look to the keeping if your own vineyards , but do you begin to look more abroad , and to lay out your selves for the good of others , and are filled with zealous desires for their conversation , and salvation ? do you manage your talk and your trade , by the rules of religion ? do you ear and sleep by rule ? doth religion form , and mould , and direct your carriage towards husband , wife , parents , children , masters , servants ! do you grow more universally consciencious ? is piety more diffusive than ever with you , doth it come more abroad with you , out of your clossets into your houses , your shops , your fields ? doth it journey with you , and buy and sell for you ? hath it the casting voice in all you do ? fifthly , if the duties of r●…ligion be more easie , sweet , and delightful to you . do you take more delinht in the word than ever ? are you more in love with secret prayer , and more abundant in it ? cannot you be content with your ordinary seasons , but are ever and anon making extraordinary visits to heaven ? and upon all occasions turning aside to talk with god in some short ejaculations ? are you o●…en darting up your souls heaven-wards ? is it meat and drink for you , to do the will of god ? do you come off more freely with god , and answer his calls , and open at his knocks , with more alacrity and readiness of mind ? sixthly , if you are more abundant in those duties which are most displeasing to the flesh. are you more earnest upon the duty of mortification ? are you more strict and severe than ever in the duty of daily self-examination , and holy meditation ? do you hold the reigns harder upon the flesh than ever ? do you keep a stricter watch upon your appetites ? do you set a stro●…r guard upon your tongues ? have you a more jeal●…s eye upon your hearts ? seventhly , if you grow more vi●…e in your own eyes . pride is such a choaking weed , that nothing will prosper near it . do you grow more out of love with mens esteem , and set less by it ? are you not marvellous tender of being slighted ? can you rejoyce to see oth●…rs preferred before you ? can you heartily value , and love them that think meanly of you ? eightly , if you grow more quick of sense , more tender of sining , more sensi●… of divine influences , or withdrawings . are you more affraid of sin than ever ? are your sins a greater pain to you than heretofore ? are your very infirmities , your great afflictions ? and the daily workings of corruption a continual grief of mind to you ? ninthly , if you are acted more by love to god and faith in these promises . fear is a slavish principle : do you find that you are acted less by fear , and more by love ? do you look more frequently to the things not seen than ever ? and doth the world abate in your esteem ? do you go more out of your selves ? do you live upon christ as the spring of your life , and make more use of him upon all occasions than ever ? do you prize the promise more , and hug and imbrace them with grea●…er dearness , and live more upon them . tenthly , if you grow of a more publisk spirit . a selfish spirit is unworthy of a christian : are the common concernments of gods glory , and the prosperity of the church , much upon your hearts ? will it no way content you to dwell in plenty , peace , and safety your selves , except you may see peace upon israel ? do the wounds in gods name and glory go deep into you ? are the sins of others your sorrows ? time , and room , and strength fails to add means too , as i inteuded . i have trespassed in length already , may these be helps to you to put you forward , and to help you in discerning your growth . i must conclude abruptly , and commend you to god with my dear loves to you all , i take leave , and can only tell you that i am , yours in the lord jesus , jos. alleine from the common goale at juelchester , octo. . . letter xv. [ perswasion to sinners , and comfort to saints , ] to my dearly beloved , the inhabitants of the town of taunton , grace , mercy , and peace from god our father , and the lord jesus christ. most dearly beloved , i have been through mercy many years with you , and should be willingly so many years a prisoner for you , so i might eminently and effectually further your salvation . i must again , yea again , and again thank you for your abundant and intire affections to me , which i value as a great mercy not in order to my self , if i know my own heart , but in order to your benefit , and i may thereby be a more likely instrument to further your good . surely , so much as i do value your love , which is not a little , yet had i rather ( if i am not unacquainted with my self ) be forgotten and forsaken of you all , and buried in oblivion , so that your eyes and hearts might be hereby fixed on christ , and sincerely engaged to him . brethren , i have not be spoken your affections for my self : o that i might win your hearts universally to jesus christ , though i had lost them for ever ! o that i might be instrumental to convert you to him though you were diverted from me . i am perswaded that i should much rather choose to be hated of all , so this might be the means to have christ honoured , and set up savingly in the hearts of you all . and indeed there is nothing great but in order to god ; nothing is much material or considerable as it is terminated in us : it matters not whether we are in riches or poverty , in sickness or health , in honour or disgrace , so christ may be by us , magnified in the condition we are in . welcome prison and poverty , welcome scorn and envy , welcome pains or contempt , if by these gods glory may be most promoted . what are we for but for god ? what doth the creature signifie separated from his god ? why just so much as the cypher separated from the figure , or the letter from the syllable , we are nothing or nothing worth , but in reference to god and his ends . better were it that we had never been , than that we should not be to him . better that we were dead than we should live , and not to him . better that we had no understandings than that we should not know him . better that we were blocks and bruis than that we should not use our reason for him . what are our interests unless as they may be subservient to his interest ? or our esteem or reputation , unless we may hereby glorifie him ? do you love me ? i know you do ; but who is there that will leave his sins for me ? i mean at my requests : with whom shall i prevail to give up himself in strictnese and self-denial to the lord ? who will be intreated by me to set upon neglected duties , or reform accustomed sins ? o wherein may you rejoyce me ? in this , in this , my brethren , in this you shall befriend me , if you obey the voice of god by me , if you be prevailed with to give your selves up throughly to the lord ? would you lighten my burden ; would you loosen my bonds ? would you make glad my heart ? let me hear of your owning the ways and servants of the lord in adversity , of your coming in , of your abiding and patient continuing in the ways of holiness . o that i could but hear that the prayerless souls , the prayerless families among you , were now given to prayer ! that the profane sinner would be awakened , and be induced by the preaching of these bonds , which heretofore would not be prevailed with , to leave their drunkenness their loose company , their lying and deceit , and wantonness , by all the threatnings of god that could be pronounced against them , nor all the beseechings , wooings , and entreaties that i was able to use with them ! will you not be made clean ? when shall it once be ? how long shall the patience of god wait for you ? how long shall the lord jesus stretch out his hands toward you ? o sinners , cast your selves into his arm ? why should you die ? why will you forsake your own mercy ? will you perish when mercy wooes you ? confess and forsake your sins , and you shall find mercy : will you part with christ , and sell your souls to perdition for a little ease and delight to your flesh ? or a little of the gain of unrighteousness ? or a little ale or vain mirth , or loose company ? why these are the things that part between sinners and christ. i know many are spun with a finer thred , and are not so far from the kingdom of god , as the prayerless , ignorant , sabbath-breaking , intemperate sort are . but i must once again warn you of staying in the suburbs of the city of refuge . o what pity is it that any should perish at the gates ! that any should escape the pollutions of the world and do many things yea , and suffer it may be too , and yet should fall short of the glory of god , for want of a through work of grace ! oh you halting christians , that halt between christ and the world , that are as ephraim like a cake not turned , dow-baked , professors , that have lamps without oyl , that cry , lord , lotd , but do not the will of our father which is in heaven ! how long will you stay in the place of the breaking forth of children ? and stick between the womb and the world ? your religion will carry you among the profane despisers of godliness , but do own the people of the lord , and do love the ministers and ordinances , therefore all is well . i tell you , godliness is a heart-work , it goes deep , and spreads far : unless the frame of your hearts , and the drifts of your course be changed , unless you be universally conscientious , and unreservedly delivered up to the lord for all times , and conditions whatever be the cost , you are none of christs , how far soever you go in common workings and external performances . hear then , o people , and let not profaneness swallow you up : let not an almost christianity deceive you , or ignorance carry you blindfold to perdition . oh the thousands , and ten thousands that have been undone by one of these ! ah how often have you been warned against them , least you should split against these dangerous rocks . o jerusalem , jerusalem , said christ , and o taunton , taunton , may i say from him , 〈…〉 ? who can tell how often , would gods 〈…〉 ●…thered you , and you would not ? many , very many 〈…〉 would not . but will you now ? will you yet come in ? i 〈…〉 forbear once more , even out of the prison to 〈…〉 or sinners , and make one tender of mercy more . o 〈…〉 to the waters of life , wash you , make you clean ; read 〈…〉 diligent observation , the melting passages , prov. . . to the end , isa. . , . isa. . , . oh obdurate sinners , if none of these things move you ! but for you , whose very hearts are set against every sin , and are deliberately resolved for god and holiness ●…re all the worlds delight ; you that have experience of a thorow change , and are brought to have respect to all gods commandments , who will have none but god for your happiness , none but christ for your treasure , that must and will have him , come what will come , blessed are you of the lord : o happy souls rejoyce in the lord , and again . i say , rejoyce : let your souls magnifie the lord , and your spirits rejoyce in god your saviour . live you a life of praise , you are highly favoured of the lord , your lines are fallen in a pleasant place : only stick you fast to your choice : beware lest any man beguile you of your reward : watch and keep your garments about you , lest you walk naked , and men see your shame . many will be plucking to pull you out of christs hands ; but the harder they pluck , the harder do you cling , and cleave to him , and the better hold fast do you take of him : blessed is he that overcometh . and now the god of heaven fill you all with himself , and make all grace to abound in you , and toward you , and that he may be a sun to comfort you , and a shild of protection to you , and shine with his happy beams of grace and glory on you all : farewel in the lord , i am yours in the bonds of the gospel , jos. alleine august , . . letter . xvi . [ how to live to god. ] to the beloved people , the inhabitants of the town of taunton , grace and peace . most endeared christians , to tell you i love and long for you , seems somewhat needless . i cannot doubt of your confidence that you have a deep share in my tenderest affections : for this let my labours among you , and the hazards for you speak , rather that i my self . beloved , i am , without a complement the devoted servant of your souls prosperity , and the interest of christ in you : way the lord jesus be set up higher in your hearts ; may his name ever live in you , and be magnified by you , and i have what i ask . if this work be not promoted among you , i shall account all my letters but waste paper , and all my pains but lost labour . brethren , i beseech you , that none of you live to your selves , for this were directly to cross the very end of christ's death : for therefore he died that you should not live to your selves , cor. . . oh live to him that died for you ! live to him that is the god of your life ! live to him that bought your lives with the expense of his own ! to him that bought you from destruction ; and not only so , but bought your names into the eternal inheritance , reserved in the heavens for you . will a man be easily perswaded to lose his life ? how infinitely tender are men here ! and yet in the worst sence the most of men do lose their lives , yea , lose them for nothing . beloved , consider , i beseech you , that life is lost , that is not lived unto god. if you would not loss your lives that you live , see to him who is the end of your lives . oh remember this , and reckon that day lost which you have not lived unto god! brethren how great a part of our lives have we really , alas ! to too really lost ? i beseech you take heed : here you are careful about many things , but beware that other things do not put out this which should be the main of your cares , to wit , the spendin your days and strength for him that made you . would it not be dreadful for a man to find at last when he comes to his account with god , that his whole life , or at least the main of it had been but damnable self-seeking . that a man should have so many years allowed him by god , and he should at last be found to have been but a false and wicked servant that had set up for himself with his masters stock , and alienated his goods , and turned them to his own use ? well , that you may throughly learn the grand lesson of living unto god , take these counsels : first , settle it upon your heart that it is the sum of all your business and blessedness to live unto god : 't is your business , for his pleasure you are and were created : what have you else to do but to serve your maker in your general and particular callings ? what was the candle made for ( saith one ) but to be burnt ? beloved , what else have you strength for , but for god ? doth he maintain servants , and shall not he look for their work ; would you endure it that the servants that you find with meat and wages should set up for themselves , that they should eat your bread and all the while do their own work ? beloved , gods service is your business , and he made you and keeps you for no other end ; and it is your blessedness too . labour to be under the rooted conviction of this principle , that your very happiness lies in pleasing and honouring of god. let the sense of this live fresh upon your hearts , and it will regulate your whole course . secondly , remember what a dangerous , yea , damnable thing it is to live to your selves : to make it our main care and business to please and gratifie our selves , or to have applause from and reputation with others , or to grow rich in the world , and greaten our selves and posterity , is the certain evidence of a graceless heart . and though the godly do make god their principle end in general , yet they must know , that for so much of their lives ar is spent besides , this end ( which is too too much ) they shall suffer loss . thirdly , labour to keep alive upon your selves a deep sense of your strong obligations to god. often think with your selves what a righteous , what a reasonable thing it is , that you should with all that you have serve the lord. beloved , sha i not the vessel be for the use of the potter that made it ? shall not the servant trade for his master with whose goods he is entrusted ? do yot not fetch all your bread from gods door ? is not he the rock that begat you ? the author of your being and well-being ? is not this he that can crucifie you or release you ? can save you or damn you at his pleasure ? is it not from him that you fetch every breath ? your interest obliges you to please him . why should beltshazzars charge be against you ? that the god in whose hand your breach is , and whose are all your ways , you have not glorified , dan. . . fourthly , do not only intend god as the general end of your course , but in every solemn action actually mind your end . though a man need not , cannot think of his journeys-end at every step , yet with care he might come to this in every solemn action , particularly and expresly to mind his end : a man cannot ( nor need he ) think at every bit that he puts into his mouth , i will eat this for god : yet he might every time he sits down to his table , remember to eat and drink , not to gratifie his flesh , but to glorifie god , by getting strength for his work , you cannot think of it in every step in your journey ; but without intending some glory to god by serving his will in your place and station ? and so in your visits and labours . fifthly , every morning let this be your first and firm resolution , i will set forth this day in the name of god. your first and last thoughts are of greatest consequence ; and therefore i advise you to begin and end with this : when ever you lie down , say in your selves , i will make use of my bed as an ordinance of god , that a servant of his may be refreshed and fitted for his work : when ever you rise up , think i will spend this day for god , and follow the business of my calling , because i am so appointed by god , zech. . . and they shall walk up and down in his name , saith the lord , &c. beloved , i design the sweetness and comforts , as well as strictness of your lives . live to god as you are directed , and you shall marvellously prosper in both . i am not sure yet , whether or no i shall see you at the assizes , which i earnestly desire to do i leave all things to our fathers wise disposal , and commending you to god , i divide my loves among you , and so rest from the prison at juelchester , nov. . . yours in the bonds of the lord jesus , jos. alleine . letter xvii . [ motives to set our selves to please god. ] to the most loving , and best beloved , the servants of christ in taunton , grace and peace : most dear christians , your prisoner in the lord saluteth you with all dearness : your are the care of my heart , the desire of my eyes , the joy of my bonds , and the sweet of my liberty . i am much satisfied in the wise disposal of our heavenly father , whether he see it good for me to be a bond-man , or a freeman , so i may but serve your souls to the greatest advantage . methinks i begin to feel in my self , more than ever the benefit of your prayers ; the influences of heaven , through the riches of free-grace ( to which alone be the praise ) being more fully sensible , and sweet upon me . i hope the lord will restore us one to another in his time , much better than we parted ; in the mean time , see that you stand fast in the hope of the gospel . the lord taketh infinite care for you , see that it be your care , the care of your very hearts , to please the lord : set your hearts to it as the business of your lives , and the very end of your beings , to walk worthy of the lord unto all well-pleasing . set home on your selyes such considerations as these . first , it is the very business you were made for , and sent into the world for , to please your maker . for his pleasure you are , and were created . why should the lord repent that he had made you ? gen. . what treacherous and damnable falshood is this , that when the lord hath given us breath and being , and sent us into the world on purpose on his service , we should like false and wicked servants , set up for our selves ? why should your creator say , he hath made you in vain ? secondly , if you set your hearts to please the lord , you are sure you shall please him . it is not so with men , all the care in the world will not suffice to please some men . how often do princes forsake their greatest favourites ? so that if you set to please men , you are not sure to attain your end at last ; yea , rather you are sure not to attain it . but if the lord doth see your very hearts be set to please him , he will accept you , though you come short , cor. . . read that sweet passage , chron. . . thirdly , it will be a certain sign of your sincerity , when the pleasing of the lord is your greatest business , phil. . . to such the promise runs , isa. . . . it is a distinguishing evidence truly to seek and prize gods favour , more then corn , wine , psal. . . . fourthly , this will set all in order , and bring all your business to a head , when you have set down this as the one thing necessary , that you are resolved to please the lord , this will regulate your whole lives , and bring all your business into a little compass . a christian hath but one thing to do in all conditions , and that is to carry it so in his present state , as that he may please god. a man-pleaser : o how many hath he to please ! what an endless work hath such an one to do ? fifthly , consider but how careful the man-pleasing parafite , and time serving hypocrite is to please m●… : and shall not we take as much care to please our god ? oh how doth the flattering courtier study the humour of his prince ? be you as careful to study , and to be acquainted with the mind of god. what will not men do to screw themselves into the favour of the mighty ? oh that you were but as diligent , and urwearied , and punctual in your endeavours , to get and to keep the favour of the almighty ? sixthly , consider whose favour or displeasure is of that consequence to you , as the lords is of . what if men should be angry with you , have they the keys of hell , and of death ? no , no , fear them not . can they undo your souls ? can they send you to hell ? alas they cannot . see that you dread his displeasure that can . alas what will their favour avail you ? if they be pleased , can they stand between the wrath of god and you ? can they pardon your sins ? save your souls ? secure your eternal concernments ? where is all their favour or good will , when they or you come to die ? it will not be worth a rush when most needed . therefore beloved brethren , whatever you do keep in with god. resolve upon it , he must be pleased , though all the vvorld be displeased . let it be enough to you to have his good will : let this be the one thing that you bend your selves to seek , and if you set to seek it , you may be sure to find it . the messenger stays for me , and so i must here shut up my letter , as jude doth his . ye beloved , building up your selves in your most holy faith , praying in the holy ghost , keep your selves in the love of god , looking for the mercy of our lord jesus christ unto eternal life . unto his grace i commend you all , and shall add nothing but to share my loves among , and so rest , your embassador in bonds , jos. alleine . juelchester , november . . letter , xviii . [ the worth of holiness , ] to the beloved people the flock of god in taunton , grace and peace . most dear friends , and brethren , i am now a prisoner of the lord for you gentiles , and therefore have sent these few lines , to beseech you by these bonds which i gladly endure for your sakes , to hold forth , and hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering . the lord make you stedfast in the holy doctrine wherein you have been taught . i have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of god. o remember that by the space of eight years , i ceased not to warn you every one , and kept back nothing that was profitable unto you , but have taught you publickly , and from house to house , warning every man , and teaching every man that i might present every man perfect in christ jesus . oh that impenitent sinners would yet remember the invitations , and the obsecrations , and the obtestations , that they have had ! have they not been sought unto ? have they not been intreated ? have they not been followed from the publick , to their own houses ? hath not the vvord been brought to their doors ? hath not mercy wooed them ? have they uot been called under the vvings of mercy ? and yet they would not . oh that they would consider it now in the latter dayes ? jer. . . oh that they would remember , and repent , that there might be yet an after harvest ? that they would yet come in and live ! are you yet willing to turn ? hear how wisdom calls after you , prov. . how long ye simple ones will you love simplicity , and fools hate knowledge : turn you at my reproof . but if they will not hear , good were it for them that they had never been born : it shall be more , and better fot sodom and gomorrah , then for them . but for you that have taken upon you the profession of strict godliness , i shall only press you to follow on , and press towards the mark. you have much work yet to do , and god hath given you no time to loyter in . i beseech you to put on . that person that sits down when he hath gotten to that pitch that he thinks will bring him to heaven , is never like to come thither ; grace is one of those things that saith , it never hath enough . let me urge upon you the apostles counsel , heb. . . follow after holiness . first , holiness is the choicest ornament : it is an adorning in the sight of god , of great prize . it is the glory of god , and will you count it your shame ? exod. . god is glorious in holiness , and grace is called glory , cor. . . but we may now cry out as the psalmist , in his complaint , o ye sons of men , how long will ye turn my glory into shame ? ps. . . but be of good comfort , the shame of holiness is real glory : how confidently doth paul shake his chain ? acts . . we read of some that did glory in their shame in a sad sense , that is in that which was real ground of shame , to wit , their sin , phil. . . but we meet with others that in a happy sense , did glory in their shame ; that is in the shame of religion , which is indeed a crown of glory . so did peter and john , acts . . secondly , holiness is the safest muniment : grace is not onely for ornament , but for use. righteousness is a brest-plate that keeps the vitals , and is a sure defence from any mortal wounds , ephes. . . when the politicians have done their best with all their politick fetches , it is he that walketh uprightly , that walketh surely , prov. . . let integrity and uprightness preserve me , saith david , psal. . last . i desire no other protection than innocency . i desire to be no longer safe than these can preserve me ; when i must let go my integrity or my safety , i will chuse the danger rather than the sin : and yet will never doubt but my integrity will save me harmless , and prevent me for ever coming off a loser . never perswade me that that man doth choose wisely or will consult in his own safety , that runs upon the displeasure of the infinite god , who is a devouring fire , to flie the danger of mans displeasure . did you ever read or hear of a man so mad as to run upon the swords point , to avoid the scratch of a pin ? or to run upon a roaring canon , rather than danger his being wetshod ? why this is the best wisdom of the distracted world , who will sin rather than suffer , and to save themselves harmless in the world , will run upon god , even upon his neck , and the thick bosses of his buckler , job . . . thirdly , holiness will be found to be your real happiness : eat of this tree , and you shall be indeed as god. godliness is gods likeness . the beauty of holiness is this very image ; sin is the disease of which holiness is the cure. pride is the timpany , passion the feavour of the mind , how restlesly raging is the mind where they reign ? holiness , humility , meekness , are a present ease , a present cure , if the patient can take but enough . o what peace and tranquility doth holiness work in the mind ! great peace have they that love thy commandments and nothing shall offend them , psalm . . read isa . . . and . . and . . holiness w●…ll be a treasure of riches , jam. . . and a crown of honour . acts . . a paradise of pleasure to you , prov. 〈…〉 a word , holiness is the perfection of mans nature , 〈…〉 〈…〉 . the communication of the divine nature , pet. . the earnest of glory , mat. . . and the very entrance of heaven , phil. . . let me say now to every one of you , as our saviour to martha , john . . believed thou this ? if you do , live like believers , and do you follow after holiness as others follow their trades or studies . let religion be your business , and not a thing by the by with you : follow as hard upon the pursuit of grace , as if you did indeed believe riches and honour were in it . count your selves well , as long as you keep within the line of your duty . let holiness sit in your lips , and season all your speech with grace . profess it , own it , plead stoutly and resolve for it , be you advocates for holiness , in an adulterous and wicked generation , wear it as a robe of honour , when the spightful world cast the dung of their reproaches at you for it : let it dwell in your hearts : let it adorn your houses : let it be your companion in your closets : let it travel with you in your journies : let it lie down and rise up with you : let it close your eyes in the evening , and call you out of your beds in the morning . be you the votaries of holiness : keep her , and she shall keep you . i shall close with my loves to you all , only because i know you love to hear of my well-fare : i must tell you that goodness and mercy do follow me perpetually every day , and every night , glory to god in the highest . dear brethren , fare you well in the lord , i am your devoted servant in the gospel , whether a bond-man , or a free , jos. alleine . from the common gaole at juelchester , december . . most dearly beloved , this was intended for you a week sooner then it comes to be communicated . i purposely write in the middle of the week , that if any opportunity be suddenly offered , i may have somewhat ready for you : but last week i failed of a conveyance , i shall not add anything further now , but that i shall follow my counsels with my prayers , and shall be an humble intercessor night and day before god for you : to him i commend you , and to the word of his grace , remaining yours while i am , j. a. letter xix . [ . try. . rejoyce . ] to the most loving , and best beloved , the flock of christ in taunton , grace and peace . most endeared friends , my heart is solicitous for you : your spiritual and eternal welfare is the matter of my desires and designs . let not my beloved think they were forgotten by me , because you heard not from me the last week : sleep departed from my eyes to write to you at large ; but in the morning i concluded it best , to defer the imparting of it to you for a season , that you might have it a better way . can a woman forget her child , that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb ? yea , they may forget , but christ will earnestly remember you still . natural parents may be so far unnatural ; spiritual parents may be so far carnal , as to forget their own children : i would have you count nothing as certain but christs love and care . this you may build upon : you need not fear lest time and distance should wear out the remembrance of you with him : your names are in●…olled in the everlasting decrees of heaven , and a whole eternity hath not been able to wear them out . do any of you question whether you are so happy as to have your names recorded above ? i shall bring it to a speedy issue : do ●…ou question whether christ hath taken your names ? whether you are upon his heart ? let me ask you , is heaven upon your hearts ? is the name of jesus deeply engraven upon your souls ? is his image and superscription there ? if you can find that heaven is the main of your cares , that your hearts are set upon it as your home and your countrey ; and that it is your great business to seek it and secure it , then never doubt , if your hearts be chiefly upon heaven , your names are unquestionable written in heaven . again , hath christ recorded his name in your hearts ? is the name of jesus the beloved name with you ? precious above all ; next to your hearts ? is there no other name under heaven so dear and sweet to you ? what room ●…ath christ in you ? if any thing be deeper in your hearts than he is , you are unsound . as the father hath given him , so do your hearts give him a name above every name : is christ uppermost with you in your estimations and affection ? then rejoyce and leap for joy , your names are most p●…ecious with christ , if his name be above all dear to you . once more , hath christ drawn out his own similitude upon you ! is christ within you ? doth he dwell in your hearts ? then be sure you have a room in his heart : the image of christ is in holiness . is this that which your very hearts are set upon ? do you thirst for holiness ? do you follow after holiness ? do you prize it above all prosperity and worldly greatness ? do you hate every sin and long to be rid of it as your most irksome burden ? and use all gods means against it as far as you know them ? if it be thus with you , christ hath set his stamp upon your hearts , and so you may be sure he hath set you as a seal upon his heart . rejoyce then , o christians , and bless your selves in the happy priviledge that you have , in being under christs care . fear not little flock ; stronger is he that is with you , than he that is against you : what though satan should raise all his militia against you , adhere to christ in a patient doing & suffering his pleasure and he shall secure you : the lord will not forsake you , because it hath pleased the lord to make you his people : god hath entrusted you with his son : you are his care and his charge : many will be lif●…ing at you , many will be plucking at you , but fear not , you shall not be moved , none shali pluck you out of christs hand , he hath all power , mat. . . can omnipotence secure you ? he is all treasures , col. . . can unsearchable riches suffice you ? in a word , he is all fullness , col. . . can all content you ? can fulness fill you ? if so , you are blessed and shall be blesied . beloved , we loose unutterably for want of considering , for want of viewing our own priviledges , and blessedness . o man , is christ thine , and yet dost thou live at a low rate and comfort ? is thy name written in heaven , and yet dost thou not rejoyce ? shall the children of the kingdom , the candidates of glory , the chosen generation , the royal priesthood , be like other men ? o christians , remember who and whence you are , consider your obligations , put on a better pace ; ●…stir your selves , run and wrestle , and be strong for the lord of hosts ( and earnestly , yet peaceably ) contend for the faith once delivered to his saints ; what shall we make nothing of all that god hath said and done for us ? o christians , shall he that hath gotten an inriching office boast of his booty ? or he that hath obtained the kings patent for an earldome , glory in his riches and honour ? and shall the grant of heaven signifie little with thee ? or christs patent for thy son-ship and partnership with himself be like a cypher ? shall hamon come home from the banquet with a glad heart , and glorying in the greatness of his riches , the multitude of his children , and all the things wherein the king had promoted him above the princes ? and shall we turn over our bibles and read the promises , and find it under gods own hand , that he intends the kingdom for us , that he will be a father to us , that he gives and grants all his infinite perfections to us , and yet not be moved ? beloved christians , live like your selves , let the word see that the promises of god , and priviledges of the gospel are not empty sounds , or a meer crack . let the heavenly cheerfulness and the restless diligence , and the holy raisedness of your conversations prove the reality , excellency , and beauty of your religion to the world. forget not your prisoner . labour earnestly for me in your prayers , who am night and day labouring and suffering for you . i can never bless god enough for his most tender & indulgent care for you , which appears so wonderfully in his fatherly protection , and his fatherly provision . see that you receive not the crace of god in vain . remember with trembling , that of our lord , to whom much is given of him much shall be required . with my most dear loves to you all , i commend you to your father and my father , your god and my god , remaining yours in all manner of obligations , jos. alleine . from the common goal at juelchester , january . . letter xx. [ the felicity of believers . ] to the most beloved people , the servants of god in taunton , salvation . most endeared christians , i have longed and waited for a little breathing time , wherein i might write unto you , but i have been oppressed hitherto with so many cares , and such a throng of business , that till now ( and scarcely now ) i have had no time of respiration , wherein i might sufficiently re●…lect on you , or my self . but although so great a part of taunton be translated to juelchester with me , yet i may not , i cannot forget you that are behind . alas poor taunton , how should i bewail thee ! did i look upon thee only with the eye of sense , alas ! for thy wonted liberties , for thy former plenty , and variety wherewith the lord hath blessed thee ? he had spread a table for thee in the midst of thine enemies ; bread hath been given thee , and thy waters have been sure : b●…t now a famine seems to threaten thee , and the comforters that should relieve thy soul are far from thee . thy shepheards are removed . thou seest not thy signs , nor thy prophets , and thy wonte●… helpers are now disabled from giving thee supplies , alas , how do thine enemies triumph , and thy teachers and thine inhabitants are become their captives ! and how great is the cry of thy poor , and thine oppressed ! such would be the language of sense , if that were suffered to be the speaker . but faith will speak in another dialect . and therefore amongst my other counsels , that i shall send you , this shall be the first . judge not of the present providences , by the conduct of sense , but by the eye of faith. faith will see that we are then-most honoured , when we are most vilified , and reproached , and set at nought for the sake of christ ; and that we are then most happy , when the world hath done its worst to make us miserable . faith will tell you , that god is a very present help , when you seem quite to fail of help ; and will shew you the well of water , that is near , when the water in the bottle is spent . what though you seem to have lost ministers , husbands , friends for a season ? faith will tell you , that they are well bestowed , and that it will be both your , and their advantage , in the day of retribution . brethren , what are you for ? are you for the present world or for that that to come ? are you for your temporal enjoyments , or do you seek for glory , honour , and immortality ? if you are for this world , you have made a very imprudent choice , in taking up the profession of godliness and cleaving to and owning the hated ways of the lord ; but if you are for glory , and for eternity , then be of good chear , all these things do make for us . you are witnesses how often i have told you of these things , and i can say with the apostle , i believe therefore have i spoken , and therefore i am nothing moved with all these things , nor with the things that do yet further betide me . i believe , and therefore . i told you , that you should never be losers by jesus christ. nay do i say i told it you , you know the lord jesus christ hath shewed you , that the persecuted are doubtly blessed ; that such should rejoyce , and leap for joy , because great is their reward in heaven hath not god said , that if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him ; and that these light afflictions work for us a weight of glory ? and if this be true , i pray you , tell me whether god hath not dealt well with us in counting us worthy of this little tribulation for his name ? indeed the sufferings is but little ; but verily the reward will not be little . i know whom i have trusted : i am well assured the glasse is turned up , and every hour reckoned of our imprisonment , and every scorn and reproach of our enemies is kept in black and vvhite . i believe , therefore do i speak ; god is infinitely tender of us , my brethren , though a poor and despicable generation . i value not the pot gun threats of a frowning world ; 't is well with us , we are gods favourites . come my beloved , let us sit down under his shadow : here is safety , and rest , if god be for us , who can be against us ? verily he bottles all our tears , and tells all our wandrings : he numbers all our hairs , whosoever toucheth us shall not be innocent . know you not that we are the apple of his eye ? hath not he reproved the greatest for his peoples sakes , saying reproach not mine anointed ? and so we forget how he loved us . are not we his jewells ? doth he not own us for his members , for his children ? ah what a block doth unbelief make of man ? vvhat , do you think that all this doth signifie nothing ? can you forget your children ? vvill you suffer your jewells to lie in the dirt , or make no reckoning of them whether they are lost ? verily i write not this without shaming reflections upon my own stupidity . vvhat , beloved of god , adopted by god! vvhat , a member of christ jesus ! a vessel of mercy ! an heir of glory ? vvhat , and not yet swallowed up in the sense of gods infinite love ! blush , oh my soul , and be còfounded before the most high , & cover thy face with shame . i remember what the heathen seneca writes , observing the expressions of gods love to man in his common providence ; verum est , usque in delicias amamur , that is , it is a very truth , we are beloved of god even as his darlings . my brethren , have faith in god. believe his promises : vvalk in the sense of his love . comfort your selves in gods love towards you , under all the hatred and envy of men , and the contradiction of sinners that you meet with . be strong and of a good courage , god is for you . be assured that he that walketh uprightly , walketh surely : forsake not the assembling of your selves together . now see that you speak often to one another , and build up each other in the holy faith. god knows i cannot do for you , as i would ; i would have been larger to you , but i cannot . my most dear loves i desire you to share among you . i am greatly yours . the peace that passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds . i am yours to serve you and for you with all readiness of mind . jos. alleine . from the prison at juelchester , july th . . letter , xxi . [ what do you more than others ? ] to the most dearly beloved , the servants in taunton , grace and peace . most loving and entirely beloved , you are a great joy to me . i know not what thanks to render to the lord for you , when i hear of your constancy , and fidelity , and zeal , in adhering to him , and his ways , even in such a time as this , you are highly favoured , blessed be the lord god of israel , that he hath regard ed the low estates of his servants : that he should ever indulge you as he hath , and hover over you , even as the eagle stirteth up her nest , and fluttereth over her young , spreadeth abroad her vvings , taketh them , beareth them on her wings , for so hath the lord your god dealt with you : he hath kept you as the apple of his eye , and since the streams of cherith were dried up , yet to this day he hath not suffered the handful of meal to wast , nor the oyl in the cruse to fail , but ( though you have no certainty to trust to ) hath continually provided for you to the full . how should i love and bless the lord for this his great grace towards you , while i live ? now i beseech you my brethren , that you consider the kindness of the lord ; for the lord your god is he that careh for you , and that you love the lord your god , and fear him for ever , for he is your life , and the length of your daies . and as job had a holy fear of his children , least they should have offended : so my most dearly beloved , i am jealous of you with a godly jealousie , lest any of you should receive this grace of god in vain . i must not cease to put you in mind , that god doth look from no small matter from you . remember my most endeared charge , that the lord doth look for singular things from you , that there be not a barren tree nor a dwarf christian among you ; where the lord doth strow much , he looks to gather much ; and where he soweth much , he expects to reap accordingly . whose account my beloved , is like to be so great as yours ? o look about you , and think of the master coming to reckon with you for his talents ; when he will expect no small increase . beloved , what can you do ? how much are you grown ? what spoil have you made upon your corruptions ? what progress in grace ? suppose christ should put the awakening question to you , what do you more than others ? beloved , god doth expect more of his people , than of any others in the world besides : and well he may . for first , he hath beftowed more on them than on others : now where much is given , much shall be required : can you think of that without trembling ? he hath bestowed on them singular love more than on others ; thou only have i known of all the families on earth . he hath a distinguishing love and favour for his people , and he looks that his love should , be a constraining argument to obedience . again he hath laid out a singular care on his people , more than on others : he cares for no man , for nothing in all the world , in comparison of them . he reproveth kings for their sakes . he will give nations , and kingdoms for their ransome . so precious are they in his sight , and so dearly beloved , that he will give men for them , and people for their life . he withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous , he will not indure them out of his sight . the eyes of the lord are upon the righteous , and first the eye of his more accurate observation : god can winck at others as it were , and overlook what they do with little notice , but he hath a most eurious eye upon his people , he marketh their steps , & booketh their words , he weigheth their actions , and pondereth all their goings . and should they not walk more cautiously , and charily , than any alive , that are under so exact and curious an eye ? secondly the eye of special care , and protection . behold the eye of the lord is upon them that fear him . i will guide thee with mine eye : and should not they be infinitely tender and careful how to please the lord , who have his singular care laid out on them ? in short , god hath bestowed on them singular priviledges , more than others : these are a peculiar treasure to him above all people , a kingdom of priests , an holy nation , a singular separated people , they dwell alone , they are diverse from all people : when the whole world lies in wickedness , these are called and chosen , and faithful , washed , and justified , and sanctified in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of our god. the rest are the refuse : these the jewels : these are taken , and they are left . shall not gods priests be cloathed with righteousness , and shall not princes live above the rate of peasants ? secondly , he hath intrusted them with more then others ; not onely with the talents of his grace ( for the increase whereof they must give a strict account ) but also with the jewel of his glory . how tenderly should they walk , that are entrusted with such a jewell ? remember , your makers glory is bound up in your fruitful walking . thirdly , he hath qualified them more than others . he hath put into them a principle of life , having quickned them together with christ. he hath set up a light in their minds , when others lie in darkness . he hath given them other aids , than others have , even his spirit to help their infirmities , when others lie like vessels that are vvindbound , and cannot stir . fourthly , he hath provided for them other manner of things than for others . these are the little flock to whom it is his good pleasure to give the kingdom ; great are the preparations for them . the father hath prepared the kingdom for them from the foundations of the world : the son is gone to heaven on purpose to prepare a place for them : the spirit is preparing them , and making them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light : and should these be like other people ? brethren beloved , god and men do expect you should do more then others , see that that you be indeed singular . for . if you do no more for god than others , he will do more against you then others : you onely have i known , therefore will i punish you . the barren tree in the vineyard must down , whereas had he been in the common he might have stood much longer . god looked for grapes from his vineyard , on which he had bestowed such care and cost more than ordinary , but when they bring forth wild grapes , he will lay them waste in a worse manner than the forrest when christ came to the fig-tree seeking fruit , and met with none , he curst it from the root , whereas had it been a thorn or bramble , it might have stood as before .. . if you do no more than others , you must look for no more than others : if you should put off god with a common obedience , you must expect to be put off with common mercies . . except you do more than others , god will be dishonoured more by you than others . i have been too long with you , but i am earnestly desirous you should be sensible of gods extraordinary expectations from you . and truly , as god looks for more from his own than others , so he looks for more from you than others , even of his own , because that he hath done more : see that you be shining christians , that you be strong in the grace of god , that you press towards the mark . but i must conclude ; i give my loves among you all , being able to add no more , but that i am yours in fervent loves and longings , jos. alleine . from the prison at juelchester , jan. . . letter xxii . [ christian care , faith , self-denial . ] to the most beloved people , the servants of god in taunton , salvation . most endeared christians , the reason why my letters have not of late come so thick as formerly to you , is not because i forgot to love you , and to care for you ; but because i have been busily taken up in other labors of sundry kinds for you . i am yours , and love to be so , being ambitious not to have dominion over your faith , but to be a helper of your joy. christs officers are so your rulers in the lord , as yet to preach not themselves , but the lord jesus christ , and themselves your servants for jesus sake . i have no greater felicity under god , than to serve the good of souls . brethren beloved , how fares it with your souls ? are they in health ? do they prosper ? i wish your temporal prosperity . it it a joy to me to hear when your trade doth florish : but these are but very little things if we look into eternity . brethren , my ambition for you is , that you should be cedars among the shrubs , that from you should sound out the word of the lord , and that in every place your faith to god-ward should be spread abroad . that taunton should be as a field that the lord hath blessed : that you should not only have the name , but the spirit , life , power , heat , growth , vigour of christianity among you . let not taunton onely have the name to live , and be noted for the profession of religion , but see to it my brethren , that the kingdom of god be with you : oh that every one of your . souls might be a temple of god! oh that every one of your families might be a church of god! beloved , look to it , that every one that nameth the name of christ among you do depart from iniquity , secret as well as open , of the heart as as well as of the life . let no man think that to make an out-cry upon the wickedness of the times , and to be of the professing party , will serve his turn ; many go to hell in the company of the wise virgins . that no man may be a self-deceiver , let every man be a self-searcher . he that keeps no day-book in his shop , and no account , no record in his conscience , his estate aud his soul will thrive both alike . beloved , i would that you should remember whither you are a going . if a man be after a few months to be transported into another countrey , never to return more , he will send over whatever he can , and make the best provision that he may against he comes into another countrey . dear brethren , you are strangers and pilgrims here , and have but a few months abode in this countrey , see that you traffique much with heaven . christ is our common factor , o send over to him what possible you can . give alms plentifully , pray continually , be much in meditation and consideration ; reckon with your selves daily : walk with god in your callings : do all the duties of your relations as unto god : live not one day to your selves , but unto christ : set forth continually in his name , so shall you be continually transporting into another world , and laying up treasure in heaven : and o the blessed store that you shall find there after a few years diligence in such a holy course ! beloved , while you are here in this world , you are but like a merchants ship in a strange port , the day for your return is set , and you are to stay no longer then till your fraight is ready . be wise , know your season , improve you time , you are made or mar'd for ever , as you speed in this one voyage . there is no returning again to this countrey to mend a bad market , god will call in all his talents , time shall be no longer . oh , come in , come and buy now while the market is open , that you that want may have grace and you that have may have it more abundantly . go and plead with the lord jesus , that he hath bid you come , buy and eat without money , and without price ; that he hath counselled you to come buy of him gold , raiment , and eye-salve ; tell him you are come according to his call , and wait upon him for grace , for righteousness , for light and instruction : lay hold on his word , plead it , live upon it ; he is worthy to be believed , worthy to be trusted , go out of your selves to him , unlearn your selves . there is a threefold foot that ca●…al-self stands upon , our own wisdom , our own righteousness , our own strength , these three feet must be cut off , and we must learn to have no subsistence in our selves but onely in christ , and to stand onely on his bottom . study the excellent lesson of self-denial , self-annihilation , a true christian is like a vine that cannot stand of it self , but is wholly supported by the prop it leans on . it is no small thing to know our selves to be nothing , of no might , of no worth , of no understanding , nor reality ; to look upon our selves as helpless , worthless , foolish empty shadows . this holy littleness is a great matter ; when we find that all our inventory amounts to nothing but folly , weakness , and beggery ; when we set down our selves for cyphers , our gain for loss , our excellencies for very vanities , then we shall learn to live like believers . a true saint is like a glass without a foot , that set him where you will , is ready to fall every way till you set him to a prop : let christ be the only support you lean unto . when you are throughly emptied and nullified , and see all comeliness to be but as a withered flower , dead , dried , and past recovery , then you will be put upon the happy necessity of going out to christ for all . the messengers haste forceth me abruptly to end here : i can add no more , but my prayers to my counsels , and so commending you to god , and the word of his grace , i rest the fervent well-willen of your souls , jos. alleine . from the prison at juelchester , ap'il . . letter xxiii . [ right reasons in suffering . ] to the most loving , and best beloved , the flock of christ in taunton , grace and peace . most loving and dearly beloved , i know not what thanks to render to you , nor to god for you , for all the unexpressable love which i have found in you towards me ; and not terminatively to me , but to christ in me ; for i believe it is for his sake , as i am a messenger and embassador of his to you , that you have loved me and done so much every way for me ; and i think i may say of taunton as the psalmist of jerusalem , if i forget thee , let my right hand forget her cunning , if i do not remember thee , let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth . i would not , my dear brethren , that you snould be dejected or discouraged at the late disappointments : for through the goodness of god i am not , but rather more satisfied than before : and this i can truly say , nothing doth sadden me more than to see so much sadness in your faces . as on the contrary nothing doth comfort me so much as to see your chear and courage . therefore i beseech you , brethren , faint not because of my tribulation , nor of gods delays , but strengthen the hands , and the feeble knees . and the lord bolster up your hands , as they did the hands of moses , that they may not fall down till israel do prevail . let us fear lest there be some evil among us , that god being angry with us , doth send this farther tryal upon us . pray earnestly for me lest the eye of the most jealous god should discern that in me which should render me unfit for the mercy you desire . and let every one of you search his heart , and search his house to see if there be not cause there : let not these disappointments make you to be nevertheless in love with prayers , but the more out of love with sin . let us humble our selves under the mighty hand of god , and he shall exalt us in due time . and for the enemies of god , you must know also that their foot shall slide in due time . let the servants of god encourage themselves in their god : for in the things wherein they deal proudly , he is above them : therefore fret not your selves because of evil doers ; commit your cause to him that judgeth righteously . remember that you are bid if you see oppression of the poor , and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a province , not to marvel at the matter : verily , there is a god that judgeth in the earth : and you have the liberty of appeals : rest in the lord , and wait patiently for him , and fret not your selves , because of the men that bring wicked devises to pass : take heed that none of you do with peter begin to sink , now you see the waters rough , and the winds boysterous : these things must not weaken your faith , nor cool your zeal : for they are great arguments for the strengthning of it . what clearer evidence can there be for the future judgment and perdition of the ungodly , and coronation of the just in another life , than the most unjust proceedings that are here upon earth : shall not the judge of all the earth see right to be done ? we lee here nothing but confusion and disorder , the wicked receiveth according to the work of the righteous , and the innocent according to the work of the wicked . the godly perish and the wicked flourish ; these do prosper , and they do suffer . what , can it be ever thus ! no doubtless , there must be a day when god will judge the world in righteousness , and rectifie the present disorders , and reverse the unrighteous sentences that have been passed against his servants . and this evidence is so clear , that many of the heathen philosephers have from this very argument ( i mean the unrighteous usage of the good ) concluded that there must certainly be rewards and punishments adjudged by god in another world. nor yet lose your zeal : now is the time that the love of many doth wax cold : but i bless god it is not so with you : i am sure your love to me is , as true friends should be , like the chimneys , warmest in the winter of adversity : and i hope your love to god is much more , and i would that you should abound yet more and more . where else should you bestow your loves ? love ye the lord , ye his saints , and cling about him the faster now ye see the world is striving to separate you from him . how many are they that go to knock off your fingers ! o methinks , i see what tugging there is . the world is plucking , and the devil is plucking : oh , hold fast , i beseech you ; hold fast , that no man take your crown . let the water that is sprinkled , yea , rather poured upon your love , make it to flame up the more . are you not betrothed unto christ ? oh rcmember , remember your marriage covenant : did you not take him for richer for poorer , for better for worse : now prove your love to christ to have been a true conjugal love , in that you can love him when most slighted , despised , undervalued , blasphemed among men . now acquit your selves , not to have followed christ for the loaves , now confute the accuser of the brethren , who may be ready to suggest of the best of you , as he did of job , doth he serve the lord for nought ? and let it be seen that you loved christ and holiness purely for their own sakes , that you can love a naked christ when there is no hopes of worldly advantage , or promoting of self-interest in following him . yet beware that none of you do stick to the wayes of christ and religion upon so carnal an account as this , because this is the way that you have already taken up , and you count it a shame to recede from your principles : i am very jealous lest some professors should miss of their reward for this : least they should be accounted turn-coats and hypocrites ; therefore they will shew a stoutness of spirit in going on , since they have once begun , and cannot with honour retreat . would you chose holiness and strictness , if it were to do again ? would you enter your selves among gods poor people , if it were now first to do . would you have taken up the profession of christ , though you had foreseen all this that is come and coming ? this will do much to evidence your sincerity . but i forget ●…hat i am writing a letter , being prone to pass all bounds when i have thus to do with you . the lord god remember and reward you and your labours of love . the eternal god be your refuge , and put under you his everlasting arms. the peace of god that passeth all understanding keep your hearts . christs legacy of peace i leave with you , and rest , with my dear affections to you all , your embassador in bonds , jos. alleine . letter xxiv . [ councel for salvation . ] to the most beloved people , the servants of god in taunton , salvation . most endeared christians , my continual solicitude for your state , will not suffer me to pass in quiet one week without writing to you , unless i am extraordinarily hindred . your sincerity , stedfastness , and proficiency in the grace of god , is the matter of my earnest desire , and that which i should account my self happy in . i have a longing desire to see the faces of you all , and ( besides mine expectation ) shall ( i trust ) speedily have the opportunity to see you at the approaching assizes , which i shall greatly rejoyce in , notwithstanding our coming may be otherwise attended with many inconveniencies . in the mean time i send you a few prison counsels . as , . to improve for eternity , the advantages of your present state. though you are at many disadvantages with respect to the publick ordinances , yet you have many wondrous and most happy priviledge , which spiritual wisdom would make no small improvement of . oh what a mercy have you that you may serve god while you will in your families ! that you may be as much as you will with god in secret prayer , and holy meditation , and self-examination ! i beseech you consider what a blessing you have above others , that have your health , and a competency of the comforts of this life , and are free from those continual pains , or heart-eating cares , that others are disabled by , from looking after god and their souls , as you may do . oh consider what a blessed seed-time you have for eternity ! now be wise and improve your happy season , your day of grace . prepare for death , make all sure : press on towards the mark , lay up in store for your selves a good foundation against the time to come . in the morning sow your seed , and in the evening withdraw not your hand . treasure up much in heaven : what profit is it that you have more than others ? more liberty , more comfort , more health , more wealth , than others ? except you love god more , and serve him better than others . now ply your work , and dispatch your business , so as that you may have nothing to trouble you upon your death-beds . . to consider also the temptations , and disadvantages of your state. study to know your own weaknesses , and where your danger lies that you may obviate satan , and prevent your miscarrying : there is no condition but hath its snares . see that you acquaint your selves with his devices , least you be beguiled by him , and caught in his trap through your own unwariness . you that are well provided for in the world , had need to watch your selves , least you fall in love with present things , least you be lifted up , least you trust in those carnal props , and put confidence in the creatures , least you warp , and decline , and baulk your duties through carnal fear , and the desire of preserving your estates . you that have little in the world , are not without your temptations neither : oh take heed of envying others prosperity , of murmuring and discontent , of diffidence and distrustfullness , of using indirect means to help your selves : be sure you make not the worlds pressures upon you , an excuse from your daily serving of god in your families , and in secret . set this down as your rule , and unchangeable resolution , that god and your souls and your families shall be looked duly and continually after , go the world which way it will. consider what sins your tempers , relations , callings , do most expose you to . be not strangers to your selves . prove your selves upright in keeping from your iniquities . . to converse often with your dust. brethren we are going , we are going , the grave waiteth for us : oh forget not that corruption is your father , and the worm your mother , and your sister . these are your poor kindred that you must shortly dwell with , when you come to your long home : remember the days of darkness which shall be many . take every day some serious turns with death . think where you shall be a few days and nights hence , happy he that knew what to morrow meant for twenty years together . believe it , you will find it no little thing to die . think often how you are provided , how you should receive the sentence of death . were you never within sight of death ? how did it look ? what did you wish for most at that time ? what did then trouble you most ? oh mark these things , and live according . often ask your hearts , vvhat if god should this night require my soul ? . to serve your generation with your might while you have time . you have but a very little time to bring god any glory here , or to do your friends any good ; now up and be doing . now or never live in the deep and constant sense of the very little time that you have for this world , and the great work you have to do . you are going whence you shall not return . there 's no after-game to be plaid . vvhat ! but one cast for eternity , and will you not be careful to throw that well ? most dearly beloved , i covet after your furtherance in mortification , and growth in grace . and oh that i could but represent death to you , as shortly it will shew it self : or could but open a vvindow into eternity to you : how effectually would this do the work . then the cripple would fling away his crutches , and betake himself to his legs : then the slothfull would pluck his hand out of his bosome , and shake off his excuses , and be night and day at his work . then the laodicean would be recovered from his benumed frame ; then we should have no halving in religion , no lazy wishing and complaining ; but men would ply the oars to purpose , and sweat at their work . but oh unhappy man , how powerfully hath the world bewitched thee ! how miserably hath sin unnmaned thee . that thou shouldst look no far●…her than thou canst see , and to be taken up with present things , and forget so momentous concernments as are before thee ? but you my brethren , lift up your selves above the objects of sense : may you be men for eternity , and carry it like these that seek for glory , honour , and immortality . i am apt to be too long with you : i commend you to divine grace : my dearest loves among you , i am yours in the bonds of the gospel of our lord jesus , jos. alleine . from the common goale at juelchester , march . . letter . xxv . to the loving and most beloved people , the servants of god in taunton , grace and peace . most dearly beloved , although i am forced at the present , to be at a distance from you , yet i would not have you ignorant , that the dear remembrance of you is always fresh with me , and the care of your eternal welfare is always living upon my heart . therefore as my beloved friends i warn you , and cease not to stir you up by way of remembrance , being jealous for you with a godly jealou●…ie , that no man take your crown . my dearly beloved , i know you have many enemies , and above all , i fear your bosom enemies : and as the watchman of the lord , i give you careful warning , and exhort you all not to be high-minded , but fear . blessed is the man that feareth always . look diligently , lest any of you fail of the grace of god. you have made much and long profession of the name of jesus christ : oh look to your foundations , see upon what ground you stand . look to your sincerity . you must every one of you stand shortly before the judgement seat of christ , and be tried for your lives : oh , try your selves throughly first . 't is easie to mistake education for regeneration , and common conviction and illumination for conversion , and a partial re●…ormation and external obedience , ●…or true sanctification . therefore i beseech you every one , to examine whether you are in the faith. prove your own selves . tell not me , you hope you are sincere , you hope you shall go to heaven : never put it off with hopes , but pray , and try , and search , till you are able to say , yea , and know you are passed from death to life , and that you know you have a building , not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . suppose i should ask you one by one , where are your evidences for heaven ? could you make out your claim ? can you bring me scripture-proof ? can you shew me the marks of the lord jesus ? what m●…n you to live at uncertainties ? brethren , it is an intollerable ignorance for any of you in these days of glorious light , not to be able to tell the distinguishing marks of a sound believer . and it is intollerable carelesness of your everlasting welfare , if you do not bring your selves to the trial by these marks . what are your hands filled with books , and your ears filled with sermons , that tell you so plainly from the word of god , how you shall know whether you are in christ , and are you still to seek ? oh , stir up your own selves . take heed , lest a promise being left of entring into his rest , any of you fall short of it at last by unbelief . you are a professing people , you pray , and you hear , and you run upon some adventures for jesus christ : but , o look to your since●…ity . look to your principles , look to your ends , else you may lose all at last . examine , not only what is done , but whence 't is done , look to the root as well as to the fruit. eye not only your actions , but your aims . remember what a strict and severy eye you are under . the lord jesus makes strict observation upon all your works and ways . he observes who of you be fruitful , and who be barren and unprofitable . he knows who of you be thriving and who be declining . he observes who be warm , and who lukewarm : who be sound christians , and who of you have only a name to live . return , o backsliding christians , you have lost your former convictions , and lost your former affections . you are grown remiss in your watch , and your zeal is turned into a kind of indifferencie , and your diligence into negligence . your care is turned into security , and your tenderness into senselessness . oh , your case is dangerous . the lord jesus hath a great controversie with you . oh , remember whence you are fallen , and repent , and do your first works . strengthen the things that remain , and are ready to die . oh , rub and chafe your swooning souls , and ply them with warm applications , and rousing considerations , till they recover their former heat . and know ye from the lord , that the backsliders in heart shall be filled with his own ways . oh ye barren and fruitless trees : behold the axe is lifted up to fell you to the ground , except you bring forth fruits , and those worthy of repentance . may not christ say to some among you , behold these three years have i come , seeking fruit , and findig none ? how is it then that you read not the sentence passed on the fruitless tree ? o sleepy professors , how long will you drive on in this heavy course ? how long will you continue in an unprofitable and customary profession ? would you be the joy of our lord , why know ye , that the thriving plant is the masters praise , and his hearts delight . christians , put on , press towards the mark , be adding to your faith , virtue ; and to virtue , knowledge , &c. see that you grow extensively , in being abundant in all sorts of good works . be pitiful , be courteous , gentle , easily to be entrea●…ed . be slow to anger , soon reconciled . be patient , be ye t●…mperate , be ye chearful . study not every one onely his own things , but the good of his neighbor . think it not enough to look to your own souls , but watch for other souls pray for them , warn them , be kind to them , study to oblige them , that by any means you may win them , and gain their souls . labour to grow intensively , to do better the things that you did before , to be more servent in prayer , more free and willing in all the ways of the lord , to hear with more profit , to examine your selves more thorowly , to mind heaven more frequently than heretofore . and you , o carnal and unsound professors , that reckon your ●…elves to be in christ , but are not new creatures ; that because you have the good opinion of the godly , and are outwardly conformable to the ways of god , perswade your selves you are in a good condition , although your hearts have not yet to this day been renewed : o repent speedily . repent , and be converted . what though we cannot distinguish the tares from the wheat ? yet the lord of the harvest can . christ will find you out , and condemn you for rotten and unsound , unless you be soundly renewed by repentance , and effectually changed by converting grace . brethren , i fervently wish your salvation , and to this , while i am able , i shall bend my ardent endeavours , i am now taking advice for my health , and hope in some few weeks to be restored to you . in the mean time i commend me to your prayers , and you to the grace of god , remaining . yours in the lord jesus , jos. alleine . dorchester , july th . . letter xxvi . [ the character and priviledges of true believers . ] to the loving and most beloved people , the servants of god in taunton , grace and peace . most dearly beloved , i longed to hear of your welfare , but by reason of the carryers intermitting his journeys , could not till now obtain my desires , neither had i opportunity till the last week of writing to you . i rejoyce to hear by mr. ford , of gods continual goodness towards you ; he is your shepherd , and therefore it is that you do not want . me you have not alwaies , but he is ever with you , his rod and his staff shall comfort you ; nay , more then all this , you may hence conclude comfortably for all times , yea , for the whole eternity to come . surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the daies of your lives , and you shall dwell in the house of the lord for ever . in this , my dear brethren , in this rejoyce , and again i say rejoyce , that god is ingaged in so near and so sweet relation to you . doubtless your souls shall lodge in goodness , and be provided for carefully , and lie down in everlasting safety , that have the almighty for our shepherd . blessed are the flock of his hands , and the sheep of his pasture , happy is the people that is in such a case . but who are christs sheep ? not all professors , i beseech you take heed how you rest in profession . it is not profession , but conversion that turns a man from a swine to a sheep . let none of you be deceived , nor flatter your selves , that because you bear the name of christians , and do many things , and have escaped the open gross pollutions of the vvorld , therefore you are surely among the number of christs true sheep . all this you may attain to , and yet be but washed swine ; here must be an inward deep and thorow and universal change upon your natures , dispositions , inclinations , or else you are not christs sheep . in a word , if you will be put out of doubt whether you are his sheep or not , you must trie it by this certain mark that christ sets upon all his sheep , even your sanctification , you that will stand to the trial , answer me truly and deliberately to these questions . do you hate every sin as the sheep doth the mire ? do you regard no iniquity in your hearts ? do you strive against , and oppose all sin , though it may seem never so necessary , never so natural to you , or have you not your secret haunts of evil ? for every swine will have his swill . do you abstain from sin out of fear , or out of dislike ? are you at peace with no sin , or do you not hide some iniquity as a sweet morsel under your tongue ? is there not some practice that you are not willing to know is a sin for fear you should be forced to leave it ? do you love the commandment that forbids your sin , or do you not wish it ou●… of the bible , as that evil man wished god had never made the seventh commandment ? again , how do you stand affected towards holiness ? do you love it ? do you choose it ? do you h●…nger and thirst after it , & desire it more than any temporal good ? have you chosen the way of gods precepts , and had rather live holily than be allowed to live in your sins ? do you in your very hearts prefer a godly strict life in communion with and conformity to god , before the greatest prosperity of the world ? do you chose holiness , not out of bare necessity , because you cannot go to heaven without it , but out of love to it , and from a deep sense that you have of the surpassing excellency , and loveliness , and beauty of it ? if it be thus with you , you are the persons that the lord jesus hath marked for his sheep . and now , come ye blessed , all that have this mark upon you , come and understand your happiness ; you are marked out for preservation , and let it go how it will with the rest ; that i know , it shall go well with you that fear the lord , that fear before him . you are the separated ones , the sealed ones , upon whom the angel hath set the seal of the living god ; and so you are redeemed unto god from among men , being the first fruits unto god , and unto the lamb , and have your fathers name written in your fore-heads . hear , o beloved flock , i may give you the salutation of the angels , hail , you are highly favoured of the lord , blessed ●…re you among men ; though you are but poor and despised , and like little benjamin among the thousands of judah ; you carry away the blessing and the priviledge from all the rest . god hath done more for the least of you than for the whole world of mankind besides , put all their mercies together . fear not little flock , it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom . blessed are you of the lord , for yours is the kingdom of heaven . all that the scripture speaks of that kingdom of glory , that kingdom of peace , of righteousness , that everlasting kingdom , it speaks it all to you . behold your inheritance , see that you believe . what know you not your own selves ? you are the sons of god , inheritours of the kingdom of heaven , joint heirs with christ the lord of glory . do you believe this ? take heed you make not god a lyar : his word is nigh you : have you no●… the writings in your hands ? do i speak any thing but what god hath spoken ? shall i tell you of the thing which shall be hereafter ? why thus it shall be . the son of man shall come in his glory , and all his holy angels with him : then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory , and he shall separate you as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats , and he ●…hall set you at his own right hand , then shall the king say , come ye blessed of my father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you . do you believe yet ? do you throughly believe ? if so , then my work is done , then i need not bid you rejoyce , no●…bid you be thankful , only believe . do this and do all . belie●… and joy will rejoyce with joy unspeakable , and full of glor●… believe and you will be fruitful , and shew your faith by yo●… works . believe and you will love , for faith worketh by lov●… in a word , keep these things upon your hearts by daily an●… lively consideration , and this will bring heaven into yo●… souls , and ingage you to all manner of holy conversation , an●… godliness . this will mor●…ifie you to the world , the gra●… enemy which i advise , nay , i charge you to beware of . whe●… saul had gotten his kingdom , he left off taking care for th●… asses . o remember yours is the kingdom : what are yo●… the better that you have all this in your bibles , if you do no●… weigh it by frequent and serious consideration , and pond●… these sayings in your hearts . beloved , i have written th●… things to you that your joy may be full . and now peace leave with you , i am christs embassador to you , an embas●…dor of peace ; his peace i pronounce unto you ; in hi●… name i bless you . farewel in the lord , i am the fervent well-willer of your so●… jos. alleine devises , june . . letter xxvii . [ o●… the second coming of christ. ] to the faithful , and beloved , the servants of god i●… taunton , grace and peace . loving and most dearly beloved , though i trust my bonds do preach to you , yet methink that doth not suffice me , but the conscience of my duty , and the workings of my heart towards you , are still calling upon me to stir you up by way of remembrance , notwithstanding you know and be established in the present truth . and if paul do call upon so great an evangelist as timothy , to remember that jesus was raised from the dead according to the gospel , why should not i be often calling upon my self , and upon you , my dearly beloved , to remembe●… and meditate upon , and closely apply the great and weighty truths of the gospel , which you have already received ? and in truth , i perceive in my self and you another manner of heat and warmth in the insisting upon the plainest principles of christianity , and the setting them home upon mine own heart and yours , than in dwelling upon any more abstruse speculations , in the clearest handling of which , the preacher may seem to be too much like the winter nights , very brigh●… , but very cold . but now , my brethren , i shall not with paul call upon you so much to remember the resurrection of christ , as the return of christ : behold , he cometh in the clouds , and every e●…e shall see him ; your eyes and mine eyes : and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of him : but we shall lift up our heads , because the day of our redemption draweth nigh : this is the day i look for , and wait for , and have laid up all my hopes in . if the lord return not , i profess my self undone , my preaching is vain , and my suffering is vain , and the bottom in which i have intrusted all my hope●… is for ever miscarried . but i know whom i have trusted : we are built upon the foundation of that sure word , we are not built upon the sand of mortality . nor do we run so as uncertainly , but the word of the lord abideth for ever , upon which word do we hope ; how fully doth this word assure us that this same jesus that is gone up into heaven shall so return , and that he shall appear the second time unto salvation , to them that look for him . oh , how sure is the thing ! how near is the time ! how glorious will his appearing be ! the thing is sure , the day is set , god hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained ; the manner of it is revealed , behold the lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints : the attendants are appointed and nominated . the so●… of man shall come in his glory , and all his holy angels with him . the thing you see is established , and every circumstance is determined . how sweet are the words that dropped from the precious lips of our departing lord ! what generous cordials hath he left us in his parting sermons , and his last prayer ! and yet of all the rest those are the sweetest , i will come again and receive you to my self , that where i am , there you may be also . what need you any further witness : you have heard him your selves , assuring you of his return . doubtless he cannot deceive you , you have not only known , but seen and felt the truth of his promises . and will he come ? tremble then ye sinners , triumph y●… saints , clap your hands all ye that look for the consolation of israel . o sinners , where will you then appear ? how will you look upon him whom you have pierced ; whom you have persecuted ? whose great salvation you have neglected and despised ? wo unto you that ever you were born , unless you should then be found to be new-born . but you , o children of the most high , how will you forget your travel , and be melted into joy . this is he in whom you have believed ; whom having not seen ye loved . but how will love and joy be working ( if i may so speak ) with pangs unutterable , when you shall see him , and hear his sweet voice commending , applauding , approving of you , and owning you by name before all the world. brethren , thus it must be , the lord hath spoken it . see that you stagger not at the promise , but give glory to god by believing . again , the time is near , yet a little while , and he that shall come will come . behold , i come quickly , saith he : and again , the lord is at hand : sure you are , that death cannot be far off . o christian , thou dost not know but the next year , nay , possibly the next week , thou mayest be in heaven . christ will not long endure thine absence , but will have thee up to him till the time of his general appearing ; when he will take us up altogether , and so we shall be ever with the lord. soul , believest thou this ? if thou dost indeed , what remains but that thou shouldest live a life of love and praise ; studying to do all the good thou canst till thou come to heaven ; and waiting all the days of thine appointed time till thy change shall come . o my soul , look out and long . o my brethren , be you as the mother of sisera , looking out at the windows , and watching at the latices , saying , why are his chariot-wheels so long a coming . though the time till you shall see him be but very short , yet love and longing make it seem tedious . my beloved , comfort your hearts with these words : look upon these things as the greatest reallities , and let your affections be answerable to your expectations . i would not have told you these things , unless i had believed them : for it is for this hope that i am bound with this chain . the blessing of the holy trinity be upon you , i am yours and will be . the god of peace be with you , i rest your embassador in bonds , jos. alleine . from the prison at juelchester , august . . letter xxviii . [ of the love of christ. ] to his most endeared friends , the servants of god in taunton , salvation . most dearly beloved , methinks my brests are not easie , unless i do let them forth unto you . methings there is something still to do , and my weeks work is not ended , unless i have given my soul vent , and imparted something to the beloved flock that i have left behind and oh , that my letters in my absence might be useful to you ! assuredly it is my joy to serve you , and my love to you is without dissimulation : witness my twice lost liberties , and my impaired health , all which i might have preserved , had it not been for my readiness to minister to you . but what do i speak of my love ? it is the sense of the infinite love of god your father that i would have to dwell upon you . forget me , so you remember him . let me be very little , so he be very lovely in your eyes . let him be as the bucket that goes up , though i be as the bucket that goes down . bury me , so that you do but set the lord always before you . let my name be written in the dust , so his name be written deep up all your souls o lord , i am thy servant , truly i am thy servant , glorifie thine own name by me , and thou shalt have my hand to it , that i will be content to be hid in obscurity , and to disappear through the overcoming lustre and brightness of thy glory . brethren , understand mine office , i preach not my self , but the lord jesus christ , and my self your servant for jesus sake . give him your hearts , and i have my errand i am but the friend of the bridegroom , and my business is , but to give you to understand his love , and to gain your hearts unto him . he is an object worthy of my commendations , and of your affections . his love is worth the writing of , and worth the thinking of , and worth the speaking of . o my brethren , never forge●… , i beseech you , how he loveth you . he is in heaven , and you are on earth ; he is in glory and you in rags ; he is in the shining throne , a●…d you in dirty flesh , and yet he loveth you . his heart is infinitely tender of you , even now while he is at the right hand of the majesty on high. how feelingly doth he cry out at the hurt of his poor members on earth ? saul , saul , why persecutest thou me ! oh , of what quick sense is the sense of our dear lord unto us ! when we are touched on earth he feels it in heaven . brethren , christ is real in all that he speaks unto you : he is not like a flourishing lover , who fills up his letters with rhetorick , and hath more care of the dress of his speech , than of the truth . who ever gave demonstration of the reallity of his love at so dear a rate as christ hath done ? men do not use to die in jest : who will impoverish himself to enrich his friend ? and divest himself of his honour to advance him ? and debase himself to admiration below his own degree to contract affinity with him ? and all this but to make him believe that he loves him . brethren , possess your very hearts with this , that christs love doth go out with infinite dearness towards you . even now while he is in all his glory , he earnestly remembers you still . this is the high priest that now is entred into the holy of holies , doth bear your names particularly , remembring every poor believer by name . he bears your names , but where ? upon his brest-plate , upon his heart , saith the text , exod. . . ah christians , i may salute you as the angel did mary , hail you that are highly favoured : bless●…d are you among men . sure your lot is fallen in an happy place ; what in the bosom of christ ? yea , and verily you may believe , and doubt not . i may apply that of gabriel , o daniel , tho●… art greatly beloved , unto you ; you are beloved indeed , to have your names written upon the very heart of christ now he is in glory . oh , let his name be written then on your hearts . do not write his name in the sand , when he hath written yours upon his own brest ! do not forget him who hath taken such care , that while he is , he may never forget you , having recorded your names not onely on his book , but on his flesh , and set you as a seal upon his heart . he hath you upon his heart , but why ? for a memorial before the lord continually , so saith the text. beloved , your lord is so far from forgetting you in all his greatness and glory , that he is gone into heaven on purpose , there to present you before the lord , that you may be always in remembrance before him o beloved , glory , yea , and triumph in his love ; doubtless it must go well with us . who shall condemn ? it is christ that died , and rose again , and is now making intercession . his interest is potent . he is always present . our advocate is never out of court. never did cause miscarry in his hand . trust you safely in him . happy is that man for whom he shall undertake to speak . oh , the riches of christs love ! he did not think it enough to die for you . his love and care doth not end with his natural life on earth , but he ever liveth to make intercession for us . his love is like his life , ever , ever : knowing no remission in degree , nor intermission of time , no cessation of working , but is ever , ever , in motion towards us . but when shall i end , if i suffer my soul to run out its length , and my running pen te enlarge according to the demensions of this boundless field of divine love ? if the pens of all the world were imployed to write volumes of love , if the tongues of all the living were exercised in nothing else but talking of this love ; if all the hearts that be were made up of love ; and all the powers and affections of the mind were turned into one , to wit the power of love , yet this were no less than infinitely too little , either to conceive , or to express the greatness of christs love . o my dearly beloved , may your souls be swallowed up in this love . think , and think while you will , you can never think how much you are beloved . see that ye love again by way of gratitude , though not of requital : what though your souls be but narrow , and your powers but little , yet love him with all you have . love him with all your hearts , and all your strength . to the meditations , and to the embraces of divine love i leave you , thinking it now not worth while to tell you of my love , remaining yours in the bonds of your most dear lord jesus , jos. alleine . august . . letter . xxix . [ warning t●… professors of their danger . ] to the beloved ●…ople , the inhabitants of the town of 〈…〉 , grace and peace . most dear 〈…〉 . my 〈…〉 my beloved is mine and i am his : but 〈…〉 ●…ave no joy so great as that you are mine and i 〈…〉 ●…ou are christs . my relation to christ is abo●… 〈…〉 life and my peace , my riches , and my righteo●… 〈…〉 my hope and my strength , and mine inheritance , 〈…〉 ●…ycing : in him will i please my self for ever , and 〈…〉 will i glory . i esteem my self most happy and rich , and safe in him , though of my self i am nothing . in him i may boast without pride , and glory without vanity . here is no danger of being over much pleased ; neither can the christian exceed his bounds in over-valuing his own riches , and happiness in christ. i am greatly pleased with the lot that is fallen to me : the lord hath dealt bountifully with me , and none shall stop this my confidence of boasting in christ. but as my lot in him is above all , so i will assure you , it is no small content to me , that my lot is fallen with you . and though many difficulties have fallen to my lot among you ( for i have broken my health and lost my liberty once and again , for your sakes ) yet none of these things move me . i wish nothing more then to spend and to be spent upon the service of your faith. i bless the lord for it as an invalnable mercy , that ever he called me to be an embassador of the lord jesus christ to you-wards . in this station i desire to approve my self to him , and that i am withdrawn from my work for a season , it is but that i may return to you refreshed , and inabled for my work among you . you may not think that i have forgotten you , and consulted my own ease and pleasure : but if god prosper my intentions , i shall be found to have been daily serving you in this retirement . i will assure you , i am very tender of preserving all that little strength that god doth add to me entirely for your sakes : being resolved not so much as once to broach the vessel till i draw forth to you . i bless the lord , i am in great tranquility here in this town , and walk up & down the corporation without any questioning me . only it hath pleased the lord to add to my affliction since my coming , by taking away my dear father , the day of whose glorious translation was the day after my arriving here . but i bless the lord , i do believe and expect the return of the redeemer with all his saints , and the most glorious resurrection of my own dead body with all believers : and this makes me to rest in hope , and fills me with unspeakle more joy than the death of my self or any other saint can with grief . and now i make it my business to be rendred serviceable to you ; and do by this , return you my hearty thanks for your earnest prayers and intercessions to god in my behalf , for it is he that must do the cure : i seem to my self to be retired to this place , as a vessel rent and shatter'd and torn in the service , that it come to recruit in the harbour : and here i am as it were rigging , and repairing , and victualling to put sorth again in the service : which i shall do with the first wind , as soon as i am ready . what is my life u●…less i am serviceable ? and though i must for the present forbear my wonted labour , yet i shall not cease to exhort you , and call upon you while i am absent from you , to stand sast , and to grow up in your holy faith. be warned , my dearly beloved , that you fall not upon those dangerous rocks upon which so many professors have been split . there are three things which i beseech you carefully to beware of . first , lest while christ is in your mouths , the world run away with your hearts : there is many a seeming professor that will be fòund a meer idolater ? many a soul goes down to hell in this sin , in the midst of his profession , and never discerns it till it be too late . remember , i beseech you , that the oxen , the farm , wife , merchandize , all of them lawful comforts , did effectually keep men from a sound and saving closing with christ , as the vilest lusts of the worst of men . whatever you find your hearts very much pleased in , and in love with , among these earthly comfo●…ts , set a mark upon that thing , and remember that there lies your greatest dan●…r . what you love most , you must fear most ; and think of●…en wi●…h your selves , this , if any thing is like to be my 〈…〉 multitudes of professors that perish for ever , by 〈…〉 ●…and of this mortal enemy , i mean the overval●…ing of earthly things . the hearers compared to the thorn●… ground , did not openly fall away and cast off their profession , as the stony ground did ; but while others withered away , the blade of profession was as green and fresh as ever ; and yet their inordinate a●…ection to the things of this life , did secretly undo all at last . little do most professors think of this , while they please themselves in their estates , while they delight themselves so freely in their children , in their wives , in their habitations and possessions ; that these be the things that ●…re like to undo them for ever . how little is that scripture thought of , which speaks so dreadfully to worldly professors ; love not the world , for if any man love the world , the love of the father is not in him . are there not many among us , who though they do keep up prayer , and other holy duties ; yet the strength and vigour of their hearts goeth out after earthly things ? and these are their chief care and their chief joy . such must know , that they are none of christs , and they were better to understand it now , and seek to be renewed by repentance , then hereafter when there shall be no place for repentance . . lest while iniquity doth abound , your love to christ doth wax cold . remember what an abomination laodicea was to christ because she grew so luke-warm ; and what a controversie he had with ephesus , a sound church , because she did but flacken and grow more remiss in her love . a friend is born for adversity ; and now is , the time , if you will prove the sincerity of your love and friendship to jesus christ , by following him zealously , resolvedly , sully , now he is more rejected and opposed . thirdly , lest you keep up a barren and fruit●…ss profession , with●…ut progression : see to it my brethren , that you be not onely professors , but proficients : many professors think all is well because they keep on in the exercises of religion ; but alas ! you may keep on praying , a●…d hearing all the week long , and yet be not one jot the further . many there are that kee●… going , but it is like the horse in the mill , that is going all day , but yet is no further than when he first began . nay , it oft times happens in the trade of religion , as it doth in trading in the world , where many keep on in trading still , till for want of care and caution , and examining their accounts whether they go forward or backward , they trade themselves out of all . oh , look to it my brethren , that none of you rest in the doing of duties , but examine what comes of them . otherwise as you may trade your selves into poverty , so you may hear and pray your selves into hardness of heart , and desperate security , and formality . this was the very case of wretched laodicia , who kept up the trade of religious duties , and verily thought that all was well , because the trade still went on , and that she was increased in spiritual goods , and in a gaining way : but when her accounts were cast up at last , all comes to nothing , and ends in wretchedness , poverty , and nakedness . most dear brethren , i wish and pray for the prosperity of you all : but above all , i wish your souls prosperity , with which , after my most dear loves to you all , having already exceeded the bounds of an epistle , i commend you to the living god , remaining your fervent well wisher and embassador in christ , jos. alleine devises , june . . letter . xxx . [ an admiration of the love of god. ] to the most loving , and best beloved , the servants of god in taunton , salvation . my most dear friends , i love you , and long for you in the lord , and i am weary with forbearing that good and blessed work that the lerd hath committed to me , for the surtherance of your salvation . how long lord , how long shall i dwell in silen●… ! how long shall my tongue cleave to the roo●… of my mouth ! when will god open my lips , that i may stand up and praise him ? but it is my fathers good pleasure yet to keep me in a total disability of publishing his name among you ; unto him my soul shall patiently subscribe . i may not , i cannot complain that he is hard to me , or useth me with rigour : i am full of the mercies of the lord , yea , brimful and running over , and shall i complain ? far be it from me . but though i may not murmur , me●…hinks i may mourn a little , and sit down and wish , o if i may not have a tongue to speak , would i had but hands to write , that i might from my pen drop some heavenly councels to my beloved people . methinks my feeble fingers do even itch to write unto you , but it cannot be , alas my right-hand seems to have forgot her cunning , and hath much ado with trembling to lift the bread unto my mouth . do you think you should have had so little to shew under my hand , to bear witness of my care for you , and love to you if god had not shock my pen as it were out of my hand ? bu●… all that he doth is done well , and wisely , and therefore i submit . i have purposed to borrow hands wherewith to write unto my beloved , rather then to be silent any longer . but where shall i begin , or when should i end ? if i think to speak of the mercies of god towards me , or mine enlarged affections towards you , methinks i feel already how strait this paper is like to be , and how insignificant my expressions will be found , and how insufficient all that i can say will prove at last to utter what i have to tell you ; but shall i say nothing because i cannot utter all , this must not be neither . come then all ye that fear the lord , come and i well tell you what he hath done for my soul. o help me to love that precious name of his , which is above all my praises . o love the lord all ye his saints , and fear before him ! magnifie the lord with me , aud let us exalt his name together ! he hath remembred my low estate , because his mercy endureth for ever . o blessed be you of the lord , my dearly beloved , o thrice blessed may you be for all your remembrances of me before the lord , you have wrestled with the lord for me , you have wrestled me out of the very jaws of death it self : o the strength of prayer ! surely it is stronger than death . see that you even honour the power and prevalen●… of prayer : oh be in love with prayer , and have high and venerable thoughts of it . what distresses , diseases . deathts can stand before it ? surely i live by prayer , prayer hath given a resurrection ●…o this body of mine , when physicians , and friends had given up their hopes . ah my dearly beloved , methinks it delights me to tell the story of your love , how much more of the love of god towards me . i have not forgotten , o my dearly beloved , i have not forgotten your tender love in all my distresses . i remember your kindness to me in my bonds , when once and again i was delivered up to a prison for your sakes . i remember with much delight , how you refreshed and comforted me in my tribulations , how open your hearts were , and your hands were not straightned neither , for i was in want of nothing i may not , i must not forget what painful journies you took to visit me , when in places remote the hand of the lord had touched me , and though my long sickness almost incredible expensive to me , yet your supplies did not a little lighten my burthen . and though i put it last , yet i do not mind it least , that you have been so ready in returning praises to god in my behalf , your thanksgiving to god , my dear brethren , do administer abundant cause to me of my giving thanks unto you . and now my heart methinks is big to tell you a little of my love to you surely you are dear unto me ; but though it be sweet to tell the story of love , yet in this i will restrain my s●…lf for i fear least as the wise man saith of the beginning of strife , so i should find of the beginning of love , that it is like the letting forth of the water ; and the rather i do ●…orbear , because i hope you have better testimonies than words , to bear witness here unto you . but if i sing the song of love , o let divine love overcarry the praise ; i found my self in straights when i began to speak of the natural love between my dear people , and an unworthy minister of christ to them ; and it seemed that all that i have said was much too little , but now i have to speak of the love god , it seems to be by far too much . o infinite love never to be comprehended , but ever to be admired , magnified , and adored by every creature ! o let my heart be filled , let my mouth be filled , let my papers be filled ever , ever filled with the thankful commemoration of this matchless love . o turn your eyes from other objects ! o bury me in forgetfulness , and let my love be no more mentioned nor had in remembrance among you , so that you may be throughly possessed and inflamed with the love of god. this , my beloved , this is that love which is ever to be commended , and extolled by you . see that you studie this love , fill your souls with wonder , and feast your souls with joy , and be ravished with rich contentment in this divine love : take your daily walk , and lose your selves in the field of love : drink , o friends , yea drink abundantly , o beloved , fear no excess . o that your souls may be drencht and drowned in the love of christ , till you can every one say with the ravisht spouse , i am sick of love . marvel not that i wander here , and seem to forget the bounds of a letter , this love obligeth me , yea , rather constraineth me . who in all the earth should admire and commend this love if i should not ? i feel it , i taste it , the sweet savour thereof reviveth my soul , it is light to mine eyes , and life to mine heart ; the warm beams of this blessed sun , o how have they comsorted me , ravished , and refreshed me both in body and soul ! my benumbed limbs , my withered hands , my feeble knees , my bones quite naked of flesh do yet again revive through the quickning , healing , and raising influence of divine grace and love. now my own hands can feed me , and my own seet can bear me , my appetite is quick , my sleep comfortable , and god is pleased to give some increase continually though by insensible degrees ; and shall not i praise that love and grace that hath done all this for me ? yea , what is this to all i have to tell you ? my heart is enlarged , but i told you paper could not hold what i have to speak of the goodness of the all-gracious god , in which i live . i am forced to end , least you should not bear my length . my dearly beloved , i send my heart unto you , divide my love amongst you all , and particularly tender it to your reverend and faithful pastour , whose presence with you , and painfulness , and watchfulness over you , and zeal and courage for you in so dangerous a time , is matter of my great joy and thanksgivings unto god. the grace of our lord jesus be with you all . fare you well in the lord , i remain your unworthy minister and servent well-wisher in the lor●… , jos. alleine . letter xxxi . to the most beloved people , the servants of god in taunton , salvation . most dearly beloved and longed for , my joy and crown , my hearts desire and prayer for you is , that you may be saved . this is that which i have been praying and studying , and preaching for these many years : and this is the end of my venturing , and suffering , and writing at this present time . god that knoweth all things , he knoweth that this is my wish ; oh that i could but come at their souls ! and that this is the prize and the gain that i run for , that i might win souls . i seek not other gifts , give me your hearts , let me but part between your sins and you ; suffer me but to save you ; give me leave to carry you over to jesus christ , and i will not ask you any more . i will serve you gladly , i will suffer for you thankfully , so i may but save you . do not wonder why i follow you so pressingly , why i call upon you so frequently ; let not my importunity be grievous to you , all this is but to save you . christ did not bethink his blood , and shall i think my breath , or ink , too dear in order to your salvation ? what pitie is it , that any of you should miscarry at last , under the power of ignorance , or by a prophane negligence , or a formal and lifeless profession of strict godliness . beloved , i am afraid of you lest ( as to many of you ) i have run in vain . i cannot but most thankfully acknowledge , that ( considering the paucity of those that are saved ) there are not a few of you who are the joy of your ministers , and the glory of christ. but it cannot be dissembled , that far the greater number give little ground to hope , that they are in the state of salvation . and must not this be a pinching thought to a compassionate teacher , to think , that he cannot for his heart perswade men , but that the most of them will wilfully throw away themselves ? is it not a wosul sight , to behold the devils driving a great part of our miserable flocks ( as they did once the herd of swine , the keepers themselves amazed looking on . ) i say , driving them violently down the hill , till they be choaked in the water , and drowned irrecoverably in the gulf of endless perdition ? ah mserable spectacle ! what through the wilful blindness of some , what through the loseness and sensuality of others , what through the halving , and cold , and customary religion of others , how great a number of our poor flocks , is satan like to carry utterly away from us , after all that hath been done to save them ? yet i cannot but call after them . hearken unto me , o ye children . how long will ye love vanity , and follow after leasing , and trust in lying words ? as the lord liveth you are lost , except you turn : wherefore turn your selves and live ye . ah how mercy woeth you ! how it waiteth to be gracious to you ? hear , o sinners , hear . see you not how the merciful saviour of the world stretcheth forth his hands all the day long , and spreadeth forth his wings , and calleth you as a hen doth her chickens ! hear you not the soundings of his bowels ? he had no need of you ; yet how do his compassions melt over perishing sinners ? his heart is turned within him , and shall not this turn your hearts ? his repentings are kindled together ; and shall not this lead you to repentance ? behold , he standeth at the door and knocketh . o man wilt thou keep ●…esus at the door , and lodge barrabas in thy bosom ? and prefer thy cruel lusts before thy compassionate lord ? oh his melting love to sinners ! he calleth after them , isa. . . he weepeth over them , luke . , . he crieth to them , prov. . , , . how long ye simple ones , will you love simplicity ? will you not be made clean ? when shall it once be ? why will you die ? turn you at my reproof : behold , i will pour out my spirit upon you . sinner , art thou not yet melted ? oh come in at his loving calls , come out from thy sins : touch the scepter of grace and live : why shouldest thou be dashed in pieces by his iron rod ? kiss the son : why shouldst thou perish in the way ? set up jesus as thy king , lest he count thee sor ●…is enemy , because thou wouldst not that he should reign over thee , and so thou be called forth and slain before him . oh how dreadful will this case be , to perish under the pittiful eyes of his mercy , and to die by the hand of a saviour ! oh double hell , to have thy redeemer become thine executioner ! and the hand that was so long stretched forth to save thee , to be now stretched forth to slay thee ! and the merciful heart of christ himself hardned against thee , so as that he should call thee forth , and with his own hand hew thee in pieces , ( as samuel did agag before the lord. ) but i have been too too long in prefacing to what i intended forthwith to have fallen upon : indeed i am apt to run out in matters that do so nearly touch upon your greatest concernments . beloved , i despair of ever bringing you to salvation , without sanctification : or possessing you with happiness , without perswading you to holiness . god knows i have not the least hope ever to see one of your faces in heaven , except you be converted and sanctified , and exercise your selves unto godliness . this is that i drive at . i beseech you study to further personal godliness , and family godliness . . personal godliness . let it be your first care to set up christ in your hearts . see that you make all your worldly interests to stoop to him , that you be entirely and unreservedly devoted unto him . if you wilfully , and deliberately , and ordinarily harbour any sin , you are undone . see that you unfeignedly take the laws of christ , as the rule of your words , thoughts , and actions ; and subject ●…our whole man , members and mind faithfully to him . if you ha●…e a true respect to all gods commandments , you are sound at heart . oh study to get the image and impress of christ upon you within . begin with your hearts , else you build without a foundation . labour to get a saving change within , or else all external performances will be to no purpose . and then study to shew forth the power of godliness in the life . let piety be your first and great business . 't is the highest point of justice , to give god his due . beware that none of you be a prayerless person : sor that is a most certain discovery of a christless , and a graceless person , of one that is a very stranger to the fear of god. suffer not your bibles to gather dust . see that you converse daily with the word . that man can never lay claim to blessedness , whose delight is not in the law of the lord. let ●…editation and self-examination be your daily exercise , else the papists , yea the pagans , will condemn us . that the short questions , which i have given you as a help to self-examination , may be daily perused by you , is the matter of my passionate request unto you . if ever you come to any growth in holiness , without the constant use of ●…his practice , i am grosly deceived . and therefore i would beseech , yea , even charge you , by the lord , that you would daily examine your selves by these questions , till you have found a better help to this duty . but piety , without charity , is but the half of christia●…y , or rather impious hypocrisie , we may not divide the tables . see therefore that you do justly , and love mercy , and let equity , and charity run like an even thred , throughout all your dealings . be you temperate in all things , and let chastity , and and sobriety , be your undivided companions . let truth and purity , seriousness and modesty , heavenliness and gravity be the constant ornaments of your speech . let patience and humility , simplicity & sincerity shine out in all the parts of your conversations . see that you sorget & sorgive wrongs , and requi●…e them with kindness as you would be found children of the most high . be merciful in your censures , and put the most favourable construction upon our brethrens carriage that their actions will reasonably bear . ●…e slow in promising . punctual in fulfilling . let meekness and in●…ocency , affableness , yieldingness , and curt●…sie , com●…end your conversations to all men . let none of your relations want that love and loyalty , that reverence and duty , that tenderness , care , and vigilancy , which their several places and capacities call for . this is throughout godliness . i charge you before the most high god , that none of you be found a swearer , or a lyar , a lover of evil company , or a scoffer , or malicious , or covetous , or a drunkard , or a glutton , unrighteous in his dealing , unclean in his living , ●…r a quarreller , or a thief , or backbiter , or a railer : for i denounce unto you from the living god , that destruction and damnation is the end of all such , prov. . . jam. . . rev. . . cor. . , . gal. . , , . . family godliness . he that hath set up christ in his heart , will be sure to study to set him up in his house . let every family with you be a christian church ; every house , a house of prayer ; every houshold a houshold of saith . let every housholder say , with joshua , i , with my house will serve the lord , and resolve with david , psalm . . i will walk within my house , with a perfect heart . let me press upon you a few duties , which i have been long harping upon , but alas ( i speak it to your shame ) with many ( too too many ) of you , to little purpose in general . first , let religion be in your families , not as a matter by the by , ( to be minded at leisure , when the world will give you leave ) but the standing business of the house . let them have your prayers as duly as their meals , is there any of your familie●… , but have time for their taking food ? wretched man ! canst thou find time to eat in , and not time to pray in ? secondly , settle it upon your hearts , that your souls are bound up in the souls of your family . they are committed unto you , and ( if they be lost through your neglect ) will be required at your hands ; sirs , if you do not , you shall know that the charge of souls is a heavy charge , and that the blood of souls is a heavy guilt . o man , hast thou a charge of souls to answer for , and dost thou not yet bestir thy self for them , that their blood be not found in thy skirts ? wilt thou do no more for immortal souls , than thou wilt do for thy beasts that perish ? what dost thou do for thy children , and servants ? thou providest meat and drink for them , agreeable to their natures , and dost thou not the same for thy beasts ? thou givest them medicines , and cherishest them when they be sick , and dost thou not so much for thy swine ? more particularly . . let the solemn reading of the word , isa. . . john . . and singing of psalms , be your family exercises , psalm . . see christ singing with his family , viz. his disciples , mat. . . luke . . . let every p●…rson in your families be duly called to an account of their profiting by the word h●…rd or read , as they be about doing your own 〈…〉 . this is a duty of consequence unspeakable , and would be a means to bring those under your charge , to remember and prosit by what they receive . see chirsts example in calling ●…is family to an account . mat. . . . . . often take an account of the souls under your care concerning their spiritual estates herein you must be followers of christ , mat. . , , . mar●… . , . make enquiry into their conditions , insist much upon the sinfulness and misery of their natural estate , a●…d upon the necessity of regeneration and conversion in order to their salvation . admonish them gravely of their sins , incourage beginnings . follow them earnestly , and let them have no quiet for you , till you see them in a saving change . this is a duty of high consequence , but ( i am afraid ) fearfully neglected by some that are godly . doth not conscience say , thou art the man ? . look to the strict sanct●…fying of the sa●…bath , by all of your h●…holds , exod. . . lev. . . many poor families have little time else . o improve but your sabbath-days as diligently in labouring for knowledge , and doing your makers work , as you do the other daies in doing your own work , and i doubt not , but you may come to some proficiencie . . let the morning and evening sacrifice of s●…lemn prayer , be daily offered up . in all your families . psal. . , . exod. . , . ●…l●…ke . , . beware they be not found among the families that call not upon gods name ; sor why should there be wrath from the lord upon your families ? jer. . . o miserable families without god in the world , that are without family prayer ! what have you so many family fins , family wants , family mercies , what and yet no family prayers ? how do you pray with all prayer and supplication , if you do not with family prayer ? say not , i have no time . what hast thou all thy time on purpose to serve god , and save thy soul , and is this that for which thou canst find no time . find but a heart , and i will find time . pinch out of your meals and sleep , rather then want for prayer . say not my business will not give leave . this is thy grea●…est business , to save thy self , and the souls committed to thee . besides a whet will be no let . in a word , the blessing of all is to be got by prayer , jer. . , . sam. . . and what is thy business without gods blessing ? say not , i am not able . use thy one talent , and god will increase it , mat. . . &c. helps are to be had till thou art better able . but if there be no other remedy , thou mai'st join with thine abler neighbour . god hath special regard to joint praye●… , jam. . . to . acts . . to . cor. . . and therefore you must improve family advantages for the performing of it . put every one in your families upon private prayer . observe whether they do perform it . get them the help of a form , if they need it , till they are able to go without . direct them how to pray , by minding them of their sins , w●…nts , and mercies , the materials of prayer . this was the practice of john , and of jesus , luke . , . . set up cathechizing in your families , at the least once every week . it was my parting , dying request , that you would set up and maintain this duty in your families . have you done it all accordingly ? cannot your consciences witness , cannot your families witness you have not ? well , i thought my parting words would have done something with you : i hoped the fervent request of a dying minister , would have prevailed for such a small matter with you. what , to this day without solemn c●…techising in your houses ? ah , what a discouragement to your teacher is this ? brethren , shall i yet prevail with you ? will you reject me now also ? o let me perswade you , before you take off your eyes from these lines , to resolve to set upon the constant exercise of this duty . surely i have done and suffered more for you then this comes to : will you deny me ? i beseech you , let me find , if ever god do bring me again to visit your houses , that the ●…ords of a suffering minister have some power with you . i have sent you an help on purpose : what shall all my perswasions be but speaking in the wind ? and all my pains but labouring in the fire ? beloved you have no dread of the almighties charge , that you should teach these things diligently to your children , and talk of them as you sit in your hou●… , &c. deut. . , , , . and . , and . , , . & train them up in the way they should go , prov. . . the margin . hath god so commended abraham , that he would teach his children and his houshold , gen. . . and that he had so many 〈…〉 servants , gen. . . the margin hath given such a promise to him thereupon , and wlll not you put in for a share , neither in the praise , nor the promise ? hath christ honoured cathechising with his presence , luke . . and will not you own it with your practise ? say not , they are careless , and will not learn. what have you your authority for , if not to use it for god , and the good of their souls ? you will call them up , and force them to do your work ; and should you not , at least be as zealous in put●…ing them upon gods work ? say not , they are dull and are not capable if they be dull , god requires of you the more pains and patience , but so dull as they are , you will make them learn how to work ; and can they not learn as well how to live ! are they capable of the misteries of your trade , and are they not capable of the plain principles of religion ? well as ever you would see the growth of religion , the cure of ignorance , the remedy of prophaness , the downfal of error , fulfill you my joy in going through with this duty . i have been too long already , and yet i am afraid my letter will be ended before my work be done , how l●…th am i to leave you , before i have prevailed with you to set to the work , to which you are here directed , will you pass your promise , will you give me your hands ? oh that you would ! you cannot do me a greater pleasure . ask what you will of me ; see if i will not do as much for you . oh that your families might be a joy to me , as that twice noble ladies to john ; who professes he had no greater joy , then to find her children walking in the truth ! beloved why should you not give the hand one to another , and mutually engage each to other , for more vigorous and diligent endeavours , in promoting family godliness . i must tell you , god looks ●…or more than ordinary from you , in such a day as this . he expects that you should do , both in your hearts , and in your houses , somewhat more that ever , under these his extraordinary dispensations . my most dearly beloved minc own bowels in the lord , will you satisfie the longings of a travelling minister ? will you answer the calls of divine providence ? would you remove the incumbent , or prevent the impending calamities ? would you plant nurseries for the church of god ? would you that god should build your houses , and bless your substance ? would you that your children should bless you ? that your father should bless you ? oh , then set up piety in your families as ever you would be blessed , or be a blessing , let your hearts and your houses be the temples of the living god , in which ●…is worship ( according to all the forementioned directions ) may be , with constancy reverently performed . pardon my pro●…xity and importunity in so earnest pursuing of you ; i am yet afraid i have done too soon , and shall end without my errand . the lord god perswade you to him i turn me , for i am well assured , he can prevail with you : o father of spirit , that hath set me over thy flock to match for their souls , as one that must give an account . i have long studied thy will , and taught in thy name , and do unfeignedly bless thee ; that any have believed my report . i have given unto them the words which thou gavest me , and they have received them . i have manifested thy name unto them , and they have kept thy word . and now i am no more with them , but i come unto thee : holy father keep them through thine own name ; for they are thine . as they have kept the word of thy patience , so keep thou them in the hour of temptation . they are but a flock a little and a helpless flock : but thou art their shepheard , suffer them not to want . do thou feed them , and fold them . let thy rod and thy staff comfort them , and let not the beasts of prey fall upon them , to the spoiling of their souls . but what shall i do for them that will not be gathered . i have called after them , but they would not answer ; i have charged them in thy name , but they would not hear ; i have studied to speak perswasively to them , but i cannot prevail . then i said , i have laboured in vain ; i have spent my strength for nought , and in vain , yet i cannot give them over , much less may i give thee over lord perswade japhet , to dwell in the tents of shem. lord compel them to come in , and lay the hanas of mercy upon them , as thou didst on lingring lot , and bring them forth , that they may escape for their lives and not be consumed . lord , i pray thee open their eyes that they may see , and lay hold upon their hearts by thy omnipotent grace . do thou turn them , and they shall be turned : o bring back the miserable captives , and suffer not the enemy of mankind to drive away the most of the flock before mine eyes , and to deride the fruitless endeavours of thy laborers , and boast over them , that he can do●…e with them , though he seek to ruine them , than all the beseechings , counsels , and charges of thy servants that seek to save them . lord , if i could find out any thing that would pierce them , that would make its way into their hearts , thou knowest i would use it . but i have been many years pleading thy cause in vain . o let not these endeavors also be lost . o god , find out every ignorant , every prophane sinner , every prayerless soul , and every prayerless family , and convince them of their miserable condition , while without thee in the world. set thy image upon their souls , set up thy worship in their families . let not pride , ignorance , or slothfulness , keep them in neglect of the means of knowledge . let thine eyes be over the place of my desires for good , from one end of the year to the other end thereof . let every house therein be a seminary of religion , and let those that cast their eyes upon these lines , find thee sliding in by the secr●…t influence of thy grace into their hearts , and irresistably engaging them to do thy pleasure . amen , amen . letter . xxxii . [ he that endureth to the end shall be saved . ] to the most loving , and best beloved , the serv●…ts of christ in huntington , grace and peace . most dear christians , i do thankfully acknowledge , both to god and you , that i am many ways obliged to love , and serve you ; and surely , when the lord shall turn our captivi●…y , i will ( through his grace ) endeavour to shew my self thankful , wherein i may unto you . i am the more sensible of your great love , because i cannot be insensible , how little i have deserved such a mercy , and how little i have been able to do , to oblige you . able , i say , for i am sure . i have been willing to be much more serviceable to you : but now , letters and prayers are all that i have for you ; of these i shall be ready to be prodigal . your love to me hath been very bountiful : i may not forget the liberal supplies that you have sent , many of you , even out of your poverty to me ; and not to me only , but to the whole family of my brethren , and fellow-prisoners , who do all bless you , and send by these with me , their thankful respects unto you . i fervently pray , and do not doubt to speed , that you may reap in grace and glory , what you have sown to us in bounty . verily , there is a reward for the righteous . ah , how sure is it ! and how great and how near is it ? come on , my dear brethren , and fellow-travellers stir up your selves , and set to your race . see that you loiter not , but speed apace in your holy course . what ●…ire by the way , or think of looking back , when heaven is the prize ? god forbid . to him that soweth righteousness ●…here shall be a sure reward . what though it should seem sl●…w ? as long as it is so sure , and so great , never be discoura●…ed : in the end you shall reap , if you faint not . wait b●… a while , and you shall have a blessed harvest . the lord speaks 〈…〉 the christian , as he to his creditor in another case . have pa●…ence with me , and i will pay thee all . oh now ●…or faith and patience ! how safely , how sweetly would these ●…arry us to our home and harbour , through all difficul●…s . brethren beloved , be ye followers of them , who through ●…th and patience inherit the promises . it is want of patience ●…hat undoes the world . patience , i mean , not so much 〈…〉 the bearing the inflicted evil , as in waiting for the de●…erred good . if the reward of religion would be presently in hand , who would not be religious ? who but the deceitsul world count it doubtful and distant ; and they are all for something in hand , and so take up with a present felicity . the l●…ord deals all upon trust , and upon that account is but little dea●…t with . you must have patient , and be content to plow and sow , and wait for the return of all at the harvest , when this life is ended they that like not religion upon these terms , may see where they can mend their markets . but you , my brethren , be stedfast , unmoveable , abounding in the work of the lord , for as much as you know your labour shall not be in vain in the lord. wait a little , there is but a short life between you , and the blessed inheritance of the endless glory . ah wretched unbelievers ! how worthy are you to be shut for ever out of the kingdom , that did so undervalue all the glory , that god had promised , as not to count to sufficient to pay them for a little waiting ? beloved , lift . up your eyes and behold your inheritance , the good land that is beyond the jordan , and that goodly mountain . the promises are a map of heaven . do but view it believingly and considerately , as it is darkly drawn there , and tell me , what think you of that worthy portion , that goodly heritage ? will not all this make you amends for your stay ? why then act like believers . never bethink the pains , nor expences of religion . let no man fear he shall come off a loser . what though you are much upon the spending hand ? i might tell you , god is beforehand with you however : but i would have you principally to look forward . it is much that god hath [ laid out ] upon you ; but who can tell what he hath [ laid up ] for them that fear him ? and will you miss of all , for want of patience ? god sorbid . behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth , and hath long patience , till he receive the early and later rain . be ye also patient , stablish your hearts , for the coming of the lord draweth nigh . what shall the husbandman have more patience for the fruits of the earth , than you for the precious fruits of your faith ? the husbandman hath no such certainty as you : he hath but a probability of an harvest , and yet he hath p●…ience ; he is content to venture . he is at great pains , and much cost , he is still laying out , and hath nothing coming in , and yet he is content to wait for his rei●…bursement , till the corn be grown . but your harvest is most sure , as sure as the irrevocable decree , the infallible promise , the immuta●…le oath of a god , a god that cannot lie , that knows no place for repentance , can make it . again , the husbandman hath no such increase to look for as you . oh , if he were but sure , that every corn would bear a crown with what exaltation and joy , rather than patience , would he go through all his cost and labour . why , brethren , such is a believers increase . every grain shall produce a crown ; and every tear shall bring forth a pearl ; and every minute in pains or prayers , an age of joy and glory . besides , the husbandman hath long patience , and will not you have a little patience ? it is not long patience th●…t god doth expect of you : for behold , the coming of the lord draweth nigh . will the garrison yield when relief is at hand ? or the merchant sit down and give up his hopes , when within sight of the harbour ? or will the husband man despond , and give up all for lost , when he sees the fields even white for the harvest ? or shall he do more for a crop of corn , than you will do for a crop of glory ? far be it . behold the judge is even at door . the lord is at hand . he cometh quickly , and his reward is with him . he comes with the crown in his hand , to set upon the head of patience . therefore cast not away your confidence , which hath great recompence of reward . the prisoners of the lord , your brethren in the patience of jesus , can tell you , it is good suffering for such a master . we must tell you , as they said to our lord in another case , he is worthy for whom you should do this . god is beyond measure gracious to us h●…re . he shines bright into our prison , blessed be his name . he waters us from heaven , and earth . as we trust , you forgot not the poor prisoners , when you pray , so we would that many thanksgivings should abound in our behalf . and prayer being the only key that can open our prisons , we trust that you will not slack , nor let your hands be heavy , but pray and not faint : and doubtless prayer will do it . but i am apt to pass the bounds of a letter , yet i promise my self now an easie pardon for so loving a trespass . with my dear loves to you all , i commend you to god , and the word of his grace . though i have done writing , yet not praying . i will promise , where my letter ends , my prayers shall begin . farewel dear brethren : fare you well in the lord , i am an unworthy embassador of jesus in bond , jos. alleine . from the prison at juelchester , octob. . . letter xxxiii . [ for perseverance . ] to my dear friends the servants of christ in luppit , salvation . beloved christians , having taken up a resolution to write to , and to endeavour to confirm all the places , where i have gone up and down preaching the kingdom of god , you were by no means to be omitted . you were the people that were last upon-my heart , before my taking up , and had i not been made a prisoner , i think i had in a few hours after the time of my apprehension been with you . now i can no way but by prayers , letters , and councels visit you ; and so have sent these , to let you know , that you are upon my heart , and that your welfare is dear unto me . i bless the lord to hear that his work doth not cease among you . it is the joy of our bonds , beloved , to hear that the word is not bound , and that satan hath not his design upon the people of god , who doubtless intended by these sufferings to have struck terrour into them , and to have made their hands weak . know , dear christians , that the bonds of the gospel are not tedious through grace unto us , that christ is a master worth a suffering for , that there is really enough in religion to defray all our charges , to quit all the cost and expence you can be at in or upon it ; that you may build upon it that you can never be losers by jesus christ , that christs prison is better than the worlds paradise , that the divine attributes are alone an all-sufficient livelihood , that the influences of heaven , and shines of gods countenance are sufficient to lighten the darksomest dungeon , and to perfume and sweeten the noisomest prison to a poor believer ; that if you can bring faith and patience , and the assurance of the divine favour with you to a prison , you will live comfortably in spight of earth & hell. these are truths that the prisoners of christ can in a measure seal unto ; and i would have you to be more soundly assured of , and established in . brethren we are of the same mind in a prison , that we were os in the pulpit ; that there is no life to a life of holiness ; that christ , and his yoak , and his cross , are worthy of all acceptation ; that it is the best , and wisest , and safest and gainfulllest course in the world to stick close to christ and his ways , and to adhere to them in all hazards . come on , beloved christians , come on , stack not your pace , but give diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end , and be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises . strengthen the hands that hang down , and the feeble knees . if you faint in the day of adversity , your strength is small . chear up , my brethren , look what a crown , what a kingdom here is ; what say you ? is not here a worthy portion , a goodly heritage ? were it not pity to lose all this for want of diligence and patience ? come , dear christians , and fellow travellers , i pray you , let us put on : pluck up the weary limbs , our home is within sight . lift up your eyes from the pisga of the promises : you may see the land of rest. will any of you think of returning into egypt ? god forbid : a little patience , and christ will come . behold , the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth , and hath long patience till he receive the early and later rain : be ye also patient , stablish your hearts , for the coming of the lord draweth nigh . he is not a christian indeed , that cannot be content to tarry for his preferment in another world. cast upon it , my brethren , that your kingdom is not of this world ; that here you must have tribulations , and that all is well as long as we are secured for eternity . exhort one another daily : strive together in prayer , unite your strength therein , and pull a main : mercy will come sooner or later , however we will be content to wait till the coming of our lord jesus christ. ah how surely will he come ! he will render tribulation to them that trouble us , and to us that are troubled , rest with him . onely believe and wait : what not watch with him one hour ? why the judge is even at the door ! and how blessed will you be if you do but continue and hold fast till he come ! watch therefore , and stand fast , quit you like men , be zealous , and let your hearts be strong : god is your friend , and you may trust him . he is able to bear you out , and bear you up : faint not therefore , but be stedfast , unmoveable , abounding in the works of the lord. speak often one to another , provoke to love , and to good works . let the bay of opposition against godliness , make the torrent of your zeal break over with the more violence . but it 's time to end , i have been bold to call upon you , you see ; and to stir you up by way of remembrance . may the spirit of the most high god excite you , encourage you , enflame you : may these poor lines be some quickning to you : may the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush dwell with you . my dear loves to you all , pray sor the prisoners . farewel dear brethren , farewel in the lord , i am yours in the bonds of the lord jesus , jos. alleine . octob. . . letter xxxiv . [ to a back-sliding fellow student . ] sir , whom this will find you , or when , or where , i know not ; but i have shot this arrow at a venture . once you were an associate with me in corpus christi , where i remember your blameless conversation , and your zealous affection for , and adhesion to the ways and people of god. may you be still found in the same paths of holiness , without which no man shall see god. the vows of god are upon me ( which , i confess , i have been to slack to pay ) that i would put you in remembrance , and in all brotherly tenderness advise you , to remember from whence you are sallen . i was informed , before your leaving of england , of many unhappy miscarriages , which the great reproach of your holy profession , you had been too manifestly guilty of , i am not without some hope , that the lord may have since recalled you , and brought you back to himself : and yet not without more fear , lest , if the power of corruption were so strong , as to precipitate you with such violence , at such a time as that was , and in such a place as england , as oxon where you had so many encouragements , and inducements , examples , and faithful friendly , watchful observers , you may now much more be carried away , in such a place , and among such company , as now you may be likely to be in . sir , i beseech you to be assured , that nothing but the conscience of my duty hath engaged me , now you have been so many years a stranger to me , and are at so many thousand miles distance from me , to write notwithstanding to you . and i beseech you , bear a little with me . is it wisdom after you have begun in the spirit , to end in the flesh ? you did run well , who hath hindred you ? i remember your strict walkings , your holy converse , your many tears : will you-lose the things that you have wrought ? have you found out another , a nearer way to heaven ? do you hope to get in at the wide gate , in the broad way ? need i to mind you , that it had been better for you never to have known the way of life , then after you have known it , to turn aside from the holy commandment ? can you ever enter into gods hill , without you be of clean hands , and a pure heart ? i know , you are not ignorant , that strait is the gate , and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life , and few there be that find it : and will you yet do as the most , and decline the way of strictness , and whole self-denial , and give the flesh the reins ? what , when god , that cannot lie , hath said , if you live after the fleshe , you shall die ? do you not know that you do in vain name the name of the lord jesus christ , except you depart from iniquity ? i am sure you know it : oh sir , consider it , improve it . oh , have you so learnt christ , as to think , ●…at the way of carnal liberty and loosness , the way of evil company and fleshliness , is the way to eternal life ? i am not for tying up salvation to this , or that opinion : but certainly , let men be of what opinion they will , without str●…ess , self-denial , and holy diligence , they cannot be saved , mat. . . mat. . . pet. , . once you could say with 〈…〉 , i am companion to all them that 〈…〉 is it so now ? o sir , let not the wicked entice you . hath not god said , a companion of fools shall be destroyed , prov. . . that you must forfake the foolish , if you desire to live , prov. . . sir , i have no more hopes ever to meet you more on earth : o that i might meet you in heaven ! let us tread the same path of holiness , and then we shall doubtless meet there . but surely you must deeply , and timely repent of , and return from your grievous back-slidings , or else i desire never to meet in your heaven . but why should not we , that have so often met in serious and holy prayer together , we that have so often met at the lords table together , we that have so often eat together , and fasted together , meet in glory together ? i beseech your dear sir , if the lord hath not already smitten you to the dust , and broken you , and reduced to the ways of holiness , now consider your ways , and turn your ●…eet to his testimonies oh remember that , the back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own ways . god hath said it , and who shall reverse it ? if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him . and once again , when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness , and committeth iniquity , shall he live ? in his trespass that he hath trespassed , shall he not di●… ? i know prayers can reach you , though at so vast a distance ; i shall add to them these counsels , and commit you to god , remaining yours real friend in christ , jos. alleine . juelchester , may th . . letter xxxv . [ good counsel to his wise. ] my most dear theodosia , thou seemest to have been long from me : let nothing any longer detain thee , but my sisters necessity , or fathers authority . i am very sorry that thou should lose two sacraments . i am in a comfortable state of health , through divine goodness , to which be glory for ever . see that thou love and admire that fountain of our life , and peace ; and be ever mindful that 't is all thy business to love , and serve , and praise thy creator and redeemer . i have no other business but this to write to thee about : but this is all our business what be use to call business is but vanity and pastime and some by matter in comparison of this . remember and forget not that 't is thy chief end to glorifie god , and enjoy him for ever . learn well that lesson , and know that it is the only thing necessary . every morning remember that thy serving and pleasing of god , is the whole business of that day , and therefore set out accordingly with an express design and intention to please god in thy eating , drinking , visiting , conversing , calling , and duties of thy relations throughout the day . my most dear heart , i have nothing in the world that doth concern thee , or me so much to write of to thee , as this is . oh that thou mayst still be laying up in heaven ! still furthering thy account ; still adding to the heap , and encreasing thy glorious reward ! nothing is done for god , but thou shalt hear of it again . whatever is not done for god , is but so much lost . those things which others do being led by their natural affections and desires , those things do thou do with holy aims , for spiritual ends , and then god will put it on the account , as so much done for him . so it is my dearest , god keeps a true account . see that thou believe it , and so plow in hope , and sowe in hope , pray and hear with an eye to the sure reward . let thy hopes be strong and lively , and then thy hands will be strong , and thy resolutions and affections will be strong . my time is very precious , and i would not lose any inch of it . see thou to it , that my time in writing this letter be not lost time . love god the more , and set thine heart the straighter towards him , and do but practice this one thing , in every solemn action to look to thy ends , and then i have got well , and thou better by these counsels . my dearest , i love thee in truth and tenderness , but my love signifies little , unless it serve thine eternal good , i rest thine own , jos. alleine . letter . xxxvi . [ to his wife , desires after heaven . ] my dear heart , my heart is now a little at rest to write to thee . i have been these three days much disturbed , and set out of frame . strong solicitations i have had from several hands , to accept very honourable preferment in several kinds , some friends making a journey on purpose to propound it , but i have not found the invitations ( though i confess very honourable , and such as are or will be suddenly embraced by men of far greater worth and eminency ) to suit with the inclinations of my own heart , as i was confident they would not with thine . i have sent away my friends satisfied with the reasons of my refusal , and am now ready with joy to say with david . soul return unto thy rest . but alas , that such things should disturb me , i would live above this lower region , that no passages or providence whatsoever might put me out of frame , nor disquiet my soul , and unsettle me from my desirest rest . i would have my heart fixed upon god , so as no occurrences might disturb my tranquility , but i might be still in the same quiet and even frame . well , though i am apt to be unsettled , and quickly set off the hinges , yet methinks i am like a bird out of the nest , i am never quiet till i am in my old way of communion with god , like the needle in the compass that is restless , till it be turned towards the pole. i can say through grace with the church , with my soul have i desired thee in the night , and with my spirit within me have i sought thee early , my heart is early and late with god , and 't is the business and delight of my life to seek him . but alas , how long shall i be a seeking ? how long shall i spend my days in wishing and desiring , when my glorified brethren spend theirs in rejoycing and enjoying ? look as the poor imprisoned captive sighs under the burdensome clog of his irons and can only pear through the grace , and think of , and long for the sweetness of that liberty which he sees others enjoy : such methinks is my condition : i can only look through the grate of this prison my flesh , i see abraham , and isaac , and j●…ob , sitting down in the kingdom of god , but alas , i my self must stand without longing , striving , fighting , running , praying , waiting , for what they are enjoying . oh happy , thrice happy pouls ! when shall these fetters of mine be knocked off ? when shall i be set at liberty from this prison of my body ? you are clothed with glory , when i am clothed with dust . i dwell in flesh , in a house of clay , when you dwell with god in a house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . i must be continually clog'd with the cumbersome burden of this dung-hill body , that had it not a soul dwelling in it like salt as it were to preserve , it would soon turn to pu●…faction and corruption , and be as odious and loathsom as the filthiest carrion , when you have put on incorruption and immortality . what continual molestation am i subject to by reason of this flesh ? what pains doth it cost me to keep this earthen vessel from breaking , it must be fed , it must be clothed , it must be exercised , recreated , and which is worst of all cherished with time-devouring ●…ep , so that i live but little of the short time i have allotted me here : but oh blessed souls , you are swallowed up of immortality and life , your race is run , and you have received your crown how ●●●rious must i be●…to keep me from dangers , how apt am i to be troubled with the cares and fears of this life , molesting my self with the thoughts of what i shall eat , and what i shall put on , and wherewithal i shall provide for my self and mine , when your souls are taken with nothing but god and christ , and 't is your work to be still contemplating , and admiring that love that redeemed you from all this . alas , how am i encompast with infirmities , and still carry about me death in my bosom , what pains and cost must i be at to repair the rotten and ruinous building of this earthly tabernacle , which when i have done i am sure will shortly fall about my ears ; when you are got far above mortality , and are made equal with the angels . oh i groan earnestly to be cloathed upon with my house which is from heaven , being willing rather to be absent from the body , and present with the lord : oh , when shall i come and appear before him . when shall i receive the purchase of my saviour , the fruit of my prayers , the harvest of my labours , the end of my faith , the salvation of my soul ? alas , what do i here ? this is not my resting place . my treasure is in heaven , and my heart is in heaven , oh when shall i be where my heart is ? woe is me that i sojour in mesech , and dwell in the tents of k●…dar . oh that i had wings like a dove , that i might flie away and be at rest . then would i hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest , and be out of the reach of fears , disturbances , and distractions . how long shall i live at such a distance from my god , at such a distance from my countrey ? alas , how can i be merry , how can i sing the lord song in a strange land ; no , i will hang my harp upon the willows , and sit down and weep when i remember sion . but yet my flesh ●…hall rest in hope , and i will daily bath my soul in the sweet thoughts of my blessed home . i will rejoyce in hopes of what i do not yet enjoy , and content my self with the taste of what i shall shortly have my fill of . but stay this pen runs not beyoud thy commission . alas , now i ●…ceive what i have gotten , i perceive i have set down what i would be rather than what i am , and wrote more of my dears heart than my own penning , rather a copy for my self , than a copy of my self . well , i thank god i haue got some heat by it for all , the lord grant thou mayst get a thousand times more . the lord grant the request i daily pour out before him , and make us helps and furtherances to each others soul , that we may quicken and promote and forward one another in his ways . help me by thy prayers as thou dost always . the god of all peace and comfort be with thee my sweet love , farewel , thine beyond expression , jos. alleine . letter xxxvii . [ god is a satisfying portion . ] my most dear pylades , had not my right hand long since forgot her cunning , and the almighty shook the pen out of my hand . i should long ere this have been writing to thee : but it is a wonder of divine power and goodness that my soul had not before this time dwelt in silence , and that death had not put the long period to all my writing and converse . o my pylades , what shall i say unto thee now i begin to write , where shall i begin , when shall i end ? methinks i am as a full bottle quite inverted , where the forward pressing of the overhasty liquor makes the evacuatin more flow , and my thoughts are like a thronging croud sticking in the door . long is the song of love that i have to tell thee , i rejoice in the constancie of thy love , that the waters of so long a silence , and so great a distance have not yet quenched it , but thy desires are towards me , and thy heart is with me , though providence hath hindred me from thy much desired company . i will assure thee it hath been a pleasure to my heart a good part of this summer to hope that i should come one half of the way to give thee a meeting ; but such is my weakness hitherto , that i am forced to put off those hopes till the spring , when , if god give me strength to ride , i intend to see thee before mine own home . i thank thee for all the dear expressions of thy fervent love : methinks i see it , and feel how it runs through all the veins of every ●…etter , nay , every line ? i needed not so chargeable a testomony as thy golden token , with which i was somthing displeased , because i thought thou needest more than my self : but the love thereby expressed is most dearly welcome to me . what thou talkest of retribution , and of justice , doth not so well relish with me , because the phrases seem improper to the love profest between us , i never lookt for any return from thee but love , which is the paying of all thy debts : my expences have indeed been vast and almost incredible ; but surely goodness , and mercy hath followed me , and do follow me in every place , and in every change of my condition ; so that as to temporals i have lack of nothing , and as for spirituals i abound and superabound , and the streams of my comforts have been full and running over ; the joy of the lord hath been my strength at weakest , and in the multitude of my thoughts within me , his comforts have refresh'd my soul , i have found god a satisfying portion to me , and have sat down under his shadow with full delights , and his fruit is most sweet to my taste : he is my strength and my song , for i will talke of him , and write of him with perpetual pleasure . through grace , i can say , methinks i am now in my element , since i have begun to make mention of him , i am rich in him , and happy in him , and my soul saith unto him with divid , thou hast made me most blessed for evermore , and happy is the hour that ever i was born to be made partaker of so blisful a treasure , so endless a felicity , so angelical prerogatives , as i have in him ; o sweet are his converses , how delightful it is to triumph in his love ! suffer me to be free with thee , where should i pour out my soul , if not into thy bosom ? did the poor woman call upon her friends and neighbours to rejoyce together with her at the finding of a lost groat ? and shall not i tell to thee the keeper of the secrets of my soul , & the friend of my inmost bosom , what a friend is the lord to me , though an unworthy sinner , shall not i run and tell thee what a treasure i have found . and here methinks the story of the lepers comes not unaptly to thy mind , who said one to another when they had eat and drunk , a●…d carried away silver and gold , and raiment , and went and hid it , we do not well , this day is a day of good tydings and we hold our peace . it is sit that i should be cloathed with shame ; i acknowledge before god , who trieth the hearts , i am unworthy , everlastingly unworthy , but it is not fit that he should lose his praise , nay rather , let him be the more ador'd , and magnifi'd , and admir'd for ever and ever , and let my secrets say , amen . bless the lord , o my soul bless the lord , o my friend , let us exhalt his name together , he is my solace in my solitude , he is my standing comforter , my tried friend , my sure refuge , my safe retreat , he is my paradise , he is my heaven ; and my heart is at rest in him : and i will sit and sing under his shadow , as a bird among the branches ; and whither should i go but unto him ? shall i leave the fa●…ness of the olive , and sweetness of the fig-tree , and of the vine , and go and put my trust under the shadow of the bramble ? no , i have made my everlasting choice : this is my rest for ever , he is my well beloved in whom i am well pleased . suffer me to boast a little here , i may glory without vanity , and i can praise him without end or measure , but i have nothing to say of my self : i find thou dost overvalue me , and magnifie me above my measure ; set the crown upon the head of christ , let nothing be great with thee but him , give him the glory : but thy love pleaseth me , only i have this exception , that thou art in love with thine own idol , as austin somewhere speaks to a friend of his that did too much magnifie him , and magnifiest a creature of thine own fancie , and not thy poor orestes : god that knoweth all things , knoweth my poverty , how little , how low , and how mean i am , and how short i come of the attainments of the saints , who yet do themselves come so exceedingly short of the rule that god hath set before us : i often think of the complaint of the devout monsier [ i feel my self very poor this week , and very defective in the love of god ; if you would know wherein you may pleasure me , love god more ; that what is wanting in me , may be made up in the abundance of your love : ] in this , my pylades , in this thou maist most highly pleasure me ; love god a little the better , praise him a little the more for my sake ; let me have this to please my self in , that god is alittle the better loved sor me , and that i have blowed up , if it be but one flash , nay , but one spark of divine love in the bosom of my dearest friend towards him . but why , my pylades , why is thy stile towards me changed ? why hast thou lost the old and wonted strain of our former pleasing familiarity ? this i could not but observe with some disgust , is it because thy heart is changed ; but this is a question in which i cannot ask any resolution ; i am satisfied and at rest in thy love , but what this alterations means , i know not ; art thou willing by degrees to grow strange ; it cannot be , thou seest however that i cannot change my voice . besides , i find some jealous passages in thy last lines unto us ; but canst thou think that t. b. can be put into the ballance against my old friend , my own , my covenant pylades , or can a friend of words come into any competition or comparison with thine experienced love ? i cannot entertain the thoughts of this without some disdain . but thy needful cautions are acceptable to me , i desire to foresee and provide for manifold changes and storms ; i know i am not yet in the harbor ; o pray with me that i enter not into temptation , for i am very weak in spirit , as well as in body , god knoweth . but there is no end with me , somewhere or other i must break off , and thou wilt say it is time to shut up ; for once only know , that i am thy daily orator , and will be whilest i am : and yet once more i must have room to add my thankful acknowledgement of thine and thy costly kindness ; and so with our most dear affections to you both , i commend you to the god of love , still abiding thy fast and sure orestes . bath , octob. . . letter xxxvii . [ to a person of quality to be constant . ] most honoured sir , many charges have passed over both you and my self , since my last writing to you , but i am glad to hear that in that great change of your condition , you have made so wise and happy a choice . mine unfeigned desire to god is for your temporal and spiritual prosperity ; and that the blessings of both worlds may be heaped up upon you . yet i should desire you not to expect too much here , nor to count it a strange thing , if you meet with disappointments . is it enough if you have the lord for your portion , and heaven for your inheritance ; though the world should not answer your expectations . i doubt not but you will be likely , as well as we , to meet with manifold temptations : the lord make you , when you have done all to stand . hold out a while in faith , patience , and self-denial , and you shall be as sure as god can make you of the crown . now arise and shine , and hold forth the power of holiness in all your converse . we have lived in times when religion was the way to credit and esteem , and then it was more difficult to discern sincerity of ones profession , because men might be drawn to it upon worldly ends . but now is the time when god will prove us , if we will appear for him , and own his ways , when they are the common scorn of the world. oh sir , think it not hard if god do call you forth to own him in such a time as this , when few of your rank and quality will bear you company : but look upon it as a special advantage to prove your sincerity , and your fidelity to the lord your maker . the holy and blessed life of that noble marquess galeacius , i should much commend to your reading and imitation . court not the world nor its preserments , moses his self-denying choice . which the world would have branded for unparalled folly , when he voluntarily left all the court-preferments and pleasures , the wisest judge commends for the great●… wisdom . if religion will make you vile , resolve with tha●…●…yal worthy , that you will be yet more vile . remember who accounted the reproaches of christ greater riches , than the treasures of egypt . verily it is a greater honour to you to be vilified for christ , than to be ●…ignified with the highest titles that the greatest on earth can conser : and to be call'd puritan or phanatique , for the bold and constant owning of the power of christianity , than to have whole pages filled up with the honourable offices and marks of dignity , that earthly princes can bestow . now then is your time to get the true honour . few of your places and dignity , will take this way to get it : but he that can but use the prospective os faith , and look as far as the approaching judgement , will easily see the vanity of the worlds riches and flattering preferments , and the everlasting glory and honour wherewith the dispised saints shall surely be crowned . fix your eyes and meditations here , and that will set you above the worlds temptations , when by its offers or threatnings it would make you to warp , and to let go your hold-fast of eternal life . now is the time for you to make heaven sure , and when that is done , you are prepared for the worst that can come . i desire you to accept of my service and respects , and my wives , which i do hereby present unto you , and to your most deserving yoak-fellow , whom i unfeignedly honour though i never saw her , not so much for her noble blood , which yet calls sor great respects , as for her far more noble qualifications , and priviledges of her second birth . pardon my boldness with you , in troubling you so long , i am sir , your most oblidged friend , and servant , jos. alleine . feb. . . letter xxxvii . dear cousin , though i have been in the valley of the shadow of death , though i have had more than one foot in the grave , and have been in deaths often , yet the love and remembrance of you , ever liveth on my heart : i have long had neither feet to walk nor hands to write , yet i have borrowed hands as you see , rather than i would stay any longer from warning and admonishing of you . dear couzin , that soul of yours , that precious-immortal soul is of no light value with me ! i pray hard for its salvation : i have a godly fear for you , lest your soul should miscarry in a crowd of worldly business , and of earthly cares ah , my dear niece , it comforts me that you are so setled for this world , and are in want of nothing , i bless the lord for this , but me thinks this doth not satisfie me . oh , that i could be sure that you were once safe setled in christ ; though you are , i trust comfortably furnished with earthly things , yet in this you are but half provided for : have you a treasure in heaven ? have you laid hold on eternal life ? have you made sure work for everlasting ? have you past the straits of the new-birth ? do you bear upon you the marks of the lord jesus ? if you shall pass by a sumptuous fabrick , and a great lordship , and should lay claim to all as your inheritance , and please your self with the hopes of enjoying all this , when you had nothing to shew , no writing , no evidence to produce , as a ground for any such hop●… , would not every one say , this were a piece of strange vanity and imprudence ; much greater folly is it to promise our selves a part in paradise , and rest satisfied in a meer perswasion that we are the heirs of heaven , when we cannot prove our title from the book of god , nor produce from within our selves , the sure and certain marks of the children of god. ah , dear couzin , rouze up your self make conscience , to deal plainly and freely with your soul , say within your self , i have hopes for heaven ? but where are my grounds and my evidences ? do i not build without a foundation ? do i venture my salvation upon meer uncertainties ? what have i , what do i more than others ? i pray , i hear , i read , but may not a meer hypocrite do all this ? i run not with others into the wretched practice of lying , and couzening , whoredom , and the like ; but what is this more than a pharisee may have to say for himself ? can i prove by scripture my claim to heaven ? can i produce chapter and verse to justifie my self ? oh couzin , fear , least a promise being left of entring into rest , you should by any mistakes , or self-deceits fall short through unbelief ; fear lest you should take count●…●…old , or some common workings for saving grace . oh , there is a world of counterfeit coin going , multitudes perish by mistake , and wake in hell , whilest they dreamt they were in heaven : the temp●…er is very subtile , and will sure deceive if he can : your heart is deceitful above all things , and is willing to cheat you if it can . therefore am i engaged so earnestly to call upon you , as one that watcheth for your soul , to arise speedily and to set roundly to your work . oh , consider your danger , and work out your salvation with fear and trembling : away with these lazie prayers , away with these cold and heartless professions , away with this drowsie , liveless , ●…less religion ; bestir your self to purpose for your soul before it be too late , search your conscience as with candles , be jealous of your self ; consider , now is your time , what you do you must do quickly , the patience of god is waiting , christ is knocking , the spirit of god is striving , and death is at the door : oh now take your opportunity , and take heed lest a ●…thful heart , and the cares of this world , or a presumptuous confidence that all is well and safe already , should at last shut you out of the kingdom of god. i cannot write distinctly to your husband , but i beseech you to call upon him to set his heart to these counsels which i havee written to you ; i earnestly entreat him to make religion his business , and to look heedfully to it , that the gain of the world prove not the loss of his soul. i desire him that closer and family prayers , and weekly catechising of his houshold , and strict sanctifying of the sabbath , and reading of the scriptures singing of psalms , repeating of sermons , and diligent attendance upon powerful preaching may be his continual exercises ; that so his house may be a little church , and god may delight to dwell in his family : pray give me to understand what is done of these things , for i have a zeal for your welfare , and that you and your houshould should serve the lord , that you may enter into his rest , and carry children , and servants , and friends , and all to heaven with you - as to my own estate , i have lost all my limbs , and about this twelve months useless , and been aga●…●…nd again under the sentence of death ; but was brought in 〈…〉 ●…-litter to bath , where god hath wonderfully restored me , so that i can feed my self , and go alone , and speak with a little more freedom . oh , love the lord , praise the lord for me ; notwithstanding i continue weak , and have not strength to write , yet i could not tell how to die in silence from you ; but have made use of a friendly hand to send these counsels and calls after you , which i beseech you to accept in the fear of god , for it is not unlike that they may be my last to you that ever you may receive : i now commend you to the lord , and with mide own and my dear wivet love to you both , rest , your loving and careful uncle , jos. alleine . octob. . . letter . xxxv . [ the concernments of our souls especially to be regarded . ] dear cousin , you may think you are forgotten with me , because you have not heard so long a time from me ; but this may let you know , that though god hath taken away your father ; and suffered your mother to be helpless to you ; yet you have one friend on earth that careth for you . the welfare of your immortal soul is dear to me , and is the matter of my sollicitons care and prayer . dear cousin , methinks i feel a godly jealousie of you within my heart , lest you should lose your soul amongst a croud of worldly cares and business . o remember the story of him in the book of the kings , who relates that he had a soldier committed to his keeping , upon condition that he should lose his life if he did let him go : but while thy servant went hither and thither , the man escaped . but the king replies presently , even so shall thy judgement be ; thy life shall go for his life . ah cousin , take earnest heed , lest while you are going hither and thither , minding many things , 〈…〉 in a hurry of worldly affairs , the enemy run not away with your soul. oh beware that the world doth not secretly steal away your heart . consider , that whatever your business be , you must and will have an eating time , and a sleeping time . oh be as sollicitous every day to keep your praying times , which are a thousand times more necessary than a time to eat in , or sleep . be sure that there doth not a morning or evening pass over your head , in which you have not perfumed your closer with solemn and fervent prayer . and take heed , it you love your salvation , lest saran beguile you with the bare outward performance of duties a●…d ou●…ward acts of religion . see to it , that you do not rest in a worldly religion ; to give god your knee , while the world carries away your heart . you may pra●… , hear , and read , and all to no purpose , except your very soul be employed and engaged in these duties ; and the ●…ife , vigour , and strength of your affections be found to go after god in them . if therefore you will have christ and heaven , see that you renounce the world . you must cast overboard your worldly hopes , and take up with god , with a naked christ , as your wh●… happiness , both for this life , and that which is to come . there is no hopes of your salvation , without a sound mortification to the world ; you must be mortified to your worldly expectations : look not for much from tbe world ; promise not your self much from the world ; seek not great things for your self : say unto god , so i may have thee for my portion , and thy kingdom for my inheritance , give or deny me what thou wilt , poverty or riches , any thing or nothing , i will be contented with my lot. say unto your soul , so i may but have christ , so i may but carry it for the other world , let this world go which way it will : i must be converted or condemned ; i must be born again , or else would i had never been born : but of this present world there is no such necessity ; i may be poor , and yet happy : but wo unto me if i remain unsanctified : i must have grace , or perish for ever . dear cousin , if i live , you shall find me a friend to your worldly prosperity ; but whether i live or die , i charge you by the lord , that you be infinitely tender of your immortal souls everlasting concernments . will you not spin a fair thread of it , if while you are pursuing after earthly things , you lose your soul in the throng ? while i live , i shall pray and care for you . farewel in the lord. i am your truly loving and careful uncle , jos. alleine . letter . xxxvi . [ godly counsels . ] dear cousin , the welcome tydings of your safe arrival at barbadoes , is come to my ears ; as also the news of your escape from a perillous sickness , for which i bless the lord , and desire to be thankful with you : for i am not without a care for your well being , but do look upon my self as really concerned in you . i have considered , that god hath be●…est you of a careful father , and that your mother takes but little care for you ; so that you have none nearer than my self to watch for your soul , and to charge and admonish you in the lord , and to take care of you . but yet , dear cousin , be not discouraged by these things , but look to heaven , flie unto jesus , put away every known sin , set upon the conscientious performance of every known duty ; make christ your choice , embrace him upon his own terms ; deliver up your self , body and soul to him ; see that you have no reserves nor limitations in your choice of him ; give him your very heart ; cast away your worldly hopes and expectations , make religon your very business . o cousin , these things do , and you shall be sure of a friend in heaven to take the care of you ; and , if i may be any comfort to you , you shall not fail , while i live , to have one friend on earth to take care for you . you are gone far from me , even to the uttermost parts of the earth ; but i have sent these lettters to call even thither after you ; yea , not onely to call , but to cry-in your ears , o what is like to become of your soul ! where is that immortal soul of yours like to be lodged for ever ? amongst devils , or angels ? upon a bed of flames , or in the joys of paradise ? dear cousin , go aside by your self in secret , retire from the noise of the world , and say to your self , oh my soul ! whither art thou going ? do not i know in my very heart that i must be converted or condemned ? that i must be sanctified , or i can never be saved ? oh my soul ! what seekest thou ! what designs do i drive at ? what is my chief care ? which way do i bend my course ? is it for this world , or the world to-come ? do i first seek the kingdom of heaven , and the righteousness thereof ? do i think heaven will drop into my mouth ? that glory and immortality will be got with a wet finger , with cold prayers , and heartless wishes , while the world carries the main of my heart ? do i think to be crowned , and yet never fight ? to get the race , and never run ? to enter at the strait gate , and never strive ? to overcome principalities and powers , and never wrestle ? no , no ; say within your self , oh my soul , either lay by the hopes of heaven for ever , or else rouse up thy self , put forth thy strength in seeking after god and glory ; either lay by thy worldly hopes , or thy hopes of immortality ; away with thy sins , or thou must let christ go for ever ; think not to have christ and the world too , to serve god and mammon , it cannot be : if thou follow the world as thy chief desire and delight ; if thou live after the flesh , thou must die , count upon it , the lord hath spoken it , and all the world can never reverse it . thus reason the case with your own soul , and give not rest to your self night nor day , till you are gotten off from the world , broken off from the wil●…ull practice of every known sin , and gotten safe into christ. dear cousin , i charge you by the lord , to observe these things ; pray over them , weep over them , read them again and again ; do not pass them over as slight and ordinary things : your soul is at stake , it is your salvation is concerned in them ; think not i am in jest with you . ah cousin , i travel in birth with you , till christ be formed in you . why should you die ? oh repent and live , lay hold on eternal life , win christ , and you win all . o be thankful to the lord , that now you are fatherless and friendless , yet you have one remembrancer to warn you to flie from the wrath to come . god forbid that i should find you at last in the place of torments , for your not embracing the godly counsels . to conclude , in short , i charge you as a minister , as a father to you , take heed of these three things : . lest the gain of the world prove the loss of your soul : . lest the snare of evil company withdraw you from god , and so prove your final ruine . . l●…t a lofty and a worldly heart should thrust you out of the kingdom of heaven . god abhors that the proud should come near him : oh labour , whatever you do , for an humble heart ; be little , be vile in your own eyes ; seek not after great things ; be poor in spirit ; without this , heaven will be no place for you , god will be no friend to you . dear cousin , your lot is fallen , as i fear , in a place of great wickedness , where your soul is in much danger , where your temptations are many , and your helps for heaveu but few ; where godly examples are rare , and many will entice you to sin and vanity . o! if you love me , or love your soul , look about you , consider your danger , fear lest you should miscarry for ever by worldly loss and vain company , which proves to so many the fearful cause of their eternal perdition . i can but warn you , and pray for you : but though you have none to oversee you , remember the strict and severe eye of god is upon you , to observe all your actions , and that he will surely bring all your practices into his judgement . your aunt , with my self , commend our dear love to you ; and i commend you to the lord , and remain , your loving and careful uncle , jos. alleine , august , . . letter xxxvii . dear cousins , though you are removed far from me , out of my sight , and the seas as a great gulf are fixed betwixt you and me ; yet my prayers follow you , and my good wishes for your present and everlasting welfare , like the wings of a dove , take speedy flight . i look upon my self , now god hath removed my brother , to be as in the room of a father to you , yea and of a mother too ; for i know you have but little help from her . my dear neece , my heart is careful for you ; and therefore i cannot cease , while i am in being in this world , to warn and admonish you , as my children , and to call upon you in the name of the eternal god , to awaken your selves with all godly fear and holy diligence , lest by any means you should come short of the glory of god. let me mind you , dear cousins , of the dangerous place your stand in , and look about you with trembling . methinks i see satan watching for your souls , as the dragon did for the seed of the woman , waiting to devour it as soon as she should be delivered . know you not , that you must wrestle with principalities and powers ? methinks i see temptations surrounding you , and belaguering you , as the enemy about the walls of the treacherous party within you , i mean carnal affections and corruptions , complo●…tinge how to deliver up the castle . know you not , that your fleshly lusts do war against your souls ? and that your own hearts are not true to you , but deceitful above all things ? lord , what need have you to bestir your selves , and to flie unto jesus ! to distrust your selves , and to trust onely in him and his righteousness ! oh work your salvation with ●…ear and trembling : do you ever think to escape these mighty enemies , to conquer the power , and avoid the plots and snares of those potent adversaries , without most painful diligence ? o cry to heaven for help ; watch and pray ; fear , lest a promise being left of entring into rest , either of you should come short of it . my dear neeces , you have many do watch for your souls , to devoor them ; but i doubt too few , except my self , do watch for your souls , to save them : therefore i look upon my self , who am now upon the matter your only monitor , to be the more concerned to awaken my self to your help , and to look after you , and to watch for you , left by any means you should miscarry by the deceits and temptations wherewith you are encompassed . i would not have you over-careful for the things of this lise , though i commend your laudable care and diligence , that you may not be burdensome to any man ; but i commend to you a better a●…d more necessary care , and that is that which the apos●…le speaks of , the virgins care ; the unmarried ( saith he ) careth for the things of the lord. ah , let this be your eare ; seek first the kingdom of god , and the righteousness thereof , and then all these things shall be added ; you have gods sure promise for it : if the lord give me to live and prosper , you shall see and know , that i am not a friend only in words to you ; but however that shall be , see that you embrace the counsels of god from me . oh make sure of heaven betimes , walk humbly with god , beware of a proud heart and a lofty spirit ; abhor your selves , else god will not be pleased with you ; condemn your selves , that god may acquit you . the leven of pride will sowre the whole lump , and mar all your profession and religion , and render your persons , and prayers , and all , an abomination to the lord , if it prevail in you . oh therefore be not high minded , but fear ; and by prayer and watchfulness restrain and root up this wretched corruption of pride , which is a sin so natural to you , that you had need to use an infinite care and caution to keep it under . as to my self , these may acquaint you , that i have been often at the very gates of death : i have lost all my limbs ; but prayer hath redeemed me from my extremities , and god hath blessed the use of the bath to me . oh praise the lord , praise him for my sake , and give glory to the god of my life . love him , honour and glorifie him , whose favour and friendship hath filled my soul with comfort , and given a resurection to my body . i can now walk alone , and feed my self , but am altogether unable to write , which is the reason why these come to you in another hand . dear cousin , you may think me too tedious ; but you must pardon me , if i erre in my love and zeal for your welfare : and now i shall trespass no more , but with my own and dear wives love to you , i commend you to god , and rest , your loving and careful uncle , jos. alleine letter xxxviii . [ do all in reference to god and his glory . ] dear friend , i have received yours of the th . of september , but it came to me in the time of my sickness , in which i was much a stranger to writing ; it con●…nued upon me five months , and to this day so much weakness remains in my arms , that i am not able to put off or on my own clothes . your letter was exceeding welcome to me , not only as reviving the remembrance of our old friendship , but also , as bringing me news of some spiritual good that you received by me , which is the best tidings that i can receive : for what do i live for , but to be useful to souls in my generation ? i desire to know no other business than to please and honour my god , and serve my generation in that short allowance of time that i have here , before i go hence , and shall be seen no more . shall i commend to you the lesson that i am about to learn ? but why should i doubt of your acceptance , who have so readily embraced me in all our converses ? the lesson is , to be entirely devoted unto the lord , that i may be able to say after the apostle , to me to live is christ. i would not be serving god only for a day in the week , or an hour or two in the day ; but every day , and all the day . i am ambitious to come up towards that of our lord and master , to do always those things that please god. i plainly see , that self-seeking is self-undoing ; and that then we do promote our selves best , when we please god most . i find , that when i have done all , if god be not pleased , i have done nothing ; and if i can but approve my self to god , my work is done : i reckon i do not live that time i do not live unto god. i am ●…ain to cut off so many hours from my days , and so many years from my life ( so short as it is ) as i have lived unto my self . i find no enemy so dangerous as my self , and o that others might take warning by my hurt ! o that i had lived wholly unto god! then had every day and every hour that i have spent , been found upon my account at that great day of our appearing before god : then i had been rich indeed , in treasure laid up there , whither i am apace removing ; then i had been every day and hour adding to the heap , and encreasing the reward which god of his meer grace hath promised , even to the meanest work that is done to him , col. . . i verily perceive i am an external loser by acting no more as for god ; for what is done to my self , is lost ; but what is done for god , is done for ever , and shall receive an everlasting reward . verily , if there be another world to come , and an eternal state after this short life , it is our only wisdom to be removing , and , as it were , transplanting and transporting what we can , from hence , into that countrey to which we are shortly to be removed , that what we are now doing , we may be reaping the fruit of for ever more . the world think themselves wise ; but i will pawn my soul upon it , that this is the true wisdom . well , let us be wholly swallowed up in the concerns of religion , and know no other interest but jesus christs . i cannot say , i have already attained ; but this is that my heart is set to learn , that in all that i do , whether sacred or civil actions , still i may be doing but one work , and driving on one design , that god may be pleased by me , and he glorified in me ; that not onely my praying , preaching , alms , &c. may be found upon my account ; but even my eating , drinking , sleeping , visits , discourses , because they are all done as unto god. too often do i take a wrong aim , and miss my mark ; but i will tell you what be the rules i set my self , and do strictly impose upon my self from day to day : never to lie down , but in the name of god ; not barely for natural refreshment , but that a wearied servant of christ may be recruited and fitted to serve him better the next day . never to rise up but with this r●…solution , well , i will go forth this day in the name of god , and will make religion my business , and spend the d●…y for eternity . never to enter upon my calling , but first thinking , i will do these things as unto god , because he requireth these things at my hands in the place and station he hath put me into . never to sit down to the table , but resolving , i will not eat meerly to please my appetite , but to strengthen my self for my masters work . never to make a visit , but upon some holy design , resolving to leave something of god where i go ; and in every company to leave some good savour behind . this is that which i have been for some time a learning , and am pressing hard after ; and if i strive not to walk by these rules , let this paper be a witness against me . i am not now in my former publick capacity , such things being required of me to say and subscribe , as i could by no means yield to , without open lying and dissembling with god and men : yet , that i am unuseful , i cannot say ; but rather think , that possibly i may be of more use than heretofore . i thank the lord , i have not known what it is to want a tongue to speak , but in my sickness ; nor a people to hear ; but so , as that we both , follow the things that make for peace . i perceive you are otherwise perswaded in some things , than i am : but however , i trust we meet in our end . since you are in , may it be your whole study to gain souls , and to build them up in holiness , which is with too many the least of their cares . one duty ( miserably neglected ) i shall be bold to commend to you from my own experience , and that is , the visiting your whole flock from house to house , and enquiring into their spiritual estates particularly , and dealing plainly and truly with them about their conversion to god : to the usefulness of this great work , i can set my probatum est . i hear you have two parsonages : o tremble to think how many precious souls you have to look to ! and let it be seen , however others aim at the fleece , you aim at the flock ; and that you have indeed curam animarum . you see how free i am with you ; but i know your candor . i rejoice in your happy yoke-fellow : salute her from your old friend , and accept the unfeigned respects of him who is , sir , your real and faithful friend ; jos. alleine . letter . xxxix . prison comforts . [ to a minister in prison . ] worthy sir , i owe you a letter , and more than a letter , for your particular respects to me , your brotherly sympathy , your multiplied and earnest prayers , your tenderness of my health , your welcome jewel in m. ruths letters , from which i trust my soul and others may reap no small benefit . much more do i owe you for your common respects to the people of my desires ; and not only to them , but to the whole church of god ; and in all whose concernments , i see , you are concerned . your indefatigable labours with us , we do with all thankfulness accept , as the undoubted evidence of your great love : for all which may he requi●…e you , who will shortly say , inasmuch as thou didst it unto the least of these my brethren , thou didst it unto me . it was but a little after my release from my own confinement , but i heard of yours ; and now write to you , as one that hath taken a higher degree than ever , and more truly honourable , being commenced prisoner of christ. i was once affected with the picture of a devout man , to whom a voice came down from heaven , saying , quid vis fieri pro te , to which he answered , nihil domine nisi pati ac contemni pro●…e . undoubtedly , sir , it is our real glory to be throughout conformed to jesus christ , not onely in his sanctity , but in his sufferings . paul counted all things but dung for this , that he might win christ , &c. and know the fellowship of his sufferings , and be made conformable to his death . i doubt not but your consolations in christ do much more then superabound in all your tribulations for him : yet let me add this one cordial , that now you have a whole shoal of promises come in to you , which you had not before ; i mean , all the promises to suffering saints , in which they have not so immediate , but only a remoter right , unless in a suffering state : and doubtless he hath gotten well , that hath gotten such a number of exceeding great and precious promises . if the men of the world do so rejoyce when such or such an estate is fallen to them ? should not you much more , that have such a treasure of promises fallen to you ? i can tell you little good of my self ; but this i can tell you , that the primises of god were never so sweet in this world to me , as in and since my imprisoned state . oh the bottomless riches of the covenant of grace ! it shames me that i have let such a treasure lie by so long , and have made so little use of it . never did my soul know the heaven of a believers life , till i learnt to live a life of praise ; and by more frequent consideration to set home the unspeakable riches of the divine promises , to which , i trust , through grace i am made an heir . i verily perceive , that all our work were done at once , if we could but prevail with our selves and others to live like believers ; to tell all the world by our selves and others to live like believers ; to tell all the world by our course and carriage , that there is such pleasantness in christs wars , such beauty in holiness , such reward to obedience , as we profess to believe . may ours and our peoples conversations but preach this aloud to the world , that there is a reality in what god hath promised ; that heaven is worth the venturing for ; that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us ! verily , sir , it is but a very little while that prisons shall hold us , or that we shall dwell in dirty flesh . porphyry tells us of photinus , that he was ashamed to see himself in the body ; to see a divine and immortal soul in a prison of flesh , ( for so they held the body to be ; ) but the worst shackles are those of sin . well , they must shortly off all together ; our lord doth not long intend us for this lower region : surely he is gone to prepare a place for us : doubtless it is so ; yea , and he will come again , and receive us to himself , that where he is , we may be also . and what have we to do , but to believe , and wait , and love , and long , and look out for his coming , in which is all our hope ? 't will be time enough for us to be preferred then . we know before hand who shall then be uppermost . our lord hath shewed us where our place shall be , even at his own right hand ; and w●…at he will say to us , come ye blessed , &c. surely we shall stand in his judgement : he hath promised to stand our friend : let us look for the joyful day : as sure as there is a god , this day will come , and then it shall go well with us . what if bonds and banishments abide us for a season ? this is nothing but what our lord hath told us , the ●…ld shall rejoyce , but ye shall weep and lament : you shall be sorrowful , but your sorrow shall be tu●…ned into joy . oh how reviving are his words ! i will see you again , and your heart shall rejoyce , and your joy no man taketh away from you . if that miserable wretch leapt chearfully off the ladder , saying , i shall be a queen in hell : with that joy should we do and suffer for god , who have his truth in pawn , that we shall be crown'd in heaven ? verily , they are wonderful preparations that are making for us : the lord prepare us ap●…e , and make us meet to be partakers . it was the highest commendation that ever that worthy r. baxter received , which fell from the pen of his scoffing adversary tilenus , who saith of him , t●…tum puritanismum totus spirat . oh that this may be true of us and ours . let your true yoke-fellow , and my christian friends with you in the bonds of the gospel , have my hearty commendations : and these counsels , i pray you , give them from me , for the improving of their present state . . to habituate themselves , both as to their thoughts and discourses , more throughly than ever unto holiness . brethren , i wou'd teach you the lesson that i resolve to learn with you , that your minds and tongues may as naturally run on the things of heaven , as others on the things of this world. why should it not be thus ? i am sure god and heaven do as well deserve to be thought on , and talked of by us , as fro●…h and vanity can deserve of the world. there are many that have in a great measure learnt this lesson , and why should not we be some of them ? what if it be hard at first ? every thing is so to a beginner . besides , is not ours a religion of self denial ? further , if we do but force our selves a while to holy thoughts , and heavenly discourse , it will ●…row habitual to us , and then it will be most natural , familiar , and heavenly sweet . oh what gainers will you be , if you do but learn this lesson ? verily , 't is the shame of religion , that christians are so unlike themselves , unless upon their knees . sirs , our lives and language should tell the world what we are , and whether we are going . christians , let little things content you in the world , but aspire after great things in the grace of god. many real christians do little think what high frames of holiness they might grow up to , even in this life , with pains and diligence . sirs , be you men of great designs : think it not enough if you have wherewith to bear your charges to heaven ; but aspire with an holy ambition to be great in the court of heaven , favourites of the most high , of tall growth , great experience , singular communion , that you may burn and shine in your place , and convince the world ; that you may savour of heaven where ever you come , and that there may be an even-spun thred of holiness running through your whole course . 't is the disgrace of profession , that there is so little difference to be seen in the ordinary conversation of believers from other men : it is not a shame , that when we are in company with others , this should be all the difference that is to be seen , only that we will not curse and swear , as do the worst of men ? christians , if you will honour the gospel , bring forth your religion out of your closets ( the world can't see what you do there ) into your shops , trades , visits , &c and exemplifie the rules of religion in the management of all your relations , and in your ordinary converse . let there be no place or company that you come into , in which you do not drop something of god : this will be the glory of religion , and we shall never convince the world till we come to this . may you come my brethren , out of your prisons with your faces shining , having your minds seasoned , and your tongues tipt with holiness : may your mouths be as a well of life , from whence may flow the holy streams of edifying discourse : may you ever remember , as you are sitting in your houses , going by the way , lying down , rising up , what the lord doth then require of you , deut. . . . to improve their present retirements from the world , for the setling of their spiritual estates . 't is a common complaint amongst christians , that they want assurance . oh , if any of you that wanted assurance when you came to prison , may carry that blessing our , what hap●…y gainers would you be ! now you are called more than ever to self-searching . now bring your graces to the touchstone . be much in self observation . see what your hearts do with most love and delight , go out unto : what are your greatest hopes , and your chief designs . see whether god's intrest be uppermost in you : prove this , and prove all . rest not in probable hopes . think not that is enough that you can say , you hope 't is well . god looks for extraordinary dispensation . be restless till you can say , that you know 't is well ? that you know you are passed from death to life . think not that this is a priviledge that onely a few may expect . observe but these three things : . to acquaint your selves throughly with the condition of life , and take heed of laying the marks of salvation either too high or too low . . to be much in observing the frame , and bent , and workings of your own hearts . . to universally conscientious , and to be constant in even and close walkings , and then i doubt not but you will grow up speedily to a settled assurance , nad know and feel that peace of god that passeth all understanding : and this will be somewhat worth your carrying out of prison . but i return to your self . but what shall i say ? i have more need to receive from you , than ability to give ; only i will tell you my wishes for you : i wish that your body may prosper , as your soul also prospereth . i wish , that you may see the travel of your soul ; that you may find your people thriving under your hands iu all manner of holy conversation and godliness , that whosoever converses with them , may see and hear by them , that god is in them of a truth . i wish your enlargement from your bonds , and your enlargement in them : that your prison may be but the lanthorn through which your graces , experiences , communion , and prisonartainments , may shine most brightly to all beholders . i wish your prison may be a paradice of peace , and a patmos of divine discoveries . lord jesus set to thy amen . i am , sir , your unworthy brother and companion in the kingdom and patience of jesus , jo●… . alleine . jan. . . letter . xl. [ directions to the ministers of somersetshire and wiltshire , for the instructing of families by way of catechising . ] sir , this letter cometh to you , like the men of macedonia to paul , crying to you , come and help us . o how insufficient do we find our selves for the praises of god! what reason have we to call upon our selves , and to call upon all our friends ! and yet we foresee that all will be too little a sacrifice at last , and to slender a return to the most high god , god , who hath made us such wonders of mercy , and such signal instances of his divine power and rich grace . you are not ignorant of our estate , how the sentence of death had passed upon us ; how our flesh and our hearts failed , and friends an physicians gave up their hopes : but god , that raised the dead , was pleased to make us the monuments of his wondrous mercy . o that the same god would make us the special instruments of his praise and glory . of a truth sir , we perceive our hearts are too little , our tongues are too short , our expressions are too low , either to conceive or utter what we owe to the great god. o help ! help ! bless the lord , o our souls : bless the lord , o our friends : o that all that have wrestled with god for us , might joyn hand in hand to make some suitable returns to the god of our lives , and may bring in every one his sacrifice , and all contribute to make one common stock of praises , that many thanksgivings may abound to god on our behalfs . o what hath prayer done for us ! while we live we must honour prayer , and admire the power of prayer , we owe our limbs and our lives to prayer . o that a goodly crop of praise may grow up unto god as a return for his mercies : that the seed of prayers , and showers of tears , may procure sheaves of joy , and songs of deliverance . but o what shall we render ? wherewithall shall we come before the lord , or bow our selves to the most high god ? o where shall we find a fitting sacrifice ? verily we will give our selves and our all to him . but alas , what are we , and what is this little that we call our all ? therefore have we found in our hearts to write to you and others , that we might excite you to the divine praises with us . and o that the lord might be loved the better , and glorified the more for our sakes : will you tell us wherein we may shew our love to him ? wherein we may best please and serve him ? o that you would ! herein assuredly you would most highly gratifie us . o that we might do some singular thing for god ; for certainly they aré not common things that he hath done for us . we pray you call upon those that fear the lord , to help us in celebrating his loving kindness . o how it pleaseth our very hearts to think that god should be loved and honoured the better for us : that we may be instruments , if it be but for the blowing up of one flash , nay , the kindling of one spark of divine love in the heart of his children towards him ! sir , you cannot pleasure us in any thing so much as in th●…s , to love and admire god , and spread his praise more and more ; that what is wanting through our weakness , may be made up in your abundance . but we have need to crave your pardon for our length ; but the love of christ constraineth us , and we hope you will pass by an error of love . while we have been devising what to do for our god , we thought we could no way better him , than by providing such as you are to set up his great name with us . we love and honour you , not only as you are a member , but a minister of christ jesus our lord , and therefore deserve to be doubly dear unto us : and because we could think of no more pleasing a sacrifice of thanksgiving , we have stirred up our selves and friends with us , to send to you a prophet in the name of a prophet , this poor token of love , which though but small , yet we trust will be a sweet savour unto god , and will be accepted with you , being our two mites cast into god's treasury . but look not upon your self as obliged to us hereby : but put it upon the account of christ , to whose precious name we dedicate , and from whom ( although he be so much already before hand with us , yet ) we expect a recompence at the resurrection of the just. and being further desirous to promote the work of god in our low and slender capacities , we have been bold to provoke your self , with other our fathers and brethren in the ministry , to set about that necessary and much neglected work of catechising ; not a little pleasing our selves in the sweet hope , that by your means we may be instrumental to spread the sweet savour of the knowledge of our god , in every place : and being well perswaded of your readiness to forward so blessed a work , we have stirred up our selves and our friends to expend a considerable sum of money to furnish ministers with catechisms , a hundred whereof we have sent unto you , beseeching you to use your best prudence and utmost diligence for the spreading of them , and for others improvement by them , that our labour and charge in so good a work , prove not at last of no effect . sir , we shall humbly propose unto you , but not impose upon you . but let us be bold with you in christ , to lay our requests before you as touching this concernment , they being indeed what judicious friends and brethren have thought fit to propound . . that that people be publikely and privately instructed about the high necessity and great usefulness of this duty . . that the catechisms be freely given to all that will promise to use them . . that you would be pleased to acquaint your self with all the schools that are within your verge ; and that you would do your utmost to engage the teachers thereof to teach their scholars this catechism ; and that you would furnish all their scholars that are capable and willing to learn. . that you will endeavour from house to house to engage the master or mistress of every family , for the forwardsng of this work . . that you will appoint set-times wherein to take an account of the proficiency of all such as have promised to learn ; and that , if it may be , they may be engaged to learn weekly a proportion , according to their capacities . . that you would favour us so far , as to let us know as speedily as you may , of the receit of these lines ; and , if we may presume so far upon you , we pray you to indulge us some assurance under your hand , that you will to your power promote this happy design , and that by our lady-day next you will acquaint mr. bernard what progress is made . sir , our souls will even travel in birth for the success of this undertaking ; and therefore we request you for the love of god , and by the respect which we are perswaded you bare to us , that you will labour to comfort and encourage us in our endeavours for god , which you can no way in the world do so well , as by letting us see , that there is some blessed fruit of our cost and pains ; and that we have not run in vain , nor laboured in vain . if there be any of these catechisms remaining in your hands that you cannot dispose of by our lady-day , be pleased to send them to mr. bernard , or to mr. rositer in taunton . if you should need any more , give us speedy notice , and you shall not fail to be furnished with what number you desire . thus upon the bended knees of our thankful souls , we commend our poor sacrifices , together with your self , to the eternal god , and remain , christs devoted servants , and your friends , jos. bernard . and jos. alleine . finis . comarum akosmia the loathsomnesse of long haire, or, a treatise wherein you have the question stated, many arguments against it produc'd, and the most materiall arguguments [sic] for it refell'd and answer'd : with the concurrent judgement of divines both old and new against it : with an appendix against painting, spots, naked breasts, &c. / by thomas hall ... hall, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) comarum akosmia the loathsomnesse of long haire, or, a treatise wherein you have the question stated, many arguments against it produc'd, and the most materiall arguguments [sic] for it refell'd and answer'd : with the concurrent judgement of divines both old and new against it : with an appendix against painting, spots, naked breasts, &c. / by thomas hall ... hall, thomas, - . [ ], p. printed by j.g. for nathanael webb and william grantham ..., london : . "an appendix containing divers reasons and arguments against painting, spots, naked backs, breasts, arms, &c." has special t.p. errata: p. [ ]. reproduction of original in huntington library. marginal notes. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . hair -- early works to . body, human -- religious aspects. modesty -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion comarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the loathsomnesse of long haire : or , a treatise wherein you have the question stated , many arguments against it produc'd , and the most materiall arguguments for it refell'd and answer'd , with the concurrent judgement of divines both old and new against it . with an appendix against painting , spots , naked breasts , &c. by thomas hall b. d. and pastor of kingsnorton . rom . . . fashion not your selves like unto the world. thes . . . abstaine from all appearance of evill . nihil leve aestimetur , quo deus laeditur . salvian . capillus à deo in natura non est ordinatus , ut tegat frontem , genas , collum & humeros , sed solummodo locum illum cui innascitur ; ergo capillus ulterius procurrere non debet . poiemenand . christians should not weare beauty spots ( seeing beauty-spots are the spots of beauty ) for their beauty is to be without spots . venning . mart. . imprimatur tho : gataker . london , printed by j. g. for nathanael webb and william grantham at the signe of the bear in s. pauls church-yard near the little north door . . viro ornatissimo domino thomae hallo . humano capiti caudam qui jungit equinam . jure hunc ridiculum dixeris esse caput . si non cauda , juba est saltem , quā plurima gestat nunc pars angligenum , credit & esse jubar . at jubar hoc pulchrum nubes est turpis : ut aures sic humeros , oculos , oráque saepè regit . quid ? quòd & ingenio tenebras offundit opacas , et nimis est matri dura noverca piae ? credo dari vacuum quoties hos specto cometas , hos ità crinitos femineosque viros . quis risū teneat monstra haec informia cernens ? at quis sustineat cernere mente valens ? halle potes ( vel nemo potest ) sibi reddere motos mente , potes nimias , spero , fugare comas . saepe cerebrosos te sternere novimus ore : nunc peto crinitos aggrediare stylo . d. u. viris has tempestate plus nimio capillatis , calamistratis , effeminatis . quis furor , o cives , quae vos dementia caepit ? quêis melior natura vitis dedit esse , virilis sic vosjam capitis taedet ? vestrumne capillos sic promittere , sic crispare , & pulvere odoro spargere , & omnino muliebri incedere ritu ? mollior iste placet vestro mage sexus ? an unquā optat equus timidam fieri se fortis afellam ? se phoebus phoeben ? & se conclave culinam ? has resecate comas , haec vellera ponite longa , has sylvas tondete , aut barbas tollite vestras , et tractate colos , & lintea nostra lavate , et mundate domos , & quicquid femina praestat credite vos alacres debere capessere munus . sin minùs hoc libet , ac junctim mētúmque virile femineumque caput , vobis servare statutum est , nè grave sit vobis vocitarier hermaphroditos . g. a. o crines homin●… ! ô quantum est in rebus inanel non feminarū modò , quarum admodùm dedecet infirmas pauxilla superbia mentes : sed & virorum , quibus est rationis vigor . hos ità promissis calamistratisque capillis vestire sese , ô quàm viris est absonum ! nònne leves animos & inania pectora prodit , minusque inepta virilibus provinciis ? fallor ? an in crines migrat pars magna cerebri ? minúsque cordis est sub tanto tegmins ? o si quêis volupe est nemus hoc nutrire pilorum luberet ungues sic alere simul suos , sic foret ut miseros se degenerâsse puderet in feminas primùm , ac deinde in bestias . r. d. good ramus pardon me , for i have alwayes lov'd trichotomy . but now idoe affect it more by far , than ever i did before . how many doe i daily see given up to muliebritie ! a female head to a male face is marryed now in every place . and some doe make , so vain they are , a galaxias in their haire . now sure trichotomy it is can banish these sad vanities . a. m. to the long-hair'd gallants of these times . go gallants to the barbers , go , bid them your hairy bushes mow . god in a bush did once appeare , but there is nothing of him here . here 's that he deeply hates : beside , that execrable sin of pride ; here also is that felony : nay , is not here idolatry ? such bushes daily intervert the time that 's due to th' better part : and more observance have by farre than he in whom you live and are . great cause you have much to admire , that he that 's a consuming fire so coole , and patient is ; but know you will not finde him alwayes so . expect a change in him , unlesse there be in you his holinesse ; stir up his justice will , and make your idoll-heads to th' purpose ake : at length , if this your triple sin be alwayes thus continued in . tell me i pray , did you nere hear of herods executioner ? or the strange halter , which did free the burdned mule , and charg'd a tree ? or the third plague of pharaoh's land ? have you not been inform ' o' th' hand of god on poland lately laid ; enough to make all lands afraid , and your long dangles , stand an end ? feare him that did that plica send , and those sad crawlers : and hath more unheard of judgements still in store , than the vast heaven hath glorious stars , or those your delicate heads have haires . those your sweet powders rather strow upon the ground on which you goe , than let them be so vainely spent upon an haughty excrement . forget not that your selves are dust , and the times tell your heads they must their powders into ashes turne , and teach their wantonnesse to mourne . shall you my counsell practise then i le say you have the heads of men . then being from that cumb'rance freed you may attend the parts that need your utmost care , the heart and brain ; then also will that numerous train of your inferiours suddenly be cured of their deformity . for whatsoever you gallants doe , they gallant think , and follow you . then lastly , such your heads will be , as may admit consistencie with circumcised hearts , which you must get , or you your selves undoe . who have such hearts , they onely may hold up their heads at the great day . r. b. courteous reader , i living at a distance from the presse , there have passed some errata's which doe marre the sense ; these i pray thee to correct before thou readest , the rest are literall and veniall . page . line . for profession read professors . p. . l. . able for abler . p. . l. . surely for freely . p. . l. . put for but. p. l. . tearme must be put in . p. . l. . rom. . for . , p. . l. . à natura . p. . fas est & . margin . p. . l. . tuva for tucca. p. . l. . tho for then . p. . l. . or for as . marg. ochlos for oculos . to the candid reader . as it is the duty of every christian in his place & calling , to seek the good of that nation in which he lives ; so especially it concerns ministers , who are by office the lords seers and watchmen , to observe the sinnes of the times they live in , and to warn their people that they shun those nationall sins , which ( without amendment ) will bring nationall plagues . amongst other vices , i observe that pride is very predominant in this licentious age ; pride in heart , pride in habit , pride in long-haire ; pride in the clergy , pride in profession , &c. had it raigned onely in the under-sort , i had been silent ; but when i saw gods owne people by profession ; yea , and many ministers ( who should be patterns of gravity and modesty to their inferiours ) to be tainted , appearing like ruffians in the pulpit , i could no longer forbeare ; especially considering how few have appeared against this sin , either in the pulpit or the presse . master pryn is the onely man that i know who hath appeared ( in our language ) in a set treatise against it : and yet his bent is principally against love-locks : i shall give one clip neerer & will see what may be said against the long-locks especially of ministers and professors , who have of late exceeded in this kind : they draw neerer unto god , and so their sins are more displeasing unto him , and should be more grievous unto us : besides , their example is more infectious ; wicked men rejoyce when they have such a plea , such a minister weares his haire as long as we doe , and such a great professor would not goe in such a guise if it were sinful &c. hence the lord complaines , jer. . . that from the prophets of jerusalem , profanenesse was gone forth into all the land ; their loosenesse had leavened others . diogenes seeing a child doe amisse , ran and beat the father . we ministers are to be blamed for many of the exorbitances of our people ; either we reprove them not , or else by our evill example we harden them in their sinne . neither is this my observation onely , for i finde reverend master gipps lamenting and complaining of it in a sermon before the honourable house of commons : when i came to london ( saith he ) & was shewed such & such divines of note , i had much adoe to believe it , and still it lyeth as lead upon my heart to consider what ruffianly haire , what cavalerian garbe of cloathes , with answerable diet we are falne upon , even in these sad times : as easie and loose herein , as rigid and strict in what is both of smaller evidence and consequence , &c. certainely ( saith he ) it was not so within these few yeares , when the poore fugitives posted to new-england , in another cut of hair and cloathing . thus he . i know this age is subtill to finde out distinctions to patronize any errour , and when the word hath convinced them , yet that old serpent joyning with our corruption , hath taught men many sleights and devices to shun the dint of truth ; but all in vaine , for t is not frivilous distinctions that will help us at gods barre , all this painting will off when it 's brought to the fire of that great day . god expects that we should practice , and not question his commands : a good soule saith with the martyr , though i cannot dispute , yet i can die for the truth so say thou , though i cannot answer all the cavills of the flesh and the devill , yet i can doe what gods word commands mee , and his faithfull servants have practised . the lord hee knowes that i have no by-ends , or aimes in this worke , i do it not out of any pharisaicall , selfe-conceited humour , nor in opposition to the persons of any whatsoever ; but solely and singly out of love to the land of my nativity , that the lord , whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter then the sun , may see nothing to displease him . and lest any should thinke mee singular , i have produced scripture , nature , reason , with the concurring practice of gods church and people , and the judgement of such as have beene famous in their generations both for prudence and piety . and that it might win ( if possibly ) upon all , and exasperate none , i have made it as inoffensively pleasant as i could . onely i wish that some able pen , and some one that could spare more time then i can well for such imployment , had undertaken the worke , the path being somewhat obscure and unbeaten , they are numero paucissimi , but two , that have directly treated on this subject , and * one of these i could never attaine for love nor money , till of late i borrowed it of that learned , laborious gentleman col. leigh . at first i intended it onely as a little appendix to a treatise already extant , but having since obtained more light and helpe , i shall proceed more fully and methodically . to this end i shall , i state the question , . confirme it with arguments , . answer all objections . i expect not to please all , jupiter himselfe could not do it , i know that one ship cannot carry all passengers , and the french man tells me , who builds i th' way where all passe by , shall build his house too low or high . but i shall submit all to the judgement of the grave and godly wise , desiring a candid construction of all , without carping at any punctillo's or failings in expression , where the matter for substance shall be found right , being ready to do the like for thee . hanc veniam petimúsque damúsque vicissim . now for the clearer and better discussing of the point , i shall lay it down in this thesis , viz. that it is unlawfull for any man ordinarily to weare long haire . i shall observe the usuall method . . i will briefly explaine the termes as they lie in order : i shall have occasion to enlarge upon them in the answers to the objections . . i will confirme the thesis with arguments drawn from the word of god , &c. . i shall answer all the cavills ( of any weight ) which are made against it . . i say , it is unlawfull , and that not onely by mans law ( for some nations have made decrees against it ) but by the law of god , 't is his word that condemnes the wearing of long-haire , as i shall prove in the arguments . . it s contrary to that order which god hath set in nature , hence the apostle blaming the corinthians for this sinne , appeal●… to their own consciences , and to the voyce of god in nature ; cor. . . doth not even nature it selfe teach you , that if a man have long haire it is a shame unto him ? the apostles interrogation is a strong affirmation , q. d. this sin of wearing long haire is so evident that even nature it selfe , much more grace , doth condemne it . but of this , more in its proper place . . for any man. be hee high or low , rich or poore , king or kesar , be hee a northern or southern man , &c. hee may not transgresse the commands of god in wearing long haire , especially since god himselfe by the voyce of nature hath told us that 't is a shame for [ a man ] whoever he be , for the indefinite is equivalent to an universall , as appears by the context . cor. . . omnis vir , every man , &c. we must not distinguish where god himselfe doth not distinguish : for as hee is lord of us all , expects obedience to all hee commands from us all : and if northerne men be colder , god hath ordeined cloaths ( not ruffianly haire ) to cover their backs & shoulders : and though in colder climates they may be allowed to weare somewhat longer haire then we in these southerne regions , yet that excessive , heathenish profane guise of having their haire to lie on their backs , and shoulders , out of a proud fashion and sinfull custome is utterly disapporved of by the word of god. yet here this caution would be remembred ; that the haire in it selfe hath not any * intrinsecall sinne or malice in it ( as some maliciously suggest ) no more then our nailes , meate , drinke , cloaths , and all which are good in themselves , but accidentally they become sinfull when abused by us . . ordinarily , for in extraordinary cases that may be lawfull , which in an ordinary way is unlawfull ; thus the nazarites might weare long haire , because they had gods speciall command for it , which we have not , of which more hereafter . thus if a man be cast into some close prison , where he can have no man to poll him , in such an extraordinary case that may be tollerable , which in us , who walke at liberty is intollerable . so in some constitutions , in some cases of weakenesse , in some extrardinary cold climats that may be lawfull , which in another case not so circumstantiated may be utterly unlawfull : and here let every man beware of making excuses and pretenses ( as is usuall in this and many other things ) when t is not weaknesse , but willfulnesse ; not they cannot , but they will not reforme what is amisse : for observe those men that pretend weakenesse and infirmity , and you shall see that for their owne ends they can weare their haire far shorter without any hurt , &c. . to weare long haire , whether it be their owne , or the haire of other persons , and here lies the knot of the controversy ; how long that haire is which the scripture condemnes ? for the clearing of this wee must know that the scripture mentions . . shaving of the head. . polling . . long-haire . the first is expresly forbidden . levit. . . they shall not shave their heads . the second is expresly commanded , ezek. . . they shall poll their heads . the third is expresly condemned , ezek . . they shall not suffer their lock to grow long , for nature it selfe condemnes it . so that here is some light already . . gods people must not shave their heads , as the heathens did , unless it were in some extraordinarycase , where god gives an expresse command , as numb , . . . . deut. . . or where there is some reall , urgent , unavoydable necessity , there god will have mercy , and not sacrifice ; thus to cut off a hand or leg for the preservation of life in a case of 〈◊〉 necessity , is lawfull ; so where the head is infested with some dist●… that there is an absolute necessity of shaving off the haire , in such an extraordinary case it may be lawfull , else ordin●… it s utterly unlawfull , and therefore salmsius might well have spared his jeeres , of shaving our heads , and getting a razor for our heads , cutting to the very skin , and pulling up the haire by the roots , &c. hee sets up a man , or rather a monster of his owne making , and then fights with it . he utterly mistakes the state of the question , for the question is not , whether shaving the head be lawfull , for that 's denied by all our divines , as being contrary to scripture . levit. . . ezek. . . and depriving a man of that which god hath given him both for defence of the head , and modest ornament , both which polling preserves , and therefore . secondly , the lord commands polling of our heads , for wee surely confesse ( though salmasius make a jeere of it ) nullam habemus sylvam nisi caeduami all our woods are cropt , and all our heads are polled ; nor is it every sleight polling that will serve , but it must be strictior tonsura , a more strict and close polling , even a rounding of the head , they shall round their heads , ezek. . . hence the word is doubled in the originall , tondendo tondebunt . but of this more in its due places . salmasius then is out , who is so bold as to affirme nusquam in scriptura sacra improbari aut damnari caesariem ( i ) capillum virilem promissum modo non more modoque muliebri comp●…us & ornatus habea●…ur . no wonder that hee playes anonimus in the businesse ; pitty it is such parts and abilities had not found out a better subject ; or at least that he had not pleaded so bad a cause after so bad a manner , and with such grosly false mediums , as that christ himselfe wore long haire , and his apostles also , &c. q. but when may wee say that a mans haire is too long ? a. i answer . . the haire of a mans head is too long when t is an impediment to him , and hinders him in the workes of his calling ; therefore such men as are faine to get strings or f●…llets to tie up their haire that it fall not in their eyes when they worke , offend in excessive long-haire . even the stoicks could say , that t is time to cut our haire when it is a burden to us , or hinders us in our callings . . 't is excessive , when it is so long , that it covers the eyes , the cheeks , the countenance , &c. god hath ordeined those parts to be visible , for the face is a special glass wherein the glory & image of god ( in respect of the body ) doth shine forth and appeare , and therefore may not be hidden with long haire , since the haire of the head is ordeined by god for the covering of the head , and not the face . . when it is so long , that it lyes on the back and shoulders ; the haire of mans head is given to man for a cover to his head , and not to his back and body , which apparell must cover . cappillus aures tantum obtegat , atque ad imas earum partes descendat . . when it is scandalous and offensive , when it is so long , that the godly are thereby grieved , the weak offended , and the wicked hardened . . when it is contrary to the civil and laudable custome of those civiliz'd nations which we live in ; for when the customes of a nation are good , and agreeable to the rule of gods word , we are bound to observe them . pet. . . now the known commendable custome of our land ( all the reigne of queen elizabeth , king james , and the beginning of the late kings reigne ) was short haire : 't is true indeed , de facto , that of late in these licentious times ( where so many amongst us change both their practice and their principles ) some have brought up the fashion of long haire ; but quo jure , what law of god or man command them so to do , i know not ; and that you may see i am not singular , you shall have the judgement of mr. perkins , a man famous in his generation for his piety and experience in the wayes of god. the wearing of long haire in the younger sort ( saith he ) is an abuse of it ; it began ( indeed ) amongst the aged , but now it is become a trick of youth , and is the badge of a proud heart ; for how can they say they glorifie god thereby , when the apostle saith , it is a shame for a man to have long hair . well , sith god hath set his name therein , we must beware how we make it an instrument of sinne . if it be said , to weare long haire is our english fashion : i answer , it is not our ancient english fashion , but indeed it is a forraigne trick , and therefore as unlawfull as forraign attire , which god condemnes . zeph. . . our ancient english fashion ( except it were amongst the aged ) was to weare short haire : and in every country the most ancient and grave fashions ought to be followed , &c. thus he . lastly , as no man may weare his owne haire excessively long , so he may not weare the long haire of another , be it of a man , a woman , or it may be of some harlot , who is now in hell , lamenting there the abuse of that excrement . these periwigs of false-coloured haire ( which begin to be rise , even amongst schollars in the universities ) are utterly unlawfull , and are condemned by christ himselfe , mat. . . no man can make one haire , white or black ; but wee have those in our dayes that can do both ; by powdering their haire , they can make that white which was black , ( the powder forgets the dust ; ) other by periwigs and false haire , can make themselves black or white , even what please themselves ; what is this but to correct gods handy-work , and in the pride of their heart to think they can make themselves better than god hath made them , and can correct his creation ? . 't is the usuall practice of the riotous and prophane of the world , and therefore may in no wise be practised by the people of god , unlesse they meane to perish with them . . we must be more carefull to please god , and approve our selves to h●…m , than to please the wanton eye of the wicked of the world ; better weare an hundred caps than one periwig : for as reverend perkins well observes , it is an odious thing for any man or woman to be ashamed of gods workmanship in their owne haire , and therefore to beautifie their heads with bought haire , and sometimes of dead persons , with what face will such persons be able to stand at the last day before gods tribunall ? thus have i stated the question as briefly , yet clearly , as i could . i shall now proceed to the arguments . arguments proving the sinfulnesse of that proud fashion of wearing long hair , which is lately sprung up amongst us . the first argvment is this : that which is condemned and forbidden by the word of god , may in no wise be practised by the people of god , but the wearing of long haire is condemned and forbidden by the word of god : ergo , it may in no wise be practised by the people of god. the major is undeniable . the minor i prove both from the old and new testament . . from * ezekiel . . they shall not shave their heads , nor suffer their locks to grow long , they shall onely poll their heads . both the extreams are here forbidden , shaving on the one hand , and long haire on the other , put polling , as a meane betweene both , is commanded ; and that not a light kinde of polling , or a polling at large of some part of the head ; but it must be a strict polling or rounding of the whole head , as tindalls , and the former translation render it according to the originall ; they shall round their heads : the word is doubled in the o●…iginall for greater emphesis [ tondendo tondebunt ( i. e. ) tondendo aequè aequè tondebunt . montanus . ] they shall poll their heads equally all of a length ; they must not be like the heathenish idolatrous priests , for some of them did shave their heads , others wore long haire ; but you that are my ministers ( saith god ) shall not appeare before me in such heathenish guises . but you shall round your heads , or , in plaine tearmes you shall be round-heads . the text is cleare for that tearm in the very letter ; the greater is their sinne who jeere at gods ministers and people for their short hair , and for rounding their heads , since we have gods command for it ; and the very * philosopher can tell them , that the roundest forme is best and beautifullest . and horace describing a free-man , sayes he is , — totus teres atque rotund●… . aristotle's square man , horace's round man , are the same man. i presse this the rather , that the wicked may see that this rep●…oachfull ( which was first invented by some prophane stage-players , for from that shop of the divel , so farre as i remember , that nick-name first came ) is more honourable than ( peradventure ) they imagine . the divel forgot this text ( as mr. burroughs well observes ) when he raised up such a name to reproach men by , which we have the expresse word of scripture for the enjoyning of . thus he . there must be then no affectation on either side , but gravity and modesty is required against the long haire of ministers . so the learned annotators in their large and elaborate annotations on this place . divers exceptions are made against this text. . obj. the precept ( say some ) belonged onely to the priests , and not to the people , because they are not mentioned in this place . a. true : in the letter , and primarily the text concernes all priests , because they were superiours , and so ought to be examplesto their inferiours . but secondly , it concernes the people to be civill and modest in the wearing of their haire , though they be not mentioned here by name ; else it would follow , that the people might shave their heads , because the priests onely in the text are forbidden so to doe : but as the prohibition of shaving the head includes the people , and belongs to them as well as to the priests , as appeares by other texts of scripture ; so the prohibition of long haire belongs unto the people as well as to the priests , as appeares by other texts of scripture . e. g. the apostle requires many vertues in a minister ( titus . , , , . ) as that he be sober , blamelesse , just , holy , &c. yet doth it not follow , because the people are not named here , therefore these vertues concern them not ; but , as the apostle requires these vertues in a minister , that he might be a good example to his flock for their imitation , and so vindicate his ministry from contempt : so ezekiel requires the priests to poll their heads , that they might preserve their ministry from scandall , not walking in the guise of heathenish priests , who sometimes shaved their heads , and sometimes nourished their haire : but that they should be a patterne of modesty to their people . and if any of the jewish people did swerve from the practice of the preists , and did weare long haire , yet this doth not prove the lawfulnesse of it , unlesse we could prove that the jewes never transgressed any of gods commands . . obj. this commandement was ceremoniall and peculiar to the jewes . a. . this is gratis dictum , said , but not proved . . then shaving the head , which is a part of this text , is ceremoniall also , but as that bindes us as well as the jewes , so doth this of polling the head : but the apostle takes off this cavill , for what ezekiel forbids the priests to doe , that the apostle applyes to all mankinde , and forbids it in us all , so that unlesse men will unman themselves , the text will reach them . cor. . . it is a shame for a man , i. e. for any man to weare long hair . . s. jerom commenting on this text , applyes it to these gospel-times : and our solidest divines , when they argue against popish shaving , make use of this text against them , which they would not do if it were ceremoniall . . obj. this is an old testament proofe , and concerns not us who live under gospel-dispensations . a. what is commanded in the old testament , and is no way forbidden in the new , is binding still ; but the wearing of short haire is commanded in the old testament , and is so farre from being forbidden , that it is confirmed by the new , as appeares fully . cor. . . , . doth not even nature it selfe teach ●…ou , that if a man hath long haire , it is a shame unto him ? but if a woman have long haire , it is a praise unto her ; for her haire is given her for a covering . but if any man list to be contentious , we have no such custome , neither the churches of god. this is a pregnant text , full of convincing arguments to all those that are willing to be ruled by the word , and prefer not their lusts before gods law. the apostle in this text useth foure arguments against l●…ng haire . . the first is drawne from nature , and right reason . doth not even nature it selfe teach you , that if a man have long haire it is a shame to him ? the interrogat●…on is a ●…hement affirmation , q. d. 't is both a sin and a shame to nourish our haire , and that by the dictate of nature . now it is a dangerous thing to sin against the light of nature . rom. . but the voice of nature condemnes long haire , as effeminate , lascivious , and vile ; how much more doth grace condemne it ? meere civiliz'd men have made lawes against it ; the indians in new england have made a law , that all these men which weare long haire , shall pay . s. and every woman that shall cut her hair , or let it hang loose , shall pay . s , now what a shamefull thing is it , that faith should not enable us to do that which infidels have done ? in vain had god eng●…affed those sparkles of common honesty and dishonesty in the consciences of naturall men ( rom. . and . ) if there were no binding power in them . . 't is a shame , a blot , and dishonour to weare long haire ; many think it an ornament , and an honour , when every civil , grave and gracious man esteemes it an ignominy and dishonour , sinne and shame came into the world together ; gen. . till sin came into the world , there was no shame in the world . gen. . ult . innocency knew no shame , and glory shall know none . shame is the fruit of sin , and ariseth usually from doing somewhat against common light , though every evil act hath matter of shame in it , yet a man is not naturally ashamed of it , unlesse it be done against the light of nature . not to be ashamed of s●… sins , is to put out the light of nature : such men are worse than beasts , for they observe those instincts and orders which god hath planted and engraffed in their natures . a good man is ashamed of any thing he hath done against the light of scripture : every man is ashamed of what he doth against the light of nature ; yet how many in our dayes are proud of their long locks , and even glory in that which is their shame ? what their end is , the apostle will tell you , phil . their end is destruction , who glory in their shame . . verse . from the antithesis and opposition which is betweene the haire of men and women : as long haire is a glory and ornament to a woman , because it was given her by god and nature for a covering ; and it is a shame for her to be polled or shorne , but shee must be covered , and that because of the angels , ver . . so on the contrary , short haire is a glory and ornament to man ( as the antithesis implyes , and the practice of our grave and reverend judges , which many godly ministers confirme ) and he may not come with unshorne , long haire , into the publique assemblies of gods people . . because of the good angels , who behold this pride , and are grieved at it . . because of the * evil angels , who behold it , and rejoyce in it : pride is , pabulum diaboli , the divels darling and delight . . because of the ministers , who are gods angels , and messengers , and must reprove such sins . the lord expresly forbids the confounding of s●…xes , ( * deut. . ) by wearing of that which is not proper to each s●…x : as the woman must not wear what pertaines to the man , so the man must not weare what pertaines to the woman ; for all that doe such things are an abomination to the lord. now , long haire is proper to women and not to men , nature having given it to her for a covering : and though that text speak literally of apparell , yet analogically , and by way of allusion , it may fitly , be applyed to long haire . ( analogicè legem quam de vestitu sancit , etiam ad capillos extendendam , quia utrobique eadem est ratio , finis enim legis est ut debita sit distinctio inter virum & foeminam , & honest as naturalis observetur . demat. ) . a fourth argument the apostle drawes from the custome and practice of ●…he churches of god. v. . but if any seem to be contentious , we have no such custome , nor the churches of god. q. d. . these arguments are sufficient to convince any moderate , ingenious man ; yet if any will be so litigious as to contend for such unseemely guises , let him know he shall be singular in his opinion , for we have no such customes of undecency and immodesty , nor any other churches of god. . it is against the modest , civill , and commendable custome of our own nation , till lately that we began to follow the french , and spaniards , who yet are known papists and idolaters : and will not the lord visit for such things as these ? zeph. . . i come now to answer all those shifts , and vaine distinctions , which the false heart of man hath invented . to avoid the dint of this text , there is scarce a word in it but is wrested ; how loath are men to see what they care not to practise ! . some have found out eleven acceptions of the word nature ; by this word ( say some ) is not meant that order and naturall instinct which god hath implanted in the creature ; but by nature is meant an arbitrary custome ; and for this they alledge calvin on the place , ( who sayes ) quod omnium consensu & consuetudine receptum tunc erat , & quidam apud graecos vocat naturale , &c. quoniam in graecia parum virile erat alere comam , ut tales quasi effaeminati notarentur , morem jam confirmatum pro natura habet . a. . by nature here cannot be meant a custome , for we never finde through the whole booke of god , that ever that word is used for a custome , and therefore the learned assertors of long haire doe utterly reject this opinion , frustra de his disputatur , cùm certum sit , apud paulum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non posse accipi pro consuetudine . but by nature here is meant , the light and dictate of right reason in the understanding , informing men by its common notions and instinct , what is good , and to be done , or what is evill , and to be avoyded : 't is that order and naturall inclination which god hath put in the creature : and thus nature it selfe is said to condemne long haire , as being contrary to that order , and naturall principles of decency and honesty , which god hath implanted in man : and though many heathens have worne , and doe weare , long haire , yet that is their abuse and sinne against nature , as rom. . the sinfull customes of some barbarous ones , cannot be called the law of nature ; but customes , when they flow from the principles of right reason , and are agreeable to its dictates , then they binde . . whereas calvin calls it a custome , calvin shall answer and explaine calvin . . in his comment ( on numb . . . ) which he writ many yeares after his commentary on the corinths ; he there tells us , that it is a manly part to poll our heads : and this ( as s. paul sayes , cor. . . ) the light of nature dictates to us . see here what calvin meanes by his received custome ; he meanes not a bare , arbitrary custome , but a custome grounded on the light of nature , as appeares further in his comments on cor. . . nature abhorres a shaven woman , and nature hath given her haire for a covering , and it is a naturall vaile , &c. where by nature ( as appeares by the text ) he meanes not a naked custome , but that order which is set in nature by the god of nature : so ( v. . ) he sends them to nature to learn what is decent , where by nature he hath reference to what he spoke on v. . which was no bare custom , for human customes are oft teachers of uncomelinesse , rather than comelinesse , of vice than vertue . . should we take nature here for an arbitrary custome , this would render the apostles argument invalid , especially if drawne from a custome used by the promiscuous multitude , which oft times is naught , as appeares by the idolatrous and superstitious customes throughout the world . but the apostle argues not from a meere arbitrary custome , but from a custome founded in principles of nature , and from the custome of his collegues , the apostles , and the churches of god ; we have no such custome , nor the chuches of god. now take it thus , and the argument is cogent and convincing . as for calvin , however some would wrest his words , yet his practice is well knowne , and his effigies in oxford library ( which i believe is drawne to the life ) will tell you , that he never intended to be the ruffians patron . . the next word they cavill at , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word ( say they ) doth not signifie sinne , but onely shame , or indecency , or incommodiousness . [ per inhonestum non intellexi peccatum sed indecorum , exquo existimatio detrimentum potest capere , ideoque ad incommoda semper recte refertur , peccatum autem non semper , nec necessario conjunctum habet . revius de usu capil . ( p. . ) a. shame usually ariseth from doing something , against common light and principles of nature , such is the sin and the shame here meant ; t is not a little indecency , but a sin , a crying sin to transgresse the law , and dictates of nature . rom. . . god gave them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to foule affections : we shall the better understand the word here used if we consider the signification of its opposite , which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and in scripture is put for honesty and care , to preserve our selves from sinfull uncleanness , thes. . . that every one possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour : so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that which is is dishonest and reproachfull , as being committed against the very light of nature , else the apostles argument were not cogent , to say it is no sinne , but onely incommodious , and undecent ; to weare long hair is to encourage men to sinne , but when we shall see that nature condemnes it , as shamefull and sinfull , this awakens us . . i answer by way of concession ; suppose from this sole word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we could not conclude it sinfull , yet considering the scope and arguments in the whole text , he must needs be grossly blinde that cannot , or will not see long haire , condemned as sinfull in this text. obj. the apostle condemnes not all long hair , but onely such which is as long as womens , as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports , significat comam more mulierum semper intonsam servare . salmasius , that singularly learned man ( as mr. tombs stiles him ) after a large and exact examination of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , makes it a womanish dress of haire , distinguishing the sex though he find only something in hesichius , artemidorus , and some other conjectures not just in that sence in any place else , because it best suites with the matter . thus he ( poore-man , being at a losse for one word in all the bible to prove that holy ▪ signifies legitimate , brings in this lame proofe to comfort himselfe withall , dignum patella operculum . a. . how many instead of clipping their haire , clip the text , whilst they restraine the word [ * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] which signifies , to nourish the haire , or to weare long haire , to such a kinde of nourishing the haire as women use , to let it grow to its utmost length ; whereas homer using the apostles word , calls the greeks , hair-nourishing men , though they wore it not so long as women doe . the apostle calls wicked men , absurd men . thes. . . and see what an absurd comment they make on this text : they make the apostle upon the point to reprove no man , for if he reprove onely such as weare their hair so long as women , who let it grow downe to their feete . . i would faine know what ruffian there is that weares his haire down to his hammes , or heels , so long as womens hair usually is . . should men suffer their haire to grow to its utmost length , and never poll it , yet i question whether ever it would be so long as most womens haire is ; my reason is , because nature hath allotted shorter haire to men , than to women , as beza well observes . i therefore conclude : . that our translation is true , which renders the word long-haire in generall , and agrees with all the translations that ever i have seen . . there is no circumstance in the text to constrain us to such a restriction of the word , as some would have . the antithesis in the text opposeth it , which runs thus , as a woman dishonoureth her selfe when she cuts her haire , and the more she cuts it , the more she disgraceth her self , because comatam esse , long haire is an ornament to her , and given her for a covering : so on the contrary , a man disgraceth himselfe by wearing long haire , and the longer the worse , because comatum esse , to wear long haire is a dishonour to him , nature having not given it him for a vail , as it hath done to women . . the apostles argument would be invalid , if the word be restrained to such a nourishing of the haire as is never cut ; then ruffians , if they cut their hair but a fingers breadth , should bee free from this reproofe . then some men would have longer haire than some women ( and so that order which god hath set in nature , would be confounded ) for though nature hath allotted shorter haire ( in the generality ) to men than unto women ; yet some men , by reason of their constitution , if they suffered their haire to grow to its utmost length , would exceed some womens . but now take the word simply in its usuall acceptation ( as words ought to be taken ) for to nourish the haire , or to wear long haire , and then the apostles argument is cogent . q. d. 't is both a sinne and a shame , and that by the dictate of nature , for a man to weare long haire : but if a woman have long haire , it is a glory and ornament to her , for her haire was given her for a covering ; it is a shame therefore for her to be shorne or polled , but she must be covered , because of the angels , who observe their immodest and indecent carriage : yet , if any man list to be contentious , and will rather stand to justifie these unseemly fashions , let it suffice him , that we have no such customes of immodesty and indecency , nor any of the other churches of christ , so as he shall be singular in this his opinion . this i conceive to be the genuine and proper sense of this text : but now you shall see what an absurd paraphrase the expositions of some will make . q. d. doth not a bare arbitrary custome teach you corinthians onely , that it is no sin , but only an incommodious and indecent thing for you to weare haire as long as womens ? how invalid and absurd this renders the apostles reasoning , and what little conviction of the conscience could arise from such arguing , let the reader judge . the bare rehearsall of it is confutation sufficient , onely we may hence observe how loath men are to be convinced of their sins , what shifts they invent , how unwilling to see any thing which might separate between them and their lusts ; they shut their eyes , they are wilfully ignorant , and will not see ; but god one day will make them see and be ashamed . if any desire fuller satisfaction , let him peruse that elaborate treatise of the learned dematius , where all the cavills raised against this text by salmasius , revius , and others , are learnedly and satisfactorily answered . i shall now shut up all with the glosse of a learned , pious , modest divine of our time . upon this text , dimme nature ( saith he ) condemns many vices , as idlenesse , beastiality , lying , luxury , the cretian poet could condemne . those drinking of healths , ad plenos calices , was condemned by the law of a heathen prince . long haire is condemned by the dictate of nature , and right reason ; and the reason why so many men , and whole nations use it , is given by s. jerom , quia natura decia derunt , sicut multis aliis rebus comprobatur ; and , as tert. saith of womens long hair , that it is humilitatis earum sarcina , the burden , as it were of their humility , so by the warrant of that proportion , which s. paul allowes , cor. . . . we may call mens long haire superbiae sarcinam , nothing but a clogge of pride , &c. the sixth argvment from rom. . . fashion not your selves like unto this world : from whence i argue thus , the sinfull customes , fashions , properties and practises of the wicked men of the world , may in no wise be followed by the people of god ( unlesse they mean to perish with the world . ) but the wearing of long haire is one of the sinfull customes , fashions and practises of the wicked men of the world . ergo , it may in no wise be followed by the people of god. for the major , it is cleare , that gods people must not fashion themselves like to the world , they must not walk in the way of the wicked , psal. . . nor runne with them into the same excesse of riot , pet. . . nor once enter into that broad way , mat. . . be they never so many for number , or mighty for power , wealth , wisdome , authority and successe , that walk therein : and why so ? because christ hath redeemed us from the corruptions of the world , galat. . . and therefore we must keep our selves free , not onely from the grosse blots , but even from the spots of the world ; iam. . . there should be as great a distance and contrariety betweene the lives and walking of true christians , and the men of the world , as there is betweene light and darknesse , day and night . . thes. . , , . we must shew forth the vertues of christ , and not the vices and vanities of the world in our conversations , pet. . we must lament , not follow the pride , and sinfull courses of the age we live in , as lot did : pet. . . god will not have his people to walke like heathens and pagans , that know him not ; they must not be like them so much as in the cutting of their haire , levit. . , : deut. . , , . as they are his peculiar people , and he loves them with a peculiar love , so he expects a peculiar carriage from them , differing from the sinfull courses of the world . hence it is made a note of an unregenerate man , to walk according to the course of the world . eph. . . and to walk as gentils , in the vanitie of their minde ; ephes. . . yet this is the great plea , t is the fashion now adayes , to weare long haire , and as good be out of the world , as out of the fashion , cum lupis ululandum est ; they will doe as the most doe , forgetting that broad is the way that leads to hell , and many there be that goe that way . math : . . . for the minor , it is clear that long haire is one of the sinfull customes and fashion of the wicked men of the world . this will appeare , if we look abroad into the remote parts of the world , we shall there see , that long haire was , and still is , the guise and fashion of the most * barbarous , idolatrous , heathenish nations , that know not god , but worshippe the devil , as the virginians in america , to whom the devill appeares in the shape of a virginian , with a long black lock on the left side hanging downe neere to the feete , whom the virginians imitate in this divellish guise . but let us come home , and amongst our selves we shall see , that usually the vilest , proudest , profanest , deboyshest persons are the greatest ruffians . and is it not made a badge of those proud effeminate locusts , rev. . . that they have hair like women ? i wish we had not too many that res●…mble them ; for if we look on mens out-sid●…s , their haire , habit , attire , &c. what difference can you finde between the most gracelesse ▪ vaine , fantastick ruffians , and many professors of religion ? surely all is not right within , when there appeares so much vanity without : when christ is once entertained in the soule , it will soone appeare in the haire , habit , attire , in an humble , modest , mortified , selfe-denying walking ; the soule that loves christ can easi●…y part with any thing which it conceives to be displeasing to him . i shall conclude this point with the testimony of a reverend divine , a man famous for his piety and paines in the ministry : 't is the duty of christians ( saith he ) not onely to sacrifice their eyes and eares , but also their heads to god , in a sober and modest wearing of their hair , which the apostle ( by the testimony of nature it selfe ) commendeth to us ▪ viz. that men weare short haire , because 't is a shame for them to have long haire , &c. of such long haired men the scripture recordeth one , and but one example , viz. absolom , the rebellious and traiterous sonne of david , whose fearefull end . and direfull judgement all men know , viz. that by his long haire he was hanged in an oak . oh that our long-haired gentlemen would make use thereof & tremble ! would any of them have the like end ? though they would not , yet let them feare a worse , &c. besides , how strangely do men cut their hairs , some all before , some all behinde , some long round about , their crownes being cut short like cootes , or popish priests , and friars ; some have long locks at their eares , as if they had foure eares , or were prick eare'd ; some have a little long look onely before , hanging downe to their noses , like to the taile of a weasell ; every man being made a foole at the barbers pleasure , or making a foole of the barber for money to make him such a foole ; for , as it is said of the makers of idols and images , they that make them are like unto them ; so it may said of such fooles , and such barbers , &c. most lamentable especially is it , that great foretops and long hair hath seized on some in the ministry , that come up to the chair of moses more like some gentlemens butlers , than ministers of the word . this is a great scandall , and no small disgrace to that honourable calling . the young yeares of some may not be pleaded for excuse , for though they are young in yeares , yet by calling they are elders , and ought to be of grave carriage , beseeming elders . all these things have i spoken not with any delight , but with grief of heart , from love to god and men , and not without fear of gods judgements against such things . thus this holy man of god. the seventh argvment , from the rise and originall of long haire , viz. pride , i argue thus : where the root is naught , the fruit cannot be good . but the root of long haire is naught , ( it springs from pride ) therefore the fruit cannot be good . the major is cleare : the minor experience proves : we daily see the pride of mens hearts appearing , as in their habits and attire , so in their haire : modest persons are modest in their apparel and haire , but proud effeminate persons discover themselves by both . obj. pride lies in the heart and not in the hair . answ. pride is principally in the heart , yet declares it selfe in the head , as in apparel : the pride of the heart appears by the vanity without . obj. but many are proud of their shore haire . answ. . suppose this were true , yet this will not help you ; for recrimination is no purgation , another mans pride will not excuse mine . . good men have little cause to be proud in this kinde , unlesse it be of the jeeres and scornes of wicked men , as luther said sometime , i am even proud of the reproaches of mine enemies . . it is not pride , but obedience to gods commands , who hath said , we shall not suffer our locks to grow long &c. obj. we see some wicked men weare short haire , who have no regard to gods commands . ans. . two men may do one and the same thing yet upon different accounts , and so t is not the same . the wicked man prayes , and the good man prayes , the one doth it out of forme and custome , the other out of conscience to gods command . so two men weare short haire , the wicked man weares it either because the pox or the feaver hath fet off his hair , or because his grandsire wore short haire before him , or out of some other carnall principle ; but the good man wears it singly and solely out of obedience to gods most sacred command , with an eye to his glory , in the adorning of his profession with a modest , meeke , and humble conversation , answerable to the simplicity of the gospel . . where one wicked man weares short haire , there is a thousand weares long . . we must not forsake our grave and modest guise , because some wicked men are got into it ; thou wilt not refuse thy meat because wicked men doe eate , nor goe naked because they are cloathed ; for then you would be like the women of ulma , who coloured their teeth black , because dogs teeth were white . the eighth argument . that which is a badge of cruelty and effeminacy must be shunned by the people of god , ( who are commanded to shun all appearance of evill , thes. . . ) but long haire is a badge of cruelty and effeminacy : therefore it must be shunned by the people of god. the major is manifest ; the minor i prove from job . . and . . where robbers and cruel thieves , that devoure mens substance , are called * tzammim , the hairy ones , because cruel theives , and rude souldiers , do delight in long haire : thus the devils are called , shegnarin●… , hirsuti , hairy ones , levit. . . they shall no more offer their sacrifices , teshegnirim , to the hairy ones , ( i. e. ) to devils , who are called rough , rugged hairy ones , because they appeared in the forme of † satyrs , or wild goats . thus the crul caniballs , who eate men and worship the devil , are said to weare the hair of their heads a yard long : thus the psalmist describing the wicked & the violent man , he gives him this character , he hath a hairy pate , psal. . . god shall wound the head of his enemies , and the hairy pat●… of him that walketh in his sins . . it also notes effeminacy and wantonnesse , hence the effeminate light , lascivious locusts are said to have hair like women , rev. . . and amongst our selves ; who more light and loose than ruffians ? 't is a dishonour to a man to be found in such a guise ; gravity and modesty becomes him best , in the very judgement of one of the wiser sort of he athens . sint procul à vobis juvenes , ut foemina , compti : forma viros neglecta decet . ovid. the ninth argvment . it is neither beneficiall to soule nor body : from whence i argue thus , that which brings no benefit to soule nor body , may be practised : but the guise of excessive long haire brings no benefit to soule or body . ergo , the major no rationall man will deny . the minor i prove by its parts . . it brings no benefit to the soule , it brings onely a staine and blot of pride and profanenesse , as solomon sayes of reproving the wicked , he that doth it shall get nothing for his paines but a blot of reproach , prov. . . so by walking in this vaine guise , we get nothing but the title of proud fantasticks ; besides it makes way for other sins , it 's a temptation to curling , poudring , &c. and gives occasion to the better sort to conceive that we are as yet but profane worldlings , because we goe in the worlds fashion . . for the body , it doth but hinder men in their callings many times : and without diligent care and much combing it becomes a fit harbour for lice and vermin . besides , some conceive that long haire doth rather weaken than strengthen the body , and is rather a hindrance than a furtherance to our health . at best it is but a vaine and idle practice , of which men can give no good account , and yet for it one day they must account ; for if men must give an account for every idle word that they shall speak , mat. . . how much more for every vaine and idle action ? and if in our eating , drinking , sleeping , recreations , &c. wee must have respect to gods glory , cor. . . then also in the wearing of our haire . obj. if it be unlawfull to weare long haire , then t is unlawfull to weare long beards . ans. there is not eadem ratio , the beard is one thing , and long haire upon mens heads is another . . long haire is contra decus virile , it s a shame and dishonour to a man , but so is not a long beard . . the scripture no where condemns a long beard , but it oft condemns long haire . . a decent growth of the beard is a signe of manhood , and given by god to distinguish the male from the female sex , this is a badge of virility , the other of vanity . god would have his people to preserve their beards , and enjoynes them not to shave the corners of their beards , as the heathen did , levit. . . they must not deforme and disfigure their faces by shaving off the haire of their beards . the council of carthage at which s. austin himselfe was present , made this canon , comam nec nutriant sacerdotes , nec barbam radant . let not ministers weare long haire , nor shave their beards . but now the practice is quite contrary , for many let their locks grow long , but shave their beards still , that they may look more like beardlesse boyes , than grave ministers of the gospel . . nor doe we plead for extraordinary long beards , but onely for beards , whereby god will have the sex distinguished ; the beard may not grow so long as to be a burden or an impediment to us in our callings ; nor yet must it be so shaven , that a man should want that manly comelinesse and dignity , which god hath given him . the tenth argvment : from the scandall that it brings . thus , that which is scandalous and offensive to the people of god , must be avoyded ; but the wearing of long haire is scandalous and offensive to the people of god. ergo. the major is manifest ; we should be very tender of doing any thing that might justly grieve the people of god : cor. . . give no offence to jew nor gentile , nor to the church of god : mat. . . and we should walke in such holy gravity , modesty , singlenesse and sincerity , that we might give no just cause of offence to any , hence we are commanded to follow things * honest , and of good report ; phil. . . whatsoever is grave , modest , and may procure us and our profession a good report amongst men , that follow . for the minor it is apparent that long hair is scandalous , it grieves the godly to see christians in profession turn ruffians in their conversation , it offends the weak , hardens the wicked , and opens their mouths to blaspheme , and say these are people of the lord , ezek. . . and these are the professors , see how proud , vaine , fantastick they be ; this provokes the lord to vindicate his honour , he will not suff●…r such to escape unpunished , ezek. . . . and the heathen shall know that the house of israel went into captivity for their iniquity , because they trespassed against me , therefore hid i my face from them , and gave them into the hand of their enemies ; so they all fell by the sword , &c. so that if this guise were but indifferent , yet it is not convenient , because it gives advantage to the enemy to blaspheme , when they shall see vaine , prophane fashions creepe into the church , and christian modesty , with godly gravity to be gone : the apostle adviseth to be very wary in this case , cor. . . rom. . . that pious and ingenious speech of an acute and reverend man , speaking to this point , is worth observing . i shall speak a word ( saith he ) to our long-hair'd men ; 't is but this , if god prove not such a barber to them as he threatens , unlesse it be amended isaiah . . before the peace of the church and state be well settled , then let my prophesie be scorned , as a sound minde scornes the riot of that sinne : and more , it needs not , if those who are termed rattle-heads , and impuritans , would take up a resolution to begin in moderation of haire , to the just reproach of those that are called puritans and round-heads ; i would honour their manlinesse , as much as the others godlinesse , so long as i knew what man or honour meant ; if neither can find a barbours shop , let them turne into psal. . . jer. . . cor. . . if it be thought no wisdome in men to distinguish themselves in the field by the scissers , let it be thought no injustice in god not to distinguish them by the sword . i had rather god should know me by my sobriety , than mine enemy not know me by my vanity . he is ill kept that is kept by his owne sinne ; a short promise is a safer guard than a long lock : it is an ill distinction which god is loath to looke at , and his angels cannot know his saints by ; though it be not the mark of the beast yet it may be a mark of a beast prepared to slaughter ; i am sure men use not to weare such manes ; i am also sure souldiers use to wear other marklets or notadoes in time of battell . thus he●… . the eleventh argvment . whatsoever is not of faith , is sin : but this proud guise of exc●…ssive long haire is not of faith ; ergo 'tis sin . the major is cleare from rom. . ult . he that doubteth whether he sin in eating ▪ is condemned if he eat , because his conscience is unsetled , and he eateth sinfu●…ly , because he eateth doubtfully ; for whatsoever we doe , if we be not certainly perswaded in our consciences by the word of god , that it may be done , it is not of faith , but is done with a doubtfull conscience , and so is sin . for the minor , that excessive long ha●…e is not of faith , is cleare , because it hath no word of faith commanding it , or c●…mmending it to us ; yea , the most that weare it , are condemned in themselves and their owne consciences accuse them and ch●…ck them : therefore i conclude to them it is a sin . the twelfth argument . the twelfth argument is drawne from the practise of gods p●…p they have no such custome , nor any of t●…e churches of god. to omit the practice of our owne church , all the dayes of that famous queen elizabeth k●…ng james , and the beginni●…g of the late kings reign ; all which time , ' ti●… well known , short hair was the guise of this nation , 〈◊〉 o●… late yeares we have changed both our principles and our practises together . y●…t i find no less than eight synods in holland , that have made acts against it . . both pastors and elders there , have condemned long haire in men . . they judge it u●…lawfull , especially in pastors elders , deacons , and students in divinity . . that all such as professe the gospel , and yet come to heare the word in such a guise ought to be reproved and a monished , both publickly and privately , yea , yea , all circumstances considered , to be suspended from the sacrament . . that no expectants , that are entring into the ministry , coming with long hair , ought to be admitted . . that all professors and governours do disswade the students from such vanities , &c. diluuntur sophismata . an answer to the most materiall objections and arguments which are brought in defence of long hair. the first objection . the great plea for long haire is this , that it is an ornament , that makes men decent and comely , that they have accustomed themselves to it , and now they cannot leave it ; that they weare it not for pride , but for warmth and health , &c. an. . sin never wants excuses . the devill cannot endure that sinne , which is his darling , should goe naked , and therefore he usually cloaths vice withe vertues robes ; no man must call a spade a spade ; but you must call drunkennesse , good fellowship ; covetousness , good-husbandry ; cruelty , f●…ugality ; painting , beauty ; and pride , d●…cency , &c. but let all such know , that god will not be mocked , but cu●…seth those that call evil good , and put darknesse for light , and bitter for sweet . isaiah . . for decency ; that is decent and comely which is answerable to the rule of gods word , how meanely soever the world esteeme of ●…t ; and gods poore people , with their shore haire , are more comely in the eye of one that is truly wise , than all the proud ruffians and ranters of the world with their long locks . long haire is so farre from decen cy , that it is a great deformity : the a postle tells us it is so far from being an honour , that it is a shame , a blot , and a dishonour to weare long haire : it makes men look like one come out of a jayle , like some cheating rook , or rude runnagedo . heare what that boanerges of his time sayes of such persons , a proud fanta stique foole ( saith he ) affecteth his long locks , and his love-locks ; every one that is sober minded , and sees him ; is ready to say , what a humourous foole is yonder man ? what a ruffian is he ? how like a mastiff or a bedlam doth he look ? yet the foole is not ashamed , because he affects it . thus he . as the adorning of women , so consequently the adorning of men , consi●…s not in the outward adorning of the hair . pet. . . but in the inward adorning of the minde with humility , faith , obedience . nor is that presently to be accounted an ornament , which the prophane of the world esteeme so ; for then painting of the face , curling and powdering of the haire , black spots , naked b easts , &c. would be lawfull , because some wicked ones esteem them ornaments . then women might poll their foreheads ( as the fashion was lately ) because they conceive it to be an ornament , though it was indeed a meere abuse of the excrement : for the apostle tells them 't is a sin and shame ( and therefore can be no real lawfull ornament ) to be polled and shorne . cor. ●… . . . b side its scandalous , and against christian modesty : for as in apparell , so in the wearing of our hair , god will have the s●…xes to be distingu shed . deut. . polling indeed is an ornament to a man , but long hair is an ornament unto a woman , besides it s given her for a covering . now see the perversnesse of our natures , and their contrariety to gods law ; women , who should not yet will poll their heads ; and men , who should poll their heads , will not : then women might also lay out their locks , for some account that an ornament , though indeed it is a badge ( to say no more ) of the levity and folly . for. . their hair was given them for a covering to their heads , not cheeks and faces , which should be visible ; it is an abuse of the haire , when the locks are hung out to be seen of others ; a modest matron hides th m : cant. . . oculi tui columbini prae cri ne tuo ( as junius renders it ) i. e. thy hair is bound up like the modest matrons , & not lasciviously hung out as the haire of the harlot . . it is scandalous & of evil report amongst the godly . . it is the modest custome of the vertuous matrons of the land we live in , and against that simplicity which the apostl●… requires in women , fearing god. timoth. . . and . . pet. . , . . it sp●…ings from pride , which ever b●…ings judgement along with it . isa. . , &c. if that pride brought judgement then ; sure this analogically cannot escape : 't is well observed by a late reverend divine of ours , that the naturall use of the haire is to be covering : now when the haire is with curiosity , and by vain inventions turned into vaine formes , by pla●…tng , curling , or other wayes , which we cannot name ; or falls into dangling locks , like to the haire of ruffians ; the dressing is then vicious ; for basil saith in generall of all apparell and dressing , that whatseover in these things is not for profit or necessity , is vaine and superfluous . and s. jerom expresly condemnes the hanging of the hair below the forehead . &c. thus he - . but thou wearest thy long haire for health and warmth ? how many are there that never weare their haire halfe so long as thine is , and yet are as healthfull and warme as thou canst be ? how many that with their short haire can follow the plough in a winters day without a bonnet ? custome will make it easie and comely ; and if you plead custome for your long hair , you have accustomed your selfe so long to it , that now you cannot leave it : this is so far from lessening , that it aggravates and doubles your sinne ; it is a sinne to steal , be drunk , &c , but to be a customary thiefe , drunkard , &c. increaseth the sinne ; especially when it is acted presumptuously against knowledge , and against correction : how many proud , stately ruffians have lost both head and haire in the warres ? god hath stained the pride of all our glory : isa. . . if then it be your custome to weare long haire , you must know it is gods custome to punish such as follow such proud strange fashions : zeph. . . an evil custome is better broken than kept ; you must therefore ( by degrees ) accustome your selfe to short haire , and then i can experimentally assure thee , it will be no impediment to thy health or warmth ; for god and nature allow thee such a length , or may cover thy head and keep it warm ; but what warmth hath thy head by the haire that lyeth on thy back ? and for health , the learned have observed , that long hair doth diminish the strength , and is rather an hinderance than a furtherance to it . . suppose thou hast accustomed thy selfe so long to weare excessive long haire , that now thou findest it preserves thy health and warmth ; yet if long haire be sinfull , and against the dict●…tes of nature ( as all sober men acknowledge excessive long haire to be ) then may we not doe evill that good may come thereby , rom . . especially since the l●…rd hath provided so many lawfull meanes to preserve our health and warmth : and if a man may not sin to save his life , much lesse may he sinne to preserve his health ; the greatest evill o●… affl●…ction must be chosen rather than the least evil of sin , it being better to dye than to sinne . the second ob●…ection . it is an indifferent thing how long we will we are our haire , and a part of our christian liberty to doe as please our selves herein , &c. ans. for the clearer answering of this great 〈◊〉 which some very learned men lay so much stresse upon , we must first define what an adiaphorous or indifferent thing is . that is a thing * indifferent ( say the learned ) which is neither commanded nor forbidden , either literally or consequentially , explicitely or implicitely ; and then their argument will be this : that is indifferent which is neither commanded nor forbidden either literally or consequentially explicitely or implicitely : but long haire is neither commanded nor forbidden literally nor consequentially explicitely nor implicitely . 〈◊〉 t is a thing indifferent . here the minor is expresly false , for long hair is forbidden in scripture both wayes : . it is forbidden literally and explicitely , terminis terminantibus , in expresse termes . ezek. . . we must not suffer our locks to grow long , but must round or poll our heads : and cor. . . the dictates of nature condemn long haire in men . . it s forbidden implicitely and consequentially . rom. . . f●…shion not your selves like to the w●…cked of the world , now ruffianly haire is the known guse of wicked men . so thes. . abstain from all appearance of evill , fly from the very shews and shadows of sin : but all civil men confesse that long haire hath ( at least ) a shew of sin and pride in it , and therefore i conclude it can be no thing indifferent . . suppose it were an indifferent and doubtfull thing , yet in doubtfull cases its best taking the safest and most inoffensive way : now short haire hath ever been judged by the gravest and godliest divines the best and safest way ; yea , most that weare long haire yet are convinced in their consciences that short haire is better ; though they have accustomed themselves so long to weare long haire , that as themselves confesse , they cannot leave it . thus it was in the case of the sabbath , in episcopall times , some said 't was lawfull to play on the sabbath day , others said 't was indifferent ; but the most moderate of that party have confest that they did best , who spent the whole day most religiously : to say truth , men could profane the sabboth fast enough without bidding , or setting forth books to encourage them in that kind : so some say , long haire is lawfull , others say t is indifferent ; but since short haire is no where condemned as a sin , and long hair is , i conclude its safest wearing short hair ; especially since salmasius ( no great friend to it ) yet freely confesseth , the wearing of short haire to be no sinne . . admit it were indifferent , yet it is not expedient , because it grieves the godly , offends the weak , and opens the mouthes of the adversarie to cry , pro fessors are as proud and apt to follow fashions as others , cor. . . . this is ranters licence , not christian liberty , to goe like ruffi●…s and the wicked of the world . it is dangerous ex tending our christian liberty beyond its true bounds ; from this root spring many of our present errours . true christian liberty gives us no licence to act the least sin , but binds us to a due observance of all , even the least of gods commands ; it is a liberty from sin , not a liberty to sin . cor. . . rom. . . nor doe wee goe about to infringe true christian liberty , but are ready to defend it to the utmost , against papists on the one hand , and libertines on the other : and if to oppose inordinate long hair be a breach of christian liberty , then paul offended in this kind , and many synods , ancient fathers , and modern divines , who have with one consent declared their dislike of this proud guife . the third objection . the wicked will take offence at our short haire , therefore it is best to forbeare it . answ. then you must forbeare all that is good , for they will take offence at your praying in your family , at your exact walking , &c. it is one signe that short haire is the best guise , beause the wicked of the world are so apt to jeere at it and abhorre it , as they doe all things else which are good : and therefore * tertull. well observes , that none but evill men will take offence at that which is good ; if wicked men will be offended at us for doing our duty , and will take offence when none is given them : this is scandalum passivum , non datum sed acceptum , a scandall not given by us , but taken by themselves , and is lightly to be regarded . christ himselfe was a rock of offence to the pharisees , not actively , but passively ; they took offence at his poverty and mean condition , and see how he slights them . math. . . let them alone , sith they are desperate , they are blinde leaders of the blinde . 't is true , we may seeke to please our neighbour in that which is good , but not in that which is evill , rom. . . what god forbids , may never be done , though we should displease all the world by shunning it . no man may sin to avoid scandall . their damnation is just , who say , let us doe evill that good may come , rom. . . the fourth objection . i am not alone in this guise , for i find that when this land was over spread with heathenisme and barbarisme , long haire was their custome ; and now of late that we are ( in some things ) worse than heathens , we are fallen to it againe . yea , in these times of liberty it s become a nationall sinne , many great men , lords , knights , esquires , gentlemen , goe in this guise , &c. ans. christ is truth , not custome ; that custome which hath no ground nor foundation in the word of god , may not be followed by the people of god , who must to the law and to the testimony , and not to customes . esay . . a sinfull custome is better broken than kept ; else if any sinfull custome were sufficient ground for our practice , then polygamy , and the worshipping of devils would be lawfull , because that was an ancient custome : but you must know , that long haire is contrary to the civill , laudable custome of our land since the reformation ; for though formerly , when the nation worshipped devils , had community of wives , and was over-spread with heathenisme , &c. then the ancient brittains wore excessive long haire : yet since the reformation came amongst us , this abuse was reformed , and all the days of queene elizabeth , king james , and king charles , a modest tonsure hath been used , which still continues amongst some , and the notion abides in most , for if the people see a man come up to preach with excessive long haire , it is an offence unto them . . if it be a nationall sin , it is so much the worse ; for when sinne growes generall , it brings generall judgements ; when all the old world , and all sodome had corrupted their wayes , then the judgement of the lord came on them , genes . . . . and . . , . when all jerusalem , from the least to the greatest , from the prophet to the priest , is given to lewdnesse ; then it is time for god to resist , jer. . , . be the multitude never so great ; if they walk in an evill way , we must not follow it ( exod. . . ) but oppose it ; it is a signe of sincerity to be good in bad times , with lot to be good in sodom , with job in an heathenish uz , and with noah to be righteous in unrighteous * generations , genes . . . and with the church of pergamus to be constant in professing gods truth , in a place where satan reignes , and in time when heresie , supestition , and all wickednesse doth abound . rev. . , . this is high commendation indeed : the vilest will seeme good amongst good company : let a saul come amongst the prophets , and he will prophesie : but to be good in a bad place , and not to be ashamed in the midst of an adulterous generation : there 's the triall . mark . ult . . it is too true , that in these times of liberty , we are turned ●…centious , a great cause of our unhappiness , is our too much happinesse ; that which makes many so luxuriant in habit , haire , &c. is the want of the golden reines of government : it is a hard thing to be good in loose times , and to use prosperity well : how many have we seen that in times of persecution and adversity , which being raised to a greater estate , or to some higher condition , are become other men ; like tuva in the poet. vis dicam malè sit cur tibi tuva ? benè est . martial l. . . . whereas you say you have many great men on your side ; i answer , we must live by rule , not by example ; or if we will follow examples , follow the best and not the worst : another mans pride ( though he be never so great ) is no rule for me to walk by : because such a great man is a drunkard , an oppressor , &c. it doth not follow , that therefore we must imitate him : we may not partake with great men in their sinnes , unless we meane to partake with them in their plagues . the more they be , and the greater they be that walke in a wicked path , the more god is provoked , the neerer to judgement , and the more suspitious is the way ; for the most are usually the worst , the greatest number go the way to hell . math. . , . the whole world lyes in wickednesse . john . . nil mundum in mundo 't was the complaint of seneca against the men of his time ; amongst the causes of our evils ( saith he ) this is one , that we live by example ; neither are we governed by reason , but led away by custome . that which we would not imitate , if few men did it , when many men have begun to doe it , we follow as if it were more honest , because it is more frequent , and errour with us supplyeth the place of that which is right , when it is made publick . consider there are many base and beggarly b●…ats , that weare long locks , as well as some great ones . are not the drosse and dregges of men companions with thee in this sinne ? look abroad into the world , and see whether the vilest man do not usually weare the longest locks . tell me whether ragged rascalls , nasty varlets , raggamuffi●…n souldiers , tinkers , crate-carriers , jayle-birds , &c. are not partakes with thee in this ruffianly guise ? and if so , i should thinke one neede not bid thee change thy fashion . the fifth objection . i have not onely many great men , but also many good men on my side , i see many ministers , and many professors of religion in my guise , and therefore i hope i may use it still without offence . answ. ministers and professors are men , and so subject to infirmities , yea , to enormities ( when left to themselves ) as well as others : we must therefore follow no man or minister further than they follow christ : so s. paul directs us , cor. . . be ye followers of me , as i am of christ : so far , and not an inch farther : we must imitate the vertues , and not the vices of the saints , and be like david in his zeale for god , not in mu●…der and adultery ; and if you will follow the example of any , let it not be those who are seemingly , but really religious ; the most of these ( if not all ) are the most modest in their guises . as for those ministers which are dissolute , and goe like ruffians ; 't is both their sinne and th●…ir shame ; it is odious in any man , but abominable in a minister , who is gods mouth unto a people ; it becomes not the messengers of christ to go in the guise of his professed enemie . rev●…l . . . vide , utrum hae sint comae ministri dei ? obj. there are good men on both sides , some weare their hair shorter , others longer ; which of these must i follow ? a. in doubtfull cases it is best taking the safest way . for instance , two good men have money , the one lends freely , the other lends upon usury : which of these two must i follow ? i answer , we must follow him that walks most close to the rule ; and that is he who lends freely , according to christs command . luke . . so here , one good man weares long haire , another weares short haire , which of these two must i follow ? it is safest following him which followes the rule most exactly : now the word commands , that we suffer not our locks to grow long , ezek. . . & tels us , that it is a sh●…me for a man to wear long haire : cor. . . therefore , since those good men which wear the shortest hair , walk closest to the rule : we must follow them . . observe which way is most pleasing to flesh and bloud , which course takes most with the world , and hath most carnall inducements to draw the heart after it , and then know , that this way lyes most under suspition , to be the worst way . now , whether the wearing of short haire , or of long haire bee more pleasing to flesh and blood , takes more with the world , and hath more carnall inducements to draw the heart after it ; i think there is no experimentall christian but can easily determine . . observe which way is of best report amongst the godly , and that follow , phil. . . whatsoever is pure and of a good report meditate and thinke on that till you be in love with it . now whether is of better report amongst the grave and godly-wise , long haire or short haire , is well known to all . shew me but one man that is truely godly that ever pleaded for long haire as now it is commonly worn ? be sure then in all your wayes and walking not to swarve from the way and communion of the saints , but let your apparrell , haire , habit , &c. be conformable to the most grave . modest , and religious of your ranke and quality . the sixth objection . yet you tell us not just how long wee should weare our haire , could wee but see one place of scripture that plainly saith , so long thou shalt weare thy haire and no longer , we would soon obey &c. a. this is just the anabaptists plea , could we shew them in so many syllables a command , saying , thou shalt baptize infants , then they would believe it ; when it hath beene proved to them over and over , that in scripture there is that which is equivalent to such a syllabicall command . so though in scripture there be no syllabicall command saying , thou shall weare thy haire just so long , and no longer ; yet there is that which is equivalent to such a literall precept , for we are commanded not to suffer our locks to grow long , nor to fashion our selves like to the men of the world in the cuting off our haire : now long haire is the knowne guise of wicked men , i have observed that when men change their opinions and grow worse , they also grow more dissolute in their haire and habit , changing their gravity and modesty , into lightnesse and vanity : and t is observed by others , that the greatest sectaries in london , are the greatest ruffians , and as they grow degenerate in their principles , so they grow effeminate in their practice . . for the length of your haire you must have recourse ( as in the matter of apparell ) to the most grave , gratious sober and civill men of your ranke and quality , there is no expresse rule what apparrell for colour , shape or fashion a man should weare ; but we must observe the judgement and practise of the grave and godly-wise , and follow them , rather keeping too much will in the bounds of measure , than any way to exceed it , wee should take heed of rejecting the testimony of such as are truly godly . thess. . . wee must not vex or grieve their spirits by our wilfullnesse , yea , though a minister could not make so cleare a demonstration , yet when hee reproves such things as have an appearance of evill , out of a holy jealousy and feare , least you should bee infected with it , you must hearken to him . heb. . . good men have their way and practice , now wee should observe the way of good men , and keepe the path of the righteous . prov. . . eye their walking , and follow their wayes , rather than the profane wayes of such as stand in neerest relations to them : children should rather follow the example of godly men , though they be strangers , than of father , mother , friend , &c. though they be never so great , rich , many , or carnally wise ; their examples may be inter motiva , non fundamenta : motives to duty , though not the ground of doing it : for the word is our rule , and no example binds us further , though it agrees with the rule . now the scripture , which is our rule , condemnes long haire , and the practice of gods dearest servants walking up to the rule , may confirme , comfort & encourage us against it . most men erre in taking the vaine , light , selfe-conceited , fantastick fooles of the world for their patterne ; when they should have respect to the practice of the most experienced , holy , grave men , who expresse the inward vertues of their minds , by the outward modesty , humility and gravity of their haire , habit , gestures , actions , &c. now the gravest and godliest divines and christians in our nation ( whose examples the younger sort should imitate ) do still weare , and formerly did weare the shortest haire : witnesse cartwright , perkins . reynolds , rogers , abbot , dad , briasly , hilder sham , herring , fen , whately , predeaux , &c. in their workes they pleau for it , in their lives they practised it ( as many now living can testify ) and the effigies of many of them which are to be seene at this day in oxford library ( which we may conceive were the liveliest and exactest that could be had ) do plainly shew it . besides about twenty yeares agoe , i well remember that generality of the reverend and godly conformists and non-conformists were for tonsure , like perkins in the frontispiece , even mr. tombs was one , i remember still , that when he was lecturer at worcester , went vel attonso capite , patentibus auribus . but as many are ashamed of perkins his good old principles , so many ( i feare ) are now ashamed of his practice , though formerly they approved of both . let this suffice that wee have the word of god , and the example of his dearest servants to incourage us against the discouragements we shall meet with in this particular ; and which is somewhat , our short haire is our owne , when many of our ruffians borrow their periwiggs ( it may be ) of some harlot , or of some poore creature which now may be lamenting the abuse of that excrement in hell. what the epigramatist said in defence of plaine apparell , may fitly be applied . pexatus pulchrè rides mea , zoile , * curta , sunt haec * curta quidē zoile , sed mea sunt . the seventh objection . but that which sticks most with me is this , if i should once be seen in this precise cut ; i shall be counted singular , and looke like no body , i shall be made the drunkards song , and be in derision daily ; besides , my friends disswade me my wife is against it , my parents like it not , &c. a. . thus the flesh wants not excuses ! but thou must know , that he which will goe to heaven , must be content sometimes to goe alone , as elijah did : beside , there is an holy singularity , and so gods people must be singular from the wicked of the world . mat. . . what singular thing doe ye , doe not even publicans and sinners the like ? implying that gods people must doe more than heathens and morall men . thus job was as a singular man , not with a proud fantastick singularity , but in a holy sense . job . , he was a none-such , none like him for singular holiness . it is better going to heaven alone , than to hell with company . . it is true , the proud and prophane of the world will , peradventure , contemne and scorn thee , because thou dost not run with them into all excesse of riot : but if thou wilt be christs disciple , thou must get an heroick spirit , and out of an holy pride contemne contemners , resolving if this be to be vile , thou wilt yet be more vile ; and by an holy antiperistasis thou must flame the more by opposition : the lacedaemonians used not to aske how many their enemies were , but in what place they were ; and hadst thou true valour , thou wouldst not so much recount the number of thy adversaries , or enquire where their strength lay , that thou mightest subdue them . in the matters of god we must not consult with stesh and bloud , nor goe to aske counsell of carnall friends , but observe what that great counsellor ( isa. . ) commands , and presently set to the practise of it in * despight of all oppositions whatsoever ; for he that for fear of men dares not doe what god commands him , must bid adieu to all religion : there is no way of god but the devill and his agents will oppose it more or lesse . all that will be christs disciples must be ready to part with their dearest lives for christ ; but how will he part with his life for christ that will not part with a locke for him ? how will he part with his heart , that will not part with a little hair at his command ? or how will he deny himselfe on christ ; who will not part with in excrement ? assure your selves , that he who will not freely part with head and hair , with life and locks when christ calls for them , shall at last loose them all with reproach and dishonour . such pride is oft punisht with a fall : isaiah . . the proud and lofty shall be brought low . how many thousands in germany , ireland , scotland , england , &c. that have had as brave heads of haire as thou canst have , and yet have fallen by the sword , axe , canon , &c. foelix quem faciunt , &c. . suppose thou shouldst be little and low in the worlds esteeme , for walking in an humble , selfe-denying path ; yet so long as thou art beautifull in the eyes of god and his people , and the daughters of jerusalem doe esteeme thee the fairest amongst women . cant. . . thou maist well give those losers leave to talke ; when michol mocked david , he comforts himselfe with this , that the religious maidens would honour him : sam. . . the testimony of one godly , wise man , should with us weigh downe the reproach of a thousand vile ones : for , though we may not take up any fashion of apparrell , or guise of haire , simply to make our selves deformed ( for that were pharisaicall pride , and base hypocrisie , which our god would soone discover to our shame ) yet if our plaine and close walking to the rule should accidentally make us seeme fooles , and deformed in the worlds eye , we must not cast it off , lest we cast off all that is good with it : we know that excessive long haire is displeasing to the godly , and makes the wicked deformed in his eye ; yet what wciked man forsakes his fantastick guise for feare of displeasing the godly ? and shall we forsake our civill , modest guise for feare of their vaine censures ? let them returne to thee , but goe not thou to them . gods people are called light , and they must be like fire , which turnes all things into it selfe , but it is turned into none of them ; they must persist in gracious wayes , and draw others to them , but in no wise must they turn to the wicked , or conforme themselves to their sins and corruptions . in this case we must comfort our selves with this , that it is the inward , and not the outward beauty which god respects : christ himselfe , in respect of outward beauty , was not desirable ( isaiah . . ) to a carnall eye , there was no forme nor comelinesse in him why we should desire him : his braue , and comeliness was spirituall in respect of his goodnesse , love m●…nesse , wisdom , humility , gentlenesse , patience , and all the graces of the spirit : he that hath inward beauty , and yet wants the outward , is likened to the vine , which being a poore , crooked , deformed tree to the eye , yet bringeth forth grapes and wine fit for kings . the eighth objection . the narazites wore long haire numb . . . . now had it been sinfull , unnaturall , or no ornament to them , god would never have commanded it &c. a. this is a chief argument with some men , but being weighed in the ballance , it will be found too light . for , absolomo . beza . . it appeares by this , that the jewes did not nourish their haire , else what need this speciall command to the nazarits to do it , if it had been ordinary with them to weare long haire ? . god is agens liberrimum , and by his royall soveraignty , and absolute power over our bodies , soules , goods and lives ; he may command an abraham to sacrifice his isaac , and the israelites to spoyle the egyptians , and solomon to make cherubins : god , that made the law , can dispense with his owne law , and may command nazarites to nourish their hair , which others that have no such command , may in no wise do , and therefore it is a manifest non-sequitur , because god commanded the nazarites to nourish their haire ; therefore that we may doe so still , it doth not follow . for , . they had gods speciall command to nourish their haire , numb . . . which none amongst us have , but rather prohibitions : now an extraordinary case will not maks an ordinary rule . . this was typicall , as we see in sampson , who was a nazarite , and a type of christ , both in his * birth , life and death : now christ the substance being come , the shadowes and ceremonies are gone . . if we will follow the nazarites , we must never poll our heads , for though the nazarite by vow was to cut off his locks when his vow was at an end , yet the nazarite by birth , as sampson , might never be shorne . . non sequitur , because god commanded the nazarites to nourish their haire , therefore it was an ornament to them , for god commanded many externall rites under the law , which yet were no ornaments to the body : what beauty did circumcision bring to the body ? or the shaving of the levites ? numb . . it signified rather a neglect of outward ornament , or bodily adorning . . suppose it had been an ornament to the nazarites , who had gods speciall command for what they did ; yet doth it not follow , that therefore it is an ornament to us who have no such command ? i shall conclude this point with the words of that * man of god ; a man famous in his generation for his industry and piety . this disguised wearing of long haire ( saith he ) is a foule abuse . i think there are few of them that will defend themselves by the practice of the nazarites ; if they did , yet the world would convince them , as being ( for the most part ) farthest off from the strict worship of god , and sincere walking after his will , as the nazarites did : if they do not also mock and scorn those that embrace it . methinks it is strange , and argueth somewhat more than common for the badnesse of it , that among many changes of corrupt english fashions , worne out and expired ; yet this unnaturall fashion ( as s. paul calls it ; for a man to weare long haire , hath survived them all : i know some nourish it for amorus lightnes of mind , others as a supposed ornament to their person , or mark of gentry , or ( at least ) imitation of gentlemen . these ( as i thinke ) might more wisely forbeare it now ( seeing it is become the fashion & habit of the basest swaggerers and ruffians , and the devils mark which he hath set upon many that will not be reformed ) than at the first , when they used it either as an ensigne or an ornament . it was the speech of a worthy and reverend judge of the land , that the use of the long lock was first taken up by branded fellowes for a cover of their shame : and that honourable person in his circuit , sitting in the place of justice , against malefactors , practised according to the former observation , commanding all whom he saw beset with deformed haire , to be immediately cut or shorne , whether to discover their ear-mark , or to shame their unseemly guise , i know not ; and yet many of them ( farre enough from nazarites , all may think ) set as much by their haire as if they had put religion therein &c. thus he . the ninth objection . christ was a nazarite , and wore long haire : this appears by ancient popish painters , who pictured christ very beautifully , with fine haire , very long , lying on his shoulders ; and from mat. . ult . he shall be called a nazarene . answ. . for christs externall beauty , it is contray to two plaine texts of scripture , isaiah . and . . his outward appearance was so exceeding mean & contem pible ( more than the ordinary fashion of the sons of men ) as that those who beheld it , were astonished to see such a majesty shrouded in so plaine and homely an out-side . . it is very probable ( if not certaine ) that christ wore short haire for these reasons : . christ could not sinne against nature , for there was no sinne found in him . . the apostle durst not have said it had been a shame , and uncomely to have long haire , if christ himselfe had worn it long . . christ was no nazarite ( though he was of nazareth , or a nazarene in respect of habitation , and of his education in the city of nazareth , hence he is called a nazarene , ( math. . ult . ) but not a nazarite . and this appeares , . because he drunk wine and strong drink ( mat. . . luke . . ) which no nazarite might doe . numb . . . . . he touched the dead , which was unlawfull for the nazarite to do . . though he was no nazarite in the letter and ceremony , yet in the morality and truth of the thing , he was the onely perfect nazarite ; never any so temperate , so active in preaching , praying , doing , and suffering for us : obj. we read of christs locks , cantic . . . and . . thy locks are bushy ( or curled ) and black as a raven . a. the whole book of the canticles is an high allegory , of which this is one straine . now similitudes and allegoricall speeches , make no grounded arguments : christ is called a vine , yet doth it not follow that therefore he is a naturall vine , so ( cant. . . ) he is said to have threescore queenes , and fourscore concubines , yet doth it not follow that therefore polygamy , or the keeping of concubines is lawfull . . we may not so expound one place of scripture , as to make it contradict another : now if you take this text in the letter , you will make christ to wear bushy , curled , beautifull locks , and so it would contradict many other places of scripture , which condemne long hair and curling of the locks : pet. . , . and . . besides , it is said of christ , that for outward beauty he had none . isaiah . . . 't is an allusion of the nazarites , who ( according to the law ) did weare long haire : now christ being a nazarite in the truth of the thing , though not in the letter , is said to have locks in a spirituall sense , viz. to expresse that spirituall beauty , might and strength which was in him , and not to countenance curling or crisping of the haire , which the scripture generally condemns . the tenth obj. there are none but a few precise fooles which condemne long haire they are a pack of grossum caputs , scrupulous ingnoramusses , and selfe-conceited melancolico's , who stumble at straws and leap over blocks , who love to contend de lana caprina , and make much adoe about a matter of nothing : they have no scripture , no ancient fathers , no moderne divines that ever condemned long hair , t is a meere figment of their own inventing . ans. this is their last refuge , i see , and that makes you so fierce . they were not a few nor were they fooles that have t●…stified against long haire ; but they were men famous in their generations , for wisdome and for piety , as moses , isaiah , ezekiel , paul , austin jerom many synods , besides those renowned lights of our own age , calvin , polanus junius perkins , reynolds , rogers , &c. we have a cloud of witnesses against you . . the nourishing of long haire is not so small a matter as you imagine . is it a small matter to sinne against the light of nature , against the word of god , and the example of his choisest servants ? we may esteeme nothing little that is offensive to god , or a breach of his commands : christ tells us ( mathew . . ) that of what rank or degree soever he be , that shall by doctrine or practise transgresse the least of gods commands , he shall be of no account in gods church here , nor have any part in heaven : and ( to speak properly ) there is n●… sin in its owne nature considered that is † small , because there is no small god to sin against , no small price paid for sin , & no little punishment due to sin , for the wages of sin , be it great or small , is death , rom. . . the least missing of the marke is an error as well as the greatest , & both alike for kinde , though not for degree . hence god hath severely punished disobedience in small matters , as eating a forbidden apple , looking into the arke , gathering a few sticks on the sabbath day , lots wife for looking back , &c. besides , the slighting of little sinnes makes way for greater ; the devill desires but little at first , he would have you but taste of his broth ( isaiah . . ) for then he knowes ere long you will eat of his beefe : if then the wearing of long haire be a sinne , as the arguments make it clear to any unprejudiced man ; beware of venturing on it , left by your wilfull breach of one of gods commands , at last you come to make conscience of none at all , james . . he that seemes to keepe the whole law , and yet willingly allowes himselfe in the breach of one , he performes true obedience to none , as herod : the bond of all is broken , the authority of all is sleighted , and that evill disposition that causeth a man to venture on the breach of one , will ( when offered ) venture on the breach of any . i shall conclude with the words of a learned and laborious gentleman : that which is most suitable to nature , to the condition of our sex , and the custome of our country , and and doth most adorne , commend , and beautifie us in the eyes of god , and of the best , the wisest , and greatest part of men , that is most beautifull and commendable ; but short haire , or hair of a moderate , ordinary , grave and decent length , is most suitable and proportionable to nature , to the condition of our sex , and custome of our country , ( to all which long haire is contrary ) therefore short haire is most beautifull and commendable , both in the sight of god , and of the best , wisest , gravest and greatest part of men , who approve it as the best and comeliest weare , both in their judgement and practise , &c. i have now but one word of exhortation and admonition , suffer that to prevaile with you , and i have done . . let me in the bowels of love and tendernesse , beseech those that are young , especially such as intend to ministry , to take heed of getting ( now in their tender yeares ) a habit of pride levity and vanity , lest sin and satan , at last plead prescription ; oh that they would consider how hard it is to break an evill custome , jer. . . a blackmore may as soone change his skin , and a leopard his spots , as those who are accustomed to do evill , can learn to doe well : besides , these are times of lamentation and sore affliction ; and therefore as gods people , in times of great griefe , were wont to poll their heads , and cut off their haire . job . . ezek. . . micha . . so should we in this day of jacobs trouble , cut off our proud effeminate locks , and give up our selves to mourning before the lord for all the abominations of these licentious times . consider that long haire is now become a nationall sinne , and therefore the more like to bring nationall plagues . remember what befel long-hair'd absolom , sam. . . who was hanged in his owne haire , that wherein he chiefly gloried , being made by god the instrument of his ruine . consider , how god threatneth to wound the head of his enemies , and the hairy pates of such as go on still in their sin . psal . . lastly , consider how long haire debaseth a man , and argue , either levity & lasciviousness , or cruelty and rudeness , comam nutrire apud antiquos in viris mollitiei aut ferocia argumentum habebatur . d. reynolds in apochu : king iames counselling his son , adviseth him not to make a foole of himselfe , in disguising , or wearing long haire , or nailes which are but excrements of nature , and bewray such mis-users of them to be their vindictive , or vaine , light naturalls . . you that are more ancientand superiours as magistrates , ministers , tutors , schoolmasters fathers , governors , &c. you are called forth to publick imployment , and have the eye of the world upon you : and therefore it concerns you in a speciall manner to observe the rules and bounds of modesty . gravity , humility and piety , in your habit , haire , and whole conversation , that your good example may become presidentiall to your inferiours , and you may teach them not onely by your words and directions , but also by your works and actions , which is the most prevailing rhetorick . . in all humility i beseech those grave and godly divines ( which in episcopall times were noted by the profane for their exact walking in this kind ) that they would retain their former gravity , humility , and gospel-simplicity in this particular that the eyes of gods jealousie ( who walks in the midst of his church ) may see nothing in us or ours to displease him ; but that we may all answer our gospel-light , with gospel-lives ; and our gospel-principles with gospel-conversations , that he may delight to dwell in the midst of us , and be our god and guide for ever ; that the wicked may be no longer hardned , the weak offended the godly grieved , nor gods glorious name dishonoured by us or 〈◊〉 . coronis . vereor in hoc vitio plura dicere propter quosdam crinitos fratres , quornm praeter hoc multa & penè omnia veneramur ; sed quò magis eos in christo diligimus , eò solicitius admonemus , neque metuimus ne humilitas eorū respuat admonitionem , nostrā quando quidem & nos à talibus ubi fortè titubamus aut aberramus , cupimus admoneri , &c. hoc ergò admonemus tam sanctos viros , ne stultis vanorum hominum argumentationibus moveantur , & eos in hac perversitate imitentur , quibus in caeteris longe sunt dissimiles . aug. de opere mon. c. . adeò sibi daemon in cincinnis placet , ut cincinnatuli nomen aliquando usurpârit , &c. ite nunc adolescentes , ite nobiles , capillos religate , inungite , crispate . ite nova gloria daemonum , inferorum deliciae ; vos ille amat , ad vestrum nomen exultat ac gestit : prostituite pudorem ac formam . decalvabit dominus verticem filiarum sion , & erit pro crispanti crine calvitium . isa. . facessant ergò ista virorum opprobria , mascula virtutis dedecora , nobilissimi sexûs maculae , libidimis testis , infamiae nota , ab equis & armis ad colum & pensa trudantur . cornel. a lapide in levit. , : ut vestium nulla certa forma christianis est praescripta , ita not capillorum ; in utrisque tamen lex humilitatis , modestiae , prudentiae spiritualis , & aedificationis proximi observanda est , quam qui transgreditur , non leviter deo displicere , conscientiam laedere , fratrem infirmuns , pro quo christus mortuus est , offendere judioandus . revius de usu capillitii . p. . finis . an appendix containing divers reasons and arguments against painting , spots , naked backs , breasts , arms , &c. together with a discovery of the nakedness , madness , and folly of the adamits of our time , a refutation of all their cavills , and removing of all those fig-leaves , under which they would hide themselves . jerem. . 〈◊〉 though thou paintest thy face with colours , yet shalt thou trim thy self in vain ; fer thy lovers will abhor thee and seek thy life . deut. . . their spot is not the spot of my people . hosea . , . let her put away her whoredomes out of her sight , and her adulteries from between her breasts , lest i strip her naked , and set her as in the day when she was borne . veritas per se placet , honesta per se decent , falsa fucis , turpia phaleris indigent . london , printed by j. g. for nathanael webb and william grantham at the signe of the bear in s. pauls church-yard near the little north door . . to the courteous readers , especially to those of the female sex. gentlewomen , lest you should think your selves wholly forgotten , having done with the long locks of men , i shall now adde a word , and but a word , concerning the vanities and exorbitancies of many women , in painting , patching , spotting and blotting themselves . i shall do nothing out of any soure or discontented humour , but solely and singly out of love to your soules , wishing you eternall welfare , &c. . 't is observed , that some women are not content with their native beauty , but they adde painting and colouring of their faces , breasts , &c. to inamour and ensnare others , and to kindle a fire and flame of lust in the hearts of those who cast their eyes upon them ; and so not onely labour to undoe themselves , but their spectators also , contrary to gods commands , who wills us to seek the salvation , and not the destruction of our neighbour . this practice of artificial painting and colouring the body , that people may seeme that which indeed they are not , is sinfull and abominable , and that for these reasons . . in respect of the authour of it ; who was that ? it was the devil ( say the ancient fathers who did at first teach lewd women this art of painting and colouring their haire and faces ; without all doubt the devil was a great assistant to the first inventors of it . * jerom sayes , that the painted face is not a member of gods making , but of the devils marring . haec non sunt membra quae deus fecit , sea quae diabolus infecit . . as it is evill in respect of the authour , so also in respect of its roote , it springs from the root of pride ; that they might excell others , and be admired for their beauty , they invent artificiall formes and favours , to set upon their bodies and faces by painting : what is this but implicitly , and interpretatively to reprehend gods workmanship , and to goe about to correct the same which must needes be highly displeasing to him ? . it is the badge of an harlot , rotten posts are painted , and gilded nutmegs are usually the worst . we read but of one in all the word of god that ever painted her selfe , and that was wicked iesabell , kings . . no wonder then , that they are ranged among harlots , who follow their guise , ezekiel . . when people intend to set or let their houses , they use to paint them ; though i dare not say they are all harlots that paint ; yet this i may safely say , they have the harlots badge , and their chastity is questionable ; and therefore let all who would be accounted modest matrons , abhorre it ; it becomes not the spouse of christ to go in the harlots guise . . it 's contrary to the simplicity of the gospell , which forbids all gayish attire , and sinfull gu●…ses . tim. . , . pet. . . and if they may not adorne themselves with gold silver , and ( which yet in some cases are lawfull ) much less with painting , which is utterly unlawfull . the beauty of gods people is an inward beauty ( ps. . . ) consisting in holiness , humility , meeknss , modesty , mercy , &c. no matter what the skin , or out-side be , so it be well within . the people of god must not contend with the people of the world about fashions , indulgence in such cases cannot stand with sincerity . . lying is unlawfull ; but this painting and disguising of faces , is no better than dissimulation and lying ; they teach their faces to lye , and to shew what it is not ; and so by deceiving others , at last they deceive themselves , getting deformity instead of beauty , losing that true beauty which they have by nature , by their medicines and mineralls , oft making their faces to wrinkle , their colour pale , oft poyson their skin , and dimme their ey-sight , &c. thus they that follow lying vanities , forsake their owne mercies ; we are oft commanded to walke before the lord in sincerity and truth ; but in painting is neither sincerity nor truth , nothing but cousening & deceit : christ says , math. . . no man can make one haire white or black , but those by their diabolicall art , can make black haire white , and white haire black . . it is scandalous , and of evill report amongst gods people , it grieves the godly , and hardens the wicked : we never read in all the book of god , of any saint that did ever thus paint and spot themselves ; and therefore let every one be content with those favours and features which the most wise god hath given them , esteeming that complexion to be best for them , be it what it will be , either better or worse ; for if we may not blend our wares , much lesse may we go about to change our countenances ; and if a curious workman cannot endure to have his work controuled , think we that god will beare it at our hands ? . such painting will not be able to endure the fire of gods wrath . jer. . . especially it will off at the fire of the great day . obj. the great objection is , they paint , and spot themselves , to adorne themselves , and make themselves lovely in the eyes of men : if they want husbands , this ( say they will be a meanes to allure them : if they have husbands , this will help to please them , according to that cor. . . the married woman careth how she may please her husband . a. . they are but sorrily adorned who adorne themselves with sinne , as if one should go tumble in some filthy kennell , thinking thereby to make himselfe more comely : now sinne is called mire , filth , folly , a blot , pollution , dung , death , &c. . we should rather study how to please god , by walking in wayes of modesty and piety , than sinfull man by walking in wayes of pride and vanity . such as make it their work to please men are not the servants of christ gal. . . the ground of this painting , is man-pleasing ; and if the apostle would not study man-pleasing in antiquated ceremonies , which yet had their rise from god , why then should any be solicitous to please men in such things as have their rise from the devil ? . the apostle would have women to please their husbands in all lawfull , honest , modest wayes , but not by sinfull , immodest , lustfull guises ; let them be as carefull as they please , to please their husbands in all that good is , and without guile : for as servants must observe their masters commands onely in the lord , so wives must observe their husbands commands no further than may stand with gods glory , remembring they have an husband in heaven . and if they themselves would not be cheated so as to take an old , painted , deformed man , instead of a fair , lovely man , why should they goe about to put such fallacies on men , that themselves cannot endure ? true , a man or woman may cover a naturall defect by lawfull meanes ; but by no meanes may they set a new face , or forme on the body , for this were dissembling , which is condemned in deedes , as well as in words . . whereas they doe these things to get them husbands ; if their naturall comelinesse will not set them out , then are they meere cheaters and deceivers , that so make themselves to be that by dressing , which they are not by nature ; & they are foolish men that judge of the fitnesse of women to make them wives by their outward painting and attire , and not by the persons gifts and graces . . painting is so farre from making honest husbands love their wives , that it makes them loath them : and if men cannot love their wives , because god commands them so to do , much lesse will they love them for their painting and patching ; and therefore women that are deform'd in body , should labour by their piety , humility and modesty , to win their husbands , and not by pride and vanity , which will be bitrernesse in the end . arguments against naked backs and breasts , &c. for naked backs , breasts , armes &c. the very naming of this is confutation sufficient to modest persons : yet since we are rational creatures , and must have our judgements convinced before the affections will yeild : i shall therefore produce some reasons against this immodest fashion , too common in all places . . this laying out of naked breasts , &c. is a temptation to sinne , both in the actor , and the vaine spectator , and so is the breach of the seventh commandement ; where ( under that great sinne ) all lesser sinnes , and all provocations to lust , are forbidden : now naked breasts are temptations and known provocations to uncleannesse : hence the lord complaines of adulteries between the breasts . hosea . . let her put away her whoredomes out of her sight , and her adulteries from btweene her breasts . alluding in this phrase ( say the late learned annotators ) to unchast women and adultere●…les , who set out their breasts to allure lovers . whores use to discover their filthinesse much in their breasts , eith●…r in the nakednesse of their breasts , or in those ornaments that they hung about their breasts , as they were wont to doe in those countries , for the inticing of their lovers : nor hath this adultery of the breasts , in the nakednesse of them , been condemned only by the people of god , but even by * heathens , who did not onely cover their heads , but their faces also , that their nakedness might not appear ; and shall christians fall short of heathens ? that which is the bedlams madness , and the beggars misery , viz. nakednesse , that is the whores pride , and the strumpets glory : it is an ill signe , when people are more curious and carefull to adorne their bodyes , than their soules . to be excessively carefull about the haire and the skinne , and those parts that draw the eyes ; this is crimen prostitutionis , the sinne of a prostitured whore ( if we may believe * tertullian ) pious matrons are modest : it is onely light ones , and such as are for sale , that thus invite customers , by setting open their shop windowes . god hath given us clothes wherewith to cover our bodyes in a decent , modest , frugall manner , hos. . . i gave them wool and flax to cover their nakednesse : sinne hath made nakednesse shamefull , so that now it needs a cover . hence nakenesse is reckoned as a curse , deut. . . but affected nakednesse is a curse with a witnesse , even monstrous pride ; and therefore great is the folly of those , who have their garments made on such a fashion , that their necks and breasts are in great part left naked ; a sinfull and abominable practise ! for sinne hath so horribly stained and d●…siled our whole bodies , and covered them with shame , that if it were possible , and necessity would permit it , the whole body , both face and hands , should all be covered : hence god hath made garments to cover our naked bodies ( gen. . . . ) which must be wholly covered , leaving onely our hands and faces open and bare for necessity sake . it is true , nakednesse , before the fall , was an ornament and glory to our first parents , they were free from sinne , and so from shame ; genes . . . they were both naked and were not ashamed ; such purity , simplicity , and perfection was in body and soule , that they found no unwholsomenesse or uncomelinesse in this condition . but now , since the fall , nakednesse is become a curse , and a reproach : hence adam ( after the fall ) seeing himselfe naked fled from the presence of god , and hid himselfe for very shame ( gen. . . getting fig-leaves to cover his nakednesse . great then is the immodesty and impudency of those who glory in their shame , and lay open many parts of their bodies more than need requires . but above all , fie on those filthy adamites , & impudent fly blown kind of anabaptists , who think cloths are a curse , and are given to man for a punishment of sinne , and are badges of his sinne : but now by christ they are restored to that originall purity and perfection , which adam had in the state of innocency , and therefore they will go naked as he then did : hence it is , that the men and women pray naked together , heare the word and celebrate the sacrament naked . this is an old heresie , broached before s. austins time , in the yeare . above yeares agoe , yet now it begins to spring up amongst us under the name of new-light , and some , both men and women ( given up to a reprobate sense ) in many parts of the land , are come to that heighth of atheisticall impudency , and desperate rantisme , that they are are not ashamed to appeare in the publique ( naked . ) but if some speedy and speciall course be not taken , to punish such abominations ; god ( who will by no meanes acquit the wicked ) will certainly punish us , and strip us naked , as in the day when we were born ( hos. . . ) and will make us as notorious for his judgements , as ever we have been for blessed for covering their fathers nakednesse , ( gen. . . . ) then they must expect a curse , who uncover their owne . but to discover the folly of these men , or rather * beasts , i will put what they say into a syllogisme , thus : those who are as pure as adam in the state of innocency , need no cloathin●…g this is granted . but the adamits of our time are as pure as adam in the state of innocency : that is denyed ; for it can never be made good : yea , the * swearing , lying , whoring , and open prophanenesse of this sect , declares their impiety , and not their innocency to the world . it is true indeed , that in one sense they are like adam , and may fitly be called adamits , viz. for their sin , rebellion , and apostatizing from god as adam did , like sons of adam they transgress the covenant , and hide their sins as he did &c. but for any goodness , it is far from them . . for fuller satisfaction , we must consider man in a three-fold estate . i. in the state of integrity before the fall , and so he was without sinne or shame , and had no need of cloathing . ii. consider him in his lapsed and fallen condition , and so he is full of sinne and shame , and hath great need of cloathing . . for necessity , to preserve our bodies in life and health , to save from the pinching cold and parching heat . . for honesty , to hide and cover the deformity of our naked bodyes ; therefore so soone as ever adam and eve had fallen , god gave them cloathing : gen. . . and in this respect , christ himselfe , though he were truly righteous , and had no sinne , yet went he not naked , but shewed his respect to modesty and common honesty . and if the apostle would not suffer a woman to come with a naked uncovered head into the assembly ( corinth . . . ) much lesse would he suffer her to come stark naked among them : yea , though we be regenerate , & have our inward man cloathed with christ's righteousnesse , yet since our regeneration ( as all our other graces ) is but in part ; and we still carry about us a body of sin and so are obnoxious unto shame ; therefore we have , and still shall have , neede of cloathing in this world , both for necessity and common honesty . iii. consider man in the state of glorification , as free from sinne and misery , and so they shall have no need of cloathing , but shall be like the angels , and shall shine as the sun in the kingdome of their father . yet since these men are not mad without some shew of scripture and reason , i shall briefly answer their cavils . obj. . isaiah ( say they ) prophesied three years naked , isa. . , , . . saul coming amongst the prophets , prophesied naked . . so micah . . . peter . john . . answ. divers answers are given . . some conceive that this was not really done by the prophet , 't was onely a propheticall vision , as hosea . , . which might be represented in a moment , like ezekiel his lying on each side so many dayes , and eating dung : ezek. . . . for it is not probable ( say they ) that the lord would command the prophet to doe such an immodest thing , as to go up and downe and preach publiquely three years stark naked : besides , how could he endure the extremities of heat and cold ? &c. . others conceive , and that upon better grounds , that this was really done , how else could he be a signe and wonder to them ? ver . . not that the prophet went stark naked , the text doth not say so ; it onely saith ( ver . . ) goe loose the sackoloath from off thy loynes , and thy shooe from thy foot , and he did so . god bids him onely put off his propheticall robe , or mantle ; he must put off his upper garment , which was sackcloth , or some other rough garment which the prophets used to weare in those dayes . kings . . zech. . . mathew . . but it cannot be proved , that he put off that garment which was next his skinne . he was indeed to goe stript as a prisoner , or captive , who were not wont to be led stark naked , but ill cloathed , in single and sorry suits : and thus the word naked is commonly used in scripture , viz. when a man goeth in his inner rayment onely , without his upper garment . thus saul prophesying , is said to put off his cloathes , that is , his upper garments : sam. . . for it cannot be imagined , that he prophesied stark naked , it being so unseemly a thing , and against the law and light of nature , since the fall. . a more genuine answer is given , viz. that saul , before the spirit of prophesie came upon him , had on him his warlike attire , where with he went out to pursue david ; but when the spirit came upon him , then he put off his military habit , and went in the attire of a prophet , and so prophesied . thus ( mic. . . ) the prophet , to expresse his deepe humiliation , went stript and naked , that is , he was stript of his prophets weede , and upper garments , as they used to goe in times of great sorrow , isa. . . the women must strip themselves , i. e. they must put off their bravery and best apparell , and gird on sackcloth . so peter ( john . . ) girt his fishers * coat to him , for he was naked ; he was not wholly naked before , but he put upon him an upper coat ( for he was clad after the manner of fishers , with some close inner garment onely ) and having girt it to him , out of an earnest desire to come to christ , he cast himselfe into the sea. . i answer , by way of concession ; should we grant that isaiah prophesied three yeares stark naked ; yet will it not follow , that therefore our libertines may take the like liberty ( unlesse they meane to starve themselves ) for what the prophet did here , he did by speciall command from god , and for a speciall end , as appeares ver . , . god bids him go loose the sackcloth from off thy loynes , &c. he hath a command and commission for what he did : when any can shew the like speciall command they may doe the like . . he did it but once ; now one swallow doth not make a spring , nor doth one action denominate . seven arguments against spots , and black-patches ( worn for pride ) on the face , &c. as for spots and black-patches on the face , back , breast , &c. which some call beauty-spots ( the devil loves to put fine names on foule things ) we may call them base and beastly-spots , the spots of the proud , wanton , idle droans of the world . let such consider , . that these spots are not the spots of gods children : deut. . . these are not spots of infirmity , but spots of malignity and rebellion ; they are proud , and they will be so ; they are spotted , and spotted they will be , in despight of all the ministers in the world . these are leprosie-spots , not beauty-spots , spots that defile and debase , but no whit adorne the wearers of them . such spots , many times , are the husbands blots . christs spouse knowes no such spots , cant. . . she is wholly fair , and there is no spot ( of wilfull pride or vanity ) in her : her modest , grave , and plaine attire we must follow , and not the fashion of every vaine fantastick person . . consider , if the plague-spots appeare on a person , or a garment be infected with it , we will not come nigh them ; but these spots are worse , for those are but spots of punishment , by which god is glorified ; but these are spots of pride and vanity , by which god is dishonoured , his name blasphemed , and religion scandalized , especially if they be professors , such as penne sermons , and sit before the lord as his people ; it were well if such would lay downe their pennes , and pull off their patches , either professe lesse , or practise more ; for as jacob complained of his sonnes , that by their cruelty and treachery , they had made him odious , and to stinke in the nostrills of the nations amongst which he lived ; so these make religion to be abhorred ; they are spots in our fasts , and blots in our feasts , ( jude . pet. . . ) the botches of christian society . . this is a conforming our selves to the sinfull fashions of the age we live in , contrary to rom , . . fashion not your selves like to this world ; and at our baptisme we openly renounced all the pomps and vanities of the world , of which this spotting is one . . christians must not onely shun evil , but they must also shun the appearance of evill , thes. . . they must hate , not onely the garments , but the faces also that are spotted , with the flesh ; jude . they must keep themselves , not onely unblotted , but also unsported of the world ; many will shun the grosse blots , but we must shun the lesser spots of the world . james . . . such cannot worship god , or pray to him with comfort : with what a face 〈◊〉 such a one come into the presence of t●…e most h●…ly god , whose eyes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of fi●… to c●…sume them , & his feet as brasse ( rev. . , . ) to break in pieces those that carry such ensignes of pride and vanity in their faces , backs , and breasts ? and though they should pray , yea , and make many prayers , yet god will not heare , so long as they walk in wayes of rebellion against him . isa. . . . by thy evill example thou infectest others , thy pride makes others proud , thy painting and patching makes young ones doe so , to the endangering of their chastity ; for though some young ones , for the present , may be chaste ( being led to this folly by the example of their superiours , by fond education , or the iniquity of the times ) yet few , or none that practice this nakednesse , painting , &c. being of yeares of discretion , but give just cause of jealousie and suspition : we should rather study to be patterns of piety ●…o others ; and as our predecessors were carefull of their walking , that they might be exemplary to us , so we should be carefull of our ways , that we might be exemplary to others ; for when we are in our graves , yet our examples live , and may be presidentiall to others for good , as the example of the wicked is for evill . it was the glory of the primitive christians , that by their innocence , patience , unity , and purity of life , they made the very heathen to adore and admire their god , saying , [ o how holy is that god which hath such holy followers ! ] . this monstrous pride is ever a forerunner of destruction , as we see in the woman of judah a little before the captivity . isa. . . to . god is the same still , and hates pride as much in england as ever he did in israel . he that punished painted iesabel , who was cast out at a window in the midst of her pride , and eaten up with doggs , will not suffer the proud dames of our time to go unpunished , unlesse by speedie humiliation and amendment , they prevent it , isaiah . , , &c. the prophet numbring up their severall trinkets , and parts of their pride , descends to shew how the lord would reward them in a meet proportion : instead of their costly perfumes and sweet smells , they should have stinke ; to wit , most noysome and loathsome savours in their siege , and in the cabins and holes , whither they that escaped should be thrust in their captivity , or where they should be glad to hide themselves . instead of their brave and costly girdles , they should have rends ; that is , they should go in tatters and raggs , as poore beggars having never a whole coat to their backs . instead of dressing of haire , to wit , of all their frizling , crisping , curling , laying out their haire , their perukes , the hanging downe of their locks , or tufts , or whatsoever they had , they should have baldnesse , when they had torne off their haire through the extremity of misery . and instead of their rich and costly stomachers and attires , to set them forth , they should be glad of sackcloath , sackcloath in token of humiliation , sackcloath to cover their shame , and burning instead of beauty . that beauty of theirs , which they had so abused , it should now be painted with another die ; it should be tanned and burnt with the sun , like the hu●… of the black-moores . brinsly on ezek. . p. , . coronis . si pictor egregius pinxisset imaginē , & alius plebeius ei alios colores injiceret , pictor sanè excandesceret : ita deus naturae opifex & pictor jure irascitur , quòd ejus naturam & sapientiam accusetis inscitiae , ipsùmque creatorem damnetis imbecilitatis . nolite ergo dei corrumpere imaginem , neque tentatis ea addere , quae sapienter non dedit , neque hanc adulterinam excogitare pulchritudinem , quae vel pudicis affert excidium , vel videntibus insidias . theodor. in vitis patrum . indignum est christiano faciem fictam gestare , cui simplicitas indicitur ; effigiem mentiri , cui linguam non licet ; appetere quod datum non sit , cui studium pudicitiae est : quomodo praecepta dei custodientis , lineamento dei non custodientes ? tertul. de habitu mulier . non metuis quae talis es , ne cū resurrectionis dies venerit , artifex tuus te non recognoscat & adsua praemia & promissa venientem removeat & excludat ? increpans vigore censoris & judicis dicat : hoc opus meum non est , nec imago haec nostra est , cutem falso medicamine polluisti , crinem adultero colore mutâsti , expugnata est mendacio facies , figura corrupta est , vultus alienus est , deum videre non poteris , quando oculi tui non sunt , quos fecit deus , sed quos diabolus infecit . cyprian de habitu virginum . consule locum , ibi quàmplurimas invenies sacras margaritas . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a most loathsome and horrible disease in the haire , unheard of in former times ; bred by moderne luxury & excess . it seizeth speci ally upon women ; and by reason of a viscous venomous humour , glues together ( as it were ) the haire of the head with a prodigious ugly implication and intanglement ; sometimes taking the forme of a great snake , sometimes of many little serpents : full of nastiness , vermin , and noysome smell : and that which is most to be admired , and never eye saw before , pricked with a needle , they yeild bloody drops . and at the first spreading of this dreadfull disease in poland , all that cut off this horrible and snaky haire , lost their eyes , or the humour falling downe upon other parts of the body ; turned them extremely mr. bolton in his four last things , p. . out of hercules sanonia , a famous professor of physique in padua . notes for div a -e oportet concionatorem esse reliquis exemplar temperantia & modestiae . syno . holland . ministros prae caeteris apostolus voluit ab hoc levitatis exemplo alienos esse , q eos oporteat reliquis fidelibus enemplar esse pudicitiae & gravitatis . hieron ad nepotian . ubi sublimior est praerogativa , ibi major est culpa . salv. de gub. dei , l. . ubi pluta . plutarch saith it was the schoolmaster that he beat . in llib virt . doceri posse . quintilian relateth the like of crates . inst. l. . c. . gipps fast ser. on psal. . . p. . difficile est satyram non scribere . nam quis iniquae tam patiens urbis , tam ferreus ut teneat se ? juvan . sat. . the arminians , socinians , anabaptists , &c. have said much for this way ; yet the truth ( with all sound unprejudiced men ) prevailes still . the good man may want a disputative knowledge , yet he hath sapidam scientiam , a savory knowledge , and can die for the truth , when he cannot dispute for it : perswade a man that which he tusts is bitter , perhaps he cannot answer all you say , but yet by his taste he knows the thing is sweete : so though a good man cannot answer all the devills sophistry , yet still hoe holds the conclusion firme , t is good for me to walke with god. * diatriba theologica de capillis constans dicputatione textuali ad cor. . . cui suffragantur d. voetius & d. hornebeck . theolog. professores . ne jupiter quidem omnibus placet . prov. pro captu lectoris habent sua fata libelli . * nostri tenent , sub prolixis capillis intrinsecam latere malitiam . salmas . dialog . de coma : p. . quia major totius quam partis ist habenda ratio . pugn●… cum monstro à s●…ipso g●…to . cum capilli dati ●…nt à deo tum ad tutelam , tum ad ornatum capitis , ipsa ratio docet ab ●…lsione capillorum & rasur●… ( nisi gravis aliqua necessitas eam postulet ) abstinendum esse . dematius . licet breviores caput tegant adversus a●…ris injurias , minimè tamen velaminis muliebris usum praestant . idem . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salmas . dialog . de coma . p. . tum esse tondendum capillum cū capiti gravi●… est , aut functiones aliquas impedit 〈◊〉 ass●…nt . ●…icl . alienum est à fine propter quē comae hominibus datae sunt . d. voetius . qui nutrit capillos notabiliter infra cra●…ium descendentes , & capiti nullum adjumentum adferentes , peccat . demat. perkins on mat. . . in 〈◊〉 p. . a false , a counterfeit , and artificiall head or face , and an honest , upright , gracious heart , doe seldome , ( and if i am not much mista●…en ) never meete in one and the selfe . same person . pryn. ag . love. looks , ubi plura . p. . . &c. personall defects in nature or occasionall wants , as a man wants a leg , he may supply it with a wooden one ; but naturall defects , as wrinckling of the face , &c. may not be supplied by art. weems . on the th . commandement . non metuis quae talis es , ne cum resurrectionis dies venerit , artifex tuus te non ne cognoscat ? cyprian de discept . & habitu virginum , ubi plura . * see ainsw . on levit. . . jubetur tonsura non qualiseung ; sed strictior . demat. jussit decenter tonderi capita , & criues ad modum capitis , aequari . po●… in loc accuratè tondebunt . tigur : translat . non ●…runt rafis capitibus ut sacerdotes isidis atque serapis ; nec comam demittant , quod propriè est luxuriosorum , barbarorum & militantium . paraeus in loc . * forma rotunda est omnium figurarum perfectissima , capacissima , simplicissima , pu●… herrima . aristot. hor. serm. l. . sat. . bur. on hos. . , . p. . neque radunto prorsùs , neque studiose alunto caesariem , seu modestiam colunto , & mediocritatem prae se ferunto . trem. vide plura apud s. hieron . in locum . prohibuit de●… sacerdotes caesariem studiose alere , & jussie decenter tonderi capita , & crines in modum capitis aequari . polan . in lo●… . a facto ad ju●… non valet consequentia . lex naturae obligat omnes . brochmand . cc. tom. . c. . q. . ratio illius mandati permanet . jun. ratio ipsa dictaevit mollitiem spirare comam alere , non virtutem . aretius . v eliot's conversion of the indians , p. . and thorowgood the jewes in america . p. . ut non praestet fides quod praestitit infidelitas . hieron . see more pryn against love-locks . p. , , . a ded●…core , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignominia est . natura & ratio docent ignominiosum esse & contra decorum virum nutrire comam , non loquitur de co rupta natura , sed de vi & ordine dei quo agit in rebus à seconditis marlorat . ut mulier decus negligit , quando comas suas praescinait , & tanto quidem magis , quanto magis cas praescindit , &c. decori suo consulit quando eas nutrit , &c. sic vir dedecus sibi accersit ●…um promissos gestat capillos , & tanto quidem magis , quanto promissiores , &c. ab antithesi . coma mulieri gloriae , vi●…o dedecori . muscul. * adcò sibi daemon in cincinnis placet , ut cincinnaculus nomen daemon●… fuerit . a lap. in lev. . . the devils are called shegnarim , hirsuti . levit. . . hairy ones , because they appeared in the form of satyres , or wild goats . weemse on the th . commandement . * under this , all manlinesse is forbidden in women , and all effeminatenesse in men , either in their attire , or ordering of their haire . v. jacks . ad locum . in genere pudicitiam commendat , ubi periculo deus occurrit , ne mulier audaciam colligat excutiendae modestiae , aut vir in molliciem suá naturá indignam degeneret . calvin . a salutari ecclesiarū omnium & gener atim recepta consuciudine . sive contendendi , sive talia faciendi . hier. in comis ut in vestibu●… decorum . . voc●…tionis . . sexus . . nationis . alsted . de v. revium . usu capil . p. . . salmasius dialog . de coma p. cui astipulatur revius . p. . natura est rectae rationis judi●…ium ex instinctu naturae fluens . pet. mar. natura significat honestatem & decentiam naturalem , q. decentia illa & honestas à naturali rectae rationis judicio dictatur , aut ab inclinatione naturali , aut ab ordine à deo in natura constituto common stratur . alapide in loc . juris naturalis esse colligitur id quod apud omnes gentes , aut moratiores omnes tale esse vide●… . ●…otius de jure belli , l. . c. . s. . ubiplura . virile est tondere caput , idque , teste paulo , dictat sensus naturae . cal. in numer . . . naturam illis decori magist●… 〈◊〉 propourt . ca●… . in cor. . . loquitur de indecoro quod legi & naturae est contrarium . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faeditatem poti●… quam ignominiam significat . beza . hoc sub ratione peccati , illiciti & inhonesti vetat . demat. est quaedam indecentia quae peccat contra legem dei & ipsam naturam , viz. illa quae sexus confundit , iquos natura ipsa discriminavit . sal ▪ dialog . p. . tombs antipaedobap . p. . * communiter & per se significat nutrire comam , comatum esse , vel promissos alere capillos . scapula . calep. steph. budaeus , &c. see mr. leigh●… criticks on the word : ubi plura . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . capite comatos achivos . pise . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qui faciunt quae minimè conveniunt . natura viro breviores capillos quàm foeminae , ●…iamsi si quis finat excr●…seere . beza . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipitur pro qualicunque promisso capillitio communiter sive nunquā , sive aliquando tondeatur . non est restringendum ubi le●… non restringis . corripimus illos qui hoc uno vitio capillorum contra praeceptum apostolicum demissorum offendum & perturbant ecclesiā , &c. coguntur manifesta verba apostoli in perversam detorquere sententiā . august de opere m●…nachorum tribus ult . capit. diatriba theologica de capillis constans disput. text ad cor. . : d. reynolds , sin full of sin . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ne cōfiguremini ( i. e. ) no figuram mundi induatis , ut tales sitis qualis est mundus & mund●…ni ( i. e. ) vani , superbi , ambitio●… , terrena tantum quaerentes , non ●…lestia . à lap. * v. purch . pilg. l. . c. . &c. v. purch . pilgr . l. . c. . s. . p. . vanum cor vinitatis notam ing●…rit corpori , & exterior super fluitas iuterio is vanitatis est ma●…um . bern. stoughtons sacrifice on rom. . . p. . in quo quis peccat , in ●…o punitur , efferebat se pulchritudine comae , ergo fit laqueus . pet. mart. absoloms haire was absoloms pride : therefore absoloms haire ( as it is conceived ) was his halter ; and whilst he will needs spare the barber a labour , he also spares the hangman a labour . dyke . note . ab origine . qualis causa , talis effectus . deformitas vestium & capillorum , deformitatis mentis est indicium . principaliter & radicaliter in corde , operative & declarativè in capite . super bus fio quod nomen pessimum mihi crescere audio . luth. duo cum faciunt idem , non est idem . fas est ab hoste doceri . * from a root which signifies the haire of the head , or extraordinary ruffian-like-locks . v. caryl on job , &c. comam demittere propriè est luxuriosorum , barbarorum & militantium . hieron . v. d. reynolds censur . lib. apochryph . lect. . † isa. . . & . . purch . pilgrim . l. . c. . s. . verticem pili i e. pilosum , pro truculentis bominibus , ut qui prolixum capillitium gestare solebant . junius . mollities locustarum denotatur . nullus comatus , qui non sit cynaedus . syn. prolixi capilli signum mollis & effeminati enimi ; ideoque viros dedecent . ab inutili . lendium & pediculorum silvae . crinium copiae vires minuit , & quasi è corpore●… exugit . loricer . turc . hist. l. . c. . habitualiter & virtualiter ▪ zec. , , . voluit deus in populo suo barbam quasi virilitatis insigne apparere , barba enim virum indicat . à lapide in locum ubi plura . concil . carth. . can. . referente caran●…â . ascandalo . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. gravia , severa , honesta , verecunda i. e. quae talia sunt ut sanct â quadam gravitate vos exornent . à lap. ecce quales sunt qui christum colunt . salv. mr. nath : ward fluctuans , & tamen edens , conscientiam suam violat . & fi●… deum offend●…t . quod est damnabile . par. dum damnatur q●… quid non est ●…x si●…e . rejicitur q●… quid non est verb. dei suffu●… & approbatum . calv. a testimonio . ad exam●… theologicum in classibus , & ad ministerium non admittendos esse studiosos qui capillos promittunt . vide demat. parte a. thes. . in fine . notes for div a -e improbitas prae●…extu nunquam caret . a●…ist . see brooke 's remedy against satans devices . p. . &c. ornamentum est quod ornat , ornat autem quod honestiorem facit ; id autem non aurum , non smaragdus , non coccus , sed quaecunque gravitatis , pudoris & moderationis sp●…ciem praebent . cicer. hoc cum decor quidē videatur , multum habet deformitatis . stobaeus . gincinni non ornamēta sed crimina , lenociniae formae nō praecepra viriutis . am. l. . de virginit . fen. on the affect . p. . non est decorum quicquid placet carni , ita tamen corrupti sumus ut oculis magis quam mentis nostrae recto judicio serivamus muscul . ponderi vel radi turpe est mul●…eri ; qu●…a contra naturam . raven●… homo est inversus dec●…logus . job . . . trapp . crine tuo ( i ) crine tuo modestè & pudicè composito , & reducto procul ab occulis ; non autem projecto , et lascivè ex●…uberante , quod impudicarum est , junius in cant. . . quae nimium sese ornat , esto fit castissima , non caret tamen impudicitiae suspitione . a lapide . byfield on ●…t . . si tu te speciosiù●… co●…as , & p●…r publ●…ū notabilite●…●…ncedas , oculo●… in 〈◊〉 juven tutis ill●…cias , ut etsi ipsa non percas , alto●… tamen perdas & velut gladium te atque venenum videntibus praeferas , excusari non potes quasi mente casta sis & pudica ; redarguit te cultu●… improbus , & habitus impudicus . cypr. lib. de descript . & hab . virgin . ego non censco per se malum esse 〈◊〉 cap●…llos habere , quā rem ergo planè indiffer●…ntem statuo . salmasius dialog . de coma . p. . * v. bucan loc . s. , . polan . syntag. l. . . . quae vel expressè dei verbo praecipiuntur , vel cum dei verbo manifeste pugnant , &c. nō sunt res mediae & indifferentes bucan . fuge qui●…quid malè fuerit coloratum bern. nego res indifferentes esse , ubi ratio decori moralis , sive honesti ipsis accedit . dematius . ratione scandali dati , quae in se erat actio indifferens , fit mala per accidens . paraeus in rom. . dub. . ego non censeo per se malum esse capillos breves habere . salmas . di●…log . p . ambitio , superbia , luxus affect●…tio , & alia 〈◊〉 , non sunt res medioe . calvin . videndum est ●…o libe●…tas illae christian●… la●…ùs 〈◊〉 quam deus ex ensam volu●…t , ne fa●…sa libertatis specie ; jugum , quod deus nobis imposuit , excutiamus . demat. dimittendum est propter scandalū omne quod potest praetermitti salvâ●… iplic●… veritate i e. vitae , justitiae & doctrinae . a quinas a . ae . q. . art . . * bonae res neminem scandaliza●…t uisi malam mentem . tertul. pharisaeis i. e. praefeactis vel malitiose insidiantibus nibil largiendum , ut christiana liberta incolumis servetur . bucan . nihil boni aus liciti est omittcudum propter scandalum acceptum hominum pharisaico ingenio pr●…ditorum . ames . cc. l. . c. . s. . quodvis vitato peccatum , etiam leviusoulum , quo proximus tuus offendi potest . brochm . the brittains paint themselves , weare long haire ; ten or twelve of them together use their wives in common , brethren with brethren , and parents with children . cam. brit. p. . argumentum turpissimum est turba . sen. * vixit , non aetate unâj sed multis , non cu●… bonis , sed cum hominibus corruptissimis . junius . asiam nunquam vidisse nulla laus , verùm summa laude dignum siquis pudicè & piè in asia vixerit . magna faelicitad tis est à faelicitate non vinci . improbitas aliena nequaquam dabet nos facere improbos . salv. ubi major est peccātium turba , major est divinitati injuria . salv. de gub. dei l . parum refert quam multi sint , sed quam boni , quam graves . inter causas ma●…um nostrorum est , &c. sen ep . . imitemur bonos , sed in bonis . 〈◊〉 i●… populo , ●…rimen in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sint capilli ad exemplū piorum et gravium bominum , non verò luxuriosorum et leviū compo●…ti . eplumis dignoscitur avis : forme haec crinium deformitatis mentis et morum est indicium . coma promissa mulieres magis decet , vel effaeminatos in venerēquaepronos et delicatulos mollesque prodit . martiall epig. l. . . * trita . * trita . plus laborandum est ut placeamus deo por honestatem , quam hominibus per impuritatem . salv. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid eximium facitis ? vata●… * faith will make us to contemn worldly mens scosts ; and notwithstanding them , do any thing that god shall enjoyne , gatek . ser. on heb. . . p. . christus vivens in hoc mundo , nibil nobile , opulentum , tantum splendidum coram mundo ostendit sed vitam egit ignobilem , tenuem et labortosum in o●…ere fabrili . à lap. comam hebraeos alere non consuevisse liquet ex nazareatûs lege , ac proinde extraordinarium fuisse quod dicitur de privilegium non tolli●… logem . naza ●…ut comam nutrirent 〈◊〉 dei praecepto devotissimè faciebant . hieron . * see ward on mat. . . * see m. rich : rogers on judg. . . . p. . not much unlike did the religious cromwell deal with a ruffianly serving-man . v. clerks lives . p. . in the life of tho ; l. cromwell . christus fuit 〈◊〉 nazaraeis . sal. dialog . p. . v. piura apud doctis . spanheim . dub. , , . theologia symbolica non est argumentativa . similia ad pompam , non ad pugnam : illustram , at nih●… probant . s. paul was one that condemned long haire , yet i hope he was no precise foole . morsus morientiu●… bestia u●…n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse mortiferi . aristot. nihil est parvum in lege dei , sed omnia magna quia magnus legislater . pisc. † see brook's devices of satan . p. . &c. qui minim●… spernit paulatim decidit . aug. m. pryn against love-locks . p. . alterius perditio fit tuae cautio . prolixitas capillorum arguit animi levitatem , & cum mascula gravitate pugnat sphinx . basilicon doron . p. . realis magis movet , quam verbalis concio . illos non corripimus , sed rogamus & obsecramus per divinitatem & humanitatem christi , & per charitatē ss . ne ultra jam ponant hoc offendiculum infirmis pro quibus christus est mortuus , &c. quod si post hanc admonitionem vel potius obsecrationem nostram in eo sibi perseverandum esse putaverint , nihil aliud faciemus , quam dolebimus & gememus . aug. de opere monach. c. . notes for div a -e iubemur non modo nostram , sed altorum etiam salutem providere , quomodo igitur fucis tuto licebit uti , qui sunt gladii , venena , & ignes juvenum aspectantium . pet mart. aposta●… angeli oculos circumducto nigro 〈◊〉 , & genas mendacio uboris i●…ficere , & mutare adulterinis coloribus orinem do●…uerunt . cyprian de habitu virginum . quod 〈◊〉 opus dei est , quod fing●…tur diaboli negotium est . tertul. de foeminarum . * hieron in epist and lae●…am & in 〈◊〉 ad furiam . si pictor egregius pinxisset imaginem , & alius plebeius ei alios colores injiceret ; pictor sane excandesceret . fucis tollitur pictura dei , & meretricis assumitur . caldaeis ut placeres , te lavisti , linisti●…tibio , ornâcti , ut meretrices se ornant iturae ad amasios à lap. in ezek. fucus faciei est deformatio dei ipsius operis in nobis , & damnabilis . danaeus . cum ipsas merces fucare non licet , qua●… minus vultum ? iuunge ochlos tuos non stibio dialobico , sed collyrio christi . cyprian . studeant naturaliter deformes virtutibus & moribus quàm honestissimis se commendare atque approbare , non fucis . notes for div a -e sunt ignes juvenum , fomenta libidinum , impud●…ae men●… iudicia . hieron . propheta ad cultum meretricium alludit , quia meretrices ut alliciant homines sumptuosiùs se colunt , & majore cur â fucant faciem suam , deinde ornant mammillas suas . calvin . how many professe openly their inward uncleannesse by laying open to the common view , their naked breasts , as though it were a bill affixed to the doore-posts , to signifie to the passers by , that within that place dwells an uncleane heart , and that whosoever will , may there buy honesty and chastity at an easie rate . downam on hos. . . * v. tertul. de veland . virgin c. . adulteria uberum vocari potest , vel ipsa uberum in verccundae nuditas , vel alia ornamenta quae suspensa ad ubera , ille ebrae sunt libidinis . sanchius . magna corporis cura , magna animae incuria . sen. sic ca●…o cens. ap ammian . 〈◊〉 hist lib. . * de habitu mul●…ebri hones●…ae matronae ubera gerunt occulta , vel amata pretiosa inter ubera recondunt . paraeus . ranters say they have attained to that perfection in christ , which they lost in adam ; and therefore they may go naked as he did , living above sin and shame . adamitae cujus imitantur in paraediso nuditatē , ante peccatum . nudi mares foeminaeque conveniunt , nudi audiunt , orant , celebrant sacramenta . august . de haeresib . cap. . belluini bomines , americani , cannibales , qui honestum & curpe nihilo magis curant quam bestiae , nuditate non erubescunt . paraeus . the heathenish brittains went naked , and painted their bodies blew . * foedis hoimnibus perplacent foedi mores . vide aug. de civit. dei. l. . c . c. . quia tune induti erant●…magine dei , seu veste innoeenti●… & sanctitatis . ravenel . ubi nullus est pudor , nulla concupiscentia , nullum frigus , null â opus est veste aut luce . à lap. triennium hoc in visione , uno momento comprehendit , sicut in somno solet breve tempus multum apparere . occolam . the litterall sence is to be left , when it is contrary to modesty , piety , or good manners . weems . vol. p. . nudus i. e. exutus tog â non indusio , hoc enim pugnâsset cum honestate . pisc. nudus catacbresti●…s fig. male vestitum ut deut . . cor. . job . . v. ravanel . in vorbo nudus . saul dicitur nudus i. e. deposito amiotu regio ●…ecinisse . à lap exutus veste exteriore . pisc. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , amiculum , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( i. e. ) à superinduendo . v leigh . crit. ne●… considerandum est quid quispiam interdum faciat , sed quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( i. e. ) saepè ac majori ex parte fieri consueverit . ut loq . causidici . notes for div a -e sin-spotts are the worst spots ; we must be spotlesse as if sons of god , phil. . . ( i. e. ) without such spots we are unsuitable to our son-ship , some are so be spotted that they are called spots . iude . he that hath many spots is not forward to hold up his face , then how shall he who is a spot ? garyll on iob . . viti●… ad●…sus utra●…que ●…gis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…unda gra●…antia fug●…s . pa●…aeus . magna vis est in exemplis in utramque partem . ●…olloe in johan . . . mihi p. . quàm sanctus est deus qui tam purè & sanctè 〈◊〉 christianis colitur , imò qui eos facit tam puros●… & sanctos : the pilgrimage of man, vvandering in a vvildernesse of vvoe wherein is shewed the calamities belonging to man being borne in this world, and how all the principall estates thereof are crossed with misery. johnson, richard. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the pilgrimage of man, vvandering in a vvildernesse of vvoe wherein is shewed the calamities belonging to man being borne in this world, and how all the principall estates thereof are crossed with misery. johnson, richard. [ ] p. : ill. printed by i.b., london : . attributed to johnson by stc ( nd ed.). signatures: a⁴(-a ) b-d⁴. contains engraved frontispiece. reproduction of original in the cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion doce me domine viam tuam ut ingrediar in veritate tuâ teach me thy way o lord i will walk in thy truth . ps. . . the pilgrimage of man , wandering in a wildernesse of vvoe . wherein is shewed the calamities belonging to man being borne in this world , and how all the principall estates thereof are crossed with misery . a gorgeous iemme for gentility . that liue in golden felicite . london : printed by i.b. . the contents of this booke . chap. . of the miseries of man in his birth , and of his first calamities . chap. . of the miserie of man entring into his youth , and yeeres of discretion . chap. . of the misery of man being come to his full strength . chap. . of the miserie of wicked kings , princes , and monarches . chap. . of the misery of vicious courtiers , and of their wicked liues . chap. . of the misery of magistrates that administer not true iustice : with a discourse against wicked iudges . chap. . of the praise of marriage , and likewise the miseries that ensue thereon . chap. . of the worlds generall misery , and the vices of all sorts in the communalty . chap. . of the misery of age , and mans death : with his resurrection , and the terrible iudgement of god at the latter day . the pilgrimage of man , wandering in a wildernesse of woe . chap. . of the miserable birth of man , and of his first calamities . man being the image of god , and the chiefe worke of nature , of all other creatures is most miserable in his birth : for , both beasts and birds are brought into the world , either couered with haire , feathers , or wooll ; not so much as the séeds and corne of the ground , but nature hath clothed them with eares and huske , man onely excepted : for he being once come from the prison of his mothers wombe , séemeth no other thing , but the similitude of a poore worme , that commeth creeping out of the earth . with what clothing is he couered ( making his entry into the palace of this world ) but only with bloud , where in he is bathed and couered , the which signifieth no other thing but the image and figure of sin ? what is the first song that he singeth at his comming into the world , but only wéepings & waylings ? which are as messengers , and foreshewers of his calamities to come , the which because he cannot expresse in words , he witnesseth by tears . likewise pittifull cryes in the beginning of monarchs , emperours , and kings , and others , that cause so many tragedies to happen in the world . but now contrariwise , the worme ( be he neuer so little ) as soone as nature hath brought him out of the earth , beginneth to craull and creepe , and to séeke for food : the little chicken so soone as he is out of the shell , is found cleane , and needeth not to be washed like vnto man , but runneth after the hen , and knoweth when he is called : he picketh and eateth ; hee feareth the kite , without proouing before her malice : he flyeth danger only guided by nature . but behold man , so soone as he is come into the world , is like vnto a little monster , and a lumpe of flesh , which will let himselfe to be eaten of other beasts , if he be not séen vnto ; and die for hunger before he can find his mothers breast : and will as soone eat poyson , as good meat : and handle hot fron , before he can discerne the good from the euill : yet for all this , he nameth himselfe the prince of all other creatures . thus man being brought into this miserable world , and plunged in the gulfe of miseries , he then requireth to haue norishment and clothing , to comfort the infirmity of his nature : the office of which is appointed to mothers , in consideration whereof nature hath giuen them breasts , which are like two little bottles , very proper and necessary for their sustenance . but now to speake of the misery of man in his nurriture , how many mothers are there at this day in the world ( nay rather we may truly call them cruell stepmothers ) who hauing according to nature , brought their children forth into the world , & because they will not take a little paines to nourish them themselues , they send them to sorry villages to be nursed of strange & vnknowne nurses , which oftentimes do change their children & bring home others in their stead : yet for all this they wil not be ashamed to hold a litle dog in their armes rather than the fruit that was ingendred in their wombes . this inhumane practise is not vsed amongst beasts be they neuer so brutish : for their natures are such , that they neuer put their yong ones in the kéeping of others , though nature giue them neuer so many , but they nourish them themselues , and are such zealous protectors of their young ones , that they kéepe them almost alwayes in their presence , till such time as they can auoid danger : and that which is more to be marueiled at , there riseth a certaine strife betweene the male and the female , which of them shall be the kéeper : and for that intent they many times quarrell and fight one with another : the which may be séene not only in apes , but also in beares , which in nature are fierce and cruell , yet they haue so great affection to their young ones , that they are not onely content to nourish them with their milke , but as soone as they are brought forth , hauing almost no forme or fashion , they licke them and pollish them to make them more perfect . likewise the little birds , couering fiue or sixe vnder their wings , & hauing neither graine nor other seed for their sustenance , notwithstanding they spare neither art nor diligence , wherewith nature hath endued them , for their nourishment . it is therefore a true witnesse of humane misery , in that children are forced against nature , to sucke the milke of a strange woman ; and many times of such a one as may bée found best cheape , what corruption or deformity soeuer she haue : the which many times is so contagious to their children , that it were better for them to be nourished by some bruit beast in the wildernes , than to be put into the custody of such a nurse : as for example . the cruelty and infamous life of caligula the fourth emperour of rome , was not imputed to father or mother , but to the nurse that gaue him sucke : which woman was so cruell and barbarous of her selfe , that she rubbed the nipples of her breasts with blood , causing the child to whom she gaue milke , to sucke them : the which thing was so well practised of him , that he did not onely commit an infinite number of murvers , but many time licked his sword and dagger being bathed and stayned in blood , and wished that all the world had but one head , to the end that with one blow he might behead them , and then reign alone vpon the earth . séeing then that the child hath not felt or suffered sorrow enough in his mothers wombe , but as soone as he is borne , there is prepared a new sorrow for him by the ingratitude of such mothers which are so delicate and tender of themselues , that they will not nourish them , but cause them to sucke the milke of those that oftentimes doe change their fruit , or else féed them with corrupted milke ; by the which meanes in processe of time , there riseth a number of diseases , to the great hurt of poore children , & continuall reproch of their mothers . this is of a truth and often verified , that if the nurse bee froward , the child will be froward , not by receiuing of their milke , but by often looking vpon it . if she be a drunkard , she will cause the child to be the like ; as it is read in the life of the emperour tiberius , who was a great drunkard , for that the nurse the gaue him sucke , did not onely drinke vnmeasurably , but also did féed the child with soppes tempered in wine . here you may sée that the nurses haue so much power as to forme the manners and body of the child , so that if shee be sickely , she rendereth the child sickenesse : if she be wicked , she causeth the child also to be wicked . but heere i will leaue children in their nurses kéeping , and speake of their following calamities : in how many dangers be they wrapped whilst they be a nursing ? some will burst with crying , some neuer rest in quiet all the night long , so that their nurses can take no sléepe : some when they can scant goe , will fall and breake their faces , and their lims , so that many times there is séene about them many grieuous wounds , besides the diseases which they take by nature . but who will not wonder to sée the fantasticall maners of little children , who for the most part will dabble in the water and channels like a little ducke : making little houses of earth : counterfeting the horsemen in riding on a little sticke : running after dogs and cats : and will be angry with some , and pleased with others : who would thinke that such a miserable creature ( by succession of time ) would become so proud and lofty ? therefore if we will consider it , we haue iust cause to mourne at their births , and reioyce at their burials . if the prophet ieremy bewailed the captiuity of the iewes in babilon ; if anchises lamented the destruction of proud troy ; if the consul marcellus lamented the city of syracusa when he saw it on fire , and salust the corruption of rome ; we may well with so many men of fame , bewaile the miserable entry that man maketh into this world , his dangerous aduancement , and sorrowfull departure : all which being profoundly considered by the prophet ieremy , in the . chapter , he bewaileth his birth , and murmureth against the knées that held him vp , & also the breasts that gaue him sucke . likewise the same prophet ieremy in the aforesaid chapter , considering that man is made of dust & earth , conceiued in sin , borne in paine , and at the last made a prey for wormes , doth with that his mothers wombe had serued for his tombe . iob in his fourtéenth chapter , likewise setteth man out in his right colours , when he saith : man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue , and is full of misery . out of these words we may gather somewhat , for amongst all the creatures whom god hath created , there is none subiect to more miseries than a woman , especially those that are fruitfull and beare children ; for they haue scant a monthes rest in a whole yeare , but are continually ouercome with sorrow , and feare . then he saith , hauing a short time to liue . indéed what is more shorter than the life of man ? vnto whom in stopping his nose and his mouth , the life is gone , for his life is nothing but a blast of wind inclosed therein . i haue read of many that haue murmured against nature for giuing long life to harts and rauens , whose liues bring no profit , and vnto man ( king of all things vpon earth ) but a short life , although hee knoweth how to imploy his time ; and yet the little time that he hath to liue , is shortned by sléepes , dreames , sorrowes and cares : therefore wee may iustly say , that mans life is full of misery and sorrow . chap. ij. of the misery of man entring into his youth , and yeeres of discretion . yee haue alreadie heard discoursed and shewed in order , what perils and dangers man hath at his first comming into the world , now therefore let vs consider what he is when he is sprung vp , and whether that there bée an end of his miseries or no : of which , if we bee equall iudges , wee shall finde that hee doth rather increase than decrease the miseries : for this is the time of mans life wherein nature doth reare against him a more furious combate , for his blood beginneth to rise : the flesh prouoketh him to his owne pleasure , the wicked world espyeth him , the deuill tempteth him , and his selfe-wild youthfulnesse leadeth him : so that it is impossible , but that he which is assayled with so many vices , and succoured of none , in the end is discomfited and ouercome : for in the body of youth , riot , liberty and deliciousnesse aboundeth : for all the uices in the world ( saith marcus aurelius ) doe there plant their siege . therefore it behooueth when the trées are young , to vphold them , and to loppe the ouer-waighty branches , if afterward yée intend to gather any fruit . likewise it is necessary to reforme and correct the uices that reigne in youth , least afterward it returne to the parents shame and reproach : but there are at this day , many fathers and mothers , which for default not to haue well instructed their children in their youth , doe receiue much sorrow and griefe in their age . moreouer , there are many mothers , which in stead of giuing them good and godly instructions , nourish and bring them vp in voluptuousnesse and pride : and although they be nourishers of their bodies , so are they destroiers of their soules . if hely was grieeuously punished with his children , for that he did not so sharpely chastise them as their offences did require , what shall become of these fathers and mothers , which in stead of correctors , are their childrens corruptors ? such parents may well be compared to apes , which kill their young ones by too much strayning them betweene their armes , and keeping them so déere : and this is the cause that so many fall into the hands of the hangman , which are to them , reformers and correctors . many there bee that in stead of giuing good exhortations to their family , doe shew them first themselues naughty and wicked examples : for the first commandement that they giue them how to liue well , is to blaspheme , sweare , exercise gluttony , and drunkennesse : to spoyle the substance of their youth , to be fornicators , and to kisse women and maydens in their presence . there be also many mothers héere in england , that learne their daughters to dance , to vse rhetoricke termes , to haunt companies , to scoffe and flout , to paint and colour their faces , to decke their fingers with ringes , and their neckes with iewels , as though they were iewell sellers , pretending to keepe a shop : but in the end it will happen to them as it did to the prophet dauid , king. . & . whose sinne was punished in his children , which were most of them so wicked , that the one of them deflowred his owne sister , and the other killed his brother , and afterward sought the death of his owne father , and chased him out of his kingdome . the ancient philosophers maintained this argument , that all sinnes committed in this world , were punished in the world to come , except the sinne that man committeth in the bringing vp of his children , and for that , he suffereth punishment in this world : for the father can giue nothing to his child but fraile and mortall flesh , by the corruption whereof the life taketh end : but by good learning & knowledge , eternall praise and memory is gotten : therefore to conclude , if that children haue béen in great misery , being nourished with spotted milke , yet the misery doubleth in those that should cause them to be instructed : for the food of the body is more vile than the food of the soule . but now when he is come to the seuenth yeare of his age , it behooueth his parents to haue tutors and schoole-masters for to instruct him in good learning : but growing further into yeeres , and comming to his adolescency , it is needfull then to haue more rigorous reformers for to tame his wilde youth , and to breake him to labour . chhp. iij. of the misery of man being come to his full strength . hauing finished this our second discourse , man is growne to his full perfection both of strength and discretion ; in which time hee entereth into déeper cogitations and trauell in the spirit : it is requisite therefore , that he frequent publike places , that he haunt the company of those that are as touchstones for to know the good from euill : if he be come of a great and a noble stocke , he must make many enterprises of warre , put himselfe in perils , hazard his life , and shed his blood for to die in the bed of honour : or else he shall be reputed a dastardly coward , and vtterly despised of all men . if he be of bare estate , and that he be called to the knowledge of arts , sciences , and néedfull trades , yet for all that , he runneth into a thousand dangers , trauels , paines and troubles , as well of the body as of the soule : he toyleth day and night , and sweateth water and blood to get a maintenance during his life ; and oftentimes it is seene that what paines soeuer man taketh for his liuing , yet it is scant sufficient to serue his necessity . it is not therefore without cause that marcus aurelius was wont to say ( when he considered the misery of mankind : ) i mused in my mind ( sayd he ) whether there might be found in any age a man that could vaunt , that he neuer in al his life-time tasted aduersity : and assuredly , if there might be such a one found , hée would be such a fearefull monster vpon the earth , that all liuing things would be amazed to behold him . then he concluded after this sort , saying : and in the end i found mine owne thoughts true : for he that was yesterday rich , was to day poore . he that was yesterday in health , was to day sicke : he that laughed yesterday , to day did weepe : he that was yesterday in prosperity , was to day in aduersity : and he that was yesterday aliue , was to day dead ▪ but let vs now returne to our former matter , and set down our discourses in order . what liuing man is he in all the world , that hath giuen himselfe to any science , or otherwise to liue , but that at one time or other , he disliketh of his owne profession , and is weary thereof ? and for the better vnderstanding of the same , we will particularly discourse the miseries , and troublesome liues of all the principall estates liuing vpon the bosome of the sinfull earth . chap. iv. of the misery of wicked kings , princes , and monarches . searching into all estates of men , wée shall finde that fortune aboue all other mortall creatures , hath prouided for kings most liberally : for what maketh man more happy in this world , than goods , honours , dignities , and rule ; licence to doe good or euill without controulement , power to exercise liberality , and all kind of pleasure , as well of the body as of the mind : all that may be wished for to the contentation of man , either in varietie of meats , magnificence in seruice , or in vestures : to raise at their pleasure the meanest man to high place , and with a frowne , disgrace the mightiest : all which continually is at a princes command : there is nothing that may please the memory , or flatter the desires of the flesh , but is prepared for them euen from their cradles , onely to make their liues more happy and full of felicity . but now if wée iudge of their liues vprightly , and waigh them in a true ballance , wée shall finde that the selfe same things which makes them happy in this world , are the very instruments of vice , and the cause of greater sorrowes : for what auaileth their costly ornaments , honourable seruices , and delicate meats , when that they are in continuall feare to be poysoned , wrong seduced , and often beguiled by their seruitours : haue we not had experience therof many times ? doth not histories report , that some princes haue bin poysoned with papers , and with the smoake of torches : wée may reade likewise of certaine emperors that dust not lye downe to rest in the night , before they had caused their beds to be lyen on , and all the corners of their chambers to bee searched , least they should be strangled or murthered in their sléepes . others that would not permit any barbers to touch their faces , for feare that in trimming of their heads or beards , they would cut their throats : and yet to this day they are in such feare , that they dare not put meate in their mouthes before their taster haue tasted thereof . what felicity can a king or prince haue , that hath many thousands of men vnder their gouernments , when hee must watch for all , heare the complaints and cryes of euery one , procure euery mans safegard , prouoke some to do well by liberall gifts , and others by terrour and feare : hée must nourish peace amongst his subiects , and defend his realme against the inuasion of forraine enemies , besides many other calamities that are depending vpon a regall crowne . but now touching the vnhappy states of wicked princes , vnto whom thrée kindes of people are most agréeable , and familiar : the first are flatterers , which bée the chiefe enemies to all uertue , and they that impoyson their soules with a poyson so pestiferous , that it is contagious to all the world : their princes folly , they call prudence : their cruelty , iustice ; their letchery , wantonnesse ; their fornications ▪ pleasures and pastimes ; if they bee couetous , they call it good husbandry : if they bee prodigall , they call it liberality : so that there is no vice in a prince , but they cloake it vnder the shadow of some uertue . the second sort are such , who neuer rest night , but that in the morning they bring in some new inuention or other , how to taxe and draw money from the poore people , and generally all their study is imployed to bée wastfull and prodigall in the exactions and miseries of the poore commons . the third and last sort are such , that vnder the cloake of kindnes and honesty ( counterfayting good men ) haue alwayes their eyes vpon other mens liuings , and make themselues reformers of vices . they inuent wicked and false deuices , not only how to get other mens goods , but oftentimes their liues , who before god are most innocent . behold , here you may well sée the manifold miseries that compasse scepters and states of princes : here are the thornes that they receiue in recompence of their brightnesse and royall dignity , which ought like a lampe to giue light to all the world : but when it is eclipsed or darkned with any vice , it is more reprochfull in them , than in any other priuate person whatsoeuer : for they sin not only in the fault which they commit , but also by the example that they giue . the abundance of honours and pleasures that princes enioy , serueth as a baite to induce them to euill , and are the very matches to giue fire to uice . what was saul before hée was made king ▪ whose life is shewed in the holy scripture , whom god did elect ? yet he made a sudden eclipse or changeing . how wonderfull was the beginning of the reigne of king salomon , the which being ouercome with royall pleasures , gaue himselfe as a prey to women ? of two and twenty kings of iuda , there is found but fiue or sixe , that haue continued in their vertue . if we consider the estate of the assyrians , persians , grecians and egyptians , wee shall finde more of them wicked than good . if wee consider what the kings and romane emperours were ( which hath béene the most flourishing common-wealth in the world ) we shall find them so ouercome with vices , and all kind of cruelties , that i do almost abhorrs to speake of their corrupt & defiled liues . what was the estate of their common-wealth , before that scilla & marius did murmure against it , before that catiline and catulla did perturbe it , before that caesar and pompey did slander it , before that augustus and marcus antonius did destroy it , before that tiberius and caligula did defame it , before that domitian and nero did depraue it ? for although they made it rich with many kingdomes and lordships , yet were the vices they brought with them , more greater than the kingdomes they gayned : for their goods and riches are consumed , yet their vices remaine vnto this day . what memory remaineth of romulus , that founded the city of rome ? of numa pompilius , that erected the capitoll : of ancus martius , that compassed it with walles ? did not they shew what felicity remaineth in high estates , who are more subiect to the assaults of fortune , than any other earthly creature ? for many times the thred of life breaketh , when they thinke least of death : and then the infamy of those that bée wicked , remaineth written in histories , for a perpetuall memorie thereof : the which thing all estates ought more to regard a thousand times , than the tongue that speaketh euill , which can but shame the liuing : but bookes record a perpetuall infamy for euer . which thing being duely considered of by many emperours and kings in times past , they forsooke their scepters , and royal empires , and betooke them to an obscure life , resting better contented with a little in quiet , than to enioy with full sayle the crooked honours of the world . chap. v. of the misery of vicious courtiers , and of their wicked liues . what greater felicity can there bée in this world , than to bée in a princes fauour , to bee at his elbow at all times , to vse courtly manners , and other offices of humanity : of which number , there be some so subtile & crafty , that they doe play as the fisherman , who as soone as he hath gotten any thing in his net , giueth ouer the court , and goeth his way . othersome there are , that play all out : and other that remaine vntill they become wonderous rich ; and in the end , they are made to restore all backe againe . there are also others that doe nothing but inuent meanes to enlarge their treasures , and become wealthy with spoyling poore people . princes doe by them many times , as we doe by our hogs , we let them fatten to the end we may eate them afterward : so likewise are they suffered many times , to enrich themselues , to be disposed of afterward when they are fat : and one that is new come , oftentimes is preferred in their places . by this you may see that courtiers oftentimes do sell their libertie to become rich : for they must obey all commandements , they must frame themselues to laugh when the prince laugheth , to wéepe when he weepeth , approue that which he approueth , and condemne that which he condemneth . they must alter and change their natures , to be seuere with those that are seuere : sorrowfull with those that are sorrowfull : and in a manner transforme themselues , according to the nature of him whom they will please , or els he shal get nothing . to be briefe , they must frame themselues , to his manners and nature : and yet many times one little offence staineth all the seruice they haue done in their life time before . many in princes courts put off their cappes to them , whom they would gladly see cut shorter by the head : and often bow their knees to doe them reuerence , whom they wish had broken their neckes . here you may sée ▪ the life of a great number of vicious courtiers , which is no life , but rather a lingring death : here you may sée wherein their youth is imployed , which is no youth , but a transitory death : for when they come to age , they bring nothing from thence but gray heads , their feete full of gouts , their backes full of paine , their hearts full of sorrow , and their soules filled with sin . chap. vj. of the misery of magistrates , that administer not true iustice : with a discourse against wicked iudges . now our discourse of courtiers being past , it is requisite that we speake of things done in the ciuill life , and to how many miseries it is subiect : for although it be at this day a degrée most noble and necessary for the peace of mans life , yet shall we find that it deserues to haue his part in this pilgrimage , as well as others : and if there be any delectation , pleasure , or honour , depending thereon , yet it is transitory and vnconstant . first , knowing that all the actions of magistrates , passe before the eyes of the common people , whose iudgements in matters of state be but simple , yet haue they a certaine smell or sauour to know the good from euill : wherefore those that be iudges and magistrates , be subiect ( as in a play ) to be hissed at and chased away with shame and confusion . for the hare-brained people , which is compared to a monster with many heads , are mutable , vncertaine , fraudulent , apt to wrath and mutiny , ready to prayse or dispraise , without wisedome or discretion , variable in their talke , vnlearned and obstinate . therefore it behooueth that the life of a iudge or magistrate be sincere and vertuous : for as he iudgeth openly , so shall he be iudged of the people seuerally ▪ not only in matters of waight and importance , but in those of small consequence : for alwayes the rude people will find somewhat to reforme , as the lacedemonians murmured at their law-maker licurgus , for that he went alwayes holding downe his head . the venetians defamed wise cato in his eating , and accounted pompeius vnciuill , for that he would scratch with one finger onely : yet these are but few in comparison of other good men that the common sort haue persecuted , banished , and in the end put to death . if that great oratour demosthenes were aliue , he could say some what , who after hée had a long time béene a iust and faithfull gouernour of the common-wealth of athens , was in the end ( without cause ) vniustly banished . moses , and many other holy men haue so many times tasted the fury of the common people , that if they were this day liuing , they would powre out most grieuous complaints against them . now we haue shewed and set foorth the miseries that procéed from common people , so must we in like sort put into the ballance the errours and corruptions that are found in wicked iudges : of the which sort some are corrupted with feare , for such feare they haue , that rather than they will displease a prince or a great lord , they wil violate iustice like pilate , that condemned christ , for feare that he had to displease the emperour tiberius . other magistrates are corrupted by loue , as was herod , who for to please the foolish loue of a damsell that danced , condemned to death saint iohn baptist , although he knew he was iust and innocent . some are many times corrupted by hatred , as was the chiefe priest , that condemned saint paul to be stoned to death , though he deserued it not , some magistrates are corrupted by siluer and gold , and other gifts and presents , as were the children of the prophet samuel : and this disease is so contagious , that i feare ( at this day ) many are infected with it . they all loue rewards saith the prophet ) they all séeke for gifts : they doe not right to the orphane , and the widdowes complaint commeth not before them . and in an other place , woe be to you that are corrupted by money , by hatred or loue , and which iudge the good to be euill , and the euill good : making the light darkenesse , and the darkenesse light . woe be to you that haue not respect to the deserts of things , but to the deserts of men : that regard not equitie , but gifts that are giuen : that regard not iustice , but money . you are diligent in rich mens causes , but you deferre the cause of the poore : you are to them most cruell and rigorous iudges , but vnto the rich kind and tractable . the prophet ieremy cryeth out against wicked iudges , and saith . they are magnified , and become rich : they haue left the orphanes , and haue not done iustice for the poore : shall not , i therefore punish these things ( saith the lord ) and my soule take vengeance on such manner of people ▪ heare also the sentence that saint iames pronounceth against them at the day of iudgment : you haue condemned and killed the iust : you haue liued in wantonnesse in this world , and taken your ease ; now therefore ( saith the lord of hoasts ) wéepe and howle in your wretchednesse that shall come vpon you : your garments are moatheaten , your gold and siluer is cankred , and the rust thereof shall be a witnesse against you , and it shall eate your flesh as it were fire , for the complaints of the poore are ascended vp to my throne . these are the complaints that the prophets and apostles made against wicked iudges and magistrates : and likewise the censures that our good god hath thundred against them . and now i will speake of the misery of marriage , with a discourse of the same . chap. vij. of the praise of marriage , and likewise the miseries that ensue thereon . there is no ioy nor pleasure in the world , which may bee compared to marriage ; for there is such fellowship between the parties coupled , that they seeme two minds to be transformed into one : likewise both good fortune and bad , is common to both : their cares equall , and their ioyes equall : and to be briefe , all things are in common betwéene them two . if wee account it pleasure to commit our secrets to our friends and neighbours , how much greater is the ioy , when we may discouer our thoughts to her , that is ioyned to vs by such a knot of affinity , that we put as much trust in her as in our selues , making her wholly treasurer or faithfull kéeper of the secrets of our minds ? what greater witnesse of feruent loue and vndissoluble amity can there be , than to forsake father , mother , sister and brother , and generally all their kindred , till they become enemy to themselues , for to follow a husband , that doth honor and reuerence her , and hauing all other things in disdaine , she onely cleaueth to him : if he be rich , she keepeth his goods : if he be poore , she is companion with him in pouerty : if he be in prosperity , his felicity is redoubled in her : if hee be in aduersity , he beareth but the one halfe of the griefe : and furthermore , she comforteth him , assisteth and serueth him : if a man will remaine solitary in his house , his wife keepeth him company : if he will goe into the fields , she conducteth him with her eye as farre as she can see him : she desireth and honoureth him : being absent , she complaineth and sigheth , and wisheth his company : being come home he is welcommed , and receiued with the best shew and tokens of loue : and for to speake truth it séemeth that a wife is a gift from heauen granted to a man , as well for the contentation of youth , as the rest and solace of age . nature can giue vs but one father , and one mother : but marriage presenteth many in our children , the which doe reuerence and honour vs , and are more deare vnto vs than our owne selues : for ( being yong ) they play , prattle , laugh and shew vs many pretty toyes ; they prepare vs an infinit number of pleasures : and it séemeth that they are giuen vs by nature , to passe away part of our miserable life . if we be afflicted with age , they shew the duty of children , close vp one eyes , and bring vs to the earth , from whence we came . they are our bones , our flesh and blood ; for in séeing them , we sée our selues . the father beholding his children , may be well assured that he séeth their liuely youth renued in their faces , in whom we are almost regenerate and borne again , in such sort , that age is most grieuous vnto vs , beholding the mirrours and similitudes of our selues , the which doth make our memories almost immortall . many are the ioyes and swéet pleasures in marriage , which for breuities sake i passe ouer : but if we do well consider it , and waigh it in a iust ballance , we shal find that amongst these roses , are many thornes growing : and amongst these swéet showers of raine , we shall find that there falleth much haile . but with reuerence now i craue pardon of all vertuous women , that with patience i may discouer my intent , and that my presumption may not gaine the least frowne from their chast browes : for to the vicious i speake , and not to them whose breasts harbours the liberall fountaine of vertue and wisdome . the athenians ( being a people much cōmended for their prudence and wisedome ) séeing that husbands and wiues could not agrée , because of an infinite number of dissensions that chanced betweene them , were constrained to ordaine certaine magistrates in their countrey , whom they called reconcilers of married ones : the office of whom was to set agreement betweene the husband and the wife . the spartanes and romanes had also such like lawes and orders amongst them : so great was the insolence and rashnes of some women towards their husbands . in this age there are but few i thinke , can beare patiently the charges of marriage , or can endure the vnbridled rage of some women ; and to speake truth without flattery , if thou takest her rich , thou makest thy selfe a bondslaue , for thinking to marry thine equall , thou marriest a commanding mistresse : if thou takest her foule , thou canst not loue her : if thou takest her faire , it is an image at thy gate to bring thée company : beauty is a tower that is assayled of all the world , & therefore it is a hard thing to kéep that , where euery one séeketh to haue the key : then this is the conclusion , riches causes a woman to be proud , beauty maketh her suspected , and hard fauour causeth her to be hated . therefore hyponactes hauing tasted the martyrdomes of marriage , sayed that there was but two good dayes in all the life of marriage : whereof the one was the wedding day vpon which is made good chéere , the bride fresh and faire , and of all pleasures the beginning is most delectable : the other good day is when the woman dieth , for then the husband is out of bondage and thraldome . yet for all this a woman is to man a necessary euill , and one whom he cannot well liue without : seeing that there is nothing more harder to find in this world , than a good woman , a good mule , and a good goate , who are three vnhappy beasts . and to conclude , there is nothing more lighter than a womans tongue , vnbridled : more piercing than her outragious words : more to be feared , than her boldnesse : more cruell , than her malice : nor more dangerous than her fury : besides many other hurtfull discommodities of their huswiferie , which for this time i passe ouer , and so returne to our former discourse . chhp. viij. of the worlds generall misery , and the vices of all sorts in the communalty . of all the miseries that hapneth to man in this pilgrimage of woe , these hereafter following , are the greatest : of which nature her selfe hath complained vnto god , who saith , that man for euery uice hath a cloake of uertue to couer it : as for example , those that wound and kill one another , we call them hardy and strong , and we say that they haue a regard to honour , and therefore deserue commendation . they that violate women , and rauish uirgins , we call that bearing of loue . those that are proud , and seeke by all vnlawfull meanes to climbe vp to high dignities , we call them honourable , graue , and men of ripe iudgement , those that are couetous , and beguile their neighbours by crafty subtilties and inuentions , and so in short time become rich , those they call good husbands , and men that will séeke to liue : besides many other vices which are shadowed vnder the mantle of uertue , the which is one principall cause that so many miseries do fal vpon the world : and to speake truth , the whole earth is drowned in sinne , that it séemeth to be the sinke wherein all the wickednesse of the former age hath béen emptied . who euer saw the sin of couetousnesse more déeper rooted in the world , than at this present day ? for all the cities , prouinces and kingdomes of the earth , be very shops and storehouses of couetousnesse and auarice : this is the world which the prophets did foreshew , that men ioyne house to house , and land to land , as though themselues would alone dwell vpon the earth . couetousnes is the wel spring of miseries , for from thence procéedes warre and destruction , and the great effusion of blood , with the which the earth is ouerflowne : from couetousnes procéed murders , treasons , thefts , usuries , forswearings , the corruption of witnesses , and peruerting of iudgements : from couetousnesse the tedious delayes in law , and lingering of sutes do procéed : and to be short , from thence commeth all wickednesse . this grieuous sinne is growne so familiar amongst men , that many liue without mercy , in such sort that now we may see the stréetes full of poore beggars , naked and clad with pouerty , with an infinite number of banished women , driuen out of their countries , bearing their children in their armes , wanting that which couetous men hoord vp with such cares , that they make it their god , and will rather let a poore body dye at their gates , than refresh him with food . therefore let vs now leaue these wicked men , idolaters of their treasures , with the couetous rich man mentioned in the holy scripture , and speake of an other vice which is called enuy : the malady wherewith many mindes in this new world , is grieuously afflicted . the time is now come , that the whole earth is nothing but a very place of the enuious : a vice which is the oldest of all vices , & hath bin vsed in the worlds infancy : the experience thereof was approued in the first age of adam and the serpent , in abel and cain , in iacob and esau , in ioseph and his brethren , in saul and dauid , in hammon and mardocheus ; the which pursued not one another for their riches , but for the enuy that the one bore to the other . but all this is nothing to the enuy which is vsed amongst men at this day : which wicked uice , not only reigneth amongst the common sort , but also amongst the higher : for when they are mounted to the top of fortunes whéele , and thinke peaceably to enioy the fauour of princes , behold sodainely the enuy of some other , conspires against them , and causeth them to be disdained , & cast out of fauor : therefore i thinke there is no other meanes for to auoid enuy , but to auoid dignity and rule : the reason is , that we are the children of enuy ; and he that leaueth most goods , leaueth most enuy. for this cause the elders counselled the rich , that they should not dwell neare the poore , nor the poore neare the rich : for the one are enuied for their wealth , and the other for their pouerty . here will we now leaue this grieuous sin of enuy , and a little glaunce at the ambitious pride , that reigneth amongst vs. who euer saw such excessiue pride in all estates , as we sée at this present ? whereby we may well name this world , a world of glistering gold , of siluer , and ueluet , of purple , of silke , with the which we decke our bodies curiously , and haue no regard of the sins that ouerload the soules . but let vs beware that the same happen not to vs , which the prophets writ against the women of ierusalem , who reprooued their pride , their vnshamefull lookes , their rowlyng eyes , their attires , their chaines , iewels and bracelets , and other their vaineglorious fashions : it will happen to you ( saith the lord of hosts ) that in stead of perfumes , you shall haue stinke : in stead of curled haire , baldnesse : and the fairest yong men amongst you shall passe through the edge of the sword , and the strongest shall be slaine , and perish in the warres . many other vices could i largely discourse of , as the sinne of gluttony and drunkennes , where with the whole earth is infected : and i greatly marueile , that many vnsatiable belly-gods doe not rot and burst in the middest of their riotous excesse , that will sit bowsing in tauerns , spoiling that which might comfort many succourlesse people , and in the meane time , the poore lazarus standeth at the gate , & cannot haue so much as the crummes that fall from their table : and to conclude , these wicked vices of gluttony & drunkennesse hath cōtinued vpon the earth euer since the beginning of the world : as for example . the liquorous lusting of adam and eue , was the cause that the gate of paradice was shut vp against vs , esau sold his birth-right , saint iohn baptist was slaine after herod had banquetted : n●ah being ouercome with wine , slept with his priuy parts vncouered : and was mocked of his children : lot being drunke with wine , deflowred his owne daughters : with many other examples that i could name touching these wicked vices , which for this time i passe ouer . and now i will discourse of other miseries and calamities belonging to mans woefull pilgrimage . chap. ix . of the misery of age , and of mans death : with his resurrection , and the terrible iudgement of god at the latter day . thus after man hath waded in a sea of misery , as it were therein ouerwhelmed euen from his birth , at last , age comes créeping on , and then , when he ought to rest , griefes and dolours are renued , the heart afflicted , the braine troubled , the face withered , the body crooked , the sight dimmed , the haires falling , the téeth rotten : and ( to be short ) the body is then , as it were a similitude of death . for in age man is wonderfully changed , he is prompt to wrath , hard to appease , sad , couetous and suspitious : the which being well considered by the emperour augustus , said : that man , till fifty yéeres , liued in pleasure and felicity ; and he that liueth longer for the most part ) passeth his time in sorrow and grieuous sicknesse , death of children , losse of goods , to bury his friends , with an infinite number of other worldly troubles : so that it were better to haue their eyes closed in youth , than to liue to behold these things in their crooked age . thus after man hath sorrowed all his dayes vnder the heauy burthen of his sinnes , he is forced at last , to yeeld vnto death ; yet by no meanes may he know after what manner he shall end his life . some there be that are forced to dye by hunger , others by thirst , others by fire , others by water , others by poyson , others are smoothered , others are torne in péeces by wilde beasts , others deuoured of the fowles of the ayre , others are made meate for fishes , and others for wormes : yet for all this man knoweth not his end : and when he thinketh himselfe most at rest , he sodainely perisheth . what a dreadfull sight is it to sée him lying in bed , that is oppressed with the paines of death ? what shaking , and changing of all the bands of nature will he make , the féete will become cold , the face pale , the eyes hollow , the lips and mouth to retyre , the hands diminish , the tongue waxeth blacke , the téeth doth close , the breath faileth , the cold sweate appeareth by violence of sicknes : all which is a certaine token that nature is ouercome . but now when it commeth to the last gaspe , or at the sorrowfull departure that the soule makes from his habitation , all the bands of nature are broken : beside , when the diuell or wicked spirit is assured of our end , what furious assaults wil he make against our soules , to bring vs in despaire of gods mercy : it is the houre when as sathan doth his power to striue against god , for to hinder the saluation of mankind : and he is more boysterous in these latter dayes , for that hée knoweth that his time is but short , and that the end of his kingdome is at hand : and therefore he is the more inflamed : for he neuer more tormenteth those whom he doth possesse , than when he knoweth that he must depart . but now when man hath passed the bitter anguish of death , where is then become his glories ? where are his pompes and triumphes ? where is his voluptuousnesse and wantonnesse ? where is his maiestie , excellence and holinesse ? they are vanished as the shaddow , and it is chanced to them , as to the garment that the wormes haue eaten : or as the wooll that the moath hath deuoured . let vs behold man when he is in his graue : who euer saw a monster more hidious than the dead carkasse of man : behold his excellence , maiesty and dignity , couered with a lumpe of earth : here you may sée him that was chearished , reuerenced and honoured , euen to kisse his hands and féete ; by a sodaine mutation , become a creature most abominable : and to them it happneth , as salomon writeth in his booke of wisedome : what hath it profited ( saith he ) the pride and great abundance of riches ? all these things are passed , as is the arrow shot to the white , or as the smoake that is dispersed with the wind . let vs therefore now leaue the body of man resting in his graue , as in a bed for a season , and speake of his resurrection , and the iudgement of god , which was so much feared of the prophet dauid , that he prayed god not to enter into iudgement with his seruant . being dead in this world , hee must then appeare before the iudgement seate of god , with such a terrour to those that consider it well , that there is no member but trembleth : it is the day that the lord wil come like a tempest , when euery ones heart shall faile them , and all the world shall be astonied : for euen as the lightning that riseth in the east , and extendeth to the west , so shall the comming of the son of man be . tribulation then shall be so extreme and great , as the like hath not béen since the beginning of the world , till now , nor neuer shall be the like : the sun shall be darkned , and the moone shall giue no more light : the starres shall fall from heauen , and the waues of the sea shall rage , and men shall be amazed with feare , and the powers of heauen shall mooue . woe shall be in those dayes to them that are with child , and to them that giue sucke : for as it was in the dayes before the flood , they did eate and drinke , marry , and were married , euen vnto the day that noah entred into the arke , and knew nothing till the flood came and tooke them all away : so shall the comming of the lord bée , and then shall all kindreds of the earth mourne , and shall hide themselues in dennes and caues , and in the mountaines , and shall say vnto them , fall vpon vs , and hide vs from the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne . blow out the trumpet ( saith the prophet ioel ) that all such as dwell in the world may tremble at it , for the day of the lord commeth , and is hard at hand : a darke day , a gloomy day , yea and a stormy day . before him shall be a consuming fire , and behind him a burning flame : then the dead that are in their graues , shall rise and come forth : the bones , and the other parts shall finde out their ioynts , for to ioyne againe together with the body , that the earth hath putrified and corrupted ▪ all those that the beasts and birds of the ayre hath deuowred , all those that the sea hath swallowed vp , all those that are inuapored in the earth , and all those that the fire hath consumed , shall be reduced and brought to their former state : all the blood that theeues , pyrates , murderers , tyrants , and false iudges , haue vniustly shed , shall then appeare before the maiesty of god : so that there shall not one drop of blood be lost , from the time of abel , that was the first slaine of men , vnto the last : so that there shall not one haire perish . if the uaile of the temple did breake , the earth quake , the sunne darken and change his brightnes , for the wrong that was done to iesus christ being on the crosse , although in nothing he did offend : what countenance may then poore sinners shew , that haue offended him an innumerable times : who then shall abide the shining brightnesse of gods maiesty sitting vpon his throne of glory ? it is the dreadfull houre when wicked monarchs , kings and princes , shall giue account of their vnlawfull exactions that they haue made vpon their subiects , and of the blood that they haue wrongfully spilled : it is the houre wherein merchants , and such as haue traded in the circle of the world ▪ that haue beguiled and sold by false waights and measures , shall render iust account of the least fault that they haue committed : it is the houre that couetous men and usurers , that haue beguiled some , and vndone others , shall pay themselues the cruell interests of that which they haue ill gotten : it is the houre when magistrates and wicked iudges that haue corrupted , violated , and suspended iustice , shall be countable for their corruption and iniquities : it is the very houre wherin widowes , orphants , and other afflicted persons , shal make their complaints before god , of the wrong and oppression that hath béene shewed them : it is the houre wherein the wicked shall say ( repenting in themselues , troubled with hor●ible feare ) behold these which in times past we had in derision , infamy and reproach , are now accounted amongst the children of god , whose portion is amongst the saints : it is the houre wherein many foolish and dumbe persons shall bée more happier than the wise and eloquent ; many shepheards and carters shall be preferred before philosphers : many beggars before rich princes and monarches : and many simple and ignorant , before the witty and subtile . finis . the practice of christian graces, or, the whole duty of man laid down in a plaine and familiar way for the use of all, but especially the meanest reader : divided into xvii chapters, one whereof being read every lords day, the whole may be read over thrice in the year : with private devotions for several occasions... whole duty of man allestree, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the practice of christian graces, or, the whole duty of man laid down in a plaine and familiar way for the use of all, but especially the meanest reader : divided into xvii chapters, one whereof being read every lords day, the whole may be read over thrice in the year : with private devotions for several occasions... whole duty of man allestree, richard, - . fell, john, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by d. maxwell for t. garthwait ..., london : . added engraved t.p. "private devotions for several occasions" has separate t.p. with imprint: london : printed for t. garthwait. traditionally attributed to richard allestree in collaboration with john fell. cf. dnb; bm. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . devotional exercises -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ecclesia anglicana . read. pray . the whole duty of man plainly layd down for the use of the meanest reader , with prayers 〈…〉 take heed and beware of false prophets . matt. . the practice of christian graces . or the whole duty of man laid down in a plaine and familiar way for the use of all , but especially the meanest reader . divided into xvii . chapters . one whereof being read every lords day the whole may be read over thrice in the year . with private devotions for several occasions ; viz. for morning evening . sacrament . the sick , &c. times of pub . calamities . london , printed by ● . maxwell for t. garthwait at the little north door of s. pauls . . mr. garthvvait . you needed not any intercession to recommend this task to me , which brought its invitations and reward with it . i very willingly read over all the sheets , both of the discourse , and the devotions annext , and find great cause to bless god for both , not discerning what is wanting in any part of either , to render it with gods blessing , most sufficient , and proper to the great end designed , the spiritual supplies and advantages of all those that shall be exercised therein . the subject matter of it , is indeed , what the title undertakes , the whole duty of man , set down in all the branches , with those advantages of brevity and partitions , to invite , and support , and engage the reader , that condescension to the meanest capacities , but with all , that weight of spiritual arguments , wherein the best proficients will be glad to be assisted , that it seems to me equally fitted for both sorts of readers , which shall bring with them a sincere desire of their own , either present or future advantages . the devotion part in the conclusion is no way inferior , being a most seasonable aid to every mans infirmities , and hath extended it self very particularly to all our principal concernments ; the introduction hath supplyed the place of a preface , which you seem to desire from me , and leaves me no more to add , but my prayers to god , that the author which hath taken care to conveigh so liberal an alms to the corban so secretly , may not miss to be rewarded openly , in the visible power and benefit of this work , on the hearts of the whole nation , which was never in more need of such supplies , as are here afforded . that his allsufficient grace will bless the seed sown , and give an abundant encrease , is the humblest request of march . . your assured friend . h. hammond . a table of the contents of the several chapters or partitio●s in this book . which according to this division , by reading one of these chapters every lords day , the whole may be read over thrice in the year . partition . of the duty of man , by the light of nature , by the light of scripture : of faith , the promises , of hope , of love , &c. page . partition . of humility , of submission to gods will , in respect of obedience , of patience , in all sorts of sufferings ; and of honour due to god in several wayes , in his house , possessions , his day , word , sacraments , &c. page . partition . of the lords supper , of preparation before receiving , of duties to be done at the receiving , and afterwards , &c. page . partition . honour due to gods name ; of sinning against it ; blasphemy , swearing , assertory oaths , promissory oaths , vnlawful oaths of perjury , of vain oaths , and the sin of them , &c. page . partition . of worship due to gods name . of prayer and its several parts . of publick prayers i● the church , in the family : of private pray●er . of repentance , &c. of f●sting , page ▪ partition . of duties to our selves . of sobriety humility ; the great sin of pride , the danger , the folly of this sin. of vain-glory the danger , folly , means to prevent it . o● meekness , the means to obtain it , &c. page ▪ partition . of contentedness , and the contraries t● it , murmuring , ambition , coveto●sness envy ; helps to contentedness . of dutie which concern our bodies . of chastity , help● to it . temperance , rules of temperance i● eating , &c. page . partition . of temperance in drinking , false ends o● drinking , viz. good fellowship . putting away cares , &c. page . partition . temperance in sleep ; the rule of it , &c. of recreation , of apparel . page ▪ partition . of duties to our neighbours . of justice , negative , and positive . of the sin of mur●her . of the hainousness of it , the punishments of it , and the strange discoveries thereof ; of maiming , wounds and stripes , page . partition . of justice , about the possessions of our neighbour ; against injuring him as concerning his wife , his goods . of malice , covetousness , oppression , theft : of paying debts , &c. page . partition . of theft ; stealing the goods of our neighbour . of deceit in trust ; in traffick . of restitution , &c. page . partition . of false reports , false witness , slanders , whisperings . of despising and scoffing for infirmities , calamities , sins , &c. of positive justice , speaking the truth . of lying . of humility and pride . of envy , detraction . of gratitude . &c. page . partition . of duty to parents . magistrates , pastors , &c. of the duty of parents to children , &c. page . partition . of duty to our brethren and relations ; husband , wife , friends , masters , servants . page . partition . other branches of our duty to our neighbour . of charity to mens souls , bodies● goods , &c. page . partition : . of charity , alms-giving , &c. of charity in respect of our neighbours credit , of peace-making . of going to law : of charity to our enemies , &c. christian duties both possible and pleasant . page . a table of the prayers . prayers for morning prayers for night collects for several graces a paraphrase on the lords prayer pious ejaculations out of the book of psalms brief heads of examination before the sacrament prayers before the sacrament ejaculations at the lords table , &c prayers after the sacrament prayers for the sick ejaculations for the sick ● prayers for publick calamities a preface to the ensuing treatise , shewing the necessity of caring for the soul. § . the only intent of this ensuing treatise , is to be a short & plain direction to the very meanest readers , to behave themselves so in this world , that they may be happy for ever in the next . but because 't is in vain to tell men their duties , till they be perswaded of the necessity of performing it ; i shall , before i proceed to the particulars required of every christian , endeavour to win them to the practice of one general duty preparatory to all the rest , and that is the consideration and care of their own souls , without which they will never think themselves much concern'd in the other . . man , we know is made up of two parts , a body and a soul : the body only the husk or shell of the soul , a lump of flesh , subject to many diseases and pains while it lives , and at last to death it self , and then 't is so far from being valued , that 't is not to be endured above ground , but layed to rott in the earth . yet to this viler part of us we perform a great deal of care , all the labour and toil we are at , is to maintain that . but the more precious part , the soul is little thought of , no care taken , how it fares , but as if it were a thing that nothing concerned us , is left quite neglected , never consider'd by us . . this carelesnesse of the soul is the root of all the sin we commit , and therefore whosoever intends to set upon a christian course , must in the first place amend that . to the doing wherof , there needs no deep learning , or extraordinary parts , the simplest man living ( that is not a natural fool ) hath understanding enough for it , if he will but act in this by the same rules of common reason , whereby he proceeds in his worldly business . i will therefore now briefly set down some of those motives , which use to stir up our care of any outward thing , and then apply them to the soul. . there be four things especially , which use to awake our care , the first is the worth of the thing , the second the usefulnesse of it to us , when we cannot part with it without great damage and mischief , the third the great danger of it , & the fourth the likelyhood that our care will not be in vain but that it will preserve the thing cared for . . for the first , we know our care of any worldly thing is answerable to the worth of it ; what is of greatest price , we are most watchful to preserve , and most fearful to lose ; no man locks up dung in his chest , but his money ▪ or what he counts precious , he doth . now in this respect the soul deserves more care , then all the things in the world besides , for 't is infinitly more worth . first in that is made after the image of god ; it was god that breathed into man this breath of life ; gen . now god being of the greatest excellency , and worth , the more any thing is like him , the more it is to be valued . but 't is sure that no creature upon the earth is at all like god , but the soul of man , and therefore nothing ought to have so much of our care . secondly , the soul never dies . we use to prize things according to their durablenesse : what is most lasting , is most worth . now the soul is a thing that will last for ever , when wealth , beauty ▪ strength , nay our very bodies themselves fade away , the soul still continues . therefore in that respect also , the soul is of the greatest worth ; and then what strange madnesse is it for us to neglect them as we do ? we can spend days , and weekes , and moneths and years , nay our whole lives in hunting after a little wealth of this world , which is of no durance or continuance , ●nd in the mean time ●et this great durable treasure , our souls , be sto●● from us by the divel . . a second motive to our care of any thing is the usefulnesse of it to us , or ●he great mischief we shall have by the ●osse of it . common reason teaches us ●his in all things of this life : if our ●aires fall , we do not much regard 〈◊〉 , because we can be well enough with●ut them : but if we are in danger to lose our eyes or limbs , we think all the care we can take little enough to prevent it , because we know it will be a great misery . but certainly there is no misery to be compared to that misery , that followes the losse of the soul. 't is true we cannot lose our souls , in one sense , that is so lose them , that they shall cease to be ; but we may so lose them in another , that we shall wish to lose them even in that . that is we may lose that happy estate , to which they were created , and plunge them into the extremest misery . in a word we may lose them in hell , whence there is no fetching them back , and so they are lost for ever . nay in this consideration our very bodies are concerned , those darlings of ours , for which all our care is layed out : for they must certainly after death be raised again , and be joyned again to the soul , and take part with it in whatever state ; if then our care for the body take up all our time and thoughts , and leave us none to bestow on the poor soul , it is sure the soul will for want of that care , be made for ever miserable . but it is as sure , that that very body must be so too . and therefore if you have any true kindnesse to your body , shew it by taking care of your souls . think with your selves , how you will be able to endure everlasting burnings , if a small spark of fire , lighting on the least part of the body , be so intolerable , what will it be to have the whole cast into the hottest flames ? and that not for some few howres or days , but for ever ; so that when you have spent many thousand of years in that unspeakable torment , you shall be no neerer com●ng out of it , then you were the first day you went in : think of this , i say , and think this withall , that this will certainly be the end of neglecting the soul , and therefore afford it some care , if it be but in pity to the body , that must bear a part in its miseries . . the third motive to the care of any thing , is its being in danger ; now a thing may be in danger two wayes , first by enemies from without : this is the case of the sheep , which is still in danger of being devoured by wolves , and we know that makes the shepheard so much the more watchful over it . thus is it with the soul , which is in a great deal of danger , in respect of its enemies : those we know are the world , the flesh , and the divel , which are all such noted enemies to it , that the very first ▪ act we do in behalfe of our souls , is to vow a continual war against them . this we all do in our baptism ; and whoever makes any truce with any of them , is false not only to his soul , but to his vow also , becomes a forsworn creature : a consideration well worthy our laying to heart , but that we may the better understand , what danger the soul is in , let us a little consider the quality of these enemies . . in a war you know there are divers things that make an enemy terrible . the first is subtilty , and cunning , by which alone many victories have been won , and in this respect the divel is a dangerous adversary , he long since gave sufficient proof of his subtlety , in beguiling our first parents , who yet were much wiser then we are , and therefore no wonder if he deceive and cheat us . secondly , the watchfulness and diligence of an enemy , makes him the more to be feared , and here the divel exceeds , it is his trade , business to destroy us , and he is no loiterer at it , he goes up and down seeking whom he may devour , pet . . he watches all opportunities of advantage against us , with such diligence , that he will be sure never to let any slip him . thirdly , an enemy neer us is more to be feared then one at a distance ; for if he be far off , we may have time to arm , and prepare our selves against him , but if he be neer he may steal on us unawars . and of this sort is the flesh , it is an enemy , at our doors , shall i say ? nay in our bosoms , it is always neer us , to take occasion of doing us mischiefs . fourthly , the baser and falser an enemy is , the more dangerous ; he that hides his malice under the shew of friendship will be able to do a great deal the more hurt . and this again is the flesh , which like job to abner , sam. . : pretends to speak peaceably , to us , but wounds us to death ; 't is forward to purvey for pleasures and delights for us , and so see●●s very kind , but it has a hook under that baite , and if we 〈◊〉 at it , we are lost . fifthly , the number of enemies make them more terrible ; and the world is a vast army against us : there is no state or condition in it , nay scarce a creature which d●th not at sometime or other fight against the soul : the honours of the world seek to wound us by pride , the wealth by covetousness ; the prosperity of it tempt us to forget god , the adversities to murmure at him . our very table becomes a snare to us , our meat draws us to gluttony , our drink to drunkeness , our company , nay our neerest friends often bear a part in this war against us , whilest either by their example , or perswasions they intice us to sin . consider all this , and then tell me , whether a soul thus beset hath leisure to sleep ; even dalilah could tell samson , it was time to awake when the philistims were upon him . and christ tells us , if the good man of the house had known in what hour the thief would come , he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken up , mat. . but we live in the midst of thieves , and therefore must look for them every hour , and yet who is there among us , that hath that common providence for this precious part of him , his soul , which he hath for his house , or indeed the meanest thing that belongs to him ? i fear our souls may say to us , as christ to his disciples . mat . . what could ye not watch with me one hour ? for i doubt it would pose many of us to tell when we bestowed one hour on them , thoug● we know them to be continually beset with most dangerous enemies . and then alas ! what is like to be the case of these poor souls , when their adversaries bestow so much care , and diligence to destroy them , and we will afford none to preserve them , surely the same as of a besieged town , where no watch or guard is kept , which is ce●tain to fall a prey to the enemy . consider this ye that forget god , nay , ye that forget your selves , lest he pluck you away and there be none to deliver you , psal. . . . but i told you , there was a second way , whereby a thing may be in danger , and that is from some disorder , or distemper within it self . this is often the case of our bodies , they are not only lyable to outward violence , but they are within themselves sick and diseased . and then we can be sensible enough that they are in danger , and need not to be taught to seek out for means to recover them . but this is also the case of the soul ; we reckon those parts of the body diseased , that do not rightly perform their office , we account it a sick palate that tastes not aright , a sick stomack that digests not . and thus it is with the soul , its parts do not rightly perform their offices . . the parts of the soul are especially these three : the understanding , the will , and the affections . and that these are disordered , there needs little proof ; let any man look seriously into his own heart , and consider , how little it is he knows of spiritual things , and then tell me whether his understanding be not dark : how much apter is he to will evil then good , and then ●ell me whether his will be not crooked : and how strong desires he hath after the pleasures of sin , and what cold and faint ones towards god , and goodness , and then tell me whether his affections be not disordered , and rebellious even against the vice of his own reason within him . now as in bodily diseases , the first step to the cure is to know the cause of the sickness , so likewise here it is very necessary for us to know how the soul first fell into this diseased condition , and that i shall now briefly tell you . . god created the first man adam without sin , and endued his soul with the full knowledg of his duty , and with such a strength , that he might if he would perform all that was required of him . having thus created him , he maks a covenant or agreement with him , to this purpose , that if he continued in obedience to god , without committing sin ; then first that strength of soul , which he then had should still be continued to him ; and first , that he should never dye , but be taken up into heaven , there to be happy for ever . but on the other side , if he committed sin , and disobeyed god , then both he and all his children after him , should lose that knowledg and that perfect strength , which enabled him to do all that god required of him ; and secondly , should be subject to death , and not only so , but to eternal damnation in hell. . this was the agreement made with adam and all mankind in him ( which we usually call the first covenant ) upon which god gave adam a particular commandment , which was no more but this , that he should not 〈◊〉 of one only tree of that garden wherein he had placed him . but he by the perswasion of the divel 〈◊〉 of that tree , disobeys god , and so brings that cu●se upon himself , and all his posterity . and so by that one sin of his ●e lost both the full knowledg of his duty , and the power of performing it . and we being born after his image , did so likewise and so are become both ignorant in discerning what we ought to do , and weak and unable to the doing of it , having a backwardnesse to all good , and an aptnesse , and readiness to all evil , like a sick stomack , which loaths all wholsome food , and longs after such trash , as may nourish the disease . . and now you see where we got this sicknesse of soul , and likewise that it is like to prove a deadly one , and therefore i presume i need say no more , to assure you our souls are in danger . it is more likely you will from this description think them hoplesse . but that you may not from that conceit , excuse your neglect of them , i shall hasten to shew you the contrary , by proceeding to the fourth motive of care , . that fourth motive is the liklyhood ▪ that our care will not be in vain , but that it wil● be a means to preserve the thing cared for ; where this is wanting , it disheartens our care . a physician leaves his patient when he sees him past hope , as knowing it is then in vain to give him any thing , but on the contrary when he sees hopes of recovery , he plies him with medicines . n●● in this very respect we have a great deal of reason to take care of our souls , for they are not so far gone , but they may be recovered , nay it is certain they will if we do our parts towards it . . for though by that sin of adam al● mankind were under the sentence of eternal condemnation , yet it 〈◊〉 god so far to pity o●r misery , as to give us his son , and in him to make a new covenant with us after we had broken the first . . this second covenant was made with adam , & us in him , presently after his fall , & is briefly contained in those words , gen. . . where god declares that the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head ; and this was made up , as the first was , of some mercies to be afforded by god and some duties to be performed by us . . god therein promises to send his only son , who is god equal with himself , to earth , to become man , like unto us in all things , sin only excepted , and he to do for us these several things . . first to make known to us the whole will of his father , in the performance whereof we shall be sure to be accepted and rewarded by him . and this was one great part of his business , which he performed in those many sermons and precepts , we find set down in the gospel . and herein he is our prophet , it being the work of a prophet of old not only to foretel , but to teach . our duty in this particular is to hearken diligently to him , to be most ready , and desirous to learn that will of god , which he came from heaven to reveal to us . this d . thing he was to do for us , was to satisfie god for our sins , not only that one of adam ; but all the sins of all mankind , that truly repent and amend , & by this means to obtain for us forgiveness of sins , the favour of god , and so to redeem us from hell , and eternal damnation which was the punishment due to our sin . all this he did for us by his death , he offered up himself a sacrifice for the sins of all those who heartily bewail , and forsake them . and in this he is our priest , it being the priests office to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people . our duty in this particular is first truly , and heartily to repent us of , and forsake our sins , without which they will never be forgiven us , though christ have died . secondly , stedfastly to believe , that if we do that , we shall have the benefits of that sacrifice of his , all our sins , how many and great soever , shall be forgiven us , and we saved from those eternal punishments , which were due unto us for them : another part of the priests office was blessing and praying for the people , and this also christ performs to us . it was his especial commission from his father to bless us , as st. peter tels us acts . . god sent his son jesus to bless you , and the following words shew wherein that blessing consists , in turning away every one of you from his iniquity , those means which he has used for the turning us from our sins , are to be reckoned of all other the greatest blessings , and for the other part , shat of praying , that he not only performed on earth , but continues still to do it in heaven , he sits on the right hand of god and makes request for us , rom. , . our duty herein is not to resist this unspeakable blessing of his , but to be willing to be thus blest in the being turned from our sins , and not to make void , and fruitless all his prayers , and intercessions for us , which will never prevail for us , whilst we continue in them . . the third thing , that christ was to do for us , was to enable us , or give us strength to do what god requires of us . this he doth first by taking off from the hardness of the law , given to adam , which was never to commit the least sin , upon pain of damnation , and requiring of us onely an honest and hearty endeavour to do what we are able , and where we fail , accepting of sincere repentance . secondly , by sending his holy spirit into our hearts , to govern , and rule us , to give us strength to overcome temptations to sin and to do all that he now under the gospel requires of us . and in this he is our king , it being the office of a king to govern , and rule , & to subdue enemies . our duty in this particular is to give up our selves obedient subjects of his , to be governed , and ruled by him , to obey all his lawes , not to take part with any rebel , that is , not to cherish any one sin . but diligently to pray for his grace to enable us to subdue all , and then carefully to make use of it to that purpose . . lastly , he has purchased for all that faithfully obey him an eternal glorious inheritance , the kingdom of heaven , whether he is gone before , to take possession for us . our duty herein is to be exceeding careful , that we forfeit not our parts in it , which we shall certainly do , if we continue impenitent in any sin ; secondly , not to fasten our affections on this world , but to raise them up , according to the precept of the apostle , col. . . set your affections on things above & not on things on the earth , continually longing to come to the possession of that blessed inheritance of ours , in comparison whereof all things here below should seem vile and mean to us . . this is the summe of that second covenant we are now under , wherein you see what christ has done , how he executes those three great offices of king , priest and prophet , as also what is required of us , without our faithful performance whereof , all that he hath done , shall never stand us in any stead ; for he will never be a priest to save any , who take him not as well for their prophet , to teach , and their king to rule them ; nay , if we neglect our part of this covenant , our condition will be yet worse , then if it had never been made ; for we shall then be to answer not for the breach of law onely , as in the first , but for the abuse of mercy , which is of all sins the most provoking . on the other side , if 〈◊〉 faithfully perform it ; that is , set our selves heartily to the obeying of every precept of christ , not going on wilfully in any one sin , but bewailing and forsaking whatever we have formerly been guilty of , it is then most certain , that all the afore-mentioned benefits of christ belongs to us . . and now you see how little reason you have to cast off the care of your souls , upon a conceit they are past cure , for that it is plain th●y are not ; nay , certainly they are in that very condition , which of all others make them fittest for our care . if they had not been thus redeemed by christ , they had been then so hopeless , that care would have been in vain ; on the other side , if his redemption had been such , that all men should be saved by it , though they live as they list , we should have thought it needless to take care for them , because they were safe without it . but it hath pleased god so to order it , that our care must be the means , by which they must receive the good even of all that christ hath done for them . . and now , if after all that god hath done to save these souls of ours , we will not bestow a little care on them our selves , we very well deserve to perish . if a physician should undertake a patient that were in some desperate disease , and by his skill bring him so far out of it , that he were sure to recover , if he would but take care of himself , and observe those rules the physician set him , would you not think that man weary of his life , that would refuse to do that ? so certainly that man is weary of his soul , wilfully casts it away , that will not consent to those easy conditions , by which he may save it . . you see how great kindness god hath to these souls of ours , the whole trinity , father , son , and holy-ghost have all done their parts for them . the father gave his only son , the son gave himself , left his glory , and endured the bitter death of the cross , meerly to keep our souls from perishing . the holy-ghost is become as it were our attendant , waites upon us with continual offers of his grace , to enable us to do that which may preserve them ; nay he is so desirous we should accept th●se offers of his , that he is said to be grieved , when we refuse them , eph. . . now what g●eater disgrace ; and affront can we put upon god then to dispise what he thus values , that those souls of ours , which christ thought worth every drop of his blood , we should not think worth any part of our care ? we use in things of the world , to ●ate them according to the opinion of those who are best skilled in them , now certainly god , who made our souls , ●ist knowes the worth of them , and since he prizes them 〈◊〉 high , let us ( if it be but in reverence to him ) be a●●amed to neglect them . especially now , that they are 〈◊〉 so hopeful a condition , that nothing but our own ●arelesnesse can possibly destroy them . . i have now bri●fly gone over those four motives of care i at first proposed , which are each of them such , as ●●●ver misses to stir it up towards the things of this world and i have also shewed you , how much more reasonable nay necessary it is , they should do the like for the soul ▪ and now what can i say more , but conclude in the words of isaiah . . remember this and shew your selvs men ▪ that is , deal with your soul as your reason teaches you to do with all other things that concern you . and sure this common justice binds you to , for the soul is that which furnishes you with that reason , which you exercise in all your worldly business , and shall the soul it self receive n● benefit from that reason , which it affords you ? this is a● if the master of a family , who provides food for his servants , should by them be kept from eating any himself and so remain the onely starved creature in his house . . and as justice tyes you to this , so mercy doth likewise , you know the poor soul will fall into endlesse and unspeakable miseries , if you continue to neglect it , and the● it will be too l●te to consider it . the last refuge you ca● hope for is gods mercy , but that you have despised , and abused . and with what face can you in your greatest nee● beg for his mercy to your souls , when you would not as ford them your own ? no not that common charity 〈◊〉 considering them , of bestowing a few of those idle hours you know not ( scarce ) how to passe away , upon them . . lay this to your hearts , and as ever you hope so gods pity , when you most want it , be sure in time to pity your selves , by taking that due care of your preciou● souls , which belongs to them . . if what hath been said , have perswaded you to 〈◊〉 so necessary a duty , my next work will be to tell you 〈◊〉 this care must be imployed , and that in a word , is in th● doing of all th●se things , which tend to the making 〈◊〉 soul happy , which is the end of our care , and what th●● are i come now to shew you . partition i. of the duty of man by the light of nature , by the light of scripture ; of faith , the promises , of hope , of love , &c. the benefits purchased for us by christ , are such as will undoubtedly make the soul happy , for eternal happiness it self is one of them ; but because these benefits belong not to us , till we perform the condition required of us , whoever desires the happiness of his soul , must set himself to the performing of that condition ; what that is , i have already mentioned in general , that it is the hearty honest endeavour of obeying the whole will of god. but then that will of god containing under it many particulars , it is necessary we should also know , what those are ; that is what are the several things , that god now requires of us , our performance whereof will bring us to everlasting happiness ; and the neglect to endless misery . . of these things there are some , which god hath so stamp't upon our souls , that we n●turally knew them ; that is , we should have known them to be our duty , though we had never bin told so by the scripture . that this is so , we may see by those heathens , who having never heard of either old or new testam●nt , do yet acknowledg themselves bound to some general duties , as to worship god ; to be just , to honour their parents , and the like . and as s. paul saith , rom . . their consciences do in those tbings accuse or excuse them , that is , tell them , whether they have done what they should , in those particulars , or no. . now though christ have brought greater light into the world , yet he never meant by it to put out any of that natural light , which god had set up in our souls : therefore l●t me here by the way , advise you not to walk contrary even to this lesser light , i mean not to venture on any of those acts , which meer natural conscience will tell you are sins . . it is just matter of sadness to any christian heart , to see some in these dayes , who profess much of religion , and yet live in such sins , as a meer heathen would abhor ; men that pretending to higher degrees of light , and holiness , then their brethren do , yet practice contrary to all rules of common honesty , and make it part of their christan liberty so to do , of whose seducement , it concerns all that love their soules to beware ; and for that purpose let this be laid as a foundation , that that religion , or opinion cannot be of god , which allowes men in any wickedness . . but though we must not put out this light , which god hath thus put into our soules , yet this is not the only way , whereby god hath revealed his will , and therefore we are not to rest here , but proceed to the knowledg of those other things , which god hath by other means revealed . . the way for us to come to know them , is by the scriptures , wherein are set down those several commands of god , which he hath given to be the rule of our duty . . of those some were given , before christ came into the world , such are those precepts we find scattered throughout the old testament , but especially contained in the ten commandments , and that excellent book of deuteronomy ; others were given by christ , who added much both to the law implanted in us by nature , and that of the old testament , and those you shall find in the new testament , ●n the several precepts given by him and his apostles : but especially in that divine sermon ●n the mount , set down in the fifth , sixth , ●eventh chapters of s. matthews gos●el . . all these should be severally spoke to , but because that would make the discourse very long , and so less fit for the meaner sort of men , for whose use alone it is intended , i chuse to proceed in another manner : by summing all these together , and so as plainly as i can , to lay down , what is now the duty of every ch●istan . this i find briefly contained in the words of the apostle , tit. . . that we should live soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world ; where the word soberly contains our duty to our selves , righteously , our duty to our neighbour , and godly , our d●ty to god. these therefore shall be the heads of my discourse , our duty to god , our selves , and our neighbour . i begin w●th that to god , that being the best ground-work whereon to build b●th the other . . there are many parts of our duty to god , the two chief are these : first to acknowledg him to be god , secondly , to have no other ; under these are contained all those particulars , which make up our whole duty to god , which shall be shewed in their order . . to a●knowledg him to be god , is ●o believe him to be an infinite glorious spirit , that was from everlasting , without beginning and sh●ll be to everlasting , without end . that he is our creator , redeemer , sanctifier , fat●er , son , and holy-ghost , one god , blessed for eve . that he is suject to no alterations , but is unchangeable ; that he is no bodil● substance , such as our eyes may behold , but spiritual , and invisible , whom no man hath seen , nor can see , as the apostle tell us , tim. . . that he is infinitely great , and excellent , beyond all that our wit or conceit can imagine , that he hath received his being from none , and gives being to all things . . all this we are to believe of him , in regard of his essence , and being ; but besides this , he is set forth to us in the scripture , by several excellencies , as that he is of infinite goodness , and mercy , truth , iustice , wisdom , power , all-sufficiency , majesty : that he disposes , and governs all things by his providence ; that he knows all things , and is present in all places ; these are by divines called the attributes of god , and all these we must undoubtingly acknowledg , that is , we must firmly believe all these divine excellencies to be in god , and that in the greatest degree , and so that they can never cease to be in him , he can never be other , then infinitely good , merciful , true , &c. . but the acknowledging him for our god , signifies yet more then this , it means that we should perform to him all those several parts of duty , which belong from a creature to his god ; what those are , i am now to tell you . . the first is faith , or belief , not only that forementioned of his essence , and attributes , but of his word , the believing most firmly , that all that he saith , is perfectly true . this necessarily arises from that attribute , his truth , it being natural for us to believe whatsoever is said by one of whose truth we are confident . now the holy scriptures being the word of god , we are therefore to conclu●e , that all that is contained in them , is most true . . the things contained in them are of these four sorts : first , affirmations , such are all the stories of the bible , when it is said , such and such things came so and so to pass ; christ was born of a virgin , was laid in a manger , &c. and such also are many points of doctrine , as that there are three persons in the god-head , that christ is the son of god , and the like . all things of this sort thus delivered in scripture , we are to believe most true . and not only so , but because they are all written for our instruction ; we are to co●sider them for that purpose , that is , by them to lay that foundation of christian-knowledg , on which we may build a christian life . , the second sort of things contain'd in the scripture are the commands , that is , the several things enjoyned us by god to perform ; these we are to believe to come from him , and to be most just , and fit for him to command . but then this belief must bring forth obedience , that what we believe thus fit to be done ▪ be indeed done by us ; otherwise our belief that they come from him , serves but to make us more inexcusable . . thirdly , the scripture contains threatnings ; many texts there are which th●eaten to them that go on in their sins , the wrath of god ; and under that are contain'd all the punishments , and miseries of this life , both spiritual and temporal , and everlasting destruction in the life to come . now we are most stedfastly to believe , that these are gods threats , and that they will certainly be performed to every impenitent sinner but then the use we are to make of this belief is to keep from those sins , to which this destruction is threatned , otherwise our belief adds to our guilt ; that will willfully go on in spight of those threatnings . . fourthly , the scripture contains promises , and those both to our bodies , and our soules ; for our bodies there are many promises , that god will provide for them what he sees necessary ; i will name only one , mat. . . seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness , and all these things , that is , all outward necessaries shall be added unto you : but here t is to be observed , that we must first seek the kingdom of god and his righteousness , that is , make it our first and greatest care , to serve and obey him , before this promise even of temporal good things belongs to us . to the soul there are many and high promises , as first , that of present ease , and refreshment which we find , mat. . . take my yoke upon you , and learn of me , and ye shall find rest to your soules : but here it is apparent , that before this rest belongs to us , we must have taken on us christs yoke , become his servants , and disciples . finally there are promises to the soul , even of all the benefits of christ ; but yet those only to such , as perform the condition required ; that is , pardon of sins to those that repent of them , increase of grace to those that diligently make use of , what they have already , and humbly pray for more , and eternal salvation to those that continue to their lives end , in hearty obedience to his commands . . this belief of the promises must therefore stir us up to perform the condition , and till it do so , we can in no reason expect any good by them ; and for us to look for the benefit of them on other termes , is the same mad presumption , that it would be in a servant to challenge his master , to give him a reward for having done nothing of his work , to which alone the reward was promised ; you can easily resolve , what answer were to be given to such a servant , and the same are we to expect from god in this case ; nay further , it is sure god hath given these promises to no other end , but to invite us to holiness of life , yea he gave his son in whom all his promise● are as it were sum'd up for this end . we usually look so much at christs coming to satisfie for us , that we forget this other part of his errand . but there is nothing surer , than that the main purpose of his coming into the world , was to plant good life among men . . this is so often repeated in scripture , that no man that considers , and believes what he reads , can doubt of it . christ himself tells us , mat . . he came to call sinners to repentance ; and s. peter , acts. . . tell us , that god sent his son iesus to bless us , in turning every one of us from his iniquities ; for it seems the ●●rning us from our iniquities ▪ was the greatest special blessing , which god intended us in christ. . nay we are taught by s. paul , that this was the end of his very death also , tit. . . who gave himself for our sins , that he might redeem us from all iniquity , and purifie to himself a peculiar people , zealous of good works ; and again , gal. . . who gave himself for us , that he might deliver us from this present evil world , that is from the sins , and ill customes of the world . divers other texts there are to this purpose , but these i suppose sufficient to assure any man of this one great truth , that all that christ hath done for us , was directed to this end , the bringing us to live christianly ; or in the words of s. paul , to teach us , that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts , we should live soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world . . now we know chr●st is the foundation of all the promises , in him all the promises of god are yea , and amen , cor. . . and therefore if god gave christ to this end , certainly the promises are to the same also . and then how great an abuse of them is it , to make them serve for purposes quite contrary to what they were intended , viz. to the encouraging us in sins , which they will certainly do , if we perswade our selves , they belong to us , how wickedly soever we live . the apostle teaches us another use of them , cor. . . having therefore these promises , let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit , perfecting holiness in the fear of god. when we do thus , we may justly apply the promises to our selves , and with comfort expect our parts in them . but till then , though these promises be of certain truth , yet we can reap no benefit from them , because we are not the persons , to whom they are made , that is , we perform not the condition required , to give us right to them . . this is the faith , or belief required of us towards the things god hath revealed to us in the scripture ; to wit , such as may answer the end , for which they were so revealed , that is , the bringing us to good lives ; the bare believing , the truth of them , without this , is no more then the divels do , as s. james tells us , chap. . . only they are not so unreasonable , as some of us are , for they will tremble , as knowing well this faith will never do them any good but many of us go on confidently , and doubt not the sufficiency of our faith , though we have not the least fruit of obedience to approve it by ; let such hear s. james judgment in the point , chap. . . as the body without the spirit is dead , so faith , if it have not works , is dead also . . a second duty to god is hope , that is , a comfortable expectation of these good things he hath promised . but this , i told you before of faith , must be such , as agrees to the nature of the promises , which being such as requires a condition on our part , we can hope no further , then we make that good ; or if we do , we are so far from performing by it this duty of hope , that we commit the great sin of presumption , which is nothing else , but hoping where god hath given us no ground to hope . this every man doth , that hopes for pardon of sins , and eternal life , without that repentance and obedience , to which alone they are promised , the true hope is that which purifies us ; s. john saith , . ep. . every man that hath this hope , purifieth himself , even as he is pure , that is , it makes him leave his sins , and earnestly endeavour to be holy , as christ is , and that which doth not so , how confident soever it be , may well be concluded to be but that hope of the hypocrite , which job assures us shall perish . . but there is another way of transgressing , this duty , besides that of presu●p●●●● and that is by desperation , by which 〈◊〉 not that , which is ordinarily so calle● 〈◊〉 the despairing of mercy , so long as 〈◊〉 in our sins ▪ for that is but just for 〈◊〉 : but i mean such a desperation , as makes us ●e over endeavour , that is , when a man that sees he is not at the present such a one , as the promises belong to , concludes , he can never become such , and therefore neglects all duty , and goes on in his sins . this is indeed the sinful desperation , and that which if it be continued in , must end in destruction . . now the work of hope is to prevent this , by setting before us the g●nerality of the promises , that they belong to all that will but perform the condition . and therefore though a man have not hitherto performed it , and so hath yet no right to them , yet hope will tell him , that that right may yet be gained , if he will now set heartily about it . it is therefore strange folly for any man , be he never so sinful , to give up himself for lost , when if he will but change his course , he shall be as certain to partake of the promises of merey as if he had never gone on in those former sins . . this christ shews us in the parable of the prodigal , luke . where we see that son , which had run away from his father , and had consumed the portion gi-given him , in riotous living , was yet upon his return and repentance used with as much kindness by the father , as he that had never offended , nay with higher and more passionate expressions of love . the intent of which parable was only to shew us how graciously our heavenly father will receive us , how great soever our former sins have bin , if we shall return to him with true sorrow for what is past , and sincere obedience for the time to come ; nay so acceptable a thing is it to god , to have any sinner return from the error of his wayes , that there is a kinde of triumph in heaven for it , there i● joy in the presence of the angels of god , over one sinner that repenteth : lu. . . and now who would not rather chuse by a timely repentance , to bring joy to heaven , to god , and his holy angels ; then by a sullen desperation to please satan and his accursed spirits ; especially when by the former we shall gain endless happiness to our selves , and by the latter as endless torments . . a third duty to god is love ; there are two common motives of love amongst men , the one the goodness and excellency of the person ; the other his particular kindness , and love to us , and both these are in the highest degree in god. . first he is of infinite goodness , and excellency in himself ; this you were before taught to believe of him , and no man can doubt it , that considers but this one thing , that there is nothing good in the world , but what hath received all its goodness from god : his goodness is as the sea , or ocean ; and the goodness of all creatu●es , but as some small streames , flowing from that sea ; now you would certainly think him a mad man , that should say the s●a were not greater then some little brook , and certainly it is no less folly to suppose , that the goodness of god doth not as much ( nay infinitely more ) exceed that of all creatures . besides the goodness of the creature is imperfect and mixt with much evil ; but his is sure , and entire , without any such mixture . he is perfectly holy , and cannot be tainted with the least impurity , neither can he be the author of any to us , for though he be the cause of all the goodness in us , he is the cause of none of our sins . this s. james expresly tells us , chap. . . let no man say when he is tempted , ●e is tempted of god ; for god cannot be tempted with evil ; neither tempteth he any man. but secondly , god is not only thus good in himself , but he is also wonderful good ; that is , kind , and merciful to us , we are made up of two parts , a soul and a body , and to each of these god has exprest infinite mercy , and tenderness . do but consider what was before told you of the second covenant , and the mercies therein offered , even christ himself , and all his benefits , and also that he offers them so sincerely and heartily , that no man can miss of enjoying them , but by his own default . for he doth most really and affectionately desire we should embrace them , and live : as appears by that solemn oath of his , eze. . as i live , saith the lord , i have no pleasure in the death of the wicked , but that the wicked turn from his way and live ; whereto he adds this passionate expression ; turn ye , turn ye from our evil ways , for why will yee die : to the same purpose , you may read , ezek. . consider this , i say , and then surely you cannot but say , he hath great kindness to our souls . nay let every man but remember with himself , the many calls he had to repentance and amendment , somtimes outward by the word , somtimes inward by the secret whispers of gods spirit in his heart , which were only to wooe and intreat him to avoid eternal misery , and to accept of eternal happiness ; let him , i say , remember these , together with those many other means , god hath used towards him for the same end , and he will have reason to confess gods kindness , not only to mens soules in general ; but to his own in particular . . neither hath he bin wanting to our bodies , all the good things they injoy , as health , strength , food , rayment , and whatever else concerns them , are meerly his gifts ; so that indeed it is impossible , we should be ignorant of his mercies to them , all those outward comforts and refreshmets we daily injoy , being continual effects , and witnesses of it , and though some enjoy more of these , then others , yet there is no person , but injoyes so much in one kind or other , as abundantly shews gods mercy , and kindness to him , in respect of his body . . and now surely you will think it but reasonable we should love him , who is in all respects thus lovely : inde●d this is a duty so generally acknowledged , that if you should ask any man the question , whether he loved god or no , he would think you did him great wrong to doubt of it ; yet for all this , it is too plain , that there are very few , that do indeed love him , and this will soon be proved to you by examining a little , what are the common effects of love , which we bear to men ▪ like our selves , and then trying , whether we can shew any such fruits of our love to god. . of that sort there are divers , but for shortness i will name but two . the first is a desire of pleasing , the second a desire of enjoying . these are constantly the fruits of love . for the first 't is known by all , that he that loves any person , is very desirous to approve himself to him ▪ to do whatsoever he thinks will be pleasing to him ; and according to the degree of love , so is this desire more ▪ or less ; where we love earnestly , we are very earnest , and careful to please . now if we have indeed that love to god we pretend to , it will bring forth this fruit , we shall be careful to please him in all things . therefore as you judg of the tree by its fruits , so may you judg of your love of god , by this fruit of it , nay indeed this is th● way of tryal , which christ himself hath give● us , jo. . . if ye love me keep my comandments ; and s. john tell us , ep. . . that this is the love of god , that we walk after his commandments , and where this one proof is wanting , it will be impossible to testifie● our love to god. . but it must yet be farther considered that this love of god must not be in a low or weak degree , for besides that the motives to it , his excellency , and his kindness are in the highest ; the same commandment which bids us love god , bids us love him with all our heart , and with all our strength ; that is , as much as is possible for us , and above any t●ing else ▪ and therefore to the fulfilling of this commandment , it is necessary , we love him in that degree ; and if we do so , then certainly we shall have not only some slight , and faint endeavours of pleasing , but such as are most diligent , and earnest , such as will put us upon the most painful and costly duties , make us willing to forsake our own ease , goods , friends , yea life it self , when we cannot keep them without disobeying god. . now examine thy self by this : hast thou this fruit of love to shew ? dost thou make it thy constant and greatest care to keep gods commandments ? to obey him in all things ? earnestly labouring to please him to the utmost of thy power , even to the forsaking of what is dearest to thee in this world ? if thou dost , thou maist then truly say thou lovest god. but on the contrary , if thou willfully continuest in the breach of many , nay but of any one command of his , never deceive thy self , for the love of god abides not in thee . this will be made plain to you , if you consider what the scripture saith of such , as , that they are enemies to god by their wicked works , col. . . that the carnal minde ( and such is every one that continues wilfully in sin ) is enmity to god , rom. . . that he that sins wilfully , tramples under foot the son of god , and doth despite unto the spirit of grace , heb. . and many the like . and therefore unless you can think enmity , and trampling , and despite to be fruits of love , you must not believe you love god , whilest you go on in any wilful disobedience to him . . a second fruit of love , i told you , was desire of injoying . this is constantly to be seen in our love to another . if you have a friend , whom you intirely love , you desire his conversation , wish to be alwayes in his company ; and thus will it also be in our love to god , if that was as great , and hearty , as this . . there is a twofold enjoying of god , the one imperfect in this life , the other more perfect , and complete , in the life to come ; that in this life is that conversation , as i may call it , which we have with god in his ordinances , in praying , and meditating , in hearing his word , in receiving the sacrament , which are all intended for this purpose , to bring us into an intimacy , and familiarity with god , by speaking to him , and hearing him speak to us . . now if we do indeed love god , we shall certainly hugely value , and desire these wayes of conversing with him , it being all that we can have in this life ; it will make us with david , esteem one day in gods courts better then a thousand , psal. . . we shall be glad to have these opportunities of approaching to him , as often as is possible , and be careful to use them diligently ; to that end of uniting us still more to him , yea we shall come to these spiritual exercises with the same cheerfulness , we would go to our dearest friend . and if indeed we doe thus , it is a good proofe of our love . . but i fear there are not many have this to shew for it , as appears by the common backwardness ; and unwillingness of men to come to these ; and their negligence , and heartlesness , when they are at them ; and can we think that god will ever own us for lovers of him , whilst we have such dislikes to his company , that we will never come into it , but when we are drag'd by fear , or shame of men or some such worldly motive ; it is sure you would not think that man loved you , whom you perceived to shun your company , and to be loath to come in your sight . and therefore be not so unreasonable as to say you love god , when yet you desire to keep as far from him as you can . . but besides this , there is another injoyment of god , which is more perfect , and complete , and that is our perpetual injoying of him in heaven , where we shall be for ever united to him ; and injoy him not now and then only , for short spaces of time , as we do here , but continually without interruption , or breaking off . and certainly if we have that degree of love to god we ought , this cannot but ●e most earnestly desired by us so much , that we shall think no labour too great to compass it . the seven years that jacob served for rachel , gen. . . seemed to him but a few dayes for the love that he had to her : and surely if we have love to god , we shall not think the service of our whole lives too dear a price for this full injoyment of him , nor esteem all the injoyments of the world , worth the looking on , in comparison thereof . . if we can truly tell our selves we do thus long for this injoyment of god we may believe we love him . but i fear again , there are but few that can thus approve their love . for if we look into mens lives , we shall see they are not generally so fond of this injoyment , as to be at any pains to purchase it . and not only so , but it is to be doubted , there are many , who if it were put to their choice , whether they would live here alwayes , to enjoy the profit and pleasure of the world , or go to heaven to enjoy god , would , like the children of g●d and reuben , set up their rest on this side jordan , num. . and never desire that heavenly canaan , so close do their affections cleave to things below , which shews cleerly they have not made god their treasure , fo● then according to our saviours rule , mat. . . their heart would be with him . nay , further yet ; it is too plain , that many of us set so little value on this injoying of god , that we prefer the vilest and basest sins before him , and chuse to injoy them , though by it we utterly lose our parts in him , which is the case of every man that continues willfully in those sins . . and now i fear , according to these rules of trial , many that profess to love god will be found not to do so . i conclude al with the words of s. john , ep. . . which though spoken of the love of our brethren , is very fitly appliable to this love of god , let us not love in word , neither in tongue , but in deed and in truth . . a fourth duty to god is fear ; this arises from the consideration both of his justice and his power ; his justice is such that he will not clear the wicked , & his power , such that he is able to inflict the sorest punishments upon them ; & that this is a reasonable cause of fear , christ himself tells us , mat. . . fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell . many other places of scripture there are , which commend to us this duty , as psal. . . serve the lord with fear : psal. . . fear the lord yea that be his saints : pro. . . the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom , and divers the like ; and indeed all the threatnings of wrath against sinners , which we meet with in the scripture , are only to this end , to work this fear in our hearts . . now this fear is nothing else , but such an awful regard of god , as may keep us from offending him . this the wise man tells us , prov. . . the fear of the lord is to depart f●om evil : so that none can be said truly to fear god , that is not thereby withheld from sin ; & this is but answerable to that common fear we have towards man , whoever we know may hurt us , we wil beware of provoking , & therefore if we be not as wary of displeasing god , it is plain we fear men , more then we do him . . how great a madness this is , thus to fear men above god , will soon appear , if we compare what man can do to us , with that which god can . and first , it is sure , it is not in the power of man ( i might say divels , too ) to do us any hurt , unless god permit and suffer them to do it : so that if we do but keep him our friend , we may say with the psalmist , the lord is on my side , i fear not what man can do unto me . for let their malice be never so great , he can restrain , and keep them from hurting us , nay , he can change their minds towards us , according to that of the wise man , pro. . . when a mans wayes please the lord , he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him . a notable example of this we have in jacob , gen. . who whem his brother esau was coming against him as an enemy , god wonderfully turned his heart , so that he met him with all the expressions , of brotherly kindness , as you may read in the next chapter . . but secondly , suppose men were left at liberty to do thee what mischief they could ; alas , their power goes but a little way , they may perhaps rob thee of thy goods , it may be they may take away thy liberty , or thy credit , or perchance thy life too ; but that thou knowest is the utmost they can do . but now god can do all this when he pleases , and that which is infinitely more , his vengeance reaches even beyond death it self , to this eternal misery both of body and soul in hell ; in comparison of which death is so considerable , that we are notto look upon it with any dread . fear not them that kill the body , and after that have no more that they can do , saith christ , luk. . . and then immediately adds , but i will forewarn you whom ye shall fear , fear him which after he hath killed , hath power to cast into hell , yea , i say unto you fear him . in which words the comparison is set between that greatest ill we can suffer from man , the loss of life , and those sadder evils god can inflicton us ; and the latter are found to be the only dreadful things , and therefore god only to be feared . . but there is yet one thing farther considerable in this matter , which is this , it is possible we may transgress against men , and they not know it , i may perhaps steal my neighbours goods , or defile his wife , and keep it so close that he shall not suspect me , and so never bring me to punishment for it ; but this we cannot do with god , he knows all things even the most secret thoughts of our hearts , and therefore though we commit a sin never so closely , he is sure to fit us , and will as surely if we do not timely repent , punish us eternally for it . . and now surely it cannot but be confest , that it is much safer displeasing men , then god ; yet alas our practice is as if we believed the direct contrary , there being nothing more ordinary with us , then for the avoiding of some present danger we fear from men , to rush our selves upon the indignation of god. and thus it is with us , when either to save our estates , or credits , or our very lives , we commit any sin , for that is plainly the chusing to provoke god , rather then man. . but god knows this case of the fear of men is not the only one wherein we venture to displease him , for we commit many sins , to which we have none of this temptation , nor indeed any other ; as for instance , that of common swearing , to which there is nothing either of pleasure , or profit to invite us . nay , many times , we , who so fear the mischiefs that other men may do to us , that we are ready to buy them off with the greatest sins , do our selves bring all those very mischiefs upon us , by sins of our own chusing . thus the careless prodigal robs himself of his estate , the deceitful & dishonest man , or any that lives in open notorious sin , deprives himself of his credit , and the drunkard , & glutton brings diseases on himself , to the shortning his life : and can we think we do at al fear god when that fear hath so little power over us , that though it be backt with the many present mischiefs , that attend one sin , it is not able to keep us from them ? surely such men are so far from fearing god , that they rather seem to defie him , resolve to provoke him , whatsoever it cost them , either in this world or the next . yet so unreasonably partial are we to our selves that even such as these wil pretend to this fear : you may examine multitudes of the most gross scandalous sinners , before you shall meet with one that will acknowledg he fears not god. it is stran●e it should be possible for men thus to cheat themselves , but however it is certain , we cannot deceive god , he will not be mock● ; and therefore if we will not now so fear as to avoid sin , we shall one day fear , when it will be too late to avoid punishment . . a fifth duty to god is , that of trusting in him , that is , depending and resting on him : and that is first in all dangers , secondly in all wants . we are to rest on him in all our dangers both spiritual and temporal . of the first sort are all those temptations , by which we are in danger to be drawn to sin . and in this respect he hath promised that if we resist the divel he shall flie from us , iam. . therefore our duty is first to pray earnestly for gods grace to enable us to overcome the temptation , and secondly , to set our selves manfully to combat● with it , not yielding or giving consent to it in the least degree ; and whilst we do thus , we are confidently to rest upon god , that his grace will be sufficient for us , that he will either remove the temptation , or strengthen us to withstand it . . secondly , in all outward and temporal dangers , we are to rest upon him , as knowing that he is able to deliver us , and that he will do so , if he see it best for us , & if we be such to whom he hath promised his protection , that is , such as truly fear him . to this purpose we have many promises in scripture , ps. . . the angel of the lord tarrieth round about them that fear him , and delivereth them ; & ps. . . the lord delivereth the souls of his saints , and all that put their trust in him shall not be destitute ; and divers the like . and also we have many examples , as that of the three children in the furnace , dan. . that of daniel in the lions den , dan. . and many others , all which serve to teach us this one lesson , that if we go on conscionably in performing our duty , we need not be dismayd for any thing that can befall us , for the god whom we serve , is able to deliver us . . therefore in all dangers , we are first humbly to pray for his aid , and then to rest our selves cheerfully on him ; assuring our selves that he will give such an issue as shall be most for our good . but above all things , we must be sure to fix our dependance wholly on him , and not to relie on the creatures for help , much less must we seek to deliver our selves by any unlawful means ; that is by the committing of any sin , for that is like saul , sam. . . to go to the witch , that is , to the divel for help ; such courses do commonly deceive our hopes at the present , and in stead of delivering us out of our streights , plunge us in greater , and those much mroe uncomfortable ones , because then we want that which is the only support , gods favour and aid which we certainly forfeit when we thus seek to rescue our selves by any sinful means . but supposing we could by such a way certainly free our selves from the present danger , yet alas we are far from having gain●d safety by it , we have only removed the danger from that which was less considerable , and brought it upon the most precious part of us , our soules ; like an unskilful physician , that to remove a pain from the finger , strikes it to the heart ; we are therefore grosly mistaken , when we think we have played the good husbands , in saving our liberties , or estates , or lives themselves by a sin ; we have not saved them but madly over-bought them , layed out our very souls on them ; and christ tells us how little we shall gain by such bargains , mat. . . what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world , and lose his own soul. let us therefore resolve never to value any thing we can possess in this world at so high a rate , as to keep it at the price of the least sin , but when ever things are driven to such an issue , that we must either part with some , perhaps all our worldly possessions , nay life it self or else commit a sin , let us then remember that this is the season for us to perform that great and excellent duty , of taking up the cross which we can never so properly do , as in this case ; for our bearing of that which we have no possible way of avoiding , can at most be said to be but the carrying of the cross , but then only can we be said to take it up , when having a means of escaping it by a sin , we rather chuse to endure the cross then commit the sin , for then it is not layed on us by any unavoidable necessity , but we willingly chuse it ; and this is highly acceptable with god , yet withall so strictly required by him , that if we fail of performing it ▪ when we are put to the tryal , we are not to be accounted followers of christ , for so himself hath expresly told us , mat. . . if any man come after me , let him deny himself , and take up his cross and follow me ; and so again , mar. . . it were therefore a good point of spiritual wisdom for us ▪ sometimes by some lower degrees of self-denyal , to fit our selves for this greater , when we shall be called to it ; we know he that expects to run a race will before-hand be often breathing himself , that he may not be foiled when he comes to run for the prize ; in like manner 't wil be fit for us , somtimes to abridg our selves somewhat of our lawful pleasure , or ease , or profit , sothat we may get such a mastery over our selves , as to be able to renounce al , when our ●bedience to god requires it . . and as we are thus to trust on god for d●liverance from danger , so are we likewise for supply of our wants ; and those again are either spiritual or temporal : our spiritual want is that of his grace to inable us to serve him without which we can do nothing ; and for this we are to depend on him , provided , we neglect not the means , which are prayer , and a careful using of what he hath already bestowed on us : for then we have his promise for it , he will give the holy spirit to them that ask it , luke . . and unto him that hath shall be given , mat. , . that is , to him that hath made a good use of that grace he hath already , god will give more . we are not therefore to affright our selves with the difficulty of those things god requires of us , but remember he commands nothing , which he will not enable us to perform , if we be not wanting to our selves . and therefore let us sincerely do our parts , and confidently assure our selves , god will not fail of his . . but we have likewise temporal and bodily wants , and for the supply of them we are likewise to relie on him . and for this also we want not promises , supposing us to be of the number of them to whom they are made , that is , gods faithful servants . they that fear the lord lack nothing , psal. . , & v. . they that seek the lord shall want no manner of thing that is good : again , psa. . , . behold the eye of the lord is upon them that fear him , upon them that hope in his mercy , to deliver their souls from death , and to feed them in time of famine . examples also we have of this , as we may see in the case of eliah , and the poor widdow , kings . and many others . . we are therefore to look up to him for the provision of all things necessary for us , according to that of the psalmist , the eyes of all wait upon thee , o lord , and thou givest them meat in due season . and our saviour hath taught us to pray for our daily-bread ; thereby teaching us , that we are to live in continual dependance upon god for it . yet i mean not by this , that we should so expect it from god , as to give up our selves to idleness and expect to ●e fed by miracle . no , our honest industry , and labour is the means by which god ordinarily gives us the necessaries of this life , and therefore we must by no means neglect that . he that will not labour , let him not eat , sayes the apostle , thes. . . and we may believe god will pronounce the same sentence , and suffer the slothful person to want even necessary food . but when we have faithfully used our own endeavour , then we must also look up to god for his blessing on it , without which it can never prosper to us . and having done thus , we may comfortably rest our selves on his providence for such a measure of these outward things , as he sees fittest for us . . but if our condition be such , that we are not able to labour , and have no other means of bringing in the necessaries of life to our selves , yet even then we are cherfully to rest upon god , believing that he who feeds the ravens , will by some means or other , though we know not what , provide for us , so long as he pleases we shall continue in this world , and never in any case torment our selves with carking , and distrustful thoughts , but as the ap●stle , pet. . . cast all our care on him who careth for us . . this is earnestly prest by our saviour , mat. . where he abundantly shews the folly of this sin of distrust . the place is a most excellent one , and therefore i shall set it down at large , ver therefore i say unto you , take no thought for your life , what you shall eat , or what you shall drink ; neither for your body , what you shall put on , is not the life more then meat , and the body then rayment ? behold the fowles of the air , for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barnes , yet our heavenly father feedeth them . are ye not , much better then they ? which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature ? and why take ye thought for rayment ? consider the lilies , of the field how they grow , they toil not , neither do they spin , and yet i say unto you , that even solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these . wherefore if god so clothe the grass of the field , which to day is , and to morrow is cast into the oven , shall he not much more clothe you , o ye of little faith ? therefore take no thought , saying , what shall we eat , or what shall we drink , or where with all shall we be clothed . ( for after all these things do the gentiles seck ) for your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things ? but seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness , and then all these things shall be added unto you : take therefore no thought for the morrow , for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self , sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof : i might add many other texts to this purpose but this is so full , and convincing , that i suppose it needless . . all therefore that i shall say more concerning this duty is to put you in mind of the great benefits of it ; as first , that by this trusting upon god , you engage and hind him to provide for you . men , you know , think themselves highly concern'd not to fail those that depend and trust upon them : and certainly god doth so much more . but then secondly , there is a great deal of ease , and quiet in the practice of this duty ; it delivers us from all those carkings , and immoderate cares which disquiet our minds , break our sleep , and grieves even our very heart . i doubt not but those that have felt them , need not be told they are uneasie . but then methinks that uneasiness should make us forward to imbrace the means for the removing of them , and so we see it too often doth , in unlawful ones ; men will cheat , and steal , and lie and do any thing to deliver themselves from the fear of want . but alas , they commonly prove but deceitful remedies : they bring gods curse on us , and so are more likely to betray us to want , then to keep us from it . but if you desire a certain and unfailing cure for cares , take this of relying upon god. . for what should cause that man to fear want , that knows he hath one that cares for him , who is al-sufficient , and will not suffer him to want what is fit for him . if a poor man had but a faithful promise fro● a wealthy person , that he would never suffer him to want , it is sure he would be highly cheered with it , and would not then think fit to be as carking as he was before , and yet a mans promise may fail us , he may either grow poor , and not be able , or he may prove false , and not be willing to make good his word . but we know god is subject neither to impoverishing nor deceit . and therefore how vile an injury do we offer to him , if we dare not trust as much upon his promise , as we would on that of a man , yea and how great a mischief do we do our selves by loading our minds with a multitude of vexatious , and tormenting cares , when we may so securely cast our burden upon god. i conclude this in the words of the apostle , phil. . . be careful for nothing , but in every thing by prayer , and supplication , with thanksgiving ; let your requests be made known unto god. partition ii. of humility of submission to gods wil , in respect of obe●ience of patience in all sorts of sufferings ; and of honour ●ue to god in several wayes in his house , possessions , his day , word , sacraments , &c. § . a sixth duty to god is humility , that is , such a sense of our own meanness , and his excellency , as may work in us a lowly and unfeigned submission to him ; this submission is twofold , first to his will , secondly to his wisdom . . the submission to his will is also of two sorts , the submission either of obedience , or patience . that of obedience , is our ready yielding our selves up to do his will , so that when god hath by his command made known to 〈◊〉 what his pleasure is , cheerfully , and readily to set about it . to enable us to this , humility is exceeding necessary , for a proud person is of all others the unaptest to obey , and we see men never pay an obedience but where they acknowledg the person commanding to be some way above them . and so it is here , if we be not throughly perswaded , that god is infinitely above us , that we are vileness , and nothing in comparison of him , we shall never pay our due obedience . . therefore if ever you mean to obey intirely ( as you must if ever you mean to be saved ) get your hearts possest with the sense of that great unspeakable distance that is between god and you . consider him as he is a god of infinite majestly , and glory , and we poor worms of the earth ; he infinite in power , able to do all things ; and we able to do nothing , not so much as to make one hair white or black , as our saviour speaks , mat. . . he of infinite purity and holiness , and we polluted and defiled , wallowing in all kind of sins , and uncleanness ; he unchangeable and constant , and we subject to change and alteration every minuts of our lives . he eternal and immortal , and we frail mortals , that when ever he taketh away our breath we die ; and are turned again to our dust , psal. . . consider all this , i say , and you cannot but acknowledg a wide difference betwixt god and man , and therefore may well cry out with job , after he had approach't so near to god , as to discern somwhat of his excellency , iob . . now mine eyes seeth thee , wherefore i abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes . . and even when this humility hath brought us to obedience , it is not then to be cast off , as if we had no farther use of it ; for there is still great use , nay necessity of it , to keep us from any high conceits of our performances , which if we once entertain , it will blast the best of them , and make them utterly unacceptable to god ; like the strictness of the pharisee , which when once he came to boast of , the publican was preferred before him , luke . the best of our works are so full of infirmity and pollution ; that if we compare them with that perfection , and purity , which is in god , we may truly say with the prophet , all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags , isaiah . . and therefore to pride our selves in them , is the same madness , that it would be in a begger , to brag of his apparel when it is nothing but vile rags , and tatters . our saviours precept in this matter must alwayes be remembred , lnke . . when you have done all those things which are commanded you , say , we are unprofitable servants ; if when we have done all , we must give our selves no better a title , what are we then to esteem our selves , that are so far from doing any considerable part , of what we are commanded ? surely that worser name of slothful and wicked servant , mat. . . we have no reason to think too bad for us . . a second sort of submission to his will , is that of patience , this stands in suffering his will , as that of obedience did in acting it , and is nothing else , but a willing and quiet yielding to whatever afflictions it pleases god to lay upon us . this the formentioned humility will make easie to us ; for when our hearts are throughly possest with that reverence and esteem of god , it will be impossible for us to grudg or murmure at what ever he does . we see an instance of it in old elie. sam. . who after he had heard the sad threatnings of god against him , of the destruction of his family , the loss of the priesthood , the cutting off both his sons in one day , which were all of them afflictions of the heaviest kind , yet this one consideration , that it was the lord inabled him calmly and quietly to yield to them ; saying , let him do what seemeth him good , ver . . the same effect it had on david , in his sufferings , psal. . . i was dumb , i opened not my mouth , because thou didst it : god doing it silenced all murmurings and grumblings in him . and so must it do in us , in all our afflictions , if we will indeed approve our humility to god. . for surely you will not think that child hath due humility to his parent or that servant to his master , that when they are corrected , shall flie in the father or masters face . but thus do we when ever we grudg and repine at that which god layes upon us . but besides the want of humility in our so doing , there is also a great want of justice in it ; for god hath as we are his creatures , a right to do with us what he will , and therefore for us to resist that right of his , is the highest injustice , that can be ; nay farther , it is also the greatest folly in the world , for it is only our good that god aims at in afflicting us ; that heavenly father is not like our earthly ones , who sometime correct their children , only to satisfie their own angry humour , not to do them good . but this is subject to no such frailties , he doth not afflict willingly , nor grieve the children of men , lam. . . they are our sins , which do not only give him just cause , but even force , and necessitate him to punish us . he carries to us the bowels and affections of the tenderest father ; now when a father sees , his child stubborn , and rebellious , and running on in a course that will certainly undo him , what greater act of fatherly kindness can he do then chasten and correct him , to see if by that means he may amend him ; nay indeed he could not be said to have true kindness to him , if he should not . and thus it is with god when he sees us run on in sin , either be must leave off to love us , and so leave us to our selves , to take our own course ; and that is the heaviest curse that can befal any man ; or else if he continue to love us , he must correct and punish us , to bring us to amendment . therefore when ever he strikes , we are in all reason , not only patiently to lie under his rod , but ( as i may say ) kiss it also ; that is , be very thankful to him , that he is pleased , not to give us over to our own hearts lusts , psal. . . but still continue his care of us , sends afflictions , as so many messengers to call us home to himself . you see then how gross a folly it is to murmure at those stripes , which are meant so graciously ; it is like that of a froward patient , which reproaches and reviles the physician that comes to cure him , and if such a one be left to die of his disease , every one knows whom he is to thank for it . . but it is not only quietness , no nor thankfulness neither under afflictions , that is the full of our duty in this matter ; we must have fruitfulness also , or all the rest will stand us in no stead . by fruitfulness i mean the bringing forth that , which the afflictions were sent to work in us , viz. the amendment of our lives . to which purpose in time of affliction it is very necessary for us to call our selves to an account , to examine our hearts and lives , and search diligently , what sins lie upon us , which have provoked god thus to smite us , and whatsoever we find our selves guilty of , humbly to confess to god , and immediately to forsake for the rest of our time . . all i shall add concerning this duty of patience , is , that we are as much bound to it in one sort of sufferings , as another , whether our suffering be so immediately from gods hand , that no creature hath any thing to do in it , as sickness , or the like ; or whether it be such , wherein men are the instruments of afflicting us . for it is most sure , when any man doth us hurt , he could not do it , without gods permission , and sufferance , and god , may as well make them the instruments of punishing us , as do it more directly by himself ; and it is but a counterfeit patience , that pretends to submit to god , and yet can bear nothing from men ; we see holy iob , who is set forth to us as a pattern of true patience , made no such difference in his afflictions , he took the loss of his cattel , which the chaldeans and sabeans rob'd him of , with the very same meekness , with which he did that , which was consumed by fire from heaven . when therefore we suffer any thing from men , be it never so unjustly in respect of them , we are yet to confess it most just in respect of god , and therefore in stead of looking upon them with rage , and revenge , as the common custom of the world is , we are to look up to god , acknowledg his justice in the affliction , begging his pardon most earnestly for those sins , which have provoked him to send it , and patiently and thankfully bear it , till he shall see fit to remove it ; still saying with job , blessed be the name of the lord . but i told you , humility contained in it a submission not only to his will , but also to his wisdom ; that is , to acknowledg him infinitely wise , and therefore that whatever he doth , is best and fittest to be done . and this we are to confess both in his commands , and in his disposing , and ordering of things : first , whatsoever he commands us , either to believe or do , we are to submit to his wisdom in both , to believe whatever he bids us believe , how impossible soever it seem to our shallow understandings , and to do whatever he commands us to do , how contrary soever it be to our fleshly reason , or humour ; and in both to conclude that his commands are most fit and reasonable however they appear to us . . secondly , we are to submit to his wisdom in respect of his disposal and ordering of things , to acknowledg he disposes all things most wisely , and that not only in what concerns the world in general , but also in what concerns every one of us in particular , so that what condition soever he puts us in , we are to assure our selves , it is that , which is best for us , since he chuses it for us , who cannot erre . and therefore never to have impatient desires of any thing in this world ; but to leave it to god to fit us with such an estate and condition , as he sees best for us , and there let us quietly and contentedly rest , yea though it be such , as of all others we should least have wisht for our selves . and this surely cannot but appear very reasonable to any , that hath humility ; for that having taught him , that god is infinitely wise , and he very f●olish , he can never doubt , but that it is much more for his good that god should chuse for him , then he for himself , even as it is much more for the childs good , to have the parent chuse for it , then to be left to those silly choices it would make for its self . for how many times would it cut and burn , and mischief it self , if it might have every thing it desires ? and such children are we , we many times eagerly desire those things , which would undoe us , if we had them . thus many times we wish for wealth and honour and beauty , and the like , when if we had them , they would only prove snares to us , we should be drawn into sin by them . and this god who knows all things sees , though we do not , and therefore often denies us those things , which he sees will tend to our mischief , and it is his abundant mercie , that he doth so . let us therefore when ever we be disappointed of any of our aimes and wishes , not only patiently but joyfully submit to it , as knowing that it is certainly best for us , it being chosen by the unerring wisdom of our heavenly father . . a seventh duty to god is honour ; that is , the paying him such a reverence and respect as belong to so great a majestie . and this is either inward or outward . the inward is the exalting him in our hearts , having alwayes the highest and most excellent esteem of him . the outward is the manifesting and shewing forth that inward , and that is the first general in the whole course of our lives , the living like men that do indeed carry that high esteem of god. now you know if we bear any special reverence but to a man , we will be careful not to do any foul or base thing in his presence , and so if we do indeed honour god , we shall abhor to do any unworthy thing in his sight . but god sees all things , and therefore there is no way to shun the doing it in his sight , if we do it at all ; therefore if we do thus reverence him , we must never at any time do any sinful thing . . but besides this general way of honouring god , there are many parti●ular acts , by which we may honour him , and those acts are divers according to the several particulars , about which they are exercised . for we are to pay this honour not only immediately to himself , but also by a due estimation , and account of all those things , that neerly relate or belong to him . those are especially six , first his house . secondly his revenue or incom , ( as i may say ) thirdly his day , fourthly his word , fifthly his sacraments , and sixthly his name ; and every one of these is to have some degree of our reverence and esteem . . first his house , that is , the church , which being the place set apart for his publick worship , we are to look on it , though not as holy in respect of its self , yet in respect of its use , and therefore must not prophane it by imploying it to uses of our own . this christ hath taught us by that act of his , mat. . . in driving the buyers and sellers out of the temple , saying , my house shall be called the house of prayer : and again , jo. . . make not my fathers house of a house merchandice : by which it is clear , churches are to be used only for the services of god , and we are to make that the only end of our coming thither , and not to come to church , as to a market , to make bargains , or dispatch businesses with our neighbours , as is too common among many . but when ever thou enterest the church , remember that it is the house of god , a place where he is in an especial manner present , and therefore take the counsel of the wise man , eccles. . . and keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of god ; that is , behave thy self with that godly awe and reverence , which belongs to that great majestie , thou art before . remember that thy business there is to converse with god , and therefore shut out all thoughts of the world , even of thy most lawful business , which though they be allowable , at another time , are here sinful . how fearful a guilt is it then to entertain any such thoughts , as are in themselves wicked ? it is like the treason of judas , who pretended indeed to come to kiss his master , bu● brought with him a band of souldiers to apprehend him . mat. . we make shew in our coming to church , of serving and worshipping god , but we bring with us a train of his enemies , to provoke and despite him . this is a wickedness that may out●ie the profaneness of these dayes , in turn●ng churches into stables ; for sinful and ●olluted thoughts are much the worst sort of ●beasts . . the second thing to which respect belongs , is his revenue or income ; that is , whatsoever is his peculiar possessions , set apart for the maintenance of those that attend his service ; those were the priests in time of the law , and ministers of the gospel now with us . and what ever is thus set apart we must look on with such respect as not to dare to turn it to any other use . of this sort some are the free-will-offerings of men , who have sometimes of their own accord given some of their goods or lands to this holy use ; and whatsoever is so given , can neither by the person that gave it , nor any other be taken away without great that sin of sacriledg . . but besides these , there was among the jews , and hath alwayes been in all christian nations , something allotted by the law of the nation , for the support and maintenance of those that attend the service of god. and it is but just and necessary it should be so , that those who by undertaking that calling are taken off from the wayes of gaining a livelyhood in the world , should be provided for by them , whose souls they watch over . and therefore it is most reasonable , which the apostle urges in this matter , cor. . . if we have sown unto you spiritual things , is it a great thing if we shal reap your carnal things ? that is , the most unreasonable for men to grudg the bestowing a few carnal things , the outward necessaries of this temporal life on them , from whom they receive spiritual things , even instruction and assistance towards the obtaining an eternal life . . now whatsoever is thus appointed for this use , may by no means be imployed to any other . and therefore those tithes which are here by law allotted for the maintenance of the ministry , must by no means be kept back , nor any tricks or shifts used to avoid the payment either in whole or in part . for first it is certain , that it is as truly theft as any other robbery can be , ministers having right to their tithes by the same law , which gives any other man right to his estate . but then secondly , it is another manner of robbery , then we think of , it is a robbing of god , whose service they were given to maintain , and that you may not doubt the truth of this , it is no more then god himself hath said of it , mal. . . will a man rob god ? yet ye have robbed me ; yet ye say , wherein have we robbed thee ? in tithes and offerings here it is most plain , that in gods account the withholding tithes is a robbing of him . and if you please , you may in the next verse see , what the gains of this robbery amounts to , yea are cursed with a curse . a curse is all is gotten by it , and common experience shews us , that gods vengeance doth in a remarkable manner pursue this sin of sacriledg , whether it be that of withholding tithes , or the other of seizing on those possessions , which have been voluntarily consecrated to god. men think to inrich themselves by it ; but it usually proves directly contrary ; this unlawful gain becomes such a canker in the estate , as often eates out even that we had a just title too . and therefore if you love ( i will not say your souls , but ) your estates , preserve them from that danger by a strict care never to meddle with anything set a part for god. . a third thing , wherein we are to express our reverence to god , is the hallowing of the times , set apart for his service . he who hath given all our time , requires some part of it to be paid back again , as a rent or tribute of the whole . thus the jews kept holy the seventh day : and we christians the sunday , or lords day , the jews were in their sabbath especially to remember the creation of the world , and we in ours , the resurrection of christ by which a way is made for us into that better world we expect hereafter . now this day thus set a part , is to be imployed in the worship and service of god , and that first more solemnly and publickly in the congregation , from which no man must then absent himself without a just cause : and secondly , privatly at home ; in praying with , and instructing our families , or else in the yet more private duties of the closet , a mans own private prayers , reading meditating , and the like . and that we may be at leisure for these a rest from all our worldly business is commanded ; therefore let no man think that a bare rest from labour is all that is required of him on the lords day , but the time which he saves from the works of his calling , he is to lay out on those spiritual duties . for the lords day was never ordained to give us a pretence for idleness , but only to change our imployment from worldly , to heavenly ; much lesse was it meant , that by our rest from our callings , we should have more time free to bestow upon our sins , as too many do , who are more constant on that day at the alehouse , then the church . but this rest was commanded , first to shadow out to us that rest from sin which we are bound to all the dayes of our lives . and secondly to take us off from our worldly business , and to give us time to attend the service of god , and the need of our souls . . and surely if we rightly consider it , it is a very great benefit to us that there is such a set time , thus weekly returning for that purpose . we are very intent , and busy upon the world , and if there were not some such time appointed to our hands , it is to be doubted , we should hardly allot any our selves : and then what a starved condition must these poor soules of ours be in , that shall never be afforded a meal , whereas now there is a constant diet provided for them , every sunday , if we will conscionably imploy it , may be a festival day to them ; may bring them in such spiritual food , as may nourish them to eternal life . we are not to look on this day with grudging , like those in amos . . who ask , when will the sabbath be gone , that we may set forth wheat ? as if that time were utterly lost , which were taken from our worldly business . but we are to consider it , as the gainfullest , as t●e joyfullest day of the week , a day of harvest , wherein we are to lay up in store for the whole week , nay for our whole lives . . but besides this of the weekly lords day , there are other times , which the church hath set apart for the remembrance of some special mercies of god , such as the birth , and resurrectoon of christ , the descent of the holy ghost , and the like ; and these dayes we are to keep in that manner which the church hath ordered , to wit in the solemn worship of god , and in particular thanksgiving for that special blessing we then remember . and surely whoever is truely thankful for those rich mercies , cannot think it too much to set apart some few dayes in a year for that purpose . but then we are to look that our feasts be truly spiritual , by imploying the day thus holily , and not make it an occasion of intemperance and discords as too many do , who consider nothing in christmas and other good times , but the good cheers and jollity of them . for that is doing despight , in stead of honour to christ , who came to bring all purity and soberness in the world , and therefore must not have that coming of his remembred in any other manner . . other dayes there are also set a part in memory of the apostles , and other saints , wherein we are to give hearty thanks to god , for his graces in them , particularly that they were made instruments of revealing to us christ iesus , and the way of salvation , as you know the apostles were by their preaching throughout the world . and then farther , we are to meditate on those examples of holy life , they have given us , and stir up our selves to the imitation thereof . and whoever does uprightly set himself to make these uses of these several holy dayes , will have cause , by the benefit he shall find from them , to thank and not to blame the church for ordering them . . another sort of dayes there are , which we are likewise to observe , and those are dayes of fasting and humiliation ; and whatever of this kind the church injoynes , whether constantly at set times of the year , or upon any special and more sudden occasion , we are to observe in such a manner as she directs ; that is , not only in a bare abstaining from meat , which is only the bodies punishment , but in afflicting our soules , humbling them deeply before god , in a hearty confessing , and bewailing of our own , and the nations sins , in earnest prayers for gods pardon , and forgiveness , and for the turning away of those judgments , which those sins have called for , but above all , in turning our selves from our sins , loosing the bands of wickedness ; as isaiah speaks , chap. . . and exercising our selves in works of mercy , dealing our bread to the hungry , and the like , as it there followes . . fourthly , we are to express our reverence to god , by honouring his word ; and this we must certainly do , if we do indeed honour him ; there being no surer sign of our dispising any person , then the setting light , by what he sayes to us ; as on the contrary , if we value one every word he speaks will be of weight with us . now this word of god is expresly contained in the holy scriptures , the old and new testament , where he speaks to us , to shew us his will , and our duty . and therefore to this word of his we are to beare a wonderful respect , to look upon it , as the rules , by which we must frame all the actions of our life ; and to that end to study it much , to read in it as often as we can , if it may be never to let a day pass us , without reading , or hearing some part of it read . . but then that is not all : we must not only read , but we must mark what we read , we must diligently observe , what duties there are which god commands us to perform , what faults they are , which god there charges us not to commit , together with the rewards promised to the one , and the punishments threatned to the other . when we have thus marked , we must lay them up in our memory , not so loosely , and carelesly , that they shall presently drop out again ; but we must so fasten them there by often thinking , and meditating on them , that we may have them ready for our use . now that use is the directing of our lives ; and therefore whenever we are tempted to the committing of any evil , we are then to call to mind , this is the thing , which in such a scripture is forbidden by god , and all his vengeances threatned against it ; and so in like manner when any opportunity is offered us of doing good to remember , this is the duty , which i was exhorted to in such a scripture , and such glorious rewards promised to the doing of it : and by these considerations strengthen our selves for resisting of the evil and performance of the good . . but besides this of the written word , it hath pleased god to provide yet further for our instruction , by his ministers , whose office it is to teach us gods will , not by saying any thing contrary to the written word ; ( for whatsoever is so , can never be gods will ) but by explaining it , and making it easier to our understandings , and then applying it to our particular occasions , and exhorting , and stirring us up to the practice of it ; all which is the end , at which first their catechizing and then their preaching aimeth . and to this we are to bear also a due respect , by giving diligent heed thereto , not only being present at catechizings and sermons , and either sleep out the time , or think of somewhat else , but carefully marking what is said to us . and surely if we did but rightly consider , how much it concern us , we should conclude it very reasonable for us to do so . . for first as to that of catechizing , it is the laying the foundation upon which all christian practice must be built , for that is the teaching us our duty , without which it is impossible for us to perform it . and though it is true , that the sriptures are the fountains , from whence this knowledg of duty must be fetched , yet there are many who are not able to draw it from this fountain themselves , and therefore it is absolutely necessary it should be thus brought to them by others . this catechizing is generally look't on as a thing belonging only to the youth , and so indeed it ought , not because the oldest are not to learn , if they be ignorant , but because all children should be so instructed , that it should be impossible for them , to be ignorant when they come to years . and it neerly concerns every parent , as they will free themselve ; from the guilt of their childrens eternal undoing , that they be careful to see them instructed in all necessary things ; to which purpose it will be fit early to teach then some short catechism , of which sort none so fit as the church-catechism ; yet are they not to rest on these endeavours of their own ; but also to call in the ministers help , that he may build them up farther in christian knowledg . . but alas ! it is too sure , that parents , have very much neglected this duty , and by that means it is that such multitudes of men and women , that are called christians , know no more of christ , or any thing , that concerns their own soules , then the mearest heathen . . but although it were their parents fault , that they were not instructed , when they were young , yet it is now their own if they remain still ignorant ; and it is sure , it will be their own ruine and misery , if they willfully continue so . therefore whoever it be , of what age or condition soever , that is in this ignorant estate , or in any such degree of it , that he wants any part of necessary saving knowledg ; let him as he loves his soul , as ever he would escape eternal damnation , seek out for instruction , & let no fear of shame keep any from it ; for first it is certain the shame belongs only to the wilful continuing in ignorance , to which the desire of learning is directly contrary , and is so far from a shameful , that it is a most commendable thing , and will be sure to be so accounted by all wise and good men . but secondly , suppose some prophane , senseless people should deride it , yet sure that shame were in all reason to be undergon joyfully , rather then venture on that confusion of face , which will at the day of judgment befal those , who to avoidalittle false shame amongst men , have gone on in a wilful ignorance of their duty , which ignorance wil be so far from excusing any sins they shall commit , that it adds one great & heavy sin to all the rest , even the dispising that knowledg , which is offered to them . how hainous a sin that is , you may learn in the first chapter of the proverbs , where hating knowledg , ver . . is said to be the thing that draws down those sad vengeances forementioned , even gods forsaking men , laughing at their calamity , in stead of helping them : which is of all other conditions in the world , the most miserable , & surely they are madly desperat , that will run themselves into it . . as for those who have already this foundation laid , by the knowledg of the grounds of christian religon , there is yet for them a farther help provided , by preaching . and it is no more then needs , for god knows , those that understand their duty well enough , are too apt to forget it ; nay , sometimes by the violence of their own lusts to transgress it , even when they do remember it , and therefore it is very useful , we should often be put in mind of it , to prevent our forgetting , and also often exhorted and assisted , to withstand those lusts which draw us to those transgressions . and to these purposes preaching is intended ; first , to warn us , to be upon our guard against our spiritual enemy , and then to furnish us with weapons for the fight ; that is , such means and helps , as may best enable us to beat off temptations , and get the victory over them . . since therefore this is the end of preaching , we must not think we have done our duty , when we have heard a sermon , though never so attentively , but we must lay up in our hearts those instructions , and advices we there meet with & use them faithfully to that end of overcoming our sins . therefore when ever thou comest to the physician of thy soul , do as thou wouldst with the physician of thy body ; thou comest to him not only to hear him talk , and tell thee what will cure thee , but also to do according to his directions ; and if thou dost not so here , thou art as vain , as he that expects a bare receipt from his doctor shall cure him , though he never make use of it . nay , thou art much more vain and ridiculous , for that though it do him no good , will do him no harm● he shall be never the worse for having bin taught a medicine , though he use it not : but in these spiritual receipts , it is otherwise , if we use them not to our good , they will do us a great deal of harm , they will rise up in judgment against us , and make our condemnation so much the heavier . beware therefore not to bring that danger upon thy self , but when thou hast heard a sermon , consider with thy self what directions there were in it , for enabling thee to eschew evil , or to do good . and if there were any thing especially concern'd thine own bo●ome sin , lay that close to thy heart , and all the week after make it matter of medit●tion , think of it even whilst thou art at thy work , if thou wantest other time ; and not only think of it , but ●et to the practice of it , do what thou wert advised to , for the subduing sins and quickning grace in thee . finally look carefully to practice the counsel of the apostle , ia. . . be ye doers of the word not hearers only deceiving your own soules : to hope for good from the word , without doing of it , is , it seems , nothing but a deceiving our selves ; let us never therefore measure our godliness by the number of sermons which we hear , as if the hearing many were a certain mark of a good christian , but by the store of fruit we bring forth by them , without which all our hearing will serve but to bring us in that heavier portion of stripes , which belongs to him that knows his masters will and does it not , lu. . . but this reverence which is due to preaching we must not pay to all that is now a dayes called so , for god knows there are many false prophets gone out into the world , as the apostle speaks , jo. . and now , if ever , is that advice of his necessary , to trie the spirits whether they be of god : but what i have sayed , i mean only of the preaching of those , who first have a lawfull calling to the office , and secondly frame their doctrine according to the right rule , the written word of god. but if any man say he is not able to judg whether the doctrine be according to the word or no , let him at least try it by the common known rules of duty , which he doth understand , and if he find it a doctrine , giving men liberty to commit those things , which are by all acknowledged sins ; such as rebellion , injustice , unmercifulness , uncleanness , or the like he may conclude it is utterly contrary to god , and his word , and then abhorence , and not reverence belongs to it . . fifthly , we are to express our honouring of god , by receiving his sacraments , those are two , baptisme , and the supper of the lord. and this we are to do ; first , by our high esteem of them ; secondly , by our reverent usage of them ; we are first to prize them at a high rate , looking on them , as the instruments of bringing to us the greatest blessings we can receive . the first of them , baptisme that enters us into covenant with god , makes us members of christ , & so gives us right to all those precious benefits , that flow from him , to wit pardon of sins , sanctifying grace , and heaven it self , on condition we perform our parts of the covenant . and as for the lords supper , that is not only a signe and remembrance of christ , and his death ; but it is actually the giving christ , and all the fruits of his death to every worthy receiver , and therefore there is a most highest estimation , and value due to each of them . . and not only so ; but in the second place we must shew our r●●erence in our usage of them , and that first before , secondly at , and thirdly after the time of receiving them . it is true that the sacrament of baptisme being now administered to us , when we are infants , it is not to be expected of us , that we should in our own persons do any thing , either before or at the time of receiving it , those performances were strictly required of all persons , who were baptised , when they were of years . but for us , it suffices to give us right to baptisme , that we are born within the pale of the church , that is , of christian parents ; and all that is required at that time , is , what we can only perform by others , they in our stead promising that when we come to years , we will perform our parts of the covenant . but by how much the less we are then able to do , so much the greater bond lies on us , to perform those after-duties required of us , by which we are to supply the want of the former . . now if you would know what those duties are , look over those promises which your godfathers and godmothers then made in your name , and you may then learn them . i cannot give you them in a better form , then that of our churches catechisme which tells : that our godfathers and godmothers did promise , and vow three things in our names ; first , that we should forsake the divel and all his works , the pomps and vanities of this wicked world , and all the sinful lusts of the flesh : where by the divel is meant . first , the worshipping of all false gods , which is indeed but worshipping the divel : a sin which at the time of christs coming into the world , was very common ; most part of mankind then living in that vile idolatry . and therefore when baptisme was first ordained , it was but needful to make the forsaking of those false gods , a principal part of the vow . and though those false worships are now much rarer , yet there was one special part of them , which may be feared to be yet too common among us , and that is all sorts of un●leanness , which though we do not make ceremonies of our religion as the heathens did of theirs , yet the committing thereof is a most high provocation in gods eyes , such as drew him to destroy whole cities with fire and brimstone , as you may read , gen. . nay , the whole world with water , gen. . and will not fail to bring down judgments , and strange ones on any that continue therein ; and therefore the forsaking them well deserves to be look't on , as an especial part of this promise . besides this all dealing with the divel is here vowed against , whether it be by practising witcheraft our selves , or consulting with those that do upon any occasion whatever , as the recovery of our health , our goods or what ever else . for this is a degree of the former sin , it is the forsaking of the lord , and setting up the divel for our god , whilst we go to him in our needs for help . but we also renounce all the works of the divel , and those are either in general all those which the divel tempts us to , or else those particular kinds of sin , which have most of his image on them ; that is , those which he himself most practices , such are pride ( which brought him from being an angel of light to the accursed condition he is now in ) and lying ; he is , as our saviour saith , jo . . a liar , and the father of it ; and such also are malice and envy , especially killing , and destroying of others , for he was a murderer from the beginning . io . . but above all , there is nothing wherein we becom so like him , as in tempting & drawing others to sin ; which is his whole trade , and business , and if we make it any part of ours , we becom like that roaring lyon , that goes about seeking whom he may devour , pet. . . . the second thing we vow to forsake , is the pomps and vanities of this wicked world . by the pomps and vanities there are several things meant , some of them , such as were used by the heathens , in some unlawful sports of theirs , wherein we are not now so much concern'd , there being none of them remaining among us but besides that , there is meant all excess either in diet or sports , or apparel , when we keep not those due measures , which either by the general rules of sobriety , or the particular circumstances of our qualities and callings we are bound to . next , by the wicked world we may understand , first the wealth and greatness of the world , which though we do not so totally renounce , that it is unlawful for a christian to be either rich , or great , yet we thus far promise to forsake them , that we will not set our hearts upon them , nor ever either get , or keep them by the least unlawful means . secondly by the wicked world , we may understand the companies and customes of the world ; which so far as they are wicked , we here renounce ; that is , we promise never to be drawn by company to the commission of a sin , but rather to forsake the most delightful company , then be ensnared by it ; nor yet by custome , but rather venture the shame of being thought singular , ridiculous persons , walk as it were in a path by our selves , then put our selves into that broad way , that leads to destruction , by giving our selves over to any sinful custom , how common soever it be grown . if this part of our vow were but throughly considered , it would arme us against most of the temptations the world offers us , company and custome being the two special instruments by which it works on us . . a third thing we renounce is all the sinful lusts of the flesh : where the flesh is to be understood in that sense , wherein the scripture often uses it , for the fountain of all disordered affections . for though those unclean desires , which we ordinarily call the lusts of the flesh , are meant here , yet they are not the only things here contained , there being divers other things , which the scripture calls the works of the flesh ; i cannot better inform you of them , then by setting down that list s. paul gives of them , gal. . , , . now the works of th● fl●sh are manifest , which are these , adultry , fornication , uncleanness , lasciviousness , idolatry , witcheraft , hatred , variance , emulations , wra●h , strife , seditions , heresies , envyings , murders , drunkenness , revilings , and such like . this with those other discription● , you w●ll find scattered in several places of scripture will shew you , there are many things contained under this part of your vow , the forsaking all the sinful lusts of the flesh . . the secend thing our godfathers and godmothers promised for us , was that we should belive all the articles of the christian faith . these we have summed up together , in that which we call the apostles creed , which since we promise to believe , we are supposed also to promise to learn them , and that not only the words , but likewise the plain sense of them , for who can believe what he either never heard of , or knows not any thing of the means of it ? now by this believing is meant not only the consenting to the truth of them , but also the living like them that do believe ; as for example , our believing that god created us , should make us live in that subjection and obedience to him , which becomes creatures to their creator ; the believing that christ redeemed us , should make us yeild up our selves to him as his purchase , to be disposed wholy by him , and imployed only in his service . the believing a judgment to come , should give us care so to walk , that we may not be condemned in it . and our believing the life everlasting should make us diligent so to imploy our short moment of time here , that our everlasting life may be a life of joy , not of misery to us . in this manner from all the articles of the creed , we are to draw motives to confirm us in all christian practice ; to which end it is that our learning , and believing of them tends and therfore without it we are very far from making good this part of our vow , the believing all the articles of the christian faith . . the last part of our vow is , that we should keep gods holy will and commandments , and walk in the same all the dayes of our lives . where by of gods holy will and commandments , is meant our doing of all those things , which he hath made known to us to be his will we should perform ; wherein he hath given us his holy word to instruct us , and teach us , what it is that he requires of us , and now he expects that we should faithfully do it without favouring our selves in the breach of any one of his commands . and then in this entire obedience , we must walk all the days of our lives : that is , we must go on in a constant course of obeying god , not only fetch some few steps in his ways , but walk in them , and that not for some part of our time but all the dayes of our lives , never turn out of them , but go on constantly in them , as long as we live in this world . . having now thus briefly explained to you this vow made at your baptisme , all i shall add concerning it , is not only to remember you how neerly you are concern'd in the keeping it : and that first in respect of justice , secondly , in respect of advantage and benefit . that you are in justice bound to it , i need say no more , but that it is a promise , and you know justice requires of every man the keeping of his promise . but then this is of all other promises the most solemn and binding , for it is a vow ; that is , a promise made to god ; and therefore we are not only unjust , but forsworn , when ever we break any part of it . . but secondly we are also highly concern'd to keep it , in respect of our own benefit . i told you before , that baptisme entered us into covenant with god , now a covenant is made up of two parts ; that is , something promise by the one party , and something by the other of the parties that make the covenant . and if one of them break his part of the covenant ; that is , perform not what he hath agreed to , he can in no reason look that the other should make good his . and so it is here , god doth indeed promise those benefits before mentioned , and that is his part of the covenant . but then we also undertake to perform the several things contained in this vow of baptisme , and that is our part of it , and unless we do indeed perform them , god is not tied to make good his , and so we forfeit all those precious benefits and advantages , we are left in that natural and miserable estate of ours , children of wrath , enemies of god , and heirs of eternal damnation . and now what can be the pleasure , that any or all sins can offord us , that can make us the least degree of recompence for such a loss , the loss of gods favour and grace here , and the loss of our own soules hereafter : for as our saviour saith , mar. . . what shall it profit a man ; if he shall gain the whole world , and lose his own soul : yet this mad bargain we make , whenever we break any part of this our vow of baptisme . it therefore most neerly concerns us to consider sadly of it ; to remember , that every sin we commit , is a direct breach of this vow , and therefore when thou art tempted to any sin , seem it never so light , say not of it , as lot did of zoar , gen. . . is it not a little one ? but consider , that whatever it is , thou hast in thy baptisme vowed against it , and then be it never so little , it draws a great one at the heeles of it , no less then that of being forsworn , which whoever commits , god hath in the third commandment pronounced , he will not hold him guiltless . and that we may the better keep this vow , it will be very useful often to repeat to our selves the several breaches of it , that so we may still have it ready in our minds , to set against all temptations ; and surely it is so excellent a weapon , that if we do not either cast it aside , or use it very negligently , it will enable us by gods help to put to flight our spiritual adversary . and this is that reverence we are to pay to this first sacrament , that of baptisme . partition iii. of the lords supper , of preparation before , of duties to be done at the receiving , and afterwards , &c. § . now follows the reverence due to the sacrament of the lords supper ; and in this i must follow my first division , and set down first what is to be done before , secondly , at , and thirdly , after the time of receiving , for in this sacrament we cannot be excused from any one of these , though in the former we are . . and first for that which is to be done before , s. paul tells us it is examination , cor. . but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. but before i proceed to the particulars of this examination , i must in the general tell you that the special business we have to do in this sacrament , is to repeat , and renew that covenant we made with god in our baptisme , which we having many wayes grievously broken , it pleases god in this great mercy to suffer us to come to the renewing of it in this sacrament , which if we do in sincerity of heart , he hath promised to accept as , and to give us all those benefits in this , which he was ready to bestow in the other sacrament , if we had not by our own fault forfeited them . since then the renewing of our covenant is our business of this time , it followes that these three things are necessary towards it ; first , that we understand what that covenant is ; secondly , that we consider , what our breaches of it have bin ; and thirdly , that we resolve upon a strict observance of it , for the rest of our life . and the trying our selves in every one of these particulars , is that examination which is required of us , before we come to this sacrament . . and first we are to examine , whether we understand what this covenant is ; this is , exceeding necessary , as being the foundation of both the other , for it is neither possible to discover our past sins , nor to settle purpose against them for the future without it . let this therefore be your first business . trie whether you rightly understand what that covenant is , which you entered into at your baptisme , what be the mercies promised on gods part , and the duties on yours . and because the covenant made with each of us in baptisme , is only the applying to our particulars ; the covenant made by god , in christ , with all mankind in general , you are to consider , whether you understand that ; if you do not , you must immediately seek for instruction in it . and till you have means of gaining better , look over what is briefly said in the entrance to this treatise , concerning the second covenant , which is the foundation of that covenant , which god makes with us in our baptisme . and because you will there find , that obedience to all gods commands is the condition required of us ; and is also that , which we expresly vow in our baptisme , it is necessary you should likewise know , what those commands of god are . therefore if you find you are ignorant of them , never be at rest , till you have got your self instructed in them , and have gained such a measure of knowledg , as may direct you to do that whole duty of man , which god requires . and the giving thee this instruction is the only aim of this book ; which the more ignorant thou art , the more earnestly i shall intreat thee , diligently to read . and if thou hast heretofore approacht to this holy sacrament in utter ignorance of these necessary things , bewail thy sin in soe doing , but presume not to come again , till thou have by gaining this necessary knowledg fitted thy self for it , which thou must hasten to do . for though no man must come to the sacrament in such ignorance , yet if he wilfully continue in it , that will be no excuse to him for keeping from this holy table . . the second part of our examination is concerning our breaches of this covenant , and here thou wilt find the use of that knowledg i spake of . for there is no way of discovering what our sins have bin , but by trying our actions by that which should be the rule of them , the law of god. when therefore thou settest to this part of examination , remember what are the several branches of thy duty , and then ask thy own heart in every particular , how thou hast performed it . and content not thy self with knowing in general , that thou hast broken gods law , but do thy utmost to discover in what particulars thou hast done so . recal as well as thou canst , all the passages of thy life , and in each of them consider , what part of that duty hath bin transgrest by it . and that not only in the grosser act , but in word also , nay even in thy most secret thoughts . for though mans law reaches not to them , yet gods doth ; so that whatever he forbids in the act , he forbids likewise in the thoughts and desires , and sees them as cleerly as our most publick acts . this particular search is exceed●ng necessary ; for there is no promise of forgiveness of any sin , but only to him that confesseth and forsaketh it . now to both these it is necessary , that we have a distinct and particular knowledg of our sins . for how can he either confess his sin , that knows not his guilt of it ? or how can he resolve to forsake it , that discerns not himself to have formerly cleaved to it ? therefore we may surely conclude , that this examination is not only useful , but necessary towards a full , and compleat repentance ; for he that does not take this particular view of his sins ; will be likely to repent but by halves , which will never avail him towards his pardon ; nothing but an entire forsaking of every evil way , being sufficient for that . but surely of all other times it concerns us , that when we come to the sacrament , our repentance be full and compleat , and therefore this strict search of our own hearts is then especially necessary . for although it be true , that it is not possible by all our diligence to discover , or remember every sin of our whole lives : and though it be also true , that what is so unavoidably hid from us , may be forgiven without any more particular confession , then that of davids , psalm . . cleanse thou me from my secret faults , yet this will be no plea for us , if they come to be secret , only because we are negl●gent in searching . therefore take heed of deceiving thy self in this weighty business , but search thy soul to the bottom , without which it is impossible that the wounds thereof should ever be throughly cured . . and as you are to inquire thus narrowly concerning the several sorts of sins , so also must you concerning the degrees of them ; for there are divers circumstances , which increase , and heighten the sin . of this sort there are many . as first , when we sin against knowledg , that is , when we certainly know such a thing to be a sin , yet for the present pleasure or profit ( or whatever other motive ) adventure of it . this is by christ himself adjudged to be a great heightning of the sin . he that knows his masters will , and doth it not , shall be beaten with many stripes , luke . . secondly , when we sin with deliberation ; that is , when we do not fall into it of a sudden , ere we are aware , but have time to consider of it , this is another degree of the sin . but thirdly a yet higher is , when we do it against the resistances and checks of our own conscience , when that at the time tells us , this thing thou oughtest not to do ; nay , layes before us the danger , as well as the sin of it , yet in spight of these admonitions of conscience , we go on and commit the sin ; this is a huge increase of it , such as will raise the lest sin into a most high provocation . for it is plain , a sin thus committed must be a wilful one , and then be the matter of it never so light , it is most hainous in gods eyes . nay , this is a circumstance of such force , that it may make an indifferent action , that is in it self no sin , become one . for though my conscience should erre in telling me such a thing were unlawful , yet so long as i were so perswaded , it were sin for me to do that thing ; for in that case my will consents to the doing a thing , which i believe to be displeasing to god , & god ( who judges us by our will , not our understandings , ) imputes it to me as a sin , as well as if the thing were in it self unlawful , & therefore surely we may conclude that any thing which is in it self sinful , is made much more so by being committed against the checks of conscience . a fourth aggravation of a sin is , when it hath bin often repeated , for then there is not only the guilt of so many more acts , but every act grows also so much worse , and more inexcusable . we alwayes judg thus in faults committed against our selves , we can forgive a single injury , more easily then the same , when it hath bin repeated , and the oftner it hath bin so repeated , the more hainous we account it . and so surely it is in faults against god also . fifthly , the sins which have bin committed after vows , and resolutions of amendment are yet more grievous : for that contains also the breaking of those promises . somewhat of this , there is in every wilful sin , because every such is a breach of that vow we make at baptisme ; but besides that , we have since bound our selves by new vowes , if at no other time , yet surely at our coming to the lords supper , that being ( as was formerly said ) purposely to repeat our vow of baptisme . and the more of these vowes we have made , so much the greater is our guilt ; if we fall back to any sin , we then renounced . this is a thing very well worth weighing , & therefore examine thy self particularly , at thy approach to the sacrament , concerning thy breaches of former vowes made at the holy table . and if upon any other occasion , as sickness , trouble of mind , or the like , thou hast at any time made any other , call thy self to a strict account how thou hast performed them also , and remember that every sin committed against such vowes is besides its own natural guilt , a perjury likewise . sixthly , a yet higher step is , when a sin hath bin so often committed , that we are come to a custome and habit of it : and that is indeed a high degree . . yet even of habits some are worse then others ; as first , if it be so confirmed , that we are come to a hardness of heart , have no sense at all of the sin ; or secondly , if we go on in it against any extraordinary means used by god to reform us , such as sickness , or any other affliction , which seemes to be sent on purpose for our reclaiming . or thirdly , if all reproofs and exhortations either of ministers or private friends work not on us , but either make us angry at our reprovers , or set us on defending the sin . or lastly , if this sinful habit be so strong in us , as to give us a love to the sin , not only in our selves , but in others ; if as the apostle saith , rom. . . we do not only do the things , but take pleasure in them that do them , and therefore intice and draw as man● as we can into the same sins with us : then it is risen to the highest step of wickedness , and is to be look't on as the utmost d●gree both of sin and danger . thus you see how you are to examine your selves concerning your sins , in each of which you are to consider how many of these heightning circumstances there have bin , that so you may aright measure the hainousness of them . . now the end of this examination is to bring you to such a sight of your sins , as may truly humble you , make you sensible of your own danger , that have provoked so great a majesty , who is able so sadly to revenge himself upon you . and that will surely even to the most carnal heart appear a reasonable ground of sorrow . but that is not all , it must likewise bring you to a sense and abhorrence of your baseness , and ingratitude , that have thus offended so good and gracious a god , that have made such unworthy and unkinde returnes to those tender and rich mercies of his . and this consideration especially must melt your hearts into a deep sorrow and contrition , the degree whereof must be in some measure answerable to the degree of your sins . and the greater it is , provided it be not such as shuts up the hope of gods mercy , the more acceptable it is to god , who hath promised not to despise a broken and contrite heart , psal. . . and the more likely it will be also to bring us to amendment : for if we have once felt what the smart of a wounded spirit is , we shall have the lesse mind to venture upon sin again . . for when we are tempted with any of the short pleasures of sin , we may then out of our own experience set against them the sharp pains and terrors of an accusing conscience , which will to any that hath felt them ; be able infinitely to outweigh them . endeavour therefore to bring your soul to this melting temper , to this deep unfeigned sorrow , and that not only for the danger you have brought upon your self , for though that be a consideration that may and ought to work sadness in us , yet where that alone is the motive of our sorrow , it is not that sorrow which will avail us for pardon ; and the reason of it is clear , for that sorrow proceeds only from the love of our selves , we are sorry , because we are like to smart . but the sorrow of a true penitent must be enjoyned also with the love of god , and that will make us grieve for having offended him , though there were no punishment to fall upon our selves . the way then to stir up this sorrow in us , is first to stir up our love of god , by repeating to our selves the many gracious acts of his mercy towards us , particularly that of his sparing us , and not cutting us off in our sins . consider with thy self how many and how great provocations thou hast offered him , perhaps in a continued course of many years wilful disobedience , for which thou mightst with perfect justice have bin ere this sent quick into hell ; nay , possibly thou hast before thee many examples of less sinners , then thou art , who have bin suddenly snatcht away in the midst of their sins . and what cause canst thou give , why thou hast thus long escaped , but only because his eye hath spared thee . and what cause of that sparing , but his tender compassions towards thee , his unwillingness that thou should'st perish ? this consideration if it be prest home upon thy soul , cannot chuse ( if thy heart be not as hard as the neather milstone ) but awake somewhat of love in thee towards this gracious , this long-suffering god , and that love will certainly make it appear to thee , that it is an evil thing , and a bitter , that thou hast forsaken the lord , ier. . . that thou hast made such wretched requitals of so great mercy ; it will make thee both ashamed and angry at thy self , that thou hast bin such an unthankful creature . but if the consideration of this one sort of mercy , gods forbearance only , be such an engagement , and help to this godly sorrow , what will then be the multitude of those other mercies , which every man is able to reckon up to himself ? and therefore let every man be as particular in it as he can call to mind as many of them as he is able that so he may attain to the greater degree of true contrition . . and to all these endeavours most be added earnest prayers to god , that he by his holy spirit would shew you your sins , and soften your hearts , that you may thorowly bewail , and lament them . . to this must be joyned an humble confession of sins to god , and that not only in general , but also in particular , as far as your memory of them will reach , and that with all those heightning circumstances of them , which you have by the forementioned examination discovered . yea even secret , and forgotten sins must in general be acknowledged ; for it is certain there are multitudes of such , so that it is necessary for every one of us to say with david , psal. . . who can understand his errors , cleanse thou me from my secret faults . when you have thus confest your sins , with this hearty sorrow , and sincere hatred of them , you may then ( and not before ) be concluded to feel so much of your disease , that it will be seasonable to apply the remedy . . in the next place therefore you are to look on him , whom god hath set forth to be the propitiation of our sins , rom. . . even iesus christ that lamb of god , who taketh away the sins of the world io. . . and earnestly beg of god , that by his most precious blood , your sins may be washed away , and that god would for his sake be reconciled to you . and this you are to believe will surely be done , if you do for the rest of your time forsake your sins , and give your selves up sincerely to obey god in all his commands . but without that , it is vain to hope any benefit from christ , or his sufferings . and therefore the next part of your preparation must be the setting those resoluti●ns of obedience which i told you was the third thing you were to examine your selves of before your approach to the holy sacrament . . concerning the particulars of this resolution , i need say no more , but that it must answer every part , and branch of our duty ; that is , we must not only in general resolve , that we will observe gods commandments , but we must resolve it for every commandment by it self ; and especially where we have found our selves most to have failed heretofore , there especially to renew our resolutions . and herein it neerly concerns us to look , that these resolutions be sincere , and unfeigned , and not only such slight ones as people use out of custome to put on at their coming to the sacrament , which they never think of keeping afterwards . for this is a certain truth , that whosoever comes to this holy table without an entire hatred of every sin , comes unworthily ; and it is as sure , that he that doth intirely hate all sin , will resolve to forsake it ; for you know forsaking naturally followes hatred , no man willingly abides with a thing , or person he hates . and therefore he that doth not so resolve , as that god the searcher of hearts may approve it as sincere , cannot be supposed to hate sin , and so cannot be a worthy receiver of that holy sacrament . therefore trie your resolutions thorowly , that you deceive not your selves in them , it is your own great danger , if you do , for it is certain you cannot deceive god , nor gain acceptation from him by any thing , which is not perfectly hearty and unfeigned . . now as you are to resolve on this new obedience , so you are likewise to resolve on the meanes , which may assist you in the performance of it . and therefore consider in every duty , what are the means that may help you in it , and resolve to make use of them , how uneasy soever they be to your flesh ; so on the other side consider what things they are , that are likely to lead you to sin , and resolve to shun and avoid them : this you are to do in respect of all sins whatever , but especially in those , whereof you have formerly bin guilty . for there it will not be hard for you to find , by what steps and degrees you were drawn into it , what company , what occasion it was that ensnared you , as also to what sort of temptations you are aptest to yeild . and therefore you must particularly fence you self against the sin , by avoiding those occasions of it . . but it is not enough that you resolve you will do all this hereafter , but you must instantly set to it , and begin the course by doing at the present whatsoever you have opportunity of doing : and there are several things , which you may ; nay , must do at the present , before you come to the sacrament . . as first you must cast off every sin , not bring any one unmortified lust with you to that table ; for it is not enough to purpose to cast them off afterwards , but you must then actually do it by with-drawing all degrees of love and affection from them ; you must then give a bill of divorce to all your old beloved sins , or else you are no way fit to be married to christ. the reason of this is clear ; for this sacrament is our spiritual nourishment ; now before we can receive spiritual nourishment we must have spiritual life ( for no man gives food to a dead person ) but whosoever continues not only in the act , but in the love of any one known sin hath no spiritual life , but is in gods account no better then a dead carkass , and therefore cannot receive that spiritual food . it is true , he may eat the bread , and drink the wine , but he receives not christ , but in stead of him , that which is most dreadful ; the apostle will tell you what , cor. . . he eates and drinks his own damnation . therefore you see how great a necessity lies on you thus actually to put off every sin , before you come to this table . . and the same necessity lies on you for a second thing to be done at this time , and that is the putting your soul into a heavenly and christian temper ; by possessing it with all those graces which may render it acceptable in the eyes of god. for when you have turned out satan and his accursed train , you must not let your soul lie empty ; if you do , christ tells you , luke . . he will quickly return again , and your last estate shall be worse then your first . but you must by earnest prayer invite into it the holy spirit , with his graces , or if they be in some degree there already , you must pray that he will yet more fully possess it , and you must quicken and stir them up . . as for example , you must quicken your humility , by considering your many and great sins ; your faith , by mediating on gods promises to all penitent sinners ; your love to god , by considering his mercies , especially those remembred in this sacrament , his giving christ to die for us : and your love to your neighbour , nay to your enemies , by considering that great example of his suffering for us , that were enemies to him . and it is most particularly required of us when we come to this table , that we copy out this pattern of his in a perfect forgiveness of all that have offended us , and not only forgiveness , but such a kindness also , as will express it self in all offices of love and friendship to them . . and if you have formerly so quite forgot that blessed example of his , as to do the direct contrary , if you have done any unkindness or injury to any person , then you are to seek forgiveness from him ; and to that end first acknowledg your fault , and secondly restore to him to the utmost of your power , whatsoever you have deprived him of , either in goods or credit . this reconciliation with our brethren is absolutely necessary towards the making any of our services aceptable with god , as appears by that precept of christ , mat. . , . if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee , leave there thy gift before the altar ; and go thy way , first be reconciled to thy brother , and then come , and offer thy gift . where you see , that though the gift be already at the altar , it must rather be left there unoffered , then be offered by a man that is not at perfect peace with his neighbour . and if this charity be so necessary in all our services , much more in this , where by a joynt partaking in the same holy mysteries , we signifie our being united and knit , not only to christ our head , but also to each other , as fellow-members . and therefore if we come with any malice in our hearts we commit an act of the highest hypocrisie , by making a solemn profession in the sacrament of that charity and brotherly love , whereof our hearts are quite void . . another most necessary grace at this time is that of devotion , for the raising whereof we must allow our selves some time to withdraw from our worldly affaires , and wholy to set our selves to this business of preparation , one very especial part of which preparation lyes in raising up our soules to a devout and heavenly temper . and to that it is most necessary , that we cast off all thoughts of the world , for they will be sure as so many clogs , to hinder our soules in their mounting towards heaven . a special exercise of this devotion is prayer , wherein we must be very frequent , and earnest at our coming to the sacrament , this being one great instrument , whereby we must obtain all those other graces required in our preparation . therefore be sure this be not omitted , for if you use never so much endeavour besides , and leave out this , it is the going to work in your own strength , without looking to god for his help , and then it is impossible you should prosper in it ; for we are not able of our selves to think any thing , as of our selves , but our sufficiency is of god , cor. . . therefore be instant with him so to assist you with his grace , that you may come so fitted to this holy table , that you may be partakers of the benefits there reached out to all worthy receivers . . these and all other spiritual graces our souls must be clothed with when we come to this feast , for this is that wedding garment , without which whosoever comes , is like to have the entertainment , mentioned in the parable , of him who came to the marriage without a wedding garment , mat. . . who was cast into utter darkness , where is weeping and gnashing of teeth ; for though it is possible he may sit it out at the present , and not be snatcht from the table , yet st. paul assures him , he drinks damnation to himself , and howsoever it may fall on him , is uncertain ; but it is sure , it will , if repentance prevent it not , and as sure that when ever it does come , it will be intolerable , for who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings , isa. . . . i shall add but one thing more concerning the things which are to be done before the sacrament , and that is an advice . that if any person upon a serions view of himself cannot satisfy his own soul of his sincerity , and so doubts , whether he may come to the sacrament , he do not rest wholly on his own judgement in the case ; for if he be a truly humbl●d soul , it is likely he may judge too hardly of himself , if he be not , it is odds , but if he be left to the satisfying of his own doubts , he will quickly bring himself to pass too favourable a sentence . or whether he be the one or the other , if he come to the sacrament in that doubt , he certainly plunges himself into further doubts and scruples , if not into sin ; on the other side , if he forbear , because of it , if that fear be a causeless one , then he groundlesly absents himself from that holy ordinance , and so deprives his soul of the benefits of it . threfore in the midst of so many dangers , which attend the mistake of himself , i would , as i said before , exhort him not to trust to his own judgement , but to make known his case to some discreet and godly minister , and rather be guid●● by his , who will probably ( if the case be duely and without any disguise discovered to him ) be better able to judge of him , then he of himself . this is the councel the church gives in the exhortation before the communion , where it is advised , that if any by other means therefore mentioned , cannot quiet his own conscience , but require farther counsel , and comfort , than let him go to some discre●t and learned minister of gods word , and open his grief , that he may receive such ghostly cou●sel , advice , and comfort that his conscience may be relieved , &c. this is surely such advice , as should not be neglected neither at the time of coming to the sacrament , nor any other , when we are under any fear or reasons of doubt concerning the state of our souls . and for want of this , many have run into very great mischief , having let the doubt fester so long , that it hath either plunged them into deep distresses of conscience ; or which is worse , they have to still that disquiet within them , betaken themselves to all sinful pleasures , and so quite cast off all care of their souls . . but to all this it will perhaps be said , that this cannot be done without discovering the nakedness , and blemishes of the soul , and there is shame in that , and therefore men are unwilling to do it . but to that i answer , that it is very unreasonable , that should be a hinderance . for first , i suppose you are to chuse onely such a person as will faithfully keep any secret , you shall commit to him , and so it can be no publick shame you can fear . and if it be in respect of that single person , you need not fear that neither ; for , supposing him a godly man , he will not think the worse of you , but the better , that you are so desirous to set all right between god , and your soul. but if indeed there were shame in it , yet as long as it may be a means to cure both your trouble and your sin too ( as certainly godly and faithful counsel may tend much to both ) that shame ought to be despised , and it is sure it would , if we loved our souls , as well as our body , for in bodily diseases , be they never so foul or shameful , we count him a fool , who will rather miss the cure , then discover it , and then it must here be so much a greater folly , by how much the soul is more precious then the body . . but god knows , it is not onely doubting persons , to whom this advice might be useful , there are others of another sort , whose confidence is their disease , who presume very groundlesless of the goodness of their estates ; and for those it were most happy , if they could be brought to hear some more equal judgements , then their own in this so weighty a business . the truth is , we are generally so apt to savour our selves , that it might be very useful for the most , especially the more ignorant sort , sometimes to advise with a spiritual guide , to enable them to pass right judgements on themselves , and not onely so , but to receive directions , how to subdue and mortify those sins they are most inclined to , which is a matter of so much difficulty , that we have no reason to despise any means that may help us in it . . i have now gone through those several parts of duty we are to perform before our receiving . in the next place , i am to tell you , what is to be done at the time of receiving . when thou art at the holy table , first humble thy self in an unfeigned acknowledgement of thy great unworthiness to be admitted there ; and to that purpose remember again between god and thine own soul , some of thy greatest , and foulest sins , thy breaches of former vows made at that table , especially since thy last receiving . then meditate on those bitter sufferings of christ , which are set out to us in the sacrament , when thou seest the bread broken , remember how his blessed body was torn with nails upon the cross , when thou seest the wine poured out , remember how his precious blood was spilt there . and then consider , it was thy sins that caused both . and here think , how unworthy a wretch thou art to have done that , which occasioned such torments to him ? how much worse then his very crucifiers ? they crucified him once , but thou hast , as much as in thee lay , crucified him daily . they crucified him , because they knew him not , but thou hast known both what he is in himself , the lord of glory , and what he is to thee a most tender and merciful saviour , and yet thou hast still continued thus to crucify him afresh . consider this , and let it work in thee , first a great sorrow for thy sins past , and then a great hatred , and a firm resolution against them for the time to come . . when thou hast a while thus thought on these sufferings of christ for the increasing thy humility and contrition ; then in the second place think of them again , to stir up thy faith ; look on him as the sacrifice offered up for thy sins , for the appeasing of gods wrath , and procuring his favour , and mercies toward thee . and therefore beleevingly , yet humbly , beg of god to accept of that satisfaction made by his innocent and beloved son , and for the merits thereof to pardon thee ; whatever is past , and to be fully reconciled to thee . . in the third place consider them again to raise thy thankfulness . think how much both of shame and pain he there endured , but especially those great agonies of his soul , which drew from him that bitter cry , my god , my god why hast thou forsaken me . mat. . . now all this he suffered only to keep thee from perishing . and therefore consider what unexpressable thanks thou owest him , and endeavour to raise thy soul to the most zealous and hearty thanksgiving ; for this is a principal part of duty at this time , the praising , and magnifying that mercy , which hath redeemed us by so dear a p●ice . therefore it will here well become thee to say with david , i will take the cup of salvation and will call upon the name of the lord. . fourthly , look on these sufferings of christ , to stir up this love , and surely there cannot be a more effect●al means of doing it , for here the love of christ to thee is most manifest , according to that of the apostle , jo. . . hereby perceive we the love of god towards us , because he layed down his life for us . and that even the highest degree of love , for as himself tels us , jo . . greater love then this hath no m●n , then that a man lay down his life for his friend . yet even greater love then this had he , for he not onely died , but died the most painful and most reproachful death , and that not for his friends , but his utter enemies . and therefore if after all this love on his part , there be no return of love on ours , we are worst then the vilest sort of men , for even the publicans , matth. . . love those that love them . here therefore chide , and reproach thy self , that thy love to him is so faint and cool , when his to thee was so zealous and affectionate . and endeavour to enkindle this holy flame in thy soul , to love him in such a degree , that thou mayest be ready to copy out his example , to part with all things yea even life it self , whenever he cals for it , that is whensoever thy obedience to any command of his shal lay thee open to those sufferings . but in the mean time , to resolve never again to make any league with his enemies , to entertain , or harbour any sin in thy brest . but if there have any such hitherto remained with thee , make this the season to kill , and crucify it , offer it up at this instant a sacrifice to him , who was sacrificed for thee , and particularly for that very end , that he might redeem thee from all iniquity . therefore here make thy solemn resolutions to forsake every sin , particularly those , into which thou hast most frequently fallen . and that thou mayest indeed perform those resolutions , earnestly beg of this crucified saviour , that he will by the power of his death mortify and kill all thy corruptions . . when thou art about to receive the consecrated bread and wine , remember that god now offers to seal to thee that new covenant made with mankinde in his son. for since he gives that his son in the sacrament , he gives with him all the benefits of that covenant , to wit , pardon of sins , fanctifying grace and a title to an eternal inheritance . and here be astonished at the infinite goodness of god who reaches out to thee so precious a treasure . but then remember , that this is all but on condition , that thou perform thy part of the covenant . and therefore settle in thy soul the most serious purpose of obedience , and then with all possible devotion joyn with the minister in that short , but excellent prayer used at the instant of giving the sacrament , the body of our lord , &c. . so soon as thou hast received , ●ffer up thy devoutest praises for that great mercy , together with thy most earnest prayers for such assistance of gods spirit , as may enable thee to perform the vow thou hast now made . then remembring that christ is a propitiati●n not for our sins onely , but also for the sins of the whole world , let thy charity reach as far as his hath done , and pray for all mankind , that every one may receive the benefit of that sacrifice of his ; commend also to god the estate of the church , that particularly , whereof thou art a member . and forget not to pray for all to whom thou owest obedience , both in church and state , and so go on to pray for such particular persons as either thy relations , or their wants shall present to thee if there be any collection for the poor ( as there alwayes ought to be at this time ) give freely according to thy ability ; or if by the d●fault of others there be no such collection , yet do thou privately design something towards the relief of thy poor brethren , and be sure to give it the next fitting opportunity that offers it self . all this thou must contrive to do in the time that others are receiving , that so when the publick prayers , after the administration begin , thou mayst be ready to joyn in them , which thou must likewise take care to do with all divotion : thus much for thy behaviour at the time of receiving . . now followes the third and last thing ; that is ▪ what thou art to do after thy receiving . that which is immediately to be done , is as soon as thou art retir'd from the congregation , to offer up again to god thy sacrifice of praise for all those precious mercies conveyed to thee , in that holy sacrament , as also humbly to intreat the continued assistance of his grace to enable thee to make good all those purposes of obedience thou hast now made . and in whatsoever thou knowest thy self most in danger , either in respect of any former habit , or natural inclination , there especially desire and earnestly beg his aid . . when thou hast done thus , do not presently let thy self lose to thy worldly car●s and businesse . but spend all that day , either in medi●ating , praying , reading , good conferences , or the like ; so as may best keep up that holy flame that is enkindled in thy heart . afterwards , when thy calling requires thee to fall to thy usual affaire● , do it , but yet still remember that thou hast a greater business then that upon thy hands ; that is , the performing of all those promises , thou so lately madest to god , and therefore whatever thy outward imployments are , let thy heart be set on that , keep all the particulars of thy resolution in memory , and whenever thou art tempted to any of thy old sins , then consider , this is the thing thou so solemnly vowedst against , and withal remember what a horrible guilt it will be , if thou shouldst now wilfully do any thing contrary to that vow ; yea , and what a horrible mischief also it will be to thy self . for at thy receiving , god and thou enteredst into covenant , into a league of friendship and kindness . and as long as thou keepest in that friendship with god , thou art false , all the malice of men or divels can do thee no harm : for as the apostle saith , rom. . . if god be for us who can be against us . but if thou breakest this league ( as thou certainly dost , if thou yeild to any wilful sin ) then god and thou are enemies , and if all the world then were for thee , it could not avail thee . . nay thou wilt get an enemy within thine own bosome , thy conscience accusing and upbraiding thee , and when god and thine own conscience are thus against thee , thou canst not but be extremely miserable , even in this life , besides that fearful expectation of wrath , which awaites thee in the next . remember all this , when thou art set upon by any temptation , and then sure thou canst not but look upon that temptation , as a cheat , that co●es to rob thee of thy peace , thy god , thy very soul. and then surely it will appear as unfit to entertain it , as thou wouldst think it to harbour one in thy house , who thou knowest came to rob thee of what is dearest to thee . . and let not any experience of gods mercy in pardonning thee heretofore incourage thee again to provoke him ; for besides , that it is thy highest degree of wickedness and unthankfulness to make that goodness of his , which should lead thee to repentance an incouragement in thy sin ; besides this , i say , the oftner thou hast bin pardoned , the less reason thou hast to expect it again , because thy sin is so much the greater , for having bin committed after so much mercy . if a king have several times pardoned an offender , yet if he still return to the commission of the same fault , the king will at last be forced , if he have any love to justice , to give him up to it . now so it is here , god is as well just as merciful , and his justice will at last surely and heavily avenge the abuse of his mercy ; and there cannot be a greater abuse of his mercy , then to sin in hope of it , so that it will prove a miserable deceiving of thy self then to presume upon it . . now this care of making good thy vow must not abide with thee some few dayes only , and then be cast aside , but it must continue with thee all thy dayes . for if thou break thy vow , it matters not , whether sooner or latter . nay perhaps the guilt may in some respects be more , if it be late , for if thou have for a good while gone on in the observance of it , that shews the thing is possible to thee ; and so thy after breaches are not of infirmity , because thou canst not avoid them , but of perversness , because thou wilt not : besides the use of christian-walking must needs make it more easie to thee . for indeed all the difficulty of it , is but from the custome of the contrary . and therefore if after some acquaintance with it , when thou hast overcome somwhat of the hardness , thou shalt then give it over , it will be most inexcusable . therefore be careful all the dayes of thy life , to keep such a watch over thy life , and so to avoid all occasions of temptations , as may preserve thee from all wilful breaches of this vow . . but though the obligation of every such single vow reach to the utmost day of our lives , yet are we often to renew it ; that is , we are often to receive the holy sacrament , for that being the means of conveying to us so great and unvaluable benefits ; and it being also a command of christ , that we should do this in remembrance of him , we are in respect both of reason and duty to omit no fit opportunity of partaking of that holy table . i have now shewed you what that reverence is , which we are to pay to god in his sacrament . partition . iv. honour due to gods name ; of sinning against it ; blasphemy ; swearing ; assertory oaths ; promissery oaths ; unlawful oaths ; of perjury ; of vain oaths , and the sin of them , &c. § . . the last thing wherein we are to express our reverence to him , is the honouring his name . now what this honouring of his name is , we shall best understand by considering what are the things by which it is ●●shonoured , the avoiding of which will be our way of honouring it . the first is all blasphemies , or speaking any evil thing of god , the highest degree whereof is cursing him , or if we do not speak it with our mouths , yet if we do it in our hearts , by thinking any unworthy thing of them , it is lookt on by god , who sees the heart , as the vilest dishonour . but there is also a blasphemy of the actions , that is , when men who profess to be the servants of god , live so wickedly , that they bring up an evil report on him , whom they own as their master and lord. this blasphemy the apostle takes notice of , r●m . . . where he tells those who protest to be observers of the law , that by their wicked actions the name of god was blasphemed among the gentiles . those gentiles were moved to think ill of god , as the favour of sin , when they saw those , who called themselves his servants , commit it . a second way of dishonouring gods name , is by swearing , and that is of two sorts , either by false oaths or else by rash , and light ones . a false oath may also be of two kinds , as first that by which i affirm somewhat , or secondly that by which i promise . the first is when i say such or such a thing was done so or so ; and comfirm this saying of mine with an oath , if then i know there be not perfect truth in what i say , this is a flat perjury , a down right being forsworn ; nay if i swear to the truth of that , whereof i am only doubtful , though the thing should happen to be true , yet it brings upon me the guilt of perjury . for i swear at a venture , and the thing might for ought i knew be as well false as true , whereas i ought never to swear to any thing , the truth of which i do not certainly know . . but besides this sort of oaths , by which i affirm any thing , there is the other sort , that by which i promise somwhat . and that promise may be either to god or man , when it is to god , we call it a vow , of which i have already spoken , under the head of the sacraments , i shall now only speak of that to man ; & this may become a false oath , either at , or after the time of taking it . at the time of taking , it is false if either i have then no real purpose of making it good or else take it in a sense different from that which i know , he to whom i make the promise understands it ; for the use of oaths , being to assure the persons , to whom they are made they must be taken in their sense . but if i were never so sincere at the taking the oath , if afterwards i do not perform it , i am certainly perju●ed . . the nature of an oath being then thus binding , it neerly concerns us to look that the matter of our oaths be lawful , for else we run our selves into a woful snare . for example , suppose i swear to kill a man , if i perform my oath , i am guilty of murder , if i break it , of perjury . and so i am under a necessity of sinning one way or other . but there is nothing puts us under a greater degree of this unhappy necessity , then when we swear two oaths , whereof the one is directly cross and contradictory to the other . for if i swear to give a man my whole estate , and afterwards swear to give all or part of that estate to another , it is certain i must break my oath to one of them , because it is impossible to perform it to both , and so i must be under a necessity of being forsworn . and into this unhappy streight every man brings himself that takes any oath which crosses some other , which he hath formerly taken ; which should make all that love either god , or their own souls , resolve never thus miserably to ●ntangle themselves , by taking one oath cross and thwarting to another . but it may perhaps here be asked , what a person that hath already brought himself into such a condition shall do ? i answer , he must first heartily repent the great sin of taking the unlawful oath , and then stick only to the lawful , which is all that is in his power towards the repairing his fault , and qualifying him for gods pardon for it . . having said this concerning the kinds of this sin of perjury , i shall only add a few words to shew you , how greatly gods name is dishonoured by it . in all oaths you know , god is solemnly called to witness the truth of which is spoken ; now if the thing be false , it is the basest affront , and dishonour that can possibly be done to god. for it is in reason to signifie one of these two things , either that we believe he knows not whether we say true or no. ( and that is to make him no g●d , to suppose him to be as deceiveable , and easie to be deluded as one of our ignorant neighbours ) or else that he is willing to countenance our lyes ; the former robs him of that great attribute of his , his knowing all things , and is surely a great dishonouring of him , it being even amongst men accounted , one of the greatest disgraces to account a man fit to have cheats put upon him ; yet even so we deal with god , if we venture to forswear , upon a hope that god discerns it not , but the other is yet worse , for the supposing him willing to countenance our lies , is the making him a party in them ; and is not only the making him no god ( it being impossible that god should either lie himself or approve it in another ) but it is the makeing him like the very divel . for he it is that is a lyer , and the father of it , jo. . and sure i need not say more to prove that this is the highest degree of dishonouring gods name . . but if any yet doubt the hainousness of this sin ; let him but consider what god himself sayes of it in the third commandment , where he solemnly professes , he will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain , and sure the adding that to this commandment , and none of the rest , is the marking this out for a most hainous guilt : and if you look into zac. . you will there find the punishment is answerable , even the utter destruction , not only of the man ; but his house also . therefore it concerns all men as they love either their temporal or eternal well-fare , to keep them most strictly from this sin . but besides this of forswaring , i told you there was another sort of oaths , by which gods name is dishonoured , those are the vain and light oaths , such as are so usual in our common discourse ; and are expresly forbidden by christ , mat. . . but i say unto you swear not at all ; neither by heaven , for it is gods throne , nor by the earth , for it is his foot-stool ; where you see we are not allowed to swear even by meer creatures , because of the relation they have to god. how great a wickedness is it then to prophane his holy name by rash and vain oaths , this is a sin that is ( by i know not what charm of sathans ) grown into fashion among us , and now its being so , draws d●ily more men into it . but it is to be remembred that when we shall appear before gods iudgement seat , to answer for those prophanations of his name ; it will be no excuse to say , it was the fashion to do so , it will rather be an increase of our guilt , that we have by our own practice , helped to confirm that wicked custome , which we ought to have beat down , and discountenanced . . and sure what ever this prophane age thinks of it , this is a sin of a very high nature . for besides that it is a direct breach of the precept of christs , it shews first a very mean , and low esteem of god ; every oath we swear is the appealing to god , to judge the truth of what we speak , and therefore being of such greatness , and majesty , it requires that the matter concerning which we thus appeal to him , should be of great weight , and moment , somewhat wherein either his own glory , or some considerable good of man is concerned . but when we swear in common discourse , it is far otherwise , any the tristingest , or lightest thing serves for the matter of an oath , nay often men swear to such vain and foolish things , as a considering person would be ashamed barely to speak . and is it not a great despising of god , to call him solemly to judge in such childish , such wretched matters , god is the great king of the world , now though a king be to be resorted unto in weighty cases , yet sure he would think himself much despised , if he should be called to judge between boyes at their childish games : and god knows many things whereto we frequently swear , are not of greater weight , and therefore are a sign , that we do not rightly esteem of god. . secondly , this common swearing is a sin which leads directly to the former of forswearing ; for he that by the use of swearing hath made oaths so familiar to him , will be likely to take the dreadfullest oath without much consideration ? for how shall he that swears hourly , look upon an oath with any reverence and he that doth not ? it is his chance , not his care , that is to be thanked , if he keep from perjury . nay further , he that swears commonly , is not onely prepared to forswear , when a solemn oath is tendered him , but in all probability does actually forswear himself often in these suddener oaths : for supposing them to come from a man , ere he is aware ( which is the best can be said of them ) what assurance can any man have , who swears , ere he is aware , that he shall not lye so too ? and if he doth both together , he must necessarily be forsworn . but he that observes your comm●n swearers , will be put past doubt , that they are often forsworn . for they usually swear indifferently to things true or false , doubtful or certain . and i doubt not , but if men who are guilty of this sin , would but impartially examine their own practice , their hearts would second me in this observation . . thirdly , this is a sin , to which there is no temptation , there is nothing either of pleasure , or prefit , got by it . most other sins offer us somewhat either of the ●re , or the other , but this is utterly empty of both . so that in this sin the devil does not play the m●rchant for our souls , as in others he does , he doth not so much as cheapen them , but we give them freely into his hands without any thing in exchange . there seems to be but one thing possible for men to hope to gain by it , and that is to be beleeved in what they say when they thus bind it by an oath . but this also they constantly fail of , for there are none so little beleeved , as the common swearers . and good reason , for he that makes no conscience thus to profane gods name ; why shall any man beleeve , he makes any of lying ? nay , their forwardness to confirm every the slightest thing by an oath , rather gives jealousy , that they have some inward guilt of falseness , for which that oath must be the clo●k . and thus you see in how little stead it stands them , even to this onely purpose , for which they can pretend it useful ; and to any other advantage it makes not the lest claim , and therefore is a sin without temptation , and consequently without excuse : for it shewes the greatest contempt , nay unkindness to god , when we will provoke him thus , without any thing to tempt us to it . and therefore though the commonness of this sin have made it pass but for a small one , yet it is very far from being so , either in it self , or in gods account . . let all therefore , who are not yet fallen into the custome of this sin , be most careful never to yield to the least beginnings of it , and for those who are so miserable , as to be already ●●s●ared in it , let them immediately , as they tender their souls , get out of it . and let no man plead the hardness of leaving an old custome , as an excuse for his continuing in it , but rather the longer he hath been in it , so much the more haste let him make out of it , as thinking it too too much , that he hath so long gone on in so great a sin . and if the length of the cust●me have increased the difficulty of leaving it , that is in all reason to make him set immediately to the casting it off , left that difficulty at last grow to an impossibility , and the harder he finds it at the present , so much the more diligent and watchful he must be in the use of all those means , which may tend to the overcoming that sinful habit , some few of those means it will not be amiss here to mention . . first let him possess his mind fully of the hainousness of the sin , and not to measure it onely according to the common rate of the world . and when he is fully perswaded of the guilt , then let him add to that , the consideration of the danger , as that it puts him out of gods favour at the present , and will , if he continue in it , cast him into hell for ever . and sure if this were but throughly laid to heart , it would restrain this sin ; for i would ask a man , that pretends impossibility of leaving the custome , whether if he were sure he should be hanged the next oath he swore , the fear of it would not keep him from swearing ? i can scarce beleeve any man in his wits so little master of himself , but it would . and then surely damning is so much worse then hanging , that in all reason the fear of that ought to be a much greater restraint . the doubt is , men do either not heartily believe that this sin will damn them , or if they do , they look on it , as a thing a great way off and so are not much moved with it ; but both these are very unreasonable . for the first , it is certain , that every one that continues wilfully in any sin , is so long in a state of damnation , and therefore this being so continued in , must certainly put a man in that condition . for the second , it is very possible , he may be deceived in thinking it so far off , for how knows any man that he shal not be struck dead with an oath in his mouth , or if he were sure not to be so , yet eternal damnation is surely to be dreaded above all things , be it at what distance soever . . a second means is to be exactly true in all thou speakest , that all men may believe thee on thy bare word , and then thou wilt never have occasion to confirm it by an oath , to make it more credible , which is the onely colour , or reason can at any time be pretended for swearing . . thirdly , observe what it is that most betrayes thee to this sin , whether drink , or anger , or the company and example of others , or what ever else , and then if ever thou mean to forsake the sin , forsake those occasions of it . . fourthly , endeavour to possess thy heart with a continual remembrance of god , and if that once grow into a custome with thee , it will quickly turn out that contrary one of profaning . use and accustome thy self therefore to this reverence of god ; and particularly to such a respect to his name , as if it be possible , never to mention it without some lifting up of thy heart to him ; even in thy ordinary discourse , when ever thou takest his name in to thy mouth , let it be an occasion of raising up thy thoughts to him . but by no means permit thy self to use it in idle by-words , or the like . if thou doest accustome thy self to pay this reverence to the bare mention of his name , it will be an excellent fence against the prophaning it in oaths . . a fifth means is a diligent and constant watch over thy self , that thou thus offend not with thy tongue , without which all the former will come to nothing . and the last means is prayer , which must be added to all thy endeavours , therefore pray earnestly , that god will enable thee , to overcome this wicked custom ; say with the psalmist , set a watch o lord over my mouth and keep the door of my lips ; and if thou doest sincerely set thy self to the use of means for it , thou mayest be assured , god will not be wanting in his assistance . i have been the longer on this , because it is so reigning a sin : god in his mercy give all that are guilty of it a true sight of the hainousness of it . . by these several waies of dishonouring gods name you may understand , what is the duty of honouring it , viz. a strict abstaining from every one of these , and that abstinence founded on an awful respect , and reverence to that sacred name , which is great , wonderful , and holy , psal. . . i have now past through the several branches of that great duty of honouring of god. partition v. of worship due to gods name . of prayer and its several parts . of publick prayers in the church , in the family ; of private prayer : of repentance , &c. of fasting . § . . the eight duty we owe to god is worship ; this is that great duty by which especially we acknowledg his godhead , worship being proper only to god , and therefore it is to be lookt on as a most weighty duty . this is to be performed first by our souls , secondly by our bodies : the souls part is praying . now prayer is a speaking to god , and there are divers parts of it , according to the different things about which we speak . . as first , there is confession , that is , the acknowledging our sins to god. and this may be either general , or particular ; the general is , when we onely confess in gross , that we are sinful , the particular , when we mention the several sorts , and acts of our sins . the former is necessary to be alwayes a part of our solemn prayers , whether publick , or private . the latter is proper for private prayer , and there the oftner it is used , the better , yea , even in our daily private prayer it will be fit constantly to remember some of our greatest and foulest sins , though never so long since past . for such we should never think sufficiently confest , and bewailed . and this bewailing , must alwaies go along with confession , we must be heartily sorry for the sins we confess , and from our souls acknowledge our own great unworthiness , in having committed them , for our confession is not intended to instruct god , who knows our sins much better then our selves do , but it is to humble our selves , and therefore we must not think w● have confest aright , till that be done . . the second part of prayer , is petition . that is the begging of god whatsoever we want either for our souls , or bodies . for our souls we must first beg pardon of sins , and that for the sake of jesus christ , who shed his blood to obtain it . then we must also beg the grace and assistance of gods spirit , to enable us to forsake our sins , and to walk in obedience to him . and herein it will be needful particularly to beg all the several vertues , as faith , love , zeal , purity , repentance , and the like , but especially those which thou most wantest ; and therefore observe what thy wants are , and if thou beest proud ; be most instant in praying for humility , if lustful , for chastity , and so for all other graces , according as thou findest thy needs . and in all these things that concern thy soul , be very earnest and importunate , take no denial from god , nor give over , though thou do not presently obtain what thou suest for . but if thou hast never so long prayed for a grace , and yet findest it not , do not grow weary of praying , but rather search what the cause may be , which makes thy prayer so ineffectual ; see if thou do not thy self hinder them , perhaps thou prayest to god , to enable thee to conquer some sin , and yet never goest about to fight against it , never makest any resistance , but ye●ldest to it , as oft as it comes , nay puttest thy self in its way , in the road of all temptations . if it be thus , no wonder though thy prayers avail not , for thou wilt not let them . therefore amend this , and set to the doing of thy part sincerely , and then thou needest not fear , but god will do his . . secondly , we are to petition also for our bodies ; that is , we are to ask of god such necessaries of life , as are needful to us , while we live here . but these onely in such a degree , and measure , as his wisdom sees best for us , we must not presume to be our own c●rvers , and pray for all that wealth , or greatness , which our own vain hearts may perhaps desire , but onely ●or such a condition , in respect of outward things , as he sees may most tend to those great ends of our living here , the glorifying him , and the saving of our own souls . . a third part of prayer is deprecation , that is when we pray to god to turn away some evil from us . now this evil may be either the evil of sin , or the evil of punishment . the evil of sin is that we are especially to pray against , most earnestly begging of god , that he will by the power of his grace preserve us from falling into sin . and whatever sins they are , to which thou knowest thy self most inclined , there be particularly earnest with god , to preserve thee from them . this is to be done daily , but then more especially , when we are under any present temptation , & in danger of falling into any sin ; in which case we have reason to cry out , as st. peter did , when he found himself sinking , save lord , or i perish ; humbly beseeching him either to withdraw the temptation , or strengthen us to withstand it , neither of which we can do for our selves . . secondly , we are likewise to pray against the evil of punishment , but principally against spiritual punishments , as the anger of god , the withdrawing of his grace , and eternal damnation . against these we can never pray with too much earnestness ; but we may also pray against temporal punishments , that is any outward affliction , but this with submission to gods will , according to the example of christ , mat. . . not as i will , but as thou wilt . . a fourth part of prayer is intercession ; that is , praying for others : this in general we are to do for all mankind , as well strangers , as acquaintance , but more particularly those , to whom we have any especial relation , either publick , as our governours , both in church and state , or private , as parents , husband , wife , children , friends , &c. we are also to pray for all that are in affliction , and such particular persons , as we discern especially to be so ; yea we are to pray for those that have done injury , those that despightfully use us and persecute us , for it is expresly the command of christ , mat. . . and that whereof he hath likewise given us the highest example , in praying even for his very crucifiers , luc. . . father forgive them . for all these sorts of persons we are to pray , and that for the very same good things we beg of god for our selves , that god would give them in their several places and callings , all spiritual and temporal blessings , which he sees wanting to them , and turn away from them all evil whether of sin , or punishment . . the fifth part of prayer is thanksgiving ; that is , the praising , and blessing god for all his mercies , whether to our own persons , and those that immediatly relate to us , or to the church and nation whereof we are members , or yet more general to all mankind . and this for all his mercies both spiritual and temporal : in the spiritual , first for those wherein we are all in common concerned , as the giving of his son , the sending of his spirit , and all those means he hath used to bring sinful men unto himself . then secondly for those mercies we have in our own particulars received , such are the having been born within the pale of the church , and so brought up in christian religion , by which we have been partakers of those precious advantages of the word , and sacraments , and so have had , without any care , or pains of ours , the means of eternal life put into our hands . but besides these , there is none of us but have received other spiritual means from god. . as first gods patience , and long-suffering , waiting for our repentance , and not cutting us off in our sins . secondly , his calls and invitations of us to that repentance , not only outward in the ministry of the word , but also inward , by the motions of his spirit . but then if thou be one that hath by the help of gods grace been wrought upon by these calls , and brought from a prophane , or worldly , to a christian course of life , thou art surely in the highest degree tyed to magnifie and praise his goodness , as having received from him the greatest of mercies . . we are likewise to give thanks for temporal blessings , whether such as concern the publick , as the prosperity of the church or nation , and all remarkable deliverances offered to either ; or else such as concern our particulars , such are all the good things of this life which we enjoy , as health , friends , food , rayment , and the like ; also for those minuitly preservations , whereby we are by gods gracious providence kept from danger , and the especial deliverances which god hath given us in time of greatest perils . it will be impossible to set down the several mercies which everyman receives from god , because they differ in kind and degree between one man and another . but it is sure that he which receives least , hath yet enough to imploy his whole life in praises to god. and it will be very fit for every man to consider the several passages of this life , and the mercies he hath in each received , and so to gather a kind of list , or catalogue of them , at least the principal of them , which he may alwayes have in his memory , and after with a thankful heart repeat before god. . these are the several parts of prayer and all of them to be used both publickly and privately . the publick use of them is , first that in the church where all meet to joyn in those prayers , wherein they are in common concerned . and this ( where the prayers are such as they ought to be ) we should be very constant at , there being an especial blessing promised to the joynt requests of the faithful , and he that without a necessary cause absents himself from such publick prayers , cuts himself off from the church , which hath alwayes been thought so unhappy a thing , that it is the greatest punishment , the governours of the church can lay upon the worst offender ; and therefore it is a strange madness for men to inflict it upon themselves . . a second sort of publick prayer , is that in a family , where all that are members of it , joyn in their common supplications , and this also ought to be very careful attended to ; first by the master of the family , who is to look that there be such prayers , it being as much his part thus to provide for the souls of his children and servants , as to provide food for their bodies . therefore there is none , even the meanest housholder , but ought to take this care : if either himself , or any of his family can read , he may use some prayers out of some good book , if it be the service book of the church , he makes a good choice ; if they cannot read , it will then be necessary they should be taught without book some form of prayer , which they may use in the family , for which purpose again some of the prayers of the church will be very fit , as being most easie for their memories by reason of their shortness , and yet containing a great deal of matter . but what choice soever they make of prayers , let them be sure to have some , and let no man that professes himself a christian , keep so heathenish a family , as not to see god be daily worshipped in it . but when the master of a family hath done his duty in this providing , it is the duty of every member of it to make use of that provision , by being constant , and diligent at those family-prayers . . private or secret prayer is that which is used by a man alone , a part from all others , wherein we are to be more particular , according to our peculiar needs , then in publick it is fit to be . and this of private prayer , is a duty , which will not be excused by the performance of the other of publick . they are both required , and one must not be taken in exchange for the other . and whoever is diligent in publick prayers , and yet negligent in private , it is much to be feared , he rather seeks to approve himself to men , then to god , contrary to the command of our saviour , mat. . who enjoyns this private prayer , this praying to our father in secret , from whom alone we are to expect our reward , and not from the vain praises of men . . now this duty of prayer is to be often performed , by none seldomer then evening and morning , it being most necessary that we should thus begin , and end all our works with god , and that not only in respect of the duty we owe him , but also in respect of our selves , who can never be either prosperous , or safe , but by committing our selves to him ; and therefore should tremble to venture on the perils either of day or night , without his safeguard . how much oftner this duty is to be performed , must be judged according to the business , or leisure men have , where by business , i mean not such business as men unprofitably make to themselves , but the necessary business of a mans calling , which with some will not afford them much time for set , and solemn prayer . but even these men may often in a day lift up their hearts to god in some short prayers , even whilst they are at their work . as for those that have more leisure , they are in all reason to bestow more time upon this duty . and let no man that can find time to bestow upon his vanities , nay perhaps his sins , say be wants leisure for prayer , but let him now endeavour to redeem , what he hath so mispent , by imploying more of that leisure in this duty for the future . and surely if we did but rightly weigh , how much it is our own advantage , to perform this duty , we should think it wisdom to be as frequent as we are ordinarily solemn in it . . for first it is a great honour for us poor wo●mes of the earth to be allowed to speak so freely to the great majesty of heaven ; if a king should but vouchsafe to let one of his meanest subjects talk familiarly , and freely with him , it would be looked on as a huge honour , that man how despiseable soever he were before , would then be the envy of all his neighbours ; and there is little question , he would be willing to take all opportunities of receiving so great a grace . but alas ! this is nothing to the honour is offered us , who are allowed nay , invited to speak to , and converse with the king of kings , and therefore how forward should we in all reason be to it . . secondly , it is a great benefit , even the greatest that can be imagined , for prayer is the instrument of fetching down all good things to us , whether spiritual , or temporal , no prayer , that is qualified as it ought to be , but is sure to bring down a blessing according to that of the wise man , eccl. . . the prayer of the humble pierceth the clouds , and will not turn away , till the highest regard it . you would think him a happy man , that had one certain means of helping him to what ever he wanted , though it were to cost him much pains , and labour , now this happy man thou mayst be if thou wilt . prayer is the never-failing means of bringing thee , if not all that thou thinkest thou wantest , yet all that indeed thou dost , that is , all that god sees fit for thee . and therefore be there never so much weariness to thy flesh in the duty , yet considering in what continual want thou standest for something or other from god , it is madness to let that uneasiness dishearten thee , and keep thee from this so sure meanes of supplying thy wants . . but in the third place this duty is in it self so far from being uneasie , that it is very pleasant . god is the fountain of happiness , and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore . psal. . . and therefore the nearer we draw to him ▪ the happier we must needs be , the very joys of heaven arising from our neerness to god. now in this life we have no way of drawing so neer to him , as by this of prayer , and therefore surely it is that , which in it self is apt to afford abundance of delight and pleasure , if it seem otherwise to us , it is from some distemper of our own hearts , which like a sick palate cannot relish the most pleasant meat . prayer is a pleasant duty , but it is withal a spiritual one ; and therefore if thy heart be carnal , if that be set either on the contrary pleasures of the flesh , or dross of the world , no marvail then , if thou taste no pleasantness in it ; if like the israelites thou despise manna , whilst thou longest after the flesh pots of egypt . therefore if thou find a weariness in this duty , suspect thy self , purge , and refine thy heart from the love of all sin , and endeavour to put it into a heavenly and spiritual trance , and then thou wilt find this no unpleasant exercise , but full of delight and satisfaction . in the mean time complain not of the hardness of the duty , but of the untowardness of thy own heart . . but there may also be another reason of its seeming unpleasant to us , and that i● want of use . you know there are many things , which seem uneasie at the first tryal , which yet after we are accustomed to them , seem very delightful , and if this by thy case , then thou knowest a ready cure , viz : to use it oftner , and so this consideration naturally inforces the exhortation of being frequent in this duty . . but we are not only to consider how often , but how well we perform it . now to do it well , we are to respect , first the matter of our prayers , to look that we ask nothing that is unlawful , as revenge upon our enemies , or the like ; secondly the manner ; and that must be first in faith , we must believe , that if we ask as we ought , god will either give us the thing we ask for , or else something which he sees better for us . and then secondly in humility we must acknowledg our selves utterly unworthy of any of those good things we beg for , and therefore sue for them only for christs sake ; thirdly with attention , we must mind what we are about , and not suffer our selves to be carried away to the thought of other things . i told you at the first , that prayer was the business of the soul , but if our minds be wandering , it is the work only of the tongue and lips , which makes it in gods account no better then vain babbling , and so will never bring a blessing on us . nay , as jacob said to his mother , gen. . . it will be more likely to bring a curse on us then a blessing , for it is a profaning one of the most solemn parts of gods service , it is a piece of hypocrisie , the drawing neer to him with our lip , when our hearts are far from him , and a great slighting and despising that dreadful majesty we come before : and as to our selves it is a most ridiculous folly , that we who come to god upon such weighty errands , as are all the concernments of our souls and bodies , should in the midst forget our business , and pursue every the lightest thing that either our own vain fancies , or the divel , whose business it is here to hinder us , can offer to us . it is just as if a malefactor , that comes to sue for his life to the king , should in the midst of his supplication happen to espie a butterflie , and then should leave his suit , & run a chace after that butterflie : would you not think it pitty , a pardon should be cast away upon so wretchless a creature . and sure it will be as unreasonable to expect that god should attend & grant those suits of ours , which we do not at all consider our selves . . this wandring in prayer is a thing we are much concerned to arm our selves against , it being that to which we are naturally wonderful prone . to that end it will be necessary first to possess our hearts at our coming to prayers with the greatness of that majesty we are to approach , that so we may dread to be vain and trifling in his presence . secondly , we are to consider the great concernment of the things we are to ask , some whereof are such , that if we should not be heard , we were of all creatures the most miserable , & yet this wandring is the way to keep us from being heard . thirdly , we are to beg gods aid in this particular : and therefore when thou settest to prayer , let thy first petition be for this grace of attention . . lastly , be as watchful as is possible over thy heart , in time of prayer , to keep out all wandering thoughts , or if any have gotten in , let them not find entertainment , but as soon as ever thou discernest them , suffer them not to abide one moment , but cast them out with indignation , and beg gods pardon for them . and if thou dost thus sincerely , and diligently strive against them , either god will enable thee in some measure to overcome them , or he will in his mercy pardon thee what thou canst not prevent . but if it be through thy own negligence , thou art to expect neither , so long as that negligence continues . . in the fourth place we must look our prayers be with zeal and earnestness , it is not enough that we so far attend them , as barely to know what it is we say , but we must put forth all the affection and devotion of our souls , and that according to the several parts of prayer before mentioned . it is not the cold faint request , that will ever obtain from god. we see it will not from our selves ; for if a beggar should ask relief from us , and do it in such a scornful manner , that he seemed indifferent ; whether he had it or no , we should think he had either little want or great pride , and so have no heart to give him . now surely the things we ask from god , are so much above the rule of an ordinary almes , that we can never expect they should be given to slight and heartless petitions . no more in like manner will our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving ever be accepted by him , if it be not offered from a heart truly affected with the sence of his mercies ; it 's but a kind of formal complementing , which wil never be approved by him who requires the heart , and not the lips only . and the like may be said of all the other parts of prayer . therefore be careful when thou drawest nigh to god in prayer , to raise up thy soul to the highest pitch of zeal and earnestness thou art able . and because of thy self alone thou art not able to do any thing , beseech god that he will inflame thy heart with this heavenly fire of devoti●n , and when thou hast obtained it , beware that thou neither quench it by any wilful sin , nor let it go out again for want of stirring it up , and imploying it . . fifthly , we must pray with purity , i mean we must purge our hearts from all affections to sin . this is surely the meaning of the apostle , tim. . . when he commands men to lift up holy hands in prayer , and he there instances in one special sort of sin , wrath and doubting , whereby doubting is meant those unkind disputes , and contentions which are so common amongst men . and surely he that cherishes that , or any other sin in hi● heart , can never lift up those holy hands , which are required in this duty . and then sure his prayers , be they never so many , or earnest , will little avail him . the psalmist will tell him , he shall not be heard , psal. . . if i regard iniquity in my heart , the lord will not hear me . nay solomon will tell him yet worse , that his prayers are not onely vain , but abominable , pro. . . the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the lord. and thus to have our prayers turned into sin , is one of the heaviest things can befal any man ; we see it is set down in that sad catalogue of curses , psal. . . therefore let us not be so cruel to our selves , as to pull it upon our own heads , which we certainly do , if we offer up prayers from an impure heart . . in the last place we must direct our prayers to right ends , and that either in the respect of the prayer it self , or the things we pray for ; first , we must pray , not to gain the praise of devotion amongst men like those hypocrites mat. . . nor yet onely for company , or fashion sake , to do as other do ; but we must do it first as an act of worship to god ; secondly , as an acknowledgment , that he is that great spring , from whence alone we expect all good things ; and thirdly , to gain a supply of our own , or others needs . then in respect of the things prayed for , we must be sure to have no ill aimes upon them , we must not ask , that we may consume it upon our lusts , ia. . . as those do , who pray for wealth , that they may live in riot , and excess ; and for power , that they may be able to mischief their enemies , and the like but our end in all must be gods glory first , and next that our own , and others salvation , and all other things must be taken in , onely as they tend to those , which they can never do , if we abuse them to sin . i have now done with that first part of worship , that of the soul. . the other is that of the body , and that is nothing else , but such humble , and reverent gestures in our approaches to god , as may both express the inward reverence of our souls , and may also pay him some tribute from our very bodies , with which the apostle commands us to glorify god , as well as with our souls ; and good reason , since he hath created , and redeemed the one , as well as the other , whensoever therefore thou offerest thy prayers unto god , let it be with all lowliness as well of body , as of mind , according to that of the psalmist , psal. . . o come let us worship , let us fall down and kneel before the lord our maker . . the ninth duty to god , is repentance . that this is a duty to god we are taught by the apostle , acts . . where speaking of repentance , he stiles it repentance towards god. and there is good reason this should be a duty to him , since there is no sin we commit , but is either mediatly , or immediatly , against him . for though there be sins both against our selves , and our neighbours , yet they being forbidden by god , they are also breaches of his commandements , and so sins against him . this repentance is , in short , nothing but a turning fr●m sin to god , the casting off all our former evils , and in stead thereof , constantly practising all those christian duties , which god requireth of us . and this is so necessary a duty , that without it we certainly perish , we have christs word for it , luke . . except ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish . . the directions for performing the several parts of this duty have been already given in the preparation to the lords supper , and thither i refer the reader . onely i shall here mind him , that it is to be lookt upon as a duty to be practised onely at the time of receiving the sacrament . for this being the onely remedy against the poyson of sin , we must renew it as often as we repeat our sins , that is daily . i mean we must every day repent of the sins of that day , for what christ saith of other evils , is true also of this , sufficient to the day is the evil thereof ; we have sins enough of each day to exercise a daily repentance , and therefore every man must thus daily call himself to account . . but as it is in accounts , they who constantly set down their daily expences , have yet some set time of casting up the whole summe ; as at the end of the week or moneth ; so should it also be here , we should set aside some time to humble our selves solemnly before god for the sins , not of that day onely , but of our whole lives . and the frequenter these times are , the better . for the oftner we thus cast up our accounts with god , and see vast debts we are run in to him , the more humbly shall we think of our selves , and the more shall thirst after his mercy , which two are the special things that must qualify us for his pardon . he therefore that can assign himself one day in the week for this purpose , will take a thriving course for his soul. or if any mans state of life be so busie , as not to afford him to do it so often , let him yet come as neer to that frequency , as is possible for him , remembring alwayes , that none of his worldly imployments can bring him in neer so gainful a return as this spiritual one will do , and therefore it is very ill husbandry to pursue them , to the neglect of this . . besides these constant times , there are likewise occasion all times for the performance of this duty , such especially are the times of calamity , and affliction , for when any such befals us , we are to look on it as a message sent from heaven , to call us to this duty , and therefore must never neglect it , when we are thus summoned to it , lest we be of the number of them , who despise the chastisements of the lord , heb. . . . there is yet another time of repentance , which in the practice of men hath gotten away the custome from all those , and that is the time of death , which , it is true , is a time very fit to renew our repentance , but sure not proper to begin it , and it is a most desperate madness for men to defer it till then . for to say the middest of it , it is the venturing our souls upon such miserable uncertainties , as no wise man would trust with any thing of the least value . for first , i would ask any man , that means to repent at his death , how he knows he shall have an hours time for it ? do we not daily see men snatch'd away in a moment ? and who can tell that it shal not be his own case ? but secondly , suppose he have a more leisurely death , that some disease give him warning of its approach , yet perhaps he will not understand that warning , but will still flatter himself , as very often sick people do , with hopes of life to the last : and so his death may be sudden to him , though it come by never so slow degrees . but again thirdly , if he do discern his danger , yet how is he sure he shall then be able to repent ? repentance is a grace of god , not at our own command , and it is just and usual with god , when men have a long time refused , and rejected that grace , resisted all his cals , and invitations to conversion and amendment , to give them over at last to the hardness of their own hearts , and not to afford them any more of that grace they have so despised . yet suppose in the fourth place , that god in his infinite patience should still continue the offer of that grace to thee , yet thou that hast resisted , it may be thirty , or forty or fifty years together , how knowest thou , that thou shalt put off that habit of resistance upon a sudden , and make use of the grace afforded ? it is sure , thou hast many more advantages towards the doing it now then thou wilt have then . . for the first , the longer sin hath kept possession of the heart , the harder it will be to drive it out . it is trne , if repentance were nothing , but a present ceasing from the acts of sin , the death-bed were fittest for it , for then we are disabled from committing most sins , but i have formerly shewed you , repentance contains much more then so , there must be in it a sincere hatred of sin and love of god. now how unlikely is it , that he which hath all his life loved sin , cherisht it in his bosome , & on the contrary abhorred god and goodness , should in an instant quite change his affections , hate that sin he loved , and love god , and goodness , which before he utterly hated ? . and secondly , the bodily pains , that attend a death-bed , will distract thee , and make thee unable to attend the work of repentance , which is a business of such weight , and difficulty , as will employ all our powers , even when they are at the freshest . . consider those disadvantages thou must then struggle with , and then tell me what hope there is , thou shalt then do that , which now upon much easier terms thou wilt not . but in the fifth place , there is a danger behind , beyond all these , and that is , that th● repentance which death drives a man to , will not be a true repentance , for in such a case it is plain , it is onely the fear of hell puts him on it , which though it may be a good beginning , where there is time after to per●ect it , yet where it goes alone , it can never avail for salvation . now that death-bed repentances are often onely of this sort , is too likely , when it is observed , that many men who have seemed to repent , when they have thought death approaching , have yet , after it hath pleased god to restore them to health , been as wicked ( perhaps worse ) as ever they were before ; which shews plainly , that there was no reall change in them , and then surely had such a man died , in that seeming repentance , god , who tries the heart , would not have accepted it , which he saw was unsincere . when all these dangers are layed together , it will surely appear a most disperate adventure for any man to trust to a death-bed repentance . nor is it ever the less for that example of the penitent thief , luc. . . which is by many so much depended on . for it is sure , his case and ours differ widely , he had never heard of christ before , and so more could not be expected of him then to embrace him as soon as he was tendred to him ; but we have had him offered , nay prest upon us from our cradles and yet have rejected . but if there were not this difference , it is but a faint hope can be raised onely from a single example , and another we find not in the whole bible . the israelites we read were fed with manna from heaven , but would you not think him stark mad , that should out of expectation of the like , neglect to provide himself any food ; yet it is full as reasonable to depend upon this example as the other . i conclude all in the words of the wiseman , eccl. . . remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth before the evil dayes come , &c. . to this duty of repentance , fasting is very proper to be annexed . the scripture usually joyns them together , among the jews the great day of atonement was to be kept with fasting , as you may see by comparing levit. . . with isa. . . and this by gods especial appointment . and in the prophets , when the people are called on to repent , and humble themselves , they are also called on to fast . thus it is joel . . therefore now thus saith the lord , turn ye unto me with all your hearts , with fasting , and with weeping , &c. yea , so proper hath fasting been accounted to humiliation , that we see even wicked ahab would not omit it in his , kings . . nor the heathen ninevites in theirs , jonah . . nor is it less fit , or less acceptable since christ , then it was before him . for we see he supposes it as a duty sometimes to be performed , when he gives directions to avoid vain-glory in it . mat. . . and also assures us , that if it be performed , as it ought , not to please men , but god , it will surely be rewarded by him . and accordingly ●e find it practised by the saints : anna luk. . . served god with fastings and prayers ; where it is observable , that it is reckoned as a service of god , fit to be joyned with prayers . and the christians of the first times were generally very frequent in the practice of it . now though fasting be especially proper to a time of humiliation , yet is it not so restrained to it , but it may be seasonable , whensoever we have any extraordinary thing to request from god. thus when esther was to endeavour the deliverance of her people from destruction , she & all the jews kept a solemn fast , esther . . and thus when paul and barnabas were to be ordained apostles , there was fasting joyned to prayer , acts . . and so it will be very fit for us , whensoever we have need of any extraordinary directions , or assistance from god whether concerning our temporal or spiritual concernments , thus to quicken our prayers by fasting . but above all occasions , this of humiliation seems most to require it , for besides the advantage of kindling our zeal , which is never more necessary , then when we beg for pardon of sins , fasting carries in it somewhat of revenge , which is reckoned as a special part of repentance , cor. . . for by denying our bodies the refreshment of our ordinary food , we do inflict somewhat of punishment upon our selves , for our former excesses , or whatever other sins we at that time accuse our selves of ; which is a proper effect of that indignation which every sinner ought to have against himself . and truly he that is so tender of himself , that he can never find in his heart so much as to miss a meal , by way of punishment for his faults , shews he is not much fallen out with himself , for committing them , and so wants that indignation , which the apostle in the forenamed text mentions , as a part of true repentance . . there is no doubt , but such holy revenges upon our selves for sins are very acceptable to god , yet we must not think that either those , or any thing else we can doe , can make satisfaction for our offences , for that nothing but the blood of christ can do . and therefore on that , and not on any of our performances we must depend for pardon . yet since that blood shall never be applyed to any but penitent sinners , we are as much concern'd to bring forth all the fruits of repentance , as if our hopes depended on them onely . . how often this duty of fasting is to be performed , we have no direction in scripture . that must be allotted by mens own piety , according as their health , or other considerations will allow . but as it is in humiliation , the frequenter returns we have of set times for it , the better ; so is it likewise in fasting , the of●ner , the better , so it be not hurtful either to our healths , or to some other duty required of us . nay perhaps fasting may help some men to more of those times for humiliation , then they would otherwise gain . for perhaps there are some , who cannot , without a manifest hinderance to their calling , allow a whole day to that work , yet such a one may at least afford that time , he would otherwise spend in eating ; and so fasting will be doubly useful towards such a mans humiliation , both by helping him in the duty , and gaining him time for it . . i have now gone through the first branch of our duty to god , to wit the acknowledging him for our god. the second is the having no other . of which i need say little , as it is a forbidding of that grosser sort of heathiness idolatry , the worshipping of idols , which though it were once common in the world , yet is now so rare , that it is not likely any that shall read this , will be concerned in it . onely i must say , that to pay divine worship to any creature , be it saint or angel , yea or the image of christ himself , is a transgression against this second branch of our duty to god , it being the imparting that to a creature which is due onely to god , and therefore is strictly to be abstained from . . but there is another sort of idolatry , of which we are generally guilty , and that is when we pay those affections of love , fear , trust , and the like , to any creature in a higher degree then we do to god. for that is the setting up that thing , whatsoever it is , for our god. and this inward kind of idolatry is that , which provokes god to jealousy , as well as the outward of worshipping an idol . i might inlarge much upon this , but because some severals of it have been toucht on in the former discourse , i suppose it needless . and therefore shall now proceed to the second head of duty , that to our selves . partition . vi. of duties to our selves , of sobriety other humility ; the great sin of pride , the danger , the folly of this sin. of vain glory , the danger , folly , the means to prevent it . of meeknes , the means to obtain it , &c. § . . this duty to our selves , is by st. paul in the foremetioned text , tit. ▪ . summed up in this one word , soberly . now by soberly is meant our keeping within those due bounds which god hath set us . my business will therefore be to tell you , what are the particulars of this sobriety . and that first in respect of the soul , secondly in respect of the body : the sobriety of the soul stands in a right governing its passions , and affections ; and to that there are many vertues required . i shall give you the particulars of them . the first of them is humility , which may well have the prime place , not only in respect of the excellency of the vertue , but also of it usefulness towards the obtaining of all the rest . this being the founda●ion , on which all others must be built . and he that hopes to gain them without this , will prove but like that foolish builder christ speaks of , luke . . who built his house on the sand . of the humility towards god i have alread● spoken , and shewed the necessity of it , i am now to speak of humility , as it concerns our selves , which will be found no less necessary , then the former . . this humility is of two sorts , the first is the having a mean and low opinion of our selves , the second is the being content that others should have so of us . the first of these is contrary to pride , the other to vain glory . and that both these are absolutely necessary to christians , i am now to shew you● which will , i conceive , best be done by laying before you first the sin , secondly the danger , and thirdly the folly of the contrary vices . . and first for pride ; the sin of it is so great , that it cast the angels out of heaven , and therefore if we may judg of sin by the punishment , it was not only the first , but the greatest sin that ever the divel himself hath bin guilty of : but we need no better proof of the hainousness of it , then the extreme hatefulness of it to god , which besides that instance of his punishing the divel , we may frequently find in the scriptures , prov. . . every one that is proud in heart , is an abomination to the lord. and again , chap. . . where there is mention of several things ▪ the lord hates , a proud look is set as the first of them : so jam. . . god resisteth the proud ; and divers other texts there are to the same purpose , which shew the great hatred god bears to this sin of pride now since it is certain , god who is all goodness hates nothing , but as it is evil , it must needs follow , that where god hates in so great a degree , there must be a great degree of evil . . but secondly , pride is not only very sinful , but very dangerous , and that first in respect of drawing us to our sins , secondly of betraying us to punishments . first , pride draws us to other sins , wherein it shews it self indeed to be the direct contrary to humility , for as that is the root of all vertu , so is this of all vice . for he that is proud , sets himself up as his own god , and so can never submit himself to any other rules or laws , then what he makes to himself . the ungodly , sayes the psalmist , is so proud that he careth not for god , psal. . . where you see it is his pride , that makes him despise god. and when a man is once come to that , he is prepared for the commission of all sins . i might instance in a multitude of particular sins , that naturally flow from this of pride , as first anger , which the wise man sets , as the effect of pride , pro. . . calling it proud wrath ; secondly , strife and contention , which he again notes to be the off-spring of pride , pro. . . only by pride cometh contention . and both these are indeed most n●tural effects of pride . for he that thinks very highly of himself , expects much submission , and observance from others , and therefore cannot but rage and quarrel , whenever he thinks it not sufficiently payed . it would be infinite to mention all the fruits of this bitter root , i shall name but one more , and that is , that pride not only betrays us to many sins , but also makes them incureable in us , for it hinders the working of all remedies . . those remedies must either come from god or man ; if from god , they must be either in the way of meekness and greatness , or else of sharpness and punishment . now if god by his goodness essay to lead a proud man to repentance , he quite mistakes gods meaning , and thinks all the mercies he receives , are but the reward of his own desert , and so long 't is sure he will never think he needs repentance . but if on the other side , gods use him more sharply , and lay afflictions , and punishments upon him , those in a proud heart work nothing but murmurings and hatings of god , as if he did him injury in those punishments . as for the remedies that can be used by man , they again must be either by way of correcttion , or exhortation ; correcttion from man will sure never work more on a proud heart , then those from god ; for he that can think god unjust in them , will much rather believe it of man. and exhortations will do as little . for let a proud man be admonished though never so mildly and lovingly , he looks on it as a disgrace . and therefore in stead of confessing , or amending the fault , he falls to reproaching his reprover , as an over-busy , or censorious person , and for that greatest and most precious act of kindness , looks on him as his enemy . and now one that thus stubbornly resists all means of cure , must be included in a most dangerous estate . . but besides this danger of sin , i told you there was another , that of punishment ; and of this there will need little proof , when it it considered , that god is the proud mans profest enemy ; that he hates and resists him , as appeared in the texts forecited : and then there can be little doubt , that he which hath so mighty an adversarie shall be sure to smart for it ; yet besides this general ground of conclusion , it may not be a miss to mention some of those t●xts , which particularly threaten this sin , as pro. . . pride goeth before destruction , and an haughty spirit before a fall : again , pro. . . every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the lord , though hand joyn in hand , yet they shall not be unpunished . the decree it seems is unalterable , and whatever endeavours are used to preserve the proud man , they are but vain , for he shall not go unpunished . and this is very remarkable in the story of nebuchadnezar , dan. . who though a king , the greatest in the world , yet for his pride , was driven from among men , to dwell and feed with beasts . and it is most frequently seen , that this sin meets with very extraordinary judgments even in this life . but if it should not , let not the proud man think that he hath escaped gods vengeance , for it is sure , there will be a most sad reckoning in the next ; for if god spared not the angels for this sin , but cast them into hell , let no man hope to speed better . . in the third place , i am to shew you the great folly of this sin , and to do that , it will be necessary to consider the several things , whereof men use to be proud ; they are of three sorts , either those which we call the goods of nature , or the goods of fortune , or the goods of grace . . by the goods of nature , i mean beauty , strength , wit , and the like , and the being proud of any of these is a huge folly . for first we are very apt to mistake , and think our selves hand some or witty , when we are not , and then there cannot be a more ridiculous folly , then to be proud of what we have not , and such every one esteems it in another man , though he never supposes it his own case , and so never discerns it in himself . and therefore there is nothing more despiseable amongst all men , then a proud fool , yet no man that entertains high opinions of his own wit , but is in danger to be thus deceived , a mans own judgment of himself being of all others the least to be trusted . but secondly , suppose we be not out in judging , yet what is there in any of these natural endowments , which is worth the being proud . there being scarce any of them , which some creature or other hath not in a greater degree then man. how much does the whiteness of the lilly , and the redness of the rose exceed the white , and red of the fairest face ? what a multitude of creatures is there , that farr surpass man in strength and sweetness ? and divers others there are which as far as concerns any useful end of theirs , act much more wisely then most of us ; and are therefore oftentimes in scripture proposed to us by way of example . it is therefore surely great unreasonableness for us to think highly of our selves , for such things as are common to us with beasts and plants . but thirdly , if they were as excellent as we fancy them , yet they are not at all durable , they are impaired and lost by sundry means ; a phrensy will destroy the rarest wit , a sickness decay the freshest beauty , the greatest strength , or however old age will be sure to do all . and therefore to be proud of them is again a folly in this respect . but lastly , whatever they are , we gave them not to our selves . no man can think he did any thing towards the procuring his natural beauty or wit , and so can with no reason value himself for them . in the second place , the folly is as great to be proud of the goods of fortune ; by them i mean wealth and honour , and the like ; for it is sure , they add nothing of true worth to the man , somewhat of outward pomp , and bravery they may help him to , but that makes no change in the person . you may load an asse with money , or deck him with rich trappings , yet still you will not make him a whit the nobler kind of beast by either of them . then secondly , these are things we have no hold of , they vanish many times , ere we are aware , he that is rich to day , may be poor tomorrow , and then will be the less pitied by all in his poverty , the prouder he was when he was rich . thirdly , we have them all , but as stewards , to lay out for our masters use , and therefore should rather think how to make our accounts , then pride our selves in our receipts . lastly , whatever of these we have , they , as well as the former , are not owing to our selves . but if they be lawfully gotten , we owe them onely to god , whose blessing it is , that maketh rich , pro. . . if unlawfully , we have them upon such terms , that we have very little reason to brag of them . and thus you see in these several respects , the folly of this second sort of pride . . the third is that of the goods of grace ; that is any vertue a man hath . and here i cannot say , but the things are very valuable , they being infinitely more precious , then all the world , yet nevertheless this is of all the rest the highest folly . and that not onely in the foregoing respect , that we help not our selves to it , grace being above all things most immediatly gods work in us , but especially in this , that the being proud of grace , is the sure way to loose it . god , who gives grace to the humble , will take it from the proud . for if , as we see in the parable , mat. . . the talent was taken from him who had onely put it to no use at all , how shall he hope to have it continued to him , that hath put it to so ill , that in stead of trading with it for god , hath trafficked with it for satan ? and as he will loose the grace for the future , so he will loose all reward of it for the time past . for let a man have done never so many good acts , yet if he be proud of them , that pride shall be charged on him to his destruction , but the good shall never be remembred to his reward . and this proves it to be a most wretched folly to be proud of grace . it is like that of children , that pull those things in pieces , they are most fond of , but yet much worse then that of theirs , for we not onely loose the thing ( and that the most precious that can be imagined ) but we must also be eternally punished for doing so , there being nothing that shall be so sadly reckoned for in the next world , as the abuse of grace , and certainly there can be no greater abuse of it , then to make it serve for an end so directly contrary to that for which it was given , it being given to make us humble , not proud , to magnify god , not our selves . . having shewed you thus much of this sin , i suppose it will appear very necessary to be eschewed , to which purpose it will first be useful to consider , what hath been already said concerning it , and that so seriously , as may work in thee ▪ not some slight dislike , but a deep , and irreconcileable hatred of the sin ; secondly to be very watchful over thine own heart , that it cherish not any beginnings of it ; never suffer it to feed on the fancy of thy own worth , but when ever any such thought arises , beat it down immediatly with the remembrance of some of thy follies or sins , and so make this very motion of pride an occasion of humility . thirdly , never to compare thy self with those thou thinkest more foolish or wicked then thy self , that so thou mayest like the pharisee luk. . . extol thy self , for being better , but if thou wilt compare , do it with the wise , and godly , and then thou wilt find thou comest so far short , as may help to pull down thy high esteem of thy self . lastly , to be very earnest in prayer , that god would root out all degrees of this sin in thee , and make thee one of those poor in spirit , mat. . . to whom the blessing , even of heaven it self , is promised . . the second contrary to humility i told you was vain glory . that is a great thirst after the praise of men . and first , that this is a sin , i need prove no otherwise , then by the words of our saviour , jo. . . how can ye believe , that receive honour one of another ? where it appears , that it is not onely a sin , but such a one , as hinders the receiving of christ into the heart , for so believing there signifies . this then in the second place shews you likewise the great dangerousness of this sin , for if it be that , which keeps christ out of the heart , it is sure it brings infinite danger , since all our safety , all our hope of escaping the wrath to come , stands in receiving him ? but besides the authority of this text , common experience shews , that where ever this sin hath possession , it endangers men to fall into any other . for he that so considers the praise of men , that he must at no hand part with it , when ever the greatest sins come to be in fashion , and credit ( as god knows many are now a daies ) he will be sure to commit them , rather then run the disgrace of being too singular , and precise ; i doubt there are many consciences can witness the truth of this , so that i need say no more to prove the danger of this sin . . the third thing i am to shew , is the folly of it , and that will appear first by considering , what it is we thus hunt after , nothing but a little air , a blast , the breath of men , it brings us in nothing of reall advantage : for i am made never the wiser , nor the better , for a mans saying i am wise , and good . besides if i am commended , it must be either before my face , or behind my back , if the former , it is very often flattery , and so the greatest abuse that can be offered , and then i must be very much a fool , to be pleased with it . but if it be behind my back , i have not then so much as the pleasure of knowing it , and therefore it is a strange folly thus to pursue , what is so utterly gainless . but secondly , it is not onely gainless , but painful , and uneasy also . he that eagerly seeks prayer , is not at all master of himself , but must suit all his actions to that end , and in stead of doing what his own reason and conscience ( nay perhaps his wordly conveniency ) directs him to , he must take care to do what wil bring him in commendations , and so enslaves himself to every one that hath but a tongue to commend him . nay there is yet a further uneasiness in it , and that is , when such a man fails of his aime , when he misses the praise , and perhaps meets with the contrary reproach , ( which is no mans lot more often then the vain glorious , nothing making a man more despised ) then what disturbances and disquiets , and even tortures of mind is he under ? a lively instance of this you have in achitophel , sam. . . who had so much of this upon absoloms despising his counsel , that he chose to rid himself of it , by hanging himself . and sure this painfulness that thus attends this sin , is sufficient proof of the folly of it . yet this is not all , it is yet further very hurtful : for if this vain glory be concerning any good , or christian action , it destroyes all the fruit of it ; he that prayes or gives almes to be seen of men , mat. . . must take that as his reward , verily i say unto you they have their reward , they must expect none from god , but the portion of those hypocrites that love the the praise of men more then the praise of god. and this is a miserable folly to make such an exchange . it is like the dog in the fable , who seeing in the water the shadow of that meat he held in his mouth , catcht at the shadow , & so let go meat . such dogs , such unreasonable creatures are we , when we thus let go the eternal rewards of heaven , to catch at a few good words of men . and yet we do not onely loose those eternal joyes , but procure to our selves the contrary eternal mercies , which is sure the highest pitch of folly and madness . but if the vain glory be not concerning any vertuous action , but only some indifferent thing , yet even there also it is very hurtful ; for vain glory is a sin , that wheresoever it is placed , endangers our eternal estate , which is the greatest of all mischiefs . and even for the present it is observable , that of all other sins , it stands the most in its own light , hinders it self of that very thing it pursues . for there are very few that thus hunt after praise , but they are discerned to do so , and that is sure to eclipse whatever praise worthy thing they do , and brings scorn upon them in stead of reputation . and then certainly we may justly condemn this sin of folly , which is so ill a manager even of its own dedesigns . . you have seen how wretched a thing this vain glory is , in these several respects , the serious consideration whereof , may be one good means to subdue it , to which it will be necessary to add ; first , a great watchfulness over thy self ; observe narrowly , whether in any christian duty thou at all considerest the praise of men , or even in the most indifferent action , look whether thou have not too eager a desire of it ; and if thou findest thy self inclined that way , have a very strict eye upon it , and where ever thou findest it stirring , check , and resist it ; suffer it not to be the end of thy actions ; but in all matters of religion , let the duty be thy motive ; in all indifferent things of common life , let reason direct thee ; and though thou mayest so far consider in those things the opinion of men , as to observe the rules of common decency , yet never think any praise , that come in to thee from any thing of that kind worth the contriving for ; secondly , set up to thy self another aime , viz that of pleasing god ; let that be thy inquiry when thou goest about any thing , whether it be approved by him , and then thou wilt not be at leisure to consider what praise it will bring thee from men . and surely he that weighs of how much more moment it is to please god , who is able eternally to reward us , then men , whose applause can never do us any good , will surely think it reasonable , to make the former his onely care . thirdly , if at any time thou art praised , do not be much overjoyed with it , nor think a jot the better of thy self , but if it be vertue thou art praised for , remember it was god , that wrought it in thee , and give him the glory , never thinking any part of it belongs to thee ; if it be some indifferent action , then remember that it cannot ▪ deserve praise , as having no goodness in it ; but if it be a bad one ( as amongst men such are sometimes likeliest to be commended ) then it ought to set thee a trembling , in stead of rejoycing , for then that woe of our saviours belongs to thee , luk. , . wo unto you when men speak well of you , for so did their fathers to the false prophets , and there is not a greater sign of a hardned heart , then when men can make their sins the matter of their glory . in the last place let thy prayers assist in the fight with this corruption . . a second vertue is meekness , that is a calmness and quietness of spirit , contrary to the rages , and impatiences of anger . this vertue may be exercised either in respect of god , or our neighbour . that towards god i have already spoken of , under the head of humility , and that towards our neighbour i shall hereafter ; all i have here to say of it , is , how it becomes a duty to our selves ; that it does , in respect of the great advantage we reap by it , which , in meer kindness to our selves , we are to look after . and to prove that it brings us this great advantage , i need say no more , but that this meekness is that to which christ hath pronounced a blessing , mat. . . blessed are the meek , and not onely in the next world , but even in this too , they shall inherit the earth ; indeed none but th● meek person hath the true enjoyment of any thing in the world , for the angry , and impatient are like such people , who we use to say , cannot enjoy the greatest prosperities ; for let things be never so fair without , they will raise storms within their own breasts . and surely whoever ●ath either in himself , or others observed the greatest uneasiness of this passion of anger , cannot chuse but think meekness a a most pleasant thing . . besides it is also a most honourable thing , for it is that whereby we resemble christ , learn of me , saith he , for i am meek and lowly in heart , mat. . . it is also that whereby we conquer our selves , overcome our own unruly passions , which of all victories is the greatest , and most noble . lastly , it is that which makes us behave our selves like men , whereas anger gives us the fierceness and wildness of savage beasts . and accordingly the one is by all esteemed , and loved , whereas the other is hated and abhorred , every man shunning a man in rage as they would a furious beast . . farther , yet meekness is the sobriety of the mind , whereas anger is the direct madness , it puts a man wholly out of his own power , and makes him do such things , as himself in his sober temper abhors ; how many men have done those things in their rage , which they have repented all their lives after ? and therefore surely as much as a man is more honourable then a beast , a sober man then a mad man , so much hath this vertue of meekness the advantage of honour above the contrary vice of anger . . again , meekness makes any condition tollerable , and easie to be endured . he that meekly bears any suffering , takes off the edg of it , that it cannot wound him , whereas he that frets and rages at it ; whets it , and makes it much sharper then it would be ; nay in some cases makes that so , which would not else be so at all ; as particularly in the case of reproachful words , which in themselves can do us no harm , they neither hurt our bodies nor lessen our estate , the only mischief they can do us is to make us angry , and then our anger may do us many more ; whereas he that meekly passes them by , is never the worse for them ; nay the better , for he shall be rewarded by god for that patience . much more might be said to recommend this virtue to us , in respect of our own present advantage , but i suppose this may suffice to perswade men to esteem of it . the harder matter will be to gain them to the practice of it , wherein men pretend i know not what difficulties of natural constitutions and the like ; yet sure there is no man of so cholerick a temper ; but if he did heartily set about it , would find it were not impossible in some good measure to subdue it : but then he must be diligent in using means to that end . divers of these means there are i shall mention some few . as first . the imprinting deep in our mind the loveliness , and benefits of meekness , together with the ugliness and mischiefs of anger . secondly , to set before us the examples of christ , who endured all reproaches , yea torments with perfect , patience that was lead as a sheep to the slaughter , isaiah . . that when he was reviled , reviled not again ; when he suffered , threatned not , pet. . . and if he the lord of glory suffered thus meekly and unjustly from his own creatures , with what force can we ever complain of any injury done to us ? thirdly , to be very watchful to prevent the very first beginnings of anger , and to that purpose to mortifie all in●ard peevishness , and frowardness of mind , which is a sin in it self , though it proceed no farther , but will also be sure , if it be cherished to break out into open effects of anger . therefore whenever thou findest the least rising of it within thee , make as much haste to check it as thou wouldst to quench a fire in thy house , but be sure thou bring no fuell to it , by entertaining any thoughts , that may increase it . and at such a time especially , keep a most strick watch over thy tongue , that it break not out into any angry speeches , for that breath will fan the fire ; not only in thine adversary , but thy self too ; therefore though thy heart be hot within stifle the flame , and let it not break out , and the greater the temptation is ▪ the more earnestly lift up thy heart to god , to assist thee to overcome it . fourthly , often remember , how great punishments sins have deserved , and then whether thy sufferings be from god or man , thou wilt acknowledg them to be far short of what is due to thee , and therefore wilt be ashamed to be impatient at them . . the third vertue is ●onsideration , and this in a most special manner we own to our souls . for without it , we shall , as rash , unadvised people use to do ; rush them into infinite perils . now this consideration is either of our state , or of our actions . by our state i mean what our condition is to god-ward , whether it be such that we may reasonably conclude our selves in his favour . this it much concerns us to consider and examine , and that not by those easie rules men are apt to frame to themselves , as whether they believe that christ died for their sins ; that they are of the number of the elect ; and shall certainly be saved , if these and the like were all that were required to put us into gods favour , none but some very melancholly person could ever be out of it , for we are apt enough generally to believe comfortably of our selves . but the rules god hath given us in his word , are those by which we must be tryed at the last day , and therefore are certainly the only safe ones , by which to trie our selves now . and the summe of those are , that whosoever continues in any one wilful sin is not in his favour , nor can if he so die , hope for any mercy at his hand . . now it is highly necessary , we should consider what our condition is in this respect for since our life is nothing but a puffe of breath in our nostrils , which may for ought we know be taken from us the next minuite , it neerly concerns us , to know how we are provided for another world , that so in case we want at present that oile in our lamps , wherewith we are to meet the bride-groom , mat. . . we may timely get it , and not for want of it be ever shut out like the foolish virgins , from his presence . the neglect of this consideration hath undon many soules , some by too easie a belief that they were in a good condition , without considering and trying themselves by the foregoing rule , but presuming either upon some slight outward performances , or upon such a false faith , as i even now described others by the wretched careless going on , without so much as asking themselves , what their condition is , but hope they shall do as well as their neighbours , and so never inquiring farther ; which wretched carelesness will as certainly undoe the spiritual , as the like would do the temporal estate ; yet in that every man is wise enough to foresee , that a man that never takes any accounts of his estate to see whether he be worth somthing or nothing , will be sure to be a begger in the end . but in this far weightier matter we can generally be thus improvident . . the second thing we are to consider , is our actions , and those either before , or after the doing of them . in the first place we are to consider before we act , and not to do any rashly or headily . but first to advise with our consciences , whether this be lawful to be done , for he that followes his own inclination , and does every thing which that moves him to , shall be s●re to fall into a multitude of sins . therefore consider soberly and be assured of the lawfulness of the thing , before thou venture to do it . this advisedness is in all worldly things accounted so necessary a part of wisdom , that no man is accounted wise without it ; a rash man we look upon as the next degree to a fool : and yet it is sure there is not so much need of looking about us in any thing , as in what concerns our souls , and that not only in respect of the great value of them above all things else , but also in regard of the great danger they are in , as hath been shewed more at large in the beginning of the treatise . secondly , we are to consider our actions , when they are past also , that is , we are to examine whether they have been such , as are allowable by the laws of christ , this is very necessary , whether they be good or bad ; if they be good , the recalling them helpeth us to the comfort of a good conscience , and that comfort again incourageth us to go on in the like ; and besides it stirrs us up to thankfulness to god , by whose grace alone we were enabled to do them . but if they be bad , then it is especially necessary , that we thus examine them , for without this it is impossible we should ever come to amendment ; for unless we observe them to have been amiss , we can never think it needful to amend : but shall still run on from one wickedness to another , which is the greatest curse any man can lie upon . . the oftner therefore we use this consideration , the better ; for the less likely it is , that any of our sins shall escape our knowledg . it is much to be wisht , that every man should thus every night try the actions of the day , that so if he have done any things amisse , he may soon check himself for it , and settle his resolutions against it , and not let it grow on to a habit and course . and that he may also early beg gods pardon , which will the easier be had , the sooner it is asked , every delay of that being a great increase of the sin . and surely whoever means to take account of himself at all , will find this the easiest course , it being much easier to do it so , a little at a time , and while passages are fresh in his memory , th●n to take the account of a long time together . now if it be considered , that every wilful sin must have a particular repentance before it can be pardoned , me thinks men should tremble to sleep without that repentance , for what assurance hath any man that lies down in his bed , that he shall ever rise again ; and then how dangerous is the condition of that man , that sleeps in an unrepented sin ? the weighing of these several motives may be a means by gods blessing , to bring us to the practice of this duty of consideration in all the parts of it . partition . vii . of contentednes and the contraries to it ; murmuring , ambition , covetousness , envy , helps to contentedness , of duties which concern our bodies of chastity , &c. helps to it . of temperance ▪ rule of temperance in eating . § . . the fourth vertue is contendedness , and this surely is a duty we much own to our selves , it being that without which it is impossible to be happy . this contentedness is a well-pleasedness with that condition , whatever it is that god hath placed us , not murmuring , and repining of our lot , but cheerfully well-c●ming whatsoever god sends . how great , and withal how pleasant a vertue this is , may appear by the contrariety it hath to several great and painful vices , so that where this is rooted in the heart ▪ it subdues not only some such single sin , but ● cluster of them together . . and first it is contrary to all murmuring i● general , which is a sin most hateful to god , as may appear by his sharp punishments of it on the israelites in the wilderness , as you may read in several places of the book of exodus , and numbers . and sure it is also very painful , and uneasie to a mans self , for if , as the psalmist saith , it be a joyful and pleasant thing to be thankful , we may by the rule of contraries conclude , it is a sad and unpleasant thing to be murmuring ; and i doubt not every mans own experience will confirm the truth of it . . secondly , it is contrary to ambition , the ambitions man is alwayes disliking his present condition , and that makes him so greedily to seek a higher , whereas he that is content with his own , lies quiet out of the road of his temptation . now ambition is not only a great sin in it self , but it puts men upon many other ; there is nothing so horrid , which a man that eagerly seeks greatness will stick at ; lying , perjury , murder , or any thing will down with him ; if they seem to tend to his advancement . and the uneasiness of it is answerable to the sin . this none can doubt of , that considers what a multitude of fears and jealousies , cares and distractions there are that attend ambition in its progresse , besides the great and publick ruines that usually befal it in the end . and therefore sure contentedness is in this respect as well a happines , as a vertue . . thirdly , it is contrary to covetousness ; this the apostle witnesseth . heb. . . let your conversation be without covetousness , and be content with such things as ye have , where you see contentedness is set as the direct contrary to covetousness . but of this there needs no other proof , then common experience , for we see the covetous man never thinks he hath enough , and therefore can never be content , for no man can be said to be so , that thirsts after any thing he hath not . now that you may see how excellent , and necessary a virtue this is , that secures us against covetousness , it will not be amiss a little to consider the nature of that sin . . that it is a very great crime , is most certain , for it is contrary to the very foundation of all good life , i mean those three great duties to god , to our selves , to our neighbour . first , it is so contrary to our duty to god , that christ himself tels us luk. . we cannot serve god and mammon ; he that sets his heart upon wealth , must necessarily take it off from god. and this we daily see in the covetous mans practice , he is so eager in the gaining of riches , that he hath no time or care to perform duty to god , let but a good bargain , or opportunity of gain come in his way , prayer and all duties of religion must be neglected to attend it . nay , when the committing the greatest sin against god may be likely either to get , or save him ought , his love of wealth quickly perswades him to commit it . . secondly , it is contrary to the duty we owe our selves , and that both in respect of our souls , and bodies ▪ the covetous man despises his soul , sels that to eternal destruction for a little pelf ; for so every man does , that by any unlawful means seeks to enrich himself ; nay though he do it not by unlawful means , yet if he have once set his heart upon wealth , he is that covetous person , of whom the apostle hath pronounced , that he shall not enter into the kingdom of god , cor. . . nor doth he onely offend against his soul , but against his body too . for he often denies that those necessary refreshments it wants , and for which his wealth ( as far as it concerns himself ) was given him . this is so constantly the custome of rich misers , that i need not prove it to you . . in the third place . covetousness is contrary to the duty we owe to our neighbours . and that in both the parts of it , justice and charity : he that loves money immoderately , will not care whom he cheats , and defrauds , so he may bring in gain to himself , and from hence spring those many tricks of deceit and cousenage , so common in the world . as for charity , that is never to be hoped for from a covetous man , who dreads the lessening of his own heaps more then the starving of his poor brother . you see how great a sin this is that containes under it so many others ; so that we may well say of it , as the apostle doth tim. . . the love of money is the root of all evil . and it is not much less uneasy , then wicked , for between the care of getting , and the fear of loosing , the covetous man enjoyes no quiet hour . therefore every man is deeply concerned , as the tenders his happiness , either in this world , or the next , to guard himself against this sin , which he can no way do ▪ but by possessing his heart with this vertue of contentedness . . in the fourth place , it is contrary to envy , for he that is content with his own condition , hath no temptation to envy anothers ; how unchristian a sin this of envy is , shall hereafter be shewed ; at the present , i need say no more , but that it is also a very uneasy one , it frets and knawes the very heart of him that harbours it . but the worse this sin is , the more excellent still is this grace of contentedness , which frees us from it . i suppose i have said enough to make you think this a very lovely , and desirable virtue . and sure it were not impossible to be gained by any , that would but observe these few directions . . first , to consider , that whatever our estate and condition in any respect be , it is that which is allotted us by god , and therefore is certainly the best for us , he being much better able to judge for us , then we for our selves ; and therefore to be displeased at it , is in effect to say , we are wiser then he . secondly , consider thorowly the vanity of all worldly things , how very little there is in them , whi●e we have them , and how uncertain we are to keep them , but above all , in how little stead they will stand us at the day of death or judgement , and then thou canst not think any of them much worth the desiring , and so wilt not be discontented for want of them . thirdly , suffer not thy fancy to run on things thou hast not : many have put themselves out of love with what they have , onely by thinking what they want . he that sees his neighbour possess somewhat , which himself hath not , is apt to think how happy he should be , if he were in that mans condition , and in the mean time never thinks of enjoying his own , which yet perhaps in many respects may be much happier , then that of his neighbours which he so much admires . for we look but upon the outside of other mens conditions , and many a man that is envied by his neighbours , as a wonderful happy person , hath yet some secret trouble , which makes him think much otherwise of himself . therefore never compare thy condition in any thing with those thou countest more prosperous then thy self , but rather do it with those , thou knowest more unhappy , and then thou wilt find cause to rejoice in thine own portion . fourthly , consider how far thou art from deserving any good thing from god , and then thou canst not but with jacob gen. . . confess , that thou art not worthy of the least of those mercies thou enjoyest , and in stead of murmuring that they are no more , wilt see reason to admire , and praise the bounty of god , that they are so many . fifthly , be often thinking of the joyes laid up for thee in heaven ; look upon that as thy home , on this world , only as an inne , where thou art fain to take up in thy passage ; and then as a traveller expects not the same conveniences at an inne , that he hath at home , so thou hast reason to be content with whatever entertainment thou findst here , knowing thou art upon thy journey to a place of infinite happiness , which will make an abundant amends for al the uneasiness , and hardship thou canst suffer in the way . lastly , pray to god , from whom all good things do come , that he will to all his other blessings , add this of a contented mind , without which thou canst have no taste or relish of any other . . a fifth duty is diligence : this is made up of two parts , watchfulness , and industry , and both these we owe to our souls . first , watchfulness , in observing all the dangers that threaten them . now since nothing can endanger our souls , but sin , this watchfulness is principally to be imployed against that : and as in a besieged city , where there is any weak part , there it is necessary to keep the strongest guard ; so it is here , wherever thou findest thy inclinations such , as are most likely to betray thee to sin , there it concerns thee to be especially watchful ; observe therefore carefully to what sins either thy natural temper , thy company , or thy course of life do particularly incline thee , and watch thy self very narrowly in those ; yet do not so lay out all thy care on those , as to leave thy self open to any other ▪ for that may give satan as much advantage on the other side ; but let thy watch be general , against all sin , though in a special manner against those , which are like oftnest to assault thee . . the second part of diligence , is industry , or labour , and this also we owe to our souls , for without it they will as little prosper as that vineyard of the sluggard , which solomon describes , prov. . . for there is a husbandry of the soul , as well as of the estate , and the end of the one , as of the other , is the creasing , and improving of its riches . now the riches of the soul are either natural , or divine . by the natural i mean its faculties of reason , wit , memory , and the like ; by the divine i mean the graces of god , which are not the souls natural portion , but are given immediatly by god , and both these we are to take care to improve , they being both talents intrusted to us for that purpose . . the way of improving the natural is by imploying them so , as may bring in most honour to god : we must not let them lye idle by us , through sloth , neither must we overwhelme them with intemperance , and brutish pleasures , which is the case of too many , but we must employ them , and set them on work . but then we must be sure it be not in the devils service , like many , who set their wit onely to the profaning of god , or cheating their neighbours , and stuff their memories with such filthiness , as should never once enter their thoughts ; our use of them must be such , as may bring in most glory to god , most benefit to our neighbours , and may best fit us to make our accounts , when god shall come to reckon with us for them . . but the other part of the souls riches , is yet more precious , that is grace , and of this we must be especially careful , to husband , and improve it . this is a duty expresly commanded us by the apostle , pet. . . grow in grace . and again , in the first chapter of that epistle , verse . give all diligence to add to your faith vertue , and to vertue knowledg , &c. now the especial means of improving grace is by imploying it , that is , by doing those things for the enabling of us whereunto it was given us ; this is a sure means , not only in respect of that easiness , which a custome of any thing brings in the doing of it , but principally , as it hath the promise of god , who hath promised , mat. . . that to him that hath ( that is hath made use of what he hath ) shall be given , and he shall have abundance . he that diligently , and faithfully employes the first beginnings of grace , shall yet have more , and he that in like manner husbands that more , shall yet have a greater degree ; so that what solomon saith of temporal riches , is also true of spiritual , the hand of the diligent maketh rich . . therefore whenever thou findest any good motion in thy heart , remember that is a season for this spiritual husbandry , if thou have but a check of conscience against any sin , thou livest in , drive that on till it come to a hatred , and then that hatred , till it come to resolution , then from that resolution , proceed to some endeavours against it . do this faithfully , and sincerely , and thou shalt certainly find the grace of god assisting thee , not onely in every of these steps , but also enableing thee to advance still higher , till thou come to some victory over it . yet to this industry thou must not fail to add thy prayers also , there being a promise , that god wil give the holy spirit to them that ask it , mat. . . and therefore they that ask it not , have no reason to expect it . but it must be asked with such an earnestness , as is some way answerable to the value of the thing , which being infinitely more precious then all the world , both in respect of his own worth , and its usefulness to us , we must beg it with much more zeal and earnestness then all temporal blessi●gs , or else we shew our selves despisers of it . . having directed you to the means of improving grace , i shall , to quicken you to it , mention the great danger of the contrary ; and that is not as in other things , the loosing onely those further degrees , which our industry might have helped us to , but it is the loosing even of what we already have , for from him that hath not ( that is again hath not made use of what he hath ) shall be taken away even that which he hath , mat. . . god will withdraw the grace , which he sees so neglected , as we see in that parable , the talent was taken from him that had onely hid it in a napkin , and had brought in no gain to his lord . and this is a most sad punishment , the greatest that can befal any man , before he comes to hell , indeed it is some kind of foretast of it , it is the delivering him up to the power of the devil , and it is the banishing him from the face of god , which are not the least parts of the misery of the damned . and it is also the binding a man over to that fuller portion of wretchedness in another world ; for that is the last doom of the unprofitable servant , mat. . . cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness , there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth . you see they are no light dangers that attend this neglect of grace , and therefore if we have any love , nay any common pity to our souls , we must set our selves to this industry . i have now done with those vertues , which respect our souls . i come now to those which concern our bodies . . the first of which is chastity , or purity , which may well be set in the front of the duties we owe to our bodies , since the apostle cor. . . sets the contrary as the especial sin against them , he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body . now this vertue of chastity consists in a perfect abstaining from all kinds of uncleanness , not onely that of adultery , and fornication , but all other more unnatural sorts of it , committed either upon our selves , or with any other . in a word , all acts of that kind are utterly against chastity , save onely in lawful marriage . and even there men are not to think themselves let loose to please their brutish appetites , but are to keep themselves within such rules of moderation , as ag●ee to the end of marriage , which being these two , the begetting of children , and the avoiding of fornication , nothing must be done , which may hinder the first of these ends ; and the second aiming onely at the subduing of lust , the keeping men from any sinful effects of it , it is very contrary to that end , to make marriage an occasion of heightning , and enflaming it . . but this vertue of chastity reacheth not only to the restraining of the grosser act , but to all lower degrees ; it sets a guard upon our eyes , according to that of our saviour , mat. . . he that looketh on a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery with her already in his heart ; and upon our hand as appears by what christ adds in that place , if thy hand offend thee , cut it off ; so also upon our tongues , that they speak no immodest or filthy words , let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth . eph. . nay upon our very thoughts , and fancies , we must not entertain any foul or filthy desires , nor so m●ch as the imagination of any such thing . therefore he that forbears the grosser act , and yet allowes himself in any of these , it is to be suspected that it is rather some outward restraint , that keeps him from it ▪ then the conscience of the sin . for if it were that , it would keep him from these too , these being sins also , and very great ones in gods sight . besides , he that lets himself loose to these puts himself in very great danger of the other , it being much more easy to abstain from all , then to secure against the one , when the other is allowed . but above all , it is to be considered , that even these lower degrees are such , as make men very odious in gods eyes who seeth the heart , and loves none that are not pure there . . the loveliness of this vertue of chastity needs no other way of describing , then by considering the loathsomness , and mischiefs of the contrary sin ; which is first very brutish ; those desires are but the same , that the beasts have , and then how far are they sunk below the nature of man , that can boast of their sins of that kind , as of their special excellency ? when if that be the measure , a goat is the more excellent creature . but indeed they that eagerly pursue this part of bestiality do often leave themselves little , besides their humane shape , to difference them from beasts ; this sin so clouds the understanding , and defaceth the reasonable soul. therefore solomon very well describes the young man , that was going to the harlots house , pro. . . he goeth after her , as an ox goeth to th● slaughter . nor secondly are the effects of it better to the body then to the mind . the many foul and filt●y , besides painful diseases , which ofte● follow this sin , are sufficient witnesses , how mischievous it is to the body . and alas , how many are there that have thus made themselves the devils martyrs ? suffered such torments in the pursuit of this sin , as would exceed the invention of the greatest tyrant ? surely they that pay thus dear for damnation , very well deserve to enjoy the purchase . . but thirdly , besides the natural fruits of this sin , it is attended with very great and heavy judgments from god ; the most extra ordinary and miraculous judgment that ever befel any place , fire and brimstone from heaven upon sodome and gomorrah , was for this sin of uncleanness . and many examples likewise of gods vengeance may be observed on particular persons , for this sin . the incest of amnon cost him his life , as you may read , sam. . zimrie and cozhi were slain in the very act , num. . . and no person that commits the like , hath any assurance it shall not be his own case . for how secretly soever it be committed , it cannot be hid from god , who is the sure avenger of all such wickedness . nay , god hath very particularly threatned this sin , cor. . . if any man defile the temple of god , him shall god destroy . this sin of uncleanness is a kind of sacriledge , a polluting those bodies , which god hath chosen for his temples , and therefore no wonder , if it be thus heavily punished . . lastly , this sin shuts us out from the kingdom of heaven , wherein no impure thing can enter . and we never find any list of those sins , which bar men thence , but this of uncleanness hath a special place in it . thus it is gal. . . and so again cor. . . if we will thus pollute our selves , we are fit company onely for those black spirits , the devil and his angels , and therefore with them we must expect our portion , where our flames of lust shall end in flames of fire . . all this layed together , may surely recommend the vertue of chastity to us , for the preserving of which , we must be very careful ; first , to check the beginnings of the temptation , to cast away the very first fancy of lust , with indignation , for if you once fall to parley , & talk with it , it gains still more upon you , and then it will be harder to resist , therefore your way in this temptation is , to flye rather then fight with it . this is very necessary , not onely that we may avoid the danger of proceeding to act the sin , but also in respect of the present fault of entertaining such fancies , which of it self , though it should never proceed further is , as hath been shewed , a great abomination before god ; secondly , have a special care to flye idleness , which is the proper soil for these filthy weeds to grow in ; and keep thy self alwayes busied in some innocent , or vertuous employment , for then these fancies will be less apt to offer themselves . thirdly , never suffer thy self to recall any unclean passages of thy former life with delight , for that is to act over the sin again ; and will be so reckoned by god , nay perhaps thus deliberately to think of it , may be a greater guilt , then a rash acting of it . for this both shews thy heart to be set upon filthiness , and is also a preparation to more acts of it . fourthly , forbear the company of such light , and wanton persons , as either by the filthiness of their discourse , or any other means , may be a snare to thee . fifthly , pray earnestly that god would give thee the spirit of purity , especially at the time of any present temptation . bring the unclean devil to christ , to be cast out ▪ as did the man in the gospel ; and if it will not be cast out with prayer alone , add fasting to it , but be sure thou do not keep up the flame by any high or immoderate feeding . the last remedy , when the former prove vain , is marriage , which becomes a duty to him , that cannot live innocently without it . but even here there must be care taken , lest this which should be for his good , become not to him an occasion of falling , for want of sobriety in the use of marriage . but this i have toucht on already , and therefore need add no more , but an earnest intreaty , that men would consider seriously of the foulness , and danger of this sin of uncleanness , and not let the commonness of it lessen their hatred of it , but rather make them abhor that shamelesse impudence of the world , that can make li●ht of this sin , against which god hath pronounced such heavy curses , whoremongers and adulterers god will iudge , heb. . . and so he will certainly do all sorts of unclean persons whatsoever . . the second vertue , that concerns our bodies is temperance : and the exercises of that are divers ; as first temperance in eating , secondly in drinking , thirdly in sleep , fourthly in recreation , fifthly in apparel . i shall speak of them severally ; and first of temperance in eating . this temperance is observed , when our eating is agreeable to those ends , to which eating are by god and nature designed ; those are first the being , secondly the well being of our bodies . man is of such a frame , that eating becomes necessary to him for the preserving his life , hunger being a natural disease which will prove deadly , if not prevented , and the onely physick for it is eating which is therefore become a necessary means of keeping us alive . and that is the first end of eating ; and as men use not to take physick for pleasure , but remedy , so neither should they eat . . but secondly , god hath been so bountiful , as to provide not onely for the being , but the well being of our bodies , and therefore we are not tyed to such strictness , that we may eat no more then will just keep us from starving , but we may also eat whatsoever either for kind or quantity most tends to the health , and welfare of them ; now that eating which is agreeable to these ends , is within the bounds of temperance , as on the contrary whatsoever is contrary to them , is a transgression against it ; he therefore that sets up to himself other ends of eating , as either the pleasing of his taste , or ( what is yet worse ) the pampering of his body , that he may the better serve his lust , he directly thwarts and crosses these ends of gods ; for he that hath those aimes , doth that which is very contrary to health , yea and to life it self ; as appears by the many diseases , and untimely deaths , which surfetting and uncleanness daily bring on men . . he therefore that will practice this vertue of temperance , must neither eat so much , nor of any such sorts of meat ( provided ●he can have other ) as may be hurtful to his health : what the sorts or quantities shall be , is impossible to set down , for that differs according to the several constitutions of men ; some men may with temperance eat a great deal , because their stomacks require it , when another may be guilty of intemperance in eating but half so much , because it is more then is useful to him . and so also for the sort of meat , it may be niceness and luxury for some to be curious in them , when yet some degree of it may be necessary to the infirmities of a weak stomack , which not out of wantonness , but disease cannot eate the courser meats but i think it may in general be said , that to healthful bodies the plainest meats are generally the most wholsome , but every man must in this be left to judg for himself ; and that he may do it aright , he must be careful , that he never suffer himself to be enslaved to his palate , for that will be sure t● satisfie its self , whatever becomes of health or life . . to secure him the better , let him consider , first , how unreasonable a thing it is , that the whole body should be subjected to this one sense of tasting , that it must run all hazards only to please that . but it is yet much more so ▪ that the diviner part , the soul should also be thus enslaved ; and yet thus it is in an intemperate person , his very soul must be sacrificed to this brutish appetite , for the sin of intemperance , though it be acted by the body , yet the soul must share in the eternal punishment of it , secondly , consider how extreme short and vanishing this pleasure is , it is gone in a moment , but the pains that attend the excess of it , are much more durable , and then surely it agrees not with that common reason , wherewith as men we are indued , to set our hearts upon it . but then in the third place it agrees yet worse with the temper of a christian , who should have his heart so purified , and refined with the expectation of those higher and spiritual joyes he looks for in another world , that he should very much despise these gross and brutish pleasures , which beasts are as capable of , as we , and to them we may well be content to leave them , it being the highest their natures can reach to ; but for us , who have so much more excellent hopes , it is an intolerable shame , that we should account them as any part of our happiness . lastly , the sin of gluttony is so great and dangerous , that christ thought fit to give an especial warning against it ; take heed to your selves , that your hearts be not overcharged with surfetting , &c. luke . . and you know what was the end of the rich glutton , luke . he that had fared deliciously every day , at last wants a drop of water to coole his tongue . so much for that first sort of temperance , that of eating . partition viii . of temperance in drinking , false ends of drinking , viz. good fellow-ship . putting away cares , &c. § . . the second is temperance in drinking , and the ends of eating and drinking being much the same , i can give no other direct rules in this , then what were given in the former , to wit , that we drink neither of such sorts of liquor , nor in such quantities as may not agree with the right ends of drinking , the preserving of our lives and healths : only in this there will be need of putting in one caution , for our understandings being in more danger to be hurt by drink then meat , we must take care to keep that safe , and rather not drink what we might safely in respect of our healths , if it be in danger to distemper our reason . this i say because it is possible some mens brains may be so weak , that their heads cannot bear that ordinary quantity of drink which would do the●r bodies no harm . and whoever is of this temper must strictly absta●n from that degree of drink or that sort of it , which he finds hath that effect , yea though it do in other respects appear not only safe , but useful to his health . for though we are to preserve our healths , yet we are not to do it by a sin , as drunkenness most certainly is . . but alas , of those multitudes of drunkards we have in the world , this is the case but of very few , most of them going farr beyond what their health requires , yea or can bear even to the utter destruction thereof . and therefore it is plain men have set up to themselves some other ends of drinking , then those allowable ones forementioned , it may not be amisse a little to examine what they are , and withal to shew the unreasonableness of them . . the first , and most owned is that , which they call good fellowship : one man drinks to keep another company at it . but i would ask such a one whether if that man were drinking rank poison , he would pledg him for company ? if he say he would not , i must tell him ▪ that by the very same , nay , far greater reason , he is not to do this . for immoderate drinking is that very poison , perhaps it doth not always work death immediately ( yet there want not many instances of its having done even that , very many having died in their drunken fit ) but that the custome of it does usually bring men to their ends , is past doubt , and therefore though the poison work slowly , yet it is still poison . but however it doth at the present work that which a wise man would more abhor then death ; it works madness , and frenzy turns the man into a beast , by drowning that reason which should difference him from one . certainly the effects of drink are such , that had being drunk been first enjoyned , as a punishment , we should have thought him a more then ordinary tyrant , that had invented it . . a second end of drinking is said to be the maintaining of friendship and kindness amongst men . but this is strangely unreasonable , that men should do that towards the maintaining of friendship , which is really the greatest mischief that can be done to any man. did ever any think to befriend a man by helping to destroy his estate , his credit , his life ? yet he that thus drinks with a man does this , and much more , he ruines his reason , yea his soul ; and yet this must be called the way of preserving of friendship ; this is so ridiculous that one would think none could own it , but when he were actually drunk . but besides , alas , experience shews us , that this is fitter to beget quarrels then preserve kindness , as the many drunken brawles we every day see , with the wounds , and sometimes murders , that accompany them , do witness . . a third end is said to be the cheering of their spirits , making them merry and jolly . but sure if the mirth be such that reason must be turned out of doors before it begin , it wil be very little worth ; one may say with solomon , ecc. . . the laughter of such fools is madness . and sure they that will be drunk to put themselves in this temper , must by the same reason be glad of a frenzy , if they could but be sure it would be of the merry sort . but little do these merry folks think what sadness they are all this while heaping up to them selves , often in this world , when by some mad pranks , they play in their jollity , they bring mischief upon themselves , but however certainly in another , where this mirth will be most sadly reckoned for . . a fourth end is said to be the putting away of cares ; but i shall ask what those cares are ? be they such as should be put away ? perhaps they are some checks and remorses of conscience , which must be thus charmed . and i doubt this hath proved too effectual with many to the laying them asleep : but this is the wickedst folly in the world ; for if thou thinkest not these checks to have somthing considerable in them , why do they trouble thee but if thou do , it is impossible thou canst hop● this can long secure thee from them . thou maist thus stop their mouths for a wh●le , but they will one day cry the louder for it . suppose a thief or a murderer knew he were pursued to be brought to justice , would he think you to put away the fear of being hanged , fall to drinking , and in the mean time take no care for his escape , or would you not think him desperately mad if he did ? yet this is the very case here , thy conscience tells thee of thy danger , that thou must ere long be brought before gods judgment-seat ; and is it not madness for thee , in stead of endeavouring to get thy pardon , to drink away the thought of thy danger . but in the second place , suppose these cares be some worldly ones , and such as are fit to be put away ; then for shame do not so disgrace thy reason , thy christianity , as not to let them be as forcible to that end , as a little drink . thy reason wil tell thee it is in vain to care , where care wil bring no advantage ; and thy christianity will direct thee to one , on whom thou must safely cast all thy cares , for he careth for thee , pet. . . and therefore unless thou meanest to renounce being both a man and a christian , never betake thee to this pitiful shift , to rid thee of thy cares . but besides , this will not do the deed neither ; for though it may at present , whilst thou art in the height of the drunken fit , keep thee from the sense of thy cares , yet when that is over , they will return again with greater violence , and if thou have any conscience , bring a new care with them , even that which ariseth from the guilt of so foul a sin . . a fifth end is said to be the passing away of time . this though it be as unreasonable as any of the former , yet by the way it serves to reproach idleness , which is , it seems , so burdensome a thing , that even this vilest i●ployment is preferred before it . but this is in many a very false plea. for they often spend time at the pot , not only when they have nothing else to do , but even to the neglect of their most necessary business . however it is in all a most unreasonable one , for there is no man , but he may find somewhat , or other to imploy himself in . if he have little worldly business of his own , he may yet do somewhat to the benefit of others ; but however there is no man but hath a soul , and if he will look carefully to that , he need not complain for want of business ; where there are so many corruptions to mortifie so many inclinations to watch over , so many temptations ( whereof this of drunkenness is not the least ) to resist the graces of god , to improve and stir up , and former neglects of all these to lament , sure there can never want sufficient imployment ; for all these require time , and so men at their deaths find ; for then those that have all their lives made it their business to drive away their t●me , would then give all the world to redeem it . and sure where there is much leisure from worldly affairs , god expects to have the more time thus imployed in spiritual exercises . but it is not likely those meaner sort of persons , to whom this book is intended , will be of the number of those that have much leisure ; and therefore i shall no farther insist on it ; only i shal say this , that what degree of leisure they at any time have , it concerns them to imploy to the benefit of their souls , and not to bestow it to the ruine of them , as they do , who spend it in drinking . . a sixth end is said to be the preventing of that reproach , which is by the world cast on those that will in this be stricter then their neighbours ; but in answer to this , i shall first ask , what is the harm of such reproach ? sure it cannot equal the least of those mischiefs , drunkenness betrayes us to . nay , if we will take our saviours word , it is a happiness , blessed , saith he , are yee when men shall revile you , & say all manner of evil against you for my sake , mat. . . and st. peter tells us , pet. . if ye be reproached for the name of christ , happy are ye , and sure to be reproached for obedience to any command of christs , is to be reproached for his name . secondly , let it be remembred , that at our baptism we solemnly renounced the world ; and shall we now so farr consider it , as for a few scoffs of it to run our selves on all the temporal evils before mentioned , and which is much worse , the wrath of god and eternal destruction ? but thirdly , if you fear reproach , why do you do that , which will bring reproach upon you from all wise and good men ; whose opinion alone is to be regarded ? and it is certain , drinking is the way to bring it on you from all such . and to comfort thy self against that , by thinking thou art still applauded by the foolish and worst sort of men , is as if all the mad men in the world should agree to count themselves the only sober persons , and all others mad , which yet sure will never make them the less mad , nor others the lesse sober . lastly , consider the heavy doome christ hath pronounc'd on those that are ashamed of him , and so are all those that for fear of reproach shall shrink from their obedience to him , mat. ▪ . whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation , of him shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of the father with the holy angels . there is none but will at that day desire to be owned by christ : but whoever , will not here own him ; that is , cleave fast to his commands , notwithstanding all the scornes , nay , persecutions of the world , shall then certainly be cast off by him . and he that will adventure thus to maintain his credit among a company of fools and madmen , deserves well to have it befal him : but after all this is it not sure that even these will despise thee for thy sob●iety , it is possible they may seem to do so , to fright thee out of it ; but if their hearts were searched , it would be found , they do even against their wills , bear a secret reverence to sober persons , and none fall more often under their scorn , and despising then those that run with them to the same excess of riot , for even he that sticks not to be drunk himself , will yet laugh at another that he sees so . there is a seventh end , which though every man think too base to own , yet it is too plain , it prevails with many . and that is the bare pleasure of the drink ; but to these i confesse it will not be fit to say much , for he that is come to this lamentable degree of sottishness , is not like to receive benefit by any thing can be said . yet let me tell even this man , that he of all others hath the most means of discerning his fault , for this being such a ground of drinking as no body wil own , he is condemned of himself , yea , and all his fellow drunkards too , for their denying it is a plain sign , they acknowledg it a most abominable thing . and if esau were called a profane person , heb. . . for selling but his birth-right for a m●sse of pottage ▪ and that too , when he had the necessity of hunger upon him , what name of reproach can be bad enough for him , who sells his health , his reason , his god , his soul for a cup of drink , & that when he is so far from needing it , that perhaps he hath already more then he can keep ? i shall say no more to this sort of persons , but let me warne all those that go on in the sin , on any of the former grounds , that a little time will bring them even to this , which they profess to loath , it being daily seen , that those which first were drawn into the sin for the love of the company , at last continue in it for love of the drink . i can think but of one end more : that is , that of bargaining . men say it is necessary for them to drink , in this one respect , of trading with their neighbours , bargains being most conveniently to be struck up at such meetings . but this is yet a worse end , then all the rest , for the bottome of it is an aime of cheating & defrauding others ▪ we think when men are in drink , we shall the better be able to over-reach them : and so this adds the sin of cousenage and defrauding to that of drunkenness . now that this is indeed the intent , is manifest , for if it were onely the dispatch of bargains were aimed at , we should choose to take men with their w●●s about them , therefore the taking them , when drink hath distempered them , can be for nothing , but to make advantage of them . yet this often proves a great folly , as well as a sin ; for he that drinks with another in hope to over-reach him , doth many times prove the weaker brain'd , & becomes drunk first , & then he gives the other that opportunity of cheating him , which he designed for the cheating of the other . now this end of drinking is so far from becoming an excuse , that it is a huge heightning of the sin ; for if we may not drink intemperately upon any occasion , much less upon so wicked a one , as is the cousening and defrauding of our brethren . . i suppose i have now shewed you the unreasonableness of those motives , which a●e ordinarily brought in excuse of this sin . i am yet further to tell you , that it is not only that huge degree of drunkenness , which makes men able neither to go nor speak , which is to be lookt on as a sin , but all lower degrees , which do at all work upon the understanding , whether by dulling it , and making it less fit for any imployment , or by making it too light and airy , apt to apish , and ridiculous mirth , or , what is worse , by inflaming men into rage and fury . these , or whatever else make any change in the man , are to be reckoned into this sin of drunkenness ; nay further , the drinking beyond the natural ends of drinking ; that is , beyond moderate refreshment , is a sin , though by the strength of a mans brain it makes not least change in him , and therefore those that are not actually drunk , yet can spend whole dayes , or any considerable part of them , in drinking , are so far from being innocent , that that greater woe belongs to them , which is pronounced isa. . . against those that are mighty to drink . for though such a man may make a shift to preserve his wits , yet that wit serves him to very little purpose , when his imployment is still but the same with him , that is the most sottishly drunk ; that is , to powre down drink . . nay , this man is guilty of the greater waste ; first , of the good creatures of god ; that drink , which is by gods providence intended for the refreshing and relieving of us , is abused and mispent , when it is drunk beyond that measure , which those ends require , and sure there is not the meanest of these creatures we enjoy , but the abuse of them shall one day be accounted for , and he that drinks longest , hath the most of that gnilt . but in the second place , this is a waste of that which is much more precious , our time , which is allowed us by god to work out our salvation in , and must be strictly reckoned for , and therefore ought every minute of it to be most thriftily husbanded to that end in actions of good life , but when it is thus laid out , it tends to the direct contrary , even the working out our damnation . besides , he that thus drinks , though he escape being drunk himself , he is yet guilty of all the drunkenness , that any of his company fall under , for he gives them encouragemennt to drink on by his example , especially if he be one of any authority , but if he be one whose company the rest are fond of , his drinking is then a certain ensnaring of them , for then they will drink too , rather then lose him . there is yet a greater fault , that many of these stronger brained drinkers are guilty of ; that is , the setting themselves purposely to make others drunk , playing , as it were , a prize at it , and counting it matter of triumph , and victory to see others fall before them ; this is a most horrible wickedness , it is the making our selves the devils factors , endeavouring all we can to draw our poor brethren into eternal misery , by betraying them to so grievous a sin ; and therefore it may well be reckoned as the highest step of this vice of drinking , as having in it the sin of mischieving others , added to the excess in our selves . and though it be lookt upon in the world as a matter onely of jest and merriment to make others drunk , that we may sport our selves with their ridiculons behaviour , yet that mirth will have a sad conclusion , there being a woe expresly threatned by god to this very sin . hab. . woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink , that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunk , that thou mayest look on their nakedness : and sure he buyes his idle pastime very dear , that takes it with such a woe attending it . . i have now gone through the several motives to , and degrees of this sin of drunkenness , wherein i have been the more particular , because it is a sin so strangely reigning amongst us , no condition , no age , or scarce sex free from it , to the great dishonour of god , reproach of christianity , and ruine not onely of our own souls hereafter , but even of all our present advantages and happiness in this life ; the●● being no sin which betrayes each single committer to more mischiefs in his understanding , his health his credit , his estate , then this one doth . and we have reason to bel●eve this sin is one of those common crying guilts , which have long layen heavy upon this nation , and pulled down those many sad judgements we have groaned under . . therefore , christian reader , let me now intreate , nay conjure thee , by all that tenderness and love thou oughtest to have to the honour of god , the credit of thy christian profession , eternal welfare of thine own soul , the prosperity of the church and nation , whereof thou art a member ; nay , by that love which certainly thou hast to thy own soul , to think sadly of what hath been spoken ; and then judge , whether there be any pleasure in this sin , which can be any tolerable recompence for all those mischiefs , it brings with it ; i am confident no man in his w●●s can think there is & if there be not , then be ashamed to be any longer that fool , which shall make so wretched a bargain , but begin at this instant a firm and a faithful resolution , never once more to be guilty of this swinish sin , how often soever thou hast heretofore fallen into it , and in the fear of god betake thee to a st●●ct temperance , which when thou hast done , thou wilt find , thou hast made not onely a gainful , but a pleasant exchange ; for there is no man that hath tryed both courses , but his own heart will tell him , there is infinitely more present comfort , and pleasure in sobriety and temperance , then ever all his drunken revelli●gs afforded him . . the main difficul●y is the first breaking off the custome , and that arises partly from our selves , partly from others . that from our selves may be of two sorts , the first is , when by the habit of drinking , we have brought such false thirsts upon our selves , that our bodies seems to require it , and this wants nothing bnt a little patience to overcome . do but refrain some few daies , and it will afterwards grow easy ; for the hardness arising onely from custome , the breaking of that does the business . if thou say , it is very uneasy to do so , consider whether thou hadst 〈◊〉 me disease , which would cer●ainly kill thee , ●f thou didst not for some little time refrain ●mmoderate drinking , thou wouldst not rather forbear , then dye ; if thou wouldst not , thou art so brutish a sot , that it is in vain to perswade thee ; but if thou hadst , then consider how unreasonable it is for thee not to do ●it in this case also ; the habit of drinking may well pass for a mortal disease , it proves so very often to the body , but will most certainly to the soul , and therefore it is madness to stick at that uneasiness in the cure of this , which thou wouldst submit to in a less danger . set therefore but a resolute purpose to endure that little trouble for a small time , and this first difficulty is conquered , for after thou hast a while refrained , it will be perfectly easy to do so still . the second difficulty is that of spending the time , which those that have made drinking their trade and business , know scarce how to dis●ose of . but the very naming of this difficulty directs to the cure , get thee some business , somewhat to imploy thy self in , which , as i have already shewed , will be easily found by all sorts of persons , but those meaner to whom i now write , can sure never want it ready at hand ; they being generally such as are to be maintained by their labour , and therefore to them i need only give this advice , to be diligent in that business they have , to follow that close as they ought ; and they will have little occasion to seek out this way of spending their time . . there is another sort of difficulty , which i told you arises from others , and that is either from their perswasions , or reproaches . it is very l●kely if thy old companions see thee begin to fall off , they will set hard to thee , to bring thee back to thy old course , they will urge to thee the unkindness of forsaking the company of thy friends , the sadness of renouncing a●l that mirth and jollity , which good fellows ( as they call them ) enjoy , and if thou canst not thus be won , they will affright thee with the reproach of the world , and so trye if they can mock thee out of thy sobriety . the way to ove come this difficulty is to foresee it , therefore when thou first enterest on thy course of temperance , thou art to make account thou shalt meet with these ( perhaps many other ) temptations , and that thou maist make a right judgment , whether they be worthy to prevail with thee , take them before hand , and weigh them , consider whether that false kindn●ss , that is maintained among men by drinking , be worthy to be compared with that reall and everlasting kindness of god , which is lost by it ; whether that foolish , vain mi●th bear any weight with the present joyes of a good conscience here , or with those greater of heaven hereafter . lastly , whether the unjust reproach of wicked men ▪ the shame of the world be so terrible , as the just reproof of thine own conscience at the present , and that eternal confusion of face that shall befal all those , that go on in this sin , at the last day ; weigh all these , i say , i need not say , in the balance of the sanctuary , but even in the scales of common reason , and sure thou wilt be forced to pronounce , that the motives to temperance infinitely out-weigh those against it ; when thou hast thus advisedly judged , then fix thy resolution accordingly , and when ever any of these temptations come to stagger thee , remember thou hast formerly weighed them , knowest the just value of them , and that they are a most unworthy price for those precious advantages thou must give in exchange for them . and therefore hold fast thy resolution , and with indignation reject all motions to the contrary . . but be sure thou thus reject them at their very first tender , and do not yield in the least degree ; for if once thou givest ground , thou art lost , the sin will by little and little pervail upon thee . thus we see many , who have profest to be resolved upon great temperance , yet for want of this care , have adventured into the company of good fellowes , when they have been there , they have at the first been over intreated to take a cup , after that another , till at last they have taken their rounds as freely as any of them , and in that floud of drink drowned all their sober resolutions ▪ therefore whoever thou art , that dost really desire to forsake the sin , take care to avoid the occasions , and beginnings of it ; to w●●ch end it w●ll be good openly to declare , and own thy purpose of sobriety , that so thou mayest discourage men from assaulting thee . but if either thou art ashamed to own it , or seemest to be so , they will quickly make use of that shame to bring thee to break it . . if thou be thus wary to keep thee from the first beginnings , thou art then sure never to be overtaken with this sin ; for it is like the keeping the out-works of a besieged city , which so long as they are stoutly defended , there is no danger , but if they be either surprized or yielded , the city cannot long hold out : the advice therefore of the wise man is very agreeable to this matter , eccles. . . he that despiseth small things shall perish by little and little . but because as the psalmist saith , psa. . . except the lord keep the city the watch-man waketh but in vain ; therefore to this guard of thy self add thy most earnest prayers to god , that he will also watch over thee , and by the strength of his grace enable thee to resist all temptations to this sin . . if thou do in the sincerity of thy h●art use these means , there is no doubt , but thou wilt be able to overcome this vice , how long soever thou hast been accustomed to it therefore if thou do still remain under the power of it , never excuse thy self by the impossibility of the task ▪ but rather accuse the falseness of thy own heart , that hath still such a love to this sin , that thou wilt not set roundly to the means of subduing it . . perhaps the great commonness of the sin and thy particular custome of it may have made it so much thy familiar thy bosome acquaintance , that thou art loth to enterta●n hard thoughts of it , very unwilling thou art to t●ink that it means thee any hurt , and therefore art a●t to speak peace to thy self , to hope that either this is no sin , or at most but a frailty , such as will not bar thee out of heaven ; but deceive not thy self , for thou mayest as well say there is no heaven , as that drunkenness shall not keep thee thence ; i am sure the same word of god which tels us there is such a place of happiness , tels us also that drunkards are of the number of those , that shall not inherit it . cor. . . and again , gal. . . drunkenness is reckoned among those works of the flesh , which they that do , shall not inherit the kingdom of god. and indeed had not these plain texts , yet meer reason would tell us the same ; that is , a place of infinite purity , such that flesh and blood , till it be refined , and purified , is not capable of , as the apostle tels us , cor. . . and if as we are meer men , we are too gross , and impure for it , we must sure be more so , when we are changed our selves into swine , the foulest of beasts , we are then prepared for the devils to enter into , as they did into the herd , mark . . and that not onely some one or two , but a legion , a troop and multitude of them . and of this we daily see examples , for where this sin of drunkenness hath taken possession , it usually comes as an harbinger to abundance of others ; each act of drunkenness prepares a man not onely for another of the same sin , but of others ; lust and rage , and all brutish appetites are then let loose , and so a man brings himself under that curse , which was the sadest david knew how to foretel to any , psa. . . the falling from one wickedness to another . if all this be not enough to affright thee out of this drunken fit , thou must still wallow in thy vomit , continue in this sottish , senseless condition , till the flames of hell rowse thee , & then thou wilt by sad experience find , what now thou wilt not believe , that the end of these things , as the apostle sayeth , rom. . . is death . god in his infinite mercy timely awake the hearts of all that are in this sin , that by a timely forsaking it , they may flye from that wrath to come . i have now done with this second part of temperance , concerning drinking . partition . ix . temperance in sleep ; the rule of it , &c. of recreation ; of apparel . § . : the third part of temperance concerns sleep ; and temperance in that also must be measured by the end for which sleep was ordained by god , which was onely the refreshing and supporting of our frail bodies , which being of such a temper , that continual labour and toil tires , and wearies them out , sleep comes as a medicine to that weariness , as a repairer of that decay , that so we may be enabled to such labours , as the duties of religion or works of our calling require of us . sleep was intended to make us more profitable , not more idle ; as we give rest to our beasts , not that we are pleased with their doing nothing ▪ but that they may do us the better service . . by this therefore you may judge what is temperate sleeping , to wit , that which tends to the refreshing , and making us more lively , and fit for action . and to that end a moderate degree serves best ; it will be impossible to set down just how many hours is that moderate degree , because as in eating so in sleep , some consti●utions require more then others . every mans own ex●erience must in this judge for him , but then let him judge uprightly , and not consult with his sloth in the case ▪ for that will still with s●lomons slu●gard , cry , a little more sleep , a little more slumber , a lit●l● more folding of the hand● to sleep , prov. . . but take onely so much , as he really finds to tend to the end forementioned . . he that doth not thus limit himself , fals into several sins under this general one of sl●th ; as fi●st , he wastes his time , that precious talent which was committed to him by god to improve , which he that sleeps away , doth like him in the gospel . m●● . . . hides it in the earth , when he should be trading with it ; and you know what was t●e doom of that unprofitable servan● , vers . cast ye him into outer darkness ; he that gives himself up to the darkness of sl●ep here , shall there have darkness without sl●ep , but with weeping , and gnashing o● 〈◊〉 . sec●ndly , he injures his body , immoderate sl●ep fils that full of diseases ▪ makes it a very sink of humours , as daily experi●nces shew us . thirdly , he inju●es● is soul also ▪ and that not onely in robbing it of the service of the body , but in dulling its proper fac●lties ▪ m●king them useless , and unfit for those implo●ments , to which god hath designed them , of all which ill husbandry the poor soul must one day give account . nay lastly , he affronts and despises god himself in it , by crossing the very end of his creat on , which was to serve god in an active obedience , but he that sleeps away his life , directly thwarts ▪ & contradicts that , and when god saith , man is born to labour , his practice saith the direct contrary that man was born to rest . take heed therefore of giving thy self to immoderate sleep , which is the comm●tting of so many sins in one . . but besides the sin of it , it is also very hurtful in other respects , it is the sure ba●e of thy outward estate , wherein the sluggish person shall never thrive , according to that observation of the wise man , proverb . . . drowsiness shall cover a man with rags ; that is , the slothful man shall want convenient clothing ; nay , indeed it can scarce be said , that the sluggard lives ; sleep , you know , is a kind of death , and he that gives himself up to it , what doth he but dye before his time . therefore if untimely death be to be lookt upon , as a curse , it must needs be a strange folly to choose that from our own sloth , which we dread so much from gods hand . . the fourth part of temperance concerns recreations , which are sometimes necessary both to the body and the mind of a man , neither of them being able to endure a constant toil without somewhat of refreshment between ; and therefore there is a very lawful use of them , but to make it so , it will be necessary to observe these cautions ; . first , we must take care , that the kind of them be lawful , that they be such as have nothing of sin in them ; we must not , to recreate our selves , do any thing which is dishonourable to god , or injurious to our neighbour , as they do , who make profane or filthy backbiting discourse their recreation ; secondly , we must take care that we use it with moderation ; and to do so we must first be sure not to spend too much time upon it , but remember that the end of recreation is to fit us for business , not to be it self a business to us ; secondly , we must not be too vehement , and earnest in it , nor set our hearts too much upon it , for that will both ensnare us to the using too much of it , and it will divert , and take off our minds from our more necessary imployments , like school-boyes , who after a play-time know not how to set themselves to their books again . lastly , we must not set up to our selves any other end of recreations , but that one lawful , of giving us moderate refreshment . . as first , we are not to use sports onely to pass away our time , which we ought to study how to redeem , not fling away ; and when it is remembred how great a work we have here to do , the making our calling and election sure , the securing our title to heaver hereafter , and how uncertain we are what tim● shall be allowed us for that purpose , it will appear our time is that , which of all other things we ought most industriously to improve . and therefore sure we have little need to contrive waies of driving that away , which flyes so fast of it self , and is so impossible to recover . let them that can spend whole dayes and nights at cards , and dice , and idle pastimes , consider this , and withal , whether they ever bestowed a quarter of that t●me towards that great business of their lives , for which all their time was given them , and there think what a woful reckoning they are like to make , when they come at last to account for that precious treasure of their time . secondly , we must not let our covetousness have any thing to do in our recreations , if we play at any game , let the end of our doing it be meerly to recreate our selves , not to win money ; and to that purpose be sure never to play for any considerable matter , for if thou do , thou wilt bring thy self into two dangers , the one of covetousness , and a greedy desire of winning , the other of rage and anger at thy ill fortune , if thou happen to loose ; both which will be apt to draw thee into other sins besides themselves ; covetousuess will tempt thee to c●eat , and cousen in gaming , and anger to swearing and cursing , as common experience shews us too often . if thou find thy self apt to fall into either of these in thy gaming , thou must either take some course to secure thy self against them , or thou must not permit thy self to play at all ; for though moderate play be in it self not unlawful , yet if be the occasion of sin , it is so to thee , and therefore must not be ventured on . for if christ commands us so strictly to avoid temptations , that if our very eyes or hands offend us ( that is , prove snares to us ) we must rather part with them , then be drawn to sin by them : how much rather must we part with any of these unnecessary sports , then run the hazard of offending god by them ? he that so playes layes his soul to stake , which is too great a prize to be played away . besides , he loses all the recreation , and sport he pretends to aime at ; and instead of that sets himself to a greater toil , then any of those labours are he was to ease by it . for sure the desires and fears of the covetous , the impatience and rage of the angry man , are more reall pains , then any the most laborious work can be . . the last part of temperance is that of apparel , which we are again to measure by the agreeableness to the ends for which clothing should be used . those are especially these three ; first , the hiding of nakedness . this was the first occasion of apparel , as you may read , gen. . and was the effect of the first sin , and therefore when we remember this or●ginal clothes , we have so little reason to be proud of them , that on the contrary we have cause to be humbled and ashamed , as having lost that innocency which was a much greater ornament , then any the most glorious apparel can be . from this end of clothing we are likewise e●gaged to have our apparel modest , such as may answer this end of covering our shame ; and therefore all immodest fashions of apparel , which may either argue the wantonness of the wearer● or provoke that of the beholder , are to be avoided . a second end of apparel , is the fencing the body from cold , thereby to preserve the health thereof , and this end we must likewise observe in our clothing ; we must wear such kind of habits , as may keep us in that convenient warmth , wh●ch i● necessary to our healths . and this is transgrest ▪ when out of the vanity of being in every phantastick fashion , we put our selves in such clothing , as either will not defend us from cold , or is some other way so uneasy , that it is rather a hurt then a benefit to our bodies to be so clod . this is a most ridiculous folly , and yet that which people that take a pride in their clothes are usually guilty of . . a third end of apparel is the distinguishing or d●fferencing of persons , and that first in respect of sex ; secondly , in respect of qualities . first , clothes are to make difference of sex ; this hath been observed by all nations , the habits of men and women have alwayes been divers . and god himself expresly provided for it among the i●ws , by commanding , that the man should not wear the apparel of the woman , nor the woman of the man. but then secondly , there ●s also a distinction of qualities to be observed in apparel ; god hath placed some in a higher condition then others , and in proportion to their condition , it befits their clothing to be ; gorgeous apparel , our saviour tels us , is for kings co●●ts , luk. . . now this end of apparel should also be observed . men and women should content themselves with that sort of clothing , which agrees to their sex and condition , not striving to exceed , and equal that of a higher rank , nor yet making it matter of envy among those of their own estate , vying who shall be finest , but let every man cloth himself in such sober atire , as befits his place and calling , and not think himself disparaged , if another of his neighbours have better then he . . and let all remember that cloths are things , which add no true worth to any , and therefore it is an intolerable vanity to spend any considerable part either of their thoughts , time or wealth upon them , or to value themselves ever the more for them , or despise their poor brethren that want them . but if they desire to adorn themselves , let it be as st. peter advises the women of his time , pet. . . in the hidden man of the heart , even the ornament of a meek , and quiet spirit , let them cloth themselves as richly as is possible with all christian vertues , and that is the raiment that will set them out lovely in gods eyes , yea , and in mens t●o , who , unless they be fools and idiots , will more value thee for being good , then fine , and sure one plain coat th●u puttest upon a poor mans back will better become thee , then twenty rich ones thou shalt put upon thine own . . i have now gone through the several parts of temperance ; i shall now in conclusion , add this general caution , that though in all these particulars i have taken notice only of the one fault of excess , yet it is possible there may be one on the other hand ; men may deny theirbodies that which they necessarily require to their support , and well being . this is , i believe , a fault not so common , as the other , yet we sometimes see some very niggardly persons , that are guilty of it , that cannot find in their hearts to borrow so much from their chests , as may feed their bellies , or cloth their backs , and that are so intent upon the world , so moiling , and drudging in it , that they cannot afford themselves that competent time of sleep , or recreation , that is necessary . if any that hath read the former part of this discourse be of this temper , let him not comfort himself , that he is not guilty of those excesses there complained of , and therefore conclude himself a good christian , because he is not intemperate , for whoever is this covetous creature , his abstaining shall not be counted to him as the vertue of temperance , for it is not the love of temperance , but wealth , that makes him refrain ; and that is so far from being praise worthy , that it is that great sin which the apostle tels us , tim. . . is the root of all evil ; such a mans body will one day rise in judgement against him , for defrauding it of its due portion , those moderate refreshments ▪ and comforts which god hath allowed it . this is an idolatry beyond that of offering the children to moloch , lev. . . they offered but their children , but this cove●ous wretch sacrifices himself to his god m●mmon , whilest he often destroyes his health , his life , yea , finally h●s ●oul too , to save his purse . i have now done w●th the second head of duty , that to our selves , contained by the apostle under the word soberly . partition x. of d●ties to our neighbours . of justice , negative , positive . of the sin of murther , of the h●inousness of it , the punishme●ts of it , and the strange discoveries thereof . of maining , wounds and strip●s . § . i come now to the third part of duties , those to our neighbour , which is by the apostle summed up in gross in the word [ righteousness , ] by which is meant not onely bare justice , but all kind of charity also , for that is now by the law of christ become a debt ●o our neighbour , & it is a piece of unrigteousness to defraud him of it . i shall therefore build all the particular duties we owe to our neighbour , on those two general ones , justice and charity . . i begin with justice , whereof there are two parts , the one negative , the other positive , the negative justice is to do no wrong , or injury to any . the positive justice is to do right to all ; that is , to yeeld them w●●at soever appertains or is due unto them . i shall first speak of the negative justice the not injuri●g ●r wronging any . now because a man is capable of receiving wrong in several respects ; this first part of justice extends its self into several branches , answerable to those capacities of injury . a man may be injured either in his soul , his body , his possessions , or credit ; and therefore this duty of negative justice layes a restraint on us in every of these . that we do no wrong to any man in respect either of his soul , his body , his possessions , or credit . . first , this justice tyes us to do no hurt to his soul ; and here my first work must be to examine what harm it is that the soul can receive ; it is , we know an invisible substance which we cannot reach with our eye , much less with our swords and weapons , yet for all that it is capable of being hurt and wounded ; and that even to death . . now the soul may be considered either in a natural or spiritual sence ; in the natural it signifies that which we usually call the mind of a man , and this we all know may be wounded with grief or sadness as solomon saith pro. . . by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken . therefore whoever does causlesly afflict or grieve his neighbour ; he transgresses this part of justice , & hurts , & wrong● his soul. this sort of injury malicious and spiteful men are very often guilty of , they will do things , by which themselves reap no good , nay , often much harm , onely that they may vex and gr●eve another ; this is a most savage , inhumane humour , thus to take pleasure in the sadness , and afflictions of others ; and whoever harbours it in his heart , may truly be said to b● possest with a devil , for it is the nature onely of those accursed spirits to delight in the miseries of men ; and till that be cast out , they are fit onely to dwell as the possest person did , mar. . . among graves and tombs , where there are none capable of receiving affliction by them . . but the soul may be considered also in the spiritual sense , and so it signifies that immortal part of us , which must live eternally , either in bliss , or woe in another world . and the soul thus understood is capable of two sorts of harm ; first , that of sin ; secondly , that of punishment , the latter whereof is certainly the consequent of the former ; and therefore though god be the inflicter of punishment , yet since it is but the effect of sin , we may justly reckon , that he that dr●wes a man to sin , is likewise the betrayer of him to punishment , as he that gives a man a mortal wound , is the cause of his death ; therefore under the evil of sin both are contained , so that i need speak onely of that . and sure there cannot be a h●gher sort of wrong , then the bringing this great evil upon the soul ; sin is the disease and wound of the soul , as being the direct contrary to grace , which is the health , and soundness of it ; now this wound we give to every soul , whom we do by any means whatsoever draw into sin . . the ways of doing that are divers , i shall mention some of them , whereof though some are more direct then others , yet all tend to the same end . of the more direct ones there is first , the commanding of sin ; that is when a person that hath power over another , shall require him to do something which is unlawful ; an example of this we have in nebuchadnezzars commanding the worship of the golden image , dan. and his copy is imitated by any parent or master , who shall require of his child or servant to do any unlawful act . secondly , there is counselling of sin , when men advise and perswade others to any wickedness : thus jobs wife counselled her husband to curse god , job . . and achitophel advised absolom to go into his fathers concubines , sam. . . thirdly , there is enticing and alluring to sin , by setting before men the pleasures or profits they shall reap by it . of this sort of enticement solomon gives warning , prov. . . my son , if sinners entice thee , consent thou not , if they say come with us , let us lay wait for blood , let us l●rke privily for the innocent without cause , &c. and verse the . you may see what is the bait , by which they seek to alure them ; we shall find all precious substance , we shall fill our souls with spoile , cast in thy lot among us , let us all have one purse . fourthly , there is assistance in sin ; that is , when men aid and help others either in contriving or acting a sin . thus jonadab helpt amnon in plotting the ravishing of his sister , sam. . all these are direct means of bringing this great evil of sin upon our brethren . there are also others , which though they seem more indirect , may yet be as effectual towards that ill end : as first , example in sin ; he that sets others an ill pattern does his part to make them imitate it , and too often it hath that effect ; there being generally nothing more forcible to bring men into any sinful practice , then the seeing it used by others , as might be instanced in many sins , to which there is no other temptation , but their being in fashion . secondly , there is incouragement in sin , when either by approving , or else at least by not shewing a dislike , we give others confidence to go on in their wickedness . a third means is by justifying and defending any sinful act of anothers , for by that we do not only confirm him in his evi● , but endanger the drawing others to the like , who may be the more inclinable to it , when they shall hear it so pleaded for . lastly , the bringing up any reproach upon strict and christian living , as those do who have the ways of god in derision ; this is a means to affright men from the practice of duty , when they see it will bring them to be scorned and despised , this is worse then all the former , not only in respect of the man who is guilty of it ( as it is an evidence of the great profaneness of his own heart ) but also in regard of others ; it having a more general ill effect then any of the former can have , it being the betraying men not only to some single acts of disobedience to christ , but even to the casting off all subjection to him : by all these means we may draw on our selves this great guilt of injuring and wounding the souls of our brethren . . it would be too long for me to instance in all the several sins , in which it is usual for men to ensnare others , as drunkenness , uncleanness , rebellion , and a multitude more . but it will concern every man for his own particular , to consider sadly what mischiefs of this kind he hath done to any , by all , or any of these means , and to weigh well the greatness of the injury : men are apt to boast of their innocency towards their neighbours , that they have done wrong to no man , but god knows many that thus brag , are of all others the most injurious persons : perhaps they have not maimed his body , nor stolen his goods ; but alas ! the body is but the case and cover of the man , and the goods some appurtenances to that , 't is the soul is the man , and that they can wound and pierce without all remorse , and yet with the adulteress , prov. . . say , they have done no wickedness ; but glory of their friendly behaviour to those whom they thus betray to eternal ruine , for whomsoever thou hast drawn to any sin , thou hast done thy part to ascertain to those endless flames . and then think with thy self how base a treachery this is , thou wouldst call him a treacherous villain , that should while he pretends to embrace a man , secretly stab him ; but this of thine is as far beyond that , as the soul is of more value then the body , and hell worse then death . and remember yet farther , that besides the cruelty of it to thy poor brother , it is also most dangerous to thy self , it being that against which christ hath pronounced a woe , mat. . . & ver . . he tells us that whoever shall offend ( that is , draw into sin ) any of those little ones , it were bettter for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck , and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. thou maist plunge thy poor brother into perdition , but as it is with wrestlers , he that gives another a fall , commonly falls with him , so thou art like to bear him company to that place of torment . . let therefore thy own and his danger beget in thee a sense of the greatness of this 〈◊〉 , this horrid peece of injustice to the precious soul of thy neighbour . bethink thy self seriously to whom thou past bin thus cruel , whom thou hast enticed to drinking , advised to rebellion , alured to lust , stirred up to rage whom thou hast assisted or encouraged in any ill course , or discouraged , and disheartned by thy profane scoffings at piety in general , or at any conscionable strict walking of his in particular ; and then draw up a bill of indictmtnt , accuse and condemn thy self , as a cain , a murderer of thy brother , heartily and deeply bewail all thy guilts of this kind , and resolve never once more to be a stumbling block , as st. paul calls it , rom. . in thy brothers way . . but this is not all , there must be some fruits of this repentance brought forth ; now in all sins of injustice , restitution is a necessary fruit of repentance , and so it is here thou hast committed an act ( perhaps many ) of high injustice to the soul of thy brother , thou hast robbed it of its innocency , of its title to heaven , thou must now endeavour to restore all this to it again , by being more earnest and industrious to win him to repentance , then ever thou wert to draw him to sin , use now as much art to convince him of the danger , as ever thou didst to flatter him with the pleasures of his vice ; in a word , countermine thy self by using all those methods , and means to recover him , that thou didst to destroy him , and be more diligent and zealous in it , for 't is necessary thou shouldst both in regard of h●m and thy self : first , in respect of him , because there is in mans nature so much a greater promptness and readiness to evil , then to good , that there will need much more pains and diligence to instil the one into him , then the other : besides , the man it supposed to be already accustomed to the contrary , which will add much to the difficulty of the work , then in respect of thy self ; if thou be a true penitent , thou wilt think thy self obliged , as st. paul did , to labour more abundantly , and wilt be ashamed , that when thou art trading for god , bringing back a soul to him , thou shouldst not pursue it with more earnestness , then while thou wert an agent of satans ; besides the remembrance , that thou wert a means of bringing this poor soul into this snare , must necessarily quicken thy diligence to get him out of it : so much for the first part of negative justice , in respect of the souls of our brethren . . the second concerns the bodies , and to those also this justice binds thee to do no wrong nor violence . now of wrongs to the body there may be several degrees , the highest of them is killing , taking away the life , this is forbid in the very letter of the sixth commandment . thou shalt do no murder . . murder may be committed either by open violence , when a man either by sword , or any other instrument takes away anothers life , immediately , and directly , or it may be done secretly and tracherously , as david murdered vriah , not with his own sword , but with the sword of the children of ammon , sam. . . and jezabel n●both by a false accusation , kin . . and so divers have committed this sin of murder by poison , false witness , or some such concealed ways . the former is commonly the effect of a sudden rage , the latter hath several originals , sometimes it proceeds from some old malice fixt in the heart towards the person , sometimes from some covetous or ambitious desires ; such a one stands in a mans way to his profit or preferment , and therefore he must be removed ; and somtimes again it is to cover shame , as in the case of strumpets , that murder their infants , that they may not betray their filthiness . but besides these more direct ways of killing , there is another , and that is , when by our perswasions and enticements , we draw a man to do that which tends to the shortning of his life , and is apparent to do so ; he that makes his neighbour drunk , if by that drunkenness the ma●●●ome by any mortal hurt , which he would have escaped if he had been sober , he that made him drunk , is not clear of his death , or if he die not by any such sudden accident , yet if drinking cast him into a disease , and that disease kill him , i know not how he that drew him to that excess , can acquit himself of his murder in the eys of god , though humane laws touch him not . i wish those who make it their business , to draw in customers to that trade of debauchery , would consider it : there is yet another way of bringing this guilt upon our selves , and that is by inciting , and stirring up others to it , or to that degree of anger , and revenge which produces it : as that sets two persons at variance , or seeing them already so , blowes the coales , if murder ensue , he certainly hath his share in the guilt , which is a consideration that ought to affright all from having any thing to do in the kindling , or encreasing of contention . . now for the hainousness of this sin of murder , i suppose none can be ignorant , that it is of the deepest dye , a most loud crying sin ; this we may see in the first act of this kind , that ever was committed , abels blood cryed from the earth , as god tels cain , gen. . . yea , the guilt of this sin is such , that it leaves a stain even upon the land , where it is committed , such as is not to be washt out , but by the blood of the murderer , as appears , deut. . , . the land cannot be purged of blood , but by the blood ●f him that shed it , and therefore though in other cases the flying to the altar secured a man , yet in this of wilful murder no such refuge was allowed , but such a one was to be taken even thence , and delivered up to justice , exod. . . thou shalt take him from my altar , that he may dye . and it is yet farther observable , that the onely two precepts which the scripture mentions , as given to noah after the floud , were both in relation to this sin , that of not eating blood , gen. . . being a ceremony to beget in men a greater horror of this sin of murder , and so intended for the preventing of it . the other was for the punishment of it , gen. . . he that sheddeth mans blood , by man shall his blood be shed , and the reason of this strickness is added in the next words , for in the image of god made be man ; where you see that this sin is not onely an injury to our brother , but even the highest contempt , and despight towards god himself , for it is the defacing of his image , which he hath stamped upon man. nay yet further , it is the usurping of gods proper right , and authority . for it is god alone , that hath right to dispose of the life of man ; 't was he alone that gave it , and it is he alone that hath power to take it away , but he that murders a man , does , as it were , wrest this power out of gods hand , which is the highest pitch of rebellious presumption . . and as the sin is great , so likewise is the punishment ; we see it frequently very great , and remarkable , even in this world , ( besides those most fearful effects of it in the next ) blood not onely cryes , but it cryes for vengeance , and the great god of recompences , as he stiles himself , will not fail to hear it : very many examples the scripture gives us of this : ahab and jezabeel , that murdered innocent naboth , for greediness of his vineyard , were themselves slain , and the dogs licked their blood in the place , where they had shed his , as you may read in that story ; so absalom , that slew his brother amnon , after he had committed that sin , fell into another , that of rebellion against his king and father , and in it miserably perished . rechab , and baanah , that slew ishbosheth , were themselves put to death , and that by the very person they thought to endear by it ; many more instances might be given of this out of the sacred story , and many also out of humane , there having been no age , but hath yielded multitudes of example● of this kind , so that every man may furnish himself out of the observations of his own time . . and it is worth our notice , what strange and even miraculous means it hath often pleased god to use for the discovery of this sin ; the very bruit creatures have often been made instruments of it , nay , often the extreme horrour of a mans own conscience has made him betray himself , so that it is not any closeness a man uses in the acting of this sin , that can secure him from the vengeance of it , for he can never shut out his own consc●ence , that will in spite of him be privy to the fact , and that very often proves the means of discovering it to the world , or if it should not do that , yet it will sure act revenge on him , it will be such a hell within him , as will be worse then death : this we have seen in many , who after the commission of this sin have never been able to enjoy a minutes rest , but have had that intolerable anguish of mind , that they have chosen to be their own murderers , rather then live in it . these are the usual effects of this sin even in this world , but those in another are yet more dreadful , where surely the highest degrees of torment belong to this high pitch of wickedness , for if as our saviour tels us , mat. . . hell fire be the portion of him that shall but call his brother fool , what degree● of those burnings can we think proportionable , to this so much greater an injury ? . the consideration of all this ought to possess us with the greatest horrour , and abomination of this sin , and to make us extremely watchful of our selves , that we never fall into it , and to that end to prevent all those occasions which may insensibly draw us into this pit . i mentioned at first severall things , which are wont to be originals of it , and at those we must begin , if we will surely guard our selves . if therefore thou wilt be sure never to kill a man in thy rage , be sure never to be in that rage , for if thou permittest thy self to that , thou canst have no security against the other , anger being a madness that suffers us not to consider , or know what we do , when it has once possest us . therefore when thou findest thy self begin to be inflamed , think betimes , whether this may lead thee , if thou lettest loose to it , and immediately put the bridle upon this head-strong passion ; so again , if thou wilt be sure thy malice shall not draw thee to it , be sure never to harbour one malicious thought in thy heart , for if it once settle there , it will gather such strength , that within a while thou wilt be perfectly under the power of it , so that it may lead thee even to this horrible sin at its pleasure ; be therefore careful at the very first approach of this treacherous gift , to shut the doors against it , never to let it enter thy mind ; so also if thou wilt be sure thy covetousness , thy ambition , thy lust , or any other sinful desire shall not betray thee to it , be sure thou never permit any of them to bear any sway with thee , for if they get the dominion , as they will soon do , if they be once entertained in the heart , they will be past thy controul , and hurry thee to this or any other sin , that may serve their ends . in like manner if thou wouldst not be guilty of any of the mortal effects of thy neighbours drunkenness , be sure not to entice him to it , nor accompany him at it , and to that purpose do not allow thy self in the same practice , for if thou do , thou wilt be labouring to get company at it . lastly , if thou wilt not be guilty of the murder committed by another , take heed thou never give any incouragement to it , or contribute any thing to that hatred , or contention , that may be the cause of it . for when thou hast either kindled or blowed the fire , what knowest thou whom it may consume ; bring alwayes as much water , as thou canst , to quench , but never bring one drop of oil , to increase the flame . the like may be said of all other occasions of this sin , not here mentioned ; and this careful preserving our selves from these , is the only sure way to keep us , from this sin ; therefore as ever thou wouldst keep thy self innocent from the great offence , guard thee warily from all such inlets , those steps and approaches towards it . . but although murder be the greatest , yet it is not the onely injury that may be done to the body of our neighbour ; there are others which are also of a very high nature , the next in degree to this is maiming him , depriving him of any member , or at least of the use of it , and this is a very great wrong and mischief to him , as we may discern by the judgment of god himself , in the case of the bond-servant , who should by his masters means loose a member , ex. . . the freedom of his whole life was thought but a reasonable recompence for it , he shall let him go free , saith the text , for his eye ; nay , though it were a less considerable part , if it were but a tooth , which of all other may be lost with the least damage , yet the same amends was to be made him , ver . . . but we need no other way of measuring this injury , then the judgement of every man in his own case ; how much does every man dread the loss of a limbe , so that if he be by any accident or disease , in danger of it , he thinks no pains or cost too much to preserve it . and then how great an injustice , how contrary to that great rule of doing as we would be done to , is it , for a man to do that to another , which he so unwillingly suffers himself . but if the person be poor , one that must labour for his living , the injury is yet greater , it is such as may in effect amount to the former sin of murder , for as the wise man sayes , ecclesiasticus . . the poor mans bread is his life , and he that deprives them thereof is a blood-shedder . and therefore he that deprives him of the means of getting his bread by disabling him from labour , is surely no less guilty . in the law it was permitted that to every man that had sustained such a damage by his neighbour to require the majestrate to inflict the like on him , eye for eye , tooth for tooth , as it is exod. . . . and though unprofitable revenge be not now allowed to us christians , yet sure it is the part of every one , who hath done this injury , to make what satisfaction lyes in his power , 't is true he cannot restore a limbe again ( which by the way should make men wary , how they do those mischiefs , which it is so impossible for them to repair ) but yet he may satisfie for some of the ill effects of that losse ; if that have brought the man to want and penury , he may , nay , he must , if he have but the least ability , relieve and support him , yea , though it be by his own extraordinary labour : for if it be a duty of us all to be eyes to the blind , and feet to the lame , as job speaks , much more must we be so to them , whom our selves have made blind and la●e . therefore who ever has done this injury to any of his poor brethren , let him know , he is bound to do all that is possible towards the repairing of it , if he do not , every new suffering that the poor mans wants bring upon him , becomes a new charge and accusation against him , at the tribunal of the just iudge . . there are yet other degrees of injury to the body of our neighbour , i shall mention onely two more , wounds , and stripes ; a man may wound another , which though it finally cause loss neither of life nor limb , is yet an endangering of both ; and the like may be said of stripes ; both of which however are very painful at the present , nay , perhaps very long after , and pain , of all temporal evils , is to be accounted the greatest , for it is not onely an evil in it self , but it is such a one , that permits us not , whilest we are under it , to enjoy any other good ; a man in pain having no taste of any the greatest delights : if any man despise these , as light injuries , let him again ask himself , how he would like it , to have his own body slasht or bruised , and put to pass under those painful means of cure , which are many times necessary in such cases ? i presume there is no man would willingly undergo this from another , and why then should thou offer it to him ? . the truth is , this strange cruelty to others is the effect of a great pride , and haughtiness of heart , we look upon others with such contempt , that we think it no matter how they are used ; we think they must bear blowes from us , when in the mean time we are so tender of our selves , that we cannot hear the least word of disparagement , but we are all on a flame . the provocations to these injuries are commonly so slight , that did not this inward pride dispose us to such an angriness of humour , that we take fire of every thing , it were impossible we should be moved by them . nay some are advanced to such a wantonness of cruelty , that without any provocation at all in coole blood , as they say , they can thus wrong their poor brethren , and make it part of their pastime , and recreation to cause pain to others . thus some tyrannous humours take such a pleasure in tormenting those under their power , that they are glad , when they can but find a pretence to punish them , and then do it without all moderation , and others will set men together by the ears , only that they may have the sport of seeing the scuffle , like the old romans , that made it one of their publick sports to see men kill one ano●her , and sure we have as little christianity as they , if we can take delight in such spectacles . . this savageness and cruelty of mind is so unbecoming the nature of a man , that he is not a lowed to use it even to his beast ; how intollerable is it then towards those , that are of the same nature , and which is more , are heires of the same eternal hopes with us ? they that shall thus transgre●s against their neighbours in any of the foregoing particulars , or what ever else is hurtfnl to the body , are unjust persons , want even this lowest sort of justice , the negative , to their neighbours , in respect of their bodies . . neither can any man excuse himself by saying what he has done was onely in return of some injury offered him by the other , for suppose it be so , that he have indeed received some considerable wrong , yet cannot he be his own revenger without injury to that man , who is not , by being thine enemy , become thy vassal , or slave , to do with what thou list ; thou hast never the more right of dominion over him , because he hath done thee wrong , and therefore if thou hadst no power over his body before , 't is certain thou hast none now , and therefore thou art not onely uncharitable ( which yet were sin enough to damn thee ) but unjust in every act of violence thou doest to him . nay , this injustice ascends higher , even to god himself , who hath reserved vengeance as his own peculiar right , vengeance is mine , i will repay , saith the lord , rom. . and then he that will act revenge for himself , what does he , but incroach upon this special right and prerogative of god , snatch the sword , as it were out of his hand , as if he knew better how to weild it ? which is at once a robbery , and contempt of the divine majesty . partition xi . of justice , about the possessions of our neighbour , against ●njuring him as concerning his wife , his goods . of malice , covetousness , oppression , theft , of paying of debts , &c. § . . the third part of negative justice concerns the possessions of our neighbours ; what i mean by possessions , i cannot better explain , then by referring you to the tenth commandment , the end of which is to bridle all covetous appetites and desires towards the possessions of our neighbour . there we find reckoned up not only his house , servants , and cattel , which may all pass under the one general name of his goods or riches , but particularly his wife , as a principal part of his possessions , and therefore when we consider this duty of negative justice , in respect of the possessions of our neighbour , we must apply i● to both , his wife , as well as his goods . . the especial and peculiar right , that every man hath in his wife , is so well known that it were vain to say any thing in proof of it ; the great impatience that every husband hath to have this right of his invaded , shews that it is sufficiently understood in the world , and therefore none that does this injury to another , can be ignorant of the greatness of it . the corrupting of a mans wife , enticing her to a strange bed , is by all acknowledged to be the worst sort of theft , infinitely beyond that of the goods . . indeed there is in this one a heap of the greatest injustices together ; some towards the woman , and some towards the man : towards the woman , there are the greatest imaginable ; it is that injustice to her soul , which was before mentioned as the highest of all others , 't is the robbing her of her innocency , and setting her in a course of the horredst wickedness ( no less then lust and perjury together ) from which it is probable she may never return , and then it proves the damning of her eternally . next it is in respect of this world , the robbing her of her credit , making her abhorred and despised , and her very name a reproach among all men ; and besides it● is the depriving her of all that happiness of life , which arises from the mutual kindness and affection that is between man and wife , in stead whereof this brings in a loathing , and abhorring of each other ; from whence flow multitudes of mischiefs , too many to rehearse , in all which man hath his share also . . but besides those , there are to him many , and high injustice ; for it is first the robbing him of that , which of all other things he accounts most precious , the love and faithfulness of his wife , and that also wherein he hath such an incommunicable right , that himself cannot , if he would , make it over to any other ; and therefore sure it cannot without the utmost in justice be torn from him by any : nor is this all , but it is farther the ingulfing him ( if ever he come to discern it ) in that most tormenting passion of jealousie , which is of all others the most painful , and which oft puts men upon the most desperate attempts , it being as soloman says , prov. . . the rage of a man. it is yet farther , the bringing upon him all that scorn , and contempt , which by the unjust measures of the world falls on them , which are so abused , and which is by many esteemed the most unsufferable part of the wrong ; and though it be true that it is very unjust , he should fall under reproach , only because he is injured , yet unless the world could be new moulded , it will certainly be his lot , and therefore it adds much to the injury : again , this may indeed be a robbery in the usual sense of the word , for perhaps it may be the thrusting in the child of the adulterer into his family , to share both in the maintenance and portions of his own children ; and this is an arrand theft ; first , in respect of the man , who surely intends not the providing for another mans child ; and then in respect of the children , who are by that means defrauded by so much as that goes away with . and therefore whoever hath this circumstance of the sin to repent of , cannot do it effectually , without restoring to the family , as much as he hath by this means rob'd it of . . all this put together will sure make this the greatest and most provoking injury that can be done to a man , and ( which heightens it yet more ) it is that , for which a man can never make reparations ; for unless it be in the circumstance before mentioned , there is no part of this sin , wherein that can be done ; to this purpose it is observable in the jewish law , that the thief was appointed to restore fourfold , and that freed him ; but the adulterer having no possibility of making any restitution , any satisfaction , he must pay his life for his offence . lev. . . and though now a days adulterers speed better , live many days to renew their guilt , and perhaps to laugh at those , whom they have thus injured , yet let them be assured , there must one day be a sad reckoning , and that whether they repent or not : if by gods grace they do come to repentance , they will then find this to be no cheap sin , many anguishes of soul , terrors , and perplexities of conscience , groanes , and tears it must cost them , and indeed were a mans whole life spent in these penitential exercises , 't were little enough to wipe off the guilt of any one single act of this kind ; what overwhelming sorrows then are requisite for such a trade of this sin , as too many drive ? certainly it is so great a task , that it is highly necessary for all that are so concerned , to set to it immediately , lest they want time to go through with it ; for let no man flatter himself , that the guilt of a course and habit of such a sin can be washt away with a single act of repentance ; no he must proportion the repentance to the fault , and as one hath been a habit and course , so must the other also . and then how strange a madness is it for men to run into this sin ( and that with such painful pursuits , as many do ) which he knows must at the best hand , that is , supposing he do repent of it , cost him thus dear ; but then , if he do not repent , infinitely dearer ; it looses him all his title to heaven , that place of purity , and gives him his portion in the lake of fire , where the burnings of his lust shall end in those everlasting burnings : for how closely soever he have acted this sin , be it so that he may have said with the adulterer in job . . no eye seeth me , yet 't is sure he could not in the greatest obscurity shelter himself from gods sight , with whom the darkness is no darkness , psal. . . and he it is , who hath expresly th●eatned to judg this sort of offender , heb. . adulterers god will judg . god grant that all that live in this foul guilt may so seasonably , and so throughly judg themselves , that they may prevent that severe and dreadful judgment of his . . the second thing , to which this negative justice to our neighbours possessions reacheth , is his goods , under which general word is contained all those several sorts of things , as house , land , cattel , money , and the like , in which he hath a right and proporty ; these we are by the rule of this justice to suffer him to enjoy , without seeking either to work him damage in any of them , or to get any of them to our selves : i make a difference between these two , because there may be two several grounds , or motives of this injustice ; the one malice , the other covetousness . . the malicious man desires to work his neighbour mischief , though he get nothing by it himself ; 't is frequently seen , that men will make havock , and spoile of the goods of one , to whom they bear a grudg , though they never designe to get any thing to themselves by it , but only the pleasure of doing a spight to the other : this is a most hellish humour , directly answerable to that of the divel , who bestows all his pains and industry , not to bring in any good to himself but only to ruine and undoe others : and how contrary it is to all rules of justice , you may see by the precept given by god to the jews concerning the goods of an enemy , where they were so far from being allowed a liberty of spoile and destruction , that they are expresly bound to prevent it , exod. . . if thou meet thine enemies oxe , or his asse going a stray , thou shalt surely bring it back to him again : if thou see the asse of him that hateth thee lying under his burden , and wouldst forbear to help him , thou shalt surely help with him : where you see it is a debt we owe to our very enemies , to prevent that loss and damage , which by any accident he is in danger of : and that even with some labour , and pains to our selves . how horrible an injustice is it then , purposely to bring that loss , and damage on him ? whoever is guilty of this let him never excuse himself by saying , he hath not inricht himself by the spoil of his neighbour , that he hath nothing of it cleave● to his finger ; for sure this malicious injustice is no less a fault then the covetous one ; nay i suppose in respect of the principle & cause , from which it flowes , it may be greater , this hatred of another being worse then the immoderate love of our selves ; whoever hath thus mischieft his neighbour , he is as much bound to repair the injury , to make satisfaction for the loss , as if he had inriched himself by it . but on the other side , let not the covetous defrauder therefore judg his sin light because there is another , that in some one respect out-weighs it , for perhaps in others his may cast the scales ; certainly it does in this one , that he that is unjust for greediness of gain is like to multiply more acts of this sin , then he that is so out of malice ; for t is impossible any man should have so many objects of his malice , as he may have of his covetousness ; there is no man at so general a defiance with all mankind that he hates every body ; but the covetous man hath as many objects of his vice , as there be things in the world he counts valuable : but i shall not longer stand about this comparison , 't is sure they are both great and crying sins , and that is ground enough of abhorring each ; let us descend now to the several branches of this sort of covetous injustice ; 't is true they may all bear the name of robbery , or theft for in effect they are all so , yet for methods sake it will not be amiss to distinguish them into these three oppression , theft , and deceit . . by oppression i mean that open and bare-faced robbery , of seizing upon the possessions of others , and owning , and avowing the doing so . for the doing of this there are several instruments : as first that of power , by which many nations and princes have been turned out of their rights , and many private men out of their estates ; sometimes again . law is made the instrument of it ; he that covets his neighbours lands or goods , pretends a claim to them , and then by corrupting of justice by bribes and gifts , or else over-ruling it by greatness and authority gets judgment on his side : this is a high oppression , and of the worst sort , thus to make the law , which was intended for the protection , and defence of mens rights , to be the means of overthrowing them ; and it is a very heavy guilt , that lyes both on him that procures , and on him that pronounces such a sentence , yea and on the lawyer too , that pleads such a cause , for by so doing he assists in the oppression ; sometimes again , the very necessities of the oppressed are the means of his oppression ; thus it is in the case of extortion , and griping usury ; a man is in extreme want of money , and this gives opportunity to the extortioner two rest unconscionably from him , to which the poor man is forced to yeild , to supply his present wants . and thus also it is often with exacting landlords , who when their poor tenants know not how to provide themselves elsewhere , rack and skrew them beyond the worth of the thing . all these and many the like are but several wayes of acting this one sin of oppression which becomes yet the more hainous , by how much the more helpless the person is , that is thus oppressed , therefore the oppression of the widow , and fatherless , is in scripture mentioned , as the height of this sin . . it is indeed a most crying guilt , and that against which god hath threatned his heavy vengeance , as we read in divers texts of sriptures : thus it is , ezek. . . he that hath oppressed the poor , and hath spoiled by violence , he shall surely die , his blood shall be upon him : and the same sentence is repeated against him . ver . . indeed god hath so peculiarly taken upon him the protection of the poor , & oppressed , that he is engaged as it were in honour to be their avenger , and accordingly , psal . we see god solemnly declare his resolution of appearing for them , ver . . for the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy , now will i arise , saith the lord , i will set him in safety from him ; the advice therefore of solomon is excellent , prov. . . rob not the poor , because he is poor , neither oppresse the afflicted in the g●te , for the lord will plead their cause , and will spoil the soul of those that spoiled them ; they are like in the end to have little joy of the booty it brings them in , when it thus engages god against them . . the second sort of this injustice is theft , and of that also there are two kinds , the one the withholding what we should pay , and the other taking from our neighbour what is already in his possession . . of the first sort is the not paying of debts , whether such as we have borrowed , or such as by our own voluntary promise are become our debts , for there are equally due to him , that can lay either of these claims to them ; and therefore the withholding of either of them is a theft , a keeping from my neighbour that which is his ; yet the former of them is rather the more injurious , for by that i take from him that which he once actually had ( be it money , or whatsoever else ) and so make him worse then i found him : this is a very great , and very common injustice ; men can now a days with as great confidence deny him that asks a debt , as they do him , that asks an alms , nay many times 't is made matter of quarrel for a man to demand his own , besides the many attendances the creditor is put to in pursuit of it , are a yet farther injury to him , by wasting his time , and taking him off from other business , and so he is made a looser that way too . this is so great injustice , that i see not how a man can look upon any thing he possesses as his own right , whilst he thus denyes another his . it is the duty of every man in debt , rather to strip himself of all , & cast himself again naked upon gods providence , then thus to feather his nest with the spoiles of his neighbours . and surely it would prove the more thriving course , not only in respect of the blessing , which may be expected upon justice , compared with the curse , that attends the contrary , but even in worldly prudence also ; for he that defers paying of debts , will at last be forst to it by law , and that upon much worse terms , then he might have done it voluntarily , with a greater charge , & with such a loss of his credit , that afterwards in his greatest necessities he will not know where to borrow . but the sure way for a man to secure himself from the guilt of this unjustice , is never to borrow more then he knows he hath means to repay , unless it be one , who knowing his disability , is willing to run the hazard . otherwise he commits this sin at the very time of borrowing for he takes that from his neighbour upon promise of paying , which he knows he is never likely to restore to him , which is a flat robbery . the same justice which tyes men to pay their own debts tyes also every surety to pay those debts of others , for which he stands bound , i● case the principal either cannot or will not : for by being bound , he hath made it his own debt , and must in all justice answer it to the creditor , who , it s presumed was drawn to lend , on confidence of his security , and therefore is directly cheated and betrayed by him , if he see him not satisfied . if it be thought hard , that a man should pay for that , which he never received benefit by , i shall yeild it , so far as to be just matter of wariness to every man how he enter into such engagements , but it can never be made an excuse for the breaking them . as for the other sort of debt , that which is brought upon a man by his own voluntary promise , that also cannot without great injustice be withholden ; for it is now the mans right , and then 't is no matter , by what means it came to be so . therefore we see david makes it part of the description of a just man , psal. . . that he keeps his promise , yea , though they were made to his own disadvantage ; and surely he is utterly unfit to ascend to that holy hill , there spoken of , either as that signifies the church here , or heaven hereafter , that does not punctually observe this part of justice . to this sort of debt may be reduced the wages of the servant , the hire of the labourer , and the withholding of these is a great sin , and the complaints of those that are thus injured , ascend up to god. behold ( saith st. james ) the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields , which is of you kept back by fraud , c●yeth , and the cryes of them that have reaped , are entred into the ears of the lord of sabbaths : and deut. . , . we find a strict command in this matter . thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy , at his day thou shalt give him his hire , neither shall the sun go down upon it , for he is poor , and setteth his heart upon it , lest he cry against thee to the lord , and it be sin unto thee . this is one of those loud clamourous sins , which will not cease crying , till it bring down gods vengeance , and therefore though thou have no justice to thy poor brother , yet have at least so much mercy to thy self , as not to pull down judgemenns on thee by thus wronging him . partition xii . of theft ; stealing the goods of our neighbour . of deceit in trust , in traffick . of restitution , &c. § . . the second part of theft is the taking from our neighbour that which is already in his possession ; and this may be done either more violently , and openly , or else more closely , and slyly ; the first is the manner of those that rob on the way , or plunder houses , where by force they take the goods of their neighbour ; the other is the way of the pilfering thief , that takes away a mans goods unknown to him ; i shall not dispute , which of these is the worst , 't is enough that they are both such acts of injustice , as make men odious to god , unfit for humane society , and betray the actors to the greatest mischiefs even in this world , death it self being by law appointed the reward of it ; and there are few that follow this trade long , but at last meet with that fruit of it . i am sure 't is madness for any to believe he shall alwayes steal securely , for he is to contend with the industry of all those , whom he shall thus injure , whose losses will quicken their wits for the finding him out , and which is infinitely more , he is to struggle with the justice of god , which doth usually pursue such men to destruction , even in this world ; witness the many strange discoveries , that have been made of the craftiest theeves . but however , if he were secure from the vengeance here , i am sure nothing but repentance and reformation can secure him from the vengeance of it hereafter . and now when these dangers are weighed , 't will surely appear , that the thief makes a pitiful bargain , he steals his neighbours money , or cattel , and in exchange for it he must pay his life , or his soul , perhaps both , and if the whole world be too mean a price for a soul , as he tels us , mar. . . who best knew the value of them , having himself bought them , what a strange madness is it , to barter them away for every petty trifle ▪ as many do , who have got such a habit of stealing , that not the meanest worthless thing can escape their fingers ? under this head of theft may be ranked the receivers of stoln goods , whether those that take them , as partners in the theft , or those that buy them , when they know or believe they are stoln . this many ( that pretend much to abhor theft , ) are guilty of , when they can by it , buy the thing a little cheaper then the common rate . and here also comes in the concealing of any goods a man finds of his neighbours , which whosoever restores not , if he know , or can learn out the owner , is no better then a thief , for he withholds from his neighbour that which properly belongs to him : and sure 't will not be uncharitable to say , that he that will do this , would likewise commit the grosser theft , were he by that no more in danger of law then in this he is . the third part of injustice is deceit , and in that there may be as many acts as there are occasions of entercourse and dealing between man and man. . it will be impossible to name them all , but i think they will be contained under these two general deceits in matters of trust , and in matters of traffick , or bargaining ; unless it be that of gaming , which therefore here by the way , i must tell you , is as much a fraud and deceit as any of the rest . . he that deceives a man in any trust , that is committed to him , is guilty of a great injustice , and that the most treacherous sort of one , it is the joyning of two great sins in one , defrauding , and promise-breaking ; for in all trusts there is a promise implyed , if not exprest , for the very accepting of the trust contains under it a promise of fidelity ; these trusts are broken sometimes to the living , sometimes to the dead ; to the living there are many wayes of doing it , according to the several kinds of the trust ; sometimes a trust is more general , like that of potiphar to joseph , gen. . . a man commits to another all that he hath , and thus guardians of children , and sometimes stewards are intrusted ; sometimes again it is more limited , and restrained to some one special thing : a man intrusts another to bargain , or deal for him in such a particular , or he puts some one thing into his hands , to manage , and dispose : thus among servants it is usual for one to be intrusted with one part of the masters goods , and another with another part of them . now in all these , and the like cases , whosoever acts not for him that intrusts him , with the same faithfulness , that he would for himself but shall either carelesly loose , or prodigally imbezel the things committed to him , or else convert them to his own use , he is guilty of this great sin of betraying a trust to the living . in like manner he that being intrusted with the execution of a dead mans testament , acts not according to the known intention of the dead man , but enriches himself by what is assigned to others , he is guilty of this sin , in respect of the dead ; which is so much the greater , by how much the dead hath no means of remedy , and redress , as the living may have . it is a kind of robbing of graves , which is a theft of which men naturally have such a horrour , that he must be a very hardned thief , that can attempt it . but either of these frauds are made yet more hainous , when either god , or the poor are immediately concerned in it ; that is , when any thing is committed to a man , for the uses either of piety , or charity : this adds sacriledge to both the fraud , and the treachery , and so gives him title to all those curses , that attend those several sins , which are so heavy , that he that for the present gain will adventure on them , makes as ill , nay , a much worse bargain , then geh●zi , kings . . who by getting the rayment of naam in got his leprosie too . . the second sort of fraud is in matters of traffick and bargain , wherein there may be deceit both in the seller , and buyer ; that of the seller is commonly either in concealing the faults of the commodity , or else in over-rateing it . . the wayes of concealing its faults are ordinarily these , either first by denying that it hath any such fault , nay , perhaps commending it for the direct contrary quality , a●d this is down-right lying , and so adds that sin to the other , and if that lye be confirmed by an oath , as it is too usually , then the yet greater guilt of perjury comes in also ; and then what a heap of sins is here gathered together ? abundantly enough to sink any poor soul to destruction , and all this onely to skrew a little more money out of his neighbours pocket , and that sometimes so very little , that 't is a miracle that any man that thinks he has a soul , can set it at so miserable a contemptible price . a second means of concealing is by using some art to the thing , to make it look fair , and to hide the faults of it , and this is acting a lye , though it be not speaking one , which amounts to the same thing , and has surely in this case as much of the intention of cheating , and defrauding as the most impudent forswearing can have . a third means , is the picking out ignorant chapmen ; this is , i believe , an art too well known among tradesmen , who will not bring out their faulty wares to men of skill , but keep them to put off to such , whose unskilfulness may make them passable with them ; and this is still the same deceit with the former , for it all tends to the same end , the cozening and defrauding of the chapman , and then it is not much odds , whether i make use of my own art , or his weakness for the purpose . this is certain , he that will do justly , must let his chapman know what he buyes , and if his own skill enable him not to judge ( nay , if he do not actually find out the fault ) thou art bound to tell it him , otherwise thou makest him pay for somewhat , which is not there , he presum●ng there is that good quality in it , which thou knowest is not , & therefore thou mayest as honestly take his money for some goods of another mans , which thou knowest thou canst never put into his possession , which i suppose no man will deny to be an arrant cheat . to this head of concealment may be referred , that deceit of false weights and measures , for that is the concealing from the buyer a defect in the quantity , as the other was in the quality of the commodity , and is again the making him pay for what he hath not . this sort of fraud is pointed at particularly by solomon , prov. . . with this note upon it , that it is an abomination to the lord. . the second part of fraud in the seller , lyes in over-rating the commodity ; though he have not disguised , or concealed the faults of it , and so have dealt fairly in that respect , yet if he set an unreasonable price upon it , he defrauds the buyer : i call that an unreasonable price , which exceeds the true worth of the thing , considered with those moderate gains , which all tradesmen are presumed to be allowed in the sale ; whatever is beyond this must in all likelyhood be fetcht in by some of these wayes : as first , by taking advantage of the buyers ignorance in the value of the thing , which is the same with doing it in the goodness , which hath already been shewed to be a deceit : or secondly , by taking advantage of his necessity ; thou findest a man hath present and urgent need of such a thing , and therefore takest this opportunity to set the dice upon him , but this is that very sin of extortion , and oppression spoken of before ; for it is sure , nothing can justly raise the price of any thing , but either its becoming dearer to thee , or its being some way better in its self , but the necessity of thy brother causes neither of these ; his nakedness doth not make the clothes thou f●llest him stand thee in ever the more , neither doth it make them any way better , and therefore to rate them ever the higher , is to change thy way of trading , and sell even the wants and necessities of thy neighbour , which sure is a very unlawful vocation . or thirdly , it may be by taking advantage of the indiscretion of the chapman ; a man perhaps earnestly fancies such a thing , and then suffers that fancy so to over-rule his reason , that he resolves to have it upon any termes ; if thou findest this in him , and thereupon raisest thy rate , this is to make him buy his folly , which is of all others the dearest purchase , 't is sure his fancy adds nothing to the reall value , no more then his necessity did in the former case , and therefore should not add to the price . he therefore that will deal justly in the business of selling , must not catch at all advantages , which the temper of his chapman may give , but consider soberly , what the things is worth , and what he would afford it for to another , of whom he had no such advantage , and accordingly rate it to him at no higher a price . . on the buyers part there are not ordinarily so many opportunities of fraud , yet it is possible a man may sometimes happen to sell somewhat , the worth whereof he is not acquainted with , and then it will be as unjust for the buyer to make gain by his ignorance , as in the other case it was for the seller ; but that which oftner fals out , is the case of necessity , which may as probably fall on the sellers side , as the buyers ; a mans wants compell him to sell , and permit him not to stay to make the best bargain , but forces him to take the first offer ; and here for the buyer to grate upon him , because he sees him in that strait , is the same fault , which i before shewed it to be in the seller . . in this whole business of traffick there are so many opportunities of deceit that a man had need fence himself with a very firm resolution , nay , love of justice , or he will be in danger to fall under temptation , for as the wise man speaks eccles. . . as a nail sticks fast between the joinings of the stones , so doth sin stick close between buying and selling ; it is so interwoven with all trades , so mixt with the very first principles , and grounds of them , that it is taught together with them , and so becomes part of the art , so that he is now a dayes scarce thought fit to manage a trade , that wants it , while he that has most of this black art of defrauding , applauds and huggs himself , nay , perhaps boasts to others , how he hath over-reacht his neighbour . what an intolerable shame is this , that we christians , who are by the precepts of our master set to those higher duties of charity , should in stead of practising them , quite unlearn those common rules of justice , which meer nature teaches ? for , i think , i may say , there are none of those several branches of injustice towards the possessions of our neighbour , which would not be adjudged to be so by any sober heathen , so that , as saint paul tels those of the circumcision , that the name of god was blasphemed among the gentiles , by that unagreeableness that was betwixt their practice , and their law , rom. . . so may it now be said of us , that the name of christ is blasphemed among the turks and heathens , by the vile and scandalous lives of us , who call our selves christians , and particularly in this sin of injustice ; for shame let us at last endeavour to wipe off this reproach from our profession , by leaving these practices , to which me thinks this one single consideration should be enough to perswade us . . yet besides this , there want not other ; among which , one there is of such a nature , as may prevail with the arrantest worldling , and that is , that this course doth not really tend to the enriching of him ; there is a secret curse goes along with it , which like a canker eats out all the benefit was expected from it . this no man can doubt that believes the scripture , where there are multitudes of texts to this purpose : thus prov. . . he that oppresseth the poor to encrease his riches , shall surely come to want . so hab. . . woe to him that encreaseth that which is not his , how long ? and he that ladeth himself with thick clay : shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee , and awake that shall vex thee ? and thou shalt be for booties to them . this is commonly the fortune of those that spoil and deceive others , they at last meet with some that do the like to them . but the place in zachary is most full to this purpose , chap. . where under the sign of a flying roll is signified the curse , that goes forth against this sin , ver . . i will bring it forth , saith the lord of hosti , and it shall enter into the house of the thief , and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name , and it shall consume it with the timber thereof , and with the stones thereof . where you see theft , and perjury are the two sins , against which this curse is aimed ( and they too often go together in the matter of defrauding ) and the nature of this curse is , to consume the house , to make an utter destruction of all that belongs to him that is guilty of either of these sins . thus whilest thou art ravening after thy neighbours goods , or house , thou are but gathering fuel to burn thine own . and the effect of these threatnings of god we daily see in the strange improsperousness of ill gotten estates , which every man is apt enough to observe in other mens cases ; he that sees his neighbour decline in his estate , can presently call to mind , this was gotten by oppression or deceit , yet so sottish are we , so bewitcht with the love of gain , that he that makes this observation , can seldome turn it to his own use , is never the lesse greedy , or unjust himself for that vengeance he discerns upon others . . but alas , if thou couldst be sure that thy unjust possession , should not be torn from thee , yet when thou remembrest , how dear thou must pay for them in another world , thou hast little reason to brag of thy prize . thou thinkest thou hast been very cunning , when thou hast over-reacht thy brother , but god knowes all the while , there is another over-reaching thee , and cheating thee of what is infinitely more precious , even thy soul ; the devil herein deals with thee as fishers use to do ; those that will catch a great fish , will bait the hook with a less , and so the great one coming with greediness to devour that , is himself taken ; so thou that art gaping to swallow up thy poor brother , art thy self made a prey to that great devourer . and alas ! what will it ease thee in hell , that thou hast left wealth behind thee upon earth , when thou shalt there want that , which the meanest beggar here enjoyes , even a drop of water to cool thy tongue . consider this , and from henceforth resolve to imploy all that pains and diligence thou hast used to deceive others , in rescuing thy self from the frauds of the grand deceiver . . to this purpose it is absolutely necessary , that thou make restitution to all whom thou hast wronged ; for as long as thou keepest any thing of the unjust gain , 't is as it were an earnest penny from the devil , which gives him full right to thy soul. but perhaps it may be said , it will not in all cases be possible to make restitution to the wronged party , peradventure he may be dead ; in that case then make it to his heirs , to whom his right descends . but it may further be objected , that he that hath long gone on in a course of fraud , may have injured many , that he cannot now remember , and many that he has no means of finding out ; in this case all i can advise is this : first , to be as diligent as is possible , both in recalling to mind who they were , and endeavouring to find them out ; and when , after all thy care , that proves impossible , let thy restitutions be made to the poor , and that they may not be made by halves , be as careful as thou canst to reckon every the least mite of unjust gain , but when that cannot exactly be done , as 't is sure it cannot by those who have multiplied the acts of fraud , yet even there let them make some general measures , whereby to proportion their restitution : as for example , a tradesman that cannot remember how much he has cheated in every single parcel , yet may possibly guess in the gross whether he have usually over-reacht to the value of a third , or a fourth part of the wares , and then what proportion soever he think he has so defrauded , the same proportion let him now give out of that estate he hath raised by his trade ; but herein it concerns every man to deal uprightly , as in the presence of god , and not to make advantage of his own forgetfulness , to the cutting short to the restitution , but rather go on the other hand , and be sure rather to give too much , then too little . if if he do happen to give somewhat over , he need not grudge the charge of such a sin offering , and 't is sure he will not , if he do heartily desire an atonement . many other difficulties there may be in this business of restitution , which will not be foreseen , and so cannot now be particularly spoke to ; but the more of those there are , the greater horrour ought men to have of running into the sin of injustice , which it will be so difficult , if not impossible for them to repair , and the more careful ought they to be to mortify that , which is the root of all injustice , to wit covetousness . partition . xiii . of false reports , false witness . slanders whisperings . of despising and scoffing for infirmities ; calamities ; si●s . &c. of positive justice , speaking the truth , of lying . of humility and pride . of envy and detraction . of gratitude , &c. § : the fourth branch of negative justice concerns the credit o● our neighbours , which we are not to lessen , or impaire by any means , particularly not by false reports : of false reports there may be two sorts , the one is when a man sayes something of his neighbour , which he directly knows to be false , the other when possibly he has some slight surmize , or jealousy of the thing ; but that upon such weak grounds , that 't is as likely to be false as true . in either of these cases , there is a great guilt lies upon the reporter ; that there doth so in the first of them , no body will doubt , every one acknowledging that it is the greatest baseness to invent a lie of another ; but there is as little reason to question the other , for he that reports a thing as a truth , which is but uncertain , is a lyar also , or if he do not report it as a certainty , but only as a probability , yet then though he be not guilty of the lye , yet he is of the injustice , of robbing his neighbour of his credit ; for there is such an aptness in men to believe ill of others , that any the lightest jealousy will , if once it be spread abroad , serve for that purpose ; and sure it is a most horrible injustice upon every slight surmize , and fancy , to hazard the bringing so great an evil upon another ; especially when it is considered , that those surmizes commonly spring rather from some censoriousness , peevishness , or malice in the surmizer , then from any reall fault in the person so suspected . . the manner of spreading these false r●ports of both kinds , is not alwayes the same ; sometimes it is more open and avowed , sometimes more close and private : the open is many times by false witness before the court of justice ; and this not only hurts a man in his credit , but in other respects also ; 't is the delivering him up to the punishment of the law , and according to the nature of the crime pretended , does him more or less mischief ; but if it be of the highest kind , it may concern his life , as we see it did in naboths case , kin. . how great and crying a sin it is in this respect , as also in that of the perjury , you may learn from what hath been said of both those sins . i am now to consider it only , as it touches the credit ; and to that it is a most grievous wound , thus to have a crime publickly witnessed against one , and such as is scarce curable by any thing that can afterwards be done to clear him , and therefore whoever is guilty of this , doth a most outragious injustice to his neighbour ; this is that which is expresly forbidden in the ninth commandment , and was by god appointed to be punisht by the inflicting of the very same suffering upon him , which his false testimony aimed to bring upon the other . deut. . . . the second open way of spreading these reports , is by a publick and common declaring of them ; though not before the magistrate , as in the other case , yet in all companies , and before such as are likely to carry it farther , and this is usually done with bitter railings , and reproaches , it being an ordinary act of slanderers , to revile those whom they slander , that so by the sharpness of the accusation they may have the greater impression in the minds of the hearers ; this both in respect of the slander , and the railing , is a high injury , and both of them such , as debarre the committers from heaven ; thus psal. . where the upright man is discribed , that shall have his part there , this is one special thing , vers . . that he slendereth not his neighbour ; and for railing , the apostle in several places reckons it amongst those works of the flesh , which are to shut men out both from the church here by excommunication , as you may see cor. . . and from the kingdom of god hereafter , as it is , cor. . . . the other more close and private way of spreading such reports , is that of the whisperer , he that goes about from one to an other , and privately vents his slanders , not out of an intent by that means to make them less publick , but rather more ; this trick of delivering them by way of secret , being the way to make them both more believed , and more spoken of too ; for he that receives such a tale ▪ as a secret from one , thinks to please some body else , by delivering it as a secret to him also ; and so it passes from one hand to another , till at last it spread over a whole town : this sort of slanderer is of all other ; the most dangerous , for he works in the dark , tyes all he speaks to , not to own him as the author , so that whereas in the more publick accusations , the party may have some means of clearing himself , and detecting his accuser , here he shall have no possibil●ty of that , the slander , like a secret poison , works incureable effects , before ever the man discern it . this sin of whispering is by st. paul mentioned among those great crimes , which are the effects of a reprobate mind , rom. . . it is indeed one of the most injurable wounds of this sword of the tongue ; the very bane and pest of humane society ; and that which not only robs single persons of their good names , but oftentimes whole families , nay , publick societies of men of their peace , what ruines , what confusions has this one sin wrought in the world ? 't is solomons observation , prov. . that a whisperer seperateth chief friends , and sure one may truly say of tongues thus imployed , that they are set on fire of hell , as st. james saith , chap. . . . this is such a guilt that we are to beware of all degrees of approach to it , of which there are several steps ; the first is the giving ear to , and ch●rishing of those that come with slanders , for they that entertain and receive them , incourage them in the practice ; for as our common proverb sayes , if there were no receivers , there would be no thief ; so if there were none , that would give an ear to tales , there would be no tale bearers . a second step is , the giving too easy credit to them , for this helps them to attain part of their end , they desire to beget a general ill opinion of such a man , but the way of doing it must be by causing it , first , in particular m●n : and if thou suffer them to do it in thee , they have so farr prospered in their aime . and for thy own part thou dost a great injustice to thy neighbour , to believe ill of him without a just ground , which the accusation of such a person certainly is not . a third step , is the reporting to others , what is thus told thee ; by which thou makest thy self directly a party in the slander , and after thou hast unjustly withdrawn from thy neighbour , thy own good opinion , endeavourest to rob him also of that of others . this is very little below the guilt of the first whisperer , and tends as much to the ruine of our neighbours credit . and these several degrees have so close a dependance one upon another , that it will be very hard for him that allowes himself the first , to escape the other ; and indeed he that can take delight to hear his neighbour defamed , may well be presumed of so malicious a humour , that 't is not likely he should stick at spreading the slander . he therefore that will preserve his innocence in this matter , must never in the least degree cheris or countenance any that brings these false reports . and it is not less necessary to his peace , then to his innocency ; for he that once entertains them , must never expect quiet , but shall be continually incited and stirred up even against his neerest , and deerest relations ; so that this whisperer , and slanderer is to be look't on by all , as a common enemy , he being so as well to those to whom , as of whom he speaks . . but be●ides this grosser way of slandering , there is another , whereby we may impair , and lessen the credit of our neighbour , and that is by contempt , and despising ; one common effect whereof is scoffing , and deriding him . this is very injurous to a mans reputation , for the generallity of men do rather take up opinions upon trust , then judgment ; and therefore if they see a man despised , and scorned , they will be apt to do the like . but besides this effect of it , there is a present injustice in the very act of despising , and scorning others . there are ordinarily but three things , which are made the occasions of it ( unless it be with such , with whom virtue and godliness are made the most reproachful things , and such despising is not only an injury to our neighbour , but even to god himself , for whose sake it is , that he is so despised ) those three are first the infirmities , secondly the calamities , thirdly the sins of a man , and each of these are very farr from being ground of our triumphing over him . . first , for infirmities , be they either of body or mind , the deformity and unhandsomeness of the one , or the weakness , and folly of the other , they are things out of his power to help , they are not his faults , but the wise dispensations of the great creator , who bestows the excellencies of body and mind , as he pleases , and therefore to scorn a man because he hath them not , is in effect to reproach god who gave them not to him . . so also for the calamities , and miseries , that befall a man , be it want , or sickness , or what ever else , these also come by the providence of god , who raiseth up , and pulleth down , as seems good to him , and it belongs not to us to judg , what are the motives to him to do so , as many do , who upon any affliction that befals another , are presently concluding , that sure it is some extraordinary guilt , which pulls this upon him , though they have no particular to lay to his charge . this rash judgment our saviour reproves in the jews , lu. . where on occasion of the extraordinary sufferings of the galileans , he asks them , ver . . suppose ye that these galileans were sinners above all the galileans , because they suffered such things ? i tell you nay , but except you repent , ye shall all likewise perish : when we see gods hand heavy upon others , it is no part of our business to judg them , but our selves , and by repentance to prevent , what our own sins have deserved . but to reproach , and revile any , that are in affliction , is that barbarous cruelty , taken notice of by the psalmist , as the heighth of wickedness , psal. . . they persecute him whom thou hast smitten , and they talk to the grief of them whom thou hast wounded : in all the miseries of others , compassion becomes a debt to them ; how unjust are they then , that in stead of paying them that debt , afflict them with scorn and reproach ? . nay the very sins of men , though as they have more of their wills in them , they may seem more to deserve reproach , yet certainly they also oblige us to the former duty of compassion , and that in the highest degree , as being the things , which of all others make a man the most miserable ; in all these cases , if we consider how subject we are to the like our selves ; and that is not only gods mercy to us , by which we are preserved from the worst that any man else is under , it will surely better become us to look up to him with thankfulness , then down on them with contempt , and despising . thus you see the direct injustice of scorning and contemning our brethren , to which when that other is added , which naturally followes , as a consequent of this , to wit , the begetting the like contempt in others , there can sure be no doubt of its being a great , and horrible injustice to our neighbour , in respect of his credit . . now how great the injury of destroying a mans credit is , may be measured by these two things , first the value of the thing he is rob'd of , and secondly the difficulty of making reparations . for the first , 't is commonly known , that a mans good name is a thing he holds most precious , oftentimes dearer then his life , as we see by the hazards men sometimes run to preserve even a mistaken reputation ; but 't is sure it is that , which hath even by sober men been esteemed one of the greatest happiness of life : and to some sorts of men , such especially as subsist by dealings in the world , t is so necessary , that it may well be reckoned as the means of their livelyhood , and then sure 't is no slight matter to rob a man of what is thus valuable to him . . secondly , the difficulty of making reparations increaseth the injury , and that is such in this case of defamation , that i may rather cal it an impossibility , then a difficulty : for when men are possest with an ill opinion of a person , 't is no easy matter to work it out ; so that the slanderer is herein like a young conjurer , that raises a divel he knows not how to lay again . nay suppose men were generally as willing to lay down ill conceits of their neighbours , as they are to take them up , yet how is it possible for him that makes even the most publick recantation of his slander , to be sure that every man that hath come to the hearing of the one , shall do so of the other also ? and if there be but one person , that doth not ( as probably there will be many ) then is the reparation still short of the injury . . this consideration is very fit to make men afraid of doing this wrong to their neighbour ; but let it not be made use of to excuse those , that have already done the wrong , from endeavouring to make the best reparations they can ; for though 't is odd , it will not equal the injury , yet let them however do what they are able towards it : and this is so necessary towards the obtaining pardon of the sin that none must expect the one , that do not perform the other . whosoever therefore sets himself to repent of his faults of this kind , must by all prudent means endeavour to restore his neighbour to that degree of credit he hath deprived him of ; and if that be not to be done without bringing the shame upon himself , of confessing publickly the slander , he must rather submit to that , then be wanting to this necessary part of justice , which he owes to the wronged party . . thus have i gone through these four branches of negative iustice to our neighbour , wherein we must yet farther observe , that this justice binds us not only in respect of our words , and actions , but of our very thoughts , and affections also ; we are not only forbid to hurt , but to hate , not only restrained from bringing any of these evils forementioned upon him , but we must not so much as wish them before , nor delight in them after they are befallen him : we must take no pleasure either in the sin of his soul , or hurt of his body ; we must not envy him any good thing he injoys , nor so much as wish to possess our selves of it : neither will it suffice us , that we so bridle our tongue , that we neither slander , or revile , if we have that malice in our hearts , which makes us wish his d●scredit or rejoyce , when we find it procured , though we have no hand in the procuring it . this is the peculiar property of gods lawes , that they reach to the heart , whereas mens can extend only to the words , and actions ; and the reason is clear , because he is the only law-giver , that can see what is in the heart , therefore if there were the perfectest innocence in our tongue , and hands , yet if there be not this purity of heart , it will never serve to acquit us before him . the counsel therefore of solomon is excellent , prov. . . keep thy heart with all diligence , for out of it are the issues of life . let us strictly guard that , so that no malicious unjust thought enter there , and that not only , as it may be the means of betraying us to the grosser act , but also as it is in it self such a pollution in gods sight , as will unfit us for the blessed vision of god , whom none but the pure in heart have promise of seeing , mat. . . blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see god. . i come now to speak of the positive part of justice , which is the yielding to every man that which by any kind of right he may challenge from us . of these dues there are some , that are general to all mankind , others that are restrained within some certain conditions , and qualities of men , and become due onely by vertue of those qualifications . . of the first sort , that is those , that are due to all men , we may reckon first the speaking truth , which is a common debt we owe to all mankind ; speech is given us as the instrument of intercourse and society , one with another , the means of discovering the mind , which otherwise lyes hid , and concealed , so that were it not for this , our conversations would be but the same as of beasts ; now this being intended for the good and advantage of mankind , 't is a due to it , that it be used to that purpose . but he that lyes , is so far from paying that debt , that on the contrary he makes his speech the means of injury and deceiving him he speaks to . . there might much be said to shew the several sorts of obligations we lye under , to speak truth to all men ; but supposing i write to christians , i need not insist on any other , then the commands we have of it in scripture , thus eph. . . the apostle commands , that putting away lying , they speak every man truth with his neighbour : and again , col. . . lye not one to another : and pro. . a lying tongue is mentioned as one of those things that are abominations to the lord. yea , so much doth he hate a lye , that it is not the most pious and religious end , that can reconcile him to it , the man that lyes , though in a zeal to gods glory , shall yet be judged as a sinner , rom. . . what shall then become of those multitudes of men that lye on quite other ends ? some out of malice , to mischief others , out of covetousness to defraud their neighbours , some out of pride , to set themselves out , and some out of fear , to avoid a danger , or hide a fault . but of a yet stranger sort , then all these , are those , that do it without any discernable temptation , that will tell lyes by way of story , take pleasure in telling incredible things , from which themselves reap nothing , but the reputation of impertinent lyars . . among these divers kinds of falshoods , truth is become such a rarity among us , that it is a most difficult matter , to find such a man as david describes psal. . . that speaketh the truth from his heart . men have so glibbed their tongues to lying , that they do it familiarly upon any or no occasion , never thinking that they are observed either by god or man. but they are extremely deceived in both , for there is scarce any sin ( that is at all endeavoured to be hid ) which is more discernable even to men : they that have a custome of lying , seldome fail ( be their memory never so good ) at some time or other to betray themselves ; and when they do , there is no sort of sin , meets with greater sco●n , and reproach ; a lyar being by all accounted a title of the greatest infamy , and shame . but as for god , 't is madness to hope that all their arts can disguise them from him , who needs none of those casual wayes of discovery , which men do , but sees the heart , and so knowes at the very instant of speaking , the falshood of what is said ; and then by his title of the god of truth , is tyed not onely to hate , but punish it , and accordingly you see rev. . that the lyars are in the number of those that are shut out of the new ierusalem , and not onely so , but also have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone . if therefore thou be not of the humour of that unjust judge christ speaks of , luk. who n●ither feared god , nor regarded man , thou must resolve on this part of justice the putting away lying , which is abhorred by both . . a second thing we owe to all is humanity and courtesie of behaviour , contrary to that ●ullen churlishness we find spoken of in nabal , who was of such a temper , that a man could not speak to him . sam. . . there is sure so much of respect due to the very nature of mankind , that no accidental advantage of wealth or honour , which one man hath above another , can acquit him from that debt to it , even in the person of the meanest ; and therefore that crabbed and harsh behaviour to any that bears but the form of a man , is an injustice to that nature he partakes of . and when we consider how much that nature is dignified by the son of god his taking it upon him , the obligation to reverence it is yet greater , and consequently the sin of thus contemning it . this is the common guilt of all proud and haughty persons , who are so busie in admiring themselves , that they over look all that is valuable in others , and so think they owe not so much as common civility to other men , whilest they set up themselves as nebuchadnezzar did his image to be worshipped of all . this is sure very contrary to what the apostle exhorts , rom. . . in honour prefer one another : and again phil . . lo●k , not every man on his own things , but every man also on the things of others ; and let such remember the sentence of our blessed saviour . luk. . . he that exalteth himself shall be abased , and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted , which we often find made good to us , in the strange down-fals of proud men . and it is no wonder , for this sin makes both god and men our enemies , god , as the scripture every where testifies , abhorres it , and all that are guilty of it , and men are by means of it used so contemptuously & unkindly by us , that they are by nothing more provoked against us , and then whom god and man thus resist , who shall secure and uphold ? . a third thing we owe to all is meekness ; that is , such a patience , and gentleness towards all , as may bridle that mad passion of anger , which is not onely very uneasy to our selves , as hath already been shewed , but also very mischievous to our neighbours , as the many outrages , that are oft committed in it , do abundantly testify . that this duty of meekness is to be extended to all men , there is no doubt , for the apostle in express words commands it , thes. . . be patient towards all men , and that it should seem in spite of all provocation to the contrary , for the very next words are , see that none render evil for evil , or railing for railing ; and timothy is commanded to exercise this meekness even towards them who oppose themselves against the doctrine of the gospel , tim. . . which was a case , wherein some heat would probably have been allowed , if it might have been in any . . this vertue of meekness is so necessary to the preserving the peace of the world , that it is no wonder , that christ , who came to plant peace among men , should injoin meekness to all . i am sure the contrary effects of rage and anger are every where discernable , it breeds disquiets in kingdomes , in neighbourhoods , in families , and even between the neerest relations ; 't is such a humour , that solomon warnes us never to enter a friendship with a man that is of it , prov. . . make no friendship with an angry man , and with a furious man thou shalt not go . it makes a man unfit to be either friend or companion , and indeed makes one insufferable to all that have to do with one , as we are again taught by solomon , prov. . . where he preferres the dwelling in a wilderness , rather then with a contentious and angry woman , and yet a woman ha● ordinarily onely that one weapon of the tongue to offend with . indeed to any that have not the same unquietness of humor , there can scarce be a greater uneasiness , then to converse with those , that have it , though it never proceed farther , then words . how great this sin is , we may judge by what our saviour sayes of it , mat. . where there are several degrees of punishment allotted to several degrees of it ; but alas ! we daily out go that , which he there sets as the highest step of this sin ; the calling thou fool , is a modest sort of reviling , compared with those multitudes of bitter reproaches we use in our rages . . nay , we often go yet higher ; reproaches serve not our turn , but we must curse too ; how common is it to hear men use the horridst execrations , and cursings upon every the slightest cause of displeasure ? nay , perhaps without any cause at all ; so utterly have we forgot the rule of the apostle , rom. . . blesse and curse not ; yea , the precept of our blessed saviour himself , mat. . . pray for those that despitefully use you . christ bids us pray for those , who do us all injury , and we are often cursing those , who do us none . this is a kind of saying our prayers backward indeed , which is said to be part of the ceremony the devil uses , at the making of a witch , and we have in this case also reason to look on it , as a means of bringing us into acquaintance , and league with that accursed spirit here , and to a perpetual abideing with him hereafter . 't is the language of hell ▪ which can never ●it us to be citizens of the new ierusalem , but marks us out for inhabitants of that land of darkness . i conclude this with the advice of the apostle , eph. . l●t all bitterness , and wrath , and anger , and clamour , and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice . . having spoken thus farr of those common dues , wherein all men are concerned , and have a right , i am now to proceed to those other sorts of dues , which belong to particular persons , by vertue of some especial qualification . these qualifications may be of three kinds , that of excellency , that of want , and that of relation . . by that of excellency i mean any extraordinary gifts , or endowments of a person ; such as wisdom , learning , and the like , but especially grace : these being the singular gifts of god , have a great value and respect due to them , wheresoever they are to be found ; and this we must readily pay by a willing , and glad acknowledgment of those his gifts in any he has bestowed them on , and bearing them a reverence , and respect , answerable thereunto , and not out of an overweening of our own excellencies , despise and undervalue those of others , as they do , who will yeild nothing to be reason , but what themselves speak , nor any thing piety , but what agrees with their own practice . . also we must not envy , or grudg that they have those gifts , for that is not only an injustice to them , but injurious also to god , who gave them , as it is as large set forth in the parable of the labourers , mat. . where he asks them , who grumbled at the masters bounty to others , is it not lawful for me to do what i will with my own , is thine eye evil because mine is good ? this envying at gods goodness to others , is in effect a murmuring against god , who thus disposes it , neither can there be a greater , and more direct opposition against him , then for me to hate and wish ill to a man , for no other reason , but because god has loved and done well to him and then in respect of the man , 't is the most unreasonable thing in the world , to love him the less , meerly because he has those good qualities , for which i ought to love him more . . neither must we detract from the excellencies of others , we must not see to eclipse or darken them by denying either the kinds , or degrees of them ; by that means to take off that esteem , which is due to them . this sin of detraction is generally the effect of the former of envy , he that envies a mans worth , will be apt to do all he can to lessen it in the opinions of others , and to that purpose will either speak slightly of his excellencies ; or if they be so apparent , that he knows not how to cloud them , he will trye if he can by reporting some either reall , or feigned infirmity of his , take off from the value of the other , and so by casting in some dead flies , as the wise man speaks , eccles. . . strive to corrupt the savour of the ointment ; this is a great injustice , and directly contrary to that duty we owe , of acknowledging , and reverencing the gifts of god in our brethren . . and both these sins of envy , and detraction do usually prove as great follies , as wickedness ; the envy constantly brings pain , and torment to a mans self , whereas if he could but cheerfully , and gladly look on those good things of anothers , he could never fail to be the better for them himself ; the very pleasure of seeing them would be some advantage to him ; but besides that , those gifts of his brother may be many ways helpful to him , his wisdom and learning may give him instruction ; his piety , and vertue , example , &c. but all this the envious man loseth , and hath nothing in exchange for it , but a continual fretting , and gnawing of heart . . and then for detraction , that can hardly be so managed , but it will be found out ; he that is still putting in caveats against mens good thoughts of others , will quickly discover himself to do it out of envy , and then that will be sure to lessen their esteem of himself , but not of those he envies , it being a sort of bearing testimony to those excellencies , that he thinks them worth the envying . what hath been said of the value , and respect due to those excellencies of the mind , may in a lower degree be applyed to the outward advantages of honour , greatness , and the like . these though they are not of equal value with the former ( and such for which no man is to prize himself ) yet in regard , that these degrees , and distinctions of men are by gods wise providence disposed , for the better ordering of the world , there is such a civil respect due to those , to whom god hath dispenc'd them , as may best preserve that order , for which they were intended . therefore all inferiours are to behave themselves to their superious with modesty , and respect , and not by a rude boldness confound that order , which it hath pleased god to set in the world , but according as our church-catechism teaches , order themselves lowly and reverently to all their betters . and here the former caution against envy comes in most seasonably ; these outward advantages being things , of which generally men have more taste , then of the other , and therefore will be more apt to envy , and repine to see others exceed them therein , to this therefore all the former considerations against envy will be very proper , and the more necessary to be made use of , by how much the tempt●tion is in this case to most minds t●e greater . . the second qualication is that of want ; whoever is in distress for any thing , wherewith i can supply him , that distress of his makes it a duty in me so to supply him , and this in all kinds of wants . now the ground of its being a duty is , that god hath given men abilities not only for their own use , but for the advantage and benefit of others , and therefore what is thus given for their use becomes a debt to them , whenever their need requires it . thus he that is ignorant and wants knowledg is to be instructed by him , that hath it , and this is one special end , why that knowledg is given him : the tongue of the learned is given to speak a word in season , esay . . . he that is in sadness ▪ and affliction , is to be comforted by him that is himself in cheerfulness . this we see st. paul makes it the end of gods comforting him , that he might be able to comfort them that are in any trouble , cor. . . he that is in any course of sin , and wants reprehension and counsel , must have that want supplyed to him by those , who have such abilities , and opportunities , as may make it likely to do good . that this is a justice we owe to our neighbour , appears plainly by that text , levit. . . thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart , thou shalt in any wise reprove him , and not suffer sin upon him ; where we are under the same obligation to reprove him , that we are not to hate him . he that lies under any slander , or unjust defamation , is to be defended , and cleered by him , that knows his innocence , or else he makes himself guilty of the slander , because he neglects to do that which may remove it ; and how great an injustice , that of slandering our neighbour is , i have already shewed . . lastly , he that is in poverty and need , must be relieved by him that is in plently ; and he is bound to it , not only in charity , but even in justice . solomon calls it a due , pro. . . withhold not good from him to whom it is due , when it is in the power of thine hand to do it : and what that good is , he explains in the very next verse : say not to thy neighbour , go and come again , and tomorrow i will give , when thou hast it by thee : it seems , 't is the withholding a due , so much as to defer giving to our poor neighbour . and we find god did among the jews seperate a certain portion of every mans increase for the use of the poor , a tenth every third year ( which is all one with a thirtieth part ever year , deut. . , . and this was to be paid not as a charity , or liberality , but as a debt , they were unjust , if they withheld it . and surely we have no reason to think , that christian justice is sunk so much below the jewish , that either nothing at all , or a less proportion is now required of us . i wish our practice were but at all answerable to our obligation in this point , and then surely we should not see so many lazaruses lye unrelieved at our doors , they having a better right to our superfluities , then we our selves have , and then what is it , but arrant robbery to bestow that upon our vanities , nay our sins , which should be their portion ? . in all the foregoing cases , he that hath ability is to look upon himself , as gods steward , who hath put it into his hands to distribute to them , that want , and therefore not to do it , is the same injustice and fraud , that it would be in any steward to purse up that money for his private benefit , which was intrusted to him , for the maintenance of the family , and he that shall do thus , hath just reason to expect the doom of the unjust steward , luke . to be put out of the stewardship , to have those abilitie , taken from him , which he hath so unfaithfully imployed . and as for all the rest , so particularly for that of wealth , 't is very commonly to be observed , that it is withdrawn from those that thus defraud the poor of their parts , the griping miser coming often by strange undiscernable wayes to poverty ; and no wonder , he having no title to gods blessing on his heap , who does not consecrate a part to him in his poor members . and therefore we see the israelites before they could make that challenge of gods promise to bless them , deut. . . look down from thy holy habitation and bless thy people israel , &c. they were first to pay the poor mans tithes , ver . . without which they could lay no claim to it . this withholding more then is meet , as solomon sayes , pro. . . tends to poverty ; and therefore as thou wouldst play the good husband for thy self , be careful to perform this justice according to thy ability to all that are in want . . the third qualification is that of relation , and of that there may be divers sorts , arising from divers grounds , and duties , answerable to each of them . there is first a relation of a debter to a creditor , and he that stands in that relation to any whether by vertue of bargain , loan , or promise , 't is his duty to pay justly what he owes , if he be able ( as on the other side if he be not , 't is the creditors , to deal charitably and christianly with him , and not to exact of him beyond his ability . ) but i need not insist on this , having already by shewing you the sin of with holding debts , informed you of this duty . . there is also a relation of an obliged person to his benefactor , that is one that hath done him good , of what kind soever , whether spiritual , or corporal ; and the duty of that person is , first thankfulness , , that is a ready and hearty acknowledgment of the courtesie received : secondly , prayer for gods blessings and rewards upon him ; and thirdly an endeavour , as opportunity and ability serves , to make returns of kindness , by doing good turnes back again . this duty of gratitude to benefactors is so generally acknowledged by all , even the most barbarous , and savagest of men , that he must have put off much of his humane nature , that refuses to perform it . the very publicans and sinners , as our saviour sayes , do good to those that do good to them . . yet how many of us fail even in this , how frequent is it to see men , not only neglect to repay courtesies , but return injuries in stead of them ? it is too observable in many particulars , but in none more , then in the case of advice , and admonition , which is of all others , the most precious part of kindness , the reallest good turn that can be done from one man to another . and therefore those that do this to us , should be look't on , as our prime and greatest benefactors . but alas ! how few are there that can find gratitude , shall i say ? nay patience for such a courtesie ? go about to admonish a man of a fault , or tell him of an error , he presently looks on you , as his enemy , you are , as st. paul tells the galatians , chap. . . become his enemy because you tell him the truth ; such a pride there is in mens hearts , that they must not be told of any thing amiss , though it be with no other intent , but that they may amend it . a strange madness this is , the same that it would be in a sick man , to flie in the face of him that comes to cure him , on a fancy that he disparaged him in supposing him sick ; so that we may well say with the wise man , pro. . . he that hateth reproofe is brutish . there cannot be in the world a more happy temper , for it fortifies a man in his sins , raises such mounts , and bulwarks about them , that no man can come to assault them , and if we may believe solomon , destruction will not fail to attend it , pro. . . he that being of ten reproved hardneth his neck , shall suddenly be destroyed , and that without remedy . but then again in respect of the admonisher , 't is the greatest injustice , i may say , cruelty that can be , he comes in tenderness , and compassion to rescue thee from a danger , and to that purpose puts himself upon a very uneasy task ; for such the general impatience men have to admonition , hath now made it ; and what a defeat , what a grief is it to him , to find that in stead of reforming the first fault , thou art run into a second , to wit that of causeless displeasure against him ? this is one of the worst , and yet i doubt , the commonest sort of unthankfulness to benefactors , and so a great failing in that duty we owe to that sort of relation . but perhaps these will be look't on as remote relations ( yet 't is sure they are such as challenge all that duty i have assigned to them ) i shall in the next place proceed to those relations , which are by all acknowledged to be of the greatest neerness . partition xiv . of duty to parents . magistrates , pastors , &c. of the duty of parents to children , &c. § . . the first of those neerer sorts of relations , is that of a parent ; and here it will be necessary to consider the several sorts of parents , according to which the duty to them is to be measured . those are these three , the civil , the spiritual , the natural . . the civil parent is he , whom god hath establisht the supreme magistrate , who by a just right possesses the throne in a nation . this is the common father of all those that are under his authority . the duty we owe to this parent is , first , honour and reverence , looking on him , as upon one , on whom god hath stamped much of his own power and authority , and therefore paying him all honour and esteem , never daring , upon any pretence whatsoever , to speak evil of the ruler of our people , acts . . . secondly , paying tribute ; this is expresly commanded by the apostle , rom. . . pay ye tribute also , for they are gods ministers attending continually upon this very thing . god has set them apart as ministers for the common good of the people , and therefore 't is all justice , they should be maintained , and supported by them . and indeed when it is considered , what are the cares , and troubles of that high calling , how many thorns are plated in every crown , we have very little reason to envy them these dues , and it may truly be said , there is none of their poor labouring subjects , that earns their living so hardly . . thirdly , we are to pray for them : this is also expresly commanded by the apostle , tim. . . to be done for kings , and for all that are in authority . the businesses of that calling are so weighty , the dangers and hazards of it so great , that they of all others need prayers for gods direction , assistance , and blessing , and the prayers that are thus poured out for them , will return into our own bosomes , for the blessings they receive from god tend to the good of the people , to their living a quiet and peaceable life , as it is in the close of the verse forementioned . . fourthly , we are to pay them obedience . this is likewise strictly charged by the apostle , pet. . . submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake , whether it be to the king as supreme , or unto governours as those that are sent by him ; we owe such an obedience to the supreme power , that whoever is authorised by him , we are to submit to , and st. paul likewise is most full to this purpose , rom. . . let every soul be subject to the higher powers ; and again , ver . . whosoever resisteth the pouers , resisteth the ordinance of god. and 't is observable that these precepts were given at a time , when those powers were heathens , and cruel persecutors of christianity , to shew us , that no pretence of the wickedness of our rulers can free us of this duty . an obedience we must pay either active , or passive : the active in the case of all lawful commands ; that is , whenever the magistrate commands something , which is not contrary to some command of god , we are then bound to act according to that command of the magistrate , to do the thing he requires . but when he injoins any thing contrary to what god hath commanded , we are not then to pay him this active obedience , we may , nay we must refuse thus to act , ( yet here we must be very well assured that the thing is so contrary , and not pretend conscience for a cloak of stubborness ) we are in that case to obey god rather then man. but even this is a season for the passive obedience , we must patiently suffer , what he inflicts on us , for such refusal , and not , to secure our selves , rise up against him . for who can stretch his hand against the lords anointed , and be guilt less ? sayes david to abishai , sam. . and that at a time when david was under a great persecution from saul , nay , had also the assurance of the kingdom after him ; and st. pauls sentence in this case is most heavy , rom. . . they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation . here is very small incouragement to any to rise up against the lawful magistrate , for though they should so far prosper here , as to secure themselves from him by this means , yet there is a king of kings , from whom no power can shelter them , and this damnation in the close will prove a sad prize of their victories . what is on the other side the duty of the magistrate to the people will be vain to mention here , none of that rank being like to read this treatise , and it being very useless for the people to inquire , what is the duty of their supreme , wherein the most are already much better read , then in their own , it may suffice them to know that whatsoever his duty is , or however performed , he is accountable to none but god and no failing of his pa●t , can warrant them to fail of theirs . the second sort of parents are the spiritual ; that is , the ministers of the word , whether such , as be governours in the church , or others under them , who are to perform the same offices to our souls , that our natural parents do to our bodies . thus st. paul tels the corinthians , that in christ iesus he had begotten them through the gospel , cor . . and the galatians , chap. . . that he travels in birth of them , till christ he formed in them ; and again , cor. . . he had fed them with milk ; that is , such doctrines as were agreeable to that infant state of christianity they were then in , but he had stronger meat for them of full age , heb. . . all these are the offices of a parent , and therefore they that perform them to us , may well be accounted as such . . our duty to these is first to love them , to bear them that kindness , which belongs to those who do us the greatest benefits . this is required by st. paul , thes . . i beseech you , brethren , mark them which labour among you and are over you in the lord , and admonish you , and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake . the work is such as ought in all reason to procure them love , it being of the highest advantage to us . . secondly , 't is our duty to value and esteem them , as we see in the text now mentioned ; and surely this is most reasonable , if we consider either the nature of their work , or who it is that imployes them . the nature of their work is of all others the most excellent ; we use to value other professions proportionably to the dignity and worth of the things they deal in . now surely there is no merchandize of equal worth with a soul , and this is their traffick , rescuing precious souls from perdition . and if we consider further , who it is that imployes them , it yet adds to the reverence due to them . they are ambassadours for ch●ist , cor. . . and ambassadours are by the lawes of all nations to be used with a respect , answerable to the quality of those that send them . therefore christ tels his disciples , when he sends them out to preach , he that despiseth you despiseth me , and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me . luk. . . it seems there is more depends on the despising of ministers , then men ordinarily consider , 't is the despising of god and christ both . let those think of this , who make it their pastime , and sport to affront , and deride this calling . and let those also , who dare presume to exercise the offices of it , without being lawfully called to it , which is a most high presumption ; 't is as if a man on his own head should go , as an ambassadour from his prince ; the apostle sayes of the priests of the law , which yet are inferiour to those of the gospel , that no man taketh this honour to himself , but he which was called of god , heb. . how shall then any man dare to assume this greater honour to himself , that is not called to it ; neither will it suffice to say , they have the inward call of the spirit ; for since god hath establisht an order in the church , for the admitting men to this office , they that shall take it upon them without that authority , resist that ordinance , and are but of the number of those theeves and robbers , as our saviour speaks , jo. . which c●me not in by the door . besides the sad experience of these times shew , that many who pretend most to this inward call of the spirit , are called by some other spirit , then that of god , the doctrines they v●nt being usually directly contrary to that word of his , on which all true doctrines must be founded . such are to be lookt on as those seducers , those false prophets , whereof we are so often warned in the epistles of the apostles . and whosoever countenances them , or followes them , partakes with them in their guilt . it is recorded of jereboam , as a crying sin , that he made of the meanest of the people priests ; that is , such as had by gods institution no right to it , and whoever hearkens to these uncalled preachers , run into that very sin , for without the incouragement of being followed , they would not long continue in the course , and therefore they that give them that incouragement , have much to answer for , and are certainly guilty of the sin of despising their true pastors , when they shall thus set up these false apostles against them . this is a guilt this age is too much concerned in , god in his mercy so timely convince us of it , as may put a stop to that confusion and impiety , which breaks in so fast upon us by it . thirdly , we owe to them maintenance : but of this i have spoken already in the first part of this book , and shall not here repeat . fourthly , we owe them obedience , obey them , saith the apostle , that have the rule over you and submit your selves , for they watch for your souls , heb. . . this obedience is to be paid them in spiritual things ; that is , whatsoever they out of gods word shall declare to us , to be gods commands , these we are diligently to obey , remembring that it is not they , but god requires it , according to that of christ , he that heareth you heareth me , luk. . . and this whether it be delivered by the way of publick preaching , or private exhortation , for in both , so long as they keep them to the rule , which is gods word , they are the messengers of the lord of hosts , mal. . . this obedience the apostle inforceth from a double motive , one taken from their ministry , another from themselves . they watch , sayes he , for your souls , as they that must give account that they may do it with joy , an dt no with grief ; the people are by their obedience to enable their pastors to give a comfortable account of their souls , and it is a most unkind return of all their care and labours ; to be put to grieve for the ill success of them . but then in the second place , 't is their own concernment also ; they may put their ministers to the discomfort of seeing all their pains cast away , but themselves are like to get little by it , that ( sayes the apostle , heb. . . ) will be unprofitable for you ; 't is your selves , that will finally prove the loosers by it , you loose all those glorious rewards , which are offered , as the crown of this obedience , you get nothing but an addition to your sin , & punishment , for as our saviour tels the pharisees , if he had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin , jo. . that is in comparison with what they then had ; so certainly they that never had the gospel preached to them , are much more innocent then they that have heard and resisted it . and for the punishment , what christ told those to whom he had preached , that it should be more tolerable for tyre and sydon , which were heathen cities , then for them , the same undoubtedly we may conclude of our selves . . lastly , we are to pray for them ; this st. paul every where requires of his spiritual children ; thus eph. . , . having commanded prayer for all saints , he adds , and for me , that utterance may be given unto me , that i may open my mouth boldly , to make known the mystery of the gospel ; and so again , col . . and this remains still a duty to these spiritual fathers , to pray for such assistances of gods spirit to them , as may enable them rightly to discharge that holy calling . i shall omit to set down here , what is the duty of ministers to the people , upon the same consideration , on which i forbare to mention the duty of magistrates . . the third sort of parent is the natural , the fathers of our flesh , as the apostle calls them , heb. . . and to these we owe several duties , as first we owe them reverence , and respect ; we must behave our selves towards them with all humility , and observance , and must not upon any pretence of infirmity in them , despise or contemn them , either in outward behaviour , or so much as inwardly in our hearts . if indeed they have infirmities , it must be our business to cover , and conceal them ; like shem , and japhet , who while cursed cham publisht and disclosed the nakedness of their father , covered it , gen. . . and that in such a manner too , as even themselves might not behold it . we are as much as may be to keep our selves from looking on those nakedness of our parents , which may tempt us to think irreverently of them . this is very contrary to the practice of too many children , who do not only publish and deride the infirmities of their parents , but pretend they have those infirmities they have not ; there is ordinarily such a pride , and headiness in youth , that they cannot abide to submit to the counsels , and directions of their elders , and therefore to shake them off , are willing to have them pass for the effects of dotage , when they are indeed the fruits of sobriety , and experience . to such the exhortation of solomon is very necessary , pro. . . hearken to thy father that begat thee , and despise not thy mother when shee is old . a multitude of texts more there are in that book , to this purpose , wh●ch shews that the wisest of men thought it necessary for children to attend to the counsel of their parents . but the youth of our age set up for wisdom , the quite contrary way , and think they then become wits , when they are advanced to the dispising the counsel , yea mocking the persons of their parents . let such if they will not practice the exhortations , yet remember the threatning of the wise man , pro. . . the eye that mocketh his father and despiseth to obey his mother , the ravens of the valley shall pick it out , and the young eagles shall eat it . a second duty to them is love ; we are to bear them a reall kindness , such as may make us heartily desirous of all manner of good to them , and abhor to do any thing that may grieve or disquiet them . this will appear but common gratitude ; when 't is remembred , what our parents have done for us , how they were not only the instruments of first bringing us into the world , but also of susteining and supporting us after ; and certainly they that rightly weigh the cares and fears , that go to the bringing up of a child , will judg the love of that child to be but a moderate return for them . this love is to be exprest several ways , first , in all kindness of behaviour , carrying our selves not only with an awe , and respect , but with kindness and affection , and therefore most gladly and readily doing those things , which may bring joy and comfort to them , and carefully avoiding whatever may grieve , and afflict them . secondly , this love is to be exprest in praying for them . the debt a child owe to a parent is so great , that he can never hope himself to discharge it ; he is therefore to call in gods aid , to beg of him , that he will reward all the good his parents have done for him , by multiplying his blessings upon them ; what shall we then say to those children , that in stead of calling to heaven for blessings on their parents , ransack hell for curses on them , and powre out the blackest execrations against them ? this is a thing so horrid , that one would think there needed no perswasion against it , because none could be so vile , as to fall into it , but we see god himself , who best knows mens hearts , saw it possible ; and therefore laid the heaviest punishment upon it : he that curseth father or mother , let him die the death , exod. . . and alas ! our daily experience tels us , 't is not onely possible , but common even this of uttering curses . but 't is to be feared , there is another , yet more common , that is the wishing curses , though fear or shame keep them from speaking out . how many children are there , that either through impatience of the government , or greediness of the possessions of the parents , have wisht their deaths ? but whoever doth so , let him remember , that how stylie and fairly soever he carry it before men , there is one that sees those secretest wishes of his heart , and in his sight he assuredly passes for this hainous offender , a curser of his parents . and then let it be considered , that god hath as well the power of punishing , as of seeing , and therefore since he hath pronounced death to be the reward of that sin , 't is not unreasonable to expect he may himself inflict it ; that they who watch for the death of their parents , may untimely meet with their own . the fifth commandment promiseth long life as the reward of honouring the parent , to which 't is very agreeable that untimely death be the punishment of the contrary , and sure there is nothing more highly contrary to that duty , then this we are now speaking of , the cursing our parents . . the third duty we owe to them is obedience ; this is not onely contained in the fifth commandment , but expresly injoined in other places of scripture . eph. . . children obey your parents in the lord , for this is right ; and again , col. . . children obey your parents in all things , for this is well pleasing to the lord. we owe them an obedience in all things , unless where their commands are contrary to the commands of god , for in that case our duty to god must be preferred , and therefore if any parent shall be so wicked , as to require his child to steal , to lye , or to do any unlawful thing , the child then offends not against his duty , though he disobey that command , nay , he must disobey , or else he offend against a higher duty , even that he owes to god , his heavenly father . yet when 't is thus necessary to refuse obedience , he should take care to do it in such a modest , and respectful manner , that it may appear 't is conscience onely , and not stubborness moves him to it . but in case of all lawful commands ; that is , when the thing commanded is either good , or not evil , when it hath nothing in it contrary to our duty to god , there the child is bound to obey , be the command in a weightier or lighter matter ; how little this duty is regarded is too manifest every where in the world , where parents generally have their children no longer under command , then they are under the rod ; when they are once grown up , they think themselves free from all obedience to them , or if some do continue to pay it , yet let the motive of it be examined , and 't will in too many be found onely worldly prudence ; they fear to displease their parents , lest they should shorten their hand toward them , and so they shall loose somewhat by it ; but how few are there that obey purely upon conscience of duty ? this sin of disobedience to parents was by the law of moses punishable with death , as you may read deut . . but if parents now a dayes should proceed so with their children , many might soon make themselves chidless . . but of all acts of disobedience , that of marrying against the consent of the parent , is one of the highest . children are so much the goods , the possessions of the parent , that they cannot without a kind of theft , give away themselves without the allowance of those , that have the right in them , and therefore we see under the law , the maid that had made any vow , was not suffered to perform it , without the consent of the parent . num. . . the right of the parent was thought of force enough to cancel , and make void the obligation , even of a vow , and therefore surely it ought to be so much considered by us as to keep us from making any such , whereby that right is infringed . . a fourth duty to the parent is to assist , and minister to them in all their wants of what kind soever , whether weakness , and sickness of body , decayedness of understanding , or poverty , and lowness of estate , in all these the child is bound according to his ability , to relieve and assist them : for the two former , weakness of body , and infirmity of mind , none can doubt of the duty , when they remember how every child did in his infancy receive the very same benefit from the parent , the child had then no strength to support , no understanding to guide it self ; the care of the parents was fain to supply both these to it , and therefore in common gratitude , whenever either of these becomes the parents case , as sometimes by great age , or some accident both do , the child is to perform the same offices back again to them . as for that of relieving their poverty , there is the very same obligation to that with the former , it being but just to sustain thy parent who has formerly sustained thee ; but besides this christ himself teaches us , that th●s is contained within their precept of honouring the parents , for when mar. . . he accuses the pharisees of rejecting the commandment of god , to cleave to their own traditions , he instances in this particular , concerning the relieving of parents , whereby 't is manifest that this is a part of that duty which is injoined in the fifth commandment , as you may see at large in the text , and such a duty it is that no pretence can absolve , or acquit us of it . how then shall those answer it , that deny relief to their poor parents , that cannot part with their own excesses , and superfluities , which are indeed their sins , to satisfie the necessities of those to whom they owe their being ? nay , some there are , yet worse , who out of pride scorn to own their parents in ther poverty ; thus it often happens , when the child is advanced to dignity or wealth , they think it a disparagement to them to look on their parents that remain in a low condition , it being the betraying , as they think , to the world the meanness of their birth , and so the poor parent fares the worse for the prosperity of his child . this is such a pride and unnaturalness together , as will surely find a sharp vengeance from god , for if solomon observe of pride alone , that it is the fore-runner of destruction , prov. . . we may much rather conclude so of it , when it is thus accompanied . . to this that hath been said of the duty of children to the●r parents , i shall add onely this : that no unkindness , no fault of the parent can acquit the child of this duty , but as st. peter tels servants , pet. . . that they must be subject not onely to the good and gentle masters , but also to the froward , so certainly it belongs to children to perform duty not onely to the kind and vertuous , but even to the harshest , and wicked'st parent . for though the gratitude due to a kind parent , be a very forcible motive to make the child pay his duty , yet that is not the onely , nor chiefest ground of it ; that is laid in the command of god , who requires us thus to honour our parents , and therefore though we should suppose a parent so unnatural , as never to have done any thing to oblige the child , ( which can hardly be imagined ) yet still the command of god continues in force , and we are in conscience of that , to perform that duty to our parents , though none of the other tye of gratitude should lye on us . but as this is due from the child to the parents , so on the other side there are other things also due from the parents to the child , and that throughout the several states , and ages of it . . first , there is the care of nourishing and sustaining it , which begins from the very birth , and continues a duty from the parent , till the child be able to perform it to himself ; this is a duty , which nature teaches , even the savages beasts , have a great care and tenderness in nourishing their young , and therefore may serve to reproach and condemn all parents , who shall be so unnatural as to neglect this . i shall not here enter into the question whether the mother be obliged to give the child its first nourishment , by giving it suck her self , because 't will not be possible to affirm universally in the case , there being many circumstances , which may alter it , and make it not onely lawful , but best not to do it ; all i shall say , is , that where no impediment of sickness , weakness , or the like does happen , 't is surely best for the mother her self to perform this office , there being many advantages to the child by it , which a good mother ought so far to consider , as not to sell them to her own sloth , or niceness , or any such unworthy motive , for where such onely are the grounds of forbearing it , they will never be able to justifie the omission , they being themselves unjustifiable . but besides this first care , which belongs to the body of the child , there is another , which should begin neer as early , which belongs to their souls , and that is the bringing them to the sacrament of baptism , thereby to procure them an early right to all those precious advantages , which that sacrament conveyes to them . this is a duty the parents ought not to delay , it being most reasonable , that they who have been instruments to convey the stain and pollution of sin to the poor infant , should be very earnest and industrious to have it washt off , as soon as may be : besides the life of so tender a creature is but a blast , and many times gone in a moment , and though we are not to despair of gods mercy to those poor children , who dye without baptism , yet surely those parents commit a great fault , by whose neglect it is , that they want it . . secondly , the parents must provide for the education of the child ; they must , as solomon speaks , prov. . . train up the child in the way he should go . as soon therefore as children come to the use of reason , they are to be instructed , and that first in those things , which concern their eternal well-being , they are by little and little to be taught all those things , which god hath commanded them , as their duty to perform ; as also what glorious rewards he hath provided for them , if they do it , and what grievous and eternal punishments , if they do it not . these things ought as early , as is possible , to be instilled into the minds of children , which ( like new vessels ) do usually keep the savour of that , which is first put into them , and therefore it neerly concerns all parents to look they be at first thus seasoned with vertue and religion . 't is sure if this be neglected , there is one ready at hand to fill them with the contrary , the devil wil be diligent enough to instil into them all wickedness and vice , even from their cradles , and there being also in all our natures so much the greater aptness to evil , then to good , there is need of great care and watchfulness , to prevent those endeavours of that enemy of souls , which can no way be , but by possessing them at first with good things , breeding in them a love to vertue , & a hatred of vice , that so when the temptations come , they may be armed against them . this surely is above all things the duty of parents to look after , and the neglect of it is a horrible cruelty ; we justly look upon those parents , as most unnatural wretches , that take away the life of their child ; but alas ! that his mercy and tenderness , compared to this of neglecting his education , for by that he ruines his soul , makes him miserable eternally ; and god knowes , multitudes of such cruel parents there are in the world , that thus give up their children to be possest by the devil , for want of an early acquainting them with the wayes of god ; nay , indeed how few there are , that do conscionable perform this duty , is too apparent by the strange rudeness , and ignorance , that is generally among youth : the children of those who call themselves christians , being frequently as ignorant of god and christ , as the meerest heathens . but whoever they are , that thus neglect this great duty , let them know that it is not onely a fearful misery they bring upon their poor children , but also a horrible guilt upon themselves . for as god sayes to the careless watchmen , ezeck . . . that if any soul perish by his negligence , that soul shall be required at his hands , so surely will it fare with all parents , who have this office of watch-men intrusted to them by god over their own children : a second part of education is the bringing them up to some imployment , busying them in some honest exercise , whereby they may avoid that great snare of the divel , idleness , and also be taught some useful art or trade , whereby when they come to age , they may become profitable to the commonwealth , and able to get an honest living to themselves . . to this great duty of educating of children , there is required as means , first encouragement , secondly , correction : incouragement is first to be tryed , we should endeavour to make children in love with duty , by offering them rewards and invitations , and whenever they do well take notice of it , and encourage them to go on . it is an ill course some parents hold , who think they must never appear to their children , but with a face of sowreness and austerity ; this seems to be that , which st. paul forwarnes parents of , when he bids fathers not to provoke their children to wrath , col. . . to be as harsh and unkind to them , when they do well , as if they do ill , is the way to provoke them ; and then the apostle tels us in the same verse , what will be the issue of it , they will be discouraged , they will have no heart to go on in any good course , when the parent affords them no countenance . the second means is correction , and this becomes seasonable , when the former will do no good , when all faire means , perswasions , and encouragements prevail not , then there is a necessity of using sharper ; and let that be first tryed in words , i mean not by railing and foul language , but in sober , yet sharp reproof ; but if that fail too , then proceed to blowes , and in this case as solomon sayes , he that spareth his rod , hateth his son , prov. . . 't is a cruel fondness , that to spare a few stripes at present , will adventure him to those sad mischiefs , which commonly befall the child , that is left to himself . but then this correction must be given in such a manner , as may be likely to do good ; to which purpose it must first be given timely ; the child must not be suffered to run on in any ill , till it have got a habit , and a stubborness too . this is a great error in many parents , they will let their children alone for divers years , to do what they list , permit them to lye , to steal , without ever so much as rebuking them , nay , perhaps please themselves to see the witty shifts of the child , and think it matters not what they do while they are little : but alas ! all that while the vice gets root , and that many times so deep a one , that all they can do afterwards , whether by words or blowes , can never pluck it up . secondly , correction must be moderate , not exceeding the quality of the fault , nor the tenderness of the child . thirdly , it must not be given in rage , if it be , it w●ll not only be in danger of being immoderate , but it will lose its effect upon the child , who will think he is corrected , not because he has done a fault , but because his parent is angry , and so will rather blame the parent then himself , whereas on the contrary , care should be taken to make the child as sensible of the fault , as of the smart , without which he will never be throughly amended . . thirdly , after children are grown up , & are past the age of education , there are yet other offices for the parent to perform to them : the parent is still to watch over them in respect of their souls , to observe how they practice those precepts , which were given them in their education , and accordingly to exhort , incourage , or reprove , as they find occasion . . so also for their outward estate , they are to put them into some course of living in the world ; if god have blest the parents with wealth , according to what he hath , he must distribute to his children , remembring that since he was the instrument of bringing them into the world , he is according to his ability to provide for their comfortably living in it , they are therefore to be look't on very unnatural parents , who , so they may have enough to spend in their own riots , and excess , care not what becomes of their children , never think of providing for them . another fault is usual among parents in this business ; they defer all the provisions for them , till themselves be dead , heap up perhaps great matters for them against that time , but in the mean time afford them not such a competency , as may enable them to live in the world there are several mischiefs come from this : first it lessens the childs action to his parent , nay , sometimes it proceeds so far , as to make him wish his death , which though it be such a fault , as no tempt●tion can excuse in a child , yet ' t●s also a great fault in a parent to g●ve that temptation . s●condly , it puts the child upon shifts , and tricks ; many times dishonest ones , to supply his necessities ; this is , i doubt not , a common effect of it , the hardness of parents has often put men upon very unlawful courses , which when they are once acquainted with , perhaps they never leave , though the fi●st occasion cease ; and therefore parents ought to beware , how they run them upon those hazards . besides the parent loses that contentment , which he might have in seeing his children live prosperously and comfortably , which none but an arrant earth-worm would exchange for the vain imaginary pleasure of having money in his chest . but in this business of providing for children , there is yet another thing to be heeded , and that is , that the parent get that wealth honestly , which he makes their portion ; else 't is very far from being a provision , there is such a curse goes along with an ill-gotten estate , that he that leaves such a one to his child , do but cheat , and deceive him , makes him believe he has left him wealth , but has withall put such a canker in the bowels of it , that is sure to eat it out . this is so common an observation that i need say nothing to confirm the truth● of it ; would god it were as generally laid to heart , as it seems to be generally taken notice of : then surely parents would not account it a reasonable motive to unjust dealing , that they may thereby provide for their children , for this is not a way of providing for them ; n●y , 't is the way to spoil them of whatever they have lawfully gathered for them , the least mite of unlawful gain being of the nature of leaven , which sowres the whole lump , bringing down curses upon all a man possesseth . let all parents therefore satisfie themselves with such provisions for their children as god shall enable them honestly to make , assuring themselves how little soever it be , 't is a better portion then the greatest wealth unjustly gotten , according to that of solomom , pro. . . better is a little with righteousness , then great revenues without right . . a fourth thing the parent owes to the child is good example . he is not only to set him rules of vertue , and godliness ; but he must himself give him a pattern in his own practice , we see the force of example is infinitely beyond that of precept , especia●ly where the person is one , to whom we bear a reverence , or with whom we have a continual conversation ; both which usually meet in a parent . it is therefore a most necessary care in all parents to behave themselves so before their children , that their example may be a means of winning them to vertue ; but alas ! this age affords little of this care , nay , so far 't is from it , that there are none more frequently the instruments of corrupting children , then their own parents . and indeed how can it be otherwise , while men give themselves liberty to all wickedness , 't is not to be hoped , but that the children which observe it , will imitate it ; the child that sees his father drunk , will sure think , he may be so too , as well as his father . so he that bears him swear , will do the like , and so for all other vices , and if any parent that is thus wicked himself , should happen to have so much more care of his childs soul , then his own ; as to forbid him the things which himself practices , or correct him for the doing them ; 't is certain the child will account this a great injustice in his father , to punish him for that , which himself freely does , and so he is never likely to be wrought upon by it . this consideration layes a most strict tye upon all parents , to live christianly , for otherwise they do not onely hazard their own souls , but those of their children also , and as it were purchase an estate of inheritance in hell. . a fifth duty of parents is blessing their children ; the way of doing that is double , first , by their prayer ; they are by daily and earnest prayers to commend them to gods protection and blessing , both for their spiritual and temporal estate , and secondly by their piety they are to be such persons themselves as that a blessing may descend from them upon their posterity . this is often promised in scipture to godly men , that their seed shall be blessed . thus in the second commandment , god promises to shew mercy to the thousand generation of them that love him and keep his commandments . and it is very observable in the jews , that though they were a stiffe necked generation , and had very grievously provoked god , yet the godliness of their forefathers , abraham , isaac , and jacob , did many times move god to save them from destruction : on the other side , we see that even good men have fared the worse for the iniquities of their fathers . thus when josiah had destroyed idolatry restored gods service , and done good beyond all the kings that were before him , yet there was an old arreare of manasseh his grandfather , which all this piety of his would not blot out , but he resolves to cast judah also out of his sight , as you may read at large , kings . if therefore parents have any bowels , any kindness towards their children , any real desire of their prosperity , let them take care by their own godly life to entaile a blessing upon them . sixthly , parents must take heed , that they use their power over their children with equity , and moderation , not to oppress them with unreasonable commands , only to exercise their own author●ty , but in all things of weight to consider the real good of their children , and to presse them to nothing , which may not consist with that . this is a rule whereof parents may often have use , but in none greater , then in the business of marrying their children , wherein many that otherwise are good parents have been to blame , when out of an eagerness of bestowing them wealthily , they force them to marry utterly against their own inclinations , which is a great tyranny , and that which frequently betrayes them to a multitude of mischiefs , such as all the wealth in the world cannot repaire . there are two things , which parents ought especially to consider in the matching of their children ; the first , how they may live christianly , and to that purpose to chuse a vertuous and pious person , to link them with : the second is , how they may live cheerfully and comfortably in this world ; and to that end though a competency of estate may be necessary to be regarded , yet surely abundance is no way requisite , and therefore that should not be too vehemently sought after ; that which much more tends to the happiness of that state , is the mutual kindness , and liking of the parties , without which marriage is of all other the most uncomfortable condition , and therefore no parent ought to thrust a child into it . i have now done with the first sort of relation , that of a parent . partition xv. of duty to our brethren , and relations ; husband , wife , friends , masters , servants . § . : the second sort of relation is that of a brother ; now brotherhood may be two fold , either natural , or spiritual , the natural may in the largest extent contain under it all mankind , all that partake of the same nature ; but i shall not consider it so in this place , having already mentioned those gegeneral duties , which belong to all as such : i now speak of that natural brother-hood , that is between those that are the children of the same immediate parent ; and the duty of these is to have united hearts , and affections : this nature points out to them , they partaking in a more especial manner , of each others substance , and therefore ought to have the greatest tenderness and kindness , each to other ; thus we see abraham make it an argument , why there should be no contention between him and let , because they were brethren , gen. . . and though by brethren there is meant only cousins , yet that helps the more strongly to conclude , that this neerer relation is in reason to be a greater barr to strife , as also that this kindness is in some degree to be extended to all that have any neerness of blood to us . . this kindness and love between brethren and sisters ought to be very firmly grounded in their hearts , if it be not , they will be of all others in most danger of disagreeing ; for the continual conversation that is among them , whilst they are at home in the fathers house , will be apt to minister some occasion of jar . besides the equality that is among them in respect of birth , often makes them inclinable to envy each other , when one is in any respect advanced above the other . thus we see josephs brethren envyed him , because he had most of his fathers love , and rachel envyed her sister leah , because she was fruitful ; therefore for the preventing of such temptations , let all who have brethren and sisters , possesse their mind with a great and real kindness to them , look on them as parts of themselves , and then they wil never think fit either to quarrel with them , or to envy them any advantage , any more then one part of the body does another of the same body , but will strive to advance , and help forward the good of each other . . the second kind of brotherhood is spiritual ; that contains all those who profess the same faith with us : the church in our baptism becomes a mother to each baptized person , and then surely they that have the relation of children to her , must have also the relation of brethren to each other ; and to this sort of brethren also we owe a great deal of tenderness and affection ; the spiritual bond of religion , should of all others the most closely unite our hearts . this is the brotherhood which st. peter exhorts us to love . pet. . . and to it we are in an especial manner bound to do all good offices , do good , saith the apostle , to all , but especially to them that are of the houshold of faith , gal. . . our compassions are to be most melting towards them of all others , in all their needs ; christ tels us , that whosoever gives but a cup of cold water to any in the name of a disciple shall not lose his reward , mat. . . from whence we may assure our selves that this peculiar love to christians , as christians , is very acceptable in his sight . . several duties there are required of us to these brethren ; one principal , is the holding communion with them , and that first in doctrine ; we are constantly to continue in the belief and profession of all those necessary truths , by which we may be markt out as followers , and disciples of christ ; this is that faith , which st. jude speaks of , which was once delivered to the saints , iude . by keeping whereof we continue still united to this spiritual brotherhood , in respect of profession , which we must constantly do , what storms and persecutions soever attend it , according to the exhortation of the apostle , heb. . . let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering . secondly , we are also as opportunity serves , to communicate with them in all holy offices ; we must be diligent in frequenting the assemblies of the saints , which is as it were the badg of our profession ; and therefore he that willingly withdraws himself from these , gives ground to suspect , he will be apt to renounce the other also . but these parts of communion we find strictly maintained by the first christians , acts . . they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship , and in breaking of bread , and in prayers : they continued , and that stedfastly , they were not frighted from it by any persecutions , though that were a time wherein they were tryed with the sharpest sufferings ; which may teach us , that it is not the danger , that attends this duty can acquit us of it . . secondly , we are to bear with the infirmities of our christian brethren , according to the advice of st. paul , rom. . . we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak . if one that holds all necessary christian truth , happen yet to be in some error , we are not for this either to forsake his communion , or despise his person . this st. paul teaches us in the case of that weak brother , who by error made a causlesse scruple about meats , rom. . where he bids the stronger christians , that is , those who being better instructed , discerned him to be in an error , yet to receive him neverthelesse , and not to despise him , as on the other side , he bids that weak one not to judge the stronger ; the lesser differences in opinion must be born with on both sides , and must not in the least abate our brotherly charity towards each other . . thirdly , we are to endeavour the restoring of any fallen brother , that is , to bring him to repentance , after he hath fallen into any sin . thus st. paul commands the galatians , that they should retore him that was overtaken in a fault , considering themselves least they also were tempted . we are not to look on him as a cast-away to give him over as utterly desperate , neither are we to triumph over him , in respect of our own innocence , like the proud pharisee , over the poor publican , luke . . but we are meekly to endevour his recovery , remembring that our own frailty is such , that we are not secure from the like falls . . fourthly , we are to have a sympathy , and fellow feeling-with these brethren , to be neerly toucht with whatsoever befals them , either as they are considered in society , or in single persons . in society first , and so they make up a church , & that either the universal , which is made up of all beleevers throughout the world , or any particular church , which is made up of all the beleevers in that particular nation , and whatever happens to either of these , either the whole church in general , or any such single part of it , especially that whereof our selves are members , we are to be much affected and moved with , to rejoice in all the prosperities , and to mourn and bewail all the breaches , and desolations thereof , and daily and earnestly to pray with david , psal. . . o be favourable and gracious unto sion , build thou the wals of ierusalem ; and that especially when we see her in d●stress , and persecution . whosoever is not thus toucht with the condition of the church , is not to be lookt on , as a living member of it , for as in the natural body every member is concerned in the prosperity of the whole , so certainly 't is here : it was the observation of the psalmist , that gods servants think upon the stones of sin , and pity to see her in the dust . psal. . . and surely all his servants are still of the same temper , cannot look on the ruins , and desolations of the church , without the greatest sorrow , and lamentation . secondly , we are to have this fellow-feeling with our brethren , considered as single persons ; we are to account our selves concerned in very particular christian , so as to partake with him in all his occasions either of joy or sorrow . thus the apostle exhorts , rom. . . rejoice with them that rejoice , weep with them that weep ; and again , cor. . under the similitude of the natural body he urges this duty , whether one member suffer , all the members suffer with it , or one member be honoured , all the members rejoice with it . all these several effects of love we owe to these spiritual brethren . and this love is that , which christ has made the badge of his disciples , jo. . . by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples , if ye have love one to another ; so that if we mean not to cast off discipleship to christ , we must not forsake this love of the brethren . . the third relation is that between husband and wife . this is yet much neerer then either of the former , as appears by that text eph. . . a man shall leave father and mother and cleave to his wife , and they two shall be one flesh . several duties there are oweing from one of these persons to the other ; and first for the wife , she owes obedience . this is commanded by the apostle , col. . . wives submit your selves to your own husbands , as it is fit in the lord. they are to render obedience to their husbands in the lord , that is in all lawful commands , for otherwise 't is here as in the case of all other superiors , god must be obeyed rather then man , and the wife must not upon her husbands command do any thing which is forbidden by god. but in all things , which doth not cross some command of gods , this precept is of force , and will serve to condemn the peevish stubborness of many wives , who resist the lawful commands of their husbands , onely because they are impatient of this duty of subjection , which god himself requires of them . but it may here be asked , what if the husband command something which though it be not unlawful , is yet very inconvenient , and imprudent , must the wife submit to such a command ? to this i answer , that it will be no disobedience in her , but duty , calmly and mildly to shew him the inconveniences thereof , and to perswade him to retract that command ; but in case she cannot win him to it by fair intreaties , she must neither try sharp language , nor yet finally refuse to obey , nothing but the unlawfulness of the command being sufficient warrant for that secondly , the wife owes fidelity to the husband , and that of two sorts ; first that of the bed , she must keep her self pure and chast from all strange embraces , and therefore must not so much as give an ear to any that wou'd allure her , but with the greatest abhorrence eject all motions of that sort , & never give any man that has once made such a mot on to her , the least opportunity to make a second . secondly , she owes him likewise fidelity , in the managing of those worldly affairs , he commits to her ; she must order them so , as may be most to her husbands advantage , and not by deceiving , and cozening of him imploy his good to such uses as he allowes not of . . thirdly , she owes him love , and together with that all friendliness and kindness of conversation ; she is to endeavour to bring him as much assistance , and comfort of life , as is possible , that so she may answer that special end of the womans creation , the being a help to her husband , gen. . . and this in all conditions , whether health , or sickness , wealth , or poverty , whatsoever estate god by his providence shall cast him into , she must be as much of comfort and support to him , as she can . to this all sullenness , and harshness , all brawling , and unquietness is directly contrary , for that makes the wife the burden , and plague of the man , in stead of a help and comfort ; and sure if it be a fault to behave ones self so to any person , as hath already been shewed , how great must it be to do so to him , to whom the greatest kindness and affection is owing ? . nor let such wives think that any faults , or provocations of the husband can justifie their frowardness , for they will not , either in respect of religion or discretion . not in religion for where god has absolutely commanded a duty to be paid , 't is not any unworthiness of the person can excuse from it ; nor in discretion , for the worse a husband is , the more need there is for the wife to carry her self with that gentleness and sweetness , that may be most likely to win him . this is the advice st. peter gave the wives of his time , p●t . . . likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands , that if any obey not the word , they may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives . it seems the good behaviour of the wives was thought a powerful means even to win men from heathenism to christianity , and sure it might now a dayes have some good effects , if women would have but the patience to try it : at the least , 't would have this , that it would keep some tolerable quiet in families , whereas on the other side the ill fruits of the wives unquietness are so notorious , that there are few neighbourhoods , but can give some instance of it . how many men are there , that to avoid the noise of a froward wife , have fallen to company keeping , & by that to drunkenness , poverty , and a multitude of mischiefs ? let all wives therefore beware of administring that temptation . but whenever there happens any thing , which in kindness to her husband , she is to admonish him of , let it be with that softness , and mildness , that it may appear 't is love , and not anger , that makes her speak . . there are also on the husbands part several 〈◊〉 . there is first love , which saint paul requires , to be very tender and passionate towards the wife , as appears by the similitudes ●e●nieth in that matter , eph. . the one that of the love a man bears to his natural body , no man , sayes he , ver . . ever hated his own fl●sh , but nourisheth , and cherisheth it . the other the love that christ bears to his church , which is far greater , ver . . both which he sets as patterns for this love of husbands towards their wives . this utterly forbids all harshness , and roughness to them ; men are to use them as parts of themselves , to love them as their own bodies , and therefore to do nothing , that may be hurtful , and grievous to them , no more then they would cut , and gash their own flesh . let those husbands that tyrannize over their wives , that scarce use them like humane creatures consider , whether that be to love them , as their own bodies . a second duty of the husband , is faithfulness to the bed. this is by god as well required of the husband , as the wife , and though the world do seem to look on the breach of this duty , with less abhorrence in the husband , yet sure before that just judge , the offence will appear no less on the mans side , then the womans . this is certain , 't is in both a breach of the vow , made to each other , at their marriage , and so besides the uncleanness , a down-right perjury , and those differences in the case , which seem to cast the scale , are rather in respect of civil and worldly consideration , then meerly of the sin . . a third duty of the husband is to maintain , and provide for the wife . he is to let her partake with him in those outward good things , wherewith god hath blest him , and neither by niggardliness debar her of what is fit for her , nor yet by unthriftiness so waste his goods , that he shall become unable to support her . this is certainly the duty of the husband , who being , as hath been said , to account his wife as a part of his own body , must have the very same care to sustain her , that he hath for himself . yet this is not so to be understood , as to excuse the wife from her part of labour and industry , when that is requisite , it being unreasonable the husband should toil to maintain the wife in idleness . . fourthly , the husband is to instruct the wife in the things which concern her eternal welfare , if she be ignorant of them . thus st. paul bids the wives learn of their husbands at home , cor. . which supposes , that the husband is to teach her . indeed it belongs to every master of a family to endeavour , that all under his charge be taught all necessary things of this kind , and then sure more especially his wife , who is so much neerer to him , then all the rest . this should make men careful to get knowledge themselves , that so they may be able to perform this duty they owe to others . . lastly , husbands and wives , are ●utually to pray for each other , to beg all blessings from god , both temporal and spiritual , & to endeavour all they can to do all good to one another , especially all good to each others souls , by stirring up to the performance of duty and disswading , and drawing back from all sin , and by being like true yoke-fellowes , helpful and assistant to each other in the doing of all sorts of good , both to their own family , and all others within their reach . this is of all other the truest , and most valuable love . nay , indeed how can it be said they do love at all , who can contentedly let each other run on in a course that will bring them to eternal misery ? and if the love of husbands and wives were thus grounded in vertue and religion , 't would make their lives a kind of heaven on earth , 't would prevent all those contentions , and brawlings , so common among them , which are the great plagues of families , and a lesser hell , in passage to the greater , and truly where it is not thus founded , there is little comfort to be expected in marriage . . it should therefore be the care of every one that means to enter upon that state , to consider advisedly before hand , and to choose such a person , with whom they may have this spiritual friendship , that is such a one , as truly feares god. there are many false ends of marriage lookt upon in the world : some marry for wealth , others for beauty , and generally they are onely worldly respects , that are at all considered ; but certainly he that would marry as ●e ought , should contrive to make his marriage useful to those better ends , of serving god , and saving his own soul ; at least he must be sure it be no hinderance to them , and to that purpose the vertue of the person chosen in more conducing then all the wealth in the world , though i deny not , but that a competency of that may likewise be considered . but above all things , let all take heed , that they make not such marriages , as may not only be ill in their effects , but are actual sins at the time ; such are the marriages of those that were formerly promised to some other , in which case 't is sure they rightly belong to those , to whom they past the first promise , and then for any other to marry them , during the life of that person , is to take the husband or wife of that other , which is direct adultery , as st. paul tels us , rom. . . the like unlawfulness there is also in the marriage of those , who are within those degrees of kindred forbidden by god , the particulars whereof are set down in the . and of lev. and whoever marries any that is within any of those degrees of neerness , either to himself , or to his deceased wife , which is as bad , commits that great sin of incest , and so long as he continues to live with such his unlawful wife , remains in that fearful guilt . this wariness in the choice of the person to be married , would prevent many sad effects , which we daily see follow such rash or unlawful matches ; it were well therefore if people would look on marriage , as our church advises , as a thing not to be undertaken lightly , unadvisealy or wantenly , to satisfie mens carnal lusts and appetites , but reverently , discreetly , advisedly , soberly , and in the fear of god ; and in so doing no doubt a blessing would follow , which otherwise there is little ground to expect . i have now done with this relation between husband and wise . . the next is that between friends ; and this relation if it be rightly founded , it is of great neerness , and usefulness , but there is none more generally mistaken in the world ; men usually call them their friends , with whom they have an intimacy , and frequency of conversation , though that intimacy be indeed nothing but an agreement and combination in sin . the drunkard thinks him his friend that will keep him company , the deceitful person , him that will aid him in his cheats , the proud man , him that will flatter him : and so generally in all vices , they are look't on as friends , that advance and farther us in them . but god knows this is far from friendship , such a friend as this the divel himself is in the highest degree , who is never backward in such offices . the true friendship is that of a direct contrary making , 't is a concurrence and agreement in vertue , not in vice : in short , a true friend loves h●s friend so , that he is very zealous of his good , and certainly he that is really so , will never be the instrument of b●inging him to the greatest evil . the general duty of a friend then must be resolved to be the industrious pursuit of his friends reall advantages , in which there are several particulars contained . . as first , faithfulness in all trusts committed to him by his friend , whether that of goods or secrets ; he that betrays the trust of a friend in either , is by all men look't upon with abhorrence , it being one of the highest falsnesses and treacheries , and for such treacherous wounds the wise man tels us , every friend will depart , eclesiasticus . . . secondly , 't is the duty of a friend to be assisting to his friend in all his outward needs ; to counsel him , when he wants advice ; to cheere him , when he needs comfort ; to give him , when he wants relief , and to endeavour his rescue out of any trouble or danger . an admirable example we have of this friendship in jonathan to david , he loved him as his own soul , and we see he not only contrives for his safety when he was in danger , but runs hazards himself to rescue and deliver his friend , draws his fathers anger upon him , to turn it from david , as you may read at large , sam. . . the third and highest duty of a friend is to be aiding and assisting to the soul of his friend , to endeavour to advance that in piety and vertue , by all means within his power , by exhortations and encouragements to all vertue , by earnest and vehement disswasions from all sin , and not only thus in general , but by applying to his particular wants , especially by plain and friendly reproofs , where he knows or reasonably believes there is any fault committed . this is of all others the most peculiar duty of a friend , it being indeed that which none else is qualified for such an unwillingness there is in most men to hear of their faults , that those that undertake that work , had need have a great prepossession of their hearts , to make them patient of it : nay , it is so generally acknowledged to be the proper work of a friend , that if he omit it , he betrays the offender into security , his not reproving will be apt to make the other think he does nothing worthy of reproof , and so he tacitely acts that basest part of a flatterer , sooths , and cherishes him in his sin ; when yet farther it is considered how great need all men have at some time or other , of being admonished , 't will appear a most unfriendly , yea cruel thing to omit it ; we have that natural partialities to our selves , that we cannot so readily discern our own miscarriages , as we do other mens , and therefore 't is very necessary they should sometimes be shewed us by those , who see them more cleerly : and the doing this at the first may prevent the multiplying of more : whereas if we be suffered to go on unreproved , it often comes to such a habit that reproves will do no good and then how shall that person be able to answer it either to god or himself , that has by his silence betrayed his friend to this greatest mischief . 't is the expression of god himself speaking of a friend , thy friend which is as thine own soul , deut. . . and sure we should in this respect account our friends as our own souls , by haveing the same jealous tendernesse and watchfulnesse over their souls , which we ought to have of our own . it will therefore be very fit for all that have enter'd any strict friendship , to make this one special article in the agreement , that they shall mutually admonish and reprove each other ; by which means it will become such an avowed part of their friendship , that it can never be mistaken by the reproved party for censoriousness or unkindness . . fourthly , to these several parts of kindness must be added that of prayer , we must not only assist our friends , our selves , in what we can , but we must call in the almighty aid to them , recommending them earnestly to god for all his blessings , both spiritual , & temporal . . lastly , we must be constant in our friendships , and not out of a slightness of humour grow weary of a friend , only because we have had him long . this is great injustice to him , who if he have behaved himself well , ought the more to be valued , by how much the longer he has continued to do so : and it is great folly in our selves , for it is the casting away the greatest treasure of humane life , for such certainly is a tryed friend . the wisest of men gives warning of it , prov. . . thine own friend and thy fathers friend forsake not . nay farther , 't is not every light offence of a friend , that should make thee renounce his friendship , there must be some allowance made to the infirmities of men , and if thou hast occasion to pardon him somewhat to day , perhaps thou maist give him opportunity to requite thee to morrow ; therefore nothing but unfaithfulness , or incorrigible vice should break this band . . the last relation is that between masters and servants , both which owe a duty to each other : that of the servant is first obedience to all lawful commands ; this is expresly required by the apostle , eph. . . servants obey in all things your masters , &c. and this obedience must not be a grumbling and unwilling one , but ready and cheerful as he there proceeds to exhort , ver . . with good will doing service , and to help them herein , they are to consider that it is to the lord , and not unto men ; god has commanded servants thus to obey their masters , and therefore the obedience they pay is to god , which may well make them do it cheerfully , how harsh , or unworthy soever the master be , especially if what the apostle farther urgeth , ver . . be considered , that there is a reward to be expected from god for it . . the second duty of the servant is faithfulness , and that may be of two sorts , one as supposed to eye service , the other to purloyning or defrauding . the first part of faithfulness is the doing of all true service to his master , not only when his eye is over him , and he expect punishment for the omission , but at all times , even when his master is not likely to discern his failing , and that servant that doth not make conscience of this , is far from being a faithful servant ; this eye-service being by the apostle set opposite to that singleness of heart , which he requires of servants , eph . . . the second sort of faithfulness consists in the honest managery of all things intrusted to him by his master , the not wasting his goods ( as the unjust steward was accused to have done lu. . ) whether by careless embezelling of them , or by converting any of them to his own use without the allowance of his master . this latter is that purloyning of which the apostle warnes servants , tit. . . and is indeed no better then arrant theft , of this kind are all those ways , that the servant hath of gaining to himself by the loss and damage of his master , as the being bribed to make ill bargains for him , and many the like : nay , indeed this sort of unfaithfulness is worse then common theft , by how much there is a greater trust reposed , the betraying whereof adds to the crime . as for the other sort of unfaithfulness , that of wasting though without gain to themselves , it differs not much in effect from this , the master may lose as much by the one as by the other , and then what odds is it to him , whether he be robb'd by the covetousness or negligence of his servant , and it is still the same breach of trust with the former , for every master is supposed to intrust his affairs as well to the care as the honesty of his servant for t' would be little advantage to the master to be secured , that his servant would not himself cheat him , whilst in the mean time he would by his carelesness give opportunity to others to do it ; therefore he that does not carefully look to his masters prof●t , dece●ves his trust , as well as he that justly provides for his own . a third duty of a servant is patience and meekness under the reproofs of his master ; not answering again , as the apostle exhorts , tit. . , that is not making such surely and rude replies , as may encrease the masters displeasure : a thing too frequent among servants , even in the justest reprehensions , whereas st. peter directs them patiently to suffer , even the most undeserved correction , even when they do well and suffer for it , pet. . . but the patient suffering of rebuke is not all that is required of servants in this matter , they must also mend the fault they are rebuked for , and not think they have done enough , when they have ( though never so dutifully ) given the master the hearing . . a fourth duty of a servant is diligence ; he must constantly attend to all those things ; which are the duties of his place , and not ; give himself to idleness , and sloth , nor yet to company keeping , gameing , or any other disorderly course , which may take him off from his masters business . all these are necessary duties of a servant , which they are carefully and conscionably to perform , not so much to escape the masters anger as gods , who will certainly call every one of them to an account , how they have behaved themselves towards their earthly masters . . now on the other side , there are some things also owing from the masters to their servants : as first the master is bound to be just to them , in performing those conditions , on which they were hired , such are commonly the giving them food and wages , and that master that withholds these , is an oppressor . . secondly , the master is to admonish and reprove the servant in case of fault , and that not only in faults against them , wherein few masters are backward , but also and more especially in faults against god , whereat every master ought to be more troubled then at those which tend only to his own loss , or inconvenience ; the dishonour of god and the hazard of the meanest mans soul , being infinitely more worthy our disquiet , then any thing of the other kind can be . and therefore when masters are presently on fire for any little negligence or fault of a servant towards themselves , and yet can without trouble see them run into the greatest sins against god , 't is a sign they consider their own concernments too much , and gods glory and their servants souls too little . this is too commonly the temper of masters , they are generally careless how their servants behave themselves towards god , how disorder'd and profane their families are , and therefore never bestow any exhortation , or admonition , to perswade them to vertue , or draw them from vice ; such masters forget that they must one day give an account how they have governed their families . it is certainly the duty of every ruler to endeavour to advance piety and godliness among all those that are under his charge , and that as well in this lesser dominion of a family , as in the greater of a realm or nation . of this david was so careful , that we see he professes , psal. . . that no deceitful person should dwell in his house , that he that told lies should not tarry in his sight , so much he thought himself bound to provide that his family might be a kind of church , an assembly of godly upright persons : and if all masters would endeavour to have theirs so , they would besides the eternal reward of it , hereafter find a present benefit by it , there worldly business would thrive much the better ; for if their servants were brought to make conscience of their wayes , they would then not dare either to be negligent or false . . but as it is the duty of masters to admonish and reprove their servants , so they must also look to do it in a due manner , that is so , as may be most likely to do good , not in passion and rage , which can never work the servant to any thing but the despising or hating him , but with such sober and grave speeches , as may convince him of his fault , and may also assure him , that it is a kind desire of his amendment ( and not a willingness to wreck his own rage ) which makes the master thus to rebuke him . . a third duty of the master is to set good example of honesty and godliness to his servants , without which 't is not all the exhortations , or reproofs he can use , will ever do good ; for else he puls down more with his example , then t is possible for him to build with the other , and 't is madness for a drunken , or profane master , to expect a sober and godly family . . fourthly . the master is to provide that his servants may not want means of being instructed in their duty , as also that they may daily have constant times of worshipping god , publickly by having prayers in the family ; but of this i have spoken before under the head of prayer , and therefore shall here say no more of it . . fifthly , the master in all affairs of his own , is to give reasonable and moderate commands , not saying greater burdens on his servants then they are able to bear , particularly not requiring so much work , that they shall have no time to bestow on their souls , as on the other side he is not to permit them to live so idely as may make them either uselesse to him , or may betray themselves to any ill . . sixthly , the master is to give his servants encouragement in well doing , by using them with that bounty and kindness which their faithfulness aud diligence and piety deserves : and finally in all his dealing with them , he is to remember that himself hath as the apostle saith , eph. . . a master in heaven , to whom he must give account of the usage of his meanest servant on earth . thus have i briefly run through those several relations , to which we owe a particular duty , and so have done with that first branch of duty to our neighbours ; that of justice . partition xvi . other branches of our duty to our neighbour . of charity to mens s●uls , bodies , goo●s , &c. the second branch of duty to our neighbours is charity or love. this is the great gospel-duty , so often injoined us by christ , the new commandment as himself calls it , jo. . that ye love one another , & this is again repeated twice in one chapter , john . . and the first epistle of st. john is almost wholly spent in the perswasion to this one duty , by which we may see 't is no matter of indifference , but most strictly required of all that profess christ. indeed himself has given it as the badge and livery of his disciples , john . . by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another . this charity may be considered two waies ; first , in respect of the affections ; secondly , of the actions . charity in the affections is a sincere kindness , which disposes us to wish all good to others , and that in all their capacities , in the same manner that justice obliged us to wish no hurt to any man , in respect either of his soul , his body , his goods , or his credit , so this first part of charity binds us to wish all good to them in all these . and first , for the soul. if we have any the least spark of charity , we cannot but wish all good to mens souls ; those precious things which christ thought worth the ransoming with his own blood , may surely well challenge our kindness , and good wishes ; and therefore if we do not thus love one another , we are far from obeying that command of loving , as he hath loved , for 't was the souls of men which he loved so tenderly , and both did , and suffered so much for . of this love of his to souls there are two great and special effects ; the first , the purifying them here by his grace , the second , the making them everlastingly happy , in his glory ; and both these we are so far to copy out in our kindness , as to be earnestly desirous that all men should arrive to that purity , and holiness here , which may make them capable of eternal happiness hereafter . it were to be hoped , that none that himself carried a soul about him , could be so cruel to that of another mans , as not sincerely to wish this , did not experience shew us there are some persons , whose malice is so divelish , as to reach even to the dire●● contrary , the wishing not onely the sin , but the damnation of others . thus may you have some , who in any injury , or oppression they suffer , make it their onely comfort , that their enemies will damn themselves by it ; when alas ! that should to a christian be much more terrible , then any suffering they could bring upon him . he that is of this temper , is a disciple of satans , not of christ , it being directly contrary to the whole scope of that grand christian precept , of loving our neighbours as our selves . for 't is sure , no man that beleeves there is such a thing as damnation , wishes it to himself ; be he never so fond of the wayes that lead to it , yet he wishes that may not be his journeys end , and therefore by that rule of charity should as much dread it for his neighbour . secondly , we are to wish all good to the bodies of men , all health and welfare , we are generally tender enough of our own bodies , dread the least pain or ill , that can befal them ; now charity , by vertue of the forementioned precept , extends this tenderness to all others , and whatever we apprehend as grievous to our selves , we must be unwilling should befal another . the like is to be said of the other two , goods and credit , that as we wish our own thriving and reputation , so we should likewise that of others , or else we can never be said to love our neighbour as our selves . this charity of the affections , if it be sincere , will certainly have these several effects , which are so inseparable from it , that they are often in scripture accounted as parts of the duty , and so most strictly required of us ; first , it will keep the mind in a peaceable and meek temper towards others , so far f●om seeking occasions of contentions , that no provocation shall draw us to it ; for where we have kindness we shall be unapt to quarrel , it being one of the especial properties of charity , that it is not easily provoked , cor. . . and therefore whoever is unpeaceable , shewes his heart is destitute of this charity . secondly , it will breed comp●ssion towards all the miseries of others every mishap that befals , where we wish well , is a kind of defeat and disaster to our selves and therefore if we wish well to all , we shall be thus concerned in the calamities of all , have a reall grief , and sorrow , to see any in misery , and that according to the proportion of the suffering . thirdly , it will give us joy in the prosperities of others ; solomon observes prov. . . that the desire accomplished i● swee● to the soul , and then whoever has this real desire of his neighbours welfare , his desire is accomplished in their prosperity , and therefore he cannot but have contentment and satisfaction in it . both these are together commanded by st. paul , rom. . . r●joice with them that rejoice , weep with them that weep . fourthly , it will excite and stir up our prayers for others ; we are of our selves impotent , feeble creatures , un●ble to bestow blessings , where we most wish them , therefore if we do indeed desire the good of others we must se●k it on their behalf , from him , whence every good and perfect gift cometh , ja. . . this is so necessary a part of charity , that without it our kindness is but an unsignificant thing , a kind of empty complement . for how can he be believed to wish well in earnest , who will not thus put life and efficacy into his wishes by forming them into prayers which will otherwise be vain and fruitless . the apostle thought not fit to leave men to their bare wishes , but exhorts that supplications , prayers , and giving of thanks be made for all men , tim. . . which precept all that have this true charity of the heart , will readily conform to . these severals are so naturally the fruits of this charity that it is a deceit for any man to perswade himself he hath it , who cannot produce these fruits to evidence it by . but there is yet a farther excellency of this grace , it guards the mind , and secures it from several great and dangerous vices ; as first from envy ; this is by the apostle taught us to be the property of charity , cor. . . charity envieth not ; and indeed common reason may confirm this to us , for envy is a sorrow at the prosperity of another , and therefore must needs be directly contrary to that desire of it , which we shewed before was the effect of love ; so that if love bear sway in the heart , 't will certainly chace out envy . how vainly then do those pretend to this vertue , that are still grudging , and rep●ning at every good hap of others ? secondly , it keeps down pride and hau●●●iness . this is also taught us by the apostle in the forementioned place , charity vaunteth not it self , is not puffed up ; and accordingly we find , that where this vertue of love is commanded , their humility is joyned with it . thus it is , col. . . put on therefore bowels of mercies , kindness , humbleness of mind , and rom. . . be kindly affectioned on towards another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another , where you see how close an attendant humility is of love . indeed it naturally flowes from it , for love always sets a price and value upon the thing beloved , makes us esteem and prize it ; thus we too constantly find it in self love , it makes us think highly of our selves , that we are much more excellent then other men . now if love thus plac'd on our selves , beget pride , let us but divert the course , and turn this love on our brethren , and it will as surely beget humility , for then we should see and value those gifts and excellencies of theirs , which now our pride , or our hatreds make us to overlook and neglect , and not think it reasonable either to despise them , or vaunt and magnifie our selves upon such a comparison ; we should certainly find cause to put the apostles exhortation in practice , phil. that we should esteem others better then our selves . whoever therefore is of so h●ughty a temper , as to vilify and disdain others , may conclude he hath not this charity rooted in his heart . thirdly , it casts out censoriousness and rash judging charity , as the apostle saith , cor. . . thinketh no evil , is not apt to entertain ill conceits of others , but on the contrary as it follows , ver . . believeth all thing , hopeth all things ; that is , it is forward to believe and hope the best of all men , and surely our own experience tels us the same , for where we love we are usually unapt to discern faults , be they never so gross ( witness the great blindness we generally have towards our own ) and therefore shall certainly not be likely to create them , where they are not , or to aggravate them beyond their true size and degree : and then to what shall we impute those unmerciful censures and rash judgments of others , so frequent among men , but to the want of this charity . fourthly , it casts out dissembling and feigned kindness ; where this true and reall love is , that false and counterfeit one flyes from before it , and this is the love we are commanded to have , such as is without dissimulation , rom. . . indeed where this is rooted in the heart , there can be no possible use of dissimulation , because this is in truth all that the false one would seem to be , and so is as far beyond it , as nature is beyond art , nay indeed as a devine vertue is beyond a foul sin , for such is that hypocritical kindness , and yet t is to be feared that does too generally usurp the place of this reall charity , the effects of it are too visible among us , there being nothing more common then to see men make large professions to those who as soon as their back are turned , they either deride or mischief . fifthly , it casts out all mercenariness , and self-seeking , 't is of so noble and generous a temper , that it dispises all projectings for gain or advantage , love seeketh not her own , cor. . . and therefore that huckstering kind of love so much used in the world , which places it self only there , where it may fetch in benefit , is very far from this charity . lastly , it turns out of the heart all malice and desire of revenge which is so utterly contrary to it , that it is impossible they should both dwell in the same brest ; 't is the property of love to bear all things , cor. . . to endure the greatest injuries , without thought of making any other return to them then prayers and blessings , and therefore the malicious revengeful person , is of all others the greatest stranger to this charity . 't is true if this vertue were to be exercised but towards some sort of persons , it might consist with malice to others , it being possible for a man that bitterly hates one to love another ; but we are to take notice that this charity must not be so confined , but must extend and stretch it self to all men in the world , particularly to enemies , or else it is not that divine charity commended to us by christ. the loving of friends , and benefactors is so low a pitch that the very publicans and sinners , the worst of men were able to attain to it , mat. . and therefore 't is not counted rewardable in a disciple of christ ; no , he expects we should soar higher , and therefore hath set us this more spiritual , and excellent precept of loving of enemies , mat. . . i say unto you , love your enemies , bless them that curse you , and pray for them which despitefully use you , and persecute you , and whoever does not thus , will never be owned by him for a disciple . we are therefore to conclude , that all which hath been said concerning this charity of the affections must be understood to belong as well to our spitefullest enemy , as our most obliging friend . but because this is a duty , to which the froward nature of man is apt to object much , 't will not be amiss to insist a little on some considerations , which may inforce it on us . and first consider , what hath been already toucht on , that it is the command of christ , both in the text above mentioned , and multitudes of others , there being scarce any precept so often repeated in the new testament , as this of loving and forgiving of enemies . thus eph. . . be ye kind one to another , tender hearted , forgiving one another ; and again , col. . . forbearing one another and forgiving one another , if any man have a quarrel against any , even as christ forgave you , so also do ye . so also , pet. . . not rendring evil for evil , nor railing for railing , but contrariwise blessing . a whole volume of texts might be brought to this purpose , but these are certainly enough , to convince any man , that this is strictly required of us by christ , and indeed i think , there are few that ever heard of the gospel , but know it is so . the more prodigiously strange is it , that men that call themselves christians , should give no degree of obedience to it , nay , not onely so , but even publickly avow , and profess the contrary , as we daily see they do , it being ordinary to have men resolve , and declare , that they will not forgive such , or such a man , and no consideration of christs command can at all move them from their purpose . certainly these men understand not what is meant by the very word christian , which signifies a servant , and disciple of christ , and this charity is the very badg of the one , the lesson of the other ; and therefore 't is the greatest absurdity , and contradiction , to profess themselves christians , and yet at the same time to resist this so express command of that christ , whom they own as their master . if i be a master , saith god , where is my fear ? mal. . . obedience and reverence are so much the duties of servants , that no man is thought to look on him as a master , to whom he payes them not . why call ye me lord , lord , and do not the things that i say ? saith christ , luk. . . the whole world is divided into two great families . christs , and satans , a●d the obedience each man payes , signifies to which of these masters he belongs , if he obey christ , to christ ; if satan , to satan . now this sin of malice , and revenge is so much the dictate of that wicked spirit , that there is nothing can be a more direct obeying of him , 't is the taking his livery on our backs , the proclaiming whose servants we are ; what ridiculous impudence is it then , for men that have thus entred themselves of satans family , to pretend to be the servants of christ ? let such know assuredly , they shall not be owned by him , but at the great day of accompt , be turned over to their proper master , to receive their wages , in fire and brimstone . a second consideration is the example of god : this is an argument christ himself thought fit to use , to impress this duty on us , as you may see luk . , . where after having given the command of loving enemies , he incourages to the practice of it , by telling , that it is that which will make us the children of the highest ( that is , 't will give us a likeness and resemblance to him , as children have to their parents ) for he is kind to the unthankful and the evil ; and to the same purpose , you may read mat. . . he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good , and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust ; and sure this is a most forcible consideration to excite us to this duty . god , we know , is the fountain of perfection , and the being like to him , is the summe of all we can wish for ; and though it was lucifers fall , his ambition to be like the most high , yet had the likeness he affected been onely that of holyness and goodness , he might still have been an angel of light ; this desire of imitating our heavenly father is the especial mark of a child of his . now this kindness and goodness to enemies is most eminently remarkable in god , and that not onely in respect of the temporal mercies , which he indifferently bestowes on all , his sun and rain on the unjust , as in the text forementioned , but chiefly in his spiritual mercies ; we are all by our wicked works col. . . enemies to him , and the mischief of that enmity would have fallen wholly upon our selves , god had no motive besides that of his pity to us , to wish a reconciliation , yet so farr was he from returning our enmity , when he might have revenged himself to our eternal ruine , that he designes , and contrives how he may bring us to be at peace with him . this is a huge degree of mercy and kindness , but the means he used for effecting this , is yet far beyond it ; he sent his own son from heaven , to work it , and that not onely by perswasions , but sufferings also ; so much did he prize us miserable creatures , that he thought us not too dear bought with the blood of his son. the like example of mercy and patience we have in christ both laying down his life for us enemies , and also in that meek manner of doing it , which we find excellently set forth by the apostle , pet. . . . . and commended to our imitation . now surely when all this is considered , we may well make st. johns inference , beloved , if god so loved us , we ought also to love one another , iohn . . how shameful a thing is it for us to retain displeasures against our brethren , when god thus layes by his towards us , and that when we have so highly provoked him ? this directs to a third consideration , the comparing our sins against god , with the offences of our brethren against us , which we no sooner shall come to do , but there will appear a vast difference between them , and that in several respects ; for first , there is the majesty of the person , against whom we sin , which exceedingly encreases the gilt , whereas between man and man , there cannot be so great a distance ; for though some men are by god advanced to such eminency of dignity , as may make an injury offered to them the greater yet still they are but men of the same nature with us , whereas he is god blessed for ever ; secondly , there is his soveraignity and power , which is original in god , for we are his creatures , we have received our whole being from him , and therefore are in the deepest manner bound to perfect obedience , whereas all the soveraignity that one man can possibly have over another , is but imparted to them by god , and for the most part there is none of this neither in the case , quarrels being most usual among equals . thirdly , there is his infinite bounty and goodness to us , all that ever we enjoy , whether in relation to this life , or a better being wholly his free gift , and so there is the foulest ingratitude added to our other crimes ; in which respect also 't is impossible for one man to offend against another in such a degree , for though one may be ( & too many are ) guilty of unthankfulness towards men , yet because the greatest benefits that man can bestow , are infinitely short of those which god doth , the ingratitude cannot be neer so great as towards god it is . lastly , there is the greatness and multitude of our sins against god , which do infinitely exceed all that the most injurous man can do against us , for we all sin much oftner and more hainously against him then any man , be he never so malicious , can find opportunity is of injuring his brethren this inequality and disproportion our saviour intimates in the parable , mat. . where our offences against god are noted by the ten thousand talents , whereas our brethrens against us are described by the hundred pence , a talent hugely out-weighs a penny , and ten thousand out numbers a hundred , yet so and much more does the weight and number of our sins exceed all the offences of others against us : much more might be said to shew the vast inequality between the faults which god forgives us , and those we can possibly have to forgive our brethren : but this i suppose may suffice to silence all the objections of cruel and revengeful persons , against this kindness to enemies . they are apt to look upon it as an absur'd and unreasonable thing , but since god himself acts it in so much a higher degree , who can without blasphemy say 't is unreasonable ? if this , or any other spiritual duty appear so to us , we may ●earn the reason from the apostle , cor. . . the carnal man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god , for they are foolishness unto him ; 't is the carnality and fleshliness of our hearts , that makes it seem so , and therefore in stead of disputing against the duty , let us purge our hearts of that , and then we shall find that true which the spiritual wisdom affirms of her doctrines , pro. . . they are all plain● to him that understandeth , and right to them that find knowledg . nay , this loving of enemies is not only a reasonable , but a pleasant duty , and that i propose as a fourth consideration ; there is a great deal of sweetness and delight to be found in it ; of this i confess none can so well judge as those that have practised it , the nature even of earthly pleasures being such , that 't is the injoyment only that can make a man truly know them : no man can so describe the taste of any delicious thing to another , as that by it he shall know the relish of it , he must first actually taste of it , and sur● 't is more so in spiritual pleasures , and therefore he that would fully know the sweetness and pleasantness of this duty , let him set to the practice and then his own experience will be the best informer : but in the mean time , how very unjust , yea , and foolish is it , to pronounce ill of it before tryal : for men to say this is irksome , and intolerable , who never so much as once offered to trie whether indeed it were so or no ? yet by this very means an ill opinion is brought up of this most delightful duty , and passes currant among men , whereas in all justice the testimony of it should be taken only from those who have tryed it , and they would certainly give another account of it . but though the full knowledg hereof be to be had onely by his neerer acquaintance , yet methinks even those who look at it but at a distance , may discern somewhat of amiableness in it , if no other way , yet at least by comparing it with the uneasiness of its contrary , malice and revenge are the most wrestlesse , tormenting passions that can possesse the mind of a man , they keep men in perpetual study and care how to effect their mischievous purposes , it disturbs their very sleep , as solomon observes pro. . . they sleep not except they have done mischief , and their sleep is taken away , except they cause some to fall : yea , it imbitters all the good things they enjoy , so that they have no taste or relish of them ; a remarkable example of this we have in h●man , who though he abounded in all the greatnesse and felicity of the world , yet the malice he had to a poor despisable man mordecai , kept him from tasting contentment in all this , as you may see , esther . where after he had related to his friends all his prosperities , ver . he concludes thus , ver . . yet all this availeth me nothing , so long as i see mordecai the iew sitting in the kings gate . on the other side , the peaceable spir●t , that can quietly passe by all injuries and affronts , enjoyes a continual calm , and is above the malice of his enemies , for let them do what they can , they cannot rob him of his quiet , he is firm as a rock , which no stormes or windes can move , when the furious and revengeful man is like a wave which the least blast tosses and tumbles from its place . but besides this inward disquiet of revengeful men , they often bring many outward calamities upon themselves , they exasperate their enemies , and provoke them to do them greater mi●chiefs , nay oftentimes they willingly run themselvs upon the greatest miseries in pursuit of their revenge , to which 't is ordinary to see men sacrifice goods , ease , credit , life , nay soul it self , not caring what they suffer themselves so they may spite their enemy ; so strangly does this wretched humour besott and blind men . on the contrary , the meek person he often melts his adversary , pacifies his anger ; a soft answer turns away wrath , saith solomon , pro. . . and sure there is nothing can tend more to that end : but if it do happen that his enemy be so inhumane , that he misse of doing that , yet he is still a gainer by all he can suffer . for first , he gains an opportunity of exercising that most christian grace of charity and forgivenesse ; and so at once of obeying the command and imitating the example of his saviour , which is to a true christian spirit a most valuable advantage ; and then secondly , he gains an accession and encrease to his reward hereafter . and if it be objected , that that is not to be reckoned in to the present pleasure of the duty : i answer , that the expectation and belief of it is , and that alone is a delight infinitely more ravishing then the present enjoyment of all sensual pleasures can be . the fourth consideration is , the danger of not performing this duty ; of which i might reckon up divers , but i shall insist only on that great one , which contains in it all the rest , and that is the forfeiting of our own pardons from god , the having our sins against him kept still on his score , and not forgiven . this is a consideration , that methinks should afright us into good nature ; if it do not , our malice is greater to our selves then to our enemies . for alas ! what hurt is it possible for thee to do to another , which can bear any comparison with that thou doest thy self , in loosing the pardon of thy sins ? which is so unspeakable a mischief , that the divel himself with all his malice cannot wish a greater , 't is all he aimes at , first , that we may sin , and then that those sins may never be pardoned , for then he knows he has us sure enough , hell , and damnation being certainly the portion of every unpardoned sinner , besides all other effects of gods wrath in this life ; consider this , and then tell me what thou hast got by the highest revenge , thou ever actedst upon another . 't is a devilish phrase in the mouth of men , that revenge is sweet : but is it possible there can be ( even to the most distemper'd palate ) any such sweetnesse in it , as may recompence that everlasting bitternesse that attends it ? 't is certain , no man in his wits can upon sober judging , imagine there is . but alas ! we give not our selves time to weigh things , but suffer our selves to be hurryed away with the heat of an angry humour , never considering how dear we must pay for it ; like the silly bee , that in anger leaves at once her sting and her life behind her , the sting may perhaps give some short pain to the flesh it sticks in , but yet there is none but discerns the bee has the worst of it , that payes her life for so poor a revenge ; so it is in the greatest acts of our malice , we may perhaps leave our stings in others , put them to some present trouble , but that compared with the hurt redounds to our selves by it , is no more then that inconsiderable pain is to death . nay not so much , because the mischiefs , that we bring upon our selves are eternal , to which no finite thing can bear any proportion . remember then , whensoever thou art contriving , and plotting a revenge , that thou quite mistakest the mark thou thinkest to hit thy enemy , and las ! thou woundest thy self to death . and let no man speak peace to himself , or think that these are vain terrors , and that he may obtain pardon from god , though he give none to his brethren . for he that is truth it self has assured us the contrary , mat. . . if ye forgive not men their trespasses , neither will your father forgive your trespasses . and least we should forget the necessity of this duty , he has inserted it into our daily prayers , where we make it the condition , on which we beg pardon from god ; forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us . what a heavy curse then does every revengeful person lay upon himself , when he sayes this prayer , he does in effect beg god not to forgive him ; and 't is too sure that part of his prayer will be heard , he shall be forgiven just as he forgives , that is not at all . this is yet farther set out to us in the parable of the lord , and the servant , mat. . the servant had obtained of his lord the forgivenesse of a vast debt , ten thousand talents , yet was so cruel to his fellow servant , as to exact a poor triflng summ of an hundred pence , upon which his lord recals his former forgiveness , and charges him again with the whole debt , and this christ applies to our present purpose , ver . . so likewise shall my heavenly father do unto you , if ye from your hearts forgive not every man his brother their trespasses . one such act of uncharitablenesse is able to forfeit us the pardon god hath granted us , and then all our sins return again upon us , and sink us to utter ruine . i suppose it needlesse to heap up more testimonies of scripture , for the truth of this , these are so cleere , as may surely serve to perswade any man , that acknowledg scripture , of the great and fearful danger of this sin of uncharitableness . the lord possess all our hearts with such a just sense of it as may make us avoid it . the last consideration i shall mention , is that of gratitude , god has shewed wonderful mercies to us , christ has suffered heavy things to bring us into a capacity of that mercy and pardon from god : and shall we not then think our selvs obliged to some returns of thanfulness ? if we will take the apostles judgment he tels us , cor. . . that since christ dyed for us all , 't is but reasonable that we should not henceforth live unto our selves , but unto him that dyed for us . indeed were every moment of our life consecrated to his immediate service , 't were no more then common gratitude requires , and far less , then such inestimable benefits deserve ; what a shameful unthankfulnesse is it then , to deny him so poor a satisfaction as this , the forgiving our brethren ? suppose a man that were ransomed either from death or slavery , by the bounty & sufferings of another , should upon his release be charged by him , that so freed him in return of that kindnesse of his , to forgive some slight debt , which was owing him by some third person , would you not think him the unthankfullest wretch in the world , that should refuse this to so great a benefactor ? yet such a wretch , & much worse is every revengeful person : christ hath bought us out of eternal slavery , and that not with corruptible things , as silver and gold , pet. . . but with his own most precious blood , and hath earnestly recommended to us the love of our brethren , and that with the most moving arguments drawn from the greatnesse of his love to us ; and if we shall obstinately refuse him in so just , so moderate a demand , how unspeakable a vilenesse is it ? and yet this we do downright , if we keep any malice or grudg to any person whatsoever . nay , farther this is not barely an unthanfulness , but there is also joyned with it a horrible contempt , and despising of him . this peace and unity of brethren was a thing so much prized and valued by him , that when he was to leave the world , he thought it the most precious thing he could bequeath , and therefore left it by way of legacy to his disciples , jo. . . peace i leave with you ; we use to set a great value on the slightest bequests of our dead friends , to be exceeding careful not to lose them , and therefore if we wilfully bangle away this so precious a legacy of christ , 't is a plain sign we want that love and esteem of him , which we have of our earthly friends , and that we despise him as well as his legacy . the great prevailing of this sin of uncharitablenesse has made me stand thus long on these consideration● , for the subduing it . god grant they may make such impression on the reader , as may be available to that purpose . i shall add only this one advice , that these or whatsoever other remedies against this sin must be used timly : 't is oftentimes the frustrating of bodily medicines , the applying them too late , and 't is much oftner so in spiritual , therefore if it be possible , let these and the like considerations be so constantly and habitually fixt in thy heart , that they may frame it to such meekness as may prevent all risings of rancour or revenge in thee , for it is much better they should serve as armour to prevent , then as balsome to cure the wound . but if this passion be not yet so subdued in thee , but that there will be some stirrings of it , yet then be sure to take it at the very first rise , and let not thy fancy chew , as it were , upon the injury by often rolling it in thy mind , but remember betimes the foregoing considerations , and withal , that this is a time , and season of tryal to thee , wherein thou mayest shew how thou hast profited in christs school , there now being an opportunity offered thee either of obeying and pleasing god , by passing by this offence of thy brother , or else of obeying and pleaseing satan , that lover of discord , by nourishing hatred against him . remember this , i say , betimes , before thou be inflamed , for if this fire be throughly kindled , it will cast such a smoak , as will blind thy reason , and make thee unfit to judge even in this so very plain case , whether it be bettet by obeying god , to purchase to thy self eternally bliss , or by obeying satan , eternal torments . whereas as if thou put the question to thy self before this commotion , and disturbance of mind , 't is impossible but thy understanding must pronounce for god ; and then unless thy will be so perverse that thou wilt deliberately choose death , thou wilt surely practice according to that sentence of thy understanding ; i shall add no more on this first part of charity , that of the affections . i prooceed now to that of the actions ; and this indeed is it , whereby the former must be approved , we may pretend great charity within , but if none break forth in the actions , we may say of that love , as saint james does of the faith he speaks of , that it is dead , jam. . . it is the loving indeed , that must approve our hearts before god , jo. . . now this love in the actions may l●kewise fitly be distributed , as the former was , in relation to the four distinct capacities of our brethren , their souls , their bodies , their goods , and credit . the soul i formerly told you may be considered either in a natural or spiritual sense , and in both of them charity binds us to do all the good we can . as the soul signifies the mind of a man , so we are to endeavour the comfort and refreshment of our brethren , desire to give them all true cause of joy , & cheerfulness , especially when we see any under any sadness or heaviness , then to bring out all the cordials we can procure , that is , to labour by all christian and fit means to chear the troubled spirits of our brethren , to comfort them that are in any heaviness , as the apostle speaks , cor. . . but the soul in the spiritual sense is y●t of greater concernment , and the securing of that ▪ is a matter of much greater moment , then the refreshing of the mind onely , in as much as the eternal sorrwes and sadnesses of hell exceed the deepest sorrowes of this life ; and therefore though we must not omit the former , yet on this we are to imploy our most zealous charities ; wherein we are not to content our selves with a bare wishing well to the souls of our brethren , this alone is a sluggish sort of kindness , unworthy of those who are to imitate the great redeemer of souls , who did and suffered so much in that purchase : no , we must add also our endeavour to make them what we wish them . to this purpose 't were very reasonable to propound to our selves in all our conversings with others , that one great design of doing some good to their souls . if this purpose were fixt in our minds , we should then discern perhaps many opportunities , which now we overlook , of doing something towards it . the brutish ignorance of one would call upon thee to endeavour his instruction ; the open vile of another , to reprehend & admonish him ; the faint and weak vertue of another , to confirme and incourage him . every spiritual want of thy brother may give thee some occasion of exercising some part of this charity , or if the circumstances be such , that upon sober judging , thou think it vain to attempt any thing thy self , as if either thy meanness , or thy unacquaintedness , or any the like impediment , be like to render thy exhortations fruitless , yet if thou art industrious in thy charity , thou mayest probably find out some other instrument , by whom to do it more successfully . there cannot be a nobler study , then how to benefit mens souls , and therefore where the direct means are improper , 't is fit we should whet our wits for attaining of others . indeed 't is a shame , we should not as industriously contrive for this great spiritual concernment of others , as we do for every worldly trifling interests of our own ; yet in them we are unwearied , and trye one means after another , till we compass our end . but if after all our serious endeavours , the obstinacy of men do not suffer us , or themselves rather , to reap any fruit from them , if all our wooings and intreatings of men to have mercy on their own souls , will not work on them , yet be sure to continue still to exhort by thy example ; let thy great care and tenderness of thy own soul preach to them the value of theirs , and give not over thy compassions to them , but with the prophet jer. . . let thy soul weep in secret for them ; and with the psalmist , let rivers of waters run down thy eyes , because they keep not gods law , psal. . . yea , with christ himself , weep over them , who will not know the things that belong to their peace , luk. . . and when no importunities with them will work , yet even then cease not to importune god for them , that he will draw them to himself . thus we see samuel , when he could not disswade the people from that sinful purpose they were upon , yet he professes notwithstanding , that he will not cease praying for them ; nay , he lookt on it as so much a duty , that it would be sin in him to omit it , god forbid , sayes he , that i should sin against the lord in ceasing to pray for you , sam. . . nor shall we need to fear that our prayers shall be quite lost , for if they prevail not for those for whom we pour them out , yet however they will return into our own bosomes , psal. . . we shall be sure not to miss of the reward of that charity . in the second place , we are to exercise this active charity towards the bodies of our neighbours ; we are not onely to compassionate their pains , and miseries , but also to do what we can for their ease and relief . the good samaritan luke . had never been proposed as our pattern , had he not as well helped as pitied the wounded man. 't is not good wishes , no nor good words neither that avail in such cases , as st. james tells us , if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food , and one of you say unto them , depart in peace , be ye warmed and filled , notwithstanding ye give him not those things that are needful for the body , what doth it profit ? jam. . . . no sure , it profits them nothing , in respect of their bodies , and it will profit thee as little in respect of thy soul , it will never be reckoned to thee as a charity . this releeving of the bodily wants of our brethren , is a thing so strictly required of us , that we find it set down mat. . as the especial thing we shall be tried by at the last day , on the omission whereof is grounded that dreadful sentence , ver . . depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the divel and his angels . and if it shall now be asked , what are the particular acts of this kind which we are to perform ? i think we cannot better inform our selves for the frequent and ordinary ones , then from this chapter , where are set down these severals , the giving meat to the hungry , and drink to the thirsty , harbouring the stranger , clothing the naked , and visiting the sick , and imprisoned : by which visiting is meant , not a bare coming to see them , but so coming as to comfort and relieve them ; for otherwise 't will be but like the levite in the gospel , lu. . who came and looked on the wounded man , but did no more , which will never be accepted by god. these are common and ordinary exercises of this charity , for which we cannot want frequent opportunities . but besides these , there may sometimes by gods especial providence fall into our hands , occasions of doing other good offices to the bodies of our neighbours ; we may sometimes find a wounded man , with the samaritan . and then 't is our duty to do as he did ; we may sometimes find an innocent person condemned to death , as susanna was , and then are with daniel to use all possible endeavour for their deliverances : this case solomon seems to refer to , prov. . . if thou forbear to deliver him that it drawn unto death , and them that are ready to be slain , if thou sayst behold we know it not ; doth not he that pondereth the heart , consider ? and he that keepeth thy soul , doth not he know it ? shall not he render to every man according to his deeds ; we are not lightly to put off the matter with vain excuses , but to remember that god , who knows our most secret thoughts , will severely examine , whether we have willingly omitted the performance of such a charity : sometimes again ( nay god knowes , often now a dayes ) we may see a man that by a course of intemperance is in danger to destroy his health , to shorten his dayes , and then it is a due charity not only to the soul , but to the body also , to endeavour to draw him from it . it is impossible to set down all the possible acts of this corporal charity , because there may sometimes happen such opportunities , as none can foresee ; we are therefore alwayes to carry about us a serious resolution of doing whatever good of this kind we shall at any time discern occasion for , and then whenever that occasion is offered , we are to look on it as a call , as it were from heaven , to put that resolution in practice . this part of charity seems to be so much implanted in our natures , as we are men , that we generally account them not only unchristian , but inhumane , that are void of it , and therefore i hope there will not need much perswasion to it , since our very nature inclines us ; but certainly that very consideration will serve hugely to encrease the guilt of those that are wanting in it . for since this command is so agreeable even to flesh and blood , our disobedience to it can proceed of nothing , but a stubbornesse and resistance against god who gives it . partition xvii . of charity , alms giving , &c. of charity in respect of our neighbours credit , &c. of peace-making . of going to law : of charity to our enemies , &c. christian-duties both l'ossible and pleasant . § : the third way of expressing this charity is towards the goods or estate of our neighbour ; we are to endeavour his thriving and prosperity in these outward good things ; and to that end , be willing to assist and farther him in all honest wayes of improving or preserving them , by any neighbourly and friendly office . opportunities of this do many times fall out : a man may sometimes by his power or perswasion deliver his neighbours goods out of the hands of a thief , or oppressor ; sometimes again by his advice and counsel , he may set him in a way of thriving , or turn him from some ruinous course ; and many other occasions there may be of doing good turns to another , without any loss or damage to our selves , and then we are to do them , even to our rich neighbours , those that are as wealthy ( perhaps much more so ) as our selves ; for though charity do not bind us to give to those that want it lesse then our selves , yet whenever we can further their profit , without lessning our own store , it requires it of us : nay , if the damage be but light to us , in comparison of the advantage to him , it will become us rather to hazard that light damage , then lose him that greater advantage . . but towards our poor brother , charity tyes us to much more ; we are there only to consider the supplying of his wants , and not to stick at parting with what is our own , to relieve him , but as far as we are able give freely what is necessary to him . this duty of alms-giving is perfectly necessary for the approving our love not only to men , but even to god himself , as st john tels us , jo. . . who so hath this worlds goods , and seeth his brother have need , and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him , how dwelleth the love of god in him ? 't is vain for him to pretend to love either god or man , who loves his money so much better , that he will see his poor brother ( who is man , and bears the image of god ) suffer all extremities , rather then part with any thing to relieve him : on the other side , the performance of this duty is highly acceptable with god , as well as with men . . 't is called , heb . . a sacrifice wherewith god is well pleased ; and again , ph● . . . st paul cals their almes to him , a sacrifice acceptable , wel-pleasing to god , and the church hath alwayes look't on it as such ; and therefore joyned it with the solemnest part of worship , the holy sacrament . but because even sacrifices themselves under the law , were often made unacceptable by being maimed and blemished , it will here be necessary to enquire , what are the due qualifications of this sacrifice . . of these there are some that respect the motive , some the manner of our giving . the motive may be three fold , respecting god , our neighbour , and our selves . that which respects god is obedience , and thankfulnesse to him : he has commanded we should give alms , and therefore one special end of our doing so , must be the obeying that precept of his . and it is from his bounty alone that we receive all our plenty , and this is the properest way of expressing our thankfulnesse for it ; for as the psalmist saith . our goods extend not unto god , psal. . . that tribute which we desire to pay out of our estates , we cannot pay to his person . 't is the poor , that are as it were his proxey and receivers , and therefore whatever we should by way of thankfulnesse give back again unto god , our alms is the way of doing it : secondly , in respect of our neighbour , the motive must be a true love , and compassion to him , a tender fellow-feeling of his wants , and desire of his comfort and relief : thirdly , in respect of our selves , the motive is to be the hope of that eternal reward , promised to this performance . this christ points out to us , when he bid● us lay up our treasure in heaven , mat . . and to make us friends of the mammon of unright●ousness , that they may receive us into everlasting habitations , lu. . . that is by a charitable dispencing of our temporal goods to the poor , to lay up a stock in heaven , to gain a title to those endlesse felicities , which god hath promised to the charitable that is the harvest we must expect of what we sow in these works of mercy , which will be so rich as would abundantly recompence us , though we should , as the apostle speaks , cor. . . bestow all our goods to feed the poor : but then we must be sure that we make this our sole aim , and not in stead of this propose to our selves the praise of men , as the motive of our charity , for that will rob us of the other ; this is expresly told us by christ , mat. . they that set their hearts on the credit , they shall gain with men , must take that as their portion , ver . . verily i say unto you , they have their reward ; they chose , it seemes rather to have men their pay-masters , then god ▪ and to them they are turn'd off , that little ayery praise they get from them , is all the reward they must expect : ye have no reward of my father which is in ●ea●en , ver . . we have therefore need to watch our hearts narrowly , that this desire of vain-glory steal not in and befoole us into that miserable exchange of a vain blast of mens breath for those substantial and eternal joyes of heaven . . in the second place we must take care of our alms-giving , in respect of the manner ; and in that , first , we must give cheerfully ; men usually value a small thing , that is given cheerfully and with a good heart , more then a much greater , that is wrung from a man with grudging and unwillingnesse ; and god is of the same mind , he loves a cheerful giver , cor. . . which the apostle makes the reason of the foregoing exhortation , of not giving grudgingly , or as of necessity , ver . . and sure 't is no unreasonable thing , that is herein required of us , there being no duty that has to humane nature , more of pleasure and delight , unlesse it be where covetousnesse or cruelty have quite work't out the man , and put a ravenous beast in his stead . is it not a most ravishing pleasure to him that hath any bowels to see the joy , that a seasonable alms brings to a poor wretch ? how it revives and puts new spirits in him , that was even sinking ? certainly the most sensual creature alive knows not how to bestow his money on any thing , that shall bring him in so great a delight , and therefore me thinks it should be no hard matter to give not only without grudging , but even with a great deal of alacrity and cheerfulnesse , it being the fetching in of pleasure to our selves . . there is but one objection can be made against this , and that is , that the danger of impove ishing ones self by what one gives , may take off that pleasure , and make men either not give at all , or not so cheerfully . to this i answer : that first were this hazard never so apparent , yet it being the comma●d of god , that we shall thus give , we are yet to obey cheerfully , and be as well content to part with our goods in pursuance of this duty , as we are many times called to do upon some other . in which case christ tels us , he that forsakes not all that he hath , cannot be his d●sciple . . but secondly , this is sure a vain supposition : god having particularly promised , the contrary to the charitable , that it shall bring blessings on them , even in these outward things . the liberal soul shall be made fat , and he that watereth shall be watered also himself , prov. . . he that giveth to the poor shall not lack , prov. . . and many the like texts there are , so that one may truly say , this objection is grounded in direct unbelief . the short of it is , we dare not trust god for this : giving to the poor is directly the puting our wealth into his hands he that giveth to the poor lendeth unto the lord , pro. . . and that too on solemn promise of repayment , as it followes in that verse , that which he hath given will he pay him again . it is amongst men thought a great disparagement , when we refuse to trust them ; it shews we either think them not sufficient , or not honest : how vile an affront is it then to god thus to distrust him ? nay indeed how horrid blasphemy , to doubt the security of that , for which he has thus expresly past his word , who is lord of all , and therefore cannot be insufficient , and who is the god of truth , and therefore will not fail to make good his promise ? let not then that infidel fear of future want , contract and shut up thy bowels from thy poor brother ; for though he be never likely to pay thee , yet god becomes his surety and enters bond with him , and will most assuredly pay thee with encrease . therefore 't is so far from being damage to thee , thus to give , that it is thy great advantage : any man would rather chuse to put his money into some sure hand , where he may both improve , and be certain of it at his need , then to let it lye unprofitably by him ▪ especially if he be in danger of thieves , or other accident , by which he may probably loose it : now alas ! all that we possesse is in minutely danger of loosing ; innumerable accidents there are , which may in an instant bring a rich man to beggery ; he that doubts this , let him but read the story of job , and he will there find an example of it : and therefore what so prudent course can we take for our wealth as to put it out of the reach of those accidents , by thus lending it to god , where we may be sure to find it ready at our greatest need , and that too with improvement and encrease ; in which respect it is that the apostle compares alms to seed , cor. . . we know 't is the nature of seed that is sown , to multiply and encrease and so does all our acts of mercy , they return not single and naked to us , but bring in their sheaves with them , a most plenteous and bountiful harvest . god deals not with our alms , as we too often do with his graces ▪ wrap them up in a napkin , so that they shall never bring in any advantage to us , but makes us most rich returns : and therefore we have all reason most cheerfully , yea , joyfully to set to this duty , which we have such invitations to , as well in respect of our own interests , as our neighbours needs . . secondly , we must give seasonably : 't is true indeed there are some so poor , that an almes can never come unseasonably , because they alwayes want , yet even to them there may be some special seasons of doing it , to their greater advantage ; for sometimes an almes may not onely deliver a poor man from some present extremity , but by the right timeing of it , may set him in some way of a more comfortable subsistance afterward . and for the most , i presume 't is a good rule , to dispense what we intend to any , as soon as may be , for delays are hurtful oftentimes both to them and our selves ; first , as to them , 't is sure , the longer we delay , the longer they groan under the present want , and after we have designed them a relief , 't is in some degree to defer injoying of it , for so long we prolong their sufferings ; you wil think him a hard hearted phisician , that having a certain cure for a man in pain , should when he might presently apply it , make unnecessary delayes , and so keep the poor man still in torture : and the same it is here ; we want of the due compassion , if we can be content our poor brother should have one hour of unnecessary suffering , when we have present opportunity of relieving him , or if he be in such an extremity of want , yet whatever we intend him for his greater comfort , he loses so much of it , as the time of the delay amounts to : secondly , in respect of our selves ; t is ill to defer , for thereby we give advantage to the temptations either of satan or our own covetous humour , to disswade us from it . thus it fares too often with many christian duties ; for want of a speedy execution , our purposes coole , and never come to act ; so many resolve they will repent , but because they set not immediately upon it one delay succeeds another , and keeps them from ever doing it at all : and so 't is very apt to fall out in this case , especially with men , who are of a covetous temper , and therefore they of all others should not trust themselves thus to delay . . thirdly , we should take care to give prud●ntly , that is to give most , where it is most needed , and in such a manner , as may do the receiver most good : charities do often miscarry for want of this care , for if ●e give at all adventures to all that seem to want , we may sometimes give more to those , whose sloth and lewdnesse is the cause of their wan then to those who best deserve it , and so both encourage the one in their idlenesse , and disable our selves from giving to the other . yet i doubt not such may be the present wants even of the most unworthy , that we are to relieve them , but where no such pressing need is , we shall do best to chuse out the fitter objects of charity , such are those who either are not able to labour , or else have a greater charge then their labour can maintain , and to those our alms should be given also in such a manner as may be most likely to do them good , the manner of which may differ according to the circumstances of their condition ; it may to some be best perhaps , to give them by little and little , to others the giving it all at once , may tend more to their benefit ; and sometime ; a seasonable loan may do as well as a gift , and that may be in the power sometimes of those who are not able to give but little : but when we thus lend on charity , we must lend freely without use , and also with a purpose , that if he should prove unable to pay , we will forgive so much of the principal , as his needs require , and our abilities will permit . they want much of this charity , who clap up poor debtors in prison , when they know they have nothing to answer the debt , which is a great cruelty to make another miserable , when nothing is gained to our selves by it . . fourthly , we should give liberally , we must not be strait handed in our alms , and give by such pitiful scantlings , as will bring almost no relief to the receiver , for that is a kind of mockery ; 't is as if one should pretend to feed one that is almost famisht by giving him a crumb of bread , such doles as that would be most ridiculous , yet i fear 't is too neer the proportion of some mens almes ; such men are below those disciples we read of , who knew only the baptism of john , for 't is to be observed , that john baptist , who was but the fore-runner of christ , makes it a special part of his doctrine , that he that hath two coats should impart to him that hath none , luk. . . he sayes not he that hath some great wardrobe , but even he that hath but two coats must part with one of them ; from whence we may gather that whatsoever is above ( not our vanity but ) our need should thus be disposed of , when our brethrens necessity requires it . but if we look into the first time of the gospel , we shall find christianity far exceeded this proportion of johns , the converts assigned not a part only , but frankly gave all to the use of the brethren , acts . and though that being upon an extraordinary occasion , will be no measure for our constant practice yet it may shew us how prime and fundamental part of christ●anity , this of charity is , that at the very first founding of the church , such vast degrees of it were practised ; and if we farther co●sider what precepts of love are given us in the gospel , even to the laying down our lives for the brethren , io. . . we cannot imagine our goods are in gods account so much more precious then our l●ves that he would command us to be prodigal of the one , and yet allow us to be sparing of the other . . a multitude of arguments might be brought to recommend this bounty to all that profess christ ; i shall mention onely two , which i find used by st. paul to the corinthians on this occasion . the first is the example of christ , cor. . . for ye know the grace of our lord iesus christ , who though he was rich , yet for your sakes he became poor , that ye through his poverty might be rich . christ emptyed himself of all that glory and greatness , he injoied in heaven with his father , and submitted himself to a life of much meanness , and poverty , onely to enrich us . and therefore for shame , let us not grudge to empty our coffers , to lessen somewhat of our heaps , to relieve his poor members . the second is , the expectation of reward , which will be more or less , according to the degrees of our almes , cor. . . he that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly , and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully . we think him a very improvident husband-man , that to save a little seed at present , sowes so thin , as to spoil his crop ; and the same folly 't will be in us , if by the sparingness of our almes , we make our selves a lank harvest hereafter , lose either all , or a great part of those rewards , which god hath provided for the liberal alms-giver . what is the proportion which may be called a liberal giving , i shall not undertake to set down , there being degrees even in liberality , one may give liberally , and yet another give more liberally then he ; besides , liberality is to be measured , not so much by what is given , as by the ability of the giver ; a man of a mean estate may give less then one of a great , and yet be the more liberal person , because that little may be more out of his , then the greater is out of the others . thus we see christ pronounces the poor widow to have given more to the treasury , then all the rich men , luk. . . not that her two mites were more then their rich gifts , but that it was more for her , she having left nothing behind , whereas they gave out of their abundance what they might easily spare . every man must herein judge for himself ; we see the apostle , though he earnestly press the corinthians to bounty , yet prescribes not to them how much they shall give , but leaves that to their own brests , cor. . . every man according as he purposeth in his heart , so let him give . but let us still remember , that the more we give ( provided we do not thereby fail in the support of those , that most immediately depend on us ) the more acceptable it will be to god , and the more rewardable by him . and to secure the performance of the duty of almes-giving ( whatever the proportion be ) we may do very well to follow the advice st. paul gives the corinthians in this matter , cor. . . vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as god hath prospered him ; if men would do thus , lay by somewhat weekly in store for this works of charity , it were the surest way not to be unprovided of somewhat to give , when an occasion offered it self , and by giving so by little and little , the expence would become less sensible , and so be a means to prevent those grudgings , and repinings , which are apt to attend men in greater disbursments ; and sure this were in other respect also a very proper course , for when a trades-man casts up his weekly account , and sees what his gains have been , 't is of all others the most seasonable time to offer this tribute to god out of what he hath by his blessing gained ; if any will say they cannot so well weekly reckon their gains , as by longer spaces of time , i shall not contend with them for that precise time , let it be done monthly , or quarterly , so it be done ; but that somewhat should still be laid by in bank for these uses , rather then left loose to our sudden charities is sure very expedient , and i doubt not , whoever will make trial of it , will upon experience acknowledge it to be so . . the fourth exercise of our charity is towards the credit of our neighbour : and of this we may have many occasions ; sometimes towards the innocent , and sometimes also towards the guilty . if one whom we know to be an innocent person be slandered , and traduced , charity binds us to do what we may for the declaring his innocency , and delivering him from that false imputation , and that not onely by witnessing when we are called to it , but by a voluntary offering our testimony on his behalf , or if the accusation be not before a court of justice , and so there be no place for that our more solemn testimony , but that it be onely a slander tost from one to another , yet even there we are to do what we can to cleer him , by taking all occasions publickly to declare , what we know of his innocency . but even to the guilty there is some charity of this kind to be performed , sometimes by concealing the fault , if it be such that no other part of charity to others make it necessary to discover , or it be not so notorious , as that it will be sure to betray it self ; the wounds of reputation are of all others the most incureable , and therefore it may well become christian charity to prevent them , even where they have been diserved , and perhaps such a tenderness in hiding the fault may sooner bring the offender to repentance , if it be seconded ( as it ought to be ) with all earnestness of private admonition ; but if the fault be such , that it be not to be concealed , yet still there may be place for this charity , in extenuating , and lessning it , as far as the circumstances will bear ; as if it were done suddenly , and rashly , charity will allow some abatement of the censure , which would belong to a designed , and deliberate act ; and so proportionably in other circumstances . but the most frequent exercises of this charity happen towards those of whose either innocency or guilt we have no knowledg , but are by some doubtful actions brought under suspicion ; and here we must remember , that it is the property of love , not to think evil , to judge the best ; and therefore we are both to abstain from uncharitable conclusions of them our selves , and as much as lyes in us , to keep others from them also , and so endeavour to preserve the credit of our neighbour , which is oftentimes as much shaken by unjust suspicions , as it would be by the truest accusation . to these cases i suppose belongs that precept of christ , mat. . . iudge not ; and when we consider , how that is backt in the following words , that ye be not iudged , we shall have cause to beleeve it no such light matter , as the world seems to account it ; our unmerciful judging of others will be paid home to us in the strict , and severe judgment of god. . i have now gone through this active charity , as it relates to the four several capacities of our brethren , many of the particulars whereof were before briefly mentioned , when we spake of justice . if any think it improper , that the same acts should be made part of justice , and charity too , i shall desire them to consider , that charity being by christs command become a debt to our brethren , all the parts of it may in that respect be ranked under the head of justice , since 't is sure paying of debts is a part of that ; yet because in our common use we do distinguish between the offices of justice , and charity , i have chose to inlarge on them in particular reference to charity . but i desire it may still be remembred , that whatsoever is under precept , is so much a due from us , that we sin not onely against charity , but justice too , if we neglect it ; which deserves to be considered , the more to stir up our care to the performance , and the rather , because there seems to be a common errour in this point ; men look upon their acts of mercy , as things purely voluntary , that they have no obligation to ; and the effect of it is this , that they are apt to think very highly of themselves , when they have performed any , though never so mean , but never blame themselves , though they omit all : which is a very dangerous , but withall a very natural fruit of the former perswasion . if there be any charities , wherein justice is not concerned , they are those , which for the height , and degrees of them are not made matter of strict duty , that is , are not in those degrees commanded by god , and even after these 't will be very reasonable for us to labour ; but that cannot be done without taking the lower and necessary degrees in our way ; and therefore let our first care be for them . . to help us wherein , there will be no better means then to keep before our eys that grand rule of loving our neighbours as our selves ; this the apostle makes the summe of our wh●le duty to our neighbours , rom. . . let this therefore be the standard , whereby to measure all thy actions , which relate to others ; whenever any necessity of thy neighbours persents it self to thee , ask thy self , whether if thou wert in the like case , thy love to thy self would not make thee industrious for relief , and then resolve thy love to thy neighbour must have the same effect for him . this is that royal law , as st. james calls it , jam. . . which all that profess themselves subjects to christ , must be ruled by ; and whoever is so , will not fail of performing all charities to others , because 't is sure he would upon the like occasions have all such performed to himself . there is none , but wishes to have his good name defended , his poverty relieved , his bodily suffering succoured ; onely it may be said , that in the spiritual wants there are some so careless of themselves , that they wish no supply , they desire no reproofs , no instructions , nay , are angry when they are given them ; it may therefore seem , that such men are not by vertue of this rule tied to those sorts of charities . to this i answer , that the love of our selves , which is here set as the measure of that to our neighbour , is to be understood to be that reasonable love , which men ought to have , and therefore though a man fail of that due love he owes himself , yet his neighbour hath not thereby forfeited his right , he has still a claim to such a degree of our love , as is answerable to that , which in right we should bear to our selves , and such i am sure is this care of our spiritual estate , and therefore 't is not our despising our own souls , that will absolve us from charity to other mens , yet i shall not much press this duty in such men , it being neither likely that they will be perswaded to it , or do any good by it , their ill example will overwhelm all their good exhortations , and make them unfruitful . . there is yet one act of charity behind , which does not properly fall under any one of the former heads , and yet may relate to them all , and that is the making peace , and amity among others ; by doing whereof we may much benefit both the souls , bodies , goods , and credit of our brethren ; for all these are in danger to strife and contention . the reconciling of enemies is a most blessed work , and brings a blessing on the actors : we have christs word for it , blessed are the peace-makers , mat. . . and therefore we may be incouraged diligently to lay hold of all opportunities of doing this office of charity , to use all our art , and endeavour to take up all grudges and quarrels we discern among others ; neither must we onely labour to restore peace , where it is lost , but to preserve it , where it is : first , generally , by striving to beget in the heart of all we converse with a true value of that most precious jewel , peace ; secondly , particularly , by a timely prevention of those jarres , and unkindnesses , we see likely to fall out . it may many times be in the power of a discreet friend or neighbour , to cure those mistakes , and misapprehensions , which are the first beginning of quarrels and contentions ; and it will be both more easy and more profitable , thus to prevent , then pacify strifes . 't is sure 't is more easy , for when a quarrel is once broken out , 't is like a violent flame , which cannot so soon be quencht , as it might have been , whilst it was but a smothering fire . and then 't is also more profitable , for it prevents many sins , which in the progress of an open contention , are almost sure to be committed . solomon sayes , in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin , prov. . . which cannot more truly be said of any sorts of words , then those that pass in anger , and then though the quarrel be afterwards composed , yet those sins will still remain on their account ; and therefore 't is a great charity to prevent them . . but to fit a man for this so excellent an office of peace making , 't is necessary that he be first remarkably peaceable himself ; for with what face canst thou perswade others to that , which thou wilt not practice thy self ? or how canst thou expect thy perswasions should work ? 't will be a ready reply in every mans mouth , thou hypocrite cast out first the beam out of thine own eye , mat. . . and therefore be sure thou qualify thy self for thy work . there is one point of peaceableness which seems to be little regarded among men , and that is in the case of legal trespasses ; men thingk it nothin to go to law about every pity trifle , and as long as they have but law on their side , never think they are to blame : but sure had we that true peaceableness of spirit , which we ought , we should be unwilling for such slight mattets to trouble , and disquiet our neighbours . not that all going to law is utterly unchristian , but such kind of suits especially , as are upon contentiousness , and stoutness of humour , to defend such an inconsiderable right , as the parting with will do us little or no harm , or which is yet worse , to avenge such a trespass . and even in greater matters , he that shall part with somewhat of his right , for love of peace , does surely the most christianly , and most agreeably to the advice of the apostle , cor. . . rather to take wrong , and suffer our selves to be defrauded . but if the damage be so unsupportable , that it is necessary for us to go to law , yet even then we must take care of preserving peace ; first , by carrying still a friendly , and christian temper towards the party , not suffering our hearts to be at all estranged from him ; secondly , by being willing to yield to any reasonable terms of agreement , whenever they shall be offered ; and truly if we carry not th●s temper of mind in our suits , i see not how they can be reconcileable with that peaceableness so strictly required of all christians . let those consider th●s who make it their pleasure themselves to disqui●t their neighbour , or their trade to stir up others to do it . this tender regard of peace both in our selves , and others , is absolutely necessary to be entertained of all those , who own themselves for servants of him , whose title it is to be the prince of peace , isa. . . . all that remains to be toucht on concerning this charity of the actions is the extent of it , which must be as large as the former of the affections , even to the taking in not onely strangers , and those of no relation to us , but even of our bitterest enemies . i have already spoken so much of the obligation we are under to forgive them , that i shall not here say any thing of that , but that being supposed a duty , 't will sure then appear no unreasonable thing to proceed one step further , by doing them good turns ; for when we have once forgiven them , we can then no longer account them enemies , and so 't will be no hard matter even to flesh and blood to do all kind things to them . and indeed this is the way , by which we must trye the sincerity of our forgiveness : 't is easy to say , i forgive such a man , but if when an opportunity of doing him good is offered , thou declinest it , 't is apparent there yet lurks the old malice in thy heart ; where there is a thorough forgiveness , there will be as great a readiness to benefit an enemy , as a friend : ●ay , perhaps in some respects a greater , a true charitable person looking upon it as an especial prize , when he has an opportunity of evidencing the truth of his reconciliation , and obeying the precept of his saviour , by doing good to them that hate him , mat . . let us therefore resolve that all acts of reall kindness are to be performed to our enemies , for which we have not onely the command , but also the example of christ , who had not only some inward relentings toward us his obstinate , and most provoking enemies , but shewed it in acts , and those no cheap , or easy ones , but such as cost him his dearest blood . and surely we can never pretend to be either obeyers of his command , or followers of his example , if we grudge to testify our love to our enemies by those so much cheaper wayes of feeding them in hunger , and the like , recommended to us by the apostle , rom. . . but if we could perform these acts of kindness to enemies in such a manner , as might draw them from their enmity , and win them to peace , the charity would be doubled ; and this we should aim at , for that we see the apostle sets as the end of the forementioned acts of feeding , &c. that we may heap coals of fi●e on their head● , not coals to burn , but to melt them into all love and tenderness towards us ; and this were indeed the most complete way of imitating christs example , who in all he did , and suffered for us , designed the reconciling of us to himself . . i have now shewed you the several parts of our duty to our neighbour , towards the performance whereof i know nothing more necessary , then the turning out of our hearts that self love , which so often possesses them , and that so wholly , that it leaves no room for charity , nay , nor justice neither to our neighbour . by this self-love i mean not that true love of our selves , which is the love and cure of our souls ( for that would certainly help , not hinder us in this duty ) but i mean that immoderate love of our own worldly interests , and advantages , which is apparently the root of all , both injustice and uncharitableness towards others . we find this sin of self-love set by the apostle in the head of a whole troop of sins , tim. . . as if it were some principal officer in satans camp , and certainly not without reason , for it never goes without an accursed train of many other sins , which like the dragons tail rev. . . sweeps away all care of duty to others . we are by it made so vehement , and intent upon the pleasing our selves , that we have no regard to any body else , contrary to the direction of st. paul , rom. . . which is not to please our selves , but every man to please his neighbour for his good to edification ; which he backs with the example of christ , ver . . for even christ pleased not himself : if therefore we have any sincere desire to have this vertue of charity rooted in our hearts , we must be careful to weed out this sin of self-love , for 't is impossible they can prosper together . . but when we have removed this hindrance , we must remember that this , as all other graces proceeds not from our selves , it is the gift of god , and therefore we must earnestly pray to him to work it in us , to send his holy spirit , which once appeared in the form of a dove , a meek and a g●ll-lesse creature to frame our hearts to the same temper , and enable us rightly to perform this duty . . i have now past through those several branches i at first proposed , and shewed you , what is our duty to god , our selves , and our neighbour : of which i may say as it is , luk. . this do and thou shalt live . and surely it is no impossible task to perform this , in such a measure , as god will graciously accept , that is in sincerity , though not in perfection , for god is not that austere master , lu. . . that reap● where he has not sowed , he requires nothing of us , which he is not ready by his grace to enable us to perform ; if we be not wanting to our selves , either in asking it by prayer , or in using it by diligence . and as it is not an impossible , so neither is it such a sad melancholly task , as men are apt to think it . 't is a special policy of satans , to do as the spies did , num . . bring up an ill report upon this good land , this state of christian life , thereby to discourage us from entering into it , to fright us with i know not what ●yants , we shall meet with ; but let us not thus be cheated , let us but take the courage to trye , and we shall indeed find it a canaan , a land fl●wing with milk and honey : god is not in this respect to his people a wilder●ess , a land of darkness , ier. . . his service does not bereave men of any true joy , but helps them to a great deal : christs yoke is an easy , nay a pleasant yoke , his burden a light , yea a gracious burde . there is in the practice of christian duties a great deal of present pleasure , and if we feel it not , it is because of the resistance our vicious and sinful customes make , which by the contention raises an uneasinesse . but then first that is to be charged only on our selves , for having got those ill customes , and thereby made that hard to us , which in it self is most pleasant , the duties are not to be accused for it . and then secondly , even there the pleasure of subduing those ill habits , overcoming those corrupt customes is such , as hugely outweigheth all the trouble of the combate . . but it will perhaps be said , that some parts of piety are of such a nature , as will be very apt to expose us to persecutions , and sufferings in the world , and that those are not joyous but grievous ; i answer , that even in those there is matter of joy : we see the apostles thought it so , they rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for christs name , acts . . and st. peter tels us , that if any suffer as a christian , he is to glorifie god for it , pet. . . there is such a force , and vertue in the testimony of a good conscience , as is able to change the greatest suffering into the joyfullest triumph , and that testimony we can never have more clear , and lively , then when we suffer for righteousnesse sake ; so that you see christianity is very amiable even in its saddest dresse , the inward comforts of it do fat surpasse all the outward tribulations , that attend it , and that even in the instant , while we are in the state of warfare upon earth . but then if we look forward to the crown of our victories , those eternal rewards in heaven , we can never think those tasks sad , though we had nothing at present to sweeten them , that have such recompences await them at the end ; were our labours never so heavy , we could have no cause to faint under them : let us therefore whenever we meet with any discouragements in our course , fix our eye on this rich prize , and then run with patience the race which is set before us , heb. . follow the captain of our salvation through the greatest sufferings , yea even through the same red sea of blood which he hath waded , whenever our obedience to him shall require it ; for though our fidelity to him should bring us to death it self , we are sure to be no losers by it , for to such he hath promised a crown of life , the very expectation whereof is able to keep a christian more cheerful in his fetters and dungeon , then a worldling can be in the midst of his greatest prosperities . . all that remains for me farther to add , is earnestly to intreat and beseech the reader , that without delay , he puts himself into this so pleasant , so gainful a course , by setting sincerely to the practice of all those things , which either by this book , or by any other means he discerns to be his and the further he hath formerly gone out of his way , the more haste it concerns him to make to get into it , and to use the more diligence in walking in it . he that hath a long journey to go , and finds he hath lost a great part of his day in a wrong way , will not need much intreaty either to turn into the right , or to quicken his pace in it . and this is the case of all those that have lived in any course of sin , they are in a wrong road , which will never bring them to the place they aim at ; nay , which will certainly bring them to the place they most fear and abhor ; much of their day is spent , how much will be left to finish their journey in , none knowes , perhaps the next hour , the next minute the night of death may overtake them ; what a madness is it then for them to defer one moment to turn out of that path , which leads to certain destruction , and to put themselves in that , which will bring them to bliss and glory ? yet so are men bewitched , and enchanted with the deceitfulness of sin , that no intreaty , no perswasion can prevail with them , to make this so reasonable , so necessary a change , not but that they acknowledge it needful to be done , but they are unwilling to do it yet , they would enjoy all the pleasures of sin , as long as they live , and then they hope at their death , or some little time before it , to do all the business of their souls ; but , alas ! heaven is too high to be thus jumped into , the way to it is a long and leasurely ascent , which requires time to walk . the hazards of such deferring are more largely spoken of , in the discourse of repentance , i shall not here repeat them , but desire the reader seriously to lay them to heart , and then surely he will think it seasonable counsel that is given by the wise man , ecclus : . . make no tarrying to turn to the lord , and put not off from day to day . private devotions for several occasions . london , printed for t. garthwait , at the little north door of st. pauls . christian reader , i have for the help of thy devotions , set down some forms of private-prayer , upon several occasions ; if it be thought an omission , that there are none for families , i must answer for my self , that it was not from any opinion , that god is not as well to be worship'd in the family , as in the closet ; but because the providence of god and the church hath already furnish'd thee for that purpose , infinitely beyond what my utmost care could do . i mean the publick liturgy , or common-prayer , which for all publick addresses to god ( and such are family-prayers ) are so excellent and useful , that we may say of it as david did of goliah's sword , sam. . . there is none like it . directions for the morning . as soon as ever thou awakest in the morning , lift up thy heart to god in this or the like short prayer . lord , as thou hast awaked my body from sleep , so by thy grace awaken my soul from sin ; and make me so to walk before thee this day and all the rest of my life , that when the last trumpet shall awake me out of my grave , i may rise to the life immortal , through jesus christ. when thou hast thus begun , suffer not ( without some urgent necessity ) any worldly thoughts to fill thy mind , till thou have also payd thy more solemn devotions to almighty god , and therefore during the time thou art dressing thy self ( which should be no longer then common decency requires ) exercise thy mind in some spiritual thoughts : as for example , consider to what temptations thy business , or company that day are most like to lay thee open , and arm thy self with resolutions against them ; or again consider , what occasions of doing service to god , or good to thy neighbour are that day most likely to present themselves , and resolve to embrace them , and also contrive ho● thou maist improve them to the uttermost . but especially it will be fit for thee to examine , whether there have any sin escaped thee since thy last nights examination . if after these considerations any farther leisure remain , thou maist profitably imploy it in meditating on the general resurrection ( whereof our rising from our beds is a representation ) and of that dreadful judgment , which shall follow it , and then think with thy self in what preparation thou art for it , and resolve to husband carefully every minute of thy time , towards the fitting thee for that great account . as soon as thou art ready , retire to some private place , and there offer up to god thy morning sacrifice of praise and prayer . prayers for the morning . at thy first kneeling down say , o holy , blessed and glorious trinity , three persons and one god , have mercy upon me a miserable sinner . lord , i know not what to pray for as i ought , o let thy spirit help my infirmities , and enable me to offer up a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to thee by jesus christ. a thanksgiving . o gracious lord , whose mercies endure for ever , i thy unworthy servant , who have so deeply tasted of them , desire to render thee the tribute of my humblest prayses for them ; in thee , o lord , i live and move and have my being , thou first madest me to be , and then that i might not be miserable , but happy , thou sentest thy son out of thy bosome to redeem me from the power of my sins , by his grace , and from the punishment of them , by his blood , and by both to bring me to his glory . thou hast by thy mercy caused me to be born within thy peculiar fold , the christian church , where i was early consecrated to thee in baptism , and have been partaker of all those spiritual helps , which might aid me to perform that vow i there made to thee , and when by my own willfulnesse or negligence , i have failed to do it , yet thou in thy manifold mercies hast not forsaken me , but hast graciously invited me to repentance , afforded me all means both outward and inward for it , and with much patience hast attended , and not cut me off in the acts of those many damning sins i have committed , as i have most justly deserved . it is o lord thy restraining grace alone , by which i have been kept back from any the greatest sins , and it is thy inciting and assisting grace alone , by which i have been enabled to do any the least good , therefore not unto me , not unto me , but unto thy name be the praises : for these & all other thy spiritual blessings my soul doth magnify the lord , & all that is within me praise his holy name . i likewise praise thee for those many outward blessings i enjoy , as health , friends , food , and raiment , the comforts as well as the necessaries of this life , for those continual protections of thy hand , by which i and mine are kept from dangers , and those gracious deliverances thou hast often afforded out of such as have befallen me , and for that mercy of thine whereby thou hast sweetned and alayed those troubles thou hast not seen fit wholy to remove ; for thy particular preservation of me this night , and all other thy goodness towards me , lord , grant that i may render thee , not onely the fruit of my lips , but the obedience of my life , that so these blessings here may be an earnest of those richer blessings thou hast prepared for those that love thee , and that for his sake , whom thou hast made the authour of eternal salvation to all that obey him , even jesus christ. a confession . o righteous lord , who hatest iniquity , i thy sinful creature cast my self at thy feet , acknowledging that i most justly deserve to be utterly abhorred and forsaken by thee , for i have drunk iniquity like water , gone on in a continued course of sin and rebellion against thee , daily committing those things thou forbiddest , and leaving undone those things thou commandest , mine heart which should be an habitation for thy spirit , is become a cage of unclean birds , of foul and disordered affections , and out of this abundance of the heart my mouth speaketh , my hands act , so that in thought , word and deed i continually transgress against thee . [ here mention the greatest of thy sins ] nay , o lord , i have despised that goodness of thine , which should lead me to repentance , hardning my heart against all those means thou hast used for my amendment . and now , o lord , what can i expect from thee but judgment and fiery indignation , that is indeed the due reward of my sins . but , o lord , there is mercy with thee , that thou mayest be feared , o fit me for that mercy , by giving me a deep and hearty repentance , and then according to thy goodness let thy anger and thy wrath be turned away from me , look upon me in thy son , my blessed saviour , and for the merit of his sufferings , pardon all my sins ; and , lord , i beseech thee , by the power of thy grace so to renew , and purify my heart , that i may become a new creature , utterly forsaking every evil way , and living in constant , sincere , universal obedience to thee all the rest of my dayes , that behaving my self as a good and faithful servant , i may by thy mercy at last be received into the joy of my lord ; grant this for jesus christ his sake . a prayer for grace . o most gracious god , from whom every good and perfect gift cometh , i wretched creature , that am not able of my self so much as to think a good thought , beseech thee to work in me both to will and to do according to thy good pleasure , inlighten my mind , that i may know thee , and let me not be barren , or unfruitful in that knowledg ; lord , work in my heart a true faith , a purifying hope , and an unfeigned love towards thee , give me a full trust on thee , zeal for thee , reverence of all things that relate to thee , make me fearful to offend thee , thankful for thy mercies , humble under thy corrections , devout in thy service , sorrowful for my sins , and grant that in all things i may behave my self so , as befits a creature to his creator , a servant to his lord : enable me likewise to perform that duty i owe to my self , give me that meekness , humility , and contentedness , whereby i may alwayes possess my soul in patience , and thankfulness , make me diligent in all my duties , watchful against all temptations , perfectly pure , and temperate , and so moderate in my most lawful in joyments , that they never become a snare to me ; make me also , o lord , to be so affected towards my neighbour , that i never transgress that royall law of thine , of loving him as my self ; grant me exactly to perform all parts of justice , ye●lding to all whatsoever by any kind of right becomes their due , and give me such bowels of mercy & compassion , that i may never fail to do al acts of charity to all men , whether friends ▪ or enemies , according to thy command and example . finally , i beseech thee , o lord , to sanctifie me throughout , that my whole spirit , and soul and body may be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our lord jesus christ ; to whom with thee and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for ever : amen . intercession . o blessed lord , whose mercy is over all thy works , i beseech thee to have mercy upon all men , and grant that the precious ransome which was paid by thy son for all , may be effectual to the saving of all . give thy inlightning grace to those that are in darkness , and thy converting grace to those that are in sin ; look with thy tenderest compassions upon the universal church , o be favourable and gracious unto sion , build thou the wals of jerusalem , unite all those that profess thy name to thee , by purity , and holiness , and to each other by brotherly love . have mercy on this desolate church , and sinful nation ▪ thou hast moved the land and divided it , heal the sores thereof for it shaketh , make us so truly to repent of those sins , which have provoked thy judgments , that thou also mayest turn , and repent , and leave a blessing behind thee . bless those whom thou hast appointed our governours , whether in church , or state , so rule their hearts , and strengthen their hands , that they may neither want will , nor power to punish wickedness and vice , and to maintain gods true religion and vertue . have pity , o lord , on all that are in affliction . be a father to the fatherless , and plead the cause of the widow , comfort the feeble minded , support the weak , heal the sick , releeve the needy , defend the oppressed , and administer to every one according to their several necessities ; let thy blessings rest upon all that are near and dear to me , and grant them whatsoever thou seest necessary either to their bodies or their souls , [ here name thy neerest relations ] reward all those that have done me good , and pardon all those that have done , or wisht me evil , and work in them and me all that good which may make us acceptable in thy sight , through jesus christ. for preservation . o merciful god , by whose bounty alone it is , that i have this day added to my life , i beseech thee so to guide me in it by thy grace , that i may do nothing which may dishonour thee , or wound my own soul , but that i may diligently apply my self to do all such good works , as thou hast prepared for me to walk in ; and lord i beseech thee , give thy angels charge over me , to keep me in all my wayes , that no evil happen unto me , nor any plague come nigh my dwelling , but that i and mine may be safe under thy gracious protection , through jesus christ. o lord , pardon the wandrings and coldness of these petitions , and deal with me , not according either to my prayers , or deserts , but according to my needs , and thine own rich mercies in jesus christ , in whose blessed name , and words , i conclude these my imperfect prayers , saying our father , &c. directions for night. at night , when it drawes towards the time of rest , bethink thy self , how thou hast passed the day , examine thine own heart , what sin either of thought , word , or deed thou hast committed , what opportunity of doing good thou hast omitted , and whatsoever thou findest to accuse thy self of , confess humbly and penitently to god , renew thy purposes , and resolutions of amendment , and beg his pardon in christ , and this not slightly , and onely as of course , but with all devout earnestness , and heartiness , as thou wouldst do , if thou wert sure thy death were as neer approaching , as thy sleep , which for ought thou knowest may be so indeed , and therefore thou shouldest no more venture to sleep unreconciled to god , the● thou wouldest dare to die so . in the next place , consider what special and extraordinary mercies thou hast that day received , as if thou hast had any great deliverance , either in thy inward man , from some dangerous temptations , or in thy outward , from any great and apparent danger , and offer to god thy hearty and devout praise for the same ; or if nothing extraordinary have so happened , and thou hast been kept even from the approach of danger , thou hast not the less but the greater cause to magnify god , who hath by his protection so guarded thee , that not so much as the fear of evil hat● assaulted thee . and therefore omit not to pay him the tribute of humble thankfulness , as well for his usual and daily preservations , as his more extraordinary deliverances . and above all , endeavour still by the considerations of his mercies to have thy heart the more closely knit to him , remembring that every favour received from him is a new engagement upon thee , to love and obey him . prayers for night. o holy , blessed and glorious trinity , three persons and one god , have mercy upon me a miserable sinner . lord i know not what to pray for as i ought , o let thy spirit help my infirmities , and enable me to offer up a spiritual sacrifice acceptable unto thee by jesus christ. a confession . o most holy lord god , who are of purer eyes then to behold iniquity , now shall i abominable wretch dare to appear before thee , who am nothing but pollution ; i am defiled in my very nature , having a backwardness to all good , and a readiness to all evil ; but i have defiled my self yet much worse by my own actual sins and wicked customes ; i have transgrest my duty to thee , my neighbour , and my self , and that both in thought , in word , in deed , by doing those things which thou hast expresly forbidden , and by neglecting to do those things thou hast commanded me . and this not onely through ignorance , and frailty , but knowingly , and wilfully , against the motions of thy spirit , and the checks of my own conscience to the contrary . and to make all these out of measure sinful , i have gone on in a daily course of repeating these provocations against thee , notwithstanding all thy calls to , and my own purposes and ●owes of amendmeut ; yea , this very day i have not ceased to add new sins to all my former guilts . [ here name the particulars ] and now , o lord , what shall i say , or how shall i open my mouth , seeing i have done these things , i know that the wages of these sins is death ; but o thou who willest not the death of a sinner , have mercy upon me ; work in me , i beseech thee , a sincere contrition , and a perfect hatred of my sins , and let me not daily confess , and yet as daily renew them , but grant , o lord , that from this instant i may give a bill of divorce to all my most beloved ●lusts , and then be thou pleased to marry me to thy self , in truth , in righteousness and holiness , and for all my past sins , o lord , receive a reconciliation ; accept of that ransom thy blessed son hath paid for me , and for his sake whom thou hast set forth as a propitiation , pardon all my offences , and receive me to thy favour . and when thou hast thus spoken peace to my soul , lord keep me that i turn not any more to folly , but so establish me with thy grace , that no temptation of the world , the divel or my own flesh may ever draw me to offend thee , that being made free from sin , and becoming a servant unto god , i may have my fruit unto holiness , and the end everlasting life , through jesus christ our lord. a thanksgiving . o thou father of mercies , who art kind even to the unthankful , i acknowledg my self to have abundantly experimented , that gracious property of thine , for notwithstanding my daily provocations against thee , thou still heapest mercies and loving kindness upon me . all my contempts and despisings of thy spiritual favours have not yet made thee withdraw them , but in the riches of thy goodness and long-suffering , thou still continuest to me the offers of grace , and life in thy son. and all my abuses of thy temporal blessings thou hast not punished with an utter deprivation of them , but art still pleased to afford me a liberal portion of them . the sins of this day thou hast not repayed as justly thou might'st , by sweeping me away with a swift destruction , but hast spared and preserved me according to the greatness of thy mercy ; [ here mention the particular mercies of that day . ] what shall i render unto the lord for all these benefits he hath done unto me ? lord , let this goodness of thine lead me to repentance , and grant that i may not only offer thee thanks and praise , but may also order my conversation aright , that so i may at the last see the salvation of god , through jesus christ. here use the prayer for grace and that of intercession appointed for the morning . for preservation . o blessed lord , the keeper of israel , that neither slumbrest nor sleepest , be pleased in thy mercy to watch over me this night , keep me by thy grace from all works of darkness , and defend me by thy power from all dangers , grant me moderate and refreshing sleep , such as may fit me for the duties of the day following . and lord make me ever mindful of that time , when i shall lye down in the dust , and because i know neither the day , nor the hour of my masters coming , grant me grace that i may be always ready , that i may never live in such a state , as i shall fear to dye in , but that whether i live , i may live unto the lord , or whether i dye , i may dye unto the lord , so that living and dying i may be thine , through jesus christ. vse the same concluding prayer as in the morning . as thou art putting off thy clothes , thi●k with thy self that the time approaches , that thou must put off thy body also , and then thy soul must appear naked before gods judgment feat and therefore thou hadst need be careful to make it so clean , and pure by repentance and holiness , that he who will not look on iniquity , may graciously behold and accept it . let thy bed put thee in mind of thy grave , and when thou lyest down , say , o blessed saviour , who by thy precious death and burial didst take away the sting of death and power of the grave , grant me the joyful fruits of that thy victory , and be thou to me in life and death advantage . i will lay me down in peace , and take my rest , for it is thou lord only , that makest me dwell in safety . into thy hands i commend my spirit , for thou hast redeemed it , o lord , thou god of truth . in the ancient church there were besides morning and night , four other times every day which were called hours of prayer , and the zeal of thos● first christians was such , as made them constantly observed . it would be thought too great a strictness now in this lukewarm age , to enj●yn the like frequency , yet i cannot but mention the example , and say , that for those who are not by very necessary business prevented , it will be but reasonable to imitate it , and make up in publick and private those four times of prayer besides the offices , already set down for morning and night : and that none may be to seek how to exer i se their devotions at these times , i have added divers collects for several graces , whereof every man may use at each such time of prayer , so many as his zeal and leisure shall point out to him , adding if he please , one of the confessions appointed for morning or night , and never omitting the lords prayer . but if any mans state of life be really so busy , as will not allow him time for so long , and solemn devotions , yet certainly there is no man so overlayed with business , but that he may find leisure oftentimes in a day to say the lords prayer alone ▪ and therefore let him use that if he cannot more . but because it is the charracter of a christian , phil. . . that he hath his conversation in heaven , it is very fit that besides these set times of prayer , he should divers times in a day by short and sudden e●●c●lations , dart up his soul thither . and for this sort of devotion no man can want leisure , for it may be performed in the midst of business ; the artificer at his work , the husband man at his plough may practice it . now as he cannot want time , so that he may not want matter for it , i have thought it not unuseful out of that rich store house the book of psalms , to furnish him with some texts , which may very fitly be used for this purpose , which being learned by heart will alwayes be ready at hand to imploy his devotion ; and the matter of them being various , some for pardon of sin some for grace , some for the light of gods countenance , some for the church , some for thanksgiving , &c. every man may fit himself a cord●n● to the tresent need and temper of his soul. i have given these not as a full collection , but only as a taste , by which the readers appeti●e may be raised to search after more in that book , and other parts of holy scripture . collects for several graces . for faith . o blessed lord , whom without faith it is impossible to please , let thy spirit i beseech thee work in me such a faith as may be acceptable in thy sight , even such as worketh by love , o let me not rest in a dead ineffectual faith , but grant that it may be such as may shew it self by my works , that it may be that victorious faith which may enable me to overcome the world , and conform me to the jmage of that christ , on whom i beleeve , that so at the last i may receive the end of my faith , even the salvation of my soul , by the same jesus christ. for hope . o lord ; who art the hope of all the ends of the earth , let me never be destitute of a well grounded hope , nor yet possest with a vain presumption , suffer me not to think thou wilt either be reconciled to my sins , or reject my repentance , but give me , i beseech thee , such a hope as may be answerable to the onely ground of hope , thy promises , and such as may both incourage and enable me to purifie my self from all filthiness , both of flesh and spirit , that so it may indeed become to me an anchor of the soul , both sure and stedfast entering even within the vail , whither the forerunner is for me entered , even jesus christ my high priest and blessed redeemer . for the love of god. o holy and gracious lord , who art infinitely excellent in thy self , and infinitely bountiful and compassionate towards me , i beseech thee suffer not my heart to be so hardned through the deceitfulness of sin , as to resist such charmes of love , but let them make deep and lasting impressions on my soul. lord , thou art pleased to require my heart , and thou onely hast right to it . o let me not be so sacrilegiously unjust as to alienate any part of it , but enable me to render it up whole and entire to thee . but , o my god , thou seest it is already usurped , the world with its vanities hath seized it , and like a strong man armed keeps possession , o thou who art stronger come upon him , and take this unworthy heart of mine as thine own spoil , refine it with that purifying fire of thy love , that it may be a fit habitation for thy spirit : lord , if thou see it fit , be pleased to let me taste of those joyes , those ravishments of thy love , wherewith thy saints have bin so transported . but if in this i know not what i ask , if i may not chuse my place in thy kingdome , yet o lord deny me not to drink of thy cup , let me have such a sincerity and degree of love , as may make me endure any thing for thy sake , such a perfect love as may cast out all fear and all sloth too , that nothing may seem to me too grievous to suffer , or too difficult to do in obedience to thee , that so expressing my love by keeping thy commandments , i may by thy mercy at last obtain that crown of life , which thou hast promised to those that love thee , through jesus christ our lord. for sincerity . o holy lord , who requirest truth in the inward parts , i humbly beseech thee to purge me from all hypocrisy and unsincerity . the heart , o lord , is deceitful above all things , and my heart is deceitful above all hearts , o thou who searchest the heart , and reins , try me , and seek the ground of my heart , and suffer not any accursed thing to lurk within me but purify me even with fire , so thou consume my dross . o lord , i cannot deceive thee , but i may most easily deceive my self , i beseech thee let me not rest in any such deceit , but bring me to a sight and hatred of my most hidden corruptions , that i may not cherish any one darling lust , but make an utter destruction of every amalekite ; o suffer me not to speak peace to my self , when there is no peace , but grant i may judge of my self , as thou judgest of me , that i may never be at peace with my self , till i am at perfect peace with thee , and by purity of heart be qualified to see thee in thy kingdom , through jesus christ. for devotion in prayer . o gracious lord god , who not onely permittest , but invitest us miserable and needy creatures , to present our petition to thee , grant i beseech thee , that the frequency of my prayer may be somewhat proportionable to those continual needs i have of thy mercy : lord , i confess , it is the greatest honour and the greatest advantage , thus to be allowed access to thee , yet so sottish and stupid is my profane heart , that it shuns or frustrates the opportunities of it . my soul , o lord , is possest with a spirit of infirmity , it is bowed together , and can in no wise lift up it self to thee . o be thou pleased to cure this sad , this miserable disease , to inspirit and inliven this earthy drossy heart , that it may freely mount towards thee , that i may set a true value on this most valuable priviledge , and take delight in approaching to thee , and that my approaches may be with a reverence , some way answerable to that awful majesty i come before , with an importunity and earnestness , answerable to those pressing wants i have to be supplied , and with such a fixedness and attention of mind , as no wandring thoughts may interrupt ; that i may no more incur the guilt of drawing neer to thee with my lips , when my heart is far from thee , or have my prayers turned into sin , but may so ask that i may receive , seek that i may find , knock that it may be opened unto me ; that from praying to thee here , i may be translated to the praising thee eternally in thy glory , through the merits and intercession of jesus christ. for humility . o thou high and lofty one , that inhabitest eternity , yet art pleased to dwell with the humble spirit , pour into my heart , i beseech thee , that excellent grace of humility , which may utterly work out all those vain conceits i have of my self ; lord convince me powerfully of my own wretchedness , make me to see that i am miserable , and poor , and blind , and naked , and not onely dust , but sin , that so in all thy dispensations towards me i may lay my hand upon my mouth , and heartily acknowledge that i am less then the least of thy mercies , and greater then the greatest of thy judgements . and , o lord , grant me not onely to walk humbly with my god , but even with men also , that i may not onely submit my self to thy rebukes , but even to those of my fellow christians , and with meekness receive and obey their admonitions . and make me so to behave my self towards all , that i never do any thing through strife or vain-glory ; and to that end grant , that in lowliness of mind i may esteem every other man better then my self , and be willing that others should esteem them so also ; that i neither nourish any high opinion of my self , nor covet one among others , but that despising the vain praise of men , i may seek that praise which cometh from thee onely . that so in stead of those mean servile arts i have used to recommend me to the esteem of men , i may now imploy all my industry and care to approve my self to thee , who resistest the proud , and giveth grace to the humble : grant this , o lord , for his sake , who humbled himself unto the death of the corss , jesus christ. for the fear of god. o glorious majesty , who onely art high , and to be feared , possess my soul with a holy awe and reverence of thee , that i may give thee the honour due unto thy name , and may bear such a respect to all things which relate to thee , that i may never prophane any holy thing , or sacrilegiously invade what thou hast set apart to thy self . and , o lord , since thou art a god that wilt not clear the guilty , let the dread of thy justice make me tremble to provoke thee in any thing , o let me not so misplace my fear , as to be afraid of a man that shall die , and of the son of m●n who shall be made as grass , and forget the lord my maker ; but replenish my soul with that fear of the lord , which is the beginning of wisdom , which may be as a bridle to all my brutish appetites , and keep me in a constant conformity to thy holy will ▪ hear me , o lord , i beseech thee , and put this fear in my heart , that i may not depart from thee , but may with fear and trembling work out my own salvation , through jesus christ. for trust on god. o almighty lord , who never failest them that trust on thee , give me grace , i beseech thee , in all my difficulties and distresses , to have recourse to thee , to rest and depend on thee ; thou shalt keep him , o lord , in perfect peace , whose mind is staid on thee , o let me alwayes rest on this firm pillar , and never exchange it for the broken reeds of worldly succours , suffer not my heart to be overcharged with cares of this life , taking thought what i shall eat , or drink , or wherewithall i shall be clothed , but grant , that having by honest labour and industry done my part , i may cheerfully commit my self to thy providence , casting all my care upon thee , and being careful for nothing , but to be of the number of those whom thou ownest and carest for , even such as keep thy testimonies and think upon thy commandments to do them . that seeking first thy kingdom and the righteousness thereof , all these outward things may be added unto me , in such a measure as thy wisdom knowest best for me ; grant this , o lord , for jesus christ his sake . for thankfulnes . o most gracious and bountiful lord , who fillest all things living with good , and expectest no other return ▪ but praise and thanksgiving , let me o lord , never defraud thee of that so easy tribute , but let my heart be ever filled with the sense , and my mouth with the acknowledgment of thy mercies . it is a joyful and a pleasant thing to be thankful , o suffer me not , i beseech thee , to loose my part in that divine pleasure , but grant that as i daily receive blessings from thee , so i may daily from an affectionate and devout heart offer up thanks to thee , and grant that not onely my lips , but my life may shew forth thy praise , by consecrating my self to thy service , and walking in holiness and righteousness before thee all the dayes of my life , through jesus christ my lord and blessed saviour . for contrition . o holy lord , who art a merciful embracer of true penitents , but yet a consuming fire towards obstinate sinners , how shall i approach thee , who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy wrath , and ●o little sincere repentance to incline thy mercy ! o be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard obdurate heart of mine , that i may heartily bewail the iniquities of my life , strike this rock , o lord , that the waters may flow out , even flouds of tears , of wash my polluted conscience ; my drowzy soul hath too long slept securely in sin , lord , awake it , though it be with thunder , and let me rather feel thy terrours , then not feel my sin . thou sentest thy blessed son to heal the broken hearted , but lord what will that avail me , if my heart be whole . o break it , that it may be capable of his healing vertue ; and grant , i beseech thee , that having once tasted the bitterness of sin , i may flye from it , as from the face of a serpent , and bring forth fruits of repentance , in amendment of life , to the praise and glory of thy grace , in jesus christ our blessed redeemer . for meeknes . o blessed jesu , who wert led as a sheep to the slaughter , let , i beseech thee , that admirable example of meekness quench in me all sparks of anger , and revenge , and work in me such a gentleness , and calmness of spirit , as no provocations may ever be able to disturb . lord , grant , i may be so far from offering the least injury , that i may never return the greatest , any otherwise then with prayers and kindness , that i who have so many talents to be forgiven by thee , may never exact pence of my brethren , but that putting on bowels of mercy , meekness , long-suffering , thy peace may rule in my heart , and make it an acceptable habitation to thee , who art the prince of peace , to whom , with the father , and holy spirit , be all honour and glory for ever . for chastity . o holy and immaculate jesus , whose first descent was into the virgins womb , and who doest still love to inhabite only in pure & virgin hearts , i beseech thee send thy spirit of purity to cleanse me from all filthiness , both of flesh and spirit ; my body , o lord , is the temple of the holy ghost , o let me never pollute that temple with any uncleanness . and because out of the heart proceed the things that defile the man , lord , grant me to keep my heart with all diligence , that no impure or foul thoughts be harboured there , but enable me , i beseech thee , to keep both body and soul pure and undefiled , that so i may glorify thee here both in my body and spirit , and be glorified in both with thee hereafter . for temperance . o gracious lord who hast in thy bounty to mankind afforded us the use of thy good creatures , for our corporal refreshment , grant i may alwayes use this liberty with thankfulness , and moderation , o let me never be so enslaved to that brutish pleasure of the taste , that my table become a snare to me , but give me , i beseech thee , a perfect abhorrence of all degrees of excess , and let me eat and drink onely for those ends , and according to those measures , which thou hast assigned me , for health and not for luxury . and lord , grant that my pursuits may be , not after the meat that perisheth , but after that which endureth to everlasting life , that hungring and thirsting after righteousness , i may be filled with thy grace here , and thy glory hereafter , through jesus christ. for contentednes . o merciful god , thy wisdom is infinite to choose , and thy love forward to dispence good things to us , o let me alwayes fully and intirely resign my self to thy disposals , have no desires of my own , but a perfect satisfaction in thy choices for me , that so in whatsoever estate i am , i may be therein content . lord grant i may never look with murmuring on my own condition , nor with envy on other mens . and to that end i beseech thee , purge my heart of all covetous affections , o let me never yield up any corner of my soul to mammon , but give me such a contempt of these fading riches , that whether they increase o● decrease , i may never set my heart upon them . but that all my care may be to be rich towards god , to lay up my treasure in heaven , that i may so set my affections on things above , that when christ who is my life shall appear , i may also appear with him in glory . grant this , o lord , for the merits of the same jesus christ. for diligenge . o lord , who hast in thy wisdom ordained that man should be born to labour , suffer me not to resist that design of thine , by giving my self up to sloth , and idleness ; but grant i may so imploy my time , and all other talents thou hast intrusted me with , that i may not fall under the sentence of the slothful and wicked servant ; lord , if it be thy will , make me some way useful to others , that i may not live an unprofitable part of mankind , but however , o lord , let me not be useless to my self , but grant , i may give all diligence to make my calling and election sure ; my soul is beset with many and vigilant adversaries , o let me not fold my hands to sleep in the midst of so great dangers , but watch and pray , that i enter not into temptation , enduring hardness , as a good souldier of jesus christ , till at last from this state of warfare , thou translate me to the state of triumph and bliss , in thy kingdom , through jesus christ. for justice . o thou king of righteousness , who hast commanded us to keep judgement and do justice , be pleased by thy grace to cleanse my heart and hands from all fraud and injustice , and give me a perfect integrity and uprightness in all my dealings . o make me ever abhor to use my power to oppress , or my skill to deceive my brother , and grant i most strictly observe that sacred rule , of doing as i would be done to , that i may not dishonour my christian profession , by an unjust or fraudulent life , but in simplicity , and godly sincerity , have my conversation in this life , never seeking to heap up treasures of wickedness , but preferring a little with righteousness , before great revenues without right . lord , make me exactly careful to render to every man what by any sort of obligation becomes his due , that i may never break the bond of any of those relations , thou hast placed me in , but may so behave my self towards all , that none may have any evil thing to say of me : that so if it be possible , i may have peace with all men , or however i may by keeping innocency and taking heed to the thing that is right , have peace at the last , even peace with thee , through jesus christ our lord. for charity . o merciful lord , who hast made of one blood , and redeemed by one ransome all nations of men , let me never harden my bowels against any that partake of the same nature and redemption with me , but grant me an universal charity towards all men . give me , o thou father of compassions , such a tenderness and meltingness of heart , that i may be deeply affected with all the miseries and calamities outward or inward of my brethren , and diligently imploy all my abilities for their succour and relief . o let not an unchristian self-love possess my heart , but drive out that accursed spirit , and let thy spirit of love enter and dwell there , and make me seek not to please my self , but my neighbour for his good to edification , even as christ pleased not himself . lord , make me a faithful steward of all those talents , thou hast committed to me , for the benefit of others , that so when thou shalt call me to give an account of my stewardship , i may do it with joy and not with grief : grant this , merciful lord , i beseech thee for jesus christ his sake . for perseverance . o eternal and unchangeable lord god , who art the same yesterday and to day and for ever . be thou pleased to communicate some small ray of that excellence , some degree of that stability to me thy wretched creature , who am light and unconstant , turned about with every blast ; my understanding is very deceivable , o establish it in thy truth , keep it from the snares of seducing spirits , that i may not be led away with the errour of the wicked ▪ and fall from my own stedfastness ; my will also , o lord , is irresolute , and wavering , and doth not cleave stedfastly unto god , my goodness is but as the morning cloud , & as the early dew it passeth away . o strengthen and confirm me , and what ever good work thou hast wrought in me , be pleased to accomplish and perform it , until the day of christ. lord thou seest my weakness , and thou knowest the number and strength of those temptations i have to struggle with , o leave me not to my self , but cover thou my head in the day of battel , and in all spiritual combats make me more then conquerour , through him that loved me . o let no terrours or flatteries either of the world , or my own flesh ever draw me from my obedience to thee , but grant that i may continue stedfast , unmoveable , alwayes abounding in the work of the lord , and by patient continuance in well-doing , seek , and at last obtain glory , and honour , and immortality , and eternal life , through jesus christ our lord. a brief paraphrase of the lords prayer to be used as a prayer . [ our father which art in heaven . ] o lord , who dwellest in the highest heavens , thou art the author of our being , thou hast also begotten us again unto a lively hope , and carryest towards us the tenderness and bowels of a most compassionate father , o make us to render to thee the love and obedience of children ; and that we may resemble thee our father in heaven ( that place of true delight and purity ) give us a holy disdain of all the deceitful pleasures and foul pollutions of this world , and so raise up our minds that we may alwayes have our conversation in heaven , from whence we look for our saviour the lord jesus christ. [ . hallowed be thy name . ] strike such an awe into all our hearts , that we may humbly reverence thee in thy name , which is great , wonderful , and holy , and carry such a sacred respect to all things that relate to thee and thy worship , as may express our reverence of thy great majesty : let all the people praise thee , o god , let all the people praise thee . [ . thy kingdome come . ] establish thy throne and rule for ever in our souls , and by the power of thy grace subdue all those rebellious corruptions that exalt themselves against thee , they are those enemies of thine which would not that thou shouldst reign over them , o let them be brought forth and slain before thee , and make us such faithful subjects of this thy kingdome of grace , that we may be capable of thy kingdome of glory , and then lord jesus come quickly . [ . thy will be done in earth , &c. ] enable us by thy grace cheerfully to suffer thy will in all thy inflictions , and readily to perform it in all thy commands , give us of that heavenly zeal to thy service , wherewith the blessed angels of thy presence are inspired , that we may obey thee with the like fervor and alacrity , and that following them in their obedience , we may be joyned with them to sing eternal praises in thy kingdome to god , and to the lamb for ever . [ . give us this day our daily bread . ] give us that continual supply of thy grace , which may sustein and nourish our souls unto eternal life . and be thou pleased also to provide for our bodies all those things which thou seest fit for their support , through this our earthly pilgrimage , and make us cheerfully to rest on thee for them , first seeking thy kingdome and the righteousness thereof , and then not doubting but all these things shall be added unto us . [ . forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them , &c. ] heal our souls , o lord , for we have sinned against thee , let thy tender mercies abound towards us , in the forgiveness of all our offences ; and grant o lord , that we may never forfeit this pardon of thine , by denying ours to our brethren , but give us those bowels of compassion to others which we stand in so much greater need of from thee , that we may forgive as fully and finally upon christs command , as we desire to be forgiven , for his merits and intercession . [ . lead us not into temptation but deliver , &c. ] o lord , we have no strength against those multitudes of temptations that daily assalt us , onely our eyes are upon thee , o be thou pleased either to restrain them or assist us , and in thy faithfulness suffer us not to be tempted above that we are able , but in all our temptations make us a way to escape that we be not overcome by them , but may when thou shalt call us to it , resist even unto blood ▪ striving against sin , that being faithful unto death , thou mayest give us the crown of life . [ for thine is the kingdome , the power , &c. ] hear us and graciously answer our petitions for thou art the great king over all the earth whose power is infinite and artable to do for us above all that we can ask or think , and to whom belongeth the glory of all that good thou workest in us or for us . therefore blessing , honour , glory and power be unto him , that sitteth upon the throne , to our god , for ever and ever . amen . pious ejaculations taken out of the book of psalms . for pardon of sin . have mercy on me , o god , after thy great goodness , according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences . wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin . turn thy face from my sins , and put out all my misdeeds . my misdeeds prevail against me , o be thou merciful unto my sins . enter not into judgment with thy servant , for in thy sight shall no man living be justified . for thy names sake , o lord , be merciful unto my sin , for it is great . turn thee o lord and deliver my soul , o save me for thy mercies sake . for grace . teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee , for thou art my god. teach me thy way o lord , and i will walk in thy truth , o knit my heart to thee , that i may fear thy name . make me a clean heart o god , and renew a right spirit within me . o let my heart be found in thy statutes , that i be not ashamed . incline my heart unto thy testimonies , and not to covetousnesse . turn away mine eyes , least they behold vanity , and quicken thou me in thy way . i am a stranger upon earth , o hide not thy commandments from me . lord teach me to number my dayes , that i may apply my heart unto wisdome . for the light of gods countenance : lord , why abhorrest thou my soul , and hidest thy face from me , o hide not thou thy face from me , nor cast thy servant away in displeasure . thy loving kindnesse is better then life it self . lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me . comfort the soul of thy servant , for unto thee , o lord , do i lift up my soul. thanksgiving . i will alwayes give thanks unto the lord , his praise shall ever be in my mouth . thou art my god , and i will thank thee , thou art my god and i will praise thee . i will sing unto the lord , as long as i live , i will praise my god whilest i have my being . praised be god which hath not cast out my prayer , nor turned his mercy from me . blessed be the lord god , even the god of israel , which onely doth wondrous things . and blessed be the name of his majesty for ever , and all the earth shall be filled with his majesty ; amen , amen . for deliverance from trouble . be merciful unto me , o lord , be merciful unto me , for my soul trusteth in thee , and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge , until these calamities be overpast . deliver me , o lord , from mine enemies , for i flye unto thee to hide me . o keep my soul , and deliver me , let me not be confounded , for i have put my trust in thee . mine eyes are ever looking unto the lord , for he shall pluck my feet out of the net . turn thee unto me , and have mercy upon me , for i am desolate and in misery . the sorrowes of my heart are enlarged , o bring thou me out of my troubles . for the church . o be favourable and gracious unto sion , build thou the walls of jerusalem . o god , wherefore art thou absent from us so long ? why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture ? o think upon thy congregation , whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old . look upon the tribe of thine inheritance , and mount sion where thou hast dwelt . it is time for thee , lord , to lay to thy hand , for they have destroyed thy law. arise , o god , and maintain thine own cause . deliver israel , o god , out of all his troubles . brief heads of self-examination , especially before the sacrament , collected out of the foregoing treatise , concerning the breaches of our duty . to god. not believing there is a god. not believing his word . not believing it practically , so as to live according to our belief . despairing of gods mercy , so as to neglect duty . presuming groundlesly on it , whilest we go on in wilful sin . not loving god for his own excellencies . not loving him for his goodness to us . not labouring to please him . not desiring to draw neer to him in his ordinances . not longing to enjoy him in heaven . not fearing god so as to keep from offending him . fearing man above him , by committing sin , to shun some outward suffering . not trusting on god in dangers and distresses . using unlawful means to bring us out of them . not depending on god for supply of our wants . immoderate care for outward things . neglecting to labour , and expecting god should support us in our idleness . not looking up to god for a blessing on our honest endeavours . not having a high esteem of god. not submitting obediently to act his will. not patiently suffering it , but murmuring at his corrections . not amending by them . not being thankful to him . not acknowledging his wisdom in choosing for us , but having eager and impatient desires of our own . not honouring god by a reverend usage of the things that relate to him . behaving our selvs irreverently in his house robbing god , by taking things that are consecrated to him . profaning holy times , the lords day , and the feasts , and fasts of the church . neglecting to read the holy scriptures , not marking when we do read . being careless to get knowledg of our duty . chusing rather to continue ignorant , then put our selves to the pains or shame of learning . placing religion in hearing of sermons , without practising them . breaking our vow made at baptism . by resorting to witches , and conjurers ; i. e. to the devil . by loving the pomps and vanities of the world , and following its sinful customes . by fulfilling the lusts of the flesh . profaning the lords supper . by coming to it ignorantly , without examination , contrition , and purposes of new life . by behaving our selves irreverently at it , without devotion , and spiritual affection . by neglecting to keep the promises made at it . profaning gods name , by blasphemous thoughts , or discourse . giving others occasion to blaspheme him , by our vile and wicked lives . taking unlawful oaths . perjury . swearing in ordinary communication . not worshipping god. omitting prayers , publick or private , and being glad of a pretence to do so . asking unlawful things , or to unlawful ends . not purifying our hearts from sin , before we pray . not praying with faith and humility . coldness and deadness in prayer . wandring thoughts in it . irreverent gestures of body in prayer . neglecting the duty of repentance . not calling our selves to daily account for our sins . not assigning any set or solemn times , for humiliation , and confession , or too seldom . not deeply considering our sins , to beget , contrition for them . not acting revenges on our selves , by fasting , and other acts of mortification . outward idolatry in worshipping of creatures . inward idolatry , in placing our love , joy , and other affections more on creatures , then the creator . to our selves . being pufft up with high conceits of our selves : in respect of natural parts as beauty , wit , &c of worldly riches , and honours . of grace . greedily seeking the praise of men . directing christian actions , as prayer , almes , &c. to that end . committing sins , to avoid reproach from wicked men . disturbing our minds with anger , and peevishness . not carefully examining , what our estate towards god is . not trying our selves by the true rule , i. e. our obedience to gods commands . not weighing the lawfulness of our actions , before we venture on them . not examining our past actions , to repent of the ill , to give god the glory of the good . uncontentedness in our estates . greedy desires after honour and riches . seeking to gain them by sinful means . envying the condition of other men . being negligent in observing , and resisting temptations . not improving gods gifts , outward or inward , to his honour . abusing our natural parts , as wit , memory , strength , &c. to sin . neglecting , or resisting the motions of gods spirit . uncleanness , adultery , fornication , unnatural lusts , &c. uncleanness of the eye , and hand . filthy , and obscene talking . impure fancies , and desires . heightning of lust , by pampering the body . not labouring to subdue it , by fasting or other severities . eating too much . making pleasure , not health , the en● of eating . being too curious , or costly in meats . drunkenness . drinking more then is useful to our bodies , though not to drunkenness . wasting the time , or estate , in good fellowship . abusing our strength of brain , to the makeing others drunk . immoderate sleeping . idleness , and negligence in our callings . using unlawful recreations . being too vehement upon lawful ones . spending too much time at them . being drawn by them to anger , or covetousness . being proud of apparel . striving to go beyond our rank . bestowing too much time , care , or cost about it . abstaining from such excesses , not out of conscience , but covetousness . pinching our bodies , to fill our purses . to our neighbour . being injurious to our neighbour . delighting causlesly to grieve his mind . ensnaring his soul in sin , by command , counsel , enticement , or example . affrighting him from godliness , by our scoffing at it . not seeking to bring those to repentance , whom we have led into sin . murder open , or secret . drawing men to intemperance or other vices , which may bring diseases or death . stirring men up to quarrelling , and fighting maiming , or hurting the body of our neighbour . fierceness , and rage against him . coveting our neighbours wife . actually defiling her . spoiling the goods of others , upon spight and mal●ce . coveting to gain them to our selves . oppressing by violence , and force , or colour of law. not paying what we borrow . not paying what we have voluntarily promised . keeping back the wages of the servant , and hireling . unfaithfulness in trusts , whether to the living or dead . using arts of deceit , in buying and selling . exacting upon the necessities of our neighbours . blasting the credit of our neighbour : by false witness . by railng . by whispering . incouraging others in their slanders . being forward to beleeve ill reports of our neighbour . causeless suspicions . rash judging of him . despising him for his infirmities . inviting others to do so by scoffing and deriding him . bearing any malice in the heart . secret wishing of death , or any kind of hurt to our neighbour . rejoicing , when any evil befalls him . neglecting to make what satisfaction we can , for any sort of injury done to our neighbour . lying . churlish , and proud behaviour to others . froward and peevish conversation . bitter and reproachful language . cursing . not paying the respect due to the qualities or gifts of others . proudly overlooking them . seeking to lessen others esteem of them . not imploying our abilities whether of mind or estate , in administring to those whose wants require it . unthankfulness to our benefactours . especially those that admonish us . not amending upon their reproof . being angry at them for it . not reverencing our civil parent , the lawful magistrate . judging and speaking evil of him . grudging his just tributes . sowing sedition among the people . refusing to obey his lawful commands . rising up against him , or taking part with them that do . despising our spiritual fathers . not loving them for their works sake . not obeying those commands of god they deliver to us . seeking to withold from them their just maintenance . forsaking our lawful pastors ; to follow factious teachers . stubborn and irreverent behaviour to our natural parents . despising and publishing their infirmities . not loving them , nor endeavouring to bring them joy and comfort . contemning their counsels . murmuring at their government . coveting their estates , though by their death . not ministring to them in their wants of all sorts . neglecting to pray for gods blessing on these several sorts of parents . want of natural affection to children ▪ mothers refusing to nurse them without a just impediment , not bringing them timely to baptism . not early instructing them in the wayes of god. suffering them for want of timely correction to get customes of sin . setting them evil examples . discouraging them by harsh & cruel usage . not providing for their subsistence , according to our ability . consuming their portions in our own riot . reserving all till our death , and letting them want in the mean time . not seeking to entail a blessing on them by our christian lives . nor heartily praying for them . want of affection to our natural brethren . envyings & heart-burnings towards them . not loving our spiritual brethren ; i. e. our fellow christians . having no fellow-feeling of their sufferings . causelesly forsaking their commnnion in holy duties . not taking deeply to heart the desolations of the church . marrying within the degrees forbidden . marrying for undue ends , as covetousness , lust , &c. unkind , froward , and unquiet behaviour towards the husband , or wife . unfaithfulness to the bed . not bearing with the infirmities of each other . not endeavouring to advance one anothers good , spiritual or temporal . the wife resisting the lawful command of her husband . her striving for rule and dominion over him . not praying for each other . unfaithfulness to a friend . betraying his secrets . denying him assistance in his needs . neglecting lovingly to admonish him . flattering him in his faults . forsaking his friendship upon flight , or no cause . making leagues in sin , in stead of vertuous friendships . servants disobeying the lawful commands of their masters . purloining their goods . carelesly wasting them . murmuring at their rebukes . idleness . eye service . masters using servants tyrannically and cruelly . being too remiss , and suffering them to neglect their duty . having no care of their souls . not providing them means of instruction in religion . not admonishing them , when they commit sins . not allowing them time , and opportunity for prayer , and the worship of god. want of bowels , and charity to our neighbours . not heartily desiring their good spiritual , or temporal . not loving , and forgiving enemies . taking actual revenges upon them . falsen●ss , professing kindness , and acting none . not labouring to do all good we can to the soul of our neighbour . not assisting him to our power in his bodily distresses . not defending his good name , when we know or beleeve him slandered . denying him any neighbourly office , to preserve or advance his estate . not defending him from oppression , when we have power . not relieving him in his poverty not giving liberally , or cheerfully . not loving peace . going to law upon slight occasions . bearing inward enmity to those we sue . not labouring to make peace among others . the use of this catalogue of sins is this : upon dayes of humiliation , especially before the sacrament , read them consideringly over , and at every particular ask thine own heart , am i guilty of this ? and whatsoever by such examination thou findest thy self faulty in , confess particularly , and humbly to god , with all the heightning circumstances , which may any way increase their guilt , and make serious resolutions against every such sin , for the future ; after which thou mayest use this f●rm f●ll●wing . o lord , i am ashamed , and blush to lift up my face to thee , for my iniquities are increased over my head , and my trespass is growen up even unto heaven . i have wrought all these great provocations , and that in the most provoking manner , they have not been onely single but repeated acts of sin : for , o lord , of all this black catalogue which i have now brought forth before thee , how few are there which i have not often committed , nay , which are not become even habitual and customary to me ? and to this frequency , i have added both a greediness , and obstinacy in sinning , turning into my course as the horse rusheth into the battel , doing evil with both hands , earnestly , yea hating to be reformed , and casting thy words behind me , quenching thy spirit within me , which testified against me , to turn me from my evil wayes , and frustrating all those outward means , whether of judgment or mercy , which thou hast used to draw me to thy self . nay , o lord , even my repentances may be numbred amongst my greatest sins , they have sometimes been feigned and hypocritical , alwayes so slight and ineffectual , that they have brought forth no fruit in amendment of life , but i have still returned with the dog to his vomit , and the sow to the mire again , and have added the breach of resolutions and vowes , to all my former guilts . thus , o lord. i am become out of measure sinful , and since i have thus chosen death , i am most worthy to take part in it , even in the second death , the lake of fire and brimstone . this this , o lord , is in justice to be the portion of my cup , to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face eternally . but to thee , o lord god , belongeth mercy and forgiveness , though i have rebelled against thee . o remember not my sins and offences , but according to thy mercy think thou upon me o lord for thy goodness . thou sentest thy son to seek and to save that which was lost , behold , o lord , i have gone astray like a sheep that is lost , o seek thy servant , and bring me back to the shepherd and bishop of my soul ; let thy spirit work in me a hearty sense and detestation of all my abominations , that true contrition of heart , which thou hast promised not to despise . and then be thou pleased to look on me , to take away all iniquity , and receive me graciously , and for his sake who hath done nothing amiss , be reconciled to me , who have done nothing well , wash away the guilt of my sins in his blood , and subdue the power of them by his grace , and grant , o lord , that i may from this hour bid a final adieu to all ungodliness , and worldly lusts , that i may never once more cast a look toward sodom , or long after the flesh pots of egypt , but consecrate my self intirely to thee , to serve thee in righteousness and true holiness , reckoning my self to be dead indeed unto sin , but alive unto god , through jesus christ our lord and blessed saviour . this penitential psalm may also fitly be used . psal. . have mercy upon me , o god , after thy great goodness , according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences . wash me throughly from my wickedness , and cleanse me from my sin . for i knowledg my faults , and my sin is ever before me . against thee onely have i sinned , and done this evil in thy sight , that thou mightest be justisted in thy saying , and clear when thou art judged . behold i was shapen in wickedness , and in sin hath my mother conceived me . but loe thou requirest truth in the inward parts , and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly . thou shalt purge me with hyssop , and i shall be clean , thou shalt wash me , and i shall be whiter then snow . thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness , that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice . turn thy face from my sins , and put out all my misdeeds . make me a clean heart , o god , and renew a right spirit within me . cast me not away from thy presence , and take not thy holy spirit from me . o give me the comfort of thy help again , and stablish me with thy free spirit . then shall i teach thy wayes unto the wicked , and sinners shall be converted unto thee . deliver me from blood guiltiness , o god , thou that art the god of my health , and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness . thou shalt open my lips , o lord , and my mouth shall shew thy praise . for thou desirest no sacrifice , else would i give it thee , but thou delightest not in burnt-of●ering . the sacrifice of god is a troubled spirit , a broken and contrite heart , o god , shalt thou not despise . o be favourable and gracious unto sion , build thou the walls of ierusalem . then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness , with the burn●-●fferings and oblations , then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar . glory be to the father , and to the son , and to the holy ghost . as it was in the beginning , is now and ever shall be , world without end . amen . prayers before the receiving of the blessed sacrament . o most merciful god , who hast in thy great goodness prepared this spiritual feast for sick and famished souls , make my desires and gaspings after it , answerable to my needs of it . i have with the prodigal wasted that portion of grace thou bestowedst upon me , and therefore do infinitely want a supply out of this treasury : but o lord , how shall such a wretch as i dare to approach this holy table : i am a dog , how shall i presume to take the childrens bread , or how shall this spiritual manna , this food of angels be given to one , who hath chosen to feed on husks with swine , nay to one who hath already so often trampled these precious things under foot , either carelesly neglecting , or unworthily receiving these holy mysteries ? o lord , my horrible guiltiness makes me tremble to come , and yet makes me not dare to keep away , for where , o lord , shall my polluted soul be washed , if not in this fountain which thou hast opened for sin and for uncleanness ? hither therefore i come , and thou hast promised that him that cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out : this is , o lord , the blood of the new testament , grant me so to receive it , that it may be to me for remission of sins . and though i have so often and so wretchedly broken my part of that covenant , whereof this sacrament is a seal , yet be thou graciously pleased to make good thine , to be merciful to my unrighteousness , and to remember my sins and mine iniquities no more , and not onely so , but to put thy lawes into my heart , and write them in my mind , and by the power of thy grace dispose my soul to such a sincere and constant obedience , that i may never again provoke thee ; lord grant that in these holy mysteries , i may not only commemorate , but effectually receive my blessed saviour , and all the benefits of his passion : and to that end give me such a preparation of soul , as may qualify me for it , give me a deep sense of my sins , and unworthiness , that being weary and heavy laden . i may be capable of his refreshings , and by being suppled in my own tears , i may be the fitter to be washed in his blood , raise up my dull and earthly mind from groveling here below , and inspire it with a holy zeal , that i may with spiritual affection approach this spiritual feast : and let o lord , that infinite love of christ , in dying for so wretched a sinner , inflame my frozen benummed soul , and kindle in me that sacred fire of love to him , and that so vehement that no waters may quench , no floods drown it , such as may burn up all my dross , not leave one unmortified lust in my soul , and such as may also extend it self to all whom thou hast given me command and example to love , even enemies as well as friends . finally , o lord , i beseech thee to cloth me in the wedding garment , and make me though of my self a most unworthy , yet by thy mercy an acceptable guest at this holy tab●e , that i may not eat and drink my own condemnation , but may have my pardon sealed , my weaknesses repaired , my corruptions subdued , and my soul so inseparably united to thee , that no temptations may ever be able to dissolve the union , but that being begun here in grace , it may be consummated in glory ; grant this , o lord , for thy dear sons sake , jesus christ. another . o blessed jesus , who once offeredst up thy self for me upon the cross , and now offerest thy self to me in the sacrament , let not , i beseech thee , my impenitence and unworthiness frustrate these so inestimable mercies to me , but qualifie me by thy grace to receive the full benefit of them . o lord , i have abundant need of thee , but am so clog'd with guilt , so holden with the cords of my sins , that i am not able to move towards thee , o lose me from this band , wherewith satan and my own lusts have bound me , and draw me that i may run after thee . lord , thou seest daily how eagerly i pursue the paths that lead to death , but when thou invitest me to life and glory , i turn my back and forsake my own mercy . how often hath this feast been prepared , and i have with frivilous excuses absented my self , or if i have come , it hath been rather to defie then to adore thee , i have brought such troops of thy professed enemies , unrepented sins along with me , as if i ●ame not to commemorate , but renew thy passion , crucifying thee afresh , and putting thee to open shame : and now of what punishment shall i be thought worthy , who have thus trampled under foot the son of god , and counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing ! yet o merciful jesu , this blood is my onely r●●●ge , o let this make my atonement or i perish eternally , wherefore didst thou shed it , but to save sinners , neither can the merit of it be overwhelmed either by the greatness or number of sins . i am a sinner , a great one , o let me find its saving efficacy . be merciful unto me , o god , be merciful to me for my soul trusteth in thee , and in the clefts of thy wound , shall be my refuge until thy fathers indignation be overpast . o thou , who hast as my high priest sacrificed for me , intercede for me also , and plead thy meritorious sufferings on my behalfe , and suffer not , o my redeemer , the price of thy blood to be utterly lost : and grant , o lord , that as the sins i have to be forgiven are many , so i may love much : lord thou seest what faint , what cold affections i have towards thee , o warm and enliven them ; and as in this sacrament , that transcendent love of thine in dying for me is shewed forth ; so i beseech thee , let it convey such grace into me , as may enable me to make some returns of love : o let this divine fire descend from heaven into my soul , and let my sins be the burnt offering for it to consume , that there may not any corrupt affection , any accursed thing be shelterd in my heart , that i may never again defile that place , which thou hast chosen for thy temple . thou dyedst , o dear jesu to redeem me from all iniquity , o let me not again sell my self to work wickedness , but grant that i may approach thee at this time with most sincere and fixed resolutions of an entire reformation , and let me receive such grace , and strength from thee , as may enable me faithfully to perform them : lord , there are many old habituated diseases , my soul groanes under . [ her mention thy most prevailing corruptions . ] and though i lye never so long at the pool of bethesda , come never so often to thy table , yet unless thou be pleased to put forth thy healing vertue , they will still remain uncured . o thou blessed physician of souls , heal me , and grant i may now so touch thee , that every one of these loath some issues may immediately stanch ▪ that these sicknesses may not be unto death but unto the glory of thy mercy in pardoning , to the glory of thy grace in purifying so polluted a wretch . o christ , hear me , and grant i may now approach thee with such humility and contrition , love and devotion , that thou maist vouchsafe to come unto me , and abide with me , communicating to me thy self , and all the merits of thy passion . and then , o lord , let no accusations of satan , o● my own conscience amaze or distract me , bu● having peace with thee , let me also have peace in my self , that this wine may make glad , this bread of life may strengthen my heart , and enable me cheerfully to run the way of thy commandments . grant this merciful saviour ▪ i beseech thee , for thine own bowels and compassions sake . ejaculations to be used at the lords table . lord i am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof . i have sinned , what shall i do unto thee , o thou preserver of men . [ here recollect some of thy greatest sins ] if thou lord shouldst be extreme to mark what is done amiss , o lord who may abide it ? but with the lord there is mercy , and with him is plenteous redemption . behold , o lord , thy beloved son , in whom thou art well pleased . hearken to the cry of his blood , which speaketh better things then that of abel . by his agony , and bloody sweat , by his cross , and passion good lord deliver me . o lamb of god which takest away the sins of the world , grant me thy peace . o lamb of god which takest away the sins of the world , have mercy upon me . immediately before receiving . thou hast said that he that eateth thy flesh and drinketh thy blood hath eternal life . behold the servant of the lord , be it unto me according to thy word . at the receiving of the bread. by thy crucified body deliver me from this body of death . at the receiving of the cup. o let this blood of thine purge my conscience from dead works , to serve the living god. lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean . o touch me , and say , i will , be thou clean . after receiving . what shall i render unto the lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me ? i will take the cup of salvation , and call upon the name of the lord. worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power , and riches , and wisdom , and strength , and honour , and glory , and blessing . therefore blessing , honour , glory , and power be to him that sitteth upon the throne and to the lamb , for ever and ever , amen . i have sworn ▪ and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous judgments . o hold thou up my goings in thy paths , that my footsteps slip not . a thanksgiving after the receiving of the sacrament . othou fountain of all goodness , from whom every good and perfect gift cometh , and to whom all honour and glory should be returned , i desire with all the most fervent and inflamed affections of a grateful heart , to blesse and praise thee for those inestimable mercies thou hast vouchsafed me ; lord what is man that thou shouldst so regard him , as to send thy beloved son to suffer such bitter things for him ? but lord , what am i , the worst of men , that i should have any part in this atonement , who have so oft despised him and his sufferings , o the height , and depth of this mercy of thine , that art pleased to admit me to the renewing of that covenant with thee , which i have so often & so perversly broken , that i who am not worthy of that daily bread , which sustains the body , should be made partaker of this bread of life , which nourishes the soul , and that the god of all purity should vouchsafe to unite himself to so polluted a wretch : o my god , suffer me no more , i beseech thee , to turn thy grace into wantonness , to make thy mercy an occasion of security , but let this unspeakable love of thine constrain me to obedience , that since my blessed lord hath died for me , i may no longer live unto my self but to him ; o lord , i know there is no concord between christ and belial , therefore since he hath now been pleased to enter my heart , o let me never permit any lust to chace him thence , but let him that hath so dearly bought me , still keep possession of me , and let nothing ever take me out of his hand . to this end be thou graciously pleased to watch over me , and defend me from all assaults of my spiritual enemies , but especially deliver me from my self , from the treachery of my own heart , which is too willing to yield it self a prey . and where thou seest i am either by nature or custome most weak , there do thou , i beseech thee , magnify thy power in my preservation . [ here name thy most dangerous temptations ] and lord let my saviours sufferings for my sins , and the vowes i have now made against them , never depart from my mind , but let the remembrance of the one enable me to perform the other , that i may never make truce with those lusts , which nailed his hands , pierced his side , and made his soul heavy to the death . but that having now a new listed my self under his banner , i may fight manfully , and follow the captain of my salvation even through a sea of blood . lord , lift up my hands that hang down , and my feeble knees , that i faint not in this warfare , o be thou my strength , who am not able of my self to struggle with the slightest temptations . how often have i turned my back in the day of battel ? how many of these sacramental vowes have i violated ? and lord i have still the sa●e unconstant deceitful heart , to betray me to the breach of this . o thou who art yea and amen , in whom there is no shadow of change , communicate to me , i beseech thee , such a stability of mind , that i may no more thus start aside , like a broken bow , but that having my heart whole with thee , i may continue stedfast in thy covenant ; that not one good purpose which thy spirit hath raised in me this day , may vanish , as so many have formerly done , but that they may bring f●rth fruit unto life eternal . grant this , o merciful father , through the merits , and mediation of my crucified saviour . a prayer of intercession to be used either before or after the receiving of the sacrament . o most gracious lord , who so tenderly lovedst mankind , as to give thy dear son out of thy bosom , to become a propitiation for the sins of the whole world , grant that the effect of this redemption may be as universal , as the design of it , that it may be to the salvation of all . o let no person by impenitence and wilful sin forfeit his part in it , but by the power of thy grace bring all , even the most obstinate sinners to repentance . inlighten all that sit in darkness , all jewes , turks , infidels , and hereticks , take from them all blindness , hardness of heart , and contempt of thy word , and so fetch them home , blessed lord , unto thy fold , that they may be saved among the number of the true israelites . and for all those upon whom the name of thy son is called , grant , o lord , that their conversations may be such as becometh the gospel of christ , that his name be no longer blasphemed among the heathen through us . o blessed lord , how long shall christendom continue the vilest part of the world , a sink of all those abominable pollutions , which even barbarians detest . o let not our profession , and our practice be alwayes at so wide a distance . let not the disciples of the holy and immaculate jesus , be of all others the most profane and impure . let not the subjects of the prince of peace be of all others the most contentious , and bloody , but make us christians indeed , as well as in name , that we may walk worthy of that holy vocation , wherewith we are called , and may all with one mind and one mouth glorify thee , the father of our lord jesus christ. have mercy on this languishing church , look down from heaven the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory , where is thy zeal , and thy strength , the sounding of thy bowels , and of thy mercies towards us ? are they restrained ? be not wroth very sore , o lord , neither remember iniquity for ever , but though our backslidings are many , and we have grievously rebelled , yet according to all thy goodness , let thy anger & thy sury be turned away , & cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary , which is desolate , for the lords sake ; and so separate between us and our sins , that they may no longer separate between us & our god. save and defend all christian kings , princes , & governours , especially those to whom we owe subjection , plead thou their cause , o lord , against those that strive with them , and fight thou against those that fight against them , and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that office whereunto thou hast appointed them , that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life , in all godliness and honesty ▪ bless them that wait at thine altar , open thou their lips that their mouth may shew forth thy praise , o let not the lights of the world be put under bushels , but place them in their candlesticks , that they may give light to all that are in the house . let not jeroboams priests profane thy service , but let the seed of aaron still minister before thee . and o thou father of mercies , and god of all comfort , succour and relieve all that are in affliction , deliver the out-cast and poor , help them to right that suffer wrong , let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee , and according to the greatness of thy power , preserve thou those that are appointed to dye ; grant ease to those that are in pain , supplies to those that suffer want , give to all presumptuous sinners a sense of their sins , and to all dispa●ring , a sight of thy mercies , and do thou , o lord , for every one abundantly above what they can ask or think . forgive my enemies , persecutors , and slanderers , and turn their hearts . powre down thy blessings on all my friends , and benefactors , all who have commended themselves to my prayer . [ here thou maist name particular persons . ] and grant , o merciful father , that through this blood of the crosse , we may all be presented pure and unblameable , and unreprovable in thy sight ; that so we may be admitted into that place of purity , where no unclean thing can enter , there to sing eternal praises to father , son , and holy ghost , for ever . a prayer in times of common persecution . o blessed saviour , who hast made the crosse the badg of thy disciples , enable me , i beseech thee , willingly and cheerfully to embrace it ; thou seest , o lord , i am fallen into dayes , wherein he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey , o make me so readily to expose all my outward concernments , when my obedience to thee requireth it , that what falls as a prey to men , may by thee be accepted as a sacrifice to god : lord preserve me so by thy grace that i never suffer as an evil doer , and then , o lord , if it be my lot to suffer as a christian , let me not be ashamed , but rejoyce that i am counted worthy to suffer for thy name : o thou who for my sake enduredst the cross , and despisedst the shame , let the example of that love and patience prevail against all the tremblings of my corrupt heart , that no terrors may ever be able to shake my constancy , but that how long soever thou shalt permit the rod of the wicked to lye on my back , i may never put my hand unto wickedness : lord , thou knowest whereof i am made , thou remembrest that i am but flesh , and flesh , o lord , shrinks at the approach of any thing grievous . it is thy spirit thy spirit alone , that can uphold me , o stablish me with thy free spirit , that i be not weary & faint in my mind . and by how much the greater thou discernest my weakness , so much the more do thou shew forth thy power in me , and make me , o lord , in all temptations stedfastly to look to thee , the author and finisher of my faith , that so i may run the race , which is set before me , and resist even unto blood , striving against sin : o dear jesus , hear me , and though satan desire to have me , that he may winnow me as wheat , yet do thou , o blessed mediator , pray for me that my faith fail not , but that though it be tryed with fire , it may be found unto praise and glory and honour at thy appearing . and o lord , i beseech thee , grant that i may preserve not only constancy towards god , but charity also towards men , even those whom thou shalt permit to be the instruments of my sufferings , lord , let me not fail to imitate that admirable meekness of thine , in loving and praying for my greatest persecutors , and do thou , o lord , overcome all their evil with thy infinite goodness , turn their hearts , and draw them powerfully to thy self ▪ and at last receive both me and mine enemies into those mansions of peace and rest , where thou reignest with the father , and the holy ghost , one god , for ever . a prayer in time of affliction . o just and holy lord , who with rebukes doest chasten man for sin , i desire unfeignedly to humble my self under thy mighty hand , which now lyes heavy upon me , i heartily acknowledg , o lord , that all i do , all i can suffer , is but the due reward of my deeds , and therefore in thy severest infl●ctions i must still say , righteous art thou , o lord , and upright are thy judgments . but , o lord , i beseech thee in judgment remember mercy , & though my sins have enforced thee to strike , yet consider my weakness , and let not thy stripes be more heavy , or more lasting then thou seest profitable for my soul ; correct me but with the chastisement of a father , not with the wounds of an enemy , and though thou take not off thy rod , yet take away thine anger : lord do not abhor my soul , nor cast thy servant away in displeasure , but pardon my sins , i beseech thee , and if yet in thy fatherly wisdome , thou see fit to prolong thy corrections , thy blessed will be done , i cast my self , o lord , at thy feet , do with me what thou pleasest . trye me as silver is tryed so thou bring me out purified . and lord make even my flesh also to subscribe to this resignation , that there may be nothing in me , that may rebel against thy hand , but that having perfectly supprest all repining thoughts , i may cheerfully drink of this cup. and how little soever thou shalt please to make it , lord , let it p●ove medicinal , and cure all the diseases of my soul , that it may bring forth in me the peaceable fruit of righteousness . that so these light afflictions which are but for a moment , may work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory , through jesus christ. a thanksgiving for deliverance . o blessed lord , who art gracious and merciful , slow to anger and of great kindness , and repentest thee of the evil , i thankfully acknowledg before thee , that thou hast not dealt with me after my sins , nor rewarded me according to my iniquities . my rebellions o lord , deserved to be scourged with scorpions , and thou hast corrected them only with a gentle and fatherly rod , neither hast thou suffered me to l●e long under that , but hast given me a timely and a gracious issue out of my late distress : o lord , i will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my soul in adversity . thou hast smitten and thou hast healed me , o let these various methods of thine have their proper effects upon my soul ; that i who have felt the smart of thy chastisements , may stand in awe , and not sin , and that i who have likewise felt the sweet refreshings of thy mercy , may have my heart ravished with it , and knit to thee in the firmest bands of love , and that by both i may be preserved in a constant entire obedience to thee all my dayes , through jesus christ. directions for the time of sickness . when thou findest thy self visited with sickness , thou art immediately to remember that it is god , which with rebukes doth chasten man for sin . and therefore let thy first care be to find out what it is that provokes him to smite thee , and to that purpose examine thine own heart , search diligently what guilts lie there , confess them humbly and penitently to god , and for the greater s●●urity renew thy repentance for all the old sins of thy former life , beg most earnestly and importunately his mercy , and p●rd●n in christ iesus , and put on sincere and zealous resolutions of forsaking every evil way , for the rest of that time which god shall spare thee . and that thy 〈◊〉 heart deceive thee not in this so weighty a business , it will be wisdom to send for some godly divine , not onely to assist thee with his prayers , but with his counsel also . and to that purpose open thy heart so freely to him , that he may be able to judg whether thy repentance be such as may give thee confidence to appear before gods dreadful tribunal , and that if it be not , he may help thee what he can towards the making it s● . and when thou hast thus provided for thy better part , thy soul , then consider thy body also , and as the wise man saith , eccl. . . give p●a●e to the physician , for the lord hath created him : vse such means as may be most likely to recover thy health , but alwayes remember that the successe of them must come from god , and bew●●● of asa's sin , who sought to the physicions , and not to the lord , chr. . . dispose also betimes of thy temporal affaires , by making thy will , and setting all things in such order as thou meanest finally to leave them in , and defer it not till thy sickness grow more violent , for then perhaps thou shalt not have such use of thy reason as may fi● thee for it , or if thou have , it will be th●n much more seasonable to imploy thy thoughts on higher things , on the world thou art going to , rather then that thou art about to leave , we cannot carry the things of this world with us , when we go hence and it is not fit we should carry the thoughts of them . therefore let those be early dispatched that they may not disturb thee ●t last . a prayer for a sick person . o merciful and righteous lord , the god of health and of ●●ckness , of life , and of death , i most unfeignedly acknowledg that my great abuse of those many days of strength and wellfare , which thou hast afforded me , hath most justly deserved thy present visitation . i desire , o lord , humbly to accept of this punishment of mine iniquity , and to bear the indignation of the lord , because i have sinned against him . and , o thou merciful father , who designest not the ruine but the amendment of those whom thou scourgest , i beseech thee by thy grace so to sanctifie this correction of thine to me , that this sickness of my body may be a means of health to my soul , make me d●ligent to search my heart , and do thou . o lord enable me to discover every accursed thing , how closely soever concealed there , that by the removal thereof , i may make way for the removal of this punishment . heal my soul , o lord , which hath sinned against thee , and then if it be thy blessed will , heal my body also , restore the voice of joy and health unto my dwelling , that i may live to praise thee , and to bring forth fruits of repentance . but if in thy wisdome thou hast otherwise disposed , if thou have determined that this sickness shall be unto death , i beseech thee to fit and prepare me for it give me that sincere and earnest repentance , to which thou hast promised mercy and pardon ; weane my heart from the world , and all its fading vanities , and make me to gasp and pant after those more excellent and durable joyes which are at thy right hand for ever . lord , lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me , and in all the pains of my body , in all the agonies of my spirit , let thy comforts refresh my soul , and enable me patiently to waite , till my change come . and grant , o lord , that when my earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved , i may have a building of god , an house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . and that for his sake , who by his precious blood hath purchased it for me , even jesus christ. a thanksgiving for recovery . o gracious lord , the god of the spirits of all fl●sh , in whose hand my time is . i praise and magnifie thee , that thou hast in love to my soul , delivered it from the pit of corruption , and restored me to health again , it is thou alone , o lord , that hast preserved my life from destruction , thou hast chastned and corrected me , but thou hast not given me over unto death , o let this life which thou hast thus graciously spared be wholy consecrated to thee . behold , o lord , i am by thy mercy made w●ole , o make me strictly careful to sin no more , least a worse thing come unto me . lord , let not this reprieve thou hast now given me , make me secure , as thinking that my lord delayeth his coming , but grant me , i beseech thee , to make a right use of this long suffering of thine , and so to imploy every minute of that time , thou shalt allow me that when thou shalt appear , i may have confidence and not be ashamed before thee at thy coming . lord , i have found by this approach towards death , how dreadful a thing it is to be taken unprepared . o let it be a perpetual admonition to me , to watch for my masters coming ; and when the pleasures of sin shal present themselvs to entice me , o make me to remember how bitter they will be at the last . o lord , hear me , and as thou hast in much mercy afforded me time , so grant me also grace to work out my own salvation , to provide oyl in my lamp , that when the bridgroom cometh , i may go in with him to the marriage . grant this , i beseech thee , for thy dear sons sake . a prayer at the approach of death . o eternal and everliving god , who first breathedst into man the breath of life , and when thou takest away that breath , he dyes and is turned again to his dust , look with compassion on me thy poor creature , who am now drawing neer the gates of death , and which is infinitely more terrible , the bar of judgment . lord my own heart condemns me , and thou art infinitely greater then my heart , and knowest all things . the sins i know and remember , fill me with horrour ; but there are also multitudes of others , which i either observed not at the time , or have since carelesly forgot , which are all present to thee . thou settest my misdeeds before thee , and my secret sins in the light of thy countenance , and to what a mountainous heap must the minutely provocations of so many years arise ? how shall one so ungodly stand in thy judgment , or such a sinner in the congregation of the righteous ? and to add yet more to my terrour , my very repentance i fear will not abide the tryal , my frequent relapses heretofore have sufficiently witnessed the unsincerity of my past resolutions . and then , o lord , what can secure me that my present dislikes of my sins are not rather the effects of my amazing danger , then of any reall change ; and , o lord , i know thou art not mo●ked , nor wilt accept of any thing that is not perfectly sincere . o lord , when i consider this , fearfulness and trembling comes upon me , and an horrible dread overwhelmeth me , my flesh trembleth for fear of thee , and my heart is wounded within me . but , o lord , one deep calleth upon another , the depth of my misery upon the depth of thy mercy . lord , save now , or i perish eternally . o thou who willest not that any should perish , but that all should come to repentance , bring me , i beseech thee , though thus late , to a sincere repentance , such as thou wilt accept , who tryest the heart . create in me , o god , a clean heart , and renew a right spirit within me : lord one day is with thee as a thousand years , o let thy mighty spirit work in me now in this my last day , whatsoever thou seest wanting to fit me for thy mercy , and acceptation . give me a perfect and entire hatred of my sins , and enable me to present thee with that sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart , which thou hast promised not to despise ; that by this i may be made capable of that atonement , which thy dear son hath by the more excellent oblation of himself made for all repenting sinners . he is the propitiation for our sins , he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities , the chastisement of our peace was on him , o heal me by his stripes , and let the cry of his blood drown the clamour of my sins : i am indeed a child of wrath , but he is the son of thy love , for his sake spare me ▪ o lord , spare thy creature , whom he hath redeemed with his most precious blood , and be not angry with me for ever . in his wounds , o lord , i take sanctuary , o let not thy vengeance pursue me to this city of refuge : my soul hangeth upon him , o let me not perish with a jesus , with a saviour in my armes . but by his agony and bloody sweat , by his cross and passion , by all that he did and suffered for sinners , good lord deliver me , deliver me , i beseech thee ▪ from the wages of my sins , thy wrath and everlasting damnation , in th●s time of my tribulation , in the hour of death , and in the day of judgment . hea● me o lord , hear me ; and do not now repay my former neglects of thy calls , by refusing to answer me in this time of my gr●atest need . lord , there is but a step between me and death , o let not my sun go down upon thy wrath , but sea● my pardon , before i go hence and be no more seen . thy loving kindness is better then the life it self , o let me have that in exchange , and i shall most gladly lay down this mortal life ; lord thou knowest all my desire , and my groaning is not hid from thee , deal thou with me , o lord , according to thy name , for sweet is thy mercy take away the sting of death , the guilt of my sins , and then though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death , i will fear no evil , i will lay me down in peace , and lord when i awake up , let me be satisfied with thy presence in thy glory . grant this merciful god for his sake , who is both the redeemer , and mediator of sinners , even jesus christ. psalmes . pvt me not to rebuke o lord in thi●● anger , neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure . there is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure , neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sins . for my wickednesses are gone over my head , and are a sore burden too heavy for me to bear . my wounds stink and are corrupt through my foolishness . therefore is my spirit vexed within me , and my heart within me is desolate . my sins have taken such hold upon me , that i am not able to look up , yea , they are more in number , then the hairs of my head , and my heart hath failed me . but thou , o lord god , art full of compassion and mercy , long suffering , plenteous in goodness and truth . turn thee unto me , and have mercy upon me for i am desolate , and in misery . if thou lord shouldst be extreme to mark what is done amiss , o lord who may abide it . o remember not the sins and offences of my youth , but according to thy mercy think thou upon me , for thy goodness . look upon my adversity and misery , and forgive me all my sin . hide not thy face from thy servant , for i am in trouble , o haste thee and hear me . out of the deep do i call unto thee , lord hear my voice . turn thee o lord , and deliver my soul , o save me for thy mercies sake . o go not from me , for trouble is hard at hand , and there is none to help . i stretch forth my hands unto thee , my soul gaspeth unto thee , as a thirsty land . draw nigh unto my soul and save it , o deliver me , because of my enemies . for my soul is full of trouble , and my life draweth nigh unto hell . save me from the lyons mouth , hear me from among the horns of the vnicorns . o set me up upon the rock that is higher then i , for thou art my hope , and a strong tower for me against the enemy . why art thou so heavy , o my soul , and why art thou so disquieted within me ? put thy trust in god , for i will yet give him thanks , for the help of his countenance . the lord shall make good his loving kindness towards me , yea , thy mercy o lord endureth for ever , despise not then the work of of thine own hands . o god , thou art my god , early will i seek thee . my soul thirsteth for thee , my flesh also longeth after thee , in a barren and dry land where no water is . like as the hart desireth the water brooks , so longeth my soul after thee o god. my soul is a thirst for god , even for the living god , when shall i come to appear before the presence of god ? how amiable are thy dwellings , o lord of hosts ? my soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the lord , my flesh and my heart rejoice in the living god. o that i had wings like a dove , for then would i flye away and be at rest . o send out thy light and thy truth , that they may lead me , and bring me unto thy holy hill , and to thy dwelling . for one day in thy courts is better then a thousand . i had rather be a door keeper in the house of my god , then to dwell in the tents of wickedness . i should utterly have fainted , but that i believed verily to see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living . thou art my helper and my redeemer , o lord make no long tarrying . ejaculations . o lord of whom may i seek for succour , but of thee who for my sins art justly displeased , yet o lord god most holy , o lord most mighty , o holy and most merciful saviour , deliver me not into the bitter pains of eternal death . thou knowest lord the secrets of my heart , shut not up thy merciful eyes to my prayer , but hear me o lord most holy , o god most mighty , o holy and merciful saviour , thou most worthy judg eternal , suffer me not at my last hour for any pains of death to fall from thee . father i have sinned against heaven and before thee , and am no worthy to be called thy child , yet o lord do not thou cast off the bowels and compassions of a father , but even as a father pittieth his own children , so b● thou merciful unto me . lord , the prince of this world cometh , o● let ●im have nothing in me , but as he accuseth , do thou absolve , he layes many and grievous things to my charge , which he can too well prove , i have nothing to say for my self , do thou answer for me , o lord my god. o lord i am clothed with filthy garments , and satan stands at my right hand , to resist me , o be thou pleased to rebuke him , and pluck me as a brand out of the fire , cause mine iniquities to pass from me , and cloth me with the righteousness of thy son. behold , o god , the devil is coming towards me , having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time , o save and deliver me , lest he devour my soul like a lyon , and tear it in pieces while there is none to help . o my god , i know that no unclean thing can enter into thy kingdom , and i am nothing but pollution , my very righteousness are as filthy rags , o wash me and make me white in the blood of the lamb , that so i may be fit to stand before thy throne . lord the snares of death compass me round about . o let not the pains of hell also take hold upon me , but though i find trouble and heaviness , yet o lord i bese●ch thee deliver my soul. o dear jesus , who hast bought me with the precious price of thine own blood , challenge now thy purchase , and let not all the malice of hell pluck me out of thy hand . o blessed high priest , who art able to save them to the utmost , who come unto god by thee , saye me i beseech thee , who have no hope , but on thy merits and intercession . o god i confess i have defaced that image of thine , thou didst imprint upon my soul , yet o thou faithful creatour , have pity on thy creature . o jesu , i have by my many and grievous sins crucified thee afresh , yet thou who prayedst for thy persecutors , intercede for me also , and suffer not , o my redeemer , my soul ( the price of thy blood ) to perish . o spirit of grace , i have by my horrid impieties done despight to thee , yet , o blessed comforter though i have often grieved thee , be thou pleased to succour and relieve me , and say unto my soul , i am thy salvation . mine eyes look unto thee , o lord , in thee is my trust , o cast not out my soul. o lord in thee have i trusted , let me never be confounded . o blessed lord , who scourgest every son whom thou receivest let me not be weary of thy correction , but give me such a perfect subjection to thee the father of spirits , that this chastisement may be for my profit , that i may thereby be partaker of thy holiness . o thou captain of my salvation , who wert made perfect by sufferings , sanctifie to me all the paines of body , all the terrors of mind , which thou shalt permit to fall upon me . lord , my sins have deserved eternal torments make me cheerfully and thankfully to bear my present pains , chasten me as thou pleasest here , that i may not be condemned with the world . lord , the waters are come in even unto my soul , o let thy spirit move upon these waters , and make them like the pool of bethesda , that they may cure whatsoever spiritual disease thou discernest in me . o christ , who first sufferedst many and grievous things , and then enteredst into thy glory , make me so to suffer with thee , that i may also be glorified with thee . o dear jesus , who humblest thy self to the death of the cross for me , let that death of thine sweeten the bitterness of mine . when thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death , thou didst open the kingdome of heaven to all believers . i believe that thou shalt come to be my judg. i pray thee therefore help thy servant whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood . make me to be numbred with thy saints in glory everlasting . thou art the resurrection and the life , he that believeth in thee , though he were dead , yet shall he live , lord , i believe , help thou my unbelief . my flesh and my heart faileth , but god is the strength of my heart , and my portion for ever . i desire to be dissolved , and to be with christ , which is far better : lord , i groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with that house from heaven . i desire to put off this my tabernacle , o be pleased to receive me into everlasting habitations . bring my soul out of prison , that i may give thanks unto thy name . lord , i am here to wrestle not onely with flesh and blood , but with principalities and powers , and spiritual wickedness , o take me from these tents of kedar , into the heavenly jerusalem , where satan shall be utterly trodden under my feet . i cannot here attend one minute to thy service , without distraction , o take me up to stand before thy throne , where i shall serve thee day and night . i am here in heaviness through many tribulations , o receive me into that place of rest , where all tears shall be wiped from my eyes , where there shall be no more death , nor sorrow , nor crying , nor pain . i am here in a state of banishment , and absence from the lord , o take me where i shall for ever behold thy face , and follow the lamb whither soever he goeth . i have fought a good fight , i have finished my course , i have kept the faith , henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness . o blessed jesu , who hath loved me , and washed me from my sins in thine own blood , receive my soul. into thy hands i commend my spirit , for thou hast redeemed me , o lord thou god of truth . come lord jesu , come quickly . prayers for their use who mourn in secret for the publick calamities , &c. psalm . o god , wherefore art thou absent , &c. . o god , the heathen are come , &c ▪ . hear , o thou shepherd of israel , &c. a prayer to be used in these times of calamity . o lord god , to whom vengeance belongeth , i desire humbly to confesse before thee , both on my own behalf , and that of this nation , that these many years of calamity we have groaned under , are but the just ( yea mild ) returns of those many more years of our provocations against thee , and that thy present wrath is but the due punishment of thy abused mercy . o lord , thou hast formerly abounded to us in blessings above all people of the earth . thy candle shined upon our heads , and we delighted our selves in thy great goodness , peace was within our walls , and plenteousness within our palaces , there was no decay , no leading into captivity , and no complaining in our streets : but we turned this grace into wantonness , we abused our peace to security , our plenty to riot and luxury , and made those good things , which should have endeared our hearts to thee , the occasions of estranging them from thee ; nay , o lord , thou gavest us yet more precious mercies , thou wert pleased thy self to pitch thy tabernacle with us , to establish a pure and glorious church among us , and give us thy word to be a lamp unto our feet , and a light unto our paths ; but o lord we have made no other use of that light , then to conduct us to the chambers of death , we have dealt proudly , and not hearkned to thy commandments , and by rebelling against the light , have purchased to our selves so much the heavier portion in the outer darkness . and now , o lord , had the overflowings of thy vengeance been answerable to that of our sins , we had long since been swept away with a swift destruction , and there had been none of us alive at this day to implore thy mercy . but thou art a gracious god , slow to anger , and hast proceeded with us with much patience and long suffering , thou hast sent thy judgments to awake us to repentance , and hast also allowed us space for it : but alas ! we have perverted this mercy of thine beyond all the former , we return not to him that smiteth us , neither do we seek the lord , we are slidden back by a perpetual backsliding , no man repenteth him of his wickedness , or saith what have i done ? 't is true indeed we fear the rod ( we dread every suffering , so that we are ready to buy it off with the foulest sin ) but we fear not him that hath appointed it , but by a wretched obstinacy harden our necks against thee , and refuse to return . and now , o god , what balm is there in gilead that can cure us ; who , when thou wouldst heal us , will not be healed , we know thou hast pronounced that there is no peace to the wicked , and how shall we then pray for peace , that still retain our wickedness ? ' this this , o lord , is our forest disease , o give us medicines to heal this sickness , heal our souls , and then we know thou canst soon he●l our land . lord , thou hast long spoken by thy word to our ears , by thy judgments even to all our senses , but unless thou speak by thy spirit to our hearts , all other cals will still be uneffectual , o send out this voice , and that a mighty voice , such as may awake us out of this lethargy : thou that didst call lazarus out of the grave , o be pleased to call us , who are dead , yea putrified in trespasses and sins , and make us to awake to righteousness . and though , o lord , our frequent resistances even of these inward calls have justly provoked thee to give us up to the lusts of our own heart ; yet o thou boundless ocean of mercy , who art good not only beyond what we can deserve , but what we can wish , do not withdraw the influence of thy grace , and take not thy holy spirit from us . thou wert found of those that sought thee not , o let that act of mercy be repeated to us , who are so desperately , yet so insensibly sick , that we cannot so much as look after the physician , and by how much our case is the more dangerous , so much the more soveraign remedies do thou apply ; lord help us , and consider not so much our unworthiness of thy aid , as our irremediable ruine , if we want it ; save lord , or we perish eternally . to this end dispense to us in our temporal interest , what thou seest may best secure our spiritual ; if a greater degree of outward misery will tend to the cureing our inward , lord , spare not thy rod , but strike yet more sharply , cast out this devil , though with never so much foaming and tearing . but if thou seest that some return of mercy may be most likely to melt us , o be pleased so far to condescend to our wretchedness , as to afford us that , and whether by thy sharper , or thy gentler methods , bring us home to thy self . and then , o lord , we know thy hand is not shortned , that it cannot save , when thou hast delivered us from our sins , thou canst and wilt deliver us from our troubles , o shew us thy mercy , and grant us thy salvation , that being redeemed both in our bodies and spirits , we may glorifie thee in both , in a cheerful obedience , and praise the name of our god , that hath dealt wonderfully with us , through jesus christ our lord. a prayer for this church . o thou great god of recompences , who turnest a fruitful , land into barrenness for the wickednesse of the● that dwel therein ; thou hast most justly executed that fatal sentence on this church ; which having once been the perfection of beauty , the joy of the whole earth is now become a scorn and derision to all that are round about her . o lord , what could have been done to thy vineyard , that thou 〈◊〉 not done in it , and since it hath brought forth nothing but wild grapes , it is perfectly just with thee to take away the hedg thereof , and let it be eaten up . but o lord , though our iniquities testifie against us , yet do thou it for thy names sake ; for our backslidings are many , we have sinned against thee . o the hope of israel , the saviour thereof in time of trouble , why shouldst tho● be as a stranger in the land , as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to carry for a night ? why shouldst thou be as a man astonied , as a mighty man that cannot save ? yet thou , o lord art in the midst of us , and we are called by thy name , leave us not , deprive us of what outward enjoyments thou pleasest , take from us the oppor●unities of our luxury , and it may be a mercy , but , o take not from us the means of our reformation , for that is the most direful expression of thy wrath . and though we have hated the light , because our deeds were evil , yet . o lord , do not by withdrawing it condemn ●s to walk on still in darkness , but let it continue to shine , till it have guided our feet into the way of peace ; o lord , arise , stir up thy strength and come and help us , and deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove ( this disconsolate church ) unto the multitude of the enemy ; but help act , o god , and that right early . but if , o lord , our rebellions have so provoked thee , that the ark must wander in the wilderness , til all this murmuring generation be consumed , yet let not that perish with us , but bring it at last into a canaan , and let our more innocent posterity see that , which in thy just judgment thou denyest to us . in the mean time let us not cease to bewail that desolation , our sins have wrought to think upon the stones of sion , and pity to see her in the dust , nor ever be ashamed or afraid to own her , in her lowest and most persecuted condition , but esteem the reproach of christ , greater riches then the treasures of egypt , and so approve our constancy , to this our afflicted mother , that her blessed lord and head may own us with mercy , when he shall come in the glory of thee his father with the holy angels . grant this merciful lord for the same jesus christ ●is sake . a prayer for the peace of the church . lord jesus christ , which of thine almightiness madest all creatures both visible and invisible , which of thy godly wisdome governest and settest all things in most goodly order , which of thine unspeakable goodness keepest , defendest and furtherest all things , which of thy deep mercy restorest the decayed , renewest the fallen , raisest the dead : vouchsafe we pray thee at last , to cast down thy countenance upon thy well-beloved spouse the church ; but let it be that amiable and merciful countenance wherewith thou pacifiest all things in heaven , in earth , and whatsoever is above heaven and under the earth : vouchsafe to cast upon us those tender and pitiful eyes , with which thou didst once behold peter that great shepherd of thy church , and forthwith he remembered himself , & repented , with which eyes thou once didst view the scattered multitude , and wert moved with compassion , that for lack of a good shepherd , they wandered as sheep dispersed and strayed a sunder . thou seest ( o good shepherd ) what sundry sorts of wolvs have broken into thy sheep cotes , of whom every one cryeth : here is christ , here is christ. so that if it were possible the very perfect persons should be brought into error . thou seest with what winds , with what waves , with what storms thy silly ship is tossed , thy ship wherein thy little flock is in peril to be drowned . and what is now left , but that it utterly sink , and we all perish ? of this tempest and storm , we may thank our own wickedness and sinful living ; we espy it well and confesse it , we espy thy righteousness , and we bewail our unrighteousness : but we appeal to thy mercy which ( according to the psalm of thy prophet ) surmounteth all thy works ; we have now suffered much punishment , being sousted with so many wars , consumed with such losses of goods , scourged with so many sorts of diseases and pestilences , shaken with so many flouds , feared with so many strange sights from heaven , and yet appears there no where any haven or port unto us being thus-tired & for lorn among so strange evils , but still every day more grievous punishments , and more seem to hang over our heads . we complain not of thy sharpness , most tender saviour , but we espy here also thy mercy , forasmuch , as much grievouse● plagues we have deserved . but o most merciful jesu , we beseech thee , that thou wilt not consider not weigh what is due for our deservings , but rather what becometh thy mercy , without which neither the angels in heaven can stand sure before thee , much less we filly vessels of clay . have mercy on us , o redeemer , which art easie to be intreated , not that we be worthly of thy mercy , but give thou this glory unto thine own name . suffer not that the jews , turks , and the rest of the panims , which either have not known thee , or do envy thy glory , should continually triumph over us , and say , where is their god , where is their redeemer , where is their saviour , where is their bridegroom , that they thus boast on ? these opprobrious words and upbraidings redound unto thee . o lord , while by our evils , men weigh and esteem thy goodness : they think we be forsaken , whom they see not amended . once when thou sleptst in the ship , and a tempest suddenly arising threatned death to all in the ship , thou awokest at the outcry of a few disciples , and straightway at thine almighty word the waters couched , the winds fell , the storm was suddenly turned into a great calm ; the dumb waters know their makers voice . now in this far greater tempest , wherein not a few mens bodies be in danger , but innumerable souls : we beseech th●e at the cry of thy holy church , which is in danger of drowning , that thou wilt awake . so many thousands of men do cry , lord save us , we perish , the tempest is past mans power : yea we see that the endeavours of them that would help it , do turn clean a contrary way . it is thy word that must do the deed , lord jesu . only say thou with a word of thy mouth , cease o tempest , and forthwith shall ●he desired calm appear . thou wouldst have spa●ed so many thousands of most wicked men , if in the city of sodo● ●ad been found but ten good men . now here be so many thousands 〈◊〉 men , which love the glory of thy name , which sigh for the beauty 〈◊〉 thy house ; and wilt thou not at these mens prayers let go thine an●r , and remember thine accustomed and old mercies ? shalt thou ●ot with thy heavenly policy turn our folly into thy glory ? shalt thou ●ot turn the wicked mens evils into thy churches good ? for thy mer●y is wont then most of all to succour , when the thing is with us past ●medy , and neither the might nor wisdom of men can help it . thou ●one b●ingest things that be never so out of order , into order again : ●hich art the only author and maintainer of peace . thou framedst ●hat old confusion , which we call chaos , wherein without order , with●ut fashion confusedly lay the discordant seeds of things , and with a ●onderful order the things that of nature fought together , thou didst ●ly and knit in a perpetual band . but how much greater confusion is ●is , where is no charity , no fidelity , no bonds of love , no reverence either of lawes , nor yet of rulers , no agreement of opinions , but as 〈◊〉 were in a misordered quire , every man singeth a contrary note . a●ong the heavenly planets is no dissention , all four elements keep ●●eir place , every one do their office whereunto they be appointed . and wilt thou suffer thy spouse , for whose sake all things were made ●hus bycontinual discords to perish , and go to wrack ? shalt thou ●●ffer the wicked spirits , which be authors and workers of discord , 〈◊〉 bear such a swing in thy kingdome unchecked ? shalt thou suffer ●e strong captain of mischief , whom thou once overthrewest , again 〈◊〉 invade thy tents , and to spoil thy souldiers ? when thou wert here man conversant among men , at thy voice fl●d the devils . send forth 〈◊〉 beseech thee , o lord , thy spirit which may drive away out of the ●ests of al them that profess thy name , the wicked spirits masters of ri●● , of covetousness , of vain-glory , of carnal lust , of mischief , and of dis●ord . create in us , o our god and king , a clean heart , and renew thy holy ●pirit in our breasts pluck not from us thy holy ghost . render unto us ●e joy of thy saving health , and with thy principal spirit , strengthen ●y spouse and the herdmen thereof . by this spirit thou reconciledst ●●e earthly to the heavenly : by this thou didst frame and reduce , so ●any tongues , so many nations , so many sundry sorts of men into 〈◊〉 body of a church ; which body by the same spirit is knit to thee ●●eir head. this spirit if thou wilt vouchsafe to renew in all mens ●earts , then shall also these foreign miseries cease , or if they cease ●ot , at least they shall turn to the profit and avail of them which love ●ee . stay this confusion , set in order this horrible chaos ( o lord ●e us ; ) let thy spirit stretch out it self upon these waters of evil wa●ering opinions . and because thy spirit , which according to thy pro●ets saying containeth all things hath also the sience of speaking ▪ make that like as unto all them which be of thy house , is all one light , one baptisme , one god , one hope , one spirit ; so they may also have one voice , one note , and song , professing one catholick truth . when thou didst mount up to heaven triumphantly , thou threwest out from above thy precious things , thou gavest gifts amongst men , thou dealtest sundry rewards of thy spirit . renew again from above thy old bountifulness , give that thing to thy church , now faincing and growing downward , that thou gavest unto her shooting up , at her first beginning . give unto princes and rulers the grace so to stand in awe of thee , that they so may guide the common-weal , as they should shortly render accompt unto thee that art the king of kings . give wisdome to be alwayes assistant unto them , that whatsoever is best to be done , they may espy it in their mind , and pursue the same in their doings . give to the bishops the gift of prophecy , that they may declare and interpret holy scripture , not of their own brain , but of thine inspiring . give them the threefold charity which thou once demandest of peter , what time thou didst be●ake unto him the charge of thy sheep . give to the priests the love of soberness and of chastity . give to thy people a good will to follow thy commandments , and a readiness to obey such persons as thou hast appointed over them . so shall it come to passe , if through thy gift thy princes shall command that thou requirest , if thy pastors and her●men shall teach the same , and thy people obey them both : that the old dignity and tranquillity of the church shall return again with a goodly order unto the glory of thy name . thou sparedst the ninevites appointed to be destroyed , as soon as they converted to repentance ; and wilt thou despise thy house falling down at thy feet , which in stead of sackcloth hath sighes , and instead of ashe● tears ? thou promisedst forgiveness to such as turn unto thee , but this self thing is thy gift , a man to turn with his whole heart unto thee , to the intent all our goodnesse should redound unto thy glory . thou art the maker , repair the work that thou hast fashioned . thou art the redeemer ; save that thou hast bought . thou art the savi●ur , suff●r not them to perish which do hang on thee . thou art the lord and owner ; challenge thy possession . thou art the head , help thy memb●rs . thou art the king , give us a reverence of thy laws . thou art the prince of peace ; breathe upon us brotherly love . thou art the god , have p●ty on thy humble bes●ec●ers ; be thou according to pauls saying , all things in all men , to the intent , the whole quire of thy church with agre●ing minds and consonant voyces for mercy obtained at thy hands , may give thanks to the father , son & holy ghost which after the most perf●ct example of concord , b● distincted in property of persons , and one in nature , to whom be praise and glory eternally . amen . finis . errata . the reader is desired to correct these errata's with his pen , ●t the sense be not disturbed . in the preface . ●●ge . line . ●● . for job , read joab . ●● . for vice , r. voice . in the treatise ●● . . sure r. pure . 〈◊〉 . . so considerable , r. so inconsiderable . 〈◊〉 . to fit us , r. to find us . 〈◊〉 . discords r. disorders . 〈◊〉 . revilings , r. revellings 〈◊〉 . means , r. meaning . 〈◊〉 . dele not before only . 〈◊〉 . b●eaches r. branches . 〈◊〉 . howsoever , r. how soon soever . 〈◊〉 . false , r. safe . 〈◊〉 . protest , r. profess . 〈◊〉 . the favour , r. the favourer . 〈◊〉 . offered , r. afforded . 〈◊〉 . after , r. often . 〈◊〉 , . solemn , r. seldom . 〈◊〉 . trance , r. frame . 〈◊〉 . after is r. not . 〈◊〉 . r. occasional . 〈◊〉 . fifth , r. third . 〈◊〉 . our , r. other . 〈◊〉 . greatness , r. gentleness . 〈◊〉 . prayer , r. praise . 〈◊〉 . mercies , r. miseries . 〈◊〉 . such , r. sick . . . force , r. face . . after punishments , r. thy . . . after any add thing . . r. to resist , the graces of god to improve . . souls , r. houses . . . gift , r. guest . . . two rest , r. to w●est . . . act , r. art . . . dele not , r. and that it is only . . . happy , r. unhappy . . . action , r. affection● . . in , r. is . . . put a comma at for , . , supposed , r. opposed . . . justly , r. unjustly . . . surely , r. surly . . . put the comma at hereafter , . . put the comma at judging . . ▪ the open vile , r. open vice . . . after degree , read thus , a cruelty to defer enjoying of it . . . dele not . . . cure , r. care . in the devotions . . . little , r. bitter . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the worth of the s●ul . the misery of losing the soul. the danger the soul is in . the first covenant . that our care will not be in vain . the s●cond covenant . notes for div a -e of the light of n●tu●e . the light of scriptures . the three great branches of man , duty . duty to god. acknowledging h●m to be god. faith. of his affirmations . commands threatnings promises . hope . presumption . d●sp●ir . love its motives . gods excellency . his kindness to us ▪ fruit of love. desire of pleasing . desire of enjoying . fear . the fol●y of fearing m●● more then god. trust. in all spiritual dangers . in all temporal . not seek to deliver our selves by any sin. in al wants spiritual . temporal wants . the benefits of trusting on god. notes for div a -e humility . submission to gods will in respect of obedience . the great distance between god and us . the unworthiness of our best work . submission in respect of patience . thankfulness for gods corrections . fruitfulness under them . in all sorts of sufferings . submission to gods wisdom . in his commands . in his disposals . honour . several wayes of honouring god. in his house his posessions . the great sin of sacriledg . the punishment . the times for his service . lords day the feasts of the church . the feasts . gods word the holy scripture . catechizing . preaching . the sacraments . of baptisme . the vow of baptisme . the strict obligation of this vow of baptism . notes for div a -e the lords supper . things to be done before receiving . examination . of our knowledg . sins . several sorts . degrees . humiliation . contrition . confession . resolutions of obedience . of the meanes . present renouncing of sin . imbracing vertue . quickning of graces . charity . devotion . necessity of these graces . the usefulness of a spiritual guide . not to be ashamed to discover our selves to one . as necessary to the confident as to the doubtful . at the time of receiving . meditation of thy unworthiness . the sufferings of christ. the atonement wrought by them . the thankfulness owing for them . the great love of christ in them . the benefits of the new covenant sealed in the sacrament . upon receiving give thanks . pray . after the sacrament . private prayer and thanksgiving . not presently to f●l 〈◊〉 worldly affaires to keep thy re●o●utions still in memory . the danger of breaking them . making god thy enemy . thy own conscience . gods former pardons no incouragement to sin . the obligation of this vow perpetual . yet often to berenewed . notes for div a -e honour due to gods name . sins against it . blasphemy . swearing . assertory oaths . promissory ▪ unlawful oaths . god greatly dishonoured by perjury . the punishments of it . vain oaths . the sin of them . they lead to perjury . no temptation to them . necessity of abstaining from them . means for it . sence of the guilt and danger truth in speaking . forsaking the occasions . reverence of god. watchfulness . prayer . what it is to honour gods name . notes for div a -e worship . prayer its parts . confession . petitions . for our souls . bodi●● depr●cation . of sin . of punishm●●t . intercession thank●●●ving spiritual mercies . temporal . publick prayer in the church . in the family . private prayer . frequency in prayer . the advantages of prayer . honour . benefit . pleasantness . carnallity one reason of its seeming otherwise . want of one another . to ask nothing unlawful . to ask in faith. in humility . with attention . helps against wandring . 〈…〉 〈◊〉 prayer for gods aid . watchfulnesse . with zeal . with purity . to right ends . bodily worship . repentance a turning from sin to god. times for this duty . daily . at set times . in the time of affliction at death . the danger of deferring it till then . the disadvantages of a death-bed repentance . the custom of sin . bodily pains . danger of unsincerity . fasting . fasting a a revenge upon our selves such revenges acceptable with god. yet no satisfaction for sins . times of fasting . second bran●h of our d●ty to god. inward idolatry . notes for div a -e duty to our selves . humility . the great sin of pride . the danger . drawing into other sins . frustrating of remedies . betraying to punishment . the folly . in respect of the goods of nature . the goods of fortune . the goods of grace . means of humility . vain glory . the sin . the danger the folly . ●elps a●●inst vain ●●●ry . meekness . advantages of it . means of obtaining it . consideration . of our state . the rule by which to trie our state . the danger of inconsideration . our actions . before we do them . after they are done . frequency of consideration . danger of omitting it . notes for div a -e contentedness . contrary to murmuring . to ambition . to covet●usness . covetousness contrary to our duty to god. to our selves . to our neighbour● ▪ contentedness contrary to envy . helps to contentedness . diligence . watchfulness against sin . industry in improving gifts . of nature . of grace . to improve good motions . the dang●● of the contrary . chastity . uncleanness forbidden in the very lowest degrees . the mischiefs of it . to the soul. to the body . the iudgments of god against it . it shuts out from heaven . helps to chastity . temperance . in eating . ends of eating . preserving of life . of health . ru'es of temperance in eating . means of it . notes for div a -e temperanc● in drink●ing . false ends of drinking . good fellowship . preserving of kindness cheering the spirits . putting away cares . passing away time . preventing reproach . pleasure of the drink . bargaining . degrees of this sin . the great guilt of the strong drinkers . the great mischiefs of this sin . exhortation to forsake it . the difficulties of doing so considered . seeming n●●●ssity of drink . want of imployment perswasions and reproaches of men . the means of resisting them which the advantages 〈◊〉 the hurt . reject the temptation● at the ve●● beginning ▪ the se●urity of doing so . the effica●y of these means if not hindred by love of the sin . that lov● makes m●● loth to be●lieve it dangerou● ▪ notes for div a -e sleep . the rule of temperance therein . the many sins that f●●l●w t●e transgressing of it . other mischiefs of sloth . temperance in recreation cautions t●he observe● in them . undue end of sports . temperance in apparel . apparel designed fo● covering of shame . fencing from cold . distinction of persons . too much sparing a fault as well as excess . notes for div a -e duty to our neighbour . iustice. negative . to the soul. in the natural sence . in the spiritual . drawing to sin the greatest injury . direct means of indirect . men sadly to consider whom they have thus injured . heartily to bewail it . endeavour to repair it . negative justice to the body . in respect of the life . several ways of being guilty of murder . the hainousness of the sin . the great punishments attending it . the strange discoveries of it . we must wa●ch diligently a●gainst all approaches of this sin . maiming ● great injury . that which every man dreads for himself . yet worse if the man be poor . necessity of making what satisfaction we can . wounds , and stripes , injuries also . this cruelty to others the effect of pride . notes for div a -e his possession . h●s wife . the enticing a mans wife , the greatest injustice . to the woman . to the man. the most irrepairable . his goods . malicious injustice . covetous injustice . oppression . gods vengeance against it . theft . not paying what we borrow . what we are b●und for . what we have promised . notes for div a -e stealing the goods of our neighbour . deceit . in trust. in traffick the sellers concealing the faults of his ware . his over-rating it . fraud in the buyer . many temptations to deceit in traffick . the commonness of injustiee a reproach to christianity . it is not the way to enrich a man. it ruines the soul eternally . the necessity of restitution . notes for div a -e his credit . false witness . publick slanders . whispering . several steps towards this sin . despising and scoffing . for infirmities . for calamities . forsi ● . destroying the credit ; a great injury . and irrepairable . yet every guilty person must do all he can to repaire the injury . iustice in the thoughts . positive iustice. speaking truth a due to all men . lying expresly forbiden in scripture . the great commonness and folly of this sin . courteous behaviour a due to all men . not payed by the proud man. meekness a due to all men . brauling very in●ufferable . it leads to that great sin of cursing . particular dues . a respect due to men of extraordinary gifts . we are not to envy them . nor detract from them . the folly of both those sins . a respect due to men in regard of their r●nks and qualities . dues to those that are in any sort ●f want to the poor god withdraws those abilities which are not thus imployed . dues in respect of relations . gratitude to benefactors . the contrary too common . notes for div a -e duty to parents . dues to the supreme magistrate honour . tribute . prayers for them . obedience . duties to our pastors love. esteem . maintenance . obedience . prayer for them . duties to our natural parents . reverence . love. obedience . especially in their marriage . ministring to their wants . duty to be paid even to the worst parents . duty of parents to children . to nourish them . bring them to baptism . educate them . meane towards the educating of children . the parent to watch over their souls even when they are grown up . to provide for their subsistence . to give them good example . to bless them . to give no unreasonable commands . notes for div a -e dues to brethren , natural ▪ the necessity of love among brethren . spiritual brotherhood our duty to hold communion with these brethren . to bear with their infirmities . to restore them after falls . to sympathy with them . the wife owes to the husband obedience . fidelity . love. the faults of the husband acquits not from these duties . 〈…〉 faithfulness . maintenance . instruction husbands and w●ves mutu●lly to pray for and assist each other in all good . the vertue of the person the chief consideration in marriage . unlawful marriages . friendship . it s duti●● , faithfulness . assistance . admonition . prayer . constancy . servant● owe to the masters ●●bedience . fidelity . submission to rebuke . diligence . masters owe to their servants iustice. admonition . good example . means of instruction . moderation in command● encouragement in well-doing . notes for div a -e charity . in the affections . to mens souls . to their bodies , goods and credit . effects of this charity . it casts out envy . pride . censoriousness . dissembling . self-seeking . revenge . t●is charity to be extended even to enemies . motives thereunto . command of christ. example of god. the disproportion between our offences against god and mens against us . pleasantness of this duty . compared with the painfulness of the contrary . if we forgive not . god will not forgive us . gratitude to god. the first ri●ing of rancour to be supprest . charity in the actions towards the mind of our neighbour . his soul. charity in respect of the body . notes for div a -e charity in respect of the goods . towards the rich . towards the poor . motives of alms-giving . manner of alms giving . cheerfully . the fear of impoverishing our selves by it vain and impious . give seasonably . of cru●l●y . prud●ntly . liberally . charity in respect of the credit . the acts of charity in some respects acts of iustice also . the great rul● of charity . peace making . he that undertakes it must be peaceable himself . of going to law. this chari●y of the actions must reach to enemies self love 〈◊〉 hinderance to this charity . prayer a means to procure is . christian duties both possible and pleasant . even when they expose us to outward sufferings . the danger of del●ying our turning to god. a key to open heaven-gate. or, a ready path to lead to heaven written and printed for the benefit of all true christians, to read hear and make good use of, before it be too late. and therefore i advise every man, and every woman to observe and give good heed to what is spoken in this little book, and they shall be sure to finde sweetnesse, and happinesse in this world, and eternall joys in the world to come, through the might, merits, and mercies of jesus christ; who saith, aske and you shall have, seeke, and yee shall finde, knock and it shall be opened unto you. written by laurence price. price, laurence. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing p estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a key to open heaven-gate. or, a ready path to lead to heaven written and printed for the benefit of all true christians, to read hear and make good use of, before it be too late. and therefore i advise every man, and every woman to observe and give good heed to what is spoken in this little book, and they shall be sure to finde sweetnesse, and happinesse in this world, and eternall joys in the world to come, through the might, merits, and mercies of jesus christ; who saith, aske and you shall have, seeke, and yee shall finde, knock and it shall be opened unto you. written by laurence price. price, laurence. [ ], , [ ] p. printed for t. vere at the sign of the angel without newgate, london : . the final leaf contains a prayer. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a key to open heaven-gate . or , a ready path to lead to heaven . written and printed for the benefit of all true christians , to read , hear and make good use of , before it be too late . and therefore i advise every man , and every woman to observe and give good heed to what is spoken in this little book , and they shall be sure to finde sweetnesse , and happinesse in this world , and eternall joys in the world to come , through the might , merits , and mercies of jesus christ ; who saith , aske and you shall have , seeke , and yee shall finde , knock and it shall be opened unto you . written by laurence price . london , printed for t. vere at the sign of the angel without newgate , . a key to open heaven-gate . or , a ready way to lead men to heaven . here followeth good and sound directions to set men in the ready way to heaven ; which way if they mistake , they are never like to come there . dear and beloved christians , i would have you thus much to understand , that all those that have a desire to goe to heaven , must well and wisely endeavour themselves to follow this path-way . first , you must truly and unfeignedly labour to serve god , and obey his commandements which is a duty that ought to be done without any grudgings , murmurings , or delays ; for he that is alive to day , may be dead before to morrow : and then it will be too late to look after a way that they never sought for in their life time : and therefore i davise you all ( good christans ) to séek the lord while he may be found , for he his a god of truth of iustice , of peace , of mercy , of love and such a one as would have all men and woman to be saved . secondly , here is another duty to be preformed by all men that will find the ready way to heaven : as your brother is your ueighbor , even so is your neighbour is your brother , & therefore ought every man and woman to love , cherish , and comfort each other , and to live in peace and unity one with another , and not to wrangle , brabble , fight , scold , and go to law , until they have undone one another , for they that do such things are gone far out of the way to heaven . remember therefore what our saviour christ saith in the gospel . a new commandment give i unto you , see that you love one another , for if you love not your neighbour whom you see every day how can you love god whom you never saw , therefore consider and take heed in time what you do : he that hateth his neighbour , hateth his brother , and he that hateth his brother hateth god , and he that hateth god , will never find the way to heaven and therefore i desire all them that are called by the name of christians to shew themselves like christians , laying aside all hatred , spight , envy , malice , lying , slandring , backbiting , hypocrisie , and dissimulation , and withall to break such bread as you w●uld have broken ; and likewise to do unto all men as you would they should do unto you . this be sure is the readiest way for to please god , and the nearest way to heaven : yet more then this is to be done before , you come to your journeys end : you must repent you of all your former iniquities ; you must be good to them y t have done evil to you : and must forgive them their trespasses , as you look to be forgiven at the hands of god. and so farre must your mindes and your hearts be given to quietness , that you must not so much as to let the sun go down while you are in wrath , for vengeance is mine saith the lord , and i will repay it . in the next place , every christian ought at all times very early and late , to pray unto the lord , that he will add a blessing to their endeavours , and the better to be imployed , let them follow after gods preachers , and heare them preach and teach , that are both able and willing to declare the word of god unto them , and so by degrées they shall find the mercies of the lord redoubled unto them , and thereby they shall be brought to ripeness of understanding , whereby to know and distinguish betwéen good and bad , which may be great furtherance to them in the way to heaven . true knowledge is of such an excellent vertue that it is sufficient to bring us acquainted with the principall things that are to be had in this life , and after this life ended , it shall bring our soules into everlasting happiness . true knowledge wil make you understand that god the father created us , that god the son redéemed us , and that god the holy ghost sanctified vs , & preserveth all those that faithfully believe that our lord & saviour iesus christ suffered death upon the crosse , to save our souls from the tyranny of the divel , and from the torments of hell ; as you may read in the chap. of the gospel written by st ▪ matthew , where it is said , blessed be your eys for they see , and your ears for they hear , and your hearts for they understand . and to be brief , true knowledge and understanding may very well be termed a key to open the gates of heaven , then what man or woman will be so wilfully blind as to neglect the séeking for such an excellen● vertue ; yet there are some , and too many in these sinful & wicked times , that are so carelesse and regardless , that they had rather choose to follow the vain delights and pleasures of this wicked world , than to séek for the redemption of their souls , and the joyes of heaven hereafter , whom our saviour christ bought and paid for with his most precious blood . some there are likewise ; that bear a shew of godliness , & yet they cannot or will not spaire an hour in a day to hear a good sermon , or to serve god in ▪ others their are , that do utterly deny , and as it were to make a scoff of the scriptures , and the word of god ; but i wish that all such persons may spéedily amend their lives , lest at the last day the righteous iudge of all the world , iesus christ shal say unto them , depart from me ye workers of iniquity . but now beloved christians i would have you to consider and think on this that y e day of vengeance is near at hand , and every soul shall stand at the barr of araignment before the righteous iudge to tender up an account of al their déeds and actions good and evil : and then shall the good be severed from the bad , and the one sort with joy and triumph be received into everlasting happiness , & the rest be cast into utter darkness , where is nothing else to be heard or séen , but weeping , howling , and gnashing of teeth . moreover i would have you to consider that at the generall judgement there are none to be excused from comming to their answers , and every one shall be forced to appear in their persons ; the rich and the poor , the king and the beggar , the strong and the weak , the bound and the frée ; all must come whether they will or no : for god hath no respect of pe●sons : and at that great and notable day of y e lord our god , there is no delays to be made , there shall be no lawyers to plead a cause for another man or woman : for he shall be sure to have work enough to do of his own , neither shall there be any bribes accepted of , therefore look wel about you , and prevent the wrath of the iudge while you may ; and provoke not god to anger , lest your soules perish in displeasure . yet furthermore i would have you remember this , y t as the saints of heaven are crowned with glory , and the wicked sent unto the gulph of misery , there is no returning from neither of the places , but where soever they are sent by the iudge , there they are to continue world without end . oh! what a heavy sight will it be to the wicked ? when they shall sée the godly entertained into heaven among the glorious saints and angels of the lord , and they themselves to be cast into utter darkness for ever , where they shall never behold the brightness of the sun , nor the glory of christ again : alas dear friends what a sad thing it is to think upon ? but ten thousand times worse to them that shall suffer themselves to be banished from the presence of christ for ever . such cursed wretches as are here spoken of , are them who have lost their way to heaven , and can never find the key to open heaven gate withall . the last thing that i have to put you in mind of is y t every one should remember his end , and think upon the day of his death while he is alive on the earth . to this purpose the wise man solomon hath taught us our lesson , and to the life ; when he sayes , remember thy end , and thy creator in the days of thy youth , as much as if he said , remember thy end to day , to morrow , and the next day , & all the days of our lives . and also that every night before we sléepe , we make our peace with god , by way of humble petition and prayers unto his heavenly majesty , that he will be pleased that if wée never live to sée the morrow morning , to forgive all our sins & receive our soules into his heavenly kingdom : if every one will make use of what is here set down , and constantly practice it in their lives and conversations , they néed not fear death let him come early or late , sléeping or waking , or what time soever it be , neither can the gates of hell ▪ nor the power of divels prevail against them y t have found the right way to heaven . and to conclude this point ; let all y t ever mean wel to their own souls , take good notice of what is said , it may be a means through gods great mercy to bring them that are gon astray , in the right and perfect way to heaven , where at the first entrance , our saviour iesus christ will be ready to welcome us in with these swéet and comfortable gréetings and imbracements , with words as followeth : come ye blessed children of my father , receive a crown and kingdom of glory , which was prepared for you at the beginning . to which kingdome , the lord in his good time bring us all . there shall the blessed souls of y e righteous behold the celestiall saints of the lord , & be partakers with them of the everlasting felicity which is unspeakable , then shall they that mourned here , be converted there . and they that suffered reproachfull words , abusefull slanders , shamfull disgraces , and presecutions for christ and the gospels sake shall have a full reward , and swéet satisfaction in the sanctuary of the most high god , & al those which have béen wronged on earth , shall be righted in heaven , which consideration may very wel serve to comfort all such as have béen or are any ways afflicted , derided , or oppressed , and falsly accused in this present life ; since there is a crown of glory laid up for them in the life to come , then let all true and faithfull believers be valiant-hearted , and never be dismaid for all that can be done against them by the world the flesh , and the devill . and for your further instruction , i would wish you all to be well advised , and to follow the doctrine and counsell of the apostle st. paul , who biddeth , you to put on the whole armour of god , having your loynes girt about with the truth , putting on the brest-plate of righteousness , and feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace , taking up the sh●e●d of faith , and helmet of salvation , and being thus armed you need not fear all the enemies that ever can assault or come against you ; as you may read in the chapt. of ephes . , , , , verses , how to come by this armour , and how to use it , you must learn that of our captain and leader iesus christ , who suffered many persecutions when he was upon earth , as hunger , cold , banishment , scorns and taunts , whippings , & buffetings , spitting on the face , and at last nailed on the cross , and pierced to the heart with a bloody spear ; in all which afflictions he was never seen to look upon enemies with a frowning eye , nor to give them so much as an angry word , but at the very point of death he took all things patiently , and prayed for his enemies , saying , father forgive them , they know not what they do . and when he fetcht his last gasp at the yielding up of the ghost , he cryed with a loud voice , father into thy hands i commit my spirit . thus was our saviour iesus christ made a sufferer for our sakes , & all those torments did he undergo while he was on earth , to teach us the way tr heaven , and this hath he purchased with his most dear and precious blood , to save us from the torments of hell ; and after that christ had suffered the sharpness of death he ascended into heaven , where he hath made already intercession for all them that are his followers . and séeing that our saviour hath led the way , why should not we be as willing to come to him ? he hath promised he will never leave us nor forsake us , if wée do not leave nor forsake him : therefore let us looke to our selves , if wée will not find the way to heaven , the fault is our own . therefore to finish up all , i once more desire you all , that you wil never leave practising to find the way to heaven . for blessed are they that continue to the end . a prayer . o most mighty lord god full of mercy and compassion to all that call upon thy holy name , and seek after thy heavenly kingdome : wee thy poor distressed servants and children , doe upon the bended knees of our hearts , prostrate our selves before thee , with all humility both of souls & bodies ; desiring that of thy infinite goodnesse thou wilt be pleased to teach us the way to come unto thee , for we are not able to do any good thing of our selves , without thy powerfull help ; we are weak , but thou art strong ; and therefore draw us , and wee will follow thee ; direct our wayes to come unto thee , so that when the time comes that our souls shall be separated from our bodies , we may be received into the joyes of heaven , and that for the sake of jesus christ our saviour , to whom with the father , and holy ghost , be all honour and glory , power and praise , both now , and for evermore , amen . finis . spare-minutes: or resolved meditations and premeditated resolutions. written by a.w. warwick, arthur, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) spare-minutes: or resolved meditations and premeditated resolutions. written by a.w. warwick, arthur, ?- . the second edition corrected and enlarged. [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by r. b[adger and g. miller] for walter hammond, and are to be sold by michael sparke, in greene arbour, london : . a.w. = arthur warwick. printer's name from stc. with engraved title page bound before letterpress title page. in two parts; pagination separate but signatures continuous. part has separate title page, reading: spare-minutes; or, resolved meditations and premeditated resolutions. the second part. .. london, printed by g.m. for walter hammond, .. . part : badger apparently printed quires a-b. engraved title page by t. carke has imprint: "for w. hammond". reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng meditations -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the inventors premeditation upon this emblematicall frontispice of the subsequent pious meditations . my heart a matter good indite , by good examples cloud by day , by faiths shining lamp led by night , with zeals wings soare up the steep way to light inaccessible , which to fill , and not be fill'd , is rich . leaving th' earth and titles below , where black heart buried , yet not dead , some posthume rayes doth now bestow , whiles it lies sleeping in deaths bed . an adamantine heart god leaves , but takes that which contrition cleaves . let each sound heart take in good part this , thus reflected , broken heart . resolved meditations & meditated resolutions . written by a. w. enlarged . london printed for walter hammond loquela emblematici frontispicij , in obsequtum inventoris , & piam authoris memoriam suggesta . accensus radijs , zeloque agitante levatus in coelum geminis , flammâ ocyus , evolat , alis igne rapax animus ; mundique nitentia tangit lumina , nub●genis , variata , & nixa , columnis , sursum contendens , summaeque , volumina legis secum adamanda , verenda , dieque ac nocte revolvit . haec alto ènsu : mundó , titvlisque relictis . non illum , dvx solis , amatique arbiter ortûs despicit , afflictum : cum mens divulsafatiscit , cordaque dividuo perrumpit malleus ictu . si silices gest at , solidoque adamante rigescens effugit insultus , & faevi verbera motûs ; lvnae lvx , illum non respicit , alma rigorem . hîc , fractum cor , lector , habes , penetrale serenae mentis , & innocuae ; per quod , post funera paucos nunc spargit radios animi vigor ultimus , ardor verus , & instanti , duplicata potentia mòrte . colli at hos , rapiatque in concava pectora candor lucidus ingenij ; deducetque aethere flammas , concipietque novos aeterni luminis ignes . gvliel . haydock . spare-minutes ; or , resolved meditations and premeditated resolvtions . written by a. w. — ego cur acquirere pauca si possim invidear ? the second edition corrected and enlarged . london , printed by r. b. for walter hammond , and are to be sold by michael sparke , in greene arbour , . to the right worshipfull , my much honoured friend , sr , william dodington knight , all health and happinesse . right worshipfull , i will not make an over — large gate to my little city : a short epistle best suites with so small a volume , and both fitly resemble your knowledge of mee , and mine acquaintance with you , short , and small . but a mite freely given , makes a poore widow liberall : and in this present , poore , like my habilities , is a thankfulnesse , infinite , like your deservings . to speake much , might be thought flattery ; to say nothing would be knowne ingratiude : i must therefore be short , i may not bee silent . the happy fortune of my tongue hath incouraged my penne : and i humbly crave in the one , what i favourably found in the other , a courteous acceptance . which if you please to add to your former favours , & my happinesse , i shall have just cause to rest your wòrships truly devoted arthvr warvvick . resolved meditations and premeditated resolutions . it is the over curious ambition of many , to be best or to be none : if they may not doe so well as they would , they will not doe so well as they may . i will doe my best to doe the best , and what i want in power , supply in will. thus whils i pay in part , i shall not bee a debtor for all . hee owes most that payes nothing . pride is the greatest enemy to reason , and discretion the greatest opposite to pride . for whiles wisdome makes art the ape of nature , pride makes nature the ape of art . the wiseman shapes his apparell to his body , the proud man shapes his body by this apparell . 't is no marvell than , if hee know not himselfe , when hee is not to day , like him he was yesterday : and lesse marvell , if good men will not know him , when hee forgets himselfe , and all goodnesse . i should feare , whilest i thus change my shape , least my maker should change his opinion : and finding mee not like him hee made mee , reject mee , as none of his making . i would any day put off the old cause of my apparell , but not every day put on new fashioned apparell . i see great reason , to bee ashamed of my pride , but no reason , to bee proud of my shame . the reason that many men want their desires , is , because their desires want reason . hee may doe what hee will , that will doe but what he may . i should marvell that the covetous man can still bee poore , when the rich man is still covetous , but that i see , a poore man can bee content , when the contented man is onely rich : the one wanting in his store , whiles the other is stored in his wants . i see then , wee are not rich or poore , by what wee possesse , but by what we desire . for hee is not rich that hath much , but hee that hath enough : nor hee poore that hath but little , but hee that wants more . if god then make mee rich by store , i will not impoverish my selfe by covetousnesse : but if hee make mee poore by want , i will inrich my selfe by content . hypocrisie desires to seeme good rather than to be so : honestie desires to bee good rather than seeme so . the worldlings purchase reputation by the sale of desert , wisemen buy desert , with the hazard of reputation . i would do much to heare well , more to deserve well , and rather loose opinion then merit . it shall more joy mee , that i know my selfe what i am , than it shall grieve me to heare what others report mee . i had rather deserve well without praise , than doe ill with commendation . a coward in the field is like the wisemans foole : his heart is at his mouth , and hee doth not know what hee does professe : but a coward in his faith , is like a foole in his wisedome ; his mouth is in his heart , and hee dares not professe what hee does know . i had rather not know the good i should doe , than not do the good i know . it is better to be beaten with few stripes , than with many . each true christian is a right traveller : his life his walke , christ his way , and heaven his home . his walke painefull , his way perfect , his home pleasing . i will not loyter , least i come short of home : i will not wander , least i come wide of home , but bee content to travell hard , and be sure walke right , so shall my safe way find its end at home , and my painefull walke make my home welcome . as is a wound to the body ; so is a sinfull body to the soule : the body indangered till the wound bee cured , the soule not sound till the bodies sinne bee healed , and the wound of neither can be cured without dressing , nor dressed without smarting . now as the smart of the wound , is recompensed by the cure of the body : so is the punishment of the body sweetned by the health of the soule . let my wound smart by dressing , rather than my bodie die ; let my body smart by correction , rather than my soule perish . it is some hope of goodnesse not to grow worse : it is a part of badnesse not to grow better . i will take heed of quenching the sparke , and strive to kindle a fire . if i have the goodnesse . i should , it is not too much , why should i make it lesse ? if i keepe the goodnesse i have 't is not enough : why doe i not make it more ? hee ne're was so good as hee should bee , that doth not strive to be better than he is : he never will be better than he is , that doth not feare to bee worse than hee was . health may be injoyed ; sicknesse must be indured : one body is the object of both , one god the author of both . if then hee give mee health , i will thankfully enjoy it , and not thinke it too good , since it is his mercy that bestowes it : if hee fend sickenesse , i will patiently indure it , and not thinke it too great , since it is my sinne that deserves it . if in health ; i will strive to preserve it by praising of him : if in sickenesse ; i will strive to remove it , by praying to him . hee shall bee my god in sicknesse and in health , and my trust shall bee in him in health and in sicknesse . so in my health . i shall not need to feare sicknesse , nor in any sicknesse despaire of health . it is the usuall plea of poverty to blame mis-fortune , when the ill-finished cause of complaint is a worke of their owne forging . i will either make my fortunes good , or bee content they are no worse . if they are not so good , as i would they should have beene , they are not so bad , as i know they might have beene . what though i am not so happy as i desire ? 't is well i am not so wretched as i deserve . there is nothing to be gotten by the worlds love , nothing to bee loft ( but its love ) by its hate , why then should i seeke that love that cannot profit mee , or feare that malice that cannot hurt mee ? if i should love it , for loving mee , god would hate mee , for loving it , if i loath it for hating mee , it cannot hurt mee for loathing it . let it then hate mee , and i will forgive it , but if it love me , i will never requite it . for since its love is hurtfull , and its hate harmelesse , i will contemne its hate , and hate its love . as there is a folly in wit , so there is a wisdome in ignorance . i would not bee ignorant in a necessary knowledge , nor wise above wis●dome . if i know enough i am wise enough , if i seeke more i am foolish . it s no marvell that man hath lost his rule over the creature , when hee would not bee ruled by the will of the creator . why should they feare man , when man would not obey god ? i could wish no creature had power to hurt mee , i am glad so many creatures are ordained to helpe me . if god allow enough to serve me , i will not expect that all should feare me . no affliction ( for the time ) seemes joyous , all time in affliction seemes tedious . i will compare my miseries on earth with my joyes in heaven , and the length of my miseries , with its eternity , so shall my journey seeme short ; and my burthen easie . there is nothing more certaine than death , nothing more uncertaine than the time of dying . i will therefore bee prepared for that at all times , which may come at any time , must come at one time or another . i shall not hasten my death by being still ready , but sweeten it . it makes me not die the sooner , but bee the better . the commendation of a bad thing , is his shortnesse , of a good thing its continuance : it were happie for the damned , if their torments knew end , 't is happier for the saints that their joyes are eternall . if man , that is borne of a woman , bee full of misery , 't is well that hee hath but a short time to live ; if his life be a walke of paine , it s a blessing , that his daies are but a spanne-long . happie miseries that end in joy : happie joyes that know no end : happie end that dissolves to eternity . had i not more confidence in the truth of my saviour , than in the traditions of men , povertie might stagger my faith , and bring my thoughts into a perplexed purgatorie . wherein are the poore blessed , if pardon shall bee purchased onely by expense ? or how is it hard for a rich man to enter into heaven , if money may buy out the past , present and future sinnes of himselfe , his deceased and succeeding progeny ? if heaven bee thus fold , what benefit has my poverty , by the price already paid ? i finde no happinesse in roome on earth , 't is happinesse for mee to have roome in heaven . there is no estate of life so happie in this world , as to yeeld a christian the perfection of content : and yet there is no estate of life so wretched in this world , but a christian must bee content with it . though i can have nothing heere that may give mee true content , yet i will learne to bee truely contented heere with what i have what care i though i have not much ( if i have enough ) i have as much as i desire . if i have as much as i want , i have as much as the most , if i have as much as i desire . it is the greatest of all sinnes alway to continue in sinne . for where the custome of sinning waxeth greater , the conscience for sinne growes the lesse : it is easier to quench a sparke , then a fire ; i had rather breake the cockatrices egg , then kill the serpent . o daughter of babylon , happie shall hee bee that taketh thy children whilest they are young and dasheth them against the stones . nature bids mee love my selfe and hate all that hurt mee , reason bids me love my friends and hate those that envie mee , religion bids mee love all and hate none . nature sheweth care , reason wit , religion love . nature may induce me , reason perswade mee , but religion shall rule mee . i will hearken to nature in much , to reason in more , to religion in all . nature shall make mee carefull of my selfe , but hatefull to none ; reason shall make mee wise for my selfe but harmelesse to all ; religion shall make mee loving to all , but not carelesse of my selfe . i may heare the former , i will hearken onely to the later . i subscribe to some things in all , to all things in religion . abundance is a trouble , want a misery , honour a burthen , basenesse a scorne , advancements dangerous , disgrace odious . onely a competent estate yeelds the quiet of content . i will not climbe , least i fall , nor lye in the ground , least i am trod on . i am safest whiles my legges beare me . a competent heate is most helthfull for my body , i would desire neither to freeze nor to burne . a large promise without performance is like a false fire to a great peece , which dischargeth a good expectation with a bad report . i will fore-thinke what i will promise , that i may promise but what i will doe . thus whilest my words are led by my thoughts , and followed by my actions , i shall bee carefull in my promises , and just in their performance . i had rather doe and not promise , than promise and not doe . the good-meaner hath two tongues , the hypocrite a double tongue . the good mans heart speakes without his tongue , the hypocrites tongue without his heart . the good man hath oftentimes god in his heart , when in his mouth there is no god mentioned : the hypocrite hath god often in his mouth , when the foole hath said in his heart there is no god. i may soonest heare the tongue , but safest the heart , the tongue speaketh lowdest , but the heart truest . the speech of the tongue is best known to men : god best understands the language of the heart : the heart without the tongue may pierce the eares of heaven , the tongue without the heart speakes an unknowne language . no marvell then if the desires of the poore are heard , when the prayers of the wicked are unregarded . i had rather speake three words in a speech that god knowes , then pray three houres in a language hee understands not . meditation is the wombe of our actions , action the midwife of our meditations . a good and perfect conception , if it want strength for the birth , perisheth in the wombe of the minde , and , if it may be said to bee borne , it must be said to be still-borne : a bad and imperfect conception , if it hath the happinesse of a birth , yet the minde is but delivered of a burthen of imperfections , in the perfection of deformity , which may beg with the criple at the gate of the temple , or perisheth through its imperfections . if i meditate what 's good to be done , and doe not the good i have meditated , i loose my labour , and make curst my knowledge . if i doe the thing that is good , and intend not that good that i doe , it is a good action , but not well done . others may injoy some benefit , i deserve no commendations . resolution without action is a sloathfull folly , action without resolution is a foolish rashnesse . first know what 's good to be done , then do that good being knowne . if forecast be not better than labour , labour is not good without forecast . i would not have my actions done without knowledge , nor against it . it is the folly of affection not to comprehend my erring friend , for feare of his anger : it is the abstract of folly , to be angry with my friend , for my errors reprehension . i were not a friend , if i should see my friend out of the way , and not advise him : i were unworthy to have a friend , if hee should advise mee ( being out of the way ) and i bee angry with him . rather let mee have my friends anger than deserve it ; rather let the righteous smite mee friendly by reproofe , than the pretious oyle of flatterie , or connivence , breake my head . it is a folly to flie ill-will , by giving a just cause of hatred . i thinke him a truer friend that deserves my love , than he that desires it . when children meet with primroses , nuts , or apples in their way , i see those pleasures are oftimes occasions to make them loyter in their errands , so that they are sure to have their parents displeasure , and oftimes their late retunre findes a barr'd entrance to their home , whereas those who meete with dangers in the way , make haste in their journey , and their speede makes them welcomed , with commendation . nature hath sent mee abroad into the world , and i am every day travelling homeward : if i meete with store of miseries in my way , discretion shall teach mee a religious haste in my journey : and if i meete with pleasures , they shall pleasure mee onely by putting mee in minde of my pleasures at home , which shall teach me to scorne these , as worse than trifles . i will never more reckon a troublesome life , a curse , but a blessing . a pleasant journey is deere bought with the losse of home . vvhen i see the fisher bait his hook , i think on sathans subtile malice , who sugars over his poysoned hookes with seeming . pleasures . thus eves apple was canded with divine knowledge , yee shall bee as gods knowing good and evill . when i see the fish fast hang'd , i thinke upon the covetous worldling , who leapes at the profit without considering the danger . thus achan takes the gold and the garment and ne're considers that his life must answer it . if sathan be such a fisher of men , its good to looke before wee leape . honey may bee eaten , so that wee take heede of the sting : i will honestly injoy my delights , but not buy them with danger . i see , when i have but a short journey to travell , i am quickly at home , soone out of the paine of my travell , soone into the possession of my rest . if my life be but my walke , and heaven my home , why should i desire a long journey ? indeed knowing my home so pleasant , i would not bee weary with a long walke , but yet the shorter my journey , the sooner my rest . i cannot see two sawyers worke at the pit , but they put mee in minde of the pharisee and the publican : the one casts his eye upward , whiles his actions tend to the pit infernall : the other standing with a dejected countenance , whiles his hands and heart move upward . 't is not a shame to make shew of our profession , so we truely professe what wee make shew of : but of the two , i had rather bee good , and not seeme so , than seeme good , and not bee so . the publican went home to his house rather justified then the pharisee . when i thinke on the eagles carying up of the shell-fish into the ayre , onely to the end hee may breake him by his fall , it puts mee in minde of the divellish costly courtesies , who out of the bountie of his subtilty , is still ready to advance us to destruction . thus more then once hee dealt with my redeemer , no sooner had hee rais'd him to the top of an high pinacle , but straight followes , cast thy selfe downe ; and having placed him on an high mountaine , let him fall downe and hee shall bee largely rewarded with his owne . if advancement be so dangerous , i will take heed of being ambitious . any estate shall give mee content : i am high enough if i can stand upright . when i see leaves drop from their trees , in the beginning of autumne , just such thinke i , is the friendship of the world . whiles the sap of maintenance lasts , my friends swarme in abundance , but in the winter of my need , they leave me naked . hee is an happie man that hath a true friend at his need : but hee is more truely happie that hath no need of his friend . i should wonder , that the unsatiable desires of ambition can finde no degree of content , but that i see they seeke a perfection of honour on earth , when the fulnesse of glory is onely in heaven . the honour on earth is full of degrees , but no degree admits a perfection : whereas the glory of heaven admits of degrees , but each degree affoords a fullnesse . heere , one may bee lower then another in honour , and yet the highest want a glory : there , though one starre differs from another in glory , yet in the fullnesse of glory they all shine as starres . heere , the greatest may want , there the least hath enough : heere , all the earth may not bee enough for one ; there , one heaven is enough for all . lord let me rather be least there , without honour heere , then the greatest heere , without glory there . i had rather bee a dore-keeper in that house , then a ruler in these tents . when i see the heavenly sun buried under earth in the evening of the day , and in the morning to finde a resurrection to his glory , why ( thinke i ) may not the sonnes of heaven , buried in the earth , in the evening of their daies , expect the morning of their glorious resurrection ? each night is but the pastdayes funerall , and the morning his resurrection : why then should our funerall sleepe bee other then our sleepe at night ? why should we not as well awake to our resurrection , as in the morning ? i see night is rather an intermission of day , then a deprivation , and death rather borrowes our life of us then robbs us of it . since then the glory of the sunne findes a resurrection , why should not the sonnes of glory ? since a dead man may live againe , i will not so much looke for an end of my life , as waite for the comming of my change . i see , that candle yeelds mee small benefit at day , which at night much steeds mee : and i know , the cause is not because the candles light was lesse at day , but because the daies light is lesse in the evening . as my friends love to mee , so mine to my friend may bee at all times alike ; but wee best see it , when wee most need it : and that , not because our love is then greater , but our want . though then i welcome a courtesie according to my want , yet i will value a courtesie according to its worth . that my fortunes need not my friends courtesie , is my happinesse : should my happinesse sleight my friends courtesie , 't were my folly . i see that candle makes small shew in the day which at night yeelds a glorious lustre , not because the candle has then more light , but because the ayre hath then more darkenesse . how prejudiciall then is that ambition , which makes mee seeme lesse then i am , by presuming to make mee greater then i should bee . they whose glory shines as the sparkes amongst stubble , loose their light , if compared to the sonne of glory . i will not seat my selfe higher then my place , least i should bee disgraced to an humility , but if i place my selfe lower then my seat , i may be advanced to the honour of , friend sit up higher . i had rather bee exalted by my humility , then be brought low by my exaltation . i see that candle which is as a sunne in the darkenesse , is but as a darkenesse in the sunne ; the candle not more lightning the nights darkenesse , then the sunne darkning the candles light . i will take heed then of contention , especially with great ones . as i may bee too strong for the weaker ; so i must bee too weake for the stronger . i cannot so easily vanquish mine inferiors , but my superiors may as easily conquer mee : i will doe much to bee at peace with all men , but suffer much ere i contend with a mighty man. i see when i follow my shadow it flies me , when i flie my shadow it followes mee : i know pleasures are but shadowes , which hold no longer then the sunshine of my fortunes . least then my pleasures should forsake mee , i will forsake them . pleasure most flies me when i most follow it . it is not good to speake evill of all whom wee know bad : it is worse to judge evill of any , who may prove good . to speake ill upon knowledge , shewes a want of charity : to speake ill upon suspition shewes a want of honesty . i will not speake so bad as i know of many : i will not speake worse then i know of any . to know evill by others , and not speake it , is sometimes discretion : to speake evill by others , and not know it , is alway dishonesty . hee may bee evill himselfe who speakes good of others upon knowledge , but hee can never bee good himselfe , who speakes evill of others upon suspition . a bad great one is a great bad one . for the greatnesse of an evill man , makes the mans evill the greater . it is the unhappie priviledge of authority , not so much to act , as teach wickednesse , and by a liberall crueltie , to make the offenders sinne not more his owne then others . each fault in a leader is not so much a crime , as a rule for error : and their vices are made , ( if not warrants , yet ) presidents for evill . to sinne by prescription , is as usuall as damnable : and men run poast in their journey , when they goe to the divell with authority . when then the vices of the rulers of others , are made the rules for vices to others , the offences of all great ones must needs bee the greatest of all offences . either then let mee bee great in goodnesse , or else it were good for mee to bee without greatnesse . my owne sinnes are a burthen too heavie for mee , why then should i lade my selfe with others offences . to speake all that is true , is the property of fooles : to speake more then is true , is the folly of — too many . hee that spends all that is his owne , is an unthrifty prodigall : hee that spends more then is his owne , is a dishonest unthrift . i may sometimes know what i will not utter , i must never utter what i doe not know . i should bee loath to have my tongue so large as my heart , i would scorne to have my heart lesse then my tongue . for if to speake all that i know , shewes too much folly , to speake more then i know shewes too little honesty . it is the ambitious folly of too many , to imitate rather greatnesse then goodnesse . they will sooner follow the example of their lord , then the precepts of their god. i will alway honour greatnesse , i will onely imitate goodnesse : and rather doe good without a patterne , then commit evill in imitation . 't is better to bee saved without a president , then to bee damn'd by example . there is no security in evill society , where the good are often made worse , the bad seldome better . for it is the peevish industry of wickednesse , to finde , or make a fellow . 't is like , they will bee birds of a feather , that use to flocke together . for such commonly doth their conversation make us , as they are with whom wee use to converse . i cannot bee certaine , not to meet with evill company , but i will bee carefull , not to keepe with evill company . i would willingly sort my selfe with such , as should either teach , or learne goodnesse : and if my companion cannot make mee better , nor i him good , i will rather leave him ill , then hee shall make me worse . to teach goodnesse is the greatest praise , to learne goodnesse , the greatest profit . though he bee wisest that can teach , yet he that doth learne is wiser . i will not therefore be unwilling to teach , nor ashamed to learne . i cannot bee so ignorant , but i may learne somewhat , nor so wise but i may teach more , i will therefore teach what i know , and learne what i know not . though it be a greater praise to teach , then to learne , yet it is a lesser shame to learne then to be ignorant . as there is a misery in want , so there is a danger in excesse . i would therefore desire neither more , nor lesse , then enough . i may as well die of a surfet , as of hunger . it is the apish nature of many , to follow rather example then precepts : but it would bee the safest course of all , to learne rather by precept then example . for ther 's many a good divine that cannot learne his owne teaching . it is easier to say this doe , then to doe it . when therefore . i see good doctrine with an evill life , i may pittie the one , but i will practise onely the other . the good sayings belong to all , the evill actions onely to their authors . there are two things necessary for a traveller , to bring him to the end of his journey : a knowledge of his way , a perseverance in his walke . if hee walke in a wrong way , the faster he goes the further he is from home : if he sit still in a right way , he may know his home , but ne're come to it : discreet stayes make speedie journeyes . i will first then know my way , ere i begin my walke : the knowledge of my way is a good part of my journey . hee that faints in the execution looseth the glory of the action . i will therefore not onely know my way , but also goe on in my way : i had rather my journey should want a beginning , then come to an untimely end . if heaven bee my home , and christ my way , i will learne to know my way , ere i haste to travell to my home . hee that runs hastily in a way hee knowes not , may come speedily to an home he loves not . if christ be my way , and heaven my home , i will rather indure my painefull walke , then want my perfect rest . i more esteeme my home then my journey ; my actions shall bee led by knowledge , my knowledge be followed by my actiions . ignorance is a bad mother to devotion , and idlenesse a bad steward to to knowledge . i cannot but wonder at the folly of those hearts , who are like to kill themselves with the feare of dying , making the newes of an insuing mischiefe , a worse mischiefe then that they have newes of : whereas the fore-knowledge of an approaching evill , is a benefit of no small good . for if it cannot teach us to prevent it by providence , it may shew us , how to sustaine it by patience . i may grieve with the smart of an evill , as soone as i feele it : but i will not smart with the griefe of an evill as soone as i heare of it . my evill when it commeth may make my griefe too great , why then should my griefe before it comes make my evill greater ? as i see in the body , so i know in the soule , they are oft most desperately sicke , who are least sensible of their disease : whereas hee that feares each light wound ▪ for mortall , seekes a timely cure , and is healed . i will not reckon it my happinesse , that i have many sores , but since i have them , i am glad they greeve mee . i know the cure is not the more dangerous , because my wounds are more grievous ; i should be more sicke if i plained lesse . it is one , not of the least evills ; not to avoid the appearance of evill , which oft makes the innocent justly punished with undeserved suspition . i would desire to bee thought good , but yet i had rather be so . it is no small happinesse to be free from suspicion , but a greater to bee void of offence . i would willingly be neither evill nor suspected : but of the two i had rather be suspected and not deserve it , then deserve evill and not be suspected . i know but one way to heaven , i have but one mediator in heaven , even one christ : and yet i heare of more waies , more mediators . are there then more christs ? are the lords waies as your waies that wee must goe to the king of heaven as unto a king on earth ? or if wee must , yet if my king bid me come shall i send an other ? if he bid me come unto him , shall i goe unto another ? if he bid me aske for peace onely in the name of the prince of peace , why should i mention the lady mary ? if i shall be heard onely in the name of his sonne , why should i use the name of his servants ? were it a want of manners , or a want of obedience to come when i am bid ? is another better , or am i too good to goe in mine owne errands to the almighty ? because the sonne was worse used then the servants on earth , shall the servants therefore bee sooner heard then the sonne in heaven ? there are still unjust husbandmen in the lords vineyard , who not onely abuse the servants , but kill againe the sonne , and rob him of his due inheritance . when the lord therefore of the vineyard commeth , what will he doe to these husbandmen ? i doe not envie your glory yee saints of god , yet i will not attribute the glory of my god to his saints . how shall my god glorifie mee , if i should give his glory to another ? to be without passion is worse then a beast , to be without reason , is to bee lesse then a man. since i can be without neither , i am blessed , in that i have both . for , if it bee not against reason to be passionate , i will not be passionate against reason . i will both greeve and joy , if i have reason for it , but not joy nor grieve above reason . i will so joy at my good as not to take evill by my joy : so grieve at any evill as not to increase my evill by my griefe . for it is not a folly to have passion , but to want reason . i would bee neither senselesse , nor beastly . it is the folly of wit in some , to take paines to trimme their labours in obscurity . it is the ignorance of learning in others , to labour to devest their paine by bluntnesse ; the one thinking hee never speakes wisely , till he goes beyond his owne , and all mens understandings : the other thinking hee never speakes plainely , till hee dive beneath the shallowest apprehension . i as little affect curiosity in the one , as i care for the affectation of baldnesse in the other . i would not have the pearle of heavens kingdome so curiously set in gold , as that the art of the workeman should hide the beauty of the jewell : nor yet so sleightly valued , as to be set in lead : or so beastly used as to be slubbered with durt . i know the pearle ( how ever placed ) still retaines its vertue , yet i had rather have it set in gold , then seeke it in a dunghill . neat apparell is an ornament to the body , but a disgrace , if either proud or slovenly . i see corruption so largely rewarded , that i doubt not , but i should thrive in the world , could i but get a dispensation of my conscience for the liberty of trading . a little flattery would get mee a great deale of favour , and i could buy a world of this worlds love , with the sale of this little trifle honestie . were this world my home , i might perhaps be trading : but alas , these merchandize yeeld lesse then nothing in heaven . i would willingly be at quiet with the world , but rather at peace with my conscience . the love of men is good , whiles it lasteth , the love of god is better being everlasting . let me then trade for those heavenly marchandize : if i finde these other in my way , they are a great deale more then i looke for , and ( within little ) more then i care for . as faith is the evidence of things not seene : so things that are seene are the perfecting of faith . i beleeve a tree will be greene , when i see him leavelesse in winter : i know he is greene when i see him flourishing in summer . it was a fault in thomas not to beleeve till he did see . it were a madnesse in him not to beleeve when he did see . beleefe may somtime exceed reason , not oppose it , and faith be often above sense not against it . thus whiles faith doth assure mee that i eate christ effectually , sense must assure me that i taste bread really . for though i oftentimes see not those things that i beleeve , yet i must still beleeve those things that i see . there is none so innocent as not to be evill spoken of , none so wicked as to want all commendation . there are too many who condemne the just , and not a few who justifie the wicked . i oft heare both envie and flattery speaking falsehoods of my selfe , to my selfe , and may not the like tongues performe the liketaskes , of others to others ? i will know others by what they doe themselves , but not learn my selfe by what i heare of others . i will be carefull of mine own actions , not credulous of others relations . the crosse is but a signe of christ crucified , christ crucified the substance of this crosse. the signe without the substance is as nothing , the substance without the signe is all things . i hate not the signe , though i adore but the substance . i will not blaspheme the crosse of christ , i will not worship but christ crucified . i will take up my crosse , i will love my crosse , i will beare my crosse , i will imbrace my crosse , yet not adore my crosse. all knees shall bend in reverence to his name , mine never bow in idolatry to his image . it is the nature of man to be proud , when man by nature hath nothing to be proud of . hee more adorneth the creature , then he adoreth the creator ▪ and makes , not onely his belly his god , but his body . i am ashamed of their glory , whose glory is their shame . if nature will needs have me to bee proud of something , i will bee proud onely of this , that i am proud of nothing . as the giver of all things , so each receiver loveth a cheerefull giver . for a bargaine is valued by the worth of the thing bought , but a gift by the minde of the party giving : which made the widowes mite of more worth , then the riches of superfluitie . i see then , he gives not best that gives most , but he gives most , that gives best . if then i cannot give bountifully , yet i will give freely , and what i want in my hand , supply by my heart . hee gives well that gives willingly . i see at a feast , that others seed heartily on that dish which perhaps would not suite with my appetite , whilest i make as good a meale on those cates , that perhaps their palats could not relish . i will not therefore thinke i doe well because my actions please not others , nor bee confident that my actions are good , because my doings please my selfe : but bee more carefull to provide what is good at a feast , then what 's delightfull : and more study to expresse what is honest in my actions , then what 's pleasing . so , if sicke stomackes cannot relish my sound meates , the fault shall light on their ill appetites : and if unseasoned judgements like not my honest intentions , the fault shall fall on their ill relished apprehensions . it would please mee well to have praise when i deserve it ; but joy mee more to deserve praise when i have it . finis . spare-minutes ; or , resolved meditations and premeditated resolvtions . the second part . written by arthvr warvvick . london , printed by g. m. for walter hammond , and are to be sold by michael sparke , in greene arbour . . to the vertvovs and religious gentlewoman my much esteemed friend mistrisse anne ashton , be health and happinesse heere and hereafter . worthy mistrisse , the acknowledgement of your favours shal bee my meanest thankes and to thanke you for those favours , must bee my best acknowledgement . i can doe no more , i will doe no lesse , nor have i any better meanes to shew my owne living gratefullnesse , then by coupling it with my dead sons thankfullnesse , and by receiving his , to enliven my owne , and to testifie both to posterity , by this small memoriall . neither is it unsutable that his study should yeeld some matter of thankfullnesse after his death , who in his life time studied to be thankfull to you his most deserving friend . which gave me ( his sad father ) a fit hint to dedicate these his last meditations to your selfe , to whose name and worth , he meditated and intended , to rayse a fairer monument , had hee lived . this prevented , what remaineth , but that this remnant cloathe his thankfullnesse as farre as it can , and supply the necessitated defect of his uneffected purpose . these collected out of loose papers , seeme to bee wrought in some sudaine temperate heate of his honest fantasie , and hammered on the anvill of objected occaseons , and being forged roughly into these shapes , were cast a cooling into the next paper that came to hand : and so wanting filing , and polishing , must crave pardon for their ruder forme . they assume their greatest worth and value from your courteous acceptance , and accompt it their chiefest happinesse , if , for them , you love his memory while you live , who endeavoured to make your memory out-live your selfe . this if you deigne to doe you shall much comfort the sadnesse of your assured and devoted friend arthur warwick . resolved meditations and premeditated resolutions . the second part . when one ascends from the ground to an higher roome , i observe with what contempt he insults and tramples on the staires by which he riseth , and how he first and most darteth that step by which he first stepped from the durt . which putteth me in minde of the practice of the aspiring ambitious , who , to get up to their wished height of honour , bedurt with scorne , and neglect those by whose shoulders they were first mounted , and exal●ed i hate that ambition which inforceth ingratitude ; which , being the basest of vices , cannot but foyle , and disgrace a man graced with such honours . i am not preferr'd with honour , if debased with ingratitude . he that will not be perswaded to leape downe from an high chamber at once , commeth willingly downe by the stayres : and yet the declining degrees of his winding descent make it not lesse downward to him , but lesse perceived of him . his leape might have brought him downe sooner , it could not have brought him down lower . as i am then fearefull to act great sinnes , so i will bee carefull to avoid small sinnes . he that contemn's a small fault commits a great one . i see many drops make a shower : and what difference is it , whether i be wet either in the raine , or in the river , if both be to the skinne ? there is small benefit in the choyce , whither we goe downe to hell by degrees or at once . the gentle and harmelesse sheepe being conscious of their owne innocency , how patiently , how quietly , doe they receive the knife , either on the altar , or in the shambles ? how silently and undaunted doe they meet death and give it entrance with small resistance ? when the filthie loathsome and harmefull swine roare horribly at the first handling , and with an hideous crying reluctancy , are haled , and held to the slaughter . this seemes some cause to me , why wicked men ( conscious of their filthy lives , and nature ) so tremble at the remembrances , startle at the name , and with horrour roare at the approach of death : when the godly quietly uncloathe themselves of their lives , and make small difference twixt a naturall nights short sleepe , and the long sleepe of nature . i will pray not to come to an untimely violent death , i will not violently resist death at the time when it commeth . i will expect and waite my change with patience , imbrace it with cheerefullnesse , and never feare it as a totall privation . it is no small fault to be bad , and seeme so : it is a greater fault to seeme good , and not be so : the cloake of dissimulation is a maine part of the garment spotted with the flesh . a vice thus covered is worse then a naked offense . there is no divell to the hypocrite . when i see the larkers day-net spread out in a faire morning , and himselfe whirling his artificiall motion , and observe how by the reflecting lustre of the sunne on the wheeling instrument , not onely the merry larke , and fearefull pigeon are dazeled , and drawne with admiration ; but stowter birds of pray , the swift merlin , and towring hobbie are inticed to stoope , and gazing on the outward forme loose themselves . me thinks i see the divels night-nets of inticing harlots fully paraleld , spread out for us in the vigour of our youth ; which with rowling eyes draw on the lustfullnesse of affection , and betray the wantonnesse of the heart , and wit● their alluring glances often make to stoope within danger of their fatall nets , not onely the simple and carelesse , but others also , men otherwise wary and wife : who comming within the pull of the net lie at the mercy of that mercilesse fowler , to their certaine destruction . hence i resolve when i see such glasses , to shunne such motions , as assured that those glasses have nets adjoyning ; those nets a fowler attending ; that fowler a death prepared for me , then which i cannot die a worse . i may by chance , i must by necessity , at sometime come within their view : i will at no time come within their danger . i cannot well live in this world , and not see them at all , i cannot live well in this world , nor at all in the better world , if i bee caught in their fatall nets . there bee that make it their glory to feed high , and fare deliciously every day , and to maintaine their bodies elementary , search the elements , the earth , sea , and aire , to maintaine the fire of their appetites . they that thus make their bellies their gods doe make their glory their shame . i distaste a sordid diet as unwholsome , i care not to taste and feed on variety of delicates as unhealthfull . nature contented with a few things is cloyed , and quelled with over many : and digestion her cooke imployed in the concoction of so much variety at once , leaves the stomacke too fowle a kitchin for health to abide in . since then so to feed may the sooner end my life , and the end of my life is not so to feed , i will bee taught by grace not to live to eat , but eat to live ; and maintaine health by a competent diet , not surfet with excesse . he that too much admires the glory of a princes court , and drawne up thither ( by his ambition ) thinks high places to bee the highest happinesse ; let him view the foggie mists , the moist vapours , and light exhalations drawne up from the earth by the attractive power of the glorious sunne-beames : which when they are at highest , either spend themselves there in portending meteors , to others terrour and their owne consumption ; and either by resolution are turned into raine , or cong●lation unto hayle or snow , which sinke lower into the earth at their fall , then they were at their assending . for my part , i may admire such a glowing coale . i will not with the satyr kisse it . as i thinke it not the least and last praise to please princes ; so , i know , it is not the least danger of times to to live with them , procul a iove procul a fulmine . hee presumes too much of his owne brightnesse that thinkes to shine cleere neere the sunne ; where if his light bee his owne it must bee obscured by comparison : if borrowed from the sunne , then is it not his , but an others glory . a candle in the nights obscurity shewes brighter then a torch at noone-day . and caesar thought it a greater glory to be the first man in some obscure towne , then the second man in rome the head city of the world . it is a common custome ( but a lewd one ) of them that are common lewd ones , by custome , to wound the fame , and taint the reputation of their neighbours with slanders ; and having no lesse impotency in their tongues then impurity in their hearts , forme both opinions and censures according to the mould of evill in themselves . and this they doe , either with the lapwing to divert , by their false cries , the travelling stranger from finding the nest of their filthinesse , or with the curtold fox in the fable , to endevour to have all foxes cut-tayld : or , with the fish sepia , to darken with the pitchie inke of aspersions , all the water of the neighbourhood , that so themselves may scape the net of censure , justly cast to catch them . or els , to have themselves thought as good as any other , they will not have any thought good , that dwells neere them . i will therefore suspect him as scarce honest , who would ( with a slander ) make mee suspect an other as dishonest . i will not presently disrespect him as dishonest , whom a lewd person dishonesteth with suspition . the divell is not more blacke-mouth ' then a slanderer ; nor a slanderer lesse malicious then the divell . when i see the sunnerising from the east in glory , like a gyant ready for the course , within an houres space obscured with mists , darkned with clowds , and sometimes eclipsed with the moones inferiour body : and however , without these , after noone declining , descending , setting , and buried under our horizon ; i seeme to see an earthly king mounting his throne in glory , yet soone clouded with cares , and feare of dangers : sometime darkned in honour by the malicious envy of his subjects ; sometimes eclipsed in his dominions by the interposition of forreigne powers ; and however , without these , in a short time , descending and setting at the evening of his life , and seldome passing the whole day thereof in perfect continuall glory . then thinke i. o the odds of comfort in that heavenly and these earhly kingdomes ; o the comfort of this odds ; there each saint is a glorious king ; each king hath his incorruptible crowne ; each crowne a boundlesse , fearelesse , endlesse kingdome . let mee strive for the glory of such a kingdome onely , which is a kingdome of such glory . felices anima quibus hae cognoscere sola , inque domos superûm scandere , curafuit . the lawes in themselves are the scoales of justice , the wronged poore-mans shelter , the pillars of the common-wealth : but the abused practice makes those scoales unequall , that poore-mans shelter a mans poore shelter for his wrongs . the proofe of this , appeares with the iuries at the assises in their proofes : when one may often discerne perjury usher in the evidence to the jury , and injury follow with the verdict . i admire with reverence the justice and wisedome of the lawes : i deplore with compassion the abused practice of the lawes , and resolve , rather to beare with patience an hayleshower of injuries , then to seeke shelter at such a thicker , where the brambles shall pluke off my fleece , and do me more hurt by seratching , then the storme would have done by hayling . i care not for that physicke , where the remedy is worse then the disease . how cunningly doth the prince of darknesse take on him the forme of an angell of light ? how often have seeming-saints prooved divels ? even in those things ( lightly ) most faulty , which they make a shew of being most free from : some more prowd of being thought plaine , then a flaunting gallant in his new fashion . others refusing a deserved commendation , onely with a desire to be commended for refusing it : the one hating pride with a more proud hatred , the other shunning praise with a greater vaine-glory . it is bad to have vices , worse to dissemble them . plato possessed his rich bed with lesse pride then diogenes trampled on it . i meete sometimes with men whose crazed braines seeme soldered with quick-silver ; whose actions straines run only in odd crotchets ; whose judgements being hood-winkt with their owne opinion , and passion , admit of nought for reason , but what their unreasonable selfe-will dictates to them . and then what they will doe , they will doe ; and doe it they will with that torrent of violence , that overturnes all obstacles of counsell , which crosse their courses . from these i will learne not to make will my coach-man , unlesse reason runne before to shew the way : and if my action must passe by the waters of uncertaine danger , of all vessels i will not use the whirry . as sloath seldome bringeth actions to good birth : so hasty rashnesse alwaies makes them abortive , ere well formed . as in virtues , hee that hath one , hath all : so in vices he that hath one hath seldome one alone . he that will steale , must lye ; and he that will steale , and lye , will sweare his lye ; and so easily skrue himselfe up to perjury . he that will be drunke , what will he not be , when he is drunke ? and being slipt downe from the top of reasonable sense , where stoppeth he from tumbling downe into a beastly sensuality ? i will therefore give the water no passage no not a litle , least it make a breach , and that breach let in an inundation to drowne the sweet pastures of my soule . i see the divels claw is an enteringwedge , to let in his foot ; that foot , his whole body . i will be carefull to set a watch and keepe the doore , that sinne may have no admittance . i cannot be too carefull , so it bee to the purpose ; it cannot be to the purpose , if it be too little . that the voyce of the common people is the voyce of god , is the common voice of the people ; yet it is as full of falshood , as commonnesse . for who sees not that those blacke-mouth'd hownds , upon the meere seate of opinion , as freely spend their mouthes in hunting counter , or like actaeons dogges in chasing an innocent man to death , as if they followed the chase of truth it selfe , in a fresh sent . who observes not that the voice of the people , yea of that people that voiced themselves the people of god , did prosecute the god of all people , with one common voice , he is worthy to die . i will not therefore ambitiously begg their voices for my preferment ; nor weigh my worth in that uneven ballance , in which a feather of opinion shall be momentenough to turne the scales , and make a light peece go currant , and a currant peece seeme light . there are a sort of men which are kind men to mee , when they expect some kindnesse from mee : who have their hands downe to the ground in their salutations , when the ground of their salutations is to have a hand at me , in some commodity . but their owne ends once served , their kindnesse hath its end at once : and then it seemes strange to mee , how strange they will seeme to grow to mee ; as if the cause ( their desire ) being removed the effect ( their courtesie ) must straight cease . i will not acknowledge such my friends , but their owne ; and when ever i see such insinuating palpalation , i will bethinke mee what the authors would have of mee . and , with a thrifty discretion , rather deny such their requests , then , in a prodigall kindnes become their friend , more then mine owne . i see a number of gallants every where , whose incomes come in yearely by set numbers , but runne out daily , sans number . i could pity the cases of such brave men , but that i see them still in brave cases . and when i see them often foxed , methinke the proverbe sutes those sutes , what is the fox but his case ? i should thinke them to bee eutrapelus his enemies , whom he cloathed richly to make them spend freely , and grow deboshed . i will doe those men right , and wonder at them , because they desire it . i will not wrong my selfe to envie at them , because they deserve it not , nor to pity them , because they scorne it . i know that gorgeous apparell is an ornament to grace the court , for the glory of the kingdome , but it is no ornament usefull in the kingdome of grace , nor needfull in the kingdome of glory . a rich coate may be commendable in the accidents of armory onely , but it is not the onely substance of a commendable gentleman . i will value the apparell , by the worthinesse of the wearer ; i will not value the worthinesse of the wearer , by the worth of his apparell . adam was most gallantly appareled , when hee was innocently naked . the men of most credit in our time , are the usurers . for they credit most men : and though their greatest study bee security , yet is it usually their fortune to be fullest of care . time is pretious to them : for they thinke a day broke to them , is worth a broke-age from their creditor . yet this they finde by use , that as they have much profit by putting out , so must they have much care to get it in . for debtors are of themistocles his minde , and take not so much care how to repay all , as how they may not pay at all , their creditors , and make this their first resolution , how they may make no resolution at all . i envy not therefore the usurers gaines , but considering they ( as marchant-adventurers ) send abroad their estates in uncertaine vessels , sometime into the bankrupt rivers of prodigality , and unthriftinesse , sometimes into the seas of casualities , and misfortunes , that many times their principall comes short home , i thinke , with my selfe , let them gaine much by the adventure , that adventure so much to gaine . i will make this use of those uses , as to claime no interest in their gaines , nor to owe any thing to any man but love . if i lend where need is , and receive my principall againe , i will accompt that my principall gaine , and think my courtesie but a commanded charity . in gratitude is the character of an ill nature in our selves , a canker of friendship with others , and the very poyson that kills charity in the embrio , being but newly conceived in the pregnant mindes of good men , and causing an abortion of liberality , ere it comes to its intended birth . for who will sow those barren sands , where hee knowes hee must not onely not expect a good harvest , but bee sure to loose his seed and labour ? yet in these times what is more common or more practised then this ingratitude ? for in receiving benefits , who will not ( with euclio in planutus ) finde a third hand to reach out to take them ? but in requiting , who is not more maymed then the statua's of mercury , which alcibiades so mangled that he scarce left them a finger to point out the way to travellers ? it is ten to one , but we all desire to be cured of the leprosies of our wants : yet scarce one of ten of us returnes , to give thankes for the cure . i will not thinke my selfe so inriched by receiving a courtesie , as ingaged to bee thankefull for it . i am not left a free man at my liberty , by taking a mans free liberality : but i sell my freedome for his benefits . i can not deserve to be gracious with my friend , if , with the graces , i looke not with two faces backe to require , as well as with one forward to receive . i will not much commend others to themselves , i will not at all commend my selfe to others . so to praise any to their faces , is a kinde of flattery : but to praise my selfe to any is the height of folly . hee that boasts his owne praises , speakes ill of himselfe , and much derogates from his true deserts . it is worthy of blame to affect commendation . merily and wittily said plautus , that was one of the mery wits of his time , i would ( said he ) by my will have tale-bearers and tale-hearers punished the one hanging by the tongue , the other by the eares . were his will a law in force with us , many a tatling gossip would have her vowells turned to mutes , and bee justly tongue-tied that desires to bee tyed by the teeth at your table : wherewith theominus his tooth shee gnaweth on the good-name of her neighbour : and many a hungry paret whose belly is his arts-master would cease to second his ave to his lord with depraving tales called newes , and make his grace after dinner the disgrace of some innocent : and most men would give them course entertainment , that come to entertaine their eares with discourse of defamative reports . i will be silent and barren of discourse , when i chance to heare a tale rather then go with-childe therwith , till an others eares be my mid-wife , to deliver mee of such a deformed monster . i may heare a tale of delight , & perhaps smile at an innocent jest , i will not jest , not joy at a tale disgracing an innocent person . when i see a gallant ship well rigged , trimmed , tackled , man'd and munition'd with her top and top-gallant , and her spread sayles proudly swelling with a full gale in faire weather , putting out of the haven into the smooth maine , and drawing the spectators eyes , with a well-wishing admiration , and shortly heare of the same ship splitted against some dangerous rocke , or wracked by some disasterous tempest , or sunke by some leake sprung in her by some accident , me seemeth i see the case of some courtfavourite , who to day like sejanus dazeleth all mens eyes with the splendour of his glory , and with the prowd and potent beake of his powerfull prosperity cutteth the waves and ploweth through the prease of the vulgar , and scorneth to feare some remora at his keele below , or any crosse-windes from above , and yet to morrow on some stormes of unexpected disfavour , springs a leake in his honour and sinks on the syrtes of disgrace , or dashed against the rocks of displeasure is splitted and wrack'd in the charibdis of infamy , and so concludes his voyage in misery and misfortune . i will not therefore adventure with the greedy shepheard to change my sheepe into a ship of adventure , on the sight of a calme sea vt pelago suadente etiam retinacula solvas , multatamen latus tristia pontus habet . i will study to deserve my princes favour , i will not desire to be a princes favourite . if i fall whence i am , i can raise my selfe , but to be cast downe thence were to be crushed with a desperat downe-fall . i preferre a mediocrity though obscure yet safe , before a greater eminency with a farre greater danger . when a storme drives mee to shelter mee under a tree , i finde that if the storme bee little , the tree defends me , but if the storme bee great , the tree not onely not defends me , but powreth on mee that wet which itselfe had received , and so maketh the much wetter . hence instructed , i resolve that if improvidently i fall into some small danger of the lawes , i will presume to seeke shelter under the armes of some potent friend , but if the tempest of my trouble bee too potent for my friend , i will rather beare all my selfe , then involve my friend in the danger . it would be bad inough for mee to bee drencht with or distrest by the storme of the lawes anger onely ; it would be worse to bee drowned with the anger of my storming friend also . my conscience of my ill deserving towards the lawes would inforce a patience : my remembrance of my well-deserving to my friend would make the just addition of his anger intollerable . content is the marke wee all ayme at , the cheefe good and top of felicitie , to which all mens actions strive to ascend : but it is solely proper to gods wisedome to ingrosse all true content into his owne hand , that hee may sell it to saints by retaile , and inforce all men to buy it of him or want it . hence is it that a godly man in his meane estate , enjoyes more content in god , then a king or emperour in his earths glory and magnificence . i will then strive to purchase me a patent of content from him that hath the monopolie thereof : and then , if i have litle in estate , i shall have much in content , godlinesse shall bee my great riches , whiles i am contented with what i have . as in the greater world for man , so in the little world of man , as in the outward riches of the one , so in the inner treasures of the other , many possesse much and enjoy but litle , many have much , and use but litle , others use much , and but litle well . i shall not so much endevour to have much wherewithall to doe , as to doe much , with that litle i have . it shall not so much greeve mee , that i am a poore treasurer , as joy mee , if i have beene a good steward . i could wish i had more to use well , but more wish well to use that i have . if hee were so blamed that imployed not one talent well , what would become of mee , if i had ten , and abused them ? popular applause , and vulgar opinion may blow-up and mount upward the bubble of vaine-glorious minde , till it burst in the ayre , and vanish : but a wise man builds his glory on the strong foundation of virtue , without expecting or respecting the slender props of vulgar opinion . i will not neglect what every one thinkes of me ; for that were impudent dissolutenesse . i will not make it my common care , to hearken how i am cared for of the common sort , and bee over-sollicitous what every one speakes of mee , for that were a toylesome vanity . i may doe well , and heare ill : and that 's a kingly happinesse . i may doe ill , and heare well : and that 's an hypocrites best felicity . my actions shall make me harmony in my hearts inner chamber : i will not borrow the voyces of the vulgar to sweeten my musique . the rancor of malice is the true nature of the divell , and the soule possessed therewith is his dearest darling . for where envy , hate , and revenge take up the whole heart , there god hath no roome at all left to bee in all his thoughts . i may meet a mad man , and avoid him , i may move a cholericke man , and pacific him , i may crosse a furious drunkerd , and shunne him , but a malicious man is more dangerous , implacable , and inevitable then they all . malice omits no occasion to doe mischiefe : and if it misse thy body and substance , it prosecutes thy shadow , visam fera saevit in umbram . my soule come not thou into their secrets , unto their assemblie , mine-honour bee not thou united . i must not turne anger out of my nature , i must not turne my nature into anger , i must give place to wrath , but not a resting place , but a place to let it passe-by , that i may let goe displeasure . i may give entrance to anger on just cause , i may not give it entertainement on any cause , till it sower with the leaven of malice . i must bee angry with sinne , but i must bee angry and sinne not . when i plant a choyse flower in a fertile soyle , i see nature presently to thrust up with it , the stinging nettle , the stinking hemlocke , the drowzie poppie , and many such noysome weedes , which will either choake my plant with excluding the sunne , or divert its nourishment to themselves : but if i weed out these at first , my flower thrives to its goodnesse and glory . this is also my case when i endevour to plant grace in the fertill soyle of a good wit. for luxurious nature thrusts up with it , either stinging wrath , or stinking wantonnesse , or drowzie sloath or some other vices , which robb my plant of its desired flourishing . but these being first pluckt up , the good wit produceth in its time , the faire flower of vertue . i will not therefore thinke the best wits , as they are wits , fittest to make the best men , but as they are the best purged best wits . the ground of their goodnesse is not the goodnesse of their wits , but the good weeding and clensing it . i must first eschew the evill , ere i can doe good , supplant vices , ere i can implant virtue . as it is never to soone to be good : so is it never too late to amend . i will therefore neither neglect the time present , nor despaire of the time past . if i had beene sooner good , i might perhaps have beene better . if i am longer bad , i shall ( i am sure ) be worse . that i have stayed long time idle in the market-place deserves reprehension , but if i am late sent into the vineyard , i have incouragement to worke , i will give unto this last as unto thee . when i see the husbandman well contented with the cold of frost and snow in the winter , because , though it chilleth the ground , yet it killeth the charlocke , though it check the wheat somewhat in growing , yet it choaketh the weeds from growing at all : why should i bee moved at the winter of affliction ? why vexed at the quaking fit of a quartane ague ? why offended at the cold change of affection in my summer-friends ? if as they seeme bitter to my minde or body , they prove healthfull to my bettered soule . if my wants kill my wantonnesse , my poverty check my pride , my disrespected sleighting quell my ambition and vaine-glory , and every weed of vice being thus choaked by afflictions winter , my soule may grow fruitfull for heavens harvest , let my winter be bitter , so that i be gathered with the good corne at reaping time into the lords barne . as oft as i heare the robin-red-brest chaunt it as cheerefully in september , the beginning of winter , as in march the approach of the summer , why should not we ( thinke i ) give as cheerefull entertainement to the hoare-frosty hayres of our ages winter , as to the primroses of our youths spring ? why not to the declining sunne in adversity , as ( like persians ) to the rising sunne of prosperity ? i am sent to the ant , to learne industry ; to the dove , to learne innocency ; to the serpent , to learne wisedome ; and why not to this bird to learne equanimity and patience ; and to keepe the same tenour of my mindes quietnesse , as well at the approach of calamities winter , as of the spring of happinesse ? and , since the romans constancy is so commended , who changed not his countenance with his changed fortunes , why should not i , with a christian resolution , hold a steddy course in all weathers , and though i be forced with crosse-windes , to shift my sailes , and catch at side-windes , yet skilfully to steere , and keepe on my course , by the cape of good hope , till i arive at the haven of eternall happinesse ? the same water which being liquid is penetrated with an horsehaire , will beare the horse himselfe when it is hard frozen . i muse not then that those precepts and threats of gods judgements enter not into the hardned hearts of some old men , frozen by the practice of sinne , which pierce and penetrate deepe into the tender hearts and melting consciences of yonger folks thawed with the warmth of gods feare . hence see i the cause why the sword of the word , so sharpe , that it serveth in some to divide the joyntes and marrow , in others glaunceth or reboundeth without dint or wound , from their cristall frozen and adamantine hearts . i cannot promise my selfe to bee free from sinne , i were then no man : but i will purpose in my selfe to bee free from hardnesse of heart , by custome and continuance in sinne , i may erre in my way , i will not persist and goe on in my errours , till i cannot returne againe into my way . i may stumble , i may fall , but i will not lye still when i am fallen . when i see two game-cocks at first sight , without premeditated malice fight desperatly and furiously , the one to maintaine the injury offered , the other to revenge the injury received by the first blow and to maintaine this quarrell , not onely dye the pit with their bloud , but die in the pit with their mutuall bloudy wounds , me thinkes i see the successe of those duëllers of our time ; which being ambitious of achilles his praise , pelidis juvenis cedere nescij , desperatly and furiously adventure their lives heere , and indanger their soules heereafter onely for the vaine termes of false honour . i will not say but that being flesh and bloud i may be carelesse of my flesh and bloud to revenge injurious indignities offered me : yet since as a tenant my soule must answer her landlord for reparations of the house she dwels in , and i have no warrant of god or man for such revenge , i will not kill my owne soule to kill an other mans body . i will not pull the house of my body on my soules head in a fury , that god may make them both fuell for the fury of hell fire . when i view the heavens declaring the glory of god , and the firmament shewing his handy worke , and consider that each litle numbred starre even of the sixth magnitude , containeth the earths dimension . times in bignesse by astronomers conclusions , i easily descend to consider the great difference of earthly mens glory , and that weight of glory affoorded the saints in heaven . for what a poore ambition is it to bee the best man in a city ? what 's a city to a shire ? what a shire to the whole island ? what this island to the continent of europe ? what europe to the whole earth ? what that earth to a starre ? what that starre to heaven ? and that to the heaven of heavens ? and so by a retrogradation how litle ? how nothing is this poore glory . i finde many which say , hoc nihil est aliquid : i finde in my selfe cause to say , hoc aliquid nihil est . if i needs will bee somebody by my ambition , i will bee ambitious to bee ranged with the saints in heaven rather then ranked with the kings on earth : since the least in the kingdome of heaven is greater then they . i saw once a ierfalcon let fly at an heron , and observed with what clamour the heron entertain'd the sight and approach of the hawke , and with what winding shifts hee strave to get above her , labouring even by bemuting his enemies feathers to make her flaggwinged and so escape : but when at last they must needs come to a necessitated encounter , resuming courage out of necessity hee turned face against her , and striking the hawke thorough the gorge with his bill fell downe dead together with his dead enemie . this sight seemed to mee the event of a great sute in law , where one trusting to his cases potency more then his causes equity , endeavours to disinherit his stubborne neighbour by colourable titles to his land . heere may you heare the clamorous obloquies of the wronged and see the many turnings and winding meanders in the law sought out to get above his adversary . and lastly when the issue must come to tryall , oftentimes in the grapple they both sinke to beggery by the law whiles lawfully they seeke to get above each other . hence warned against potent enemies i will alway pray , lord make mee not a prey unto their teeth ; and against an equall or inferiour i will not borrow the lawes extreme right to doe him extreme wrong : nor fall to law with any body till i fall by law , to bee no body . i will not doe that to have my will , which will undoe my selfe of what i have , by my willfullnesse . the psalmist doth not slander the slanderers , when in a good description of their bad natures , hee saith , their throat is an open sepulcher , &c. the poyson of aspes is under their lippes . for what more loathsome stench , and noisome smells can a new opened sepulcher belch out , then these venomous open throated slanderers ? and well may their lipscontaine the poyson of aspes , of which lucan saith , in nulla plus est serpente veneni , when a few words of theirs shall ( like a witches spell ) charme and strike dead a mans deerest reputation . i will therefore indeavour to make my actions of that vertue , that as an antidote of mithridates his best confection , they may repell the worst infection those serpents shall spit at mee . and albeit i cannot bee free from their assaults ( from which none is freed ) yet i will not with cleopatra set those aspes so neere my heart that they may stop my vitall spirits with their poyson . and since i must passe thorough this africa of monsters and harmefull beasts , i will carefully feare and shunne the worst of tame beasts the flatterer , and of wild beasts the slanderer . meditation is a busie search in the store-house of fantasie for some idea's of matters , to bee cast in the moulds of resolution into some formes of words or actions ; in which search when i have used my greatest diligence , i finde this in the conclusion , that to meditate on the best is the best of meditations : and a resolution to make a good end is a good end of my resolutions . a meditation of the authors found written before a sermon of his for easter-day . my heart a matter good indites ; o then lord make my tongue a ready writers pen : that so assisted by thy graces art , thy grace unto the world i may impart : so raise my thoughts , my willing minde so blesse , that i thy glorious rising may expresse . and rays'd from death of sinfull ignorance , thy selfe-advancing power may advance . and if my simple willingnesse wants skill , thou mad'st me willing ; lord accept my will , an other written before a sermon of his on the . psalme , verse . lord guide my tongue , that covets to declare , how great my sinnes , how good thy mercies are . i both would shew , and yet so great is either , that whil'st i both would shew i can shew neither . they both are infinite , they both began ere i beginning had , or shape of man. where then shall i begin , with hope to shew how great both are , who both exceeding know ? mercy still pardons , sinne doth still offend , and being endlesse both , where shall i end ? thou first and last , whose mercy heale my sin , shew me to end , and teach me to begin . the last thing the author wrote a few daies before his death . a bubble broke , its ayre looseth , by which losse the bubble's lost . each frost the fayrest flower brooseth whose lives vanish with that frost . then wonder not we die , if life be such , but rather wonder whence it is we live so much . tales long or short , whether offending or well pleasing have their end . the glasse runnes , yet the set-time ending every atom doth descend . if life be such ( as such life is t is sure ) when tales and times find ends why should life still indure ? this world is but a walke of paine that ha's onely end by death . this life 's a warre in which we gaine conquest by the losse of breath . who would not war-fare end and travells cease to live at home in rest and rest at home in peace ? nothing heere but constant paines or unconstant pleasures be : worthlesse treasures , loosing gaines , scantie store , chaynd liberty . if life affoord the best no better fate , how welcome is that death , that betters that bad state ? what 's the earth when trimmest drest to that cristall spangled dwelling ? yet the saint in glory least is in glory farre excelling . glorious redeemer let this earth of mine thy glorious body see and in thy glory shine . oft i see the darksome night to a glorious day returning : as oft doth sleepe intombe my sight yet i wake againe at morning . bright sunne returne , when sleepe hath spent deaths night , that these dimne eyes of mine may in thy light see light . finis . of scandal hammond, henry, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) of scandal hammond, henry, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread [ ], p. printed by henry hall ..., oxford : . attributed to hammond by wing and nuc pre- imprints. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. eng christian life. conduct of life. a r (wing h ). civilwar no of scandall. the second edition. hammond, henry f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion of scandall . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . the second edition . oxford , printed by henry hall printer to the vniversitie . . of scandall . § he that would know the true proper full importance of the word scandall or offence , or to be offended or scandalized ( as they are taken for the same ) need not seeke into many authors for it . the new testament , and the apocryphall bookes , and the greeke translation of the old testament , are the prime authors that have used these words , and all other later christian writers may justly be thought to have had them from that fountaine ; ancient prophane writers not affording them . § from hence 't will be sure just to inferre , that in as many senses as the scripture canonicall & apocry phall hath used the words , in so many they may be justly used , and in no more . now the uses of the word scandall among them are either naturall ( as generally in the old testament , ) or borrowed , i. e. metaphoricall , ( as cheifely in the new . ) it naturally signifies things . . a trapp , a gin , or snare to catch any thing : so in the greek translation of psal. § . . the word is us'd , ( being joyn'd with other words which signify snare and gin , ) and in our new translation is rendred a trapp : wherefore in the place of rom. . . where the same words are cited out of the septuagints translation , and not out of the hebrew text of the psalme , i should conceive it should be rendred by analogy , not stumbling blocks , but gin , or some other word belonging to this first signification . in this sence it is used mac. . . where it is all one with snare , and it is farther interpreted by ( laying wait by the way ) to catch them treacherously . so againe wisd : . . the word is used , and explained by another word , signifying a trapp , or snare , the very same that was used in the psalmes , and to the romans . § . it signifies any obstacle or hindrance laid in a mans way , by which the passenger is detain'd or stopt , peculiarly a sharpe stake , such as in time of warre men were wont to put in the fields where their enemy should follow , to wound their feet or leggs in their passage : against which being so ordinary in war , they anciently used greaves of brasse to defend their feet or leggs . sam : . . to which you may referre that epithite so frequent in homer , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : to signify those greaves brasen or otherwise , that the grecians used ; described by that poet , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} by {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} made of tin , and covering the whole legg to the knee , of so firme a substance that it made a loud noise at the stroake of the weapon on it . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} saith he . thus is the word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} used , judith . . . where we render it impediments , a word somewhat too generall to signify those sharpe stakes or other instruments to wound or gall the passengers , which are known to every body : for which i beleive we have some proper english word , i thinke it is a gal trapp . § ly . the word signifies a stone or blocke in the way , at which men are apt ( if they be not carefull , or if they go in the darke ) to stumble and fall : and thereupon in the old testament it is taken for a fall : and so sometimes for sinne , the fall of the soule , as judith . . ( where these words [ left it be an offence ] would more clearely be rendred out of the greeke , left it become an offence , . a sinne or pollution , as you may see in the same matter which is there treated of dan. . . tob. . . and sam. . . ) and sometimes for ruine or destruction , the fall of the whole person , which we are brought to by sinne , as judith . . our english renders it ruine , and ps. . . where though we read folly , the septuagint read scandall , by that rendring an hebrew word which signifies both folly and ruine . i confesse this last acception of the word for ruine , is somewhat rare ( yet authoriz'd by our english in the place of judith ) and therefore if any dislike it , i shall not stand much upon it ; because in both those places last mentioned it may well enough signifie sin , as that is a snare or stumbling blocke , an occasion of ruine , or falling , or destruction , in which sense i conceive 't is used , judg : . . where 't is rendred a snare , i. e. a sinne ensnaring or occasioning ruine . § beside these significations , in which the word in greeke retained in our language , is read in the old testament , i am confident there is no other , save once psal. . , for slander , or calumny , or defamation , ( for so the hebrew there signifies ) a sense which is vulgar amongst us in english ; by a scandall meaning a slander : but that sense being but once met with in the whole bible , or twice at most ( eccl. . . where yet i conceive the translation might be mended ) will not deserve to be taken into consideration . § now for the use of the word in the new testament : 't is first observeable , that the best nomenclature for hard words in that is the observing the use of them in the greeke of the old , for the writers of the new testament , being jewes not greekes , wrote in an idiom proper and peculiar to them only , and those other jewes that wrote also in greeke , somewhat differing from that of the atticke , or naturall greeke writers . and therefore we may well resolve , that the uses of the word , which we have there found and already observed , will be very instrumentall to the understanding of the same word , and others derived from it in the new testament . and so much the rather because , as i said , no prophane greeke writer before the scripture , is knowne to have used it ; only arist ophanes once a word neare it . this being premised , 't will be worth our paines ( at least by so doing we shall put the whole matter beyond exception ) to survey breifly all the places in the new testament , where the word is used . § to that end i shall beginne with the first in my concordance which is matt. . . the angells shall gather out all scandalls : 't is in a sence borrowed from the second mentioned signification of a sharpe stake , which he who hath once met with and been gall'd by it , is wont to gather up and cast into the fire , as there it followes the angels for our sakes should do , v : . ( to which saint paul also seemes to allude cor : . . in putting scandalizing and burning together ) and denotes simply whatsoever may wound or gall us in our christian course , and by that meanes foreslow our pace , cause us to slacken , or give over , or lye downe in the service of christ , so mat. . . christ paies tribute , that he may not offend the jewes , i. e. that they might not thinke him a contemner of the temple , to which the tribute was due , and so forsake and not beleeeve in him ; that he might not discourage them from following him . so mat. . . the pharisees hearing a doctrine that gall'd them particularly , were offended and forsooke him , that doctrine drave them away from following him . so againe ( mat. . . ) it must needes be that offences come , which seemes to referre to false doctrines and heresies , if you compare that verse with cor : . . there must he heresies ( and rom. . . where offences are said to be contrary to the apostles doctrine , and that they must be avoided , as the heretick must tit : . . ) the venting of which of all things most hinders others in their christian course , but whether it be meant peculiarly of heresies , or exemplary sins , it matters not . to which soever you apply it , another place , luk. . . will belong unto it also , being the place directly parallel to it . so mat : . . he that shall offend one of these little ones . i. e. he that shall occasion their falling off into any sin ; or , which the place especially imports , by contemning them , discourage them from the study of piety . for so on the contrary side to receive them , v. . is by saint marke . . exprest to consist in doing them kindnesse , to encourage them in the wayes of godlinesse . so christ crucified is said a scandall to the jewes , i. e. they that were otherwise not ill opinion'd of him , and so followed him with the multitudes , when they saw him crucified , were quite discourag'd , and fell away from him , ( as they that are so gall'd by those stakes are faine to give over the pursuit , to returne ) and so resolv'd , seeing him dye , that he was not the messias whom they expected , a glorious temporall deliverer . to which belongs that notable place mat. . . luk : . . blessed is he that shall not be offended in me , i. e. shall not be gall'd and discourag'd , and so fall off by seeing the sufferings that befall me , and await my disciples or followers . so againe mat : . . mark . . . it is said , that the consideration of his knowne and meane birth occasioned their being offended in him , i. e. their deserting and not beleeving of him , when the miracles which he had done inclin'd them somewhat to a valuing of him . so john . . when christ talkes of eating the flesh of the son of man , they were offended , ( that is ) that speech carnally understood ( either that christ was to dye , ( which the eating his flesh presupposed , and they did not like to heare of ; dreaming of a temporall glorious messias ) or that they were to turne caniballs , and eate mans flesh , ) discourag'd them from following him , at least from taking him for the messias . so gal : . . persecution is called the scandall of the crosse , or that upon which so many are discourag'd from professing the crucified saviour , according to that in the parable of the sower , mat : . . mark : . . upon the coming of persecution presently he is offended , i. e. gall'd and falls off , and mat. . . on the same occasion , and in the same sence . so mat. . . mark . . . this night ( to wit of my attachement ) ye shall all be offended because of mee . i. e. fall backe , for sake me : and so in saint peters answer , v. . although all men should be offended , yet will i never be offended : upon which , that which christ rejoynes ( before the cocke crow ; i. e. before morning , or day breake , all one with this night , v . thou shalt deny me thrice ) is an interpretation of the word offended , and shewes , that to be offended , is to deny christ . and so joh. . . these things have i spoken unto you , that ye should not be offended ; where christ foretells the persecutions that should befall them , that they might be forewarn'd too , and not fall off , when they befall them . § these are the cheif , if not all the places to which the second old testament acception of the word scandall in a metaphoricall borrowed sence belongs , and of all of them , and each , you may observe . § . that scandall signifies either some sin , the occasion of farther sin in others ; or else somewhat else , which though it be not sinne , yet occasions sinne in others , though very indirectly sometimes , as the crosse of christ : and whether in one or other , the rule will be , that he that is offended or scandalized , doth directly commit some sinne , and that , for most of the places , the sinne of infidelity , or forsaking , or denying christ . § . that the being scandaliz'd , falling off from christ , ( or the effect which followes that occasion , ) hath no reflection or influence ( in any of the places ) on that which was the occasion ; so as to make it sinfull or avoydable , if it were not so before , ( as will appeare to any that will survey the places ) and consequently that anothers being scandaliz'd is not sufficient to lay a charge on him whose action ( otherwise not chargeable or criminous ) was the occasion of his being scandaliz'd . let the crosse of christ , with which so many were in this sense scandaliz'd , suffice for a proofe of this . § other places there are which must be interpreted by bringing the metaphore from the first of the senses , as it signifies a snare or gin to catch one in . so mat. . . thou art an offence unto me , i. e. by expressing thy detestation against my sufferings , thou labourest to bring me into an horrour and feare of suffering , and so in effect temptest me to sinne ; where you must marke , that though peter were an offence to christ , that is , tempted him , laboured to ensnare him , yet christ was not scandaliz'd , offended , ensnared , or overcome by the temptation . in the same sense is that revel : . . of balaam who taught balaack {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , we render it to cast a stumbling block ; but sure it is most clearely , to lay a snare before the children of israell , to intice them by their daughters to idolatry , and by idolatry to intrap and destroy them . § in this sence scandall is so perfectly all one with temptation , that , as a learned man hath observed , the ethiopick interpreter of the new testament , instead of scandall puts a word that signifies temptation , and the same that in the lords prayer is put for temptation : in this sense is that of the eye and the foot offending us . mat. . . . . mark : . . i. e. when a mans eye , or any other member of his body proves a snare to him , an inlet to temptations , a meanes of bringing him to any sinne . § and of those places you may observe againe . . that no man is said to be offended , but he that commits the sinne to which he is tempted , and therefore christ is not said to be offended , that is , really to be wrought upon by that scandall : but as satan tempted him , matth. . yet he yeilded not , but overcame the tempter : so here he uses that other satan : for to have beene offended in this sence had beene all one with being overcome by a temptation . § . that the agent , or he that is said to lay the snare or to offend , sinneth also ( as in all the places it will de facto appeare that they did ) though no body be taken in it , as he that tempteth to evill commits a sinne , though his temptation prove not effectuall . the setting of a snare being a positive act , a note of a treacherous designe , though it do not succeed . and therefore in macchab. , . the laying of snares for to intrap the israelites , or bring them from observing the law , is call'd there by the devills name , an evill adversary , or as the greeke hath it , a devill to israel . § a third and last sort of places there are that referre to the third mention'd acception of the word , as it signifies a stumbling blocke , so when the word stone is joined with it , or the greeke word that signifies stumbling , so rom. . . christ is called a stumbling blocke , a rocke of offence , i. e. an occasion of fall , or sinne in many , and consequently of increasing their condemnation , as he saith , if he had not come , &c. they had not had sinne , i. e. had not beene so great sinners , had not beene guilty of the great sinne of unbeleife , and crucifying of christ : and therfore simeon prophecies of christ , that he would be for the fall of many in israel ; many sinnes his coming should be the occasion of . so rom. . . that no man lay a stumbling blocke , or scandall ( which we render an occasion of falling ) in his brothers way , that is , do or practise any thing , that may bring another that comes after him , upon his nose , or to commit any sinne . so pet. . . christ is called a stone of stumbling , and rocke of offence , at which to stumble is to be disobedient to christ , so ro. . . stumbleth , or is offended , or is made weake , i. e. by following thee , doth fall , commits some sin , doth some act unlawfull for him , ( though simply it were not for thee ; it being against his conscience , though not against thine ) and so by falling bruises & weakens himselfe , makes himselfe lesse able for gods service , then he was : for so every sin against conscience being a greiveing the spirit , is consequently the spirituall weakening of the man , or if you will ( as in st james {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} signifies c. . . ) the wound or disease of the soule . so againe , cor. . . stumbling blocke to the weake , & v. . where the case is clearely the same that we last mentioned : that if any man by doing any indifferent thing ( which he in conscience is inform'd to be perfectly lawfull for him to do ) shall occasion another mans sin by doing that after him which he is not resolv'd to be lawfull , that man offends against that charity due to his brother , and therefore must thinke fit to deny himselfe the use of that liberty which christ hath given him . to this may belong that other place , jo. . . where that phrase ( there is no scandall in him ) seems to signify , fals not into those sinnes that ignorant men or uncharitable ( who are said in the antithesis , v. . to walke in the darke ) are subject unto . one place more there is belonging to this purpose , where though the word scandall be not used in the text , yet {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , offence , is used , and that i confesse to be all one , and it is cor. . . giving no offence in any thing ; where yet offence is interpreted by beza , quippiam ad quod possint impingere any thing that others may stumble at , or be alien'd from the gospell by ; as if we faile in any christian duty ( mentioned v. . . . ) they that see us , would be apt to doe : and so that which followes imports also ( that the ministry be not blamed ) that is , that our actions be not justly reprehended or found fault with , but in all things approving our selves , &c. § and of this third sort of places 't is observable againe , . that be that is offended , sinnes himselfe , stumbles , and falls , and bruises himselfe , and . that he that is the occasion of his fall doth not alwayes sin ( for christ , and grace , and that which should have been for their wealth , proves to many an occasion of falling ) but yet sometimes he doth : as if he purposely in a matter indifferent , when he might have chosen , doth any thing which another whose conscience is doubtfull , doth after him ▪ and so sinnes ; nay if he do not absteine from that indifferent action , when he sees that consequent likely to follow ; nay if he be not carefull to observe , whether the consequent be likely to follow , and if so , to absteine . this third sort of scandall you see is applyed peculiarly to one kinde of actions , those by the doing of which another coming after , and doing the same , fals into sinne , as when either the example was sinfull , or being indifferent in it selfe is against the other mans conscience , and so being imitated by him , is in him a sinne against conscience , and not indifferent . and then § another sort of actions there are which may though not so directly , yet not improperly be referr'd to this head , as , when i do any thing in its selfe not unlawfull , yet very apt to be mistaken by other men , for somewhat else which is unlawfull ; and see it strongly probable , that those which will be apt so to mistake , will be as apt also by occasion of this action of mine , to commit that other sin which they conceive me to have committed , or to confirme and harden themselves in that sin thorow that mistaken example of mine , which they might otherwise probably have reformed , if they had not received encouragement by this action of mine ; and if question be made , what is to be thought of this . i answer , that although i am not sure that that place of scripture in our english bibles which commands [ to absteine from all appearance of evill , ] doth come home to this purpose , ( because {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} which we render [ from all appearance ] may beare another sence , and signify no more then from every kinde or sort of evill , for so both the greeke {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , and latine species import ; and with all , appearance of evill is so uncertaine , and inconstant a thing , that to absteine from it universim cannot be matter of any possible command . and againe , though i dare not from that other precept of {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , whatsoever is of good report , phil. . . conclude it unlawfull to do any thing which hath the ill lucke to be of ill report , i. e. to be mistaken for a sinne ( because . there is no prohibition in that place interdicting the doing of every thing which is of ill report , . no analogy of other christian rules to inferre such prohibition , it being rather the fate of all christian virtues to be evill spoken of , and the receiving the praise of men , being branded by christ as unreconcileable with beleiving , . because some actions of christ were of ill report , particularly that of eating and drinking with publicans and sinners , ( which rendred him suspected for a glutton ) and that of casting out of devils ( which was defamed for sorcery or compact with beelzebub , ) . because that which is of ill report with one , may be of good report with a thousand others , and there the judgement of that one will not be considerable against those thousand to defame an innocent laudable action ) yet still i conceive that the great obligation to {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , loving of all men , and desiring the good of their soules , which lies upon all christians ( by force of christs example , and legacy , and precept of charity ) will extend so farre , as to have the force of precept , that every man absteine from such purely indifferent actions ( being so in themselves , and then by the magistrate uncommanded ) which he foresees will be thus mistaken for unlawfull by those who are likely to be moved by his example to commit those sinnes which they conceive him to have committed ; this being an inseparable attendant of my charity to my brothers soule , to use all lawfull meanes which my conscience tels me will be to his ghostly health , or preservation . § meane while some diff●rence may be observed in things indifferent , some being commendable , though not commanded ; of use , though not of necessity ; and such as extra causam scandali i should on pious considerations be moved to choose , or practice : and in this case , if it be demanded whether that sole feare of scandall ought to restraine me from that which all other motives rather incline me to , and so make me absteine ; or whether i should rather claime the priviledge of my christian liberty , and that make me not to absteine . i answer , that a middle course may yet be better , then either extreme crudely taken : that is , that i ought to do my best to free this laudable indifferent action of mine from the evill colour that it is capable of , by rectifying his judgement whom i discerne to be mistaken in it , and by declaring ( either expresly , or by some significative character of my intentions fastened to my action ) the clearenesse and innocency of my purposes to any other that may be so mistaken ; and by so doing if i cannot free my selfe from his uncharitable censure , yet i shall be sure to keepe him from any danger of following me to that sin ; for sure my very disclaiming of that sin which he suspects me guilty of , will divest that sin of all authority which it may receive from my committing it , and not invite , but rather deterre and fortifie others from falling into that sinne , which they see disavowed and disliked by me . for if my authority be of any force with them , it will perswade them to absteine from that which i disclaime , and professe my selfe to hate ( who certainly know my owne minde best ) rather then to do , what they only conceive i do , but i professe i do not . and therefore the case being thus set of the commendable usefull indifferent , not of the meere frivolous unconsiderable , when the use and gaine of my action to me is certaine , and the danger of being mistaken by others at most but possible , and that also preventable by these other meanes , neither piety nor prudence will advise to absteine from that healthfull food , which if it be by accident unhealthfull by others , hath yet an antidote administred with it . which will be yet farther heightned also , if this laudable indifferent fall out to be such as the examples of holy men in scripture , or the practise of the church in purer times have given countenance to , especially if the perpetuall current of antiquity have commended it to us : for certainely these will be of great authority with all prudent pious men , and the more early and catholique that practice , the greater that authority . § 't is true , very strict rules in many particulars the judaicall law of the old testament did prescribe , forbidding many indifferent things , on this only ground , because the using them might seeme a complyance with the heathen customes of idolaters . such was that prohibition ex. . . thou shalt not seeth a kid in the mothers milke , in the sacrifice of the in-gathering ; given no doubt in opposition to the gentile practice of those which at the time of gathering in their fruits , solemnely used this custome of seething a kid in the dammes milke , and then in a magicall way sprinckled their trees and fields , and gardens with it to make them fructifie the next yeare , as abrab●nel , and others out of jewish writers have observed . such was also the prohibition . lev. . . against rounding the corners of their heads , in reference to the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the round cut used by the arabians , saith herodotus , and thereupon forbidden the jewes , and a woe pronounced jere. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. on every one that was so cut round , si adjuverit tonsorem , saith maimonides , if he directed , or willingly permitted the barber to put him into that heathenish guise : and many others in the old testament of the like nature , and the following rabbins have added many more directions , if not precepts of the same nature . that one booke of maimonides concerning idolatry will furnish the reader with store of examples : but some such as do not so well become the gravity of that author ; as that , if the jew hath a thorne in his foot , when he is neer an idoll he must not stoope to take it out . if a tree have been worshipt , or an idoll set in it , it is not lawfull to sit in the shade of the trunke or body of that tree , though of the boughes or leaves it be lawfull , if there be any other way it is not lawfull to passe under it ; if none , then he must run by it , dionysius vossius in his notes on that author hath added some parallel passages out of other jewish writers as that of r. menasse . who being shewed an idoll , did in contempt cast stones at it , which action of his , because the image was the image of mercury ( who was wont to be worshipt by the heathens after that manner , by throwing stones at it , or scattering stones before him , to which custome or ceremony the mercuriall statues refer , saith phornutus {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} was therefore noted , accused , brought before the judge , and by him pronounced to be unlawfull , because it was the proper worship of that idoll , though used in despight , not civility by that man . so againe , if there be but one way to an idolatrous city , it is unlawfull to go that way , aboda zara c. . § . . and so , saith he , the hebrewes in robbot mention a tradition , that the reason why mordochai would not bow to haman was because there was woven in his garment the image of a false god . § some instances also might perhaps be brought out of the practice of the ancient christian church ( mentioned by tertullian de cor. mil. ) to this purpose of absteining from things indifferent , for feare of any appearing complyance with the heathens . of which yet it must be observed that this was in things of no manner of spirituall use or profit , neither commendable , nor advantageous , in things of ancient christian prescription , or practise of purer times . that it was in matters of such a quality , as that complyance would have seemed a dissembling or renouncing of the christian faith , ( and not of imitating of former purer christians ) and so contrary to that great christian duty of confessing christ before men , which they could not be said to do , who when that confession was persecuted , did thus comply with or not professe open dislike of the actions of those persecuters . and so those instances will not be so proper to the matter of scandall , as to that other head of christian duty the necessity of confessing of christ before men , ( those especially who are the greatest oppugners of him , to which matter also those other judaicall instances do belong ) unlesse that non-confessing of christ , may by the example scandalize also . that the same men thought it not amisse , or unlawfull at other times to comply with other as great enemies of christianity , as the gentiles , namely with the jewes in observation of some of their out-dated ceremonies , nay thought themselves obliged so to do , when in prudence they conceived it more likely to gaine those enemies by that meanes , then to confirme them in their dislikes of christianity , or drive others to those dislikes . that even with the heathen themselves they could in other things think fit to comply also , when prudence dictated that complyance as more instrumentall to christian policy ; and from these premises that this whole matter is to be referred to the christians pious discretion or prudence , it being free to him either to absteine or not to absteine from any indifferent action ( remaining such ) according as that piety , and that prudence shall represent it to be most charitable and beneficiall to other mens soules ; and he that shall not thus regulate his actions by what he is convinced will be thus most conducting to that grand christian end , the saving , or not destroying , or not suffering sin upon his brother , shall not by me be excused from the guilt and blame of having scandaliz'd his brother in this last new testament sence , at least in some other which is not far distant from it ; though after all this it must be observed , that he which thus is betrayed to , or confirmed in any sin by conceiving me to have committed it , when i have not , ( this easy prostitute seducible sinner who will thus sinne upon any , upon no occasion ) is not saint pauls weake , i. e. doubtfull-conscienc'd christian , of whom he takes such care , that he should not be scandaliz'd . § for such is he onely , that for want of knowledge of his just christian liberty , thinks it unlawfull to do those things , which being indifferent in themselves , are only unlawfull to him , which beleives them so , or is not satisfied that they are lawfull ; this weaknesse in faith , ( a kind of disease of the mind , and so in the new testament phrase {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) being onely want of knowledge or of orthodox instruction , as will appeare by comparing rom. . with cor. . where the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} in one , is all one with the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} in the other , weakenesse in faith , with want of knowledge . § the only matter of question or difficulty behind in this particular will be , why those who are in such judaicall errours are sometimes appointed by st paul to be so tenderly handled , not to be vilified , or set at naught ro. . . but care taken that they be not scandaliz'd in the end of that chapt : and cor. . and yet in the epistle to the galatians , they are by the apostle reviled [ o foolish &c. ] c. . . and chid and reproached out of their judaicall performances , and no care taken of not scandalizing them . the answering of this will require us to consider the different estate of those galatians from those romanes . the galatians had beene formerly gentiles , and ( though as it seems not improbable from gal. . . formerly converted to judaisme , yet ) by saint paul thoroughly converted from thence and baptized into christianity , as that is opposite both to judaisme and gentilisme also , i. e. fully instructed by him in the nature of christian doctrine , and liberty , and had given up their hearts as well as names unto it , only after they had been begotten by saint paul in the gospell , had begun in the spirit , gal. . . had come to an absolute abrenunciation of all their former jewish perswasions , and to some good progresse in christianity , some false judaizing teachers began to corrupt & poison them , gal. . . & . and to bring them backe againe to that yoke , that they had beene taught to cast off ; and these taires the apostle could hope by reprehensions and sharpnesse to root out without endangering the wheate , and therefore sets severely and heartily to it , thinkes not fit either in civility or charity to use any compliances , or condescendings , or softer medicines , ( knowing their errors to be contrary to the doctrine to which they had been baptized , and consequently that they might in reason give place unto it , and there was no feare that the rooting out of these would root out christianity with them , as it might probably do , if they had been sowed or planted together , but imployes all his vehemence and bowels of kindnesse toward them , in conjuring out that evill spirit that had so lately got possession of them , and doubts not but christianity that was earlier planted in them , ( and that by him who had begotten them in the gospell , and so had a paternall authority with them ) then these vaine legall dreames , that some false teachers had lately instilled into them , might be able to survive them also . and in this case being to deale with adversaries and false teachers , not with weakelings , but corrupters , had the apostle used any compliance , had he circumcised titus gal. . . ( as at another time he did timothy ) had he then given place but for an houre , v. . suspended the use of his liberty then , when liberty was decryed , this had beene scandalous in the apostle , this had probably beene the confirming of the erroneous , the incouraging of the adversary , the misleading of the doubtfull , shaking the faithfull , and disturbing what he had before setled among them . § whereas on the other side the romans at their first conversion to christianity had not all of them been taught to put off the opinion of the necessity of legall abstinences {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , saith saint chrysostome in prooem. ad ep ad rom. but continued their obligation to the law after receiving of the faith . being some of them ( as may appeare by the matter of saint pauls disc●urse to them , in the former part especially of that epistle ) naturall jewes , dispersed thither ; who could not be easily brought to assent to such doctrine , but would probably have refused to embrace christianity , if it had been offered them on such hard conditions , some others of them ( who were gentiles by birth ) being perhaps proselytes to moses and christ together , partakers of the infelicity of those who are mentioned , act : . . that by the doctrine of the pharisee . christians ( or beleivers of the sect of the pharisees ) had at their entrance on the faith , a necessity of receiving judaisme also prest upon them . this saint paul testifies clearely of saint peter , gal. . . that he constrained the gentiles to judaize , to receive the mosaicall as well as christian law , and himselfe durst not converse or eat with the gentiles whilst any jewish christians were by , v. . by which whether doctrine or complyance of saint peter , it was no strange thing if it came to passe , that those which were by him converted to the faith , ( as eusebius and other ecclesiasticke historians agree that the romans were , vid. ec. hist. l. . c : , & . ) although they were christians in the positive part , acknowledging so much as was answerable to the now-articles of the creed , &c. yet being not so in the negative , concerning the evacuating of the judaicall law ( but rather perswaded of the contrary ) could no more eate swines flesh , then a meere jew could do ; and therefore 't is saint chrysostome's opinion that these being so wedded to those judaicall observances , rather then they would eate forbidden flesh , would in universum eate no flesh at all , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , and so came to eate nothing but hearbes , rom. . . § of these therefore that were thus weake in faith , v. . that is either infirme , feeble , uninstructed christians , babes not men ; or else ; ( as the fathers enlarge the sence , and as weaknesse {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} mostly imports in the new testament ) sick & diseased in mind , brought up in this judaicall error , the apostle ro. . gives these directions . . that the stronger , healthfuller , i. e. more knowing and more orthodox christians should {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( the vulgar read assumere ) take them to them , first freindly to afford them communion , and not seperate from them for this errour , . labour to cure their malady , get them out of their errour , and not leave them in the pride and folly of their owne hearts , to judge and censure those who have done nothing amisse , but rather desire their good ( which saint chrysostome understands by {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , and so saint jerome also , intending it thus , nolite secundum vestras cogitationes , quae lex non judicat judicare , alius enim credit &c. ) and from that verse observes , that though the apostle exhorts the strong , yet he covertly reprehends , and on their backs as it were whips , the weak or erroneous judaizers , first in saying they are sicke , . in bidding {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} which is an evidence saith he , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} that they are in very ill case , and . in mentioning {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} which notes ( saith he ) that they judge and censure those that least deserve it , and that are willing to communicate with them , and labour the curing of them ; and indeed that these weake ones did so judge the strong is plaine , v. . where the exhortation is distinct , let not him that eateth not , judge him that eateth . ) . that the knowing againe should not vilify or set at naught the weaker [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} v. . ] not call him racha , empty sencelesse fellow , not reproach or scoff at his scrupulous conscience , but in charity suppose it to proceed from want of knowledge onely , and consequently to have the excuse and benefit of that gospell antidote , weaknesse or ignorance to plead for it , . that the stronger christians ( which although they have liberty , yet are not obliged alway to make use of it ) absteine from those lawfull enjoyments which those weake ones , which count them unlawfull , may yet by their example be embolden'd against conscience to venture on . § but then on the other side , the weake or sicke erroneous christian , that cannot with a good conscience use that liberty himselfe , is commanded . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} that he do not judge or censure the strong , upon a reasons : . because {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , v. . god hath by calling him to the faith , assumed or received the strong ( as that strong had beene exhorted to do the weake v. . ) {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} to freindship or communion first , ( as {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} is used philem. . ) then to helpe and cure him of his former defect or disease , and bring him to perfect health & growth in christianity : and dly . because he is gods servant and domesticke , and stands and falls to his owne master v. . ly . that he be sure never to do any thing against conscience , or which he is not fully perswaded in minde , that it is lawfull for him . § having thus seene the state of those romans , it will be superfluous to adde much about the corinthians in the almost parallel place cor. . this only difference will be worth noting between them , that ( as there were two sorts of proselytes among the jewes , one of justice , or of those that undertooke the observation of the whole judaicall law ; the other of the gates , those that received only the precepts of the sons of noah , of which the absteining from things offered to idols was one , and as when the difference was betwixt the brethren , act. . whether the gentile-converts should be circumcised v. . i. e. be admitted proselytes of justice , or only receive the precepts of noah , absteine from things offered to idols &c : v. it was determin'd in the councell of the apostles , that it should suffice , if they were proselytes of the gates , and therefore they tell them that if they thus be entred , absteine from things offered to idolls , &c. they shall do well , so ) the romans being either jewes , or under the first head of jewish proselytes , in st chrysostomes opinion , and so thinking themselves bound to all legall mosaicall abstinences , the corinthians were only under the second , and so by their principles , which they had received of those , who converted , baptised , and begot them in the faith , ( and that according to the result of that apostolick consultation act. . ) did continue to thinke it unlawfull to eate any thing offered to idols , or that came from an idoll feast ( which yet by the way st paul resolves was but an errour in them , cor. . . and by that judgement of his you see the unobligeingnesse of that interdict , act. . ) and therefore ( in like manner , as before ) those , that were better instructed then they , ought to have that charity to them , as not to do any thing in their presence which might by the example draw them to venture on that which was against their conscience , especially considering , that they had not knowledge or understanding enough to judge how nothing an idoll was v : . § , having thus compared the romans and corinthians with the galathians , and given some account of the reason of their different usage , it will not be amisse to add what st chrysostome observes to be the cause of the like difference in saint pauls behaviour to the colossians from that fore-mentioned to the romans . it is a speciall passage in his prooeme to the epistles . where having mentioned the order wherein the epistles were written , different from the order of setting them in our bookes , concludes that this was no unprofitable disquisition , for thereby many passages in the booke would be interpreted : as , that rom. . he condescends to the weake brethren , but not so col. . which saith he was for no other reason , but because , that to the romans was written before the other , and therefore as physitians and masters deale not so sharply with scholers or patients at first , as afterwards , so the apostle in the beginning {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , adding that he was not so familiar with the romans as yet , having never been amongst them at the time of writing that epistle to them , as appeareth ro. . § by all this 't is cleare indeed , that those which are thus weake ( either in the notion of babes or sicke men ) so that they are not able to discerne lawfull from unlawfull ( as the idoll to be nothing cor. . . ) meerely for want of sufficient instruction , or somewhat proportionable to that , principles of understanding , or the like ; but especially if they received those errors or mistakes together with their christianity from the apostle , or from the church which gave them baptisme , they must then , in meekenesse be instructed , and cured of their ill habit of soule : . not be vilified or reproacht : yea thirdly be so charitably considered , that till they have received satisfaction of conscience and reformation of error , we are not to do any thing in their presence , that may by the example bring them to do what their conscience is not perswaded to be lawfull , or if we do , we are said to scandalize a weake brother , i. e. an erroneous christian . but then withall 't is as cleare : that those who have first received the true doctrine , and are for some good time rooted in it , that are otherwise taught by the church that gave them baptisme , are not within the compasse of this the apostles care , but ( as the galathians ) to be reprehended , chid , and shamed out of their childish errors , these diseases of soule that their owne itching eares have brought upon them : that they that have knowledge in other things , nay are able to distinguish as critically as any , even to divide a person from himselfe , and obey one when they assault the other , ( and by their subtlety in other matters demonstrate their blindenesse in this one to be the effect of malice , of passion , of lusts , of carnality , and not of any blamelesse infirmity or impotence , ) are againe excluded from the apostles care : and so thirdly that they that are come to these errors by the infusions of false teachers , which not the providence of god but their owne choice hath helpt them to , preferring every new poyson before the ancient dayly food of soules , have no right to that care or providence of the apostle , any farther then every kinde of sinner hath right to every thing in every fellow christians power which may prevent or cure his malady , i. e. by the generall large rule of charity , and not the closer particular law of scandall . nay fourthly , that the case may be such , and the adversaries of christian liberty , the opposers of the use of lawfull ceremonies so contrary to weake blamelesse mistakers , that it may be duty not to allow them the least temporary complyance , but then to expresse most zeale in retaining our lawfull indifferent observances , to vindicate our liberty from enslavers when the truth of christ would be disclaimed by a cowardly condiscending , the adversaries of our faith confirmed and heightned , and the true weakeling seduced , ( a copy of which we read in st peters {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , gal. . . and barnabat and the jewish converts being carried away with it . v. . falling by his example into the same fault of dissimulation pusillanimity , non-profession of the truth ) which is a most proper kind of scandall , as frequent and incident , as any , and so being as dangerous , as fit also to be prevented . to which i might add a fifth proposition also , that the apostles speech of scandall rom. . and cor. . hath been thought by holy men among the ancients to have much of civility in it , at the most to be but an act of apostolicall care for those weak ones , ( proportionable to those which in other places he prescribes for every other kinde of sinner ) both which are farre enough from being able to infer any claime or challenge of those weak for themselves , any farther then what the first part of it amounts to , that of instruction ; or at least the second , that of not being vilified , as the sicke hath right to the physitian , to cure him and not to reproach him , civilly to get him out of his malady , i. e. to rectifie not to scoffe at his mistake . for that he should challenge any right to the third part of that care , that he should restraine me from the use of my lawfull liberty , because else he will sin against his owne conscience , do after me what he resolves unlawfull to do , supposes a willfull sin of his to be to him a foundation of dominion over me , & so that every man that will thus damne himselfe , doth for that merit and acquire command over me , which if it be supposed , is sure as wild an extravagant irregular way to power , as that of its being founded in gratia , or any that these worst daies experience hath taught us . § having thus farre expatiated on this last kinde of scandall , and taken in that which is proper to it , and also that which is more distant from it , i shall now resolve it necessary to add yet one thing more , instrumentall to the understanding of this kind of scandall in the stricter notion of it , by way of farther caution and restraint , and 't is this , that § this being offended , stumbling and falling in this third and last sence , is not to be extended to all kinds of sins , which a man may commit upon occasion of another mans indifferent action ; but only to that one kind , that consists in doing that after him , either doubting or against conscience , which he did with an instructed conscience ; or at most to this other kind also , of doing some unlawfull thing which anothers lawfull action was yet by mistake conceived to give authority to ; and which that man probably would not have done , had not that mistaken example thus embolden'd him . for if all sinnes that by any accident might be occasioned by my indifferent action , should come under the nature of being offended or scandaliz'd , consequently i must be interdicted all indifferent actions at all times , because at all times each of them may occasion ( by some accident ) some sin in another : and 't will be impossible for me to foresee or comprehend all such accidents that may occasion such sins . an action of mine may by accident produce a contrary effect ; my fasting from flesh may move another ( that dislikes me ) by way of opposition to me , to eate flesh , though in conscience he be perswaded he ought not ; as in philosophy there is a thing call'd antiperistasis ( by which excessive cold produces heat ) and equivocall generations , as when living creatures are begotten of dust and slime : and for such accidentall , perhaps contrary productions , no law makes provision , no care is effectuall : only for those effects , that per se , of their owne accord are likely to follow ( as transcribing a copy is a proper consequent only to the writing of it ) these the law of the apostle belongs to , and to them our care and spirituall prudence must be joined , so that we do nothing , though to us never so lawfull , which we have reason to feare , that another who thinkes it unlawfull , may yet , without satisfying his conscience , be likely to do after us , or on occasion of which he may probably do something else , which otherwise he would not venture to doe . § having thus far dealt in the retaile & gone over all the kinds of scandall single , we may now ascend to the consideration of all in grosse , and then also these corollaries will be found true , that from all the kinds of scandall it is cleare . . that no man is offended or scandaliz'd , but he that fals into some sin , and therefore to say i am scandalized , in the scripture sense is to confesse i have done that which i ought not to have done : and then my onely remedy must be repentance and amendment . § that to be angry greived , troubled at any action of another , is not [ to be offended ] in the scripture sense , nor consequently doth it follow , that i have done amisse in doing that which another man is angry at , unlesse my action be in it selfe evill . for if it be not , then he is angry without cause , and that is his fault , not mine ; yea and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , he judges or censures his brother that hath done no hurt , which the weake is forbid to do . rom. . and secondly , he is of all men most unlikely to do that after me , which he is angry at me for doing , and therefore i have least reason to feare , or possibility to foresee , that he will be scandaliz'd in the scripture phrase : which feare or foresight were the onely just motive to me to absteine from any justifiable indifferent action . § the occasion of the mistake ( or in the philosophers stile the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) the reason that men thinke it a fault to doe any indifferent thing that another is angry or displeased at , is first the equivocallnesse of the english phrase to be offended , for that in english signifies to be displeased : but in greeke ( the language wherein the new testament is written ) it signifies no such matter , unlesse by accident , when being displeased with christ , makes a man deny him and forsake him : but then also 't is not the being displeased , but the forsaking or denying him that is meant by being offended , that is scandaliz'd . § or . the use of a word that sounds like this in that notable chapter concerning scandall ro. . for there indeed v. . this phrase is used , [ if with thy meat i. e. with thy eating , thy brother is greived , or made sorry . ] where yet . i hope 't will be much more just that that one single word should receive its importance from the whole context , then the whole context from that one word . the whole context from the . to the last v. belongs to the sort of scandall , when a weak brother seeing me eat what is lawfull for me , because my conscience is instructed , followes me , & eats too , though it be with a doubting or resisting conscience ▪ and so fals into sin ; as appeareth v. . to him that thinketh a thing uncleane or unlawfull , to him it is so , and therefore if he shall do it , he sins by so doing , & v. . he that doubteth is damned if he eat , and therefore in all probability that must be the meaning of the verse also . [ is greived ] i. e. wounded , or fals into sin . ] explained by words v. . stumbling , being offended , and being weak or sick . and so it may easily be resolv'd to signify . for secondly {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , greife , may be taken for the cause of greife , a disease , or wound , or fall &c. as feare in scripture signifies danger , which is the cause of feare , according to a vulgar hebraisme ordinary in the new testament , where for want of the conjugation hiphil , which in hebrew signifies [ to make to do any thing ] the greek is faine to use the active to do . an observation which hugo grotius makes use of to explaine that phrase ( i shall not enquire how truly ) mat. . . and resolves that there {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} [ committeth adultery ] must signify [ maketh her from whō he divorceth to commit adultery ] parallel to what we read , mat. . . so also {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , to bewaile cor. ▪ . signifies to punish , to use sharpnesse , which will cause greife , or wailing in them that suffer it . the word is very neare this other of which now we speake , and therefore hesychius ( the best glossary for the new testament ) renders {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} both by {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} calamity , & {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} greife , i. e. greife and the cause of greife ; which is also very observable in the use of this very word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} in the septuagint ; the word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} which signifies infirme or weak , or sick , being rendred {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , lam. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , where we render my heart is faint , and so is . . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the whole heart is faint , by faintnesse meaning sicknesse , which is the cause of greife ; and therefore the same hebrew word , is in other places rendred {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , affliction or pain , and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} disease deut. . . agreeable to the verse of that ro . where stumbling or being offended is explained by being made weak , which phrase is not to be taken in the sense that weakenesse is used in , v. , a. that of infirmity or errour ( for such he is , before stumbling ) but in this other , as weaknesse and disease , i. e. sin , are all one . so also another hebrew word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} which signifies perdition , and destruction , and is frequently rendred by {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , is once interpreted {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} pr. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , for which our english read , ready to perish ▪ very agreeable to which doth st paul here interpret greiving the brother by destroying him , i. e. bringing him into some snare or sin ; the notion of scandal , which all this while we speake of . from all which observations , and analogies it will be no rashnesse to conclude , that {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , being greived , in that place , is perfectly synonymous with {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( which we there render is made weak , and indivers places of the new testament signifies {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} disease , or sicknesse , and is so rendred by us jam. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} is any man sick ) and with {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} cor. . . in the same matter , thy brother is weak , and dieth , or perisheth through weaknesse , and with the like phrase in this chapter also , in the end of v. . all which clearly denotate the disease or perishing of the soule , i. e. sin , which will destroy , if repentance and mercy intervene not . § the ( which is indeed the maine ) occasion of the mistake , is an ordinary but an unjustifiable humour of men , to accuse & condemn all whom they do not like , i. e. a desire to lay some crime to the charge of them , with whom they are angry , if it be but se defendendo , that they may not be said to be angry without a cause , and when they cannot find any such reall crime , then they fly to the case of scandall , and mistaking that for offending , or displeasing , or occasioning anger and dislike , their being angry with them , must make them with whom they are angry , criminous ; which what a circle it is , first to be angry without a cause , and then to make that a cause of anger , ( i. e. a sin in the other ) because i am angry , i conceive will not be hard for any to understand . § i will only add , that if another mans displeasure or anger at my indifferent action , should make that my indifferent action a sin against him , then any mans sin of uncharitablenesse against me must make me to be uncharitable , for so i should be , if i sinned against him in scandalizing him ▪ but if i were not so before , his sin ( being utterly accidentall and extrinsecall to me ) shall not , i hope , make me to be so now . § to all which i shall here insert this appendage , that even for proper-scripture scandals , the criminousnesse of them is not to be measured by the event , but by the naturall scandalousnesse , or aptnesse to give scandals inherent in them ; for i conceive god passes judgment upon sinners by intuition , not by prevision , by seeing what the sin is in it selfe , and in the aggravating circumstances that are inseperable from it ( as that it is apt to give scandals &c. ) not by the casuall consequents that may possibly either follow or not follow . and i conceive , that that opinion of the papists ( on which they lay part of the foundation of their purgatory ) that men may after their deaths sin , and have more acts of sin lying on them , ( by reason of other men sinning by the scandall which they gave in their lives ) then they had at their death , and so require in just recompence , some punishments increasable above what they could be adjudg'd to at their death , is but a phansy or schoole notion , that hath some shew of truth , but little substance , seeing god punisheth every man by the verdict of his owne conscience ; and therefore that other sin , which my sin is apt to produce in another , will be by way of aggravation , laid to my charge by god , that sees my heart , and the inherent scandalousnesse of that action of mine , ( though that other man by the grace of god do resist the temptation which my scandall gave him ) as much as if he had not resisted it , & so as his not sinning shall not excuse & lessen my fault which was apt to have brought him to sin ; so in like manner , if he do not resist the temptation , or if by occasion of it , he fall by accident ( i. e. by the motion of some other part of his temper ) into some other sin , to wit that of causlesse anger ( which no action of another can be said apt to produce ; for if it might , the anger would cease to be causlesse ) this accidentall fall of his shall not add to the sinfulnesse of my act , any more then his former not sinning did detract from it , nor consequently make it sinfull , if of it selfe it were not so . § you will best judge of this truth by an example . that heliodor a bishop committed a fault , first in writing , then in setting forth an amorous light fiction or romance , and then improving that fault by choosing rather to loose his bishoprick then to subscribe the condemnation of his worke , is and may be reasonably acknowledged ; that some men also by reading that author have since been transported to the commission of some sins , may not improbably be imagined ; but having granted all this ( and withall that the aptnesse to give such scandall , was matter of aggravation to his sin ) let me now suppose , that immediately after his death that book had been burnt ( as before his death it was condemn'd ) when he was no longer able to preserve it , would the councels condemning and committing that execution upon that worke , any whit have mitigated his sentence in heaven ? to affirme that , were to suppose purgatory , or somewhat like it , or else that god by his foresight of that act of the councell should have allowed him that mitigation at the day of his particular judgment , i. e. imputed the casuall future actions of others to the present acquitting of him ; and then , besides the many inconveniences that might attend such concessions it must also follow , that every reprinting of that book since that time , hath been a damnable sin ( not only of giving scandal to such as have been since infected by it , but especially ) of uncharitablenes to that poor dead bishop , in increasing his torments , or making them capable of increase ever since , by giving him a capacity of corrupting more readers ; which humanity and charity , and our great obligations to the nature of which we partake , would not permit any good christian to do willingly ; and besides though our prayers may not be allowed to be able to fetch soules out of purgatory , yet such a not reprinting of his book might do somewhat like it , prevent the enlargement of his paines , though not make expiation for him . so againe when those obscene pictures that historians mention ( as i remember in tiberius his time ) after the authors death were burnt , and not permitted liberty to corrupt the eyes of posterity , but aretynes have had that lucke to do it , it would by that schoole reason follow , that aretyne though in the worke and the designe but equall sinner , were yet by this mishap of not perishing , become far more criminously guilty , then that other author ; which sure to affirme were a very irrationall nicety . § , . a third corolary , from the view of all the places together will be this , that to give scandall is then most criminous , when it signifies by my example to bring another man to a sin , especially if this scandalous action of mine be of it selfe a sin , abstracted from the sin adherent of scandall ; and then let any indifferent man judge in what degree may those be truly said to scandalize or offend others ( or indeed how they can be excused from that crime ) who by being angry with me without a cause , and so committing that sin against christ's law , mat. . . do also by so doing not only provoke and tempt me to anger back againe , which is a sin in me , if i yeild to it , and that more then accidentally caused by them that provoke me , eph. . . but give other men , who have a good opinion of their judgment and sanctity , a plaine patterne of that sin of uncharitablenesse to transcribe & copy out , i meane , to sin also by causlesse anger . § . that the great sin of scandall in the use of things indifferent , that saint paul speaks of , and resolves against , ro. . is the sin of uncharitablenesse , or pride in despising and not condescending to the weake brother meaning by the weake brother not every one that may fall into any sin ( for so everyone living will come under that title ) but particularly in him that is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} weake and ignorant and unsetled in the faith ; as it is opposed to the strong . i. e. the knowing christian . § and then let any judge whether this can belong to them who professe themselvs leaders of others , and would be unwilling to be counted ignorant , and particularly who in the points wherein they professe themselves to be offended , are so knowingly resolv'd , that they will never be induced to do that after me which they affirme themselves scandalized at : which you may discerne , because they are angry and inveigh against me for doing of it , and do not so much as pretend that they are by my example inclined to do what i do , and so scandalized ; but only angry at me , or my action , and so offended . § mean while i cannot but confesse that any mans wilfull sin , though it cannot be called weaknesse in our vulgar notion ; yet in the other notion of weaknesse , for disease of soule , it may well passe ; and deserve to be the object of my charity and compassion , as much or more then weaknesse is : and therefore the uncharitablenesse of my brother or his causlesse anger against me being such , i conceive my selfe bound to use any lawfull meanes which i can hope may be able to prevent any such sin in him , or to get or recover him out of it ; especially if that sin of his may become probably over and above his uncharitablenesse , a meanes to stop or hinder him in his course of reformation , or farther growth in piety ; as probably it will be , if i against whom he is thus unjustly wrath , be his lawfull pastor ; for then that causlesse anger or rage of his against me may , through his farther default , occasion in him some vow or resolution , never to heare me , never to be moved or perswaded by me in any thing , that out of the pulpit or in private reasoning or exhortation , i shall ( never so convincingly ) propose unto him . § in this case it may be demanded , whether i ought in charity to absteine from this indifferent action , which i foresee will be the matter , though not the cause of all this sin in him , of uncharitablenesse and non-proficiency in his christian course , and whether if i do not so absteine this be not to scandalize my brother ? to which i breifly answer , . that this anger or uncharitablenesse of his , is not the being scandaliz'd in the scripture sence , nor consequently in that respect my action a scandall , though it be the matter of the anger , or that which he is angry with . § secondly , 't is true indeed that his resolving against my preaching is in him to be scandaliz'd , i. e. to fall and be stopt in the service of god : but this only in a generall sense ; as every other such hard-hearted obdurate resisting of gods grace is , or may be called also : and that which occasions this being scandaliz'd , is not my indifferent action , but his anger or uncharitable conceit of me for it , unlesse equivocally , or remotely , as my action is the object of that anger , which anger is the author of that profane resolution . § yet thirdly , if i might foresee that my indifferent action would occasion , though unjustly , his anger , and his anger produce the effect before mentioned , i thinke i should doe well to absteine from that indifferent action , in charity to him . § but that with these cautions , . unlesse my indifferent action be ordinable to some good christian use , and designed by me to it ; for then , as the jewes resolve that a tree set for fruit though it chance to be worship't , is not made unlawfull by that meanes , so that indifferent usefull action of mine will not be made unlawfull by the possibility of that ill consequent : or secondly unlesse that action in it selfe indifferent , by lawfull authority be commanded , and so cease to be indifferent to me who am under that authority : or thirdly , unlesse my absteining may as probably prove matter of anger to some other of contrary perswasions . or fourthly , unlesse that my absteining , or receding , or undoing what before i had done , be more likely to confirme him in his errour ( which otherwise in time being not yeilded to , he may forsake ) then to prevent or allay his causlesse anger and those effects of it . or fifthly , unlesse i use some meanes in prudence not only sufficient , but probable to prevent this sin of unjust anger in him before , or to reform it afterward . § but if my absteining be like to fall into all or any of these inconveniences , then sure i ought not thus to absteine ; because when these consequences doe attend my absteining , they are nearer and more immediate to my absteining , then his resolving against my preaching , is to my doing of it . § and another consideration also may be taken , that he that will so causlesly be angry and resolve against the ordinary meanes of his salvation , will by the suggestion of the devill or temptation of his owne corrupt humour , be likely to find out some other matter of quarrell against me & my preaching , i. e. against his owne salvation , though i by absteining from that particular action , deprive him of that . § and lastly , though i shall not define , yet i would have it considered , whether he that is so disposed in soule and affection , that so gives up the reines of his passions , as upon every or no occasion to breake out into causlesse anger , uncharitablenesse , and the effects of it forementioned , be at all the more innocent or lesse culpable in the sight of god by the not committing of some one act of that sin , only through wanting that or any other one occasion of committing that act . for as in good things god accepts the will for the deed ( if it be a firme & ratified will , a full actuall intention , & want nothing but opportunity to shew it selfe ) & againe accepts him that hath exprest that will by ten only acts , being by want of opportunity deprived of a possibility of adding one act more to the number , aswell as him , which having the opportunity that the other wanted , hath exceeded him in the number of outward acts . so there may be some reason to feare , that an unresisted unrestrained propension or consent to evill , that wants nothing , but an occasion to actuate it , will be as criminous in the sight of god , as if ( without any improvement or change , but only by meeting with that occasion ) it break forth into act : or that an habituall inclination to sin in one man ten times actuated in the members , having no more occasions to actuate it , shall be as sadly punished , as the same degree of inclination and intention through presence of occasion once more actuated . § the same consideration will be proper to other particulars incident to the matter of scandall . as when any thirsty drunkard actually importunate in the pursuite of his espoused sin , shall by occasion of my feast fall into an open act of that sin , ( and a hundred the like . ) the question then may be , whether supposing him bent to excesse , and not only habitually guilty of it , but actually intent upon it , & only kept off by want of occasion , he would have had lesse guilt upon his soule , if i had not then invited him . i conceive it hard to maintaine the affirmative , for though with men , who see not the heart , no sin is punishable but that in the members ( unlesse in case of treason ) yet with god the sin of the heart and the hand seems to be equally great , the act of the mind & the act of the body ; and the minutely preparations of that to sin as punishable , as the minutely execution of this . as in the schoolmens resemblance the pressing of the stone to the ground is as great when it is withheld by my hand , as when it is actually moving toward the center . § i confesse there is somewhat to be said , and perhaps with probability , on the other side . and i thinke saint augustine somewhere expresseth his opinion , that though in good things god mercifully accepts the will for the deed , yet out of the same mercy and indulgence he punisheth not so in evill things ; yet because saint augustine may perhaps meane the incompleate and not perfect act of the will , ( which though we yeild to be lesse then the outward act , yet the compleate act of the will , wanting nothing but opportunity of execution , may still be as great , ) or however , because there are not such demonstrable grounds of resolution , as to yeild cleare conviction to all in this matter , and to assure the christian , that such an addition of any outward act of sin shall make the punishment the heavier to the habituall sinner , and so the absence of that outward act alleviate it ; therefore , although i said i thinke he should doe well to absteine , i dare not yet affirme that he is bound in charity to do so ; nothing but charity binding him to it , and the man that still hath that propension unresisted , being ( upon this supposition , which we have made not improbable ) like to reape little profit from that charity . as free , and not using your liberty for a cloake of maliciousnesse , but as the servants of god . pet. . . but i say unto you , that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement . mat. . . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . so in polycarpus's epist. to the philipp . p. . where {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} is joyned with {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} &c. lud : de deiu {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} from {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . thess. . . thal. c. . de idol . c. . c. . c. . maimov . d : i. col . c. . a testimony against gaming, musick, dancing, singing, swearing and peoples calling upon god to damn them. as also against drinking to excess, whoring, lying, and cheating. commended to the consciences of all people in the sight of god, but more especially to those, who keep publick houses. kelsall, john. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing k c estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a testimony against gaming, musick, dancing, singing, swearing and peoples calling upon god to damn them. as also against drinking to excess, whoring, lying, and cheating. commended to the consciences of all people in the sight of god, but more especially to those, who keep publick houses. kelsall, john. sheet ([ ] p.) printed by t. sowle, at the crooked billet in holloway-lane, shoreditch; and are to be sold near the meeting-house in white-hart-court in crace-church-street, [london] : . signed: john kelsall. place of publication supplied by cataloger. torn; print faded, with some loss of text. reproduction of the original in the friends house library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . dance -- controversial literature -- early works to . gambling -- controversial literature -- early works to . singing -- controversial literature -- early works to . swearing -- controversial literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a testimony against gaming , musick , dancing , singing , swearing , and peoples calling upon god to damn them . as also against drinking to excess , whoring , lying and cheating . commended to the consciences of all people in the sight of god , but more especially to those , who keep publick houses . first , see that you suffer none to play at any sort of game in your houses , viz. cards , dice , tables , shuffle-board , and the like ; for in so doing you will displease the lord , and may cause him to bring a blast upon all your undertakings : but on the contrary , reprove and admonish such in god's fear . for it never was the practice of god's people in the primitive times to game away their precious time , which the lord gave them to work out their own salvation in ; neither is it the practice of them that are christians in deed , in this day , though the nominal christians may plead for it . therefore you that know the life of true christianity , bear your testimonies faithfully agianst gaming , for it is as it were a piece of witchcraft : for when mens hearts and minds are exercised in it , they are even overcome by the same , and so are serving the enemy of their own immortal souls with all their strength , and the fear of the lord is not before their eye● ; for when the hearts and minds are exercised in their games , it is , as it were , their god , and often times tends to quarrelling , fighting and blood-shed . it is therefore good for all that are christians in deed and in truth , to bear your testimonies against gaming ; for this is certainly true , that the lord and his truth is dishonoured by admitting people to game in your houses : therefore be careful in bringing honour to god by bearing your testimonies for him and his truth , against that that is displeasing unto the lord , and hurtful unto your own poor souls . secondly , see that you suffer none to play upon any sort of musick , nor any to dance , sing or swear in your houses ; but bear your testimonies against such things , both by reproving them in god's fear and love , and in obstructing the same : for they are all displeasing in the sight of the lord ; and may cause his judgments to come upon your houses and families . therefore to prevent the same from coming upon you , live up to that gift which the lord hath given you , that you may stand in your places , and bear a testimony for the lord and his truth in your day , age and generation ; then will the lord bless and prosper you , both inwardly and outwardly , and in all that you undertake ; and all that do rejoyce , let them rejoyce in the lord. musick is a thing , that stealeth the hearts of them that play upon it , or adhere unto it , from the lord , ( and tends to raise up a light , airy , frothy , wanton mind ; for they that live in pleasure , are dead while they live ; and they that live wantonly , kill the just ) for when mens hearts and minds are exercised by it , they remember not the lord that made them and all mankind for a purpose of his own glory ; but spend away their precious time in that which the lord by his prophet amos bore testimony against , as you may read in the th chapter of the prophecy of that prophet , in which he pronounceth a doe unto them that chaunt unto the viol , and invent unto themselves instruments of musick , like unto david . do such remember their creator in the days of their youth ? no ; they have rather forgotten their maker , which would be their saviour , if they would come to be saved by him , from their perishing fading vanities , which god and his people are against . singing and dancing are of the same root and ground with gaming and musick , &c. all which proceed from that seed , which the enemy of man and womans salvation hath sown in the hearts of the children of disobedience , which enemy is the devil , who walks about , seeking whom he may devour . and such who let loose their hearts , minds and affections after those things , pursuing and following with greediness after the same , are making an idol of them , and do desire more after them , than they do after the knowledge of god , whom to know is life eternal : and so hereby god , who alone ought to be sought after and bowed down unto , is robbed of that which is his right , even the praise , the honour and the glory of his name , which ought to be given unto him from every reasonable creature , that he 〈…〉 mankind to serve the lord above all things , even with all their souls , and all 〈…〉 and not run into fading vanities , which perish in the using , and which bring tribulation , anguish and wrath upon all that are found in them : for god will not be mocked ; such as every man sows , such they must reap from divine justice , who renders unto every man according unto his deeds , without respect of persons . some that delight in musick may object , that david and others of the people of god , did play upon instruments of musick . answer , david and others , who were faithful to god , did not play upon instruments of musick to stir up , raise and elevate a vain , sinful , unclean mind in themselves or any others ; but their playing upon and use of instruments of musick , being under the shadowy dispensation of the law , what they did herein , they did it unto the lord. the priests under the law had a command to sound trumpets , which was a sort of musick ; and david and others made use of other instruments , as the flute , harp , and cymbal ; and this they did in honour and praise to the lord , and not to stir up a vain , wanton , light , airy fleshly and ungodly mind , as it may be seen in the scriptures of truth . again , some may plead for dancing , because david danced before the ark. answ . this dancing was in the time of the law , and was a token of his rejoycing because of the ark of god , which was brought back out of the philistians land , who were enemies to god and his people : this dancing was not like the dancing of the vain , wanton and prophane persons of our age , nor yet like the dancing of herodi●'s 〈◊〉 , who danced before kings 〈◊〉 who after she had danced , demanded the head of the man of god , john the baptist , and had it , being thereunto instructed by her malicious mother . as concerning singing and rejoycing ; true singing and rejoycing the lord god did own under the law , which was shadowy , and stood in many carnal ordinances , which were to continue until the time of reformation , as saith the apostle , heb. . . which time is the time of the gospel , which is come . again , god did and doth own singing in the spirit under the dispensation of the gospel ; but the singers that god doth own under the gospel-dispensation , are those who are first taught by him to mourn for , repent of , and forsake their sins ; such who are led by the spirit of the lord to mourn for , repent of , and forsake their sins , in the same spirit they may sing , as it moves and leads them . the apostle paul said , i will sing with the spirit and with vnderstanding , . cor. . . and it is written , isa . . . the redeemed of the lord shall return to sion with songs of deliverance . and it is written , rev. . . they that were redeemed from the earth , sang the ●ong of moses and the lamb. and wise solomon said , ( eccles . . , . ) sorrow is better than laughter ; and it is better to go into the house of mourning than into the house of mirth : mourning , in the vnregenerate , in the sence of their sins , is better than laughter and singing . and god will turn the songs of the wicked into mourning , amos . . and christ said , mat. . . every idle word that men shall speak , they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment . and the apostle james saith , who among you seem to be religious , and bridleth not his tongue , but deceiveth his own heart , this mans religion is vain , james . . observe , that nebuchadnezar , the heathen king , and his company of idolaters , had musick , ( viz. ) the sound of the cornet , flute , harp , sacbut , psaltery and dulcimer , and all kinds of musick , when they worshipped the golden image , that he had set up : these were they which cast the three children into the fiery furnace . this their musick and rejoycing was wicked and ungodly . again , observe , the apostle said unto the true christians , be ye not drunk with wine , wherein is excess , but be filled by the spirit ; speaking to your selves in psalms , hymns , and spiritual songs , singing and making melody in your hearts to the lord , ephes . . . also swearing and calling upon god to damn them , and blaspheming the pure holy and undefiled name of god , proceeds even from the same root , that gaming , musick , singing and dancing do arise and spring from : therefore let none who are found in any of those things ( to wit , in swearing , damning , cursing and blaspheming the name of the lord ) think to escape god's righteous judgments ; for it is written , the lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain . and the lord complains by the prophet jeremiah , because of swearing the land mourneth , jer. . . therefore all you that are concerned as witnesses for god , see , that you bear your testimonies against these things , that the lord may bless you and prosper you in all your vndertakings , that the praise and honour , which is his due , he may receive from you , and you from him a crown of glory , which fadeth not away , when time here shall be no more . john kelsall . in the late king's proclamation against vicious , debauched and prophane persons , &c. dated may the th . in the twelfth year of his reign , are these remarkable passages following . there is a sort of men , of whom we are sufficiently ashamed , who spend their time in taverns , tippling-houses , and debaucheries , giving no other evidence of their affection to us , but in drinking our health , and inveighing against all others , who are not of their own dissolute temper , and who in truth have more discredited our cause , by the licentiousness of their manners and lives , than they could ever advance it by their affection and courage — we reasonably hope , these men will cordially renounce all that licenciousness , prophaneness and impiety , with which they have been corrupted , and endeavoured to corrupt others ; and that they will hereafter become examples of sobriety and virtue — we will not exercise just severity against any malefactors , sooner than against men of dissolute , debauched and prophane lives , with what parts soever they may be otherwise qualified and endowed . — and we hope , all persons of honour , or in place and authority , will so far assist vs in discountenancing such men , that their discretion and shame will persuade them to reform , what their consciences would not . — which may by the example and severity of vertuous men be easily discountenanced , and by degrees suppressed . however for the more effectual reforming these men , who are a discredit to the nation , and unto any cause they pretend to favour and to wish well to ; we require all mayors and sheriffs , and justices of the peace , to be very vigilant and strict in the discovery and prosecution of all dissolute and prophane swearing and cursing . this was reinforced by a second proclamation of the king , the th of august , . charging all ministers to read it once each month , for six months ensuing , and stir up their auditors to observe the said duties , and avoid the said vices . also in the late proclamation by the king and queen , against ●●c●●● , debauched and prophane persons , given at white-hall the st of january , / . because that impiety and vice do still abound in this kingdom , the king and queen declare ( as bound in duty to god , and care for the people . ) thus , viz. we have thought fit to issue this our royal proclamation : and do declare our princely intention and resolution , to discountenance all manner of vice and immorality in all persons , from the highest to the lowest degree , in this our realm ; and we do hereby for that purpose straightly require , charge and command all and singular our judges , mayors , sheriffs , justices of the peace , and all other our officers , &c. in their respective stations , to execute the laws against blasphemy , prophane swearing , drunkenness , lewdness , prophanation of the lord's day or any other dissolute , immoral or disorderly practices , as they will answer it to almighty god , and upon pain of our highest displeasure . and at the general quarter sessions of the peace , held for the county of middlesex at hicks's - hall , the th day of july , . an order was thence issued out pursuant to the queens letter , bearing date the th of july aforesaid , recommending unto the justices the putting in execution those laws , which have been made , and are still in force , against the prophanation of the lord's day , drunkenness , prophane swearing , and cursing , and all other lewd enormous and disorderly practices , which have spread to the dishonour of god , and the scandal of our holy religion ; and to apply themselves with all possible care for the suppressing of the same , and all other sins and vices , particularly those which are now prevailing in this realm , for preventing those iudgments , which are solemnly denounced against the sins abovementioned . and in compliance with the said letter from the queen , the said justices unanimously resolved and declared , that they would put all the laws in execution against prophane swearing , and cursing , and also against the odious and loathsom sin of drunkenness , and against all houses of debauchery , and evil-fame , being vices hateful to god and all good men [ as they also declare . ] also the lord mayor and court of aldermen for the city of london , gave out an order the th . day of august , . wherein they take into their serious consideration , the great prophanation of the lords day , and 〈◊〉 too common practice of cursing and swearing , excess of drinking , and the impudent comnitting of lewdness and debauchery , and the late increase of these vices , and enormities ; and as being sensible , that the severe iudgments of god have usually faln upon nations and cities persisting in such impieties . do therefore require all persons intrusted with the offices of magistracy and administration of justice within the said city and liberties thereof , impartially to execute their several and respective authorities to suppress and prevent the aforesaid scandalous ofences and impieties , by punishing the offenders therein , as the laws and statutes of this realm ha●e provided , with directions thereunto severally . and anno sexto & septimo guilielmi textii regis : there is a penal act of parliament made and entituled . in act for the more effectual suppressing prophane cursing , and swearing : wherein pophane swearing and cursing are called detestable sins , and therefore ordered to be punis●ed by certain fines , and corporal punishments . let all consider israel of old , who when they forgot god ( who had wrought mighty deliverances for them ) how they ran in feasting , dancing and idolatry ; as it is written , they sate down to eat and drink , and rose up to play , and danced about the golden calf , which they had set up . but it was a dismal da●e unto them ; for several thousands of them were destroyed in one day , exod. . , , . 〈◊〉 ●nd every one that sweareth , shall be cut off , &c. zach. . . 〈◊〉 swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adultery , they break out , and blood toucheth blood , hoseae . . ●nd if the righteous scarcely be saved , where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? pet. . . london , , printed by t. sa●le , at the crooked-billet in holloway-lane , shoreditch ; and are tbe sold near the meeting-house in white-hart-court in grace-church-street , . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e dr. ames , de consc . lib. c. . §. . saith , plays which depend meerly or principally of fortune , are of their own nature vnlawful . prov. . . even in laughter the heart is made sorrowful ; and the end of that mirth is heaviness . eccles . . . the heart of the wise , is in the house of mourning ; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth . isa . . . they shall not drink wine with a s●ng ; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it . amos . . and i will turn your feasts into mourning , and all your songs into lamentation job . . they spend their days in wealth , and in a moment go down to the grave . bellarmine conc. . . . &c. saith holydays are in our agee celebrated in a diabolical manner , like baccanaels , devils festivals ; most sins then committed , most feast-songs , bowlings , tavernings , scurrilities , dances with women , as straw with fire . as a further testimony against debauchery , he cites niceph lib. . viz. herodias her daughters head danced upon the ice . ambros de virg. lib. . jerom. epist . . . christ . hom . . on mat. . basil on drunkenness and riot . cicero a heathen promur●●n● says , no sober man danceth , and objects it as a crime to a●onius . notes for div a -e who hath w● ? who hath sorrow ? who hath contentions ? who hath wounds , withoue cause ? who hath redness of eye ? they that tarry long at the wine , they that go to seek mixt wine ; at the last it biteth like a serpent . and slingeth like an adder , see prov. . , , , , , . see also deut. . . . . whose heart turneth away this day from the lord our god , to add drunkenness unto thirst the lord will not spare him , but the anger of the lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man , and the lord shall blot out his name from under heaven . mat. . but he that shall blaspheme , is in danger of eternal damnation a sermon of contentment by t.f. fuller, thomas, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing f ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing f estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a sermon of contentment by t.f. fuller, thomas, - . [ ] p. printed by j.d. for john willams, london : . reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng contentment. conduct of life. sermons, english -- th century. a r (wing f ). civilwar no a sermon of contentment by t.f. fuller, thomas c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - chris scherer sampled and proofread - chris scherer text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a sermon of contentment . by t. f. a minister of gods word . phillip . . . i have learned in whatsoever state i am therewith to be content . london . printed by j.d. for john williams at the crown in st. pauls church-yard . . to the honorable and truly noble sr. john d'anvers knight . sir , this smal sermon may well bee termed zoar , for is it not a little one ? yet it bears good proportion to the short text ; on which it discourseth ; little auditory for which it was composed , and your private chappel wherin it was delivered . as it is smal , so it desired to be secret , and intended no appearance in publike . good was the counsel which iaash gave amaziah . cro. . . abide now at home , especially in our dangerous dayes , when all going , is censurable for gadding abroad without a necessary vocation . but seeing such was your importunitie , to have it printed , that all my excuses to the contrary , which i could alledge with truth , and the delays , which i could make with manners , might not prevaile : i have chosen rather to be accounted undiscreet then uncivil , and have yeelded to your desire . surely sir , heaven can never return a denial to your requests whom i presume , ( by proportion of your earnest desiring so smal a matter ) to be zealous in your desires of hier concernment , that nothing but a grant can give you satisfaction . but the mainest motive , next your importunity , which put me on this publike adventure , was the consideration of my engagements to your noble bounty , above my possibility of deserving it . the apostle with it is part of the duty of a good servant , tit. . v. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , not answering againe . i must confesse my selfe your servant , and therefore it ill beseemed me to dislike or mutter against any thing you was pleased i should doe . thus desiring the continuance and increase of all spiritual and temporal happines on your honour . i commend you to the almighty . t. f. tim. . . but godlinesse with contentment is great gain . in the foregoing verse , st. paul sets down the worldlings prayer , creed , and commandements ; which is their daily desire , beliefe and practise , and all contained in three words ; gain is godlines . now in my text st. paul counter-mines their opinion , or raiseth our antiposition to batter down their false conceit , most elegantly crossing and inverting their words ; but godlines with contentment is great gain . take notice of the unaffected elegancy of the apostle , how clearly and naturally with a little adtion , he turns the worldlings paradox into a christian truth . though sermons may not laugh with light expressions : yet it is not unlawfull for them to smile with delightfull language : alwayes provided , that the sweetnesse of the sawce spoile not the savourinesse of the meat the preacher sought to finde out acceptable or pleasant words , that so his sound matter might be more welcome to his auditors . well , here wee have two contrary opinions set on foot together , 〈◊〉 is godlinesse , faith the worldling , whose gold is his god , looking and telling thereof , his saying of his prayers . godlinesse is great gain , saith god himselfe , by the mouth of the apostle . now as peter in another case , whether it be right to hearken unto man more then unto god , judge yee . the text presents us with a bride . a bride-maide . her great portion . the present payment thereof . the bride godlinesse . we need not enquire further into her pedegree and extraction , she carries her father in her name ; and relates to god the author thereof . . the bride-maid . the virgin her companion that follows her , or her inseparable attendant , contentment . godlinesse with contentment . her great portion , wherein observe the rich ware , gain ; the large measure , great gain . the present payment . not in expectances or reversions ; but down on the naile , presently deposited , is . godlines with contentment is great gain . wee begin with the bride , and in the first place let us put it to the question . what godlines is ? to which quere , severall answers will be made according to mens severall affections . aske some fryer observant , what godlines is , and he will tel you , the wearing of a shirt of hair , girdle of hemp , fasting so often in the week , praying so often in the day with such like canonical devotions . ask the tenacious maintainer of some new upstart opinion , what godlines is ? and he will answer , it is the zealous defending with limb and life of such , and such strangetenets , which our fathers perchance never hard of before ; yea which is worse , such a person wil presume soto confine godlines to his opinion , as to ungodly all others who in the least particular dissent from him . oh , if god should have no more mercy on us , then wee have charity one to another , what would become of us ? indeed christ tearmeth his own a little flock , fear not little flock . but if some mens rash and cruel censures should be true , the number of the godly would be so little , it would not be a flock . it is a true but sad consideration how in all ages , men with more vehemency of spirit have stickled about small and unimportant points then about such matters as most concern their salvation . so that i may say ( these sorrowfull times having tuned all our tongues to military phrases ) some men have lavished more powder and shot in the defence of some sleight out-works which might well have been quitted without any losse to religion , then in maintaing the main platform of piety , and making good that castle of gods service and their own salvation . pride wil be found upon serious enquiry the principall cause hereof . for when men have studied many weeks , moneths or years about some additionall point in divinity , they contend to have the same essentiall to salvation , because it is essentiall to their reputation , least otherwise their discretion be called into question , for taking so much pains in vain , and spending so much precious time about a needlesse matter . hereupon they labour to inhance the value of their own studies , and will have all those mynes gold , which they have discovered ; yea , all their superstructures must be accounted fundamentall : all their far fetcht deductions and consequential results must bereputed tobe immediate and essentiall to godlines ; yea , the very life of godlines must be placed in the zealous asserting the same . but it will be the safest way for us to take adescription of godlinesse from a pen infallible , impartiall , and unconcerned in our modern distractions . even from saint iames himself . pure religion ( or godlinesse ) and undefiled before god and the father is this , to visite the fatherlesse and widdows in their affliction , and to keep himself unspoted from the world . this setteth forth the practicall part of religion , and , as i may term it , the heat of godlinesse . to which if the speculative part , the light of godlinesse bee added , to know the only true god , and iesus christ whom he hath sent , then godlines is made compleat . and godlinesse thus defined admits of a latitude , so that it may consist with some errours in judgement , and infirmities in practise ; provided that the godly person persists in faith , hope and charity , which hold out the summe of religion as to the necessary part thereof . as for all particular forms of church government , ceremonies and outward manner of divine worship , most of them admitting of alteration upon emergencies , and variation according to circumstances of time , place , and persons , ( though these be more or lesse ornamentall to godlinesse , as they neerer or further off relate to divine institution ) yet it is erronious to fixe or place the life or essence of godlinesse therein . wee conclude this point with the words of saint peter of a truth i perceive that god is no respecter of persons ; but in every nation , he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him : yea , in one and the same nation , he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse of what sect , side , party , profession , opinion , church , congregation soever he be is accepted with him , as having true godlines in his heart which with contentment is great gain . come we now to the brid-maid attending her , contentment . contentment is a willing submission of ours to gods will in all conditions . i say willing ; for , if it be patience perforce , what reward have you ? what doe you more then others ? doe not even the publicans and sinners the same ? yea , what doe you more then mules and horses which being kept with bit and bridle quietly carry their ryders which they cannot cast off ; in all conditions , patient in adversity , humble in prosperity , thankfull in both ; looking neither above our estates with the ambitious man to have it higher ; nor beyond it , with the covetous man to spread it broader ; nor besides it with the envivous man , repyning at the estate of others : but directly on the portion god hath given us , and fully satisfied with the same . even justifying gods proceedings unto us , though wee receive from him what flesh & blood would count hard measure , namely , if his divine wisdome should so appoint it , that with just men we perish with our righteousnesse , whilest wicked men prolong their lives in their wickednes . here we must take notice of the conjunction copulative , with . godlines with contentment . which furnisheth us with two profitable observations , . wheresoever there is true godlinesse there is contentment . . wheresoever there is true contentment there is godlines . like saul and ionathan , lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their deaths they are not divided . these twin graces alwayes go together ; true it is , that gods children may often have their fits and qualms of discontentment , as eliah and ionah had : but this proceeds from the imperfections of grace in them ; they are not discontented as they are godly , but as they have a principle of ungodlinesse in them the remnant of carnall corruption . on the other side , no wicked man whatsoever he pretendeth , can have true contentment . remarkable it is that in the same chapter wee finde two brethren laying claim to the grace of contentation , but on different ; yea , contrary titles . esau said , gen. . i have enough my brother , keep that thouhast unto thy self . jacob said , gen. . . god hath dealt graciously with mee because i have enough . now esau's enough was indeed not enough , being onely a proud and vain-glorious brag , scorning and disdaining at the first ( till importunity altered him ) to receive a guift from his younger brother , as if it were a disgrace and disparagement to his greatnes to admit of any addition or accession of his estate from his inferiour . iacobs enough was a true and reall acknowledgement of gods goodnesse to him , resting satisfied with that portion divine providence had alotted him , such contentment alwaies gos with godlines , and is great gain . come we now to the dowery ; and before we descend to the particulars thereof , take notice in generall of gods bountifull dealing with his servants . god might command us to work and give us no wages , and most justly enjoyne us to labour all day in his vineyard , and give us no penny at night ; very good reason . why should we expect to receive profit by him , who return no profit to him . when yee have done all those things which are commanded you : say , wee are unprofitable servants , wee have done that which was our duty to doe ; saul did not give but take a dowry with his daughter , and it is observable that of fore-skins onely were required of david , but he gave for her . such was the super-errogation of his valour ; love and loyalty especially when joyned together , never give scant measure : god in like manner might expect that wee should give him a portion for the attaining of godlines ; all wee can doe all wee can suffer is too little to purchase so precious a grace . yet see the goodnes of god , who knowing he is to deale with such dull workmen , who will take pains no longer then they are paid , whets us on with reward in his service . here i deny not but it is lawfull to look on those blessings and benefits which god reacheth out to us for his service ; moses himself had respect unto the recompence of reward . but two things we must take heed of ; first that wee receive this reward in notion and nature of a meere gratuity , not exactly merited by the condignity of our performances , and onely due unto us by the vertue of gods free promise and not our deserts . secondly , that as we look on the reward , so wee look through and beyond it . it being a good inn for our desires to bait at , but a bad home for them to lodge in ; let us labour to devest our souls of mercenary thoughts , and learn to serve god for himselfe ; active was the affection of sechem to dinah , as appears by his request to iacob and his sonnes . let me finde grace in your eyes , and what yee shall say unto mee , i will give . ask me never so much dowry and gift , and i will give according as yee shall say unto me : but give me the damosel to wife . oh , that our hearts were but wrought to this holy temper , that we should desire godlinesse on any terms , undergo any hardship , though there were neither hell to punish , nor heaven to reward . however great is gods goodnes , who knowing whereof wee are made , and remembring that we are but dust , is pleased to spurre us on in the rase of piety with a reward propounded , godlines with contentment is great gain . . so much in genenerall , that there is a dowry ; now in particular what is the dovvry of godlinesse . it is great gain . great gain , of what ? let saint paul himself , who wrote this epistle tell us , when he cast up his audit , what profit he got by the profession of piety . in labours more aboundant , in stripes above measure , in prisons more frequent , in deaths often . where is the gain , all this while ? perchance it follows , we will try another verse . in journying often , in perils of waters , in perils of robbers , in perils by mine own country-men , in perils by the heathen , in perils in the city , in perils in the wildernes , in perils in the sea , in perils amongst false brethren . where is the gain all this while ? you will say , these were but the apostles adventures , his rich return ( slow but sure ) will come at last . once more we will try . in wearinesse and painfulnesse , in watchings often , in hunger and thirst , in fastings often , in cold and nakednesse . the further we go , the lesse gain we find , cushai said unto david , may all the enemies of my lord the king be as the young man absalom is . but if this be gain , may all the enemies of god and goodnes have plenty thereof . it will never sink into a worldlings head that godlinesse is gain , whilest the grandees of piety are found so poore , eliah begging food of a widdow , peter without gold or silver ; our saviour himself not having where to lay his head . it is confest that the doctrine in the text , can in no wise be made good according to the principles of flesh and blood . our saviour said unto pilate , my kingdome is not of this world . so the sense and interpretation of my text is not of this world , is not carnall but spiritual , not temporal but eternal . this will plainly appear , if these two particulars be well weighed . what the world counts gain , is losse . what the world counts losse is gaine . what the world counts gain is losse . for what will it profit a man if he win the whole world , and loose his own soule . most poore is the condition of those who have plenty of worldly wealth , and are not rich towards god ; country people having a peice of light gold use to fill the indentures thereof with dirt , so to make it the heavier ; but wisemen wil not take dirt for gold in payment . it seems in like manner that wicked men being sensible that they want waight in the scales of the sanctuary , ( tekel thou art waighed in the ballance and found too light ) of set purpose load themselves with thick clay . but all will not make them currant in gods sight , for riches availe not in the day of wrath . they are long in getting with much pains , hard in keeping with much care , quick in loosing with more sorrow . wherefore as the apostle mensions science falsly so called , so this is gain falsly so called by men . secondly , they nicke-name that losse which is gain in very deed , such were all those sanctified afflictions which saint paul suffered . it is confest that thornes and thistles had never grown in the world , had adam stood in his integrity , yet some of them since mans fall cannot well be wanted ; holy thistle ( we know ) hath a soveraign vertue , and sweet bryer hath a pleasant scent . all tribulations are thorns to flesh and blood ( the word imports as much ) yet as sanctified to gods children in christ they become of excellent use , increasing their grace here and glory hereafter ; lynnen new washt though it may dry more by day time , is observed to whiten more in a fair night ; adversity sanctified to a christian soule doth more improve the same in purity and piety , then the constant enjoying of a prosperous condition . but we need goe no further for the proof of the great profit gotten by gods service , then to the words of the apostle . godlinesse hath the promise of the life which now is , and of that which is to come . it is reported of alexander that having conquered the world , he wept because there was no more left for his valour to overcome : but least gods children should have any cause of discontentment , that their joy may have room enough to dilate it self in , see a life and a life , a vvorld and a vvorld , one here and another hereafter , one in possession , another in reversion alotted unto them . come we now to the present payment , is , even at this present instant , god hath done great things for us already , whereof we rejoyce . excellent is the expression of the apostle . or things present , or things to come , all are yours . here some carping curious criticks may challenge st. paul of impropriety of language ; yea , finde both fals grammar and logick in his words , false tense , to say future things are , fals logick , for how can things to come be ours , which be not , but know st. paul spake with languages more then them all , and had no need to learn the congruity of construction from any other . it is good in law to say , this reversion is mine because the reversioner is in present possession of the right to it , though not of the profit by it ; yea , heaven on earth is actually ours already ; the possession of a clear conscience , and the spirit of adoption signs and seals unto us the favour of god , then which , no greater gain . and now as the eunuch said to philip , see here is water , what doth hinder me to be baptized , so say i . behold , here is a bride , godlines , ready provided ; a bride maid , contentment , ready prepared . the great portion presently to be paid . what hinders now but the marriage may instantly proceed , that so we may be wedded and bedded together . but what answered philip to the eunuch ? if thou believest with all thine heart , thou maiest be baptised . so say i. if thou lovest this bride with all thy soule , counting nothing too dear to obtain her , the marriages solemnities may instantly goe on . oh that i had perswasive eloquence effectually to advance this match , the best is , what is vvanting in mee the spokesman , is plentifully supplyed in her the bride . . but two things we must beware of . take heed you mistake not the shaddow for the substance , the picture for the person . saint paul tels us of some , who have the forme of godlinesse , but deny the power thereof . the poets tels us of many who at first were suiters to penelope the mistresse , but at last were married to the maids which attended her . it is to be feared that many who pretend to love godlinesse it self , fall at last a courting and woeing of the forme , the meer outside and garb of religion , and content themselves with the same : wherein an hypocrite may equally , yea exceed the sincerest saint and servant of god . lastly , beware least thy coveteous heart rather love the portion then the person , have more minde to the gaine then the godlines . we finde how the next kinsman was very ready to redeem the parcel of naomies land which was his brother elimelechs . but as soon as withall he heard , hee must take ruth to wife , he fell back from his promise and purpose ; many there be which are very forward to wed the gain , but are utterly unwilling to have the godlines with it . such a suiter was balaam himselfe : o that i might aye the death of the righteous , and let my last end be like his , who was carelesse to live the life of the righteous . but let us labour to have the substance and sincerity of piety in our hearts , knowing that we are to deale with such a god who prefers a dramme of integrity before a pound of profession ; and if wee acquit our selves upright in his presence , godlinesse with contentment is great gain unto us . i say godlinesse in generall not restrictively engrossed to some particular party , but extended according to the dimension of charity to all persons agreeing in the essentials to salvation ; in my fathers house there be many mansions , as if god had provided severall repositaries of happinesse for such as differ in smaller opinions , vvhilest all agreeing in generall godlinesse , may meet in one grand heaven and place of eternall felicity , amen . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- i. ii. eccles. . . iii. acts . ● . iv. luk. . . james . . john . . act. . . eccles. . . sam. kin. . jonah . luke . . sam. . hebr. . . gen. . , object . cor. . vers. . 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . answ. john . . luk. . . dan. . . hab. . prov. . . tim. . . tim. . . cor. . . cor. . act. . acts . . tim. . . ruth . . . num. . . joh. . meditations, and resolutions, moral, divine, politicall century i : written for the instruction and bettering of youth, but, especially, of the better and more noble / by antony stafford ... ; there is also annexed an oration of iustus lipsius, against calumnie, translated out of latine, into english. stafford, anthony. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) meditations, and resolutions, moral, divine, politicall century i : written for the instruction and bettering of youth, but, especially, of the better and more noble / by antony stafford ... ; there is also annexed an oration of iustus lipsius, against calumnie, translated out of latine, into english. stafford, anthony. lipsius, justus, - . [ ], p. printed by h.l. and are to be sold by thomas saunders, at london : . signatures: a¹²(-a , ) b-i¹² (last two leaves blank). page misnumbered as . title in ornamental border. errata: p. [ ]. imperfect: lacking p. - ; p. - from defective british library copy spliced at end. reproduction of original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion meditations , and resolutions , moral , divine , politicall . century . written for the instruction and bettering of youth ; but , especially , of the better and more noble . by antony stafford , gent. there is also annexed an oration of iustus lipsius , against calumnie ; translated out of latine , into english . at london , printed by h. l. and are to be sold by thomas saunders . . to the right honourable , francis , countesse of hertford ( daughter to the right honourable , thomas , vicount bindon ) antony stafford , wishes the effects of her wishes . vvhat i had a long time sought for in others ( excellent lady ) and could neuer find , of my selfe , at last i found in you . i meane , madame , a true definitiō of honor : which , as i first found in you ; so at last i honoured you for it , and will do to my last . and should i not , i were as worthlesse as you are worthy ; sith i neuer in any , but in you , discover'd the height of blood , of beauty , of vertue , of spirit , and ( which vvonder at world , or thou thy selfe wilt be wondred at ) with all these , the height of lowe humility : of humility , madame , in you to bee admired ; not to be imitated : or if to bee imitated , not to be equalled . i know , your ladishippe ( in whom mildness and modestie haue made a mariage ) will rather mislike than admit these prayses . pardon me , madam ; you should not doe so . for , as vertue cānot be ouerpriz'd ; no more can she euer be ouer-prais'd . were it not the world would thinke that partialitie did prompt mee , i would yet ad to yo r praises ; not that you might reade them ; but that after ages , by them , might knowe howe faire was the fairer part of fairest you ; and knowing it , admire it ; & with admiration , imitate it . it would be long ( incōparable ladie ) it wold be very long , before wee shold win any one to belong to vertue , vvith the meer praysing her in abstract , should vve not praise her in som person gracious in gods eye , and the worlds . i know , madame , i shall bee prays'd for praising you ; & disprays'd for offring to expresse the infinite honour and seruice i owe you , vvith so poore a present , so little a labour , as this vnlicked work. the truth is , madam , that finding my booke to haue little spirit , or life in it , i made vse of your name to make it liue . for , it could not liue long , without your euer-liuing vertues to relieue it . i am so farre from expecting thanks ; as that i humbly craue pardon , for presuming so much to abuse your name , as to sette it before so weake a worke. if i liue , most woorthy lady , i heer promise you and the age , a farre greater , and a farre better . if in the meane time i die , i die infinitely indebted . thus , with my vncessant prayers for your ladiship , and your thrice honorable lord , i rest your honors humble , loyall servant , and vnwoorthy kinsman , antony stafford . to the vnderstander . vnderstander ( for , to euery reader i write not ) beholde this booke with a gentle eye , and entertaine it with fauour . it was penn'd by him who had rather say , est iudicium in nobis , than est furor in nobis . winke therefore at the want of witte thou shalt finde ; since it is a worke of iudgement onely . as for the asses of the age , i care as little for their censures , as their companies . though they can pick out good sense , yet they will not ; contrarie to the equity of a reader ; who , in a place doubtful , should striue to vnderstand , before he cry out , non sense . they little knovve , that hee , who writes in euery thing properly , shall neuer vvrite anie thing pleasingly . if i were disposed to carpe , i doe not thinke there are ten lines in any booke extant , out of which i would not pick somthing to cauill at . my greatest comfort is , i neuer yet saw any carper that had any iudgement . vvhich vvhosoeuer wants , lacks the very salt of wit : without which , whatsoeuer is read , lies ravve , and vndigested . but , that which makes mee most merrie , is , that some of our printed puppies thinke themselues worthy to bee compared vvith the most authenticke , auncient authours ; vvhose vvittes they come as short of , as of their vvorkes . i haue heard some of them censure authours , vvhome they doe as little vnderstand , as they doe themselues . if they had but some small deale of matter vvith their manie vvordes , they might ( i confesse ) rubbe-out reasonably vvell , amongst coxcombes , that are capable of no higher matters than themselues . but , as they are , i vvould intreate them to content themselues vvith their iigge-learning : in which when they haue knowne all they can , they then knowe iust nothing ; and , as seneca saith , operosè nihil agunt . i write not this out of spleene , for the wrong they haue done mee : for , my spirite is pearcht so farre aboue them , that they cannot fling so high , as to hit it . doe not i knowe , that these times let-loose literatores , to set vpon literatiores ? yes , yes : i knowe it ; and haue put-on a resolution to beare both vvith the iniquity , and the stoliditie of the times . farewell , vnderstander , and vse mee wel . the authors request to the vnderstanding reader . the materiall faults , escaped , are here vnderwritten . do me the fauour , to correct them with thy penne , before thou read on . page . line . for lowest , read least . p. . l. . for some , read sense . p . l. . for not , read nay . meditations moral , divine , politicall . ( * ⁎ * ) when i consider in what estate man was created , i cannot but thinke of his folly ; who , through a false hope of knowing good and euill , lost the enough of good hee had , and found too much euil . this makes mee call to minde the vaine ambition of those , who seeke to prie into that vnreuealed ( and therefore inscrutable ) knowledge of the deity : vppon whom god looking down , saies in a pitifull derision ( as hee did to adam ) beholde , the men are become as one of vs. this meditation stretcheth-out it selfe , and biddes mee also consider the arrogancie of those , who scorne to erre , or to bee reprehended for their errours , not-withstanding that they see man to haue erred in the state of innocencie . i will therefore seeke to knowe my selfe ( the next and surest way to knowe god ) and by an humble confession , begge remission of my faults . i say , i will confesse them vnto god ; not boast of them to man. when i thinke who made me , and wherfore hee made me , i hold my selfe a glorious creature : when i consider of what hee made mee , i then thinke my selfe corruptible and miserable . i will therefore temper the former with the later : so shal i neuer grow too proud , nor too abiect . when i behold beauty , it puts me in minde of my glorification : but withall , i find , that it hindereth much my mortification . i will therefore , as neere as i can , neuer fix mine eye vpon beauty ; least by being neuer mortified , i neuer be glorified . when a man is borne , hee beginnes to die : but when the iust man dies , hee then but beginnes to liue . i will therefore in my beginning thinke of my end ; that in my end , i may reioyce in my better and neuer-ending beginning . iob made a couenant with his eyes , least at any time they should looke vpon a mayde : but , since i cannot make a couenant with mine eyes , least at any time they look vppon a maide , i will trie if i can make a couenant with my heart , least at any time it desire a maide . god made heauen for the good , hell for the badde : but , he made earth for both . this shewes vs , that while wee liue heere , wee must of necessity conuerse with both . i will therefore lay mine eares open to all ; but , my heart to few . our master hath left vs two sacraments . one of which tell 's vs that wee are christians : the other biddes vs liue like christians . this later is that tree of life ; the passage whereto is guarded by no cherubin , nor by any brandished sword : but whosoeuer will , may come thither ; and , eating worthily , may liue for euer . vvhen therefore i eate of this tree , i will remember out of whose bloud it sprang . the memory whereof will suggest vnto mee , that if i eate not this fruit worthily , i am vnworthy to be a branch of the tree : that is , if i eate not his body worthily , i am then vnworthy to be a member of that body whereof he is the head . the first murtherer of all mankinde , was also the first lyer ; two horrible vices , and alike bloudy . for , a man had better bee murthered , then belyed ; haue his person slaine , then his fame . i will therefore flie from a lyer , as from an aspe : the poyson of whose tongue is mortall . besides our internall , originall , and actuall sinnes , wee haue externall & accidentall crimes layed vpon vs by our families ; but , in my conceit , very vniustly : for , wee haue enough to answere for the first man ; and are no way liable to the debts of his successors . vvhy should man lay more vpon man , than god himselfe doth ? as with him the vertues of my house cannot saue me , no more can the vices of it damne mee . the law of god shall be with me , aboue the law of armes , or the law of nations . those that serue god only vpon sundayes , are like seruants extraordinarie ; who come to waite vpon their great lords , onely vpon great dayes : but i will make euery day my sabbath ; and will follow my lord in ordinary , making charitie my cognizance . vvhile the papists and wee contend which of vs erre most in matters of faith , wee striue who shall erre most in matters of life : so that wee studie at once , who shall beleeue best , and who shall liue worst ; not who shall bee most vertuous , but who most enuious . my chiefest care therefore shall bee , to liue well : so shall i euer bee sure to fare better , than hee who beleeues well , and liues ill . two sortes of men i loathe , and detest ; a foole , and a carper . yet , of the two , i would make choyce to holde discourse with the carper : for , i had rather be misunderstood in all , then not to bee vnderstood at all . i will therefore onely beware of the one : but i will scorne the other . laughing is onely proper to man , amongst all liuing creatures : whereas indeede he ought euer to be weeping , in that he euer sinnes ; & the beasts euer laughing , to see man so much abuse his so much reason . o! if a man knew before hee came into the world , what hee should endure in the world , hee would feare his first day , more than his last . i will therfore weepe at mine owne misery , and neuer laugh but at mine owne folly : and since my master was vir dolorum , a man of griefes , it shall not be said that i am vir voluptatum , a man of mirth . valour hath many servants going vnder her name : but few of them are her true fauorites . some snatch courage from her ; and , wanting wisedome to rule it , are disclaimed by her . others are giants in their wordes , and dwarfes in their deedes . she hates him , who speakes more than he dares doe ; and makes him her champion , who dares do more than he dare speake . i , i : hee is the man with her , who wounds his enemy with his sword ; not with his word . yet , christianity vnhorses euen valour her selfe ; and , deposing her , makes new lawes , and proclaimes him the brauest combatant , who can conquer himselfe : that is , who can ascend so high aboue nature , as to descend belowe himselfe , and to offer seruice where hee owes reuenge . i will inuoke god to endue mee with this supernaturall gift ; and , withall , to deliuer mee from a valiant drunkard , and a valiant foole . vvhen my memory lookes back , as far as she can see , me thinks it is but yesterday : & yet i know , by course of nature , my life cannot bee trebbl'd . now , i haue indured so much misery in my one yesterday , that i am affraide to thinke of the two to-morrowes . it is a woonder , to see the childish whining we now-adayes vse at the funeralls of our friends . if we could houl them back againe , our lamentations were to some purpose : but as they are , they are vaine , and in vain . if therfore my friend be good , i will be glad that he is rid of the world : if hee bee bad , i will not bee sorry that the world is rid of him : but , that so wofull a world is like to receiue him . if i haue a friend , whose soule ioyn'd with mine , makes but one minde ; and that at his death , i see , my teares must burst out , or my heart within ; i may then perhaps yeeld to the infirmity of the flesh : yet not so much , that he hath left the world , as that he hath left mee in it . he is the most miserable of men , who fashions his body and minde according to the opinion of the vulgar ; and he the happiest , who conforms his life to the lawes of a true iudgement . this mā knows , that we must heare with many , but decree with few , & ioyning forces with two or three braue retired spirits , hee bandies with a legion of the vulgar . hee lookes downe with pitie on the poore plebeians ; & ( like xerxes ) bewailes their hard hap , in that none of their names shal liue after a few yeares . knowing that the eternall substance of his soule was breath'd into him , by the eternall , he cares for nothing which is not able to hold-out with eternity . i will therefore despise things momentary : and since i haue ful assurance , that i shall liue in the other world , my deedes shal do their best to make me liue in this . now-a-dayes the clothes are spoken to , and not the men : and few haue regard to the riches of the breast ; but , of the backe . he , who in his fashions differs , and degenerates most from his ancestours , is held the most generous gentlemā . the world is grown so sensuall , that the parts of the body are preferr'd before those of the mind ; so that to say , he is a man of good parts , is as much to say , as he is a man of good members . christ sayes that the body is more worth then the raiment : but some of our gallants make them clothes more worth then their bodies . with me it shall not be a good argument , to say , i will weare this , because it becomes me ; but , i will weare this , because it becomes a man : and he that speakes to my clothes , and not to me , shall bee answered by my clothes , and not by me . some are neuer well , but when they are vnpacking their bosomes with wordes , and whispering their thoughts in the eares of their reputed friends : & at length , thorough the perfidiousnes of som fals brother , they are brought either to die shamefull deaths , or to liue the like liues . if therfore i find my tongue to be so laxatiue , as that it cannot holde , but must needes bewray me , i will locke my secrets deepe in my hart : & if my tongue vnlocke my heart , i will bite it , and beate my heart for not tying my tongue . i will not doe god so great a dishonour , as to demy-deifie man , in making him priuy to my heart and thoughts . nothing giues vs delight in this world , but beauty . we take pleasure in beholding heauē when it is faire , and cleere : but when it is ouer-cast , our minds are clouded , and our bodies ill disposed . wee loue vesta better , when her face is smooth , and her colours fresh , than when her beauty is blasted , and her visage wrinkled . for , in summer euery man lies , with , & vpon his first mother , nuzzles himselfe in her lap , and playes with her dainties ; whereas in the winter euery mā keeps his house : and yet if that be not neate and sweete , we loath that too . one and the samething , being young , delights ; beeing old , displeases . i wil therfore ioy in nothing , more thā in beauty ; nor admire any thing , more than her : yet since she is such an inchantresse , my bodily eye shall neuer beholde her , but withall my spirituall eye shal be fixt vpon hir maker ; who made her to feede the sense , not to bewitch the soule : who left her vs , to make vs conceiue how much more excellent is that inconceiueable fairness of the celestiall canaan . in a word ; shee is but a corruptible type of an incorruptible treasure . and as christ shal consume antichrist with the brightnes of his glory : so shall the blasing beauty of the other world , blast the fading fairness of this . more then many there are , to whom superstition dictates , that it is pleasing to god to weare squalid , and vncleane clothes ; and that the wellfare of the soule consists in the foule keeping of the bodie . others there are , whom hypocrisie leades the same way . they both erre : the former , by not knowing the scriptures ; the later , by transgressing against thē : for , christ commands vs not to looke soure , as the hypocrites , who disfigure their faces , that they may seeme vnto men to fast . i will therefore wash my handes , and face , and anoint my head ; that my head my bee anoynted with the oyle of gladnes . and since i cannot endure to see the lodging of my body durty , i will much more haue a care , to keepe the chamber of my soule cleane . when my soule is sadde , my countenance shal be merrie : neither wil i so much care to cast vp mine eyes to heauen , as to lift vp my heart to god ; not so much respecting the throne , as the inthron'd . many there are , who neuer serue god , but whē hee serues their turne . hence it comes to passe , that the sea-man mutters against him , when he hath not a good winde ; & the plough-mā , when he hath badde weather . all this proceedes from nothing , but the imprudency of man ; which accuseth the prouidence of god , of improuidency . before there was any raine at al , what did god then ? did hee not send a mist vp from the earth , which watered all the earth ? hee will not haue his power tied to any ordinary meane ; but , will shew vs what hee is , by what he can doe . when therefore mine owne meanes faile me , i will relie vpon god : who is as able to giue mee something , as to make me of nothing ; to keepe me to the last , as to make me at the first . he that striues to please the intoxicated multitude , labours as much in vaine , as he that sought to put the winds in a bagge . and the reason is , because it is impossible to please the godly and vngodly , the judicial and the vnjudiciall , the sensible & the senselesse , both at once . neyther christ , nor his fore-runner could please them . for , iohn came neyther eating nor drinking ; and they said , he had a diuell . the sonne of man came eating and drinking ; and they said , behold a glutton , and a drinker of wine , a friend to publicans and sinners . i will therefore take my sauiours counsel , & seeke to iustifie my iudgement to the children of vvisedome , of whom she is iustified ; and not to fooles , by whom shee is daily crucified . as many haue hungry stomackes ; but , few disgesting : so many haue apprehending wits ; but , few iudging . hence it comes to passe , that some are wise in words , & fools in actions . for my part , i had rather it should be said , that i am one of the iudgements of the town , then that i am one of the wits of the towne . diuers men propound vnto themselues diuers ends . one makes honor his end ; another , riches : a third hunts after both : a fourth seeks to purchase to himselfe the name and fame of a schollar ; a fift , of a souldier , &c. as for me , i wil make the honor of god mine end . so shall i be sure that mine end shall not be dishonourable . i haue often wonder'd with my selfe , to thinke that schollars are the most poore of all others ; notwithstanding that they haue the best wits of all others . and my wonder neuer left mee , till i considered , that they car'd not for the things of this world , which the mothe & canker could corrupt ; but , laid vp their treasures in the other world : whereas they , who knew nothing , but the things of this world , carkt and car'd most for the world . some say , that because salomon vs'd the riches hee had so ill , therfore god would neuer since blesse schollars with them : but , that is false : for , wee see kings philosophers , and diuines . i wil beseech god , to giue mee an estate equally distant from abundance , and penury . so shall i neuer rise so high as presumption , nor fall so low as despaire : yet of the two , i had rather haue nothing than know nothing ; that my body should want , than my soule . the hermits are reprehended , for sequestring themselues from the world : and it is the opinion of many reuerend diuines , that hee is most valiant , who grapples with the enemy ; that is , who talkes face to face with the wicked . yet too much relying vpon this maxime , hath brought many into the iawes of danger ; but , hath fetcht few out . to be a good man in the middest of sodome , to bee abstemious in germany , to bee chaste in italy , all these are hard and rare things ; we seeing many returne absolutely vitious from thence , that almost went absolutely vertuous thither . true it is , that christ kept company with publicans : but , as true it is , that hee was without the leauell of temptation . we see one man change nature with another , and put on the disposition of him , with whom hee conuerses . i will therefore not onely shun euil , but the meanes to come to it ; & to auoid hurt , i will keepe my selfe out of shot : neyther will i presume , being but a man , to follow my master in that which he did as god. man consists of two parts ; the body and the minde : that is , saith lactantius , of heauen and earth . i will therfore not grudge to let my earth go to earth ; that my heauen may go to heauen . the greatest and most common care men haue , is , to passe away the time . they desire most to passe away that , which is most pretious . o! if they knew what treasure time offers to their soules , they would looke with a iealous eye vpon the houre-glasse , and sigh at the dropping of euery sand . they abuse & lose time , the mother of experience ; and so , lose experience , the mother of wisedome . it is a hard case , when a dying man shall think with himselfe , that he hath left nothing behind him , wherby posterity may knowe , hee did once liue . if that this man ( saith seneca ) inhabit this world a thousand yeeres , yet can wee not truly say , hic vir diu vixit , this man liu'd long ; but , hic vir diu fuit , this man was long . for my part , i had rather the cōpany would passe away , then the time ; except it be such company , as may helpe mee to redeeme the time . and while i liue heere , i will studie so to vse time , as that i may come to liue there , where is no time . in these times , when mē wil lay an imputation vpō one , they will say , he is morally honest . certain it is , that hee , who is at no time morally honest , can neuer be religiouslie good . god shewes that hee is our father by his works , in , and for vs : & we should shewe , that we are his children by our works , to his , & for him . it is not enough , to say with the thiefe , lord , remember mee , when thou cōmest into thy kingdome , vnlesse wee remēber him here . to belieue christ , is not enough ; neither is it enough to beleeue in him : for , wee ought as well belieue in his commaundements , that wee must doe them ; as in his promises , that wee shall haue them . wee reade , that wee should declare our faith by our workes ; that is , our invisible belief by our visible life : but , we no where read , that wee should shewe our workes by our faith . true it is , that the scripture bids vs , not to giue almes sonante tuba , vvith our tongues talking of that wee giue ; but , with our harts thinking for whom we giue . no , no : he that glories in his works , shall neuer bee glorified for thē . the publican could not haue done a work so acceptable in the sight of christ , as was the disclaiming his owne workes . for , as we haue nothing , but from god : so god will haue vs confesse , that we can do nothing without him . i wil haue mercie on my neighbor , that god may haue mercy on mee ; and saue him from momentarie misery , that i may be saued frō eternall . yet , in so doing , will i knowe what i doe ; & wil tell , that i doe it for the discharge of my duty , and to gods glory ; who hath promised to make mee a great one in heauen , if i relieue but one of his little ones on earth . wee reade , that alphonsus , and fridericus , kings of spaine and sicily , recouered their long lost health ( being giuen-ouer by the physicians ) by reading historie : alphonsus by reading t. liuius ; and fridericus by reading q. curtius . two christian kings were healed by profane historie . o! if vaine , and vncertaine annales haue such a miraculous operation : what haue those sacred pages , penned by the hands of prophets , and apostles ; & wherin the spirit of god hath expressed the maiestie of god ? all you that are sick , come you hither ; & read heere , where comfort her selfe offers to cure you . come hither lambes , and you may wade : come hither elephants , & you may swim . come hither children , and feed on milke : come hither you tooth'd vnderstandings , & you shal feed on hard meat . lord let mine eyes lose their light , in beholding this light : and let mee reade that till i die , which can make mee liue , neuer to die . nothing torments a man more then ambition . she is the only enemy to content , and rebel against reason . shee is borne with her eyes cast vp ; that is , comparing her selfe with those , that are aboue her . if shee cast her eyes downe , it is but in scorne of those that are belovve her . if shee should bee pearcht vpon the verie toppe of heauen , yet shee vvould desire to clime higher . that i may not bee subiect to this aspyring diuell , i will be contrary to her ; and neuer compare my selfe , but with my inferiours . and if i see no man more contemptible than my selfe , i vvill yet retaine the maiestie of a man ; and thinke that i am placed lord , and king , ouer the beasts . there is nothing durable in this vvorld , but grief . as for the word reioyce , it requires , in most toongs , an ablatiue case ; and is taken away before it be throughly enioyed . griefe is a firme and neuer-flitting companiō of man : and it neuer forsakes him ; though all his friends do . the first note man sings , is howling ; and his last , groning . i will therefore moralize vpon this , and think that the all-griefe wee haue in this world , is but a figure of that all-ioy we shall inioy in the next world ; & as a sowre preparatiue , to make vs relish that sweet food the better . friends are threefold ; profitable , delightful , vertuous . the two former are imbraced in this world ; the later ca●sierd . the name of an honest man is growne odious : and the reputation to be such a one , is a clogge to a mans rising . and therefore as one saies , that he had rather be rich , than be accoūted so : so a man had better be honest , thā be reputed so . in these gayish times , the outward appearance is more looked into , th●n the inward essence 〈◊〉 that of seneca is 〈…〉 annulis magi●● quam animis creditur . for my part , i will not make choice of a friend , that hath not all those three accidents vnited in him ; to wit , profit , pleasure , and vertue . but of what profession shall this my friend bee ? a knowing , doing scholar . hee is the true profitable friend , the onely delightfull , the most trulie vertuous . that he is profitable , appeares in this , that in exchanging vvith him a demand for an answere , a man shall gaine a secret , worth a signiory . that he is delightfull , no man will deny , that hath his vnderstanding but once tickled with his discourse . that hee is the truliest vertuous , is easily prooued ; in that other men are in loue with vertue onely by relation : wheras the scholar , with his vnderstanding part , pries into her fairest partes , and loues her for her selfe onely , without any other base respect . a merchant loueth a merchant ; as hoping to gaine by him . a souldier loueth a souldier ; as expecting to be rescued by him : but , a schollar loueth a schollar ; as desiring to be better instructed by him . i , i : this is loue indeed ; and this is a friend indeed : & he that loues not such a friend , hates himselfe . it is a thing worthy obseruation , how the vulgar feedes vpon false opinions . for example ; if a man seduce a woman to commit what should be omitted , he is little or nothing defam'd therby , but shee : the seducer is not so much blam'd , as the seduced . if a child consent with a man to cōmit a villany , i would faine know , whether the child , or the man deserue the sharper censure . if the stronger vessell ouerturn the weaker , which of thē causeth the fall ? some obiect , that a woman should haue more modestie than a man ; & therefore is held more culpable in the breach thereof . that a woman should be more shamefac't than a man , i grant ; that more shame-minded , i denie . a man should not haue a ●earefull blush : but , hee should euer retaine an honest shame . and yet , whosoeuer should maintaine ( against all ethicks ) that modestie is cōmon ( though not alike common ) to euery age , and sex , he should on his side haue probabilitie : out of which , absurditie neuer yet issued . i haue seene a fellow blush , whose face age had pleighted , and whose eyes could neither send out light , nor receiue it in . and indeed , it is a thing common to euery man , to blush for error in manners , though not in life . some will answere , there are men , whom nothing can make blush . to whom i reply , that i doubt not , but there are both men and women , whom impudencie her selfe hath trained vp ; and , sitting on their faces , beats-backe the blushing bloud . amongst all the vulgar errors , that of extenuating mans offence is the grossest : and i would i could with reason murther this opinion . howsoeuer ; if i cannot beat the vulgar from it , yet i will be sure the vulgar shal neuer beat it into mee . it is an aphorisme in physick , that we consist of those things by which wee are nourisht : so also falls it out with the soule . for , if she feed vpō gross ●nd vncleane conversation , shee proues impure : if the conversation bee choice and good , shee growes faire and louelie . howsoeuer my bodie fare , i will be careful that my soule sucke her sustenance out of vvhat is sweet and good : if it bee otherwise , shee shall not once chew it ; much lesse digest it . as at som times , meats ; so at som times , discourses are out of season . to discourse in matters of policie , or of controuersie , in the presence of women , is altogether as much out of season , as oisters in iuly . let me therefore consider how , vvhen , and to whom i speak : and if i can speak to no purpose , i will ( if i can ) hold my tongue to some purpose . there is no such laughing-stock in the world , as the worldling : hee saith in his heart , there is no god ; and liues therafter : & on the other side , god saith , hee is not his child ; and therefore giues him ouer to his lusts , and permits him so to liue . hee thinkes the ioy to come vncertaine ; and therfore prefers a present certaine sorrow before it ; beeing afraid to let his body put off his infirmities . lord take me thither , where i shall not conceiue the griefe i doe heere : by taking mee from hence ; where i cannot conceiue the ioy , i shal haue there . i cannot but laugh at the vaine wishes of men . one vvishes that hee might neuer want mony ; another , that he might euer enioy health ; a third , that hee might neuer die . not one of my desires shall fight against necessitie : but , i wil rather wish for that which must bee , than wish , that that may not bee , which must bee . all opinions are not to be told ; but onely such , as either learned men , or else the church of god haue held before vs. to leaue antiquitie , & cleaue to our own opinions , argues a selfe-opinion , and no wisedom . some there are , who care not hovv raw their opinions be , so they be rare . i for my part , had rather wander with cōpany , than alone ; make another mans iudgment my ground , than ground my selfe vpon mine owne iudgement : for i had rather that my author should be laughed at , than my selfe . amongst the diuerse complaints of men , there is none so ordinarie , as that of age : but , especially womē are vext with this old vnwelcom guest ; & had rather cease to be , than cease to be young . hee that tells a woman , shee hath a wrinkle in her face , giues her a woūd in the hart . if her complexion faile neuer so little , her spirit falls with it . shee feares not death awhit , but his ordinarie forerunner , age. many men also become vvomanish ; & haue hermaphroditicall minds . if a verdit of vvomen once pronounce them ill-fauor'd , they streight sequester themselues from the world ; as , vnworthy of the world . i care not if my corruptible part rot , so my fairer part fade not : nor passe i so much for the beautie of the case , as for the glorious splendour of the inclosed image . many trauell : but , few deserue to be stiled trauellers . to fetch-home apish gestures , queint fashions , new vices , is now becom the proposed end of a traueller . there is no better sport , than to read some of their written obseruations . one sets downe , what delicate wines , and salats haue been subiect to the command of his palate . another discouers strange stratagems in a gun-hole . a third , writes out all superscriptions of hospitals , &c. phy vpon it ; that a man should goe from home , to goe from himselfe , and returne destitute of the little wit he caried out with him . the wisest of grecians esteemed him wise , who had seene many cities , and the diuers manners of men . euery carrier can see many citties , & the different natures of nations : but , to discern betwixt them , & pick wisdome out of them , that requires the man ; and such a man did homer require . the reason why wee trauell , is , because all happy wits raigne not vnder one climate ; and therfore are to be hunted out . who would not wade a million of miles , to enterchange discourse with a scaliger , a lipsius , or a causabone ? my mind therefore shall trauel more than my body ; when the later rests , the former shall labour : and my care shal be greater to please my vnderstāding , than my sense . it is a common saying , that a continuall companion is a mans shadovv . this saying is neuer so true , as when a substantiall fellow hath an asse , and a shadowe to associate him . and as shadows cannot be seene in darknesse , but by light ; no more can darke and dull vnderstandings discerne this shadow frō this substance : for , that cannot bee discouer'd without the light of some bright intellect . an hypocrite thinkes himselfe the vvisest of men : but , at last he finds it otherwise . he thinks , that his knauerie is vnseene , because it is vnpunisht : but , hee is deceiued . for , not onely the searcher of hearts sees him , but also men ( who can guesse at hearts ) will at length espie him . for , as hee that weares another mans garment , will at length bee discouered either by the ouer-length , too shortnesse , or ouer-widenesse , or some other default of the raiment : so he that puts on an outward habite of sincerity , of which he neuer had the lowest inward tincture , will in time bee found faulty through the want of some thing , or other , requisite to such a holy professor . i will not therefore dissemble , either with god , or man ; but , professe that liuing , which i will pronounce dying . some will imitate great men thogh it be in the greatest vices . these are miss-led by opinion . for , as a golden rule , being crooked , cānot measure a thing , so well , as a plaine straight stick : so neither can wee square our actions by the vnruly liues of princes so fitly , as by the plain , euen , and vertuous courses of the poor . i will honor greatnesse : but , i will both honour & imitate goodnes ; and will not hold him good who is great , but him great who is good . a drunkard is no good secret-keeper . it is the property of a drunkard , to disgorge his bosome , with his stomak ; to empty his minde , with his maw . i will , therefore , not tell a bibber what i would not heare againe ; least i heare of it againe , from those to whom i dare not auouch it againe . some say all they hear ; & report that with confidence , which was related to them with doubt . these alwayes purchase laughter ; and now and then peril . i wil not , therfore , tell all i heare : but , i will heare , againe and againe , that which i tell . curiosity , and inquisition , are two great enemies to wisedome one being demaunded what caesar whispered in his eare , made answere , that caesar tolde him , hee would inuent a very strange punishment for such as pried into his words , and actions . this vice is very incident to young courtiers : who inquire after the discourses and courses of ioue & iuno ; of the king and queene . i will not aske what i should not aske ; least i hear what i would not heare . there is nothing so much to bee desired in this world , as health ; without it , the body cannot trauell ; nor the soule well discourse . without it , kings esteem themselues more miserable than beggers ; and would giue their kingdomes for an houre of ease . i will vse health , as i do my dearest friend . whome i detaine by all meanes i can : and , going away , i straight deuise how to get him againe . no vice gets a man so many enemies , as pride . the humble loath the proud man , because hee is so farre different from their straine : and the haughtie hate him , because hee would equall them . if i bee proud of any thing , it shall bee of my humilitie . some make their bellies their gods ; and pray to him that feedes the foule of the aire , to feed them with the foule of the aire . they are not so much solicitous what they shall weare to-morrow , as what they shall eat to-morrow . for my part , as i will looke to my bellie , that it sterue not ; so i will looke to it , that it stretch not . no humane study is so profitable , as morall philosophie . no other study , saith seneca , can diminish greefes , and subdue passions ; nor make a man more liberall , more iust , more temperate . seneca might haue also added , that no other study can fit a man with manners , and a faire behauior . ferdinand the emperor , making a speech in a publike assembly , by chance gaue priscian a fillip or two . which a bishop hearing , started vp , and said ; caesar , you haue forgotten your grammar : to whom caesar , and you haue forgotten your ethicks , bishoppe . the reply was good ; but , not rough enough for an admonitiō●o rude . from , hence it is that schollars , defectiue in this studie , are tearmed , by the vulgar , meer schollars ; that is , pure ●uppies . before i seeke to know other things , i will ●eeke to knowe my selfe . constancy is no vertue , if it be ( might i so speak ) devoted to vice . change , in the vitious , is as great a vertue , as constancie in the vertuous . i wil therfore be incōstant to vice , who is incertaine and instable of her selfe ; & constant to vertue , who is euer the same , and her selfe . they say , there is a kind of resemblance between sleepe and death . as therefore hee that is wearied with the dayes toyle , doth not grudge to goe to bed , as hoping to rise againe : so i , opprest with the excesse & cares of many dayes , wil gladly sleepe-out that long , slowe-pas't night . neither will i think much to goe to my earthly bed ; as knowing that i shall rise againe , and put-on an incorruptible raiment . mariage was ordained by god for mans comfort : and yet man often times abuseth it to gods dishonour , and his owne discomfort . the reason heerof is , because al bodies are not of one constitution : and therefore soules , following the humors of their bodies , haue not all one disposition . vvhen therefore two differing natures meet , & see they are tied one to the other ; they will cut the very thred of life , to be loose , though it be with the loss of their soules . parents , therfore , do ill , to match those together , betwixt vvhom nature hath placed an antipathy , & a loathing . what a cruell part is it of a parent , to marry his childe to him that hath most , whē shee hates him most ? i pray god , some of them doe not one day giue a deare account of some deare soules , whose faire bodies they haue begotten ; doing perpetuall penance , for placing wealth aboue woorth . had i a child , that loath'd the man that i lik't , i would sooner send her to the church-yard to bee buried , than to the church to be married ; and should thinke , i did her a greater courtesie , to wed her to a graue , than to griefe . there is nothing that man at once glories in , and grudges at , but seruice . hee is proud , when hee thinks himselfe the servant of god : and hee is abiect , when hee considers that hee is subiect to his fellow subiects . hee mutters against god , accusing him of iniustice , for that hee dimmes his bright beginning , with a base succession ; & made him not only to his own glory , but also to augmēt the vaine glory of men . the very name of king , is as an allarum to stir & rouse vp his envy : and he feares him with the same feare , that he does the diuell . man is deceiued : for , the deity is serued not onely in the deity , but in magistrates , in parents , in tutors ; & in all those , whom hee , that is aboue all , hath placed aboue vs. i will not therefore think i serue god onely , when i immediatly obey his will ; but also , when i obey the wills of those , whom hee wills me to obey : & i wil make a holy vow , of an idle complement ; vowing my selfe the servant of his seruants . as there are few good physicians for the body : ●o there are not many for the soule . as those of the bodie let many die , for want of skill : so those of the soule let manie perish , because they knowe not how to apply themselues vnto them . i haue seene an empirick prescribe a cold remedy for a colde disease ; like those who seek to cure the desperation of gods mercie , with the declaration of his iustice . as therfore the physician of the bodie is not esteemed , except hee can giue a reason for what hee does ; no more is the physician of the soule to be valued , vnlesse hee can giue a reason of that hee saies . god hath left to his ministers , weapons to wound , and balmes to heale ; keyes to open , & keyes to shut : but , some of them wanting theological prudencie , manage these things amisse . as , therefore , knowing the constitution of mine owne body , i will giue the physician direction in som things : so , knowing well the ill estate of mine own soule , i will in some things supply the defect and ignorance of my ghostly physician . it is a common speech , that euery man is either a foole or a physician : that is , he knowes , what does him good , and takes it ; and look what does him hurt , hee refuses it . it fares not so in matters of the soule . for , in those , most are fooles : and few are physicians ; like childrē , coueting that which harmes them , and flying that which helps them . i care not if i be a foole in my bodily diet , so i be a physician for the health of my soule . it is a thing worthy the consideratiō ; that thogh the soule be her selfe imprisoned in the body , yet shee cannot endure that her prison should be imprisoned . of this there is a two-folde reason : first , because shee loues not to be double walled in ; and , secondly , this brings to her mind , her owne imprisonment , vvith the thraldome , and subiection shee liues in to the sense . yet withall , t is a thing remarkable in her , that shee is neuer so glad , as when shee hath giuen her body the slip , & left it imprisoned in the graue : though at natures first motion , she was loth to part from it ; as hauing dwelt so long in it . lord , let my bodie goe to his earthly prison , that my soule may enioy that heauenly liberty . so shall she bee free of heauen , and free from earth . examples , taken from great men , hurt more , than if they were taken from poore . the reason is , because adversitie makes a man know him selfe ; whereas prosperity makes him knowe himselfe too well . now , it is more safe to follow him , that knowes him selfe , than him that does not . for , as a true knowledge of god , and of his truth , is the beginning of diuine wisedome : so a true knowledge of a mans selfe , is the beginning of humane . i will therfore sooner imitate those whō misery hath tamed , than those whom ioyes haue made wilde . it is a great follie , to write , and print things foolish . things foolish i call things lewd , & void of sense . t is strange , that man should not bee content , that onely the present generation should call him foole ; but , that posterity also shold prick & picke him out for one . for my part , i will not impart that knowledge to any man , which may make him forget himselfe ; and ( when hee comes to remember himselfe ) may make him knowe that i forgot my selfe . all flatterers are odious , and dangerous ; and aboue all others , the creeper . the first and most pernitious that euer was , was a creeper , & beguiled the woman ; vvho thoght that such a crawler could not haue such craft , as afterward shee found he had . such flatterers are poyson to princes , and oftentimes a bane to the best disposed . flattery is now-a-dayes admitted into the courts of princes : nay , into the bosome of princes ; not cōsidering that though her ward below , yet shee aymes high , and hits those soonest vvho lie highest . those courts are as happy that want her , as those are cursed & vnhappy that haue her . as the stomack if it be fedde a long time with one meate , at length loathes the same : so the soule despises ordinary & accustomed discourse . i will therefore feede my soule with varietie ; but , not with confusion . euery man thinks , that , which is opposed to the extreamest of his griefes , to be mans chiefe felicity . the poor man iudges riches , the sicke man health , the prisoner liberty , to bee the highest happinesse . i my selfe , when i haue been discontented ( as i haue beene often ) haue thought content to be the best blisse : and i often fall into the relapse , and imbrace that opinion . hence-forward , i will place my felicity in those things , which may bring me to that neuer fading felicity : and if my soule haue content heere , i will thinke that shee is contented with this world ; and so hath lost the only marke of her immortality . god lookes for most honour from those , to whom hee hath giuen greatest honor . as princes haue the highest place vpon earth ; so should they do the greatest homage to heauen . nothing in this life is so vnsauory as old-age . the sadnes of mans last dayes , is sufficient to pay him for the folly of the first . the neerer age comes to her growth , the neerer beauty is to her bane . for , in this pensiue time , euery thing withers , and groweth old , but euill : and that retaines his full vigour . lord , let my soule then flourish when my body fades : and let the concord of my minde fight against the discord of my body . nothing is so terrible to the greatest part of mortality , as death . this little leane dwarfe will beard a monarch , in the midst of his army ; making him shake , that whilome shook towers , and made the earth it selfe tremble with the weight of his hoaste . great alexander was a little childe in this : and though he had often met death face to face , yet at last he turned his back to him , and would haue hid himselfe from him ; as hoping to be inuisible to his inuisible enemy . what an absurdity is it in a man to seek to choak nature ! or to grudge her the voyding of her excrements ! as when i was borne , another died : so i will consider , that when i die , another is borne . if nature bee wearie of mee , i will bee weary of my selfe : i were a foole if i should not . for , as no man can play vpon a broken instrument ; no more can any soule recreate her selfe with a bad instrumentaliz'd body . if , therefore life flie from me , i will not flie from death . when men are calumniated , they growe angry : and if they be reprehended for any predominant vice in them , they seeke to excuse and extenuate it . i will not do so ; but , will hearken to epictetus : who wils mee , not to deny the sinnes mine enemy taxes mee with ; but , to reproue his ignorance : in that , being vnacquainted with the infinitie of my crimes , he layes only two or three to my charge ; whereas indeede i am guilty of a million . as sin sold the world to death : so death bought the world at the hands of sinne ; it being the will of the heauenly father , with the death of one to buy euerlasting life for all . blessed be he then , that died the cursed death of the crosse , that wee may lead a blessed life without crosses . christ himselfe sayes , that many are called , but few are chosen . many are call'd christians , who are not chosen to liue with christ . many are in the church , that are not of the church : and many visible members there are , which belong not to the inuisible body ; nor receiue their motion from the inuisible head. we , whose soules look vpon others throgh the dimme spectacles of sense , doe often times take a iudas for a nathana●ll , and ( contarily ) a simon peter , for a simon magus . let vs then spare to iudge ; least wee be iudged to bee vniust , by that iust iudge , at the dreadful day of iudgment . i , i : this is a 〈◊〉 course ; and this wil i obserue : because i knowe not , whether or no , the saul i see novv , may proue a paul to-morow . the world delights in those , that delight in it . the reason therfore , why the world cōtemnes me , is because it is cōtemned of mee . so then there must be a mitigation on both sides . to a mitigation i may be brought ; to a subiection , neuer . the diuell is neuer so busie , as when a man is idle . hee hath no so fit instrument to worke by , as by sloth : which is , indeed , the mother of vice . i will therefore abandon this mother ; least in time she bring mee to that father . many pray : but , fewe pray aright . some presume to beg that , which god in his iustice cannot grant : and others againe despaire to craue that , which god in his mercy will not deny . i will not therefore begge all that which i would ; but , all that which i should . there is nothing in this world , that all men shunne so much , as basenesse : yet many run into it , because few know the true definition of it . opinion styles many things base , which vertue calls bright , and glorious . we see gentlemen asham'd , and hang downe their heads , when they looke vp to the place , vvhere their ancestors sate . and why doe they this ? because they doe not think it any disparagement , to decline from the vertue of their ancestors ; but , from their riches . if pouertie take-vp her residence in mee , or change beings with me ; yet shall she neuer make me think my selfe base , so long as vertue leaues mee anie one sparke of her brightnesse . the basest griefe of all , is that , which receiues his birth frō the death of a horse or a cow ; or from the losse of the two too high-priz'd metalls . phy vpon it , that a man should hurt his internall substāce , for the want of externall . if the sun and moone shine vpon mee , i shall thinke they doe me a sufficient fauour ; without presuming to implore their descension in to my pockets : but , if the sunne and moone , that is , gold & siluer , vouchsafing to make my pockets their spheres , shall afterwards ( out of their planeticall inconstancie ) skippe out , and wander frō me ; i wil not mourn , and say , i haue lost them : but , that i haue rendred , and sent them backe to him , who sent , and gaue them vnto mee . pouertie lyes begging in the streets , and no man pitties her . the reason is , because it is against the nature of man to pittie a cōmon enemy to mankind . man should consider , that though pouertie bee his worldly enemy , yet she is his spirituall friend . euery thing hath his fit application : but , few find it . some , by the extraordinary application of a thing common , will bring the reader both into admiration and delight . others againe , by an vnwittie application , make non sense ; and infuse lothing into the nice stomack of the reader i wil apply nothing , which may not imply something . all men cry-out for plaine dealing : but , fewe loue the trade . it is an old prouerb , that he that vseth it long , shall die a beggar . sure i am , that hee , who vseth it euer , shall die rich : hee that ●aw him in secret , wil reward him in secret . hee shall enter , and inhabite heauen , and partake of that true treasure ; wheras the hypocrite leaues his wealth behind him , and carries his woe with him . eating , and drinking too much , are two great vices . yet , of the two , too much eating is the greater . to drink too much , comes often times from constraint : but , to eat too much , proceeds from a mans inordinate appetite . hee that is a drunkard , may iustlie blame others : but , he that is a glutton , can iustly blame none but himselfe . i wil , therfore , make my appetite conformable to my digestion : so shal i be sure neither to eat too much , nor too little . some fearing their names should die , build houses ; to make posteritie know , that they once were , and were wealthy . this indeede tells the world that they had purses ; but , not that they had pates . he is the man , who trusts not to oftentripping tradition ; but pleads his owne cause to posteritie ; making her confesse , that hee was a man of deeds , thogh not a man of drosse . a great mans fauor is hardly got , & easily lost . hee keeps a man to serue his turne ; but , not to obserue his turnings . the greatest part of his followers , are like his horses : they carry him ; and hee guides them . that hors which offers to fling him , or that is not tēdermouth'd , hee puts off , as a head-strong iade . it is better therefore to serue god , who is voyd of all accidents , and humors ; than man , who by them is made voide of reason : and hee that is most vnfit to obserue man , is the most fit to serue god. the church militant , labours to bee vnited to the triumphant ; and the triumphant longs for the vnion . lord then ioyne them ; and let sorrow seuer them no longer . nature binds men one to the other ; but , neuer so fast as when she chains them together with the linkes of vertue . nature may make mee loue my kinred : but , vertue will make mee doe more . hee that hates a man , because he hath some notorious vices , is rash and vnaduised : for , if hee did but looke into the same man , he should find some eminent vertues in him . i will not shunne his presence that hath a good nature , and but one vertue ; as knowing my selfe to be all vitious . it is an vsuall speech , that nothing is saide , vvhich hath not beene said before . if it be meāt , that no words are spoke , which haue not beene spoke before , that is false : and if the meaning bee , that nothing is thought , vvhich hath not beene thought before , that is false too . for , we see that euery day reveales a new secret to the world ; and that for neuer heard-of thinges , wee are faine to faine neuer heard of words . i will rather think all braines are exhausted , than nature . vertue is placed euen in the middest of vice. liberalitie , is placed betwixt auarice and prodigality ; valour , betwixt cowardise & rashnesse ; mercie , betwixt cruelty , and a fond lenity . take courage , vertue : thou shalt once shake-off thy priuation ; and put-on a habit , without reiterated actions . hee that meets with a contentious foole , doth wisely in granting all hee obiects : for , it is more policie , to gaine a friend without trouble , than a foe with it . the same holdes with god , that does with great lords : he loues to be well followed and attended . but , neither desert , nor great friends , can preferre a man to him : onely those whom hee likes , hee chooses . i had rather follow him , than go before emperours . a yong man is like a wilde horse ; who , if hee want a curbe , will runne himselfe to death . those parents , therefore , are wise , who ioyne correction , with direction ; and keepe those in , who else would lash-out . it is a thing difficult , to finde out the humors of men ; because many dissemble their dispositions . this businesse requires a crafty , and experienced wit : for , deceit is neuer so soon discouer'd as by the deceitfull . passion is the onely enemy to wisedome . he that conquers this enemy , makes wisedome his friend . a lingring hatred is badde . gods children are angry , yet sinne not . my wrath shall go down with the sunne : but , my loue shall endure longer than the sunne it selfe . affectation makes a wise man a foole ; but , if it meete with a foole , it makes him an intolerable asse . in these later , lame times , we see many affect defects ; and to bee proud of that , which indeede they should bee asham'd of . since nature hath made me somwhat better than a foole ; let mee beware , that affectation make mee not worse than a foole . it is a question worth the inquiring into , whether or no , all ostentation bee to be auoided . the philosophers cried-out , sume superbiam quaesitā meritis : assume a pride proportionable to thy merits . and indeede , both morality , and policy , perswade it ; for , generally , wee see those vnderualued of all men , who vnderualue themselues . yet , the word of god is to be obserued , before the obseruations of men . cōmines obserues this in lewis the xi . that hee would euen toile , to gain any man that might either profit , or hurt him this is an excellent policie ; and little or nothing ( or rather , in nothing ) repugnant to diuinity . religion is often made a cloak to villany . but , at one time or other , villany will cast-off her cloak : and he that is wise , will perceiue and detest it . i wonder , that men do not tremble ( as being before god ) when they dissemble before men . nothing should so neerely touch , nor so much moue a prince , as a base report of his predecessour ; though hee were his vtter enemy . for , though he himselfe lead the life of a blessed angell ; yet , from some mouthes wherein calumny cloysters her selfe ) as much imputation shall bee laied vpon him , as can be cast vpon the diuell ; which , his successour , in imitation of him , will winke-at . how many ministers of hell , now-adayes not only reuile gods on earth , with words , but with written wordes also ? historiographers may lightly touch the faults of princes : but , if they raile at their persons , they cease to bee historians , and become maleuolent oratours . princes , therfore , should not imagine that their present fame wil be permanent ; but , should take this prescribed , or som other course : by which , they may as well stoppe the mouthes of the reuealers of their vices , and reuilers of their persons ; as let-loose the tongues that trumpetout their vertues . as , on the one side , it sauours much of indiscretion , to remember a man of any thing by which hee hath either done himselfe disgrace , or receiu'd it frō others : so , on the other side , it is a point of wisdome , to put one in minde of any action of his brauely performed ; of any speech of his vtter'd with the astonishment of the audience ▪ or of any office in the common-wealth , which hee hath vndergone with honour , and with augmentation of his reputation . hee that delights to displease men , will at length reape no great pleasure . humility may bee without honour : but , honour cannot be without humility : if it bee , it is but bastard . there is no surer way than this , to finde-out bastards , father'd vpon the nobility . it is foolish , to bragge of riches , or any external thing , in the company of others . for , the better sort will thinke it done in enuy , and emulation of them : and the worse will take it done , in contempt of them . he that brags of things without , hath but little within . if the miser did but looke into what he does , hee would neuer bee so miserable . he is euer solicitous ; and hath scarce one happy houre in the course of his whole life . he hoords and layes-vp , not knowing who shall enioy it : and oftentimes they enioy it , who lay it out as fast ; not caring what become of it . so that it plainly appeares , the whole life of an vsurer is nothing but misery and vexation . o that a cormorant did knovve , how many beautiful bodies starue , & how many substantiall soules faint , for want of his cash ! hee would not onely willingly part with all his pelfe , but sel his owne body to solace their soules . but , indeed , he is not so much to be blamed : because , whereas charity begins at home in others , crueltie beginnes at home in him : & he almost starues himself , that others , whō hee suffers to starue , may not take exception . euery-one is not guilty of this vice. the prodigall hath such vse for his mony at home , that he can put none to vse abroad . some get by the vse of their mony : he loseth by the vse of his . to vertue . o great , & glorious goddesse of the good ; thou suter , and thou vvooer of the vvicked ; thou , without whō the mightiest monarchs are but poore , & miserable ; and with whō the basest begger is great , and mighty : thou mistres of so many mild martyrs ; thou gouernesse of all sweet dispositions ; thou beginner , cōtinuer , & perfecter of all honorable actions , vertue ; to thee i consecrate this little languishing work , together with all the humble indeauors of my soule . gracious mistresse , as thou hast hitherto hardned mee against all the buffets of hard-fisted fortune , and armed mee against the kicking of asses , and the hissing of geese : so giue me still encouragements to maintaine thy cause against thy black-visag'd enemy , vice. and seeing thou art a mistres of many seruants , i must not only remember my self , but beseech thee also , to remember all those that suffer for thy sake . giue an end to their miserie : least misery cause their end ; and so thou be destitute of seruants : for , the next age ( take the word of thy deuoted ) will not afford thee many . make much therefore , make much of those , vvho by thee are made more than earthly : let them adorne earth yet a while ; and let vs a little longer triumph in them heer , before they themselues triumph in heauen . the world hath need of them , bright empresse : the world hath neede of them ; in that pretious precepts neuer shine so much , as vvhen they are set in examples ; nor examples , as vvhen they are sette in curious creatures . the philosopher saith , that , if the vvorld had the full view of thee , thou wouldest so dazle the eyes of mortalitie , that admiration vvould lay it in a transe . but , some cannot behold thy essence : and therefore , we were much to blame , if we should not honour thee much in those , in whom wee see euen a little of thee . but , if we see almost all thee , in som other selfe of thine ; then pardon vs , if we giue you both alike worship . as i began , so i end with my selfe ; and beseech thee once more , that i may be no more : i meane , that my massie part may fall , before my ethereall fall into any thing base , or belowe the height of that blood , which hath runne through the veines of so many valiant & truly honorable persons . if thou grant this , great goddesse , i vvill then make this my motto , virtute tutè . an aduertisement from the translator , to the reader . vvhosoeuer shall come to the reading of this oration , let him know , that it is not translated like quae genus , to teach any man to construe . i haue not rendred verbum verbo : but , verba verbo ; and in some places , verbum verbis . as in printing , many faults vsually escape in the first proofe : so many errors in the first edition . i confesse , through haste , i haue not alwayes closely followed the authors steppes . if euer it be reprinted , all shall bee redressed . in the mean time , it may bee vvell vnderstood , though it bee ill translated . i had neuer vndertaken it , had it not been written against calumny : who hath wronged mee ; and may heereafter , more , than euer fortune did , or can doe . no , no : i had rather contemplate a thousand lines , than turn one ; the taske beeing more noble : sith , as aristotle saith , deus , si qua felicitate gaudet , gaudet contemplatione . besides ; i plainely see , that the only thing which hath brought scholars out of request , hath been translating . let these suffice . an oration of iustus lipsius , against calumny . this day , this day , am i to speake of calumny , and to draw and lugge this vice into the light . thou god , who art goodnesse , brightnesse , and all loue , bee a light to the steps of my dimme intellect , and lead me against a vice , of all vices the greatest enemy to thee . moue my minde and tongue , that i may instill innocency and humanity into humanity ; winning men to shew honesty , peace , & charity , in their liues , discourses , and writings . calumny i heere define to be , a guilefull , priuie wounding , and diminishing of anothers fame , either in word , or with penne . calumny is so called a caluendo : which ( being an olde , and obsolete word ) implied as much , as to abuse , or deceiue . for , calumny , in generall , lieth , and beguileth ( as heereafter i will shew ) and deriues her authority frō lying , and deceiuing . the graecians named her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and that , verie properly : because shee pearces , stickes , & strikes-through , with the all-harming dart of her venom'd tongue . so that calumny hath two proposed ends : the one , to deceiue ; which the latines consider'd : the other , to hurt ; which the graecians oft obserued . o vice of vices ! and yet in these times what is more frequent ? what more inseparable companion of publique , and priuate ruines ? i may yet adde , and ask , what hath beene more neglected by moderne , and antient writers ? wherefore , since there is not any one found ( to my knowledge ) who hath written of it , or against it ; i hope , this treatise of it will not bee vnprofitable to you , nor inglorious to mee , who first beginne to lay it open , and to explane it with my plaine stile . three principall things then there are , from which the present discourse must be deriu'd . first , i will shew how filthy , and loathsome calumny is ; secondly , how pernicious ; thirdly , how to be auoided . whilst i seuerally discourse of these , somewhat amply , and acutely , i shall desire this faire audience , not onely to lend mee their minds , but their eares ; and to fill and guide the sailes ( as i may say ) of my oration , with the zephyrus , or gentle gale of their loue-breathing thoughts . as for the filthiness of calumny , it cannot bee more cleerely prooued , than by this two-folde argument : to weet , that it selfe , and all those in whom it dwels , are most loathsome . the persons , that harbour it , are branded with these three markes ; base , idle , pratling : so truely , by mee termed base , that i deny not only any good , but any indifferently good , or lofty spirit , euer to haue been blemisht with this blot . examine the olde , and these our moderne times , and you shall neuer reade , see , or heare , that any haue beene prone to this vice , but onely sad , and maligne natures , envying others and distrusting themselues ; whom melancholy saturne hath blasted with his starre . did you neuer see little , cowardly dogs barke at guests , that durst not bite beasts ? why , such are these worser sort of men ; who are borne onely to hurt and vexe the harmelesse . i say , they are borne to that end ; because they doe so leane , and incline to this vice , that they are neuer quiet , but when they haue made others vnquiet . their second marke is idlenesse : than which nothing is more apparent ; since the first sparke , and tinder of calumny , is sloth : for , no man will haue leasure to enquire into other mens affaires , who is deteined by his owne . in sluggish , and dronish people , this godlesse goddesse takes-vp her lodging , and there laies the foundation of her kingdome . hee that denies this , let him but a little frequent the palaces of princes , and places of pleading : in which , occasion & matter of calumny is daily , and aboundantly , sowen by those , who make this their only businesse , to walke and talke . vvhatsoeuer is publikely , or priuately done , is there censured , and scourged . the prince , & his counsellours are said to doe amisse : one man is said to haue done this ; another man to haue spoken that . to conclude ; no report of any man can stand with them vnblemisht , and vnslandred . and if wise , and experienced men did this , i could the better beare with it : but , now , men not only most idle , but also most ignorant , do busie themselues in those things , to whose height , their sense , and vnderstanding will not reach . as in a ship an vnskilful passenger is not to bee endur'd , that teaches , & chides the mariners , when he himselfe will lend hand neither to the rudder , nor to the ore : so also , vnto vs , these emptie vessells must needes bee molestfull , which sound most , and haue least liquor in them . to be briefe ; their last marke is prattling . and , indeede , how should they be other ? since it is proper to these babblers , not only to speak much , but much euill . haue any of you at any time ranked your selues with those head-strong vntamed people , who haue , as pindar saith , vncurbed mouthes ? if you haue ; tell me , was not the greatest part of their talke not onely of some body , but against some body ? surely , it was . for , they vent things , both heard , and vnheard ; mingling things true and certaine , with things vaine , and vncertaine . and , as in a lake of iudaea , call'd asphaltes , nothing sinks ; but vvhatsoeuer is cast-in , swimmes vpon the surface of the water : so , nothing goes to the bottome of their bosomes ; all things keep the toppe , and slote ouer . but , to say the truth , how should they fauor others , when they cannot spare themselues ? for , it is the nature of this disease , to make them raile against themselues , when they haue nothing to speake against others . as in an extreame & long dearth , our bodies , for want of nourishment , feede vpon themselues : so falles it out with them . i haue now sufficiently discoursed vnto you of the minions of calumny : i will therefore ( as order requires ) bring her selfe vpon the stage , with her owne true coūtenance . i confesse , all vice to be detestable , vglie , and loathsome ; but , this aboue all other : vvhich doth not onely reigne in filthy people , but is also begotten , and borne of loathsome parents . the poets faine their chimaera to haue three bodies . they fain : but , i dare sweare , that to the composition of calumny , the mixtion of three vices is necessarie . for , lying , and enuy are her parents ; and curiositie , her nurse . consider , with your selues , vvhat a faire infant this must needes bee , which receiues her beeing from three such foule vices . i said , and said truly , that lying was her father ; because it inspires and animates calumny : which without lying , languisheth , hauing neither life nor soule . what backbiter was euer yet content with the naked truth only ? which of them vvas euer yet pleased to call a figge a figge ? and , indeede , hee cannot choose but doe so ; in that hee hath no power to hurt , nor can attaine to his proposed end , if he keep himselfe within the limits of truth . therefore hee addes to euery thing and as that sound of neighbouring valleies ( which wee call eccho ) returnes wo or three words , for one : so he doubles things heard , and seene . haue i in a word or two complained of any man ? hee wil say , i haue sharply accused him . haue i made doubt of any thing ? hee will say , i haue carped at all . haue i my selfe some doubtfull speach , or sentence , hee wil choose the worse sense . in a word ; as the physicians say of their cupping glasses , that they draw-out nothing but the most impure blood of all : so i may more truly say of a slanderer , that he neither attracts , nor receiues any thing vnto him , or into him , that is not euill . but , i would hee did detract onely : for , oftentimes , he addes , and reports those things to haue been done , & spoke by vs , which we neuer so much as dream'd of . as spiders , with a woonderfull art , bring-foorth threds and cobwebs , out of their bodies : so , hee begets , and weaues subtle snares with his wit. i haue truly & sufficiently shewed , that lying is the father of calumny : it now resteth that i proue envy to be her mother ; who in the malignant wombe of her wit , conceiues , beares , and at last brings forth this impious infant . this is easily proued , by the maners and deeds of calumniators : for , they sildome drawe that fame-defacing weapon vpon base people , & men of their owne coate ; but , vpon those vvhom they see to excell others in vertue , in learning , or in some other thing worthy admiration . as runners doe not looke backe for the laggers , but striue to out-strip the formost : so , calumny pursues the better sort . it vvas obserued in the sportes of old , that bulls would roare , and wex enrag'd at the sight of any redde , or purple thing ; which , notwithstanding are the most faire of all colours : the like may be seene in these men ; whose rancor is stirred vp by vertue . last of all , i added , that curiositie was the nurse of calumny . and that , very truly ; sith she seeds and fosters this damsell with the long sought-for meat of speeches and rumors . take her frō calumny , and what can she doe ? shee will straight wex weak , faint , & emptie ; hauing more will , thā power to hurt . for , shee hath matter ministred to her , by curiosity : who , dwelling neuer at home , but ranging alwaies abroad , enters not onely the houses , but the minds of all men ; beeing euer watchful , neuer sleeping . it is she , it is she , that gathers reports together , & vents them to him that next accosteth her , saluting him thus : giue me your hand . what news ? what 's done at court ? how stand the affaires of england ? hovv , of france ? what doth titius ? what doth seius ? these things , & other of like nature , dooth she pry into , & meddle with ; yet neuer growes ful , nor satisfied . but , as a putrid and scabbed limbe delights to bee scratcht , and rubb'd : so she itcheth for sharpe and opprobrious speeches . neither onely hath shee itching , and greedy eares , but quicke & pearcing eyes : which when shee opens , what is it shee sees not ? yea , euen those things which shee sees not . she thē searcheth into things revealed , and vnreuealed . tiberius , the emperour , is reported to haue beene so quick-sighted , that he could see as well in the night , as in the day : but , this may more fitlie bee said of curiosity ; in that , neither darknesse , nor solitude , can keepe-out her all-searching sight . doost thou shut thy doores ? she will pearce throgh them . doost thou tie-vp thy tongue ? shee will prie into thy bosome . doost thou shun the societie of men ? shee wil neuerthelesse find thee out . as flies , and such little creatures , can by no meanes be kept-out ; no more can shee , by any art. shee is sole queen of that familie of the curio's , whom the comick poet verie wittily thus paints forth ; they haue a great care of other mens affaires . they would seeme to knowe all things ; but , indeed , know nothing . they know what the king whisperd in the eare of the queene ; and what ioue discoursed of with iuno . nay , which is more ; they know things which neuer were , nor euer shall be . by this time , i am sure , you euidently perceiue the vglinesse of calumny ; which lodgeth in base , filthy persons , and hath like parents ; begottē by lying , brought forth by envy , & broght vp by curiositie . come on now , and follow mee to the mischiefe that attends her : which i thoght good to make the second part of my race . and before i runne it , pause with mee awhile , and refresh your minds . the mischiefe in calumny , is forcible & variable : & that so great ( i auerre it seriously , without an hyperbole ) as i find the like in no other vice . i say , forcible , because she wounds deeply , & priuily . variable , in that ( for the most part ) she neither leaues any thing , nor any body , vntouched . let vs handle euery one of these by themselues . that she wounds deeply , the holy prophet wil witnes with mee , crying-out ; their teeth are darts and arrowes : and their tongue is a sharpe sword . neither is there any great difference betwixt the words of this diuine man , & of that spartan , who being demaunded whether , or no his sword were sharp enough , replyed , more keene than calumny ; intimating therby , that no edge of iron and steele , could compare in keenenesse with the edge of the tongue . vvhat cannot this touch ? or what toucheth it , that it toucheth not to the quick ? as that subtill force of lightning pearceth through euery thing : so , nothing can be so closely shut , nor so far remooued , but calumny wil burn through it . and this she doth the more effectually , in that shee doth it priuily , and ( as i added ) by treachery . how can a weapon bee avoided , that is not seene ? the clowds forewarne vs of the ensuing tempest ; smoake of the ensuing fire ; a spy , of the approach of the enemy : but , the mischiefe that comes from a calumniator , is sudden , and vnexpected . doost thou thinke hee threatens ? he then flatters . doost thou take him for thine enemie ? he will induce thee to belieue that hee is thy friend ; and will first tie thee with the snaring praises of his tongue , and then with the same will wound thee . and as a scorpion , if thou handle him , will seeme to play with thee , till hee get opportunitie with the winding of his taile to sting thee : so , when thou fearest little hurt from a calumniator , hee hath thē already harmed thee . o detestable deceite ! which my historian ( as from an oracle ) notes , when hee saith , a mans greatest enemies are his greatest praisers . giue me poyson openly , and i will beware of it : but , if you cunningly mingle it with my meate , or drink , how can i shun it then ? the same may bee said of calumny : which may truly be called , poysoned hony . it is not a thing difficult ( saith singular salust ) to a stout and valiant man , to conquer an assaulting enemy ; but , good men neuer suspect , and therfore neuer go about to shun hidden & vnknown dangers . how forcible and violent the mischief is which proceeds from calumny , hath sufficiently beene proued : you shall now heare how variable or diuers it is . it doth hurt ( as i said before ) in most matters , and to most persons ; a thing more remarquable in calumny , than in any other vice . it hurts not one , or two ; but , many : if i be lustfull , two only are contaminated with the impurity of the crime . say , i am couetous : it may be i cheate three , or foure of their money . if i be drunke , perhaps i wrong some man with blowes , or with words . but , with calumny it is far otherwise : for , shee spares no age , sex , nor order ; and may rightly be called a publique calamity , and the phaeton ( if i may so say ) of the earth's circle . who was euer so happy , or so wise , that could brag hee was safe from her reach ? there was neuer any . her tearing teeth are whetted to hurt all men ; but , those most , who are of most merit . he that excells in any thing , is sure to be troden-downe by her . as they , who pull-downe houses , doe first take a way the pillars : so , calumny ( desiring to destroy mortality ) first seekes to supplant those , vpon whom the publique good is builded . prudent , honest , and learned men , are her proclaimed enemies : whose fame shee sometimes shakes with the engines of reproach ; and sometimes , againe , seekes to ouerthrow it with the cunning vndermining of suspicion . neither onely doth she iniure & wrong sundry men ; but , in sundry matters also . nor is there any thing deare and pretious to a man , but she will be sure with her wiles either wholly to bereaue him of it , or very much to empaire it . doe riches delight thee ? she will , if she can , dispossesse thee of them . dost thou reioice in great titles , and honours ? of those shee will depriue thee . dooth any man place his felicity in his friends ? here shee will imploy her vttermost art , and strength ; and will seuer laelius from scipio , pylades from orestes . what is so pretious to a man ▪ as his fame ? which to good men is aboue all goods , and life it selfe . for , riches , and life , are things brittle , and flitting ; our goods going often away before vs , & our liues alwaies with vs : but , our fame is that which doth eternize vs ; that only remaines , when we are rotten . why , this fame , this treasure of the wise , this life-enlightning gemme , calumny dooth daily seeke to obscure , and vtterly to deface . for , because shee cannot hurt vertue it self ( the chiefe-good in vs ) she seekes to ouer-cloud , and lessen vertuous actions : which are , as it were , the shadowes , not the very images of vertue . but , why talke i of men , and humane affaires ? o good god! shee neither spares thee , nor thy heauen . for shee will finde in diuine matters also something to debate of ; by which she may offend not only thine , but thee . it is thy decree , thy sanction , that the secrets of the minde be reserued for the moderatour of the minde : neither are the strings of the heart , to be plaied vpon by any , but by him that made them . but , calumny violates this law : for , now-a-dayes ( o hatefull daies ! ) shee directs her eyes , and tongue hither ; prying into this inmost temple . shee cries-out , that this man is not vpright in his gouernement ; that a second is not valiant ; that a third is a close fellow , and not open enough . in a word ; what remaines , but that the thoughts , & meaning of our mindes be summon'd to appeare before this calumniating iudgement seate ? homer , the true prince ( in my iudgement ) not of poets onely , but of all other men ( i vnderstand profane ) faines a certaine goddesse , which he calleth ate ; from whom all offence & mischiefe took their sourse and deriuation . vnder the couer of which fiction , i assure my selfe ( as certainely as i now speak and breathe that he intēded to touch & twitch calumny . for , thus he describeth her : a mischieuous goddesse ( i interprete him summarily ) vvhich offendeth all : which toucheth not the earth ; but , walks vpon the heads of men , and hath hurt iupiter himselfe . answer me now truly , and on your word . was there euer any painter , with a curious and artificiall pencill , or oratour with plentifull rhetorick , who vvith more light and propriety , hath marked-out the true genuine forme of odious calumnie ? i thinke , neuer any . hee telleth you , that shee offendeth all . iust my doctrine ; that all men , in all places , are endangerd by her . she toucheth not the earth . true : for , shee sildom aimes 〈◊〉 base , earthy , and lowecreeping spirits : but , as it followeth in the verse , shee walks vpon the heads of men ; to wit , shee directs her flight to the highest matters , & most eminent persons . in conclusion ; shee hurts iupiter himselfe : ( vvho makes question of it ? ) either in casting calumnie and aspersion vpon diuine and holy actions ; or in not suffering religiō herselfe to goe free and vntoucht of her venomed tooth . these are but the villanies , wherewith shee sports her self in priuate ; beeing nothing in comparison of those vvhich she commits publiquely , & in the courts of princes . for , here is her proper & true throne : heere shee plaies the vvanton , and curuets within her circle . but , time so straitens mee , that i cannot chase & pursue this subiect in all particulars . briefely , thus : whatsoeuer deceit , oppression , or villanie hath beene in any age , or in any court whatsoeuer , it flowed first from this head , from this fountaine . what was it , that allured alexander to murther so many of his deer friends , but calumnie ? that banished socrates from his naturall life , rutilius from his natiue cittie , but calumny ? that fed , as it were , vvith nevv blood , and gaue life to tiberius , caligula , and nero , and so many monsters of kings , but this hateful calumny ? and , not to speake onelie of former times , this age , this miserable age , doth sufficiently testifie , that those flights , those slaughters , those generall calamities , those seas , & inundations of miserie , vnder which wee grone , haue no other birth , sourse , nor generation , but from the riuerets of court-calumnie . are your soules grieued , that these arrowes of sedition stick in the bowels of the common-vveale ? calumny fixt thē there . that the fire of ciuill warres hath burned , now so many yeers ? calumny did first kindle it . and we neuer see , or haue seene , any wickednesse whatsoeuer , but infused and diffused from this poysning fountaine . subiects against their princes , princes against their subiects , are first stirred-vp , kindled , prouoked , & enflamed ( as it were ) by this fanne of words . and as the seas , naturally calme , by the wind grow swoln and enraged : so , many princes , of good & gentle dispositions , are set on fire by these matches . you see now the forcible & variable mischief , attēding calūny . which mee thinks our old christians did well vnderstand , when they named the father of all sinnes , or rather sinne it selfe ( that monster from hell ) by a greek word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; a detractor , or one which is accustomed to calumniate : thinking ( it seems ) that our most malitious enemy could not bee made known by a word of more malice . neither did the ancient lawgiuers , with less iudgemēt , consider her vnbridled and ouer-mastering violence . who , when they restrained all other vices with lawes and punishmēts ; to this one ( which i wonder at ) they made waie for her cariere ; giuing her free scope to be hurtfull . for , number vp all the nations in the world ; i am deceiued , if you name one , that ( with any sanction or penall law ) hath bridled & supprest it . the athenians , i confesse , were wont to inflict pecuniary punishments vpon such offenders : the romans burnt them in the foreheads heads with the letter k. but , let not this lead anie man into error : for , they were onely such as practic'd it in courts of iustice , and in publike accusations . what then ? were they either so blind , as not to see this mischief ? or so foolish , as seeing it , to giue it allowāce & approbation ? neither of these : but , with great iudgement & discretion they held any vice vnpunishable , which they thought vncurable . small riuers are withstood with bayes and sluces : but , what mountaines can resi●t a cōmon deluge ? calumny hath made an inundation ouer all the earth : and lurkes close in the marrow of ill dispositions and wicked natures ; beeing no longer esteem'd-of as a fault ; but as a custom . what shold they do then ? vvhy , like wise and discreet physicians : which do not rashly handle with their fingers a canker , or the plague . so as the greatnesse and diffusion of the euill , hath giuen it this freedome and enlargement : neither was it euer tolerated , but through despair , but , least i shold weary-out my selfe , and detain you with too long an oration , i will guyde my ship to her port or hauen , and come to the third and last part ; namely , the auoyding of calumny : which if any man so vnderstand , as hoping to be secur'd against all calumny , he deceiues himselfe , & requites that of mee , which was neuer in the power of man. let not thales onely , that fauorite of wisdome , but euen wisdome her selfe , vndertake this task , they can neuer performe it . what shall wee doe then ? i can onely succor thee with two bucklers , to repulse and giue abatement to the violence of her charge . the first of which is innocence : the other , patience . whosoeuer would avoid the bytings of this mischiefe-breathing goddesse , let him aboue any thing arme himselfe with innocence : and indeed they , which liue in integritie of life , warines of speech , modestie of actions , why should they fear her ? for as no filth doth easily adhere to smooth & wel polished places : so , no abusiue speeches can settle thēselues on vnblemisht deedes . this hath bin oftentimes a good remedie : i shouldly , if i should say alwaies . i know well that tully writes , as fire cast into water , is in an instant extinguished : so , a false accusation on a chast life . i wold to god , those wordes were as true , as wittie : for , how manie men , euen of the purest and most immaculate conuersation , haue beene wounded by this calumny , and will euer be so ! how many haue beene wounded , euen to the letting-out of the best blood , and iuice of their reputation ! neither is it any maruaile . for , calumny ( as i said before ) supports her selfe by lying . and she may doe it safely ; because shee hath but one iudge : and that one , such , as ( for the most part ) neuer enquires further ; but , belieues at first . wherefore , a certaine flatterer of a king , saw further into this matter , than did the forenamed orator : who was wont to say , that nothing was to bee spoken against any man : for , said hee , though the wound may be healed , the scarre will remain . a shrewd speech : but ( belieue mee ) very wittie ; and which takes his originall , and credite from our owne natures . for , it is grafted in the dispositions of many men , not onely to giue open , but credulous eare , to al whispering reports : and the more willinglie , if they treat of any wrōg done , or to be done . hee , whose chance it is to be spotted , will hardly wash himselfe cleane againe : for , the suspicion will remaine , though the crime doe not . and therfore i did not vnwisely , to paint out patience for the buckler , wherewith the innocent might defend themselues . the vse of patience consists in bearing vneuitable calumnies courageously , & with a high crest . varro was wont to say of an ill wife , that either a man must endure her , or ridde himselfe of her . do thou the same heere ; tolerating , what cannot be taken-away . what said i ? thou shouldst bear them ? nay , rather despise them . as a courageous souldier scorns the weak darts , that ( like haile ) make a light ratling round about his helmet : so doth the wise , and fortified man , all scoffes , and derisions . for , what can they take frō him ? his good name ? that will euer be good , amongst good men . can they robbe him of his vertue & his wisedom ? those are no way subiect to the will of man. to conclude ; when all these carping detractours haue spoke , and done their vttermost , this man of men ( with a true and lofty courage ) cries-out , all that is mine i carry with mee . but , thou wilt reply , that the meere colour and appearance of infamie is to be feared . if thou be guilty , feare it : if not , why fearest thou ? apply it not to thy selfe ; and all is well . diogenes , the cinicke ( a man of a towring wisedome ; who therin not only exceeded men , but almost equalled euen the gods themselues ) was wont to say , when the people mockt him ; they deride me : yet , i am not derided . do thou the like : and so heare all those scoffes and iests , broken ( directly ) vpon thee , as if they had aymed at some other . calumniatours neuer lightly cōtemne or scorn any man , that hath not first contemn'd himselfe . marcus cato ( that roman socrates ) hauing receiued a blow from one , and the party comming afterwards to giue him satisfaction , and to intreat pardon ▪ he sent him away only with this answere ; i assure thee , i remember no such matter . o worthy man , beyond other men ! who thought it a greater glory , not to regard an iniurie , than to pardon it . and , indeede , if wee iudicially examine them , how smal are those things , that do so much trouble vs ! for the most part , no deeds at all ; but onely a fewe trifling wordes , whose chiefest strength consists altogether in the interpretours construction . refuse to vnderstand them ; and , withall , the scoffer hath lost the whole purpose and fruit of his contumely . these ( gentle auditours ) are the safest weapons against calumny : not those , which the vulgar fight withall ; memory , and reuenge . as in trauelling , if a dogge , or horse dash mee , i am nothing mov'd at him , nor striue to doe the like to him ; but rather , rubbe it off : so should wee doe here ; accounting of them as of curres , and iades : whose iniuries proceede not from iudgement ; but , from froward passion but , here i ende ; taking down , and folding together , the sailes ( as i may say ) of my oration . you haue heard three things concerning this vice : the filthinesse of it ; the mischiefe ; and the remedy against it . i beseech you , in the name of the immortall god , to banish farre from your tongues , and eares , this infectious plague . for , he offends , not onely that vtters calumnies ; but , he that heares them with approbation . and as it is impossible to handle hot iron , with out harme , and danger : the like also befalls vs , in giuing assistance to these fierie tongues . i knowe well , they will insinuate , and fawne vpon you ; making a shevv of ioue in their countenance , & of mildnesse in their words : but , belieue mee , they are aspes , and vipers ; which blowe-in their poyson , through soft and deceitfull kisses . these i hold not worthy of admonition ; but rather , of dire imprecation : and therefore , i pray , with david ; confound the lying lippes , o god , that speake against the righteous . finis . counsellor manners, his last legacy to his son enriched and embellished with grave adviso's, pat histories, and ingenious proverbs, apologues, and apophthegms / by josiah dare. dare, josiah, th cent. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) counsellor manners, his last legacy to his son enriched and embellished with grave adviso's, pat histories, and ingenious proverbs, apologues, and apophthegms / by josiah dare. dare, josiah, th cent. [ ], , [ ] p. printed for edward gough and are to be sold by most booksellers in london, london : . "licensed, october , , r.l."--colophon. errata: p. [ ] reproduction of original in the bristol public library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. courtesy. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion counsellor manners his last legacy to his son : enriched and embellished with grave adviso's , pat histories , and ingenious proverbs , apologues , and apophthegms . by josiah dare . sunt bona , sunt quaedam mediocria , sunt mala plu●a , quae legis hic : aliter non fit , avite , liber . mart. lib. . epig. xvii . london , printed for edward gough , and are to be sold by most booksellers in london . . the preface to the reader . courteous reader , i shall not according to the usual mode of those epistles which are prefixed to printed books , crave the patronage of any person whatsoever to this : for i hope that thou thy self , when thou hast perused it , wilt patronize it , considering the honesty and innocency of it ; neither shall i dedicate it to any right worshipful or right honourable person , because i think it incongruous to present a small book to a great personage : nor will i beg pardon of any man for this my scribble , since i might have prevented it , if i would have refrained from dipping my pen in mine inkhorn , and indeed i esteem them unworthy to be pardoned who consultedly commit a fault , and then desire to be excused for it . all that i desire of thee is that thou wouldst take in good part , what is here offered thee in good will : the design of all theologues in the pulpit is , to teach men grace ; and it is mine out of it , to teach them manners , and truly a moral life is a fair step to an holy one , and a good behaviour to a sanctified conversation . unmannerly clowns are , like bears cubs , meer lumps of flesh , till they be lickt into a more comely shape ; and ill tutored persons are like rough hewn statues you shall scarce perceive the lineaments of a man in them , till they be wrought smooth and polished . good manners make the man , quoth william of wickham . be a man never so brave in his apparel , if his deportment be not answerable , he is as ridiculous an object as a monkey or a baboon in a scarlet coat , with a tiffany ruff about his neck ; good manners adorn those very things that most adorn us , for what is a gold ring in a swines snout . since then i present thee here with such jewels as will set thee forth and gain thee honour and respect amongst all persons , with whom thou shalt converse ; i hope thou wilt in manners accept them kindly , as well for thine own sake , as for his who here subscribes himself thine affectionate friend and humble servant josiah dare . the grave counsellors last legacy to his son . there dwelt sometimes in this island of britain , an ancient gentleman , called counsellor manners , a man of a very fair estate , who being both aged , and sickly , found such weakness in himself , that he thought nature would yield unto death , and physick unto his diseases : this gentleman had one only son , who nothing resembled the qualities of his father ; which the old man perceiving , he caused him to be called to his bed side , and the chamber being voided , he brake with him in these terms . . my son thou art too young to die , and i am too old to live , and therefore as nature must of necessity pay her debt to death , so must she also pay her devotion to thee ; whom i alive , had to be the comfort of mine age , and whom alone i must leave behind me , to be the only monument of my name , and honour . if thou couldst as well conceive the care of a father , as i can level at the nature of a child , or were i as able to utter my affection towards thee , as thou oughtest to shew thy duty to me , then wouldst thou desire my life , to enjoy my counsel ; and i should correct thy life , to amend thy conditions : yet so tempered , as that neither rigour might detract any thing from affection in me , or fear any whit from thee in duty . but seeing my self so feeble , that i cannot live to be thy guide , i am resolved to give thee such counsel as may do thee good : wherein i shall shew my care , and discharge my duty . my good son , thou art to receive by my death wealth , and by my counsel wisdom ; and i would thou wert as willing to imprint the one in thy heart , as thou wilt be ready to bear the other in thy purse : to be rich is the gist of fortune , to be wise the grace of god. have more mind on thy books ▪ than on thy bags , more desire of godliness than gold , greater affection to die well , than live wantonly . ii. behave thy self as becomes one of thy birth , for if thou vauntest of thy linage , and titular dignity , and wantest the virtues of thy ancestors , thou art but as a base serving man , who carries on his sleeve the badge of some noble family , yet is himself but an ignoble person . in which respect aristotle discoursing of nobility , makes four parts thereof ; the first of riches , the second of blood , the third of learning , the fourth of vertue . and to the two last he ascribeth the first place of true gentry , because boors may be rich , and rakehels may be of ancient bloud , but vertue and knowledge cannot harbour , but where god and nature hath left their noble endowments . it was the saying of old english chaucer , that to do the gentle deeds , that makes the gentleman . have what thou wilt , without these thou art but a three-half-penny fellow : gentry without virtue is blood indeed , but blood without fat , blood without sinews ; blood is but the body of gentility , excellency of vertue is the soul : and as vertue is the high way to honour , so without it honour falls down in the dust : and therefore when hermodius a nobleman born , but of a deboist life , upbraided the valiant captain iphicrates , for that he was a shoomakers son , he knowing that it was more commendable , to be made honourable for vertue , than born noble by blood , replyed , in me my gentility begins , in thee thine ends . be the birth never so base , yet honesty and vertue is free from disgrace ; be the birth never so great , yet dishonesty and vice is subject to dishonour : therefore since thou art well descended by thy birth , prove not base , either by bad vices of thine own , or lewd devices of other men : take thy great birth , to be an obligation of great vertue ; suit thy behaviour unto it ; ennoble thy parentage with piety ; and since true honour must come of thy self , and not of others worth ▪ work out thine own glory by performing good deeds ; and stand not upon what thou dost borrow of thy predecessors , if thou reach not the goodness of those which gave thee outward glory , and dost not so much honour thy house , with the glory of thy vertues , as thy house hath honoured the with the title of thy degree ; but dost as a noisom weed grow the ranker because thou springest out from a rich soil , know thou art but a wooden dagger , put into a gaudy sheath , to help fill up the place , when that of good metal is lost , and can no more be found . if thou dost not learn patri●are , and let my vertue mix with thy blood ; know thou art but as a painted fire , which may become the wall , but gives no light to the beholder : and that the greater my honour and reputation was , the greater will thy blemish be , if thou come short of my merits : for thou art guilty of neglecting so good a president . remember what dionysius king of sicily said to his son , whom he knew to have committed adultery , didst thou ( saith he ) euer find such a thing in thy father ? the son ( as though he would make his height and grandeur , a priviledge of looseness , and as though it were no matter whether men were good , so they were great , ) answered , oh ( said he ) you had not a king to your father , neither ( said the father ) shall thy son , except thou turn over a new leaf , and take a better course , ever be king. and again remember what king edward the first said to john earl of athol , who was nobly descended , having committed a murther upon john cominaeus , the higher thy calling is , the greater must be thy fall , and as thou art of higher parentage , so shalt thou be the higher hanged : and so he was on a gallows . foot high . and as i would have thee remember the foregoing examples , so likewise this ensuing one , of boleslaus the fourth king of poland , who bore the picture of his father hanged about his neck in a plate of gold , and when he was to do any thing , he took this picture , and kissing it said , dear father , i wish i may not do any thing that is base , or unworthy of thy name . iii. be acquainted with good carriage , let thy behaviour be civil , and inoffensive , unto those in whose company thou art , to that end do nothing which may be unpleasant , and offensive to their senses . and first of the sence of hearing , offend not the ears of the company with talking loud like a clown , for it savours not of a gentleman so to do ; besides , it may draw upon thee , the aspersion of being a fool , according to that graecians saying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the loudest talkers are none of the wisest men , forbear also singing , especially if thy voice be harsh , and untunable ; for who will be taken with the braying of an ass , or the notes of a cuckow ? if in company thou chance to gape , put thy hand before thy mouth , and continue not thy discourse while thou art gaping , for that is both ridiculous , and to many as offensive , as the gaping of a stinking oyster : neither when thou gapest , yawl , and roar , as some do , for that ill beseems a man ; briefly , as much as in the lies , refrain from gaping often in company , that those thou dost converse with , may not fancy that the oven is gotten into the parlour , or that one of the wide mouthed anticks over the church porch , is come amongst them . neither sneeze or cough too loud , and violently if thou canst help it , but ( if possible ) repress it , lest thou besprinkle with the dew of thy lungs , his face that stands by thee . iv. and as thou must not offend the sence of hearing , so likewise thou must neither offend that of seeing ; be not seen with a drop hanging at thy nose , like an iceicle on the eaves of an house ; neither pick thy teeth , or blow thy nostrils aloud , when thou sittest at the table , nor look into thine handkerchief , as if thou hadst blown out a pearl , or carbuncle ; neither when thou dost arise from thence , openly unbutton , or unhasp thy breeches , as if thou wert in hast to ease nature ; nor return to the company , from the necessary house in the garden , with thy hose untied ; for this carries with it a shew of immodesty in thy self , and of disrespect to others ; let not therefore the impudent dog that cares not before whom he exonerates his belly , be thy president , but rather let the modest cat be a pattern to thee of more civility , which , as soon as me hath eased her self , doth presently hide and bury her excrements . if thou art walking with any one , and shalt see any thing that 's filthy in the way , thou shalt not presently turn and shew it him ; neither shalt thou bring any odious or loathsom thing to others , that they may see it or smell to it . v. for thou must be careful that thou offend not this sence of smelling also ; never at the table smell to the meat that 's carved to thee ; for this is very offensive , to those that have invited thee , and seems to put an affront upon them , as if what they had provided for thine entertainment did stink : i remember how a lady returned the affront upon a gentleman that did so ; for when she espyed him to smell to the meat she had carved to him , she said aloud before all her guests , sir , if you smell any thing that is offensive , it is your own breath reflected from your trencher . vi. the next sence is that of tasting , which thou must take heed of offending ; never give him to whom thou drinkest , an empty cup or glass ; for that will argue to many an empty pericranium : neither give to any one a pear , an apple , a peach , or an apricock , which thou hast bitten ; let kings only have their tasters . smack not with thy lips in chewing thy meat , for so feeds the swine at his trough ; neither let thy fingers be knuckle deep in the sauce , for that is loathsom , and savours of slovenry , or that thou hast been better fed than taught . rub not thy bread between thine hands into crums and mammocks , as if thou wert rather to feed chickens than thy self ; but especially abstain from doing so , when thou art to put thy bread into a mess of broth , or cream , brought to the table , lest the sweating of thy hands may seem to make it bread and butter too . vii . let thy man that waits on the at the table , observe these instructions ; when he gives thee wine , beer , or ale , let him not clum the glass or cup , in his fist , but with an even and steady hand , present it to thee on a fair plate or trencher ; and be sure that he fills them not over-full , for that is called piss-pot measure : tell him that he must not cough , spit , or sneeze , when he presents thee that liquor which thou callest for , and that he must not be slippery fingered , for so he may sauce thy cloaths ; the first thing to be learned in falconry , is , to hold fast . when he takes a tost , or a rosted apple from the fire , he must not blow upon it to blow off the ashes , for men are wont to say , that there is never wind without some water : let him rather strike off , and brush off the ashes . let him be neat in his cloaths , let his hands and face be clean , for the slovenry of the servant , redounds to the shame and disgrace of the master ; and men will be apt to say , like master , like man. briefly , if thou wouldst have him to be a good serving man indeed , urge him to observe these four things , . speak when i speak to thee . . come when i call thee . . do what i bid thee . . shut the door after thee . but to return to thy self , and to the last sence , which is of touching , or feeling . viii . and this sence thou must as little offend as any of the other four : when thou art talking with another , stand not so near unto him , that thou maist touch him with thy breath , for thy breath may peradventure offend him , more than thy words may please him : neither in thy discourse sulch him , or punch him with thy elbows , as if thou wouldst rather beat it into his sides , than into his ears ; for this is prodigiously offensive to personages of quality ▪ besides these , there are also things done without any peculiar trouble to the sences , and yet they displease most men and therefore are to be avoided . ix . sleep not in that place where there is good company , which may delight , or teach thee by their discourses ; lest either thou maist seem to have taken a cup of nimis , or little regardest the present company ; or their talk ; besides it is often seen , that sweat runs down the faces , and spittle down the beards of such sleepers , which is no pleasant sight , and they commonly snort and rout which is no pleasant hearing . x. pull not out of thy pocket now this letter or epistle , now that , neither take a book by thy self in the window , and read it ; nor compose thy whole body to cut thy nails with thy scissers or thy knife , as if thou esteemest not those who are with thee , or their discourse ; and therefore to pass away the time , thou seekest for some other imployment or avocation . xi . when thou sittest down , turn not thy back to anothers face , neither rest or lean upon another , as on a prop , making him thy leaning stock , lest thou receive the like taunt , which a gentleman passed upon a clown , that leaned hard upon him , pray friend when you have done with my shoulder , let me have it again . xii . imitate as much as thou canst the custom of thy country , and people , in the adorning and attire of thy body , although the cloaths that are used are of less profit , or are not so fit unto the body as the old were , or did seem to be ; if all the country cut their hair short , i would not have thee wear thine long , and if they wear long hair , i would not have thee clip thine even to thy ears , which would make thee shew like a duckatoon , as mr. cleaveland doth express it . for that is to be singular and contrary unto others , which thou shouldst not be , unless it be by some necessity , for this will render the most ridiculous and contemptible unto others , and prove thee to be as humoursom as the cynick diogenes , who would always go against a crowd , because he would be contrary to all others : it is better in many things to swim with the stream , than crosly and perversly with the sturgeon , always swim against it : for thou wilt be accounted nothing , if thou opposest the publick customs of all . do thou therefore accommodate , or fashion thy self unto them , in a certain mediocrity , and be not thou the only he in thy country , who hast thy coat hanging down to thy ankles , when others have it scarce hanging down to their knees , neither wear it very short , when others wear it very long : let not thy beaver be made with a steeple crown , whilst the crowns of other mens hats are flat and couchant , lest they that meet thee take thee for a stalking antick , or an image broke loose from an old piece of arras . let thy cloaths be neat , fit , and fashionable , not over-gaudy , that the wiser sort of men may not take the for the kings jester . when one was at the printing house , busie to prepare a course treatise for the press , whose margin was all filled with citing of authors , a learned man came in , to whom he presented a sheet , desiring him to peruse it , and give him his true judgment of it , the gentleman having cast his eye over the paper , told him , that the lace was better than the cloth ; to apply this , i know that many gallants of the town , upon the coorsest cloth set the richest lace , which i take to be a great vanity , and therefore not sit for thy imitation ; rather let the cloth thou wearest be rich , and thou thy self the best triming to it . xiii . wear not clothes or jewells , which are not fit for thy place or degree ; there are some who wear chains of gold about their necks , rings upon their fingers , their garments being hung with jewells , who will be clothed in purple for ostentation , and fine linen for delectation , who will go beyond their degree and place , beyond the rate of their living , the state of their calling , and the rule of good laws , so that they seem to be great and noble men , when they are no better than a pitiful barber , or some finical french dancing master ; resembling the foxes and polecats , whose cases are more worth than their whole bodies besides : he never goes seemly , that cuts not his coat according to his cloth. xiv . love not thy self too much , and above measure , for if thou dost , there will be left no place in thine heart , to love others as thou shouldst : neither be scornful , nor disdainful ; for to live with scornful and disdainful men , whose friendship is as easily broken as a rotten thread , is not to live with them as friends , but as slaves . spernere mundum , spernere nullum , spernere sese , spernere se sperni , quatuor ista beant , if thou despise the world thy self , if thou none else despire , if thou despise , thou art despis'd , these four will make the wise . xv. i therefore advise thee to be humble , humility is of an excellent good nature , and hath a singular obligingness in its constitution , it will make thee acceptable to all men ; dost thou not see how intolerable the proud are , and what is the reason of it ? but because they scorn all that are not of their rank ; they cannot be obliged , because they think , that whatsoever thou dost is due to their merit ; they would be beloved by all , without loving any ; they will command in all companies , they will teach all , but learn of none ; they are incapable of gratitude , and think thou art honoured sufficiently for all thy services , if they do but receive them , and give thee a gracious nod ; but the humble man is the most agreeable person upon earth , thou obligest him by a good word , which he thinks he does not deserve ; he is thankful for the smallest courtesie , had rather obey than rule , he is desirous to learn of the meanest scholar , he despises none but himself ; he loves though he be not beloved , and thinks nothing too much to do for them that esteem him , and have shewed him any civilities ; of all vices pride is the worst , especially where it is not backt with worth and good parts : aristotle espying a rich young man , but altogether unlearned ; strutting along the streets , with a proud affected gate , and his eyes so elevated towards heaven , as if he would have snuft up the moon , came to him , and whispering him in the ear , said friend such as thou thinkest thy self to be , i wish i were ; but to be as thou art , i wish only to mine enemy . pride is like the precedency of funerals , he that puts himself foremost is likely the mourner : king lewis the eleventh was wont to say , when pride rides in the saddle , shame and confusion rides on the crupper . he that climbs high had need take heed to his sure footing , for the higher he mounts the greater will be his squelsh . xvi . thou mayst erre divers ways in thy discourse , to the end therefore that thou mayst avoid it , i will give thee these following instructions . let not thy talk be frivolous , but especially let it not be lewd , it is a deadly sign or symptom when a mans filthy excrements come forth at his mouth ; one observes , that the discourses of some are so foul and obscene , that some one or other as little acquainted with god , as themselves , will be apt to conclude , that nature spoiled them in the making , in setting their mouths at the wrong end of their bodies : and certainly it is a sign of a corrupted and putrisied soul within , whence there steems out so much odious and stinking breath . it becomes honest men to please others with civil and chast language . neither let thy talk by any means be against god or his saints , his word or his ministers either in jest or in earnest , for if thou talk so in earnest , thou wilt shew thy self atheistical , and if in jest , thou wilt thereby shew thy self profane : leave this , and domnation to boot , to the hectors of the times . i my self have many times observed , that some ( who i am perswaded truly feared and adored the majesty of the most high ) have often forsook the place , where there was as well talk of god as against him . neither do thou call the dreadful and omnipotent god for a witness to every frivolous matter , nor do thou in thy familiar discourse , swear vainly by his most sacred name ; he that usually swears to gain credit , will be sure to lose it . for as we say , shew me a lyer , and i will shew thee a thief ; so we may say , shew me a common swearer , and i will shew thee a common lyer : this horrid vice like a two edged sword will do thee mischief two ways ; for it will make thee odious first to god , and then also to all good men . begin no talk before thou hast considered the form of it in thy mind , true consideration is the tutor both to acting and speaking , and a great enemy both to untimely actions and narrations : consider therefore the matter of thy discourse , the manner of it , the end of it , the persons of whom , and to whom thou speakest . 't was sound and good counsel , that the lyrick poet gave us in one of his epistles , quod de quiq viro , & cui dicas saepè caveto . when thou dost talk of any man take care . of whom , to whom , and what thy speeches are . at merry meetings shun the relating of melancholy matters , but let thy discourse be genial and frolick fit for such times and places ; it were far better to be silent , than to relate such things as may contristate their minds , who are met only for the sake of mirth and jollity ; neither do thou at a feast preach temperance , or talk at the table of nauseous things , for these are as much the tricks and devices of a glutton , as it would be for a man to spit in his pottage , that he might eat them all by himself , and deter others from eating with him : briefly , when thou art in company observe these two things , first , hold no arguments . secondly , lay no wagers . for these have often been the breach of friendship . take heed that thou do not do as those , who have nothing else in their mouths but their children , their wise , their nurse , saying , o how my little boy did move me to laugh yesterday ▪ you never heard one of his age talk so wittily in your life , neither did you ever see a boy more amiable than my little tommy : but especially run not out in the commendations of thy wife , what a good huswife she is , what a wise and understanding woman , and how beautiful , and yet how chaste she is , that never man had her peer , this is as great a folly as to brag of thy gold amongst thieves and robbers : remember how it cost candaules dear , even his life , for shewing his beautiful wife to gyges . besides no body can be so idle , as to answer these things , or to give his mind to such trifles , and there is no one but must needs be affected with trouble to hear them . use not in thy discourse certain common places and themes wherein thou art good , but shalt want variety , which kind of poverty is for the most part tedious , and when once found out and observed ridiculous ; thou must talk of many matters not always harp upon one string , he that always sings one note without descant , breedeth no delight ; he that always plays one part bringeth loathsomness to the ear , it is variety that moveth the minds of all men ; vary therefore and intermingle thy speech with reasons , tales , asking of questions , telling of opinions , and mixing jest with earnest , for it is a dull thing to tire and as we say to jade any thing too far . recite not thy stories again and again , for this is as nauseous as it would be to feed a man , as a nurse doth her child with meat chewed over and over ; though the rose be sweet , yet being tyed with the violet the smell is more fragrant , though meat nourisheth , yet having good sauce it provoketh appetite , the fairest nosegay is made of many flowers , the finest picture of sundry colours , the wholesomest medicine of divers ingredients , and so the best discourse consists of various things . my son , as for jesting there are certain things , which ought to be priviledged from it ; namely religion ( of which i have already spoken ) matters of state , great persons , any mans present business of importance , and any case that deserveth pity : for to jeer at him that is miserable is inhumane , and as great a cruelty , as it would be to flea a man first , and afterwards to salt him . yet there are some that think their wits have been asleep , unless they dart out something that is piquant , and to the quick : this is an humour which should be bridled , and generally men ought to find the difference between saltness and bitterness ; certainly he that hath a satyrical vein , as he maketh others afraid of his wit , so hath he need to be afraid of others memory . to jest is tolerable , but to do hurt by jesting is insufferable ; yet many there are , that will lose their friend rather than their jest , or their quibble , pun , punnet , or pundigrion , fifteen of which will not make up one single jest . this like cursed cham , first lays open a mans nakedness , and then exposes it to the scorn and laughter of others . as there are some who cannot jest , so there are others who cannot bear a jest , of whom beware , lest whilst thou breakest thy jest they break thy pate : non tutum est scribere in eos , qui possunt proscribere ( said an old roman ) which is in effect ▪ as much as to say , meddle not with those that can avenge themselves upon thee , for thy drollery upon them ; they that will irritate such wasps , may smart by their stings , but shall never taste of their honey . qui mockat mockabitur , though it be but a piece of mock-latine , yet it is experimentally found to be a serious truth ; for those that will be always jeering and flouting at others , commonly meet with a match for their game cock : as amongst an hundred more will appear by this one instance ; three vniversity youngsters , who because they had run through the predicables and predicaments , thought themselves as wise as solomon , had gotten into the best room in an inn , where they were very merry , after them came riding into the same inn a grave country parson with a long white beard , and being alone , craved leave by mine host to be admitted into their company ; to which they gladly condescended , resolving within themselves to make themselves very merry with the old country rat , as they termed him ; whom coming into their room they thus accosted , the first with a low lout said , welcome father abraham , the second , welcome father isaac , the third , welcome father jacob , to whom the old stager replied , gentlemen , you are all mistaken ; for i am neither abraham , isaac , nor jacob , but my name is saul , who hath been seeking my fathers asses , and lo here i have found them . there are some that will answer others contrary to what they expect , and that without any wit at all ; as if one shall ask of a servant , where is thy master ? he should answer in his skin : how doth the wine taste ? as if it were moist : how camest thou hither ? upon my legs . these and many other like these avoid carefully ; it is better to say nothing than that which is nothing worth . when any one of thy company tells a story , take heed thou rejoyn not ( as some usually do ) saying now , sir , you have done telling your story , i will tell you another , and it is a true one ; for that is little better than to give him the lye : and may with some hot spurs give them a ground to quarrel with thee . when thou dost relate a tale or jest , omit the oaths that are sometimes mingled with it ; for he that would cleanly and safely feed , will first pare his apple , and then cut out the core , and what is worm-eaten . if thy merry tales , witty sayings , and pleasant jests are not approved of by the laughter of those that are with thee , thou shalt forthwith leave : briefly laugh not out at thy own jests , for this will sooner make thy self ridiculous , than thy company merry . be not impertinent as some , who when they relate a story , will say him of whom i speak , was the son of this or that man , who lives in such a place , do you not know the man ? he hath a wife and children , he is a tall man , and something ancient ; truly if you know him not , you know no body , i know such a man knows him very well : all this is but beating about the hedge , but no catching the bird. in thy discourse thou must use as much as thou canst words that are proper , and express a thing according to art ; that thou mayst not therefore talk like a clown in the company of gentlemen , i advise thee to be skilful in the terms of heraldry , hawking and hunting , lest thou make thy self as ridiculous by using improper terms , as the frenchman was , when he called to the maid to cleanse his chamber , saying , he had untrust a point there . never talk french , latine , or italian at the table , or in the company of those who understand neither of these languages ; for this will either argue ostentation in thy self , or make those with whom thou dost converse jealous , that thou talkest no good of them . i have heard of one that was fitted in his kind for this folly , who drinking to a grave matron , said , come , madam , here is an health omnibus nebulonibus , & nebulonibus nostris , to whom she replied , i thank you , sir , not forgetting your father and your mother . use not flat and mean expressions , when thou art talking of great and illustrious things , or such as require more full ones . when seneca heard a dull fellow describing a tempest at sea , after a very mean rate , he laught at him , and told him ; sir , i have seen a greater tempest in a pail of milk than you have described . of this fault also was that french man guilty , who styled christ the dauphin of heaven : and he who called the sun the lanthorn of the world , of the two he had been better to have said the moon ; for few men make use of a lanthorn by day , unless it be as diogenes did to seek for an honest man. another there is who tells us , that the body is the socket of the soul , which is but a greasie and stinking metaphor ; and a thousand more like these could i here reckon up to thee , but the following one shall serve for all , which is this , i remember that when i was a school-boy one of my fellows was well whipt , because in a copy of verses upon the gunpowder treason , he called guydo fawks for attempting to blow up the parliament ▪ house , a very knave . werefore remember i advise thee to adequate and adapt all thine expressions , as the grandeur of the matter that thou speakest of doth duely require . begin no talk , unless thou art able to continue it , lest thou do as that rump-parliament-man , who all the while he sate in the house , would start up at every thing proposed , and say , mr. speaker , i conceive , and so without speaking any more words would sit down again ; upon which another member of the house stood up , and said , mr. speaker , this gentleman doth still conceive , but hath never strength to bring forth . farther , be sure to know when to begin talk , and when to end it , that thou mayst avoid that vice , which songsters are guilty of , who being intreated will scarce sing sol fa , but not desired will strain above ela ; for which the satyrist doth thus stigmatize them , — they can't abide to sing a song , if they 're intreated , but they 'll ne're give o're , if not desired — be not thou either so morose as not to talk at all , or if thou hast once begun so tedious as never to make an end , but to keep a perpetual noise as crickets do in the chimney-corner ; a man had as good have a drum always beating in his ears , as be troubled with such impertinent coxcombs . the wisdom next to speaking well , is to know when to begin and when to end ; therefore keep measure in thy communication , if thou art too brief thou shalt not be understood , if too long thou wilt be tedious . xvii . neither do thou follow the example of those , who will prefer themselves in all things above others , who will put themselves in the best beds , in the best chambers , and in the highest places , & will like nothing but what they themselves invent or do , but will set aside and suspend others with a jest , and will have themselves accounted best in solemn feasts or banquets , in horsmanship , in plays , and in all refreshments of the body and exercises of the mind to excel all others , and boast much of what they have , and what they have done ; which things are odious , and therefore i advise thee to avoid them : and remember that nothing makes a mans breath stink worse than commendations of himself . speech of thy self ought to be seldom and well chosen . i knew one , saith sir francis bacon , who was wont to say in scorn ; he must needs be a wise man he speaks so much of himself : and there is but one case wherein thou mayst commend thy self with good grace , and that is in commending vertue in another , especially if it be such a vertue whereunto thou thy self pretendest . never speak well of thy self , unless thou be taxed for any dishonesty by a slanderous tongue ; for a man may tell his slanderer , that he is as honest a man as himself , or any of his generation ; and if a man shall say i am an honest man , he is not to be taxed of vain-glory ; but if he say i am a learned man , or i am a wise man , he will shew himself to be very vain ; so then a man may praise himself as to his morals , but not as to his intellectuals . xviii . resemble not those , who when a question is proposed unto them , are so long before they give their opinion , that they prove very troublesom in making a very long circumstance or excuse , saying , sirs , i am the unworthiest and the unlearnedest in the whole company , here are gentlemen who are far worthier and far more learned than i am , and are better able to answer the question propounded ( when indeed he is by the confession of all , the learnedest there , and best able to give a resolution ) yet for the sake of obedience i shall willingly submit my self to your commands , whilst these and many other vain preambles are made , they put a stop to the present business , and in that time the question might have been answered : when a fidler is long and tedious in tuning his fiddle , who will care for his musick ? xix . be not thou like those who are so heady , sharp , sullen , and rough , that nothing can please them , howsoever or by whomsoever it is done ; who , whatsoever is said unto them , do answer with a grim or sower countenance ; and in whosoevers company they are , chide their servants , nay sometimes beat them , so that they disturb the whole company , to whom all humours are odious , but what are debonaire : and to jar , scold , and ruffle with those about thee , just when thy guests are ready to sit down at thy table , is as if thou shouldst scrape thy trenchers to set their teeth on edge , before they begin to eat their meat : be not angry at thy table whatsoever happens , but rather contain thy self and dissemble it , lest there should a sign of trouble appear in thy countenance , and so thy guests be induced to believe , that some in the company are not so welcome as they should be : but rather be merry and facetious at thy meals , for this like poynant sauce will make thy meal the more savoury . xx. be not contrary to others desires , neither oppose the delights of others ; when they talk of what sports they most delight in , do not thou undervalue them , nor , if they desire thee to make one at their recreations , refuse their desires ; for that argues morosity ; complacency is hugely pleasing to all those , with whom we converse , and one jarring string spoils the harmony of a whole set of musick . xxi . be not rough or strange but rather pleasant and familiar , accustom thy self to salute every one very kindly , to talk with them and answer them very pleasantly and familiarly ; it is a true token of nobility and the certain mark of a gentleman to be courteous to all , and especially to strangers . themistocles was so full of courtesie , that he never entred the market-place , without saluting every citizen by his name , or some other friendly compellation ; as a bell is known by the sound , so is a mans gentility by his courteous affability . ferdinando king of spain was wont to say , that proud looks lose hearts , but courteous words win them . courtesie will drew unto thee the love of strangers , and the good liking of thine own country-men . xxii . avoid the custom of many , who will always be of a sad countenance , and will never be merry with their friends , but refuse all things that are offered to make them merry , and when any one sends commendations unto them , they will answer the messenger , what am i the better for his commendations ? and if any one tells them that such or such a friend of late asked for them , whether they were in good health or no , they will answer he may come and see if he please . xxiii . thou must not be melancholy , and thoughty in that place , where any one is , as if thou wert snatcht and placed without thy self ; yea although this may be born with in those , who have spent many years , in the consideration and contemplation of the liberal arts and sciences , yet i tell thee in others without doubt , it is not to be approved of , yea thou dost well at that time , in which thou thinkest to meditate , to go in from the company of others , either into thy study or some other solitary place , the solitary nightingale sings sweetest , when all other birds are fast asteep . xxiv . be not of too nice and delicate a mind , and too precise in thy discourse , for i say that talk with such men , as are so , is rather a bondage than an equal society : there are some who are so nice and curious in all their words and actions , that to live and converse with them , is no other than to be surrounded with brittle glasses , so that men greatly fear to touch them , they must handle and observe them very softly and gently , they must fitly and carefully salute them , visit them , and answer their questions , otherwise they will be very angry ; they are so delighted with their titles , that unless any one shall have them at his fingers ends , and use them at every word , they will be displeased , nay they will scarce answer him , or if they do it will be thus , i truly ( as thou knowest ) am called master , but thou dost forget to put a m under thy girdle . take heed of lying , for if thou usest this vice often , thou wilt lose thy credit amongst all men ; the persians and indians deprived him of all honour and further speech , that lyed . homer writeth of the great and valiant captain achilles , that he did more abhor lying than death : remember how that the cretans for lying became a by-word to the whole world ; much less do thou add to thy lying execrable wishes ; munster writeth of popiel the second , king of poland , who had ever this word in his mouth ▪ if it be not true , i would the rats might eat me , but shortly after being at a banquet , he was so fiercely assailed by rats , that neither his guard , fire , or water could preserve him from them . neither be thou like those jesters , who practice lying and telling strange inventions of their own , which are most false , to please for a time the hearers ; nor like those who devise and spread false news , and account it good sport to deceive the simple ; but be thou slow to tell news and tales ; whatsoever thou seest or hearest of others , either meddle not with it , but strive to be quiet and do thine own business ; or if it so concern thee , that thou must needs speak of it , take heed that thou do not mistake any part of it , many things are so spoken , that they may be taken well or ill , yea and what can be said but some one or other may turn it into an evil meaning ? as the spider that out of the best flowers will suck some poison : but be thou of the mind to take every thing the best way , and as it were by the right handle ; knowing that it is the devils property to make the worst of every thing . thou mayest be deceived in what thou hearest another speak ; because thou canst not see the heart and meaning of the person , much more in that which thou hast of him by hear-say , for reports are commonly very faulty , and seldom hold truth in all points ; and those that told it thee , are apt to deny it again , if thou hast not witness , and so thou mayest run thy self into great trouble : therefore imitate epimenides the painter , who after his return from asia , being enquired of news , answered , i stand here to sell pictures not to tell news . neither follow thou the example of vain travellers and praters , who meerly out of vanity , and because they would say something , set such things as they have seen or heard upon the tenter-hooks , stretching them most palpably beyond all credit , or coining incredible things out of their own mint , that never before saw any light , and have no more affinity with truth , than the opinion of copernicus of the motion of the earth ; or that relation of our country-man of the new world in the moon , or of domingo gonzales , and his flight thither upon the wings of his ganzas : i have read of a knight ( who shall be nameless ) that rendred himself ridiculous by this means ; for using to make multiplying glasses of what he in his long and great travels had observed , ▪ professed that he once conversed with a hermite who was ( in the opinion of all men ) able to commute any metal into gold with a stone he kept still hanging at his girdle : and being asked of what kind it was , and not readily answering , the witty lord of saint albans standing by said , he did verily believe it was a whet-stone . make not lies upon thy self as many do , boasting vain-gloriously of themselves , praising their knowledge and bragging of what great acts they have done , as if they only were wise , when alas it is well known they are otherwise ; such men may fitly be compared to the bell in the clock-house at westminster , which had this inscription about it , king edward made me , thirty thousand and three , take me down and weigh me , and more shall ye find me . but when this bell was taken down and weighed , this and two more , were found not to weigh twenty thousand : such vain-glory as this being like a window cushion specious without , but stuft with hay within , or some such trash ; wherefore when a souldier bragged of a wound in his forehead , augustus asked him , whether he did not get it , when he lookt back as he fled . xxvi . go not vauntingly and proudly as some , who go as if they were the only men of their country , and speak and look very high and losty when they have scarce any home to go to , or any thing to maintain their highness and lostiness , imitating the spaniards who are highly conceited of themselves , great braggers , and extreamly proud even in the lowest ebb of fortune , which appeareth by the tale of the poor cobler on his death bed , who commanded his eldest son coming to him for his last blessing , to endeavour to retain the honour worthy so noble a family ; also a woman of that country attended on by three of her brats , went a begging from door to door some french merchants travelling that way , and pitying her case , offered her to take into their service the bigger of her boys , but she proud , though poor , scorning ( as she said ) that any of her lineage should endure an apprentiship , returned this answer , that for ought she or any knew her son ( simple as he stood there ) might live to be king of spain ; such braggadocios as these , are like the peacock , who though he be hatched on a dunghill , yet is he the proudest of birds : nay some of these are so proud that they are ashamed of their parents , resembling those beasts who think themselves well hid , if they can but hide their heads : never remembring sir thomas moor who being lord chancellor in his time , and consequently in an office , next and immediately to the king himself , and having his own father living , and at that time but one of th● inferiour judges of the kings bench ( that then was ) never went to westminster hall , to sit in the chancery there , but he would go up to the kings bench , where his father then sate , and there on his knees would ask him blessing before a multitude of beholders ; so little was he ashamed of his father , though then in a far lower condition than himself . xxvii . take heed of being too ceremonious and complemental , lest thou give others an occasion to think , that thou art full of craft because thou art full of courtesie ; the bowings , bendings , and cringings of some resemble but such gestures as men use when they go about to catch ●otterils : yet there are some cere●●●●es in giving men their due titles of honour , according to their several degrees , either when we write to them , or talk with them , which we cannot omit , without the imputation of being ill-bred : thou must not write to a knight or an esquire thus , to mr. b. g. knight , or esquire , but must call the one right-worshipful , the other worshipful ; nor must thou stile a lord right worshipful , but right honourable , or a king or prince right honourable , but in discourse thou shalt say to a king , and it please your majesty , to a prince , and it like your highness , to a lord , and it like your honour , to a knight or an esquire , and it like your worship , to an arch-bishop , and it like your grace , to a bishop , and it please your lordship , and the one thou must stile the most reverend , the other the right reverend father in god : give therefore to every one his due title , which doth properly belong to him , for as we must not clip money nor embase it , so neither must we detract any thing from the honour of any person whatsoever : neither must we give to tradesmen and mechanicks , or other persons of low degre● such titles as are too big for them to ●●ar ; for that were to take a gyants cloaths , and put on upon the back of a pigmie . ( my son ) not to use ceremonies , or complements at all is to teach others not to use them again ; and so diminisheth respect unto thy self ; especially they must not be omitted to strangers , and formal natures : but the labouring too much to express them , doth lose their grace , for that must be natural and unaffected , and the dwelling upon them , and exalting them above the moon , is not only tedious , but will diminish thy faith and credit : for ( as one says ) men had need to beware , how they be too perfect in complements ; for be they never so sufficient otherwise , their enviers will be sure to give them that attribute , to the disadvantage of their greater virtues ; yet certainly , there is a kind of conveying of effectual and imprinting passages amongst complements , which is of singular use if a man can hit upon it . amongst thy peers thou shalt be sure of familiarity , and therefore it is good a little to keep state , amongst thy inseriours thou shalt be sure of reverence , and therefore it is good a little to be familiar : too much of either will breed contempt : briefly , let not thy behaviour be like a verse , wherein every syllable is measured , but like thine apparel , not too straight , or point device , but free for exercise and motion : using ceremonies and complements as a taylour doth clothes , which he doth so cut and join together , until at length he maketh them fit for the body ; so thou must cut off superfluous ceremonies and complements , and take only those that are decent for thee to use . xxviii . take heed of slandering another , or poisoning his reputation , or reporting evil things of him , or of carrying tales and false accusations , this will make thee most odious , if thou dost use it , for those to whom thou dost report slanderous tales of others , will think that thou wilt report slanderous tales of them unto others , and so they will abhor thee . xxix . oppose no man whilst he is talking or disputing , which many use to do ; there shall not a word drop from anothers tongue , but they presently will take it up , and oppose him , and contend with him , and say it is not true , or it is not so as he reports it , the man was not so and so , nor the things thus ; truly it is a sign of a man not well educated , nor well learned ; for every one loves victory and will hardly be overcome , as well in words as in deeds : besides it begets nothing but hatred and disdain : wherefore thou wert far better to yield to the opinion of others , especially in things of small moment , and which perhaps do not concern thee : the victory in this kind is loss , for the victor in any frivolous question doth in the mean while oft lose a loving friend , as ixion lost his juno to grasp an empty cloud . xxx . if thou art desired at any time to dispute of any thing , in whosoevers company it be , thou shalt do it after a pleasing manner ; thou must not desire the commendation of thy wit , in being able to hold all arguments , but of thy judgment , in discerning what is true ; thou must not think it praise enough to know what might be said , but what should be thought : neither in disputing do thou strive so much as if thou wert more greedy of obtaining the victory , than of discussing and sisting out the truth : neither suffer the heat of disputation to cool and extinguish that of charity and love . xxxi . be not thou like those , who that they may shew themselves subtle , intelligent , and wise men , will always be giving of counsel unto others , always reproving of others , and always disputing with others , and many times they come from words even to blows , and by this means render themselves odious unto all : by their counselling and rebuking of others , they shew that they account themselves wiser than other men , and so indeed such men ought truly to be , for as he is a wise man that will take good counsel , so he is the wiser man that can give it . xxxii . resemble not those , who will pluck up tares out of other mens fields , and all the while they will suffer their own to be overgrown with bryars and nettles : many are most severe to others in their slips and falls to which they themselves are most subject , as appears by johannes cremensis a priest cardinal the popes legate , who in a convocation at westminster called in the year of our lord . inveighed most bitterly against the marriage of priests , and was himself the next night taken in bed with a common harlot , for shame whereof , he got him away leaving all his business at six and seven , without taking leave of any . xxxiii . mock no body with their poverty , lateness or blindness , or any thing they cannot help ; neither do thou imitate either stammerers crook backed or cromp-footed men , neither make a laughing-stock of thy worst enemy , much iess of thy best friend ; thou oughtest not to laugh at one for the sake of recreation and pleasure , nor at the other for the sake of contempt and disdain . xxxiv . thou must not do any thing that is base , unhandsom , or scurrilous , to excite others to laughter , such as the writhing of the eyes , mouth , or face , or the imitating of fools in stage-plays , or puppet-plays ; for this is to make thy self a fool , that wiser men may laugh at thee . xxxv . give no man the lye , lest thou be answered with a stab , or compelled to answer for it by a duel ; for few there are who can pass by such an affront , as king henry the third did , who though simon mounford earl of leicester ( who was of a very testy and cholerick constitution ) gave him the lye to his face , yet he passed it over without revenge , shewing himself thereby to be a king over himself as well as over his subjects . xxxvi . it is not good to excuse another , in that which thou dost know him to have deserved blame ; and if he have erred , thou shalt make that error both yours , and when thou dost admonish him of it , or reprehend him for it , thou shalt say , we have greatly erred , we must remember how we did yesterday commit this or that error , although he alone be guilty of it , and not thou . by this civil and gentle method thou shalt the easier mould him like soft wax to take the impressions of good counsel for the future : a wild heifer is sooner to be tamed with gentle usage than rough handling . xxxvii . as thou respectest thy credit amongst men , be careful to perform thy promises , otherwise they will count thee but a whiffling-fellow , a right honest man will be as much obliged by his word as by his bond ; nothing makes a man more like god than these two things , holiness and truth . to promise and not to perform is to do a lye , and a true gentleman must abhor as well to do a lye as to speak one . it was a foul character which one gave of the neopolitans , who were wont to promise much , but to perform little , viz. that they had wi●emouths , but narrow hands ; promises are debts , and debts are sins if we never pay them . xxxviii . interrupt no one whilst he is talking , either by making of a noise , or by speaking out of thy turn , neither shalt thou cause his talk to be forsaken , or neglected , or slighted by the hearers , either by shewing some new thing , or by calling aside the attention of those that are present any other way ; but be attentive when others talk , lest thou shalt by and by be forced to ask what he said last : if he be slow in expression , thou shalt not run before him , & minister words unto him , as if thou wert rich , and he poor ; many take this in ill part , and especially those who think themselves better masters of their language than thy self . take heed therefore of taking a mans talk out of his mouth ; for as it is a shame for a man to eat his own words , so it is shameful also for a man to eat another mans words out of his mouth : this is as offensive to some as it would be to clap thy hand upon their mouth , when they are about to gape . xxxix . there are some , who though they know least , yet they talk most ; as the weakest wheel in the cart screeks loudest , and the emptiest hogshead gives the greatest sound . wise men refrain from too much talk , fearing lest in talking much , they should erre much : nature hath given us two ears , two eyes , and but one tongue , to the end we should see and hear more than we speak : the tongue is but a small member , yet many times doth more hurt than the whole body besides ; and many a man doth with his tongue cut his own throat . use therefore thine ears and eyes more than thy tongue ; those that are too full of words , render themselves odious ; for it carries in it a certain kind of pride in them , viz. that they esteem themselves more excellent , wiser men , and better learned than those that hear . xl. in talking it is better to further another mans desire , than to hinder it ; wherefore if another be about to tell any thing , thou shalt not say , i know that already , and so by that means break off his discourse ; for though thou dost know it , yet perhaps the rest that are then present do not : neither shalt thou , if thou think any thing that is reported by another , to be a lye , in any wise upbraid him with it , either in word or gesture , either by shaking thy head , or wresting aside thine eyes , or blaring out thy tongue , for this is next of kin to the giving a man the lye. xli . and as immoderate talk doth beget disdain , so too much silence and reservation is odious , and by most men hated . therefore as those who are wont to drink in their feasts and solemnities , an d make themselves merry , do remove those that do not , or will not comply and be merry with them , so those which are too silent and grave , no company will love ; for they seem to the rest to sit as judges and censurers of their words and actions : compliance begets complacency . take therefore thy turn to speak as well as thy turn to hold thy peace . xlii . in questioning much , thou shalt learn much , and content much , but especially if thou apply thy questions to the skill of the persons , whom thou askest , for thou shalt give them occasion to please themselves in speaking , and thou thy self shalt continually gather knowledge : but let not thy questions be troublesom , for that is fit for a poser . xliii . follow not the example of those , who when all are ready to sit down at table , the meat being brought in , will seem to have forgotten to write something , and therefore call for a pen and ink , or run out to make water , desiring the company to stay for him but a pissing while , which must needs give no small trouble or distaste to those who are sharp and hungry . xliv . avoid all kind of vice that may deform thee , and since thou art beautiful , do such things as become thy beauty : let the beauty of thy mind , which consists in chusing vertue , and avoiding vice , set forth that of thy whole body , which consists in favour , colour , and in decent gestures and motions ; beauty when it is not joyned with vertue , is like the feathers of a phoenix , placed on the carcass of a crow : and he or she who is fair without and foul within , may no more justly be thought or called beautiful than a stinking dunghil , because it is covered with snow . xlv . when thou art to go to any place , run not , nor make too much haste , for that is not the part of a gentleman , but of a foot-man . it is observed of the lyon , which is the noblest beast in the forest or desart , that he is never seen to run : as thou mayst know much of a mans disposition by his countenance or meen , so also by his gate ; for thou mayst many times discover a totty pate by the legs that bear it . to walk with thy nose erected , and thine arms always a kembow , like the ears of a pottage pot , will induce such as either meet or follow thee , to censure thee for a proud coxcomb . if thou tread mincingly with thick and short steps , as if thou wert walking upon eggs , they will be apt to believe that thou art a finical self conceited fool. let not thine arms as theirs do that are sowing corn , when thou goest , seem to walk as fast as thy legs , for this will make them account thee for a country-clown ; nor in thy going creep like a snail , or jump like a grashopper , or lift up thy feet too high like a blind mill-horse , neither take wide steps as if thou wert measuring of land , or straddle , lest thou make the ladies suspect that thou art shot between wind and water ; in fine , let thy manner of walking be grave , modest , and no way affected : for this is very decent and comely . my son , these animadversions which i have before mentioned , may seem to thee minute and trifling matters , yet i assure thee in our familiar converse with men , like the filings of gold , they have their weight and price as well as things of a greater mass or bulk ; but to proceed in my advice . xlvi . the next thing is i would not have thee force another man to drink more than he well can ; for this is so far from using him with civility , that it savours rather of such barbarity , as the dutch used at amboyna against our english , whom by putting the brim of an hat under their chins , and pouring water continually upon it , they forced to drink till their bellies were ready to break , and their eyes to start out of their sculls . 't is the noblest entertainment amongst sober and grave , wise and good men , to give every man his own freedom . xlvii . when any visitants of quality come to wait upon thee , withdraw not thy self from their society , but with the greatest civilities entertain them , and let them have all the freedom and the best accommodations thy house will afford ; yet when the bottles like hand-granado's fly about , reserve to thy self thine own liberty : so shalt thou the longer enjoy thy estate , because thy temperance and sobriety will prolong thy days : remember that thou art the master of the house , and not mine host , to drink with all comers as he doth . xlviii . take great care for the preservation of thy good name ; for as thy garment after it hath been once rent and torn is like so still more to be by every nail and tenterhook thou comest near , so will it fare with thy good name , if it be once tainted with just reproach ; nothing is more hardly to be found again , if once 't is lost , than a mans good name or reputation : which one prettily expresseth thus , by this apologue , it happened that upon a time , fire , water , and reputation went to travel together , but before they set forth they considered ( that if they lost one another ) how they might meet again ; fire said , where you see smoak there you shall find me ; water said , where you see flags growing in moorish grounds , there you shall find me ; but reputation said , take heed how you lose me , for if you do , you will run a great hazard never to meet with me again . xlix . to the end therefore that thou mayest keep thy good name , abandon the society of those , which are noted for evil living and lewd behaviour ; for by holding familiarity with such men , thou wilt incur two evils , for either thou shalt be thought such a one thy self , or in a little time shalt really be so , for it is commonly seen , that a man contracts a tincture upon himself , sutable to the conditions of those persons with whom he doth familiarly converse , as those that accompany a collier shall be black , and those who live with a miller shall be white ; it may be said of frequenting ill company , as they were wont to say in a common proverb here in england of going to rome , he that goes to rome once , seeth a wicked man ; he that goes twice , learneth to know him ; but he that goes thrice thither , brings him home with him ; so he that frequenteth wicked company , the first time that he comes amongst them , he sees their courses ; the second time he learns them ; and the third time he commonly brings them home with him . company is good , if it be good company , he that keeps company with lewd and infamous persons , shall be thought a bird of the same feather . it was seneca's observation upon canopus a town in aegypt so branded in old time for variety of all kinds of beastliness and luxury , that he who avoided the vitiousness and debauchery of it could not escape the infamy , the very place administring matter of suspicion : beware of these three b s back . belly . building . l. in reference to the first b the back , take heed how thou consumest thy estate by thy prodigious bravery , some men have been so vain , as to make their garments of a lordship , and have lined them with their farms , and laced them with all the gold and silver which their friends left them ; the barks of such vain fools , like that of the cinamon-tree , are more worth than their truncks : while their variety and several changes of apparel cover a thread bare purse . li. next , in reference to the belly , which is the second b , take heed thou be not like the epicures and belly-gods , velvet-mouth'd and sweet-tooth'd , who are not content with the choicest viands , unless their very sauce be sauced too ; and think they shall be starved , unless the third course be brought to table , and the sweet-meats after that : how many by such luxuries have drawn at length their goods through their guts . such men like cleopatra ( who drinking a health to her antony , swallowed a pearl dissolved in vinegar worth many millions ) gulch down their estates by gulps , till in the end they come to be glad of a dry crust ; and in conclusion , by keeping too great a house , they keep no house to cover their heads ; and their sat revenues like their rost-meat drips all away : the purses of such prodigals may be said to be poor by their great goings out , while their bellies may be said to be rich by their great comings in . lii . lastly , in reference to building , which is the third b , take heed thou ingage not too far in it , for this will pick a mans purse , as it did the foolish builders in the gospel , who began to build but could not make an end ; and leave their houses desolate , as the slothful mans vineyard , described thus by solomon , lo it was all grown over with thorns , and nettles had covered the face thereof , and the stone walls thereof were broken down . or if they be resident on their houses , it necessitates them to keep a table , which will starve twenty tall men , besides many a mouse : the house being the bigger for the smallness of the kitchin. they can keep but few fires in many chimnies , the smoak comes all out of one hole only : and though a man may see them a far off , yet he cannot smell them nigh at hand ; bread and beef are turned into stones ; the stately roof , the costly pavement , and the curious workmanship , hath pined away hospitality , and brought her into a consumption , not to be recovered : therefore , i advise thee in thy dyet , not to be too curious , nor yet too coorse ; in thy attire not to be too costly nor yet too clownish ; and finally as for thy buildings , let them be useful and commodious , not vain and over sumptuous ; it was a severe but just scoff which the lord treasurer burleigh past upon a knight , that shall not be named , who having built a very stately fabrick , to the great diminution of his estate and revenue , was yet ambitious to entertain the queen at his fine house ; and to that purpose new painted his gates , with his coat of arms and his motto in great golden letters , thus ōia vanitas . the lord treasurer offering to read it , desired to know of the knight , what he meant by ōia , who told him , it stood by contraction for omnia ; whereupon the lord treasurer replied , truly sir i very much wonder that having made your omnia so little as you have , you notwithstanding make your vanitas so large . therefore ( the premises considered ) content thy self ( my son ) with that house i shall leave thee , without any alteration , unless it be for thy convenience . the spaniards think that they cannot curse a man worse , than to say the plague of building light upon thee ; and we have here at home an english proverb , that he who often doth dip his fingers in mortar will lose his nails . liii . there is a fourth thing that is as great a waster , if not a greater , of a mans estate , than any of those three things we last spake of , and that is whoring ; this hath undone many ; the harlot is an horseleech , which if thou hast gold or silver about thee , will never out of thy bosom , till that be out of thy purse ; and hath brought thy hundred to six , as the vsurer adds six to his hundred . nor will she bereave thee of thy goods only , but of thy good name also ; a bad report is ever the whoremasters portion , and even whilst he lives he may be administrator to his own good name , for that dyes before him , and stinks above ground ; yea his reproach is such , as shall not only out-live himself but his posterity likewise : for it shall never be put out , the town and country shall ring of his baseness and dishonesty with the accent of shame . and as harlots will bereave a man of his goods and good name , so will they shorten his days , as ( according to the observation of herbalists ) those plants dye soonest which run most into seed : and so likewise the naturalists have observed , that the salacious sparrows of all birds are shortest lived , by reason of their immoderate and frequent copulation : and assuredly it was not without a mystery , that ( as plutarch informs us in his . rom. quaest . ) the things belonging to funerals were ordered by the roman magistrates , to be sold in the temple of venus . wherefore as the crasie emperour adrian said once inter turbam medicorum pereo , amongst many physitians i perish , so may many a gallant say of himself , by accompanying my self with many strumpets i have ruined my self . for such unclean beasts , like murrain cattle , infect those that herd with them , with such foul diseases as will stick by them , when their best friends give them over ; their very hairs having the falling-sickness , and whereas other men lose their lives , these cast them away ; not so much in hatred to themselves , as love to their mistresses . i have read that jovanni zecca the famous bolognian physician , openly professed by his bills to give a certain antidote against taking of the french pox , and when multitudes flockt to him , for his medecine ( believing that it consisted of pills , potions , diet ▪ drinks , diaphoreticks , salivations , oils , plaisters , electuaries , powders , and other such medicinal ingredients ) he only gave them the picture of a gallant drawn to the life , with his nose eaten off , telling them , that the way how to use this receipt , was , that just as they were about to lye with a lascivious woman , they should take this picture out of their bosoms , and seriously view and consider it , and if this did not preserve them from taking that foul disease , he believed nothing would do it : how much more may i hope , that exposing to thy view the shame and deadliness of this sin , causing the loss of the soul , which is more precious than that of the nose , to make thee loath and abhor those shameful and pernicious courses , and dead all carnal desires in thee of eating those dainty bits , which how savoury soever they seem in the chewing , are so mortiserous when swallowed down . for this sin of carnality not only ruines a mans estate , or impairs his health , but also like a cancer eats into the very soul ; for harlots are the high-way to the devil , when a man looks upon them with desire , he begins his journey , when he sits toying and pratling with them , he mends his pace , and when he lies with them , his journey is at an end . since therefore the exercise of venery is the high way to beggary , to the losing of thy credit and reputation , to he shortning of thy life here , and the eternal loss of it hereafter , avoid it carefully . it is very true what aristotle observes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the concupiscence of the flesh is less boundless than the unruly sea : one woman is enough for a mans love , two too much for his estate , three too few for his lust . to avoid therefore the temptations of the flesh , i counsel thee not to frequent the company of handsom , but immodest women ; platonick love is but a meer chimaera : if a man sit down and say grace to it , he will soon fall to the flesh that is set before him : to rely then upon the strength of thine own chastity is more rash than wise , and therefore if thou makest profession of not staining thy reputation with the spots of lasciviousness , thou must shun all those that may entice or allure thee thereunto . for as one ingeniously speaks , 't is not only a great piece of folly , but an infinite rashness , to make gun-powder in a smiths shop , and hope to make people believe that there is no danger in it . in the next place . liv. if thou desire to be rich , and continue so , shun high play ; the way to keep what is thine own , is not to covet what is another mans . the common gamester , who is never well at ease any longer than he is shuffling a pack of cards , will at last come to shuffle for his living ; and the dice he delights in will in the end waste his estate to the very bones ; for the palsie ( i mean the shaking of his elbow ) will be his overthrow : and when he hath played away his patrimony he may curse the bones , as well as the whore-master crys out upon the flesh . but some will say they pick out a pretty living by play , indeed they cannot use a fitter term ; for as vultures , they pick and prey upon others : but let them cast up their account , and in the end they shall find , that they put their winnings in a broken bag. make not an occupation of play and pastime , and though thou mayst sometimes recreate thy self ( for a bow too much bended may break ) yet make not an hahit o using generous delights , much less of bass ones . when thou art playing , look not pale for fear to lose , nor be transported with desire to win , lest thou fret , and sume , and disquiet thy self , and so at once lose thy patience together with thy money . therefore assure thy self , that the best cast at dice is to cast them quite away : for he that lays his estate upon the eyes of the dice , will leave a small estate for his own eyes to look upon in the end . lv. beware of flatterers , those that will commend in thee qualities which thou hast not , or too much extol those thou hast ; and will make thee believe , thou dost not know thy own worth , and bless themselves with both their hands , if any thing proceed from thee worthy but meer commendation : thou must not give ear to these claw-backs : but stop their passage , and bend thy brows upon excessive praise ; never courting it otherwise , than as it follows upon just and apparent merit : neither let the praises of others , no not of good men , be a syrup to insolency , but a whetstone to set an edge upon thy good actions , that if it be not so as is reported , yet thou wilt have it so , because men report it . neither let it be musick in thine ears to hear flatterers commend thee , but open thy mouth and reprove these kind of persons ; for some of them level at their own profit , their art is nothing but delightful cosenage : the fox in the fable commended the crow for his sweet notes , to see if he could make him open his mouth , and let fall his provant . these men will spend their tongues to maintain their teeth , they are moths , which will eat out a liberal mans coat , vines , which will cling to the stalks , not for any true love to them , but for their own sustentation and support ; they follow not thee , but thy fortunes , and will not leave thee till they wear thee thred-bare : therefore antisthenes was wont to say , it were better for a man to fall among ravens than among flatterers ; for ravens will eat none but the dead , but these will devour a man while he is alive . again , some of them intend mischief , they flatter thee , that they may circumvent thee , and the more easily effect their malicious projects ; they are like the bees sting , which pricketh deepest when it is fullest of honey . mark how the butcher claweth the ox , when he means to knock him on the head , how the basilisk poysons those on whom he seems to cast an eye of regard , how the crocodile intends to destroy those over whom she weeps and counterfeits compassion , and how the syrens sing when they intend the mariners shipwrack : and by these instances , guard thy self from all such as claw and flatter others ; their words being as soft as oyl , but are indeed very swords . these are those miry dogs that make a man dirty by their sawning upon him . this foul hypocrisie , court holy water , dishonest civility , and base merchandise of praises and commendations is nothing else but gilded treason , carrying thee up , as the devil did our saviour , to the top of a pinnacle only to throw thee down headlong to break thy neck it was an excellent answer ( and if we duly consider the weightiness of it , never a whit the more to be despised , because lycosthenes reports it ) which diogenes gave to his question , who asked him , what beast did bite the sorest , that of wild beasts it was the back ▪ biter , of tame beasts it was the flatterer . by such parasites ( my son ) many young gentlemen are drawn into debauchery either by wine or women , either to haunt the taverns , inns , and alehouses , or else the stews and brothel-houses , and to marry before they are wise . it is said of the bear , that she licks her cubs into form , but these by licking thee with a glozing tongue ( if thou take not the more heedful care ) will utterly spoil and desorm thee . lvi . next to the tame beast the flatterer , beware of the wild one the backbiter ; but because thou canst not hinder him from speaking ill of thee , for his tongue like a mill-clack will stil be waging , that he may grind to powder thy good name , learn therefore to make this good use of his clack as to make thy bread by it ; i mean to live so , that no credit shall be given to the slandering of his lips . let thy conversation be blameless and innocent , so shalt thou gag the teeth of malice it self , that it shall not be able to bite thee : and the consciousness of thine integrity will make thee to despise their calumnies , and to value them no more than a generous lyon doth the barking of a whifling cur. neither wilt thou any more be disturbed at them , than the moon or the sun is ever a whit the more troubled or molested at the noise of an ill favoured ass , when he erects his nose against the clouds , and brays against the bright firmament of heaven . indeed it is the part of a silly mouse , to bite every one , that does but touch him : they may cast a mist upon thy splendour , they cannot extinguish it , as the clouds that rise from moors and fens may take from the sun the aspect of mens eyes , but they cannot deprive it of its own proper light : and at length they all vanish away . and truly the best way to stop a lying slaunderous mouth , is to take no notice at all of such false reports as are cast upon thee ; if thou wilt father another mans bastard , it must pass for thine own child . wherefore please not thine enemies so much , as to make shew thou dost apprehend , that they have wronged thee ; omnis injuria est in sensu patientis . if malice shall see it hath wrought thy vexation , and made thee hurt thy self , it hath that it wished for : cast therefore a smiling contempt upon a false report , let it meet thee as if a glass did encounter a rock . contempt puts ill will out of countenance , makes it withdraw it self , and quickly find its own grave ; whereas to take it to heart is to owne the scandal , and crown the revenge of the author . and thus the back-biter by corroding thy reputation , shall reap no better advantage than the serpent in the fable did , who wore away his teeth by gnawing the file . however be sure to give no just occasion to ill reports of thee , and then thy credit will be impregnable . the forest in that other apologue , had never needed to have complained how she was cut and hackled , had she not lent out of her own self the wood that made the helve to the hatchet ; nor had the eagle felt the shaft sticking at her heart , had she not afforded some of her own plumes to the feathering of it : diamonds are not to be cut ▪ engraved , or pierced without some of their own powder concur to the work of the engraver . as arrows or bullets that are shot into the air higher than our sight , yet touch not heaven , and as they that overthrow temples do not any way hurt the godhead to whom they are consecrated ; so injuries affixed to a wise man return without effect ; and are to him but as cold or heat , rain or hail , the weather of the world . 't is womanish not to endure evil speaking , and therefore king david when he reprehended abishai who would have had him been revenged on shimei for his cursing , said , what have i to do with you o ye sons of zerviah : he calls them from the mother not the father , to shew , that they had too much of the mother in them who were too impatient of evil speeches . lvii . shun slothfulness and idleness , man is born to labour ; therefore nulla dies sine lineâ , follow thy books , look to thy grounds , yoke thine oxen , follow the plough , graft thy trees , behold thy cattel , and devise with thy self , how the increase of them may increase thy profit ; in autumn pull thine apples , in summer reap thy harvest , in the spring trim thy gardens , in winter thy woods : and if thou art desirous of profit , praise , pleasure , or knowledge take pains , study , leave nothing unattempted . no garland is given to the sluggard , thou canst not enter into the temple of glory and honour , but through the temple of virtue and labour : sloth loseth time , dulleth the understanding , nourisheth humours , choketh the brain , and hinders thrift ; exercise burnisheth the mind , without which it will eat it self out by its own rust ; and if the proud man be the devils chair of state , the idle man is his cushion : and as the ox that will not plough is brought to the slaughter-house , so lazy unprofitableness must look for its slaughter-house in the other world , if it take not a newgate in the way here . lviii . above all things ( my son ) make good use of thy time , it is a very slippery thing , and like an handful of fine sand will slip through thy fingers , though thou grasp it never so fast : and whereas a man may have many of the things of this world at once , 't is certain that he can have but one time , and that 's the present , the time past is no longer thine , and the time to come may never be thine , therefore make the best advantages that thou canst of the present moment of time for that only is thine ; the emblem will teach thee that time is bald behind , there 's no hold fast there , catch it therefore by the forelock , it is like a bird let fly at large out of the hand which returns not , or as a word babbled out which cannot be recalled : o what would the prodigal squanderers , and the abusive mispenders of their pretious time , give , when the final judgment of eternal death is passed upon them , for some few grains of that sand , which seemed too many whilst they were passing through their hour-glasses . before time therefore deliver thee up to eternity , imitate him who having a very short lease-hold , without impeachment of waste , takes all the advantage he can before the approaching expiration of it ; he rips up the ground , eats up the grass ; sells down the timber , cuts down the coppices : do thou the like , sithence thy time in this world is short , nay and what is more uncertain , match the velocity of it , with thy celerity in making all the beneficial uses of it , for ( as st. augustine speaks elegantly ) he only may be said to be master of time , who in the swiftest current of it lays such foundations as are not transitory . thus as time flyes over thy head , thou mayest plume her of some of her feathers , though thou canst not stop her flight : and though thou canst not recall time past , yet thou mayest redeem it , and therefore to that end let me once more put thee in mind to ponder seriously the shortness , slipperiness , and uncertainty of time , and withall the irrecoverableness of it , when thou hast let it pass : that thou mayest endeavour to make the best use of it , and not to slip occasion , it is a good admonition which seneca gave to the loiterer , neglecter , and mispender of his precious time , begin not then to live , when life begins to leave thee : or rather bear in thy mind the saying of that holy man who ( as i have read ) never heard the clock strike , but he would say , now i have one hour less to live in , and one hour more to give an account for . lix . go to bed with the lamb and rise with the lark ; late watching in the night breedeth ill humours in the body , and long sleeping in the morning ungodliness in the mind : to rise betimes will make a man rich , healthy , and holy : astronomers observe that the most propitious planets of all the seven sol and mercury leave us at night , and return to shine upon us in the morning , which mystically intimates unto us that then our wits and knowledge are quickest and clearest , and that it is the fittest time for the dispatch of all business , and humane affairs ; which tusser in his book of good husbandry thus plainly expresseth , some work in the morning may trimly be done , that all the day after may hardly be won . mounsieur villeroy the great french statesman wished his son , alway to dispatch business in the morning , as if he were sure to lose his opportunity in the afternoon . apollonius coming very early in the morning , to vespasians gate , and finding him stirring , conjectured thereupon that he was worthy to command an empire , and said unto one who accompanied him , undoubtedly this man will be an emperour , he is so early a stirrer : to be brief , imitate rather hercules in zenophon , than bonacius in poggius ; before the one contended dame virtue , and dame pleasure , both seeking to seize upon his will , but at last after some wavering and debate , he submitted unto virtue and rejected pleasure : before bonacius in the shape likewise of women , came carefulness and slothfulness , the former bade him to rise out of his lazy den , and betake himself to some work ; but dame slothfulness advised him to lye still at his ease , and to beware of the mornings cold , and so while they were contending , he like a slothful ideot remained neutral , continually looking when they would agree , until at length the greater part of the day was overpast to his loss and damage . 't is a true saying , that beds make beggars ; i would not have thee therefore follow the common custom of many of our gentry , who lye in bed , and rise not , till their meat be ready to be set on the table , to which after they are tirck'd and trimméd , have powdred and kembed their perruques , have patched their faces , and set themselves by their looking-glasses for all day , sit down to eat and drink , and then rise up to play , or take a coach to see a comedy or tragedy acted , and when that is done , to visit in a masquerado their mistresses , by which they ( as if god had put them into the world as he hath put the leviathan into the sea , only to take their pastime therein ) idly , vainly , and unprofitably spend their pretious time , for which they can neither give a good account to god or themselves . lx. hate wastfulness and vnthristiness , for they will bring thee into necessity , and then thou must live like a dron̄e , if not by wicked shifting , yet by base beggary . thrist is a great vertue , having diligence to provide things necessary truly and justly , and care to save and keep when gotten : yet be thristy without filthy niggardness and unmercifulness , but give thy need , thine honour , thy friend , the church , and the poor their dues ; never exceed thy income , nay i would not have thee live up to the height of it , 't is an old saw. if youth did know what age would crave , many a penny he would save . by no means run in debt , neither do thou break any thing of thy stock ; 't is related of the stone tirrhenus , how that being whole , it swimmeth , but never so little diminished , it sinketh to the bottom ; so he who keeps his stock full is ever afloat , but wasting of his store , by degrees becometh bankrupt ; neither let thy liberality exceed thine ability ; he that giveth beyond his power is prodigal , he that giveth in measure is liberal , he that giveth nothing at all is a niggard . follow the example of those young gentlemen , who coming to their wealth before they come to their wits , run beyond the constable , and live without compass , making their own hands their executors , their own eyes their overseers , and all their purchases with dedimus and concessimus . lxi . enter not into bonds , no not for thy best friends . king solomon , who in his time was the wisest man in the world , tells us , that he that hateth suretiship is sure . he that obliges himself to pay another mans debt , takes the shackles from his feet , and claps them on upon his own ; it is as rare to see a rich surety as a black swan : and he that endeth to all that will borrow , sheweth great good will , but little wit. if thou lend a round sum of money be sure to have either a lease or a mortgage of land made over , or two or three good sureties bound to thee for it : either of these , and especially the two first are good gages to borrow by . lxii . entertain such men as shall be trusty ; for if thou keep a wolf within thy doors to do mischief , or a fox to work craft and subtilty , thou shalt find it as perillous , as if in thy barn thou shouldst maintain rats , and in thy ground moles . let thy maidens be such as seem readier to take pains than follow pleasure , willinger to dress up their house than their heads , not so fine-fingered as to call for a lute , when they should use a distaff , not so dainty-mouth'd as that their silken throats should swallow no packthread . chuse such servants as shall be willing to learn whatsoever is necessary , faithful in performing whatsoever is their duty , careful in seeking all honest means to profit thee , and silent in tongue , in not revealing abroad what thou dost at home , and in not replying to , or contradicting of what thou commandest them to do ; never endure those that will answer again , when they are reproved by thee for the neglect of their duty ; especially take care that they be seasoned with the fear of god. he that entertains one addicted to lyes , entertains a thief ; and he that admits a common swearer or a debauch'd person into the bowels of his family , admits a jonah that may sink his ship. make not thy servants too familiar with thee , for that will in the end bring thee into contempt with them ; it hath been ever observed , that gentle and clement princes have more rebellious subjects than those that are rough and fierce , that loving and indulgent parents more ungracious children than those who are rigid and austere , and that soft and mild masters more disobedient servants than those that are harsh and severe . amongst other things ( my son ) if thou hast a regard to thrift , keep no more cats than will kill mice ; my meaning is , retain not more servants in thy family than are for thy profit or advantage ; a long retinue may make thy state the greater , but it will make thine estate the less ; the length of the peacocks train makes his wings the shorter . lxiii . there are some that will not tap their beer till it be sowre , nor cut their bread and cheese till it be mouldy , or their meat till it be soisty ; some again will cobble their shoos , till , like theseus his ship , none of the first materials of them remain ; some will drive into them so many hob-nails and sparabils , as they may be rather said to be - shod like horses than shooed like men ; some will burn only rush or pissing candles , and all this but to eke out their store , and others rather than they will be at the charge of a quarrel or pane of glass , will stop the hole in their windows with an old stockin or a wad of straw ; nay i have heard of an old woman , who would commonly sit bare-breech'd to save her petticoats : all which are to be abhorred , because they do not so much express any good husbandry and thrift as base sordidness and niggardize . these and the like petty arts leave to those covetous misers , who heap up riches for they know not whom . lxiv . be not hasty to marry , it is better to have one plow going than two cradles , and more profit to have a barn filled than a bed. we are told in holy writ , that it is better not to marry , but withal we are told there also , that it is better to marry than to burn . it is not unlikely that those persons that live and dye pure and unspotted virgins , shall sit in heaven next to the martyrs , and wear crowns as they do , whilst such as are married and live chastly in that state and condition of life , shall wear coronets only ; but a pure and unspotted virginity is very rarely attained among men and women , whose half of themselves consists of flesh and blood ; and therefore if thou canst not live chastly in a single life make use of the remedy , which god hath prescribed thee , and that is marriage , which is an honourable estate amongst all men : but yet if thou must needs marry , be sure to chuse such a wife as may bring with her such advantages to thee , as may at least counter-ballance all the inconveniences of a married life ; for many leap ▪ like the mouse in the fable , into the brass-pan , without considering at all such inconveniences , and afterwards would fain leap out again , but cannot . and truly ( my son ) if a man well ponder before-hand the continual cares and fears , and the frequent jars and discontents , which man and wife suffer under , he will discover , that marriage , like the medicine prescribed for the disease commonly called the squinzy , hath as much album graecum as honey in it : and thus thou mayst perceive my great love to thee , in preferring the peace and quietness of thy life before the propagating of my name and posterity ; nevertheless in this matter i leave thee to thine own liberty and discretion . but because by thy sanguine and debonaire complexion i forbode , that thine inclinations will tend to a married life , i would have thee observe these instructions in the choice of her whom thou art minded to make thy bed-fellow . chuse such a one as may be more commended for her vertues than her beauty ; a good huswife is a great patrimony , and she is most honourable who is most chast . in thy choice and election mark these four , p s piety , parentage , proportion , portion . the first p. is piety : see in the first place that she be piously brought up in the fear of god , well educated , of civil and modest deportment and behaviour , avoid her that is fantastical , for she will still be hurrying thee up to london ; or that is ambitious , to be taken for a wit , for it is more than an even lay but she will attempt to make thee a fool ; nor chuse her the rather , because like a pretty parakeeto , she can speak a little french or italian , for one tongue is enough in conscience for a woman , or because she is poetically given , and can make a good verse , for it would be much better that she were able to make thee a good pudding . but note this , that though i would have her whom thou wouldst mate with to be pious , i would not have her to be precise ; for it is commonly found , that those women are most heart hollow , who are most lip-holy , and such a one will nibble thine estate worse than the rats will thy holland or thy chedder cheese , by stealing out of it large contributions to the bartholomew martyrs . the second p. is parentage : see that she come of good and honest parentage , and such as are of a good repute in their country ; a good wise can hardly be chosen out of a wicked and irreligious family ; a man cannot expect to gather grapes from thorns , or figs from thistles . : if the spring-head be poysoned , so will the streams ; it is a rabbinical proverb , take not a wise out of that family wherein there is a publican , for such are all publicans . if thou desirest to be the sire of an happy son , or the father of a fortunate child , abstain from those women that are either base of birth , or bare of honesty . the third p. to be observed in the chusing of a wife , is proportion ; let the woman thou shalt pitch upon be built up with comely parts and features . love ever first enters in at the eye , and to keep it warm and alive , it is fit that member should be pleased . when one asked a very homely woman her name , she told him it was rebecca , upon which he replied , i thought your name had been asarabecca , for i can hardly behold you without ridding of my stomach : have a care therefore , notwithstanding all other advantages , that thou match not with such a one as will sooner make thee stomach-sick than love-sick ; and be not of nat. feeld , the players humour , who vowed , that if the old woman that crawled upon her tail at holborn-bridge , had a thousand pound for her portion , he would marry her and adorn her breech with a french velvet hood . neither for gain or lucre sake marry some rich but very old widow , lest when she kisses thee she drop her teeth ( if she have any ) into thy mouth ; but perhaps thou mayst hope that thou shalt outlive her , but this is just as if a man should hang himself , in hope that some body or other may come before he be dead , and cut the rope . the fourth and last p. is portion , and this thou must look after , that in tying thy self fast , thou dost not undo thy self ; in thy match thou must respect the mending of thine estate and fortunes ; other things may help and be an appendix , but 't is wealth must be the substance , without which never expect to eat thy bread without gravel in it , and if grist be wanting , the mill stones will quickly set the mill on fire . when thou art married , if thy wife in the first month chide and chafe , thou must hear without reply , and endure with patience ; for they that cannot suffer the wranglings of young married women , are not unlike to those , that tasting the grape to be sowre before it be ripe , leave to gather it , when it is ; or to those , who being stung with the bee forsake the honey ; or else to those , who will pull off the heads of their poultry , because they will sometimes cackle ; though for the sake of the eggs they lay , they should ( as socrates did with his zantippe ) bear the more with them . fair means will do more with crabbed natures than force , as the sun in the fable , by fairly shining on the traveller made him lay aside his cloak , whereas the ruffling wind made him gird it the faster about him . in like manner , if the husband thinks to make his woman the more tractable , and to bow to him by force , he shall find her joynts to be but the stiffer still ; but mild words , gentle perswasions , good counsel , and fair intreaties , like nerve oyl , will supple them . musical instruments , the softlier they are touched , the sweeter they sound . a wife , like a mettlesom horse , will be stark mad , if reined in too hard , but with a gentle curb she will bear a white mouth . if a husband will after an unmanly manner fight with his wife , and beat her ribs , if she have not the more grace , 't is the way to make her break his forehead . and further i must tell thee , that the fallings out of man and wife betwixt themselves , are like the breakings of each others bones , there is no rest or case till they be set and composed again . if the cross husband wrest one way , and the cross-grain'd wife another , they both together as it were twist a rope to hang themselves . indeed marriage is either an heaven or an hell upon earth ; where there is love and vnity , there it is an heaven ; where jars and discontents , there it is an hell. all therefore who desire in that estate and condition of life to make themselves happy , must mutually be good and kind to each other ▪ for as a good jack makes a good jill , so a good jill makes a good jack . be not too imperious over thy wise ▪ for that will make her to hate thee ; neither be too fond and uxorious , for that will make her to disdain thee : let her neither be thy slave nor thy soveraign , neither tread her under thy foot , nor set her upon thy head . god made woman at first of a rib , which is placed between both . in the government of thy houshold use her hands as well as thine own eyes ; for good husbandry and huswifry consists as well in setling of things , as in looking to them ; if thou rule in the hall or parlour , let her rule in the kitchin and bed-chamber . to be short , let the keys hang at her girdle , but the purse at thine own : so shalt thou know what thou dost spend , and how she can spare ; yet do not penuriously keep her too bare of money , but let thy hen peck at thy barn-door , though thou set her not to pick at the whole heap . above all things when thou art married , avoid jealousie ; a mans mistrust that his wife is dishonest , may but the sooner make her so : and truly it is either needless or bootless to do so ; it is not the italian lock , nor the close mewings of her up like a haggard that will secure her chastity , who is addicted to wantonness ; if pasiphae cannot have the company of a man , she will be bull'd and admit a bull ; and an ugly dwars , litt●e more than a cubit high , if she cannot have an handsom proper man , shall serve the turn of the lascivious queen ( quean i should have said ) of whom the poet ariosto makes mention : for if a woman be modest no gold will , like danae , corrupt her ; and if she be immodest , nor grief nor care will amend her . jealousie is a fire to which every thing adds fuel : if a jealous mans wife frown , he straight conjectures , either it is , because she hates him , or loves others better ; if she smile , it is because she hath had success in her love , or it is to entice another to love her ; if she turns aside her head from any man , he thinks that she only dissembles ; if she cast an eye upon him , he thinks she courts him , and then , like a man possest with a frenzy , he stamps and stares , and tears his hair from his head , and crys out , that neither fire in the straw , nor love in a womans looks can be hid . thus he watcheth over every gesture and behaviour of his consort , as a cat watcheth over a m●use , and seeks for that he would not find ; like him that goes to the house of office in the dark feeling about the seat , for that which he is afraid to meet with . lxv . eat not thine own heart , that is , do not vex thy self with thine own inward thoughts , neither lay the load of such things as grieve thee upon thine own self ; fire pent in burns the more furiously , and bottles too close cork't up , often fly all in pie es , by the strength of the spirits with which they are filled ; for as those wounds are most dangerous that bleed inward , so are those griefs which are too closely concealed : however keep thy mishaps secret from thine enemy , that he may not rejoyce at them , but reveal them to thy sincere friend , that he may pity , advise , and help thee , if he can , or at least may bear a part with thee : burdens divided are easily born . those that want true friends , to whom they may open themselves , tell their minds , and impart their vexations and troubles , are strange cannibals , for they eat their own hearts . lxvi . have therefore with pylades an orestes , with damon a pythias , some faithful friend to whom thou maist impart thy griefs and joys , thy fears and hopes , thy suspicions and counsels , thy intentions and affairs , and whatsoever lyeth hard upon thy heart . two fast friends are like mill-stones which are never singly made use of but by couples , and each standeth in need of the others help for the performance of the work whereunto they are ordained . yet take good heed with whom thou dost shake hands and contract friendship ; try the man thou meanest to trust , lest shining like the carbuncle , as if he had fire , he be found when he is proved to be as cold as ice . a wise souldier will try the proof of his armour before he gird it about him . learn out therefore ( before thou take a friend into thy bosom ) how he hath dealt with others with whom he hath contracted friendship ; for look how he hath served them , so will he likewise deal with thee : and try him before thou hast need of him , so shalt thou find what his readiness will be , to serve thee when necessity requires his help . when thou hast gotten a true friend , be sure to keep him , be faithful to him , and contented with him ; it is not a paradox to say , he that hath many friends hath none ; for true friends are like turtles , which go by pairs , not like starlings , which fly in flocks . lxvii . keep thy secrets , if they be of any great moment to thy self ; but be sure , if thou impart them , let it be to none but thy faithful friend ; remember that whatever three persons know , it commonly then ceaseth to be any longer a secret : imitate the reservation of that wise roman , who professed , that if he thought his shirt did know his secrets , he would burn it . he that tells his errand to every one he meets , is a babbling fool ; and he that discovers unto others his intentions before-hand , courts his own disappointment : and as i would not have thee to discover thine own secrets , so neither would i have thee to be curious and inquisitive into the secrets of others ; lest thou be put off with a slur , as the country-man in plutarch , put him off , who inquired what he carried so close in his basket , saying ; friend , if you might know what it is , i should not carry it so close covered as it is . or as that general slighted the curiosity of his lieutenant general , who came to know when and whither they should march , saying , sir , when the trumpet sounds you shall know . but above all , in this matter be cautious , that you trust not a womans breast with such secrets as thou wouldst have no man know ; for , like sieves , they are rimarum plenae , and can hold nothing that is poured into them ; and their mouths can no more hold long a secret , than they can a spoonful of scalding custard . all that may be said , to excuse a mans folly in this particular is , that we may venture to tell them our secrets , because no wise man will imagine , that he may find them there reposited , unless it be by some very fool. the story of papirius pretextatus will come in here very pat to our purpose , who being but a young boy , went along with his father into the senate-house , where many weighty matters were debated , from whence when he came home , his mother ( being very curious and inquisitive ) took him aside privately , and questioned him what was said and done there , the youth , ultra aetatem sapiens , being wise and discreet beyond his years , to elude her curiosity , and to keep from her the secrets of state , told her , that the senate had concluded , that every man should have two wives ; upon this she gathered the roman matrons together , and told them what her son had told her ; who all unanimously went presently to the senate , and petitioned them , that since they had decreed , that every man should have two wives , that they would also make a second decree , that every woman should have two husbands : the senate greatly marvelled at this sudden coming of the women and their words , till at length understanding how it was , they highly admired and commended the boy for his wit and secrecy ; and to honour him the more , admitted him ( though but a child ) to be a member of the house . it seems ( though he was but a green youth ) that he had imbibed this principle ( though i believe it was not from his mothers milk ) that there is neither safety nor wisdom in it , for a man to intrust a woman with those privacies , which are of any great importance , and require such secrecy , as is not to be found or expected amongst tatling gossips . lxviii . envy no mans purse or estate , because it is richer than thine ; the envious man doth murder himself ; for envy consumeth the heart wherein it is nourished , as the moth doth the garment whereof and wherein it was bred . not like the maid avicen speaks of , who feeding her self with poyson , was nevertheless very healthful , but yet infected others with her venemous breath : but the envious man may be compared to the poysonous amphisbaena , which instead of hurting others , bites and tears her self ; who suffers his indignation at other mens good , like the fox which the lacedemonian boy stole and hid under his coat , to gnaw out his own bowels . but it is enough to discountenance this vice , that in the gospel the devil himself is called the envious man. lxix . as i would have thee shun envy , so likewise be thou sure to avoid malice and hatred , he that hates another man is the patient , he that is hated is the agent , contrary to the sound of the words ; for the hater is in torment , the hated in ease : so that nothing in this world is so much to be hated as hate it self . lxx . take heed of being vindicative ; for this as an imposthume breaking forth , commonly strangles and choaks a man with his own blood : the bee might keep her sting still , and not live like a drone , did she not in her anger imploy it to envenom the flesh of him that puts her from him . it is safer to forget an injury or smother it , than to go about to avenge it , if it were for nothing but this , yet this were punishment enough , that when thou goest about to avenge thy self upon any man , all shall be sure to be laid open in choler that can be remembered , and his tongue shall cast all thy faults in thy teeth . if he were a friend that offended thee ( saith seneca ) he did that he meant not ; if an enemy , he did but what he well might be expected to have done . if a wise man wrong thee , endure him ; if a fool , forgive him . be not so foolish as to waste time in the pursuit of an ignis fatuus , which burns only to light thee to some bog or precipice : yet because thou mayst say that forbearance will make men presumptuous , and a second wrong is provoked by digesting the first , therefore i answer , thou mayst revenge wrong , but not by violence , but by law. lxxi . yet avoid going to law as much as possibly thou canst ; for be thy cause never so good , thou mayst nevertheless not only fear the packing and embracing of the jury , the suborning of false witnesses , the bribing of the judge , and those that are of counsel with thee , but also the quickness of the wit , the subtilty of the rhetorick , and the volubility of the tongue of those that are fee'd to plead against thee . there was a lawyer that injuriously kept a poor mans cow from him , wherefore he went immediately and complained to the king , who having heard his complaint , told him , that he would hear what the other could say to the matter , nay then , said the poor man , if you hear him speak , i shall surely lose my cow ; for he thought that the smooth speeches and eloquent rhetorick of his adversary would effascinate the kings ears , and lead him which way he pleased . to this our purpose , it is worthy the observation , which socrates said before the judges in his own defence , touching his accusers , my lords ( saith he ) i know not how you have been affected with mine accusers eloquence while you heard them speak ; for my own part i assure you , that i whom it toucheth most , was almost drawn to believe , that all they said , though against my self was true , when they scarcely uttered one word of truth . avoid therefore i say once more , the waging of law , especially i would not have thee go to the lawyer for every toy or trifle ; for that will be to make him rich , and thy self a beggar . an honest atturney gave an intimate friend of his that had commenced a suit at law against another , this counsel ( and truly he deserved a good fee for it ) make an end with the lawyers , before they make an end of thee . the courts of the law ( saith my lord verulam in his essays ) are like those bramble-bushes , whereunto while the sheep fly for defence and succour , they are sure to lose part of their fleeces . there is an old story , that a blind man and a lame man went to travel together by the sea side , the lime man who was carried on the blind mans shoulders espyed an oyster , which he claimed because he espyed it , the other claimed his share , because he carried him to the place where he found it , the case being doubtful , they referred it to the next man they met , who in the debating of the matter eat the oyster , and gave them the shells . thus it fareth with many who go to law , the lawyers eat the fish , and give them the shells , that is , they bleed their purses , and that in a little time cures the heat of their contentions as phlebotomy cures fevers and inflammations . yet i would not have thee lose thy right , nor suffer thy self to be fooled , wronged , and cheated , nor to let every carrion crow ride upon thy back and pick out thine eyes : and to the end thou thy self mayst not run into the lapse of the law , i advise thee to live honestly , to trespass no man wilfully , and to render every man his due carefully . lxxii . it well becomes a gentleman to make some inspection into the laws of the land , which i advise thee to do ; that if thou bee'st commissionated to be in thy country a justice of the peace , all thy wit to manage that office may not lye only in the skull of thy clark : for as one of our modern poets saith , it is the clark many times that makes the justice of the peace . many without skill in this particular , have run into very dangerous premunires ; but besides this will make thee know , how to secure thy estate against those who may endeavour to pick a hole in it ; he had need ( we say ) of a long spoon that eats with the devil . and yet further , this will discover to thee the knavery or honesty of thy lawyer in the managery of thy law-suits , in case thou be so unhappy as to be involved in ●…ny but i would not have thee to study the quirks of the law , for this may induce thee for thine advantage to be a knave ; unless thou study them meerly to secure and defend thy self from them . briefly , study to attain so much knowledge in the law as may sufficiently inform thee of thine own right , but not so much as to make thee quarrelsom and contentious with thy neighbour or parson ; for this were to put a sword into a mad-mans hand . it is great pity , that it is so true , which once i heard a wise man say , that a good lawyer is very seldom a good neighbour . lxxiii . avoid duels ; there are some whose fingers itch to be dipt in blood : and as among contentious men it is but a word and a writ , so among swaggering hectors it is but a word and a wound . but thou wilt say , i think it a stain to my credit , and a disgrace to my name , if i shall not answer him , who having abused me in words , hath sent me the length of his sword , and from whom i have received a proud challenge : to this i reply , wilt thou shew such a base esteem of thy self , and set so low a rate on thy life , as to stake it for a brawl and a few rash words of an enemy , and yet wouldst be highly esteemed of others ? in such a case be not troubled with a frivolous report of dishonour , rather be prodigal of thy reputation than thy life ; run not wilfully into an aceldama , into the grave , into hell to be counted valorous , care not so much for the shame of the world as the danger of thy body and soul . men of great valour have rejected challenges , which have proceeded from those who have had more heart than brain , more head than wit , and that without any blemish at all to their credit . when anthony challenged augustus , he answered , that if anthony were weary of life , there were ways enough to death besides duelling . but say , some will call thee a coward , yet fear not shame so much as sin : thou hast but one body , do not adventure it upon the sword of an enemy , but one soul , do not adventure it upon the sword of god. love a good name , but yet as an handmaid of vertue ; woo and court common fame no further than it follows upon honest courses and vertuous actions , and think thy self but base , if thou shouldst depend upon vulgar breath , which is commonly none of the sweetest . it is as great a symptom of a crazy reputation , as it is of a crazy body , to be too impatient upon every slight touch . and truly ( methinks ) it is strange ▪ that men should so eagerly pursue honour , and so hotly court her , as to vindicate her upon any man , who should but touch her , though never so slightly , with the hazard both of body and soul . whilst in their impious and inhumane duels they make themselves , if they survive their antagonists , either liable to be hanged by the laws of men , or to be damn'd by the laws of god : or finally liable to both , if god shew not more mercy to them , than they did to their brethren , whose blood they spilt in some vain , or perhaps drunken brabble . but let them pass as dangerous men to be conversed withal , only 't were good men would hearken to gonsalvo , that famous commander , who was wont to say , that a gentlemans honour should be de telâ crassiore , of a stronger warp or web , than that every slight thing should catch in it , and be thought able to break it . think besides the bloody fact being once committed , of those terrours which will ( if thou hast any grace left in thee ) dog thy conscience with the srightful vissions of thy murthered friend ; and think moreover , how together with him thou hast murdered ( unless thou canst procure a pardon ) thy poor children , and undone thy whole family ; and laid such a blemish upon thy posterity after thee , as peradventure shall never be blotted out again , the stain being laid so deep in blood . lxxiv . be not too ventrous in exposing thy self , like a knight errand , to needness dangers ; 't is an unhappy proverb , he that courts perils shall dye the devils martyr . i have heard that in our last civil wars , a young cavaliero being well mounted , started out to pickeer with another of the enemies side and killed him , and returning in a vain glorious manner to his company , prince rupert , who then commanded that party , and was a spectator of his bravery , asked him this question , sir , pray resolve me , whether you are an elder or a younger brother ? who replying , that he was an elder brother , the prince told him , that he had then that day shewed his younger brother fair play for it . and what got my gallant by this , but instead of the applause he expected , the estimation of being fool hardy , rather than truly valiant . as i would not have thee kneel with the camel to take up a burden , under which thou canst not rise again , so with the elephant , i would have thee , like a stout man , to bear a castle , if it be laid upon thy back ▪ there is a time for the tolerancy of a mans crosses ; and therefore neither like the wild beast bred in a cold climat , run from the fire , nor like a moth , flittering about the candle , run into it . lxxv . come not presumptuousty into places where some are contagiously sick , lest thou come untimely to thy grave : come not within the lists of destruction , he that would not fall into the pit , must not approach the brink . likewise bestow cost , as long as thou mayst , to continue thy life , by upholding and repairing thy cottage of clay . it is against the course of nature , and a way to tempt the very god of nature to destroy thee , wilfully to hinder thy health , or not to seek means to preserve it . god sendeth several diseases , and hath appointed several medicines as remedies to encounter them : therefore honour the physician , and with king hezekiah , lay a plaister upon the boil , say not mans life hath a period , as the sea hath its bounds , beyond which it cannot pass ; and therefore think not like a turk , that if thy time be not yet come , that though thou thrust thy head into a cannon , it cannot kill thee ; for though no man can live one minute beyond the set time god hath appointed him to live , yet by refusing the due means to preserve thy self , or by thy sins and deb nicheries , thou mayst cut thy days the shorter . god that predestines the end , doth as well predestine the means tending to the attainment thereof . this the psalmist makes evident , when he tells us , the wicked and blood-thirsty men shall not live out half their days . and we may observe by our daily experiences , that men in feavers , squinancies , and pleurisies are preserved many years longer by timely phlebotomy , who without such means would unavoidably and immediately perish . to this purpose i have read a remarkable spanish story , and it is this : there was in toledo a debauched young gentleman , scarce twenty years of age , who for robbery and murder was condemned to dye , and being hanged , on the day of execution , upon a gibbet , suddenly there grew out of his , a little before unflidged chin , a long beard , white as snow , which when the archbishop of the place , coming to the gallows , observed ; he gave the amazed people that stood by this conjecture of so strange an accident , that god by this wonderful thing had shewn , that if the young man had not cut himself off by his vitious and abominable courses , he might have lived to an extreme old age . say not when thy glass is run , do what thou wilt , thou canst stay no longer , and the clock will strike when the minutes be past , neither say , that that which must be shall be , and let death seek thee , yet it shall not find thee , till thy time be come , and therefore away with physick , what shall means do ? for then a rope upon thee , try every knife , eat coloquintida thy belly full , frequent places , where the air about thee doth infect , and where the breath of one body is poyson to another , and by the like reason thou mayst excuse thy wickedness , and be desperately and dissolutely careless : but in matters of hope , where the end is not known , use means with asa , though thou relye not upon them ; and though many times they avail not , yet take thou all the fairest ways , of all lawful remedies , since gods determinations are concealed from thee . and be not like those miserable minded men , who if they fall sick , had rather dye a thousand deaths than pay the apothecaries bills . upon the miser in the epigram , the quipp lay heavier than his grave stone , in which it was engraven , here lies father sparges , who dy'd to save charges . some others there be , who starve their bodies to make their purses fat , and put their bellies into their bags , as the epicures put their money into their bellies , resembling a dog in a wheel , who roasts meat for others , but never a good bit for himself . others warm themselves only with the sticks of a crows nest , and dare not take so much as a faggot-stick out of their stacks and piles , which they make to out-live all the woods in the country round about them : and hoard their corn , rather to feed rats and mice , than themselves ; so that they will not afford their own selves such necessaries as may keep them in good sort , and whereby they may preserve their lives . yet i would not have thee to be like those , who for every qualm take a receipt , and cannot make two meals , unless galen or hippocrates stand by their trenchers ; if thou dost so , thy purse will ever be without money , and thy body never without diseases . lxxvi . i would have thee to follow thy study , and those affairs in which thou art concerned ; yet not to seek so immoderately the wealth of thy brain or purse , as to lose the health of thy body ; neglect not thy body to accomplish thy mind : when thy weakness checks thee , and thy body controuls thee from assiduous , hard , and immoderate study , and from great cares and affairs of importance , affect not so much knowledge or wealth , as to debar thy self of those things , whereby thy health may be regained or retained . lxxvii . further , i advise thee to study men as well as books ; take heed of those that wink with one eye , and see with the other , it is a proverb worth observation , he that winks with one eye , and sees with t' other , i will not turst him , though he were my brother . likewise take heed of those , that have their beards of two colours , or their head of one colour , and their beard of another , for they are mark't ; and another proverb bids us beware of those , whom god hath marked . a mans disposition is never better known than when he is crossed , as proteus never changed shapes , till hercules griped him ; but what a man is inward , is best to be discovered by these three things , oculis , by his eyes , loculis ; purse , poculis , cups . to this we may add a forth , and that is anger ; for this passion will lay him open , as the fire burning in the chimney , discovers all the things that are in the room : and besides these four things , the very lineaments , colour , complexion , and habitude of the body may give us some light of the qualities and dispositions of men and women , as is signified by these rimes , in which the small poet speaking first of women , gives us this account . fair and foolish , little and loud , long and lazie , black and proud , fat and merry , lean and sad , pale and peevish , red and bad . then for men he gives us this account following . to a red man read thy read , to a brown man break thy bread , at a pale man draw thy knife , from a black man keep thy wise . lxxviii . if thou takest tobacco , which it matters not , whether thou dost , or no , yet if thou takest it moderately and physically , it may as lawfully be taken as well as other things ▪ which god hath afforded us , for our delight as well as our necessity : but to take it vainly as too many do , who are never well any longer than the pipe , like a turkey-cocks snout , hangs dangling under their noses , or to take it meerly to pass away thy pretious time , or as a salt bit to draw down thy liquor , or as an help to discourse , is both ridiculous and blame-worthy : but besides , this indian weed immoderately taken , is very prejudicial to the bodies health , it dries up the lungs , it putrifies the breath , and being of a narcotick quality , it stupifies the brain , and combines with the bottle , to make a man a very sot : which mischiefs and inconveniencies , are altogether summed up in these rimes , by another small poet. tobacco that outlandish weed , it dries the brain , and spoils the seed , it dulls the spirit , it dims the sight , it robs a woman of her right . lxxix . hate ingratitude above all things , for nothing is more hateful to god and man : no billings-gate scold can fix a worse name upon thee , than to call thee an ungrateful person : it is worthy of remark , that unthankfulness and unholiness in sacred writ , like an harl of hellish hounds , are coupled together : never therefore forget to be thankful to any one from whom thou hast received a courtesie or benefit ; in this thou wilt shew both grace and wit , for thankfulness for the present benefits received , makes way for future ones . in the whole course of nature , man may read a lecture of gratitude ; rivers return their floods into the ocean , from whence they derived their streams ; the clouds of heaven repay the exhalations and vapours , which the earth sent up to them , with fruitful flowers ; thy flocks and thy kine recompence the pasture and fodder thou affordest them , with their fleeces and their milk ; and thy bees , for thy kindness in hiving them in thy garden requite thy love , with their wax and honey : and as i would not have thee be ungrateful thy self , so i advise thee to guard thy self against such as are so ; for these like the savage bears will be apt to bite the water that quenches their thirst . save a thief from the gallows and he will cut thy throat : indeed there are not a few such villains to be sound in the world , who are apt to return evil for good , and are not ashamed to degenerate into such monsters ( monsters did i call them ? i might rather have termed them devils , who labour to damn them the deepest , that serve them the most ) as to hurt or betray those , to whom they are by nature , by blood , and by kindnesses most engaged and obliged . when king richard the third pursued the duke of buckingham , to put him to death ( for usurping tyrants use to cut down the stairs by which they climb up to their height ) the duke in his extremity did flye to one bannister his servant , upon whom he had bestowed great means to inrich him . bannister very carefully conveyed him into a coppice ▪ adjoining to his mansion house and there preserved him , but within a while there is a proclamation made , that whosoever could reveal where the duke was , if he were a bondslave , he should be enfranchised , and made free ; if a freeman , he should have a general pardon , and be rewarded with a thousand pounds , hereupon bannister either for fear of danger , if he did conceal him , or hope of gain , if he did reveal him , bewrayed where his master was , whereupon he was apprehended and carried to shrewsbury where king richard then lay , and there without arraignment or any legal proceeding , he was in the market place beheaded : whether bannister received the proclaimed reward , or no , is uncertain ; king richard ( loving the treason but hating the traytor ) said ( as it is reported ) that he that would be false to so good a master , would never be true to any , but certain it is , he received the reward of a villain , from divine justice ; for himself was after hanged for murther , his eldest daughter was deflowered by one of his carters , or ( as some say ) strucken with a foul leprosie , his eldest son in a desperate lunacy destroyed himself , and was found to have done so , by the coroners inquest , and his younger son was drowned in a shallow puddle . lxxx . be faithful to thy prince and country ; and hate rebellion and treason as thou wouldst the devil himself , for he was the first rebel and traytor that ever was : it is but just that his heart should be pulled out of his breast alive , who bears a false one to his prince . neither do thou grumble or repine at the taxes and impositions which are laid upon thee ; for this is all thou payest to thy soveraign , who , by his good government and just laws secures thy peace and safety , thy life and liberty , thy estate and religion . observe it well , that in all ages the sin of rebellion hath constantly been attended with one swinging vengeance or other . take one remarkable instance of this , in corah , dathan , and abiram , for whom the earth it self turned sexton , and made their graves . and as i would have thee according to christs injunction , give unto caesar the things which are caesars , so would i have thee , give unto god the things which are gods. lxxxi . wherefore be just in the payment of thy tithes , for he that robs the priest , robs god himself also . and it will in the end rather impoverish than increase thine estate : the rabbins have a proverb , and 't is a true one , pay thy tithes and be rich : the eagle which snatched the flesh from the altar , to carry it to his young ones , burnt them and his nest with a burning coal which stuck to it , had a due reward of his sacriledge : above all things , meddle not with the lands of the church , for that will bring a curse upon those lands which i shall leave thee ; to be sure ( according to sir henry spelman's observation ) the third heir seldom or never enjoys the sacriledge of his predecessors . lxxxii . take heed by all means that thou break not the peace of the church ; for schism is but the handmaid of rebellion : the better therefore to preserve that , keep thy private opinions in matters of religion to thy self , if they be contrary to the established discipline of the church . it is better thou didst never wear a shirt upon thy back , than thou shouldst quarrel at anothers decent wearing of a surplice ; this is but tithing of mint and cummin , and neglecting the weighty matters of gods laws : 't is a bad matter to break the kings peace , but 't is a worse to break the peace of god. lxxxiii . my son , since i by mine own industry , and god by his providence , has provided for thee a fair estate , forget not to be charitable to the poor , it is a goodlier sight to see the poor standing at a rich mans gate than the porter : and therefore as thou takest care to feed thy hounds without doors , and to cloath thy naked walls within with tapestry and cloth of arras , so much more would i have thee to be careful , to fill the bellies of the hungry , and clothe the backs of the naked , that they perish not with hunger and cold : for as thou takest notice of thy comings in , so god assuredly takes notice of thy layings out ; to whom thou must one day give a severe account , for every idle penny , that thou hast spent as well as for every idle word that thou hast spoken . lxxxiv . i have heard a story of a gentleman and his son , and the passages in it are very well worth thy observation ; and that thou mayest the better remember it , i will cut it as short as the things will bear : this gentleman had one only son , whom he called to him and told him , that he was going out of the world , and therefore desired him to remember these three precepts . first , to take a good proffer when it was offered . secondly , not to tarry at a friends house too long . thirdly , not to go too far for his wife . the young gentleman promised him , that he would carefully observe them ; but shortly after , there came a gentleman to his house , who saw in his stable a very good horse , unto whom he had a very great liking , and for which he proffered l. but he refused it , and would not part with him under an l. that night his horse was taken in the staggers and dyed ; then he remembred his fathers first admonition ; wherefore he calls one of his servants and commands him to skin his horse , and take the skin and hang up in his barn ▪ which accordingly was done . after this he rides abroad to visit a friend , who made him very welcome , but he stayed there so long ▪ that his friend was weary of him , and caused to be brought to table nothing but brown bread , whereupon seeing nothing but white bread before , he bethought himself that he had not observed his fathers second precept ; wherefore coming away , he begged one of the brown loaves , telling them , that he liked the bread so well , that his butler should make the like for him : so they gave him a loaf , which when he came home , he bid his man to hang in a rope by the horse skin . after this he bethinks himself of taking a wife , wished he was to a gentlemans daughter , which lived an hundred miles or more from him ; thither he goes , and woos the young lady , and all things were agreed upon for the conclusion of the match : but being upon some urgent occasion sent for home , he acquainted the old gentleman after supper with it , telling him , that his return should be short , and therefore craved that he might take his leave of his mistress over night ; but the old gentleman would by no means suffer him , but told him that he was a better husband , and his mistress a better huswife than so ; and that they would be up time enough in the morning to take their leave of him ; but the young genleman being up very betimes , and having ordered his horses to be made ready , and bethinking himself , that it would not be handsom to ride away without taking leave of his mistress , he went to her chamber-door , and knock't very softly ▪ but no body answering , and finding the key in the outside of the door , he unlock't it , peeped in towards the bed , where he espyed two in the bed , and who should they be but the old gentlemans clerk and his mistress asleep ? wherefore stepping into the chamber , he took away the young mans breeches , which lay upon a trunk , and put them into his mans port-mantle ; which after he came home , he caused to be hung by the horse-skin and the loaf , and never went more to visit his mistress . at this the old gentleman marvelled greatly , and therefore he would ride to see what the matter was , and especially to s●e his son-in-laws estate . and being come to the young gentlemans house , he was very richly entertained ; but being weary with his long and tedious journey , the young gentleman brought the old to his chamber , and there left him to take his repose . the next morning the old gentleman was up very early , and walked abroad to see what a good husband his son-in-law was , and saw all things very neat and handsom . as he was walking about , one of the servants went and told his master , that the old gentleman was risen and walk't abroad ; he hearing it , presently arose , and met him , and then carried him into his stable to see his horses , from thence he conducted him into his barn , where the old gentleman looking up ▪ espyed the horse-skin , the loaf , and the pair of breeches , of which he desired to know the meaning : oh sir , replied the other , those hang there to put me in mind of the three cautions my dying father gave me , and so he told him the same i have before mentioned . i understand well enough ; said the old gentleman , what the ●orse-skin and loaf means , but do not , what the breeches signifie , why , sir , said he , they signifie , that i had forgot that caution my father gave me , not to go too sar for a wife . now those breeches are your clerks , whom i found , when i was at your house , in bed with your daughter , and therefore she is a fitter wife for him , than she is for me : and thereupon he related the whole story , which when the old gentleman , to his great grief had heard , he discontentedly departed , with a flea in his ear , and the young gentleman stayed at home with more wit in his pate . lxxxv . go not , or send ( if thou hast lost any thing , or art not in health ) to cunning-men , sorcerers , south-sayers , conjurers , or witches , for the helping thee to what thou hast lost , or for the recovering of thy health ; for if thou once goest to them , thou shalt always have need of them : besides , thou makest thy self a servant to the devil . a neighbour of mine , whom i shall not name , for the respect i bear him , having lost some of his goods , went to a cunning-man or conjurer , for the helping him to what he had lost , who asking him whether he did believe , that he could help it to him ; for ( says he ) it is a principle amongst us , that the firm belief of the party that addresses himself to us , that we can help him , is of as much force , for the accomplishment of his desires , as all our schemes , figures , characters , and conjurations . my neighbour hearing this , told him that he now came to him with that firm belief : whereupon the cunning-man ( for so he was styled and accounted to be ) asked him what goods they were which he had lost , he told him , one of his best horses , having thus answered , the cunning-man withdrew himself into an inner room ; but my neighbour being very desirous to see what he did , or to hear what he said , went very softly to the door , where attentively listening , he heard him say to the devil , thy servant in the next room hath lost one of his best horses , which thou must help him to again ; which as soon as my neighbour heard , he answered , that he would not have his goods upon such terms , but said , rather than he would be the devils servant , he would lose his horse and saddle too , and so away he came , leaving the conjurer and the devil at a parley . lxxxvi . if thou walkest in the paths of policy , thou must be careful how to be reserved , not like the snail , leave a trace where thou hast gone , for that may betray thee ; he that lyes at too open a ward , may soon be hit . but thy way must be like that of an arrow or bullets through the air , quick for dispatch , and safe for secrecy : or rather thou must be like the river arar , which flows into rhodanus with such an incredible softness , that it is not to be discerned which way it ebbs or flows . he that taught us to be as innocent as doves , taught us also to be as wise as serpents . the changes and chances of a mans life , are as casts at dice , good and bad ; a good one may be marred with oversight , and a bad one may be mended by good play . fortune is like the market , where many times , if you can stay a little , the price will fall : and again it is like sybilla's offer , which at first offereth the commodity at full , then consumeth part and part , and still holdeth up the price . for occasion turneth a bald noddle , after she hath presented her locks in front , and no hold taken : or at least turneth the handle of the bottle , first to be received , and after the belly which is hard to clasp . there is certainly no greater wisdom than to time , and consider the beginnings and onsets of things . dangers are no more light , if they once seem so ; and more dangers have deceived men , than forced them . nay it were better to meet some dangers half way , though they come nothing near , than to keep too long a watch upon their approaches : for if a man watch too long , it is ten to one but he will fall asleep . on the other side , to be deceived with too long shadows ( as some have been , when the moon was low , and shone on their enemies back ) and so to shoot off before the time ; or to teach dangers to come on , by over early buckling towards them , is another extreme . the ripeness or unripeness of the occasion ( as we said ) must ever be well weighed ; and generally it is good to commit the beginnings of all great actions to argus with his hundred eyes ; and the ends to briareus with his hundred hands : first to watch , and then to speed . for the helmet of pluto , which maketh the politick man go invisible is , secrecy in the counsel , and celerity in the execution . for when things are once come to the execution , there is no secrecy comparable to celerity ▪ yet measure not dispatch by the time , but by the advancement of the business . for as in races , it is not the large stride or high lift that makes the speed : so in business , the keeping close to the matter , and not taking of it too much at once , procureth dispatch : and many times , and in many things it is better to make more use of the ballast than of the sail : and as we say in the schools , that it is easier to oppose than answer ; so 't is easier to prevent dangers than to tarry for them , and better to have a good buckler to keep off the blow , than a good plaister to heal the wound . but be sure thou dost not , like machiavel , in all thy politicks leave out the grace of god , or the principles of honesty and justice . in all thy actions be wise rather than crafty , and piece the fox skin with that of the lamb. for as our saviour doth advise us to be as wise as serpents , so doth he also advise us to be as innocent as doves . imitate those skilful and honest physicians , who mix all their deleterious prescriptions with due correctives . climb to preferment rather by thy vertues and merits than by thy politicks , if thou wouldst avoid the censure and fatal end of boniface the eighth , of whom it was said , that he entred into the popedom like a fox , lived like a lyon , and dyed like a dog. and as i would have all thine actions and designs mixt with honesty and simplicity , so i would those counsels , which thou imparts to others , to be no way pernicious , either to the life , estate , or honour of any man. wicked counsellors are but the devils agents , and they that hearken to them , and take up their ungodly propositions , are like those sponges that suck up aqua fortis , which will afterwards consume and confound them . never make god or religion thy stalking-horse , to gain those designs at which thou dost level thine eye . ( my son ) whether thou considerest the foul ways or satal ends of such achitophels , thou shalt find in the conclusion , that honesty is the best policy . lxxxvii . beware of those that pretend to religion and godliness , but have it not in them , who canonize themselves and call themselves the saints , but will not call those , whom we know to be glorious saints in heaven by that style ; which though they refuse to do for honours , yet so should they do if it were but for distinctions sake , to difference them from other men . and here i cannot but tell thee a pretty story . a presbyterian parson sent his man upon sunday morning ( his old ones being done ) for a pair of new shoos to his shoomaker , whose christian name was paul , but his servant stayed till he was in the midst of his sermon , in which just as his man step't into the church , his master with a loud voice said , but what saith paul , who replied as loud ( thinking that his master had spoken to him about his shoos ) marry , sir , he saith that you shall have no new shoos , till you have paid for the old ones . now had he said , but what saith saint paul , he had prevented so gross and ridiculous a mistake . these are the men , that seem to gape so wide after holiness , as if they would take it all into themselves , whereby they resemble the fishes of the sea , which by their wide mouths seem to suck in the whole ocean , whereas , if a man cuts them up , he shall not find so much as one drop of water within them . for if thou note their pride , vain-glory , and hypocrisie , their rash judgments and uncharitable censures of all other men , their covetousness , holy cheats , and false dealings with those with whom they commerce , their contumacies and rebellions against the king and his laws , together with their vnmercifulness and tyranny over those over whom they have gotten the power and dominion , as signally appeared by their plundring , sequestring , articling against their pastors , and thrusting themselves into their livings , and by their decimating , plundring , sequestring , shipping , imprisoning , and murthering their brethern , yea and their soveraign himself also , and what is worse than all these , their to this very day not repenting themselves of all these villanies , as is plainly manifest by their proneness and inclinations to relapse into the same , if they had the power so to do upon every overture , thou shalt find them only to be olivers saints , and not gods. these men make use of piety more to deceive men than to please god. they use religion as some men do glass-eyes , meerly to honest , the ill-favouredness of their faces , not that they may see , or be the more inlightned by them . they have learned that principle of machiavel , that a man seek not to attain vertue it self , but the appearance of it only , because the credit of it is a help , but the use of it is a cumber . they speak as if their tongues were tipt with religion , but their deeds are from it . they are as lillies , fair in shew , but foul in scent . they speak so fairly , and deal so foully , that a man would not believe they were made all of a piece ; but when the wind sings and whistles in the leaves , look after for a storm . take heed of these devils wrapt up in a samuels mantle , trust them not when they speak , as though nothing but gospel could drop from their lips , for in their hearts they mumble over the devils pater noster . lxxxviii . 't is no impolitick matter , when thou payest off thy bills to thy mercer , taylor , or any other tradesman with whom thou dealest , not to trust the crossing of their books , without a receipt under their hands , so thou shalt be sure never to pay for the same things twice : and so also , when thou receivest any letters of importance , be sure to put them upon the file , for thou knowest not of what importance they may be to thee for the time to come ; especially those that are sealed with a coat of arms. i knew an ancient knight , whom age and experience had made a very prudent and politick person , who when he received from any gentleman or person of quality a letter so sealed , would be very careful in the opening of it , to preserve the seal intire ; and he gave this reason , why he was so careful in this seemingly slight matter , because if any thing written in such letters , might hereafter be denied , or called in question , he might shew how the business stood , under the hands and seals of the parties . but if thou receivest letters that may import secrecy or any danger to thy self or friend , remember that as soon as ever thou hast read them to thy self , that thou commit them to vulcan ; remembring that as bellerophon came to a fatal end , by those letters which he himself carried and delivered , so many have done the like , by those letters they have received and kept by them : as by instances may be made appear , almost in all histories . lxxxix . shun neutrality ; alphonsus observed , that the senenses , neuters in the italian wars , became at length a prey to both sides , comparing them to such as dwell in the middle story of an house , annoyed by smoke from beneath , and dust from above . xc . when thou art weary of thy study , or any other employment , take some honest recreation , use hunting or hawking , either start the hare , or dislodge the buck , or unkennel the fox , or rowse the hart , or unpearch the pheasant ; recreations which are honest , are as necessary for the mind , which is employed in great affairs and cares of importance , as meat is for the body , which is exhausted with daily labour : but follow not thy sport with chafing , for it is a most improper thing to see men follow their p●…stimes with sretting and pelting , for thus , like a leaking ship , they suffer the water to sink them which should bear them up . i mean , they let that which should be their recreation and delight , be their vexation and disquiet . there are as well generous delights as ingenious studies , and the one must lend some sweetness to the other ; divers while they have been so precise , that they thought they might not delight in any sport , at last come to be so crest-fallen , as that they take no delight in any thing : nature made them sociable because she made them men , but they have sullenly strayed from the drove , and abandoning all mirth and jollity , carry always cloudy foreheads , which is no way commendable , no not in an horse : doubtless god loves a chearful man , as well as a chearful giver : and such assuredly deceive themselves , who think that they shall never look , like blessed angels in heaven , who look not like tormented divels here on earth ; or that they shall never sing there , unless after a most disconsolate and discontented manner , they whine and pule here , and speak as small as an hair : religion consists not in drawling tones , or making of faces , for a man may perform his duty more acceptably to god , without , than with dis-figuring his countenance ; otherwise our saviour himself would not have said be not of a sad ( or as another translation reads the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) be not of a sower countenance : do thou therefore use lawful recreations , and keep up an honest merry heart . xci . but above all recreations i recommend unto thee these two , good horsemanship and skill at thy weapon ; the one highly becomes a gentleman , and will make him serviceable to his prince and country , if any occasion be ; the other will teach him how to guard and defend himself : nevertheless i would not have thee suffer thy skill in that which i last mentioned , to make thee quarrelsom , or the more confident in thine own strength ; but rather use thy rapier as a defensive than an offensive weapon , and as a shield rather to ward the blow than give one . xcii . be not addicted to superstitious vanities ; some will look pale presently like death , if the saltseller fall towards their trenchers ; others will take it for an omen that they shall be crossed in those negotiations they go about , if a hare chance to cross them in their way , when the cross lies only in this , that they could not catch her ; others , if they do but stumble at the threshold , will not take their journey that same day , but defer it to another time ; others will by no means pare their nails on friday , because they say it is a cross day ; many of these make erra pater their old testament , and the shepherds kalendar their new ; and take all that they say , to be as true as gods oracles ; others if they but hear a crow croke from the roof of their neighbours house , they presently set their house in order , saying they shall dye and not live ; and were i disposed to recount all the roman superstitions of this kind , as their dies fasti , & nefasti , their unfortunate and fortunate days , their inspections into the entrails of beasts , and their augurations and soothsayings , upon the flight of birds and the noises they make : i might reckon up a thousand such like vanities as these . others there are who put their confidence in astrologers , and therefore when they fall sick , the stars are their counsellors , they take their almanack , if they find it an evil day when their sickness began , their soul is poured out upon them , they fear that they shall not only be weakned and sore broken , but that their health passing away as a cloud , they shall go the way of all the earth , that the grave shall be their house , and making their bed in the dark , the worms shall feel their sweetness , and therefore making their wills , they take their leave of all the world ; but if it be a good day , they doubt not , but all sickness shall be taken away from them , that health shall be unto their navel , and marrow to their bones , that their flesh shall be as fresh as a childs , and return as in the days of their youth . in the year of our lord . one bolton prior of st. bartholomews listening to the prognosticators , who then generally foretold , that upon the watry trigon , which should happen in the month of february that year , many thousands should perish by a deluge , caused an house to be builded upon harrow on the hill , whither he carried for himself and family , provision for two months ; so great a fear of an inundation possest him , and so great credence gave he to the almanack makers predictions , yet was there not a fairer season many years before . others there be who are very foolishly superstitious in reference to their dreams ; such a one was that knight in the reign of king henry the first , who dreaming that one was about to strangle him with his own hair , assoon as he was awake caused it all to be cut off , though he delighted much in it : to whom we may join those , who if they but dream forsooth of egs or fees , they presently conclude they shall hear of anger the next day ; or if they dream of flowers or a garden they shall hear of a funeral : now the reason of this vain superstition , is grounded upon this , because they take an exact notice when they hit , but not when they miss . i am not ignorant that artimedorus in his oneirocriticks gives us a large account of the signification of those dreams , which possess our brains in the night , but for mine own part i hold them to be of no signification at all , unless they come by divine immission : of which kind ( not to speak of those which we meet with in holy writ ) i take these two , which i shall now relate to be ; the first of which signifies , that god comprehends in himself all wisdom , and that all men in the world , are fools : and the second that divine justice will not suffer murther to go undiscovered . . a noble man of rome dreamt that he was sitting in the shop of an apothecary , into which a great rabble suddenly rusht , and catching up all the glasses and bottles that they found filled with syrups and distilled waters , they drunk up every one of them , except only one great bottle , out of which they sucked not up so much as one drop : after them he seemed to see a person of a very majestical and venerable aspect , who came likewise into the same shop , and as soon as he espied that bottle , which all the rest had refused , he set it to his mouth , and drank up every drop of that liquor with which it was filled ; and having done so , he likewise departed , at whose person and action the nobleman admiring , asked the apothecary who that reverend man was , to whom he replied , oh , sir , that person you saw was god , and the water in the great bottle which he drank up , and which all the other rout refused , was wisdom . upon which the noble-man awaked , highly pleased with his most excellent dream . . the other is this , two fellow travellers riding together , came by night , to a certain town , where they parted , the one to his friends house , the other to a common inn , he that lodged at his friends house , dreamt that he saw his companion that lodged at the inn stand at his bed-side , and desired him that he would arise and make haste to help him , or he should be murthered by his host , but being very drowsie and weary with his journey he arose not ; wherefore in a short time after his companion again appeared , and requested him more earnestly to arise and succour him ; but he making no account of all this slept again ; but he left him not so , but appeared unto him the third time , all bloody , telling him that it was now too late to implore his aid , but yet he requested him to avenge his blood upon the murtherer his host ; who ( as he told him ) had killed and buried him in his dung-mixon , where he should find his corps : at which the other started out of his sleep , and arose , and taking the officers with him ▪ secured mine host , and upon further search found the body of his fellow traveller , with his throat cut : and so by this means god disclosed the murther , and those that had an hand in it were brought to condign punishment . my son , if such foolish conceits and phansies as those which i have before mentioned , call at thy door , use them as vagrant passengers , with slight respect , let them not take up any lodging within thee . but though i would not have thee superstitious , yet i would have thee devout . xciii . wherefore forget not to begin and end with god , by thy morning and evening devotions ; so will every thing thou settest thine hand about fadge and prosper the better , yea the quicker shall be thy dispatch ; for as the dutch proverb hath it , stealing never makes a man rich , alms never make a man poor , and prayer never hinders a mans business . before thou dost compose thy self to take thy rest , make up thine accounts between god and thine own soul ; and consider what the day past thou hast thought , done , or spoken amiss ; short reckonings ( we say ) make long friends . and where thou hast found that thou hast failed in thy duty , resolve to amend the next day following : but be sure thou make good thy resolutions , that thou resemble not st. george on the sign post , always seeming to strike at , but never wounding the dragon : or that of the archer , always aiming at , but never hitting the mark : good intentions are but buds , but god requires we should bring forth fruit meet for repentance . but above all close not thine eyes , without begging pardon for what is past ; remembring that sleep is too much like death , to be trusted without a mans prayers . xciv . keep thy self to the true principles of piety , virtue , and honour ; for this will bring thee to a better inheritance than i shall leave thee : especially i would have thee well grounded and setled in religion ; the best profession of which i have ever esteemed that of the church of england , in which thou hast been educated , yet i would have thine own judgment and reason now seal to that sacred bond which education hath written , that it may be judiciously thine own religion which thou dost profess , and not other mens custom or tradition . xcv . my son , as for travelling it is very good , if it be used well ; homer highly exalts the wisdom and experience of vlisses , which he gained in his twenty years travels ; for as he tells us multorum mores hominum conspexit , & vrbes . he observed the citys and the manners of the people whithersoever he travelled ; and from thence drew such useful theories , as made him a most accomplished person . indeed he that travels with wit in his head as well as money in his purse , makes the whole world his library , and all men therein his books : but sill not up thy table-book with trivial slight observations , for that will call thy judgment and discretion in question ; as it did tom. coryats of odcomb , who gives us an account where he made water when he was in italy , what the mending of his stockings cost him there , and how he hardly escaped the losing of his testicles , with a thousand of as mean occurrences , as these . let thine observations in thy travels be weighty and material ; observe the humours and conditions of those nations amongst whom thou shalt come ; their customs , ceremonies and religion , that seeing their idolatry , thou mayest the more firmly stick to thine own religion , which thou dost prosess . next take notice of their churches and oratories , and whatsoever is notable in them , their government , laws , judicatures , and proceedings , against malefactors with their dealings in matters of traffick and commerce , their castles , magazines , and discipline in war , their ships , the commodiousness of their havens , their rivers , fish , birds , beasts , and mines of all sorts , their buildings , structures , and all those curious arts , which seem to be peculiar to the genius of the people , and every thing that justly claims a mans wonder and admiration : for by these thou shalt the better acquaint thy self with the wonderful operation of the handy-works of god , and shalt the clearer see his infinite wisdom in his government of this inferiour world. finally note the virtues of the people and imitate them ; their vices and vanities likewise , but to avoid and abhor them . there are many young sparks that travel abroad , who leave the english gentleman they carried out with them , and bring home again nothing , unless it be a formal spaniard , a drunken dutchman , or an airy frenchman : nay it is well if they bring not home a turk instead of a christian ; instead of returning like solomons ships fraught with gold , they return furnish't only with apes and peacocks ; my meaning is , they return learned only in the pride and vanity of those foreigners , amongst whom they conversed with in their travels ; instead of taking a due cognizance of those things which are of such worth and remark as might enrich their judgments and understandings . doubtless it cannot be worth a mans cost , pains , and perils to go so far ( as some do ) only to learn a new mode or a new oath , a politick shrug , or a mimical cringe , or a little gibberish pronounced with an ugly face : if this be all , it were better for my young gallant to be chained at home in the chimney corner , like a monkey , than to return such an ape . wherefore , if thou intendest to travel , and to avoid these rocks upon which others have dasht themselves to pieces , take along with thee a grave and wise companion or tutor , who by his own former travels hath acquainted himself with the things forementioned : for travels by land are like voyages by sea , unsafe without a skilful pilot. and furthermore take along with thee , these few advices and necessary cautions , which i shall give thee . first be grave , sober , and reserved ; momus found great fault , that the great creator had not made men with windows in their breasts , that men might have seen into their insides ; and a bold atheist he was , that thus durst impeach the wisdom of god : but sure i am , 't is a very grand folly for any man to make as it were such a window in his own breast , especially when he travels into foreign countries ; the way to put by those mischiefs which may befall thee in thy travels , is to lye at a close guard ; and not be like cristal , for every one to see through thee . if thou travellest into italy , munite thy self there from three things most especially , the men. the women . the inquisition . for the men there are very jealous and vindicative ; the women unchast and allective , and very much affected with the english above all men ; and the inquisition is like hell , from whence there is no redemption : to avoid which in all those countries where that is set up , take heed of raising disputes concerning matters of religion ; for this will make thee guilty of as rash a madness , and as huge an imprudence , as that of the quaker , who resolved to go from london to rome to confute and convert the pope . if thou thinkest him to be antichrist , let no man however hear thee call him so in his own territories and dominions : learn more wit of that collier , who durst not bid a fig for my lord mayor , till he had got beyond temple-bar , which is out of the limits of his jurisdiction . one of our countrymen intending in his travels to visit rome , was highly commended for his rare parts and abilities in all manner of learning to his holiness ; who was then by birth an englishman : who , upon his commendatory letters , the more to shew honour and respect due to the merits of the gentleman , went himself in person to shew him the vatican ; where after many discourses , and the turning over of many books , he took him aside into one of the criel windows and conjured him to tell him ingeniously his thoughts of the pope ; assuring him with many deep promises and protestations , that he should not be prejudiced by it in the least ; whereupon the gentleman freely told him , that he thought the pope to be a great wen , growing in the nape of the churches neck , which some foolish people mistook to be the head of it . this was a very bold , but withall a very dangerous resolution of the question , notwithstanding all ingagements passed for his security : since it is a maxim amongst all of the romish perswasion , nullam fidem tenendam esse cum haereticis . that no faith is to be kept with hereticks . my last advice in the point concerning travelling into other countries shall be this ; be sure before thou visit other nations and kingdoms , to acquaint thy self well , with the knowledge of that in which thou hast been born and bred : for it will be a great shame , to be inquisitive into what is done abroad in other countries , and to be wholly ignorant how things stand at home in thine own : for this were to do as the lamiae , who carried their eyes shut up in a box , when they were at home , and put them into their heads only , when they went abroad . xcvi . to conclude , be useful where thou dost live , that those who live about , by , and with thee , may both want and wish for thy presence still . be temperate and sober at thy meals and compotations ; and look to thy mouth , for there commonly most diseases enter ; and more graves are made with mens teeth than their hands , and the knife kills more than the sword. when thou art invited to an extraordinary etertainment , that thou mayest not be tempted to exceed the bounds of temperance , and sobriety , carve or discourse ; he who carves is kind to two , he that discourses is kind to all . scorn no mans love , though he be of never so mean degree , that person deserves to be bitten by that dog whom he will not stroak , when he kindly sawns upon him . much less make any one though never so much below thy self , justly thy enemy ; remembring that fleas can bite as well as lions , and that bees can sting as well as serpents . pitch thy behaviour low , thy projects high : be humble to thy superiours , gentle to thine equals , affable to thine inseriours , courteous to all . be not light to follow every mans opinion ; like a young spaniel , that quests at every bird that rises before him : etiam ab errore facilè discedere , levitatis est , saith scaliger , to discede over easily , even from an errour , argues too much levity : yet would i not have thee perversly obstinate in thy own courses or opinions : it is the character of a fool to abhor instruction ; hard wax will never take any impression , and wisdom will never commit burglary , to break in upon those who lock and bolt their doors against her ; though a man cast an empty bottle into the ocean , yet if it be close corkt , it will still be but an empty bottle . amongst all those treatises which may leave thee wiser than they found thee , i commend to thy frequent reading the proverbs of king solomon , and his ecclesiastes or the preacher . finally ( my son ) serve , love , and fear god ; to whose grace , mercy , and protection i leave thee : and so farewel , until we meet in another world. finis . errata . which together with some smaller literal faults the courteous reader is desired to excuse and with his pen to amend . page . line . read patrizare for patricare . p. . l. . r. quoque for quique p. . l. . r. not for no. l. . r. the hen had untr 〈…〉 there , for he had untrust a point there . p. . l. 〈…〉 ●onabus nostris , for nebulonibus nostris . other faults there may be , but they are not worth speaking of , and therefore i shall not speak much of them : but let the reader take this for good advice , and as a general rule , never to read any book whatsoever , until he has corrected the faults ( if they are collected in an errata ) for so he shall prevent the committing any himself . licensed , october . . r. l. the golden-groue moralized in three bookes: a worke very necessary for all such, as would know how to gouerne themselues, their houses, or their countrey. made by w. vaughan, master of artes, and student in the ciuill law, vaughan, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the golden-groue moralized in three bookes: a worke very necessary for all such, as would know how to gouerne themselues, their houses, or their countrey. made by w. vaughan, master of artes, and student in the ciuill law, vaughan, william, - . [ ] p. by simon stafford, dwelling on adling hill, printed at london : . signatures: a- c. with two final leaves of verse to the author. variant: title has "books". reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ethics -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the golden-groue , moralized in three bookes : a worke very necessary for all such , as would know how to gouerne themselues , their houses , or their countrey . made by w. vaughan , master of artes , and student in the ciuill law. printed at london by simon stafford , dwelling on adling hill . . ad fratrem de insignibus suis epigramma . amhigo , cur bicolor nostrae leo stirpis alūnus ! bestia cur , frater , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tua est ! num quia purpurei nostrum sit stemma reatus expers , suspiciens candida , nigra premens ? num quia conueniant , insignia dissona , in vnum tam genus austrinū , quam boreale genus ? vel quia caucaseo similem de monte leonem prostrarit dextro vis proauitae ioue ? forte molorchaeus leo talis ab hercule cesus ; talis natus erat maenaliisque plagis . sed quî sit nostrum , seu qua ratione colorent parte priore album , posteriore nigrum : causa latet , let he mysteria tanta colorum abluit , haec centum noscere lustra vetant . macte leone tamen , frater charissime , macte ( stemmate kiffini ) thermodoonte tuo . to the right worshipfull , my louing brother , sir iohn vaughan of golden-groue , knight . cato of vtica ( as plutarch writeth ) being demaunded whom he loued best , answered , his brother then the other still continuing to aske him , and who next , he likewise answered , his brother . and so againe the third time , he answered , his brother . thrice in like sort was i ask'd , & yet vnask'd , ask'd of my selfe , though vnask'd of others , whether to one or three i would dedicate this my threefold booke . to this my self vnto my self made answere : to whō more fitly should i dedicate my first booke treating of vertue , then to my vertuous brother ? to whom my second of a familie , then to my familiar brother ? to whō my third of ciuility , then to my ciuil brother ? the consideration of which points ( deare brother ) moued me to present vnto you alone , and not to three this groue of mine , cōformed as nere as i could , like vnto that golden groue of the ancient hesperides . vvherein i could be said to imitate , the philosopher athenodorus , who parted with his elder brother zeno all his goods , & gaue vnto him the one half , for what is more agreeable to nature , thē that one brother should to his power reciprocally aid another ? & what more prodigious , thē that one brother should bee a wolfe vnto another ? this plainly and wisely was specified by the greeke poet euripides , who said : questionlesse he that loueth not his brother , loueth neither him , that begat him , nor her , that hare . and againe confirmed by antigone in sophocles : i must ( quoth she ) loue my brother better then my sonne , by reason that hereafter i may very well haue more sonnes , but , my father & mother being both dead , neuer more brethren . standing , i say , vpon these termes , & hammering in my mind on the anuill of our mutuall loue , i thought it part of my duty to impart vnto you the iust halfe of my substāce , nay , in a maner all my substance , desiring you withall , that , euē as a skilful geometriciā at the games of olympus by the bignesse of hercules foot gessed of the stature of his whole body : so by the outward view of this my triple treatise , you will measure the willingnesse of mine inward mind . as for barking sycophants and enuious caitifes , to whose controlling check the very best of all scholers haue bene subiect , i passe not for them , namely , let them make tennis balles of my bookes , yea , and bandy them quite away , if they can ▪ onely this is my wish at this present , that you , most louing brother , will diligently peruse thē ouer , & shelter thē vnder the vaile of your fauourable censure . almighty god ( that i may now ende ) giue you your hearts christian contentment , while as a pilgrime you remaine in this earthly groue , & make your mind pliable and ready for the contemplation of that golden and euerlasting groue prepared for the godly in the world to come . frō iesus colledge in oxford . your louing brother , william vaughan . to the reader . gentle reader , my two yeeres silence since the edition of my last latine poems argueth me in thy censure , eyther to haue ouerslept my selfe with epimenides , or to haue plaid the micher amongst the obscure antipodes . which inconueniences ( i confesse ) the worldes ingratitude , being a great discouragement , and the burthen of my professiō , a necessary imployment , made me with diligent care to attend another cynosure , by which the course of my studies might be directed . in consideration whereof fearing some patent of concealement i breake forth at length , and am come to plead mine own tenure in a more familiar language . and this i do , aswell because euery one may perfectly know my meaning , as that i might craue pardon of mine auditory , if either i goe awrie , or chaunce to trip , no mā goeth so vpright , but he may by some casualty or other kisse the ground . it is a good horse , that neuer stūbleth . erre i may in writing , but it is thy part ( courteous reader ) to brooke mine errours with patience . as for the subiect of my discourse , it resembleth the hearbe muscouy , in that as it being ioyned to other flowers doubleth the sweetnes of thē : so these fruits of mine being now growne to a groue , will augment each other sauour to the sence-pleasing comfort of the reader . if any man delight to haue himselfe shine with a glorious shewe of vertue , i haue giuen him the toppes of moral behauior ; if to haue his house and family wel beautified ; i haue yeelded him diuers braunches for that purpose ; if to haue his coūtrey flourish , i haue sent him the deep-grounded stemme of policy . and if the greatest gardener of the best manured eden had vouchsafed me the settes of diuiner worth , such as bloomed in the holy and golden groues of his prophets , i would haue offred vp a sweet smelling sacrifice of the purest choise ; but since that glorious paradise for the first mans offence hath bene shut vp from any entraunce , i thought good to present thee with such fruites , as this earth affoords , a three leau'd bud , not onely of incōparable sweetnes to him , that hath it , but also of infinit admiration to him , that beholdeth it . in conclusion , wheras in these bookes i make often mention of my comentaries vpon persius , thou shalt-vnderstād , that i haue had thē ready together with a most easie paraphrase in english and latine to be printed aboue a tweluemoneth agoe , but for certain respects , i caused thē to be closed in a case of delay & reiourneied , till i find better leasure to put thē forth . for euen thus & thus must we take opportunity for y e publishing of our labours , howsoeuer they may chaūce to please the curious sort but so and so . if i could promise my selfe kind & gracious acceptāce , i would promise our age the like cōmentaries vpon a satyrist of the like vaine , euen the learned iuuenal , thereby to stirre vp other men , — quos aequus amauit iuppiter , aut ardens euexit ad aethera virtus to giue light to his gloomie and hidden excellency . in the meane time view ouer this golden-groue seriously , and , if thou reapest , any good thereby , glorifie the great lord of hierarchies , who for thy sake gaue mee grace to frame it . farewell . thine in the lord w. v. carmen emblematicum in aureum g. vaughanni saltum . avreum longe nemus hoc amoenos vincit hortos hesperidum nitore : aureos fructus par●unt quotannis arbores : coelo radios ab alto hic habent frondes . locus hic amoenus , quo deum musae recolunt sub vmbris , quo canune laetae volucres sub vmbris , quo nouum lumen rutilat sub vmbris : non vepres , spinae , tribuli , inyricae hic vigent , musis locus est dicatus . aureas plantas alit hic sacrato rore vaug hannus , pretatis hortus crescite plantis : pretatis author seruet has plantas , precor , a malorum fulmine tutas . iohannes williams , s. theologiae doctor , & publicus : professor in academia oxoniensi . in eundem . omnia si nobis tria sint vaughanne , vel vnum , omnia tunc liber hic trinus & vnus habet . ethicae & vrbanae lex iuncta domestica legi , trina quidem , numeris sed quoque tota suis. promis vlissaeatua scripta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arte , dum mores hominum publica iura canis . digna igitur multa & ciuili laude refulget tum quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 canit , tum quia musa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gulielmus osbern procurator academiae oxoniensis . in eundem . ethica scribenti suggessit cynthius : annō ingenio magna est vrbs quoque digna tuo ? dumque domos coleres maior , sanctosque penates , publica sollicitat res super illa rapi . quid magis ? aeternū celebris nisi scādis olympun . materies arti cessit , & aequa seges . prima legat populus , legat altera publicus alti . hospitii dominus ; tertia regis erunt . tu bene diuiso libros dum diuidis orbi , hos orbi sapiens , te dabis ipse deo henricus pricius s. theologiae bachalaureus , & collegii sancti iohannis socius . in eundem . magnanimū vere fratrem sic imbuis arte , vt curare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , seque , domumque queat . quid maius magno possis concedere fratri , quam quo prudenter seque suosque regat ? griffinus powel . in eundem . non omnes arbusta iuuant , humilesque myricae docta cothurnati musa maronis ait : ignoscas mihi , culte maro , pars altera vera est carminis , & pars est altera falsa tui . displiceant vtcunque rubi , sterilesque myricae , quique fouet tribulos falce domandus ager : laeta tamē me arbusta iuuant dumetaque laeta , aurea sunt ; & sunt aurea , amice , tua . saluete o priscum redeuntia tempora in aurum , inque dies aetas mollior inque dies . vepribus assueti mutasse cubilia patres dicuntur , nitidas atque habitasse casas . conuerso in melius saeclorum gratulor orbi , ecce tibi in medio moenia sunt nemore . non hoc thraeicius getica cū veste sacerdos natusue amphion de ioue finxit opus . ille meus condebat opus , qui prestat vtrique , ille casas cultas fecit , & ille nemus . qui vere & ex animo tuusest , iohannes budden . in eundem , ad authorem . ethica ciuilem docet instructissima vitam , musaque ciuilis regna domosque docet . sit tibi cum libro fatum par , surgit in altum ex paruo , in summos tu quoque surge locos . desere priuatam ( placeat tibi publica ) musā exemplū hoc magni grāde maronis habes . ille boues & oues gracili modulatus auena , serior hinc annis arma virumque canit . tu simili scribens vena , moresque domosque instruis ; extremam principis aula tenet . nicholaus langford , art. magister . in eundem . pactoli rutilasue tagi quid quaeris arenas ? vaughanni plures dat tibi saltus opes . india quid fuluum caput exeris ? india sordes . haec superat siluas aurea silua tuas . quid vetus ostentat bifrontē fabula ianum ? geryonem triplicem quidue poeta suum ? respuit hic iani titulum , vult esse triformis . odit geryones , excolit hic animos . mores compescit , dispescit , vt orpheus ; aedes instruit ; & plebem iure iugoque tenet . thomas came , art. magister . in eundem . cvm tria , forma , modus , situs , omnia sidera librent : iusque triplex , triplex gratia , parca triplex : cum sophiae triplex sit pars ; partusque triformis matris opis ; sty gi itela trisulca dei : quis vetet hunc lucum triplicē te dicere ? libras sidera , ius tribuis , fata charinque refers . auro deducis sophiam ( vaughanne : ) iehouae regna , maris fines , daemonis arma canis . gabriel powel . to master vaughan the author of the golden-groue . while thou in sacred studies dost bestow thy watchfull houres these thanklesse times among , frō learnings root three vertuous brāches grow , charming the pow'rs of euery muses song to leaue their two-topt hill , and for a space in thy fresh groue their mutual selues embrace . thy golden-groue , thy euer-blooming spring , thy vertues nurserie , thy wits deere brood , where like the graces dauncing in a ring stroue , three sciences inuite the publike good . needs must the groue , where these fair vertues be thought a precious and a golden groue . the morall nymph with deep discretion goes , the oeconomick with a carefull eye ; the politike the state of kingdoms knowes ; treating of nations , counsels , maiestie . the seuerall places of their best renowne , and obiects are the heart , y e house , the crown . now let the heart estraunged at the last , ( if any such the golden-groue inherite ) behold the seat where equity is plac'd with due regard of an impartiall spirit . and so preferre an honest ethicke praise , before he come to politike essayes . then let this house for occonomicks worth deserue the title , which it long hath borne . no drossie excrement from gold comes forth ; then golden as it is , o let it scorne , that any dregs or blemishes be found to spring frō out that groue , & fruitful groūd . let policie defend the lawfull right , since countries perish by the hand of wrong . vaughan , the world in censure is vpright , esteeming thee amongst the learned throng . if any stonie friend vniustly deale , t is no true diamond in golden seale . thy worke shall liue , so shal thy brothers fame , but much the more , if he regard thy paine , and gratifie thy muse , that makes his name the note of all eternitie to gaine . three ages nestor liu'd ; now ( as they be ) the muses giue thy legend three times three . thomas storer , master of arts. in commendation of the golden-groue , and the authour thereof . who so do wish philosophie displaid , garnishd in colours of most perfect hiew , refin'd againe , that lately was decaid , and this againe laid out to all mens view , which in disgrace erst bad the world adiew , ( so things suppres'd , and troden low to groūd , with great applause do to the starres abound . ) let such draw neer and view this golden-groue , whereof the rootes are , vertues of the mind : the trunks & stalks , that grow these roots aboue , ioint vertues are to priuate rule assign'd : the boughs , the publick sway of kingly kind . vertue the root , rule priuate is the stemme , the branches are , the golden diademe . all which are done by learned vaughans pen , thereby deseruing well eternall fame , who tooke great paines to benefite all men , that would with singlenesse peruse the same ; thus hath he got himselfe a golden name . and thus we see this stately golden-groue , whereof the motiue was , his brothers loue . samuel powel , master of arts. to the authour . thy selfe a tendrer of that golden-groue , to which thou send'st this golden groue of thine , how truly that so called was dost proue : how truly this : it needs no proofe of mine . it is no gilt , it is a golden booke , fit for that gemme thy brother on to looke . the gold whereof , as pure as euer shone , ( let enuie speake , she can it not denie ) feares not to touch the learneds lydian stone . who buyes this gold , too deare it cannot buy ; it is refin'd in furnace of thy braine , in fire then to trie it , were but in vaine . some say prometheus man of clay did make , but beastlike passions put into his heart : vaughan , beleeue them not , for they mistake , to make men was not his , but is thine art. thou hast effected what he ne're began , thou hast made maners : maners make the mā . gold-gutted crassus , were he now aliue , might here find gold to find an host of men : rich-finger'd midas might here learne to thriue , not by his owne rich touch , but by thy pen ; which chimick-like ( i hope ) wil turn to gold our iron times , and make them as of old . iohn raulinson , master of arts. in praise of the golden-groue , moralized by master vaughan . amid the vale of iedas bushie groue , before a bribed iudge ( such was their fate ) a trinitie of goddesses once stroue : gold caus'd their strife ( the cause of all debate . ) now a new iudge their quarrell hath acquited , attoning this late-iarring trinarie , and , sith in groues and gold they first delighted , hath built a golden-groue for this faire three . where pallas first vnfoldeth vertuous sawes , which venus doth conuey to families . then iuno tempreth both with rightful lawes , and those themselues with heauenly policies , so these , whom gold & groues first set at strife , this golden-groue combines in blessed life . charles fitz-geffrey . in commendation of this golden-groue . some write of th'isle of the hesperides , where golden fruit in greatest plentie grew ; a pretie fiction , and no doubt did please the authour selfe , although it were not true . if by our dayes we measure those of old , ( for now men loue if but to dreame of gold ) no more a fiction , now no more a toy ; vaughan hath made that true , which they but faign'd ; by vaughans art it is that we enioy that , which but onely they in shew obtain'd , a golden-groue , a harbour of delight , against the storms of fortunes weaker might . what gracious gift can sophia now bestow , on vaughan worthy his industrious paine , vnlesse of boughs , which in his groue do grow , with goldē wreaths she crown his learned brain . fortune cannot reward desert of wit , but honour , onely she doth nourish it . thomas michelborne ▪ the arguments of the chapters that are contained in these bookes . the first booke . the first part . of gods nature . chap. . the knowledge of god. chap. . atheists . chap. . the second part . of man. chap. . the soule . chap. . that a man hath but one soule . chap. . the immortalitie of the soule . chap. . the third part . of vertue . chap. . vice. chap. . that a man must not delay to become vertuous . chap. . remedies against vice . chap. . iustice. chap. . iniustice . chap. . whether it bee lawfull for one to kill himselfe . chap. . that we should not patiently indure all iniuries . chap. . the fourth part . of truth , chap. . lyes . chap. . swearing . chap. . periurie . chap. . cursers and blasphemers . chap. . deceite . chap. . whether a man be bound to performe that , which hee hath sworne to his enemie , either willingly , or by constraint . chap. . heretike , and schismatikes . chap. . iesuites . chap. . the fift part . of magnanimitie . chap. . ambition . chap. remedies against ambition . chap. of fortitude . chap. foolehardinesse . chap. feare and pusillanimitie . chap. the sixt part . of temperance , and cōtinence . ch . intemperance , and incontinence . ch . lecherie . chap. gluttonie , and drunkennesse . chap. the discommodities of drunkēnes . c. remedies against intemperance , gluttonie , and drunkennesse . chap. . stupiditie or dulnes . chap. . the seuenth part . of magnificence . chap. liberalitie . chap. . prodigalitie . chap. the properties of a couetous man. chap. . remedies against couetousnes . chap. . a dehortation from couetousnesse . chap. . whether the couetous man bee worse then the prodigall . chap. . the eight part . of clemencie and courtesie . chap. . modestie and bashfulnesse . chap. . affabilitie . chap. . indulgence . chap. . pride . chap. . scurrilitie , or scoffing . chap. . whether stage-playes ought to be suffered in a common-wealth . chap. . of crueltie . chap. . the ninth part . of patience . chap. . anger . chap. . remedies against anger . . remedies against aduersitie , and losse of worldly goods . the tenth part . of friendship . chap. . how a man should knowe his friend . chap. . flatterie . chap. . ingratitude , with a remedie agaynst it . chap. . hatred , & the punishment therof . ch . enuie . chap. . calumniation and slander . chap. . the eleuenth part . of art , and whether art be better then nature . chap. . science , or knowledge . chap. . vnderstanding . chap. . prudence . chap. . sapience , or wisdome . chap. . the ignorance of our times . chap. . the second booke . the first part . of a familie , and the diuision thereof . chap. . that there be foure kinds of matrimony . chap. . the causes why matrimonie was instituted . chap. . how excellēt a thing matrimony is . ch . after what maner the auncients solemnized matrimony . chap. . of matrimonie in england at this day solemnized . chap. . the duties of the husband toward his wife . chap. . the duties of the wife toward her husband . chap. . of diuorcement , and whether the innocēt party , after a diuorcemēt made , can marie againe during the other parties life ? chap. . of iealousie . chap. . the second part . the duties of parents toward their children . chap. . the duties of children toward their parents . chap. . of brotherly loue , and whether a man should preferre his friend before his brother ? chap. . of disobedient sonnes . chap. . the third part . the duties of masters towards their seruaunts . chap. . of the sabbath day , & whether masters may set their seruaunts at worke on the sabbath day ? chap. . the duties of seruants toward their masters . chap. . the fourth part . of acquisitiue facultie . chap. . of money , the chiefest part of the acquisitiue facultie . chap. . of bawdes , and whether they ought to be suffred ? chap. . of vsurers . chap. . of the particulars , wherein vsurie is cōmitted . chap. . whether it be lawfull for an householder to ingrosse corne in the market , to the intent hee may sell the same another time at a deerer price ? ch . . the fift part . of hospitality . chap. . wherein good hospitality consisteth . chap. . why housekeeping now-adaies is decayed . chap. . of almes , and the forgetfulnes thereof in these dayes . chap. . circumstaunces to be obserued in giuing of almes . chap. . of fasting , & that an housholder should obserue fasting dayes . chap. . of the true fast . chap. . the third booke . the first part . of a commonwealth . chap. . the diuision of a commonwealth . ch . . of a monarchy . chap. . that hereditarie succession is better election . chap. . the duties of a prince . chap. . of the name of emperour . chap. . of the name of a king. chap. . of a gynaecracie , or womēs raigne . ch . of tyrants . chap. . whether subiects may rise against their soueraigne , being a tyrant or an hereticque ? chap. . of an aristocracie . chap. . of a democracie . chap. . the second part . the members of a commonwealth . chap. of noblemen . chap. . the properties of a gentleman . cha . . that gentlemen must not greatly respect what the common people speak of them . chap. . of knights of honour . chap. . of citizens . chap. . whether outlandish men ought to be admitted into a citie ? chap. . of marchants . chap. . of artificers . chap. . of yeomen ; & their oppression . ch . . the third part . of counsell . chap. . of counsellours . chap. . of parliaments . chap. . of iudgements . chap. . of iudges , and their duty . chap. . of bribes , and going to law . chap. . of magistrates . chap. . of the great cares and troubles of magistrates . chap. . whether magistrates may receyue presents sent vnto them ? chap. . the fourth part . of the education of gentlemen . ch . . the causes , why so few gentlemen nowadayes bee vertuously disposed . chap. . whether youths ought to bee corrected ? chap. . of scholemasters , & their duties . cha . that scholemaisters should haue large stipendes allowed them . chap. . whether it be better for parents to keepe their sonnes at home with a priuate scholemaister , or to send thē abroad to the publike schole ? chap : . of tutoures in the vniuersitie , and how to discerne a good tutour . chap. . the fift part . of grammar . chap. . of logick . chap. . of rhetorick , and the abuse thereof in these dayes . chap. . of poetrie , and the excellency thereof . chap. . of philosophie . chap. . of the art magick . chap. . of physick . chap. . of law. chap. . of the cōmon law of england . chap. . whether alteration of lawes be good in a commonwealth ? chap. . of diuinitie . chap. . whether two religions may be tolerated in one kingdome ? chap. . of simonie , one of the chiefest ouerthrowes of religion . chap. . the sixt part . of the alteration of a commonwealth . chap. . the effects of al the cometes , and chiefest eclipses , which haue hapned in this last age . chap. . the causes of sedition , and ciuill broiles . chap. . of treason . chap. . of idlenes . chap. . of dice-play . chap. . of superfluitie in apparell , another cause of the alteration of a commonwealth . chap. . the seuenth part . of the cōseruation of a commonwealth . chap. . of taxes , and subsidies . chap. . remedies against sedition , and priuie conspiracies . chap. . the felicity of a commonwealth . chap. the eight part . of warre . chap. whether it be lawfull for christians to make warre . chap. what warres bee most lawfull . chap. . that before wee beginne warres , preparation is to bee made of sufficient necessaries thereto belonging . chap. . the duties of a generall . chap. . of the choyse of souldiers . chap. . whether the straunger , or the home borne subiect is to bee preferred ? chap. . how the enemy is to bee vanquished . chap. . the conclusion , of peace . the first booke of the golden-groue moralized . the first part . of gods nature . chap. i. forasmuch as all the endeuoures of humane actions do proceed from god , and , except hee build the house , and vphold mens enterprises , their labour is but lost , that build : i hold it a requisite point of my duty , that in these morall discourses , and politique traditions , i beginne principally of his maiestie , and search out some essentiall property flowing from his diuine & incomprehensible forme . for the accomplishing of which , and of all the rest which i write , assist mee , a o thou great gouernour of heauen , and iudge of the world , with thy sacred power : graunt , i beseech thee , that my mind may ascend vp into the straight and noble seate of vertue , where i may find the fountaine of goodnesse , and reueale the same being found vnto thine almost lost & astraied sheepe . gods supernatural nature ( i confesse ) being euery way infinite cannot possibly be contained by any limited creature . * things subiect and familiar to sence are comprehended in the mind by an imaginarie resemblance of them : but as for things infinite and not subiect to sence ( of which nature god is ) how shall i be able to imprint their likenes in my feeble and shallow braine ? * no man hath seene god at any time , * yet we know him by his miraculous workes . to come neerer his description , i find that god is a most pure , essentiall , and actiue forme , without mixture of matter & forme , or distinction of partes , euery where alike , and the very same . and againe , god is vncreate , perpetuall , that is , he euer was , and euer wil be , * he was not made of nothing , for nothing , according to the philosophers saying , is made of nothing . the gentiles , albeit wāting the light to vnderstand perfect truth , were yet all of them for the most part amazed at the excellēt glory & power of god. pythagoras said , that god was a liuely mind , that pearced into al things , of whom al liuing creatures receiued their being . thales esteemed him to be an vnderstāding , that created all things of the element of water . chrysippus called him a naturall faculty endued with diuine reason . thus we see , that there is engrauen in the hearts of men a certaine feeling of gods nature , which cā neuer be rooted out . and although swinish atheists doe laugh at that , which i haue written touching the godhead , yet that is but a laughter from the teeth outward , because inwardly the worme of conscience gnaweth them much more sharply then all hote searing irons . finally , to leaue the gentiles opiniōs , i iudge it not amisse , if wee satisfie our selues to beleeue , that god is almighty , his might vnsearchable , & his power admirable . and as * the soule is wholy both in the whole body , & also in euery mēber of it : * so god is wholy both in the world , & likewise wholy in euery part of the same . of the knowledge of god. chapt. . diagoras and theodorus were not ashamed to dispute against the deitie . neither ( as i heare ) do some of our brazen-faced caualeers cease to blaspheme god by denying most impudētly his euerlasting essence . o foolish men ! when they see a faire house , they immediatly presuppose some one or other to haue built it . so in like maner whē they behold one another , will not they sometimes euē by natural discourse aske , who made them ? the heathen oratour saith , that b there is no natiō so sauage , no people so sēceles , which wil not cōfesse that there is some god : & euen they that are libertines , epicures , and in other points of their liues differing little from bruite beasts , do reserue some seed of religion : also , c the very deuils beleeue , that there is a god , and do tremble , as saith the apostle . yea , * the very obstinacy of the wicked is a substanciall witnesse that the deitie is knowen , which with their furious striuing yet cā neuer wind themselues out of the ●eare of god. but what need i dally thus with doltish atheists ? let them read the holy scripture , & they shall find fiue generall meanes , whereby god is made manifest vnto man. the first , are the framed things , wherin god did first reueale himself , for * the heauens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his hādy worke . the secōd is the sparke of nature , wherby all men as it were by naturall instinct obtaine the infallible admonition of the truth . the third way whereby god is made knowen , is the verball will , which successiuely from time to time in some countrey or other hath bene holden vp by worldly blessings , apparitions , ceremonies , prophesies , and last of all by the presence of the messias himselfe . the fourth is the holy ghost , who openeth our misty eyes , wherby we embrace the true and apostolicall doctrine . the fift meanes , whereby god is knowen , are his miracles , at the sight of which the very atheists themselues being affrighted must exclaime with iulian the apostata : o god , o galilaan , thou hast ouercome our vnbeleefe . of atheists . chap. . of atheists there are two sorts : the inward , and the outward . the inward atheist is he , that slyly carieth the countenaunce of a sheepe , and yet is no sheepe , but a sheep-biter . he swaloweth vp aduowsons , hospitals , and other mens goods vnder pretence of simplicity . he raiseth rents , incloseth commons , and enhaunceth the price of corne . with his wooll or wealth hee vseth to snarle & deceyue honest-minded men , whom at length hee notwithstanding hauing scripture in his mouth snatcheth at most greedily , & clappeth in irons . this kind of atheist i will decipher hereafter . the outward atheist on the other side openly professeth nature to be his god. and euen as the spider infecteth with poyson the fragrantst liquours hee suckes ; so the outward atheist most wickedly extracteth common places out of the secretes of nature , and turning them to his owne vse , hee blasphemeth god , whom he neuer knew . is there any rayne without a clowd ? any apples without trees ? any portraiture without a painter ? any kingdome without rulers ? can the heauens moue without a mouer ? say , thou viper , ( for a better name thou deseruest not ) wilt thou not beleeue that , which thou beholdest with thine eies ? wherfore , i pray thee , was the world framed ? was it not for man ? what idiot , when hee passeth through a village , though halfe ruinous , will not presently suppose , that it was contriued by some or other ? much rather , o sensuall beast , shouldst thou imagine , that a quickning maker , euē god , hath created not onely thee , but all the world besides . if no reason will persuade thee , yet , me thinkes , the extraordinary punishments of god , which alwaies , such atheists , as thou art , haue felt , should be of force , to recall thee from thy most damnable opinion . it is written of diagoras one of the first authours of this sect , that being fledde from athens , and his bookes burnt by vniuersall consent , he was slaine by certaine men , whom the athenians had hired for that intent . pliny the elder , one likewise of the same stampe , while hee was ouercurious in searching y e causes of nature , was choakt neere to the mountaine vesuuius with smoake , and with the smell of brimstone issuing out of the same . pope leo the tēth , who often said , that moses , christ , and mahomet were three of the greatest dissemblers , was by the iust iudgement of god sodainly strooken dead with an extreame laughter . likewise , an italian captaine of late daies in the low countries , leading his company to skirmish with the enemy , thus encouraged them : sirs , quoth he , remember the former glory of our nation , and fight valiantly : as for your sinnes , if you die , you shall vnderstād , there is no god. which when he had said , he fought , & was the first man that was slaine . not inferiour to these was one christopher marlow by profession a play-maker , who , as it is reported , about . yeeres a-goe wrote a booke against the trinitie : but see the effects of gods iustice ; it so hapned , that at detford , a litle village about three miles distant from london , as he meant to stab with his ponyard one named ingram , that had inuited him thither to a feast , and was then playing at tables , he quickly perceyuing it , so auoyded the thrust , that withall drawing out his dagger for his defence , hee stabd this marlow into the eye , in such sort , that his braines comming out at the daggers point , hee shortlie after dyed . thus did god , the true executioner of diuine iustice , worke the ende of impious atheists . furthermore , some of our worldlings may worthily bee ranged in the forefront of this hellish route . they , i say , that belch out this accursed theoreme of machiauel , namely , that the heathenish religion made men couragious , wheras our religiō makes men fearfull . o foolish sots● is the feare and loue of god become the cause of your foolish feare ? nay , rather it is your consciences , that bring feare into your hearts . the more wicked ye be , the more you feare . me thinks , that albeit ye had no demōstration of god , yet this ought to satisfie you , which proceedeth of a natural fear . for whosoeuer feareth , sheweth necessarily , that there is some supreme power which is able to terrifie & hurt him . as contrariwise , he that is assured , that nothing can appall or diminish his valour , is altogether free from feare . the second part . of man. chap. . abdala one of the wise men of arabia , being on a time demaunded , what was the most wonderfull thing in the world ? answered , man. hermes trismegistius termed mā the great miracle . others called him the little world . likewise , the wisest philosophers agreed , that mans body is composed of the foure elements , and of all their qualities . for the flesh agreeth fitly with the earth : his vitall spirites with the aire & the fire : and his humours with the water . the sense of touching consenteth with the earth . the sense of seeing with the fire : that of smelling with the aire and fire : that of tasting with the water : & that of hearing with the aire . yea , there is no part in the whole body of mā wherein one of the elements doth not interpose his vertue , albeit one of thē is alwayes predominant ouer the rest . and most certaine it is , that man is a creature made of god after his owne image , well disposed by nature , composed of bodie and soule . in this sort man had his beginning and being of the great and eternall builder of the world ; of whom likewise hee was created so noble for three reasons . the first , that by this meanes man knowing howe god hath placed him aboue all other liuing creatures , he might be induced dayly to loue and honour him , as is meete . and therefore did the lord place the eies in mans bodie to behold his wonderfull workes . and for this cause also did he fasten eares to mans head , that hee shoulde vnderstand and keep his commandements . the second , to the ende , that acknowledging the noble place & race from whence he came , hee might feare to staine his name and fame with dishonest & vnlawfull deeds . the third , that hee , not being ignorant of his owne excellencie , shoulde extoll himselfe in god , and in him , & through him he should iudge himselfe worthy of heauenly felicitie . what should i rippe vp the good discipline of liuing , the lawes , customs , arts and sciences by man inuēted , to furnish life with the three sorts of good , namely , honest , pleasant , and profitable ? according to which , there be also three sortes of companies ; one for honestie , as the learned and vertuous ; another for pleasure , as , yong folks , and maried men ; a third for profite , as marchants . wherefore by good reason man holdeth the soueraigntie , and chiefest roome in this world . of the soule . chap. . the infusion of the soule into the bodie by god the creator , is a most admirable thing : seeing that the soule , which is inuisible , is cōprehended within the body being palpable : that which is light and of celestiall fire , within that , which is earthy , cold & corruptible : that which is free , within that which is base & bound . this alone is the instrument , that can bring vs to the vnderstanding of god and our selues . this is speculatiue and actiue at one and the same instant . this is she , that for her beautie hath the foure cardinal vertues ; & for her actions , reason , iudgement , will , and memorie . briefly , this is she , about whom the wisest of the world haue occupied their curious and fine wits . pythagoras affirmed , that the soul was a nūber moouing it self . plato said , that the soule was a portiō taken frō the substance of celestial fire . the prince of the peripatetickes writeth , that the soule is the motiō or act of a natural body , that may haue life . our diuines define the soule after this maner . the soule of man is a spirit , that giueth life and light to the bodie , wherevnto it is knit , and which is capable of the knowledge of god , to loue him , as being fit to be vnited vnto him through loue , to euerlasting happinesse . that a man hath but one soule . chap. . even as in euery bodie there is but one essentiall kind of nature , whereby it proceedeth to be that , which it is : so in euery liuing creatures bodie there is but one soule , by the which it liueth . in the scripture we neuerread , that one mā had mo soules thē one . adam being created by god , was a liuing soule . all the soules that came with iacob into egipt , and out of his loines ( beside his sonnes wiues ) were in all threescore and six soules , that is , threescore and sixe persons . also the sonnes of ioseph , which were borne him in egipt , were two soules . steuen being stoned by the iewes , called on god , and said , lord iesu , receiue my spirit . saint paul raising eutichu● from death , sayde , his life is in him . our sauiour christ likewise complained vnto his disciples , saying , my soule is verie heauie , euen vnto the death . hereby we may note , that one man hath but one soule . how greatly therefore are those philosophers deceyued , who affirme , that one man hath three distinct soules , to wit , reasonable , sensitiue , and vegetatiue ? wherof these two last are in a bruit beast , as well as in a man : and the vegetatiue in plants , in beastes , and in man. this opinion of pluralitie of soules seemed so damnable vnto the ancient fathers , that augustine , damascenus , and the fourth councell of constantinople proclaimed them to be excommunicated , which would hold one man to haue many soules . briefly , to leaue this errour , * it falleth out with the soule , as it doth with figures : for euen as the trigon is in the tetragon , and this tetragon in the pentagon : so likewise the vegetatiue power is in the sensitiue , and this sensitiue is in the reasonable soule . obiection . we see yong infants hauing vegetatiue , and sensitiue soules , and not possessing the reasonable soule , before they come to yeares of discretion . moreouer , it is well knowne , that a man liueth first the life of plants , then of beasts , and last of all of man : therefore a man hath three soules , distinct aswell by succession of time , as in essence , and formall property . answere . i grant , that the faculties of mans soule are by their operations successiuelie knowne , as the vegetatiue power is knowne more plainly in the beginning : then the sensitiue : & last of al the reasonable soule . but frō thence to conclude , that infants haue no reasonable soule , i deeme it meere madnesse . for the whole soule is infused within them in the beginning , but by the sacred power of god it is not made as then manifest , vntill they attaine to elder yeres . touching your proofe ( that a man liueth the life of plants ; then the life of beasts ; and last , of a reasonable man ) i answere , that it is meant of the vitall powers ; and not of the soule : and so i yeeld , that a man at first exerciseth the powers vegetatiue , and sensitiue , and then he hath the benefite of the reasonable soule . of the immortaltiie of the soule . chap. . atheists , and the hoggish sect of the epicures ; who would faine stay in their bodily senses , as beasts do , deride the holy scriptures , saying , that it is not known what becomes of their soules af-the deth of their bodies , or to what coast they trauell , by reason that none returned at any time backe from thence to certifie them . this is their childish reason . which truly in my iudgemēt sprūg vp of their negligence , in not ferreting out the end of the soule . for to what end els was the soule created , but that knowing god her creator , and worshipping him for that great benefite , shee might stand in awe and loue of him , and at length attaine to euerlasting life , which is appointed for her end ? al other liuing creatures god made for mans vse ; but man he created to the end , that the light of his wisdome might shine in him , and that hee might participate with him his goodnesse . admit therefore , that mans soule were corruptible : what difference then , i pray thee , would there bee betweene a man and a bruite beast ? nay then consequently it must follow , that man was created without cause . wherefore did god create man of stature straight , and erected towardes the aspect of heauen , the originall place of his true pedegree , but that he should perswade himselfe that he is of a heauenly nature ? surely * the conscience , which discerning betweene good and euill , answereth the iudgement of god , is an vndoubted signe of an immortall soule . for how could a motiō without essence come to the iudgement seate of god , & throwe it selfe into feare by finding her owne guiltinesse ? further , if the soule were mortall , what rewarde is left to the iust ? what punishment to the wicked ? also , if this were true , the wicked haue that , which they most desire , and the iust that , which they most abhorre . but shall punishment bee inflicted on the iust , whereas it ought to bee executed on the wicked ? many reasons i could alleadge , but of all others this is most forcible , which god hath giuen vs in the resurrection of his sonne our sauiour iesus christ , whereby his soule was vnited againe to his body , and taken vp into heauen in the sight of his disciples . likewise we reade that ▪ god sayde to moses : i am the god of abraham , isaac , and iacob , wherhence our sauior christ concluded , that abrahā , isaac , & iacob , do liue yet after their death , seeing that * god is the god of the liuing , and not of the dead . now to be breefe , i may fitly compare these epicurian hogges vnto drunkards , who so long being drunke , vntil they haue by sleepe , sufficiently alayed the furious force of the wine which they drunk , know not whether they haue any wit or conscience , any soule or sence . obiection . men , as plinie writeth , h breathe no otherwise then beasts do , for wee see nothing of the soule of either of them : therfore the soule as wel of men as of beasts , being nothing els but a breth , is mortall . answere . plinie seeing smoake come out of the mountaine vesuuius , iudged that there was fire within , although hee behelde it not : also he knew by his nose that there was brimstone issuing out of the same , albeit hee sawe it not : howe chanceth it then , that when by his sences he perceiued somewhat more in men , then in beasts , hee was not brought thereby to beleeue , that consequently there must be somewhat within , which causeth men to differ from bruit beasts ? furthermore , men discourse learnedly of all naturall things , they are endued with reason , and their speech followeth reason , which are such things , as haue a resemblance of gods spirit shining in them : but beastes haue not in them this apprehension , for that they are produced out of the power of that matter , whereof they are ingendered . finally , the soule of man is bred in the bodie by god , aboue all the matter of the same . the third part . of vertue , chap. . whosoeuer meanes to sowe a godly field with corne , must first rid the same field of thornes and shrubs , and cut away the fernes with his sithe , that the new corn may grow with ful cares : so likewise , o mortall man , thou hauing beene all the daies of thy life , as it were in a goldē dreame , awake at last , and withdraw thy selfe from that fonde delight , that vertue which is surer & better then all arts , may the sooner enter into thy minde . be not like vnto a child , who seeing a bable wherwith he plaieth , taken out of his hand , powtingly throweth away that which he hath in his other hand , although it bee far better then the former . al worldly things , be they neuer so glorious , do fade away , yea , & worldlings themselues are so soone suffocated and choaked with euerie small moth , that they are ready to stumble at euerie straw , and to become daunted at euerie trifling cause . but cōtrariwise , they which are bedewed with the sweet droppes of vertue , wil neuer be ouerturned , eyther with worldly guiles , or with the losse of life and bloud . vertue is alway permanent : shee is quiet in most stormie times , & shineth in the darke : beeing driuen from her seate , she neuerthelesse remaineth in her coūtry , she giueth continual light , and neuer becōmeth spotted with any filth . euerie thing that is atchieued by her meanes , is good and soueraigne . for her loue , anacharsis the philosopher left his kingdom of scythia to his yonger brother , & went into athens to find her there . this also moued the emperor maximili● the . in the yeere of our lord . to answer a dutchman that craued his letters patents to make him a nobleman : it is in my power , quoth he , to make thee rich , but vertue must make thee noble . happy therfore is he that wooeth her , & thrise happy is he that is contracted to her : for euen as the prowesse & valour of a horse maketh him apt and fit for his rider to attend couragiously the onset of the enemy : so vertue strengthneth her owner against cōcupiscēce , & restoreth him ready to abide any brūts of variable fortune moreouer , ( a ) vertue is said to be three manner of waies in man , either infused by god , or planted by nature , or gotten by pains and industrie . vertue is infused by god , when we call her either faith , hope , or charitie : ( b ) she is by nature , whē we terme her nobil●ti● : shee is saide to bee gotten through paines and industrie , when wee name her either morall , as iustice , truth , magnanimitie , fortitude , temperaunce , magnificence , liberalitie , clemencie , modestie , affabilitie , friendship , & patience ; or intellectuall , as art , science , vnderstāding , prudence , and wisedome , al which together with their extremes and subordinate qualities i wil decipher hereafter . wherfore , to be breefe , let vs embrace vertue , so pretious and manifold a palme tree , which the more it is pulled downe , the more it returneth vpward ; let vs , i say follow her , who hath this singular propertie in al-her actiōs , namely , that c she maketh the man that knoweth her , so to affect her , that forthwith hee liketh all her actions , and desireth to imitate them that are vertuously disposed . of vice. chap. . even as a vertue is the beautie of the inward man , & the way to attain vnto an happie life : so vice is the sicknes therof , and fighteth against nature . ( d ) all things that are borne haue vices , as it were sowen in their minds . e he is best , that is least troubled with them . for we see , that neither fire nor feare doth carry a man away so violently as vices . they onely haue beene the vndooers of all cōmon-wealths , and as soone as they once haue entred into the mind , they wil neuer forsake it , vntil they ouerwhelme it with al kinds of sin , f hurt it with their griping , and ouerthrow al things , which are next vnto them : vnhappie man is he , that is vexed with them : farre better it were for him not to liue at al , or els liuing , g to be throwne into the sea with a milstone about his neck . although a man bee fast loden with irons , yet his captiuitie is nothing to him y t is enuironed with vices . he then , that will bee mighty , must subdue his cruell affectiōs , & not yoke himself to the foule liberty of vicious motiō . in sūme , h turne again euery mā frō his euil way , & frō his wicked imaginations . i submit your selues to god , and resist the diuell : and hee will flie from you : draw nigh vnto god , and he will draw nigh vnto you . cleanse your hearts , you sinners , & purge your hearts , you wauering minded . that a man must not delay to become vertuous . chap. . there bee many of our worldlings , which seek to shrowd their vices vnder this cloake , that they mean to amend al in time , * and this time is driuē from day to day , * vntil god , in whose hands the moments of time are , doth shut them out of all time , and doth send them to paines eternall without time . little do they thinke , that their vices are by wicked custome fortified , and as it were with a beetle , more strongly rammed into their harts & midriffes . it is an vsuall prouerbe , that whatsoeuer is bred in the bone , will neuer out of the flesh : so likewise , a wound being for a time deferred , becōmeth infectious and past cure . why then , o mortal men , doo yee builde on such a weake foundation ? why doo yee not at this instant without any further procrastinations , prostrate your selues before the most highest , ere the darke night of death steale vpon you , and * ere yee stumble at that foule black hillock ? oh , imitate not those foolish virgines , * who because they gaue not good attendaunce , were shut out of doores by the bridegrome . we see by common experience , that if a man deliuer a reasonable petition vnto an earthly king , he may perhaps attend a yeere or two , before he be fully satisfied . what then shall yee expect of the heauenly king , whom yee haue a thousand times most wilfully displeased ? is it possible for you , after you haue obstinatly resisted him all the dayes of your liues , to sue vnto him at the period of your yeeres , and to obtaine remission ? no , no , it is not presumptuous delay , that worketh vnfaigned repentaunce . you must beginne * to day , if you will heare his voice , and speed of your suites . god will not be limited and restrained according to your willes . * his wrath will come vpon you at the sodaine , and * you shall be thrust into hell like sheep . like as the poetes say of titius , so shall you , being as it were food vnto death , confume in hell , and yet reuiue againe , so that still ye may be euer dying . then shall yee crie vnto the mountaines , and say , o you mountaines fall vpon vs , & you hilles couer vs. then shall you repent to your paine , but your repentaunce shall not at all auaile you . if an husband-man for lazinesse deferre to sow in the winter , he is like in summer to starue or begge . sow therefore , o ye that are christians , while you haue time to sow , euen this day conuert vnto the lord , and yee shall reap perpetuall happinesse for your reward . repentaunce that is done at the last day , most cōmonly is done vpon feare of future tormentes . besides , * the aethiopian can assoone chaunge his blacke skinne , as you do well , hauing learned all the dayes of your liues to do euill . my selfe haue knowen a young gentleman , that sometime hauing bene disobedient to his parents , and also misdemeaned himselfe diuers other waies besides , was vrged to repentaunce by some of his well willers . to whome he aunswered : that now this was his full intent , and by the grace of god ( quoth he ) assoone as i come home to my father ( hee being as then about forty miles off ) i will vtterly renounce my former maner of liuing , and will become a new man. but see the ineuitable will of god. he was scarce seuen miles on his way homeward , when as it was his wofull chaunce to encounter with some of his enemies , and by them to be slaine . for which cause , i say , cut off all delayes , least in a matter of such importaunce , yee be sodainly surprized . yee haue not two soules , that yee may aduenture one ▪ * the night is past , and the day is come ; the day of the lord is come , * as a snare on all them , that dwel vpon the face of the earth , in which a the heauens must passe away with a noyse and the elements must melt with heat , and the earth with the workes therein must bee burnt vp . b bee yee therefore sober & watchfull in prayer : for c in the houre that ye thinke not , will the sonne of man surely come to iudge the world . remedies against vice . chap. . the roote of vice is the originall corruption , wherewith mankind hath bene ouerwhelmed euer since the fall of adam . which corruption in processe of time beyng growne by continuall custome into a sinfull habite , becommeth damnable three maner of waies . first , by thoughts ; next by wordes , as , swearing , lies ; lastly , by deedes , as murther , adulterie . now for the curing of this hydra-like malady , sixe things are to be obserued . first , we must oft consider , that the actes of vertues themselues cannot bee of any value with god , except we continually exercise our selues therein . for the longer wee delay , * the more is the kingdome and power of the diuell established and confirmed in vs. secondly , wee must once or twice a day at least call to remembrance our vices , & with a contrite heart aske god forgiuenes . thirdly , we must waigh with our selues , how that we are wandring pilgrimes in this world , and like vnto them , that vpon their iourneys abide not in those innes , where they are well lodged , but after their baite do depart homeward , vttering these words of the prophet : * woe is me , that i remaine in mesech , and dwell in the tents of kedar . the fourth remedy against vice is , that we thinke on the manifold miseries of this life , & on the end thereof . the fift , wee must oftentimes repeat that fearful saying of the apostle : * if the iust shall scarce be saued , where shal the wicked man and sinner appeare ? the sixt , we must muse vpō the day of iudgemēt , at which time * euery one must beare his owne burthen , and sinners must * giue an account of euery idle word . * about them shall be their iudge offended with them for their wickednes : beneath them hell open : and the cruell fornace ready boyling to receyue them : on the right hand shall be their sinnes accusing thē : on the left hand the diuels ready to execute gods eternal sentence vpon them : within them their consciences gnawing them : without them all damned soules bewayling : on euery side the world burning . of iustice. chap. . jvstice is a thing belonging to policy , sith the order of a ciuill society is the law , & iudgemēt is nothing els , but the decision of that , which is iust . this vertue , as the diuine philosopher writeth , b is the chiefest gift , which god gaue vnto men . for if she were not amongst vs , what would our commonwealth be , but a receptacle for theeues ? from whence c the sect of democritus concluded , that there were . things , which rule y e whole world , namely , reward & punishment . some say , that iustice is more resplēdent then the sunne , for hee lighteneth the world only by day , whereas she shineth both night and day : the sunne illuminateth the eyes of the body , iustice the eyes of the minde : the sunne molesteth vs by his continuall presence , but of iustice we shal neuer be weary , wherupon othersome affirme , that * shee is placed in the zodiake betweene the signes of leo and libra , whereby her equality and courage are vnderstood . to come neerer our owne time , let vs commune with our selues , and forethinke , what should become of vs , if there were no gallows for murtherers and heinous offendors , no whips for rogues , nor fines & amercements for affraies and such like crimes . surely , we should not liue together . the wild karnes & red-shanks of irelād would not be more sauage thē vs. wherfore , o ye , which are seated in the throne of iustice , respect not your owne priuat cōmodities : for you execute not the iudgements of man ; but of god , and he will be with you in the cause and iudgement . lay before your eies the exāple of that zealous iudge , who feared not to cōmit the prince of wales ( afterwardes king h. the fift ) for his assault into the prison of the kings bēch . for which act of iustice , that noble prince , when hee came to the crowne , yeelded him great thanks , & during his warres in fraunce , left the said iudge his substitute ouer this whole realme . to be briefe , wash your hands cleane from bribes , & administer iustice vnto all men without any kinde of affection , vaine-pitie , or fauour , lest that , they prying into your liues , in stead of honor , you be brāded in the forehead with the perpetuall note of infamie . of iniustice . chap. . iniustice is a kinde of iniurie , vsed by such as be in authority , ouer the weaker sort , a who also assume vnto themselues , more then law or right permitteth them . this vice of all others is most repugnant to mans nature , because that b a man , as long as he benefiteth , and executeth iustice , is like vnto god , but practizing iniustice , he separateth himselfe farre enough from god. woe therefore be vnto you , landlords , who forgetting your selues , and your duty towards god , do flay and vexe your tenants and inferiours with extraordinary imposts , with asking of beneuolences , letherwits , and such like . woe be vnto you , heires and elder brethren , who make dish-cloutes and no reckoning of your younger brethren , but suffer them to be idle and forlorne , which destroyeth them both body and soule : woe , i say , be vnto you , that extort , & c like rauening woolues do robbe & take praies to shedde bloud , and to destroy soules for your owne couetous gaine , so that you are * not cōtent to be infected with one haynous offence , but moreouer you rayse vp sundry mischiefes , & molest your already distressed bretheren with many and iniust taxations . for the which , god will proceed in iudgement against you , a he will powre out his indignation vpon you , & consume you with the fire of his wrath : your owne waies will he render vpon your heads . then in cōclusion shal you perceiue , how that b no wickednesse escapeth scotfree , by reason that the punishment of one consisteth in another . whether it be lawfull for a man to kill himselfe . chap. . nothing is more damnable , nothing more vngodly , then for a man to slay himselfe . for if an homicide be dāned for killing another : so in like māner he that killeth himselfe is guilty of murther , because he killeth a member of the commonwealth . yea , this is a greater sinne . for we liue here in this world altogether according to gods prescriptiō . * we are created of god after his owne image : and shall wee endamaging our selues , wrong our creator ? no , if we do , our owne consciences will accuse vs as murtherers & traitours before the tribunall seat of god. it is reason that he , which sent vs into the world for the setting forth of his glory , should call vs out of the world to yeeld an account of our bayliwike , he hath appointed vs captaines of our bodily fortes , which without treason to that maiesty are neuer to be deliuered ouer , till they be redemaūded . besides , despaire cannot beare the title of valour , by reason it proceedeth of an abiect and weake mind . now therefore if we be valiant , let vs make our valour manifest vnto gods and our countries enemies , that if we die in such attempts , the almighty may canonize vs holy martyres , and crowne vs with eternall glory in his blessed kingdome . obiection . nature graunted no longer vnto cato a patent of his life , for pompey and his complices were ouerthrowen , and if he himselfe had bene taken captiue by cesar , he had lost his honour and life : therefore it was lawfull for him to effect that , which , if hee had not , another would . answere . nature gaue cato a life not voluntarily to lose , but to sustaine and nourish . besides , nature and violence are opposite . in briefe , it had bene better for him to haue bene tormented in phalaris brazen bull , then desperately to kill himselfe . that wee should not patiently endure all iniuries . chap. . many , as the anabaptistes , doubt , whether it be lawfull or no for one christian to sue or strike another , groūding their opinion vpon a the authoritie of the scripture . yet , this schismaticall doubt in my iudgement might quickly be blotted out , if they knew what iniury meant , for a man may haue iniury offred either to his person , to his goodes , or to his credite . now concerning our person and goodes , it is certaine , that vertue permitteth vs to repell violence with violence , or els embracing patience , to remitte all to the magistrates , in whose hands the sworde of iustice remaineth . as for the reprehension of the corinthians , i answere , that they were rebuked for going to law vnder those magistrates , which were not christians , and * in that they brought the gospell in slaunder among the vnbeleeuers . in like sort i think it meeter for vs protestants to endure all iniuries whatsoeuer , then to commence suites one against another vnder any popish or hereticall iudge . but on the contrarie , if the magistrate be of our religion , what other order by the lawe of god and man is prescribed , then to sue vnto him , and to craue satisfaction for the iniurie which is done vnto vs ? a euery reproach hath a certaine sting , which wise and good men can hardly tolerate . moreouer , it is holden for a principle , that b no man is vilified and despised in his owne conceit . and therefore hee cannot chuse , but for reasonable causes goe to law , and so haue the pleas handled , that he may liue afterwards in more securitie : for experience sheweth vnto vs , how that those iniuried persons , which most are silent , as confessing themselues ouercome by their stronger , do abide continuall molestations , and liue in intolerable thraldome . touching the last way , wherby iniury is offred vnto our credit , my sentence is , that it can neuer be impaired in an honest man , by reason that vertue , which shineth with vndefiled honours , will euer patronize & protect it . what auayleth it then , that a man go to law for such a trifle , & haue his aduersary punished , namely , a noted with infamy ? beleeue me , it is better for you , o contentious witals , to end such cauillations of your wronged credit at home , then to trauell to london , and there to feed the rauening lawyers with the sweat of your browes . pursue not therefore one another with vnappeasable stifnesse , but rather end your doubts at home vnder an indifferent arbitratour without rancour or malice . the fourth part . of trueth . chap. . trueth is that infallible vertue , which reuealeth the creation of the world , the power of god , his blessing for the godly , & vengeaunce for the wicked . this is she , which rightly may be termed the cēter , wherin all things repose themselues , the mappe , whereby we saile , and the balme whereby we are healed . this is she , a whom god respecteth more then all sacrifices . to be short , this is she , which b hath so great power , that no engine , wit , or art can subdue : and although she hath no atturney to defend her cause , yet notwithstanding shee is defended by her selfe . according to our beleefe in god , truth is named faith : in agreements betweene man and man. trueth is called promise : of seruants towards their masters she is termed loyalty . but in what estimation she is in these accursed times , i trēble to speake therof . for many there be , that outface & deny their owne superscriptions : & vnlesse an honest man bring with him multitude of witnesses to testifie the truth , he is like to be defrauded of his due . o how farre do we degenerate frō the auncients ! they were woont in times past to lend money vpon a mans naked & bare promise , and likewise to passe their conueyances and state of lands in few lines : whereas now on the contrary a dozen skins of parchment will scant serue their turne ; for what do they els but hammer quirckes and crochets , and inuent twenty apish trickes to circumuent one another ? promooting petifoggers are the mouers of all these fallacies . they are the caterpillers , which exclude truth , and would make her a wandering vagabound . beware of them , o yee which are honestly bent . through their illusions a breake not the league of amity , neither preferre yee kingdomes before truth . take away this vertue , and our commonwealth is become a piracy . the losse of wealth is nothing to the losse of truth . for which cause , the philosopher doubted not to affirme , that b wise mē ought to contradict themselues for verities sake , yea , and to engage their credite for her conseruation . thinke vpon this , o lawyers , & consider with your selues , how * the speach of truth is simple , and needs not sundry explications and cauillations . of lies . chap. . of lies there bee three sortes : the first i call an officious lie , which is vsed , when otherwise an heynous offence cannot be eschued , as we read in the booke of kinges , where * michol sauls daughter saued her husband dauid by the same meanes . the second kind of lies is named iesting , which men vse at table , not of any premeditatiō or malice , but rather for to delight the company . howbeit amōg christians it is not much laudable . the third kind of lies is named hurtfull or odious , which extendeth to the harming of one or other . this sort of lying is most detestable in the sight of god and man. furthermore , a lie is a base vice , & worthy to be cont●ned of all mortall men , & especially of those , that are wise , for a the duties of a wise man are two , wherof the one is not to lie in any thing , which hee knoweth : the other , to make a lier manifest to the face of the world . and euen as we debarre wise men : so we most of all disswade youths frō lying ; for if they be suffred & borne withal to coine lies , they wil at last become altogether past grace , & by vse wil be inueterated in falshood , wherfore they must be quickly restrained , and seuerely chastised , when they lie . hereupon some hold , that * those youths are as it were naturally euill , which take a delight in telling of lies . othersome say , that * they differ not from deadly enemies . but howsoeuer , in my iudgement , they ought to bee speedilie looked vnto , and then the rather , e whē they begin once to tel lies to their owne parents , which is a most intolerable fact . of swearing . chap. . vve must not sweare at all , neither by heauen , for it is the throne of god : nor yet by the earth , for it is his footstoole : neither must wee sweare by our heades , because wee cannot make one haire white or blacke . but our communication must be yea , yea , and nay , nay , and whatsoeuer is more then these , commeth of euil . howbeit notwithstanding , there be very few here in england , that are not in a manner fully resolued to regard swearing as a vertue . hee is a gull or a puritane , quoth they , that will not sweare : nay , rather they should say , he is a member of the diuell that delighteth in swearing . hearken what an holy father sayth : sweare not at al , lest that by swearing you come to the facilitie of swearing , from thence to custome , and from custome you fall into periurie . neither can your feeble excuses suffice , in saying that you sweare not , by god , by gods bloud , by gods wounds , but rather you sweare by gog , by gogs bud , by gogs zwoonce . o foolish hypocrites ! doe you thinke although you delude vs , that you can dally with him , who noteth & heareth euerie word which you speake ? no , no : it will not goe for payment at the fearefull day of iudgement . in swearing thus , you heape hot coles of fire vpon your heades , and offend as bad , by attributing that honor vnto counterfeit creatures , which is due vnto the creator , who onely is to bee named , and that after a good sort , in all your words and deedes . take heede least that god execute vpon you such a fearefull iudgement , as he of late daies executed on a yong man in lincolneshire . this yong man , as is by master perkins , master stubs , & others credibly reported , was an abominable swearer , and his vsual othe was , by gods bloud . god willing his repentance , corrected him oftē times with sicknes , that he might be conuerted . but hee vtterly reiected all corrections . then god seeing that nothing could reclaime him frō swearing , inflicted on him a most grieuous disease , of which he languished a long time . at last his friends perceiuing him to be neere his death , caused his passing bell to bee rung . whereupon this swearer hearing the bell toll , rose vp in his bed , saying , gods bloud , hee shall not haue me yet . but loe , the iust iudgement of the lorde . at those words the bloud gushed out at euerie ioynt of his body , & neuer ceased , til al the bloud in his body was run out , and thus died this bloudy swearer , whose example , i pray god , may sink into y e harts of our swaggering caualeers , who at ech other word vse to lash out most detestable othes . now to cōclude this chapter , a whosoeuer prouoketh any mā to sweare a grieuous oth , and knoweth that he sweareth falsly , is worse then a murtherer , because that a murtherer killeth but the body , wheras he killeth the soule , yea , & which is more , hee killeth two soules , namely , his whom he prouoked to sweare , & his owne soule . obiection . it is good to haue the name of god in our mouths , therfore it is lawful to swear . answere . swearing is tvvofold godly , when we be called by the officers of necessitie to depose the truth in any doubtful or litigious matter , or else in a priuate case , betweene partie and partie , to ende strife and debate : and this is tolerable , when all other lawful proofes are knowne to bee wanting . vngodly , when we sweare vpon euerie light occasion , and in our daily talke , and this is reproued . of periurie or forswearing . chap. . an othe hath three associats , to witte , truth , iudgement , and iustice : wherof if any be found lacking , it is no longer to be termed an oth , but rather periury , which vndoutedly is a most abominable sinne : for thereby wee haue no respect either vnto his presence , who is euerie where , or reuerence vnto his cōmandemēt , which expresly insinuateth , that * we take not his name in vain , for he will not hold him guiltlesse , that taketh his name in vaine , and so trecherously abuseth his sacred maiestie . the heathen themselues detested this vice , and thereupon a homer reprehended the troians for their periure . b the egyptians punished periurers by death . yea , many holde it for a maxime , that othes are to bee obserued sacredly towardes our foes , and that not without good reason , seeing c periurie by the will of god is destruction , and by mans owne confession , infamie ; d which is likewise soundly confirmed by our ciuill lawyers . sundrie examples i might alleadge to this purpose , but for breuitie sake i wil at this time content my selfe with one onely . in the yeere of our lord . anne aueries widow , forswearing her selfe for a little money , that shoulde haue beene payde for sixe pounde of tow , at a shop in woodstreete of london , fell immediatly downe speechlesse , casting vp at her mouth the same matter , which by course of nature shoulde haue beene auoyded downewards , till she died . thus did god reward periurie . in conclusion , e hee that forsweareth himselfe , is subiect vnto two persons : first vnto the iudge , whom hee deceiueth by his lying , and then vnto the innocent party , whom he endangereth by his periury . those which would know more of this vice , i referre to the reading of my commentaries , where i haue alreadie sifted it . of cursers and blasphemers . chap. . h whosoeuer curseth his god , shal beare the paine of his owne sinne , and the blasphemer of the lordes name shall die the death . the whole congregatiō of the people shal stone him , whether he be a citizen or a stranger . this bitter cōminatiō the lord raineth down vpon such as curse and blaspheme . who then will presume to contradict and dispute against it ? if a subiect blaspheme or speake euill of his prince , presently hee is had by the back , and condemned to die ? what then shall be done with him , that banneth and teareth in peeces the name of god , who is the king of kings ? is hee not worthy of greater punishmēt , namely , to suffer both in body and soule ? * michael the archangell durst not curse the diuel , albeit he was worthy of al the curses in the world how therfore is it lawful for vs to curse ? the turkes at this day dare not transgresse herein , for feare of gods punishmēt . many of y e papists accoūt it an intolerable sin to blaspheme . o what a condemnatiō wil this be vnto vs ? i feare me , that many of them hauing as it were but a glimpse of the gospel of christ , will goe before vs protestants into the euerlasting paradise . we know in our consciences , that cursers and blasphemers are hainous offenders in the sight of god. howbe it neuerthelesse , we liue carelesse and obstinate , as beeing either dazeled like vnto owles at the eminent light of the gospel , or else bewitched and charmed by the empoysoned guiles of this world , and the prince of this world . our vsuall speeches in our anger are these : the diuell take him , vengeance light vpon him , a poxe on thee , a plague on thee . al which horrible curses haue already fallen on some of our pates , & that within these . yeeres . the plague first ouerspread it selfe through london the metropolitane citie of this realme , and from thence it crept into euerie shire in particular . the poxe likewise hath not beene absent , which many parents to their great griefe can testifie . as for the other two , the diuell and vengeance , the gallowes being burthened with traytors , murtherers , and felons , may giue sufficient euidence against vs. now concerning blasphemie , the followers thereof haue not altogether escaped scotfree , as appeared by duke ioyeus , who about eyght yeere since , felt the smart of his impious deserts . this duke , one of the cheefest of the leaguers in france , beeing ouercome by the french kings forces that now raigneth , and despairing of any good successe , vomited forth these wordes : farewell my great cannons : i renounce god , and wil run this day a high fortune . with that hee galloped amaine , and plunged himselfe , horse and all into the riuer tar , where presently hee was swallowed vp . thus did god worke the end of this blasphemous duke . and i pray god they may so still bee rewarded that blaspheme him , which causeth the foundations of the earth to tremble , in any realme or nation in the worlde whatsoeuer . what shall i write of the franciscan friers , who blasphemously compare their frier frauncis vnto christ , saying , that christ did not any thing , but frauncis did the same ? yea ; francis did more then christ , for his nayles droue away temptations . o childish comparison ! of this blasphemous route is bellarmine , that archpapist , as by these his words it appeareth . a if we , quoth he , cannot by any meanes keepe the lawe of god , then god is more vniust , and more cruell then any tyrant . the punishment of cursers and blasphemers were diuers . sometimes they were punished by death . sometimes * their tongues were cutte or bored through . and at other times their punishments were arbittarie according to the number of their offences . likewise king lewes of france hearing the lord of lenuile , one of his barons , blaspheme god , caused him to be apprehended , and his lips to be slit with an hotte iron . for which notable act of iustice , he afterwards deserued the name of a saint . let vs therefore consider of these both ordinarie , and extraordinarie punishments , and employ our whole studies to admonish those miscreants , who doe nothing else but ban and blaspheme god , yea , and otherwhiles their owne selues . of deceit . chap. . svch is the corrupt nature of this age , that men conuert that into deceite , which god gaue them for good reason , whereby it falleth out , that e one deceit bringeth in another , and consequently , cosenages are heaped vpon cosenages . herehence it commeth to passe , that so many in these dayes are conicatched . for how can it otherwise bee , as long as they listen vnto flatterers , & despise wise men , when they tel them of their follies ? wherefore beware of smoothing dissemblers , o ye that are gently disposed , and suffer your selues to bee lift out of the gulfe of ignorance , and to bee powdred with truth , which earst like sots yee haue abandoned . b none euer haue beene deceiued , but in that whereof they are ignorant , or else in that which is obscure . and if they bee deceiued , c it is prodigious , if they bee deceiued of good men . finally , * they that perceiue not deceits , shal oftentimes be deceiued of themselues . whether a man bee bound to performe that , which he hath sworne to his enemie , either willingly , or by constraint . chap. . so excellent a thing is the name of faith , that the vse therof hath not only purchased credite among friends , but also renowne amongst enemies , which foundation being laide , i constantly auerre , if a man hath sworne vnto his enemie , that he is periured , if he performe not his othe . now * vnder the name of enemie , i comprehend sixe sorts of people . first , there be forraine enemies , such as the spaniards bee vnto vs at this instant , who by an vniuersall consent , doe wage warre against vs , and these are properly to bee termed enemies . secondly , rebelles , of which number wee account the earle of tyrone , and the wild irish , who haue traitorously reuolted from her maiesties iurisdiction , are to be called enemies . thirdly , wee name pirats , rouers & theeues . fourthly , wee name aduersaries , amongst whō ciuill discords hapneth , enemies . fiftly , banished persons , outlawes , and condemned men , haue the title of enemies . in which ranke , i place robin hood , little iohn , and their outlawde traine , who spoylde the kings subiects . lastly , fugitiues , and runnagate seruants , making warre with their masters , deserue the name of enemies . in the beadroll of these enemies , flatterers , conicatchers , slanderers , and promooters , disturbers of the publike rest may be added . nowe to the question , whether wee ought to keepe touch with all these sorts of enemies ? it seemeth vnfaignedly , that we should , as shall more manifestly appeare by these reasons . first , * othes by the testimonies of the scriptures , are to be obserued . secondly , * euill is not to bee committed , that goodnes may ensue . periurie is euill , therfore not to be committed , that goodnesse may ensue : no , not although a man should lose his life for it . thirdly , of two euils , the least is to bee chosen : but periurie is a greater euil then losse of goods and landes , yea , and which is more , it is greater then losse of life : therefore it is better to lose life and liuing , then to burthen our consciences with the abominable sinne of periurie . fourthly , there cannot be honestie nor quietnesse amongst vs , if wee break our othes . sixtly , it is no poynt of liuely magnanimitie to engage our faith , vnlesse wee were willing to performe it : for h who shal dwel in gods tabernacle ? who shall rest vpon his holy hil ? euen he that setteth not by himselfe . it is rather the propertie of follie , for that a foole wil sweare any thing for his owne safegard : whereas a man of discretion will consider wel , and weigh his speech as it were by the ounce , before hee pawne it . seuenthly , whatsoeuer a man sweareth , and may performe with the fauor of god , & without sinne , that same , albeit compelled , is to bee obserued , for the name of god is of greater estimation , then al tēporall commodities : such is the promise which a man sweareth vnto theeues , because nowe and then for our amendement god permitteth temptations : therefore a man hauing sworne vnto theeues or pirates by compulsion , may not prophane his othe . likewise machiauell is worthie of many stripes , who counselled his prince to put on the foxes skinne , when his other shiftes did faile , and to follow that yong mans example , who said : h i swore an othe by tongue , but i beare a mind vnsworne . obiection . an obligation whereby a man is bound , may bee made voyde by the authoritie of a magistrate . also it is a rule in lawe : a compelled othe is no oth : therefore a man compelled to sweare , may choose whether hee will keepe his othe or no. answere . there bee two sorts of obligations . the first , wherby a man is bounde by writing vnto another man , and this kinde of obligation may bee made frustrate by the iudges . the second , whereby a mā is bounde either vnto his friendes or enemies , and this onely belongeth to god , who by them is called to record . moreouer , although this obligation by othe may bee made voyde by the publike law , yet notwithstanding , it remaineth stedfast in the priuate law of a mans conscience . of heretiques and schismatiques . chap. . they are to be accounted heretiques , which contumatiously defend erronious opinions in the church of christ , and will not by any exhortations bee conuerted to the truth . such were the arrians , that helde three degrees in the trinitie . such were the menandrians , manichaeans , carpocratians , cerinthians , valentinians , somosatenians , nouatians , ebionites , noetians , macedonians , douatists , tertullianists , pelagians , nestorians , and others , ● which by iustinian the emperour were afterwards condemned , their goods confiscated , and themselues either banished or put to death . innumerable examples cōcerning heretiques are extant : but i will cōtent my selfe at this time with the rehearsall onely of two of thē , the memory wherof , is as yet rife amongst many of vs. in the yeere of our lorde . and the third yeere of the raigne of queen elizabeth , there was in london one william ieffery , that impudently affirmed iohn moore a companion of his , to bee iesus christ , and would not reuoke his foolish beleefe , vntill hee was whipped from southwarke to bedlem , where the saide moore meeting with him , was whipped likewise , vntill they both confessed that christ was in heauen , & themselues but sinfull and wicked heretiques . in like maner , about ten yeeres ago , i my selfe being then a scholer at westminster , henry arthingtō , & edmond coppinger , two gentlemen , bewitched by one william hackets dissimulations , concluded him to bee the messias , and thereupon ranne into cheapside , proclaiming the said hacket to bee christ. for which hereticall or rather diuelish deuice they were apprehended and imprisoned : & in the end hacket was hanged on a gallowes placed vp in cheapside ; arthington was kept in prison vpō hope of repentance ; & coppinger died for sorrow the next day in bridewell . thus we see that truth , although for a time it be darkened by a cloude , yet at last it preuailes and gettes the victory : & the heretiques themselues are by gods speciall iudgements confounded , and their couragious opinions in a moment abated . neither will it be long , ere that the romish bishop , the sonne of belial shall see * his power brused with a rod of iron , and broken in peeces like a potters vessell : yea , himselfe * shall be consumed with the spirit of gods mouth , and be abolished with the brightnes of his comming . of iesuites . chap. . ignatius a maimed souldier , not for any feruency or zeale , that he bare vnto a new austerity of life , but feeling himselfe weake any longer to souldierize & follow the warres , communicated with diuers persons , and among the rest with one pasquier brouet , a man altogether vnlettered & ignorāt of diuinity . these two together with their enchaunted cōplices , to apply their title vnto their zeale , named thēselues deuout persons of the society of iesus . and thereupon presented themselues vnto pope paul the . about the yere of our lord . this pope permitted them to be called iesuites , but with this coūtermaund , that they should not surpasse the number of threescore persons . thus for a time they satisfied themselues . but within a while after , they obtained greater priuiledges of pope paul the fourth : which made their troublesome order like ill weedes to multiply a-pace , and attempt many horrible things : yea , euen most wicked treason against the liues of high potentates and princes , as against our soueraigne queene , against the french king , and diuers others . in portingal and india they termed themselues apostles ; but in the yeere . sundry of them were drowned by the iust iudgement of god. who is so simple , but hee vnderstandeth , that they in naming themselues iesuites do goe about to degrade the auncient christians , and blaspheme against god ? rather they should call themselues ignatians , and not bring in newfound orders . this the sorbonistes of paris knew very wel , when they doubted not about sixe yeers agoe to exhibite a bill in the parliament against them . what shall i write , how they giue themselues altogether to be machiauellians , and vngodly politicians , how they hoord vp wealth , how they possesse earledoms and lordships in italy and spaine ? and yet for all this , they presume to entitle themselues of the society of iesus . o wretched caitifes ! o hellish heretiques● the time will come , when this outragious profession of yours shall be extinguished by the sunne-shine of the true and apostolicall doctrine , as the sorcerers rod was eaten vp by aarons rod in the presence of pharao . the fift part . of magnanimity . chap. . magnanimity is a vertue , that consisteth in atchieuing of great exploits : and is touched chiefly vpon eight occasions . first , a magnanimous man is he , that wil neuer be induced to enterprise any dishonest point against any man , no not against his vtter enemy . secondly , he will chuse the meane rather then the extreame . thirdly , he will tell his minde plainly without dissimulation . fourthly , he will not respect what the common people speake of him , nor will hee measure his actiōs according to their applauses . fiftly , a magnanimous man , * though he should see all the world eagerly bent to fight , and though hee should see euery thing round about him set on fire , and almost consumed , yet he notwithstanding through an assured confidence will remaine constant . sixtly , a magnanimous man will withdraw his mind from worldly affaires , & lift it vp to the contemplation of great matters , * and in gods law will he exercise himselfe day and night . seuenthly , a magnanimous man wil scorne vices , and forget iniuries . eightly , he will speake nothing but wise and premeditated words , according to that old saying : a barking dog wil neuer proue good biter , and the deepest riuers runne with least noise . the auncient christians of the primitiue church were right examples of this vertue magnanimity , as they , who had all the properties thereof imprinted in thē . they , i say , who cheerefully gaue themselues to be massacred and tormented . like vnto these were our late english martyrs in queene maries daies , who gladly in defence of the true religion yeelded themselues to fire and fagot . for the vndoubted beleefe of triumph in heauen both diminished and tooke away the corporall griefe , and replenished the mind with cheerfulnesse and ioy . they knew mans lyfe to be but a bubble on the face of the earth . they considered with themselues our miserable estate ; for assoone as wee are borne , wee seeme to flourish for a small moment , but straightway wee die , and there is litle memorial left behind . they knew magnanimity to be the ornament of all the vertues . briefly , they perswaded thēselues to see their sauiour christ in heauen , and euermore to dwell with him . these , these be the duties of magnanimous men , which whosoeuer do couet to embrace , shall at last attaine to euerlasting happines . obiection . all scornefull men are wicked : * magnanimous men are scornefull : therfore they are wicked . aunswere . there bee two sortes of scornefull men , that scorne mens persons , and they are wicked . that scorne vices , & they are good : after which maner magnanimous or great-minded men do scorne insolent men & dastardes by reason of their pride and cowardize . of ambition . chap. . in ambition there be fiue mischiefes . the first is , that causeth a man neither to abide a superiour nor an equall . the secōd , an ambitious man by attributing honour vnto himselfe , goeth about to defraud god of his due . the . plague in ambition is , that it considereth not what hath chaunced to such , as exercised it . a lodowicke sforcia vncle to iohn galeaze duke of millan whom he poysoned , was one of the most ambitious men in the world ; but yet for all his italian trickes b he was at last in the yeere . taken captiue by the french king , and put in prison , where he continued till hee died . cardinall wolsey likewise here in england may serue for a patterne of ambition , who beyng preferred by king henry the eight her maiesties father , would notwithstanding haue exalted himselfe aboue the king , for which his intolerable ambition his goods were cōfiscated , and himselfe apprehended . the fourth mischiefe in ambition is , that hee hunteth after false and deceitfull glory , and c thinkes it a faire thing to be pointed at with the finger , and to be talked of : this is he . the fift , an ambitious man waigheth not his owne frayelty and weaknesse . remedies against ambition . chap. . the forward horse is not holden back without foaming and shewing his fury . the streame that rūneth , is not staied contrary to the course thereof without making a noise : & the ambitious man is not reclaimed frō his aspiring thoughts without good and wholesome admonitions ; i will neuerthelesse , as well as i can , endeuour to cure him of his cankered malady . first , let the ambitious man consider whereof he is made , namely , of dust & ashes . secondly , he must diligently goe to heare sermons , and read the holy bible . thirdly , he must thinke vpon the wauering actions of fortune , how she taketh frō one that , which she trāsferreth on another , and how she respecteth not the equity of causes , nor y ● merits of persons , but maketh her fancy the measure of her affections . fourthly , let the ambitious haue a regard whether hee be commēded of wise men or of flatt●rers . fiftly , let him compare his owne deeds with those of the holy mēs in times past . sixtly , hee must not enquire what the common people say of him . seuenthly , let him take heed by other mens harmes , and muse vpon the case of those men , who desiring to eate some fruite , regarded not the height of the tree , whereon they grew , but laboured to climbe vp to the toppe , and so fel downe headlong by reason of the weakenes of the boughes . of fortitude . chap. . the meanes to discerne a valiaunt man be eight . the first , if he be not astonied in aduersity , nor proud in prosperity , but leading both the one & the other within the square of mediocrity . secondly , he is a valiaunt man , that is milde and courteous of nature . thirdly , if a he scornes priuily to ouercome his aduersary . fourthly , if hee contemne to fight in a bad quarrell , for b fortitude without equitie is the fewell of iniquity . fiftly , if hee c giue not place to miseries , but goeth the more couragiously agaynst them . sixtly , he is a valiant man , that sorroweth to die an inglorious death . seuenthly , that feareth shame . as * hector did , when his friendes counselled him not to goe out of the city . eightly , hee is a valiaunt man , that will fight stoutly in his countries defence , and not feare to die . such a one was captaine * diagio of millan , * who in the yeere of our lord . beyng enuironed with fire and enemies , not finding any means to defend his charge , or escape honestly with life , threw ouer the wall of the place , where he was inclosed , and where no fire as yet burned , certaine clothes and straw , and vpon the same his two children , and sayd to his enemies , take you here those goods which fortune gaue me , but my goods of mind wherein my glory consisteth neyther will i giue them , nor can you take them from mee . the enemies saued the poore children , and offred him ladders to conueigh himselfe downe safe . but hee refusing all succours , chose rather to die in the fire , then receyue life from the enemies of his countrey . what shall i speake of sir philip sydney , sir richard greeneuil , and sundry others of our owne countrymen , who of late yeeres not vnlike to those of auncient times so highly commended , willingly and valiauntly lost their liues , rather then they would trust to the mercy of the spaniards ? in briefe , * commonly they , that are most affrayd to offend the lawe , are in the field most stout against their enemies , and will shunne no perill to winne fame and honest reputation . of foole-hardinesse . chapt. . foole-hardinesse is the excesse of fortitude , vsed for the most part of caualeers and tosse-pots . for seldome is it seene , that they at any time haue fought in iust causes , or haue obserued the circumstances belonging to true fortitude . their properties rather are to flaunt like peacockes , to play the braggadochians , and to trust most impudently in the hugenesse of their lims , and in their drunken gates . such are many of our yong gentlemen , who by their wise parents are sent so timely to learne wise fashiōs at lōdon . such are they , i say , who cary beehiues and commonwealths in their pates , who iet now and then in the streetes with bushes of feathers on their cockescombed sconces , and goe attired in babilonian rayments . but the higher they exalt themselues , the greater will be their fall . in the forefront of these madde-cappes may the duke of guise appeare , who in the yeere . one day before he was slaine , as he sate at dinner , found a litle scrowle of paper vnder his trencher , wherein was written that hee should looke vnto himselfe , and that his death was prepared . but hee in the same paper rashly with his owne hande wrote these wordes : they dare not , and so threw it vnder the table . by whose example let men take heed how they persist in any thing rashly , for although the poetes say , that a fortune helpeth an audacious man , yet notwithstanding that helpe is quickly ouercast and b broken by the wofull calamities of the body . wherefore wee must deeme it expedient to resist and turne backe foole hardinesse rather late then neuer . obiection . an audacious braggadochian being knocked runneth away : therefore there is no difference betwixt a foolehardy man and a coward . aunswere . two things are to be respected in a foolehardy braggadochian . madhardinesse or rashnes , which leadeth him into daunger . weaknes of nature not agreable to his mind : & this is the cause , why he trusteth sometimes vnto his heeles , rather thē his hands . of feare and pusillanimity . cha. . even as the foole-hardy caualeer trauerseth vp and downe like a lion : so a fearefull man is a pusillanimous meacocke : he feareth his owne shadow by the way as he trauelleth , and iudgeth ech bush to be a rouer . when he is among gentlemen , he holdeth his head downe like a dunce , and suddenly sneaketh away like an vrcheon . he is either by nature melancholike , or by vse a niggard or a tenderling , such a one was that gentleman of portingall , who craued of king sebastian in the yeere . a protection against some , who had sworne his death . the king gaue it him . shortly after he came againe vnto the king , and complained vnto him of the great feare he was daily in , notwithstāding his protection . whereunto the king wisely answeared : from feare i cānot protect you . farre more feareful then this portingall was that yong gentleman of patauine , who of late yeeres beyng in prison vpon some accusation , heard by one of his friēds , that of certainty he should be executed the next day following . which newes so terrified & chāged him , that in one only night he became white & grai-headed , whereas before there was no appearance thereof . the cause of this so wonderfull an alteratiō was feare , which groūded vpon a false opinion of mischief seazed on his heart , and consumed it like a pestilent canker according to that saying : * a suddaine alteration hath no great beginning . and again , * vsuall things are seldome feared . for being long expected , how can they chuse but fall out lightly ? to conclude , it is * the first and suddaine feare , that bereaueth the mind of aduise , but often consideration of it breedeth confidence , and quite expelleth all maner of feare . the sixt part . of temperance and continence . chapt. . all vertues do make a common-wealth happy and peaceable : but temperance alone is the sustayner of ciuill quietnesse , for it taketh care that the realme bee not corrupted with riot and wanton delights , whereby diuerse states haue beene cast away . this is that vertue which hindreth dishonest actions , which restrayneth pleasures within certaine bounds , and which maketh men to differ from bruite beastes . moreouer , this is that * hearbe , which mercury gaue to vlisses , least he should tast of the enchauntres cup , & so with his felows be trāsform'd into a hog . & this is that vertue , which great men ought specially to embrace , that by their example the common sort might become temperate . for * this is the reason why so many now-adayes liue riotously like beastes , namely , because they see noblemen and magistrates , that gouerne the common-wealth , to lead their liues wantonly , as sardanapalus did . therefore let noblemen be temperate , and spend lesse in showes and apparell , that they may keepe better hospitality then they doe , and benefit the poore . let them , i say , imitate those famous wights , who voluntarily resigned vp their large portions in this world , that they might liue the more contentedly . a murath the second , emperour of the turkes , after he had gotten infinite victories , became a monke of the straightest sect amongst thē in the yeere of our lord . charles the . emperour of germany gaue vp his empire into the hands of the princes electours , and withdrew himselfe in the yeere . into a monastery . the like of late did the tyrant his sonne king philip of spaine . what shal i say of daniel , and his three companions ananias , azarias , and misael ? did they not choose to sustaine themselues with pulse , when as they f might haue had a portion of the kings meate ? seeing therefore by these examples wee perceiue , howe great the force of temperance is ouer the greedy affections of the minde , let vs deuoutly loue her , and through her loue , obserue a meane in our pleasures and sorrowes . of intemperance , and incontinence . chap. . intemperaunce is an ouerflowing in pleasures , desperately constraining all reason , in such sort , that nothing is able to stay him from the execution of his lusts . for that cause there is a difference betweene it and incontinence , namely , that an incontinent man knoweth full , that the sinne which hee commits is sin , and had intended not to follow it , but being ouermastered by his lordly perturbations , hee yeeldeth in a manner against his will thereunto : whereas the intemperate man sinneth of purpose , esteeming it a goodly thing , and neuer repents him once of his wickednesse . wherehēce i conclude , that an intemperate man is incurable , and farre worse then the incontinent : for the incontinent man being perswaded with wholesome counselles , will bee sorie for his offence , and wil striue to ouercome his passions . but to make both , aswell the intemperate man , as the incontinent hatefull vnto vs : let vs call to minde , howe they do nothing else , but thinke on their present prouender and rutting . also , wee must consider , how that intemperance is that goggle-eyed venus , which hindereth honest learning , which metamorphozeth a man into a beast , and which transformeth simple wretches into tosse-potted asses : wherefore i wish all men of what qualitie soeuer they bee , to take heede of this vice , least they either be accounted beasts , or aliue bee reckoned among the number of the dead . of lecherie . chap. . lecherie is a short pleasure , bringing in long paine , that is , it expelleth vertue , shorteneth life , & maketh the soule guiltie of abominable sinne . this vice i feare mee , is too rife here in england , for howe many vrsulaes haue wee like that princely vrsula , who with eleuen thousand virgins more in her companie being taken by the painime fleete , as they were sayling into little britaine , for the defence of their chastities , were al of them most tyrannically martyred ? in steed of vrsulaes , i doubt , we haue curtezans , and whorish droyes , who with their brayed drugs , periwigs , vardingals , false bodies , trunk sleeues , spanish white , pomatoes , oyles , powders , and other glozing fooleries too long to bee recounted , doe disguise their first naturall shape , onely sophistically to seeme fayre vnto the outwarde viewe of tame and vndiscreete woodcocks . yet notwithstanding , lette a man beholde them at night or in the morning , and hee shall finde them more vgly and lothsome then before : and i cannot so well liken them , as to millers wiues , because they looke as though they were beaten about their faces with a bagge of meale . but what enfueth after all these artificiall inuentions ? the vengeance of god. insteede of sweete sauour , there shall bee stinke , insteede of a girdle , a rent , insteede of dressing the haire , baldnesse , insteede of a stomacher , a girding of sack cloth , and burning , insteede of beautie . what shal i do thē , asketh the honest mā ? how shal i discerne a chaste woman from a baudie trull , a diligent huswife , from an idle droane ? ( a ) if she be faire , she is most commonly a common queane : if shee bee foule , then is shee odious : what shall i doe ? this thou shalt doe , o honest mā , b ( b ) choose thee not a wife aboue thine estate , nor vnder , lest the one be too haughtie , or the other displease thee : rather hearken vnto a wittie virgin , borne of vertuous and wittie parents , correspondent vnto thee both in birth and degree , and no doubt but with thy good admonitions thou shalt haue her tractable . no woman is so flintie , but faire words and good vsage will in time cause her to relent , and loue thee as shee should , aboue all others : in fine , respect not dowrie , for * if she be good , she is endowred well . of gluttonie and drunkennesse . chap. of gluttonie there bee foure kindes . the first hapneth , when a man causeth his meate to bee made readie before due and ordinarie time for pleasure , and not for necessitie . the seconde , when a man curiously hunteth after diuersities and daintie meate . the third , when hee eateth more then sufficeth nature . the last , when wee eate our meate too greedily and hungrily , like vnto dogs . now to come to drunkennesse , i find that there bee three sorts thereof . the first , when wee being verie thirstie , not knowing the force of the drinke , doe vnwittingly drinke our selues drunke : and this can be no sinne . the second , when we vnderstand that the drinke is immoderate , and for all that , wee respect not our weake nature , which vnawares becommeth cup-shot ; and this is a kind of sinne . the third , when we obstinatelie do perseuere in drinking , and this certainely , is a grieuous and intolerable sinne . the discommodities of drunkennesse . chap. . the discommodities of drunkennesse are many : first , ( c ) it displeaseth god : secondly , it is vndecent and filthie : for doth not a drunken mans eies look red , bloudy , and staring ? doth not his tongue falter ? doth not his breath stinke ? is not his nose fierie and wormeaten ? are not his wits dead , according to that : when the ale is in , witte is out ? doth not his bodie shiuer ? in breefe , what doth not drunkennesse signifie ? it discloseth secrets , it maketh the vnarmed man to thrust himselfe into the warres , and causeth the carefull minde to become quite voyde of care . the third discommoditie of drunkennesse is , that it shorteneth life , defaceth beautie , and corrupteth the whole worlde . for howe can it otherwise bee , when god blesseth not the meate and drinke within our bodies ? fourthly , drunkennesse i● the cause of the losse of time . fiftly , hell gapeth and openeth her mouth wide , that the multitude and wealth of them that delight therein , may goe downe into it . for proofe whereof , i will declare one notable example , taken out of the anatomie of abuses . about twentie yeeres since , there dwelt eight men , citizens and citizens sonnes of swaden a cittie of germanie , who vpon a sunday morning , agreed to goe into a tauerne , and comming to the house of one antonie hage , an honest man , and zealouslie giuen , they called for wine . the good man tolde them that they should haue none , before sermon time was past , and perswaded them to goe heare the woord preached . but they ( saue one adam giebens , who aduised them to heare the sermon for feare of gods wrath ) denyed , saying , that they loathed that kinde of exercise . the good oast neither giuing them any wine himselfe , nor permitting any other , went to the sermon . who being gone , they fel to cursing , & wishing that he might breake his necke before he returned : whereupon the diuell appeared vnto them in the shape of a yong man , bringing in his hand a flagon of wine , & drunke vnto them , saying : good fellowes , be merrie , for you shall ha●e wine inough , & i hope you wil pay me well . then they inconsiderately aunswered , that they would paye him , or else they would gage their neckes , yea , their bodies and soules , rather thē to faile . thus they continued swilling and bibbing so long , till they could scant see one another . at the last , the diuell their tapster told them , that they must needs pay their shot : whereat their hearts waxed cold . but he comforting them , sayd : be of good cheere , for now must you drinke boyling lead , pitch ; and brimstone with me in the pit of hell for euermore . herevpon hee made their eyes appeare like fire , and in breadth as broad as a sawcer : and ere they could call for grace & mercie , the diuell preuented them , & brake their necks asunder . the other adam giebens , who counselled them before to heare gods word , hauing some sparks of faith within him , was preserued from death , by the great mercie of god. after this sort god punished drunkennesse , to the terrour of all such as delight therein . god grant that men hereafter may beware , howe they play the drunkards . for doubtlesse , although he beares with our quaffers heere in england , yet notwithstanding , hee hath prepared heauie punishments for them in the world to come . remedies against intemperance , gluttony , and drunkennesse . chap. . the first remedie against intemperance , gluttonie , and drunkennesse , is the word of god : for e ( e ) it is written , man shal not liue by bread only , but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god. the second , they must consider the fasting and pouertie of christ , for when he said , i thirst , that is , i thirst after mans saluation , they gaue him vineger to drinke . the thirde remedie is , that they waigh with themselues the euill , which proceedeth from their vices , and the torments of the rich glutton in hell . the fourth , lette them thinke on the eternall pleasures of the other world , and n hunger & thirst after righteousnesse . the fift , lette them follow socrates aduice , i who admonished men to take heede from eating and drinking those things , which would mooue them not being hungrie , nor thirstie : and also from prying into gentlewomens beauties , lest , as the poets faine , cupid the blinde god of loue , doe perchance shoote and hit them . this reason b clitomachus knew very wel , who if he heard but one talking of loue matters , would immediatly depart away . lastly , let them auoyde idlenesse ; for h idlenesse being taken away , the force of lechery decayeth . of stupiditie or dulnesse . chap. . stupiditie is a voluntarie and too great a suppression of lawful pleasures . this vice r is seldome founde amongst men : for where shall we see any so dull , that hath no taste of pleasures ? all other liuing creatures can iudge and discerne of the meat which they eate : but dull men haue not halfe so much iudgement or discretion . therefore without doubt , they that haue lost their feeling , are no more to be called liuing men , but blocks , or stocks , or rather bruite beastes depriued of sence . there bee some men i confesse , verie bluntish and dull , yet notwithstanding , i dare not say , that they are in such sort infected by reason of this vice , the defect of temperance ; but more likely they are so , because of their vnwholsome & bad complections , or else because of some sicknesse or other . and thus much of the nature of stupiditie . obiection . stupiditie is a meane to obtaine vertue , for it is a bridling of lust : therefore it is no vice . answere . stupiditie is a bridling of lust , but confusedly , without wit or reason . the seuenth part . of magnificence . chap. . e the like difference as is between god & man , between a temple & a sepulcher , such is betwixt magnificēce & liberality : for a magnificence is a vertue , that consisteth in sumptuous & great expences : wheras liberalitie is cōuersāt in smal things , so y ● the one is peculiar to noblemen , and the other to common gentlemen . but in this age it is quite abandoned . they were wont in times past , to patronize and find poore schollers at the vniuersitie : but now , i pray you , who is so noble-minded ? who so vertuous ? they were wont to builde colledges : but now they are readie to pull them downe ; and which is more , if any intendes but to build a free-schoole or an hospital ( which is as seldome seene as a blacke swanne ) wee account him , as they say , one of god almighties fooles . the gentlemen of the innes of court , quoth y ● rich chuffes , weare so much on their backes , as would serue for the building of free-schooles . our sonnes at the vniuersitie spende yeerely in batles , decrements , and bookes , as much at would suffice for the repayring of bridges , high-waies , and such like . those preachers please our mindes best , which preach fayth , and no good workes . this cheape religion we like ; a strong barne , neighbour , is worth fifteene of their freeschooles . but alas , howe can the poore sheepe doe well , when their sheepheardes bee cold in charitie ? when these non residents care not how their flockes thriue ? when the leuits of iesus christ haue alwaies this worldly theoreme in their mouthes : hee ought to bee begd for a foole , that gathereth not for his wife and children ? o politicke worldlings ! o machiauellians ! the papistes , that in a manner builde their whole deuotion vpon good workes , shall rise against you at the day of iudgement : yea , the infidels themselues , who dedicate their substance vnto idols , shall testifie against you . what sayth your nazianzene ? b a man hath nothing so diuine as magnificence , & distribution of goods . what sayth strabo ? c mē thē principally do imitate god , when they benefite . wherefore , o mortall men , both spirituall and temporall , do good while you may , time passeth away , liue mindfull of death . after which you must yeeld account to the almightie iudge , howe you haue consumed your liues and goods . in a word , helpe to aduance and preferre schollers , for * if there be a mecenas , and furtherers of learning , we shal quickly finde virgils and horaces to eternize your names and magnificence ; whereas on the contrarie , a if magnificence and hire of paines be taken away , learning must of necessitie fall to ruine . of liberalitie . chap. . liberalitie is a vertue placed between prodigalitie and auarice , a conuersant most commonly in giuing , & sometimes in receiuing ; whereby not onely the participation of gifts & money are meant , but also the communication of good counsels and duties are vnderstood . all they which exercise this vertue , doe purchase vnto themselues loue and good will , which be of great momēt , either to liue quietly , or to rule without trouble : z their fame shall neuer fall from the earth , and they themselues shall bee highly fauoured of the highest landlord . for b oftentimes when god meanes to send his thunderbolts against the wicked , hee stayeth his hand by reason of their sacrifices & almes . now to come to the anatomizing of liberalitie , i putte downe eight circumstances , whereby a gentleman may become liberal , & so vphold his reputatiō . the first lawe of liberalitie is , to distribute vnto them , who are most worthie : otherwise , he is like a blinde man , when he knoweth not to whō he giueth : namely , he must obserue the order of nature , in preferring his brethren before his cosens , & his cosens before strangers , & a in rewarding of wise men , before sycophāts & pickthanks . the second circumstance is , that a man giue not more , then his abilitie wil afford , but rather he must cut out his coate in proportion according to his cloth : because c repentance followeth hastie liberalitie . the third , hee must not giue to thē , which haue inough alreadie . the fourth , he must not , after he hath bestowed his gifts , cast and hitte men in the teeth with them , or by his prating , cause the remembraunce of his gifts to perish . the fift rule of liberalitie , a man must not hurt one , that he may be liberal to another , for they that do this , are neither to bee accounted beneficall nor liberall , but pernicious . the sixt , he must giue willingly without requesting , for nothing is more deere then that , which is bought by praiers . hitherto appertayneth the apostles saying : as euerie man wisheth in his heart , so lette him giue , not grudgingly , nor of necessitie : for god loueth a cheerefull giuer . the seuenth , lette him respect the place , where hee giueth , that is , whether in an honest house , or in an infamous . the last law of liberalitie is , that it be without shipwracke or losse of the giuers good name . but why doe i decipher that , which nowe a dayes men haue vtterly abandoned ? where in england , nay , where in the world , can i poynt with my finger , & say : there is a liberall man ? alas , al men are become misers , there are none that are liberall , no , not one . o vngrateful wretcheslis not god your landlord , and doth not hee suffer you to enioye his lands without in comes or fines ? onely this is his conditiō , that ye vse the poore well , and cherish the needie : why then are yee couetous , why doe yee not performe his condition , and bee liberall ? it behooues you rather to lay vp riches in heauen , and not to beleeue , that this fickle and doating worlde , is a perpetuall paradise , & that the drossie excrements therof , are hallowed . communicat therfore your goods one vnto another , for treasure remaineth prepared for the godly in heauē . let not the hellish vsurer haue dominion ouer you : he is plutus ( as the poets faigne ) the god of your riches . beware of his fawnings , take heede of his motiues and illusions ; hee commeth disguised in the forme of an angell of light , perswading you by sophistrie , that liberalitie is a vice , that golden duckets are demie gods. but what followeth after all these fallacies ? death , and the vengeance of the highest . to be short , as many as are well disposed to be liberall , let them giue in their liues time , whilst they haue space to giue . it is foolishnesse for any man to defer his liberalitie till after his death : for executors will part stakes ; and besides , almes at that time , will do the giuers no good . of prodigalitie . chap. . h prodigalitie is a foolish and vndiscreete wasting and lauishing of goods : for the which pouertie and late repentance doe ensue . the rare follower of this vice careth not for circumstances , but spendeth his money vpon such things , wherof hee leaueth little remembrance or none at all behind him : he neuer thinks on the variable blasts of fortune : but ignominiously cōsumeth his patrimony in a baudy or infamous house , and if there were giuen him as much money a as the sea turneth vp sand , when it is tossed with the raging winds : yet for all that a prodigall mā will deuour al , & at last will be forced to pill & poll his poore tenāts , supplying his wāts ambitiously by vnlawful means . into the listes of this vice many of our english caualeers & souldiers do enter , who bestow al that they haue on gorgeous raiments & in visiting of queanes : wheras rather they should cōsider with thēselues , b what they are , how they meane to liue hereafter , of what vocation they are , & what profit they may reape by sauing their money . it becommeth them not to follow crowes abroad through thicke & thinne : but to respect , whither they go . it becōmeth thē , i say , not to imitate bedlems , who iourney still that way , where the staffe falleth . god hath appointed euery man to be of some calling or other . to cōclude , they deceiue thēselues in thinking , that prodigality doth ingraffe in thē a kind of liberality : for * many know how to spend , but not , how to giue . the properties of a couetous man. chapt. . the properties of a couetous mā are infinit , but principally these : first a couetous man is an infidel , for he loueth not his brethren , and * he that loueth not , knoweth not god , for god is loue . secondly , he is a theefe , for the goods that hee possesseth , are none of his owne , but gods. man is only constituted as a steward , and must one day to his perpetuall destruction , yeeld an account thereof . further , it is knowen , that * theft , and sundry other vices spring chiefly from couetousnesse . thirdly , a couetous man is a slaue , for he attendeth & wayteth on his money . fourthly , he is in continuall feare and suspition , least theeues robbe him of his treasure , least his ewes haue no good yeaning , least the flouds cary away his milles , and least there happen a wette yeere . fiftly , * a couetous man is alway vexed and agrieued in minde , for if his wife asketh for two shillinges to buy silke , sixe pence for spice or salte ; then hee frets and fumes , yelles and bannes , swearing that she seekes his vtter vndooing . sixtly , hee hath most commonly three keyes or more to his chest , and which is worse , threescore in his heart to keepe them from spending . lastly , a couetous man offendeth against the second commandement , for hee worships idols , in reposing so much confidence in his money . remedies against couetousnesse . chap. . albeit that * nature is little inough to satisfie a niggards mind , because hee is insatiable : yet notwithstanding , i will endeuor to bring him into the right way : first , let him thinke vpon the c fearefull alarums , which god by his prophets sounded against all couetous men . secondly , let him consider the pouertie of christ. thirdly , let him weigh with himselfe , how nature is content with a little , as for example , s elias was glad to eate bread and water : i daniel satisfied himselfe with pulse : n saint iohn baptist liued on locusts and wilde honey . fourthly , let the couetous man keepe good companie , and follow them that are vertuously disposed . fiftly , let him thinke on the euerlasting riches of the other world . sixtly , lette him consider of his ende and death . lastly , let the couetous man examine himselfe , and muse vpon the vnhappie liues and punishments , of such as haue beene couetous . calipha the soldan of egypt , hauing filled a tower with golde and pretious stones , and being in war with allan the king of tartarie , was at last taken captiue by him , & famished in that tower , wherein his treasure lay . more strange is that , which is reported of an archbishop of mogunce , who in the yeere of our lorde . foreseeing that corne would the next yeere be sold at an extreame rate , gathered together great store , and whorded the same vp in certaine garners , which he had built for the same purpose ; not with a godly intent to bring downe the price , but rather to enhaunce it for his own priuate commoditie . but behold the iudgements of god ; his seruants the next yeere ouerturning this whorded corne , founde cleane contrarie to their expectations snakes , adders , and vermine so thicke crept in , that it was impossible to saue ought thereof . the like , as i heard , hapned about a dozen yeeres agoe vnto a wicked niggard here in england . also , to mine owne remembrance , there was one in the yeere . that sent foure bushels of wheat ( euery one consisting of two bushels & a halfe of winchester measure ) into the market , and was offred . shillings for euery bushell , which he refused , hoping to get . shillings more on the next market day . but see the reward of couetousnes : wheat was thē sold for . shillings , & within . markets after for a noble , in somuch that that man , which refused to take . shillings for euery bushell , was now glad to haue a noble for the same . likewise a certain knight of oxfordshire punished very iustly ( but ouerseuerely ) the couetousnes of a priest , that denied the seruice of his office in the burying of a dead body , because his widow had not wherwith to pay him y e costs of the funeral . for the knight himselfe going to the buriall , caused the minister to be bound to y e corps , & so to be cast both into one graue . which done , he rode straightway to the court , & with some intercession begd his pardō of q. mary . the like fact i heard was put in practize by iohn maria duke of millan aboue an . yeers since . what shall i speake of the couetousnes of one peter vnticaro a spaniard ? who with certaine other christians , to the nūber of . hauing bene a long time withholden captiues in alexandria by the great turke , at lēgth in the yeere of our lord . conspired together for their deliuery , & by good lucke killed the gailer , and then entring into his chāber , foūd a chest , wherin were great store of double duckets , which this peter vnticaro , & two more opening , stuffed thēselues so ful as they could therewith , between their shirts & their skin ▪ which th' other christiās wold not once touch , but said , that it was their liberty , which they sought for , to the honour of god , & not to make a mart of the infidels wicked treasure . yet did these words sinke nothing into their stomacks . but within a while after , in a skirmish with the warder of y e prison , p. vnticaro & th' other . that were armed with y e duckets , were slain , as not able to weild thēselues , being so pestered with the weight and vneasie carriage of the duckets . now to end these remedies and fearfull punishments executed on couetous persons , i hold , that s couetousnesse is the roote of all euill , & the cheefest cause why god is offended with vs : to which also by his prophet he pronounceth wo , saying , woe bee vnto them that ioyne house to house , and lay field to field . a dehortation from couetousnesse . chap. . hauing heard so many remedies and fearefull examples , awake yee couetous men , and seeke to bee rich in god , and not in the fraile riches of this world , which consume away like rust , before you haue any fruition of them . distribute your goods vnto the needie , and purchase no more then serues your necessitie : yee knowe not whether your lands and goods shall be taken from you by the turkes , spaniardes , suretiships , fire , subsidies in the time of war , or any other discōmodities . in the yeere . diuers rich farmers and niggardes hearing that the spanish nauie was cōming to inuade this realme , and fearing therby the losse of all their graine and money which they had by the sea side , trāsported as much as they might into safer places : euen so , ye that bee rich , being aduertised of the wauering case of this world , see ye transport so much of your wealth , as possibly you may , into the house and purses of the poore : commit , i say , the custodie of your substaunce to christ himself , who in the day of iudgement will redeliuer the same vnto you with a glorious interest , & with a crown of gladnesse . remember the wordes of christ : ● o fooles , this night shall your soules be taken from you , then whose shall those things bee , which ye haue prepared ? euen theirs , who will make hauocke of them , and neuer thanke you once . forget not what hee commaundeth you in another place . s possesse not gold nor siluer , for r it is hard for them that haue riches , to enter into the kingdome of god : and n it is easier for a cammell to goe through the eye of a needle , then for a rich man to enter into heauen . wherefore , o ye rich , be not like to a dogge lying in the hay , which when he cannot eate himselfe , he will not with his barking , suffer the poore horses to eate thereof . oh resemble not cammels , who though they goe loaden with treasure , yet they eate nothing but hay . in fine , repent and turne to god , for hee is mercifull , and woulde not your destruction : giue almes , and make you bagges which waxe not olde , and a treasure which can neuer faile in heauen , where no theefe commeth , neither moth corrupteth . whether the couetous man be worse then the prodigall . chap. . couetousnes is one of the desires beside nature , and therefore more detestable thā prodigality , which for the most part , issueth from a generous spirit , and hath some tokens of grace and repentance : whereas contrariwise , couetousnes springeth in such , as are of base & dunghilled thoughts , which hardly may bee lift vp from the earth , and is so bred and inueterated in the bone , that it will neuer be rooted out . in a worde , the prodigall man doth good vnto many , by his lauish gifts , & by wise counsels may be brought to the square of liberalitie ; but the couetous man benefiteth none ; and ( as i sayd before ) is incurable , and as it were sicke of a dropsie , by reason of a dayly habite , which he hath taken in coueting . obiection . he that hurteth himself , is worse then he that hurteth another ; but such is the prodigall man : therefore hee is worse then the couetous man. answere . the couetous man hurteth himselfe , and others worse , by keeping that in his chest , which might credite himselfe , and releeue the needie : whereas on the contrarie , the prodigall man purchaseth friendes and good will by his spending , and otherwhiles helpeth others in their distresses . the eight part . of clemencie and courtesie . chap. . not onely reason consenteth , but also experiēce confirmeth , that of whō clemencie is abandoned , in him al other vertues are abolished : for what maketh a man seeme a god ? doth not clemencie ? surely , there is nothing that draweth neerer vnto diuinitie then it . the consideration wherof , procured by the contemplation of the notable frame of man ; prouoketh vs to bee zealous , and earnest to do our neighbour good , as not ignorant , howe that the pure grace and mercie of god , doe shine in euerie iust and honest man. wherefore , let princes , noblemen , and gentlemen , who know what vertue is , consider in howe vast a sea of inconueniences they wade connually for all their superficiall ports . let them , i say , waigh with themselues , that they bee but men ; and if for a momentarie while they frowne , and scorne to looke on their inferiours : what , will not the mightie iehouah , who noteth all mens hearts and gestures , contemne thē likewise : yea , yea , he wil also strike them with most horrible dartes of vengeance : therefore , for feare of the same , let men behaue themselues curteously , and imitate those famous wights , who by their curtesies haue merited perpetual honor . king henry the second of france , hauing in the yeere of our lord . licensed the duke of montmorency cōstable to chastise the rebellion of burdeaux , afterward gaue out a generall absolution , and forgaue euerie man. the like courtesie did the duke of guise , albeit he was a most bloudy tyrant , shewe vnto the prince of condie his prisoner , in that he spake reuerently vnto him , vsed him kindly , and permitted him to lie with him in one bed , which most men did not suppose that hee would haue done : for it is manifest , howe hatefull in ciuill broyles , the head of either faction is , so as if the one happen into the others hand , his vsage most commonly is vngentle , and his life in ieopardie . now by these and such like examples , let vs , who are reformed christians , follow the traces of gentlemen , & not like vnto heathenish canniballes , or irish karnes , persecute one another with capitall enmitie . finally , let vs againe , and againe ponder the wordes of our sauiour christ , who taught vs to bee courteous , and to forgiue our brethren not onely seuen times , but also seuentie times seuen . of modestie and bashfulnes . chap. . he that is impudent and neuer blusheth , is accounted lost , and ought to be banished from all vertuous company : but on a sodaine , * i saw him blush , therefore all is well . o noble modestie ! o honourable affection of the mind ! which deseruest to haue temples & altars dedicated vnto thee , as to a diuine goddesse : for what beautifieth the vertues ? modestie : what bridleth and tameth the furious passions of the mind ? modestie . in yong men shee is the badge of innocency , and greatly to bee commended : but b in old men she is vtterly dispraised ; the reason is , because shame fastnesse being once departed from a man , is irreuocable , and knoweth not howe to returne . but nowe alasse , in this old and spotted age of the world , youths , by reason of their parents fond indulgence , haue exceeded the limits of modestie , and are become so brazen-faced , that they will not sticke to outface & denie that which is most euident : they are i say , become so impudent and base minded , that they wil neither acknowledge any reuerēce to their elders , nor suffer thēselues to be aduised by their equalles , nor as yet look mildly on their inferiors . neuerthelesse , shamefastenesse in despight of al her aduersaries , shal be acceptable among wise men , and guide their hearts , as she did in times past . in the meane time , lette men thinke well of her , and note , whether she graceth yong men ; and then according to the effect , let them choose , whether they receiue her or no , of affabilitie . chap. . affabilitie is either a wittie vse of speech ; or a delightfull recreation of the mind ; or an amiable shew of countenāce . it is a wittie vse of speech , whē a man moueth mirth , either by the quicke chaunging of some sentence , or else by a counterfeit , extrauagant , and doubtful speech , as for example , a gentlemā on a time said vnto a gentlewoman , how now gentlewoman , what , al alone ? she eftsoone wittily answered : not alone , sir , but accōpanied with many honourable thoughts . in like sort , a merrie recorder of london , mistaking the name of one pepper , called him piper : whereunto the partie excepting , said , sir , you mistake , my name is pepper , not piper : the recorder answered : what differēce is there between piper in latin , and pepper in english ? there is , replied the other , as much difference betweene them , as is betweene a pipe and a recorder . affabilitie is a delightfull recreation of the mind , when we laugh moderately at those things , which wisely and chiefely touch some fonde behauiour of some one body , or when wee tickle some vice or other : as if a man should talk of a priuie theefe in this wise ; i haue one at home among all others , to whome there is no doore shut in all my house , nor chest lockt : meaning , that hee is a picklocke and a priuie theefe . howbeit , he might haue spoken these words of an honest seruant . affability is an amiable shew of coūtenance , as whē some great personage resaluteth the people cheerfully , & succoureth euerie one according to his power . whereby , as another s absalon , hee stealeth the hearts of the people . then they speake all , as it were in a diapazon : who can chuse but with all his heart loue this noble minded gentlemā , in whom all the sparks of aswell royall , as reall vertues do appeare ? but on the cōtrary , if a noble man , that is proud and haughty of countenance , should passe by them without any semblaunce of gentlenesse , they will thus descant of him : this man by his stately stalking , and portly gate ouer looketh powles steeple : he is as proude as lucifer , his pride will one day haue a fall . thus they read of him , be he neuer so high of degree : they care not who heares thē : their tounges are their owne . in respect whereof , i wish all gentlemen to behaue themselues affably , and courteously towards their inferiors . for whereby els is a gentleman discerned , saue by his gentle conditions ? let them therfore looke better & prie into themselues , & earnestly charge some of their most faithfull followers , to admonish them of their ouersights at conuenient seasons . of indulgence . chap. . indulgence is a fond , vaine , & foolish loue , vsed most commonly of parents towards their children . there is no vice so abhorred of wise men as this ; for they find by experience , that mo youths haue bene cast away through their parēts indulgence , then either through violent or naturall death . yea , i haue heard sundry gentlemen , when they came to yeeres of discretion , grieuously exclaime , and bitterly complaine of their parents fondnesse , saying : wee would to god that our parents had heretofore kept vs in awe and seuerity ; for now lacking that instruction , which we ought to haue , wee feele the smart thereof . vndoubtedly god wil one day demaund an account of them , and examine them , wherefore they respected not better their owne bowels . shall he blesse them with children , and they through blind indulgence neglect their education ? truly , it is a miserable case . in times past parents were wont to place their sonnes with wise gouernors , requesting them not in any case to let them haue their owne willes . but now adaies it falles out cleane contrary . for parents in these times when they hire a scholemaster , will first hearken after his gentle vsage , and then they will question with him touching the small salary , which they must pay him for his industry , so that forsooth now and then to be mindfull of this vice indulgence , they accept of a sow-gelder , or some pety grammatist , that will not sticke in a foole-hardy moode to breake priscians pate . with such a one they couenaunt , namely , that hee must spare the rodde , or els their children will be spild . within a while after assoone as their indulgent master hath taught them to decline stultus , stulta , stultum , as an adiectiue of three terminations , they bring them out of hand into the vniuersity , and there diligently do enquire after a milde tutour , with whome their tender sonnes might familiarly and fellow-like cōuerse . and what then ? mary , before a tweluemoneths end , they send for them home againe in all post haste to visit their mammes , who thought each day of their sonnes absence to bee a whole moneth . there they bee made sucklings during the next twelue moneth . well , now it is high time to suffer their ready dādlings to see new-fangled fashions at the innes of court. where being arriued , they suite themselues vnto all sorts of company , but for the most part vnto shriuers , caualeers , and mad-cappes , insomuch at the last , it will be their friends hard happe , to heare that their sweet sonnes are eyther pend vp in new-gate for their good deeds , or haue crackt a rope at tiburn . this is the effect of indulgence . this is their false conclusion , proceeding of their false premisses . now you must vnderstand , that if the parents had not thus cockered & 〈◊〉 their sonnes in their childhood , 〈◊〉 caused them to be seuerely looked vnto , they would not in the floure of their age haue come to such a miserable end . in the chronicle of the switzers , mētion is made of a certaine offendour , whom vpon his arraignement his owne father was compelled to execute , that so by the indulgent author of his life hee might come to his death . hither likewise may i referre that common story of a certaine woman in flaunders , who liuing about threescore yeeres agoe , did so much pamper two of her sonnes , that shee would neuer suffer them to lacke money ; yea , shee would priuily defraud her husband to minister vnto them . but at last she was iustly punished in them both , for they fell from dicing and rioting to stealing , and for the same one of them was executed by the halter , & the other by the sword , she her selfe being present at their wofull ends , whereof her conscience shewed her , that her indulgence was the onely cause . this ought to be a liuely glasse to all parents to prouide for their childrens bringing vp , and to purge them betimes of their wild and wicked humours , least afterwards they proue incurable , and of litle sprigs they become hard withered braunches . in briefe , o parents , correct your childrē , while they be young ; pluck vp their weedes , while they beginne , lest growing among the good seed they hinder their growth ; and permit them not so rathe , of prentises to become enfranchised freemen . in so doing , you may be assured , that they will easily be brought to study the knowledge of heauenly wisedome , and to embrace ciuility , the onely butte and marke , wherat the godly & vertuous do leuell , especially for gods glory , for their owne commodity , and for the goodnesse that thereby ensueth vnto the commonwealth in generall . of pride . chap. . pride is a bubbling or puffing of the minde , deriued from the opinion of some notable thing in vs , more thē is in others . but * why is earth & ashes proud ! seeing that when a man dieth , hee is the heire of serpents , beasts , & wormes ? who knoweth not , that god closely pursueth proud men ? who doubteth , that * he thūdreth , and scattereth them in the imaginations of their hearts , that he putteth downe the mighty from their seates , and exalteth the humble and meeke ? in somuch that * he which is to day a king , to morow is dead , wherefore , o wight , whosoeuer thou art that readest this booke , lay aside thy peacocks plumes , and looke once vpon thy feet , vpon the earth , i mean , wherehence thou camest . * though thou thinkest in thine heart , that thou art equall with god , yet thou art but a man , and that a sinfull man. in summe , wish not lordly authority vnto thy selfe , for hee that seeketh authority , must forethinke how hee commeth by it , and comming well by it , how hee ought to liue in it , and liuing well in it , hee must forecast how to rule it , and ruling discreetly , hee must oftentimes remember his owne frailty . of scurrility of scoffing . chapt. . even as i greatly commend affability and pleasant iestes : so i vtterly mislike and condemne knauery in iesting . for toungs were not giuen vnto men to scoffe and taunt , but rather to serue god , and to instruct one another . and as a litle fire may cōsume whole villages : so in like manner the toung , which is a kind of fire , yea , a world of calamity , polluteth the whole body , if it bee not refrained . for which cause , though there be some merry and conceited wit in a iest : yet we must beware , that we rashly bestow it not on them , whom we afterwards would not for any thing offend . therefore the respect of time , & consideration of the person is necessary in lesting . for we must not giue dry floutes at meales , least we be accounted ale-knights : wee must not taunt cholericke men , least they take it in ill part : we must not deride simple felowes , because they are rather to be pitied : nor yet wicked persons , for it behoueth to haue them rather punished , then laught to scorne . whether stageplayes ought to be suffred in a commonwealth ? chapt. . stageplaies fraught altogether with scurrilities and knauish pastimes , are intolerable in a wel gouerned common-wealth . and chiefly for six reasons . first , a all stageplayes were dedicated vnto bacchus the drunken god of the heathen , and therefore damnable . secondly , b they were forbidden by christian parliaments . thirdly , men spend their flourishing time ingloriously and without credit , in cōtemplating of plaies . all other things being spent may be recouered againe , but time is like vnto the latter wheele of a coach , that followeth after the former , and yet can neuer attayne equally vnto it . fourthly , * no foolish and idle talking , nor iesting should be once named amongst vs. fiftly , stageplaies are nothing els , but pompes and showes , in which there is a declining frō our beleefe . for what is the promise of christians at their baptisme ? namely , to renounce the diuell and all his workes , pompes , and vanities . sixtly , * stageplayes are the very mockery of the word of god , and the toyes of our life . for while we be at the stage , wee are rauished with the loue thereof , according to the wise mans wordes : it is a pastime for a foole to do wickedly ; * and so in laughing at filthy things , we sinne . of cruelty . chap. . there bee two sortes of cruelty : whereof the one is nothing els , then * a fiercenesse of the minde in inflicting of punishmēts . the other is a certain madnes , together with a delight in cruelty , of which brood i accoūt thē to be , who are cruell without cause . the causes , that procure cruelty , be three . the first is couetousnesse , for ( as the auncient latin oratour recordeth ) * madnesse is the father of cruelty , and couetousnesse is the mother thereof . the second is violence naturally ingraffed . the third cause of crueltie is ambition , which soweth in it a hope and desire of clyming higher . now to beautifie our subiect with examples , i bring forth first of all galeace sfortia duke of millan , who being wōderful wroth with a poore man , that by chaunce had taken a hare , which he in hunting before had lost , compelled him to eat the same raw , skinne , and all : further , the spaniards of all nations vnder the cope of heauen be most cruell , as appeared by their monstrous and horrible cruelties exercised vpon the miserable indians , whom they , in stead of alluring by faire means to the knowledge of the gospell , made some to be deuoured of dogs , and others to be cast downe headlong from steepe hilles . moreouer , many of our own coūtrymen haue bene eye-witnesse of their barbarous tyrannies . in the yeere of our lord . they brought with them hitherward gagges and such like torments to inflict vpon vs , if by gods mercifull prouidence they had not beene speedily preuented and miraculously confounded ; and i pray god all they may be so serued , that intend cruelly to vsurpe and incroche vpon other mens rights . neither with silence can i ouerskip the cruelties of cardinall albert , archduke of austria , and deputy of the lowe countries on the king of spaines behalfe . this cardinal , about foure yeeres since , hauing taken caleis in fraunce , spared not man , woman , nor child : but tigerlike caused them all to be butchered . likewise about a yeere and a halfe a-goe , the said cardinall departing from the low coūtries , with intēt to be maried vnto the king of spaines sister , that now is , left frauncis mendoza , admirall of aragon , his substitute to wage war in the low countries . but what cruelties this mendoza together with his ragged ●out hath committed within this twelue-moneth , the whole world reporteth ; and especially they of cleue land , his owne confederats to their vtter vndoing , can beare witnesse of the spanish cruelty . god of his goodnesse preserue our realme of england from their rauening clawes , & abate their pride which already beginnes to rise , and to assaile the reformed church of christ. the ninth part . of patience . chap. . patience is a vertue , that is exercised in tolerating mildly of iniurious words , of losse of goods , or of blowes . but alasse wee shall now-adaies sooner find them , that wil do away themselues , rather then they will beare any thing patiently ; the reason of this their impatiēce is , because they know not the effects of patience , which are these following , namely , first , to hope well , and then if any thing happen besides their expectations , to beare the same patiētly . secōdly , * not to be moued without a cause . thirdly , not to giue place to any trouble . fourthly , not to enuy them , which manage , although simply , matters of estate . fiftly , a patient man must spare him , that hath offended him being his weaker , and must spare himselfe , if his stronger hath iniuried him . for what skilleth it , whether fortune alway displeaseth thee ? canst not thou cōtemne her frownes , & accōpany god the authour of all things without murmuring ? consider with thy self , how god tempteth some good men with aduersity , lest that long prosperity should puffe vp their minds with pride , & how he suffereth others to be molested with pensiuenesse and damages , that thereby they might confirme the vertues of their mindes . perhaps thou complainest of sickenesse , or of sturdy seruaunts . admit thou art so vexed , yet notwithstanding remember , that * there is no passion so great , no calamity so grieuous , whose waight mans nature fayleth to sustaine . follow the example of casimire duke of polonia , who playing at dice with a certaine nobleman of his realme , chaunced to winne a great summe of money , and thereupon would needes giue ouer . but the nobleman , whose money hee chiefly wonne , was there at so fiercely moued , that hee stroke his duke , and by the benefit of the night escaped away scotfree . neuerthelesse , the next day following hee was apprehended and brought before the duke , euery man beleeuing , that he should lose his head . yea , many of the barons perswaded the duke to put him to death . whereunto his grace aunswered in this wise : truely , i know no cause , why i should punish him , seeing that , whatsoeuer hee did , was done in rage : my selfe rather am woorthy of blame , for that i vsed such vnseemely gaming ; wee must giue losers leaue to chafe . but to returne to my matter , percase thou art poore : suppose thou be ; canst thou not by study ouerwhelme this griefe ? nature is with a little satisfied . i am banished , thou sayest , and by enuious flatterers brought into disdaine among my chiefest friends . what ? wilt thou therefore torment thy body and mind , and deface the workemanship of god ? no ▪ for these misfortunes are not peculiar to thee alone , but common eyther early or late vnto all mortall creatures . let the freedome of thy banishment comfort thee , as that , which is farre to be preferred before domesticall seruitude . in fine , forget not to thinke vpon those famous wights , who chaunced to be buried in a forraine soile . of anger . chap. . although i haue written of this furious vice * els where : yet notwithstanding , i will aduenture once againe to expresse the same in a more familiar tongue ; & to make it appeare the more easie , i hold anger to be daungerous for nine reasons . first , it is contrary to gods spirit , for where by it wee are borne anew & of wild wolues made tame sheep : so contrariwise anger corrupteth vs , & of sheep reduceth vs to be wolues . secondly , anger permitteth not a man to follow good & wholesome counsels , nor to consider of that , which he hath to do . thirdly , anger is accōpanied with ambition , & causeth a man to slay himselfe , as for exāple , & aiax seing that the grecians had preferred vlisses before him , and had bestowed vpon him the armour of achilles as a recompence of his wisedome , fell mad , and in his madnesse killed himselfe . fourthly , anger maketh a man to reueale secrets like to a drunkard . fiftly , anger diffigureth a man , for it causeth him to stammer and hack in his speech , to waxe red , to looke pale ; yea , it causeth his bloud to boyle , as if there were a torche put vnder : his eies sparkle , he biteth his lips , he beateth the boord with his fist , he stampeth against the ground , and flingeth , and ouerturneth all things , that are next about him . sixtly , anger thirsteth greatly after reuenge . seuenthly , a anger disturbeth all things , and is the cause of all euill . eightly , anger destroieth all the vertues . lastly , b anger is the beginning of madnesse . remedies against anger . chap. . even as they that feare to be besieged , do beforehand prepare victuals to auoid famine , and also bulwarks , and warlike engines to repell the enemy , and defend themselues : so in like maner they , that see themselues naturally disposed to anger , ought to premeditate , and find out beforehand certaine medicines for the same ; with which being made mild , they may resist anger , or at least so temper themselues , that they may not be afflicted . in consideration whereof , i will sette downe tenne kindes of salues . the first is , that the angrie man c let not the sunne go downe vpon his wrath : nor delay it , for feare lest delayed anger breede hatred . the second remedie , the angrie man must haue a lowly and humble spirit , and * addict his mind to pietie , and to the reading of the scriptures . the third , he must not be too credulous , curious , nor superfluous in any thing . the fourth , he must perswade himselfe , how that euerie man is by nature , dull , weake , and fraile , and therefore hard for his seruants to please him . the fift salue against anger is , that the angrie mā reade the treatises of philosophers concerning patience , and gather some flowers thereof into a breuiarie . the sixt , he must whē some haue offended him , repeate ouer some tract or other , before hee bee throughly angrie . the seuenth , let the angrie man bethink with himselfe , touching the ilfauoured countenance of such , whom hee saw angrie ; and when he himselfe is angrie , hee must take a looking-glasse in his hand , and therein beholde the fashion of his face , and whether it bee altered or no. the eight , the angrie patient must eschew such meates as ingender choller , and eate the contrarie : and , if yet he amende not , hee must repaire to the phisicion , and either purge that cholericke humour , or else vse phlebotomie . the ninth , lette him muse vpon the passion of our sauiour christ. the tenth and last salue is , that hee waigh with himselfe the vncertaintie of this life , and consider of the ioyes of heauen , and of the torments of hell . remedies against aduersitie , and losse of worldly goods . chap. . when i consider with my selfe the instabilitie of this fickle worlde , and beholde the aduersitie , which sundrie honest men sustaine , i am prickt in conscience , and enforced to impart those fewe medicines which i knowe , vnto the view of the worlde . z gold and siluer haue i none , yet such as i haue , that giue i vnto you . my first remedie is , that the afflicted person haue recourse to god , & heartily beseech his maiestie to forgiue him all his sinnes . the second , the distressed patient must beleeue , that all aduersities whatsoeuer , tend to some scope or other , namely , for our misdemeanours towardes god , or for our triall : and for this cause it is expedient , that hee reioyce and bee glad , that god hath such a respect vnto him , in chastizing him in this worlde . the third remedie is , that hee perswade himselfe to bee free , and his owne man : whereas others liue in subiection to their diuelish pelfe , and are toyled with legions of troubles . this the patient philosopher confirmeth : whosoeuer ( quoth hee ) careth and feareth the losse of worldly things , or wisheth for temporall goods , is not his owne man , nor at libertie . the fourth salue for aduersitie is , that the patient man read ouer the scripture diligently , and there beholde , as in a cleere glasse , the aduersitie and pouertie of christ & his disciples . the fift remedie in such a case is , to n confer with some familiar friend : for that easeth the minde , and by talking thus in counsell with a faithfull friend , the spirits recouer their former vertue and strength . the sixt , that he either reade himselfe , or heare some other reading the treatises of morall philosophie , namely , seneca the philosopher , plutarch , boetius , and petrarch . the seuenth , that he b resolue himselfe to be cōstant , stout , and patiēt , for it is a fond thing to seeke the auoyding of that , which cannot by any meanes bee auoyded . the eight medicine is , that hee premeditate with himself , after what maner he might beare his aduersitie , that is , whether it be better to dwell in his owne country , or in a forraigne land : and whether hee should applie himselfe to this or that occupation : the ninth reason is to remēber , that a mans minde is more vehemently stirred vp to religion in aduersitie , rather thē in prosperitie . the tenth and last is , to busie himselfe with labours , & to exercise his body dayly , that thereby he may the sooner forget his woonted griefs . there be some , that giue three naturall purgations or remedies for sorrow , to witte , weeping , sighing , fasting . but these in my iudgement are very hurtful , for they impaire the force of the body , & deface the handie-worke of god. the tenth part . of friendship . chap. . friendship ought to be had in regard among mortall men , chiefely for seuen reasons : first , because s there is a certain desire of friends , to know the miseries of their friends . secondly , friendshippe ought to be respected for the friendly similitude , which is between god & good men . thirdly , because i there is nothing more agreeable to nature , and more conuenient , as well to prosperitie , as to aduersitie , then it . fourthly , for that one friend will helpe another in doubtfull matters . fiftly , n a friend will defend a friend in his absence . sixtly , friendshippe is prayse-worthie among men , because it is regarded among birdes , and also , among things which are without life : as for example , there is friendshippe betweene the peacocke and the doue : betweene the chough and the heron : vines loue the elme tree : the mirtle likewise is a friende to the oliue : and if the almond growe alone , it prooueth altogither vnfruitfull . lette vs prie into mineralles , and we shall see friendshippe betwixt the loadstone and the iron , and betweene the emerald and golde : if wee consider of heauenly bodies , wee shall finde , that mercurie , luna , sol , and iupiter , are friendes to saturne , and that mars and venus are his enemies . all the planets sauing mars and saturne , are friendes to iupiter . finally , among friendes al things are common , for n a friend is a second selfe . howe a man should know his friend . chap. . many there bee , that meeting by chance either in trauelling , or at ordinaries , do beleeue , that frō that instāt a sure league of friendshippe is established betweene them , which in good truth can neuer bee so , by reason that in the time of triall there is no more effect of such friends , then betweene the crowe and the kite , of whom ( as the fable goeth ) when it happened to the one to bee bare of plumes , and would needes borrow some , the other answered , that hee had no more then was sufficient for him . of this ranke was king richard the second of this realme , who in the yeere of our lorde . created henrie bolling brooke earle of darby , duke of hereford , and foure other earles , at that time made hee dukes , and parted landes among them , thereby thinking to haue gotten firme friendes . but boughtfriendes are seldome sure , as being like vnto arabian ●auens , who so long as they are full , doe make a pleasant noyse , but being emptie , they yeelde a fearefull crie . so in like maner it chanced to this king richard , as being shortly after deposed by the duke of hereford ( afterwarde king henrie the fourth ) whom , as i say de before , he had friendly aduaunced to that honour . wherefore a man that would bee circumspect , and know his friend , must principally knowe these positions . first , lette him consider , whether his friend bee ambitious : because that z ambition is fearefull , and for the least crosse of fortune , wil forsake true friendship . secondly , whether his friend bee couetous , for that a couetousnesse selleth friendshippe , faith , and honestie . thirdly , let him prooue his friend aforehand in matters of importance , for if he then go forwarde with a readie affection , hee may bee assured of him against the next time : but if hee once stagger , or seeme colde that way , hee knoweth what he hath to doe . of flatterie . chap. . flatterie is hardly discerned from friendshippe , by reason that in euery motion of the minde , it is glozingly intermingled with it , but in their deedes they are meere aduersaries , for flatterie dissenteth from it in al vertuous actions . this a wife man will soone espie , and that especially by these tokens . first , a flatterer is accustomed to prayse a man before his face , and yeeldeth his consent with him in all matters , as well bad as good . secondly , a b flatterer is wont to commend the deformitie of his friend , when hee is present , and to admire his stammering voyce . thirdly , a flatterer , when a man hath neede of him , turneth his backe . fourthly , a flatterer will take vpon him at first to contradict a man , & by little & little hee will yeeld as vanquished , and will shake handes with him : these bee the properties of a flatterer , of whome let euerie honest man beware ; for ( as the poet sayth ) * wicked poyson lurketh vnder the sweetest honey . and it is better to fall among a companie of crowes , then to come among flatterers , because they will not pecke a man till hee bee dead , whereas flatterers will not spare to deuoure a man being aliue . obiection . a flatterer will smoothe and consent with you in all things , therefore hee is not vitious . answere . a flatterer is either an ape by imitation , for hee will soothe a man so long till hee hath gotten somewhat by him . a shadow by deceite , for he quickly passeth . a basiliske by stinging , for with his very sight hee woundeth a man. of ingratitude , with a remedie against it . chap. . because ingratitude is the greatest token of all vices , and because the earth bringeth foorth nothing worse then an ingratefull man : i will anatomize both the vice , and the louer thereof : first , in respect of our vnthankfulnesse towardes god , and next , in consideration of so many ingratefull wretches , that liue in these accursed dayes . our first parents hauing receiued vnspeakeable benefites at the handes of god , as beeing created by him after his owne likenesse , and then constituted as monarchs ouer all other liuing creatures , shewed themselues ingratefull for the same , by eating of the forbidden apple . whose examples wee imitating , doe persist , or rather surpasse them in ingratitude , as , in forgetting gods exceeding loue , when he spared not his onely begotten sonne , but gaue him euen to shamefull death for our saluation . moreouer , wee are vnthankfull vnto him for his singular care and fauour , which hee exhibited in opening our stone-blinde eyes , and in lifting vs out of the darke pitte of errours , wherein our forefathers by the illusions of the fiende , and of his member the pope , were enthralled , and in a maner sunke . wee are vnthankfull towardes men , when wee deface with forgetfulnesse the good turnes which wee haue receiued of our friendes . this abominable kinde of vsage is at this instant too much practised by our owne countrymen and neighbours : for it so comes to passe , that the greater the benefites are , the greater most oftentimes is the ingratitude : and i knowe not who among the rest bee more vnthankfull , then children towardes their parents , and schollers towardes their teachers , who in steede of thankes , doe recompence them with disobedience , lyes , curses , slaunders , and what not ? o detestable sinne ! not the fowles of the ayre , who altogether are ignorant of reason , haue euer exercised the same . wee reade , that * a yong man falling by chaunce among theeues , and crying out , was saued by a dragon , who by him being nourished , straightway knewe his voyce , and came to helpe him . it is sayde of the storke , that so often as shee hath yong ones , shee casteth one out of her nest into the chimney , for a guerdon and rewarde vnto him , that suffered her to lodge there . oh , i would , that all they which delight in the contrarie , had beene subiect to the persian king , for doubtlesse then they would repent them of their ingratitude , when they should see their neckes in the halter . the persians knewe , that r the man , which of benefits receiued proued vnthankfull , was not worthie to liue . lette men therefore beware , whom they accept into their fauour and houses , for it may be , their ghestes will become as gratefull vnto them , as the adder , whome the husband man , finding almost dead in the snowe , brought home and cherished . s which adder being thus entertained , within a while after in lieu of his fostering , infected all the whole house with his poyson . now touching a preseruatiue against this vice of ingratitude , mine opinion is , that men haue a good respect howe they bestow their benefites , a seeing it is impossible for a wise man to bee vnmindfull of a good turne : and if they conferre their giftes vpon fooles , they are worse then mad , because they shall perceiue in the end , that a fooles acquaintance will stand them in no steade . of hatred , and the punishment thereof . chap. it is strange nowe-a-dayes to see , how one man is a woolfe to another , and how their whole imaginations are set on nought else , saue on destruction and bloud . although they speake gently , and vtter the wordes of the holy prophets , yet * in their mustie mindes they repose the foxes subtilties , and hating their brethren , are s as sounding brasse and tinkling cimballes . for which cause , lette not beastes excell vs , who are wont to conuerse with all other of the same kinde , and doe right kindly loue together . lette vs not , i say , bee at variance amongst our selues , and suffer the diuell to haue his tryumphant will , by prouoking vs to further mischiefe , and like promooters , to lay trappes for our enemies . to fall out for euerie strawe , and to reuenge euerie iniurie , is as if one member of the body should rebell against another : and to say the truth , doe we not dayly see , howe these kindes of contentious men are ouermet withall , and ouerthrowne in their owne inuentions ? albeit they flourish for a while , yet notwithstanding , at last they haue their deserts : for god , when hee strikes , strikes home , and to the quicke . for manifestation wherof , i will propose certaine late examples , and which haue chanced within this last age . in the yeere of our lord . ceasar borgias determining to poyson a cardinall , and others , inuited them to supper , and for that purpose , sent before a flaggon of wine that was infected with poyson , by a seruant , that knew nothing of the matter , commanding that no man should touch them : but such is the iudgement of god , who in the execution of iustice , raiseth one tyrant to kil another , and breaketh the brands of fire vpon the head of him that first kindled it : pope alexander the sixt , cesar borgias his father , comming by aduenture in somewhat before supper , and ouercome with the exceeding drought of the weather , called for drinke : and because his own prouision was not as thē brought from the palace , he that had the infected wine in charge , thinking it to bee recommended to his keeping for wine most excellent , gaue the pope to drinke of the same wine , which cesar borgias his bastard sonne had sent : who likewise arriuing , while his father was drinking , drunke also of the same wine ; being but iust , that they both should tast of the same cup , which they had prepared for others . in the yeere of our lord . the duke of guise purposing to sacke the citie of orleans , wrote vnto the queen mother , that within foure and twentie howres after he would send her word of the taking of orleans , wherein hee would not spare any man , woman or childe whatsoeuer : and that after hee had kept his shrouetide therein , hee would in such sort spoile and destroy the towne , that the memorie thereof should be extinct for euer . but man purposeth , and god disposeth : for the same day , as the duke about euening returned from the camp to the castle , where he lodged , minding to execute that , which he had written vnto the queene , a yong man named iohn poltrot , hauing long time before intended to giue the stroke , stayed for him in the way , as hee returned to his lodging , and discharged his pistoll laden with three bullets at him , whereof the duke presently after died . in like maner the duke his sonne , hauing occasioned that bloudy massacre at paris in the yeere . and purposing in the yeere . vtterly to roote the protestants out of the realme , was himselfe slaine through the commaundement of the french king his soueraigne , whom he a litle before most traiterously had iniuried . by these and such like examples , let vs take heed , how wee entrap one another ; yea , let vs beware , how we curse & lay in waite for our chiefest enemies . vengeance is gods , and he will reward . briefly , let vs embrace loue , and friendly agree together in christ iesu. for * loue deferreth wrath : it is bountifull : loue enuieth not : loue doth not boast it selfe : it is not puffed vp : it reioyceth not in iniquity , but in the truth : it suffereth all things : it beleeueth all things : it hopeth all things : it endureth al things . of enuy. chap. . not without reason are vices named brutish , for they be all borrowed from brute beasts . niggardize we haue from the hedgehog : pride from the lion : anger from the wolfe : gluttony frō the beare : sluggishnesse frō the asse : & enuy from the dog . all which saue enuy may sophistically be iustified : as for example , niggardize is shadowed vnder the number and care of wife and children , and otherwhiles vnder the vaile of pouerty . pride pleadeth , that familiarity breeds contempt , and that she must obey the importunity of the times . anger alleadgeth the ingratitude of men , the indignity of iniuries , the disparagement and shame , that may follow by too much patience . gluttony sheweth , that hee hath a strong constitution of body , a good stomack to his meat , and therefore hang sorrow and kill care . sluggishnesse declareth , that labour and study consume the vitall spirites , that he , which sleepes well , thinkes no harme , and he that thinks no harme , pleaseth god. thus euery vice for the most part can shrowd it selfe vnder some cloake or other . but , enuy , where is thy excuse ? truly , thou hast nothing to say for thy selfe . onely thou meanest to escape away scotfree , because thou art concealed in mans heart , as being like vnto a tree , which in outward appearaunce seemeth to be most beautifull , and is full of faire blossomes , but inwardly is rotten , worme-eaten , and withered . now a-daies thy subiects beare all the sway , they put men by the eares , they are the petifoggers , they the politicians , and who but they ? alasse , * there is no man , that enuieth not another mans prosperity . what then shall we further expect ? nothing , but the comming of the great iudge . wee see all things fulfilled ; wee see the father enuious against the sonne , the sonne against the father ; to bee short , wee see one brother enuious against another . now is that golden prophesie of the greeke oratour come to passe : to wit , * when equity and the common good are ouerturned by enuy , then must wee thinke that all things are turned topsy turuy . examples aswell domesticall as forraine be infinite concerning enuy : howbeit at this time i will rehearse but one , and that a forraine one . in the yeere of our lord . the duke of medina , seing that our english fleet had burnt the spanish nauy , & had takē the towne of cales , and doubting that the other nauy , which he had at s. lucas would either be compelled to yeeld , or pay ransome , was so enuious of our happy successe , that he caused it immediatly to be set on fire , so that to spare a reasonable redemption , he rashly lost twelue millions of gold , which ( as it is credibly reported ) the nauy valued . amongst other sins , which the turks account deadly , this of enuy is not held to be the least . for ( say they ) no man whatsoeuer shall euer come to the ioyes of paradise , although in all other things he be neuer so dutifull to please god , except he be first throughly cleansed frō this sinne of enuy. repent therfore , thou sensuall and enuious man , and aske god forgiuenes from the very bottome of thy heart . repent , i say , and god will heale thy * wound , which chirons hand can neuer do : no nor phoebus , nor aesculapius , phoebus his deare sonne ; no nor all the world besides . of calumniation and slaunder . chapt. . even as they , which lay siedge vnto cities , do not inuade their enemies ; where they see the walles strong and massy , but where they perceyue there is small resistance , and where they see the place easie to be scaled : so they , that pretend to backbite & slaunder others , do note what is most pliable and weake in the hearers mind , that thereto they may conueigh their artillery , and bring in their weapons , which are falshood , craft , and periury . this done , they tickle the hearers eares , and rubbe them as it were with a pen : so that most cōmōly the accusers are beleeued , & they , that are accused , are not called to giue answere . but in my iudgement they , that lend their eares to these curre-dogs barking , are no lesse to be reproued , then the barkers themselues , because they winke at such imperfections , & will not exchange stripe for stripe , i meane , because they will not punish and correct such slaunderers . of this brood i reckon many of our raskall trencherknights , who not onely wind themselues in by subtill deuices , but also set their tongues to sale for a morsell fo pasty-crust , and take a delight to sow dissention betwixt man and wife , and betwixt brother and brother . examples i need not produce , for our pillories beare euident witnesse of their slaunderous dealings . leaue therfore to accuse your brethren , to snap honest men by the shinnes , and to raile and scoffe at them , that will not in any case intermeddle with you . be like vnto newe borne babes , and couet the milke of loue , that so you may not bee guilty of that sentence , which the holy ghost pronounced , namely , that * whosoeuer hateth his brother , is a man-slayer . the eleuenth part . of the intellectuall vertues . of art ; and whether art be better then nature ? chap. . this name of art hath foure significations . first , it is taken for the vniuersall perfection of art , which wee comprehend in god. so we say , that * the world , and all that therein is , were made by gods art . secondly , the name of art is put for the similitude and shadow of that , which shineth in beasts , birds , flies , & such like . in this sence it is said , that the spider shewed vnto vs the art of spinning . the bee taught vs to conforme things in order . the fish learned vs the art of swimming . thirdly , the name of art is extended to the general habit of the mind , as farre forth as we do any thing by it , that is seperated from nature . so grammar , rhetorick , musick , arithmetick , logick , geometry , and astronomy are called artes. likewise in this sence prudence is named the art of composing mans actions : science the art of discerning the truth . fourthly , the name of art is taken for that true forme of art , which is distinguished from the other habites of the mind , as farre forth as it is defined an habit of the mind ioyned with true reason , apt to effect . in this signification i terme it here an intellectuall vertue . herehence ariseth that doubtfull question , to wit , whether art be better then nature ? to this i aunswere negatiuely , perswaded specially by these three reasons . the first , * the essence of a thing is better then the accident of a thing : nature is an essence , & art an accident , therefore nature is better then art. the second , nature worketh inwardly , and altereth the inward habit of the mind , but art only effecteth outwardly , & chaungeth the outward forme : therefore art is not better then nature . finally , nature is ioyned with god , according to that common sentence , god & nature do make nothing in vaine : but art is ioined with man , and by reason of mans weakenesse is subiect to innumerable errours : therefore nature is farre better then art. obiection . that which is later in birth , is first in excellency and perfection : art is in birth later then nature : therefore it is more excellent in perfection . aunswere . your rule onely holdeth in corruptible things , namely , while that which is first stayeth for the next which followeth . but when the essence is compared with the accident ( as now it is ) the essence is farre more excellent , and by a consequence nature is better then art , and your sentence false . of science or knowledge . chap. . the name of science is taken foure maner of waies . the first , it is vsed for euery certaine knowledge of a thing . so wee say that the snow is white , the crow black , the fire hot . the second , the name of science is taken for euery true habite of the mind separated from the knowledge of the sences ; in which signification hippocrates proued phisick to be a science . the third , it is vsed more properly for euery habit gotten by demonstration , separated from the habit of actiō : in this sence supernatural philosophy is named the chiefest science . the fourth , the name of science is takē more strictly for a habit gotten by demonstration separated from wisedome ; in which last signification naturall philosophy , & the mathematickes are called sciences , and supernaturall philosophy is termed humane diuinity . the benefits , that come by this intellectuall vertue , are three . first , it aswageth mans mind beyng rude and barbarous , and maketh it capable of true reason . secondly , science setleth a mans mind in constancy and discretion , that he may spend his life to the welfare and good estate of his countrey . thirdly , it causeth a man to end his dayes honourably , with an vndoubted beliefe of euerlasting life . of vnderstanding . chap. . vnderstāding is an habit of the mind , whereby as with an eye wee behold the principles aswell of practise as of contēplation . i say with an eye , because that the same , which the sight is in the body , vnderstanding is within the soule . this vertue is the reward of faith , * the spirit of god , y t sunne that giueth glorious light vnto all the world . in a word , this vertue * is as it were the guide & gouernesse of the soule . and yet all mē are not endued therewith , for now & then it hapneth , that we know more then we vnderstād . and except we pray feruētly vnto god , we cannot with all our paines & worldly labours attaine vnto it . our eyes are blinded , and must be opened . christ , i meane , must breathe on vs , that we may receyue the holy ghost . the consideratiō of this moued anaxagoras the philosopher to affirme , that * vnderstāding was the cause of the world , and of all order . this likewise moued the prince of philosophers to * proue the immortality of the soule by vnderstanding . to be brief , by the help of this vertue the soule seeth god , and examineth the first causes of nature and vniuersall formes . of prudence . chap. . all the authority and maiestie of a prince cōsisteth in the opiniō of prudence ; for euen as the sicke man obeyeth the wise physician , and the passenger hearkeneth vnto the skilfull pilot : so in like maner subiectes are obedient vnto their prudent prince , & will gladly follow whatsoeuer he prescribeth vnto them . o peerelesse paragon ! o noble prudence ! thou a rairest downe knowledge and vnderstanding , and bringest to honor , thē , that possesse thee . thou defendest our commonwealth from the spanish yoke . b thou holdest the supremacie in felicity , and sauest vs from aduersity . take away this iewell , & our liues will be filled with folly , wickednesse , and barbarisme . this politiciās do very wel know ; for how is it possible , that a common-wealth should be well ruled , vnlesse the gouernours thereof do perfectly & prudently vnderstand the nūber of souldiers , the loue of the leaguers , the scituation of the countrey , & the nature of the inhabitaunts ? king henry the seuenth therefore her maiesties graundfather deserueth great commendations , in that hee kept a priuate booke for that purpose , & therein registred the force of his realme , & the treasure , which yeerely his officers receiued into the excheker . as concerning the nature of people , i find that windy places do make men sauage , and inconstant , and that in calme countreys they become ciuill & courteous . also , we see , that they , which dwell neere the sea , and farre from london , are for the most part more fierce and hardy , then those , which liue in the midst of england . moreouer , it behoueth a prudent man to consider , that some kind of people be angry by nature , some be impudent , some fearefull , and othersome be giuen to newfangled fashions , to drunkenesse , and lechery . in like maner , a the nature of englishmen is to be couragious , to neglect death , to abide no torment , and therfore b in no place shall you see malefactours go more constantly , more assuredly , and with lesse lamentation to their death , then in england . the nature of welshmen is kind , haughty , and prodigall of life and bloud . the irish are accounted rude and couragious : which doubtlesse proceeds of their countries cold climate : for , as the philosopher saith , * they that liue in the north , and in a cold countrey are commonly called treacherous . to end this chapter of prudence , i thinke it expedient , that a prudent man yeeld vnto the necessity of the time , and take heed , that anciēt lawes & customes be not altered , because * they are the foūdations of a cōmonwealth , whereof if any be changed , the whole building must consequently fall to wrack and destruction . of sapience or wisedome . chap. . wisedome among the auncient heathen was no other thing , but a certaine kind of prudence to manage and handle great causes & matters of policy , a which profession beginning in solon , did cōtinue , and was taken vp from man to man as a sect of philosophy . but wisedome among christians hath obtained a higher title , to wit , a knowledge to expound the word of god concerning our saluation redeemed through his sonne iesus christ. this is that diuine vertue , which was ordayned from euerlasting , before any thing was made : b before the earth , the seas , the hilles , and the riuers were , she was conceyued and brought forth . when god prepared the heauens , shee was present : when hee enuironed the sea with her bankes , and layd the foundations of the earth , shee was with him , making all things : and shee delights to be with the children of men . the chymistes write , that one dragme of their power of proiection will turne a thousand dragmes of any mettall into gold . what then shall the least grayne of the celestiall powder of wisedome be able to effect ? verily , it will lift whole milliōs of soules out o● sathans net , and will transport them vp into the highest spheare : where for euer residen● , they shall enioy vnspeakeable pleasures . for this cause the emperour charles the fourth went on a time to a colledge in prage , to heare diuinity disputations there , and remained standing aboue foure howres . and when his courtiers , to whome that kind of exercise seemed irksome , told him , that his supper was ready , hee aunswered , that the hearing of those disputations was more pleasant vnto him , then all the suppers in the world . what greater testimonies of fauour towards wisedome can we wish , thē those of the princes of england , who frankly and freely granted such large charters & priuileges vnto the . vniuersities of this realme ? surely i should be too ingrateful , if i do not remēber in this place elizabeth our gracious soueraigne , who so spareth neither care nor means to preferre scholers , that shee meriteth the name of the nurse of wisdome . next , the lord archbishop of canterbury , that now is , deserueth to be had in remembrāce , in that hee daily purgeth the church of spots and schismes , and aduaunceth all students , euery man according to his desertes . likewise , sir thomas egerton lord keeper so tendereth & fostereth the professours of true wisedome , that he is worthily named the reuiuer and restorer of wisedome : yea , i haue heard it sundry times blazed , that englād neuer had the like zealous patron of scholers . there be also other furtherers of wisedome , whome i leaue to name , by reason that our bookes , which continually are published , do royalize and eternize their heroical names . god continue them in their noble minds . to finish this discourse , i aduise al mē both high and low , which haue an entraunce in them towards god , to coūtenaunce the followers of wisedome , and to strike an euerlasting league of amity with them . as for worldly wisedome , i wish them not so pretiously to esteeme it , as they doe : for what else are the wise men of this world , saue gay politicians , machiauellians , and niggards , falsely vnder the colour of wisemen , purloyning the poore , and preparing their owne selues to be ▪ scourged of the diuell , and to bee scorched in the fierie flames of hell ? of the ignorance of our times . chap. . n alas , what ignorance leadeth wretches astray , and bringeth them into a wrong way cleane contrarie from happinesse and knowledge ? the egyptians accounted it a most grieuous calamitie , to endure the e darknesse which god sent them by moyses but three dayes . howe much more ought wee to bee afraide , when wee remaine all our liues time in the night of ignorance ? manie there bee , that wish our colledges to be vtterly suppressed , and our schooles of learning to bee made barnes or wooll-houses , which were euen to wish vs peasaunts and witals like themselues . but god forbid , that any such ignorant wishes should be fulfilled . sooner z shall the earth bring foorth starres , and the heauens be eared with plowes : then that barbarisme and ignorance should in such sort ouerflow vs. take the sunne out of the firmament , and the light from the skie : what else would the world seeme , saue a massie chaos , or a rude and confused lumpe ? in like maner , if learning bee extinguished , would not wee become dizarts or cuckoes ? nay , to seeke the decay and abolishing of learning , is to prepare a way for atheisme , & consequently , to put a mart or market for the diuell . o foolish libertines , and besotted with too much pleasure ! you know , how to prize a fat bullocke , howe to buy this tenement or that tenement of landes , and hauing bought it , you know how to marle it , trim it , and stocke it ; you knowe right well howe to defray your money , to defraud your brethren of that , which god hath allotted vnto them . to bee short , you know howe to winke at iniustice , to receiue bribes , to fawne , and otherwhiles to pawne your credite for your priuate commodities : yea , & which is worse , you know holes , crochets , and quiddities , whereby you may ( as you thinke ) redeeme , or indeed infringe your pawned credite . and yet notwithstanding for all this , you make your selues so blinde , that you list not to know , where perfect goodnesse lyeth hidden . wherefore in fine repent , ( a ) cause your eares to hearken vnto wisedome , and encline your hearts to vnderstanding : for if you call after knowledge , and crie for vnderstanding , if you seeke her as siluer , and search for her as treasures , then shall you vnderstand the feare of the lord , and finde the knowledge of god. the end of the first booke . the second booke of the golden-groue moralized . the first plant. of a family , and the diuision thereof . chap. . because euery commonwealth is composed of families , & the parts of a familie bee those , whereof it is immediatly compacted : i will first declare , what a familie is , and then lay down the diuision therof . a familie is a cōmunion and fellowship of life betweene the husband & the wife , the parents & childrē , and betweene the master and the seruant . now touching the diuision of a family , i finde , that it is diuided into foure parts , whereof the first is matrimoniall , that is , of man and wife , the second is fatherly , to wit , of parents and children : the third part is masterly : namely , of masters & seruants : the fourth is , the acquisitiue , or getting facultie . all which parts of a family , i mean , god willing , to decipher . there be foure kinds of matrimonie . chap. . very children knowe , that there bee foure kinds of matrimonie : namely , that of honour , of loue , of toyle , and of griefe . the matrimonie of honor is said to be tripartite . the first is metaphysical , and supernatural , wherby god and mans nature do mystically meete together . the effect whereof , was in the incarnation of our sauior christ. the second degree of the matrimonie of honour is , when god & the soule are combined , euen by grace and glorie . the third is , when god & his church meete together , and are vnited in one mystical body . the matrimonie of loue is , when an honest man and an honest woman are linked together by god , for the propagation of mankind . the matrimony of toyle , & that which is most cōmon in this last rotten world , is , when men choose wiues not by the eares , that is , for their good report ; but by the fingers , to witte , for their large dowries ; not in hope of issue , but in regard of their outward beautie , which fadeth away like the lillies of the fielde . the matrimonie of griefe is nothing else , but the coniunction of the wicked and the reprobate : this kinde of matrimonie was of late veeres put in vre and vse , by the sect of the family of loue . the causes why matrimonie was instituted . chap. . god hauing finished the workmāship of the world , created of euery sexe two , male & female , & last of al he made man after his own image , giuing him for a copartner , a womā formed of the mans own rib , whō coupling together in matrimonie , he blessed , saying : increase , multiplie , and replenish the earth . the causes why he instituted matrimonie , bee fiue ; the first , for the lawfull generation of children in his feare , euen in the time of innocencie , before man had sinned . the second , for the auoiding of vnclean fornicatiō . the third cause , for the mutuall & reciprocall consolation and succour , which the one might minister vnto the other in distresses . the fourth , to be a token or type of the ecclesiasticall marriage betweene christ & vs. the fift cause of the institution of matrimonie is , that aduersaries might be reconciled by meanes of it , and made perpetuall friendes . how excellent a thing matrimonie is . chap. . among all the societies of this life , there is none so naturall , as that betweene man and wife . for ( as wee see ) all other societies are accused of free will and election : but matrimonie proceedeth not onely of election and free will : but also of necessitie . the excellencie of it appeareth by foure reasons . first , matrimonie is auncient , as is manifest by the time and place , where it was instituted , and h euerie good is so much the more excellent , by howe much the more auncient it is . secondly , matrimony was sanctified by god , and graced by his sonne our redeemer iesus christ his presence , * at cana a citie in galilee , where he wrought his first miracle in his humanitie by turning water into wine . thirdly , marriage , as saint paul writeth , is honourable among all : and euerie honourable thing is more eligible then that , which is not honourable . fourthly , matrimonie is excellent , because two are better then one . fiftly , matrimonie is notable , because it carrieth with it a shew of grauitie , and hath greater priuiledges : as in florence at this day , he that is father of fiue children , straightway vpon the birth of the fift , is exempted from all impostes , subsidies , and lones . also , heere in england , a married man is not so soone prest into the warres as singlemen or batchelers . in a worde , nothing within the rounde circle of this world is comparable to matrimonie . what a wonderfull marriage is between the sunne and the earth ? the sunne is the male , and with his vegetatiue heat , quickneth and nourisheth all earthly things : the earth is the female , and conceiueth trees and plants . if we behold metals , we shall finde that gold and siluer are married ( i meane not in a niggards chest ) for if a leafe of gold be put to a leafe of siluer , they will be so vnited , that they can neuer bee seuered . what more shall i adde to this induction ? he that shunneth marriage , and auoydeth societie , is to bee esteemed a wicked wretch ( as the pope is ) or more then a man , as hee whom homer reprehendeth , saying : that hee was tribelesse , lawlesse , and houselesse . after what maner the auncients solemnized matrimonie . chap. . the rites of matrimonie were diuers ▪ according to the diuersities of nations . the grecians accustomed to burne before the doore of the newe married the axletree of that coach , wherein she was brought to her husbands house , letting her to vnderstand , that she was euer after to dwell there . among the romanes s the future couple sent certaine pledges one to another , which most commonly they themselues afterwardes being present , would confirme with a religious kisse . and when the mariage day was come , the bride was boūd to haue a chaplet of flowers or hearbes vpon her head , and to weare a girdle of sheeps wooll about her middle , fastned with a true-loues knot , the which her husband and must loose . herehence rose the prouerbe : hee hath vndone her virgins girdle : that is , of a maide he hath made her a woman . it is reported of some , that the wife , as soone as shee was come to her husbands house , presented to her husband fire in one hand , and water in the other : which gaue to vnderstande , that as these two elements were most necessarie of al others for conseruation of mans life : so there could no societie be neerer linked together , then that of the husband and wife . the auncient frenchmē had a ceremonie , that , whē they would marrie , the bridegroome should pare his nailes , and send thē vnto his new wife : which done , they liued together afterwards as man and wife . in scotlād the custome was , that the lord of the soile should lie with the bride before her husband . but because this order was not decēt nor tolerable amōg christians , king malcolme , the third of that name in the yeere of our lorde . abolished that wicked custome , and enacted , that euerie bride thencefoorth , should pay to the lord for ransome of her maiden-head , fiue shillings . marriages among the gentlemen of venice , were for the most part concluded vpon by a third person , the bride being neuer permitted so much as to see her new husband , nor hee her , till their nuptial dowrie was fully treated of & agreed ; which being finished , they were married with great pompe & solemnitie . concerning the ancient order of mariages in turkie , they held it an vndecent thing , for the bride to bee brought home to her future husband with musicall instruments , but they thought it meete , that the married couple should present themselues before god , with all humilitie and reuerence : and after that these ceremonies were ended , they were led to their bed-chamber , which was prouided for them in a very secret and darke place : the next morning at the dawning of the day , the husband ( by mahomets law ) is boūd to aske his wife , whether she can read or no. if she cānot , then must he learne her to reade . in like sort , if she can reade , and her husband not , then must shee teach and instruct him . this was the old maner of marriages among the turks . howbeit , at this day , they are growne to such excesse of voluptuousnesse , that they rather resemble beasts then men . of matrimonie in england , at this day solemnized . chap. . matrimonie in england is accounted finished , after that it is solemnized in presence of the minister , and two lawfull witnesses . superstitious ceremonies there are none . onely the priest is bound openly in the church to aske the banes : to wit , whether any man can alleadge a reason , wherfore they that are about to bee married , may not lawfully come together . which being done , and no exceptiō made , they then are ioyned in the holy linkes of matrimonie . also , in some shieres , when the marriage day approcheth , the parents of the betrothed couple , doe certaine dayes before the wedding , write letters , to inuite all their friends to the marriage , whom they desire to haue present . afterwards , the mariage day being come , y e inuited ghests do assemble together , and at the very instant of the marriage , doe cast their presents , ( which they bestow vpon the new maried folkes ) into a bason , dish , or cup , which standeth vpon the table in the church , readie prepared for that purpose . but this custome is onely put in vse amongst them , which stande in neede . moreouer , it is to bee noted , that if the wife bee an inheritrix and landed , she is to let her husband enioy it during his life and hers : the which afterward descendeth to her eldest sonne , or in defect of sonnes , it is equally parted betweene her daughters . howbeit , neuerthelesse , if she die barren without children , the husband loseth all : because landes euer ( by the common law of england ) follow the succession . but if shee once had a child by him , which was heard to crie , the courtesie of our countrie is such , that y ● husband possesseth the said lands during his life . if the wife haue only moueables , as money , plate , cattell , and such like , all belong to her husband . to knit vp this discourse , * if the husband haue any landes , either by inheritance descended , or purchased and bought , and chance to die before his wife , shee shall haue the vsufruit of one third part of his landes during her life , as her dowrie , whether hee hath child by her or no. the duties of the husband toward his wife . chap. . the duties of a husband toward his wife are . the first , that he * giue honour to his wife , as the weaker vessell , for she is partaker of the grace of life . the second , hee must patiently brooke the hastinesse of his wife , for there is nothing in the world more spitefull then a woman , if shee be hardly dealt withall , or egged to indignation . hence is the prouerbe : anger thy dogge , and hee will bite thee . the third dutie , n the husband in any case must not haue carnall copulation with any other but his owne wife , for that is verie vniust , by reason it dissolueth the girdle of faith and chastitie , & is the next way to cause her to hate him : a woman is iealous , and naturally suspitious , and sith her husband breaketh with her , she will not sticke to breake with him , and priuilie borrow a nights lodging with her neighbour . the fourth dutie , the husband must not iniurie his wife by word or deede , for a woman is a feeble creature , and not endued with such a noble courage as the man ; shee is sooner prickt to the heart , or mooued to passions , then man : and againe , he , that iniurieth his wife , doth as if hee should spit into the aire , and the same spittle returne backe vpon his owne selfe . the fift , the husband in disputations with his wife , must sometimes confesse himselfe vanquished by her . the sixt , the husband must prouide for his wife , and for her house-keeping , according to his abilitie . the seuenth , the husband must suffer his wife to be merrily disposed before him , otherwise ( a womans nature is such ) shee will by stealth find out some secret place or other to tattle in , and to disport her self . the eight and cheefest dutie is , that the husband haue a special regard not to make two beddes , for so hee may take away all causes of displeasure : also , if eyther of them chaunce to iarre , by this meanes they may be soone pacified . the duties of the wife towards her husband . chap. . bvt what shall the woman do ? shall shee do what seemeth good in her owne eyes ? no : for s. peter speaketh vnto wiues in this wise : * let wiues be subiect to their husbands : which is as much to say , as they must not contradict them in any point , but rather endeuour to please them by all meanes . the second duty , the wife must not forsake her husband in aduersity , or deride him , as iobs wife did , when shee bad him * curse god and die , but shee ought to comfort and cherish him , as a part of her owne body . the third , she must esteeme the maners of her husband to be the legall rules of her life . the fourth , she must not be too sumptuous & superfluous in her attire , as , decked with frizled haire , embrodery , pretious stones , gaudy raiments , and gold put about , for they are the forerunners of adultery : * but let her haue the inward man in her heart , which consisteth in the incorruption of a mecke and quiet spirit , that is before god a thing much set by . for euen after this maner in time past did the holy women , which trusted in god , attire themselues , and were subiect to their husbands . the fift , shee must not bee iealous , or mistrust her husbands absence . the sixt duty of a wife is carefully to ouersee her household , and to bring vp her children and seruaunts in the feare of god. the seuenth , she must not discouer her husbands imperfections and faultes to any , for by disclosing them , eyther she makes her self a iesting stock , or els she ministreth occasion for knaues to tempt her to villany . the eight duty of a wife is , that she gibe not , nor flout her husband , but beare with him as long as she may . of diuorcement . whether the innocent party , after a diuorcement made , can marie againe during the other parties life . chap. . many mē now a-daies forgetting the plighted troth of man and wife are so deuoid of iudgement and vnderstandding , that they make no conscience to proue them separated , * whome god hath ioyned together . yea , some proceed further , saying , that a man hauing taken his wife in adultery , may not onely put her away , but also marrie another , notwithstanding the first being aliue . which last opinion of theirs , because it seemes somewhat probable , i will , as well as i cā , discusse . s. paul saith , that the lord commaundeth the wife * not to depart from her husband : but and if shee do , then be willeth her to remaine vnmarried , or bee reconciled vnto her husband . in which words might be made a doubt , whether the apostle meant the guiltlesse or guilty party . howbeit , i find a defensiue aunswere , namely , that hee meant the guiltlesse wife , for this commaundement ( let not the wife depart from her husband ) implieth not this sence , to wit , let not the wife be constrained as guilty to depart from her husband , but rather , let not the wife beyng guiltlesse be authour of diuorcement , and so by order of law depart from her guilty husband . further , if it were lawful for the guiltles to marie againe during the other parties life , there would be made a way for infinite diuorcements ; yea , and the commonwealth would be endaungered by reason of often dissentions , cauillations , and innouations : whereas otherwise , mē knowing , that either they must liue singly , or be reconciled , seldome or neuer should we see diuorcements . to knit vp this doubtfull and litigious question , i resolue on this , namely , that we being christiās should consider that the spirituall marriage , which is betwixt christ and his church , is now and then polluted by vs with spirituall fornication , and that notwithstanding all this , it pleaseth his diuine maiestie to be at a new atonement with vs , & to comfort vs after this maner : * returne , o yee disobedient children , and i will heale your rebellions . for euen * as a woman hath rebelled against her husband : so haue yee rebelled against me . in like sort it behoueth vs to forgiue one another , and to imitate our sauiour christ , who mercifully pardoned the woman , whom the scribes & pharisees tooke in adultery , saying vnto her : * goe , and finne no more . to be short , wee ought to thinke how troublesome second marriages are like to be , both for the childrens sake , and also for the guilty party , who being out of all hope of reconciliation , will fall to despaire , and to greater vices , and perhaps neuer afterwards will become reformed . of iealousie . chap. . iealousie is a malady of the mind , ingendred of loue , which will not admit a corriuall or copartner in the thing beloued . to this passion the wild asse is most subiect : for in a whole herd of females there is but one male , and he is so iealous , that he will not permit any other to come amongst them : and when the female hapneth to haue a male colt , the sire with his teeth wil bite off his stones , as fearing he would couer his damme . among men , the italians bee most iealous , for they , if their wiues do but once commune , albeit openly with men , do presently suspect them of adultery . the germanes of all nations are lesse iealous , although their womē be very faire . pope pius the second , otherwise called aeneas siluius in the yeere of our lord . being at the bathes in germany , wondred much at the boldnesse of the dutchwomen , who would euē with men step naked into the bathes ; whereupon he was wont to say , that the germanes were farre wiser then the italians . our women here in england , a although they be in the power of their husbands , yet they bee not so straightly kept as in mew , & with a gard , as they be in italy & spaine , but haue almost as much liberty as in frāce , or in germany , and they haue for the most part all the charge of the house and household , which is the naturall occupation and part of a wife . in summe , there is no nation vnder the cope of heauen lesse iealous then ours , who tender their wiues so kindly and charitably , that b at their deaths they make them eyther sole or chiefe executrices of their last willes and testimēts , and haue for the most part the gouernment of the children and their portions . the second plant. the duty of parents towards their children . chap. . parents must haue a carefull eye to their childrē , because thereupon principally dependeth the glory of their house . and that their duties towardes them may the more manifestly appeare , i will set downe what they ought to do . first of all , parents must teach their children to pray vnto god , to rehearse the creed , and the ten commaūdements , and to catechize them in the chiefest points of faith . secondly , they must beware , that they come not among such felowes as sweare , curse , and such like , and to that end they must place discreet tutours ouer them . thirdly , parēts must breake them from their willes , & correct them sharply , when they offend ( yet not in their anger ) for * in smitting with the rod , they shall deliuer their soules from hell . fourthly , parentes must not permit their children to weare gorgeous attires or newfangled dresses , but rather declare vnto them the vanity thereof . fiftly , parentes must procure them wise and learned teachers , when they are fit to go to schole . sixtly , parentes must not marre their children by marying them , during their minorities , neither cause them against their willes to bee assured . seuenthly , parentes must see , that their children liue in vnitie , peace , and concord ; for if debate and discord be pernicious among al men , how much rather betweene brethren ? lastly , parents must ordinarily vse equality amōg their children so neere as they may , and not shew more affection to one then to another , least thereby they prouoke thē to anger and desperation . of the duty of childr●●●●wards their parentes . chapt. . the first duty of children towards their parents is , they * obey them in all things , for that is well pleasing vnto the lord. also , they must remember , that the earthly father is the true representer of god the vniuersall father , and therefore * next after god to be had in reuerence . the second duty of children towardes their parentes is , that they endeuour by all means possible to asswage their parents anger . thirdly , * children must helpe their parents in their old age , and supply their wantes with all necessary complements . of brotherly loue . whether a man should preferre his friend before his brother ? chap. . nothing is more acceptable vnto the lord , thē that brethren should loue one another . the which vndoubtedly by his soueraigne maiesty is ingrauen at our birth , for we see the first occasion of this amity to be bred euen from our natiuity . therefore it is the duty of a brother not to bee angry or discouer the faults of his brother . further , it is the part of a brother to loue his brother aboue all other , for he may daily get many of this friendly mould , and more , if these faile : but it is no more likely to get a new brother , then to get an eye , which is drawn out , or an hand , which is chopt off . hence springeth that question , whether a mā should preferre his friend before his brother ? to this i aunswere negatiuely , that he should not ; and especially for these two reasons . first , we are bound to follow nature , if she leades vs not astray , ( for who so euer followeth nature , followeth god , by whome she is directed ) therefore we are bound to loue our brethren aboue our friends , seeing that by nature wee are chained with our brethren , and whatsoeuer we bestow on them , we bestow on our selues . whereunto soundeth that saying of the poet : a take heed , that thou make not thy friend equall with thy brother . secondly , the loue of brethren is better then the loue of friends , for it includeth in it more then the other ; as for example , when friends be at variaunce , we see nothing left betwixt them ; but if brethren chaunce to disagree , the knot notwithstanding of brotherhood in despight of them remaines stedfast : moreouer , a man being forsaken of all his parasitical friends , is neuerthelesse of his brother , as it were by a natural instinct receiued and comforted . to bee briefe , i exhort all brethren to assist one another with mutuall loue , & not to beleeue any whispering make-bates , whose onely drift is to shift for themselues , and to oppose not onely friend against friend , but also for their owne priuate good to put brother against brother . this exhortatiō of mine if brethren will embrace , let them assure themselues , that they shall enioy the felicity of the celestiall paradise , which is already prepared for them . of disobedient sonnes . chap. . the very turkes thēselues according to the second commaūdement contained in their alcoran , do require such dutifull obedience of children towards their parents , that they expresly forbid any , vpon pain of death , to gainsay them either in word or deed . besides , it is an article of their beliefe , that god will neuer forgiue them , who are accursed of their parents . yea , they assure thēselues , that no sorrow , nor penitent contrition of mind is euer able to wash or do away the foule burthen of the parents curse . likewise , the * popish canonists do condemne thē as infamous , which rebell against their parents . what then shal we do , that are reformed christians ? shall we suffer the sonne to abuse the father , to commence suit against him , & approbriously to endamage him ? no. god forbid . we wil rather * lead him to the magistrate , who shall impose on him , what punishment soeuer the father demaundeth . wee will * stone him to death for his vnnaturall disobedience . but suppose hee were left vnpunished , would he not ( thinke you ) be cut off as an vnprofitable member by the iust iudgement of god ? would not his daies be shortned ? yea , yea ; he shall not only die in this world , but also his body in the world to come shall alway be tormēted in hot scalding lead , and his soule for euer shall endure the horrible paines of hell . we read in our english chronicles , that the sonne of henry the secōd , king of this land , by the instigation of the french king tooke armes against his owne naturall father , betwixt whom diuers mighty battels being fought , the victory alwaies inclined to the father , so that the disobedient & rebellious sonne was enforced to desire peace , which the father mercifully graunted , and forgaue him his offence . howbeit notwithstanding , god the auēger of such abominable factes punished him for his disobedience , by causing him to die . yeeres before his father . a meet punishment ( no doubt ) for him , seeing that he could not tarie till after his fathers death . further , we heare , that there was of late daies a certain man , that dwelt in a village neere to cambray , who in a great fury threw his owne mother out of his house three times in one day , and the third time told her in anger , that he had rather see his house on fire , then that she should abide there one day longer . but mark the end ; it fortuned that on the very same day according to his speech , his house was strangely fired , & quite consumed to ashes . an euident signe assuredly of gods displeasure . the exāples wherof i would to god might serue for a warning to all children , if not to mollify , yet at least to terrifie thē frō dealing crookedly & peruersly with their parēts , * whom god himself cōmaūded to honor , & left here in this world as semblable images of himselfe . the third plant. of the duty of masters toward their seruaunts . chap. . the duty of masters toward their seruaunts i comprise in sixe points . first , i counsell masters not to keepe any seruaunts in their houses , that are giuen to swearing , gaming , whoring , drinking , or to any such notorious crimes . secondly , i exhort masters to haue a speciall care , that their seruaunts be catechized and taught in the word of god. thirdly , they must not make them labour on the sabaoth day . fourthly , they must see that their seruaunts lie not abroad in the nights . fiftly , masters must grauely correct their seruants according to the quality of their faults , least being let alone , they waxe bold , and so fall into worse courses . lastly , masters must looke , that their seruaunts receyue their wages or hires at due times . of the sabaoth day . whether a master ought to set his seruaunts at worke on the sabaoth day ? chap. . a the sabaoth both in the old & new testament is sanctified and hallowed ; and b in it magistrates , townesmen , and all men o● what quality soeuer they be , must surceas● from working , chiefly for foure reasons first , that they might remember th● creation of the world , for c in sixe daies the lord made heauen and earth , and all , that therein is , and rested the seuenth day . secondly , that they might assemble together , & gratefully thanke his diuine maiesty for his daily blessing powred down vpon them . thirdly , that they might recreat , refresh , and repose themselues , to th' end they might labour the next week more aptly . fourthly , the sabaoth is to be obserued , by reason it is the seuenth day ; which number containeth great and hidden mysteries . the skie is gouerned by seuen planets . the reuolutiō of time is accomplished in seuen dayes , which wee call weekes . a god commaunded noah to take into his arke cleane beasts & fowle by seuens . b pharaoh dreamed that he saw seuen fat kine and seuen leane . * dauid deliuered seuen of sauls sonnes to the gibeonites to be hanged . * christ being termed the first stone of god hath seuē eyes . * seuen thousand men did god reserue , that neuer bowed their knees to baal . * zachariah in a vision saw a candlesticke of gold , with a bowle vpon the top of it , and seuen lampes therein , and seuen pipes to the lampes . * iob had seuen sonnes . * seuen angels go forth before god. neither were a the seuen brethren whom antiochus put to death , voyd of a mystery . b s. iohn in the reuelation sawe seuen golden candlestickes , and in the middest of them the sonne of man hauing in his right hand seuen starres . moreouer , c he saw the opening of the seuenth seale , and the seuen angels , which stood before the lord , to whome were giuen seuen trumpets . * the antichrist is prophesied to sit vpon a scarlet coloured beast , which hath● seuen heads . by which , as all true christians be perswaded , the pope and his cardinals attired in scarlet , & his seuen hilled city of rome are meant . what more shall i write of the worthinesse of this seuēfold number ? mans life goeth by seuens , named climactericall yeers , which * macrobius hath well obserued . sith therefore it hath pleased god so to esteeme of this number , let vs christians honour the same , as fearing the scourage of the commaunder . it was ordained by a good and godly act made in y e parliament of scotlād in the yeere of our lord . being the one and twentieth yeere of the raigne of iames the fourth , that no markets , nor fayres should be holden on the sabaoth day . which act king iames the sixt , that nowe is , by the consent of his three estates , ratified and approoued in the parliament holden in the yeere . cōdemning the breakers of the sabaoth to forfeit all their moueables to the vse of the poore within that parish , where they dwelt . it was likewise there enacted , that no handy-work should be vsed on y t sabaoth , nor any gaming , playing , passing to tauernes , nor wilfull remaining from prayer and sermons , should bee in any case exercised vnder the penalties following : to wit , of euerie man for his labouring , as often as he was taken in the fact , ten shillings : and of euerie person for gaming , playing , passing to tauernes , and wilfull remaining from praier and sermons on the sunday , twentie shillings to bee presently payed , and imployed to the releefe of the poore in their parish . i could wish , that some speedy good order were taken here in englād , for the breakers of the sabaoth . for many now a-dayes , hauing beene idle all the weeke before , doe of set contumacie labour that day in despight of the lord & his sabaoth . some frō morning to euening do nothing els but play at dice or tables , swearing & staring at the least crosse of fortune . others againe be delighted with reading of pāphlets , louebooks , ballads , & such like , neuer once so deuout as to name god , vnlesse shamefully abusing him . oh how oftē do they vse on that day vnseemly speeches ? the very turks , i feare me , go beyond them in deuotion . for they duly on their festiual daies resort to their churches , neuer once gazing or looking aside as long as seruice lasteth . the seruice being ended , they go home each mā to his house , inuiting , & humbly beseeching the priests to beare them cōpany : with whō they questiō touching diuine matters , not by carping , nicking , & nipping , but with pure simplicity & feruent care ; wheras many of vs christians contrariwise , do openly prophane not only holidaies , but also the lords day , & yet they terme themselues christians . christiās , o coūterfeit christiās , & worse thē painims . me thinks , if nothing else could moue you , yet the daily myraculous punishments inflicted on such prophane persons as you bee , should bee a terrible warning for you . at kinstat a towne in france , dwelled a certain couetous woman , about fortie yeres ago , who was so eager in gathering together worldly pelfe , that shee would neither frequent the church to heare the word of god on sunday her selfe , nor yet permit any of her familie to do it , but alway toyled about pilling and drying of flaxe , neither would shee bee disswaded by her neighbours frō such an vnseasonable work . one sunday as she was thus busied , fire seemed to fall downe among the flaxe without doing any hurt . the next sunday it tooke fire indeed , but was soone quenched . for all this , shee continued forwarde in her worke euen the third sunday , when the flaxe againe taking fire , could not be extinguished , till it had burnt her , & two of her childrē to death ; for though they were recouered out of the fire aliue , yet y e next day they all . died , & that which was most to be wondred at , a yong infant in the cradle , was taken out of the midst of the flame , without any hurt . thus god punisheth the breakers of y e sabaoth . famous is that example , which chanced neere london in the yeere of our lord . on the thirteenth day of ianuarie , being sunday , at paris garden , where there met together ( as they were wont ) an infinite number of people , to see the beare-baiting , without any regard of that high day . but in the middest of their sports , all the scaffolds and galleries sodainely fell downe , in such wise , that two hundred persons were crushed well nigh to death , besides eight that were killed forthwith . in the yeere of our lord . i being as then but a boy , do remember , that an alewife making no exception of dayes , would needes brue vpon saint markes day : but loe , the maruailous worke of god , whiles she was thus laboring , the top of the chimney tooke fire , and before it could bee quenched , her house was quite burnt . surely , a gentle warning to them that violate and prophane forbidden dayes . notwithstanding , i am not so straight laced , that i would not haue any labour done on sundayes and holy dayes . for i confesse , r it is lawfull to fight in our countries defence on any daie : s it is lawfull to enter into the bath : and it is lawfull for phisicians and apothecaries to temper and prepare medicines for the sicke , and for cookes to dresse meate for our sustenance . it is lawfull for vs to take paines to hinder our peculiar damages , for what man is there that hath a sheepe , and if it fall on a sabaoth day into a pit , doth not lift it out ? in like maner , it is lawfull to worke , when there is an inundation or deluge of waters , and also vpon vrgent necessitie , to take vp a draught of fish , which for that day being let alone , would haue beene cast away . more yet would i write , if i feared not to be termed a gagling sophister , as hauing alreadie discussed this question in my commentaries vpon persius . i will therefore proceed to the next . of the duties of seruants towards their masters . chap. . the first dutie of seruants towardes their masters is , that they be subiect vnto them ( e ) and please them in all things , not answering againe , nor replying , although otherwhiles they know better what is to be done , then their masters . the second is , that they be honest and faithfull vnto their masters , and not ( as many now a-dayes do ) flatter & cologue with them , therby thinking to get some bootie . the third duty of seruants is , that they seeke their masters profit more thē their owne . the fourth , that they reueale not to others their masters secret affayres . the fift , that they defend their masters , euen to the hazarding and losing of their liues . the famous effect whereof , appeared in that couragious seruant of maurice , duke of saxonie ; who of late yeeres , seeing his master sodainely assaulted by certaine turks that lay in ambush , and cast from his horse , couered him with his owne body , & valiantly repelled the enemie , vntill certaine horsemen came and saued the prince , but died himselfe a little while after , being hurt and wounded in euerie place of his body . finally , to fill vp this discourse , seruants must diligently and honestly guard their masters , and their masters goods : for r they that keepe the figge tree , shall enioy the fruite thereof : and they that waite vpon their masters , shall come to honour . the fourth plant. of the acquisitiue facultie . chap. . now hauing sufficiently disputed of the chiefest parts of a familie , i come to the last part , that is , to the acquisitiue or possessorie facultie , wherof i find two kindes ; the one naturall , the other artificiall . the naturall consisteth in breeding of cattell , in manuring of the groūd , in hauking , hunting , fishing , & in spoyles and pillages both by sea & land . the artificiall way of getting , lyeth in exchanging , either ware for ware , as , of cloth for silkes , of wool for graine : or els of wares for money . and againe , those acquisitiue arts bee disallowed , which are loathed of men , as the trade of brokers , huxters , toll-gatherers , bauds , vsurers , and ingraters . of which three last , after my next discourie of money , i wil , god willing , entreat . of money , the chiefest part of the acquisitiue facultie . chap. . money ( as plinie writeth ) was coyned by king seruius of rome , with the image of a sheep and an oxe . others say , that it was first inuēted at the siege of troy. but i find that money was many yeeres currant before the warres of troy. abraham bought a field of ephron the hethite for foure hundred siluer sicles of money currant amōg marchāts ; which is of our money , three and thirtie pound , six shillings and eight pence . howbeit , there is no vse of coyned money in sundry coūtries at this instāt . in y e coūtry of * pretious iohn , salt goeth for money . the indians of peru neuer made any account of money , before the spaniards robbed them of their gold . besides , within these two hundred yeeres , mony was verie scant heere in england : for king edward the fourth , in the ciuill warres betwixt him and henrie the sixt , beeing on a time pursued by the earle of warwicke , who then was turned to the contrarie side , bought a ship in the yeere of our lord . for eight score nobles , to saile into ireland : which price in those times was esteemed wonderfull deare . also , in the yeere . money coyned of leather was rise in this realme . of which kinde of money my selfe haue seene of late , aboue tenne bushels in an olde castle in wales , stamped , as farre as i remember , with the duke of lancasters image . for in those dayes , certaine dukes were licensed to coyne money . so likewise wee reade , that countie palatines , as chester , durham , and ely , could then giue pardons concerning the pleas of the crowne , and send writs in their owne names . in the kingdome of cathay , money is yet neither of gold nor siluer , nor of any other metall , but onely of the barke of mulberie trees , which is cut as well into sundrie small , as great round peeces , whereon they engraue the names of their countrie , rating them , as wee do ours , according to their greatnesse & smalnesse . it is petie treason among them to employ any other money . sir thomas moore reporteth , that his faigned vtopians did make chamber-pots , and other vesselles , that serue for most vile vses , of gold and siluer . moreouer , he saith , that they made great chaines , fetters , and giues , wherein they tyed their bondmen , of the very same metals : and whosoeuer among them for any offence was infamous , by his eares hung rings of gold , about his necke was a chaine of gold . thus by all meanes possible , they procured to haue gold and siluer among them in reproach and infamie . and if wee christians examine our selues somewhat more neere , wee shall finde , that money is one of the chiefest causes why so many felonies , murthers & treasons be committed , and why the crie of the poore is so often come before the lorde . for this cause plato the diuine philosopher saith , that h in a common-wealth well gouerned , there should not any money bee vsed , because it marreth good maners , and maketh the mind of a man couetous and in satiable . of bawdes . whether they ought to be suffered . chap. . although i haue touched this infamous question in another booke of mine , yet notwithstanding i iudge it not amisse , if i repaint the same with more breuitie , in a more familiar tongue . the first that instituted the filthie order of stewes , was venus , who because shee alone would not seeme to bee a whore , ( as hauing lyen with mars , vulcā , mercurie , anchises , and sundrie others ) appoynted in cypres , that women should prostitute themselues for money to all commers . which custome was renewed by the popes , who built most statelie houses for whores , and ordained , that they for the same should pay yeerely great summes of money . there bee some men liuing , that know how pope paul the third had aboue fortie thousand courtizans , that paied him an infinite tribute . the report goeth , that pope clement the . that nowe is , receiueth of euery baudy house in rome yeerely , a iull , that is , twentie thousand duckets . these panders are to whorehunters , as brokers to theeues . they entice yong lasses with gaudy garments , & deceitfull promises , to serue euery mans turne for gaine : which done , they teach these virgins their schoole-lessons , namely , to bring in swaggrers to outsweare a mā of his money , to faine thēselues with child , made of a cushion ( for cōcealme●t wherof , the bawds must be wel bribed , ) to caper in mens armes til they haue guld thē of their purses , to counterfeit teares with an oniō , yea , & to vse fine glozing speeches : as , sir , you mistake your marke , i am none of your wanton gilles , you abuse my credit , my mistris cals me . and immediatly after , perceiuing the lusty wooer to haue mony in his purse , she begins by degrees to listen , saying : many men will promise much , but performe little , they beare vs in hād , vntil they haue got their pleasures of vs , and then away they go , but you lo●ke like an honest man. after this , the bawdes seeing their wenches deformed , they giue thē drugges to raise their colours , and to seeme fairer . this is the bawdes acquisitiue facultie , whereby they liue . some bawds haue a dozen damsels , some lesse , yet of euerie man they take largely , as . shillings a weeke , or tenne pound a month . it is said , that lōg meg of westminster kept alwaies . courtizans in her house , whō by their pictures she sold to all commers . but i returne to the extirpation thereof . we reade , that r theodosius the great , in the yeere of our lord . vtterly chased al stewes out of his empire . for which notable act , his name euē at this day is greatly honoured . no lesse praise deserueth henry the eight of famous memory , for abolishing & putting down of the stewes in london , which then were innumerable . therin he imitated the good k. iosias , who brake down the houses of the sodomites , that were in the house of the lord. finally , no man is ignorant , that the pestilent disease of the french pockes was sent as a punishment to stewes . of vsurers . chap. . n he that receiueth any thing ouer and aboue the capitall summe that was lent , is an vsurer . for which respect i compare him to an aspet for euen as he that is stūg with an aspe , falleth asleepe , as it were with delight , but dieth ere he awakes : so an vsurer taketh great pleasure in his interest at the first , but at length he is so ouercloyed with money , that he can neuer enioy any rest : the cause is his conscience , which like a multitude of furies vexeth his heart , and fortelles him of his euerlasting damnation . hence it is , that the romanes inflicted as great punishment on an vsurer , as on a theefe : and not without cause , for hee that killeth a man , riddeth him out of his torments at once , whereas an vsurer is long in punishing and vndoing his creditour , causing him by little and little to pine away . also , an vsurer by vndoing of one , vndoeth many , namely , the wife and whole houshold . moe gentlemen heere in england haue vsurers , banquers , and marchants driuen to despaire , then either warres or sicknesse . for when a yong punie commeth vnto them , desiring to be credited for money or apparrell , then one of them counterfeiting themselues forsooth to be coy like women , wil burst foorth into these termes : the world is hard , and wee are all mortall , wee may not venture our goods , god knowes howe wee earne our liuing : wherefore make vs assurance , and you shall haue tenne poundes ( worth in silkes and veluets . ) well , this passeth on currant , assurance is giuen with a witnesse . a little after , if the gentleman hath not wherewithal to pay as wel the interest , as the principall agreed vpon , whensoeuer this reprobate cut-throate demaundeth it , then presently as round as a ball , hee commenceth his statute-marchant against him , and for tenne poundes profite , which was scarce woorth fiue pound in money , hee recouereth by relapse ten pound a yeere . o intolerable wickednesse ! o diuelish haberdashers ! and worse then those vngodly tenants , who seeing their landlords heyre comming , sayde one to another : i this is the heire , come , let vs kill him , and wee shall haue his inheritance : darest thou , o wretched cormorant , hope to bee saued , and expect to bee partaker of the heauenly blessings ? art thou a christian , and wilt suffer thy brother in christ thus to miscarie through thy entanglements & exactiōs ? no , no : thou art a member of sathan , thou art in the gall of bitternes , and in the bond of iniquitie . obiection . the lawes of england do permit vsurie , to wit , two shillings in the pound , therefore an vsurer is not wicked . answere . it is one thing to permit vsurie , and another to allow thereof . by our positiue lawes is meant , that those men , who cared not , howe much they extorted out of poore mens handes for the loane of their money , should bee empaled and limited within certaine meeres and bounds , lest they ouerflowed reason so that the lawes do but mitigate the penalties , and if it were possible , they would restraine men from it . of the particulars wherein vsurie is committed . chap. . a man committeth vsurie sixe maner of wayes . first , i whosoeuer lendeth corne vnto his neighbour , with promise , that at the redeliuery thereof , he should giue him somewhat more , is an vsurer . as for example , if he lend to a man fiue bushels of corne at may , vnder condition that he giue him sixe bushels at bartholmewtide . secondly , hee that forestalleth and intercepteth corne in the market , and that not for any want , but to sell it againe dearer then hee bought it , thereby to enrich himself with the impouerishing of many . thirdly * he committeth vsury , that for the loane of his mony receiueth a greater gage , then the money valueth , and claimeth the same as forfeit , the money being not repayed him at the prefixed time . fourthly , he is an vsurer , that lendeth his money vpon cōdition , that the other buy his necessaries at his shop , or grind at his mill . fiftly , he is an vsurer , that keepeth false ballances , and that selleth bad & musty things for good and new . finally , hee that incloseth commons , & turneth tillage into pastures , is an vsurer . whether it be lawfull for an householder to ingrate and ingrosse corne in the market , to the intent he may sell the same another time at a dearer price ? chap. . whosoeuer hee be , that forestalleth corne in the market , and trāsporteth it home into his garners , there keeping it , vntill a dearer time fall out , without doubt committeth vsury . for euery mā ought to sell as he bought , and doing otherwise he is an vsurer , and must make restitution of the ouerplus . * the which if he denie , he is eftsoone depriued of all power to make his last will and testament . besides , there be statute punishments ordained for the repressing of this filthy lucre : as , forfeits to the clerkes of the market , & fines●to be paid to the prince , if the foresaid party be taken in the maner . in summe , b his cankred gold and siluer ( which hee hath thus receiued of the poore buyers ) and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against him at the feareful day of iudgement , and shall eat vp his flesh as it were fire . the fift plant. of hospitality . chap. . hospitality is the chiefest point of humanity , which an housholder cā shew , not only vnto his friēds , but also vnto straungers & wayfaring men . for which cause * he that keepeth a good house , and entertaineth straungers , is said to receiue christ himself . which likewise another holy father confirmeth , saying : * we must tēder hospitality without discretion , lest that the person , whom we exclude and shut out of doores , be god himselfe . this abraham knew very well , when hee accustomed to sit in his tent doore of purpose to call in trauellers , and to relieue them . among whom * he entertayned on a time three angels . this also was not vnknowen to lot , when as he vsed to harbour ghestes , and * compell angels beyng vnder the shape of pilgrimes to come into his house . wee read , that the harlot rahab , for her hospitality * was saued with all her household from death at the winning of iericho . wherefore , o yee that be rich , see that ▪ yee keepe good hospitalitie , and relieue the impotent and distressed . to conclude , if we consider more narrowly and pierce more deepely with a sharpe eye into the benefits of hospitality , though no other cause could perswade vs , yet * the monumēts of the new testament might exhort vs thereunto . wherein good hospitality consisteth . chap. . they are greatly deceyued , who thinke , that hospitality doth consist in slibber-sauces , in spiced meates , or in diuersities . for these are nought els , saue fooleries , and fond wasting of goods , whereby the flesh is prouoked to lechery , & becommeth altogether inflamed , massy , and diseased . further , experience teacheth , that none are more subiect to sicknesses , then they , that gurmaundize and feed on sundry kindes of dishes . the reason is , because that those diuersities , which they eat , be repugnant and contrary the one to the other , and breed putrifaction and corrupt humours within their bodies . whereas contrariwise they , that liue on one sort of meat and hardly , do looke faire , lusty , & well complexioned , and most commonly attaine vnto very old age . good hospitality therefore cons●steth not in gluttonous diuersities , but rather in one kind of meat , in clothing the naked , and in giuing almes vnto the poore . why houskeeping now-adaies is decayed . chap. . the causes , why hospitality is nowadaies brought to so low a saile , are fiue . the first is ambition , which moueth gentlemen , that are of large reuenewes , to weare gorgeous attires , to traile a costly port after them , to caualiere it abroad , and giuing vp house-keping at home , to take a chamber in london , where they consume their time in viewing of stage playes , in carousing of healths , & ( perhaps ) in visiting of courtizans . the second is hatred , which pricketh gentlemē to fall out with their neighbors , and to enrich the lawiers by commencing of suites and cōtrouersies . the third is couetousnesse , which perswadeth landlords to hoord vp substāce for the diuell , to enhaunce incomes , to rayse rents ( for feare least yeomen keep better hospitality then themselues , ) and to conuert tillage into pastures . in consideration of which abominable abuse , it was most prudently enacted in the last parliament , that all landes , which were conuerted into sheepe pastures , or to the fatting or grazing of cattell , ( the same hauing beene tillage lands ) should be before the first of may in the yeere of our lord . last past , restored to tillage by the possessours thereof , and so should continue for euer . it was further enacted in the said parliament , that euery person offending against the premisses aforesaid , should forfeit for euery acre not restored the summe of twenty shillings yeerely , as long as the offence continued . the fourth reason , why hospitality is caried to so lowe an ebbe proceedeth of building ; for sooner shall wee see a gentleman build a stately house , then giue almes , and cherish the needy . the fift and last cause of the decay of hospitality is gluttony , which enduceth men to prepare artificiall cookeries & diuers sorts of meate : wheras one large and wholesome messe of meat could peraduenture counteruaile , yea , and go beyond all their iunkets , and dainty delicacies . of almes , and the forgetfulnesse therof in these dayes . chap. . the poore , being an inferiour family in gods church , are recommended by him to our charge , namely , that wee should relieue them in their distresse , & consider , that whatsoeuer wee do vnto them , we do vnto christ himselfe , who for our sakes left a glorious habitation , and became poore . besides , we must remēber to giue almes vnto the poore in respect of that holy mans saying : * the poore crieth , and the lord heareth him , yea , and deliuereth him out of all his troubles , alasse , let vs ponder with our selues , wherefore did the lord giue vnto many of vs such great aboundaunce of wealth in this life aboue our brethren , if it were not to vse them well , and to furnish the needy . the simplest idiot of vs al doth very wel know , that wealth was not giuen vs to hoord vp , no nor to consume the same in superfluous vanities . why then do we keep our clothes in our presses , our money in our coffers ? why do wee misspend our goods in gaudy rayments , in caualiering shewes , in feeding of houndes , in banqueting , in reuelling , and in a thousand trumperies besides ? oh why do we not waigh in our minds , that whatsoeuer wee spend more then wee need , is none of ours , but the poores ; & to detaine from them , is to pill and poll , yea , and perforce to spoyle them . what shall we say , when god will demaund an account of our stewardships ? doubtles , except wee do out of hand repent , and giue almes , wee shall bee cast as a pray vnto the deuill , and with him bee tormented in hell for euermore . o fearfull doome ! the misbeleeuing turkes are woont secretly to send their seruaunts abroad , & purposely to hearkē amongst their neighbours , which of them hath most need of victuals , money , and apparell . yea , & more then that , in their musaph or alcoran they haue these words : if men knew , how heauenly a thing it were to distribute almes , they would not spare their owne flesh , but would euen teare the same , and slice it into carbonadoes , to giue it vnto the poore . the papists , that are ouerwhelmed in superstition and idolatry , do hope ( although sacrilegiously ) to be saued by their almes-giuing . oh what a shamefull thing will this be against vs at the dreadfull day of iudgement ? verily , i feare me , it will be easier for them , then for vs , to enter into the kingdome of heauen , if speedily we amend not , & be boūtiful vnto the poore , for * whosoeuer stoppeth his eares at the crie of the poore , shal also cry himselfe , and not be heard . where now-adayes shall we find the woman of sarepta to entertaine elias ? where are abraham and lot , to feast the holy angels ? if eliza were now liuing , surely he should want his hostesse the sunamite . nay , which is more , if christ himselfe were here , he should neither find martha to welcome him , no nor mary to powre any sweet oyntments vpon his head . the members of christ * make supplication , and pray meekely : but the rich giueth a rough aunswere . lazarus beggeth still without doores , & yet for all his begging cannot come by the crumbes of the rich mans table . wherefore extend your bounty vnto the poore , o yee that be rich , according to the proportion of your wealth , and as your good conscience shall lead you , so giue . remēber that your daies be short vpon earth , and that you haue but a smal time to liue . distrust not gods promise , who said , that * whatsoeuer is giuen to the poore , is lent to himself , and looke , what you lay out , shall be payd you againe . obiection . a mā , that hath a great charge of children , cannot well giue almes vnto the poore : therefore he may be excused . aunswere . marke what christ saith : * he that loueth his father and mother aboue me , is not worthy of me . * the loue of god is not with them , who will not benefit the poore . the widow of sarepta preferred not her sonne before elias in the time of famine ; neither was that lost , which shee bestowed on elias . in a word , no man must despayre of gods reward . * i have beene yoūg , ( quoth the prophet dauid ) and now am old ; and yet saw i neuer the righteous forsaken , nor his seed begging their bread publickly with vtter shame and discredit . circumstaunces to be obserued in giuing of almes . chap. . howbeit for all this , i am not so indulgent and fond , that i would haue men to distribute almes without exception , and without due regard of circumstaunces . for herein fiue things are to bee respected : whereof the first is , that they giue their almes for the lords sake , and that voluntarily , of their owne proper motion . the second , that they argue with them touching their religiō , before they giue them any thing , to the end , they may vnderstand , whether they be true protestants , or froward papists , or atheists . the third , that they dispute with thē concerning their conuersation . the . that they giue their almes vnto religious men , and to them that be old , blind , lame , or crazed and sicke of body . the fift & circumstāce to be noted , and followed in distributing of almes , is , that men giue them not for a brauery , and vainglory , to be praysed and extolled of the world , but rather of pure zeale & deuotion , not expecting any recompence againe . of fasting . that an housholder should obserue fasting dayes . chap. . * even as learned and wise physicians , in euery fluxe of the belly occasioned of surfet and repletion , do for the most part prescribe an exquisite diet , and also a purgation , to wit , of rheubarb or such like , to the end that not onely the superfluous substaunce of the belly may be drawne out , but also that nature may be strengthened by the secret property and vertue of the medicine : so expert and wise householders ought in time of famine specially to haue regard , that they lay downe a limited order of fasting vnto their families , whereby they may not onely purge the rebellious humours of the flesh , but likewise in after-clappes sustaine themselues the better from pouerty and dearth . oh , what is it for a man to spare two meales in a weeke , and bestow the estimate vpon the poore ? alasse , it is not much out of their way . wee read that the iewes , so oft as they would pacifie or aske any benefit of god , vsed most commonly to fast . by fasting a moses saw god. b elias after his fasting was entertained of god. c the niniuites fasted with repentance , and were pardoned . by fasting * daniel reuealed nabuchodonozors dreame . but if these examples can worke no charity in the adamant and steely hearts of our english rookes : yet ciuill policy , me thinkes , and her maiesties commaundement might preuayle so much with them , that they obserue frydaies , saturdayes , lent , and ember dayes ( so neere as they may ) as fasting dayes , both for the preseruation of meates ordained for their owne sustenaunce , and for the safegard of their consciences , and for the supplying of their neyghbours wants . obiection . good meates do nourish bloud , and do reuiue aswell the vitall as the animall spirites . as for fish , figges , and such like , they bee slimy , windy , and make a man to bee ill complexioned . and againe fasting is more daungerous , for it weakneth and enfeebleth the whole body : therefore a man ought not to obserue fasts . answere . al the commodities , which you bring on the behalfe of meats are nothing in comparison of the good , that spring of fasting , for by it men become capable of visions , and of the word of god ; by it many sicknesses are alayed . wheras on the contrary , by flesh the body is enflamed , and tormented with hot burning agues , & with innumerable maladies besides . so that the commodities of fasting do farre exceed & downewaigh the discōmodities thereof . yet notwithstāding , i verily beleeue , that old persons , and cholerick folkes may be licensed to eat flesh . in like maner women with child , scholers , and they , that by study and care haue annoyed their spirits , might be authorized from fasting . in briefe , i am perswaded , that * fasting is hurtfull for them , which haue not attained to their perfect growth and strength . of the true fast . chap. . neuerthelesse , i am of this mind , that those men obserue not the true fast , which hypocritically forgo a meale or two , of purpose , colourably to hunt for worldly prayse , and to be accounted religious in the sight of man : but they rather are the true and allowed fasters , that strongly leane to the euerliuing god , that shunne as the horrour of hell al earthly vanities , and that mortifie the filthy appetites of the flesh . albeit the other ( i confesse ) is a coadiutour to that thing , and auayleth much for that purpose . whosoeuer therefore is willing to fast vprightly , and according to the ordinaunce of god , must fast with all the members of his body . first , hee must fast with his eyes , and not pry too much into the pompeous shewes , & dazeling beauty of this world , lest at the sight thereof , as of a cockatrice , he be wounded to death both of body and soule . next , he must fast with his eares , that is , hee must not consent to the alluring speeches of seminarie priests , heretikes , flatterers , slaūderers , and such like , lest sirenlike they entice him into their snares . thirdly , he must fast with his toung , and beware of blasphemies , lies , and vngodly communications . fourthly , he must fast with his mouth , that is , he must take heed that he eat and drinke no more , then sufficeth nature , and that he abstaine from meats at conuenient seasons , whereby as with a wing he may fly into heauen . fiftly , he must fast with his heart , and refraine from sinfull and idle thoughts . sixtly , hee must fast with his feet , and bridle them from being too swift to shead bloud , or from trudging to london for proces against his brethren . the end of the second booke . the third booke of the golden-groue moralized . the first plant. of a common-wealth . chap. . a common-wealth is a societie of free mē , vnited together by a generall consent , to the end to liue well and orderly , not onely in regard of iustice , but also of commoditie , and for the preseruation of themselues , as well in peace , as in warre . the which is a thing naturall , both in respect of parts , to wit , a shire , a parish , and a family , whereof a commonwealth is the accomplishment : and of men naturally disposed to liue in societie . neuerthelesse , there haue beene many societies , which were not common-wealths , but certaine base habitations in villages , where the weaker yeelded seruice to the stronger . also , the arabians at this day , wander vp and down , ignorant of liuing , and do carrie about with them their woodden habitations , which they draw vpon charrets , seeking for prayes and spoyles frō the riuer euphrates , along vnto the sea atlantique . but to these and such like , well may i apply that saying of the philosopher , namely , that n he , which cannot abide to liue in companie , is eyther a beast , that is , a monstrous wicked man , or a god , that is , a man surpassing the ordinarie sort of vertuous men in perfection . the examination whereof , caused all that were free and liberally borne , to be enclined vnto societie , and to defend the common-wealth with all their powers : yea , and r thereunto to beare a greater affection , then to their parents . although our families bee destroyed , yet the commonwealth standing , wee may in time flourish againe : but if the common-wealth be destroyed , both we and our families must likewise come to vtter destruction . let this serue for a watch-word to our english fugitiues , who vnnaturally haue abandoned their natiue countrie , and now being become seminarie priestes and vncleane spirits , like vnto them r that in the reuelation , issued as frogs out of the dragons mouth , doe by all shameful acts , and false counsels , suborne their countrymen to conspiracies against their prince and common-wealth . the diuision of a common-wealth . chap. . it was a great controuersie among politicians , about the diuision of a common-wealth ; for some would allow but of two sorts : some contrarie appoynted foure , and others fiue . a polybius accounted seuen . * bodinus , whose iudgement is most of all applauded , approoueth onely those three speciall kindes of a commonwealth , which x aristotle hath mentioned . the first , a monarchie , where the gouernement of the whole common-wealth , is in one mans hand . this kind regarding the weale publike , more then the weale priuate , is named the soueraigne authoritie , as in england , france , spaine , denmarke , polonia , and swethland . the second , an aristocracie , where the smaller number , and those of the best sort do beare rule ; as the senate of rome in times past , and the gentlemen of venice at this present day . the third kinde of a common-wealth is called a democracie , where the regiment of a commonwealth consisteth in the power of al , or else , of the greater part of the people : as in ancient times at athens , and nowe at this present , the cantons of switzerland . of a monarchie . chap. . among all creatures , as well hauing life , as without life , one alwaies hath preeminence aboue the rest of his kind . r this inferiour world obeyeth the superiour , and is ruled by it , as wee see by a certaine vertuous influence associated with light heat , and ( named by some , the quintessence of the world ) which issueth down frō the celestiall essence , & spreadeth it selfe through the lumpe of this huge body , to nourish all things vnder the moone . in like maner , we see the sunne the principall minister of this celestiall vertue , as a monarch among the planets , illuminating al the world with his glistering beams . we see the moone as an empresse , predominant ouer al moist things . we see the fire bearing the soueraigntie ouer the other elements . in musicall concents consisting of soundes , we see the treble as it were commāding the base . among reasonable creatures man onely is the chiefe . among beasts , the lion. among birdes , the eagle . among fishes , the whale . among metals , gold . among graines , wheate . among aromaticall spices , balme . among drinke , wine . and to conclude , haue not the bees one onely king ? is not vnitie the first of numbers , and when we haue cast our accounts , do not we return the same to one totall summe ? thus by naturall discourses wee see , that a monarchie of all other regiments , is the most excellent . n if wee search ancient fables , we shal find that the gods were ruled by iupiter . what blind bayard therefore wil deny , that i all superiour and inferiour things are much better ordered by the arbitrement of one , then by the aduice of many ? moreouer , there bee foure forcible reasons , which prooue that a monarchy ought to be preferred before all other sorts of gouernments . first , r from the beginning of countryes and nations , the gouernement was in the hands of kings , who were not extolled to that high degree of maiestie by ambition , but for their modestie , which was knowne to all men . likewise , that which is auncient and first ▪ is more noble then that which is newfangled and later . secondly , the image of a monarchie is found in priuate families . for the authority of a father ouer his children , may bee resembled to a royall gouernment , because the children are the fathers charge : hee alone must prouide for them , and their offences are by him chastised . with which concurreth that common speech : euery man is a king in his owne house . thirdly , a monarchie hath continued aboue a thousand yeeres ; whereas the longest aristocracie and democracie , haue not lasted aboue sixe hundred yeeres . our kingdome of brittaine retained a monarchie , from the time that brutus first inhabited it , vntill cadwalader , who was the last king of the british bloud ; which was aboue foureteene hundred yeeres . then in the yeere of our lorde . the kingdome was diuided among seuen of the nobles , who still continued ciuill warre one vpon the other , vntill ecbert in the yeere . reduced the seuen prouinces into one whole kingdome . since which time there ruled princes as monarches , vntill now this yeere of our lord , one thousand six hūdred . whereby wee finde , that our monarchie hath alreadie lasted full eight hundred yeeres . scotland likewise hath endured in a monarchie , from the yeere of our lord eight hundred and twentie , dungall then raigning , vntill this present yeere . fourthly , a monarch carrieth a greater maiestie , whereby hee seemes gratious and amiable in the sight of his subiects , and dreadfull to his enemies . to conclude , lette vs consent , that n a monarchie is the most excellent regiment of all others , as that which draweth neerest to gods will , who is the monarch of all monarches , king of kings , and lord of lordes . obiection . it is better to be subiect vnto god alone , then vnto man : for he foreseeth al things to come , and without his prouidence one sparrow shall not fall on the ground . and seeing that hee is so carefull for these small things , will not he , thinke you , care for r man , that is of more value then many sparrowes ? furthermore , wee are christians , n chosen of god , and pretious as liuely stones , and also made a spirituall house , an holy priesthood , to offer vp spirituall sacrifices to god by iesus christ , i with whom the presence of his spirit will alwayes bee , vntill the end of the world . therefore iniurie is done vnto him , if wee allow of any other monarch , but onely him . answere . even as it hath pleased god of his diuine prouidence to ordain the sunne , moone , and elements , as emperours ouer this inferiour world : so in like maner , hee working by such meanes and instruments , s constituted moses , iosuah , and others , iudges ouer his people , by whome as his instruments , hee brought to passe his sacred will , and deliuered the israelites from egypt , where they were enthralled . and although hee defendes vs with an outstretched arme , and hath illuminated vs with the light of his gospel , yet notwithstanding , hee hath appointed princes , as his vicegerents and instruments heere on earth , to see his word plan●ed , heresies rooted out , and offenders by political lawes executed . monarches therefore must bee obeyed , r as the ministers of god , to take vengeance on the wicked . s there is no power but of god , and the powers that bee , are ordained of god. wherefore , let no man speake euill of the ruler of the common-wealth . that hereditarie succession is better then election . chap. . h many affect the place of a monarch , not to any good end ( they being not good themselues ) whome neuerthelesse the custome or lawe of nations hath restrained by a double bridle of election and succession . the latter is that , when maiestie commeth of descent , and one prince is borne of another . the other , when as birth-right being set aside , they are chosen by consent of voyces . succession without doubt is the better , as by reasons shall appeare . first , it is meete that the sonne possesse the kingdome for the fathers sake . secondly , the sonne is brought vp to follow his fathers steps , especially in defending of religion . thirdly , a the alteration of matters giues opportunitie to strange and great attempts . fourthly , the sonne by nature from his father obtaineth a smacke of policie , and beeing alwayes present with him , knoweth the state of the kingdome better then any other . fiftly , the successour is woont to administer iustice more constantly and sincerely . whereas the elect prince must in a maner fawne on his electours and newe subiects . finally , s no authoritie can prosper or endure , which is purchased by canuasing and flatteries , & there is lesse danger in the acceptation of a prince , then in the election . the dutie of a prince . chap. . there are foure cheefe qualities necessarie for a prince to maintaine his reputation . the first is clemencie , to forgiue trespasses . for as the sunne , when it is highest in the zodiake , moueth slowest : so the higher a prince is soared to greatnesse , the more gratious and meeke hee ought to bee towardes his humble subiects . the second , to imprint the lawes and ordinances of god in his minde , and to leuell all his actions to the glorie of the king of kings : as well for the health of his owne soule , which hee ought to hold dearer then his whole kingdome , yea , then all the world : as for good ensample and imitation vnto his subiects . the third is liberalitie , to succour poore scholers and souldiours ; for as there is nothing more common then the sunne , that communicateth his light to all the celestiall bodies , and chiefely to the moone , so a prince ought to impart part of his reuenewes to the distressed , and especially aboue the rest , to students & souldiours . the fourth , to haue courage and vertue to tolerate abuses . for z although his power and authoritie extend so farre , that the countrie of india quaketh at his commandement : & although the farthest island in the sea doth serue and obey him : yet if hee cannot bridle his owne affections , his power is not worthie to be esteemed . of the name of emperour . chap. . this name emperour the romanes first inuented , not for their kings , but for their warlike generalles . serranus , camillus , fabius maximus , and scipio the affrican , as long as they gouerned the romane hosts , were entituled emperours . but when they finished their warres , they were called by their owne proper names . afterward , when antonie was discomfi●ed by augustus caesar , it chanced that the common-wealth came altogether into his hands . whereupon the romanes desired that hee would not assume vnto himselfe the name of king , because it was odious vnto thē , but that he would vse another title , vnder which they would bee his loyall and obedient subiects . then augustus being at that time generall , and therefore named emperour , chose this title , to doe the romanes pleasure . so that augustus caesar was the first , that called himselfe by the name of emperour . the cause why they hated the name of king , was by reason that their forefathers in auncient times , hauing deposed their king tarquin for his tyrannies and rapes , had forbidden by an edict and solemne othe , the name of king euer after to be vsed among them . augustus beeing dead , tiberius succeeded him in the empire of rome ; then caligula , claudius , nero , and foure and thirtie more , before the empire was by constantine the great , in the yeere of our lord . transferred to constantinople , where it continued vnited vntill the yeere of our lord seuen hundred ninetie and foure . at which time the empire was parted into the east and west , which lasted in that sort , vntill the yeere of our lord a thousand , foure hundred , fiftie and three , constantinople to the great disparagement of all christian princes , was taken by the great turke , called mahomet the second . neuerthelesse , the empire of the west , or rather of germanie , since that time hath as yet remained with the house of austria , rodolph the second now raigning . of the name of king. chap. . touching the title of king , it is to be noted , that according to the diuersitie of nations , so did they diuersly nominate their princes : to wit , among the egyptians they named them pharaoes : among the persians , arsacides : among the bythinians , ptolomeyes : among the latines , siluii : among the sicilians , tyraunts : among the argiues , kings : among the sara●ens , amiraes : and nowe of late among the persians , soldanes . in the beginning of the world all princes were termed tyrants : but when people beganne to perceiue , how great difference was betwixt the one and the other , s they agreed among themselues , to call the good princes kings , and the wicked tyrants . whereby wee see , that this title of king is authorized only vnto iust princes , and that doe well deserue to be so named . in this realme of england , there hath not at any time beene vsed any other generall authoritie , but onely the most royall and kingly maiestie . i neither hath any king of this realme , taken any inuestiture at the handes of the emperour of rome , or of any other forraine prince , but helde his kingdome of god to himselfe , and by his sword , his people and crowne , acknowledging no prince in earth his superiour , and so it is kept and holden at this day . of a gynecracie , or womans raigne . chap. . women by gouerning haue got no lesse renowne then men , as is euedent by learned histories . for which cause * the diuine philosopher found great fault with his countrymē the graecians , because their noblewomen were not instructed in matters of state & policie . likewise iustinian the emperour was highly displeased with the armenians , s for that most barbarously they prohibited women from enioying heritages , and bearing rule , as though ( quoth hee , ) women were base and dishonoured , and not created of god. n in the right of succession the sisters sonne is equall to the brothers sonne . whereby is vnderstood , that women are licensed to gouerne , aswell as men . moreouer , there be two forcible reasons , that conclude women to be most apt for seignories . first , * there is neither iew , nor graecian : there is neither bond nor free : there is neither male , nor female , for they are all one in christ iesus . the minds , and actions of men and women do depēd of the soule , in the which there is no distinction of sexe , whereby the soule of a man should bee called male , and the soule of a woman female . the sexe rather is the instrument or meanes of generation ; and the soule ingendreth not a soule , but is alway permanent and the very same . seeing therefore that a womans soule is perfect , why should she be debarred by any statute or salique law from raigning ? * the body is but lumpish , and a vassall to the soule , and for that respect not to be respected . secondly , * vertue excludeth none , but receyueth all , regarding neither substaunce nor sexe . what should i rippe vp the examples of sundry nations , * which preferred women before themselues . and for that cause * they did neyther reiect their counsels , nor set light by their answeres . semiramis after the death of her husband ninus , fearing lest the late conquered aethiopians would reuolt and rebell from her sonne yet young of yeeres and ignorant of rule ; tooke vpon her the principality , and for the time of his nonage , ordered the kingdome so princely , that shee passed in feates of armes , in triumphs , conquests , and wealth , all her predecessours . nicocris defended her empire against the medes , ( who then sought the monarchy of the world ) and wrought such a miracle in the great riuer of euphrates , as all men were astonished at it ; for shee made it contrary to mens expectation to leaue the ancient course , & so to follow her deuice to and fro , to serue the citie most commodiously : insomuch that she did not onely surpasse all men in wit , but ouercame the elements with power . isis after the decease of her husband osyris raigned ouer egypt , and tooke care for so much prouision for the common wealth , that shee was after her death worshipped as a goddesse . debora iudged israel : iudith the bethulians : lauinia after the death of eneas gouerned italy : dido carthage : olympias pirrhus his daughter ruled ouer epire : aranea was queen of scythia : cleopatra of egypt . helena after the death of leo the emperour raigned in constantinople ouer all asia as empresse . ioanna was queene of nauarre , & marying with philip pulcher the french king , made him king of nauarre in the yeere of our lord . margaret ruled ouer flaunders in the yeere of our lord . and another princesse of that name y e only daughter of valdemare the . king of dēmark & norway gouerned those kingdoms after her fathers death ; & in the yeere of our lord . she tooke albert the king of swethland captiue , & kept him in prison . yeeres . ioanna was queene of naples in the yeer . leonora dutchesse of aquitaine was maried to henry duke of gaunt , and in despight of the french k. brought him aquitaine & poiteaux in the yeere . queene mary raigned here in englād in the yeere . what should i write of elizabeth our gratious queene , that now is ? which by her diuine wisedome brought three admirable things to passe . first , her maiesty reformed religion , that by the romish antichrist was in her sisters time bespotted . secondly , she maintayned her countrey in peace , whē all her neighbour princes were in an vprore . thirdly , she triumphed ouer all her foes , both domesticall and hostile , traiterous and outlandish . if a man respect her learning , it is miraculous , for shee can discourse of matters of state with the best philosopher ; she vnderstandeth sundry kinds of languages , and aunswereth forreine ambassadours in their forreine tongues . if a man talke of the administration of iustice , all the nations vnder the heauens cannot shew her peere . in summe , her princely breast is the receiuer , or rather the storehouse of all the vertues , aswell morall as intellectuall . for which causes england hath iust occasion to reioyce , and to vaunt of such a gratious mother . to whome the monarch of monarches long continue her highnesse , and strengthen her ( as he hath done hitherto ) to his perpetuall glory , confusion of all her enemies , and to our euerlasting comfort . of tyraunts . chap. . sir thomas smith termeth him a a tyraunt , that by force commeth to the monarchy against the will of the people , breaketh lawes already made at his pleasure , and maketh other without the aduise and consent of the people , and regardeth not the wealth of his commons , but the aduauncemēt of himself , his faction , & kindred . also , there be two sorts of tyrants . b the one in title , the other in exercise . he is in title tyrant , that without any lawfull title vsurpeth the gouernment . in exercise , he that hath good title to the principality , and commeth in with the good will of the people , but doth not rule wel and orderly , as he should . and so not onely they , which behaue themselues wickedly towards their subiects , are called tyraunts , as edward the second of this realme in the yeere of our lord . and alphonsus of naples , that lawfully came to the crowne in the yeere . but also they are named tyrants , which albeit they behaue themselues well , yet they are to be called tyraunts , in that they had no title to the principality ; as s●eno the king of denmark , that vsurped this realme of england in the yeere . and pope clement the eight , that now is , who about two yeeres ago seysed on the dukedome of ferraria onely by pretence of a gift , which constantine time out of mind bequeathed to the papacy . furthermore , there be sixe tokens to know a tyrant . the first , if hee sends abroad pickthanks , talebearers , and espies to hearken what men speake of him , as tiberius the emperour was woont to do . the second , if he abolisheth the study of learning , and * burneth the monuments of most worthy wittes in the market place , and in the assembly of the people , least his subiects should attaine to the knowlege of wisedome . as alaricus king of the gothes did in italy , in the yeere . and the great turke in his empire . the third , if hee maintaine schismes , diuisions , and factions in his kingdome , for feare that men should prie into his doings . as the popes haue done alway from time to time : and of late daies the queene mother in fraunce . the fourth , if hee trust straungers more then his owne naturall subiects ; and continually goeth garded with a strong company : as vortiger sometime king of this realme did , when he brought in hengist and the saxons , and gaue them the countreys of kent and essex to inhabit . the fift , if he without cause cōmand his chiefest nobles to be cashiered & branded with ignominy , or to be imprisoned and put to death , for feare lest they should waxe too popular and ouermighty . such a one was frauncis sfortia duke of millain , that caused alphonsus king of naples villanously at a banquet to murther earle iames sonne to nicholas picinio ( whome he had sent ambassadour to the sayd alphonsus ) for no other cause , then for that hee feared his might , & because the braciques in italy , & some of his subiects highly esteemed him . the sixt token to know a tyrant , is , if he do away learned and wise men for no other intent , then that fearing they should reproue him , & write against his depraued & vngodly life . as domitius nero , that commaunded seneca the philosopher , and the poet lucan to be slaine ; and domitian , that banished the poet luuenal for the same cause . but of this matter i haue spoken * in another booke . whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their prince being a tyraunt or an heretique ? chap. . even as the prince ought to remoue the causes of mislike , which his subiects haue conceiued against him , and to extinguish the flame , that being nourished in one seuerall house would breake into the next , and at last into the whole towne : so in like maner subiects ought to please their soueraigne , and to tolerat all rigour , yea , and to lay downe their neckes vpon the block , rather then to cōspire against his power , which he hath from god. it may be , that he is raised as another nabuchodonozor of the lord for a scourge to punish the transgressiōs and enormities of the inhabitants . * the dishonourable things , which a prince doth , ought to be accounted honourable . men must patiētly ( for they can do no otherwise ) beare with an vnreasonable deàre yeere , with vnseasonable stormes , and with many blemishes and imperfections of nature . therefore they ought to endure with as constant courages the heresies and tyrannies of their soueraigne . but , thou wilt say , subiectes must obey only iust and vpright princes . to which i answere , that a parents are bound to their children with reciprocall and mutuall duties . yet , if parents depart from their duty , and prouoke their children to desperation : b it becommeth not children to be lesse obedient to their parents . c but they are subiect both to euill parēts , and to such , as do not their duty . further , if seruants must be obedient to their masters , aswel curteuos as curst , much more ought subiects to obey not onely their gentle , but also their cruell princes . this didacus couarruuias an excellent lawier confirmeth , saying : * if a prince , ( whether by succession or election he was made , it skilleth not ) doth exceed the limits of law and reason , he cannot bee deposed , nor put to death by any subiect ; yea , * it is hereticall to hold that paradoxe . for * god is he , which chaungeth the times and seasons : he taketh away kings , and setteth vp kings : to the intent , that liuing men might know , that the most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men , and giueth it to whomesoeuer hee will , and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men . hence is it , that we seldome heare of rebels , that euer prospered , but in the end they were bewrayed and brought to confusion . in the time of henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him the duke of exceter , with the dukes of gloucester , surrey , aumarle , & salisburie : and at another time the earle of worcester , the archbishop of yorke , & hēry hotspurre sonne to the earle of northūberland ; all which were either slaine or beheaded . to come neerer the state of this question , we find , that leonagildus an auncient king of the gothes in spaine , both a tyrant and an arrian in the yeere of our lord . pursued the true christians , and exiled his own sonne , because he was of the true religion . whereupon this young prince being moued at the persecution of the christians in his countrey , did twise raise armes against his lord and father . at the first he was taken captiue and banished ; at the second he was put to death on easter day . by which example wee may note the effects of gods iudgements , and rebuke the rashnesse of this prince , that rebelled against his soueraigne . wherefore , o yee that be subiect to cruell princes , refraine your fury , learne to obey , & beware lest the same chance vnto you , which is faigned to haue chanced vnto the frogs , who being importunat on iupiter to haue a king , a beame was giuen them : the fi●●t fall whereof did somwhat affright them , but when they saw it stil lie in the streame , they insulted theron with great disdain , & praied for a king of a quicker spirit : thē was sent vnto them a stork , which tyrānized & daily deuoured them . in a word , rebels in taking care to auoid one calamity , do entāgle themselues in a whole peck of troubles , as by this fable of y e frogs is euident . and oftentimes it hapneth that the remedy is more dangerous then the malady it selfe ; for of one tyraunt they make three hydraes , or els in seeking to shun tyranny , they reduce their gouernment to a troublesome democracy . of an aristocracy . chap. . the rule of a certain and prescribed number of noblemen & gentlemē respecting the benefite of the common wealth , is termed an aristocracy : & if any ambitiously preferre their priuat cōmodity before the publick good , and by cōspiracies dispose of all matters appertaining to the cōmonwealth , as it please thē , it is named an oligarchy . for as irō is consumed in time by rust , although it auoideth al incōueniēces ; so some peculiar dammage or other sticketh to euery commonwealth according to the nature therof ; as for exāple , this * oligarchy endamageth an aristocracy ; tyrāny is opposite to a monarchy , & sedition to a democracy . that aristocracy is best allowed , where the gouernment is allotted to a few noble & vertuous men , which bestow most in common seruices , and make lawes for the rest , directing their cogitations to no other scope , then the publick good of their countrey . the citizens of venice do deliuer the discussing of their matters , aswell ordinary , as of importance , to the senate , which are very fewe in number , as not ignorant , how , few being made priuy of their matters , they should bee the more priuily managed . neuerthelesse this kind of commonwealth being compared with a monarchy , will be found imperfect & farre inferiour . true it is , that siluer and tinne are good , but yet imperfect metals in comparison of gold , wherein the souerainety and perfection of all metals consist . in like maner an aristocracy well tempered may be good , but seldome it so falleth out . this realme of england , when it was diuided into prouinces , as mercia , northūberlād , & others , & ruled by the nobles , was soone surprized by the danes : whereas if it had continued counted , they durst neuer aduenture to set foot in any one place of this realme . briefly , an aristocracy disagreeth with the law of natiōs , which all men held in great estimation , for a all nations had kingdomes distinct , and kings appointed for them . the israelites required a king of the prophet samuel : for , said they , b wee will be like all other nations , and our king shal iudge vs , and go out before vs , and fight our battels . obiection . mediocrity in al things is praise-worthy , & extreames dispraised : an aristocracy is the mediocrity between a monarchy & a democracy : therefore it is best . answere . the mediocrity betweene a monarchy & a democracy is perfect & praise-worthy , if it could be equally diuided , & thereby the vertue drawne out ; which is in a maner impossible . of a democracy , chap. . a democracy of all regiments is the very worst , as being a market where all things are sold , & fashioned by owles , whose sight the night lighteneth , & the day makes dim . what is more preposterous , then to see the multitude ( a mōster of many heads ) void of discretion , deliberating and determining on wise mens deeds , yea , & now & then on their liues ? are not they still shuffling the cardes and desirous of new cōmotions ? are not they wauering & corrupt ? wretched , i say , & miserable is that commonwealth , which wāts a head , & where the people raigne . * sooner will a foole be brought to play vpō a harpe , then the vndiscreet multitude bee made fit for magistracies . no mā is so foolish , that hauing need of physicians wise & experienced , he will put his body into the hands of rude and raw empiriques . likewise a as of a iudge incapable & vndiscreet cā be no expectatiō of righteous iudgemēts : so in a popular state full of confusion & vanity , there is no hope , but at aduenture of deliberatiō , & resolution wise or reasonable . which caused anacharsis the philosopher , when hee saw the areopagites propoūding causes , & the people resoluing thē , to say , that wise men among the the athenians moued matters , & fooles determined thē . how great troubles did the florētines sustain by this sort of gouernment , vntil of late it was reduced by the mediceis into a monarchy ? in fine , y e multitude cōpoūded of many & diuers spirits , of maners , & customes , can neuer distinguish between good & bad co sel , by reasō that b whatsoeuer is moderat , they esteeme a kind of slouthfull cowardize , and whatsoeuer is circūspectly forewarned , that they hold to be curiosity . but whatsoeuer is rash & hasty , that is thought by them to be couragiously deliberated . the democracy of the switzers hath continued without troubles two hūdred yeeres and vpwards : therefore a democracy well constituted may endure as long as an aristocracy or monarchy . answere . of the continuance of the switzers popular gouernment , i find two causes . the first , they haue slaine all their noblemen , and they mistrust not one another . the second , the most factious and seditious of them are commonly abroad as mercenary souldiers vnder the frēch king and other potentates , and the rest at home more tractable regard not how the world goeth . the second plant. the members of a commonwealth . chapt. . all the people , which be in euery royall commonwealth , are generally either gentlemen or of the commonaltie . of gentlemen there be three degrees . vnder the first and chiefest is the prince comprehended . vnder the second , dukes , marquesses , earles , vicounts , barons , and knights of honour . vnder the third and last are contained knights , graduates of law , esquires , masters of arts , captaines , and they that beare the countenance and port of gentlemen . whereunto also might bee added a fourth degree of gentlemen , whome wee name gentlemen of the first head : i meane them , r to whome heraldes for money doe giue armes , newly made and inuented , the title whereof shall pretend to haue beene found by the sayde heralds , in perusing and viewing of olde registers , where his ancestors in times past had beene recorded to beare the same . the commonaltie likewise is diuided into citizens , artificers , marchants , and yeomen . of noblemen . chap. . if wee call to remembrance all things that wee haue seene , wee shal finde euery one thing in particular to excel the rest of the same kind , in some perfection or other . let vs looke vp into the zodiake , and there wee shall see the sunne to surpasse the minour● starres . among metals , gold , siluer , and brasse are best . among stones , the marble , iuorie , and loadstone . among pretious stones , the diamond , the smaragde , and saphire . among trees , the pine , the iuniper , the apple-tree . and so among liuing things , some exceede others . what maruaile therefore is it , if among men , the verie same order bee obserued ? in the buying or selling of a horse , wee glorie & boast of his sire : and shall wee not respect , of what stocke and parentage a man is descended ? s eueryman , i confesse , commeth of noble seede , that is to say , from god ; but afterwards he becommeth degenerate and ignoble , by forsaking god his beginning , and by leaning vnto wicked vices . for which cause there was a law in rome termed prosapia , that is , the law of discēt , by the which it was ordained , that whē cōtention did arise in the senate house , for the cōsulship , that they which descēded from the torquatians , decians , and fabricians , should obtaine the place before others . concerning noblemens priuiledges , they be many , wherof we wil at this present recite onely . first , a nobleman cānot be chalēged to the combat or lists , by any inferior man. secondly , a noblemā is sooner preferred to beare office in the cōmon-wealth , to sit in commissiō , & to be an arbitrator betwixt partie and partie . thirdly , by the ciuill law , the testimonies of noblemen are sooner approoued . and whereas inferior gentlemē must personally appeare in criminall causes , it is lawfull for noblemen to bee absent , so that they substitute an atturney or proctor for them . fourthly , a nobleman hauing cōmitted an hainous offence , as murther or treasō , is iudged by his peeres & equals : that is , the yeomārie doth not go vpō him , but an enquest of the l. of the parliamēt , & they giue their voices , not one for al , but each seuerally , as they doe in parliamēt , beginning at the yongest l. and for iudge , one l. sitteth , who is high steward of england for that day . and this punishmēt is beheading : but if an inferior gent. offend in this sort , then at the next sessions he hath twelue godfathers on his life , and is condemned to bee hanged . fiftly , noblemen and their wiues are licensed to weare clothes of gold , but knights & esquires are forbiddē them . to hasten to an end , this honour of auncestrie as it doth adorne noblemen , so doth it greatly disgrace them if they liue not vertuously . for thereby they eclipse their genealogie , and become themselues vtterly vnknowne . in consideration of which abuse , a notable law was enacted among the rhodians , to wit , that those sonnes , which followed not their fathers vertues , but liued wickedly , should be disinherited , & their reuenewes giuen to the most vertuous of that race , not admitting any vitious heyre whatsoeuer . the properties of a gentleman . chap. . the meanes to discerne a gentleman bee these . first , hee must bee affable and courteous in speech and behauiour . secondly , hee must haue an aduenturous heart to fight , and that but for verie iust quarrels . thirdly , hee must bee endued with mercie to forgiue the trespasses of his friendes and seruants . fourthly , hee must stretch his purse to giue liberally vnto souldiours , and vnto them that haue neede : for a niggard is not worthie to bee called a gentleman . these bee the properties of a gentleman , which whosoeuer lacketh , deserueth but the title of a clowne , or of a countrie boore . in breefe , it fareth with gentlemen , as it doth with wine : which ought to haue foure good qualities , namely , it must not taste of the caske : next , it must sauour of a good soyle . thirdly , it must haue a good colour . last of all , it must sauour of the goodnes of the grape , and not bee sophistically mingled with water and such like . that gentlemen must not greatly respect what the common people speake of them . chap. . the common people groūd their actions vpō fallible expectations : they are stout when perils bee farre off , and very irresolute when they approach . who therefore is so brainesicke , as to beleeue their assertions ? what else is glorie , then a windie gale , neuer comming from the heart , but onely from the lungs ? n they that be praysed vnworthily , ought to bee ashamed of their praise . admit they bee iustly praised , what thing more hath it augmented to the conscience of a wise man , that measureth not his good , by the rumour of the common people , but by the trueth of the conscience ? for which cause the romanes built two temples ioyning together ; the one being dedicated to vertue , & the other to honour : but yet in such sort , that no man could enter into that of honour , except first hee passed through the temple of vertue . n honor ( as the philosopher sayth ) is a reuerence giuen to another , for a testimonie of his vertue . insomuch as honor is not attributed to vertue by dignitie , but rather it is attributed to dignity , by vertue of them that vse the dignitie . howbeit notwithstanding , e i haue not such horny heart-strings , that i would not at al haue mē to be praysed ; but my meaning is , that gentlemen should obserue a meane and a limitation in their common applauses , and fine soothings . for s to bee altogether carelesse ( as stoykes & cynicks would haue euerie one to be ) what men think of thē , is not onely a marke of arrogancy , but also a token of a loose life . wherefore gentlemen must endeuour by al meanes , & without vain-glory , to keep a good name , especially among their neighbors , & to beare themselues such men indeede , as they would haue al men account thē . wherto accordeth that saying of the poet : thou shalt liue well , if thou takest care to be such a one , as thou hearest how the people testifie of thee abroad . of knights of honour . chap. . those i call knights of honour , who , here in england , are named knights of the garter , and in france , knights of the order of saint michael . the original of the honorable order of the garter , was first inuented after this maner . whē k. edward the third had , by the means of edward the blacke prince his sonne , taken captiues king iohn of france , and king dauid of scotland , and had put them both in ward at london , and also had expelled king henrie the bastard of spaine , restoring the kingdome to peter the lawfull king , then he , to honor and grace his victories , deuised an honourable fellowship , and made choyse of the most famous persons for vertue , and honoured them with this order , giuing thē a garter adorned with gold and pretious stones , together with a buckle of gold , to weare onely on the left legge . * of which order hee and his successors , kings and queenes of england should be soueraigne , and the rest , by certaine lawes among themselues , should bee taken as brethren and fellowes in that order , to the number of sixe and twentie . and this breefely touching the inuention and authour of the honourable order of knights here in england . now i will addresse my pen to write of the honourable order in france . king lewes the eleuenth of france , after he had made peace with his peeres , whom in the beginning of his raigne , he had excluded from his presence , inuented at amboise , in the yeere of our lord . a societie of honour , consisting of sixe and thirtie noblemen , and named saint michael patron of them ( euen as the english knights had deuoted themselues to the tuition of saint george ) giuing ot each of them a golden chaine , of the value of two hundred pound , which they were bound to weare daily , & not to bestow , sell , or gage the same as long as they liued ; & if any one of them chanced to die , forthwith there was an election to dubbe another in his roome , not by voyces , but by litle scrowles turned together in the forme of balles , the which they did cast into a bason , and the lord chauncelour was to reckon them . then he , that had most balles on his side was admitted to the societie , the king speaking these words : the honourable societie do accept of thee as their brother , and in regard of their good wil to thee-wards , do bestow this golden chaine on thee : god grāt thou maist long weare it . when the king had spoken these words , hee gaue him a kisse on the right cheek . this is the custome of dubbing kinghts of the order of saint michael . also , there be other orders of knights in christendome , as , the kinghts of the golden fleece , knights , of the bathe , knights of the patent deuised by y e pope , and knights of the rhodes . but because the rehearfall of them are not much appertaining to our purpose , i cease to treate further of them . of citizens . chap. . he that first inuented a citie , was the cause of much good . the which praise some attribute vnto eloquent men . some to saturne . and others to orpheus and amphion . for in the beginning of the world , people liued barbarously like vnto bruit beasts : and the nature of man was such , that they not hauing eyther the law naturall or ciuill prescribed , rogued vp and downe dispersed in the world , & possessed nothing , except that , which by force they tooke away from others , * til there arose some notable men both in wisedome and valour , who knowing , howe it was to instruct man , assembled all of them into one place , ordamed a citie , and enuironed them round about with walles . further , citizens in generall are they that liue vnder the same lawes and soueraigne magistrates . but citizens particularly are they , that are free-men , & do dwel in cities and boroughs , or corporated townes , generally , in the shire they be of no account , saue onely in the parliament to make lawes . the auncient cities appoynted foure , and each borough two , ( whome we call burgesses of the parliament ) to haue voyces in it , and to giue their consent and dissent in the name of the citie or borough , for which they be appoynted . whether out landish men ought to bee admitted into a citie . chap. . it is commonly seene , that sedition often chanceth there , where the inhabitants be not all natiue borne . this lycurgus the lawgiuer of the lacedemonians rightly noting , r instituted , that no stranger should be admitted into his common-wealth , but at a prefixed time . his reason was , because seldome it is seene , that the homeborne citizens , and the outlandish doe agree together . in the yere of our lord . the londiners made an insurrection , and slew all the iewes that inhabited amongst them . the neapolitanes and sicilians , in the yeere of our lord . rose against william their king , because hee gaue certaine offices to frenchmen , and killed them all in one night . the citizens of geneua repining at strangers , which resorted and dwelled among them , conspired together in the yeere . to expell them ; and a if caluin had not thrust himselfe betweene the naked swords to appease the tumult , doubtlesse there would haue beene a great slaughter . there is at this present day , a religious law in china and cathaya , forbidding on paine of death , the accesse of strangers into the country . what shall i say of the constitutions of princes , whereby strangers were vtterly extruded and excluded from bearing offices in the common-wealth r arcadius and honorus empercurs of rome decreed , that no man out of the parish , where a benefice fel voyde , should be admitted minister . likewise , x pope innocent the third was woont to say , that hee could not with a safe conscience preferre any strangers to bee officers in the kingdome of hungarie . king charles the seuenth of france in the yeere of our lord . proclaimed , that no alien or stranger should be presented to any ecclesiasticall liuing liuing in his realme . for which respects , princes must haue great regard touching the admission of strangers , and especially to their number . for if they exceede the natiue inhabitanes in number and strength , then through confidence in their own might , they will presently inuade and ouerthrow their too too kind fosterers . of marchants . chap. . forasmuch as there bee three sorts of citizens : the first of gentlemen , who are wont now and then for pleasure to dwell in cities : the second , of marchants : and the third of manuaries and artificers : it is expedient , that i hauing alreadie declared the properties of gentlemen , should now conse quently discourse some what of marchants : and then of artificers . by marchants necessaries are transported frō strange countries , and from hence other superfluous things are conueyed to other places , where they traffick so commodiously , that the whole commonwealth is bettered by them . euerie countrie hath a seuerall grace naturally giuen vnto it , as , moscouie is plentifull of hony , waxe , martin-skinnes , and good hides . the country of molucca yeeldes cloues , sinnamon , and pepper . in the east indiaes grow the best oliues . damascus aboundeth with prunes , reysins , pomegranates , and quinces . from fraunce we fetch our wines . from francoford wee haue bookes brought vnto vs. so that whosoeuer considereth the generall cōmon-wealth of all the world , hee shall perceiue , that it cannot continue long in perfection , without traffique and diuersities . of artificers . chap. . x amongst occupations , those are most artificiall , where fortune is least esteemed : those most vnseemely , whereby men do pollute their bodies : those most seruile , wherin there is most vse of bodily strength : and those most vile , wherein vertue is least required . and again , the gaines of tole-gatherers and vsurers are odious : and so are the trades of butchers , cooks , fishmongers , and huxters . pedlers likewise & chaundlers are accounted base , for that they buy of marchants , to the end , they may presently vtter the same away . in vttering of which , they cog and cousen the simple buyers : thē which nothing is more impious or more hurtful to the conscience . these kind of men a haue no voyee in the common-wealth , and no account is made of them , but onely to be ruled , and not to rule others . of yeomen , and their oppression . chap. . a yeoman is hee that tilleth the ground , getteth his liuing by selling of corne in markets , and can dispend yeerely fortie shillings sterling . there is no life more pleasant then a yeomans life : for where shall a man haue better prouision to keep his winter with fire enough , then in the country ? and where is there a more delightful dwelling , for goodly waters , gentle windes and shadowes , then in the coūtry ? this life was so highly regarded in ancient time , that euen emperors and generals of war , haue not bin ashamed to exercise it . c herehence descended remus , and q. cincinnatus , who , as he was earing his foure acres of land , was by a purseuant called to the city of rome , & created dictator . dioclesiā left his empire at salona , and became a yeoman . let a man repaire at any time to a yeomans house , and h there he shal find all manner of victuals , meath , and all of his owne , without buying or laying money out of his purse . but now a dayes yeomanrie is decayed , hospitalitie gone to wracke , and husbandrie almost quite fallen . the reason is , because landlords , not contented with such reuenewes , as their predecessours receiued , nor yet satisfied , that they liue like swinish epicures , quietly at their ease , doing no good to the commonwealth , doe leaue no ground for tillage , but doe enclose for pasture many thousand acres of ground within one hedge , the husbandmē are thrust out of their own , or else by deceit , constrained to sell all that they haue . and so either by hook or by crook , they must needes depart away poore seely soules , men , women , & children . and not this extremity onely do our wicked ahabs shew , but also with the losse of naboths life do they glut their ouergreedy minds . this is the cause , why corne in england is become dearer , then it was woont to bee ; and yet notwithstanding all this , sheep & wool are nothing better cheap , but rather their price are much enhaunsed . thus do our remorcelesse puttocks lie lurking for the poore commons , to spoile them of their tenemēts , * but they shall not long enioy them . and why ? because they are oppressours of the poore , and not helpers , their bellies are neuer filled , therefore shall they soone perish in their couetousnesse . the third plant. of counsell . chap. . counsell is a sentence , which particularly is giuen by euery man for that purpose assembled . there be fiue rules to be noted in counsell . the first , to counsell wel , wherein is implied , that whatsoeuer is proposed , should be honest , lawful , and profitable . the second , counsell must not be rash and headlong , but mature , deliberated , and ripe , like vnto the barke of an old tree . thirdly , to proceed according to examples touching things past , as , what shal chaūce to the israelites , because they haue worshipped the goldē calf . fourthly , to giue counsel cōcerning the present time , & of those things , which are cōprehended in the sences . so christ said vnto the disciples of iohn : a go , and shew iohn what things yee heare & see . the blind receiue their sight , & the halt do walke : the lepers are clensed , & the deafe heare : the dead are raised vp , & the poore receyue the gospel . fiftly , to foresee things to come , & to forewarne men of them ; as , b he , that shall offend , shall be bound hand and foote , and cast into vtter darkenesse , where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth . of counsellours . chap. . seuen things are required in a counsellour ; first , the feare of god , for he is the only authour of al good counsels . secondly , experience in matters of policy . thirdly , learning & knowledge in the lawves . for * hardly will they bee infected with ●●●onious vi●es , whome learning hath purged . fourthly , mildnesse . fiftly , a coūsellour must be naturally borne within that state , where he gouerneth . sixtly , he must be secrete , lest he worke to himselfe the occasion of his owne death ; as the bishop of setto did : who because he reuealed to the french king , that cesar borgias his master brought with him a bull authentike & ratified from the pope his father , for a diuorcement to the french king , which hee dissembled , was by the said duke eftsoone poisoned . seuenthly , a counsellour ( if it be possible ) ought to be of noble parētage , for * they which haue more nobility , haue more right in a cōmōwealth , then the ignoble . and euery one esteemeth nobility in his countrey , as a thing very honourable , seeing it is likely , that the best parents should beget the best children : and nobility is the vertue of the stock and race . of parliaments . chap. . parliaments are right necessary in a commonwealth , & without them the whole estate is mortified and sencelesse . for euen as a man cannot liue without a soule : so a commonwealth cannot liue without parliaments . by experience it is found out , that they haue saued commonwealths frō ruine & decay . greece had neuer so long flourished , if the great counsell of the amphictions , first instituted by amphiction the sonne of deucalion , had not beene holden twise a yeere , in spring time and in autumne at delphos in the temple of apollo , which was seated in the heart of all greece . the counsel of nicene hindred the proceedings of the arrians , and caused the true religion to be planted . the parliamēts of germany , where the emperour and the seuen electours meete , haue preserued the state thereof from the intrusions of the turkes . so likewise the aggregation of the genowayes , the iourney or diet of the switzers , the great councell of the vene●ian gentlemen , the diuan of the turks , the assembly of the states of polonia , the . councels of spaine , to wit , the councell of spaine , of the low countries , of the inquisition , of the indians , of italy , of the order of saint iohn , & of warre : the meeting of the states of fraunce , and the parliament of england consisting of the prince , baronrie , and commonalty haue maintained their commonwealths more securely aswell from hostile as from domesticall enemies . to hold a parliament , is , when the prince communicateth his affaires of importance with his subiects , demaundeth subsidies of them , taketh their aduice , heareth their molestations , & prouideth for them reasonably . * the iudges in our parliament of englād are the prince , the lords spirituall and temporall , and the commons represented by the knights and burgesses of euery shire and borough towne . the officers are the speakers , the clarks , and the committies . the authour of this parliament was king henry the third , induced thereunto ( as i suppose ) by his barons , who rebelling against him , made england tributary to pādolph the legat in the popes name . and doubtlesse the calling and holding of it is the chiefest meanes of all our welfares . for in times past it appeased ciuill warres , it deliuered the whole realme from the incursions of forraine enemies , and maintained continuall warres abroad with the scots and frenchmen . in a word , this holding of parliament is the anchor of our whole comonwealth , wherby it is set sure and stayed , as a ship in the water . of iudgements . chap. . ivdgemēt is that , which is decreed by the iudge , not altogether dissenting frō the tenor of the law . of iudgements some be called ciuill , some criminall : but because our ciuilians haue largely treated of them , i will proceed to another diuision , which makes most for our politique instruction . iudgements againe are either priuat or publique : ordinary or extraordinary : priuat iudgemēts cōcerne testaments , successions , mariages , contracts , wardships , gardianships , bondages , & prescriptions . publique iudgements are of grieuous offences against god and man : as , high treason , petie treason , murthers , rapes , felonies , riot , bribes , forgeries , and insurrections . ordinary iudgements are those , which are executed by the iudge , according to the prescription of the law . * extraordinary are called when the iudge departing somewhat frō the rigour of the law , iudgeth more mercifully according to his owne conscience . the cōmon & vsuall forme of iudgement , that is exercised here in england is by the great assise , or by a quest of . men necessarily of that shire , where the defendāt dwelleth . these mē the sherife warneth to appeare vpō pain of amercements . and appearing ( vnlesse exceptions be made against thē ) they besworne to tell the truth of that issue or criminall cause , according to their conscience and euidence or writings authēticall laid before them . then these . men are shut vp in some roome hard by , and kept by a bailiffe without any kind of sustenance , fire , or candle , vntil al of them agree vpō one verdict about the said issue or criminall cause . this is our common order of iudgement . there are likewise other formes , whereby iudgement is giuen , as by the parliament , by combat , and such like , which are absolute , and without appeale ; howbeit they be seldome vsed . of iudges and their duty . chap. . ivdges must not goe astray from the right , but discharge themselues pure & innocent to god , the prince , & the law . * they must not be corrupted with bribes and extorsion , nor by other mens bra ●les hunt for a pray . they must be men for their yeres , very ripe in prudence , iudgement , and experience ; for their countenance , seuere and graue ; for their parentage , ( if it be possible ) renowmed aboue the residue of the people ; for their credit , strong in opiniō with the common people . * they must not pronounce sentence against the statutes of the realme , or against the common law . neither must they condemne any man vpon suspition : for better it is to suffer the guilty to escape vnpunished , then to condemne an innocent . they must neither be too seuere , nor too remisse , but they must determine circumspectly , as the matter , and necessities require . howbeit , in light matters let them be somewhat addicted to lenity , and in waighty affaires to seuerity being tēpered with a meeke countenance . and if they would needes remit penalties , forfeits , or capitall punishments , let them first satisfie the agrieued parties . iudges may erre sixe maner of waies . first , when they be partial towards their friends and kinsmen . secondly , * when they haue no power ouer them , whome they iudge . thirdly , when for hatred they prosecute any man. fourthly , when they repriue men for feare to displease some great personage . fiftly , when being greased in the fist with the oyle of gold , they winke at enormities , and corruption . sixtly , when being vnlearned they iudge rashly & without premeditation . of bribes , and going to law . chap. . woe be vnto you , * that haue taken giftes to shead bloud , or haue receyued vsury , and the encrease , and that haue defrauded your neighbours by extortion . for you respect not what the lawe decreeth , but what the mind affecteth : you consider not the life of the man , but the bribes of the butcher . when the rich man speaketh , he is attētiuely heard : but when the poore complaineth , no man giueth eare vnto him . or if percase one of our fine-headed lawyers vouchsafe to take his cause in hand , he followeth it slowly , and in a dozen sheets not hauing eight lines on euery side he laieth downe such fri●olous and disguised contradictions and replications , that his suites shall hang seuen yeeres ; yea , and perhaps a dozen yeeres , according to the number of those superfluous sheetes , before they bee brought to any perfection , & vntill the poore client become farre behind hand . nowadaies the common fee of an atturney is no lesse thē a brace of angels , notwithstanding hee speake but once , and that ( the lord knows ) very coldly to the right sence of the suit . and if a poore man should proffer him lesse , he wil aunswere him in this maner : sir , behold my face and complexion , and you shall find , that it is all of gold , and not of siluer . innumerable are the quirkes , quiddities , and starting holes of our english petifoggers : for sometimes when a definitiue sentence is pronounced , they forsooth will inuent some apish tricke , eyther to suspend it from execution vpon some smal cauillation or obiection , or els they call it into a new controuersie by a writ of errour or by a ciuill petition ; or , to cōclude , they find out some shift or drift to reuerse and reuoke the sentence . thus do they play the sophisters with their seely cliēts , or rather conies , whom they haue catched and intrapped in their nettes . but these disorders would bee quickly reformed , if men will follow my counsell , which is , to forbeare awhile from going to law . honest and well disposed men might content themselues at home , and not gadde euery foote to the court of common pleas , to the chauncery , to the starchamber . neighbours , isay , and kinsfolkes ought to regard one another , and to end all doubts and quarrels among themselues : i do not meane by brutish combats and affraies , but by mediations , atonements , and intercessions . man is by nature humane , that is , gentle and curteous : and good vsage will in time cause him to relent from his former stubbernesse . many countries haue their courts , leetes , or lawdaies , where men generally do meet together : there , me thinkes , light controuersies and iarres might assoone be taken vp and decided , aswell as in farre places . if this aduice of mine were obserued , we should haue fewer lawyers and lesse controuersies . of magistrates . chap. . even as in the body of a liuing creature the organe of seeing is ascribed only to the eies , & al the other off●ces do obey them as their guides : so in like maner all offices in the commonwealth are cōmitted vnto wise magistrates , as to the eies of the realme , & the other members must be directed by thē . for which consideration i require in a magistrate learning and vertue , without which he is not worthy to be termed the eye of a commōwealth , but rather a blind bayard , as wanting both the eies of the body & the eies of the mind . whē as we chuse a rapier , we chuse it not , because the hilt is double-guilt , & the scabberd of veluet and beset with pearles : but because the point of it is sharp to enter well , and the blade strong & stiffe . so hapneth it in the electiō of magistrates , namely , that they be learned & vertuous , rather then hādsomely and beautifully proportioned in body . strength of body is required in a laborer ; but policy in a magistrate . this is profitable to a twofold scope , that the wise & feeble may commaund , and the strong obey . next , magistrates must cōsider , why the sword of iustice both by the law of god and man is put into their hands ; that is to say , they are the ministers of god and the executioners of the law , to take vengeance on the wicked , & not to let offenders in any case wilfully to perseuer in their errours . in the beginning , euery malady is easy to be cured : but if it be let alone for a while , it groweth past remedy . magistrates therfore must in time prouide salues to redresse abuses : otherwise they incurre the anger of god. they must haue lions harts , that they shrink not in iust causes . they must bee constant , lest by their friends intercessions they waxe partiall . lastly , they must be both graue & ciuill : graue in commaunding , & ciuill in conuersation . of the great cares and troubles of magistrates . chap. . o how greatly are mē deceyued , that perswade thēselues , that magistrates do lead the ioyfullest liues . litle know they , how vnquiet bee their thoughts . they thinke not of their lōg watchings , and that their nature is weakened , and through such distemperatures their bodies languish . no man liueth exempt from some sorrow or other . although ignorant men and fresh-water souldiers , to whome warre is pleasant , account it felicity to commaund : yet if they compare in an euen balance the waight of such troubles , as daily happē in their magistracies , vnto the weakenesse of pleasure which proceedeth by cōmaunding , they shal perceiue , that far greater is the toyle of the one , then the toy of the other . how often are they cumbred with cōplaints ? how long in perusing of informations ? so that in fine their offices will not permit them any contentation . * poore men , that weary their bodies to get food for the sustentation of themselues , their wiues and children , and do pay subsidies to their prince , should liue in too great discomfort and despayre , if great men and magistrates had nothing in this world but pleasure , and they on the contrary side but toyles and calamities . but god hath otherwise disposed of the case . for they languish in mind : whereas poore men do but weary their bodies , which easily might be recouered againe . the consuming of the vitall spirites is in a maner irrecuperable ; insomuch as the cares of the one exceed farre the labour of the other . whether magistrates may receyue presents sent vnto them ? chap. . * they that walke in iustice , refusing gaine of oppression , and shaking their hands from taking of giftes , shall dwell on high , their defence shall be the munitions of rockes , and they shall see god in his glory . for b giftes do blind the eies , and peruert the words of the righteous . no magistrates therfore must presume to take gifts , * vnlesse they be to be eaten or drunke vp within three dayes at the furthest : & that not of suters , for they giue them , to the intent they may corrupt their authority , and so speed of their owne pleas and pursuites . let them rather imitate cicero , * who as long as he was pretour of cilicia , would neyther himselfe receyue , nor permit any of his company to take presentes , no , not that beneuolence , which by the law iulia was due vnto him . * at thebes the images of iudges were put up without hands : wherby is meant , that they ought not to receyue any rewards , that were offered them . there is at this present time a publique law amōg the switzers , that magistrates vnder paine of death should not take any thing eyther directly or vndirectly for iudging . the fourth plant. of the education of gentlemen . chap. . * man is by nature a gentle creature : who with his happy nature getting good education , becommeth diuinely disposed : but if hee lacke this education , he waxeth the most wicked of all creatures , that are borne vpon the earth . many drops of water ( as wee see ) falling vpon the hard marble stone do pierce and make it hollow . and the ground being well tilled and manured beareth goodly corne . so in like maner a man well brought vp acknowledgeth his duty towards his maker , & knoweth how to conquer his owne affections . whereas contrariwise gentlemen being euill nurtured , cā neuer vnderstand how farre the power and abilitie extendeth , that god hath giuen them . for they neuer read it themselues , neither are they taught by them that know it ; h nay , few that vnderstand it , are admitted to their presence : and if one bee , yet dare he not instruct them in it , for feare of displeasure ; or if happily at any time hee put them in minde thereof , no man will abide him , or at least he shall be accounted but a foole ; peraduenture also it may be taken in il part , and so turne to his harme . howbeit , the vertuous must not abstain from their godly admonitions , seeing that n they cannot benefite the common-wealth more , then when they teach and instruct young mē , especially in those times , wherein they are so corrupted , that they must needes by all well disposed persons , bee refrained and restrained of libertie . one saith , i am an heire , borne to a thousand pound land . another sayth ; i haue a fat farme , and a house well furnished . what cause haue i to feare ? let the world chance as it will. another againe craketh and breaketh his lungs wel-nigh with windie bragges , because he is a knights eldest sonne , s fetching his pedegree by a thousand lines and branches , from some worthie lord , and because some neere kinsman of his is made censour , maior , iustice of peace , or lieutenant of the shire , * to whom he may say , good morrow , cousin . infinite are the fooleries of youth , which by due correction , and diligent exhortation must bee rooted out . i will therefore comprehend their education vnder foure lessons . the first is instruction , vnder which are cōtained foure rules . the . wherof is , to teach children the feare and loue of god , and to shew them , that they must not glorie too much in worldly goods . secondly , to teach them , how to bridle their tongues , to bee modest , and to embrace vertue : for education properly , is nothing else but a bringing vp of youth in vertue . thirdly , to shew them the facultie of exercise , which serueth to the maintenance of health and strength , z by ordering the body with light and gentle exercises . fourthly , familiarly to declare vnto them examples , as well of good men , as of wicked men , that thereby they may learne how the good are rewarded , and the wicked punished . the second lesson appertaining to the instruction of youth , is prayse , that is , to commende them , when they doe well , that thereby they may bee incouraged the better to goe forwardes . for youth is like vnto moyst and soft clay , and for that respect , is to bee egged on to glorie in well doing . the third is counsell , which must bee giuen by their sage vncles , or auncient men , concerning their dutie towards their parents , elders , and teachers . the fourth poynt of instruction is threatning and correction , which is to bee vsed , when they offend and neglect to follow the aduice of their teachers , and when they beginne to bee headie , stubborne , and selfe-willed . this the diuine philosopher verie well noted , saying : that s a boy , not as yet hauing fully and absolutely giuen himselfe to vertue , is a deceitfull , cruell and a most proud beast . wherefore he must be bound with a schoolemaster as it were with a strong bridle . the causes why so fewe gentlemen no we adaies be vertuously disposed . chap. . i find that there bee foure causes , why so few gentlemen in this age , attaine to the knowledge of vertue . the first is , the corruption of the whole world : for now are s the abominations of desolation . these be dayes of vengeance to fulfil althings that are written . the minds of men are so peruerse and barren , that they will not receiue the seed of true wisedome . their cogitations are too much bent to the pompes and follies of this transitorie world . the second cause proceedeth of counterfeit and vnsufficient teachers , whose onely occupation is couertly to woo yong scholers , that come guidelesse and headlesse into the vniuersitie : and 〈◊〉 gotten them into their nets , they afterward let them runne at randon . but 〈◊〉 iudgement , such youths as suffer 〈◊〉 to be snatched vp for haukes meate in this or the like maner , do therin imitate sicke folkes , who refusing the good phisician , by some braine-sicke mans counsell , doe commit themselues to the tuition of such a one , as by ignorance killeth them . the third cause is the niggardize of parents , who continually labour to gather the drossie and vnconstant pelfe of this world , and in the meane time make no reckoning of their children , but permitte them to grow old in follie , which destroyeth them both bodie and soule . the fourth and last cause , is the indulgence and fond loue of the parents , who take their sonnes from the vniuersitie , as fruite from a tree , before it is ripe , or rather as pullets without feathers , to place them at the innes of court , where , as i haue written in my commentarie vpon persius , e they gad to stage-playes , & are seduced by flattering coni-catchers . whether youths ought to be corrected ? chap. . a good huswife knoweth how hard a thing it is , to keepe flesh sweete and sauorie , vnlesse it bee first poudred and put in brine . so likewise , it is impossible for parents to reape any ioye of their sonnes , except they bee first corrected . roses must needes wither , when they be ouergrowne with briers and thornes : and children that are assailed and ouertaken by whole legions of affections , must at last fall , if they be not accordingly succoured . * hee that spareth the rod , spilleth the child . and euen as phisicions and chirurgeons are verie necessarie in a citie for the healing of diseases and bloudie woundes , so are rods expedient for the chastisement of the corruptions of the soule . whereunto agreeth the prouerbe : many times the rodde is better for children then bread . this xenophon considered , when hee brought in his youth c cyrus , complaining and telling his mother , that hee was beaten by his master . ● our ciuilias also thought it expedient , that boyes should bee punished . and doe we not our selues see by daily experience , that those parents , who dandle and cocker vp their sonnes , and winke at their follies , bee most commonly agrieued and brought to heauinesse ? an vntamed horse will be stubburne , and a wanton child will be wilfull . in like sort , suffer thy son to haue his will for a time , and he will become ( do what thou canst ) rude , inflexible , and wantonly disposed to all maner of vices . waxe , as long as it is soft and clammie , receiueth any impression or seale , but being hardened , it receiueth none . so likewise , chastise thy child , and imprint discipline in his heart , while hee is young and towardly , and thou shalt bow him to what instruction thou wilt , but let him haue his owne scope , and n hee will rather breake then bow . obiection . diuers youthes will performe more at a becke , then they would otherwise at a blow . also , it is slauish , as said socrates , to be beaten : therfore youths ought not to bee corrected . answere . my meaning is not , that all youths should be corrected ; for many there be , that naturally are inclined to liue vertuously , and such i would haue rather incouraged by praises , then discouraged by threatnings . my question onely includeth sturdie and stubborne youthes , who being let alone , will become worse . and wheras you say with socrates , that it is slauish to be beaten : i answere with the same socrates , that it is slauish to deserue beating . if socrates his free nature be not found , surely socrates his slauish nature must be beaten , and that euen by socrates his owne confession . of schoolemasters and their duties . chap. . princes that in the frontiers of their enemies , keepe fortes and garrisons , doe choose wise and expert captaines to ouersee them ; otherwise it were better to batter downe the forts , and to remoue the garrisons , then it should come into the hands of the enemies . so in like maner parents , which tender the training vp of their childrē , ought to choose out a good schoole-master , that will not onely instruct them in learning , but also informe them in the precepts of good maners . else , they imitate horsecoursers , whose onely delight is , to pamper and fatne their horses , and not to manage them as they should : so that when such iades come to trauell , they praunse gallantly at the first , but in the midst of their trauelling , their grease melting away , they founder and fall downe in the mire . euen so young men hauing gotten but a taste of learning , become so headie with a fond fantasie of that little which they haue , that they tire and lie downe in the midst of their bookish pride . the consideration whereof , hath prouoked mee principally to require in a schoole-master , morall and politique philosophie , thereby to instruct his schollers in awe , obedience , and loue . for would it not grieue the prince to see his subiects rebellious ? the father to finde his sonnes disobedient to his will ▪ withall , a schoolemaster must be endued with these nine qualities . first , hee must be well skilled in grammar , rhetoricke , and poetrie . secondly , hee ought to haue discretion to iudge of his scholers nature and disposition . thirdly , courage to heartne and egge forward a toward youth . fourthly , perseuerance not to giue ouer his schoole vpon enuie or grudge of some particular person . fiftly , hee must haue affabilitie and courtesie , least his schollers as apes taking example by his froward lookes , become rough and disobedient . sixtly , hee must vse mediocritie in correcting , that is , hee must correct them according to the qualitie of their faults , and while hee is so occupied , hee must not reuile or nickname them . seuenthly , hee must bee endued with some maiestie of countenance , and strength of bodie , otherwise hee will bee contemned , and made a iesting-stocke . eightly , with continence , to abstaine from lecherie and excesse in drinking , apparrell , and such like . ninthly , a schoole-master must not impose more labours on his scholers , then they can well sustaine , least thereby hee cloying them with too much at once , doe make them dull , and so daunt them from their bookes . for it is loue that maketh vs to take delight , and to profite in our studies . and this is the cause , why plants moderately watered doe grow , but being too much moystened , they are choaked and drowned . that schoole-masters should haue large stipendes . chap. . in vaine doe i treate of necessarie schoole-masters , vnlesse parents bee gratefull vnto them : a stipends doe nourish arts. wherefore teachers are to bee stirred vp to benefite the common-wealth , through the augmēting of their allowances . x constantine the emperour enacted , that schoole-masters should haue large salaries payed them : whereby hee got him an immortall name . it was also decreed by the councell of laterane , that a prebends should be giuen to schoole-masters . n the like was done by the councell of trident. it is great pitie that euery seuerall parish in this realme of england , hath not a good schoole-master constituted in it , for the training vp of youth , and an indifferent liuing out of the same parish , for his trauell . for lacke whereof , some carefull parents now-a-dayes , are constrained to send their children a hundred miles off , either to eaten colledge , westminster , winchester , or other like places , where they pay much for their diet and tuition , and peraduenture so much , as being spared , might encourage them to kee●● them the longer at the vniuersitie . but perhaps you will aske mee , at what time i would haue schoolemasters receiue their exhibition ? to which i answere : either the one halfe aforehand , and the other halfe at the halfe yeeres end , or else quarterly , or rather x the one halfe at the halfe yeeres end , and the remnant at the tweluemonths end . this is my foundation , which being wel laid , i doubt not but to see youths more ciuill , & better lettered . whether it bee better for parents to keepe their sonnes at home with a priuate schoole-master , or to send them abroad to the publike schoole . chap. . in my iudgement this question is worth the deciding , to wit , whether gentlemen should maintaine their children at the free-schoole , or rather at their houses , where they themselues may ouersee their towardnesse ? they that approoue this priuate teaching , alleadge three speciall reasons . first , children are by nature weake , and quickly surprized with infectious diseases , therefore they had rather haue them in sight , where they may be tendred and regarded ; which is likewise confirmed by that common saying : namely , the masters eie fatneth his horse . secondly , they will learne modestie and ciuilitie at home , whereas if they were abroad , they would become rude , impudent , aud vicious . thirdly , they being in number few , will be more diligently taught and informed ; which in a maner is impossible in a common schoole , by reason of the confusion of so many scholers . howbeit notwithstanding these reasons , publike teaching seemeth to bee of most force , and that for foure causes . first , because h the wisest sort of men haue preferred the publike instruction before the priuate . secondly , a childe will get wit and experience by conuersing with many . thirdly , when hee misseth in his lesson , hee may in the common schoole speedily recouer that which is lost , by conferring with his mates . fourthly , if hee bee by nature melancholike , crabbed , or wicked , hee will in a free-schoole bee reformed , partly for shame to bee beaten in the sight of many , and partly for feare , in seeing offenders punished . these bee all the reasons which i can coniecture on the behalfe of the publike scholemaster . to knit vp this question of priuate and publike teaching , this is my resolution , that children from the first time they bee put to schoole , vntill they bee at least thirteene yeres of age , should be cloystered at home with a priuate teacher , and then placed in the common schoole for two or three yeeres space , till they bee readie and fit for the vniuersitie . of tutours in the vniuersitie . how to discerne a good tutour . chap. . parents in any case must not send their sonnes to the vniuersitie , before they bee at least foureteene yeeres of age : whither being once come , they must curiouslie hearken ( but not of vnlearned persons and boyes , for they measure mens sufficiencie by their owne fancie ) after a good tutour , that will not onelie furnish them with necessaries , but also reade himselfe vnto them : otherwise , the parents may one day repent them ●f their sonnes education . for many tutours now-a-dayes will not sticke to receiue a marke or twentie shillings a quarter , for each of their scholers tuition , and yet not vouchsafe once to reade themselues vnto them , but to substitute young bachelers of art , who , albeit some of them can reade tolerably , yet notwithstanding they cannot correct and prouoke the sluggish , as wanting both discretion to iudge , & seueritie to compell . it is therefore very prudently decreed , although not alwaies executed , by the vniuersitie , that none should be a tutour , vnder a master of arts , & yet not euery master , but such a one , that for his integritie of life , and sufficiencie of learning , is admitted by the vicechancelour , the head of the house , whereof the tutour & the scholers are , & by the consent of two doctours , or two bachelers of diuinitie , to be a tutour . the qualities of a good tutour bee tenne : the first is , that hee bee godly and vertuously giuen . the second , that he be well seene in humanitie and philosophie . the third , it is requisite that he be no lesse then seuen & twentie yeeres of age , and no more then fortie , because the one lacks audacitie and grauitie to commaund , and the other most commōly is negligent . the fourth , a tutour must be sober aswell in words as in deeds . the fift , he must not ( as many nowadaies do ) suffer his pupilles to be idle , and to haue their owne willes . the sixt , he must chastise them seuerely , if they play at dice , sweare , fight , or such like . the seuenth , he must ( if hee may possibly ) haue them in his sight and chamber . the eight thing required in a tutour is , that he be famous in the vniuersity for his learning , and also well friended , that thereby he may both supply his scholers wantes , and looke that they be not iniuried . the ninth duty of a tutour is , that hee haue an especiall care and respect to his scholers battles , lest that by permitting them to spend what they please , he incurre the displeasure of the parents , and so hazard his credit . the tenth and last duty of a tutour is , that he keepe his scholers in awe and obedience ; and not too familiarly insinuate himselfe vnto them , seing that according to the old adage , too much familiarity breeds contempt . and ( in conclusion ) whosoeuer giueth his scholers but an inch , may be assured , that they will ( do what he can ) take a whole ell . the fift plant. of grammar . chap. . grammar is an art that consisteth in speaking & enditing truly . it had the beginning , of noting what is more fit & vnfit in cōmunication ; which thing men imitating in their speech , in processe of time inuēted this art. although before adams fall from paradise , learning was natural , yet neuerthelesse no man can now of himselfe come to the knowledge of it , without practize , exercise , and other mens inuention . charondas the lawgiuer extolled grammar aboue all other artes : and that iustly , for ast; by meanes of it the chiefest things in the world are written ; as lawes , constitutions , willes , and testaments , and such like , as concerne mans life . whereby we see that * grammar is many wayes profitable to mans life . but alas , the vse thereof is in these dayes not perfectly knowen . albeit we haue many that profes it , yet for al that , few there be that vnderstand it aright . the reason is , because nowadayes they thinke , that whosoeuer can prattle in latine , make verses , or patch a declamation , is a substanciall grammarian ( or , as they terme him , an humanitian ) which , god wot , they know not what it meanes . for a * grāmarian is he , that can speake the vsuall tongues elegantly , and expoūd the mysteries of poets with their tropes and figures , and that hath some smack in philosophy , because sundry places in poets are quoted out of the quintessēce of the mathematikes . of logick . chap. . like as they , that digge for metals , do strictly and diligently search the veines of the earth , and by earnest noting the nature thereof , attaine at last to the perfect knowledge of the mine : so they , that will enioy learning , aswell for the common good , as for their owne profit , must narrowly study this art of logike , * which is conuersant with vs in our daily conferences . and no doubt but hauing studied it well , they shall find it expedient three maner of wayes . a first , for exercise . secondly , for disputations . and thirdly , for the knowledge of philosophy . but thou wilt say , it is obscure , vnpleasant , and therfore in no wise profitable . oh how weake is the connexion of this argument ! admit that it is at first rough and irksome : yet notwithstanding b whē thou shalt enter farther into it , an insatiable desire of learning it , foorthwith will cause thee to embrace it . for without doubt c god himselfe reuealed the knowledge of logike vnto vs. and if we neglect this worthy and magnificent gift of his , he will also for our ingratitude withdraw not onely this art , but all other artes whatsoeuer from vs : though wee haue both wit and learning together , yet shall they litle auayle without logicke . what maketh youths to speake so boldly & roundly ? logike . what maketh atturneyes to go so fast away with their words and pursuites ? logick . in al artes therefore logick is praise worthy . logick is defined to be an art , that knitteth well together all discourses formed by speeches , and all positions in them , according as they depend one vpon another , & are grounded vpon good reason . and euē as gold by seuen fires is tried and purified : so in like maner a the truth in despight of errours is by logicall disputations found out , and restored to her former liberty . for b the end of logick is to discerne in philosophy the truth from the false ; as if a man should say , knowledge is the end of it . the duties of it are foure ; namely , to define , to deuide , to compose true arguments , and to dissolue them that be false . the partes of logick are two , to wit , * the first intentions , and a the second intentions . howbeit for all this , the faigned vtopians are reported * neuer to haue been able to find out the second intentions : by reason that none of them all could see man himselfe in common , as they terme him , though he bee , as s●me know , bigger then euer was any gyant , and pointed vnto vs euen with our finger . but i leaue the vtopians to their nullibies . of rhetoricke , and the abuse thereof . chap. . rhetorick is an art , that teacheth a man to speake finely , smoothly , and eloquently . and whereas logick formeth speech as it were a bare picture , & hauing nothing but simple draughts , which serue to furnish it in respect of ech part and lineament thereof : a rhetorick beyng the offspring of logick shapeth it not onely as a picture well varnished , but also enriched and polished with glorious fields and medowes , and such like glozing shewes , that it may become faire to the eye , & pleasant to the eare . being well applied , b there is nothing so sacred to perswade as it . but nowadaies it is not much profitable , especially to preachers . for although rhetorical speeches do delight their auditory ; yet notwithstāding , they make not much for y ● soules health . c simple & material speeches are best among friēds . preachers therfore must labour to speak & vtter that , which the hearers vnderstand , & not go about the bush with their filing phrases . they must not ( i say ) come with excellency of wordes to shew the testimony of god vnto the people . * neyther must their preaching consist in the enticing speech of mans wisedome , but in the plaine euidence of the spirit and of power . moses , when god commaunded him to go downe to the israelites , would haue excused himselfe , saying , * o my lord , i am not eloquent , neyther at any time haue beene : but i am slow of speech and slow of tongue . then the lord said vnto him , who hath giuen the mouth to man ? or who hath made the dumme , or the deafe , or him that seeth , or the blind ? haue not i the lord ? therefore go now , and i will bee with thy mouth , and will teach thee , what thou shalt say . caluine that zealous preacher had , as many men know , an impediment in his speach , and in his sermons neuer vsed any painted or rhetoricall termes . what shall i write of our common lawyers , who with their glozing speeches do as it were lay an ambush for iustice , and * with their hired tongues think it not vnhonest to defend the guilty , and to patronize vnlawfull pleas ? why will not they imitate anacharsis the philosopher , who when the scholers of athens laughed him to scorne , by reason hee could not pronounce greeke distinctly , and eloquently , answered them , that a speach was not to bee termed bad , as long as it contayned good counsels , and as long as honest deeds did follow after his words ? constantine the emperour deserueth great praise , in that * hee tooke away the forme of making deceitfull & fine phrazed libels ? in like sort we read , that * the elegant solemnities of stipulations , and such like trifling words were laid aside . in briefe , it was decreed among the areopagites in athēs , that no orator should vse any proheme or forespeech , and digression , nor perswade them eyther to mercy or to enuy . of poetry , and of the excellency thereof . chap. . when * the children of israel were enthralled in the land of bondage : then god , who is alway the helper of the friendlesse , raised vp moses his seruaunt , made him ruler of his distressed people , and deliuered them with a strong & out-stretched arme frō their miserable captiuity . whereupon * moses framed a song of thankesgiuing vnto the lord in verse , which i take to be the most auncient of all . so that it is certaine , and ( as they say ) able to be felt with hands , that poetry came first by inspiration from god. likewise a deborasung a psalme of victory in meetre . dauid also & the prophets were poets . if wee prie into the liues of the heathen , we shall find that poetrie was the chiefest cause of their ciuility . whē b before they remained scattered lawlesse , and barbarous , like vnto sauage beasts , amphion and orpheus two poets of the first ages assembled th●se rude nations , and * exhorted them to listen their eare vnto their wholesome counsels , and to lead their liues well and orderly . and as these two poets , and linus before them reclaimed the wildest sort of men : so by all likelihood mo poets did the same in other places . further , poets were the first , that obserued the secrete operations of nature , and especially the celestial courses , by reason of the perpetuall motion of the heauens , searching after the first mouer , and from thence proceeding by degrees to consider of the substaunces separate and abstract . they were the first , that offred oblations , sacrifices , and praiers . they liued chast , and by their exceeding continence came to receyue visions and prophesies . so likewise a samuel & the prophets were named seers . now sithence poetry is so sanctified , it will not bee amisse , if i anatomize her parts , and compare her with other faculties : which done , i doubt not but she wil deserue a more fauourable censure euen of the momistes themselues . the prince of philosophers writeth , that b rhetorick had her first beginning from poetry . the chiefe of the late philosophers doubted not to proue , that c poetry was part of logick , because it is wholy occupied in deliuering the vse of examples , i do not meane that kind of example , which is vsed in common conferences ; but i meane the maners , affections , and actions of men , which are brought as examples eyther to be imitated or shunned of the spectatours , or readers . in like maner , poetry is more philosophicall and serious then history , because poetry medleth with the generall consideration of all things : wheras history treateth onely of the particular . and not onely history , but also philosophy , law , and phisicke are subiect to poetry , for whatsoeuer nature or policy , case or medicine they rehearse , that may y e poet , if he please , with his forme or imitation make his owne . but , mee thinks , i see a rout of criticall pharisees comming towards mee , and discharging whole volees of cannon shot against my breast , and exclayming without reason , that i falsely erre , for prouing poetry to bee deriued from moses . the gentiles ( say they ) were the first founders of poetry , and therefore it ought to be reiected . well do i deny this argument , demaunding of thē , whether philosophy be bad , because the painims brought the knowlege thereof to light ? whether greeke letters be euill , because cadmus inuented thē ? whether the bookes of resolution bee blame-worthy , for that r. p. a fugitiue papist wrote thē ? o mōstrous absurdity ! what ? wil they with the foolish donatists vtterly refuse the sacraments , because the priests are vicious , that administer them ? or wil they with the anabaptists forbid alsuites & going to law , because the lawyers , that cōmence thē , are corrupt ? thē farewell quietnesse , farewel money , yea , farewell religion , & all : for each of them was , is , & will be abused for euermore . othersome there be , that iudge poetry vnlawfull , for that they themselues are not capable thereof . and againe there be some , that meane to kil the lion with a straw , and condemne poetry for the fables that are contained therein . but if i should dash these enuious sycophāts with a blurre of inke for euery offence , which they commit against the truth , they would , i feare me , become blacker then aethiopian negroes . as for poetical fabies and parables what els should i retort , but that , which one of the ancient fathers hath written on their behalfe ? to wit , * poets do speake that which is most true , and by their mysticall fables do decipher profound matters . after which maner dauid in his psalmes saith , * thou hast brought forth a vine out of egypt : thou hast cast out the heathen , and planted it . what is vnderstood by this vine , & the plāting thereof , but the childrē of israel , whom god by his diuine prouidence brought out of egypt , & gaue thē inheritance in the land of chanaan ? likewise we read of the steward , of the prodigall child , & such like in the new testament . whē perseus , dedalus , & bellerophon are faigned to fly : what els is meant by their flying , but their speedy iourneying ? what doth the trāsformatiō of halcione into a bird signifie ? namely , that shee , after the death of her husband ceix , mourned & sorowed like vnto that same bird . when lycaon is reported to be metamorphozed into a woolfe : what other sence is vnderstood by the wolfe , then that this king was a tyrant & a rauenous theefe ? by the painful trauell of vlisses is portrayed the liuely picture of mans miseries . icarus had winges , and therewith mounted vp into the aire : but so soone as the sunne had melted his waxen wings , he fell downe into a riuer , and was drowned . whereby is included that no man must rashly reach aboue his pitch . if men would speake & inueigh against niggards , what better instance cā they make , then in danae , tantalus , and midas ? to blaze prodigality , and such as were giuē to pleasures , the poets painted acteon turned into a hart , who was so much delighted in hunting , that in the end he was eaten vp of his dogs ; that is , he spent all his goods in feeding of hounds . for an exāple of whoredome they inferre circe , who was so beautifull , that she rauished and enchaunted all such as beheld her . and so wee must iudge of the rest . iupiter betokeneth the highest god : phoebus the sunne : mars warre : themis law : minerua learning : venus loue : vulcan fire : ceres corne : bacchus wine : neptune the sea : the nymphes signifie riuers : and by destiny is declared the ineuitable will of god. there is no faculty of any account , but hath hard & obscure significations ; as for example , naturall philosophy comprehendeth the first matter and the first mouer . alchymy cōtaineth dark words : as , saturne signifieth lead : mercury quicksiluer : sol gold : luna siluer : venus copper : iupiter tinne : mars iron ; with diuers words of art a hūdred times more mysticall then these . i wil passe ouer the elixers , fixations , and such like names of the chymists . thus ( gentle reader ) mayst thou see , that euery science hath other significations , then the plaine names do declare . why then wil dunces vpbraid poets with their intricated fables , which none but oedipus can interpret ? only sonnes of art , to whome god hath imparted his blessing , must attaine to the right knowlege of the muses . hearken what another saith , a the faigned examples of the poets are fit and conuenient for the amendement of maners . to bee short , i am verily of this opinion , that b all poets are sworne enemies to lies , and do vtterly detest falsehood : and among the rest homer was the searcher and louer of truth and verity . sundry times haue i beene conuersant with such , as blasphemed poetry , by calling it mincing and lying poetry . but it is no maruel , that they thus deride poetry , sith they sticke not in this outworne age to abuse the ministers of god , by terming them bookish fellowes and puritanes , they themselues not knowing what they meane . what more shall i write ? poets at all times haue beene preferred before all artists , & highly esteemed of all princes . euripides was entertained of amintas king of macedon . sophocles together with pericles was cōstituted gouernour of athens . antimenides the poet was generall of an army . likewise tyrtaeus the poet being lame on one legge , was by the oracle of apollo chosen chieftaine of the lacedemonians , & got the victory ouer his enemies . lysander king of lacedemon , in reward of a few verses , gaue vnto the poet antiochus his hat full of siluer . the sicilians hauing ouercome the athenians , spared many of them for euripides his sake . and if they heard any verses like vnto his , they would haue thē by heart , and one would present them to another with great ioy . * alexander the great left his tutour liuing aristotle behind him , but tooke the workes of dead homer with him , & euery night he caused them to be laid vnder his pillow . and not only homer was thus honoured , but also for his sake all other meane poets , insomuch as cherilus a simple poet had for euery good verse , which he composed , a philip noble of gold , amounting to the value of an angel english. theocritus the poet was in estimation with ptolome king of egypt , and with queene berenice his wife . ennius was highly fauoured by that noble warriour scipio : virgil and horace were aduaunced by augustus the emperour . to come neerer our owne time , hiernus an excellent poet , and yet of base linage , when frotho k. of denmark died without issue , and the peeres of the realme had determined him to succeed , that best could honour the dead king : among the rest , hee knowing that poetrie was the onely meanes to reuiue the memorial of the dead , made an epitaph , which publikely repeated , hee was by generall consent elected king. ieffery chaucer , the english poet , was in great account with king richard the second , who gaue him in reward of his poems , the manour of newelme in oxford shire . neither will i passe ouer with silence , the fauor of the french queene anne , wife to lewis the twelfe of france , extended to poets . this queen passing on a time from her lodging towards the kings side , saw in a gallerie allen chartier a learned poet , leaning on a tables end fast asleepe , which this princesse espying , shee stouped downe to kisse him , vttering these words in all their hearings : wee may not of princely courtesie passe by , and not honour with our kisse the mouth , from whence so many golden poems haue issued . frauncis the first , french king in the yeere of our lord . made those famous poets , dampetrus and macrinus , of his priuie counsell . king henrie the eight , her maiesties father , for a few psalmes of dauid turned into english meeter by sternhold , made him groome of his priuie chamber , and rewarded him with many great gifts besides . moreouer , hee made sir thomas moore lord chauncelour of this realme , whose poeticall works are as yet in great regard . queene marie for an epithalamy composed by verzoza a spanish poet , at her marriage with king philip in winchester , gaue him during his life two hundred crowns pension . her maiestie that now is , made doctour haddon being a poet , master of the requests . in former times , princes themselues were not ashamed to studie poetrie . as for example , iulius cesar was a very good poet. augustus likewise was a poet , as by his edict touching virgils bookes appeareth . euax king of arbia wrote a booke of pretious stones in verse . cornelius gallus treasurer of egypt , was a singular good poet. neither is our owne age altogether to bee disprayed . for the old earle of surrey composed bookes in verse . sir philip sydney excelled all our english poets , in rarenesse of stile and matter . king iames the sixt of scotland , that now raigneth , is a notable poet , and daily setteth out most learned poems , to the admiration of all his subiects . gladly i could goe forward in this subiect , which in my stripling yeeres pleased mee beyond all others , were it not i delight to bee briefe : and that sir philip sydney hath so sufficiētly defended it in his apologie of poetrie ; that if i should proceede further in the commendation thereof , whatsoeuer i write would bee eclipsed with the glorie of his golden eloquence . wherefore i stay my selfe in this place , earnestly beseeching all gentlemen , of what qualitie soeuer they bee , to aduaunce poetrie , or at least to admire it , and not to bee so hastie shamefully to abuse that , which they may honestly and lawfully obtaine . obiection . the reading of catullus , propertius , ouids loues , and the lasciuious rimes of our english poets , doe discredite the common-wealth , and are the chiefe occasions of corruptions , & the spurres of lecherie : therefore poetrie is blame-worthie . answere . in many things not the vse , n but the abuse of him that vseth them , must bee blamed . the fault is not in the art of poetrie , but rather in the men that abuse it . poets themselues may bee traitours and felons , and yet poetrie honest and vnattainted . take away the abuse , which is meerely accidental , and let the substance of poetrie stand still . euerie thing that bringeth pleasure , may bring displeasure . i nothing yeeldes profit , but the same may yeeld disprofit . what is more profitable then fire ? yet notwithstanding wee may abuse fire , and burne houses , and men in their beds . phisicke is most commodious for mankind , yet wee may abuse it , by administring of poysoned potions . to end this solution , i conclude , that many of our english rimers and ballet-makers deserue for their baudy sonnets , and amorous allurements , to bee banished , or seuerely punished : and that poetrie it selfe ought to bee honoured and made much of , as a precious lewell , and a diuine gift . of philosophie . chap. . ● philosophie is the knowledge of all good things , both diuine and humane . it challengeth vnto it three things : first , contemplation to know those things , which are subiect vnto it , as c natural philosophy teacheth vs the knowledge of the world : geo o●●trae of the triangle : the metaphysick of god : and morall philosophie , of vertue and felicitie . secondly , philosophie chalengeth the execution and practise of precepts . thirdly , the promotion of a good man ; * which three concurring together in one man , do make him a wise philosopher . the iewes diuided philosophie into foure parts : namely , into historical , ciuill , naturall of the contemplation of sacrifices , and into diuine of the speculation of gods word . of which i will at this time content my selfe with the natural , and the ciuill r naturall philosophie is a science that is seene in bodyes , magnitudes , and in their beginnings or ground workes , affections , and motions . or , as others say , a naturall philosophie is a contemplatiue science , which declareth the perfect knowledge of naturall bodyes , as farre foorth as they haue the beginning of motion within them . x there bee seuen parts of it . the first is of the first causes of nature , and of naturall bodyes . the second of the world . the third , of the mutuall transmutation of the elements , and in generall , of generation and corruption . the fourth is , of the meteours . the fift , of the soule , and of liuing creatures . the sixt , of plants , the seuenth , of things perfectly mixed , and of things without life , as , of minerals and such like . n ciuill philosophie is a science compounding mans actions out of the inward motion of nature , and sprung vp from the fulnesse of a wise minde : insomuch that wee may in all degrees of life attaine to that which is honest . this ciuill philosophie is diuided into foure parts : ethicke , politicke , oeconomicke , and monastick . ethick is the discipline of good maners . of oeconomick and politick , i haue discoursed before . monastick is the institution of a priuate and a solitarie life . but of the worthinesse of this ciuill philosophie , and by how much it goeth before the naturall , i haue expressed in i another booke . of the art magick . chap. . the auncient magicians prophesied either by the starres , and then their art was termed astrologie : or by the flying and entrailes of birdes , and this they called augurie : by the fire , and that they named pyromancie : or by the lines and wrinckles of the hand , which was termed chiromancie or palmistrie : by the earth , called geomancie : by the water , and that they termed hydromancie : or by the diuell , and this we call coniuring or bewitching . all which superstitious kindes of illusions ( i feare mee ) haue beene too often vsed heere in england ; witnesse of late yeeres the witches of warboise : witnesse figure-casters , & calculatours of natiuities : witnesse also many of our counterfeit bedlems , who take vpon thē to tell fortunes and such like . now-a-dayes among the common people , he is not adiudged any scholer at all , vnlesse hee can tell mens horoscopes , cast out diuels , or hath some skill in southsaying . little do they know that s this art , ( if it b●e lawfull to call it an art ) is the most deceitfull of all arts , as hauing neither sure foundations to rest vpon , nor doing the students thereof any good : but rather alluring them to throw themselues away vnto the diuel both body & soule . wo be vnto thē that delight therein , for it were better for them that they had neuer beene borne . a man hauing in his furie killed one , may by the grace of god repent , and bee sorie for his offence ; but for the coniurer or magician , it is almost impossible that hee should be conuerted , by reason that the diuell is alwaies conuersant with him , and is present euen at his very elbow , and will not once permit him to aske forgiuenesse . experience whereof doctour faustus felt , who was at last torne in peeces by the diuell . cornelius agrippa likewise , a man famous for his great skill in magicke , and as yet fresh in some old mens memorie , went continually accompanied with a diuell in the shape of a blacke dōgge● and when at his death hee was vrged to repent and crie god mercie , hee pulled off the coller which was about the dogges necke , and sent him away with these words , packe hence , thou cursed curre , which hast quite vndone mee . with that the dogge went away , and drowned himselfe in the riuer arar ▪ within a little after agrippa deceased , whose iudgement i leaue vnto the lord. as touching the deedes of coniurers , i confesse , they bee wonderfull ; for r the charmers of egypt turned roddes into serpents in the sight of pharao . and there is nothing which good men doe , but sorcerers like apes will assay to do the like . many of them ( among whome i meane pope siluester the second , pope benedict the ninth , and pope alexander the sixt ) were cunning in the scriptures , professed holynesse of life , and gaue pardons and indulgences ( as the pope doth now ) vnto them that would buy them . but in the end they were pitifully and openly tormented and deuoured by the diuell their schoole-master . my selfe haue seene about eleuen yeeres agoe , a counterfeit dumbe fellow , that could by signes and tokens foretell diuers , things to come . hee could signifie what misfortunes a man hath suffered , what yeeres hee was off , what wife hee had maried , how many children he had ; and which is most strange of all , hee would finde out any thing which was hidden of purpose . at last it was this yong magicians happe to arriue at a zealous gentlemans house , who hauing before heard of his miraculous deedes , eftsoone suspected him and made no more adoe , but by violence and threatning enforced him to speake , and to declare his dissimulation procured , as hee himselfe confessed , by the diuell , with whome hee had couenated to become dumbe , on condition that he might performe such miracles . haue heard and read of many coniurers , that wrought wonders , and things almost incredible : yet neuer haue i either heard or read of any that prospered , but at the last , they eyther came to the gallous or fagot , or else they were preuented , and miserably taken by the diuell . which is the cause , that wise men haue vtterly detested this blacke arte , as being admonished by other mens harmes , to beware of it . so that none but malicious , simple , and grosse-headed persons , who eyther for reuenge , or for couetousnesse are so seduced , doe enter into league and confederacie with the diuell . to knit vp this discourse , i aduise all persons , and especially olde women , to take heede of illusions and charmes ▪ seeing principally , i they bee damnable , and forbidden by the lawes of god. secondarily , s magicke is infamous & abominable by the laws of man both ciuill and canon . finally , men must abstain from sorceries , coniurations , witchcrafts , and such kind of wickednesse , for feare of punishment , because , c if any sayth the lord , turne after such as worke with spirits , and after southsayers , to goe ( spiritually ) a whoring after them , then will i set my face against that person , and will cut him off from among his people . and in another place : n thou must not suffer a witch to liue . looke therefore vnto your selues , and bee prepared , o simple wretches , lest otherwise the siend finding you vnreadie , will quickly surprize you , and so inueigle your weake and shallow mindes . of phisicke . chap. . many confound phisicke and philosophie together , because both of them doe alike respect naturall bodies . but our r ciuilians haue distinguished the one from the other . for which cause i will at this time surcease the concordance , and fall to the declaration of the goodnesse thereof . there is no facultie , saue law and diuinitie , comparable vnto phisicke . insomuch as mightie potentates haue not disdained to exercise it . gentius the king of illyria , found out the vertuous qualities of the herbe called gentian . iuba king of mauritania and lybia , found the herbe called euphorbium . sabor king of the medes , sabrel king of the arabians , mithridates king of pontus , and auicenna king corduba , were professed phisicious . the angell raphael caused blind tobias with the gall of a fish to receiue his sight . luke the euangelist was a phisicion : yea , and * god himselfe is called the supreme phisicion both of body and soule . wherefore see that you honour phisicke , o yee that bee rich , and make much of the phisicion for the lord created him . of law. chap. . the law is the knowledge of things as wel diuine as humane , and of that which is iust and vniust . of ciuilians it is declared tripartite : as it comprehendeth the law of nature , the law of nations , and the ciuill law . the law of nature is a feeling which euerie one hath in his conscience , whereby hee discerneth betweene good and euill , as much as is sufficient to deliuer him from the cloudie cloake of ignorance , in that hee is reprehended by himselfe . a hence commeth the coniunction of male and female : the procreation of children , and education . the law of nations is a prescription , that all maner of people can claime : as , to resist violence was lawfull : to defraud the wilie and subtill was no fraude : to hurt a herauld was not tolerable : to pay euery man his owne was right : and in a maner all contracts were brought in by this law : as buying , selling , hiring , gaging , and infinite others . the ciuill law is that , which is squared according to honestie , and is termed euery priuate law , enacted by one peculiar people . there is also a diuine law , which is three-fold : to witte , the morall law , the ceremoniall law , and the iudiciall law . the morall law is that , which is constituted for all nations , if they will obserue the commandements of god , the ceremoniall law was an instruction of infancie giuen to the iewes , to bee exercised vnder the obedience of god , vntill christs comming . the iudiciall law is that , which was giuen them for politicke gouernement , teaching them certaine maximes of iustice , whereby they might liue quietly , without molesting one another . of the common law in england . chap. . as soone as brutus came into this realme , hee constituted the troians lawes throughout all his dominions . but when diuisions and ciuill broyles hapned a little after his decease , those lawes decayed for a long time , vntill malmutius reuiued them , enlarging them with many profitable more , and were named malmutius lawes : vnto which martia a queene of this land , added the decrees of her time , and were called martiaes lawes . besides these , king lud is reported to amend them . then in the succession of time , raigned saint edward , a right vertuous prince , who selected and enacted excellent good lawes : but within a while after , the normans conquered this land , and altered the estate thereof , appoynting new lawes in their owne language , as a people naturally inclined to sophisticall and doubtful sence , whereby they wrested the lawes to all constructions . yet notwithstanding , king edward the third was enduced to abrogate many of the norman lawes , and in their stead to inuest new and wholesome lawes . the method of which , is at this day put in practise among our sergeants and vtter-sarristers . obiection . that law which is of no antiquitie , neither grounded vpon any good foundations , nor vsed in any countrey but one , cannot bee good : such is the common law of england : therefore it is of no effect . answere . our common law of england ( i confesse ) is of no great antiquitie : yet grounded vpon the law of nature , and approoued by the vniuersall consent of the prince , nobles , & commons , in a generall parliament . in briefe , necessity hath no reason . whether alteration of lawes be good in a commonwealth . chap. . there was a law amōg the locrensians , that whosoeuer did intrude himself to make a new law , should come with a halter about his necke : insomuch that if his lawes were approued , he went away safe as he came : if reproued , hee was presently hanged . so in like maner , when we alter our vsuall diet , wee feele great innouations in our bodies , and do perhaps fall into some sicknesse or other : but when we be accustomed once vnto it , then we recouer , & waxe more lusty then before we were . custome ( as they say ) is another nature . but yet this custome may bee reduced into a better . the alteration of lawes ( i confesse ) at the first seemeth rough and raw vnto our fraile and queizy natures . but within a while they be better liked of . which moued the diuine philosopher to say : that * chaunge of lawes , excepting those that be bad , is perilous at all times . this caused the kentishmen to rise against king william the conquerour of this land , and priuily to enclose him round about in the woods , that thereby hee might the sooner be compelled to cōdiscend to their petition , which was , that they might be suffered to enioy their ancient customes and liberties . as for the deciding of this question , i thinke , that some lawes may bee altered and reduced into better . howbeit law-makers must aduise themselues wel in that behalfe , & take great heed therein for where there ariseth small good by innouations of lawes , it is an euill thing . surely , * it is better to beare with the imperfections of lawes : because the alteration of them will not do so much benefit , as harme , by vsing men to disobey . and againe , who is so dull-spirited , which will not graunt , that defects of lawes ought now and then to be winked at and dissembled ? vpon which occasion * all persons vnder the age of forty were heretofore forbidden to enquire whether lawes were well or ill made . ripenesse of yeares is a great meane to conserue people in their obedience . and for that cause * young men are thought vnfit to deale in matters of state and morall philosophy . of diuinity . chap. . the auncient philosophers accounted three kinds of speculatiue or contemplatiue sciences : to wit , * naturall philosophy : the mathematickes : and diuinity , which is the first and chiefest beginning of all things , which is the cement that soddereth the peeces of the building of our estate , and the planke , wherewith our ship is fortified . take away this beginning , and the world will seeme a confused chaos . take away this cement , and our building is ruinous . in a word , vncaske the plāks of a ship , & it wil leake & sinke into the sea . plant ye therfore religion in your kingdomes , and let not the heathen rise vp against you at the day of iudgement . the romanes , we read , through the bare instinct of nature , did so reuerētly thinke of diuinity , that they sent their childrē into hetruria to learne it there . and yet many of vs christiās presume to iniure the ministers god , albeit we know , that * nothing is hidde from him , and that he is present , and still accompanieth vs in the midst of our secrete cogitations . god make cleane our hearts within vs , and cause vs to regard his ministers and word better then wee do . otherwise , let vs expect for nothing , but fearfull alarums , warres , heresies , pestilence , and famine continually without ceasing to annoy and destroy both vs and our countrey . whether two religions may be tolerated in one kingdome ? chap. . two religions cannot be suffered in one kingdome : for diuersities cause factions , garboiles , and ciuill warres , which neuer end but with the subuersiō of the commonwealth . the tranquillity of all estates consisteth in the vnion and consent of the inhabitants . take away this vnion , and it is but a denne for rouers and theeues . the first foundations of kingdomes were built vpon the rock of one religion ; and the heathen themselues had neuer established their lawes , if they had harboured pluralities of religions . he that displaceth this stone , shaketh all the building . * no man can serue two masters , for eyther he must despise the one , or loue the other . neither must princes halt betweene two opinions . * if the lord be god , follow him , but if baal be hee , then go after him . in religion there is no mediocrity , for a man must either be a christian , or els , he must be an enemy of christ , that is , an antichristian , according to our sauiour christes words : he that is not with mee , is against me : and he that gathereth not with me , scattereth . b i am the lord , saith god , this is my name , and my glory wil i not giue away to another : neyther my prayse to grauen images . also , it is written , e thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and him onely shalt thou serue . but how is it possible to obserue this commaundement , as long as our papists beleeue that h the pope is no man , but gods vicar , and more expresly , that hee is god ? theodosius therefore is highly commended , in that i he made warre with the. arrians , and proclaimed one true religion 〈◊〉 be planted throughout all his empire . in this likewise england may faithfully glory , that beyng welnigh drowned in the sea of popish superstition , she is now saued and restored to the true and apostolicall doctrine : the which god of his goodnesse maintaine from heresies and schismes . of simony , one of the chiefest ouerthrowes of religion . chap. . simony is a deliberatiue will eyther of buying and selling , or els of posting ouer and exchaunging some spirituall thing , or some thing annexed to the spirituality , as aduowsons , presentations , and such like . this vice is called after the name of simon magus , by reason that he * offred the apostles money , that they might giue him the power , that , on whomsoeuer he layd his hands , he should receyue the holy ghost . for which his execrable proffer , hee had this answere of peter : * thy money perish with thee , because thou thinkest , that the gift of god may be obtained with money . simony may be cōmitted three maner of wa●es . first , whosoeuer selleth or buyeth the word of god , is a simonist . wherefore the lord said vnto his disciples , freely you haue receyued , freely giue . secondly , hee that giueth , or taketh any thing for a bishopricke , benefice , headship , or for a fellowes or scholers roome , is guilty of simony . thirdly , * the minister that denieth to bury the dead , or say diuine seruice , committeth simony . now hauing declared how many waies simony is committed , i wil shew , that it is the vtter ruine of the cleargie , and consequently of the whole commonwealth . first , * simony is condemned with excommunication , the seuerest censure of the church : and therfore odious . secondly , simony hindreth house-keeping , so that ministers cannot distribute almes . thirdly , it breedeth the desolation and destruction of the state . for commonly * there ensueth a dissolution of the commonwealth , when the fruits 〈◊〉 reuene●es therof are decreased . fourthly , simony discourageth parents to send their sonnes to the vniuersity : for what parents bee so foolish , as to bestow in maintenaunce of their sonnes at least three hundred pound before they attayne to perfection , and then to pay againe two hundred poūd for a benefice , or foure hundred pound for a chauncelorship ? surely it is a lamentable case . i had rather , saith one , that my sonne be a colier then a scholer . for what shall i put my sonne to schoole , when he shall pay so much for a liuing ? better it is for me to leaue my sonne an ingram foole , then to buy him a liuing through vnlawfull meanes . besides , who is so bluntish , that knoweth not the great & infinite labours of scholers ? that seeth not their eyes weakned , their bodies empaired , & which is worse , their spirites decaied ? o stony hearts ! o wicked simonists ! doubtlesse this abomination portends some great calamity to follow . lastly , * simony is an heresie , and for that respect it ought to be reiected from all true christians . to wind this vp in a word , i wish all pastours and patrons of benefices and chancelourships to looke more narrowly vnto themselues , and to stand in feare of god , who vndoubtedly is offended with their simony , and will one day * requite the slacknes of their punishments with the weight thereof , & wil cast them downe headlong into the bottomlesse and tormenting pit of hell , where euery sence of their bodies shall abide his peculiar punishment . their eyes shall haue no other obiects then diuels and snakes : their eares shall bee afflicted with clamours and howlings : their noses with brimstone and filthy smels : their tast with poison and gall : and their feeling shal be vexed continually with boyling lead and firy flames . the sixt plant. of the alteration of a common-wealth . chap. . commonwealths , euen as mortall men , haue their infācy , childhood , stripling age , youth , virility , middle age , and old age : that is , they haue their beginning , vegetation , flourishing , alteration , and ends . and like as diuers innouations , & maladies do happen to mē , according to the cōstitutiō of their bodies , or according to their diet and education : so in like maner it falleth out with commonwealths , as being altered eyther by domesticall & ciuill wars , or els by forreyne , or perhaps by both together , or by the death of the noblest inhabitaunts , or to bee briefe , by vices , which are suffred to creepe in . it is necessary that all things , which are in this world should waxe old , and * hasten to the same end , some sooner , others later , according to the will of god their creatour , and by his permission through the influence of the heauenly bodies from which this mutuall succession of life and death issueth . howbeit notwithstāding , i confesse that prodigious signes are not the causes of euents , but rather foretokens of them . like as an iuy bush put forth at a vintrie , is not the cause of the wine , but a signe that wine is to be sold there : so likewise if wee see smoke appearing in a chimney , wee know that fire is there , albeit the smoke is not the cause of the fire . * god onely chaungeth the tymes and seasons , hee discouereth the deepe and secret things , and the light is with him . the effects of all the cometes , and the chiefest eclipses , which hapned in this last age . chap. . forasmuch as the alterations of commōwealths are for the most part foreshewed vnto vs by heauenly signes : i iudge it more meet for mee to declare those , which chaunced within this last age , rather then in any other , especially for that they are neerer to our fathers memories , and also more familiar vnto vs. in the yeere of our lord . there appeared a comet in the north , after the which followed many and straunge effects . for the frenchmen assaulted the kingdome of naples : & the tartarians the kingdome of polonia . then was a great famine in swethland , and a cruell plague throughout al germany ; besides ciuill warres amongst themselues , in taking part with the bauarians against the bohemians . thē died pope pius the . together with the archbishop of tre●ires , and diuers other famous wights . in the yeere . appeared another comet . whereupon died prince philip the father of charles the fift and ferdinand afterward emperours . maximilian the emperour made warre with the frenchmen and venetians . in the yeere . was an eclipse of the sunne . about which time george duke of saxony inuaded and spoyled frizelād . king lewis the . of fraūce , and vladislaus king of hungary & bohemia departed out of this world . in the yeere . was seene another eclipse of the sunne . immediatly after the which died the emperour maximilian the first . christierne the . king of denmarke fought a most bloudy battell with the swethens : & within a while after he was deposed of his kingdome . in the yeere . appeared a great comet : the operation wherof the poor● hungarians felt , as being barbarously ▪ to the shame of all christians , martyred & destroyed by the turkes . the prodigious disease of sweating was rife here in england . the riuer tiber ouerflowed the citie of rome . the sea also consumed away a great part of the low countries . in the yeere of our lord . wa● seene another blazing starre : whereupō a litle while after , king h. y ● . was diuorced frō his brothers wife . the sect of the anabaptists begā to rise . pope clement the . departed out of this life : and pope paul the . was inuested in his roome . in the yeere . chaunced an eclipse of the sunne : & presently after appeared a comet : the effects wherof were many . for there was a great cōmotiō in gaūt , which the emperour not without much damage at lēgth appeased , & took away their priuileges frō them . iohn the k. of hungary ended his life . and so did henry duke of saxony . the duke of brunswisk was by the young duke of saxony and by the landgraue of hassia driuen out of his countrey . the english ouercame the scots . in the yeere . chaūced foure eclipses , one of the sunne , and three of the moone . wherupō the l. high admiral of england arriued with a fleet of two hūdred saile in scotland , where he spoiled lieth , and burned edinburgh . king henry the eight went himselfe in person to fraunce wiith a great army , & cōquered boloigne . the marques of brandeburge died in his banishmēt . and before three yeeres after the fight of the said eclipses were fully expired , king henry the eight deceased . likewise , the french kings sonne , the duke of bauarie , the queene of polonia , the queene of spaine , the archbishop of mogunce , & martine luther ended their liues . in the yeere . a blazing starre was seene at al times of the night , to wit , the sixt , the seuenth , eight , ninth , and tenth of march : when presently after , open war was proclaimed between england and fraunce ; and a great army was sent by q. mary ouer to s. quintaines . the protestants were persecuted and cruelly dealt withall in this realme . and queene mary , before a tweluemoneth came about , departed out of this life . in the yeere . was seene towards the north a straunge starre , in bignesse surpassing iupiter , and seated aboue the moone . at which time succeeded the bloudy massacre and persecution of the protestants in fraunce . many great personages ended their liues ; as , king charles the ninth of fraunce , mathew parker archbishop of canterbury , and sundry other . pirats robbed and spoyled many of our marchants on the west seas . the sect of the family of loue begā to be discouered at london . sebastian the king of portingal , and mule the king of moroco were both slaine within lesse then sixe yeeres after . in the yeere . appeared a comet bearding eastward . whereupon a little while after , certaine cōpanies of italians & spaniards sent by the pope to strengthen the earle of desmond in his rebelliō , landed on the west coast of ireland , and there erected their antichrists banner against her maiesty . campian and other seminary priests returned to this realme , and were attached . in the yeere . appeared another comet , the bush wherof streamed southeast . but the effects thereof followed in the death of edmund grindal archbishop of canterbury , & thomas earle of sussex : and in the apprehending of arden , someruile , and other traitours in warwickshire . also within a while ensued a great dearth here in england . in the yere . appeared a comet northward . at which time hēry carew l. hunsdon , & l. chamberlaine of her maiesties houshold , and sir frauncis knowles ended their liues . robert earle of essex , and charles l. high admiral of england generalles of the english fleet burned the spanish nauy , & sacked the towne of cales . moreouer , there continued here in england a great dearth of corne , with straunge inundations of waters , graue maurice got a famous victory ouer the spaniards in the low countreyes . alphonsus duke of ferraria departed out of this life . the pope and the bastard of ferraia had diuers bickerings about the dukedome . finally , before the yeere went about , died gunilla the queene mother of swethland , and gustaue duke of saxony her nephew . likewise iohn marquesse of brādeburge one of the electours , & anne queene of polonia , daughter to charles archduke of austria , being great with child , ended their liues . in the beginning of the yeere . was seene a most fearfull eclipse of the sunne , in the seuenteenth degree of piscis , neere to the dragons head : the like whereof was seldome heard off at any time before : for the sunne was darkened full eleuen poynts , which very neere is the whole compasse of his body . the effects of it are these following . sigismund prince of transyluania , not finding his power sufficient to encounter the turks , voluntarily resigned his dominion to the emperour rodolph the second . the king of swethland returning into his realme from polonia , had diuers conflicts and skirmishes with his subiects . william lord high treasurer of england deceased . and so did king philip the second of spaine , albeit after a more strange maner . for it is credibly enformed , that this tyrant was eaten vp of lice and vermine . a punishmēt no doubt befitting his vsurping life . rome was againe ouerflowne by the riuer tiber , whereby fifteene hundred houses perished , and in a maner all the popes treasure was lost . cardinall albert sent mendoza admirall of aragon , with his rascalitie , into the low countries , where , vpon his owne confederates of cleueland , he hath exercised many bloudy tragedies . theodore duke of muscouie ended his life . there was a great deluge of waters in hungarie . the turks had wonderfull bad lucke vpon the seas . the vnited states of the low countries sent a huge fleete into spaine , where they had verie good successe , to the vtter vndoing of many a spaniard . what shall i write of the terrible rumours of warres , which were noysed throughout all england this last summer ? assuredly these enents were foreshewed vnto vs by the horrible eclipse , which appeared now aboue two two yeeres agoe . since which time i waited continually for some notable effect or other : neither could my mind otherwise presage , but that such things would come to passe , which now ( god be thanked ) are ouerpast . this after a sort , i communicated at that time to master ia. pr. an auncient wise gentleman , and a deare kinsman of mine , at whose house , i as then being lately come into my countrey , after my fathers decease , soiourned . god grant vs better and happier successe in this new yeere . of the causes of sedition and ciuill broyles . chap. . there be sixe causes of sedition . the first and chiefest is the contempt of religion . for if men loued god , which they cannot doe , except they loue their neighbour , doubtlesse no such effects would follow from their actions . a the loue of religion breaketh swords into mattocks , and speares into sithes , and causeth that i nation shall not lift vp sword against nation , neither learne to fight any more . the second cause of sedition is the factions of the subiects , which euer haue beene , and euer will bee the subuersion of estates . the third cause is riotous prosperitie : for ouer-great aboundance of wealth , is the prouocation of mischiefes , x and maketh men to become diuels . the fourth is , when the prince ouerchargeth his subiects with tributes , and when hee substituteth niggardly and deceitfull treasurers and lieutenants to receiue the leuied money , that will not sticke to detaine a part thereof for their owne priuate gaine . the first cause of sedition is iniquitie : a as , when that which is due by proportion , is not giuen to them that bee equall ; and when the prince bestoweth honour , which is the hire and guerdon of vertue , vpon raw and meane men . this was one of the originall causes of the late troubles in france , when the queene mother , for the establishment of her regencie , dubbed simple gentlemen knights of the honourable order of saint michael , first instituted by king lewis the eleuenth , and til that time held in great estimation . the sixt cause of sedition is , when the prince winketh at the cosonages of magistrates and lawyers , and permitteth some of the richer sort to enclose commons , and to rake their inferiors out of measure . of treason . chap. . treason bringeth no lesse danger and hurt to men , then loyaltie doth profit and felicitie : for it is farre easier to vanquish a knowne foe , then to subdue a traitour and a priuie conspiratour . this wicked monster in time of warre , worketh more scath and damage , then all artilleries . howbeit , hee neuer enioyeth his promised hire , but is at last cruelly punished . as for example , the great turke in the yeere of our lord . hauing taken constantinople through the treason of iohn iustinian a genoway , whō after he had made king according to his promise , caused his head to bee chopt off within three dayes . to approch neerer our owne time , let vs bethinke with our selues the mercifull prouidence of god , in discouering the hainous treasons pretended against our dread soueraigne queen elizabeth . of late yeeres , namely , in the yeere . what befell to tilney , sauage , babington , and the rest of their cursed complices ? were they not all executed , & brought to confusion ? likewise doctour lopouze , the queenes phisicion , who had poysoned sundry noblemen of this realme , and by the spanish kings procurement , went about to poyson the queene her selfe , had he not in the yere . his deserued punishment ? euen so the last yeere one squire , by the instigation of a spanish frier , going about to do away her maiestie , was surprized in his treason , and executed to the terrour of all such diuelish traitours . be therefore better admonished , yee wauering men , let the example of such as were executed , terrifie your minds from rebellious attempts , and suffer not wilfully the diuell to tempt and leade you into temptation . of idlenesse . chap. . o you slouthfull men , why doe you miche , range , & turne your backs to vertuous labours , seeing that they , who ouercame the delites of this world , haue deserued heauen for their rewards ? why doe you straggle & rogue from house to house ? beleeue me , there is no occupation in the world , that bringeth with it lesse profit then yours . x goe to the emmet , yee slouthfull sluggards : consider her wayes , and learne to bee wise . she hath no guide , no teacher , no leader , yet in the summer shee prouideth her meate , and gathereth together her foode in the haruest . oh why haue you forgotten the words of the lord , namely , z in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread ? remember what penalties are imposed on runnagates and loytering droanes . in the primitiue church it was decreed , that all men should liue of their owne labour , and not vnprofitably waste the fruits of the earth . likewise the ( faigned ) syphograuntes or officers of the vtopians , r tooke heede , that no man sate idle , but that each one should diligently apply his owne craft and occupation . what shall i say of our owne constitutions here in england ? in the yeere of our lord . it was enacted in the parliament , that all persons aboue the age of foureteene yeeres , which were taken begging and roging abroade , should be apprehended , whipped , and burnt through the eare with a hot iron , for the first time so found ; and the second time to be hanged . for which consideration , looke vnto your selues yee carelesse caitifes , gette you masters , that may instruct you in some occupation or other ; which done , labour continually : & that not onely for your selues , but for the reliefe also of such as are not able to helpe themselues . in so doing , sathan the enemie of grace , who hitherto like a wily foxe hath awaited for you , shall goe away in despaire , and ( as they say ) with a flea in his eare . of dice-play . chap. . christians ought vtterly to forbeare dice-play : first , because r the diuell inuented it . secondly , because it is flat against the commandement of god , namely , x thou shalt not couet any other mans goods . thirdly , dice-play is for the most part accompanied with swearing and blaspheming gods holy name . fourthly , i the holy fathers of the church haue most vehemently written against it . fiftly , all sports and recreations must haue respect to some profite , either of body or of mind , ( otherwise it is but lost , for which wee must one day yeelde an account to god ) but dice-play , as wee know , is no exercise for the body ; neither is it any pleasure for the minde : for the euent of the hazard or maine , driueth the players minde to a furious hope , and sometimes into a fearefull quandarie : to wit , when hee doubteth the recouerie of his lost money . sixtly , we are charged , not to consume our time in wicked and vnlawfull exercises . seuenthly , men must abstaine from dice-play , that they might shew good example to their inferiours . for * if graue parents delight in wicked dice-play , their sonnes will likewise be enduced thereunto . eightly , a dice-play is condemned by the lawes and decrees of princes . by the law roscia , all such as played at dice were banished from their countrey . it was also enacted in rome , that s dice-players should bee amerced in foure times so much as they played for . king edward the fourth of this realme decreed , that euerie dice-player should be imprisoned two yeres , and forfeit tenne pound . king henrie the seuenth enacted , that dice-players should bee imprisoned one day , and that the keeper of the gaming house should bee bound to his good be hauiour , and be fined a noble . king henrie the eight ordained , that euerie one which kept a dicing house , should pay fortie shillings , and the players themselues a noble , for euerie time so occupied . ninthly , this kind of play is odious and reproachfull , as appeared in antonie , to whome cicero obiected , that hee x not onely himselfe was a dicer but also hee fostered such men as were dicers , i augustus the emperour was noted , and ill thought of for his dicing . lastly , the despaire and aduersitie which dice-players fall into , and their extraordinarie punishments be sufficient meanes , to reclaime and terrifie men from it . in the yeere of our lord . one steckman of holsatia hauing lost much money at dice , fell into despaire , and therewithall killed three of his children , and would haue hanged himselfe , if his wife had not preuented him . likewise in the yere . one schetrerus playing at dice in an ale-house neere to belisan , a towne in heluetia , blasphemed god. wherupon the diuell came in place , and carried him away . also , my selfe haue knowne a wealthie yeoman , that was as great a dicer , as any other in that shire where he dwelt , and ( i thinke ) had gotten wel-nigh a thousand pound by that his occupation : but what became of him and his wealth ? marrie , he bathing himselfe in a riuer , was sodainely drowned : and his sonne , to whom his goods after his death did rightly appertaine , before . yeeres were expired , spent al at dice , and at this day is glad to stand at mens deuotion . in summe , do wee not commōly see , that dice-players neuer thriue ? and if perhaps one amongst a thousand chance to winne , notwithstanding at last he loseth all , & so may put his winnings in his ere , yea , and which is worse , hee hazardeth his soule , which hee ought to hold more deare then all the world . but because i haue largely confuted this vice in c other places , i will proceed to the other cause of the alteration of commonwealths . of superfluitie of apparell , another cause persi. of the alteration of kingdomes . chap. . in the beginning of the world , men were clothed with pelts and skins of beasts : wherby is to be noted , that they were become as beasts , by transgressing the cōmandement of god , touching the fruit in paradise . apparell was not giuen to delight mens wanton eies , but to preserue their bodies from the cold , and to couer their shame . they had no beuer hats sharpe on the top , like vnto the spire of a steeple , nor flatte crownde hats , resembling rose-cakes . they wore no embrodered shirtes , nor garments of cloth of gold . they knew not what meant our italianated , frenchified , nor duch and babilonian breeches . they bought no silken stockins , nor gaudie pantoffles . their women could not tel how to frizle and lay out their haire on borders . they daubed not their faces with deceitfull drugs , wherewith , hiding the handi-work of god , they might seeme to haue more beautie , then hee hath vouchsafed to giue them . they imitated not hermaphrodites , in wearing of mens doublets . they wore no chaines of gold , nor ouches , iewels , bracelets , nor such like . they went not clothed in veluet gownes , nor in chamlet peticotes . they smelt not vnto pomanders , ciuet , muske , and such like trumperies . and yet for all that , they farre surpassed vs in humanitie , in kindnesse , in loue , and in vertue . their onely cogitations were bent to decke the inward mind , & not the outward body , which is nothing els , sauing a liuing sepulcher . they knew that if the mind were humble and lowly , the raiment for the body must bee euen so . euerie seede bringeth forth herbes according to his kind : as time seed bringeth foorth time , and tare seede tare . such as the heart is , such is the body ; if the heart bee proude , the fruit thereof will be ill weedes , and proud attires . but why is the earth & ashes proud ? to what end will our fine apparell serue , when death knocketh at out doores , and like a theefe in the night surprizeth vs vnawares ? our yong gallants , when they hire a chamber in london , looking daily to bee sent for home by their parents , will neuer trouble themselues with any charges or garnishing it , as otherwise they would doe , if they were assured longer to continue in it . and what , i pray you , is the body , but a chamber lent to the soule , wherehence it expecteth continually to bee sent for by god our heauenly father , and ( as saint paul speaketh ) to bee loosed , and to be with christ ? for what cause doe wee take such care to apparell the body , seeing within a while after it must putrifie , and returne to the dust of the earth , from whence it came ? what reason haue wee to neglect the soule , which neuer dieth ? why do we not follow king henrie the sixt of this realme , who when the earle of warwicke asked him wherefore hee went so meanely apparelled , answered , it behooueth a prince to excel his subiects in vertue , and not in vesture ? let vs call to remembrance the wife of philo , the iewish philosopher , who wisely answered one of her gossips , that demaunded of her , why she went not ( as other matrons ) attired in pretious garmēts : because ( quoth shee ) i thinke the vertues of my learned husband sufficient ornaments for me . whereto consenteth that of the comick : z in vaine doth a woman goe well attired , if shee be not also well manered . but what neede i spend time in producing of examples , when our sauiour christ scorned not to weare a coate without a seame ? which kinde of apparell if a man now-a-dayes vsed heere in england , presently , a one of our fine caualeers would laugh at him , and prize both him and his apparell , scant worth a hundred farthings . oh , what a shame is it , that euerie seruing-man in england , nay , euerie common iacke , should flaunt in silkes and veluets , and surpasse gentlemen of worship ! i haue knowne diuers , who would bestow all the money they had in the world , on sumptuous garments ; and when i asked them howe they would liue heereafter , they would answere : a good marriage will one day make amends for all ; thereby implying , that they hoped to inueigle and deceiue some widow or other . which pretence of theirs being frustrate , they will bee driuen to commit burglaries and murthers . in respect of which inconueniences , i exhort euerie man to liue according to his vocation , and to obserue her maiesties decrees and proclamations , whereby caualeering groomes , and dunghilled knaues , are straightly prohibited to weare the same sutes and apparell as gentlemen obiection . god hath created al things which are in this world for mans vse : therefore any man may weare cloth of gold , siluer , or such like . answere . true it is , that god made all things in this world to be vsed of mā ; but herein i must distinguish men : some men be noble , some ignoble . there is no reason , why cloth of gold , permitted onely to noblemen , should be equally permitted to earth-creeping groomes . and again , god hath appoynted men not sole cōmanders , but bailies of his goods & creatures , with condition , that they giue an account of the vtmost farthing of the same . and in this regard noblemē may gorgeously attire themselues , so long as they clothe the needie and distressed members of christ. but if noblemen on the contrary , clothe themselues sumptuously , without reseruing meanes to furnish the poore members of christ , then will the lord at the great day of iudgement , pronounce this fearefull doome against them , r depart frō me , ye cursed , into eternal fire : for i was naked , & ye clothed me not . to knit vp this briefely , i say , that god created al things for his owne glorie , and to take occasion to extoll him , but not for our pride , to abuse them . the seuenth plant. of the conseruation of a common-wealth . chap. . there be many means to preserue a commonwealth ; but aboue the rest these ten are of most efficacy . the first , and chiefest is to liue vprightly in the feare of god. the second , to make no delay in executing of attainted and condemned persons . the third , to suffer euery man to enioy his owne , and not lauishly to spend & rake the priuat inhabitants goods . the . to haue a great regard of mischiefs & euils at the first budding , how small soeuer it be , for * the corruptiō , that creepeth in by little & little , is no more perceyued , then small expenses be , the often disbursing wherof vndoeth the substance of a house . and as great rayne & horrible stormes proceed from vapours and exhalations , that are not seene : so alteration & changes breed in a commonwealth of light and trifling things , which no man would iudge to haue such an issue . the fift means is , that magistrates behaue themselues mildly and modestly towards their inferiours . the sixt , that princes bee not partiall in their subiects factions . the seuenth , the prince & his coūcell must not giue care to euery tale and crafty deuice : for it may be , that the enemy hath his intelligence in the realme . the eight , to cast out heretickes and schismatickes frō amōg the people . the ninth , to muster & traine the people once a moneth in martiall affaires . the tenth is , to discard stageplayes , vsury , extorsiō , bribes , and such like abominable vices . of taxes and subsidies . chap. . * the peace and tranquillity of a commonwealth can neuer be had without souldiours , nor souldiours without maintenance & pay , not pay cā be purchased without taxes and subsidies , which are the lawfull reuenewes of the prince to maintaine his realme . but , thou wilt say , taxes and subsidies bee for the common good of the realme , & not for the princes maintenaunce . to which i answere , that * the prince may likewise vse taxes and subsidies to his priuat royalty , which is after a maner conioyned with the honour of the princely state , that hee beareth . how is it possible for a prince to beare a stately port , vnlesse hee hath sufficient reuenewes ? let therefore all true hearted subiectes * giue vnto cesar that which is cesars : * tribute to whome tribute belongeth : and custome to whome custome . without this ground we had long since been a pray vnto our enemies . the scots would haue swalowed vs vp . the spaniards also would haue triūphed & cruelly massacred vs , as they did the poore indians . none but wizards and niggards will seeke to be exempted from contributions , & shake off the necessary yoke of obedience . experience layeth downe before our eyes the successe of them , that grudge and rebelled against their prince for taxing . the beginnings haue beene vngodly , and the ends miserable . in the yeere of our lord . the cōmons of kent & essex , to the number of threescore thousand , rebelled against king richard the second beyng their soueraigne : but they were discomfited , and the most part of them sharply punished . likewise in the yeere . a great commotion was moued by the commons of the north , by reason of a taxe , which was imposed vpon them of the tēth peny of all their lands & goods . but their rash attempt was speedily broken , and their ringleaders hanged at yorke . by this wee see the miserable issue of all such rash reuoltings , and therewithall consider , how detestable they are in the sight of god , let therfore al subiects patiently endure whatsoeuer subsidy is leuied , and night & day beseech the lord to graunt thē peace , whereby their taxes will become shortned . remedies against sedition and priuy conspiracies . chap. . the plaisters , that are to bee applied vnto sedition , be diuers , according to the causes therof . yet notwithstāding , i will epitomize and draw some of them into a breuiary . first , the prince must betimes forethinke to alay the seditions , which beginne to kindle . for euery mischiefe at first is soone cured , but being let alone , and taking farther roote , it gathereth more strength . secondly , the prince must by espials know , who slaūder or speake euil of him . howbeit , respect must be had , lest the innocent be iniuried . thirdly , the prince must proclaime rewards to the reuealers of conspiracies . fourthly , the prince must aforehand remoue munitions and artilleries out of the way , & put them in safe custody . in so doing he shall find the seditious the more tractable . fiftly , the prince must seuerely punish the authors of sedition , * lest they , that come after , go about to imitate such wickednesse . sixtly , the seditious must be sundred by some policy or other . seuenthly , the seditious must be allured with ambiguous & doubtfull promises . eightly , the prince must diligently looke , that his loyall subiects cōmunicat not with the seditious , for * such communing together at such times , and in such sort , is very daungerous , especially for the party , that is like to take the foile . ninthly , the prince must * send men of honour and dignity vnto the rebels vnder pretence of reward , to the intent , that their captaines , who desire innouations , may be withdrawen from them . of the felicity of a commonwealth . chap. . the felicity of a commonwealth is , when by some diuine prouidēce frō aboue , there meeteth in one person the right maiesty of a prince , and the mind of a wise philosopher . for then needeth no cōpulsion , no rigour , no extremity to bridle the subiects , what is more delightfull , then to see the true image of vertue in their visible prince ? then to heare the wise lessons and golden speeches issuing out of such a mouth ? happy , i say , is the realme , where the prince imitateth the order of an expert phisicion , who whē the remedies , which he prepareth to cure the weakenesse of the inferiour members , encrease griefe in the head , he throweth away all infirmities most light , and with the fauour of time , hee proceedeth carefully to the cure of that , which necessarily importeth the health of the patient or commōwealth . the eight plant. of warres . chap. . because * a prince ought to be prouided against all chaūces as well of warre as of peace : it will not bee amisse , if i write somewhat of warrelike affaires . the original whereof in my opinion proceeded from * nemrod the iolly hunter before the lord. the graecians inuented first of all the vse of armour . and the almaines deuised in the yeere of our lord . gunnes being the most terrible engines of al others . now touching the causes and effects of warre , doubtlesse , god seing that no benefits could fructifie , nor threatnings disswade vs from our disobedience , sendeth warre , as his fearefull instrument to rouse vs frō sluggishnes , & to plague vs for our manifold iniquities : according to that dreadfull alarum , which long since hee sounded against vs. * if , quoth he , you wil walke in my ordinances , i will send peace in the land : but if you will not obey me , but despise my cōmandements , i will send a sword vpō you , that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant , and you shall be deliuered into the hands of the enemy . this the spaniards of the island saint maries knew & felt this last summer , being the yeere of our lord . insomuch as when two english ships , and one ship of amsterdame had taken the said island , and the generall had demaunded the spanish gouernour , wherefore hee yeelded so soone ? hee answered , that the sinnes of the inhabitants were great , and therefore it was bootlesse for them to resist . as for the discommodities of warre , they be infinit : it treadeth vnder foot the lawes of god and man : it maketh the church to be derided , and placeth tyrants in the throne of iustice. in conclusion , warre enduceth many malecontēts to follow the importunity of the time , and breedeth pestilence and dearth : for victuals spent , dearth must needs ensue . whereupon sundry infectious diseases spring . whether it be lawfull for christians to make warre ? chap. . although the marcionists haue heretofore doubted , whether christians might make warre ? yet notwithstanding , i wil by forcible reasons maintaine the contrary . first , it is written , that the israelites should warre against their enemies , and a not faint , nor feare , nor be amazed , nor a-dread of them . secondly , lawfull warres are named b the battels of the lord. thirdly , c the lord himselfe is a mā of warre . fourthly , saint iohn baptist confirmeth the lawfulnesse of warre in these wordes , which he spoke vnto the souldiers : e do no violēce to any man , neyther accuse any falsly , and be content with your wages . fiftly , cornelius a captaine was so fauoured of god , that h he receyued the holy ghost . sixthly , i the magistrate carieth not the sword in vaine . seuenthly , it is lawfull for any man to defend himselfe . for l reason teacheth , that it is lawfull to repell force offred to our liues and to our persons , with force . to conclude , it is lawfull for one people to assault another , so that it it bee either to get their owne againe , or els to punish reuolters . howbeit neuerthelesse , i counsell warre to be practized as a last and desperat medicine , which without very vrgent occasion ought neuer to be applied . what warres be most lawfull . chap. . a those warres be most iust , whereto we are constrained ; and with good cōsciēce may we take armes , when there is no safet●● for vs , but in armes . to this an anciet bishop subscribeth , saying , b that fortitude , which defendeth a mans countrey from forrayne enemies , or sustaineth the desolat and oppressed , is perfect iustice . moreouer , c the holy ghost by many testimonies of scripture declareth such warres to bee lawfull . the iniury , which is done to ambassadours , ministreth lawfull cause for princes to take armes in hand . therefore k. dauid made war with the ammonits , for that they villanously misused the messengers , * which he sent to comfort the yoūg king of ammō for his fathers death . most iust likewise was that warre , which king richard the first of this realme made with the infidels for the recouery of the holy land . and surely it is a meritorious and religious deed , that christian princes should vnite their forces together , and proclaime warres against the trukes , who to their great shame haue now welnigh conquered all hungary , & are at the very gates of germany , and consequently or all christendome : this peril how long soeuer it is de●ferred , doubtles is like to happen . suppose our christian princes could do no other good , but keepe back the turkes forces from further inuasions , would not this be a meanes to restore and reuiue the dismembred estate of christēdome ? yea certainely . to that end i constantly auerre , that it is lawfull to warre : prouided still , that the determination be not to put to death any , that will be brought to the true knowledge of the gospell . for it is not with swords , but with words , not with constraint , but with cōference , that misbeleeuers are become conuerted . that before we begin warres , preparation is to be made of sufficient necessaries thereto belonging . chap. . a to the execution of warres three things are needfull : prouision , men , and adnice . vnder prouision i comprehend armour , money , & victuals . touching armour , i would haue an indifferent company of weapōs prepared both for horsmen and footmen : as , artillery , powder , bullets , billes , pikes , launces , bowes and arrowes , plated doublets , iackets of male , and such like . next , money must be gotten , b without the which nothing can be done , as it ought to be . and if they fight with siluer speares they will conquer all . money being gotten , it is meete , that victuals be prouided , seeing * through want thereof souldiers will bee ouercome without stroke . against other euils there are cures , but there is no striuing against hunger . herehence proceed mutines , despaires , infectious sicknesses , and innumerable kinds of calamities . hauing forethought of prouision , it is also necessary , that men should bee mustered and chosen out . for * if there be a mighty hoste of men in the field , what towne or countrey is not willing to welcome them ? in like maner the captaine generall must forecast , whether horsemen would serue his turne better then footemen ? this question being well discussed , the generall must take aduice with his chiefe and wisest lieftenaunts concerning the successe of the warres . for * what king going to make warre with another king , sitteth not downe first , and taketh counsell , whether he be able with ten thousand to meete him , that cōmeth against him with twenty thousand ? or els , while hee is yet a-great way off , he sendeth an ambassage , and desireth peace ? the dueties of a generall . chap. . in a generall seuen things are required . first , that he be religious and deuout : for thē if he with iosuah say , * sunne , stay thou in gibeon : and thou moone , in the valley of aialon : the sunne wil abide , and the moone will stand still , vntill he be auenged vpon his enemies . secondly , a generall must be a man of authority , by reason that * nothing is more auailable in the ordering of battels , then authority . thirdly , he ought to be temperate : for how can he gouerne others , that cannot rule his owne affections ? fourthly , he must be well experienced , that he may see how the enemy lieth , what way is best , eyther to prouoke the enemy , or to defend himselfe . fiftly , a generall must be witty and well spoken , because souldiers minds will be sooner inflamed to fight by sweet exhortations , then by all the trumpets in the world . sixtly , he must be couragious and valiant , that he may * giue the first onset , when any bickering is at hand , and shew the way to others . lastly , a generall ought to be very well seene in philosophy , & specially in geometry , otherwise he will neuer be able either to incampe himselfe , to find out the enemy , or to cōceiue the scituation of places : as for example , how the champion fields are couched together , how the valleys hang , how broad the marishes be , & how the mountaines are lift vp . of the choyse of souldiers . chap. . there be six notes to discerne a good souldiour . the first is , that he be an honest mā . the second , that he be strōg and valiant . the third , that he be constant & patient . the fourth , that ( if it be possible ) he be a gentle-man borne : the reason is , because most commonly he is more easily trained for the warres , and will scorne to yeeld himselfe vanquished to the enemy . the fift marke of a souldier is , that he be nimble , actiue , and not of a fat or grosse body , lest like a carters iade he founder and fal downe . the sixt , a souldier ought to be chosen from seuēteene yeeres old to sixe and forty . but in my opinion elderly souldiers are more apt & fit to go to the warres , then young men , by reason that they are lesse mutinous , and better able to endure . whether the straunger or the home-borne subiect ought to be preferred ? chap. . if we cōsider the cause , frō whēce proceeded the late destructiō of italy , we shall find , that the calling in of the switzers and frenchmen to aide it , turned to the desolation of it . lodowick sfortia duke of millaine sent for the switzers to succour him against the frenchmen . but how sped he ? mary , hee was by his owne mercenaries deliuered prisoner ouer to lewis the twelfe , french king . yea , we read , that the greatest misery , which euer hapned to the brittish nation diuided , was , when vortiger mistrusting the peeres of his realme , called in the saxons to helpe him , who at last cōpelled him to deliuer the chiefest part of his kingdome vnto them . so that at length they droue away at the naturall inhabitants of the countrey . for which cause the natiue subiect is to be esteemed , who stādeth not so much vpō his valour & pay , as vpon his loyalty & reputation . besides , no man is so barbarous & sauage , as to take part with strāgers against his owne countreymen . how the enemy is to be vanquished . chap. . we must obserue twelue rules , before we discomfit our enemies . wherof the first is , that wee aske forgiuenes of god for our misdeedes , and feruently beseech him to goe before our armie . the second is , that the captaine generall forbid all blasphemies , swearing , dicing , rioting , and such like impious doings . the third , that none but wise men beare office in the campe . the fourth way to ouercome the enemie , is to bee well prouided of necessaries . the fift , captaines must not enuie one another . the sixt , niggardly and corrupt officers must bee seuerely punished . the seuenth , our warriours must make no long delay in the enemies country : especially if the climat therof be contagious and noysome . the eight meanes to obtaine the victorie ouer our foes is , not to permit any to straggle abroad and rob , lest meeting with ambushes , they bee vnawares surprized . the ninth , marchants , on paine of death , must not transport any newes , prouision , or commodities into the enemies coast . the tenth , valiant men must bee nobly recompenced for their aduenturous acts . the eleuenth rule , to haue a fresh supply alwaies at a becke ; and for that purpose , some of the best experienced captaines must be left behind , to conduct the rawest sort , and to traine them vp in martiall discipline . the twelfe and last obseruation is , that all transgressors be rigorously chastised , to the terrour and ensample of others . the conclusion , of peace . chap. . lest for treating of martiall affaires , i bee either termed a fauourer of contention , or else a simple dizart , as hauing h neuer as yet seene the enemie in the face , no not so much as their tents : heere voluntarily i resigne my crest , i lay downe mine ensigne . in regard whereof , i demaund an oliue branch , the onely true and vndoubted token of peace . the reason that thus mooueth mee , is our owne safetie : for if wee should doe nothing but fight and enter into skirmishes , in the end , r our fieldes would remaine without village , and the ashes of our burat houses as a graue would couer our dead corps . who knoweth not , that peace is the end of warre ? peace therefore must bee established betimes . z all things are sodered together through vnitie , but disseuered through discord . the realme of france is a liuely spectacle hereof , which being of late yeeres hackt by the leaguers , as it were into mammocks , became wel-nigh a pray vnto the spanish king . but now being vnited againe , shee recouereth her former strength . wherefore , o souldiour , lay downe thy musket and armour , and say not with the poet : x i haue as yet long speares , round shieldes , head-peeces , and glistering cuiraces . oh , seeke not to defile thy handes in thy brothers bloud . forgiue thine enemie , euen as god forgiueth thee . hearken ( i pray thee ) what the apostle sayth , if it bee possible , as much as in you is , haue peace with all men . and againe , c let the peace of god rule in your hearts , to the which ye are called all in one body . finally , to end this discourse , and therewithall my booke , i conuert my speech vnto thee , o lord of hostes , humbly from the bottome of my heart desiring thee to saue vs from the furie of our enemies , and to sende vs peace in christ iesus , to whom with thee and the holy ghost , for this which i haue written , and for all other benefites receiued , i yeelde all praise , honour , and glorie . amen . if i haue done wel , & as the matter required , it is the thing that i would : if i haue spoken slenderly and barely , it is that i could . finis . in aureum magistri gulielm vaughanni saltum . avratum vellus vario discrimine iason , medaea meritis auxiliante tulit : auriferos saltus paribus vaughannus adiuit , auspiciis musa sub duce multa ferens . tota domus , tota vrbs , respublica tota labore doctior , & coepit ditior esse suo . hinc habet oeconomus fultos virtute penates , inque magistratu plenus habetur honos . quodque magis , gens quaeque operis loetissima tanti , instructa eximiis legibus , alma viget . quid dabit authoritanto pro munere gratae post eritas ? laudis praemia nuda placent ? si foret haec tantis ●etas ingrata , tacerent nulla tamen laudes saecula sera tuas . mathaeus gwin , in medicin . doctor . iames perrot esqvire to his assured louing cousin , the authour of the golden-groue . thy goldē-groue yeelds good & goldē trees : the rootes thereof are vertues of the mind ; the branches are wel train'd vp families : the body is the common-wealth refin'd . good fruit on such good trees do alwaies grow whē wisdome reaps , what vertue first did sow . in paradise , ( which was a golden groue ) the tree of life in glorious maner grew ; which earst , whē eue did satans speech approue , mans life by taste for euer could renew . in this thy groue growes no forbidden plant , heere all is sound without bad iuice or want . of eu'rie tree in wisedomes paradise , thy golden muse ( good cousin ) hath some taste ; three bookes are planted by thine exercise , bookes such , as enuies breath shall neuer blast . thrice blest art thou , to whom in youth befals , to bud , and bring such golden vegetals . idem ad eundem . omnia fortunae sunt sublunaria ventis subdita ; nec constant tot monumenta ducum . sirogites : vbi sunt septem miracula mundi ? alterna referent haec cecidisse vice . solatamen fugiunt excusa volumina ventos , sola animi viuo sunt bona digna cedro . crede mihi ( cognate ) tuam virtutibus vrbem , auratosque lares famalo quetur anus . epigramma . 〈…〉 ad . authorem . a vriferos alii soliti promittere montes , deducunt bardis nania barda modis . aurea tu vero promittens , aurea praestas , ducis & auriferis aurea rura modis . thomas iames master of arts , and fellow of new colledge in oxford , to master vaughan the author of the golden-groue moralized . whilst brothers liue , as brothers they must loue , as thē one wōb , so they one mind must beare . this vaughan shewes in this his goldē-groue , in this his learned worke without compare . two brothers like two feete so well they goe , or like two mariners together row . the soyle which hath these louing brothers bred , was euer held a soyle of great account , here brute of yore his golden time had led , whose bruit and fame vnto the skies did mount : whose noble seede amongst his issue sowne , hath made the britaines through y e world wel known for great soldiers , & resolued mē ( known known for their loue to learning and the arts ; as these two brothers on the worldes scene , approu'd of late by their true acted parts : the other by his pen deseru'd the same . his pen was siluer , but his head of gold , that could so much in so few lines containe ; that in three bookes could all things so vnfold : ( if all bee three , as learned writers sayne ) of metals , gold the purest is esteemd ; of our late writers , thou as best art deemd . the muses hire is not well ratified : ( such is their fare in these accursed daies ) but of thy brother be thou gratified , hee le pay thee loue , as thou dost pay him praise . for both your meeds let goldē groues abide , and after death you golden wreathes betide . ad magistrum vaughannum de aureo suo saltu . pr. epigramma . lis erat in docto , bene nec discussa , senatu : an ciues aurum commaculet , vel alat : i●●pulit ad stuprum dana●n iouis aureus imber : impulit a●●onidem per mare vellus ouis . aurcolum peperit ●ixas in s●ltibus idae pomum ; subiecitteque atalanta , proco . hanc saltu aurifero tu litem difcutis aurum , palladi si detur , non maculat , s●d alit . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e pind. in pythiis . ps. . a senec. in hercule furente . boet. l. . de consolatione philosop . m●tr . . * arist. li. . ●osterior . analiticor . & li. . physic . & casus lib. cōment . physic. cap. . * . ●oh . . . * cic. lib. . de natura deorum . * arist. l. . physic. lucr. lib. . de rerū natura , persius satyr . . & b●et . lib. . de consolat . philosop . calu lib. . instit. cap. . * arist. li. . de anima . * casus li. . cōm . phys. ca. . b cic. li. tuscul. c iam. . . * calu. li. . instit. cap. . * psal. nazian . in iulian. orat. . machia . in prin●cipe . ce. . arist. li ; . de anima . ca. . gen. . gen. . . ibid. . act. . . mar. . . * i thinke , arist : li. . anim . cap. arist. li. . de generatione animal . cap. . * calu. lib. . instit. cap. . exo. ca. ▪ ver . matth. ca. . verse persius satyr . . h plinius lib. . ca. ● . boetius lib. . de consolat . philoso . metr . . piccolom grad . de virtu . moral . arist. lib . rhetor . plutar. in vita periclis . august . epist. propert. lib. . e horat. li. . ser. senec. li. de tranquil . ani . mar. . iere. . iam. . . p● . * persius satyr . . * resolutiō li. . par . . cap. . * iere. * mat. * psa. . & heb. * eccle. . * psa. luke . & apoc. . ioel. . * iere. . * rom. . * apoc. a . pet. b . pet. c mat. * resol . li. . part . cap. . ps. . . pet. . * gal. . * . pet. . * resolut . li. . part . . cap. . ex a●selmo . arist. li. . polit. cap. . b plato li. . de republ . c plin. lib. . natur . histor . * piccolomi . grad . . de virtut . moral . ex nigidio . figulo . . chron. . a aristot. lib. . ethic . ca. b plato in gorgia . c ezec. . * iuuenal . satyr . a ezech. . b seneca epist. * gen. . sydn . li. arcad. cas. lib. specul . moral . cap. . a matth. cap. . epistol . ad rom. cap. . & epistol . ad cor. ca. caluin . li. . instit. cap. . a cic. act . . in verrem . b arist. li. . rheto. a l. lex cornel. § . ff . de iniur . a ouid. epist . . b cicero orat . in vatin . a silius ital. li. . b aristot. lib. . ethic . ca. . * eurip. in phoen. . sam. a arist. li. . sophis . elenchor . cap. . cic. li. . offic . & greg. lib. . moral . * homer . lib. . odyss . e plautus in mercat●r . maetth . cap. . & extra . de iureiurand . c. . augustin . lib. contra . mendac . a august . in tract . de decollat . iohā . bap. epist. ad hebr. ca. . & l. . c. de rebus credit . extra . de probati . c. . exod. . & deut. . a in iliad fera per tot . b diodor. sic . lib. . c ex leg . . tabu . d nouel . . c. § . l. c. de rebus cred . & iureiur . l. si duo § fin . ff . de condit . institut . vbi & poenā politicā ponit vlpianus & cuiacius . obseru . e isidor . isidor . lib. . de summo bone . in satyr . . persii . h leuit. . * canō . caus . . q. . ex hierō . in epist. ad tit. a bellarm. lib. . de mona . cap. . leuit. . & §. vlt. in nou. . clarus . §. blasphema , lib. . iason . l. . §. iurare . num . . de iniur . & zasius consil. num . . lib. . e terent. in andr. b ari. lib. . metaphysic . c demost. . olynth * an. lib . elench sophistic . * hotomā . lib. illustr . quaestion . cap. . leuit. deut. . iosua . . . sā . matth. . rom. . ambros. lib. . offic. c. . h psal. . h hippo●●●us apud ●uripidem . nouell . praefation . §. haereticos wesēbec . in c. de haeretic . & clarus lib. . §. haeres . num . & . * psal. . * . thes. . arist. lib. . ethic. cap. . * osorius li. . christian . nobilit . * psal. . * arist. lib. . ethic . ca. . a bembus li. . venet . hist. b gnicciardin . li. . histor. c persius satyr . . a eurip. in rhes . b ambr. li. . offi. c virg. li. . aeneid . * aristot. lib. . ethic . ca. * homer . lib. . iliad . * machiauel . li. histor. florent . plutarch . in vita cleomen . a virg. lib. . aenei . & ouid. lib. . metam . b quintil. declamation . . * arist. li. . physic. * vegetius lib. . de remilit . * terent. in eunuch . * homer . lib. . odyss . * aristot. lib. . ethic . ca. . daniel . . esay . gellius lib. . ca. . st●baeus sermon . . & bruson . lib. cap. . b martial . lib. . epigram . ad priscum . plautus in aulular . prou. . & . ioel. . luke . . horatius lib. . epistol . esay . . e matth. iohā . n matt. . i plut. de curiosit . et xenop . lib. . de dict . & fact . socrat . b elian. li. . vari . hist. c. h ouid. li. . de remed . amo . r arist. li. . ethic. cap. . e arist. li. . ethic. cap. . a ibid. b naziā . in oration , de cura paupe . c strab. lib. . * martial . lib. . epigr. a tacitus lib. . annal. a arist. li. . ethic. cap. . z hor. li , . od. & mart. lib. . epigram . b oui. lib. . fastor . a macr lib. . saturnal . c plinius iuni . lib. . epist. . cor. . h arist. lib. . ethic . a boetius lib. . de consolat . philosop . metr . . b pers. satyr . . * tacitus lib. . histor . * . ioh. . * arist. li. . politi . * iuuenal . satyr . * seneca in hercu. o●te , c amo. . esay . luk. . iud. . s . reg. . i dan. . n luke . . s . tim. . esay . . luk. . s matth. . r mar. n ibid. luc. . arist. lib. . physic. mat. * terent. in adel. b ari. lib. . ethic. cap. vlt. & plautus in amphyt . s . sā . * eccl. . * luke . * eccl. * eze. a tertull. lib. de speculo . b concil . . carthag & synod . laodic . cap. . * ephes. . * saluian . lib. . de gubern . dei. * prou. . . * sen. lib. , de clementia cap. . * rutilius lupus li. . de figur . sent . * aristot. lib. . de anim . * eurip. in orest. * in cōment . in sat. . persi. & sophoc . in aiac● , & ouid. lib. . metam . a homer . lib. . iliad . b ennius apud cicer●nē li. . tusculan . c ephes. . * senec. in thebaid . z act. . boetius lib. . de consolatione philosophiae . metr . . n cominaus li. cap. . b plautus in asin. a lucretius li. . de rerum natura . s eurip. in helen . i cic. in laelio , & manilius . lib. . astron. n horatius lib. . satyr . . n arist. lib. . ethic. z cicero in oratio . pro milon . a salust . in coniurat . catil . b iuuen. satyr . . * oui. lib. . eleg. * aelianus lib. . variar . histor . r xenoph li. . paed . cyr. s aesop. in fabu . a cōminae . li. . ca. * persius satyr . . s . cor. . * . cor. . * plaut . in bacchid . * demost. oration . . contra aristo . * virgil. in poemat . de liuor . plura de his in cōmentar . meis in satyr . . persii vide . * . ioh. * plato lib. . de legib. * arist. li. . metaphysic . text . . * manil. 〈◊〉 . . 〈◊〉 . & ●lotin . li. de anim . & idaeis , cap. . * caluin . lib. . institut . ca. . * cic. academic . quaestion . lib. . * aristot. lib. . de animal . cap. . a eccle. . b sophocl . in antigon . a smith . li. . reipub . anglican . cap. . b ibid. * arist. in probl. * bodin . lib. . de repub. cap. . a plutarc . in them. vita . b prou. . n boetius lib. . de consolatione philosophiae . metr . . e exo. z ouid. li. . trist. eleg. . prou. . notes for div a -e arist. lib. . polit. h arist. li● . topic . cap. . * iohn . heb. . arist. li. . politicor . s l. si a sponsa . c. de d●nat . ante nuptias . * smith . lib. . de republic . anglic. cap. . * . pet. n casus lib. . thesaur . oecono . cap. . * . pet. * iob . * . pet. * matth. . * . cor. * ierem. * iere. . * ioh. . a smith . lib. . de republ. anglic. cap. . b smith . lib. . de republ. anglic. cap. . * prouer. . * coloss. c. . & l. . ff . de obsequi . parent . & patron . praestād . * pythag. in aureis carmin . * l. ff . de agnoscēd . & alend. liber . §. . & . & l. . c. de alend. liber . a hesiod . apud plutarch . de fratern . amore . * caus. . q. . can. . * l. si filius tuus . c. de patri . potest . * deuter. . * exo. leuit. deut. . a extr. de feriis . c. . b l. . c. de feriis . c exod. . a gen. . b gen. * . sam. . * zach. . * . reg. . * zach. * iob . * tob. a . machab . . b apo. . c ibid. . * ibid. * in ciceron . de somnio scipionis . r mac●h . li. . ca. s de consecrat . distinct . canō . in fin . mat. . in sat. titus . r pro. . plin. lib. . c. . gen. . * belul the aethiopian word , in english is pretious , and not presbiter or prester , as heretofore it hath been mistaken in print . h plato li. . in leg . in commentar . in sat. . pers. r socrat. li. . hist. ecclesia . cap. . . reg. . n couarruuias li. . varia . resolutiō . cap. . i mat. . mar. . act. . i panorm . in cap. cōsuluit . dè vsuris ▪ * l. . & c. de pignorat . action . * panorm . in cap. ad nostrā de empt . & vend . & couarruui . li. variar . resolut . cap. . b iam. . * chryso . hom. sup . gen. * august . lib. cōtra haeres . * gen. * gen. * iosu. . * luc. rom. . tim tit. . heb. . . pet. * psal. * prou. mat. . * prou. * luk. * mat. * . ioh. * ps. . * cas. in append. thesaur . oecon. a exo. b . reg. . & tertulli . de ieiun . aduersus psychi . & cypr. de ieiunio & tētationib . christi . c ionas . * dan. . * hieron . ad laet. notes for div a -e n arist. li. . politic cap. . r accursius ad l. . c. de procurat . r apo. . a li. . de militari . roman . disciplin . * li. . de repub. cap. . x li. . policit . r arist. li. . mete●rolog . n isocrat . in oratiō . ad nico. i arist. li. . metaphys . r iustin. ex lib. . trog . pompe . ari. li. topicor . cap. . n plato . lib. . de . leg . math. . r ibidem . n . pet. . i math. cap. vlt. s exo. . deut. . s rom. . ibid. exod. . h lipsius lib. . politicor . cap. . a tacitus lib. . histor. s curtius lib. . histor . z boetius lib. . de consolation . philosoph . metr . . s plutar. lib. de repub. i smith . lib. . de repub. anglicā . cap. . * plato li. . de legumlat . s nouell . de armen . n iustiniā . in nouel . . cap. . § neque illo de c●ter . * galat. . * aristot. li. . polit . ca. . * senec. in epistol . * lipsius li. . polit . cap. . * tacitus li. de morib . germanor . a lib. . de repu . anglic. cap. . b bartol . in tract . de tyrān . * tacit. in vita agricolae . * in comment in satyr . . pers. * plautus a ephes. . & coloss. . b ibidem . c calu. li. . instit. cap. . * . part . decret . cap. . §. . * soto li. . de iustitia & ●re . q. . artic . . * dan. . & . * aristot. lib. . politicor . a l. ex hoc genere ff . de iustitia , & iure . b i. sam. . * persius satyr . . a guicciard . lib. hist. b thucid. lib. . histor . obiectiō r smith . li. . de repub . anglic . cap. . s boetius lib. . de consolation . philosoph . metr . . smith . li. . de republic . anglic. cap. . n boetius li. . de cōsol . philo. pros . . n ari. li. . ethicor. e persius satyr . . s cicero . li. . offici . horat. li. . episto . . * smith . li. . de republic . anglic. cap. . ari. li. . politic. cap. . * cicero in oratio . pro sesti . & plato li. . de legib . smith . de repub anglic. ari. li. polit. ca. . r rhodiginus li. lection . antiquer . cap. . a beza in caluin . vita . r l. in ecclesiis . de epis. & clericis c. statuerunt . x cap. bonae . . §. intelleximus , de postulation . praelat . x ari. li. . politic. cap. . a smith . . de republic . anglic. xenoph. in oeconomic . c persius satyr . . h horatius epod. . & cicer. desenect . morus lib. . vtopi . * iob . a mat. b mat. * cassiod . lib. epistol . * aristot. li. . polit . ca. . * smith . lib. . de republ. anglic. cap. . * cuiacius in paratit . ff . de extraord . criminib . * l. ●mne . c. ad leg . iuli. repetund . & l. . ff . ad leg . corn. de sicar . iul. paul. li. . sentent . tit . . apud cuiaciū . * sotus li. . de iustitia & iure . * ezech. . * cominaeus lib. cap. . * esa. b exo. deut. & eccl. . * lib. . decretal . tit . . ca. . * cic. lib. . ad atticum , epist . . & . * plutar● . de iside . * plato li. . de legib . h cōminae . lib. . n cicero li. . de diuinati . persius satyr . . s persius ibid. * persius ibid. z arist. lib. . politicor . cap. & . s plato dialog . de legib . s dan. . mat. luk. . mar. e in sin . satyr . . prou. . c xenoph. ●i . paedi . lib. . & . ff . tit . . eccle. n seneca in thyest. a cassiod . lib. . epist . . x l. medicos . §. c. de profeso soribus & medicis . a in cap. de magi . li. . tit . n concil . trident. sessio . . dereform . c. & sessio . . de reforma . c. . x baldus ad leg . . de suffrag . h ari. li. politic. cap. . xenoph. li. . paed. & quintiliā . li. . cap. . ast; diodor. sicul. lib. . ca. * arist. lib. . polit . ca. . * quintil . lib. . institut . oratori . * iohan. grāmatic . lib. . prior. analyt . a arist. li. . topic. cap. . b gell. lib. . ca. c iamblichus epistol . ad dexippum . a l. fin . §. mixta muner . ff . de muneribus & honorib . b zabarella li. . de natura logic . cap. . * de quibus aristo . in praedicamēt . a de quibus aristo . in lib. de interpret . prior . analyt . posterior . topic . & elench . * morus lib. . vtop . a arist. lib. . rhetoric . cap. . & . b aristoph . in ra●nis . c aeschylus in prometh . . cor. * ibid. * exod. * martia . lib. . epigram . * l. . & . c. de formulis & impetrationis bus actionū sublatis . * l. fin . c. de donationibus . * exod. * exo. a iudic. cap. . b cic. lib. . de legibus . * hor. de arte poetica . a . sam. . b aristot. li. . rhetoric . c zabar . lib. . de natur . logic . * lactantius . * psa. a zabar . lib. . de natur . logic . cap. . b osor. li. . ciuilis nobilitat . * sydn●i . in apol. poet. n august . lib. . de doctrin . christiā . cap. . i oui. li. de tristib . elegi . . ibid. cicero li. . de oratore . c arist. li. . metaphys . text . clemens alexandrinus . li. . stromat . r ari. in initio lib. . de coelo . a zabarel . lib. de constitutione naturalis scientiae . cap. . x pererius lib. . physic. cap. . n piccolominaeus in introduct . ad . gradus ciuilis philosophiae . cap. . i in commentar . in satyr . . persi. s plinius in initi . li. . r exod. . i exo. leuit. deut. s tacitus li. . annal . vlpianus lib. . de offic . procons . tit . de mathematic . & serutus in lib. . encid . ac canō . . caus . . q. . & can . . caus . . q. . c leuit. . n exo. . r l. . § medicorū ss●de variis & extra●rd . cognition . clemens alexandrinus li. . paedag. cap. . eccless . . l. institut . tit , de iust. & iure . §. iurisprudentia . a l. iustitu . tit . de iure . natu. gent. & ciuil . §. ius natur . * plato li. . de ●●gibus , * arist. lib. . politic . ca. * plato li. . de legibus . * arist. lib. . ethic . ca. * aristot , lib. . metaph. cap. . * sen. in epist. * matt. * . reg. . luc. b esa. e matt. . h decret . part. . lib. . tit . . de electione . i socrat. li. . eccles . histor . c. * act. . * ibid. mat. * . q. can. que●sta est nobis . & cap. abo●lendae de sepult . * sotus li. . q. . art . . & nauarr. in manu●al . ca. . * tacitus lib. . annal. * l. q. . ca. quisquis . * valer. maxim , lib. . * ouid. li. . metamorph . * dan. . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . a esay . . i micha . . x ouid. lib. . metamorph . a arist. li. . politic. cap. . valerius maxim. lib. . ca. . x prou. . z gen. r moru● li. . vtop . r cypriā . lib. de alea . x exo. i august . in epist. . ad maced . ambros. lib. . offici . cap. . chrysost. homil . . in matth. p. marty . commēt . in iudic. cap. . & danaeus lib. de alea. coloss. . iuuenal . satyr . . a c. lib. . tit . . l. alear . vsus . &c. ff . . tit . . s paedian . in . lib. . diuinat . ciceron . x cicero philip. . sueton. cap. . c in commētar . in satyr . . & . plautus in mostellar . a persius in fin . satyr . . r mat. . * aristot. li. . polit . cap. * tacitus lib. . histor. * caluin . lib. . instit . c. * mat. * rom. * cic. ad brutū . * comi● naeus li. cap. . lipsius li. . polit. cap. vle . iustinian . in prolegomen . institut . * gen. * leuitic . . a deu. b . paral. . c exo. e luc. . h act. i rom. l cic. pro milon . a liuius lib. . b ambr. li. . offic . c caluin . lib. . institut , ca. . * . sam. . a lipsius lib. . po● lit . cap. . b demo●th●● . lib. . olynt . * vegetius lib. . de remilit . cap. . * xenoph. li. . paedt . cyr. * luc. * iosu. * cic. pro lege manili . * silius italicus lib. . h cicero . lib. . de orator . r seneca in hercule fureate . z aeliā . li. de natur . animal . cap. . x homer . lib. . ili●d . rom. . c colos. . . macc. . meetness for heaven promoted in some brief meditations upon colos. . . discovering the nature and necessity of habitual and actual meetness for heaven here, in all that hope for heaven hereafter. designed for a funeral legacy. by o.h. an unworthy minister of the gospel of christ. heywood, oliver, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) meetness for heaven promoted in some brief meditations upon colos. . . discovering the nature and necessity of habitual and actual meetness for heaven here, in all that hope for heaven hereafter. designed for a funeral legacy. by o.h. an unworthy minister of the gospel of christ. heywood, oliver, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by j.r. for t. parkhurst at the bible and three crowns in cheapside, london : [ ] "to the reader" signed oliver heywood. date of publication from wing. imprint date failed to print. final two leaves bear advertisement. reproduction of the original in the congregational library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- n.t. -- colossians i, -- commentaries -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . heaven -- early works to . congregationalism -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion meetness for heaven promoted in some brief meditations upon colos. . . discovering the nature and necessity of habitual and actual meetness for heaven here , in all that hope for heaven hereafter . designed for a funeral legacy . by o. h. an unworthy minister of the gospel of christ . psal . . . thou shalt guide me with thy counsel , and afterward received me to glory . rev. . . blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life , and may enter in through the gates into the city . london , printed by j. r. for t. parkhurst at the bible and three crowns in cheapside . an epistle to my dearly beloved hearers , friends and neighbours , and others that will be at the cost to buy , or take the pains to read this small treatise . dearly beloved , a desire after happiness is so ingraven in the nature of man , that it was never put to the debate , whether he would be happy or no ? this needs no choice ; all are agreed in this as the end of a rational agent : and therefore at last felicity was accounted a goddess among the romans , and st. augustine tells us , that lucullus built her a temple ; only he wonders that the romans that were worshippers of so many gods , had not given divine honour to felicity sooner ; which alone would have sufficed in stead of all the rest of their deities , which he reckons up , and saith at last of numa , that having chosen so many gods and goddesses , 't is strange he neglected this ; [ an eam forte in tanta turbâ videre non potuit ? ] but though they at last had got a notion of felicity , yet having no true piety , that veneration ended in the greatest misery and infelicity , nothing but wars ensued . vid. aug. de civit . dei , lib . cap. . this indeed is the case : all men would be happy , but few know the due object and true means leading to happiness ; it is possible ( as the same father saith there ) to find a man that is unwilling to be made king ; [ nullus autem invenitur , qui se nolit esse foelicem ] that is , loath to be made happy : but indeed most men blunder in the dark , and few find the thing they seek : the same father tells us , ( de civ . dei , lib . c. . ) that varro in his book of philosophy , that had diligently searched the various opinions of men about the chiefest good , reduceth them to two hundred eighty eight sects or sentences ; [ non quae jam essent , sed quae esse possent ? ] and augustine reduceth them to their several heads : but i pass by heathens that are bewildred in the dark , and know no better : even professing or pretended christians either do not understand , or will not embrace the way of peace and rest . the lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men , to see if there were any that did understand and seek god. they are all gone aside , they are altogether become filthy , there is none that doth good , no not one . psal . . , . all mankind is degenerate ; and few are regenerated : we set out for hell as soon as we are born ; and till converting grace turn us heaven-wards we go blindfold to the pit : the whole world lyeth in ignorance and wickedness . joh. . . but no such ignorance as that which is wilful . this is the condemnation , that light is come into the world , and men love darkness rather then light , because their deeds are evil ; joh. . . no man perisheth but by his own will. men will sin , and love death rather then life . you will not come to me , ( saith christ ) that you may have life . joh. . . he that rejecteth the means , rejecteth the end : all they that hate christ , love death : prov. . . they do both , not directly , or designedly , but interpretatively , and consequentially . most men observe lying vanities , and so forsake their own mercies . jon. . . as he leaves the east that goes to the west : my people , saith god , have committed two evils , [ observe it ; it 's but one act , yet there 's two evils in it , what are they ? ] they have forsaken me , the fountain of living waters , and hewed them out cisterns , broken cisterns , that can hold no water . jer. . . oh what evil is in the bowels of one sin ! but especially in the sin of vnbelief . the evil of sin brings on the evil of punishment . miss of heaven , and you purchase hell. what mad man will refuse this gift that is better then gold ? what beast will run into a pit or praecipice ? but some men make a jest of heaven ; as that bishop , who , when one said , i hope to see you at your diocess ere long ; replyed , i fear i shall be in heaven before that time come : others , like martha , are so incumbred in the world , that they are staked down to terrene objects ; and answer , as he that being asked , if he saw the eclipse , answered , no , i have so much business on earth , that i have no leisure to look up to heaven : this is most mens ease . alas , the world eats out many mens religion , as the sun shining eats out the fire : so that men are as dead to religion , as if heaven were but a dream ; and as hot upon sin , as if hell had no fire , or were all vanisht into smoke : nay , it 's well , if some look not on heaven and hell , as if they were but a fable or romance , a scar-crow to fright weak headed people , or the meer invention of designing priests to keep men in awe : but they shall know one day to their cost , that there is an heaven by the loss of it , and that there is an hell by the torments of it : let these ask the rich man in torment , whether there is an hell or no ? targum saith , the dispute betwixt cain and abel was , concerning a world to come : and indeed this is the controversie betwixt the faithful and unbelievers : though the wicked say the creed , wherein they profess a belief of the resurrection , judgment , and eternal life ; yet it s but notional , not experimental , practical : they know nothing of it initially , inchoatively , by feeling the beginnings of it here , and living to the rates of it : it is to be feared that the greatest part of mankind will fall to the devils share : how little are men concerned about a future state ! how many put away from them the evil day ! some have a foolish imagination that heaven is every where ; that there is neither heaven nor hell but in a mans own conscience , and then they can shift well enough ; for they can stop the mouth of a bawling conscience , and speak peace to themselves : but how long will either of these last ? when god arms a man against himself , he shall be a magormissabib , a fear round about : witness cain , saul , judas , that thought hell was easier then his own conscience , and therefore desperately leapt into it ; to the crushing of his body , and the damning of his soul : they shall find that there is an heaven and hell after this natural life is ended . it is recorded of peter martyr , that he lying upon his death-bed discoursed sweetly of heaven ; bullinger standing by alleadged that in phil. . . our conversation is in heaven : true , said the sick man , it is in heaven , [ sed non in coelo brentii , quod nusquam est , ] not in the heaven of brentius ; which is no where : there is doubtless a [ coelum empyreum , ] called a third heaven , or paradice , into which paul was wrapt in his extacy , cor. . , . into which christ was carryed body and soul , luke . . the habitation of gods holiness and glory , isa . . . it s true god himself is called heaven , dan. . . the heavens do rule . so matth. . . and it s as true , god fills heaven and earth , jer. . . and its true , where the king is there is the court : but yet god manifests himself far differently in all places ; he is in hell by the execution of his justice , in heaven by manifestation of his grace , on earth by displaying both , and his other glorious attributes , according to his infinite wisdom and pleasure . but let vain men please themselves in their fond conceits ; or desperately leap into the other world , let you and me duely weigh the vast difference betwixt graceless and gracious souls in this and in the other world , and though men will not believe , because they see not any such difference ; yet a time is coming , when they shall return and discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked , between him that serveth god , and him that serveth him not . mal. . . then all the world must be ranked into two regiments , sheep and goats ; the one at christs right hand , the other on his left ; to the one he will say , come ye blessed , to the other go ye cursed . mat. . — . they that love not to hear discriminating truths here , shall meet with discriminating acts at that day : and can we think that there will be such a difference at that day , and is there none in this world ? yes certainly : though all things come alike to all , as to common providences in this world , eccles . . . yet grace makes a difference in persons dispositions here , and there will be a vast difference in divine dispensations hereafter , much greater then betwixt a man and a bruit ; yea , like that which is betwixt an angel and a devil . oh that men would study and understand this now ! grace makes the difference now , and glory compleats it . . in point of assimilation : gods children are like their father now , but shall be more like him at that day ; joh. . . our former similitude is from faith , and so imperfect ; but the latter is from immediate vision , and so perfect and compleat . . in point of satisfaction : in this world the weary soul is working towards its rest , psal . . . and doth by faith enter into this rest ; heb. . . yet there is another remaining , ver . . some satisfaction is in ordinances , psal . . . but more in that blessed morning , when gods children awake , psal . . . . in point of participation : for gods children are not tantalized , by beholding that they have no right to ; no , they have heaven by appropriation by faith here , so eph. . . and by compleat possession in the other world ; abundant evidence of peculiar relation , rev. . . . in point of fruition : gods children do enjoy fellowship with god already in this world ; joh. . . but alas , it is but through a glass darkly , but then face to face immediately ; cor. . . now it is but rarely , but now and then , but then constantly and perpetually , as the angels that always behold the face of our father . matth. . . their eye is never off god , even when they are sent on any errands to earth about the saints : it s defective in degree here , but full and compleat above : it s oft obstructed and obscured here , but above this glory shall be revealed in us , rom. . . and so never darkened or eclipsed with clouds of interposing guilt . o ye children of men , prove your fathers will , and your selves children ; make sure of this inheritance ; make no reckoning of the stuff of this world ; for the good of the upper country above is before you ; heaven will pay for all your losses , and countervail all your crosses here : no matter how your names are written on earth , in dust or marble , if they be written in heaven . some say this world is but a shadow of that above ; look you for the lineaments of that kingdom above , to be pourtrayed on you . basil asserted one hundred sixty five heavens . you must pass by all the fancyed heavens of men , and look for a city that hath foundations , whose builder and maker is god. heb. . . take this kingdom of heaven by violence . matth. . . get a copy of grace in your hearts out of scripture records , the court rolls of heaven ; so you are sure of it , and lay hold of eternal life . tim. . . heaven must be begun here , or never enjoyed hereafter . holiness of heart and life is like the old testament tabernacle , an example and shadow of heavenly things . happiness is the injoyment of good , commensurate to our desires ; and our desires must be suited to that happiness . criticks observe , that the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] which signifies happiness , is plural ; not only denoting a confluence of many good things to make one happy , but because there is an happiness in this life , preparing for and anticipating the happiness in the other . they differ not in kind but degree ; that above is the same state , but in an higher stature ; the same book but in a more correct edition , and a larger character . the saints above differ from us as man from a child , as noon sun from the morning light ; we are in the same house , only they are got into the upper room ; at the same feast only they are at the upper end of the table . let us make hast after them : they were once as you are , groveling on this dung-hill , but are exalted to the throne ; aspire you to the same preferment : it may be had , it must be had or you are undone : study the way of god , how this inheritance is made over to the sons of men , and that is , . by regeneration . matth. . . . by adoption . romans . . . by donation . luke . . . by right of redemption . joh● . . eph. . . and they say , he that hath bought a slave may dispose of him as he please , by his will : our lord made his will thus , joh. . . father , i will that where i am these may be also . clear this and clear all , then you are safe ; fail in this and you are undone . but this is not all ; you are not only to get and clear up a title to this inheritance , but to press after a due meetness for it ; and this is the design of this small treatise , which was ( for the substance of it ) preached and writ thirty five years ago , and now revised and published upon these considerations . . for my own help and furtherance in preparation for heaven , having passed to the sixtieth year of my life , ( the date of the life of paul the aged ) within a few days ; and my lord only knows how soon my sun may set , though i cannot say , my natural vigour either of body or mind is in the least abated ; but i am mortal , and am loath to be surprized unawares . . i see a great failure in my self and other christians in this , that terminate our studies and endeavours in getting a title , and then think all is well , we need no more ; but surely there is much behind ; we have abundance of work upon our hands for obtaining actual meetness , without which we cannot evidence our habitual meetness . . i never yet met with any treatise upon this subject , though it be of great importance for every christian ; surely heaven is worth minding , and methinks abrahams query in another case should be ours , gen. . . o lord god , whereby shall i know that i shall inherit it ? . i have observed a commendable practice of some christians ; which is , to order some books to be distributed at their funerals : the first that i knew of that nature was mr. r. a. his vindiciae pietatis , and some other practical pieces , which by gods blessing have done much good : such a memorandum would i bequeath as my last legacy to you , my dear people , amongst whom i have laboured above thirty nine years in publick and private , serving the lord in some measure of integrity and humility , with many tears and temptations , through variety of dispensations , excommunications , banishments , confiscations and imprisonments ; but out of all these the lord hath delivered me , and set my feet in a large place , and god that searcheth the heart knows what hath been my design in studying , preaching , praying , preparing you a place to meet in to worship god ; and what are the agonies and jealousies of my spirit to this day , least i leave any of you unconverted , and so cashiered from gods presence at the great day ; and now at last i solemnly charge you before god , and the lord jesus christ , and the elect angels , that you rest not in a graceless state another day , lest that be the last day , and you be found unready : and i solemnly require you that have a principle of grace , gird up your loins , trim your lamps , and observe these few rules , and the dispositions mentioned in this small treatise : i only hint further ; be much in the love of god : dayly act faith on christ : walk in the spirit : design gods glory : intermit not holy duties : be not content therein without communion with god : mingle religion with civil acts : increase every grace : redeem time : profitably converse with gods children : aim at perfection : maintain tender consciences : keep strict accounts : study the life of heaven : be still doing or getting good : set god before your eyes : trample on worldly things : live in dayly view of death : be nothing in your own eyes : be much in heavenly praises : say , o lord , who am i , and what is my fathers house , that thou hast brought me hitherto ? what is man , what am i , the least and worst of the children of men , that the heart of god should be working for me , and towards me , in infinite bowels of eternal love ! that the lord jesus should shed his heart-blood for me ! that the holy spirit should take possession of me ! that god should provide such an inheritance for me ! assure me of it by precious promises , seal it to me in his holy supper ! that ever god should give me an heart to fear him : heal so many backslidings : prevent total apostacy : pardon all my iniquities : vouchsafe me such large priviledges : supply my wants : hear my prayers : help me over so many a foul place in my journey : brought me to the borders of canaan : given me so many foretasts of the promised land : tells me the jordan of death shall be driven back , and give me a safe passage to heaven : o blessed , blessed be god , all this is from sovereign grace : god doth what he pleaseth : i would not exchange this hope for the worlds possessions : eternity will be little enough to be taken up in the praises of rich grace . thus the gracious soul may quickly lose it self in these divine praises and contemplations , as that zealous german martyr , giles titleman , who in his prayers was so ardent , kneeling by himself in some secret place , that he seemed to forget himself , being called many times to meat ; he neither heard nor saw them that stood by him , till he was lift up by the arms , and then gently he would speak to them as one waked out of a deep sleep : oh that there were such a spirit in gods children ! that our hearts were so intent on things above , as to pass through the world as unconcerned in it ! then shall you be content to leave all , and go to christ ! then will you not be afraid of the king of terrors , though armed with halberts , racks , fires , gibbets ; then will you have a brighter crown , and higher degrees of glory , and shall shine as the brightness of the firmament , and as one star differs from another in glory , so you will be set in the highest orb ; and having had largest capacities on earth , shall have fullest joys in heaven : i will conclude with the blessed apostles prayer th. . , . the lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another , and towards all men , even as we do towards you ; to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before god , even our father , at the coming of our lord jesus christ with all his saints : amen and amen , thus prayeth your servant in our dearest lord , oliver heywood . colos. . . giving thanks unto the father , which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light . chap. i. the text opened ; doctrines raised and explained . prayer and praise are the two wings upon which a devout soul mounts heavenwards : prayer fetcheth down occasions of praise : these two are as chariots and factors to maintain intercourse betwixt god and his children . paul was a great man in both , for after the inscription , subscription and benediction in this epistle , he falls to praise , ver . . then to prayer , ver . . and in the text he falls again to praise and thanksgiving ; wherein observe , . the duty , praise . . the mercy for what . in the former observe , . the act , giving thanks . . the object , the father . . the act , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : it signifies a being of a good grace , having a very grateful spirit , and expressing it in words and actions . col. . be ye thank ful ; or be ye amiable one to another , or grateful , both in conferring and receiving benefits : but here it referrs to god. obs . . that thank fulness is the duty and property of a christian . thankful retribution for mercies is the study and enquiry of gracious souls ; psal . . . prayer and thanks are like the double motion of the lungs ; the air of mercy that is sucked in by prayer is breathed out again by the duty of praise . o happy christian that can and must in every thing give thanks ! th. . . this is , ( christianorum propria virtus ) saith hierom , a practice proper to christians , to be heartily thankful for crosses , as job was ch . . . . here is the object of this thankfulness , that is god , under the notion and relation of a father : god imports glory and majesty ; father signifies mercy , love and clemency . doct. . it becomes christians to approach to god as an indulgent father . oh how much sweetness and endearedness is in this word father , therefore christ teacheth us to begin our prayers with [ our father ] ; this relation quickens our faith , and engageth gods love , bowels ; his care , power , and all for his children , matth. . . there 's comfort in a father , much more in an heavenly father : evil men may be good fathers , mat. . . how much more will a good god be a good father ; [ tam pater nemo , tam pius nemo ] none can be so good , and so much a father as he . . the matter and ground of thankfulness referrs to god the fathers care and kindness to all his children : this is twofold . . providing for them an inheritance . . preparing them for it . . providing for all his children an inheritance ; wherein are considerable four things ; . the nature of heaven , inheritance . . the quality of it , in light . . the inhabitants , saints . . their right to it , partakers . a word of every of these . . the nature of this coelestial glory ; it is called an inheritance , partly alluding to israels possessing the land of canaan ; partly to signifie that it is not given us for our merits , but by his free-grace and mercy , therefore called the reward of the inheritance , col. . . because it is conveyed as by a father to his child , of bounty , and not earned as wages by a servant , due from his master . doct. . god as a father gives heaven as an inheritance to his children . all gods children are heirs of god and joint heirs with christ . rom. . . oh happy souls that are heirs to such an inheritance ! . the property or quality of this inheritance ; it s in light : which is meant , ( . ) of the light of truth or faith ; or that gospel light whereby gods children are savingly enlightened : or , ( . ) of light of glory , where there is perfect light and delight , joy and felicity , for god dwelleth in inaccessible light. tim. . . doct . heaven is a place and state of unexpressible light. rev. . . and the city had no need of the sun , neither of the moon to shine in it , for the glory of god did lighten it , and the lamb is the light thereof . . here is the proprietors , the owners of this glorious inheritance ; i. e. saints , sanctified souls ; it s purchased for them , vouchsafed to them only ; others have nothing to do with it ; no dirty dogs or filthy swine shall trample on this golden pavement . cor. . . rev. . . doct. . only saints ( or sanctified souls ) are heirs of heaven . without holiness no man shall see god , heb. . no grace no glory . the inhabitants of that city are called , yea , are really holy . isa . . . . but how come they by this high honour ? have they a good title to it ? answ . yes , they are partakers of it ; so faith the text , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] either that which falls to them by lot ; then it is the decision of heaven ; these are joyned : acts . . or else by a persons own choice , which ( our lord saith ) shall not be taken away . luke . . doct. . every saint of god is already partaker of an heavenly inheritance . the promise , ( or the mercy promised ) is sure to all the seed , rom. . . why so ? because it is by grace on gods part , and by faith on our part : and god will have it so of his good pleasure . a sincere christian partakes of heaven . . in pretio . ] in purchase : the price is laid down for it ; it s a purchased possession , eph. . . . in promisso . ] it s theirs by promise , as canaan was israels by promise ; and that land of promise was a type of this heavenly inheritance . jam. . . . in capite . ] saints partake of heaven by their union to their head who is in heaven ; eph. . . — and hath made us sit together in heavenly places in christ jesus . oh happy souls ! . in primitiis . ] in the first-fruits or earnest ; cor. . . — who hath also given unto us the earnest of his spirit . [ pignus redditur , arrha retinetur : ] a pledge is restored , but an earnest is retained , because its part of the bargain . a faithful man will not run back from his bargain , nor lose his earnest : nor will the covenant-keeping god : he is faithful who hath promised , who will also do it . . the other part of the text in the second branch , is not only providing an inheritance for his children , but preparing them for that inheritance . solomon saith , wisdom is good with an inheritance . eccl. . . alas , what should a fool do with a great estate ? yet it often falls out so , that worst men have most of the world : but , saith mr. jo. dalleus on this text ; it is not so here as in worldly things , that fall into the hands of those that are most uncapable to improve them right ; but god gives a suitable share of true wisdom with this inheritance : as when saul was anointed king , he was turned into another man ; sam. . . alas , what is heaven to us unless we be fit for it ? our dear lord jesus that went to prepare a place for us , must also prepare us for that blessed place . in this second branch we have , . something implyed . . something expressed . . that which is implyed , is that no man is fit or meet for heaven by nature . thence observe , doct. . that every soul by nature is altogether unmeet for heaven . cor. . . not that we are [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] sufficient or meet ( for its the same word with this ) of our selves to think any thing as of our selves . alas , what merit , either of congruity or condignity , can there be in man to obtain heaven ? if he cannot think well , sure he cannot will well , act well , to deserve or fit himself for such a mercy ; especially since man by nature is a child of wrath , a limb of satan , dead in sins , banisht out of paradice , hath no heart to look that way ; nay hath enmity in his mind to what is good . god doth all : [ dignatus est nos assumere . ] the sun of righteousness shines on these dunghil souls : he alone makes vessels of honour : he fills them with the treasures of grace , and fits them for glory : [ inhabiles habiles faciens ; ] of unfit making them fit , i. e. meet for his glorious presence . . here is something expressed that is held forth in these two propositions . doct. . that all those and only those that shall eternally partake of the heavenly inheritance in the other world , are made meet for it in this world. doct. . that its a transcendent mercy worth thanking god for , to be made meet for heaven . of these two last in their order . . that all those , and only those that shall partake of the heavenly inheritance in the other world , must be made meet for it in this world. all that i shall do in the doctrinal part is , . for explication . . confirmation . . to shew what this meetness is , then prove the necessity of it . chap. ii. distinctions about meetness for heaven : what habitual meetness is : both relative and real . . for a more methodical proceeding in explaining this subject , i shall premise some distinctions , by which you may understand what that meetness for heaven is , that i mean. . there is an [ aptitudo legalis & evangelica , ] a legal and evangelical meetness . since the fall of man , no meer man can fulfil all righteousness , or by his own power attain to any thing pleasing to god ; so a legal meetness is not attainable ; we have all sinned and come short of the glory of god : see rom. . , . ch . . , , . gal. . . . dist . there is an [ aptitudo operum & personae , i. e ] meetness of works , and of the person : this explains the former in the covenant of works , the person was accepted for the works sake ; but in the covenant of grace the work is accepted for the persons sake : if the person be accepted in the beloved , eph. . . god owns both person and offering , as he did abel , heb. . , . but what proportion can the best services of the best men bear to this eternal reward ? luke . . nor can humane sufferings purchase this glory to be revealed . rom. . . dist . there is [ aptitudo perfecta & progressiva , ] a perfect , compleat meetness for heaven : this is compatible only to the spirits of just men made perfect , heb. . . but who can say i have made my heart clean ; i am pure from my sin . prov. . . alas , we know but in part , and so love but in part . cor. . . even paul that was perfect in point of sincerity , yet was not already perfect in point of degree , but was pressing forward , phil. . - . christians here below are but [ in via non in patria ] in the road to perfection , singing the song of degrees , and not in the height of zion . sincerity is gospel perfection , and the christians preparation , together with a progressive motion . dist . there is [ aptitudo habitualis & actualis ] an habitual and an actual meetness for heaven ; or which may be thus distinguished ; there is a [ jus haereditarium , and a jus aptitudinale ] an hereditary right , and an aptitude or actual fitness for this inheritance : my text includes both , and i shall open both ; for they are both necessary in their kind ; and in this sense gods children are said to be counted worthy of kingdom of god , thess . . . and saith christ , they shall walk with me in white , for they are worthy , rev. . . and therefore are we exhorted to walk worthy of god , who hath called us unto his kingdom and glory , th. . . it imports a conveniency , suitableness , answerableness in a limited gospel-sence ; like children of such a father , as heirs of such an inheritance , as candidates for such an office and honour : there is a ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) seemliness appertaining to every calling ; princes , magistrates , ministers , must have a decency and suitableness to their profession : so here . well then , i shall chiefly speak to this twofold meetness . . habitual meetness , which is in opposition to perfect unmeetness , i. e. a state of nature , unregeneracy . . an actual meetness , which is contra-distinct from imperfect meetness ; and both are necessary in their kind . quest . . what is that habitual meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light , without which men can never attain to it , or have eternal possession of it ? answ . this habitual meetness consists in a twofold change ; . relative . . real . . it consists in a relative change : this also is twofold , viz. ( . ) justification . ( . ) adoption . ( . ) the poor sinner is standing at gods bar as a guilty malefactor , under the dreadful sentence of a just condemnation , for all the world is become guilty , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) subject to judgment , before god , rom. . . not a son of adam can plead innocence . it s well if we be as the blushing rose , the lilly-whiteness is lost . he that believeth not is condemned already , john . . and the wrath of god abides on him , verse . it was on him when he was born ; and it abides still on him , if not taken off him by justification : who can think the prince will promote him to honour that is under an attainder for treason ? he must be cleared of that charge , or he is fitter for execution then promotion . pardon must precede preferment . you must be first in christ jesus , and then there is no condemnation to you , rom. . . you must be received into favour before you be promoted to honour . the sinner must be justified before he can be glorified . rom. . . never think of ascending to heavenly glory under the load of guilt : that guilt will shut heavens gates against thee : the guilt of one sin will press a soul , ( yea , millions of souls ) to hell ; for the wages of sin is death . rom. . . o therefore , what need is there of justification as the introduction to salvation ! you must be justified by his grace , if ever you be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life , tit. . . never think your sins will be blotted out in the day of refreshing , except you repent here and be converted : acts . . you must be justified by faith that you may have peace with god here , and so rejoyce in hope of the glory of god : rom. . , . you cannot think to leap from the bar to the throne : but must be cleared by order of justice , through christs satisfaction in the court of god. this , this is absolutely necessary to a meetness for this heavenly inheritance . ( . ) adoption : this is another relative change . alas , by nature we have quite lost our filiation , and so forfeited our childs part of the heavenly inheritance : we are ( exules a regno ) banisht out of paradice , and there are placed cherubims , and a flaming sword , which turns every way to keep the way of the tree of life : gen. . . yea , we are voluntarily gone into a far countrey , have wasted our substance , disowned our fathers house , are feeding swinish lusts , and feeding our selves with poor husks of worldly things ; and till we be adopted and admitted again into our fathers house , we are not fit to eat the childrens bread , or heir the childs inheritance : god himself hath contrived a way how to settle the best inheritance on such as he finds strangers . jer. . . but i said , how shall i put thee among the children , and give thee a pleasant land , a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations ? then i said thou shalt call me , my father , and shalt not turn away from me : oh blessed contrivance ! and will any think to cross gods contrivance ! shall mens solly challenge infinite wisdom ! is not the heavenly inheritance gods own to give ? and doth not our lord say , such honour shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father . matth. . . can you think to wrest heaven out of gods hands whether he will or not ? and must he falsifie his word to gratifie you ? will he set the crown on rebels heads ? or give this inheritance of saints to the devils slaves ? no , doubtless you must be adopted sons , or no lawful heirs . bastards heir no land. jephthahs brethren thrust him out , saying , thou shalt not inherit in our fathers house , for thou art the son of a strange woman . judg. . . and what bold intruder art thou , that darest expect to claim such an inheritance as heaven without the relation of a son ? adam its true , was gods son by creation ; but alas , he and we in him have quite lost that sweet relation ; and we must either be restored in christ , gods well-beloved son , or we are like to be banisht for ever : god sent his own son , — that through him we might receive the adoption of sons : gal. . , . and have you the spirit of his son in your hearts to cry abba father ? which elsewhere is called the spirit of adoption . rom. . . tell me not that all men are the sons of god : so were the devils : god will make you know that this is a peculiar priviledge , known to very few , injoyed by fewer ; but it is the fruit of singular love , and is attended with this unparalell'd advantage of seeing god as he is ; and a day is coming when these sons and heirs in disguise shall then be like their father ; joh. . , . then atheists that will not believe that there is any such difference among men , and bold intruders , that dreamed of a right , without pretending or proving their adoption , shall be utterly confounded . . but besides this relative change , there is also a real change upon those souls that god makes meet for heaven , and this consists in . conversion to god. . covenanting with god. . conversion to god : this is expressed in the words immediately following my text , ver. . who hath delivered us from the power of darkness , and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. this is a description of conversion , and a preparation for glory : compare this with acts . . see there the priviledge annexed : observe it , conversion makes saints , and only saints partake of this inheritance : if all the men on earth , and angels in heaven , should joyn their forces together , they could not save one unconverted soul : truth it self hath asserted it with a solemn asseveration , matth. . . verily i say unto you , except ye be converted , and become as little children , ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven : the like doth the same mouth assert with a fourfold asseveration ; joh. . , . i wonder often how careless sinners ners that are conscious to themselves that never any such work passed on them , can eat and drink , or sleep quietly , and never so much as ask this question ; am i converted or am i not ? if i be , when or how did my soul pass through the pangs of the new birth ? what tears , fears , what groans and agonies hath it cost me ? what fruits hath it brought forth in me ? where 's this new creature , the divine nature , the image and seed of god working heaven-wards ? what stamp , what sheep-mark can i shew , as the fruit of gods being at work on my soul , and an earnest of this glorious inheritance ? but if there be no such change , ( as i doubt there is not ) how can i be quiet ? sure my pillow is soft , or my heart hard , and my conscience seared , that hear or read my own doom in such a scripture , from the mouth of the judge himself , standing at heaven-gates and shutting me out , as if he named me , saying , be gone thou unconverted sinner ; i know thee not ; converting grace never changed thy heart or life ; though i often summoned thee , and knockt at thy door , yet thou hadst no heart or desire to turn from thy sinful ways , nor so much as fall down on thy knees , and ask this grace of conversion of me , or use the means for it , or so much as examine whether thou hast it or no , but wentest on in a golden dream , and now i must tell thee roundly to thy cost , depart , oh be gone from my presence thou poor wretched unconverted sinner : this state , this place is for none but sincere converts . . covenanting with god : when the glorious day of our lords appearing shall spring , he calls forth his covenanted people to crown his gracious promises with compleat performance . psal . . gather my saints together , those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice : q. d. i take little notice of common or outside worshippers , they shall be set on my left hand ; but there is amongst you some serious souls that look beyond the ordinance , i have observed them , they have solemnly devoted themselves to me , and accepted me in a covenant-way : these , these are the persons , and these only , that i have taken for the lot of my inheritance , and for whom i have laid up a safe and satisfying inheritance : but to the uncovenanted soul , or hypocritical pretender to covenant , god will say , what hast thou to do to declare my statutes , or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth ? psal . . . what ground hast thou to own me ? or to claim any thing from me for this world or another . man as a creature can have no intercourse with god , but in a covenant-way ; much less can a sinner expect any good from god , but by vertue of covenant : but what canst thou say for this promised inheritance , that hast nothing to do with the promises ? for all the promises of god in christ are yea and amen ; cor. . . but thou hast never spent one hour solemnly to review and renew thy baptismal covenant , and ingage thy soul to god ; and since thou art an alien from the commonwealth of israel , and a stranger from the covenant of promise , by consequence thou art without christ , and without god in this world , and therefore without hope of a better state in the other world : eph. . . but strangers and forreigners are become fellow-citizens with the saints of this new jerusalem ; ver . . how is that ? doubtless by taking this sacred oath of fealty and allegiance to the king of heaven : by covenant you have a title to all the good things of earth and heaven . sinner think of this , thou that lovest to be loose , and scornest the setters of this holy league ; thou dost in effect say , i will have none of god , christ , pardon , heaven : if i must have them on no other terms , but under such bonds and obligations , let them take this heavenly inheritance for me : and dost thou think this golden chain of honour , worse then the devils iron fetters of sin , and amazing reward of flames and torments ? if you need not god and heaven , be it known to you , god needs not you ; but can strain for the revenue of glory to his justice in your necessary confusion , because you would nor voluntarily submit to his terms for so glorious an inheritance . chap. iii. what actual meetness for heaven is in the exercises of graces . . the next general head i am to treat of , is to discover what is the souls actual meetness for this glorious inheritance , supposing the foresaid habitual meetness , both relative and real : for all a christians work is not done when his state is changed , and he becomes a saint ; nay his work doth but now begin as a saint , to get into an actual meetness for glory . this , this is the business of a child of god : the former hath a remote meetness ; this puts into a proximate or nearer er capacity for heaven . the former renders the christians state safe , this sweet and comfortable . this is the man that hath set all things in order for another world , that hath nothing to do , but to pass over the jordan of death into the canaan of heaven ; this is the man that 's point blank meet , mouth-meet ( as it were ) for heaven , fit to take his flight into another world : interpreters think this word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] sufficient , or meet , answers to the hebrew word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dai ] . lev. . . if she be not able to bring a lamb : [ heb. thus , her hand find not sufficiency of a lamb. ] the word is attributed to god , who is , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god allsufficient , gen. . . ] but as god is sufficient and suitable to all his creatures , so by the same almighty grace he will make creatures suitable to his mind and ends : so then this word is rather to be rendered by [ idoneus ] meet , then [ dignus ] worthy ; yet worthy in a gospel qualified sense . observe it , those judge themselves most unworthy , whom god and man oft judge most fit and worthy , luke . . they said , he is worthy for whom he should do this ; but ver . . himself saith , i am not worthy thou shouldst enter under my roof . and thus it is with a gracious soul , looking up and seeing the holiness of gods infinite majesty ; looking forward and beholding the moment of eternity , and purity of heaven ; looking inward and backward , and seeing his many iniquities and great deformity : oh , cryes the sensible christian , who is fit for heaven ? oh how unmeet am i for this glorious state or high honour ? it s true , but grace makes of rebels , subjects ; of subjects , servants ; of servants , sons ; of sons , heirs ; of heirs he so disposeth and qualifieth them , that nothing will content them below this inheritance of the saints in light ; and their spirits shall be so suited to it that the great god will judge them worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead , — to be equal to the angels , as being the children of god , and the children of the resurrection . see luke . , . as the christian by conversion is the man cut and shaped out for heaven , so whiles he lives he is and must be still a squaring , hammering , modelling for further meetness for it ; and as god is said to work us for the self-same thing , cor. . . [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] by curious contrivances of efficacious grace , to put sinners into a capacity for glory : as goldsmiths who burnish gold ; and carvers or artificial ingravers in wood and stone , who make one part of their work suit and fit another : so also christians themselves must work out their own salvation , phil. . . [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] i. e. leave nothing undone which god hath injoyned you to do in this world , in order to a due preparation for heaven . this in general is a meetness . more particularly , this actual meetness for heaven consists in these four things . . a lively exercise of suitable graces . . a clear evidence of our spiritual state . . a dispatching work off our hands . . a being mortified to time , and a longing to be in heaven . . a lively exercise of suitable graces : i. e. such graces as actually capacitate for glory ; its true every grace doth qualifie for glory , for grace is glory begun , and glory is grace consummate : but there are some graces that have a direct tendency to , and whereby a christian doth ( as it were ) lay hold on eternal life , as the word is , tim. . , . e. g. ( . ) the grace of faith , which is the substance of things hoped for , and evidence of things not seen . heb. . . it ventures all upon a promise ; sees him that is in visible , ver . . and represents heavenly objects as close at hand , and embraceth them , v. . [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] drawing the object to them , as the word signifies : overlooking or overcoming all these worldly visible objects . faith spyes something beyond time or clouds , of more worth then all the world , and hazards all for the obtaining of it : when faith is upon the wing , it soars above the sun , and fetcheth down heavenly objects and incomes into the soul : it is like the spyes , and brings a cluster of the grapes of canaan ; even joy and peace in believing , rom. . . yea , joy unspeakable and full of glory ; pet. . . yea , the lowest actings of the faith of adherence dare commit the keeping of the soul into his creators hands , pet. . . and is perswaded , god will keep that which he hath committed to him , tim. . . and this composedness is an antedating of heaven . alas , faith the poor christian , i know not certainly how i stand for heaven ; i dare not yet say my faith will end in the saving of my soul ; but this i dare say , god is merciful to souls ; christ dyed for sinners ; he is faithful that hath promised ; the covenant is well ordered , and sure some souls shall be saved , and why not i ? i hang on his free-grace , i come with tears in my eyes , confession in my mouth , grief in my heart for my sins ; i am weary of my burden and labour in my travels god-wards , who can tell but. i may find rest ? he hath said , those that thus come to him he will in no wise cast out ; i will venture this way : i have tryed all other ways but they are in vain ; it s but losing my labour , which i am sure i shall not , if my faith be but sincere : this soul is in the confines of the promised land ; and is meet for this inheritance . ( . ) hope . as faith brought heaven down to the souls eye , so hope carries out the soul to this future enjoyment . this anchor is cast into the vast ocean of eternity , but finds sure anchor-hold , for it enters into that within the vail , heb. . . and this centers the tossing sinner on the rock of ages : it sees heaven opened , and it self in gods time advanced with lazarus into abrahams bosom , and is content at present to bear the roughness and affronts he meets with in his way , saying , these things will be mended when i get home : nay , the text saith , we are saved by hope , rom . . hope anticipates its revenues , and like a young heir takes up upon trust , and lives at the rate of that inheritance he is heir to . thus the christian gets everlasting consolation , because he hath good hopes through grace , thess . . . o saith the believer , divine revelations have so fully demonstrated the reality of future glory , that my faith no more doubts of it then of going to bed at night , and why should not my flesh ( and spirit ) rest in hope ? psal . . . why should not then my heart be glad ? why may not my glory rejoyce ? yea , i will rejoyce in hope of the glory of god , for my hope will not make me ashamed . rom. . , . i dare venture my hopes and my all in this blessed covenant-bottom . my soul , hope thou in god , for i shall yet praise him , and that for ever . psal . . . ( . ) love : that 's a grace that shines brightest in its proper orb above ; but the more it is exercised here below , the more of heaven : love resembles the soul most to god , and raiseth the soul to an heavenly life : god is love , and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in god , and god in him . joh. . . the soul that is carried out to god in pure flames of holy love , hath mounted already into the highest region , and bathes it self in those pure streams that raise and ravish the spirit in a continued extasie : the more love , the more fittedness for heaven : if love be increased and abound , our hearts are established unblameable — at his coming , th. . , . yea , the more love , the more of heaven ; for what is our love , but a reflexion of gods love ; joh. . . oh , saith the christian , i feel the sweet beams of the sun of righteousness warming my heart ; methinks those heavenly sparks have set me in a flame , that when i am musing the fire burns ; when i am praying or praising god , my soul mounts up to my lord as pillars of smoak ; and i love to be near him , and to be acting for him . oh how sweet is every love-letter that comes from him ! how pleasant are some tokens of love that come from the hand and heart of my beloved ! here is the soul that is meet for heaven . ( ) humility and self-denyal . will you believe it ? the lower the christian casts himself down , the nearer heaven : but this is a truth ; matth. . . blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . god makes his court in the humble and contrite spirit ; isa . . . oh saith christian , this grace have i found in me , that duty is performed by me , this corruption have i mortified ; that burden have i born ; what say i ? that i have done this or that ? o no , by the grace of god , i am what i am , — i laboured , yet not i , but the grace of god , cor. . . i dare not say any thing is my own but sin ; and what 's performed by me is mixt with sin and imperfection : [ horreo quicquid de meo est , ] i tremble for fear ( saith luther ) at any thing that is of mine own : i must not depend on mine own righteousness ; o that i may be found in christ ! i am nothing , can do nothing , deserve nothing but death and hell : if ever i be admitted into heaven , it must be upon the account of christ ; his merits upon the cross ; his intercession in heaven . that 's an excellent text , rev. . , . let us be glad and rejoyce , and give honour to him ; for the marriage of the lamb is come , and his wife hath made her self ready : but how is she ready ? why , to her was graunted , that she should be arrayed in fine linnen , clean and white ; for the sine linnen is the righteousness of saints . indeed it s no other then christs righteousness imputed : this is the upper garment that must not only cover our nakedness , but the tattered rags of our own righteousness , whether that relate to a glorious state of the church on earth or in heaven , i dispute not : but i am sure its the bravest suit that she can put on , and she will look trim in that only ; and woe to them that appear in their best inherent righteousness : let the proud self-justiciary say , [ coelum gratis non accipiam , ] i will not have heaven gratis , or for nothing , i will pay a proportionable rate for it ; then thou art like to go without it , for it s not saleable ware ; rom. . . but let a poor self-condemning publican come and beg pardon and heaven for christs sake , and god will not deny him : for he resisteth the proud , but gives grace and glory to the humble , jam. . . chap. iv. meetness for heaven , in clear evidences of title to it . . the next particular wherein a meetness for heaven doth consist is assurance , or grounded evidence of our title to this heavenly inheritance ; for no man is ready to go out of this world , but he that hath solid grounds of his safe estate for another world ; for doubts breed fears , and those lears beget unwillingness to go hence : he dare not dye that knows not whither he must go , and he is not meet for death that hath not used gods appointed means to obtain assurance , a thousand to one a soul at uncertainties hath been a slothful negligent soul , for in an usual way , diligence be gets assurance : for so saith the apostle , heb. . . we desire that every one of you would shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope , to the end that ye be not slothful ; ver . . so pet. . . give diligence to make your calling and election sure : and what then ? why then , ver . . he adds , for so an entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and saviour jesus christ . a ship may make an hard shift to get sneaking into the harbor , with anchors lost , cables rent , sails torn , masts broken ; these get safe in , but with much ado ; but oh how gallantly , doth another ride in , to the credit of her master , good example to others , comfort and satisfaction to all in the ship , when she comes in with sails spread , flags up , trumpets sounding , and well victualled ; surely these come in bravely . this is just the difference betwixt a lazy professor that wants assurance , and an active christian in his voyage to this blessed haven . god requires this assurance ; means are appointed for attaining it ; serious christians have gained it , so mayest thou , and so must thou endeavour after it : you 'll say , how is it got ? by what means may a christian come to the assurance of his title to this heavenly inheritance , that he may be meet or fit to take possession of it at death ? i answer , in general it must be supposed that you have a title , which is your habitual meetness , or else how can you be assured of it ? you that are unregenerate , you have a greater work to pass through before you are capable of obtaining assurance : but supposing this , i answer . . an holy diligence in increasing , exercising graces , and performance of duty . this i hinted before . acts evidence habits : improving grace is gods way to clear up grace : blowing up sparks will best discover them : a flame is sooner discerned then a spark in the embers : christians by stirring up the gift of god discover it : tim. . . motion is a good evidence of life : activity for god , and tendency heaven-ward will put you out of doubt : all duties tend to assurance , or spring from it : striving , running , fighting , will be crowned with clear evidence : god loves to crown diligence : to him that hath ( i. e. useth and improveth well what he hath ) shall be given , and he shall have abundance ; ( i. e. more grace and the comfort of it ) as the collision of flint and steel , begets light ; so the acting of grace produceth this fruit , viz. assurance : for the work of righteousness is peace , and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever . isa . . . now , now , the soul is ready for glory , when he is in duty , above duty , with god in the lively actings of grace , which is a part of , and a prologue to glory . the christian is going from strength to strength , till he appear before god in zion . oh happy soul that is thus upon the wing ! . reflection upon heart and life , and comparing both with the word of god. this is gods way to get assurance : have i the conditions of gospel-promises , faith and repentance ? do those graces within me answer the characters of such in the scriptures ? doth my soul eccho to the experiences of saints in the word of god ? can i follow the rules and prescriptions that my lord hath laid down ; to deny my self , take up his cross and follow him ? have i the essential characters of a christian ? i dare not believe satan and my own treacherous heart ; i will examine and prove my self ; cor. . . i will not spare my self in any thing ; i will be impartial , and deal faithfully by disquisitive tryal now , as i would be found in the decisive tryal at the last day : it s a matter of life and death : i will lay judgment to the line : i will go to the law and to the testimony : the word must judge me at the great day , it shall be my judge now : no matter what the world saith of me ; nor must i be determined by the votes of the best christians , or godly ministers : i must , and will , and do prove mine own work , and then i shall have rejoycing in my self alone , and not in another , gal. . . appealing and approving the heart to god. alas , the best christian is too apt to be partial in his own case , or blind at home ; our minds are as ill set as our eyes , neither of them apt to look inwards ; and when we do look , alas , we are apt to look through a false or flattering glass , or our eye is vitiated with bad humours ; and therefore must we with job appeal to god , ch . . . thou knowest that i am not wicked : and ch . . . he knoweth the way that i take : and though david had communed with his own heart , and his spirit had made diligent search , psal . . . yet he challengeth god to a further privy search ; psal . . . ezamine me , o lord , and prove me ; try my reins , and my heart . and again , psal . . . search me , o god , and know my heart ; try me , and know my thoughts : not as though god were ignorant of them till he searcht ; but it s spoken after the manner of men : and that god might further acquaint david , with the secrets of his heart . thus the sincere christian faith , lord , i set my self before thee as a glass in the sun ; look upon me , look through me ; thou knowest all things ; see how my heart is affected towards thee ; discover to me the inmost working of my soul ; if there be any secret guile in folding it self in the lurking-places of my heart , bring it to light ; if there be any flaw in my evidences , let me see it before it be too late : i am too apt , through self-love to judge the best , but do thou declare my state and my frame as it is : thou that must be my judge shalt be my witness . my witness is in heaven , and my record is on high ; job . . here 's a soul usually comforted in his integrity , and such an one is meet for heaven . . praying to god for the shinings and sealings of his spirit : for indeed let all these means be used , yet evidence will not come unless god be pleased to shine upon his own grace in the soul : my conscience , saith paul , bearing me witness in the holy ghost , rom. . . and rom. . . the spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of god. this indeed is the sun-light assurance . this alone scatters all mists , answers all objections , banisheth all doubts and fears ; and oh what an honour and satisfaction is it to a child of god , that the third person of the sacred trinity should come down and give in its infallibe testimony at the bar of a believers conscience ! this is like the son of god coming down into our nature , and dying for us . oh transcendent condescention ! oh unparallell'd priviledge of gods children ! yet this is purchased by christ , and promised to believers , not only to be a witness , but a seal . cor. . . and . . eph. . . this is often , yea ordinarily given after believing ; and when it comes , it brings its own evidence along with it : so that the perplexed child of god , after many fore conflicts , struglings , ruggings , sad thoughts of heart , comes at last to some consistency , as to expel fears , cares , doubts , and now at last is brought to that , that he no more questions gods love then his faithfulness ; and this usually comes in after some notable wrestlings at the throne of grace in prayer , according to that joh. . . hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name : ( i. e. very little comparatively , and as you shall do . ) ask and ye shall receive , that your joy may be full . god will have his child to beg when he designs to give , to exercise our obedience , and to honour his own ordinance : then he gives assurance , and the joy of his salvation ; and now the believing soul is meet to be translated into the joy of his lord. but you will say , is none meet for heaven but such as have assurance ? then what shall a poor doubting soul say of it self , that is dark , and much discouraged as many a good soul is ? answ . . a title to this inheritance is necessary , but knowledge of this title is not absolutely necessary . many have dyed safely , though under clouds . our lord himself , cryed dying , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? there was relation , my god , yet in some sense he was forsaken . . there 's degrees of assurance ; as he that said , lord i believe , help thou mine unbelief . few enjoy a full plerophory , and those that have it , yet have it not at all times . mr. pauls bains said dying , sustentation i have , but suavities spiritual i do not feel . . it s one thing what god doth in an arbitrary way of suspending the comforts of his spirit from the best of his saints , ( yea he with-held them from his own son ) and another thing , what may , and usually is , the effect of mans sloth and negligence ; which is too commonly our case ; as mr. dod answered him that complained of want of assurance , why man , assurance may be had , and what have you been doing all this while ? . yet this will hold good , that a clear evidence of our title is a great meetness and readiness for death : for though assurance be not necessary [ ad esse ] to the being of a christian ; yet it s necessary [ ad bene esse ] of a christian , i. e. to his well being , or comfortable passage through , or parting out of this world ; for if we must draw near to god in a duty with full assurance of faith , heb. . . much more at death . oh what a vast difference i● there betwixt a soul carried 〈◊〉 the wing of faith , and flames o● love , in an extasie of joy , and the poor doubting , heartless , disconsolate soul ! the former is like some high mountains , that are above storms and clouds , as they say olympus is clear and beautiful ? oh the calmness and serenity of the well assured christian ! he hath a double heaven , well at present , better presently ; it s but shooting this gulf , crossing this jordan , passing this stile , as dr. taylor said , and i shall be in my fathers house . death it self , as terrible as it is , in it self and to others , is a stingless serpent ; my friend and fathers servant sent to fetch me home ; angels shall guard me ; my lord will bid me welcome ; my christian friends gone before will make heaven ring with shouts of joy at my landing safe , and my soul shall ever be with the 〈◊〉 but alas , the poor doubting soul , whose evidences are not clear , cryes out , alas , dye i must , and dye i dare not ; i dare not say god is my god , christ my saviour , the spirit my sanctifier , promises the charters that convey the inheritance to others i cannot apply ; whither i am going i know not ; god carries strangely to me ; i remember god and am troubled ; guilt stares me in the face ; i am conscious to my self of thousands of sins ; and though i have been long bungling about faith and repentance , yet i am not sure they are sincere and saving , and whether god will receive my sad departing soul : [ anxius vixi , dubius morior , as that great man said , ] i have lived under fears , i dye under doubts , and god knows what will become of me , and i may thank my self ; alas , this is the fruit of my sloth , security , my slipping into sin backslidings from god , intermittings of duty , careless and heartless performances ; wo is me , what will become of me ! these are the astonishing thoughts of a poor doubtful dying soul : and is this man meet for heaven ? he may be right for the main , but he cannot make death welcome . chap. v. meetness for heaven in dispatching our work here , off our hands . . the next thing wherein our meetness for this blessed inheritance doth consist , is in dispatching our main work in the world , that god sent us to do ; whatever that is god expects we should dispatch it , and get it done ; this we must all address our selves chearfully to do , and be very diligent in doing it , eccles . . . whatsoever thine hand findes , and do it with thy might . this is 〈◊〉 a time of working , the other world is a day of retribution ; and when the child of god hath wrought his days work , it s a fit time to go to bed. thus our dear lord tells his father , joh. . , . — i have finished the work that thou gavest me to do : and now , o father , glorifie me with thy own self . quest . what work is it that god sets before men to dispatch and manage ? answ . there is a fourfold work lyes upon a christians hands to manage in this world . . personal spiritual work , soul work , wherein god is more immediately concerned ; which is the glorifying of god , and saving his own soul : god hath involved these in one , they are inseparable companions , and its a mighty business : our lord saith , i have glorified 〈…〉 on the earth : this in 〈◊〉 measure is required of us , and the sincere christian makes it his design . thou knowest , oh my dear lord , what is that which hath lain highest in my heart ever since thou openedst mine eyes : the earnest desire of my soul hath been to be nothing in mine own eyes , that god alone may have all the glory ; i will confess and give glory to god ; i will , and through grace have desired , to make it my business to give glory to god by believing , repenting , obeying , fruit-bearing ; yea in eating , drinking , and whatsoever i do in natural , moral or civil actions . this , this is the mark i shoot at , my highest aim , that god in all things may be glorified , through jesus christ , pet. . . and my business is in order thereto , to study how to please god , and to abound more and more , thess . . . to obey gods commandments , and to do those things that are pleasing in his sight ; joh. . . and oh that my person and prayers might be accepted in christ ! the salvation of my soul is more dear and precious then this poor perishing carcase . my grand enquiry is , what must i do to be saved ? this is the one thing needful ; other things are upon the by . oh that i could work out my own salvation ! i appeal to thee lord , how many griefs and groans , prayers and pains , fears and tears , this main concern hath cost me : i know there 's much of this work about my precious soul yet undone ; but thou knowest the main is dispatcht : i have fought a good fight , finisht my course , kept the faith . tim. . . and now my land-business is done , let me go to sea , and launch out into that boundless ocean of eternal happiness . . temporal work , the business of our callings and particular occasions . this also the dying christian is drawing into a narrower compass , that he may voluntarily leave the world , before the world leave him ; the christian having had his head and hands full of business in his younger days , when old age comes , is glad of a [ quietus est , or ] writ of ease , that he may [ vacare deo ] be at more leisure for god in holy duties . methink , saith the good heart , i have had my share , both of the imployments and injoyments of this lower world , and am well content to shake hands therewith : i can behold with pity the laborious ants and pismires running upon this mole-hill , and busily scrambling for a little dust ; let them take it , god hath made my hands to be sufficient for me ; i have what will bear my charges to the grave ; let it go , i am glad i have so fairly parted with it ; i would not be to enter again upon this busie stage , or put forth to this tumultuous sea ; i have now other things to mind ; i have now the great work to mind , of setting streight my accounts for another world ; my peace to make with god ; an eternity to provide for , which the affairs of the world have thrust out , or distracted me in : this , this shall be my imployment for the future ; for what will it profit a man to gain the whole world , and lose his own soul ? i leave all these things to others that succeed me . . relative work . this also may be in some respects dispatched off our hands ; and the doing of it maketh more meet for heaven . this is not to be slighted , for it is needful in its place . when king hezekiah was sick unto death god sends him this message ; set thine house in order , for thou shalt dye and not live , isa . . . [ i. e. make thy will , and dispose of thy domestical concerns , so as may be a prevention of quarrels and contentions in thy family after thy decease : ] and ver . . 't is said , that hezekiah wept sore : why so ? was not hezekiah a godly man ? was not his soul in a readiness for death ? yes doubtless , for he dare appeal to god that he had walked before him in truth , and with a perfect heart : what then was the matter ? why hezekiah had yet no son , manasseh being not born till three years after this , q. d. lord , if it may be thy will , spare my life , and give me a son , for if i dye at this time , i know not how to dispose of the crown , i am likely to leave the church and state in miserable distraction and confusion , through the great uncertainty of a succession , and the proneness of the people to backslide to their false worship . god heard his prayer , gave him a lease of his life for fifteen years : but this is a duty to all , though it be more necessary to some then to others : but however its useful to settle the mind at ease , and prevent outward ill consequences , and inward disturbances of spirit ; but as that good man was loath to go off the stage heirless , so other circumstances may call for the settlement of their families by their last will and testament ; especially when children are left young , &c. yea , and others also may say , now god hath lengthened out my days to see my children brought up , and hopeful for religion , setled in callings and families ; there was but this child , or that business that i desired to see well ordered , as to my family-affairs : as jacob closed up his blessing of dan , gen. . . i have waited for thy salvation , o lord. now at last , since god hath wrought on such a child , i will say with old simeon ; lord , now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace , according to thy word , for mine eyes have seen thy salvation . luk. . , . . another work to be dispatcht off our hands is publick work . this concerns men in a publick or private capacity ; as when moses had led israel out of egypt , and through the wilderness , he had dispatcht his work , and having been faithful in gods house he was fit to dye . so when joshua had conquered many kings in canaan , divided the land to israel , he got a discharge and fell asleep . thus david , after he had served his own generation by the will of god , fell on sleep , and was laid unto his fathers ; acts . . and so aaron , samuel , and the rest of the prophets , marcht off the field by the order of our great lord general , when they had dispatcht their warfare , and delivered their message : your fathers , where are they ? and the prophets do they live for ever ? zech. . . and indeed to what purpose should they or we live , when our work is done ? especially when gods servants have not only dispatcht that work that concerns present , but future generations : for this is also the work of our present day . thus solomon built god an house for future times : and the apostle peter lays in for after ages , pet. . . moreover , i will endeavour that you may be able after my decease , to have these things alwayes in remembrance ! it s the property of a good man to take care that religion may live when he is dead . ambrose saith of theodosius , i loved the man exceedingly , that when he dyed he was more sollicitous for the churches then his own danger . then indeed is the christian meet for heaven when he hath dispatcht his work on earth , and laid a foundation for good in after times ; however bears his testimony against corruptions in future generations ; as moses , deut. . .- . quest . you will say how can any man be said to dispatch his work till his life be done ? surely the date of work and life run parallel . answ . . active ; doing work may be oft at an end , when suffering work is but a beginning ; for god often reserves suffering work to the last , that patience may have her perfect work ; that the christian may be perfect and entire wanting nothing : jam. . . the christian hath little to do , but lye in bed , and patiently wait gods pleasure ; and this usually follows on doing gods will : see hebr. . . this is indeed a great work to bear our burden patiently , chearfully , thankfully and fruitfully ; and say , well for the present , and will be better shortly ; the greatest part is then over . . though something be to be done or suffered , yet when the greatest part of a christians work is done , it may be said it is finished . so it was with our saviour ; joh. . . i have finished the work which thou gavest me to do . but was not dying upon the cross for the sins of men a principal piece of christs work ? answ . it was so nigh , that he speaks of it as already done ; so ver . . i am not in the world ; for he was just a going out of it : besides he had done most of his work , and was ready prest to do the work fully , the rest that was behind : and when our lord had tasted the vinegar , he said , it is finished . joh. . . this is a closing word , as giving up the ghost was a closing work . . sometimes divine providence takes off gods children from much of their work before their dayes be ended ; this is obvious to a rational eye that then their work is done , as sometimes by natural causes . thus isaac , jacob could presage their own death by the certain prognostick of death , namely , old age : others by some sickness , consumptions , which are usually mortal : others are taken off most of their work by persecutions , prisons , &c. others are taken off the stage of the world by violent death : as a dying minister said on the scaffold , isaac was old and knew not the day of his death , i am young , and know the day , manner , and instruments of my death : it s but a nodding the head , and death doth its office . now my work is ended . . yet once more : some godly ministers and christians have had a kind of instinct , that death was approaching even in their best health and younger days ; and so consequently of the dispatch of their work ; as some creatures by natural instinct foresee a falling house . so we find of bishop juel , that long before his sickness he foretold it approaching , and in his sickness , the precise day of his death ; he dyed in the fiftieth year of his age . the like we have of james andreas , who foretold the year , yea , hour of his death . i shall but add one instance of that holy man of god , and my dear friend mr. isaac ambrose , his surviving wife told me of his solemn farewel he gave to his daughter , and some other friends : yea , the very day of his death several friends from garstang visited him at preston , with whom he discoursed piously and chearfully , telling them he had finisht his work , having the night before sent his discourse of angels to the press , attended them to their horses , returned , dyed that evening in his parlour , where he had shut up himself for meditation . thus gods children are made meet for heaven by dispatching their work on earth . chap. vi. meetness for heaven , by being mortified to sin , time , and earthly objects , and being elevated to heavenly objects . . the last thing wherein meetness for heaven doth consist , is a being dead or being mortified to all things below and alive , and lively to god and things above . it is true , converting grace deadens the heart to all sublunaries , and lifts it up to divine things : yea , sometimes the first convictions take off the sinners spirit more then is meet , and quite damps the affections to lawful comforts , and makes him think he must do nothing in worldly business , but give himself to reading , praying and hearing ; but gods grace in a little time discovers this to be a temptation : yet as grace gets the upper hand , and the christian mellows and ripens for glory , so he is mortified and gradually transformed and advanced . . by further victory over his corruptions ; for as the christian perfects holiness in the fear of god , so he doth by degrees cleanse himself from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit . cor. . . sin and grace being like two buckets at one chain , as the one comes up the other goes down : or as the ebbing and flowing of the sea , where it gaineth in one place it loseth in another ; the more holiness , the less sin . now the christian grows stronger and stronger ; the inward man is renewed day by day , cor. . . so the body of sin is weakened , till at last , his fleshly lusts are laid at his feet , and spiritual sins pay tribute to the grace of god in his soul. pride , hardness , unbelief and security , keep the christian humble and watchful , jealous of himself , and maintaining spiritual conflicts against them , so occasionally he is a gainer by his losses , a riser by his falls ; however the christian grows more in sight of , and serves under the burden of sin ; as paul he cryes out , oh wretched man that i am , who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? rom. . . o saith the christian , what shall i do with this untoward heart ? i am weary of these daughters of heth : fain would i get rid of this indwelling corruption : sin i hope hath not dominion over me ; but oh when shall the time come that it shall have no indwelling within me ? but this is my grief and i must bear it , i am discontentedly contented with my burden : discontent with sin , content with gods pleasure : but there 's nothing makes me weary of the world but sin : could i live without sin , i should live without sorrow : the less sin the more of heaven : lord set me at liberty . . by loosening the affections from all worldly injoyments . oh how sapless and insipid doth the world grow to the soul that is a making meet for heaven . he is crucified to the world , and the world to him , gal. . . in vain doth this harlot think to allure me by her laying out her two fair breasts of profit and pleasure . surely i have behaved and quieted my self , as a child that is weaned of his mother : my soul is even as a weaned child ; psal . . . there 's no more rellish in these gaudy things to my pallate , then in the white of an egg ; every thing grows a burden to me , were it not duty to follow my calling , and be thankful for my injoyments . methinks i injoy my wife , husband and dearest relations , as if i had none ; i weep for outward losses , as if i wept not ; rejoyce in comforts below as if i rejoyced not ; cor. . . — . my thoughts are taken up with other objects : the men of the world slight me , many seem to be weary of me , and i am as weary of them : [ non est mortale quod opto ] its none of these earthly things that my heart is set upon ; my soul is set on things above , my treasure is in heaven , and i would have my heart there also : i have sent before me all my goods into another country , and am shortly for flitting ; and when i look about me , i see a bare , empty house , and am ready to say with monica , [ quid hic facio ? ] what do i here ? my father , husband , mother , [ jerusalem above , ] my brethren , sister , best friends are above : methinks i grudge the world any thing of my heart , and think not these temporal visible things worth a cast of my eye compared with things invisible and eternal : cor. . . i do not only say with afflicted job , chap. . . i loath it , i would not live alway ; but even with solomon in the top of all earthly felicity , eccl. . , . therefore i hated life , — yea i hated all my labour which i had taken under the sun : i. e. in comparison , or in competition with heavenly injoyments . . by spiritualizing worldly things , and using them as steps by which the soul mounts heaven-wards . the believer considers these things were made not for themselves but for higher ends : all things are as talents to trade with for another world , matth. . . for an account must be given of them ; not only ordinances and gospel-priviledges , but providences both sweet and severe , yea , creature-comfors , yea , all visible objects . thus our lord [ who had grace in perfection ] made notable spiritual improvement of outward water , bread , vines for holy ends ; and the more heavenly the christian is , the liker he is to his head , and so meeter for heaven . whatever this golden hand of faith toucheth is turned into gold. the christian fetcheth honey thus out of the hard rock : out of the eater comes meat . o saith the believing soul , if meat be so sweet to an hungry stomach , how much more excellent is gods loving kindness ? if drink be so refreshing to the thirsty soul , oh how sweet are those rivers of pleasures ? surely his love is better then wine . if it be so pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun , how amiable is the son of righteousness ? how sweet is home to the weary traveller ? and the haven to the weather-beaten mariner ? but infinitely sweet and contentful is heaven to the tempted , burdened , tired saint : methinks all i see , and do , and have , minds me of my home ; and saith , arise , depart , this is not thy rest . when i am abroad in a storm , i hast to a shelter : oh think i then , that i were with my dear lord , who is as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land ! when i consider my dim eyes , my decrepit feet , my palsie hands , my panting lungs ; oh think i , when shall this silver cord be loosned , and the bowl broken at the cistern ? that my soul may return to god. this is a pitiful ruinous cottage , when shall i be brought into the kings pallace ? in this my earthly tabernacle methinks i find now a pin loosened , and a stake taken down , then i say and sigh with the blessed apostle , cor. . . we which are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened , not for that we would be uncloathed , but cloathed upon , that mortality might be swallowed up of life . here 's the soul taking wing to fly into another world. . the christian is made meet for heaven by intimate familiarity with the god of heaven : this indeed is the height of a christians perfection on earth . the fitter for , and freer intercourse with god , the fitter is that soul for glory . vvhat is heaven but the injoyment of god ? the nearer god the nearer heaven ; for where the king is there is the court : truly , saith the apostle , our fellowship is with the father , and with his son jesus christ . jo. . . communion with god , and assimilation to god is the life and perfection of our religion ; and the former leads on to the latter , cor. . . but we all with open face , beholding as in a glass the glory of the lord , are changed into the same image from glory to glory , as by the spirit of the lord. as grace increaseth glory increaseth ; and the vision of god ( tho' but through a glass , mightily increaseth grace , and fitteth for glory . now it is said of some great persons , that they have spoken more with god then with man. oh faith the christian , i could not tell how to spend my time if my soul had not sometime free access to , and intercourse with my best friend above . oh that it were oftner and longer ; [ sed rara hora , brevis moka ] it were a brave resemblance of heaven to have fixed communion with him ; but however i write that day as black and lost wherein god and my soul are not together . i cannot be content in a publick ordinance when i miss my beloved : i follow him into my closet , and there usually i find him whom my soul loveth : o then think i , that god would now stop this breath , and translate my soul into his immediate presence ! that as it s said of moses that he dyed at the mouth or kiss of god , deut. . . ( so some read it ) that he was kissed to death , or overpoured with divine embraces : vvould to god it were thus with me ! methinks i am loath to part with these first-fruits without a full harvest ; now let me go over jordan , and see that goodly mountain and lebanon : oh let me not return down into this tempting world , to be banisht again from thee ! o come thou down to me , or take me up to thee : its pity my soul should be thus tantalized with the sight of that which i cannot at present injoy ; well , since it is thy pleasure i am content to be dismounted and descend down to take my lot with the rising sons of adam ; only i will be stretching out neck and arms , and be looking for , and hasting to the coming of my dear lord. come lord jesus , come quickly : make hast my beloved , and be thou like to a roe , or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices . object . you will say , such an height of meetness for the heavenly inheritance as you have described is not practicable or attainable in this life ; if none be saved but such as you have described , woe be to all the world . answ . . most part of men are not capable of this actual meetness , not having the habitual ; namely , a relation to god , and a principle of saving grace ; and no wonder if unexperienced persons call this enthusianism , and unintelligible nonsense , for wisdom is too high for a fool ; it s not to be thought strange if some speak evil of that they know not , and turn real experiments into a ridicule : alas , they have no grace , how then can they exercise it ? how can they evidence a title to heaven that have none ? how can they dispatch their work , that never begun it to purpose ? or be mortified to things below , that have their portion in this present life , were never divorced from their lusts , and have no treasure above ? we may pity such souls , for salvation is far from the wicked . . but wisdom is justified of her children . sanctified souls know what these things mean , and tho' the best complain of their low attainments , yet the weakest sincere christian can set to his seal , that something of these things he hath found in his bosom as to sincerity , and is aiming at further degrees , and is not content to sit down short of perfection , but is pressing toward the mark for the price of the high calling of god in christ jesus . phil. . . . there 's a great difference in christians attainments in this world . some active vigorous souls get nearer to god then others ; some are children , others fathers , others are young men , that are strong , and the word of god abides in them , and they have overcome the wicked one , joh. . , , . the meanest child god hath in his family will own and follow his father , tho' some dare not say , he is my father : but some are grown up to great intimacy with god , as that choice man of god , mr. holland , that said on his death-bed , speak it when i am gone , and preach it at my funeral , that god deals familiarly with man. . yet it s every ones duty to endeavour after the highest pitch of meetness that is attainable in this life : for as it is the nature of true grace to become deeper and deeper , like the waters in ezekiels vision , and ascend higher and higher , as the flame or rising sun ; so the christian dare not but obey gods command to grow in grace , and sees it necessary to comply with our lords command , mat. . . therefore be ye also ready . and this is one reason ( amongst the rest which i shall next add , ) what a godly dying minister of my acquaintance said , that the best preparation of the best man , is all little enough when we come to dye . but more of this anon . this is the former head , what is that meetness for heaven that christians must have , or endeavour after . chap. vii . some reasons propounded why such must be made meet for heaven here , that hope to be saved hereafter . the second head in the doctrinal part , is the reasons of this point , that all those and only those that shall eternally partake of this heavenly inheritance in the other world , are made meet for it in this world : in handling this i shall endeavour not only to evince the truth of it , but convince the conscience of the necessity of it , and perswade the affections to comply with it . . it s fit persons be made meet , because no man by nature is meet for heaven . man is estranged from god , even from the womb , psal . . . and are these fit to live with god till brought nigh ? man is shapen and conceived in sin , psal . . . and is this fit to dwell with an holy god till sanctified ? man is dead in trespasses and sins , eph. . . and is such a dead block meet to converse with the living god ? man is darkness , eph. . . and what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness ? and what communion hath , light . with darkness ? cor. . . man by nature is a child of wrath , eph. . . and how can dryed stubble dwell with consuming fire ? alas , we are all enemies to god in our minds , col. . . yea , enmity it self , rom. . . and can two walk together except they be agreed ? amos . . can the sin-revenging god and the guilty sinner hold intimate correspondence till they be reconciled ? o no , it will never be : heaven and hell will as soon joyn as god and an unregenerate sinner : will the holy god take such vipers into his bosom ? can you imagine god will deface or lay aside his immaculate holiness , to take you from the swine-sty into his holy sanctuary ? what cleanly person can endure to have a filthy swine a bed and board with him in his parlour or bed-chamber ? shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee ? psal . . . no , no , god is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity , with liking and delight . hab. . . if god should take men [ a caeno ad coelum ] from the dunghil into his palace , others would conclude that god is reconciled to sin , that its an harmless thing , and not that abominable thing which his soul hates : no , it can never be ; graceless sinners , so remaining cannot dwell with god. psal . . , . . because this is the divine ordination and appointment , that there should be a connexion betwixt grace and glory , holiness and happiness : psal . . . as sin and hell are joyned by divine commination , so grace and heaven are knit together by divine promise . so saith the text , rom. . , . to them who by patient continuance in well-doing , seek for glory and honour , and immortality , eternal life . this is a connexion of grace , not of merit ; of promise , not of debt , yet inviolable , for gods justice and truth are ingaged in it . it s fit the infinite god should distribute his mercies to whom , and upon what termes he pleaseth ; now he hath said peremptorily , without holiness no man shall see the lord : heb. . . all things are ordered and wrought after the councel of his will ; eph. . . first he chuseth them before the foundation of the world , that they should be holy : eph. . . they are redeemed to be holy , tit. . . called with an holy calling , tim. . . and therefore they are holy brethren that are partakers of this heavenly calling : heb. . . let wicked scoffers mock on to their guilt and cost : such there are in the world , and such must they be if they think to inherit heaven : its gods ordination : you must be saints in this world , or never crowned as saints in the other ; tho' canonized for saints by men , when gone . consider sinner , whose word shall stand ? gods or thine ? thou hopest to go to heaven without saintship , or meetness for it ; god saith it , yea swears it , heb. . . that thou shalt never enter into his rest . this is gods councel , that men must be brought through sanctification to salvation , thess . . . and can you think to overturn his appointed will , or contradict his councels ? must the earth be forsaken for thee ? must the immutable god falsifie his word to save chee against his will , yea , against thy will ? for thou wilst not come to him for life : god will not be merciful to any wicked transgressour : the eternal determination of heaven is recorded in that chain of salvation , rom. . . and all the men on earth and devils in hell cannot break one link of it : predestination , vocation , justification , salvation or glorification : go try the turning day into night , or winter into summer , or stop the course of the sun , before thou think to divert the proceedings of grace in the salvation of souls ; but its vain to attempt either ; for his councel shall stand , and he will do all his pleasure . . this is the design of god in all his ordinances to make souls meet for heaven : it pleased god by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe . cor. . . ministers and ordinances were given for perfecting of the saints . eph. . , , . this is the means of conversion , the power of god to salvation ; rom. . . the means of edification , of resolution of doubts , consolation and confirmation ; so are the seals of the covenant given to this end , to bring souls onward to this glorious inheritance . now , sirs , consider , shall you receive this grace of god in vain ? shall all the ordinances be lost upon you ? you must give account of sabbaths , sermons , sacraments , shall they be the savour of death unto death to you , or the savour of life unto life ? alas , how do poor ministers toyl and travel , pray and watch , weep and sigh , to the breaking of their loyns , spending of their spirits , to bring you to god and heaven , and you pretend kindness to us , but have no real kindness to your own souls , we dare not but warn you in the name of christ , lest you fail of the grace of god , and fall short of this inheritance : we watch for your souls as those that must give an account : o let us do it with joy and not with grief . heb. . . if it be uncomfortable to us , it will be unprofitable to you ? must our sweat and labour be in vain ? but it will not be in vain to us , for our work is with the lord , we shall not lose our reward : god will pay the nurse , though the child dye : our crown will be given us , if we be faithful , though we be not successful , for that 's in gods hands : but woe be to those souls that have sitten under powerful ordinances , and miss of this inheritance ! o woe , woe to you , you cannot miss of heaven , but be plunged into a deeper hell : o ease our hearts , and save your own souls : kill us , and damn your selves ; nay , murder your selves , and you again crucifie christ , whose person we represent : rather give us leave to espouse you to one husband , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i have fitted you , as things that are pieced together , glued or soddered , let us do so with you , ] that we may present you as chast virgins in christ , cor. . . would to god this were the fruit of our labours . . this is the design of all gods providential dispensations : mercies , afflictions , smiles , frowns , come upon this errand to make souls meet for heaven : cords of love draw , rods of wrath drive the poor sinner from hell to heaven : the sunshine of love comes to melt and thaw our frozen hearts that god may set a stamp upon us : the loving kindness of god leads to repentance . rom. . . oh what an influence will gods native goodness have upon an ingenuous spirit . as the sun attracts vapours from the earth , so this son of righteousness should and will ( if our sturdy hearts hinder not ) raise our hearts heaven-wards . it s pity we should stop here in the streams , but that thereby we should be led to the fountain , and follow the beams up to the sun : may this long-suffering of the lord be your salvation : pet. . . may love constrain you to love god : may these load-stones so attract you , and these grapes of canaan enamour you , that you may never rest till you appear before god in zion : and what are all gods rods and redoubled strokes for , but to awaken you out of security ? peat your fingers off from the world ? weaken your corruptions , and purge and furbish your souls , as vessels for the high shelf of glory ? for our light affliction which is but for a moment , worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; cor. . . how is that ? surely by working the soul into a fitness for that glory . this furnace melts away the dross of our spirit . sea-tossings clear the liquor of grace ; this dark night fits for the pleasant morning ; these pangs prepare us for deliverance ; these blustering storms fit souls for the peaceable fruits of righteousness , being sanctified by the spirit , and improved by faith. affliction is gods physick , which makes sick , but prepares for sweet health ; and shall we frustrate gods ends in this also ? what , are you content with a heaven here , and an hell hereafter ? nay can you be content with an hell in both worlds ? must these be par-boilings for everlasting burnings ? god forbid . look at the lords end in these sufferings , and let it be yours . . the time of this life is the only time men have given them to be made meet for heaven . this life is a praeludium to an eternal state : it s a seminary for another world . gal. . , . — whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap : he that soweth to his flesh , shall of the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the spirit , shall of the spirit reap life everlasting . seeding is a preparatory to reaping ; yet men must expect only to reap that kind of grain that 's sown ; none can think to reap wheat that sowed oats ; and you know there 's more abundunce in the reaping then in the sowing : so in this case , hell torments will be more exquisite and eternal , then the profit and pleasure of the sinner in sinning : heavens joys will infinitely furmount the christians labours and sorrows in this world ; and there is great equity in both , for the object sinned against is infinite , and satisfaction can never be made by a finite creature ; and the grace , from whence flows eternal life , is infinite , and will have an endless duration : but the point i am upon is to demonstrate the necessity of making meet for heaven in this world , or it will never be done : now or never . when the door is shut , the gulf fixt , and the soul loosed from the body , and launcht out into that vast ocean of eternity , there 's no returning back to get the oyl of grace , or be fiting the soul for another world : eccl. . . what soever thine hand findeth to do , do it with thy might ; for there is no work , nor device , nor knowledge , nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest . time lasts not , but floats away apace ; but what is everlasting depends upon it . [ hic aut accepimus , aut amittimus vitam aeternam ] in this world we either win or lose eternal life : the great weight of eternity hangs on the small and twittered thread of time : now is the accepted time ; now is the day of salvation : cor. . this is our working day , our market time ; surely it becomes us to lay that foundation well , that bears such a superstructure : to cast that anchor safely that is entrusted with a vessel so richly laden ; oh sirs , sleep now , and awake in eell , from whence is no redemption . suppose by misdemeanour you had forfeited your estate and life , and upon much intercession , the king causeth an hour-glass to be turned , and set you a work to do , or lesson to learn ; if you performed it you are pardoned and promoted , if not , tortured and executed : oh how diligent would you be ! what pains would you take ? the case is your own , sirs , heaven and hell are before you ; according to your improvement or non-improvement of this hour of life , so must you fare ; dream not of a purgatory ; as the tree falls so it lyes : you enter by death into an unchangeable state , only the body at the resurrection will be joyned to the soul to be partner with it in weal or woe , bliss or bane for ever . the state here is [ tempus operis ] the time of working ; hereafter [ mercedis ] of reward : oh look , before you leap into another world . that 's the fifth reason . . the christian must be made meet here for the inheritance above , because he hath abundance of work to do , and priviledges to injoy , in order to the full possession of this blessed inheritance above : we have many graces to exercise , duties to perform , corruptions to subdue , temptations to resist , burdens to bear , mercies to improve , that will never be managed to purpose without a qualification for managing them : and observe it , the same disposition is requisite for making a christian meet for any duty , that 's requisite to make him meet for glory ; the same habitual principle , and drawing it forth into lively exercise : not only must the man of god be perfect , throughly furnished unto all good works ; tim. . . but every christian , that is a vessel unto honour , must be sanctified and so meet for his masters use , and prepared unto every good work : tim. . . alas , an unsanctified heart is unfit for spiritual service . solomon saith , the legs of the lame are not equal , [ he halts and goes limping ] so is a parable in the mouth of fools : prov. . . how aukwardly and bunglingly doth he go to work in sacred things ; just as an unskilful person handles a lute , a viol , or instrument of musick : or as the men of ephraim could not frame to pronounce shibboleth aright : judg. . . there must be a suitableness betwixt the agent and acts : no carnal heart can do any one good work well ; materially he may do what is good , but not formally as good ; in a good manner , for a good end ; acceptably to god , or profitably to himself : for they that are in the flesh cannot please god ; and without faith its impossible to please god. rom. . . heb. . . and can we think god will carry them to heaven that never struck a right stroke , or never did one hours work for god , that he would accept ? a graceless sinner is like the fruitless vine tree , ezek. . , , . that is not meet for any work , but it is cast into the fire for fuel ; just so is that branch ( that 's professionally ) in christ , that beareth not fruit , it s taken away , — and cast into the fire and burned . joh. . .- . the divine wisdom is seen in suiting means to the end , object to the faculty , back to the burden : now graceless sinners are not fit for gods work , and if they be not fit in this world , they will never be fit . . the christian hath many priviledges to injoy which he must be meet for even in this world , as reconciliation , justification , adoption , joy in the holy ghost , peace of conscience , communion with god , audience of prayers , &c. all these god hath promised , christ hath purchased for his children , and they are childrens bread , and must not be given to dogs : god will not throw away his mercies on such as value them not , but scorn them ; they set light by precious delicates of his table , mat. . the whole slight the physitian : mat. . . the full soul loaths the honey comb : the carnal heart will not thank god for pardon and grace ; and can we think god will force his blessings on such ungrateful miscreants , that scorn both him and his kindness ? no surely , there are some that long for these blessings , and will thankfully accept them : see acts . , . and . . yea , he will make you prize them , and part with all for them , or you shall never have them : what think you , doth not the great god take care to secure his own glory , as well as mans felicity ? and would it not be dishonourable to god to bestow his richest treasures and pleasures of grace on such as despise them , and take more pleasure in rooting in the sordid dunghil of sensual delights , then in seeking first the kingdom of god , which consists in righteousness , peace and joy in the holy ghost . rom. . . alas , honour is not seemly for a fool : prov. . . as a jewel of gold in a swines snout , so is a fair woman without discretion . prov. . . these silly fools are not meet to sit as princes with the king at his table , because they want a wedding-garment of suitable disposition for so high a priviledge . mat. . . chap. viii . another reason drawn from the necessary consistency of a christians meetness for so glorious an inheritance . . the last reason why souls must be made meet for heaven is , because other wise there would be no consistency or suitable harmony betwixt men and glory : if their natures be not changed , they will not have a suitableness of disposition to the glorious state above . the truth of this i shall demonstrate in these particulars . . none but persons made meet for heaven will have any mind to leave the world , and go to god. a carnal unconverted soul is totally unwilling to go hence ; they fancy to themselves an eternity below : their inward thought is , that their houses shall endure for ever : psal . . . yea , themselves ; for they put far from them the evil day , and sing a requiem to themselves , as the fool in the gospel ; and no wonder , for they live by sense , and know what they have here , but know not what they must have hereafter : as the old doting monk , that shewed his brave accommodations , saying , these things make us unwilling to dye . it was an usual saying among the heathens , [ soli christiani sunt mortis contemptores ] that christians only are contemners of death : this is applicable to sincere christians . stoical apathy will not do it , but faith will. julius palmer , the martyr , said , to them that have their souls linked to the elesh , like a rogues foot to a pair of stocks , it is indeed hard to dye ; but for him who is able to separate soul and body by the help of gods spirit ; it is no more mastery for such a one to dye , then for me to drink this cup of beer : nay , when the christian is upon good terms with god , he desires to be loosed or dissolved and to be with christ , phil. . . yea , this is the disposition of a soul meet for heaven , that he loves and longs for christs appearing ; tim. . . but the sincere christian that is not actually meet son heaven ( though through grace he be habitually meet ) often shrugs at the approach of death , and is glad to chide himself out , and say as that holy man , [ egredere mea arima , egredere , ] go out , my soul , go out , what art thou afraid of ? and surely that man is more acceptable to god , and comfortable in death , that hath set all things streight , and hath nothing to do , but surrender his soul into gods hands ; this man will make his lord welcome any hour of the day , or watch of the night ; but the other is like a maid undrest and unready , though for the main she love her friend , and desire his coming , yet in the present juncture and under those circumstances , she is surprized and troubled that he should find her in that pitiful pickle . this is the case of the unmeet christian . . none but souls meet for heaven are fit for death , through which all must pass . it s true , the apostle doth discover to us this mistery , ( which among the rest he might receive in the third heavens , ) cor. . . we shall not all sleep , but we shall all be changed ; but this change is a peculiar dispensation in the end of the world , and this change is equivalent to death . this is certain , the fruit of the curse , the sting of death will fasten her fangs on the unconverted soul , that 's under the covenant of works , and is not in christ : it s only the sincere christian that can sing that [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ] the song of triumph ; or can make that brave challenge , cor. . , . o death where is thy sting ! o grave where is thy victory ? only our captain jesus hath disarmed death , and it is only for his members ; others are left to its rage : death feeds on them ; psal . . . it hath a full morsel of them . the first death kills the body , and the second death damns the soul ; but blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection , on such the second death hath no power . rev. . . oh happy state of real saints ! christ , our david , hath conquered this goliah : the ark of the covenant hath driven back this swelling jordan : [ tollitur mors non ne sit , sed ne obsit ; ] this serpent may hiss and hit , not hurt ; strike down it may , not strike home ; it may thrust gods children into the grave , not into hell : nay , our lord sets his , not only above the danger by death , but fears of death , that are thus meet for heaven ; heb. . , . that can say , as that gracious gentlewoman , a martyr , written by me anne askew , that neither wisheth for death , nor feareth his might , and as merry as one that 's bound for heaven : but oh the woful state of a graceless sinner ! that is in natures state , and loves and lives in sin , lyes and dyes in the old adam . that 's the sadest word in all the bible , pronounced twice in a breath by our blessed lord , joh. . , . ye shall dye in your sins , i. e. under the guilt of your sins and sentence of condemnation : this is surprizing from what he adds in the first place , whither i go you cannot come ; that is to heaven , whither sinners cannot enter : you 'l say , then no man can enter into heaven , for all men are sinners even to the last breath . when are men cleansed , is it [ in articulo mortis ] in the passage of the soul out of the body ? may not all be cleansed alike then ? answ . it s true all are sinning to the last gasp of breathing out their souls ; but . you must distinguish betwixt a state of sin , and having fin : the best have relicks of original corruption as long as they live : the death of the body will only annihilate the body of death : death is not properly the punishment , but period of sin : it reigns not in gods children at present , it shall not remain in them when dead : the guilt of sin is already gone , for there 's no condemnation to them that are in christ jesus , rom. . . and the filth , yea , being of sin is taken away , as soon as death strikes the stroke . . i see not but the mighty god can perfectly expel sin out of the soul , and also perfect defective graces in the instant of the souls separation from the body , as well as he did infuse a principle of grace into the soul in an instant at the souls first conversion ; for by death the spirits of just men are made perfect ; heb. . . mind it , it is just men not wicked ; god will not infuse grace into men ordinarily in their passage out of the world ; [ qualis vita , finis ita ; ] as men live , so they dye ; and if men imagine god will put another principle into their hearts just as they pass out of this world ; as this is a daring presumption , so they will be mistaken ; for how is a departing soul capable of such receptions or reflections as are necessary in the work of conversion ? alas , the eyes being set , lips quivering , memory failing , and the body in a cold sweat , is unfit for any thing ; their hopes giving up the ghost as their breaths depart ; and it s a wonder that the souls of wicked men go quietly out of their bodies ; its strange they depart not as the devils out of the demonaicks rending , raging , tearing , foming ; but if conscience be asleep , death will awake it ; could you follow their departing souls a minute out of their bodies , you would hear howlings and roarings . . heaven will not receive any souls but such as are made meet for it on earth . rev. . . there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth , neither what soever worketh abomination , — for without are dogs . rev. . . they say ireland will not brook a toad , a snake or venomous creature to live and like in it : i am sure heaven will not admit , but cast out an unsanctified heart . the legions of apostate angels knew this , who abode not one moment in that holy place after they left their innocency . it is said of the halcyons nest , that it will hold nothing but its own bird : the same may be said of heaven ; the serpent could wind himself into the earthly paradice , but none of the serpentine brood shall once peep into this heavenly paradice . for ( ) the text saith , it is an inheritance ; now an inheritance is for none but children ; its true all gods children are heirs , rom. . . but none shall inherit heaven except children : by nature we are children of wrath ; by grace and adoption children of god. all gods children are begot again , to a lively hope for this incorruptible inheritance . pet. . , . ( . ) it s the inheritance of saints , i. e. of holy sanctified souls . persons must not think that heaven is like mahemets paradice , where there is delicious fare , pleasant gardens , fair women , and all sensual delights , fit lettice for an epicures lips. no , no , heaven is a state of perfect , immediate and perpetual injoyment of god , suited to the raised faculties of a sanctified soul. ( . ) it s the inheritance of saints in light . it s a bright and lightsome state , suited to seeing souls ; blind sinners can see no beauty there ; such as are not changed from darkness to light are not fit for that state ; see acts . . alas , a blind man can take no content in beautiful objects , though the sun shine never so gloriously . heaven and light are synonymous ; but light and darkness are directly contrary : if we say that we have fellowship with him , and walk in darkness , we lye and do not the truth ; joh. . . and such dark sinners are far from a suitableness to this state and place of light . o therefore poor sinners consider this , the holy god hates all the workers of iniquity ; the holy heaven is no sanctuary for rebels and traytors ; god will not take such vipers into his bosom ; thou must either be renewed or never received into glory ; it is an undefiled inheritance , pet. . . a dirty sinner must not enter ; this would disparage and contradict all gods attributes , as his justice , then god should give to the wicked according to the work of the righteous ; it would blemish his holiness , as though unclean were delighted in equally with the clean ; it would contradict his truth , as though god regarded not what he said or swore , that no unclean thing shall enter there : every attribute would have dirt cast upon it , if god should save the unsanctified soul : nay , it contradicts the undertakings of jesus christ , who came to save his people from their sins , not in their sins : it exposeth the office and operations of the holy ghost , whose office it is to sanctifie sinners , and prepare souls for heaven ; that sinner must surely be in a desperate case that must un god the infinite jehovah , god blessed for ever , or else he cannot be saved . . the unsanctified sinner would by no means like in heaven . heaven would be an hell to him , except his nature were changed and renewed . most men mistake the nature of heaven ; they only look upon it as a place of happiness ; it is so , but withal it is a state of perfect holiness : they are holy priviledges , injoyment of god , and what care wicked men for his company ? they say unto god , depart from us ; and their choice shall be their punishment : they are holy joys and delights ; how will they like that who were never pleased but with sensual laughter , which is madness ? there 's holy company above of saints , but they cannot abide to be near them on earth , how then can they like to be associated to them in heaven ? there is holy imployment above , but alas , they are not at all qualified for , nor can they be delighted in the work of loving , praising , or taking pleasure in god. augustine hath a saying , [ canticum novum & vetus homo male concordant . ] that the new song and old man agree not well together : — no man could learn that new song , but the hundred fourty four thousand , which were redeemed from the earth . rev. . . alas , they have not hearts nor harps tuned for it . suppose it were possible that our lord should bring an unsanctified person to heaven , saith one , he could take no more felicity there , then a beast , if you should bring him into a beautiful room , to the society of learned men , or a well furnisht table ; when as the poor thing would much rather be grazing with his fellow bruits ; thus a poor graceless sinner would rather be with his cups or queans , at best in his markets , and counting his bags , but there 's no such things in heaven ; therefore if he were there , he would be quite out of his element ; [ tanquam piscis in avido ] as a fish in the air , or a bird in the water , or fire ? can you charm a beast with musick ? or can you bring him to your melody , or make him keep time with your skilful quire ? so the anthems of heaven , saith one , fit not a carnal mans mouth , suit not his ear : poor wretches , they now think sermons long , sabbaths long , prayers and praises long , and cry , what a weariness is it ? when will it be over ? and are these think you , fit for this heavenly imployment to all eternity ? where this noble company of coelestial inhabitants , serve god day and night in the temple . rev . . alas , the poor unregenerate sinner hath no faculties suited to such a glorious state and work , as that above is ; the mind , will , memory and conscience , are like a full stomach that loaths the honey-comb : these old bottles cannot hold the new wine of glory : you may as well hew the marble without tools , or draw a picture without colours , or build without instruments or materials , as a soul not qualified with grace can do the work of god acceptably either on earth or in heaven oh , sirs , think of this , you must be prepar'd , fitted , qualified for heaven here , or else heaven will be no heaven to you . chap. ix . an use of conviction and lamentation over souls that are unmeet for heaven . i now proceed to application , and all the uses i shall make of this point shall be of lamentation and exhortation . . of conviction , humiliation , lamentation . a man would think upon such plain demonstrations as are oft laid before sinners in the ministry of the word , they would once at last reflect upon themselves and say , am i thus or thus qualified ? upon what terms stand i for another world ? am i an adopted child of god ? am i justified ? am i converted to god , and brought through the pangs of regeneration ? have i made a covenant with god , and taken god for my god , and given my self to him ? what saving work hath passed upon my heart ? if i should come to you one by one , and pose you with this solemn question , friends whither bound ? whither are you going ? are you for heaven or hell ? oh no , you 'l say , god forbid , but that we shall go to heaven ! god is a merciful god ; christ dyed to save sinners ; we do not doubt but through the merits of christ , we shall be saved as well as others : alas , sirs , these are too general grounds , to build your hopes of salvation upon . god is merciful , but he is also just ; christ dyed for sinners , but do you imagine all shall be saved by him ? let me ask you a few sober questions , and answer them not according to your fancies , but according to scripture rule : do you believe that all men shall be saved ? what is hell then for , that 's so oft mention'd in the bible ? or do you think that the gates of heaven are as wide as the gates of hell , or that as many shall be saved as damned ? dare you so directly contradict our blessed saviour , and give him the lye ? mat. , . can you imagine that our lord jesus ( who is the door-keeper keeper of heaven ) will admit any but those that he saith he will entertain ? or do you think he will admit those that he saith he will keep out ? what think you , can any secretly steal in unknown to him , or forcibly thrust in against his will ? is the infinite all-seeing god grown so weak or blind that you can couzen or conquer him ? or can you bribe him to let you in with fair words or large gifts ? or dare you stand to plead in his face that you are qualified and meet for heaven , when he tells you , that you are not ? do you think there is such a thing as a groundless presumption , or rotten hope that will give up the ghost ? is not the devil a cheat ? are not your hearts treacherous ? and are not they fools that trust these , and will not try by the word what they affirm ? and have you solemnly and faithfully tryed your title to heaven ? have you not taken all for granted without a serious proving of your state , meerly because you would have it so ? and are you content to do so in temporals ? and will you madly venture your immortal souls on such grounds as you dare not try ? and can you think to escape the strict tryal of the omniscient god ? sirs , the business is important ; heaven and hell depend upon it : we ministers that believe an eternity , and certainly know upon what terms souls are saved , dare not but be faithful to you , and declare the whole councel of god. i must , . tell you who those are that are far off salvation , and are utterly unmeet for this inheritance , and can pretend no claim to it . . such as pretend a claim , but its groundless , and but a pretended claim , and cannot be made out on scripture grounds . . their are a sort of persons within the pale of the visible church , ( for i here meddle not with heathens or jews ) that are [ ipso facto ] point-blank excluded , in as plain terms as can be spoken . these are a sort of sinners that carry the black brand in their foreheads , of whom a man may say without breach of charity , these carry visibly the doleful tokens of eternal death and damnation . view two catalogues of these , one is in cor. . , . know ye not [ i. e. methinks you cannot plead ignorance in so notorious a case so oft inculcated , ] that ( . ) the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of god : [ i. e. that grind the poor , over-reach their brethren , when they have them at advantage , god is the avenger of such , thess . . . therefore not the rewarder with heaven . ( . ) neither fornicators shall inherit the kingdom of god. such filthy goats must be set at gods left hand . this sin [ as venial a sin as it s reckoned by some ] is damning , and excludes men from heaven . do you think such dirty dogs shall ever trample on this golden pavement ? when god would not suffer even the price of a whore or dog to come into his house . deut. . . ( . ) nor idolaters , gross , or more refined ; for god will not permit his children to keep company , or familiarly converse with such on earth , cor. . . and therefore shall not be associated to them in the other world , and god is not well pleased with such . . cor. . , . ( . ) nor adulterers , nor effeminate , nor abusers of themselves with mankind , shall inherit the kingdom of god , such filthy sodomites shall rather have fire from heaven , then be admitted into that holy place . these horrible acts of filthiness are not fit to be named among saints , and surely the committers of them cannot be entertained among saints : see eph. , . they are given up . rom. . . ( . ) nor thieves . not only open robbers by the high-way , or breakers of houses , but gamsters that cheat others , or purloyning wastful servants , deceitful tradesmen , or wilful bankrupts , that basely get others estates into their hands and never intend to pay their just debts : these men , without restitution , shall have their ill-gotten silver and gold to torment them like burning mettal in their bowels . jam. . , . ( . ) nor covetous . these are fitly joyned to thieves , that run out with inordinate affection to the world , and suck her breasts with great delight ; that inlarge their desires as hell : these must be shut out of heaven , for they have their portion in this present life , psal . . . and are real idolaters . col. . . eph. . . these must be banished heaven . ( . ) nor drunkards . not only such as bruitifie themselves , and drink away their reason , but such as sit long at it , continue till wine inflame them ; yea though they be not intoxicated , yet they purchase a woe to themselves , that are mighty to drink wine , and men of strength to mingle strong drink . isa . . , . ( . ) nor revilers . these are properly annexed to drunkards ; for the godly are usually the drunkards song , that scoff and jear at serious godliness , and break their scurrilous jests upon the holiest saints ; but there 's no railing among angels or saints in heaven , jude . nor shall such come there : and one would think they do not desire to come there , with those they so abuse . ( . ) i may add backbiters , that love to take up and blaze abroad a false report against their neighbours ; these are excluded gods tabernacle , psal . . , . that fling all the dirt they can in the face of such as do them no hurt , wounding them secretly with a privy stab , or behind their backs ; god will hold the door of heaven against such . ( . ) swearers , that prophane the glorious and tremendous name of the eternal god by horrible oaths , curses and execrations : blasphemers of old were to be put to death , and if men now spare them , the flying roll of curses shall go out against such , and cut them off , zech. . , , . those that swear fall into condemnation . jam. . . ( . ) lyars , that invent or utter lies upon any account whatsoever ; these carry their own doom in their consciences , and they may read the doleful sentence in rev. . . there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth , — or maketh a lye . the god of truth hateth lyars , and will banish them from his court , as david did . psal . . . ( . ) apostates , that once made a fair shew , but are renegadoes to the truth , way , people , worship of god ; they bring a great reproach on religion ; and our blessed saviour pronounceth such as put their hand to the plow and look back , to be unfit for the kingdom of god ; luk. . . gods soul will have no pleasure in them . heb. . . oh the dreadful end of these that turn their backs on christ . pet. . , . hearken , you sinners , if any of you be of this number , read and tremble , there 's no room for you in this glorious city above , you must be shut out : living and dying in this estate there 's no more mercy for you then for the devils : heaven is shut against you , hell is open for you : how can you escape the damnation of hell ? mat. . . alas , you are daily filling up the measure of your sins ; the ephah is well nigh full ; t'other sin , t'other neglect more , and next news you may hear , the talent of lead may be cast upon the mouth of the ephah , and thy soul carryed into thine own place : zach. . , . one oath more , one lye more , one fit of drunkenness more , and thy iniquity is full , thy soul is gone . who can tell but god may say to thee as to the rich man , luke . . this night shall thy soul be required of thee : or as the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] they , that is the devils shall require thy soul. oh how greedily are infernal . fiends watching for a commission to break , thy neck in thy travelling , or to strangle thee in thy bed , and hurry thee headlong into hell with them ! thy iniquity is filling up ; the sun-shine of prosperity ripens it apace ; the sweet rain of gospel ordinances brings weeds to perfection as well as corn. as gods children are making meet for heaven , thou art making meet for hell. rom. . , . what if god willing to shew his wrath , and to make his power known , endured with much long-suffering , the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction : [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] made up , made ready , like sticks dryed and bundled up to be cast into the fire . it is not said that god fits them for destruction , as it s said , ver . . of the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory : no , no , there needs no more to a sinners making meet for hell , but a leaving him to himself ; he will fall apace downwards to damnation with his own weight . ah sinner , thou little knowest how soon thy foot may slip off this slippery battlement on which thou standest , into the precipice of eternal destruction . little dost thou know how soon that flaming sword that hangs over thy head by the twine-thred of thy natural life , may fall upon thee and separate soul and body , and follow this stroke of vengeance into the other world . methinks thou shouldst not eat nor drink , nor sleep quietly in this so dangerous , damnable estate . every sin thou committest is a treasuring up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath . rom. . . look to 't , the judge standeth before the door ; death is ready to lay its cold hand of arrest upon thee : there 's but a step betwixt you and death ; and that door that lets you out of time sets you in eternal torments ; and are you taking long strides to hell ? shall you not be there soon enough ? can you not sink your selves low enough ? must you needs add drunkenness to thirst ? impenitency to your sin ? alas , you love to wander , you hate to be reformed ; yea , you hate instruction , and cast his words behind you . psal . . . ministers follow you from the lord with tears , intreaties , arguments to perswade , and means to direct , and willingness to assist you the best they can in your preparations for a future state , but you are shy of conversing with them ; you conceal your state from them ; they spend their time in studying to do you good ; they spend their lungs in speaking to you , in speaking to god for you , but all doth no good , they cannot be heard till it be too late ; no warning will serve . men say as that evil servant , my lord delayeth his coming — so begin to eat and drink with the drunken : let them know , the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him , and in an hour that he is not aware of ; and shall cut him asunder , and appoint him his portion with the hypocrities , there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth . mat. . , , . . chap. x. an answer to the objection of vain pretenders to a meetness for heaven . obj. but some may say , you speak terrible things against the prophane , but i bless god , i am none of those , my case is better then those before described , i carry fairly in my conversation , none can challenge me for the foresaid gross enormities , i keep church , hear sermons , pray as well as god gives me grace , none are perfect , i hope god for christs sake will pardon my defects ; i repent of my sins from the bottom of my heart , and believe in christ , and do as well as i can ; god help us , we are all sinners ; god will not be so severe as you say : i hope i shall go to heaven as well as others . answ . it s not as i say , or you say , but as god himself saith ; do i say any thing but what the holy god saith in the bible ? object against it and disprove it ; but must not the word of god judge you another day ? hath he not told us in his infallible word who shall be saved , and who shall be damned ; and will you believe god or your own self deluding hearts ? besides , i stand upon habitual meetness chiefly : what art thou man in point of state ? art thou a child of god or a child of the devil ? tell not me that thou hast done this or that good work , but art thou savingly converted from sin to god ? hast thou that renovation that necessarily accompanies salvation ? this i have spoken to . but that which i shall briefly hint at , is to tell you that many go as far as kadesh-barnea , that reach not canaan : many go far , that dye in the wilderness ; and set out fair , yea hold on long , that yet never obtain this heavenly inheritance . strive to enter in at the strait gate , saith our lord , for many i say unto you , will seek to enter in , and shall not be able . luke . . . you say you carry it fairly and live civilly : alas , civil righteousness and abstaining from gross sins will not do . abimelech an heathen was an exact moralist , gen. . . paul unconverted was blameless . phil. . . these were not saints nor fit for heaven . . you say you keep church , attend on ordinances , hear the best preachers , so did those that heard christ himself , luk. . . yet at last are rejected with an [ i know you not ] ; so did they . ezek. . , . . you say you pray , and perform many religious duties , so did the jews of old that were stark naught , and rejected ; isa . . , . so did the pharisees , in luk. . , . some have the form but want the power of godliness ; tim. . . these are lifeless blocks . . you say you own the orthodox faith , and are not guilty of heresie ; so did they rom. . , . creeds make not christians . a sound head and unfound heart may be companions . the scribe answered discreetly and orthodoxly , mark. . . and was not far from the kingdom of god , but never came into it . . you say you have honest purposes and endeavours ; yea , some attainments in growing better and mending what 's amiss ; it s well ; but saul said , sam. . . i will no more do thee harm ; yea , herod reformed and did many things . mar. . . all this is good , but not good enough for heaven . . you say , but my reformations were begun and attended with strong convictions , and troubles of conscience ; but this will be no good evidence , for cain had great terrors ; gen. . . felix had his tremblings ; acts . . yea , the damned devils believe and tremble . jam. . . . but i repent of my sins you 'l say , and mourn sore : i reply , hast thou considered well whether it be a worldly sorrow that worketh death , or a godly sorrow that worketh repentance to salvation ? cor. . . saul wept sore ; ahab humbled himself ; esau sought the blessing with tears ; heb. . . judas repented himself ; mat. . . yet all short . . you say , but i associate with gods people , am well accounted of , can have testimonials under the hands of eminent ministers , christians . i answer , so high did the foolish virgins artain , they had lamps , oyl in them , waited for the bridegroom , yet the door was barr'd upon them , with an [ i know you not . ] mat. . .- . some have a name to live , but are dead . rev. . . . but god hath given me notable gifts of memory , knowledge , utterance in discoursing , praying , which surely he will not reject . i answer , so had they mat. . , , . gifts of preaching , miracles , yet even these meet with an [ i never knew you . ] gifts and grace are different things . see cor. . , , . . but i have grace , i have the grace of faith , love , good desires . i answer , simon magus also believed , and was baptized , yet had neither part nor lot in this matter , for his heart was not right in the sight of god. act. . . . there is a feigned as well as unfeigned faith , a dissembled love , unfound desires , legal repentance . . but i have put forth my self in extraordinary acts of piety , zeal for religion , reformation , sufferings for god : i doubt not but this inheritance belongs to me . i answer , all this thou mayst do , and be no candidate for heaven . jehu was a great reformer , yet a rotten-hearted hypocrite . kin. . , . young joash was so zealous for a season . chron. . , . what strict observers of the sabbath were the scribes and pharisees ? luk. . . , , . . you 'l say further , oh but i have assurance of my good estate , and not only so , but some joy and peace of conscience , which are as so many foretasts and prelibations of my future happiness . i answer , it s well , but see to it that they be of the right stamp ; the stony-ground hearers anon with joy receive the word . mat. . . balaam had brave raptures in hearing the words of god , seeing the vision of the almighty , and beholding the glory of gods people israel , he fell into a trance . num. . , , , . and there are that tast of the word of god , and powers of the world to come . heb. . , . yet such may fall away irrecoverably . oh how many catch at the promises , and are pleased with a sweet discourse of free-grace ! alas , these long for , and love gospel-delicacy , as children delight in sweet-meets : and as dr. ames saith , arminian grace may be but the effect of a good dinner . good nature working towards that which suits the fancy , but sound conviction and deep humiliation never prepared the soul to a judicious relish of divine things , nor do they produce those blessed effects in heart and life , as in gods children . oh how many poor sinners are going on in a golden dream , and fear no danger , till they be past hopes of recovery ! many think they are travelling towards heaven , and never question it , till as they are stepping out of this world ( as they think ) into heaven , miss their footing and drop down into hell : that never see their errour till it be too late to retrieve it . oh that men were awakened in time ! if you stay till death have struck its stroke it will be too late . [ imparatum inveniet dies judicii , quem imparatum invenerit ●●es mortis . ] the day of judgment must needs find him unready , that the day of death finds unready . men have a conceit that the interval betwixt death and judgment may do great things to make them meet for heaven , but they are mistaken : death launcheth you into the boundless ocean of eternity . it is appointed unto men once to dye , and after that the judgment . heb. . . ah , sirs , what think you ? is there an heaven or hell after this life , or is there not ? and are you not certain whether you do enter by death into eternal happiness or misery , and yet can you be quiet ? if you were not loose in your belief of future things , you would be restlefs as long as you are doubtful . you owe your ease to nothing but your lethargy . if you were not infidels you would be distracted . what man ! the next moment may be roaring in hell , and not repent on earth ! he is worse then a devil that trembles not under divine wrath . what if it have not siezed on you , as on devils ! the flame is at next door ; wrath hangs over your heads ; the only reason you see it not , is because you are blind : the lord open your eyes , and i need not preach terrour to you , your hearts will meditate terror : fearfulness will surprize you hypocrites , and make you say , who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire , with everlasting burnings ? isa . . . it s a wonder you do not run up and down like mad men ; surely you have taken some opium to cast you in a dead sleep , or intoxicate your spirits : or as some malafactors do , that dare not dye sober : yea , some wiser heathens took great draughts of wine , saying , that no voluptuous person can go in his wits into an invisible state . but is this a making meet for heaven or hell ? can rational persons think to escape the ditch by winking ? or will men say , as it s reported of robert duke of normandy , ( william the conquerours father ) going on pilgrimage to jerusalem , falling sick , was born in a litter on saracens shoulders , and said , he was born to heaven on the devils back ? alas , will you trust the fiend of hell to bring you to heaven ? is he grown so full of charity to souls ? oh forlorn case of miserable sinners ! have you no better a friend then satan ? that you can be content to be rockt asleep in his cradle , and carried with ease to hell , rather then ride in our lords chariot paved with love , to heaven ? is security your best fence against misery ? can these poor fig-leaves of temporary righteousness secure you from divine vengeance ? can you be content to stand by that another day , that you dare not put to the tryal here ? alas , i am afraid ; . some are ignorant sots that know not what is necessary to a meetness for heaven . most think if they have but time to say at death , [ lord have mercy upon me ; god forgive me my sins ; lord jesus receive my soul , ] they think they have made their peace with god , especially if they can say they forgive all the world , and dye in charity with all , and send for the minister to pray with them , and receive absolution and the sacrament , when ( perhaps ) they are little fit for such a solemn ordinance ; then the minister recommends their souls into gods hands , commends them at their funeral , and now they are certainly gone to heaven ; these poor wretched sinners blessed their souls whilst living , and men must praise them and account them blessed when dead . psal . . . . most are inconsiderate : they consider nothing but meer objects of sense , like the kine of bashan , go out at their breaches , every one at that which is before her . amos . , ● . they never mind things out of their natural sight ; they put far away the evil day , am. . . little thinking what will be in the end of their sensual ways : jer. . . either they say , to morrow shall be as this day , and much more abundant ; isa . . . or else in atheistical scorn and mockery ; let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye : cor. . . let us be merry while we may ; we shall never be younger ; when we are gone all the world is gone with us ; as if there were no reckoning or rendering day , or retribution in the other world ; but let such study eccl. . , . rom. . . luk. . , . psal . . . thess . . , , , . job . . . psal . . oh sirs , disappointments are dreadful : it s sad with a witness to be confident of heaven , and yet doomed to hell. as hamilcar dreamed he should the next night sup in syracusa , which indeed he did , not as a conqueror , ( as he hoped ) but as a prisoner : oh , how will it double your damnation , to live in confident hopes of reigning with christ , yet to be judged by him , and banished from him for ever ! if you say soul take thine case , and god say , devil take his soul : whether of these think you , will prevail ? chap. xi . an exhortation to all persons to get meet for heaven . . the latter use is exhortation ; . to sinners . . to saints to get meet for this heavenly inheritance . the former by an habitual , the latter by actual meetness for this glorious state . i shall need to say the less to move you to it ; having urged practical reasons from our natural unmeetness , divine ordination , the design of ordinances , providences , the season of life for it , the work and priviledges here require it , the inconsistency of a contrary-frame to that glorious inheritance : most of these are levelled to the state of unsanctified , graceless souls , therefore i shall say the less to that branch . oh that i had here the tongue or pen of an angel ! the bowels of blessed paul to perswade sinners to look after a meetness for heaven . consider , . what else have you to do in the world ? your very children will tell you that mans chief end is to glorifie god and injoy him for ever : if you attain not these ends you live in the world to no purpose , you are unprofitable cumber-grounds . . you frustrate christs undertakings in the world , and do what you can to render all his merits useless ; you tread under foot the son of god , count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing , and despise , if not despight the spirit of grace ; heb. . . you say plainly i like not the purchase , i will have none of it ; you call heaven cabul , a dirty thing ; as hiram called solomons twenty cities he gave him : and can you think much to be dealt without heaven , that thus judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life ? acts . . . every day sets you nearer heaven or hell. it s reported of the pious lady falkland , that going to bed at night , she usually said , now am i nearer heaven by one day then never i was . one day added to your time is a day taken away from your life . oh think when you have heard a sermon , or spent a sabbath , i am now nearer heaven or hell ; this word hath been to me the savour of life unto life , or of death unto death : cor. . . it sets me forward some way ; if i bring forth meet and suitable fruit , i shall receive a blessing from god ; if bryars and thorns , i am rejected , nigh to a curse , whose end is to be burned . heb. . , . the word either hardens or softens . woe be to me , if all that god doth doth further my more dreadful condemnation . . eternity brings up the rear of time . if it were but a making fit for a days pageantry , there would be no such great need of curiosity to get matters ready ; though it s said , jer. . . can a maid forget her ornaments , or a bride her attire ; though oft it is for the short shew of a marriage day : oh but this is for eternity . that curious painter being demanded why he bestowed so much labour on his picture , answered , [ pingo eternitati . ] i paint for eternity . indeed there 's nothing of value but what relates to eternity . eternity gives an accent and emphasis to all created beings . the apostle thought all visible sublunaries not worth a cast of his eye in comparison of this eternity . cor. . . see a book called [ glimpse of eternity , on that text. ] alas , sirs , is eternity nothing with you ? oh my friends , this ( if any thing ) is worth preparing for , to be for ever with the lord , to injoy god ten thousands of millions of years , or to be banished from his presence , and be tormented with devils and damned souls for ever . oh this word for ever is amazing , a godly man in company sate in a deep muse , and being demanded what he was thinking of ? answered , only with repeating [ for ever , for ever , for ever , ] for a quarter of an hour together : this is indeed a confounding consideration . oh that you would solemnly lay upon your hearts the great things of another world ! on the one hand the injoyment of god , christ , the company of saints , angels , the perfection of your natures , a crown of glory , fulness of joy and pleasures at gods right-hand for evermore , through the perpetual ages of a boundless eternity : this were worth praying , groaning , obeying , suffering for a thousand years , to get read , for , and possessions of at last . on the other hand , to think of the sting of conscience , the company of devils and damned souls , the loss of god , christ , heaven , your precious souls , the burning lake , the bottomless pit , the scorching flames , and this for ever and ever , an endless duration . oh sirs , if you should but look down into that stupendious gulf , what a change would it work in your hearts ? you would banish your vain company , lay aside your worldly business , cast off your sensual pleasures , and mind nothing else till your souls be secured to all eternity . this would be as the cry at midnight , behold the bridegroom cometh , go ye forth to meet him . matth. . . as sleepy as they were this startled them ; so it would you , as if you heard a voice as out of the clouds ; sinner thou art now summoned to appear before the dreadful tribunal of the all seeing judge , to receive thy final sentence , and to be sent to an everlasting state of weal or woe ; stay not one moment in thy state of unregeneracy ; hast , hast , yea make post hast out of it ; fall to the work of faith and repentance as for thy life ; defer not one day ; now or never . you 'l say , can i make my self meet for heaven ? what can i do ? the work is gods. i answer , god is the efficient , but he will make you instruments in this work . gods grace and mans duty are very consistent . study phil. . , . up and be doing , and god will be with you . though god must turn , yet you must endeavour to turn your selves . ezek. . , . though god make you a new heart , yet he will have you make you a new heart . oh sirs , fall close to the work , examine , prove , try your states by the rule of the word ; attend the most piercing , powerful ministry ; search out all your iniquities , and confess them before the lord with grief , hatred and shame ; beg converting grace as for your lives ; plead with god for pardon through the blood of christ ; solemnly renew your paptismal covenant in taking god for your god , and giving up your selves to him , and then read , meditate , watch and pray , mortifie your beloved lusts , obey the commands of god , and do these things speedily , seriously and constantly , and see what the effect will be . if you will fall to it , well and good , if not , you are guilty of self-murder ; and remember you are this day warned . . i turn me to truly gracious souls that are in a safe state for the main , as to habitual meetness , but i fear are far short of that actual meetness that is requisite , as to a lively exercise of suitable graces ; clear evidence of spiritual state ; dispatching work off their hands ; being mortified to time , and longing for heaven . alas , the wise virgins slumbered and slept . i fear few of us are in that readiness we ought to be in , might have been in , or that others have attained to ; nay , it s well if now our souls be in that frame that sometimes we have been in : what decays of love , zeal , tenderness ; what backslidings , deadness , hardness , worldliness , formality do gods children fall into ? what staggerings in our faith of the reality of unseen things ? how uncertain about our title to this inheritance ? doth not our slavish fear of death shew thee ? our instability and variable motions in religion ; our distractions in holy duties ; our frequent closing with temptations , and too oft stepping aside into sin ; our intermitting duties of gods worship , and strangeness growing betwixt god and our souls ; our unreadiness in our accounts ; our unwillingness to go to god : all these too sadly demonstrate our unmeetness for heaven . alas friends , are we not yet meet ! let us be ashamed of our slackness ; what have we been doing with all that time , these helps and priviledges we have had ? have not many young ones and others out-stript us , and are got to heaven , that set out after us ? are we not ashamed of our loytering and lagging behind ? what 's become of the many warnings we have had in our selves and others ? have we any greater matters to mind ? do we not bring dishonour to god , and discredit to our religion by our backwardness ? and can we have that comfort and confidence in meeting the bridegroom of our souls as is fit ? alas , our lord will be less welcome if he surprize us unawares , as i have told you . ah sirs , you little know how near death is , and therefore should be always ready to meet our lord. it is matter of great lamentation that so few of gods children are meet for their home ; and like wayward children are loath to go to bed , though god hath taken a course to weary us out of the world . the lord help us to lament and lay to heart our great unmeetness for heaven . when sin , security , senselesness , steals in upon thy spirit , search it out , mourn for it , confess it , beg a pardon of it , and recover thy self quickly out of it ; be not satisfied with any distance from god ; recover thy wonted familiarity with thy best friend , and mend thy pace towards heaven , as a man in his journey that hath been hindered , hies the faster , to recover his way , lost by his stay ; breath after more likeness to god , fitness for every dispensation , and long to be with god in heaven . alas sirs , you little know how near you are to eternity . you see the sands that are run to the nether end of the glass , but the upper part ( as one saith ) is covered with a mantle , you know not how few sands are yet to run . god forbid that you should have your evidences to procure , when you should have them to produce . if you be not sure of heaven , you are sure of nothing , all worldly things must leave you , or you must leave them . dispatch all , but this , off your hands , and be as the bird on her wings to her nest , or the traveller , whose mind is still on home , home , nothing will please him but home . say with calvin , [ vsquequo domine ? ] how long lord , shall my soul be at a distance from thee ? come lord jesus , come quickly . chap. xii . the second doctrine briefly handled , that a meetness for heaven is a mercy worth thanking god for . i proceed briefly to explain the second doctrine in my text , which is , that its a transcendent mercy worth thanking god for , to be made meet for the heavenly inheritance . if we must thank god for daily-bread , for houses , health , estates , worldly comforts and accommodations for our bodies , how much more should we thank god for heaven , and a meetness for heaven ? without which we shall never come there . the truth of this i shall demonstrate in these seven particulars . . spiritual mercies are of most worth , and deserve most thanks from us to god : but this is a spiritual mercy , eph. . . blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ , who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in christ . it is [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ] and so may signifie spiritual things as well as places ; i. e. graces , priviledges , comforts , or whatever hath a tendency to the good of the soul , or eternal salvation in heaven : these indeed are a benjamins portion , a goodly heritage , the quintessence and marrow of all blessings . if god should give you the whole world , and put you off therewith , you are cursed and wretched ; if he give you grace and glory , you are happy , if you had nothing else . our lord thought that a plenary benediction , ( with which he begins his first sermon ) matth. . . blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of god. there 's the mercy promised , and the qualification for it , both choice blessings . . that which is the purchase of christ is worth our thanking god for ; but this is the fruit of christs purchase : it s not only a purchased inheritance , nor did christ only purchase us to be heirs of this inheritance , but he hath purchased a meetness in believers for that inheritance . tit. . . who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all iniquity , and purifie to himself a peculiar people , zealous of good works . how do men thankfully celebrate christs nativity ? but that mercy of christs being born into the world , ( though transcendently great ) will never advantage you , unless christ be in you , the hope of glory , col. . . his dwelling in your hearts by faith , eph. . . intitles you to the inheritance he hath purchased . look within thee man , as well as without thee , and above thee , for the fruits of christs purchase , and occasions of thankfulness to god. . the operations and fruits of the spirit are surely worth thanking god for ; but this is one of the most glorious fruits of the spirit , to fit souls for heaven . our lord promiseth to send the holy ghost to supply the want of his bodily presence , and it is the richest gift that ever proceeded from father and son ; such as have it , out of their belly flow rivers of living water , job . . , . god is to be admired in all the saving works and actings of the spirit , the convincing , humbling , sanctifying , supporting , satisfying , sealing , comforting , quickening , inlarging , confirming , witnessing , and reviving operations of it . alas , we had never lookt after god , had not the holy ghost knockt at our doors ; we had been blind in the things of god , but that the spirit inlightened us ; dead but that the spirit enlivened us ; we had wandered for ever , but that the holy spirit reduced us , our hearts had been for ever hardened from gods fear , had not gods spirits softened us ; we should have been unlike god , but that the holy ghost stampt gods image upon us ; whatever hath been done upon our spirits to fit us for heaven , the holy ghost hath been the agent ; yea , that spirit that we have quenched , grieved , resisted , vexed ; what cause then have we to be very thankful ? this is the golden oyl , that runs through the golden pipes of ordinances into the candlestick of the church . zech. . , . . the gospel-dispensation is great matter and ground of thankfulness : it is a mistery which in other ages was not made known to the sons of mon : eph. . , . but what is the marrow and main design of this gospel-revelation ? why , ver . . that the gentiles should be fellow heirs , and of the same body , and partakers of his promise in christ by the gospel . oh glorious design ! oh blessed charter ! but what are we better unless we be partners of this priviledge ? therefore chap. . . saith , christians are fellow-vitizens with the saints . this is the gospel way of infranchising and incorporating poor strangers in the immunities of heaven , and surely this is worth thanking god for . the charters of some cities cost them dear , and the chief captain said to paul , with a great summe obtained i this freedom ; paul said , [ and so may believers say in this sense , ] but i was free-born . acts . . though it cost christ dear , yet it costs us nothing , but reception . this new jerusalem is built all of free-stone , and shall not our shoutings echo , grace , grace to the head-stone , jesus christ ? zech. . . especially since our freedom rescues us from hellish tortures , as pauls did him from scourging ; and makes us heirs of heaven . . peculiar advantages not afforded to all , gives grounds of thankfulness ; such is this . our lord said , matth. . , . i thank thee o father , lord of he aven and earth , because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent , and hast revealed them unto babes . alas what have any of us , but what we have received ? discriminating kindnesses call for the greatest gratitude : what did god see in any of us that might procure for us heaven ? or within us what preparation for heaven ? you and i are of the same polluted lump of mankind as others : most unlikely to become heirs of such a glorious inheritance as heaven is . what could god see in us to attract his heart to us ? nay , what did he not see in us to turn his stomach against us ? it was the kindness and love of god our saviour : not by works ef righteousness which we had done , but according to his mercy he saved us . tit. . , . alas , what loveliness could god see or foresee in us to make us children , then heirs of god , joynt-heirs with christ ? we may say with honest judas , job . . . how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us , and not unto the world ? it must be answered , even so father , for so it seemed good in thy sight . when thousands are left , why art thou taken ? how came it to pass that when philosophers and wise sages of the world , bewildred so in the dark about felicity , that god should shew you the right way to true happiness , and lead you into it , and in it ? surely all is of free grace . . fittedness to any duty or dispensation is a mercy worth thanking god for : such is the christian frame that makes meet for heaven ; such a person is fit to do gods will , or suffer gods will ; he is suited to a prosperous and adverse condition ; his foot standeth in an even place ; like a watch in a mans pocket , turn it this way or that way , it keeps its motion ; so the christian in all conditions , his station and motion heaven-wards . the righteous shall hold on his way , and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger . job . . he is [ utrinque paratus ] ready for any thing that god calls him to : like the man of god mentioned , tim. . . that is perfect , throughly furnished unto all good works . oh what a blessed thing is it to be in a capacity to embrace a motion to pray , read , conser , meditate , receive the lords supper upon an invitation from men , or summons from god! the church in cant. . . found the want of this , when she saith , i sleep , but my heart waketh ; i. e. i have the principle , but want the exercise of grace ; and alas , how unready was she to entertain her beloved , though she had given him a call ; and the sad consequences of this unfit frame are obvious , both as to her sin and suffering : but oh what a mercy is it to have an heart ready pressed for gods service ! give god the glory of it , and its worth something to be in a readiness for mercy , affliction , death , judgment , as those are that are meet for heaven . it was a noble speech of basil , when modestus the praefect threatened confiscation , torments , banishment ; he answered , he need not fear confiscation that hath nothing to lose ; nor banishment to whom heaven only is a countrey ; nor torments , when his body would be dasht with one blow ; nor death , which is the only way to set him at liberty . polycarp was ready for beasts , or any kind of death , for he was ready for heaven : for as this christian is delivered from danger by death , so from the fear of death . heb. . . death it self is the day break of eternal brightness to the child of god ; and is not this worth thanking god for ? . heaven is surely worth thanking god for . could we get a glimpse of that state and place of glory , and this inheritance of the saints in light , together with our title to it ; oh how would it dazzle and transport us ! its said that the temple of diana was so bright , that the door-keeper still cryed to such as entered , take heed to your eyes : much more may we say so of the surprizing glory of the heaven of heavens ; and therefore our lord saith , none can see his face and live : but death blows dust out of the eyes of glorified saints , and the morning-star at the resurrection doth so fortifie the sight , that it can behold this inaccessible light with admiration ; even as all the stars look upon the sun. fear not little flock , saith our saviour , luk. . . for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom . is not a kingdom worth thanks , and such a kingdom ; and to have this freely of gift , not to wade to it through wars and blood , and all this by hereditary right , which is the clearest title . oh sirs , do you know what heaven is ? it is the immediate injoyment of god , an immunity from all evils , a possession of all good , the perfection of our natures , the maturity of our graces , the destruction of all sin , the banishment of satan and his temptations , the fulness of joy , and total death of all grief . indeed it is such a state as can neither be expressed nor conceived . how vile and contemptible would all things below appear to one that with paul , is rapt up into this paradice ! i read of one adrianus an heathen , that was present when martyrs were examined and tormented , he asked , what was the reason they suffered such tortures ; it was answered in the words of that text , cor. . . eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither have entred into the heart of man the things which god hath prepared for them that love him : the very rehearsal of which words converted this adrianus , and he became a martyr also . oh what a transcendent reward is there in these mansions above ! and god doth not grudge us the knowledge of these glorious things . he is not like some rich men that will not let their heirs know , what they will do for them , till they dye ; no , the text saith , ver . . that god revealeth them to us by his spirit ; and v. . that we may know the things freely given to us of god. we may know them perceptively , not comprehensively ; by faith tho' not by sense . we know but yet in part , [ non rem sed aliquid rei ] but then we shall know as we are known ; [ not as god knoweth us ; for our knowledge and gods must not be so comparatively likened , but ] as holy spirits know us both now and for ever , we shall both know and be known by immediate intuition ; yet in this world god gives his children ( though differently ) some glimpses and dark representations , [ per species , as through a glass ] by metaphors or parables , and this discovery is to raise up our hearts in thankfulness , admiration and longing desires to be above with god. chap. xiii . some practical inferences from this doctrine . use of all this briefly is in four consectaries . . that there is undoubtedly such a future state as bliss and blessedness for gods ' children after this life . there remaineth a rest to the people of god. heb. . . i need not go about to prove this , it s sufficiently and abundantly confirmed by abler hands ; not only from scripture , but nature , reason , divine providence in the world , and the grace of god in the hearts of his people . enough is said to silence atheism in our spirits , and to stop the mouths of all atheists on earth . can any rationally imagine that god should endow man with such a noble soul , and endue that soul with such noble faculties of mind , will , and conscience , and affections , capable of knowing , loving , injoying god , with fears and hopes of a future state , and all this in vain ? can we think the holy , just , good , wise , righteous god will always promote the wicked and punish the godly , and not right these things in the next world ? hath christ come into the world to no purpose ? what would become of his birth , life , doctrine , death , resurrection , ascention , intercession , coming to judgment if there were no life of future retribution ? what would become of the precepts , promises , threatnings , motives , means , helps to an holy life here , and to attain eternal life hereafter , if there were no such thing ? can we imagine that the great god governs the world by a lye . are heaven and hell bug-bears , or meer imaginations of brain-sick fools ? is there not a reality in satans temptations , to draw or drive us from god and future happiness ? or are there no devils or spirits , and so by consequence no god ? away with these wild conceits , contrary to the sentiments of all mankind . . then it follows that assurance is attainable ; not only objective assurance , that there is a glorious inheritance , and that god will give it to some ; but subjective also , that this is mine , that its for me ; i have a title to it ; else how could persons thank god for making meet for this inheritance . this assurance ariseth from actings of faith , and produceth rejoycing in hope of this glory of god. rom. . . the gospel is a gospel of peace , not of fears and doubts . assurance may be had , not only by divine revelation , but in the use of ordinary means . i know in whom i have believed . tim. . . read on , and you 'l find not only his assurance of his present state , but his perseverance and future felicity ; and it s not his peculiar priviledge , but common to other believers . . cor. . . it s true god is a free agent , and may bestow it on whom , and when he pleaseth : some have it most clearly at first conversion ; as bernard for a time after his conversion , remained , as it were , deprived of his senses , by the excessive consolations he had from god. cyprian saith , he thought before his conversion , it was impossible to find such raptures and ravishments as now he found in a christian course . many a close walking christian can set his seal to this truth ; only it ordinarily comes in after hard conflicts , with temptation , wrestlings with god , much experience , and exact walking with god : there is salvation and there is the joy of gods salvation . psal . . . this ( saith mr. latimer ) is the sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience . there are many other dainty dishes at the feast , but this is the banquet : this is better felt then expressed ; but must be endeavoured after , prayed for : ask , saith our lord , and ye shall receive that your joy may be full . joh. . . . that the work of thankfulness is the great duty of a christian . this , this is the proper character and imployment of a christian . god commands it , priviledges call for it , gracious souls have been much in it ; it is comprehensive of mans whole duty . vrsin entitles the practical part of his carechism [ de gratitudine ] of gratitude . oh that christians were more in it ! praise is comely for the upright . this is the epitome of religion , the emblem of heaven , the proper air in which a christian breaths : it s most acceptable to god , creditable to religion , and profitable to the christian . mr. fox tells us , the city zurick ingraved the year of their deliverance from popery upon pillars , in letters of gold , for a lasting memorial : and have not christians cause to thank god for grace and glory ? the heathens could say , call a man ingrateful , and you cannot call him worse . hezekiah brought wrath on himself , judah and jerusalem , for not rendring to the lord according to benefits done to him . chron. . . oh sirs , you little know what an evil ingratitude is ; you fill your souls with guilt ; you too much resemble wicked men whose character is unthankful : tim. . . that sin makes hard times ; yea , it makes you like the worst of heathen , for which sin god gave them up ; rom. . , . you act disingenuously , as those that have served their turns of god , and then disown him . how can you own god in the next strait , that are so much in arrears ? will not your mouth be stopt , and conscience fly in your face ? do you not daily depend on god for new mercies ? and is not thankfulness a natural duty ? is not gratitude for spiritual mercies , a great evidence of your interest in them ? and is not every mercy sweetened by thankfulness ? nay is not this a mean to continue them ? the more thankful any have been the more eminent they have been : their graces have shined and glistered like pearls and diamonds . yea once more , the more thankful you are , and the more cause of thankfulness you will both have and see . thankfulness for what you are sure you have , will produce a fuller evidence of that you are doubtful of . the lord humble us for our gross ingratitude ; which is ( as one saith ) a monster in nature , a solaecism in manners , a paradox in divinity , and a parching wind to damme up the fountain of divine favours . you 'l say , oh sir , i could be thankful with all my heart , if i knew i were fit for heaven , and that my soul shall at death enter into peace ; but alas , as long as i am doubtful and at uncertainties , how can i be thankful ? conscience would check and condemn me ; and indeed i have more cause to be humbled and ashamed for my unmeetness , then thankful for any meetness i find in me for heaven . ans . . there may be grounds both of humiliation and thankfulness in the same soul and subject . let the best saints do the best they can , and attain to the highest pitch imaginable , they shall have cause of humiliation for their defects . . holy jealousie , fears , cares , do well in gods children , to keep them humble ; and indeed , as grace increaseth , fight of imperfections increaseth , and sense of short-coming ; the more discoveries of gods holiness , the viler will the christian be in his own eyes ; as job and isaiah , job . isa . . . and the humbler the soul is the fitter for god. isa . . . and . . thank god for that humility . . you may and must be thankful for the mercies which you have , and cannot deny but god hath vouchsafed : you have your lives for a prey ; are out of hell , which is more then you deserve ; you have abundant outward mercies , do not these deserve thankfulness ? yea , christ hath purchased grace and glory for some ; nay further , he hath put thousands into possession of this inheritance , and should not this make you thankful ? yea further , heaven is offered to you , and you are under the means of grace , and in a possibility of obtaining this happiness , which devils and damned souls are not ; and is not this ground of thankfulness ? . be sure you keep in mind the distinction of habitual and actual meetness for heaven : if you have not the former , either relative or real , be not adopted or justified , are neither converted , nor covenanted with god , i say , the lord have mercy on you , your case is doleful ; you have great cause of lamentation . oh man , i am not now speaking to thee ; be afflicted and mourn , let your laughter be turned into mourning , your joy to heaviness . jam. . . yea , you graceless rich men , weep and houl , for your miseries that shall come upon you . jam. . . i have not a word of comfort from the lord to you . your eatthly inheritances shall be taken from you , and you shall be thrust into the dungeon of hell. you may for a while kindle a fire , and walk warm in the sparks you have kindled , but , faith god , this shall you have of mine hand , ye shall lye down in sorrow , isa . . . stand you by while the saints take comfort in their portion . read isa . . , , . it is to you the heirs of promise , to whom i am now speaking , and bear you this in mind , that its one thing to have right to this inheritance , another to know you have right . many a gracious soul is much in the dark about its relation , yet its state safe for the main . what sayest thou ? hast thou not the things that accompany salvation ? heb. . . hath not god been dealing with thy heart , as he useth to deal with such as he designs for heaven ? hast thou not seen thy woful state by nature ? the necessity of christ and grace ? hast thou not experienced a change from nature to grace , from death to life ? hath not this new birth cost thee griefs and groans , prayers and tears ? dost thou not delight now in what thou didst disdain ? is not thy principle , rule , end , otherwise then formerly ? hast thou not changed thy company , courses , manner of life ? speak out man , belye not thy self , deny not gods grace ; something like grace thou seest in thy self , and to be sure satan and world oppose it , and man and thy self could not work it . it is of god , a seed sown by the hand of omnipotency . and he that hath begun a good work in you , will perform it until the day of jesus christ . phil. . . as to actual meetness for heaven , i refer you to what hath been laid down before ; look it over , deal impartially ; see if your experience do not answer those heads ; hath not god helped you in the exercise of the graces of faith , hope , love , humility ? hath not god given you some grounded evidence of sincerity , by diligence in duty , reflection on your state , appealing to god , and pleading with god for the spirits sealings ? hath not god helpt you to be dispatching your work off your hands , spiritual , temporal , relative and publick ? are you not much mortified to corruption , worldly injoyments , and have you not spiritualized earthly things , and got more intimate familiarity with god ? what say you to these things ? do not your hearts eccho back , with your [ probatum est ] setting your seal to these things ? i have not time nor room to inlarge further ; but i would have you diligently compare your selves now with what you were some years ago . is not your repentance more evangelical ? doth not the sense of divine love extort from you more tears of godly sorrow , and more vehement hatred of all sin , purely it is offensive to god ? hath not your faith been more vigorous in its actings upon your dear lord ? in closing more fully with promises ? have you not been more frequent and serious in renewing your covenant with god ? and have not such dayes and duties been solemn heart-melting opportunities ? have you not been more constant and inlarged in the duty of secret prayer , with shorter intermissions and more favouriness ? do you spend your time better then formerly ? do you fill up every vacancy with some useful business for earth or heaven ? have you not more incomes of grace and assistance in duties both as to matter and manner ? to knit your minds , and raise your affections to god , and sometimes suggest words to you ? do you not more concern your selves for the souls of relations and others in prayer and discourse ? being more weighted with the necessity of their conversion ? are you not more endeared to saints as saints , though poor , or disobliging , and of a different perswasion ? have you not got power over your passions , to regulate them ? and if you feel unruly motions , can you pray them down , and through grace calm them ? can you not put up injuries and affronts , and not only so as not to revenge and forgive , but pray more heartily for the repentance and remission of such as are most malicious against you ? is it not more the grief of thy heart when god is dishonoured , his spirit grieved , his gospel reproached by the sins of profane or professours ? if thou think any body is offended by thee , is it not more a real trouble to thee then formerly ? and thou canst not be quiet till thou seekest reconciliation ? and if thou be conscious of giving them just occasion , thou confessest thy fault and humblest thy self to them ? hast thou not learned more faithfully and discreetly to manage the duty of private admonition of an offending christian ? drawing out bowels of compassion for and to such as are fallen ? do not publick concerns of church or nation lye nearer thy heart daily ? canst thou not more rejoyce in the gifts , graces , holiness , usefulness of others , though it obscure thine ? art thou not more glad when corruptions are mortified then gratified ? when occasions of sinning are removed , rather then afforded , though it cost thee dear ? dost thou not more sensibly understand the sweet life of faith in temporals ? committing all to god , thou findest provisions have been strangely made ? are not thy affections more spiritualized towards dearest relations ? dost thou not love them in the lord , and the lord in them , and canst freely part with them upon gods call ? art thou not more taken up with gods mercies , to give him the glory of them , then any personal content thou hast in them ? is not thy heart daily more weary of the world , and longing for heaven ? yet after all this canst thou not say , thou art nothing , deservest nothing but hell ? and if god glorifie his justice in thy confusion , thy mouth is stopped , and thou must justifie him for ever with flames about thine eares ? dost thou not account thy self the greatest of sinners , least of saints , and by the grace of god thou art what thou art ? and this thou canst truly say , that god is more thy exceeding joy , and christ more precious to thy soul then ever ? canst thou in thy sober , solid , setled frame , answer these questions , thy state is safe and sweet , and thou art meet for heaven ; yet not so meet , but still breathing after more meetness , till thy last gasp of breath ; for no man on this side death was ever meet enough , and all must be ascribed to grace , grace in the foundation , grace in the topstone : i shall conclude all with a part of a poem in mr. herbert , called grace ; p. . death is still working like a mole , and digs my grave at each remove : let grace work too , and on my soul , drop from above . sin is still hammering my heart vnto an hardness void of love ; let suppling grace to cross his art , drop from above . o come ! for thou dost know the way , or if to me thou wilt not move ; remove me where i need not say , drop from above . cor. . . we are confident , i say , and willing rather to be absent frrm the body , and to be present with the lord. amen . finis . some books to be sold by thomas parkhurst , at the bible and three crowns in cheapside . a call to sinners , such as are under sentence of death , and such as are under any prospect of it from the long suffering , and gracious , but most righteous god. three questions resolved briefly and plainly , viz. . what conceptions ought we to have of the blessed god ? . what are those truths , whereof the knowledge appeareth most indispensably necessary unto our salvation ; and ( therefore ) to be first and most learnt by us ? . what is the change wrought in a man by gods h. word and spirit , before he can safely conclude himself passed from death to life ? being the summ of three sermons . the christian temper : or , the quiet state of mind that gods servants labour for . set forth in a sermon at the funeral of mrs. vrsula collins . a seasonable question plainly resolved , ( viz. ) what are we to judge of their spiritual estate who neglect the lords supper . and what is that discerning of the lords body in it , without which men do eat and drink their own damnation . the christians earnest expectation and longing for the glorious appearing of the great god and our saviour jesus christ . set forth in a discourse occasioned by the decease of that excellent christian and minister of christ , mr. noah webb , late of sandhurst in the county of berks. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e in answer to this question , see opinions in dr. tuckney . theses & praet . theol. ubi videa praeclare furius disputata p. . ad p. . the quiet soule, or, the peace, and tranquillity of a christians estate set forth in two sermons / by edmund elys ... elys, edmund, ca. -ca. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing e ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing e estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the quiet soule, or, the peace, and tranquillity of a christians estate set forth in two sermons / by edmund elys ... elys, edmund, ca. -ca. . [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed by h.h. for tho. robinson, oxford : . numerous errors in paging. errata: p. [i.e. ]. reproduction of original in the bodleian library. eng conduct of life -- early works to . sermons, english -- th century. a r (wing e ). civilwar no the quiet soule, or, the peace, and tranquillity of a christians estate set forth in two sermons / by edmund elys ... elys, edmund c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the qviet soule or the peace , and tranquillity of a christians estate set forth in two sermons . by edmund elys master of arts , and fellow of baliol-colledg in oxford . qui non appetit hominibus placere , nec timet displicere , multa perfruetur pace . th . à kempis . oxford , printed by h. h. for tho : robinson , . to the truly vertuous and excellent lady mris hester noye . madam , those deep discourses , which i have so often heard from you , upon the subject of this small book , gave me the occasion of composing it : and therefore i thought it my duty to dedicate it unto you. in perusing it , you may conceit , that these few good thoughts of mine returne to you , as small brooks and rivulets , to the ocean , from whence they came : for seriously madam , i shall ever acknowledg that one of the best waies i have found out to improve my vnderstanding in spirituall things , has been , the contemplation of that truly noble , and christian disposition , which the giver of every good , and perfect gift has bestowed on you. certainly those vertuous persons , who have the happynesse to be acquainted with you , if they peruse this discourse , will imagine it to be no other then your character : considering what a rare thing that temper of mind is , which here i describe ( i fancy ) they would have thought me to have had lōe acquaintance with you , though i had not prefixt your name . you , madam , are one of those very few in the world , who , by the strength of true , sanctified reason , are able to apprehend firmely , and constantly these most important truthes ( which scape the notice of the generality of men ) that the things of the world are in themselves altogether vanity , that god is all in all , &c. the sun of righteousnesse thus shining into your soule , giving you a cleare , and full demonstration of these truthes , scatters those mists , and clouds of false hopes , and feares , anxious desires , and foolish imaginations , &c. which continually hang over the soules of those persons , ( which are by farre the greatest part of the world ) that are earthly , and sensuall ; shewing you that the only way to set your heart at rest , is , to acquiesce in the enjoyment of god , which you have in part here ; and in the hopes of the fulnesse , and consummation of it , which you shall have in heaven hereafter . if i have put you to a blush ( for i know your nature is such , that you still endeavour to fly the praises , your actions ( all for ) i shall entreat you to consider that by what i have here spoken i did not principally intend to praise you , but to glorifie your maker : for , what have you that you have not receiv'd ? you know what vse you are to make of being well spoken of : to thanke god for the grace he hath given you , and to pray unto him for more . it may be you will wonder to see me in print again , &c. contrary to the advice of so many of my honor'd friends : but , seriously , madam , to speak freely , i have weigh'd all the reasons , that have been , or ( i think ) can be produc'd to dissvvade me , and i find them too light to over-ballance my resolution in this designe : vvherein i am sure i can do no man any , harme : but in all probability shall doe some good , in the service of him , whose favour is the only thing i would absolutely desire ; whose displeasure is the onely thing i would absolutely avoid : neither shall i ever charge my selfe , as guilty of indiscretion , ( which is the great bugbear , which some men would fright me withall from such vndertakings ) but when i find that , through the blindnesse of my understanding , or the violence , and praecipitancy of my affections , i have fallen into the one , or have missed the other . i shall not hold you with any longer discourse farewell : and may the god of all comfort love and embrace you ; and wipe off all teares from your eyes : may you and i , and all those , whom we are bound to pray for , rest from our labours , from all doubts , and feares , all trouble , and anguish , and disturbance of spirit , in the bosome of the father , through our lord jesus christ . to the reader . reader , methinks i heare thee say , as i have often heard others upon the like occasion . what need more books on this subject ? have not such and such learned men written on it allready ? and does this man think himselfe wiser , then any of them ? to this i answer , that i conceive the use of such bookes may not onely be to make us know what wee ought to doe , but to excite us to doe according to our knowledg : to beget in the mind of the reader new acts of understanding such truths , as he has already received ; that if his former notions , ( being weake , and remisse , & suddenly broken off by vaine thoughts and passions ) have never had any powerfull , and effectuall influence upon his will ( to ingage him to a stedfast resolution , and constancy of acting according to those truthes ) his latter may . to speake more closely : i suppose thou mayest have read severall treatises on this subject , which i treat of in these following leaves penn'd ( it may be ) by men of more learning then i shall ever attaine unto , though i should live more lustres , then yet i have seen years : and yet 't is very possible that thou mayest gain more good to thy soule by these lines of mine , then ever thou did'st by theirs . ( suspend thy judgment a little : and doe not presently passe thy censure upon me , as proud , and selfe-conceited ) two reasons for this my opinion ( others i have which i shall not divulge ) are these . first , 't is very possible that when thou readest this discourse thy mind may be more dispos'd , & fitted to receive the matter therein deliver'd , then it was when thou didst read the discourses of other men upon the same subject . secondly , through the whole course of the observations i have made ( according to the time i have had to exercise my reason ) of my selfe , and others ; i have found that practicall truthes are more , or lesse taking according to the expressions wherein they are set forth : as persons are esteem'd more , or lesse handsome according to the dresses , they go in ▪ i do not here imply that my expressions are better , then others , but that , being not the same possibly they may be better to thee , that is , they may be more suitable to thy genius , & temper of mind , & so the apter to insinuate into thee , the matter they carry in thē . i have nomore to say to thee thē only to advise thee , that if thou intendest to peruse this short discours , thou wouldst allow thy self more time for it , then the small bulk thereof may seem to require . they that read such discourses , as this , loosely , & cursorily , usually misse of the greatest part of the practicall sense , & meaning of the words : which does , as it were , run beside , whilst they endevour toe fast to poure it into their minds . such kind of writings , which are intended for the cure of our sinfull habits , the sores , and ulcers of the soule , are not onely to be read over , but to be fixt in our hearts by serious meditation otherwise they will become uselesse unto us , and of none effect : as we are wont not onely to lay plaisters to our bodily sores , but also to bind them on , otherwise they would soone slip off from the places affected . if thou beest one of those envious , malitious , uncharitable men , ( whereof the world is so full ) who hate any one that is not of the same humour with themselves ; and are ready alwaies to brand those with the name of hypocrites , and vain-glorious persons , that venture to be thus publick : i assure thee , whosoever thou art , i am confidēt through the grace of god , that i shall not be any otherwise troubled with the apprehension of thy ill opinion of me ( if it come to my knowledg ) then only for this , that thy heart , being by prejudice hardned against me , will be the lesse capable ( for thy good ) to receive any impression from what i have written . what kind of man soever thou art , thou canst not be injur'd by my writings , or i by thy censures . farewell : and if thou beest a scholar , and conceitest thy selfe ( as justly thou mayest ) to know more , then i can teach thee , remember that saying of seneca . stude ; non ut plùs aliquid scias , sed ut meliùs . sermon i. take my yoke upon you , and learne of mee , for i am meeke , and lowly in heart , and ye shall find rest unto your soules . mat. . . i shall first explaine the expressions in my text , and then i shall raise the doctrine , which i shall insist upon as the principall subject of my discourse . take my yoke upon you : that is , doe the commands i have imposed upon you : do the will of your heavenly father , which i came to discover unto you . and learne of mee : i. e. and that you may know how to doe it , take mee for your example . for i am meek , and lowly in heart : i. e. for i am , as you ought to be , loving and kind to men , and truly humble , and submissive to god , and you shall find rest unto your soules . i. e. and in doing the will of your god , which is holy , just , and good ; you shall find true comfort , and satisfaction , and complacencie of mind : you shall cease from all that labour and travell , which hitherto you have continually endur'd in seeking , and by wicked meanes endeavouring after true contentment in the things of this world , which are all vanity and vexation of spirit . * from the words thus open'd unto you i shall draw forth this doctrine : that true faith in christ ( through which christians are inabled by god to take christ's yoke upon them , &c. ( i say ) true faith in christ cures a man of all spirituall distempers , and gives him ease : frees him from all anguish , and sorrow , and tribulation of mind , and furnishes him with a never failing stock of pleasure , and contentment . to be more strict and logicall ; i shall lay down the sense of my doctrine in these words : true faith enables a man to draw , true , solid comfort ( strong consolation ) from all the objects of his thoughts : whatsoever a wise man , a faithfull , syncere christian thinkes of , he finds in it cause to rejoice . whithersoever his soule hath occasion to goe , ( if i may so expresse my selfe ) she finds the way beset , as it were , with beds of roses , very pleasant , and delightsome unto her ▪ according to that of solomon , * the waies of wisdome are waies of pleasantnesse , and all her pathes are peace . before i come to a punctuall demonstration of the truth of my doctrine , to shew you , that rest and quiet of mind , which a good man , a true believer continually enjoyes , i shall premise some discourse of that trouble and anguish , wherewith the minds of wicked , unregenerate men are so grievously afflicted . you will have a more exact apprehension of the rest of the godly , when you heare of the labours of the wicked . there is no peace , saith my god , to the wicked . a wicked man can never have any peace , any rest in his soule . how can he have peace , who is his own enemie . hierocles saies truly , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : a good man is only a friend to himself . the mind of a wicked man is his torment : his thoughts gnaw him , as wormes the bowels . which way soever he looks upon himselfe , he sees nothing but griefe and horror . when he looks back upon his life past , and considers what he hath been , his conscience presently vexes and upbraids him ; shewing him the vanity of the pleasures he hath enjoy'd , and the wickednesse of the actions he hath committed . when he considers the state and condition he is in at present , there suddenly arises in him a great deale of anguish and vexation of spirit from an apprehension of the emptinesse , and dissatisfaction of all his enjoyments . when he considers what he would be , and sends out his thoughts in the search of the best means to accomplish his desires , he is miserably distracted , and divided against himselfe : his conscience striving against his affections , or his affections one against another : one while his lusts , his vile affections furiously impell him to such and such a course , because t is pleasant , whilst his conscience deters him from it because 't is wicked . another while , having broke the bonds of conscience , he is againe restrain'd by some passion ( or inordinate affection ) contrary to that by which his soule was first mov'd . thus how oft does it happen , that a man is vehemently inclin'd by his sensuall desires to do those things , from which the fear of shame , or of temporall punishment &c keeps him back ? thus how oft does it happen , that a man's ambition urges him to those dangers from which his cowardise deters him ; or his pride and rash desire to be accounted magnificent , or the like , to those expences from which his covetousnesse powerfully disswades him . this or the like distraction and incomposednesse of mind is the lot of all the wicked : whose miserable condition we may in short describe thus . the things which they so eagerly pursue and follow after , can never afford them any of that satisfaction and contentment , which they expect from them : and they misse the greatest part even of that outward , sensible pleasure , which the nature of their enjoyments might afford ; by reason of that trouble and dissatisfaction which they bring to some of their affections , whilst they gratifie others ; or by reason of the troubles they receive from their displeased consciences : which , if they cannot restraine them from rushing into sin , pursue them ( as it were ) and overtake them in the act , and deprive them of the greatest part of the pleasure of it . i 'll appeale to the heart of any man here , that is conscious to himselfe , that he is to be numbred among the wicked , that he lives in any course of known sin , gives way to his lusts and sensuall inclinations ; i 'll appeale , i say , to the heart of any such man , and be try'd by him , whether i do not speak truth : surely he knowes it by woefull experience . whenever thou hast offended thy god , to satisfie the importunity of any of thy impetuous lusts , hath not thy conscience dampt thy flaming spirit , cool'd thy courage , ( as we use to speak ) telling thee , that thou hast done foolishly , telling thee of hell and death : and so mixing thy wine with wormwood , turning thy delight into vexation of spirit . having thus briefly discovered unto you the black and dismall condition of the soules of the wicked , which sit in darknesse , and in the shadow of death : i shall now endeavour to discover unto you the pleasant and comfortable estate of those that are truly godly , who have the day-star arising in their hearts , who through faith in christ , walke in the light of gods countenance , enjoy his favour , who is king of kings , and lord of lords , the father of mercies , and god of all comfort . that i may give you a more clear and manifest discovery of this happinesse of a true christian ; i shall point ( as it were ) ( as those men use to do , that shew you some excellent sight , to make your notice the more accurate ) at the principall parts of it , opening , and demonstrating unto you this proposition or doctrine : [ true faith enables a man , &c. ] in these three particulars . first , true faith in christ inables a man to draw comfort from the remembrance of what he hath been , of the condition he hath formerly been in . . from the apprehension of that which he is in at present . . from the expectation of what he may be in for the future . now these three things , what a man hath been , what he is , and what he expects to be , are the principall , and most usuall objects of our thoughts : therefore if i shall be able to shew you , how a true , faithfull christian may draw matter of comfort from all these , i suppose , you will easily apprehend how he may comfort himselfe also in the notice he takes of other things , as of all the workes of providence , which he sees in the affaires of the world , or the like : therefore i shall not extend my discourse to any of them . each of the particulars which i have propounded unto my selfe to be insisted upon , as the subject and ground-worke of my discourse , consists of two parts , our condition being two-fold , viz. of the inner , and outward man : or ( as the common words are ) spirituall and temporall ▪ at present i shall speak only of the temper and disposition of a christians spirit in reference to his spirituall condition , past , present , and to come . as for his temporall condition , or the estate of his outward man , i shall defer my discourse of that , 'till some other opportunity . the first thing that i am to shew you is , that a true christian , one that hath taken christ's yoke upon him &c. can take comfort , find rest unto his soule , in the remembrance of his life past , whether it have been sinfull or holy . but here probably some of you may presently object within your selves against what i say , thus : how ! can a true christian take comfort in the remembrance of his sinfull estate ? why ? what then is meant by poenitence , or godly sorrow ? is not that the sorrow which we conceive by the remembrance of our sins ? in removing this objection , i doubt not , but ( by gods assistance ) i shall give you a full discovery of this truth ; that a christian can comfort himselfe ( through the help of gods spirit ) even in the remembrance of his sinfull estate . we grant , that when he thinks of his sinfull estate , as sinfull , to wit , as it relates to god , as that course of life , wherein he did so often dishonour the name of the god that made him ; of jesus , that redeem'd him ; and griev'd the holy spirit of god , that now sanctifies him : i say my brethren , when a christian does this way look back upon his sinfull life , he cannot chuse through indignation against himselfe , but rent his heart , vex his spirit , cherish and foment his own sorrow , saying with david : * i will be sorry for my sin . but let us observe , that this kind of sorrowing is but as the taking of physick , 't is not any disease , or settled distemper of the soul : i say , when we are thus prickt with the sharp sense and feeling of our sins , we are not wounded , but let blood : and this spirituall phlebotomy is that , which cures us of our present , and prevents future maladies . to speak more plainly ; this godly sorrow ( as the * apostle saies ) worketh repentance : {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , worketh a change of the mind : alters the temper and constitution of the inward man ; confirmes a man in holinesse , which is the health and strength of the soule , that hath formerly been wicked , that is to say , that hath abounded with all manner of infirmities , with all manner of lusts , and burnings , and inordinate affections , which are ( as it were ) the feavers , and agues , and swellings , and tumours of the soule . and thus , my brethren , though the sorrow , which a true christian , a faithfull servant of the living god , conceives by the remembrance of his sinfull life past , be in it selfe very painfull and grievous , yet it worketh for him the greatest ease and comfort . it only roots out of the heart all carnall joy , all false , fading , worldly comfort , to plant in it ioy unspeakable , & the comfort of the holy ghost . to fix this truth in your minds , to confirme you in the apprehension of it , i shall recite unto you that saying of our saviour : * blessed are they that mourn , for they shall be comforted . all that i have here said may be briefly summ'd up thus : the thoughts , which a godly man has , in the remembrance of his unregenerate estate ( though they do not directly , yet they doe ) by consequent continually afford him abundance of comfort : to wit ( as in effect i said but now ) by fitting , and preparing his heart to entertain the holy ghost , the only true comforter . the more a man sorrowes after a godly sort ( as the * apostles expression is ) the more entertainment he gives to the spirit of god , and receives the more comfort from him : as often this way , as â christians spitits faile him , god gives him a cordiall , to revive , and to delight his soule . having thus spoken of the temper , and disposition of a christians spirit in the remembrance of his sinfull estate ; in relation to god , that is , as that course of life , wherin he did so often dishonour the name of the god that made him : &c. i shall now shew you how his spirit is affected , what kind of thoughts he hath , in the remēbrance of it , as it relates to himselfe , as an estate of trouble of which he is eas'd , and of danger which he hath escaped . now my brethren , that a sinfull estate is troublesome , and unquiet , i have shewne you from these words , there is no peace , &c. that 't is also a dangerous estate , sinners being every moment in danger of hel-fire i presume there is none here but will readily grant : and i suppose this also , that men reioyce in the remembrance of the troubles , and dangers , they have past , is so obvious to every ones apprehension , that to goe about accurately , and logically to prove unto you , that a christian may draw comfort , and matter of rejoying continually from the remembrance of his sinfull condition , as troublesome , and dangerous , would be but to mis-spend so much time , being a vaine , and meer formall labour . therefore i shall not shew you this truth soe , as if you had never seen it before ( if i may soe speake ) but that you might view it againe , & take more exact notice of it : i shall soe speake of it that i shall not seem , to bring the truth to you , but only , to make you turne the eyes of your understanding towards it , being habitually in your minds already , though probably , the greatest part of you did never in any measure so firmely apprehend it , so thorowly thinke of it , as you ought to doe . and here i cannot but make a farther digression , to speake a word against the folly of some men , who pretending much to polite reason , and learning , account it a vaine thing for scholars to discourse of such truthes , as are so commonly confes'd : as if those waters of life , spirituall , and practicall truthes , might not lye many yeares together in a carnall mans head , thorowly frozen as it were , and uselesse , 'till by the hearing of some more powerfull , zealous , experimentall expressions of the same truth 's , his affections be so inflamed , as to thaw , and dissolve them ( if i may so speake ) that they may flow downe continually upon the heart , to purge and cleanse it from all filthinesse , and pollution ; as that river did augeas his stable . i do not speake this for the allusion's sake , as a strained conceit , but as that which i thinke suitable to the experimentall notions of godly men . and now i come to speake of the comfort , a christian hath when he reflects upon his unregenerate estate , as troublesome and dangerous : and this i shall do as briefly and pithily as i can . you know it is a common saying : fessum quies plurimùmjuvat . what a comfortable thing is it for one that hath travelled hard to repose himselfe , for one that is weary to ly downe , and take his rest ? how doth he rejoyce , and hug himselfe ( as they say ) in the apprehension of his present health , that hath beene recovered of a long , and grievous sicknesse ? why , thus it is with a syncere convert , when he considers his former condition : his thoughts representing unto him the spirituall evils : which formerly he laboured under , and opposing them to that good and pleasant condition , which now he is in , make him the more sensible of it , more to rejoyce in it . the like comfort we may conceive to be in the heart of a true believer , when he looks back upon the danger of his sinfull estate . when he considers that he was once in the high-way to hell , that broad way , &c. that he was once like to perish for ever ; his soule doth magnifie the lord , and his spirit doth rejoyce in god his saviour . how does he delight himselfe upon this consideration , in acting his faith , in the contemplation of the things that are not seen : hell which he hath escaped ; and heaven , which shortly he shall inherit ? through the strong apprehensions he hath , that his sins are forgiven him , & c ? with what alacrity and chearfulnesse doth he embrace the god , that loved him , the physitian that cured him , the lord that saved him ? such as these are the usuall thoughts of one that is truly converted , when he calls to mind the sinfulnesse of his life past : as in hot and sun-shine dayes , swine are wont to wallow in the mire to avoid the extremity of the heat : so how long did i accustome my selfe to wallow in all manner of uncleannesse , ( filthinesse of the flesh , and spirit ) wherein i never found any true comfort , did only for the present allay the scorching heat , and violence of my inordinate affections ; being continually troubled either with the sollicitation and urgency of them , or with some reflexion upon the base and filthy wayes i tooke to satisfie them ? how long did i accustome my selfe to drinke poysonous waters to quench my thirst : to do that which i knew to be evill , to satisfiie the importunity of my irregular desires ? thus missing my way to true happinesse , the more hast i made towards it , the farther still i went from it : the oftener i accomplisht my desires , the more discontented i found my selfe , still vexing my spirit , to please my lusts . but now , how happy am i ! now god is my portion : and what can i desire more , having him who is all in all ? him i doe enjoy in some measure here , and shall enjoy him fully & perfectly hereafter in heaven . yea methinkes i am in heaven already : i find my selfe above the world : i am free from those earthly affections , wherein formerly i ingaged my soule . i envy no mans honour : or covet his estate : or hate his person : or feare his power : all that i would avoid is sin , all that i desire is god : for ever blessed be his spirit , which hath thus reformed mee . i can say unto god with david , * whom have i in heaven , but thee ? and there is none upon earth , that i desire besides thee . and now i am come to this point : that a christian exceedingly rejoyces in the remembrance of his life past , if he have been sanctified from the wombe , if he have been godly all his dayes . here i shall not use many words : the subject i suppose to be so plaine , that your thoughts would run on in it ( that i may so speake ) without any interruption : if i should but shew them the way , should but mention it . i shall onely endeavour to set forth this truth , that the remembrance of time spent in the service of god is most comfortable , and pleasant , by this similitude : as one that hath been delivered out of many dangers , relieved in many distresses , and made rich and great by some eminent and noble person , pleases himselfe in the thoughts of these benefits , not onely , as enjoyed by himselfe , but as received from such a person , whose love is no less honourable , then such obligations , as i mentioned , the evidences of it bountifull : so one that hath been godly from his youth , when he remembers those many spirituall troubles , and dangers , from which his god , who is king of kings , and lord of lords , hath continually preserved him , those many straits and distresses in which he hath relieved him : and how he hath made him rich in grace , &c. how exceedingly does he rejoyce in the god of his salvation , filling himselfe with confidence , that he who hath continued his loving kindnesse so long time , will be still unto him * a very present help in trouble . suitable to the thoughts of such a man we may find many expressions , in the booke of psalmes . * god is my king of old. * i remembred thy jugements of old , o lord , and have comforted my selfe . * i was cast upon thee from the wombe : thou art my god from my mothers belly . all that may be said upon this subject may be summ'd up , and concluded in this ▪ that for any one who hath been godly all his dayes to remember his life past , is , to call to mind the mercies of god , to reflect upon those gifts and graces , which god hath bestowed on him from time to time ; to meditate on those sacred truths , which have been continually held forth unto him by the spirit of wisdome , as a light to direct him in all the darke and slippery passages of his life . and what is this but to looke on the tokens , and read over the letters , which have been sent him from his dearest and best friend his father , his god ? and what delight & satisfaction think you , does he take in this ? surely they only can rightly imagine that have had some experience of it . thus my brethren , when a man calls to mind the time he hath spent in the service of god , he doth , as it were , live over againe his holy , and righteous , and therefore most happy life . vivere bis , vitâ posse priore frui . * now come we to shew you that a true christian can take comfort in the apprehension of his present condition , as to his inward man , whether he be weake , or strong in faith . if he be weake , and his iniquities often prevaile against him : then it is true , when he ruflects upon himselfe , and sees the fiery darts of satan sticking in his sides , his thoughts do not directly bring him any comfort , but ( as i said but now upon another occasion ) by consequent they doe : that is to say , when he considers the weaknesse of his faith , he cannot but be grieved ▪ but when he reflects upon this consideration , considers that he does consider his spirituall weaknesse , and is thereupon applying himselfe for help unto christ , whose grace is sufficient for him , who would support him still , and keep him from falling away totally , and finally , though his faith should be ten thousand times weaker then it is ; in this he takes comfort : and is ready to say with saint paul , * most gladly will i glory in my infirmities , that the power of christ may rest upon me . thus a christian comforts himselfe even in his weake faith ; not that he is weake , but that christ's strength is made perfect , that is , manifests its sufficiciency , and perfection , in his weaknesse : not , that he is of himselfe so ready to fall : but that through his owne vanity , and unsteadinesse , he discernes the power of christ , by which he stands . now let us consider a christian strong in faith , in whom there is scarce any lust , that can make the least resistance against the soule , who can say with holy david , * i hate vaine thoughts , but thy law do i love . oh how comfortable are the thoughts of such a man unto him , when he considers his estate ? how unspeakable is his joy , when he reflects upon himselfe , and sees the image of god , the beauty of holinesse in his owne soule ? when he considers that god hath granted him , that he hath so often prayed for : a cleane heart : that through christ enabling him , he hath overcome all those temptations to sinne , and uncleannesse , which he sees to have power over the generality of men : ( the whole world , saies the apostle , lyeth in wickednesse . ) upon such considerations as these , the soule of a christian delights herselfe in running unto god , as little children are wont to do to their fathers to hug , and embrace him , and expresse all manner of affection unto him , in such an holy passion as david was in , when he * said , i love the lord , because he hath heard my voyce , and my supplications . i * will love thee , o lord , my strength . thus you see how a christians meditations concerning the state of his inward man , worke comfort for him continually , either by discovering the evils and perturbations of his soule , that they may be removed : or by representing those things , that are good , and excellent to please and delight him . and now i come to the last thing that i propounded to my selfe , to speake of at this time . that a christian takes comfort in the expectation of any thing that may befall him for the future , as to his inward man : and that i shall briefly demonstrate thus : either he expects that he shall fall into many temptations , many spirituall straits , and distresses : if so he rejoyces in the god of his life , who is able * to save him to the uttermost , and * will with the temptation also make a way to escape : or else he expects that god will lead him in a plaine path ( as the psalmists expression is ) that he shall have no more such temptations ; and stops in his christian course , as hitherto he hath had : that those lusts , which warre against the soule , shall no more rise up against him : if so , he sings his {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , and triumphs over sinne and death , saying with saint paul , thankes be to god who giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ . in a word : true faith roots all feare out of a christians heart , and turnes all his expectation , into hope ( which is you know , the comfortable foresight of some future good ) even through the strength of this perswasion , that as saint paul saies ) all things worke together for good , to them that love god : and also that himselfe is one of them . sermon ii. take my yoke upon you , &c. mat. . . in my last sermon i told you that a true christian through faith takes comfort in the remembrance of what he hath been : and in the apprehension of what he is : and in the expectation of what he may be for the future , as to his inward man : i shall now prove the same of him , as to his outward man . and here i shall insist longest upon the middle proposition : to wit , that a christian takes comfort in the apprehension of the temporall condition he is in , what ever it be . i suppose the particular notions implyed in the two other propositions will be easily discovered from the explication of this : remembrance , and expectation being nothing else ( as all scholars will soon grant ) but a kind of apprehēsiō : by the former we take back the species , and impresses of things past : by the latter we anticipate , and take them before-hand . as for the first proposition that i am to handle , to wit , that a christian takes comfort in the remembrance of what he hath been : i shall briefly demonstrate it ; by shewing you the originall and spring of that comfort , which is , the observation of the love of god , manifested unto him in a way suitable to the condition he hath been in : if he have beene in adversity ; he considers , how by that god hath beene pleas'd to make the worid bitter unto him , to heighten his appetite to spirituall delights , to make him long more earnestly to taste , and see the goodnesse of god : or to make him meeke and humble : or some other way to advance his soule towards perfection , in piety , and vertue by the low estate of his outward man . if he have been in prosperity , he considers how by that god hath been pleas'd to provoke him to christian magnanimity , and magnificence , to make him instrumentall for his glory , in some great and eminent acts of charity , or to save him from despondency , and faintnesse of spirit , and such like infirmities , which he knowes most incident to men in adversity : still sanctifying unto him all * outward things , as poverty , or riches , honours , or disgraces , health or sicknesse , to the use of his soule : before conversion , to put him out of the way to hell : and after , to bring him on in the way to heaven , and may we not here say with holy david * who so is wise , and will observe these things : even they shall understand the loveing-kindness of the lord . all that can be said in this place , may be briefly summ'd up thus : all things worke together for good to those that love god : and the observation that a christian takes of that reall , spirituall good , that god has wrought for him by his temporall condition , whatever it has been , affords him infinitely more comfort and satisfaction , then any man can declare or conceive , but he that knowes it by experience . i am now come to the second proposition , that i intended to handle in this discourse : a christian takes comfort in the sense , & apprehension of the present condition of his outward man , whether it be prosperity , or adversity : by prosperity ▪ i understand that estate , wherein he has the enjoyment of his health , of abundance of riches , and great possessions , and is in honour , and reputation amongst all those , with whom he has to doe . adversity is the want of these things : if we want all of them , we are wholly ; if but some , partly miserable ( i speake as to the outward man . ) that christians take comfort in their prosperous condition , i suppose to be a truth so plaine and obvious , that i need not spend much time in the demonstration of it . i shall onely shew you one principall reason of the comfort they take in their outward enjoyments : ( health , goods , good name . ) they look upon them as the meanes of performing in deed , what every true christian constantly wills , that speciall duty , which christ enjoynes us ; let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good workes , and glorifie your father which is in heaven . this truth will be most evidēt , if we cōsider that the body is the instrument of the soule : that , whereby we performe the outward operations of all our faculties , whereby we act before men , as writing , or talking , or performing any other action , whereby we discover to the world , what temper and disposition we are of : now health is the firmenesse , and soundnesse of this instrument : and without it we cannot so well performe any outward act of vertue : and if we do enjoy our health , without riches and honours , there are many vertues , which we cannot so well discover : for instance ; how can a man shew himselfe liberall , that hath nothing to give to those that need ? how can a man discover his humility , that hath no honour , and reputation in the world ; that is so low already , that he cannot shew any condescention . here then let us observe , that 't is the duty of every christian to use all means possible , ( in a right way ) that are truly honest , to gain such riches , and honours as he knows himselfe able to manage . and in the pursuit of them , never to be deterr'd by any feare of being accounted covet●●● or proud : whilst his owne conscience tells him , that he doth not endeavour after these outward things , that he may enjoy them , but god in them , using them to his glory . and now i shall shew you ( by gods assistance ) that a true faithfull christian takes comfort also in his adversity , when ever it pleases god to put him into such a condition . that you may have a more cleare , and distinct notion of this truth , i shall shew you particularly , what comfort and satisfaction he takes in poverty , sicknesse , disgrace , or the losse of his reputation . all temporall evils , or afflictions being comprehended under one of these three heads . as for the first , the main ground , and principle of that comfort , which a christians heart is possessed of , when he reflects upon his poverty , is , the thought of that safety which he enjoyes from those spirituall dangers , and perplexities which rich men are entangled in , by reason of those manifold opportunities to enjoy the pleasures of sin , and allurements thereunto , which the abundance of their worldly possessions continually presents unto them . you know who said : 't is * easier for a camell to goe through the eye of a needle , thē for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of god . here we may observe how the great ones of the world deceive themselves , in thinking they deserve to be admired , and had in such high esteeme for their | brave cloathes , stately houses , rattling coaches , &c. a true christian that goes in rags ( though he gives them that outward respect which is due unto them by the lawes , and constitution of the commonwealth wherein he lives ) in his heart pitties them , and dispises their worldly height , and glory : as that , which in his baptisme he vow'd to forsake : to slight and contemne the pomps and vanities of this wicked world . he sees himselfe by the eye of faith , to be in a condition infinitely more high , and noble , then theirs : though those earthly creatures , carnall minded men : ( whose discourse is only of lands , and livings , dogs and horses , coaches and howses , fine cloathes , and banquets , &c. ) are no more able to discerne it , then a mole to behold the sun . to conclude this point : a poore man , that is truly gracious , whose heart is rich towards god , lookes upon himselfe , as one of those that have an interest in that blessing , which our saviour gave his disciples : * blessed be ye poor , for yours is the kingdome of god : and in all those other large promises , which the god of truth hath made to believers ; which most commonly the hearts of christians cleave unto so much the more closely , by how much the lesse they have of the good things of this life to allure , and draw off their thoughts . now , my brethren , how such sweet , and comfortable words from our almighty father , as the holy scriptures abound with all , being apply'd by faith , will relieve the heart of any true christian , whil'st he labours under the heaviest sense of outward poverty ; what comfort , i say , what spirituall delight & sweetness a poore christian ( driven into himselfe by the stormes without : ( if i may so expresse my selfe ) necessitated , as it were , to set his faith on worke to procure comfort for him , whilst without he finds nothing but poverty , and distresse : what spirituall delight and sweetnesse such a man ) may suck out of these brests of consolations ( as the scripture expression is ) thinke you , who are true believers : joy in the holy ghost : ( in which ( as in effect i said but now ) commonly those christians most abound , who possesse least of the things of the world . ) no man can ever fully expresse ; and none but such as you , can in any measure rightly conceive . i come now to shew you , that sicknesse also affords matter of comfort to any true believer : this truth i might easily make appeare unto you many wayes : but ( because i shall hasten to the application , wherein i shall spend more time , then ordinary ) i shall onely mention one reason of it . sicknesse , you know , naturally puts a man in mind of death ; and what can be more comfortable to a syncere christian then the thoughts of that ? what can be more comfortable to a child of god , then the thoughts of that happy time , when he shall goe home to his father ; when he shall fully enjoy his maker , and his redeemer ? to speake more at large : a syncere christian ( whose thoughts ( his heart being as it were , set on fire with love to god ) continually fly upward , as sparkes towards heaven . ) usually when he feeles any paine , presently considers the naturall frailty and mortality of his body , & thereupon his soule rejoyces in this hope , that shortly , when a few * dayes are past , she shall cast it off from her ; as that , which so clogs and hinders her , and deprives her of that vigour , and quicknesse , which she desires , in her spirituall operations , in the service of her maker , which she is mainly , yea wholly intent upon . now , beloved , if death be so desirable to a true christian ; judge yee what comfort his sicknesse affords him , which continually supplies him with fresh thoughts , and strong apprehensions of mortality . and thus i have briefly demonstrated unto you , that a christians faith is able to extract comfort out of those two things which are so terrible to the generality of men : poverty and sicknesse . i am now to shew you how this victorious grace , by which we overcome the world , softens unto us also that other hard thing , disgrace , or the losse of our good-name , and esteem amongst men , making the sowernesse of the worlds carriage towards us , serve us , as it were for sauce at the feast of our good conscience . the heavyest disgrace , or infamy , which in this life a child of god lyes under , is occasioned by these , or the like meanes : a report that he hath beene guilty of some notorious basenesse , and impiety : or a misconceit of his good actions , which proceeding from such principles , as carnall men ( who are by farre the greatest part of the world ) are in no wise able to apprehend , cannot but be misconstrued : hence it is that they nick-name all his vertues : & endeavour to render him most odious and contemptible for those actions , by which he knows himselfe chiefly to deserve love , and respect from all those that are truly noble , and heavenly-minded : thus when a christian shewes himselfe humble , how do the men of the world mistake him for a sneaking , mean-spirited fellow ? when magnanimous for proud , and selfe-conceited ? if the infamy a christian suffers be occasioned by such a report , as i mentioned but now , if it be true , he comforts himselfe in it upon this account : that it is unto him a continuall memento to repent , and bemoane himselfe for the commission of that sin ; and to rejoyce in god , by whose spirit he is perswaded that his sins are forgiven him : if the report be false , the abused christian greatly rejoyces in the thoughts of that grace which restrained him from that action , of which hee is supposed to be guilty , into which , if he had been left to himselfe , he might have rushed , * as the horse rusheth into the battell , being naturally prone to every thing that is evill . another ground of the comfort a godly man takes in such a case is , that he finds himselfe often stirr'd up to pray unto god , saying with holy david , hold up my goings in thy paths , * that my footsteps slip not , upon this consideration , that there are so many that would rejoyce over him if he should but fall . these and a thousand other occasions of comfort do the godly apprehend to lighten their hearts , to delight their soules , whensoever they reflect upon those heavy censures , calumnies , and revilings , with which they are continually loaden . the more the world hates them , the stronger apprehensions they have of the favour of god . he is their * covert from storme and from raine : in him they rest secure from the stormy wind of all those ill reports , calumnies , and reproaches , they heare continually raised against them ; with such a kind of delight , as a man hath , when he lyes warme in his bed , and hearkens to a tempest . but now as for that misconceit , which all the world hath of the good actions of pious men ; as for that shame , which they must expect , as they are christians constantly to suffer ; for discovering their zeale for god , and their fiery indignation against any allowed wickednesse amongst those with whom they converse , being usually accounted phreneticke , hot-headed fellowes ; for contemning the things of the world , childish , and imprudent ; for disdaining to be guided by mere example in any course they take , proud and haughty ; for separating themselves from vaine conversation , singular , and self-conceited . as for this , i say , it is so farre from troubling those that are christians indeed , that they exceedingly rejoyce in it : remembring those words of their saviour : * blessed are yee when men shall revile you , and persecute you , and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake . rejoyce and be exceeding glad ; for great is your reward in heaven : for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you . i shall now conclude this point : that a true christian takes comfort in the apprehension of his present estate , shewing you ( to confirme you in the apprehension of this most usefull truth ) the generall cause , and well-head of all those streames of consolation , which continually flow into his soule , whensoever he reflects upon the condition he is in : here it is : he is assur'd through faith , that the great god , the author and disposer of all things , loves him , and will love him for ever : and hereupon he assumes this confidence , that the condition he is in is that which at this time is best for him . as for the last proposition that i promised to demonstrate unto you , that a true christian through faith takes comfort in the expectation of any condition he may be in for the future : i shall not need to spend many words on it , it appeares so plaine in what hath been already delivered : expectation being a kind of apprehension ( as i said in the beginning of my discourse . ) all that may be said to manifest this truth unto you , may be comprehended in those few lines with which i concluded my former sermon on this text : true faith roots all feare out of a christians heart , and turnes all his expectation into hope , even through the strength of this perswasion : that all things worke together for good to them that love god : and also that himselfe is one of them . i have now finished the doctrine i raised from this text . that faith enables a man to draw comfort from all the objects of his thoughts : having shewne you particularly , how the faithfull take comfort in all things that concerne themselves : from whence ( as i said in the beginning of my former sermon ) you may easily apprehend how they may also comfort themselves in the notice they take of other things , as of all those workes of providence , which they see in the affaires of the world &c. therefore i shall not extend my discourse to any of them , but proceed to application . and here i shall speake first to the faithfull , those that have taken christ's yoke upon them , utterly renouncing the filthy conversation of the wicked , those , who mind earthly things ; absolutely resolving to walke with god , in true holinesse , and righteousnesse all their dayes : and if at any time ( being overborne by some sudden and impetuous temptations , as the best of christians often are ) they fall back into any uncleannesse , not ( like swine in the myre ) to wallow in it , but to repent , and to cry unto god , their father , to help them up , to * purifie their hearts by faith , to wash , and cleanse them by his spirit , in the * blood of jesus christ his sonne . then i shall speake to those that go on in the wayes of the ungodly , those that * regard iniquity in their heart , those that do not absolutely resolve never to allow themselves in any one knowne sinne ; praying continually that god would so strengthen them by his grace , that their iniquities may not prevaile against them , that if they have been drunkards , they may be drunke no more ; if they have beene wantons , they may be wanton no more ; if they have been * desirous of vaine glory , provoking , envying their brethren , they may be such no more ; if they have delighted themselves in foolish talking , or jesting , * or that elaborate scurrility , and witty malice , in which some men of parts and learning exercise their invention , ( then which what can be more opposite to the spirit of meekenesse , to the calme , and sweet nature of the lambe , and the dove ? ) that they may do so no more : briefly ( to speake in the * apostles words ) that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts , they may live soberly , righteously , and godlily . those that have not taken such a resolution ( and such i feare are some of you ) i must reckon amongst the wicked . if therefore any of you are conscious to your selves , that you are such , as here i have described , apply to your selves i beseech you , for the good of your immortall soules , what i shall speake in the second place : but first ( as i said but now ) i shall speake to the faithfull , &c. beloved brethren , you know by experience the truth i have spoken . e're since you took christ's yoke upon you , have you not found rest unto your soules ? e're since you bare that easie yoke , since your hearts stood in * awe of god's word : have you not found your selves most sweetly and gently , and yet most powerfully restrained from following the track of your lusts , and extravagant affections , from breaking over the inclosures of a strict and holy conversation , to * run with the men of the world to the same excesse of riot . in a word ; have you not found all your christian thoughts in what subject soever you have imployed them , to worke comfort for your soules ? surely you have . good thoughts , are the beames of the sun's of righteousnes , which stream forth continually upon the hearts of christians to warm & comfort them , and to cherish and to make to grow , the fruits of the spirit . well my brethren , hath the holy one of israel , the great and glorious god , shewne himselfe so gratious to you sinfull creatures , dust and ashes , wormes and no men , as to send his beloved son into the world to dye for you : by faith in whose blood , you rejoyce in some measure , even in this vale of teares , this miserable life ; and shall shortly , even when a few dayes are past , be inhabitants of heaven , see the face of god , * in whose presence there is fulnesse of joy , and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore . well , my brethren hath god dealt so bountifully with you , and will you not love him ? will you not with all the powers of your soule warre against your lusts , that you may be no more ( as formerly you have been ) what ever temptations befall you ) lovers of pleasures , more then lovers of god . i beseech you , brethren , by the mercies of god , by all that sweetnesse , love , and favour of his towards you , that your soules have ever tasted , that you would this day , renew your vowes ; resolve afresh to love the lord , your god with all your heart , that you may no more judg of things , as the vulgar doe ( amongst whom give me leave to reckon most of those that are commonly accounted great scholars , or fine gentlemen ) that you may not esteem any action wise , prudent , noble , or any way praise-worthy , and becoming a generous spirit , but what is done to the glory of god , cor. . . in defiance of the wicked world ▪ and , on the other side , that you may account nothing base , sordid , and degenerous but what is done ( in compliance with your own lusts , or the vaine humours of other men ) contrary to the commands of that all-glorious majesty ; to whom we owe homage for the air we breath , in him we live , and move , and have our being , acts . . and as for those absurd fellowes , who own the name of christians , and yet delight in scorning you , and call you puritanes , and i know not what . you must be so farre from being fierce , and raging against them , from thinking of revenge , &c. that you must from the heart pity them ( as it may be they say , they pity you , for your weaknesse , and imprudence , as they terme your wisedome , and spirituall understanding ) you must , i say , heartily pity such men , and pray for them , as your fellow creatures , yea , as your brethren ( in adam ) who miserably expose themselves to the utmost danger of everlasting destruction . ah , poore soules ! what madnesse , and folly hath possessed them ! doe they say , they believe , that there is an heaven , and an hell ; and yet esteem those for a ridiculous sort of people , who , by what they write , talke , or do for the most part plainly discover that their mind is wholy bent upon this , that they may enter into the kingdome of god : poore soules ; simple ones indeed ! doe they say they believe that the son of the living god ? that glorious person , shed his most pretious blood for you , and them ; and yet will not suffer you to love him , to talke of him , and upon all occasions , to discover your zeale for the honour of his name , without taunts , and flouts , calumnies , and reproaches ! i shall only speake a word or two more to heighten your commiseration of these foolish men , miserable creatures ; and then i shall proceed to the other part of my application . dearly beloved : when ever any of these phantasticall things , that walke in the vanity of their minds , and delight in nothing more then in foolish jesting , &c. continually scoffing or railing at any one , in whom they discover the power of godlinesse , the true light of christianity whilst they no more understand it , being so rare , and strange in these daies of sin and darknesse , then a dog doth the light of the moone , which he barks at ; as they at this : i say my brethren , when ever any of these men ( if things so irrationall may be call'd men ) raile on you , and give out false reports of you , or to your face scorn and deride you , let your hearts pity them considering that the time drawes on apace when their laughter shall be turn'd to mourning and their joy to heavinesse . he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh , the lord shall have them in derision , psal. . . and what now remains but that i exhort you , in the words of the apostle , to rejoice evermore , thes. . . be glad in the lord , and rejoyce ye righteous , and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart . and now i shall speake to you , who are conscious to your selves , that you have not taken christ's yoke upon you , that you still do wickedly , and talke vanity . that the things you have , or aime at , are vexation of spirit , vaine and dissatisfactory , to your immortall soules , sure i am you will hardly deny . nay ( if you have but an historicall beliefe of the word of god , as i presume you have ) you cannot deny it when ever you reflect on your vain conversation , and consider your designes , meane and low , being such as these ; to make your selves acceptable to some merry companions , such it may be as have acquired , some civill accomplishments , and humane learning . ) that you may gaine from them , the name of ingenious men , &c. or to jeare and grin at those , whom you maligne and envy or to drink and droll with your cronies : or ( and this you think most prudent and manly ) to get a great estate in the world , that you may weare brave cloathes , and keep company with the best ( as they say ) ( not to name your more abominable intentions , which are themselves anxiety , and labour ; and the effects of them horrour , and anguish ) i say sirs when you consider the things you enjoy , or aime at ( pittifull meane things at best ) are you not fill'd with vexation of spirit ? do you not abhor , as it were , and loath your selves , for the guilt and filth of your sins , which you resolve still to wallow in ? base and degenerate creatures , who being made after the image of god , have made your selves earthly , and sensuall ! well sirs , you see that sins are troubles , and sinners of all men most miserable : even whilst they are in their proper element ; ( that i may so speak ) in this present world ; but what will become of them ( wretches ) when this life is ended ? ( and sure i am our last houre draws on apace ) could i but expresse the thousandth part of those everlasting paines , they shall then beginne to feele ( in hell ) it would make the most stif-necked sinner in the world , to bow , if he should hear mee . ah! sirs , is this true indeed , that if you take not christs yoke upon you , that is , if you do not strongly and sincerely resolve to breake off from every known sin : you shall never finde any rest unto your soules . you shall be everlastingly miserable . is this true i say , and will ye acknowledg it so to be , ( as you must needs doe , if you have so much as an historicall beliefe of the word of god , as i said but now , ) and yet not resolve no more to allow your selves in any way of wickednesse , &c. no more to deride those , who having their hearts possest with the thoughts of eternity , can in no wise suit themselves to your worldly conversation : but having once found rest in christ ; will no more returne to that labour and toile , which the generality of men , continually undergoe in the pursuite of that they call happinesse ? now sirs if you are no whit moved at what hath been spoke ; but stick close to your beloved sinnes : though our lord and saviour jesus christ ( who is over all , god blessed for ever ) so lovingly invites you to come over unto him , assuring you that the waies of wisdome are waies of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace , assuring you that if you take his yoke upon you , it will not gall your necks , and be troublesome unto you , but onely restraine you ( that you may find rest to your soules ) from breaking over his inclosures , the bounds of true reason , and holines , to follow your lusts , and exorbitant affections , if you be not moved at this , but stand fast in the way of sinners , and will for ever remaine lovers of pleasures more then lovers of god , of god , that made you , of god , who for your sakes sent his beloved sonne into the world , to be mocked , scourged , crucified ; ah srs , if you are not moved at this , nor ever will be , i must tell you in the name of god you shall never finde rest unto your soules , you shall never tast one dram of true comfort , & sweetnesse of spirit all your dayes ; and when your dayes on the earth which ( as david saith ) are as a shadow , shall vanish away , you shall certainely be tormented with the devill and his angells ; yea , perhaps within a weeke or two ( for how many young men have your selves knowne in this place , that have beene healthy , and dead within the compasse of far lesse time then that ) i say srs , within a weeke or two , you may be seized on , by some disease or other , the small pox : or a feaver , or a surfeite , or the like , and be cutt off from the land of the living , and be turned into hell , consider this you that forget god : you that talke vanity . but now if any of you finde your selves moved , at what you have heard ; ( and what manner of men are you if you doe not , ) if you finde your hard hearts in the least measure softened , i beseech you srs , for your soules sakes for the god of loves sake , pray earnestly that the lord would perfect the good worke he hath begunne in you , that he would continually warme and soften you , and supple your hearts with the blood of iesvs christ , that they may be pliable to his will in all things , ( to speake more plainely ) that hee would make you so tenderly and affectionately to apprehend his everlasting kindnesse towards you , that you may forever love him , and keepe his commandements , that you may live precisely , walke with god , all your daies , despising the shame of the wicked world , not fearing the reproaches and revilings of this base and filthy generation . i shall hold you with no longer discourse . if yee doe these things happy are yee . finis . errata . page . lin. . for a good man is only a friend to himselfe read a good man only is &c. page . l. . for rash read vain . p. . l. . adde hoc est p. . l. . for svn's read svn . as for the false points the intelligent reader may correct them himselfe . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- * eccl. . . * prov. . . isa. . . * psa : . . * cor : . . * matt. . . * cor. . . * psal. . . * psal. . . * psal. . . * psal. . . * psal. . . * mart. * cor. . . * ps. . . iohn . . . * ps : . * ps : . . * heb : . . * cor : . . ps : . . rom : . notes for div a e- * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} * ps. . . mat : . . * mat. . . | mistake me not i doe not speak against the vse of these things ▪ but against those persons , who are so madd as to set their hearts on them . * luke . * iob. . . iohn . . * ier : . . * ps. . . * isaiah . . * mat. . . . pet. . . * acts. . . * iohn . . * ps : . . * gal. . . * eph : . · gal : . . * titus . . * ps. . . * pet. . * psal. . . the mothers legacie, to her vnborne childe. by elizabeth iocelin mothers legacie to her unborne childe jocelin, elizabeth, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) the mothers legacie, to her vnborne childe. by elizabeth iocelin mothers legacie to her unborne childe jocelin, elizabeth, - . goad, thomas, - . aut the second impression. [ ], p. printed by iohn hauiland, for william barret, london : . "the approbation" is signed: tho. goad. copy at reel : identified as stc a. reproduction of originals in: folger library and the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the mothers legacie , to her vnborne childe . by elizabeth iocelin . the second impression . london printed by iohn hauiland , for william barret . . the approbation . ovr lawes disable those , that are vnder couert-baron , from disposing by will and testament any temporall estate . but no law prohibiteth any possessor of morall and spirituall riches , to impart them vnto others , either in life by communicating , or in death by bequeathing . the reason is , for that corruptible riches , euen to those who haue capacity of alienating them , bring onely a ciuill propriety , but no morall & vertous influence for the wel dispensing , or bestowing them : whereas vertue and grace haue power beyond all empeachment of sex or other debility , to enable and instruct the possessor to employ the same vnquestionably for the inward inriching of others . this truly rich bequeather , taking that care for the prouiding an euerlasting portion for her hoped issue , which too many parents bend wholly vpon earthly inheritance , by her death already hath giuen vnto her testament that life and strength , whereof the scripture speaketh , a testament is of force after death : now remained the other validitie & priuilege of a testament , that it be enacted in perpetuall and inuiolable record . which in this was necessary not so much for the security of the chiefe and immediate legatary , as for the benefit of all those , who , by the common kindred of christianity , may claime their portion in this legacy , left in pios vsus ; whereout , whosoeuer taketh , yet leaueth no whit the lesse for others in remainder . wherefore vpon the very first view , i willingly not onely subscribed my approbat for the registering this will , among the most publique monuments , ( the rather worthy , because proceeding from the weaker sex ) but also , as bound to do right vnto knowne vertue , vndertooke the care of the publication thereof , my selfe hauing heretofore bin no stranger to the testators education and eminent vertues . whereof , i here beheld reflection cleere enough , though perhaps not so particularly euident to those that take knowledge of them onely by this abstract . in her zealous affection to the holy ministry , thereto dedicating , ( if by sex capable ) her yet scarce budding first fruits , i saw the lineaments of her owne parentage : she being the onely off-spring deriued from a reuerend grandfather , doctor chaderton , sometime master of queens colledge in cambridge , and publique professor of diuinity in that vniuersitie , afterward lord bishop , first of chester , and thence of lincolne : by and vnder whom shee was from her tender yeeres carefully nurtured , as in those accomplishments of knowledge in languages , history , and some arts , so principally in studies of piety . and thus hauing from a childe knowne the holy scriptures , which made her wife vnto saluation through faith in christ , how well she continued in those things , which shee had learned , appeareth , as otherwise to those that knew her , so here to all by the frequent and pertinent application of them in these instructions . in her prosecution of the duty of obedience vnto parents i view the deepe impression , long since , when shee was not aboue six yeeres old , made in her minde by the last words of her owne mother , charging her vpon her blessing to shew all obedience and reuerence to her father ( sir richard brooke ) and to her reuerend grandfather . in the whole course of her pen , i obserue her piety and humility : these her lines scarce shewing one sparke of the elementary fire of her secular learning : this her candle being rather lighted from the lampe of the sanctuary . in her commission of the office of an ouerseer to her husband , what eies cannot behold the flames of her true and vnspotted loue toward her dearest , who enioyed her about the space of six yeeres and a halfe , being all that while both an impartiall witnesse of her vertues , and an happy partner of those blessings both transitory and spirituall , wherewith shee was endowed . beside the domestique cares pertaining to a wife , the former part of those yeeres were imployed by her in the studies of morality and history , the better by the helpe of forraine languages , not without a taste and faculty in poetry : wherein some essay shee hath left , ingenious , but chaste and modest like the author . of all which knowledge shee was very sparing in her discourses , as possessing it rather to hide , than to boast of . among those her eminencies deseruing our memory , was her owne most ready memory , enabling her vpon the first rehearsall to repeat aboue forty lines in english or latine : a gift the more happy by her imployment of it in carrying away an entire sermon , so that shee could ( almost following the steps of the words , or phrase ) write it downe in her chamber . the latter yeeres of her life shee addicted to no other studies than diuinity , whereof some imperfect notes remaine , but principally this small treatise found in her deske vnfinished , by reason either of some troubles befalling her about a moneth before her end , or of preuention by mis-reckoning the time of her going with this her first ( now also last ) childe : which treatise , intended for her childe , shee so leaving , recommended the same to her husband by her letter to him , written and subscribed by her owne hand , as hereafter followeth . the many blessings , shee enioyed , were not without some seasoning of afflictions , which , by the good vse shee made of them , bred in her a constant temper of patience , and more than womanly fortitude : especially in her latter time , when as the course of her life was a perpetuall meditation of death , amounting almost to a propheticall sense of her dissolution , euen then when she had not finished the . yeere of her age , nor was oppressed by any disease , or danger , other than the common lot of child-birth , within some moneths approaching . accordingly when she first felt her selfe quicke with childe ( as then trauelling with death it selfe ) shee secretly tooke order for the buying a new winding sheet : thus preparing and consecrating her selfe to him , who rested in a new sepulcher wherein was neuer man yet layd . and about that time , vndauntedly looking death in the face , priuatly in her closet betweene god and her , shee wrote these pious meditations ; whereof her selfe strangely speaketh to her owne bowels in this manner , it may seeme strange to thee to receiue these lines from a mother , that died when thou wert borne . october . . in cambridge-shire shee was made a mother of a daughter , whom shortly after , being baptized and brought vnto her , shee blessed , and gaue god thankes that her selfe had liued to see it a christian : and then instantly called for her winding sheet to bee brought forth and laied vpon her . so hauing patiently borne for some nine daies a violent feuer , & giuing a comfortable testimony of her godly resolution , she ended her prayers , speech , and life together , rendring her soule into the hand of her redeemer , and leauing behinde her vnto the world a sweet perfume of good name , and to her onely childe ( besides a competent inheritance ) this manuell , being a deputed mother for instruction , and for solace a twinne-like sister , issuing from the same parent , and seeing the light about the same time . which composure because it commeth forth imperfect from the pen , doth the more expect to bee supplied and made vp by practise and execution . sic approbauit tho. goad . to my trvly louing , and most dearly loued husband , tourell iocelin . mine owne deare loue , i no sooner conceiued an hope , that i should bee made a mother by thee , but with it entred the consideration of a mothers duty , and shortly after followed the apprehension of danger that might preuent mee from executing that care i so exceedingly desired , i meane in religious training our childe . and in truth death appearing in this shape , was doubly terrible vnto mee . first , in respect of the painfulnesse of that kinde of death , and next of the losse my little one should have in wanting me . but i thanke god , these feares were cured with the remembrance that all things worke together for the best to those that loue god , and a certaine assurance that hee will giue me patience according to my paine . yet still i thought there was some good office i might doe for my childe more than only to bring it forth ( though it should please god to take mee ) when i considered our frailty , our apt inclination to sin , the deuils subtiltie , and the worlds deceitfulnesse , against these how much desired i to admonish it ? but still it came into my minde that death might depriue me of time if i should neglect the present . i knew not what to doe : i thought of writing , but then mine owne weaknes appeared so manifestly , that i was ashamed , and durst not vndertake it . but when i could find no other means to expresse my motherly zeale , i encouraged my selfe with these reasons . first , that i wrote to a childe , and though i were but a woman , yet to a childs iudgement , what i vnderstood might serue for a foundation to a better learning . againe , i considered it was to my owne , and in priuate sort , and my loue to my owne might excuse my errours . and lastly , but chiefly , i comforted my selfe , that my intent was good , and that i was well assured god is the prosperer of good purposes . thus resolued , i writ this ensuing letter to our little one , to whom i could not finde a fitter hand to conuey it than thine owne , which maist with authority see the performance of this my little legacy , of which my childe is executor . and ( deare loue ) as thou must be the ouerseer , for gods sake , when it shal faile in duty to god , or to the world , let not thy indulgence winke at such folly , but seuerely correct it : and that thy trouble may bee little when it comes to yeeres , take the more care when it is young . first , in prouiding it a nurse : o make choise , not so much for her complexion , as for her milde and honest disposition : likewise if the child be to remain long abroad after waining , as neere as may be , chuse a house where it may not learne to sweare , or speak scurrilous words . i know i may be thought too scrupulous in this : but i am sure thou shalt finde it a hard matter to breake a childe of that it learnes so young . it will be a great while ere it will bee thought old enough to bee beaten for euill words , and by that time it will bee so perfect in imperfections , that blowes will not mend it . and when some charitable body reproues or corrects it for these faults , let no body pitty it with the losse of the mother . next , good sweet heart , keepe it not from schoole , but let it learne betimes : if it be a son , i doubt not but thou wilt dedicate it to the lord as his minister , if he wil please of his mercy to giue him grace and capacity for that great work . if it be a daughter , i hope my mother brook ( if thou desirest her ) will take it among hers , and let them all learne one lesson . i desire her bringing vp may bee learning the bible , as my sisters doe , good houswifery , writing , and good workes : other learning a woman needs not : though i admire it in those whom god hath blest with discretion , yet i desired not much in my owne , hauing seene that sometimes women haue greater portions of learning , than wisdome , which is of no better vse to them than a maine saile to a flye-boat , which runs in vnder water . but where learning and wisdome meet in a vertuous disposed woman , she is the fittest closet for all goodness . shee is like a well-ballanced ship that may beare all her saile . shee is-indeed , i should but shame my selfe , if i should goe about to praise her more . but , my deare , though she have all this in her , she will hardly make a poore mans wife : yet i leave it to thy will. if thou desirest a learned daughter , i pray god giue her a wife and religious heart , that she may vse it to his glory thy comfort , and her owne saluation . but how soeuer thou disposest of her education , i pray thee labour by all meanes to teach her true humility , though i much desire it may be as humble if it bee a son as a daughter ; yet in a daughter i more feare that vice ; pride being now rather accounted a vertue in our sex worthy praise , than a vice fit for reproofe . many parents reade lectures of it to their children how necessary it is , and they haue principles that must not bee disputed against . as first , looke how much you esteeme your selfe , others wil esteeme of you . again , what you giue to others , you derogate from your selfe . and many more of these kinds . i haue heard men accounted wise that haue maintained this kinde of pride vnder the name of generous knowing or vnderstanding themselues : but i am sure that hee that truly knowes himself shall know so much euill by himselfe , that hee shall haue small reason to think himselfe better than another man. dearest , i am so feareful to bring thee a proud high minded child , that , though i know thy care will need no spur , yet i cannot but desire thee to double thy watchfulnesse ouer this vice , it is such a crafty insinuating deuill , it will enter little children in the likenesse of wit , with which their parents are delighted , and that is sweet nourishment to it . i pray thee deare heart , delight not to haue a bold childe : modesty & humilitie are the sweetest ground-works of all vertue . let not thy seruants giue it any other title than the christen-name , till it haue discretion to vnderstand how to respect others . and i pray thee be not profuse in the expence of clothes vpon it . mee thinkes it is a vaine delight in parents to bestow that cost vpon one childe which would serue two or three . if they haue not children enow of their owne to imploy so much cost vpon , pauper vbiqueiacet . thus , deare , thou seest my beleefe , if thou canst teach thy little one humility , it must needs make thee a glad father . but i know thou wonderest by this time what the cause should bee that we two continually vnclasping our hearts one to the other , i should reserue this to writing . whē thou thinkest thus , deare , remember how grieuous it was to thee but to heare mee say , i may die , and thou wilt confesse this would haue beene an vnpleasant discourse to thee , and thou knowest i neuer durst displease thee willingly , so much i loue thee . all i now desire is , that the vnexpectednesse of it make it not more grieuous to thee . but i know thou art a christian , and therefore will not doubt of thy patience . and though i thus write to thee , as heartily desiring to be religiously prepared to die , yet , my deare , i despaire not of life , nay , i hope and daily pray for it , if so god will be pleased . nor shall i thinke this labour lost , though i doe liue : for i will make it my owne looking-glasse , wherein to see when i am too seuere , when too remisse , and in my childes fault through this glasse to discerne mine owne errors . and i hope god will so giue me his grace , that i shall more skilfully act than apprehend a mothers duty . my deare , thou knowest me so well , i shall not need to tell thee , i haue written honest thoughts in a disordered fashion , not obseruing method . for thou knowest how short i am of learning and naturall endowments to take such a course in writing . or if that strong affection of thine have hid my weaknesse from thy sight , i now professe seriously my owne ignorance : and though i did not , this following treatise would bewray it : but i send it onely to the eies of a most louing husband , and of a childe exceedingly beloued , to whom i hope it will not be altogether vnprofitable . thus humbly desiring god to giue thee all comfort in this life , and happinesse in the life to come , i leaue thee and thine to his most gracious protection . thine inuiolable , eliza. iocelin . the mothers legacie to her vnborne childe . hauing long , often and earnestly desired of god , that i might bee a mother to one of his children , and the time now drawing on , which i hope hee hath appointed to giue thee vnto mee : it drew mee into a consideration both wherefore i so earnestly desired thee , and ( hauing found that the true cause was to make thee happy ) how i might compasse this happinesse for thee . i knew it consisted not in honour , wealth , strength of body or friends ( though all these are great blessings ) therefore it had beene a weake request to desire thee onely for an heire to my fortune . no , i neuer aimed at so poore an inheritance for thee , as the whole world : neither would i haue begged of god so much paine , as i know i must endure , to haue only possest thee with earthly riches , of which to day thou maist bee a great man , tomorrow a poore begger . nor did an hope to dandle thy infancy moue mee to desire thee . for i know all the delight a parent can take in a childe is hony mingled with gall . but the true reason that i haue so often kneeled to god for thee , is , that thou mightest bee an inheritour of the kingdome of heauen . to which end i humbly beseech almightie god thou maiest bend all thy actions , and ( if it bee his blessed will ) giue thee so plentifull a measure of his grace , that thou maiesty serue him as his minister , if he make thee a man. it is true that this age holds it a most contemptible office , fit only for poore mens children , younger brothers , and such as haue no other meanes to liue . but for gods sake bee not discouraged with these vaine speeches ; but fortifie your selfe with remembring of how great worth the winning of one soule is in gods sight , and you shall quickly finde how great a place it is to be a priest vnto the liuing god. if it will please him to moue your heart with his holy spirit , it will glow and burne with zeale to doe him seruice . the lord open thy lips , that thy mouth may shew forth his praise . if i had skill to write , i would write all i apprehend of the happy estate of true labouring ministers : but i may plainly say that of all men they by their calling are the most truly happy ; they are familiar with god , they labour in his vineyard , and they are so beloued of him , that hee giues them abundance of knowledge . oh bee one of them , let not the scorne of euill men hinderthee . look how god hath prouided for thee sufficient meanes ; thou needest not hinder thy study to looke out for liuing , as the israelites hindred their worke to looke for straw : if thou beest not content with this , thou wilt not bee with more ; god deliuer thee from couetousnesse . i desire thee that though thou takest a spirituall calling , thou wilt not seeke after the liuings of the church , nor promotions , though i honour them as i haue great cause , but i would haue thee so truly an humble and zealous minister , that thy onely end should bee to doe god seruice , without desire of any thing to thy selfe , saue the kingdome of heauen . yet as i would not haue thee seeke these things , so i would haue thee as carefull not to neglect gods blessings , but with all thankfulnesse to receiue what hee bestowes , and to bee a carefull steward , distributing it to those that haue need . i could not chuse but manifest this desire in writing , lest it should please god to depriue mee of time to speake . and if thou beest a daughter , thou maist perhaps thinke i haue lost my labour ; but reade on , and thou shalt see my loue and care of thee and thy saluation is as great , as if thou wert a sonne , and my feare greater . it may peraduenture when thou comest to some discretion , appeare strange to thee to receiue these lines from a mother that died when thou wert borne , but when thou seest men purchase land , and store vp treasure for their vnborne babes , wonder not at mee that i am carefull for thy saluation , being such an eternall portion : and not knowing whether i shall liue to instruct thee when thou art borne , let mee not bee blamed though i write to thee before . who would not condemne mee if i should bee carelesse of thy body while it is within me ? sure a farre greater care belongs to thy soule , to both these cares i will endeuour my selfe so long as i liue . againe , i may perhaps bee wondred at for writing in this kinde , considering there are so many excellent bookes , whose least note is worth all my meditations . i confesse it , and thus excuse my selfe . i write not to the world , but to mine own childe , who it may be , will more profit by a few weake instructions comming from a dead mother ( who cannot euery day praise or reproue it as it deserues ) than by farre better from much more learned . these things considered , neither the true knowledge of mine owne weaknesse , nor the feare this may come to the worlds eie , and bring scorne vpon my graue , can stay my hand from expressing how much i couet thy saluation . therefore , deare childe , reade here my loue , and if god take mee from thee , bee obedient to these instructions , as thou oughtest to bee vnto mee , i haue learnt them , out of gods word , i beseech him that they may be profitable to thee . ( ) the first charge i giue thee , i learned of solomon , eccles. . . remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth . it is an excellent beginning , and a fit lesson for a childe . looke with what the vessell is first seasoned , it retaines the taste : and if thou beginnest to remember to serue god when thou art young , before the world , the flesh , and the deuill take hold on thee , god will loue thee , and send his holy spirit to take possession of thee , who shall resist those enemies , and not suffer them to hurt thee . to moue thy heart to remember thy creator betimes , meditate vpon the benefits thou continually receiuest : first , how hee hath created thee when thou wert nothing , redeemed thee being worse than nought , and now of meere grace he hath giuen thee his holy spirit , sanctifying thee to an eternall kingdome . thou canst not possibly vnderstand how great these mercies are , but straight thy soule must cry , what shall i doe for so gracious a god ? all the powers of my soule and bodie will i giue to his seruice , my first thoughts will i dedicate to him , like abels sacrifice i will present to him the first fruits of my youth ; in the strength of my age will i fall downe before him , and if i liue to old age , that weaknesse will not let my knees bow , nor my hands bee lifted vp , yet shall my heart meditate on his goodnesse night and day , and my tongue shall be alwaies telling of his maruellous works . when thou hast thus remembred the infinite mercies of god , it behoues thee to settle thy selfe to a constant seruice of him , to order thy thoughts , words and actions to his glory , and to couenant with thy selfe that thou wilt not breake thy promises to god. that thou maist the more easily performe these duties , marke i pray thee these following rules for ordering thy life , and god will blesse thee and all thy good endeuours . ( ) at thy first waking in the morning , be carefull of thy selfe , that thou harbor in thy braine no vaine or vnprofitable , but of all no vngodly fancy to hinder thy morning sacrifice , but straight frame thy selfe to meditate on the mercies of god , the maliciousnesse of the deuill , and thine owne weaknesse . thine owne weaknesse is apparant to thee : for euen but now thine eyes were closed , thou couldst not see to defend thy selfe , thy strength was gone , so that thou wert not able to resist the weakest creature , a gnat or a flea might glut themselues with thy bloud . the deuils malice is as easily perceiued , for euen now hee lies lurking ready to catch euery good motion from thy heart , suggesting things more delightfull to thy fancy , and perswading thee to deferre thy seruice of god though but for a little while . but bee warned and armed against his tentations ; for bee assured if thou once yeeld to neglect praying to god , but one halfe houre , when that time comes thou shalt finde thy selfe farre more vnapt , and thy heart more dull to pray than before : whereas if thou disposest thy selfe to pray , though thou beest heauy and vncheerefull in it , yet god , who searches the heart , and sees thy desire to pray , though thou canst not , will enlighten thee and prepare thy heart against the next time , that thou shalt finde comfort . therefore , take heed the deuill deceiue you not , for you see his malice is not small that seekes to cousen you of all happinesse present and to come : for bee assured you can take no true ioy in earthly pleasures , no longer than you seeke after heauenly . hauing thus discerned the infinite malice of the deuill , and your owne exceeding weaknesse , how doe you thinke you were preserued from his snares while you slept ? or doe you thinke hee onely besets you when you are awake ? no , bee not deceiued , hee is not so faire an enemy : his hate is such to you , that if hee could hee would teare your body and drag your soule to hell while you slept . alas , all this hee might haue done , your strength was small to resist him . now you must needs confesse who it is that is only able to preserue you , that it is god , and that it is his mercy , not your desert , that you are preserued : and gather to your selfe a strong resolution with all your force to serue him all the day , and to resist all the tentations of the deuill . then being thorowly awake ( for sure god likes not sleeping prayer ) begin to giue god thankes , and to desire the continuance of his mercy towards thee in these words , till thou canst finde such as may better expresse thine owne soule . o eternall god , gracious from the beginning , and mercifull to the latter ending of the world , i giue thee humble thankes , that according to thine abundant goodnesse , thou hast graciously defended mee this night from all dangers that might haue happened vnto mee . i beseech thee continue this thy fauourable goodnesse toward mee , and so grant mee thy grace , that in all my thoughts , words , and actions i may seeke thy glory , and euermore so liue in thy feare , that i may die in thy fauour , for thy sonne my onely sauiours sake . amen . ( ) hauing thus inuited god into your soule , take heed you offend not against so great and glorious a guest : thinke if thou seest a superiour entertained with such obseruance of the master , such diligence in the seruants , such a generall care that all things may giue a testimony of his welcome , o thinke , sinfull soule , what care oughtest thou to haue when the liuing god vouchsafes to dwell in thee : oh watch , oh be wary . doe not ( my deare childe ) oh , not wilfully offend him , for hardly are presumptuous sinnes forgiuen : but if out of weaknesse thou offend against him , runne straight before hee can bee gone , for hee is mercifull , and will stay a while after thou hast sinned to expect thy repentance : but if thou doest not make haste , then the deuill , who will not delay to seeke thy destruction , hee will accuse thee , mocking thy impietie , and god will leaue thee , being more offended at thy neglect , or rather contempt of his mercy , than at thy first offence . therefore runne quickly esteeme no sin small , but what member soeuer caused thee to offend him , bring it before him , and let it assist thee chiefly in thy repentance . if thine eye teach thee wantonnesse , couetousnesse , or the like , let them powre forth teares to purchase thee a pardon . if thy tongue haue offended toward god or thy neighbour , bring it with shame and sorrow to confesse in priuate , what it was not ashamed to glory of in publike . learne to be ashamed to commit sinne , but , being committed , hope not to hide it from god by any other meanes , than by hearty repentance : so indeed thou maist winne his mercy to couer thy transgression , and in his sonnes passion he will bury thine offences , so as hee will hide them from himselfe : but then thou must delay no time , goe quickly , get thee alone , weare thy knees , wring thy hands , beat thy breast , know as little measure in thy sorrow , as thou didst in thy sinne . the lord will not despise a contrite heart , and though hee let thee kneele long , hee will haue mercy at the last . learne of iacob to wrestle with god , and to cry with a feruent spirit , i will not let thee goe vnlesse thou blesse me . our sauiour saith , the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence , and the violent take it by force . ( ) thus you see , it must be an eager , not a slothfull course , that must bring you to heauen . take heed therefore that you auoid all the kinds of this sinne . whatsoeuer you goe about , doe it with cheerefulnesse . be ashamed of idlenesse , as thou art a man , but tremble at it , as thou art a christian . for bee sure the deuill neuer is so happy in his tentations , as when hee emploies them on a slothfull man , who cannot endure to take so much paines as to resist him . solomon promises no other patrimony to a sluggard but pouerty . god hates the slothfull . witnesse the fiue foolish virgins , and the vnprofitable seruant , matth. . the one christ would not know ; the other is branded with two shamefull markes , euill and slothfull , and his talent taken from him . what more wretched estate can there be in the world ? first to bee hated of god as an idle drone , not fit for his seruice : then through extreme pouerty to bee contemned of all the world . oh then at no hand yeeld thy youth to sloth , but so soone as thou hast made thy prayer to god , prepare to rise , and rising vse this prayer . in thy name , oh blessed sauiour , i arise , who with the father , and the holy spirit , created mee , and with thine own most precious bloud hast redeemed mee . i beseech thee this day , to gouerne , keepe , and blesse mee : lead mee forth in euery good way , therein direct and confirme mee , and after this fraile and miserable life , bring mee to that blessed life which hath no end , for thy great merit and mercies sake . amen . ( ) thou art no sooner broke out of the armes of sloth , but pride steps in diligently , waiting to furnish thee with any vaine toy in thy attire . and though i beleeue there are diuers sorts of pride more pestilent to the soule than this of apparell , yet this is enough dangerous , and i am sure betraies a mans folly more than any other . is it not a monstrous thing to see a man , whom god hath created of an excellent forme , each part answering the due proportion of another , should by a fantasticall habit make himselfe so vgly , that one cannot finde amongst all gods creatures any thing like him ? one man , though not resembling another in shape or face , yet for his rationall soule is like another : but these fashionists haue ( i feare ) changed their reasonable soules for proud soules without reason : could they else deforme and transforme themselues by these new fangled fashions , and apish behauiour ; crindging , shrugging , starting , and playing the fantastiques euery way . so that they may truly say when they are fashionable , that they are not like other men : and i beleeue wife men will not be sorry for it . for who would be like them ? i desire thee for gods sake shunne this vanitie , whether thou bee sonne or daughter . if a daughter , i confesse thy taske is harder because thou art weaker , and thy temptations to this vice greater , for thou shalt see those whom perhaps thou wilt thinke lesse able , exalted farre aboue thee in this kinde , and it may bee thou wilt desire to bee like them , if not to out-goe them . but beleeue and remember that i tell thee , the end of all these vanities is bitter as gall . oh the remembrance of mis-spent time , when thou shalt grow in yeeres , and haue attained no other knowledge , than to dresse thy selfe . when thou shalt see halfe , perhaps all , thy time spent , and that of all thou hast sowed , thou hast nothing to reape but repentance , late repentance , how wilt thou grieue ? how wilt thou accuse one folly for bringing in another ? and in thy memory cast ouer the cause of each misfortune which hath befallen thee , till passing from one to another , at last thou findest thy corrupt will to bee the first cause , and then thou wilt with griefe enough perceiue , that if thou hadst serued god when thou seruedst thy fond desires , thou hadst now had peace of heart . the god of mercy giue thee grace to remember him in the dayes of thy youth . mistake me not , nor giue your selfe leaue to take too much liberty with saying , my mother was too strict . no , i am not , for i giue you leaue to follow modest fashions , but not to be a beginner of fashions : nor would i haue you follow it till it bee generall ; so that in not doing as others doe , you might appeare more singular than wise : but in one word , this is all i desire , that you will not set your heart on such fooleries , and you shall see that this modest carriage will win you reputation and loue with the wise and vertuous sort . and once againe , remember how many houres maist thou giue to god , which if thou spendest in these vanities , thou shalt neuer bee able to make account of . if thou dost but endeuour to doe well , god will accept the will for the deed , but if thou wilfully spend the morning of thy time in these vanities , god will not bee put off with such reckonings , but punishments will follow , such as i pray god thou maist not pull vpon thee . yet alas , this is but one sort of pride , and so farre from being accounted a vice , that , if the time mends not before you come to vnderstanding , you will heare a well drest woman , ( for that is the stile of honour ) more commended than a wife or honest , or religious woman . and it may bee , this may moue you to follow their idlenes : but when you haue any such desire , draw your selfe to consider what manner of persons the commended and commenders are , and you shall finde them all of one batch , such as being vaine themselues , applaud it in others . but if you will desire praise , follow the example of those religious women , whose vertuous fames time hath not power to raze out : as deuout anna , who serued the lord with fasting and prayer , luke . iust elizabeth , who serued god without reproofe : religious ester , who taught her maids to fast and pray , est. . , and the chaste susanna , whose story , i hope , the strictest will allow for a worthy example . i am so fearefull that thou shouldst fall into this sinne , that i could spend my little time of life in exhorting thee from it . i know it is the most dangerous subtill sinne that can steale the heart of man , it will alter shapes as oft as the camelion doth colours , it will fit it selfe to all dispositions , and ( which is most strange ) it will so disguise it selfe , that he must be cunning who discernes it from humilitie , nay it may lie in thine owne heart , and it thou beest not a diligent searcher of thy selfe , thou shalt not know it : but it thou watch well thou shalt take it , for it hath one property that cannot change , as the common people beleeue the deuill cannot alter the shape of one foot . it is true of pride , that though it bee changed into that angell of light , humility , yet thou maist know it by selfe-loue ; if thou findest that within thee , be sure pride is not farre off . for humility will make thee seeme vile in thine owne eyes , it will make thee see thine owne faults , and confesse them to bee greater than other mens ; so that thou wilt respect euery man aboue thy selfe . but the rules of selfe-conceit are iust contrary , they stand on tiptoes , reckning their vertues like the proud pharisie , scorning to be like other men . shunne it for thy soules sake , for if thou entertaine it , it is such a shamelesse flatterer , that it will make thee beleeue thou art greater , wiser , learneder than all the company , when indeed , thou wilt proue thy selfe the greatest foole of them , wearying them all with thy vaine talke . solomon saith , pride goeth before destruction , prou. . . and a high minde before the fall . and our blessed sauiour , the true patterne of humility , exhorts vs to learne of him that was lowly and meek in heart , mat. . . and if we doe so , he promises we shall find rest vnto our soules . neither want there curses , threatning , where perswasions will not serue . whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall bee humbled , luke . . reade the holy scriptures often and diligently , and thou shalt finde continuall threatnings against pride , punishment of pride , and warnings from pride . thou shalt finde no sinne so heauily punished as this : it made deuils of angels , a beast of great nabuchodonezzar , dogs meat of iezabel , and i will conclude with a good mans saying , if all the sinnes reigning in the world were burnt to ashes , euen the ashes of pride would bee able to reduce them all againe . i know in fewer words there might much more haue beene said against this sinne , but i know not who will say so much to thee when i am gone . therefore i desire thou maist bee taught these my instructions when thou art young , that this foule sinne may be weeded out before it take deepe root in thy heart . i will returne now to my first purpose , which is to set thee downe one day for a patterne , how i would haue thee spend all the dayes of thy life . ( ) therefore auoiding all manner of pride , make thy selfe decently ready , which being done , retire to a place alone , where humbling thy selfe vpon thy knees , againe renew thy prayers , humbly confessing , and earnestly desiring forgiuenesse for all thy sinnes , and vse doctor smiths morning prayer , than which i know not a better , nor euer did i finde more comfort in any . in aduising you to a set forme of prayer , i doe not prohibit conceiued prayer , but humbly beg of god to giue you grace to pray often out of your owne meditations according to his will. but when it shall please god to call you to the charge of a family , i will not direct , but deliuer my opinion , that then a set forme of prayer is most necessary : my reason is , that your seruants being vsed to it , are alwayes ready to goe along with you in their hearts , word for word , as you pray , and continuance makes them to vnderstand euery word , which must needs cause greater deuotion , and giue more life to the prayers . ( ) when you haue finished your priuate prayer , be sure that you absent not your selfe from publike prayer , if it bee vsed in the house where you liue : which ended , goe and vse any lawfull creation , either for thy profit or pleasure , and from all these exercises reserue a time to fit downe to some good study , but vse that most that may make thee greatest , diuinitie . it will make thee greater , richer , happier than the greatest kingdome of the earth , though thou couldst possesse it . if any man serue me , saith christ , him will my father honor ; if mordecay were thought so highly honoured by ahasuerus for a little gay trapping , what shall be done to him whom god will honour ? therefore if thou desirest honour , serue the lord , and thou art sure of it . if riches bee thy aime , saint paul assures thee , that godlinesse is great gaine . if thou couet pleasure , set dauids delight before thine eies , i haue had more delight in thy testimonies than in all manner of riches , psal. . and in the . psalme hee saith , thou lord hast made mee glad by thy workes . in the . psalme , thou hast giuen mee more ioy of heart , &c. and reading the . psalme , thou shalt see what manner of blessings they are that god makes his children merry withall . and when thou hast once fixt thy heart to this study , it will be so sweet , that the more thou learnest , the more thou wilt desire , and the more thou desirest , the more god will loue thee . thou wilt study so well in priuate , and practise it in all thy actions publikely , thou wilt weigh thy thoughts so euen , that thy words shall not bee light , and a few lines i will vse to perswade thee to bee aduised in thy words . ( ) though it is as much to say , remember thy creator when thou speakest , as if i could vse all the exhortations , and tell thee all the perils that belong to speech , yet so apt are wee to forget god in our foolish talke , that sometimes wee by our discourse would make gods of our selues . therefore it will not bee amisse to receiue a few instructions , though weake , from mee for ordering thy speech . the morning i haue dedicated to meditation , praier , good studies , and honest recreation . the noone time is most vsed for discourse , it being all a man can doe while hee eats , and it is a time wherein a man ought to bee carefull of his speech , hauing before him gods good blessings to refresh his body , and honest company to recreate his minde , and therefore ought to bee no way offensiue in his speech either to god or good men . but most especially take heed that neither heedlesnesse nor earnestnesse in thy discourse , cause thee to take gods holy name in vaine , but alwaies speake of him with reuerence and vnderstanding . next , let not thy neighbour suffer in thy speech , but bee rather silent than speake ill of any man , though hee deserue it . and that thou maist doe thus , obserue this rule ; whensoeuer thou hearest one ill spoken of , before thou second it , examine thine owne heart , and it is ods but thou maist finde in thy selfe either the same fault , or a worse than that hee is accused for . so thou shalt bee forced either to mend thy selfe , or not to condemne him . also shunne multiplicity of words , and what thou speakest , bee sure to vnderstand fully , for it is a grating to the eare to heare a man talke at randome . if thou desirest to better thy selfe , modestly aske a question of those whom thou seest to haue knowledge to resolue thee , and bee lesse ashamed to confesse thy ignorance , than by holding a foolish argument , to betray it . and euer auoid that scornfull fashion of questioning a man , who , thou knowest , cannot make thee a satisfying answer : neither make a scorne of his ignorance , for bee assured hee knowes something that thou dost not know . if god haue giuen thee a ready wit , take heed thou abuse it not . at no time maintaine arguments against the truth , especially in sacred or morall matter : for it is hard to doe it , without offending the god of truth ; and by it thou maist harme thy weake brother , but the greatest harme will bee thine owne when thou commest to giue account for thy idle words . in thy mirth shun such iesting as may make thee offensiue , scoffing becomes not a christian. prise not therefore the froth of an idle wit , before the faith of a vertuous friend . and i pray thee , asthou wouldest haue blessings multiplied vpon thee , let no speech passe from thee that may grieue chaste eares . how hatefull is obscene speech in rude people ? but it makes one of gentle birth odious to all honest company . solomon saies , a wise man conceales k nowledge , but the heart of a foole publisbeth foolishnesse , prou. . . and hee that keepeth his mouth , keepeth his life , . . and in the . . the lips of the wife preserue them . to conclude , let thy tongue and thy heart goe together , hate dissimulation and lying , and god will loue thee , which i humbly beg of him . ( ) if thou keepe thy thoughts holy , and thy words pure , i shall not need to feare , but all thy actions will bee honest . but my feare thou shouldest know the way , and yet goe aside , will not suffer my counsell to leaue thee alone , till thou come to thy iournies end . first then bee careful when thou art alone , that thou doe nothing that thou wouldest not doe if men saw thee : remember that gods eye is alwayes open , and thine owne conscience will bee witnesse enough against thee . next bee sure that no action of thine may bee a scandall to thy profession , i meane to the profession of the true religion . this indeed is as much as to say to thee , eschew euill . for there is not the least sinne thou canst doe , but the enemies of truth will bee glad to say , loe , this is one of them that professes god in his mouth , but see what his life is . therefore a great care ought a christian to haue , especially those whom god hath set as lights in his church . whatsoeuer thou art about to doe , examine it by gods commandements : if it bee agreeable to them , goe on cheerefully , and though the end answer not thy hopes , neuer grieue nor grudge , but bee glad that gods will is performed , and let thy trust in him assure thee , that all things worke together for the best to them that loue god. and though it appeare a crosse , be assured it is a blessing . therefore make right vse of it ; examine thy selfe what sinne thou hast committed that may challenge that punishment , repent of it , and reconcile god vnto thee , bearing thy crosse with patience , and doubt not hee that depriued thee of thy hope to try thee , will ( if thou beare it well ) giue thee as great or a greater blessing than thou hopest for . but if thou shalt finde that thy attempts will not endure that triall , breake from them , and tell the deuill in plaine termes thou hast a light to discerne his snares by , and therefore scornest to be his slaue . for beleeue mee , my childe , if thou shalt out of any worldly respect doe a dishonest act , it may bee thou maist thriue in it a while , but the end is miserable . oh the burthen of a wounded conscience who can beare ? if thou seest others thriue & grow great in such courses , reade the . psalme ; there thou shalt see dauid himselfe confesses his foot had wel-nigh slipt when hee saw the prosperity of the wicked . hee describes all their felicities , but at the last when hee went into the sanctuary , hee found what their end was , how they were set in slippery places , &c. and then hee cries , whom haue i in heauen but thee ? and i haue desired none in the earth with thee . alas , all their labour is but to build a paper house vpon the sand , which though it bee neuer so glorious to looke vpon , a small tempest will shatter it . when if thou lay the foundation of thy happinesse vpon christ the rocke of thy saluation , and build it with zealous seruice of him according to truth , then though the flouds beat against it , and huge tempests threaten it , thou needest not feare , for thy wals will stand fast , and thy foundations will secure thee . it were enough to perswade any man to bee honest if hee would consider the day of affliction , and store vp the comfort of a quiet conscience against it came : for onely that discernes the patient iob from despairing caine. caine hideously cries out , his punishment is greater than hee can beare . iob sighs forth , loe though hee slay mee , yet will i trust in him . indeed , till affliction comes , the worser sort of men appeare to bee the happiest , but then the chaffe is soone knowne from the wheat : the good man knowes his crosse is good for him , beares it patiently ; and casts his care on christ , his heart knowes no repining , nor his tongue other complaining , but shall i receiue good from god and not euill ? on the contrary , when affliction fals vpon those who haue laid their foundation on the sand , alas , they haue no comfort , they are either ashamed or besotted , they cannot finde god , nay they will not seeke him : but in stead of seeking counsell from him , they are not ashamed ( with forsaken saul ) to implore the deuill . what doe they lesse that seeke after witches for lost goods , cure for themselues , their children , or cattell ? i hope there are but few of these : but i know where god is once forsaken , man is apt to fall into the depth of sinne . it is grace , meere grace , that preserues gods children from these dangerous fals , of which grace i beseech almighty god make vs all partakers . and to conclude , how i would haue thee square thine actions , whatsoeuer thou doest , remember that thou art in the presence of god , ( who will expect an account from thee ) so thou wilt not dare to doe euill , and thou wilt doe well cheerefully , because thou art sure it pleases the lord , who fees thy willingnesse , and will not leaue thee vnrewarded . the vices most reigning in these times i must particularly aduise thee to shun : first , swearing . for gods sake , let your communication be yea , yea , and nay , nay , for what is more ( saith christ ) commeth of euill . keepe not company with a swearer , lest custome make thee forget how great the sin is , and so by little and little thou maist get thy selfe a habit of it . reproue it in thy friend , if hee will brooke reproofe : but it is to no end to reproue a scorner : rebuke not a scorner lest hee hate thee , but rebuke a wife man , and he will loue thee , prou. . . alwayes keepe a watch before thine owne lips , and remember that thou needest not sweare if thou doest not accustome thy selfe to lie . for if thou vsest to tell truths , thy word will bee as currant as thy oath . i hope thy calling ( if god hath made thee a man ) will bee of authority to reproue this vice in others , and not to delight in it thy selfe . if thou beest a daughter , remember thou art a maid , and such ought thy modesty to bee , that thou shouldest scarce speak , but when thou answerest : thou art young , speake if need bee , and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked , eccles. . . whatsoeuer thou bee , thou hast a calling , which thou must not dishonour : thou art a christian , and christ commaunds thou shalt not sweare at all , mat. . . the next vice too too common in this age is drunkennesse , which is the high way to hell : a man may trauell in it from sinne to sinne , till the deuill shew him hee can goe no further , as a traueller from inne to inne , till hee come to his iourneyes end . oh thinke how filthy is that sinne that makes a man a beast all his life , and a deuill at his death . solomon askes , to whom is woe ? to whom is sorrow ? to whom is strife ? to wbom is murmuring ? to whom are wounds without cause ? and to whom is rednesse of the eies ? and in the next verse answers , euen to them that tarry long at the wine , and to the end of the chapter , sets forth the miseries occasioned by this vice , prou. . that thou maist auoid this sinne , be carefull in the choise of thy friends , for it is they that will betray thee to this sinne . neuer make choice of a drunkard to thy companion , much lesse thy friend . for our kingdome hath of late afforded more examples of those who haue beene slaine by their friends in a drunken quarrell , than those that haue fallen by the enemies sword : and how vnfit is hee to bee a friend , that when thou shalt haue need of his counsell , will haue his head , instead of wisdome , fild with wine , and adde rather griefe than comfort to thy necessities ? and againe , what secret thou shalt trust him with , thou maist bee sure shall be vomited forth , and all thy comfort must bee , he did it vnwillingly , when hee knew not what hee did . thus thou seest to bee a drunkard , is to bee a man vnfit for gods seruice , or good mens company . i beseech god giue thee grace to detest it . next , i must exhort thee from a sinne , that i cannot name , thou must search thine owne heart for it . it is thy darling sin , that which to enioy , thou couldst resist all others , at least thou thinkest so . but doe not harbour it , search diligently for it in thine owne nature , and when thou hast found it , cast it headlong from thee . it is thy soules subtill betraier , and all thy other sins depend vpon it . there is not so much danger in all the rest that thou contendest with , as in this one , that thou art loth to call a sinne . thy other sinnes are like a rebellious multitude in a common wealth , which wanting a head , doe little harme . this is their head , cut it off , and thou shalt see all thy other sins dispersed , as an army of fearfull rebels , when they heare their great leaders head hath kist the blocke . ( ) when thou hast spent the day in religious and honest exercises , in the euening returne againe to some good meditation or study , which conclude with prayer , commending thy selfe to god , and so shalt thou ioyfully goe to thy supper ; which done , and the time of rest come , as thou begannest in the morning , so shut vp the day with humble thanksgiuing for all the benefits that day receiued , hearty repentance for all thy sinnes committed , naming and bewailing them . for thou knowest not if thou repentest not to night , whether thou shalt liue to repent tomorrow . and though thou wert sure of it , yet the oftner thou makest euen thy accounts with god , thy sleepes will bee the sounder , and thou shalt awake with a heart full of ioy , and ready to serue the lord. last , commit thy selfe , and all that is thine , to god in zealous prayer , vsing doctor smiths euening prayer , as his morning : both which though they be for a family , yet are they easily reduced to a priuate mans prayer . so going to bed , take thy rest , beginning and ending in him who is both first and last . thus spend the six dayes thou hast to labour in , that thou maist bee ready to celebrate the sabbath , to which there belongs another remember . ( ) remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day . this duty so often and earnestly commanded by god himselfe in the old testament , so confirmed to vs in the new , by the resurrection of our sauiour , in memory whereof it is called the lords day , and perpetually celebrated by the church , yet in these dayes , as if wee neither had part in the creation , nor redemption of the world , too many keepe no sabbath , or at the most but a shadow of a sabbath . where almost can wee finde one that will lose a good bargaine rather than make it on the lords day ? or that will bridle his owne desires to sanctifie that day ? seeing therefore this danger , in which thou maist easily bee entrapped by the deuils subtilty , and following the multitude ; i cannot but with all my power exhort thee , carefully to keepe the sabbath , to which end i pray thee marke well the fourth commaundement , remember that thou keepe holy the sabbath day , six dayes shalt thou labour , and doe all that thou hast to doe , but the seuenth is the sabbath of the lord thy god , in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke , thou , nor thy sonne , nor thy daughter , thy man seruant , nor thy maid-seruant , nor thy cattle that is within thy gates : for in six dayes the lord made heauen and earth , the sea , and all that is therein , and rested the seuenth day , wherefore the lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it . if thou wilt bee won to the due obseruation of this day as an obedient seruant , see god commands , remember that thou keepe holy the sabbath day . if as a louing and dutifull sonne , see how god perswades thee , by equity , grounded vpon his owne bounty to thee : hee hath giuen thee six dayes to doe thine owne workes , and hee requires but one of thee . what canst thou say for thy selfe , why thou shouldest not wholly that day giue thy selfe to his seruice ? lastly , if thou wilt learne how to serue him as a good scholler , he teaches thee an admirable way , both by rule and example . first , by rule , thou shalt doe no manner of worke in it : then by example , he made the whole world in six dayes , and hee rested the seuenth , wherefore hee blessed it . seeing god thus commands thee by his power , perswades thee in his mercy , and teaches thee both by rule , and his owne most gratious example , how canst thou bee so deuoid of grace , nay of reason , as not to obey so iust a master ? so mercifull a father ? so gracious a teacher ? if thou make not a conscience of keeping this day , howsoeuer a dull security may possesse thee to flatter thy selfe , thou indeed makest conscience of nothing . for i am perswaded , if thou canst dispence with thy selfe to prophane this day , either for thy profit or pleasure , thou wilt not sticke vpon the like occasion to breake all the rest of the commandements one after another . therefore for christs sake bee watchfull that the deuill deceiue you not , nor none of his instruments draw thee away from this dayes duty , hee is alwaies busie and ready at hand to draw thee away from god , but this day without doubt hee doubles all his forces , hee will prouoke thine eies to sleepe , hee will send heauinesse and dulnesse to thy heart , and perhaps paine to thy body , if he can so much preuaile : any sleight , any tricke to stay thee from gods house , and from the congregation of his people , hee will surely vse , nay hee will sometimes doe it with religious pretences , as to pray at home , reade a sermon , study the scripture , and to spend the time in such christian exercises , as are infinitely good at other times . but i once heard a religious preacher affirme ( and i beleeued him ) that those who had ability of body to goe to church , and yet out of any euill disposition ( for good it can hardly bee ) absented themselues , though they prayed , they were not heard . it behoues thee by how much greater his practises are against thee that day , so much the more to fortifie thy selfe against him : at no hand let him stay thee from the church , there god hath promised to bee present , and there hee is . darest thou then , silly wretch , absent thy selfe from him ? i know , thou darest not . goe then with a heart prepared to pray by prayer , and going meditate on gods great mercies in the creation of the world , his greater mercy in redeeming it , and mingle with thy meditation prayers , that may apply these great blessings to thy selfe . so approach and enter , with reuerent and feruent zeale , the house of god , and throwing away all thoughts , but such as may further the good worke thou art about , bend thy knees and heart to god , desiring of him his holy spirit , that thou maist ioine with the congregation in zealous prayer , and earnest attention to his word preached . and though perhaps thou hearest a minister preach , as thou thinkest , weakly , yet giue him thine attention , and thou shalt finde that hee will deliuer something profitable to thy soule , either that thou hast not heard before , or not marked , or forgotten , or not well put in practise . and it is fit thou shouldest bee often put in minde of those things concerning thy saluation . thus if thou spend thy time at church , thou wilt bee ready to giue thy selfe to meditate of the holy word thou hast heard , without which truly hearing profiteth little . for it is with the soule as with the body , though meat bee neuer so wholsome , and the appetite neuer so great , yet if any ill disposition in the stomacke hinder digestion , it turnes not to nourishment , but rather proues more dangerous . so the word if after hearing it bee not digested by meditation , it is not nourishing to the soule . therefore let the time thou hast to bee absent from church , bee spent in praising god , praying to god , and applying to thy selfe what thou hast heard . if thou hast heard a sinne reproued that thou art guilty of , take it for a warning , doe it no more . if thou hearest of a good action which thou hast ouerslipt , striue to recouer time , and resolue to put it in act . thus by practising what thou hearest , thou shalt binde it to thy memory , and by making it thine owne , make thy selfe most happy . learne of isaiah , the true obseruation of the sabbath : if thou turne away thy foot from the sabbath , from doing thy will on my holy day , and call the sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the lord , and shalt honour him , not doing thy owne wayes , nor seeking thine owne will , nor speaking a vaine word : then shalt thou delight in the lord , and i will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth , and feed thee with the heritage of iacob thy father , for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it , isaiah . . it is a wonder to see how often god hath commanded this one commandement , and yet how slacke we are to keepe it . exod. . from the . verse , is all commanding this : againe in the . . and diuers places more . learne then to prepare thy heart early for this day , which if thou obseruest well , god will blesse thee and thy labours all the weeke . thus farre i haue endeuoured to exhort thee to thy duty towards god. ( ) of which the honour due to thy parents is such a part as cannot bee separated ; for god commands it , honour thy father and thy mother , it is the first commandement of the second table , as , thou shal haue none other gods but mee , is of the first : idolatry being the greatest sin against god , and disobedience to parents , being the ring-leader in sinnes against man , wee are first warned of them , as if in case we should fall into them , it were too late to auoid the other . for if wee once become in heart idolaters , it will be no hard matter to be a bower down to an image , to abuse gods holy name , and to prophane his sabbath : so if wee dare disobey good parents , at that breach , theft , murther , adultery , falsenesse , couetousnesse easily enter . nay , i dare say , if thou breakest either of these commandements , thou breakest all of the first and second table : for as thou canst not bee idolatrous without breaking all the rest , so thou canst not bee a disobedient childe , but thou art a murderer , a double one : first of nature in thy selfe , which if thy wicked purposes doe not smother , will of her selfe breake forth into that duty . for an example , the story of aeneas ihewes how much it was obserued by them that receiued not the commandement from gods owne mouth , as did the iewes , yet he exposed himselfe to all dangers rather than hee would forsake his father . secondly , thou art a murtherer of thy father , who hauing stored vp all his ioy in thee , hath by thy disobedience his gray head brought with sorrow to the graue ; which god forbid . and what difference , shall i say , is there betweene a disobedient childe , and an adulterer ? the one forsakes her , by whom he giueth being vnto others ; the other despiseth those from whom hee had his owne being . truly this is a fearefull adultery , and sinne is a crafty strumpet , she will allure thee and delude thee . againe , in being disobedient thou art a theefe , an impudent theefe , for thou doest not onely secretly steale , but openly detaine the honour , reuerence and obedient duty , which all the world can witnesse is thy fathers . and how wilt thou auoid being a false witnesse ? will not one sinne draw on another ? wilt not thou bee ready to excuse thy vnnaturall obstinacy , by throwing calumnious aspersions on thy parents , giuing thy tongue leaue to lie against thy conscience ? and lastly ( oh horrible ) how easie a step is it to couet what thou thinkest thy parents life too long detaines from thee ? thus thou seeft in being disobedient thou breakest six commandements , from which outrage , i beseech almighty god preserue thee , and giue thee grace to bee obedient to him , and to thy parents . i am sure thou hast a father , who will neuer command thee any thing contrary to the commandements of god. therefore i haue no need to speake to thee , how farre a father ought to bee obeyed : but humbly desire of god to continue him in his good desires with long life , that he may bring thee vp in the feare of the lord , and to giue thee a heart ready to embrace all religious learning . ( ) the next duty equall to this , thou must performe to all the world in generall , doe to all men as thou wouldst they should doe vnto thee . this is the commandement our sauiour giues vs ; loue one another : by this wee shall bee knowne to be his , if we loue one another , as hee hath loued vs. yet of all that is commanded vs , there is nothing more contrary to our wicked nature than this louing our neighbour as our selues . wee can with ease enuie him if hee be rich , or scorne him if he be poore ; but loue him ? nay the deuill hath more craft than so . it were hard for him if men should once begin to loue one another : therefore hee vseth all art to stir dissention among as many as he can , & to mix loue with dissimulation . to auoid this , consider well that god is the author of peace and loue , and that strifes and contentions proceed of the deuill . then if thou beest the child of god , doe the workes of god , loue thy neighbour as he hath cōmanded , lest thou prouoke our blessed sauiour , when hee shall see , that marke of the deuill , malice in thee , to say as once to the vnbeleeuing iewes , you are of your father the deuill , and the lusts of your father will you doe , ioh. . . oh take heed thou offend not god thus grieuously , that hee shall disclaime thee as none of his , because thou doest not loue those that are his . this , if well weighed , were enough to make euery man charitable , if it were onely for feare to hate whom god loued . but to beleeue or iudge that god should hate where thou doest , were such an impious vncharitablenesse as a good christian must needs tremble at . god hath giuen thee no authoritie to iudge any man , but he hath commanded thee to loue thine enemie ; loue your enemies , blesse them that curse you , doe good to them that hate you , and pray for them that hurt and persecute you , that you may be the children of your father which is in heauen , matth. . . a man may finde wayes enow to possesse the deuill of his soule , but none with lesse pleasure to himselfe than this : hee may sell it , as did iudas , to satisfie a couetous desire ; hee may lose it , as does many a lazie man his worldly estate ; because hee will not trouble himselfe to looke ouer an account of his fortune , hee sinkes ere hee thinkes of it ; so fares it with a negligent christian. thirdly , hee may pawne it , like a foolish vnthrift , who pawnes that which should keepe him all his life , to purchase a gay toy , which shall serue him a day or two : so doth hee that pawnes that rich iewell his soule , to the griping vsurer the deuill , for pleasure ; haply hee meanes one day to redeeme it , but runnes on his selfe-pleasing course till the vse hath deuoured the principall , and his vnmercifull creditor hales him to a dungeon , where he has time for euer to be waile , not only his present misery , but the losse of infinite happinesse . these are strange enough that a man should sell eternitie of ioy for wealth , or sleepe away the time wherein hee might make such a purchase , or pawne an inestimable treasure for things not worth esteeme . but yet they are all better than hee that giues away his soule for nothing , as doth the enuious man. the couetous gets riches , the slothfull ease , the wanton pleasure , but this hater of his brother gets nothing ( no not in present ) but torment , fretting and vexation : he is not the fatter for his meat , nor doth hee rest though hee sleepe , yet he for whom , or against whom hee thus toiles his spirit , haply eats , sleepes , and laughes at his enuiers folly , or peraduenture pitties him . the more easily to auoid this sinne , consider well the disprofits of it . reade in the first epistle of saint iohn . chap. . and . verses , and in the . chap. the . and the . verses : reade the . of the first to the corinthians ; there saint paul shewes that without charitie euen spirituall graces are of no worth . as the want of it brings infinite miserie , so the posession infinite ioy . by charitie wee performe our sauiour christs commandement , who often requires this of vs , as if hee should say , i haue satisfied my father for all the commandements that you haue broke . now your taske is easie , i leaue you nothing to doe , but to loue one another ; doe this and you doe all . by it we fulfill the law , rom. . . and . verses . by it wee abide in the light , iob. . . is it possible , when these are well weighed , that any man should bee so mad to beare an vncharitable heart about him , or so foole hardy to harbour a spleene that shall hazard his saluation ? can wee be so cruell to our selues , as to deny christ one commandement ? for all his loue to vs , he requires but this testimony of our loue to him , which we cannot choose but performe if we doe loue him . therefore take heed if thou feele any malice towards thy brother , bee sure thy heart is not vpright toward god. so root it out from thy heart , that no sting of it bee left , for it will grow faster than ionahs gourd . answer mee not with flesh and bloud cannot doe this : i know it . but if thou desire god to giue thee his holy spirit , thou shalt bee strong to suffer , and ready to forgiue . thou must not in any thing bee subiect to the flesh , for the wisdome of the flesh is death . but alwayes make thy spirit thy guide , for there is life and peace . the deuill would desire no greater aduantage than that thou wouldst trust thy soule to the discretion of thy corrupt flesh , he would soone inueigle that to betray thee . but when thou hast put thy selfe vnder the spirit , submitting thy will to the will of god , he is no more able to hurt thee . the next excuse i would take from thee , is a very foolish one , but so common , that i feare you may happen on it , and that is this ; if i should suffer wrongs patiently , what will become of my reputation ? what will the world say ? truly if you remember , christ hath suffred more for you , than it is possible for you to suffer : yet hee neuer reuiled any of his enemies , nor strake his persecutors , but prayed for them . and his example teaches all that loue him to doe the like . he wils you to turne the left cheeke to him that smote the right , to giue to him that takes from you , and to goe with him that compels you . but these are strange rules for a generous spirit in these times , nay sure if i be strucke i must strike againe , else i am a coward . indeed as for giuing , if it were to one that would desire it at my hands , i had rather giue a fragment of my right than goe to law , but if hee will not sue to mee , i le spend all i am worth ere i yeeld : or i would goe out of my doore to shew a man his way , but i would faine see who could compell mee . i mary , this is of the right straine ; but now looke with a considerate eye vpon this custome of the world , and the former commandement of christ , and thou shalt finde them iust opposite . therefore take heed , and let it bee thy chiefe care neuer to prize thy reputation with men equall to the saluation of thine owne soule . but if thou desirest to keepe thy credit vnblemished , serue god with an vpright heart , and doe nothing to any man , that thou wouldest not bee content hee should doe vnto thee . open thy hand to the poore according to thy abilitie , meddle not with other mens occasions , but where thou maist doe good , and hast a calling to it . and if it bee in thy power to hurt thine enemy , let it passe , doe him good if thou canst , and boast not of it : he that sees thee in priuate , will openly reward thee . lastly , let thy heart bee kept alwayes in awe of this want of charity , by continuall remembring that thou hast of thy sauiour no other forme of praier to desire forgiuenesse for thy selfe , than that wherein thou couenantest to forgiue others . all the other petitions wee present vnto god absolutely : onely this is conditionall , hee forgiue vs as wee forgiue others . our sauiour hath taught vs no other way to desire it , and in the . of matthew hee shewes god will no otherwise grant it . sine fine finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e heb. , . tim. . , notes for div a -e there wanis not poore at euery doore . the guide of honour, or the ballance wherin she may weigh her actions a discourse written (by way of humble advise) by the author then residing in forreigne parts, to a truely noble lord of england his most honour'd friend. worthy the perusall of all who are gently or nobly borne, whom it instructeth how to carry themselves in both fortunes with applause and security. / by antony stafford, gent. stafford, anthony. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) the guide of honour, or the ballance wherin she may weigh her actions a discourse written (by way of humble advise) by the author then residing in forreigne parts, to a truely noble lord of england his most honour'd friend. worthy the perusall of all who are gently or nobly borne, whom it instructeth how to carry themselves in both fortunes with applause and security. / by antony stafford, gent. stafford, anthony. [ ], , [ ] p. by t[homas] c[otes] for s. cartwright, dwelling at the bible in duck-lane, printed at london : . printer's name from stc. with a final errata leaf. a variant of the edition with t. slater as publisher in imprint. identified as stc on reel . reproduction of the original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the gvide of honovr , or the ballance wherin she may weigh her actions . a discourse written ( by way of humble advise ) by the author then residing in forreigne parts , to a truely noble lord of england his most honour'd friend . worthy the perusall of all who are gently or nobly borne , whom it instructeth how to carry themselves in both fortunes with applause and security . by antony stafford , gent. printed at london , by t. c. for s. cartwright , dwelling at the bible in duck-lane . . octob. . . perlegi hunc libellum cui titulus ( a discourse written by way of humble advise , &c. ) qui continet folia . paginas vero . in quibus nil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium , nec 〈◊〉 quiequā quo minus cum publica utilitate ●●●rimatur , modo intra tres menses proxime sequentes , typis mandetur . guilielmus haywood , arch cantuar. capell . domesticus . to the constant lover of vertue , and knowledge , the right honorable , george , baron of barkeley , mowbray , segrave , and brufe , and knight of the order of the bath to his majesty now reigning . my lord , twelve years are past , since this handmaid of honour , made her first addresse to your lordship , and will not now part from you . indeed shee can not leave you , and keepe her shame , in that she owes her essence to you , being composed of your heroick vertues . he that converseth with you need not see her ; for yow two differ in nothing , save in the lively grace which all originals have above their coppies . if in your lordships eye she appeares not faire enough , looke into yourselfe , and forme her anew out of your owne bosome , where perfections dwell , to which i can not penetrate . i could wish too , you would apparell your owne childe in your owne phrase , gentle , and sweete as your owne disposition . my noblest lord , it is impossible for mee to flatter you , since i can not out-speake my love , or your merrit . hee that thinkes i insinuate , let him in my hearing take but one syllable from this , and i heere promise , hee shall finde mee a greater prodigall of life then of language . i pay my god onely love , thankes , and reverence for my creation ; and a greater returne , you can not expect , whom hee hath made the noble meane of my preservation . of that due oblation you may rest confident ; for i can never bee so unman'd as to bee ungratefull . i can onely say , i am truly sorry that ( for your sake ) i am not master of many lifes ; not that i desire to live long , but to dye often in your service . i am barred further protestation by the haste i make to professe my selfe your lordships most humble , loyall servant antony stafford . to the noble reader . for to such onely this maiden guide of honour , desires accesse . the detracting broode , whom malice hath begot on ignorance , shee holds not worthy of her salutation , much lesse of her service . shee knowes that hercules after his fifty labours , grappell'd with envy , and expects the like encounter . these fly wits ( that search all over a body for a sore , and where they cannot finde they make one ) imitate in this their great patron momus , who ( when he could not espy any member , or feature in venus justly liable to detraction ) cride out upon the creaking of her pantables . they raile at the ages past , condemne the present , and already judge the future . these severe iudges will have a man as serious in his first booke as his last will. some of them lately have not spared even apollo's first borne , incōparable , and inimitable sir phillip sydney , whose arcadia they confine onely to the reading of chambermaids ; a censure that can proceede from none but the sonnes of kitchinmaids . let me perish , if i thinke not his very skull yet retaines more : witt then the passive braines of these wretched things , betweene whose soules , and knowledge , there is a gulfe . but how come i to descend to these poore abjects , whose inflexible dullnesse , and obstinacy , reason herselfe cannot bend . i confesse nothing could make mee voutsafe them a word , were i not fired with their vnder valluing of that truth worthy who ( next her kings ) is the first glory this iland can boast of . a man deserving both the lawrels , and the crowne to boote , design'd him by the votes of many brave spirits , who discovered in him all the requisits of a king but the title . this is no digression , noble reader ; for the guide i have given you , is also the champion of honor and of her sacred seed , of which he was the first in worth , though not in time . are you enflamed with a desire of domesticall glory ? imitate the truly great sydney , whose onely example is far above all my precepts . can you with the arcadians boast your selfe ancienter then the moone ? if you live out of vertues shine , your antiquity does not illustrate , but obscure you . hath fortune sterv'd the rest of humanity to feed you ? without learning you are as blinde as your goddesse . hath nature bestow'd her utmost art on you ? without knowledge you are , at the best , but an unhabited paradise . blush then to sit in the theater , one stone upon another . shame forbids that your inward , and outward sight , should have one and the same horizon . which ignominie that you may eschew , emulate the ever famous , ever blessed sydney , who is as far above the envy , as the vnderstanding of his detracters , more capable of a bastinad● then an apology . now for this true servant of honour ▪ i assure you shee had never kiss'd your hands , but that i fear'd another would send her to you without or equipage , or my consent . heaven be praised , shee comes not from me with such labour that she needs a midwife to bring her forth . she is now by my command come to waite on you : if you follow her close , she will bring you into the embraces of her mistresse , betweene whose armes posterity shall find you sleeping . which supreme humane happinesse is unfainedly wish'd you , by your most humble servant , antony stafford . the gvide of honovr , or a discovrse written by way of humble advice , by the author then residing in forreigne parts , to a noble lord of england , his most honour'd friend . all the present occurrences , both of these , and other parts , my last will present to your lordships gracious acceptance . i will lay aside therfore forreigne businesse , and humblie advise your lordship concerning your owne . i may truly say your owne , by reason your honour , and happinesse in this life , and your fame with posterity depend upon it . could intelligence anatomize all states , laying their entrailes , and nerves open to you , it would rather augment your subtility then your vertue , your generall knowledge , then your particular goodnesse . it is an errour as great as common to study to know more , not to live better . the wisest , and most judiciall observations can bee given us of this worlds affaires , can neither strengthen our vertue , deare sir , or better our prudency , unlesse wee apply them to our selves , by practising in our lives the sounder part of them , the rotten cast away . but i , all this while onely fetch the wind , to come with the fuller gaile into the haven . my counsell is , that you set the whole frame of your life upon these three legges : religion , care of your private estate , discretion in all your actions . take away any of these and you fall either a ridiculous subject to your enemies , or a sad object to your friends . for example : ruyne by negligence , or prodigality your private fortune , and you become a laughing stocke to those that hate you : on the other side ; abandon your religion or reputation to the just censure of others , and you become a corrasive in the hearts of all your honourers . with your lordships leave , i will a little enlarge my discourse upon these three severallie , and demonstrate the comforts with which they fill his soule , in whom jointly they make their blessed union , and happy mansion . religion . i place religion first , in obedience to gods commandement , who wils us first to seeke the kingdome of heaven , and the righteousnesse thereof , promising that all other things shall be added unto us . againe , i give it the leading for order sake , imitating the builder of an house , who begins with the foundation ; which excelling both for matter , and well laying the whole frame , will unmoved withstand the blasts , and rage of wind , and weather . this preceding , all things else readily follow which any way tend to the perfection , and happinesse of living . it is so , it is so , most honor'd lord : religion was never seene to goe alone , without alwayes a glorious traine of vertues to attend , and ( for the most part ) felicity to accompany it . i say for the most part ; because though god ever affordes his children the true , ever flourishing , internall felicity , yet , hee often suffereth even the dearest in his eyes , to want the fading externall . on the contrary , where religion doth not waite on humaine endeavours , there the whole bodie of their actions is cloathed with imperfections . there is nothing which so much distinguisheth man , and beast , as religion ; which is discovered in us , long before the use of our reason , it being ingrafted in us by nature ; as wee reade of saint iohn baptist , and divers other saints , who have made cleare , and miraculous demonstrations of their zeale , even in the narrow compasse of the womb . this is a heavenly prerogative peculiar to man alone ; for that the other living creatures are rationall , many have disputed ; but that they are religious , no man was ever so stupid to maintaine . it is an observation infallible throughout all storie , that the more noble nations were ever the more religious . valerius said to the romans , that though they regarded not their citty , yet they should stand in feare of their gods : which by their enemies were taken prisoners . it was with this polisht people a custome as commendable as usual , that the consull , or pretor , ever offered the richest of his spoiles to the same gods in the capitoll , unto whom there first hee pronounced his vowes . in imitation , and emulation of these truely brave heathen , doe you offer up likewise the first fruits of your noble heart , as a rent due to him that made it . love with all your soule the creator of it . the cause why you love him you must make himselfe , and the measure of that love must bee without measure . submit your will to his , humbly desiring his direction , and protection in all your wayes , and proceedings . let this assurance fullie content you , denying harbour to vaine curiosities , which will disquiet , not amend your mind . weary not your selfe with controversies , and needlesse nicities in divinity , but leave them for learneder men , amongst whom i finde some who will not bee ignorant of gods secrets , as if it were a matter of nothing to bee saved , unlesse wee also know what god will have unknowne . thinke that sufficient which god hath thought enough for you , and seeke to know all that to salvation is necessary , not to contestation . when aquinas , and scotus have vented , and banded all their subtility each against other , many wise men will judge it no other then a profound scolding . the iewes proceeding this way infinitely taketh mee , who as often as they fell upon any difficult place in scripture , would say , veniet elias , & enodabit : wee know that elias will come , and tell us all things . those stirring wits that itch to propound acute questiōs are fitly compared to the sunne in march , who then exhales humours , but dissolves them not . and were their positions only frivolous , they were more tollerable , but they commonly end in horrid blasphemy . laurentius valla hearing a cardinall dispute sublimely of god , and his subordinate spirits , said to his companion , and i could produce too such keene arguments against my christ , but i spare so great a majesty . in a word ; bee not in divinity an aculeo , nor a curio : but in all your doubts have recourse to this sure decider of all differences , dominus dixit . what folly , nay , madnesse is it to spend a mans whole age in speculations , neither necessary to this life , nor that to come ? we have a wicked custome in england , of gentlemens studying the controversies for ornament ; not taking them to heart , nor handling them with that reverence they ought . doe not you so , but love goodnesse in what religion soever you finde it . put not your sickle into the divines harvest , but leave it to those whom god hath marked for his ministry . raile at no sect , for they that delight in wrangling , desire rather the confusion then the reformation of him they oppose . much disputing , it may bee , god loves not , and for certaine , most men abhorre . to this i may adde , that truth is no way more involved then by that way shee is sought . reade you therefore such bookes as may enflame your zeale , laying aside those which onely satisfie your curiosity . neither be onely conversant in those workes , which make against vice in generall , but enquire after such also as treate of those vices , to which you finde your selfe most prone . physitians , after they haue given a generall purgation , use such medicines as purge elective , that is , take away onely that humour which is predominant in the patient . so you must not run over onely those authors which meerly write against sinne , without descending unto particulars ; but intentively peruse , and dwell upon such as inveigh against your own secret sinnes , onely knowne to god , and your selfe . if to any notorious vice you bee inclined ( next your invocation of god ) the onely remedy is to shunne the cause . praesentia objecti naturaliter movet potentiam : the presence of the object stirres up the desire . to expresse my selfe more clearely : fly that thing or that company , from whence your enticement comes . if in a friend an imperfection appeares , friendship winkes at it : but if a vice , the hate of that makes her loath the thing beloved . bee not you such as was fabius , a decemvir , of whom livy saith , that hee chose rather to bee like appius then himselfe . i am not of bions opininion , that all friends good , or bad , are to be retained , least we either confesse our weakenes in conversing with the vicious , or our basenes in forsaking the vertuous . another maine helpe is the rectifying of your will. the way to subjugate this , and render it conformable to the lawes of reason , is a secret in the cure of the soule , knowen but to a few , and by fewer practised . in this untroden path which leads to the temple of vertue , i will with alacrity bee your lordships humble , and happy guide . your understanding must often , and earnestly informe your will. the reason why some who know enough , commit such grosse errours , is , that their understandings check not their wils , or , if they do , it is so seldom , & so coldly , that they rather yeeld then conquer . on my faith , this one rule observed is able to make you lord of more perfections then now you are of akers . that you may obtaine from the almighty a blessing of these and all your other endevours , receive often the sacrament . remember him often that never forgets you . frequency of communion is a great , though not an infallible signe of continuance , and promotion in righteousnesse . saint augustin counselleth the more perfect to receive every day . i advise not you to doe so , but think it enough if quarterly you faile not to execute this your holy duty . your manifold affaires will hardly permit you oftener to make a serious and devout preparation , which must necessarily precede the approaching to this sanctified supper . you must expel the old man out of your heart , and give up the sole governement of it to the new , who admittes no rivall . you must not onely strive to cleare your selfe of the infection of mortall sinnes , but of the affection also to those which comparatively we call veniall . having once shaken them off , you must beware that they take not hold againe ▪ in these spirituall fevours , relapses are most dangerous , great divines doubt whether or no saint peter had done worse , had hee committed three severall sinnes , then he did in falling into one , and the same thrice . finall impenitency lightly followes obstinacy in sinne ; from which that you may be free , maintaine in your bosome a perpetuall warfare betwixt your earthly and heavenly desires . oppression , blood , sodomy , blasphemy , and the rest of that lowd-mouth'd packe , i am confident you wil make strong head against ; onely my extreame love , not your disposition , begetteth in mee a jealousy that you may bee captivated by the two english evils , drinke , and women . drunkennesse dispraised . the former is unworthy of man , and beast , it having no ground in nature , and therefore seneca properly stiles it a voluntary folly. hee that makes another drunke cōmits the greatest of thefts ; in robbing him of a iewell ( his reason ) beyond value in its owne nature ; but if you consider its great originall , god , it is then much more endeared . so that here the common posy ( not the guift , but the giver ) holds not , for both the one , and the other are in their owne estimation , and valew incomprehensible . neither is this a solitary vice , but is ever accompanied with incontinency , wherefore wise antiquity ever pictur'd the lecherous satyrs attendants on bacchus . yet are some wits like franckincense , till they have taken heat from wine they send forth no vapour . but from such nothing solid proceedes , onely flashes , and fumes that vanish into nothing . against this vice there is no stronger remedy then often , and seriously to consider the loathsome lookes , gestures , and speeches of drunkards . vnder this i comprehend gluttony , since excesse is the common mother to both , and in each of them the creature much abused . all hold that there is a great resemblance betwixt the macrocosme , and microcosme , the great , and the little world , which is man in the greater there is an established order ; and should , nay would bee in the lesser , could the inordinate appetite of man bee brought to know the limits of necessitie . the irrationall creatures wee see doe neither eate , nor drinke beyond their hunger , or thirst , therefore in my mind , this phrase ( drunken beast ) is as improper , as usuall ; it being withall a great disparagement to the poore creature altogether innocent of this excesse . neither is this vice an enemy to piety , but to wisdome . sapientia in sicco remanet , non in paludibus , & lacunis : wisdome delighteth in a dry habitation , not in boggs , and ditches . for this makes that of heraclytus , lux sicca , anima sapientissima : a dry light , a most wise soule . that you may never erre in matter of diet , looke that the quallity of that you eate , or drinke , be agreable to your constitution , and the quantity no greater then your stomacke can well overcome ; which galen implies when hee maintaineth oportere patientem esse proportionatum agenti : that the patient must be proportionable to the agent . wee see for the most , part old men eate not so much as young ; and the reason of this is none other then that the agent , or naturall heate is not of force to digest the patient , or foode , if in great quantity it be received . this is the sum of physicke , and i dare bee bound that a sound body , keeping this dyet , shall dye through a meare resolution of parts , without ever knowing disease . this will deliver you from physitians , who purge men of their humours , and the world of men . i insist the longer upon this , because i would have your life lengthned in this world , and your sobriety crowned in the other . jncontinencie discommended . i now come to the second english evill , women . if you saile by these false compasses , you shall be sure to sinke . over and above the incurring of gods displeasure , you will sucke from their lippes their effeminate humours , and become uncapable of any charge in the common-wealth , and of all advise from your freinds . no man in the state of grace can imagine what one of these pretty ones will perswade him to , he being once enchanted . enquire this truth of slaves that have long serv'd in these gallies . your lordship hath a great priviledge in having a lawfull remedie ; so that if you can not honestly command your lust , you may honestly obey it . yet doe i earnestly beseech you to moderate this pleasure , remembring that all things lawfull are not expedient . it is no slight treasure that these wantons robbe us off . assay often , and vehemently to subdue these , and all your other affections rebelling against your nobler part ; so shall you worthyly receive your lord , having this master comfort , that you eate , and drinke your owne salvation . mithridates king of pontus , having invented mithridate , did by the often eating of it , so strengthen his nature , that afterwards , when hee would have poisoned himselfe to shunne the servitude of the romans , hee could not possibly effect his designe . that immaculate lambe of god our sweet saviour , hath instituted this holie sacrament , that whosoever eateth his body , and drinketh his blood worthily should not die , but have life everlasting . the frequent eating of this heavenly manna is so strong an antidote , that neither the poison of bad affections , nor the contagiō of wicked conversation can worke upon that soule to hurt it , which is once fortified with it . this is the tree of life , by which wee triumph over death , and with the lord of life , become fellowe heires of that kingdome which from before all ages hee hath prepared for us . before you pluck and taste this divine fruit , knock your selfe on the breast , and say , lord i am unworthy . thus doing , i with joy assure my selfe , dearest sir , that your dayes shall bee long in the land which the lord your god hath given you . thus doing , blessings shall not stay your wishes , but come before and above your expectation . thus doing , you shall sleepe , and wake , rise , and lie down in security , knowing that you are under the protection of a guard , which neither the policy , nor power of man , or divell , can force . thus doing , you shall give your enemies no cause to rejoyce , and your friends none to greive . to conclude , thus doing , you shall go out of this world with honour , and enter the other with glory , leaving behind you the fame of a life wel lead , and so ended . care of your private estate . i have seene one of the athenian sages , pictur'd with one eye cast up to heaven , the other fixed on the earth . the conceit , no doubt , implyes that the view of these two remote objects do beget in a wise brest two different cares ; the first whereof hath an eye to the end of his journey , the latter to the meanes . the one seekes for the fairest , and the nearest way , the other lookes to the viaticum , or provision for the voyage . thus must you doe , excellent sir , you must not with too much thinking whither you are going , forget where you are . as you minde the joyes and glory of the other life , so must you also the necessities of this . thales the philosopher was derided by the old governesse of his house , in that through the earnest fixing of his mind , and sight upon the starres he fell into a ditch ; the contemplation of things a far off taking from him the remembrance of those neere hand . so are they worthily censur'd , and scoff'd at , whom an ignorant zeale maketh give ouer this world , while they are yet in it , neglecting their estates and posterity , nay utterly forgetting those humane offices , wherin being defective , wee can not deservedly bee stiled men . these should consider , that if nature would have exempted them from the condition of men , shee would by a third sexe have distinguish'd them from the rest . the misunderstanding of our saviours words ; in the . of s. matthew , verse . hath abused many ; they thinking that christ in this place forbids all thought for this life , whereas , indeed , he only prohibiteth such a care as any way tends to a distrust of gods providence . my humble advice is , that you walke doubly provided , at once relying upon gods supernaturall helpe , and yet using the ordinarie meanes hee hath given you . doe so , be an understanding lord , and let your wisedome warrant you worthy your title . thinke twice how to maintaine your greatnesse , for once how to set it forth , and ( your honor admitting it ) oblige more your posterity , then your ancestors have done you . to be plainer , encrease your estate , if you can doe it without the decrease of your reputation . bee not like those who thinke it the prime and essentiall part of a lord to bee ignorant of what hee hath . enquire into the particularities of your fortunes . know how , and where your mannors , and rents lie . let not your least revenue passe unexamin'd , but informe your selfe of the former , and present vallue of it . learne what successively it hath yeelded your predecessors , and ( the lease being expired ) let it according to the current rate of these times ; else in shewing your selfe a mercifull land-lord , you may prove a cruell father . consider who have beene true to your parents , and your selfe , and let your reward ore waigh their deserts . omit not to take a role of all them who hold any thing of you , and marke such names as have beene faithfull to your family . these cherrish both with your purse , and countenance , taking the better deserving of them into your service . to the off-spring of those whom you shall fynde branded with disloyaltie to your house bee neither uncharitable , nor uncourteous : yet let them neither have so great a share of grace , or benefit as the former , except you see apparent , and extraordinary signes of truth , and merrite in them . beleeve me , or ( if not me ) story , that there is a fatality in these things , and that perfidiousnesse often runs in a blood. i may adde , the despaire will possesse the most honest heart ever to please you , who shall come to your service clogged with the memory of his fore-fathers demerits ; and the comfortable advantage he shal come with who can assure himselfe that his errours shall bee buried in the merits of his ancestours . with the former take this generall caution ; that you set your leases at such rates , as no man can have just cause to call you oppressour . wisely consider that though a poore wronged man can not take from you your titles , riches or friends ; yet hee may fortake you from them . despaire as she hopes no good , so shee feares no ill . vitae tuae dominus est quisquis suam contempsit ; hee is master of your life who will forsake his own . of this we have a fresh example in one of your lordships own ranke . this is one of the crying sinnes , and the voyce of it reacheth a note higher then any of the rest . thus farre of your commings in , now of your layings out . keepe a good set table that may not feare the approache of halfe a score good fellowes . to this ( in case strangers of extraordinary quality come ) you may adde according to your pleasure . an orderly , yet liberal table continued , is by much more commendable , then these intemperate feasts , which commonly are followed by as penurious fasts ; so that vaine-gloriously to entertaine our guests , wee basely starve our servants . men of great ranke i would seldome invite , for it draws mony from you , and censure from them ; such ever making the prodigallity , or defects of your table the discourse of theirs . i may adde the dangerous engagements they will invite you to , which you must either with the losse of your wisdome grant , or with the purchase of their envy deny . but if any eminēt person without any invitation of myne should voutsafe me a visit , i would like himselfe , and my selfe receive him . some , and those wise , know every night the expenses of the passed day . i am not of opinion that your lordship should be so strict , or put your selfe to that trouble , but i would perswade you to take an account of every weekes charges , and that at an appointed day , and houre , which i would not breake without a cause of great importance . entertaine not many followers , least you leave behind you many beggars , and few admirers . those you take once into your service , maintaine so as the world may witnesse for you , they want nothing due to backe , or belly : and when your last day comes , ( which iesus grant i may never see ) leave them legacies , sutable to their severall quallities , and deserts . so shall their childrens children magnify your goodnesse , and one generation bequeath your praises to another . choose your officers sober , discreet , and honest men ; for if a mans nature lead him to wast and sharke , all your vigilancy will be in vaine . dispositions quickly put on habits . bannish riot , and roaring your house , but alwayes beware of punishing a fault too severely in an old , and faithfull servant : yet if you can not reforme him , give him meanes to live from you ; so shall you doe him good , and keepe your family from infection . we reade of cato vticensis , that hee with great study kindled , and nourished dissension amongst his servants , by which meanes he came to know all their actions , and conspiracies . doe you shunne this course as you would do infamy , to which it leades . let all your endeavours serve to settle a firme concord amongst them , otherwise your house will become a common pleas , and amongst other inconveniences , this ensuing will bee one . you cannot so indifferently carry your selfe , but that your affection will appeare more to some , then to others . now , if your people bee at variance , one will repine at the grace you shew the other , judging himselfe wronged , and undervallued by you . from hence will proceede a mixt report , one exalting , and the other debasing you . and though your praisers surpasse in number your revilers , it will nothing at all availe you ; men in these daies being more prone to harken after a mans vices then his vertues . withall build on this , that those with whom you live are they must judge you . who will desire your character from any other then from such as are eare , and eyewitnesses of your words , deeds , and cariage ? take heed therefore that malice reigne not in your house , still remembring that heavē is the true patterne of a perfect society , and there envy hath no place . weare good clothes but make it not your study to excell others in bravery . follow the received fashion , but do not adore it . totus nitidus , saith seneca , totus stultus : all neat , al foole. your lordship shall observe in the course of your life , that such as give themselves wholy over bodies , and soules into the hands of a taylour , are likely litle wiser then he that fittes them . they may have a superficiall , but not an essentiall worth . it may bee objected that they often attaine to high degrees of honour ; to which i answer that no man is properly stiled wise from the event . it hath been long my observation that they who strove to have the leading in fashion , came behind in al the maine requisites of a gentleman . we see women to bee their chiefe admirers , and i dare bee bound that none of them was ever yet found who could see thorow a milstone . on my credit the clothes oftentimes , judge the wearer . we see the wisest of our westerne nations , the spanish , and the italian , to bee this way the most moderate ; they finding this thrift , and modesty in habit to be infinitlie beneficiall to the common-wealth . there is no country under the sunne , that hath such an apocryphall gentry as the english , where the sonnes of brokers blend with it , and out-brave , and precede the most ancient of it , as if clothes had the guift to ennoble blood . all are permitted to weare what they can get , and their owne vallue depends on that of their raiment . amongst the ancient romans , all sorts of men were distinguisht by their habit , so that at the first sight you might know a mans calling by his clothing . of liberallity . of all the vertues in man , liberallity is the king , it being often called humanitas as derived ab homine . the holy fathers of the church commonly usurpe pium pro liberali : pious for liberall . let your house be like that of a tribune , never shut to the distressed : make your life nothing else but a giving to the poore . they followed simo by troupes , and he releived them with handfuls . these voices are worthy the purchasing at a deare rate , because upon them , places in heaven depend . the onely way to be trulie great , is to give to these little ones . make not your gifts common . in the giving see that your judgement , and affection concurre . to the deserving be like a tree overcharged with fruit , which boweth , and offereth it selfe to be plucked . confer your benefits on such as have honesty , and merit conjoyned . in my opinion he is not truly said to be a man of good parts , whose chiefe part , the heart , is rotten . on my life where that is false , nothing of vallue can harbour . bee not your owne chronicle too much in boasting of the favours you doe . set not down your benefits in the almanake . the noble giver , saith seneca , should instantly forget the guift , but the gratefull receiver never . this vertue is not placed just in the middle , but is nearer to prodigality then avarice . not without cause therfore i adde this caution , that you be not too profuse in the distribution of your money . call to mind that it is as well the nerve of peace as warre . by the helpe of it all things are acquired , save those of the mind , which are to bee had elsewhere , and by other meanes ; yet to the obtaining of these too doth diva moneta afford no small aide . i may also truly averre that magnanimity can not truly shew herselfe without it . aristotles two extreames i would have you shun . some men , saith he , are so sparing in their expences as if they were to live for ever , some so profuse , as if they were instantly to die . i have heard of some who have quaited away their mony , and played at duck , and drake with peeces ; but my comfort is , i have yet read no sentences of their cōposing . charles the fift , as wise a man as the best of them , would tye a knot in a broken point , and reweare it ; yet was the most liberall prince of those , or these times . one of my ancestours was so beyond measure free of his purse , that the painters drew him with a silver hand ; if they had added an empty purse , the device had beene most perfect . discretion in all your actions . it now remaines that i treat of the discretion , whereof all your actions must savour . this hath a large sence , but i will reduce it to as few heads as possibly i can . guiccardin gives ferdinand of arragon , king of naples , this testimony , that hee was a prince for his counsels deliberate , in his actions rèsolute , and touching his affections very moderate . my god! what can man speake more of man ? wee will examine the first part of the testimony . for his counsels deliberate . a wise man considereth , and weigheth al the circumstances of an action before he subscribes to it . make a long pause betwixt the invention , and execution of a fact . interpose a thousand doubts with their solutions annexed before you embarque your selfe in a businesse of importance . it is an over-worne but a true proverbe , two eyes see more then one . there is nothing more laudable in a noble nature , then a desire to be informed . hee that neither hath the skill to advise another , saith livy , nor the grace to be advised by another , is simply of the worst disposition , and good for nothing . consult with many concerning your affaire in hand . you shall never find a iesuite fooled alone , but with him the whole corporation of his society is deluded . we see often the hand , foot , or some other particular member to receive hurt , but rarely the whole body . here guiccardin puts in a caveat . though nothing , saith he , in great deliberations bee more necessary then counsell , yet nothing withall is more dangerous . his meaning is that faith is a thing so hard to bee found , that a man can not without great hazard communicate his intentions . it is not now as in the romans time , when betweene the many conspirators against caesar , there passed not one oath , they having no other mutuall engagement of secrecy then the word of a roman gentleman . since therefore you can not , like a iesuite , finde friends obliged by sacramentall oath , to keep your counsell , take advise of the dead ; i meane of your bookes . these will present to your view truth naked , without any disguising coverture . these will not flatter you , being senselesse of your love , or displeasure : they neither hope for advancement , nor feare oppression . have recourse to history , wherein you shall find your present affaire in a hundred severall shapes . amongst all the examples which have any resemblance to your present case , ponder well which carry with them reason , and which onely successe . direct your course after the former , not the later ; for if you judge of things by their event , you will miserably abuse your selfe . it followes , jn his actions resolute . what else ? a brave spirit ( having once shewed himselfe in an enterprise , and called it his ) will goe through stich with it , and maintaine it against the world. having well deliberated , and chosen an even course , let no man stop you in it , but run over your opposers . being in the right , weigh no more the aspersions of the baser sort , then you would the dashing of an asse , or the barking of a dogge . spreta exolescunt , saith tacitus , si irascare agnita videntur : if you despise them they of themselves fade , and are griped by oblivion ; but if they vexe you , it will seeme that you acknowledge your selfe guilty . it is hard to doe a thing that appeareth faire in the eyes of all men ; for that a good action , what dignity soever it hath ( if it bring not with it the favour of the times wherein it is done , and the opinion of those into whose hearts it seekes to insinuate ) it is but as a candle that burneth dimme , whose shadow seemeth greater then the light . to this the italian proverbe is not dissonant ; assaiben salta , a chi-fortuna canta : hee cannot dance amisse , to whom fortune sings . having the assurance of your owne conscience , that your proceedings are faire , and honest , slight the censure of the muddy vulgar . let resolution and constancy wait on all your intentions , and enterprises . cockles , and weeds wee see are with one wave carried to the shoare , and by another brought backe into the sea , but the rockes stand firme . seeke to approve your selfe to the good , resting carelesse what the bad thinke of you ; for wee owe neither the divell nor his limbes any satisfaction . but if any man of your own ranke doe you an affront , shew that you are sensible of you honour . your reputation , according to aristotle , is your stockes ; not yours , to which you should bee a bad guardiant should you let it fall , and catch a crack . i have read a fable , how that reputation love , and death made a covenant to travaile ore the world , but each was to take a severall way . when they were ready to depart , a mutuall enquiry was made how they might finde each other againe . death said , they should be sure to heare of him in battels , in hospitals , and in all parts where either fammine , or diseases were rise . love bade them harken after him amongst the children of cottagers , whose parents had left them nothing , at marriages , at feasts , and amongst the professed servants of vertue , the onely bond to tye him fast . they long expected a direction from reputation , who stood mute . being urged to assigne them places where they might finde him , hee sullenly answered his nature was such , that if once he departed from any man , he never came to him more . the morrall is excellent , implying that honour once lost never returnes againe . loose then your fortunes , and life , rather then suffer this radiant diamond to loose his luster . else your posterity will wish you had never beene , and your friends blush at the sound of your name . permit not this worlds most terrible , and horrid accident to daunt you . standing environed on all sides with wealth , meditate on poverty . the greatest amongst the romans , on certaine set daies of the yeere used course diet , and worse lodging , that so their evill genius might not finde them unprepared . avoide all miseries as much as in you lies . plus miserest saith seneca , quàm necesse est , qui miser est antequàm necesse est : hee is miserable more then needs who is miserable before he needs . but if afflictions come never so thicke , and deprivation of the sunnes light be one of them , embrace them with a smooth forehead , and a manly heart , it being a thing most vaine to repine at what necessity commands . a palmy mind the heaviest waight of fortune can never suppresse . experience hath taught mee that to bee irresolute is not to temper evill fortune , but to tempt it . seneca tels you , sine morsa animi velle transire vitam , ignorare est rerum naturae alteram partem ; to seeke to end this life without tasting any griefe , is to be willingly ignorant of the one halfe of nature . wee will now descend to the conclusion of the testimony . moderate in his affections . i have in the former part of this discourse given some generall rules for the moderating of passions , and i will now cursorily touch some of them in particular . to lay before you the uglinesse of wrath i need not , you having the strongest habit of patience , that i thinke any man of your yeeres ever yet acquired . the surest helpe against that furious passion , is slowly to apprehend all occasiōs that may incite it , & , being once apprehended , to endevour the removing them out of the imaginatiō : for it is the cholerick humor that having first vitiated the phansie , stirres up this passion , which being once kindled , by a kinde of sympathy enflames more the materiall humour , and that being once throughly fired , strengthneth , and encreaseth the passion . let not your anger precede your judgement , nor afford it leisure ; for it quickly becomes master of the place . in the beginning it is soone pacified , as greene wounds are easily cured . but if unfortunately you fall into an act of choller , repaire it againe with one of sweetnesse towards the party offended . your lordships nature is so little addicted to mirth , that it were a sinne to prescribe limits to your joy . notwithstanding , if you have a desire to bee merry within compasse , it is but going into spaine , where you may buy rules to laugh by . i rather feare your erring in the sad extreame , to which i can not devise what should move you . you have as loving a mother as ever man had , in whom are all the vertues required in a woman , and with these the rationall abilities of a man. to double this blessing you have a sister , in whom who should have the greatest interest a man would think nature , and vertue should be at strife , both of them having equally and infinitely obliged her , in whose due praises even they agree who in all things else are opposite . but you will say ; fortune may take all these from me . it is most true , she may ; but the memorie of their vertues shee can not deprive you of . it were more then folly in you to envy death his due triumph over creatures , of whose life . is the ordinarie period , and . the utmost , who know the worlds fairest body , the lovely frame of heaven in it selfe incorruptible , and in his course observ'd so many thousand yeeres immutable , to bee subject to destruction , and that all his glorious tapours shall loose that light with which they now glad the movers in this inferiour globe . this fatall law is not new , being almost as ancient as the world ; the penalty whereof only two have escaped of all that ever yet breathed this aire . you will yet object , that god may deny you children , the rejoycing fruits of matrimony . suppose it to be so ; will you therfore be displeased with his good pleasure ? it may be he does this for your good , foreseeing that they would prove so many corroding cankers in your heart . for ought you know , he may detaine from you , not the comforts of your life , but so many hasteners of your death . perhaps hee with-holds from you a traitour , a murderer , a whore , a blasphemer . all this is but to arme you against the want of these reputed blessings ( they being such , indeed , to the greater part of men ) for i trust in god hee will bestow on you many children , and such as shall be so many cordials to your heart , so many honours to their nation , and so many ornaments to the age they live in . i should in vaine arme your generous mind , against the deprivation of the senselesse things you possesse , as iewels , gold , silver , and the rest . the aristotelians ( disdaining that one , and the same word should expresse their love to men , and riches ) stiled their affection to the former , amor , to the latter , amatio . the reason urging them thereunto was , that they were possessed with an opinion , a man did basely , and foolishly to doate on that which could not reaffect him . an italian author therefore very properly gives gold the epithet of amato non riamando ; beloved not reaffecting . your course of life . i have much , and long importuned your lordship with the opinions of a weake judgement ; i will therfore onely touch three points which are very materiall . the first is your course of life ; the second , your discourse ; the third , your studies . the first is of great consequence if you well consider it . your lordship knowes i have heretofore over-vehemently perswaded you to affect the life of a statist , by which course you might advance your estate , and attaine to a higher degree of honour . i now most submissively , and earnestly beseech you to commit this proposition to your riper consideration , and except you finde yourselfe impregnable against the hazards that attend it , resolve not on it , but fetter even your very thoughts from the court , so many inconveniences being incident to that calling . if you be not advanced to places of eminency , and that you see men in al things short of you preferred before you , from hence will spring a repining and a disturbance of your soules peace . grave est a deterioribus honore anteiri ! it is odious to a free spirit to be outstripped in honor by one lesse deserving then himselfe . are you not satisfied with your present possessions ? beware in seeking for more , you consume not what you have , or that you loose it not by falling under the plot of some potent enemy . inimicitiae potentum graves sunt , saith seneca , the enmities of great men are vehement , he maketh no mention of their love . you can not there live without entring into some faction or other , which is an adventure for a yonger brother , not for a man of your certainty , and possibilities . but admit you raise your selfe to the degree of honour , and proportion of fortune you aime at . thinke you the maw of ravenous ambition will bee filled with that ? hee that is led by her , nothing can stay his adventures . heaven it selfe could not give her contentment , from whence she was throwne down . excellently singular , seneca , cum omnia quae excesserunt modum noceant , periculosissima foelicitatis intemperantia . since all things exceeding measure hurt , the intemperancy of felicity , must needs bee most dangerous . hannibal argued marius attillius of weakenesse , in that he was not able to set a gage to his prosperitie . but make a supposition you have your hearts desire , ( it being a thing possible though difficult ) and that you have hold of the highest round save one in fortunes escalade , you are never sure of holding fast , and ever in danger of a shamefull fall . now imagine you were secured from falling , yet would pride , and disdaine , two stirring humours , so puffe you up , that you would forget from whence you came , and whither you are going . seeing al things waiting your will , the thought of what to enjoy first would afflict you , as what first to weare , what first to taste , what musicke first to heare , what conversation first to make choise of , which mistris first to dally with , and other delights , which prosperity envites to . you would not bee much unlike to those soules bellarmine maketh mention of in his tract of purgatory , which wander up , and downe in a faire , spacious , sweet sented meadow , and are with a dilation of beatitude , & an overfilling joy tormēted . are you ambitious of your princes favour ? do him acceptable service in your coūtry , and you shall surely obtaine it . but you will answer , i would have frō him a superlative grace above all other men , & bee made the cabinet of his most secret thoughts . this were , indeed , the most ready way to procure the envy of your fellow peeres , and to incurre the suspition of your prince . for the love of heaven banish all such thoughts out of your bosome . let it be your meditation , how to attaine to the perfection of a devout life ; so shall you become the favorite of a deity . being once in gods favour , you can not ( except you will ) fall from it , he being yesterday , today , and the same for ever . you know how to please him , hee having revealed his will in his word . the dispositions of princes ( as it is fit ) remaine undiscovered , and their intentions incommunicable . of all kingdomes i esteeme this iland wherein wee live , most happy , which since shee endured the file , never bad above two or three princes justly liable to the detested brand of tyrannie . but if you needes will follow the court , square your selfe by this rule . what ever you do well , and laudably , ascribe some way to the wisdome of your soveraigne ; for they are gods on earth , and ( in emulation of the heavenlie god ) will have us acknowledge the best of our actions to have their ground from them , leaving the worser to our owne patronage . our imperfections are bastards , which they will force us to father , but what ever is in us legitimate , and good , they themselves owne , as derived from their transcendent vertue . tacitus saith of antony , that he was , nimius commemorandis quae meruisset ; vaine in repeating his owne deeds . germanicus did not so , who being lord of a great victory in germany , erected in the fortunate place of his so good successe , a mountaine composed of armes , in manner of a tropheie , which hee dedicated to mars , iove , and augustus , in the inscription attributing the conquest to the care , and armie of tiberius , not making the least mention of himselfe . metu invidiae , an ratus conscientiam facti satis esse . whether he did this as fearingenvy , or that hee esteemed the testimony of his owne conscience glorie enough i know not , saith the same author . on the contrary silius , having for seven yeeres together governed a mighty army in germany , vanted that hee alone had so many yeeres maintained , and kept his army in obedience , and order ; whereas if tiberius had himselfe come to his legions , hee would by seeking to introduce innovation of discipline , have destroyed , and disbanded the whole armie : destrui fortunam suam caesar , imparemque tanto merito rebatur : by this caesar thought , saith tacitus , his fortune to receave an eclipse , and that his vallue was not deemed answerable to so great a merit . forthwith therefore he suborned false witnesses against silius , and welcommed all such as would accuse him , which silius perceiving layed violēt hands on himself , choosing rather to fall under his owne cruelty , then stand to the mercy of a tyrant . out of these examples you may gather this instruction . that it is as safe to transferre your own deserts upon your prince , as it is hazardous to detract from him , or vain-gloriously to assume the praise of things well done to your selfe . this i warne you , in case your destinie , not your reason hurries you to the court. but ( according to my former humble solicitatiō ) i would wish you to settle your selfe to a coūtry life . being there looke aswell to the husbanding of your time , as your living . recreate , but weary not yourselfe with games , and sports , making of pastime a labour . above all beware hunting bewitch you not . the medes , the persians , the macedonians , the parthians , and other barbarous nations were besotted with it , but wee never read the renowned romans ( of all civill vertues the true patternes ) ever had it in esteeme . salust debaseth it so farre as to number it amongst the servile occupations , and tiberius noted with infamy the commander of a legion , for that he had sent forth a few souldiers to the chase . pompey i can not denie when he was in affrica , followed this sport for some few daies , and therfore plutarch pleasantly saith , that the very beasts of affrica , felt the felicity , and power of the romans . but i wil make it good , that neither any of the nobility before that people became subject to one head , nor ( after the losse of the roman liberty ) any of the emperours delighted in it . onely we finde that the wisest of them , augustus , used now and then to fish with an angle , a sport which no way hindereth the operations of mans nobler part . and ( like a foole quickly to shoote my owne bolt ) i doe not conceive how wisedome can descend so low as to prate all day to a dog. yet wee will allowe you this pleasure , if you will followe it as pliny the second did , who in one of his epistles affirmes that he never went to the chase , sine pugillaribus , without his table-bookes . but my scope is not utterly to avert your minde from hunting , i onely perswading a moderation , not a relinquishment . your double study of men , and bookes will take up some time . your application , and discourse . the former is most requisite , and yet most difficult , as being not every mans study . spare no travaile to search throughly the dispositions of those to whom your businesse commands your often repaire ; else you will bee a yeere in effecting that which two daies this way bestowed might have finish'd . what will not the application of a man , and the participation of his purse bring to passe ? the most politick , and reserved of all your nightcaps , hath commonly some one humour remarqueable above the rest , by which you may take him at your pleasure . one is deaffe to all motions that his wife makes not . another maketh a factor of his secretary , a third of his dore-keeper , &c. i have knowne a great , and competently wiseman , who would much respect any man that was good to his foole. the most curious pates of us all have imperfections which lay us open to bee practiz'd on by farre weaker wits . insinuate your selfe with a winning carriage into the good affections of all men . humillity in your gesture , and speach will gaine you friends , which confirme yours with such curtesies as occasion permitteth you to performe . in the choise of your friends bee not onely curious but painfull ; for deserving spirits are not obvious , but retired , and therefore require your diligent search , of which they are most worthy . there are some conversations good for nothing but recreation , others are decent , as to visit our acquaintance , others profitable , as that of merchants ; others truly happy and delightfull , as to frequent the company of schollers , and vertuous men . this is the vine planted amongst the olives . abhorre pride , other wise all men will loathe you . out upon those imperia manliana , odious alike to god and m●n . that of zeno , to his proud disciple , is most true , and appositive . not , saith he , if you bee great , therefore you shall bee good , but if you bee good , great . if your neglect , or indiscretion procure you an enemy , and that he bee in himselfe worthy , seeke by all honorable meanes to recōcile him : but ( if he be without lure ) having one foe , foresee diligently that you have not two . your discourse . your discourse , saith one , should rather delight to judge it selfe , then shew it selfe . in matters of dispute , apparel your arguments in modesty ; for so , finding your selfe in an errour , you may make an honorable retreate . bold , and peremptory positions , being true , offend the opposer , and being false , shame the propunder . wrangle not ; sic prob● is a troublesome , importunate fellowe , spued out of all societies that understand the world. when you cite an author , be not too precise in quoting the chapter , or page , neither importunatly urge another to it ; for in so doing , you shall robbe others of their owne , it being proprium quarto modo , to the canvasers in schooles , who will take it very hainously that you should usurpe their profession . there was not long since a disputation betweene a meare scholler , and a knowing gentleman , who strengthened his argument with the authority of plato ▪ the scholler demanded in what booke of plato hee had read it , and in what page ; to which the other replyed , that hee could not well call to mind either the one , or the other , alledging the length of time for an excuse . whereupon the scholler with a gaping laugh , and a great oath , concluded , it was not at al in the philosopher , daring the other to produce plato , and to shew him the passage . to this the gentleman thus answered ; verilie i have left both that , and all my other bookes at home for want of such an asse as you to carry them after me . in jesting , and witty talke beare a part but remember that the lattines cal them sales quasi condimenta , implying that wee should use them as salt , and spices to season our discourse , not to make them the subject of it . the moralists affirme wee may bee facetosi , non acetosi , witty , but not biting , or injurious to the company . however , if you mixe not your mirth with theirs , yet marre not the harmony with your severe censuring of it in word , or looke . bethincke your selfe that the latter dayes are come upon us , which , should they not bee shortned , would damne all flesh . in the prophets time , the most righteous sinned seven times a day ; and it is well if many of us can escape with fourteene . man , as saith scaliger , was created animal sociale , a sociable creature , and therfore ought to conforme himselfe to the perfections of his neighbour , and yeeld to his infirmities . fooles , and flat-witted fellowes you have reason to beare with , because their companie is profitable , and will save you the entertainment of a iester . bee not too austere , there being a christian liberty which you may safely share in . marry as all rules suffer an exception , so doth this . if any mans speach shall at the remotest distance point at blasphemy , let your face presently put on a dislike , and if a second time hee burnes your eares with that unholy fire , avoide his company . now a dayes our wits thinke themselves streightned , and cooped up , if their talke bee barred blasphemy , and bawdery . a gentleman of this land ( in all other things not onely deserserving applause , but admiration ) escaped not altogether this pestilent contagion . being earnestly rebuked by an intimate friend for his slighting , and vaine exposition of the scriptures , hee acknowledged the fault , promising to leave it by degrees , and therefore vow'd hee would henceforth onely make bold with the apocrypha , and the singing psalmes . laertius sayes that pythagoras descended to hell , and saw there the soule of homer hanging on a tree , vipers , and snakes twinning about it , as a due chastizement for his blasphemy against the gods. how carefull therefore should wee christians bee , least wee trespasse this way , who have to doe with a serpent that stings the conscience , and spits a fire everlasting ? next to this crime in detestation is obscene language , so hot , and fowle , that i wonder it furres or fires not the mouthes that utter it . and the audience trebles the offence , when it is spoken before younglings ; for of all creatures , man is most prone to imitation , and amongst all mans ages , childhood . never so good a witt unhallowed , hath a double sting ; it offends god , and scandalizeth man. at your meate never so much as name death , coffins , or other such mortifying stuffe ; for you may chance to have such mortall guests , that the feare you strike into their soules may quite take away their stomakes . in truth sad stories are neither for the bed , nor the bord . of all things bee wary that publikely you busy not your selfe with mysteries of state , for though guicciardine justly maintaineth that the actions of princes are subject to the opinions of men , their state , and majesty not impaired ; yet it is a dangerous theame for such men to handle , whose fortunes are examined more then their faultes . your studies . touching your studies ; allot them three or foure houres in a daie ; and not more , and content your selfe to read multum , non multa . a few excelling authors well digested , are able to compose an able judgement , and a vertuous mind . reguard not the number of bookes but their estimation . give your selfe chiefly to history , in which you shall finde morality here , and there inserted and interlaced like a curious worke of ennamell in gold. in the commendations of this study , i will onely cite the words of incomparable livy , to whom rome owes more for her fame , then to aeneas , or romulus for her originall . for this is that so good , and profitable in history , saith he , when a man may see , and behold as in a conspicuous monument , and light some memoriall , the lively examples of all sorts set up in open view for his instruction , whereout he may choose for himselfe , and his country what to follow , as also learne how to eschewe a fowle enterprise , and avoid a shamefull end . begin with the story of your owne country before you goe to forreine , that in case you travaile , you may make a happy exchange of historicall observations . but dwell not there , that being too confined a knowledge . the romane will deservedly claime your next view , wherein you shall meete with deedes father'd upon men , which the gods they worship'd , might without disparagement have owned . the order you must observe in reading it i will as briefly as i can set downe . the order to bee observed in reading the roman story . titus livius , the greatest of all roman historians , begins at the foundation of rome , and continues it to augustus caesar ; but halfe livy is lost , and therefore where he is wanting , others may bee read . where he is full hee is enough ; unlesse you would see dyonisius halycarnassaeus , in the first times of rome to compare him with livy . his historie ends about the dissension betweene the senat , and the people in appius claudius his time . there are also the five bookes of polybius from the first punick warre to the descent of hannibal into italy . but that also is in livy , and a great part of it transcribed out of the excellent polybius . but there where livy is wanting ( as namly in those times which are most necessary to knowe ) as the actions of silla , lucullus & pompey in the mithridaticke war , thogether with the civill warre of marius , and sylla , read appianus who is in greeke , and latine in a thin folio . hee excepted , i could never reade any history that did fully relate the bloody passages of sylla ; his dictatorshippe , his resignation ; his death and funerall . plutarch i confesse lightly toucheth them in the life of sylla . this brings you to the time of catilines conspiracie , for which you need no other then salust . after that caesars commentaries will clearely shew you the growth of caesar , in the north , and the whole dissention betweene him , and pompey the great . then dion cassius doth at large relate the rest of caesars honours , his death , and what followed in that troublesome time of the triumviri . this is the most compleat , and largest historie of those times . then ( besides tacitus , and suetonius ) you may reade xiphilinus a little booke , an abreviation of dion of nice , which is lost . he speakes of two and twenty emperours as low as to the reigne of alexander severus , under whom hee lived . then herodian , a short , but pithy historian goes to the time of gordianus caesar , speaking of twelve emperours , and hee begins at the death of marcus aurelius . then ammianus marcellinus speaketh at large of five emperours , of which iulian the apostate is one , though his historie doth not immediatlie followe . so that for the series of the storie , i advise you ( omitting dionisius halicarnassaeus , polybius , suetonius , plutarch , and tacitus ) to reade livy , appianus , salust , caesars commentaries , dion cassius , xiphilinus , herodian , and ammianus marcellinus . to these you may adde the perusall of the two famous moderne histories guicciardine , and commines , equall even to the best of the ancients . the deeds of scanderbeg , of the turkes , and barbarians i hold fitter to be sung then storied . heere i would also give you my judgement of the greeke storie , but that it would be fruitlesse for mee to insist longer upon this subject , by reason that i shall shortly write you a peculiar . tract of historie , and dedicate that to your lordships name , as i have already my selfe to your service . i am once more returned to my first mistresse , my booke , to whom my future constancy shall make satisfaction for my passed disloyalty . the night , which i formerly consumed in riot , i now divide betwixt sleepe , and cogitation ; nor doe i shut my bookes out of bed , my most inward friends . i make fast my dore upon the vulgar , and encompass'd with so many learned , and blessed soules , it seemes to mee i sit in the lappe of eternity . i exclude lust , ambition , and others like , of whom sloath is the parent , and unexperience the nurse . images and grandies i behold in their proper places , a farre off , and pitty those great ones that know not this great happinesse . it now onely resteth that in all submission and reverence i begge your lordships pardon for with-holding you from better imploying your time with these feeble , but affectionate lines , to the writing whereof , two motives have wonne mee . the first is my zeale to your good , i having a strong desire that you should bee of your truly great house ( though not in fortune , or fame ) in vertue the greatest , and in the celestiall kingdome , have a seate above them . and give me leave to tell you , dearest sir , that this is no hard thing for you to compasse , it being onely the adding of endeavour to your disposition , which of it selfe leadeth to goodnesse . in this you have no small advantage of other great ones , it being ( if the authoritie of seneca will serve ) a maine requisite of nobility . quis nobilis ? a natura ad virtutem bene compositus : who is noble ? hee whose nature invites him to vertue . my second , & lesse principall motive is a feare , not of death , but that paradventure i might unfortunatly die , without leaving you a testimony of my gratitude for all those graces , and favours which it hath beene your lordships good pleasure to deigne me your unworthy servant . my owne indisposition of body , and the dayly sight of these turve fires , minister occasion to mee of contemplating the howrely consuming of the earth , whereof i am made . quaelibet res dum in sua resolvitur principia , tunc apparet qualis revera sit , & quidnam sub illa specie latebat : every thing being resolved into his first principles , doth then appeare what , indeed , it is , and discovereth what lurked under that shape . it is no otherwise : i everie day burne as good earth as mine owne , and , if heere i die , it is likely that this , or the next generation will make fires of mee . but civillity calles upon mee to make an end . i therefore once more humbly implore your lordships forgivenesse for detaining you from your more serious affaires , with this long discourse , which hath passed the bounds i first set it downe . if i have inserted any thing pleasing , or good , imagine i have done like an ugly painter , who hath by chance made a beautifull peece . what ere it bee , you are the master of it , to whom it standes , or falles , as doth your lordships most humble , loyall servant antony stafford . errata . page . line . read onely but. p. . l. . fortake r. take . p. . l. . r. blend with it . p. . l. . reade marcus. p. . l. . r ▪ twining . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the polish crown notes for div a -e ex resolutione partium . of your expences . this is not so consonant to the doctrine of christ , as i would it were . wherfore prudently and christiāly shun all occasiō● of quarrel . what a wretched age do we live in that maketh effusion of blood , the onely meanes for reparation of honour , & teacheth us to make gods dishonor the foundation of our fame ? anger . the whole duty of a christian, or, the character of a true beleever, that walks in some measure answerable to the gospel, his christian profession, and the millions of mercies he hath received ... by r.y. of roxwell in essex. younge, richard. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing y ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing y estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the whole duty of a christian, or, the character of a true beleever, that walks in some measure answerable to the gospel, his christian profession, and the millions of mercies he hath received ... by r.y. of roxwell in essex. younge, richard. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing y ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread , [ ] p. printed by r. & w. leybourn, london : . caption title. attributed to richard younge. cf. halkett & laing ( nd ed.). author's initials appear after edition statement. imprint from colophon. reproduction of original in bodleian library. eng christian life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . a r (wing y ). civilwar no the vvhole duty of a christian: or, the character of a true beleever, that walks in some measure answerable to the gospel, his christian pro younge, richard d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the whole duty of a christian : or , the character of a true beleever , that walks in some measure answerable to the gospel , his christian profession , and the millions of mercies he hath received . in reading whereof reflect upon your selves , and see what comparison there is between that you are , and what you should be : and then with blessing from above , it will much further you in your way to heaven : for therefore are we christians in name only ▪ because we think our selves christians indeed , and already good enough ▪ cor. . . the second impression much inlarged by r. y. of roxwell in essex . chap. i. good works , and good instructions , are the generative acts of the soul ; out of which spring new posterity to the church and gospel . and it is both a happy and pleasing harmony . when saying and doing go both together . but examples are more prevalent for the most part then precepts , and acts are better expressions then words . precepts shew us what we should do , but examples shew us how we may do it ; and that what is injoyned may be done of us , because they have been done of others like our selves . example is a living and efficacious sermon ; easily perswading what we intend , while it proves what we perswade to be feasible . besides , examples give a quicker and deeper impression upon mens spirits then arguments . and he perswades unto virtue most , who liveth best . yea cer●ainly a speechlesse life hath more force in it , then a lifelesse speech ▪ for a christian conversation , is of the scriptures , the best , truest , and plainest comment or exposition . § . or should it be questionable in some cases , yet deeds are ever of more power then words , and practice more prevalent then precepts with the multitude : who as they are more taken with , so they are better able to judge by the sight of the eye then by the hearing of the ear . when the orthodox and arian bishops contended about the faith , iovinian could say , of your learning i cannot so well judge , or of your subtill disputations ; but i can observe which of you have the better behaviours . good works are unanswerable syllogismes , invincible demonstrations : and it is naturall for men to follow the law of fact , before the law of faith ; a visible pattern rather then a meer audible doctrine . men are readier to live by sense and ●ight then by faith only : yea the want of sight , causes not seldom the want of faith , as we finde it fared with thomas , joh. . . § . men are apt to carp against what the minister speaks , though he bring the word for his warrant ; but the beauty of holinesse hath often stolen away the hearts of the gainsayers , and won their affections even against their wills . religion hath a truth and a power in it : people will never beleeve the truth of a doctrine in our mouthes , where they see not the power thereof in our lives . nor can it be denied , but that words are of more efficacy and authority when deeds follow . but take some instances whereof we have ample experience . and first observe how it fares between pastors and their people ; for from the pastors example they all take fire , as one torch lights many . pastors are the glasse , the scool , the book , where peoples eyes do learn , do read , do look . every private christian ought to be a common line in christianity ; but the minister is or should be as a set copy of sanctification to the rest . the learned preachers words , though plain , to plain men truth may preach : but pastors pious practice doth , a holy life them teach . § . and so on the contrary : all men like sheep are prone to go astray . but if the bellweather or leading sheep takes a vagary , all the flock will follow him . we are apt to be led by precepts , but are easily overled by evil presidents , even following our guides untill we have lost our selves : which occasions the holy ghost to use that proverb ; like priest , like people , hose . . . isa. . . that doctrine is divine indeed ; that by good works proves words : more harm do ill examples breed ; then good words , good affords . § . and the like of governours : the facts of eminent persons become examples ; those ex●mples laws : vnto the ex●mple of the king ; the world does frame in every thing . augustus a learned prince , filled rome with scholars , tyberius filled it with diss●mblers , constantine with christians , iulian with atheists : let ieroboam only set up calves in dan and bethel , the poople are presently down on their knees ; yea every one like beasts in heards will go a lowing after them : yea if saul do even kill himself , his armour-bearer will do the like : the leaders example is a law to the followers . whence it hath ever been the dangerous policy of satan , to assault principall men both in church and commonwealth , knowing the multitude ( as we say of bees ) will follow their master . § . and the same might be shewn of parents and masters : we are led by whom we are fed , without any respect to him that feeds both them and us . a sick head makes a distempered body ; a blinde eye endangers all the other members , &c. whereas piety in a parent or master , like aarons oyntment , runs down to the skirts of his family , psal. . . whence that usuall phrase of the holy ghost , the man beleeved with all his houshold , joh. . . acts , , . § . but that those whom precepts do not so effectually move , are not seldom induced by examples ; will best appear by the induction of particular instances . we reade , that more infidels were won to the christian faith , by the vertuous and holy lives of the primitive christians , then by the doctrine which they taug●t : they made the world to reade in their lives , that they did beleeve in their hearts : and caused the heathen to say , this is a good god , whose servants are so good . yea as ●ozomen observes , the devou● life of one poor captive christian maid , made a king and all his family imbrace the christian faith . cicilia likewise a poor virgin , by her vertuous life and gracious behaviour in her martyrdom , was the means of converting four hundred to christ and we reade that st albon receiving a poor persecuted christian into his house ; by only observing his holy devotion and unblameable life , was so much affected therewith , that he became both an earnest professor of the faith , and in the end a glorious martyr for the faith , all which considered , namely 〈…〉 never shine so much , as when they are lively engraven or 〈◊〉 in some eminent person : i have thought good to reduce 〈◊〉 , or almost all the evangelicall precepts , into a particular and familiar example , that so it may serve not only for a set copy of sanctification , but as a fit person or pattern for each mans imitation and incitation . you may suppose him another nathaniel , in whose heart there is no guile , joh. . . or another samuel , who was able to acquit his sincerity before god and man , sam. . . or another iob , an upright and just man , job . . or another ionathan , sam. . , . or eli●zer , gen. . . who could rejoice in others welfare , by whom themselves were deprived of great honour and reve●ues : or one that does unto all others , as he would have others do unto him , matth. . . chap. ii. § . this christian indeed , this true beleever is one , that god ( of his free grace and good pleasure ) hath chosen , and elected to eternall life before the foundation of the world ; and whom christ hath redeemed with his pr●cious bloud . § . he is effectually called , and become a new creature by regeneration , being both begotten and born anew of god by the immortall s●ed of the word , and the spirits powerfull working with it . and without this new birth there is no being saved , as our saviour himself affirms , iohn . . § . he is industrious after the means of grace , loves to hear christs voice , and delights in it , as finding a sweet rellish therein ; is able to know when christ speaketh , and when the tempter ; he receives the word not as the word of men , but as it is indeed the word of god , with all readinesse ; for he resists not as the wicked do , but obeys christs call ; which worketh in him mightily : for he findes it by experience quick , and powerfull , and sharper then any two edged sword ; piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit , and of the joynts and marrow ; and to the discerning of the very thoughts , and the most secret intents of the heart . § . his heart is circumcised , or rather god takes away the stony heart out of his flesh , and gives him a new heart ; in which he writes his law , and puts a new spirit into him , ●v●n his own spirit ; causing him to walk in his statutes , and keep his ordinances so as to do them . § . god sheds his love abroad in his heart by the holy ghost , who witnesseth to his conscience , that he is become the childe of god ; whereby he hath union , and communion with christ ; partakes of the divine nature , and becomes like god in holinesse . § . he is brought out of darknesse into marvellous light , hath his eyes opened to see the wonders of gods law ; and that vail , or curtain which before was d●awn over his heart ( cor. . , . ) taken away , and is turned from the power of satan unto god . § . he is ashamed of his former conversation , bewailes , and mourns bitterly 〈◊〉 sins , actuall and originall , of omission and commission , sec●et as 〈◊〉 known ; lesser , as well as greater : yea , as well for the evil which cleaves to his best works , as for his evil works ; being more grieved for offending so good a god , then for that it doth , or might bring him shame , or punishment in this life , or in h●ll . § . he now findes that the law is spirituall , binding the heart as well as the hands ; to which holy and just rule he brings all his thoughts , words and actions ; and so sees himself out of measure sinfull , as being guilty of all manner of concupiscence ; having broken every one of those righteous precepts ( exodus . ) more times and waies then he hath haires on his head ; not b●ing able of himself to think a good thought : for that all the powers of his soul , and members of his body , are who●ly , and originally corrupted . § . he sees himself as guilty of adams sinne ( being in his loyns , ) as any heir is liable to his fathers debt ; and esteems it the mother , and nurse of all : finding it like the great wheel in a clock , that sets all the wheels on moving , while it seems to move slowest ; and therefore hates and bewails it , as the most foul , hatefull , secret , deceitfull , and powerfull evil . chap. iii. § . vvhereupon finding himself in a lost condition , and confessing that he hath deserved all the plagues of this life , and of that which is to come ; and groaning under the burthen of sinne , utterly dispairing of all help in himself : he is solicitously carefull in the use of the means , to attain faith in the promise of gods merey made in christ , finding no rest untill he get some assurance , vehemently hungring and thirsting after , and earnestly praying for the pardon of sinne , waiting on the lord with patience . § . he humbly , unfainedly , and freely confesseth all his sins so far ●s he is able , with the severall circumstances which aggravate the same , to his own shame and gods glory . § . he will take a holy revenge on himself , even to the denying of his own reason and affections , his credit , carnall friends , profits , pleasures , and whatever else might hinder : and by restoring goods or monies evil gotten , though it were long since , and when he was a servant ; in case he be able . § . he unfainedly desires to forsake all sinne , as being in some measure dead to it , christ ( by his spirit ) having freed him from the power and dominion thereof , and in part abolished it ; at least he so parts from all iniquity , and hates every false way , that no one sinne doth raigne in him : for when he doth commit any evil , it is full sore against his will , as being led captive to it by the strength of satans temptations and his own corruptions ; for he never commits it freely and willingly , and with full consent : he allowes not of the evil he does , no he will not premeditately , and in times not utterly deserted , do the least evil that the greatest good may come of it : neither is there any sinne he knows by himself ( were it formerly never so pleasing to him ) but he desires as heartily , that he might never commit it , as that god should never impute it . he likewise ha●es sinne throughly and universally , and therefore is throughly grieved for the abominations that are done by others ; to the dishonour of god , and slander of religion , or the ruin of mens souls . § . nor does he only abhor and depart from evil , but he cleaves unto that which is good : he is not only dead to and made free from sin , but as he hath once been the servant of sin , so he becomes the servant of righteousnesse : and as he hath been instrumentall to satan , so he will now be as active to serve christ ; and be as fruitfull in good works , as he ha●h fo●merly been in evil works . § . he is conformed to the image of christ , and is led by the spirit ; walks in newnesse of life , lives holily , justly and unblameably , for now he walks not after the flesh , but after the spirit , and brings forth the fruits of the spirit , mentioned gal. . . so that he is changed and renewed in every part , power and faculty : his understanding is enlightned , his minde renewed , his will changed , his affections sanctified , &c. and he who thinks he beleeves , and findes not a pa●pable change in his judgement , affections and actions , does but deceive himself . chap. iv. § . he goes often and upon all occasions unto god in prayer , in which lies all his strength ; yet not as his , but as it is the intercession of gods own spirit in him , poured out in the name of christ , and according to his will : for being truly sensible of his sins and wants , ●e chiefly prayes for the pardon of sinne , the effusion of grace , and for the assistance of gods spirit : that he may more firmly beleeve , more soundly repent , more zealously do , more patiently suffer , and more constantly persevere in the practice and profession of every duty . nor does he for the most part fall into prayer without meditation and preparation ; nor utter words without dev●●on and affection ; nor without some assurance and perswasion , that god will hear and grant his requests : yea , he mostly takes no●ice of his enlargements in prayer , and of the successe afterwards , and is accordingly thankfull or humbled ; not that he measureth gods hearing his suit by his present answer , or his present answer by his own sense ; he will pray ( at least in some poor measure ) at all times , striving against deadnesse of spirit and distractions , as an heavy burthen . § . he hears the word with attention , mindes , observes , and remembers it carefully ; receives and applies whatsoever precept or promise is spoken out of the word , as spoken by god to himself in particular ; is astonished at the ●eepnesse of gods wisedom , power and goodnesse ; seriously meditating upon the the nature , attributes , word and works of god : he layes it up in his heart , ponders on it in his mind , and practiseth it in his life : neither will he approach unto the lords table , without due examination and preparation . § . he is enligtned with the saving knowledge and hid things of the gospel ; and to see truth from error , good from evil ; together with his own wretched nesle by sinne , and the riches of gods free grace and mercy in christ towards his own soul ; he is not ignorant of the principles of religion , as most aged people are ; but is able and ready to give a reason of the hope that is in him . § . he loves and longs after a powerfull and searching ministry above all earthly treasures , as finding a greater necessity of spirituall then corporall food ; and therefore will take any pains , or be at any cost , or suffer any disgrace to injoy it . § . he is never offended at any wholsome truth , be it never so untoothsome , but affects that ministry most which most layes open and rebukes his own sinne ; even therefore coming to the light , that his deeds may be made manifest . when he hears his own sins spoken against , he does not apply the same unto others , as is the manner of too many ; nor is he wise to defend the evil he does , but loves to be admonished ; nor will he after warning and conviction from the word , go on in an evil way , because his principall care is to be saved . § . he will not mock his admonisher , scoff at the means to be saved ▪ nor make himself merry with his own damnation , as the desperately wicked do . he turns not his back upon any truth , nor flies from any instruction ; he hateth not the light : yea he loves that minister best , that most makes manifest the secrets of his heart ; as knowing that god is in him of a truth . he will not refuse a pardon because he dislikes the messenger . indeed he least regards those ministers that the world admires , as well weighing what st iohn saith , ioh. . they are of the world , therefore speak they of the world , and the world heareth them : we are of god , he that knoweth god heareth us ; he that is not of god heareth not us : hereby know we the spirit of truth , and the spirit of errour , ver. , . § . he will not plead against god , nor ask a reason of his actions ; if he meets with hard scriptures , he runs not into errour , not is offended , but suspends his judgement , and blames his own blindnes : you may know him from an unbeleever by this , he is wise to defend the truth when he hears it spoken against , but never argues against it ; whereas the unbeleever ( being prompted by satan ) can most subtilly argue against the truth , though he hath not a word to speak for it ; yea , he thinks it religion enough if he can but dispute against the religious , which is a manifest signe of a wicked man . briefly , he neither carps nor frets against a faithfull minister , nor seeks to intrap him , or pervert what he delivers , but prayes for him , and is ready to speak in his defence . § . he hath an high estimation of the ministers , and means by which he was converted , and findes more sweetnesse in the gospel then in any thing else in the world . § . spirituall judgements , ( as a famine of the word , the blindnesse of mens mindes , hardnesse of their hearts , &c. ) he accounts more wofull then any judgement the world can be sensible of . § . he is not of a reprobate judgement , in thinking good evil and evil good ; neither hath he a base esteem of gods people and their wayes , as it fares with our scoffing adversaries , who look upon zeal and holinesse with the devils spectacles ; nor so farre from being holy himself that he hates holinesse in others , or so stupidly sottish as the rude rabble , who will profes●e that they love christ , yet hate all such as any way resemble him . he will take heed of persecuting the godly either with hand or tongue ; and as he will not condemn the j●st , so he will not justifie the wicked , nor favour them . § . he is so farre from taking offence when none is given , that he will not be offended when offences come ; as at the scandalous lives of professors , or at the multitude of heresies that are daily broached , though they grieve his very soul ; but when strange things happen , he makes a wholsome construction thereof . chap. v. § . he prayes for the enlargement , and rejoyces at the progresse of the gospel , and in the common good of the church ; and so at the graces or good successe of any member in particular , and will be some way instrumentall for christ , praying for and earnestly desiring the salvation of others ; and likewise endeavouring to win all he can to christ ; rejoycing no lesse when any good thing is done by others , then if himself did it . he highly respects all such as any way promote the gospel , and is thankfull to them . § . he is willing to be at cost to serve the lord , will freely administer carnall things , where he partaketh of spirituall things ; and counts the same as a due , not as a benevolence : yea , he thinks it most just , that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel ; and that as freely as men of other callings : which signe or character shews , a world of men that professe themselves christians to be but counterfeits . § . he beleeves impartially the whole word of god , threats and precepts as well as promises ; and things above the reach of reason , as well as what experience hath made plain to him ; he feels the power and efficacy of gods word and spirit , perswading his conscience , that his sins are pardoned in christ , and he in favour with god ; so that he can truly apply christ , and all his benefits and promises unto his own soul ; trusting in him , and casting himself only upon him for pardon and salvation . § . he hath a sweet and sanctified peace in his conscience , arising from the assured forgiven●sse of his sins , a sound and strong joy in the lord , and in his word through beleeving ; not seldom the holy ghost inwardly setting to gods privy seal , by sudden refreshings falling like the dew upon his heart , and establishing his soul before the lord , especially after holy duties ; yea , his hope ( as being built upon gods word and promises ) fills him with such joy unspeakable , that is makes him rejoyce even in tribulation . § . he sometimes loseth the efficacie , feeling and comfort of faith , but the seed and habit of faith alwaies remaineth . he is often and grievously assaulted with fears and doubtings , but in the issue he alwaies gets the conquest , and is the more as●ured for having been so much assaulted , and does so much the more strive to make his calling and election sure , and to be assured of future happiness● after this his earthly pilgrimage . § . or , if he have but a weak faith , yet it is sound , against which the very gates of hell shall never prevail , for he never utterly falls away from the grace of god , but perseveres in the truth , and in well doing to the end ; and therein finds also a blessed thriving , and gracious progresse in true holinesse . § . he is perfectly justified by the bloud of christ , freed from the rigour of the law , and in some good measure from the spirit of bondage ; is often in combate between the flesh and the spirit , but the spirit in the end ever gets the upper hand . chap. vi . § . and as he beleeves in his heart , so he is not ashamed of the crosse of christ , but will professe the truth boldly in all estates , and in times of suffering , and publish what christ hath done for his soul , to gods glory and the comfort of others : yea , if called to it , he will ( god assisting him ) lay down his life for christ and the gospel , and rejoyce also that he is counted worthy . § . neither is he high-minded , but more fears the want of grace , then confides in what he hath , for he works out his salvation with fear and trembling ; and trusts not in the least to his own strength , but is ever jealous and suspitious , lest his heart should deceive him ; but he resolves by gods grace , not to use any unlawfull means , nor yeeld to any thing against the truth , for the avoiding of what he fears , be it burning at a stake ; as knowing and being fully perswaded , that all things shall work together for the best unto him . and indeed the fear of god , ( which is his continuall guardian ) keeps him in some measure from the fear of death , and terrour of the world ; for he fears not them that can only kill the body , in any degree like him , that after he hath killed can cast both body and soul into hell . nor does he grutch to los● a temporall life , when in lieu thereof he shall obtain an eternall crown of glory . § . he is wonderfully inflamed with the love and estimation of god and of christ , especially upon the ret●rn of his prayers , or the obtaining of some mercy ; the which he shews by his hating of evil , and by his constant obedience and the delight he hath in keeping of god ▪ commandements , and by his willingnesse to be at cost or suffer for him . neither is he so in love with the world or any thing in it , as that it shall diminish his love to god ; yea he so loves and longs for christs appearing , that he may be united to him and enjoy his presence , that his daily prayer is , come lord jesus , come quickly . § . again , he intirely loves , and highly esteems gods people , not out of any carnall or sel● ends , but for their graces , the truths sake , and because they are born of god : more loving and hono●ring the poor that w●lk uprightly , then they that pervert their wayes though they be rich , and loving them best that serve god most : he is prone to justifie them , and speak in their defence when he hears them reviled , slandered or contemned by wicked and ungodly men , though he incur their displeasure by it . § . he does not estrange himself from the people of god in their misery , but is ready to minister unto them when they stand in need , and use any means for their relief . he will solicit great ones in their behalf , and in christs cause , though he indanger himself thereby : and can be as earnest a suitor at the throne of grace for others that are in distresse , as for himself , even thirsting and studying how he may do them most good , as participating and being touched with compassion , and having a fellow-feeling both of the misery and felicity of others , as one member hath of another , especially of the churches , as a member hath of the whole body . neither can he rejoyce in his own peace and welfare , while the church and people of god are in distresse , whose welfare he prefers before his own . § . he delights in the saints company above all others , as finding an heavenly sweetnesse in their conference and society , where every ones words do savour of grace and wisedom ; and when in every company he shall either do good or receive good . § . and as he loves and delights in holy company , so he loathes evil company : neither will he have any fellowship with the workers of iniquity , or be in league with the wicked , as swearers , drunkards , whoremongers , scoffers , &c. but avoid all needlesse society with them . § . he rejoyceth when the righteous are exalted , and grieves when the wick●d bear rule . he is no enemy to reformation , but earnestly desires the same , and furthers it all he can . chap. vii . § . he mak●s conscience of sanctifying the sabbath and sees that all under him do the same : he will not give liberty to his servants ●pon the lords day to do what they list . § . he reforms his family , and s●ts up gods worship therein , per●orming the duties of prayer , reading , repeating , &c. and instructing his children and servants . § . he is zealous to admonish , reclaim and reduce such as go astray ; and to save those among whom he lives , out of duty and thankfulnes●e to god and his redeemer , and out of love to them . § . he is ha●ed of the world for goodnesse , and suffers some way for christ ; at least , he is evil spoken of for well doing , and rejoyceth therein , or in whatsoever he suffers ; well considering , that all his sufferings in this life are not worthy that glory ●e shall enjoy in the next . § . his graces and goodnesse gains him more enemies , and breeds him more danger , then vice and wickednesse does another man : but he is more pleased then displeased at it , for he knows by the worlds hating of him , that he is not of the world , but that christ hath chosen him out of the world : and that he some way discovers the worlds treasons and deceits . he knows also that to be the worlds friend , is to be gods enemy ; yea he esteems it an honour to be evil spoken of by evil men ( because when a thing is best they will like it least : ) and a grace to be disgraced for christ , who was far●e more disgraced for him . besides , the single approbation of one wise experimentall christian , is enough with him to countervail the disdain and dislike of a whole parish of sensualists ; and an ounce of credit with god , more worth then a talent of mens praises . and how little is that man hurt , whom malice condemns on earth , and god commends in heaven ? if he cannot avoid their malice and evil words ; he will be sure not to deserve them , which is much at one upon the matter : for as the best confutation of their slanders , is ( not by our great words , but ) by our good works : so his conscience knowing him innocent , like a constant friend takes him by the hand , and cheers him against all his miseries . however , he will not in the least wrong his conscience , to avoid the imputation of singularity . the scoffs of atheists shall not beat him off from his profession : no , is he does well , hath gods word for his warrant , and glory for his aim , nothing can daunt or discourage him . neither the threatnings of fire , nor the fair and large promises of cunning and cruell adversaries ; neither pain nor losse can make him shrink from christ ; much lesse the censures and scoffs of lewd persons . the conscience of good intentions , let their successe be what it will ; is both a sufficient discharge , and comfort to his generous minde . chap. viii . § . he will first labour to inform , and then hearken to and obey the voice of conscience together with the motions of gods spirit ; consider anothers case by his own , and in a good measure do to all others as he would have others do by him . § . he is just and upright in his dealings , and desires to pay every one his due : he will 〈◊〉 borrow without care to pay again , as do the wicked , for which they are branded by the holy ghost , psal. . . he will not detain wages or workmens hire ( a crying sinne that this city groans under : ) he is faithfull to such as put him in trust : if a servant , he purloyns not , nor deceives in going to market : nor did ever any but hypocrites pretend care of piety towards god , and yet be unmercifull and unjust to men : yea , it is devil like , and double damnation , to pretend piety and intend villany , matth. . and indeed , our faith in christ is best seen in our faithfulnesse to men ; our invisible belief by our visible life . and wouldest thou know whether thou art a beleever or no ? this will infallibly inform thee : thy faith in the commands will breed obedience , in the threatnings fear , in the promises comfort . o that all hypocriticall profess●●● would try themselves by this touchstone , and consequently either be what they seem ( reall christians , ) or seem as they are ( none of christs , ) so should they not shame religion by professing it ; whereas now , they make the way of truth evil spoken of : yea , for their sakes the name of goodnesse is blasphemed all the day long , and an ill reporr taised upon them that serve god in truth : yea , they have made our savour to stink in the eyes of all the people , and put a sword into the hands of prophane men to slay us , as wofull experience shews : for by reason of such , how do the devil and his limbs triumph over the religious ! yea , the saints are not only reproached , the truth disgraced , and religion it self scandalized ; but this gives occasion to others to blaspheme god , and to doubt whether all divinity be not meer policy , and the scriptures a fable , whereby millions are so hardened , that they even protest against their own conversion : which being so , if you either love god or his people , if you either care for other mens souls or your own , remove this stumbling block , and no longer deceive your selves ; for though he that is not a true christian may be just , yet he that is not just cannot possibly be a true christian . § . and as he is just in getting , so he is neither profuse in spending , nor backward ( according to his ability ) in releeving christs members for his sake , but will give back a considerable part of all he hath to god ; and acknowledge , that he is only a steward ( not an owner ) of what he doth possesse . § . he is not sordidly covetous , nor given to filthy lucre : for the covetous person is an idolater , and hath no inheritance in the kingdom of christ and of god , and therefore cannot possibly be a beleever : nor do we read of one godly person in the whole bible , that was covetous . he is contented with things necessary , and desires not great matters : for if he have food and raiment , he will therewith be content : considering how they that will needs be rich , fall into temptations and snares , and into many foolish and noysome lusts , which drown men in perdition and destruction : and that the desire of money is the root of all evil ; which while some lusted after , they erred from the faith , and pierced themselves through with many sorrowes . he will neither defraud nor oppresse his brother in any matter : he will not deal unjustly in line , in weight , or in measure . he lusteth not after forbidden fruit , nor coveteth that which is anothers . he will not remove his neighbours land mark , nor conceal any deeds or writings that make for his neighbours advantage . if his neighbour suffer prejudice or losse in any thing belonging to him , through his or his servants means , he will make him recompence to the full . in case his cattell break into his neighbours ground , and eat his corn or grasse ; he will willingly , and without compulsion satisfie for the damage . he will not detain the poor workmans hire untill the morning , least his family should want bread for the present . he loves justice in the least things , and desires rather to buy what he would have , then that it be given him : chusing to eat his own bread , and to drink water out of his own cistern . he hateth gifts , least they should corrupt his judgement and make him partiall . nor is he legally just , or conscionable according to the statute only , but piously just . if his conscience tells him , that he hath any way prejudiced his neighbour , though there be none to witnesse against him ; though it be unknown to the party himself that suffers the damage , he will make him satisfaction , and never think he merits by it . if he finde any thing , he ●oth desires and endeavours to finde out the owner , that he may restore it . he will not take advantage from his neighbours poverty or simplicity , to oppresse or cousen him . he will not compound with creditors , for ten shillings ●n the pound , when he is able to pay all . he will not take an enemies goods , or the goods of an heathen ; though it be beyond the line ; without making satisfaction , or re●urning a valuable consideration ; though the laws of the land will bear him out in it : yea although he have letters of markq , for his warrant , unlesse there be some other cause . if he make an oath or promise , though to his and gods enemy , and to his great disadvantage ; he will faithfully perform it , and not violate the same . before he useth the extremity either of law or of arms , he offers conditions of peace ; and before he will fall to blowes , he will try what reason will do , soundly examine the cause , and hear what the party can say for himself : and after that , he will rather suffer and yeeld some part of his right , then do wrong , contend or go to law . for he will not do all he may , least evil men speak ill of him , or insult , as they are very prone to do , by reason of their spight at religion . lastly , he seldom but gets the victory ; yea it is rare if he be vanquisht , either in going to law or making war ; because he never undertakes war or suit without just cause , and to a good intent . yea it is rare also , if this be not the issue : the lesse he covets the more he hath ; and the lesse he thirsts after these temporall things , the more he cove●s spirituall things . § . neither love nor hatred shall rob him of his judgement , or make him partiall . he will neither esteem father , nor , mother , nor wife , nor childe , so as to disobey god in the least for their sakes . he will not wrong his children by a former wife , to give that which is due unto them , unto the children of a second wife : but he will make his first-born heir , and give him a double portion of all that he hath . if his sonne be stubborn and disobedient , a rioter and a drunkard ; he will not nourish him in it , but inflict due punishment upon him according to his demerits . he will not seek to save a murtherer from death ; least he make the whole land guilty of bloud . no , be it his own sonne , least in saving him from a temporall shame and punishment , he should bring upon him an eternall : ●nd in liew of saving his body , he should destroy his soul . besides , he will rather his own childe shall be destroyed , then god dishonoured , and his law not executed . it matters not to him what others would do , nor what all the world sayes ; if they bring not a written word , they prevail nothing : he will go on in his uprightnesse , and not shame to be singular : as more fearing gods anger then the worlds scorns . neither custom nor example of his fore-fathers will he follow , without or against the written word . no , he will not follow paul himself , any farther then he followes christ . he remembers how vain , ignorant and sinfull his former conversation ( which he received by the traditions of his fathers ) was : and thinks it too much to continue still therein . nor will he take incouragement from the saints falls , to do the like : but they shall serve him as sea-marks , to make him beware . indeed when things are of a doubtfull nature , he will take the surest ( not the strongest ) side , and which draws nearest to probability : and where the law written doth cease , he will observe that which is allowed by the practice and custom of the godly and religious . chap. ix . § . he is neither drunkard nor glutton , he neither tarries long at the wine , nor goes often to it , as is the custom of too many ; indeed , whether they are christians or no i cannot easily be satisfied . § . he is no health-drinker ; for he abhors drunkennesse , as the root of all evil , and rot of all good , and scorns the reputation of good fellowship . he is none of those that peter speaks of ; who have eyes full of adultery , and that cannot cease to sinne : that gaze upon every fair face , and lust after every beautifull woman . he will not be caught , nor yeeld to the imbraces of a harlot : though her lips drop like an hony-combe , and her mo●th be smoother then oyl ; though she offereth her self in the streets , and lyeth in wait for him at every corner . yea he is wise enough to consider that it may not be a woman , but the devil in the likenesse of a woman as some have thus been cheated . § . he denies ungodlinesse and worldly lusts , and lives soberly and chastly in this present world , keeping the members of his body holy ; for if he hath not the gift of continency he will marry his speech is not lewd , or obscene , nor useth he any lascivious behaviour , nor does ●e take liberty to gaze upon b●●utifull women . § . it is not his manner to curse be he never so much provoked , neither will he take the name of god in vain , but reverently use his titles in his talk : much lesse will he swear by his name , except upon urgent occasion , and being lawfully called to it before a magistrate : least of all dares he swear by or invocate that which is no god ; ●amely by any creature or idol , which carnall men ignorantly call petty oathes : no , but as he will not swear , so he fears an oath . § . he will speak the truth from his heart , and not willingly and premeditately either lye or equivocate , much lesse will he allow himself in it or seek to defend it ; for such as will do so , have not as yet past the second birth . § . in bearing witnesse he will speak the whole truth impartially , without fearing or favouring either party , that is , as well what makes for the defendant though an enemy , as for the plaintiff being his friend or master : neither will he conceal a wicked device , when by revealing the same it may be prevented . § . he loves , and fears , and bel●eves , and serves the lord , and seeks his glory , and the good of others in every thing ; at least , he desires and endeavours so to do . he will omit no oportunity of doing good , nor do evil though he hath opportunity . he remembers his vow in baptism , and is carefull to ●erform what he then promised : and so far as he comes short of his duty , ●o far forth he will be humbled . he tempteth not to evil , but draweth all he can to goodnesse . he will behave himself honestly and unblameably before those among whom he lives : that he may not dishonour god , nor offend either those that are within , or those that are without . he will never sufter base thoughts of god to finde harbour in his heart , deal he never so harshly with him ; being more prone to complain of his sinne then of his punishment : for he will turn his eyes inward , and read his sinne in his punishment : and instead of murmuring for the few things he wants , be thankfull for the many things he enjoyes . whereas others that are unbeleevers , will do something for god ; when it makes for their own ends , he will suffer for him , and hold out in his works where satan dwells and keeps his throne . and what they do for fear of the law , he does for love of the gospel . as who are beleevers indeed , is only known where the power of godlinesse is in contempt ; where a christian in name only , will scoff at a christian indeed : for in such times , many will superstitiously adore the crucifix , that are enemies to the crosse of christ : and worship the dead saints in a cold profession , while they worry the living in a cruell persecution . for christ is stoned by many that are called christians , though no otherwise then the heathen images are called gods . but the beleever , as he will not go on in an evil way , though flattered by never so good successe : so he will not be discouraged in a good way , though he meets with ill successe , because he is more carefull to please god then men . nature is like glasse , bright but brittle : the resolved christian like gold , which if we rub it , or beat it , o● melt it ; it will endure the teast , the touch , the hammer , and still shine more orient . a true beleever having once acknowledged the way of righteousnesse , will not after turn from the holy commandment : li●● the dog that returns to his vomit , or the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire . again , he will not come to his ends by unlawfull means ; he seeks not to witches , wisards or southsayers in his distresse , or to be resolved of his doubts : but to gods word and ministers , and to god himself by prayer : and in praying to him , he desires not outward blessings so much as gods blessing upon them ; he desireth not so much food and rayment , as that god will give them power to nourish , warm and comfort him , knowing that except that be granted , they cannot of themselves do it . and so of riches , wisedom , &c. he desires not so much a great estate as a contented minde . he desires not riches , that he may lay it out on his pleasures ; yea , he knows that god will not give if he abuse his gifts . and as he prayes for gods blessing , so he neglects not to use the means . when he hath attained his end , or receives any mercy , whether it be riches or other gifts , victory or the like ; he ascribes not the praise thereof to his wisedom or industry , but wholly and only to the free mercy of god in christ . chap. x. § . he is not implacable , nor will he revenge himself on an enemy , though he hath power in his hand to do it , but sh●ts his ears and heart in this and other cases , against satans temptations : yea , upon the least change , he can forgive him as heartily as he desires god should forgive him : yea , he loves and wishes well , and can willingly do good to them that do evil to him ; even desiring his greatest enemies conversion , together with his prosperity . he rejoyceth not at anothers fall , but is grieved both for their sins and miseries : nor is he grieved at any ones good , especially at his gifts , and the graces of gods spirit in him . § . through the study of vertue and christian prudence , he makes the servile passions of his minde ( fear and anger , ) subject to the more noble faculties of his soul , reason and understanding . as appears in the provocation of an enemy ; for let him be injured , he will both forbear and forgive : well considering , that it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence : and that it is greater fortitude to overcome his own passions , then to vanquish a city . wherefore , instead of returning like for like , he will pacifie his enemy with milde words and gentle behaviour : which may be resembled to milk that quencheth wild-fire , or oyl that quenches lime which by water is kindled : and thinks it enough for one to be angry at a time . he is not like our ru●●ians and sonnes of belial , who when they are displeased with others , will fly in their makers face , and tear the name of their saviour in pieces : even swearing away their part in that bloud which must save them if ever they be saved . nor like our gallants , whom the devil hath so blinded and bewitched , that they will contend for the way , and strive for the wall even to the death : and kill one another , as though either of their honours were of more worth , then both their souls . or admit one get the victory , miserable is that victory wherein thou overcomest thine enemy ; and thy passions , yea the devil in the mean time overcomes thee : perhaps thou slayest his body , but the devil slayes thy soul . nor like those fools you see walking in westminster-hall , that like two cocks of the game , peck out one anothers eyes to make the lawyers sport . no sayes he , why shovld i vex my self , because another hath vexed me ? or why should i do my self a shrewd turn , because another would ? and admit carnall reason shall alledge to him , that his enemy is unworthy to be forgiven : rectified reason will answer , but christ is worthy to be obeyed , who hath commanded me to forgive him . and well may i bear with him , when his maker bears with me : and forgive him , when christ hath forgiven me much more . nor can any repute him a coward for this his humble patience : the true coward is your hot-spur , that fears the blasts of mens breath , and not the fire of gods wrath : that trembles at the thought of a prison , and yet fears not hell fire . but the beleever is as bold as a lyon if his cause be good : yea to speak rightly , there is no such coward , none so valiant as the beleever : without gods warrant he dares do nothing , with it any thing . he fears none but the displeasure of the highest , and runs away from nothing but sinne . indeed he more fears the least sinne then the greatest torment ; as may be seen in the martyrs that noble army . but he is so far from fearing an impotent enemy , that he fears not death it self : no not the day of iudgement , joh. . . luk. . , to . yea he is so strong withall , that he is able to prevail with god , gen. . , . exod. . . and overcome the world , the flesh , and the devil , joh. . . and . . gal. . . and all this by his faith , patience and prayer : and not seldom does he overcome his enemy too by well-doing : for he lives so well , that his back-biting adversaries are either put to silence , or constrained to praise god , and speak well of him . § . he hath learnt ( from gods dealing with him ) to be mercifull , as his heavenly father is mercifull ▪ even to his beast . nor do any that resemble god or christ , ( but satan and antichrist , as pa●taking of the devils nature ) sport themselves in bear-baiting , dogge , or cock-fighting , hunting of tame ducks , and the like : or if so , they are not well verst in christianity : as for such as are cruell to their servants , i marvell how they can expect that their master in heaven should be mercifull to them : and certainly , should they be deprived from ever having the help or benefit of servants , ( as good queen elizabeth once served a butcher and his wife , for their cruelty to a poor girle they kept ) they would in a short time learn ●o be both wi●●r and better . chap. xi . § . he is not the worse or prouder , for prosperity or outward blessings , but the better and more thankfull for them : he is bettered also by affliction , and makes a gain of his losses ; and being in distresse , as he prayes ●or deliverance , so he is accordingly thankfull when delivered : yea , he will mak vowes , and so promise amendment , that he is as carefull to perform the same when he is delivered , which a wicked man never does . § . he seeks god in all he does , and acknowledges him in all he either receives or suffers : he observes the severall passages of his providence , acknowledging all things to be ordered thereby , and that it extendeth to the least hair on his head : hath a comfortable experience of his disposing all to work for the best unto him ; admires the same , and his goodnesse therein , and is accordingly thankfull for it : yea he keeps a record or register of gods speciall mercies and deliverances , and of his own often and great provocations , and not seldom meditates thereon : neither does he murmur when he wants any thing , as most of our ignorant poor do , whose whole life , language and religion , is nought else but a continued act of muttering and murmuring : perhaps they want many things for their bodies , because they slight whatsoever is of●ered them for their souls ; and because god the giver is not in all their thoughts excep● to blaspheme him , and to spend his day in the devils service , for they never minde how god hath appointed it his market-day for their souls : now these brutish animals are very sensible if they want never so little , and for that they murmur ; but they injoy millions of mercies which they never cordially give thanks for : and i wish they were often put in minde , how many thousand israelites were destroyed in the wildernesse , only for that grievous sinne of murmuring , though their streights and extremities were far greater ; but as good blow in the dust as speak to these . and as they have no reason , so they will hear none , only such as truly fear god know that he owes them nothing ; yea , whatever they enjoy on this side hell , they think themselves unworthy of it . § . he honours and obeyes his parents , and god accordingly prospereth him , and prolongeth his dayes . if they stand in need , he will nourish and maintain them , as they did him in his need . if a servant , he serves his master in singlenesse of heart , as unto christ , not with eye-service , but out of conscience . and the lord is with him , and prospereth all he takes in hand ; gives him such favour in his masters sight , that he trusteth him with all he hath . yea the lord blesseth his master , and all the family fares the better for his sake . he will not be charitable with his masters goods , nor wastfull with his parents . if a master , he useth his servants so , as considering that himself is a servant to a greater master . to a good servant he is kinde and liberall : and having staid long with him , and done him good and faithfull service , he will at the end of his years , not only make him free , but give him a bountifull reward , answerable to the good service he hath performed ; and by this he is more inriched . he will not bid his servants tell lyes , or being at home to say he is abroad . he loves not to rail , or speak evil of magistrates ; as being sent of god , for the punishment of evil doers , and for the praise of them that do well . § . he is not glad of pretences against obeying the magistrates command , but will obey authority as the ordinance of god ; and ●e subject more out of conscience then fear , as placed by god over him : and to all their laws , if they crosse not gods law ; for otherwise he will lose his liberty , part with the right hand of profit , and the right eye of pleasure ; yea , lose his life rather then a good conscience , and sinne against god ; for he will not disobey god to obey great ones . in choosing them , he will have respect to their piety and fitnesse ; and not to wealth , favour or any other either private or base ends . § . whereas many love peace but regard not truth ; and others ar● all for truth without caring for peace ; he together with truth , loves , and studies , and labours to have a lawfull peace with all men , and so seeks it , that he will suffer rather then do wrong : and to avoid offence , he will be overruled in indifferent things ; as christ gave him an example , when he paid pole-money . § . if a magistrate , he will not be partiall in any cause , nor will he either for fear or favour do any thing against the truth ; or give sentence against his conscience , or use his power in favour of the wicked ; but be just in shewing mercy , severe to the evil , cherishing and protecting the good . § , if a minister , he will not preach to please but to profit : nor will he dare to serve at the altar without being holy . § . he is faithfull to his friend , for his love extends to his soul : he will speak of his faults to his face , of his vertues behind his back . the deep and devillish plots of wicked politicians never enter into his thoughts , because the fear of god keeps them out . or if they offer to intrude themselves , they have not the least admittance : for he ( so far forth as he can ) refrains all dispute with sinne , satan or his instruments . § . he is no neuter when gods cause is in question , but he will help the lord against the mighty . he imployes himself in some lawfull calling , he lives not idely . he will not company with wicked persons , for fear of being infected by them : nor joyn in marriage either with idolaters or prophane persons , least he should learn their customs . nor give his children in marriage to them for the same reason . he is carefull to preserve his childrens chastity : and therefore he will in due time provide fit matches for them . be he parent , master or magistrate , he will think it no disparagement to his greatnesse , if christs ambassadour shall as he is bound , require him to give some testimony that he is a christian , before he intrudes himself to the lords table . yea , he will as christ hath commanded him , be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in him , though in the presence of others that are not so rich , ancient or learned as himself , though he was never in so many years examined : and in deed none but proud and ignorant persons , will stand upon comparisons in gods worship ; for pretend they what they will , the genuine reason is , they are ashamed to make known their ignorance . chap. xii . § . he is not rashly censorious , but judgeth of things , actions and persons , ( not as they are in the worlds repute , but ) as they are in gods account , and as he in his word allowes or condemns them ; he censures none for things indifferent , but you must ●e able to alledge the violation of some law , much les●e will he m●ck o● despise a man for his poverty or any naturall defect : as for judging anothers thoughts to be evil when he cannot tax his life , or making ill constructions of good actions , or sleighting and disparaging them , or thinking the worse of a man for having of a tender conscience , he utterly abhors . he is not easily suspitious without just cause , neither will he willingly wrest mens words , or misconster their meanings , but take their sayings and doings in the best sense . he will ●ot hearken to tal●-bearers , nor is he apt to beleeve an evil report without good ground , neither will he condemn a man without hearing him speak . he never determins of any ones finall esta●e be he never so wicked , well knowing , that god may change his heart in a moment : neither will he conclude one to be a wicked , man , or an hypocrite for appearances , or moates , or some sudden eruptions or common infirmities , or for sinnes before conversion , or for this or that single act of grosse impiety , when the main tenor and course of his life besides is a continuall current of honesty and goodnesse ; though he may suspend his good opinion in case of some unexpected misdemeanour , or for lesser evils , either affected or often repeated . he is tender-hearted , and can bear with the infirmities of the weak , and is ready to cherish them that are cast down . he does not expect a full grow●h of grace in the cradle of a mans conversion ; yea , he yeelds the best christians ( in this their state of imperfection ) their graynes of allowance , as our saviour did to his apostles . § . he will neither backbite others , nor give ear to backbiters of others . neither lend satan his tongue to utter , nor his ears to hear , nor his heart to beleeve lyes and slanders . he will not les●en his own credit , by traducing one that wrong him : he will not lessen his own shame and blame , by traducing one he hath wronged ; as too many do . he wonders not so much at anothers ingratitude to him , as at his own unthankfulnesse to god . he will pardon many things in others , which he will not tolerate in himself . he will neither arrogate to himself , nor derogate from another : neither vilifie other mens doings , nor over highly prize his own . he will not condemn , censure or slight that which ●e understands not . to finde gall in a pidgion , a knot in a bulrush , where is none , is none of his humour . in relating an enemies words , he will neither adde to them , nor diminish from them . the faults of a few , shall not make him uncharitable to all ; nor the goodnesse of many , make him credulous of the rest . he envies none for doing , or faring , or being better esteemed then himself . chap. xiii . § . he is more knowing then the men of the world ; for as he hath the light of the spirit , and the eye of faith above them , so the word of christ dwelleth in him plentifully in all wisedom and spirituall understanding : and he increaseth daily in the knowledge of god , and of our lord and saviour jesus christ ; because god reveals himself to him in a great measure as to his friend . besides , his knowledge is about the best things ; and one drop of soul wisedom and saving knowledge , guided by the fear of god , is more worth then all humane learning . and to this knowledge , unbeleevers are meer strangers . yea be they never so wise and learned in other things , they have only the theory of this wisedom ; they can prattle of it by roat , but they know not what it is by effect and experience . yea if a man want faith , holinesse , the love of god , and the spirit of god to be his teacher ; he shall not be able really , and by his own experience , to know the chief points of christian religion ; such as are faith , repentance , regeneration , the love o● god , the presence of the spirit , the remission of sinnes , the effusion of grace , the possession of heavenly comforts : nor what the peace of conscience , and joy in the holy ghost is ; nor what th●communion of saints means ; when every one of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest beleever . and the reason is , the beleever digests his knowledge into practise , and imployes it to the glory of the giver , his neighbours good , and the furthering of his own salvation . he is neither ungrounded in the principles of religion , nor unconscionable in the practice . each book or sermon , both increaseth his knowledge and lessens his vices . yea he will pick something out of every thing , and gather honey from the self same thing that others will poyson . anothers hating the truth shall make him love it the more ; for he i● instructed both by similitude and contrariety . whereas let the unbeleever know never so much , he is resolved to be never the better : and they who are unwilling to obey , god thinks unworthy to know . whence it is also , that as what the beleever doth is good for the matter , so he will do it well also for the manner : and in all his actions observe , whether his ends be good or evil ; for he will do good actions with good intentions ; and not be moved unto them by ba●e end , as is the unbeleever . nor is he puffed up either with his knowledge or parts ; well knowing that he is ignorant of many things , for a few that he understands ; and that he falls short of others in what he most excells . nor will he build upon his knowledge , but in cases doubtfull he will advise with others : yea he will submit to the better advice , even of his inferiour or maid-servant . § . he is not erronious in his judgement , he neither affects curiosity nor singularity ; which is the foolish ambition of unblest understandings . but he wholly applies himself to those things which god hath revealed in his word ; and to the confirmation of received truths ; which is the meeknesse and humility of the best judgements ; and so is wise according to sobriety . nor does he so cry up justification , as to cry down and quite overthrow sanctification . he reades and hears with an h●n●st and good heart : and to the end only that he may know savingly , beleeve rightly and live religiously ; and god gran●s his desire in all the ●hr●e . he is resolved to do gods will , th●refore god gives him to know the doctrine , wh●●her it be o● god or no . neither will he give heed nor lend his ●ar to the i●●ising words of false propherts , or spirits of 〈◊〉 ; who speak ly●s 〈…〉 , as having their consciences burned with an 〈◊〉 iron . none can b●g●ile him with their sleights and 〈◊〉 craftinesse wh●r●by they lye in wait to deceive ; for his hear● is stablished with grace . he is not wauering , nor carried about with every winde of doctrine , which vain talkers and deceivers of mindes daily vent ; because he is rooted and stablished in the faith . he avoides all prophane and vain bablings ; all foolish and unlearned questions which are endlesse ; all strife about words , which is to no profit : all jewish fables and commandments of men , and genealogies ; which breed vain janglings , rather then godly edification which is by faith ; all brawlings and contentions about the law , as being unprofitable and vain . he will not be spoyled through philosophy or great shewes of learning . he doteth not about froward disputations , and things that ingender unto more ungodlinesse : as well knowing , that the words of these false apostles and teachers of lyes fret like a canker , poyson mens judgements , and pervert their simple and superstitious hearers : but rather studies to have a good conscience and faith unfained . whereas it is the portion of all rotten hearted and hypocriticall professors ▪ to be given up ro errour and to beleeve lyes . in brief , he will entertain nothing which is contrary to wholsome doctrine , and n●t according to the glorious gospel of the blessed god . yea if there be any that erre concerning the truth , or having a shew of g●dlinesse deny the power of it , he turns away from such . again , he is not for paul , nor apollos , nor c●phas , but for all that bring the word for their warrant . and those who will not suffer wholsome doctrine , but having their ears itching , do after their own lusts get them an heap of teachers , turning their ears from the truth , being given unto fables , are farre from being of his minde . he is none of those that creep into hous●s , and lead captive simple women laden with sins , and led away with divers lusts ; that subvert whole families , by walking in craftinesse and handling the word deceitfully ; and that teach things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake , even delighting themselves in their deceivings : that beguile unstable souls by promising them liberty , and are themselves the servants of corruption , being men of c●rrupt mindes , that resist : the truth , and are reprobate concerning the faith . he will reject him that is an heretick , after once or twice admonition ; knowing that he who is such , is perverted , and sinneth , being damned of his own self . he is no causer of division or dissention in the church . chap. xiv . § . but he wins many to the truth , for he is charitable , wis●es all good and happy like himself ; and accordingly proves a means of bringing many to heaven , and that two wayes : first , whereas others by their evil example , are a means to destroy many ; he by his good example , is a means to save many . for he is upright and sincere hearted to god and man . he is none of those that professe god with their words , and with their works deny him . he is not double-tongued ; but as he thinks in his heart , so he speaks with his mouth ; and as he is led by his conscience , so his conscience is led by truth . in fine , he is known from another man , only by the holinesse and uprightnesse of his life and conversation . yea all may read in his life , that he beleeves in his heart : and are forced to say , this is a good god , whose servant is so good : or , this is a good , holy and operative religion ; that this changes and transforms men into new creatures . for his life is like a precious and sweet perfume ; whose savour spreads it self , and is pleasant to all that come near . yea , he sowes those good works that remain to posterity , and are reaped by succession ; and he shall be happy in making others so . but secondly , as the wicked draw all they can to hell by their allurements and subtill perswasions ; so he drawes all he can to heaven , by his admonitions and sweet compellations . he loves the soul of his neighbour , and therefore he will tell him of his faults , and the judgements of god due unto the same . yea rather then let one go headlong to destruction , he will violently pluck him out of the fire ; for he hath not only zeal , but courage to do good t● he is not lukewarm , nor will he suffer discretion to eat up his devotion , as it fares with common professors . for he had rather hazzard the censure of some , then hinde● the good of others . yea rather then be guilty of other mens sins by his cowardly silence , he can afford to be despised , and thought out of his wits by the world ; reputed a fool , and pointed at in the streets . for he prefers gods favour before all the worlds ; and his glory before his own credit . not that he wants wit , or deserves contempt ; for his zeal is mixed with discretion , and he makes knowledge the pilot of his devotion : but his love to god is such , as he cannot bear with them that are evil . his righteous soul is vexed with seeing , and hearing the uncleanly conversation of their unlawfull deeds . yea it cuts his very heart to hear christ so wounded with oathes , blasphemies and reproaches , who is the life of his life , and soul of his soul . and his love to sinners also , for his zeal against them , is a sweet compound of love and anger : for though he hates the vices of a wicked man , yet he loves his person : he can chide him sharply , and yet at the same time pray for him heartily . whereby he not seldom save● his brother , for he findes favour in the sight of god , and prevails with him for things hard to be obtained . as when ●tevens prayer prevailed for persecuting paul , and our saviours prayer for his murtherers . § . he hath low and mean thoughts of himself ; therefore the lord makes him excell , and shews his strength by him . he abhors to think himself better then others , because god blesseth him more with outward blessings , or hath bestowed more inward gifts and graces upon him then upon others : well knowing that god resisteth the proud , and giveth grace to the humble . he is not lifted up , nor cast down with mens flatteries or slanders . he forgets his good deeds , and therefore god remembers them : he remembers his evil deeds , therefore god forgets them . he is not envious , nor given to stri●e ; but of a meek and quiet spirit ; peaceable , gentle and easie to be intreated . he affects rather plainnesse then pomp : and will rather refuse places of honour , then eagerly pursue after them . he never stands so secure , but he will take heed least he fall : and prefers an humble fear , before a presumptuous confidence . he makes conscience of small sins , least they should prove wedges to greater . when he is tempted to evil , the fear of god keeps him innocent . and it is alwai●● in his minde , that god seeth all things , and is ever beholding him . he will neither deny , nor deminish , nor justifie his sinne , nor shift it off to others . if he hav● falne in●o an evil , he will beware of doing it the second time ; well knowing that there is no laying hold of the promises , without making conscience of and obeying the precepts . chap. xv . § . so you have ( in part ) seen ; how he loves , and fears , and serves the lord , and seeks his gl●ry and the good of others : but ( which is very observable ) shall i shew you how the lord bles●eth him in every thing he takes in hand , or that does befall him ? i pray observe the severals , and then if you be not yet a beleever , you will neglect no means , indeavouror opportunity to obtain such a blessed condition ▪ the particulars are many , i le mention a few only . first if he be in prosperity , as he shall be sure to have plenty of all outward things , if god sees that it would be good for him ; so that he shall lend to others , but shall not borrow himself . he will be accordingly thankfull , and as god blesseth him more or lesse , so will he do good ; and the more rich , the more rich will he be in good works , and the more ready to distribute and communicate . for he is pitifull , and ready to shew mercy where is need ; and to defend , rescue and deliver the oppressed , out of the hands of their enemies and oppressors , if he have power and opportunity to do it . and by reason of his bountifulnesse to the poor , he becometh more rich , so that he is not more ready to pray for blessings in his want , then he is to give thanks for them being obtained . and be he never so rich , he is not high minded ; neither does he trust in uncertain riches , but in the living god . for in his prosperity he forgetteth not his former low estate ; but is ever medi●ating upon , and admiring the lords goodnesse towards him . yea he sets a memo●andum upon every remarkable mercy , that he may not forget it : and admires that god should set his delight and love upon him , and choose him above many others : and this makes him strive to surpasse others in his love and service to god again . whereas unbeleevers , when they are waxed fat with the good blessings of god , they will spurn with the heel , and forsake god that made them : not once regarding the strong god of their salvation , but provoke him with strange gods and other abominations : but it fares not so with the beleever , neither doth he so requite the lord . and as he is thankfull to the author , so likewise to any that he shall make instrumentall for his good : thinking himself bound to remember and requite good turns . § . secondly , if he falls into adversity or any kind of distresse ; he knowes it is sent of the lord in love , and to do him good , and to give him occasion of rejoycing afterwards . he w●●l considers , that scarce any thing more proves us his , then his stripes : that stripes from the almighty , are so farre from arguing his displeasure , that contrarily there are few better tokens and pledges of his adoption and love : and that they are bastards and not sonnes who are without correction . and so it is , that as many as god loves , he rebukes and chastens . and as it is sent for his good , so it doth him good : crosses in his estate , diseases in his body , maladies in his minde , are medicines to his soul : the impairing of the one , is the repairing of the other . his sinne dies with his fame , or with his health , or with his peace , or with his outward estate . yea it both lessons his sins , and increaseth his graces : for god sends him afflictions both for his instruction and reformation , to scout away the rust of corruption , and to try the truth of his sanctification ; for the increase of his patience , and the exercise of his faith , and the improvement of his zeal , and to provoke his importunity , and to double his obligation ; to greaten each other grace , and to augment his glory . again , he inflicts a lesse punishment to avoid a greater : and by smarting in his body , state or name , he is saved from smarting in his soul . he is chastened that he may be converted , not confounded : his worser part , to wit his body , state or name is impoverisht ; that his better part , that is , his soul may be saved in the day of judgement . but see it in some particulars , as first how it makes him humble and thankfull : for he not only calls to minde his own unworthinesse of the least mercy he still injoyes ; and how he hath provoked the giver ; ( for he is ever meditating of what christ hath done and suffered for him , and how he hath provoked christ : ) but he also compares what he suffers , with what he might have suffered ; arguing thus with himself , he that hath taken this from me , might have taken more : he that afflicts me for a time , could have held me longer : he that hath touched me in part , could have stricken me in whole : he that laid this upon my body , hath power to lay a greater rod both upon my body and soul , without doing me the least wrong . and so goes on , i was born a childe of wrath , and whereas god might have left me in that perishing condition and chosen others , he hath of his free grace adopted me and left others . and this makes him cry out , o the depth ! as a mercy beyond all expression : saying further , o my soul , thou hast nor room enough for thankfulnesse ! and the truth is , if we could but seriously think upon our deliverance from hell fire , it alone would be thought cause enough to make us both patient and thankfull , though the things we now delight in be taken from us . and sure i am , nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures in heaven which shall endure for ever . o that we could keep fast in our memories but these two things ! and upon all occasions make use of them ; and consider withall , that the least mercy is beyond our best merit . and no better remedy for impatience , then to cast up our receits , and compare them with our deservings . but secondly , gods corrections are his instructions ; his lash●s lessons , his scourges schoolmasters , his chastisements advertisements to him ; by feeling of smart he learns to decline the cause . yea , this hath taught him to fly from the works of darknesse at a great distance : and to consider as well the bitternesse of what will follow , as the sweetnesse of a momentary pleasure ; and so cleared his sight , that he can now discern sinne in all he thinks , and speaks , and does ; for he is ever bewailing his wants and weaknesses ; the hardnes●e of his heart , want of faith , &c. thirdly , it abundantly increaseth his joy and comfort : for admit satan and the world should deprive him of all outward comforts at once ; yet god at the same time will supply the want of these , with comforts farre surpassing and transcending them : as first , the assurance of the pardon of sinne alone , is able to clear all storm● of the minde : it teacheth misery , as sicknesse , poverty , famine , imprisonment , infamy , &c. even to laugh ; for then let death happen , it matters not : when a malefactor hath sued out his pardon , let the assizes come when they will , the sooner the better . but to this is added the peace of conscience , the marrow of all comforts , otherwise called the peace of god , which passeth all understanding , and surpasseth all commending ; for never did man finde pleasure upon earth , like the sweet testimony of an appeased conscience reconciled unto god , cleansed by the bloud of the lambe , and quieted by the presence of the holy ghost . as the martyrs felt , who even clapt their hands for joy in the midst of the flames ; and were even ravisht before they were permitted to dye : so great , and so surpassing all expressing is the peace and comfort of a good conscience . again thirdly , affliction bringeth with it the company of god himself ; i will be with you in tribulation , saith god , psal. . . as when those three were cast into the fiery furnace , dan. . there was presently a fourth came to bear them company , and that was god himself , ver. , to . and his presence makes any condition comfortable , were a man even in hell it self . see more acts . . and as his sufferings abound , so his consolation also aboundeth , cor. . . indeed the unbeleever laughs more , but that laughter is only the hypocrisie of mirth : they rejoyce in the face only and not in the heart : nor can it be solid comfort , except it hath his issue from a good conscience ; whereas gods word teacheth , and a good conscience findeth , that even the tears of those that pray , are sweeter then the joyes of the theater . but this is not all , for according to the t●ibulations laid upon him and borne by him , shall the retribution of glory be proportioned . i might go on , and shew how it makes him pittifull and compassionate to others : evils have taught him to bemone all that affliction makes to groan ; and sundry the like which i may not here stand upon . and this is enough to shew , that affliction in generall makes much for his advantage : now see how he is a great gainer by each particular crosse : as chap. xvi . § . first , let him fall into poverty , or have his goods and lands confiscate , this shall not hurt but do him good also : for he will not by sinne releeve his wants ; poverty shall not constrain him to steale . he will not tell a lye ( god assisting him ) though you would give him an house f●ll of god . whereas let unbeleevers fall into the like condition , that they may maintain themselves , they will lye , deceive , steal , prostitute their chastity , sell their consciences ? and what not . nor will he murmur or repine against his maker , but bear it patiently and chearfully ; where●a unbeleevers will not only murmur an● grievously complain ; but if god do not answer them in every thing , they will take pleasure in nothing : yea they will sleight all his blessings , because in one thing he crosseth them . and as he will not be the worse , so he will be much the better for it ; for as he growes poor in temporals , he will grow rich in spirituals : his wants kill his wantonnesse , his poverty checks his pride , &c. it shall stir him up to prayer , wean him from the love of the world , approve his sincerity , increase his faith , spirituall wisedom , patience , and the like ; so that let his enemies take all , so long as they cannot take christ and gods fatherly providence from him , he is well enough . but that 's not all , for whatsoever the parts withall , be it house , or land , or any thing else , 't is but as seed cast into the ground ; for he shall receive for it an hundreth fold more in this world , and in the world to dome life everlasting , mark . , . but § . secondly , let him be cast into prison and bonds , god will do him good by this also ; even the prison shall prove a means of his spirituall inlargement , and he shall more freely injoy the presence of his god . it shall make him with paul and sylas , sing psalms for joy at midnight : yea , he shall with that scottish king in mortimers hole , learn more of christ in a short time , then abroad he could in many years . and lastly , it sh●ll teach him for ever after , to remember them that are in bonds , as if he were bound with them ; and them which suffer adversity , as if he suffered the same things with them . § . thirdly , let his enemies slander him , god will clear his innocency ; let them curse him , the lord will do him good even for their cursing ; let them despise and disparage him , the lord will so much the more honour him before the people : yea , the same men that formerly slighted and rejected him ▪ shall be forced to seek and sue unto him . let an enemy scoff at him for a fault , he will be the better for it to his dying day . his very scoffs bring him both to the knowledge , and likewise to the amendment of his faults . his being slighted shall quell his ambition and vain glory , and likewise exercise and improve his other graces . in fine , his enemies by their evil tongues , shall beget in him a good and holy life . § . fourthly , let there be never so many plots laid to destroy him , he is in perpetuall safety : for the lord not only gives his angels a charge over him , to keep him in all his wayes ; but himself is ever at hand to deliver him and keep him as the apple of his eye , so that all his enemies are not able to do him hurt ; for god is his help , and strength , and deliverer ; yea , god by his providence disposeth of things so , that what in appearance , and what they contrived to be the means of his hurt , turns to his great good ; and what they intended for his destruction , becomes the only means of his preservation . again , the lord is more specially present with him , when he is in the greatest danger ; that he may fight for him against his enemies , and give him victory over them ; that he may sustain him when he faints , and crown him when he overcomes ; that he may be exact in taking notice of his sufferings , count his wanderings , put his tears into his bottle , and enter all into his register . nor is the beleever more patient to put up wrongs , then god is ready to revenge them and right him : and the reason is , christ takes what is done to him , or any one of his members , as done to himself . and indeed he that despiseth , traduceth , or any way wrongs him for his goodnes ; his envy strikes at the image of god in him ; by whose spirit he both speaks and acts . and to murmur against any of gods mes●engers ( as thou art apt enough to do , ) is to murmur against god himself that sent them : take notice of this you that carry an aking tooth against every godly man you know . neither shall sorcery or witchcraft have the least power to do him hurt . in a word , there cannot so much as an hair fall from his head , without the speciall appointment of his heavenly father , who will suffer nothing to befall him , but what shall make for his servants benefit and his own glory : for admit god gives his enemy leave and power to kill him , he shall not hurt but pleasure him , as i shall shew when i come unto it . § . fi●thly , neither sicknesse ▪ nor old age can hurt him : his fingers pain makes him not forget the health of his whole body ; one dayes or weeks sicknesse , makes him not forget many years health . he is not so sensible of a present distresse , nor so ingratefull for favours past , as not to remember many years injoyments , more then one weeks misery . yea , he considers that it is in great love that god thus visits him : that he dealeth mercifully with him , least he should fall from him and despair ; that he beateth him , least he should grow proud and forget him , and so peris● ▪ besides , he findes by experience , that as every other affliction rubs off some rust , melts off some drosse , strains out some corruption , &c. so also that sicknesse cuts the very throat of all his vices ; be it pride , lust , covetousnesse or the like ; for the very worst fever can come , does not more burn up his bloud then his lust ; and together with sweating out the surfits of nature , at the pores of the body , he weeps out the sinfull corruption of his nature , at the pores of his conscience . and indeed god scourgeth his flesh , to this end only , that his spirit may be saved in the day of jesus christ . and the like of old age ; his soul waxeth , as his body waineth , and he is wisest to prescribe , when his bones and sinewes are weakest to execute . chap. xvii . § . sixthly , suppose he is in distresse of conscience , and at the very brink of despair , expecting nothing but hell and damnation ; suppose god hides his face , and seems to have utterly forsaken him , and to reject his prayers ; yea suppose the terrours of god fight against him , and the arrowes of the almighty stick so fast in him , 〈◊〉 the venom thereof hath drunk up his spirit , so that in his own apprehension god is become his mortall enemy , as it fared with iob , yet all this is for his good , and shall do him good : yea this extream severity of god argues favour ; for nothing more usuall then for god to work joy out of fear , light out of darknesse , and to bring to the kingdom of heaven by the gates of hell , and thus he deals with his dearest darlings . when he meant to blesse iacob , he wrestles with him as an adyersary , even till he lamed him : when he meant to preferre ioseph to the throne , he threw him down into the dungeon : and to the golden chain about his neck , he laded him with iro● ones about his leggs . nor would christ cure lazarus , till after he was dead , buried , and stunk again : no question to teach us , that we must be cast down by the law , before we can be raised up by the gospell ; and become fools before we can be truly wise . nor hath he cause to fear , be his case never so desperate ; for god will measure his patience ▪ and make it proportionable to his suffering , and equall his strength to his temptations : his grace shall be sufficient for him at the least , cor. . . phil. . . and he that made the vessel , knowes her burden , and how to ballast her . the bush , which was a type of the church , consumed not all the while it burned with fire , because god was in the midst of it . the anchor lyeth deep and is not seen , yet is the stay of all . the bladder blown , may float upon the floud , but cannot sink nor stick in filthy mud , sinne , satan and the world may disturb him , but they can never destroy him : his head christ being above , he cannot be drowned ; there can be no disjunction , unlesse he could be pluckt from his arms that is almighty , for his life is hid with christ in god , col. . . besides , if he suffers much , it shall not be long ; if he suffers long it shall not be much : if his sorrowes be sharp they are the shorter . grievous and sore trials last but for a season , pet. . . a little while , ioh. . . yea but a moment , cor. . . for a moment in mine anger , saith god , i hid my face from thee , for a little season , but with everlasting mercy have i had compassion on thee , isa. . . weeping may abide for a night , but joy cometh in the morning , psal. . . and it is ever seen , that his joy both succeeds and exceeds his sorrow ; that his sadnesse ends in gladnesse , and his sorrow in singing : and the more grievous his exigent , the more glorious his advancement . but the last ( which is the best ) gain of all , he growes more holy then ever : for like the vine , he bringeth forth the more and better fruit , for paring , and ●●uning , and bleeding ; and though his outward man perish , yet his inward man is renewed daily : even as a lambe is much more lively and nimble for shearing ; these very tempestuous showers , bring forth spirituall flowers and herbs in abundance . § . seventhly , let judgements be i●●licted upon the wh●le land , they shall not touch him nor his family , he shall be singled out for mercy : or if they do , they shall be so sanctified , that they shall rather pleasure then hurt him . as if the corn be cut down with the weeds , the one shall be carried into gods barn as lazarus was , the other cast into the fire like dives : yea , every stroak in the judgement shall be a monitor , and serve as a sermon to him : when he sees another struck he takes warning ; for he will be put unto duty even by the shadow of the wand . § . eighthly , the strictest and severest laws if they be not contrary to gods law , have not power to smite him : for he does those things unbidden , which others can scarce do being compelled . yea , the law protects him against his enemies , who fear the jayl more then they fear hell ; and stand more upon their silver , or their sides smarting , then upon their souls . good magistrates also are the breath of his nostrils and protect him , while they take vengeance on them that do ill . yea they are the ministers of god for his wealth , and bound to see him righted , when he receives wrong in his person , goods or good name . chap. xviii . § . ninthly , his very sins and infirmities by gods grace do work his good , and he is by much the better for them , for he will from hence grow more holy . yea , he gains strength by every fall : for hence issues deeper humiliation , stronger hatred of sinne , fresh indignation against himself , more experience of his hearts deceitfulnesse , renewed resolutions untill sinne be brought under : it makes him more earnest with god by prayer , to keep a more careful watch over himself ; to pity others more , and censure them lesse when they offend or are overtaken : to rest wholly upon the assistance of gods spirit , and to a●cribe all glory to him , of whom whatsoever he hath he holds . true , his offending god brings much misery upon him , and god seems to have left him , and to reject his prayers and humiliation : but at length , and so soon as the poor soul ceaseth to do ev●● , and learns to do well , the lord repenteth him of the evil ; and not only delivers him , but returns with the greater interest of joy and felicity . indeed the lord lets him know what it is to lose his favour , and makes him tugg hard by prayer , and to persevere a long time in kn●cking and asking : but at length he will be sure to give him what he desires , or that which is better for him ; for the prayer of faith , from the knees of humility and a broken heart , will conquer even the conqueror . indeed , the case may be such that he cannot pray , or not to purpose ; as in time of sicknesse , by reason of the extremity of pain : but then he can send to the congregations , & intreat them to pray for him . besides , all his former prayers and meditations , do serve to ayd him in his last straits , and meet together in the center of his extremity ; yeelding though not sensible relies , yet secret benefit to his soul . yea ( which is best of all ) he hath the benefit of christs intercession in heaven , and of the prayers of all the saints on earth . § . tenthly , the malice of satan shall make much for his good : for if satan be sent to buffe● him as he did paul , or to winnow him as he would have done peter , it is that he may not be exalted : his malice shall prove the occasion of much good to him , as it did to the incestuous corinthian : or if god lets him loose upon him as it did upon iob , it shall but advance the glory of god , manifest this beleevers patience , occasion his own shame , &c. so the devil shall be over-shot in his own bow , and wounded with his own weapon . and so it is , that to all whom god hath any interest in , this scorpion shall prove a medicine against the sting of the scorpion . for though he aym at despair and destruction , yet god ayms ▪ at humiliation and conversion , yea at consolation and salvation : and when the sinner is sufficiently humbled , satan shall be cashiered ; that horse-leach shall be taken off , when he hath sufficiently abated the vicious and superfluous bloud ; so that he shall be healed by wounding , exalted by humbling : satan shall help him to the destruction of his flesh ( his corruption , ) and the edification of his soul . § . eleventhly , death , the last and strongest enemy of all , shall do him the greatest good of all . he may be killed , but he cannot be hurt nor conquered : for even death , that fiend , is to him a friend : like the red sea to the israelites , that put them over to the land of promise , whiles it drowned their enemies . it is his bridge from woe to glory , for dying he sleeps , and sleeping he rests from all the travels of a toylsome life , to live in joy and blisse for evermore . it is to him the end of all sorrowes , and the beginning of his everlasting joyes , the cessation of all trouble , a superse●eas for all diseases , the extinction of sinne , the deliverance from enemies , a rescue from satan , the quiet rest of the body , and infranchisement of the soul . chap. xix . a description of heaven and hell , so farre as may be collected from the word , according to the best expositors . § . thus as the unbeleever and disobedient is cursed in every thing , and whereever he goes , and in whatsoever he does : cur●ed in the city , and cursed also in the field ; cursed in the fruit of his body , and in the fruit of his ground , and in the fruit of his cattell : cursed when he cometh in , and cursed also when he goeth ou● : cursed in this life , and cursed in the life to come ; as is at large exprest , deut. . so the beleever that obeyes the voice of the lord , shall be blessed in every thing he does whereever he goes , and in whatsoever befalls him : as god promiseth in the former part of the same chapter , and as i have proved in the eleven foregoing sections . yea , god will blesse all that belong unto him , for his children and posterity , yea many generations after him shall fare the better for his sake : yea the very place where he dwells , perhaps the whole kingdom he lives in . whereas many , yea multitudes , even an whole army , yea his childrens children , unto the third and fourth generation , fare the worse for a wicked man and an unbeleever . besides , his prayers shall profit many ; for he is more prevalent with god , to take away a judgement from a people or a nation , then a thousand others . and he counts it a sinne to cease praying for his greatest and most malicious enemies ; though they like fools , would ( if they durst or were permitted , ) cut him off , and all the race of gods people ; which is as if one with his hatchet should cut off the bough of a tree upon which he standeth . for they are beholding to beleevers for their very lives : yea it is for their sakes , and because the number of christs church is not yet accomplisht , that they are out of hell . but to go on , as all things ( viz. ) poverty , imprisonment , slander , persecution , sicknesse , death , temporall judgements , spirituall dissertions , yea even sinne and satan himself ) shall turn together for the best unto those that love god , as you have seen . so all things shall turn ●ogether for the worse unto them that hate god ; as all unb●leevers do , rom. . . io●. . . even the mercy of god , and the means of grace , shall prove their bane and inhance their damnation ; yea christ himself , that only summum bonum , who is a saviour to all beleevers , shall be a just revenger to all unbeleevers : and bid the one , depart ye cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the devil and his angels . which shall be an everlasting departure , not for a day , nor for years of dayes , nor for millions of years , but for eternity ; into such pains , as can neither be expressed nor conceived , iude . . rev. . . mat. . heb. . . § . wickednesse hath but a time , a short time , a moment of time : but the punishment of wickednesse is beyond all time ; there shall be no ●nd of plagues to the wicked man , prov. . . their worm shall not die , neither shall their fire be quenched , isa. . . § . neither is the extremity of pain inferior to the perpetuity of it ; it is a place full of horror and amazednesse ; where is no remission of sinne , no dismission of pain , no intermission of sense , no permission of comfort ; its torments are both intollerable and interminable : and can neither be endured nor avoided when entred into , rev. . . and . . and . . mat. . . . pet. . . heb. . . iude . § . the plagues of the first death are pleasant , compared with those of the second : for mountains of sand were lighter , and millions of ●ears shorter , then a tythe of these torments , rev. . . iude . it is a death which hath no death ; it hath a beginning , it hath no ending , mat. . . isa. . . § . the pain of the body , is but the body of pain , the anguish of the soul , is the soul of anguish : for should we first burn off one hand , then another , after that each arm , and so all the parts of the body , it would be deemed intollerable , and no man would endure it for all the profits and pleasures this world can afford ; and yet it is nothing to that burning of body and soul in hell : should we endure ten thousand years torment in hell , it were grievous ; but nothing to eternity : should we suffer one pain , it were miserable enough ; but if ever we come there , our pains shall be for number and kindes , infinitely various , as our pleasures have been here ; every sense and member , each power and faculty both of soul and body , shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse , and that without intermission , or end , or ease , or patience to endure it , luke . . & . . matth. . . & . . & . . yea the pains and sufferings of the damned , are ten thousand times more then can be imagined by any heart under heaven , and can rather ( through necessity ) be endured , then expressed . it is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pencill , nor art nor heart can comprehend it , matth. . , , . & . . luke . , . pet. . . isa. . . & . . pro. . . § . yea were all the land paper , and all the water ink , every plant a pen , and every other creature a ready writer , yet they could not set down the least piece of the g●eat pains of hell fire . § . now add eternity to extremity , and then consider hell to be hell indeed . for if the ague of a year , or the colick of a moneth , or the rack of a day , or the burning of an hour be so bitter here ; how will it break the hearts of the wicked , to feel all these beyond all measure , beyond all time ; yet is all this truth , save that it comes farre short of the truth ; this is much , it is not near all . for as one said , nothing but the eloquence of tully could sufficiently set forth tully's eloquence : so none can express these everlasting torments , but he that is from everlasting to everlasting . § . now what heart would not bleed to see men runne headlong into these tortures , that are thus intollerable ? daunce hood-winked into this perdition ? o that it were but allowed to the desperate ruffians of our daies , that swear and curse , drink and drab , rob , shed blood , &c. ( as if heaven were blind and deaf to what they do ) to have but a sight of this hell ! how would it charm their mouthes , apale their spirits , strike fear and astonishment into their hearts ? yea the church and they would be better acquainted , which are now perpetual strangers . for i cannot think they would do thus , if they did but either see or foresee , what they shall one day ( without serious and unfeigned repentance ) feel ; o that men would believe and consider this truth ! and do accordingly . chap. xx . § . thus , i say , shall they be bid depart ye cursed into everlasting fire , &c. while on the contrary the same christ shall say unto the other , c●me ye blessed of my father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world , matth. . . which kingdom is a place where are such joys , as eye hath not seen , nor ●ar heard , neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive ▪ cor. . . § . a place where shall be no evil present , nor good absent , heb. . . matth. . . in comparison whereof all the thrones and kingdoms upon earth , are lesse then the drop of a bucket , deut. . . cor. . , . mat. . . isa. . . yea , how little , how nothing are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this life , to those we shall enjoy in the next , cor. . . § . dost thou desire beauty , riches , honour , pleasure , long-life , or what ever else can be named ? no place so glorious by creation , so beautifull with delectation , so rich in possession , so comfortable for habitation , nor so durable for lasting , heb. . . ●ct . . . cor. . . rom. . . & . . there are no estates but inheritances , no inheritances but kingdoms , no houses but palaces , no meals but s●a●ts , no noise but musick , no rods but scepters , no garments but robes , no seats but thrones , no coverings for the head but crowns , rom. . . titus . . heb . . matth. . , . tim. . . gal. . . pet. . , . mark . , , . rev. . , , . our condition there will be so joyfull , that look we outwardly , there is joy in the societ● , heb. . . if inwardly , there is joy in our own felicity , cor. . look we forward , there is joy in the eternity , pet. . . mark . . so that on every side we shall be even swallowed up of joy , isa. . . & . ● . matth. . . & . . heb. . . . psal. . § . as o the multitude and fulnesse of these joys ! so many , that only god can number them ; so great , that he only can estimate them ; of such rarity and perfection , that this world hath nothing comparable to them , cor. ● . , . there is no death nor dearth , no pining nor repining , no fraud , sorrow nor sadness , neither tears , nor fears , defect nor loathing , rev. . , . & . . heb . . § . there shall be no sorrow , nor pain , nor complaint ; there is no malice to rise up against us , no misery to afflict us ; no hunger , thirst , wearisomnesse , temptation , to disquiet us , matth. . , . heb. . . there , o there ! one day is better then a thousand ; there is rest from our labours , peace from our enemies , freedom from our sins , &c. job . . heb. . , , , . rev. . . heb. . , . § . . the eye sees much , the ear hears more , the heart conceives most : yet all short of apprehension , much more of comprehension ; of those pleasures : therefore it is said , enter thou into thy masters joy ; for it is too great to enter into thee , matth. . . as o the transcendency of that paradice of pleasure ! where is joy without heavinesse , or interruption ; peace without perturbation ; blessednesse without misery : light without darknesse ; health without sicknesse ; beauty without blemish ; abundance without want ; ease without labour ▪ satiety without loathing ; liberty without restraint ; security without fear ; glory without ignominy ; knowledge without ignorance ; eyes without teares ; hearts without sorrow ; souls without sin : where shall be no evil heard of to affright us , nor good wanting to chear us : for we shall have what we can desire ▪ and we shall desire nothing but what is good , deut. . . esay . . kings . . mark . . luke . . pet. . . ioh. . . & : . matth. . . § . . in fine , ( that i may darkly shadow it ou● , sith the lively representation thereof is merely impossible ) this life eve●lasting is the perfection of all good things : for fulnesse is the perfection of measure ; and everlastingnesse the perfection of time , and infinitenesse the perfection of number : and immutability the perfection of state ; and immensity the perfection of place ; and immortality the perfection of life ; and god the perfection of all : who shall be all in all to us ; meat to our taste , beau●y to our eyes , perfumes to our smell , musick to our eares : and what shall i say more ? but as the psalmist saith , glorious things are spoken of thee , thou city of god , psal. . . see revel. . , . & . . to the end . § . . but alas such is mans parvity , that he is as far from comprehending it , as his armes are from compassing it , cor. . . heaven shall receive us , we cannot conceive heaven : do you ask me what heaven is saith one ? when i meet you there , i will tell you : for could this ear hear it , or this tongue utter it , or this heart conceive it ; it must needs follow , that they were translated already thither , cor. . , . yea , a man may as well with a coal , paint out the sun in all his splendor : as with his pen , or tongue expresse , or with his heart ( were it as deep as the sea ) conceive the fulnesse of those joyes , and sweetnesse of those pleasures which the saints shall enjoy at gods right hand for evermore , psal. . . in thy presence , is the fulnesse of ioy ; and at thy right hand , are pleasures for evermore : for quality they are pleasures ; for quantity , fulnesse ; for dignity , at gods right hand ; for eternity , for evermore . and millions of years , multiplyed by millions , make not up one minute to this eternity , cor. . . joh. . . chap. xxi . § . . but for the better confirming of this so important a truth ; in these atheistical times : see some reasons to confirm it : as first , if the sun which is but a creature , be so bright and glorious ; that no mortal eye can look upon the brightnesse of it ! how glorious then is the creator himself ? or that light from whence it receives its light , if the frame of the heavens , and globe of the earth be so glorious ; which is but the lower house , or rather the footstool of the almighty , as the holy ghost phraseth it , isa. . . matth. . . act. . . how glorious and wonderful , is the maker thereof , and the city where he keeps his court ? or if sinners , even the worst of wicked men , and gods enemies ; have here in this earthly pilgrimage , such variety of injoyments to please their very senses ; as who can expresse the pleasurable variety of objects for the sight , of meats , and drinks to satisfie and delight the taste ; of voyces , and melodious sounds to recreate the hearing ; of sents , and perfumes provided to accommodate our very smelling ; of recreations and sports to bewitch the whole man : and the like of honour , and profit , which are idols , that carnal men do mightily dote upon , and take pleasure in : ( though these earthly , and bodily joyes are but the body , or rather the dregs of true joy , ) what think we must be the soul thereof ? viz. those delights and pleasures , that are reserved for the glorified saints , and gods dea●est darlings in heaven , again § . . secondly , if natural men find such pleasure and sweetnesse ; in secular wisdom , lip-learning , and brain knowledge ; for even mundane knowledge hath such a shew of excellency in it ; that it is highly affected both by the good and bad ; as o the pleasure ! that rational men take therein ; it being so fair a virgin , that every clear eye is in love with her , so rich a pearl that none but swine do despise it ; yea among all the trees in the garden , none so takes with rational men as the tree of knowledge : ( as satan well knew , when he set upon our first parents ) insomuch that plato thinks , in case wisdom could but represent it self unto the eyes ; it would set the heart on fire with the love of it : and others affi●m , that there is no lesse difference between the learned , and the ignorant ; then there is between the living and the dead ; or between men and beasts : and yet the pleasure which natural , and moral men take in secular , and mundane knowledge and learning ; is nothing comparable , to the pleasure that an experimental christian finds in the divine , and supernaturall knowledge of gods word : which makes david and solomon prefer it before the honey , and the honey comb for sweetnesse ; and to value it above thousands of gold and silver ; yea before pearles and all precious stones for worth : how sweet then s●all our knowledge in heaven be ? for here we see but darkly , and as it were in a glasse , or by moon light ; but there we shall know , even as we are known , and see god , and christ in the face , cor. . ● , § . . thirdly , if mere naturian● have been so taken with the love of vertue ; that they thought if a vertuous soul , could but be seen with corporal eyes ; it would ravish all men with love , and admiration thereof , yea if the very worst of men , drunkards , blasphemers and the like ; though they most spitefully scoffe at , and backbite the people of god ; yet when they know a man sincere , upright , and honest ; cannot choose but love , commend and honour him in their hearts ; as it fared with herod touching iohn , and king agrippa touching paul . § . . or rather if gods own people , are so ravished with the graces , and priviledges which they in joy upon earth ▪ as the assurance of the pardon of sin ; the peace of a good conscience , and joy of the holy ghost ; which is but glorification begun : what will they be , when they shall injoy the perfection of glory in heaven ? as see but some instances , of their present enjoyments here below : first , if we were never to receive any reward , for those small labours of love , and duties we do to the glory of god , and profit of others ; we might think our selves sufficiently recompensed in this life ; with the calm , and quietnesse of a good conscience ; the honesty of a vertuous and holy life : that we can do and suffer something for the love of christ , who hath done and suffered so much to save us : that by our w●rks the majesty of god is magnified ; to whom all homage is due , and all service too little : for godlinesse in every sicknesse is a physitian , in every contention an advocate● in every doubt a school man , in all heavinesse a preacher , and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes ; making the whole life as it were a perpetual halelujah . yea god so sheds his love abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost , that we are in heaven , before we come thither . insomuch , that as the fire flyeth to his sphear , the stone hastens to the center , the river to the sea , as to their end and rest ; and are violently detained in all other places : so are the hearts of gods people , without their maker and redeemer , their last end and eternal rest and quietnesse , never at rest : like the needle touched with the loadstone , which ever stands quivering and trembling , untill it enjoyes the full and direct aspect of the northern pole . but more particularly , § . . how does the assurance of the pardon of sinne alone , clear and calm all storms of the mind ? making any condition comfortable , and the worst and greatest misery to be no misery . to be delivered of a child , is no small joy to the mother : but to be delivered from sin , is a far greater joy to the soul . but to this we may adde the joy of the holy ghost , and the peace of conscience ; otherwise called the peace of god which passeth all understanding . these are priviledges , that make paul happier in his chain of iron , then agrippa in his chain of gold : and peter more merry under stripes , then caiapha● upon the iudgement seat . and stephen the like under that shower of stones . pleasures are ours , if we be christs : whence those expression● of the holy ghost , the lord hath done great things for us , whe●●of we rejoyce . be glad in the lord , and rejoyce ye righteous , and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart . let all that put their trust in thee rejoyce , let them even shout for joy . rejoyce evermore , and again i say rejoyce rejoyce , with joy unspeakable , and full of glory . our rejoycing is this , the testimony of our conscience . your hearts shall rejoyce , and your ioy shall no man take from you &c. so that it is a shame for the faithfull , not to be joyful : and they sin , if they rejoyce not , whatever their condition be . the eunuch no sooner felt the pardon of sin , upon his being baptized into the faith of christ , but he went on his way rejoycing ▪ act. . . he then found more sollid joy , then ever he had done in his riches , honours , and great places under candises queen of the ethiopians . at the same time when the disciples were persecuted , they are said to be filled with joy , and with the holy ghost , act. . . and as their afflictions do abound , so their consolation abounds also , cor. . . for the●e are comforts , that will support and refresh a child of god in the ve●y midst of the flames ; as the martyrs found : for mauger all their persecutors could do , their peace and joy did exceed their pain : as many of them manifested , to all that saw them suffer . § . . now as the priests of mercury , when they eat their figgs and honey ; cryed out , o how sweet is truth ! so if the worst of a believers life in this world be so sweet ; how sweet shall his life be in that heavenly ierusalem ? and holy city ? where god himself dwelleth . and where we shall reign with christ our bridegroom , and be the lambs wife ? which city is of pure gold like unto clear glasse , the walls of iasper , having twelve foundations garnished with all manner of pretious stones ; the first foundation being iasper , the second saphir ; the third a calsedony , the fourth an emerald , the fifth a sardonix , the sixth a sardius , the seventh a chrisolite , the eight a beril , the ninth a topas , the tenth a chrisophrasus , the eleventh a iacinth , the twel●th an amathist ; having twelve gates of twelve pearls ; the street thereof of pure gold as it were transparant glasse : in the midst of which city , is a pure river of the water of life clear as christal ; and of either side the tree of life ; which bears twelve manner of fruits , yeelding her fruit every moneth ; the leaves whereof serve to heal the nations ; where is the throne of god , and of the lambe ; whom we his servants shall for ever serve , and see his face , and have his name written in our foreheads . and there shall be no night , neither is there need of the sun , neither of the noon to shine in it : for the glory of god doth lighten it , and the lamb is the light thereof . into which nothing that defileth shall enter ; but they alone which are written in the lambes book of life . as is exprest , revel. . & . chapters . the holy ghost speaking after the manner of men , and according to our slender capacity : for otherwise no words can in any measure expresse the transcendency of that place of pleasure . only here we have a taste , or earnest penny , one drop of those divine dainties , of those spiritual , supernatural , and divine pleasures ▪ reserved for the citizens of that heavenly ierusalem ; some small smack whereof we have even in the barren desert , of this perilous peregrination : god letting out as it were , a certain kind of manna , which in some sort refresheth his thirsty people , in this wildernesse ; as with most sweet honey , or water distilled from out the rock . as what else are those jubilees of the heart , those secret , and inward joyes which proceed from a good conscience , grounded upon a confident hope of future salvation ? as what else do these great clusters of grapes signifie ? but the fertility of the future land of promise . § . . true it is , none can know the spiritual joy , and comfort of a christian , but he that lives the life of a christian , joh. . . as none could learn the virgins song , but they that sang it , rev. . . no man can know the peace of a good conscience , but he that keeps a good conscience : no man knowes the hid manna , and white stone , with a new name written in it ; but they that receive the same , rev. . . the world can see a christians outside ; but the raptures of his soul , the ravishing delights of the inward man , and joy of his spirit for the remission of his sins , and the infusion of grace , with such like spiritual priviledges ; more glorious then the states of kingdomes ; are as a covered messe to men of the world . but i may appeal to any mans conscience , that hath been softned with the unction of grace , and truly tasted the powers of the world to come : to him that hath the love of god shed abroad in his heart by the holy ghost ; in whose soul the light of grace shines : whether his whole life be not a perpetual halelujah ; in comparison of his natural condition . whether he finds not his joy to be like the joy of harvest ? or as men rejoyee when they divide a spoyl , isa. . . whether he finds not more joy in goodnesse , then worldlings can do , when their wheat , wine , and oyl aboundeth , psal. . . & . . yea he can speak it out of experience , that as in prophane joy , even in laughter the heart is sorrowful : so in godly sorrow , even in weeping the heart is light and cheerful . the face may be pale , yet the heart may be calm and quiet . so s. paul , as sorrowing , and yet alwaies rejoycing , cor. . . our cheeks may run down with tea●es , and yet our mouthes sing forth praises . and so on the contrary , where o god there wants thy grace ; mirth is onely in the face . cor. . . well may a carelesse worlding laugh more ; as what will sooner make a man laugh , then a witty jest : but to hear of an inheritance of an hundred pounds a year , that is fallen to a man ; will make him more solli●ly merry within . light is sown to the righteous , and joy for the upright , psal. . . my servants saith god shall sing , and rejoyce : but they shall weep , &c. isa. . . § . . indeed we are not merry enough , because we are not christians enough : because sin is a cooler of our joy , as water is of fire . and like the worm of ionah his gourd ; bites the very root of our joy ; and makes it wither . yea sin like a damp , puts out all the lights of our pleasure ▪ and deprives us of the light of gods countenance , as it did david , psal. . . & . . so that the fault is either , first , in the too much sensuality of a christian ; that will not forge● the pleasures of sin , or the more muddy joyes and pleasures of this world ; which are poysons to the soul , and drown our joyes : as bees are drowned in hon●y , but live in vineger . men would have spiritual joy , but withal they would not part with their carnal joy : yet this is an infallible conclusion , there is no enjoying a wordly paradise here , and another hereafter . § . . or secondly , the fault is in the ta●te , not in the meat ; in the folly of the judgment , not in the pearl : when a grain of corn is preferred before it . to taste spiritual joyes , a man must be spiritual : for the spirit relisheth onely the things of the spirit ; and like loveth his like . between a spiritual man , and spiritual joyes ; there is as mighty an appetite and enjoying ; as between fleshly meat , and a carnal stomack . therefore the want of this taste and apprehension , condemneth the world to be carnal ; but magnifies the joyes spiritual , as being above her carnal apprehension . or § . . thirdly , herein lyes the fault ; few feel these joyes in this life ; because they will not crack the shell , to get the kernel : th●y will not pare the fruit , to eat the pulpe ; not till the ground , to reap the harvest . they flye the wars , and thereby lose the glory of the victory . they will not dig the craggy mountain , to find the mine of gold . not prune the vine , therefore enjoy not the fruit . they flye moritification , and therefore attain not the sweet spiritual consolation ; which ever attends the same . and so much for the reasons , the use may be four fold . § . . first , are the joyes of heaven so unspeakable and glorious ? how then should we admire the love , and bounty of god ; and blesse his name , who for the performance of so small a work ; hath proposed so great a reward ? and for the obtaining of such an happy state , hath imposed such an easie task . § . . secondly , who would not serve a short apprentiship , in gods service here ? to be made for ever free in glory . yea , who would not be a philpot for a moneth , or a lazarus for a day , or a stephen for an hour ; that he might be in abrahams bosome for ever ? yea what pain can we think too much to suffer ? what little enough to do ? to obtain eternity for this incorruptible crown of glory in heaven , pet. . . where we shall have all teares wiped from our eyes . where we shall cease to sorrow , cease to suffer , cease to sin . where god shall turn all the water of our afflictions ; into the pure wine of endlesse , and unexpressible comfort . yea had queen eliz●●eth but foreknown , whiles she was in prison , what a glorious reign she should have had for fourty and four years aft●r it : she would never have wisht her self a milk-maid , as she was often heard to do . but certainly nothing ●an be too much to endure , for those pleasures which shall endure for ever . § . . you shall sometimes see an hired servant , venture his life for his new master ; that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end : and can we suffer too much for our lord and master ; who gives every one that serveth him not fields , and vineyards , as saul pretended , sam. . , &c. nor towns and cities , as cicero is pleased to boast of caesar ; but even an hundred fold more then we part withall here in this life ; and eternal mansions in heaven hereafter , joh. . . s. paul saith , our light affliction which is but for a moment ; causeth us a far most excellent , and eternal weight of glory , cor. . , . where note the incomparable , and infinite difference between the work , and the wages : light affliction , receiving a weight of glory ; and momentary affliction , eternal glory . suitable to the reward of the wicked , whose empty delights , live and dye in a moment ; but their unsufferable punishment , is interminable and endlesse . their pleasure is short , their pain everlasting ; our pain is short , our joy eternal . blessed is the man that endureth temptation : for when he is tryed , he shall receive the crown of life , james . . a crown without cares , without rivals , without envy , without end . and nothing we suffer here , can be compared ; either to those woes we have deserved in hell ; or those joyes we are reserved to in heaven . think we then but upon those two places ; and the remembrance there of is enough , to raise up our soules from our selves ; and make us even contemn , and slight what ever our enemies are able to do : as our forefathers did the flames . and what though thy sufferings be never so sad ? the gain with hardnesse , makes it far lesse hard . the danger is great , but so is the reward . the sight of glory future , mitigates the sense of misery present . as iacobs service seemed the lighter , by having his beloved rachel alwayes in his eye . the poor traveller thinking on his inne , goes on more cheerfully . and the bondman , by calling to mind his year of iubilee . so that if we droop at present , it is for want of considering the future . wherefore eye not the stream thou wadest through : but the firm land thou tendest too . compare the seed time with the harvest : look up from the root to the fruit . lazarus was for a time extream miserable ; what then ? his sores and sorrowes soon ceased , but his joyes shall never cease : his pain did soon passe , his joy shall never passe away . again § . . thirdly , how is it possible ? he should dote upon these transitory things below ; that but seriously thinks upon what is reserved for us in heaven ? as o the folly and madnesse of those ; that prefer earth , yea hell to heaven , time to eternity , the body before the soul ; yea the outward estate before either soul or body . these are the worlds fooles ; who care not what their end is ; so their way may be pleasant . mere children , that prefer an apple before their inheritance ! besotted sensualists ; that see not how their present pleasures soon vanish like smoke . that consider not how this life of ours ; if it were not short , yet it is miserable ; and if it were not miserable , yet it is short . that suffer themselves to be so bewitcht , with the love of money ; and their hearts to be riveted to the earth ; to be so inslaved to their lust , to make gold their god , and commodity the stern of their consciences . for else the one would fly from present sinful pleasures , with as great zeal ; as now they seek after them . neither would the other like iudas sell christ for thirty pence ; who is not to be valued with many millions of worlds : did they but seriously think of those treasures of wisdom and riches , col. . . that will never fade , those comforts that are everlasting . they would not be such fooles , as to better their estates , by making themselves worse : nor impoverish their soules , to inrich their bodies . much lesse would they sell both soul and body , to purchase a great estate : which when gotten , they have not power to partake of . for such is their sottishnesse , they never think that dear , which stands them in no lesse price then their own soules . for in them is that fulfilled ; nihil cuique se vilius : the vilest , basest , and cheapest thing we have , we hold our selves . § . . yet no wonder ; for this is the misery , that notwithstanding god hath set life and death , heaven and hell before us ; and given us our choyce : offering heaven to all that will confide in , serve and obey him : threatned hell , in case we forsake him ; to serve sin and satan : few men have faith to believe either . yea being fleshly , not having the spirit : they can believe nothing , but that they are led to by sense . otherwise , did men but really believe either of these : they would not instead of obeying christs gospel , make the world only their god , and pleasure or profit alone their religion . men fear a iayl , more then they fear hell : and stand more upon their silver , or sides smarting ; then upon their soules : and regard more the blasts of mens breath ; then the fire of gods wrath : and tremble more at the thought of a sergeant , or baily ; then of satan , and everlasting perdition . else they would not be hired , with all the worlds wealth , multiplyed as many times as there be sands on the sea shore ; to hazard in the least , the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of . or to purchase , and plunge themselves into those caselesse , and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell : there to try body and soul , where shall be an inumerable company of devils , and damned spirits to affright and torment them ; but not one to comfort , or pity them . § . . but o the madnesse of these men ! that cannot be hired to hold their finger for one minute , in the weak flame of a farthing candle ; and yet for trifles , will plunge themselves body and soul , into those endlesse , and infinitely scorching flames of hell fire . if a king but threatens a malefactour to the dungeon , to the rack , to the wheel ; his bones tremble , a terrible palsie runs through all his joynts : but let god threaten the unsufferable tortures of burning topheth ; we stand unmoved , undaunted . and what makes the difference ? the one we believe as present , the other is as they think uncertain , and long before it comes , if ever it do come . otherwise it could not be ; since the soul of all sufferings , are the sufferings of the soul : since as painted fire , is to material ; such is material , to hell fire . and yet if fire be but cryed in the streets : we run and bestir our selves , how to quench it ; or at least how to avoid it . o that men would believe the god of truth ! ( that cannot lye ) touching spiritual , and eternal things , but as they do these temporary , and transitory . o that thou ! who art the sacred monarch of this mighty frame ! wouldest give them hearts to believe at least thus much ; that things themselves are in the invisible world , in the world visible but their shadowes onely . and that whatsoever wicked men injoy here ; it is but as in a dream ; their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure , before a river of sorrow and displeasure : and whatsoever the godly feel , but as a drop of misery , before a river of mercy and glory . that though thou the great , and just iudge of all the world ; comest slowly to judgment : yet thou wilt come surely . as the clock comes slowly , and by minutes to the s●r●ak : yet it strikes at last : that those are onely true riches , which being once had , can never be lost . that heaven is a treasure worthy our hearts , a purchase worth our lives : that when all is done , how to be saved , is the best plot . that there is not mention of one , in the whole bible ; that ever sinned without repentance ; but he was punished without mercy . for then there would not be a fornicator , or prophane person as esau ; who for a portion of meat , sold his inheritance , heb. . . then they would not be of the number of those ; that so doted upon purchases , and farmes , and oxen ; that they made light of going to the lords supper , luke . , , . nor of the gadarens mind ; who preferred their hogs before christ . then would they know it better to want all things ; then that one needful thing : whereas now they desire all other things , and neglect that one thing which is so needful . they would hold it far better and in good sadnesse , to be saved with a few , as noah war in the ark : then in good fellowship with the multitude , to be drowned in sin , and damned for company . nor would they think it any disparagement to their wisdomes ; to change their minds , and be of another judgment to what they are . § . . wherefore my brethren ; let me beseech you , not to be such atheists , and fooles , as to fall into hell before you will fear it : when by fearing it , you may avoid it ; and by neglecting it , you cannot but fall into it . what though it be usual with men , to have no sense of their souls ; till they must leave their bodies : yet do not you therefore leap into hell , to keep them company . but be perswaded to bethink your selves now : rather then when it will be too late , when the draw-bridge will be taken up ; and when it will vex every vein of your hearts , that you had no more care of your soules . chap. xxii . § . . fourthly and lastly , these things being so ; how doth it concern all , to see that they are believers ? wouldest thou then have it fare so with thee ? wouldest thou have thy very poysons turned into cordials ? thy terrours , changed into pleasures ? and thy greatest evils made beneficial unto thee ? wouldest thou be loosed from the chains of thy sins , and delivered from the chains of plagues ? wouldest thou have the same christ , with his precious blood to free thee , that shall with his word sentence others ? as who would not , except satan hath strangely bewitcht him ? if thou wouldest , i say , then learn of this believer , imitate him in what hath been declared , and what i shall further rehearse touching his knowledge , belief , and life ; for i have onely brake the thred of my discourse , to let in this use in way of a parenthesis ; and now i return to finish or compleat the foregoing character , for thereunto may be added as followeth . § . . he cannot hear god blasphemed or dishonoured without being moved thereat , yea , he is as heartily vexed for any dishonour done to him , as for any disgrace offered to himself . he hath an holy care and endeavour in all places and companies , to walk so as he may win glory to god , honour his profession , and give no offence or occasion to the enemies of god to speak evil of him ; he acknowledgeth all good to come from god , and that all glory is to be given to him ; and accordingly endeavours to honour and serve him with his riches , wisdom , and what other gifts or abilities he hath ; neither is he dumb in publishing his praise , nor backward to justifie him in his judgments . he will not worship an image , or god in the image ; he seldom sells things tending to idolatry , or any other sin , or uses lots in sporting . he fears god , and fears sin , and this dispelle●● in him all other false , fond , and foolish fears , which others that are void of the fear of god , are grievously and perpetually perplexed withal ; as namely , he fears not that his serving of god will prove his undoing , he neither fears nor observes the flying of fowles , the signs of heaven , the sight of a live snake , the crossing of an hare , the croaking of a raven , the screeching of an owl , the howling of a dog , the dreaming of gardens , green rushes , or dead friends ; to eat an egg in lent , or flesh on a friday never racks his conscience ; whether the crow cryes even or odd in a morning , or whether he leaves the crosse on his right or left hand as he goes ; whether it be childermas day or not , when he takes a journey , or undertakes any businesse , or whether the salt-seller falls from or towards him , it is all one to him ; nor does stumbling at a threshold presage any evil to him at all ; he never crosses his breast , nor sprinckles his face when he is to go abroad , nor nailes horse-shooes at his door , and yet speeds never the worse ; neither old wives , nor stars are his counsellors ; a night-spel is none of his guide , nor charms his physitian ; erra pater is no part of his creed ; neither weares the ammulets , or paracelsian characters about his neck , you shall never hear him talk of luckey handsel , and fortune to him is an asse ; buggs never fright him , nor fai●ies pinch him , neither will he put confidence in any such superstitious and devillish ●opperies , as the ignorant and superstitious do ; no , he will not be beholding to the king of hell for a shooe●ye . § . . he seeks the good , and to preserve the peace of the place he lives in , and can comfort himself with this ▪ that in his very calling and publick imployments , his aym and indeavour is not more at profit or credit then at the glory of god , and good of others ; he hath an humble and publick spirit ; delights in doing good offices , and is active to pleasure others , and can make him self a servant to all that stand in need of him . chap. xxiii . § . . nor is he partial in his obedience , but universal , making conscience of every duty , and all that god commands ; the first table as well as the second , and the second as well as the first ; framing his will to gods will in every thing , even labouring to be perfect , and holy , as his father in heaven is ; and to imitate christ , be conformed to his likenesse , and to be holy as he was in all parts of his conversation ; and that at all times and in all companies ; as conscientious alone and in private , where god only sees him , as if his greatest enemy , or all the world did behold him ; he hath a spirit without guile , and is more desirous to be good then so accounted , and more seeks the power of godlinesse then the shew of it ; and therefore keeps a narrower watch over his very thoughts then any other can do over his actions , and is accordingly grieved for them . he makes conscience of the smallest things required or forbidden in the word ; and is as careful to shun the very occasions of sin , or least appearances , or first mo●ions of sin as actual sin it self ; not daring to gratifie satan in committing the least sin , or neglect god in omitting the smallest precept . § . . he does not serve god by the precepts of men , not fear his displeasure for breaking their traditions ; neither does he think himself sanctified by outward performances , as do our formalists and protestants at large , who stand more upon circumstance then substance , and upon outward priviledges then inward graces , but he serves god in spirit , according to christs gospel , for he lives and believes , and hears , and invocates , and hopes , and fears , and loves , and worships god in such manner as his word prescribes , without addition or deminution ; neither doth he follow the examples of the greatest number , or the greatest men , or the greatest schollers , because christ hath plainly told him , that few of either sort ( compared with the multitude ) shall be saved ; of which small number he strives to be . § . . all which he performs with chearfulnesse , being ever willing and ready to do good ; and in ●incerity and simplicity , with a single heart , without by-ends , as loving righteousnesse and mercy , and doing good duties merely out of love to god and goodnesse , and because god commands them that he may be glorified , and others edified thereby ; yea he would do what he is able out of love to christ , though himself should never have credit nor benefit by it here , nor hereafter ; earnestly desiring grace that he might more honour him , and grieving that he can perform no be●ter service to so good a master . he will not ( as too many most sordidly do ) take liberty to sin , because god is merciful , and forbeares to execute judgment speedily ; or defer his repentance , because the theef upon the crosse was heard at the last hour : but he will even therefore the more fear him because he is merciful ; and therefore be holy , because he is not under the law , but under grace . § . . and lastly , having thus done , and performed his utmost , not to merit by it , but to expresse his thankfulnesse to him that hath done , performed , and suffered so much for him ; he confesseth himsel● an unprofitable servant , and that in all he comes far short of performing his duty ; yea , he acknowledgeth , that it were just for god eternally to condemn him . well may he be comforted by the graces which god hath given him , as an earnest penny of those eternal mansions in heaven ; but he will not be exalted by them because they are not his graces , but the graces of god in him , and wrought by his spirit : yea , he so abhors to attribute or ascribe ought to doing , that he counts his very righteousnesse no better then filthy rags , ascribing every good thought , word , and action which proceeds from him to free grace , for he looks back to the rock out of which he was hewen , and is not onely humbled thereby , but forced with an holy admiration to wonder at the marvellous and extraordinary change which god hath wrought in him , and also instructed to trust onely to christs obedience , in whom onely our good works are accepted , and for whom alone they are rewarded . to shut up all , he endeavours so to live as if there were no gospel , and so to dye as if there were no law . chap. xxiv . § . . onely it remains that you look your selves in this glasse , and ●ry your selves by this touchstone , for though others may give a shrewd ghesse , yet the mother knowes best whether the child be like the father or no ; and the signs of salvation are to be sought in our selves , as the cause in iesus christ ; our justification is to be proved by the fruits of our sanctification , and though faith alone justifieth , yet justifying faith is never alone , but ever accompanied with spiritual graces , the beauties of the soul , and good works the beauty of graces ; yea , they are as inseparable as the root and the sap , the sun and its light ; and as fire may be discerned by heat , and life by motion , so a mans faith may be discerned by the fruits of it . nor can any one be deceived except he desires to deceive himself , for every particular man is either the child of god , or the child of the devil , as chrysostome hath it , for there is not a mean betwixt them ; and there be more differences between the children of god , and the children of the devil , then there are between men and beasts , whereof i have named not a few ; for whatsoever you may find the one ( herein set forth ) to speak , think , or do , the other does the contrary ; and to have the true character of an unbeliever you need but read this chracter of a true believer backward , understand all by the rule of contraries and be satisfied ; i speak this to naturians onely , for the regenerate man knowes the one to be so by what he is , and the other by what he hath been ; neither is there one of all these signes or characters but each experienced christian finds it in some degree written in his heart , as his conscience can bear me witnesse . and would you know whether you belong to christ ? this will inform you , you will ( by help from above ) endeavour to bring into captivity every thought and thing to the obedience of christ , cor. . . joh. . ▪ but so have not you in the least so long as you love not , or any way oppose the people of god ; for the very first part of conversion is , to love them that love god , ioh. . . yea in reason , if the image of god by faith were repaired in thee , thou couldest not but be delighted with those that are like thy self . and what saith s. iohn , he that pretends interest in god , or christ , and keepeth not his commandements , is a lyar , and the truth is not in him , ioh. . . and in the third chapter and eighth verse he affirms plainly , that all wilful sinners are the devils servants . and indeed , let men flatter themselves , or pretend what they will , it cannot be denyed but the fruit tells best the name of the tree ; the conversation above all shewes who carries the bridle of the will , whether god or satan : and did not men purposely shut their eyes , and stop their ears , and harden their own hearts , least they should see , and hear , and so be converted , as our saviour himself speaks , metth. . . they could not but know that the whole bible beats upon this : it is saint pauls everlasting rule , rom. . . ye are his servants to whom ye obey . and saint peters infallible doctrine , pet. . . of whom a man is overcome , unto him he is in bondage . and saint iohns , in this are the children of god known , and the children of the devil ; whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of god , but of the devil , ioh. . , . and after this manner does our saviour reason with the iewes , ioh. . , to . see then whose commands ye do , gods , or satans ; if satans , then saith saint iohn , let no man deceive you through vain words , for he onely that doth righteousnesse is righteous , and he that doth unrighteousnesse is of the devil , ioh. . , . wherefore if thou art a common drunkard , or a continual swearer , or an usual companion of harlots , or an accustomary deceiver , or a frequent ●landerer of thy neighbour , or an open and common sabbath-breaker , or canst thou boast of thy sin and mischief , or defend it ? if thou makest no conscience of praying in thy family ; if thou callest evil good , and good evil ; if thou hatest thy brother for doing that which is good , as cain did abel ; if ismael-like thou mockest , or cham-like thou scoffest at the religious , or usest bitter jests against them , though it be under the notion of round-heads , puritanes , sectaries , black-coats , or the like ; if thou raisest slanders of them , or furtherest them being raised ; if thou dost rejoyce at the secret infirmities of the godly , or open scandals of hypocrites ; if thou dost carp and fret against the word , refusing to heart it , or withstandest the preaching of it ; if being a minister thou disgracest or r●vilest the godly in thy preaching , so making sad the hearts of the righteous , or justifi●st the wicked , so strengthening them in their evil courses by preaching unto them peace : if thou hast a base esteem of gods people and their wayes , and thinkest the worse of a man for scrupling small matters ; if thou makest religion a cloak for villany , if thou dost borrow , or run in debt without care to pay again ; if thou delightest in cruelty , if thou takest no care to provide for thine own family ; if thou hadst rather the wicked should bear rule then the godly : if thou art an enemy to reformation , if thou hadst rather disobey god then displease great ones : if thou desirest peace without any respect to truth ; if thou dost allow thy self in the practice of any known grosse sin , if thou takest liberty to sin because god is merciful , and forbears to execute judgment speedily ; if thou dost not believe all things to be ordered by gods providence , and in particular acknowledge him in all thou either receivest or sufferest ; if thou murmurest when thou wantest any thing , without ever thinking of the many things thou hast beyond thy desert ; if thou canst hear god blasphemed and dishonoured , without being moved thereat ; if the scandalous lives of professors , or the multitude of heresies that are daily broached make thee think , and speak evil of the way of truth ; if thou didst never see thy self out of measure sinful , as being many wayes guilty of the breach of every of the commandements in particular , and so in a lost condition , utterly despairing of all help in thy self , acknowledging that thou hast deserved all the plagues of this life , and of that which is to come ; if thou art not as well troubled for original guilt , for sins of omission , for the evil which cleaves to thy best works , and for thy very thoughts , as for thy actual and manifest evil deeds ; if thou hast made vowes , and promised amendment when the rod was on thy bac● , but never cared to perform the same when thou wert released ; if thou art not industrious after the means of grace ; if thou lovest not to hear christ , voyce ; if thou findest not the word more quick , and powerfull , and sweet , and efficacious then any other writings ; if it ; and the spirit going along with it hath not brought thee out of darknesse into marvellous light , in comparison of thy former darknesse ; if thou art ignorant of the principles of religion in the midst of so much light and means , and canst not yeeld a reason of the hope that is in thee ; if thou dost not find a manifest change in thy judgment , affections , and actions from what they were by nature ; if the old man hath not changed with the new man ; worldly wisdome with heavenly wisdom , carnal love for spiritual love , servile fear for christian and filial fear , idle thoughts for holy thoughts , vain words for holy and wholsome words , fleshly works for works of righteousnesse , &c. as if thou wert cast into a new mould , even hating what thou formerly lovedst , and loving what thou formerly hatedst ; if thou art not ashamed of thy former conversation ; if thou hast not been often and grievously assaulted with fears and doubtings , and often in combate between the flesh and the spirit , the spirit getting the better ; if thou dost not more fear the want of grace then confide in what thou hast ; if thou are not jealous lest thy heart should deceive thee ; yea , if thou art not hated of the world , and evil spoken of for well doing , thou art the devils servant , and not as yet one of that small number whom christ hath chosen out of the world to believe in his name ; for these , or any one of these signs sufficiently brand thee for a wicked man . chap. xxv . § . . but least any weak christian should think himself unsound , and so none of christs , because he falls short of this description of a true believer , and finds wanting in himself , perhaps many of the former signs or evidences herein set forth ; or should be discouraged by reason of his many and great failings , together with the weaknesse of his faith and love , as for the most part the true christian is as ●earful to entertain a good opinion of himself , as the false is unwilling to be driven from it ; let such an one take special notice in the first place , that there are three sorts of true and sound christians , as the apostle saint iohn makes the distinction , ioh. . , . the first sort are babes in christ , viz. such as are new born , or but weakly qualified with the graces of gods spirit . a second are strong men , as having the gifts of the spirit lively , and in power : the third are fathers , such as have had long experience in the powerful practice of christianity , and been long exercised in all kinds of well doing . this done : § . . secondly , let him know , that as god requires no other obedience in the best then evangelical , so he looks not for the same measure and degree of grace from bubes , and strong men , or from strong men and fathers , for god accepteth of every man according to the grace he hath received , be it more or lesse , cor. . . as is manifest by that parable of the talents , matth. . . ●o . yea , what father or master will not from his young and newly weaned child , or sick and weak servant , accept of the will for the deed ? and shall not god much mor● , who is both the father of mercies , and the authour of mercy and compassion in others ? yes undoubtedly ; as let it be granted , that thy knowledge is still small , thy faith weak , thy charity cold , thy heart dull and hard , thy good works few and imperfect , and all thy zealous resolutions easily hindered and quite overthrown with every small temptation , yet god that worketh in us both the will and the work will accept the will for the work ; and that which is wanting in us , christ will supply with his own righteousnesse ; he respecteth not what we can do so much as what we would do , and that which we would perform and cannot , he esteemeth it as though it were performed ; thus he taketh an heart desirous to repent and believe for a penitent and believing heart , whereas take away the will and all acts in gods sight are equal . well might i doubt of my salvation , sayes bradford , feeling the weaknesse of my faith , love , hope , &c. if these were the cause● of my salvation , but there is no other cause of it , or of gods mercy , but his mercy . again , § . . thirdly , you are to observe that as nature so grace rises by many degrees to perfection , we grow in grace and saving knowledge , as a child does in statu●e and understanding , untill we attain to glory , which is grace perfected ; yea , grace in its growth is but like the change of a mans hair from black to grey , or the growth of a tree , which is not accomplisht in a moneth , or a year , but in many yeares we not perceiving how . § . . fourthly , consider also that the best have their fail●ngs , as had abraham , iacoh , david , peter , &c. you have heard of the patience of ioh , saith saint iames , and have we not heard also of his fits of impatiency ? yes , but it pleased god mercifully to over-look that ; and so of asah , who had divers , and those no small faults , yet with one breath doth god report both these ; the high places were not removed , and neverthelesse asahs heart was perfect ; so our failings be not wilful , though they be many and great , yet they cannot hinder our interest in the promises of god ; an honest and sincere heart bears out many errours in the eye of mercy , god will not see weaknesses where he sees truth ; yea , if we hate our corruptions , and strive against them , they shall not be counted ours : it is not i , saith paul , but the sin that dwelleth in me , rom. . . and indeed were it not so , what would become of us ? for the work of grace though it doth not suffer christians to live as they list , yet it doth not inable them to live as they would ; it is not so broad as to allow of corruption , nor so narrow but it will permit of corruption . § . . but fifthly , least the former considerations should not serve , answer me ingeniously to these questions : dost thou not find that the word and spirit hath wrought an apparant change in thy judgment , affections , and actions to what they were formerly ? is not christ thy greatest joy , sin thy greatest sorrow , and grace the prime object of thy desires ? art thou not careful in the use of the means , to attain faith in the promise of gods mercy made in christ ? dost thou not love god , and the people of god ; yea , art thou not prone to speak in their defence when thou hearest them reviled , and contemned by wicked and ungodly men ? dost thou not rejoyce when the righteous are exalted , and grieve when the wicked bear rule ? dost thou not desire and pr●y for the salvation of others ? is it not grievous to thee to hear god blasphemed , and dishonoured ? dost thou not make conscience of sanctifying his sabbaths ? art thou not as conscientious alone , and in private where god onely sees thee , as if thy greatest enemy , or all the world did behold thee ? dost thou not make conscience of evil thoughts ▪ grieve for thy unprofitablenesse under the means of grace , for the evill which cleaves to thy best actions , and for sins of omission ? when thou dost any thing amisse dost thou not accuse thy self ? if any thing well , dost thou not give all the praise to god ? whatever thou enjoyest on this side hell , dost thou not think thy self unworthy of it ? dost thou not more fear the want of grace then con●ide in what thou hast ? art thou not evil spoken of for well doing ? dost thou not love zeal and devotion in others ? thou art not of a reprobate judgement , touching things , actions , and persons , accounting good evill , and evill good , nor dost thou think the worse of a man for having of a tender conscience : thou art not so offended when offences come as to think the worse of the way of truth , yea , when strange things happen dost thou not make a wholesome construction thereof ? if so , my soul for thine thou art a true believer , and not an hypocrite , whatever thy failings be ; yea , if thou shouldest finde but a few of these signes in thy self , thou needest not much fear thine estate , for a few grapes will shew that the plant is a vine , and not a thorne ; yea , where there is any one grace in truth , there is every one in their measure : if thou art sure thou hast love , i am sure thou hast faith ; for they a●e as inseparable as fire and heat , life and motion ; and so of other graces . . § . but sixthly , for i will go yet further with thee ; suppose nothing that i have hitherto said will satisfie thee , and that thou wilt not acknowledge any of these graces to be in thee , yet still thy case may be good enough : for a christian in times of spirituall distemper and desertion , is as one in a swound , in which case the soul doth not exercise her functions , he neither hears , nor sees , nor feels , yet she is still in the body : christ is as the sun to our souls , and we are like elementary bodies ; which lighten and darken , cool and warm , die and revive ; as the sun presents or absents it self from them . whence it comes to passe that we have so much crying out in horrour of conscience , i am damned , i am damned ; yea , it is a wonder to see how many truly humbled sinners , who have so tender consciences , that they dare not yield to the leaste vill for the worlds goods , and refuse no means of being made better ; turn every probation into reprobation , every dejection into rejection ; and if they be cast down they cry out , they are cast away ; but in such distempers a man is not a competent judge in his own case , as in humane laws there is a nullity held of words and actions extorted , and wrong from men by fear ; because in such cases a man is held not to have power , or command in some sort of himselfe . a troubled soul is like troubled water , we can discern nothing cleerly in it ; wherefore in such cases a man must call to remembrance the times past , and how it hath been with him formerly , as david did , psal. . , to . and likewise iob , chap. . thus must thou do , and then if ever thou hadst true faith wrought in thy heart it can never be clean extinguished ; and so of love and godly sorrow , for the gifts and calling of god are without repentance , as it is , rom. . . i the lord change not . mal. . . and the weakest ●aith , if true , though it be not the like strong , yet it is the like precious faith to that of abrahams , whereby to lay hold and put on the perfect righteousnesse of christ ; yea , the truth of grace , be the measure never so small , is alwayes blest with perseverance ; and if grace but conquer us first , we by it shall conquer all things else , whether it be corruptions within us , or temptations without us ; yea , to speak rightly , thou art the better to be thought of , and the lesse to be feared for this thy ●ear , for no man so truly loves , as he that feares to offend : and good is that fear which keeps us from evill acts , yea , as a bleeding wound is better then that which bleeds not , so thy very complaint of sin springing from a displeasure against it shewes , that there is something in thee opposite to sin , viz. that thou art penitent in affection , though not in action ; even as a childe is rationall in power , though not in act ; neither was the centurion ever so worthy as when he thought himselfe most unworthy ; for all our worthinesse is in a capabl● misery . . § . but here by the way observe one caution , as the pl●ister must not be lesse then the s●re , so the tent must not be bigger then the wound . though the grievousnesse of our sins should increase our repentance , yet they should not diminish our faith , and assurance of pardon and forgivenesse . because the law is not more a glasse to shew us our ●ins , then the gospel is a fountain to wash them away ; wherefore cast not both thine eyes upon thy sin , but reserve one to behold the remedy ; look upon the law to keep thee from presumption and upon the gospel to keep thee from despair ; this is both a sweet and an even course . but as an empty vessel close luted , though you throw it into the midst of the sea , will receive no water , so all pleas are in vain to them that are deafned with their own feares ; for as mary would not be comforted with the sight and speech of angels , no not with the sight and speech of iesus himselfe , till he made her know that it was iesu● ; so untill the spirit of god sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of christ , and sheds his love into the heart ; nothing will do , no creature can take off wrath from the conscience , but he that set it on ; wherefore the god of peace give you the peace of god , which passeth all understanding , yea , o lord , speak thou musick to the wounded conscience , thunder to the seared ; that thy justice may reclaim the one , thy mercy relieve the other , and thy favour comfort us all with peace and salvation in iesus christ . chap. . . § . the comfort of what hath been said in these seven last sections , is intended and belongs to weak christians , troubled consciences , and those that would fain do better ; but let no unbeliever , impenitent , or prophane person meddle with it , for all such are to know that their very best services , as praying , and fasting , and receiving , and giving of almes , &c. ( because they are not done in faith , and obedience to the word , and that god may be glorified thereby ) are no better in gods account then if they had slain a man , or cut off a dogs neck , or offered swines blood , or blessed an idol , as himself affirmes , isa. . . nor will god accept of any action , unlesse it flowes from a pious and good heart , sanctified by the holy ghost ; yea , civill honesty severed from true piety , humility , saving knowledge , sincere love to god , true obedience to his word , justifying faith ▪ a zeal of gods glory , and a desire to edifie and win others , god will neither accept nor reward , but account of their morall vertues as of shining or glistering sins ; because they spring from pride , ignorance infidelity , self-love , and other such carnall respects , as many examples prove , namely , cains sacrificing , iohn . . the iews fasting , i●a . . those reprobates preaching in christs name , and casting on t devils , matth. . , . and the like , whose outward works were the same which the godly perform ; and what saith austine most excellently , there is no true vertue where there is no true religion ; and that conscience which is not directed by the word , even when it does best does ill , because it doth it not in faith , obedience , and love . . § . secondly , let them know , that being out of christ , they are bound to keep the whole law , gal. . , . or stand liable to suffer the penalty thereof for not keeping it ; for though this be the condition of the new covenant , believe and thou shalt be saved ; yet all that they have to trust unto is , do this and live , rom. . . and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them , gal. . . and i wish that they would seriously think of it , and what need they have of christ , whom they rather persecute then obey his gospel in love . . § . indeed let them get a true lively and justifying faith ; put ye off , concerning the former conversation , the old man , which is corrupted through the deceivable lusts , and be renued in the spirit of your mindes ; and put on the new man , which after god is created in righteousnesse and true ●olinesse , ephes. . , , . and then christ , and all his benefits and promises wil belong unto you , but not before ; in the mean time you are in your blood , ezek. . . and have to answer not onely for your originall guilt , but for every thought , word , and action of yours from your infancy , matth. . , . luke . . gal. . , to . enough to starde you , if you be not stark dead . chap. . . § . but perhaps thy heart and conscience is not onely sermon , but thunder-proof , and then nothing will do good upon thee ( the case of all incorrigible ones ) yea most men now adayes are judgement-proof ; and let them be never so cleerly convinc'd from the word that they are in a dangerous condition , all thoughts thereof presently passe away like the sound of a bell that is rung ; or if not , satan can furnish them with an evasion , be the case what it will : amongst many of his delusions i will mention two of the principall , and which i hold to be the strongest bars to keep men out of heaven that can be named . the first is this , never regard ( will he say to a poor soul ) what a few 〈◊〉 ●●●●holy precisions say , when every one doth so and so ; or every on● is of this or that judgement ; yea , do not such and such the like , who are wiser , and greater , and better men then your selfe ? they are of another minde , neither do they trouble themselves so much about religion , & yet they look to speed as well as the precisest ; yea , will he say , do ye not see many ministers & great pro●essors of religion , who pretend it is good being religious and holy , and presse others to it , that do onely pretend it , for they live as loosely , and deal as unjustly as any other men ; and they are not ignorant of what they do , and this you may be sure of , that if they did speak as they think they would do as they speak ; therefore what should ye be so singular , will ye be wiser then all your friends or neighbours ; yea , then ninety and nine parts of the kingdome ? what a mad conceit were this ? then yeelds the poor soul , and counts it a pleasure too that he is seduced , and by this kinde of sophistry satan prevailes with millions ; yea , i have ever noted that this one artlesse perswasion of others do so , prevails more with the world then all the places of reason ; but this plea or argument is not more common and taking then it is so●tish and dangerous , if it be well look into ; for besides that it is gods expresse charge , thou shalt not ●ollow a multitude to do evill , exod. . . and saint pauls everlasting rule , ●ashion not your selves like unto this world , rom. . . our saviour christ hath plainly told us , that the greatest number go the broad way to destruction , and but a few the narrow way which leadeth unto life , matth. . , . and saint iohn , that the number of those whom satan shall deceive , is as the sands of the sea , revel. . . and . . isa. . . rom. . . yea , that the whole world lieth in wickednesse , ●ohn . . whereas those whom christ hath chosen out of it , and that believe the gospel , are but a little flock and few in number , luke . revel. . . isa. . . rom. . ▪ cor. . . which testimonies have proved true in all former ages ; there could not be found eight righteous persons in the old world , , for one was an impious cham , all sodome afforded not ten ; eliah could say , i onely remain a prophet of the lord , but baals prophets are four hundred and fifty , kings . . and micha complains of the multitude of the wicked in his time , and small number of the faithfull , micha . . . behold , saith isaiah , i and the children whom the lord hath given me , are for signes and wonders i● israel , isa. . . . so few and ra●e that they were gazed upon as monsters . and what saith the lord himself , though the number of the children of israel be as the sand of the sea , yet but a remnant shall be saved , isa. . . rom , . . neither hath it been otherwise since the gospel , the whole city went ou● to send christ packing , not a gadaren was found that either dehorted his ●ellow , or opposed the motion , matth. . . when pilate asked , what shall be done with iesus ? all with one consent cried out , let him be crucified , matth. . . there was a generall shout for diana for two houres together , great is diana of the ephesians ; not one man took pauls part , act. . . yea , the iewes told paul that his sect was every where spoken against , acts . . yea , all , both small and great , rich and poor , free and ●●nd receive the mark of the beast in their fore-heads , rev. . . so that number is but an ill signe of a good cause ; or rather it is the best note of the worst way . . § . secondly , nor will any wise man think his actions ever the mo●e warrantable for that he does as the greatest , richest , and noblest of the land do ; for not many noble are called : but ( as paul speaks ) god hath chosen the base things of the world , and things that are despised , to confound the mighty , cor. . , . and hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith , james . . yea , be ●illeth the hungry with good things , whereas he sendeth away the rich empty , luke . , . neither is this the manner of his donation onely , but of his acceptation also , for god esteems more of vertue clad in rags , then of vice in velvit ; he tespects a man not for his greatnesse , but for his goodnesse ; not for his birth , but for his new birth ; not for his honour , but for hi● holinesse ; not for his wealth , bu● for his wisdome : the righe●ous , ●aith solomon , is more worthy then his neighbour , prov. . . and , better is the poor that walketh uprightly , then he thas perverteth his wayes , though he be rich , prov. . . and thus the bereans are reputed by the holy ghost , more noble men then they of thessalonica , because they received the word with all readinesse , and searched the scriptures , whether those things were so which paul preached , act. . . whence it is that david thought it not so happy for him to be a king in his own house , as a door-keeper in gods house ; that godly constantine rejoyced more in being the servant of christ , then in being emperour of the whole world ; that theodosius the emperour preferred the title of membrum ecclesiae before that of caput imperii , professing that he had rather be a saint and no king , then a king and no saint ; yea , ignatius said , he had rather be a martyr then a monarch . besides , experience proves greatnesse , nobility , and riches , to be a most deceitfull rule to walk by ; for , the kings of the earth ●and themselves , and the princes are assembled together against the lord , and against his christ , psal. . . and in king. . . we read of no lesse then two and thirty kings in a cluster that were every one drunk ; and elsewhere , that a thousand of the chief princes of israel committed fornication , and were all destroyed for their labour in one day , numb. . . cor. . . yea , of twenty kings of iudah which the scripture mentions , we read of but six that were godly , and of eighteen kings of israel , all but two are branded by the holy ghost for wicked , and yet this nation was gods peculiar and chosen people out of all the world ; and lastly , when the rulers sate in counsell against christ , none spake for him but nicodemus , joh. . , . all which shews ; that it is neither a good nor a safe way to imitate other mens examples , be they never so rich , never so great ; or if we sinne together , we shall be sure to perish together ; as when those three and twenty thousand israelites committed fornication after the example of the chief princes , they were every one destroyed , both leaders and followers , numb. . . cor . . and as when those other cities followed sodoms just , they were all consumed with sodoms fire , iude . . § . but thirdly , admit thou couldest alledge for thine excuse , that thou dost but as most of the wife , learned , and greatest scholars in the land do , yet all were one , this could not excuse thee ; for first , not many wise men after the flesh are called , but god hath chosen the foolish things of the world to c●nfound the wise , cor. . , , . yea , the preaching of christ crucified was foolishnesse to the wise sages of the world , cor. . . it pleaseth god for the most part to hide the mysteries of salvation from the wise and learned , and to reveal them unto babes , matth. . . luke . ● . yea , the saving knowledge of christ is hid to all that are lost , cor. . . but if once men abuse their knowledge and learning to gods dishonour , and comply with satan and the world against the church ( as how many scholars in all ages of the world have resembled trajan , who was indued with great knowledge and other singular vertues , but defaced them all by hating christianity , and opposing the power of godlinesse ) in this case he taketh that knowledge which once they had from them , as he took heat from the fire when it would burn his children , dan. . . i will destroy the tokens of the sooth-sayers ( saith god ) and make them that conjecture fooles ; i will turn the wise men backward , and make their knowledge foolishnesse , isa. . . and again , he taketh the wise in their own craftinesse , and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish , job . . and justly are they forsaken of their reason , who have abandoned god , yea , most just it is , that they who want grace should want wit too , for which read thess. . , , . thus i might go on and shew , that we may not imitate the actions , nor follow the examples of the best and holiest men in every thing they do , though we have some plausible reasons for our doing so , and also good and holy intentions in our so doing , or if we do , that we may go to hell notwithstanding . chap. . . § . but you will say , if neither custome of the greatest number , nor of the greatest men , nor of the greatest scholars , nor of the best and holiest men , though we have reason for our doing it , and good intentions in the doing of it , is a sufficient warrant for our actions , but that all these are crooked and deceitfull guides ; then what may be a safe guide , and an infallible rule in all cases to steer by , and square all out actions ? i answer ; as a rule directeth the artificer in his work , and keepeth him from erring , so doth gods ●ord direct the religious in their lives , and keep them from erring . the right way is the signified will of god , and whatsoever swerves from , or is repugnant to the right , is wrong and crooked ; law and precept is a straight line , to shew us whether we do mis-believe or mislive , pet. . . ephes. . . gal. . . iohn . . and it hath ever been the care of christians to stick close to the written word , having always and in all cases an eye thereunto ; and without this written word , a man in the world is as a ship on the sea without a guide ; yea , he that lives without making this his rule , he who sets not the diall or clock of his life by this sunne , he who directeth not his course in walking by this north-pole , or load-star , but by the wavering , uncertain , and moveable stars of custome , example , reason , and good intentions , sailes without a c●mpasse , and may look every minute to ●e swallowed up in the ocean of sin and judgement ; nor will any that have grace in their hearts make custome , example , or the badnesse of the times a cloak to excuse their conformity in evill courses , but rather a spur to incite them to be so much the more carefull not to be swayed with the common stream ; and happy is that man who makes anothers vices steps to climbe to heaven by , as it fared with righteous lot ; and so doth every wise and good man , as why should they not make this use of the corruptions of the times , when even the mud of the world by the industrious hollander is turned to an usefull fuel ? if the air be generally infectious , had we not need to be so much the more strict in our diet , and carefull in the use of wholesome preservatives ? nor is singularity in such cases onely lawful but lawdable , when vice growes into fashion , singularity is a vertue ; and when sanctity is counted singularity , happy is he that goeth alone , and resolves to be an example to others ; yea , most happy is he that can stand upright when the world declines , and can indeavour to repair the common ruine with a constancy in goodnesse ; that can resolve with ioshua , whatever the world doth , yet i and my house will serve the lord , josh , . . it was noahs happinesse in the old world , that he followed not the worlds fashions ; he believed alone when all the world contested against him , and he was saved alone when all the world perished without him . it was lots happinesse , that he followed not the fashions of sodome . it was abrahams happinesse , that he did not like the chaldeans ; daniels happinesse , that he did not like the babylonians . it was good for iob that he was singular in the land of vz ; good for nicodemus , that he was singular among the rulers , as now they all finde to their great comfort , and exceeding great reward ; yea , it was happy for re●ben , that he was opposite to all his brethren ; happy for cale● and ioshua , that they were opposite to the rest of the spies ; happy for the iewes , that their customes were divers , and contrary to all other people , though haman was pleased to make it their great and hainous crime , ester . . happy for luther that he was opposite to the rest of his countrey , and no lesse happy shall we be , if with the deer we can feed against the winde of popular applause ; if with the sturgion or crab-fish we can swimme against the stream of custome and example ; if with atticus we can cleave to the right , though losing side ; or if we do not , we shall misse of the narrow way , and consequently fail of entering in at the strait gate , for the greatest part shuts out god upon earth , and is excluded from god elsewhere , matth. . , . and indeed , if iesus christ and his twelve apostles be on our side , what need we care though herod & pontius pilate , & all the rulers , & the whole nation of the iews , together with a world of the romish faction be against us ? and certainly if thou wert not a fool , thou wouldest hold it better to be in the small number of christs little flock which are to be saved , then in the numerous herds of those goates that are de●●●●ated to destruction : and so much for answer to satans first plea or objection . but , chap. . . § . secondly , he hath a worse and more dangerous delusion then this . for if he see a man convincd that he is nothing so as he ought to be , ( that he may keep him still impenitent ) he will say unto him , trouble not thy self with these things ; dost thou not know that god is mercifull , and that christ came into the world to save sinners ? witnesse the thief upon the crosse who was heard , and saved by him at the very last hour ; and upon this ground a world of men in a carnal presumption go on to destruction , without ever bethinking themselves ; for say they , let the worst that can come , repentance at the last hour , and saying , lord , have mercy upon me , will make all even , otherwise god is not so good as his word ; who ●aith , at what time soever a sinner repenteth , &c. but let the argument be well scann'd , and this will be ●ound as sottish , deceitful , and dangerous as the other ; wherefore that satan , ( who is alwayes a liar ) may not by his cunning delusions gull you of your souls , and plunge you into everlasting horrour ; consider with me in the first place , that as god is mercifull , so he is also just , and true , and speaks as he meanes in his word ; yea , he is truth it self , and his word is the ground and touch-stone of all truth ; wherefore if any spirit or an angel from heaven crosse the written word , we are to hold him accursed , gal. . , . now we shall finde , that salvation is not more promised to the godly ( in any part of the bible , old testament or new then eternall death and destruction is threatened to the wicked , as you may see , iohn . , to . heb. . . deut. . . and . , . cor. . , . gal. . . revel. . . thess. . . ier. . . matth. . , . & . , . iames . . i iohn . . luke . . pet. . . yea , god hath sufficiently manifested his justice and severity already in punishing sin , and pouring vengeance upon those that have provoked him , as upon the angels , our first parents ▪ and all the race of man-kinde ; upon the old world ▪ upon whole monarchies and empires , upon whole nations , cities and families , upon divers particular persons , as upon pharaoh , nada● , and abihu , chora , dathan and abiram with their captains , and many thousand of the children of israel , upon hamam and balaam , saul and doeg , absalom and achi●ophel , aha● and iezabel , s●enacharib and nebuchadnezzar , the two captains and their fifties , herod and iudas , ananias and saphira , with a world of others ; yea , how severely hath he dealt with his own children when they sinned against him ? viz. with moses , and aaron , and eli , who w●re in singular ●avour with him ; yea with david , a man after gods own ●eart , and that after his sin was remitted ; and lastly , with his own son , that no sin might go unpunished , which may make all impenitent persons tremble ; for if god were so just and severe to his own son , that nothing would appease him but his death on the crosse , how can the wicked his enemies look to bespared ? and if gods own servants , who ar● as dear and near to him as the apple of his own eye , or as the signet on his right hand , suffer so many and grievous afflictions here , what shall his adversaries suffer in hell ? but because thou shalt have nothing to object , wilt thou believe christ himself , whom thou thinkest came to save ●ll indifferently ▪ if thou wile , turn but to matth. . and he will tell thee , that at his comming to j●dgement he will as well say to the disobedient , depart from me , ye cursed , into everlasting fire , which is prepared for the devil and his angels ; as to the obedient , come ye blessed of my father , inherit the kingdome of heaven prepared for you from the foundation of the world , vers. , . again , lest any should be over-confident , he tels all men plainly , that the gate of heave● is so strait that few shall finde it , matth. . , . and that many shass s●ek to enter thereat , and shall not be able , luke . . and that many are ca●●ed , ( viz. by the outward ministery of the word ) but ●ew chosen , ma●th . . . & . . sad predictions for such as apply christs passion as a warrant for their licentiousnesse , not as a remedy ; and take his death as a license to sin , his crosse as a letters patent to do mischief . o that men would seriously think upon these scriptures , together with that , thess. . , , . where the apostle tels us , that the lord iesus shall come the second time in flaming fire , to render vengeance unto them that know him not , and that obey not his gospel , pet. . . where the holy ghost tels us , that even the righteous shall s●arcely be saved . and deut. , . to . where god tels us expresly , that he will not be mercifull unto such as flatter themse●ves in an evill way ; but that his wrath and jealousie shall smoke against them , &c. and that if we will not regard nor hearken unto him when he calls upon us for repentance , he will not hear nor regard us , when in our distresse and anguish we shall call upon him for mercy : but even laugh at our destruction , and mock when our ●ear commeth , prov. . . to . and that he will recompence every man according to his works , ●e they good or evill , revel. . . & . ● . rom. . . ezek. . , , . & . . & . . & . . but this is the misery , and a just plague upon our so much formality and prophanenesse under our so much means of grace , there be very few men that make not the whole bible , and all the ●ermons they hear , yea the checks of their own consciences , and the motions of gods spirit utterly ineffectuall for want of wit and grace to apply the same to themselves ; but to go on . . § . secondly , we shall finde that though christ in the gospel hath made many large and precious promises , yet there are none so generall which are not limited with the condition of faith , and the fruit thereof un●eigned repenta●ce , and each of them are so tied and entailed , that none can lay claim to them but true believers which ●epent , and turn from all their sins to serve him in holinesse , without which no man shall see the lord , heb. . . and . . mark . . john . . isa. . . neither was it ever heard that any ascended into heaven without going up the stayes of obedience and good works , that any have attained unto everlasting life without faith , repentance and sanctification , for even the thief upon the crosse ( whom you ignorantly alledge ) believed in christ , and shewed the fruits of his faith in acknowledging his own sin , reproving his fellow , and confessing our saviour christ even then when his apostles denied and forsook him , in calling upon his name , desiring , and confidently trusting by his means and merits to have everlasting life . and indeed , the very end of gods electing , and of christs redeeming us was , that we might ●e holy , ephes. . . matth. . . and therefore he bindes it with an oath , that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spirituall enemies , they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their lives , luke . . to . pet. . . they therefore that never came to be holy were never chosen , never redeemed ; other scriptures to this purpose are many , see onely , tit. . , . pet. . . matth. . . nor ought any indeed to call upon christ , or once to name him with their mouths , except they depart from iniquity , tim. . . neither doth the thiefes example make any whit for the comfort of procrastinators ; for first , we read not that ever he was outwardly called untill this very hour ; secondly , though there was one saved at the last hour that none might despair , yet there was but one that none should presume ; and millions who had lesse iniquity have found lesse mercy . thirdly , the thiefes conversion was one of the miracles , with the glory whereof our saviour would honour the ignominy of his crosse . again , fourthly , the thief was saved at the very instant of time when our saviour triumphed on the crosse , took his leave of the world , and entered into his glory . now it is usuall with princes to save some hainous malefactors at their coronation , when they enter upon their kingdomes in triumph , which they are never known to do afterwards , which circumstances being rightly considered , together with the wonderfull change so suddenly wrought in him , as i shewed before , his example will yield little encouragement to men of thy condition ; nor was his sudden conversion ever intended in gods purpose for a temptation , and yet by satans policy working upon wicked mens depraved judgements , and corrupt hearts in wresting this scripture , it hath proved ( by accident ) the losse of many thousand souls , and take heed it prove not thy ●ase ; to which end let not satan any longer bewitch you , so to think upon gods mercy , as in the mean time to forget that he is also just and true ; and so much for answer to those two objections , which satan findes more prevalent then all the rest he is able to invent . chap. . . § . now to winde up all with a word of exhortation , if thou beest convinc't , and resolvest upon a new course , let thy resolution be peremptory and constant , and take heed thou harden not again , as pharaoh , the philistines , the young man in the gospel , pilate and iudas did . resemble not the iron which is no longer soft then it is in the fire : be not like those that are sea-sick , who are much troubled while they are on ship-board , but presently well again when they are come to shore ; for that good ( saith gregory ) will do us no good which is not made good by perseverance . if with these premonitions the spirit shall vouchsafe to stir up in thine heart , any good motions and holy purposes to obey god , in letting thy sins go , quench not , grieve not the spirit , thess. . . return not with the dog to thy vomit , lest thy latter end prove seven-fold worse then thy beginning , matth. . , . as it fared with iulian the apostate , and iuda● the traitor . o it is a fearfull thing to receive the grace of god in vain ; & a desperate thing being warned of a rock , wilfully to cast our selves upon it ! neither let satan perswade you to deferre your repentance , no not an hour , lest your resolution proves as a false conception which never comes to bearing ; for as ill debtors put off their creditors , first one week , then another , till at last they are able to pay nothing , so deal delayers with god . besides , death may be sudden , even the least of a thousand things can kill thee , and give thee no leasure to be sick . . § . secondly , or if death be not sudden , repentance is no such easie work as to be put off to sicknesse ; and though true repentance be never too late , yet late repentance is seldome true ; and indeed there is small hope of repentance at the hour of death , where there was no regard of honesty in the time of life , and millions are now in hell who thought they would repent hereafter ; not being wise enough to consider that it is with sin in the heart as with a tree planted in the ground , which the longer it groweth , the harder it is to be pluckt up ; or a nail in a post , which is made faster by every stroke of the hammer : as what saith the holy ghost , can the black moor change his skin , or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evill , jer. . . . § . thirdly , or suppose after many years spent in the service of sin and satan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts , and offer to god thy service and best devotions at the last gaspe , will he accept of them ? no , he hath expresly told us the contrary , prov. . ▪ to . yea , is it likely that god will accept of thy dry bones when satan hath suckt out all the marrow ? that he will give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the hour of death , to those who have contemned them all their life ? yea , is it not most just and equall if god will not be found of those that were content to lose him ? if he shut his ear against their prayers calling to him for pardon , that stopt their ears against hi● voice calling upon them for repentance ? the lord hath made a promise to late repentance , not of late repentance ; if thou convertest to morrow thou art sure of grace , but thou art not sure of to morrows conversion ; if in any reasonable time we pray he wil hear us , if we repent he wil pardon us , if we amend our lives he will save us ; but for want of this timely consideration dives prayed , but was not heard ; esau wept , but was not pitied ; the foolish virgins knockt , but wore denied : and so thousands have cried unto god at the hour of death , and found no repen●ance , but they died as they lived , and went from despair unto destruction . wherefore , as you tender the good of your own soul , set upon the work presently ; provide with ioseph for the dea●th to come ; and with naob in the dayes of thine health build the ark of a good conscionce against the floods of sicknesse ; imitate the ant , who provides her meat in summer for the winter following ; yea , do it while the yerning bowels , the bleeding wounds , and compassionate arms of iesus christ lie open to receive you ; whiles ye have health , and life , and means , and time to repent ; and make your peace with god . as you tender ( i say ) the everlasting happinesse and welfare of your almost lost and drowned soul , as you expect or hope for grace or mercy , for joy and comfort , for heaven and salvation , for endlesse blisse and glory at the last ; as you would escape the direfull wrath of god , the bitter sentence and doome of christ , the never dying sting and worm of conscience , the tormenting and soul-scorching flames of hell , and everlasting separation from gods bli●full presence , abjure , and utterly renounce all wilfull and affected evill . to which end ; . § . in the next place , be diligent to hear gods word powerfully preached , which is the sword of the spirit , that killeth our corruptions , and that unresistable cannon-shot , which beateth and battereth down all the strong holds of ūn and satan . . § . thirdly ▪ ponder and meditate seriously on gods inestimable love towards us , who hath not spared to give his onely beloved son out of his bosome to die for us , and to purchase thereby every good thing we do injoy either for soul or body , even to the least bit of bread we eat ; and this will make thee ( if thou hast any ingenuity ) to direct all thy thoughts , speeches and actions to his glory , as he hath directed thy eternall salvation thereunto , and often force thee to break out into this or the like expression , what shall i render unto thee , o lord for all thy benefits ? but love thee my creator , and become a new creature . . § . fourthly , consider that the lord beholdeth thee in all places , and in every thing thou dost ; even as the eyes of a well-drawn picture are fastened on thee which way soever thou turnest ; yea , consider him as a just judge , who will not let sin go unpunished , and this will make thee keep a narrower watch over thy very thoughts then any other can do over thine actions . . § . fifthly , if thou wilc be safe from evill works , avoid the occasions at least if thou wilc keep thy self from iniquity , have no fellowship with the workers of iniquity , for it is not more hard to finde vertue in evil company then to misse vice ; they were mingled among the heathen ( faith the psalmist ) and what followes , they learned their workes , psal. . . yea , how soon was peter changed , with but comning into the high priests hall ; and the like with david and solomon , which made david to say so soon as he had considered it , depart from me , all ye workers of iniquity , for i will keep the commandements of my god , psal. . . knowing that he could not do the one without the other . and indeed , the choice of a mans company is one of the most weighty actions of our lives , for our future well or ill-being depends on that election , and many a man had been good that is not , if he had but kept good company . . § . sixthly and lastly , but chieftly & principally , omit not to pray for the assistance of gods spirit , otherwise thy strength is small ; yea , except god give thee repentance , and remove all impediments that may kinder , thou canst no more turn the self then thou couldest at first make thy self ; we are not sufficient of our selves to think , much lesse to speak , least of all to do that which is good , cor. . . john . , . we are swift to all evill , but to any good immoveable ; wherefore beg of god that he will give you a new heart , and when the heart is changed , all the members will follow after it , as the rest of the creatures after the sun when it ariseth ; importune him for grace , that thou maiest firmly resolve ; speedily begin , and continually persevere in doing , and suffering his holy will ; desire him to informe and reforme thee so , that thou maiest neither mis-believe nor mislive ; to regenerate thy heart , change and purifie thy nature , subdue thy reason , rectifie thy judgement , ●e●orm and strengthen thy will , ●enue thy affections , and beat down in thee whatsoever stands in opposition to the scepter of iesus christ ; no● forgetting that prayer is the key of heaven , as ambrose calls it . and now for conclusion , if thou receivest any power against thy corruptions , forget not to be thankfull , and when god hath the fruit of his mercies , he will not spare to sowe much where he reaps much . consider what i say , and the lord give you understanding to strive after those graces , wherewith a 〈◊〉 believer is qualified ; and whereof i have given you a copy in the fore-going character . finis . we have perused this treatise , and approving it to be very pithy , pious , and profitable , we allow it to be printed and published . iohn downame . thomas gataker . the reader may think it strange , that the proofs are not alledged in some part of this character : but they were found to ●e so many in number , that the very pointing to them would have taken up neer as much room as the matter it self ; ●nd so have doubled the charge , which in these times could not be afforded : besides , few use to turn to every scripture ; and every sanctified heart is a comment upon all that is herein delivered . london , printed by r. & w. ley●●urn . . memorable conceits of diuers noble and famous personages of christendome, of this our moderne time divers propos memorables des nobles & illustres hommes de la chrestienté. english corrozet, gilles, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) memorable conceits of diuers noble and famous personages of christendome, of this our moderne time divers propos memorables des nobles & illustres hommes de la chrestienté. english corrozet, gilles, - . [ ], , - , [ ] p. printed [by richard field] for iames shaw, london : . a translation of: corrozet, gilles. divers propos memorables des nobles & illustres hommes de la chrestienté. printer's name from stc. includex index. the last two leaves are blank except for ruled borders. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng anecdotes. conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion memorable conceits of divers noble and famous personages of christendome , of this our moderne time . london , printed for iames shaw. . to the towardly yovng gentleman , maister walter rawleigh , sonne and heire apparant to the honourable sir walter ravvleigh knight , lord vvarden of the stanneries , captaine of her maiesties guard , lieutenant of the countie of cornevvell , and gouernour of the isle of iarsey . sir , hauing a great desire , by some meanes to signifie my affection vnto you : i thought i could not better do it , nor find a more readie meane thereunto , then by preferring and dedicating this little pamphlet vnto you : the which containing most rare and excellent examples of wise and wittie sayings , and notable instructions to vertue and vertuous actions , i suppose cannot more fitly be presented , then vnto you , in whose young yeares doth alreadie appeare a most towardly inclination and hopefull expectation both of wit and vertue , such as your riper yeares ( i doubt not ) will bring to an excellency of perfection . to the furtherance wherof , albeit this smal treatise shall perhaps be able to adde little accesse , in regard of the plentiful helpes , wherewith you are alreadie furnished to that effect : yet it may be that both the pleasure and the profite thereof , may in some sort proue worthie , both of your labour in reading and perusing of it , and of my affection in offering it vnto you . not doubting therefore but it shall be accepted , as pleasingly as i haue presented it willingly , most humbly i take my leaue . your worships euer to be commaunded . i. s. the names of the popes , emperours , kings , lords , and others mentioned in this booke . a abbot of baigne . adrian pope . albert emperour . alexander seuerus emperour . alexander the third , pope . . alexander the fift , pope . alexander the sixt , pope . alfonsus ksng of naples . . vnto anna queene of fraunce . anthony panormitane . . anthony du prat , chancelor of france . . anthony agnello and his interpretation . . apothegme of an englishman . archbishop of collaine . attila king of the gothes . aulilie . ayme duke of sauoy . b baiazet the great turke . barba widow to sigismond the emperour . bartholomew of aluian . battels at guingate and fornoue . bayard captaine . bertrand guesclin constable of fraunce . . benedict the twelfth , pope . bishop elect of senlis . bishop of seruia . by-word of three nations . blanch dutchesse of orleance . borso duke of ferrara . boniface the eight , pope . . . c caesar borgias duke of vrbin . calixt pope . cardinall cossa . charles martell . charles the great , emperour . charles the bald , emperour . charles the fift emperour . . charles the sixt king of france . charles the eight king of france . . charles duke of burgundy . chabanes great maister of fraunce . chiniton , or kniton king of england . clement the fourth , pope . clement the seuenth , pope . clouis king of fraunce . clotair the first king of fraunce . columna ascanius . columna prosper . conrade king of naples . constantine ducas emperour . d dant the italian poet. duke of millaines cooke . dutchesse . dutchesse of burbon . e earle of arminacke . earle of lazaran . earle of nassaw . earle of petillan . edward king of england . . . . elenor countesse of foix. elizabeth of b●heme . emanuell king of portugal . embassadours of sicily . embassadours of venice . englishmens oath . f ferdinand king of naples . flemings mocke . foole to king alphonsus . foole to the duke of austrich . foole to the marquesse of guast . foole to the duke of millain . fo●ques the fifth earle of aniow . . . frauncis the first king of fraunce . . . frauncis phaebus king of nauarre . francis of burbon earle of anguien fredericke the emperour . fredericke the first , emperour . fredericke the second , emperour . fredericke the third , emperour . . fredericke marquesse of mantua . french gentleman . french gentlemen . french knights . g gein ottoman a turke . gentleman of genoa . gordian the younger , emperour . godfrey of bollogne . gonnor dutchesse of normandie . great captaine . . gregorie pope . h henry the first emperour . henry of lancaster king of england . hire a french captaine . i iames of genouillay , lord of assier . . iohn king of fraunce . iohn duke of brittaine . iohn galeas duke of millain . . iohn of ionuille . iohn de maingre marshall of fraunce . iohn of saintré . iohn gonzaga . iohn of menu a poet. ierome an italian . innocent the fourth , pope . innocent the eighth , pope . iouian pontanus . iulius the second , pope . . iulius cardinall of s. angell . k katherine queene of england . ● king of england . l ladie of heluin . lamorabaquin king of tartaria . lewis king of fraunce . lewis the grosse king of fraunce . . . lewis the . king of france . . . . lewis the . king of fraunce . . vnto . and . . lewis the . king of fraunce . . vnto . lewis sonne to king philip. lewis duke of orleance . lewis sforza . lord sforza . . lord of trimouille . m mareschals antrehan and cleremont . margaret dolphinesse of france . marcus barbaricus duke of venice . . martian the emperour . maurice earle of aniow . maximilian the emperour . . medices cosme . medices lawrence . miles bishop of chartres . . n narses . o otho de varis . otho the third emperour . p panormitans . parmesan . peter of bresay , seneschall of normandy . . peter earle of sauoy . philip the first , king of fraunce . philip augustus king of france . . philip the faire king of fraunce . philip of valois king of fraunce . . philip duke of burgundy . philip the hardie duke of burgundy . philip of villars , great master of r●●odes philip of moruiller , president . philip lantgraue of hessen . pius the second pope , & his sentences . prochetta archbishop of genes . . r raimier king of arragon . raphael a painter of vrbin . rene king of sicily . robert king of sicily . roboald duke of frize . rodericke gonthier . rodolph the emperour . roger king of naples . s saladine king of asia . sanctius brother to the king of spain . septimius seuerus emperour . sico chauncellor of millaine . sigismond emperour . . . souldier of nauarre . . soliman the great turke . . sophia the empresse . . t talbot an english captaine . . theodosian emperour . theodosius emperour . . thierry captaine . . thomas caraffa earle of mathalon . tiberius constantine emperour . tiphamy wife to bertrand guesclin . v vaquery president of paris . venetians and their opinion . vladislaus king of hungary . vrban the fifth pope . vv vvalaque dracocles . vvilliam duke of normandy . . . vvilliam rufus king of england . z zachary pope . a table of the chapters of this booke . of the power of god. chap. . of loue. chap. . of faith. chap. . of hope . chap. . of adulation and flatterie . chap. . of ambition . chap. . of enuie . chap. . of couetousnesse and couetous persons . chap. . of prodigalitie . chap. . of lying toungs , and presumptuous speeches . chap. . of silence , and words deliuered in conuenient season . chap. . of indiscretion and want of wisedome . chap. . of knovvledge of a mans self . chap. . of amitie and friends . chap. . of liberalitie & magnificence . chap. . of nobilitie and magnanimitie chap. . of goodnesse and humanity . chap. . of honour and vvell doing . chap. . of exercise and industrie . chap. . of vvrath . chap. . of patience . chap. . of the praise of riches . chap. . riches reproued . chap. . of lavves and customes . chap. . of fame and glorie . chap . of short and sickly life . chap. . pouerty contemned . chap. . pouertie commended . chap. . of beautie . chap. . of presumption and boldnesse . chap. . of pietie and mercie . chap. . of libertie and bondage . chap. . of ignorance . chap. . of doctrine and a good vvit . chap. . of abstinence and continence . chap. . of prudence . chap. . of strength ▪ chap. . of iustice and iudgement . chap. . of vviues and mariage . chap. . of fortune . chap. . of kingdoms , & magistrates . chap. . of captaines in vvarre . chap. . of diuers and ready ansvvers . chap. . of vertue . chap. . of death . chap ▪ . of felicitie . chap. . memorable conceipts , of diuerse noble and famous personages of christendome , of this our moderne time . of pope alexander the third of that name , and the emperour fredericke the first , surnamed barbarossa . the emperour frederick the first , hauing had lōg warres with pope alexander the third : and hauing driuen him for feare of him to forsake rome , and to flie disguised in the habite of a cooke ●nto venice : the said pope of a long ●ime serued there in the place of a gardiner within the monasterie of ●ur lady of charity : till such time as ●omming to be known to the duke and senate of venice , they tooke him thence : and hauing with great solemnitie and magnificence conducted him in all his pontificall ornaments to the church of saint marke : and he there hauing bestowed his blessing vpon them , they guarded him from the power of the emperour : who in the end being brought to reason and reconciled vnto him , came to doe him reuerence at the entrie of the said church of saint marke in venice : and there offering to kisse his feete : the said pope set his foote vpon the emperours necke , saying : it is written : thou shalt walke vpon the aspe and the basilisque : and thou shalt tread vpon the lion and the dragon : whereunto the emperour ( as he lay prostrate at the popes feete ) answered : not to thee but to saint peter do i this honour : and to his successour do i yeeld my obeysance . the pope replied : both to me and to saint peter . a sentence of pope alexander . the same pope being accustomed highly to commend the institution of the single life of priestes , and to blame their vsing of concubines , was wont to vse this speech : god hath forbidden vs to get children : and the diuell hath giuen vs nephewes in their stead . of pope innocent the fourth , and the emperour fredericke the second . in the yeare of our lord one thousand , two hundred , forty and fiue , there fell great contentions and deuision betweene pope innocent the fourth , and the emperour fredericke the second : in so much as the pope in the councell of lions , denounced sentence against the said fredericke , to depose him from the empire : and the emperour in despite sent certaine verses to the pope , who returned him answer in the verses following . fredericke emperour , to the pope . roma diu titubans varijs erroribus acta corruet : & mundi desmet esse caput . rome that hath long stood staggering in great daunger with sundrie errours tossed and distracted . shall now to ruine : and worlds great commaunder shal cease to be , reputed or respected . the pope to the emperour . nitcris inassum naue● submergere petri : fluctuat , at nunquā mergitur illa ratis . in vaine thou seekest s peters shippe to drowne , t' will neuer sinke , though tost , be vp and downe . fredericke . fatavolunt , stellaeque docent , auiumque volatus , quòd fridericus ego malleus orbis ero . the destinies will , the starres foretel , the flying fowles foreshew , that fredericke shall crush the world and keepe rome vnder awe . the pope . fata volunt , scriptura docet , peccata loquuntur , quòd tibi vita breuis , poena perēnis crit the destinies will , the scripture tels , thy sins they do foreshow , thy life but short , thy punishment endlesse tormenting wo. of pope clement the fourth , and the panormitanes . the panormi●anes sent their embassadours to the pope , to purge themselues from the guilt of the conspiracie , whereof they had bene accused as parties in that famous murder of all the frenchmen in sicilia : called the sicilian euensong . these embassadors hauing prostrated thēselues at the popes feete , beganne to say vnto him : lambe of god which takest away the sinnes of the world , haue mercie vpon vs : and graunt vs thy peace . the pope knowing them to be naturally mutinous and seditious , told them : that they did as the iewes did to christ , who hauing saluted him with hosanna in the highest , yet after many torments did crucifie him . to rebellious flatterers a seuere & rigorous answer is best befitting . of the same pope clement & his nephew . the said clement caused a nephew of his , who had three prebends , to resigne two of them , and to keep one onely . and albeit he was very earnestly sollicited by many persons , that he would suffer his nephew to enioy the said benefices , and to preferre him to more rather then to take those from him he made them this answer : he is not worthy to be the successour of s. peter , who giueth more to his kindred , then to the poore members of christ. a princ ipall part of the goods of the church is in right due to the poore . of pope boniface the eighth , and his sprinkling of ashes on his cardinals . there was in time past a certaine famous faction in italy between the guelphes and gibellines : in the which pope boniface the . fauoured the party of the guelphs . now it happened that on an ash-wednesday , the pope being to put ashes vpon the heads of the cardinals and bishops ( according to the vsage and institution of the church of rome : ) one prochet archbishoppe of genes ( who was of the faction of the gibellines , and therefore hated of boniface ) came to present him selfe on his knees before the pope , to receiue of his ashes : then boniface both changing the ordinarie words vsed in that ceremonie , and casting the ashes in to the archbishop his face : whereas the pope should haue said , memento homo quòd cinis es , & in cinerem re●●erteris : that is , remember man thou art but dust and ashes , and into dust and ashes shalt returne : he said , remember man thou art a gibelline , and die thou shalt with the gibellines . this sheweth with how great power the passion of hatred doth transport men : when it causeth euen those which should be most holy and deuout , to forget their dutie and their reuerence to god and his religion . of the same boniface , and the french king philip le bel. the same boniface being at some difference with the french king , philip the fair , touching the supreme power and authoritie in matters both ecclesiasticall and temporall : in certain letters which he sent vnto the king had these words : we will that thou shouldest know , that the whole soueraigntie both of spirituall and temporall matters in thy realme of fraunce is of right and dutie belonging to vs : and whosoeuer shall say the contrary , we repute them as fooles . the king returned him in writing this answer : philip by the grace of god king of fraunce to boniface calling himselfe pope : we will thee to take notice , that we acknowledge in our temporall affaires no superiour but god alone : and whosoeuer shall affirme the contrarie , we hold him for a foole and a sot . another conceipt of pope boniface , touching one that resembled him in countenance . pope boniface being told by one of his court , that there was a pilgrime of the country of bauyer come to rome of purpose to visite the religious places of the citie , who did altogether resemble him both in person and in countenance : boniface hauing caused him to be sent for to his presence , demaunded of him , if his mother had euer bene at rome . the pilgrime perceiuing himselfe touched with suppose of bastardie , answered : holy father , my mother was neuer in this countrie , but my father hath bin here many times . in this answer the pilgrim soberly returned that quippe vpon the pope , which he thought to haue put vpon him . of pope gregorie ; and one that praised him to his face . pope gregorie hearing one to cōmend him beyond all measure , and more then himselfe desired , said vnto him : god graunt ( my friend ) that i proue such a one as thou reportest me , and that thou be so honest a man as the opinion which thou hast of me , may be free from blame and exception . of cardinal cossa who made himselfe pope by force . after the decease of pope alexander , the cardinals being assembled in the towne of bolonia the great : and shut vp within the conclaue to chuse a new pope : the cardinall baltazar cossa bishop of that citie , being there with great forces , told the cardinals freely and plainely : that if they did not chuse such a one to be pope as should be to his liking , they should repent it . the cardinals ●●tonished at his menaces : and seeing his armed forces attending round about the conclaue , named diuerse vnto him , but none of them would content him : whereupon they being the more terrified , willed him to nominate some one , and promised that if so be he were a person capable of the place , they would receiue and admit him . with that cossa called for the popes pall , that he might set it on him whom he should chuse : which being brought and giuen vnto him , he set it on his owne shoulders , saying : i am pope . the cardinals , howbeit this act was against all law and custome , yet durst not gainesay him , but consenting to his election , they named him iohn the three and twentieth . a saying of pope alexander the fifth . pope alexander the fifth of that name , was very liberall & bountiful to the poore , and to such as were learned . and he was wont to say in his common talke : that when he was but a bishop he was rich : and being made a cardinall he became poore : but after that he came to be pope , he was a starke begger . of pope calixtus which would haue but one benefice . calixtus the third pope of that name , the yeare before he was exalted to the popedome being only bishop of valentia and cardinall : would neuer accept of any other benefice nor ecclesiasticall preferment : saying , that he was well content to haue one onely virgine to his spouse and maried wife . notable sentences of pope pius the second . pope pius the second was wont to say , that in a towne of libertie , euery man may speake liberally and freely . being told on a time , that a certaine person had spoken very badly of him : he answered the partie reporting it : if thou hadst bene in campo de fier , thou shouldest haue heard many others , who would haue spoken farre worse of me . in esteeming more of good books then of riches , he was wont to say : that the most sumptuous & richest iewels and precious stones which he had , were inclosed within his books . his saying was : that by counsell a man might prouide remedie for any misfortunes or mishaps : like as in diseases there needed nothing but med●cine , yet so as it be taken in time and place conuenient . he said : that the lawes had the force and vertue to bridle the common & inferior sort of people : but they had little or no command ouer the richer and greater persons : and that the great affairs of princes were not vsually determined or decided by the lawes , but by force of armes . ignorant and vnlearned persons ( said he ) are easily led and moued with eloquent and artificial speeches : but wise men are nothing moued therewithall . he was wont to say : that phisitions ought not to demaund money of their patients , but their health . of sutes in law he had a saying : that the suters or clients are the birds : the courts or places of pleas , are the fields : the ludges are the nets : and the aduocates are the birders . he said : that men ought to be bestowed vpon dignities , and not dignities vpon men . an ignorant bishop he compared to an asse . ignorant ph●sitions ( quoth he ) kill the bodie : and ignorant priests destroy the soules of their patients . he that is too hastie and easie in pardoning the follies of his child , nourisheth to himselfe an enemie . a couetous man is not pleasing to men liuing , nor doth any good till himselfe be dead . a luxurious and riotous life doth at all times spoile a man , but in old age it vtterly killeth him . lying is a most base and seruile kind of vice . a sentence of pope innocent . pope innocent the eighth was wōt to say : that it was not fit to make warre to get glorie , or for conquest : but onely to purchase peace and quietnesse . the titles which pope iulius gaue vnto his seruants . pope iulius the second of that name , had his houshold seruants of sundry nations . and when he took his repast in priuate , he would for his sport and recreation call those spaniards that attended him , the birds of the aire : because he reputed them vaineglorious and great boasters , and desirous of the vpper hand . the venetians and genowaies , he named the fishes of the sea , because they frequēted the seas : and many times the fishes fed vpon their dead bodies . the almaines he named the beasts of the field : iudging them to be void of vnderstanding . the french men he termed winepissers . wherupon it happened that once a certaine norman ( one of his tasters ) merily said vnto him : holy father , then are you a right frenchman . wherfore said the pope ? because ( quoth he ) you are the greatest winepisser of all others : if all the frēch of the world were together the speech of pope iulius the second , touching his deuise in warres . this pope was a man that delighted greatly in warres , the which he did ordinarily nourish & mainetaine betweene many princes : and in especiall against the king of fraunce . on a time some of his court said vnto him : holy father , many great personages do thinke it straunge , that you shold be so desirous to entertain warres , considering the dignities of that calling wherein god hath placed you , which ought to be an estate of peace and quietnesse : and seeing god hath committed vnto you the keyes by which you should shut vp the way to discord , and open it to peace and amitie : but you do quite contrarie . whereunto the pope gaue them this answer : they which vsed those speeches vnto you , say they know not what . haue you not heard how s. peter and s. paul were companions , and had but one church betweene them . my predecessours vsed ●aint peters key : and now will i helpe my selfe with s. pauls sword . one of the parties replyed vnto him : you know holy father , that our lord said vnto saint peter : put vp thy sword into thy sheath . the pope answered : true but that was after saint peter had first striken with the sword . this sh●vv●th that the said pope vvas altogether a martialist . of a cardinall that had his vvhole delight in siud●e . o●to de varis seeing iulian the cardinall of s. angel ( who was president in the councel of basil ) to spend most of his time in the reading of ancient bookes : he said vnto him : sir , why do you liue so solitarie , and spend your time amongst the dead of former ages ? come i pray and passe your daies with vs that are aliue . the cardinal answered : you mistake the matter cleane contrarie . for these auncients do now liue by their learning and rare knowledge : wheras you liue not , but be as dead men , both in your name and in your works : and passe away your life time according to the nature of bruite beastes . the life of the spirit consisteth in contēplation of learned vvritings , vvhich are the true monuments , reliques , and testimonies of such as haue for●gone vs in vertue and knovvledge . of the archbishop of colaine , and a countrey pesant . a certaine old man a poore laborer of the countrey seeing the archbishop of coiaine to ride throgh the fields , armed and accompanied with armed forces , fell out of a loud laughing whereupon being demanded wherefore he laughed : he answered : because he wondered that s. peter , christs vicar in the church being exceeding poore , had left his successors so rich and wealthie : and that their traines should be more furnished with men at armes , then with church men . the archbishop desirous that the fellow should haue better knowledge of him in his place & dignitie , told him : that he was not onely an archbishop but a duke also : and that as a duke he rode so accompanied with a traine of men at armes : howbeit when he was in his church , then he was attended on as an archbishop . sir ( said the labourer ) i pray tell me : when my lord the duke shall be with the diuell : what shall then become of the archbishop ? tvvo heads vpon one bodie , is a thing monstrous in nature . of the bishop of chartres and the french king , levvis the eleuenth . king levvis the eleuenth , seeing on a time miles bishop of chartres mounted vpō a mule with trappings of veluet , and his bridle richly gilded , told him : that the bishops of elder ages were content to ride on an asse , and with a simple collar . o , ( quoth the bishop ) that was when kings were shepheards and did keep sheepe . the king replyed : i speake not of the bishops of the old testament , but of those vnder the new . the bishop answered . i but that was when kings were great giuers of almes , and did vse to set poore lazers with them at their tables , and to wash the feet of the poore . of the same bishop , and certaine priests vvhich he met . the same bishop encountring with two or three priests passing through the fields , said vnto them : god saue you my maisters and clerkes : the priests answered : we are not clerkes ( sir ) we are priestes . the bishop replyed : then god saue you my maisters and priestes , no clerkes . a conceipted speech of the abbot of baigne . king l●vvis the eleuenth demanded of the abbot of baigne to haue his abbey for some small recompence : but the abbot being wily , said vnto the king : sir , i haue spent almost forty yeares in learning the two first letters of the alphabet . a. b. and i shall neede as long time to learne the two next letters , c. d. by the equiuocation of these foure letters in alluding a. b. to the vvord abbey , and c. d. to the latin vvord cede vvhich signifieth to yeeld vp : his meaning vvas , that as he had bene fortie yeares ere he attained to the dignitie of an abbot : so he vvould vvillingly keepe it other fortie yeares cre he vvould yeeld it vp . a saying of pope adrian the fifth . pope adrian being demaunded , what was the greatest plague which he would wish to his enemie , and not wish him dead : he answered . the greatest mischiefe i would wish him , is that he were pope , because i hold that to be a maruellous affliction and vexation of spirit . all kind of authoritie vvherein a man hath a care and conscience to do his dutie , should be rather refused for the charge , then desired for hope of gaine . the absolution of the king of portugal . emanuel king of portugal withheld from a bishop of his kingdome the reuenues of his bishoprick : whereof the bishop complained to the pope : who in fauour of the bishop sent a legate to the king , to cause him to make restitution or to excommunicate him . the legate vpon the matter hauing denounced sentence of excommunication , and being on his way to returne , the king enraged at the censure , mounted on horsebacke to follow the legate , and hauing ouertaken him , he drew out his sword and threatned to kill him , vnlesse he would absolue him : which the legate hauing done ; the king retired to his court , and the legate went on to rome : where being come , and hauing made report vnto the pope of the successe of his iourney : the pope reproued him very sharpely for yeelding to absolue the king . the legate answered : most holy father , if you had bene in daunger of your life as i was , you would haue giuen the king absolution double and treble . feare of death may make a man sometimes do do that vvhich he ought not vvithout regard both of honour and dutie . of charles the great , and his edicts . the emperour charlemaine did vse to weare his seale of armes engrauen in the pomell of his sword : and he was wont to say , whensoeuer he set his seale to any letters of edict , ordinances or commissions : see this is the sword that shall maintaine my ordinances : & which shall make warre against those who shall contradict mine edicts . it is not a matter of so great importance to establish and make good lavves & decrees : as it is to cause them to be kept and obserued . of the sentence vvhich the emperour fredericke gaue against the citizens of milan . the emperour fredericke barbarossa making war in italy , compelled them of milan to yeeld themselues in subiection to the empire . the empresse his wife desirous to be seene of the citizens , entred into the citie in great pompe and magnificence : supposing that she had bene there in good securitie . but the milanois being ill affectioned to the emperour , and bearing a grudge against him in their hearts , in regard he had subdued them , they tooke the empresse and set her vpon a mule , with her face towards the taile , the which they made her hold betweene her hands in steed of a b●idle : and being so mounted , they caused her to ride out at another gate of the citie then that where she made her entrie . the emperour highly incensed , and that iustly with this outrage , did besiege their citie , and pressed them so hard , that he constrained them to yeeld vnto him bodie and goods , with this condition : that they which would saue their liues , should take or catch with their teeth certaine figges hanging betweene the genitals of a mad kicking mule. many of them preferred death before a shamefull life : the residue that were more desirous of life , then carefull of their honour , accepted & performed the conditiō . and hereof is sprong that prouerbe vsed in mocquerie amongst the italians : when putting one finger betweene two others , they say : see here is a figge for thee . the common saying is : a dull asse must haue a sharpe spurre : a rebellious people must haue a reuengefull prince . the threats of charles the bald . the empire being in controuersie betweene king charles the bald and his nephewes the children of loys , kings of germany : he sent a message vnto them , to let them vnderstand , that he would bring such huge numbers of men at armes ouer the rhine , as their horses shold drink that riuer so drie , that they should be able to passe it and not wet their feete . of theodosius the emperour and his decree . the emperour theodosius being highly incensed with the thessalonians , for that they had slaine one of his knights within the theater . he was determined to haue put all the inhabitants of thessalonica to the sword : but being disswaded from the act : after he had wel bethought himselfe he repented him of his determination . and thereupon he made a law : that from thencefoorth , when any sentence of death , or other punishment should be giuen or pronounced vpon any offender , either by the prince , or by any inferiour iudge his lieutenant , the execution of the iudgement for three daies after should be deferred : to the intent there might be place left , on the one part for repentance , and on the other for mercie . the act of theodosius for the repressing of his choler . whensoeuer his choler grew to be enflamed , he would suddenly withdraw himselfe out of company : and being alone would pronounce ouer all the letters of the alphabet ech after other with great leasure : to the intent that in meane time his wrath and anger might wax cold , and be asswaged . he that cannot subdue his choler by nature , must do it by art and cunning of the emperour sigismond and a page of his chamber . the emperour sigismond , and one of the pages of his chambet , passing ouer a certaine riuer at a foord on horseback : when they were in the middest of the the riuer , the emperours horse stood still and began to stale : which the page seeing , he said vnto the emperour : most sacred prince , your horse is ill taught , and resembleth you very well . the emperour answered neuer a word , but rode● on towards his lodging : where being come , and in pulling off his bootes , he demaunded of his page , why he had likened his horse vnto him . because ( quoth the page ) the riuer had no need of any water , yet your horse in pissing there , did adde water vnto water : & so do you : for you giue wealth and riches to thē which haue plenty , but to such as haue none you giue not any . it is now a long time that i haue bene in your seruice , and yet did i neuer tast of your liberality . the next morning the emperour tooke two little iron coffers both of a greatnesse & like weight : the one of them being full of duckets , and the other of lead : & putting them vpon a table , he said vnto his page : here be two coffers , make thy choise of the two which thou shalt like best , and take it for thy wages and recompence of thy seruice . the page chusing that which was full of lead : the emperour said , now open it , and see what is within it : which he did , and found it to be but lead . then said the emperour : now thou knowest thy fortune : the fault was none of mine , that thy choise was no better , and that thou wert not made rich : for thou ●ast refused thy good fortune when it was offered thee . some are poore through their ovvne default , because vvhen occasion is offered to enrich themselues , they k●ovv not hovv to take their time and to lay hold of it . diuerse notable sentences of the same sigismond . the said emperor being demanded , what kind of man he esteemed most fitte and worthie to be a king : such a one ( quoth he ) as neither glorieth in his good fortunes , nor is daunted with aduersitie . when one complained vnto him , that the citie of constance in almaine , had not free vse of their liberties and franchises : he answered : if they had not great libertie in the towne of cōstance , thou which art one of that citie , wouldest not speake vnto me so liberally : for franknesse of speech is a signe of libertie . he said also : that as god would be both loued and feared : so should kings and princes be : for there can hardly be any true loue where there is no feare . there be three degrees of persons who ought to be both loued & honoured . frst , god aboue all , and in all places . secondly , kings and princes in their kingdomes and estates . and lastly , parents and maisters in their priuate families . the same prince hearing one to praise him to his face , beyond all measure more then he well liked of , and to resemble him to god : he stroke him on the cheeke : and the partie saying vnto him : wherefore doth your maiestie strike me ? he answered : wherefore doest thou bite me ? he had an ordinarie saying : that kings should be exceeding happie in this world : if all proud persons were chased out of their courts : and that they were followed and attended with none but such as were courteous and mercifull . he said also : that those were to be held for sage and wise persons , who could modestly endure any reasonable iest or mocquerie : and that those who were prompt in pretie iests and meriments , were to be reputed men of a good spirit . the ansvver vvhich barba the vvidovv of sigismond , made to those that persvvaded her to continue a vvidovv . after that the emperour sigismond was deceased , the ladie barba his widow was perswaded by one to liue still a widowe , in imitation of the example of the turtle , which after the death of the male , doth keepe continuall chastitie . whereunto she made this answer : if so be thou wilt counsel me to follow the conditions of the birdes of the aire which are destitute of reason : why doest not thou as well tell me of the doue and the sparrow . a sentence of the emperour rodulph the first . rodulph emperor , who first translated the empire of almaine into the house of austria : as he was deuising with his familiar friends vpon that matter , how the same had bene effected : it is no maruell ( said he ) if they be accompted fooles that know not how to raigne : for there is not any man liuing that iudgeth himselfe to be a foole . a sentence of the emperour albert. the emperour albert , was wont to say : that the delight of hunting was an exercise fit for a man : but dauncing and leaping did appertaine to women . and howbeit he could temper himselfe to abstaine from all other pleasures ; yet he could not restraine himselfe from the exercise of hunting . the fable of the emperour fred●ricke the third , propounded to the embassadour of k●ng levvis the eleuenth . charles duke of burgundy hauing planted his siege before the city of nuce , which was succoured by the emperour fredericke the third and the almaines : king levvis the eleuenth of france ( who sought nothing more then the ruine of the said duke of burgundie ) sent his embassadour to the emperour fredericke to practise and perswade with him to seize and confiscate into his owne hands all those lands and seignories which the duke of burgundie held of the empire : and that he for his part wold do the like for the countries of flanders , artois , burgundie , and others dependants of the crowne of fraunce . the emperour vpon this motion , made the ambassadour this answer . neare vnto a certaine citie in almain did once haunt a most cruell and dāgerous beare , which did many mischiefes and displeasures to the inhabitants adioyning . now it happened that three merrie companions ( as they were drinking in a tauerne , & hauing litle mony to pay their shot ) they agreed with their host to make sale of the beares skinne , and to pay him out of the money : and for the performance thereof , they prepared themselues presently to go and take him . the bargaine being made and the dinner ended , they put thēselues in quest of the beast : and approching to the caue where he was lodged : the beare issued out vpon them so fiercely : that being surprised with a sudden feare , one of them fled away backe towards the towne : another saued himselfe by climing of a tree : and the third being ouertaken by the beare , fell downe vnder him as dead . and the beare ( without doing him any other hurt ) did often put his mouth to the eares of the poore fellow , who all the while held his wind , and abstained from breathing : for the nature of the beare is not to touch or to offend any dead bodie . now the beare being gone , the man got vp and went his way also : after which he that was aloft in the tree came downe , and hauing ouertaken his companion , demanded of hm : what it was that the beare told him in his eare : marrie ( quoth the fellow ) he bad me , that i should neuer after vse to sell a beares skin , till the beast were dead . by this fable the emperor payed the embassadour with an answer : as if he should haue said : let vs first be sure to take the duke , and then afterwards let vs make partition of his dominiōs . graue sentences and answers of the emperour fredericke . the emperour fredericke being demaunded : whom he accompted his greatest friends : he answered : those men which feare me lesse then god. being likewise asked what he thought was the best thing which could happen to a man : he answered : a happie and good departure out of this mortall life . if the end of a mans life be not good and in the feare of god , all the rest is little worth . he said : that those princes which are giuen to be cruell and too rigorous , haue great cause to feare death : for with the same iudgement they haue adiudged others in their life , themselues are like to be adiudged after their death . the same fredericke hauing subdued the guntians a people in hungarie : he said , we haue now done a great deed : it remaines yet that we do another deede more great : that is : that we vanquish our selues , by refraining from auarice , and from the desire of reuenge . this emperour fredericke did bring vp in his court , euen from an infant , ladislaus the sonne of the king of hung●rie and of boheme : and there were m●ny which perswaded and counselled him to ●●ke away the child , and to put him to dea●h : because in processe of time , his life might cause him great hurt and hinderance : and by his death , he might succeede him in his realmes and riches . to whom the emperour made this answer : i perceiue then , that you had rather haue me a rich king , then a iust prince and a pitifull . but for my part i had rather haue an honourable report and good renowme , then all the riches and treasures of the world . a sentence of martian . martian emperour of constantinople , would neuer enterprize any warres , except it were vpon great necessitie : saying : that whatsoeuer prince would liue in peace and quietnesse , he ought not in any case to entertaine warres . the title of otho the third . otho the third of that name emperour of almaine , was of so great a spirite : as he was commonly called : the wonder of the world . the praise of septimius seuerus . septimius seuerus , emperour of rome , was a prince so well beloued , and ruled so well and commendably , that the senate said of him : that it had bene good , either that he had neuer bene borne , or that he might neuer dye . a sentence of alexander seuerus . alexander seuerus the romaine emperour , whensoeuer he appointed any one to be punished opēly , he caused the common cryer with a loud voice to pronounce this sentence : do not that to another , which thou wouldest not haue done to thee . and the same sentence did he cause to be engrauen in his pallace , & in the publique edifices . a sentence of gordian . gordian the younger , emperour of rome : had a saying somtimes : that the emperour of all other men is most miserable : because commonly the truth is concealed from him . the answer of maximilian to one that would be made a gentleman . the emperor maximilian being at bologna : a citizen of that citie , exceeding rich and wealthie , but of base parentage , presented himself before the emperour , saying : may it please your sacred maiestie to make and create me a gentleman : for i haue wealth sufficient to maintaine the state and degree of a gentleman . the emperor answered him : i can make thee much more rich thē thou art , but it is not in my power to make thee noble : for that is an honour which thou must purchase by thy owne proper vertue . an answer of maximilian to one that demaunded an almes of him . a certaine poore man very ill appointed , entred into the pallace of the emperour , and required that he might haue accesse to his maiestie to speake with him : which being denyed him , he continued notwithstanding so to importune the vshers : that the emperour willed the poore man to be brought vnto him , to whom he said : most sacred emperour : you and i are brothers borne of one father , adam : and of one mother eue : and you see my pouertie : may it therefore please your excellencie to enlarge my estate , and to bestow some wealth vpon me , as ech brother is bound to do one for another . the emperour noting the rashnesse and follie of this fellow , caused a small peece of money to be giuen him : where at the poore man making shew but of small contentment , because he found his hope frustrate , in regard of that great liberalitie which he expected . the emperour said vnto him : me thinkes thou sholdest hold thy self contented with that which i haue giuen thee : for true it is ( as thou saidest , ) we are all brothers : and if all the rest of our brethren would giue thee as much as i haue done , thou wouldest be much more rich , and a greater lord then i am . the wish of the same maximilian . as he was one day deuising with his familiar friends , and discoursing of empires , realmes , and seignories : if it were possible for a man to be god : and my selfe were so , hauing two sonnes , i would desire , that the eldest might be god after me : & that the second might be king of fraunce . of the act of the emperour charles the fifth , when he was to make a voyage into barbarie . charles the fifth emperor of that name , being in a readinesse to depart vpon his first voyage into barbarie , to the kingdome of thunis against barbarossa : and desirous to prouide a generall for the armie : and finding none whom he held sufficient : he tooke the image of the crucifixe : and in a generall assembly of his whole armie , li●ting the same as high as he could , said : our lord ●esus christ shall be chiefta●e & captaine generall of this enterprize , being so glorious , so holy , and so honourable . a notable sentence of constantine the emperour . constantine ducas the son of andronicus , emperour of constantinople , was not in any sort himselfe learned : and yet he did so exceedingly loue both learning and men of knowledge , that he was wont to say : i hold it farre better to be made noble and excellent by learning , then by the possession of the empire . a speech of the emperour henry touching his contentment . the emperour henry the first of that name , of the house of saxonie : before that he came to be crowned in italy , or to receiue the ceremonious titles of the empire . howbeit that the pope had offered him the imperiall crowne and diademe , and to annoint him emperour : yet he neither accepted nor refused it : saying vnto his people : it sufficeth me that by the g●ace of god and you , i haue the name of emperour . none of my predecessors and auncestours hauing euer had the honour to attaine thereunto . the charitie of the emperour tiberius . the emperour tiberius constantine , a thracian borne , being reprehended by his wife sophia augusta because he distributed in great abundance to the poore , all the treasures which she and her first husband iustin had gathered together in many yeares : he answered her : my trust is in god , that our treasure shall be neuer a whit the lesse , for being distributed to the releefe of the poore , and the redeeming of captiues and prisoners . for in so doing , we gather that great treasure , whereof our lord iesus christ spake in the sixt chapter of saint mathevv his gospell , saying . lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen , where neither mothes nor wormes can corrupt thē , nor theeues can do you any dammage by stealing them . the saying of the same tiberius at the time of his deaeh to his son in law . the same tiberius perceiuing the time of his death to approch , by the connsell and aduice of the empresse sophia , pronounced for his successour to the empire mauritius , one borne in cappadocia : and giuing vnto him in mariage his daughter , with the imperiall vestures and ornaments , he said : here i deliuer vnto thee both my empire , and this maiden for thy wife : wishing thee to serue thee of her so , as may be for thy good and benefite : and that aboue all things thou remember to maintaine equitie and iustice . the fairest flower of a princes crowne , is iustice : by which kings do raigne . of a duke of freeze , vvhich vvould not be baptized . roboald duke of freezeland , at the preaching of vval●●●n archbishop of sens , had determined to haue bene baptized : to which end being stripped out of his garments , as he stood naked and had put one foot into the water , he bethought himselfe and asked the standers by , what was become of his parents and friends deceased , whe●her they were in paradise or in hel . answer was made him : that doubtlesse they were all damned in hell , and that not any of them was in paradise , because they were not christians . at this speech he suddenly drew backe his foote , and contrarie to the expectation of all the assembly , said aloft : that he would not be baptized : but that he would goe after his death , where he knew he should find most of his friends . and the same day he dyed suddenly . the revvard vvhich clouis king of fraunce , gaue to those vvhich had betrayed their maister . clouis the first christian king of fraunce , hauing warres with richer duke of cambray , a man of very bad conditions and lewd life : the barrons of the said duke promised the king , that if he would come and deliuer battell to their lord , they would betake themselues to flight , & leaue their lord to be taken prisoner . the king clouis , for the effecting of this enterprize , sent vnto the traitors a number of corcelets of copper very richly guilt : and the plot being executed according to the agreement , richer was taken and put to death after which the traitors being aggrieued that the presents which the king had sent them were of so small valure : they complained vnto him , saying : that they were but badly recompenced : to whome the king answered , not without discretiō : do you not konw how sufficiently i haue rewarded you , in giuing you your liues ? in your own iudgements thinke with what torments they deserue to be punished which haue betrayed their lord and maister . wherefore hold it for no small benefite and fauour , that i suffer you to liue : and get you hence speedily , if you be not wearie of your liues . where at the traitors being abashed , they soone withdrew themselues frō his presence . of the shame which aulilia did vnto her sonne thierrie , whereby she was a cause of his victorie . thierry being generall for the emperour zenon in italy : and hauing bene defeated by odo●cer king of the herules , fled towards rauenna . on the way being met by his mother aulilia , and she perswading him to returne againe to the field , and to renue the battell : and seeing him to make a difficultie so to do : she said vnto him : my sonne beleeue me , and assure thyself , thou hast neither castle nor fortres where thou canst be safe , except i take vp my clothes , and suffer thee to returne againe into my belly from whence thou hadst thy first being . thierry being both ashamed , and enflamed at this speech of his mother , reassembled his armie , returned to the place of battell : and finding his enemies in disorder , by reason of their first victorie : he charged in vpon them and defeated them fevv vvords vvell spoken and vvell taken , cause great matters be put in execution . of the good counsell which a gentleman gaue vnto the same thierry , lieutenant to zenon the emperour , vnder the couerture of a fable : by meanes whereof , thi●●●y made himselfe king of italy . thierry was accused vnto the emperour zenon by some enuious persons , that he affected the empire : whereupon the emperour sent for him home to constantinople , & there held him prisoner : till such time as being put to his triall he purged him selfe . within a while after , he was againe accused for the same matter : & being commaunded by the emperour to make his repaire vnto him , who was purposed to put him to death : he sent a messenger to the emperours court , vnto one tolomee his great friend and familiar , to vnderstand his opinion , if he held it good for him to come to the court or not . tolomee in regard of his oath made vnto the emperour , durst not reueale the secret of the emperours purpose vnto the messenger of thierry : but appointing him to attend the emperor at dinner time : he streightly charged him to marke well what he should heare him there say ▪ to the intent he might rehearse the same vnto his maister that sent him . the next day , the emperour sitting at his table , and keeping open state , tolomee ( who was one of his nearest fauorities ) deuising with him of many things as they were at meate , let fall this fable of set purpose . the lion ( quoth he ) being chosen king by the other beasts : they all came to do him reuerence : the hart ( which is a goodly beast ) approching to salute him with the rest , and bending himselfe before him , the lion tooke him by the hornes purposing to deuoure him : but the hart drew away his head with that strength and force as he escaped and saued himselfe . the reinard seeing the lion to frown , & to grow in a great rage , because the hart had escaped him , did promise the lion to cause the hart to come backe againe . and vpon the matter , he did so flatter the hart with so many sweet and sugred words , that he drew him backe againe to the lion , to whom he doing reuerence as before , the lion seized vpon his horns , and the other beasts falling also vpon him , so as he was soone deuoured . the reinard pulling out his heart ▪ did secretly eate it . each of the beasts sought very earnestly for his heart to make a present of it to the king : but the same not being to be found , the blame was laid vpon the renard with great threats and stripes : alas ( quoth the reinard ) i am wrongfully punished : for the hart had no hart at all : for if he had had any , he would neuer haue returned to be slain and deuoured . this tale being marked and vnderstood by the messenger , he returned to thie●●y , to whom he recited what he had heard : whereby he was aduertized not to returne any more to the emperour : and within a while after he made himselfe king of italy . a sentence of king attila and his titles attila king of the gothes , was wont to say : that the griefe which he had conceiued in loosing of riches , was greater then al the pleasure that he euer took in possessing of them . amongst many other titles which he esteemed excellent , he chiefly bore this to be called : the feare of the world : and the scourge of god. the words of clotarius king of fraunce , at the time of his death . clotarius the first of that name , king of fraunce , at the time of his death fell into these speeches , saying often : vuach , auach : how great is this king of heauen , that thus killeth and causeth to dye the most great and mightie kings and princes of the world ? to men that are too much in loue with the world , the tast of death is very bitter . the sentence of pope zacharie , concerning the electing of the king of fraunce . pepin maister of the pallace of the king of fraunce , sent his ambassadours to pope zacharie , to haue his aduice whom he held to be most worthie to be king : either him , who for the profite and common good of the realme , did expose himselfe to all turmoile and trauell : or him that liuing in idlenesse and slouth , had no care or regard of the common-wealth , neither to augment it nor to defend it . the pope returned him in writing this answer : that he was the fittest person to raigne , and to be entitled king , which tooke vpon him the charge and managing of the publique affaires , both for the defence of the realme , and for the maintaining of iustice . the french being informed of this answer , deposed their king childericke , and thrusting him into a monasterie , elected pepin king of fraunce in his stead . the pleasant message of philip king of france , to vvilliam duke of normandy , and king of england with his answer . philip the first of that name , k●ng of fraunce , being resolued to make warre against vvilliam the ba●stard duke of normandie that conquered england , who had lien long sicke of a great swelling in his belly , sent him word : that he neuer before heard of any woman in normandie , that lay so long in childbed as he had done : and that if he might vnderstād the time of his vpris●ng , he would prouide him of lights against his churching . the duke returned him this answer : that he would not faile to let him vnderstand of his vprising : and that he meant to come in person into fraunce , where himselfe would cause a solemne masse to be song at his churching : and that for lights , he would prouide a thousand torches without waxe , whose s●aues shold be of wood , and a thousand launces tipt with steel , to giue fire to those torche● by the torches without waxe and of wood , he meant houses , tovvnes , & villages , vvhich he vvould set on fire : and by the launces , he meant men at armes . of the letters of promise which the same william duke of normandie , sent vnto the earle of flanders . the same vvilliam duke of normandie hauing a determinatiō , to make a conquest of england , as being his right , in that it was giuen vnto him by king edvvard the confessour : he required diuerse great princes of fraunce and elsewhere to aide him in that enterprize both with mē and mony . amongst others he prayed the earle of flaunders ( whose sister he had marryed ) to aide him in that exploit . the earle demaunded of him , what part he should haue in the kingdome of england , if the duke should conquer it● . the duke answered him : that he would send him wor● thereof in writing . after which the duke being now readie to depart out of normandie vpon his intended voyage , he caused a faire peece of white parchment without any writing within it , to be folded and closed vp in forme of a letter : vpon the which for an inscription , he caused to be written these two verses : sending them in way of a scoffe to the earle of flaunders : beaufrere , d'angleterre aurez ce que cy dedans trouuerez . faire brother , of england your portiō shall bee that which here within written you shall see . another conceipt of vvilliam the conquerour , at his landing in england . vvhen the same duke had passed the seas to the conquest of england , the first fortune that befell him in his landing , was : that in leaping out of his shippe , he fell flat vpon the sands , and the first part of his bodie that touched the ground were his hands . the which accident some of his people interpreting to be a signe of ill fortune : ●ush ( quoth he out aloud ) assure your selues my maisters , that this is the seizin an●d possession of this kingdome , which god hath giuen me : and it is his wil that i shal take it with both my hands : because by the aide both of him and you , i make no doubt but to conquer it . and his successe was answerable to his hope : for he came to be king , and left the crowne of england to his posterity . of king l●vvis the grosse , and baldvvin earle of mons. king lewis the grosse h●auing appointed the duke vvilliam of normandie to be earle of flaunders : baldvvin earle of mons in heynault , pretending right thereunto , said vnto the king : that he had wrong done him : for that the earledome did appertaine vnto him . he demaunded with great instance to haue the combat graunted him against those that should dare to auerre the contrarie . the king said vnto him : it is against me thē that you must haue the combat : for the seignorie which you claime and striue for , is mine owne proper right and inheritance . he that contendeth against his lord and maister , must needes haue the worst of the quarrell . a braue speech of king levvis the grosse . the same king of fraunce taking part with hely earle of maine , against henry king of england in a certaine battell fought between thē , found himselfe farre seuered frō his people . a certain english knight seeing him , and being in hope to make himselfe rich by taking the king prisoner , he laid hold vpon the reines of the kings horse with intēt to stay him and began to cry with a loud voice : the king is taken . the king being valiant and of a noble courage , at one blow with his sword ouerthrew the knight dead to the ground : & seeing him fall , he said : it is not one man alone , that in chesse play , can giue the king the mate . of an inuention found by king levvis , to punish the earle of vermandois . levvis king of fraunce , the sonne of king charles the simple , desiring to be reuenged for the death of his said father , who dyed in the castle of peronne , being there imprisoned by h●bert the earle of vermandois his subiect : and being at laudun with a great assembly of the lords and nobles of fraunce , whom he had reconciled vnto him , he vsed a fine deuice to bring about his purpose : for he had caused one to be attired like an englishman , who being well instructed in that which he had to do , came i●post to the court , and required to be instantly admitted to the presence of the kings councell , for the deliuerie of certaine letters to the king frō the king of england . the partie being entred into the councell chamber , presented the letters to the king , which himselfe had before caused to be written and as the secretarie read them to the king with a soft and low voyce , the king began to smile : wherof the princes and lords there present demaunded the occasion . now i see well ( quoth the king ) that the english are not a people of any great wisedome : for our cousin harmant king of england hath written me here : that there is in his countrey a labouring man , who hauing inuited his maister to his house to dine with him , caused him to be slaine : & he hath sent to demaund your counsell ( my maisters ) what punishment this fellow hath deserued . thibaut earle of bloys was the first that gaue his sentence , saying : that albeit the man was worthie of many grieuous torments , yet the most ignominious and shameful death that he could adiudge him , was , that he ought to be hanged and strangled on a gibbet . to this sentence all the rest of the lords there present did consent : and the county hebert of vermandois also who had no sooner ended his speech , but he was apprehended by the kings officers , there prouided in a readinesse . and the king said vnto him : hebert , thou art this wicked labourer , which hast caused thy lord and maister the king charles my father to be put to death : now therefore receiue the punishment which thou hast iustly deserued , and which thou hast denounced against thy self . this said , hebert was hanged on a gibbet vpon the toppe of a mountaine nere lodun : which at this day is commonly called mount hebert . of the wine which philip augustus king of fraunce presented to the barons and captaines of his army . philip augustus king of france , cōducting his armie against the emperour otho in the yeare . & being by necessitie constrained to ioyne battell with him : he tooke a great cup or bowle of gold , which he caused to be filled with wine & sops of bread . after turning himself to the princes and great lords of fraunce which were with him , he said vnto them : my friends and companions in armes : you which are resolued to liue and dye with me this day : take ech of you one of these lops of bread dipt in wine , and eate the same as i haue done before you . he had no sooner spoken the word , but the cup was emptie in an instant . and immediatly the battell being ioyned , he gained the victorie at bouines , where the emperour was put to flight : and the earle of flanders with diuerse other great lords remained prisoners . the titles vvhich the king saint levvis of fraunce gaue himselfe . the king s. levvis being demanded by certain of his lords , with what title he would chuse to be honoured in imitation of the old romane emperors , and of other forrain kings , & the kings of france his predecessors : who for some notable acts or victories had purchased vnto thēselues diuerse titles of honours , he answered : the greatest victorie which i euer obtained was against the diuel , at such time as i was baptized in the church of poissi . and therefore the greatest honour which i would haue done me , is : that men should cal me , levvis of poissi . of the same levvis . a certaine priuate friend of his did blame him , for that in writing his priuate and familiar letters , he did not entitle himselfe king of fraunce , but loys of poissi . to whom he said : i am like the king which mē chuse with the beane at twelfetide , who commonly doth obserue the feast of his royaltie in the euening . his meaning vvas , that the crovvne vvhich he expected vvas the kingdom of heauen : and by the euening , he meant the end of this mortall life . the desire that saint levvis had to cut off all blasphemies out of his kingdome . king levvis hauing caused one ( who had blasphemed the name of god ) to be marked in the lippes with a hote burning iron : and hearing that some of his subiects did murmure at it : he said openly in the hearing of a great multitude : i wold to god that i my selfe were so marked with a hote iron on my lippes , on the condition that there were no oathes nor blasphemies vsed within my realme whensoeuer he began to speake or to do any thing , and especially when he was set in councell , the first thing he vsed to do , was to blesse himsel●e with the signe of the crosse , in calling vpon the name of god. for his saying was : that his mother had so taught him euen from his infancie . of the instructions vvhich the king saint levvis of fraunce gaue vnto his sonne philip. my sonne , the first lesson which i giue thee is : to loue god with all thy hart , with all thy strēgth , and with all thy soule . offend not god in any case . suffer any torments rather then sin . take patiently whatsoeuer aduersitie god shall send thee : and thanke god for it , acknowledging that thou hast deserued it . confesse thy selfe often to some good man , a minister of the church . be diligēt to heare the deuine seruice song in the church of god. obserue carefully the good customes of thy kingdome : but take away such as are euill . raise not any taxes or tallages vpon thy subiects , but vpon great necessitie . entertaine those into thy seruice who feare god : loue iustice and hate couetousnesse . desire not that thy iudges should giue iudgement for thee in any cause against thy subiects , farther then reason and truth will iustifie . preserue the cities and townes of thy kingdome in their franchises and liberties , wherein thy predecessours before thee , haue maintained them . giue the benefices and offices of thy kingdom to good men , and such as are capable of them . moue not warre against any christian : and if any offence be committed , thou oughtest to pardon it being required . in places of iustice and iudgment see thou prouide such as are good men and godly . make diligent enquirie of thy houshold seruants , whether they be addicted to couetousnesse or to prodigalitie . be thou such a one in thy life and conuersation , as men may take good example by thee . for as the head is , such commonly are the members . take good heede that the expences of thy house be moderate and in measure . and the blessing of god be alwaies with thee . a notable saying of philip the faire , king of fraunce . philip le bel , king of fraunce , hauing a certaine quarrell against pope boniface the eight : ( wherof hath bene before spoken ) and being vrged by some to take reuenge of the bishop of palmers , who was the principall procurer and perswader of the contentiō between thē : he made thē this answere : that it was a greater glorie for any prince of courage and magnanimitie to pardon those of whom he might easily take reuenge , then to execute reuenge vpon them . of king philip de valois , vvho confirmed the lavv salique by the scriptures . charles le bel , king of faunce , being deceased without heire male , edvvard the third king of england , intitled himselfe king and inheritour of fraunce , in the right of his mother isabel , sister to the said king charles . philip de valois being the next heire male , opposed himself against the title of king edvvard , and obtained the kingdome by colour of the law salique which excludeth women from the crowne of france : and ( as the common saying of the french is ) suffereth it not to fall to the distaffe . and amongst many authorities cited for the iustification of that law , he alleadged for one these words of the holy scripture : consider the lilies of the field , hovv they do grovv , and do neither labour nor spinne . of the latin verses , vvhich king edvvard and king philip de valois sent each to other . after that king edvvard of england had quartered the armes of fraunce with those of england , & had ioyned the three flowers deluce in a field azure , with the three lions or , in a field of gules , the report goeth that he sent to king philip d● valois these foure verses : which howsoeuer they might be thought of in that age , at this day are held but barbarous : vz. rex sum regnorum bina ratione duorū . anglorū r●gno sum rex ego iure paterno . matri● iure quidem francorū nuncupor idem . hinc est armorum variatio facta meorū . to these verses of king edward , king philip replyed in other sixe as good stuffe as the former . praedo regnorum qui diceris ess●duorum , francorū regno priuaberis atque paterno . matris vbique nullumius proles non habet vllum . iure mariti carens alia , mulier est prior illa , succendunt mares huic regno , non mulieres , hinc est armorum variatio stultatuorū the ansvver of king edvvard the third , to those that required him to send aide to his sonne the black prince at the battell of cressie . the same edvvard king of england , in the field foughten betweene the armie of england , and the french power vnder philip de valois at the battell of cressie in ponthieu : ( where the french had a notable ouerthrow ) being told by an english knight : that his sonne the prince of vvales ( who had the conduct of the maine battell of the english , ) and the noblemen ( which were there with him ) were very fiercely assailed by the french , and did desire his maiestie to come to their succour with the reareward , whereof the king himselfe had the leading . the king demaunded of the knight , saying : is my sonne dead , or hurt , or striken down . no sir , ( said the knight ) but he is hardly bestead . returne then ( quoth the king ) to them that sent you hither , and tell them : that my pleasure is , they send no more to me for any aide , as long as my sonne is liuing : but let him alone this day win his spurres . for ( if god so will ) my meaning is , that the honour of this day shall be his . this message did so encourage the english , that they caryed away the victorie . by vvinning of his spurres he meant , he should get him the honour of a hardie knight : because one of the ceremonies at the dubbing of a new knight , is to tye on a paire of gilt spurres . of tvvo latine verses made by king philip de valois , against king edvvard . because king edvvard was supposed contrarie to his faith and allegiance , to haue inuaded the realme of fraunce : king philip to taxe him with it , made these two verses . anglicus angelus est , cui nunquam credere fas est ▪ dum tibi dicit aue tanquā ab hoste caue . howbeit some say , that this was pope alexander the third , at such time as the english went to rome , to excuse and purge themselues to the pope , of the death of saint thomas of canterburie , whome they had caused to be slaine . the bold speech of blaunch the daughter of king charles the faire . the same king philip on a time speaking very bitterly to the ladie blaunch , duchesse of orleance , daughter of king charles the faire , touching the succession of the realm of fraunce : she said vnto him very liberally and boldly : sir , if i had had a paire of stones , you durst not haue vsed those wordes which you haue now vttered , but you had smarted for it . meaning , that if she had bene a man , as she vvas a vvoman , she should haue bene king of fraunce . the speech of king iohn of fraunce to the prince of vvales , vvhen he vvas taken at the batell of poytiers . iohn king of fraunce being prisoner in the battell of poytiers to the prince of vvales , was conducted to the english campe , where his supper was prepared for him , at the which the prince serued him with his head vncouered . the king prayed him diuerse times to sit downe with him : but the prince excused himselfe , saying : that it did not beseeme the vassal to sit nere his lord. the king said vnto him : my purpose was to haue bestowed a supper on you this night : but the fortune of warre would that you should giue it me . the cautelous answer of king edward to king iohn . in the time of truce accorded betweene iohn king of fraunce , and edward king of england : the english men for a summe of money got by composition the castle and towne of guines to be rendred vnto thē : whereof king iohn being aggrieued , complained to the king of england : and told him that he had brokē the truce contrary to the compact betweene them : whereunto king edward made this answer : i haue not ( quoth he ) broken the truce : for there was not any article contained in the treatie betweene vs , that did prohibite or defend vs , from traffiquing together , or to debarre vs or our subiects from the trade of merchandize each with other . the commendations which edvvard king of england , gaue to charles the fifth king of fraunce . the same king edvvard hauing taken the seas with a fleete of ships , wherein were foure thousand launces , and eleuen thousand archers , with intent to go and raise the siege of the french before tours in aquitaine : he had the wind so contrarie , that he could not proceede nor prosecute his intended voyage into fraunce : wherefore returning much discontented into england , he vsed these or such like words of king charles the fifth . there was neuer yet ( said he ) any king in fraunce , who vsed lesse to beare armes then this prince : and that without once stirring out of his chamber , but onely by sending and writing of letters , did so much trouble his enemies , or my selfe either , as he hath done . the cartels which henry king of england , and the duke of orleance sent to each other . lewis duke of orleance sonne to king charles the fifth , after that the truce was accorded betweene the french king charles the sixth , and henry of lancaster king of england , the said duke being young of yeres and desirous of glory ( contrarie to the alliance which was made with the said king of england , sent vnto him a cartell of armes with a chalenge of combate betweene them two , and a hundreth knights on ech partie : who for the loue of their ladies should trye their valour and prowesse each against other : and that they which did best should haue the honour of the victorie . vnto which cartell the king of england made this answer : we are not determined to breake the truce , much lesse will we violate or disanull the league of amitie and alliance made betweene vs : neither do we meane to admit any equalitie betweene our royall maiestie and your lordship . howbeit seeing you are disposed to combat , i can be content to accept and make it good man to man , to the intent we may auoid effusion of bloud , and not either for our ladies or for vaine glorie : but onely for the honour , increase , and preseruation of our realmes , countries , territories and dominions . the true valour and magnanimitie of men is not to hazard their persons and liues : but onely for the good of their countrey , or for their honour , or for the safetie of their liues . the oath vsed to be taken by the english men to their king , at their going to the warres . froissard reporteth : that when the english in former times came into fraunce to make warres , they had this custome : that the captaines putting their hands into the handes of the king of england , did solemnly sweare to obserue inuiolably these two things : the one was , that to no man liuing , but to & amongst themselues they would neuer reueale the secrets of their voyage and enterprize . and the second : that they wold neuer make nor consent to any treatie or accord with their ene●●●es , without the priuitie and good liking of the king and his councell . the choise of king charles the sixth . charles the fifth on a time hauing shewed vnto his son ( afterwards called charles the sixth ) a crowne of gold richly set with precious stones , and a helmet of steele faire gilt : demaunded of him which of these two he would most willingly haue , if he were put to make his choise . his answer was : that he would rather chuse the helmet then the crowne . the like affection did he bewray at his new comming to the crowne of fraunce . for when the officers of his house shewed him the rich treasures and precious moueables of his father lately deceased : and did afterwards bring him to the sight of the goodly armories , wherein were all sorts of armes , swords , corcelets , headpeeces , and other furnitures fit for the warres , he said all aloft : of the two ( quoth he ) i had rather haue these armes , then the riches which my father hath left me . the sayings and sentences of king lewis the eleuenth . king lewis the eleuenth , after the battell of mountleherry , against the count of charolois , bethinking himselfe of the duchie of burgundie , and how the same was aliened in fee from the crowne of fraunce , to the auncestours of the said count of charolois dukes of burgundie , descended of a younger sonne of the bloud royall of fraunce : he brake into these speeches : men say ( quoth he ) that charles the fifth , was called charles the sage : but they had little reason to tearme him so : for it was but a foolish part to giue vnto his youngest brother the duchie of burgundy for an inheritance : hauing giuen him therewithall margret the sole daughter and heire of flaunders to his wife . after the said battell of mountleherie , one told him that his enemie the county of charolois did passe the night following in the place where the battell was foughten . no maruel ( quoth the king ) if he remaine and lodge in the fields , seeing he hath neither towne nor castle to retire vnto . he was wont to say : that where pride rideth afore , shame and dishonour do follow after . he being on a day at masse in a church of chanons , he was told that one of the chanons was that day departed : whereupon casting his eye aside , and perceiuing a simple priest which lay sleeping in a chappel therby adioyning : he said : i do giue this prebend to that fellow that lyeth there : because he shall say hereafter , that his wealth and good fortune came vnto him sleeping . the capitaine maran making his repaire to the court of this king levvis , with purpose to aduertise him of the exploits which he had done at cambray , he wore about his necke a rich collar or chaine of gold , which ( as the reportwe●t ) had bene made of the reliques of the church of cambray . and as a certaine gentleman standing by , was readie to handle the said collar : the king said vnto the gentleman : beware and take good heede sir how you touch that chaine : for i can tell you it is a holy thing . by this saying he taxed the captaine with sacriledge , wherevvith souldiers should not be tainted : because in sacking of any place , all holy things are to be spared . the archbishop of tours talking familiarly with him , of the great troubles which he had at the beginning of his raigne , against the princes of fraunce : he said vnto him : if i had not caused my selfe to be feared , and shewed my self both of courage and experience , i might well haue bene put in the last chapter of boccace his booke , where he intreateth of vnhappie and vnfortunate princes . hauing heard it reported , how nicholas raulin the chauncelor of the duke of burgundie , a man of excessiue wealth & riches , had founded at beaune in burgundy a goodly hospital , that did excell , both for the statelinesse of the building , and for the sumptuousnesse of the mouables wherewith it was furnished : he said : there is great reason , that the chancelour of burgundie , which in his life time hath made many a man poore ' should at his latter end make an hospitall , where to nourish and lodge them . the said king levvis being vnwilling that his sonne charles the eighth should apply his mind to learning : he said : that the time which was spent in studie , ought to be employed rather in the care of gouerning the kingdome and common-wealth : and that he which should betake himselfe to studie and learning , by the vse thereof would become ●imerous and lesse hardie to vndertake great affaires : because in taking example of others out of histories , he would not dare to enterprize any action of importance , the execution whereof might be doubtfull and vncertaine . he was wont to say : that he which knew not how to dissemble , was altogether vnskilfull how to rule and gouerne . one of the pages of his chamber hauing taken a louse from off his garment : he said : this sheweth that i am a man as others are . one comming to tell him , that the genowaies had a disposition to yeeld themselues vnder his protection : he answered : they shall not long remaine vnder me : for i bequeath thē to the diuell . the said king lewis being determined to send an ambassador to the venetians : he conferred with his councell , whom he might choose as most fit and proper to dispatch that seruice . a certaine nobleman naming one vnto him that was his near kinsman , and whom he was willing to aduaunce : the king demaunded of him : what kind of man he was . the nobleman answered : sir , he is bishop of such a place : abbot of such a monasterie : lord of such a seignorie : and so curiously discouered al his qualities and seignories . the king alluding to the briefe maner of writing then vsed , said : there where are so many titles , is litle learning or none at all . a certaine great personage hauing told him how he was alwaies troubled with the gowte , whilest he hued at ease , with good and daintie fare , and rich clothing ; and that afterwards when he began to accustome himselfe to trauell and take paines , to fare grosly , & to go coursly clad : that then the gowte began to leaue him , the king said : and i for my part will neuer from hencefoorth weare other clothes then of cloth : for that the gowt doth sooner take hold of silke then of wooll . he had a saying : that there was not any thing whatsoeuer but he cold find it both in his kingdome , yea and in his house , saue onely one thing ▪ and being demaunded by a great lord : what thing that was : he answered : it was truth . for i remember ( said he ) that my late lord and father was wont to say : that in his time truth was sicke : but i think that now it is sta●ke dead , and that she neuer had any ghostly father to cōfesse her at her death . a certaine nobleman demaunded of him , how much the kingdom of fraunce was worth in a yeare ? he answered : my realme is a medow , which i cut both euery yeare , and as often as i list . a certaine meane person of base condition following the court of king lewis , and yet not knowing the king when he saw him : it happened that one day the king aduising him , asked him what he gained by following the court. the fellow answered : i gaine as much as the king : for both he and i liue of god his bountie : and at our departure out of this world he shal haue no more with him then i shall . the king esteeming well of the speech of the man , made him one of the pages of his chamber . the life of men is different : but the end of all is common and alike . being told that a certaine great personage had a goodly library , and a great number of faire bookes : he said : then may he well be resembled to a man that is crooke backed , who caryeth his great bosse behind him at his backe and neuer seeth it . by this saying he taxed the partie both of curiositie and ignorance . vvhensoeuer he had neede or occasion to employ any mā in his affaires , he would gaine them to do it with rewards and store of gold ▪ for he was wont to say : that when a man fighteth with siluer lances , he commonly caryeth away the victoria . he vsed to say : that many times too great seruices done to princes , did cause the losse of them that did the seruice , for that most commonly they are recompenced with great ingratitude . howbeit , that it might happen by the default of the parties themselues , who in regard of their great seruice , do vse their good fortune with ouermuch arrogancie , both towards their lords , and towards their friends and equals . he said moreouer : that to get to wealth and preferment in court : it is a more happie thing for a man to receiue of his prince benefits exceeding farre beyond his desert , then that his desert and seruice should be greater then the recompence , wherby his prince should remaine indebted , & ( as it were ) bound vnto him . for i ( quoth he ) do more naturally loue those that are beholding vnto me , thē those to whō i am beholding after the enterview between him and edward the fourth king of england at piqu●nie , where a peace was accorded between them for nine yeares : as he returned he said to som of his familiars : i like not very well of the company of the king of englād on this side the seas : but being beyōd the sea at home in his owne country , i can well loue him as my brother and my good friend . hauing caused a goodly tombe or sepulture to be made in the castle of loc●es for the faire ladie agnes , the loue of his late father● within a while after , the chanons of the church did desire him that the tombe might be remoued out of the heart of the church , and set in a side isle or chappell : he answered : your request is neither iust nor reasonable : neither will i suffer her sepulture ( whom my father loued so affectionately ) to be violated : for it should be against all law and equitie . he being to make his entrie into hesdin , whilst execution was in doing vpon certaine of the principall gouernours and burgesses of arras his enemies , which were some two and twentie in number : and eighteen of them being executed , he caused the execution to cease : and demaunding if m. oudard de bussi were beheaded or not : and answer being made , that he was : and that al the bodies of the parties beheaded were buried : he commaunded the head of the said de bussi to be againe digged vp : & caused a high pole of wood to be set vp in the middest of the market place , vpon the which he caused the head of the dead partie to be placed , couered with a cap of scarlet furred with miniuere , as of one that had bene a councellour of the parliament . he held him in very great reputation , because he had bene a most prudent & wise man , and of sound iudgement in graue and waightie affaires . and he would once haue giuen the said nobleman the office of councellor in the parliament of paris : but the said bussi being not willing to accept of it in his life time , he did him this honour after his death . a certaine person was a suter to him for an office which was void in the towne where he dwelt : which the king refused to graunt vnto him : insomuch as the partie was out of all hope to obtaine it : howbeit he humbly thanked the king & so departed . king lewis iudging the man to be of no meane spirit , and surmizing that he had not well vnderstood what he had said vnto him , caused him to be called backe againe , and asked him if he had conceiued aright of his answer : the partie said : yea sir. why , what said i vnto thee ? ( quoth the king ) you denyed me my sute ( said he ) why didst thou thanke me then replyed the king ? because sir ( quoth he ) you did me a greater pleasure thē you thought of , in giuing me my dispatch so speedily , without causing me to loose my time in comming after you vpon vaine and idle hopes . the king holding himselfe highly satisfied , and taking great contentment by this answer , granted him the office , and caused his patent to be made immediatly . an apotheg of monsieur bresay , to king lewis the eleuenth . the same king being to ride on hunting , mounted on a very little horse : monsieur peter de bresay seneshall of normandie who accompanied him , asked him where he had gotten that so goodly and so stout a horse . how meane you that ( quoth the king ) seeing he is so weakean●d so litle ? me thinkes ( said de bresay ) he must needes be very strong , because he caryeth you with all your counsell . he taxed the king , in that he would manie times beleeue no other counsel thē his ovvne , being vvise in his ovvne conceipt : vvhich sometimes he repented . the counsell of the said monsieur de bresaie to the said king. the embassadours of the king of england , hauing on a time deliuered their charge to king levvis : he demaunded of monsieur de bresay his opinion , what thing he might bestow vpon the ambassadours which might not cost him much : who answered him : sir , you were best to present them with your musitians : for they cost you much , and are chargeable vnto you : they do you litle or no seruice , neither do you take any great pleasure in them . the death of the said seigneur de bresay . in the battell foughten betweene levvis the eleuenth , and the countie de charolois neare mount leherie : the said king ( as his custome was to speake hastily ) said vnto seignor de bresay , that he had no great trust nor affiance in him for that iourney . sir , answered de bresay , because you shall well see that i am your loyall and faithfull seruant , giue me your coat armour that i may weare it : for you know your enemies aime at nothing more then the destruction of your person , and it may happen to saue your life . whereupon the king and he exchaunged both armes and en signes . and the burgonians supposing that de bresay ( whom they saw in the middest of the presse ) had bene the king : they charged furiously in vpon him , and so slue him . of king charles the eighth , who gaue an answer to the florentines in tvvo italian verses . king charles the eighth being in italie on the conquest of naples , the florentines sent an embassade vnto his maiestie : the king reposing no trust in them , for their answere caused two italian verses to be read vnto them which he had written vpō a wall in great letters : and were these . concortesiae fede poca . va a fiorence vender loca . which is to say : to florence he went of his goose to make sale , without any faith or courtesie at all . the argument of which two verses was this : a pesant of the country neare florence , sold a goose to a braue dame of florence , onely to haue his pleasure of her : which hauing had , yet notwithstanding in his agreemēt he vsed so little fidelitie or courtesie to the gentlewoman , as he exacted the price of his goose in the presence of her husba●d , so as she durst not deny but to pay him . and thence had this italian prouerbe his original● : which king charles pronounced to the embassadours for their answer . a speech of king charles the eighth , touching the keeping of his counsell . vvhen the said king charles the eighth meant to discouer any secret to any man : he was wont to say vnto him : if i thought that my shirt next my backe knew it , i would plucke it off and burne it . the speech of queene anne , vvife to charles the eighth . charles the eighth being deceased , and the tidings of his death being brought to queene anne his wife , she said : gods will be done . for my part i doubt not but i shall be as great as i was before . she promised herselfe in her hopes to be twise queene of fraunce , and so she vvas : for she vvas aftervvards maried to king levvis the tvvelfth . a notable sentence of king levvis the tvvelfth . after that levvis duke of orleance had attained to the crowne of fraunce , some of his familiars did perswade him to take vengeance vpon them of orleance , who had shut the gates of their citie against him , at such time as king charles the eighth made warre vpon him , and compelled him to flie into britaine . but the said levvis the twelfth of that name , made them this worthy answer : it appertaineth not any thing to the king of fraunce , to reuenge the iniuries done to the duke of orleance . other vvorthie speeches of the same king. the said prince making warre in italie for the recouerie of the duchie of millaine : it was told him that his enemies had taken agnadel : & that he wold come thither too late to lodge in it . whereunto he answered with an hautie courage : then wil i lodge vpon their bellies , or els they shall lodge vpon mine . another came vnto him , saying : sir , take heed to yourselfe that the great ordinance do not annoy you . he answered : there was neuer rightfull king of fraunce slaine with a shot of a canon : therefore whosoeuer is afraid let him come behind me . another time the said king lying in campe , and a certaine souldier , a man at armes which stoode neare him , being slaine with a canon shot , some of the standers by shewing him vnto the king : he said laughing : he is but a little cold in his hands . his speech to certaine souldiers , vvith the ansvver that they made him . the said king levvis being determined to leauie a certaine companie of footemen , gaue commandement that choise should be made of the strongest and most able and actiue men that could be found the day appointed for the muster of thē being come , there was presented vnto him a goodly company of lustie fellowes , who hauing bene trayned vp in the warres , and carying diuerse skarres and wounds vpon them , did appeare to be old souldiers , whose markes did testifie that they had not lien idle nor vnemployed . the king seeing them so hacked and hewed in their bodies , said vnto their leaders : indeed these be good souldiers : but it seemeth they haue bene more willing to take then to giue : and those men which gaue them these markes in their faces and elsewhere , seemed to be farre more expert in deedes of armes then these were . the souldiers hearing the king to giue this cēsure of them , presently made him this answer : sir , ( sauing our due reuerence to your maiestie ) they were not better men nor more valiant then we : for if they hurt and wounded vs , we slue them for their labours . a braue speech which he gaue to a boaster . a certaine gentleman was very importunate vpon king lewis the twelfth , to haue some reward and recompence for the losses and dammages which he had sustained in the warres : & he shewed him the wounds which he had receiued in his visage . the king seeing him so rash and audacious : and being disposed to paye him home for his braue vaunting & ostentation , said vnto him : take heed thou turne not back thy face another time , when thou art flying from thy enemie . his opinion of the venetians . being resolued to make warre vpon the venetians , one of his nobles would haue disswaded him from it , telling him : that he could not do it without great perill to the french : and that the venetians were a most prudent and sage people . be it so ( quoth the king : ) yet we will set so many fooles vpon them , who shall so beard them to their teeth , as they shall not know which way to turne themselues . certaine embassadours of greece being come to the french court to demaund succours of king levvis against the great turke : and promising on their part to do their best indeuours to chase the turkes out of such places as they had possessed : the king reposing little trust in this strange nation , excused himself touching their request : and taxing the nature of the greekes , he alleadged this verse of the old grammarian alexander de ville dieu . barbara graeca , genus retinent quod habere solebant . a pleasant speech vvhich he spake to the lords of the parliament . hauing giuen a certaine office of a counsellour of the parliament to one that was none of the wisest , the court would not admit him into their societie : but sent two counsellours of the parliament chamber to the king , to let him know the insufficiencie of the man. the king hauing heard them condemne the partie of ignorance , demaunded of thē this question : how many be there of you in your court ? sir , ( said they ) there be an hundred . and how is it ( quoth the king ) that you being so many wise men together , cannot make one to become wise ? another merie conceipt of the same king. certaine gentlemen of his court wondering at the vnmeasurable stature of a courtier , whome euery man reputed in manner of a giant : the king taxing the honestie of his parents , said : no maruell if he be so exceeding great : for his mother took great paines to make him , and perhaps he had many fathers . of a certaine fable recited by him . being in familiar discourse with the ladies , he said vnto them : in the beginning nature gaue hornes aswell to the hinds as to the harts : but the hinds growing proud to see thēselues haue so goodly heads , they began to rebell against the harts : wherewith nature being displeased , and willing to represse their arrogancie and pride , and reduce them to the subiection of the males , she depriued them of their hornes : so that neuer afterwards they wore any . by this fable , he gaue the ladies to vnderstand , that it vvas their dutie to be obedient to their husbands . being one day in talk with francis duke of angolesme , his son in law who expected the crown of france , as of right after his decease it was to come vnto him : he told him this parable : a certaine father ( quoth he ) trauelling with his sonne on the way , held on their course to come vnto a good towne : the sonne being very wearie , by reason of the length of the way , yet perceiuing a farre off the turrets and wals of the towne , very chearefully said vnto his father : father , me thinkes i am now somwhat fresh , for we are euen at the towne alreadie . after these words , they went on so long , that it was full night notwithstanding , ere they got to the towne : where being readie to enter , the father said vnto his sonne : from hencefoorth sonne , neuer say : i am at the towne , till thou hast gotten past the gates . his speech of beneficed persons . he was wont to say : that the asses had a better world then the horses : for the horses ( said he ) do runne post towards rome , to get those benefices , whereof many asses are possessed . an apotheg of the said king . a motion being made vnto him on a time to marie the ladi● claude his daughter to some straunge prince : he answered : no ( quoth he ) i will neuer make any other alliance , then with the cats and mice of my owne kingdome . a princely speech of king frauncis . king frauncis the first of that name , to one that demaunded pardon for another man that had vsed ill speeches of his maiestie , said : let him for whome thou art a suter , learne to speake little , and i will learne to pardon much . a speech of the same king touching religion . in an oration which he made on a time at paris in the presence of his princes and nobles against the heretickes , with intent to purge his realme of them , amongst other words , he vsed this speech : if i knew that my arme were infected with that contagion , i would cut it off & separate it from my bodie , and cast it into the fire . the opinion vvhich he had of noblemen . he was wont to say : that it much grieued him , that the gentlemē of his realm did not giue themselues to the studie and exercise of letters , to the intent he might prouide them of the dignities and offices appertaining to the long robe . for he was perswaded , that that kind of men did do him the best seruice : and that they ought to be lesse enclined to dishonest actions , then men of meane parentage and base condition . an excellent apothegme of the same king . there being a purpose of a treatie of peace betweene the emperour charles the fifth , and the said king frauncis , and being euen vpon the point to conclude it , he said : it is not possible that we can long continue in peace and amitie : because the emperour cannot abide any equall or companion : and i can lesse endure to haue any man to my maister . of pope benedict the twelfth , and his epitaph . pope benedict the twelfth was one that loued peace , and vsed to say : that he would neuer vse the sword against any person , because it was not belonging to his place and calling . he made many good decrees and constitutions : and amongst others prohibited religious persons to go to rome to sue for benefices : notwithstanding after his death , whether it were right or wrong , or vpon hatred : some made this epitaph of him . hic , silus est nero , laicis mors , vipera clero , deuius á vero : cupa repleta mero . which is to say : here lyeth a nero : to the laity a cruel tyrant : to the cleargy a viper : to truth a mortall enemy : and a notable wine bibber . a mocke of the flemmings to king philip. in the yeare , a thousand , three hundred , twenty and eight , the king philip de valois in the quarrell and behalfe of the earle of fla●ders , gaue battell to the flemings at mount cassell , where were slaine of the said flemings . who before the conflict , seeing the mightie armie and puissance of the king , very arrogantly caused the picture of a great cocke to be painted vpon a great peece of cloth , about the which was written this distichon : vvhen this cocke shall happen to crovv , the king shall here enter , and not before i trovv . but this mocke cost them deare : for they sustained a bitter ouerthrow that same day . princely sayings and sentences of alphonsus king of naples . alphonsus surnamed the couragious , the . king of aragon , and king of both sicilies , hearing it reported how one of the kings of spain was wont to say : that it was not decent nor conuenient for a prince , or great personage to be learned : he said : this speech was not the speech of a man , but of an asse crowned . one day as he sate at supper , a certaine old man being a suter vnto him for some thing , which importuned him exceedingly & beyond all measure to haue his petition graunted him : in somuch as the king could not eate his meat quietly , so troublesome was this fellow vnto him . whereupo he brake into these speeches : assuredly i see that the state and conditiō of asses is better then this of princes : for their maisters do allow thē time and leasure to eate : but kings cannot obtaine so much of their subiects . a certaine knight being imprisoned for debt , who for a long time had bene a prodigall and great spender , and had liued voluptuously vpon the goods of diuerse merchants and others , to whom he was become indebted : some of the friends of the said knight became instant suppliants to the king , that he wold not permit the knight to be charged for the paiment of his debts . to whō the king answered : seeing this knight hath not consumed himselfe , nor runne into debt for my seruice , nor for the good and benefite of his country , nor for his owne friends and kinseflkes : but hath spent and wasted all his wealth for the pleasure of his owne bodie : it is good reason that he suffer the punishment of his prodigality in his body . being one day reproued for his too too much clemency , and because he many times pardoned those which had bene most hainous offenders : his answer was : that he did desire to stand readie prepared ( whensoeuer it should please god to call him ) to yeeld an accompt of those sheepe which were cōmitted to his charge : and that when they should be demaunded of him , he might render them vp safe and sound . he had also an vsual saying , that by executing of iustice he got the loue of good men : and by his clemencie , he purchased the liking euen of the wicked . to some which at another time playned of his ouer great clemency and humanitie : he said : that they should consider and looke vpon the gouernment of lions and of beares : and that then they should soone see that clemencie was a qualitie proper to man , but crueltie was proper to brute beasts . he was wont likewise to say : that he who knew not how to rule himself , & tomaister his own affections , was neither fit nor worthie to command ouer others . he said , that flatterers were like to wolues : for as the wolues by tickling & scratching the asses , do come to eate and deuoure them : so flatterers by their assentations & leasings , do aime at nothing more , then to worke mischiefe vnto princes . the ambassadours of a certaine prouince repairing vnto him , to craue his aduice , to which of these two famous chieftaines , frauncis sforce , & nicholas picinni they shold gratifie with their friendship and amitie : he answered : that it behoued them both to receiue and entertaine each of them in shew of friends : and yet to take good heed to either of them as to ehemies . whereas there was growne a secret hatred or dislike betweene the said king alphonsus & cosmus de medicis , a man of principall regard and authoritie in florence : the said cosmus notwithstanding fent vnto the king for a notable and singular present the historie of titus liuius with a commentarie , because he well knew that the king would take great pleasure in it . the kings phisitions being acquainted herewithall , told him : that he should do well not to reade in that booke , but to take good heed of the subtiltie of the florentines : for ( said they ) it is not good nor safe to trust an enemie : and it may be that some venimous and infectious poise●n is secretly hidden either in the letters or leaues of this booke , which may empoison you as you are reading of it . for all these disswasions the king opened the booke , and hauing both read therein , and turned it ouer in many leaues each after other : he the said vnto his phisitions : learne now to leaue these fooleries , and know this : that the spirit of a king doth not gouerne it selfe by the iudgement of priuate persons . of a merrie conceipt vttered by one to the king alphonsus . this king alphonsus being well knowne to be a prince that took great pleasure and delight in good speeches and wittie sayings well and aptly placed : a certaine man of very meane and base estate , came as a suter vnto him , and said : sir , do me iustice : i haue a certaine creditour vnto whom my late deceased father ought a certain debt : and my father left me nothing wherewith to pay him : howbeit afterwards i payed this debt vnto that creditour : who notwithstanding demanded it of me againe with great extremitie , and i payed it him the second time : he not so content , still demandeth of me the same debt againe and againe , in somuch as i haue many and oftentimes paid it , and yet he pursueth me still for this debt , as if he had not bene paid at all : now sir , i haue not any more left wherewith to pay him : and if your highnesse do not helpe me to acquit me of this creditour , i know not what remedie to find for this mischiefe , beleeue me ( quoth the king ) this is a most rigorous & cruell creditour : who is it ? sir , ( said the poore man ) it is my belly , vnto whom i haue so often paid the debt which is due vnto him , as i haue nothing more left to giue him : i humbly therefore beseech your highnesse in charitie to help and releeue me to content him . why ( quoth the king ) i my self haue euen such another like creditour as thine . you say true , sir , replyed the poore man : but you ( god be thanked ) haue wherewithall to satisfie him , and i haue not . the king hearing this request , and esteeming it to proceede of a quicke and good inuention , caused a certaine summe of money to be deliuered vnto him . an answer vvhich alphonsus made vnto a dreamer . a certain person in the kings presence , being in talke of dreames and of their signification , there was a pleasant courtier who to trie the king , told with a good grace before all the company : how the night before he dreamed a dreame , that the king bestowed vpon him a bagge full of duckats . whereunto the king presently answered : why foole , art thou so very a beast as to thinke that a christian man ought to giue credit to dreames ? the same alphonsus had a daughter called eugenia , who being maried had no children : and one day it happened , that she brought out of her coffer certaine poppets which being made very finely , caryed a resemblance of excellent beautie , honestie and gracious cariage : whereupon alphonsus said vnto her : o my daughter , how much better had it bene both for thy father , thy husband , and thy self also , if thou haddest had children of thy bodie so wise and vertuous , as they might haue represented the countenances of these l'oppets . the answer of anthony panormitane , to king alphonsus . anthony of panorm being demanded by the king alphonsus , what things were most requisite and necessarie to liue a ioyfull and peaceable life in the estate of mariage , considering that ordinarily it is full of troble●s , vexations and discontentments : he answered : that there are two things most needfull . the first , that the husband be deafe , not to vnderstand the follies , the ill speeches , and maner of his wiues behauiour . the second , that the wife be blind , not to see all the intemperate qualities and misdemeanours of her husband . a speech vvhich he vsed to one that had imbezilled his rings . on a time as he was readie to sit downe at his table , being about to wash his hands , he drew off his fingers certaine rings of gold , which were very rich and precious , and gaue them to one that came first and next to hand , not much heeding who it was that tooke them . the partie to whome the king deliuered them , for that he did not againe demaund thē , thought that he had forgotten them , and therefore was easily drawn to retaine them : which he did . and for a long time after , seeing that the matter was vnremembred , he then kept them for altogether . but ere the yeare was ended , the king being readie another time to sit downe at the table , the same man drew very neare ( for another booty ) to the king , and held out his hand to take his rings of him as he had done before . but the king rounding him in the eare , said vnto him with a very soft voice : let it suffice thee to haue had the former : for these may serue for anothers turne . he said , that in the flourishing estate of rome , the romanes had caused to be built right ouer against their senatehouse , a temple which was dedicated to iupiter depositorie , wherein before their entrie into the senate , the senatours and councellors of estate came to disrobe themselues of all affections of loue , fauour , hatred , vengeance , and other priuate passions and affections . seeing on a time a woman to daunce and vault very high , with great shamelesnesse and immodesty : he said vnto the standers by : stay awhile , and you shall see sibilla will giue foorth her oracles ; noting thereby , dauncing to be a kind of furie : for the sibils neuer gaue their answers , but when they were surprized with furie . a certaine knight which had bene taken prisoner in the warres , complained him to the king alphonsus of his losses and misfortunes , and demaunded of him many gifts , which being exceeding great , yet by his importunitie he obtained them . after he was departed , the king said vnto his familiars : i was in a feare , lest this importunate fellow , would haue begged my wife also from me . another courtier , who had very prodigally spent many a gift , which the king had bestowed on him , did preffe him very vrgently to giue him a certaine peece of money : to whom the king said : if i should continue to be thus liberall in giuing , i should sooner impouerish my selfe then enrich thee : for whosoeuer giueth thee doth nothing else but powre water into a siue . being demaunded , which of his subiects he loued best : those ( quoth he ) who are more afraid for me then of me . a certaine knight a neapolitane , named stephen , hauing many offices and places of great charge vnder the king alphonsus within his realme of naples : and being by meanes of an amorous potion , bereft of the vse of his senses , some of the court begged his offices of the king : pretending it to be a thing very vnfit and inconuenient that such places should be administred by one that was become senslesse : to whom the king answered : it were a very vncourteous and inhumane act , to take away from him his substance and meanes of liuing , from whome fortune hath alre adie taken his vnderstanding . he said , that those men seemed vnto him meerely senslesse and void of vnderstanding , who would seeke to haue againe their wiues , which had bene fled and seuered from them . he said : that it were a very good thing , if men would so ballance their wils and affections , as they might stand indifferent betweene loue and feare : to the intent that when our loue should constraine vs to exceed , our feare might cause vs to retire , and to draw to the contrarie . hearing certaine labourers talking together , and telling how they had made apples , which by their nature were very sowre , by industrie and diligence to become very sweete and pleasant : he said : so ought we to do , that our people , citizens , and subiects being rude peruerse and euill minded , by our labor and paines may be transformed and chaunged into wise , prudent , and good men . he was wont to say : that the greatest argument which he had obserued to proue the immortalitie of the soule : was : that when we see our bodies to decay and weare away , and to approch neare to death , and that when all our members beginne to faile vs , euen then the powers and vertues of the soule do increase , and as it were grow stronger , and more puissant in vnderstanding , vertue and wisedome . being one day hearing of masse , and the church in great daunger of falling , by reason of a sudden earthquake : the people there present began to fly out of the church , and the priest made hast to be gone with the foremost . but the king alphonsus stopping him , made him stay and make an end of his masse . afterwards being demaunded why in a time of so great daunger and common feare , he did not offer to shunne and abandon the place : he answered in great grauitie with this sentence of salomon out of ecclesiastes : corda regum in manu dei sunt . the harts of kings are in the handes of god. he had a saying : that beauty most commonly was a significant signe and a token of a good and gentle conuersation : as the flower is a signe of the fruit . hearing one tell : how titus the romane emperour was accustomed to say : that in what day soeuer he had not giuen some one gift or another , he had lost that day , alphonsus said : that he thanked god , because he in that respect had neuer lost one day in all his life . he tooke so great pleasure & delight in studying , and in reading of diuinitie : that he would many times glorie , how he had read ouer the old and new testament fourteene times , together with the gloses and commentaries . he was wont oftentimes to say : that he had not any better councellours then the dead . by the dead he meant his bookes : and he caried for his ensigne and deuice a booke open . he was a great louer of antiquities , and of the auncient mettals and monies of princes , saying : that in the viewing and beholding of them , he seemed to grow the more inflamed with the loue of vertue and of glorie . of the magnanimitie of charles martell : as it is ●ritten of him in his epitaph . charles martell , maior of the pallace of the crowne and kingdome of fraunce ( which some say is the office of constable ) did make foure kings in fraunce each successiuely after other : to wit : childericke called daniel , clotarius the fourth , theodorike the second , and childericke the third . this last childericke offered vnto the said charles martell the realme and crowne of fraunce , and prayed him to take vpon him both the name and the diademe , which he refused saying : that it was more glorious to raigne and commaund ouer kings , then to be a king : and in his epitaph is written this sentence : ille brabantinus dux primus in orbe triumphat . malleus in mundo specialis christicolarum , dux domini●sque ducum , regum quo'que rex fore spernit . non vult regnare sed regibus mperat● ipse . he was surnamed martell , for the the exceeding great strength of his arme : & in memorie of the victories which he obtained in diuerse battels . the iudgement of sultan soliman the great scigneur or emperour of turkes . in the citie of constantinople a certaine christian desired to borrow of a lew the some of fiue hundred duckets . the lew lent them vnto him with condition , that for the vse of the money lent , he should at the end of tearme giue him two ounces of his flesh , cut off in some one of the mēbers of his bodie . the day of payment being come , the christian repayed the fiue hundred duckets to the lew , but refused to giue him any part of his flesh . the lew not willing to loose his interest , conuented the christian before the grand seigneur : who hauing heard the demaund of the one , and the answer of the other , and iudging of the matter according to equitie , commaunded a razor to be brought , and to be giuen to the iew , to whome he said : because thou shalt know that iustice is done thee : take there and cut off of the flesh of this christian the two ounces which thou demandest : but take heed thou cut neither more nor lesse , for if thou doe thou shalt surely dye . the iewe holding that to be a thing impossible , durst not aduenture , but acquitted the christian of his interest . of a writing which the king of naples caused to be engrauen vpon his svvord . roger the second of that name , king of naples , held warres for a long time with the popes of rome , by reason of those lands and territories which he pretended to be his by conquest . and he had discomfited also the king of thunis in a battell at sea . of the which victories he did so glorie and triumph , that he caused to be engrauen on the blade of his sword this verse . apulus & calaber , siculus mihi seruit & afer . the sacrilegious vaunt of a king of england . vvilliam rufus king of englād , hauing pilled the churches and monasteries of his realme , and taking away their chalices & other reliques of gold and siluer , which he found in them , vsed these words : the bread of god is very delicate & pleasant to eate , and it causeth princes to make good cheare . the testament of saladin . saladin king of asia , of syria , and of egypt shewed at his death , how well he knew the life of man to be most miserable . for he commaunded that after his decease , the shirt which he vsed ▪ to weare , shold be caryed vpon the top of a lance throughout all his campe in the open sight of all his nobles , captaines & souldiers : and that the party which shold carie it , should cry with a loud voice : behold how saladin the great conquerour and commander of asia , of all those great riches and conquests which he hath purchased , doth carry nothing with him , saue this onely peece of linnen the chiefest thing wherein men can iustly triumph at their departure out of this world , are their vertuous deeds . the reuenge which a king of arragon tooke of some of his nobles that derided him . raymire the second of that name king of arragon , a very simple man , being determined to make warres vpon the moores : his barons caused him to be armed and mounted on horsebacke , and put a shield in his left hand , and a launce in his right hand : and offering to put the reines of his bridle in his hand likewise . let be ( quoth the king ) and giue me thē to hold in my mouth , for my hands are full enough alreadie . at which speech his barons fel a laughing with open mouth , and making a iest of it , demeaned themselues very vnseemely without any kind of reuerence . but the king raymire perceiuing their mocquerie , got eleuen of the most noble and chiefest of his barons to come into the towne of osey , where he caused them to loose their heades without saying any other words then these : la renardaille , nesçait de qui elle se raille . the humilitie of godfrey of buillon . vvhen the duke godfrey of buillon was chosen king of ierusalem by the christian princes , and the diademe being presented vnto him , he refused it saying : it is not fit nor conuenient for any prince christian to weare a crowne of gold , sithence iesus christ the king of kings did weare one made but of thornes . the ansvver of the great turke to the ambassadours of hungarie . baiazet the sonne of amurath , emperour of the turkes , being with a great armie in bulgaria , which is a part of hungarie : the king sigismond sent his ambassadours vnto him , to pray him that he would not molest his countrie and dominions , wherein he had no right nor interest . baiazet for answer to this ambassade , caused all the armed forces of that prouince to be assembled together into a great hall , where hauing made the ambassadours of the king of hungarie to be called : he said vnto them pointing to those forces with his finger : behold , said he : the reason and the right by which i haue & do hold the possession of bulgarie . right and equitie haue no place in the court of a tyrant . the ansvver of the count de lazaran to the ambassadours of the turke . no lesse notable was that answer which the county de lazaran made vnto the ambassadours of lamorabaquin , or baiazet the amira or king of the turkes : who purposing to inuade the realme of hungary with a mightie armie , sent his messengers to the count de lazaran with a mule laden with rice , and demaunded to haue passage through his countrey into hungarie . the ambassadours proceeding on their commission , found the county in his castell called the archforme , and according to their charge did demand passage for their lord and his armie : and that he should become his vassall and subiect : otherwise that their lord baiazet would bring into the countrey of the count more men of warre then there were graines of rice in the sackes wherewith their mule wa● laden : and in so saying , they powred out the graine in the middest of the castell yard . the count receiued & heard their message very courteously : and the third day after being disposed to giue them their answer , cōmaunded to be brought into his castle court a great number of powltry which for three daies together had bene shut vp without any meat giuē vnto them : the which in lesse then a quarter of an houre , did eate vp all the rice which had bene there powred out . whereupon he said vnto the ambassadours : now go tell your lord , that true it is , he hath a great number of armed souldiers : howbeit he cannot bring so many into the field , but they shall be either slaine or vanquished : as you haue seene these grains of rice deuoured by my pullen . and according to his hope the count had the victorie . a vvorthy sentence of the ambassadors of sicilia . certaine ambassadours of sicilia deliuering that which they had in charge to iames the eleuenth king of arragon : he shewed them that they ought to yeeld their obedience to the church : and to charles king of naples his father in law : whereupon one of the ambassadours said vnto him : sir , we reade in many histories , that peoples haue bene defeated by their princes , and we haue seene the proof thereof in our time : but that subiects haue bin destroied by their kings , we haue neuer yet seen , or hard it spokē . of the death of vladislaus king of hungarie . vladislaus king of hungary and of poland , whome the french named launcelot , leauying a puissant armie against amurath great seigneur of the turkes , was disswaded from it by many barons of his realm and other his allies . amongst whom one dracocles a valachian did disswade him from that enterprise . but in the end seeing that his aduice took no effect , he yeelded that his sonne should go in his company with two thousand horse : and at their departure , he gaue vnto the king vladislaus and to his sonne two very swift and light horses , saying : because i foresee that the losse is like to fall on your side in this warre which you enterprise : i haue giuen you these two horses , by whose swiftnesse of foote you may saue your selues , and serue you of them in your necessitie : for i feare me that you shall haue great need of them . and accordingly it fell out : for in a set battell foughten betweene vladislaus & the turks , in the yeare . as dracocles had foretold , the king there lost his life . of the tvvo verses vvhich conrad king of naples caused to be vvritten vpon a horse of brasse . conrad the sonne of fredericke , hauing taken the towne of naples by composition in the yeare . caused the wals , fortresses , and principall houses of the citie to be ruinated : and going into the great church within the middle whereof was a horse of brasse without a bridle , which had bene kept there of a long time for the antiquitie of it : he caused a bridle to be put vpon him , and on the reines thereof were written these two verses : hactenus ●ffrenis , domini nun● paret habenis rex domat hunc , aequus parthenopensis equum . that is to say : this horse till now vnbridled , now is made to beare the reines which on his necke are laid : his lord the rightfull king of naples towne , did tame this horse , and bring his courage downe . the saying of rene king of sicilia . rene king of sicilie , said oftentimes vnto the princes and ambassadors of diuerse places that came to visit him : i loue the countrey life aboue all others , because it is the best manner and the surest course of liuing , and the most free from earthly ambition . this king loued husbandry exceedingly : and vvas the first that caused to be brought into fraunce out of straunge countries , vvhite peacockes , red partriges , vvhite , blacke and red conies : betony and roses of prouence . he was a good prince , a perfect musitian : and composed sundry bookes in verse and in proes : amongst the vvhich are that of the conquest of gentle mercie , and that of the mortification of vaine pleasure , vvhich i haue read . a conceited speech spoken to king ferdinand . the king ferdinand of naples was very malecontent , and could not endure to see men walke together two or three in a company , or to talke together of their priuate affaires . a certaine courtier seeing the king in this passion , to currie fauour with him , said vnto him : sir , you ought to shunne and take away this vsage that is so troublesome vnto you , or else to make your benefite of it : and in my aduice , it were good that you imposed a tribute vpon them that vse to walke in this maner vp and downe : for it would yeeld you a greater reuenue , then the customes which you leauie vpon the merchandizes of all your realme and dominions . of a pretie quippe giuen by anthony of panor●e to a certaine knight . the king alphponsus ( of whome we haue before spoken ) beeing aboue all things well affected to the exercise of hunting , did very earnestly enquire of anthony of panorme , what gentlemen of naples were the greatest louers of that game of venerie : and whether any of them had written of the nature of dogges and hounds . why sir ( quoth the panormitan ) how is it that you demaund of me this question ? haue you not a person in your company euery day , which hath conuersed with this kind of creatures for these forty yeares together : and night by night hath lien by a brach : he i trow is sufficiently able to write of the nature of hounds , and the manner how to keepe and cherish them . now the partie of whō the panormitan spake , was a certaine knight , who was in very good grace and fauour in court : which made the king immediatly to fall on laughing , knowing that the said panormitan vnder the name of a brach , did meane the gentlemans wife , because she was a woman that did vse to be very loud and clamoursom in her speech , and was the most subiect to furiousnesse and outragious passions of any woman liuing . a contentious and quarelsome wife is an incurable disease . the letters of the earle of aniovv to the king of fraunce . levvis king of france , the sonne of king charles the simple , being in the church of s. martin of tours at diuine seruice : diuerse of his gentlemen , young courtiers , shewed him how fovvkes the good earle of aniovv was set amongst the singing men , and did sing with them , for the which they mocked and contemned him . whereof the countie being informed , he sent letters vnto the king , wherein was nothing written saue these words only : to the king of fraunce the earle of aniovv sendeth greeting . sir knovv you : that a king vnlearned is but an asse crovvned . the counsell of the earle of aniovv to his brother at the time of his death . maurice erle of aniou at the time of his decease , giuing some instructions to his brother fouques nerra that succeeded him in his earledome , said vnto him : my brother , i pray remember how in all my life time i haue laboured to get me friends , knowing that this is great riches : and that the house which hath many friends ought not to be reputed poore nor destitute . and therefore i aduise thee in any case to hold them deare vnto thee , who haue heretofore bene faithfull and trustie vnto vs. a friend hath no greater treasure then a true friend in time of necessitie . a christian act of the earle of aniou . fouques the fifth of that name , earle of aniou hauing gained the victorie in a battell foughten against henrie king of england , neare the towne of sees ( where the angeuins and manceaux tooke a great number of prisoners , whom they bound & enchained together , and lodged in an abbey church neare the campe . on a morning early the count being disposed to go heare a masse in the same church , and being not able to enter into it for the multitude of prisoners there enchained , he was very much discontented at it , and turning him to his men at armes , he said : my companions and friends , what haue you done ? do you not know that the church is the house of god and of prayer : and haue you turned it into a prison ? do you not feare the wrath of god , in that you execute crueltie in his temple ? you ought to know that the church is our mother , and we are her children : this place is a sanctuarie and a place of priuiledge : but you haue made it a place of seruitude . this said , he caused the prisoners to be vnbound : & hauing made them to eate & drink , he set thē at liberty without paying of any ransom . the same earle on a time said : that to support or cherish the wicked was to do iniurie to the good . a sentence of the duke of brittaine . iohn duke of brittaine the fifth of that name , being willing to make a mariage betweene his sonne the lord frauncis and the ladie izabel daughter to the scottish king : the young prince francis enquired what kind of ladie that izabel was : to whō answer was made : that she was a very goodly gentlewoman , wise , and discreet : and one that was likely to haue faire issue of her bodie ; sauing that she had some impediment in her speech . then is she , such a one as i desire quoth the duke : for i hold a woman wise enough , that knoweth how to put a difference between the wastcote and shirt of her husband . the haughtie courage of the duke of burgundie . philip the hardie duke of burgundie was wont to say : that kingdomes , lordships , and dominions , did of right appertaine vnto thē that could by conquest get and purchase them : he got the name of hardie : because at a certaine banquet , he leaped ouer the table , onely to haue the chiefest place next to the person of king charles the sixth : he had both the courage and the speech of alexander the great . an act of galeace duke of millain . galeace duke of millain was giuen to vnderstand , that there was a certaine aduocate in that citie so subtill and cunning , that he could prolong sutes in law , and so draw thē out in length , as he would make thē almost endlesse , whensoeuer he listed to vndertake to do it either for loue or for money . the duke willing to make proofe thereof , enquired of the chiefe steward of his house , if there were not some debt due and owing by him to those that were to serue him with prouisions for his house . in the end it appeared that there was owing to a certain baker an hundred pounds : in whose name he caused himselfe to be summoned , and a day to be set downe for his appearance before the senate , to answer for the paiment of this debt vnto the said baker . in the meane time he sent to this aduocate , and demaunded his counsell , how he might make delaies , and not be enforced to make paiment of this money . the aduocate promised him to find the means and to deuise such sleights , as the baker should not finger a peny for one yeare at least , or not for two yeares if he listed . the action being prosecuted , and iudgement ready to be giuen : the duke then demaunded of the aduocate , if it were not possible yet longer to protract it : where unto the aduocate answered : that he wold so handle the cause , as it should not be ended for two yeares . oh notable iniustice ! ( quoth the duke to the aduocate : ) thou wicked man , diddest thou not know , nay did not i tell thee that i owed him an hundred pounds : and yet wouldest thou , euen against thy owne conscience & mine also , frustrate the poore man of his due ? is there any reason to hold plea against a iust debt ? take the wretch ( said he to his officers ) and let him be presently hanged , and his bodie quartered : to the intent from hencefoorth the commonweale may not by him be any more corrupted . and according as the duke had pronounced this sentence , so with the consent of the senate was the aduocate executed . the resolution of a gentleman of millaine at his death . the same duke galeace was murthered within the church of saint stephen in millain , as he was hearing of deuine seruice . one of the conspiratours and murtherers was slaine instantly in the place where the murder was committed : the other named ierome , hauing bene hidden for three daies vnder a merchants shoppe in the streete , was constrained by famine to come foorth : and being apprehended , was adiudged to be quartered aliue . the execution being to be done , and he stretched out on a table , at the end wherof his head hanged downe , as his belly was ripped open : with pure strength he lifted vp his head , to see his intrails taken out of his bodie : and therewithall vttered these words : collige te , ieronyme : vita breuis , mors acerba , laus perpetua . that is : plucke vp thy heart ierome : life is but short : death is bitter : but the renowne will be perpetuall . and so saying , he gaue vp the ghost . the cunning of count rodericke . the count radericke gonthier hauing bene taken prisoner in a battell , by ferdinand king of catelonia : in the which aluara the brother of the said countie was slaine : the count himselfe was set at libertie , vpon his faith giuen to returne again , after he had caused his brother to be interred . which promise the said rodericke being willing to performe , and yet withall desirous to keepe his libertie : he caused the dead bodie of his said brother to be embaulmed , & to be put in a coffin , the which he made to be caryed with him wheresoeuer he went : and he would neuer suffer it to be buried till after the decease of king ferdinand and by this pollicie he thought his oath sufficiently obserued , which he had formerly sworne to the king. a sentence of the count pitilan . the count pitilan in discoursing of warres , was wont to vse this saying : vvhen thine enemie is vvilling to flie , make him vvay though it vvere vvith a bridge of gold . the opinion of the duke of burgoine . philip duke of burgoine , hearing say how they of gaunt did exceedingly loue the count charolois his sonne ▪ he said : oh they practise the common prouerbe , which is this : the gauntois do euer loue the yong prince , the sonne and heire of their lord : but afterwards when he commeth to inherite the duchie , and to raigne , then they hate him . a sentence of the duke of venice . marke barbaric● duke of venice , being vnwilling to take reuenge of certaine iniuries that had bene offered him , said : that a good prince , and such a one as was not inclined to crueltie , had a sufficient reuenge of his enemies , when he made it knowne to others , that he had the power to worke reuenge if he listed : and that he would not do it vpon priuate persons , though he did sharpely punish the publike offences . a sentence of the duke of ferrara . borso the first duke of ferrara , was wont to say : that the hearts and affections of men were sooner gained by benefites and good deedes , then by force & constraint of armes . the charity of the duke of sauoy . ayme the second of that name , duke of sauoy , being demaunded by certain ambassadours , where were his hounds with which he vsed to hunt : and desiring to haue a sight of them , he told them that if they would come againe to his court the next morning they should see them . the day after they came , and the duke led them into a hal , where was a great number of poore people and beggars eating and drinking at a table . behold ( said he to the ambassadours ) the dogges which i keepe and nourish : and with which i purpose to purchase and to lay hold on the heauenly glorie . a memorable speech of the great maister of rhodes . philip de villiers , great maister of the knights of the rhodes , being be sieged in the said citie by solyman the grand seigneur of the turkes : & hauing lost so many of his people , that he had very few left , said oftentimes : that it was much better to saue one of his owne men , then to kil a thousand of his enemies . the speech of the great turke to the said great maister . at what time the said villiers was constrained to render the same towne of rhodes to the said sultan soliman : and that he came to the presence of the said grand seigneur , to confirme the rendring of the place whereunto he had bene forced , and to take his leaue of him for his departure towards christendome : the grand seigneur vsed a speech vnto him worthy of so great a prince , which was this : to loose townes , lordships and dominions is a thing so vsuall and accustomable amongst men : that it is a sufficient testimony , how we are all of vs subiect to infi●t miseries . the deuice of the duke of vrbin . caesar borgias , duke of valentinois and vrbin , the son of pope alexander the sixth , gaue for his deuice this mot : o caesar , ô nullo● that is : e ther i will be emperour or nothing . and so fell it out in the end accordingly : or ere he came to that he aspired , his wicked conditions brought him to an vnhappie end : for he dyed prisoner in spaine . the brauado of the count de mathalon . thomas carafa , count de matalō , generall of the armie of ferdinand against the french in the realme of naples : after the returne of king charles the eighth into france : being aduised & disswaded by many captaines of his armie frō ioyning battell with the french that were marching to salerno : he reprouing their counsell , said out aloud : tut , these frenchmen now adaies be not those auncient peeres of fraunce that haue bin so renowned in the fabulous histories of the romaines : neither are we women furnished and armed in the forme of men , as were of old the amazons . by this speech he encouraged his souldiers : howbeit notwithstanding this braue oration , he lost the honour of the battell . a sage speech of a marshall of fraunce . iohn le maingre , called bouci●ualt , marshall of fraunce , and lieutenant for king charles the sixt at genes , as he was riding one day through the streetes of that citie , encountred two curtizans richly apparelled after the fashion of that countrie● , who did him great reuerence , and he rendred them the like . huguenin de tolligney , a french gentleman which did then accompany him , caused him to stay and said vnto him : my lord : who are these two dames to whom you haue done this great reuerence ? i know not said the marshall : huguenin replye'd : why sir , they be common women . the marshall answered : wel , i know not what they be , neither skils it : for i had leifer do reuerence to tenne common women , then to faile of saluting any one that is honest . a french prouerbe . in the historie of bertrand du guesclin , it is recorded : that in the raigne of charles the fifth when the said bouciqualt was marshall of fraunce , there liued then also a famous renowned knight called iohn de saintré : of which two persons , the french in their commendation made these verses : of much more worth in an assault , is saintré then is bouciqualt : but much better in a treatie , is bo●●iqualt then is saintré an act of the earle of sauoy . peter earle of sauoy , being to go before the emperour otho the fourth , to do him homage for his landes which he held of the empire : went apparelled with a certaine robe , the one halfe whereof was of steele in fashion of an armour gilded : in such sort that on the right side he was most richly apparelled ; and on his left side he was armed : in this manner attired did he demaund the inuestiture of his lands of the emperour : who hauing graunted it vnto him : and the earle being retired , and repairing to the chauncellour to haue his dispatch , shewed him the auncient euidence , and letters patents graunted to his predecessours wherby he held his landes . the chauncellour then demaunded of him , if he had the like for the territories of chablais , oste , and vaux , well knowing that he lately had gotten those lands by conquest . whereupon the earle setting his hād on his sword , & drawing it naked out of the scabbard , shewed it vnto the chancellour , and said : that he had no other euidence for those lands but his sword : and by that he held them . after which the emperour demaunded of him : why he ware such a garment , with the one halfe of cloth of gold , and the other halfe of steele . the earle answered : that he ware the cloth of gold on his right side to do honour to his maiestie : and for my attire on the left side , it signifieth ( quoth he ) that if any man deale sinisterly and ill with me , or offer me any iniurie , i am readie to defend me , and to fight for my right enent to the death . how the duke of millain serued an astrologer . a certaine astrologer ( which tooke vpon him to foreshew things to come , and the good and ill fortune of men , ) regarding the countenance of iohn galeace duke of millain , said vnto him : sir , dispose of your affaires betimes , for you cannot liue long . how knowest thou that , sard the duke ? marry sir , quoth he , hauing obserued the starres that are the gouernors of your life , i find that they do threaten you death in your flourishing age . well , ( quoth the duke ) and for thy selfe , how long shalt thou liue ? sir ( said the astrologer ) my planet promiseth me long life . to the end therefore ( said the duke ) that thou shalt neuer more haue affiance in thy planet , thou shalt dye presently contrarie to thy opiniō , and all the planets of heauen shall not saue thy life . and he had no sooner spoken it but he perfourmed it : for he commaunded him instantly to be hanged : which was accordingly executed . the message sent from narses to sophia , the empresse of constantinople . narses the eunuch , a most excellent chieftaine , who was lieutenant generall for the emperours iustinian and iustin of their warres in italy , was sent for by the empresse sophia the wife of iustin ( a most stout and proud ladie ) and commaunded to returne from italy & naples where he was gouernour , and to come to constantinople to the court : letting him to vnderstand , that she meant to employ him in another manner of seruice then the warres , and fitter for his estate : namely , to spin and weaue wool with her women and maidens . to the which message , narses returned this answer : that he would weaue such a webbe , as neither she nor her husband , ( whom she ruled as she listed ) should be able euer to vntwine . and he did no lesse thē he promised : for he secretly sent for alboin king of the lombards out of hungarie being his very great friend , and set him in possession of italy , so as both he and his successours enioyed it for a long time after . a vvoman of insolent and proud cariage and haughtie in speech , is the cause of notable mischiefes . the magnanimity of bertrād du guesclin . this bertrand du guesclin was no lesse famous & renowned for his magnanimitie & courage , then was narses the graecian . for before that he was constable of fraunce , he held the part of henry king of spaine against king peter the brother of the said henry . and in a battell foughten at nadres between the two brothers , henry was put to flight and bertrand was takē prisoner by the black prince of vvales , who followed the party of king peter , who led him prisoner to burdeaux : hauing held him there a time , he was willing to deliuer him , and to acquit & pay his debts , on cōdition that the said bertrand should neuer beare armes against him the said prince , against the king of englād his father , nor against king peter of castill , nor their allies . but bertrand refusing to yeeld to those conditions , was notwithstanding put to his raunsome such as himselfe would nominate and set downe . bertrand ( howbeit that he was & alleadged himself to be but a poore knight ) yet hoping on his good fortunes , offered the prince an . double florins of gold . the prince supposing that he mocked him , quitted him for the quarter part : but bertrand standing on his honour , would not yeeld to pay lesse then sixtie thousand , saying : that he would be well able to pay it . the prince accepting his offer : bertrand spake out aloud before all the lords and nobles there present : now may henry of castill well vaunt himselfe and boldly say : that he shall dy king of spaine : for i doubt not but to set the crowne on his head : and he shall yeeld me the one moitie of my raunsome : and king charles of france shall furnish me with the other moitie . such was the haughtie courage of this valiant chieftaine , who afterwards accomplished and acquitted himselfe of that his promise . the same pertrand being afterwards constable of fraunce vnder charles the fifth , left a custome in fraunce which he brought vp in his time : that whatsoeuer gentleman had committed any forfeit against the reputation and honour of his estate : if he did afterwards happen to be in company at any banquet : the meate which was set before him should be cut in peeces . a hardy speech vttered by hire , a french captaine to king charles the seuenth . the hire a french captaine being sent from the armie to the king of fraunce charles the seuenth , to shew him in what estate the affairs of the warres then stoode : and that for default of victuals , money , and other necessaries , the french had lost certaine townes & battels to the english . the king willing to entertain the captaine in good familiar sort , shewed him all his delicate preparations of his pleasures and delights , the sports , the ladies , and the banquets wherewith he recreated himselfe : and withall demaunded of him how he liked them . the hire very freely and liberally answered him , saying : sir , i neuer in my life saw prince , that lost his patrimonie more pleasantly then you do . that man is to be reputed mad & senselesse , that vvill sit playing , vvhilest his house is a burning . a prompt and readie ansvver of an english captaine the lord talbot . talbot an english captaine , hauing besieged the citie of orleance in the time of king charles the seuenth : the citizens fell to practise with the duke of burgundie , to yeeld themselues vnder his obeissance : whereupon the duke wrote to the said lord talbot wishing him to leaue the siege , and the rather for that his long abode before that place , might be a great dammage and preiudice vnto him . the lord talbot suspecting the practise then in hand , would not cōsent to the dukes motion : but sent him this answer : i do not meane to beat the bush , and that another shall haue the birds . this speech in some histories is attributed to the duke of bedford regēt of france vnder henry the . king of england . the ansvver of bartholom●w aluiano , to king levvis the tvvelfth . barthelm●w aluiano a captaine of the venetians , and generall of their armie , at the battell of agnadell was there taken prisoner by the french , and presented to king lewis the twelfth : who demanding of him , vpon what ground or reason he bore armes against him : the said barthelmevv made this answer : sir , i haue vndertaken the warre against you for two speciall reasons . the first is , for discharge of my dutie to my countrie . the second is : for that hauing to deale against so great and puissant a prince as you are : if i had obtained the victorie , my renowne and fame had bene eternall : and being vanquished , i shall haue neuer the lesse honour and reputation with them of my countrey , when they shall enter into due consideration of your greatnesse and excellencie : for the hardinesse & couragious boldnesse which i had to resist against you , shall turne to my glorie and honour . men of haughtie courage do not attempt other then great actions : the issue vvhereof cannot but turne to their honour . a tyrannicall sentence of prospero colonna . prospero colonna being colonel of the italian men at armes which were within millain : a citizen of millain came to complaine vnto him of the exactions and pillaging of his soldiers : vnto whom he said : millain is like vnto a bird , from which if one pull away the feathers , she bringeth foorth others much more faire and beautifull . the ansvver of an italian to ascanio colonna . ascanio colonna hauing many goodly liuings and possessions in romania , arriued in a certaine towne of his own : where all the chief men came vnto him to salute him & to do him reuerence , onely one citizen excepted : who being very rich , yet no gentleman , had one only son an honest faire conditioned young man , who being singularly endued with all the gifts and graces wherewith nature cold enrich him , was not inferiour , but rather excelled all others there inhabiting . seigneur ascanieo inuited that same citizen to supper : at the end whereof , he demaunded of him to haue his sonne to serue him : promising to preferre him and aduaunce him highly . the citizen said vnto him : no sir , i will not that he shall serue you : for i remember me of an old prouerbe which withholdeth me from condescending hereunto . what prouerbe is that , said seigneur ascanio ? the citizen answered : hearken sir , and i will repeate it vnto you : male è chi gli serue . peggio è chi gli disserue , beato è chi non gli conosse . that is to say : ill is he that serueth : worse is he that cannot please : but happy is he that knoweth neither . an excellent comparison made by a g●ntleman of genua . lewis sforce being determined to exact a great summe of money by compulsion vpon the citie of genes : sent an ambassadour thither to negotiate this businesse : who being inuited by a chiefe personage of the citie to dine with him , and walking into the garden of that citizen his house : there they two fell into communication of that matter : the gentleman geneuois seeing the herbe basell , said vnto the ambassadour : my lord ambassadour , stroke your hand along vpon , and after smell vnto it : which he did , and confessed that the sauour of it was most sweete and odoriferous : my lord ( quoth the geneuois againe ) straine the herbe in your hand and then smell to it : which he did likewise , and said that it yeelded a very bad and lothsome sent . wherupō the geneuois said vnto him : my lord , if the duke lewis wil gently stroke the hand of his puissance ouer this citie without any violent dealing he shall find it to yeeld a good sauor , & very obedient vnto him : but if he come to oppresse it & to force it by compulsion , surely it will yeeld but a sharpe and ill tast by disobedience and rebellion . the admonition of certaine french captaines giuen to their souldiers . in the battell of fornoue giuen by the potestates of italy to king charles the eight at his returne from the conquest of naples : the french knights passing by the rankes of the battels , as they were doing their deuoit in the thickest presse of their enemies , and fearing lest the couetousnesse of the souldiers might make the french loose the victorie : they cryed vnto their souldiers : remember the battell of guinegare . this was a battell foughten in the time of king levvis the eleuenth against maximilian king of the romanes : the which the french lost by giuing themselues to the pillage . of a french knight vvhich taxed the normans . raault the dane , who was afterwards the first duke of normandy comming into fraunce with a great armie : there was sent against him robert earle of aniou , marshall of fraunce : who demaunded of one hastingue ( a dane likewise , being then countie de chartres ) whether he thought best to giue battell vnto raault or not , and what was his aduice therein ? hastingue for some reasons disswaded him . but a certaine noble knight which caried the banner of fraunce , perswaded the marshall to the contrary , saying : my lord : did you euer see a wolfe seize vpon a wolfe : or one foxe make war against another foxe ? inferring hereby : that they were both of one nation : and that therefore it was very vnlikely that the one would hurt the other . the elect of senlis encouraging the french men at armes against the flemings in the battell of bouines , vnder the king philip augustus , amongst other words , said : it is not the part of any noble and valiant knight , to make the bodie of another knight to serue him for his shield and rampart . the sayings of captaine baiard . frauncis de stritigen , a colonell vnder the emperour charles the fift , hauing besieged mezieres , within the which was captaine bayard : for frauncis the first of that name , king of fraunce summoned him by a herald to yeeld himselfe and the place whereof he had the gouernment . wherunto bayard made this answer . the baiard of fraunce feareth not the roussin of almaine . this conceipt vvas vpon the allusion to his name , vvhich vvas so famous and renowned , that the spaniards had this saying of him : in fraunce are many graybeards , but there are but fevv bayards . a gentleman demanded of monsieur bayard : what goods and possessions a gentleman ought to leaue vnto his children ? he answered : marry that which needeth not feare any stormes nor tēpests , nor force of man , nor humane iustice : and that is wisedome and vertue . and it behooueth the father to haue like care of his children , as a gardiner hath of his garden : that is : to be carefull in trimming of it , to see it well sowed , & wel planted with good seedes and plants . another demaunded of him , what difference there was betweene the learned and the ignorant : as much ( quoth he ) as is betweene a phisition and his patient . he said : that the greatest honour and seignorie which any nobleman could possibly haue , was to be familiar and conuersant with men that are vertuous : and the greatest euill which could possibly betide to any great person , was to be accompanied with those for his familiar friends , who were ignorant and vicious : for ( said he ) there cannot be a greater plague or pestilence , then when audaciousnesse and puissance is accompanied with ignorance . a certaine gentleman on a time said vnto him : sir , i see euery where great store of riches and worldly goods , but i see not that prudence & wisedome which you haue so highly commended . that is no maruell ( answered bayard ) for you haue the earthly eyes of the bodie , with which you see earthly things : but you haue not the eyes of the spirit and vnderstanding , wherewith to discerne and consider wisedome and prudence . a dangerous iest of a soldier of nauarre . in the yeare . at such time as the french and venetians had laid siege before bressia , which the spaniards held for the emperor : after that the souldiers of both parts had vsed each against other sundry taunts and reprochfull arrogant speeches : a certaine souldier a nauarrois , ( to the intent he might in some sort represse the vaunting speeches of the spaniards ) in giuing them occasion to suspect the mines wrought vnder the groūd against thē : he vsed this speech vnto thē : my friends , you that are so full of your mocks within the town take good heed and looke well to yourselues , to preuent the harme that may betide you , lest that when the henne hath done scraping & digging the ground with her feete , you repent you that you did not dreame of it . it is a good threatning , that giueth a man good admonition . of the two marshals of fraunce , monsieur de antrehan , and monsieur de cleremount . the prince of vvales surnamed the blacke prince , hauing made sundrie offers vnto iohn the french king before the battell of poytiers : the king assembled his councell to haue their aduice . the lord de antrehan one of the marshals , did counsell the king to accept the offers of the prince , and not to hazard the battell and to aduenture the certaine for the vncertaine . the lord of cleremount the other marshall , reproching the marshall de antrehan , and obiecting that his counsell proceeded of feare and cowardice , because he durst not be at the battell , de antrehan being very highly offended , and esteeming himselfe much wronged in his honor and reputation , said vnto him with a stout courage : cleremount , to the intent thou maist know that it is no cowardly feare that made me speake as i haue done : i would thou shouldest well know , that the arrest of my launce shall be more forward in the battell , then thou shalt be with the point of thine . and the battell being foughten , the french lost the field , and king iohn was taken prisoner . the speech of dame tiphaine to her husband bertrand du guesclin . after that the lord bertrand du guesclin was espoused vnto the ladie tiphanie , who was issued of a noble and great familie : he discontinued for a time the vse and exercise of armes , which he had bene accustomed to follow : for the which his new espoused wise greatly blamed him , saying : my sweete friend and loue , before that we were maried you were wont to follow the warres , and many faire exploits haue bene atchieued by your prowesse : in such sort as many haue thought , that by you the realme of fraunce would be recouered out of the hands of the english . surely , it cannot stand with the nature of a true gentleman , that an ouer exceeding affection to a new wife should make you loose the honour which you haue formerly obtained : and sir , for my part , i who ought to be honoured by your meanes , shall esteeme my selfe much disgraced , if you surcease from following this course which you haue so well begunne : and i shall beare you the lesse loue & affection for it , because you ought not to leaue and forgo the honour and reputation of chiualrie , and the art militarie which euery man hath attributed vnto you . the persvvasions of any honourable ladie , haue great force and may preuaile much vvith a generous and haughtie courage , to make it enterprize high and great actions : as these of this ladie had vvith this knight sir bertrand : vvho aftervvards became high constable of fraunce . an honorable opinion of levvi● the son of king philip of fraunce . levvis the sonne of king philip the first of that name , who was afterwards surnamed levvis le gros : making warre against certaine noblemen of fraunce that had rebelled against his father : and hauing besieged a certaine castell , his men at armes would needes leaue him and depart , by reason of the vnseasonablenes & ill disposition of the time : insomuch as he was not able either by prayers or menaces to retain thē : wherefore being thus abandoned & forsaken of his forces , he was constrained to retire and raise his siege , saying & oftentimes repeating it : that it was better by farre for a man to dy a cruell death ( prouided it were honest & honorable ) rather thē to prolong his life with shame & dishonor . a courteous and gentle answer of king philip augustus . certaine councellours and courtiers shewed vnto the french king philip surnamed augustus : that the cleargie of fraunce did vsurp the authoritie and royall iurisdictions appertaining to the crowne : whereby his princely dignitie and prerogatiue was greatly iniured and endammaged : and wished him therefore to cut off their authoritie so vsurped : whereunto he wisely aunswered : i do easily beleeue , that what you say is true : howbeit calling to mind the benefits wherewith god hath blessed me , i had rather suffer and endure losse and dammage in my rights , thē to commence sute or to bring processe against the seruitours of god & his church , whereof may arise and grow any offence and scandall . a saying of pope vrban the fifth . king charles the fifth being desirous to ridde his countrey and kingdome of fraunce of those men at armes both english and french , which ( after the treatie of peace accorded betweene those two nations ) did ouerrunne and spoile the countrey of fraunce : the lord bertrand du guesclin obtained leaue of the king , to leade them into the realme of granada against the saracens . and by reason of the pilferies and robberies which these men at armes had committed , the pope vrban the fifth had excommunicated them : bertrand du guesclin hauing assembled them together , and being chosen generall of these forces to passe with them into spaine , marched away with them by the way of auignon , where the pope vrban the fifth was then resident : who sent a cardinall vnto them to know what was their demaund : to the which cardinall , bertrand answered : sir , i pray tell his holinesse , that these men of warre do demaund pardon & absolution both from the gilt and the punishment of their sinnes which they haue committed , and for the which they haue incurred the sentence of excommunication : and besides they do require two thousand florins of gold to maintaine them and to defray their charges in their voyage vndertaken for the aduancement of the christian faith . the cardinall making report vnto the pope of his message : his answer was this : this is very straunge and a maruellous matter , that this people should demaund absolution and money : and our custome is to giue absolution and to take money . the opinion of the earle of arminacke . the nobles and barons of guien being assembled in counsell to giue an answer vnto the demaunds of the prince of vvales , who was purposed to make warre in spaine , because the most part of them thought it vnlawfull , and an enterprise of small reason : and were desirous to be resolued amongst themselues of the truth of the matter . the earle of arminacke spake vnto them on this manner : it is not fit , nor a thing appertinent to the subiect , ( who standeth vpon the reputation of his faith and loyaltie ) to dispute of the rights and interests which his prince may haue , in vndertaking warre against another prince : but he ought to yeeld him his best seruice and endeuours , whensoeuer he shall be required thereunto : for he ought to be perswaded , that his prince in so doing , doth nothing but vpon good counsell & aduice : neither ought he any further to be inquisitiue therinto . euery vvarre vndertaken vpon an vniust quarrell , is to the dishonour rather of the prince then of the subiect . the saying of the earle of foix. gaston the second of that name , earle of foix , hauing taken to wife elinor the daughter of cōminge , who was much elder then himselfe : certaine nobles of that countrey being in communication with her of that mariage , told her : that she had taken and chosen an husband , who was much younger then she : to whō she answered : if i had knowne that the earle of foix should haue bene my husband , i would not haue bene borne so soone , but haue stayed for him . in euery good mariage , it is requisit that the parties be equal and alike in conditions , age and vvealth . the last words of the king of nauarre at his death . frauncis phoebus earle of foix , and king of nauarre , lying vpon his death bed , in the very agonie and last panges of death , vsed these wordes for his last speech : regnum meum non est de hoc mundo . i d●ò relinquo mundum & non conturbemini , quia vado ad patrem . my kingdome is not of this world : therefore i leaue the world : & be not you troubled , for i go to the father . the answer of iouian pontanus . iouian pontanus an excellent philosopher and a notable poet , being demaunded why he did eate but of one kind of meate at his meale : and of that also very little and in great sobrietie : he answered : because i wold not haue any need of the phisition . all phisitions are of accordin this : that diuersitie of meates do hinder the digestion , and ingender sicknesses and diseases . a pleasant conceipt of the brother of sanctius , brother to the king of spaine . a solemne councel being assembled at rome , to consult vpon the taking of armes against the saracens who had the possession of the holy land : it was of a long time there debated who should be chosen as the most worthie and sufficient to haue the conduct and commaund of the armie . after many opinions , it was concluded , that sanctius brother to the king of spaine in regard of his good parts , his hardinesse , courage , and vertues , should be the chiefe and generall of this honourable enterprise : because it was well known that he was a man deuoide of couetousnesse and ambition : and of excellent expedition in deedes of armes : whervpon he being after this election come to rome , and repairing to the conclaue where the pope , cardinals , and princes of christendome were assembled together : he was immediately in the presence of them all , by the decree and ordinance of the pope , amongst other articles proclaimed and declared king of egypt : vpon the which proclamation all the people showted with a publicke crie and acclamation exceedingly reioyced . he not skilled in the latine tongue : and not knowing wherat the consistorie did make that triumphing , demaunded the cause of his interpreter : who hauing told him that the pope had graunted and proclaimed him king of egypt : he said vnto his interpreter : stand vp , and make here presently a proclamation before all this people here assembled : that seeing the pope hath made me king of egypt , he therefore shall be caliph of babylon . this was a sudden and royall liberality , to recompence him with a vaine title of pontificalitie , from vvhom he had receiued the name and stile of a king vvithout a kingdome . the opinion of the king of sicilie . robert king of sicilie , being on a time in communication with that famous italian poet frauncis petrarch , told him : that he was more in loue with his bookes then his own crown : and that he held more deare the learning and knowledge which he had gotté in the studying of good letters , then all the honours and riches of his realme . this opinion vvas cleane contrarie to that of the french king levvis the eleuenth . the mind of the emperour fredericke , vvhich he shevved towards his vvife . the emperour fredericke did neuer vse to drinke wine but at his meals : and euen then he vsed to mingle and temper it with a great quantitie of water . his wife the empresse leonor did likewise neuer vse to drinke any wine whilest she liued in her fathers house : and being come to the imperiall dignitie , the phisitions of almaine aduised her to vse wine , if she meant to haue any children , because the climate of that countrey was very cold : wherof fredericke being aduertised , commaunded one of his neare and familiar friends to go vnto the empresse , and to say this vnto her from him : i had leifer haue a wife that is barren , then one that is subiect to drinking of wine . the empresse returned to the messenger this answer : during my life i shall euer be obedient to the wil and commaundement of my lord & husband : neuerthelesse , if the emperour should commaund me to vse wine , i had rather dye then therein obey him . a sentence of pope clement the seuenth . pope clement the seuenth , speaking of the retaining of princes in peace and amitie for the quiet and tranquilitie of the christiā common-weale , vsed to say : that it was a daungerous and most perillous thing to be in amitie with some particulars onely : but to entertaine it with diuerse , it was well befitting and beseeming the dutie and dignitie of the papall see : which ought to declare it selfe the common father and wel willer of all in generall . the allusion of the lantgraue of hesse . the lantgraue philip of hesse , making warres against the king ferdinand brother to the emperour charles the fifth , for the restoring of vtrich duke of vvittenberg to his right : & being entred into the country and and territories of the said duchy , there he encountred with his enemies , whom he rudely put to the repulse . and as he made his infanterie to march on , he demaunded of the aduaunteourrers where they had left their enemies . answer was made him : that they were at loffen . well said , ( my good souldiers quoth he ) i take this your answer for a prognostication of our victorie at hand : seeing it seemeth to bring vs tidings that our enemies are in flying . loffen in dutch signifieth flight , vvhich made the lantgraue by the allusion of the vvord , to take it for a presage of their flight . a pleasant conceipt of a french gentleman . communication being moued in the presence of the lord claude duke of guiz● touching a certaine battell giuen by frauncis the french king , against the emperour charles the fifth : the duke of guize began to vse some speech vnto a french gentleman who had bene seene in the armie gorgiously attired and well armed at all points , and exceedingly well mounted : howbeit that he was not seene in the battell . by my faith sir ( answered the gentleman ) i was there : and i can bring good proofe thereof , yea in such a place as you durst not haue bene seene . the duke tooke this speech very ill , and supposed himselfe highly touched , and therfore grew greatly offended with the answer : but the gentleman laughing very pleasantly appeased him in saying vnto him : my lord , i was with the baggage , where i am sure your lordship would not haue vouchsafed to haue stayed as i did . sometimes a man that hath lost his honour by his deedes , may recouer the same againe by gracing it vvith good speeches . an apothegme of the seneshall of campaigne . iohn lord of ionuille , hauing giuen counsel vnto the aforesaid french king saint levvis not to return back into fraunce , till he had ended his warres in the holy land : was iniured by som of the great lords & nobles neare about the kings person , who desired to depart from thence : in somuch as they called him colt : which at that time was held a word of great disgrace amongst the pesants of fr●unce : but he very gently replyed vnto them : i had rather be a kicking colt , then a wincing iade . his meaning vvas , that a young colt might helpe both himselfe and his master out of dannger : but an old horse endangereth both himself & his rider . the fidelitie of the french king saint levvis . after that the saracens had bene paid the summe of two hundred thousand pounds for the raunsome of the earle of poitiers , brother to the king saint lewis , who had bene taken prisoner by them in the holy land : monsieur philip de mon●fort made report to the king , that the saracens were misreckened in their receipt of tenne thousand franks wherupon the king presently made him sweare , and to giue his faith , that he should see them paid , which he did accordingly : and the king wold not depart out of harbour , nor set saile to sea , where he was readie embarked for his returne , till the said summe of ten thousand frankes were deliuered them . the speech of the lady of heluin . a councell being held within the citie of gaunt , for the mariage of the ladie mary princesse of burgundie , ( the daughter of duke charles which dyed before nancie ) with the prince dolphin of fraunce sonne of king lewis the eleuenth , who was afterwards called charles the eighth of that name king of fraunce , who was then very young in yeares : the ladie of heluin chiefe lady of honour to the princesse , said : we haue need of a man and not of an infant or child : for my mistresse is a woman sufficient to beare such a child as our countrey hath great need of . this vvord to beare a child hath tvvo interpretations : either to be married to a man of prudence and vvisedome : or that by the mariage , there may issue a child of a good and vertuous disposition : according to that sentence of salomon : the land is in weake estate of which a child is prince : that is , a child in vnderstanding . a pleasant conceipt of the duke of millain his cooke . the duke of millain being besieged in a castell by the florentin●s : one day as he sate at dinner , he could not away but fell in mislike with the tast of all his meate set before him : insomuch as he checked his cooke , and was very angry with him . but the cooke read●e enough to iustifie & free himself from blame ( after many excuses made ) said vnto the duke : my lord , your me at is well enough dressed : but the florentines haue put your mouth out of tast . to that man vvhich in vvarres is timerous , all things proue tedious and troublesome . the persvvasion of the lord talbot to his sonne . the french vnder king charles the seuenth hauing laid siege before the town of chastillon which was possessed by the english in the yeare . the lord talbot then lieutenant general for the king of england in aquitaine , issued out of burdeaux to raise the siege of the french. battell being ioyned between them , and the losse likely to fall to the english : the lord talbot said vnto his son : son i would wish thee to prouide for thy safetie , and to reserue thy self to some other time : as for me , it will be for my honour to die here , after so many victories by me obtained in times past : but if thou shouldest miscarie in this fight , litle honour wold it be vnto thee : who by sauing thy selfe now maist augment it in time to come : in reseruing thy selfe for more haughtie enterprises , and for the benefit of enland thy natiue countrie . this was a speech well beseeming a true and noble gentleman , and one that was a louer of his conntrey : how beit , his sonne would not yeeld vnto that motion : but both father and sonne there lost their liues . an apothegme of a certaine englishman . the english being chased out of fraunce by king charles the seuenth , as certaine of them were readie to passe the sea , the french in mockage demaunded of an english captaine , when they would come againe to make warre in fraunce ? who answered : that shall we when your sinnes do exceed ours in number . it is our sinnes onely that draweth down the vvrath of god : and causeth him to send vs both vvarres , famine and pestilence . a good opinion of the venetians . the venetians are very secret in their counsels and deliberations : and they haue an vsuall saying : that a good councell be it neuer so secret , is oftentimes disclosed . the ansvver of a duchesse of normandie to her husband . a certaine damosell , named gonnor , which in former times had bene beloued by richard duke of normandie , the sonne of vvilliam long spath : being afterwards maried to the said duke after the death of the ladie auina his first wife , the daughter of hugues the great erle of paris : the first night after she was maried to the said duke being laid in bed with him , she turned her backe towards him . the duke maruelling at that manner of her behauiour , said vnto her : full often haue you lien with me : yet did i neuer see you thus do before . whereunto she answered : true it is my sweet loue : for heretofore i lay in your bed , and therefore did as pleased you : but now i lye in the bed that is mine as well as yours , and therefore i may rest me of what side do i please . the constancie of elizabeth the daughter of the king of boheme . elizabeth the daughter of vvenceslaus king of boheme , being conducted with great honour to the city of spire in germanie , of purpose there to be espoused to iohn the eldest son of the emperour henry the seuenth : and perceiuing that the celebrating of the mariage , was deferred , she made so secret inquirie of the cause , that in the end she knew it was prolonged , in regard of a iealousie which the emperour had conceiued that she had not kept her virginitie : for the truth is , she was of a most singular and incomparable beautie farre excelling all the ladies of that age : knowing therefore whereupon this delay grew , she stripped her selfe out of her clothes starke naked , and couering her selfe onely with a mantle of pure fine linnen , which was soone and easie to be cast off : in this forme she presented her selfe to the emperour , saying vnto him : sacred prince , i will now instātly make good proof of my virginity by the view & search of my bodie : & the examinatiō therof made by sage & honest women : & i will neuer stir foot from hence , till you be free from that suspitiō which you haue conceiued of me . the emperour astonished and afraid at her speech , could not possibly remoue her from her determination by any excuse or perswasion that he could vse : but he was constrained to cause her to be searched : and she being found to be pure and a virgine inuiolate , he caused her to be maried vnto his sonne . true vertue is alwaies of that strength and fortitude , as it can neuer he vanquished . a reason vvisely alleadged by the foole of the duke of austrich . lvpoldus duke of austrich making warres against the swizzers who were in alliance with the emperour levvis of bauier : & hauing assembled vnder the charge of certain captaines of the estate of germany to the number of . men horse & foot , to the end he might cause them to set forward : he consulted with his counsell , by what way he might best enter into the svvizzers countrey . the councel being resolued of the course which they meant to take , the dukes foole named kune de stocken who was present , and had heard their deliberation , said vnto them in his accustomed habite and countenance of a foole : i do not like of your counsell : for all of you haue consulted , how , and by what meanes we may enter into their countrey : but there is none of you that hath giuen his aduice , how and in what sort we shall get away againe from thence . a good entrie or beginning is not all , vvithout it haue a happie ending . the good conditions of the emperour theodosian . the emperour theodosian could not endure to haue any to his seruants who were proud and arrogant , or of too braue and vaunting an humour : much lesse could he suffer them that were shameles , mutinous , dissolute , seditious , or rash in their speech . and he was wont to say , that that prince could neuer be well beloued of his people , nor obeyed of his subiects , as long as he did suffer any to be neare him or about him for his ordinarie seruants , that were presumptuous and arrogant : or if his officers were ambitious and couetous : or if his fauorites and familiars were either dishonest , or imprudent , double hearted , or double tounged . by the seruant , men iudge vvhat his lord is : and such a man , such a maister . a sentence of the empresse sophia . tiberius being appointed to haue the gouernement of the roman empire , in place of the emperor iustin , who was become sickely : sophia the wife of the said iustin entring into speech with tiberius ( who was a most bountifull prince ) amongst other matters vsed this sentence in her speech vnto him : it is much better , and a thing more easie to be endured : that a prince should be an ill mā and a good prince : then to be an ill prince and a good man. certaine braue speeches of the lord of assier . iaques de genouillay lord of assier , called galeot , ( who was grand maister of the ordinance to king levvis the twelfth : being determined to go to mitilen to beare armes against the turkes , vnder the commaund of monsieur de rauestin : and disposing of his affaires against he went on his voyage , he was admonished by his friends to make his wil , and to ordaine his sepulture , if he should happen to be slaine in that warre : to whom he gaue this answer : what need i take care to trouble my selfe , with thinking where i shall be buried , or by whom ? shall i not haue ( trow ye ) pioners enough about me , who will not leaue me vnburied if i fortune to dye there ? his so●●e taking his leaue of him to go to the battel of serizoles against the armie of the emperor charles the fifth , he said vnto him : you cannot possibly get to be at the battell in time . his sonne answered him : i will ride thither post . the father replyed : what , will you cause your horses to runne , and your armour to be caried post ? no ( quoth the sonne ) when i my selfe shall haue gotten thither : i shall easily find horse and armour . oh poore man ( said the lord of assier ) wilt thou go seeke thy death in post ? as if he had said vnto him : you cannot find there such horse and armes as will be fit for thy bodie , which will be the cause of thy death . and indeede there he made his end . a foolish speech of certaine ambassadours of venice . the venetiās sent two yong ambassadors to the emperour fredericke , vnto whom 〈◊〉 would not giue audience : they 〈◊〉 to know the cause , vnderstood : 〈◊〉 it was the custome to send on ambassade to the emperour , men that were aged and of good yeares , and not young beardlesse men , such as they were . whereupon they humbly besought the emperour that he would giue them leaue to speake a word vnto him nothing concerning their ambassade : which being granted them , they said vnto the emperour : sacred maiestie : if the seignorie of venice had thought , that knowledge and prudence had onely had his abiding in beards , they would haue sent vnto your highnesse two goates for ambassadours . the truth is , that the speeches of an ambassadour are of much more respect & authoritie , vvhen they are accompanied with aged yeares , prudence and experience : and these young ambassadours did sh●vv by their speech , that the conceipt and opinion of the emperour vvas true vvhich he had ronceiued of them . a pleasa●● speech of dant the italian poet. the poet dant demaunded of a citizen of florence , what houre it was : who answered him very rudely , that it was the houre , in which horses go to be watered . dant suddenly replyed : what doest thou here then , that goest not with them ? of a cause decided by a french gentleman . two french gentlemen discoursing of single fight and combat , whether it be lawfull or not : the one of them said : that there was no agreement between learning and the sword : the other answered : we which liue in the latine church , as christians , are bound to obserue those lawes which it ordaineth : and to protect & defend them with the sword : which ought not to be drawne but for that cause onely . the lavv of man permitteth single combate , but the lavv of god prohibiteth it . a sentence of the chauncelor of fraunce . speech being had in the presence of anthony de prat chauncelor of fraunce , touching the warre of king frauncis for the recouerie of millain : and some affirming that it were good that millaine were vtterly destroied and ruinated , in regard of the dammage that it had brought vnto the french : he answered : it is very necessarie that millaine should stand in state as it is : because it serueth as a purgation to the realme of france , to take away and remoue the ill humours of idle and ill disposed persons which otherwise might corrupt and destroy it . this was the sentence vvhich scipio africanus vsed in his speech to the romanes concerning the preseruation of carthage from being ruinated . the patience of seigneur sforce . a knight of nola came to tell seigneur sforce how a gentleman one tartaglia had spoken very badly of him at a certain banquet , where he had reproched him with all kind of villanie : and he affirmed his report with many great oathes , to the intent he might the better be beleeued . the lord sforce said vnto him : my friend , thou needest not paine thy self so much to make me beleeue that which thou tellest me : because that tartaglia doth vse neuer to speak of any but euill : and it is very likely , that he would not make spare of his ill speech with all kind of violence , licentiousnesse and libertie euen to his vttermost , especially being in place fit and conuenient for such a purpose . by this answer he gaue the talebearer to vnderstand : that tartaglia was not much to be regarded , both in respect he vvas reputed a common backebiter : and in regard of his drunkennesse whereunto he noted him to be subiect . an apotheg of the same sforce . the said sforce being in doubt of the ambushes & forces of paule vrsin , forsooke the citie of rome where he was abiding , and went to encampe himselfe in the forrest of aglio . the cardinall of saint ang●ll the popes legate went vnto him to perswade him to returne to rome , with promise and assurance of sa●etie during his being there : and amongst other speeches vsed vnto him , he said : seigneur sforce , will you be afraid of a beare , being vnder the protection and assurance of a strong colonne or pillar to defend you ? ( for then was the pope of the house of the colonnois which in italian signifieth a pillar : ) but sforce made him this answer : my lord cardinall , you might thinke me a very foole , if i would rely or trust vpon the succours and defence of a deafe and dead peece of marble : and not be afraid of a great monstrous beast : who being armed with terrible teeth and nailes , doth walke notwithstanding as men vse to do . by this allusion , he shewed that the succours of the pope were slow and long in comming : and he discouered the high courage and great forces of paul v●sin his enemie . the epitaph of charles duke of burgūdy , vvho vvas slaine before nancie in lorain in the yeare . te piguit pacis vita taeduitq ? quietis : hîc iaces charole , iamque quiesce tibi . vnpleasing to thee in thy life vvas peace and quietnes : but charles here novv doest thou lye : now therefore take thy rest . philip of commines in his hostorie testifieth , that this charles duke of burgundie was of so turbulent a spirit & delighting in warres , as he had neuer one houre of rest in all his life . the properties of three nations taxed . a great lord was wont to say : that three sorts of men were to be taken heede of : namely : a red italian , a white french man , and a blacke germaine . a notable sentence of the queene of england . katherine of spaine the wife of henry the eight king of england , said : that she loued better a temperate and meane fortune , then that which was either too easie and prosperous , or too sharpe and aduerse . neuerthelesse that if she should be put to her choise which of the two last she would accept , she had rather haue the aduerse then the prosperous : because ( said she ) commonly they which are vnfortunate , are not altogether destitute of some consolation and comfort : but they which liue in prosperitie for the most part do want the true vse of vnderstanding , reason and iudgement . of the president moruillier . philip de moruillier president of the parliament of paris in the time of king charles the . for some enuie and malice conceiued against him by the councellours of the court , was greatly disliked of them , insomuch as he retired himselfe to the kings court : who assoone as occasion was offered preferred him to the dignitie of chief president . within a while after being come into the parliament there to take possession of his new place and dignitie : and being set in the chiefe and principall seat , he began very aptly his oration in this manner with a place of the scripture . lapidem quē reprobauerunt aedificantes , hîc factus est in caput anguli . the stone which the builders refused , is become the head stone in the corner . monsieur de s. romain at that time procurer generall for the king , answered him with another text of the psalmist as fit as the former , saying : a domino factum est istud , & est mirabile in oculis nostris . this is the lords doing , and it is maruellous in our eyes . a merrie conceipt of king alphonsus . alphonsus king of naples had in his court a foole or iester , who did vse to put downe in a booke or paire of writing tables all the follies , ( at least those which he thought such ) of all the lords , gentlemen , and others of his time which he knew to frequent the court. it happened that the king alphonsus hauing a moore in his house , sent him into the leuāt with ten thousand duckets there to buy him horses : the foole set downe in his booke this act of the king as a tricke of folly . a few daies after , the king alphonsus called to his foole to see his booke , hauing not seene it of a good time before : in reading within it , in the end thereof he found the historie of himselfe , and his moore , and the . duckets which he had deliuered him : whereat the king being offended , and growing into choler demaunded of the foole : wherefore he had put him in his booke ? because ( quoth the foole ) you did a very foolish act in giuing your money to a straunger , whome you are like to see no more . but how if he come backe againe ( said the king ) and bring the horses with him , where is my folly then ? marrie ( replyed the foole ) whensoeuer he commeth againe , i will then blot your name out of my booke , and will put in his in stead of yours : for then i shall hold him the more foole of the two . the magnificence of a king of england . chiniton or chinite king of england ; who raigned about the yeare of christ . was of so haughtie and so great a mind , that he caused a royal throne to be prepared and erected for him neare the sea side : and seeing the tide to beat with the waues against his seat , he spake out aloud vnto the sea : thou art my subiect , and the land whereon i am set is mine : and therefore i forbid thee to rise against my land , or to wet the bodie and apparell of thy lord and maister : the sea notwithstanding holding on his course in flowing , came to wet his feete , which he seeing presently gaue backe and said : now may all men know , that all humane power is but meere vanitie : and no mortall man is worthy to beare the name of a king , but he only to whose commaund the heauens , the earth , and the sea by a perpetuall decree are subiect and obedient . a pleasant conceipt of an italian gentleman , vpon the interpretation of the names of two popes . after the death of pope alexander the sixt , nicholas the fifth being created pope , certain italian gentlemen walking in the popes hall , deuised together of the death of the one and the creation of the other , and of the conditions of thē both . amongst them was maister antonio agnello , who with a good grace said vnto the rest of the company : my maisters : you need not much to trouble your selues in giuing your iudgements of the two popes : for i beleeue that these two inscriptions will easily resolue vs of our doubts : and so saying he cast his eye vpon one of the two portals of the hall : and standing still shewed them with his finger this inscription : alexander pp . vi. which signifieth : alexander pope the sixth of that name . see ( said he ) what this inscription doth import : is it not as much as to say : that alexander was made pope by force ? let vs see now if we can vnderstand any thing touching the new pope : & then turning himselfe ( as if it had bene at aduentures ) to the other portall , he shewed them this inscription : n. pp . v. which signifieth nicholas pope the fifth . o lord god ( quoth he ) see , here is ill newes : nihil papa valet : that in english is : the pope is nothing woorth . an honourable act of an italian lord. an italian nobleman surnamed the grand captaine , being set at his table , and seeing two gentlemen ( who had serued very valiantly in the warres ) to stand below in his hall because the seates at the table were all filled : he immediatly arose , and caused all the rest of his guests to make place for these two , saying : make place i pray for these two gentlemen to dine : for if they had not bene in our company elsewhere , we should not haue had at this time whereof to eate . of a mocke which he gaue to another gentleman . the same captaine seeing a gentleman of his own come before him in good order , and richly armed after the battell of serignolle : and when all things were safe and in quiet : he said vnto his company : we neede not now feare any storme , for saint hermes hath appeared vnto vs. by this quippe he taxed the gentleman to be of small valour , for comming to the field after al daunger of fight was past : for the common opinion is , that saint hermes doth vse to appeare at sea to the mariners , after that the furie of a tempest at sea is gone & past . a speech of the same captaine to a gentleman touching himselfe . diego garsia spanish gentleman counselled the grand captaine gonsaluo , to withdraw himselfe from a place of great daunger where the artillerie of the enemie did play vpō them : o ( quoth he ) seeing that god hath not put any feare in thy courage , do not thou seeke to put any in mine . of the brother of the great turke . gein ottoman brother vnto the great turke being prisoner at rome , and seeing the gentlemen of italy to iust a●d tilt together : he said : that that manner of turney ( in his opinion ) seemed too much to be done in sport , and too little to be done in earnest . it happened on a time that one in the presence of this turke , highly commended the young king ferdinand of naples , in regard he was a man of excellent agility and actiue of his person for running , vaulting , leaping and other corporall exercises of that kind : whereof he tooke occasiō to say : that in his countrey , those were the exercises of slaues : and that the young gentlemen and noblemen did learne to practise bountie and liberalitie , and that by such vertues they made themselues the more commendable . liberalitie is a vertue whereby princes do purchase and entertaine the loue both of their subiects and of strangers . a pleasant quip giuen to a gentleman by the marquesse of mantua . the marquesse frederick of mantua sitting at the table in companie of many gentlemen : one of them after he had eaten vp all the broth , tooke his porenger with that little that remained and threw it on the ground : saying withall ( as it were by way of excuse ) my lord , i pray pardon me : whereupon the marquesse suddenly answered : demand pardō of the swine : for if there be any harm done it is to them and not to me . a comparison made by iohn gonzaga . the lord iohn de gonzaga playing and loosing his money at dice , saw that his sonne alexander did grieue at his losse : whereupon he said vnto some gentlemen there present : it is written of alexander the great , that when he heard of a victorie gotten by his father philip king of macedon , and of a realme which he had conquered : he fell on weeping : and being demaunded the cause why he wept : he answered : because his father got so many countreys , that he doubted lest he would leaue none for him to conquer : cleane contrarie ( said he ) doth my son alexander : for seeing me to loose , he is afraid lest i will lose so much , as i will leaue little or nothing for him to lose . a quippe giuen by one raphaell an italian painter to tvvo cardinals . the excellent and famous painter raphael of vrbin being very inward with two cardinals they ( to see what he would say vnto them ) in his presence found fault with a certaine table or picture of his making , wherein s. peter and s. paule were painted , saying : that the visage of those two images were too red : whereunto he quickly made answer : my lords , thinke not much that they looke so red : for i haue painted thē as they now are in heauen : and this rednesse in their faces commeth of pure shame which they haue to see the church so ill gouerned by such men as you are . a prudent counsell of laurence de medicis . seigneur lavvrence de medicis not knowing how to restraine the excessiue liberalitie of his sonne cosmus de medicis , who vsed to giue vnmeasurable summes both of gold and siluer to his fauorites : and not willing to haue either his sonne noted of prodigalitie , nor himselfe of auarice : & yet being withall more vnwilling to tell him of it , because he would not discontent him : he deuised a very subtill and honest pollicie how to effect his desire , which was this : he commaunded his pursebearer , that when his sonne did demaund any money of him , that he should not deny him any , but should giue it him whatsoeuer he desired , yet with this conditiō , that seigneur cosmus himselfe should count and tell out the money which he desired . within a while the sonne came to the pursebearer , & demanded . duckets , which he meant to giue for a present to some great personage : the pursebearer said vnto him : that he wold gladly deliuer him the summe he desired , vpon condition that himselfe would count it out , according as he had in charge giuen him from his lord and maister seigneur laurence . cosmus accepting the offer , fell to telling of his duckets , but he had not counted the two thousand of them , but he began to bewearie , because he thought too much time lost from his accustomed pleasures , insomuch as in the midst of his count he left all : and fell into consideration with himselfe that the summe was too great to giue away : and so determined from thencefoorth to be no more so prodigall . a counsell of cosmus de medicis . a certaine man had obtained an office neare vnto florence , by the meanes and mediation of cosmus de medicis , of whome he demaunded his aduice , what meanes he might vse in his office for the good managing of his affaires : seigneur cosmus answered him : cloth thy selfe with scarlet , and speake little . the man that speaketh litle cannot be conuinced of folly : and a goodly habite ( were it on a beast ) vvill get him reputation : but a vvise man wil soone find a difference . a speech of a pope . the bishop of seruia desirous to sound the popes mind , touching a sute which he would gladly haue graunted him , said vnto him : holy father : it is a common speech ouer all rome , and in your pallace : that your holinesse hath made me gouernour of the citie : whereunto the pope answered : let them say what they list : they are some leud fellowes that talke so : but do not you beleeue it to be so : for you shall find it nothing lesse . the death of the chauncelor of millain . levvis sforce being in the castell of millain : and perceiuing that the army of the french king levvis the twelfth was comming to besiege him , demaunded of maister sico his chauncellour : what he thought the best meane to gard and defend his castell against the french : he answered : l'amor de gli huomini : the loue of the people . the duke storming very exceedingly at his speech : and knowing that the chancellour was well beloued of the millanois , entred into a suspition of him , that he had a purpose to depriue him of his principalitie . and to set his mind at quiet from this conceipt , he caused the chauncellour to be beheaded on a high scaffold in an open and publike place . the chauncelor before his death complaining of the crueltie of the said levvis , said these words : ameil cappo á te il stato : which is , as if he would say : thou causest me to lose my head : but others will make thee lose thy seigneurie and state : which was in the end well verified : for within a small time after , hauing lost the duchie and castell of millaine , he was led prisoner into fraunce where he died in great miserie . the loue of the subiects is the most firme pillar for any prince to leane vnto : for vvhere hatred raigneth , a prince hath no assurance . also many men at their death do foreshevv things to come , and that oftentimes , by the iust iudgement of the deuine vengeance . a saying of pope alexander the sixth . vvhen king charles the eighth passed into italy towards the realme of naples , ( which he conquered in a very short time : ) pope alexander the sixth who then liued , said : the french men are come into this countrey with their spurres made of wood , and with chalke in their hands as though they came like friers , to marke out their lodgings without any further labour or trauell . by this speech he noted , with what ease & facilitie the french atchieued the conquest of the kingdome of naples . the ansvver of the countie of nansot . the earle of nansot lieutenant for the emperour charles the fifth , hauing besieged the towne of peronne which held for the french : the queene of hungarie , sister to the emperour , and regent of that countrie for him , sent letters vnto the said earle , the contents whereof were : that she was ashamed and much maruelled how he could spend so long time before peronne , which was but esteemed but in manner of a douecote ? whereunto he returned this answer : that true it was the towne was but a little douecote : but yet the pigoens which were within it were strong and not easie to be taken . a small place , the stronger it is , the more difficult it is to be gotten : and it is more easie to be defended , vvhen the defendants are vvell appointed and furnished for resistance . of the lord of trimouille . king frauncis the first ordinarily did vse to go to masse in his chappell : but the lord of trimouille would euer go to the publick church that was next adioyning ; and being on a time demaunded why he went not to heare masse in the chappell with the king : he answered : i will go thither where my great maister is . an act of the duchesse of burbon . the report is that the duchesse of burbon had in her house a certain damosell , who through loue suffered her selfe to be gotten with child : for which fault she being sharpely reprehended , to purge her selfe she said , that a gentleman in the house had enforced and rauished her against her will. the gentleman came to the presence of the dutches to excuse himselfe : whereupon the dutchesse tooke his rapier , and put it into the damosels hand that accused him , keeping the scabbard in her owne hand , and then said vnto her : put the rapier into this scabbard : & as she endeuoured to put it therein : the duchesse holding the scabbard to her , stirred her hand vp and down , so as by any means the damsel could not sheath it : then the dutches said vnto her : if thou hadst done as thou seest me do with this scabbard , then this mischaunce had neuer befalne thee . it is impossible for a vvoman to be forced against her vvill : notvvithstanding that vvhich is reported of lucrece . another act of a dutchesse . i haue heard the report of another act which was most excellent and worthie to be had in remembrance . a great prince of fraunce by the counsell of some of his friends , and with the popes dispensation had caused a separation betweene him and his wife , onely because she had no issue of her body , which he imputed to her disabilitie : and thereupon maried another wife . within a small time after , this noble man remembring himselfe of his first wife , sent vnto her on a newyeares day a most rich and precious robe by a gentleman his familiar friend , who presented it vnto the lady the same day . the princesse receiuing the robe , after long speech had with the gentleman , demaunded if it were her husband of himselfe that sent her this present : and being assured by him that it came directly from her husband : she presently cut it asunder , & separated the vpper frō the neather part : and afterwards deliuering the vpper part of the garment backe vnto the gentleman , she said vnto him : my friend : thanke your maister from me for the loue and affection that he seemeth to continue towards me : & carrie him backe againe this part of his robe , and tell him from me , that he keepe well the vpper part : and for the neather part , let him not doubt but i will looke well vnto it , & keep it safely as long as it shall please god to lend me life . by this conceipt the princesse meant that she vvould during her life keepe her chastitie vvithout marying againe , vvhich she did vvith great patience and constancie . a christian saying of the emperour charles the fifth . after the victorie which charles the fifth , obtained against iohn fredericke duke of saxonie elector of the empire , who was taken prisoner in a battel foughten betweene them : the emperour said all openly : i cannot 〈…〉 iulius caesar said : veni , vidi , vici : 〈…〉 will onely say : veni , vidi , & 〈◊〉 deus vicit . a braue ansvver of the countie of anguien . frauncis of burbon earle of anguien , being for king frauncis in piemont against the armie of the emperour charles the fifth , whereof was chiefe general the marquesse of guast : the said marquesse sent this message vnto the said lord of anguien , ( who was very young ) that his beard was to little for him to haue the hardinesse to meete him in battel . whereunto the lord of anguien sent this answer : that it was not with their beards that the french did vse to fight : but that as this was the office of their swords : so with the sword he came to seeke him and to offer him battell . there are many affaires of great importance , vvherein regard is to be had not to the age , but to the prudence & experience of him that hath the managing of them . a sharpe and pleasant speech of a foole belonging to the marquesse of guast . before the battell foughten at serizoles , the same marquesse of guast assuring himselfe of the victorie , gaue vnto one that was his iester afaire gilt armour , and a iener of spaine , promising him ( ouer and aboue that of his owne good grace and pleasure ) to giue him fiue hundred duckets , to the intent he should be the first that should go & cary vnto his lady the marquesse the newes of his victorie . it happened ( as good fortune would ) that the french gained the iourney , and the emperours armie was defeated . amongst the spaniards that were taken prisoners , this iester of the marquesse hapned to be one : who by reason he was so well mounted & armed , was thought to be some great lord or knight : & being brought before the lord of anguien after he had a while questioned with him , he knew him what he was : and demaunding of him who had furnished him in that good order : the iester answered : my lord the marquesse gaue me my horse and armes : and should haue giuen me besides fiue hundred duckets to go and tell my ladie his wife the first tidings of his victorie : but i beleeue ( said he ) that the marquesse will gaine the money himselfe , and that he is posted thither in person . of a parmisan that by his subtilty saued himselfe from trouble . a certaine man at armes a parmisan , passing by saluces arriued into a publike place , in the middest whereof was an high columne or pillar erected , vpon the which was pitched an eagle imperiall : to the which this souldier casting vp his eyes very attentiuely , as if he had bene suddenly astonished , he began in manner of cursing to say : oh foule mischiefe may befall him that set thee there so high ! diuerse standing there by , and walking vp and downe in that place , acquainted the magistrate with this speech of the parmisan : who being led before the iustice , and demaunded if he had spoken such words as were obiected against him : he confessed that he had spoken them : and that the occasion which moued him to say so , was , for that the eagle was set ouer high . for ( said he ) i beare so great reuerence and loue to the eagle which representeth the maiestie imperiall , that if it had bene below where i might haue reached it , i would not haue spared to haue embraced and kissed it . by this answer turned contrarie to the intendment and expectation of them all , he saued himselfe from trouble , and was suffered to depart safely out of the towne . necessitie vvill sometime constraine a man to avvaken his spirits : and to auoide daunger to turne his vvords in a double sense . an honorable opinion of the dolphinesse of fraunce . margaret daughter to the king of scots , and wife to the dolphine of fraunce , who was afterwards king levvis the eleuenth , passing on a time through a hall , where lay sleeping on a bench alan chartier secretarie to king charles the seuenth , a man of singular learning , and a most excellent poet and oratour in the french toung , went to kisse his mouth in the presence of al her companie . whereupon one of those who attended her , said : madame : it is verie straunge that you should kisse a fellow so filthie and deformed . she answered : i did not kisse the man but the mouth , out of which hath proceeded so many excellent conceipts , graue matters , and most eloquent speeches . the goods of the mind are to be preferred before the beautie of the body : and many times in vessels of base stuffe , are enclosed most precious liquours . the subtill request of iohn de menu , to saue himselfe from the furie of certaine ladies . qvite contrarie to the former act , was that which a queene of fraunce with her ladies did vnto iohn de menu the first and principall poet of the french nation : for he hauing composed that renowned booke of the roman of the rose : ( in the which he bringeth in a iealous man , that speaketh all the euill that possibly can be imagined of women and their dispositions ) by reason thereof he incurred the indignation and displeasure of the queene and other ladies , who determined to be reuenged of him . one day therefore the queen by the means of the other ladies did so much that she got iohn de menu in her power , and hauing reuiled , iniuried and threatened him exceedingly for speaking ill of womenkind : she commaunded her damosels to strippe him naked , and to tye him to a pillar , purposing that they themselues should scourge him . he seeing that all the reasons and excuses which he could make , could not preuaile against their rage and furie , humbly intreated that before they began to execute their wrath and malice vpon him , it wold please the queene to graunt him one request , which with great difficultie he obtained . well then ( quoth he ) faire ladies , seeing you haue vouchsafed me this fauour , as to condescend vnto my demaund : i pray you that the most arrant and notorious whore in all your company may begin to whippe me , and to giue me the first stripe . this said , they were all confounded and amazed , and left him alone at his libertie . the answer of the lord chabanes to king lewis the eleuenth . king levvis the eleuenth hauing giuen charge to baluë bishop of eureux to go take and receiue the muster of the men of armes in paris : the lord of chabanes great maister of fraunce requested the king to graunt him a commission to go and reforme the chanons of the church of eureux . why ( quoth the king ) that is no fit and conuenient charge for you : yea but ( said he ) this is as well befitting to my estate and calling , as it is for the bishop of eureux to haue to do with the ordering of men at armes . a historie of a radish giuen to king lewis the eleuenth . the same king levvis being but yet dolphin of fraunce did for a certaine time soiourne and remain in burgundie for feare of his father : during the which , vsing to take his pleasure and recreation in hunting , he did often frequent and resort to the cottage of a poore forrester named conon ( as it is often seene that great princes do sometimes take pleasure to be familiar with people of meane reckening ) with whome taking his repast , he did vse diuerse times to eate radishes . afterwards coming to be king , this poore fellow conon ( by the perswasion of his wife ) in hope to feele the bountie and liberalitie of the prince , came into fraunce , and brought with him of the fairest radishes of his garden , to make a present of them to his maiestie : but by constraint of hunger for want of victuals on the way , he was enforced to eate them vp al saue one , which was the greatest and fairest of them all . being come to the court , he was knowne by the king , who sent for him to his presence , and he good man verie cheerefully presented the great radish vnto his maiestie . the king tooke it and accepted it very graciously , and caused one that was neare about him to lay it vp amongst his chiefest and most precious iewels : and after he made the forrester to dine well , he gaue him a thousand crownes and so dismissed him . it happened not long after , that a courtier vpon a vaine hope presented the king with a very goodly horse , of a most excellent making and perfection in all parts : supposing that the king would recompence him for him most bountifully . the king bethinking himselfe wherwith he might reward him , remembred him of his radish , which being wrapped vp in white paper , he gaue to the courtier : telling him that he should accept of that in good part . the gentleman returning to his lodging , and hoping to find some great treasure , vnfolded his packet and found nothing but a radish : whereupon he went and made his complaint vnto the king , thinking that he had but mistaken one thing for another : but the king presently made him this answer : passion of god , man : i think i haue well payed for thy horse : for the present which i gaue thee cost me a thousand crownes . this vvas a most royall kind of liberalitie , in recompensing bountifully the good affections and long trauels of a poore man vvell deseruing : and to revvard the audacious according to his demerites . the speech of a president of paris to king levvis the twelfth . a great lord of fraunce betaking himselfe to force of armes , violently entred the prison of the castle of paris , and tooke thence a gentleman of his house who was held there prisoner , and led him away . the lord of vacquerie chiefe and first president in the parliament of paris being aduertised of this case , went vnto the king levvis the twelfth , vnto whome ( after he had done due reuerence ) he said : sir , i wonder how you can be merrie considering the wrong that is done you , and me thinkes you shold feele it . wherfore quoth the king ? because sir ( said he ) your right arme is broken . i vnderstand you not ( replyed the king : ) your right arme sir ( quoth the president ) is your iustice , which is now broken and violated : and so recounted vnto him from point to point what had happened , wherewith the king was highly displeased : and hauing caused the lord to be sent for to appeare before him , he commaunded him to repaire his fault , and made him to yeeld such satisfaction as was fit and according to reason . iustice is that vvherby princes do raign : and it is the principall force and strength to preserue a realme in good estate . a iudgement of a king of england . a king of england seeing two gentlemen earnestly contending and desiring the combat each of other for the armes of their houses ( for both of them bore a buls head in their shield ) before they entred into the lists to darreine the battell , he called them both before him seuerally and in secret , and said vnto them : as farre as i can perceiue , the onely thing that induceth you to claim the combate each of other , is : that the one of you cannot suffer the other to carrie the armes of his family : but if i can bring it to passe , & shew you how the armes of your aduersarie are farre different from yours , will you be contented to surcease your quarrell , and to leaue the combate ? whereunto when either of them had seuerally consented , the king by a herald caused it to be proclaimed , that he had found a meane to accord them : and that their armes were diuerse : for from hencefoorth ( quoth the king ) the one shall beare in his shield the head of a bull , and the other the head of a cow. this sentence was vvorthie to be commended : both in that it sauoured of a pleasant and vvittie conceipt , and 〈◊〉 them also from proceeding to the combate vpon so trifling an occasion . a similitude of the foole of the duke of millain . it happened that there fell a pleasant controuersie in the presence of the duke sforce of millain , whether was to be preferred as most worthie of honour either the aduocate or the phisition . for ( said one ) the aduocat pleadeth causes for the conseruation of right and equitie , and for the augmentation both of the priuate and publicke good . the phisition ( said another ) by his skill and knowledge keepeth man in health , and freeth him from sicknes and diseases . vpon this debate , the dukes foole being in place , began to speake and said : if it please my lord the duke that i shall shew my conceipt vpon this point , i shall soone end the controuersie . marry and good reason ( quoth the duke ) speake on hardly , and let vs heare thy opinion . my lord ( said the foole ) you see ordinarily : that when a felon is led to the gallowes to be hanged , commonly the theefe goeth before , and the hangman followeth after . by the theefe be vnderstood the aduocat , and by the hangman the phisition : because the one often robbeth his clients of their money : and the other killeth his patients with his phisicke . finis . notable and excellent sentences of ancient authors , both hebrewes , greekes , and latines : inducing euery man to liue well and vertuously . first , and aboue all things , shew thy selfe religious towards god , not onely by thy oblations and sacrifices , but also in keeping the vowes & promises which thou swearest vnto him : the one will be an argument of thy wealth and abilitie : by the other is knowne thy faith and honestie . honour god daily : but principally after the manner and fashion instituted and ordained by thy countrey wherin thou liuest : to the intent thou maist be esteemed both deuout in thy religion , and obedient also to the lawes : both together and at one instant . be thou such a one in thy behauiour towards thy parents , as thou wouldest that thy owne children ( when thou hast any ) should be towards thee . vse thy bodie to labour and exercise , not onely to make it strong and able , but also healthfull and well disposed : the which thou maist well do , if thou vse to make an end of thy labour , whilest thou art able to continue and endure labour . be not immoderate in thy laughter , nor too audacious in thy speech : for the one is a signe of folly : and the other is an argument of pride and arrogancie . that which is dishonest in the doing , do not thou thinke honest to be spoken . accustome thy self to a countenance not too much addicted to sorrow or sadnesse : for that will be imputed to a proud and loftie spirit : but shew thy selfe imaginatiue and secret : for that is an office well beseeming a mā of wisdom & prudēce . there is nothing more beseeming a man , then to be neat , proper , modest , iust and temperate : all which things are maruellously fitte for young men . thinke not in the doing of any ill deed that thou canst conceale it : for albeit it neuer come to be knowne of others : yet thou shalt alwaies find it in the remorce of thy owne conscience feare god : honour thy parents : reuerence thy friends : obey the lawes . embrace in all honest and good sort thy pleasure and delectation : for honest recreation is good , though the contrarie therof be most pernicious . shun the calumniations of men to the vttermost of thy power , yea though they be false and vndeserued : for the most part of the world is ignorant of the truth of matters , & is guided by opiniō , not by iudgmēt . whatsoeuer thou dost enterprize and vndertake , so do it as if it were to come to the knowledge of all men : for albeit for a time thou maist keepe it secret , yet in the end thou shalt be sure to be discouered . it is a most sure and readie way for a man to get credite and estimation , not to cōmit those things which he shall reprehend in others that do the same . if thou be greedie and desirous of knowledge , thou shalt be sure to attaine to knowledge . the best way for a man to retaine in memorie that which he knoweth , is to exercise himselfe continually to the often remembrance of it . that ( whereof thou art ignorant ) learne of them that are skilfull : for it is as shamefull and foule a thing not to learne a good thing when thou hearest it : as it is to reiect his friend in an honest gift when he presenteth it . lay hold of time whilst thou hast leasure and time to learne : and be diligent to giue eare vnto those that are wise and learned : for by this meane thou shalt easily get vnderstanding and knowledge of that , which others haue inuented with great difficultie . preferre knowledge before wealth and riches : the one soone fadeth , the other abideth for euer . for amongst all the goods of this life only wisedome is immortall . be not slacke or negligent to go into farre and forraine countries , to learne of those that are famous for their skill and knowledge in any good thing or science : for it must needes be a shame vnto thee , to see that merchants will aduenture their liues to the daunger and hazard of the seas to enrich themselues : & that thou being lustie , young , and able , shouldest not trauell throughout the world to better thy mind and vnderstanding . be thou in thy manners curteous and full of humanitie : and in thy speeches affable and friendly : the courteous person will salute those whom he meeteth gladly : and the affable will discourse with them familiarly . make thy selfe pleasing and agreable to euery man if it be possible : and acquaint thy selfe onely with such as are good and vertuous : for in so doing thou shalt shunne the hatred of the one , and shalt be sure to get the fauour of the other . frequent not the companie of one and the same sort of men too often : nor vse not to discourse too long of one and the same matter : for there is nothing but it may be tedious and wearisome . accustome thy selfe gladly and willingly to endure things with patience : to the intent thou maist the better do it , when thou shalt be forced to sufferance . abstain from all such things wherein thou shalt haue little or no honestie to be exercised : as to be too greedie and couetous of gaine , to be cholericke , voluptuous , or melancholie : which thou shalt easily do , if thou esteeme it gaine to get honour rather then riches : & if thou vse choler against those that offend thee , as thou wouldest that others should vse it towards thee if thou shouldest offend them : and as thou iudgest it not seemely to be commaunded of thy seruants : so is it not fit that thou sholdest be subiect to thy affections . and last of all , endure with patience and constancie misfortunes and aduersitie : and fixing thine eye and regard vpon the miseries of other men , consider that thou thy selfe also art a man. be more carefull to keep thy word and promise , then the money which is committed to thee in trust : for honest and good men ought so to gouerne themselues , that men should haue more confidence on their honestie , then in their oath . there is no lesse reason for a man to be distrustful of the wicked then to giue credite to such as are good and vertuous . reueale not thy secret to any person liuing , vnlesse they to whom thou shalt disclose it , haue as great reason to conceale it in silence , as thou hast to impart it vnto them . when thou shalt be enioyned to take an oath , thou oughtest for two reasons to accept of it : either to cleare and purge thy selfe of some villanous actiō that may be obiected vnto thee : or to preserue and saue thy friends from daunger . sweare not in any case for lucre or desire of money , although thou haue iust occasion to take an oath : for in so doing , thou shalt be esteemed of some little better then a periured person : and of others thou shalt be held a man wretchedly couetous . neuer make choise of anie man for thy friend , of whome thou hast not first gotten some informatiō how he hath vsed his friends before times : and be thou very well assured that he will proue such towards thee , as he hath bene before towards others . enter not suddenly or too hastily into amitie with any man : and yet after thou hast once professed thy selfe to be a friend , perseuer in his friendship ( if it be possible ) vnto the end . for as little honestie it is vnto any man to be without friends , as to chaunge them and to make choise of new often . make not trial of thy friends with losse : and yet trie them sometimes : the which thou maist do , if not hauing need of them , & before time of necessitie , thou do faine and make shew as though thou hadst neede of them . communicate thy affaires which thou wouldest haue knowne , as if thou haddest a pretence and purpose to keepe them secret : for if they ( to whome thou shalt impart them ) do conceale them , thou canst not receiue any dammage by their secrecy : but if they do reueale them : then hast thou good proofe and triall of their manners and conditions , and thou maist afterwards take heed of them . there is no meane so ready for a man to know his friends , as in the middest of the misfortunes of this mortall life : and by the helpe & succours which they affoord a man in his affaires . the former maketh a triall of them as gold is tried by the fire : and by the latter a man shall know how to trust his friends in time of neede . he that preuenteth the request and intreatie of his friend , and succoureth him in time before he be required , perfourmeth the true dutie and deuoire of perfect amitie . perswade thy selfe that it is no lesse indignitie to be surmounted in benefites by thy friends , then it is to suffer them to be ouerborne with the iniuries of their enemies . receiue into thy amitie not onely those which haue compassion of thy aduersities , but them also which are not enuious of thy prosperitie . for there are many who will condole the misfortunes of their friends , and yet afterwards when they see them in prosperitie , will enuie their good fortune . vse to talke often of thy friends which are absent , before them that are present : to the intent they may perceiue and be perswaded , that thou wilt not be forgetfull of them likewise , when they shall be absent and farre away from thee . let the furniture and ornaments of thy person be fit and sutable for thine honour , but not too curious : for the one is seemely and befitting a man of great estate and magnificence : the other appertaineth to persons effeminate , and such as delight in superfluitie . esteeme not of those , who haue care of nothing else then to heape vp riches , not being able to vse them : they are like to those men that haue goodly horses , and know not how to ride them . spare not to get riches ; yet so , as thou do not only seeke to haue the possession of them , but that thou labour also to haue the true vse of them : for the true fruition of riches yeeldeth pleasure vnto thē that know how to take it : and the possession of them serueth vnto those that can rightly vse them . esteeme of goods for two reasons : the one that thou maist by their meanes free thy selfe from an inconuenience : the other that thou maist be able to succour and helpe any honest man thy friend in time of his necessitie . care not to attaine to that fashion and kind of life , which being excessiue and superfluous , is vsed by other men : but regard the mean and moderate estate . grieue not nor trouble thy selfe at thy estate and condition present : but labour to amend and better it . neuer reproch any man with his miserie and calamitie : for asmuch as the like fortune is common to all in generall : and there is no man that knoweth what will befall him . succour and releeue the good in their time of need : for this is a great treasure , to do good vnto those that are vertuous , and to bind them vnto thee by thy benefites . he that doth good vnto the wicked , is like vnto him that giueth meate vnto another mans dogges : for they barke aswell at him as at others whom they meete : and euen so do the wicked men vse to wrong and iniurie those that releeue them , as others that do trouble and hurt them . abhorre flatterers no lesse then common cousiners : for both of them do exceedingly deceiue such as haue any trust or confidence in them . if thy friends do not abandon and forsake thee in euil matters , much more reason will they haue to aide thee in all good actions . let thy cariage and behauiour be familiar , and not too graue and austere towards those that conuerse with thee . for seruants can hardly beare the haughtinesse and pride of their maisters : and all sorts of people , do gladly fashion and frame themselues to conuerse with those that are priuate and familiar with them . the way to be accounted companiable , is : not to be quarrelsome , troublesome , nor contentious : and moreouer , that thou do not too rudely crosse thy friend in his choler , ( although he haue growne into it vpon a wrong occasion ) but rather yeeld and giue way vnto him during his anger : and when it is ouerpast , reprehend him friendly affect not nor accustome thy selfe to grauitie in trifling matters , nor trifle not in matters of grauitie and importance : for whatsoeuer is done out of season is troublesome and tedious . be not vnpleasing in doing of a pleasure to any man : as we see many vse to do , who know not how to do a pleasure to their friends with a good and gracious countenance . it is a very troublesome thing to be giuen to be quarrellous : and for any man to studie and beate his braines how to reproue another , doth but incense and irritate men . gouerne thy selfe with moderation and modestie in thy drinke : but if it happen that thou fall into companie , arise and depart rather then be ouercome with drinking : for whē the spirit is possessed with wine , it is like vnto a chariot or coach horses , which hauing ouerthrowne their coachman , do runne here and there without all order , hauing none to guide and direct them : so is the soule of a man very much offended , when the vnderstanding is distempered and troubled . propōund vnto thy self things immortal , as a man of courage and magnanimitie : & vpō mortall things so set thy affections , as thou do vse thy goods which thou hast with moderation and modestie . knowledge ought to be preferred before ignorance for many reasons , and especially for that in all other things which are odious , yet there is some profite to be found : but ignorance onely is euer noysome & hurtful to the ignorant , & doth make them beare the paine of those offences which they commit , euen in speaking ill of others . when thou wouldest win the friendship and loue of any one , speake well of him vnto thē who may make report thereof vnto him . the beginning of friendship is praise & cōmendation : & the original of emnitie and hatred , is detraction and contempt . when thou wilt consult vpō any case , take example by that which is past vpon that which is to come : for it is easie to vnderstand that which is obscure & vncertain by that which hath bene formerly manifest and certaine . be not too hastie in thy deliberations : but when thou hast resolued vpon any enterprize , put it speedily in execution . thinke that the greatest blessing that can befall thee from god , is to enioy true felicitie : and that the greatest good that can light vpon thee by thine owne industrie , is good counsell . when thou doubtest with hardinesse to vndertake any matter , communicate the same with thy friends , and conferre with them vpō it , making shew as if it were some other mans case : in so doing thou shalt know their opinion without discouering thy owne secrets . when thou wilt deliberate of any matter of importance with another , consider first how he hath caried himselfe in the like affaires of his owne : for it is very vnlikely that he which hath ill managed his owne proper businesse , can well and prouidently dispatch the affaires of another . there is nothing that doth more incite a man to bethinke himselfe for the good ordering of his affaires , then to regard the losses and dammage which he hath formerly receiued by his own indiscretion : for it is commonly seene , that we are more carefull of our health , when we call to memorie the extreame dolours which we haue suffered in time of our sicknesse . follow the manners & conditions of princes , and accommodate thy selfe to their manner of liuing : for in so doing , thou shalt bring them to thinke that their doings are to thy liking : whereof it will ensue , that thou shalt both purchase more authoritie and estimation amongst the people : and thou shalt be the better assured to stand in the good grace and fauour of thy prince . be obedient to the edicts & ordinances made by princes : with this opinion notwithstanding , that there is no law which hath so much strength and efficacie as their liues : for as it is very requisite for those that are gouerned by a popular estate , to honour the people : so it behoueth him that liueth vnder a monarchie , to admire and reuerence his prince . whensoeuer thou shalt be aduanced to any dignitie , in any case vse not the aide and assistance of such as are wicked in any charge or affairs of consequence whatsoeuer : because the blame of all the mischiefe and wickednesse by them committed , shall be imputed continually vnto thee . whensoeuer thou leauest any place of publike charge , do it rather with a good credite and reputation , then with the request of great wealth and riches : for the praise and commendations of the people ought to be preferred farre before riches . take heed that thou giue no aide nor assistance to any wicked action , nor that thou countenance the same with thy company : for the faults of those whom thou fauourest will be imputed vnto thee as thine owne . so carrie thy selfe in thy behauior , as thou maist be alwaies sure to haue the aduantage and preheminence aboue others : yet so neuer thelesse as thou euer embrace equitie : to the intent that men may thinke thee to loue and embrace iustice , not for want of power to do wrong , but of pure loue to honestie and modestie . it is farre better to be poore and honest , then to be rich and wicked . for certainely iustice is better then riches : because the latter is onely profitable to men liuing : but the former maketh a man to be honoured euen after his decease . besides , adde hereunto : that riches are oftentimes distributed and bestowed vpon wicked and leud persons , who cannot in any sort notwithstanding participate of vertue and iustice . be not a follower of those that seeke to enrich themselues by vnlawfull and vniust gaine : but of those rather , who can be content to sustaine losse so they may be reputed honest and good men : for admit that iust men haue no other aduantage or preheminence aboue the wicked : yet herein at least do they surmount thē , in that they haue good and vertuous hopes . haue a care to embrace all that which concerneth the life of mā : but principally and aboue all , exercise prudence : for it is not a thing of small reck ening , for a man to haue a bodie endowed and beautified with a mind of good vnderstanding . accustome thy bodie to labour & trauell , & thy mind to knowledge and learning : to the intent that by the meane and helpe of the one , thou maist be able to execute that which shall seeme good vnto thee : & by the aide of the other , thou maist foresee that which shall be for thy profite and commoditie . bethinke thy selfe well of that which thou art to speake : for of tentimes the toung runneth before the thought . esteeme not any thing in this world to be stable and certaine : for so shalt thou not reioyce ouermuch in thy prosperitien , or waxe ouer sad or dismayed with aduersitie . there be two occasions wherin thou maist freely and boldly speak thy mind : the first is , in things which thou knowest perfectly & assuredly : the other is , in matters that do necessarily concerne thee : in both which , it is more expedient for thee to speak liberally , then to be silent or say little . as concerning al other matters , it is farre better to be silent , then to talke of them . take thy honest pleasure and recreation of any thing that is good : and whatsoeuer euill befalleth thee , endure and beare it quietly and contentedly . be close and secret to thy vttermost in any thing that concerneth thee : for it is small wisedome , and to little purpose , to keepe thy wealth streight locked vp within thy house : and to haue thy mind laid open to the world . it behooueth any man of discretion to feare reproch more thē any daunger whatsoeuer . death is fearefull and terrible to faint hearted and wicked persons : but the good & vertuous ought not to feare any thing but dishonour and ignominie . it is good for a man to liue in the greatest assurance that he can possibly : howbeit , if he be constrained to hazard and aduenture himself , it is more fit that he cōtend & striue with it honestly , then to shun & flye from it shamefully , considering that we are all destinated to die : but nature hath onely ordained and framed them that are vertuous to dye valiantly and couragiously . and now to conclude , if thou find that most of these precepts are nor fit and agreable to thy age , maruell not hereat : for i my selfe do thinke no lesse : notwithstanding i thought it not amisse by one and the same meane , both to giue thee counsel for the time present , and to leaue thee also precepts for the time to come : wherein thou maiest with more facilitie know what is most fit and conuenient to be vsed : for thou shalt very hardly find any man that wil counsell thee friendly and faithfully , and therefore i was not willing to omit any thing , which i thought would be for thy profi● : to the intent thou sholdest not be driuen , to borrow ought of others : but here to find of free-cost whatsoeuer shall be fit to serue thy turne . and i shall hold my selfe also much bounden to thanke god , when i shallsee that i am not deceiued of that good opinion which i haue conceiued of you . for euen as it is a common thing with men , to delight themselues in things which are pleasant , rather then such as are wholesome : so do they more willingly conuerse with such as are of corrupt behauiour , and like vnto themselues , then with those that seek to correct and amend them of their ill dispositions . neuertheles i thinke that thou wilt be of a contrarie opinion , if thou do but take a coniecture of the labour and trouble which thou shalt endure by addicting thy selfe to the studie of other disciplines . for it is very likely , that he which cōmaundeth himselfe to do good and vertuous acts , will willingly giue eare to others who exhort him vnto vertue . now there is no better meane to incite and prouoke thee to enterprize laudable deedes and actions , then to consider how the true pleasure and contentment reaped by thē doth still continue and abide with vs : and on the contrarie , how idlenesse and deliciousnesse doth soone grow wearisome and tedious : adde therewithall , that voluptuous pleasures are alwaies accompanied with troubles and molestations : but to trauell for vertue , and to liue soberly , bringeth with it true pleasure , and such as is alwaies durable . i deny not but that in the beginning voluptuousnesse may yeeld vnto a man some pleasure and delectation , howbeit sorrow & grief doth soone ouertake it . but in vertue after great labours and trauels commeth true rest , contentment and perfect pleasure . now certaine it is that in all our affaires we haue more regard to the issue and end thereof , thē to the beginning : and we do in a maner estimate all our actions by their euents . moreouer , it is to be considered , how the wicked are neuer at a stay of their wicked actions , but do continue in that fashion and manner of life which they haue taken at the beginning : and the vertuous do hold it in no sort lawfull to leaue vertue , vnlesse they will wholly yeeld themselues to be a scorne and reproofe to the whole world : for this is to be noted , that men do not so much hate them that are notoriously vicious , as those which boast themselues to be good and vertuous , when indeede they are nothing different from the common and worst sort . now if we do blame lyers for their leasings , much more reason haue we to reproue them , which in the whole course of their liues are depraued and corrupted : who do not onely therein offer wrong vnto themselues , but do ( as it were ) betray that good fortune which is put into their hands , euen riches , honour , and aboundance of friends : and yet neuerthelesse do make themselues vnworthie of their present felicitie . furthermore , if mā which is mortal , would but seeke to obserue and regard the will of the immortall gods , i suppose he should easily and euidently know and vnderstand it : because euen in those that were most neare and deare vnto thē , they haue testified and made known what difference they make betweene the vertuous and the vicious . for iupiter hauing ingendred both hercules and tantalus , is said to haue made the one immortall for his vertue , and to haue condemned the other to grieuous punishment and torments for his leud life and wickednesse . in imitation therefore of these examples , it is fit and conuenient for men to loue honestie , and to follow vertue : and not onely to relye vpon these precepts , but to learne also the most choise ensignements of the most famous and excellent poets , & to reade the writings of other good authours . and as the bees flying & lighting on all sorts of flowers , do take of each that which is fit and proper for honie : so it behooueth them that desire knowledge and vnderstanding , to leaue nothing that good is vnprooued , and to make profit of all that commeth to their knowledge : and yet when they haue vsed all and their vttermost diligence to that effect , it will be very hard and difficult notwithstanding to correct the vices and imperfections of nature . finis . of the power of god. chap. i. the poet pindarus seeing men disputing of the nature of the soueraign and supreme god , said : that they went about to gather an imperfect fruit of wisedome . a certaine astrologer being in a place where was a table hauing the starres therein painted , shewed them vnto some standers by , & said : these starres here be the wandering starres . diogenes being in companie , said vnto him : my friend lye not : for assuredly those be not the wandering starres , but these be they : and in so saying , pointed to the men that stood about him . eusebius the philosopher was wont to say : that it was a very hard and difficult thing to know god : and that we cannot tell in what manner he is to be comprehended : because we are not sufficient with the bodie , to expresse a thing without a bodie : and a perfect thing cannot be comprehēded of that which is imperfect : and a thing eternall hath no agreement or correspondencie with that which is finite . the life of man is short , and passeth away speedily : but god is euerlasting , and is truth , whereas man is but a shadow of imagination . there is as great difference betweene a feeble man and a strong , betweene a little dwarfe and a giant : as there is betweene one that is dead , and one that is immortall . imagine then what god is , who cannot be expressed nor declared with humane vtterance . camillus a captaine of the romains was wont to say thus : thou shalt find that all things do happen prosperous to men that follow and serue god : and that things fall out aduerse to those that contemne and despise god. seneca the morall philosopher said : that the gods euen to vngratefull men do vse to giue many things . tertullian the diuine , said : that god the creatour of all the world , was not easie to be found : nor that a man could well speake of him , but with great difficultie . xenophon the oratour enioyned men , that in their prosperity they should principally haue god in remembrance . plato said : that a good man was like vnto god : also that a good man was of all worldly things the worthiest : and that contrariwise , the wicked man was of all things the worst . apollonius of thianea a sage and wise philosopher , said : that it was a good thing to sacrifice to the gods , without whom we are nothing the poet sophocles hath written : that the gods onely haue this power and priuiledge , not to waxe old : and that all other things are surmounted and ouergone with time . plato writeth : that in all things which are thought and spoken , the beginning ought alwaies to be taken from the foueraigne deuine powers . plato said likewise : that the knowledge of god is wisedome and true vertue . diodorus the historiographer hath written : that in much & great prosperitie god is forgotten and cōtemned . lactantius hath written : that god is not knowne of vs but in aduersity and time of calamitie . silius italicus a poet hath written : that as long as the affaires of mortall men are in any doubtfull kind of state , or in great feare and daunger : so long they are verie forward in doing honour to the gods : but in time of their prosperitie , their al●ars do neuer smoke . the poet virgil writeth : that it is not lawfull for any man to be confident , or to trust in any thing against the will of the gods. salomon saith : feare god , & keepe his commaundements : for this is all in all to each man : and whatsoeuer is besides this is nothing . eusebius said : that the heauens the earth , the time , the sea , the planets , and all other things whatsoeuer do come to their perfection only by the word and will of god. antistenes the philosopher said : that god is not like to any thing : and that therefore it is impossible to know him . xenophanes the philosopher said : that there was one onely god ; who neither in body , nor in thought was like vnto men . of loue. chap. . plinie said ▪ that there is nothing in loue worthie of commendation , but onely constancie . quintilian hath written : that it is a thing vsuall and accustomed to louers , not to iudge of beautie and fauor rightly : because that loue doth dim & darken the sight of the eyes . if he which is in loue be poore , he is tormented with a most miserable calamitie . it is a thing vnprofitable to desire the sight of that shape and figure , by the which a man hath bene once taken captiu : and it is ill done for any man to expose himselfe to the experience of those things , frō the which he may refraine and absent himselfe without any great difficultie . it is better to loue with seuerity , then to deceiue with affabilitie . the custom of louers is so to do , as they cannot couer their loue . the amorous person that loueth the body more then the soule , is commonly euill : because he is not constant and stable : and because the thing which he pursueth with his affections is vnstable . he that maketh resistance to the first assaults of loue , remaineth a conquerour . loue delighteth to dwell and inhabite in persons of high and noble houses . he that nourisheth and entertaineth loue , shal hardly free himselfe from the yoke which he hath once taken vpon his necke . louers aboue all other persons , haue a custome to number the daies , and to keepe an accompt of the times . the amorous after they haue once had a fill of their luxurious desires , do soone repent themselues of any good thing wherwith they haue departed . loue doth many times put a bridle vpon harts that are obstinate . neuer was there any loue , that could keepe any measure . in wine and banquetting loue burneth most cruelly . with louers it is a common vse and custome to begin to speake : and in the middest of their discourse suddenly to stoppe and to cut off their speech . what thing is there in the world so great or so high , whereunto loue will not stirre and animate the minds of mortall men ? of faith. chap. : plato hath written , that theognis of m●gara was wont to say : that in a towne besieged , a man of faith and fidelitie was better then all the gold and siluer of the world . he which giueth counsel to another : what thing can there be which he ought sooner to giue then faith ? little or no faith is attributed to those persons that are fallen into any great distresse or miserie . it is commonly seene , that true friends do find little faith in requit all of their friendship . faith is the ground and foundation of iustice . the faith of men , sleepe , and the wind are very deceiptfull . true faith is the best & chiefest good thing that is in the interior parts of a man : for no necessitie will constraine it to proue deceitfull : no gifts nor bribes can corrupt it : come fire , come sword , it knowes not how to betray a man. in a great company of leud and wicked persons , faith is not giuen to things but with great difficultie . he that hath once lost his faith , hath no more to lose . faith is a better guard for a prince then the sword , or armed forces . faith is seldome seene to haue any entrance or entertainement in princes pallaces . in no place is faith sure or in securitie . the auncients did sacrifice vnto faith , hauing their hand couered with a white cloth : to shew , that their faith ought to be right and secret . philip king of macedon , the father of alexander the great , hauing made one a iudge that vsed afterwards to paint his beard & his haire , suddenly depriued him of his office , saying : that he which would counterfeit his haire , was not to be thoght a man of that woorth or integritie , that he should be likely to keepe his faith in all things . metellus nepos hauing conceiued great indignation and displeasure against ci●ero , told him : that he had brought more men to their death by his testimonie and bearing witnesse against them , then he had saued from death , by defending and pleading for them : whereunto he answered : truly that argueth that my faith is much , and more greater then my eloquence . of hope . chap. . hope and feare are the two tormentors of things to come . oftentimes do happen sooner things vnexpected , then those which are hoped for . hope is the last solace and cōfort of men that are in miserie and aduersitie . when fortune doth abandon vs and deceiue vs in our first hopes : the things that are to come , do seem and appeare vnto vs to be better , then the present . hope is the thing that doth nourish and feede false loues . like as by hope we are all saued : euen so by hope are we to become truly and perfectly happie . we ought to hope for all things : and to despaire of nothing . the hopes of those which are discreet and wise , are not vaine : but those of vnwise and imprudent men are light , void , and difficult . euill hopes may be compared to ill captaines , who leade their followers in errours , yet with pleasures . a woman without a man , & good hopes without paines and industry , can ingender nothing that good is . neither ought a ship to trust to one anker : nor the life of man ought to rely vpon one simple hope . it is good alwaies to be of good courage : for peraduenture to morrow will be better and more fortunate then the time past or present . hope is the dreame of those that vse watching . hope is a thing most common with all men : who when they haue no other thing remaining , they do wholly and altogether relye vpon hope . where the hope of a louer is exceeding great : there is the mind most desirous of luxuriousnesse . of adulation and flattery . chap. . the world is growne to that corruption : that he that cannot flatter is either accompted enuious , or reputed proud and arrogant . we haue a custome to please our selues so much : that we desire to be praised euen in that , the contrary whereof we do most commonly put in practise . i had rather offend in telling the truth : then to please by flattering of any man. phocion an athenian captaine being required by antipater to do a thing that was vniust , made him this answer : thou canst not vse me both as thy friend and thy flatterer . cato the elder suing for the office of censorship in rome , and seeing that many did curry fauour and flatter with the people to obtaine it , with an high & loftie voice , said vnto them : that the people of rome had as much neede of a seuere , speedie , and sharpe phisition , as they had of a strong purgation . the same cato said : that those which were studious of things ridiculous : afterwards in matters of grauitie and waightie importance , would grow so to demeane themselues , as they would be mocked and derided of all men . where deceiptfull flatterie & adulation is : there can neuer be any true friendship nor amitie . they which haue gotten and make it a custome to flatter continually , are of no faith nor honestie . adulation is deadly , pestiferous , and deceiptfull . if necessitie should enforce a man to take his choise , he were better fall amongst crowes then among flatterers . crates the philosopher seeing a rich and wealthie young man accompanied with many flatterers , said vnto him : o my youth , i am very sorie to see thee so solitarie . shunne as a thing most abhominable , both the beneuolence of flatterers , and the misfortunes of thy friends . remoue farre away from thee the audacious and bold speeches of flattering persons . the wolues do resemble dogs : so do flatterers seeme friends : but notwithstanding they desire things different . like as actcon was torne in peeces by the dogges which himself had nourished : so are many destroied by flatterers that haue familiaritie with them . the hunters take hares by hunting them with dogges : and many others do take foolish men with their false praises . the flatterers are contemners of the poore : and liue by soothing vp and pleasing the minds of the rich : they laugh at men secretly & amongst themselues , though they haue no occasion : they are free by fortune , and yet they make themselues villaines and slaues by their owne election . of ambition . chap. . ambition and fauour do then most signorize , when they hide & conceale themselues vnder a kind of seueritie . ambition is easily maintained by old age . it is most certaine , that he which is couetous of glorie , and desireth to be praised of the wicked , must of necessitie himselfe be wicked . it is not fit for men to becom couetous of glorie , in troubling thēselues , and bearing enuie one towards another . ambition teacheth men to become disloyall . after ambition hath once gotten possession of the honours which it desireth , she beginneth to waxe old . ambition is the bestiall nurse of a●arice . the glorie that is ambitious , doth many times worke the ruine euen of brethren . the man that desireth superioritie & power , doth hardly obserue iustice : and he which is couetous and greedie of glorie , doth most easily fall into vniust actions . of enuie . chap. . no man doth lightly enuy him who vseth his fortune modestly and gently : the enui●us do not beare enuie so much to the persons of those whom they enuie , as they do to the good things which are in them . wicked men do not so much ●eioyce at their owne proper good fortunes : as they do at dammage & discommodities of other men . ●nuie is punished , not onely with her owne proper euils : but also by the good and welfare of straungers . the common vse of the enuious , is to desire that there come no good vnto any . enuie is engendred of the superfluitie of goods . a great blot and staine of this age wherein we liue , is that vertue is neuer without enuie . bion the philosopher seeing an enuious man carry his head & countenance hanging downe towards the ground , said : either some great mischiefe is befalne to this man , or som great good to another . no felicitie is so modest as it can avoid the biting tooth of malignitie . it is a very troublesome and vneasie matter to eschue and avoide the eye of the enuious . this ought euer to be had by vs in remembrance , that after glorie euer ensueth enuie . assuredly this vice of enuie is very common in any great & free citie : and enuie doth alwaies accompany glorie . euen as rust eateth out the iron : so doth enuie consume the enuious . that enuie which is secret & hidden , is more to be feared , then that which is open and manifest . enuie will neuer yeeld to giue renowne vnto them which are liuing . when the affaires of another are most ioyous , then is enuie most sad and sorrowfull . enuie is the mistresse of iniustice : and it inciteth both the thought and the hand to ill and wicked actions . whosoeuer beareth enuie to any good man and doing well , he may well say : that he is enuious both to the whole commonwealth , and to himselfe also . scipio the african for feare of the enuious , very aduisedly forsooke rome , and went to dwell in a certaine village , there to spend the rest of his life , and to giue libertie to the enuious to breath their fill . of couetousnesse , and couetous persons . chap. . avarice and couetousnesse do vse to diminish and violate all offices , be they of neuer so great holinesse or solemnitie . auarice doth make both faith and bountie to decay . auarice and couetousnesse is not the vice of gold , but of man that vseth gold ill and wickedly . the daies of that man must needes be long , that hateth and abhorreth couetousnesse . many things are lacking to pouertie : but to auarice all things are wanting . there be two things that do soone incite and prouoke a man to villanous and base gaine : that is to say , pouertie and couetousnesse . if there be any that possesseth many goods , and yet leadeth his life in anguish and trouble : certaine it is that he will be the most vnhappie of all men that euer were liuing or shall bee . couetous persons do leade such a life as flies , who are euer trauelling , and busying themselues , as though they should liue for euer . i see many rich men that are hoorders and keepers of riches : but they are not maisters of their money . we were borne once : and it is not graunted vnto vs to be borne twice : and as thou art not maister of the day to morrow , so prolong not the time , and liue as thou shouldest but liue to day . o then cursed hunger of gold , what peruerse , infortunate , and vnhappie mischiefes , doest thou bring into the mindes of mortall men ? the studie of the couetous person is onely to gather and gaine monie : which no wise man ought to desire . out of the depth and bowels of the earth , hath god shewed gold vnto men ▪ and they haue made it the occasion of all mischiefes and wickednesse i may well say , that some mē are so couetous , as if they were to liue here for euer : and other some are so prodigall , as if they were to dye instantly . man passeth away his daies with vaine cares , because he knoweth not , nor considereth what is the true end of hauing . wicked men are as couetous of a little gaine as of a great . money to many men is more deare then either faith or honestie . of prodigalitie . chap. . some excusing the vice of prodigalitie , said : that in great aboundance of wealth and riches it may well be vsed to whom zeno the philosopher answering , said : truely then ought we aswell to pardon our cookes , if ( for hauing store and abundance of salt ) they say that they haue therefore made our meates too salt . diogenes the philosopher demaunding of one that was a prodigal spender , a peece of money which might be perhaps about some . pence , he said vnto him : wherefore doest thou aske of me so great a summe , whereas of others thou dost commonly begge but three small pence : to whome diog●nes answered : because i hope that of others i may aske again another time : but of thee i thinke neuer to haue more . socrates the philosopher seeing one without all reason , feasting all sorts of persons with the welth which he had : ill maist thou perish ( quoth he ) who makest thy graces which should be virgins to be strumpets : noting that true bountie and liberality ought to be employed vpon occasion of merit and vertue , and not confusedly . crates the philosopher was wont to say : that the monies of rich prodigall men were like vnto figge-trees planted vpon the tops of high rockes and mountaines : the fruites whereof no men could come to gather , but the crowes and kites onely did take and deuour them . so the treasures of prodigall rich men were possessed and enioyed only by bauds , harlots and flatterers . pouertie is the torment of a luxurious life . prodigall persons do employ their money in things , by which they can leaue , either a very short or no memorie at all of themselues to posterities . no man ought to maruell at those , who do spend their goods to make themselues more pleasing and agreable to the multitude and common people . the emperour nero had no other fruite of his riches and treasures , but onely an excessiue charge of expences made by exceeding prodigalitie . many do cast away their goods and patrimonie , in giuing it without either iudgement or reason : but what greater follie can there be , then to studie and willingly to take care for the doing of that which thou canst not long endure and continue to do ? of a lying toung , and boldnes of speech . chap. . philoxenus a man of great knowledge , being imprisoned by denis the tyrant of syracusa , for that he had dispraised or not commended certaine verses which he had made : was on a time taken out of prison , and brought before the tyrant once againe to heare and giue his iudgement of the same verses : being come and hauing heard them pronounced and read , he made hast to be gone away out of his presence : the tyrant asking him whither he went : philoxenus answered : i go againe to thy prison : noting that his verses were then as worthie to be misliked as before . diogenes was wont to say : that some dogges did barke against their enemies with purpose to bite them : but i ( said he ) do barke at my friends to the intent to purge and heale thē of their ill deedes . hippocrates the philosopher being perswaded by one to go seeke out xerxes the king of persia , because he was a good king : he answered : i haue not any thing to do with so good a patron thales the philosopher being demaunded , how farre different lying was from truth , answered : as farre as the eyes are distant from the eares . theophrastus the oratour being growne old and gray headed , and comming to lacedemon , thought to shew himselfe as if he had bene but young : for he delighted to hide the whitenesse of his haires with a certain dye or painting : and being there before the iudges pleading a certaine cause wherein he was retained : one archidamus a man very free and liberall of his speech , happened ( notwithstanding he was so disguised ) to know him : who suddenly burst out into these words : but i pray what truth can you expect in this mans speech , who both within and without him doth carry nothing but lyes and counterfeitings : and that not onely in his mind , but euen in his gray and aged head ? there cannot happen any greater mishap or infelicitie to free men , then to be depriued of their libertie of speech . diogenes being blamed by a greeke , who told him : that albeit he praised and commended the lacedemonians more then any other people , yet he would not liue with them nor neare them : he answered him : that the phisition which is studious of health , had no reason to dwell amongst those which were healthfull . zenon hauing a purpose to giue an admonition to a certaine young man whom he saw more desirous to be talking then to heare others , said vnto him : o thou young man , i would wish thee to know , that nature hath giuen thee two ea●es , to the intent thou shouldst heare more then thou shouldest speake . antistenes the philosopher hauing made a certaine long and tedious speech in the audience of certain persons , plato said vnto him : thou knowest not antistenes , that the measure of mans speech ought not to be made by him that speaketh , but by them that giue him the hearing . careon a man reputed a great babler , came to isocrates , and would needes be his auditour to learne eloquence : who demanded of him double wages . careon suddenly asked him , what made him to demaund double stipend ? isocrates answered : i aske one , because i must learne thee to speake : and i will haue the other , because thou must learn also to hold thy peace . anaximenes being about to make a certaine speech to an auditorie : theocritus said out all aloude : see how he is readie to powre out a floud of words , whereas he hath not one drop of reason . lying is a thing most readie and prompt with those , who haue accustomed often to do euill . lying and falshood is not befitting nor seemely to good and vertuous persons . foolish men do accompt this a goodly treasure and an ornament to their toungs , that they hold themselues to haue made a faire purchase , when they haue spoken ill of good and honest men . there is no one thing in vs , wherein we are able to offend with more facilitie , then the toung . speech is the image of the mind : therefore the temperance of the toung and silence ought to be great : and men ought to vse and employ their eares oftener then their toungs . it is not good to be too prompt & forward in speaking : because many words & much speech is apparant signe of folly . some men in their speeches are so tedious , vnprofitable , and importunate , that all whatsoeuer they speake seemeth to come from the mouth onely , and not from the hart . cicero desired to heare one speake wisely without eloquence : rather then a long eloquent oration stuffed with nothing but vanitie and follie . the toung ought to be alwaies kept short , & especially in the time of repast . we ought not much to trouble our selues , nor care for the tongs of men : but we ought to haue a care of our owne conscience . doest thou not know it to be most true : that both god and men haue lying in hatred and detestation ? lying and falshood commeth from persons of a seruile and slauish nature : and truth proceedeth from free men . it is most certaine , that it is a much more pleasant thing to speak and vtter matters of truth , then to giue the hearing vnto them . abundance of words and ignorance , do for the most part beare sway amongst men . of silence , and of speech spoken in time conuenient . chap. . xenocrates hauing an vse to dispose of all his deedes and actions by the seuerall houres of the day : did euer vse to employ one houre in silence . i neuer repented me to haue held my toung , but i haue oftentimes bene sorie that i haue spoken . do you thinke ( ò you athenians ) that i do not well vnderstand , how silence is a sure thing ! my sonne , it is a good and necessarie thing for thee to be silent , & to vse few words : for silence containeth in it many good things . silence is a gift without daunger and perill . a question was demaunded by one on a time , why & vpon what occasion the lacedemonians did vse so great breuitie in their language : whereunto licurgus made this answer : that breuitie of speech is next vnto silence . we ought to haue great regard , that we speake not things not fit and conuenient : because that it is the office and dutie of a man of smal wisedome to speake and vtter those things which ought to be kept secret . a man ought to chuse rather foolishly to rowle and tosse a stone vp and downe in vaine , then to speake any one idle and vaine word . solon being set at table with periander the tyrant of corinth , and not vsing any speech , was demaunded of the tyrant , if his silence proceeded either through default of knowledge how to speake , or else of follie . whereunto solon gaue him this present answer : that he is no foole that can be silent in a banquet . solon the philosopher did admonish men to seale & shut vp their words vnder silence : and that silence ought to be vsed and obserued according to the fitnes of the time & seasō . isocrates said : that there were two speciall times wherin it was lawfull for any man to speake without reprehension : the one , when we speak of things which we know certainely and manifestly : the other , when we speake of things needfull and necessarie . in these two times onely speech is better then silence : but at other times silence is to be preferred before speech . it is a rare vertue to know how and when to be silent . it is a most miserable thing when a man is constrained perforce to keepe secret those things which he would gladly and willingly vtter and make knowne . of folly and imprudence . chap. . if any man do contrarie to that good which is naturally in him : he ought to be called and accounted imprudent , foolish and vnhappie . i say , that they which vse their bodies to exercise , and despise the mind , do no other thing but as it were carelesly neglect the things which are commaunded , and trauell themselues about doing of things not commaunded . i see that men do with great care seeke for the things which appertaine to this life : but they do not esteeme and set by such as are profitable to liue well and happily proteus ( as the common saying is ) did vse often to change himselfe into many formes and shapes : so the ignorant man in euery thing doth chaunge and alter . theocritus seeing one that was a schoolemaister , to teach some erroniously in the nature of the elemēts : he said vnto him : wherefore doest thou not teach geometrie ? he answered him : i am not skilled in it . o good god ( quoth theocritus ) how great is thy follie , that takest vpon thee to teach , and canst hardly reade ! glorie and riches without prudence , are possessions of no great assurance . bion being demaunded what thing was folly , answered : that it is the hinderance of felicitie . they ought to be reputed & esteemed for little lesse then fooles , who honour wicked men being rich , and despise such as are learned and men of vertue . as the luxurious and intemperate persons , cannot be easily healed of their diseases : so cannot fooles receiue any medecine against their aduersities . dascius said : that they which despise the studie of good letters , for the exercise and gaine of any mechanicall art or trade : are like vnto penelopes wooers , who being reiected by the mistresse , fell to lasciuiousnesse with her maides . know you that there are two kinds of follie : the one is called frenzie and furie : the other is truely named ignorance & grosse simplicitie . straungers and pilgrimes do often go astray out of their way : so the ill instructed , and men of grosse vnderstanding do go wandering in the way be it neuer so plaine . euen as corrupt wine is not desired in banquets : so the rude and ignorant person is not receiued in any good company . of the knowledge of a mans selfe . chap. . king philip the father of alexander the great , hauing vanquished the athenians at choe●onca : albeit he knew himselfe to be proud enough , by reason of this great victorie which he had gotten : yet following reason , he committed no insolencie against the people whom he had conquered : but considering well with himselfe what was the force of felicitie , and how difficult a thing it is for a man to temper and moderate himselfe in so glorious a victory , he aduised himselfe that it was needfull , and accordingly he tooke order , that one of the pages of his chamber for his aduerticement , should euery morning rehearse vnto him this sentence : and say : o philip , remember that thou art a man. heraclitus the philosopher euen in his younger yeares was held for a very sage and wise man : onely for that he confessed of himselfe , that he knew , he knew nothing . demon the philosopher being demaunded , when , and at what time he first began to be a philosopher , he answered : when i began first to know my selfe . one demaunded of theocritus , for what occasion he made no workes ? he answered : because i cannot make such as i would : therefore such as i can , and am able to do , i will not . it is affirmed by many , that this sentence : know thy selfe : was the prouerbe of the philosopher chilo : which thing he said was verie difficult . socrates knowing that alcibiades a goodly faire young man did grow proud , by reason of the great riches and liuings which he possessed : he led him into a secret place of the citie , where he shewed him a table , wherein was painted a mappe of the world : and willed him to see if he could there find the region of athens their natiue countrey . and when alcibiades had shewed it him : socrates then said vnto him : see now if thou canst find there the place where thy lands and possessions do lye . alcibiades said : i cannot see that they are here painted at all . whereupon socrates presently replyed : what reason then hast thou to grow proud , by reason of those lands which do not appeare in any part of the whole earth ? seeing thou art borne a mortall man , thou oughtest to haue remembrance of the commō fortune : and if thou hadst bene borne a king , yet thou oughtest to vnderstand , that thou art mortall . things that are vaine and emptie , are easily blowne vp with the wind : and fooles are soone puffed vp with pride . they that can talke well and according to reason , and cannot thēselues hearken vnto it : may be resembled vnto harpes , which yeeld a most pleasant sound and harmonie vnto others , but perceiue no part thereof themselues . many men are defenders of their owne faults , and sharpe accusers of the offences of other men . whensoeuer we are disposed to mocke another : let vs first looke into our selues , and consider if we be inclined to the same vices : for our selfeloue doth hide many offences in vs. of friendship and friends . chap. . of all other things that wisdom hath inuented for men to liue well and happily : there is none greater , nor more goodly or pleasant then friendship . he is to be reputed iust , which maketh no reckening of his owne losse and hinderance , to the intent he may keepe his friend . that friendship that hath an end , was neuer to be accompted true friendship . no man is friend vnto a tyrant , but either for hope or for feare . friendship betweene men of equalitie is commonly stable : and amongst such there is neuer experience made of their forces . one friend ought not to be intreated by another , when they demaund any thing each of other . this is true friendship , when both will one and the same thing : and both do not will one and the same thing . friends are esteemed to be the onely refuge in pouertie , and in all other calamities . perfect amitie is betweene good men : and such as are like in vertue . friendship is an honest vnion of a perpetuall good will. friendship is a kind of equalitie and semblance of persons : and the fruite of friends , is to loue . a new friend is not to be iudged or tried in time of feasting or banquetting . he committeth a great ouersight , that thinketh to recommend himselfe vnto his friends . a friend ought to be embraced euen to the death . it is a shame for any man to abandon , and not to aide and succor his friend . euery man knoweth , that he cannot be held a friend to honest and good-men , who liueth so foolishly , as to make himselfe pleasing and acceptable vnto wicked men . it is better to haue a good friend then great wealth and multitude of riches . friends ought to aide & help each other with many good deedes and benefites : to the intent their friendship may grow more firm and greater . of liberalitie and magnificence . chap. . this cannot be said perfect liberalitie : when a man giueth more vpon occasion of vaine glorie , then for true compassion and pitie . liberalitie ought alwaies to be forward and hastie : for this is the proper and true dutie of him that giueth willingly , to giue promptly and readily : and whosoeuer releeueth another in deferring him from day to day , he cannot be said to giue liberally and with a good heart . artaxerxes king of persia , was wont to say : that it was much more befitting and seemely for the royall maiestie of a prince , to giue vnto others , then to receiue of others . king philip the father of alexander , hauing conceiued great grief for the death of hipparchus , a man of nigrepont : and one telling him , that he died not but in good time and of full age . philip answered : truly he died too too soone : and so much the more too soone , because he had neuer receiued of me any kind of bountie , worthie of my good loue & affection towards him . perillus one of the friends of alexander , demaunded of him a certaine summe of money to marrie a daughter which he had : to whome alexander caused immediatly to be deliuered aboue fiftie talents , which was a very great summe . then said perillus vnto him . my lord , ten talents will suffice : but alexander answered : it is enough for thee to receiue ten talents : but it is not enough for me to giue so little . alexander the great , hauing charged his chamberlaine to deliuer to the philosopher anaxarcus so much money as he would demaund of him : sir ( said the chamberlaine ) he demaundeth a hundred talents : whereunto alexander answered : he doth well and like an honest man : for he knoweth that he hath a friend , and such a friend that can and will gladly bestow vpon him asmuch gold as he will desire . king ptolome did vse to eate and drinke very often in the house of his friends : and he neuer cared for the possession of any thing more thē was for the necessitie of life : and he would commonly say : that it was a more princely thing to make others rich then himselfe . true liberalitie is to giue vnto their nearest and next friends . simon a famous captaine of the atheniās , was a man of that bountie and liberalitie , that hauing many possessions and gardens in diuerse places , he neuer set any to watch thē , to hinder others from taking away the fruites that grew in them , but suffered euery man to vse them at his pleasure . the emperour domitian , refused many a faire inheritance , which diuerse rich men had left & bequeathed vnto him . i esteeme that the most royall praise and commendation that can be giuen to any man , is to do good vnto others , and to be liberall . it is a very hard and difficult matter for a rich man to be liberall : because the liberall man doth not vse to be much sparie : but is enclined plentifully to poure out and to depart with his riches . marke anthonie the philosopher had nothing more in hatred & detestation then couetousnesse . of noblenesse and magnanimity . chap. . the same anthonie being reproched by a fife-player , that he was not borne of noble bloud , made him this answer : i am therefore the more worthie to be commended , because the nobilitie of my lineage beginneth with me . beautie or comelines of countenance , and moderation of mind are two things that do principally and especially belong to noble and men of honest reputation : and those two qualities haue neede also of force & strength to be ioyned with them . as for other delicacies and lasciuities , they haue a good grace in herbes and flowers . anachar●is the philosopher being cast in the teeth as with a matter of ignominie or infamie : that he was a scithian or tartarian borne , answered : certainely i do not liue according to the custome and fashion of the tartarians . socrates being demaunded what was nobilitie ? answered : it is a temperance both of soule and of bodie . as we do not therefore iudge bread to be good , because the corne grew in a faire field , vnlesse the same be leauened and baked with great labour and trauell : so do we not esteem any man noble , albeit he be borne of a noble familie , vnlesse he be noble by vertue and honest conditions . the man that is magnanimous and of a great spirit , doth continually carrie himselfe vpright vnder any burthen be it neuer so puissant : and nothing doth happen displeasing vnto him be it neuer so difficult and hard to be borne : for he knoweth his owne forces , and with vertue he vanquisheth fortune . the nobilitie of anothers bloud doth not make thee noble , if thou do not purchase thy nobilitie of and by thy selfe , and thy owne vertue . nobilitie ought not to be measured and considered according to bloud , but according to the customes vsually obserued . we do not say that any man is good , in regard of the nobilitie of his birth : but for the excellencie of his vertue . true nobilitie dependeth of vertue , and all other things are of fortune . the noble and couragious hart hath this propertie , to be alwaies doing of things honest and vertuous : and you shall neuer see any man of an high and great spirit to delight in small and base things , or in such as are dishonest . what auaileth it any man to be of a noble lineage , and to be polluted with vices ? and what hurteth it a man to be issued of a poore house , if he be adorned and beautified with vertuous qualities ? true nobilitie is to relye vpon a mans owne proper vertues , and not vpon those of another . magnanimitie and greatnes of courage , is as a certaine ornament of all vertues . that man onely is to be called and accounted a man of a great spirit and magnanimitie , who both is and esteemeth himselfe worthie of great things : and he which in his actions doth not carrie himselfe according to the power and abilitie of his dignitie , is reputed a simple and a foolish person . there be foure sorts of nobilitie or gentrie : the first is , of those who are borne of good and honest parents : the second , is of those whose parents haue bene princes and great personages : the third is of them , whose auncestors haue bene renowned and famous : the fourth and most commendable of all is : when a man is excellent by his owne proper vertue , his owne industrie , and haughtinesse of courage . of bountie and humanitie . chap. . it was said by licurgus of lacedemonia : that victorie was gotten by riches , and bountie by the perseuerance of good customes . aristippus the philosopher being demaunded , what thing in this life was most worthie of admiration ? answered : that it was man : prouided alwaies that he were such a one as were good and modest . scipio the affrican obseruing the admonitions of polibius , during his whole life , would neuer lightly depart or leaue any place where he came , but he would first purchase himselfe some one or other for his friend . alexander the great hauing sent for a present an hundred talents to phocion of athens , was demaunded by those which carried the siluer : that seeing there was so great number of athenians besides him , why he shold giue vnto phocion onely so great a summe of money ? alexander answered : because i do not hold nor iudge any other athenian so good and iust a man as phocion . themistocles in setting to open and publike sale a certaine peece of inheritance , to him that would giue most , said vnto the crier : let it be cryed , that it hath good neighbours dwelling round about it . the oratour demosthenes making an oration vnto the senate , and seeing phocion comming a farre off , said : behold the hatchet , and the sharpe cutting sword of my speech commeth here at hand : by which kind of speech , he meant that the force of speech hath no such effect and puissance , as the excellencie of good and vertuous conditions . they who do accustome thēselues to good fashions , their life commonly is well fashioned and ordered . it is a most assured signe and prognostication , that that citie will quickely runne to ruine , wherein the good are not knowne nor discerned from the wicked . it is requisite that the good be stirred vp to vertue by praise and rewards , and the wicked by correction and punishment : and they that will not be reformed , ought to be driuen into exile . it is a thing very vnfit and inconuenient for a man to carrie goodnesse in his mouth , and none at all in his heart . as it is a great fault and folly for a man to recite things that are another mans , and to vsurpe them for his owne : so it is a good thing and a token of humanitie , to make their names knowne and manifest by whō a man commeth to learning and knowledge . iulius caesar was wont to forget nothing more soone and readily , then the iniuries which he had receiued . no man can be good by the will and pleasure of another , but only of his owne will and disposition . titus vespasian being crowned king of ierusalem by the people , said : that he was not worthie of so great honour , because it was not he that had gotten that victorie , but that god had fauoured him against the iewes . octauian augustus would neuer recommend his children to the people : but onely in vsing these words : vz. if they deserue well . there be three sorts of humanitie : the first , when one saluteth others courteously : the second , when one aideth those which are in misery , and which haue lost their goods by ill fortune : the third : when men do frankely of their owne freewils make banquets , and feast their friends and acquaintance . a certaine man came to tell octauian , that aemilius elian spake very ill of his vncle iulius caesar : to whome augustus answered : i would wish that thou make good proofe of that which thou sayest : for i will make aemilius elian to know , that i haue a toung left me . cecilius metellus a senatour , was a great enemie to scipio african as long as he liued : howbeit , when he vnderstood of the death of scipio , he grew very sorrowfull , and commaunded his sonnes presently to go and helpe to carrie the corps of so worthie a personage to the sepulture : vsing these or the like speeches : i yeeld infinite thankes to the immortall gods for the loue which i haue to rome , that it is thus happened : that scipio the african was not born in another nation . it is in our owne power to be either good or euill . courtesie and faire behauiour is a meane to appease wrath . humanitie amongst men is a strong bond , & he which breaketh it , is a most wicked man and a murtherer . the office of humanitie is to relieue men in time of necessitie and perill . the soueraigne good of a man , is life eternall : and the soueraigne and chiefest ill of man is death euerlasting . of good deedes and honour . chap. . in doing good to good men : it seemeth , that this is not to giue but to receiue . he which receiueth any good turne , especially of one that is his seruant , the which he maketh any reckening of : let him regard not of whō he receiueth it , but what it is which he hath receiued . it behooueth each man to be forward to do good vnto another : & to haue a care also that such fauor be not concealed . when mortall men become benefactors , they imitate the gods . benefites receiued by importunate requests , are little or nothing worth . it is no benefite to giue a mā that hath no need nor necessitie . to giue more honour to a man then he deserueth , is to make way to fooles both to perceiue and to thinke ill . in my opinion it is an honourable action , to accuse the wicked , & to defend the good . honour ought to be gotten by vertue , and not by deceipt : for the one is the office of wicked and leude persons , and the other of good and honest men . conon the athenian being sent ambassadour by pharnabazus , to the king artaxerxes , was counselled by chiliarchus , that when he should come vnto his presence , he ought to encline and prostrate himselfe before him : to whome conon answered : it will not grieue me to do that honor vnto the king which thou aduisest me , but i doubt lest i shall dishonour my countrey in so doing : because the citie wherein i was borne , is such a place , as it hath vsed to rule and commaund ouer all other cities . it is the part and dutie of a friend to do good , especially to those that stand in neede of it : and that before they require and aske it : because both to the one and to the other , it will then be a thing both more honest , and more pleasing and acceptable . there is no doubt but that rare vertue cannot haue too much honour and reuerence done vnto it . of exercise and industrie . chap. . he which hath begunne to purchase himselfe praise and commendation with glorie , ought to take great paine and trauell to continue it : for in truth slouth and negligence do vse to bring foorth at the first a kind of pleasure and delight , but the end therof is grief & sorrow . labour and trauell by vse and custome , commeth to be more easie , light , and lesse burthensome . there are many more men that grow and become good by exercise , then by nature . cuus king of the persians , did not loue that glorie for which he had not first endured labour and trauell : and he neuer dined nor supped , except he had first by some vehement labour euen wearied himselfe . pithagoras said : that art without exercise is nothing : and that exercise without art likewise is nothing . demosthenes being demanded by what means he became more excellent then others in the art of eloquence , answered : in consuming more oyle then wine . demades the oratour being demaunded : who was his schoolemaister , answered : the parliament of athens : shewing that experience is more noble and of more worth then all discipline . denis the tyrant hauing entertained a cooke out of the countrey of laconia : and supping of a certaine broath which he had prepared for him , cast away from him the dish immediatly , and demanded of him what should make the laconians to delight in eating such a kind of pottage the same being so sharpe and without any pleasant tast ? the cooke answered him : sir , this broath hath not that kind of tast which the broth of the laconians is accustomed to haue , and that is the matter that you thinke it so vnsauorie . denis replyed : why what tast then haue their broths ? certes sir , ( said the cooke ) before they euer vse to sit downe to meate , they vse first to exercise the body . continuall exercise surmounteth the ensignements and instructions of all schoolemaisters . no man ought to labour to make himself eloquent by the good of another . exercise is the most artificiall and best mistresse of eloquence : & to learne to speake well . exercise in youth is a great ayde and furtherance to any man. of wrath and anger . chap. . plato said vnto a seruant of his : thou maiest thanke god , for that if i had not bene angrie , thou haddest surely felt the punishment of thy misdeeds . the philosopher naucrates did resemble angry men vnto a lampe , which if the oyle therein be too much and ouer aboundant , will yeeld little or no light , or rather putteth out the flame . it must be of necessitie , that all things which angry men do , must needes be full of blindnesse and necessitie : because it is no easie matter for a man troubled with anger , to haue the true vse of reason : and whatsoeuer is without reason is without art . it behooueth vs therefore to take reason as our guide in al our actions , and to remoue wrath and anger vtterly from vs. wrath is the enemie of counsell : and victorie , naturally is proud . wrath is commendable , whē the occasion is iust . anger is an euill desire of reuenge . darius king of persia , being very angry , for that he was vanquished of the athenians by fraud , commaunded one of his seruants , that as often as he sho●ld see him sit downe at meales , he should vse these words vnto him : sir , remember the athenians . anger is no infirmitie : nor yet to be offended : but for a man to perseuer in his anger , that is an infirmitie . if a man subiect to wrath and anger , haue any power of command , or imperiall authoritie , he will soone bring al things to destruction : he will fall to bloudshedding , ouerthrowing of cities , murthering of people , and making whole prouinces and countries solitarie and desert . that man that can dispute or discourse well , ought to speake without choler . certainely they are much to be blamed , who are not moued with anger in such things as are requisite , and when necessitie and occasion requireth it . it is a goodly thing for a man to conquer his anger and wrathfull passions . there is nothing that maketh a more enclining to anger , then delicate nourishment full of nicenesse and flatterie : for it is an vsuall thing with prosperitie to nourish choler and wrathfulnesse . it is a more difficult thing ( said heraclitus ) to striue and contend against luxuriousnesse and lasciuiousnesse , then against wrath and anger . of patience . chap. . demosth●nes said vnto one that vsed him reprochfully : my friend , i list not enter into this contention with thee , wherein the vanquished is better then the va●quisher . plato being gro●●ely iniuried by one with most vile tearmes , said vnto him : thou speakest ill , because thou hast not yet learned to speake well . aristippus the philosopher being abused by a fellow with most opprobrious speeches , said thus vnto him : thou art a maister of ill speaking , and i of ill hearing . euripides seeing two men reuiling each other with iniurious termes , said : he of you which abstaineth most from villanous & leud speeches , is to be held the most sage and wisest of the two . that man must needes be reputed of the greatest and best courage , who can rather endure and beare out an vnhappie and miserable life , then shunne and auoid it . archilocus said : that patience is the inuention of the gods. denis the tyrant being exiled for his tyrannie , was demaunded , wherein plato & his philosophie had benefited him . he answered : they haue taught me quietly and with a patient spirit , to beare and endure the chaunge and mutabilitie of fortune . that body which is accustomed to patience , will neuer quit or forsake any place for any paine or trauell whatsoeuer . he is to be esteemed patient and valiant , who is not easily drawne to be tender and delicate in the time of his prosperitie . the philosopher chilon , seeing one that was very pensiue by reason of some misfortune that had befallen him , and that in more vnfit & vnseemely sort then was conuenient , he said vnto him : assutedly if thou knewest the misfortunes of all other men , thou wouldest not beare thine owne aduersitie so impatiently . pittacus the philosopher said : that the office of a wise man was to take to himselfe good aduice and counsell , to the end no euill might befall and happen vnto him : and if it did afterwards happē that any misfortune did betide him , then to beare it couragiously and patiently . socrates being in a disputatiō , and hauing in the middest of his discourse heard tidings of the death of his sonne , was not any thing at all therewith moued : but after that his disputation was ended , he then said vnto those which were with him : come on , let vs now go and accompanie the corps of my sonne sophronison to his funerals . democritus said : that it was a notable good thing , to know how to prouide a remedie for calamitie . xantippe the wife of socrates was wont to say : that albeit many chaunges and variable chaunces did daily trouble and perplexe the whole citie of athens : yet she neuer saw the countenance of her husband socrates for any matter euer changed or troubled : but that he continued still one and the selfe same man in all fortunes . and indeede socrates did so frame his mind , that he alwaies bore his visage in one sort , as well in aduersitie as prosperitie . as xenophon was sacrificing in the citie of mantinea . there came a missenger to bring him tidings how his sonne grillus was dead : vpon the receipt of which newes , he presently tooke the crowne from off his head without further interrupting of the sacrisice . but the messenger hauing added this vnto his tale , that his sonne died victoriously , he tooke vp the crown & set it againe vpon his head , & so went on with the finishing of his sacrifice . of the praise of riches . chap. . the poet simonides being demaunded , which of these two things he had rather choose , either riches or wisedome : answered . i cannot tell whether : but certaine it is , that i see wise men euer attending about the gates of rich men . it is a thing most requisite & necessarie for a man to haue money : without which it is impossible to do or effect any thing with oportunitie , or in time conuenient . money amongst mortall men is as the bloud and the soule of a mā : and he which hath it not , is as one that walketh dead amongst the liuing . onely gold and riches establisheth customes and manners : maketh and giueth beautie , nobilitie , friendship , and all other things whatsoeuer . ha father , speake not to me of gentrie or nobilitie , for it relyeth altogether vpon wealth and riches : giue me my house stored with gold : and if i were left a slane , i shall then soone become and be reputed noble . mony is it that findeth friends , and bringeth men into fauour and dignitie neare about princes . riches are the sure friends : but they which are commonly reputed for friends , do soone forsake him which is poore . great riches are to be bestowed vpon friends . i see it is an ordinarie humor in women , to take pleasure in riches and iewels . apollonius of thianea said vnto denis the tyrant : thou shalt be sure to employ thy riches very well , and in better sort then all other kings vse to do , if thou bestow them vpon the poore and needie . riches do hurt exceedingly , except the possessor of them vse them well and rightly . riches dispraised & cōdēned . chap. . the common prouerhe is : that a man shold not put a knife into a childs hand : and i say , that thou shouldst neither giue him knife nor yet riches . esteeme not of those men , whose hearts are wholly set vpon the riches which they possesse : because not knowing how to vse them , they are to be held like vnto those men that haue a faire and goodly horse , but know not how to ride nor manage him . riches are most commonly made the ministers and instruments of vices rather then of vertues : and they entice and allure young persons to foolish voluptuousnesse . the poet anacreon hauing had fiue talents bestowed vpon him by the tyrant policrates : & for two nights after hauing bene very sad & pēsiue , & not able to sleepe or take his rest , caried him back again his fiue talēts , saying vnto him : this mony is not to be valued or prized at so high a rate : as that for the same , i should suffer my selfe to be disquieted with continuall care and pensiuenesse . it is a very hard thing naturally for a man to refraine and bridle his appetites but if it happen to be accompanied with aboundance of wealth and riches , then is the appetite vtterly vntameable . bion the philosopher said ; that it was a thing meerely ridiculous , for a man to set his studie and desire vpō riches which are giuen and gotten onely by fortune , by miserable sparing and pinching , and by wretched couetousnesse : and are soone spent & dispersed by bountie . diogenes was wont to say : that it was almost impossible for vertue to inhabite or dwell in that citie or house where riches were abounding . pithagoras said : that men cannot easily reine nor hold in an horse without a bridle : nor rule riches without great prudence . pla●o being demaunded what things a man most needed in this life , answered : first , to be free frō trecherie : that he come not to be murthered by treason : and next , that he be not in too great needinesse and necessitie of things necessarie . riches do commonly seduce and draw a man out of the right way . he that putteth his trust in his riches , is in the high way to ruine and destruction . as riches are but impediments to those that are wicked : so to good men they giue an aide and assistance to their vertues . it is most certaine , that it is impossible for any man to be excellent both in riches and in goodnesse . rich men are called monyed men : but if they be couetous , they are poore in their thoughts : and so likewise the poore are named needy persons and indigent : but inwardly they are rich , ( if they be contented . ) the cinicke philosophers did altogether despise vaine glorie , nobilitie and riches . riches are the possessions of fortune . the life of rich men is very miserable . excesse and ouer great abundance of riches , are as the rudders of great shippes put to small barkes , which cannot well stirre and guide them . riches are the occasions of all kinds of mischiefes . amongst many men , they who do abound in wealth and riches , are held and reckened for honest and good men . of lawes and customes . chap. . the peoples of tartaria do vse to eate for three whole daies together : and are in all things obedient to their wiues . and they neuer suffer any of their daughters to be maried , except she haue first staine with her owne hand , one of their enemies . the licians do honour their women more then their men : and they take their surnames of the mother and not of the father : and they leaue their daughters to be their heirs and the inheritours of their lands and not their sonnes . the kings of persia before they do sacrifice to their gods , do vse to dispute of religion : before they drinke , they argue of temperance : & before they go to the warres , they dispute of their strength and forces . the atlanticke peoples of libia , amongst all their daughters do esteeme of her best , that keepeth her virginitie longest . the autyles a people of lybia in times of warre do vse to fight by night , and in the day they do make truce and an abstinence from warres . the mirines a people of licia in the act of generation do vse their women in common : their children for fiue yeares are nourished in common , and after in the sixth yeare they put all their children of that age together : and then they compare the children with the men ; and that man to whom any child is most like in resemblance , hath that giuen vnto him to bring vp as his owne . the lawes commaund : that men accustomed to wickednesse and viciousnesse should be cut off , without being spared or concealed : and that they which are attainted & conuinced as guilty of any crime , should neuer be let go without punishment . those lawes which grow and arise of customes , are much stronger then those that are made by learning and ciuill prudence . as man is the best of all creatures vsing lawes and iustice : so is mā the worst of all creatures when hee swarueth from law and iustice . the lawe is the queene of all creatures , both mortall & immortall . to a wise man god is a lawe : but to a foole his owne appetite . i see that the ruine of that citie is at hand , wherein the lawes haue not the command ouer the magistrate : but the magistrate ruleth ouer the lawes . pausanias a captain of athens , being demaunded by one : wherfore certaine auncient lawes remaining in force amongst them , were not abrogated and discontinued ? answered : it is necessarie that the lawes should beare rule ouer men , and not men ouer the lawes . they which haue too many lawes , and too many penalties and punishments , by meere constraint must become wicked . the true lawes are those that bring foorth honest things , and not abundance of gaine and riches . the feare of the lawes doth not hide the wickednesse of offendors : but defendeth them from licentiousnesse and libertie of doing ill . lawes were ordained , to the intent the audacious actions of men might be restrained : and that innocencie might liue secure and in assurance amongst the vicious and wicked . the law is nothing else then a rule of right or reason , deriued frō the diuinitie of the gods : which commaundeth that which is good and honest , and defendeth the contrary . solon said : that the lawes were like vnto spiders webbes : because commonly by the extremitie and seueritie of lawes , the poorer and weaker sort of men are entrapped & brought to punishment , but the rich and mightie men do breake through them vncontrolled . of renowne and glorie . chap. . renowne commonly hath more fame then defame . a prince ought to be bred & brought vp in glorie . glorie despised , by time commeth to be greater . all sorts of men are drawne in with the desire and studie of glorie : and therfore euery good man is guided by glorie . democritus a most excellent philosopher , did glorie in that he came to athens vnknowne of any person . alexander the great said : if i were parmenio , i had rather haue wealth then glorie : but now as i am , i know my selfe to be a king and not a merchant . many men feare their renowne : but few or none feare their conscience . i haue learned to be afraid of that renowne which is dishonest and shamefull . of all humane things that are voluble and subiect to inconstancie : there is none more vnstable then renowne and glorie . diogenes the philosopher said : that nobilitie and glory were a couerture for malice . when as appius claudius the competitour of scipio african , did commend himselfe , for that he could salute all the romaines by their names : scipio said vnto him : my care hath alwaies bene to be knowne of all men , rather then to know any man. of a short life and sickely . chap. . aristotle being demaunded what man was ? answered : he is the example of sickenesse : the pray of time : the scorne and play of fortune : the image of ruine : the ballance of enuie and calamitie : and for the rest he is nothing but fleame and choler . simonides the poet being demaunded how long he had liued : answered : a very little time , but many yeares . the philosopher zenon said : that there is nothing whereof we are so poore as of time . the life of man is but short : but art to heale the maladies and diseases of the bodie , is longer and much more then man can attaine vnto . socrates said : thae he thought the gods , in regarding & beholding our vaine studies and desires , could not but laugh continually . all our life is vncertaine & without coniecture , as that which goeth on wandring without any faith or cōstancie , and with vaine hopes in idle words , it feedeth the thoughts and cogitations of men . no man knoweth what will happē in time to come : howbeit god gouerneth all mortall men in the middest of all perils and daungers : and many times on the contrary , he bloweth vpon vs a strong wind or tempest of aduersitie . albeit this life be full of troubles and miseries , neuerthelesse it is greedily desired of all men . life is good , if a man liue vertuously : but it is euill if it be accompanied with wickednesse . in the isle of taprobana it is said , that men liue without griefe . if thou knowest how to vse thy life well , it will be of long continuance . oh how late is that houre , for a man then to begin to liue well , when he must of necessitie dye and depart out of this life ! the life of man is fraile and short . that life is pleasant which is led in honestie . a quiet and peaceable life ought to be preferred before all other things . a mans care and studie ought to be , how he may passe his life time in ioy and contentment . without ioy and loue this life of ours is bitter and vncomfortable . the torments of this life are of diuerse sorts . a short life cutteth a man off from long hopes . not he which liueth long , but he that liueth iustly and vertuously , is worthie to be honoured and commended , notwithstanding that he liue but a short and small time . of pouertie despised . chap. . a man hath no greater enemie then pouertie : the poore man is fearefull in euery thing . diogenes being reproched by one because of his pouertie , answered him , saying : o wretch , thou diddest neuer see any man exercise tyrannie for pouertie : but many tyrants do it to get wealth and riches . if thou do not desire much and many things : that little which thou hast will seeme much vnto thee . after that pouertie became once to be held in contempt , and to be accounted a thing disgracious amongst men , riches & wealth haue euer since bene sought of men by all kind of wickednesse and mischie●es pouertie is content to satisfie the demaund of desire . there is no man liuing which is borne rich : but he may well be accounted great , who in the middest of his riches doth shew himselfe to be poore . nature desireth and is contēted with a very little , but the fancie and opinion of man coueteth much . honest pouertie is a ioyfull and pleasant thing . he is not poore that possesseth small wealth : but he which desireth reth much . of pouertie commended . chap. . aristides , phocion , and socrates athenians , epaminondas also and pelopidas thebans , all of them most famous and renowned persons , were very poore men : and yet they were better , more honest and iust men thē any other of the seuerall nations and countries where they liued . diogenes being vpbraided by one that he was poore , answered : i neuer saw any man tormented for his pouertie : but i haue seene many p●nished for their vices . to be poore by nature is no shame vnto a man : but we hate to see any man made poore by any euill or vnhappie occasion . there is one thing onely for which pouertie ought to be beloued : because that maketh shew and triall of whom thou art beloued . of beautie . chap. . there is no man be he neuer so beautifull and of an excellent spirit , that can therefore boast or vaunt of himselfe : for in a very short time he looseth the flower of all his pride . the philosopher diogenes did vse to call those harlots and strumpets which were faire and beautifull , by the name and title of queenes : because men held them in no lesse reuerence then queenes : and most men were readie to do whatsoeuer they commaunded them . it is a most pleasant and ioyfull thing to regard and behold beautifull persons : but to touch and handle them is very danngerous . fire doth burne onely neare at hand : but beautifull faces , be they neuer so farre off , do enflame and burne men . beautie being naturall & without art , is much more pleasing and delightfull . beautie is a very fraile thing : and is soone diminished by time . that beautie is passing rare , which is without any fault or defect . beautie ought not to be adiudged by night . beautie vnto many hath bene the cause of extreame dammage . beautie onely hath this good fortune , that aboue all other things it is exceeding glorious and amiable . aristotle said : that in one recommendation , beautie had more force and valure , then all the letters missiue of the world . of audaciousnnesse , or audacitie . chap. . flye infamie sooner then any daunger whatsoeuer : for certainly it becommeth none but cowards to be fearefull and timerous . audacitie doth farre surpasse the mea●u●e of all forces . a●●hida●us a captaine of the laced●monians , seeing his sonne combate most obstinately against the athenians , said vnto him . either adde more strengrh to thy forces , or leaue thy audacitie . strength with prudence doth much profit and helpe any man : but without it the same is very hurtfull . in things of great daunger , hardinesse and audacitie begun with reason , is highly to be commended : because it is most certaine that this is the true fortitude : but fiercenesse without reason is to be held no other then meere temeritie . it seemeth that the audacious person is arrogant and a dissembler of his force . audacious persons are headlong before time of perill ▪ and when they are neare daunger , they turne their backes . when strength entreth into actions that are perillous without an honest occasion , it is called temerity . in these daies , it is lawfull to vse audacitie in stead of wisedome and prudence . of piety and clemency . chap. . pietie in my iudgement is the foundation of all vertue . this is true clemencie , when one pardoneth the life of another as his owne proper life . there is nothing more commendable then clemencie : nor is there any thing more worthie of a great and noble man , then to bee soone appeased . lucius paulus a captaine of the romanes , hauing taken perseus king of macedonie , and entertaining this his prisoner with great humanitie , he said vnto him : if it be an honour for a man to suppresse and subdue his enemie , it is no lesse praise worthie to haue compassion of him that is falne into misfortune . god keepeth the good & vertuous man from all euill & mishap : the onely good thing that can be in man is pietie and religion . pietie is the true knowledge of god. they which haue written of pietie , haue giuen the first place vnto the burying of the dead . clemencie is not so fit and conuenient to any , as to kings and princes . pietie was neuer yet rewarded with any punishment . of liberty and seruitude . chap. . whosoeuer accompanieth with a tyrant , although he be in libertie , yet he is his seruant . libertie ought not to be lost without losse of life . all kind of seruitude is miserable , but that especially is intollerable , when a man is enforced to serue one that is dishonest and vicious . it is fitter for any man to reioyce when he hath done any good seruice , & hath performed the part of a good seruant : then when he hath played the part of a great maister and commaunder . he serueth honestly , who giueth place vnto time . if any man haue found a seruant that is willing and diligent , he can neuer haue a better or more precious treasure . there cannot be a heauier charge , then for a man to haue a seruant which will take vpon him to know more then appertaineth vnto him : and there canno● be a worse thing or more vnprofitable , in any house , then such a one . a certaine spartan said : we onely of all the grecians haue learned to be truely free , and not to be subiect to any . caesar desired to be despised , and to haue nothing of himselfe , to the intent his souldiers might be franke and free . it is better to liue free with a little out of feare , then to be in seruitude with much & great abundance . of ignorance . chap. . it is a signe of great folly for a mā to blame those things which he vnderstandeth not . they may well be reputed for ignorant persons , who condemne things they know not , notwithstanding they deserue to be abhorred . it is a very vniust and vnseemly thing , that ignorant persons should be preferred before those that are skilfull maisters in any facultie : or new men before the old and auncient : or fooles before those that bee wise and learned . it is a matter worthie to be considered● what and how great a mischiefe ignorance is vnto men : it being so , that by the same , the faults which we do are concealed and kept from vs. it is better to be a begger thē to be ignorant . ignorance and too much aboundance of speech are faults that haue dominion ouer the most part of men . ignorant persons commonly do liue viciously : the life of which men is their death . the poet ausonius did make a mocke and a iest of the ignorant philomuso , who vsed to buy many bookes , because he would be thoght to be learned . catullus said : that many did vse to buy bookes to their great charge and expences , although they knew little or nothing at all . of doctrine and a good spirit . chap. . in my iudgement it is not too late for any of what age soeuer , to learne that which is necessarie . chuse thee such a maister , at whome thou maist take more occasion of admiration by seeing , then by hearing of him . honourable actions and customes are not so much gotten to man by nature , as by doctrine and learning . who can endure to see a rich man placed in the seat of honour and dignitie ? and that one which is more honest and of greater wisedome , should be despised and contemned ? in very truth , there is nothing more deuine , and whereof a man ought to take counsell sooner then of his owne learning , and by his friends . certainely the spirit of a man cannot deuise to make any artificiall workmanship perfect without doctrine : neither can doctrine come to perfection , without a good spirit . oh how often are the most excellent spirits concealed in secret , and remaine vnknowne ! euen as the health is the preseruation of the body : so is doctrine the safegard of the soule . a good spirit may well be hidden vnder any skinne whatsoeuer . alexander desired to surmount and excell all others rather in knowledge and learning , then by numbers of souldiers and men at armes . many men of most excellent wisedome and knowledge , haue bin of this mind : that learning and the studie of good letters was the onely remedie against all aduersities . men who are of a subtill and craftie spirit , are to be feared and mistrusted . the spirits and minds of men generally are intentiue to the getting and heaping of riches . those men who are of an excellent and extraordinarie spirit , for the most part are continually blamed . learned men do liue euer . desire onely to please them that are learned , and care not for the vulgar and common sort . to noble spirits , commonly short life is incident . it is seldome seene , that learned men are ouerpestered with multitude of affaires . propertius said : that there was no such excellencie as to be made famous and renowned by the poems and verses of poets , for that the goods of the mind are perpetuall , and continue for euer . man getteth wisedome and prudence by a good spirite , and vnderstanding , and not by age . plato museus , melampus , eudoxus , licurgus , solon , orpheus , homer , pithagoras and democritus , being all men of excellent skill and science , yet went into egypt to increase their knowledge and learning . socrates admonished all such as haue a desire to get fame and renowme : that they neuer come to haue enmitie or contention with the learned , because men of learning and knowledge haue a great power both on the one part and the other . octauian augustus by al means possible that he could deuise , did fauour the learned and ingenions men of his time . of abstinencie and continence . chap. . i hold that they onely are troublesome and tedious to our eares , who fal into the praise and commendation of voluptuous pleasures . the ambassadours of the samnites being come with great treasure to the campe of the romanes , and purposing to make a present thereof , vnto fabritius : he sodainely laid his hands on his eares , on his eyes , on his nostrels , on his mouth , on his throat , and on his bellie , and said vnto them : as long as i can striue and get the masterie ouer all these my members which i haue touched , i will neuer haue neede of any thing that may be an ornament vnto me . alexander the great hauing taken the daughters of darius king of persia : and so likewise scipio the africane hauing in his possession the daughter of his enemie , neither of them would take the paine to go and see them , iudging it to be a thing dishonourable and nothing seemely for them , who were the conquerors of their enemies , to be in any sort subiected vnto those , whome they had conquered and taken captiues . the continencie of alexander the great was such , as he wold neuer be drawne by constraint to see any woman , but he euer shewed himself most haughtie towards such as were fairest and most beautifull : but to all others he was exceeding full of courtesie and humanitie . amongst domesticall things , continencie deserueth the chiefest commendation : and amongst publique things , dignitie and estimatiō . continencie sustaineth and de●fendeth all the vertues of the mind : as a most firme foundation and vnderprop of the rest of the edifices . he that passeth measure in drinking , is no more maister of his thoughts nor of his toung : and without shame he speaketh of al dishonest things and such as are vnseemely : and of a man he becommeth a child . the gold-finers make a triall of the goodnesse of gold and siluer by the fire : but wine manifesteth the thoughts of a man , be he neuer so prudent . a shippe , a coach or any other exercise gouerned by a drunken man suddenly runneth to ruine and perdition . it is a thing of exceeding great difficultie for a man to conceale and hide his ignorance : but much more difficult is it for a man to conceale any thing when he hath drunke well . socrates said : that true continencie , was to shunne and auoid the pleasures of the bodie . pericles a noble captaine of athens , when sophocles the poet shewed vnto him a very faire young boy , said vnto him : o sophocles , it is very fit and conuenient for a modest and temperate captaine , that not onely his hands , but his eyes also should be continent . hieron the tyrant hauing heard epicarmus the comicall poet vse som dishonest and lasciuious words in the presence of his wife condemned him in a cerraine fine for his punishment . philon of thebes being disposed to giue certaine things vnto philip the father of alexander , who had conquered the citie of thebes : he said vnto him : i pray thee do not depriue me of the glorie and honour of my conquest : for by thy benefite and curtesie which thou offer●st me , thou wouldest make me to be not as a conquerour , but as one rather ouercome and conquered . cato the elder making an oration against the prodigalitie and superfluous expences of the romanes , said , that it was no easie matter for a man to vse speech against the belly which was without eares : and that he maruelled how that citie could be long preserued from destruction , wherein a fish should be of more value and cost more then a beefe . antiochus the third king of syria , seeing a very faire nunne in the citie of ephesus , consecrated & vowed to the goddesse diana , speedily departed thēce , for feare lest her beauty should draw & constraine him to do that thing which was euil , euē against the opiniō of his own mind & spirit . after that carthage was taken by scipio , certaine souldiours presented him with a verie beautifull maiden : to whom he answered : if i were a priuate man and not a generall , i would gladly accept of your present . pythagorus did esteeme it much better to die , then for a man to pol●lute and contaminate his mind with incontinencie and other vices . alexander the great hauing sent his oratours to zenocrates with a present of more then fiftie talents : he inuited ( according to his vsual custome ) the said ambassadours to his sparie and sober dinner , and said vnto them , tell alexander from me , that as long as i haue wherwith to maintaine this life , i shall not know what to do with these fiftie talents . demonsthenes said , not euerie pleasure , but that onely which is honest and vertuous ought to be chosen and embraced . the temperate man , although he haue not the ordinarie vse of those things which bring pleasure , yet is he in want of none of them . diogenes being gone to delphos , and seeing a statue of gold made in the name of phirna a most famous strumpet , he said : this is for the intemperancie of the greekes . the philosopher epictetus said : that no man ought to adorne & trimme vp his house with faire tables and pictures , but with continencie and good customes . of prudence . chap. . the king darius the father of xerxes said : that he came to be much more prudent by the experience of the battels which he had had , & of his forepassed perils and aduersities . paulus emilius assailing certaine places in macedonie , scipio nasica said vnto him : wherefore doest thou not rather affront the campe of thy enemies which is furnished and fortified against thee ? to whome he answered : certainely , if i were of thy age , i would do so as thou aduisest mee . denis the tyrant hauing sent certaine goodly vestments to the daughters of lisander for a present : he sent the same backe againe vnto him , saying : that he was greatly afraid lest his daughters with those habites should appeare much more deformed then they were . archidamus being praised by certaine men , who demanded of him in what time he had subdued the peoples of arcadia ? he answered : that it had bene better for him to haue ouercome them by prudence then by force . prudence hath great need of fortune to accompany it : but wisedome onely hath no neede of any counsell for the acquisition and attainement of that end whereunto it tendeth : because it applyeth and keepeth her selfe continually to things that are eternall . prudence properly is a vertue belonging and appertaining to a prince . whosoeuer is prudent must needes be temperate and constant : he that is constant is not troubled : he that is not troubled with any thing , must of necessitie be without griefe and sorrow : he therefore that is prudent , cannot chuse but be happie . prudence is compounded of the knowledge of good and euill things . prudence of all other vertues is the greatest : for by it all things both ciuill and domesticall are guided and gouerned : & the name therof is temperance and iustice . they are to be esteemed & held for prudent and iust men , who know both how to say and do those things which are needefull and conuenient to be obserued towards god and men . of force . chap. . they are not called nor truely accounted valiant and couragious persons , who do and offer iniury : but they which do repell and keepe iniurie and violence from them . and in truth he onely is of a valiant and constant courage , who is not troubled with aduersitie . he ought to be esteemed the most stout and valiant , who driueth away from him couetous persons as his enemies . he is said and held to be a valiant man , who endureth and feareth the things that ought to be feared & endured , vpon all occasions both whence , how , and when it is needful : and he likewise that is confident in himselfe and in his owne courage . fortitude or valiantnesse is the science and knowledg● of things which are to be held , and not to be feared , aswel in daunger of warres as of all other things . if force and valure do hazard it selfe into perils and daungers , not constrained by necessitie , or vpon any occasion not honest : it is no longer to be reputed for valure , but rashnesse and temeritie . scipio the african seeing a soldier of his to shew his buckler with bragges and ostentation , said vnto him : my friend , true it is , thou hast a faire buckler , but it is a more seemely and decent thing for a romane , to haue his hopes depending rather vpō his right then his left hand . caius popilius being sent by the senate of rome as embassadour to antiochus king of syria , to shew vnto him , that their pleasure was , he should desist frō molesting the children and orphanes of the late deceased ptolome king of egypt , was by the said antiochus saluted and entertained with great courtesie : which notwithstanding he would scarce vouchsafe to requite with thankes , but deliuering him his letters , and being answered vpon the reading of them by the king , that he would consult with his counsell vpon the contents thereof , popilius hauing a white rod in his hand , made therewith a round circle about the king where he stoode , and said vnto him : sir , i would wish you euen here as you stand to aduise your selfe , and to giue me your present answer . the nobles there present with the king , maruelled at that his exceeding greatnesse of courage : and antiochus himselfe immediatly answered : that he would do all that the romanes required : whereupon popilius instantly saluted him with great reuerence , & embraced him as the friend of the romanes . agesilaus the lacedemonian being demaunded , which of the two was the better vertue , either fortitude or iustice , answered : that valure without iustice was of no fruit nor profit pausanias a captaine of the lacedemonians hearing pedaretus say , oh what a multitude of enemies do come against vs ! answered : so many the more shal we haue the killing of . agesilaus being demaunded by one , why the citie of sparta was not enuironed with wals : he shewed vnto him the citizens armed , & said : behold these be the wals of the lacedemonians . argeleonida the mother of brasidas a renowned captaine of the lacedemonians , being giuen to vnderstand by the ambassadours of greece , that her sonne was slaine in battell , demaunded of them if he died valiantly : the ambassadours answered , that there was neuer man that died with more honour and renowne . to whom she replyed : o my maisters , for all this do you not know , that though my sonne brasidas was a mā of great woorth , yet hath our citie of sparta a great number better and more worthie then he . philip king of macedonie being come with great furie into the territories of the lacedemonians , one said vnto him : oh what a world of miseries will the lacedemonians be enforced to endure , if they do not reconcile themselues to the good grace and fauour of king philip : wherunto daminda answered : thou speakest like a woman : what misery can we suffer , if we be not afraid of death ? when the ambassadours of pirrhus being come before the lacedemonians did menace them , that if they did not frame themselues to the good liking & contentation of their king , they should find that his forces were greater then theirs . dercilida answered : certainely if your king be a god , yet we feare him not , because we neuer did him any iniurie : but if he be a man , assuredly he is no better then we are . of iustice and iudgement . chap. . if thou wilt iudge vprightly , thou oughtest to haue a regard nor respect to nothing but to iustice onely . in india he which is most learned is made the minister of their sacrifices : and hee demaundeth no other thing of the gods , but iustice . as the touchstone by the touch approueth the gold , not the gold the stone : so the iust and vpright man which sitteth in iudgement , is not corrupted with gold . he is not only iust which doth no iniurie nor wrong , but he also , who hauing power to do wrong , doth shunne and auoid the occasions thereof , to the intent he may not do any . againe , he is not iust which receiueth small gifts : but he is iust , who hauing power to take great bribes , doth abstaine from doing it . besides , he is not iust that obserueth al things : but he is iust , who with an vncorrupt and free nature , will rather be , then seeme and appeare to be iust . those men are chiefly , and in the first ranke to be praised , who preferre not any matter of profit , before honestie and iustice . science and knowledge separated from iustice and other vertues , ought not to be tearmed wisedome , but craft and cunning . god in no place , nor in any manner is to be held vniust , but most perfectly and absolutely iust : & there is nothing that more or better resembleth him , then that man who amongst vs is most iust . the man that is iust , though he be a straunger , is not onely to be preferred before a free borne citizen : but before those also that are of a mans owne kindred . there is nothing , wherof can come profit or commodity by force , if iustice be absent : but if all were iust we should haue no need offorce . they onely are to be held & receiued as friends vnto god , to whom iustice is welcome as a friend . there were certaine which said vnto antigonus king of macedonie , that all things were honest and iust vnto a king : to whome he answered : it is true indeede : but that is to such kings as are barbarous , but vnto vs those things onely are honest which are indeed honest , and those onely iust which are indeed iust . the poet simonides contending against themistocles , and affirming that in a certaine controuersie he had not iudged according to right , he answered him : that he could not be a good poet , if he should compose his verses out of that forme and number which appertained vnto thē : euen so i ( quoth he ) should not be a good citizen , if i should iudge beyond the lawes . it is the office of a good & sage iudge to take counsel of the law , of religion , of faith and of equitie : & also to remoue farre from him luxuriousnesse , hatred , enuie , feare and couetousnesse . the precepts of iustice are very bitter to the vicious and ill liuers . iustice is the mistresse and queene of all vertues . cities are then wel 〈…〉 when the vniust are seuere●● 〈…〉 . iudges haue great 〈◊〉 of vertue : and especially of 〈◊〉 and prudence . of a wife and of mariage . chap. . the peoples of lacedemonia had this law : that whosoeuer did not marry should be punished : and another punishment was ordained for them that maryed too late : and a third and most grieuous punishment for him that maryed an euill wife . she cannot be thought a true mother of her sonne , who hireth a straunge nurse to giue him sucke , and denyeth him her owne teates : the two dugges of a woman are not giuen her only for an ornament to her brest , but also for the nourishment of her children . if thou hast a faire wife , thou shalt be in daunger : if she be deformed thou wilt repent thee to haue maried her : the meane and indifferent fortune therefore is the best and most assured . socrates being demaunded , why he did not ●ue a diuorce betweene him & his wife xantippe , who was a woman of a most peruerse and crooked disposition , and vsed him very iniuriously : he answered : because by enduring within my house a wife that is so disloyall and disobedient , i haue learned to suffer more easily when i am abroad the iniuries offered me by other men . a wise man may take a wife if she be faire , well behaued , and of a noble linage . the principall & chiefest vertue appertaining to womankind , is pudicitie and shamefastnesse : which being once lost in any woman , all other vertues are cleane gone and decayed in her . amongst al the wars of christians , the worst are the assaults and attempts giuen by men to the vndermining of chastitie : where the warre is continuall without end , and the conquest is little or none at all . there are . good things in mariage : linage , faith , & a sacrament . the pudicitie and honour of a womā cānot be violated , if her mind be sound and preserued in chastitie . chastitie in a woman is the fortresse and bulwarke of her beauty . to be gouerned by the wife , is an exceeding great iniurie to the honour & reputation of the husband . like as the worme eateth out the wood : so doth the ill wife consume the husband . it is much better to dwell in the common high way , then to abide in a house with a wife full of words . hell , the loue of a woman , the drye earth , and the fire , are neuer satisfied , nor euer crie , ho. martia the daughter of cato , being a widow , was demaunded why she did not marry againe . her answer was : because i cannot find anie man , that had rather haue me then my goods . to nourish or maintaine a poore wife is a thing very difficult , but to endure a rich wife is a hellish torment . theana a greeke ladie of notable fame and memorie , by chance on a time drawing vp her smocke so high ouer her arme as she shewed her naked elbow : one standing by said vnto her : oh what a faire white arme is there ! to whome she answered : and yet for all that it is not commonly open : and in truth it is very requisite that not onely the elbow of a chast woman should not be publike , but secret in her speech likewise . the wife of philo being demaunded , why she did not weare iewels at the publike feasts , answered : it sufficeth me that i haue for my ornament the vertue of my husband . cato the elder condemned a senatour to be banished , because he had kissed his owne wife in the presence of his daughter . euen as the mirror or glasse doth not yeeld any more profit , in being set out and garnished with precious stones , or with gold and siluer , if it do not perfectly represent the forme that is presented vnto it : so a rich wife is little woorth or of small estimate , if her life and behauiour be not sutable and conuenient to the customes and fashions of her husband . those husbands which will not recreate and sport themselues , drinke , laugh , and make merrie , and vse other amiable pleasures with their owne wiues : it is signe that they will seeke and take their secret solace by stealth with other women . we see that the moone is most bright and cleare shining , when she is far off from the sunne : and when she is neare it she becommeth obscure , and her light is darkened : but a good wife is of a contrarie qualitie , because her husband being in place , she careth not to be seene of euery bodie : but when he is away , she keepeth her selfe priuate , & shut vp within her house . the lawful wiues of the kings of persia , were accustomed to sit at meales with their husbands : where if they listed to vse any lasciuious or light behauiour at the table , as to admit any cu●tisanes , or to haue any dauncing or reuelling , they wold neuer suffer their queenes to be present at such sports : because they wold not haue them to participate of their intemperancie . a yong womā of sparta being questioned by one to tell him if she had euer intreated the companie of any man : she answered him , no truly : but a man is welcome vnto me : teaching thereby all honest women not to be desirous to seek their pleasures , but to attend til their husbands come to offer it them . the husband that taketh a delight in lasciuious pleasure , and is willing that his wife should yeeld her consent and good liking thereunto : in my aduise may be resembled vnto him , that commaundeth his wife to fight with his enemies , to whom he hath alreadie yeelded himselfe a prisoner . the foundation of all feminine vices is auarice and couetousnesse . necessitie is a most disloyall gardian , and keeper of the chastitie of women . many women care not though they be poore of good counsell : but most skilfull in all wicked subtleties . the death of the husband doth not cut off the loue of a chaste wife . the woman is more subiect to loue then the man. that bed is full of disquiet and contention where the wife bringeth with her a great dowrie or portion . wandring and outloaping wiues are easily corrupted and seduced . by how much more a womā is kept straight so much the more is she desirous of luxuriousnesse and lasciuiousnesse . some women do more gladly reade things that are lasciuious then such as are honest . a woman is ( as it were ) a briefe and compendious way to all mischieues : and an artificiall inuention of all wickednesse . nature hath denied vnto women strengh and great force : for otherwise their courage being strengthened with trumperie and deceipt would be vnexpugnable and vnconquerable . a woman is alwayes mutable and vnconstant . there be three things that be notable euils : the sea , the fire , and a woman . diog●nes the philosopher was wont to commend those young men that did promise to marie and take a wife , but did neuer take any at all . of fortune . chap. . apelles a painter of athens , being demaunded why he painted fortune standing vpon her feete : answered : because she cannot sit . denis the younger being demaunded , how it could be , that his father of a priuate man had attained to a tyrannicall gouernement : and that he the sonne of a tyrant was expelled and chased from his rule and scepter ? he answered : truely , my father left me his tyrannie , but not his fortune . philip the father of alexander● , hauing in one day many good fortunes befallen him , said : o fortune for these so great and notable good fortunes , graunt me that i may haue but one vnfortunate day . in all aduersities and misfortunes , the most vnhappie condition of the vnfortunate , is to remember that once he was happie . the poet ion said : that fortune and wisedome being two diuerse and farre different things , did make notwithstanding and bring foorth most like and semblable effects : because both the one & the other did exalt , adorne , and lift men vp to the highest degree of glorie . the goods of fortune are such , as a man hath neede of reason for the vse of things , and of patience in the necessitie of them . he which is ashamed of his fortune , is worthie of all misfortune . as euery man can vse his happie and better fortunes : so is he most excellent , when he can vse well his aduerse fortunes . fortune is more fauourable to the vniust then to the iust : as therein shewing her puissance & temeritie . he which is held too much embraced and fauoured of fortune , becommeth to be little better then a foole . it seldome happeneth but that fortune doth offend the greatest and most excellent vertues . no man ought to refuse that fortune which all others do endure . fortune is a sodaine occurrence of things vnthought of and vnexpected . fortune is a proud goddesse , drunken and audacious . all things are gouerned by the will of fortune . pompey the great said : alas fortune , seeing thou doest rend and breake in sunder all things , i thinke that i haue not any thing which i can esteeme as my owne . the same pompey said likewise , i neuer had any prosperous or happie fortune that made me proud : neither did euer any aduersitie make me fearefull . fortune giueth too much to many : but to none that which is sufficiēt . of realmes , princes , and magistrates . chap. . there is none whatsoeuer aduanced , or that can attaine to be a prince without the will and permission of god. principalitie and soueraigntie of cōmand is giuen by fatal disposition . kings are ordained and created by iupiter . it is not necessarie that any should vnderstand things better then a prince , whose knowledge and learning shold be a help to al his subiects . a good prince ought to carrie himselfe towards his subiects , as a father amongst his children , and as god doth towards the world . the poet pindarus said , that a king was ( as it were ) a custome and example to all others . a king or prince ought to shew himselfe terrible and seuere rather by threates and menaces , then by punishments and executions . the vertue of a prince is to be valiant , iust , seuere , graue , magnanimous , a benefactor to many , bountifull and liberall . a good prince is knowne by the good qualities and giftes of his mind : and not by gold , or rich and sumptuous apparell . the soueraigne and chiefe wisedome of a king , is to know how to gouerne himselfe . the friends of a prince ought to feele his power and puissance , rather by his benefites , then by iniuries and oppressions . the people must needes cōplaine , when wicked persons come to be their princes . the king anaxilaus being demaunded , what thing was to be said most happie in any realme ? answered : not to be ouercome by any benefites . alexander complaining himselfe , for that his father had left so many sonnes by diuerse women , who might pretend title to his realme and kingdome : king philip his father said vnto him : labour to become an honest & good man , and then by thy owne deserts & good behauiour , and not by mine , thou shalt be sure to enioy and inherit my kingdome . alcamenes a spartan being demaunded , how a realme might long continue in happie estate , answered : when the king that raigneth ouer it , shall not care for his owne priuate gaine and profite . in each commonwealth , this aboue all things ought to be regarded and established , that offices be not set to sale for gaine or rewards . the publike wealth is the life of a citie : and where the lawes haue no force , it cannot be named a weale publike . the philosopher antisthenes was demaunded , why he said , that hangmen had more humanitie then tyrants ? because ( quoth he ) only guiltie persons and offenders are put to death by the hangman : but tyrants do kill and murther the harmelesse and innocent . a man is then fit to rule and gouerne , when he hath first learned how to gouerne . the philosopher bion said : that it was needfull for a good and iust magistrate to depart and leaue his charge in the commonwealth , rather with increase of honour then of wealth . those princes that punish them who do outrage and iniurie to others , are the cause that others will abstaine from profering the like iniuries . in a certaine great and open place within thebes , were set vp the images of iudges without hands , and the chiefe iudges with their eyes blindfolded : whereby they shewed that iustice ought to be without any corruption of bribes or rewards . when thou shalt be placed in any publike charge or office , admit not about thee leud or dishonest men for thy ministers : because the euils which they commit , will be imputed and attributed vnto thee . he which is in an office or place of commaund , and maketh lawes for other men , ought not to gouerne onely by might and strong-hand : but by his dignitie , vnderstanding , and other vertues , he ought to make himselfe knowne aboue other men . like as the sunne which is the life of the world , doth not attend nor expect , that the morning should intreat it to arise in the east : so the prince should not looke by praises and flatteries to do good deedes , but he ought of himselfe to enlarge his hand and mind to bountifull and liberall and actions . of captaines of warre , and of their commauudements in time of battell . chap. . epaminondas a captaine of the thebanes , had neuer any mutiny amongst his souldiers . agesilaus king of the lacedemonians , being demaunded , what thing was needfull and necessarie to a good captaine , answered : audacitie against his enemies , beneuolence to his souldiers in such things as are cōuenient , and counsell for the managing of his affaires . pelopidas a captaine of the thebanes being to go to his armie , his wife prayed him that when he came into the field , he would haue a speciall care to his owne safetie : to whom he answered : that as touching that matter , she should do well to counsel others so to do , but for his part he held it the part of a captaine & commaunder , to haue a speciall regard to the safetie of his citizens . the campe of the numantines in spaine , hauing of a long time vsed to be victorious against all the captaines that came against them with the romane forces , seeing afterwards that scipio came as general against them , by whom they were defeated and slaughtered : the senatours of numantia did exclaime against their people and souldiers , reproching them , for that they had so shamefully betaken themselues to flight : vnto whom a certaine numantine souldier said in this manner : my lords , i would you shold vnderstand , that in the campe of the romanes there are still the same beastes that were there before , but they haue not the same shepheard . cecilius met●llus a roman , hauing pitched his campe against the almaines in a very drie place , where his people were much pained with thirst and want of water , the riuer running close by the rampart of his enemies ; in a di●contented humour , pointing with his finger to the valley beneath his campe which was full of water , he shewed the same vnto his souldiers and said vnto them : there my maisters you may haue water enough and drinke your fils , if you list paine your selues to take it . lauinius a romane hauing taken the citie of corinth , did not carry away any riches or treasure to his owne house : and albeit all italy were enriched with the pillage of that city : yet was he in such pouertie and necessitie , as the senate of rome did marrie his daughter at the common charge of the citie . quintus fabius minutius being aduised by his sonne to seize vpon a certaine place , as a thing which he might do with the losse of a very few men : he said vnto him : wilt thou be one of those few ? scipio the african being accused by one , that he was alwaies fighting , and in the field , answered : it is true , for my mother bred me from the cradle to be a captaine and a soldier . marcus iiuius being exhorted by some to pursue without ceassing the campe of hasdarubal , which he had defeated and put to flight : answered : let them alone , let some of thē liue , that they may carrie to our enemies the newes of our victorie . chabius a captaine of athens said : that those captaines knew well how to commaund , who could discerne and know the plots and purposes of their enemies . lamacus a lacedemonian , reprehending a certaine captaine for a fault which he had committed : and he telling him , that he would not commit the like ouersight againe : lamacus answered : that in warre it was not fit for any to erre twice : because in the first , special regard ought to be had , that no fault be committed . antigonus king of macedony being demaunded , in what manner he ought to as●aile his enemies ? he answered : either by pollicie and cunning , or by force : either openly or secretly . the king pirrhus said vnto one to whom he had giuen a commission to leauie souldiers : do thou make choise of them which be great : and i will make them stout and valiant . tiberius scaurus a captaine of the romanes being certified , how his sonne was put to flight by the tarentines , commaunded him , that during his life he should neuer presume to come into his presence : in somuch as the young man being surprised with shame and ignominie died for very griefe . of diuerse and prompt answers . chap. . philip the father of alexander hauing the ankle of his foote broken , and his phisition daily demaunding monie of him : he said vnto him : go too , take as much monie as thou wilt , for thou hast the key in thy owne keeping . the same king philip being once laid to sleepe about noone-time : the greekes that came to speak with him , did murmure , in being made to attend him : to whom parmenio said : maruell not if philip be now a sleepe : for he many times waketh when you sleepe . alexander the great being to make a sore iourney against darius : a certaine souldier came vnto him in a great heate and told him : that he had heard diuers of his souldiers say , that they wold not allow any of their part of the pray or bootie vnto the king : who smiling thereat answered presently : thou tellest me good newes , and that which i take for a signe of good fortune : for now i see that my souldiers haue resolued rather to vanquish their enemies then to flye away . the athenians hauing receiued an answer from the oracle , warning them , that there was one man in athens who was contrary and opposite to the wils and opinions of all the rest , and wishing them to search out by some meanes or other who it shold be : phocion suddenly said : i only am the man , who do not take pleasure in any thing which the common people either doth or saith . cicero being demaunded by metellus who was his father , answered : whosoeuer should aske thee this question , it would be hard for thee to answer it , by reason of thy mother . this he said , because he knew that the mother of metellus was held a woman scarce honest . ag●sides king of the lacedemonions hearing a certaine oratour extolling a very small matter euen to the heauens , said : this man is no good shoomaker : for he would put a great shooe on a little foote . cleomen●s the lacedemonian hearing a certaine logitian discoursing of force and prowesse , fell out into a loud laughter : to whome the s●phister said : o cleomenes , doest thou which art a king laugh , because i discourse offorce ! cleomenes answered : my friend , so would i do if i did heare a swallow speake of force and strength : but if an eagle did speake thereof , i should thinke well thereof . and●oclidas of sparta being blamed by an athenian , which said vnto him : you lacedemonians are ignorant of letters , answered : then are we of all others the on●ly men , who haue not learned any euill of you . archidamus the sonne of ag●silaus hauing receiued a very arrogant letter from king philip , returned him in writing this answer : before that we come to get the victory of thee , i would wish thee ( if thou wilt ) to measure thy owne shadow : for i do not thinke that thou wilt find it now to be greater , then it hath bin heretofore . eudamidas the sonne of archidamus , seeing xenocrates now growne old , disputing with one of his familiars , demanded of him who that man was : whereunto answer being made , that he was one of the most wise and sagest men that knew how to search out vertue ▪ he replyed , and when trow you will he vse vertue , that now at these yeares is but seeking and searching for it . pausanias after he was sent into exile , giuing great commendations of the lacedemonians , a stranger said vnto him : why art not thou then in sparta ? he answered : because it is not the custome of phisitions to dwel with them that be sound and healthfull : but in that place where men are sicke and diseased . archidamus being demaunded by one , what territories the lacedemonians possessed , answered : so much as they could get and purchase by the sword . there was one that blamed ethecateus the oratour , who hauing one day dined with archidamidas , did not speake a word during all the time they were at meat : to whom archidamidas made this answer : thou oughtest to know , that he which knoweth how to speake well , knoweth also the time when to speake . iphicrates the athenian being demaunded by a certaine oratour , what place he had in the army , ( because he thought him a man exceeding hardie and cruell : ) why ( quoth he ) what art thou ? a man at armes , or a footman , an archer , or a light horseman ? he answered : i am none of all these : but i am he which haue learned to commaund ouer all these whom thou hast named . of vertue . chap. . the practise of vertue is seene to be euer conuersant about the affections and the actions , in which consisteth much , little and a meane . it many times falleth out , that we feare one more and another lesse : that one is confident , another desireth : one is fierce , and another is angry & cholerick : & there is not any good either in the one sort or other : and especially when it is needful , and to whō , and for what occasion , and how . but mediocritie is the best , the which of it selfe properly is the true vertue : then vertue is an habite of election which consisteth in the meane , which men call mediocritie . i haue made search if it be possible for a man to know those things which are manifest in vertue : but i could neuer yet find them . it appertaineth vnto the vertue of the sexe feminine to gouerne the house well and rightly , and to haue the custodie , and looking to domesticall matters , and to be obedient to her husband . force , wisedome , temperance , magnificence , are vertues with many others : but vertue cannot be caught : seeing then that vertue cannot be had by doctrine , it is not a science . if vertue do faile and escheat in man , ( which no man can deny : ) then doth felicitie also faile in him . vertue is a thing which is able to giue vs immortalitie , and to make vs equall to the gods . vertues are diuers alexander was ingenious : cirus was of an excellent spirit : agesilaus excelled in tēperance : themis●ocles in wisedome : aristides in iustice : philip in experience : & pericles in the skill & knowledge to gouerne a commonwealth . vertue hath this qualitie : that her beautie and excellencie being shewed especially towards a mans enemies , she is accustomed to reioyce euen the most valiant . nature cannot establish any thing so high , but vertue can reach vnto it . to die continually for vertue , is not to dye . vertue it selfe ought to be honoured , and not the image of vertue . there is no vertue in this life , except it be to loue the thing that is to be beloued : and to loue that , is prudence : and not to be moued or troubled for any matter of molestation , that is fortitude : nor for any matter of flatterie and delight , that is temperance : nor for pride , that is iustice . gorgias the oratour being demaunded if the king of persia were happie , answered : i know not how much vertue he hath . i neuer knew any man , who trusting in his owne vertue , did enuie the vertue of another man. vertue is couragious through her owne proper riches : and she careth not to be celebrated with the fauor of the common people , because she hath no need of praise and commendation . the vertue of the mind liueth , when all other things do dye and perish . that vertue which proceedeth out of a comely and beautifull p●●son , is much more amiable , and purchaseth the greater grace and fauour . of death . chap. . one saying , that it was a hard & difficult thing to liue : nay ( quoth diogenes ) but it is hard to liue ill . if a young man do liue to old age then he commeth to lament and to plaine himselfe to the gods , saying : that when it is requisite his labours and troubles should cease and he liue at rest : euen then is he most troubled and surcharged with affaires : afterwards when death approcheth , then would he liue , and requesteth the phisitions not to be carelesse of his health and welfare . o straunge and wonderfull minded men , who would not willingly neither liue nor dye ! i had rather liue and serue a man that is poore and beggerly , and one to whome meanes of liuing are wanting , then to commauud ouer all dead men . death is no grieuous thing : neuerthelesse it is a kind of iniurie in the end , which is ful of feare & terror seeing all men must needes dye , i do hold that it is a happie thing to dye not late but honorably . the poet simonides said : that death is the medicine of all euils incident to man. there is nothing better for a man then to be borne , nor any thing better for him then to dye soone and quickly . gorgias leontin being neare his end , and departing by little and little as it were in a sleepe or dreame , was demanded by a familiar frend of his : what do you ? to whome he answered : now doth sleepe begin to recommend me to her sister . of felicitie . chap. . felicitie is the end of all things which are to be desired . some haue said , that felicitie is prosperitie of fortune : and some say vertue : but it is fit and conuenient , that felicitie be giuen from the gods. the felicitie of the soule , is an operation perfected by vertue . vertue commeth of science , and of vertue proceedeth the soueraigne good : what can this soueraign and chiefe good be , but god & heauen , whence our soule is deriued ? the soueraigne good of the soule is to be like vnto god. this is felicitie ( as saith aristotle ) which is not consisting in one onely art , but in all the course of a perfect life . they are truely happie which are with truth : but they which liue in vanitie cannot be happie . some by too great felicitie , care nothing for god at all . to happy men , the consideration of miseries seemeth to be a very streight and difficult thing . to be happie , is to liue well and to do well . no man can be happie , but he that is wise and good . it followeth then that wicked men are miserable : and therefore not the rich man but the prudent man flyeth and shunneth miserie . felicitie is deuided into fiue parts . the first is , to take good counsell : the second is , to haue the sences strong and sound , & to be of a good disposition of bodie : the third is , to be fortunate in all actions : the fourth to be alwaies neare and in companie with men excellent in glorie and renowne : the fifth is to abound in wealth and all other such things as serue for the necessitie of mans life . happie are they that haue a good soule : and that is giuen them from heauen . felicitie is either by destiny , or of fortune , or of vertue . as sicke men cannot tast the sauour of any meates , so cannot any man attaine to happinesse and felicitie , if he embrace not vertue . they are not happie whom the common sort reputeth happie . no man in truth is happie amongst all mortall men liuing . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e some report this of augustus caesar . times treasury, or, academy for gentry laying downe excellent grounds, both divine and humane, in relation to sexes of both kindes : for their accomplishment in arguments of discourse, habit, fashion and happy progresse in their spirituall conversation : revised, corrected and inlarged with a ladies love-lecture : and a supplement entituled the turtles triumph : summing up all in an exquisite character of honour / by r. brathwait, esq. brathwaite, richard, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) times treasury, or, academy for gentry laying downe excellent grounds, both divine and humane, in relation to sexes of both kindes : for their accomplishment in arguments of discourse, habit, fashion and happy progresse in their spirituall conversation : revised, corrected and inlarged with a ladies love-lecture : and a supplement entituled the turtles triumph : summing up all in an exquisite character of honour / by r. brathwait, esq. brathwaite, richard, ?- . [ ], [i.e. ], , [ ] p. printed for nath. brooke, london : . a ladies love-lecture has special t.p. with the imprint: london : printed by iohn dawson, . the turtles triumph has special t.p. with the imprint: london : printed by iohn dawson. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. courtesy. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion times treasury : or , academy for gentry . laying downe excellent grounds both divine and humane , in relation to sexes of both kindes : for their accomplishment in arguments of discourse , habit , fashion : and happy progresse in their spirituall conversation . revised , corrected , and inlarged , with a ladies love-lectvre ; and a supplement , entituled , the tvrtles trivmph : summing up all in an exquisite character of honour . by r i : brathwait esq. london , printed for nath : brooke , at the angel in cornhill . . to the right honourable , william , earle of strafford ; sonne and heire to that incomparable master-piece of wit , worth and wisdome , thomas , lord vventvvorth , viscount woodhouse . late lord deputy of ireland , my constantly memorized and perpetually indeared mecenas . all corresponding honour and happinesse suitable to a branch of such rising hopes ; lineally ennobled and enabled to all proficience . highly honovred ; piety , as it hath the promise , so it renders the best deblazon to the house of honour . in which highest ascent of heraldry , ( for all other titles or gradations appear irreall and shady ; ) vertue the greatest signall and symboll of gentry , is rather expressed by goodnesse of person , then greatness of place . for , howsoever the bleere-ey'd vulgar honour the purple more than the person , descent more then desert , title then merit : that adulterate gentility , which degenerates from the worth of her ancestors , derogates likewise from the birth of her ancestors . it is true indeed , that desert hath at all times had some sinister eye darting on it : especially , where malignant spirits held it a sufficient crime , to grow great . for these , forth of a restlesse ambition , were ever interposing a cloud betwixt deserving men and the sun-rising . but so strongly fenced were they with integrity : and so richly furnished in principles of theory , and humane phylosophy , as they accounted it too light an encounter to enter lists with such opponents ; whom they held so far unworthy of their hate , as they pittied their weaknesse . their spight fell infinitely below their spirit ; their spleane beneath their scorne . for such was their quicknesse and vivacity of spirit , as they could look death in the face with more cheerfulnesse , then those spungy puffins could brook competition : or idolize their adulterate greatnesse . now , for this attractive object of honour , as it has been gods goodnesse , lineall descendence , and your princes especiall observance , in relation to your incomparable father , to advance you to it ; so has it been hitherto your happinesse , in this your hopefull proficience and gracefull initiation to businesse , to entertaine humility and integrity for your reteiners , the better to preserve you in it . this is the way , as your genuine candor and noble experience hath found it , to make all good men , your friends : and to admit none to repine at your rising , but vertues foes . and such censorious pursuers of their eminentest actions , have our heroick'st spirits in all ages patiently suffered : making use of them as necessary monitors , to put them in minde how to compose and regulate the posture of their greatnesse . and these were such , whose infant effeminacy , youthfull delicacy , or native liberty had estrang'd them from the knowledge of morall or divine mysteries : so as , they might be well compared to the ostrich , who ( as the naturall historian reports ) hath the wings of an eagle , but never mounts : so these had the eagle-wings of contemplation , being indued with the intellectuall faculties of a reasonable soule ; yet either intangled with the light chesses of vanity , or trashed with the checker'd po●zes of selfe-conceipt and singulari●y , they never mounted above the verge of sensuall pleasure . but i am here to tender unto your honours judicious view , a gentleman , quite of an other garbe : a compleat academick , a civiliz'd scholler , and a scholastick courtier . one whose education hath made formall enough , without apish formality : and conceiving enough , without selfe admiring arrogancy . a good christian in devout practising , no lesse than zealous professing ; yet none of the forward'st in discoursing on religion . for he observes ( as long experience & select acquaintance have brought him to be a judicious observer ) that discourse of religion hath so occupied the world , as it hath well-neere driven the practise thereof out of the world. where most men have more of tongue than life : and more ready to dispute than live : seeking rather to be accompted . eloquent orators , then sincere christians : scholists than practists . he esteemes such onely happy , who are of that number whom the world accounts fooles , but god , wise men . he understands , that whatsoever is sought besides god , may so imploy the minde , as it may be occupied , but never satisfied . he observes the whole fabrike of humane power ; and he concludes with the preacher ; ecquid tam vanum ? he notes how the flesh becomming obedient , behaveth her selfe as a faithfull servant to the soule : this governeth , the other is governed ; this commandeth , the other obeyeth . finally , he summes up all his observations with this : he that sigheth not while he is a pilgrim , shall never rejoice when he is a citizen . this is the graduate in this academy for gentry , whom i have here againe presumed to recommend to your protection : and to you he makes recourse , not so much for shelter , as honour ; ( having sole interest in it by right from your father : ) for his title , it exempts him from servile bashfulnesse , being a person so freely indenized , so compleatly indowed . neither can he do lesse then ingenuously collect , how by your fathers gracefull patronage ; ( whose obliged servant i was in his life ; and faithfull remembrancer in his death : ) he has been cry'd up with a generall suffrage : attesting withall , that no prejudicate critick , whose use it is never to judge of the purity of a lampe , till it expire in the socket , durst assaile him ; since his honours improved command , arched with so integrious a protection , did secure him . nor is he changed from what he was , although improved by this new edition : nor hopes he to fi●de you otherwise , then your prudent fathers reflexions ever were ; ( whose imparalel'd parts and immerited favours to me , shall reteine a constant anniversary in me ; ) to the muses , and their refined fancies a profest guardian . now , if any of those corky censurers , qui mercurium in linguâ non in pectore gerunt , shall chance to accoast my gentleman : i resolve me , his education hath made him so accomplished at all assayes , and his conversing with the most piercing'st judgements , hath brought him to that pefection , as he can discerne of what mould or temper these criticks are ; concluding , voces sunt , praeterea nihil , as is said of the nighting all . this onely resteth ; if i limne him to the life , in spite of censure , he will merit the patronage of honour : if i faile in my art , ( as i dare not presume of my strength ) it is in your honour to impute the fault rather to the pen than the man ; whose intimate affection to your lordship , will quickly sweeten and attemper the rigidst censure : and signe an easy indulgence to such an obsequious errour . your honours in all devotion , lineally obliged , r i : brathwait . the english gentleman . youth . argument . the dangers that attend on youth ; the vanitie of youth , display'd in foure distinct subjects ; three violent passions incident to youth ; physicke prescribed , and receits applied to cure these maladies in youth . youth . howsoever some more curiously than needfully may seeme to reason , that there be diverse climactericall or dangerous yeeres in mans time ; sure i am , that in mans age there is a dangerous time , in respect of those sinne-spreading sores which soile and blemish the glorious image of the soule . and this time is youth , an affecter of all licentious liberty , a comicke introducer of all vanitie , and the onely 〈◊〉 apparent to carnall securitie . this it was which moved that princely prophet to pray , lord forgive me the sinnes of my youth . sinnes indeed ; because the youthfull sinner is ever committing , but never repenting ; usually provoking god , but rarely invoking god. this is he who snuffeth the wind , with the wild asse in the desart , being like the horse or mule which hath no understanding , by giving sense preeminence above reason : and walking in the fatnesse of his heart , as one wholly forgetfull of god. he may say with the psalmist , though in another sense , vt jumentum factus sum apud te : upon exposition of which sentence , it is laudable ( saith euthymius ) that in the sight of god we take our selves as beasts to shew our humility , but not to resemble beasts in ignorance or brutish sensuality . many are the dangerous shelfes which menace ruine and shipwrack to the inconsiderate and improvident soule , during her sojourning here in this tabernacle of clay : but no time more perilous than the heat of * youth , or more apt to give fuell to the fire of all inordinate desires ; being as ready to consent , as the devill is to tempt , and most willing to enter parley with her spirituall enemy upon the least assault . it is reported by eusebius , that s. iohn meeting a strong young-man , of good stature , amiable feature , sweet countenance , and great spirit , straightway looking upon the bishop of that place , he said thus unto him : christ being witnesse and before the church , i commend unto thee and thy care this young man , to be especially regarded and educated in all spirituall discipline . whom when the bishop had received into his tuition , and promised that he would performe whatsoever he ought , saint iohn againe and againe gives his charge , and contesteth his fidelity : and afterwards he returnes to ephesus . the bishop takes the young man home ; brings him up as his owne sonne , keepes him within the limits of his duty , intreats him gently , and at last baptizeth him , and confirmes him . afterwards , upon remitting something of his care , and giving freer reines to his liberty , the young man takes occasion to shake off the yoke of tuition , and fals into bad company , who corrupt him : diverting his course from the path of vertue by these meanes : first , they invite him to banquets , then they carry him abroad in the night , afterward to maintaine their profuser expence , they draw him to theevery , and so by degrees to greater wickednesse , being now made captaine in this theevish company . at last saint iohn returnes and saith ; goe to bishop , give me my depositum which i and christ committed unto thee in the church which thou gouernest . this bishop was astonied , thinking that he had deceitfully demanded some money which he never received , and yet durst scarce distrust the apostle . but as soone as saint iohn said , i demand the young man and soule of my brother : the old man hanging downe his head , sighing and weeping , said ; ille mortuus est , he is dead ; how and with what kind of death , said iohn ? deo mortuus est , he is dead unto god , answered the bishop : nam nequam & perditus , & uno verbo latro evasit : for he is wicked and lost , and in a word a theefe . much matter might be collected from this story , to inlarge the ground of our proposition , to wit , what imminent dangers are ever attending on youth , and how easie it is by the painted flag of vanity , and sensuall pleasure , to draw him to ruine . for doubtlesse , many excellent rules of instruction had this grave bishop delivered and imparted to his young pupill : many devout taskes and holy exercises had he commended to his practice : many prayers full of fervent zeale had he offered for his conversion : many sighes had he sent , many teares had he shed to reclaime him from his former conversation . yet see , how soone this youthfull libertine forgets those instructions which he had taught him , those holy taskes which were injoyned him , those zealous prayers which were offered for him , those unfained sighes and teares which were shed for him ! he leaves this aged father , to become a robber , he fl●es from the temple to the mountaine ; he puts off the robe of truth , and disguiseth himselfe with the vizard of theft . and no small theefe , but a leader . rachel was a theefe , for shee stole idols from her father ; iosuah was a theefe , seeing he stole grapes from canaan ; david was a theefe , seeing he stole the bottle of water from saul ; ionathan was a theefe , since he stole hony from the hive ; iosaba was a theefe , since he stole the infant ioash . but here was a theefe of another nature ; one , whose vocation was injury , profession theevery , and practice cruelty : one , whose ingratitude towards his reverend foster-father , merited sharpest censure : for bysias the grecian , osiges the lacedemonian , bracaras the theban , and scipio the roman , esteemed it lesse punishment to bee exiled , than to remaine at home with those that were ungratefull for their service . so as , it is not only griefe , but also a perillous thing , to have to doe with ungratefull men . and wherein might ingratitude bee more fully exemplified than in this young-man , whose disobedience to his tutor , sleighting his advice that had fostered him , deserved severest chastisement ? but to observe the cause of his fall ; wee shall finde how soone those good impressions , which he had formerly received , were quite razed and defaced in him , by reason of depraved company : whence we may gather , that youth being indeed the philosophers rasa tabula , is apt to receive any good impressure , but spotted with the pitch of vice , it hardly ever regaines her former puritie . whence we are taught , not to touch pitch ▪ lest we ●e defil●d● for as that divine father saith , occasiones faciunt latrones . truth is , the sweetest apples are the soonest corrupted , and the best natures quickliest depraved . how necessary therefore , the care and respect youth ought to have in the choyce and election of his company , may appeare by this one example , which sheweth that society is of such power , as by it saints are turned into serpents , doves into devils : for , with the wise we shall learne wisedome , and with the foole we shall learne foolishnesse . dangerous therefore it is , to leave illimited youth to it selfe : yea , to suffer youth so much as to converse with it selfe . so as , that greeke sage , seeing a young man privately retired all alone , demanded of him what he was doing ? who answered , he was talking to himselfe . take heed , quoth he , thou talke not with thine enemie . for the naturall pronenesse of youth to irregular liberty is such , as it is ever suggesting matter of innovation to the soveraingtie of reason . now to reduce these enormities incident to youth , to certaine principall heads , wee will display the vanity of youth in these foure distinct subjects : gate , looke , speech , habit : that by insisting and discoursing on each particular , wee may receive the feature of lady vanity portrayed to the life . it is strange to observe how the very body expresseth the secret fantasies of the minde : and how well the one sympathizeth with the other . i have seene even in this one motion , the gate , such especiall arguments of a proud heart , as if the body had beene transparent , it could not have represented him more fully . and i have wondered , how man endued with reason , could bee so farre estranged from that wherewith he was endued ; as to strut so proudly with feet of earth , as if hee were never to returne to earth . but especially , when youth is imployed in ushering his mistresse , hee walkes in the street as if hee were dancing a measure . hee verily imagines the eyes of the whole citie are fixed on him , as the very patterne which they esteeme worthy imitation : how neerely then concerns it him to stand upon his equipage . he walkes , as if he were an upright man , but his sincerity consist onely in dimension . he feares nothing so much as some rude encounter for the wall , and so bee discredited in the sight of his idoll . now i would be glad to weane this phantasticke from a veine of lightnesse , and habituate him to a more generous forme . first , he is to know , how that which is most native and least affective , deserves choisest acceptance . we were not borne to glory in our feet , the bases of mortality : but to walke as children of light , in holinesse and integritie . safer it were for us , to observe and make use of that , which the swan is reported to use , when at any time shee glories in the whitenesse of her colour , to wit , shee reflects her eye upon her blacke feet , which qualifies her proud spirit : making her so much the more dejected , as joying before in her owne beautie , she was erected . excellently was that embleme of humane frailty shadowed in the image of agathocles the syracusan tyrant , who commanded his statue to be composed after this fort : the head to bee of gold , signifying purenesse ; the armes of ivory , intimating smoothnesse ; the body of brasse , implying strongnesse ; but the feet of earth , importing weakenesse . be the head-peece never so pure ; bee it a diadem of gold we weare , it cannot promise to us perpetuitie ; we stand on earthen feet , how may wee then stand long , relying on such weake supporters ? though nebuchadnezzar strut never so proudly upon the turrets of his princely palace , saying , is not this great babel which i have builded ? he knowes not how soone he shall be deprived of his glory , and be enforced to feed with the beasts of the field , being as one estranged from his former magnificence . quid ergo ad nos consolatio mundi ? let us not glory in mundane vanity , nor repose too much confidence in these feet of frailty . si pes in terris , mens sit in coelis ; though our foot be on earth , let our minde bee in heaven : knowing , that ( as saint augustine saith ) three cubites of earth doe expect us ; and how little or much so ere we possesse , this is all that shall be left us . the next subject wee are to treat of in this display of youthfull vanity , is his looke : wherein hee is ever noted to shew a kinde of contempt , expressing by his eye , what he conceives in his heart . here is oculatus testis , an eye-witnesse to tax him of his pride ; disdaining to fix his eye upon the lower shrubs , as if a reflex on them should derogate from his glory . they that looked upon sylla's ring , could not choose but take notice both of sylla's seale and the treason of iugurth ; so hee , that should but eye a proud looke , could not choose but collect from what heart so disdainfull a looke proceeded . i have ever observed , the most generous to bee least affective in this kinde : for it is , and hath beene ever an inherent propriety in them , to expresse a generous affability as well in looke as speech . the eyes ( saith a good father ) are members of the flesh , but windowes of the minde ; which , eagle-like , should be ever erected to the beames of righteousnesse , and not depressed by any unworthy object of externall basenesse . the onely sight of god is the true food and refection of our minds : wee looke to be satisfied , but satisfaction wee cannot finde in any outward object ; much lesse in contempt of our poore brother , who many times exceeds us more in worth , than we him in birth . but tell me young gallant , what it is that moveth thee to this contempt of others ? is it thy descent ? alas , that is none of thine ; thou derivest that glory from thine ancestors , whose honour by thy ignoble life , dieth . yea , recall to minde how many glorious houses now lye buried in the grave of oblivion , by the vicious course of irregular successours : and againe , how many houses , whose names formerly were not so much as knowne , either raised from others ruine , or advanced by industrious merit , usurpe their glory . is it thy riches ? indeed , if the philosophers axiom be true ; riches is a signe of eternall glory , there were some reason to glory in them : but wee shall finde this glory meerely imaginary , yea a great darkener and blemisher of the internal glory & beauty of the mind . for as the moone doth never eclypse , but when she is at the full : so the minde is never so much obscured , as it is with the superfluitie of riches . and againe , as the moone is farthest off from the sunne which giveth it light , when it is at the full ; so a man , when he is the fullest of riches , is farthest off from that equity and justice , which ought to give him light in all his proceedings . and therefore , he might doe well herein to imitate the fly , which putteth not her feet in the great masse of honey , but onely taketh and tasteth with her tongue so much thereof as serveth her turne , and no more , lest by doing otherwise , she might remaine taken and drowned therein , yea , if we should but reflect and take a view of certaine ethnicks , whose admirable contempt of riches eternized them , wee should observe what inimitable continencie was in them , and what an hydropticke thirst of avarice remaineth as yet unquenched in us . and though wee must live according to lawes , and not to examples , yet cicero held that nought could be taught without example ; wherefore , to enforce this argument further , wee will here produce certaine heathens , who contemned riches so much , as being offered , yea obtruded , they would not accept them . anacharses refused the treasure sent him by croesus : anacreontes refused the treasure sent him by polycrates : and albionus refused the treasure sent him by antigonus . the like moderation wee read in fabius maximus , crates , mimus , and most of the greeke philosophers . this indifferencie towards fortune , is excellently described by the sententious seneca concluding , nihil eripit fortuna , nisi quod ipsa dedit . to insist on more examples , were to enlarge this branch too much ; we will therefore shut them all up with that divine observation of the wise simonides ; who being asked once , whether vertue or riches were of more reputation , made answer , that the vertuous did more frequent the doores of the rich , than the rich the vertuous : thence inferring , that wealth was a great nourisher of vice , and povertie of vertue ; or rather implying , how those who are richest are oft-times the retchlest , being ever with vices more infected , who are to highest fortunes advanced . wherefore i assure me , thou wilt not glory in riches for they deprave the soule , which should bee in the body , like a queene in her palace . whence then proceedeth this haughtie looke ? perchance thou wilt object , that thou art a man of place ; admit thou beest : is there nothing thou canst finde to expresse the eminence or greatnesse of thy place , to which thou art called , save a disdainefull of surly looke , a neglectfull or scornefull countenance , contemptuously throwne upon thy inferiour ? surely , if such an one thou bee , how great so-ere thou bee , i will admire rather thy seat than thy selfe : and conclude with aristippus , a stone sits upon a stone . these are they , at whom our moderne poet glanced pleasantly , when he saith ; they dare not smile beyond a point , for feare t' unstarch their looke , so punctuall and formall they are , as besides a kinde of formall and phantasticke humour they are nothing : or to expresse them better ; they thinke it a derogation to honour , to converse with basenesse ; they shew a great deale of peremptory command in an awfull looke , imagining it a sufficient argument of greatnesse , for midas asse to have minos countenance : for thus hath time drawne out their formes to me , they be and seeme not , seeme what least they be . since then neither descent , for that is derived from others ; nor riches , aptest to deprave us of all others ; nor place , being worst expressed in glorifying our selves and contemning others ; should move us to put on the countenance of disdaine to our inferiours : we are to conclude , that humilitie , as it opens the gate unto glory , so affability , a vertue right worthy every generous minde , cannot bee better planted than in the eyes , those centinels which guard us , those two lights which direct us , those adamantine orbes which attract affection to us . a face erected , first to man was given , t' erect his eyes unto the king of heaven . let not then any other object entertaine it , at least , not retaine it : if they be to be imployed in any worldly object , let them be imployed in contemplating his workes who made the world ; for all other objects are but meere vanitie and affliction of spirit . the third subject we are to discourse of , is speech ; a propriety wherein man is distinguished from other creatures : yea , the onely meanes to preserve societie among humane creatures . quanto melius est docere quàm loqui , tanto melior est quàm verba locutio , saith s. augustine : by how much better it is to teach than to speake , by so much better is speech than words . here this learned father maketh a maine difference betwixt speech and words : which distinction may bee properly applied to the argument whereof wee now treat . the rash young man , who useth no guard to his mouth , nor no gate of circumstance unto his lips , inureth himselfe to many words , but little speech . now to define speech , it is nothing else than an apt composing , and an opportunate uttering of words ; whence it is said , words spoken in season or opportunitie , are like apples of gold with pictures of silver . and herein is youth many times blame-worthy , who will professe himselfe a speaker , before hee know what to speake ; yea putting his oare in every mans boat , admits no conference , not treaty , no discourse , how transcendent soever , but he will bee a speaker : though it oft-times moves some wise phocion to say to this jangling pithias , good god , will this foole never leave his babling ? aristotle debating of the convenience and propriety of discourse before alexander , maintained that none were to be admitted to speake but either those that managed his warres , or his philosophers which governed his house . observe here what strictnesse was imposed even upon heathens , to restrain them from too much libertie of speech , onely such being admitted to speake , whose approved judgement in military or philosophicall discourse might worthily bee said to deserve attention . divers reasons of no small consequence might bee here produced , why young men were not to give their opinions in any matter of state in publike places ; but wee will reduce them to two . the first whereof may be imputed to their rashnesse in resolving ; the second to a passionate hotnesse in proceeding . for the first , to wit rashnesse in resolving : it is the property of youth without premeditation to resolve , and without counsell to execute . now is it possible any good effect should succeed from such unsteady grounds ? yes , you will say ; some are of that present and pregnant conceit , as a matter is no sooner imparted , than they apprehend it : and for speech , divers have had such excellent gifts , as they would shew more native eloquence in a speech presently composed , than upon longer preparation addressed . did not tiberius better in any oration ex tempore , than premeditate ? have not many in like sort , as if secretly * inspired , expressed and delivered abundance of profound learning upon the present ? it is true ; yet are we not hence to collect that premeditation is fruitlesse , that rash and inconsiderate resolves are to be admitted , or young mens advice , which is for most part grounded on opinionate arrogancie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , secundum opinionem , non secundum veritatem , should be authenticke . for admit young men were eloquent , yet foolish eloquence ( which must needs bee in unseasoned youth ) is as a sword in a mad-mans hand , it cannot but hurt much ; being first , apt to perswade , and likewise by delivering dangerous matter , no lesse prompt to deprave the eare that is perswaded . the second reason which we observed , why youth was not to give his opinion in any publike place , was his hotnesse in proceeding . it is intolerable for these young-heads to be opposed : they are deafe to reason , as if opinion had possest them of purpose to oppose reason . this appeared in those violent attempts of catiline , cethegus , lentulus , and their factious adherents ; who , though privately cautioned and friendly advised by such , whose long experienced love and fidelity assured them of their unfained amity ; yet rather than they would lose the opportunity of their aimes , all counsell must be rejected , and their owne private opinions ( without ground of reason ) embraced . but to come nearer them in our discourse : these young-blouds use rather , catiline-like , to speake much and doe little , than iugurth-like , to speake little and doe much . of all innes , they love not that of harpocrates , with the signe of the finger on his mouth . they are unmeasurably passionate in any argument ; and so nailed to their owne opinion , as conceit transports them above reason , and leaves no place for contradiction . it is commonly said , that law , logicke , and the switzers may be hired to fight for any one ; and wee have found out one that will match them . now you have received the character of his speech , i would labour to reclaime him from his errour ; which to effect the better , he must know , that being a gentleman , ( for to such an one chiefly do i direct my discourse ) he can asperse no greater imputation on gentry , than in exercising his tongue in fruitlesse and frivolous discourse , or spending his breath in uselesse or needlesse contention . the tongue ( as one observes ) is a small member ; but very glibbery and prone to ruine : apt it is to rebell , if not restrained ; prompt to innovate , if not confined . but of all the fallies or excursions which are made by the tongue , none in my conceit lesse beseeming a gentleman , than in giving reines to passions , to slave himselfe to illimited fury : much more profit should he finde in expostulating with passion , recalling to minde that saying of archytas so much commended ; who being angry with one of his hindes , said , o how would i have beaten thee , had i not beene angry with thee ? where two meeke men meet together , their conference ( saith bernard ) is sweet and profitable ; where one man is meeke , it is profitable ; where neither , it proves pernicious . may your speech , ( gentlemen ) bee so seasoned , as it may relish of discretion : rather learne the art of silence , than to incurre the opinion of rashnesse : for the one seldome gives argument of offence , but the other ever . speake , but not with affectation , for that gives a better rellish to the eare , than to the conceit : speake , but not in assentation , for that is mercenarie , and seemes better in the mouth of a slavish sycophant , than a generous professant : speake freely , yet with reservation lest the comedians phrase have some allusion to your opennesse ; being so full of chinkes , as secrecie can have no hope to finde harbour in your bosome . as to speake all that we know ▪ sheweth weaknesse : so to impart nothing of that we know , inferres too much closenesse : to observe a meane in these extreames , choice respect is to bee had with whom we converse . if we finde him apt to conceale wee may more safely and freely deliver our minde ; but where suspicion of secrecie ministres argument of distrust , wee are to be more cautelous : for it is great folly to engage our thoughts to the secrecie of him whom we know not . worthy commendation was augustus in this respect , who was so choice in the election of a friend , to whom he might communicate his privatest thoughts , as he would imploy much time in searching and sifting him , ere he would retaine him . and hence i might take occasion to tax divers , who are too readie to open their bosomes unto all encounters ; and yet i must freely confesse , that this credulity of theirs , meerely proceeds from the goodnesse of their nature : for they imagine ( such is their easie simplicity ) that others are as secret , as they open . such is the affability of unexperienced youth , as they cannot reserve the secret'st of their thoughts , but must discover them upon the first view to their first acquaintance : whence plautus , benignitas eius vt adolescentuli est ; wherein he seemes to instance youth , as a patterne of ingenuous affability : no lesse ready to utter his thoughts , than his subtill applauder is to heare them . much more fruit should hee reape by observing that divine precept of ecclesiasticus : thou that art young speake , if need be , and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked . comprehend much in few words ; in many be as one that is ignorant : be as one that understandeth , and yet hold thy tongue . wherein he proposeth an exact rule to be observed by youth , even in circumstance , as well as substance of speech . now it may be expected , that i should propose a forme for words , as i have proposed a rule for discourse ; but my reply to him , who expects this , shall be the same which demosthenes made to aeschynes the orator ; who having found fault with demosthenes questioning him of certaine words which he had pronounced something rare and strange , was in this sort answered by him ; that the fortunes of greece depended not upon them . only thus much i will adde , to reclaime him , who more curiously than pertinently , insisteth rather on words than substance : that as there is no man but would esteeme him for an indiscreet builder , who preferreth the care of his frontispice before the maine foundation ; or such an one for a foolish painter , who bestoweth more art upon the varnish than the picture : so whosoever intendeth his care rather to finde out words than matter , may bee holden for a verball rhetorician , but no serious orator . to be short , if you will have my opinion touching the use of words ; i esteeme such to be most elegant , which are least affected ; for there is a native propriety of speech which best becomes us ; being adorned with such ornaments , as grace our discourse better than adulterate art , which many times bestowes so much time upon beautifying her selfe , as shee forgers whom shee should serve . vvee are now to descend briefly to the last , though not least vanitie incident to youth ; and it is habit or attire . wherein i have not a little wondered , falling now and then into more serious meditation with my selfe , how any man , having reflex , by the eye of his soule , to his first fall , should glory in these robes or raggs of shame , being purposely invented to cover his sinne . sin indeed ; for had not man sinned , his shame had never beene discovered . poore fig-leaues were then the onely shelter , to shroud from shame this miserable sinner . then was adam his owne taylour , and stood not much on fashion , so his nakednesse might finde a cover . come then and heare mee , thou perfumed gallant , whose sense chiefly consists in sent ; and observe how much thou derogat'st from thy owne worth , the covering a shell of corruption with such bravery . all gorgeous attire is the attire of sinne ; it declines from the use for which it was ordained , to wit , necessity , and dilates it selfe purposely to accomplish the desire of vanity . forraine nations , on whose flowry borders the glorious sun-shine of the gospell hath not as yet shined , though for their silkes and sables , none more plenteous or precious , yet with what indifferencie doe they use these riches ? it may be you will object , that art hath not as yet showne her cunning amongst them ; so as their neglect of fashion meerely proceedeth from want of skilfull artists , to introduce the forme or fashion of other countries ( by meanes of civill government , more curious and exquisite ) to their people . but i shall prove , & that by impregnable arguments , how this contempt of pride is naturally planted in them ; yea , with what scorne and derision they looke upon other countries , usually affected to this delicacie and effeminacie in apparell . such as have travelled , and upon exact survey of the natures of forraine countries , have brought the rich fraught of knowledge stored with choicest observations to their native home , have confirmed this : for they have found such contempt in other nations , touching these fruitlesse vanities , wherein wee idolatrize our owne formes , as it strucke admiration in them , as their records , to this day ext●nt , doe apparantly witnesse . to instance some whereof , as the ruffian , muscovian , ionian ; yea even the barbarous indian , it may appeare with what reservancie they continue their ancient habit ; loth , it seemes , to introduce any new custome , or to lose their antiquity for any vaine-glorious or affected novelty : with a joynt uniformity ( as it seemes ) resolved , tam in cultu numiuis , quàm apparatu corporis , moribus legibusque uti praesentibus , etiamsi deteriores sint . but leaving them , because we will a while insist upon prophane authorities ; let us reflect our dim eyes , bleared with the thicke scales of vanity , to those divine sages , whose excellent instructions no lesse imitable than admirable , merit our approbation and observation . it is reported by laertius , that on a time croesus , having adorned and beautified himselfe with the most exquisite ornaments of all kinds , that either art or cost could devise ; and sitting on a high throne , to give more grace or lustre to his person , demanded of solon if he ever saw a sight more beautifull ? yes ( quoth hee ) house-cockes , phesants , and peacokes ; for they are clothed with a naturall splendour or beauty bestowed on them by nature , without any borrowed elegancie . the like contempt appeared in eutrapelus ; who valued the internall beauty of his minde , more than the adulterate varnish of art. besides , hee was of this opinion , that hee could not doe his foe a greater injury , than bestow on him the preciousest garments he had , to make him forgetfull of himselfe and his owne frailtie ; whose nature the poet excellently describeth thus : the sage eutrapelus right wisely bad his foes should have the richest robes he had , thinking he did them harme , himselfe much good , " for given , they made him humble , them more proud . amongst many profitable lawes enacted by numa , the law * sumptuaria conferred no small benefit upon the state publique . for by that law was prohibited , not onely all profuse charge in funerall expences , but likewise the excessive use of apparell , whereby the roman state grew in short time to great wealth , labouring to suppresse those vices , which usually effeminate men the most , to wit , delicacie in fare , and sumptuousnesse in attire . now there be many , i know , who invent fashions meerely to cover their deformities , as iulius caesar wore a garland of laurell to cover his baldnesse withall ; and these seeme excusable , but they are not : for did not hee who made thee , bestow this forme on thee ? could not he have stamped thee to the most exquisite or absolute feature , if it had so pleased thy creator ? and wilt thou now controule thy maker , and by art supply the defects of nature ? beware of this evill : i can prescribe thee a better and safer course , how to rectifie these deformities . hast thou a crooked body ? repaire it with an upright soule . art thou outwardly deformed ? with spirituall graces be thou inwardly beautified . art thou blinde , or lame , or otherwise maimed ? be not therewith dejected , for the blinde and lame were invited . it is not the outward proportion , but the inward disposition ; not the feature of the face , but the power of grace which worketh to salvation . alcibiades , socrates scholar , was the best favoured boy in athens ; yet , ( to use the philosophers words ) looke but inwardly into his body , you will finde nothing more odious . so as one compared them aptly ( these faire ones i meane ) to faire and beautifull sepulchers ; exteriùs nitida , interiùs faetida ; outwardly hansome , inwardly noisome . notable was that observation of a learned philosopher , who professing himselfe a schoolmaster , to instruct youth , in the principles and grounds of philosophie , used to hang a looking-glasse in the schoole where he taught ; wherein he shewed to every scholar he had , his distinct feature or physnomy : which he thus applied . if any one were of a beautifull or amiable countenance , hee exhorted him to answere the beauty and comlinesse of his face , with the beauty of a well-disposed or tempered minde ; if otherwise he were deformed , or ill featured ; he wished him so to adorne and beautifie his minde , that the excellencie of the one , might supply the defects or deformities of the other . but thou objectest ; how should i expresse my descent , my place ; or how seeme worthy the company of eminent persons , with whom i consort , if i should sleight or disvalue this general-affected vanity fashion ? i will tell thee : thou canst not more generously , i will not say generally , expresse thy greatnesse of descent , place , or quality , nor seeme better worthy the company with whom thou consortest or frequentest , than by erecting the glorious beames of thy minde , above these inferiour things . for who are these with whom thou consortest ? meere triflers away of time , bastard slips , degenerate impes , consumers of their patrimony , and in the end , ( for what other end save misery may attend them ? ) heires to shame and infamy . these ( i say ) who offer their morning prayers to the glasse , eying themselves so long , till narcissus-like they fall in love with their owne shadowes : and many times like that wrethed lady , if any deformity chance to blemish their beauty , they no sooner eye their glasse , than the discovery of their deformity brings them to a fearefull frency . o england , what a height of pride art thou growne to ? yea , how much art thou growne unlike thy selfe ? when , disvaluing thy owne forme , thou deformest thy selfe by borrowing a plume of every country , to display thy pie-coloured flag of vanity . what painting , purfling , powdring and pargeting doe you use , ( yee idols of vanity ) to lure and allure men to breake their first faith , forsake their first love , and , yeeld to your immodesty ? how can you weepe for your sinnes , ( saith saint hierome ) when your teares will make furrowes in your face ? with what confidence do you lift up that countenance to heaven , which your maker acknowledges not ? doe not say that you have modest minds , when you have immodest eyes . death hath entred in at your windowes ; your eyes are those cranies , those hatefull portals , those fatall entrances , ( which tarpeia-like ) by betraying the glorious fortresse or citadell of your soules , have given easie way to your mortall enemie . vtinam miserrimus ego , &c. i would i poore wretch ( saith tertulian ) might see in that day of christian exaltation , an cum cerussa , & purpurisso , & croco , & cum illo ambitu capitis resurgatis : no , you staines to modesty , such a picture shall not rise in glory before her maker . there is no place for you ; but for such women as aray themselves in comely apparell , with shamefastnesse and modestie , not with broided ha●re , or gold , or pearles , or costly apparell . but , as becommeth women that professe the feare of god. for even after this manner in time past did the holy women , which trusted in god , tire themselves . reade , i say , reade yee proud ones , yee which are so haughty , and walke with stretched-out neckes , the prophet isaiah , and you shall finde your selves described , and the judgement of desolation pronounced upon you . because the daughters of sion are haughty , and walke with stretched-out neckes , and with wandring eyes , walking and minsing as they goe , and making a tinckling with their feet ; therefore shall the lord make the heads of the daughters of sion bald , and the lord shall discover their secret parts . and hee proceeds : in that day shall the lord take away the ornament of the slippers , and the calles , and the round tyres . the sweet balles , and the bracelets , and the bonnets ▪ the tyres of the head , and the sloppes , and the head-bands , and the tablets , and the eare-rings . the rings and the mufflers . the costly apparell , and the veiles , and the wimples , and the crisping-pins . and the glasses , and the fine linnen , and the hoods and the lawnes . now heare your reward : and in stead of sweet savour , there shall be stinke , and in stead of a girdle , a rent , and in stead of dressing of the haire , baldnesse , and in stead of a stomacher a girdling of sack-cloth , and burning in stead of beauty . now attend your finall destruction : thy men shall fall by the sword , and thy strength in the battell . then shall her gates mourne and lament , and shee being desolate shall sit upon the ground . see how you are described , and how you shall be rewarded ! enjoy then sinne for a season , and delight your selves in the vanities of youth : be your eyes the lures of lust , your eares the open receits of shame , your hands the polluted instruments of sinne : to be short , be your soules , which should be the temples of the holy ghost , cages of uncleane birds ; after all these things , what the prophet hath threatned shall come upon you , and what shall then deliver you ? not your beauty ; for to use that divine distich of innocentius , tell me thou earthen vessell made of clay , what 's beauty worth , when thou must dye to day ? nor honour ; for that shall lye in the dust , and sleepe in the bed of earth . nor riches ; for they shall not deliver in the day of wrath . perchance they may bring you , when you are dead , in a comely funerall sort to your graves , or bestow on you a few mourning garments , or erect in your memory some gorgeous monument , to shew your vaine-glory in death , as well as life ; but this is all : those riches which you got with such care , kept with such feare , lost with such griefe , shall not afford you one comfortable hope in the houre of your passage hence ; afflict they may , releeve they cannot . nor friends ; for all they can doe , is to attend you , and shed some friendly teares for you ; but ere the rosemary lose her colour , which stickt the coarse , or one worme enter the shroud , which covered the corps , you are many times forgotten , your former glory extinguished , your eminent esteeme obscured , your repute darkened , and with infamous aspersions often impeached . if a man ( saith seneca ) finde his friend sad , and so leave him sicke without ministring any comfort to him , and poore without releeving him ; we may thinke such an one goeth to jest , rather than visit or comfort : and such miserable comforters are these friends of yours . what then may deliver you in such gusts of affliction which assaile you ? conscience ; shee it is that must either comfort you , or how miserable is your condition ? she is that continuall feast which must refresh you ; those thousand witnesses that must answer for you ; that light which must direct you ; that familiar friend that must ever attend you ; that faithfull counsellour that must advise you ; that balme of gilead , that must renew you ; that palme of peace , which must crowne you . take heed therefore you wrong not this friend , for as you use her , you shall finde her . she is not to be corrupted , her sincerity scornes it ; shee is not to bee perswaded , for her resolution is grounded ; shee is not to bee threatned , for her spirit sleights it . she is aptly compared in one respect to the sea , she can endure no corruption to remaine in her , but foames , and frets , and chafes , till all filth bee removed from her . by ebbing and flowing is shee purged , nor is she at rest till shee be rinsed . fugit ab agro ad ciuitatem , à publico ad domum , à domo in cubiculum , &c. discontentedly shee flies from the field to the city , from publicke resort to her private house , from her house to her chamber ; shee can rest in no place ; furie dogs her behinde , and despaire goes before . for conscience being the inseparable glory or confusion of every one , according to the quality , disposition or dispensation of that talent which is given him , for to whom much is given , much shall be required : we are to make such fruitfull use of our talent that the conscience wee professe may remaine undefiled , the faith we have plighted may be inviolably preserved , the measure or omer of grace we have received , may be increased , and god in all glorified . which , the better to effect , wee are to thinke how god is ever present in all our actions ; and that ( to use the words of augustine ) whatsoever we doe , yea whatsoever it bee that wee doe , he better knowes it than we our selves doe . it was seneca's counsell to his friend lucilius , that whensoever he went about to do any thing , he should imagine cato , or scipio , or some other worthy roman to be in presence . in imitation of so divine a morall , let us in every action fix our eye upon our maker , whose eyes are upon the children of men ; so shall we in respect of his sacred presence , to which we owe all devout reverence , abstaine frome vill , doe good , seeke peace and ensue it . such as defil'd themselves with sinne , by giving themselves over unto pleasure , staining the nobility & splendour of their soules through wallowing in vice ; or otherwise fraudulently , by usurpation or base insinuation , creeping into soveraignty , or unjustly governing the common-weale ; such thought socrates , that they went a by-path separated from the counsell of the gods : but such , as while they lived in their bodies , imitated the life of the gods , such hee thought had an easie returne to the place from whence they first came . if the pagan had such a divine conceit of those , whose approved life represented a certaine similitude or resemblance of god , as he imagined , no glory could be wanting to them , in regard of their integrity : let us embrace the like opinion , and expresse such apparent demonstrations of sanctitie , that as wee exceed the pagan in regard of that precious light we enjoy , so wee may exceed him in the conversation of the life we lead . but how should these painted sepulchers , whose adulterate shape tastes of the shop , glorying in a borrowed beauty , ever meditate of these things ? how should their care extend to heaven , whose basiliske eyes are only fixed on the vanities of earth ? how should that painted blush ( that iewish confection ) blush for her sinne , whose impudent face hath out-faced shame ? two loves ( saith that learned bishop of hippo ) make two cities . hierusalem is made by the love of god , but babylon by the love of the world . and these are they , who engaged to wordly love , have forsaken their true love ; they have divided their hearts , and estranged their affections from that supreme or soveraigne good . o then ( young men ) come not neere the gate of this strange woman , whose feet goe downe to death , and whose steps take hold on hell . this is the woman with an harlots behaviour , and subtill in heart . this is shee , who hath d●ckt her bed with ornaments , carpets and laces of aegypts and perfuming her bed with myrrhe , aloes and cynamon . take heed thou sing not lysimachus song ; the pleasure of fornication is short , but the punishement of the fornicator eternall . but of this subject we are more amply to treat hereafter ; onely my exhortation is to youth , whose illimited desires tend ever to his ruine , that if at any time it bee your fortune to encounter with these infectious ulcers , these sin-soothing , and soule-soiling lepers ; and they like that whorish woman in the proverbs , invite you to their lothed daliance , saying , come , let us take our fill of love untill the morning : come , let us take our pleasure in daliance : that you shake off these vipers at the first assault , and prevent the occasion when it first offers it selfe . for know , that which a devout and learned . father saith concerning the dangerous habit of sinne , is most true ; prima est quasi titillatio delectationis in corde secunda consensio , tertium factum , quarta consuetudo . sinne begins with an ●ith , but ends with a skar . the first degree begins with delight , the second with consent , the third with act , and the fourth with custome . thus sinne by degrees in men of all degrees , like a broad-spreading tetter , runnes over the whole beauty of a precious soule , exposing the fruits of the spirit to be corrupted by the suggestion of the flesh . but too farre ( i feare me ) have i digressed from this last branch , whereof i was to discourse , to wit , of habit , or attire : albeit i have enlarged my selfe in nothing which may seeme altogether impertinent to our present purpose . for discoursing of the vanity of women ( whose phantasticke habits are daily theames in publicke theatres ) i imagined it a necessary point to insist upon : partly to disswade those shee-painters of this flourishing iland from so base and prostitute practice . base , for festus pompeius saith , that common and base whores , called schaenicolae , used dawbing of themselves , though with the vilest stuffe . partly to bring a loathing of them in the conceit of all yong gentlemen , whose best promising parts use often to be corrupted by their inchantmens . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. there is one flower to bee loved of women , a good red , which is shamefastnesse . saint hierome to marcella saith , that those women are matter of scandall to christian eyes , quae purpurisso & quibusdam fucis ora oculosque depingunt . i might here likewise justly tax such effeminate youths , whose womanish disposition hath begot in them a love to this hatefull profession ; but i will onely use diogenes speech , which hee made to one that had anointed his haires ; cave ne capitis suaveolentia vitae maleolentiam adducat . or that saying hee used to a youth too curiously and effeminately drest : if thou goest to men , all this is but in vaine ; if unto women , it is wicked . so as being asked a question of a young man , very neatly and finely apparelled , he said , hee would not answer him till he put off his apparell to see whether he were a man or a woman . there is another objection , which i imagine youth will alledge , to prove how expedient it is for him to bee choice or curious in respect of apparell . it gaines him more acceptance and esteeme with men of eminent place . but hearken how the apostle opposeth himselfe to this ; reproving such whose judgement consists in the eye rather than in the braine proceeding thus ; if there come into your company a man with a gold-ring , and in goodly apparell , and there come in also a poore man in vile raiment , and ye have a respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing , and say unto him , sit thou here in a goodly place ; and say unto the poore , stand thou there , or sit here under my foot-stoole : are yee not partiall in your selves , and are become judges of evill thoughts ? so as , howsoever these diffident wordlings , annulo maegis credunt quam animo ; it is not the habit , but the heart which god accepts : yet most acceptable is that habit which is not so sumptuous as seemely , not so costly as comely . true indeed it is , that the popular eye , which cannot distinguish of the inward beauty , but observeth rather what wee weare , than what wee are , admires nothing more than the outward habit ; as wee may reade how much herod , being arrayed in royall apparell , was applauded by the people , who gave a shout , saying , the voice of god , and not of man. but that all-seeing and all-scearching eare of the divine majesty seeth not as man seeth . hee prefers lazarus rags before dives robes . though the one bee clothed in purple and ●ine linnen , and the other seeme despicable in the eye of the world , in respect of his nakednesse ; yet , mortua necessitate , peribunt opera necessitatis : the one is translated to glory boundlesse , the other to misery endlesse ; for this sorrow which hee here felt , ended when he did end ; but the joy which he obtained , exceeded all end . thus farre have i laboured to answer all such objections as might bee proposed in defence of this generall-approved vanity , concluding ; quod peccata sericea , teterrima sunt vitia ; no sinnes like to silken sinnes , for they ever crave impunity , the foster-mother of all impiety . i intend yet to proceed in decyphering the lightnesse of youth , by expressing three grand maladies incident to youth ; whereof i purpose to dilate particularly , to move the young man to be more cautelous of his wayes , in the mazie labyrinth of this life . these three ( for all the rest may be reduced to them ) are comprehended under lust , ambition , revenge ; of which briefly , according to our former method , we purpose here to intreat . so exposed is youth to sense , and so much estranged from the government of reason ; as it prosecutes with eagernesse whatsoever is once entertained with affection . this might appeare in the ruines of troy , occasioned by the unlawfull love of paris ; where the violent intrusion and usurpation of anothers bed , brought an irreparable fall to the trojans . some have given two reasons ; why youth is more subiect to this illimited passion , than any other age . the first is , that naturall heat or vigour , which is most predominant in youth , provoking him to attempt the greatest of difficulties , rather than suffer the repulse where hee affects . the second is , want of imployment : which begets this distemperature ; whence the poet. take away idlenesse , and without doubt , cupids how breakes , and all his lampes goe out . this want of imployment was it , which moved aegistus to shew himselfe more familiar with clytemnestra , than stood well with his honour ; for had hee ranked himselfe with those valiant greekes , whose resolute adventures gain'd them generall esteeme , hee had prevented occasion and purchased himselfe equall renowne by his valour , as by vaine expence of time he incurred dishonour . witty and proper was that elegant invention of lucian , who faining cupid . to invite the gods to an amorous feast , prevailed with all of them to give way to love , till he came to pallas ; but she was found conversing with the muses , and would admit of no time to enter parly with cupid . true it is , that exercise draweth the minde from effeminacie : and remisnesse feeds the desire , and addes fuell to unlawfull heat . and no lesse occasion gives wanton discourse , or lascivious bookes to the enraged affections of distempered youth : so as , much more blessed were the state , if restraint were made of composing or publishing such subiects , where every leafe instructs youth in a new lesson of folly . alcaeus a man of good reputation and generall observance in the common-wealth ; what toyes wrote he of the love of young men ? all the writings of anacreon are onely of love . but most of all other , rheginus even burned with love , as appeareth by his writings . yea , even philosophers ( and that by the counsell and authority of plato , whom therefore dicearchus did worthily reprehend ) became the commenders and honourers of love . such discourses should , bee throwne to the darkest corner of our studies , as that of ovids was by augustus , which tend to corrupt youth , and divert his minde from the exercise of vertue . but alas ! to what height of licentious liberty are these corrupter times growne ? when that sex , where modesty should claime a native prerogative , gives way to foments of exposed loosenesse ; by not only attending to the wanton discourse of immodest lovers , but carrying about them ( even in their naked bosomes , where chastest desires should onely lodge ) the amorous toyes of venus and adonis : which poem , with others of like nature , they heare with such attention , peruse with such devotion , and retaine with such delectation , as no subject can equally relish their unseasoned palate , like those lighter discourses . yea ( which hath strucke me to more admiration ) i have knowen divers , whose unriper yeeres halfe assured mee , that their greene youth had never instructed them in the knowledge , nor brought them to conceit of such vanities , excellently well read in those immodest measures ; yea , and prompt enough to shew proofes of their reading in publike places . i will not insist upon them , but leave them to have their names registred amongst those infamous ladies ; sempronia , scribonia , clytemnestra , cleopatra , faustina , messalina , whose memories purchased by odious lust , shall survive the course of time ; as the memory of those famous matrons , octavia , porcia , caecilia , cornelia , shall transcend the period of time . to expresse what especiall motives tend most to increase of this passion , i thinke it not amisse : because i hold it necessary to propose the cause , before we come to cure the effect . for i thinke , according to the opinion of socrates , that then my instructions have brought forth good fruit , when by them any one shall be provoked to apply his disposition to the knowledge and practice of vertue . which , the better to effect , you shall know , that there is no one motive more generally moving , or enforcing to an eager pursuit of our immoderate affections , than curious or luscious fare , delicious liquors , which might appeare ( if we should have recourse to history ) in those prodigall feastings of antonius and cleopatra : where no cost was spared to give more free course to lascivious desires . to prevent this , ( as may be probably gathered ) greece in her flourishing estate , restrained women both publique and private accesse to banquets : and kinsmen kissed their kinswomen to know whether they drunke wine , or no , and if they had , to be punished by death , or banished into some iland . plutarch saith , that if the matrons had any necessity to drinke wine , either because they were sicke or weake , the senate was to give them licence ; and not then in rome neither , but out of the city . macrobius saith , that there were two senators in rome chiding , and the one called the others wife an adulteresse ; and the other his wife a drunkard : and it was judged that to bee a drunkard was more infamy . here we may collect what strictnesse , even the heathen used , to observe a morall course , and to represse such inordinate motions , as most commonly invade the eminent'st states , when long peace hath rockt her people asleepe , snorting in the downe-bed of security . sure i am , as there is nothing which brings eithera publike or private state to a remisnesse of government sooner than peace or plenty ; so nothing effatuates the understanding of man more than excesse in meat or drinke , subjecting the intellective part to the bondage of sense . for what may be the discourse of epicurists , but lascivious , begot on excesse of fare , curious and luscious ? these are dilating ever on the rape of ganimedes , lais in euripides . beauty is their object , and vanity their subject . white teeth , rolling eyes , a beautifull complexion ( an exteriour good ) being that which euryala praised , when shee washed the feet of vlysses , namely , gentle speech , and tender flesh . thus are their tongues tipt with vanity , their desires ayming at sensuality , and their delights engaged to fleshly liberty . amongst the romans ; venus or cous was the best chance at dice : and no chance , ( till some heavy mischance over-take them ) more happy in their opinion , than to receive a loving smile or cheerefull aspect from their terrestriall venus . some countries i have read of , whose naturall basenesse , being given to all avarice , induced them to disesteeme all respects in this kinde , and to make merchandize of their womens honour . such are the women of sio reported to be , who are reputed for the most beautifull dames of all the greekes in the world , and greatly given to venery . their husbands are their pandors , and when they see any stranger arrive , they will presently demand if he would have a mistresse : and so they make whores of their own wives , and are contented for a little gaine to weare hornes : such are the base minds of ignominious cuckolds . here is a dangerous i le for our amorous gallant , who makes his travell ( with griefe i speake it ) too oft the ruine of himselfe and his estate . happy are those ( but too few are those ) who with wise ithacus stop their eares to these soule-tainting and sinne-tempting syrens . yet some there are , and some there have beene ever ( i perswade me ) whose noble conquests over themselves and their owne desires , have seconded , if not surpassed those many conquests which they atchieved in forraine nations . as the admirable continencie of alexander the great , in sparing darius wife and his three daughters . the continency of scipio during the space of foure and twenty yeeres , wherein his prosperous exploits could purchase him no more glory , than in the besieging and taking of a city in spaine , he gained him renowne , by repressing his flame of lust , when a beautifull maid was brought him : restoring her with a great reward to allancius , a celtiberian lord , to whom shee was espoused . no lesse worthy was that part of marius , who having sylla's wife and sisters in his power , sent them nobly , unattempted . an example of like continencie might hee instanced in mahomet the great , towards the faire * greeke ; whom , albeit hee entirely loved , yet to shew unto his peeres , a princely command of himselfe and his affections ; as he had incensed them before by loving her , so hee regained their love by sleighting her ; whence the poet : with that he drew his turkish symeter , which he did brandish ore the damsels head ; demanding of such ianizers were there , if 't were not pity shee'sd be slaughtered ? pity indeed ; but i perforce must doe that which displeaseth me , to pleasure you . many such instances , ancient and moderne histories afford , but i must not insist on each particular , lest i should inlarge my selfe too much in this branch . my exhortation shall be to such , whose unmellow yeeres crave instruction , that they would betake themselves to imployment : for idlenesse maketh of men , women ; of women , beasts ; of beasts , monsters . and amongst imployments , ever mix such readings as may minister matter , either divine , or morall , to allay the heat of this distempered passion . we reade of the roman stilpho , that albeit he was naturally addicted to all incontinency , yet by reading certaine precepts of morall philosophy , he became an absolute commander of his owne affections . hate to consent to that , which so transformes man , as hee wholly loseth the true title of man , and becommeth meerely bestiall . nos qui accepimus rationis lucem communem cum angelis , non transeamus vitam in silentio cum pecoribus . thou art beautified with an angelicall feature ; let it not participate of any inferiour creature . to be short , art thou a gentleman ? beare that posture still : staine not a native glory with an infamous blemish . this vice of all others , derogates most from honour : for we commonly say , such , whose lightnesse incurres scandall , to have lost their honour . o let not the honour of a generous minde suffer eclipse , for a minutes pleasure ! lais asking of demosthenes so much for one nights-lodging , he presently replyed : i will not buy repentance at so deare a rate . dearer is the rate of shame , than of coine . prize honour at that estimate , as the height of pleasure may never have power to surprise it . canna , wife to synattus , whom one synoris , of greater authority than synattus , loved : making no small meanes to obtaine her love yet all in vaine ; supposed the readiest way for effecting his desire to bee the death of her husband , which he performed . this done , he renewed his suit ▪ to which shee seemingly consented . but being solemnly come into the temple of diana for celebrating the nuptials , she had a sweet potion ready , which shee drunke to synoris , where with they both were poisoned , to revenge her husbands death . here is a pagan patterne of inimitable continency ; who rather than she would consent to contract mariage with her husbands foe , dis-valued all future hope of preferment , yea embraced death , as a happy agent of her intended revenge . the wise ( saith that sententious philosopher ) may gather gold out of dung ; which may be thus applyed . the wise christian , may cull excellent flowers from an ethnicke garden : for the envious man he is the spider which sucks poison from the fragrant'st and freshest flowers . i will conclude this point ; and intreat the generous affected , whose glory should be vertues booty , and whose best beauty to be enriched by her bounty ; to make vertue their prize , being so praise-worthy of her selfe , as shee needs no outward praise . to purchase which incomparable blessing , i could wish , gentlemen , that your resort to eminent places bee more spare , till you finde in your selves an aptnesse to resist , if any unchaste motion make assault . yet good it were not to presume , upon one single triall ▪ for the disposition may bee more temperate ar one time than another ; and the assault also more perillous . to court beauty is an enterprize of danger : for some i have knowne , who upon their accesse to beauty , have beene free-men , who upon their returne , became slaves . but you will object ; to vanquish where there is no assault made , is a weake conquest ; true , but to play with the candle till we suffer our wings to bee cing'd , is a greater folly . i would not hazard my honour upon those termes , as by affronting temptation , to bee caught . to conclude this branch , as the substance of the soule is pure , so this masse of flesh is corrupt : staine not the purity of the former , by conversing with the latter : for to parley with so subtill an enemy , is to give way to his policy . observing these , you shall goe to your graves with honour ▪ not to the graves of lust , the sepulchres of shame , and receptacles of corrupted love . wee will now descend to the second maladie incident to youth ; that eagle-soaring passion , ambition . those who are affected to this , use to say with tiridates in tacitus : sua retinere privatae domus , de alienis certare regia laus● est . these can never confine themselves to their owne , raising their hopes above possibility : but are building airie castles , of purpose to confront greatnesse . we shall never heare them talke of any subject save soveraignty or dominion . one termed an empire , a monstrous and untamed beast ; and so may this passion be well defined : whose aime is onely to purchase glory , albeit her aymes be planted on indirectest termes . we reade how pausanias killed philip of macedon onely for fame or vaine-glory : so did herostratus burne the temple of diana at ephesus , with this resolution ; because hee could not by any act of renowne eternize his memory , he would gaine him fame , though by an act of infamy . how violent these ambitious heads are , and have beene ever , there is scarce any state which hath not felt : where civill warres have menaced no lesse danger to the state , than forraine powers ; private factions , than open hostilitie . in some likewise , so deepe impression hath ambition wrought , as the envie which they conceive at others greatnesse , deprives them of all rest : this appeared in themistocles , who walked in the night-time in the open street , because he could not sleepe : the cause whereof , when some men did enquire , hee answered , that the triumph of miltiades would not suffer him to take his rest . the like height of ambition shewed alexander , weeping bitterly to see his father win so fast before him , fearing nothing should remaine for him to conquer . now , how naturally youth is affected to this illimited motion , may be observed even in usuall games ; where youth , rather than hee will endure the foile , exposeth himselfe to all encounters . it is glory which he aimes at , and before he lose it , he will hazard himselfe for it . his prize is his praise : hee values nothing more than to get him a name , which may brute his renowne , and gaine him respect with his dearest . his disquiet ( for what is ambition , but a distraction of the mind ? ) is to affect that best , which doth afflict him most . augustus had broken sleepes , and used to send for some to passe the night away , in telling tales , or holding him with talke . see the misery of ambitious spirits , whose ends are without end , limiting their desires to no other period than sole soveraigntie . their ayrie thoughts ( like icarus wings ) are ever mounting , till the sunne , which they threatned , dissolve them . inferiour taskes they as much sleight , as eagles doe flies : they love not to stoope to basenesse , when many times lowest fortunes entertaine them with no lesse discontent , than despaire can force them to . and in their lowest ebbe , when hope forsakes them , and their neerest ( like tiberius friends ) shrinke from them , and no comfort remaines , save expectance and sufferance of all extremities ; you shall heare them upraid prince or state , relating ( with much vain-glory ) what dangers they have undergone for them . instance whereof , even in these latter times , might be produced ; as in that ambitious french-man , the brave byron , who seeing no way but one , burst out into these violent extremes ; i have received three & thirtie wounds of my body , to preserve it for him , and for my reward , he takes my head from my shoulders : he now quencheth the torch in my bloud after hee hath used it . this is the condition of high spirits , whose aimes were transcendent , to close up their tragicall scene with a vain-glorious boast of what they have done : little considering , how their countrie might lawfully exact and expect as much as was in them to performe , and they still debrours to her , because they had their being from her . yet see ( though sometimes they stand upon termes of resolution , desiring to die standing ; ) when the sentence of death is pronounced , and all future hope extinguished , they will be ( as that great french-man was ) supple as a glove : presenting their heads as willingly to the sword , as agis did his unto the halter . it is strange to note , how these men walke in clouds , imagining themselves most secure , when imminencie of perill assures them nothing lesse . the reason whereof may seeme to be this ; they flatter themselves in their vanitie , as pygmalion with his image , or narcissus with his shadow ; reposing more confidence in their owne valour , and the aide , which ( themistocles or pausanias-like ) they contract abroad , linking and uniting themselves with forraine powers , than on all the information of friends , or the perswasions of a loyall and uncorrupted heart . but these ( as that heroick prince noted ) must bow or breake : be their persons never so hopefull , or directions behovefull to the state , they must be curbed , or the state endangered . their properties is ever to swim in troubled waters : nor can they endure to be mated . though their aimes bee to perpetuate their greatnesse , yet those beasts , which are bred about the river hypanis , and live but one day , may oft-times compare with them for continuance : whence the poet saith excellently , out of his owne observation ; much have i seene , yet seldome seene i have , ambition goe gray-headed to his grave . there is nothing which the ambitious man hates so much as a corrivall ; he hopes to possesse all , and without a sharer . but so indirect are his plots , and so insuccessive their end , as hee findes to his great griefe , that the promise of securitie had no firme foundation to ground on : nor his attempts that issue they expected . now gentlemen , you , whose better parts aime at more glorious ends , so consine your desires to an equall meane , that mounting too high bring you not to an irreparable fall . wee are borne indeed ( as that divine father saith ) to be eagles , and not iayes ; to fly aloft , and not to seek our food on the ground : but our eagle-eyes are to be fixed on the sunne of righteousnesse , not on temporall preferments . we are to soare to the tower from whence commeth our helpe . for it is not lifting up a mans selfe god likes , but lifting up of the spirit in prayer . here are wings for flying , without feare of falling : for other aymes , they are but as feathers in the aire ; they delude us , howsoever they seeme to secure us . but i heare some young gentleman object , that it is a brave thing to be observed in the eye of the world ; to have our persons admired , our selves in publike resorts noted , yea our names dispersed ! indeed i grant ; he who consists on nothing more than showes , thinkes it is brave to heare , loe there be goes ! but such , whose solid understandings have instructed them in higher studies , as much disvalue popular opinion , or the corckie conceits of the vulgar , as true nobilitie scornes to converse with any thing unworthy it selfe . their greatnesse hath correspondence with goodnesse : for esteeme of the world , as in respect of their owne worth they deserve it , so in contempt of all outward glory they disvalue it . come then ( yee nobly affected gentlemen ; ) would yee be heires of honour , and highly reputed by the highest ? resemble the nature of the highest : who humbled himselfe in the forme of man , to restore miserable man ; vilifying himselfe , to make man like himselfe . it is not , beleeve it , to shine in grace or esteeme of the court , which can innoble you : this glory is like glasse , bright but brittle ; and courtiers ( saith one ) are like counters , which sometime in account goe for a thousand pound , and presently before the count bee past , but for a single pennie . it is more glory to be in the courts of the lord , to purchase esteeme with him , whose judgement never erres , and whose countenance never alters . it is reported by comines in his french annals , that charles , whom he then served , was of this disposition , that he would make assay of the greatest matters , revolving in his mind how he might compasse them : yea perchance ( saith he ) assayes farre above the strength of man. see the picture of an ambitious spirit , loving ever to be interessed in affaires of greatest difficultie . caemelion-like on subtill ayre he feeds , and vies in colours with the checkerd meeds . let no such conceits transport you , lest repentance finde you . it is safer chusing the middle-path , than by walking or tracing uncouth wayes , to stray in your journey . more have fallen by presumption , than distrust of their owne strength . and reason good ; for such who dare not relie on themselves , give way to others direction ; whereas too much confidence , or selfe-opinionate boldnesse will rather chuse to erre , and consequently to fall , than submit themselves to others judgement . of this opinion seemed velleius the epicurean to bee , of whom it is said ; that in confidence of himselfe he was so farre from feare , as hee seemed not to doubt of any thing . a modest or shamefast feare becomes youth better : which indeed ever attends the best or affablest natures . such will attempt nothing without advice , nor assay ought without direction : so as their wayes are secured from many perills , which attend on inconsiderate youth . my conclusion of this point shal be in a word ; that neither the rich man is to glory in his riches , the wise man in his wisdome , nor the strong man in his strength : for should man consider the weaknesse and many infirmities whereto he is hourely subject , hee would finde innumerable things to move him to sorrowing , but few or none to glory in . againe , if he should reflect to the consideration of his dissolution , which , that it shall bee , is most certain , but when it shall be , most uncertaine : he would be forced to stand upon his guard with that continuall feare , as there would be no emptie place left in him for pride . this day one proud , as prouder none , may lye in earth ere day be gone . what confidence is there to be reposed in so weake a foundation ; where to remaine ever is impossible , but quickly to remove , most probable ? then ( to use petrarchs words ) be not afraid though the house , the bodie be shaken , so the soule , the guest of the body , fare well : for weakning of the one addeth for most part strength to the other . and so i come to the last passion or perturbation incident to youth . revenge is an intended resolve , arising from a conceived distaste , either justly or unjustly grounded . this revenge is ever violent'st in hot blouds , who stand so much upon termes of reputation , as rather than they will pocket up the least indignitie , they willingly oppose themselves to extremest hazard . now this unbounded fury may seeme to have a two-fold relation ; either as it is proper and personall , or popular and impersonall . revenge proper or personall , ariseth from a peculiar distaste or offence done or offered to our own person ; which indeed hath ever the deepest impression : which may be instanced in menelaus and paris ; where the honour of a nuptiall bed , the law of hospitalitie , the prosessed league of amitie , were joyntly infringed : or in antonie and octavius , whose intestine hate grew to that height , as antonies angell was afraid of octavius angell . which hatred , as it was fed and increased by fulvia , so was it allayed and tempered by octavia ; though in the end it grew irreconciliable ; ending in bloud , as it begun with lust . revenge popular or impersonall , proceedeth extrinsecally , as from factions in families , or some ancient grudge hereditarily descending , betwixt house and house , or nation and nation . when annibal was a childe , and at his fathers commandement , he was brought into the place where he made sacrifice ; and laying his hand upon the altar , swore , that so soone as he had any rule in the common-wealth , he would bee a prosessed enemie to the romans . whence may be observed , how the conceit of an injury or offence received , worketh such impression in that state or kingdome where the injury is offered , as hate lives , and survives the life of many ages , crying out with those incensed greekes ; the time will come when mightie troy must fall , where priams race must be extinguish'd all . but wee are principally to discourse of the former branch , to wit , of proper or personall revenge : wherein wee shall observe sundry occurrents right worthy our serious consideration . that terme ( as i said before ) usually called reputation , hath brought much generous bloud to effusion : especially amongst such , qui magis sunt soliciti vani nominis , quàm propriae salutis : prizing vain-glory above safetie , esteeme of valour above securitie of person . and amongst these , may i truly ranke our martial duellists , who many times upon a taverne quarrell are brought to shed their dearest bloud , which might have beene imployed better in defence of their countrey , or resistance of proud infidels . and what is it which moves them to these extremes ; but ( as they seeme to pretend ) their reputation is engaged , their opinion in the eye of the world called in question , if they should sit downe with such apparent disgrace ? but shall i answer them ? the opinion of their valour indeed is brought in question ; but by whom ? not by men of equall temper , or maturer judgement , who measure their censures , not by the last of rash opinion , but just consideration . for these cannot imagine how reputation should be brought in question , by any indiscreet crime uttered over a pot , whereof perchance the speaker is ignorant , at least what it meant : but of these distempered roisters , whose only judgement consists in taking offence , and valour in making a flourish ; of these i have seene one in the folly of my youth , but could not rightly observe till my riper age : whose braving condition ( having some young gooselin to worke on ) would have made you confident of his valour : instancing what dangerous exploits hee had attempted and atchieved , what single fields hee had pitched , and how bravely he came off : yet on my conscience , the battell of the pyg●●ies might have equall'd his , both for truth and resolution . yet i have noted such as these , to be the bellowes which blow the fire of all uncivill quarrells ; suggesting to young gentlemen ( whose want of experience makes them too credolous ) matter of revenge : by aggravating each circumstance to enrage their hot bloud the more . some others there are of this band , which i have like wise observed : and they are taken for grave censors or moderators , if any difference occurre amongst young gentlemen . and these have beene men in their time , ( at least accounted so ) but now their fortunes falling to an ebbe , having drawne out their time in expence above their meanes , they are enforced ( and well it were if misery forced them not to worse ) to erect a scence , whereto the roarers make recourse , as to their rendevous : and hereto also resorts the raw and unseasoned youth , whose late-fallen patrimonie makes him purchase acquaintance at what rate soever ; glorying much to be esteemed one of the fraternity . and he must now keep his quarter , maintaine his prodigall rout with what his parcimonious father long carked for ; prepare his rere-suppers , and all this , to get him a little knowledge in the art of roaring . and by this time , you may suppose him to have attained to some degree , so as he can looke bigge , erect his mouchatoes , stampe and stare , and call the drawer rogue , drinke to his venus in a venice-glasse , and to moralize her sex , throwes it over his head and breakes it . but for all this , he hath not fully learned his postures : for upon discourse of valour , he hath discovered his cowardize ; and this gives occasion to one of his cumrades to triumph ore his weaknesse . who entring upon termes of reputation , and finding himselfe wrong'd , he would gladly wipe off all aspersions , and gaine him opinion in the eye of the world : but recalling to mind , the dangers incident to quarrels , he thinkes it best to repaire to that grand moderator ( whose long experience hath made his opinion authenticke ) to receive satisfaction , whether hee may put up the injury offered him , without touch of disgrace . now he must be fee'd for his opinion , ( as if he were some grave legall professour : ) which done , his reply must tend to the definition of a wrong , and what the law of valour holds for satisfaction in actions of that nature . againe , ( for still he works on this young-gallants weaknesse ) how the world esteemes his opponent to be a brave sparke ; one whose spirit cannot be daunted , nor fury appea●ed with lesse than bloud : drawing him in the end by some rhetoricall perswasion ( as nothing more smooth than the oily tongue of an insinuating foist ) to some base composition , whereof he and his complices are made equall sharers . now gentlemen , i could likewise produce certaine wofull occurrents , which have befallen some of your ranke and qualitie , and that within these few yeares , by consorting with such grand c●tt●rs : who pres●ing them to offence , could not endure such affronts , but with resolution ( which ever attends a generous spirit ) encountring them , have been utterly overthrowne , either in doing or suffering . but you will aske me , how should this be prevented ? can any gentleman suffer with patience his reputation to be brought in question ? can he endure to be challenged in a publike place , and by that meanes incurre the opinion of coward ? can he put up disgrace without observance , or observing it , not revenge it , when his very honour ( the vitall bloud of a gentleman ) is impeached ? heare me , whosoever he be that frameth these objections ! i am not ignorant how many unjust and immerited aspersions shall be throwne upon men of eminent'st desert , by such , whose tongues are ever steeped in calumnie : but who are these , save such as the glory of greece ( the everliving homer ) displayeth in the contemptuous person of thersites ; whose character was , more deformed in minde than bodie ? their infamous and serpentine tongues inured to detraction , deserve no other revenge , ( next legall punishment ) save avoiding their company , and bruting their basenesse in all societies , where their names are knowne , to caution others of them . i am spoken evill of ( saith seneca ) but the evill speake it : i should be moved , if m. cato , if wise lelius , or the two scipio's should speake this of me ; but it is praise for mee , to have the evill displeased with mee . it is true ; for as no imputation can truly be said to staine a pure or undefiled soule , whose inward sinceritie ( like a brazen wall ) beats backe all darts of envie or calumnie ; so it is not in the power of the evill to detract from the glory of the good : for what then should remaine secure from aspersion of the vicious ? but i imagine , you will reply ; it is not only the report or scandall of these men of uncurbed tongues , ( for so pindarus termes them ) but of such , whose eminent esteeme in the world , gives approbation to what they speake , which awakes my revenge . if they be as you terme them , men of eminent esteeme , and that esteeme by merit purchased , ( for all other estimation i exclude it : ) i need little doubt , but the distaste which you conceive against them , hath proceeded in some part from your selfe ; and that upon maturer consideration , you should find your own bosome guilty to be the cause of these aspersions . if otherwise it happen , ( as i grant it may ) that upon private surmises , or suggestions derived from some factious heads , these men of more eminent note and esteeme have brought your name in question , because ( as they were informed ) you formerly aspersed a blemish upon their honour : i would not have you to erre so farre from your owne judgement , as without further discussing the cause , to fall into desperat extremes : for were it not much better for you to sift the cause , how you both are abused , whereby that base suggestour might be duely censured , and your wrongs mutually redressed , than to vow revenge ere an injury be offered ? yes sir , beleeve it , much better and safer , and in the opinion of discreet men , wiser : howsoever our hare-brain'd gallant , whose property is to act before hee resolve , esteeme it a derogation to expostulate on termes of disgrace , but to publish war ere the league be broken . we account him who can beare the most , to bee the strongest ; yet esteeme we him who can beare injuries most , to be the weakest ; so ill disposed is mans temper , as for an opinion of reputation , hee will incurre apparant errour . now there is another revenge , which proceedeth from a nature farre more inglorious than the former . and that is , when for some little distaste conceived against our inferiour , ( even in worldly respects ) wee labour his undoing : yea many times , because hee stands too resolutely for right , wee threaten his ruine : but true shall we finde it : as the high doe use the low , god will use the highest so . and this might appeare in poore naboth , who because he would not give the inheritance of his fathers , his vine-yard , he must be stoned . but of this revenge i am not to insist : for this is an evill more properly inherent to our rich oppressours , who grind the face of the poore , and raise them an house to their seldome thriving heires out of others ruine . only my wish shall be , that their dwelling may be with owles and ostridges in the wildernesse , and not in the flowry borders of this iland , lest shee be forced to vie sighes for their sinnes . i might now in this subject of revenge , inlarge my discourse by speaking of anger , from whence revenge may seeme to receive her originall being : which anger the poet termes a short fury : anger is madnesse , and as strong in force , but not in course so long . for what differs an angrie man from a mad-man , save onely in this ; his violence of passion continues not so long : for the time it is as vehement and as violent . excellent therefore was that precept of moderation given and observed by that renowned emperour theodosius , drawne ( as may appeare in the like example of augustus ) from a former patterne : of whom it is written , that he would never in his anger proceed to revenge , or so much as shew any argument of distaste , till hee had repeated over the foure and twentie greeke letters . but to conclude this last branch , my exhortation to all young gentlemen shall be , whose high spirits cannot endure affronts , that they would labour to expostulate with passion ; which if once protracted , will bee sooner tempered , meditating also of these divine places of scripture : which receits are indeed most powerfull and effectuall to allay this passion . wee that are by nature children of wrath , ought to give place unto wrath . for the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of god. yea , we ought to imitate god , which if wee will doe , we must not continue in wrath , knowing , god will not contend , nor bee wroth for ever . hee is slow to anger . yea , every man ought to bee slow to wrath : for it is wisedome . if we will joyne in the true lovers knot , we must not be angry , for , true love is not provoked to anger . and if wee will prevent the effect , wee are to avoid the occasion ; therefore are we taught to have no familiarity , neither strive with an angry man. would wee appease anger ? we must doe it by meekenesse . lastly , may we be angry ? yes , but how ? bee angry , but sinne not . let not the sunne goe downe upon your wrath . neither give place to the devill . thus have we runne over all those predominant humours , which beare most sway in distempered youth . let us now , according to our former purpose proceed in applying certaine receits to cure these dangerous maladies . which briefly ( to avoid all curious divisions ) may be reduced to these two : active and contemplative . the one in exercising and performing the offices of our calling : the other in practising workes of piety , exercises of devotion , meditation , contemplation . for the former , to wit , active , every action hath two handles ( to use the philosophers words ; ) the one whereof consists in plotting or contriving ; the other in effecting . without the former , the latter is precipitate ; and without the latter , the former is frustrate : both concurring , the action becomes absolute . but to speake generally of action , as it is the represser , so idlenesse is the producer of all vice . whence came that ancient edict amongst the romans , mentioned by cicero ; that no roman should goe thorow the streetes of the city , unlesse he carried with him the badge of that trade whereby he lived . insomuch that marcus aurelius speaking of the diligence of the romans writeth ; that all of them followed their labour . now gentlemen , i perswade my selfe , you will most of you object and say with the displaced steward in the gospell , we cannot dig : ( and i could wish that many of our eminent ones , would adde unto it , and to begge we are ashamed . ) it is true indeed ; i know your breeding hath beene otherwise : but admit you cannot digge , doe yee inferre hence that yee are exempted from all labour ? in no case are you so to argue . there are other taskes , other imployments besides manual and mechanicke labours , which require your furtherance . and these are forraine or domesticall : forraine , as to benefit your country by rare discoveries , re-conveying the rich freight of knowledge ( by conference with forraine nations ) to your native soile : or by personall adventure , to stand resolutely in defence of the faith , against those profest enemies of christendome , the turkes ; whose fury and hostile cruelty , the easterne parts ( to our great griefe be it spoken ) have already wofully sustained . domesticall ; as in studying the practice of lawes , or other humane studies ; in labouring to determine differences betwixt party and party ; in chastising and due censuring , ( as farre as their callings give leave ) of such factions or litigious sectists , as either in church or common-weale disturbe the quiet of the realme , and distract the state with frivolous or fruitlesse ambiguities . here are labours fit to entertaine gentlemen , and nought derogating from men of eminentest descent or quality . for in actions of this nature have the best and most renowned states and princes in christ●ndome beene trained and exercised : glorying no lesse in the happy and successive management thereof , than in subduing the potent'st and flourishing'st kingdomes . secondly , for the contemplative , which participates more of the minde : i could wish all gentlemen ( as they claime a prerogative in height of bloud ) so to erect their contemplations above the sphere of these lower and inferiour mortals , whose cogitations pressed downe with rubbish and refuse of earthly preferments , cannot distinguish light from darknesse : that they may imagine ( as in truth they ought ) that whatsoever is fought besides god , may possesse the minde , but cannot satisfie it . now , of all exercises of devotion , i must principally commend prayer ; being ( as one excellently noteth ) to be numbred amongst the chiefest and choisest workes of charity . for by prayer are digged forth those treasures , which faith beholdeth in the gospell : being goas sacrifice , mans solace , and the devils scourge . for the time & place of prayer , i will not insist much of it ; howsoever , divers more curiously than profitably , precisely than wisely , have quarrelled about the place : excluding withall , some places as unfit for prayer . but in a word , for the place of prayer or devotion , this shall be my conclusion ; as there is no place exempted from tempting , so there is no place exempted from praying : and for the time , as wee are continually assaulted , so are wee exhorted to pray continually , that wee may bee the better provided to resist those temptations which are usually suggested . amongst those many devout and divine prayers commended to youth , none more needfull or effectuall than that of the psalmist ; remember not the sinnes of my youth . nor any memoriall more powerfull , than that of the preacher ; remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth . for by the latter are we put in minde of him , whose grace is to preserve us from sinne ; and by the former to call on him , whose mercy it is to forgive sinne . now gentlemen , have i composed and perfected what i purposed touching my first observance , entituled youth . wherein i have inlarged my selfe so much the more for two principall respects : the one , lest by being unprovided you should fly away naked ( as the young-man in the gospell ) wanting sufficient instruction to informe your weaker understandings : which moved me to amplifie each particular subject with variety of morall reading ; because i knew how such discourse would relish more pleasantly to a young-mans palate , than graver or more serious matter . the other , lest wanting a convenient foundation to worke on , the maine building might shrinke . now , this i purposely framed for the basis or ground-worke , the rest as stories , which are made to beautifie the foundation : for in these observances ensuing i intend brevity , yet with such perspicuity , as the gentleman to whom i write , may the better understand himselfe , and direct his courses to that bent of honour whereto all generous actions are directed . the english gentleman . argument . of the diversity of dispositions ; the disposition is not to be forced ; what disposition is most generous . disposition . how different the dispositions of men be , our usuall converse & commerce with men may sufficiently instruct us . yea even in youth , where the first seeds of inclination are sowne , we shall observe such diversitie , as the grasse-piles of the earth may scarce vie with them for variety , the starres or sands for multiplicity . where you shall note some youths of such wel-affected or tempered dispositions , as they shew undoubted arguments of future good : and these are such , whose natures are rather to be cherished than chastised , cockered than curbed : for the least distaste which their guardian or tutor can shew , workes such impression in them , as they could willingly choose rather to suffer his correction than his distaste . others there be , whose perverse and refractory natures are not to bee dealt with all upon equall termes : and these are the very antipodes to those well-tempered dispositions which wee spake of before : for they ever walke in a contrary path , directly opposite to such , whose native affabilitie gains them love by an inbred courtesie . these ( diogenes-like ) are ever entring the temple , when others goe forth ; or repairing to the market , when others come from it . and these must taste of sharper censure ▪ for lenitie will not prevaile , therefore rigour must . the like may be observed even in their dispositions to learning : where wee shall finde some apt enough to get , and as apt to forget : others more solide ; though for the present ●low , yet more retentive . and these , as with hardnesse they get it , so hardly will they lose it ; for their difficultie in gaining , is supplied by a facilitie in retaining . likewise , as the principall workes or faculties of our understanding be three ; first to discourse ; secondly , to distinguish ; thirdly , to choose : we shall also observe an admirbale difference in these , in respect of their distinct qualities . where we shall finde one as apt to discourse , as unable to distinguish or choose ; and such an one hath all his judgement in his tongue . another of greater depth and maturer judgement than the former , more able to distinguish or choose , than apt to discourse : for though he want facilitie of utterance ( which want is generally supplyed by more excellent gifts ) yet so quick and subtill is the piercing eye of his judgement , as he is no lesse prompt in conceiving , than slow in uttering . now to treat of the dispositions of mens mindes ; it is strange to see what difference appeares in them , ( even by naturall and infusive motion . ) rome brought forth the pisoes for frugalitie , the metelli for pietie , the appij for austeritie , the manlij for affabilitie , the lelij for wisdome , and the publicolae for courtesie . which conditions appeared so lineally in their successours , as they seemed representers of their ancestours natures , as well as features . yet what reason can be given touching these distinct affections , save those prime seeds sowne in them by nature , which produce not onely these dispositions in themselves , but dilate or propagate their effects in others , to wit , those in whom they have stamped a likenesse both of image and condition . now to collect or gather , how men are affected , there is no course more direct , or in it selfe lesse erring , than to observe what delights they affect , or what company they frequent . augustus being at a combat , discerned the inclinations of his two daughters , iulia and livia , by the company which frequented them : for grave senators talke with livia , but riotous persons with iulia. truth is , we shall ever see persons of like condition love to consort together ; for their qualitie or equalitie rather of disposition moves a desire of familiaritie one with another . likewise for delights , wee shall ever observe such , whose lighter dispositions affect libertie , to be frequenters of publike meetings , agents in may-games , profest lovers of all sensuall pleasures . that roman curtezan sempronia , was noted for her singing , sporting and dancing , wherein shee laboured to shew more art than became a modest woman , with other motives of licentiousnesse . but in my opinion , there is no one meanes to sift out the disposition of man better , than by noting how he beares himselfe in passion , which is of that violence , as many times it discovers him though his purpose was to walke never so covertly from the eye of popular observance . should we have recourse to the lives of sundry tyrants , whose outward appearance or semblance promised much goodnesse : we might finde sufficient matter to confirme this argument . some whereof ( as tiberius ) so commonly carried and covered their plots , as none could dive into their thoughts , pretending ever most smoothnesse , when they intended a tempest . yet if at any time ( as it befell many times ) their spirits became netled or incensed ; so farre did passion transport them , as they apparantly expressed their natures , without further character . other discoveries may be made , and those are the manifestest of all , how men are affected or disposed when they are least themselves : and this is ( with griefe i speake it , for too highly doth albion labour of it ) when man , losing indeed that name , at least his nature , becomes estranged from the use of reason , by drowning his understanding with drunkennesse . in high germanie , the parents of such children as should be married , will see those which should be their sonnes in law to be drunke before them , to see what disposition they are of , before they marrie their children unto them . for they imagine , if they be subject to any especiall vice , they will then discover it , having no locke to keepe it secret . yet in this there are different humours which reigne and rage according to the disposition of the person subject unto it : as we shall see one lumpish without all conceit ; another jocund and merry , apt for any conceit : one weeping , as if some disastrous fortune had befallen him : another laughing , as if some merry scene were presented him . we reade of two distinct conditions in philip & alexander , when they were in drinke , for the one shewed his rage and furie towards his foes , the other to his friends : the one whereof participaes of more true generous spirit than the other . for as nothing can be imagined more ignoble , than to triumph over our friend ; so nothing relisheth of more resolution , than to shew our spirit ( so it be upon equall termes , and without braving ) upon our enemie . but would you indeed see the disposition of man truly discovered , and the veile which kept him from sight , cleare taken away ? then come to him when he is advanced to place of honour or esteeme ; ( for pr●motions declare what men be : ) and there you shall finde him pourtrayed to life . galba was esteemed in the opinion of all , fit to governe till he did governe . many have an excellent gift of concealing and shadowing ( which giveth grace to any picture ) so long as they are obscure and private : but bring them to a place of more eminent note , and give a lustre to their obscuritie , you shall view them as perfectly , as if their bodies were transparent , or windowes were in their bosomes . here you shall see one unmeasurably haughtie , scorning to converse with these groundlins ( for so it pleases him to tearme his inferiours ) and bearing such a state , as if he were altered no lesse in person than place . another , not so proud as he is covetous : for no passion ( as a learned schooleman affirmeth ) is better knowne unto us than the coveting or desiring passion , which he calls concupiscible : and such an one makes all his inferiours his sponges ; and ostridge-like can digest all metalls . another sort there are , whose well-tempered natures have brought them to that perfection , as the state which they presently enjoy makes them no more proud than the losse of that they possesse would cast them downe . these ( camillus-like ) are neither with the opinion of honour too highly erected , nor with the conceit of affliction too much dejected . as their conceits are not heightned by possessing it , so they lose nothing of their owne proper height by forgoing it . these are so evenly poized , so nobly tempered , as their opinion is not grounded on title , nor their glory on popular esteeme : they are knowne to themselves , and that knowledge hath instructed them so well in the vanitie of earth , as their thoughts have taken flight , vowing not to rest till they approach heaven . pompey being cumbred with his honour , exclaimed to see sylla's crueltie , being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignitie he had ; and cried out , o perill and danger never like to have end ! such is the nature of noble spirits , as they admire not so much the dignitie of the place to which they are advanced , as they consider the burden which is on them imposed ; labouring rather how to behave themselves in their place , than arrogate glory to themselves , by reason of their place . neither are these sundrie dispositions naturally ingraffed in men , meerely produced from themselves , as the affections or dispositions of our mindes doe follow the temperature of our bodies ; where the melancholy produceth such , the cholericke , phlegmaticke , and sanguine such and such , according to humours predominant in that body , whence these affections are derived : but i say , these participate also of the clime wherein we are . for otherwise , how should our observations appeare good , which we usually collect in the survey of other countries ; noting certaine vices to be most entertained in some especiall provinces ? as pride among the babylonians , envie among the iewes , anger among the thebans , covetousnesse among the tyrians , gluttonie among the sidonians , pyracie among the cilicians , and sorcerie among the aegyptians , to whom caesar gave great attention , as alexander was delighted in the brachmans . so as i say , our dispositions how different or consonant soever , doe not only partake of us , but even of the aire or temperature of soile which bred us . thus we see what diversitie of dispositions there is , and how diversly they are affected : let us now take a view of the disposition it selfe , whether it may be forced or no , from what it naturally affecteth . the philosopher saith , that the disposition may be removed , but hardly the habit. but i say those first seeds of disposition , as they are primitives , can hardly be made privatives : being so inherent in the subject , as they may be moved , but not removed . not removed ( objectest thou ! ) why ? disposition can be of no stronger reluctance than nature ; & we see how much she may be altered , yea , cleare removed from what she formerly appeared . for doe we not ( in the view of humane frailty ) observe how many excellent wits drained from the very quintessence of nature , as apt in apprehending as expressing a conceit , strangely darkened or dulled , as if they had beene steeped in some lethaean slumber ? nay doe we not ( in this round circumference of man ) note divers honest and sincere dispositions , whose gaine seemed to bee godlinesse , and whose glory the profession of a good conscience , wonderfully altered , becoming so corrupted by the vaine pompe or trifling trash of the world , as they preferre the puddle before the pearle , forsaking christ for the world ? doe wee not see how uprightly some men have borne themselves all their time without staine or blemish : being all their youth vertuously affected , all their middle-age charitably disposed , yet in their old-age miserably depraved ? againe , doe we not behold , how many women , whose virgin-modesty and nuptiall-continency promised much glory to their age ; even then , when the flower of beauty seemed bloomelesse , so as their very age might make them blamelesse , when their skin was seere , and their flesh saplesse , their breath earthie , and their mouth toothlesse ; then , even then fell these unweldie beldames to embrace folly , promising longer continuance to pleasure , than they could by all likelyhood unto nature ? now tell me how happened this ? were not these at the first vertuously affected ; if disposition then could not be forced , how came they altered ? all these rivers of objections i can dry up with one beame , darting from the reflex of nature . thou producest divers instances to confirme this assertion , that dispositions are to bee forced from what they were naturally affected unto . whereto i answer , that dispositions in some are resembled ( and not improperly ) unto a beame cloathed or shadowed with a cloud ; which ( as we see ) sheweth his light sometimes sooner , sometimes later : or ( as by a more proper allusion may seem illustrated ) may be resembled to the first * flourish in trees , which according to the nature or quality of the internall pith , from whence life is diffused to the branches , send forth their bloomes and blossomes sooner or later . true it is you object , that to the outward appearance , such men shewed arguments of good dispositions , for they were esteemed men of approved sanctity , making conscience of what they did , and walking blamelesse and unreproveable before all men : but what collect you hence ? that their dispositions were sincerely good or pure , if society had not depraved them ! no , this induction will not hold : it is the evening crownes the day . what could be imagined better , or more royally promising , than nero's quinquennium ? what excellent tokens of future goodnesse ? what apparant testimonies of a vertuous government ? what infallible grounds of princely policy , mixed with notable precepts of piety ? yet who knowes not , how all the vices of his ancestours put together , seemed by a lineall descent to bee transferred on him : being the patterne and patron of all cruelty , the author and actor of all villany , the plotter and practiser of all impiety : so as , if all the titles of cruelty were lost , they might be found in this tyrant . how then doe you say , that his disposition was naturally good , but became afterwards depraved , and corrupted ? no , rather joyne with mee and say , that howsoever his disposition seemed good during those five yeares , wherein hee dissembled with vertue , and concealed those many vices which he professed and possessed afterwards : yet indeed he was the same though not in shew , yet in heart . only now the cloud being dispersed , his tyrannous and inhumane nature became more discovered , acting that in publike , which he had long before plotted in private . for howsoever our dispositions may seeme forced , from what they naturally or originally were ; it is but a deception , they remaine still the same , though advice and assistance may sometimes prevaile so much with them , as for the time they seeme to surcease and discontinue from their former bent ; but returning afresh , they will antaeus-like , redouble their strength and become more furious . for resolve me , and shew what may be the effectuallest or powerfullest meanes to remove disposition , or alter man most from what hee may seeme naturally inclined unto . can honour ? no ; for that man , whose inclination is subject to change for any exteriour title , is not to bee ranked amongst these generous spirits , with whom i am onely here to converse . for these admire titles , and assume a kinde of affected majesty , to make their persons more observed . but tell me , what are these whom honour hath thus transported , expressing state with winks and nods , as if the whole posture of state consisted in gesture , but meere popin-jayes , who glory more in the painting or varnish of honour , than the true substance of it ? and to speake truth ( as i had never fortune to dote much on an immerited title , nor gloze with counterfeit greatnesse ) their dispositions howsoever they seeme to the vulgar eye changed , they are nothing so : for their inclinations were ever arrogantly affected , so as they no sooner became great , than they deblazoned their owne thoughts . can riches ? neither ; for such , whose imaginations are erected above earth , scorne to entertaine discourse with ought that may make them worse : all in the world being either fumus or funus , a vanity or vexation , as the preacher saith . these conclude , that no object lesse than heaven , can satisfie their eye ; no treasure lesse than eternity , can answer their desire ; no pleasure save what hath concurrence with felicity , can gaine them true delight . now for these earthly moles , who are ever digging , till their graves be digged ; their dispositions are of baser temper : for they can taste nothing but earthly things . they measure not estate by competence , desiring only so much as may suffice nature , but by abundance ; which fares with them as liquor with an hydropticke man , who , the more he drinks , the more he thirsts : so the more they have , the more they crave ; making their desires as endlesse , as their aimes effectlesse ; their hopes as boundlesse , as their helpes fruitlesse . when their mouths shall bee filled with gravell , and corruption shall enter those houses of clay , for which so much provision was stored , and so small a share in the end contented . can acquaintance ? no ; for if company better me ( by an internall grace working secretly , yet effectually in me ) my disposition consented , before such good fruit was produced : if it makes me worse , my disposition , by consenting to suggestion , induced me that i should be thereto moved . yea generally , whosoever is wel-disposed , will keepe no man company , but either in hope to better him , or to be bettered by him : as he , whose inclination is vicious and corrupt , leaveth the company he frequents ever worse than when he found them . for as a * troubled fountaine yeelds impure water , so an infected soule vicious actions . can travell ? no ; for , give me a man that hath seen iudasses lanterne at s. deninis's ; the ephesian diana in the louvre ; the great vessell at heydleberge ; the amphitheatre at vlysmos ; the stables of the great mogol ; or the solemnities of mecha ; yea all the memorable monuments which the world can afford ; or places of delight to content his view ; or learned academies , to instruct and inrich his knowledge ; yet are not all these of power to alter the state or quality of his disposition : whence the sententious flaccus ; to passe the sea some are inclinde , to change their aire , but not their minde . no ; shouldst thou change aire , and soile , and all , it were not in thy power to change thy selfe : yet as soon thy selfe as thy disposition , which ever accompanies and attends thee , moving in thee a like or dislike , just as she is affected . having thus proved , that the disposition is not to bee forced ; we are now to descend to discourse of the noblest and most genorous disposition : which we intend to make knowne by certaine infallible markes , which seldom erre in their attendance , being vowed servants to such as are vertuously affected . the first is mildnesse ; the second munificence ; the third fortitude or stoutnesse . mildenesse is a quality so inherent , or more properly individuate to a gentleman , as his affability will expresse him , were there no other meanes to know him . hee is so farre from contemning the meanest , as his countenance is not so cheerefull , as his heart compassionate : though the one be no lesse gracious in promising , than the other generous in his performing . hee poizeth the wrongs of the weakest , as if they were his owne ; and vowes their redresse as his owne . hee is none of these surly sirs , whose aime is to be capp'd and congied ; for such gentility tastes too much of the mushrom . you shall never see one new stept into honour , but he expects more observance than an ancient : for though he be but new come from mint , he knowes how to looke bigge , and shew a storme in his brow. this meeknesse admits of humility to keepe her company ; in whose sweet familiarity she so much glories , as she cannot enjoy her selfe without her . and in very deede , there is no ornament which may adde more beauty or true lustre to a gentleman , than to be humbly minded ; being as low in conceit , as he is high in place ; with which vertue ( like two kinde turtles in one yoke ) is compassion ( as i noted before ) linked and coupled : which compassion hath many times appeared in the renownedst and most glorious princes . when pompeyes head was offered to caesar , as a most gratefull and acceptable present , it is reported that hee washed the head with teares of princely compassion , and inflicted due punishment upon his murderers . the like is written of titus , that love and darling of mankinde , in his taking and destroying of ierusalem , using these words ; i take god witnesse , i am not the cause of the destruction of this people , but their sinnes : mixing his words with teares , and tempering his victorious successe with royall moderation . the like is related of marcus marcellus , who having wonne the most flourishing city of syracusa , stood upon the walls , shedding plenty of teares before he shed any bloud . and this compassion attracts ever unto it a kinde of princely majesty , gaining more love than any other affection . for as proud spirits , whose boundlesse ambition keepes them ever a-float , till they sinke downe for altogether , use to triumph in others miseries , till misery in the end finde them out : so these , in a discreet moderation or noble temper , will never assume more glory to themselves for any exploit , how successively or prosperously soever managed . such is the native modesty , wherewith they are endued , as their victories are never so numerous or glorious , as to transport them above themselves . which modesty surely becommeth men of all degrees , but especially men of eminent and noble ranke , to the end they may understand and acknowledge in every action that there is a god , from whom all things proceed and are derived . now as there is no glory equall to the command or soveraingtie over our owne passions ; the conquest whereof makes man an absolute commander : so there is no ornament which confers more true or native grace to one ennobled by place or birth , than to put on the spirit of meekenesse , being expresly commanded , and so highly commended of god , as the goodnesse thereof is confirmed by a promise ; the meeke shall inherit the earth . so humility is said to purchase gods favour ; for by that one vertue wee become to have a resemblance of him , whose glory it was to disesteeme all glory to fashion us like unto himselfe . now how precious may that exquisite treasure appeare unto us , which conferres so much light on us , as by it we are brought to know our selves : being strangers , as it were , and aliens unto our selves , till humility tooke off the veile , & shewed man his anatomy . so rare was this divine vertue , and so few her professors in former time , especially amongst such whose titles had advanced them above inferiour ranke , as the place which they held made them forget the mould whereof they were made . an excellent historicall demonstration we have hereof , as we receive it from venerable bede , who reports it thus : aidan a religious bishop , weeping for king osvinus , and demanded by the kings chaplaine why he wept ; i know ( said he ) that the king shall not live long : for never before this time have i seene an humble king. which hapned accordingly , for hee was cruelly murdered by oswin . but ( thanks to him who became humble for us ) wee have in these declining dayes , among so many proud simeons , many humble iosephs , whose chiefest honour they make it to abase themselves on earth , to adde to their complement of glory in heaven ; so much sleighting the popular applause of men , as their onely aime is to have a sincere and blamelesse conscience in them , to witnesse in that judiciall day for them . these have not ( like those furies of revenge ) hearts full of wrath , but with all meekenesse and long-suffering will rather endure an injury , than inflict too violent revenge , though they have ready power to effect or performe it . it is reported of thomas linacres , a learned englishman , much commended for his sanctitie of life , that when hee heard it read in the fifth chapter of s. matt. diligite inimicos ; blesse them that curse you , &c. he brake forth into these words , o amici , aut haec vera non sunt , aut nos christiani non sumus ! o my friends , either these things are not true , or we are no christians ▪ true it is indeed , that so strangely are some men affected , as they tender revenge equally deare as their owne life : their plots are how to circumvent , their traines how to surprize , their whole consultations how to inflict due revenge , where they have alreadie conceived distaste . and these are those bulls of basan , who rome and rore , and when the prey falleth , they seaze on it , and teare it with their teeth . on these men may that of the poet be truly verified ; they feare no lawes , their wrath gives way to might , and what they plot they act , be 't wrong or right . but how farre the disposition of these men may seeme removed from the meeke and humble affected , whose only glory is to redresse wrong , and render right judgement unto all , there is none but may at the first sight apparently discerne . for these humble and mildly-affected spirits , stand so firme and irremoveable , as no adversitie can depresse them , no prosperitie raise them above themselves . for adversities , they account them with that excellent morall , nothing else than exercises to trie them , not to tire them . and for prosperities , they receive them as they come ; not so much admiring them , as making a profitable use of them ; and with a thankfull remembrance of divine bountie , blessing god for them . these are those impregnable rockes ( as one aptly compared them ) subject to no piercing ; those greenē bayes in midst of hoarie winter , never fading ; those fresh springs in the sandie desart , never drying . whos 's many eminent vertues , as they deserve your imitation , ( gentlemen ) so especially their meeknesse , being the first marke i tooke to distinguish true gentilitie . the second was munificence ; that is , to be of a bountifull disposition , open-handed , yet with some necessary caution , as to know what we give , and the worth of that person to whom we give . for without these considerations , bountie may incline to profusenesse , and liberalitie to indiscretion . this moved that mirror of roman princes , the emperour titus , to keep a booke of the names of such , whose deserts had purchased them esteeme , but had not as yet tasted of his bountie . so as , it is observed of him , that no day came over his head , wherein he exprest not his princely munificence to such , whose names he had recorded : which , if at any time through more urgent occasions he neglected , he would use these words to such as were about him : o my friends , i have lost this day ! no lesse was the bountie which cyrus expressed , first in words , but afterward in deeds , to such souldiers as tooke his part against his grand-father astyages ; that such as were footmen , he would make them horse-men , and such as were horse-men , hee would make them ride in their chariots . it is said of the house of the agrigentine gillia , that it seemed as if it had beene a certaine storehouse or repository of all bountie . such indeed was the hospitalitie ( esteemed in this iland formerly , one of the apparantest signals of gentrie ) which was showne to all such as made recourse to that mansion . and because i have accidentally fallen into this discourse , let me speake a word or two touching this neglect of hospitalitie , which may be observed in most places throughout this kingdome . what the reason may seeme to be i know not , unlesse riot and prodigalitie , the very gulfes which swallow up much gentrie : why so many sumptuous and goodly buildings , whose faire frontispice promise much comfort to the wearied traveller , should want their masters . but surely i thinke , as diogenes jested upon the mindians , for māking their gates larger than their citie ; bidding them take heed , lest the citie run out at the gates : so their store-house being made so strait , and their gates so broad , i much feare me , that provision ( the life of hospitalitie ) hath run out at their gates , leaving vast penurious houses apt enough to receive , but unprovided to releeve . but indeed , the reason why this defect of noble hospitalitie hath so generally possessed this realme , is their love to the court. this moved his highnesse of late , to declare his gracious pleasure to our gentry : that all persons of ranke and quality should retire from the citty , and returne to their countrey ; where they might bestowe that on hospitality , which the liberty of the time ; too much besotted with fashion and forraine imitation , useth to disgorge on vanity . their ancient predecessours , whose chiefest glory it was to releeve the hungrie , refresh the thirstie , and give quiet repose to the weary , are but accounted by these sweet-sented humorists , for men of rusticke condition , meere home-spun fellowes , whose rurall life might seeme to derogate from the true worth of a gentleman , whose onely humour is to be phantastically humorous . o the misery of errour ! how farre hath vanity carried you astray ( ye generous spirits ) that you should esteeme noble bountie , which consists not so much in bravery as hospitality , boorish rusticitie ? how much are you deluded by apish formalitie , as if the only qualitie of a gentleman were novell complement ? or as if there were no good in man besides some outlandish congie or salute ? alas gentlemen , is this all that can be expected at your hands ? must your countrey which bred you , your friends who love you , the poore , whose prayers or curses will attend you , be all deprived of their hopes in you ? no ; rather returne to your houses , where you may best expresse your bountie , by entertaining into your bosome , that which perchance hath beene long time estranged from you , charitie . for beleeve it ( as assuredly yee shall finde it ) that your sumptuous banquetting , your midnight revelling , your unseasonable rioting , your phantasticke attiring , your formall courting shall witnesse against you in the day of revenge . for behold the lord commandeth , and he will smite the great house with breache● , and the little house with clefts . returne therefore before the evill day come : distribute to the necessitie of the saints , become good dispensers of what you have received , that yee may gaine your selves grace in the high court of heaven . but as for yee that put farre away the evill day , and approach to the seat of iniquitie ; ye that sing to the sound of the vi●ll , and invent your selves instruments of musicke , yee shall goe captive with the first that goe captive . o miserie ! that man with so beauteous an image adorned , with such exquisite ornaments of art and nature accomplished , to so high a ranke above others advanced , should delude himselfe so with the shade of vanitie , as to become forgetfull of his chiefest glory ! but experience ( i doubt not ) will unseale those eyes which lightnesse and folly have blinded ; till which happie discovery of youthfull errour , i leave them , and returne to my former discourse . you may perceive now , how requisite bountie is for a gentleman , being an especiall marke ( as i observed before ) whereby we may discerne him . amongst sundrie other blessings conferred by god on solomon , this was not one of the least , in that he gave him a large heart : not onely abundance of substance and treasure to possesse , but a large heart to dispose . indeed this is a rare vertue : worldlings there are , who possesse much , but they enjoy little , becomming subject to that which they should command . the difference betwixt the poore wanting , and rich not using , is by these two expressed ; the one carendo , the other non fruendo . of which two , the greater misery is the latter ; for he slaves himselfe to the unworthiest servitude , being a servant to obey , where he should be a master to command . to conclude this point in a word ; if wee ought to shew such contempt to all earthly substance as hardly to entertaine it , much lesse affect it ; let us make it a benefit , let us shew humanitie in it , by making choice of the poore , on whom we may bestow it . this which we waste in rioting , might save many from famishing : let us bestow therefore lesse of our own backs , that we may cloth them ; lesse of our owne bellies , that we may feed them ; lesse of our owne palats , that we may refresh them . for that 's the best and noblest bountie , when our liberalitie is on such bestowed , by whom there is no hope that it should be required . the third and last marke whereby a true generous disposition is distinguished , is fortitude or sloutnesse : being indeed the argument of a prepared or composed minde , which is not to be dismayed or disturbed by any sharpe or adverse thing , how crosse or contrary soever it come . excellently is this fortitude defined by the stoicks , terming it a vertue which standeth ever in defence of equitie : not doing , but repelling an injurie . those heires of true honour , who are possest of this vertue , dare oppose themselves to all occurrents in defence of reputation ; preferring death before servitude and dishonour . if at any time ( as many times such immerited censures occurre ) they die for vertues cause , they meet death with a cheerefull countenance ; they put not on a childish feare , like that bandite in genoa , who , condemned to die , and carried to the place of execution , trembled so exceedingly , that he had two men to support him all the way , and yet he shivered extremely . or ( as maldonatu●● relates ) how he heard of those which saw a strongman at paris condemned to death , to sweat bloud for very feare : proving out of aristotle , that this effect may bee naturall . but these whose generous spirits scorne such basenesse , never saw that enterprise which they durst not attempt , nor that death which could amate them ; where honour grounded on vertue , without which there is no true honour , moved them either to attempt or suffer . but now to wipe off certaine aspersions laid on valour or fortitude : wee are not to admit of all daring spirits to be men of this ranke : for such , whose ambition excites them to attempt unlawfull things ; as to depose those whom they ought to serve , or lay violent hand on those whom loyall fidelitie bids them obey ; opposing themselves to all dangers to obtaine their purpose , are not to be termed valiant or resolute , but seditious and dissolute . for unlesse the enterprise be honest which they take in hand , be their spirits never so resolute , or their minds prepared , it is rashnesse , but not valour , having their actions ever suted by dishonour . sometimes likewise the enterprize may be good and honest ; the cause for which they encounter with danger , vertuous ; the agents in their enterprize couragious ; yet the issue taste more of despaire than valour . example hereof wee have in the macchabees , in the death of razis one of the elders of ierusalem , a lover of the city , and a man of very good report ; which for his love was called a father of the iewes . one , who did offer to spend his body and life with all constancie for the religion of the iewes ; yet being ready to be taken on every side , through the fury of nicanor , who so eagerly assaulted and hotly pursued him , he fell on his sword : yea , when his bloud was utterly gone , he tooke out his owne bowels with both his hands , and threw them upon the people , calling upon the lord of life and spirit , that he would restore them againe unto him ; and thus he died . whence augustine , that devout father and most excellent light of the church , concludeth , that this was done magnè , non benè , more resolutely than rightly : for hee was not to lay violent hand upon himselfe , though there were no hope of safetie , but imminent danger in respect of the furious and bloudy enemie . now this fortitude , whereof wee here discourse , as it is grounded upon a just foundation , so it never ends in basenesse or rashnesse : in basenesse , as in not daring ; in rashnesse , as in too inconsiderately attempting . it is so farre from any act of despaire , as it hopes so long as it breathes ; for to despaire , is to entertaine the extremest act of feare , which is farre from her condition . now to discourse of the aime or end whereto all her actions are directed : it is not any peculiar interest which moves true resolution so much as publike good . for such , whose aimes are glorious , are ever conversant in redressing wrongs , ministring comfort both by advice and assistance to such , whose weaknesse hath felt the power of greatnesse . for as in every good man there is naturally implanted a desire of goodnesse ; so in every valiant man there is a native desire to gaine honour by redressing injuries : yea , admit to honour were to accrue unto him by endevouring to right or releeve such as are distressed , yet for vertues sake ( which is a sufficient reward to her selfe ) he undertakes the taske . for charitie , being a good and a gracious effect of the soule , whereby mans heart hath no fancie to esteeme , value or prize any thing in this wide world beside or before the care and studie of god , so inflameth a well-disposed man , as his desire is only to doe good , whereby he might in so doing glorifie god , the beginner and accomplisher of all good . now there are many motives to excite men to valour , as may be collected from histories properly and profitably tending to this purpose . but the usuallest motive is anger , being indeed the whetstone of fortitude : or the princes presence ; as wee reade of the macedonians , who being once overcome in battell by their enemies , thought the only remedie to animate their souldiers , was to carry philip being then a childe in a cradle to the field ; thereby stirring up the zeale of loyall and faithfull subjects to defend their innocent prince : and this whetstone so sharpned their swords , that indeed they won the battell . or the renowne of ancestors ; as the people of tangia in america alwayes in their warres carried the bones & reliques of their memorable predecessors , to encourage their souldiers with the memory of them , to avoid and eschew all timiditie . so tacitus reports how the germans inflame their spirits to resolution & valour , by singing the memorable acts of hercules . or the sound of warlike alarmes ; as the nairians in india stirre up their people to battell , by hanging at the pummels of their swords certaine plates to make a noise , to animate & incense them to warre . so alexander the great hearing antigenida that excellent trumpetter sound his trumpet to battell , was stirred up in such sort to fight , that his very friends were not secure from blowes which stood about him . or the passionate effects of musicke ; as s. basil recounteth one timothie to be so excellent in musicke , that if he used a sharpe and severe harmony , he stirred up men to anger , and presently by changing his note to a more remisse and effeminate straine , he moved them to peace : both which effects he once produced in alexander the great at a banquet . or conceit of the generalls discipline and magnanimity ; as may appeare by the victorious swede , his late prosperous attempts , and numerous conquests : whose martiall discipline , and personall valour , hath ( no doubt ) begot in his souldiers an emulation of honour . or opinion of the enemies crueltie ; as in the yeere . appeared in agria a city in hungaria , engirt with long siege by mahomet bassa with an army of turkes amounting to threescore thousand , and battered with sixtie cannons ; in the citie were only two thousand hungarians , who with incredible valour repelled thirteene most terrible assaults : resolved to endure famine , or any extremitie soever , rather than yeeld to their truculent and insatiable desires . wherefore they never came to parley of truce , but to answer their enemies fury with cannons and calivers . at last , when the bassa had offered them many favours , they hung over the wall a coffin , covered with blacke , betwixt two speares , signifying thereby , that in that citie they would be buried . so the turkes despaired of successe , and the hungarians , to their eternall glory and renowne , prevailed : preserving themselves and their citie , whose libertie they defended from the turks slaverie . and hence i might take occasion to advance with due deserved praise the glorious memory of such , whose resolution hath had no other ayme , than defence of the truth against those profest foes of christendome ; who have alreadie taken possession of the holy land , making the keepers of that sacred sepulchre ( the most blessed monument that ere was erected on earth ) to pay them tribute , whose high-swelling pride is growne to that height , as their empire seemes to labour with her owne greatnesse . o what tender christian eye can behold these wofull distractions in christendome , and abstaine from teares ? to see christian armed against christian , while the common foe of christians laughs at these divisions , taking advantage of the time to enlarge his dominions . o who can endure to see pagans and infidels plant , where the blessed feet of our saviour once trod ? to heare mahomet called upon , where christ once taught ? to have them usurpe and prophane those temples , where he once preached ? to reare them altars for their false prophets , where those true prophets of god once prophesied ? to see mahomets oratorie erected , where the iewish temple was once seated ? to behold his palace in the cathedrall church of san sophia , now become his seraglia ; where stood once the high-altar or communion-table , and patriarchall throne , now made , and so used as a turkish moschie , with uncleane hands polluted , by unbeleeving hearts possessed ? alas for sorrow ! that soveraigntie should so much blind , or desire of command beare so much sway , that christ * enemie should get advantage by our discord . o thrice happie ( and may it be soone so happie ) were the state of christendom , if all civill and unnaturall broiles ( for unnaturall it is for christian to shed christians bloud ) were appeased and ended ! that they with one consent might assaile this common enemie , marching even to constantinople ( once the glorious seat of a victorious emperour ) crying with one voice , downe with it , downe with it even to the ground . and easily might this be atchieved , if christendom would joyne minde with might , that this vncircumcised philistine might bee discomfited , till which time christendome can never be secured . but to conclude this discourse , ( for i feare i have enlarged my selfe too much in my digression ; ) as fortitude is that noble marke which giveth a gentleman his true character , shewing resolution as well in suffering , as acting : my exhortation to our english gentrie shall bee , that they so demeane themselves , that their countrey may bee honoured by them , true worth expressed in them , and their predecessours vertues seconded , if not surpassed by them . the english gentleman . argument . what education is ; the effects of it . how a gentleman may be best enabled by it . edvcation . education is the seasoner or instructesse of youth , in principles of knowledge , discourse , and action . of all inferiour knowledges , none more behoovefull than the knowledge of mans-selfe ; of all superior , none more usefull nor divinely fruitfull than the knowledge of god , who for man gave himselfe . by view had of the one , man shall have a sight of his misery ; by view had to the other , man shall finde cause to admire gods mercy . hence that hony-tongued father desired that his knowledge might extend it selfe onely to these two : to know god ; to know himselfe ; now as the beauty and splendor of the sunne is best discerned by his beames ; so is the greatnesse of god best apprehended by his workes . whereof i may say , as simonides did of god , that when hee had required but one day to resolve what god was : when the day was expired , hee was more unable to answere , than at the first . so as hermes termes the sunne-beames of god to be his workes and miracles ; the sun-beames of the world to be the variety of formes and features ; and the sunne-beames of man , diversity of arts and sciences . touching knowledge , it is in god to know all things ; in man to know some things ; in beasts to know nothing . as we cannot extend to the distinct knowledge of the creator , so let us extend our knowledge above the reach of the inferiour'st of gods creatures . it is written of alcibiades , that he was skilfull in all things , in all exercises : so that he seemed in every nation to obtaine the conquest , in what prize or mastery soever hee tooke in hand . it is not for us to labour the attaining of such exactnesse : vnum est necessarium : one onely knowledge transcends all others , the attaining whereof makes the knower happy ; as the want of it makes man , how knowing soever in all other sciences , most unhappy . for what skills it to have knowledge in reasoning of high and deepe points concerning the blessed trinity , and want charity , whereby wee offend the trinity ? let us therefore esteeme it the crowne of our hope , to attaine to the excellent and incomparable knowledge of him who made us , whose bloud did save us , and whose holy spirit daily and hourely shields and shadowes us . next is to know himselfe ; an excellent knowledge grounded on true humility : where man shall finde how many things he is ignorant of ; and of these things which he knows , how far short he comes of that perfection which is required of him , it was a saying of a grave philosopher , by learning alwayes something , i grow old . now how fruitfully were our time from infancie to youth , from youth to man-hood , from man-hood to old-age imployed , if our aimes were so to direct our knowledge , that we might attaine the understanding and knowledge of our selves . then would not selfe-conceit transport us , nor opinion of our own knowledge entraunce us , but wee would divinely conclude ; wee have reaped more spirituall profit by dis-esteeme , than selfe-esteeme . alphonsus of arragon answered an orator , who had recited a long panegyricall oration in his praise : if that thou hast said consent with truth , i thanke god for it ; if not , i pray god grant me grace that i may doe it . the like temper i could wish in each gentleman , who in respect of meanes more than merit , shall many times heare himselfe approved and applauded by such tame-beasts or glozing sycophants , who feed on the prodigalls trencher . let not applause so much transport , or praise so farre remove man from himselfe , as to become ( by the vaine blast of others breath ) forgetfull of himselfe . humbly esteemed hee of his knowledge , who concluded : this i onely know , that i know nothing . nothing in respect of that i should know ; nothing in respect of that which is injoyned me to know ; nothing in respect of others who know farre more than ere i may know . for ( saith bernard ) how canst thou possibly be a proficient , if thou thinkest thy selfe already sufficient ? but alas , how farre hath selfe-opinion estranged man from knowledge of himselfe ; who rather than he will be found ignorant in any thing , will assume upon him a supposed knowledge in every thing ? hee will rather lye upon his knowledge , than seeme defective in any knowledge . whence one speaking of the knowledge of mans selfe , most divinely concludeth ; nosce teipsum first descended from heaven to earth , is now ascended from earth to heaven , leaving miserable man admiring his owne feature , as if he were his owne maker . and whence proceedeth this , but because he hath ascended unto that mountaine , to which the first angell ascended , and as a devill descended ? whereas , if he duely considered those many imperfections whereto he is engaged ; those many debts and bills of errours , which , as yet , are undischarged ; that naturall or originall sinne wherein he was conceived ; and that actuall sinne wherewith hee is daily polluted ; hee would questionlesse conclude ; what 's man whose first conception's misery , birth baine , life paine , and death necessity ? which divine meditation is of power to subdue the whole man of sinne , and bring him under the yoke of obedience , by an incessant consideration had of gods mercy , and mans misery ; which may produce in him a more blessed effect , by extenuating and humbling himselfe , both in respect of the substance or matter of his creation , and in respect of the irregenerate course of his conversation : as also in contemplating the ineffable mercie of the almighty ; whose grace it is , that directs miserable man , and reduceth him from erring ; whose compassion it is , that raiseth him from falling ; and whose tender mercy it is , that supporteth him in his rising . but in my conceit , there is no one motive more effectuall , or divinely powerfull , to bring us to a true and perfect knowledge of our selves , than to observe with what passions or perturbations we are encountred ; especially when through immoderate excesse , wee are in the cup of forgetfulnesse drowned . which saint basil confirmeth , saying : that passions rise up in a drunken man , like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side . which passions are not such as are prevented by reason , and directed by vertue : for these are not altogether to bee extinguished , as the stoicks supposed , but to bee provoked as movers of vertue , as plutarch teacheth . but rather such distempered or indisposed affections as are suggested to man by his implacable enemies : labouring to undermine and ruine the glorious palace of his deare-bought soule . vpon which affections seriously to meditate , were to expell all selfe-conceited or opinionate arrogance ; to become humble in our owne thoughts : concluding , that our knowledge is ignornet , our strength weakenesse , and our wisedome folishnesse . being ( as one well observeth ) like a spring-locke , ready of our selves to shut , but not to open ; apter to shut grace from us , than to receive grace into us : or like stones upon the top of a hill , by reason of our heavie and earthy nature , ready enough to tumble downe , but without the helpe or motion of another , slow enough to mount up . saint anselme walking abroad in the field , and beholding a shepheards boy , who had caught a bird , and tied a stone to her leg with a threed ; and ever as the bird mounted , the stone haled her backe againe . the venerable old man moved with this sight , fell a weeping pitifully , lamenting the miserable condition of men , who endevouring to ascend up to heaven by contemplation , are detained by the passions of the flesh ; which enforce the soule to lye there like a beast , and not soare to heaven by that proper motion , which was first giveth her by her creator . now to conclude this first point , ( by making a fruitfull use or application of what hath beene already spoken ) i could wish young gentlemen , whose aimes , perchance , are addressed to purchase rather the light freight of forraine fashions , than the precious gemme of selfe-knowledge , to bee otherwise minded , by conforming themselves to his * patterne and example , who though he knew all things , boasted not of his knowledge , but abased himselfe to make us rich in all spirituall knowledge . as for such as are puft up and know nothing , but dote about questions and strife of words , whereof commeth envie , strife , railings , evill surmisings , perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes , and destitute of the truth ; wee are taught to withdraw our selves from them , because their fellowship is not of light , but darkenesse ; their knowledge no perfect nor sincere knowledge , but palpable ignorance ; their wisedome no sound nor substantiall wisedome , but meere foolishnesse . their wayes are not by the flockes of the shepherds , but ragged and uneven wayes , leading their deluded followers head-long to all perdition . deare christians , though i know this point to have beene gravely and exactly handled by many solid and learned divines , whose holy oyle hath beene fruitfully imployed in unmasking and discovering these dangerous separatists , who have sowne the seed of pernicious doctrine in the eares of their weake auditory : yet i thinke it not amisse to presse this exhortation further , lest your speedy ruine prevent you of all hope hereafter . beware of these pharisaicall doctors , whose purity onely consists in semblance and outward appearance ; whose doctrine hath ever a taste of pride ; whose counsels ever tend to faction ; and wose wayes are ever antipodes to the truth . these are called prophets , but they are none : being humble teachers , but proud doctors . outwardly specious , but inwardly vicious : having faire rindes , but false hearts : having a shew of godlinesse , but denying the power thereof . come from among them and leave them , for their wayes lead to death , and their paths to destruction . saint iohn would not come in the bath where the hereticke cerinthus was . another holy man ( though most innocent ) could endure to be accounted a whoremaster , an uncleane person , and the like ; but when one called him heretike , hee could beare no longer . wee have here ( thankes to our maker ) more pleasant and delightfull springs to retire to , than these troubled and corrupted puddles , which taste of nothing but pollution . leave these , and love those . where can there be vnity , where there is no conformity , where a holy zeale or compassionate fervour , when nothing is spoke but by the sonnes of thunder ? bee ye wise unto salvation ; may godlinesse bee your best knowledge ; that , dissolved from this tabernacle of earth , yee may keepe consort with the angells in a blessed harmony , because ye resembled them on earth in mutual love and unity . and let this suffice for the first branch , to wit , knowledge . now we will descend to the second , to wit , discourse , with some necessary cautions very profitable , if put in use , to direct ( or rather limit ) such , whose too liberall and profuse speech oft-times brings them within the censure of indiscretion . democritus calls speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the image of life , because it represents to man the occurrents and passages of his life . now forasmuch as through the subtility of time , men use to shroud and conceale their thoughts , by expressing least what they intend most ; speech becomes a darke image , representing man not as he is , but as hee seemes . diogenes wondred that men would not buy earthen pots before they proved by the sound whether they were whole or broken : yet they would bee contented to buy men by their speech . the old proverbe used by socrates , and approved by ancient philosophers , was this : loquere ut te videam . subtill purposes were not then shadowed or gilded with faire pretences ; but so s●mple were their meanings , as they needed no words of art ( meerely invented to delude ) nor the gawdy ornaments of perswasive oratory to colour them . but to propose some necessary cautions worthy observation of the generous in their discourse ; i would have young gentlemen to beware especially of two errours , usually occurring in subjects of this nature ; affectation , and imitation : the one for the most part arising from our selves , the other from too ardent a desire of imitating others . the first sort generally , are so miserably enamoured of words , as they little care for substance . these are ever drawing a leaden sword out of a gilded sheath ; and will not lose a dram of rhetoricke for a pound of reason : having , as theocritus said of anaximenes , a floud of words , but a drop of reason . these are ever talking , till their mint of words faile them , and then of necessity they turne silent . these will lay themselves open to their professed'st enemie , so they may gaine applause , and get the opinion of good speakers , being the onely marke they shoot at . and indeed , these seldome hurt others , but many times themselves : for these are those fooles , which carry their hearts in their mouthes ; and farre from those wise men , which carry their mouthes in their hearts . though discretion of speech be more than eloquence , these preferre a little unseasoned eloquence before the best temper of discretion . and thus much of affectation . imitation tastes no lesse of barrennesse , than the other of phantasticknesse : though i must confesse , this draweth neerer true humility , in that it dis-values it selfe , to become a serious observer and imitator of others . but great men especially cannot want imitators , be the occasion never so unworthy imitation . if caesar have an use to hold his necke aside in his discourse or pleading , hee shall have one to affect and imitate that deformity . if vespasian draw in his face in a purse , ( as if it went hard with him ) hee shall have one to represent it , as it were naturally . and , which is of all others most intolerable , so habitually are these grounded on imitation , as they are conceited that nothing can so well beseeme them , as this uncomely fashion which they have observed ; and now imitate in others . whereas if they would consider , how nothing forced may appeare with that decencie , as when it is naturally descended , they would ingenuously confesse , that this apish or servile imitation detracts much from the worth of man , who should subsist on himselfe , and not relye on others postures . in briefe , that discourse is most generous , which is most genuine : nature may beseeme that , which imitation cannot ; but to addresse our selves to imitation of others , in that which even appeares ridiculous in the persons themselves , this inferreth grosse stupidity . it is an excellent lesson which a holy father giveth to all discoursers , that they should rather bee given to heare , than speake : and in matters of argument , to assoile a needlesse question with silence . so as cicero preferreth wisedome attired with ignorance , before speech attended by folly . now because the best of discourse tendeth to perswasion , which is the life and efficacie of speech ; and this perswasion consisteth on three parts ; life of the speaker ; truth of the subject ; and sobriety of speech ; of necessity these three must be observed , ere we can have our audience sufficiently perswaded . first , for the life of the speaker : if speech ( as wee have said ) be the image of life , why should not we conforme our life to our speech ? we would be loth to be taxed of indiscretion in our speech ; let us labour likewise to appeare blamelesse and unreproveable in our life . for he that forgetteth to conforme or fashion his life to his speech , his speech to his life is like unto a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse : for he beholdeth himselfe , and goeth his way , and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was . wherefore gentlemen , of all others , ought to be most respective of their conversation ; for a little soile is a great blemish in them , whose education promiseth more than inferiour men . such men , for most part , gaine best authority or approbation in discourse , who having beene ever observed to speake probably , and not of subjects above the reach or pitch of humane conceit . neither can any thing disparage or lay a deeper aspersion upon the face of gentry , than to be taxed for fabulous relations . especially therefore should they inure themselves to probable discourses , being such as may gaine them an opinion of reputation , and bee a meanes to conferre more authority on their discourse . the second is the truth of the subject , which must needs import much authority : for how should wee perswade , where the subject admits no probability of truth ? therefore were it meet , that wee make choice of what wee relate , not mainetaining whatsoever wee heare by report , for undoubted truth : for so should we be made * knights of post to all newes-mongers , being no lesse ready to sweare , than they to report . i have casually fallen into the company of some , whose onely relation was novelty : these would entertaine no discourse but forraine , speaking as familiarly of the states of princes , and their aimes , as if they had new crept from their bosomes . but alas , how ridiculous are these in the sight of judicious men , whose eyes are not so sealed , but they may easily discerne the arrogancy of these , who affect rather to be admired than beleeved ? excellent and proper for our present purpose , is that fable of the fowler and the bird : a fowler having taken a bird in his snare , was humbly intreated by the bird , that he would free her and give her liberty , and shee would requite this courtesie with three good lessons ; which ( if duly observed ) would profit him more than her small body . vpon these conditions , the fowler was contented to release the poore bird , provided , that the lessons were so profitable and usefull unto him , as shee pretended . which , in briefe , were these : not to lose a certainty for an incertainety : not to give credit to things beyond probability : nor to grieve for that which is past remedy . these lessons received , the bird was forth with released : who being now at liberty , and mounting aloft in the aire , and triumphing in so blest a freedome , chanted out this merry madrigall ; had'st thou knowne the wealth i had , thou would'st nere have let me gone , for it would have made thee glad to enjoy so rich a one . in my bladder there 's a stone , than which , never earth brought forth one of more unvalued worth . this the discontented fowler had no sooner heard , than presently he repented himselfe of so rare and inestimable a losse ; which the nimble bird perceiving , thus replied : how apt's man for to forget what might give him most content ? thou at liberty me set , when i taught thee to repent nothing how the world went ; nor what crosse ere fell on thee , if past hope of remedy . but thou griev'st thou canst not have what thou canst not get againe : thus thou mak'st thy selfe a slave to thy selfe , and mourn'st in vaine : and long may'st thou so complaine . for my lessons i was free , yet thou keep'st not one of three . the perplexed fowler inquisitive of knowing further pressed the bird againe ; asking her in what particular he had broken any of her lessons ? to whom the bird , flickring a little with her wings , as one that gloried in her unexpected liberty , answered ; the lessons which i gave thou sleight'st , and weig'st them but a rush , or else thou would'st not lose one bird in hand , for two in bush. the next was , things incredible nere credited should be , yet thou beleev'st a precious stone worth worlds is hid in me . the last , for things remedilesse thou never shouldst complaine , and now when i am flowne from thee , thou wishest me againe . many excellent morals are shadowed in these fables , which may deserve observation of the pregnant'st and maturest conceit ; not onely in the subject or substance of the admonition , but in the person which giveth this admonition . where the poets smoothly , but tartly , used to introduce beasts , birds , and such like creatures ; admonishing man , the noblest of all creatures , of his duty . yea of beasts , they made choice sometimes of the grossest and contemptiblest , as the asse , to expresse the want of consideration in man ; whose diviner parts drowned in the lees of sensuall corruption , or carnall security , become forgetfull of that , for which they were principally created . it were easie to enlarge this subject with much variety of examples ; but my purpose is , in digressions , rather to touch than treat . we have handled two particulars , effectually moving to perswasion ; the life of the speaker , that it bee unreprovable ; the nature of the subject whereof hee speakes , that it be probable . now wee are to descend to the third , which is sobriety of speech : an especiall motive to attention , being that which cicero much commendeth , and for which hortensius was much commended . albeit , arguing in syla's cause , he was taxed by l. torquatus , and called for his too much effeminacy in apparell , as also for his too much action of body , not onely a common actor , but even a dionysia , who was famous for her moving and wanton gesture . to whom hortensius answered , callest thou me dionysia ? sure i had rather be a dionysia than as thou art , torquatus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : one without learning , barbarous and uncivill . now this sobriety consists not onely in the pronunciation of speech , but sober carriage or deportment of the body , which indeed addeth no little lustre to discourse . i have observed in some , a kinde of carelesnesse in their forme of speaking ; which , though it gaine approbation in men of eminent ranke , it would seeme harsh and contemptible in men of inferiour condition . others there are , who can never enter into any set or serious discourse , but they must play with a button ; or like some of our clodded elders , who for helps to discourse , milch their gloves , as if they drained their subject from such trifling action : and these , me thinks , resemble our common-fidlers , who cannot play a stroke , to gaine a world , without motion or wagging of their head , as if they had rare crochets in their braine : but this mimicke and apish action keepes small concurrence with the postures of a gentleman , whose speech as it should bee free , native and generous ; so should the action of his body admit of no phantasticke imitation or servile affectation , which expresseth little , save a degenerate quality or disposition . others i have likewise noted , to conclude their set speeches with winkes and nods , as if the understanding of the whole world were confined to the circumference of their braine : and these usually expresse more soliditie of conceit in the action of their bodies , than the motion of their tongues . for oft-times , through want of matter ( being gravell'd with an affected gravity ) they are forced to trifle time in impertinencies , and leave that matter untouched for which they came . i could wish that young gentlemen would principally observe this lesson , to be sober in arguments of discourse , but especially in reasoning : for there is nothing that darkeneth or obscureth the light of reason , more than the boundlesse effects of passion , which makes a man forgetful of that he should say , no lesse than indiscreet in that he doth say . but especially in publike assemblies , where difference of judgements oft-times racke our speeches to a higher pin , ought deliberation to be had : for there we cannot recall so soone what we have spoke amisse , as in private , where lesse premeditation may afford matter of satisfaction . i approve likewise of his opinion , who would have such , whose pleasant conceits minister content to the hearer , if they meane to jest publikely , & force their wits to stem the streame of the worlds judgements , ( which , i say , are different , and therefore more observant ) that they use pericles custome , who determining to speake any thing publikely , desired the immortall gods , that no improvident word , should passe his mouth . certainly , whosoever he bee that speakes and never meditates , may bee compared to the uncleane beast , who digests and never ruminates . neither is it hard to gather this , even by their discourse , which consists meerly on ventosity , digressive and impertinent , spending much wind to small purpose ▪ resembling pytheas that foolish orator , who would never leave his babbling . hee that meditates before hee bee prepared ( saith one ) builds his house before stones be gathered . but sure i am , he that discourseth before he bee provided , serves up his dishes before they be seasoned . albeit tiberius bee said to doe better in any oration ex tempore , than premeditate . now i could reduce these discursive motives of perswasion , to two generall heads : to wit , vehemencie of passion ; or instancie of demonstration : and first for vehemencie of passion , here may wee produce an apt and proper example . there came a man to demosthenes , desiring his help to defend his cause , and told him how one had beaten him : demosthenes answered him againe , saying , i doe not beleeve this to be true : the plaintiffe then thrusting out his voice aloud , said , what , hath he not beaten me ? yes indeed ( quoth demosthenes ) i beleeve it now , for i heare the voice of a man that was beaten indeed . whence appeareth , what effects vehemencie of passion produceth , expressing her wrongs so well in words , as they enforce beleefe to the hearer . likewise , because examples illustrate , though they doe not prove ; touching instancie of demonstration , we have an excellent one in that of cato : who determined to strike the senate and romans in feare , discoursed at large of the carthaginian warres , aggravating the danger by proper circumstances , which threatned the publike state ; and instancin● the ruine of many eminent and flourishing states occasioned by the securitie of their people . but they objecting againe , that carthage was farre from them ; he shewed them greene figs , implying thereby that carthage was not farre distant , for otherwise the figges would have beene dried and withered . these kindes of discourses , seconded by instance , are very moving and perswasive ; for as speech is called the object of the eare , so is such kinde of instance an object to the eye , which must needs be more perswading , because visibly appearing . but wee have inlarged this subject too much ; wherefore to draw in our sailes , and apply particularly , what in generall hath beene discoursed : i could wish young gentlemen considerate in what they speak , because speech is termed the index of the minde , and can best expresse him , whether he taste of rinde or pith . now because moderation of the tongue is such an absolute vertue , as it displayeth the wisdome of him that hath it ; whence the wisest of all princes , he that bridleth his tongue is most wise : i must needs preferre discreet silence before loquacitie , for in much speech there shall want no sinne ( saith solomon : ) whereas silence is exempted from all censure , so it bee mixed with discretion . it is said , that pythagoras would desire two things of god ( if the possibility thereof could stand with the conservation of humane society : ) that hee might not speake , that hee might not eat : for by the one , hee should prevent offence in discourse ; by the other , avoid surfet through excesse whence the poet ; silence is such a soule-entrauncing charme , it may doe good , but can doe little harme . albeit , that pythagorian silence i cannot approve of , being many times prejudiciall to the publike state : for by silence ( saith the orator ) is errour approved , the lustre of vertue darkned , good and wholesome precepts suppressed ; whereby youth might be instructed , private families directed , all inordinate motions corrected , and the whole structure of this little world , man , rectified and repaired . but especially in divine professors and dispencers of the sacred word , is silence most hurtfull : for these should bee shrill trumpets in sounding and delivering the sweet tidings of salvation , the tidings of peace and spirituall consolation . the pastor ( saith a blessed father ) by holding his peace , doubtlesly killeth sinners : that is , when he will not tell the house of iacob his sinnes , nor israel her transgressions ; but cries , peace , peace , when there can be no true peace : for what peace unto the wicked , saith the lord ? so as the word of the lord which came unto the prophet , rouzed him up with this fearfull caveat : if thou givest not the ungodly warning , he shall perish but his bloud will i require at thy hand . with whom the apostle harmoniously joyneth ; woe unto mee if i preach not the gospell . for in that cause wherein the faithfull and painfull pastor is to please god , he is to sleight the pleasure or displeasure of men . now gentlemen , yee whose education hath engaged you farre in the expectance and opinion of others ; yee whose more generous breeding promiseth more than others ; yee whose nobler parts should distinguish you from others ; let not those innate seeds of gentilitie first sowne in you , as in a hopefull seed-plot , be nipped in their rising : which , that yee may the better prevent , exercise your selves in noble discourses , not wanton or petulant , for these breed a dangerous corruption even in the life and conversation of man. quintilian would not have nurses to be of an immodest or uncomely speech , adding this cause ; lest ( saith hee ) such manners , precepts , and discourses as young children learns in their unriper yeeres , remaine so deeply rooted , as they shall scarce ever be relinquished . sure i am , that the first impressions , whether good or evill , are most continuate , and with least difficultie preserved . how necessary then is it , that an especiall care or respect be had herein , that choice be made of such , whose modest and blamelesse conversation may tender you their brests in your infancie , and furnish you with grave and serious precepts in your minoritie ? that your knowledge may be fruitfull ; your discourses usefull ; and your actions in the eyes of the almighty gratefull . of which action , we are now to speake ; being the third branch which we observed in our definition of education . that education is the seasoner of our actions , wee shall easily prove , if we observe the rare and incredible effects derived from it : which , that wee may the better doe , you are to know , that every action hath two handles ; the one whereof consists in contriving , the other in performing . in the former , we are to observe deliberation : whence the orator ; before wee take any thing in hand , wee are to use a diligent or serious preparation ; that we may effect what we intend , and more prosperously succeed in that we take in hand . in the latter , is diligence required ; for what is premeditation or preparation worth , if it be not by diligence seconded ? when annibal was a childe and at his fathers commandement , he was brought into the place where he made sacrifice , and laying his hand upon the altar , swore , that so soone as he had any rule in the common-wealth , he would be a professed enemie to the romans : nor did hee infringe the vow which his infancie had professed , but expressed when he came to be a man , what he had protested to performe being a childe . no device unassayed , no stratagem uncontrived , no labour neglected , no taske unattempted , which might conferre honour on carthage , or expresse his mortall and implacable hate to rome . in this one example , we shall see the strength of education : for though annibal had no cause personally given him , to vow all hostilitie rather on rome than any other place ; yet in respect he received his breeding from such as were professed foes to the romans , he seconds their hate , resolving to live and die romes enemy . the like may be observed in the demeanour & conversation of men : in which respect also , education discovereth her absolute power . for shall wee not see some , whose faire outsides promise assured arguments of singular worth , for want of breeding meere painted trunks , glorious features , yet shallow creatures ? and whence commeth this , but through want of that which makes man accomplished , seconding nature with such exquisite ornaments , as they enabled him for all managements publike or private ? licurgus brought two dogges , the one savage , wild , and cruell ; the other trayned ; to let the people see the difference betwixt men brought up well , and badly : and withall to let them understand the great good of keeping lawes . now what are these savage and wild dogges , but resemblances of such , whose untrained youth never received the first impressions of a generous education ? these , as they were bred in the mountaines , so their conversation is mountainous , their behaviour harsh and furious , their condition distempered and odious . yet see the misery of custome ! what delight these will take in actions of incivility ! nothing relisheth with them , save what they themselves affect ; nor can they affect ought worthy of approbation , for education ( which one cals an early custome ) hath so farre wrought with them , as they approve of nought freely , affect nought truly , nor intend ought purposely , save what the rudenesse of education hath inured them to . these mens aimes are so farre from attaining honour , as they partake of nothing which may so much as have the least share in the purchase of honour . their minds are depressed , and as it were earth-turned : for they aspire to nothing which may have being above them ; neither can they stoop any lower , for nothing can be under them . nor can their actions be noble , when their dispositions by a malevolent custome are grown so despicable . hence it is , that the philosopher saith ; the divine part in such m●n is drowned , because not accommodated to what it was first ordained . for how is it possible that their affections should mount above the verge of earth , whose breeding and being hath beene ever in earth ? they ( saith phavorinus ) who sucke sowes milke , will love wallowing in the mire : inferring that as our education hath formed us , so will we addresse our selves in the passage and current of our life . for as nature is too strong to bee forced , so education ( being a second nature ) hath kept too long possession to be removed . she it is , that in some sort mouldeth our actions and affections , framing us to her owne bent ; as if we received all our discipline from her , by whom we were first nourished , and since tutored . but you may object , if education expresse such power , as her first native impressions cannot be suppressed ; how did those men appeare educated , whose first breeding was in mountaines , and afterwards advanced to no lesse glory than a diadem ! such were romulus and remus ; that translator of the median empire to the persians , victorious cyrus ; and hee who from the plow-stiles was elected emperour , to wit , gordius . surely their education came farre short of that which is expected in the majesty of a prince ; yet what inimitable presidents of renown were these , shewing much resolution in conquering , and no lesse policie in retaining what they had conquered . to begin with the first , to wit , romulus ; truth is , he laid the first foundation of a glorious and flourishing state ; yet as his nurse was a wolfe , he plaid the wolfe to his brother . he planted his kingdome in blood , as his infancie received food from her , whose native disposition affecteth blood . neither can i be perswaded , that his carriage could be so civill , as that his first breeding left no relique nor relish of barbarisme ; especially , when i reade what injuries or indignities were offered the sabines by him , what cruelties were acted upon his owne vncle , what impieties were committed upon the neighbouring heards-men : the multitude whereof expressed how cruelly he was naturally addicted , and that the first seeds which his savage education had sowne in him , could hardly be suppressed . touching cyrus , no question his breeding was not altogether in the mountaines , for he had recourse or resort ( though unknown ) to astyages court , where he received no small bettering in the progresse of his reigne . neither ( as it may probably be collected ) would harpagus permit so great hopes , as were treasured in him , and by all auguries and predictions likely to be confirmed of him , to be destitute of instructions fit and accommodate for so high a person . for else , how should such excellent lawes have been devised ; such exquisite cautions for state government provided ; the empire of the medes , with whom it had so long continued , to the persians peaceably translated , and without faction established ? these ( i say ) might probably confirme , how well this victorious shepherd was furnished with all precepts apt to informe him ; stored with all princely habiliments fit to accomplish him ; and exercised in all regall discipline , the better to prepare him against all occurrents that should assaile him . for the last , as he was from obscurity raysed , so did hee little in all his time that could be worthily praysed , being more skilful in setting of a turnep , than setling of a state ; more experienced in correcting the luxurious growth of his vine , than rectifying those abuses raging and reigning in his time : so as , his small acquaintance in state-affaires , during his minority , made him lesse affected to those imployments in his riper yeares . whereas , if we reflect upon the noble and inimitable exployts of alexander the great , whose same hath given life to many volumes , we shal see that his princely education , gave him such rare impressions of glorious emulation in his father philip , as it raysed him to those hopes he afterwards attayned . for where was that enemy he encountred with , that he overcame not ? that citie he besieged and won not ? that nation he assailed and subdued not ? yet who more mildly affected , though a souldier ; or more humble-minded , though a conquerour ? which may appeare by that answer of this invincible chieftaine to his mother ; who desirous to execute an innocent harmlesse man , the better to prevaile with him , remembred him , that her selfe for the space of nine moneths had carried him in her wombe , and for that reason he must not say her nay . but what replyed he ? ask● ( saith he ) good mother some other gift of me : for the life of a man can be recompenced by no benefit . behold a princely disposition lively charactred , having an eye no lesse to saving than subduing ; to retaine mercy than to gaine a victory ; to preserve the conquered than become a conquerour ; to get a friend than to win a field i which , as it requires a noble and free disposition , not engaged to cruelty , boundlesse ambition , desire of tryumph without compassion ; so questionlesse it shewes a composed , civill , and generous education : for these exclaime not with the poet : omnis in ferro est salus : but esteeme it the most glorious conquest to be subduers of their owne wils , preferring the saving of a life before the gayning of an empire . yet doe i not conclude these men to be exquisite , as if they were freed from all such ins●lting affections as usually invade the brests of these high aspirers : for so should i renounce the credit and authority of all histories . themistocles ( as i have elsewhere noted ) walked in the open street because hee could not sleepe : the cause whereof when some did enquire , he answered , that the tryumph of miltiades would not suffer him to take his rest : see the strength of ambition , how powerfully it subdued a man of approved resolution and exquisite temper ! pausanias killed philip of macedon only for fame and vaine-glory : see the weaknesse of a high spirit , whom the least blast of flickring fame could so transport , as to embrue his hands in blood to gaine him an infamous glory ! no , my aime is rather to expresse the noble acts & atchievements of such whose breeding had shewn them as wel by precept as example , what might best become such eminent personages . hippocrates recounteth of a certaine sort of men , who to be different from the vulgar ( being men more nobly descended ) chose for a token of their nobility , to have their head like a sugar-loafe : and to shape his figure by art , when the child was borne , the midwives tooke care to bind their heads with swathes and bands , untill they were fashioned to the forme . and this artificialnesse grew to such force , as it was converted into nature : for in processe of time , all the children that were borne of nobility , had their heads sharpe from their mothers wombe . for the truth of this relation i will not argue much , but sure i am , if art have such power on the outward forme , education which is termed a second nature , can produce no lesse effect from the inward man. for have we not read , how divers naturally addicted to all licentious motions , by reading morall precepts , and conversing with philosophers , became absolute commanders of their owne affections ? have they not ( some i meane , and those of place and esteeme ) even in the height of their desires , when opportunity was offered , an occasion ministred , and all motives to a sensuall banquet mustered , restrayned their desires , subjected sense to the obedience of reason , and became kings by not consenting , whereas they had become despicable slaves by yeelding ? yes , and in that more remarkable , that they were heathens , who had no knowledge of god , but directed by the light of nature only . what then may we imagine might be done by long education and continuall practice , during the time of infancy , which ( as the philosopher saith ) is that smooth and unwritten table , apt to receive any impression either of good or evill ? for which cause , as all times require instruction , so this time especially , because subject to correction ; which moved sundry peeres to send for certaine wise and discrect men to instruct their children during their greener yeares . achilles had his phoenix , * alexander his * callisthenes ; alcibiades his socrates ; cyrus his xenophon ; epaminondas his lycias ; themistocles his symmachus : to whom they ought more ( as they themselves confessed ) than to their owne naturall parents : for , from them ( their parents i say ) they received onely living , but from these they received meanes of living well . but me thinkes we decline rather to knowledge than action ; let us therefore presse this point a little further , and returne to where we left . during that prosperous and successive time of victorious sylla , pomp●y the great then a young man and serving under him , received such seasoning from his military discipline , as made him afterwards chosen amongst so many brave spirits , to try the hazards of fortune with the victorious caesar. nor was his judgement inferiour ( if we may build on the credit of history ) to his potent adversary , though fortune made him her slave , tryumphing no lesse in the quest of his death , than view of his conquest . themistocles ( whose name as wee have oft repeated , so in all records worthily renowned ) having been trained from his infancy in the discipline of warre , became so affected , and withall so opinionate in himselfe of martiall affaires , as being moved on a time at a publike feast to play upon the lute , answered ; i cannot fiddle , but i can make a small towne a great citie . see what long use in experiments of warre had brought a noble souldier to ! his actions were for the publike state ; his aimes not to delight himselfe or others with the effeminate sound of the lute , but to strike terrour in his foe with his sharp pointed launce . now what should we thinke of these , whose more erected minds are removed from the refuse and rubbish of earth , ( which our base groundlins so much toyle for ) but that their thoughts are sphered above the orbe of feare ? death cannot amate them , imminent peril deterre them , disadvantage of place or inequality of power discourage them ; this is their canto , and they sing it cheerfully : the onely health ( what 's ever doe befall ) that we expect , is for no health at all . this might be confirmed by sundry histories of serious consequence , especially in those memorable sieges of rhodes , belgrade , vienna , and many other ; where the resolution of their governours sleighted the affronts of that grand enemy of christendome , the turke , and by their valour purchased to themselves both safety and honour . thus farre have we proceeded in our discourse of education , which we have sufficiently proved to be a seasoner of action , as well as of speech or knowledge . neither in actions military onely , but in all manual arts practised in rome , during her glorious and flourishing state ; from which even many ancient families received their name , beginning and being . as the figuli from the potters ; the vitrei from the glaziars , the ligulae from the pointers ; the pictores from the painters ; the pistores from the bakers . all which ( as wee may reade in most of the roman authors ) had applyed themselves , even in the first grounds of their education to these arts , wherein they grew so excellent , as they inriched their posterity by their carefull industry . but to speake truly of action , as it is generally taken , neither speech , nor knowledge , of which wee have heretofore spoken , can well want it . wherefore demosthenes defining the principall part of an oration , said it was action : the second the same : the third no other than action . isocrates for lack of a good voyce , ( otherwise called the father of eloquence ) never pleaded publikely . and cicero saith , some men are diserti viri , but for lack of action , or rather untowardnesse , habiti sunt infantes . whence it is , that sextus philosophus saith , our body is , imago animi . for the mind is ever in action ; it resteth not , but is ever l●bouring , plotting or contriving , addressing it selfe ever to imployment . the like affinity hath action with knowledge which is not reduced to action . whence it is , that many ( too many , heaven knows ) bury their knowledge in the grave of obscurity , reaping content in being knowne to themselves without communicating their talent to others . but this is hiding of their talent in a napkin , putting their candle under a bushell ; resembling the envious spitefull man , who wil not open his mouth to direct the poore passenger in his way , or suffer his neighbour to light his candle at his : for both imply one thing , as the poet excellently singeth ; who sets the trav'ller in his journey right , doth with his candle give his neighbour light . yet shines his candle still , and doth bestow light on himselfe , and on his neighbour too . for this burying or suppressing of knowledge , it may be aptly compared to the rich miser , whose best of having is onely possessing ; for that communicative good hee knowes not , but admires so much the golden number , as he preferres it before the numbring of this dayes . yea , as it is much better not to have possessed , than to mis-imploy that whereof wee were possessed ; so is he in a happier case who never knew any thing , than such a man who knew much , yet never made a communicative or edifying use of his knowledge . as may appeare by the parable of the talents . the contemplative part indeed affords infinite content to the spirituall man , whose more erected thoughts are not engaged to the meditations of earth , but are spheared in a higher orbe . this mans minde , like archimedes ayme , should enemies invade him , death and danger threaten him , inevitable ruine surprize him , his desire is onely to preforme his taske , and that taske the highest pitch of a soule-solacing contemplation . and this kinde of rapsodie , or intrauncing of the soule ( as i may terme it ) ministers unspeakable delight to the minde of that man , who is usually affected to these divine aspirations , as a godly father termes them . yet these contemplative persons , whose retirednesse of estate , immunitie , or vacation from publike governement have drawne their affections wholly from the thought of earth or conversing with men ; as they relish more of the cloister , than society of nature ; more of the cell or frocke , than community which affords the most fruit ; so they never extend further than satisfying their owne disconsorting humor . i confesse indeed , their contemplations farre exceed the wordly mans , for his are to earth confined ; or the voluptuous mans , for his are to pleasures chained ; or the ambitious , for his are to honours gaged ; or the deluded alchymist ( whose knowledge is a palpable mist ) for his are to impossible hopes restrained ; yet as profit and pleasure make the sweetest musicke : so contemplation joyned with practice , make the fruitfullest knowledge . to conclude our discourse touching education , on which as the principall'st seasoner of youth , wee have long insisted ; may the first seeds of your more hopefull harvest ( worthy gentlemen ) be so sowne , as they may neither by extremity of winter , that is , by too awfull rigour , be nipped ; nor by the scorching heat of summer , that is , too much connivencie of your tutor , parched . so may your countrey reape what shee hath with long hope expected , and receive a plentifull croppe of that which shee her selfe , by hopefull education , hath long manured . the english gentleman . argument . of the necessity of a vocation ; no man is exempted from it ; of vocation in generall ; of the vocation of a gentleman in particular ; and how he is to imploy himselfe therein . vocation . vocation is a peculiar calling allotted to every one according to his degree . wherein wee are to consider ; first , a necessity of vocation ; secondly , no exemption from that vocation : and first of the first . in that originall or primitive purity of mans nature , i say before his fall , there was no such command exhibited , as was afterwards injoyned . for then he was created pure , and deputed soveraigne over a pleasant and flourishing empire , a delightfull eden , receiving no inhibition after so large and ample a commission , save this , that of the tree of good and evill , hee should not eat of it . but when adam had transgressed , this command was forthwith directed to him and his sin-stained posterity : in the sweat of his face should he eat bread . then , then , and not till then began adam to delve , eve to spin ; inferring that the sweat of their browes should earne them a living . there where none that did gallant it in the workes of a wormes . there were none that pierced the bowels of the b earth for precious stones to adorne them ; none that had minde of precious c odours and aromaticall sweets to perfume them . in briefe , none held it then a grace to have the out-cast d feathers of birds to plume them ; the very excrements of e beasts to sent them ; the bowels and intralls of f wormes to cloath them ; the white excretions of g shell-fish to decke them . those leathern coats were provided to cover mans shame , and to evince him of h sinne. they were provided likewise to repell the extremity of i heat and cold , to shelter him against the violence of all seasons . there were other vocations then intended and attended , other labours proposed and sustained , other fashions used and observed than the vanities of this age , where the devill that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that imitating and apish thing , as damascen cals him , peccati fomenta succendit , kindles those foments of sinne to traine wretched man to the lake of perdition . hence it is , that he sets up that vexillum superbiae , to which all the sonnes and daughters of vanitie repaire ; affecting incivilitie before modestie , inquiring after the fashion , not how neat it is , but how new it is . these imagine it a labour sufficient , a vocation for their state and degree equivalent , to spend the whole morne till the mid-day in tricking , trimming , painting and purfling , studying rather to die well , than l●ve well . these are they who beautifie themselves for the stage , to become deluding spectacles to the unbounded affections of youth . they make time only a stale for their vanities , and so prostitute their houres ( those swift coursers of mans pilgrimage ) to all enormous libertie . these are penelopes wooers , gilded gallants , whose best of discourse is complement , or apish formalitie ; whose best thoughts reach but to where they shall dine , or the choice of an ordinary ; and whose best actions are but ravishing of favours from the idolls of their fancie . but how farre short come these of that necessitie of vocation injoyned them ? they thinke it sufficient so to attire themselves , as they may become gracious in the eye of their mistresse : whereas that , wherein they seeme to themselves most gracious , to the eye of a grave and considerate man may seeme most odious : as in apparell , wee say that onely to be commendable which is comely , that laudable which is seemely : for it is an ornament which adorneth . now how deformed are many of our rayments drawne from forren nations , and as ill seeming our ilanders , as cockle-chaines agricola's souldiers ? certainly , this attire becommeth not a christian , but such as are prostitutes to the whore of babylon . the garment of a true follower of christ , is innocencie , which , because it cannot be simple or absolute , wee should endevour to lessen our imperfections daily , becomming conformable to his image , who being free from sinne , tooke upon him our sinne , to free us from the guilt of sinne , and punishement due unto sinne . let us therefore endevour our selves , i say , to attaine the reward of our high calling in christ : which that wee may the better obtaine and purchase at his hands , by whom wee expect reward , wee are in the meane time to serve him in our vocation here on earth , that we may reigne with him in heaven . now that there is a necessitie of vocation injoined all , of what ranke or degree soever , wee may prove by many pregnant places of scripture , inveighing against idlenesse , and commending imployment unto us . amongst which , that of the prophet ezechiel may be properly applied to our purpose . behold ( saith he , speaking of the sinnes of ierusalem ) this was the iniquitie of thy sister sodome ; pride , fulnesse of bread , and abundance of idlenesse was in her , and in her daughters : neither did shee strengthen the hand of the poore and needy . againe , in that of the proverbs : he that tilleth his land , shall be satisfied with bread : but he that followeth the idle , is destitute of understanding . againe ; hee that is sloathfull in his worke , is even the brother of him that is a great waster . againe , that of the sonne of sirach : if thou set thy servant to labour , thou shalt find rest : but if thou let him goe idle , hee shall seeke liberty . againe ; send him to labour , that he goe not idle : for idlenesse bringeth much evill . this likewise the blessed apostle admonisheth the thessalonians of , saying , for even when we were with you , this we warned you of , that if there were any which would not worke , that he should not eat . for we heare , that there are some which walke among you inordinately , and worke not at all , but are busie-bodies . therefore them that are such , we warn and exhort by our lord iesus christ , that they worke with quietnesse , and eat their owne bread . againe , that serious exhortation of the apostle to timothy , describing the natures of such factious and busie-bodies as intend themselves to no setled imployment : but being idle , they learne to goe about from house to house : yea , they are not only idle , but also pratlers and busie-bodies , speaking things which are not comely . againe , that expresse charge given by the apostle touching everyones distinct profession or vocation : let every man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called . see here how much idlenesse is condemned , & labour commended : the former being the mother of all vices ; the latter a cheerer , cherisher , and supporter of all vertues . for wherein may man better expresse himselfe than in the display and dispatch of such offices , to the management and execution whereof he was first created ? vertue , as it consists in action , time in revolution , so the maze of mans life in perpetuall motion : wherein non progredi est regredi , non procedere recedere est . it is given to man to labour , for life it selfe is a continuate labour . see then the necessity of a vocation , being a peculiar labour allotted or deputed to any one person in particular . whence sprung up first the diversity of trades and occupations , which now by processe of time have aspired to the name of companies , gained daily new prerogatives , the better to encourage them in their severall offices . it is a saying of cn. dentatus ; that he had rather be dead , than live dead : meaning that vacancie from affaires , and retiring from such actions as tend to the conservation of humane society , was rather to dye than to live . for life , that is compared to a * lampe or burning taper , so long as it is fed with oyle , giveth light ; being an embleme of mans life , which should not be obscured or darkned , but ever sending forth her rayes or beames both to light it selfe , and others . whence the poet : life is a lampe whose oyle yeelds light enough : but spent , it ends , and leaves a stinking snuffe . gellius compares mans life to iron : iron ( saith he ) if exercised , is in time consumed ; if not exercised , is with rust wasted . so as this rust ; which indeed is rest from imployment , doth no lesse consume the light or lampe of our life , than labour or exercise : for our life decayes no lesse when we are eating , drinking , or sleeping , than toyling or travelling about our worldly affaires . so much of our life is shortned , as we are even in these things , which preserve and sustaine nature , imployed : thus death creeps on us when we least think of it , suprizing us when we least expect it . some with amnon carousing , others with haman persecuting , or with senacherib blaspheming , or with belshazzar sacrilegiously profaning , ahitophel plotting , the children mocking , that incredulous prince of israel distrusting , or that rich man in the gospel presuming . few or none with iacob exhorting , with martyr-crowned steven blessing , with the apostles rejoycing , or with all those glorious martyrs , whose garments were deepe dyed in the blood of zeale , singing and tryumphing . and a good reason may be here produced , why many dye so wofully dejected : for how should they close their dayes cheerefully , who have spent all their dayes idly ? if they that disobey god , shall plant the vineyard , and others shall eat the fruit ; how may those expect to be partakers of the fruit of the vineyard , who neither obey god nor plant vineyard ? how long have many , whose exquisite endowments were at first addressed for better imployments , stood idling in the market-place , never making recourse to gods vineyard , either to dung or water it , refresh or cherish it ; labouring rather to breake downe her branches , than sustaine it ? how many bee there , who will rather employ whole yeares in contriving some curious banquetting-house , than one moneth in erecting one poore almes-house ? how choice and singular will the most be in their tabernacles of clay , while the inward temple goes to ruine ? as charles the emperour said of the duke of venice his building , when he had seene his princely palace like a paradise on earth : haec sunt , quae nos invitos faciunt mori . they draw us backe indeed , and hale us from meditation of a more glorious building , which needs not from the inhabitant any repairing . how necessary is it for us then , to addresse our selves to such imployments , as may conferre on the state publike a benefit ? for as we have insisted on the necessity of a vocation , so are wee to observe the conveniencies of a vocation . which that wee may the better doe , wee are to consider three especiall things , which as scales or greeses may bring us to the right use and exercise of our vocation . the first consideration is divine , or to god-ward ; the second civill , or to man-ward ; the third peculiar , and to our selves-ward . for the first , because indeed the rest have dependance on it , and could have no subsistance but from it ; we are to consider by whom we are deputed to such a place or office , and for what end . the person by whom wee are so deputed , is god , who in his goodnesse as he hath bestowed an image more noble and glorious on us than on any other creature , so hath he enabled us to execute our place under him with due feare and reverence to his name , ever observing the end for which we were to such places deputed ; which is , to honour him , and be helpefull unto others who resemble him : which is the second consideration we before observed , and termed civil , because in civil society requisite to be performed . by the love of god ( saith a good father ) is love to our neighbour ingendred , by the love of our neighbour is our love towards god increased . now if wee should communicate all that wee possesse unto our neighbours , and want this love , which only maketh the worke fruitfull and effectuall , we were but as tinkling cymbals ; we are therefore incessantly to crave of god by prayer , which ( as that godly divine saith ) is to be numbred amongst the greatest workes of charity ; that he would infuse into us the fervour of his love , by which only is granted us to attaine true neighbourly love , performing such workes of charity in our vocation , as we may preserve that union and communion , which members of one mysticall body have one with another . and this love thus planted , cannot bee so silenced or smothered , but it will be discovered , and that by such effects as are usually derived from charitie : for these will not grinde the face of the poore by extortion , or draw teares from the orphans eyes by oppression , or sow the seed of discord betwixt neighbour and neighbour by the spirit of contention . no , as they are placed in a vocation , they will shew themselves to all helpfull , to none hurtfull . they will be an eye to the blinde to direct them , a staffe to the lame to support them , a visitant to the sicke to comfort them , a samaritan to the wounded to heale them , a garment to the naked to cover them , meat to the hungry to releeve them , drinke to the thirstie to refresh them ▪ being all unto all , that by all meanes they might gaine some . these are the effects of this love , which with adamantine tyes becomes linked to the love of god , and to man for god. the third consideration is peculiar ; wherein we are principally to take heed of selfe-love , a vice no lesse fatall than universall . which selfe-love as it hath many branches , or siens , according , to the disposition of the owner , so it produceth no lesse variety of effects . the ambitious man being ever aiming , ever aspiring , thirsteth after honour , and never leaves hunting after it , till hee fall with his owne grandure . his pie-coloured flagge of vanity is displayed , and his thoughts ( so open hearted is he ) as if hee had windowes in his breast , discovered . his agents are weake and unsteady ; his aymes indirected and maligned by envie , concluding his comicke beginning with a tragicke catastrophe . yet see how selfe-conceit transports him , sycophancy deludes him , and an assured expectance of an impossibility detaines him . now see him uncased ; he useth rather with catiline to speake much and do little , than with iugurth to speake little and doe much . he entertaines all with broad-spread armes , and proclaimes liberty , but none will beleeve him . for how should he proclaime , or proclaiming conferre that on others , which he enjoyes not in himselfe ? or how should he enjoy that inestimable libertie , which the earthly-sainted or contented only enjoy ; when he is become a slave to his owne unbounded desires , and through selfe-conceit , is made a prey to his foes deceit , falling in that lowest , where his expectance raised him highest ? yet see whence these effects proceed ● surely from no other spring than that troubled well-spring of selfe-love , which leaves her distressed master engaged to sundry extremes . the like may be observed in the avaritious man ; ( for to these two instances is my present discourse restrained : ) whose misery it is to admire rather than imploy what he enjoyes . the difference betwixt the poore wanting , and the rich not using , is by these two expressed ; the one carendo , the other non fruendo . of these it may bee truly said , that their gaine is not godlinesse , but their godlinesse is to reape gaine . and though apparent a losse be to be preferred before filthy gaine : yet they wholly and onely embrace such b arts , trades , or sciences , from which a certaine gayne may bee procured . they know ( and that knowledge makes them more culpable ) that gaine cannot accrue to one , without losse to another : yet they will rather prejudice another in the greatest , than bee an inconvenience to themselves in the least . they have felt by experience , that wealth is a great nourisher of vice , and poverty of vertue ; yet will they erect an idoll to honour her by whom vice is nourished , but disesteeme her from whom many vertuous motions and affections are derived . true it is indeed , that when any d object of profit is tendred us , necessarily are we induced to condescend to the meanes of acquiring that profit . againe , we all seeke profit , and are ( as it were ) haled unto it : yet this is to be intended such profit , as holds concurrence with honesty . they know , ( and wofull it is that they make no better use of their knowledge ) how e gaine maketh men worse : and but for gaine no man had beene evill . for this filthy f gaine accuseth nature , and reproveth us that our life being so short , should have desires so long , labouring to joyne land to land , when so small a scantling will serve our turne at our departing . they know how truly that sententious poet sung ; g wealth disesteemes all learning , and all arts , faith , honesty , and all our better parts . there is a h native will or inclination to f●ining and lying in all such as seeke after wealth , and desire gaine . see how servile and ignoble their condition is , whose affections , slaved to private profit , embrace any course how indirect soever , for selfe-love , or selfe-gaine ! that are ever harping upon that of the poet ; i he shall be noble , valiant , wise , a prince , or what he will , that ha's but wealth , no matter how he got it , well or ill . but how farre short comes vulgar opinion of truth , whose judgement is in their eyes or eares , not measuring man , nor his worth , by those nobler parts within him , but by his wealth or habit , whose best of glory is without him ? little know these earth-worms how they shall bee uncased , and with what misery then inclosed . for if they did , they would preferre ( right sure i am ) the inestimable purchase of vertue , before this rust or r●bbish , which leaveth the possessor as full charged with care , as his chest stored with c●ine . vertue is of that noble and unconfined nature , as she k seeketh nothing that is without her ; there is her glory . againe , there can bee no vertue which is not l free and voluntary ; there is her liberty . againe , she m subdueth all things ; there is her soveraingty . againe , n fortune gives place to her ; there is her precedency . for o fortune can take nothing away but what she her selfe giveth . againe , they onely are p rich which are enriched with vertue ; there is her felicity . so as howsoever the philosophers axiome be , that riches is a signe of eternall glory ; sure i am , that vertue directeth man in this maze of misery , to the true sight and light of glory . this is that morning-starre sent from that sun of the morning to direct us ; that brazen wall reared by that brazen serpent to shield and protect us ; that faire lily of the valley cropt by that fairest of ten thousand to beautifie and adorne us ; that sweet oderiferous plant budding out of the root of iesse to sweeten and perfume us . what skils it then , if wee bee deprived of all , possessing vertue that includeth all ? * the levites who were chosen for the altar and for gods owne service , were to have no possessions : for the lord was their inheritance . againe , god chuseth the poore for an inheritance of his heavenly kingdome . againe , blessed are you that be poore , for yours is the kingdome of heaven . and againe , miserable are you rich men , who in your riches have all your consolation . againe , o death , how bitter is the remembrance of thee to that man , whose peace is in his substance ! hence wee see the difference betwixt the state and condition of the wordling , whose affections are wholly planted and placed upon earth , and his whose desires transcend the pitch of earth , having his feet below , but his faith above . the poet very covertly and wittily in decision of such , whose delights were wholly fixed on mould , satyrically concludeth ; not only vertue , winged fame , and honour too i say ; but things divine and humane too , must riches all obey , but to returne where we left , whence commeth this so avaricious and illimited desire , but only from a selfe-love which these men have to their owne private and peculiar profit ? which that wee may the beter prevent , being such a shelfe as it endangers the shippe that commeth neere it ; wee are daily to examine our selves , and observe what especiall affection wee are most prone unto : which found out , wee are to apply such remedies , or receits , as may best cure such enormities , as arise from the vicious and corrupted source of our affections . now to come to the cure ; because medicines provided and not applied , are fruitlesly imployed . are ye naturally subject to vaine-glory ? labour to suppresse those motions even in their rising , by becomming vile and contemptible in your owne sight . are yee affected to wantonnesse and effeminacie ? impose your selves a taske , inure your bodies to labour , reserve some houres for reading , as well those exquisite morall precepts of heathen writers , as those blessed patternes of continencie recorded in sacred writ . are ye slaved to the misery of a worldling ? wrastle with your affections , entertaine bounty , affect hospitality , so in time yee shall become weaned from base and servile parcimony . to be briefe , as vices are best cured by their contraries , ever oppose your selves to that which your natures affect most ; for this is the way to make you , that were slaves before , commanders of your owne affections : which soveraignty surpasseth all inferiour command , for by this meanes you command those , who have had the greatest monarchs in subjection . thus have wee proposed the necessity of a vocation , and what especiall rules were to bee observed in the undertaking of that vocation : which observed , yee shall conferre no lesse good on your countrey , who expects much good from you ; than yee shall minister content unto your selves , finding all depraved or distempered affections buried in you . and so wee descend from the necessity of a vocation , to inquire whether any from the highest to the lowest be exempted from it . no lesse authenticke than ancient is that position , the higher place the heavier charge . so as , howsoever that erring opinion which vulgar weakenesse hath introduced , seeme approved , that men whom fortune hath made great , may hold themselves exempted from all vocations , because either noblenesse of bloud may seeme too worthy to partake of them , or greatnesse of successe ( little subject to the feare of want ) hath made them too high to stope unto them : i may safely averre , that of all other degrees , none are lesse exempted from a calling than great men , who set like high peeres or mounts , should so over-view others , as their lives may bee lines of direction unto others . hee sinnes doubly , that sinnes exemplarily : whence is meant , that such , whose very persons should bee examples or patternes of vigilancy , providence and industry , must not sleepe out their time under the fruitlesse shadow of security . men in great place ( saith one ) are thrice servants ; servants of the soveraigne , or state ; servans of fame ; and servants of businesse . so as they have no freedome , neither in their persons , nor in their actions , nor in their times . first , they , are servants to their soveraigne or state , for as they are by place sett neere his person , so are they with due and tender respect ever to observe him , in affaires tending to the safety of his person , and generall good of the state. they are servants ( likewise ) of fame : for howsoever the actions of inferiour men may seeme sleighted with neglect , or clouded with contempt , they are sure to have their deeds bruted by fame , either to their glory or disgrace . yea , these are also eager hunters after fame , preferring opinion before all other inferiour respects , and wishing rather themselves to dye , than it should die . whence it was , that anaxagoras telling alexander that there were many worlds ; alexander wept , replying , that he had not wonne one : implying , that his fame , being that which he principally tendred , having scarce yet dispersed it selfe to the circumference of one world ; it would be long , ere it could diffuse or dilate it selfe to many worlds . lastly , they are servants of businesse ; being placed neere the helme of the state : and therefore like wise and vigilant pilots , must be carefull lest the rudder of the state be not shaken by their security . neither is their state so sure , that it should move them to be secure : for men in high places are for most part pursued by many enemies , whose eyes are ever prying into their actions , which they invert , by labouring to bring the state in distaste with their proceedings . now what meanes better to frustrate their practices , than by a serious and cautelous eye , to looke into their owne actions ? diogenes being asked , how one should bee revenged of his enemie , answered ; by being a vertuous and honest man. which badge ( i meane honesty ) as it should be the cognizance of every christian ; so should it shew her full lustre or splendour in these persons whom descent or place hath so ennobled . now these enemies of greatnesse , if right use be made of them , may conferre no small profit to such as they hate . nasica , when the roman common-weale was supposed to bee in most secure estate , because freed of their enemies , affirmed , that though the achaians and carthaginians were both brought under the yoke of bondage , yet they were in most danger , because none were left , whom they might either feare for danger , or who should keepe them in awe . this wee shall finde verified even in our selves : for tell me , are wee not most circumspect in all our actions , wherein wee have to deale with our enemie ? are wee not fearefull lest by some inconsiderate or prejudicate act , he take advantage of us , and consequently circumvent us ? so as our enemies may bee used as tutors or monitors to instruct us , warning us to bee advised what wee undertake , lest they take hold of us in our mistake . there is also another benefit redounding to us , of which it were likely we should be deprived , if wee wanted enemies , by whom this benefit is on us conferred . and it is this ; wanting enemies , wee many times make of our best friends , enemies . whence oenomademus in a faction in the i le of chios , counselled his fellowes that they should not expell all their enemies , but still leave some in the city , lest ( quoth he ) being void of all our enemies wee should begin to quarrell with our friends . thus you see , how men of place are of all others least exempted from a vocation ; for as idlenesse would give them occasion to sinne , so by their enemies should they be soone detected of shame : being more subject to detraction in those actions which are their best , than likely to plead a protection for such as are their worst . we may well then conclude this point , with that of a true and noble historian ; in the greatest fortune , there is the least liberty ; for by how much any man is higher placed , by so much is he more generally noted . wee say , that there is required the greatest care , where there is the greatest danger : now what danger more presently imminent , or more powerfully violent , than highnesse of place , threatning ruine daily to the possessour ? where honour feeds the fuell of envie , and enmity ever pursues in chace such as are advanced by fortune : whence our moderne poet excellently concludeth ; study thou vertue , honour's envies bait , so entring heav'n thou shalt be graduate . how necessary then even in private respects to themselves is circumspection ; not only in labouring to prevent occasions of feare , but the finall and fatall effects thereof ? so may those , whom either fortune hath raised , or noblenesse of birth advanced , say with majestike marius : they envy my honour : let them also envie my labour , innocencie , yea , those admirable dangers which i have passed , for by these was my honour purchased . now then , how should such whose height of place hath raised them above the lower ranke of men , imagine that their place may exempt them from their taske ? offices are peculiarly assigned to all men , and vocation to all rankes of men . whence came that ancient edict amongst the romaas , mentioned by cicero in lib. de leg. ( as wee have else-where noted ) that no roman should goe thorow the streets of the city , unlesse hee carried with him the badge of that trade whereby he lived : insomuch that marcus aurelius , speaking of the diligence of the romans , writeth , that all of them followed their labour . so as , there was no difference betwixt the patricians and plebeians ; inter faecem & florem civitatis ( as one well observeth ; ) but an expresse taske was imposed and exacted on every subject . whence it grew that the roman empire became absolute soveraignesse of many other ample dominious : whose flourishing estate ( as it was described to king pyrrhus ) appeared such ; that the city seemed a temple , the senate a parliament of kings . neither is it to be doubted , but even as god is no accepter of persons , so his command was generall , without exception of persons ; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread albeit i doe not hence conclude , that all are to intend the plough , or betake themselves to manuall trades : for so i might seeme to presse that exposition which a frier once urged against latimer , touching reading of scripture in a vulgar tongue : if the rude people ( objected hee ) should heare the scripture read in english , the plow-man when hee heareth , hee that holdeth the plough and looketh backe , is not apt for the kingdome of god ; would there upon cease to plow any more : & the baker , when hee heareth it read , a little leaven corrupteth the whole lumpe ; might be moved not to use leaven at all : and when the scripture saith , if thine eye offend thee , plucke it out ; the ignorant might bee perswaded to pull out their eyes ; and therefore it was not good to have the scripture in english. to which objection latimer vouchafed no other answer than this : hee would wish the scriptures to be no longer in english , till thereby either the plow-man were perswaded not to plow ; or the baker not to bake . no , i am not so stupid , as not to apprehend how severall places or offices are deputed to sundry men : how some are appointed for guiding and guarding the state ; others for ranking and ranging powers in the field ; others for teaching and training of youth in the schoole ; others for propounding and expounding of the lawes of our realme at the barre ; others for caring and curing of malad●es in the body ; others for breaking the bread of life , and breathing the spirit of comfort to the afflicted . whence wee gather , that of all degrees none are exempted or excepted : a vocation is proposed and imposed , which , of necessity must be by one or other observed and intended . for as in the mutuall offices of our body , every member intends that peculiar function or office to which it is assigned or limited ; so in the body of the state ( being all members depending and subsisting of that state ) wee are all in our mutuall places or offices to discharge that taske which is injoyned us . wherein i should thinke it convenient , if we observed the selfe-same rule , which the members of our body use in the due performance of their offices . for wee see not one of them incroach or intrude into anothers place or imployment : the eye it sees , and handles not ; the hand it handles , and sees not ; the palat it tastes , and smels not ; the nose it smels , and tastes not ; the eare it heares , and walkes not ; the foot it walkes , and heares not . and so of the rest : but contrariwise , how itching are men after such imployments as least concerne them ? how officious in businesse which least touch them ? the dray-man hee will play the divine ; a dairy-woman the physician ; the collier the informer ; the farmer the lawyer . wherein surely , i have observed in the small progresse of this my pilgrimage , no small inconvenience redounding to the publike state. for say , whence sprung all these schismes in the church , these many rents in christs seamelesse-coat , but from those , who of mechanickes became divines , professing to teach , before they were taught ? whence are so many mens dayes abridged , their easie maladies without hope of being cured , but by meanes of these horse-leaches , who gaine experience by the death of their patients , professing themselves artists , before they know the definition of an art ? whence are so many unjustly vexed , so injuriously troubled , but by these base informers , who become disturbers rather than reformers ? whence arise these differences , betwixt party and party , but by meanes of some factious and seditious instruments , who like the serpent dipsas , sucke the moisture and verdure of every hopefull plant , building their foundation on the ruine of others ? surely , as wee have statutes enacted , of purpose to have such turbulent members duely curbed and censured ; so were it to bee wished that such lawes as are to this end provided , were likewise executed : for by this meanes the flourie borders of our realme should bee stored with grave divines , and learned professors , leading their flocks to the greene pastures of ghostly instruction , not to the by-paths of errour and confusion ; with judicious and expert physitians , who are not to learne experience by the death of their patients ; with sincere and uncorrupted officers whose ayme is not to gaine , but to redresse abuses ; with upright and con●cionable lawyers , whose desire is to purchase their clients peace , and not by frivolous delayes to cram their purses . o what a golden age were this ● when each performing a mutuall office unto other , might so support one another , as what one wanted , might be supplied by another . then should wee have no sectists or separatists divided from the unity of faith to disturbe us ; no artlesse quack-salvers or cheating mountebanks to delude us ; no factious brands to set a fire of debate amongst us ; no currupt or unconscionable lawyers , by practising upon our states , to make a prey of us . then should we heare no ignorant laicks familiarly disputing of the too high points of predestination , rejecting the ordinary meanes of attaining salvation : as may be seene in the synodals or conventicles of many seduced soules , even in these dayes , where some barbar is made a cathedrall doctor , to improve , rebuke , and exhort : but how is it possible that ought should bee hatched but errour , where singularity grounded on ignorance is made a teacher ? s. basil talking with the emperour valens of matters of religion , and the cooke comming in saucily and telling the holy man his opinion , that it was but a small matter to yeeld to his master the emperor in a word or two ; and that hee needed not to stand so precisely in divine matters which seemed indifferent , or of no moment . yea , sir cook ( quoth s. basil ) it is your part to tend to your pottage , and not to boyle and chop up divine matters : and then with great gravity ( turning to the emperour ) said , that those that were conversant in divine matters with conscience , would rather suffer death , than suffer one jot of holy scripture , much lesse an article of faith to be altered or corrupted . so carefull have former times beene of the reverence which ought to be had in dispensing the heavenly mysteries of gods word : admitting none to so holy and high a vocation , but such who had vrim and thummim , knowledge and holinesse : beautifying their knowledge , i say , with holinesse of conversation : being not onely speakers but doers ; for no word-men but work-men are fit for the lords vineyard . the like complaint might bee made touching these physitians of our bodies : where artlesse and ignorant handicrafts-men , who perchance upon reading of some old herball , wherein were prescribed certaine doubtfull cures for certaine maladies , will not sticke to professe themselves galenists the first houre : setting out a painted table of unknowne cures to raise them credit . to whom in my opinion , that tale may be properly applied , which is related of one alphonso an italian ; who professing physicke , wherein his fortune was to kill oftner than he did cure : one day as he and his man nicolao rode on the way , he might see a great multitude of people assembled upon a hill ; whereof being desirous to know the cause , he sent his man nicolao to inquire further : who , understanding that there was one to be executed for committing a murder , put spurres to his horse , and running with all speed to his master , wished him to flie : where-with alphonso not a little astonished , demanded the cause : why master ( quoth nicolao ) yonder is a poore wretch adjudged to die for killing one man , and you in your time have killed an hundred . neither are wee lesse to grieve for the pressures which burden our state by such , who sow the seed of discord betwixt neighbour , & neighbour supporting champertie & embracerie in buying of titles , maintaining suits out of a contentious or turbulent disposition . which enormities , as they are by apt and necessary lawes thereto provided , duly censured ; so were it to bee wished , that for example sake some one , whom the impunitie and indulgencie of this time hath made too presuming , were punished according to the extremitie of the law thereto provided : for then should wee enjoy those happy halcyon dayes , wherein basil the emperour of constantinople lived : who , whensoever hee came to his iudgement seat , found neither partie to accuse , nor defendant to answer . to this end then and purpose tendeth our present discourse , that as a peculiar vocation is deputed to every one in this pilgrimage of humane frailty ; so hee should not intermix himselfe in affaires or offices of different nature . a man may be excellent in one , who cannot be exquisite in many . let us then so addresse our selves , as we may be rather fruitfull in one , than fruitlesse in many . doe wee feare by being excellent in one to purchase hate of many ? let us sleight that hate which is procured by good means ; for so long as wee live here , sometimes adverse fortune will crosse us , oft times envie curbe us : but where the mind hath given way to the infirmities of nature , and beares with a prepared mind whatsoever may be inflicted on her , shee makes no account of detraction ; for that vertuous resolution which is in her , doth daily more and more rayse and advance her . neither are we to be strong in tongue and weake in act ; as those , whose only valour is vaunting , and honour verball glorying : for of all others , such men are the slothfullest , whose force and power is wholly seated in the tongue . no , rather let us know that vertue consists in action , which by long habit becomes more pleasant than the habit of vice , whose vaine delights tender no lesse bitternesse in the end , than they did promise sweetnesse in the beginning . agendo audendoque res romana crevit . let our eare , as it is a sense of instruction , become a light of direction : for then we heare with profit , when we reduce what we heare to practice . thus you have heard both of the necessity of a vocation , and how none is to be exempted from a vocation : wherein , gentlemen , i could wish , that as birth and breeding have advanced you above others , so you would shew such arguments of your birth and education , as may make you seeme worthy of a glorious vocation ; expressing such exemplary vertues in your life , as might gaine you love even in death . and so i descend to speake of vocation in generall ; wherein i will bee more briefe , because i have partly glanced at it in our former discourse . vocation may be taken equivocally or univocally ; when wee speak of vocation in generall , it is equivocall ; when of any speciall vocation in particular it is univocall . without vocations no civill state can subsist ; because idlenesse maketh of men women , of women beasts , of beasts monsters . it was one of the sinnes of sodome , as wee may reade in the prophet ezekiel . it was that which brought david the anoynted of the lord , nay the man after gods owne heart , to commit adultery . it was this which moved solomon to bid the sluggard goe to the pismire to learn good husbandry . to be short , it was this which moved the prophets to denounce judgement upon the flourishing'st cities , for their security . how necessary then is it for all estates to be carefull , lest they incurre a heavy and fearefull censure , to addresse themselves to especiall vocations , beneficiall to the state , and pleasing to god , whose glory should bee our aime , without any by-respect unto our selves ? wee shall see in most places both at home and abroad , how such trades or vocations are most used , as may best suit with the nature and condition of the place . as in our port-townes traffick and commerce , conferring no lesse benefit to the state by importance , than profit to other countries by exportance . againe , in our townes lying further within land , the inhabitants use some especiall trade to keepe their youth in labour ; whereby they become not only beneficiall to themselves , but usefull and helpefull unto others . amongst which , i cannot be unmindfull of the diligence of the towne of kendall , and worthy care which they have to see their very young children put to worke , being a labour which requires no great strength , to wit , woolworke . wherein , so approved hath their care and industry beene , as they have gained themselves no small esteeme in forraine places , who are made partakers of the fruit of their labours . for i have knowne a family , consisting of seven or eight persons , maintained by the worke of two or three stones of wooll , which amounted not above thirty shillings : and with this they maintained credit , living in an honest and decent manner . whose labours as they were laudable , so have they beene no lesse furthered , favoured , and encouraged by our late gracious soveraigne of renowned memory ; who of his princely clemency , hath damned all such impositions or heavy taxations as might any way impaire or impeach the free use of that trade . since which time , upon renuall of their charter , his sacred majesty hath beene lately pleased , not onely to enlarge their liberties , but likewise to dignifie their magistracy with a title of more eminence : which had it stood with his princely pleasure , might have received high improvement by creation of a burgesse . albeit now of late , the town of kendall , so famous for wool-work , by reason of a late decrease or decay of trade in those parts , is grown no less penurious than populous : so as ( with griefe i speake it ) such inhabitants as formerly by their paine & industry were able to give an alms at their door , are now forced to beg their almes from door to door . the redresse whereof , as it hath been by the prince and those prudent guides and guardians of our state , the lords of his privie councell , duely intended ; so no doubt , but by their wise care it shall be accordingly effected , and those poore people after so many miseries sustayned , wholly releeved ; to the advancement of gods glory , the supportance of many a needfull family , and the succeeding renowne of his majesty , to whom every subject oweth his life , love and loyalty . the like commendation i could give to the copperworkes used in the north ; more especially about keswicke , where divers dutchmen being planted , have for many yeares expressed no lesse judgement than industry in sundry excellent and choice experiments , which to their succeeding fame may perpetuate their memory . for these , like cunning and experienced artizans , have to doe in the bowels of the earth , whence they digge copper , which with incredible paines they bring to the hammer . for so steepe , ragged and cliffie are those mountaines , whence their copper is digged , as it might seeme a matter of impossibility to effect so intricate a worke ; but so infatigable are the labourers which they employ , as their patience in suffering is no lesse to be commended , than their skill in contriving to bee admired . but to speake in generall of all vocations , sciences , or mysteries : wee are ever to observe the place and convenience , hereof , that wee may the better appropriate some especiall vocation according to the necessity and convenience of the place . as ship-masters in places of trafficke and navigation ; shepherds , graziers , and farmers , in places of plantation : according to that ancient proverbe ; gardiners in theffalie , horse-coursers in barbary . now if you should object touching the difference of vocations , that some are more necessary than others : yea such as now seeme most necessary , have formerly ( as may appeare ) beene held trades of indifferency : my answer is , i grant it ; yet not so altogether as some might object against the necessity of a smiths trade , by alleaging that of the prophet samuel ; there was no smith found thorowout all the land of israel . for this did not inferre that smiths were of least use or imployment in israel , but rather the necessity of them made so few amongst them , as may appeare in the latter part of the verse : for the philistines said , lest the hebrewes make them swords or speares . here see the cause why there were so few in israel , because they would have beene most usefull and behoofefull to the people of israel . for this cause were they banished , slaughtered and deprived of all meanes to assist their distressed countrey , whose people hid themselves in caves , and in hold , and in rocks , and in towers , and in pits . for the first invention of trades , arts or sciences , as they were in time and by degrees brought to perfection , so had they proper and peculiar persons , from whom they received their beginning and foundation . for example , tillage from cain , pasturage from abel , vintage from noah , navigation from zebulun , brazery or smith-worke from tubal-cain , musick from iubal ; which by succession of time came to such perfection as they are now in . the satyre at the first sight of fire , would needs have kissed and imbraced it , but prometheus checked him . so highly admired were things unknown , and so familiarly employed being once knowne . the like we may imagine at the first rising of trades , what difficulties attended them , and what imperfections were incident to them ; being like the beares whelpe , ever in licking , before they came to perfecting , ever in renuing & furbushing , ere they came to such furnishing , as they now express . yea , if we should make recourse to all such scholastick sciences or vocations ( if i may so terme them ) as have the name of liberall sciences : wee shall find that in their infancy or minority , there were many defects and blemishes in them , having not as then attayned that heighth or growth , which they have acquired at this day . for then wee had not a quintilian to play the grammarian ; a subtill scotus to play the logician , an eloquent cicero for a rhetorician ; a learned euclid for a mathematician ; a studious archimedes for a geometrician ; a famous hippocrates to renowne a physician ; a sense-ravishing orpheus to eternize the musician . many conclusions were then to bee sought and explored , ere such perfection as wee now enjoy could bee attayned . for to instance grammar ; how long may wee imagine , and tedious might the taske be , ere so many rules could bee so aptly digested , and disposed ? how long before such rules could be by authority of so innumerable authors approved ? how long being approved , before they could so generally and without opposition be received ? the like may be spoke of logicke , which is rightly termed the locke of knowledge , opened by the key of art : what subtill and intricate sophismes ? what formall and effectuall conclusions ? what rules of art to direct them in the maine current of their proceedings ? those foure questions produced by arist. in his posteriors , how fit are they to be observed in the managing of every subject : quid nominis , quid rei , qualis sit , propter quid sit ? likewise his distinction or division of places ; topicall , or rhetoricall , called insita , being intrinsecally ingraffed or inserted in the nature of the thing : also places derived ab antecedentibus & consequentibus ; as the sunne hath showne , whence it followeth , that day hath appeared ; the sunne is set , whence it followeth that night is approached . also places derived à comparatione majorum minorum & aequalium . as if christ washed his disciples feet , much more ought wee to doe the same one to another . likewise in those locall circumstances , very necessary for searching and discussing the truth of any matter ; who , what , what time , and where , how , why , what helps were there ? why ; as the offence was more blame-worthy in iudas than if it had beene done by any other , being his disciple ; and so of the rest . all which , as they tend properly to the office of an orator ; so minister they no little elegancy even to our familiar discourse : wherein wee most commonly ( though wee observe not so much ) use some one of these places , to aggravate or extennate the subject whereof wee speake . the like also of rhetoricke ; what perswasive inductions , what powerfull arguments are there to be found ? the definition whereof , if wee should expresse in one word , it is , to make great things little , and little things great . after aeschines being banished athens , was come to rhodes , he declared in an oration the cause of his exile , the rhodians no lesse satisfied with the pregnancie of his reasons , than ravished with the elegancy of his phrase , wondred at the athenians who had banished him so undeservedly . o ( quoth he ) you heard not what demosthenes answered to my reasons ! this moved philip of macedon in a treaty of league betwixt him and the olynthians , to demand of them their orators : little doubting , but having once deprived them of the stayes and supporters of their state , by receiving them as hostages , hee might quickly receive the province into his subjection . it is above imagination to consider of the rare effects derived from moving or perswasive rhetoricians , resembling in some sort passionate actors ; who to move passion , such an order keepe , as they feigne teares to make their hearers weepe . now the difference betwixt actors and orators ( saith cicero ) is , that the one intermixeth levity in their action , to make their hearers laugh ; the other use all gravity , authority , and serious arguments ( with a gracefull insinuation ) to perswade . wherefore those are accounted ridiculous , these esteemed prudent . neither is this excellency of theirs onely in passion or efficacie of perswasion , but in a subject of more admiration : which is , they can make blacke seeme white , and cloath that which in the eye of the world seemes most deformed , in a beautifull habit which art polycrates that athenian rhetorician had , who praised the tyrant busyris ; the like had seneca , who praised the dissembling claudius ; favorinus , who commended the deformed thersites ; no lesse elegant was * maro in commending his gnat ; lucian a flie ; apuleius his asse ; also favorinus a quartan ague ; glauco , injustice ; synesius , baldnesse ; lucian , flattery ; erasmus , folly. which elegant paradoxes they have so wittily and perswasively handled , as they gained more approbation , than if they had been themes commonly received : for there is no discourse , of what nature soever , that can comparably delight the reader or hearer , like these which seeme opposite to opinion generally received , yet by strong and effectuall reasons use to be proved and maintained . neither was this rhetoricall art lesse required in the campe than in the court : for if wee should peruse histories both of ancient and succeeding times , wee should finde what rare effects were brought to passe by this smooth inducing art of rhetoricke . how souldiers became animated by hearing their leader play the orator , in extenuating the enemies power , in proposing assured hopes of victory , and putting them in mind of their ancestors glory ; againe , in shewing them the benefit of a rich booty , promising them much honour if they live , and no lesse memory of their valour if they should dye . the like ( to descend to all those arts whereof wee have formerly spoken ) may be said of the rare and admirable effects of the mathematicks : what singular conclusions have beene drawne from thence by the line of art ? what secrecies above humane conceit have beene drained and derived from that mysterious knowledge ? wherein many have offended rather by being too curious , than by being too little solicitous . whence it was , that euclid being demanded by one too inquisitive in the secrecies of heaven , touching a question , which ( as hee thought ) was more profound than profitable , hee answered ; surely , i know not this , but thus much i know , that god hateth such as are curious searchers after his secrets . i might here produce the basis on which the study of the mathematicks is grounded , as also the exquisite and admirable effects or conclusions from thence derived , but i hasten to the rest . the power of geometry was shewne sufficiently in that studious artist archimedes , who by his owne proper power repelled the whole force of marcellus and all his army , laying siege to syracusa : so as it was imagined that this one man did more good in the defence of the city by his art , than all the rest of the inhabitants did by the force of armes . neither had marcellus ( as it was generally thought ) in long time prevailed , although the city was in most places razed and ruined , if it had not beene by false and trecherous meanes privately yeelded and betrayed . where this mirror of his time , the famous archimedes , was suddenly in his study surprized , and by a common souldier ( much against marcellus will ) cruelly murdered . touching physike , what rare cures have beene wrought by such excellent and expert artists as have professed this knowledge ? it is wonderfull to read , what perfection mithridates attained in this profession , being the first that found and gave name to that knowne receit against all poison , mithridate : with which he so inured his body , to repell the force of poison ; as in his ebbe and decrease of fortune , when hee had lost in one houre what hee had in so many yeeres gained , being deprived of all meanes to cure his misery , he laboured to finde a way to end his misery , and that was to deprive himselfe of life ; which the better to effect , he drunke poison ; but so strongly had his former receits fortified his body against such baneful effects , as it would not worke , nor as hee expected , produce that tragicall issue with him . the rare cures of dioscorides ; the admirable experiments of hippocrates , to them that shall but peruse their workes , will confirme the excellency of this art : where the one concludeth , that art is long , life short , experience deceiving : implying , that so rare an art could not bee attained , but by much industry ; life being so short , and a very embleme of frailty , was to be used tenderly ; and experience being so deceiving , was to bee put in practice carefully . they give us this precept ; in sickenesse to respect health principally , and in health action . health , that we might might bee made for action ; action , that wee might the better preserve our health . lastly musicke , the first beginning or invention whereof , as it merits admiration ; so the perfection of it , at this day deserves applause : finding an open torteise on the ground , from it the art of musike first was found . so observeth du bartas ; which indeed may rather be limited to one kinde of instrument , whereto the torteise may seeme to have resemblance , that is , the lute . pythagoras chanced once into a company of drunkards , where a musitian ruled their lascivious banquet : hee presently commanded him to change his harmony with a dorion , ( or an heavier tone ) and so with this tragicke melody moved them to cast off their garlands , ashamed of whatsoever they had done , being brought by the accent of grave and solemne musicke to sobriety . whence it was , that aristotle forbiddeth in his common-wealth , certaine lascivious musicke , & alloweth the doricall , which is of another kinde . the arcadians by musicke were transformed from savage and barbarous people to civility , and transported ( as it were ) from the violent current of naturall cruelty , to affability and courtesie . shall wee descend to some diviner effects of musicke , confirmed by holy writ ? saul being vexed with an evill spirit , when david played upon his harpe , he was comforted , and the evill spirit departed . musick causeth mirth and moans ; divine mirth , as appeareth in solomons songs ; a holy turtle-like moane , as appeareth in ieremies lamentable threnes , davids penitentiall psalmes . elizeus prepared his spirit to receive the influence of prophecie by musicke . when israel had passed the red-sea , moses with the men , and miriam the prophetesse , sister of aaron , with the women , sung panegyries of praise to god , with hymnes and musicall instruments . the like did iudith , when shee had vanquished holofernes . so did deborah , when sisera was discomfited . augustine reports of himselfe , what comfort he conceived at the beginning of his conversion ; what teares hee shed , and how hee was inwardly moved with the harmony and melody which was used in churches : yet thought that holy father ( as hee rightly thought ) that he offended when he was delighted more with the note and melody of the song , than sense of the psalme : and therefore highly commendeth saint athanasius , who caused the reader of the psalme to sound out the words with so small a forcing of his voice , as it seemed rather like one that did pronounce it , than one that did sing it . but i feare me . i have strucke too long on this string ; wherefore , lest i should wrong your generous patience too much , for whom i addressed my selfe at first to this taske : i purpose now to descend from speaking of vocation in generall , to speake of the vocation of a gentleman in particular ; hoping to make amends by refreshing you in this , whose patience i have so much tired in the other . now are wee to addresse our selves in a more restrained and particular discourse , to propose a gentleman his vocation ; which , perchance , by our nicer and more curious gallants , whose sense consists in sent , will be distasted and dispalated : but to such , whose understanding consists not in perfumes , nor tye themselves , to the vaine garbe of complement , as the onely posture whereon gentry relyes , these ensuing observations will not ( i assure me ) seeme altogether unwelcome . saint bernard writing to one haimericus , chancellor of rome , in his very first salutation , without further insinuation , wisheth him to forget those things which are behind , and to follow the apostle to those things which are before . which no man can doe , that either stands still , or is idle . wherefore hermes saith generally , nothing in the whole world is altogether idle . the wiseman hath allowed a time for every thing else , but for idlenesse he hath allowed no time . moses arke had rings , and barres within the rings , to signifie that it was not made to stand still , but to be removed from place to place . iacobs ladder had staves , upon which he saw none standing still ; but all either ascending or else descending by it . ascend you likewise to the top of the ladder , to heaven , and there you shall heare one say , my father doth now worke , and i worke also . whereupon basil noteth , that king david having first said , lord , who shall dwell in thy tabernacle ? addes then , not hee that hath wrought righteousnesse heretofore , but hee that doth now worke righteousnesse ; even as christ saith , my father doth now worke , and i worke also . descend you likewise to the foot of the ladder , to the earth , and there you shall heare that figtree accursed , which did beare leaves and no fruit . whereupon theophylact noteth , that iohn baptist having first said , the axe is laid to the root of the tree ; addes then , not every tree that hath not brought forth good fruit heretofore : but , every tree that doth not now bring forth good fruit shall be cut downe , even as that fruitlesse fig-tree was cut downe , and cast into the fire . therefore we must so walke , as god seeing our continuall fruitfulnesse , may say of us , i see men walking like trees . men walke like trees , when men are never idle , but alwayes abounding in the worke of the lord : as the tree of life every moneth bringeth forth twelve manner of fruits . but that i may the better proceed in that which i have taken in hand ; you are to know , that the life of man is either active or contemplative , so as all our imployments have relation to the one , or to the other . which two were represented in mary and martha . the one whereof was very attentive , sitting at iesus feet , and heard his preaching : but martha was cumbred about much serving . the former sitting at iesus feet , hearing him preaching , may signifie likewise the spirituall man , whose actions , affections , motions and intentions , are wholly bent to the service of god , leaving all things to gaine him , who left his life upon the crosse to save him , the latter being cumbred about many things , signifies the naturall man , who betakes himselfe to the employments of this life , ministring to the necessity of his family , labouring with his owne hands to get him a competent living . neither are these to be divided one from the other , partaking indeed so neerly one of another . for as we are not altogether to imitate hermite or anchorite in being wholly retyred from the world ; so like the libertine or loose worldling are wee not too much to bee cumbred or intangled with the world . for the first , as it implyes a kind of hate to humane society ; so the latter infers our too much care to the things of the body . now to observe that golden meane , which may free us from being taxed by the one , or tainted with the other : i doe thinke it fitting , that gentlemen should be sociably affected , ever with a reservancie , with whom they keepe company ; likewise from worldly affections weaned , that being on earth they may have their minds seated above : being ( i meane ) so free in the inward man , as rather than they will slave the noblest motions of the soule to the unworthy bondage of the body , they will endure want , contempt , or whatsoever the blinde world can lay upon them . the vocation of a gentleman , without more curiositie of division , is either publike or private . publike , when imployed in affaires of state , either at home or abroad : at home , either in advising or acting ; abroad , as by way of embassage , or personall exploits in the field . private , when in domesticke businesse hee is detained , as in ordering his household ; or if not as yet attained to the name of housholder , in labouring to know such things as may ripen his understanding when he comes unto it . touching the first , to wit , publike affaires of state ; as all are not fit for such a charge or burden ; so there is a necessitie injoyned such , who are able to undertake so great and weightie a taske , to submit themselves willingly to the command of their soveraigne , whensoever his pleasure shall bee to make triall of their sufficiencie in affaires of state. in the carriage whereof , divers necessarie cautions have beene formerly observed by statesmen . as first , to avoid all occasions of distrust , never to shew too much inwardnesse with forraine states : for this may beget a suspect in your prince , that your aymes are neither faire nor loyall . it was this which broke byrons necke , being accused to have had conference with one picote , borne at orleans , and fled into flanders to have intelligence with the arch-duke , to which picote hee had given an hundred and fifty crowns for two voyages to that effect . likewise , it was objected against him , that he had treated with the duke of savoy three dayes after his comming to paris . likewise , the intelligence he had from the duke of savoy in the taking of bourges , giving him advice to attempt against the kings armie . likewise , that he should bring the king before s. katharines to be slaine there : and to that end had written to the governour , giving him some tokens to know his majestie . likewise , that he had sent la fin to treat with the duke of savoy , and the count of fuentes . to which , although hee replied , and in some sort purged himselfe , yet those treaties or parlies which were proved against him , shewed him guiltie of divers indirect proceedings against him . it is dangerous therfore to entertain conference with strangers in matters of state : for howsoever your aymes may be faithfull and honest , such treaties may bee so racked and misconstrued by such as maligne your greatnesse , as they will bring you in danger , if not to finall distresse . it is no lesse dangerous to one imployed in affaires of state , to bee too credulous ; and that in two respects : either by being too credulous in giving trust to the relations of others , or by being too credulous in imparting his thoughts to the secrecie of others . for the former , it detracts much from the worth and estimate of man , yea ( and if i may so say ) argues great indiscretion to have an eare open to all reports , seconding whatsoever is related , with an opinion of credulitie . for such as these , whom either greatnesse of place by descent , or some more noble and native characters of personall worth have advanced , need not want for relaters in this kinde , especially if they finde them apt to beleeve whatsoever they shall be readie to report . neither are any sort of men more subject to the garbe of strange and novell relations than travellers : who may arrogate to themselves a libertie of invention in this kinde , by authoritie . whence it is said , that travellers , poets and lyars , are three words al of one signification . now there is no meanes better to avoid the company of these fabulous relaters , than by interrupting them , or by requiting their tales ( to argue their incredibility ) telling stories farre more strange , and indeed beyond the compasse of common sense : whereof i have heard a merry conceited tale to this effect : a certaine traveller , or at least one who desired though hee never deserved that title , reporting wonderfull and incredible things which hee had seene in his travell , amongst the rest related this : vpon a time it befell ( said he ) that i travelled along a certaine desart in arabia felix , where i with others who then accompanied mee , were assayled by a violent showre , so as labouring to fly for shelter to some covert , wee might perceive a little coppice , wherein grew great store of cabbages of such huge proportion , as the very leaves thereof ( so largely extended were the spurges ) might by their greatnesse give shadow to five hundred men . this tale being told , one amongst the rest , to answer his tale , makes this reply by way of discourse upon such occurrents as had hapned him in his travell , proceeding thus ; it fortuned that i with some other gentlemen of eminent ranke and quality , travelled neere the riphean mountaines , in the clifts of which mountaines abundance of all metals , but especially of copper , is daily found : now as wee coasted along , wee might perceive some three leagues westward from those mountaines , a great number of people beating and knocking with incessant labour , but for what end we knew not : wherfore with one consent wee resolved to approach neerer them , and see about what they so eagerly laboured . where wee found five hundred braziers making of one caldron , which was of so huge proportion , as not any one of all those braziers , though they were all employed in one worke , could heare one another strike . good god ( quoth the former traveller ) for what use was so huge a caldron made ? surely ( replyed the second ) i cannot imagine for what use it should be , unlesse it were to boyle your cabbage in . this present and pregnant answer so daunted that fabulous traveller , as hee was ever after more sparing in discourse of his travels . a states-man ought likewise to beware of giving credit to all forrain relations : for divers there be who presuming of the distance of place , will invent and vent their inventions to curry favour : having so couched and digested their new-minted new●s , as they passe for currant , at least they seeme probable for the present . and herein certainely have many beene abused , giving approbation to what was spoken only by way of insinuation . the second respect , wherein a states-man ought not to be too credulous , is this ; hee must not be too open-brested in imparting his thoughts to the secrecy of others . for if wee say , that even a private man committing his secrecy to another , becomes his slave to whom hee committed it : much more a states-man , whose affaires have no other limit than the publike state , by imparting his thoughts , or rather laying himselfe open to the trust or secrecy of others , makes himselfe bound , where he was before free ; yea , hee endangers the body of the state , whereof hee is an especiall member , by commending or committing her private intendments to the hazard of rumour , which should not be so much as possessed of the least intelligence given in matters of such maine importance . to be full of chinks in affaires of ordinary consequence , implyes a great weaknesse : but especially , where the state is interrested , there is enjoyned that comicke impreza : if wise , seeme not to know that which thou knowest : at least , divulge not thy secret'st thoughts to the danger of discovery , whereby thou put'st thy head under anothers girdle . he is my dear friend ( saith one ) to whom i will impart my inferiour aimes ; but he shall be incorporated with me , to whom i will make knowne what may endanger me . the like is requisite to bee observed in affaires of state : where all counsels and consultations tending to the safety and security of the publike state , should be layd up as a secret treasure , and not discovered to every mans trust . this that prudent and politicke states-man , harpagus rightly understood , when in disclosing a secret of state unto cyrus that persian monarch , hee commanded such letters as included the summe of his directions , to be inclosed and sowed in the belly of a hare , and so dispatched the messenger towards that victorious commander . there is likewise required a noble and prepared resolution in every states-man : being so affected , as neither price can taunt him , nor power over-awe him : addressing his aymes wholly for the benefit of the state , preferring death before his countries prejudice . of this resolution or constancie of mind we have a notable example in lewis duke of bavaria commended for his constancie ; in so much as being threatned by albert the marquesse of brandenburgh , that if hee would not condescend to some reasonable ransome for his liberty , hee would deliver him over into the hands of his enemy , answered , aske that thing of me being prisoner , that thou wouldst aske of me at liberty . the like wee reade of pantaleon , who restrayned in most strait bondage , was never a whit dismayed , nor so much as sighed , when hee beheld his son paraxaspis thrust to the heart . this resolution or stoutnesse of mind , might be illustrated by divers examples of the like kind , but my purpose hath ever beene ( because these doe rather illustrate than prove or confirme ) to take them , as it were by the way , but in no case to dwell on them : wee will therefore descend to forraine imployments of state , as affaires of embassage or treaty with any prince or state. now it is expedient that such as be imployed in affaires of this nature , be choyce and select men both in gifts of nature , and state-experience . for in nature is the foundation layd , which by experience and continuall employment in state-busines , useth to be stored , furnished , and accomplished . so as i doe not altogether assent to his opinion , who thought that in choice of instruments to treat or negociate by way of embassie betwixt prince and prince ; it is better to chuse men of a plainer sort , who are like to doe that that is committed to them , and to report backe againe faithfully the successe , than those that are cunning to contrive out of other mens busines , somewhat to grace themselves , and will helpe the matter in report for satisfaction sake . for his conclusion agrees not with his premises ; for ( saith he ) if you would worke any man , you must either know his nature , and fashions , and so lead him ; or his ends , and so perswade him ; or his weaknesse and disadvantages , and so awe him ; or those that have interest in him , and so governe him . now how should a man , whom a simple plainnesse only possesseth , one whom no diving or penetrating reach enableth , one whom the outward semblance only instructeth , how should he ( i say ) by working any man , either know his nature or fashion , and so lead him ; since his eye can reach no farther than the outward seeming , which as oft deceives , as it receives diversity of habits which it weares ? or how should he ( i say ) know his ends with whom he treats , and so perswade him , since politicke men doe usually pretend that which they least intend : shewing a faire glosse , and putting on a false face to delude , and deluding to colour their designes more cunningly ? or how should he discover the weaknesse or disadvantages of the person with whom he deales , when his owne weaknesse so disables him , as hee oft-times lets opportunity slip , when the best advantage is for him ? or how discerne those which have interest in him , when his aymes are onely to conclude with him , with whom hee deales , without relation to any intercedent meanes to effect his busines ? neither is it to be doubted , but such whose understanding hath attained a higher pitch , will be as ready to doe that which is committed to them , as those on whom a more plainnesse hath naturally seized : for these will duly consider the great danger they are like to incurre , if they should exceed their commission either in doing too much , or detract from their commission in doing too little . for in affaires of this nature , especially parum agendum est de proprio , yea , though in the opinion of the party employed , it seeme that hee could goe more effectually to worke , than just as his commission directs him . manlius torquatus commanded his sonne to be put to death , for fighting ( albeit prosperously ) against his commandement . pub. crass. mutianus sending to his enginer to send him the bigger of his two ship-masts that he had seene in athens , to make a ram to batter downe the wals ; the enginer sent him the lesse , imagining it to be fitter : wherefore mutianus sent for the enginer , and caused him to bee so cruelly whipped with rods , that he dyed therewith . if disobedience in such affaires as these , being of lesser consequence , seemed among the heathen cause sufficient to pronounce sentence of death upon the offender ; what may they deserve , who in conceit of their owne wisedome , dare take upon them directions of their owne ; without tying themselves expresly to their commission ? and of these there bee two sorts : the one , even in greatest and most important matters , will presume to take upon them without direction of authority : wherein as they commonly erre , so they give advantage to him with whom they have to deale , of making his owne bargaine upon such termes as shall best please him : for how should one mans judgement equall a whole judicious councell ? so as in dealing with cunning persons , we must ever consider their ends , to interpret their speeches ; and it is good to say little to them , and that which they least looke for . the other sort tye themselves something more strictly or precisely to their commission ; for these will be loath to digresse from it in matters of weight and substance , but rather in some impertinent ceremony or circumstance : as wee reade in the generall history of spaine , that there came two embassadours out of france unto king alfonse the ninth , to demand one of his daughters in mariage for their soveraigne king philip one of which ladies was very faire , and named vrraca ; the other nothing so gracious , and called blanch. they both comming into the presence of the embassadours , all men held it a matter resolved , that their choyce would light upon vrraca , as the elder and fairer , and better adorned : but the embassadours enquiring each of their names , tooke offence at the name of vrraca , and made choyce of the lady blanch ; saying , that her name would be better received in france than the other . for matters of such indifferencie as these , it is not to be doubted but they are left to the discretion of the instruments : but for affaires of state , as they require due deliberation in discussing ; so require they the joynt assent and approbation of the state ere they come to concluding . there are likewise publike imployments , wherein gentlemen upon occasion may be interessed , which extend themselves to military affaires : in which , as it is not the death , but the cause of the death which makes a martyr , so it is not the action , but the ground of the action which merits the name of valour . that act of razis , in taking out his owne bowels , and throwing them upon the people , it was an act ( saith s. austin ) that tasted more of stoutnesse than goodnesse . for what could that act of his benefit his countrey ? wherein could it adde spirit to the distressed maccabees ? wherein allay the heavy burden of their affliction , or minister the least releefe in the time of their persecution ? that act of resolution by that noble bohemian , as it tasted more of true valour ; so it reared a columne of perpetuitie to his ever-living honour ; which exploit is thus recorded : when mahom●t the second of that name besieged belgrade in servia , one of his captains at length got up upon the wall of the city , with banner displayed . another bohemian espying this , ran to the captaine , and clasping him fast about the middle , asked one capistranus standing beneath , whether it would bee any danger of damnation to his soule , if hee should cast himselfe downe headlong with that dogge , ( so hee termed the turke ) to be slaine with him ? capistranus answering , that it was no danger at all to his soule , the bohemian forthwith tumbled himselfe down with the turke in his armes , and so ( by his owne death only ) saved the life of all the city . the like worthy exploits might bee instanced in those heires of fame , the rhodians , in the siege of their city : the knights of malta in their sundry defeats and discomsitures of the turks : the inhabitants of vienna , who being but a handful in comparison of their enemies , gave them not only the repulse , but wholly defeated their designes . this valour or fortitude , which indeed appeareth ever in the freest and noblest minds , is excellently defined by the stoicks , to be , a vertue ever fighting in defence of equitie . these who are professors of so peerelesse a vertue , are more ready to spare than to spill : their aimes are faire and honest , free from the least aspersion either of crueltie or vain-glory : for as they scorne to triumph over an afflicted foe , so they dislike that conquest ( unlesse necessitie enforce it ) which is purchased by too much bloud . the salmacian spoiles rellish better to their palate : for they are so full of noble compassion , as the death of their enemy enforceth in them teares of pitty . this appeared in those princely teares shed by caesar at the sight of pompeys head ; and in titus that darling of mankind , in those teares hee shed at the sight of those innumerable slaughters committed upon the iewes . now as my purpose is not to insist on the postures of warre ; so i intend not to dwell upon every circumstance remarkable in martiall affaires , but upon the maine scope of militarie discipline , whereto every generous and true bred souldier is to direct his course . let your aime bee therefore , gentlemen , to fight for the safetie and peace of your countrey , in the defence of a good conscience , which is to bee preferred before all the booties of warre : for as you have received your birth and breeding from your countrey ; so are you to stand for her , even to the sacrifice of your dearest lives ; provided , that the cause which you entertaine in her defence be honest , without purpose of intrusion into anothers right , or labouring to enlarge her boundiers by an unlawfull force . for howsoever the ancient heathens were in this respect faultie , being some of them truce breakers , others violent intruders or usurpers of what was little due unto them : wee for our parts have learned better things , being commanded not to take any thing from any man , but in all things learne to be contended . but of all enterprizes worthy the acceptance of a gentleman in this kinde , if i should instance any one in particular , none more noble or better deserving ( as i have else-where formerly touched ) than to warre against the turk that profest enemy of christendome ; the increase of whose empire may bee compared to the milt in mans body ; for the grandure of it threatens ruine and destruction to all christian states , drawing light to his halfe moone by darkening of others , and shewing even by the multitude of his insolent titles what his aimes be , if the lord put not a hooke in the nose of that leviathan . praise-worthy therefore are those glorious , and ( no doubt ) prosperous expeditions of such english and other christian voluntaries as have stood , and even at this day doe stand engaged in personall service against the great turke : for these , though they perish in the battell , shall survive time , and raise them a name out of the dust , which shall never be extinguished . these are they who fight the lords battell , and will rather die than it should quaile : these are those glorious champions , whose aime is to plant the blessed tidings of the gospell once againe in that holy land , which now remaines deprived of those heavenly prophets which she once enjoyed , of those godly apostles which she once possessed , of that sweet singer of israel with which her fruitfull coasts once resounded . o gentlemen , if you desire imployment in this kinde , what enterprize more glorious ? if you aime at profit , what assay to your soules more commodious ? if you seeke after fame , ( the aime of most souldiers ) what expedition more famous ? since by this meanes the practices of christs enemies shall be defeated , the borders of christendome enlarged , peace in sion established , and the tidings of peace every where preached . neither did ever time give fairer opportunity to effect it , than now , when the very guard of his person , his ianizaries begin to mutine and innovate , by interposing their suffrages in his government . besides , in assayes of this nature , being taken in hand for the peace and safety of christendome , assureth more securitie to the person engaged : for little need hee to feare a strong foe , that hath a stronger friend . admit therefore that you returne , as one that commeth with red garments from bozra , so as the devill and his angels like wilde bulls of basan run at you , you shall breake their hornes in his crosse for whom you fight . as wee have discoursed of imployments publike , which wee divided into two ranks , civill and military ; and of the manner how gentlemen are to demean themselves in court or campe ; so are we now to descend to imployments private , wherein wee purpose to set downe such necessary cautions or observances , as may seeme not altogether unprofitable or unusefull for the consideration of a gentleman . and first , i will speake of the imployment of a private iustice of peace , wherein he is appointed and made choice of , not only to redresse such annoyances as may seeme to prejudice the state of that countie wherein he lives , and is deputed iustice ; but likewise to mediate , attone and determine all such differences as arise betwixt partie & partie ; for to these also extends the office of iustice of peace . yea , wee are to wish him to be , as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a compounder , as a commissioner of the peace . godlinesse should bee their chiefest gaine , and right and peace their greatest joy : for such are both pacidici , & pacifici , pleaders for peace , and leaders to peace : peace-lovers , and peaceable livers . as for the rest , they are deservedly blamed , that confine all their practice not within those ancient bounds usque ad aras , but with those usuall bounds , usque ad crumenas . the old position was was , iustice is to bee preferred before profit ; but now the termes are transposed in the proposition , and the avaritious desire of having never disputeth of the equity of the cause , but of the utilitie . kinde men such are but where they doe take , hardening their hearts against the crie of the poore . if a man come to demand justice , hee shall speed ill , having no money to give , no coine to present , no friends to speake , his cause is like to fall . suppose out of two mites hee give one : the rich adversaries horse eats up the poore clients oats ; there needs no oedipus to unfold this riddle : in the end the poore sheepe , that lost but a locke of his wooll in the countrey , loseth his whole fleece in the citie ; consumeth what he hath , spendeth his time , loseth his hope , and falleth his suit , be it never so good and honest . whereas such ( and of such we only speake ) as doe a right judgement to the fatherlesse and widow , beare a resemblance of god , who is a loving father to the orphane , and a gracious iudge to the widow . these will not for conscience sake pervert the right of strangers , fatherlesse , &c. for such as doe so , shall bee b cursed upon mount ebal : but these like pure lampes , diffuse those divine beames of unblemished justice , to all places where they reside , resembling david , who c executed judgement and justice to all his people : or like that propheticall dove , ieremiah , ever d exhorting to execute righteousnesse & judgement . or like that good patriarke abraham , ever e commanding his houshold to doe righteousnesse and judgement . for these know , how f all the wayes of god are judgements . and , that , g just & like a great deepe are gods judgements . and the wicked h tremble at gods judgements . and the wicked , i understand and not gods judgments . and therfore strive against k perverse judgements . because they know what l equitie is to bee required in judgements . having ever before their m eyes gods judgements . o how pretious are the lips of those who preserve judgement , being an honour to their countrey , a pillar to the state , leaving a memorable name to themselves , which as that princely prophet saith , shall never rot ! these are they , who have their faces n covered , lest they should have respect unto the person ; as godlinesse is their gaine , and the preservation of a good conscience their principall ayme ; so if there were neither reward here , nor else where , for such as executed justice and judgement ; yet for conscience sake , and a sincere love they bore to truth , would they continue in their zealous care to the profession and protection thereof . these are not of that leaven who turne iudgement to worme-wood , and leave off righteousnesse in the earth . for such in stead of judgment and equitie , execute crueltie and oppression . these are not of that sort , who preferre the purple before the person , the person before the cause ; never examining the cause how good it is , but observing the man how great he is . no , their counsells and counsultations tend to the publike peace , and the redresse of such enormities as arise from vicious humours , breeding and spreading in the state. now what imployment more fitting or accommodate for a gentleman of what degree soever than this , which inables him in affaires tending as well to himselfe in particular , as the sterne of the state publike in generall ? would you see errours and abuses in the state redressed ? you are seated where by your owne authoritie you may have them reformed . would you have officers execute their places under you honestly , being from corruption freed ? your prince , by especiall notice taken of you , hath so advanced you , that you may see all offices under you duely executed , and where default shall bee , have them punished . would you further the poore mans cause , and see his wrongs releeved ? it is in your hand to effect that which you have desired . would you purge your countrey of such superfluous humours , as from long peace and too much prosperitie have oft-times issued ? you are those physitians who may lance & cure those broad-spreading sores , with which the state hath beene so distempered . would you curbe factious and contentious members , who like samsons fire-brands tyed to foxes tailes , kindle the fire of all division , and labour to have them extinguished ? you have authoritie to see such censured , that publike peace ( as becommeth a civill state ) might bee maintained . now there are two extremes which ( like two dangerous rocks ) are carefully to bee avoided , lest the precious freight of iustice might thereby be endangered . the one is rigour , the other indulgence : i approve therefore of his opinion , who would have intus mel , foris oleum ; as well cordialls as corrasives : for as some men ( and those of the basest & servilest condition ) are onely to be deterred from doing evill by the censure or penalty of the law ; so there are others of a more generous and noble disposition , who are only to be reclaimed by faire and affable meanes ; & these are to bee brought in rather by love than awe . for as wormewood of it selfe , expels diseases , yet is to bee anoynted with honey , that the improvident age of childhood might bee deluded , and they from their nurses teats the sooner weaned : so though this wormewood of rigour and severity bee of force to cure and expell most diseases raging or reigning ; yet being allayed with the honey of mercy and indulgence , it will sooner weane children , that is to say , such whose soft and easie temper is best perswaded by courtesie , than wormewood untempered , that is , than the law to her highest pin wrested . indeed these boanerges , the sonnes of thunder , are powerfull in deterring such , whose braving and domineering natures use to oppose themselves to right : for perswasions are as little available to these , as to sow sand in the ayre ; wherefore as the law hath provided fit meanes to curbe and chastise such , whose obstinate and refractory natures will not by easie meanes be induced , so hath it qualified or attempered the rigour or bitternesse of such provisions , where there is assured hope , that the partie by easier perswasions will bee reclaimed . for if wee will resemble that absolutest patterne or abstract of all iustice , god himselfe , wee shall reade that he came as well in a still voyce , as in thunder , so as , albeit a god when he delivered the law , came downe in the sire ; and the b glory of god appeared on mount sinai , as a consuming fire ; and out of gods mouth went a c consuming fire ; and in gods wrath against d israel was kindled fire ; and e eliah was taken up into heaven by a chariot and horses of fire ; and the f angell appeared to moses in a flame of fire ; and g every mans worke shall be tryed by fire ; yet god , as he is to the wicked a h consuming fire ; so to the godly he is a i comfortable fire . bee not then ever cloathed with fire ; reprove the enormities of the state with the spirit of mildnesse , which if it will not prevaile , unsheath the sword of iustice , that such may bee severely curbed , who by gentlenesse would not bee cured . it is not to bee doubted , but you shall encounter with delinquents of severall natures : the chastizing of both which sorts is left wholly to your discretion : for many things , though expresly enacted , are in respect of the manner , referred to your discretion to see them executed . many there are , who will rather die for the act , than discover the act : like epicharia a libertine of rome , who made privie to a conspiracie against nero , would not disclose the plotters thereof , though tormented with cruell punishments : or leena , who conspiratour against the tyrant hyppeas , was not agast at the death of her friends , though torne with extreme torments , but resolute to the end would not reveale her partners , but bit in sunder her owne tongue , and spit in the tyrants face . there are others likewise , who will expose themselves to all extremities that law can inflict , onely to gaine themselves a name ; such was herostratus , who burned the temple of diana of ephesus , onely for vaine-glory : but to these you are not to use indulgence ; for they that brave it in sinne , esteeming mischievous practices to bee their chiefest glory , are fallen into that gall of bitternesse , as in them there is small hope of remedie . better it is that one perish , than that unitie perish , and in these ( sure i am ) that maxime is true ; he that spareth the evill , hurteth the good : for it is impossible that any state should flourish with increase of good men , where there is no difference made betwixt the good and evill . wherefore you are to deale in the state , as skilfull gardners or vine-dressers doe with their vines ; they cause the wild branches to bee pruned , that their naturall siens may bee better nourished . vnfruitfull members , and such as are more burdensome than behovefull to a state , are to bee purged and pruned , that such whose honest care and providence deserves due praise among you may bee the more encouraged , seeing these , who used to live on others labours , duly punished . yet in all your censures beware of this , that no personall distaste aggravate in you the qualitie of the crime : i meane , let no private hate or dislike to any person , cause you to punish him , for this is a partiall and indirect proceeding , relying rather upon the authority of your place , than equity of the cause . farre more generous is it to bury all hate towards your foes , especially when by meanes of your place , it rests in your power to spare or punish . when caesar commanded the demolished monuments of pompey to bee set up againe ; cicero told him that in erecting pompeyes trophies , hee established his owne . and no lesse generous was scaurus , domitius his enemy , who when a certaine servant of domitius came before the judgement seat to accuse his master , hee sent him home to his master . the like of cato and murena . be your censures likewise free from passion ; for there is nothing that so troubles the pure current of iustice , or so much transformes man from himselfe , as giving way to wrath . the saying of archytas is much commended , who being angry with one of his hindes , said ; o how would i have beaten thee , had i not beene angry with thee ! heare the poore mans cause with an equall and impartiall eare ; let not the greatnesse of his adversary bee any barre to his plea , or any hinderance to his cause : beare your selves sincerely with all singlenesse , uprightly without partiall connivence ; standing for your foe equally as your friend , if your foes cause bee as honest as your friends . it was bias saying , that hee had rather bee a iudge amongst his enemies , than amongst his friends : and this might probably bee his reason ; because his enemies would pry more narrowly into his actions than his friends ; and therefore his desire was to bee by them onely approved , by whom he was chiefly observed . yea , herein might you partake of a right noble revenge upon your enemies ; in shewing apparent testimonies of your care and zeale to the truth ; in preventing all occasions of scandall ; in preferring , iustice even in cases which neerely concerne your friend , before all termes of friendship ; having the testimonie of a good conscience within you , as a wall of brasse against all opponents : for hence it was that diogenes being asked how one should be revenged of his enemy , answered , by being a vertuous and honest man. for the whole life of every good man giveth testimony unto god of the integrity or uprightnesse of his conversation . but beware above all things ( as i formerly noted ) of accepting or respecting persons ; for this is the very bane of iustice. let not the rich man with all his presents tempt you , nor those many friends which hee hath laid up in store to speake for him , taint you . fie for shame ( saith innocentius ) now adayes man is esteemed according to his money , whereas rather the mony should bee esteemed according to the man. every one is reputed worthy , if hee bee wealthy ; and naught , if hee bee needy ; whereas rather every one should be reputed wealthy , if bee worthy ; and needy , if hee bee naught . marcus caelius was said to have a good right hand , but an ill left hand ; because hee could plead against a man , better than for him . bee you so equally handed , as poyzing the weight of the cause sincerely , you may minister right judgement to all parties , beeing as ready to defend the cause of the needy , as of the wealthy , giving him the best countenance ; who hath the best cause . it was romes fault , which presages romes fall , to bee facunda inimicitiis , facunda praemiis ; farre be it from our iland , who as she hath enjoyed a long peace , so ought she to become more thankfull to that god of peace , who in his mercy hath strengthned her bulwarkes , enclosed her as a hedged garden , fed her with the flower of wheat , making her feete like hindes feete to runne the wayes which hee hath appointed . and so i come to speake of such private affaires , as require the care and charge of a gentleman , even within the compasse of his owne family . if there bee any that provideth not for his owne , and namely for them of his houshould , hee denieth the faith , and is worse than an infidell , saith the apostle . now how carefull should wee be to remove from us , so hatefull a title as the name of infidell ? have wee not our appellation from christ ? but in vaine are wee named after christ , if we doe not follow christ. wee were not borne to passe our time in an improvident or carelesse sensualitie ; wee were not created onely to cramme our selves , and spend our daies in security ; man ( saith iob ) was borne to labour , as the sparkes to flie upward ; at least to provide for his owne family , over which hee is made a master , by releeving them outwardly with all necessaries , and inwardly with all good and wholesome instructions . now to propose you a forme , in what manner you are to demeane your selves towards all degrees within your family : i shall little neede , since the apostle himselfe hath so notably laid downe every ones office or duty : where he sheweth in what manner wives are to submit themselves unto their husbands ; and againe , how husbands should love their wives , even as christ loved the church , and gave himselfe for it . in the next ensuing chapter , hee declareth the duty of children in these words ; children obey your parents in the lord , for this is right . then hee descendeth to the duty of parents ; and yee fathers , provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in instruction and information of the lord. then touching servants ; servants bee obedient unto them that are your masters according to the flesh , with feare and trembling , in singlenesse of your hearts as unto christ. concluding the last duty with masters ; and yee masters doe the same thing unto them , putting away threatning ; and know that even your master also is in heaven , neither is there respect of person with him . thus have wee briefly and cursorily runne over those particular duties , deputed to every one from the highest to the lowest in their peculiar places and offices ; where wee can finde no exemption from the servant to the master , but that certaine particular duties are enjoyned either . as every mans house is his castle , so is his family a private common-wealth , wherein if due governement bee not observed , nothing but confusion is to bee expected . for the better prevention whereof , i have thought good to set downe sundry cautions , as well for direction in affaires temporall , as spirituall : which observed , it is not to be doubted , but that god will give you all good successe to your endevours . first therefore , in affaires temporall i could wish you to observe this course ; so to provide for the releefe and supportance of your familie , as you may not onely have sufficient for your selves , but also bee helpfull unto others ; sufficient for your selves in providing food and apparell , being all which iaakob desired of god ; and helpfull unto others , in giving food and rayment to the fatherlesse , in providing releefe for the desolate and comfortlesse , in harbouring the poore , needy and succourlesse , and briefly in ministring to the necessity of the saints , and all such as are of the family of faith. and because providence is the way by which releefe both to your selves and others , may bee sufficiently ministred , beware of prodigality , and excesse , lest you give your honour unto others , and your yeeres to the cruell . lest the strangers should bee filled with your strength , and your labours bee in the house of a stranger . goe rather to the pismire , who though shee have no guide , governour , nor ruler , provideth in summer her granary for winter . neither is it sufficient to gather , but frugally to dispose of that which is gathered : this providence admits of no vitellius break-fasts , nor cleopatra's bankets . the prodigals dainty tooth brought him to feede on huskes . esau's to sell his birth-right for a messe of pottage . ionathans for a honey-combe to endanger his life . the israelites to murmure against moses . babylons golden cup , to fill her full of abominations . i have observed , and no lesse admired than observed how some have , consumed their estates in satisfying their appetites , and that only in the choice of meats & drinks ; and was not this a great vanity ? that those whom meats , though lesse delightfull , yet more healthfull , might have sustained , and fewer diseases occasioned , could not content themselves with that which might have better satisfied nature , but to shew themselves epicures rather than christians , will bestow the revennues of a manour upon the superfluous charge of a supper . for these are they , who like the erycthons bowels , will disgorge as much upon the boundlesse expence of their own family , as might serve wel for releeving a whole countrey . these are they who like the endive or misselto , suck up al the natiue verdure and vigor of such plants as they inwreath : for by their excesse , though their owne luscious palats taste no want , the comonalty feeles it , when they goe to the markets , and finde the rate of all provision inhaunced by such , whose prodigality scarce extends a provident eye to themselves , much lesse to the behoofe of others . it is said of cambletes the gluttonous king of lydia , that hee dreamed hee devoured his wife , while they lay sleeping together in the same bed ; & finding her hand betweene his teeth when hee awaked , hee slew himselfe fearing dishonour . howsoever the history bee authenticke ; sure i am the morall taxeth such , whose epicureall mindes are only set upon prodigall expence , without respect either of present fortunes , or care to posterity , whose want is oft-times procured by their riot . to bee short , as parcimony is too late when it comes to the bottome ; so it may bee with discretion used , when it is at the top : for i approve of his opinion , who would have a gentleman neither to hoord up niggardly , nor lash out all lavishly . for as the former argueth a miserable and ignoble minde , so the latter sheweth a minde improvident and indiscreet ; both which are to bee so avoided , that a meane betwixt both may bee duely observed . for as i would have a gentleman , even in arguments of outward bounty , shew whence he was descended ; so would i have him keepe a hanke , lest his too free disposition bee through necessity restrained . so as in matters of expence , i hold his resolve authenticke , who said ; i will never spare where reputation bids me spend , nor spend where honest frugality bids me spare . it is a good rule , and worthy observation : for whosoever spares , when with credit and reputation hee should spend , is indiscreetly sparing : and whosoever spends , when with honest frugality he may spare , is prodigally spending . now in governement of a family , as i would not have you too remisse ; so i would not have you too severe , towards your servants ( i meane ) and those who have received their severall charge from you : this it was which moved the apostle to exhort masters to put away threatning ; adding this reason : for know that even your master also is in heaven , neither is there respect of person with him . therefore it was saint augustines prayer unto god , that hee would root out of him , all rashnesse , frowardnesse , roughnesse , unquietnesse , slownesse , slothfulnesse , sluggishnesse , dulnesse of minde , blindnesse of heart , obstinacie of sense , truculencie of manners , disobedience to goodnesse , repugnance of counsell , want of bridling the tongue , making a prey of the poore , shewing violence to the impotent , calumniating the innocent , negligence of subjects , * severity towards servants , harshnesse towards familiars , hardnesse towards neighbours . hence note , how in this holy fathers repetition and enumeration of many grievous and odious sins , hee toucheth severity towards servants , as a hainous and egregious offence : and not without great cause ; for if we bee taught not to muzzle the oxe that treadeth out the corne : and that , we are to spare the life of our beasts : much more ought wee to have mercy over such as partake with us in the same image , which wee have equally from him received , by whom wee live , move and have our being . i approve therefore of them , who put on the spirit of mildnesse towards such as are deputed or substituted under them , bearing with one anothers weakenesse , as those who have a compassionate feeling of humane infirmities , not laying such heavy burdens upon them , as they themselves will not touch with their finger , but will in some measure partake with them in all their labours . but of all other vices incident to masters , there is none more hateful in the sight of god and man , than the unthankefulnesse or disrespect of masters towards their servants , when they have spent their strength , and wasted themselves in their service . these like the greyhound in the fable , may well say , that they see nothing can please , but that which doth profit : when they were young , able and fit to endure labour , they were respected ; whereas now being old , infirme , and helplesse , either to themselves or others , they are sleightly regarded . whereas , if they were thankfull masters , these whom they once loved for profit-sake in youth , they would now love in age , in respect of the profit they reaped by their youth . but , alas , doe we not see how nothing is more contemptible than an old servingman ? hee may say hee was a man in his time , but that is all . there is no man that will know him , since his blew-coat knew no cognizance ; the losse of his crest , makes him hang downe his crest , as one crest-fallen : so as the poore larke may boast of more than he may ; for every larke hath his crest , saith simonides , but hee hath none . to redresse this , as in humanitie you ought , so i know such as are generously disposed , will : that those who have deserved well under you , being now growne aged , yet unpreferred , may by our care be so maintained , that their service of labour may be made a service of prayer , offering their sacrifice of devotion unto god , that great master of a houshold , that he in his mercy would give a happy successe unto all your endeavours . now as the labourer is worthy of his wages ; for , cursed is he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire : so there is an especiall care required in every seruant to looke unto that which is given him in charge . for the better discharge whereof , it is inioyned you that be masters , not to be too remisse in your care , and over-seeing thereof ; for much over-sight is usually committed for want of a good overseer . admonish your servants that they intend their charge ; suffer them not to idle , but in their peculiar places to doe that which they in dutie are to performe , and you in reason are to expect . wherein , as they proceed in diligence , so are you to requite their care with a cheerefull thankfulnesse . if it be your lot to have such an one as iaacob was , ( as rare it is to find such an one as he was ) reward him not with a bleare-eyed leah , for a beautifull and faire rachel : i meane , abridge not , nor scant not their wages ; for this is a discredit to your selfe , and a discouragement to your servants . if he say , these twenty yeares i have beene with thee : thine ewes , and thy goates have not cast their young , and the rams of thy flocke have i not eaten . whatsoever was torne of beasts i brought it not unto thee , but made it good my selfe : of mine hand diddest thou require it , were it stollen by day , or stollen by night . i was in the day consumed with heat , and with frost in the night , and my sleepe departed from mine eyes . thus have i beene twenty yeares in thine house , and served thee fourteene yeares for thy two daughters , and six yeares for thy sheepe , and thou hast changed my wages ten times . if ( i say ) he hath thus served you , and shewne faithfulnesse in that charge over which he was appointed , reward him with a bountifull hand , and encourage his care with your best countenance . whereas , contrariwise , if you meet with such a servant , that saith in his heart , my master doth deferre his comming ; and shall begin to smite the servants , and maidens , and to eat , and drinke , and to be drunken ; you are not to use remisnesse to such a servant , but to cut him off , lest you give example unto others , by your indulgence , to be of the like condition . in briefe , as a good servant is a precious jewell , tendring the profit and credit of him he serveth ; so an evill servant , whose service is onely to the eye , and not for conscience sake , is a scatterer of his substance whom he serveth ; aiming only at his owne private profit , without least respect had to his masters benefit . difference therefore you are to make of their care in cherishing the one , and chastising the other ; which can hardly be effected , unlesse you , who are to make this difference of your servants , have an eye to their imployments . neither would i have your care so extended , as to afflict and macerate your selves by your excessive care : a meane is the best , both in the preservation of health and wealth ▪ be diligent ( saith solomon ) to know the state of thy flocke , and take heed to thy herds . yet withall note his conclusion ; let the milke of thy goates be sufficient for thy food , for the food of thy family , and for the sustenance of thy maids . whence you may observe , that to gather is admitted , so the use or end for which we gather be not neglected . for such , whose hydrop●icke minds ever raking and reaping , yet know not how to imploy the blessings of god , by a communicative exhibition unto others , are become vassals unto their owne ; making their gold-adoring affection an infection , their reason treason , and the wealth which they have got them , a witnesse to condemne them . but i have insisted too long on this point , especially in framing my speech to you , whose more free-borne dispositions will ever scorne to bee tainted with such unworthy aspersions : wherefore i will descend briefly to such instructions , as you are to use touching spirituall affaires , being masters of housholds in your private families . wee reade that abraham commanded his sonnes , and his houshold , that they should keepe the way of the lord , to doe righteousnesse and judgement . and wee are taught what we must doe returning from gods house to our owne : and what we are to doe sitting in our houses , even to lay up gods word in our heart , and in our soule , and binde it for a signe upon our hand , that it may be as a frontlet betweene our eyes . and not onely to be thus instructed our selves , but to teach them our children , speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house , and when thou walkest by the way , and when thou lust downe , and when thou risest up . and not so onely , but thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house , and upon thy gates . whence you see , how no place , time , or occasion is to be exempted from meditating of god : but especially in housholds and families ought this exercise of devotion to he frequently and fervently practised ; for a blessing is pronounced upon the performance hereof , as appeareth in the foresaid place , and the nexet ensuing verse , where he saith ; you shall doe all that i have commanded you , that your dayes may be multiplyed , and the dayes of your children , in the land , which the lord sware unto your fathers to give them , as long as the heavens are above the earth . marke the extent of this blessing , for it promiseth not onely length of dayes to them that performe it , but even to the children of them that performe it ; and that in no unfruitfull or barren land , but in the land which the lord sware unto your fathers to give them ; and that for no short time , but so long as the heavens are above the earth . so as , this blessed promise , or promised blessing , is ( as one well observeth ) not restrained , but with an absolute grant extended : so that , even as the people that were in the gate , and the elders wished in the solemnizing of that mariage betwixt boaz and ruth , that their house might be like the house of pharez ; so doubtlesse , whosoever meditates of the law of the lord , making it in his family , as a familiar friend to direct him , a faithfull counsellor to instruct him , a sweet companion to delight him , a precious treasure to enrich him , shall find successe in his labours , and prosperitie in the worke of his hands . but amongst all , as it is the use of masters of housholds to call their servants to account for the day past ; so be sure , gentlemen , and you who are masters of houses , to enter into your owne hearts , by a serious examination had every night , what you have done , or how you have imployed your selves , and those talents which god hath bestowed on you , the day past ; in imitation of that blessed father , who every night examined himselfe , calling his soule to a strict account , after this manner ; o my soule , what hast thou done this day ? what good hast thou omitted ? what evill hast thou committed ? what good , which thou shouldst have done ? what evill , which thou shouldst not have done ? where are the poore thou hast releeved ? the sicke or captive thou hast visited ? the orphan or widow thou hast comforted ? where are the naked , whom thou hast cloathed ? the hungry , whom thou hast refreshed ? the afflicted and desolate , whom thou hast harboured ? o my soule , when it shall be demanded of thee , quid comedit pauper ? how poorely wilt thou looke , when there is not one poore man that will witnesse thy almes ? againe , when it shall be demanded of thee , vbi nudus quem amiti victi ? how naked wilt thou appeare , when there is not one naked soule that will speake for thee ? againe , when it shall be demanded of thee , vbi sitiens quem potasti ? esuriens quem pavisti ? vbi captivus quem visitasti ? vby moestus quem relevasti ? o my soule , how forlorne , wretched , and uncomfortable will thy condition be , when there shall not appeare so much as one witnesse for thee to expresse thy charity ? not one poore soule whom thou hast releeved ! one naked whom thou hast cloathed ! nor one thirstie whom thou hast refreshed ! nor one hungry whom thou hast harboured ! nor a captive whom thou hast visited ! nor one afflicted whom thou hast comforted ! thus to call your selves to account , by meditating ever with saint hierome of the judgement day , will be a meanes to rectifie your affections , mortifie all inordinate motions , purifie you throughout , that you may be examples of piety unto others in your life , and heires of glory after death : concluding most comfortably with the foresaid father ; if my mother should hang about me , my father lye in my way to stop me , my wife and children weepe about me , i would throw off my mother , neglect my father , contemne the lamentation of my wife and children , to meet my saviour christ iesus . for the furtherance of which holy resolution , let no day passe over your heads , wherein you addresse not your selves to some good action or imployment . wherefore apelles posie was this , let no day passe without a line . be sure every day you doe some good , then draw one line at the least : according to that , line upon line , line upon line . and phythagoras posie was this , sit not still upon the measure of corne . doe not looke to eat , except you sweat for it : according to that , hee which will not worke , let him not eat . in my fathers house ( saith christ ) are many mansions . so that no man may sing his soule a sweet requiem , saying with that cormorant in the gospel , soule take thy rest : for in heaven onely , which is our fathers house , there are many mansions to rest in . in this world , which is not of our fathers house , there are not many mansions to rest in , but onely vine-yards to worke in . wherein , because not to goe forward , is to goe backeward , we are to labour even to the day of our change . hereupon charles the fifth gave this embleme , stand not still , but goe on further ; vlterius : as god saith to his guest , superius : sit not still , but sit up higher , doing thus , and resolving to be no masters over that family , whose chiefest care is not the advancement of gods glory , you shall demeane your selves , being here worthy that vocation or calling , over which you are placed , and afterwards , by following hard toward the marke , obtaine the prize of the high calling of god in christ iesus . the english gentleman argument . of the difference of recreations ; of the moderate , and immoderate use of recreation ; of the benefits redounding from the one , and inconveniences arising from the other ; of recreations best sorting with the qualitie of a gentleman ; and how he is to bestow himselfe in them . recreation . recreation , being a refresher of the mind , and an enabler of the body to any office wherein it shall bee imployed ; brancheth it selfe into many kinds ; as hawking , which pleasure , one termed the object of a great mind , whose aymes were so farre above earth , as he resolves to retire a while from earth , and make an evening flight in the ayre . hunting , where the hounds at a losse shew themselves subtill sophisters , arguing by their silence , the game came not here ; againe , by being mute , it came not there ; ergo , by spending their mouthes it came here . fishing , which may be well called the embleme of this world , where miserable man , like the deluded fish , is ever nibbling at the bait of vanitie . swimming , an exercise more usuall than naturall , and may have resemblance to these diving heads , who are ever sounding the depths of others secrets ; or swimming against the streame , may glance at such whose only delight is opposition . running , a recreation famously ancient , solemnized by the continued succession , or revolution of many ages , upon the * olympiads in greece , so as the accompt or yearly computation came from races , and other solemne games used on olympus , wrastling , leaping , dancing , and many other recreations of like sort , as they were by the continuance of many yeares upon olympus kept , and with publike feasts duly celebrated : so in many places of this kingdome , both southward in their wakes , and northward in their summerings , the very same recreations are to this day continned . shooting amongst the scythians and parthians , was an exercise of especiall request , as afterward amongst the amazonites , being women expert above all people of the world in shooting , and practising the dart. bowling amongst the romans was much used , especially in lucullus time , whose garden-alleyes were ever stored with young gentlemen , who resorted thither to recreate themselves with this exercise . the greekes had a a cynosargus , to traine and exercise their youth in wrastling , and a cerostrotum to annoint their bodies in before they wrastled . the ancient romans had a b circus , to inure and practise their youth against military service , wherein they wrestled and contended . they used likewise , as the french doe to this day , the exercise of the c ball , which play is never sufficiently praised by galen : being an exercise wherein all the organs or faculties of mans body are to be imployed ; as the eye to be quick and sharpe in seeing , the hand ready in receiving , the body nimble in moving , the legs speedy in recovering . that fencing also was of much use and practice among the romans , even in their height of glory , and during the flourishing time of their empire , may appeare by that high commendation which cicero giveth it , terming it , d the strongest and soveraignest exercise against death and griefe . the iusts , turnaments and barriers ( likewise ) were amongst our ancient knights usually practised and observed , both for gaining the favour of such ladies as they loved , as also for the honour of their countrey , vanquishing such strangers with whom they contended ; may appeare in histories of all ages . or to descend to more soft and effeminate recreations : we shall find , of what great esteeme musicke was , even with some , who were in yeares as ripe , as they were for wisedome rare . socrates , when he was well strucke in yeares , learned to play upon the harpe . minerva and alcibiades disliked the loude musicke of dulcimers and shalmes , but admired the warbling straines of the harpe . plato and aristotle would have a man well brought up in musicke . lycurgus in his sharpe lawes allowes of musicke . chyron taught achilles in his tender yeares musicke . achasia , with diotima and hermione , taught pericles prince of troy ( or rather duke of athens ) musicke . epaminondas of leuctra , was experienced in musicke . themistocles was lesse esteemed , because not seene in musicke . alexander was so ravished with musicke , that when he heard a trumpet , he used to cry , ad arma , ad arma ; not able to containe himselfe : so highly were his spirits erected by the force of musicke . painting likewise among the ancient pagans , was for a recreation used , though at this day , through the dishonour our painted sepulchers doe to their maker , much abused . fabius surnamed pictor from whence the fabij tooke their names , was a painter , for he painted the walls of the temple of peace . metrodorus a philosopher , and painter of ath●ns , sent to by l. paulus to bring up his children , and to decke the roman triumphs . protogenos his table wherein bacchus was painted , moved king demetrius lying at the city rhodes , so much to admire his rare art and workmanship , that whereas he might have consumed the city with fire , he would not for the preciousnesse of that table : and therefore staying to bid them battell , wonne not th● city at all . so campaspe pictured out in her colours by by apelles ; and crotons five daughters , lively pourtrai'd by zeuxes , gained those famous artists no lesse honour . howsoever his art was in painting , i cannot chuse but commend his quicke wit in answering , being by them reproved whom he most distasted ; and thus it was . two cardinals reproving one raphael a painter , in that he made the pictures of peter and paul too red , answered , that saint peter and saint paul were even as red in heaven , as they saw them there , to see the church governed by such as they were . this device or invention of painting , was by the pagans generally , but especially those of the better sort , taken onely for a recreation , and no trade or profession ; labouring to shew their cunning in beautifying , garnishing and adoring the triumphs of their conquerours , or indecoring their temples dedicated to the gods . as the scythes used to erect obeliskes or square stones upon the hearse of the deceased , in number so many as he had slaine of his enemies : where he that had not slaine an enemy , could not drinke of the goblet , spiced with the ashes of some memorable ancestos , at solemne feasts and banquets . for other painting ( too much affected at this day ) it was not so much as used by any matron , wife , or virgin. whose best red was shamefastnesse , and choisest beauty maiden bashfulnesse : onely , as festus pompeius saith , common and base whores , called shaenicolae , used daubing of themselves , though with the vilest stuffe . but this may seeme an art , rather than a recreation ; wee will therefore descend to some others , whose use refresheth , and recreateth the minde , if imployed as they were first intended , being rather to beguile time , than to reape gaine . and first for the antiquity of dice-play , we have plenty of authorities every where occurring : being much used by all the roman emperours at banquets and solemne meetings , where they bestowed themselves and the time , at no grame so much as dice . so as , augustus was said to be a serious gamester at dice : affecting them much , when at any time he retired from court , or campe. whence it is , that suetonius bringeth in augustus caesar speaking thus ; si quas manus remisi cuique exegissem ; aut retinuissem quod cuique donavi , vicissem , &c. if i had exacted those chances which i remitted every one ; and kept that which i bestowed , i had gotten by play ; whereas now i am a loser by my bounty . though no game more ancient , or which indeed requireth a conceit more pregnant than the chesse ; which we read to have beene in great request amongst the ancient romans , whereof we have a history in the time of caius caligula , tending to this purpose . this emperour being naturally addicted to all cruelty , chanced one day amongst others , to send for one canius iulus , a philosopher of eminent esteeme at that time : with whom , after some conference , the emperour fell into such a rage , as he bade him depart thence , but expect within short time to receive due censure for his boldnesse : for ( quoth he ) flatter not thy selfe with a foolish hope of longer life , for i have doomed thee to be drawne by the officer unto death : but see with what resolution this noble canius bore himselfe ! i thanke you ( quoth he ) most gracious emperour , and so departed . within some few dayes after , the officer ( according to the emperours commandement ) repaired to the houses of such as were adjudged , not by any legall processe , but only by the emperours pleasure , to suffer death ; amongst which , he made repaire to canius house , whom he found playing at chesse with one of his companions . the officer without delay gave him summons to prepare himselfe , for it was the emperours pleasure he should dye : whereat , as one nothing amated or discouraged , he called the officer unto him , and * numbring the chesse-men before him and his companion with whom he played : see ( quoth he ) that after my death thou report not that thou hadst the better of the game : then calling upon the centurion or officer , bee you witnesse ( quoth he ) that i was before him one . thus laughed this noble philosopher at death , insulting as much over death , as he insulted over him , who adjudged him to death . this kinde of game , now of latter yeares is growne so familiar with most of our neighbouring countries , as no one play more affected , or more generally used . so as we have heard of an ape who plaid at chesse in portingall : which implyed , the daily use and practice of that game , brought the ape to that imitation , and certainly , there is no one game which may seeme to represent the state of mans life to the full , so well as the chesse . for there you shall find princes and beggars , and persons of all conditions , ranked in their proper and peculiar places ; yet when the game is done , they are all truss'd up in a bagge together : and where then appeares any difference betwixt the poorest beggar , and the potentest peere ? the like may be observed in this stage of humane frailtie : while we are here set to shew during the chesse-game of this life , wee are according to our severall rankes esteemed ; and fit it should be so , for else should all degrees be promiscuously confounded : but no sooner is the game done , the thred of our short life spunne , than we are throwne into a bagge , a poore shrowding sheet , for that is all that we must carry with us : where there shall be no difference betwixt the greatest and least , highest and lowest : for then it shall not be asked us how much we had , but how we disposed of that we had . thus farre have we discoursed of the first part , to wit , of the difference of recreations : thinking it sufficient to have touched onely such as are most usuall and knowne unto us . for some others , which we have purposely omitted , lest our mindian gate should grow greater than our city , we shall have occasion to speake of some of them , when wee are to discourse of such recreations , as are to be made choise of by gentlemen of best ranke and qualitie . in the meane time we will descend to the second part , to wit , the moderate and immoderate use of recreation . if wee eat too much honey , it will grow distastfull ; so in recreations , if we exceed , they must needs grow hurtfull . i approve therefore of his opinion , who adviseth us to doe with recreations , and such pleasures wherein we take delight , as nurses doe with their brests to weane young children from them : annoint them a little with aloes ; sprinkling our sweetest delights with some bitternesse , to weane us from them with more easinesse . neither is it my meaning , that gentlemen should be so from the pleasure of recreation weaned , as if from society wholly estranged : for this were like him , who became hermit because hee might not have her he loued . or like to him who immur'd himselfe to a rocke , as if he cared not a button for the world , having bestowed upon butters all the state he had in the world . but rather so to attemper , or allay the sweetnesse of such pleasures or delights as they betake themselves to , that they bee never too much besotted with them . this course that gentleman took , who , perceiving himselfe too much affected on hawking , resolved one day to weane his mind a little from it , by trying his patience with some inconveniences incident to it . wherefore hee set a lazie haggard on his fist , and goes to his sport : where hee finds store of game , but few flights ; for wheresoever the partridge flew , his hawke never made farther flight than from tree to tree , which drove the gentleman faulconer to such impatience , as hee lesse affected the pleasure for long time after . the like i have heard of a gentleman , who used much bowling , which recreation hee so continually practised , for the love hee bore it , as his occasions were much neglected by it ; which to prevent , as hee rode farre for his pleasure , so hee stayed late ere hee returned home , of purpose , so to become wearied , that his mind by that meanes might from his pleasure bee the sooner weaned . but these experiments as they are oft failing , where the mind is not come to settling : so , in my opinion , there is no meanes better or surer to weane man , endued with reason , from being too much captived or inchayned with these pleasures , than to consider what benefits redound from moderate recreation , and againe what inconveniences arise from immoderate delight therein . first then , let us consider the end for which recreations were ordained , and wee shall find that they were rather intended to beguile time , than to bestow our selves on them all our time . though many , too many there be , who will not stick to say with him who sported himselfe in the warme sunne , vtinam hoc esset vivere , would to god this were to live ; would to god this recreation were a vocation , this pleasure my trade for ever . no , as recreation was at first intended for refreshing the mind , and enabling the body to performe such offices as are requisite to be performed : so is it not to be made a trade or profession , as if we should there set up our rest , and intend nothing else . consider therefore the benefits which redound by a moderate or temperate use of recreation . first , it refresheth or cherisheth the mind , accommodating it to all studies : clearing the understanding which would be easily depressed , if either with worldly cares , or more noble and generous studies , wholly restrained . it is said of asinius pollio , that after the tenth houre he would be retained in no busines , neither after that houre would he reade so much as any letter . of cato likewise , that hee used to refresh his mind with wine : the like of solon and archesilaus , that they would usually cheere their spirits with wine : yet , whosoever should object drunkennesse to cato , might sooner prove that crime honest , than cato dishonest . so as , whether we beleeve the greeke poet , it is sometimes pleasing to be a little madding ; or plato , who in vaine expulsed poets the bounds of his common-weale ; or aristotle , that there can never be any great wit without some mixture of folly : we shall find , that even the gravest and most experienced statists have sometimes retyred themselves from more serious affaires , to refresh and solace their tired spirits with moderate recreations . the poet excellently describes a man buried in the deepe slumber of contemplation , after this manner ; he dies , pent up with study and with care . so were the anchorites and hermites in former time , being wholly divided from society ; yea so immured , as they seemed to be buried living . whose conversation , as ( questionlesse ) it argued a great mortification of all mundane desires ; so it ministred matter of admiration to such , who , given to carnall liberty , wondred how men made of earth , could bee so estranged from conversing with inhabitants of earth . but to leave these , and imagine their conversation to be in heaven , though their habitation was on earth : wee perceive hence , how beneficiall recreation is to the mind , in cheering , solacing , and refreshing her , if used with moderation . how it lessens those burdens of cares , wherewith shee is oppressed ; revives the spirits , as if from death restored ; cleares the understanding , as if her eyes , long time shut , were now unsealed ; and quickens the invention , by this sweet respiration , as if newly moulded . neither is this benefit so restrained , as if it extended only to the mind ; for it confers a benefit likewise to the body , by enabling it to performe such labours , taskes or offices , as it is to bee employed or exercised withall . there are two proverbs which may be properly applyed to this purpose ; once in the yeere apollo laughs ; this approves the use of moderate recreation . apollo's bow 's not alwayes bent ; this shewes that humane imployments are to bee seasoned by recreation : we are sometimes to unbend the bow , or it will lose his strength . continuall or incessant employment cannot be endured : there must be some intermission , or the body becomes enfeebled . as for example ; observe these men , who , either encombred with worldly affaires , so tye and tether themselves to their busines , as they intermit no time for effecting that which they goe about : or such as , wholly nayled to their deske , admit no time for recreation , lest they should thereby hinder the progresse of their studies : see how pale and meager they looke , how sickly and infirme in the state of their bodies , how weake and defective in their constitution ? so as to compare one of these weaklings with such an one as intermits occasions of busines , rather than he will prejudice his health ; reserving times as well for recreation and pleasure , as for imployment and labour , were to present a spectacle of inius dwarf , not two foot high , and weighing but seventeen pound , with iolaus the youthfull son of iphiclus , whose feature was free , complexion fresh , and youth renewing ; such difference in proportion , such ods in strength of constitution . for , observe one of these starved worldlings , whose aimes are only to gather and number , without doing either themselves or others good with that they gather ; with what a sallow and earthly complexion they looke , being turned all earth before they returne to earth ! and what may be the cause hereof , but their incessant care of getting , their continuall desire of gaining , being ever gaping till their mouthes be filled with gravell . so these who are wholly given , and solely devoted to a private or retired life , how unlike are they to such as use and frequent society ? for their bodies , as they are much weakned and enfeebled , so is the heat and vigour of their spirits lestened and resolved , yea their dayes for most part shortned and abridged ; the cause of all which proceedeth from a continuall secluding and dividing themselves from company , and use of such recreations , as all creatures in their kind require and observe . for if we would have recourse to creatures of all sorts , wee shall find every one , in his kind , observe a recreation or refreshment in their nature : as the beast in his chace , the bird in her choice , the snaile in her speckled case , the polypus in her change , yea the dolphin is said to sport and play in the water . for as * all things were created for gods pleasure , so hath he created all things to recreate and refresh themselves in their owne nature . thus farre have we discoursed of moderate recreation , and of the benefits which redound from it ; being equally commodious to the mind as well as the body , the body as well as the mind : to the mind in refreshing , cherishing and accommodating it to all studies ; to the understanding , in clearing it from the mists of sadnesse : to the body , in enabling it for the performance of such labours , taskes , o● offices , as it is to be imployed or interessed in . it now rests that wee speake something of her opposite , to wit , of immoderate recreation , and the inconveniences which arise from thence ; whereof wee shall but need to speake a word or two , and so descend to more usefull points touching this observation . as the wind caecias drawes unto it clouds , so doth immoderate recreation draw unto it divers and sundry maine inconveniences : for this immoderation is a loosener of the sinewes , and a lessener of the strength , as moderation is a combiner of the sinewes , and a refiner of the strength . so dangerous is the surfet which wee take of pleasure or recreation , as in this wee resemble chylo , who being taken with the apprehension of too much joy , instantly dyed . now who seeth not how the sweetest pleasures doe the soonest procure a surfet ? being such as most delight , and therefore aptest to cloy . how soone were the israelites cloyed with quailes , even while the flesh was yet betweene their teeth , and before it was chewed ? so apt are wee rather to dive than dip our hand in honey . most true shall every one by his owne experience find that saying of salomon to be , it is better to goe to the house of mourning , than to goe to the house of feaesting ; for there may we see the hand of god , and learne to examine our lives , making use of their mortality , by taking consideration of our owne frailty : whereas in the house of feasting , wee are apt to forget the day of our changing , saying with the epicure , eat , drinke , and play ; but never concluding with him , to morrow we shall die . so apt are we with messala corvinus to forget our owne name , man , who is said to be corruption ; and the sonne of man , wormes meat . for in this summer-parlour , or floury arbour of our prosperity , wee can find time to solace and recreate our selves : lye upon beds of ivory , and stretch our selves upon our beds , and eat of the lambes of the flocke , and the calves out of the stall . singing to the sound of the violl , and inventing to our selves instruments of musicke like david . drinking wine in bowles , and anointing our selves with the chiefe oyntments , but no man is sorry for the affliction of ioseph : so universall are we in our iubile , having once shaken off our former captivity . to prevent which forgetfulnesse , it were not amisse to imitate the romane princes , who ( as i have elsewhere noted ) when they were at any time in their conquests or victorious triumphs with acclamations received , and by the generall applause of the people extolled , there stood one alwayes behind them in their throne , to pull them by the sleeve , with memento te esse hominem : for the consideration of humane frailty is the soveraignest means to weane man from vaine glory . whence it was that themisto●les , when symachus told him , that he would teach him the art of memory , answered , he had rather learne the art of forgetfulnesse : saying , he could remember enough ; but many things he could not forget , which were necessary to be forgotten ; as the over-weening conceit of himselfe , the glory of his exploits , and merits of his actions , the memory whereof tended more to his prejudice than profit . but to descend to the particular inconveniences occasioned by immoderate recreation ; we shall find both the mind and body , as by moderation cheered and refreshed , so by immoderation annoyed and distempered . it was a good rule which those great men of rome observed in their feastings and cup-meetings ; wee will drinke not to drowne us , but to drowne care in us : not to reave sense , but revive sense : not as those who are ever carousing in the cup of nepenthe , steeping their senses in the lethe of forgetfulnesse . for these , like those base elyots slaved to ebriety , have buried that glory of man , the reasonable part , in the lees of sensuality . these are so farre from standing upon their guard , as the divell may safely enter , either upon the fore-ward or rere-ward , without resistance : for mans security is the divels opportunity , which he will not slip , though man sleep . i read of one leonides a captaine , who perceiving his souldiers left their watch , upon the citie wals , and did nothing all the day long but quaffe and tipple in ale-houses neere adjoyning , commanded that the ale-houses should be removed , being the cittadels wherein they resided , from that place where they stood , and set up close by the wals ; that , seeing the souldiers would never keepe out of them , at the least-wise that they might watch as well as drinke in them . these were souldiers fit for such a captaine , and a captaine worthy the training of such souldiers ; being one who could sort himselfe to the necessity of the time , and frame himselfe to their humour ; when hee could not bring them off with more honour , yet hee brought them to stand upon their guard , though they could hardly stand to their tackling ; so as i conclude , their march could not chuse but be lazie , when their heads were so heavie . generally , but irregularly is this broad-spreading vice of drunkennesse holden now a-dayes for a recreation ; so deepely rooted is the custome of impiety , being once strengthned by impunity . for what is our sabbath recreation in city and countrey , but drinking and carousing ; imagining ( belike ) that the sabbath cannot be profaned , if wee use not such workes or labours wherein our vocation is usually imployed ? if the iewes made the temple of god a den of theeves ; wee come neere them in making that our temple , which gives harbour unto theeves . for what are our city , or countrey ale-houses , for most part , but the divels booths , where all enormities are acted , all impieties hatched , all mischievous practises plotted and contrived ? these are those sinkes of sinne , where all pollution and uncleannesse raigneth , where fearfull oathes and profanation rageth , whence all sensuall liberty ariseth . o gentlemen ! let not this professed friend to security attend you : it wil make you unlike your selves , transforming that glorious image which you have received , like circes guests , who became swine , by being too sensually affected . it was sage cleobulus saying , that ones servant made merry with wine , was not to bee punished ; for ( saith hee ) in seeing him , thou shalt see thy folly of drunkennesse all the better . whence it was that some countries have formerly used ( though the custome seeme scarcely approved ) to make their slaves or vassals drunke , to shew unto their children the brutish condition of that vice ; whereby they might be the better weaned and deterred from that , which , through the liberty of youth , is usually affected . for if we should but observe the brain-sicke humours of these professed drunkards , wee would rather admire how reason should bee so strangely drenched and drowned in the lees of senselesse stupidity , than ever be drawne to become affecters of so loathsome a vice . yet see the misery of deluded man ; how many , and those of excellentest parts , have beene , and are besotted with this sinne ? for who ever lived , and shewed more absolute perfection in action and person , than that great conqueror and commander of the whole world , alexander the great ? yet what uncomely parts playd he in his drunkennesse ? how full of noble affability and princely courtesie being sober ? how passionately violent , once fallen to distemper ? witnesse the burning of persepolis , to which cruell attempt hee was perswaded by a common and profest strumpet , even thais , whom all greece had noted for a publike prostitute . likewise his killing of clitus , being one whom he so dearely affected , as he was never well , but when he enjoyed his company . of both which facts he so repented , as it was long ere hee would be comforted . neither only such as he , who was a souldier , and therefore might seeme rather to claime in some sort a liberty in this kind : ( for of all others , we observe such as these to be more addicted to these distempers , than others whose more civill and peaceable conversation have inur'd them to better temper : ) but even those ( i say ) whose sincerity of life , and severity of discipline had gained them all esteeme in their countrey , have beene likewise branded with this aspersion : as censorius cato , than whom none more strict or regular ; asinius pollio , than whom none more gracious or popular ; solon , than whom none more legall ; archesilaus , than whom none more formall . yet if we did but note how much this vice was by the pagans themselves abhorred , and how they laboured to prevent the very meanes , whereby this vice , might be either cherished or introduced , wee would wonder , that moderation in a heathen , should be so weakly seconded by a christian. amongst them , kinsmen kissed their kinswomen , to know whether they drunke wine or no ; and if they had , to be punished by death , or banished into some iland . plutarch saith , that if the matrons had any necessity to drinke wine , either because they were sicke or weake , the senate was to give them licence , and not then in rome neither , but out of the city . and how much it was hated , may appeare by the testimony of macrobius , who saith , that there were two senatours in rome chiding ; and the one called the others wife an adulteresse , and the other his wife a drunkard , and it was judged that to be a drunkard was more infamy . thus you see even in pagans , who had but onely the light of nature to direct them , how loath they were to drowne the light of reason through drunkennesse , being indeed ( as a good father well observeth ) an enemy to the knowledge of god. to conclude then this first point ; may it be farre from you , gentlemen , to deprive your selves of that which distinguisheth you from beasts : make not that an exercise or recreation , which refresheth not , but darkeneth the understanding . drinke you may , and drinke wine you may , for wee cannot allow the device of thracius , but wee must disallow saint pauls advice to timothy , vse a little wine for thy stomacks sake , and thine often infirmities . so as you are not enjoyned such a strict , or laconian abstinence , as if you were not to drinke wine at all : for , being commanded not to drinke , it is to bee implyed , not to use drunkennesse , wherein is excesse ; for in many places are wee allegorically and not literally to cleave to the text. as for origen , strange it is , that perverting so many other places by allegories , onely he should pervert one place , by not admitting an allegory . for our lord commanding to cut off the foot , or any part of the body which offendeth us , doth not meane wee should cut off our members with a knife , but our carnall affections with a holy and mortified life ; whence it is , that a origen was justly punished by using too little diligence , where there was great need , because hee used too great diligence where there was little need . no lesse worthy was b democritus errour of reproving , who was blinded before hee was blind : for a christian need not put out his eyes , for feare of seeing a woman , since howsoever his bodily eye see , yet still his heart is blind against all unlawfull desires . neither was crates thebanus well advised , who did cast his money into the sea , saying , c nay sure i will drowne you first in the sea , rather than you should drown me in covetousnesse and care . lastly , d thracius , of whom aulus gellius writeth , was for any thing that i can see , even at that time most of all drunken , when hee cut downe all his vines , lest hee should be drunken . no , i admit of no such strict stoicisme ; but rather ( as i formerly noted ) to use wine or any such strong drinke to strengthen and comfort nature , but not to impaire her strength or enfeeble her : for as by a little we are usually refreshed , so by too much are wee dulled and oppressed . there are some likewise , and these for most part of the higher sort , ( i could wish they were likewise of the better sort ) who repaire to the house of the strange woman , sleeping in the bed of sinne , thinking so to put from them the evill day : and these are such as make whoredome a recreation , sticking not to commit sinne even with greedinesse , so they may cover their shame with the curtaine of darkenesse . but that is a wofull recreation , which brings both soule and body to confusion ; singing lysimachus song , short is the pleasure of fornication , but eternall is the punishment due to the fornicator : so as , though hee enjoy pleasure for a time , hee shall be tormented for ever . but consider this , gentlemen ; you ( i say ) whose better breeding hath instructed you in the knowledge of better things , that if no future respect might move you ( as god forbid it should not move and remove you from these licentious delights ) yet respect to the place whence you descended , the tender of your credit which should be principally valued , the example which you give , and by which inferiours are directed , should be of force to weane you from all inordinate affections , the end whereof is bitternesse , though the beginning promise sweetnesse . it was demosthenes answer unto lais , upon setting a price of her body , non emam tauti poenitere : sure i am , howsoever this heathen orator prized his money above the pleasure of her body , and that it was too deare to buy repentance at so high a rate ; that it is an ill bargaine for a moments pleasure , to make shipwracke of the soules treasure ; exposing reputation and all ( being indeed the preciousest of all ) to the object of lightnesse , and subject of basenesse , paying the fraught of so short a daliance with a long repentance . wherefore my advice is unto such as have resorted to the house of the strange woman , esteeming it only a tricke of youth , to keepe their feet more warily from her wayes : for her house draweth neere unto death , and her paths unto hell. so as none that goe in unto her , shall returne , neither shall they understand the wayes of life . let such as have herein sinned , repent ; and such as have not herein sinned , rejoyce , giving thankes to god , who hath not given them up for a prey to the lusts of the flesh ; craving his assistance to prevent them hereafter , that the flesh might be ever brought in subjection to the spirit . for , as the lionesse having beene false to the lion , by going to a libard ; and the storke consorting with any other besides her owne mate , wash themselves before they dare to returne home ; and the hart after he hath satisfied his desire , retires to some private or desolate lawne , hanging downe his head , as one discontent , till he hath washed and rinsed himselfe , and then hee returnes cheerefully to his herd againe : so wee cannot be unto god truly reconciled , till wee be in the flood of repentance thorowly washed . thus shall you from the wayes of the strange woman be delivered ; thus shal your good name , which is aptly compared to a precious ointment , remaine unstained ; and a good report shal follow you , when you are hence departed . there is another recreation used by gentlemen , but especially in this citie ; which , used with moderation , is not altogether to be disallowed : and it is repairing to stage-playes ; where , as they shall see much lightnesse , so they may heare something worthy more serious attention . whence it is , that thomas aquinas giveth instance in stage-playes , as fittest for refreshing and recreating the mind ; which likewise philo iudaeus approveth . but for as much as divers objections have beene , and worthily may bee made against them , wee will here lay them downe , being such as are grounded on the sacred word of god ; and , with as much perspicuity and brevity as we may , cleare and resolve them . playes were set out on a time by the citizens for the more solemnity of a league concluded betwixt the cantons of berna and tiguris ; touching which playes , sundry differences arose amongst the ministers of geneva , which could not easily be determined , about a young boy , who represented a woman in apparell , habit , and person : in the end it was agreed of all parts , that they should submit the determination of this difference , with generall suffrage and consent , to the authenticke and approved judgement of their beza , holden for the very oracle both of vniversity and citie ; and who had sometimes beene vers'd in theatrall composures , to his glory . this controversie being unto him referred , hee constantly affirmed , that it was not onely lawfull for them to set forth and act those playes , but for boyes to put on womens apparell for the time . neither did hee only affirme this , but brought such divines as opposed themselves against it , to be of his opinion , with the whole assent and consent of all the ecclesiasticall synod of geneva . now in this first objection , we may observe the occasion , which moved these zealous and learned divines to make a doubt of the lawfulnesse of stage-playes ; because ( said they ) it is not lawfull for men to put on womens apparell , or women to put on mens : as we reade how stephanio , an actor of roman playes , was whipped , for having a mans wife waiting on him , shorne in manner of a boy . which doubt , being so soundly and sincerely cleared by so conspicuous a light of the church , wee will no longer insist upon , but descend to the next objection . we are therfore to come to another place of scripture , pressed likewise by such as oppose themselves to the lawfulnesse of stage-playes , as we find it written in the . psalme : turne away mine eyes that i see no vanity . which requireth of us a two-fold consideration ; generally , for the whole nature of things , as in that place of salomon , vanity of vanities , &c. in which sense i freely confesse that stage-playes may passe under the name of vanity . specially , for subjects vaine , light , foolish , frivolous , fruitlesse , being such as are to bee applyed or accommodated to no good use or profitable end ; in which sense or signification our stage-playes may in no sort be termed vanity . for we shall gather , by a right use and application of such things as we shall heare and see , many excellent precepts for instruction , sundry fearefull examples for caution , divers notable occurrents or passages which , well applyed ( as what may not be perverted ) may conferre no small profit to the judicious hearer . the third objection may probably ground it selfe upon the testimony of saint luke , chap. . . w●e unto those that laugh now , &c. whence it may be gathered , that , if the scripture condemne laughter , then consequently stage-playes also , whose speciall aime and intendment is to make men laugh . but it is to be understood , that christ directeth his speech to those perverse and malicious men , whose mourning is but a dissembled sorrowing , outwardly grieving , and inwardly laughing ; who speake one thing with their mouth , but professe another thing in their life : for this is not to be understood of the common society or conversation of men , as if christ should forbid any one to laugh at all ; but rather of immoderate laughter : whence is that of the poet ; woe unto thee whose spleene affecteth laughter , for thy short joy shall turne to sorrow after . for , as feare begetteth humility , so too much mirth procureth levity . much laughter corrupteth manners , and looseth the sinewes of their former strength , but a grave countenance is the preserver of knowledge : yet addeth ecclesiastes unto this ; there is nothing better than for man to rejoyce in his workes ; which david confirmeth , psalme penult . so as there is nothing by this objection proved , but what with all reason may be approved ; for immoderate mirth is that which is here condemned , being that which we have in this observation especially touched and taxed : whence wee may inferre , that moderate delight , tasting more of sobriety than levity , is not onely allowed , but commended . the fourth objection is taken from saint matthew , chap. . . but i say unto you , that for every idle word , &c. of which words , that we may use no other exposition , than what the ancient fathers themselves have used ; wee will shew in this place their severall expositions upon this parcell of holy scripture . tertullian in his booke of patience , understandeth by every idle word , whatsoever is vaine and superfluous . but theophylact by idle words understandeth lyes , calumnies , all inordinate and ridiculous speeches . chrysostome , almost after the same manner interpreteth it , saying , that by idle words are understood such as move uncomely and immodest laughter . gregory understandeth by these which want the profit ever redounding from modesty , and are seldome uttered upon any precedent necessity , things frivolous , fables , old-wives tales . all which severall expositions , as they agree in substance , so doe wee cloze with them in every circumstance . for such as these which corrupt youth by light and scurrilous jests , so little are they to be affected , as the very stages ▪ where these are used are to be hated . for the fifth , it is written cor. . . and exod . . the people sate downe to eate and drinke , and rose up to play : which argument is drawne from chrysostome , where he sheweth that by these words the apostle meant two maine inconveniences , being the effects of false worship , and endangering the soules shipwracke , to wit , the idolatry , or idolomany of the israelites done to the golden calfe in dan and bethel . but farre be this from the conceit of any , to imagine , that stage-playes , intended for modest delight and recreation , should ever move the spectatour to such abomination . for so much ought stage-playes to bee from introducing any to such impiety , as they should not so much as once present in their shewes or pageants , ought that might tend to the depraving of the hearer in matters of conversation , much lesse in drawing their minds to any profane or pagan opinion : which should not bee so much as once named , much lesse entertained amongst christians . for the sixth , it is grounded on the foundation of the same apostle , where in divers places he writeth expresly against fables ; as tim. . . give no heed to fables , &c. againe , tim. . . but cast away profane , and old wives fables , &c. againe , tim. . . taxing such as shall turne their eares from the truth , and shall be given unto fables . againe pet. . . the apostles in their doctrine were not directed by deceivable fables . but for these comedians , let them speake for themselves , being such as follow the steps of terence , menander , &c. or may be properly referred to the lesbian rule of menander , and the lydian stone of paul. for such as breed corruption in our manners ( that i may jumpe in opinion with plato ) let them saile to * anticyra , and undergoe due censure for their errour . but how worthy the works of some of the ancient comedians have bin , may appeare by the apostle's alleaging divers of their sentences in his epistle , and vouchsafing to use the name of their poets , by a generall title , to approve some things in them worthy reading . as that of luke . . a proverbe used by euripides in his tragedies ; that also of menander , made sacred by the mouth of the apostle paul , cor. . . as it is likewise manifest that the same apostle paul used the authority of aratus and epimenides , act. . . all which adde a reverend approbation to the authority of poets . the seventh objection which these stage-antagonists frame , is taken from ephes. . . where the apostle willeth and warneth that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. that is , such things as become no man , and which our very eares should abhorre to heare , ought not to be so much as once named amongst christians . whereto i answer , that as these things tending to lightnesse were inveighed against by the apostle , that he might leave unto us a more excellent patterne or example of modesty , which is an ornament that suteth best with the children of god : so there is none , having the light of grace in him , or fearing the judgement that is to come , who will applaud these scurrilous jests , which are wont to deprave , but seldome to edifie the understanding : whereof the poet speaketh ; iests that unseasond are i cannot beare , for they distaste a modest bashfull eare . but it may be here againe objected , that every thing being ( as augustine testifieth , ) either a hinderance or a furtherance ; these stage-playes , which are properly called the bellowes of vice , may rather seeme a hinderance in the course and progresse of vertue , then any furtherance to him in his practice therein . besides , playes ( saith ambrose ) ought not to be known of christians , because there is no mention at all made of them in holy scripture . whereto we briefly answer thus with peter martyr , that sound and profound divine , that in holy scripture we have ( as it were ) a generall rule set downe unto us , touching all things mediate or indifferent , in the number whereof are playes necessarily included . yea , but augustine the prince of the latine fathers , seemes to affirme , that even those stages or theaters where their interludes were acted , were more abominable then those idolatrous sacrifices , which in honour of the pagan gods were offered . but hence is to be understood , that this holy father meant of such solemn playes or interludes , as were acted and usually celebrated by the heathen in honour of their father * liber , and other ethnicke gods for the yearely increase of their fruits : wherein many uncomely and immodest parts were played . yea , but where shal we find these stage-actors in former times so much as countenanced , being such as quintilian termeth expresly , hypocrites , from counterfeiting the manner , measure , motion , gesture , gate , grace , and feature of such persons as they represent ; whose fashion they often reteine when they have resumed their owne habit ? yes , and by the eminent'st and noblest personages . edward the sixt so much approved them , as he appointed one who was a witty courtier to be ( as it were ) the chiefe master or disposer of the playes , who by his office should take care to have them set forth in a princely and sumptuous sort ; which office to this day reteines the name of the master of the revels . likewise our late queene elizabeth of blessed memorie , rightly stiled the worlds phoebe ; among women a sybilla , among queenes a saba , how well shee approved of these recreations , being ( as shee termed them , ) harmelesse spenders of time , the large exhibitions which shee conferred on such as were esteemed notable in that kind may sufficiently witnesse . neither did shee hold it any derogation to that royall and princely majestie , which shee then in her regall person presented , to give some countenance to their endeavours , whereby they might be the better encouraged in their action . yea , if we would but peruse some books treating of this subject , wee should find poets in generall to have received such countenance and approbation from the most eminent'st princes , as their poems never wanted patrons , nor the authors themselves benefactors : which by instances i entend here to confirme , though the prosecution hereof may seeme digressive to our present discourse . wee read how much amyntas king of macedonia , made of the tragicall poet euripides , the athenians of sophocles ; in what price the noble and heroick poems of homer were holden by alexander , placing them in that curious cabinet which he got in the spoile of darius : and not onely homer the father of the poets , was so honoured by him , but for his sake all other meaner poets : in so much as cherilus no very good poet had for every verse well made , a philips noble of gold , amounting in value to an angell english , and so for every hundred verses ( which a cleanly hand could presently dispatch ) hee had an hundred angels . and since alexander the great , how theocritus the greeke poet was favoured by ptolomie king of egypt , and berenice his wife . ennius likewise by scipio , virgil and horace by augustus ; betwixt which two poets the emperour sitting one day , and one that might be bold asking what he did ; marrie ( said he ) i sit here betweene groanings and teares ; for the one was ever sighing , & the other seemed as if he were ever weeping . but to descend to our later times ; how much were iehan de mehune , and guillamn● de loris made of by the french king ? and ieffery chaucer , father of our english poets , by richard the second ; who , as it was supposed , gave him the mannor of newholme in oxfordshire ? and gower by henry the fourth ? harding by edward the fourth ? also how francis the french king made sangelais , salmonius , macrinus , and clemens marot of his privie chamber , for their excellent skill in latine and vulgar poesie ? and henry the eighth , for a few psalmes of david , translated and turned into english meeter by sternhold , made him groome of his privie chamber . also one gray , in what favour grew he with henry the eight , and after with the duke of somerset , protectour , for his hunt is up , hunt is up ? and queene marie , for one epithalamie , made by vargus a spanish poet , at her marriage with king philip , solemnized in winchester , gave him during his life two hundred crownes pension . nor were poets only eminent in this kind , but esteemed for their universality of knowledge , apt for any office publike ; as in the administration of common-weales affaires , conduct of armies , &c. for we find that iulius caesar was not onely the most eloquent orator of his time , but also a very good poet , though none of his doings therein be now extant . quintus catulus a good poet , and cornel. gallus treasurer of aegypt ; and horace the most delicate of all the roman lyricks , was importuned by many letters of great instance , to bee secretary of state to augustus the emperour ; which hee neverthelesse refused for his unhealthfulnesse sake ; and being a quiet man , and nothing ambitious of glory , retired himselfe from publike deportments . and ennius the latine poet , was with all respect entertained as a fellow and counsellor by african , for his amiable conversation . so antimenides , of whom aristotle reports in his politicks ; and tyrtaeus the poet , though a lame man , was chosen by the oracle of the gods from the athenians , to be generall of the lacedemonians army . nor may that noble and honourable memoriall of that worthy woman twice french queene , lady anne of britaine , wife first to charles the eighth , and after to lewis the twelfth , adde lesse glory to this exquisite art ; who passing one day from her lodging toward the kings side , saw in a gallerie m. allan● chartier the kings secretary , an excellent poet , leaning on a tables end asleepe , and stooped downe to kisse him , saying thus in all their hearings : wee may not of princely courtesie passe by and not honour with our kisse , the mouth from whence so many sweet ditties and golden poems have issued . yea plato himselfe , howsoever he may be said to exclude divers poets the bounds of his common-weale , for their obscene and immodest labours , which effeminated youth , training them rather to the carpet than the campe ; yet wrote he many epigrams and excellent poems in his younger yeeres , before hee intended himselfe to philosophy . for even in fables appeare seeds of vertues , as macrobius testifieth . yea , but our stage-stingers , or poet-scourgers , will againe object , that these theaters , which were at first erected for honest delight and harmelesse merriment , grow many times busie with states , laying aspersions on men of eminent rank and quality ; and in briefe , will spare none , so they may gaine themselves by disparaging others . but i must answer thus much for them , albeit , - non me tenet aura theatri ; that such as imploy their pens in taxing or tainting any noble or meriting person in this kind , deserve no better censure , then as they whipt , so to be whipt themselves for their labour : for they must know ( to use the words of one who was once an eminent statist ) that some things are priviledged from jest , namely religion , matters of state , great persons , any mans present businesse of importance , and any case that deserveth pity ; and generally , men ought to find the difference betweene saltnesse and bitternesse . certainely , he that hath a satyricall veine , as hee maketh others afraid of his wit , so hee had need be afraid of others memory . this was very straitly looked into by the ancient heathens , who ordained many strict lawes to punish such bitter satyrists as touched the good name of any citizen , either in publike stage , or any private worke . the ancient romans had a law enacted in their twelve tables , that whosoever should impeach any ones good name , or detract from the credit of his person , either in verse or action , should suffer death . so as tiberius slew scaurus , and not altogether undeservedly , for writing a spitefull tragedy against him . in like manner did augustus banish ovid , for writing too wantonly towards some that were neere him . so nero injoyned lucan silence , for his * smooth invection framed against him . so as stesichorus , writing bitterly against helen , aristophanes against clean , eupolis against alcibiades , callisthenes against alexander , suffered equall punishments according to their demerits . this eupolis is said to be one of the first comedians , and was drowned in hellespont , about the time of that famous sea-fight betweene the lacedemonians and athenians : but i can scarcely assent to his opinion ; for wee find it recorded , that hee was throwne into the sea by alcibiades , for presenting him on the publike stage , embracing timandra in a lascivious sort ; and that hee used these words : oft times , eupolis , hast thou drowned me upon the stage , i will once drowne thee in the sea . thespis likewise is said to be the first inventer of a tragicke scene , as * horace witnesseth : thespis , some , say inventing first the straine of tragicke scenes , grew famous in his veine ; whose actors that ye might the better note , with painted faces sung the lines he wrote , mounted in chariots ; which with greedy eares the people heard , and hearing sent forth teares . and in these did satyrus ( no doubt ) among the greekes shew an admirable art , being so highly extolled by demosthenes ( for unto him did this satyrus propose the first forme of speaking plainely and articulately ) as hee was no lesse praised by him , then the roman roscius was by cicero , or aesopus , to whom cicero useth many titles of love and familiarity in his epistles . for roscius and aesopus were held the choicest and chiefest orators , even at that time when the common-weale excelled not onely in eloquence , but also in wisedome . the like of pilades and hyla , master and scholler , who were such passionate actors , as they enforced admiration in the hearer . but to what end should i prosecute either comicke or tragicke subjects any further ? my opinion briefly is this ; as comedies should breath nothing but terenee's art , cecilius gravity , menanders sweetnesse , aristophanes conceit , and plautus wit : so tragedies should relish of nothing but of the royall and majestick measures of sophocles , the sententious fulnesse of euripides , and the sincere integrity of seneca . for these which tend to corrupt youth , making their stages stewes , or their scenes meere satyres , to detract from the credit or estimation of any person , either publike or private ; as their authors deserve due punishment , so should they be avoyded : the former sort , because they are in danger to deprave us ; the latter , because perhaps wee shall heare them touch the credit of such as are neere us . for such as enterludes ( gentlemen ) as participate with neither of these , but in a temperate and equall course mixe profit with honest delight ; you shall account the time you bestow in hearing them , not altogether fruitlesly spent . for albeit the italians are held worthy before all others to carry away the garland for poesie , being for number and measure fuller , and for weight and merit better , as may appeare in the happy labours of petrarch and boccace ; yet if wee looke home-ward , and observe the grace of our presentments , the curiosity of our properties , and propriety of our action , we may justly conclude , that no nation is , or hath beene so exquisite in that kind . but to draw in our sailes , touching this recreation : as i approve of the moderate use and recourse which our gentlemen make to playes ; so i wholly condemne the daily frequenting of them : as some there be ( especially in this citie ) who , for want of better imploymnet , make it their vocation . and these i now speake of , be our ordinary gentlemen , whose day-taske is this in a word : they leave their beds to put on their clothes formally , repaire to an ordinary , and see a play daily . these can find time enough for recreation , but not a minutes space for devotion . so as i much feare me , when they shall be strucke with sicknesse , and lie on their death-bed , it will fare with them as it fared with a young gentlewoman within these few yeares ; who being accustomed in her health every day to see one play or other , was at last strucke with a grievous sicknesse even unto death : during which time of her sicknesse , being exhorted by such divines as were there present , to call upon god , that he would in mercy look upon her , as one deafe to their exhortation , continued ever crying , oh hieronimo , hieronimo , me thinkes i see thee , brave hieronimo ! neither could she be drawne from this with all their perswasions ; but fixing her eyes intentively , as if she had seene hieronimo acted , sending out a deep sigh , shee suddenly dyed . and let this suffice to have beene spoken of the moderate use of this recreation : upon which i have the longer insisted , because i am not ignorant how divers and different opinions have been holden touching the law fulnesse of stage-playes , which i resolved to reconcile in as briefe and plaine a manner as i could , before i descended to the rest . for as much as wee have begun to treat of such recreations as require small use or exercise of the body , wee will first proceed with such as follow , being ranked in the same siedge , because recreations of the same nature : descending from them to exercises requiring more alacrity of spirit , and more ability of body . of these , which may be rather termed exercises of the mind , then exercises of the faculties of the body , are cards and dice , a speciall recreation : meerely invented and intended to passe tedious winter nights away , and not to hazard ones fortunes at them , as many inconsiderate gamesters now adayes will not sticke to doe : which done , what ensueth hence , but entertaining of some desperate course , which bringeth the undertaker many times to an end as infortunate , as his life was desolate ? which makes me thinke i never see one of these gamesters , who in a bravado will set their patrimonies at a throw , but i remember the answer of one minacius , who having on a time lost at dice not only his money , but his apparell too ( for hee was very poore ) fate weeping at the portall doore of a taverne : it chanced that a friend of his seeing him thus to weepe and lament , demanded of him , how it was with him ? nothing , ( quoth minacius ; ) why weepest thou then , ( said his friend ) if there be nothing ? for this cause doe i weepe ( replyed minacius ) because there is nothing . his friend still wondring ; why then ( quoth he ) dost thou weepe thus , when there is nothing ? for the very same cause ( quoth he ) because i have nothing . the one understood that there was no cause why he should weepe ; the other wept because hee had nothing left to play . how many be there who may sing lachrymae with minacius , going by weeping-crosse : being either by crosse fortune , as they ascribe it , or rather by flat cheating , as they may properly terme it , stript of their substance ? amongst the romans * venus or co●s was the best chance at dice : but indeed the best chance that any one can have , is not to throw at all . howsoever , i could wish young gentlemen to beware of frequenting these common gaming houses , where they must either have fortune with advantage , or else be sure to play like young gamesters to their owne-disadvantage . truth is , i would have none to play much , but those which have little to play . for these , as they have little to lose , so they cannot bee much poorer , if they lose all . whereas such , whose ancestors have left them faire revenues , by investing them as heires to their providence ; need little to raise or advance their fortunes by these indirect meanes . for tell me , gentlemen , doe ye game for gaine , or passing time ? if for gaine , it is needlesse , ye have sufficient . if for passing time , your stake should be lesse , and your care for winning , more indifferent . besides , doe ye not observe what foists yee have daily resorting and frequenting these houses ; whose purses are lined with cheats , and whose profession is only to sharke ? shun their companies then , left they prey upon you : whereby you shall make your selves subjects both of want and weaknesse . of want , by filling their purses with your coine : of weaknesse , by suffering your selves to bee made a prey of by their cheats . if you will game , make choice of such as you know to be square gamesters , scorning to bring their names in question with the least report of advantage . as for tricks frequently used in these dayes , learne rather to prevent them , then professe them : for i never knew gamester play upon advantage , but bring him to the square , and his fortune was ever seconded with disadvantage . but above all , use moderation in play , make not your recreation a distemper : and set up this as your rest , never to mount your stake so high , as the losse of it may move you to chol●r . and so i descend to recreations more virile , wherin i will be briefe , because i would hasten to the next branch . in this ranke may be numbred hunting and hawking , pleasures very free and generous , and such as the noblest dispositions have naturally affected . for what more admirable then the pleasure of the hare , if we observe the uses which may be made of it , as i have * else-where more amply discoursed ; purposing here rather to touch them , then treat of them ? in her doubles , note her cunning ; in the dogges , eagernesse in pursuing : where all the senses remaine for the time pleased , but when at default , how much are they grieved ? what an excellent melody , or naturall consort to delight the eare ? what choice objects to content the eye ? what odoriferous smels in the floury meads , to refesh the nose ? only the touch and taste must have their pleasures suspended , till the sport be ended . non sine lepôre , tanto labore , pro uno lepore homines torqueri video ; saith one very wittily and elegantly . i can never chuse but laugh , to see what labour men will take for a poore hare . what mountaines they will climbe , what marishes they will passe , what brakes and bryers they will runne through , and all for a hare ? which may be an embleme of humane vanity ; where men ( miserable deluded men ) will refuse no toyle or labour to gaine a trifling pleasure . what indirect courses they will take for a moments delight , which is no sooner showne them , then vanished from them ? these pleasures are most commonly affected by youth , because they have agility and ability of body to maintaine the pursuite of them : whence the poet ; the beardlesse youth , when 's guardians reines doe yeeld , sports him in horse , and dogges , and open field : the reason may be this ; hee cannot endure restraint : for the heat of youth must needs take aire , or it choakes it selfe with too much holding . it must be carried aloft on the wings of the wind , taking an icarian flight , but never fearing his fall . such dogges as were presented by the king of albanie unto alexander the great , who would not stirre at small beasts , but at lions and elephants , are the fittest for his kennell ; for youth is no sooner moving then mounting . whence ascanius in a youthfull bravery wisheth some boare or savage lion should descend the mount , and cope with him he would . so subject is youth to expose it selfe to all dangers , swimming ever with bladders of vaine-glory , till they receive water , and it sinke . there are some also of these youthfull hunts-men , who when they cannot speed in their sport , will rather buy it , then want it ; that having their game on their backe , they may proclaime to the world , how they are masters of their profession . and these are excellently displayed by the poet , in the person of gargilius . at once gargilius , who one morne betime sent out his servants forward to the chace , with hunting poles , and twisted nets of line , to buy a boare , which through the market place laid on a mule , as if his men had slaine him , would , as bee thought , eternall glory gaine him . so apt are many in inventing , and eager in pursuing ought which may raise them a name , though in things meerly indifferent . for as reputation is a common conceit of extraordinary vertue , so every one laboureth to acquire the end , albeit they misse the meanes of acquiring it . for how should any one imagine ( unlesse his conceit were wholly darkened ) that these things could be any meanes to perpetuate his name ? but so soon transported is youth with any phantasie suggested ( albeit upon no sufficient ground builded ) as whatsoever his conceit whispers to him , that may tend to his praise , hee entertaines it with a greedy and eager desire , laboring to effect what may gaine him popular esteeme . so as the lover is never more blinded with affection towards his beloved , than youth is in affecting that which may cause him to be praised . to speake much touching this recreation i will not addresse my discourse : onely this is my opinion , that as it is generous , so generally is it most harmelesse , so it be moderately used ; for otherwise it may weaken or enfeeble the body , impaire the health , and be occasion of many inconveniences : for in my discourse upon the particular branch of this observation , i am onely to approve of such recreations as are used with moderation : as hawking , which ( as i before observed ) is a pleasure for high and mounting spirits : such as will not stoope to inferiour lures ; having their minds so farre above , as they scorne to partake with them . it is rare to consider , how a wild bird should be so brought to hand , and so well managed as to make us such pleasure in the ayre : but most of all to forgoe her native liberty and feeding , and returne to her former servitude and diet . but in this , as in the rest , wee are taught to admire the great goodnesse and bounty of god , who hath not onely given us the birds of the ayre , with their flesh to feed us , with their voice to cheere us , but with their flight to delight us . the eagle , which is indeed the prince of birds , and the prime hawke , was observed much among the ancient romans in all their auguries : so as an eagle hovering in the aire , in the reigne of augustus , and at last settling upon the name agrippa , and just upon the first letter of that name , a. a lightning descending downe from heaven , struck the first letter of his owne name out , c. whence sooth-sayers , by conjecturall arguments gathered , that hee should but live an hundred dayes after , and be afterwards canonized for a god : because aesar , the residue of that name , in the tuscane language signified god. for the romanes , of all nations under the cope of heaven , relyed most upon the prophesying of birds : so as wee read , that they ever kept their oscines , or birds of augury , by which they collected what their successe should be , both in peace and warre . albeit , some there was among the heathen , who made small account of them : so as claudius pulcher , when in taking his auspicia , or the predictions of his successe before sicily , the pullets would not feed , he commanded they should be plunged in the sea , that they might drinke , seeing they would not eat . it is the saying of an ancient father . that the piercing eye of the eagle exceeds the sight of all other birds : being of such sharpe sight , as reflecting the beames of the sunne fixed upon her , she can looke upon the sunne without shutting her eyes , which are not to be dazled , shine the sunne never so brightly . so as it is said , shee makes a tryall of her brood when they are but young , by mounting up , and fixing their eyes against the sunne : of which , if any be so tender-eyed , as they cannot looke upon it , shee disclaimes them ; but such whose sharpe sight can look stedfastly upon it , shee tenders them as her selfe . whence many secret and sacred uses might be gathered ( for this is but the type of a divine morall ) if i should insist upon the exposition of that blessed father ; but i must briefly descend to speake of the moderate use of this recreation . this pleasure , as it is a princely delight , so it moveth many to be so dearely enamoured of it , as they will undergoe any charge , rather then forgoe it : which makes me recall to mind a merry tale which i have read , to this effect . divers men having entred into discourse , touching the superfluous care ( i will not say folly ) of such as kept dogs and hawkes for hawking ; one paulus a florentine stood up and spake : not without cause ( quoth hee ) did that foole of millan laugh at these ; and being entreated to tell the tale , hee thus proceeded ; vpon a time ( quoth hee ) there was a citizen of millan , a physician for such as were distracted of lunaticke ; who tooke upon him within a certaine time to cure such as were brought unto him . and hee cured them after this sort : he had a plat of ground neere his house , and in it a pit of corrupt and stinking water , wherein hee bound naked such as were mad to a stake , some of them knee-deepe , others to the groin , and some others deeper , according to the degree of their madnesse ; where he so long pined them with water and hunger , till they seemed sound . now amongst others , there was one brought , whom hee had put thigh-deepe in water : who after fifteene dayes began to recover , beseeching the physician that hee might be taken out of the water . the physician taking compassion of him , tooke him out , but with this condition , that hee should not goe out of the roome . having obeyed him certaine dayes , he gave him liberty to walke up and downe the house , but not to passe the out-gate ; while the rest of his companions , which were many , remaining in the water , diligently observed their physicians command . now it chanced , as on a time he stood at the gate , ( for out hee durst not goe , for feare he should returne to the pit ) hee beckned to a young gentleman to come unto him , who had a hawke and two spaniels , being moved with the novelty thereof ; for , to his remembrance , before hee fell mad , hee had never seene the like . the young gentleman being come unto him ; sir ( quoth he ) i pray you heare me a word or two , and answer me at your pleasure . what is this you ride on ( quoth hee ) and how doe you imploy him ? this is a horse ( replyed he ) and i keepe him for hawking . but what call you that , you carry on your fist , and how doe you use it ? this is a hawke ( said hee ) and i use to fly with it at pluver and partridge . but what ( quoth he ) are these which follow you , what doe they , or wherein doe they profit you ? these are dogges ( said he ) and necessary for hawking , to find and retrive my game . and what were these birds worth , for which you provide so many things , if you should reckon all you take for a whole yeere ? who answering , hee knew not well , but they were worth a very little , not above six crownes . the man replyed ; what then may be the charge you are at with your horse , dogges and hawke ? some fifty crownes , said hee . whereat , as one wondring at the folly of the young gentleman : away , away sir , i pray you quickly , and fly hence before our physician returne home : for if he find you here , as one that is maddest man alive , hee will throw you into his pit , there to be cured with others , that have lost their wits ; and more then all others , for hee will set you chin-deepe in the water . inferring hence , that the use or exercise of hawking , is the greatest folly , unlesse sometimes used by such as are of good estate , and for recreation sake . neither is this pleasure or recreation herein taxed , but the excessive and immoderate expence which many are at in maintaining this pleasure : who as they should be wary in the expence of their coine , so much more circumspect in their expence of time . so as in a word , i could wish young gentlemen never to be so taken with this pleasure , as to lay aside the dispatch of more serious occasions , for a flight of feathers in the ayre . the physician saith , that it is the best exercise which is , ad ruborem , non ad sudorem ; refreshing the spirits , and stirring up the blood a little , but not putting a man into any great sweat : for hee that makes his recreation a toyle , makes himselfe likewise pleasures thrall . refresh your spirits , stirre up your blood , and enable your bodies by moderate exercise : but avoid mixing of distemper with your pleasure , for that were not to refresh , but depresse the spirits ; not to stirre up , but stop the course of blood ; not to enable , but enfeeble the body . and so i descend to the next branch , treating of recreations best sorting with the quality of a gentleman . to propose what recreations may please best , i cannot , ( because i know not how to stand affected ) but i shall , as neere as i may , recount what especiall recreations best sort and sute with your quality . of all those which i have formerly touched and treated , there is none but may be approved and entertained with an equall indifferencie , being ( as i have said ) tempered and moderated with discretion . but some there are i have not touched , which may be so much the more admired , forasmuch as they are by our young gentlemen usually affected ; yea , and as especiall ornaments to grace and accomplish them , generally esteemed : as fencing and dancing ; the one to accommodate him for the court , the other for the campe. of which two recreations , to give my opinion freely , there is required a knowledge ; but respectively to such ( i meane ) as onely intend to court or gallant it : for these shall have occasion to make use of their knowledge , in the one to grace and beautifie them ; in the other to shield and defend them . yet in neither of these would i have them to imitate their masters : for so may they turne cowards , and so shew themselves true fencers . or in their dancing use those mimicke tricks which our apish professants use ; but with a reserved grace to come off bravely and sprightly , rather then with an affected curiosity . you shall see some of these come forth so punctually , as if they were made up in a fute of wainscot , treading the ground as if they were foundred . others you shall see , so supple and pliable in their joynts , as you would take them to be some tumblers ; but what are these but iacke-an-apes in gay clothes ? but others there are , and these onely praise-worthy , who with a gracefull presence gaine them respect . for in exercises of this kind ( sure i am ) those onely deserve most commendation , which are performed with least affectation . now i have heard of some who could doe all this ; shew an excellent grace in their carriage ; expresse themselves rare proficients in all school-tricks ; being so much admired as who but they : yet observe the cloze , and they spoile all with an english trick , they cannot leave it when it is well . it is said of apelles , that hee found fault with protogenes , in that hee could not hold his hands from his table : and right so fares it with these young cavalieroes , when they have shewne all that may be shewne to give content , striving to shew one tricke above ela , they halt in the conclusion . for fence-play , i have knowne some puffed up with a presumption of skill , to have beene too apt in giving offence ; so as of professors of worth , they became practisers of wrong . but see their unhappinesse ● this conceit or over-weening opinion of their surpassing skill , brings them many times to an unexpected end , by exposing themselves to inevitable dangers . and this they doe either for vaine glory , being ambitious after fame ; or else out of a quarrelling disposition , being no lesse apt to conceive or apprehend the smallest occasion of offence , then to prosecute revenge upon occasion offered . for the first , the bravest and noblest spirits have beene affected to it , i meane ambition , but their ends were more glorious . as themistocles , who walked in the night time in the open street , because hee could not sleepe : the cause whereof when some men did enquire , hee answered , that the triumph of miltiades would not suffer him to take his rest . the like might be observed in alexander , who sighed that his father should winne so much , and leave him so little to winne . so as it is said that hee wept , hearing that there was another world , saying , he had not yet wonne one world. but with these it fareth many times , as it did with marius , who not contented with the glory hee got in the cimbrian warres , by seeking to augment it , did extenuate it . yet are these more noble in their aimes , then such whose ambition it is to commit all impieties , onely to gaine them a perpetuall infamy : as pausanias , who killed philip of macedon , onely for fame or vaine glory ; so did herostratus burne the temple of diana , to get him a name by an infamous act . for the latter sort , being such as are given to quarrels , i have ever noted their gaines to be small in all their adventures . for what are these but such as value blood at a low rate ? they pretend how their reputation stands engaged ; they cannot put up such disgraces but with touch of cowardise ; and what a blemish were it , for ones reputation to be brought in question , upon termes so neere concerning them , and not seeke revenge ? where the wide world would take notice of their disgrace , pointing at them in the streets , and saying , there goe such and such who were most grosly baffled ; preferring their blood before their honour , their safety before their reputation ! o gentlemen , how many of your ranke and quality have perished by standing upon these termes ! how many , and those of the choycest and selected'st ranke , have exposed themselves to extremest danger , whereby they might gaine themselves the stile of valiant ! how many even upon trifling occasions have gone into the field , and in their heat of blood have fallen ? sure i am , their deare countrey hath felt their losse , to whom in all due respect they should have tendered both love and life , and not have made prodigall expence of that , which might have beene a meanes to strengthen and support her state . yet doe i not speake this , as one insensible of wrong , or incapable of disgrace : for i know that in passages of this nature , publike imputations require publike satisfaction , so that howsoever the divine law , to which all humane actions ought to be squared , may seeme to conclude , that wee are to leave revenge to whom revenge belongeth ; yet so passionate is the nature of man , and through passion so much weakned , as hee forgets many times what the divine law bids him doe , and hastens to that which is owne violent and distempered passion pricks him to . now to propose my opinion , by way of direction , in a word it is this : as one may be a angry and sinne not , so one may revenge and offend not ; and this is by b heaping c●ales of fire upon our enemies head : for by this c meeknesse is anger appeased , and wee of our owne fury revenged . but the best meanes to prevent occasion of distaste in this kind , is to avoid the acquaintance or society of such as are given to offence : whence it is that the wisest of kings exhorteth us in these words ; d to have no familiarity with an angry man , neither goe with the furious man. and why ? lest thou learne his wayes , and receive destruction to thy soule . for indeed these , whose turbulent dispositions are ready to entertaine any occasion of offence , albeit the occasion perchance was never intended , are unfit for any company , or to passe time withall in any recreation . so as , of one of these it may be said , as was said of scava , who shewed apparent arguments of resolution , to slave himselfe to the servile yoke of tyrannous subjection ; infelix dominum quantâ virtute parasti ! how many courses , miserable man , hast thou tryed ; how many wayes hast thou traced ; how many adventures entertayned ; to get thee a master , fury , arch-traytor to that glorious fortresse of patience ? these are those blood-bounds who are ever in quest , and are never satisfied in pursuit , till their eyes become the s●d spectators of a fall : yea , rather then these men will be out of action , they will engage themselves in maintaining other quarrels ; so prompt they are to take offence , as a strangers engagements must be made their owne , rather then they will discontinue in their former profession . another sort there are , who albeit they find ability in themselves to subdue and moderate this passion of furie by the soveraignty of reason , yet it fares with them as it did with hannibal , who knew better how to conquer , then how to make use of his conquest : or as it is said of glendor , that hee was more able to get a victory , then skilfull to use it . so these , though reason like a discreet monitor advise them to moderate their passions , yet so ambitious are they of popular praise , as rather then they will lose the name of being esteemed resolute , they will oppose themselves to all perils , and entertaine a course in the eye of true valour most dissolute . yet respect to our good name , being indeed the choycest and sweetest perfume , must not be so sleighted , as to incurre apparent termes of disgrace , and not labour to wipe off that staine , by shewing some arguments , that wee have so much conceit as to apprehend what an injury is , and so much spirit as to take revenge on him , by whom the injury is offered . it is true ; neither am i so stupid , as not to conceive how insupportable the burden of those wrongs is , which touch our name . so as indeed , ( to speake as a man unto men ) these wrongs are above the nature of mortality to beare : for the naturall man tasting more of earth then heaven , whilest hee ponders the quality of his disgrace , and how farre hee stands engaged , in respect of the opinion of men , to beare himselfe like himselfe , and not to bury such wrongs in silence , as if senselesse of the nature of an injury ; hee never considers what the divine law injoynes , but casteth his eye upon the wrong hee sustaines . wherein , if passion will needs over-master reason , ( albeit i doe not hold it consonant to the divine law , morall or nationall , but to all generous spirits experimentally usefull ) i could wish him to come off faire at the first , for this either wins him the buckler , or loseth it : so shall hee ever gaine to himselfe an esteeme of conceit , in knowing the nature of a wrong ; and an opinion of spirit , in daring to wipe off the disgrace that shall be laid upon him . for this is my position , faile at the first , and faile ever : for as the first onset terrifies the enemy , so in actions of this nature , the onely meanes to gaine opinion is to come off bravely in the beginning . now perchance it may happen , that he from whom you have received wrong , will take no notice of your distaste , but will doe as hee did , who receiving a challenge upon some personall touch , whereby hee apprehended the occasion for his best advantage , of making choice ( as the challenged may ) of time , place , weapon , and second , returned this answere to the messenger ; for the time , i know not when ; for the place , when that time comes , it shall be the alpes ; for the weapon , it shall be guy's sword that slew the cow on dunmoth heath ; and for my second , it shall be your selfe , that i may bring you within the compasse of duelloes . if with such your fortune be to deale , ( as many there are more valiant in tongue then hand , more apt to offer wrong then tender satisfaction ; ) know thus much , that these alpes which hee hath named , and whereto he never meanes to come , is what place soever you shall meet him ; the time , whensoever you shall have fit opportunity to encounter him ; the weapon , though hee chuse it , you may refuse it , ( because it is too closely kept to come to ) and make choice of your own weapon , left by going to warwicke castle to procure a sword , you forget your wrong before you come there ; and the second , your only selfe ; that as you are particularly wronged , you may be particularly righted : for , as the wrong toucheth you and no second , so you are to right your selfe without a second . but the safest and surest course , ( as i said before ) not to partake with men of this condition , is to refraine their company and conversation : for these firy spirits , who have thersites tongue and ant aeus hand , are dangerous to consort with ; for they seldome resort to any meeting , but either they doe hurt , or receive it . so as , even in these tolerable recreations of horse-races , cockings , bowlings , &c. you shall ever see these throw one bone or other to make differences amongst men of quality and ranke , wherein they will be sure to be interested as seconds , if not as principall agents . my advice therefore is , that you avoid their company , as disturbers of the publike peace , interrupters of all honest recreations , and protest enemies to all civill society . for , as we read of the bird curuca , that she will rather hatch the egges of another , then hatch none at all ; so these will rather engage themselves in others differences , and like subtill spiders spin the webbe of dissention , then be without imployment : but they hatch the cockatrice egges , reaping the fruit of their labours to their shame . but wee have insisted too long upon them ; wherefore wee will returne to our former discourse . as wee have briefly touched some recreations well sorting with the quality of a gentleman , being such as tend especially to his accomplishment outwardly ; so are wee now to treat of such as may conferre no lesse benefit to the inward man , by enabling him for matters of discourse . of which ranke , reading of history , is to be accounted as one tending especially thereto ; and that not onely in respect of discourse , but in respect of discipline and civill society ; being there taught how to demeane or behave our selves in all our actions , how to moderate our affections , how to gaine worthy esteeme both in our managements publike and private . cicero entring into the commendation of histories , honours them with this rhetoricall definition : histories ( saith he ) are the witnesses of times , the light of truth , the life of memory , the mistresse of life , the messenger of antiquity : in which notable exemplification , hee shewes what excellent fruits may be gathered from the select flowers of histories . first , how the passages and events of former times are there recorded ; secondly , how the truth of things by the light of history is discovered ; thirdly , our memory is revived ; fourthly , our life is directed ; fifthly , antiquities successively transcribed . in tacitus are three notes which are required in a perfect history ; first , truth , in sincere relating , without having any thing haustum ex vano ; secondly , explanation not onely of the sequels of things , but also the causes and reasons ; thirdly , iudgement in distinguishing things , by approving the best , and disallowing the contrary . touching which three notes , we are to observe first , that there is necessarily required in every history a sincere relation of truth , foisting nothing in , which may seeme either fabulous or impertinent . likewise , it is not enough to lay downe or explaine the sequels or issues of things , but the causes and reasons from whence those sequels issued . thirdly , there is required judgement in distinguishing probabilities from improbabilities ; never setting ought downe for a grounded truth without approved authority . having thus proposed unto you the fruits redounding from history , as also what is required therein , to make it more generally affected ; it rests now that i shew my opinion touching your choice of histories : of which subject , because i have * heretofore copiously treated , i will only speake a word , and so descend to the last branch of this observation . augustine , in his fourth booke de civit. dei , cals salust a noble and true historian ; noble in respect of his descent ; true in respect of his discourse . neither doth hee indeed deserve any lesser title : for his phrase is elegant without affectation ; his discourse continuate without impertinent digression , and the series of his history stored with much sententious instruction . from the depth of a princely judgement , caesars commentaries have received most noble approbation . but if you would take view of a flourishing state , whose greatnesse never any attained to , being raised from such beginnings ; be acquainted with * tacitus or livie , where you shall observe the courses and passages of many eminent princes , how they bare themselves in their height , how in their hate . heare you shall see , those men who ( as cosmo saith ) carry their heart in their mouth , are more to be pitied then feared : for these judge men onely by the outward appearance : whereas tiberius gloried in nothing so much , as in cunningly cloaking his purposes with faire pretences , going invisible , and deluding his subjects resolutions with a seeming good . here you shall likewise observe others so obsequiously seeming , as they strove not onely to satisfie the * minds , but eyes of the citizens , understanding well enough , that the common sort of people were catcht sooner by a * cheerfull countenance , and a pleasing outward semblance , then any other respect whatsoever . some you shall see note much , yet will be seene to note little : therefore agrippina in tacitus , knowing her life to be attempted by nero , knew well that her onely remedy was to take no notice of the treason : so is scipio described by cicero , to be the most cunning searcher of mens minds ; and sylla by salust . others you shall observe so much dejected presently upon any losse sustained , as they entertaine affliction with a desperate sorrow , crying out with afranius sonne , alas mee wretched ! or philotas-like , receive such deepe impression or apprehension of their disgrace , as through it they are forced to lose the faculty of speech . whereas others , like furius camillus are neither puffed up with honour , nor cast downe with disgrace : as his dictator-ship could not make him too haughtily affected ; no more could exile from his countrey cause him to be dejected . such was the resolution of the ancient romans , who at the disaster of canna , when their utter ruine and overthrow was rung in every place , did nothing unworthy themselves . here you shall encounter with a iugurth , speaking little , but doing much : there with a catiline , speaking much , but doing little . here one , in all mens opinions worthy of an empire before hee had it , but most unworthy when hee hath it ; exemplified in a galba : there one much doubted before hee have it , but generally loved when he had it ; exemplified in b severus . againe , observe you may in the course of histories , how justly god hath shewne himselfe towards such as practised treason against their princes , though they were heathens : find out one of all those who conspired caesars death in the capitoll , who died in their bed . for no sooner had antony shewed in his funerall oration the thirty three wounds wherewith caesar was deprived of life by his conspirators , and erected a temple to caesar , and sung a mournefull hymne in memory of caesar ; then trebonius and decimus , were the first that were dispatched , being of the conspiracie . cassius likewise was killed on his birth-day : who , some say , killed himselfe with the same dagger wherewith caesar was killed : yea , observe the misery of these assasinates , being so unhappy , as they could hardly find one so friendly , as to lend a hand to end their misery . for , cassius offered his throat to pindarus his page : brutus to strato , who denying to doe it , was answered by a servant ; votis tuis nec decrit amicus nec servus . the like revenge was inflicted on septimius , for betraying his master pompey . the like on the magi , for their treacherous attempts , after the death of cambyses . the like on bessus for his disloyalty towards darius . and to descend to later times , even within the bounds of our owne nation , what just revenge seconded those perfidious complices ; alectus for conspiring against his deare soveraigne carausius ; and that arch-traytor edrike , for his treacherous practices with canutus the dane , and breach of allegeance towards king edmond ? for seldome hath any state in any age beene so happy , as it hath not bred a catiline with a catulus , a cet●egus with a curtius , a sertorius with a soranus , a quadratus and quintianus with an aemilius and coriolanus . besides , you shall observe what justice and integrity appeared in the heathen , chastising such as would bee bribed or corrupted , though they were their enemies . so as mitbridates tooke manius acilius , one of the chiefest embassadors of the romans , and set him contemptuously upon an asse , till he was come to pergamo , where he put molten gold in his mouth ; reproving the romans for taking gifts . the like reward had tarp●ia , being corrupted by t. tatius to deliver the capitoll : for having betrayed the gates of the capitoll to the enemy , onely upon promise , that they should throw her the bracelets , which they wore on their left armes ; this they accordingly performed , throwing also their targets upon her , with which she was pressed to death . you shall likewise find there , what reverence the pagans shewed to their idolatrous temples ; and how carefull they were to observe their countrey rites , which they esteemed sacred , and what successe ever followed the enterprises of such as committed sacriledge . the very heathen observed , that after such times as the grecians once offered violence to the temple of pallas , that they lost all their hope , and never thrived after . lactantius reporteth of divers who were grievously punished for their impiety and profanenesse towards the gods ; as namely fulvius the censor , who for taking away certaine marmoreas tegulas out of the temple of iuno lacinia , was distraught of his wits . appius claudius for translating and conveying those sacred reliques which were before consecrated to hercules , within a while after lost the use of his eyes . dionysius , who made a jest of sacriledge , taking a golden cloake from iupiter olympius his image , a woollen cloake being put in stead thereof , saying , that a golden cloake was too heavie in summer , and too cold in winter , but a linsie-woolsie cloake was fit for both ; cutting off also aesculapius golden-beard , saying , it was no reason that the son should have a beard , and apollo his father have none ; and taking away certaine cups of gold which they held in their hands , saying , it was a great madnesse , to refuse them offered ; was for these driven into banishment . pyrrhus for robbing proserpina's treasury , suffered shipwrack not farre from the shore . zerxes , who sent foure hundred of his souldiers to delphos , to spoyle the temple of apollo , had them all destroyed , and burnt with thunder and lightning . marcus crassus , for taking a great masse of money out of the temple , which pompey would not meddle withall , perished there with his whole army . and here in albion , wee reade of brennus , who in his expedition to delphos , was by a sudden hurly-burly , or immoderate feare , through a noise heard in the bowels of the earth , ( raised indeed by the lamentable shrikings and howlings of the distracted druids and ministers of apollo ) despairing of further successe , perished with all his armie . whence may bee observed , how justly such were punished , who contemned the religion of their countrey , robbing their temples , and enriching themselves with the spoyle of their gods : who albeit they were idols and no gods , or rather divels and no idols , yet so ill was their successe in all their affaires afterwards , as they attributed the cause of their miserable ends to the contempt of their gods . but howsoever this may seeme erroneously ascribed , sure i am , that thus it may be rightly applied : that where god is dishonoured , his temple profaned , and religion contemned , nothing can be succesfully or prosperously concluded . it is wonderfull to note in such evill times , so good men , as wee shall every where meet with in the course of histories . an aristides for iustice , a celopidas for temperance , a numa for prudence , a trajan for patience , an african for continence ; all which in this cleanthes table , history , shew admirable vertues in a corrupt government . againe , reflect your eye on those whose love to their countrey deserves eternall memory ; and you will no lesse wonder at the greatnesse of their minds , then the happinesse of those realmes that enjoyed them . king darius upon a time , by chance opening a great pomegranat , and being demanded of what hee would wish to have as many as there were graines in that pomegranat ? answered in one word , of zopyrus's . now this zopyrus was a right noble and valiant knight , who to reduce babylon to the subjection of his lord and master , and defeat the traiterous assyrians , suffered his body to be rent and mangled , and being thus disfigured , fled straight-wayes to babylon , where the assyrians were intrenched : whom hee made beleeve that darius had misused him in this sort , because hee had spoken in their behalfe , counselling him to breake up his siege , and to remove his armie from assaulting their citie . they hearing this tale , and the rather induced to thinke it true , because they saw him so shamefully disfigured in his body , were perswaded to make him their chiefe captaine : by which meanes hee betrayed them all , and surrendred both them and their citie into his masters hands . the like wee reade of codrus prince of athens , who according to the counsell of the oracle , sacrificed his life willingly , to preserve the libertie of his countrey . the like did gobrias , who offered his body to slaughter , to free his countrey of a tyrannous traytor . yet observe withall , the ingratitude of former ages to men of best deservings ; which caused aeschines say , that though the citie of thebes and athens were full of naughty men , yet not so full of any sort as of ungratefull men . this felt hannibal , this felt asdrubal , this felt african ; while asdrubal within , must be accused by asdrubal without : and noble african , then whom none ever deserved better of his countrey , may begge a resting place for his bones , but must not have it . againe , it will not bee amisse to note the sundry occasions of warres , proceeding from the sundry dispositions of men . some strove for soveraignty ; others for preservation of their liberty : where , so eager was the one of gaining glory , the other of defending their liberty , they were many times brought to such straights , as there was more roome for beholders , then fighters ; many bearing armes , but could not use them . no lesse remarkable is it , to note what incredile exploits have beene atchieved by a handfull of men under a valiant leader : whereby a more particular survey had of their actions , wee shall find that observation of plutarch to be most true : better is an armie of harts , with a lion to their leader , then an armie of lions with a hart to their leader : an army being said to derive her strength from her selfe , but her spirit from her captaine . in a word , gentlemen , to observe the revolution of times , the mutation of states , the natures and dispositions of persons , the issues and events of things , would be an imployment of no lesse delight then profit ; conferring the ebbings and flowings of forraine estates with our owne . but to draw homeward , lest , like messala corvinus , by remembring the name of a stranger , we forget our owne : there is no history more usefull , or relation more needfull for any gentleman , then our owne moderne chronicles , where hee shall observe many notable passages worthy his reading : as first , how his countrey was first planted ; how by degrees it became peopled ; how to civility reduced ; how by wholesome lawes restrained ; and how by the providence of the almighty , in so calme and peaceable manner established . here hee shall see a good king , but a bad man ; there a good man , but a bad king. againe , here hee shall see the state more weakned by civill broiles , then forraine warres ; securitie being no lesse hurtfull at home , then hostility abroad . scipio used to have this sentence in his mouth ; that easie , favourable and affable captaines , were profitable to the enemie , which though they were beloved of their souldiers , yet they set little by them . this shall you see verified in the too much indulgencie of many of our captaines , through which lenitie they made many hopefull souldiers absolute cowards . againe , to note the raising of many obscure persons to great honour ; as likewise the pulling downe of many eminent houses and families , would enforce no lesse admiration in us of gods divine providence , then of his secret iustice , who pulleth downe , and setteth up , as seemeth best to his wisdome . to observe likewise , in the corruption of blood , what noble families have beene tainted , which by the princes clemencie were againe restored . what dangerous attempts and practices have beene undertaken , not onely to shake , but supplant the glorious frame of this iland ; labouring to divide and remove all succession to this crowne , from the royall line of our princes , and to invest forraine princes therewith : where an english king was summoned to the french kings court , while normandie was yeelded by us , the welsh invaded us , lewis with a speedy arrivall accosted us , and iohn himselfe was forced to leave us . nay , which was more , one of the nurseries of our iland was displanted ; for at that time was oxford of her students forsaken and abandoned , ( which before , for the space of three hundred and nine yeares , had successefully flourished ) so as not onely the state , but learning , the sterne of state , became much weakned . yet observe , how happily this storme was calmed , when it was least expected ; for by the vicount of mellin his confession , lying then upon his death-bed , was the whole practice of the french , by a french-man discovered ; which was no lesse happily afterwards prevented . for king iohn , being to repentace moved , tooke an oath before his barons that all things should be reformed , which the barons likewise seconded with an oath to confirme his proceedings . so iohn was absolved , and that crowne which he had before resigned , he forthwith resumed ; being in this made more happy , in that being once so unhappy , hee came to defeat his foes , make sufficient triall of his friends , and recover that by submission , which hee had lost by his pride . againe , if wee should but reade , and reading consider , how peacefull the government , how quiet the sleepes , how cheerefull the delights were of such as came by lawfull and lineall succession to the crowne ; and the heavie nights , troubled thoughts , broken sleepes , and many tedious houres which those were owners of , who came by usurpation to enjoy ( with little joy ) a princely diadem ; wee should of necessity conclude with pompey ; who being combred with his honour , exclaimed to see sylla's cruelty , being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignity hee had , and cryed out ; o perill and danger never like to have an end ! for to use one example for all ; who should but consider the practices which richard the third used to get a crowne , planting his kingdome on an indirect foundation , blood , and those many strange passages and overtures which happened in his reigne , with those fearefull visions which appeared to him before his death , would certainely set downe this for his rest ; that it is not what wee have without us , but what we have within us that procures us peace or disquiet . whence polydore virgil upon that terrible dreame of richard the third , the night before bosworth field , in which hee was s●aine , useth these words ; i doe not beleeve that these were the ghosts of men that did affright him , but the guilt of a troubled conscience that did torment him . certainely , discourses of this nature cannot chuse but minister profit with delight , and enable you that are gentlemen to entertaine the time with much content to them that heare you . for in this treasury or store-house of history , you shall find better meanes , then all the helpes of discourse which our weake pamphleters can publish , to enable you for discourse in all companies . for to restraine or tye your selves to a set forme of discourse , as if you were to doe nothing without rules , were too pedanticall : besides , you should be sometimes so scantled , for want of subjects , that unlesse the subject whereof you are to discourse fall happily within your owne element , your ship for want of sea-roome would runne a-ground . whereas history ( the sweetest recreation of the mind ) will afford variety , ( being not curtaild by epitome's , which are the moths of history ) both for table-talke to delight , and discourse of more serious consequence . which in my opinion would better seeme a gentleman , then to entertaine time in nothing but the cry of dogs , or flight of hawks ; which , as they are gentlemanly pleasures , and worthily approved ( as i formerly noted ) so are they to be used but onely as pleasures and recreations : of which to speake sparingly were much better , then onely to discourse of them , as if our whole reading were in them . neither doe i speake this without just cause ; for i have noted this fault in many of our younger brood of gentry ; who , either for want of education in learning , or their owne neglect of learning , have no sooner attained to the strength of making their fist a pearch for a hawke , but by the helpe of some bookes of faulconry , whereby they are instructed in the words of art , the will runne division upon discourse of this pleasure : whereas , if at any time they be interrupted by occasion of some other conference , these high-flyers are presently to be mewed up , for they are taken from their element . wherefore , gentlemen , let me advise you in a word , so to entertaine time in recreation , as the pleasure you take therein , draw not your minds from more serious and usefull employments . i have proposed to you , and made choice for you , of some recreations which may no lesse delight and benefit your minds , then these other active delights doe your bodies ; use them , and you shall find such pleasure in them , as you may perceive profit and pleasure so equally mixed , as if at first intended to make your delight perfect . and so i come to the last branch , shewing how a gentleman is to bestow himselfe in them . as one said of love , that it should bee a toy and no toyle ; so say i of recreation ; the spirits should be cheered by it , not drowned in it ; refreshed , not depressed . i doe not like of this eagernesse after pleasure ; for it argues too much sensuality : the minde should be so tempred , as it may shew an indifferencie to the use of pleasure . which i have surely found , as a maine errour in most part of young gentlemen ; whose eager appetite so unmeasurably pursuing the quest of pleasure , cannot conteine it selfe from expressing outwardly , the love it conceives to such a pleasure inwardly . so as i have observed some intraunced ( as it were ) with joy in the chace of hare , or the flight of hawke ; which in my opinion argued much lightnesse : for no sooner was their pleasure at a stay or default , then all their former delight was turned to a contrary passion . i commend therefore his resolution who said ; hee was never so over-joyed with pleasure , but he thought it good to allay that surpassing joy , with the remembrance of the end of that pleasure . it is an excellent thing to moderate our joyes , by considering the shortnesse of them : and to allay the height of them , by observing what breaches or intermissions are incident to them . wherefore above all it becommeth a gentleman to be circumspect in this kinde , for even by his outward carriage may his weakenesse be discovered . sure i am there is nothing that tasteth more of true wisedome , then to temper our desires in effects of joy ▪ so as i cannot sufficiently wonder , how chylo being accounted one of the seven sages of greece , should be so overtaken with joy , as to die with excesse thereof . the like wee reade of argia the prophetesse , who being carried in a chariot of gold to the temple by her two sons , whereat shee conceived no lesse joy than if her two sonnes had beene invested with the title of emperours , through excessive joy immediately died . but these passions rather become women then men , who should bee themselves still , but especially when they feele any such conceit undermining them . it is written of polycrates , that meditating one day with himselfe , how hee had never any thing which crossed him all his life , but enjoyed all successe both at home and abroad , so as he became fearefull to his foes , and powerfull to his friends , resolved to try how he might crosse his good fortune , by a voluntary incurring of losing that he did exceedingly love . wherefore one day hee went unto the sea-side , where taking off a ring which he did especially tender , he threw it into the sea , intending thereby to crosse himselfe , whom fortune would not : but see how policrates was crossed in his crosses : for not long after a fisherman came and presented him the ring hee had lost , having found it in the belly of a fish ; which did not a little trouble the prince , saying ; i perceive the gods owe me a displeasure , which they will doe when i least expect it , and make me so much the more unfortunate , in that i never knew what misfortune meant . which he afterwards found true , being deprived both of crowne and dignitie . certainly , there is no meanes better to attemper and allay ones joy conceived in the pursuit of any pleasure , then to crosse himselfe in the quest thereof : for this tasteth of true manhood , when one can master his affections , and stay himselfe in that he loves . neither is this hard to doe being once assayed ; for wee shall finde more true content in the moderation of our pleasure , then in the pleasure it selfe . i have heard of some young gentlemen , who purposely crossing themselves in some one pleasure or recreation which they loved , and betaking themselves to their chamber , apprehended such a deepe impression of the fruition of their pleasure , as they visibly ( as it were ) enjoyed that pleasure in their chamber which others enjoyed in the field . that conceit is strong i will not deny ; but that it should worke so strange and strong an effect , i am doubtfull ; yet whosoe're they be ( if any such there bee ) sure i am , they may well crosse themselves in pleasures abroad ; having such pleasant conceits within themselves . now , as i would have young gentlemen to use moderation in the exercise it selfe ; so would i have them observe like moderation in their expence or charge requisite for that exercise or pleasure . it is deare bought pleasure that makes the posterity beggers . nero was taxed for his prodigalitie , because he would have his fishing-rods of gold , and his nets of purest silke ; vitellius for his embroderie , as well as his epicurisme ; lucullus for his gardens ; antoninus for his bathes ; caracalla for his robes ; commodus for prodigall expence in all recreations . now what madnesse is it to bestow that to delight mee , which i may wish one day i had to sustaine mee ? to bestow that on my pleasure , which i may chance need to releeve nature ? wee have heard of one within this citie , who like a prodigall heire to his fathers thriving providence , bestowed an incredible masse of money to satisfie his five senses : but sure i thinke he was distraught of his senses , and therefore quickly satisfied . it is no pleasure but a brutish affection , which gives it selfe so over to delight it selfe , as rather then it will be restrained or moderated , will engage credit , state and all to have her desires fulfilled . likewise in games at cards , dice , chesse , or such houre-beguiling recreatious , i would not have our gentlemen to play for that which may occasion in them the least base or unworthy feare . you shall see some of these peasantly gamesters , who partly for desire of winning , or else for feare of loosing , shew a perpetuall palsey in their joynts ; so full of troubled thoughts they are , or passionate feares , which apparantly discover a basenesse of disposition in them , whom either hope of gaine or feare of losse can drive to such extreames . i would have you therefore so to bestow your selves in these , as they may never force a change of colour in you : for there is nothing that may derogate more from the native character of a gentleman , then to expresse the least semblance of feare , for the losse of ought that hee shall play . neither is it any lesse touch to a gentleman , whose affections should be so composed as they may expresse his nature , without any other character , to fall into passion for ought that hee shall lose . albeit i have heard of one , who ( much subject to this imperfection ) chanced to be reproved by his friend , who in friendly and familiar sort wished him either to learne more patience in gaming , or else to surcease from game . what ( quoth hee to his friend ) dost thou thinke i am a stocke or stone , that i should have no sense of my losse ? surely i thinke there is no man that knowes how he comes by his money , but will bee moved for the losse of it . but i approve not of his maxime : you shall see an old gamester beare all crosse chances with an equall and undejected spirit , whereas our young gamesters ( for passion is most incident to novices ) upon a crosse throw , pull their haire , teare the cards , stampe and fret like gumm'd grogram : so far they are from patience for want of experience . their younger and unmellowed yeeres never felt the crosses of a gamester , and therefore can hardly digest them when they come . this the philosopher seemes to confirme , saying ; nothing can be violent , being once habituate , for use or custome as it makes perfectnesse , so it begets a composednesse of mind , to endure with patience whatsoever the extremity of fortune may inflict . but now in my discourse of passion , which makes men so much forget themselves as they will , rather then want a fit subject to revenge their ill fortunes on , minister occasion of offence to their dearest friends ; there is one thing which i would have our young gentlemen to take heed of , and that is , in their heate and height of passion to forsweare gaming at all , or with such an one , because they had never fortune to be savers at his hands ; yet as men carelesse of what they sweare , without respect to what they formerly protested , presently fall to game againe with the selfe-same company which they had so lately abjured . a dolefull and wofull example we had of this , within these few yeares , of one , whose more eminent parts interested him greatly in his countries hope ; yet having dipt his hand in blood , was , according to iustice and equity adjudged to die , which was afterwards accordingly executed . this gentleman , whose education had beene ever with the best , and in the most frequented places , used much gaming , at which hee had generally ill fortune ; so as feeling the smart of it , he resolved , binding his resolution with a solemne protestation , that if ever he gamed againe , he might be hanged : which imprecation was so usuall with him , as nothing more frequent . but see this gentlemans miserable end ! within few yeares after , hee suffered in himselfe what he had so often wished for himselfe . take example hence , you , i say , who are so prodigall in oathes , vowing , protesting and swearing , in your heat of passion , what you are no lesse apt to forget having cooled your passion : for though you little feare the effecting of that which you wish to your selves , yet time may come when you would wish you had not used those imprecations upon your selves . there is another thing likewise which i could wish young gentlemen to bee mindefull of , and it is to make distinction of times for their recreations : for as all times are not for all pleasures , no more are pleasures for all times . wee are therefore to reserve so much time for our more serious affaires , as not to give way to pleasure or delight , and so neglect what wee should principally intend . no expence is more precious then the expence of time ; which is rather imployed then wasted , when bestowed to the good and benefit of the imployer . so as , even in matters of pleasure or recreation , i could wish you to betake you to those games which may best benefit your understanding ; as in games at cards , the maw requires a quicke conceit or present pregnancy ; the gleeke ( because of variety ) requires a retentive memory ; the cribbage a recollected fancy ; the pinache quick and vn-enforced dexterity . these are good exercises of the minde , and such , as being made recreations onely , and no tricks to circumvent , may afford some helpe or benefit to the gamesters understanding . now therefore , doe not ( theotimus-like ) preferre lust before your eyes ; preferre not any profit you are to reape by gaming , before the inward benefit which you may reape by conceiving . it is a mercenary trade to frequent gaming houses for gaine , to alter the property of a recreation , and make that an anguish , which should be a solace ; a torture , which should bee a pleasure . for what pleasure can that gamester enjoy by play , whose heart is surprized with hope , feare , passion , despaire , and a thousand perturbations , which , like tiberius vision , are ever startling him ? surely , if there be any pleasure in these recreations , those onely enjoy it , whose mindes are neither cast downe with the feare of losse , nor over-joyed with the hope of gaine ; making this use of all adverse or crosse fortune : how miserable is that man , whose highest hopes rely on so light a mistresse ? how simple hee , whose conceit is grounded on the constancy of fortune , who is onely constant in inconstancle ? how pitifully pitilesse is his case , who puts finger in the eye , because he hath felt her frowne ? how forlorne is his hope , who having had experience of the extreamest affronts of fortune , is ever giving himselfe occasion of new sorrowing ? but contrariwise , how truly happy is he , who makes use of fortunes braves , and receives what chance soever comes , with a cheerefull brow ? how truely blessed hee , who cares as little for the insults of misfortune , as he prizeth all momentary successe which so blind a goddesse can afford him ? there is no griefe more base or unworthy , then that which taketh beginning from losse in game : for why will we make a voluntary hazard to procure us sorrow ? why should any one imagine himselfe to bee more dearely tendred by fortune then another ? if you play square , without intendment of advantage , then expect no more then another may looke for , being equally interested in the share of fortune . for in these recreations , as it is mercenary gaine which is got by game ; so it is an indiscreet griefe to sorrow in losse , or reioyce in gaine . recreations are not to be used as men use trades ; these are to maintaine us ; the other to refresh us . so as they greatly pervert the use of pleasure , which make it a daily taske , as many of our english gentlemen doe ; who , made heires of their fathers providence , esteeme it the onely generous qualitie , to make use of their fathers coine , without respect to his care. these are they who blemish their descent , and detract from the glory of their house , consuming the sun-shine of their dayes in works of darknes . i have read a conceited treatise composed by an italian , entituled a supplication to candle-light : discovering the abuses committed and curtained by the silence and secret shade of night . where it might be demanded , as god in esay did aske the divell our subtill watch-man , custos quid de nocte ? and there hee shewes how a great office is not so gainefull , as the principall-ship of a college of curtizans . for no merchant in riches may compare with these merchants of maiden-heads , if their female inmates were not so fleeting and uncertaine . too many , i feare me , there be of these licentious gamesters , who make sinne a recreation , wantoning in the lap of impudence , exposing their estate and name to a miserable hazard : whose youth , as it addes fuell to desire ; so age , the truest register of the follies of youth , will besprinkle those desires with the bitter teares of repentance : grieving to have committed , what may hardly be redeemed . for hee that surceaseth but then from sin when hee can sinne no more , forsaketh not his sinnes , but his sinnes forsake him . it is one thing to fall into light sinnes , through occasion onely , or humane frailty : and another thing to fall through affected negligence and security . farre be the latter from you , gentlemen , whose aymes ought to be so much the more glorious , as your descents are noble and generous . though humane frailty move you to offend , labour to redeeme that time wherein you did offend , by vying sinnes with sighes , those ungodly tares with uncessant teares ; for if you will live when you be dead , you must die to sinne while you be alive . and for as much as pardon cannot be procured , but where repentance is renewed : as wee are omnium notarum pe●catores , so should we be omnium horarum poenitentes ; as every houre sinning , so every houre sighing ; as every houre committing , so every houre bringing forth fruits of remission . thus , like hismenias the thebane , who would shew musicians of all sorts , to imitate the best , and reject the worst ; have i proposed and set downe recreations of all sorts , making choice withall of such especiall and select ones , as best sort with the quality of a gentleman ; concluding how , and after what manner he is to bestow himselfe in them . neither have i taxed any particular recreation , provided that it transgresse not the bounds of modesty , but admitted it as indifferent for the use of a gentleman . yea , such recreations as may seeme to undergoe the censure of lightnesse , have i not only not reproved , but worthily approved , being with decencie used . whereupon gregory saith , i admire king david a great deale more , when i see him in the quire , then when i see him in the campe : when i see him singing as the sweet singer of israel , then when i see him fighting as the worthy warrior of israel : when i see him leaping , then when i see him weeping : when i see him dancing before the arke , then when i see him drawing forth his armie to the field . when david fought with others , hee overcame others , hee wounded others , hee made others sicke : but when hee danced before the arke , and delighted himselfe , hee was overcome himselfe , hee was wounded himselfe , hee was sicke himselfe . but this sicknesse did rather affect him , then afflict him ; joy him , then annoy him . i will play still ( sayes hee ) that others may still play upon mee . for it is a good sport when god is delighted , though michol be displeased . whence you see , that it is not the recreation , but the circumstance tending to that recreation , which for most part giveth occasion of offence ; as the time when gods sabbath is not to be dishonoured , nor our serious occasions intermitted ; the place where the holy ground is not by the feet of lightnesse to be profaned , nor places where iustice is administred , to the exercise of such delights inured ; the persons who , wee must take such heed lest the weakest of our brethren bee scandaled , or offence to any by our sports occasioned . doing thus , wee shall glorifie god , not onely in this life , but in that best and blest life which is to come ; if wee fall not backe into the same sinnes , but bid a long fare-well to the illusions of the divell ; if with diligent attention to the word of god , earnest desire of conversion , and continuall confession of our sinnes , wee procure the carefull eye of the almighty to watch over us . for it sufficeth him in his great mercy that wee surcease from sinne , whereby we shall be more easily moved to the practice of all good workes . wherefore to conclude this observance with that exhortation of golden-mouthed chrysostome , to the end wee may render more honour to his sabbath : let not any one hence-forth be seene trying masteries on horse-backe , nor spending any part of the day in unlawfull meetings ; let not any one hence-forth consort himselfe in games at cards or dice , or the tumultuous noise which ariseth from thence . for i pray you answer me ( saith hee ) what profit is there in fasting , if all the day eating nothing , you game , sport , sweare and forsweare , and so spend the day in worse then nothing ? let us not , i beseech you , be so negligent in that weighty affaire of our salvation , but rather let our communication be of spirituall things . and let every one take in his hand a godly booke , and calling his neighbours together , water both is owne understanding and theirs who are assembled , with heavenly instructions , that so wee may avoid the deceits of the divell . performing this , gentlemen , your recreations shall be healthfull to your selves , helpfull to your countrey , delightfull to the vertuous , and beseeming men of your ranke , nobly generous . the english gentlman . argument . of acquaintance ; of the choice of acquaintance ; of constancy in the choice of acquaintance ; of reservancy towards acquaintance ; of the absolute end of acquaintance . acqvaintance . the comfort of an active life consists in society , as the content of a contemplative consists in privacie . intermission of action in the former , is a kind of death ; intention to devotion in the latter , is a pleasant life . for solitary places are the best for prayer ; but publike for practice . we read that christ went out into a solitary place , and there prayed : but he entred into the synagogue , and there preached ; that such libertines as were there trained might bee reclaimed . and wisedome cryeth without , and uttereth her voice in the streets , that her words might be practised . as there is no publike state which can subsist without commerce , trafficke , and mutuall society ; so there is no creature living , whose life would not be tedious , being debarred from all use of company . there are two birds which are noted both in divine and humane writ , to be lovers of solitarinesse ; the owle in the desart , and the pelicane in the wildernesse : which two , among divers other birds , were accounted uncleane , and therefore were not to be eaten by the iewes . as retirednesse from occasions abroad , makes us more serious in occasions at home : so this privacie or solitarinesse makes the memory more retentive in affaires usefull to our selves , but withdrawes our hand from affording helpe or assistance to others . but life should be communicative ; not only intending it selfe ; but labouring wherein it may doe good to any . for whereas saint bernard saith , that the a affinity is neere betweene the dwellers in a cell and in heaven : it is to bee understood , that such whose mortified affections , and regenerate , will have concluded all b worldly honours to be worldly tumours ; and all c secular honour to be the devils trafficke , have stepped neere unto heaven . neither are wee to conclude thence , that such who have to deale in the world , by commerce at home and abroad , are excluded from this affinity . for there are many ( as wee are to be charitably perswaded ) who live in the world , and have to doe with the world , yet are not of the world ; that is , are not so affected to the world , as they could not find in their hearts to forgoe all things they have in the world , for the love of him that created the world . yea , who would not say , and with much comfort affirme , wee will seeke one good wherein consisteth all good , and that sufficeth , wee will seeke one joy wherein consisteth all joy , and this onely joyes us . it is * grace and not the place , which saveth the soule . for , as there may bee a wolfe in sheeps cloathing , so there may bee a worldly mind in a hermits dwelling . mans security is the divels opportunity , which may bee found in the wildernesse as well as in the world , neither is the one place lesse subject to temptation then the other . the wildernesse is secret , yet christ was tempted in it . the night is silent , yet doth that princely prophet warne us , to lift up our hands in the night watches of temptation . for the life of man , as it is a continuall temptation , so is there neither time , place , sexe nor condition exempted from temptation . the monks cell and the monarchs court are equally subject to it . this , devout bernard seemes to confirme in his description of such as professed a monastick life , saying ; they were large promisers , but slow performers ; faire tongued flatterers , but snarling back-biters ; simple-seeming dissemblers , but malicious betrayers . againe , wee ( saith hee ) receive all in our monasteries , in hope to better them , whereas in the court it is more usuall to receive such as are good , then to make them good : for wee have found by experience , that more good men have decreased then profited in it . hence wee may conclude this point , that no place is priviledged from temptation , neither cell nor court ▪ but those places are , and have beene ever most subject to danger , where men were left to themselves to enter lists with temptation : which proceedeth either from the naturall frailty of man , in that hee falleth from best to worst ; or his want of judgement to discerne best from worst : whence the poet most divinely concludeth , when want of judgement reignes in humane brest , the best is ta'ne for worst , the worst for best . god in his sacred wisdome having created man , thought it not good that hee should be alone ; and therefore made him an helpe meet for him . it was an excellent saying of that sage cynicke , who seeing a young man all alone by himselfe , and demanding of him what hee was doing , i am talking ( quoth the young man ) with my selfe ; take heed ( saith he ) thou talke not with thine enemy . for howsoever cato might say , in respect of the inward delight he tooke in contemplation , i am never lesse alone , then when alone ; wee shall find this true , that man is never more ready to give way to temptation , then when hee is alone . how needfull then is acquaintance , being indeed the life of the living ; the particular benefits whereof extend to discourse , advice , and action ? it is experience hath begot wisdome , and memory as a mother , hath brought it forth . now , what experience could wee gaine , if we should onely be left to our selves , and have none to helpe us in treaties or matters of conference ? it is said of demosthenes , that hee recovered his speech only by direction ; long would it be ere wee attained to any perfection of speech , either in manner or matter , if we wanted these usuall helpes of conference , which enable us when , where and how we should speake . for as the satyre was affraid at the first sight of fire ; or that captaine , who looking himselfe in a glasse when hee was angry , was affrighted with his owne countenance ; so should we , having never consorted or conversed with men , stand amazed when wee approached their company . for what is it that ministers boldnesse and audacity to men , save their usuall frequenting of assemblies ? or what is it , that so much benefits their knowledge , but their acquaintance with such who are professants of knowledge ? plutarch reporteth , that plato came forth of asia into cilicia , for no other cause but onely to see his deare friend phocion the philosopher . see here the love of good men one to another ; for amongst evill men can be no true friendship . for it is the aime of acquaintance that makes it good or evill ; as to insinuate ones selfe into acquaintance for their owne ends , to wit , to profit by it , or worke on others weaknesse , this is acquaintance for machiavels schollers , whose principall aime is to undermine ; and under pretence of amity , shroud their villany . these hold concurrency with frier clement , ravilliae , iaurequy , baltazar gerard. they have an open gate , but a shut countenance ; or if an open countenance , a close shut heart . aristotle saith , that friendship is one soule which ruleth two hearts , and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies , whereas these men , whose acquaintance hath relation to their owne peculiar ends , have a heart and a heart ; a heart outwardly professing , and a heart secretly practising ; a heart outward , and a heart inward ; outwardly pretending , and inwardly plotting . these are no acquaintance for you , gentlemen ; their hearts are too farre from their mouthes ; learning to prosper by others errours . yea , by often conversing and practising with others , no lesse cunning then themselves , they have so farre prevailed , as they are not onely able to match them , but out-strip them : serpens nisi serpentem comederit , non fit draco : these are they who hatch the cockatrice egges ; come not therefore neere them , for the poyson of aspes is under their lips. yea , they sucke the gall of aspes , and the vipers tongue shall slay them . yet , to leave you alone without company , would make your life as much loathed , as choice of acquaintance makes you love it . he is a weak prince that enjoyes an empire without people ; and no lesse desolate or disconsolate in his state ; who wants not for meanes , yet wants a friend to whom hee may impart his mind . lend me your hands therefore ( gentlemen ) and i will direct you in a way how to make choice of acquaintance in matters of advice , which is the second benefit redounding from the use of acquaintance . if a man ( saith seneca ) find his friend sad and so leave him ; sicke without ministring any comfort to him ; and poore without releeving him ▪ wee may thinke such an one goeth to jest rather then visit or comfort . whence we may observe the office or condition of a friend , who , if his friend be sicke , hee will visit him ; if ●ad , hee will cheare him ; if poore , hee will releeve him ; if afflicted in mind , hee will comfort him ; otherwise his friendship is but dissembling , his visiting him a meere mocking of him . iob called his friends miserable comforters , because their discourses were rather afflictions then comforts , their counsels rather corasives then cordials , their exhortations rather scourgings and scoffings , then soule-solacing refreshings . these doe not advise friends , but despise them ; miserable are such comforters . wherefore i may well distinguish acquaintance into two sorts ; the one halcion-like , come to us in a storme ; the other swallow-like , draw neere us in a calme . the former sort observe perianders precept , shew thy selfe still the same , whether thy friend be in prosperity or adversity : but the latter observe that sentence of optatus , all for the time , but nothing for the truth . all acquaintance may be either compared to pitch staining , or to balme curing . hee that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith , saith the sonne of sirach ; such is the nature of much acquaintance , especially in these latter dayes , where vanity is more affected , then the practice of vertue , which should bee onely loved . where many returne worse then when they went forth , confirming that sentence , sanabimur , si separ●mur à coetu . but balme , it refresheth , cheereth , and cureth ; such is that acquaintance , whose conceits are delightfull , discourse cheereful , and instructions fruitfull . these , if we be at any time doubtfull , will advise us ; if in necessity , will releeve us ; if in any affliction , either outward or inward , will beare a part with us , to allay griefe in us . a little stybium is too much , such are the first ; a great quantity of styrax is too little , such are the last . a * iuniper-tree maketh the hottest coale , and the coolest shadow of any tree : the coale is so hot , that if it be rak't up in ashes of the same , it continueth unextinguished by the space of a whole yeare : so doth true friendship or faithfull acquaintance ; it affordeth the coolest shadow to refresh us , and the hottest coales , implying fervour of affection , being once kindled , to warme us . when poore andr●mache craved vlysses advice , what hee thought best to be done in behalfe of her young sonne astyanax ; conceale him , ( said hee ) this is the onely meanes to save him . this shewed his faithfulnesse in advising , albeit her countries foe ; for otherwise hee would have perswaded her to submit her selfe and him to the hand of the mercilesse souldier ; or reape a benefit by their bondage , making them his owne captives : as it is in the fable of the crow , who comming to the eagle that had got a cockle , the fish wherof hee could not get out neither by force nor art , hee counselled him to mount up on high , and throw the cockle downe upon the stones , and so breake the shell : now all the while did the crafty crow stay below expecting the fall : the eagle throwes it downe , the shell is broken , the fish by the crow is taken , and the eagle deluded . many such counsellors there be , who advise not others for their good , but their own good . others there be , who make use of their friends or acquaintance meerely for their owne ends ; and rather then they will bee prevented of their aimes , they will expose the life and safety of their friend to imminent perill . and these resemble the fox , who seeing a chestnut in the fire , made use of the cats foot to take it out . but these are not those friends , whose advice is faithfull , as their friendship is firme and gratefull . their aimes are indirect , their advice tends to their owne benefit , their counsell tastes of profit , and their directions become as pitsals to their friends . those to whom i would have gentlemen knowne , are men of another ranke and quality , appearing like the canii , senecae , aruntii , and sorani ; whose admirable vertues were inimitable in so corrupt a government . neither would i have them to shake off these friendly monitors , if at any time their advice relish not halfe well to their palate ; but rather honour them for their vertuous sincerity , as epaminondas honoured lysias , agesilaus xenophon , scipio penetius , alcibiades socrates , achilles phoenix , sent him by his father peleus . for such as will not endure a friendly reproofe , i would have their acquaintance doe with them as plato did with dionysius , who perceiving him to be incorrigible , left him . the rebukes of a friend are better then the kisses of an enemy ; for the one , though at first displeasing , tend ( if rightly used ) to his conversion ; but the other , though pleasing , tend ( if not prevented ) to his confusion . had alexander understood this aright , hee would have preferred the faithfull advice of his affectionate clitus before all his conquests ; for by his instruction might hee , have learned humility , which lesson had beene worth his worlds monarchie . had nero , that president of tyrants , or monster of men , given eare to the wise advice of his loyall and learned seneca , he might have found a subject to love him , a scholler to live with him , a souldier to fight for him , and a mother to blesse him . for surely , as of all possessions friendship is most precious ; being suted with vertue , without which there is no true friendship ; so are wee to value the life of our friend , as the crowne of our glory . for tell me , are you sad ? your friends conceit , as a soveraigne receit , will cheere you . are you disposed to be merry ? mirth alone , is a single consort , your friend will partake with you . would you have one to passe the tedious night away , in telling tales , or holding you with talke ? your friend will invent a thousand pastimes to cheere you , and make the night seeme lesse tedious unto you . is the burden of your griefes too heavy to beare ? you have a friend to share with you in your burden . in briefe , want you comfort ? hee will supply it ; want you meanes to releeve your wants ? hee will afford it ; want you counsell ? hee will impart it ; want you all that man can want ? you want not a friend who will supply your wants with his want . and so i descend from the benefit redounding from advice , to the third and last , which is the profit or benefit which redounds from one friend to another in every peculiar action , exercise , or recreation . cicero , the glory of rome , and flower of orators , exemplifying the prowesse of themistocles and epaminondas , useth these words ; the sea shall sooner overwhelme the isle it selfe of salamine , then it shall drench the remembrance of the salamine triumph : and the towne of leuctra in boeotia shall sooner be razed , then the remembrance of the field there fought , forgotten . but howsoever these monuments may be razed or defaced by continuance of time , sure i am that the love which they shewed to their friends , even to the apparent danger of their owne lives , shall eternize their memory . pelopidas a noble grecian , skirmishing with the lacedemonians against the arcadians , untill such time as being hurt in seven places , hee fell downe at last for dead : then presently epaminondas , out of a princely resolution and noble affection to his distressed friend , stepping forth bestrid him , and fought to defend his body , hee alone against many ; till being sore cut on his arme with a sword , and thrust into the brest with a pike , hee was even ready to give over . but at that very instant , agesipolis king of the lacedemonians came with the other point of the battell in a hapyy houre , and saved both their lives when they were past all hope . here see apparent arguments of true love , mixed with a noble and heroick temper : for friends , are to be tryed in extremities , either in matters of state or life : in state , by releeving their wants ; in life , by engaging themselves to all extremes , rather then they will suffer their friend to perish . these are they who will latch the blow of affliction laid upon their friends , with the buckler of affection ; preferring death before their friends disgrace . marcus servilius a valiant roman , who had fought three and twenty combats of life and death in his owne person , and had alwayes slaine as many of his enemies as challenged him man to man ; when as the people of rome resisted paulus aemilius triumph , stood up and made an oration in his behalfe : in the midst whereof hee cast up his gowne , and shewed before them the infinite skars and cuts he had received upon his brest ; the sight of which so prevailed with the people , that they all agreed in one , and granted aemilius triumph . here observe the tender respect of one friend towards anothers honour : there is nothing unassayed , nothing unattempted , which may procure or further it . for this friendship or combination of minds , as there is nothing more precious , so there is nothing which doth comparably delight or solace the mind like unto it , being faithfully grounded . their discourse ( like some choice musicke ) delights our hearing ; their sight ( like some rare object ) contents our seeing ; their presence fully satisfies us in our touching ; their well-seasoned jests ( like some delicious banquet ) relish our tasting ; and their precepts ( like sweet flowers ) refresh our smelling . thus is every sense satisfied , by enjoying that which it loveth : as the senses wanting their proper objects , become uselesse ; so men , whether in prosperity or adversity wanting friends to relye on , are wretched and helpelesse : so as there is no greater wildernesse then to bee without true friends . for without friendship , society is but meeting ; acquaintance a formall or ceremoniall greeting . whereas it is friendship , when a man can say to himselfe , * i love this man without respect of utility : for ( as i formerly noted ) those are no friends but hirelings , who professe friendship onely to gaine by it . certainely , whosoever hath had the happinesse to enjoy a true and faithfull friend , to whom hee might freely impart the secrets of his brest , or open the cabinet of his counsels , hee ( i say ) and onely hee hath had the experience of so rare a benefit daily redounding from the use of friendship : where two hearts are so individually united , as neither from other can well be severed . and as it is certaine , that in bodies inanimate , union strengthneth any naturall motion , and weakneth any violent motion ; so amongst men , friendship multiplieth joyes , and divideth griefes . it multiplies joyes ; for it makes that joy communicative , which before was single ; it divideth griefes ; for it shares in them , and so makes them lesse . now perfection of friendship , is but speculation , if wee consider the many defects which are for most part subject to all worldly friendship : yea , and as the world increaseth in age , so it decreaseth most commonly in goodnesse : for in courts , are suits and actions of law ; in cities , tricks and devices to circumvent ; in the countrey , ingrossing and regrating , of purpose to oppresse . it is rare to see a faithfull damon or a pythias ; a pylades or orestes ; a bitias or a pandarus ; nisus or euryalus . and what may be the cause of this , but that the love of every one is so great to himselfe , as hee can find no corner in his heart to lodge his friend in ? in briefe , none can gaine friends , and make a saving bargaine of it , for now it is a rule commonly received , hee that to all will here be gratefull thought , must give , accept , demand , much , little , nought . so as it may seeme , it is not given to man to love and to be wise ; because the lover is ever blinded with affection towards his beloved ; so as , hee dis-esteemes honour , profit , yea life it selfe , so hee may gratifie his beloved . but my opinion is quite contrary ; for i hold this as a firme and undoubted maxime ; that hee who is not given to love , cannot be wise . for is hee wise , that reposeth such trust in his owne strength , as if hee stood in no need of friends ? is hee wise , who dependeth so much on his owne advice , as if all wit and wisedome were treasured in his braine ? is hee wise , who being sicke would not be visited ; poore , and would not bee succoured ; afflicted , and would not be comforted ; throwne downe , and would not be raised ? surely in the same case is hee , who fleights the purchase of a friend , preferring his owne profit before so inestimable a prize . there is none , whether hee be valiant , or a profest coward , but may stand in need of a friend in a corner . for be he valiant , hee stands in need of a friend to second him ; if a coward , hee needs one to support him : therefore , whosoever wanteth fortitude , whether it be in mind or body , let him embrace friendship ; for if his weaknesse proceed from the mind , hee shall find a choice receit in the brest of his friend , to strengthen and corroborate him , so as griefe may assaile or assault him , but it cannot dismay or amate him . againe , if his weaknesse proceed from the body , that weaknesse is supplied by the strength of his friend , who will be an eye to direct him , and a foot to sustaine him . telephus , when hee could find none amongst his friends to cure his wound , permitted his enemy to doe it : and hee who purposed to kill prometheus the thessalian , opened his impostume with his sword . if such effects have proceeded from enmity , what rare and incredible effects may be imagined to take their beginning from amity ? then which as nothing is stri●ter in respect of the bond , so nothing is more continuate in respect of the time : being so firme , as not to be dissolved ; so strict , as not to bee anulled ; so lasting , as never to be ended . neither is this benefit derived from friend to friend , onely restrained to matter of action or imployment ; but extendeth it selfe to exercises of pleasure and recreation . for tell me , what delight can any one reape in his pleasure ? wanting a friend to partake with him in his pleasure ? takes hee delight in hunting ? let him choose acquaintance that may suit him in it : not onely a hunter , but one whose conceit ( if occasion serve ) can reach further ; such an one i would have him as could make an embleme of the forrest where he raungeth , compose a sonnet on the objects which he seeth , and fit himselfe for ought hee undertaketh . of which ranke , was that merry epigrammatist , ( as it may be imagined ) who being taxed for wearing a horne , and could not wind it , made this replie ; my friend did taxe me seriously one morne , that i should weare , yet could not wind the horne : and i repli'd , that he for truth should finde it , many did weare the horne that nere could wind it : hows'ere of all , that man may weare it best , who makes claime to 't as his ancient crest . to intervene conceits or some pleasant jests in our recreations whether discursive or active , is no lesse delightfull then usefull : but these jests should bee so seasoned , as they may neither taste of lightnesse , nor too much saltness . iests festive are oft times offensive , they incline too much to levitie ; jests civill ( for into these two are all divided ) are better relishing , because mixed with more sobriety and discretion . catullus answer to philippus the atturney , was no lesse witty then bitter : for catullus and he being one day at high words together ; why barkest thou , quoth philippus ? because i see a theefe , answered catull●● . he shewed himselfe a quick anatomist , who branched man into three parts , saying , that man hath nothing but substance , soule , and body ; lawyers dispose of the substance , physicians of the body , and divines of the soule . present and pregnant was donato's answer to a young gentleman , who , beholding a brave company of amorous ladies and gentlewomen , meeting donato comming towards rome , as one admiring their number and feature , said , quot coelum stellas , tot habet tua roma puellas . by and by answered donato , pascua quot haedos , tot habet tua roma cinaedos phaedro being asked , why in the collects , where christian bishops , and pagans be prayed for , the cardinals were not remembred ? answered , they were included in that prayer , oremus pro haereticis et schismaticis . well requited was that young scholler , who giving his master this evening salute : domine magister , deus det tibi bonum serò ; was answered by his master : et tibi malum citò . witty but shrewd was that answer of a disputant in my time to his moderator in posterior : who demanding of him , what the cause should be , that he with whom he disputed , should have so great a head and so little wit ; replied , omne m●jus continet in se minus . a base minde was well displaid in that covetous man , who unwilling to sell his corne while it was at an high price , expecting ever when the market would rise higher ; when he saw it afterward fall , in despaire hanged himselfe upon a beame of his chamber ; which his man hearing , and making haste , cut the rope and preserved his life : afterwards , when he came to himselfe , hee would needes have his man to pay f●r the cord hee had cut . but i approve rather of such jests as are mixed with lesse extremes : pleasant was that answer of scipio nasica who going to ennius house in rome , and asking for ennius , ennius bade his maid tell him hee was not within . so ennius on a time comming to scipio's house , and asking whether hee was at hom● ? i am not at home , answered scipio : ennius wondering thereat ; doe i not know that voice ( quoth hee ) to be scipio's voice ? thou hast small civility in thee ( answered scipio ) that when i beleeved thy maid thou wert not at home , yet thou wilt not beleeve me . likewise to report a jest , is an argument of a quick wit , as leo emperour of bizantium answered one , who being crook-backt , jested at his bleared eies , saying , thou reproachest me with the defect of nature , and thou carriest nemesis upon thy shoulders . domitius reproaching crassus that he wept for a lamprey ; crassus answered , but thou hast buried three wives without one teare . alexander asking a pyrate , that was taken and brought before him , how he durst be so bold to infest the seas with his pyracy ? was answered with no lesse spirit , that he pl●ied the pyrate but with on ship , but his majesty with a huge navy : which saying so pleased alexander that hee pardoned him : reaping especiall delight in that similitude of action , by which was transported the current of the kings affection . other conceits there are more closely touched , covertly carried , and in silence uttered ; as that of bias , who , when an evill man asked him what goodnes was ? answered nothing : and being demanded the cause of his silence , i am silent , quoth he , because thou enquirest of that which nothing concerns thee . the same bias sailing on a time with some naughty men , by violence of a tempest , the ship wherin they were became so shaken & tossed with waves , as these naughty men began to call upon the gods ; hold your peace ( said bias ) lest these gods you cal upon , understand that you be here . but lest by dwelling too long upon jests , i forget the series of my discourse , i wil succinctly conclude this branch , with my judgment touching acquaintance in this kind . as i would have gentlemen to make choice of their acquaintance by their sound , so i would not have them all sound : musicke doth well with aires , but there is no musicke in that discourse which is all aire . my meaning is , i would not have these acquaintance which they make choice of , all words or flashes of wit : for i seldome see any of these who are so verball , much materiall ; or these who are all wit , but through height of a selfe-conceipt they fall to much weakenes . for these many times preferre their conceipt before the hearers appetite , and will not sticke to lose their friend rather then their jest ; which in my opinion is meere madnes : for he that values his jest above his friend , over-values his conceipt , and had need of few jests , or great store of friends . i have knowne some wits turne wittals ; by making themselves buffouns and stale jesters for all assemblies . which sort are fitter for gentlemen to make use of as occasion serves , then to entertaine them as bosome-acquaintance ▪ for as the benefit which redounds to one from another in action , exercise , and recreation , is mutually imparted ; so is the danger no lesse incident one to another , where the ends or uses are perverted . thus farre have wee proceeded in the discovery of those particular benefits which redound from discourse , advice , and action , by meanes of acquintance : being the cement which so firmely joyneth minds together as they may be encountred by extremes , but divided never . now for as much as the essential triall of acquaintance consists in matters of highest consequence , wee are now to addresse our selves to such a choice , as our choice may admit no change . the precept of that ancient sage is worth remembring , follow such friends as it may not shame thee to have chosen . certainly , there is no one argument to evince man of indiscretion , more holding then this ; that he makes no difference or distinction in the choice of his friends : in which respect no man can bee to warie or circumspect , because herein , for most part , consisteth his wel-fare or undoing . it were meet therefore that a gentleman made choice of such for his friends or acquaintance , as are neither timists nor timonists , fawners nor frowners . for the first sort , they are for all seasons , and all weathers ; so as they may be fitly compared to the hedge-hogge , who hath two holes in his fiedge ; one towards the south , another towards the north : now when the southerne wind blowes , hee stops up that hole , and turnes him northward ; when the north wind blowes , hee stops up that hole likewise , and turnes him againe southward . such vrchins are all temporizers : they turne as the winde blowes , and sute themselves for every occasion . these friends or acquaintance who follow not us but ours , will be seene in all liveries : princes have felt the inconveniency of them , and inferiour states have not beene free from them : but the highest states , generally , are most subject to these reteiners ; for princes by experience we have seene abused most where most their trust hath beene . now there are two kinds of princes ( saith comines ) ; the one are so cautelous and suspicious , as they are scarce to bee endured : for they are almost come to that passe , as they thinke themselves ever deluded and circumvented . such was dionysius the tyrant of syracusa , who grew so suspicious as he would not trust any barber to shave him , causing his own daughters to learne to shave . others there bee , who are so farre from harbouring suspicion , as being of a dull and lumpish wit , they scarce understand what is commodious for them , and what not . such was domitian , who cared more for catching of flies , then reteining of friends : being so farre from preventing danger , as he never fore-saw it till hee felt it . in these there is small constancy of mind ; for as they easily discontinue friendship , they as easily decline from hatred and embrace friendship . constantine the great , being a profest foe to all these timists , or temporizing sycophants , was wont to call them gnats and moths that pester a princes palace : so aspiring be their aimes , so base their meanes ; who like base beetles as they have begun , in every cowsheard nestle neare the sun. whence , as it may bee probably gathered , was that sentence derived , amici curiae , parasiti curiae ; fawning rather then friending , tendring onely love where they hope to receive gaine . th●se as they have ianus front , for they carry two faces under one hood : so have they s●m●ns heart professing love , but practising hate : of which sort the ever-living homer thus concludeth : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . there 's nought on earth i more detest , then sugred breath in serpents brest . whence it was that the great spi●ited byron , who shewed more passion then resolution at his death , howsoever during all his time none was ever held for a more brave or noble souldier ; perceiving his trust ( as he collected ) betrayed by la fin , with whom he had conspired , and by whom his practice was disclosed , he confessed that la fin had bewitched him , exhorting his hoast to be warie of him , le●● he should delude and circumvent him with his impostures . for certainly , as more expresly appeared , not only at the time of his execution , but in all the passages of his practice , as hee had reposed great trust in la fin , in the whole management of that busines ; so having seen his trust weakned , and those many protestations of amity infringed , ( though in practises of that nature there can be no true league of friendship ) it moved him no lesse to impatience , then the discovery of his teason . but these fawning friends or timists which wee have now in quest , as they are onely for the present time , so will they undertake many times the most enormous and indirect course , to raise their hopes , that can bee devised . when the rash aspiring catiline had promised to divulge those new tables , wherein were contained the proscription of the rich , magistracies , priest-hoods , rapines , and all other insolencies , which either the shocke of warre , or will of the conquerour gives way to : hee had followers enow upon the instant to second him in his hatefull courses ; being such as either his youth had made him acquainted with , or his dissolute course had consorted with : which unhappy followers made him , doubtlesse , more violent in his attempts , and lesse considerate in his directions . how needfull then is it , to prevent the occasion of so maine an inconvenience ? how expedient is it to avoid the frequent or society of such as will not sticke to be assistants in mischiefe ? how consequent a thing is it to weane ones selfe not onely from their familiarity and inward acquaintance , but even from so much as conversing with them or writing to them . themistocles was suspected to be knowne to pausanias treason , although most cleare of himselfe , because he wrote unto him . for as the nature of man is originally depraved , so by consorting with vicious men the arme of sinne becomes strengthned . the fuller ( as it is in the fable ) would by no meanes suffer the collier to dwell with him under one roofe , lest he should soile what he had rinsed . which fable hath a morall relation to the course of our life , and the nature of such as we usually confort with : for there is a traffique or commerce as well of manners as persons ; of vertues and vi●es , as other commodities . the babylonian had beene naturally said to bee arrogant , the theban passionate , the iew envious , the tyrian covetous , the 〈◊〉 rioter , the egyptian a sorcerer : neither did these nations keepe these vices to themselves , for they induced others likewise , to whom they had recourse and commerce , to be affected to the like : for the very egyptians had so bewitched caesar himselfe with their illusions , as hee gave great attention to them ; as alexander was delighted with the brachmanes . for vice is such an over-growing or wild spreading weed , as there is no soile wherein it likes not , no kinde of nature ( of what temper soever ) it invades not , and invading surprizeth not . to the body diseases are infectious , to the mind are vices no lesse obnoxious : for vices are the diseases of the minde , as infirmities breed distempers and diseases to the body . so as whether we observe the state of church or common-weale , we shall find vices to be of a nature no lesse spreading then diseases ; neither the state or symptome of the mind lesse endangered by the infusion of the one , then the body by the infection of the other . for as the state politicke is much weakned by the haunt of these vices , so is that mourning dove the church , many times afflicted to see her selfe torn with schismes and divisions : whereas * waspes make honey-combes , so marcionists make churches . how needfull then is it to divide our selves from the consorts of vice , without entertaining the least occasion that might induce us to give consent to her followers ? augustus wore ever about him , for preservative against thunder , a seales skinne , which plinie writes checketh lightning ; as tiberius wore alwayes about his necke a wreath of laurell . but let us carry about us that moli , or herbe of grace , whose precious juyce may repell the spels of so inchanting a syren . for as the vnicornes horne being dipt in water , cleares and purifies it , so shall this soveraigne receit cure all those maladies , which originally proceed from the poyson of vice . the mind so long as it is evill aff●cted , is miserably infected . for so many evils , so many divels , first tempting and tainting the soule with sinne , then tearing and tormenting her with the bitter sense of her guilt . saint basil saith , that passions rise up in a drunken man , like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side ; whatsoever that holy father saith of one vice , may be generally spoken of all : so as wee may truely conclude with that princely prophet ; they come about us like bees : though they have honey in their thighs , they have stings in their tailes , wounding our poore soules even unto death . requisite therefore is it to avoid the society of such whose lives are either touched or tainted with any especiall crime : these are dangerous patternes to imitate , yea , dangerous to consort with ; for , as the storke being taken in the company of the cranes , was to undergoe like punishment with them , although she had scarce ever consented to feed with them ; so be sure , if wee accompany them , we shall have a share of their shame , though not in their sinne . avoid the acquaintance of these heires of shame , whose affected liberty hath brought them to become slaves to all sensuality , and sure ere long to inherit misery . give no eare to the sycophant , whose sugred tongue and subtill traine are ever plotting your ruine ; hate the embraces of all insinuating sharkes , whose smoothnesse will worke on your weaknesse , and follow the poets advice ; avoide such friends as feigne and fawne on thee ; like scylla's rocke within sicilian sea. so dangerous are these sirenian friends , that , like the sicilian shelves , they menace shipwracke to the inconsiderate sailer . for these , as they professe love , and labour to purchase friends ; so their practices are but how to deceive and entrap those to whom they professe love . whence it is that salomon saith , a man that flattereth his neighbour , spreadeth a net for his steps . that is , hee that giveth eare to the flatterer , is in danger , as the bird is before the fowler . hee whistleth merrily , spreadeth his nets cunningly , and hunteth after his prey greedily . and let this suffice to be spoken for the timist , who professeth observance to his friend onely for his owne end . now , gentlemen , as i would not have you to entertaine time with fawns , so neither with frowns . the former , as they were too light , so the latter are too heavy : the one too supple , the other too surly . for these timonists ( for we have done with our timists ) as cicero said of galba's leaden and lumpish body , his wit had an ill lodging , are of too sullen and earthly a constitution . it is never fair weather with them , for they are ever louring , bearing a calender of ill weather in their brow . these for the most part are male-contents and affect nothing lesse then what is generally pleasing : appearing in the world naturalized demophons ; whose humour was to sweat still in the shadow , and shake in the sunne . so as , howsoever they seeme seated in another clime , for disposition they are like the antipodes unto us , opposing themselves directly against us in all our courses . they are of democritus mind , who said , that the truth of things lay hid in certaine deepe mines or caves ; and what are these but their owne braines ? for they imagine , there can be no truth , but what they professe . they proclaime defiance to the world , saying , thou miserable deluded world , thou embracest pleasure , wee restraine it : thou for pleasure doest all things , wee nothing . now who should not imagine these stoicks to be absolute men ? such as are rare to see on earth , in respect of their austerity of life , and singular command over their affections ? such as are divided ( as it were ) from the thought of any earthly busines , having their minds spheared in a higher orbe ? such as are so farre from intermedling in the world , as they dis-value him that intends himselfe to negotiate in the world ? such , as when they see a man given to pleasure , or some moderate recreation , whereby hee may be the better enabled for other imployments , sleight him as a spender of time , and one unfit for the society of men ? such , as say unto laughter , thou art mad ; and unto joy , what meanest thou ? such , as take up the words of that grave censor in the poet : tak'st thou delight to race those pathes , where worldlings walked have , which seldome doe refresh the mind , but often doe deceive ? yet behold , how many times these mens severity comes short of sinceritie ! they will lay heavy burdens on others shoulders , which they will be loath to touch with the tip of their finger . the taskes which they impose on others are insupportable , the pressures they lay on themselves very easie and tolerable . of this ranke was aglataidas , of whom that noble and faithfull historian comines writeth , saying : while he served in the campe hee was of a most harsh austere condition , doing many things perversly , and desiring rather to be feared then loved . such was this timon , from whose name wee entitle these frowning friends , who can hardly be true friends to any , being so opposite or repugnant to all , as they can scarcely hold concurrence with any . neither was this timon ( as plutarch reporteth of him ) onely harsh and uncivill towards men , but towards women also : so as going forth one day into his orchard , and finding a woman hanging upon a wild fig-tree : o god ( quoth he ) that all trees brought forth such fruit ! vnfit therefore was this timon for the acquaintance of man , who profest himselfe so mortall and irreconciliable an enemy to the sociablest and entirest acquaintance of man. so as , these timonists , are to be cashiered for two reasons ; first , for their owne harsh and rough condition ; secondly , for the unjust grounds of their opinion , which dissents so farre from society , as it disallowes of marriage , the ordinary meanes appointed to preserve society . so as , leaving them and their opinion , as already evinced , wee will descend to make choice of your neerest acquaintance , ( i meane ) the choice of your wife ; the first day of which solemnity promiseth either a succeeding iubile , or a continued scene of sorrow , where nought is sung but dolefull lachrymae . it was pleasantly spoken of him who said ; wives are young mens mistresses ; companions for middle age ; and old-mens nurses . the first sort , take as much content in wearing their mistresse favour , as winning it ; the second sort , in winning rather then wearing it ; the third neither in wearing nor winning it , but like children , to be cherished and cockered by it . the second sort are wee onely to speake of , where wives are to be made companions , and such entire ones , as they are bone of your bone , and flesh of your flesh . in the choice whereof , wee will propose such necessary cautions , as shall be no lesse usefull to your selves , if rightly observed , then motives of comfort , if duely and exactly considered . hee was reputed one of the wise men , that made answer to the question ; when a man should marry ? a young man not yet , an elder man not at all . of which opinion was arminius that ruler of carthage , whose harsh conceit of marriage proceeding either from personall disability , or some experience of womans levity , deserves small approbation . for had it beene arminius fortune to have matched with arminia , hee would doubtlesse , rather have fallen into admiration of so sacred a rite , then into distaste of it . for this noble lady being bidden to king cyrus wedding , went thither with her husband : at night when they were returned home , her husband asked of her , how shee liked the bride-groome , whether she thought him to bee a faire and beautifull prince or no ? truth ( saith she ) i know not : for all the while i was forth , i cast mine eyes upon none other , but upon thy selfe . or had calanus prevented hi●●o of his choice , hee would have fallen from his stoicall dreame to a nuptiall song ; for one of hiero●s enemies reproaching him with a stinking breath , hee went home and questioned his wife why she told him not thereof ; but what answer gave this continent lady ? surely ( said shee ) i thought all men had the same savour . or had claudian injoyed so inimitable a consort , as the no lesse beauteous then vertuous clara ; whose constant affection to her decrepit and diseased valdaure , in sh●wing most love when a loathsome bed might have ministred most dista●●e hath recommended her living memory to the succeeding annals of posterity . o● had timon attained the happinesse to joyn hands with theogena , wife to agathocles , hee had not inveighed so much against the state of marriage ; for this renowned lady shewed admirable constancy in her husbands greatest misery , showing her selfe most his owne , when hee was relinquisht and forsaken of his owne ; saying , that she was not given him to bee a sharer onely in his prosperity , but in what fortune so●ver should befall him . or had zenocrates enjoyed zenobia , hee would no lesse have admired his fortune , then beshrewed himselfe for depriving himselfe so long of so sweet a companion . for this princely lady , after the death of odonatus ( though a barbarian queene yet ) by her reading of both roman and greeke histories , so managed the state after the decease of her husband , as shee reteined those fierce and intractable people in her obedience ; being a woman no lesse absolute for learning , then discreet governing : for she abridged the alexandrian , and all the orientall histories , ( a taske of no lesse difficulty then utility ) whereby she attained the highest pitch of wisdome and authority . or had aristippus beene so happy as linked himselfe with artemisia , hee would have preferred so kind and constant a yoke-fellow before all exteriour contemplations : for this chaste and choice lady after the death of her beloved mansolus , thought it not sufficient to erect a glorious monument in his memory , but to enshrine him in her owne body , by drinking his ashes , and interring him in her selfe . many such eminent women may wee reade of in histories both divine and humane , whose vertues have equalled , if not surpassed most men . so as , howsoever it was the milesian thales his saying , that hee had cause to give fortune thankes for three things especially ; first , for that hee was a man , and not a beast : secondly , that hee was a man , and not a woman : thirdly , that hee was a greeke borne , and not a barbarian : women there be whos 's more noble endowments merit due admiration , because as in their sex weaker and inferiour , so in the gifts of the mind richer and superiour . but now to our choice : for it is to be received as already granted , being by the authority of an apostle confirmed , that mariage is honourable among all : and every honourable thing is more eligible , then that which is not honourable : so as hee that shunneth mariage , and avoideth society , is to be esteemed a foe to humanity , or more then a man ; as hee whom homer reprehendeth , saying : that hee was tribe-lesse , law-lesse , and house-lesse . i could wish every young gentleman to make that choice of his mistris , which seneca would have one observe in the choice of a master ; choose him for thy master ( saith he ) whom thou mayest more admire , seeing him , then hearing him : neither altogether , as egnatius in catullus is brought out shewing the whitenesse of his teeth : for all outward perfections , are but as fuell to feed desire , without that inward faire , which onely maketh woman worthy loving . for what is a beautifull complexion , being an exteriour good ; or that which euryclea his nurse praysed , when shee washed the feet of vlysses , namely , gentle speech , and tender flesh , wanting those inward graces , which truely adorne and beautifie women ? so as it is much better to follow his direction in the choice of a wife , who said , that they were to be chosen a modestiâ non formâ ; which modestie cannot admit of this ages vanity , where there is nothing lesse affected then what is comely . for , b these garish fashions agree well with none but prostitutes and shamelesse women . c neither can that face bee a good one , which stands in need of these helpes . for d what madnesse is it to change the forme of nature , and seeke beauty from a picture ? e which picture is vices posture , and the ages imposture . f neither doe these affected trumperies , nor exquisite vanities become a christian. g for what is more vaine , then dying of the haire , painting of the face , laying out of brests ? h doe not say that these can have shamefast minds , who have such wandring and immodest eyes . i for the habit of the mind is to be discerned by the carriage : so as even in motion , gesture , and pace , is modesty to be observed . how miserable then is the state of these phantastick idols , who can endure no fashion that is comely , because it would not bee observed ? how base is her shape , which must borrow complexion from the shop ? k how can she weepe for her sinnes ( saith s. hierome ) when her teares will make furrowes in her face ? with what confidence doth she lift up her countenance to heaven which her maker acknowledges not ? l i would , i poore wretch , ( saith tertullian ) might see in that day of christian exaltation , whether with cerusse , and vermillion , and saffron , and those tyres and toyes upon your head , you are to rise againe ! which if they doe , they shall certainely witnesse against them , m to receive the reward of their painting in a lake of tormenting . n for these are they who lay hands upon god , correcting with a hand of contempt the workemanship of god. these never carry a box of oyntment to bestow on the members of christ , but a o box of complexion they have in readinesse to bestow on a cheeke . which sort of wantons ( for how should i otherwise terme them ) are well displayed by one in their colours after this manner ; p she surely keeps her fault of sex and nation , and best alloweth still the last translation : much good time lost , shee rests her faces debter , sh' as made it worse , striving to make it better . this introduced vlcer , which is now esteemed no sore , because custome hath taken away the sense of a sore ; how much it was abhorred formerly , may appeare by that command or constitution purposely exhibited to restraine it . q doe not paint thy face which god hath made . but if our women would but consider how hatefull these abuses are in the sight of the almighty , yea , how much they were loathed even of all honest women in former ages , they would distaste them , sure i am , farre more then they affect them . for if wee will credit saint r hierome ; writing to marcella , who saith ; that those women are matters of scandall to christian eyes , which painted their faces and their eyes with vermillion , and such like adulterate complexions . yea hee writes , that maximilla montanus his prophetesse , a woman-divell , by command from him whom she served , did use to paint . so festus pompeius saith , that common and base whores , called schoenicolae , used dawbing of themselves , though with the vilest stuffe . so did the druids amongst the romans , expresly shadowed by the poet , s preserve what nature gave you , noughts more base , than belgian colour on a roman face . t so did our ancient brittaines , but not to make their faces more amiable , but to appeare more terrible to the enemy . thus much , gentlemen , i thought good to write , before you make your choice , that you may see who are worth loving before you make your choice . u there is one flower to be loved of women , a good red , which is shame fastnesse ? here make your choice , and you shall finde farre more content in a native then artificiall blush . for as diogenes said to one that had annointed his haire ; x take heed that thy smelling head bring thee not an ill-smelling life ; so beware lest these perfumed ones become not polluted ones . for whosoever shall use them , i cannot choose but suspect them : howsoever i have read of some that maintained the use of painting , grounded upon these ensuing respects : y such a cause there may be ( saith one ) that women may use painting , and without sinne : as for example , if it bee done of purpose to cover any blemish or deformity . likewise , if the husband command that his wife should doe it , to the end that among other women shee might appeare more amiable : which opinion seemes likewise confirmed by another , who affirmes . z that to receive more beauty by attire or painting , though it bee a counterfeit worke , yet it is no mortall sin . so as platina writeth , that paulus secundus , bishop of rome , used to paint himselfe : whom if diogenes had seene , he would doubtlesse have said to him , as he once said to a youth too curiously and effeminately drest : if thou goest to men , all this is but in vaine ; if unto women , it is wicked . wicked surely , it cannot choose , being ( as it were ) a reproving or reforming of the almighty , whose workmanship is so absolute , as it admits of no correction . take heed therefore that you be not taken with one of these idols , as pigmalion was with his image ; but so direct your affections , as she may be worthy your embrace , whom you shall chuse . which that you may the better effect , follow the sages advice in your choice : match with your equall , if not in fortunes , for so both may prove beggars , at least in descent : so will she the better content her selfe with your estate , and conforme her the better to your meanes . for i have seldome seene any difference greater , arising from marriage , than imparity of birth or descent , where the wife will not sticke to twit her husband with her parentage , and brave him with repetition of her descent . likewise , as i would not have you to entertaine so maine a businesse without mature advice , so i would not have you wholly rely upon a friends counsell : but as you are to have the greatest oare in the boat , so to make your selfe your owne carver : for hee that is enforced to his choice , makes a dangerous bargaine . wherefore ground your choice on love , so shall you not chuse but like ; making this your conclusion ; to her in hymens bands i 'le nere be tide , whom love hath not espous'd and made my bride . for what miseries have ensued on enforced marriages , there is no age but may record : where rites enforced , made the hands no sooner joyned then their minds divorced , bidding adieu to content , even at that instant when those unhappy rites were solemnized . the next observance in making your choice , is matter of portion ; a busines not altogether to be neglected ; for if she be a good wife , a good portion makes her no worse : and if an ill one , she had need of a portion to make her better . for he hath a hard bargaine that hath neither portion in a wife , nor out of a wife . we would account him a weake and simple man , that would enter bond without either consideration , or security to keepe him harmeles . you are sure to be bound , be not so far from consideration , as have nothing to shew for your self for your own security . i can cōmend his wit who having made choice of a proportion , moving enough to gain affection , was not content so , but he must know further touching her portion ; that as her proportion procured love , so her portion might enable him how to live : like a quicke epigrammatist he proceedeth thus ; i got a portion and proportion too , one got , the other i desir'd to know ; which knowne , though at this season i was free , a thousand pound cost me my liberty . o foole ( quoth my alexis ) to be bound , to thraldomes yoke , to gaine a thousand pound ! content thee friend ( said i ) for wot'st thou what , i have beene bound for a lesse summe then that , yet nere was banke-rupt ; but if so i doubt to lose by th' bargaine , i will banke her out . it is a true saying , something hath some savour ; whereas hee that neither gets good wife nor good portion , will make but a hard saver . for he that wants a wife to cherish him , had need of some money to cheere him . having now made choice of your wife , being so well disposed ( as it is to be intended , ) shee should not bee much restrained ; for shee hath already resolved to bee no gadder , but , in resemblance of the snaile , a good house-keeper . the egyptians , by an especiall decree ( as plutarch reports ) injoyned their women to weare no shooes , because they should abide at home . the grecians accustomed to burne , before the doore of the new married , the axletree of that coach wherein she was brought to her husbands house , letting her to understand , that shee was ever after to dwell there . which custome she approveth , having made her family her common weale , where she addresseth her selfe to govern without intermedling in others affaires . neither is shee onely to be freed from restraint of liberty in going abroad ( for her occasions call her , or else she could be contented to be housed for ever : ) but in her desire of apparrell , or any thing else that she affecteth . for whersoever christ is , there is a shamefastnes ; like as wheresoever antichrist is , there is b shamelesnes . and this chosen vessell well understands that all garish and gorgeous attire , is the attire of sin , which she will not so much as partake with , having learned how that modestie is the only ornament which beseemes a matron . wherefore , you should much wrong your choice to restraine her from the use of any pleasure which shee affecteth , for so well disposed is she , as she affecteth no pleasure than to converse with vertue , which she holdeth at a higher rate than to be purchased with a masse of treasure . but admit it were your fortune to bestow your selfe on one , whose licentious affection might second faustina's , whose pride sempronia's , and whose shrewd tongue zantippe's : you must make a vertue of a necessity , and so learne to inure you to patience , as you may be able by continuall exercise to encounter and subdue the violentest passions . how wisely did aurelius cover his faustina's shame , labouring to reclaime by mildnesse , when he could not prevaile by bitternesse ? how discreetly was sempronias proud humour curbed and with as little impatience as might bee reproved ? how resolutely did socrates forbeare his wife zantippe , though a froward woman , because hee thought he might better and with more patience converse with others ? for marriage is no such merchandize , as to promise returne with advantage to all factors . there is a ceremoniall custome used by the duke of venice upon the ascention day , to goe in a vessell called the bucentor , made galley-wise , with other nobles a mile or two into the sea : casting a ring into it , ( by which ceremony they wed the sea ) that it may never leave the citie upon dry land . certainely , whosoever he be that marrieth a wife , empledging his faith unto her by a ring , must not thinke that hee hath brought his ship to a perpetual harbour , but rather that hee is now putting off from land , and entring the maine ocean , where hee is to encounter with many violent blasts , contrary winds , surging waves , ebbes and flowes , which will not end till his journey end . it were wisdome therefore to beare what wee may not avoid : considering , that as the marriage state is subject to many occurrences , so it is endowed with sundry excellent priviledges , as the gravity of the state requireth : as in rome , the lex iulia gave precedency to him who had most children ; and in florence at this day , hee that is father of five children , straight-way upon the birth of the fifth , is exempted from all imposts , subsidies , and loanes . also here in england , a married man ( out of a tender respect to h●s posterity ) is not so soone prest into the warres as single men or batchelors . wherefore as the state is more honoured , so is more sobriety and government in it required ; bearing your selves patiently without bitternesse , and forbearing your wives for their sexes weaknesse . having thus farre discoursed of acquaintance , both at bed and boord ; it were not amisse , if wee set downe some especiall direction , which might better instruct you in the choice of them ; which , as protogenes seeing but a little line drawne in a table , knew straight-wayes it was apelles doing , whom hee had never seene ; shall upon first sight resolve you , that those friends , or acquaintance to which these instructions shall direct you , are worthy loving and knowing . there is no one note more infallible of true friendship , then to expresse a faithfulnesse in misery : which faithfulnesse is ever found in these noble and generous dispositions , who can say with chilo , that in all their life-time they were never guilty of ingratitude . so as nobility and affability hold for most part concurrency : whence the poet ; a disposition towardly and good , implies a generous and a noble blood . these keepe continuall records of courtesies received ; with a catalogue of such friends as have at their hands worthily deserved . it is reported of hen. the . that hee never promised any thing , but hee registred and set it downe with his owne hand . such noble sparkes are these , who , as they receive acceptably , so they render backe bountifully , making no other benefit of amity , then as of a mutuall or reciprocall courtesie . neither is it to bee wondered at , that i should here make choice of descent , or birth , as an especiall or infallible note of true and faithfull amity : for there is a naturall straine in all creatures , which they take from the parents that bred them . strong men from strong their native strength doe gather , both bull and horse take spirit from their father . it is a common saying amongst us , that a gentleman will doe like a gentleman ; hee scornes to doe unlike himselfe , for his word is his gage , and his promise such a tie as his reputation wil not suffer him to dispence with . men of this ranke , as they are ready to beare an equall share in their friends misery , so are they resolved with a spirit undanted , ( if such be their chance ) in their owne persons to sustaine misery ; for they esteem no man so unhappy , as hee that cannot beare unhappinesse . in sicilia there is a fountaine called fons solis , out of which at mid-day , when the sunne is neerest , floweth cold water ; at mid-night when the sun is farthest off , floweth hot water . such fountaines are these firme friends , who , when the sun shineth hottest upon you , with the raies of prosperity , will yeeld you cold water , no great comfort or succour , because you need it not : but when the sunne is farthest off , and the darkest clouds which fortune can contract , sit heaviest on you , then they send forth hot water ; they weepe with you , there is hot water ; they suffer with you , there is hot water ; they cheere you drooping , comfort you sorrowing , support you languishing ; and in your extreamest fortunes are ever sharing . these cry with theophrastus , what care we if this friend be rich , that friend poore , we are the same to either ? make choice therefore of these well bred ones , for though some degenerate , most of them hold . whereas , contrariwise , these who are of a base dung-hill descent , it is seldome seene but they have some base and unworthy condition ; being generally all for the time , but little for trust ; or as tops which alwayes run round , and never goe forward , unlesse they be whipt . such a neuter among the romans was tully , who could not resolve , whether hee should take caesars part or pompeyes part . among the grecians was tydides , who could not determine whether hee should joyne himselfe with achilles or hector . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . among the persians was nabarzanes , who seeing his masters fortunes decline , laboured to joyne himselfe to him whose fortunes , were in rising . such were tiberius friends , who shrunke from him , hearing with patience tiberium in tiberim . and such were our northerne borderers , who have beene alwayes uncertaine friends in extremities , and assured enemies upon advantage . of which it may be said , as was spoken of the philosophers cloake , pallium video , philosophum non video : i see the cover of a friend , but no friend . for as nothing is more hatefull then a doubtfull and uncertaine man , who now draweth his foot backe , and now putteth it forward ; so there is nothing more distastefull to any man , then these faire protesting friends , whose hollow and undermining hearts make a shew of faire weather abroad , when there is a tempest at home ; comming towards you with their feet , but going from you with their hearts . in briefe , they are danaus tubs , or running sieves that can hold no water . leave them therefore to themselves , if you desire in safety to enjoy your selves . now , to the end i may acquaint you likewise with the rest of such motives to love as are powerfully working in the affection of the mind ; as wee have touched the first motive or inducement to love , to wit , parentage or descent , which cannot so farre degenerate from it selfe , but it must of necessity shew it selfe : so it attracts other motives of love unto it , as benevolence in rewarding : excellency or admiration proceeding from the fame of such redoubted hero's , as have their names charact'red and engraven in leaves of brasse , to preserve their memory : as solomon for his wisdome , whom , no doubt , nicaula queene of saba had a desire to see and bee knowne to , through report of his wisdome ; so as her long journey seemed short , having understood that to be true with her owne eare , which shee had onely heard of before by report . how much likewise was david affected for his valour , in discomfiting the uncircumcised philistin ? so was alexander , whose report brought the amazon thalestris from her owne countrey , of purpose to be knowne to so invincible a spirit . so hercules , achilles , dardanus , diomedes , scipio , hannibal , constantine , &c. whose exploits purchased them love to such as were never acquainted with their persons . pardoning likewise of injuries , is an excellent motive of love. when chyle's brother was angry , that himselfe was not made ephorus as well as hee : o ( quoth hee ) i know how to suffer injuries , so doest not thou ! though diogenes the cynicke answered uncivilly to alexander , when he came to his poor mansion in synope , his philosophers barrell , yet hee replyed unto his satyricall speech with no indignation , but said to such of his attendants , as derided the boarish and exoticke speech of diogenes , if i were not alexander , i would wish to be diogenes . the like instance may be confirmed by holy writ : where miriam , for murmuring against moses , was stricken with a loathsome leprosie : hee could not suffer this condigne punishment to be inflicted on her , but demanded of god that hee would cure her . another motive to love , is hatred , where an ill occasion procureth among enemies a reconciliation . herod and pilate enemies before , were reconciled in combining their powers , together against christ. mastives , if set together , will fight till death , but in the presence of a bull will joyne together . sometimes mutuall affliction procureth mutuall affection . such resorted to david , as were persecuted by saul , being such as were amaro animo . where sauls enmity brought david to a triall of hushai's faithfull amity ; where hee found the words of ecclesiasticus to be true , a faithfull friend is a strong defence ; and hee that findeth such a one , findeth a treasure . for when wee are in the greatest straights , such an one sheweth the most strength : so as the apostles words may be verified , strength is made perfect in weakenesse ; where one afflicted friend supporteth another , by joyning their strenghts together . another motive there is , proceeding from some especiall delivery from danger : for who will not esteeme him for a friend , who will expose himselfe to danger , to deliver his friend ? iudith entred bethulia with holofernes head , and by that meanes preserved her countrey from ruine and desolation . esther procured the death of haman , repealed those severe and cruell lawes enacted , proclaimed , and even ready to be executed by hamans suggestions , in the kingdome of the medes and persians ; whereby shee purchased eternall honour , love and memory in her countrey . the same love gained moses for delivering the israelites from the thraldome of egypt . the like may be said of iosua , sampson , macchabeus , and many others frequent in holy writ . the romans so highly honoured and affected such as protected their countrey , and defended her liberty , as they bestowed no lesse style on them then patres patriae . another motive there is , drawing one enemy to love another , induced thereto in respect of compassion , or some other princely vertue which he seeth in him . when saul understood that david might have taken away his life , and would not , levavit vocem & flevit : his threats were changed into teares , and his passion into a teare-swolne admiration , to see his foe so full of compassion . wee are induced likewise to love them that tell and confesse sincerely their offences ; for an ingenuous acknowledgement of what is done , moves us to commiserate his case by whom it is done ; yea quencheth all hate , as if a small sparke were drenched in the sea. likewise in the toleration of wrongs , wee are enforced to love him who suffereth them , and having power to revenge , will not out of the noblenesse of his spirit , doe what hee may . to conclude , bountie is a motive to love ; for giving gifts gathereth friends : which bountie is most worthy acceptance , when done with cheerefulnesse : hilarem datorem diligit deus . thus have we traced over such motives as generally induce or procure love , friendship , or acquaintance ; wherein observe the lesson of the sonne of sirach : depart from thine enemies , and beware of thy friends : for some man is a friend for his owne occasion , and will not abide in the day of thy trouble . now if you would understand , how a man may know a friend , you shall find him described , and by certaine infallible markes discovered in the twelfth chapter of the same book . but alwayes , beware ( saith he ) of deceitfull friends , lest feeling the bitternesse of them , you find the saying of the prophet true : all the men of thy confederacie , have driven thee to the borders : the men that were at peace with thee , have deceived thee , and prevailed against thee : they that cat thy bread , have laid a wound under thee : there is none understanding in him . make choice then of him for your acquaintance , whom you may worthily esteeme of as a second-selfe : so may you communicate your counsels freely , acquaint him with your griefes friendly , and share in comforts and afflictions fully . thus much for the choice of acquaintance ; wherein i have the rather enlarged my discourse , because i know that as there is nothing more usefull to direction or instruction , then where good ones are elected ; so there is nothing more hurtfull in the maine matter of discipline or conversation , then where ill ones are affected and frequented . many and singular were the commendations attributed to augustus , amongst which none more absolute then this : as none was more slow in entertaining , so none more firme or constant in reteining : which agrees well with that of the sonne of sirach : if thou gettest a friend prove him first , and be not hasty to credit him . but having found him , we are to value him above great treasures : the reason is annexed : a faithfull friend is a strong defence , and hee that findeth such a one , findeth a treasure . this adviseth every one to be no lesse wary in his choice , then constant in the approvement of his choice ; so as it rests now , that wee presie this point by reasons and authorities , illustrating by the one , and confirming by the other , how consequent a thing it is to shew our selves constant in the choice of our acquaintance . there is no one thing more dangerous to the state of man , or more infallibly proving fatall , then lightnesse in entertaining many friends , and no lesse lightly cashiering those who are entertained . which error i have observed to have borne principall sway in our new-advanced heires , whose onely ambition it is to be seene numerously attended , phantastically attired , and in the height of their absurdities humoured . these are they who make choice of acquaintance onely by outward habit , or which is worse , by roisting or ruffian behaviour : with whom that false armory of yellow bands , nittie locks , and braving mouchato's , have ever had choice acceptance . and herein , observe the misery of these depraved ones , who having made choice of these mis-spenders of time , and abusers of good gifts , they will more constantly adhere to them , then with better affected consorts . oh that young gentlemen would but take heed of falling unwarily upon these shelves , who make shipwrack of their fortunes ( the remaines of their fathers providence ; ) yea not onely of their outward state , which were well to be prevented , lest misery or basenesse over-take them ; but even of their good names , those precious odours which sweeten and relish the pilgrimage of man ! for what more hatefull then to consort with these companions of death , whose honour consists meerely in protests of reputation , and whose onely military garbe is to tosse a pipe in stead of a pike , and to fly to the tinderbox to give charge to their smoakie ordnance , to blow up the shallow-laid foundation of that shaken fortresse of their decayed braine ? these hot liver'd salamanders are not for your company ( gentlemen ) nor worthy your acquaintance ; for of all companions , those are the worthiest acceptance , who are so humble-minded and well affected , as they consort with others purposely to be bettered by them ; or being knowing men , by their instructions to better them . that course which the ancient vestals observed , such usefull companions as these have ever seconded : they first learned what to doe ; secondly , they did what they had learned ; thirdly , they instructed others to doe as they had learned . such as these were good companions to pray with , to play with , to converse or commerce with . first , they are good to pray with ; for such as these only were they who assembled together in one place , imploying their time religiously in prayers , supplications , and giving of thankes , and honouring him , whom all powers and principalities doe honour with divine melodie : which was expressed not so much with the noise of the mouth , as with the joyfull note of the heart : nor with the sound of the lips , as with the soule-solacing motion of the spirit ; nor with the consonance of the voice , as with the concordance of the will : for , as the precious stone diacletes , though it have many rare and excellent soveraignties in it , yet it loseth them all , if it be put in a dead-mans mouth : so prayer , which is the onely pearle and jewell of a christian , though it have many rare and exquisite vertues in it , yet it loseth them every one , if it be put into a dead-mans mouth , or into a mans heart either , that is dead in sinne , and doth not knocke with a pure hand . so many rare presidents have former times afforded , all most inimitable in this kind , as to make repetition of them , would crave an ample volume ; wee will therefore onely touch some speciall ones , whose devotion hath deserved a reverence in us towards them , and an imitation in us after them . nazianzin in his epitaph for his sister gorgonia , writeth , that she was so given to prayer , that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth , and to grow to the very ground , by reason of incessancie or continuance in prayer ; so wholly was this saint of god dedicated to devotion . gregory in his dialogues writeth , that his aunt trasilla being dead was found to have her elbowes as hard as horne ; which hardnesse she got by leaning to a deske , at which shee used to pray ; so continued was the devotion of a zealous professor . eusebius in his history writeth , that iames the brother of our lord , had knees as hard as camels knees , benummed and bereaved of all sense and feeling , by reason of continuall kneeling in prayer ; so sweet was this taske , undertaken for gods honour , where practice made that an exercise or solace , which the sensuall man maketh a toyle or anguish . hierome in the life of paul the eremite writeth , that hee was found dead , kneeling upon his knees , holding up his hands , lifting up his eyes : * so that the very dead corps seemed yet to live , and by a kind of zealous and religious gesture to pray still unto god. so transported or rather intraunced was the spirit of this lovely dove , as even in death hee expressed the practice of his life : these followed augustines rule in their forme of prayer : seeke ( saith he ) what you seeke , but seeke not where you seeke . seeke christ , that 's a good what . seeke what you seeke ; but seeke him not in bed , that is an ill where . but seeke not where you seeke : moses found christ not in a soft bed , but in a bramble bush . for as wee cannot goe to heaven on beds of down , no more can these devotions pierce heaven which are made on beds of down . albeit , every place is good , for as no place is freed from occcasion of sinne , so no place should be free from prayer , which breaketh downe the partition wall of our sinne . but certainely those downie prayers taste too much of the flesh , to relish well of the spirit : for as he is a delicate master , who when his belly is full , disputeth of fasting ; so hee is a sensuall prayer , who in his bed onely , addresseth himselfe to devotion . neither are these onely good companions to pray with , but also to play with ; i meane to recreate and refresh our minds with , when at any time pressed or surcharged either with cares of this world , or in our discontinuance from more worthy and glorious meditations of the world to come ; for as in the former wee are usually plunged , so by the latter wee are commonly enfeebled , at least wearied , if by some recreations , to entertaine and allay the tediousnesse of more weary houres , we be not refreshed and solaced . now in our choice of acquaintance , as like requireth like , so are wee to sort our selves to an equality both in degree and condition . when some of alexanders companions demanded of him , if hee would runne a race with them ; willingly , ( said he ) if there were kings to runne withall . for this parity breeds affection , and an equality of minds in any recreation : while neither respect to an inferiour ranke begets contempt , nor an eye to superiority begetteth feare . besides , as there is an equality of degree , so is there an equality of mind concurring with that degree . there is no pleasure affected by one , which is not entertained with free approbation by another : for in all their jestings , sportings , and delightfull meetings , they are provided of a disposition , equally tempered to give a jest , and take a jest : having ever in mind that common english proverbe , play with me , but hurt me not ; jest with me , but shame me not . for their sports as they are harmelesse without guile , so their conceits are pleasant without gall : there is neither saltnesse in the one , nor harshnesse in the other . neither doe these make sport or pastime a vocation , as if they were borne to nothing else then play : for these delights of theirs , which are ever moderate , and therefore truly seasoned , they make use of , as physicians of suger-plates , which they minister to their patients , to take away the taste of a more bitter potion ▪ it is worth observing , to note the excellent use , which these men make of recreation . they can use it with such temperance , as they can command the pleasures which they use , and not bee commanded by it . their onely pleasure is to contemne pleasure , yea , " even to dis-esteeme it in their height of pleasure : neither , because pleasure delighteth , doth it please them ; but because it pleaseth , it doth delight them . it is the excellent'st office of some mens vertue to perswade the use of pleasure , recounting at their table creatures of all sorts , with which by how much more they are filled , by so much more their appetites remaine unsatisfied . briefly , whereas their discretion hath subjected appetite to reason , in gaming they play without desire of gaining ; in recreations of the body , their aime is to refresh and renue nature , without any desire of mastery ; in their solemne feasts , they feed without surfetting ; in their may-games , they are merry without exceeding ; in their flashes or encounters of wit , they are pregnant , present , and pleasant without offending . those are most fruitfull and fertile in rendering fruit ( saith the philosopher ) which partake most of cold and moist : which position intendeth the conceptive part ; but my assertion reacheth further ; for i conclude , such as these being equally tempered , to be most copious in the principle workes or faculties of the understanding , being three ; first to discourse , secondly to distinguish , third to choose . for the first whereof , it resteth that wee now proceed in proofe , concluding , these not to be onely the best companions to pray or play with ( as wee have formerly proved ; ) but to converse or commerce with , as wee shall hereafter make manifest . megabizes esteemed alexander as a prince , whiles hee stood in his schoole and said nothing ; but when hee began to talke of things which hee knew not , hee said unto him , that even his little children would laugh him to scorne . this speech of megabizes proceeded ( as may be imagined ) from some words utrered , or reasons alleaged by alexander , which relished little of philosophy , being a study to which a souldier is for most part a stranger . but these men , whom we now have in hand , and whom wee have made choice of , as fit companions to converse and commerce with , are men of such singular discretion , as they will preferre silence before discovery of their ignorance . these know for what end or purpose the bars and gates of the lips and teeth ( like a double ward ) were ordained to limit or restraine the tongue . these observe , how man hath two eyes to see with , two nostrils to breath with , two hands to labour with , two feet to walke with , but one tongue to talke with ; implying that one tongue requires as much government as any two members of all the body . neither onely is their speech wisely silenced , but when delivered , discreetly seasoned : seasoned with mildnesse and affability , without the least expression of roughnesse or austerity . where two meeke men meet together , their conference ( saith bernard ) is sweet and profitable ; where one man is meeke , it is profitable ; where neither , it proves pernicious . neither in mildnesse and affability onely , but in the highest pitch of wisdome , is their discourse seated . whence it was ( as i have heretofore noted ) that aristotle debating of the convenience and propriety of discourse before alexander ; maintained , that none where to bee admitted to speake , but either those that managed his warres , or his philosophers which governed his house . which wisdome of discourse hath beene formerly so much affected , as plutarch reporteth that plato came forth of asia into cilicia , for no other cause but onely to see his deare friend phocion the philosopher , and to converse with him . this caused nicaula , the queene of saba , to travell from her owne countrey to iudea , to heare the wisdome of salomon : yea , peruse those athenian nights in gellius , how , and in what excellent manner , with what variety of discourse , propriety of conference , strength of arguments those winter-nights were bestowed , and you shall find there fit companions for scholers , souldiers , and all generous professours . neither are they consorts onely fit to converse with , but to commerce with also ; for these are no bankrupt merchants , or desperate factors , who use to dispence with conscience and credit , rather then in a conscionable sort discharge their credit . so as , howsoever the sonne of sirach may seeme to conclude , there be two things , which mee thinke to be hard and perillous ; a merchant cannot lightly keepe him from wrong , and a victualler is not without sinne . so well and equally are the ships of these good merchants ballasted , as rather then they will make shipwrack of a good conscience , or runne their reputation upon the shelfe of disgrace , they will suffer the worst of extremes . these are none of those , who make sale of deceitfull commodities , to enrich their seldome thriving progenie with impostures . these are none of those tri●●ing mountebanks , who draw on customers with faire protests , and shew strange experiments upon their sophisticated oiles , to delude the ignorant . these are none of our inconsiderate factors , who make exchange of english money with indian trifles , enriching forraine countries with our treasures , and fooling our owne with their feathers . these are none of our sea-sharkes , who under pretence of merchandize , exercise pyracie ; bearing the world in hand that they befriend us , when they practise all hostility against us . these are none of our dangerous spies , who pretending they come to trade or commerce with us , arrive purposely to note what strength is amongst us . no , these are factors of better temper and more honesty , hating deceit , though that might enrich them ; scorning the mountebankes trade , though that might draw customers to them ; discarding all inconsiderate factors , who give money for feathers , though in fooling others , they might gaine by them ; casheering all sea-sharkes , who by pyraticall practices use to support them ; excluding all dangerous spies , who to discover others weaknesse , purposely embarke them . in briefe , would you have their character ? they can discourse of novelties without affectation , impart their minds freely without dissimulation , valuing no losse so great , as the hazard of their reputation . these are those friends which deserve your choice and acceptance ; these are they , who , as upon good grounds you have made choice of , so should you be constant in your choice . for you are not to be so light in the choice of your acquaintance , as in the choice of your fashion ; where every giddy head sorts himselfe to what is newest , not what is neatest ; for so should you be ever choosing , and farre from constancy in choosing . rather having got a friend and proved him , first in matters of small weight , and afterwards in affaires of greater consequence ; labour by all meanes to reteine him , for you have found a treasure : forsake not this old friend , for the new is not comparable unto him . you have got a friend , proved and tried him to be no ambitious man , for ambition is fearefull , and for the least crosse of fortune will forsake true friendship . you have got a friend , proved and tried him to be no covetous man , for covetousnesse selleth fellowship , faith and honesty ; to conclude , you have got a friend , who will not by glozing deceive you ; by aiming at his owne private ends , entrap you ; by hunting after popular prayse disvalue you ; or by consorting with politike heads , endanger you . keepe him then , and be constant in your choice , holding him so firmely knit unto you , as if hee were individually united to your selfe ; for a friend , ( provided that hee be such an one as wee have charactred him ) is a second-selfe , and therefore as impossible to be divided from you , as you from your selfe . and may this suffice to be spoken touching constancy in the choice of acquaintance , wherein as wee ought to be circumspect in our choice , so ought wee to be constant , having had proof of the faithfulness of our choice . there is nothing which argues more indiscretion , then an aptnesse of discovering our selves ; so as , wee are advised in getting a friend , to prove him first , and not to be hasty to credit him . for albeit the precept may seeme generall , the secrets of our friend wee may not discover ; which is confirmed by the sonne of sirach , who discovereth secrets , loseth his credit , and findeth no friend after his will : yet , how many are there , who either through weaknesse that they cannot conceale , or through unfaithfulnesse , as they will not , have brought their friends to extremest hazard ? yea , not onely our common friends , but even those who sleepe in our own bosome ; as dalilah plaid with samson , either simply or subtilly , will discover our secret'st counsels to our enemy : so as , wee may take up the complaint of samson , which hee made in the discovery of his riddle : if hee had not plowed with our heifer , hee had not found out our riddle . had not that woman by the river of soreke , that subtill dalilah , betrayed his trust , how invincible had samson remayned ; no lesse powerfull to his friends , then fearefull to his enemies ? whence we may gather , how dangerous it is to discover the secrets of our heart , even to those to whom we have engaged our heart : for wee ought not to give our friend power over us . this is seconded by a divine precept : give not thy sonne and wife , thy brother and friend , power over thee while thou livest ; and give not away thy substance to another , lest it repent thee , and thou intreat for the same againe . whence wee are advised to a two-fold reservancy ; first , in concealing our secrets ; secondly , in reteining our substance . for the first , hee explaines himselfe more fully in the ensuing verse ; as long as thou livest , and hast breath , give not thy selfe over to any person . for the second , hee gives a reason in the end of the former verse ; give not away thy substance to another , lest it repent thee , and thou intreat for the same againe . of which two parts , and the reservancy which we are to observe in either , my purpose is briefly and plainely to intreat ; and first of the first , to wit , reservancy of secrets , wherein i will be as briefe as the quality of the subject will suffer me . it is said of geese , that when at the change of seasons , they passe from cilicia over the mountaine taurus , which abounds with eagles , they carry stones in their bills , for feare their cry should discover them to their enemies . reason should teach us that which nature hath instructed them , lest by diverting from the rule of reason , we become inferiour to them , who never had the use of reason . for there is nothing which detracts more from the glory of man , than by too prodigall a discovery of himselfe , to lay himselfe open to the trust of another : so as it may bee positively averred , there is nothing that betrayeth a man so much to ruine , as his owne credulity . dionysius gave straight commandement the head of brias , one of the gentlemen of his chamber , should bee cut off , for telling plato , who had demanded of him what the tyrant did , that he had stripped himselfe by reason of the heat , and was painting in a table . so tender were princes of the discovery of their actions , even in affaires of indifferency . let us imitate therefore that grecian of former times , who being told that his breath did smell , answered , it was by reason of the many secrets , which had a long while lain rotting , and putrefying within him . let our bosome ( the recluse of secrets ) be like the lions den in the apologue ; towards the mouth whereof , the prints and prickings of sundry sorts of beasts , might easily be discerned , — sed nulla retrorsum , but from thence none at all . let us alwaies talke with harpocrates , at the signe of the finger on the mouth ; and learne of anacharsis , that the tongue hath need of more strong restraint than nature . let us not be too curious , with them of bethshemesh , in the search of other mens secrets , nor yet too carelesse with hezekiah , in the discovery of our owne . morality giveth us a prohibition for the one , and a precept for the other : seeke not to know that secrecie thy friend reserved hath , but keepe what 's tender'd to thy trust , though drunke with wine and wrath . and indeed it is a profanation of duty to publish any thing we should not ; and too much insinuation to wind our selves into the privacy of others secrets , which make knowne wee ought not . those things therefore , which are to bee concealed , let us conceale them , vt curia martis , athenis , as close as either silence or darknesse will afford us meanes to keepe them , both from eye and eare : for the better effecting whereof , there is necessarily required in every one a wise distrust , and slownesse of beleefe , wherewith the brest must so equally bee ballasted , that hee may suddenly runne on , without suffering shipwracke in such a doubtfull and dangerous course . it hath beene ever held a singular argument of policy , to have an open face , but a shut heart ; to give entertainment with a free and affable countenance , but with a wise and discreet reservancy of our counsels , to prevent the occasion of giving our friend power over us . yea , but it may be objected , it may sometimes fall out that a friend cannot performe the office of a friend , but by discovering the secret purpose or practice of another . for how could faithfull ionathan advertise david of sauls wicked purpose against him , but by discovering what saul in secret had imparted to him ? how could he ( i say ) have advertised david of his fathers fury , by shooting three arrowes , but by discovering what his father had secretly intended against him ? to which objection it may be thus answered ; that , as amongst evill men there can be no true friendship continued , so neither are the secrets of such men , tending ever to mischiefe and effusion of innocent bloud , to be concealed , but by all meanes should be discovered , that such tragicall issues might be prevented . yea , but it may be againe objected , that admit this were so , may wee not impart our griefes to a friend , or communicate our counsels to one , whom we have made triall of to be trusty and faithfull ? to which i answer , that we may , but with this provision , that we never unrip our bosome so farre , as to give our friend power over us , in matters which may either concerne life , state , or name . for though your experience of the trust of such a friend hath beene long , and those affaires wherein you have imploied him , of serious consequence : we have known many comicall beginnings , have a tragicall catastrophe ; many promising mornings turne to duskie after-noones ; many faire glozing friends recoile ( like the bat in the fable ) and become either neuters , or profest enemies . so as , it was wisely answered by that learned sage to one who demanded of him , what he thought to bee the hardest thing in the world ; to keepe counsell , quoth he . wee say it is good sleeping in a whole skin ; but how can our sleepes be quiet , our rest from terrours freed , when we have lost our liberty by committing our secrets , to others trust ? yea , but friendship , being one soule ruling two hearts , or one heart dwelling in two bodies , loseth her prerogative , if excluded from partaking in her friends griefes or comforts : for would you thinke it well , that your friends should finde you sad , and so leave you ; sicke without ministring any comfort to you ; or poore , without releeving you ? surely , you could not choose but thinke such an one commeth to jest , rather than to visit or comfort you . now , how should he comfort you , who is wholly ignorant of the cause of your discomfort ? or how minister any receits to you , when he knowes not what distempers you ? or how releeve you , when hee knowes not of any poverty that hath befallen you ? whereto i answer , that these are not to be numbred among those secrets which we hold unfitting to be imparted or discovered , by one friend to another ; for the discovery of these may profit , but cannot prejudice us : whereas , the disclosing of such secrets as concerne our name , may afterwards brand us with infamie ; or such as concerne our state , may bring us to poverty ; or such as concerne our life , may weave our unhappy webbe in a fearefull tragedy . therefore it is good counsell , not to give our friend power over us , but with a circumspect eye to take heed whom we entertaine as a friend ; and of what nature those secrets are , which we impart to that friend , when that unhappy emperour commodus had communicated his secret'st thoughts to martia , his best affected concubine ; and withall , how his purpose was , before many daies were ended , to dispatch latus and electus two of his senators : shee perceiving how the world went , and that the emperour was no lesse inconstant in his love , than illimited in his lust , discovered to the senators what the prince had intended against them ; which to prevent , with one consent they resolved to dispatch the emperour , and so rid them of all occasion of feare . farre more hatefull was that act of bessus and nabarzanes , in discovering the counsels of their vnfortunate prince darius ; which discovery , though it deposed their prince of crowne , and deprived him of life , rewarded those disloyall traitors with a deserved end . should we but take a view of the doublenesse and deceitfulnesse of friends , whose only aimes are , for most part , to take advantage of our o●pennesse , we should find , though there bee some hushai's or faithfull friends ; so there be some false brethren , who secretly ( under pretence of amity ) will labour to undermine us . for if wee bee great , wee shall have some to ply our veine , soothing us with the height of our place , the eminence of our state , our easie accesse to a higher step , if wee will take hold of occasion ; and with these are yong-men , whose unripened judgements never attained to the discovery of persons , chiefly pleased ; to these are their secret'st thoughts ever imparted ; on these are they wholly planted , and in these is their principall trust reposed : yet loe , they trust in broken staves of reed , on which if they leane , they will goe thorow their hand and pierce it . againe , are wee rising to greatnesse , and in the first spring of promotion ? wee shall find these chattering swallows ever flying about us , pertending friendship and secrecie in our counsels ; but misery attends us , if wee entertaine them . to be briefe , are we rich ? if wee have discovered any secret to them , which may prejudice us being revealed , wee shall be sure to have that secret vented , if our hollow counsellour be not rewarded . are wee poore ? though our state need not feare undoing , our secrets must be discovered , if the meanest may be gratified by the discovery . thus no ranke may be exempted , no degree freed from prejudice , where counsels are disclosed . indeed sometimes it hapneth , that a friend discovers the secrets of a friend ; because , out of the justnesse of himselfe , and the integrity of his owne conscience , which no respect will suffer him to violate , hee cannot endure the sinister or indirect practice of his friend , and therefore discovers it to give meanes of prevention to the innocent . which may be instanced in the vicount of melin his confession , who lying upon his death-bed here in england , disclosed the purpose of king lewis his master , to the chiefe peeres and barons of the realme ; who considering the inevitable danger into which they were falling , by giving free entrie to the french king , wisely in time ( and but in time ) expulsed him , receiving their unhappy deposed king , to avoid an ensuing mischiefe . now the occasion of this discovery , though it bee divers wayes conjectured , yet the probablest in my opinion is , to referre it to the compassion which count melin had of the english nation , whose state had beene , to the judgement of all men , grievously shaken , had lewis , as hee was already arrived , beene peaceably possessed of the same . now to conclude this point , i hold that english proverbe worthy our remembrance , in affaires of secrecie : one may keepe counsell , but two cannot : implying , that it is the safest and surest course to be a mans owne secretary , so shall hee not give his friend power over him , but sleepe quietly without feare of discovery , having none but his owne brest to betray him to his enemy . the second thing , which , as wee formerly noted , requireth a reservancie in us towards our acquaintance , is a respect to our substance ; which should neither be lashed out lavishly , nor hoorded up niggardly . and herein i have observed a great vanity in young gentlemen , who are no sooner mounted in their fathers saddle , or made hei●es of his providence , then upon purchase of acquaintance , ( which a young master cannot want ) hee begins to squander his revenues upon gifts , to feed his thirsty followers : but see the issue of these bountifull novices , they change their acres into peeces , and so peece-meale divide them , till they fall all into peeces , and have not one peece to cover them . so as , it is true which the poet hath observed ; the prodigall and foole gives what hee scornes and hates , and with his state makes other men to glory in their states . wherefore the lesson is good , and well deserveth our observation● which is given to us by the son of sirach ; that not onely to our friends , acquaintance , or the like , but even to our children , whose naturall respect to their parents , should bind them to be gratefull , wee should not bee too forward in distributing our substance , concluding thus : for better it is that thy children should pray unto thee , then that thou shouldest looke up to the hands of thy children . if we be advised to use this reservancie to our own , even those whose naturall affection will enforce bounty at the parents hand , much more to our acquaintance , whose pretended semblances , or outward protestations many times tend rather by fawning to feed on us , then by true profession of friendship to bestead us . oh gentlemen , how many through too easie a hold have exposed themselves , as a prey , to the avaritious desires of their followers : where many times it falleth out , that the servant is able to purchase his master , having enriched himselfe by feeding his humour ! yet see the unthankefulnesse of many of these ; having made them a garment of their masters shreads , and raised themselves to a great estate by his prodigality , they can learne to put on a scornefull countenance towards their landlesse master , entertaine him with contempt , forget his bounty , and ascribe all to their owne thriving providence , which proceed meerly from his profusenesse . so well can these thriving timists , who raise their fortunes from their masters ruines , shape themselves to all times , that they may profit by all meanes . there are acquaintance likewise , whose aimes as they extend onely to themselves , so they will use any indirect course , how irregular soever , to bring their purpose about . and of these , wee had a late example , even in our owne countrey , and within the wals of this flourishing citie : which example , that it might remaine to the memory of succeeding times , for the benefit whereof , as well as of these present , our labours should be addressed , i thought good here to set downe . there was a young gentleman , whose profuser course having consumed much of his meanes , was enforced upon some present extremities urging him , to make a morgage of a peece of land , which peece was the very last which hee had left him : the money being lent and spent , and now the un-foreseene day of payment approaching , the young gentleman driven to an exigent , made recourse by chance , to an ancient acquaintance of his , by trade a chandler , who was a monied man , and could find a friend in a corner , who upon a commodious bargaine would at any time bestead him of a good summe . hee , the chandler i meane , noting what benefit the morgage of the young gentlemans land might be unto him , if he redeemed his estate , which now lay a bleeding , and tooke the morgage into his owne hand , concluded with the gentleman , and releeved his present wants , proposing a certaine day for redemption of the said morgage : which was kindly accepted of by the gentleman , little thinking how he fell from the fire into the flame , and by avoyding charybdis , had fallen into scylla . the time now drewneer , which was limited the gentleman to redeeme the premisses : whence a double care or feare ensued ; a feare and provident care in the gentleman of procuring money to redeeme it ; a feare in the chandler , lest it should be redeemed , and so the hopes hee had of so beneficiall a bargaine frustrated . which to prevent ( marke the impiety of the age even in this one example ) the chandler against the day limited and prefixed , repaires to a consort of opportunate agents for his purpose ; assassinates fleshed in all mischiefe , and ready to embrace any motion , or engage themselves in any action , which might minister fuell to their riot . and these hee acquaints ( as it seemes their acquaintance was ancient ) how hee knew of a rich bootie for them , if they had hearts to attempt , and resolutions to effect , what their present wants enforced them to attempt . they desirous to heare of that booty , promising him reward if their purpose came to effect , pressed him ( as little pressing needed to such a base instrument ) that he would discover , where this booty might be purchased . hee imparted his mind freely , and told them that such a gentleman ( being the same who had made a morgage of his land unto him ) was to come provided of a great summe of money , upon such a day , and by such a place , as gave opportunity for the attempt , which they might easily obtaine , having none but himselfe and his man to resist them . they , at the first seemed jealous of him , imagining it was some fetch meerly to intrap and circumvent them ; but being more confident upon his protestations , that his purpose was to benefit them , not to betray them ; they generally consented to this plot , provided that they might have his company , not onely to direct them , but share and partake with them : whereto the chandler condescended , choosing rather to be an assistant in the practice , then prevented of his purpose . to be short , vizards and disguises were provided , and all things fitted , that such an attempt might be furthered : where , by direction of their leader , they tooke their stand , where the unfortunate gentlemen was to passe ; who , within some few houres after , came according to their expectance , provided of a summe purposely to redeeme his estate ( the last remainder of his fortunes ) out of the hands of the chandler but hee is intercepted and bid stand , whose present occasions admit no stay : and in briefe , stripped of all his money , and bound , hee and his man , and throwne into a gravell-pit , where we leave them ; and returne to this perfidious chandler , who expecting to be a sharer as well in the stake , as in the forfeiture of his estate , is by his witty copesmates used after another sort then hee looked for ; being bound hand and foot , and throwne into a ditch adjoyning ; where hee remayned , till a shepherds boy having occasion to come that way , hearing one pitiously mourning , drew neere to the place where hee heard the voice ; but seeing one lye there bound in an ugly vizard , and disguised after an uncouth manner , as one afraid , hee run from him , albeit the chandler humbly intreated him , to lend his helping hand to loose him . the noise which the chandler made , desiring aid from the shepherd , and the shepherd denying aid to the chandler , was now come to the eare of the afflicted gentleman , and his man : wherefore they sent out their complaint , as men pittifully distressed ; which the shepherd hearing came forthwith to the place where they lay bound , and seeing the gentleman , and his man , lent them his helping hand , and delivered them from their bands : directing them withall , to the pit where the chandler , his treacherous acquaintance , lay ; whom he knew by his disguise to be one of those , who had taken his money from him : but having pulled off his vizard , and perceived him to be none but the chandler , his professed friend , you may imagine what diversity of perplexed thoughts encountred him ; but suspecting the worst , which after proved the truest , hee caused him to be brought before a iustice , where he was examined touching the premisses , which , to his shame , he confessed , discovering himselfe to be both actor and authour of that persidious complot . for which , being committed , and legally tryed , hee was adjudged according to his desert , to receive the condigne punishment of death . whose goods being confiscate , our late prince of renowned memory , out of his royall compassion to the gentlemans estate , allotted him so much in his princely bounty , as redeemed his engaged lands , repossessing him therof to his great joy , & an example to succeeding ages , not to repose too much confidence in the profession of acquaintance . many examples of like sort ( though this may seeme imparallel ) might be here produced , but i cannot insist upon this point . what hath beene herein discoursed , principally tendeth to this end and purpose , to deterre young gentlemen from discovering themselves too openly to these glozing and temporizing acquaintance , whose onely ayme is to benefit themselves by their weaknesse , and make their prodigality the onely foundation of their providence ; whence it is that many times they become enrichers of their retinue , but beggerers of their posterity . and which is of all others most miserable , those whose sponges they were , and had squeased them of all their fortunes , will contemptuously demean● themselves towards them , and unthankfully sleight them , who by improverishing their owne meanes , have enriched them ; whose natures in the person of one especiall ungratefull man , are to life expressed by the poet ; ragg'd rockes him bred , brute beasts him sed , no thankefulnesse can enter his scared brest , or sealed chest , which is of flinty temper . and let this suffice to bee spoken of reservancie towards acquaintance , both in respect of our secrecie of counsell ; lest by discovering our selves either upon confidence of anothers trust , or transported with passion , ( the end whereof is the beginning of repentance ) wee give our friend power over us , and so by too credulous trust bewray our owne weaknesse : or in respect of our substance ; by a prodigall bounty to our friends and followers , without respect had of our meanes , and so make our followers our masters . so as , it is right wholesome counsell , which that wise son of sirach gave , and which wee formerly alleaged , but cannot be too often renewed ; give not away thy substance to another , lest it repent thee , and thou intreat for the same againe : concluding with this excellent precept ; be not excessive toward any , and without discretion doe nothing . now excuse mee gentlemen , if i have insisted longer on these two points , then the quality of the subject wee have in hand , might seeme to require : for i am not ignorant how many of your ranke have unfortunately fallen on these two dangerous shelves ; either , i meane , by too open a discovery of themselves , or by too prodigall a hand in giving , what they may afterwards stand in need of to releeve themselves . but of these wee shall have occasion to speake more amply in our discourse of moderation ; meane time , let this lesson be ever imprinted in the tablet of your memory : impart your mind , but not your secrets ; give where you see desert , but with such reservancie , as it may neither repent you to have given , having extended your bounty to such as are thankefull ; nor grieve you to have discovered your selves , having imparted your mind to such as are faithfull . it is a maxime in philosophy : whatsoever is , it is for some end : so as all our counsels and consultations , businesses and negotiations , have ever an eye or ayme to some speciall end , to which they are properly directed . for as wee see in elementary bodies , every one by naturall motion tendeth to their owne proper center , as light bodies upward , heavy ones downeward , being places wherein they are properly said to rest or repose ; even so in arts and sciences , or the proper objects to which they are directed , and wherein they are peculiarly said to be conversant , there is ever a certaine end proposed , to which , and in which their aimes are limited or confined . whence it is , that excellent morall saith , that every taske , labour , or imployment must have reference and respect to some end : which the poet confirmeth saying , all things which are , must have a proper end , to which by course of nature they doe tend . so as in my opinion , there is nothing which proceeds in a course more contrary to nature , then suits of law , whose object is end without end ; consuming time and substance in frivolous delayes , and multiplicity of orders , which like hidra's heads , by lopping off , or annulling one , gives way to decreeing of another . now to enter into discourse of the absolute end of acquaintance , wee are as well to reprove the indirect ends , which some make of it , as approve of those good and absolute ends for which it was ordained . wherefore to come unto the point , wee are to understand that acquaintance is nothing else but a familiar friendship , or friendly familiarity , which wee have one with another . now there is nothing which doth comparably delight the mind , like a faithfull friendship ; being , as the stagyrian philosopher well defineth it ; one soule which ruleth two hearts , and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies . so as , of all possessions friendship is most precious , where wee are to make no other estimate of our friends life , then of our owne glory : a friend being nothing else then a second selfe , and therefore as individuate as man from himselfe . how much then is this sweet union or communion of minds abused , when friendship is onely made a state of , professing love and familiarity onely for our owne ends ? and where shall wee come , where this abuse of friendship and sociable acquaintance is not practised ? in the court wee shall find smooth and sweet-sented friends , who make friendship a complement , and vow themselves ours in protests , congies , and salutes : but whereto tend they , but to wind us in , and so become engaged for them ? for it stands with reason thinke they , as wee are familiar with them in complements of courtesie , so they should be familiar with us in the mercers booke . too precious are these mens acquaintance , and too heavy their engagements ; let us therefore turne from them , and travell towards the citie . and what shall wee find there , but many dangerous and subtill friends , who like politike tradesmen , having heard of our estates , and how we are come to yeeres to dispose of them , will professe themselves to be our countrey-men , in which respect wee cannot chuse , but make bold with them and their commodities rather then any stranger ? yet it is strange to see how strangely and unconscionably they will use us , making ever their commodities vendible with protestations , and binding them upon us with termes of courtesie . wee must then needs conclude , that these men tender friendship but onely for their owne ends . wee are therefore to seeke further , and descend to the countrey , where wee are likest to find them . yet see , the generall infection of this age ! wee shall find there , even where simplicity and plaine-dealing used ever to keepe home , great monied men , who to enrich their seldome prospering heirs , will offer us any courtesie , and to shew they love us , they will lend us to support our state , and maintaine our riot : but observe their aimes ; in feeding us , they feed on us ; in succouring us , they soake us ; for having made a prey of us , they leave us . likewise wee shall find there , many summer-swallowes , and find that sentence in them verified ; though one swallow make no summer , yet one mans summer makes many swallowes . where then shall we find them ? surely in all these places which wee have traced : for in the court , wee shall find friends no lesse compleat then complementall ; in the citie , frinds no lesse trusty then substantiall ; and in the countrey , friends no lesse faithfull then reall . notwithstanding , wee are taught to beware of our friends ; and the reason is this , for that some man is a friend for his owne occasion , and will not abide in the day of trouble . having now made choice of such friends and acquaintance , as may seeme to deserve both our knowledge and acceptance , wee are to respect the aime or end to which all friendship and acquaintance may truly and properly be referred . which ( as wee formerly observed ) is not only matter of gaine or worldly profit , as these brokers and sellers of amity esteeme it : for as much friendship may be found in cheape amongst the huxters , or in smith-field with the horse-coupers , as these professe . but rather , how we may benefit the inward man by a friendly conversation one with another . for which cause ( as wee have else-where noted ) came plato forth of asia into cilicia to see and converse with his deare friend phocion ; nicaula the rich saban queen , to visit salomon ; brutus the sincere roman , to converse with vtican . these , though pagans , so highly valued knowledge , as their aime was to entertaine friendship with knowing-men , purposely to increase , at least preserve their knowledge . for learning , which is the producer of knowledge , hath ever had such exquisite and admirable effects , as it hath gained due and deserved esteeme , not onely in respect of opinion , but title and honourable approbation . so as , nathan citraeus writeth , that in prage , an vniversity of bohemia , where iohn hus , and hierom of prage professed , that , they that have continued professours for the space of twenty yeers together , are created earles and dukes both together . and therefore their stile is to be called illustres , whereas they which are singly and simply but onely either earles or dukes , are called spectabiles . neither maketh it any matter that they have no revenews , to maintaine earledomes or dukedomes : for they have the title notwithstanding , even as suffragans have of bishops . this esteeme of learning was no lesse effectually expressed by one , who encountring with a scholer , who through necessity was enforced to turne begger , cryed out ; a scholer and a begger too ? the age is blind doth plainely show . yet how contemptible riches ( that worldlings idol ) hath ever beene to these , whose conceits were not engaged to pelse , nor their affections to desire of having , may appeare by the admirable contempt of divers pagans towards riches , preferring a voluntary poverty before all worldly possessions . this might bee instanced in anacharsis , who refused the treasure sent him by croesiis ; in anacreontes , who refused the treasure sent him by polycrates ; and albionus , who refused the treasure sent him by antigonus . the like indifferency towards riches , appeared in the admirable and inimitable patience of zeno , who hearing all his substance to bee drowned by shipwracke upon the sea ; fortune ( quoth hee ) bids mee to addresse my selfe to philosophy more speedily . the like in mimus , who threw his goods into the sea , saying ; packe hence , yee evils , for yee were hinderances to mee in my pursuit after better goods ; it is better for mee to drowne you , then be drowned by you . whence it was that demetrius was wont to say , that nothing could be more unhappy then that man , to whom no adversity ever hapned : for that opinion even amongst the ethnicks hath beene generally held for most authenticke , that nothing can be truly said to be good or evill , but a good or evill mind . now whereas we have sufficiently proved , that no true friendship can be but onely amongst good men , ( i meane morally or civilly good ) and that ayme in the profession of friendship or acquaintance , is either to better them , or be bettered by them : wee are in like sort to make this our aime or supreme end , that having made choice of such whose eminent parts deserve our respect and acceptance , wee are to imploy our time in conversing and conferring with them , the better to enable us in imployments publike or private . neither is this onely the absolute aime or end of friendship , for so we should inferre that our acceptation or intertainment of friends had reference onely to our owne private ends , without relation to him with whom wee have entred the lists of acquaintance . wee are therefore to have an eye to these especiall offices of friendship , being such as deserve our observation and imitation , if so be wee deserve the name or title of friends . first is , if wee see our friend doubtfull or unresolved , to advise him ; if afflicted , to comfort him ; if sick or restrained , to visit him ; if weake in estate or impoverished , to relieve him ; if injured , to labour by all means to right him , and in all things to be helpefull to him , supplying his necessity by apparent testimonies of our approved amity . it is reported , that on a time , duke godwin bringing up a service to edward the confessors table , he chanced to slip with one of his feete , but to recover himselfe with the other ; whereupon presently he used these words in the kings hearing ; one brother supports another . o ( quoth the king ) so might i have said too , if godwin had not beene ! meaning , that he was the cause of his brothers death , whose life was a staffe to his state , but his fall a weakning to his feet . certainly , every faithfull friend should be as a brother : or , as in a naturall body one member ministers aid and succour to another ; where the head cannot say to the foot , i have no need of thee , nor the foot to the hand , but every one in their distinct and mutuall offices are ready to execute their severall duties : so , i say , should friends and acquaintance be one to another ; not in preying or feeding one upon another , as if all were fish that came to net ; for this were to make no difference or distinction betwixt friend or foe , but for some intendment of private benefit to dissolve the strict bond of friendship . wheras a friend , being indeed a mans second selfe , or rather an individuate companion to himselfe , ( for there is one soule which ruleth two hearts , and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies ) should be valued above the rate of any outward good , being such a happines , as he giveth a relish to the dayes of our pilgrimage , which otherwise would seeme like a wildernes : for the world , as it is both to bee loved and hated ; loved as it is the worke of the creator ; hated as the instrument of temptation unto sinne ; ministers some few houres of delight to the weary pilgrime , by the company and society of friends , recourse and concourse of acquaintance , without which comfort , how tedious and grievous would these few yeeres of our desolate pilgrimage appeare ? how highly then are we to value the possession of a good friend , who partakes with us in our comforts and discomforts , in the frownes and fawnes of fortune , shewing himselfe the same both in our weale and woe ? it is written of sylla , that never any did more good to his friends , or more harme to his enemies . which princely courtesie to his friends could not choose but increase them , howsoever his extreame courses towards his enemies might seeme rather to inrage than appease them . for as remembrance of benefits argues a noble nature , so forgetting of injuries ( having in the meane time power to revenge ) implies a bravely resolved temper . whence it was , that themistocles , when symmachus told him , he would teach him the art of memory , answered , hee had rather learne the art of forgetfulnesse ; saying , hee could remember enough ; but many things hee could not forget which were necessary to bee forgotten . as the over-weening conceit of himselfe , indignities done him by his foes , opposition in the quest of honour , and the like ; all which a great minde could hardly brooke , being so illimited as he can admit of no corrivall in his pursuit of honour . but to descend to the greatest benefit which proceeds from friendship , commerce and acquaintance : we shall find how miserable the state and condition of this flourishing iland had beene , whose halcyon dayes have attained that prerogative of peace , which most parts of christendome are at this day deprived of ; had not the friendly compassion , and devout zeale , of sundry learned and faithfull instruments of christ , delivered her from that palpable blindnesse and heathenish idolatry , under which she was long detained captive . * s. ierome , in the end of his dialogue against the pelagians , writeth thus : vntill the very comming of christ , ( saies he ) the province of britaine , which hath beene oftentimes governed by tyrants , and the scottish people , and all the nations round about the ocean sea , were utterly ignorant of moses and the prophets . so that then , by the testimony of s. ierome , all our religion was superstition , all our church-service was idolatry , all our priests were painims , all our gods were idols . and to appropriate to every nation their peculiar god , there was then in scotland the temple of mars ; in cornwall the temple of mercury ; in bangor in wales , the temple of minerva ; in b malden in essex , the temple of c vistoria ; in bath the temple of apollo ; in leycester , the temple of ianus ; in yorke , where peters is now , the temple of d bellona ; in london where pauls is now , the temple of e diana ▪ therefore it is very likely , that they esteemed as highly then of the goddesse diana in london , as they did in ephesus ; and that as they cried there , great is diana of the ephesians , so they cried here , being deluded with the same spirit , great is diana of the londoners . even no more than . yeeres before the incarnation of christ , when iulius caesar came out of france into england , so absurd , senselesse and stupid were the people of this land , that in stead of the true and ever-living lord , they served these heathenish and abominable idols , mars , mercury , minerva , victoria , apollo , ianus , bellona , diana , and such like . and not long after , anno christi . king lucius being first christened himselfe , forthwith established religion in this whole kingdome . but thanks , thankes be to god , in the time of the new testament , three and fifty yeares after the incarnation of christ , when ioseph of arimathea , came out of france into england , many in this realme of blind and ignorant pagans became very zealous and sincere christians . for saint philip the apostle , after hee had preached the gospel throughout all france , at length sent ioseph of arimathea hither into england : who , when he had converted very many to the faith , died in this land , and hee that buried the body of christ , was buried in f glastenbury himselfe . also simon zelotes , another apostle , after he had preached the gospel throughout all mauritania , at length came over into england : who when he had declared likewise to us the doctrine of christ crucified , was in the end crucified himselfe , and buried here in g britaine . about this time h aristobulus , one of the seventy disciples , whom saint paul mentioneth in his epistle to the romans , was a reverend and renowned bishop in this land. also claudia a noble english lady , whom st. paul mentioneth in his second epistle to timothy , was here amongst us a famous professor of the faith . since which time , though the civill state hath beene often turned up-side downe by the romans , by the saxons , by the danes , by the normans , yet the gospel of christ hath never utterly failed or beene taken from us . this the holy fathers of the church , which have lived in the ages next ensuing doe declare . tertullian , who lived anno . writeth thus ; i all the coasts of spaine and divers parts of france , and many places of britaine which the romans could never subdue with their sword , christ hath subdued with his word . origen who lived anno . writeth thus ; k did the i le of britaine , before the comming of christ , ever acknowledge the faith of one god ? no ; but yet now , all that countrey singeth joyfully unto the lord. constantine the great , the glory of all the emperours borne here in england , and of english bloud who lived anno . writeth in an epistle thus ; l whatsoever custome is of force in all the churches of egypt , spaine , france , and britaine , looke that the same bee likewise ratified among you . saint chrysostome who lived an. . writeth thus ; m in all places wheresoever you goe into any church , whether it bee of the moores , or of the persians , or even of the very iles of britaine , you may heare iohn baptist preaching . saint ierome , who lived anno . writeth thus ; n the french-men , the english-men , they of africa , they of persia , and all barbarous nations worship one christ , and observe one rule of religion . theodoret who lived anno . writeth thus ; o the blessed apostles have induced english-men , the danes , the saxons , in one word , all people and countries , to embrace the doctrine of christ. gregory the great , who lived anno . writeth thus ; p who can sufficiently expresse how glad all the faithfull are , for that the english-men have forsaken the darkenesse of their errours , and have againe received the light of the gospel ? beda , who lived anno . writeth thus ; q england at this present is inhabited by english-men , britaines , scots , picts , and romans ; all which though they speake severall tongues , yet they professe but one faith . thus you see , how the gospel of christ , having beene first planted in this land , by ios●ph of arimathea , and simon zelotes ( in whose time aristobulus and claudia , and not long after king lucius also lived ) hath ever since continued amongst us ; as testifieth tertullian , origen , constantine the great , athanasius , chrysostome , ie●ome , theodoret , gregory , beda , and many more , which might here have beene alleaged . now , how singular and exquisite a benefit have our progenitours received , by meanes of these faithfull professours of the gospel , and first planters of the christian faith here in this iland ? what a miserable famine of the word had the people of this land sustained , if these faithfull friends and sincere witnesses of the truth , had not loosed from the shore , and embarked themselves in danger , to deliver them from the danger of soules shipwracke ? in which danger , wee likewise had beene sharers , had not this so rich a fraught , so inestimable a prize rescued us from danger , and directed our feet in the way of peace . the story of theseus includes an excellent morall ; whose love to his deare friend perithous , the poet labouring to expresse , shewes how hee went downe to hell , of purpose to deliver his friend from the thraldome of pluto , under whom hee remained captive ; which without offence or derogation , may properly seeme to allude , ( next to that inimitable mirrour of divine amity ) to these noble and heavenly warriours , who descended ( as it were ) even to the jawes of hell , encountring with the insolent affronts of many barbarous assassinates , ready to practice all hostility upon them : yet see their undaunted spirits ! their godly care enflamed with the zeale of devotion , and their love to the members of christ , kindled with the coale of brotherly compassion , made them as ready to endure , as those hellish fiends and furies , the enemies of truth , were ready to inflict : choosing rather to perish in the body , then to suffer the poorest soule , bought with so high a price , to bee deprived of the hope of glory . these were good and kind friends , being such as would not sticke to lay downe their lives for their friends ; suffering all things with patience and puissance of mind , to free their distressed brethren from the servile yoke of hellish slavery , and bring them by meanes of gods spirit , by which they were directed , to the knowledge of the all-seeing verity . such as these professe not friendship under pretences or glozing semblances , making their heart a stranger to their tongue , or walking invisible , as if they had found the stone in the lapwings nest ; but as they are , so they appeare , affecting nothing but what is sincerely good ● , and by the best approved . their absolute ayme or end of friendship is to improve , reprove , correct , reforme , and conforme the whole image of that man with whom they converse , to his similitude whom all men present . if at any time they enter into discourse , it ever tends to fruitfull instruction ; if at any time they enter into serious meditation of the world , their meditation is not how to purchase estate , or fish after honour , or build a foundation on oppression , to enrich their posterity with the fruits of their injurious dealing . no , they have the testimony of a good conscience within them , which testifies for them , should the world and all her complices bandie against them . wherefore , admit they should bee put to all extremities , and suffer all the indignities , which envie or malice could dart upon them , the weight of every injury is to bee measured by the sense or feeling of the sufferer ; for the apprehension of the sufferer makes the injury offered , great or little ; if hee conceit it small or no injury , howsoever others esteeme it , the burden of the wrong is light , and therefore more easily sleights it . now , gentlemen , wee have traced over the whole progresse of acquaintance , wherein if happely it be thought , that we have sojourned too long , my answer is ; that in passages of greatest danger , there is required more circumspection , then rashly to goe on without due deliberation . and what occurrent in all the passage or pilgrimage of man , is beset with more danger then the choice of acquaintance ; especially to you , gentlemen , whose meanes is the adamant of acquaintance ? wee have therefore insisted the longer upon this subject , that you may be the lesse subject to such , who will winde them in with you , of purpose to feed and prey on you . to cure which maladie , no receit more soveraigne , then to imprint in your memory that golden rule or princely precept , recommended by that pious and puissant saint lewis to his sonne philip , in these words : have especiall care that those men , whose acquaintance and familiarity you shall use , be honest and sincere , whether they be religious or secular ; with whom you may converse friendly , and communicate your counsels freely ; but by all meanes avoide the company of naughty and wicked men : whose society ever tends to inordinate respects . take these cautions therefore as the last , but not least worthy your observation . be not too rash in the choice of your acquaintance , for that shewes weaknesse ; nor inconstant to those you have chosen , for that argues lightnesse ; nor too forward in the discovery of your counsels ; for so you might bee taxed of too much opennesse ; ever ayming at that absolute end of acquaintance , to profit more and more in the practice of goodnesse . so shall god bee your guide , good men your friends , and your countrey where you had education , receive much glory from your life , and conversation . the english gentleman . argument . moderation defined ; no vertue can subsist without it ; wherein it is to be used ; wherein to be limited ; of the accomplished end which attends it . moderation . in the whole progresse of mans life , which is nothing else , but a medley of desires and feares ; wee shall find , that there is no one vertue which doth better adorne or beautifie man , than temperance or moderation ; which indeed is given as an especiall attribute to man , purposely to distinguish him from brute beasts , whose onely delight is enjoying the benefit of sense , without any further ayme . this moderation therefore , being a note of distinction betwixt man and beast , let us draw neere to the knowledge of this so exquisite a vertue ; which , that wee may the better attaine , let us first see how she is defined : because every instruction grounded upon reason touching any subject , ought to proceed from a definition , that we may the better understand what that is , whereof wee dispute . moderation is a subduer of our desires to the obedience of reason , and a temperate conformer of all our affections , freeing them from the too much subjection either of desires or feares . first , it causeth our desires to be subject to the obedience of reason , pulling us alwayes by the sleeve , and remembring us how wee are men and partake of reason , and therefore ought not to subject our desires to the captivity of sense , as brute beasts which have no reason . secondly , it is a conformer of all our affections , freeing them from all unworthy subjection , either in respect of our desires or feares : of our desires , as having learned in all things to bee contented , whether that portion wherewith god hath blessed us , be little or great : of our feares , as suffering no worldly thing to be so neerely endeered to us , as to feare the losing of it , which wee so dearely tender . for the first , it is an excellent saying of a sage morall , there is no difference betweene having , and not desiring ; for hee that desires nothing , injoyes more then hee that possesseth the whole world ; for his desires are satisfied , which the worldling can never be , so long as his thoughts and desires are to the objects of earth engaged : so as , the difference betwixt the poore wanting , and rich not using , is by these two expressed , the one carendo , the other non fruendo : whereas , if the poore having little , desire no more then that little which they have , they become rich in desire ; and enjoy by desiring little , more above estimate then the dung-hill wretch ( whose eyes cannot enjoy themselves for coveting ) will ever be master of . for as men sicke of an atrophie , eat much , but thrive not ; so these , though they devoure widowes houses , feed upon the fat of the land , lay land unto land , and hoord up treasure to enrich a progeny of rioters , yet these seldome thrive with the fat of their oppressions , but make oft-times as fearefull ends , as their beginnings were calme and prosperous . it is a singular blessing , which the poet attributes to one , who was not onely rich , but could enjoy that hee had freely ; god gave thee wealth and power to use it too , which these earth-wormes of ours can never doe . neither onely in matters of desire , are wee to entertaine the choice company of moderation , but in our feares , where we many times feare to forgoe , what wee already with much content enjoy . so as the former direct their ayme to what they have not ; but the latter stand surprized with feare , lest they should leese what they already have : the former argues an avaritious mind , who can never confine his desires to what it hath ; the latter , a worldly besotted affection , that can never find heart to forgoe what it already enjoyes . a philosopher perceiving dionysius to sit merrily in the theater , after hee was expulsed his realme , condemned the people who banished him : certainely , this prince shewed an admirable moderation , both in respect of his desires and feares ; first , in his desires , extending not his thoughts above that low verge whereto his tyrannie had forced him ; nor fearing any succeeding losse , being above the reach of greater misery . this moderation appeared in furius camillus , whom neither honour could too much transport , nor disgrace cast downe ; bearing the former with no lesse temperance , then he did the latter with patience ; and esteeming it his onely conquest , to conquer passion in the height of affliction . it is likewise a great argument of moderation , when in extremity , wee stand prepared to encounter with the worst of danger , passing all inducements to feare , with a mind no lesse resolute than cheerefull , saluting affliction with a smile , and entertaining surmises of danger with a jest . this did crassus , who being willed by the arabian guides to make haste before the moone was past scorpio ; but i ( said hee ) feare more sagittarie , meaning the archers of persia. there is nothing which expresseth more true worth in any man , then his constancie and courage in the encounters of this life ; imitating , in this respect , vespasian , who upon the instant of his dissolution , when death had summoned him to make present surrender , by paying his debt to nature , of that short lease of life , which with many an unquiet houre he had traced , standing up upon his feet , used these words ; it became an emperour to take his leave of earth standing : implying , that the extremities , which either nature or fortune could inflict upon him , could not so much deject him , or by their assaults enforce him to doe ought unworthy himselfe . whence wee are taught ( and well may this lesson deserve our observation ) to entertaine this life with patience , expecting death with a desired assurance : for there is no better meanes to moderate the passions of desire and feare , then to enter into meditation of the world ; and withall to consider , how there is nothing of that esteeme in the world , that may seeme worthy our desires , coveting to have it ; or worthy our feare , inwardly doubting to lose it . this serious consideration will bee of force to move the greatest worldling to a moderation of his desires , subjecting them to the obedience of reason . whereas , if hee should give reines to his owne avarice , ericthous bowels could not containe more in proportion , then his in an illimited desire and affection : for the world , being like a city without a wall , a house without a doore , a ship without helme , a pot without a cover , and a horse without a bridle ; hath brought out people equally consorting with her in nature and temper ; of unbridled and uncorrigible dispositions , naturally affected to all sensuall liberty , preferring one minutes pleasure or profit before an eternity of succeeding pleasures and profits , reserved for those only whose lives are imployed in promoting their makers glory , being wholly addressed to please him ; and whose deaths , like the choicest odours , sent out a sweet smell , the perfume of a good and vertuous life , sending out a voice even in their last period to praise him . what admirable moderation divers ancient princes have shewen , especially in their contempt to the glory and pompe of this life , histories can afford sufficient examples ; but to omit forraigne instances , my purpose is to insert here one of our owne ; which , by how much more neere us , by so much deeper impression should it enforce in us . canutus that was absolute king almost of five kingdomes , somewhat before the conquest , upon a time in his progresse riding neere the thames , light and sate downe before the shore : then , as it were to try a conclusion , hee commanded the water being now ready to arise againe and to flow , not to come any neerer him : but the water keeping his naturall course , came up still higher and higher , till it began to wet him . whereupon to his nobles , which were about him , yee call mee ( sayes he ) your king and master , and so indeed i am ; and yet loe yee , i cannot command so much as this little streame ; but doe what i can that will doe still as it list . whereupon presently hee posted to westminster , and resigned his crowne to the crucifix there ; neither could hee ever after this be perswaded to weare it any more . the like indifferency to all princely , honours , shewed those memorable saxons , kingulfus , iva , ceodulphus , eadbertus , ethelredus , keredus , offa. sebbi , sigebertus . charles the fifth emperour of germany , gave up his empire into the hands of the princes electors , and with-drew himselfe in the yeere . into a monastery . the like of late yeeres did his sonne , king philip of spaine . neither need wee to exemplifie this subject , touching contempt of the world , onely in such as the glorious light of the gospel had shone upon , but such whose time of darkenesse had never attained to so blessed a sunne-shine : as it may be instanced in dioclesian , who voluntarily relinquished the flourishingest empire in the world . yea , to adde one example more , even amongst those whose best religion is policie , and whose onely aimes are to inlarge their own soveraignty : amurah the second , emperour of the turkes , after he had gotten infinite victories , became a monke of the straightest order amongst them , in the yeere of our lord . all which may seeme to confirme what sel●ucus being king was wont to say , that if a man knew with what care a diadem was clogged , hee would not take it up , though it lay in the street . so as , when the romans had despoiled antiochus of all asia , hee gave them great thankes , saying , they had rid him of many insupportable cares . now , as we have defined this vertue to be a subduer of our desires to the obedience of reason , and a temperate conformer of all our affections ; so are wee to direct our eye to the conclusion , to wit , a freer of the affections from the too much subjection , either of desires or feares . so as , we are here to observe , that hee is the man whom our definition only aimes at , whose well-tempered brest is neither transported with a desire of enjoying what it hath not , nor surprised with a feare of losing what it now enjoyes : having so much as may content him , the losse whereof should hee sustaine , could nere deject him . such an one the tragick poet entituleth a prince , as one too worthy to bee numbred amongst the inferiour ranke : who feares , desires , and flilling cares suppresse , are kings at least , they can be nothing lesse . for these are they who have absolute soveraignty over their passions , and in prosperity scorne as much to be proud , as in adversity to shew themselves base . yea , they will rather entertaine the extreamest encounters that misery can lay upon them , then lose the least of that liberty of mind , with which their noble temper hath endued them . in briefe , those onely who dis-value sublunary things , esteeming them as they are , onely to minister to our necessity , and not to reare them , as blind worldlings use , in the tabernacle of their heart to commit idolatry , keepe consort with this definition ; for the golden meane , as it is onely approved by them , so in a princely moderation of their affections , they are ever readiest to enter lists with their owne passions , that if any either exceed or come short of this meane , they may so square and hammer it till it bee reduced to a proposed meane . and let this suffice , for the definition : we will now descend to the second branch , wherein wee intend to shew , that no vertue can subsist without moderation , being indeed the temper which allayeth and aptly disposeth all our actions , making them equally seasoned , which otherwise would become violent and immoderate . as moderation is a subduer of every inordinate or indisposed affection , so is it a seasoner or temperer of all our actions , making them seeme worthy the title of vertuous , which without this temper would appeare vicious . for without this moderation , he that is liberall should incurre the name of prodigall , the frugall the name of miserable , the resolute be termed dissolute , the morall civill man a coward , the wise stoicall , the regular meerely formall , the just rigorous , the mercifull remisse . so defective is the structure of all vertues , wanting the sweet temper of moderation to season them . neither proceedeth this from the malevolent or uncharitable censures of men , as former times , have beene too apt to traduce or mis-interpret their best deservings , by aspersing some unworthy blemish upon their demerits : as in rome , if the pisoes bee frugall , they are censured-parcimonious ; if the metelli religious , they are taxed superstitious ; if the appii popular , they are termed ambitious ; if the manlii austere , they are stiled tyrannous ; if the lelii wise , they are curious ; the publicolae aspiring if courteous ; but meerely upon the want or deficiency of such actions , which are not tempered with moderation . for to give instance in each kinde ; how nobly and invincibly did alexander the great beare himselfe in all exploits ? how much feared abroad , and how much loved at home ? how affable to his friends , and how terrible to his foes ? yet how much were all his actions , of valour and matchlesse resolution darkened through want of moderation , being so excessively given to passion in his drinke , as his nearest and dearest friends could not bee secure from his fury ? for howsoever those acts and exploits of his against darius , yea against all opponents , expressed the noblenesse of his person , with the continued attendance of succeeding fortune ; yet the death of clytus , the torments he inflicted on callisthenes , and depopulation of persepolis , detracted as much from his glory , as ever his conquests gained him glory . likewise , how just and sincere was agesilaus held in all matters of justice ? how free from this ages staine , corruption ? how farre from personall respect , or to be over-awed by the offenders greatnesse ? so as , like the worlds generall ( of whom we even now made mention ) and of whom plutarch reports , that he used to shut the one eare with his hand when he heard any accuser in criminall causes , thereby ( as he said ) reserving audience for the defendant ; semblably did this renowned patron and patterne of unblemished iustice greatly eclipse those more glorious lights which shone in him , for want of moderating his affection towards his children ? so as his riding upon a cockhorse did no lesse argue his weaknesse , than his sincerity in matters of iustice witnessed his uprightnesse . albeit , his discreet parentall answer to such sages as occasionally repaired to him amidst that trifling pleasure , might seeme to qualifie this error : gentlemen , yee that see mee thus highly taken with this childish and vnmanly pleasure , till yee have children of your owne , suspend your censure . lastly , how profoundly wise was the lacedemonian chilo held to be , being numbred among the seven sages of greece , and elected ephorus , a place of especiall honour and esteeme ? how exquisite his sentences ? how quicke and pregnant his answers ? how solid his reasons ? how absolute in all his proceedings ? yet behold for want of moderation of his passions , how childishly hee gave way to excesse of joy , whereby he was inforced to pay his debt to nature . whence wee may easily collect , that no vertue , how cardinall soever , can subsist without the assistance of moderation , being that lesbian rule which direct● the modell , and makes it truly accomplished . all vertues ( saith one ) doe make a common-wealth happy and peaceable : but temperance alone is the sustainer of civill quietnesse ; for it taketh care that the realme be not corrupted with riot and wanton delights , whereby divers states have bin cast away ▪ or , to descend more particularly to those divine effects which this vertue produceth , it hindreth dishonest actions , restraineth pleasures within certaine bounds , and which maketh men to differ from bruit beasts . moreover , this is that herbe , which mercury gave to vlysses , lest he should taste of the inchanters cup , and so with his fellowes be transformed into a hog , wallowing in the mire of all sensuall delights . so as , whosoever is endued with this vertue , stands fortified against all assailants ; those eye-sores ( for so plutarch cals them ) i meane those attractive objects of lust , cannot surprize him : nor those worldly tumours ( for so eucherius stiles them ) i meane worldly honours , intrap him . not those robes or ragges of shame , the gorgeous attire of sinne ( which hierome cals antichrists veile ) delude him . nor those theeves of time , ( for so the orator is pleased to call them ) i meane friends and acquaintance , over-joy him . in briefe , as the vnicornes horne being dipt in water , cleeres and purifies it ; so there is no poison either arising from the tempting object of beauty , from the ambitious aspiring to honour , from the attire of sinne or cover of shame , or from those sweet time-beguilers or acquaintance , which is not frustrated by this choice and soveraign receit of temperance . so as this is that vertue , which ( though in generall it deserve to bee affected of all ) great men ought specially to embrace , that by their example the common sort might become temperate : for this is the reason why so many now a daies live riotously like beasts , namely , because they see noblemen , and magistrates that governe the common-wealth , to lead their lives wantonly , as sardanapalus did . whence it was that the poet so seriously concluded ; great is the crime , it cannot chuse , if he be great that doth it use . for as we see in colours , there is none which discovers any soile or blemish so much as white ; or as we have observed in the eclipse of the sunne , that it drawes more eyes to view it , than the darkning of any inferiour light : so amongst the children of men , though sinne be sinne in every one , yet more noted , and in that more exemplar , in these high peering cedars , i meane our peeres and nobles , then in these lower shrubs , whose humble condition frees them from like publike observance . how necessary is it then for you , gentlemen , whose birth hath enobled you , whose breeding hath enabled you , and whose more generous spirits have emboldned you , to undertake assayes for the glory and benefit of your countrey , the better to expresse your love and allegeance to your prince : to become affecters and practisers of so singular a vertue , that your lives might be patternes of moderation unto others , seeing more eyes are fixt upon you than on inferiours ? you are moulds wherein meaner men are ●asten ; labour then by your example to stampe impressions of vertue in others , but principally temperance , seeing no vertue can subsist without it . it is dangerous ( saith austine ) when prodigality and riot sway a scepter ; neither onely is it dangerous for the person whose illimited affections , of a prince make him a vassall ; but for the whole body of the state , training it to all impiety by his evill example . the laconians , by meanes of wife and temperate princes , became admired for their moderation and continence : insomuch as their spare diet , their home-spun raiment , and their generall hate to all accesse , made them no lesse honoured at home , than feared abroad . whereas , contrariwise , the sidonians , by following the riotous examples of some of their licentious princes , fell into all excessive gluttony . so powerfull and perswasive were the lives of princes , to inforce impressions of goodnesse or badnesse in the imitation of their subjects . but to take a review of those maine assailants of temperance , lust , ambition , gorgeousnesse in apparell , luscious fare , company-keeping , and the like , we shall find that where this temperance is , albeit these objects even in their height should encounter him , the bait will bee long laid ere it can take him . for to run over all these , and illustrate them with proper instances , wee shall plainely shew ; that where a divine power is ready to assist , and man no lesse ready , upon temptations approaching , to resist , all these motives can take no place . what admirable continencie shewed alexander in the conquest of his affections , sparing darius wife and his three daughters ? how greatly did this worlds monarch enlarge his glory by this onely conquest ? yet to reflect upon those objects of beauty we shall finde ; if records be true which write of them , that for beauty they were incomparably gracious , and for state the choicest dames of persia. the like we reade of scipio , who being a young man of foure and twenty yeeres of age , of strong constitution , and promising personage , in the taking of a citie in spaine , repressed his flames of lust , albeit a beautifull maid was brought him ; restoring her to a young man called allutius , to whom she was espoused , with a great reward . but incredible is the report of zenocrates continency , who lying all night with lais though shee used all the provocations and inticements shee could devise , yet he remained immoveable to her voluptuous inducements . and to close this illustration with an heroicke instance , cleopatra in the last tragicke scene of her disasters , kneeling at the feet of caesar , laid baits for his eyes ; but in vaine , her beauties were beneath that princes chastity . neither are histories ( those precious treasuries of time ) lesse plentifull in instances of moderation touching motives of ambition . when all the worldly romans ( i meane such whose demerits had gained them an eminent esteeme with their countrey ) had a desire to preserve their memories by erection of their statues , cato would not ; and being demanded the cause , answered ; if i might choose , i would rather have it asked why cato hath no statues erected for him , than why they are erected for him : implying that vertue , which is the most continued shrine , and , as that sage morall saith , maketh man a god , had more power to eternize him , than all materiall monuments ; which , as they are subject to corruption , so shall their names bee , which are engraven on them . from their contempt shewen to these sumptuous covers of corruption , iunius and blaesus , by the testimony of tacitus received no lesse glory ; whose statues , because they were not engraven in stone , appeared more conspicuous to the eye of the state. no lesse moderation of his desires shewed agesilaus , that princely patterne of iustice ; who , when the aegyptians , came forth of purpose to adore him , for those numerous and glorious victories which hee had atchieved , couched himselfe close upon the grasse , without least shew or semblance of majesty , expressing the humility of his thoughts by the lownesse of his seat . but of all others , there is no one example , to instance a true moderator of ambition , like that noble and victorious champion ; godfrey de boloigne , whose valour so bravely employed in expulsing the turkes and freeing ierusalem , that citie of the great king , from miserable slavery , had gained him so deserved a name , as it was thought fit his honourable service should be rewarded with a golden diadem ; but how answered this glorious champion ? farre bee it from mee ( quoth hee ) to suffer the servants head to be with a crowne of gold paled , where the masters head was with a crowne of thornes pierced . to produce likewise instances in such whose moderation in attire , manifested their contempt to these covers of shame , we shall find lycurgus , phocion , pelopidas , with many others , such profest foes to gorgeous apparell , as they alwayes reteined their ancient countrey weare with such plainenesse , as they expressed what they were , by the garments they wore . for a mans garment ( saith the sonne of sirach ) and his excessive laughter , and his going , declare what person hee is . insomuch as augustus caesar bore alwayes hatred to gorgeous and sumptuous apparell , terming it the blazer and bruiter of our pride , the nests to hatch the lascivious brood of lechery . in like manner , to descend to all those assailants of temperance , wee shall find many excellent subduers of their owne affections , using an admirable kind of restraint or moderation in their fare . the number of guests amongst the romans in any solemne feast privately observed , was not great , seldome times exceeding nine ; whence aulus gellius saith , that the number of guests should beginne with the graces , and end with the muses ; that is , they must not be fewer then three , nor more then nine . which use was occasion of that adage , septem convivium , novem convitium faciunt ; seven make a banquet , nine a riot . albeit that luxurious emperour heliogobalus seemeth to have beene delighted with the number of eight ; whence he invited to supper , to make his feast more singular , . bald ones , eight blind ones , eight gouty ones , eight deafe ones , eight hoarse ones , eight very blacke ones , eight very long ones , eight very fat ones , and eight hooke-nosed ones , being delighted with that greeke proverbe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : whose ape , it seemes , that late conceited academicke was , who invited the blind , lame , and deformed to a supper , for whom hee had provided fowles , as different to their pallat by nature , as they were to others in feature ; furnishing his feast with owles , cuckowes , staniels , and popinjayes , to make himselfe infamously famous for his invention . but to proceed with these ethnicke instances of moderation ; democritus preserved his life without any other sustenance , save only the smell of hot bread , for the space of nine dayes : which abstinence or restraint was not injoyned him ; for neither his owne estate , nor any superior commanding power , had enforced him to that misery ; but purposely to prepare himselfe for celebrating with more solemnity the feasts which were kept in honour of ceres , called commonly ( as i take it ) buthysia ; resembling in greatnesse of celebrity , and magnificence of estate , that huge sacrifice called hecatombe . pythagoras likewise was of that wonderfull moderation in his fare , and that through no infirmity of nature , in that hee could not , but through an incessant desire to his studies ; with a vehement affection to the preservation or propagation rather of all living creatures ; as hee would desire two things of god , if the possibility thereof could stand with the conservation of humane society ; that hee might not speake , that hee might not eat : by the one to prevent offence in discourse , by the other avoid surfet by excesse . so as , hee commanded his schollers even in unreasonable things , as birds , beasts , fishes , &c. to abstaine from cruelty ; entreating both fowlers and fishers to let goe the fowle and fish they had caught , or else redeeme them with money , and let them goe . but too immoderate was this care , and too foolish this pitie ; for creatures were ordained for the use and service of man ; hee then that neglecteth the use , neglecteth likewise the ordinance . but in subjects of moderation , none more absolute , then where nature is urged by necessity to crave releefe , and occasion is ministred , yet the desire restrained : as in extremity of thirst , when nature requireth drink , which according to the philosophers axiom , is the very last refuge of nature , either through compassion or manly moderation , her desires is restrained . this did alexander , who out of a princely moderation or noble compassion , when hee was almost consumed with drought , having a head-peece full of water presented unto him , would not drink himselfe , but offered it to his souldiers . much to bee admired was this act of moderation , and a motive of generall affection , that a prince urged by the extreamest effects of thirst , and having occasion and meanes to satisfie the request of nature , yet moved with compassion towards his fellow-souldiers ( for so used hee to terme them ) hee chused rather to want himselfe , then to be wanting in any compassionate office to their necessity . certainely this act deserveth so much the more to be commended , by how much the extremity was greater which hee suffered . darius , when in his flight hee dranke muddy and stinking water , said , that hee never dranke a sweeter draught . which implyes , what torment he indures who feeles the extremity of thirst . the last assailant of temperance ( as wee formerly observed ) was company-keeping ; which indeed is such a stealer of time , or beguiler of tedious houres , as it makes passing of time a meere pastime . yet observe , what diligent care hath beene had , by making choice of such ( as i have else-where noted ) whose society might better them . peruse those athenian nights in gellius , and you shall find how fruitfully those nights were employed , how delightfully passed : making discourse of philosophy , that well-consorting melodie , which gave generall content to all the company . besides , it is worth our observation , to take a view of the speciall care divers ancients have had of the company they consorted with : having such in as great distaste that were evill , as they bore all due reverence to such as were good . wee reade how the prienean bias , having occasion to saile on a time with some ill-disposed men , by reason of a violent tempest , the ship wherein they sailed was so shaken , as these wicked men , moved rather by feare then devotion , begun to call upon their gods ; which bias hearing , hold your peace ( quoth hee ) lest the gods you call upon understand that you be here ; covertly taxing their impiety , and shewing that their prayers would be little acceptable to the gods . but an example much more divine , and so much deserving our imitation , may be here commended to us in the person of the blessed evangelist s. iohn , who would not come within the bath where the hereticke cerinthus was , so much did hee hate the fellowship of him , who , to use augustines words , was no fanne for the lords floore . thus have we run over those mainest and mightiest assailants of temperance ; now let us , as wee have illustrated each of them with proper instances of moderation , annex some reasons why these assailants of temperance ought to be restrained : and first for the first . lust , the sensuall mans sinne , is said to bee a friend which brings man in acquaintance with the divell , as ebriety is an enemy to the knowledge of god. besides , it is a vice detestable both to the brute beast and barbarian ; it with-drawes the mind of the creature from meditation of his creator ; makes man commit sinne even with greedinesse ; makes the image of god companion for a harlot ; makes him who should be the temple of the holy ghost , a cage of uncleane birds ; prostitutes the glory of the soule to the pleasure of sinne ; and prefers a sensuall delight before the obedience of reason . hee sels his birth-right for lesse then a messe of pottage , exposing his soule to the trafficke of shame . hee values a minutes joy above all future delight ; yea , rather then lose his present content , he will suffer an eternity of torment . this bleere-eyed lover is so blinded with affection towards his beloved , that hee will rather lose his owne soule , then lose that which hee affecteth . thus you see the lustfull man uncased , his blindnesse discovered , his sundry weaknesses displayed , and the heavy effects which from hence are derived : good reason then have you to restraine an affection so over-spreading , a motion so mortally wounding , a contagion so generally killing . take into your consideration the shortnesse of the pleasure , being but a moment ; the vengeance or punishment due to that pleasure , being eternall . what wise man , having neerely served his apprentiship , will for a minutes pleasure forfeit his indenture , and lose his freedome for ever ? wee should hold him destitute of common sense , who having a princesse offered him , will foolishly lose her for embraces of an harlot . if you will keepe your selves unspotted till the day of his comming , you shall bee espoused to a princely bridegroome , and receive palmes in your hands at his comming . go● not in by the wayes of the strange woman , but keepe your beds undefiled , knowing the state which you have undertaken to bee honourable before god and man. for i in no case will limit you to a monasticke or regular restraint , but approve of both estates , i meane both the single and married life , being undertaken in the feare of god , worthy the acceptance of every faithfull christian. for the virgins estate , as it drawes neerer to angelicall perfection , so the married to the preservation of humane society or propagation . so as saint augustine might seeme rather to be traduced , then truly alleaged for this place , virgins doe more then lawfull , as adulterers lesse : for my conceit shall ever be freed , from imagining so divine a father to approve of such an errour : for both estates are commended ; the one good , the other better ; both which titles , as they are by the apostle on these two estates conferred , so are they by us to be reverently esteemed . briefly , restraine all immoderate desires of the flesh , which fight against the spirit , so shall you find that inward tranquillity which obedience to your lusts shall never bring you . ambition , the second assailant of temperance , is such an high-mounting bird , as shee useth to build her nest ever in the tallest cedars , hatching her aeries in the highest spires , to expresse her unbounded aymes . this passion or distraction rather , of all others , brings man soonest to a forgetfulnesse of himselfe : ever aspiring , but never obtaining ; ever sailing in a tempestuous sea , attented by many hostile and piraticall adherents , whose aymes are to intercept all peaceable passengers , filling the whole state full of mutinies and combustions . pindarus describes him to be such an one , who strives to touch the clouds , and cope with iove himselfe , but is aymes draw him on to speedy ruine . what reason then is there to foster or cocker such a profest foe to publike and private peace ? who is hee , having understanding , will receive into his barge , where hee is , a quarrellous turbulent fellow , who in desperate fury will not sticke to over-whelme the vessell , both of himselfe , and the rest that consort him ? who is hee that will engage him in perill , when hee may in safety enjoy himselfe , and be free from danger ? who is hee that will desire to climbe , when he knowes there is no meanes to save him from falling , being got up ? surely the ambitious man is ever environed with perill , yet such is his folly , hee will rather chuse to incurre danger , then lose the present opportunity of acquiring honour . besides , they whom this unbounded passion hath once surprized , are so much distempered , as of sleepe they are quite deprived ; which disquiet proceeds either from emulation towards others , or an ambitious desire of advancement in themselves . for the first , themistocles was wont to say , that miltiades victory in marathon , bereaved him of his sleepe . for the latter , sylla could never take rest , till by the terrour of his legions , hee had obtained the law valeria to be made , whereby hee was created dictator for eight yeares ; as caesar the law servia , by which hee was perpetuall dictator . albeit , having obtained what they desired , and arrived at the port whereto their course was directed , they found an empire to be a monstrous and untamed beast , wounding them with many thorny cares , which deprived them of all seasonable rest . doe you then love to be at peace to enjoy perfect liberty , to be divided from all occasions of disquiet ? restraine those icarian thoughts , whose soaring wings are ever laved in the depth of ruine . confine your thoughts within an equal limit : and let not your projectments be above hope of effecting . those braving builders of babel , aymed at too high a story to bring their worke to perfection . let the foundation be built on firme ground , and the building will prosper better . for howsoever faire pretences may for a time appeare in the habit of truth , daubing up a rotten inside with a specious out-side ; hee that sitteth in the heavens and searcheth the hearts and reines , shall have them in derision , breaking them in peeces like a potters vessell . restraine then this fury or frenzie of the mind , and with timely moderation so bound in and confine your affections , as no aspiring thought may enter that place , which is reserved for a higher place : so shall you enjoy more absolute content in restraining , then enlarging your thoughts to the motives of ambition . gorgeous attire , being the third assailant moving man to glory in his shame , and gallant it in his sinne , is to be especially restrained , because it makes us dote upon a vessell of corruption , strutting upon earth , as if we had our eternall mansion on earth . what great folly is it to preferre the case before the instrument , or to bestow more cost upon the signe then on the iune ? me thinkes the bitter remembrance of the first necessity of clothes , should make men more indifferent for them : if man had never sinned , his shame had never needed to have beene covered . for sinne was the cause of adams shame , and his shame the cause hee fled unto the shade , which afforded him fig-leaves to cover his nakednesse . what vanity then , yea , what impudence to glory in these covers of shame ? would any one having committed some capitall offence against his prince ; for which hee is after pardoned , but on condition hee shall weare a halter about his neck , become proud of his halter , and esteeme it an especiall badge of honour ? wee are all in the selfe-same case ; wee have committed high treason against the king of heaven , yet are wee received to mercy , bearing about us those memorials of our shamefull fall or defection from our king ; which should in all reason rather move us to bee ashamed of our selves , then to prize our selves higher for these ornaments of shame . sure i am , as hee is a fond man that values the worth of his horse , by his sumptuous saddle or studded bridle ; so hee is most foolish , who estimates a man by his garment . yet see the misery of this age ! the cover of shame is become the onely luster to beautifie him : but be not yee so deluded ; prize the ornaments of the mind for the choicest and chiefest beauty : farre be it from you to glory in this attire of sinne , these rags of shame , these worme-workes , which with-draw your eyes from contemplating that supreme bounty and beauty , purposely to fix them upon the base objects of earth , which detract much from the glory of a reasonable soule . the swan prides not her selfe in her black-feet ; no more should you in these covers of your transgression , which , whensoever yee looke on , may put you in mind of your first pollution . no reason then to affect these , which had man never sinned , hee had never needed , being before clothed with innocency as with a garment , and with primitive purity , as with a rayment . whence it appeares , that many glory in the rags of shame , while they glory in these robes of sinne : now who , endued with reason , would pride him in that which augments his shame , or esteeme that a grace which asperseth reproach on him ? nicetas saith plainely ; no punishment so grievous as shame . and nazianzen yet more expresly ; better were a man die right out , then still live in reproach and shame . ajax being ready to dispatch himselfe , used these as his last words ; no griefe doth so cut the heart of a generous and magnanimous man , as shame and reproach . for a man to live or die , is naturall ; but for a man to live in shame and contempt , and to be made a laughing-stock of his enemies , is such a matter , as no well bred and noble minded man that hath any courage or stomacke in him , can ever digest it . delight not then in your shame , but in a decent and seemely manner affect that habit most , which becommeth most ; restraining that profusenesse , which the vanity of this age so much exceeds in ; and assuming to your selves that attire which gives best grace to modesty , and hath neerest correspondence with gentility . neither is luscious fare to be lesse avoided , or with lesse strictnesse restrained . many reasons whereof might be here produced , but wee will cull out the chiefest , to weane our generous vitellians from their excessive surfets . first , dainty dishes are foments to wanton affections , begetting in the soule and unaptnesse to all spirituall exercises : for this is a generall rule , that the body being strengthned , the soule becomes weakned : for fasting is a preparative to devotion , but riot the grand-master of distraction . looke how it is in the health of the body , and so it is in the state of the soule : if a man have a good appetite , and a stomacke to his meat , it is a signe hee is well in health ; in like sort , if a man be content to follow christ for the loaves to fill his belly , and care not for the food of his soule , questionlesse all is not well betweene god and him ; but if wee have a longing and a hungring desire of the word , then indeed his heart is upright in the sight of god. for as saint augustine noteth well ; if the word of god be taken by us , it will take us . but what meanes may be used to procure this longing and hungring desire in us ? not luscious or curious fare ; for that will move us rather to all inordinate motions , then the exercise of devotion : no , it is fasting that makes the soule to be feasting ; it is macerating of the flesh , that fattens the spirit . for it is sumptuous fare , that is the soules snare : sagina corporis , sagena cordis : it is the net which intangles the heart of man , drawing her from the love of her best beloved spouse , to dote on the adulterate embraces of sensuall beauty . neither is it fare , but delight in fare ; not simply the meat , but the desire or liquorish appetite , which produceth those odious effects : as for example , when the loose affected man maketh choice or election of such meats , purposely to beget in him an ability , as well as desire , to his sensuall pleasures . whence a learned father most divinely concludeth : i feare not ( saith he ) the uncleanenesse of meats in respect of their difference , but uncleannesse of desire in respect of concupiscence . neither doth the kind or difference of the meat ( saith another ) pollute so much , as the act of disobedience , eating that which is inhibited . now to propose a rule of direction ; not any one surer or safer can be set downe , then what an ancient father hath already proposed . wee nourish our bodies ( saith hee ) lest by being too much weakned , they faile us ; and wee weaken them by abstinence , lest by too much feeding them , they presse us . so then , temper your desires , that neither too much restraint may enfeeble them , nor excesse surcharge them . for as the body being weakned , the soule becomes strengthned ; so where the body becomes too much enfeebled , the performance of spirituall exercises is disabled : but in all things , take heed of pampering a disobedient servant ; hee sleeps in your bosome , that imagines mischiefe against you . who , the more hee is fostered , the more is your danger furthered : the more hee is cockered , the more is your heat of devotion cooled : chastise then this domesticke enemy in time , for hee participates of the nature of a serpent , who spreads most his poyson , where hee receives harbouring . now as the philosophers observe of the hart , that being pursued by dogs in hunting , by reason of heat , and losse of breath , being tired with the chase , hee hasteneth to the rivers ; or wearied in fight with a serpent , or stung , or wounded by him , while the serpent resteth on the the ground , hee seeketh to some cold fountaine , whereby the affection of the venome received , may be abated , and his former vigour restored . even so , such as are wounded , and strucken of the old serpent , must have recourse to christ , that fountaine of living waters , that all sensuall desires arising from excessive delight in delicious fare , may be the better allayed . neither onely is restraint to be used in the choice , and change of meats , but in the excessive use of drinkes . the reasons are two ; the one is , it is an enemy to the knowledge of god ; the other is this , it is held to be an enfeebler or impairer of the memorative parts ; for you shall ever note that deepe drinkers have but shallow memories . their common saying is , let us drowne care in healths : which drowning of care makes them so forgetfull of themselves , as carried away with a brutish appetite , they onely intend their present delight , without reflexion to what is past , or due preparation to what may succeed . o restraine then this mighty assailant of temperance ! bee ever your selves ; but principally stand upon your guard , when occasion of company shall induce you ; being the last we are to speake of . this company-keeping , how much it hath depraved the hopefullest and towardliest wits , daily experience can witnesse . for many wee see civilly affected , and temperately disposed of themselves not subject to those violent or brain-sicke passions , which the fumes of drinke beget ; till out of a too pliable disposition they enter the lists of good fellowship ( as they commonly terme it ) and so become estranged from their owne nature , to partake with zanies in their distempered humour . so as in time , by consorting with evill men , they become exposed to all immoderate affections ; such is the strength of custome . whence it is , that saint basil saith , passions rise up in a drunken man ( note the violence of this distemper ) like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side . now you shall see him compassionately passionate , resolving his humour into teares ; anon like a phrenticke man , exercising himselfe in blowes ; presently , as if a calmer or more peaceable humour had seized on him , he expresseth his loving nature in congies and kisses . so different are the affections which this valiant mault-worme is subject to ; yet howsoever , out of a desperate bravado he binde it with oathes , that he will stand to his tackling , he is scarce to be credited , for he can stand on no ground . but to annexe some reasons which may effectually disswade every generous-affected spirit from consorting with such * sociats as are a blemish to a gentleman ; imagine with your selves , how mortally dangerous it is to enter an infected house ; how fearefull would any one bee of the state of his body , if hee should have one in his company who had the carbuncle or plague-sore running upon him ? how much would hee condemne his owne rashnesse to entertaine any such in his company ? and with what respect or cautelous advice would he prepare to expell the poyson of that infection , at least to prevent the occasion ? no cost might be spared , no care intermitted , that some soveraigne , receit might be procured , whereby the apparent danger , into which his inconsiderate rashnesse had brought him might be removed . now if our bodies , being but the covers of more curious and exquisite instruments , be so especially tendred , with what respect ought we to provide for the safety or security of our soules ? the ground of a disease is to mixe the sound with the sicke : now the soules disease is sinne , wherewith shee laboureth more painfully than the body can doe , being annoyed with any infirmity . those that are sicke , are vicious men , whose disease though it be insensible , and in that lesse curable it breakes out into loathsome ulcers , which staine the pristine beauty of the soule . now as wee serve so many vices , wee serve so many masters ; and so many masters , so many divels , each one having so many divels , as evils . which miserable servitude to prevent ( for no slavery is baser than the service of sinne ) the best and soveraignest receit that may be applied or ministred to the soule-sicke patient is the receit of adversion ; to turn aside from the waies of the wicked , and to keepe no company with the transgressour : for this adversion from the companions of sin , is a conversion to the god of sion . would you then have god turne to you ? turne you from your sinnes . would you bee at one with your maker ? be ever divided from these sensuall mates , so shall you bee made happy by the company of your maker . would you bee sound at heart ? leave to consort with these of an uncircumcised heart , whose paths lead to perdition , and they that walke therein shall be the heires of shame . for howsoever these instruments of sinne ( as i have sometimes observed ) may make a shew of godlinesse , or pretend , meerely under colour to give a varnish to their vicious lives , and a semblance of goodnesse ; yet it is but meere painting they deale with ; they deny the power thereof in their life and conversation . a ridiculous actor in the citie of smyrna , pronouncing , o co●lum ! o heaven ! pointed with his finger toward the ground : which when polemo the chiefest man in the place saw , he could abide to stay no longer , but went from the company in a chase , saying : this foole hath made a solecisme with his hand : hee hath spoken false latine with his hand . such ridiculous actors are these time-spenders ; they pronounce heaven with their mouth , but point at earth with their lives ; like wise polemons therefore stay no longer with them , if at any time you have consorted with them ; for their practice is onely to gull the world , and with smooth pretences delude their unhappy consorts . their profession is how to play the hypocrite christian , but being unmasked , their odious physnomies are quickly discovered . make use therefore of your experience , and with all temperance so counterpoize the weight of your passions , as none of these assailants ( though their incursions be never so violent ) may ever surprize the glorious fortresse of your minde . which the better to effect , let lust , be counterpoized by continence ; ambition by humblenesse ; gorgeous apparell by comlinesse ; luscious fare by abstinence , and company-keeping by that sweet seasoner of all vertues , temperance . thus you have heard , how as without salt there can be no seasoning , no warre without discipline , no tillage without manuring , no estate without mannaging , no building without a foundation ; so no vertue can subsist without moderation . as wee have hitherto expressed the dignity or sufficiency of this vertue , in that it giveth subsistence to all other vertues : so are we now to intreat of the amplenesse of it , proposing such subjects wherein it is principally said to be conversant . now , though there be no humane action which is not subject to many defects , being not throughly seasoned by this exquisite vertue , yet the use thereof may bee reduced to these two , as proper subjects wherein it is to be exercised ; expence of coine , and expence of time : for without moderation in the one , we should be prodigall of our substance : without moderation in the other , we should grow too profuse in the expence of that , which is more precious than any earthly substance . now touching worldly substance , as wee are to bee indifferent for the losse or possession of it , so ought wee to to carefull in the use or dispensation of it . as it is not to be admired when we possesse it , no more is it to be altogether dis-esteemed , because we stand in need of the use of it . if money bee so much to bee contemned , ( saith an ancient father ) expresse thy bounty , shew thy humanity , bestow it upon the poore : so may this , which of necessity thou must lose , releeve many , which otherwise might perish by hunger , thirst , or nakednesse . thus to bestow it , were not prodigally to spend it , but to lay it up in a safer treasuris , even in christs almes-boxe , to the disbursers great advantage . yea , but you will object you have other meanes to imploy it in ; you have a family to support , a posterity to provide for , a state to maintaine , and pleasures suiting with your ranke and quality to uphold : i grant it , and you doe well in having a care to your family , for he is worse then an infidel that wants this care . it is commendable likewise in you to have an eye to your posterity , for nature requires this at your hand . to maintaine likewise your state , and to continue your pleasures suiting with men of your ranke ; i allow it . but where , or in what sort must this be done ? for the place where , surely none fitter than your owne countrey where you were bred ; setting up there your rest , where you received your birth ; let your countrey ( i say ) enjoy you who bred you ; shewing there your hospitality , where god hath placed you , and with sufficient meanes blessed you . i doe not approve of these , who fly from their countrey , as if they were ashamed of her , or had committed something unworthy of her . how blame-worthy then are these court-comets , whose onely delight is to admire themselves ? these , no sooner have their bed-rid fathers betaken themselves to their last home , and removed from their crazie couch , but they are ready to sell a mannor for a coach. they will not take it as their fathers tooke it : their countrey houses must bee barred up , left the poore passenger should expect what is impossible to finde , releefe to his want , or a supply to his necessity . no , the cage is opened , and all the birds are fled ; not one crum of comfort remaining to succour a distressed poore one . hospitality , which was once a relique of gentry , and a knowne cognizance to all ancient houses hath lost her title , meerely through discontinuance : and great houses , which were at first founded to releive the poore , and such needfull passengers as travelled by them , are now of no use but only as way-markes to direct them . but whither are these great ones gone ? to the court ; there to spend in boundlesse and immoderate riot , what their provident ancestors had so long preserved , and at whose doores so many needy soules have beene comfortably releeved . yet see the miserie of many of those rioters ! though they consume their meanes , yet is the port they live at meane : for they have abridged their familie , reduced their attendants to a small number , and ( unnecessary expences set aside ) drawne themselves to within as narrow a compasse as possibly they may . for to take a view of those which are in ordinary roule ; you shall finde none but a page , a coachman , a lackey , and perchance a cooke . if the vailes of the house will maintaine one , or they bee not in fee with some city-cooke , whom they usually repaire to , at best betrust , and so run on score quarterly . now if you aske me , how their meanes should be consumed , when they live at so low commons ; my answer is , the lesse they bestow on their caterer , the more they bestow on their taylor . they cut it out of the whole cloth , and divide their acres peece-meale into shreds . where their phantasticke light-ones resort oftner to the house of the body-maker than the soule-maker : affecting nothing more than what may make them most noted . but observe the issue of these courses , gentlemen ; when they have maintained their riot with much expence , and engaged their means to these great monied men , whose iubile it is to entertaine acquaintance with one of these greene wits , they run upon the shelfe of ruine , and make their posterity the heires of want . which having incurred , what distracted and divided sleepes , what distempred thoughts , what hourely afflictions may wee imagine them to be subject to ? for what engagement worse then debt , when every shadow resembles a sergeant , every familiar touch or stroke of a friend , an arrest of an officer ? augustus caesar , hearing of them talke in his court , what a huge summe of money a certaine knight in rome owed at his death , and that all his goods were to be sold , to make payment of his debts , commanded the master of his wardrobe to buy for him that bed , wherein this knight used to lye : for , sayes hee , if i cannot sleepe soundly in that bed wherein hee could sleepe , that owed so much , then surely i shall sleepe in n●ne . surely , there is no affliction greater to a noble spirit , whose thoughts cannot endure engagement , then to be subject to the extremity of an unconscionable creditor , who usually makes advantages his revenues , and forfeitures the inhauncers of his fortunes . neither is this respect to be had onely in the disposing of your selves in court or citie , but likewise in the countrey : for though it be best spent , which is bestowed in hospitality , and in releeving those hungry soules , whose expresse images require your charity ; yet are you to consider how charity begins with it selfe : so as , howsoever you are bound to releeve and support those , whose present wants exact so much at your hands , yet ever with reservancie of a competent or convenient providence , so to sustaine the want of others , as not to procure want to your selves by sustaining others . but this needs little pressing : for experience shewes , that very small instruction will suffice any one to be provident enough in their bounty or exhibition to the poore . let us therefore divert the current of our subject , and addresse our exhortation to you ; purposely moving you to a moderation of your expence in your pleasures , or those more easie vanities of this life . as profit and pleasure make the sweetest musicke , so there is no pleasure , how incomparably delightfull soever for the present , but it affords much bitternesse , having no respect to providence . now , as all vertues may be comprized under the name of frugality , provided that we understand it to be of that absolute power and command , that neither excesse nor diminution beare any sway in it , it appeareth that without this frugall moderation no state can be well mannaged , no estate rightly husbanded ; so as , whether you have an eye to pleasure or profit , this frugality or equally tempered providence must bee soveraignesse in both . for first , there is no pleasure which hath not respect to vertue : how then may that properly be termed a pleasure , which hath no relation to frugality , under which name all vertues may seeme to be comprized ? likewise , there is no profit which is not joyned with honesty , how then may that properly be termed a profit , which hath no respect to honest providence , upon which all profits are truly grounded ? the best course then that you can follow , either in your choice of pleasures , or pursuit of profit , is ever to examine whether that pleasure which you affect , have respect to vertue , or that profit which you have in pursuit , be firmely grounded on honest providence : so shall neither pleasure so much inthrall you , as to engage your fortunes to her , nor profit so entangle you , as to neglect conscience for the love you beare her . surely , there is nought more dangerous to young gentlemen , whose unriper yeares have not sufficiently instructed them in the follies of vanity , then to give reines to their desires , and so become bondslaves to pleasure . for those that will deny their eyes nothing that they can desire , nor resist their owne wils in ought that they affect , bee they endued with never so much wisdome , it becomes foolishnesse , being blinded with their owne delights . they then onely , whose native temperance hath prepared them , or continuall wrastling with the infirmities of nature hath inured them , have attained this degree of perfection ; not onely ( i say ) to use moderation in their expence , but in their restraint of every pleasure ; labouring to become commanders of themselves in the desires and affections of this life : which of all others make men the absolutest conquerours . for man , whose naturall pravity , drawne from the corruption of his first parents , is ever working in him new motions of disobedience ; layeth continuall siege and battery to the fortresse of the soule , suggesting to her motives of pleasure and delight , which the carnall man will easily condescend to , because he savoureth not the things of the spirit . yea , how many doe we see , who begin in the spirit , but end in the flesh , making their end farre worse then their beginning ? how necessary then is this moderation , to curbe or checke such inordinate motions as arise in us , by reason of our naturall infirmity and weaknesse ? neither doe i so much insist upon the moderation of your expences , as if coine were of that esteeme , as it onely deserved respect . for if riches increase , wee are not to set our hearts upon them ; but rather to shew our indifferencie towards them in our free and liberall use of them . but hee who gave gifts before hee gave time , creating all things for our use in the world , before hee brought us into the world , without the use or ministery of these could preserve and support us , whom hee hath appointed as governours or rulers over all these : for hee who created all things without meanes , can likewise preserve those things which hee hath created without meanes . yea , though hee hath given us the fruits of the earth to feed us , the fels of beasts to cloath us , yea , workes out of the bowels of wormes to beautifie us ; yet is hee tyed no more to these exteriour meanes , then hee was before , creating all things without meanes . no king is necessarily tied , that onely pure bullion should bee current among his subjects , for if occasion serve , hee may stampe leather , brasse , or any other metall , which being authorized by his image or superscription , is not to be denied within his dominions . much more hee , who conteines the world in his fist , restraines not his power to any outward meanes , working sometimes with meanes , sometimes without meanes , sometimes against meanes , sometimes above meanes . with meanes , as when hee fed those which followed him into the wildernesse with bread ; above meanes , when hee fed so much people with so little bread ; without meanes , when hee himselfe fasted so long without bread ; against meanes , when hee caused the very ravens to bring his prophet bread . no , this exhortation rather tendeth to move you to relye on gods providence , yet withall not to abuse those creatures which hee hath bestowed on you , but to use them with temperance , sobriety , and moderation : for what is it to abound in all riches , surfet in pleasures , enjoy the treasures of the whole earth , yea to want nothing that either the eye can desire , or the heart affect ? surely nothing . * alexander , the monarch of the world , had all other things save onely a sepulcher to bury him in , when hee was dead ; hee never thought of that : for alas , when corruption shall receive what mortality renders , and man after so many dayes passed over in delights , shall make his bed in the darke , those perfunctory pleasures , which hee so much affected , those temporary blessings which hee enjoyed , shall bee as if they had not beene . so moderate therefore your expences in the use or dispensation of your earthly mammon , that it may appeare , your hearts are where your treasure is , and your treasure where your heavenly master is : for what is this world , but a list environed with fearefull combats ? so as the world is more to be feared when it smileth , then when it frowneth ; and more to bee taken heed of , when it allures us to love it , then when it moves or induceth us to contemne it . howsoever , they who embrace the world are like unto them , who are drowned in waters ; for their minds are so drenched in the depth of worldly affections , and so entangled by the reeds and oaze of earthly vanities , as they are divided from the sailers starre , and the haven of the ship-wrackt soule , being miserably forced to grope in darkenesse , without a light to direct them ; and to remaine wofully shelfed , being farre from sight of heaven to receive them . and let this suffice to have beene spoken touching moderation in your expence of coine ; i meane , your frugall dispensation of such estates , as god hath blessed you withall ; ever remembring that you must give account of your talent ; not onely ( i say ) of your talent of knowledge , but of that talent of substance , whereof in this life you were possessed . and so i descend to your expence of time , that precious treasure which is incomparably to be valued above all that wee enjoy ; because it affords a respit of using or employing , whatsoever wee enjoy . time is so absolute and soveraigne a regent , as hee is all-commanding , but not to be countermanded ; whence we commonly say , time and tide stayeth for no man. there is nothing undertaken by man , which can be effected without the attendance and gracefull assistance of time. neither can experience be gained , nor truth , the daughter of time discovered , nor the issue of any mans expectance attained , nor any thing worthy observance produced , unlesse time further it . there is nothing of consequence , that can bee done at an instant : great taskes require long time ; neither can wee limit time , but time will limit us : whence it appeares , that nothing can be intended , much lesse affected , unlesse time assist and second it . time being thus precious , wee must of necessity value it above any inferiour substance , seing without the company of time , wee are wholly deprived of the use of our substance . whence it was that a friend of mine caused these two verses to be set directly before his table of accounts ; if coines expence be such , pray then divine how rare and precious is th' expence of time ? now there be three sorts of persons , with whom i am to encounter by way of admonishment , for their abuse or carelesse expence of time ; the ambitious , voluptuous , and miserable covetous person . for the first , hee trifles away time , in the pursuit of impossibilities , spending his meanes , and mis-spending time , in hope of a day ; which day hee seldome or never sees , for his time is abridged before it come : so as the date of his death anticipates the day of his hopes . now to point out the place of his abode ; hee is ever to bee found in the eminentest places , for obscurity fits not his humour , whose onely aimes are to acquire honour . he is so farre from moderating his humour , as hee is humorously conceited of his worth , and thinkes whatsoever the parasite saies in his commendations , to be no lesse then what hee in his owne proper person deserves . for his contemplations , they are ever mounting , yet seldome so high mounting as heaven , for his thoughts are directed to another sphere . hee is prodigall in his feasts , solicitous in the pursuit of friends , impatient in the quest of rivals , and importunate in the dispatch of his affaires : and though it be a greater reproach to lose what is got , then not at all to get ; yet his aime is to get , though hee fore-see his losse before he get : and though the least liberty be apportioned to the greatest fortune , yet in his highest fortunes will hee use the greatest liberty : the reason his , hee conceits himselfe to walke in a cloud , where no popular eye can reach him . hee is unmeasurably opinionate , and admires his owne knowledge , wherein hee discovers his owne folly : for as hee that seekes to bee more wise then he can be , shall be found to be lesse wise then hee should be ; so hee who conceits himselfe more wise then hee is , displayes himselfe to the world what hee is . so as it seemes , hee differs in opinion from the poet ; who holds this as a maxime : he 's solely wise , who is not selfely wise , but humble in the judgement of his eyes . now his daily tasks may be aptly compared to domitians sports , who spent the whole day in catching flies . for those many projects which hee hath devised , those impossible aymes hee hath contrived , those ayrie turrets hee hath reared , fall in the end to nothing ; and like those misty conclusions of the deluded alchymist , bewray the folly of him that formed them . and as domitian grew ashamed of his owne impieties , exiling all arts , lest the knowledge of them should bring him to a discovery of himselfe : so the ambitious man , whose aimes are as boundlesse , as his purposes fruitlesse , when his eyes begin to be unsealed , and those scales of ambition , which hindred his sight , removed , hee will then ( if then be not too late ) acknowledge his shame , and ingenuously confesse , that his unbounded aimes deserved no better guerdon ; for had his actions beene sincere , they had made him more secure . likewise for the voluptuous man , whose belly is his god , and sensuality his delight , let me speake thus much : as his care extends but onely to the day , slaving himselfe to the pleasures of sinne , and preferring the huskes of vanity , before the soule solacing cates of eternity : so shall his misery appeare greater , when deprived of those delights , wherein his sole felicity consisted . this fleshly libertine mis-imployeth time in two respects ; first , in respect of himselfe ; secondly , in respect of those good creatures which were ordained for the use or service of himselfe . in himselfe , by exposing so glorious an image to the subjection of sense , and mis-applying those gifts which hee hath received , being diverted from those good offices , for which they were bestowed . in gods good creatures , by converting them to abuse , which were only ordained for use ; and turning them to wantonnesse , which were created for health and releefe of weaknesse . this is hee , who makes life a merriment , his pilgrimage a pastime , each yeare his iubile . this is hee , who turnes fasting into feasting , praying into playing , almes-deeds into all mis-deeds . this is he whose sole delight is in dainty feeding , to cause inordinate motions to be stirring , without least respect at all of his soules starving . this is he , whose dishes are the poore mans curses , and whose gate is the beggers gaole , where they are barred from the least crum of comfort . this is he , who walkes and struts in the street ; sends forth his eye to bring him in a booty of lust , or acquaint him with some new fashion , or delight him with some vaine shew . this is hee , who sends forth his eare , to convey unto him some choice melody to intraunce him ; his taste , with some luscious viands to provoke him ; his smell , with some rare perfumes to cheere him ; his tooth , with soft cloathing , or whatsoever may more effeminately move him . but whereto shall these outward delights availe him , when the cold earth shall entertaine him , when hee shall be divided from them , and they from him ? when belshazzer beheld the hand upon the wall , hee was put quite out of his humour of jollity ; his cheerefulnesse was turned into pensivenesse , his mirth into mourning , his solace into sorrowing . even so shall it fare with the voluptuous man , whose delight was onely on earth ; when that fearefull and ungratefull summons shall peremptorily injoyne him to bid adieu ( a long adieu ) to those sensuall consorts which accompanied him , those inordinate meetings which so much delighted him , yea , all those licentious pleasures which so inchained him ; hee will exclaime ( but in vaine shall be those exclamations ) and curse the occasions of his mis-spent time. o what a hard taske would hee endure , to redeeme what his security hath lost ? what extremities would hee suffer ? what difficulties undergoe ? how great and exceeding things would hee promise ? in what bonds of firme devotion would hee stand engaged ? surely there is nothing that either flesh could sustaine , or mortality suffer , which hee would not most willingly indure , to deliver his endangred soule from eternall torments . lastly , for the miserable covetous wretch , who makes great use of his coine , but small use of his time , treasuring up vengeance against the day of wrath ; how carefull is hee in making his barnes larger , in filling his chests fuller , in inhauncing his rents higher ; but how respectlesse of that supreme good , wherein all happinesse consisteth ? see , how menedemus-like , hee is ever digging and delving to raise a fortune for his seldome-thriving posterity . thus lives hee to become an eternall affliction to himselfe ; in whose person the poet very properly expressed a misers nature after this manner ; thus doe i digge , thus doe i delve t' enrich my state thereby , yet th'poorest slave of all i have , enjoyes as much as i. this was one of those vanities which the wisest of princes observed , as incident to the children of men , that many gathered , yet knew not for whom they gathered , having likewise no power to use what god had in his mercy bestowed . now to give this miserable caitiffe his due character : hee is his owne executioner , being good to none , but worst to himselfe . his eye is so fixed on earth , as hee finds no time to erect it to heaven . hee employes so much time in getting and gathering goods , as hee reserves no time for doing good . hee little observes how all earthly things are sweeter in the ambition , then in the fruition ; in the affection , then possession . nor how the circular world cannot fill the triangular heart , no more then a circle can fill a triangle ; where still there will bee some empty corners . hee runs on still in desire , labouring of a disease incurable , till death cure him . hee encreaseth his cares with his substance , and the more hee addes to his estate , the more hee detracts from his content : the poore hee hath alwayes with him , for hee makes all poore that deale with him . in briefe , hee is of all others most miserable , because in his riches hee hath all his consolation : which like the aegyptian reed , will faile him in his confidence , leaving him bare and naked to the testimony of a guilty conscience . for how secure was the rich-man ( as hee thought ) when hee invited his wretched soule to take her rest , having much goods laid up for many yeeres ; but this selfe security was the occasion of his succeeding misery ; for that night was his soule to be taken from him . it is a true saying , that the divell requires nothing of man but security , for that gives him opportunity of practising his undoing . now , how bitter is the remembrance of death , much more the unwelcome approach of death to this miserable covetous man , who hath all his peace in his substance ? for if nothing be so terrible as death ( as aristotle writeth : ) which antiochus feeling sensibly in himselfe , crieth out thus ; oh into what adversity am i come , and into what flouds of misery am i now fallen ? hee addeth the reason anon after ; for i must die with great sorrow in a strange land. surely then , to the miserable worldling , who hath made a covenant with sinne , and a league with transgression , must the approach of death seeme terrible , being to be divided from the staffe of his confidence , from thence to descend without least hope of comfort to the land of forgetfulnesse : for , as it cannot possibly be , that hee should dye ill , who hath lived well ; so it cannot be , that hee who hath lived ill , should dye well : for as the scorpion hath in her the remedy of her owne poyson a receit for her owne infection ; so the evill man carrieth alwayes with him the punishment of his owne wickednesse , the which doth never leave ( so incessant is the torment of a guilty conscience ) to wound and afflict his mind , both sleeping and waking : so as to what place so ever hee betake him , hee cannot so privately retire , but feare and horrour will awake him ; nor fly so fast , though hee should take the wings of the morning , but fury and vengeance will over-take him . having thus farre proceeded in the treating of such subjects , wherein temperance is required , and of such assailants , by whom shee is usually encountred and impugned : it rests now , that i impart my advice briefly touching temperance or moderation of the passions of the mind , whereof ( omitting the rest , as having else-where discoursed of them ) i will onely , and that briefly , insist of these two , the passions of ioy and sorrow . this passion ( to insist on ioy first ) requires direction , to order our desires aright in the matter ioy. every man loves a glad heart ; and wisheth ioy , as the fruit of his labours ; but therein many mistake . first , one rejoyceth in his substance , hee hath gotten much . secondly , another rejoyceth in his promotion . thirdly , another doateth upon that mad mirth which salomon speakes of . fourthly , another rejoyceth in a table richly deckt , an over-flowing cup , a faring deliciously every day . fifthly , another rejoyceth at the destruction of him , whom he hates . sixthly , another rejoyceth in sinne , and wickednesse . it is a pastime to a foole to doe wickedly . it is the drunkards joy to be at the cup early , and to sit till the wine hath enflamed them . the twi-light glads the heart of the adulterer . the oppressour danceth upon the threshold of him that is oppressed . ismael geereth at isaac . holy iob was as a tabret to the godlesse ones ; and the drunkards made songs on david . but this is not that ioy which is required , because the foundation of this ioy is grounded on sinne : wherefore wee are to find a ioy more pure , more permanent : for the ioy of the wicked is short , but the ioy of the righteous shall endure for ever . this ioy which wee are to seeke , and whereon wee are to ground our sole content , is no carnall but a spirituall ioy : the ioy of our hearts , the divine melody of our soules , conclude with the blessed apostle ; god forbid that we should rejoyce in any thing , but in the crosse of christ , and him crucified : for in this did all the saints and servants of god joy , disvaluing all other joy , as unworthy the entertainment of the soule . wee are to rejoyce likewise , for as much as god hath called us not to uncleannesse , but unto holinesse . we are to rejoyce in the testimony of a good conscience , being that continuall feast which refresheth every faithfull guest . wee are to rejoyce in our brothers aversion from sinne , and conversion to god ; in his prosperity and successe in his affaires of state . but above all things wee are so to moderate our joy in the whole progresse of our life , that our joy may the more abound in him , who is the crowne of our hope after this life . the like directions are required in our moderation of sorrow : for there is a sorrow unto death ; which to prevent , understand this by the way , that not so much the passion , as the occasion enforcing the passion , is to bee taken heed of . sorrow wee may , but not as ammon did , till he had defloured thamar , for that was the sorrow of licentiousnesse : sorrow we may , but not as ahab did , till he had got naboths vineyard , for that was the sorrow of covetousnesse : sorrow we may , but not as iosephs brethren did , greiving that their father should love him more than them , for that was the sorrow of maliciousnesse . sorrow we may , but not as ionah did , grieving that the ninivites were not destroyed , for that was the sorrow of unmercifulnesse . lastly , sorrow wee may , but not as the * gergesenes did , grieving for the losse of their swine , for that was the sorrow of worldlinesse . these sorrowes are not so much to be moderated as wholly abolished , because they are grounded on sin : but there is a religious and godly sorrow , which , though it afflict the body , it refresheth the spirit ; though it fill the heart with heavinesse , it crowneth the soule with happinesse . and this is not a sorrow unto sinne , but a sorrow for sin : not a sorrow unto death , but a sorrow to cure the wound of death . by how much any one ( saith a good father , ) is holier , by so much in prayer are his teares plentifuller . here sounds the surdon of religious sorrow , the awaker of devotion , the begetter of spirituall compunction , and the sealer of heavenly consolation ; being the way to those that beginne ; truth to those that profit , and life to them that are perfect . but alas , the naturall man ( saith the apostle ) perceiveth not the things of the spirit of god ; for they are foolishnes unto him , neither can hee know them , because they are spiritually discerned . it is true ; and this should move us to more fervor of devotion , beseeching the divine assistance to minister strength to our weaknesse , that what is wanting in the flesh , may be supplied by the spirit ; yea daily to set an houre-glasse beside us , and observe those precious graines ( the minute treasures of time ) how swiftly they run thorow the cruet , whereof not one must fall unnumbred : for as a haire of the head shall not perish , no more shall the least moment of time . now how healthfull were it ( though the carnall man distate it ) to vie teares with graines of sand ; that our sinnes , being as the sands of the sea-shore , that is , numberlesse , might bee bound up and throwne into the deepe sea of eternall forgetfulnesse : so as they may neither rise up in this life to shame us , nor in the world to come to condemne us . surely if you would know those blessed fruits which true penitent sorrow produceth , you shall finde that he who sowes in teares , shall reape in joy : neither can any one goe to heaven with drie eyes . may your teares be so shed on earth , that they may bee bottled in heaven ; so shall you bring your sheaves with you ; and , like fine flower , being boulted from the bran of corruption , receive your portion in the land of the living . and may this sacrifice of teares which you offer up unto him , whose eyes are upon all the wayes of the children of men , minister like comfort to your soules , as they have done to many faithfull members of christs church . and let this suffice to have beene spoken of such subjects , wherein moderation is to bee used : for to speake of moderation of sorrow for sinne , i hold it little necessary , seeing most men ( so insensible are they of their inward wounds ) come rather short of that sorrow which is required , then exceed in any sort the measure that is prescribed . as moderation in all the precedent subjects is to be used , so in all and every of them is it to be limited ; for to be so stoically affected ( as wee have formerly noted ) as not to entertaine so much as modest mirth , or approve of the temperate and moderate use of those things , which were at first ordained for the use and service of man , digressing as farre from the rule of moderation in restraint , as the profusely minded libertine doth in excesse . how hard a thing is it then to observe with indifferency an equall or direct course herein , when either by leaping short or over , we are subject to error ? so saith blessed cranmer ; some lose their game by short shooting , some by over-shooting : some walk too much on the left hand , some too much on the right hand . now to propose what forme of direction is best to be observed herein : wee will take a view of those subjects , whereof wee formerly treated , and set downe in each of them what moderation is to be used . all waters are derived from three waies or currents : springing either by fountaines and spring-heads , from the bowells of the earth inwardly drained ; by rivers and conduits , from those fountaines derived : or haile and snow from the earth extracted ; where some ascend , some descend : so passions are three wayes moved in our bodies ; by humours arising out of our bodies ; by externall senses , and the secret passage of sensuall objects ; or by the descent or commandement of reason . now to insist on the motion or effect of each passion , we shall not greatly need , having sufficiently touched them in our former discourse : we will therfore upon a review of those severall subjects , lust , ambition , gorgeous apparel , luscious fare , company-keeping , &c. reduce them and the occasion of them to those three troubled springs , from whence miserable man , by meanes of the immoderate appetite of sense , sucks the banefull poyson of sinne ; the concupiscence of the flesh , the concupiscence of the eyes , and the pride of life : for whatsoever is in the world ( as a good father noteth , and as the blessed apostle himself affirmeth ) is one of these : as first , whatsoever suiteth or sorteth with the desire or delicacy of the flesh , ministers fuel or matter to feed the concupiscence therof . now this fleshly libertine takes no delight in the spirit , but in the flesh ; he loves to be cloathed in purple and fare deliciously every day ; he loves to be cloathed in purple and fare deliciously every day ; he loves to keepe company with those consorts of ruine and misery , who drinke till they be inflamed , and delight themselves in the pleasures of sinne . secondly , whatsoever relisheth of vanity , ministers him objects of content , to feed the unsatiate concupiscene of his eyes : which eyes like dinah , stray from him , fixing themselves upon some vaine object , which suits ever best with his choice , who owes them , and so conveyes some present but perfunctorie delight unto him . as if he be covetous , they shew him naboths vineyard ; if wanton , a beauteous bersheba , or the sandals of iudith , which ravished the eyes of holophornes ; if dainty-tooth'd , iacobs red pottage ; if proud the silkes of tyre ; in briefe they fit every one with an object according to his condition . lastly , whatsoever may minister content to the proud and high-minded man , who walkes upon his turrets , saying , is not this great babel which i have builded ? is suggested to him ; putting him in minde of hamans honour , but never of hamans ladder ; telling him of balthazar 's birth-day , whereon he feasted royally , but never of his last day , whereon hee died fearefully ; shewing him herods garment which shone as the sunne , and of his applause , the voice of god and not of man ; but never of the eclipse of that sunne , when hee became so loathsome as his smell could be endured by no man. now to propose our rules of limitation in the moderation of these : as we are commanded to subdue the flesh with those inordinate affections , which arise from the infirmitie thereof ; so are wee not enjoyned to kill the flesh , for so should we digresse from the rule of humanity : for no man hateth his owne flesh , but loveth and cherisheth it . no , our righteousnesse in this life , which may be rather said to consist in the remission of sinnes , than perfection of vertues , as it is to be furthered by all ordinary and direct meanes , so are we not to transgresse that law , line , or limit which is prescribed . wee must not cut off our members with a knife , but our carnall affections with a holy and mortified life . whence it is , that origen was justly punished by using too little diligence where there was great need , because hee used too great diligence where there was little need . for , gelding himselfe , hee prevented himselfe , of a greater conquest : for there is no mastery to get the mastery , of sinne through disabilitie . for as hee that surceaseth but then from sinne , when hee can sinne no more , forsaketh not his sinnes , but his sinnes forsake him ; so he who disableth himselfe for committing sinne , lest his abilitie should draw him to sinne , disableth not his sinnes , but his sinnes disable him : for howsoever he hath disabled the act of sinne , he hath not supprest the occasion , which resteth not so much in the act , as in the desire to sinne . no lesse worthy was democritus errour of reproving , who was blinded before he was blind : for a christian need not put out his eyes for feare or seeing a woman ; since howsoever his bodily eye , see , yet still his heart is blinde against all unlawfull desires . the princely prophet saith indeed , lord turne away my eyes from vanity ; but this turning doth not so much imply the looke of the eye , as the lust or assent of the heart . neither is it so requisite to make a covenant with our eyes that they shall not looke upon a woman , as to make a covenant with our hearts that they may never lust after a woman . in like sort , if any intemperate or immoderate desire to luscious fare or delicious drinke should surprize us , whose subtill fumes unrivet each joynt of the memory , and loosen the cement which held it fast ; ( for you shall ever note , as i said before , that deepe drinkers have but shallow memories : ) wee are so to prevent the abuse , that we contemn not the moderate and healthfull use of them . for as to use them in excesse is to abuse them , so not to use them at all is to contemne or neglect gods providence in them . wee must not say with the epicure , let us eate and drinke , for to morrow wee shall die ; but rather let us eat and drinke , as if to morrow wee should die ; remembring that strict account which every one must give of the use or abuse of gods creatures : for it is not the use , but abuse which produceth sinne . so as thracius , whom i formerly touched , and of whom aulus gellius writeth , covertly glancing at his folly , was for any thing that i can see , even at that time most of all drunken , when he cut downe all his vines , lest he should be drunken . likewise in the quest or pursuit of honour , as it is ambition to hunt after it , undeserved ; so it is the most apparent testimonie of true and approved vertue to obtaine it undesired . for this reluctancy to receiving of honour , can never bee without some mixture of pride : for they would have the world to observe , how well they deserve it ; and againe , their humility ( which is seldome in these without some tincture of vaine-glory ) in that they so little desire it . so as , these popular and firie spirits , whose only aymes are to dignifie themselves , deserve no sharper curbe for over-valuing them selves , than these , who pride themselves in their humilitie , deserve for counterfeiting a kind of debasing or dis-valuing of themselves to the eye of the world . whence i might take occasion to speake of those precise schismaticks , who cannot endure any precedency or priority of place to be in the church , but an equalitie of presbyterie ; nay , what is now growne amongst them to a more desperate frenzy , their maine worke is to advance a lay-presbytery , which till by farel and viret from the chymera's of a vaporous or viperous brain hatched , was never dreamed : but i wil leave them to a sharper censure , til they be throughly cured of their distemper . now for the second motive to sinne , which is the concupiscence of the eye ; as it is so to be moderated that it stray not , so should it bee so directed that it sleepe not ; sleepe not , i say , in the survey of that , for which it was created . the eye strayeth when it coveteth what it should not ; it sleepeth when it retireth from what it should : it strayeth when it lusteth after a strange woman ; it sleepeth when it readeth not the law of god , to reclaime it from lusting after a strange woman : it strayeth , when it lusts after naboths vineyard ; it sleepeth when it lookes not after gods vineyard . neither is the eye so to be limited , as if contemplation were only intended ; for as it is not sufficient to pray , unlesse we practise as well as pray : so is it not sufficient to looke upon the law , unlesse wee live after the law on which we looke . wee read that abraham buried sarah in the cave of macpelah , that is , in a double sepulcher . he that burieth his mind in knowledge onely , without any care of practice , he buries sarah in a single sepulcher : but he that buries his mind , as well in the practice and feeling of religion , ( which is all in all ) as in the knowledge and understanding of it , hee buries sarah in a double sepulcher : and so must all wee doe which are the true children of abraham : for then with abraham burying our spirit in a double sepulcher , wee shall with elizeus have a double spirit ; a spirit that as well doth , as teacheth . otherwise , wee are but tinkling cymbals , making onely a sound of religion , without any sound or sincere profession : being ( as that honey-tongu'd father saith ) in body inward , but in heart outward . now the eye , as it is the tendrest and subtilest organ of all others , so should the object on which it is fixed be the purest and cleerest of all others . the eagle accounts those of her young ones bastards , which cannot fixe their eyes upon the sunne , and with equall reflection ( as it were ) reverberate the beaming vigour or splendour thereof : which should be the embleme of divine contemplation ; teaching us , that howsoever wee have our feet on earth , wee are to have our eyes in heaven : not by prying too saucily into the sealed arke of gods inscrutable will , but by meditating ever of him , so to rest in him , that after earth wee may for ever rest with him . it is observed by profest oculists , that whereas all creatures have but foure muscles to turne their eyes round about , man hath a sift to pull his eyes up to heaven . how farre divert they then their eyes from the contemplation of that object , for which they were created , who cannot see their neighbours ground but they must cover it , nor his beast but they desire it , nor any thing which likes them , but with a greedy eye they heart-eat it ? so large is the extent or circuit of their heart to earthly things , as they can see nothing but they instantly desire ; so strait is the circumference of their heart to heavenly things , they set no mind on them , as if altogether unworthy their desire . so as i cannot more aptly compare these idolizing worldlings to any thing , then to the bird ibis , which is of that filthy nature , as shee receives those excrements in at her mouth , which shee had purged before from her guts . neither doe they resemble this bird only in respect of their bestiall or insatiate receit , but also in the unbounded extent of their heart . oris apollo writeth , that the egyptians when they would describe the heart , paint that bird which they call ibis ; because they thinke that no creature , for proportion of the body , hath so great a heart as the ibis hath . neither hath our worldly ibis a lesse heart to the filthy desires of the world , being of necessity forced to leave the world , before hee can leave desiring the things of this world : or their eyes , satan-like , come from compassing the whole earth , esteeming no joy to the worldling , like much enjoying : yet am i not so rigorously affected , or from feeling of humanity so farre estranged , as with democritus , to move you to pull out your eyes , that the occasion of temptation might be removed , by being of your eyes , those motives to temptation , wholly deprived . nor with that inamored italian , to wish you to fix your eyes upon the beames of the sunne , till they were feared , that the sight of your mistresse might not move your disquiet . no ; enjoy your eyes , and make them direct●rs to guide you , not as blind deceitfull guides to entrap you ; use the object of this sense , but weane it from assenting to concupiscence ; concluding over with that good remembrance , may that object bee from our eyes removed , which makes us from our deare lord divided . now for the last motive , which is the pride of life ; it was lucifers sinne , and therefore should bee each true christians scorne . for this sinne ( saith an ancient and learned father ) are the children of the kingdome thrown into utter darknesse : and whence commeth this , but because they ascend up unto that mountaine , unto which the first angell ascended , and as a devill descended ? hee who entertaineth this motive , is an ambitious man , who ( as one rightly observeth ) may be well and fitly similized with the chameleon , who hath nothing in his body but lungs ; so the badge of the ambitius is to be windy and boisterous : whereas , if he would measure all his undertakings , rather by the dignity of the thing , then the ambition of his mind , hee should find as much content as now hee finds disquiet . it was the rule of a wise states-man , and well deserves it the observance of every private person , but especially of such who sit nere the sterne of state ; not to suffer any ambitious heat transport him , but to measure all things according to their dignity and worth : and withall , rather to referre the opinion of themselves and their actions to the censure of others , and freely put themselves to be weighed in the judicious scale or ballance of others , then to be approvers of themselves without the suffrage of others : for certainely , as there is no humour more predominant then ambition , nor apter to make man forgetfull of himselfe ; so hee who is of a haughty and proud disposition * dis-values all others , purposely to prize his owne deserts at an higher estimate . i remember with what character that proud english cardinall was decoloured , who bare so great a strok in this kingdome , as it was in his power to shake the foundation of monasteries , and from their ruines to raise his owne structures ; that hee was so puffed up with ambition , as hee preferred the honour of his person , before the discharge of his profession . surely that sentence was verified in him , promotion declares what men bee ; for never was his nature throughly discovered , nor his inside displayed , till his out-side was with the cardinals pall graced . how necessary is it then for man , being more subject to pride himselfe in his height , then with patience to receive a fall , to learne how to moderate his acception of honour , before he come to honour ? for i doe not so limit him , as if hee should not at all receive it , but rather how hee should demeane himselfe having received it . neither in ambition onely , but in that attire of sinne , gorgeous apparell , is the like limitation to be used : for herein are wee to observe such decencie , as neither the contempt thereof may taxe us of irregular carelesnesse , nor affectation thereof evince us of too singular nicenesse : for the former , as it implyes a carelesse indifferencie , so the latter argues an effeminate delicacie : for god hateth no lesse in man this sloth and sluttishnesse , then he hateth too much neatnesse and nicenesse . yea , i have oft-times observed no lesse pride shrouded under a thred-bare cloake , than under a more sumptuous coat , so as , antisthenes went not farre a wrong , who seeing socrates shew his torne cloake , shewing a hole thereof unto the people ; loe quoth he , thorow this i see socrates vanity . it is not the hood which makes the monke , nor the cloake which makes the philosopher ; but the disposition of the mind , which makes him a true or false professour . it is good therefore , in the use of these things to observe the end for which they were ordained ; now apparell was not ordained to pride us in it , but to be kept warme by it . peter martyr sheweth , that cloathing doth keepe the body warme two wayes : by keeping in the naturall heat of the body ; and by keeping out the accidentall cold of the ayre . this then being ordained for necessity , is not to be used for vaine-glory : for howsoever ( to such excesse of vanity is this age growne ) that fashion is esteemed nearest , which is newest ; discretion will informe you better , and tell you that fashion is of all other the choicest , which is the comliest . but that these three maine motives to temptation , and profest assailants of moderation . i meane , concupiscence of the flesh , concupiscence of the eyes , and pride of life may be the better resisted , incessant prayer is to be used . for prayer is gods honour , mans armour , and the divels terrour ; it is gods oblation , mans munition , and the divels expulsion . by prayer are those treasures digged , which faith in the gospel beholdeth . as it is then gods sacrifice , let it be mans exercise , that it may defeate the divels malice : saying with blessed augustine ; behold , o lord my god , the whole world is full of the snares of concupiscence , which they have prepared for my feet , and who shall escape them ? truly he , from whom thou shalt take away the pride of his eyes , that the concupiscence of his eyes may not seaze upon him ; and from whom thou shalt take away the concupiscence of the flesh , that the concupiscence of the flesh may not surprize him ; and from whom thou shalt take away an irreverent and unbridled mind , that the pride of life may not craftily deceive him . o happy he , to whom thou shalt do this i surely he shall passe his dayes in safety ! thus far have i proceeded in discourse touching both manner and matter , how and wherein moderation is to be limited . where , in the pursuit of honour , as i would have you no canius , too stoically to contemne it ; so no cassius , too tenderly to affect it : likewise in the pursuit of wealth , as i would have you no mimus , too scornfully to hate it ; so no midas , too slavishly to hug it : likewise in the pursuit of fancie , as i would have you no arminius , too severely to loath it ; so no arsenius , too dearely to love it : likewise in fare , as i would have you no phythagoras , too rigorously to abstain from it ; so no diagoras , too riotously to epicure it : likewise in apparell , as i would have you no diogenes , too carelesly to use it ; so no demosthenes , too curiously to chuse it : lastly , in pleasure , as i would have you no philopomenes , too strictly to despise it ; so no philoxenus , too highly to prize it . for origen himselfe eunuching , democritus his eyes blinding , crates his money drowning , and thracius his vines destroying , no lesse offended ( as wee have before observed ) in exceeding the limit by nature proposed , then the libertines of their time , came short of that rule which moderation had prescribed . but drawing neere shore , i am now to descend to the last branch of this observation , treating of the accomplished end which attends moderation . as there is no art or science which hath not some especiall end , to which it is properly directed ; so is there no vertue which workes or actuates not for some end ; in the acquisition whereof it is fully satisfied . now touching this end , whereto all vertues were and are properly directed ; both heathen and divine philosophers with one consent have concluded it to be that summary or supreme good , then which nothing could be better in respect of the fulnesse , higher in respect of the worthinesse , or safer in respect of the secureness . but how different in opinion the ancient philosophers have beene touching this summary or supreme good , what it should be , or wherein it might be properly said to consist ; there is none having bin conversant in their ethicks , but he sufficiently knowes it . so as varro reporteth , that these ancient philosophers have held and maintained two hundred threescore and eight severall opinions concerning felicity . where some placed their summary good in honours or preferments , others in pleasures or delights , but few in that true or accomplished felicity , the testimony of a good conscience , which only makes man happy ; and without which , enjoying all , hee enjoyes nothing : for were this felicity or accomplished end , to which all vertues are properly directed , to bee found on earth , then were the hopes of many good and vertuous men frustrated , whose thoughts are so farre above the foundation of earth , or all those perfunctory delights , which this low theater can afford , as they have esteemed such men of all others most miserable upon earth , whose thoughts were not erected above earth , but slaved to the desires of this life , as if their hopes extended no further . no , in vaine were those many sighings and groanings in the spirit , those incessant labours and watchings , which the faithfull so willingly undergoe , if there were no happinesse save onely in enjoying the delights of this life ; the fruition whereof , as they tender no true sweetnesse , so are they ever attended by sharpe repentance . for howbeit , every one be reputed worthy , if hee be wealthy , and nought if hee bee needy ; yet when sinne , having three punishments , feare , shame , and guilt ; feare of judgement , shame of men , and guilt of conscience : shall convent and convict him , hee shall find that riches cannot deliver in the day of wrath . so as howsoever the sinne seeme sweet , the sting of sinne shall wound his heart : for the bread of deceit is sweet to a man , but his mouth shall bee filled with gravell . likewise the high-minded man , whose heart hath beene only set on titles of honour , howsoever he seem'd raised or reared above the pitch of common earth , disdaining these poore wormelings , who had the selfe-same maker , though inferiour to this high cedar in honour ; when hee shall be forced to call corruption his mother , and wormes his brethren and sisters ; when he must leave that high babel , which his pride erected ; those worldly swelling tumours , his slippery honours , which he once enjoyed ; those sycophants , the followers of greatnesse , which hee so much affected ; yea , the world it selfe , where all his imaginary glory was stored ; hee shall then find goodnesse to be farre better then greatnesse , and worldly dignity to adde fuell to these viols , which hee hath worthily incurred . likewise the voluptuous man , as hee hath enjoyed the treasures of sinne for a season , sported him in his beds of ivory , feasted royally , fared deliciously , and fed all his miserable senses with a loathed satiety , hee shall feele that the pleasure of sinne was finall , but the punishment due to sinne eternall ; hee shall feele a worme ever gnawing , never ending , fiery teares ever streaming , never stinting , griefe ever griping , never ceasing ; death ever living , never dying : yea , that worme which gnaweth and dieth not , that fire which burneth and quencheth not , that death which rageth and endeth not . but if punishments will not deterre us , at least let rewards allure us . the faithfull cry ever for the approach of gods judgement ; the reward of immortality , which , with assurance in gods mercy , and his sonnes passion , they undoubtedly hope to obtaine ; with vehemency of spirit inviting their mediator : come lord iesus , come quickly . such is the confidence or spirituall assurance which every faithfull soule hath in him , to whose expresse image as they were formed , so in all obedience are they conformed , that the promises of the gospell might be on them conferred and confirmed . such as these care not so much for possessing ought in the world , as they take care to lay a good foundation against the day of triall , which may stand firme against the fury of all temptation . these see nothing in the world worthy their feare ▪ a this only ( say they ) is a fearefull thing , to feare any thing more than god. these see nought in the world worthy either their b desire or feare and their reason is this , c there is nothing able to move that man to feare in all the world , who hath god for his guardian in the world . neither is it possible that he should feare the losse of any thing in the world , who cannot see any thing worthy having in the world . so equally affected are these towards the world , as there is nothing in all the world , that may any way divide their affection from him who made the world . therefore may we well conclude touching these , that their light shall never goe out : for these walke not in darknesse , nor in the shadow of death , as those to whom the light hath not as yet appeared : for the light hath appeared in darkeness , giving light all the night long to all these faithfull beleevers , during their abode in these houses of clay . now to expresse the nature of that light , though it farre exceed all humane apprehension , much more all expression : clemens understandeth by that light which the wise-woman , to wit , christs spouse , kept by meanes of her candle which gave light all the night long , the heart ; and he calleth the meditations of holy men , candles that never goe out . saint augustine writeth , among the pagans in the temple of venus , there was a candle which was called inextinguishable : whether this be or no of venus temple , wee leave it to the credit of antiquity , onely augustines report we have for it ; but without doubt in every faithfull hearer and keeper of the word , who is the temple of the holy ghost , there is a candle or light that never goes out . whence it appeares that the heart of every faithfull soule is that light which ever shineth , and his faith that virgin oile which ever feedeth , and his conscience that comfortable witness which assureth , and his devoted zeale to gods house that seale which confirmeth him to be one of gods chosen , because a living faith worketh in him , which assures him of life , howsoever his outward man , the temple of his body , become subject to death . excellently saith saint augustine : whence comes it that the soule dieth ? because faith is not in it . whence that the body dieth ? because a soule is not in it . therefore the soule of thy soule is faith . but forasmuch as nothing is so carefully to be sought for , nor so earnestly to be wrought for , as purity or uprightnesse of the heart : for seeing there is no action , no studie , which hath not his certaine scope , end , or period ; yea , no art but laboureth by some certaine meanes or exercises to attaine some certain proposed end ; ( which end surely is to the soule at first proposed , but the last which is obtained : ) how much more ought there to bee some end proposed , to our studies , as well in the exercises of our bodies ; as in the readings , meditations , and mortifications of our mindes ( passing over corporall and externall labours ) for which end those studies or exercises were at first undertaken ? for let us thinke with our selves , if we knew not , or in mind before conceived not , whither or to what especiall place wee were to run , were it not a vaine taske for us to undertake to runne ? even so to every action are wee to propose his certaine end : which being once attained , we shall need no further striving towards it , being at rest in our selves by attaining it . and like end are wee to propose to our selves in the exercise of moderation , making it a subduer of all things which sight against the spirit , which may bee properly reduced to the practising of these foure ; overcomming of anger by the spirit of patience ; wantonness by the spirit of continence ; pride by the spirit of humility ; and in all things unto him whose image we partake , so neerely conformed , that , like good proficients , wee may truly say with the blessed apostle , wee have in all things learned to be contented . for the first , to wit , anger , as there is no passion which makes man more forgetfull of himselfe ; so to subdue it , makes man an absolute enjoyer of himselfe . athenodorus a wise philosopher , departing from augustus caesar , and bidding him farewell , left this lesson with him , most worthy to be imprinted in an emperours brest ; that when hee was angry , hee should repeat the foure and twenty greeke letters . which lesson received caesar as a most precious jewell , making such use thereof , as hee shewed himselfe no lesse a prince in the conquest of this passion , than in his magnificence of state , and majesty of person . no lesse praise-worthy was that excellent soveraignty which architas had over this violent and commanding passion , ( as we have formerly observed ) who finding his servants loitering in the field , or committing some other fault worthy reproofe , like a worthy master , thought it fit first to over-master himselfe , before he would show the authority of a master to his servants : wherefore perceiving himselfe to be greatly moved at their neglect , as a wise moderator of his passion , hee would not beat them in his ire , but said ; happy are ye that i am angry with you . in briefe , because my purpose is onely to touch these rather than treat of them , having so amply discoursed of some of them formerly : as the sunne is not to goe downe upon our wrath ; so in remembrance of that sonne of righteousness , let us bury all wrath : so shall we be freed from the viols of wrath , and appeare blamelesse in the day of wrath . for in peace shall we descend to our graves without sighing , if in peace we be angry without sinning . secondly wantonness , being so familiar a darling with the flesh , is ever waging warre with the spirit ; she comes with powdred haire , painted cheeks , straying eyes , mincing and measuring her pace , tinkling with her feet , and using all immodesty to lure the unwarie youth to all sensuality . these light professors ( as st. ierome to marcella saith ) are matter of scandall to christians eyes ; those eye-sores which wound the inward man with the sting of anguish . now what receit better or more soveraigne to cure this malady , than to take away the cause which begets this infirmity ? and what may wee suppose the cause to be , but the complacency of the flesh ? when wee labour to satisfie our desires , and give easie reines to our affections . for the flesh , while shee is obedient , becomes a servant to the soule : shee governeth , the other is governed : this commandeth , that is commanded : but having once begun to usurpe , shee will scarcely ever become a faithfull and loyall subject . what necessity then is there injoyned us to stand upon our guard , when we have a tarpeia within our gates , ready to betray us to our professed enemy ? with what continuall and incessant labour ought wee to imploy our selves , that this untamed iebusit● might bee so tired and wearied , that all inordinate motions might bee extinguished , which by sloth and want of imployment are ever cherished ? let us then embrace continence , and by power of so good a spirit dispossesse the bad . let us not entertaine those dangerous motives to sinne , which , like a snake in the bosome will wound us to death . and what bee those motives ? wanton thoughts and wanton words , which corrupt mens manners with wicked workes . it is a sure note and worthy observance ; whensoever any thought is suggested to you which tasteth of evill , make the doore of your heart fast , lest you give actuall possession to the divell . wanton words likewise are dangerous motives to incontinence ; the habit whereof being once attained , will hardly be relinquished . so as speech , which democritus cals the image of life , being exercised in scurrility , seemes to deface that image , by laying on it the darke and sable colour of death . for as muddy water is an argument that the fountaine is troubled : so filthy words are witnesses that the heart is corrupted . a good tree brings forth good fruit , a pure spring cleare water , and an uncorrupt heart words tending to the edification of the hearer . now hee who useth his tongue to filthy communication , incurres a threefold offence : first , in dishonouring god ; secondly , in sinning against his own soule ; thirdly , in ministring matter of scandall or offence to his brother . how necessary is it then , to keepe a watch upon our mouth , and a gate of circumstance unto our lips , that we offend not with our tongue ; which like the poisonous adder , stings even unto death , wounding the soule with an incurable dart ? neither doe i , speaking of wantonnesse , onely restraine my discourse to incontinence , but to whatsoever else may properly tend to the complacency or indulgence of the flesh , as to tender obedience to her in the desire of luscious and lascivious meats , or the like ; including all such as turne the grace of god to wantonnesse , making a profession of faith , but denying the power thereof in their life and conversation . thirdly , pride , that luciferian sinne , whose airie thoughts are ever mounting , must be subdued by the spirit of humility . we would hold it to be no faithfull part of a subject , to make choice of no livery but his , who is a profest foe to his soveraigne . and what i pray you , doe we , when we attire our selves in the habiliments of pride ; not onely outwardly in gorgeous apparell , choicest perfumes , and powdred lockes ; but likewise inwardly , in putting on the spirit of pride , attended by scornefull respects , disdainfull eyes , and haughty lookes ? can wee bee truly termed subjects ? may wee , wearing the divels crest , partake of the seamelesse coat of christ ? may we expect a crowne after death , that oppose him who wore a thorny crowne to crowne us after death ? no ; as the souldier is knowne by his colours , the servant by his cognizance , the sheepe by his marke , and coine by the stampe ; so shall we bee knowne by our colours , if wee be christs souldiers ; by our crest or cognizance , if his followers ; by our marke , if his sheepe and lambkins ; by our stampe or superscription , if his coine or sterling . o know , how much wee are the humbler , by so much to our beloved are we the liker ! let us resemble him then in all humility , that afterwards wee may reigne with him in glory . lastly , that wee may become conformable unto him , whose image wee have received , wee are to learne of the blessed apostle , in all things to bee contented . content ( saith the proverbe ) is worth a crowne , but many crownes come farre short of this content . now to propose a rule how this content may be acquired , were a lesson well worthy our learning : which i could wish might bee as soone learned as proposed : for content briefly , consists in these two ; to bee free from desiring what wee have not ; to bee free from fearing to lose what wee already have . now hee , who seeth nothing in the world worthy desiring , cannot choose but be free from feare of losing , being so indifferent touching the world , or whatsoever else hee hath in enjoying . for he that neither hath , nor seeth ought in the world which he esteemes worthy his love , enjoyeth nought but hee can willingly bee content to leave ; for no man feareth the losse of that which he doth not love . but to draw neerer a point : these two passions or affections of desire and feare ; desire of having more than wee have ; feare of losing what wee already have , may be properly said to have a threefold respect : to the goods or endowments of the minde , of the body , and of fortune . for the first , plato in his timaeo saith ; if a man lose his eyes , or feet , or hands , or wealth , we may say of such an one , hee looseth something ; but hee who loseth his heart and reason , loseth all . for in the wombe of our mother , the first thing which is ingendred or participates forme , is the heart ; and the last which dieth , is the same heart . so as properly it may be called reasons treasurie or store-house ; where those divine graces are seated , which conferre the best beauty to man , giving him a note of distinction from other creatures , the more to dignifie man. for howsoever all creatures have hearts , yet only to man is given an understanding heart . other creatures have hearts indeed sensible of present paine , but they cannot recall to minde what is past , or probably collect by what is past , the seasons of times , or issues of affaires likely to ensue . in the heart of man , there is the reasonable power , with which hee governeth himselfe ; the irascible power , with which he defendeth himselfe ; and concupiscible , by which he provideth for things necessary to releeve himselfe . now admit wee were deprived of that principall blessing , the intellectuall part , so as like raving and raging orostes , we were forced to take many blinde by-paths , wanting the means of direction by reason of our wofull distraction , and crying out with octavia in seneca ; o , to the spirits below that i were sent , for death were easie to this punishment ! admit , i say , all this ; yet is the afflicted soule to bee content , abiding gods good leisure , who as hee doth wound , so he can cure ; and as hee opened old tobiths eyes , so can he , when he pleaseth , where he pleaseth , and as hee pleaseth , open the bleered eyes of understanding : so with a patient expectance of gods mercy , and christian resolution to endure all assaults with constancie , as he recommendeth himselfe to god , so shall he finde comfort in him : in whom he hath trusted and receive understanding more cleare and perfect than before he enjoyed . or admit one should have his memorative part so much infeebled , as with corvinus messala he should forget his owne name ; yet the lord , who numbreth the starres , and knoweth them all by their names , will not forget him , though he hath forgot himselfe ; having him as a sign●t upon his finger , ever in his remembrance . for what shall it availe , if thou have memory beyond cyrus , who could call every souldier in his army by his name , when it shall appeare thou hast forgot thy selfe , and exercised that facultie rather in remembring injuries , than recalling to minde those insupportable injuries , which thou hast done unto god ? nay more ; of all faculties in man , memory is the weakest , first waxeth old , and decayes sooner than strength or beauty . and what shall it profit thee , once to have excelled in that facultie , when the privation thereof addes to thy misery ? nothing , nothing : wherefore , as every good and perfect gift commeth from above , where there is neither change nor shadow of change , so as god taketh away nothing but what he hath given , let every one in the losse of this or that facultie , referre himselfe with patience to his sacred majestie , who in his change from earth will crowne him with mercy . secondly , for the goods or blessings of the body , as strength beauty , agilitie , &c. admit thou wert blinde with appius , lame with agesilaus , tongue-tied with samius , dwarfish with ivius , deformed with thersites ; though blinde , thou hast eyes to looke with , and that upward ; though lame , thou hast legges to walke with , and that homeward ; though tongue-tied , thou hast a tongue to speake , and that to god-ward ; though dwarfish , thou hast a proportion given thee , ayming heaven-ward ; though deformed , thou hast a glorious feature , and not bruitish to looke-downward . for not so much by the motion of the body , and her outwardly working faculties , as by the devotion of the heart , and those inwardly moving graces , are wee to come to god. againe , admit thou wert so mortally sicke , as even now drawing neere shore , there were no remedy but thou must of necessity bid a long adieu to thy friends , thy honours , riches , and whatsoever else are deare or neere unto thee : yet for all this , why shouldest thou remaine discontented ? art thou here as a countryman , or a pilgrim ? no countryman sure ; for then shouldest thou make earth thy country , and inhabit here as an abiding city . and if a pilgrim , who would grieve to bee going homeward ? there is no life but by death , no habitation but by dissolution . he then that feareth death , feareth him that bringeth glad tidings of life . therefore to esteeme life above the price , or feare death beyond the rate , are alike evill : for he that values life to be of more esteeme than a pilgrimage , is in danger of making shipwracke of the hope of a better inheritance ; and he that feareth death as his profest enemy , may thanke none for his feare but his securitie . certainly , there is no greater argument of folly than to shew immoderate sorrow either for thy own death , or death of another : for it is no wisedome to grieve for that which thou canst not possibly prevent , but to labour in time rather to prevent what may give the occasion to grieve . for say , is thy friend dead ? i confesse it were a great losse , if hee were lost ; but lost hee is not , though thou bee left ; gone hee is before thee , not gone from thee ; divided onely , not exiled from thee . a princesse wee had of sacred memory , who looking one day from her palace , might see one shew immoderate signes or appearances of sorrow , so as shee moved with princely compassion , sent downe presently one of her pensioners to inquire who it was that so much sorrowed ▪ and withall to minister him all meanes of comfort ; who finding this sorrowfull mournes to bee a counsellor of state , who sorrowed for the 〈◊〉 of his daughter ; returned directly to his soveraigne , and acquainted her therewith . o ( quoth she ) who would thinks tha● a wise man and a counsellor of our state could so forget himselfe , as to shew himselfe 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 of his childs ! and surely , whosoever shall but duly con●ider mans 〈◊〉 with deathe necessity , cannot chuse but wonder why any one should bee so wholly destitute of understanding , to lament the death of any one , since to die is as necessary and common as to be borne to every one . but perchance it may bee by some objected , that the departure of their friend is not so much lamented , for that is of necessity , and therefore exacts no teares of sorrow , being , if spent , as fruitlesse as the doome reverselesse ; but their sudden and inopinate departure . whereto i answer , that no death is sudden to him that dies well : for sudden death hath properly a respect rather to the life , how it was passed or disposed , than to death , how short his summons were , or how quickly closed . io. mathes . preaching upon the raising up of the womans sonne of naim by christ , within three houres afterward died himselfe : the like is written of luther , and many others . as , one was choaked with a flie , another with a haire , a third pushing his foot against the tressal , another against the threshold falls downe dead : so many kinde of wayes are chalked out for man , to draw towards his last home , and weane him from the love of the earth . those whom god loves , said menander , the young : yea , those whom hee esteemeth highest , hee takes from hence the soonest : and that for two causes ; the one , is to free them the sooner from the wretchednesse of earth ; the other , to crowne them the sooner with happinesse in heaven : for what gaine wee by a long life , or what profit reape wee by a tedious pilgrimage , but , that wee partly see , partly suffer , partly commit more evils ? priamus saw more dayes and shed more teares than troilus . let us hence then learne so to measure our sorrow for ought that may or shall befall us , in respect of the bodie , that after her returne to earth , it may bee gloriously re-united to the soule , to make an absolute consort in heaven . thirdly , and lastly , for the goods or blessings of fortune ; they are not to command us , but to bee commanded by us ; not to be served by us , but to serve us . and because hee onely in the affaires of this life is the wealthiest , who in the desires of this life is the neediest ; and he the richest on earth , who sees little worth desiring on earth : we are so to moderate our desires ( as i have formerly touched ) in respect of those things we have not , that wee may labour to over-master our desires , ( in thirsting after more than wee already have ; ) likewise so to temper and qualifie our affections in respect of those things we have , as to shew no immoderate sorrow for the losse of those we have , but to be equally minded , as well in the fruition of those we have , as privation of those we have not . for of all others , there is no sorrow baser nor unworthier , than that which is grounded on the losse of oxe , or cow , or such inferiour subjects . neither incurre they any lesse opinion of folly , who carried away with the love of their horse , hound , or some such creature , use of some prize or conquest got , to reare in their memory some obeliske , or monument graced with a beauteous inscription , to preserve their fame ; because ( poore beasts ) they have nothing to preserve themselves : for howsoever this act seeme to have some correspondence with gratitude , labouring only to grace them who have graced us , rearing a stone to perpetuate their fame , who memoriz'd our name by speed of foot , yet is it grosse and so palpable to those , whose discretion is a moulder of all their actions , as they account it an act , worthier the observation of an heathen than a christian. cimon buried his mares , bestowing upon them specious tombs , when they had purchased credit in the swift races of the olympiads . xantippus bewailed his dogs death , which had followed his master from calamina . alexander erected a citie in the honour of bucepha●us , having beene long defended by him in many dangerous battells . and the asse may well among the heathen be adorned with lilies , violets and garlands , when their goddesse vesta by an asses bray , avoyded the rape of priapus . but howsoever these actions among pagans might carry some colour of thankefulnesse , rewarding them , by whose speed , fury , agility , or some other meanes , they have been as well preserved as honoured : yet with christians , whose eyes are so clearely opened , and by the light divine so purely illumined ; would these seeme acts of prophanesse , ascribing honour to the creature , to whom none is due ; and not to the creator , to whom all honour is solely and properly due . in briefe , let us so esteeme of all the goods and gifts of fortune , as of vtensils , fit for our use and service , but of the supreme good , as our chiefest solace : for he who subjected all things to the feet of man , that man might be wholly subject unto him , and that man might be wholly his , hee gave man dominion over all those workes of his : so hee created all outward things for the body , the body for the soule , but the soule for him ; that shee might only intend him , and only love him , possessing him for solace , but inferiour things for service . thus farre , gentlemen , hath this present discourse inlarged it selfe , to expresse the rare and incomparable effects , which naturally arise from the due practice of moderation , being indeed a vertue so necessary , and well deserving the acquaintance of a gentleman , ( who is to bee imagined as one new come to his lands , and therefore stands in great need of so discreet an attendant ) as there is no one vertue better sorting ranke , not onely in matters of preferment , profit , or the like ; but in matters of reputation or personall ingagement , where his very name or credit is brought to the tesh . looke not then with the eye of scorne on such a follower : but take these instructions with you for a fare-well . doth ambition buzze in your care motions of honour ? this faithfull attendant , moderation , will disswade you from giving way to these suggestions , and tell you , ambition is the high road which leads to ruine , but humility is the gate which opens unto glory . doth covetousnesse whisper to you matters of profit ? here is one will tell you , the greatest wealth in the world , is to want the desires of the world . doth wantonnesse suggest to you motives of delight ? here is that h●rbe of grace , which will save you from being wounded , and salve you already wounded . in briefe , both your expence of time and coine , shall be so equally disposed , as you shall never need to redeeme time , because you never prodigally lost it ; nor repent your fruitlesse expence of coine , because you never profusely spent it . thus if you live , you cannot chuse but live for ever ; for ever in respect of those choice vertues which attend you : for ever , in respect of your good example , moving others to imitate you : and for ever , in respect of that succeeding glory which shall crowne you . the english gentleman . argument . of perfection ; contemplative and active ; the active preferred ; wherein it consisteth ; of the absolute or supreme end whereto it aspireth , and wherein it resteth . perfection . wee are now to treat of a subject , which , while wee are here on earth , is farre easier to discourse of , then to find ; for perfection is not absolute in this life , but graduall . so as , howsoever wee may terme one perfect or compleat in respect of some especiall qualities , wherewith hee is endued ; yet , if wee come to the true ground of perfection , wee shall find it farre above the spheare of mortality to ascend to : for man , miserable man , what is hee , or of himselfe what can hee , to make him absolutely perfect ? exceed hee can , but in nothing but sinne , which is such a naturall imperfection , as it wholly detracts from his primitive perfection . time was indeed , when man knew no sinne , and in that ignorance from sinne consisted his perfection . but no sooner was that banefull apple tasted , then in the knowledge of sinne hee became a professant . wee are therefore to discourse of such perfection , as wee commonly in opinion hold for absolute , though in very deed it appeare onely respective and definite ; for to treat of that perfection which is transcendent or indefinite , were to sound the sea ▪ or weigh the mountaines , so farre it exceedeth the conceit of man : yea , i say , to taske humane apprehension to the discussion of that soveraigne or supreme perfection , were as unequally matched , as ever were earth and heaven , strength and weaknesse , or the great beh●moth , and the silliest worme that creepeth in the chinks of the earth . let us addresse our selves then to this taske , and make this our ground , that as no man is simply good but god ; so no man is absolutely perfect till hee be individually united to god ; which on earth is not granted , but promised ; not effected , but expected ; not obtained , but with confidence desired , when these few , but evill dayes of our pilgrimage shall be expired : yet is there a graduall perfection , which in some degree or measure wee may attaine , becomming conformable unto him , whose image wee have received , and by whom wee have so many singular graces and prerogatives on us conferred . and this perfection is to be procured by assistance of gods spirit , and a desire in man to second that assistance by an assiduall endeavour : which devout and godly endevour , that it might be the better furthered , and his glory , by whose grace wee are assisted , the more advanced ; needfull it were to reduce to our memory , daily and hourely , these two maine considerations . first , those three profest enemies that infatigably assaile us , which should make us more watchfull . secondly , that faithfull friend , who so couragiously fights for us , which should make us more thankefull : for our enemies , as they are some of them domestick , so are they more dangerous ; for no foe more perillous then a bosome foe . besides they are such pleasing enemies , as they cheere us , when they kill us ; sting us , when they smile on us . and what is the instrument they worke on , but the soule ? and what the time limited them to worke in , but our life ? which humours doe swell up , sorrowes bring downe , heats dry , aire infect , meat puffe up , fasting macerate , jests dissolve , sadnesse consume , care straineth , security deludeth , youth extolleth , wealth transporteth , poverty dejecteth , old-age crooketh , infirmity breaketh , griefe depresseth , the divell deceiveth , the world flattereth , the flesh is delighted , the soule blinded , and the whole man perplexed . how should we now oppose our selves to such furious and perfidious enemies ? or what armour are wee to provide for the better resisting of such powerfull and watchfull assailants ? certainely , no other provision need we , then what already is laid up in store for us , to arme and defend us , and what those blessed saints and servants of christ have formerly used , leaving their owne vertuous lives as patternes unto us . their armour was fasting , prayer , and workes of devotion : by the first , they made themselves fit to pray ; in the second they addressed themselves to pray as they ought ; in the third they performed those holy duties , which every christian of necessity ought to performe . and first , for fasting , it is a great worke , and a christian worke ; producing such excellent effects , as it subjects the flesh to the obedience of the spirit ; making her of a commander , a subject ; of one who tooke upon her an usurped authority , to humble her selfe to the soules soveraignty . likewise prayer , how powerfull it hath beene in all places , might bee instanced in sundry places of holy scripture . in the a desart , where temptation is the readiest ; in the b temple , where the divell is oft-times busiest ; on the c sea , where the flouds of perils are the nearest ; in d peace , where security makes men forgetfullest ; and in e warre , where imminent danger makes men fearfull'st : yea , whether it be with daniel in the f denne ; or manasses in the g dungeon ; whether it be with holy david in the h palace ; or heavenly ieremie in the i prison : the power and efficacie of prayer , sacrificed by a devout and zealous beleever , cannot choose but be as the first and second raigne , fructifying the happy soile of every faithfull soule , to her present comfort here , and hope of future glory else-where . thirdly , workes of devotion , being the fruits or effects of a spirituall conversation ; as ministring to the necessity of the saints ; wherein we have such plenty of examples , both in divine and humane writ , as their godly charity , or zealous bounty might worthily move us to imitate such blessed patternes in actions of like - devotion , for such were they , as they were both liberall , and joyed in their liberality , every one contributing so much as hee thought fit , or pleased him to bestow . and whatsoever was so collected , to the charge or trust of the governour , or disposer of the stocke of the poore , was forthwith committed . here was that poore-mans box , or indeed christs box , wherein the charity of the faithfull was treasured . neither did these holy saints or servants of god , in their almes , eye so much the quality of the person , as his image whom hee did represent . and herein they nourished not a sinner , but a righteous begg●● ; because they loved not his sinne , but his nature . but now , because wee are to treat of perfection in each of these wee are to observe such cautions , as may make the worke perfect without blemish , and pure from the mixture of flesh . as first in that godly practice of fasting , to observe such mediocrity , as neither desire to be knowne by blubbered eyes , hanging downe the head , nor any such externall passion may tax us to bee of those pharisees , whose devotion had relation rather to the observance of man , then the service of god ; neither so to macerate the body , as to disable it for performing any office which may tend to the propagation of the glory of the highest . for the first institution of fasts , as it was purposely to subdue the inordinate motions of the flesh , and subject it to the obedience and observance of the spirit ; so divers times were by the ancient fathers and councels thought fitting to be kept in holy abstinence , of purpose to remove from them the wrath of god , inflicted on them by the sword , pestilence , famine , or some other such like plague . saint gregory instituted certaine publike fasts , resembling the rogation weeke , with such like solemne processions against the plague and pestilence , as this rogation-weeke was first ordained by another holy bishop to that end . as for the ember-dayes , they were so called of our ancient fore-fathers in this countrey , because on these fasting dayes , men eate bread baked under embers or ashes . but to propose a certaine rule or forme of direction , there is none surer or safer , then that which wee formerly proposed : so to nourish our bodies , that they bee not too much weakned , by which meanes more divine offices might be hindered ; and againe , so to weaken our bodies , that they be not too much pampered ; by which meanes our spirituall fervor might bee co●led . for too delicate is that master , who , when his belly is crammed , would have his mind with devotion crowned . secondly , for prayer , as it is to be numbred among the greatest workes of charity , so of all others it should be freest from hypocrisie : for it is not the sound of the mouth , but the soundnesse of the heart , which makes this oblation so effectually powerfull , and to him that prayeth , so powerfully fruitfull . it is not beating of the breast with the fist , but inward compunction of the heart , flying with the wing of faith , that pierceth heaven . for neither could trasylla's devotion , whereof gregory relates , have beene so powerfull ; nor gorgonius supplication , whereof nazianzen reports , so fruitfull ; nor iames the brother of our lord his invocation , whereof eusebius records , so faithfull ; nor paul the eremites daily oblation , whereof ierome recounts , so effectuall ; if pronunciation of the mouth , without affection of the heart ; beating of the brest , without devotion of mind ; dejection of face , without erection of faith , had accompanied their prayer . for it is not hanging downe the head like a bulrush , which argues contrition , but a passionate affection of the heart which mounts up to the throne of grace , till it purchase remission . thirdly , for almes-deeds and other workes of devotion , being the fruits or effects of faith , as they are sweet odours , and shall not lose their reward , being duly practised ; so wee must take these three cautions by the way , lest such sweet fruits bee corrupted . the first is , to give her owne , and not anothers , for that were robbery : the second is , to give to the poore , and not to the rich in hope of commodity : the third is , to give in mercy or fellow-feeling of others wants , and not for vaine-glory . for howsoever the poore need not care for any of these respects , because hee is rewarded ; yet the giver is to care , because his reward should hereby become frustrated . certainely , there is nothing which relisheth better to the palate of our maker ▪ then ministring reliefe to the needy begger , who is gods begger , as a holy father cals him , and therefore should be relieved for his cause that sent him . those goats set on the left hand doe affright me , not because they were robbers , but because they were no feeders , saith nazianzen : therefore are we willed to feed the hunger-starved soule , lest want should famish him ; for if wee suffer him to die for food , wee , and none but wee did famish him . thus if wee observe a-right the zealous and religious practice of those blessed patternes , who have gone before us , and have left their memorable lives as examples to be imitated by us , we shall in some measure attaine to that perfection , whereof wee now discourse ; labouring so to moderate our affections herein , as neither vaine-glory , nor any other fleshly respect may interpose it selfe in actions of such maine and serious consequence . for albeit , as i formerly noted , no man may come to that absolute perfection , either in matters of knowledge , or practice of life , as if nothing could bee further attained , but that the very highest pitch of perfection were acquired ; yet are there degrees which in some measure may be attained , if those vertues which conduce to this perfection bee duly practised . for , it is not professing of vertue , but practising ; neither practising of one , but all , which gives life to this perfection . for hee whom wee sincerely perfect call , excels not in one vertue , but in all . which perfection farre exceeds all others , derived from some exqui●ite knowledge in arts or sciences ; for these , how absolutely soever they be , come farre short of that perfection which longer time and experience might bring them to . alcibiades is reported to have beene so skilfull in all arts and exercises , that he won the prize in what enterprize soever he tooke in hand ; which was no small glory , when in the olympian or istmian games he no sooner appeared , than those who were to contend with him , were forthwith dismaied : yet came this perfection short of that whereof we now discourse . for it may bee probably gathered , that , albeit hee was the activest in his time on istmus . yet all the activest youths of greece were not on istmus ; or if they were , yet the whole world had youths more active , and in all parts more absolute than they were in greece . for to seeke perfection on earth , either in respect of minde or body , either in ability of the one , or excellency of the other , were — in aethere quarere nidum ; hee only being most perfect , who acknowledgeth himselfe to bee most imperfect . cicero brings in m. antony , saying that there bee many follow , and yet come not to the perfection . which hee might have instanced the best in himselfe : for who , for discipline more exquisite , for attempts in his own person more valiant , for ripenesse of wit more pregnant , or for tongue more powerfully perswasive than m. antony ? yet to observe how much those more excellent parts were disabled , that light of understanding darkned , that pregnancy of wit rebated , that perswasive orator by a wanton oratresse seduced ; yea , even that mirror of men blemished , might move us freely and ingenuously to acknowledge , as there is nothing more variable than man in respect of his condition , so nothing more prone to evill in respect of his naturall corruption . so as , howsoever he may seeme in some sort perfect , either in moderating his affections with patience , or subduing his desires with reason , yet there is ever some one defect or other that darkens those perfections . wherefore , as marius bombasted his stockins to give a better proportion to his small legs ; if any one would have his good parts set out , hee had need to weare some counterfeit disguise to cover his wants , and so gull the world , as iuno deceived ixion with a cloud . truth is , that the worthiest men have beene stained with some notable crime . caesar , though hee were moderate , yet was hee incontinent : alexander though continent , yet was he immoderate : sylla , though valiant , yet was hee violent : galba , though eminent , yet was hee insolent : lucullus generous , yet delicious ; marcellus glorious , yet ambitious ; architas patient , yet avaritious ; archias pregnant , yet lascivious . so as homers understanding , platoes wit , diogenes phrase , aeschines art of oratorie , and cicero's tongue , could not assume to themselves such perfection , as to free them from other blemishes , which detracted as much from their worth , as these perfections added to their glory . for howsoever that saying of solon may seeme authenticke ; all things among men are sound and perfect ; it is to be understood that he meant of dealings or * commerce among good men , whose word is their bond , and whose profession is to deale uprightly with al men . all things among such men are sound and perfect , for no commoditie can move them to infringe their faith , or falsifie their word for any advantage . but it may be objected , if none can be perfect , whence is it that we reade ▪ we ought to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect ? or how is it that paul exhorteth us to perfection ? or how may we be presented every man perfect in christ iesus ? surely not of us , nor of our selves , but through him who became righteousnesse , and all perfection for us , that he might perfect that in us , which was farre from us , without his especiall grace working or operating in us . yet are we to labour and strive hard towards the marke that is set before us , not ceasing till wee become conformable unto him , and be made perfect in him . but become conformable unto him wee cannot , unlesse wee take delight in contemplating him , to whom our desire is to be conformed . we will therefore descend to the second branch proposed , to wit , the contemplative part of perfection , wherein we shall easily finde what divine comfort is ministred to the minde , in contemplating him , who distinguished man from the rest of his creatures , by a reasonable minde . it was the saying of a heathen , if god tooke delight in any felicitie , it was in contemplation . to the free use whereof , even those which are ( as hortensius called l. torquatus ) unlearned , rude an ignorant , may bee admitted . for howsoever some have beene pleased to terme the images of saints , laymens-bookes ; sure i am , whosoever he be , be he never so simple or ignorant , that contemplateth god in his creatures , shall finde sufficient matter , in that voluminous booke of his creation , to move him to admire the work-manship of his maker . for the heavens are his , the earth also is his ; and hee hath laid the foundation of the world , and all that therein is . so as , even from the cedar of lebanon to the grasse upon the wall , hath he shewen his power , and his might to the ends of the world . now to the end this contemplation might not bee hindred by any worldly objects , wee are to with-draw our eye from the creature , and fix it wholly upon our creator . for how can any one behold the glory of heaven , when his eyes are poring upon earth ; or how should hee , whose affections are planted upon his gold , erect his thoughts to the contemplation of god ? so as wee must not only leave whatsoever we love on earth , but even leave our selves till wee become wholly weaned from earth ; so shall our affections be in heaven , though our temporary plantation bee on earth . for what are these ostrich-winged worldings , who never flie up , stooping to every lure that either honour , profit , or preferment cast out , but base haggards , who lie downe and dare not give wing for feare of weathering ? whereas these high fliers , whose aimes are above earth , are ever meditating of earths frailtie and heavens felicitie . these consider , how the solace of the captive is one , and the joy of the freeman another . these consider , how that hee who sighs not while he is a pilgrim , shall not rejoyce when he is a citizen . these consider , that it is an evident signe that such an one hates his countrey , who holds himselfe to bee in good state while hee lives a pilgrim . these will not preferre the husks of vanitie before those inestimable treasures of glory . these , and only these , value earth as it should bee valued , desiring rather to leave earth , than set their love on ought upon , earth . neither can death take any-thing from him going out of the world , who sets his love on nothing in the world . whereas it is much otherwise with them , whose eyes are accustomed to darknesse ; for they cannot behold the beames of that supreme veritie : neither can they judge any thing of the light , whose habitation is in darknesse : they see darknesse , they love darknesse , they approve of darknesse , and going from darknesse to darknesse , they know not whither they fall . such was demas , who forsooke his faith , and embraced this present world . such was simon magus , who bewitched the people with sorceries , to gaine himselfe esteeme in the world . such was demetrius the silver-smith , who brought great gaines unto the crafts-men , and mightily enriched himselfe in the world . and , in a word , such are all those whose eyes are sealed to heavenly contemplations , but opened to the objects of earth , prizing nothing else worthy either viewing or loving . it is rare and wonderfull to observe what admirable contemplations the heathen philosophers enjoyed , though not so much as partakers of the least glimpse of that glorious light which is to us revealed ! how deeply searching in the influence of planets , how studious after the knowledge of herbs , plants , vertue of stones , which inforced in them no lesse admiration , than delight in so sweet a contemplation ? now if the heathens , who had no knowledge of god , but only a glimmering light of nature , being not so much ( i say ) as the least beamling in comparison of that glorious light which wee enjoy , conceived such sweetness in the search of causes and events , preferring their contemplation before the possession of earth , or all that fraile earth could promise ; what surpassing comfort or ineffable sweetnesse are wee to conceive in the contemplation of god ; the one and only practice whereof maketh man blessed , although in outward things hee were the poorest and needfullest in the world ? the blessed saints and faithfull servants of god have beene so ravished with this sweetnesse , as they were drunke with joy in contemplation of the highest . for either honour or preferment , they were so indifferent , as they rejected it ; and for riches so equally contented , as they dis-valued it , selling their possessions , and laying the money at the apostles feet . yea peter , to instance one for all , no sooner tasted this sweetnesse , than forgetfull of all inferiour things , hee cried out as one spiritually drunke , saying ; lord , it is good for us to bee here ; let us make us here three tabernacles , let us stay here , let us contemplate thee , because wee need nothing else but thee ; it sufficeth us , lord , to see thee , it sufficeth us , i say , to bee filled with such swetnesse as commeth from thee . one onely drop of sweetnesse hee tasted , and hee loathed all other sweetnesse . what may wee imagine would hee have said , if hee had tasted the multitude of the sweetnesse of his divinitie , which he hath laied up in store for those that feare him ? surely , the contemplative man , whose affections are estranged from earth , and seated in heaven , makes use of whatsoever hee seeth on earth , as directions to guide him in his progresse to heaven . his eyes are not like the ambitious mans , whose eye-sore is only to see others great , and himselfe unadvanced : nor like the covetous mans , whose eyes ( tarpeia-like ) betray his soule , seeing nothing precious or prosperous which he wisheth not : nor like the voluptous mans , whose sealed eyes are blinde to the objects of vertue , but unsealed to the objects of vanitie , seeing nothing sensually moving which he affects not : nor like the vain-glorious mans , who practiseth seldome what is good or honest for the love of goodnesse , but to bee praised and observed . whereas the true contemplative man loves vertue for vertues sake , concluding divinely with the poet ; this amongst good men hath beene ever knowne , vertue rewards herselfe , herselfe's her crowne . and for these light objects of vanity , hee as much loaths them as the voluptuous man loves them ; and for coveting , hee is so farre from desiring more then hee hath , as hee is indifferent either for injoying or forgoing what hee already hath ; and for aspiring , hee holds it the best ambition of any creature , to promote the glory of his maker . hee is ever descanting on this divine ditty ; god! for his thoughts are spheared above earth , and lodged in the contemplation of heaven . and if so be , that hee chance to fixe his eye upon earth , it is , as i said before , to direct his feet , and erect his faith to the contemplation of heaven . for by consideration had to these temporall goods ( to use the words of a devout father ) hee gathereth the greatnesse of the heavenly councell : comprehending by the little ones , those great ones ; by these visible , those invisible ones : for if the lord shew , or rather showre so great and innumerable benefits from heaven , and from the ayre , from the land and sea , light and darkenesse , heat and shadow , dew and raine , winds and showres , birds and fishes , and multiplicity of herbs and plants of the earth , and the ministry of all creatures successively in their seasons ministring to us , to allay our loathing , and beget in us towards our maker , an incessant longing , and all this for an ignoble and corruptible body ; what , how great , and innumerable shall those good things be , which hee hath prepared for them that love him , in that heavenly countrey , where we shall see him face to face ? if hee doe such things for us in this prison , what will hee doe for us in that palace ? great and innumerable are thy workes o lord , king of heaven ! for seeing , all these are very good and delectable , which hee hath equally bestowed upon both good and evill : how great shall those bee which hee hath laid up onely for the good ? if so divers and innumerable be the gifts , which hee bestoweth both upon friends and foes ; how sweet and delectable shall those be , which hee will onely bestow upon his friends ? if such comforts in this day of teares and anguish , what will hee conferre on us in that day of nuptiall solace ? if a prison containe such delights , what , i pray you , shall our countrey containe ? no eye , ( o lord ) without thee , hath seene those things which thou hast prepared for them that love thee : for according to the great multitude of thy magnificence , there is also a multitude of thy sweetnesse , which thou hast hid for them that feare thee : for great thou art , o lord our god , and unmeasurable , neither is there end of thy greatnesse , nor number of thy wisedome , nor measure of thy mercy , neither is there end , nor number , nor measure of thy bounty : but as thou art great , so be thy gifts great : because thou thy selfe art the reward and gift of thy faithfull warriours . thus is the spiritually contemplative man ever employed , thus are his affections planted , thus his desires seated , caring so little for earth , as hee is dead to earth long before hee returne to earth ; drawing daily neerer heaven , having his desire onely there , long before hee come there . now to instance some , whose profession was meerely contemplative , having retired or sequestred themselves from the society of this world , wee might illustrate this subject with many excellent patternes in this kind , as those especially who strictly professed a monasticke life , becomming severe enemies to their owne flesh , and estranging themselves from conversing with man. which kind of discipline , as it was in respect of humanity too unsociable , so in respect of themselves doubtlesse , sweet and delightfull ; being so intranced with divine contemplation , as they forgot earth and all earthly affections . of this sort , you shall reade sundry examples ; whereof one more memorable then the rest might bee instanced in him , who reading that sentence of holy scripture , goe and sell all that thou hast , presently imagining it to bee meant by him , did so . the like contempt towards the world , might bee instanced in holy ierome , paulinus that good bishop of nola , and many others , upon which i would bee loath to insist for brevity sake . neither certainely can they , whose thoughts are erected above the center of earth , having their hearts planted where their treasure is placed , deigne to fix their eye upon ought in the world , because they see nothing worthy affecting in the world : for they thinke godlinesse is a great gaine , if a man bee content with that hee hath . they doe good , being rich in good workes , and ready to distribute , and communicate ; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come , that they may obtaine eternall life . yea , they have not only learned in whatsoever state they are , therewith to be content , but wholly to relinquish both selfe and state to advance the glory of god. but it may be now well objected , that these men whereof we now treat , are fitter for a cell then a court , and therefore too regular masters to have young gentlemen for their schollers : for how should these , whose education hath beene liberty , conversation publike society , and who hold good fellowship an appendice to gentry , betake themselves to such strictnesse , as to be deprived of common aire , live remote from all company , passing the remainder of their dayes in a wildernesse , as if they had committed some egregious fact that deserved such severe pennance ? mistake me not , my meaning is much otherwise : for as i would not have gentlemen libertines , so i would not have them hermits ; for the first , as they are too prodigally secular , so the latter are too severely regular . neither am i ignorant how a * cloyster may bee no lesse shelter unto errour , then a more publike place of delight or pleasure . but my discourse touching this contemplative perfection , was purposely to draw the curtaine from before the picture , and to shew to their eye that faire idaea , or feature which hath beene so long shadowed ; i meane the faire and beautifull structure of the inward man , which so long as it is darkened with these bleere-eyed leahs , these objects of vanity cannot enjoy it selfe , but peece-meale , as it were , divided from it selfe , seemes wholly deprived of life ; for a heart divided cannot live . and what are these objects of vanity , whereon the eye of your contemplation is usually fixed , but those soule-soiling sores of this land , pride and voluptuousnesse ? with what greediness● will a young gallants eye gaze upon some new or phantasticke fashion , wishing ( o vaine wish ! ) that hee had but the braines to have invented such a fashion , whereby hee might have given occasion to others of imitation and admiration ? with what insatiablenesse , will hee fix his eye upon some light affected curtezan , whose raiment is her onely ornament , and whose chiefe●t glory is to set at sale her adulterate beauty ? no street , no corner but gives him objects which drawes his eye from that choicest object , whereon his whole delight should bee seated : no place so obscure , wherein his contemplative part is not on the view of forbidden objects greedily fixed . how requisite then were it for you , young gentlemen , whose aymes are more noble then to subject them to these unworthy ends , to take a view sometimes of such absolute patterns of contemplative perfection , as have excelled in this kind ? but because a three-fold cord is hardly broken , i will recommend unto your consideration a three-fold meditation , the daily use and exercise whereof may bring you to a more serious view of your owne particular estate . first is , the worthinesse of the soule ; secondly , the unworthinesse of earth ; thirdly , thankefulnesse unto god , who made man the worthiest creature upon the earth . for the first : what is shee , and in glory how surpassing is she ( to use the selfe-same words which an holy father useth ) being so strong , so weake , so small , so great , searching the secrets of god , and contemplating those things which are of god , and with her piercing wit is knowne to have attained the skill of many arts for humane profit and advantage ? what is shee , i say , who knoweth so much in other things , and to what end they were made , yet is wholly ignorant how her selfe was made ? a princesse surely ; for as a queene in her throne , so is the soule in the body ; being the life of the body , as god is the life of the soule ; being of such dignity , as no good , but the supreme good may suffice it : of such liberty as no inferior thing may restraine it . how then is the soule of such worthinesse , as no exteriour good may suffice it , nor no inferiour thing restraine it ? how comes it then that it stoops to the lure of vanity , as one forgetfull of her owne glory ? how comes it then to be so fledged in the * bird-lime of inferiour delights , as nothing tasteth so well to her palate as the delights of earth ? surely , either she derogates much from what shee is , or there is more worthinesse on earth , then wee hold there is . having then taken a short view of the dignity or worthinesse of the soule ; let us reflect a little upon the unworthinesse of earth , and see if wee can find her worthy the entertainment of so glorious a princesse . earth , as it is an heavy element , and inclineth naturally downe-ward , so it keepes the earthly minded moule from looking upward . there is nothing in it which may satisfie the desire of the outward senses , much lesse of the inward . for neither is the eye satisfied with seeing , bee the object never so pleasing ; nor the eare with hearing , bee the accent never so moving ; nor the palate with tasting , bee the cates never so relishing ; nor the nose with sm●lling , bee the confection never so perfuming ; nor the hand with touching , bee the subject never so affecting . and for those sugred pils of pleasure , though sweet , how short are they in continuance , and how bitter , being ever attended on by repentance ? and for honours , ( those snow-bals of greatnesse ) how intricate the wayes by which they are attained , and how sandy the foundation whereon they are grounded ? how unworthy then is earth to give entertainment to so princely a guest , having nothing to bid her welcome withall , but the refuse and rubbish of uncleannesse , the garnish or varnish of lightnesse ? for admit this guest were hungry , what provision had earth to feed her with , but the huskes of vanity ? if thirsty , what to refresh her with , but with worme-wood of folly ? if naked , what to cloath her with , but the cover of mortality ? if imprisoned , how to visit her , but with fetters of captivity ? or if sicke , how to comfort her , but with additions of misery ? since then , the worthinesse of the soule is such , as earth is too unworthy to entertaine her , expedient it were that shee had recourse to him that made her , and with all thankfulnesse tender her selfe unto him , who so highly graced her . let man therfore in the uprightness of a pure and sincere soule weaned from earth , and by contemplation already sainted in heaven , say ; what shall i render unto thee , o my god , for so great benefits of thy mercy ! what praises , or what thanksgiving ? for if the knowledge and power of the blessed angels were present with me to assist me , yet were i not able to render ought worthy of so great piety and goodnesse , as i have received from thee ; yea surely , if all my members were turned into tongues , to render due praise unto thee , in no case would my smalnesse suffice to praise thee , for thy inestimable charity which thou hast shewn to me unworthy one , for thy onely love and goodnesse s●ke , exceedeth all knowledge . neither is it meet that the remembrance of a ●enefit should be limited by day or date ; but as the benefits wee receive are daily , so should our thankefulnesse be expressed daily , lest by being unthankefull , god take his benefits from us , and bestow them on such as will be thankfull . and let this suffice for the contemplative part of perfection ; descending briefly to that part , which makes the contemplative truly perfect by action . we are now to treat of that , which is easier to discourse of than to finde : for men naturally have a desire to know all things , but to doe nothing ; so easie is the contemplative in respect of the active , so hard the practicke in respect of the speculative . how many shall we observe daily propounding sundry excellent observations , divine instructions , and christian-like conclusions touching contempt of the world , wherein this active perfection principally consisteth , yet how far short come they in their owne example : so easie it is to propound matter of instruction to others , so hard to exemplifie that instruction in themselves ! this may be instanced in that ruler in the gospel , who avouched his integrity and perfection , concluding that he had kept all those commandements which christ recounted to him , from his youth up : yet when christ said unto him , sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poore , and thou shalt have treasure in heaven , and come follow me : we reade , hee was very sorrowfull ; for he was very rich . so miserable and inextricable is the worldlings thraldome when neither the incertainty of this life , nor those certaine promises made unto him , in hope of a better life , can weane him from the blind affection of earth . necessary therfore it is , that he who desires to attaine this active perfection , unto which all good men labour , moderate his desires towards such things as he hath not , and addresse himselfe to an indifferency of losing those things which hee already hath : for he , whose desires are extended to more than he enjoyes , or who too exceedingly admires what he now enjoyes , can never attaine that high degree of active perfection . the reason is , no man whose content is seated on these externall flourishes of vanity , can direct his contemplation , or erect the eye of his affection to that eternall sunne of verity , whom to enjoy , is to enjoy all true perfection ; and of whom to be deprived , is to taste the bitterness of deepest affliction . now , how are we to enjoy him ? not by knowledge only , or contemplation ; but by seconding , or making good our knowledge by action : for we know , that there is a woe denounced on him , who knoweth the will of his father and doth it not ; when neither his knowledge can plead ignorance , nor want of understanding in the law of god , simplicity or blindnesse . we are therefore not onely to know , but doe ; know , lest ignorance should mis-guide us ; doe , lest our knowledge should accuse us . behovefull therfore were it for us to observe that excellent precept of holy ierome : so live ( saith he ) that none may have just cause to speake ill of you . now there is nothing which may procure this good report sooner , than labouring to avoid all meanes of scandall ; as consorting with vitious men whose noted lives bring such in question as accompany them . this was the cause ( as i formerly noted ) why saint iohn would not stay in the bath with the hereticke c●rinthus . o how many , and with much griefe i speake it , have we knowne in this little iland , well descended , with choicest gifts of nature accomplished , of their owne disposition well affected , who by consorting with inordinate men have given reines to liberty , and blasted those faire hopes , which their friends and country had planted on them ! how requisite then is it , for every one whose thoughts aime at perfection , to consort with such as may better him , and not deprave him ; informe him , and not corrupt him ? for if there be a kind of resemblance betwixt the diseases of the body , and the vices or enormities of the mind ; what especiall care are we to take , lest by keeping company with those who are already depraved , we become likewise infected ? men would be loth to enter any house that is suspected only to be infected ; which if at unawares they have at any time entred , they presently make recourse to the apothecary to receive some soveraigne receit to expell it . and if men bee so affraid lest this house , the body , which like a shaken building menaceth ruine daily should perish , what great respect ought to bee had to the soule , which is the guest of the body ? shall corruption bee so attended and tendred , and the precious image of incorruption lessened and neglected ? god forbid ; specious or gorgeous sepulchres are not so to bee trimmed , that the cost bestowed on them should cause the divine part to bee wholly contemned . to remove which contempt ( if any such there bee ) i will recommend to your devoutest meditation these two particulars . first , who it was that made us : secondly , for what end he made us : to which two briefly , we intend to referre the series of this present discourse . for the first , we are to know that no man is his owne maker : it is hee that made us , who made all things for us , that they might minister unto us and to our necessity , ordaining these for our service , and himselfe for our solace . he it is who hath subjected all things to the feete of man , that man might wholly become subject unto him : yea , and that man might become wholly his , hee gave man absolute dominion over all those workes of his ; creating all outward things for the body , the body for the soule , and the soule for himselfe . and to what end ? even to this end , that man might onely intend him , onely love him , possessing him to his solace , but inferiour things to his service . now , to dilate a little upon this great worke of our creation , wee may collect from sacred scripture a foure-fold creation or generation . the first in adam , who came neither of man nor woman ; the second in eve , who came of man without woman ; the third in christ , who came not of man but woman ; the fourth in us , who came both of man and woman . for the first , as he had from earth his creation , so it shewed the weaknesse of his composition , the vilenesse of his condition , with the certainty of his dissolution . for the second , as she had from man her forming , so it figured their firmenesse of union , inseparable communion , and inviolable affection . for the third , as he came onely of woman , so he promised by the seed of the woman , to ●ruise the serpents head , who had deceived woman , and restore man to the state of grace , from which hee had fallen by meanes of a woman . for the fourth , as wee came both from man and woman , so wee bring with us into the world that originall sinne , which wee derive both from man and woman ; the sting whereof cannot bee rebated , but onely through him , who became man borne of a woman . but in this great worke of our creation , wee are not to observe so much the matter , as quality and nature of our creation . for the matter of our creation , or that whereof wee bee composed , what is it but vile earth , slime and corruption ? so as , howsoever wee appeare beautifull , specious and amiable in the sight of man , whose eye is fixed on the externall part , yet when the oile of our lampe is consumed , and wee to dust and ashes reduced , wee shall observe no better inscription than this ; behold a specious and a precious shrine covering a stinking corps ! wherefore ought we to observe the internall part , and the especiall glory wee receive by it : for hereby are we distinguished in the quality of our creation , from all other creatures , who governe their actions by sense onely , and not by reason . hence it was , that that divine philosopher gave god thankes for three speciall bounties conferred on him : first was , for that god had created him a reasonable creature , and no brute beast ; second , for creating him a man and no woman ; third , for that he was a grecian , and no barbarian . this it was which moved that blessed and learned father saint augustine to break out into this passionate rapsodie of spirit : thy hand could ( o lord ) have created me a stone , or a bird , or a serpent , or some brute beast : and this it knew , but it would not for thy goodnesse sake . this it was which forced from that devout and zealous father this emphaticall discourse , or intercou●se rather , with god ; who upon a time walking in his garden , and beholding a little worme creeping and crawling upon the ground , presently used these words ; deare lord , thou might'st have made me like this worme , and crawling despicable creature , but thou would'st not , and it was thy mercy that thou would'st not ; o , as thou hast ennobled me with the image of thy selfe , make mee conformable to thy selfe , that of a worm i may become an angell ; of a vassall of sin , a vessell of sion ; of a shell of corruption , a star of glory in thy heavenly mansion . and in truth , there is nothing which may move us to a more serious consideration of gods gracious affection towards us , than the very image which wee carry about us : preferring us not onely before all the rest of his creatures in soveraignty and dominion , but also in an amiable similitude , feature , and proportion ; whereby wee become not onely equall , but even superiour unto angels , because man was god , and god man , and no angell . to whom are wee then to make recourse to , as the author of our creation , save god , whose hand hath made and fashioned us , whose grace hath ever since directed and prevented us , and whose continued love ( for whom he loveth , he loveth unto the end ) hath ever extended it selfe in ample manner towards us ? how frivolous then and ridiculous were their opinions , who ascribed the creation of all things to the elements ; as anaxim●nes to the piercing aire ; hippeas to the fleeting water ; zeno to the purifying fire ; zenophanes to the lumpish earth ? how miserable were these blinded , & how notably evinced by that learned father , who speaking in the persons of all these elements , and of all other his good creatures , proceedeth in this sort ? i tooke my compasse , ( saith he , speaking to god ) in the survey of all things , seeking thee , and for all things relinquishing my selfe selfe . i asked the earth if it were my god , & it said unto me that it was not , and all things in it confessed the same . i asked the sea , and the depths , and the creeping things in them , and they answered , wee are not thy god , seeke him above us . i asked the breathing aire , and the whole aire , with all the inhabitants thereof made answer , anaximenes is deceived , i am not thy god. i asked the heaven , sun , moone and stars : neither are we thy god , answered they . and i spake to all these who stand about the gates of my flesh , tell me what you know concerning my god , tell me something of him : and they cried out with a great voice , he made us . then i asked the whole frame and fabricke of this world , tell me if thou be my god : and it answered with a strong voice , i am not , said it , but by him i am , whom thou seekest in mee ; hee it was that made mee , seeke him above me , who governeth mee , who made mee . the interrogation of the creatures is the profound consideration of them , and their answer the witnesse they beare of god , because all things cry , god hath made us : for as the apostle saith , the invisible things of god are visible to bee understood by those things which are made , by the creatures of the world . thus wee understand the author of our creation , of whom seriously to meditate , and with due reverence to contemplate , is to die to all earthly cogitations , which delude the sinne-be-lulled soule with extravagancies . and let this suffice for the first memoriall or consideration , to wit , who it was that made us ; we are now to descend to the second particular , which is , for what end he made us . he who rested not till h● had composed and disposed in an absolute order of this vniverse , proposed us an example that we should imitate : so long as we are pilgrims here on earth , so long as we are sojourners in this world , we may not enjoy our spirituall sabbath ; wee may stay a little and breath under the crosse , after the example of our best master , but rest wee may not . for what end then did hee make us ? that wee might live such lives as may please him , and die such deaths as may praise him ; lives blamelesse and unreprovable ; lives sanctified throughout , pure without blemish , fruitfull in example , plentifull in all holy duties , and exercised in the workes of charitie ; that he who begetteth in us both the will and the worke , may present us blamelesse at his comming . now , that our lives may become acceptable unto him , to whose glory they ought to bee directed , we are in this tabernacle of clay to addresse our selves to those studies , exercises and labours , which may benefit the church or common-wealth , ministring matter unto others of imitation , to our soules of consolation , & in both to gods name of glorification : wherein appeareth a maine difference betwixt the contemplative and active part : for sufficient it is not to know , acknowledge and confesse the divine majesty ; to dispute or reason upon high points touching the blessed trinitie ; to bee wrapt up to the third heaven ( as it were ) by the wings of contemplation ; but to addresse our selves to an actuall performance of such offices and peculiar duties , as wee are expresly injoyned by the divine law of god. our lord in the gospel , when the woman said , blessed is the wombe that bare thee , and the brests that gave thee sucke : answered , yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of god , and keepe it . and when one of the iewes told him that his mother and brethren stood without , desiring to speake with him ; hee answered , and said unto him that told him , who is my mother ? and who are my brethren ? and stretching forth his hand toward his disciples , hee said , behold my mother and my brethren : for whosoever shall doe the will of my father which is in heaven , the same is my brother , and sister , and mother . it is not knowledge then , but practise which presents us blamelesse before god. therefore are wee exhorted to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling . not to idle out the time in the market-place , as such who make their life a repose or cessation from all labours , studies , or vertuous intendements . of which sort those are , ( and too many of those there are ) who advanced to great fortunes by their provident ancestors , imagine it a taske worthy men of their places to passe their time in pastime , and imploy their dayes in an infinite consumption of mis-spent houres , for which they must bee accomptants in that great assize , where neither greatnesse shall bee a subterfuge to guiltinesse , nor their descent plead priviledge for those many houres they have mis-spent . o how can they answer for so many vaine and fruitlesse pleasures , which they have enjoyed , and with all greedinesse embraced in this life ? many they shall have to witnesse against them , none to answer for them : for their stoves , summer-arbours , refectories , and all other places wherein they enjoyed the height of delight , shall be produced against them , to tax them of sensuall living , and witnesse against them their small care of observing the end for which they were made . o gentlemen , you whose hopes are promising , your more excellent endowments assuring , and your selves as patternes unto others appearing , know that this perfection whereof we now intreat , is not acquired by idling or sensuall delighting of your selves in carnall pleasures , which darken and eclypse the glory or lustre of the soule , but in labouring to mortifie the desires of the flesh , which is ever levying and levelling her forces against the spirit ! now this mortification can never be attained by obeying , but resisting and impugning the desires of the flesh . wherefore , the onely meanes to bring the flesh to perfect subjection , is to crosse her in those delights which shee most affecteth . doth shee delight in sleepe and rest ? keepe her waking ; takes shee content in meats and drinkes ? keepe her craving ; takes shee solace in company ? use her to privacie and retiring ; takes she liking to ease ? inure her to labouring : briefly , in whatsoever she is delighted , let her bee alwayes thwarted ; so shall you enjoy the most rest , when shee enjoyes the least . hence it was that saint ierome , that excellent patterne of holy discipline , counselleth the holy virgin demetrias , to eschew idlenesse : exhorting her withall , that having done her prayers , she should take in hand wooll and weaving , after the commendable example of dorcas , that by such change or variety of workes , the day might seeme lesse tedious , and the assaults of satan lesse grievous . neither did this divine father advise her to worke , because she was in poverty , or by this meanes to sustaine her family ; for she was one of the most noble and eminent women in rome , and richest ; wherefore her want was not the cause which pressed him to this exhortation , but this rather , that by this occasion of exercising her selfe in these laudable and decent labours , shee should thinke of nothing , but such as properly pertained unto the service of god : which place hee concluded in this manner . i speake generally , no rayment , ornament , or habit whatsoever , shall seeme precious in christs sight ; but that which thou makest thy selfe , either for thine owne peculiar use , or example of other virgins , or to give unto thy grand-mother , or thy mother , no , though thou distri●ute all thy goods unto the poore . see how expresly this no●le woman was injoyned to her taske , that by intending her selfe to labour , shee might give lesse way unto errour . certainely , as mans extremity is gods opportunity , so the divels opportunity is mans security : we are then principally to take heed , lest wee give way to the incursion of satan , by our security of life and conversation . and what is it that begetteth this security , but idlenesse , which may be termed , and not improperly , the soules lethargie ? for nothing can be more opposite to this actuall perfection , then re● or vacancy ; wee say , vertue consisteth in action , how then may wee be said to be favourers , followers , or furtherers of vertue , when we surcease from action , which is the life , light , and subsistence of vertue ? wherefore , as it is little to reade or gather , but to understand and to reduce , to forme what wee reade , gather or understand ; for this is the ornament of art , the argument of labour : so it is little or to no purpose , that wee know , conceive or apprehend , unlesse wee make a fruitfull use of that knowledge by serious practice , to the benefit of our selves and others . i have knowne divers physicians , some whereof were of great practice , but small reading ; others of great reading , but small practice ; and i have heard sundry men of sufficient judgement confidently averre , that in cases of necessity they had rather hazard their lives in the hand of the practicke then theoricke : and their reason was this ; though the practicke had not exercised himselfe in the perusall of bookes , hee had gained him experience in the practice of cures ; and that the body of his patient was the onely booke within his element . to which assertion i will neither assent , nor wholly dissent ; for as he that practiseth before hee know , may sooner kill than cure ; so he who knoweth , and seldome or never practiseth , must of necessity , to get him experience , kill before hee cure . but sure i am , that many ignorant lay-men , whose knowledge was little more then what nature bestowed on them , by meanes of regular discipline , and powerfull subduing of their owne affections , have become absolute men ; being such as reached to as high a pitch of actuall perfection , as ever the learned'st or profoundest man in the world attained : for it is neither knowledge nor place , but the free gift of gods grace , which enableth the spirituall man to this perfection . now , forasmuch as not to goe forward , is to goe backward ; and that there be two solstices in the sunnes motion , but none in times revolution , or in a christians progression ; the onely meanes to attaine this actuall perfection , at least some small measure or degree therein , is every night to have our ephemerides about with us , examining our selves what we have done that day ; how farre wee have profited , wherein benefited our spirituall knowledge . againe , wherein have we reformed our life , or expressed our love to christ by communicating to the necessity of his saints . by which meanes , wee shall in short time observe what remaines unreformed ; esteeming it the sweetest life , every day to better our life . but principally , are wee to looke to our affections which rise and rage in us ; and , like the snake in the fable , pester and disturbe the inner house of man : for these are they , which ( as saint basil saith ) rise up in a drunken man , ( drunke i meane with all spirituall fornication ) like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side . when the affections of men are troubled , they change them like circes cups , from men to beasts . neither is it so ill to bee a beast , as for man to live like a beast . o then , let us have an eye to our affections ; let them bee planted , where they may be duly seasoned ! earth makes them destastefull ; let them be fixed then in heaven , the only thought whereof will cause them to be delightfull . and to conclude this branch ; it will not be amisse for us , to counterpoize our affections ( if we find them at any time irregular ) with weights of contrary nature ; as if we find our selves naturally affected to pride ( that luciserian sinne ) to counterpoise it with motives of humility ; as the vilenesse of our condition , basenesse of our composition , and weaknesse of our constitution : or naturally inclined to covetousnesse ( that mammons sinne ) to give , though the gift afflict us , liberally , that our forced bounty may in time weane us from our in-bred misery : if of grating oppression , or grinding extortion ( that ahabs sinne ) let us make restitution with good zacheus , and though wee cannot doe it so frankly as hee did , yet let us doe it as freely as wee may ; that our restitution may in some sort answer for our former oppression : if of excesse in fare and gluttony ( that dives sinne ) let us so moderate our delight in feeding , that our delight may be to sustaine nature , and not oppresse her with exceeding : if of lust or sensuality ( that ammons sinne ) where that sinne may abound , the sense is obeyed , let us subject all our delights to the government of reason , and reason to the soveraignty of grace , that the flesh may be resisted in what it most affecteth , and in that seconded , wherein it least delighteth : if of envie , ( that serpentine sinne ) let us entertaine brotherly love , for envie can beare no sway where love raigneth : if of wrath ( that cains sinne ) embrace patience ; so shall fury bee suppressed , where patience is lodged : if of sloth , ( the sluggards sinne ) let us inure our selves to some exercise that may most delight us , so in time wee may become exercised in taskes of greater difficulty : being first from sloth weaned , afterwards to greater labours inured . thus to fight were to vanquish ; thus to enter lists , were to reape spirituall solace ; for through him should wee triumph , who sees us fighting , cheers us failing , and crownes us conquering . and this shall suffice to have beene spoken of the active part of perfection , purposing according to our former method , to compare the contemplative and active together ; the parts or properties of both which , being duly examined , it shall more plainely appeare how the active is to be preferred . it is a barren faith , wee say , that is not attended on by good workes ; and no lesse fruitlesse is that knowledge which is exercised onely in contemplation , and never in action . wee are therefore with elizeus to have a double spirit ; a spirit that as well doeth , as teacheth , not onely a profering of words , but also an offering of workes . so as , it is not breathing or moving , or talking , which argue a spirituall life , but abounding plentifully in all holy duties , expressing those effectuall and powerfull fruits of a living faith by workes of charity and obedience , which may any way tend to the glorifying of god , edifying our neighbour , or conforming our selves to him , whose image wee beare . now , as there is no comfort comparable to the testimony of a good conscience , being that inseparable companion which shall attend us to glory or confusion , so there is no punishment , torment or affliction so grievous as shame , which deriveth the cause , ground , and beginning , either from doing that which wee ought not , or from not doing that which wee ought : as the comfort we reape from the testimony of a good conscience , deriveth properly the primary cause and effect from doing that which wee ought , and abstaining from doing that which wee ought not . and what be those workes which are principally commended unto us , but workes of charity and devotion ? for to our owne soules ( saith a devout father ) shall wee be right acceptable and gratefull , if wee compassionate the estate of our poore brother , by being mercifull : yea , there is nothing that commendeth more a christian man , or argueth a christian-like affected mind , then to shew compassion to those that are afflicted . for in this there is a resemblance betwixt the creature and creator , loving , as he himselfe loved ; shewing compassion , as hee shewed . o let me commend this so commendable and generous a quality , to your admittance , gentlemen ! for beleeve mee , there is no one property that shall better accomplish you , no armoury that may more truly deblazon you : for it is a badge of gentry to shew compassion towards misery . what profit shall you reape , if having onely superficially read some treatise tending to the comfort of such as either in body afflicted , or in mind perplexed , or in both distressed ; if you apply not these directions of comfort to them thus miserably dejected ? what reward , i say , shall you receive , upon the account by you given , of the sicke which you have visited ; when having knowne how to comfort men in their affliction , you have not ministred the least comfort to them in their visitation ? or when you shall be demanded , where are the hungry which you have refreshed , the thirsty whose thirst you have quenched , the naked whom you have cloathed , the miserable oppressed soule , whose case you have not onely pitied but redressed ? and you shall answer , how you did indeed visit them , but minister small comfort unto them ; you knew them to bee oppressed , and the way to redresse them , but other occasions detained you , as you could not releeve them ; nay rather , have you not added worm-wood to their affliction ? have you not surfetted in their suffering , fatned your selves in their famishing , and raised your states by their ruine ? were not your tables stored , when they were starved ; did not you feast , when they fasted ; did it not affect you to see them afflicted ? if at any time you felt this in your selves , let the dolefull remembrance thereof produce torrents of teares from your distreaming eyes ; supply your manifold misdeeds with many almes-deeds ; your transgressions with compassions ; your oppression with foure-fold restitution ; that your sinne may no more be had in remembrance : yea , let mee use that exhortation to you , which a learned father used upon like occasion , let charity smite your bowels ; see not the image of your redeemer disgraced , but forthwith labour to right him ; see him not oppressed , but to your power redresse him ; see him not starve , if you have bread to releeve him ; or thirsty , if you have drinke to refresh him ; or naked , if you have a garment to cloath him ; or in any sort distressed , if you have meanes to succour him . oh consume not that on prodigality , which might procure the prayers of many poore soules for you ! their prayers are your praises ; their morning and evening sacrifice , way markes to direct you unto paradise : take heed then you offend none of these little ones , but cheere them ; bee not as thornes in their eyes , or pricks in their sides , but minister all necessary comfort unto them . now , if this appeare a matter of difficulty , pretending that the supportance of your state exacts so much of you , as you can reserve nothing to exhibite upon these workes of charity ; heare mee whosoever thou bee that makest this objection : bee provoked , o christian , bee provoked by the widow of sarepta to this encounter ! encounter i call it , because the flesh suggests sundry occasions to avert thee from it . that charitable widow though shee had but a little meale , shee imparted of that little to a prophet ; though shee had but a little oile , yet shee freely bestowed it to refresh a prophet . the woman of samaria , when iesvs said unto her , give mee to drinke , answered ; how is it that thou being a iew , askest drinke of mee , which am a woman of samaria ? sundry such like answers will flesh and blood make , to dispense with workes of charity ; or like the answer of churlish nabal ; who is david , and who is the sonne of ishai ? there bee many servants now adaies , that breake away every man from his master : shall i then take my bread , and my water , and my flesh which i have killed for my hearers , and give it unto men , whom i know not whence they bee ? o let not these objections divert the current of thy compassion ! eye not so much his countrey , whether neighbour borne , or a stranger , as his countenance , the expresse image of thy saviour . but to descend to some reasons , why the active part of perfection is to be preferred before the contemplative , this amongst others is the most effectuall and impregnable . in that great day of account , when the sealed booke of our secrete●● sinnes shall bee unsealed , our privatest actions discovered , our closest and subtillest practises displayed , and the whole inside of man uncased ; it shall not be demanded of us , what knew wee , but what did wee . fitting therefore it were to preferre action before knowledge in this life , being so infallibly to be preferred after this life . howbeit greater is their shame , and sharper ( doubtlesse ) shall bee their censure , whose education in all arts divine and humane hath enabled them for discourse , fitted or accommodated them for managements publike or private ; yet they , giving reines to liberty , invert their knowledge to depraved ends ; either making no use of such noble and exquisite indowments , or which is worse , imploying them to the satisfaction of their owne illimited desires . o happy had these beene , if they had never knowne the excellency of learning , for ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted ● yea but , will some object , i cannot see how any one should observe a law before they know it ; wherefore , as i thinke , knowledge is to be preferred , because by knowledge is action directed . it is true indeed , knowledge directs and instructs , for otherwise wee should grope in darkenesse ; neither doe i exclude all knowledge , but admit so much as may instruct man sufficiently in matters of faith , put him in remembrance of heaven , whose joyes are ineffable ; of hell , whose paines are intolerable ; of the last judgement , whose sentence is irrevocable . so as i exclude onely this grosse ignorance , or blind paganisme , for to these is the way to heaven closed , because they are divided from that light , without which the celestiall way cannot be discerned . whereas then i have so much insisted heretofore upon the contemplative part of perfection , my ayme was to shew how those , who continued in a contemplative and solitary life , sequestring themselves from the cares and company of this world , doubtlesse conceived ineffable comfort in that sweet retirement ; yet in regard they lived not in the world , the world was not bettered by their example . but in this active perfection , where the active part no lesse then contemplative is required , wee intend those who doe not onely know , but doe ; and in the actions of this life , use to make their light so shine before men , that they may see their good workes . yea , but it may bee againe objected , all sinnes bee properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and beare the name of ignorance : how then may wee exclude any knowledge ? every sinne indeed implyes an ignorance of the creature towards the creator ; which ignorance imports rather a forgetfulnesse . for admit a man should steale , commit perjury , or any such act contrary to the expresse will and commandement of god ; it were to bee imagined , that this breach or transgression of the divine law , proceeded not of ignorance : for hee could not choose but know , that consent to any of these incurred the breach of his law : but rather it may be said , hee had not god before his eyes , but out of a wilfull forgetfulnesse , violated the ordinances of god. but to conclude this branch in a word , the active is to bee preferred before the contemplative , for two respects : the first , whereof hath relation to our selves : the second to others . to our selves , having account to make for the actions of our life , how wee have imployed or bestowed those talents which hee hath lent us ; what use , profit , or benefit wee have made of them ; in what spirituall affaires have wee beene exercised , in what holy duties trained ! have wee not preferred private profit before the testimony of a good conscience ? have wee not laboured to inhaunce our meanes by sinister and indirect courses ? have wee not with-drawne our hand from releeving our needfull brother , or defrauded the labourer of his wages ? have wee not consorted with the evill doer , and encouraged him in his sinne ? have wee not hindred some pious worke tending to the honour of god , and imitable for example of others ? have wee propagated the gospel , comforted sion when shee mourned , repaired those breaches which were in her , and received those in peace which blessed her ? have wee onely sought the kingdome of god , and the righteousnesse thereof ; esteemed godlinesse to be great riches ; left our selves and all , to be followers of him who gave us dominion over all ? if wee have done this , as wee are here in the alpha of grace , wee shall be there in the omega of glory : here initiate , there consummate : but having knowne the will of our father , and done it not ; read principles or instructions of a good life , and observ'd them not ; conversant in deepe mysteries , and applyed them not ; studied in all arts and sciences , and practised them not ; how miserable is our knowledge , pronouncing on us a heavier judgement ! wherefore in respect of our selves , whether our knowledge bee great or little , if our conversation bee not in heaven , though our habitation , during our pilgrimage be on earth , our knowledge is but as a tinckling cymball , and shall smally availe us before the high tribunall . for knew wee the power and vertue of all creatures , of all plants and vegetive bodies , from the cedar of lebanon , to the hyss●p upon the wall , yet were this knowledge fruitlesse , being not seconded by a life conformable to that knowledge . § . secondly , in respect of others ; action is the life of man , and example the direction of this life . how much then doe such men prejudice those who live in the world , that betake themselves to a private or retired life , estranged from humane society , and ending their daies in some solitary cave , as men divided from the world ! for howsoever their manner of life bee religious , their discipline strict and rigorous , and in their devotion fervent and zealous ; yet they deprive others of the benefit , which they might reape by their example . wherefore most safe and sure it is ( to use the words of a judicious author ) for those who have a desire to take upon them a solitary life , to retire and withdraw their affections before they withdraw their bodies from the world , and to force the world to flie from their minde , before they flie the world ; lest going out of the world , they carry about with them the world . for as hee may live ill , who liveth apart from the society of men ; even so , though they flie not into the wildernesse , yet may they flie the world , and amidst the crowd of people live solitarily by an inward contemplation of the supernall glory ; and in midst of a clamorous court conferre with themselves , and converse with god : in the meane time , whatsoever they know or can doe ▪ that may any way tend to the common-good , benefit or utility of humane society , to effect it accordingly , and not bury that talent in the ground , which they have received from above ; which rule they are to observe after the example of the most holy and excellent men of both orders , ecclesiasticall ( i say ) and secular . thus farre have wee proceeded in the examination or discussion of these two especiall parts of perfection , contemplative and active ; wherein by manifest and infallible arguments wee have proved , how the active part is to bee preferred , both in respect of our selves and others ; because a life well acted shall minister most comfort to our selves , besides that light of example which it yeelds unto others . now as the active is preferred , it resteth that wee shew you wherein this active part of perfection consisteth ; which discovered , that whereof wee treat , and would gladly finde , may bee the sooner attained . there is no building , which as it relies on a foundation , consists not of some materiall composition ; no body but it consists of nerves , arteries or sinewes , which cement the lineaments together ; nor confection which consists not of some simples , for otherwise it were not mixed , but simple and uncompounded . the like may bee said of this choice and exquisite confection , this active part ( i meane ) of perfection . for as all rivers tend to the sea , to make one ocean ; all creatures to make one vniverse ; so all vertues aime at perfection ; which once attained , they surcease from action . now in this discourse of active perfection , the period of man , wee doe not meane of that absolute perfection or accomplishment , which admitteth no blemish or imperfection ; for wee are to seeke that above us , not below us ; for our righteousnesse , justice and perfection is such in this life , as it rather consisteth in the remission of sinnes , than perfection of vertues . yea , wee sinne daily , so as properly we can attribute nothing to our owne strength but weaknesse , to our owne ability but infirmnesse , to our resolves but uncertainnesse , to our wils but untowardnesse , to our affections but depravednesse , nor to the whole progresie of our lives but actuall disobedience . but rather ( i say ) wee meane of that christian perfection , which every one in this tabernacle of clay is to labour for ; that wee may become perfect through him who became weake that wee might bee strengthned , hungry that we might be nourished , thirsty that wee might bee refreshed , disgraced that wee might be honoured ; yea , who became all unto all , that by all meanes hee might gaine some . but wherein may this actuall perfection bee properly said to consist ? in mortification ; which like the swift gliding torrent of hydaspes , divides or dilates it selfe to two channels ; action , and affection : action in expressing it ; affection in desiring to expresse it : action in suffering , affection in desire of suffering . the one actuating no lesse in will , than the other in worke . where the action being more exemplar , and in that more fruitfull , gives precedency to affection , which concurres with the act to make the worke more graciously powerfull . for , where a worke of mortification is performed , and a hearty desire or affection to that worke is not adjoyned , that action may bee properly said to bee enforced , rather than out of a free or willing disposition accepted . now this twofold mortification extends it selfe properly to these three subjects ; life , name , goods . life , which even humanity tendreth ; name , which a good man before the sweetest odours preferreth ; goods , on which the worldling , as on the supreme good , lieth . for the first , many excellent and memorable examples of sundry devout and constant servants of christ iesus , are in every place frequent and obvious ; who for the confirmation of their faith , and the testimony of a good conscience , joyfully and cheerefully laid down their lives , esteeming it an especiall glory to bee thought worthy to suffer for him , who with all constancy suffered , to become an example of patience to them : which were easie to illustrate by the sufferings of many eminent and glorious martyrs . prudentius writeth , that when ascl●piades commanded the tormentors to strike r●manus on the mouth , the meeke martyr answered ; i thanke thee , o captaine , that thou hast opened unto mee many mouthes , whereby i may preach my lord and saviour : tot ecce laudant ora , quot sunt vulnera : looke how many wounds i have , so many mouthes i have to praise and laud the lord. ignatius words were these , to witnesse his constancie at the time of his suffering : frumentum sum christi , & per dentes bestiarum molor , ut mundus panis dei inveniar . i am christs corne , and must bee ground by the teeth of wilde beasts , that i may become pure manchet for the lord. it is reported that blessed laurence , being laid upon the gridiron , used these words to his tormentors : turne and eate , it is enough . saint andrew , when he went to bee crucified , was so rapt with joy , as hee rejoyced unmeasurably in that blessed resemblance of his masters death . blessed bartholomew willingly lost his skin for his sake , who had his skinne scourged , that hee might bee solaced . iohn dranke a cup of poison , to pledge his master in a cup of affliction . thus laurence's gridiron , andrewes crosse , bartholomew's skinne , iohns cup , expressed their mortification , by a willing surrender of their life for his sake who was the lord of life : yea , should wee survey those strange invented torments , during the bloudy issue of the tenne persecutions , which were contrived by those inhumane assasinates , whose hands were deep● died in the bloud of the saints , wee should no lesse admire the constancy of the persecuted suffering , than the cruelty of the persecutors infesting : what rackes , hookes , harrowes , tongs , forkes , stakes were purposely provided to torment the constant and resolute professours of the truth , wearying the tormentors rather with tormenting , than abating any part of their constancie in the height and heat of their tormenting ! yea , they were solaced in the time when they suffered ; esteeming * death to bee such a passage , as might give them convoy to a more glorious heritage . neither did these blessed professors of the faith , receive comfort by the eye of their meditation firmely fixed on heaven , but by the compassion and princely commiseration of divers eminent ad victorious emperours bearing soveraignty then on earth . constantine the great used to kisse the eye of paphnutius which was bored out in maximinas time . the like noble and princely compassion wee reade to have beene shewed by titus , trajan , theodosius , and many other princes graciously affected towards the poore afflicted and persecuted christians : yea , god moved the hearts of those , who naturally are most remorselesse or obdurate , in commiserating the estate of his afflicted . which may appeare by the gaolor in the acts , who washed saint pauls stripes and wounds . o how comfortable were these passions or passages of affliction , these tortures or torments , the trophies of their persecution ; the blessed memoriall whereof shall extend the date of time , receiving a crowne of him , who is the length of dayes ! so , as king alexanders stagges were knowne and hundred yeares together by those golden collars , which by the kings commandement were put about their neckes ; or as king arthurs bodie being taken up some what more than six hundred yeares after his death , was knowne to bee his by nothing so much , as by the prints of ten severall wounds which appeared in his skull ; so these glorious stampes of their passion , shall appeare as trophies to them in the day of exaltation ; because , as they lost their lives for the testimony of the gospel , they shall finde them recorded in the booke of life , receiving the crowne of consolation , for the deep draught which they tooke of the cup of affliction . and reason there is , we should dis-value our lives for the profession of our faith , since forlorne and miserable is his life , that is without faith . for if the heathen , whose future hopes were fixed on posterity , and not so much as the least knowledge of eternity , dis-esteemed their lives to gaine them renown , or propagate their countries glory ; much more cause have wee to subject our lives to the censure of death , having hope after death to live in glory . it is reported , that the body of cadwallo , an antient king of the britains , being embalmed and dressed with sweet confections , was put into a brazen image , and set upon a brazen horse over ludgate , for a terror to the saxons : and zisca , the valiant captaine of the bohemians , commanded that after his decease his skin would bee flayed from his bodie , to make a drum , which they should use in their battels , affirming that as soone as the hungarians , or any other enemies , should heare the sound of that drum , they would not abide but take their flight . this moved scipio to appoint his sepulcher to bee so placed , as his image standing upon it , might looke directly towards africa , that being dead , he might still bee a terrour to the carthaginians . if respect of pagans to their country , or an eye to popular glory did so inflame them , as their countries love exceeded their love of life , surviving in their death , and leaving monuments of their affection after death ; how lightly are wee to value the glory of this life , if the losse thereof may advance our fathers glory , or ought tending to the conversation of this life ; being assured by him , whose promises faile not , by such a small losse to gaine eternity ? now , as it is not the death , but the cause of the death which makes the martyr ; we are to know , that to die in the maintenance of any hereticall opinion is pseudo-martyrdom● for howsoever those arians , manichees and pelagians ; those macedonians , eutichees and nestorians ; yea , generally all hereticks were constant and resolute enough in seconding and maintaining their erroneous opinions ; yet forasmuch as the cause for which they contended was heresie , tend it might to their confusion , but never to their glory : for as honey-com●es ( saith learned tertullian ) are by waspes composed , so are churches by the marcionists ( and consequently by all heretickes ) disposed : in whose synodals or conventicles , many thousands are perverted , none converted , or to the church of christ faithfully espoused . whereas truth , which may be pressed , but not oppressed ; assailed , but never soiled , like the greene bay-tree in the midst of hoarie winter , or a fresh spring in the sandy desart , appeares most glorious , when her adversaries are most malicious ; bearing ever a countenance most cheerefull , when her assailants are most dreadfull . neither only in this glorious act of martyrdome , but in all inferiour works , the affection of the minde , as well as the action of the man , is to bee considered : for god himselfe , who hath an eye rather to the intention than action , will not approve of a good worke done , unlesse it be well done . as for example ; when the pharisie fasted , prayed , gave almes , and payed tithe of all that he possessed , he did good workes , but he did not those good works well : the reason was , hee exalted himselfe in his workes , without attributing praise unto him , who is the beginner and perfecter of every good worke : for his fasts were hypocriticall & not of devotion , his prayers ineffectuall , because they sounded of ostentation ; his almes unacceptable , because exhibited only for observation ; and his tithes abominable , being given to colour his secret oppression : for which cause did our saviour pronounce a woe upon them , saying , woe unto you pharisies ; for yee tithe mint and rue , and all manner of herbes , and passe over judgement and the love of god : these ought yee to have done , and not to leave the other undone . whence it appeares , that the worke it selfe was approved , but the manner of doing it reproved ; for that they preferred the tithing of mint and rue , before the judgement and love of god ; so they preferred it , as the one was performed , while the other of more serious and consequent importance was omitted . whence wee are cautioned , that in our workes of mortification , we doe nothing for any sinister or by-respect ; but only for the glory of god , to whom , as all our actions are properly directed , so are they to have relation onely unto him , if wee desire to have them accepted . is it so , that this actuall perfection is to be acquired by mortification , wherein is required not only the action but affection ? and that wee are even to lay downe our lives , if the cause so require , to promote the glory of our maker ? tell me then , gentleman , how farre have yee proceeded in this spirituall progresse ? have yee unfainedly desired to further the honour of god , repaire the ruines of sion , and engage your owne lives for the testimony of a good conscience ? have ye fought the lords battell , and opposed your selves against the enemies of the truth ? have yee shut the doore of your chamber , the doore of your inner parlour , i meane your heart , from the entrance of all earthly affections , sensuall cogitations , and expressed true arguments of mortification , the sooner to attaine this high degree of christian perfection ? have yee made a covenant with your eyes not to looke after the strange woman ; a covenant ( i meane ) with your hearts never to lust after her ? have yee weaned your itching and bewitching humours , from affecting forraine and out-landish fashions . which howsoever they be to fashion conformed , they make man of all others most deformed ? have yee done with your reere-suppers , midnight revels , curtaine pleasures , and courting of pictures ? have yee left frequenting court-maskes , tilt-triumphs , and enterludes , boasting of young ladies favours , glorying more in the purchase of a glove , than a captaine in the surprizall of a fort ? have yee cashiered all those companions of death , those seducing consorts of misery , and betaken your selves to the acquaintance of good men , conceiving a settled joy in their society ? o then thrice happy you ! for having honoured god , he will honour you ; having repaired the ruines of sion , hee will place you in his heavenly sion ; or engaged your lives for the testimony of a good conscience , hee will invite you to that continuall feast of a peaceable conscience ; or fought the lords battell , hee will say you have fought a good fight , crowning you after your victory on earth with glory in heaven ; or shut the doore of your chamber , and kept the roome cleane and sweet for your maker , hee will come in and sup with you , that you may rejoyce together ; or made a covenant with your eyes not to look after the strange woman , with those eyes yee shall behold him , who put enmitie between the serpent and the woman ; or weaned your itching and bewitching humours from affecting out-landish fashions , madding after phantasticke habits ( for * stuffe it skils not , whether silken or woollen , so the fashion be civill and not wanton , ) you shall be cloathed in long white robes , and follow the lambe wheresoever he goeth ; or done with your mid-night revels , and court pleasures , you shall bee filled with the pleasures of the lords house , and abide in his courts for ever ; or left frequenting maskes , tilt-triumphs , and enterludes , the glorious spectacles of vanity , you shall bee admitted to those angelicall triumphs , singing heavenly hymnes to the god of glory : or chashier'd those companions of death , whose end is misery , you shall have the saints for your companions , and share with them in the covenant of mercy . doe yee not hence observe what inestimable comforts are reserved for those who are truly mortified ; mortified , i say , in respect of your contempt to the world , which is expressed by ceasing to love it , before you leave it ? who would not then disvalue this life , and all those bitter sweets , which this fraile life affordeth , to possesse those incomparable sweets which every faithfull soule enjoyeth ? yea , but our silken worldling , or delicate wormeling will object ; this discipline is too strict for flesh and bloud to follow . who can endure to yeeld his head to the blocke , or his body to the faggot , when the very sight of death in another , ministers to the beholder motives of terror ? surely , this is nothing to him that duely considereth , how be that loseth his life shall save it , but he that saveth his life shall lose it . what is a minutes anguish to an eternity of solace ? wee can endure the launcing or fearing of a putrified member , and this endures as long as our time of wrastling with our dissolution , which brings us to our saviour : nor skils it much , what kinde of death wee die , seeing no kinde of death can hurt the righteous , be the terrors and torments of death never so numerous . the way then to contemne death , is to expect it , and so to prepare our selves for it , as if wee were this very houre to encounter it ; resolving never to goe with that conscience to our bed , with which wee durst not goe to our grave ; being so uncertaine whether before the next morne wee shall bee taken out of our bed , and shrouded for our grave . and this shall suffice touching our mortification or contempt of life , if with such a sacrifice wee may bee thought worthy to honour him who gave us life . wee are now to speake of mortification in respect of name or report ; wherein , you are to understand , that this is two-fold : first , in turning our ●ares from such as praise us ; secondly , in hearing with patience such as revile us . for the first , it is and hath beene ever the condition of sober and secret men to avert their eare from their owne praises ; at least with a modest passing over such vertues as were commendable in them : which modesty appeared in alphonsus prince of aragons answer to an orator , who having repeated a long panegyricall oration in his praise , replied , if that thou hast said consent with truth , i thanke god for it ; if not , i pray god grant me grace that i may doe it . others likewise we reade of , who could not with patience endure their persons or actions to bee praised above truth : this princely passion appeared in alexander , who hearing aristobulus , a famous greek historian , read his writings purposely penned upon the memorable acts he had atchieved , wherein he commended him farre above truth ; being mightily incensed therewith , threw the booke into the river , as he was sailing over hydaspes , saying with all , hee was almost moved to send aristobulus after . neither indeed will any wise man endure to heare himselfe praised above truth , seeing no lesse aspersion may be laid on his person by being too highly praised , than if he were discommended : for should wee praise one for his bountie , who is publikely knowne to the world to be parcimonius ; or for his humility , who is naturally ambitious ; or for his continencie , who is licentious ; our praises would not tend so much to his honour ; as to the display of his nature : yea , even he himselfe , guilty in himselfe , would tax us , knowing that he the least of all others deserved these praises from us . it is flattery ( saith one ) to praise in absence ; that is , when either the vertue is absent , or the occasion is absent . but in the report of our owne praise , admit wee should deserve it , the safest course is to withdraw our eare from hearing it , lest vaine-glory transport us upon hearing of those praises which are spoken of us : for if our aymes be only to purchase popular esteeme , preferring the praise of men , before the praise of god , or the testimony of a good conscience ; as our aymes were perverted , so shall wee bee rewarded . now there is no better means to abate or extenuate this desire of praise in us , than duly to consider whose gifts they bee , that deserve this praise in us : for were they our owne , wee might more properly be praised for them ; but they are gods , and not ours , therefore is the praise to be ascribed unto god , & not unto us . for he that would be praised for gods gift , & seeketh not gods glory , but his owne in that gift , though he be praised by men for gods gifts , yet is he dispraised by god ; for not seeking gods glory , but his own for this gift : and he who is praised by men , god dispraising , shall not be defended by men , god judging , nor bee delivered , god condemning . whereas , he that loveth god , will chuse rather to bee deprived of all future glory , than detract by any meanes from god the author of all glory . let us then so avert our eare from selfe-praise , or ought else that may beget in us vain-glory or ostentation , that we may become like unto him , who dis-esteemed all worldly praise from the houre of his birth to the houre of his passion . secondly , we are to heare with patience such as revile us : and reason good ; for observing this , a blessing is pronounced on us ; blessed are yee ( saith the lord of all blessing ) when men shall revile you , and persecute you , and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake : rejoyce and bee exceeding glad , for great is your * reward in heaven ; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you : yea , not only the prophets , but even him of whom all the prophets bare witnesse ; yet became hee as one that did not heare , having no rebukes in his mouth . when hee was tempted in the wildernesse , the scripture was his armour of resistance ; when hee was reviled on the crosse , he prayed for his enemies , to expresse his heavenly patience . now , if the sonne of god was in the desart tempted , what hermit can expect to bee from temptation freed ? if the master be reviled , how may the servant looke to bee intreated ? for howsoever some , or indeed most of the ancient fathers , doubt whether the divell did know that christ was god or no ; touching that parcell of scripture , wherein christ was tempted in the desart ; yet may it appeare probable by inference from the text it selfe , that after iesus had said unto him , it is written thou shalt not tempt the lord thy god ; the divell tooke him up into an exceeding high mountaine , and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world , and the glory of them ; saying , all those things will i give thee , if thou wilt fall downe and worship me . whence i collect , that after christ had told him that he was god , he continued his temptation ; which was an argument to evince him of palpable ignorance ; or of distrust to christs speech , which argued his diffidence : but our purpose is not too curiously to insist upon these subtill digressions ; it sufficiently appeareth , that christ who ought to bee every faithfull christians patterne , was reviled , yet opened not hee his mouth ; but with sweet silence and amiable patience offered his prayers unto his father for them who maliciously offered him upon the crosse ; leaving us an example of admiration and imitation , that following him and suffering with him , wee might likewise reigne and remaine with him : yea but will our spritely-stately gallant object , can any man , who knowes the value of reputation , with patience suffer publike disgrace ? is there any punishment so grievous as shame ? yea , were it not better for a man who is eminent in the eye of the world , to die right out , than still live in reproach and shame ? for a man to live or die , is naturall ; he performeth but that taske to which al mortality is injoyned ; but for a man to live in shame and contempt , and bee made a spectacle of disgrace to the world , an apparent touch or taint to his friends , a laughing stock of his enemies , is such a matter , as no well-bred and noble minded man , that hath any courage or stomacke in him , or tenders his esteeme , can ever digest it . true it is , that flesh and bloud will suggest many such objections ; and if there were nothing to bee valued so much as worldly esteeme , o● popular grace , which relieth on opinion , as soone lost as got , there were some reason to stand so punctually upon termes of reputation , but the eye of a christian ought to extend it selfe to an higher object . we are exhorted to heape coales on our enemies heads ; to render good for evill ; and to bee revenged on them by well doing . diogenes being asked how one should bee revenged of his enemy , answered , by being a vertuous and honest man. what matter then though all the world revile us , having a sincere and unblemished conscience within us , to witnesse for us ? socrates in his ecclesiasticall history writeth , that athanasius being accused by one iannes , to have killed arsenius , and after to have cut off his hand , that he might use it to magicke and sorcerie , cleared himselfe notably of this slander : having by good hap found out arsenius , who lay hid for the nonce ; hee brought him before the councell of tyrus , whereto hee was convented , and there hee asked his accuser , whether hee ever knew arsenius or no ? hee answered , yes : then athanasius called him forth , with his hands covered under his cloake , and turning up the one side of his cloake , shewed him the one of his hands ; & when most men surmised , that the other hand at leastwise was cut off ; athanasius without any more adoe , casteth up the other side of his cloake , and sheweth the second hand , saying , you see arsenius hath two hands , now let mine accuser shew you the place where the third hand was cut off . whence two remarkeable considerations are recommended unto us : malicious subornation in the accuser : gracious moderation in the accused . for the former , let the speech of a heathen man for ever be printed in your hearts ; who when his friend came unto him , and desired him to take a false oath in a cause of his , made answer : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . you must ( saith he ) beare with me , there are many friends to bee gotten if i lose you ; but if by forswearing my selfe i lose the favour of god , i cannot get another there is but one god. for the latter , as soft words pacifie wrath , so by a pleasant conceit hee cooled all wrath , sleighting so much the aspersion of his accuser , as even of his enemies he gain'd him honour . to instance which moderation or patience , even in sundry heathen men , towards such as aspersed disgrace upon them , were it not that i feare enlarging of this branch too much , i might produce many heroicke and princely examples , as vespasian , his sonne titus , marcellus , demetrius , yea , the stiffe and rough-hew'd hercules , who cared not a flie for backbiting termes . but i am to use a word or two unto you , gentlemen , by quest of inquiry how you are found affected herein , and so descend to the third and last branch arising from this subject . have ye not delighted in hearing your owne praise , but reproved such as praised you , or turned your eare from their applause , lest it should transport you ? have yee distributed to the poore , without looking who saw you ? have yee fasted without hanging downe your head , to cause men observe you ? have yee prayed with zeale , fixing your eye only on god , that hee would look on you ? have yee performed the workes of charity , and that for conscience sake , and not for vain-glory ? have yee not too pharisaically prided your selves in your own integrity ? have yee ascribed to your selves shame , and to god the glory ? have yee heartily wished rather to bee deprived of all hope of glory than by your meanes to detract in any wise from gods glory ? o then happy & blessed are you ! for having turned your eares from the applause of men , you shall receive applause from angels ; or having distributed to the poore without looking who saw you , you shall bee plenteously rewarded by him , whose eyes are ever upon you ; or fasted without hanging downe your heads , to cause men observe you , you shall feast with him , who will erect your heads , and with glory crowne you ; or performed workes of charity for conscience sake , and not for vaine-glory , your● workes shall goe before you , and be accounted for righteous through him who shall cloath you with glory ; or not too pharisaically prided your selves in your owne integrity , you shall become justified with the publican ▪ and admitted to honour by humility ; or ascribed to your selves shame , and to god the glory , god shall wipe off your shame , and bring you to the full reuition of his glory ; or heartily wished to bee deprived of all hope of glory , rather then by your meanes to detract in any wise from gods glory ; your desire of advancing gods glory , shall after your passage from this vale of misery , estate you in the inheritance of glory . againe , have yee heard with patience such as revile you ? have yee answered them as hee did , who being accused by his enemy of one sinne , accused him likewise of ignorance , saying , thou accusest mee of one , when i am guilty of a thousand ? have yee not stood upon termes of reputation ▪ but with patience suffered all disgraces ? have yee overcome your enemy with mildnesse ? taken revenge on him by your vertue and goodnesse ? fortified your selves against all calumnie , with the spirit of patience ? o then right blessed are you ! for having heard with patience such as ●evile you , an eternall blessing is pronounced on you ; or having beene as ready to condemne your selves , as others to accuse you , your purged conscience shall freely acquit you ; or not stood on termes of reputation when men disgrac'd you , you shall be graced in heaven , where no disgrace shall touch you ; or overcome your enemy with mildnesse , the mild lambe shall crowne you with happinesse ; or taken revenge on him by your vertue and goodnesse , you shall be refreshed with the fountaine of sweetnesse ; or fortified your selves against all calumnie with the spirit of patience , with palmes in your hands shall yee sing with joyfulnesse . gather , o gather hence what ineffable solace is conferred on the patient ! whatsoever hee suffer here , shall in superabundant measure bee recompenced else-where . but it may be objected , that some aspersions are not to be borne with : for those scandals which are laid upon our persons , where our faith is not taxed or touched , may bee more easily endured ; but where these are struck at , they are not to be suffered . to confirme which , wee reade how peter and iohn having by prayer and imposition of hands , given the holy ghost , and simon the sorcerer saw that through laying on of the apostles hands , the holy ghost was given , hee offered them money , saying , give mee also this power , that on whomsoever i lay hands , bee may receive the holy ghost . but peter incensed herewith , saith unto him , thy money perish with thee , because thou hast thought that the gift of god may be purchased with money . whence it appeareth , that out of a holy zeale , one may shew passion towards such as detract from the honour of god , or asperse a blemish upon his servants in the worke of their ministery . the like we reade of paul , that glorious vessell of election conceiving much indignation against one who had withstood the word ; saying , alexander the copper-smith did mee much evill , the lord reward him according to his workes . the reason is inclusively annexed ; of whom bee thou ware of , for hee hath greatly withstood our words . the like spirit of zeale might iames and iohn bee said to be of , who when they saw that the saritanes would not receive christ , said ; lord wilt thou that wee command fire to come downe from heaven and consume them , even as elias did ? but how this passion of theirs was approved , may appeare by the ensuing verse , but hee turned and rebuked them , and said , yee know not what manner of spirit yee are of . now to cleare this objection , there is no patterne which wee ought sooner to imitate then christ himselfe , who is the master of truth , and directeth us in all truth ; who as hee was most blamelesse of all others , for in his mouth was never guile found , yet was hee in his owne person more blamed , in his doctrine more reproved , in his miracles more injured then all others : for one while hee is accused to have a divell ; anon , that hee casteth out divels through the prince of the divels ; anon , that hee is a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber , a friend of publicans and sinners : yet what answer vouchsafed hee unto all these save onely this , wisedome is justified of her children ? now i know there are differences of scandals or aspersions , where some leave deeper impression then others doe : for as the name is more precious then any earthly substance , so it receiveth the deepest staine when the estimation of our faith is questioned , being the very maine foundation whereon all religion is grounded , and the perfection of that building which makes a christian rightly accomplish'd . saint basil could shew himselfe calme enough in his conference with the emperour , till a cooke came in , and saucily told him , hee did not well to stand so precisely upon such small matters , but rather to yeeld to his master the emperour in a word or two : for what were those divine affaires whereon hee so much insisted , but such as with indifferency might be dispensed ? but what answered this reverend father ? yea , sir cooke ( quoth hee ) it is your part to tend your pottage , and not to boile and chop , up divine matters , which , as they little trouble you , so in weight and consequence are farre above you . and then with great gravity turning to the emperour , said , that those that were conversant in divine matters , which were principally to be intended , would with conscience rather suffer death , then suffer one jot of holy scripture , much lesse an article of faith already received , to be altered or corrupted . another holy man , though most innocent , could indure to be counted a whore-master , an uncleane person , and the like ; but when one called him an heretike , hee could beare no longer : so neere be we touched , when our faith is questioned . but as wee have a noble and glorious patterne , who shewed himselfe a conquerour in his suffering , let us wrastle with flesh and blood ; that suffering all things for him , and with him , wee may after our conquest joy in him , and with him . and let this be sufficient to have beene spoken of mortification in respect of our name or esteeme in the world , labouring daily to dis-value and humiliate our selves while wee are in the world . if it be no great thing to leave our substance , but our selves ; let us at least leave our substance , that wee may the better enjoy our selves . it was the wise exhortation of the wisest of princes ; honour the lord with thy substance , and with the first fruits of all thy increase ; annexing a promise to this precept : so shall thy barnes bee filled with plenty , and thy presse shall burst out with new wine . but forasmuch as many things are required to the mortification of this earthly mammon , wee will reduce them to two speciall heads , the better to retaine in memory this meanes of mortification : . to consider from whom wee have received these worldly blessings . . how to dispose of them , lest they become cursings of blessings . for the first , wee are positively to set downe , that every good gift and every perfect gift commeth from above ; the beasts that graze on a thousand hils are his ; the treasures of the earth are his : for from whom should wee thinke are they derived to us , but from him by whom they were created for us ? hee who never had it , how can hee give it ? but hee who hath all , guids all , governes all , and is all in all , is sole sufficient for all . hee it is then that maketh rich and maketh poore , exalteth and humbleth , sending forth his waters out of their treasuries , and all things are drowned ; shutteth them in their treasuries , and all things are dried . he it is that maketh the fruitfull barren , and the barren fruitfull . instead of the thorne shall come up the firre tree , and instead of the briter shall come up the mirtle tree , and it shall be to the lord for a name , for an everlasting signe that shall not be cut off . he it is that made heaven and earth and all things replenished heaven and earth with all things , giving man dominion , over all things , that man might be subject unto him who made all things . mow as hee gave them to man , so are they to be disposed of by man , to his glory who made man. and how is that ? not in laying land unto land with the oppressour ; nor in repairing to the house of the strange woman with the adulterer ; nor consuming your substance in excesse with the rioter ; nor hoording up vengeance against the day of wrath with the miser ; nor grinding the face of the poore with the extortioner : but rather distributing freely of that which you have , and communicating to the necessity of the saints : so shall you make to your selves friends of your unrighteous mammon , and shall be fed with manna in the courts of sionr gainefull is the use of that money , which is put out to the workes of charity ; which be it more or lesse , cannot but be exceeding great , being given with devotion , and the worke attended by singlenesse of heart and sincerity of affection ; for where a sincere will is not joyned with the worke , the worke cannot be effectuall to the doer , howsoever it may seem fruitfull to the beholder . at which sort of men , who erect sumptuous workes rather for popularity and affectation , then piety or sincere affection , the poet pleasantly glanceth ; these statues reare in publike wayes , as trophies of their love , which , as they heare , in passengers will admiration move , and gaine a fame unto their name , which may survive in them : but trust me , sirs , these workes of theirs shew them vaine-glorious men . which workes , howsoever usefull unto others , were better undone then done in respect of themselves : for to glory in our workes , doth not only derogate from our workes , but denounce upon us a greater damnation , ascribing to our selves what duly , properly , and solely ought to be attributed to the glory of god. but to draw neerer the point wee have in hand ; there is nothing that weaneth our minds more from the meditation of god and mortification to the world , then our earthly affections , which beare such sway over us , as they will not suffer those divine motions or meditations to take root in us . this is excellently shadowed in that parable of the great supper , where many guests were invited , but all with one consent began to make their excuse : the first , hee had bought a peece of ground , and hee must needs goe see it : the second had bought five yoke of oxen , and hee must goe prove them : and another had married a wife , and therefore hee could not come . these , though the fatlings be provided , the choicest dainties prepared , wherewith their hunger-starved soules might be refreshed , cannot come ; the world must detaine them , their earthly respects inchaine them , their sensuall delights restraine them : they cannot come , though often invited ; nor resort to this great supper , though all things be provided . these seldome or never take into their more serious consideration , the state of the blessed in heaven , or the state of the damned in hell. neither can the joyes of the one allure them , or the paines of the other deterre them . these will dispense with the word for the profit of the world , and enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season , deferring repentance till it be past season . saint chrysostome relateth how paulus samosetanus that arch-hereticke , for the love of a woman for-sooke his faith . saint augustine relateth divers , who denied the torments of hell to have eternity , thereby to flatter their affection with a pretended assurance of impunity . saint gregory imputeth it to avarice and covetousnesse , that many forsake their faith . these follow not the example of sundry devout men , the memory whereof is recommended unto us in holy writ ; who being possessors of lands or houses , sold them , and brought the prices of the things that were sold , and laid them downe at the apostles feet : and distribution was made unto every man according as hee had need . the like contempt , in respect of earthly substance , wee reade to have been in many noble and equally affected pagans , as crates , bisias , zeno , bias , anacreon , anacharsis ; who ▪ though they had scarce the least glimpse of an eternity , yet they dis-valued the substance of earth as the subject of vanity . but i must now draw in my sailes , and take a view of your dispositions ( gentlemen ) how you stand herein affected ; that seeking what i expect to find , i may no lesse glory in your aversion from earth , then if you were ascending iacobs ladder , to have your names enrolled in the kingdome of heaven . have yee honoured the lord with your substance , and tendred him the first fruits of his bounty ? have yee acknowledged every good thing to come from him , as from the fountaine of mercy ? have yee subjected your selves unto him , as hee hath subjected all things to your soveraignty ? have yee disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory ? have yee beene oppressors , and with good zacheus made foure-fold restitution ? have yee not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution ? have yee not hoorded up vengeance against the day of affliction ? have yee not grinded and grated the face of the poore with extortion ? have yee distributed freely , and communicated to the saints necessity ? have yee made you friends of your unrighteous mammon , and so made your selves way to the heavenly sion ? have yee done these workes of compassion with singlenesse of heart , and without affectation ? have yee beene by no earthly respect detained from comming to that great lords supper , to which you were invited ? o then in a happy state are you ! for having honoured the lord , hee will fill your barnes with plenty ; or having acknowledged all good things to bee derived from his mercy , hee will give you a fuller taste of his bounty ; or subjected your selves to his obedience , hee will cause every creature to doe you service ; or disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory , hee will exhibit his good gifts unto you more fully ; or beene oppressours , and made restitution , you shall with zacheus become vessels of election ; or not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution , you shall be safe from the doome of confusion ; or not grinded the face of the poore with extortion , the poore shall beare record of your compassion ; or distributed freely to the saints necessity , hee that seeth in secret shall reward you openly ; or made you friends of your unrighteous mammon , manna shall be your food in the heavenly sion ; or done these workes singly , and without vaine-glory , you shall be cloathed with the garment of mercy ; or not detained by the world from going to that great lords supper , yee shall be graciously admitted and exalted to honour . thus to dispose of the substance of the world , is to despise the world : preferring one meditation of the pleasures and treasures of heaven , before the possession of the whole earth : and esteeming it farre better to be one day in the house of the lord , then to be conversant in the palaces of princes . o then , yee whose generous descents and mighty estates promise comfort to the afflicted , releefe to the distressed , and an hospitable receit to all such as repaire to you for succour or comfort , minister to the necessity of the saints , be liberall and open handed to the poore , having opportunity , doe good unto all men , especially unto them who are of the household of faith ; bee exercised in the workes of the spirit and not of the flesh , so shal ye build upon a sure foundation , and in the inheritance of gods saints receive a mansion . turne not ( i say ) your eare from the cry of any poore man , lest his cry be heard , and procure vengeance to be poured on your head : pitty the moanes of the afflicted , wipe off the teares of the distressed , comfort them that mourne in sion . the ordinary forme of begging in italy , is , doe good for your owne sakes . doe good for your owne sakes , for your owne selvs , for your owne soules . no a sacrifice to god more gratefull , to your selves more usefull , or to your own soules more fruitfull , then to be zealous in all holy duties , and compassionate to the needful : b for , he that in himselfe burnes not in devotion , can never inflame another with the zeale of devotion : c neither can any one shine , unlesse before he burne : shine in the works of compassion , unlesse he burn before with the zeale of a devout affection . so as many though they be d lights in respect of their ministry or office , yet are they snuffs in respect of their use , effect or service . exhibit therefore freely of those good gifts and bounties which god hath bestowed on you , and shew your liberality now in the opportunate time ; for , as there is a time that none can worke , so there is a time when none can give : give it then in your life time , that you may expresse your charity with your own hand , and not by way of legacie : for many make good wills , which i much feare mee proceed not of good will ; being rather by the sentence of mortality inforced , then of their owne charitable disposition affected , to leave to the poore afflicted of the world , which they so exceedingly love , while they sojourned here in the world . and what shall these bountifull legacies availe them , these charitable wills profit them , when they shall make their beds in the darke , and enter parlie with their owne consciences , whether this coacted charity of theirs proceeded from compassion or compulsion , leaving what they could no longer enjoy , and giving that which was not in their power to give ? surely , no more benefit shall this inforced charity conferre on them , then if they had sowne the sand : for fruitlesse is that worke which deriveth not her ground from a pure intention or sanctified will. in the easterne countries , they put coine in the dead mans hand , to provide for him after his departure hence . the like provision carry these along with them to their graves , who deferre giving , till they cannot give , making their executors their almoners , who many times defeate the poore , or number themselves in bead-roll of the poore , whereby they gull the deceased , enriching their owne coffers with the poore mans box . o gentlemen , you whose corps are followed with many mourners , and oft-times inward rejoycers ; send out those sweet odours of a good and devout life before you ; dispense and dispose faithfully , in whatsoever the lord above others hath enriched you ; deferre not your charity to your death , lest you be prevented of your charity by death ; bethinke your selves how you would be provided if that great master of accounts were this houre to call you before him , and make your reckoning with him ; would you not bee glad ; your conscience told you , how you had beene faitfull disposers or imployers of those talents , which were delivered to you ? would not your hearts rejoyce within you to have such a testimony , as the witnesse of an undefiled or spotlesse conscience within you ? would it not intraunce you with an exceeding joy , to heare that happy and heavenly approbation , well done , good and faithfull servants , you have beene faithfull over a few things , i will make you rulers over many things : enter yee into the joy of your lord ? if this could not choose but joy you , so dispose of your earthly mammon , that you may be partakers of this surpassing joy in the courts of sion . and so i descend to the last branch of this last observation , expressing that object of ineffable consolation , whereto this active perfection aspireth , and that spirituall repose of heavenly solace and refection , wherein it solely and properly resteth . man is borne unto trouble , as the sparkes fly upward , being here a sojourner in the inn of this world ; and drawing every day neerer and neerer the end of his pilgrimage ; where mans life is the travellers embleme ; his forme of living , the very mirrour of his sojourning ; his home returning , the type or figure of his dissolving . in which progresse or journall of man , by how much more the sun-diall of his life proceedeth , by so much neerer the night-shade of death approacheth . yet , behold the misery of man ! his desires are daily to disquiet and disturbe himselfe : for shew me that man howsoever affected , or in what degree soever placed , whose desires are so firmely fixed , as his mind is not troubled in the pursuit of that whereto his aymes are directed . for to begin with the highest , because his thoughts are ever aspiring'st ; doth the ambitious man ayme at honour or preferment ? behold , he purposeth with himselfe to gaine or attaine such a place under his prince , not so much for his owne ends ( as he pretendeth ) but to be usefull to his friends , and behovefull to his countrey ; but since that houre , he entertained the first infant thoughts of ambition , hee hath felt sufficiently the danger of that infection : reaping no other fruits but distractions , in respect of competitors , or want of enjoying himselfe , being pestred by multitude of sutors . or , is he covetous ? there is nothing which he eyes or beholds upon this vniverse , tending to profit , or promising hope of profit , which hee presently conveyes not to his heart , coveting whatsoever hee sees , and seeing nothing that he doth not covet : hee tumbles and tosses , and will not suffer his eyes to slumber , but like miserable menedemus in terence , or greedy gripus in plautus , hee afflicts and torments himselfe , making his owne desires his owne disquiets . or , is hee voluptuous ? his fond affection procures in him this phrensie or distraction : hee goes to the house of the strange woman , gives eare to her incantation , sports with ismael , lusts after her beauty in his heart : and is taken with her eye lids ; yet see how sensuality brings him to misery ! by meanes of this whorish woman , hee is brought to a peece of bread : and the adulteresse will hunt after his precious life : but to passe over these , and take a view of such whose course of life seemes better disposed , then to converse with the world , either by ambitiously aspiring to honours , the great mans darling ; or by too eager a pursuit after riches , the worldlings mammon ; or by too hot a quest after pleasure , the wantons minion . for to reflect a little upon the aymes of such who affect contemplation , and every day better their knowledge in the serious or exquisite search of the natures , vertues , or operations of all creatures ; wee shall find , to use the words of salomon , that even in these there is vanity and affliction of spirit : for , howsoever wisedome raines downe skill and knowledge of understanding , exalting them to honour that hold her fast ; yet salomons conclusion after the search of wisdome and folly , is definitively this ; in much wisdome is much griefe : and hee that increaseth knowledge , increaseth sorrow . for should man labour to engrosse all learning , knowledge and wisdome , his labour were but vaine , and his search fruitlesse ; seeing he , whose understanding was deepest , conceit quickest , and wisdome greatest of all them that were before him in ierusalem , hath thus concluded : all this i have proved by wisdome ; i said , i would be wise , but it was farre from me . adding the reason hereof ; that which is farre off , and exceeding deepe , who can find it out ? for be our search never so curious , our desire covetous in the pursuit of knowledge , wee shall find by daily experience our own weaknesse : where , though our wils be strengthned , our abilities are weakned , being ever more hopefull in our undertakings , then powerfull in our performance ; yea , it is a property inherent to us , and naturally ingraffed in us , to have an itching desire of knowing all things , but of doing nothing : yet neither in knowledge nor action may wee satisfie our desire or affection : vaine and endlesse therefore is our search in the former , as weake and fruitlesse is our pursuit of the latter . there is no end of writing many bookes , no end of reading many bookes , no end of storing our libraries with many bookes : for under the cover of these , much covetousnesse oft-times lurketh . these are not of that inestimable price , ( though they containe much spirituall comfort ) as may fully store or enrich the heart ; fully replenish or satisfie the heart ; fully settle or establish the heart : for where the desires of the heart are not fulfilled , how can shee hold her selfe sufficiently enriched ? or where her desires are not accomplished , how may shee rest satisfied ? or being not there seated , where her desires are settled ; how can shee bee quieted ? hence it is , that a devout father compares his heart unto a mil ; for as a mil ( saith he ) swiftly wheeleth and turneth about and refuseth nothing , but whatsoever is put upon it , it grindeth : but if nothing be put upon it , it consumes it selfe : so is my unstable heart alwayes in motion , and never resteth : but whether i sleep or wake , it dreameth and thinketh of whatsoever it encountreth . can then neither honour , nor wealth , nor pleasure satisfie his unconfined heart ? can neither honours surprize her , wealth enjoy her , nor pleasure intraunce her ? no : these are vanity , and lighter then vanity , receiving their true colour from the poet , who bestoweth on them this portraiture ; wealth is a wave , honour a bait of death , catching at which were catcht and choak't therewith . for tell me , is not the ambitious man as fearefull to incurre disgrace , after hee is received to his princes favour , as hee was jealous of a competitor before hee got into favour ? againe , is not the miserable rich man , who reposeth all comfort in his substance , all his consolation in his riches , as fearefull to lose what hee already enjoyes , as hee was doubtfull of prevention in what hee now enjoyes ? or is not the voluptuous carnall man , whose onely delight is daliance with his perfidious dalilah , stinged with as much griefe after his desires are satisfied , as hee was stirred with delight before his pleasures were effected ? or is not the contemplative man , whose aimes being higher , should tender him content in fuller measure , afflicted in mind , when hee finds himselfe come short in knowledge of what hee expected , and reads every day something which hee never before observed ? what content then in these flourishing may-buds of vanity , which in repentance and affliction of spirit , doe onely shew their constancy ? so as one well observeth , if man should not be afflicted by god , yet should hee be afflicted by himselfe ; consuming himselfe with his owne envie , rancour , and other distempered affections , which have more fury and torment attending on them , then the evill it selfe which procureth them . yet behold the wretched condition of unhappy man ! though neither honour bee permanent , nor from perill freed ; nor riches prevalent to make him after death the better friended , nor pleasures so excellent , as to free him from affliction when they are ended : yet are they for most part preferred before those heavenly honours which are ever permanent , and never altering ; before those incorruptible riches , which inrich the soule after death without decreasing ; and before those ineffable pleasures , where neither desires breeds longing , nor satiety loathing . so as , i cannot more fitly compare the actions of these sensuall affected men , then with that childish act of the emperour honorius , who taking especiall delight in a hen called roma : upon a time understanding , by report of such as told him , that roma was lost , he exceedingly lamented : whereupon some of his familiar friends , and such as were neere-him , noting his terrour ; it is not your hen that is lost , but your citie roma , that is taken by alaricus king of the gothes . wherewith comming a little to himselfe , hee seemed to beare with much more patience the surprize of the one , then the losse of the other . o childish simplicity ! you say well ; yet the like is in us . wee cannot endure that any one should steale from us our silver ; yet either honour , riches , or pleasure may have free leave to steale away our heart . wee would by no meanes be defrauded of our treasure ; yet it troubles us little to be depraved with errour . wee avoid the poysons of the body , but not of the mind ; intending more the diet of the body , then the discipline of the mind . since then , in these externall desires , this actuall perfection , whereof wee have formerly treated , may receive no true rest or repose , for to those it only aspireth , wherein it resteth ; wee must search higher for this place of peace , this repose of rest , this heavenly harbour of divine comfort : wee are to seeke it then while we are here upon earth , yet not on earth : would you know , what this soveraigne or absolute end is , wherein this actuall perfection solely resteth , wherein the heart onely glorieth , and to the receiver , long life , with comfort in abundance amply promiseth ? hearken to the words of iesus the sonne of sirach : it is a great glory to follow the lord , and to bee received of him is long life : nor skils it much , how worldlings esteeme of us ; for , perhaps , they will judge it folly to see us become weaned from delights or pleasures of the world ; to see us embrace a rigorous or austere course of life , to dis-esteem the pompe and port of this present world . this ( i say ) they will account foolishnesse ; but blessed are they who deserve to be of that number , which the world accounts for fooles , god for wise men . but miserable is the state of those forlorne worldlings , whose cheefest aime is to circumvent or intrap their brethren , making their highest aimes their owne ends , and accounting bread eaten in secret to bee the savourest , and stolne waters the sweetest : for these never drinke of their own cisterne , or feed of the flesh of their owne fold ; but partake in the spoile of others , yet wipe their mouthes as if they were innocent : but behold this haman-policy shall make them spectacles of finall misery , wishing many times they had been lesse wise in the opinion of the world , so they had relished of that divine wisdome , which makes man truly happy in another world ; even that wisdome ( i say ) who hath built an everlasting foundation with men , and shall continue with their seed : neither can this divine wisdome chuse but bee fruitfull , standing on so firme a root , or the branches dry , receiving life and heat from so faire a root . now to describe the beauty of her branches springing from so firme a root ; with the solidity of her root , diffusing pith to her branches : the root of wisdome ( saith the wise son of sirach ) is to feare the lord , and the branches thereof are long life . this feare , where it takes root , suffers no wordly feare to take place . many worldlings become wretched , onely through feare lest they should bee wretched ; and many die , onely through feare lest they should dy : but with these , who are grounded in the feare of the lord , they neither feare death , being assured that it imposeth an end to their misery ; nor the miseries of this present life , being ever affied on the trust of gods mercy . how constantly , zealously , and gloriously many devout men have died , and upon the very instant of their dissolution expostulated with their owne soules , reproving in themselves their unwillingnesse to die ; may appeare by the examples of such ; whose lives as they were to god right pleasing , so were their soules no lesse precious in their departing : upon some whereof , though i have formerly insisted , yet in respect that such memorable patternes of sanctity cannot be too often represented , i thought good purposely ( as usually i have done in all the series of this present discourse , where any remarkeable thing was related , to have it in divers places repeated ) to exemplifie this noble resolution or contempt of death , in the proofe and practice of some one or two blessed saints and servants of god. ierome writeth of hilarion , that being ready to give up the ghost , hee said thus to his soule ; goe forth my soule , why fearest thou ? goe forth , why tremblest thou ? thou hast served christ almost these threescore & ten yeares , and doest thou now feare death ? saint ambrose when hee was ready to die , speaking to stillico and others about his bed ; i have not lived so among you ( saith hee ) that i am ashamed to live longer to please god : and yet againe i am not afraid to die , because wee have a good lord. the reverend bede , whom wee may more easily admire , than sufficiently praise for his profound learning , in a most barbarous age , when all good literature was in contempt , being in the pangs of death , said to the standers by ; i have so lived among you that i am not ashamed of my life , neither feare i to die , because i have a most gracious redeemer . hee yeelded up his life with this prayer for the church ; o king of glory , lord of hostes , which hast triumphantly ascended into heaven , leave us not fatherlesse , but send the promised spirit of thy truth amongst us . these last funerall teares , or dying mens hymnes , i have the rather renued to your memory , that they might have the longer impression , being uttered by dying men , at the point of their dissolution . and i know right well ( for experience hath informed me sufficiently therein ) that the words of dying men are precious even to strangers ; but when the voice of one wee love , and with whom wee did familiarly live , cals to us from the death-bed , o what a conflict doe his words raise ! how strongly do griefe and affection strive to inclose them ! knowing that in a short space , that tongue , the organs whereof yet speak , and move attention by their friendly accents , was to bee eternally tied up in silence , nor should the sound of his words salute our cares any more : and certainly , the resolution of a devout dying man , being upon the point of his dissolution , cannot but bee an especiall motive to the hearer , of mortification . which was one cause , even among the heathens , of erecting statues , obelisks , or monuments upon the dead ; that eying the sepulchers of such noble and heroick men as had their honour laid in the dust , they might likewise understand , that neither resolution of spirit , nor puissance of body could free them from the common verdict of mortality : which begot in many of them a wonderfull contempt of the world . albeit it is to bee understood , that christians doe contemne the world much otherwise than pagans : for ambition is a guide to these , but the love of god unto them . diogenes trod upon plato's pride with much greater selfe-pride : but the christian with patience and humility surmounteth and subdueth all wordly pride ; being of nothing so carefull , as lest hee should taste the lotium of earthly delights , and so become forgetfull with vlysses companions of his native countrey . meane time he sojournes in the world , not as a citizen , but as a guest , yea as an exile . but to returne to our present discourse now in hand ; in this quest after that soveraigne or supreme end whereto all actuall perfection aspireth , and wherein it resteth , wee are to consider three things : . what is to bee sought : . where it is to be sought : . when it is to be sought . for the first , wee are to understand that wee are to seeke onely for that , the acquisition whereof is no sooner attained , than the minde , whose flight is above the pitch of frailty , is fully satisfied . now that is a blessed life , when what is best , is effected and enjoyed : for there can bee no true rest to the minde in desiring , but partaking what she desireth . what is it then that wee seeke ? to drinke of the water of life ; where our thirst may bee so satisfied , as it never be renued ; our desires so fulfilled , as never higher or further extended . hee that hath once tasted of the fountaine named clitorius fons ( and choice is the taste of such a fountaine ) will never drinke any wine ; no wine mixed with the dregs of vanity , no wine drawne from the lees of vaine-glory : the reason is , hee reserves his taste for that new wine , which hee is to drinke in his fathers kingdome . and what kingdome ? the kingdome of heaven ; a kingdome most happy , a kingdome wanting death , and without end ; enjoyng a life that admits no end . and what life ? a life vitall , a life sempiternall , and sempiternally joyfull , and what joy ? a joy without sorrowing , rest without labouring , dignity without trembling , wealth without losing , health without languishing , abundance without failing , life without dying , perpetuity without corrupting , blessednesse without afflicting , where the sight & vision of god is seene face to face . and what god ? god the sole sufficient , summary , supreme good : that good which we require alone ; that god who is good alone . and what good ? the trinity of the divine persons is this summary good , which is seene with purest mindes . the heart triangle-wise resembleth the image of the blessed trinity ; which can no more by the circumference of the world bee confined than a triangle by a circle is to bee filled . so as the circular world cannot fill the triangular heart , no more than a circle can fill a triangle ; still there will bee some empty corners : it saies , so long as it is fixed on the world , sheol , it is never enough : but fixed on her maker , her onely mover , on her sweet redeemer , her dearest lover , she chants out cheerefully this hymne of comfort ; there is no condemnation to them which are in christ iesus . she then may rest in peace . and what peace ? a peace which passeth all understanding . shee then may embrace her love. and what love ? a love constantly loving . shee then may enjoy life . and what life ? a life eternally living . shee then may receive a crowne . and what crowne ? a crowne gloriously shining . this crowne ( saith s. peter ) is undefiled , which never fadeth away . the greeke words which s. peter useth , are latine words also ; and they are not only appellatives , being the epithetes of this crowne , but also propers ; the one proper name of a stone , the other of a flower : for isidore writeth , there is a precious stone called amiantus , which , though it bee never so much soiled , yet it can never at all bee blemished ; and being cast into the fire , it is taken out still more bright and cleane . also clemens writeth , that there is a flower called amarantus , which being a long time hung up in the house , yet still is fresh and greene . to both which , the stone and the flower , the apostle , as may bee probably gathered , alludeth in this place . here then you see , what you are to seeke . for are your desires unsatisfied ? here is that which may fulfill them . are your soules thirsty ? here is the well of life to refresh them : would you bee kings ? here is a kingdome provided for you . would you enjoy a long life ? a long life shall crowne you , and length of daies attend you . would you have all goodnesse to enrich you ? enjoying god , all good things shall bee given you . would you have salvation to come unto your house and secure you ? rest you in christ iesus , and no condemnation shall draw neere you . would you have your consciences speake peace unto you ? the god of peace will throughout establish you . would you have your constant'st love ever attend you ? he who gave himself for you , will never leave you . would you have him live for ever with you ? leave loving of the world , so shall hee live ever with you and in you . would you have a crowne conferred on you ? a crowne of glory shall empale you . seeke then this one good wherein consisteth all goodnesse , and it sufficeth . seeke this soveraigne or summary good , from whence commeth every good , and it sufficeth . for hee is the life by which wee live , the hope to which wee cleave , and the glory which wee desire to obtaine . for if dead , hee can revive us ; if hopelesse and helpelesse , he can succour us ; if in disgrace , he can exalt us . him then only are wee to seeke , who , when wee were lost , did seeke us ; and being found , did bring us to his sheepe-fold . and so i descend from what wee are to seeke , to where wee are to seeke , that seeking him where hee may bee found , wee may at last finde him whom wee so long have sought . for the second , wee are to seeke it while wee are on earth , but not upon earth , for earth cannot containe it . it is the philosophers axiom , that which is finite may not comprehend that which is infinite . now that supreme or soveraigne end , to which this actuall perfection is directed , whereto it aspireth , and wherein it resteth , is by nature infinite : end without end , beginning and end , imposing to every creature a certaine , definite , or determinate end . the sole solace of the soule , being onely able to fill or satisfie the soule , without which all things in heaven or under heaven , joyned and conferred together , cannot suffice the soule : so boundlesse her extent , so infinite the object of her content . how should earth then containe it , or to what end should wee on earth seeke it ; seeing whatsoever containeth , must of necessity bee greater than that which is contained ? but earth being a masse of corruption , how should it confine or circumscribe incorruption ? seeing nothing but immortality can cloath the soule with glory , it is not the rubbish or refuse of earth that may adde to her beauty . besides , the soule while it so journes here in this earthly mansion , shee remaines as a captive inclosed in prison . what delights then can bee pleasing , what delicates relishing to the palate of this prisoner ? shee is an exile here on earth : what society then can bee cheerefull to one so carefull of returning to her countrey ? if captives restrained of their liberty , exiles estranged from their countrey , can take no true content either in their bondage , bee it never so attempred ; nor in that exile , bee they never so attended , how should the soule apprehend the least joy , during her abode on earth ? where the treasure is , there is the heart : her treasure is above , how can her heart bee here below ? mortality cannot suit with immortality , no more can earth with the soule . whereto then bee the motions of our soule directed ? to him that gave it ; no inferiour creature may suffice her , no earthly object satisfie her , nothing subject to sense fulfill her . in heaven are those heavenly objects , wherewith her eye rests satisfied ; in heaven are those melodious accents , wherewith her eare rests solaced ; in heaven those choicest odours , wherewith her smell is cherished , in heaven those tastefull'st dainties , wherewith her soule is nourished ; in heaven those glorious creatures , wherewith her selfe is numbred . what difference then betwixt the satiety and saturity of heaven , and the penurie and poverty of earth ? here all things are full of labour , man cannot utter it : the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the eare filled with hearing : whereas in heaven there is length of daies , and fulnesse of joy without ending . and wherein consists this fulnesse ? even in the sweet and comfortable sight of god. but who hath seene god at any time ? to this , blessed augustine answers excellently : albeit ( saith hee ) that summary and incommutable essence , that true light , that indeficient light , that light of angels , can bee seene by none in this life , being reserved for a reward to the saints onely in the heavenly glory ; yet to beleeve , and understand , and feele , and ardently desire it , is in some sort to see and possesse it . now , if wee will beleeve it , though our feet bee on earth , our faith must bee in heaven : or understand it , wee must so live on earth , as if our conversation were in heaven : or feele it , wee must have so little feeling of the delights of this life , as our delight may bee wholly in heaven : or desire it , wee must hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , to direct us in the way which leadeth to heaven . it cannot be ( saith a devout holy man ) that any one should die ill , who hath lived well . wee are then to labour by a zealous , religious , and sincere life , to present our selves blamelesse before the lord at his comming . o if wee knew ( and grosse is our ignorance if wee know it not ) that whatsoever it sought besides god , possesseth the mind , but satisfies it not ! wee would have recourse to him , by whom our minds might bee as well satisfied as possessed . but great is our misery , and miserable our stupidity , who , when wee may gaine heaven with lesse paines then hell , will not draw our foot backe from hell , nor step one foot forward towards the kingdome of heaven . yea , when wee know , that it pleaseth the divell no lesse when wee sinne , then it pleaseth god to heare us sigh for sinne ; yet will wee rather please the divell by committing sin , then please god by sending out one penitent sigh for our sinne . for behold , what dangers will men expose themselves unto , by sea and land , to increase their substance ! againe , for satisfaction of their pleasures , what tasks will they undertake , no lesse painefull then full of perill ! a little expectance of penitentiall pleasure can make the voluptuous man watch all the night long , when one houre of the night to pray in would seeme too too long . early and late , to enrich his carelesse heire , will the miserable wretch addresse himselfe to all slavish labour , without once remembring either early or late to give thankes to his maker . without repose or repast will the restlesse ambitious sparke , whose aimes are onely to be worldly great , taske himselfe to all difficulties to gaine honour , when even that which so eagerly hee seekes for , oft-times bring ruine to the owner . here then you see where you are to seeke : not on earth , for there is nought but corruption ; but in heaven , where you may bee cloathed with incorruption : not on earth , for there you are exiles ; but in heaven , where you may be enrolled and infranchised citizens : not on earth the grate of misery , but in heaven the goale of glory . in briefe , would you have your hearts lodged , where your treasures are locked ; all your senses seated , where they may be fully sated ; your eye with delightfull'st objects satisfied , your eare with melodious accents solaced ; your smell with choicest odours cherished , your taste with chiefest dainties relished , your selves , your soules amongst those glorious creatures registred ? fix the desires of your heart on him , who can onely satisfie your heart ; set your eye on him , whose eye is ever upon you , and in due time will direct you to him ; intend your eare to his law , which can best informe you , and with divinest melody cheere you ; follow him in the smell of his sweet ointments , and hee will comfort you in your afflictions ; taste how sweet hee is in mercy , and you shall taste sweetnesse in the depth of your misery : become heavenly men ; so of terrestriall angels you shall bee made angels in heaven , where , by the spirituall union of your soules , you shall bee united unto him who first gave you soules . and so i come to the third and last ; when wee are to seeke , lest seeking out of time , wee be excluded from finding what wee seeke , for want of seeking in due time . if words spoken in season bee like apples of gold with pictures of silver ; sure i am , that our actions being seasonably formed or disposed , cannot but adde to our soules much beauty and lustre . to every thing there is a season , and a time to every purpose under the heaven : which season neglected , the benefit accruing to the worke is likewise abridged . there is a time to sow , and a time to reape : and sow wee must before wee reape ; sow in teares , before wee reape in joy . seeke we must before we find ; for unlesse wee seeke him while hee may be found , seeke may wee long ere wee have him found . after the time of our dissolution from earth , there is no time admitted for repentance to bring us to heaven . hoc momentum est de quo pendet aeternitas . either now or never ; and if now , thrice happy ever . which is illustrated to us by divers similitudes , examples and parables in the holy scripture : as in esau's birth-right , which ( once sold ) could not be regained by many teares ; and in the parable of dives and lazarus , where abraham answered dives , after hee had beseeched him to send lazarus that hee might dip the tip of his finger in water , and coole his tongue ; sonne , remember that thou in thy life-time received'st thy good things , and likewise lazarus evill things : but now hee is comforted , and thou art tormented . and in the parable of the ten virgins , where the five foolish virgins tooke their lamps , and tooke no oile with them ; but the wise tooke oile in their vessels with their lamps ; and when the bridegroome came , those that were ready , went in with him , and were received : but those foolish ones who were unprovided , though they came afterwards , crying , lord , lord , open unto us , could not be admitted . for know , deare christian , and apply it to thy heart , ( for knowledge without use , application or practice , is a fruitlesse and soule-beguiling knowledge ; ) that hee who promiseth forgivenesse to thee repenting , hath not promised thee to morrow to repent in . why therefore deferrest thou till to morrow , when thou little knowest but thou maist die before to morrow ? this day , this houre is the opportunate season ; take hold of it then , lest thou repent thee when it is past season . man hath no interest in time save this very instant , which hee may properly terme his ; let him then so imploy this instant of time , as hee may be heire of eternity , which exceeds the limit of time . let us worke now while it is day , for the night commeth when no man can worke . why therefore stand wee idling ? why delay we our conversion ? why cry wee with the sluggard , yet a little , and then a little , and no end of that little ? why to morrow , and to morrow , and no end of to morrow , being as neere our conversion to day as to morrow ? why not to day , as well as to morrow , seeing every day bringeth with it her affliction , both to day and to morrow ? meet it is then , for us to make recourse to the throne of mercy in the day of mercy , and before the evill day come , lest wee be taken , as hee who beat his fellow servants , when the great master of the houshold shall come . o earth , earth , earth , heare the word of the lord ! earth by creation , earth by condition , earth by corruption . remember now thy creator in the dayes of thy youth , while the evill dayes come not , nor the yeeres draw nigh , when thou shalt say , i have no pleasure in them . while the sunne , or the light , or the moone , or the starres that bee not darkened , nor the clouds returne after the raine . in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble , and the strong men shall bow themselves , and the grinders cease , because they are few , and those that looke out of the windowes be darkened : and the doores shall be shut in the streets , when the sound of the grinding is low , and hee shall rise up at the voice of the bird , and all the daughters of musicke shall bee brought low . also when they shall be afraid of that which is high , and feares shall bee in the way , and the almond tree shall flourish , and the grashopper shall bee a burden , and desire shall faile : because man goeth to his long home , and the mourners goe about the streets . or ever the silver coard be loosed , or the golden bowle bee broken , or the pitcher bee broken at the fountaine , or the wheele broken at the cisterne . then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was , and the spirit shall returne unto god who gave it . hence then are wee warned not to deferre time , lest wee neglect the opportunate time , the time of grace ; which neglected , miserable shall wee be , when from hence dissolved . yea , but will some object ; true repentance is never too late : which is most true ; but againe i answer , that late repentance is seldome true . repent then while ye have time ; for as in hell there is no redemption , so after death there is no time admitted for repentance . o remember that a wounded conscience none can heale ; so that , like as the scorpion hath in her the remedy of her owne poyson ; so the evill man carrieth alwayes with him the punishment of his owne wickednesse , the which doth never leave to torment and afflict his mind both sleeping and waking . so as , the wicked man is oft-times forced to speake unto his conscience , as ahab said to eliah , hast thou found mee , o mine enemy ? now there is no better meanes to make peace with our consciences , then to set god continually before our eyes , that his spirit may witnesse to our spirits , that wee are the children of grace . wherein many offend daily , who promise to themselves security , either by sinning subtilly or secretly : subtilly , as in dazling or deluding the eyes of the world with pretended sanctity , and concluding with the poet ; that i may just and holy seeme , and so the world deceive , and with a cloud my cunning shroud , is all that i doe crave . but such hypocrites will god judge , and redouble the viols of his wrath upon their double sinne . secretly , when man in the foolishnesse of his heart committeth some secret sinne , and saith , who seeth him ? there is none looking thorow the chinke to se mee , none that can heare me , but simple fooles : how much are these deceived ? is there any darkenesse so thicke and palpable , that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the piercing eye of heaven cannot spie thee through it ? o if thou hope by firming secretly , to sin securely , thou shalt be forced to say unto thy god , as ahab said unto elijah , hast thou found mee , o mine enemy ? nay , o god terrible and dreadfull , thou hast found mee . and then let mee aske thee in the same termes that the young gallant in erasmus asked his wanton mistresse ; art thou not ashamed to doe that in the sight of god and witnesse of holy angels , which thou art ashamed to doe in the sight of men ? art thou so afraid of disgrace with men , and little carest whether thou be or no in the state of grace with god ? art thou more jealous of the eyes of men , who have but power onely to asperse a blemish on thy name , or inflict a temporall punishment on thy person , then of his , who hath power to throw both thy soule and body into the burning lake of perdition ? it was a pretty saying of epicurus in seneca ; whereto are offences safe , if they cannot bee secure ? or what availes it guilty men to find a place to lye hid in , when they have no confidence in the place where they lye hid in ? excellent therefore was the counsell of zealous bernard , and sententious seneca , that wee should alwayes , as in a mirrour , represent unto our eyes the example of some good man ; and so to live as if he did alwayes see us , alwayes behold us : for wee , who know that the eyes of god are upon all the wayes of men , and that no place so remote , no place so desart or desolate , as may divide us from his all-seeing presence , ought to be in all our workes so provident and circumspect , as if god were present before our eyes , as in truth hee his . and therefore prudentius in one of his hymnes gives this memorandum ; thinke with thy selfe , if thou from sinne would free thee , be 't day or night , that god doth ever see thee . o then let us fix our thoughts upon god here on earth , that wee may gloriously fix our eyes upon him in heaven ! let us so meditate of him here on earth , that wee may contemplate him there in heaven ! so repent us to have dishonoured him here on earth , that wee may be honoured by him in heaven ! let us become humble petitioners unto him , and prostrate our selves before his foot-stoole : of whom if wee begge life , his hand is not so shortned , as it will not save ; his eare so closely stopped , as it will not heare . it is reported that when a poore man came to dionysius the tyrant , and preferred his petition unto him standing , the imperious tyrant would not give eare unto him ; whereupon this poore petitioner , to move him to more compassion , fell downe prostrate at his feet , and with much importunity obtained his suit : after all this , being demanded by one why hee did so ; i perceived ( quoth he ) dionysius to have his eares in his feet , wherefore i was out of hope to be heard till i fell before his feet . but god , who intendeth rather the devotion of the heart , then the motion of the hand , or prostration of the body , will heare us , if wee aske faithfully , and open unto us , if wee knock constantly , and having fought a good fight , crowne us victoriously . thus you have heard what wee are to seeke , where wee are to seeke , and when wee are to seeke . what ; a kingdome , not of earth , but of heaven . where ; not on earth , nor in earth , but in heaven . when ; while wee are here on earth , that after earth we may raigne in heaven . what ; a garden inclosed , a spring shut up , a fountaine sealed . what ; a crowne of righteousnesse , a precious pearle , a hid treasure . what ; wisdome , health , wealth , beauty , liberty , and all through him who is all in all . aristippus was wont to say , that hee would goe to socrates for wit , but to dionysius for money : whereas this wee seeke , and seeking hope to enjoy , confers upon us the rich treasures of wisdome , and abundance of riches for evermore . for , first seeke wee the kingdome of heaven , and the righteousnesse thereof , and all things else shall bee ministred unto us . secondly , where wee are to seeke . where ; in heaven , the house of god , the citie of the great king , the inheritance of the just , the portion of the faithfull , the glory of sion . where ; not without us , but within us ; for the kingdome of god is within us . so as i may say to every faithfull soule , intus habes quod quaeris ; that is within thee , which is sought of thee . it is god thou seekest , and him thou possessest ; thy heart longeth after him , and right sure thou art of him , for his delight is to bee with those that love him . lastly , when ; on earth : when ; in this life : when ; while wee are in health ; while wee are in these tabernacles of clay ; while wee carry about us these earthly vessels ; while wee are clothed with flesh ; before the evill day come ; or the night approach ; or the shadow of death encompasse us ; now in the opportunate time , the time of grace , the time of redemption , the appointed time , while our peace may bee made : not to deferre from youth to age , lest wee bee prevented by death before wee come to age ; but so to live every day , as if wee were to dye every day , that at last wee may live with him who is the length of daies . what remaineth then , but that wee conclude the whole series or progresse of this discourse with an exhortation to counsell you , an instruction to caution you ; closing both in one conclusion to perswade you to put in daily practice , what already hath beene tendred to you . now , gentlemen , that i may take a friendly farewell of you ; i am to exhort you to a course vertuous , which among good men is ever held most generous . let not , o let not the pleasures of sinne for a season , withdraw your mindes from that exceeding great weight of glory kept in store for the faithfull , after their passage from this vale of misery ! often call to minde the riches of that kingdome after which you seeke : those fresh pastures fragrant medows , and redolent fields diapred and embrodered with sweetest and choicest flowers : those blessed citizens , heavenly saints and servants of god , who served him here on earth faithfully , and now raigne with him triumphantly . let your hearts bee exditers of a good matter , and your voices viols to this heavenly measure . o how glorious things are spoken of thee thou citie of god ; as the habitation of all that rejoyce is in thee ! thou art founded on the exaltation of the whole earth . there is in thee neither old-age , nor the miserie of old-age . there is in thee neither maime , nor lame , nor crooked , nor deformed , seeing all attaine to the perfect man , to that measure of age , or fulnesse of christ. who would not become humble petitioner before the throne of grace , to bee made partaker of such an exceeding weight of glory ? secondly , to instruct you where this crowne of righteousnesse is to bee sought ; it is to bee sought in the house of god , in the temple of the lord , in the sanctuary of the most high. o doe not hold it any derogation to you , to bee servants ; yea , servants of the lowest ranke , even doore-keepers in the house of the lord ! constantine the great gloried more in being a member of the church , than the head of an empire . o then , let it bee your greatest glory to advance his glory , who will make you vessels of glory ! but know , that to obey the deligths of the flesh , to divide your portion among harlots , to drinke till the wine grow red , to make your life a continued revell , is not the way to obtaine this crowne . tribulation must goe before consolation ; you must clime up to the crosse , before you receive this crowne . the israelites were to passe thorow a desart , before they came to canaan . this desart is the world , canaan heaven . o who would not bee here afflicted , that hee may bee there comforted ! who would not be here crossed , that hee may bee there crowned ! who would not with patience passe thorow this desart , onely in hope to come to canaan ! canaan , the inheritance of the just ; canaan , the lot of the righteous ; canaan , a fat land flowing with milke and honey ; canaan , an habitation , of the most holy ; canaan , a place promised to abraham ; canaan , the bosome of father abraham , even heaven ; but not the heaven of heaven , to which even the earth it selfe is the very empyraean heaven , for this is heaven of heaven to the lord : because knowne to none but to the lord. thirdly , and lastly , that i may conclude , and concluding perswade you ; neglect not this opportunate time of grace that is now offered you . i know well , that gentlemen of your ranke cannot want such witty consorts , as will labour by their pleasant conceits to remove from you the remembrance of the evill day : but esteeme not those conceits for good , which strive to estrange from your conceit the chiefest good . let it bee your task every day , to provide your selves against the evill day ; so shall not the evill day , when it commeth affright you , nor the terrours of death prevaile against you , nor the last summons perplex you , nor the burning lake consume you . o what sharpe , extreme , and insuperable taskes would those wofull tormented soules take upon them , if they might bee freed but one houre from those horrours which they see , those tortures which they feele ! o then while time is graunted you , omit no time , neglect no opportunity ! bee instant in season and out of season , holding on in the race which is set before you , and persevering in every good work even unto the end . because they that continue unto the end , shall bee saved , what is this life but a minute , and lesse than a minute in respect of eternity ? yet if this minute bee well imployed , it will bring you to the fruition of eternity . short and momentany are the afflictions of this life ; yet supported with patience , and subdued with long sufferance , they crowne the sufferer with glory endlesse . short likewise are the pleasures of this life , which as they are of short continuance , so bring they forth no other fruit than the bitter pils of repentance : whereas in heaven there are pleasures for evermore , comforts for evermore , joyes for evermore : no carnall , but cordiall joy : no laughter of the body , but of the heart : for though the righteous sorrow , their sorrow ends when they end , but joy shall come upon them without end . o meditate of these in your beds , and in your fields ; when you are journeying on the way , and when you are so journing in your houses : where compare your court-dalliance with these pleasures , and you shall finde all your rioting , triumphs and revelling , to bee rather occasions of sorrowing than solacing , mourning than rejoycing ! bathe you in your stoves , or repose you in your arbours , these cannot allay the least pang of an afflicted conscience . o then so live every day , as you may die to sin every day ! that as you are ennobled by your descent on earth , you may bee ennobled in heaven after your descent to earth . laus deo. totum hoc ut à te veniet , totur● ad te redeat . a gentleman is a man of himselfe , without the addition of either taylor , millener , seamster or haberdasher . actions of goodnesse he holds his supreme happinesse : the fate of a yonger brother cannot depresse his thoughts below his elder . hee scornes basenesse more than want ; and holds noblenesse his sole worth . a crest displayes his house , but his owne actions expresse himselfe . hee scornes pride , as a derogation to gentry ; and walks with so pure a soule , as hee makes uprightnesse the honour of his family . hee wonders at a profuse foole , that hee should spend when honest frugality bids him spare ; and no lesse at a miserable crone , who spares when reputation bids him spend . though heire of no great fortunes , yet his extensive hand will not shew it . hee shapes his coat to his cloth ; and scornes as much to bee holden , as to bee a gally-slave . hee hath been youthfull , but his maturer experience hath so ripened him , as hee hates to become either gull or cheat. his disposition is so generous , as others happinesse cannot make him repine , nor any occurrent , save sinne , make him repent . hee admires nothing more than a constant spirit , derides nothing more than a recreant condition , embraceth nothing with more intimacie , than a prepared resolution . amongst men hee hates no lesse to bee uncivill , than in his feare to godward to bee servile . education hee holds a second nature ; which ( such innate seeds of goodnesse are sowne in him ) ever improves him , seldome or never depraves him . learning hee holds not onely an additament , but ornament to gentry . no complement gives more accomplishment . hee intends more the tillage of his minde , than his ground ; yet suffers not that to grow wilde neither . hee walkes not in the clouds to his friend , but to a stranger . hee eyes the court with a vertuous and noble contemplation ; and dis-values him most , whose sense consists in sent . hee viewes the city , with a princely command of his affections . no object can with-draw him from himselfe ; or so distract his desires as to covet ought unworthily ; or so intraunce his thoughts , as to admire ought servilely . hee lives in the countrey without thought of oppression ; makes every evening his dayes ephemeris . if his neighbours field flourish , hee doth not envy it ; if it lie fit for him , hee scornes to covet it . there is not that place hee sees , nor that pleasure hee enjoyes , whereof he makes not some singular use to his owne good , and gods glory . vocation hee admits of , walking in it with so generous and religious a care , as hee makes piety his practice , acts of charity his exercise , and the benefit of others his sole solace . hee understands that neither health commeth from the clouds without seeking , nor wealth from the clods without digging . hee recommends himselfe therefore in the morning to gods protection and favour , that all the day long hee may more prosperously succeed in his labour . hee holds idlenesse to bee the very moth of mans time : day by day therefore hath hee his taske imposed , that the poison of idlenesse may bee better avoided . hee holds , as gods opportunity is mans extremity ; so mans security is the divels opportunity . hoping therefore hee feares , fearing hee takes heed , and taking heed hee becomes safe . hospitality hee holds a relique of gentry : hee harbours no passion but compassion . hee grieves no lesse at anothers losse than his owne ; nor joyes lesse in anothers successe than his owne peculiar . recreation hee useth to refresh him , but not surprize him . delights cannot divert him from a more serious occasion ; neither can any houre-beguiling pastime divide him from an higher contemplation . for honest pleasures , hee is neither so stoicall as wholly to contemne them , nor so epicureall as too sensually to affect them . there is no delight on mountaine , vale , coppice , or river , whereof hee makes not an usefull and contemplative pleasure . recreation hee admits , not to satisfie his sense , but solace himselfe . hee fixeth his minde on some other subject , when any pleasure begins too strongly to worke upon him : hee would take it , but not bee taken by it . hee attempers his attractivest pastimes with a little alloes ; to weane him all the sooner from their sweetnesse . hee scornes that a moment of content should deprive him of an eternity of comfort . hee corrects therefore his humour , in the desire of pleasure , that hee may come off with more honour . acquaintance hee entertaines with feare , but retaines with fervor . hee consorts with none , but where hee presumes hee may either better them , or bee bettered by them . vertue is the sole motive of his choice : hee conceives how no true amity , nor constant society can ever bee amongst evill men . hee holds it a blemish to the repute of a gentleman , and an aspersion to his discretion to make choice of those for his associates , who make no more account of time , than how to passe it over . conference hee affects ; and those hee admits onely into the list of his discourse , whom hee findes more reall than verball , more solid than complementall . hee will try him before hee rely on him : but having found him touch , they touch his honour that impeach him . moderation in his desires , cares , feares , or in what this theatre of earth may afford , hee expresseth so nobly , as neither love of whatsoever hee enjoyes can so enthrall him , nor the losse of what hee loves can any way appall him . a true and generous moderation of his affections , hath begot in him an absolute command and conquest of himselfe . hee smiles , yet compassionately grieves at the immoderation of poore worldlings in their cares and griefes ; at the indiscretion of ambitious and voluptuous flies in their desires and feares . perfection he aspires to ; for no lower mound can confine him , no inferiour bound impale him . vertue is the staire that raiseth to height of this story . his ascent is by degrees ; making humility his directresse , lest hee should faile or fall in his progresse . his wings are holy desires ; his feet heavenly motions . there is no sense which he offers not up as a sweet incense , to expedite his course and refresh his conscience . he holds it the sweetest life to be every day better , till length of dayes reunite him to his redeemer . hee hath plaid his part on this stage of earth with honour ; and now in his exit makes heaven his harbour . finis . an exact table , or directory , leading to the principall points contained in this booke , yovth . observat. . ovr youthfull yeares , our climactericall years ; with the dangers that attend on youthfull yeares ; seconded by an authentick story out of eusebius . p. . the vanity of youth displayed in foure distinct subjects . two reasons why young-men were not admitted to deliver their opinions in publike assemblies . . three violent passions incident to youth . two reasons why youth is naturally subject to those illimited passions of ambition , lust , revenge . ibid. especiall motives or incendiaries , tending to the increase of those passions . the proper postures of a compleate roarer . physicke prescribed , and receits applyed , to cure these maladies in youth . what choice imployments deserve entertainment from a gentleman . ib. disposition . observat. . the diversity of dispositions . pag. a probable judgement of our dispositions , drawne from the delights we affect , or company we frequent . passion the best discoverer of our disposition . ibid. discovery of dispositions in distempers . ib promotion held ever , mans best anatomy lecture . the disposition is not to be forced . what disposition ( being distinguished by three infallible markes ) is most generous : mildnesse . munificence . stoutnesse . the proper ayme or end whereto the actions of true resolution are directed : with the prudent observation of cortugall , one of the turkish princes , in his perswasive oration for the besiege of rhodes . edvcation . observat. . what education is . pag. education dilates it selfe to three subjects . ibid. our knowledge reflects upon two particulars . a profitable exhortation to all such as are drawne away by strange doctrine . two especiall errours incident to subiects of discourse ; affectation , imitation , whereof gentlemen are seriously cautioned . perswasion , being the life and efficacy of speech , consisteth on three parts . ibid the excellent morall of a bird , and a fowler . . immoderate passion , in arguments of discourse and reasoning , to be avoided education either improveth or depraveth . education , the best seasoner of action , as well as of speech , or knowledge : no lesse prevalent in arts manuall ; than actions martiall . ibid. & the admirable effects of education . ibid. how a gentleman may bee best enabled by education . ● education , the best seasoner of youth . vocation . observat. . the definition , necessity , and conveniencie of a vocation without personall exception or exemption . pag. . . vertue consists in action , time in revolution , the maze of mans life in perpetuall motion . pag. . l. three necessary considerations touching the conveniencie of a vocation ; divided and applyed . the efficacy of prayer in every vocation ; and the exercise thereof seriously recommended . ibid. we are to resist vices , by practising and doing acts of the contrary vertues . men of place , in respect of three distinct objects , are three wayes servants . . l. . men of place , of all others are least exempted from a vocation . . l. the ground of all novellisme . vocation in generall . the first invention of trades , arts , or sciences . the ancient borough of kendall ( upon serious discourse of manufacture ) worthily commended for their industry in wooll-worke : the judicious dutch-men of kes-wick , for their copper-worke . a serious survey and judicious display of all the liberall sciences . . the vocation of a gentleman in particular . the vocation of a gentleman hath imployment publike or private . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in publike affaires of state. ibid. how in chusing knights and burgesses of parliament , those are ever to be preferred , who seeke least after it : and how a too eager pursuit after offices , argues either arrogance , avarice , or weaknesse . ib. the life of man either active or contemplative . . l. . directions of reservancy , usefull to all gentlemen in their keeping of company . ibid. l. credulity , in two respects , dangerous to persons imployed in affaires of state. credulity in beleeving the relations of others . credulity in imparting his thoughts to the secrecy of others : shewed in a conceited story . . . resolution in suffering neither price to draw him , nor power to over-awe him : the one to taint him , nor the other to daunt him . disobedience punished in acts most successive . the holy war , as a consequent action of honour , recommended to the undertaking of all young gentlemen . . lin . how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in publike affaires . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in private affaires . ibid. two perillous shelfes which endanger iustice. how iustice is to be poized equally . ibid. impunity the foster-mother of all impiety . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in his owne family . every family a private common-wealth . . marg . a gentleman is so to demeane himselfe in his family , as he neither hoord up niggardly , nor lash out lavishly . . l. he is to keepe a hanke of his bounty , lest too much profusenesse bring him to misery . ib. l. he is neither to be too remisse , nor too severe in his family . ibid. how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in spirituall affaires within his family . the exercise of devotion commended , a blessing thereon pronounced , if duly performed ; which blessing is on a precept and a promise grounded . . recreation . observat. . the difference of recreations . pag. of the moderate and immoderate use of recreation . the benefit redounding from moderate recreation . the inconveniences arising from immoderate recreation . the yeare of iubile defined and described . ib. objections against stage-playes , proposed and resolved . . what honours ancient and moderne times have conferred on poets , and what bounties for their poems . . what especiall subjects are privileg'd from i●sts . who the first comedian , who the first tragedian . ibid. a wofull example of a gentlewoman , who was a continuall frequenter of stage-playes . his vindication from a traducing opinion , conceived of him touching stage-playes . ib. mar . excesse of gaming reproved . cheaters displayed ; their humours experimentally decoloured , their habit , garbe , and formall insinuation discovered . ibid. young gamesters most subject to passion . a dolefull example of one that at game used imprecation . ibid. another moderne example covertly shadowed , of one who desperately surprized with distemper of losse , poysoned himselfe . ibid an excellent morall discourse of hunting . the story of the foole of millan , and his discourse with a falconer . of recreations best sorting with the quality of a gentleman . in exercises of recreation , those onely are most approved , by whom they are with least affectation performed , and with most freedome of mind embraced . . l. the misery of duello's . an accurate discourse of valour , and how in arguments of contest or challenge , a gentleman may come off with honour . a collection and election of histories . the knowledge of our owne moderne chronicles , most beneficiall to gentlemen . . history the sweetest recreation of the mind . the judgement of god inflicted upon the actors and authors of treason , sacriledge , &c. . what good morall men have flourished in evill times . . how a gentleman is to bestow himselfe in recreation . prodigality condemned , moderation in expence , as well as in the exercise it selfe , commended . distinction of times for recreations , necessarily injoyned . no expence more pretious , then the expence of time . ibid. election of games for recreation : which conduce most to memory or retention ; which to pregnancy of conceit or apprehension . ibid. acquaintance . observat. . of the use of acquaintance . pag. mans security , the devils opportunity . . l. a display of some monasticke professors . ib. privacy no lesse perillous than society . ibid. the particular benefits derived from acquaintance , extend to discourse . advice . action . of the benefit wee reape by acquaintance in matters of discourse . ibid. of the choice of acquaintance in matters of advice . friendship resembled to the iuniper tree , whose wood is sweetest , shade coolest , and coal● hottest . ib. marg . of the benefit properly derived from one friend to another in every peculiar action . the expressive character of a reall friend . the benefits which redound from the mut●all union or communion of friends in the exercise of pleasure . all iests either festive or civill . ibid. those jests are best seasoned , that are least salted . a rule of infallible direction touching choice of acquaintance . ibid. of the choice or judicious approvement of acquaintance , in affaires of highest consequence . neither timist nor timonist are within the lists of acquaintance to be entertained . ib. the timist , or time-observer , displayed , and displaced . ibid. the timonist , or time-detracter , discovered and discarded . evil society the source of all sensuality . what directions are to bee observed in the choice of a wife . which branch hath proper relation to three choice characters , annexed to the end of this worke ; which characters are in some copies only annexed , and for some other observations hereafter reserved . the harsh and heremiticall conceit of the carthaginian arminius , touching mariage . ibid. the character of a shamelesse wanton . the character of a shamefast woman . advice in respect both of portion and proportion . . . &c. priviledges granted to such as are maried . nobility and affability hold equalli'st concurrency . ibid. l. sundry inducing motives to love recountèd . of constancy in the choice of acquaintance . who are best consorts to pray with , to play with , to converse or commerce with . l. three faculties of the vnderstanding , with their objects . of reservancy towards acquaintance . a two-fold reservancy ; in reconciling our secrets . ibid. &c. in reteining our substance . an admirable story , clozing with an unexpected catastrophe , of a prodigall gentleman , and an unconscionable creditor . . &c. of the absolute end of acquaintance . all things by course of nature have their proper end , save only suits of law , which admit no end . ibid. l. a briefe survey of acquaintance , in city , court , and countrey . learning , the moving'st inducement and exquisitest ornament of acquaintance . ibid. &c. titles formerly conferred on such as were learned ibid. the absolute aime or end of acquaintance , is either to better them , or be bettered by them . especiall offices wherein friendship and acquaintance should be exercised . ibid. what gracious effects were produced by the friendly compassion of those faithfull instruments of gods glory , in the first conversion of this kingdome . . . the flourishing state of the church , amidst many hoary winters of innovation , turbulent times of persecution . . an excellent conclusive precept recommended to all young gentlemen . ib. & moderation . observat. . moderation defined . pag. our life a medley of desires and feares . ibid. moderation of princes in their contempt of soveraignty , illustrated by an example of one of our owne . otho's resolution , who by dying had rather prove himselfe a mortall creature , than by living , load himselfe with cares of an emperour . no vertue can subsist without moderation . a review of those maine assailants of temperance , lust , ambition , gorgeousnesse in apparell , luscious fare , company keeping , &c. illustrated by divers instances . . &c. what excellent fruits are derived from temperance . conquest of a mans affections , the greatest victory . chastity the choicest ornament of youth . ibid. a distinction of degrees , conjugall , viduall , virginall . a more particular display of cheaters , with their obsequious natures , &c. wherein moderation is to be used . expence of coine . expence of time . motives to hospitality with a reclaim of our gentry from the court to their countrey . three sorts of persons encountred and reproved for their abuse or carelesse expence of time , the ambitious . voluptuous . miserable-covetous . the ambitious mans designes aptly compared to domitians catching flies , or the misty conclusions of the deluded alchymist . the voluptuous libertine misse-imployeth time in two respects ; in respect of himselfe . in respect of those good creatures , ordained for the use and service of himselfe . ibid. the covetous wretches treasury , the store-house of his misery . nothing so terrible as the approach of death to a worldling . moderation of the passions of the mind , reduced to two subjects , ioy. sorrow . ibid. the christians ioy is no carnall but a spirituall ioy. his sorrow is not a sorrow unto sinne , but a sorrow for sinne . ibid. eye is made the sense of sorrow , because the sense of sin . wherein moderation is to be limited . the occasion of all immoderation derived from those three troubled springs : concupiscence of the flesh ; concupiscence of the eye ; pride of life . excellent rules prescribed for moderating cares of the flesh . ibid. the eye , as it is the tendrest and subtillest organ of all others , so should the object wheron it is fixed , be the purest and clearest of all others . the eagle an embleme of divine contemplation . ibid. the worldlings earthly honour resembled to the bird ibis , her filthy nature . ibid. the desperate fate of an inamoured italian . ibid. l. the proud luciferians of this world similized to the chamelion , who hath nothing in his body but lungs . . lin . promotion declares what men be ; instanced in cardinall woolsey . ibid. the power of prayer expressed by these three distinct characters : it is . gods honour ; mans armour ; the devils terrour . or thus , gods oblation ; mans munition ; the devils expulsion . which pious practise , as it is gods sacrifice , so should it be mans exercise . ibid. and absolute clozing direction tending to true moderation . ibid. of the accomplished end which attends moderation . ibid. the difference betwixt the ethnicke and christian ethicke , in the opinion of felicity . the exercise of moderation reduced to a three-fold practise ; overcomming of anger , by the spirit of patience . wantonnesse , by the spirit of continence . pride , by the spirit of lowlinesse . he who useth his tongue to filthy communication , incurs a three-fold offence : in dishonouring his maker . in blemishing his soules image or feature . in ministring matter of scandall to his brether ▪ wherein true content properly consisteth those two passions or affections of desire and feare ; desire of having more than we have ; feare of losing what wee already have , may be properly said to have a three-fold respect : to the goods or endowments of mind . ibid. body . ibid. fortune . ibid. no attendant more tenderly constant to a gentlemans reputation , than moderation . moderation the best monitor in advising and advancing him to the true title of honour . perfection . observat. . no perfection in this life absolute , but graduall . pag. two considerations of maine consequence : the foe that assaults us . the friend that assists us . the christians compleate armour . ibid. the first institution of fasts , with the fruit thereof . the power of prayer : with examples of such as were most conversant in that holy exercise . ibid. & circumstances observable in workes of charity and devotion . ibid. objections and resolutions upon the ground of perfection . . lin . . &c. of the contemplative part of perfection . a corollary betwixt the heathen and christian contemplation . examples of a contemplative and r●tired life . a three-fold meditation of necessary importance : worthinesse of the soule ; vnworthinesse of earth ; thankefulnesse unto god , who made man the worthiest creature upon earth . . &c. of the active part of perfection . no contagion so mortally dangerous to the body , as corrupt company is to the soule . two especiall memorials recommended to our devoutest meditations : the author of our creation . ib. the end of our creation ib. a foure-fold creation . . lin . the fabulous and frivolous opinions of foure heathen philosophers , ascribing the creation of all things to the foure elements . . l. their arguments evinced by pregnant testimonies , both of scriptures and fathers . ibid. the end of our creation . ibid. singular precepts of mortification . idlenesse begetteth security , properly termed the soules lethargy . a christian ephemerid●s ; or his evening account . ibid. the active part of perfection , preferr'd before the contemplative . no armorie can more truly deblazon a gentleman , than acts of charity and compassion . the active preferred before the contemplative , for two respects ; the first whereof hath relation to our selves ; the second to others . . ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted ; with a comparison by way of objection and resolution , betwixt the conveniences of action and knowledge . ibid. action is the life of man , and example the direction of his life . . lin . wherein the active part of perfection consisteth . active perfection consisteth in mortification of action and affection . mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect , to these three distinct subjects : life . name . goods . illustrated with eminent examples of christian resolution , during the ten persecutions . . not the act of death , but the cause of death makes the martyr . no action , how glorious soever , can bee crowned , unlesse it bee on a pure intention grounded . ibid. mortification in respect of name or report , is two-fold : in turning our eares from such as prayse us . in hearing with patience such as revile us . scandals distinguished : and which with more patience than others may bee tolerated . . . &c. mortification in our contempt of all worldly substance : pitching upon two markeable considerations by whom these blessings are conferr'd on us . how they are to bee disposed by us . vaine-glory shuts man from the gate of glory . an exquisite connection of the precedent meditations . the absolute or supreme end whereto this actuall perfection aspireth , and wherein it solely resteth . singular patternes of mortification , in their contempt of life , and embrace of death . . the reason of his frequent repetition of sundry notable occurrences throughout this whole book : wherein sundry passages throughout this last edition have suffer'd in the obscurity of their expressions , by the omissions of their marginall authorities , digits or directions . the heart can no more by circumference of the world be confined , than a triangle by a circle filled . . lin though our feet be on earth , our faith must be in heaven . a pithy exhortation ; a powerfull instruction ; clozing with a perswasive conclusion . . a character intituled , a gentleman . the english gentlevvoman , drawne ovt to the full body : expressing what habilliments doe best attire her , what ornaments doe best adorne her , what complements doe best accomplish her . the third edition revised , corrected , and enlarged . by richard brathvvait esq. modestia , non forma . london , printed by i. dawson . . to her , whose trve love to vertve hath highly ennobled herselfe , renowned her sexe , honoured her house : the right honourable anne , countesse of pembroke ; the only daughter to a memorable father , george lord clifford , earle of cvmberland . the accomplishment of her divinest wishes . madam ; some moneths are past , since i made bold to recommend to my right honourable lord your husband , an english gentleman ; whom hee was pleased , forth of his noble disposition to receive into his protection . into whose most honourable service he was no sooner entertained , & upon due observance of his integrity approved ; then upon approvement of his more piercive judgement , hee became generally received . out of these respects , my most honourable lady , i became so encouraged , as i have presumed to preferre unto your service an english gentlewoman , one of the same countrey and family , a deserving sister of so generous a brother : or ( if you will ) a pleasing spouse to so gracious a lover . whom , if your honour shall be but pleased to entertaine ( and your noble candor is such , as shee can expect nothing lesse ) especially , seeing her exquisite feature takes life from his hand , whose family claimes affinity with your fathers house ; you shall find excellently graced with sundry singular qualities , beautified with many choice endowments , and so richly adorned with divers exquisite ornaments , as her attendance shall be no derogation to your honour , nor no touch to your unblemish'd selfe , to reteine her in your favour . the living memory of your thrice noble and heroick father , may justly exact this addressement of mine to his daughter : of whom my father sometimes held such neare dependance , being ever cheered by his countenance , and highly obliged to his goodnesse . this memoriall made mee confident of a patronesse ; and so much the rather , being to preferre a maid so complete and richly qualified , as shee could not chuse but deserve highly from the hand of so noble a mistresse . sure i am , the sweetnesse of her temper , sorts and sutes well with the quality or disposition of your honour : for shee loves without any painted pretences to be really vertuous , without any popular applause to be affably gracious , without any glorious glosse to bee sincerely zealous . her education hath so enabled her , as shee can converse with you of all places , deliver her judgement conceivingly of most persons , and discourse most delightfully of all fashions . shee hath beene so well schooled in the discipline of this age , as shee onely desires to reteine in memory that forme which is least affected but most comely ; to consort with such as may improve her knowledge and practise of goodnesse by their company ; to entertaine those for reall and individuate friends , who make actions of piety expressivest characters of their amity . diligent you shall ever find her in her imployments , serious in her advice , temperate in her discourse , discreet in her answers . shee bestowes farre more time in eying the glasse of her life , to rectifie her errors , if there be any , then the glasse of her face in wiping off such outward staines as might blemish her beauty . neither in preserving that , is shee altogether so remisse , as not to reteine that seemely grace in her feature , as may put her in remembrance of the unexpressive beauty and bounty of her maker . neate she goes usually in her attire , which shee puts on with more care then cost . and to these she addes such a well-seeming grace , as shee bestowes more beauty on them , then she receives from them . phantasticke habits or forraine fashions are so farre from taking her , as with a sleight but sweet contempt they are dis-valued by her . she wonders how a wise state should imploy so much time in inventing variety of disguises to disfigure their shape . this makes her desire rather to be out of request with time , then with a civill and well-composed mind ; whose honour it is to be prized more by her owne internall worth , then any outward weare . constant shee is in her behaviour ; wherein shee affects little , but observes much ; with a bashfull admiration shee smiles at these civilized simpring dames , whose onely glory it is to affect a kind of reserved state ; which , as they hold , consists principally in a mine'd speech , set looke , or ginger pace ▪ shee loves alwayes to bee her selfe , nor to entertaine ought which may estrange her from her selfe . so as , there is nothing in the whole posture of her behaviour , but with a native gracefull propriety doth infinitely become her . take upon her to instruct others , she will not , such is her humility ; albeit , every moving posture which comes from her , may be a line of direction unto others to follow her . complement she affects not , as the world takes it . the word in his owne native and unborrowed signification is good , and in that sense she admits it ; but to bee restrained to an inforced formality , shee cannot relish it . whence it is , that shee prefers the incomparable liberty of her mind , before the mutable formality of a deluded age . shee desires to bee compleat in the exercise of goodnesse ; to improve her honour not by titles but a lovely and lively proficience , graced with a continuate practise in all vertues . shee cannot indure this later introduc'd kind of complement , which consists in cringies , congies , or supple salutes . a cheerefull modesty is her best complement , which shee ever weares about her as her chiefest ornament . decency shee affects in her cloathes , affability in her discourse ; shee hath made a covenant with her eyes never to wander , nor intentively to bestow themselves on any other object than the glory of her maker . a proper personage is no such attractive motive to her eye , to make her loose her selfe . whatsoever shee undertakes beseemes her , because shee affects nought but what naturally becomes her . her beauty is her owne ; and whatsoever else may better accomplish her . her pathes are evenly vertuous ; her desires truly religious ; piety is her practise ; which shee expresseth so fully in every action ; as the whole course of her well-disposed life is not so much as justly conscious of the least aspersion . so highly shee values her estimation , as shee will not engage it to suspition . promises cannot tempt her , nor hope of advancement taint her . she wonders one should preferre a conceit of being great , before a desire of appearing good . protesting lovers shee holds for no better then deceiving lures . bee their vowes of service never so incessant , their assaults never so violent ; her resolves have vow'd her constant . hope of profit cannot surprize her , nor thought of pleasure vainely delude her . estimation shee holds her highest grace , with which untainted shee purposeth to goe to her grave . shee knowes how to fancie ; and in her she reteines what she fancies most ; a chaste soule : this is that shee loves , and with which shee cheerfully lives . shee was never yet acquainted with a passionate ah me ; nor a carelesse folding of her armes , as if the thought of a prevailing lover had wrought in her thoughts some violent distemper . so seriously doth shee taske her selfe to imployment , as shee never reserves so much time as to treat of so light a subject . yet she unfainedly vowes , that if it be ever her fortune to make her choice , her constant affection must never admit any change. to be generous in every action , hath beene ever the height of her ambition . howsoever she might boast of descent , her desire is to raise it by desert . shee holds , no family can be truly generous , unlesse it be nobly vertuous . her life must expresse the line from whence she came . she scornes to entertaine one thought below her selfe : or to detract from the glory of that house from whence she came . as the blood that streames through her veines was nobly derived , so must it not by any action or affection drawne from the rule of her direction , become corrupted . for honour , she admits it , but seldome or never admires it ; the staires by which shee meanes to clime to it , must be faire and firme , or shee will never mount them . she rather admires the ages folly ; while shee observes how many hazard their high-priz'd liberty , for a vading glimpse of popular glory . her desires are higher seated , where they are only to be sated . a secure state consists not in styles but vertues , which are honours surest stayes . therefore her highest honour reflects on her creator , wherein she is so farre from fearing , wherein she is so farre from fearing , as she is ever wishing more corrivals . this is the gentlewoman whom i have presumed here to present unto your ladiships service , whose sweet converse will at retired houres afford you choicest solace . neither should you ranke her amongst the lowest of your meney , will it displease her , such is her humility : for she hath learned as well to obey as command . nor will she spare for any paines , so her diligence may please . only ( madam ) be pleased to shine upon her with the gracious raies of your favour , to shrowd her bashfull endeavours under the wings of your honour ; and entertaine her blushing approach with your benigne censure . so shall you find a constant desire of requitall in her ; and engage him , whose intimate zeale to your honour recommended her , your ladiships devoted servant : richard brathwait . to the gentlevvoman reader . gentlevvomen : i have here presented unto your view one of your owne sexe ; one , whose improved education will bee no blemish but a beautie to her nation . peruse her , and i make little doubt , but you will so approve of her behaviour , as you shall acknowledge her right worthy the title of a sister . more shall you find in her , by freely conversing with her , than in those yovng but loose english gentlewomen , whose long mercinary prostitution upon the stall , hath brought them out of request , and made them grow too stale , by being exposed to publike sale. many countries hath shee coasted , sundry dangers accoasted , courts and cities hath shee frequented , to returne home better freighted , and re-convey the benefit of that fraught to this iland , where shee was first bred and now arrived . doe yee itch after fashion ? shee is for you ; yet not that , which the vanity of this age admits ; but what modesty onely affects . shee hath observed much in forraine courts , which deserv'd rather contempt than imitation ; this shee would not for a world introduce into a well-govern'd state ; so tender shee is of her fame , as no place nor person shall derive from her the least staine . whatsoever shee hath commendably seene , is no lesse fully than faithfully showne , and with that temporate style drawne , as in every line some one precept of vertue seemes to shine . neither in this her strict or serious observation of times , doth shee resemble those lamiae , who use to take their eyes with them when they goe abroad , but lye them aside when they come home : no ; so little doth shee favour her selfe , as shee preferres others censures before her owne ; and in no one particular so much expresseth her owne true glory , as in the constant practise of humility . hence it is , that shee is no curious pryer into others actions , nor too censorious a reproover of others directions : being , indeed , a tyresias in the eying or de●scrying of others errors , an argvs in her owne . what is good and amiable in the eye of vertue , shee embraceth with an affectionate tender ; making it her highest honour , to promote the glory of her maker . but lest by being too serious , shee might become tedious ; shee will not sticke to walke abroad with you into more pleasing groves or pastures of delight : where shee will converse with you of love , and intermixe her discourse with such time-beguiling tales , as variety shall no lesse sharpen your attention , then the modesty of her method beget admiration . every subject shee treats of , you shall find so equally tempered with profit and delight ; as the one shall no lesse benefit your mind , than the other solace your eare . shee can reprove without gall , blush without guilt , love without guile , live without gaine . her gaine is to purchase vertue more followers ; her guile , to deprive the world of her favourers ; her guilt , to defeat all vitious pioners ; her gall , to dis-relish all voluptuous practisers . shee can discourse of love without lightnesse ; converse with love without loosenesse ; and consort with those shee loves without lewdnesse . she knowes how to reteine a seemely state without pride ; to expresse her selfe praise-worthy without selfe-praise ; and in all her actions to make vertue her highest prize . humility , which is the princesse of vertues , the conqueresse of vices , the mirror of virgins , and crowne of christians , shee so much honours , as shee values it above all humane glory : whence it is , that shee hath ever reapt more spirituall profit by dis-esteeme then selfe-esteeme . day by day shee recreates her selfe in her garden of good-will ; and in her recreation , shee makes this her soule-solacing meditation : who bee they that neighbour neare mee , and whose weake estates stand in need of mee ? concluding with this charitable resolution : there is none so poore , but to my power i will relieve , so long as i live , for the honour of his image whom i love . shee divides her day into houres , her houres into holy taskes . employment takes away all occasions of distraction . should shee suffer a light or indisposed thought to worke upon her imagination : or give way to any such intruder to disturbe the peace of her inward house , shee would endure her selfe worse for many yeares , and inflict upon her extravagant affections such a censure , as might deterre them thenceforth to wander . shee distates none more than these busie house-wives , who are ever running into discourse of others families , but forget their owne . neither holds shee it sufficient to bee onely an house-keeper ; or , snayle-like , to bee still under roofe : shee partakes therefore of the pismire in providing , of the sareptan widow in disposing : holding ever an absent providence better then an improvident presence . shee is no common frequenter of publike feasts , but if neighbour-hood require it , shee will admit of it : wherein shee demeanes her selfe so civilly , as there is no discreet person but joyes in her society . there is nothing must beget in her a distemper , having ever a tender eye o're her honour . in the report of others praises shee is attentive , but deafe to her owne . bee shee in places of publike resort or privately retyr'd , shee ever enjoyes her selfe ; neither can excesse of birth transport her , or any crosse occurrent much perplexe her . there is nought that aliens her mind more from those with whom shee consorts , then an immodest discourse , which shee interrupts with a discreet anger . wheresoever shee sets her rest , she makes vertue her guest ; whom shee entertaines with so sweet an embrace , as nothing can divide them : so firme and inviolable is the league that is betwixt them . shee conceives no small delight in educating the young and unexperienced damsels of your sexe : wherein shee reteines an excellent faculty and facility . it shall not bee amisse therefore for you who have daughters , to recommend them to her direction , whose government is such , as neither her too much indulgence shall spoyle them ; nor restraint dull them . whatsoever shee in many yeares hath learned ( so desirous is shee to benefit where her observations may afford profit ) shee is willing to impart ; to the end shee may procure her more servants , whom shee religiously hath ever vow'd to serve . long hath shee beene a learner , neither is shee asham'd to bee so still . onely for vertues honour , is shee become a teacher ; that the younger may bee instructed by those that are elder ; the undisciplin'd by such as are riper . neither shall you find her show in performing what shee hath so perfectly learned : for her very life is a continued line of direction , being solely dedicated to a vertuous profession . saint cyprian did sharpely reprove a rich woman , for comming into the lords temple without her oblation : but this reproofe shee would bee loath justly to incurre : therefore shee goes better prepar'd , that her portion of glory may bee sooner shar'd : having an oblation in her hand , devotion in her heart , and a crowne of consolation in hope . you then , who love modesty , entertaine her ; for shee will sort well with your humour , and through her acquaintance improve your honour . for such , who sacrifice the morne to their glasse , the afternoone to the stage , and evening to revelling ; shee holds no correspondence with them . these shee holds for no imployments ; nor the professors of them worthy her knowledge . they must not abuse time , that are commended to her trust . shee is not so weary of time , neither doth shee so disvalue it , as with such impertinences to consume it . those likewise , who preferre fashion before decency , formall punto'es before reall formality , and will suffer themselves to bee deluded by vanity ; they must not bee admitted into her family . shee hath learned better things than to foole her selfe in a painted disguise ; or to labour of that vniversall disease , which the corruption of a full and florishing state usually produceth . shee hath learned with that better sister , to chuse the better part . constant bee her purposes , contentment her desires , consonant her delights . bee it then your honour to bee informed by her ▪ seeing her instructions are equally mixt with profit and pleasure . now if you object , that shee hath beene too slow in comming , seeing her gentleman so long since arrived ; heare mine answer ; and suspend your censure , by imputing this fault to our english error : where venus is longer in trimming , than mars in training : though hee too , in these distracted times , hath beene too slow in marching . many provisions were required by her , before the world were to bee possessed of her . much likewise expected from her , before the world had knowledge of her ; this made her the longer to retire , that shee might profit the more in her returne . may you , gentlewomen , bee the instance of it ; so shall both the author and his labour rejoyce in it . to draw then to a conclusion , lest my por●ell rise too high for my building ; as you are not to expect from her any guga-tyres , toyes , or trifles ; love-sented gloves , amorous potions , perfumed pictures , or love-sicke pouders ; so shee doubts not , but to find in you an eare , prompt to attention ; a tongue , cleare of invection ; a spirit , free from detraction : with an heart apt to harbour affection . now for the volume , i had purposely made it more portable , that it might become your more sociable follower ; had not my observation told mee , that albeit amiablenesse consist in a lovely feature , the goodlinesse of a gentlewoman rests in her comely stature . vertue can never bee showne in too large a volume : nor vice scantled by too small a proportion . ample iliads are too strait for the one : little models too large for the other . besides , this corresponded better with the portraiture of the english gentleman , her affianc'd lover . for the margin , i have not charg'd it with many notes , lest you should neglect the garment , by being taken too much with the border . improve it to your best profit , and let god have the glory of it . the english gentlevvoman . argument . the necessity of apparell ; of the vse and abuse of apparell ; two meanes by which the vse may bee inverted to abuse ; that apparell most comely , which confers on the wearer most native beauty , and most honour on her countrey . apparell . had adam never committed sinne , he had never needed figge-leaves , to cover his shame . sinne made him fly to the grove for shelter , and shame compelled him to play the artlesse tayler , and through meere necessity to make him a cover . well enough was he before that time attyred , albeit naked : and so happily stated , as wee are to imagine , that ignorance kept him not from the knowledge of his nakednesse , but that his originall purity freed him from these necessities . but no sooner was the forbidden fruit tasted , then poore adam became tainted , his nakednesse discovered ; so as now for honour of modesty , hee must of necessity betake himselfe to that science , whereto ( being free till that time ) hee was never bound apprentice . his inhibited taste made him sensible ( and therein more miserable ) of what before hee felt not . no distemperature of cold or heat could before that time annoy him . now his failing in performing what he ought , brings him to a feeling of that hee never knew . now tender eve , whose temperate repose ministred her all content in a sweet and cheerfull arbour , with all the varieties and delicacies of nature , feels a shaking and shivering in her joynts : such a strange distemper hath the tast of an apple wrought in her . she must fit her selfe then to endure that with patience , which shee procur'd to her selfe and second selfe , through disobedience ; and put on what before she needed not , a vaile to cover her nakednesse , and subject her selfe to these necessities . it is true , that cloathing keeps the body warme two wayes : by keeping in the naturall heat of the body ; and by keeping out the accidentall cold of the ayre . all creatures enter the world sheelded and shrouded , save onely poore man , who enters lists naked . tender and delicate h● is by nature ; more subject to prejudice by distemper , then any other creature . now to fence himselfe against all occurrents , and the better to endure all intemperate violence , the divine providence hath accommodated it selfe to his necessity , from the very first entrance of his infancy : yet were it fit , when hee reflects upon himselfe thus decked and attired , to recall to mind the prime occasion of these necessities . so equally tempered was the ayre where hee first breathed ; so farre from the distemper of heat or cold freed ; with such variety of all delights stored ; as then in all happinesse hee seem'd to bee stated : but presently after his fall , began these to faile . that soyle , which before was naturally fruitfull , became wild without manuring : those rivers , which before were purely relishing and delighting , became muddy , brackish , and distasting : yea , that ayre , which before was ever sweetly and temperately breathing , became unseasonably scorching or freezing . necessity then hath provided for adam and his collapsed posterity a coat , to shroud them from the inclemency of all seasons . and whence came this necessity , but from sinne ? to glory then in these necessities , is to glory in sinne : which were , as if some grave capitall offender , having committed high treason against his soveraigne , should , notwithstanding , out of a princely clemency be pardoned ; yet with this condition , that hee should weare a cord or halter about his necke during his life , to put him in remembrance of his disloyalty and treason : in which badge , this frontlesse traytor should pride himselfe more , then if it were some ancient crest of honour . reflect then upon the originall source of your sorrow , eve , yee daughters of eve. ambition prompted her to sin , sin brought her to shame , shame to her shroud . meere necessity compelled her to weare what before shee knew not , and to provide her selfe of that which before shee needed not . how is it then , that these rags of sinne , these robes of shame , should make you idolize your selves ? how is it , that yee convert that which was ordained for necessity , to feed the light-flaming fuell of licentious liberty ? was apparell first intended for keeping in naturall heat , and keeping out accidentall cold ? how comes it then that you weare these thinne cobweb attires , which can neither preserve heat , nor repell cold ? of what an incurable cold would these butterfly-habits possesse the wearer , were pride sensible of her selfe ? sure , these attires were not made to keepe cold out , but to bring cold in . no necessity , but meere vanity , introduced these pye-coloured fopperies amongst us . vnvaile many of our light curtezans , whose brothell practice hath reft them of the ornament of a woman , and you will find a strange metamorphosis ; venus armata turn'd to venus calva : wee say there is no good congruity in a proud heart and a beggers purse : why should wee then pride our selves in that which displayes our beggery ? before wee had cloathes , wee wanted nothing ; having cloathes , wee stand in need of all things . primitive purity exempted us from these necessities ; originall impurity subjected us to these necessities . cold wee grew in charity , cold in every christian duty ; garments then stood wee in need of , to shroud us against the tempest of a benummed conscience . these habits then , it appeares , were ordained , at first , for necessity to shield us : vanity had not then set invention on worke , nor the age sent her phantasticks abroad to trafficke with forraine fashions . winter made choyce of his garment to fit the season ; so did summer , without an affected singularity , fit him to a seasonable fashion . they stood not much either upon colour or curious border ; temperate heat they desired to reteine , intemperate to repell ; cold to keepe out , naturall warmth to keepe in . this was that ancient times intended ; this was all that they affected . necessity enforced them to doe what they did ; otherwise , i am perswaded , they had not beene , to this day , made . those then that esteeme more of apparell , how gorgeous soever , then of a worke of necessity , detract from their owne glory , to sute themselves in stuffes of vanity . there is nothing in its owne nature so absolutely good , but it may bee corrupted ; what was at first intended for some good vse , if perverted , declines into some apparant abuse . now , gentlewomen , ( for to you i direct this discourse ) would you observe the right use , and divert in no particular from the ordinance of apparell ; modesty must be your guide , vertuous thoughts your guard , so shall heaven be your goale . when the roman princes , in their conquests , or triumphant honours , were with acclamations and vollies of salutes received , by the generall applause of the people extolled , and in their triumphall eber or chayre of state seated ; there stood alwayes one behind them in their throne , to pull them by the sleeve with this memoriall ; remember thou art mortall . a more usefull memoriall you cannot have , then these robes you weare , of your owne frailty nor a more effectuall motive to humility . had not sinne worne you out of gods favour , and rest you of your native splendour , you had never worne these habits , signals of your dishonour . i commend her for the good use which shee made of her apparell , who never eyed her garment , but shee watred it with a teare , remembring what necesities her ambitious thoughts had brought her to : for by aspiring to know more then shee did , shee became deprived of that excellent beauty which shee had . patternes likewise of modesty you may bee , and herein singularly usefull by your examples , unto others of your sexe . nor can you possibly expresse it better , then in observing that divine precept , by learning how to array your selves in comely apparell , with shame-fastnesse and modesty , not with broided haire , or gold , or pearles , or costly apparell ; but , as becommeth women that professe the feare of god. for even after this manner in time past did the holy women , which trusted in god , tire themselves . here is a prescript forme by way of direction , for your habit . choicer ornaments you cannot have to adorne you ; nor any fashion that will better seeme you . where you walke , you may enjoy your selves freed from light eyes , gazing and admiring vanity : your very habit is your testate to witnesse for you : loose thoughts nestle not in your bosome , nor doe wandring distractions surprise your breast : you have learned to your highest solace , even in every motion , action , posture , gesture , to observe modesty , as an ornament to honour . for , seeing that the very habit of the mind may bee best discerned and discovered by the state or carriage of the body , the disposition of the body by the habit ; to avoid scandall , and retaine that christian opinion which every one ought to preserve , wee are to make choyce of that attire , which confers most seeming gravity on us . this the very heathen , whose best direction was mortality , were carefull of : for in the use of apparell , they reteined such constant course , as they held it the greatest blemish they could asperse upon their nation , to introduce any new or exoticke fashion , either to effeminate the dispositions of their people , or to derogate from the honour of their memorable predecessours ; whose model was their direction in habit , and all other observable customes . what a simple , honest rusticity our ancestors reteined in their weare , might bee easily discerned , if wee should make recourse to one of their ancient wardroves ; where antiquity may prescribe for many ages , and constantly second what antiquity had introduced . yea , so observant were former times of those fashions which preceding ages had recommended to them , as they held it ominous to innovate , or bring in any new forme , even in matters of indifferency . when darius had altered the fashion of his sword , which used to bee persian , into the forme of the macedonian ( in the yeare immediately before hee fought with alexander ) the chaldees or sooth-sayers prophecied , that into what fashion as darius had altered his sword , time would reduce his state ; and that the persian glory was drawing towards her last period , by subjecting herselfe to the soveraignty of macedon . which prediction was soone confirmed by the next yeeres conquest . but tell mee , yee curious dames , who hold it a derogation to your honour , to entertaine ought that is vulgar ; whereto were cloathes first ordained , but to cover that nakednesse which sinne brought , and to skreene that shame which the effect of sinne first wrought ? the use of apparell is not to dignifie the wearer , or adde more beauty to the creature . sure i am , that a judicious eye , who measures dignity by desert , scornes to preferre the case before the instrument , the rinde before the pith. those who are worthy to bee your iudges , will determine your worth by what there is in you , not by what you weare on you . let may-games and morrices beautifie themselves with anticke dressings , to captivate the vulgar eye ; your breeding hath beene better , your judgements clearer , your observations wiser , than to stoope to such base lures . our life consists in the perfection or temperate infusion of naturall or radicall humour , or in the conservation of naturall heate : to preserve this , to increase that , nature hath provided meanes inward and outwards . to invert the use , is to pervert the ordinance it selfe : so use the outward , that you darken not the inward ; so dispose of the inward , that it may rectifie the outward . reflect on antiquity , yet no farther then may suit with the decency of the age , wherein you live . i am not ignorant , how many fashions formerly used , would in this age deserve rather derision than approvement . and that the infancy of the world had many shapes , as then but onely in their embrio or rather conception , which succeeding times , accommodated by more exquisite artists , brought afterwards to perfection . vse your habit as an ornament of decency ; let it not have the least edging of vanity . many eyes are fixed on you , sundry motives of imitation are derived from you . send not out one fruitlesse sigh for any phantasticke fashion which you see : they cannot bee sighes of compassion , that are sent meerely out for fashion . sigh rather that your country should labour of so vaine a birth , as to preferre forraine inventions before the ornament of a maiden i le , constant modesty . spend not a fruitlesse houre in an unprofitable garnish of corruption : vse these outward dressings as if you did not use them : let them bee rather your scorne than your pride ; your contempt than content . bee those curious cases of mortality decked or dawbed with never so much adulterate beauty , they cannot conferre upon themselves one beameling of lasting glory . looke upon those poore bases of frailty , your feet , what a tinkling they make , to partake of a lascivious meeting in privacy : eye those rising mounts your displayed breasts , with what shamelesse art they wooe the shamefast passenger : view those wandring lamps , how they rove abroad , as if they would flye out of their lodges , and spheare themselves in some amorous orbe . call them home , lest , dinah-like , they lose themselves by straying , impeach their honour by wandring , bring themselves woe by their lascivious wooing . affect no fashion that may beget in your generous bosomes a light thought ; contemne that fashion which detracts from the native beauty of the feature , or which brings it to that admiration of the creature , as it makes it forgetfull of the creator . o how contemptible a thing is man ( the word may reflect equally upon either sexe ) if hee erect not his thoughts above man ! what a poore use makes that miserable creature of his being here , who bestowes so much time in the tyring-house , as hee forgets what part hee is to play on the stage ? o consider the preciousnesse of time ! it is all that may bee properly s●id ours . neither can wee terme that portion of time which wee call ours , yeares , or dayes , or houres : a moment is our portion , and the commandingst emperour hath no larger proportion . of which moment , whatsoever is past , is not now : and whatsoever is to come , is not yet . eye then your houre-glasse , vye in teares with graines of sand . bestow not this little scantling , this moment shorter than nothing , in too curiously attiring of vanity , but in meditating of your owne frailty , and redeeming the time you have lost in security . as apparell was ordained for necessity , use it with christian civility . in observing this , you make the use good , which shall hereafter redound to your greater gaine . o but the misery and levity of this age is such , as that becomes generally least affected , which adornes us most ; that valued most , which beseemes us least . time was indeed , and may that time once reshine upon us , when the onely flower to bee loved of women , was a native red , which was shamefastnesse . the face knew not then what painting was , whose adulterate shape takes now acquaintance from the shop . then were such women matter of scandall to christian eyes , which used painting their skinne , powdring their hayre , darting their eye . our commerce with forraine nations was not for fashions , feathers and follies . there was distinction in our attires ; differences of ranks and qualities ; a civill observance of decent habits ; which conferred no lesse glory on our ile at home , than victorious mannagements by the prowesse of our inhabitants did abroad . if wee reflect on them , wee must of necessity blush at our selves ; seeing , what wee have received for use , wee have converted to abuse . that distinction which decency found out for habits virile and feminine , what commixture hath it found in latter times ? what neare resemblance and relation hath womans to mans : suting their light feminine skirts with manlike doublets ? semiramis , that victorious princesse , commanded all to weare tyres upon their heds , and to put upon them womans apparell without distinction , that shee might reigne securely without exception : thus the comely habit of modesty became a pretended vaile to an usurped soveraignty . a feminine regiment occasion'd this ornament : invention then became a project of policy , and found no head to looke out from a light balcone or prospect of vanity ; but these succeding times have tyred our women with tyres ; translating them to a plume of feathers . fashion is now ever under faile : the invention ever teeming , phantasticke wits ever breeding . more time spent how to abuse time , and corrupt licentious youth , than how to addresse employment for the one , or to rectifie the distempers of the other . take a survey of all degrees , and tell me what uniformity you finde in this particular . and to make instance in three severall places ( for to these all others may have proper relation ) take a more precise and punctuall perusall of city , court , and countrey ; and returne me a briefe of your survey . in the first , you shall finde many grave matrons , modest maids , devont widdowes : but are these all ? no ; with these you shall finde a strangely mixt generation : some affecting nothing more than what is most novell and phantasticke : others envying what they disdainfully see in others ; which fashion rather than they will misse , they will not sticke to set their honour at sale : all , or most , true biantines , carrying all their wealth about them . for the second , you shall find , amongst many other plants of promising growth and excellent proficience , sundry sweet-sented sprigs of cynnamon , whose rinde is worth all the body . no discourse can rellish their formall palate , but fashion ; if eves kirtle should bee now showne them , how they would geere their grandam ? for the last , though it bee long ere they creepe into forme , having once attain'd it , they can take upon them as unbeseeming a state in a countrey pew , as if they were ladies for that yeare , and had beene bred in the art of mincing since their childhood ▪ but what are these , but such , whose expence of time is scarcely valued ? sacrificing more houres to their looking-glasse , than they reserve minutes to lament their defects . such , whose vertuous thoughts never harbour the least conceit that may betray their honour , or deprave those more noble parts wherewith they are indowed ; scorne to drowne their better part in these dregs of sensuality . vertue is their attendant , honour their object , all inferiour delights their lowest subjects . day by day have these their taske imposed , that the poyson of sloath may bee better avoyded : no day passeth without a line , no action without a limit : observing the course of that vertuous mirror , of whom it is said , in distinct houres she did divide the day , to walke , to worke , to meditate , and pray . much different from this pious resolution , was that libertines impious conclusion , who held that none could bee frequently devout in prayer , and fashionably decent in attire . shee bestowed too much time on her glasse , to reserve any for her lampe . pride had exiled her zeale ; delicacy of habit , sanctity of heart . her day might bee easily divided : shee bestowed the forenoone on her skinne , the afternoone on a play , clozing her evening lecture with a reere supper : and this was her christian taske . miserable is the condition of that creature , who , so her skin bee sleake , cares not if her soule bee rough : so her outward habit bee pure and without blemish , values little her inward garnish . such an one hath made a firme contract with vanity , clozing her contemptuous age with a fearefull catastrophe . thus farre have wee discoursed of the effect or abuse it selfe , wee are now to treat of those two sources , from whence these abuses properly arise ; to wit , delicacy in being more curious in our choyce of apparell than necessity or decency doth require ; secondly , superfluity , in storing more variety and change of rayments than either nature needs , or reason would admit , were shee not transported with a sensuall affection , by giving way to what unbounded appetite requires . in the search of any minerall , wee are first to digge for the veine : and in the curing of any malevolent effect , wee are duely and seriously to inquire the producing cause , that by stopping the spring or source , wee may stay the violence of the streame . wee are then to insist of those two precedent means , by which the use may bee inverted to abuse ; and that which of it selfe is approveable , if observed with decency , becomes justly reprehensible by corrupting so necessary and consequent an use , either by delicacy , which weakens and effeminates the spirit , or by superfluity , which ever darkens the beameling of reason with the cloud of sense . reproofe touching apparell may bee occasioned from foure respects : first , when anyone weareth apparell above their degree , exceeding their estate precious attire . whence it is that gregory saith ; there bee some who are of opinion , that the weare of precious or sumptuous apparell is no sinne : which if it were no fault , the divine word would never have so punctually expressed , nor historically related , how the rich man , who was tormented in hell , was cloathed with purple and silke . whence wee may note , that touching the matter or subject of attire , humane curiosity availeth highly . the first stuffe or substance of our garments , was very meane ; to wit , skinne with wooll , whence it is wee read , that god made adam and his wife coats of skinnes , that is , of the skinnes of dead beasts . afterwards ( see the gradation of this vanity derived from humane singularity ) they came to pure wooll , because it was lighter than skinnes . after that to rindes of trees , to wit , flax. after that to the dung and ordure of wormes , to wit , silke . lastly , to gold and silver , and precious stones . which preciousness of attire highly displeaseth god. for instance whereof ( which the very pagans themselves observed ) we read that the very first among the romans , who ever wore purple , was strucke with a thunder-bolt , and so dyed suddenly , for a terror and mirror to all succeeding times , that none should attempt to lift himselfe proudly against god in precious attire . the second point reprehensible is , softnesse or delicacy of apparell : soft cloathes introduce soft mindes . delicacy in the habit , begets an effeminacy in the heart . iohn baptist , who was sanctified in his mothers wombe , wore sharpe and rough garments . whence wee are taught , that the true servant of god is not to weare garments for beauty or delight , but to cover his nakednesse ; not for state or curiosity , but necessity and convenience . christ saith in his gospel , they that are clad in soft rayments , are in kings houses . whence appeareth a maine difference betwixt the servants of christ , and of this world . the servants of this world seeke delight , honour , and pleasure in their attire : whereas the servants of christ so highly value the garment of innocence , as they loath to staine it with outward vanities . it is their honour to put on christ iesus ; other robes you may rob them of and give them occasion to joy in your purchase . the third thing reproveable is , forraine fashions : when wee desire nothing more than to bring in some outlandish habit different from our owne ; in which respect ( so apishly-anticke is man ) it becomes more affected than our owne . against such the lord threatneth , i will visit the princes and the kings children , and all such as are cloathed with strange apparell . which strange apparell is after divers fashions and inventions , wholly unknowne to our ancestors . which may appeare sufficiently to such , who within this , or , or . yeares never saw such cutting , carving , nor indenting as they now see . the fourth thing reproveable is , superfluity of apparell , expressed in these three particulars : first , in those who have divers changes and suits of cloaths ; who had rather have their garments eaten by moaths , than they should cover the poore members of christ. the naked cry , the needy cry , the shreekingly complaine unto us , how they miserably labour and languish of hunger and cold . what availes it them that wee have such changes of rayments nearly plaited and folded ; rather than wee will supply them , they must bee starved ? how doe such rich moath-wormes observe the doctrine of christ when hee saith in his gospel ; he that hath two coats let him give one to him that hath none ? secondly , wee are to consider the superfluity of such who will have long garments purposely to seeme greater : yet , which of these can adde one cubit to his stature ? this puts me in remembrance of a conceited story which i have sometimes heard , of a diminutive gentleman , who demanding of his tayler , what yards of sattin would make him a suite , being answered farre short in number of what hee expected : with great indignation replied , such an one of the guard to my knowledge had thrice as much for a suite and i will second him . which his tayler with small importunacy condescended to , making a gargantua's suite for this ounce of mans flesh , reserving to himselfe a large portion of shreads , purposely to forme a fitter proportion for his ganimede shape . the third superfluity ariseth from their vanity , who take delight in wearing great sleeves , mishapen elephantine bodies , traines sweeping the earth , with huge poakes to shroud their phantasticke heads , as if they had committed some egregious fact which deserved that censure : for in the easterne countries it hath beene usually observed , that such light women as had distained their honour , or laid a publike imputation on their name , by consenting to any libidinous act , were to have their heads sow'd up in a poake , to proclaime their shame , and publish to the world the quality of their sinne . now to insist more punctually on that effeminatour both of youth and age , delicacy of apparell ; i would have our daughters of albion , reflect upon themselves , those poore shells of corruption : what a trimming and tricking they bestow on their brittle houses . petrarch's advice was , that wee should not be afraid though our out-houses , these structures of our bodies , were shaken , so our soules , the guests of our bodies , fared well . whereas contrariwise , these , whose onely care is to delude the outward appearance with a seeming faire , so they may preserve the varnish , disvalue the foundation . o may this folly be a stranger to our nation ! to allay which fury , attemper which frenzie , i hold no receipt more soveraigne , then to enter into a serious meditation of your frailty : as first to consider , what you were before your birth ; secondly , what from your birth to your death ; lastly , what after death . if you reflect upon the first , you shall find that you have beene , what before you were not , afterwards were what now you are not ; first made of vile matter ( see the embleme of humane nature ) wrapped in a poore skin , nourished in an obscure place , your coate the second skinne , till you came to a sight of the sunne , which you entertained with a shreek , implying your originall sinne . thus attired , thus adorned came you to us ; what makes you then so unmindfull of that poore case wherein you came among us ? hath beauty , popular applause , youthfull heate , or wealth taken from you the knowledge of your selves ? derive your pedigree , and blush at your matchlesse folly , that pride should so highly magnifie it selfe in dust , or glory most in that which brings with it the most shame . why doe you walke with such haughty necks ? why doe you extoll your selves so highly in these tabernacles of earth ? attend and consider ; you were but vilde corrupted seed at the first ; and now fuller of pollution then at the first . entring the world with a shreeke to expresse your ensuing shame , you became afterwards exposed to the miseries of this life and to sinne ; in the end wormes and wormes meat shall you be in the grave . why then are you proud , yee dusty shrines , yee earthen vessels , seeing your conception was impurity , birth misery , life penalty , death extremity ? why doe yee embellish and adorne your flesh with such port and grace ; which within some few dayes wormes will devoure in the grave ? meane time you neglect the incomparable beauty of your soules . for with what ornaments doe ye adorne them ? with what sweet odours or spirituall graces doe yee perfume them ? with what choyce flowers of piety and devotion doe yee trim them ? what habits doe yee prepare for them , when they must bee presented before him who gave them ? how is it that yee so dis-esteeme the soule , preferring the flesh before her ? for the mistresse to play the handmaid , the handmaid the mistresse , is a great abuse . there can be no successe in that family , where the houshold is managed so disorderly . o restraine your affections , limit your desires , beare an equall hand to the better part ! the building cannot stand unlesse you remove the rubbish from the foundation . the soule in the body is like a queene in her palace . if you would then have this little common-wealth within you to flourish , you must with timely providence suppresse all factious and turbulent molesters of her peace : your passions , especially those of vaine glory , must bee restrained ; motives to humility cherished ; chaste thoughts embraced ; all devious and wandring cogitations excluded ; that the soule may peaceably enjoy her selfe , and in her palace live secured . whereto if you object , that this is an hard lesson ; you cannot despise the world nor hate the flesh ; tell mee where are all those lovers of the world , cherishers of the flesh , which not long since were among us ? nothing now remaineth of them but dust and wormes consider diligently ( for this consideration will be a counterpoize to all vaine-glory ) what they now are , and what they have beene . women they were as you are : they have eat , drunke , laughed , spent their dayes in jollity , and now in a moment gone downe to hell . here their flesh is apportioned to wormes , there their soules appointed to hell fire : till such time as being gathered together to that unhappy society , they shall be rowled in eternall burnings , as they were before partakers with them in their vices . for one punishment afflicteth , whom one love of sinne affecteth . tell mee , what profiteth them their vaine-glory , short joy , worldly power , pleasure of the flesh , evill got wealth , a great family , and concupiscence arising carnally ? where now is their laughter ? where their jests ? where their boasting ? where their arrogance ? from so great joy , how great heavinesse ? after such small pleasure , how great unhappinesse ? from so great joy they are now fallen into great wretchednesse , grievous calamity , unsufferable torments . what hath befallen them , may befall you ; being earth of earth , slime of slime : of earth you are , of earth you live , and to earth you shall returne . take this with you for an infallible position in these your cottages of corruption : if you follow the flesh , you shall be punished in the flesh : if you bee delighted in the flesh , you shall be tormented in the flesh : for by how much more your flesh is cockered in this world with all delicacy ; by so much more shall your soules bee tormented in hell eternally . if you seeke curious and delicate rayments , for the beauty and bravery of your rayments shall the moath bee laid under you , and your covering shall be wormes . and this shall suffice to have beene spoken touching delicacy of apparell : wee are now to descend briefly to the second branch , superfluity ; whereof wee intend to discourse with that brevity , as the necessity of the subject , whereof wee treat , shall require , and the generality of this spreading malady may enforce . divine is that saying , and well worthy your retention : the covetous person before hee gaine loseth himselfe , and before hee take ought is taken himselfe . he is no lesse wanting to himselfe in that which he hath , than in that which he hath not . he findes that he lost not , possesseth that he owes not , detaines that he ought not , & hates to restore what he injuriously enjoyes . so unbounded is the affection , or rather so depraved is the avaritious mans inclination , as he cannot containe his desires within bounds , not enter parley with reason , having once slaved his better part to the soveraignty of a servile affection . this may appeare even in this one particular . food and rayment are a christians riches : wherein hee useth that moderation , as hee makes that apostolicall rule his christian direction ; having food and rayment , i have learned in all things to bee contented . but how miserably is this golden rule inverted , by our sensuall worldling ? competency must neither bee their cater in the one , nor conveniency their tayler in the other . their table must labour of variety of dishes , and their wardrobe of exchange of raiments . no reason more probable than this of their naked insides , which stand in need of these superfluous additaments . what myriads of indisposed houres consume these in beautifying rotten tombes ! how curious they are in suiting their bodies , how remisse in preferring their soules suit to their maker ! how much they are disquieted in their choyce , how much perplexed in their change , how irresolute what they shall weare , how forgetfull of what they were ! this edging suits not , that purle sorts not , this dressing likes not : off it must after all bee fitted , and with a new exchange , lesse seemely , but more gaudy suited . the fashion that was in prime request but yesterday , how it begins to dif-rellish the wearer , as if it had lost the beauty by unseasonable weather ; thus is fashion fallen into a quotidian fever : see our completest fashion-mongers , how much they tyre themselves with their attiring , how they trouble themselves with their trimming ! had wee more new exchanges erected , we should have them plenteously peopled , and with such variety of feminine fancies stored , that invention should sooner lose her spirit , then our phantastick dames their appetite . and to take a fuller view of vanity , that pride may blush at her owne formality ; observe what babies , most of our fashion affecters bee ! rare trinkets they have got , to improve their projectors gaine ; yet having wonne them , they know not how to weare them . a forraine tyre-woman must have a constant pension , to put this love-bespotted idol into a more complete fashion . it seemes wonderfull to me , that they are not wholly crushed , with that onerous burthen with which they are pressed . what a shop of guga nifles hang upon one backe ? here the remainder of a greater worke , the reliques of ancient manor converted to a pearle chaine . there the moity of an ill-husbanded demaine reduced to a carknet . long traines must sweepe away long acres : the epidemicall vanity of this age doth exact it ; and shee is held least worthy affecting , that doth least affect it . what ? sayes my delicate madam ; is it for one of my ranke or descent to affect what is vulgar ? how then should i become popular ? i confesse , wee are all composed of one earth , yet is there to bee presupposed a difference in our birth . were it fitting that i should fall off , either from that delicacy which is generally approved , or that variety which is by our more generous formalists applauded ? what availes a mighty fortune to a miserable disposer ? or brave meanes , where a base mind is the dispenser ? apparell must be with delicacy sorted , variety suited , or the dignity of the person , be it never so conspicuous , will be obscured . admit variety be meere superfluity , at worst it is but the ages vanity ; which is such an universall malady , as it pleads exemption without farther apology . whereto i answer ; it is true , the age labours of this disease , where the eye becomes a determiner of our worth , by the outward habit which wee weare : it reflects not on what is in us , but what is on us . shee is not to be accounted a court visitant , who restraines her selfe either in her choyce of delicacy , or variety of habit . what then ? shall a vitious or effeminate age deprave your judgement ? or a corrupt time deprive you of judgement ? no ; you have more absolute perfections within you , than to be blemished with these imperfections which you too frequently carry about you . the more you display your pye-coloured flagge of vanity , the more lures you throw out of loosest liberty ; the more foments you use of soule-soyling delicacy , the deeper lodging you bespeake your selves in the lake of eternall misery . to such i onely speake , who , so they may furnish themselves of a dainty artist , to teach them how to dye well , make it the least of their care how to live well . these who love to dye their haire , but never change the dye of their corrupted heart : these will not stick with frontlesse impudence to boulster their depraved liberty ; they may be , without controule , dispensers and disposers of their owne . this variety and delicacy wherein they expresse themselves by an especiall marke of distinction from others , they derive it from the affluence of their owne fortunes , and not from others : which being so justly enjoyed , and without injury , admits no exception in all probability . whereto i reply , with the words of a divine father , art not thou , whosoere thou bee , a robber , who hast received goods as a steward or dispenser , and entitlest thy selfe selfe the impropriator or owner ? for what faire glozes or pretences soever thou makest for thy selfe , to gild thy shame , or mince thy sinne , it is the bread of the needy , which thou with-holdest ; the coat of the naked , which in thy chest thou storest ; the shooes of the bare-foot , which with thee lye rotting ; the coyne of the begger , which with thee lyes moulding . away then with these superfluous dressings ; you see daily objects of your charity , bring out your wardrobe , and cloath the naked . that which you so prodigally spent upon your selves , convert it to the more glorious attiring of your naked soules . see that your kings daughter bee all glorious within , that the king of kings may take pleasure in her . let not so precious an image bee defaced , so specious a virgin defiled , so glorious a creature dishonoured . instead of delicy , decke your selves modestly ; instead of superfluity , out of your variety communicate freely to others necessity . wee are now to descend briefly to the last branch of this first observation , declaring , how , that apparell is most comely , which confers on the wearer most native beauty , and most honour on her countrey . as that is ever held most generous which is least affected , most genuine which is least forced ; so there is nothing which confers more true glory on us , then in displaying our owne countries garbe by that wee weare upon us . the crow in the fable was sharpely taxed for her borrowed feathers : the fable , though it spoke of a crow , the morall pointed at a man. habit ( wee say ) is a custome ; why should it bee our custome to change our habit ? with what constancy some other nations observe their native attire , histories , both ancient and moderne , will sufficiently informe us . nothing is held more contemptible with them , then apishly to imitate forraigne fashions : prescription is their tayler , antiquity their tutor . amongst the ancient heathen , even their very habit distinguish'd widdowes from matrons , matrons from virgins . so as not onely sexes , states , conditions , yeares , but even linages , races , and families were remarkeably discovered . wee usually observe such a fashion to bee french , such an one spanish , another italian , this dutch , that poland ; meane time where is the english ? surely , some precious elixir extracted out of all these . shee will neither relye on her owne invention , nor compose her selfe to the fashion of any one particular nation , but make her selfe an epitomized confection of all . thus becomes shee not onely a stranger to others , but to her selfe . it were to bee wished , that as our countrey is jealous of her owne invention in contriving , so shee were no lesse cautelous in her choice of wearing . gregory the great thought that angles did neerly symphonize with angels , not so much in letter , as in favour and feature ; were it not pitty that these should darken their beauty with vailes of deformity ? were it not pitty that there should not be an analogy in their name and nature ; that the angles might partake of angels in nature as well as feature ? but the gold has chang'd his colour ; our purer mintage her native splendor . truth is , there is nothing which confers more native beauty on the wearer , then to bee least affective in whatsoever shee shall weare . shee asperseth a great blemish on her better part , who tyes her selfe to that formality , as shee dare not put off the least trifle that shee weares , nor put on ought more then shee weares , lest she should lose the opinion of compleat . there is a native modesty even in attire as well as gesture , which better becomes , and would more fully accomplish her , if fashion were not such a pearle in her eye , as it keepes her from the sight of her owne vanity . i confesse , light heads will be easily taken with such toyes : yea , i have sometimes observed a phantasticke dressing strike an amorous inconsiderate gooseling sooner into a passionate ah mee , with a carelesse love-sicke wreathing of his enfolded armes , then some other more attractive object could ever doe . but what is the purchase of one of these greene-wits worth ? what benefit can a young gentlewoman reap in enjoying him , who scarcely ever enjoy'd himselfe ? meanes he may have , but so meanely are they seconded by inward abilities , as his state seems fitter to mannage him , then he to marshall it . a long lock he has got , and the art to frizle it ; a ring in a string , and the tricke to handle it : a whole forrest of synonimies , has he by retaile purchased ; which , like so many dis-jointed similees , impeach his novellisme of palpable non-sense . for his discourse , to give him his true character , his silence approves him better ; for his wit , hee may laugh at a conceit , and his conceit ne're the wiser ; for his other parts , disclaiming his substance , i appeale to his picture . now , gentlewoman , tell me , doe you trim your selfe up for this popinjay ? would you have the foole to weare you , after so many follies have out-worne you ? let modesty suit you , that a discreeter mate may chuse you . be it your prime honour to make civility your director . this will incomparably more grace you , then any phantasticke attire ; which though it beget admiration , it clozeth alwayes with derision . you cannot possibly detract more from the renowne of your countrey , where you received birth and education , than by too hot a quest or pursuit after outlandish fashions . play not the dotterell in this too apish and servile imitation ; let other countries admire your constancy and civility : while they reflect both on what you weare , and what you are . bee it your glory to improve your countries fame . many eyes are fixed on you , and many hearts will bee taken with you , if they behold those two ornaments , modesty , and humility , ever attending you : discretion will bee more taken and enamoured with these , then toyes and feathers . there is nothing so rough but may bee polished ; nor ought so outwardly faire but may be disfigured . whereas the beauty of these two cannot by adulterate art be more graced , by the aged furrowes of time become defaced , or by any outward occurrent impaired . there are many beauteous and sumptuous cases , whose instruments are out of tune . these may please the eye , but they neither lend nor leave a sweet accent in the eare. may-buds of fading beauty ; fruits which commonly fall before they be ripe , and tender small sweetnesse to them that reape . these baths of voluptuous delights , chaste feet disdaine to approach . vertue must either be suited with consorts like her selfe , or they must give her leave solely to enjoy her selfe . bee you maids of honour to this maiden princesse . consecrate your day to vertuous actions , your night to usefull recollections . think how this world is your stage , your life an act. the tiring-house , where you bestow'd such care , cost and curiosity , must be shut up when your night approacheth . prepare oyle for your virgin lamps ; marriage robes for your chaste soules ; that advancing the honour of your countrey here on earth , in your translation from hence , you may find a countrey in heaven . the english gentlevvoman . argument . behaviour reflects on three particulars ; how to behave her selfe in company ; how in privacy : that behaviour most approved , which is clearest from affectation freed . behaviour . behaviour being an apt composure , of the body in arguments of discourse and action , expresseth every person in so faire a character , that if his brest were transparant , hee could not bee displayed fuller . albeit , some love to become so estranged or retired rather from the eye of the world , as they have made it their highest art and absolutest ayme , to shrowde themselves from the conceit or discussion of man : by entring covenant or contract with dissimulation , to appeare least to the eye , what they are most in heart . of this stampe was tiberius , who gloried in nothing so much ( neither indeede had hee many demeriting parts to glory in ) as in cunningly cloaking his foule purposes with faire pretences , going invisible , and deluding his subjects anxious resolutions with a seeming good . sometimes imminency of danger , begetting an apprehension of feare , will produce this eflect : whence it was , that agrippina in tacitus knowing her life to bee attempted by nero , knew well that her onely remedy was to take no notice of the treason . neither is it rare to finde a staide looke , and a staid thought in one and the same subject . but for as much as this is held the seldomest erring index , ever expressing innocent thoughts the best , and discovering disloyall thoughts the soonest , wee are to proceed to such particulars as the subject principally reflects on : which are three ; action , affection , passion : whereon wee purpose so to insist , as what deserves approvement in each of these particulars , may bee by our nobly disposed gentlewomen cheerefully entertained , carefully reteined , and to the improvement of their fame , the choicest odour , chiefest honour of true nobility , employed . vertue is the life of action , action the life of man : without the former , all actions are fruitlesse : without the latter , all our dayes are uselesse . now in this one subject , it is strange to observe what diversity of active dispositions wee shall finde . some are employed to the purpose , but they are so remisse in their employment , as they lose the benefit of it . others are imployed to no purpose , making a passing of time a meere pastime , comming as farre short of one usefull action at their death , as they were incapable of it at their birth . others sleepe out their time in carelesse security ; saluting the morning with a sacrifice to their glasse , the noone with a luscious repast , the afternoone with a play or a pallet repose , the evening with a wanton consort , accoutred with a reere-banket , to belull the abused soule with the sleepe of an incessant surfeit . others have crept into such an apish formality ; as they cannot for a world discourse of ought without some mimmicke gesture or other ; which , seeme it never so complete to them , appeares ridiculous to the beholder . this was semphronia's error , for which she was generally taxed , before ever her honour was publikely tainted . what a tinkling you shall observe some to make with their feet , as if they were forthwith to dance a morrice ? they are ever in motion like puppets , but in actions of goodnesse meere punies . their pace is a pavin in the street ; their looke a lure to a lascivious attempt ; they expresse nothing by their gesture worthy the image they beare . besides , who is hee , whose judgement will not taxe these of lightnesse , by these light an uncivill appearances ? a womans honour is of higher esteeme , than to bee thus dis-valued . light occasions are many times grounds of deepe aspersions . actions are to bee seasoned with discretion , seconded by direction , strengthened with instruction , lest too much rashnesse bring the undertaker to destruction . in the maze or labyrinth of this life , many bee our cares , mighty bee our feares , strong our assailants , weake our assistants , unlesse wee have that brazen wall within us to fortifie us against all occurrents . o then , let not the least action betray you to your enemy , for you have many ; within you , for they are dangerous , because domesticall ; without you , for they are strangers , and therefore doubtfull ! let your actions bee your applausivest actors ; the scene of your life is short , so live that your noble actions may preserve your memory long . it was seneca's counsell to his deare friend lucilius , that whensoever hee went about to doe any thing , hee should imagine cato , or scipio , or some other worthy roman to bee in presence . to second his advice , which may conferre on your glorious actions eternall praise , set alwayes before your eyes , as an imitable mirror , some good woman or other , before whom you may live , as if she ey'd you , shee view'd you . you may finde women , though weake in ●exe and condition , yet parallels to men , for charity , chastity , piety , purity , and vertuous conversation . re-visit those ancient families of rome , and you shall finde those famous matrons , octavia , portia , caecilia , cornelia , make a pagan state seeme morally christian. nor were nicostrata , mother to evander , corvina , sappho , women lesse famous for learning , than the other for blamelesse living . neither have our moderne times lesse flourished with feminine worthies , as might be illustrated with sundry eminent instances , if i would reflect upon this subject : but this hath beene the theame of sundry panegyrick poems , which makes me more sparing in it : onely in your behalfe , and to your honour , let me retort their criticke censure , who draw from the very etymon of your name an occasion of error : women are woe to men ; no they 're the way , to bring them homeward when they run astray . in a word , conforme your selves to such patternes as are imitable ; imitate them in all such actions as are laudable ; so live , that none may have occasion to speake evilly of you , if they speake truly . the memory of dorcas liveth still ; shee was full of good workes and almes which shee did . yea , even the very coats and garments which shee made , while she was living , were showne the apostle as arguments of her industry , memorials of her piety . hence it was that saint ierome , that excellent patterne of holy discipline , serious professor of divine doctrine , counselleth the holy virgin demetrias to eschew idlenesse : exhorting her withall , that having done her prayers , shee should take in hand wooll and weaving , after the commendable example of dorcas , that by such change or variety of workes , the day might seeme lesse tedious , and the assaults of satan lesse grievous : concluding his devout exhortation , with this definite position , i speake generally , no rayment , ornament , or habit whatsoever , shall seeme precious in christs sight , but that which thou makest thy selfe , either for thine owne peculiar use , or example of other virgins , or to give unto thy grand-mother , or thy mother , no , though thou distribute all thy goods unto the poore . see how strictly this holy father proceeds with his religious daughter ! yet was this demetrias , to whom hee addressed this his exhortation , a noble lady ; not one , whom poverty did enforce to actions of such necessity : but one honourably descended , richly endowed , powerfully friended . let this lady bee your patterne , her action your direction , her obedience your instruction , that you may share with her in a peacefull dissolution . entertaine no time without some devout taske : reflect upon the noblenesse of your descent , ennoble it with excellence of desert . for you must know true honour is not wonne , vntill some honourable deed bee done . waste not prodigally the precious lampe of your life without some vertuous action that may purchase love . your time is lesse than a minute in respect of eternity , employ that minute so , as it may eternize your memory . let this bee your highest taske ; to promote the honour of your maker , esteeming all things else a slavish and servile labour . there is nothing which requires more discretion , than how to behave or carry our selves while wee are enthralled to affection . the lover is ever blinded ( saith wise plato ) with affection towards his beloved . reason is laid a sleepe , while sense becomes the master wooer . whence came that usuall saying , one cannot love and be wise . but i wholly oppose my selfe to their assertion , who seeme thus farre transported with the sensuall opinion of affection . my tenet is , one cannot truely love , and not be wise . it is a beldam frenzy and no fancy , which gives way to fury , and admits not reason to have soveraignty . yet in this subjects , gentlewomen , is your temper best tryed , your discretion most required , and your patience , oft-times , most exercised . looke therefore how you plant it , lest you bootlesly repent it , when it is mis-placed . it is most certaine , there is nothing more impatient of delay than love , nor no wound more incurable while wee live . there is no exemption , all have a taste of this potion , though it have severall degrees of operation . looke all about you ; who so young that loves not ? or who so old , a comely feature moves not ? yet what different passions arise from one and the selfe-same subject ? here , gentlewomen , you shall see some of your sexe so surprized with affection , as it bursts out into violent extremes ; their discourse is semi-brev'd with sighes , their talke with teares ; they walke desperately forlorne , making launds and desolate groves their disconsolate consorts . their eyes are estrang'd from sleepe , their weakened appetite from repast , their wearied limbs from repose . melancholy is their sole melody ; they have made a contract with griefe , till griefe bring them to their grave . and these poore wenches are much to bee pittied , because their owne tender hearts brought them to this exigent : having either set their affections , where they thought verily they might bee requited and were not , or else where they received like seeming tender of affection , but afterwards rejected , what they wished to effect they could not . so as , in time , if continuance of absence reduce them not to a better temper , they fall into a poore maudlins distemper , by giving reines to passion , till it estrange them from the soveraignty of reason . whereas others you shall see , though not such kind soules , nor halfe so passionate , yet more discreet in their choyce , and in the passages of love more temperate . these will not deigne to cast a loose looke upon their beloved : but stand so punctually upon their termes , as if they stood indifferent for their choyce , albeit constantly resolved never to admit of any change . these scorne to paint out their passions in plaints , or utter their thoughts in sighes , or shed one dispassionate teare for an incompassionate lover . their experience hath taught them better notions : they will seemingly fly to make them follow , and so take them by whom they are most taken . they can play with the flame , and never cinge their wings ; looke love in the face , and preserve their eyes ; converse where they take delight , and colour their affection with a seeming disdaine . these are they who can walke in the clouds to their intimatest friends : make their eyes strangers to their hearts , and conclude ; nothing more foolish then love , if discovered ; nothing more wise , if artfully shadowed . but i neither approve the violence of the former , nor indifference of the latter . the one interlayeth affection with too much passion , the other with too much dissimulation . these were well to bee so allayed or attempered , as neither too much eagernesse taxe the discretion , nor too much remisnesse argue coolenesse of affection . for the former , i must tell them , they give great advantage to an insulting lover , to entertaine love with such vehement ardour : it fares with these , as with hot duellists , who fight themselves out of breath , and so subject their relenting force to the command of a better tempered enemy . for the latter , they hold constantly that position in arguments of love , as well as in other actions of their life ; she knowes not how to live , nor how to love , that knowes not how to dissemble . i must tell these , dissimulation sorts not well with affection : lovers seldome reade loves politicks . let them appeare what they are , with that discreet temper , as they may deserve the embraces of a noble lover . in briefe , let such as are too hot in the quest of their desires , attemperate that heat with intermissions : such violence is best rebated by absence . contrariwise , such as are too coole , let them quicken that easinesse with their more frequent conference , and assiduate presence . what a furious and inconsiderate thing is woman , when passion distempers her ? how much is her behaviour altered , as if iocasta were now to be personated ? true it is , some with a bite of their lip , can suppresse an intended revenge : and like dangerous politicians , pleasingly entertaine time with one they mortally hate , till oportunity usher revenge , which they can act with as much hostility , as if that very moment were the actor of their injury . but this passion never workes more tragicke or fearefull effects , then when it streames from iealousie or competition in the subject where they love . whereof we have variety of instances even in our owne iland , to omit italy , which is a very theatre of tragicke conclusions in this kind . it is not long since wee had one matchlesse president of this stampe . it sometimes pleased a young gentlewoman , whose fortunes had swell'd her high , to settle her affection on a gentleman of deserving parts , which hee entertained with a generous requitall : nothing was omitted that might any way increase this respect , or second the height of their joyes . continuall resort and frequent made them inseparably one : no day so pleasing , as when they were together ; no houre so tedious as when they were asunder . but how short is that moment of vading happinesse , which hath in it a rellish of lightnesse , and is not grounded on essentiall goodnesse ! long had they not thus lived , and sociably loved , but the gentlewoman conceived some private suspition , that her selfe was not sole soveraignesse of his heart , but that another was become sharer in his love . neither was this competitrice , whom shee suspected , any other then her owne attendant , whose caskets shee secretly opened , where shee found a ring of especiall note , which shee had formerly bestowed on him . this confirmed her conceit , changed her reall love into mortall hate ; which shee seconded with this tragicke act : inviting him one day to a summer arbour , where in former times they were usually wont to repose , amidst of an amorous discourse , shee casually fixt her eye upon three lennets , one whereof picking some privet leaves purposely to build her nest , flew away , while the two which remained , lovingly billed one with another : which shee intentively observing , used these words ; how tenderly and intimately doe these poore fooles mate it ? were it not pitty they should ever bee divided ? which words shee had no sooner uttered , then the shee-lennet flew away , and left the male alone , till another returned : with whom the hee-lennet billed , and amorously wooed as hee had done before : which shee more seriously eying , o , quoth shee , how light these males are in their affection ; this may seeme to you an easie error , but were i judge of birds , it should receive due censure . why lady , ( replyed hee ) these poore birds doe but according to their kind . yea , but what doe yee kind men then , who ingage your loves , interest your selves , empawne your soules to bee constant where you professe love , and performe nothing lesse then what you professe most . nor would her long intended revenge admit more liberty to her tongue ; for with a passionate enterbreath shee clozed this speech with a fatall stabbe : leaving so much time to her unfortunate and disasterous lover , as to discover to one of that sorrowfull family the ground of her hate , the occasion of his fall , which hastned on the dolefull scene of her tragedy . now to allay or abate these passionate furies , there is no better meanes then to enter parley with reason ; to chastise all such innovating motions as disquiet the inward repose of the mind ; to use the helpe of such wholsome instructions , as may attemper the heat of those indisposed and inordinate passions . anger , being an inflammation of blood about the heart , is such a fury , as to give way to it , is to disclaime reason : much wisedome is then required , mature advice to bee used , all assistants of art and nature to bee employed before this adder can bee charmed . for wee shall hardly see any one more forget themselves , then when they are surprized with this passion . some you shall observe so amazed or entranced , as they become wholly silenced : they cannot utter an articulate word to gaine a kingdome . gladly would they expresse their distaste , and menace revenge , if their tongues would give them leave , but wrath hath tyed them to good behaviour . others are so voluble of tongue , as nothing can passe them untouch'd , to asperse disgrace on such by whom they hold themselves wrong'd . if any infamy ( which to that time lay buried ) offer it selfe to their memory , how they joy in the occasion of venting their malice on their persons , bee their calumny seconded with words of fowlest aspersion : which sort of people the ever living pindarus termes persons of unbounded and unbridled tongues . to remedy which enormities , take along with you these instructions : they will benefit you much in the height and heat of your anger , and allay your passion when it rageth and riseth into hugest distemper . forthwith , so soone as you shall perceive your selves moved , restraine your passion ; but if you cannot appeale nor compose your inward commotion , at least restraine your tongue , and injoyne it silence , that if it speake no good , it may speake no evill , lest being loose and set at liberty , it utter what wrath , and not reason dictates : more soveraigne and peacefull it will be for you to retire from society , make recourse to your oratory , by recommending to your best physician the cure of this infirmity . vse likewise this cordiall salve to your corroding sore ; the receit is divine , if seasonably applyed , and will minister you comfort when you are most distempered . so soone as your disquieted minds begin to expostulate with the quality of your wrongs , which your enemy is apt to aggravate and exasperate , purposely to hasten your precipitate revenge ; propose and set before you all the disgraces which possibly you can suffer , and conferre them with those that were aspersed on your saviour : this will prepare you to suffer , teach you to conquer : for arrowes foreseene menace lesse danger . likewise , when you consider the injuries which are done you by others , you may reflect upon the wrongs which are done by you unto others : for the consideration of your owne infirmity , will exact of you towards others an impunity . weigh with your selves how much others suffer of you , how much god himselfe suffers of you , who , if hee should have inflicted revenge for every particular offence , you should have perished long since . in a word , you your selves are frequently grievous , and displeasing to your selves : seeing then you are so distastefull unto your selves , as you must of necessity suffer many injuries and affronts from your selves , repine not at the sufferings which are inflicted by others on your selves . you are likewise to consider these discommodities which arise from this passion ; which will arme you with patience , if of your selves you have any compassion . what availes it to be revenged , after our injury bee received ? is your wound by anothers wound to be cured ? or disgrace tendred , by rendring disgrace restored ? besides all this , see what he obtaineth , who anger obeyeth : . hee is deprived of the crowne of glory , and reward of eternity . . hee becomes a minister and instrument of the divell : . hee destroyeth his owne soule , that hee might hurt anothers body : for a dispassionate or angry person is like unto him , who , that hee may kill his asse , destroyeth himselfe ; or rather like him , who for huge debts which hee is not able to discharge , is throwne into prison , and disdainefully refuseth any ones offer to pay his debt for him . for by him , who doth you wrong , is the debt which you owe to god , forgiven , if with patience you suffer the injury which is done . whereas the angry person , who will bee his owne revenger , telleth god how and in what sort hee is to deale with him : that as hee suffered not small disgraces from another , so neither should small things bee suffered in him by god : as it is written , with what measure you mete , the same shall bee measured to you againe . six other detriments or discommodities there bee which arise from the exorbitancy of this passion . for by anger is lost , first , wisedome , while reason becomes blinded . secondly , righteousnesse ; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of god. thirdly , society ; for the acquaintance of one angry man , is pleasing unto none . bee not , saith the wiseman , a companion with the angry man. fourthly , concord , while peace is disturbed . fifthly , the light of truth ; because anger casteth the darkenesse of confusion upon the mind or understanding , from whom god hideth the cheerefull beame of his divine knowledge . sixthly , the splendor of the holy spirit : upon whom , saith the prophet , shall my spirit rest , but upon the humble and quiet ? that is , upon the meeke , mild , and compassionate . thus you see what benefits may bee procured by attempering , what discommodities incurred by fostring this passion . whereon i have the rather insisted , because i am not ignorant , how the strongest and constantest tempers have beene , and may bee distempered and disparaged by it ; much more you , whose mainest strength consists in the expression of that passion . at all times therefore use a moderate restraint ; in the prime of your yeares , when youth sends forth her first promising blossomes , behave your selves mildly without bitternesse , humbly without haughtinesse , modestly without lightnesse , soberly without childishnesse . the caske will reteine her first taste ; the wooll her first dye ; the purest tablet her prime impression ; the loyall'st spirit her first affection . if you shew too much waywardnesse in your youth , small good is to bee expected in your age . as you tender your preferment , seeme milde while you are maids , lest you prove scare-crowes to a young mans bed . conforme your selves likewise to a nuptiall state , and preserve your honour without staine . contest not with your head for preeminence : you came from him , not hee from you , honour him then as hee cherisheth the love hee conceives in you . a domestick fury makes ill harmony in any family . the discord which was hatched and increased towards m. anthony by fulvia , was ever allayed and attempered by the moderation of octavia . bee you all octavia's ; the rougher your crosse , the richer your crowne . the more that injuries presse you , the more shall your patience praise you . the conflict is but short and momentanie , the triumph glorious and impall'd with eternity . and thus much touching those three particulars , whereon your behaviour principally reflects ; wee are now to descend to the next branch , which shall shew how a gentlewoman of ranke and quality , ( for to such onely is my discourse directed ) is to behave her selfe in company . society is the solace of the living ; for to live without it , were a kinde of dying . companions and friendly associats are the theeves of time . no houre can be so tedious , which two loving consorts cannot passe over with delight , and spend without distaste . bee the night never so darke , the place never so meane , the cheerefull beames of conceiving consorts will enlighten the one , and their affections mutually planted , enliven the other . what a desart then were the world without friends ? and how uselesse those friends without conceiving mindes ? and how weake those mindes , unlesse united in equall bonds ? so then , love is the cement of our life : a load without love . now , gentlewomen , you are to put on your vailes , and goe into company . which ( i am perswaded ) you cannot enter without a maiden-blush , a modest tincture . herein you are to be most cautelous , seeing no place can bee more mortally dangerous . beware therefore with whom you consort , as you tender your repute : for report will brute what you are , by the company which you beare . augustus being at a combat , discerned the inclinations of his two daughters , iulia and livia , by the company which frequented them : for grave senators talked with livia , but riotous persons with iulia. would you preserve those precious odors of your good names ? consort with such whose names were never branded , converse with such whose tongues for immodesty were never taxed . as by good words evill manners are corrected , so by evill words are good ones corrupted . make no reside there , where the least occasion of lightnesse is ministred ; avert your eare when you heare it , but your heart especially , lest you harbour it . to enter into much discourse or familiarity with strangers , argues lightnesse or indiscretion : what is spoken of maids , may bee properly applyed by an usefull consequence to all women : they should be seene , and not heard : a traveller sets himselfe best out by discourse , whereas their best setting out is silence . you shall have many trifling questions asked , as much to purpose as if they said nothing : but a frivolous question deserves to bee resolv'd by silence . for your carriage , it should neither be too precise , nor too loose . these sempring made faces partake more of chambermaid then gentlewoman . modesty and mildnesse hold sweetest correspondence . you may possibly be wooed to interchange favours : rings or ribonds are but trifles ; yet , trust mee , they are no trifles that are aym'd at in those exchanges . let nothing passe from you , that may any way impeach you , or give others advantage over you . your innocent credulity ( i am resolved ) is as free from conceit of ill , as theirs , perhaps , from intendment of good : but these intercourses of courtesies are not to be admitted , lest by this familiarity , an entry to affection be opened , which before was closed . it is dangerous to enter parley with a beleagring enemy : it implies want or weaknesse in the besieged . chastity is an inclosed garden , it should not be so much as assaulted , lest the report of her spotlesse beauty become soyled . such forts hold out best , which hold themselves least secure , when they are securest . it was the saying of a worthy generall , presuming on a mans owne strength is the greatest weaknesse ; and the readie way to betray himselfe to dangers is to contemne them . nasica , when the roman common-wealth was supposed to be in most secure estate , because freed of their enemies , and strongly fenced by their friends , affirmed , that though the achaians and carthaginians were both brought under the yoke of bondage , yet they were most in danger , because none were left , whom they might either feare for danger , or who should keepe them in awe . how subject poore women be to lapses , and recidivations , being left their owne guardians , daily experience can sufficiently discover . of which number , those alwayes proved weakest , who were confidentest of their owne strength . presumption is a daring sinne , and ever brings out some untimely birth , which viper-like deprives her unhappy parent of life . i have knowne divers so resolute in their undertakings , so presuming of their womanish strength , so constantly devoted to a single life , as in publike consorts they held it their choycest merriment to give love the affront , to discourse of affection with an imperious contempt , geere their amorous suiters out of count'nance , and make a very whirligig of love . but marke the conclusion of these insulting spirits : they sport so long with love , till they fall to love in earnest . a moment makes them of soveraignes captives , by slaving them to that deservedly , which at first they entertained so disdainfully . the way then to prevent this malady , is to weane you from consorting with folly . what an excellent impregnable fortresse were woman , did not her windowes betray her to her enemy ? but principally , when shee leaves her chamber to walke on the publike theatre ; when shee throwes off her vaile , and gives attention to a merry tale ; when shee consorts with youthfull bloud , and either enters parley , or admits of an enter-view with love . it is most true what the sententious morall sometimes observed : wee may bee in security , so long as wee are sequestred from society . then , and never till then , begins the infection to bee dispersed , when the sound and sicke begin to bee promiscuously mixed . tempt not chastity ; hazard not your christian liberty . you shall encounter with many forward youths , who will most punctually tender their uselesse service to your shadowes at the very first sight : doe not admit them , lest you prostitute your selves to their prostrate service . apelles found fault with protogenes , in that hee could not hold his hands from his table . whereas our damsels may more justly finde fault with their youthfull amorists , for that they cannot hold their hands from under the table . it is impossible to come off faire with these light-fingred fooles . your onely way is rampire your chaste intentions with divine and morall instructions , to stop the source , divert the occasion , subject affection to reason , so may you become emperesses of that which hath sometimes tyrannized over emperours : by this meanes shall every place where you publikely resort minister to you some object of inward comfort : by this meanes shall company furnish you with precepts of chastity , inable you in the serious practice of piety , and sweetly conduct you to the port of glory . privacy is the seat of contemplation , though sometimes made the recluse of tentation . from which there is granted no more exemption in the cell , than in the court. here is the lawne where melancholy drawes her line . here the minde becomes our mate ; silence , our sweetest conference : where the retired becomes either the best or worst friend to himselfe . there is none , who ever conversed with himselfe , or discanted solely with his owne humour , who can bee ignorant of those numerous slights or subtilities , which by that great tempter ( whose long exercise hath made him no lesse subtill in contriving , than cruell in practising our ruine ) are privately shadowed and shrowded , purposely to circumvent poore man , and leave him deluded . diogenes , when hee found a young man talking alone , demanded of him what hee was doing ? who answered , hee was conversing with himselfe : take heed ( quoth hee ) thou conversest not with thine enemy . of the like stampe was that love-sick girle , who became so immazed in loves error , as shee minded her worke least when shee eyed her sampler . never lesse alone then when most alone : for then , and never so freely as then , enjoyed fancy full scope of action , as when her retired privacy gave her thoughts leave to converse with affection . then and onely then became jealous love a projector , contriving wayes for enjoying her lover . no italian device , closed it never so inordinately with sense , could be unattempted , to catch him by whom shee was catched ; to seaze on him by whom shee was surprized . so eagerly cunning became fancy in feates of policy , as shee would rather lose herselfe , then by meanes of her deluded privacy , lose opportunity . to you , gentlewomen , i direct my discourse , whose privacy may enable you , if well employed , for better things than the toyes , tyres , & trifles of this age . how many ( the more our misery ) bestow their private houres ( which might be dedicated to contemplation , or workes of piety & devotion ) upon light-feather'd inventions , amorous expostulations , or minting of some unbeseeming fashions ? how few enter into account with their owne hearts ; or so consecrate their houres to gods honour , as they make privacy their soules harbour ? the day they spend in visitations ; how rare and tedious is one houre reserved for meditation ? what a serious intercourse or sociable dialogue is betweene an amorous mistresse and her looking-glasse ! the poynt or pendent of her feather wags out of a due posture ; her cheeke wants her true tincture ; her captious glasse presents to her quicke eye one error or other , which drives her into a monstruous distemper . pride leaves no time for prayer . this is her closet for ladies , where shee fits and accommodates her selfe to fashion , which is the period of her content , while purer objects are had in contempt . this is not the way to make privacy your mindes melody . these employments should sooner afflict than affect you , because they will sooner distract than direct you . your spirits will bee revived most , when these are valued least . let me therefore recommend to your choyce , patternes of more exquisite worth : such whose devotion may bee your direction , whose direction your instruction . devout mention is made of zealous anna , who made recourse to the temple , offring her incessant prayers , a viall of sweet odours , that shee might conceive a sonne : of whom , to her succeeding memory , the scripture recordeth , that after her teares so devoutly shed , her prayers so sincerely offred , her religious vowes so faithfully performed , her countenance was no more altred ; piety begot in her divine love , faith in gods promise made her beleeve , and zeale to gods house caused her to persevere : thus sighing she sought , seeking shee obtained , and obtaining shee reteined a gratefull memory of what shee received . no lesse fervour shewed ester in preferring the suite of her distressed israelites ▪ what perswasive oratory , what powerfull rhetoricke , what inducing reasons shee used , to have their unjust censure reversed , their insupportable wrongs redressed , their aggrievances relieved , the incensed king appeased , and them to favour restored ! shee wooed with teares in her eyes , faith in her heart , almes in her hand : gods cause was the progresse of her course ; shee desired nothing more then how to effect it ; which was seconded with a successive conclusion , because begun , continued , and ended with devotion . the like zeale expressed iudith for her besiedged bethulites ; the love of god had so inflamed her , as no feare of the enemy could amate her ; faith armed her with resolution , constancy strengthned her against all opposition . her armour was prayer , bethulia's cure her care , holy desires her sole attendants ; shee enters her enemies pavilion with a zealous confidence ; implores the divine assistance in her entrance ; and discomfits a daring foe with cautelous silence . her sighes and teares were as the first and second raine ; they brought successe to her thirsty soule , and a glorious conquest to her native soyle . no lesse are wee to admire the wonderfull devotion of that teare-swollen magdalen , who with devout love sought her deare spouse intombed , whose body with obsequious odours shee had embalmed before ever hee was interred . shee , when his disciples were departed , left not the sepulchre of her sweet master ; still shee sate sorrowing and sighing , weeping long and much , rising from her seat of sorrow , her grave of griefe : where hee was , hee is not ; and where hee is , shee knowes not : with pious teares , watchfull eyes , weary wayes , shee re-visits againe and againe the desart caves of his relinquish'd sepulchre , hoping at last to have the happinesse to behold , whom with so fervent a desire shee sought . now once and againe had shee entred his desolate tombe ; but little was all this to her that lov'd so much : the power or efficacy of every good worke consists in perseverance . but observe the comfortable effect of her effectuall love ! for as much as shee loved more than the rest , and loving wept more than the rest , and weeping sought more than the rest , and seeking persever'd , allowing her selfe no rest : therefore deserved she to finde , behold , and speake unto him before the rest . and not onely so , but to become the very first messenger of his glorious resurrection to his disciples , according as her choyce spouse had commanded her , and by especiall commission recommended to her : goe , tell my brethren that they goe into galile , there they shall see me . hence note the fruit of a devout heart ; the incomparable prerogative granted to divine love ! nazianzen in his epitaph for his sister gorgonia , writeth , that shee was so given to prayer , that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth , and to grow to the very ground by reason of incessancy or continuance in prayer . gregory in his dialogues writeth , that his aunt trasilla being dead , was found to have her elbowes as hard as horne : which hardnesse shee got by leaning to a deske , at which shee used to pray . such as these deserve your imitation ; for their vertues , like sweet odours , have sent out a pleasant perfume . they prayed , and obtained what they pray'd for ; they liv'd and practis'd what they sought for ; they dy'd and enjoy'd what they so long time sigh'd for . you are taught to enter your chambers and bee still . still , and yet stirring still : still from the clamours and turbulent insults of the world ; still from the mutinous motions and innovations of the flesh . but never still from warring , wrastling , bickring and embattailing with the leader of those treacherous associats , tyrannous assassinats . o should you consider what troopes of furious and implacable enemies are ever lying in ambuscado for you ; how many soule-tempting syrens are warbling notes of ruine to delude you ; what feares within you , what foes without you , what furies all about you ; you would not suffer one graine of sand to drop through the cruet , without a dropping eye ; not one minute passe undedicated to some good employment , to prevent the fury of such desperate assailants . make then your chamber your private theatre , wherein you may act some devout scene to gods honour . bee still from the world , but stirring towards god. meditation , let it bee your companion : it is the perfume of the memory ; the soules rouzer from sinnes lethargy , the sweetest solace in straits of adversity . let it bee your key to open the morning , your locke to close the evening . what an argument of indiscretion were it for one , amidst variety of choyce and delicious viands , to discourse of vanity , and suffer himselfe to famish in the presence of such plenty ? this is your case , if amids so many soule-solacing dainties of spirituall comforts , you divert your eye , by fixing it on these objects of earth : and repose not your selves in those fragrant borders of divine contemplation ; which , by how much they are more frequent , by so much they become more sweet and redolent . surely , there is nothing that relisheth more sweetly , tasteth more daintily , with-draweth your mindes from the world more speedily , strengtheneth you against the temptations of your enemy , excites or exerciseth you in every spirituall duty , as the soule-ravishing contemplation of the supreme deity . all other objects are vanity . they may play upon your fantasie , and so delude you ; but being weakely grounded on piety , they can never suffice you . taske your selves then privately , lest privacy become your enemy . as mans extremity is gods opportunity , so the divels opportunity is mans security . let not a minute bee mis-spended , lest security become your attendant . bee it in the exercise of your needle , or any other manuall employment , attemper that labour with some sweet meditation tending to gods honour . chuse rather with penelope to weave and unweave , than to give idlenesse the least leave . wanton wooers are time-wasters : they make you idolize your selves ; and consequently hazzardize the state of your soules . let not their lip-salve so annoynt you , as it make you forgetfull of him that made you . bee you in your chambers or private closets ; bee you retired from the eyes of men ; thinke how the eyes of god are on you . doe not say , the walls encompasse mee , darkenesse o're-shadowes mee , the curtaine of night secures me ; these be the words of an adulteresse ▪ therefore doe nothing privately , which you would not doe publikely . there is no retire from the eyes of god. i have heard of some , who for want of more amorous or attractive objects abroad , have furnished their private chambers with wanton pictures , aretine tables , sibariticke stories . these were no objects for christian eyes : they convey too inordinate an heat from the eye to the heart . the history of christ is a peece of portraiture that will suite your chambers best . eye no object which may estrange you from thought of your maker . make every day your ephemerides . let your morning initiate your purposes for the day , the day second what your morning purposed , the evening examine your mornings purpose , your dayes purchase . and so i descend to the next branch , how you are to behave your selves in publike , which should be by so much more punctuall , for as much as the world is more stoicall . women in sundry countryes , when they goe into any publike concourse or presse of people , use to weare vayles , to imply that secret inscreened beauty which best becomes a woman , bash-full modesty . which habit our owne nation now in latter yeares hath observed : which , howsoever the intention of the wearer appeare , deserves approvement ; because it expresseth in it selfe modest shamefastnesse , a womans chiefest ornament . i second his opinion , who held it ; for divers maine respects , a custome very irregular an undecent , that women should frequent places of publike resort , as stage-playes , wakes , solemne feasts , and the like . it is occasion that depraves us ; company that corrupts us . hence it was that some flourishing states , having eyed the inconveniences which arise from the usuall resort of women to enterludes and other publike solemnities , published an expresse inhibition against such free and frequent meetings . had hippodamia never wandred , shee had prov'd an hypemnestra , and had never wantoned . had dinah never roaved , shee had prov'd a diana , and had never beene ravished . yet farre bee it from me , to bee so regularly strict , or laconically severe , as to exclude women from all publike societies . meetings they may have , and improve them , by a civill and morall use of them , to their benefit . they may chat and converse with a modest freedome , so they doe not gossip it . for these shee-elpenors , and feminine epicures , who surfet our their time in an unwomanly excesse , wee exclude them the pale of our common-weale . bee they of what state soever , they are staines to their sexe for ever . especially such , who carouse it in deepe healths , rejoyce at the colour of the wine , till it sparkle in their veines , inflame their bloods , and lay open a breach to the frailty of their sexe . for prevention whereof , wee reade that kinsmen kissed their kinswomen to know whether they drunke wine or no ; and if they had , to bee punished by death , or banished into some iland . plutarch saith , that if the matrons had any necessity to drinke wine , either because they were sicke or weake ; the senate was to give them licence , and not then in rome neither , but out of the city . macrobius saith , that there were two senators in rome chiding , and the one called the others wife an adulteresse , and the other his wife a drunkard ; and it was judged , that to bee a drunkard was more infamy . truth is , they might joyne hands as mates of one society , for i have seldome seene any one subject to ebriety , preserve long untainted the honour of their chastity . now for publike employments , i know all are not borne to bee deborahs , to beare virile spirits in feminine bodies . yet , in chusing the better part , you may fit and accommodate your persons to publike affaires , well sorting and suting with your ranke and quality . claudia and priscilla were nobly descended , yet they publikely resorted where they might bee religiously instructed ; and no lesse publikely instructed others in those principles wherein they were informed . it is said of the vestall virgins , that they first learned what to doe ; secondly , they did what they had learned ; thirdly , they instructed others to doe that which they had both done and learned . for this , the rich saban queene left her owne region to heare the wisdome of king salomon . surely , howsoever some , no lesse properly than pregnantly , have emblematiz'd woman by a snaile ; because shee still carries her house about her , as is the property of a good house-keeper : yet in my judgement ( wherein i ingenuously submit to others censure ) a modest and well behaved woman may by her frequent or resort to publike places , conferre no lesse benefit to such as observe her behaviour , than occasion of profit to her private family , where shee is over-seer . i have seene some in these places of publike repaire , expresse such a well-seeming state without apish formality , as every action deserved imitation of such as were in their company . their conceits were sweetly tempered without lightnesse ; their jests savory , yet without saltnesse ; their discourse free without nicenesse ; their answers milde without tartnesse ; their smile pleasing , mixt with bashfulnesse ; their pace gracefull without too much activenesse ; their whole posture delightfull with a seemely carelesnesse . these are such mirrors of modesty , patternes of piety , as they would not for a world transgresse the bounds of civility . these are matrons in their houses , models in publike places . words spoken in season , are like apples of gold with pictures of silver : so opportunately are their words delivered , so seasonably uttered , with such unaffected eloquence expressed , wheresoever this sweet and well-tempered discretion is seated . whereas others there be , whose indiscretion makes discovery of an ocean of words , but a drop of reason . they speake much , but expresse little ; their conceits are ever ballased with harshnesse ; their jests foisted in with too much dulnesse ; their discourse trimmed up with too much neatnesse ; their answers leavened with too much sowrenesse ; their lookes promising too much lightnesse , or unsociable perversenesse ; their pace either too quicke or too slow in dispatch of busines ; their whole posturean indisposed frame of irregular absurdities . but to draw in our fayles , touching the prosecution of this branch ; our reproofe shall reflect upon two sorts especially , whose devious course drawne by an indirect line , may seeme to deserve reprehension worthily . the first are such who give too easie raines to liberty , making pleasure their vocation ; as if they were created for no other end , then to dedicate the first fruits of the day to their glasse ; the residue to the stage or exchange . these , no sooner have they laid their artificiall complexion on their adulterate faces , then they grow sicke for their coach. they must visit such a lady , or what , perchance , is worse , such a lord. a minute now in their chambers seemes a moneth . shall wee display one of these in her colours ? the play-bils must be brought her by her pentioner : her eye views and reviewes , and out of her feminine judgement culs out one from among them which shee will see , purposely to be seene . much shee observes not in it , onely shee desires to be observed at it . her behaviour in a box , would make any one thinke shee were a bee in a box ; shee makes such a buzzing and rusling . this is her daily taske , till death enter the stage and play his part ; whom shee entertaines with such unpreparednesse , as her extreme act presents objects of infinite unhappinesse : as it sometimes fared with a gentlewoman of our owne nation , who so daily bestowed the expence of her best houres upon the stage , as being surprized by sicknesse , even unto death , shee became so deafe to such as admonished her of her end , as when her physician was to minister a receipt unto her , which hee had prepared to allay the extremity of that agonizing fit wherewith shee was then assailed , putting aside the receipt with her hand , as if shee rejected it , in the very height and heate of her distemper , with an active resolution used these words unto her doctor : thankes good horatio , take it for thy paines . so inapprehensive was shee of death at her end , because shee never meditated of death before her end . now for the second sort , they are meere antipodes to the former ; these are onely for profit , as the other were for pleasure . these become so wedded to the world , as they afflict their spirits , macerate their bodies , estrange themselves from offices of neighbourhood , to improve their revenewes , by discovering their too much providence to the world . and these are commonly such , as are matcht to schollers , whose contemplation hath taken them from the world , and recommended the management of their estate to their wife . now to both these sorts let mee addresse my instruction : as i could not possibly approve of the former , because they made pleasure their businesse : so i cannot commend these , because they make not their businesse a pleasure . let these take heed , that they incurre not that miserable insensibility , which i have heard sometimes befell to a worldling of their sexe : who approaching neere her haven , & entring now her last conflict with nature , was , by such as stood about her , earnestly moved to recommend her selfe to god , tender the welfare of her soule , and to make her salvation sure ; thus briefly , but fearfully answered , and forthwith departed : i have made it as sure as law will make it . or as wee read in a booke enituled the gift of feare , how a religious divine comming to a certaine vsuresse , to advise her of the state of her soule , and instruct her in the way to salvation , at such time as she lay languishing in her bed of affliction ; told her , how there were three things by her to be necessarily performed , if ever she hoped to be saved : first , shee was to be contrite in heart ; secondly , shee was to confesse her sinnes ; thirdly , shee was to make restitution according to her meanes . whereto shee thus replyed ; two of those first i will doe willingly : but to doe the last , i shall hold it a difficulty ; for should i make restitution , what would remaine to raise my children their portion ? to which the divine answered ; without these three you cannot be saved . yea but , quoth shee , doe our learned men and scriptures say so ! yes surely , said the divine . and i will try ( quoth shee ) whether they say true or no , for i will restore nothing . and so resolving , fearefully dyed , fearing poverty temporall , more then eternall , which shee was of necessity to suffer , ( without gods infinite interceding mercy ) for preferring the care of her posterity , before the honour of her maker . to be short , the former sort deserves reproofe , for making pleasure their ●ocation ; the latter for barring businesse all recreation . a discreet temper will moderate both these ; the first , by holding pleasure a pastime , and no businesse ; the last , by applying a cure to an incessant care , and immixing some pleasure with businesse , to attemper it , lest it incline to heavinesse . both which , equally concurring , are ever conferring to the labouring mind , inward quietnesse . complexion inclosed in a box , gives no tincture to the cheeke , nor morall precepts unapplyed , beauty to the mind . thus farre have wee proceeded in directions of behaviour ; insisting on such remarkeable observances , as might better enable you in each particular . wee are now to say before you , upon serious discussion of the premisses , how that behaviour is to be most approved , which is clearest from affectation freed . apes are catcht in desarts by imitation . would not you be caught by indiscretion ? imitate nothing servilely , it detracts from your gentility . i have noted some of our chambermaids take upon them such an unbeseeming state , when they came to visit their poore friends in the countrey , as they punctually retein'd both gate and garbe of their mincing mistresses in the city . to their parish-church they repaire to be seene and showne ; where if any of these civilized iugs chance to be saluted by the way , having quite forgot both broome and mop , with a scornefull eye they will not stick to returne this majestick answer : wee thanke you , my good people . it is discretion that appropriates to every peculiar degree their proper distinction . many things will beseeme the mistresse , which agree not with the quality of the maid . but in no degree will that behaviour seeme comely , which affectation hath introduced , be it in court , city , or countrey . you shall see many , purposely to cover some naturall blemish or deformity , practise that which makes them appeare farre more unseemly . here one indents with her lips to semper , that shee may hide the want or greatnesse of her teeth . another contracts with her tayler , lest nemesis should be seene sitting on her shoulder . a third weares her gowne with a carelesse loosenesse , to cover or colour her bodies crookednesse . this , with fabulla , buyes an artfull periwig to supply her art-fallen haire : that enazures her seered veines , embolsters her decayed brests , to purchase a sweet-heart . what an affected state this generally-infected state assumes , purposely to gaine a popular esteeme ? survey our streets , gaze on our windowes ; you shall see gazers to entertaine your eyes with variety of phantasticke behaviours . but these are none of vertues followers . would you be prayse-worthy ? vertue to her selfe is her chiefest prayse , her choycest prize . there is nothing comparably precious to a continent soule . affectation shee will not admit , for her habit ; both her habit and behaviour are proper not enforced ; native and not apishly introduced . shee cannot wooe a wanton lover with a dissembled blush , nor promise more with an outward presence , then shee resolves to admit with a spotlesse conscience . outward semblances , if light , shee holds apparant blemishes to her life . her life , as it is a line to her selfe , so she would have it a light to others . lacides prince of argos , was accounted lascivious onely for his sleeke lookes , and mincing gate . so pompey , because hee used to scratch his head with one finger , albeit very continent and modest . beleeve it , though your person be the booke , your behaviour is the index . which will require a large comment , if it expresse it selfe in ought probably incontinent . now , for as much as nothing better seemes you , more commendably adornes you , or more absolutely accommodates you , then what is native and unaffected , so it be by education seasoned : bee your owne women ; dis-value all apish formality ; resort not to the temple to take a patterne of some new fashion : modest discretion blusheth at such servile imitation . what you see in another , may become them , which would not become another . the asse in the fable seeing the dogge fawne and leap upon his master , though it would beseeme him , but sorting not with his nature , it got him a beating for his labour . now to distinguish betwixt an enforced and unaffected behaviour , it is most easie ; the very first blush will discover the one by the other . you shall observe these who are tyed to affectation in this kind , set their looke , gate , and whatsoever else may conferre a phantasticke grace on their usurped behaviour , so punctually , as if they had entred a solemne contract with eye , face , hand , foot and all , to hold constantly their dimension , to beget in the beholder a more setled admiration . whereas contrariwise , these whose free , genuine , and generous demeanours expresse themselves lesse strictly , but farre more comely , scorne to tye their affections to these servile restraints . they hold it farre more sutable with an italian pantomime , who professeth hope of profit upon the stage , to confine them to these regularities , then discreet women , whose honour is their honest behaviour ; and whose praise it is , to be exemplary to others in goodnesse , and not others apes in imitating their phantastick fashions . to conclude then this observation ; as you are generous by birth , dote not on that which is most ridiculous on this stage of earth . approve your selves chaste virgins , continent wives , discreet matrons , honourable widdowes , in your vertuous and modest demeanour . preserve that eternally , which gives accomplishment to gentility . your educations ( as may be presupposed ) have so beautified you , as the garbe you reteine is most proper unto you . the hyaena is a dangerous beast : yet her subtilty and cruelty take life from affectation and imitation . desire you to bee so behav'd , as others may admire you ? in your choyce of behaviour , inure your selves to what is neatest , not what is newest . invention in subjects of this kinde , doth more harme than good . so behave your selves , that too much curiosity may not taxe you of pride , nor too much majesty of state : modesty mixt with humility will temper both these , and make that behaviour which appeares in you , so well become you , as if it were borne with you , and not affectively derived from others to you . the english gentlevvoman . argument . complement defined ; how it may be corrupted ; how refined ; wherein it may be admitted as mainely consequent ; wherein omitted as meerely impertinent ; what complement gives best accomplishment . complement . complement hath beene anciently defined , and so successively reteined ; a no lesse reall than formall accomplishment . such as were more nobly and freely educated , and had improved their breeding by forraine observations ( so sweetly tempered was the equall union and communion of their affections ) instructed others in what they had seene and observed , either at home or abroad , worthy imitation or approvement . nothing was admitted in those times publikely , but what was by the graver censors first discussed privately . iealous were the pagans of forraine fashions : for , with such constancy they reteined their owne , as they seldome or never itched after others . the tyrian and sidonian were so suspected of pride , through their effeminacy in attire , and other light fashions which they used , as they were held dangerous to commerce with . so purely did those poore beamelings of nature reflect on her people ; that formality was held palpable hypocrisie , faire semblances and coole performances meer golden shadowes to delude others , but gull themselves most . princes courts were princely seminaries . delicacy was there no tutresse , nor effeminacy governesse . if alcibiades , albeit in athens the beautifull'st , for native endowments the pregnant'st , and for descent one of the noblest , introduce ought irregularly ; or expresse any complement which relisheth not of civility ; the author must suffer the censure of the city . it was very usuall in former times , when any embassie was addressed from one state unto another , for the senate or councell , from whence any such legate was sent , to schoole them in sundry particulars before they tooke their journey or received their commission : but in no caution were they more strict , then in expresse command that they should use no other garbe , complement , nor salute upon their approach in forraine courts , then what they had seene used and observed at home . thus their owne native fashion , became a note of distinction to every nation . neither am i ignorant , how , even in one and the selfe-same province , there may be generally introduced a different or distinct garbe : which proceedeth either from the commerce and confluence of people there resorting , and consequently improving their behaviour and elocution by their mutuall conference ; or from the princes court , where all state and majesty hath residence ; or from the temperature of the ayre , to which some have attributed an especiall preeminence . whereas , in desart and remote places , on which the beames of civill society seldome reflect , wee shall find nothing but barbarisme and unsociable wildnesse . education is the improver of the one , and producer of the other . wee shall ever see complement shine most in places eminent . there are objects fit for such subjects : such as expect it , and bestow their whole dayes practice in exercise of it : these aspire to the nature or definition of no art more eagerly , then complement , which they hold the absolute ornament of gentility . howsoever , mainely repugnant be their tenets touching the subsistence of complement . some have held , it consisted in congies , cringes , and salutes ; of which errour , i would this age wherein wee live , did not too much labour : others , meerely in a painted and superficiall discourse ; wherein they so miserably tyed themselves to words , as they tyred the impatient hearers with foolish repetitions , frivolous extravagancies ; being , in a word , so affianced to the shadow , as they forgot the substance . the last , which were onely reall and complete courtiers , held a seemely gracefull presence , beautifide with a native comelinesse , the deservingst complement that could attend us . certainely , if wee should exactly weigh the derivation of the word , wee could not imagine so meanly of it , as to consist meerly of words , or anticke workes . it was first intended to distinguish betwixt persons of civill and savage carriage : yea , to appropriate a title of preeminence to such , who exceeded others in grounds or precepts of morality ; whose lives appeared as lampes to enlighten others , and consequently perpetuate the memory of themselves . many noble and eminent ladies are recorded , both in divine and humane writ , to have excelled in this complement of honour . these knew the definition of it , and moulded their conversation to it : they knew what belonged to a posture of state ; they could court it without apish curiosity ; embrace love with a reserved modesty ; expresse themselves complete without singularity . forraigne fashions they distasted ; painted rhetoricke they dis-relished ; reall complement was all they affected . love they could without dissembling ; discourse without affecting ; shew court'sie without congying ; still retaining what was best beseeming . in the court they resided to better it ; not a straid looke could promise a loose lover least hope of a purchase ; nor coynesse dishearten a faithfull servant from his affectionate purpose they knew not what it was to protest in j●st ; to walke in the clouds ; to domineere over their captives , or entertaine many suitors . they freed complement of dissimulation , made vertue their load-stone to affection ; their actions were dedicated to good ends : by which meanes they made god and good men their friends . nor doe i feare it , but that our flourishing albion hath many such noble and complete ladies ; who so highly esteeme the true and native definition of complement , as they preferre the substance before the shadow . honour is their deerest tender , goodnesse their line , by which they daily draw neerer to perfection , their proper centre . thus farre for the definition , wherein we have the rather inlarged our discourse , that the subject whereof wee treat , may be discovered in her owne nature ; such as owe attendance to her , become better proficients in their instructions derived from her . neither can wee observe what may really deserve your imitation , but by discerning the excellence of that whereof wee treat by a true and proper definition . there is nothing on earth so pure , but abuse may corrupt it ; nothing so good , but custome may deprave it . this may appeare in this one subject , which wee have now in discourse . former times were not so jaded to fashions , as to esteeme nothing formall , but what was phantasticall . it was not then held the life of complement , to have the art to set a face , court a glasse , make a cringe or a ducke . legges were held for usefull supporters , but no complementall postures . new-minted words made not their tongues more complete : nor an outlandish salute their persons more admired . virgin-modesty made resolution her steletto to guard her honour : plumes and feathers were held light dressings for staid minds ; suspicious trimmings for stale maids . actors might weare them in their presentments upon the stage , but modest matrons were never allowed to weare them in the state. women were admitted to have painters , but not to be their owne painters : campaspe was pictured out in her colours by apelles : crotons five daughters lively depictured by zeuxes , yet these , without any helpe of art , still retained their owne native features . it was the complement of that age to deliver their mind freely without mincing , converse friendly without glozing ; walke the street demurely without gazing . wherein ( with submission ever to graver judgements ) this latter age , in mine opinion , deserves just reproofe . education is a second nature , and this hath given that freedome to women , as they may admit any oportunity to entertaine time with their amorous servants ; redart wanton tales with light blushes ; passe a whole afternoone in a bay-window , in congies , courtesies , and other uselesse complements . flashes of wit are made beguilers of time ; and these mixt now and then with such lascivious passages , as modesty might justly hold it selfe abused to be so encountred : alas ! who knowes not what secret traines are laid for credulous women , under these pretenced parlies ? doe you observe how their tongues are tipt with your praises ; how they honour your shadowes ; admire the earth you tread on ; adore the ayre you breath on ; and with their ayrie applauses so gild you , as in the end they palpably gull you ; leaving you no lesse miserably deluded , than themselves seased of what their sensuall quest pursued ? beware of that complement which gives way to rob you of your choycest ornament . egnatius , in catullus , is brought out , shewing the whitenesse of his teeth : a poore subject to raise an encomiasticke poem . these are theames for an amorous muse : white teeth , rolling eyes , a beautifull complexion ( all exteriour and inferiour goods ) being that which euryala his nurse praised , when shee washed the feet of vlysses , namely , gentle speech , and tender flesh . no lesse perswasive by the elegancy of the one , than invasive by delicacy of the other . but all these outward imbellishments give but small accomplishment to the inward beauty : " where good 's a better attribute than faire . now bee not these dainty subjects for a complete youth to discant on ? what crotchets and extemporall conceits are hatched out of an addle braine ? the very shadow of iulia's haire must not want the compleatest honour , that either art can devise , or cost erect . not a cooplet but must bee poetically complete ; which , out of an amorous phrensie , must , with mounting hyperboles , bee thus continued : skinne more pure than ida's snow , whiter farre than moorish milke , sweeter than ambrosia too , softer than the paphian silke , indian plumes or thistle-downe , or may-blossoms newly blowne , is my mistresse rosie-pale , adding beauty to her vaile . an excellent peece of complementall stuffe to catch a selfe-conceited one . many you have of your sexe , who are too attentive auditors in the report of their owne praises . nothing can bee attributed to them , which they hold not properly due unto them . which conceit , many times , so transports them , as , narcissus-like , they are taken with their owne shadowes ; doting on nothing more than these encomiasticke bladders of their desertlesse praises . let mee advise you , whose discretion should bee farre from giving light eare to such ayrie tritons , to disrellish the oylie complement of these amorous sycophants . it is hatefull oratorie , that brings you to selfe idolatrie . much more usefull and beneficiall it will bee for you to reteine that modesty which appeared in alphonsus prince of aragon's answer to a plausive orator ; who having repeated a long panegyricall oration in his prayse , replyed ; if that thou hast said , consent with truth , i thanke god for it ; if not , i pray god grant mee grace that i may doe it . you shall encounter with some of these complete amorists , who will make a set speech to your glove , and sweeten every period with the perfume of it . others will hold it an extraordinary grace to become porters of your misset , or holders of your fanne , while you pinne on your maske . service , observance , devotion , be the generall heads of their complement . other doctrine they have none , either to instruct morally , or informe politically . beleeve it , gentlewomen , they are ill-spent houres , that are bestowed in conference with these braine-wormes . their frivolous discourse will exact from you some answer : which if you shape justly to their dialect , there will bee more vaine wind spent , than you can redeeme with many teares . let no conceit transport you above your selves ; hold it for no complement worthy your breeding , to trifle time in love-toyes . they detract both from discretion and modesty , and oft-times endanger the ruine of the latter fearefully . this kinde of complement with great ones , were but meere canting among beggars . hee or shee are the completest , who in arguments of discourse and action are discreetest . full vessels give the least sound . such as hold complement the sole subject of a glib tongue , active cringe , or artfull smile ; are those onely mimicks , or buffouns of our age , whose behaviours deserve farre more derision than applause . thus you have heard how complement may bee corrupted ; wee now purpose , with as much propriety and brevity as wee may , to shew you how it may bee refined : to the end , that what is in its owne nature so commendable , may bee entertained with freedome of choyce , and reteined without purpose to change . the vnicornes horne being dipt in water , cleares and purifies it . it is the honour of the physician to restore nature , after it bee decayed . it is the sole worke of that supreme architect to bring light out of darkenesse , that what was darke might bee enlightened ; life out of death , that what was dead might bee enlivened ; way out of error , that the erring might bee directed ; knowledge out of ignorance , that the ignorant might bee instructed ; a salve out of sinne , that sinnes sore might bee cured ; comfort out of affliction , that the afflicted might bee comforted ; hope out of despaire , that the desperate might bee succoured ; a raising from falling , that their fall might bee recovered ; strength out of weaknesse , that his great worke might bee glorified . gold thrice tryed , becomes the purer and more refined : and complement the most , when it is best accommodated . true it is , that society is either a plague or a perfume . it infects , where consorts are ill-affected ; but workes excellent effects , where vertuous consorts are assembled . it is the sweetest note that one can sing , when grace in vertues key , tunes natures string . where two meeke men meet together , their conference ( saith mellifluous bernard ) is sweet and delectable : where one man is meeke , it is profitable : where neither , it proves pernicious and uncomfortable . it is society that gives us , or takes from us our security . let me apply this unto you , gentlewomen , whose vertuous dispositions , ( so sweetly hath nature grac'd you ) promise nothing lesse than fervorous desires of being good . would you have that refined in you , which others corrupt , by inverting the meanes ? or expresse that in her native colours , which will beautifie you more than any artificiall or adulterate colours , whose painted varnish is no sooner made than melted ? make choyce of such for your consorts , whose choyce may admit no change . let no company bee affected by you , which may hazard infecting of you . the world is growne a very pest-house : timely prevention must bee used , before the infection have entred . you have no such soveraigne receits to repell , as you have to prevent . the infection of vice leaves a deeper spot or speckle on the mind , than any desease doth on the body . the blackmoore may sooner change his skin , the leopard his spots , than a soule deepe dyed in the graine of infection , can put off her habituate corruption . bee it then your principall care to make choyce of such bashfull maids , modest matrons , or reverend widdowes , as hold it their best complement to retaine the opinion of being continent . infamy hath wings as swift as fame . shunne the occasion , lest you undergoe the brand . posthuma , because given to laughter , and something forward to talke with men , was suspected of her honesty ; where being openly accused , shee was acquitted by spurius minutius , with this caveat , to use words sutable to her life . civility , trust me , is the best and most refined complement that may bee . courting in publike places , and upon first sight , it affects not ; for it partakes more of impudent than complete . bee it of the city that argument of discourse bee ministred , it can talke freely of it without mincing ; or of the court , it can addresse it selfe to that garbe in apt words without minting ; or of the countrey , in an home-spun phrase it can expresse whatsoever in the countrey deserves most prayse . and all this in such a proper and familiar manner , as such who are tied to complement , may aspire to it , but never attaine it . hee that hath once tasted of the fountaine clitorius , will never afterward drinke any wine . surely , howsoever this civill and familiar forme of dialect may seeme but as pure running water in comparison of complement , which , like nectar , streames out in conduits of delight to the humorous hearer : yet our discreet complementer preferres the pure fountaine before the troubled river . it is true , that many fashions , which even these later times have introduc'd , deserve free admittance ; yea , there is some thing yet in our oare , that may be refined . yet in the acceptance of these , you are not to entertaine whatsoever these finer times have brought forth . where variety is affected , and the age to inconstancy subjected , so as nothing but what is rare and new becomes esteemed : either must our inventions bee present and pregnant , our surveyes of forraine places serious and sollicitant , or wee shall fall into decay of fashion , or make old ones new , and so by antiquity gull our nation . truth is , though our tongues , hands , bodies , and legges bee the same , our elocution , action , gesture , and posture are not the same . should the soule of troilus , according to that erroneous transmigration of pythagoras , passe into the body of one of our english courtiers ; or hortensius , ( who was an orator active enough ) into one of our english lawyers ; or antigone ( who was complementall enough ) into one of our english curtezans ; they would finde strange cottages to dwell in . what is now held complete ; a few yeares will bury in disgrace . nothing then so refined , if on earth seated , which time will not raze , or more curious conceits dis-esteeme , or that universall reduction to nothing dissolve . that complement may seeme pleasing ; such a fashion generally affecting ; such a dressing most complete : yet are all these within short space covered with contempt . what you observe then to be most civill in others , affect it ; such an habit needs not to bee refined , which cannot be bettered . fashion is a kinde of frenzy ; it admires that now , which it will laugh at hereafter , when brought to better temper . civility is never out of fashion ; it ever reteines such a seemely garbe , as it conferres a grace on the wearer , and enforceth admiration in the beholder . age cannot deface it ; contempt disgrace it ; nor gravity of judgement ( which is ever held a serious censor ) disapprove it . bee thus minded , and this complement in you will bee purely refined . you have singular patternes to imitate , represent them in your lives , imitate them in your loves . the corruption of the age , let it seize on ignoble spirits ; whose education , as it never equall'd yours , so let them strike short of those nobler indowments of yours : labour daily to become improved , honour her that will make you honoured : let vertue be your crowne , who holds vanity a crime : so may you shew holinesse in your life , enjoy happinesse at your death , and leave examples of goodnesse unto others both in life and death . courts and eminent places are held fittest schooles for complement : there the cinnamon tree comes to best growth ; there her barke gives sweetest sent . choice and select fashions are there in onely request ; which oft-times like those ephemera , expire after one dayes continuance : whatsoever is vulgar , is thence exploded ; whatsoever novell , generally applauded . here bee weekely lectures of new complements ; which receive such acceptation , and leave behinde them that impression , as what garbe soever they see used in court publikely , is put in present practise privately ; lest discontinuance should blemish so deserving a quality . the courts glosse may bee compared to glasse , bright , but brittle ; where courtiers ( saith one ) are like counters , which sometime in account goe for a thousand pound , and presently before the count bee cast , but for a single penny . this too eager affection after complement , becomes the consumption of many large hereditaments . whereto it may bee probably objected , that even discretion injoynes every one to accommodate himselfe to the fashion or condition of that place wherein hee lives . to which objection i easily condescend ; for , should a rusticke or boorish behaviour accompany one who betakes himselfe to the court , hee might bee sure to finde a controuler in every corner to reprove him ; or some complete gallant or other , pittifully to geere and deride him . but to dote so on fashion , as to admire nothing more then a phantasticke dressing , or some anticke complement , which the corruption of an effeminate state hath brought in , derogates more from discretion , then the strict observance of any fashion addes to her repute . this place should bee the beacon of the state ; whose mounting prospect surveyes these inferiour coasts which pay homage and fealty unto her . the least obliquity there , is exemplary elsewhere . piercing'st judgements , as well as pregnant'st wits should bee there resident . not a wandring or indisposed haire , but gives occasion of observance to such as are neere . how requisite then is it for you , whose nobler descents promise , yea , exact more of you then inferiours , to expresse your selves best in these best discerning and deserving places ? you are women , modesty makes you completest : you are noblewomen , desert accompanying your descent will make you noblest . you may , and conveniency requires it , reteine a courtly garbe , reserve a well seeming state , and shew your selves lively emblemes of that place , wherein you live : you may entertaine discourse , to allay the irkesomenesse of a tedious houre ; bestow your selves in other pleasing recreations , which may no lesse refresh the mind , then they conferre vigour and vivacity to the body . you may be eminent starres , and expresse your glory in the resplendent beames of your vertues ; so you suffer no blacke cloud of infamy to darken your precious names . shee was a princely christian courtier , who never approached the court , but shee meditated of the court of heaven ; never consorted with her courtiers , but shee contemplated those citizens of heaven ; nor ever entred the presence-chamber , but shee thought of the presence of her maker , the king of heaven . and how shee was never conscious of that thought which redounded not to her subjects honour ; which shee preferred next to the love of her maker , before the fruition of an empire . such meditations are receits to cure all inordinate motions . your lives should be the lines to measure others actions . vertue is gracious in every subject , but most in that , which the prince or princesse hath made gracious . anciently , the world was divided into three parts , whereof europe was held the soule ; properly , every politike state may be divided into three cantons , whereof the court is the sunne . you are objects to many eyes ; be your actions platformes to many lives . i can by no meanes approve that wooing and winning complement ( though most courts too generally affect it ) which makes her sole object , purchase of servants or suitors . this garbe tastes more of curtezan then courtier : it begets corrivals , whose fatall duello's end usually in blood . our owne state hath sometimes felt the misery of these tragicke events ; by suffering the losse of many generous and free-bred sparkes ; who , had not their torches beene extinguished in their blood , might to this day have survived , to their countries joy and their owne same . so great is the danger that lyes hid in affable complements , promising aspects , affectionate glances , as they leave those who presumed of their owne strength , holding themselves invulnerable , many times labouring of wounds incurable . be you no such basilisks ; never promise a calme in your face , where you threaten a storme in your heart . appeare what you are , lest censure taxe you of inconstancy , by saying , you are not what you were . an open countenance and restrained bosome sort not well together . sute your discourse to your action ; both to a modest dispose of your affection . throw abroad no loose lures , wandring eyes , strayed lookes ; these delude the spectators much , but the actors most . a just revenge● by striving to take in others , they are taken by others . how dangerous doe we hold it to be , in a time of infection , to take up any thing , be it never so precious , which wee find lost in the street ? one of your loose lookes , be it darted with never so complementall a state , is farre more infectious , and mortally dangerous . there is nothing that sounds more cheerefully to the eare , or leaves a sweeter accent ; nothing that conveyes it selfe more speedily to the heart , or affords fuller content for the time , then conceit of love . it will immaze a perplexed wretch in a thousand extremes ; whose amazed thoughts stand so deepely ingaged to the object of his affection , as hee will sustaine any labour , in hope of a trifling favour . such soveraignty beauty reteines ; which , if discretion temper not , begets such an height of conceit in the party beloved , as it were hard to say , whether the agent or patient suffer more . to you let me returne , who stand fixed in so high an orbe ; as a gracefull majesty well becomes you , so let modesty grace that majesty ; that demeaning your selves like complete and gracious courtiers on earth , you may become triumphant and glorious courtiers in heaven . this garbe , as it suites not with all persons , so sorts it not to all places . for a mechanicke to affect complement , would as ill seeme him , as for a rough-hewen satyre to play the orator . it is an excellent point of discretion , to fit ones selfe to the quality or condition of that place where he resides . that vrbanity which becomes a citizen , would rellish of too much curiosity in a countrey-man . that complement which gives proper grace to a courtier , would beget derision or contempt , being personated by a merchant or his factor . in affaires of state , is required a gracefull or complete posture ; which many times procures more reverence in the person interessed , then if that state were omitted . whereas , in ordinary affaires of trafficke , it were indiscretion to represent any such state , or to use any expression , either by way of discourse or action , that were not familiar . that person , who prefers complement before profit : and will rather speake not to be understood , then lose one polite-stollen phrase , which hee hath purchased by eare onely , and understands not , may account himselfe one among his bank-rupt brethren , before hee breake . it is pittifull to heare what a remnant of fustian , for want of better complement , a complete-countrey-gossip ( for so shee holds her selfe ) will utter in one houre amongst her pew-fellowes . how shee will play the schoole-mistresse in precepts of discipline and morall behaviour ! nothing so gracefull in another , which shee will not freely reprove ; nothing so hatefull in her selfe , which shee will not confidently approve . teach shee will , before shee be taught ; and correct form● it selfe , to bring forme out of love with it selfe . to which malady , none is more naturally subject , then some ladies cashiered gentlewoman , or one who hath plaid schoole-mistresse in the city , and for want of competent pay , removes her campe into the countrey : where she brings enough of vanity into every family throughout the parish . shee will not sticke to instruct her young pupils in strange points of formality , enjoyning them not to aske their parents blessing without a complement . these , as they were never mistresses of families , so they are generally ignorant in employments of that kind . those three principall workes or faculties of the vnderstanding , which might enable them to discourse , distinguish , and to chuse , are so estranged from them , as their discourse consists solely in arguments of vanity , their distinction in meere shadowes of formality , their choyce in subjects and consorts of effeminacy . eight things , saith hippocrates , make ones flesh moist and fat ; the first , to be merry and live at hearts ease ; the second , to sleepe much ; the third , to lye in a soft bed ; the fourth , to fare well ; the fifth , to be well apparelled and appointed ; the sixth , to ride alwayes on horse-backe ; the seventh , to have our will ; and the eighth , to bee employed in playes and pastimes , and in such time-beguiling recreations , as yeeld contentment and pleasure . these are the onely receits in request with those shee-censors wee now discourse of ; and of whom it may be said , as was sometimes spoken of one margites , that he never plowed , nor digged , nor did any thing all his life long that might tend unto goodnesse ; and by necessary consequence wholly unprofitable to the world . who , howsoever they are lesse then women at their worke , yet at their meat ( so unconfined is their appetite ) they are more then men , and in their habits ( so phantasticke is their conceit , neither women nor men . so as , were diogenes to encounter one of these , hee might well expostulate the cause with her , as hee did upon like occasion with a youth too curiously and effeminately drest : if thou goest to men , all this is but in vaine ; if unto women , it is wicked . but these wee hold altogether unworthy of your more generous society ; whose excellent breeding hath sufficiently accommodated you for city , court , and countrey ; and so fully inform'd you how to demeane your selves in all affaires ; as i make little doubt , but you know wherein it may bee admitted , as mainely consequent ; and wherein omitted as meerely impertinent . i meane therefore to descend briefly to the last branch of this observation ; declaring , what ornament gives complement best beauty or accomplishment . it is true , what the sonne of sirach sometimes said ; when a man hath done his best , hee must beginne againe ; and when hee thinketh to come to an end , hee must goe againe to his labour . there is nothing so exact , which may not admit of something to make it more perfect . wee are to goe by stayres and steps to the height of any story . vertues are the staires , perfection the spire . but i must tell you , gentlewomen , the way for you to ascend , is first to descend : complete you cannot be , unlesse you know how replete you are of misery . humility is the staire that conducts you to this spire of glory . your beauty may proclaime you faire ; your discourse expresse a pregnancy of conceit ; your behaviour confirme you outwardly complete . yet there is something more then all this required , to make you absolutely accomplished . all these outward becommings , be they never so gracefull , are but reflections in a glasse ; quite vanished , so soone as the glasse is removed . critolaus balance was of precious temper , and well deserving estimation with heires of honour ; who poised the goods of body and fortune in one skale , and goods of the mind in the other : where the goods of the mind so farre weighed downe the other , as the heaven doth the earth and seas . to lead a dance gracefully ; to marry your voice to your instrument musically ; to expresse your selves in prose and verse morally ; are commendable qualities , and enforcing motives of affection . yet i must tell you , for the first , though it appeare by your feet to be but a meere dimension , in the opinion of the learned , it is the divels procession : where the dance is the circle , whose centre is the divell . which may be restrained by a more easie or moderate glosse to such wanton and immodest revels , as have anciently beene used in the celebration of their prophane feasts by pagans , and are to this day by pagan-christians ; who , to gaine applause from the spectator , care not what shamelesse parts they play in the presence of their maker . but what are these worth , being compared with these inward ornaments or beauties of your mind ; which onely distinguish you from other creatures , and make you soveraignesses over the rest of gods creatures ? you have that within you , which will best accomplish you . let not that bee corrupted , by which your crooked wayes may be best corrected . hold it no such necessary point of complement , to shew a kind of majesty in a dance ; and to preferre it before the complement of a religious taske . those sensuall curtezans , who are so delighted in songs , pipes , and earthly melody , shall in hell rore terribly and howle miserably ; crying , as it is in the apocalips ; woe , woe , woe . woe shall every one cry severally , for the reward they have received in hell eternally ; saying and sighing , woe is mee that ever i was borne : for farre better had it beene for her , that shee had never beene borne . and againe , cursed bee the wombe that bare mee a sinner . after this , shall shee cry out in her second woe against her selfe and all the members of her owne body : woe bee unto you my accursed feet , what evill have you brought upon mee , miserable wretch , who by your perverse paths and wicked wayes have shut heavens gate of mee ? woe unto you my hands , why have you deprived mee by your sinfull touch , and sensuall embrace , of the crowne of glory ? by your meanes am i brought to hell fire , where i shall bee tormented eternally . woe unto thee , thou cursed tongue , what mischiefe hast thou brought upon mee , by uttering words so scurrilous and filthy , and singing uncivill songs so frequently ? o ye cursed eyes , who by your unlawfull objects of concupiscence , have deprived mee of gods presence , and never shed one teare for your sinnes in token of repentance ! now begins your intolerable weeping ( yee teare-swolne eyes never dryed ) before all the divels and the damned . woe unto thee my heart , what hast thou put upon mee , who by thy lustfull thoughts and unlawfull joyes , hast deprived me of eternall joyes ? the third woe , that shee shall cry out , is this , saying : woe unto the bitternesse of my torments , for they are comfortlesse : woe unto the multitude of them , for they are numberlesse : woe unto the eternity of them , for they are endlesse . would our wanton curtezans , who sport it in their beds of ivory , surfeit it in their delicacy , wanton it in the bosome of security , and dedicate their whole time to sensuality , reflect upon such a soveraigne salve or spirituall balme as this ; they would draw backe their feet from the wayes of wantonnesse , and exercise them wholly in the paths of righteousnesse . they would remove their hands from unchaste embraces , and inure them to the search of scriptures . they would stop their mouthes from uttering ought uncivilly , and teach their tongues to bee orators of modesty . they would turne their eyes from vanity , and fixe them on the purest objects of eternity . that so , instead of bitternesse of torments , they might taste the sweetnesse of divine comforts : instead of multitude of torments , they might partake the numberlesse number of gods mercies : and instead of the eternity of those torments , immortality with gods saints and servants . prevention is the life of policy : the way to avoid those , and enjoy these , is to live in your court here on earth , where you are spheared , as in the presence of god and his heavenly angels , where your hope is seated . though your feet bee here , your faith should bee there : here your campe , there your court. meane time , while you sojourne here , you are to hold a good christian the completest courtier : and that vertue is the ornament , which gives complement the best accomplishment . silken honour is like painted meate ; it may feed the eye , but affords no nourishment . that courtiers coate gives a vading glosse , whose heart is not inwardly lin'd with grace . let goodnesse guide you in the way , and happinesse will crowne you in the end . let your complete armour be righteousnesse , your complement lowlinesse : complete in nothing so much as holinesse ; that in your convoy from earth , you may bee endenized in heaven , naturall citizens , angelicall courtiers . the english gentle-vvoman . argument . decency recommended as requisite in foure distinct subjects : decency the attractivest motive of affection : the smoothest path that leads to perfection . decency . decency takes discretion ever along with her to choose her fashion . shee accommodates her selfe to the place wherein shee lives , the persons with whom shee consorts , the ranke or quality shee partakes . shee is too discreet to affect ought that may not seeme her : too constant to change her habit for the invention of any phantasticke wearer . what propriety shee expresseth in her whole posture or carriage , you shall easily perceive , if you will but with a piercing eye , a serious survey , reflect upon her demeanour in her gate , looke , speech , habit. of which , distinctly , wee purpose to intreat , in our entry to this observation ; that by these you may probably collect the excellency of her condition . that , wherein wee should expresse our selves the humblest , many times transports us most , and proclaimes us proudest . it is no hard thing to gather the disposition of our heart , by the dimension of our gate . what a circular gesture wee shall observe some use in their pace , as if they were troubled with the vertigo ! others make a tinkling with their feet , and make discovery of their light thoughts , by their wanton gate . others with a jetting and strutting pace , publish their hauty and selfe-conceited minde . thus doe our wantons ( as if they had transparent bodies ) display their folly , and subject themselves to the censure of levity . this cannot decency endure . when shee sees women , whose modesty should bee the ornament of their beauty , demeane themselves more like actors than civill professants , shee compassionately suffers with them , and with choyce precepts of morall instruction ( wherein shee hath ever shewne her selfe a singular proficient ) shee labours to reclaime them : with amorous , but vertuous rhetoricke , shee wooes them , hoping by that meanes to winne them . shee bids them looke backe to preceding times , yea those , on which that glorious light which shines in those christian dayes , never reflected ; and there they shall finde women highly censured , for that their outward carriage onely made them suspected . a vaile covered their face , modesty measured out their pace ; their spectators were as so many censors : circumspect therefore were they of their carriage , lest they should become a scandall or blemish to their sexe . their repaire to their temples was decent , without any loose or light gesture ; entring their temples , constant and setled was their behaviour . quicke was their pace in dispatch of houshold affaires ; but slow in their epicureall visits or sensuall gossipings . they had not the art of imitating such huffing & mounting gates , as our light-spirited dames now use . they were not as then learn'd to pace : so far estrang'd were they from the very least conceit of vanity in this kinde . how much more should these purer times , where verity is taught and embraced , vanity so much tax'd and reproved , affect that most , which adornes and beautifies most ? is it not palpable folly , to walke so hautily in these streets of our captivity ? eye your feet , those bases of frailty , how they , who so proudly strut on earth , are but earth , and approach daily nearer their earth . the swan , when she prides her selfe in her whitenesse , reflects on her blacke feet , which brings downe her plumes , and allayes her selfe-conceit with more humblenesse . what anticke pageants shall wee behold in this survey of earth ? with what apish gestures they walke , which taxeth them of lightnesse ? how like colosso's others walke , which discovers their haughtinesse ? how punctually these , as if they were puppets drawn by an enforced motion ? how phantastically those , as if their walke were a theatrall action ? these unstaid dimensions argue unsetled dispositions . all is not well with them . for if one of the spartan ephori was to lose his place , because hee observ'd no decency in his pace , how may wee bee opinion'd of such women , whose yeeres exact of them stayednesse , whose places reteine in them more peculiar reverence , and whose descents injoyne them to a state-reservance ; when they , to gaine observance , admit of any new , but undecent posture ? deserve these approvement ? no ; discretion cannot prize them , nor judgement praise them . vulgar opinion , whose applause never receives life from desert , may admire what is new , but discretion that onely which is neat . it is one thing to walke honestly as on the day , another thing to walke uncivilly as on the night . decency becomes the one ; deformity the other . neither onely are modest women to bee cautelous how they walke , but where they walke . some places there bee , whereto if they repaire , walke they never so civilly , they cannot walke honestly . those who value reputation , will not bee seene there ; for honour is too deare a purchase to bee set at sale . such as frequent these places , have exposed themselves to shame ; and made an irrevocable contract with sinne . they make choyce of the twy-light , lest their paths should be discovered ; and shrowd their distained actions with the sable curtaine of night , lest they should bee displayed . these , howsoever their feet walke softly , their hearts poste on swiftly , to seize on the voluptuous prey of folly . farre bee these wayes from your walkes , vertuous ladies , whose modesty makes you honoured of your sexe . though your feet bee here below , let your faith bee above . let no path of pleasure draw you from those joyes which last for ever . though the world bee your walke while you sojourne here ; heaven should bee your ayme , that you may repose eternally there . live devoutly , walke demurely , professe constantly ; that devotion may instruct you , your wayes direct you , your profession conduct you to your heavenly countrey . it is a probable argument , that such an one hates her countrey , where onely shee is to become citizen , who thinkes it to bee well with her here , where shee is a pilgrim . walke in this maze of your pilgrimage , that after death you may enjoy a lasting heritage . so shall you praise god in the gate , and , after your christian race finished , receive a crowne . it is most true , that a wanton eye is the truest evidence of a wandring and distracted minde . the arabians proverbe is elegant ; shut the windowes , that the house may give light . it is death that enters in by the windowes . the house may bee secured , if these bee closed . whence it was , that princely prophet praid so earnestly , lord turne away mine eyes from vanity . and hence appeares mans misery : that those eyes , which should bee the cesternes of sorrow , limbeckes of contrition , should become the lodges of lust , and portals of our perdition . that those which were given us for assistants and associates , should become our assassinat● . our eye is made the sense of sorrow , because the sense of sinne ; yet more apt is shee to give way to sinne , then to finde one teare to rinse her sinne . an uncleane eye is the messenger of an uncleane heart : confine the one , and it will bee a means to rectifie the other . many dangerous objects will a wandring eye finde , whereon to vent the disposition of her corrupt heart . no place is exempted , no subject freed . the ambitious eye makes honour her object , wherewith shee afflicts her selfe , both in aspiring to what shee cannot enjoy , as likewise in seeing another enjoy that , whereto her selfe did aspire . the covetous makes wealth her object ; which shee obtaines with toile , enjoyes with feare , forgoes with griefe : for being got they load her , lov'd they soile her , lost they gall her . the envious makes her neighbours flourishing field , or fruitfull harvest , her object ; shee cannot but looke on it , looking pine and repine at it , and repining justly consume her spirit with envying it . the lascivious makes beauty her object , and with a leering looke , while shee throweth out her lure to catch others , shee becomes catcht herselfe . this object because it reflects most on your sexe , let it bee thus disposed , that the inward eye of your soules may bee on a superiour beauty fixed . doe ye admire the comelinesse of any creature ? remove your eye from that object , and bestow it on the contemplation of your creator . wormes and flyes , that have layen dead all winter by reflexe of the sunne beames , are revived : so these flesh-flyes , who have beene long time buried in these sensuall objects of earth , no sooner reflect on the sunne of righteousnesse , than they become enlivened and enlightened . those filmes which darkened the eye of their mindes , are removed , those thicke cataracts of earthly vanities are dispersed and dispelled , and a new light into a new heart infused . i know well , gentlewomen , that your resort to places of eminent resort , cannot but minister to you variety of objects . yea , even where nothing but chaste thoughts , staid lookes , and zealous desires should harbour , are now and then loose thoughts , light lookes , and licentious desires in especiall honour . the meanes to prevent this malady , which like a spreading ulcer disperseth it selfe in every society , is neither willingly to take nor bee taken . dinah may bee a proper embleme for the eye ; shee seldome strayes abroad , but shee is in danger of ravishing . now to preserve purity of heart , you must observe a vigilant discipline over every sense . where , if the eye , which is the light of the body , bee not well disposed , the rest of the senses cannot choose but bee much darkned . wee say , that the want of one peculiar sense supplies that defect with an higher degree of perfection in the rest . sure i am , there is no one sense that more distempers the harmony of the mind , nor prospect of the soule , then this window of the body . it opens ever to the raven , but seldome to the dove . raving affections it easily conveyes to the heart ; but dove-like innocence it rarely reteines in the brest . as it is a member of the flesh , so becomes it a servant of the flesh ; apprehending with greedinesse , whatsoever may minister fuell to carnall concupiscence . this you shall easily correct , by fixing her on that pure and absolute object , for which shee was made . it is observed by profest oculists ( an observation right worthy a christians serious consideration ) that whereas all creatures have but foure muscles to turn their eyes round about , man hath a fift to pull his eyes up to heaven . doe not then depresse your eyes , as if they were fixed on earth , nor turne them round , by gazing on the fruitlesse vanities of earth ; but on heaven , your haven after earth . in the philosophers scale ▪ the soule of a flye is of more excellence then the sunne ; in a christian scale , the soule of man is infinitely more precious then all creatures under the sun. preserve then the honour of a beautifull soule , which suffers infinitely when it is blemished with any soile . so order and dispose your lookes , as censure may not taxe you of lightnesse , nor an amorous glance impeach you of wantonnesse . send not forth a tempting eye to take another ; nor entertaine a tempting looke darting from another . neither take nor bee taken . to become a prey to others , will slave you● to make a prey of others , will transport you . looke then upward , where the more you looke you shall like , the longer you live you shall love . without speech can no society subsist . by it we expresse what we are , as vessels discover themselves best by their sound . discretion makes opportunity her anvile , whereon is wrought a seasonable discourse . otherwise , howsoever wee speake much , wee discourse little . that sage stagyrian debating of the convenience and propriety of discourse before alexander , maintained , that none were to bee admitted to speake ( by way of positive direction ) but either those that mannaged his wars , or his philosophers which governed his house . this opinion tasted of too much strictnesse ( will our women say ) who assume to themselves a priviledge in arguments of discourse , be the argument never so course whereon they treat . truth is , their tongues are held their defensive armour ; but in no particular detract they more from their honour , then by giving too free scopeto that glibbery member . for to such as professe their ability at this weapon , may that saying of pandolphus bee properly applied : they speake much ill , but they speake little well ; they speake much , but doe little . againe , they doe little well , but they doe much ill ; they say well , but doe ill . they promise much , but doe little . what restraint is required in respect of the tongue , may appeare by that ivory guard or garrison with which it is impaled . see , how it is double warded , that it may with more reservancy and better security be restrained ! to give liberty to the tongue to utter what it list , is the argument of an indiscreet person . in much speech there can never want sinne , it either leaves some tincture of vaine-glory , which discovers the proud heart , from whence it proceeded ; or some taste of scurrility , which displayes the wanton heart , from whence it streamed ; or some violent and dispassionate heat , which proclaimes a rancorous heart , from whence it issued . whereas , a well-disposed mind will not speake before it conceive ; nor deliver ought by way of expression , till it be prepared by a well-seasoned deliberation . that philosophers speech deserves retention ; who seeing a silent guest at a publike feast , used these words : if thou beest wise , thou art a foole ; if a foole , thou art wise in holding thy peace . for as propriety of speech ministers no lesse delight then profit to the hearer : so it argues discretion in the speaker , begetting him such attention , as not one syllable fals from him , which merits not retention . in your dialect then , you are not to hide your talent , if it probably appeare that you may improve any one by it . wherein let me advise you never to tye your selves so strictly to elegancie or ornament , as by the outward trimming to forget the benefit of speech , and so fall into expressions impertinent . this were to preferre the rinde before the pith : and to ingage sense to a profuse speech . as discourse usually edifying confers a benefit to the hearer ; so discourses ●●itlesse and wandring , as they tire the eare , so they taxe the discretion of the speaker . it was an excellent precept of ecclesiasticus : thou that art young , speake , if need be , and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked . comprehend much in few words ; in many be as one that is ignorant : be as one that understandeth , and yet hold thy tongue . the direction is generall , but to none more consequently usefull then to young women ; whose bashfull silence is an ornament to their sexe . volubility of tongue in these , argues either rudenesse of breeding , or boldnesse of expression . the former may be reclaimed by a discreet tutor , but the latter , being grounded on arrogancy of conceit , seldome or never . it will beseeme you , gentlewomen , whose generous education hath estranged you from the first , and whose modest disposition hath wean'd you from the last , in publike consorts , to observe rather then discourse . it suites not with her honour , for a young woman to be prolocutor : but especially , when either men are in presence , or ancient matrons , to whom shee owes a civill reverence , it will become her to tip her tongue with silence . touching the subject of your discourse , when opportunity shall exact it of you , and without touch of immodesty expect it from you ; make choyce of such arguments as may best improve your knowledge in houshold affaires , and other private employments . to discourse of state-matters , will not become your auditory : nor to dispute of high points of divinity , will it sort well with women of your quality . these shee-clarkes many times broach strange opinions ; which , as they understand them not themselves , so they labour to intangle others of equall understanding to themselves . that divine sentence , being made an individuate consort to their memory , would reclaime them from this errour , and free them from this opinionate censure : god forbid , that wee should not be readier to learne then to teach . women , as they are to be no speakers in the church , so neither are they to be disputers of controversies of the church . holy bernard pleasantly glanced at these , when on a time entring a church , wherein the image of our lady was erected , hee was saluted by the image in this manner , good morrow bernard ; which device having quickly discovered , perceiving some person to bee purposely inclosed in it , hee forthwith replyed : your ladiship hath forgot your selfe ; women should be no speakers in the church . in one word , as modesty gives the best grace to your behaviour , so moderation of speech to your discourse . silence in a woman is a moving rhetoricke , winning most , when in words it wooeth least . now , to give speech and silence their distinct attributes or personall characters , wee may gather their severall tempers by the severall effects derived from them . more shall wee see fall into sinne by speech then silence : yea , whosoever intendeth himselfe to speake much , seldome observes the course of doing what is just . in the whole current of your discourse , let no light subject have any place with you : this , as it proceeds from a corrupt and indisposed heart , so it corrupts the hearer . likewise , beware of selfe-prayse ; it argues you have slow neighbours , or few deserts . let not calumny runne descant on your tongue : it discovers your passion too much ; in the meane time , venting of your spleene affords no cure to your griefe , no salve to your sore . if opportunity give your sexe argument of discourse ; let it neither taste of affectation , for that were servile ; nor touch upon any wanton relation , for that were uncivill ; nor any state-politicall action , for rhe height of such a subject , compared with your weaknesse , were unequall . if you affect rhetoricke , let it be with that familiarity expressed , as your plainenesse may witnesse for you , that you doe not affect it . this will make your speech seeme gracious to the hearer , conferre a native modesty on the speaker , and free you of all prejudicate censure . there is nothing which moves us more to pride it in sinne , then that which was first given us to cover our shame . the fruit of a tree made man a sinner ; and the leaves of a tree gave him a cover . in your habit is your modesty best expressed ; your dispositions best discovered . the habit of the mind is discerned by the state or posture of the body ; the condition or quality of the body by the habit , which either addes or detracts from her beauty . as wee cannot probably imagine such to have modest minds , who have immodest eyes ; so can wee not properly say such women to bee modest matrons , or professors of piety , who in their attire shew arguments of their immodesty . it skils not much , for the quality of your habits , whether they be silken or wollen , so they bee civill and not wanton . for albeit , some have affirmed that all gorgeous attire is the attire of sinne , the quality of the person may seeme to extenuate the quality of that sinne . for noble and eminent personages were in all times admitted to weare them ; and to be distinguished by them : neither , indeed , is the sumptuousnesse of the habit so reprehensive , as the phantasticknesse of the habit in respect of the forme or fashion . it is this which derogates higly from the repute of a christian , to see her affect variety and inconstancy of attire , more then ever did pagan . there is nothing which introduceth more effeminacy into any flourishing state , then vanity in habit . where wee may observe fashion , many times , so long affected , till all fashion become exiled . surely , whatsoever our lighter disposed curtezans thinke , it is civility which addes most grace ; decency which expresseth best state ; and comlinesse in attire , which procures most love . other habits , as they display the mind of the wearer , so are they subjects of laughter or contempt to any discreet beholder . time is too precious to bee made a pageant or morrice on . these misconceived ornaments are meere deformities to good minds . vertuous and discreet matrons would bee loath to weare ought that might give least scandall or offence to their sexe . forraine fashions are no bai●s to catch them , nor phantasticke , rather phanaticke dressings to delude them . they cannot eye that habit which deserves approving , nor that attire which merits loving , where civility is not patterne . decency is their choycest every , which sets them forth above all embroyderie . there was an ancient edict amongst the romans , purposely to rid the state of all uselesse loyterers , that no roman should goe through the streets of the city , unlesse hee carried with him the badge or signall of that trade whereby hee lived : insomuch , that marc. aurelius , speaking of the diligence of the romans , giveth them this deserving testimony , that all of them followed their labour . now i marvell , whether upon due survey of all those artizans , either periwig , gregorian-maker , or tyre-woman , had any set place or proper vocation , or what badges they might beare to signifie their profession . would not these new-found artists have beene rather derided then approved , geered then applauded ? sure , rome was more civill then to give way to so contagious an evill . vesta had her maidens , so had viriplaca her matrons ; but neither of their followers could admit of any new minted fashions . that lady city had never soveragniz'd over so many rich states , swelling empires , victorious princes , had shee exposed her selfe to such vanity , which had beene the greatest eclipse to her spreading glory . to you let mee bend my discourse , whose more generous parts conferre more true beauty on themselves , then these outward fopperies can ever doe : doe not betray your names to suspition . the chaplet of fame is not reserved for wantons , nor such as sute themselves to the habit of lightnesse ; for these adde one degree more to their sexes weaknesse : but for such women as array themselves in comely apparell , with shamefastnesse and modesty , not with braided haire , or gold , or pearles , or costly apparell . but , as becommeth women that professe the feare of god. for even after this manner , in time past , did the holy women , which trusted in god , tyre themselves . here you have a direct platforme , how to attire your selves outwardly ; suting your civill habit with variety of sweet graces inwardly . let not then these spider-cauls delude you , discretion will laugh at them , modesty loath them , decency contemne them . loose bodies sort best with these adulterate beauties . those , whose conversation is in heaven , though they so journe here on earth ; those , whose erected thoughts spheare them in an higher orbe then this circle of frailty ; those , whose spotlesse affections have devoted their best service to goodnesse , and made modesty the exact mold of all their actions , cannot endure to stoope to such braine-sicke lures . and such are you , whose generous descent , as it claymes precedence of others , so should your vertuous demeanour in these foure distinct subjects , gate , looke , speech , habit , improve your esteeme aboue others . in gate , by walking humbly ; in looke , by disposing it demurely ; in speech , by delivering it moderately ; in habit , by attiring your selves modestly : all which , like foure choyce borders , perfumed with sweetest odours , will beautifie those lovely lodges of your soules with all decency . meane while , imprint these divine motions in your memory . and first for the first , hold this tenet ; to walke , walking to meditate , meditating to make the subject of it your maker , is the best portion of the creature : for the second , to fix your eye with that indifferency on the creature , as it never avert your contemplative eye from your creator : for the third , to direct your speech to the benefit of the hearer , and to avoyd impertinences for conscience-sake farre more then censure : for the fourth and last , to make choyce of that habit , whose civility may doe you honour , and publish you examples of decency to any discreet or temperate beholder . what is it that conveyes more affection to the heart , then decency in the object wee affect ? the spouse in the canticles was blacke , but comely ; and this gave praise to her beauty . a straid looke may move affection in a light heart , but in a vertuous mind it begets hate . truth is , in this disordered age , where the best shot to be discharged is the taverne bill , the best alarum is the sounding of healths , and the most absolute march is reeling ; discretion hath received such a maime , as affection is seldome measured by what wee are , but what wee weare . vanity hath set up her flagge ; and more fresh-water souldiers desire to fight under her banner , then the ensigne of honour . but all this workes little upon a constant and rightly-tempered disposition . such an one plants there his love , where with comfort he may live . doe you thinke that a jetting gate , a leering looke , a glibbery tongue , or gaudy attire can move affection in any one worthy your love ? sure no ; hee deserves a light one for his choyce , who makes his choyce by one of these . to bee an admirer of one of these , were to preferre in his choyce a may-marrian before a modest matron . now there are some fashions which become one incomparably more than another : the reason whereof may bee imputed either to the native propriety of the party using that forme , habit , or complement ; or else to the quality of the person , which makes the fashion used , infinitely more gracious . for the first , you shall never see any thing imitated , but it seemes the imitator worst at the first : habit will bring it into a second nature ; but till such time as custome hath matur'd it , many imperfections will usually attend it . whereas , whatsoever is naturally inbred in us , will best beseeme and adorne us ; it needs no other face than what nature gave it , and would generally become worse , were it never so little enforced . for the second , as in any theatrall presentment , what becomes a peere or potentate , would not sort with the condition of any inferiour substitute ; every one must bee suited to the person hee presents : so in the theatre of state , distinct fashions both in habit and complement are to bee retained , according to the place wherein hee is ranked . lucrece , no doubt , stamped a deeper impression of affection in the heart of her beholder , by addressing her selfe to hous-wivery and purple-spinning , than others could ever doe with their reere bankets and riotous spending . all are not of aegystus minde , who was taken with a complement of lightnesse . this argued , that a youthfull heat had rather surpriz'd his amorous heart , than any discreet affection preferr'd him to his choyce . but how vading is that love , which is so lightly grounded ? to what dangerous overtures is it exposed ? where vertue is not directrice in our choyce , our inconstant mindes are ever prone to change . wee finde not what wee expected ; nor digest well what wee formerly affected ; all is out of square , because discretion contriv'd not the building . to repaire this breach , and make the object wee once entertained , ever beloved : let nothing give us content , but what is decent . this is the habit , gentlewomen , which will best become you to bee woo'd in , and content a discreet suitor most to have you woone in . all others are neither worth viewing , wooing , weighing , nor wearing . rich iewels , the more wee looke on them , the more are wee taken with them . such iewels , are modest women , whose countenance promiseth goodnesse , an enforced smile native bashfulnesse , every posture such tokens of decency and comelinesse , as caius tarquinius in his caia could conceive no fuller happinesse : shee , i say , who made wooll and purple her dayes taske , and this her constant impreze , where thou art caius , i am caia . conforme then your generous dispositions to a decency of fashion , that you may attract to your selves , and beget in others , motives of affection . fountaines runne by many winding and mazie currents into one maine river ; rivers by sundry channels into one maine ocean . severall wayes direct passengers into one city ; but one onely way guides man to the heavenly city . this way is vertue , which like some choyce confection sweetens the difficulty of every occurrent that encounters her in her quest after perfection . of all those cardinall vertues , it is temperance onely which seasons and gives them a vertuous rellish . which vertue dilates it selfe to severall branches ; all which bud forth into one savoury fruit or other . it is true , that hee who is every way complete , may bee properly styled an absolute man. but what is it which makes him complete ? it is not a seru'd face , an artfull cringe , or an italionate ducke that deserves so exquisite a title . another age will discountenance these , and cover these complete formalists with dust . no , ladies ; it is something that partakes of a more divine nature , than a meere complementall gesture . if you would aspire to perfection , observe the meane , that you may attaine the end . temperance you cannot embrace , if decency bee estranged from your choyce . if temperate , you cannot chuse but bee decent : for it includes an absolute moderation of our desires in all subjects . come then , gentlewomen , love to bee decent , and that will teach you the best complement . you have that in you , which , divinely employ'd , will truly ennoble you . your descent may give you an higher ascent by way of precedency before others , but this you cannot appropriate to your owne deserts , but that nobility of blood which is derived to you by others . labour to have something of your owne , which you may challenge to bee yours properly , without any helpe of an ancient pedigree . how well doth it seeme you , to expresse a civill decent state in all your actions ? you are in the eyes of many , who precisely observe you , and desire to imitate whatsoever they note observable in you . you may then become excellent patternes unto others , by reteining decency , and entertaining her for your follower . shee will make you appeare gracious in their sight , whose judgements are pure and uncorrupted ; howsoever our corkie censurers traduce you , your fame cannot bee blemished , nor the odour of those vertues which so sweetly chafe and perfume you , decayed . decency attended you in your life , and the memory of your vertues shall crowne you after death . even there , where youth never ageth , life never endeth , beauty never fadeth , love never faileth , health never vadeth , joy never decreaseth , griefe is never felt , groanes are never heard , no object of sorrow to bee seene , gladnesse ever to bee found , no evill to bee fear'd . yea , the king shall take pleasure in your beauty , and at your end invest you with endlesse glory ▪ prize not then the censure of sensuall man , for hee is wholly set on vanity ; but fixe your eyes on him , who will cloath you with eternity . let this bee your crowne of comfort , that many are improved by your example , many weaned from sinne , many wonne to sion . by sowing the seed of goodnesse , that is , by giving good examples , expressed best by the effectuall workes of faith , you shall reape a glorious harvest . actions of goodnesse shall live in you , and cause all good men to love you . whereas , those are to bee esteemed worst , who not onely use things evilly in themselves , but likewise towards others . for , of so many deaths is every one worthy , as hee hath left examples of naughtinesse unto posterity . let vertues then bee stayres to raise you ; an improved fame the rudder to steere you ; these will adde unto your honour , seat you above the reach of censure , and joyne you individually to your best lover . the english gentlevvoman . argument . estimation , a gentlewomans highest prize ; how it may be discerned to be reall ; how superficiall : how it may be impregnably preserved ; how irreparably lost : the absolute end , whereto it chiefly aspires , and wherein it cheerefully rests . estimation . estimation is a good opinion drawne from some probable grounds : an unvaluable gemm● , which every wise merchant , who tenders his honour , prefers before life . the losse of this makes him an irreparable bankrupt . all persons ought to rate it high , because it is the value of themselves , though none more dearely then those , in whom modesty , and a more impressive feare of disgrace usually lodge . these , so cautelous are they of suspition , as they will not ingage their good names to purchase affection . publike resorts , because they may corrupt , they avoid ; privacy they consort with , and in it converse with their owne thoughts , whether they have in them ought that may betray them . they observe what in others deserves approvement , and this they imitate ; with an uncorrupt eye they note others defects , which they make use of as a caveat . for , as life is a globe of examples ; so these make the pious examples of others , the models or patterns of their lifes . pure is their mold , but farre purer the temper of their mind . fame they hold the sweetest flower that ever grew neere the border of time. which , lest either it should wither for want of moisture , or wanting warmth should lose its vigour , they bedew it with gracious affects , and renew it with zealous resolves . descent , as they draw it from others , so would they improve it in themselves . ancient houses , now and then , stand in need of props and pillars ; these would they have supplied with the cardinall vertues . these are emblemes of your selves ( noble ladies ) who so highly tender your honour , as estimation gaines you more then what your bloods gave you . for this is inherent and primitive , whereas the other is descendent and derivative . it is a princely command of your affections , which mounts you to this height of goodnesse : distinguishing betwixt blind love , and discreet affection . pleasure cannot make you so forgetfull of your honour , as to deprive you of that in a moment , which you shall never recover . vertue hath taken that seazure of you , as no light thought can seize on you , or dispossesse her of that claime shee hath in you . treacherous tarpeia's may bee taken with gifts ; but your honour is of too high an estimate to suffer the least blemish for reward . you observe what staines have laid , and doe yet lie upon many ancient families by meanes of attainders in their progenitors . their bloods ( say wee ) were corrupted , whereby their estates became confiscated , their houses from their lineall successors estranged , and they to lasting infamy exposed . certainely , though not in so high degree ( for these were capitall ) many families have received deepe staines from light actions ; which neither time , though never so aged , could weare out , nor the living exploits of their noble successors wipe off . for the highest family sticks ever upon it the deepest infan●y , when at any time stained : and diffuseth her beames with fullest glory , where it is by piety graced . vice hath ever beene of a deeper dye then vertue ; and the memory of the one commonly survives the fame of the other . wounds , when they are healed , leave their scarres behind them : paths reteine their prints . your memory shall neither receive life from that noble blood which sprinkles in you , nor from any monumentall shrine which may her eafter cover you , but from those precious odours of your ever-living vertues , which shall eternize you . these are of power to make such as long since dyed , and whose unequall'd beauty is for many ages since to ashes turned , reteine a flourishing fame in the gratefull memory of the living . penelope for spending chaste her dayes , as worthy as vlysses was of prayse . a daily siege shee suffered , and in her conquest equall was shee to those victorious peeres of greece , who made troy their triumph . estimation was her highest prize . suiters shee got , yet amidst these , was not her vlysses forgot . long absence had not estranged her affection ; youthfull consorts could not move in her thoughts the least distraction ; neither could opportunity induce her to give way to any light action . well might greece then esteeme her penelope of more lasting fame then any pyramid that ever shee erected . her unblemished esteeme was of farre purer stuffe then any ivory statue that could bee reared . nor was rome lesse beholden to her lucrece , who set her honour at so high a price , as shee held death too light to redeeme such a prize . though force , frights , foes , and furies gaz'd upon her , these were no wounds but wonders to her honour . the presence of a prince no lesse amorous then victorious , could not winne her ; though with him price , prayer , and power did joyntly wooe her . well deserved such two modest matrons the choice embraces of two such heroicke champions , as might equall their constant loves with the tender of their dearest lives . and two our histories afford , whom succeeding fame hath recorded eminent , because double conquerours , both of cities and of themselves ; puissant and continent . this noble testimonie wee receive of scipio , that being a young man of twenty foure yeares of age , in the taking of a city in spaine , hee repressed the slaming heat of his youthfull desires , when a beautifull maid was brought him , restoring her to a young man called allutius , to whom shee was espoused , with a great reward . right worthy was hee to conquer another , who could with such temper subdue himselfe : such good successe hath ever attended on these morall vertues , though professed by pagans . the other heroe was rightly avgvstvs both in name and nature ; and wheresoe're , you looke , a victorious caesar . cleopatra kneeled at his feet , laid baits for his eyes ; but in vaine ; her beauties were beneath that princes chastity . absolute commanders were these heroicke princes of their affections , yet a farre more singular argument of his composed disposition , and of morall , if not divine mortification , shewed that young man spvtimia in valerius maximus , whose beauty did so incomparably become him , as it occasioned many women to lust after him : which this noble youth no sooner perceived , then hee purposely wounded his face , that by the scarre hee sustained , his beauty might become more blemished , and consequently all occasion of lusting after it , clearely removed . this might bee instanced in one of your owne sexe ; a religious votaresse , whose chaste bosome was a sacred recluse dedicated to goodnesse : and who upon the encounter of a lascivious lover , returned this answer : sir , i honour you so much , as i have chosen rather to suffer , then by my tyrannous beauty to make you a prisoner : wherewith discovering her face , in complexion much altered , by some impostured colours , which shee had caused to bee laid upon it : hee vowed to relinquish his suit , imagining that shee had poysoned her face , to waine him from his impure affection . this hee had no sooner said , then shee ranne to a spring neere adjoyning to wash it off : see , said shee , i am the same i was ; but you are much better : for now you are brought to see your errour , in being so much taken with a skin-deepe beauty , which onely consists in dye and colour . now ( gentlewomen ) if you make estimation your highest prize ; if you preferre honour before pleasure , or what else is deare or tender ; your fame will find wings to ●ly with . this will gaine you deserving suitors . portion may wooe a worlding ; proportion a youthfull wanton ; but it is vertue that wins the heart of discretion . surely , i have seldome knowne any make this esteeme of honour , and dye a contemptible begger . such as have beene prodigall of it , have felt the misery of it ; whereas , a chaste mind hath ever had something to succour and support it . thus you see what this inward beauty is , which if you enjoy , you sit farre above the reach of calumny ; age cannot taint it , nor youth tempt it . it is the estimation within you , that so confines you , as you hate that place which gives opportunity , that person which makes importunity his agent to lay siege to your chastity . now wee are to descend to the second branch , wherein we are to shew you how this estimation , which is your highest prize , may be discerned to bee reall ; which is not gathered by the first appearance , but a serious and constant triall . in philosophy , a man begins with experience , and then with beleefe ; but in divinity , wee must first beginne in faith , and then proceed to knowledge . true it is , that the sunne , moone , and starres become subject to vanity ; yet charity bids mee beleeve , that there are many beauteous and resplendent stars in this our firmament , many fresh fragrant roses in this our inclosed garden of albion , who have preserved their beauty without touch , their honour without taint . where , if vanity did touch them , yet did it not so seize on them , as to disfigure or transforme them . you ( noble gentlewomen ) are those stars , whose glory can never bee eclipsed , so long as your estimation lives unstained ; you are those fragrant roses , whose beauty cannot be tainted , so long as your stalke of honour growes untouched . now , to the end that your lustre many not bee like to that of the gloworme , nor rotten wood , which is meerely imaginary , compared with that is reall ; you are not to make faire and glorious pretences , purposely to gull the world , and cast a mist before the eyes of bleered judgements . you may find maskes to shroud your face ; but no shroud to enskreane you from the eye of heaven . no , you are to be really , what you appeare outwardly . these that walke in the clouds , though they deceive others much , yet they deceive themselves most . observe then this rule of direction ; it will accomplish you more then any outward ornament that art can bestow on you ; bee indeed what you desire to bee thought . are you virgins ? dedicate those inward temples of yours to chastity ; abstaine from all corrupt society ; inure your hands to workes of piety , your tongues to words of modesty . let not a straid looke taxe you of lightnesse , nor a desire of gadding impeach you of wantonnesse . the way to winne an husband is not to wooe him , but to bee woo'd by him . let him come to you , not you to him . proferred ware is not worth the buying . your states are too pure , to bee set at sale ; too happy , to bee weary of them . so long as you live as you are , so your minds bee pure , you cannot possibly bee poore . you have that within you , will enrich you , so you conforme your minds to your meanes . in the discourse of vertues , and true estimate of them , none was ever held more excellent then that which is found in chaste youth . you are conquerours in that , wherein the greatest conquerours have fail'd . your chaste paths are not trac'd with wandring desires ; your private chambers arras'd with amorous passions ; you spinne not out the tedious night in ah mee 's . your repast findes no hinderance in digestion ; your harmelesse repose no love-sicke distraction . others you may command ; by none commanded . others will vow their service unto you ; while you are from all servitude freed . live then worthy the freedome of so noble a condition ; for your virgin state wants nothing that may enlarge her freedome . againe , are you wives ? you have attained an honourable state ; and by it made partakers of that individuate union , where one soule ruleth two hearts , and one heart dwelleth in two bodies . you cannot suffer in that , wherein you have not one share . griefe by your consort is allayed ; joy by partaking with him is augmented . you have now taken upon you to become secretaries to others as well as your selves ; but being one and the same with your selves , doe not betray their trust , to whose trust you have recommended your selves . imagine now ( to recall to memory an ancient custome ) that you have broken the axletree of your coach at your doore ; you must bee no more straglers . these walking burses and moveable exchanges , sort not with the constancie of your condition . you must now intend the growth and proficience of those olive branches about your table . like a curious and continuate builder , you must ever addresse your selves to one worke or other . from their infancy to their youth . from their youth to their maturer growth . for the first , i know well that distich to bee most true : a mother to bee nurse , that 's great and faire , is now held base : true mothers they bee rare . but farre was it from those ancient heroicke ladies , to thinke this to bee either a disgrace to their place , or a blemish to their beauty . their names are by aged annals memorized , and shall by these of ours bee revived . such were cornelia , the mother of gracchus , and vetruria of coriolanus ; who became examples of goodnesse and chastity ; educating their children which they had brought up from their own brests , with the milke of morality . the like did portia the wife of brutus ; cleobula the daughter of cleobulus , one of the seven sages of greece ; sulpitia the wife of calenus , who not onely instructed her children which shee had tenderly nursed , with excellent precepts while shee lived , but left sundry memorable instructions , as legacies or mothers blessings to them , when shee dyed . hortensia , the excellent daughter of a most eloquent orator , deserved no lesse fame , for her motherly care in nursing and breeding , her ability in copious and serious discoursing , her gravity in composing and digesting such golden sentences , as shee afterwards recommended to the perusall of her surviving children . edesia borne at alexandria , farre excelled others in profundity of learning , and piety of living ; shee was admired by such as lived in her time : performing the office of a nurse in her childrens infancy , of a guardian in their minority , of a sage counsellour in their maturity . paulina the wife of seneca , as shee was excellently seasoned with the precepts of her husband , so shee surceas'd not from commending them to the practice of those children shee had by her husband . whence it was , that seneca bemoaned the ignorance of his mother , for that shee had not so exactly observed the precepts of his father : by reflecting upon his paulina , who was so serious an observer and improver of the directions of her husband . what shall i speak of theano , the daughter of metapontus ? phemone , who was first that ever composed heroicke verse ? corinnathia , who exceeded the poet pindarus in her curious and artfull measures ; and contending flue severall times with him for the garland ? argentaria pollia , the wife of lucan ; whom shee is reported to have assisted in those his high and heroicke composures ? zenobia the queene of palmira , who learned both the greeke and latine tongue , and compiled an excellent history ; approving her selfe no lesse a constant wife to her husband , then a nursing mother to her children ? theodosia the yonger daughter of the vertuous and victorious theodosius ; no lesse renowned for her learning and other exquisite endowments of minde , than by being inaugurated with an imperiall title , to which shee was afterwards advanced . the centons of homer shee composed , and into one volume reduced , which to her surviving glory were after published . diodorus logicus his five daughters , all which excelled in learning and chastity , and left memorials of their motherly care to their posterity . these were tender nurses , carefull mothers , reverend matrons . or to give them that title which antiquity hath bestowed on them ; they were in so darke and cloudy a time , patternes of piety , presidents of purity , champions of chastity , mirrours of modesty , jewels of integrity : women ( to use plutarchs words ) so devoted to contemplating , as they conceived no delight in dancing ; yet could not contemplation estrange them from performing such proper offices as did concerne them . they knew what it was to obey ; that it was not fit for an inferiour member to command the head , nor for them to soveraignize over their husbands . what had sometimes beene taught them by their mothers , they now carefully recommend to the serious review of their daughters : wives with obedience husbands should subdue , for by this meanes they 'le bee subdu'd to you . thus learned they the duty of a wife , before they aspired to that title : conforme your selves to their examples : the cloud which kept them from a full view of their condition , is in respect of you , dispersed ; your eyes are cleared , not with any pagan errour filmed . bee then in this your christian conjugall pilgrimage so conformed , that as with increase of dayes , so with approvement of deserts you may bee confirmed . againe , are you widowes ? you deserve much honour , if you bee so indeed . this name both from the greeke and latine hath received one consonant etymology ; deprived or destitute . great difference then is there betwixt those widowes who live alone , and retire themselves from publike concourse , and those which frequent the company of men . for a widow to love society , albeit her intentions relish nothing but sobriety , gives speedy wings to spreading infamy . saint hierom writing to eustachia , gives her this counsell ; if thou shalt finde any question in scripture , harder then thou canst well resolved ; demand satisfaction from such an one , who is of a most approved life , ripe age ; that by the integrity of his person , thou maist bee secured from the least aspersion : for in popular concourse and court-resorts there is no place for widowes : for in such meetings shee exposeth her honour to danger , which above all others shee ought incomparably to tender . yea , but , will you object , admit our inheritance , family , fortunes , and all lye a bleeding , may wee not make recourse to publike courts , for redresse of our publike wrongs ? what of all this ? doe not complaine that you are desolate or alone . modesty affecteth silence and secrecy ; a chaste woman solitarinesse and privacy . if you have businesse with the iudge of any court , and you much feare the power of your adversary , imploy all your care to this end , that your faith may bee grounded in those promises of christ : your lord maketh intercession for you , rendring right judgement to the orphane , and righteousnesse unto the widow . besides , ye have courts for righting widows and redressing orphans ; where those very impreze's wrought in their cushions , cannot chuse but be like so many representative hieroglyphicks or usefull memorialls of iustice , to render to your just complaints and injurious pressures convenient solace . this inestimable inheritance of chastity is incomparably more to bee esteemed , and with greater care preserved by widowes then wives : albeit , by these neither to bee neglected , but highly valued . out of that ancient experience which time hath taught them , their owne observations inform'd them , and the reverence of their condition put upon them ; they are to instruct others in the practice of piety ; reclaime others from the pathes of folly , and with a vertuous convoy guide them to glory . it would lesse become them to tricke and trimme themselves gaudily or gorgeously , then young girles , whose beauty and outward ornament is the hope and anchor-hold of their preferment : for by these doe they their husbands seeke , and hope in time to get what they seeke . whereas , it were much more commendable for widowes neither to seeke them , nor , being offred , to accept them : lest enforced by necessity , or wonne by importunacy , or giving way to their frailty , they make exchange of their happy estate for a continuate scene of misery . a widow ought to pray fervently , to exercise workes of devotion frequently , that the benefit of her prayer may redound to her effectually and fruitfully ; and not returne backe from the throne of god drily or emptily . for i would ( according to menanders opinion ) have a widow not onely to demeane her selfe chastely and honestly , but likewise to give examples of her blamelesse life to such as heare her instructions attentively . for she ought to be as a glasse to young maids , wherein they may discerne their crimes . now i hold her a chaste widow , who though shee have opportunity to doe it , and bee suited by importunity unto it , yet will not suffer her brest to harbour an unchaste thought , or consent unto it . in that countrey where i was borne ( saith lud. vives ) wee usually terme such widowes the greatest associates and assistants of vices , whose too much delicacy in bringing up their children , makes them oft-times depraved , and to all inordinate liberty addicted . wherefore , i approve well of their course , who recommend the care of their children to some discreet and well-disposed person . for such is the too tender affection of mothers towards their children , and so much are they blinded with the love of them , as they thinke they treat them too roughly , albeit they embrace them never so tenderly . saint hierome writing unto salvina , saith ; the chastity of a woman is fraile and fading , like a flower quickly perishing and vading , with the least gust or blast of adverse fortune failing , if not falling : especially , where her age is apt for vice , and the authority of her husband wants to afford her advice ; from whose assistance , her honour derives her best succour and supportance . who , if shee have a great family , many things are required of her , and to bee found in her , to minister supply to the necessity of time , and use of affaires , wherein shee stands interessed . requisite therefore it were , that shee made choyce of some one discreetly ripe both in yeares and inward gifts , by whose honest integrity her family might bee better mannaged , with more diligence attended , and to the woman lesse occasion of disgrace objected . for i have knowne very many women , who , albeit they spent their dayes continually within their owne doores , yet have fallen into reproach , either by some persons observing them , or of their owne families disposed by them ; for suffering their servants goe abroad too neatly , arguing thereby a neglect of their family : so as the handmaids pride brought her mistresse into suspition of contemning her honour . which proceeded , as may bee probably gathered , from the subtilty of some quick conceipts , imagining that the maids knowledge of her mistresse lightnesse ( to purchase her secrecie and connivence ) advanc'd her to such neatnesse . sure it is , that an honest woman , who●e fame is her highest prize , requires nothing else , desires nothing else , than to satisfie her husbands bequest , though dead : honouring him with a due commemoration and admiration of his vertues : for the lives of those that dye , consist in the memory of those that live . so did anthonia the daughter of marc. anthonie , and wife to drusus : leading all the remainder of her life with her stepmother , and reteining alwayes the remembrance of her dead husband . the like did livia , who left both her house and land , that shee might dwell under one roofe with noemia : fearing , perhaps , lest the maids of her family growing too lasciviously wanton and inordinate , might by their lightnesse prejudice her honour , which shee incomparably valued above any treasure . see you not here by our discourse ( gentlewomen ) what excellent lights darted out from those darke times ! estimation was their best portion ; nothing of equall prize unto it choycest vertues were their . ornaments , which they preserv'd with such constancy , as feare of death could not deprive them of them , though after death they had scarce the least glimpse of immortality . thus have wee traced over these three conditions , which wee have stored with precepts , strengthened with examples , sweetned with choycest sentences ; that this reall estimation , whereof wee treat , might bee discerned ; and that superficiall esteeme , whereon wee are now to insist , discovered . many desire to appeare most to the eye , what they are least in heart . they have learned artfully to gull the world with apparances ; and deceive the time , wherein they are maskers , with vizards and semblances . these can enforce a smile , to perswade you of their affability ; counterfeit a blush , to paint out their modesty ; walke alone , to expresse their love to privacy ; keepe their houses , to publish them provident purveyors for their family ; receive strangers , to demonstrate their love to hospitality . their speech is minced , their pace measured , their whole posture so cunningly composed , as one would imagine them terrestriall saints at least , whereas they are nothing lesse than what they most appeare . some you shall observe so demure , as in their salutes they forbeare to expresse that freedome of curtsie , which civill custome exacts of them . those true trojan dames , to pacifie their incensed husbands , could finde a lippe to procure them love , and supple their contracted looke . whereas , these civilized dames , either out of a reservancy of state , or desire to bee observ'd , scorne to bee so familiarly demeaned ; as if they renounced antiquity , and sought by all meanes , that such customes as plead prescription , might bee reversed . their lippe must bee their cheeke ; which as it reteines a better tincture , so many times a sweeter savour . at these , the poet no lesse pleasingly than deservedly glanced in this sonnet : tell me what is beauty ? skin ; pure to th' eye , but poore within . what 's a kisse of that pure faire ? but loves lure , or adons snaire . nectar-balme did adon sippe not from venus cheeke but lippe . why should then loves beauty seeke , to change lippe unto her cheeke ? all which hee elegantly clozeth in opposition to himselfe , with these continuate stanza's : cheeke shall i checke , because i may not taste it ? no ; nature rather ; who to th' eye so plac'd it , as none can view it , but hee must draw neare it ; o make the chart familiar , or else teare it ! to puchase improvement of esteeme by these meanes , were to swim against the streame . discretion cannot approve of that for good , which selfe opinion or singularity onely makes good . these are but superficiall showes , which procure more contempt than repute , more derision than ground of esteeme . it is not a civill habit , a demure looke , a staid gate that deserves this report , unlesse all these bee seconded with a resolved soule , and a religious heart . those who dedicate themselves to the service of vertue , preferre the pith before the rinde , substance before appearance . what can bee safe , will these say with lucretius , to any woman , if shee prostitute her honour , or make it common ? good women , as they labour to avoyd all occasion of scandall , so much more any act that may give breath to scandall . civill they are in heart and habit ; constant in the profession of vertue . for others , they imitate the whoorish woman , who wipes her mouth , and saith , who seeth mee ? so they carry themselves charily , they care not how little chastely . there is none lookes through the chinke to see them , none in presence to heare them ; freely therefore may they commit , what shall afterwards shame them . let mee then direct my speech to these whited walls , who make pretences their best attendants , immaske their impudence with the vayle of darkenesse . tell mee , yee deluded daughters , is there any darkenesse so thicke and palpable , that the piercing eye of heaven cannot spye you thorow it ? o , if yee hope by sinning secretly to sinne securely , you shall bee forced to say unto your god , as ahab saith unto elijah : hast hou found mee , o mine enemy ? nay , o god terrible and dreadfull , thou hast found mee . and then let mee aske you in the same termes that the young gallant in erasmus asked his wanton mistresse : are you not ashamed to do that in the sight of god and before his holy angels , which you are ashamed to doe in the sight of men ? sinnes may bee without danger for a time , but never without feare . stand then as in the presence of god : redeeme the time you have lost ; love that which you have hitherto loath'd ; loath that which you have hitherto lov'd . know that these superficiall complementors , are hypocriticall courtiers ; these formall damazens , profest curtezans . you must not hold religion to bee meere complement . i will not say , but the bleered eye of humane reason may bee taken with these ; and conceive them reall , which are onely superficiall : but the all-seeing eye cannot bee deceived ; hee sees not as man seeth . neither distance of place , nor resemblance of that object , whereon his eye is fixt , can cause him to mistake . the bowells of the earth are unto him as the surface ; bee it your resolve to compose your selves , ever as in his presence : considering , how in chastising you hee does but justice , and in sparing you hee shews his patience . would you then bee courtiers , grac'd in the highest court ? throw away whatsoever is superficiall ; and entertaine what will make you divinely reall . it is not seeming goodnesse that will bring you to the fountaine of all goodnesse . the figge-tree brought forth leaves , yet because it yeelded no fruit , it was cursed . doe yee blossome ? so doth every hypocrite . doe yee bring forth fruits ? so doth a christian . what is it to purchase estimation on earth , and lose it in heaven ? this will sleepe in dust , but that never . your highest taske should bee how to promote gods honour , and to esteeme all things else a slavish and servile labour . thus by seeming what you are , and really expressing what you seeme , you shall purchase that esteeme with god and good men , which is reall , by shunning ostentation , which would set such a vading glosse on all your actions , as they will seeme meerely superficiall . a discreet commander will take no lesse care in manning and mannaging the fort hee hath wonne , than in winning it . it is a constant maxime ; there is no lesse difficulty in keeping than getting . some are more able to get a victory , than skilfull to use it ; others have more art to use it , than courage to atchieve it ; few or none so accomplish'd , as propitiously to winne it , and prudently to weare it . wee are now to suppose , that you ( vertuous ladies ) to whom wee addresse this labour , are victoriously seated in the fort of honour , where beauty cannot bee planted , but it must bee attempted . but so constantly gracious are your resolves , that though it bee assaulted , it can never bee soiled ; attempted but never attainted . this you desire , and to this you hope to aspire . in the port or entrance of every castle , city , or cittadell , there useth some percullas to bee in readinesse , to frustrate the enemies assault , and keepe him from entry . the like must you prepare , if you desire to have your honour secured , your daring enemie repelled , and a glorious conquest purchased . and what must this spirituall engine bee , but a religious constancy , to resist temptation ; and all the better to subdue it , to shunne the occasion ? i doe not admit of any parlies over your wals ; they give new breath to the beleaguer , and oft-times makes a prey of the beleagured . if the assault bee hot , devotion best fortifies the hold . one christian aspiration breathes comfort to the besieged , and promiseth reliefe when shee is most straightned . of all arrowes these which are darted by the spirit of zeale , wound the enemy most , and procure the archer best rest . and that in all assaults whatsoever , plotted or practised by so malicious a tempter . lactantius sheweth , that in his dayes , among many other examples of the weaknesse of idolatry , in the presence of christianity , a silly servingman that was a christian , following his master into a certaine temple of idols ; the gods cried out , that nothing could be well done , as long as that christian was in presence . the like recordeth eusebius of dioclesian , the emperour , who going to apollo for an oracle ; received answer ; that the just men w●re the cause that hee could say nothing . which apollo's priest interpreted to bee meant ironically of christians : and thereupon dioclesian began his most cruell and fierce persecution in eusebius dayes . sozomines also writeth , that iulian th'apostata endevouring with many sacrifices and conjurations to draw an answer from apollo daphnaus , in a famous place called daphne , in the suburbs of antioch : understood at last by the oracle , that the bones of s. babylas the martyr , that lay neere to the place , were the impediment why that god could not speake . and thereupon , iulian presently caused the same body to bee removed . and finally , hereof it proceeded , that in all sacrifices , conjurations , and other mysteries of the gentiles , there was brought in that phrase recorded by scoffing lucian ; exeant christiani ; let christians depart : for that , while they were present , nothing could be well accomplished . hence collect the force of a christians presence ; it extinguisheth the flame of a pagan sacrifice . zealous thoughts , servent desires , devout affections will suffer no diabolicall assault to surprize you . christian constancy will so arme you ; pious motions so inflame you ; thoughts of heaven so transport you ; contempt of the world so weane you ; as no object of delight can draw you from contemplating him that made you . it will not be amisse , if now and then you reflect on the constancy and resolution of ancient heathens , who so highly prized their honour , as it was their highest scorne to give way to an injurious vsurper . camnia wife to synattus survives to this day , as a mirror of feminine constancy ; whom one synoris , a man of greater authority then he , loved ; and making no small meanes to obtaine her love , yet all in vaine , hee supposed the readiest way for the effecting his desires , to be the murdering of her husband : which hee performed . this act of horror was no sooner executed , and by the robe of his authority shrouded , then hee renewed his suit , to which shee seemingly assented : but being solemnly come into the temple of diana , for celebrating those nuptiall rites , shee had a potion ready , which shee dranke to synoris : wherewith they were both poysoned , to revenge her husbands death . chiomara , wife of orgiagon , a petty king of that province , upon discomfiture of the gallo-graecians , being ravished by a roman captaine , gave a memorable example of conjugall vertue ; for shee cut off the fellowes head from his shoulders , and escaping from her guard , brought it to her lord and husband . more then feminine was the resolution of epicharia , a libertine of rome , who made privie to a conspiracy against nero , to free her native mother of such a monster , would not disclose the plotters thereof , though tormented with exquisitest tortures . neere resemblance had leëna's name with her leonine nature , who being conspirator against the tyrant hyppeas , and nothing agast at the death of her friends ( though torne with extremest torments ) would not reveale her partners , but bit in sunder her owne tongue , and spit it in the tyrants face . or to instance you in subjects lesse tragicall , but for constancy every way equall . armeniae , a noble lady , being bidden to king cyrus wedding , went thither with her husband . at night , when they were returned home ; her husband asked her , how she liked the bridegroome ; whether shee thought him to be a faire and beautifull prince or no ? truth , sayes shee , i know not : for all the while i was forth , i cast mine eyes upon no other , but they selfe . an excellent commandresse was this lady of her affections : and no lesse imitable was shee , whom wee are to instance next ; for her modest and bashfull covering of her husbands infirmities . one of hero's enemies reproaching him with a stinking breath ; went home and questioned his wife , why shee told him not thereof : who answered , shee thought all men had the same savour . without question , there is nothing that addes more true glory to a woman , or better preserves her esteeme , then to reteine a constancy in the quality or disposition of her estate . bee shee young or old , let her fame live ever fresh ; and like greene bayes , most flourishing , when the winter of adversity is most nipping . vertue cannot exercise her owne strength , nor expresse her owne worth without an opposite . spices send forth the sweetest smell , when they are most bruised ; and palmes spread the broadest , when they are soarest pressed . resolution without an assailant , would , in time , become effeminate . yet , i must tell you , it is dangerous to tempt either youth or age with motives of fancy , or to give least way to a promising opportunity . you shall find secret assacinates enough to undermine you , you need little to become your owne betrayers . i have heard of a noble lady in my time , whose descent and desert equally proclaime her worth , so tender of the esteeme of her honour , as shee held it scarce safe to receive any letter from a great personage , whose reputation was touched by rumour . this was the way to preserve her honour impregnably , and to reare it above the reach of calumny . neither are you to bee cantelous onely of your estimation in subjects of love and affection : but even in your domesticke affaires , which trench upon your providence or expence . your discretions in these are brought to the stage . let not profusenesse draw you to spend , where honest providence bids you spare ; nor niggardlinesse cause you to spare , where reputation bids you spend . shee deserves not to bee governesse of an house , who wants discretion to moderate her expence . let her reflect upon her progeny , intend her charge , and provide for her family . a good wife is compared to a wise merchant , who brings his trafficke from a farre . now , a wise merchant will not have his oare in every mans boate , but will seriously addresse his care to his owne . busie women would make ill snayles , and worse house-wives ; straglers will never become good house-keepers . to cloze this branch : so compose your affections at home and abroad , as providence may expresse you care and charge in the one ; a grave and reserved reverence preserve your esteeme in the other . as your lives are lines of direction to your selves , so should they bee arguments of instruction unto others . bee you planted in what state soever , let your good report be your greatest stake for ever : so may you reape what your vertues have deserved , and keepe your estimation impregnably preserved . none can preserve what hee loves , by mixing it with the society of that hee loathes . the ivye while it winds and wreathes it selfe about the plant , with an envious consumption decayes the sap . if you be companions to ostridges , you shall favour of the wildernesse . socrates called envie an impostume of the soule : so may every corrupt affection bee properly termed . vices love neighbourhood , which , like infectious maladies , doe ever most hurt , when they draw nearest the heart . there is nothing ( gentlewomen ) that brings your honour to a more desperate hazard , then giving reines to your owne desires . these must you subdue to the soveraignty of reason , if you expect rest in your inward mansion . what better fruits then ignominy may carnall liberty produce ? when you make the theatre your chiefest place of repose ; phantasticke gallants , who never yet converst with vertue , your choisest consorts ; delicious viands , servants to your liquorish appetites ; what conclusion may wee expect from such dangerous premisses ? when modesty puts off her vaile , and vanity begins to ruffle it in sinne ; when chaste desires are chased out a breath , and lightnesse pleads prescription ; when vermillion has laid so deepe a colour on an impudent skinne , as it cannot blush with sense of her owne shame ; when estimation becomes a word of complement , or carelesly worne like some over-cast raiment , valued as painted pageants doe guilded puppets , onely for shew ? what prodigy fuller of wonder , then to see a woman thus transform'd from nature ? her face is not her owne , note her complexion ; her eye is not her own , note her straid motion ; her habit is not her owne , eye her strange fashion . whilest loose weares imply light workes ; and thin cobweb covers promise free admittance to all sensuall lovers . yea , which is more , shee holds it no shame to glory in sinne , nor to court vice in her owne livery ; all which she maintaines to be complements of gentility . thus vice is ever in fashion , and keepes her gradation till shee aspire to the height of her building . shee begins with conceit , seconds it with consent , strengthens it with delight , and incorporates it with custome . one of this ranke have i oft-times observed tracing the streets of this flourishing city ; who , as one weary of her sexe , forbore not to unwoman her selfe , by assuming not onely a virile habit , but a virago's heart . quarrels shee would not sticke to bind upon any fresh-water souldier , whose late induction to the siege of gallants , had not sufficiently informed him in that posture . nothing desir'd shee more then to give affronts in publike places , which shee did with that contempt , as the disgrace shee aspers'd on others , was her sole content . places of frequent were her rendevou ; where her imperious tongue run descant on every subject ministred ; her selfe she usually ingaged for a second , upon least occasion offered . now could these courses any way choose but cause that to be irreparably lost , which by any modest woman should be incomparably lov'd ? tell mee , were not his spirit armour of proofe , who durst encounter with so couragious an amazon ? or enter nuptiall lists with such a feminine myrmidon ? surely , these , as they labour to purchase them opinion of esteeme , by their unwomanly expressions of valour , so they eclypse their owne fame , and by these irregular affronts , detract highly from their essentialst honour . such may gaine them observance , but never esteeme . take heed then , lest publike rumour brand you . scandall is more apt to disperse what is ill ; then opinion is to reteine what is good . when the world is once possest of your shame ; many deserving actions of piety can hardly wipe off that staine . esaus birth-right was temporall , yet once lost , many teares could not regaine it ; your soules honour is a birth-right spirituall , which once lost , many tedious taskes shall not redeeme it . let your estimation bee by you so tenderly lov'd , as you will rather choose to loath life , then irreparably lose that , which is the sweetest consort of humane life . there is nothing which workes not for some end , wherein it may rest and repose . long before that glorious light wee now enjoy , did the very heathens , who had no knowledge of a future being , rejoyce highly in the practice of morall vertues , and performing such commendable offices as might purchase them deserved honour , living ; and eternally memorize them dying . this might bee illustrated by severall instances in maids , wives , and widowes . for the first ; those locrian virgins deserve our memory ; whose custome it was , yearely to be sent to troy : which use continued for the space of a thousand yeares ; yet was it never heard , that any of those virgins were ever deflowred . who can likewise passe over in silence those seven milesian virgins ; who , at such time as the gauls raved and raged every where , subjecting all to fire and faggot , deprived themselves of life , lest hostile force should deprive them of their honour ? with what praises also may we worthily advance those daughters of scedasus of leuctra , a towne situate in the region of boetia ; who having in their fathers absence , hospitably received two young men , by whom , made drunke with wine , they were that night defloured : conceiving a mutuall sorrow for their lost virginity , became resolute actors in their owne tragedy ? aristomenes of messana , when in those publike feasts called hyacinthia , hee had surprized fifteene virgins , with the souldiers which attempted their dishonour , straightly commanding them to forbeare fron● using any such violence : whose command when they refused to obey , hee caused them to bee slaine ; redeeming those virgins with a huge summe of gold . afterwards , these virgins hearing that this aristomenet was accused about the death of one of those men , whome hee had commanded to be slaine ; they would not returne into their owne native countrey , till such time as , prostrating themselves before the feet of the iudge , with their prayers and teares , they had delivered from bonds the defender of their honour . yea , to draw neerer home , and instance this maiden-constancy in one of our owne ; i have heard of a notable spirited girle , within the wals of this city ; who , albeit shee frequented places of publike concourse boldly , discoursed freely , expressed her selfe in all assayes forwardly ; yet so tender was shee of preserving her honour , that being on a time suited by a young cavaliero , who was so taken with the height of her spirit , wherewith shee was endowed , as hee preferred it before the beauty of an amorous face , wherewith shee was but meanely enriched . shee presently apprehending the loosenesse of his desires , seemingly condescended : so shee might be furnished and appointed , and the busines with that secrecy carried , as no occasion of suspition might bee probably grounded . this answer-cheer'd our young gallant ; winged with hope to enjoy , what his wild desires did so much affect . a coach is provided ; all things prepared ; the very place appointed where they shall meet , to hasten their light journey : which , for more privacy , must bee the countrey . time and place they observ'd ; but before shee would mount her coach , calling him aside , shee tels him , how she had vow'd never to consent to any man in that kind , till shee had first tri'd his metall in the field . draw hee must , or shee will disgrace him ; in which combat , instead of a more amorous conflict , she disarm'd him , and with a kicke , wisht him ever after to be more wary how hee attempted a maidens honour . for the second , excellent was the answer of those lacedemonian wives ; who , being immodestly suited , made this reply : surely , wee should give way to your request , but this you sue for is not in our power to grant : for when wee were maids , wee were to bee disposed of by our parents ; and now being wives , by our husbands . at such time as the inhabitants of tyre came to lacedemon ; suspecting them to bee spies , they threw them into prison ; whose wives , having got leave to visit and comfort them in their captivity , changed garments with them , and according to their countries guise , vailed their faces , by which meanes the men escaped , leaving their wives restrained : which deeply perplexed all the lacedemonians . no lesse conjugall love shewed alcestra to her admetus ; laodimia to her prothesilaus ; panthia to her susius ; artemisia to her mausolus ; zenobia to her oedonatus . these were good wives , which zenophon cals the highest grounds of humane felicity . nothing being more amiable then an honest woman , saith theognis ; nothing conferring more joy to man , saith sententious xistus . for the third , what singular mirrors of viduall continency , and matron-like modesty were cornelia , vetruria , livia , and that most christian widow salnina , to whom saint hierome directed many sweet and comfortable epistles . these you might have found attired in grave funerall garments , ( as memorials of their deceased husbands ) of modest behaviour , reverend presence , publishing to the world a contempt of the world , in their outward appearance . now , what may you suppose did those pagan ladies hold to be the absolute end , whereto this tender care of their estimation chiefly aspired , and wherein it cheerfully rested ? it was not riches , nor any such temporall respect : for these they contemned , so their honour might be preserved . no ; there was implanted in them an innate desire of morall goodnesse ; mixed with an honest ambition , ●o to advance their esteeme during life , that they might become examples unto others of a good morall life , and perpetuate their memories after death . your ambition ( ladies ) must mount higher , because your conversation is heavenlier . it is immortality you aspire to ; a lower orbe cannot hold you ; nothing else may confine you . bee it then your highest estimation to honour him , who is the horne of your salvation : the crowne of your hope , the staffe of your helpe , the tower of your defence , the hope of your solace . let not a moment of deluding vanity , deprive you of the hope of eternity . your voyage is short ; your hazard great . many difficulties encounter you in the way ; addresse your selves therefore in the way , to some good worke . let patience teach you how to suffer , devotion sweeten your encounter , estimation crowne you with succeeding honour . the english gentlevvoman . argument . fancy●s is to bee with deliberation grounded ; with constancy reteined : wanton fancy is a wandring phrenzy ; how it may bee checked , if too wilde ; how cheered , if too coole ; an attemperament of both . fancy . fancy is an affection privily received in by the eye , and speedily conveyed to the heart . the eye is the harbinger , but the heart is the harbourer . love conceiv'd at first sight , seldome lasts long . deliberation must lead it , or else it is mis-guided . looke before you like , is a good rule ; but to like at first looke makes an house of mis-rule . is hee of hansome personage whom you love ? his proportion is a moving object to your eye , but his portion ( it may bee ) will not agree with your state . againe , admit hee have both these ; proportion to purchase your esteeme , and portion to maintaine your estate : his brest is not transparent ; his disposition may bee crooked ; and that will cast downe all that was before affected . themistocles being demanded by a nobleman of greece , whether hee had rather marry his daughter to one rich and evill , or one poore and good ; made this answer : i had rather have a man without money , than mony without a man. whence it was , that portia , the younger daughter of portius cato , being asked when shee would betake her selfe to an husband , replyed ; when i finde one that seekes me , not mine . witty was that young gentlewomans answer to an inconsiderate suiter : who with much instancy sollicited the father for the affection of his daughter ; whereto having at last consented , and the covenants of marriage concluded ; this indiscreet wooer unseasonably imparts his minde to the daughter ; who made strange with it , saying , she never heard of any such matter : yea but , replied hee , i have made your father herewith acquainted , and bee hath already consented : and you may marry him too , answered shee , for you must hold me excused . there is no time that exacts more modesty of any woman , than in her time of sniting ; a shamefast red then best commends her , and the movingst orator that speakes for her . like venus silver dove , shee is ever brouzing on the palme of peace ; while her cheeke betrayes her love , more then her tongue . so as virgil , the very prince of our latine poets , when hee should bring in king latinus privately conferring with his wife amata , and turnus , to whom in nuptiall bands hee was to espouse his daughter : hee brings in the young maid weeping , blushing , and silent . whence is implyed , that it becomes not a maid to speake of marriage in her parents presence , for that were small argument of modesty or shamefastnesse . there is a pretty pleasing kinde of wooing , drawne from a conceived but concealed fancy ; which , in my opinion , suits well with these amorous younglins : they could wish with all their hearts to bee ever in the presence of those they love , so they might not bee seene by those they love . might they chuse , they would converse with them freely , consort with them friendly , and impart their truest thoughts fully ; yet would they not have their bashfull loves finde discovery . they would bee seene , yet seeme obscured ; love , but not , disclose it ; see whom they love , but not bee eyed . this the poet in the person of a shepherdesse neatly displayeth : phillis to willowes , like a cunning flyer , flyes , yet she feares her shepheard should not spy her . now , in this subject of fancy , as there is nothing more dangerous than entertaining it without due and deliberate advice : so there is nothing growes more generally fatall to the indiscreet lover than by grounding affection on outward respects , without relation to that inward faire , which onely makes the object of fancy full of beauty , and presents every day as a marriage-day to the party : by performing the office of a princely combiner of beauty and majesty together . neither affluence of estate , potency of friends , nor highnesse of descent can attemper the griefe of a loathed bed . these may play upon the fantasy , but never give satisfaction to the fancy . wherefore ( gentlewomen ) to the end you may shew your selves discreetest in that , which requires your discretion most , discusse with your selves the purity of love , the quality of your lover ; ever reflecting on those best deserving endowments of his , which either make him worthy or unworthy your love . affection , though it enter in by the narrow cranny of the eye , it shoots at the heart ; which , unlesse it bee seasoned by judgement , it can not deserve so faire a title . a discreet eye will not bee taken with a smooth skinne ; it is not the rinde but the minde that is her adamant . iustina a roman maid , no lesse nobly descended , than notably accomplished , being married to one more rich than wise , exclaimed against her fate , that folly should hale her to so loathed a bed . and good reason had shee to repine , when his groundlesse jealousie made her a tragick spectacle of misery before her time . for seeing her white necke , that object begot in him presently an argument of suspect , which hee seconded with revenge , to vent the fury of his nature , and publish to the world the weakness of his temper . let deliberation then bee the scale , wherein you may weigh love in an equall poize . there bee many high and consequent circumstances , which a discreet woman will not onely discourse but discusse , before shee entertain so mysterious and honorable estate . disparity in descent , fortunes , friends , with other like respects , many times beget distraction of mindes . whence it was , that pittacus of mitylene , being intreated by a young man , to afford him his best advice , in the choyce of two wives tendred him , whether hee should marry ; the one whereof was equall to himselfe both in birth and wealth ; the other surpassing him in both ; wish'd him to goe along the streets of the city , where children use to play , and there observe what they did advise him . truth is , inequality in these , procures distaste ; but where there is a difference in the seazure of disposure of the heart , ( which should bee the firmest and strongest cement to unite affection ) there ariseth the greatest hazard . thence is it , suspition workes upon every light and frivolous subject ; while the other party hunts after opportunity , to surfet on forbidden fruit , and give her suspitious mate just ground of jealousie . feed hee may his indigested humour in a jealous pasture , and vow revenge when hee shall finde an apt subject , meane time hee becomes invisibly gull'd , while hee deludes himselfe with painted shadowes . — no iealousie can ever that prevent ; whereas two parties once bee full content . severall i know , are the effects of love , as are the dispositions of those that love . livia made quicke dispatch of her husband , because shee lov'd him too little : lucilia of hers , because shee loved him too much . phoedra fancied theseus lesse than shee should , but young hippolytus more than hee would . which effects are usually produced , when either disparity of yeares breed dislike ; or obscurity of descent begets contempt ; or inequality of fortunes , discontent . deliberate then before you marry , and thus expostulate with your selves touching his condition , whom you are to marry " is he young ? i will beare with his youth , till better experience bring him to the knowledge of man. my usage shall bee more easie , than to weane him from what hee affects , by extremity . youth will have his swinge ; his owne discretion will bring him home ; at least , time will reclaime him ; hee shall not finde mee put on a cloudy brow , or entertaine his freer course with a scowle . i must conforme my selfe to him , confirme my love in him , and so demeane mee towards him , that conjugall duty mixt with all affability many winne him . " againe , is hee old ; his age shall beget in mee more reverence ; his words shall bee as so many aged and time-improved precepts to informe me ; his actions as so many directions to guide me ; his rebukes as so many friendly admonitions to reclaime mee ; his bed i will honour , no unchaste thought shall defile it ; his counsell i will keepe , no forraine brest shall partake it . i will bee a staffe to him in his age , to support him ; an eye to direct him ; an hand to help him ; his substance i will not scatter on a youthfull lover : but serve him still , whom i have vow'd to honour . " againe , is hee rich ? much good may it doe him ; this shall not make me proud ; my desire shall bee , hee may imploy it for his best advantage ; i will move him to communicate unto the needy , that his riches may make him truly happy . it is a miserable state that starves the owner . i will perswade him to enjoy his owne , and so avoyd basenesse ; to reserve a provident care for his owne , and shunne profusenesse . " againe , is hee poore ? his poverty shall make me rich ; there is no want , where there wants no content . this i shall enjoy in him , and with him ; which the world could not afford mee , liv'd i without him . it hath beene an old maxime ; that as poverty goes in at one doore , love goes out at the other ; and love without harbour , falls into a cold and aguish distemper : but this rule shall never direct my thoughts ; should poverty enthrall me , it shall never appall me ; my affection shall counterpoize all affliction : no adversity can divide mee from him , to whom my vowed faith hath individually ti'd me . " in a word , is hee wife ? he shall be my thales . is hee foolish ? i will by all meanes cover his weakenesse : as i am now made one with him , so will i have mine equall share in any aspersion that shall bee throwne on him . thus if you expostulate , your christian constant resolves shall make you truly fortunate . your fancy is on deliberation grounded ; which promiseth such successe , as your marriage-dayes shall never feare the bitter encounter of untimely repentance , nor the curelesse anguish of an afflicted conscience . the selfe-same rule which augustus was said to observe in his choyce and constant retention of friends , are you , gentlewomen , to apply to your selves in the choice of your second-selves . hee was slow in entertaining , but most constant in reteining . favorites are not to bee worne like favours : now in your hat , or about your wrist , and presently out of request . which to prevent , entertaine none to lodge neere your heart , that may harbor in his brest ought worthy your hate . those two motto's i would have you incessantly to remember ; for the useful application of them may highly conduce to your honour . the one is that of caia tranquilla , which shee ever used to her royall spouse caius tarquinius priscus ; where thou art caius , i am caia . the other , that of ruth unto naomi ; whither thou goest , i will goe : and where thou dwellest , i will dwell . there is no greater argument of lightnesse , then to affect the acquaintance of strangers , and to entertaine variety of suites . these , as they distract the eye , so they infect the heart . constant you cannot bee where you professe , so long as you affect change . vowes deliberately advised , and religiously grounded , are not to be dispenc'd with . but say , you never vowed : have you made outward professions of love , and entertained a good opinion of that object in your heart ? againe , are you resolved , that his affection is reall towards you ? that his protests , though delivered by his mouth , are engraven in his heart ? let not so much good love bee lost ; insult not over him whom unfained affection hath vow'd your servant : let wolves and beasts bee cruell in their kindes , but women meeke , and have relenting mindes . it were to much incredulity in you to distrust , where you never found just cause of distaste . yea , but you will againe object ; wee are already by your owne observations sufficiently instructed , that fancy is to bee with deliberation grounded , that love lightly laid on , lasts not long . should wee then affect before we finde ground of respect ? should wee entertaine a rhetoricall lover , whose protests are formall complements , and whose promises are gilded pills , which cover much bitternesse ? no , i would not have you so credulous , lest your nuptiall day become ominous . make true triall and experiment of his constancy , who tenders his service to you . sift him , if you can finde any branne in him . taske him , before you take him . yet let these be sweetly tempred with lenity ; let them not bee taskes of insuperable difficulty . this were tyrannize , where you should love . this was omphales fault to make her faithfull servant , a servile slave . alas ! shall hee fare the worse because hee loves you ? this would induce others , who take notice of your cruelty , to loath you . and make your discarded lover , surprized with an amorous distemper , to reply , as absalom to 〈◊〉 , is this thy kindnesse 〈◊〉 ●hy friend ? my counsell is , that , as it will bee usefull for you to deliberate , before you take so much as the least notions of an affectionate servant ; yea , and to second that deliberation with some probable proofe or triall , that hee is truly constant : so it will bee a gratefull office in you , to reteine him in your favour with a gracious respect ; to countenance the improvement of his constancy with a cheerefull and amiable aspect : to banish all clouds of seeming discontent , and to give him some modest expressions of the increase of your good conceit towards him . let this bee done , till hymen make you individually one then , and never till then , may love enjoy her full freedome . shee stands priviledg'd by a sacred rite to taste that fruit , which before was forbidden . mutuall respects , like so many diametrall lines , pointing all to one centre , are then directed to one exquisite object , the purity of love ; which produceth this admirable effect : it makes one soule rule two hearts , and one heart dwell in two bodies . now , i would have you , when your desires are drawne to this period , to become so taken with the love of your choyce , as to interpret whatsoever hee shall doe , ever to the best sense . it were little enough that you reteined a good opinion of him , who stands in so many severall ingagements obliged for you . should your riot bring him into debt , his restraint must make you free . durance must bee his suit , while better stuffe makes you a coate . hee must content himselfe with restraint , to give you content : let nothing discontent you more then to entertaine him with contempt . yea , what conscience is there in it , but hee should receive and affable and amiable respect from you ; seeing , if your conscience be no conformalist , hee must pay for you ? these respects should perpetually tye you , to honour him , who becomes so legally ty'd for you . requite these then with constancy , and reteine this ensuing example ever in your memory . theogena , wife to agathocles , shew'd admirable constancy in her husbands greatest misery , shewing her selfe most his owne , when hee was relinquisht and forsaken of his owne ; clozing her resolution with this noble conclusion : she had not onely betaken her selfe to bee his companion in prosperity , but in all fortunes that should befall him . conforme your selves to this mirror , and it will reforme in you many a dangerous errour . thus if you live , thus if you love ; honour cannot chuse but accompany you living , much comfort attend you loving , and a vertuous memory embalme you dying . wanton love seldome or never promiseth good successe ; the effect cannot bee good , when the object is ill . sense must bee the blind lanthorne to guide her , while shee rambles in the street : for reason , shee leaves her sleeping with the constable . what devices shee hath to purchase her a moment of penitentiall pleasure ? her eye looks , and by it the sense of her mind is averted ; her eare heares , and by it the intention of her heart is perverted ; her smell breathes , and by it her thoughts are hindered ; her mouth speakes , and by it others are deceived ; by touch , her heat of desire upon every small occasion is stirred . never raged alcydes on mount oeta , nor orlando for his angelica , more then these vtopian lovers , for their imaginary shadowes . there is a kind of spider bred in pulia , called tar●nd●l● , which being of a diverse nature , causeth diverse effects ; some to dance , some to sing , others to weepe , or watch , or sweat . the soveraignest cure it admits of , is musicke ; while the patient by dancing , or some other vehement exercise of that sort , expulseth the poyson , and gives passage to his pores of respiration . many like creatures there bee of a malignant nature , but none comparable to a distempered lover . now , that wee may use the method of art ; to cure the effect , is to take away the cause : my purpose shall be first to discover those incendiaries of foments of this inordinate passion , or intoxicating poyson ; secondly , the effects arising from them ; lastly , the cure or remedy of them . for the first , wee may very properly reduce the prime grounds of this wanton fancy , or wandring phrenzie to a catalogue included in these two verses : sloth , words , bookes , eyes , consorts , and luscious fare , the lures of lust , and staines of honour are . one every of which particulars to insist , would enlarge this branch too much ; wee will onely poynt at them and so leave them . for the first , sententious seneca saith , hee had rather endure the utmost of fortunes extremity , then subject himselfe to sloth or sensuality . for it is this onely which maketh of men , women ; of women , beasts ; of beasts , monsters . this then is to be shunned , if the reward of vertue be to bee shared . secondly , words corrupt the disposition ; they set an edge or glosse on depraved liberty : making that member offend most , when it should beee imployed in profiting most . the tongue is more effectuall then any letter ; let it be then so employed , as it may improve the hearer . thirdly , bookes treating of light subjects , are nurseries of wantonnesse : they instruct the loose reader to become naught ; whereas before , touching naughtinesse hee knew nought . a story of the rape of ganimedes , or of light lais in eurypides , are their daily lectures . plato's divine philosophy , or dicearchus pious precepts of morality , must vaile to alcaeus , or anacrons wanton poesie . venus and adonis are unfitting consorts for a ladies bosome . remove them timely from you , if they ever had entertainment by you , lest , like the snake in the fable , they annoy you . fourthly , eyes are those windowes by which death enters ; your inward house cannot shine , unlesse these bee shut ; objects they have of more beauty to take them , then these sights of vanity , which miserably taint them . eve looked on the fruit before shee coveted , coveting she tasted , tasting shee perished . thus aspiring to the knowledge of good and evill , became to her and her posterity evill . the eye is a living glasse , but if wee make it a false glasse , it will neither represent us truly , nor discover our blemishes freely ; but make that seeme faire which is odious and ugly . by this meanes , may good objects become eye-sores unto us , which , if clearely viewed , would like a soveraigne eye-bright , restore sight unto us . fifthly , consorts are theeves of time , they will rob you of opportunity , the best treasure time can afford you , if you suffer them to incroach on you and abuse you . chuse such then for your consorts , of whom you may have assured hope , that they will either better you , or bee bettered by you . chuse such , whom you may admire both when you see them and heare them : when you see their living doctrine , and hear their wholesome instruction . lastly , luscious fare is the fuell of every inordinate concupiscence . nothing so much feeds it , nor insensates the understanding by delighting in it . by restraint of this , you shall learne to moderate your desires . whence you may rejoyce , yet in him , who is your joy , if you can live sparingly , and embrace the meanes that may chastise in you all sensuality : for by your spare life is lust extinguished , vertue nourished , the mind strengthned , the understanding to heavenly things raysed . yea , abstinence availeth much for preserving health of body and length of life . whence it is said : hee that dieteth himselfe , prolongeth life . which the profound stagyrian confirmes in these words : to abstaine from riot and superfluity , is the soveraign'st prescription or physicke for the body . now to descend to the second branch of our division in this observation ; wee might here enumerate those many odious and inhumane effects , which have and doe daily arise from the violence of this wanton fancy or wandring phrenzy ; and what tragicke events it hath in all times produc'd : but they would seeme relations too full of horror to your modest and timerous natures . onely let mee tell you , if you desire to be satisfied in subjects of that kind , our italian stories will afford you variety : where indiscreet love clozeth her dolefull scene with so miserable an exit , as no pencill can expresse any picture to more life , then an historicall line hath drawne out the web of their miseries . so as , that ancient adage might seeme verefied : that from slaves and miserable people god hath taken away the one halfe of their understanding . now , to cure this desperate malady ( though to you the cure , i hope , bee needlesse , being free from all such violent distempers ; ) the best and soveraign'st receit is to fortifie the weaknesse of your sexe with strength of resolution ; that , with incessant devotion . bee not too liberall in the bestowing of your favours ; nor too familiar in publike converse . presume not too much on the strength of a weake fort. make a contract with your eyes not to wander abroad , lest they be catch'd in comming home . treat not of love too freely ; play not wagges with the blind boy ; hee has a dangerous ayme , though hee hath no eyes , sport not with him , that may hurt you ; play not with him , that would play on you . your sports will turne to an ill jest , when you are wounded in earnest : the fly may be then your embleme : so long the foolish fly playes with the flame , till her light wings are cinged in the same . fly to an higher sphere : you are yet untouch'd ; this wandring phrenzy hath never yet surpriz'd you ; prevent the meanes , and it shall never invade you . be not such foes to your selves , as to purchase your owne disquiet . examples you have of all sorts , both to allure and deterre you . pure love admits no staine . such a fancy is never incident to a phrenzy . if ever then you entertaine any love , let it be such as brings with it a vertuous solace ; for all others , howsoever they may seeme to promise some perfunctory delight , they ever cast up their last account with repentance . when a man bleeds at the nose , and through abundance of blood is brought in danger 〈…〉 blood in his arme , to turne the course of the blood another way . if love issue out in too violent a streame , it is to be cooled by a temperate expostulation with fancy : or else by fixing our eye upon some more attractive object , divert the course of that madding passion . expostulate with fancy , thus you may , safely and freely : how is it with me ? me thinkes , it fares otherwise then it hath done formerly . a strange distemper i find in my mind ; and it might seeme to resemble love , if i knew the nature of it . love ! can virgin-modesty returne that accent , and not blush ? yes ; why not ? if the object i affect be worthy loving . and if not , what then ? is not the lover ever blinded with affection towards his beloved ? he , who may seeme a thersites to another , may be a paris in mine eye . were hee poore as irus , fancy makes him dearer to mee , then the wealth of croesus . yea , but a little advice would doe well . art thou perswaded that this non-parallell , thou thus affectest , hath dedicated his service onely to thee ? yes ; his protests have confirm'd him mine . besides , his continuall presence seconds what hee protests : that houre is tedious , wherein hee sees me not ; those pleasures odious , which my presence accompanies not . his eye is ever fixed on me ; his sole discourse is to me . what i affect he embraceth with delight : what i dis-relish , hee entertaines with distaste . these , i must confesse , ( gentlewoman ) are promising arguments of unfained love : yet may all these erre , and consequently leave you in a miserable error . your true-love may prove a iason or a theseus , and leave you in the bryers for all your confidence . you say , his protests have confirm'd him yours ; hee hath attested heaven to beare record of his love . alas of credulity ! take heed hee play not the part of that ridiculous actor in smyrna , who pronouncing , o heaven ! pointed with his finger to the ground . or like that namelesse lover , who solliciting a gentlewomans affection with abundance of amorous rhetoricke , concluded with this emphaticall protest ; that shee was the onely mistresse of his thoughts : which conclusion being over-heard by one to whom not long before upon like protests hee had ingag'd his faith ; shee replied , d●● not beleeve him , gentlewoman ; the selfe-same arbour where you now are , might witnesse that hee hath made the very like protests unto me , many times before . trialls in affaires of this nature have ever a truer touch than protests . it is easie for beauty to extort a vow , or a temporary protest ; which many times is as soone forgot as made . let not these then worke on your credulity . there bee , i know ( and so all bee that are truly generous ) who rather than they would infringe their faith , would ingage their life . but all are not of that noble temper . others there bee , who can tip their glozing tongues with rhetoricall protests , purposely to gull a credulous creature , for the purchase of an unlawfull pleasure ; which obtain'd , they leave them to bemoane their lost honour . with more safety therefore may you suspect , than too rashly affect . it will not bee amisse for you to reade him , before you chuse him . as thus ; hath his faire carriage got him estimation where hee lives ? hath hee never inur'd his tongue to play hypocrite with his heart ; nor made ceremoniall protests to purchase a light mistresse ? hath hee kept a faire quarter , and beene ever tender of his untainted honour ? hath hee never boasted of young gentlewomans favours , nor runne descant on their kindnesse ? hath hee kept himselfe on even boord with all the world , and preserv'd his patrimony from ingagement ? hath hee ever since hee vow'd himselfe your servant , solely devoted himselfe yours , and not immix'd his affection with forraine beauties ? chuse him , hee well deserves your choyce ; in which choyce , let this bee your impreze ; my choyce admits no change . to bee short ; the blessing which boaz pronounced upon ruth , shall like a honey-dew distill daily from the lips of your husband : blessed bee thou of the lord , my spouse ; thou hast shewed more goodnesse in the latter end , than at thy beginning , in as much as thou followest not young men , were they poore or rich . contrariwise , where you find no such demeriting respects in him , who makes love unto you ; checke your wilde fancy by time , lest a remedilesse checke attend your choyce . covertly knew that unfortunate lady how to paint out her griefe , the extent whereof her tongue-tide passion could not relate ; when like a fruitfull vine , shee had brought forth many faire and promising branches to a debaucht husband , by whose profuser course , her hopes which shee had stored in her numerous progeny , perished , and her selfe through griefe irrecoverably wasted ; shee wrote these pensive lines with a diamond in her chamber window , to give a living shadow to her lasting sorrow . vp to the window sprung the spreading vine , the dangling apricocke , and eglantine ; since when , that vine and branches too were found , shred from their root , laid sprawling on the ground . it is not so hard to give comfortable counsell to the sorrowfull , as to finde a fit season when to give it . i would have you , whose more noble parts promise much comfort to your families , give such attention to seasonable counsell , as you may prevent all ensuing occasions of sorrow . it is the condition of an inconsiderate person , who never foresees his fall , to cloze the issue of his misfortunes with this improvident conclusion ; i would never have thought that this should have thus come to passe ; i never dream'd of this event . it will bee more usefull and beneficiall to you , to checke your wilde fancy , if any such seaze upon you , than to give way unto it , and consequently undoe you . repentance comes too late at marriage-night . affaires of such weight and consequence are not to bee entertained without due advice , nor seconded with rashnesse . in one word ; have you plaid a little too long with the flame ? have you given too free accesse to your desertlesse lover ? have you suffered your heart not onely to thinke of him , but with more intimate respect to harbour him ? lodge him no longer in that roome ; it deserves a farre better guest . i will not heare you , if you reply , and say ; this is a taske of impossibility . continuance of time , with discontinuance of his presence , will easily effect it . meane time , fixe your eye upon some more deserving object . revenge your selfe of that conceit , that shall a-fresh present him to you . so shall the wildnesse of your fancy be checked ; your halfe-lost liberty regained ; and your affection afterwards planted , where it may bee better acquited ; there seated , where it may bee more sweetly seasoned . there bee haggards of that wilde nature , as they will by no meanes be reclaim'd ; neither love nor feare will cause them stoop to any lure . emblemes these are to such wayward girles , whose inflexible natures will neither bee woo'd nor wonne at any rate . these had rather dye for love , than bee deem'd to love . their hearts are smeer'd over with salamanders oyle , and wil admit no heat . they may entertaine suiters , but it is with that coldnesse of affection , as the longer they resort , the lesser is their hope . they may boast more of the multiplicity of their suitors , than their suitors can of any probability to bee speeders . as it chanced sometime in a contest betwixt two maids , who comparing one with the other their descents , friends , and suitors : make no comparison with me , replyed the one to the other , for i must tell thee , i have more suitors than thou hast friends ; more shamelesse you ( answered the other ) unlesse you meane to set up an house of good fellowship . these unsociable natures , who many times deferre making their choyce , till age bring them to contempt , and excludes them from all choyce ; or , danaë-like , live immured in their chamber , till their fort bee undermined by some golden pioner ; detract much from the relenting disposition of their sexe . it is their honour to be woo'd and won . to be discreet in their choyce , and to entertaine their choyce without change. of such i speake , who have not dedicated their dayes to virginity , which is such a condition , as it aspires to an angelicall perfection . good , ( saith venerable bede ) is conjugall chastity , better is viduall continency , but best is the perfection of virginity . yea , virginity exceeds the condition of humane nature , being that , by which man resembles an angelicall creature . wee reade likewise , that the vnicorne , when hee can be taken by no force nor subtill engine , will rest and repose in the lap of a virgin. to those onely i direct my discourse , who have a mind to take themselves unto the world , and to entertaine their lover : but it is with such coolenesse , as it drives their dispassionate sweet-heart into strange extreames . and this proceeds commonly from an over-weening conceit , which these dainty damsels have of their owne worth : with the apprehension whereof they become so infinitely taken , as they can find none worthy their choyce . of this disdainefull opinion was the unhappy gentlewoman , who after many faire fortunes tendred , suitors of deserving quality rejected , made her incestuous brother her licentious lover . a crime detestable even to barbarians and bruit beasts . insomuch as it is reported of the cam●ll , that they usually hood-winke him , when at any time they bring his mother unto him ; which act he no sooner knowes , then hee tramples her under his feet , and kicks her to death with his heeles : so hatefull is incest even to bruit beasts , whose native instinct abhors such obscene commixtures . you , whose discreet affections have cast anchor , by making choyce of some deserving lover ; afflict him not with needlesse delayes ; if hee merit your choyce , one day is too long to deferre him ; if undeserving , taxe your owne indiscretion so rashly to entertaine him . is it bashfull modesty that with-holds you ? i commend it ; it well becomes you . chastity cannot expresse it selfe in a fairer character , then in blushing lines of loving shamefastnesse . is it consent of friends that detaines you ? i approve that too ; these rites are best accomplished , when they are with consent and consort of friends solemnized . but if the ground of your delay trench either upon some future expectance of better fortunes ; or indifferency of affection in respect of your choyce : the issue cannot possibly prove well , being built upon such weake grounds . for , to insist cursorily upon either of these two ; shall a deceiving hope of preferment dispossesse him of your heart , whom personall deserts make worthy of your love ? looke to it ; such fortunes cannot purchase you content , which are got with an aged husbands contempt . it shewes a servile nature to cashiere a faithfull lover , because hee is poorer ; and to preferre another lesse desertfull , because hee is richer . this inconstancy cannot succeed well , because the foundation is grounded ill . againe , are you indifferent or luke-warme in affection ; in respect of your choyce ? for shames sake what doe you make of love ? do you use it like a toy or tyre to put off or on as you like ? must it resemble the fashion ? this day in request , and next day out of date ? this , indeed , is such a cool & easie-tempered love , as it will never mad you ; yet , trust me , it may well delude you . fancy will not so be plaid with . you will object , i imagine , your stomacks are too queasie to digest love. why then did you ever seeme so greedily to feed on that , which your stomacks now cannot well digest ? have you surfeited on the substance ? lay that aside for a while , and bestow your eye on the picture . such impressions have sharpened the dull affections of many lovers . alexander being much in love with apelles , as one highly rapt with the exquisitenesse of his art , proposed him that mcdell for a taske , which hee , of all others , affected most ; commanding him on a time to paint campaspe , a beautifull woman , naked ; which apelles having done , such impression wrought the picture in his affection , as apelles fell in love with her ; which alexander perceiving , gave him her . it is incredible , what rare effects were sometimes drawne from a morian-picture , being onely hung up in a ladies chamber . if such impressive motives of affection draw life from a picture , what may bee conceived by the substance ? oris apollo writeth that the egyptians , when they would describe the heart , and fit her with a proper embleme , paint the bird ibis : because they thinke that no creature , for proportion of the body , hath so great an heart as the ibis hath . it is the bird of love must bee the embleme of your heart . it is neither picture nor posture can content her . much lesse these inferiour pictures , which wee call moneyes : which are so farre from satisfying the affection , as they are onely for the mold or worldling : whose grosser thoughts never yet aspired to the knowledge of loves definition . as then , the precious stone diacletes , though it have many rare and excellent soveraignties in it , yet it loseth them all , if it bee put in a dead mans mouth : so love , though it bee a subject so pure , as none of a more refined nature ; so firme , as none of a more holding temper ; so hot , as none of a more lasting fervour : yet becomes her splendour darkened , her vigor weakened , her fervor cooled , when shee is in a cold brest entertained . resemble , rather , the iuniper-tree , whose coale is the hottest , and whose shadow is the coolest : bee hot in your affection , but coole in your passion . if you finde any thing which cooleth love in you , remove it ; if any thing which urgeth passion , quench it : contrariwise , feed in you loves heat ; but represse in you all passionate hate . take into your more serious thoughts , a view of his deserts whom you affect : increase the conceit of them by supposing more than hee expresseth . the imagination of love is strong , and works admirable effects in a willing subject . yet in all this , let no one straid thought wrong your maiden-modesty so much , as to suggest to you a straine of light-nesse . other closet-treaties you may entertaine safely and freely , without touch of modesty . as to thinke of the honour of that state , to which you are approaching ; the mutuall comfort from that mysterious union arising ; how griefes will bee attempered by one anothers suffering ; how joyes will bee augmented by one anothers sharing . these thoughts cannot but well become you ; nor otherwise chuse than with a pure affection inflame you ; nor receive lesse than free acceptance from you . thus may that love , which seem'd before to have beene as chilled , by these modest motives bee cheered . that day no blacke cloud should by right sit on your faire brow ; no cold dampe seaze on your heart . you have got one whom a sacred gage hath made yours ; with a cheerfull requitall render your selfe his . this cannot choose but highly please the pure eye of heaven , to see that mysterie so sweetly solemniz'd , which was honoured by christ , with his first miracle on earth . in this last branch of our observation , wee are to propose an attemperament of both those indisposed fancies before mentioned , and deservedly taxed . first , the wildenesse of the one ; secondly , the coolenesse of the other : by seasoning them both with an indifferent temper . in a vine , wilde and luxurious branches are to bee pruned , that such as are free and kindly may bee better cherished . in the spirituall field of your heart , is never to bee expected any fruitfull increase of vertues , till there be weeded out of it all the thornes of vices . the difference betwixt a wise and wild love , is this : the one ever deliberates before it love ; the other loves before it deliberate . the first question that shee askes , who wisely loves ; is hee , who is here recommended to my choyce , of good repute ? is hee rich in the endowments of his minde ? next question shee askes , are of a lower siege : may his personage give content ? are his fortunes such , as may not beget in love a contempt ? thus beginnes shee that loves wisely , with goods inward , and ends with outward ; whereas , shee that loves wildly , beginnes with outward , and ends , or else never remembers the inward : is hee , you tender to mee , of promising personage ? is hee neat in his cloathes ? complete in his his dresse ? can he court mee in good words ? and perfume them with sweet protests ? can hee usher me gracefully in the street ? and in very pace expresse a reserved state ? next question shee askes , must bee neare the same verge : is hee rich in manors ? hath not fortune made him a younger brother ? can hee , to buy himselfe honour , pawne the long-acre ? may his swelling means furnish me of coach , caroach , and daily fit mee for some exchange trifles ? i have a moneths mind to see the man ! hee cannot but deserve my love . wherein shee sayes well , for in very deed hee could deserve little else . now as the former , seldome bestowes her selfe , but where shee findes content ; so the latter , seldome or never , but either shee with her choyce , or her choyce with her falls into contempt . the reason is , this wilde girle never cares for more than to bee married . if shee may but see that day , it accomplisheth her content : though shee have but one comicall day all her life . yea , it is as well as can bee expected from her hands , if shee attaine that style without some apparant soile . such as these i could wish , to prevent the worst , they were married betime , lest they marre themselves before time . albeit , moderate restraint , seasonable advice ( presupposing some seeds of grace to worke on ) have wrought singular effects in many of these wilde-ones , who afterwards became grave and modest matrons . to you then , kind-hearts , am i to recommend some necessary cautions , which carefully observed , may make you wiser than you thought of ; and cause you have a tender care of that , which before you had never mind of . your brests are unlock'd , your tongues unty'd ; you cannot love , but you must shew it ; nor conceive a kinde thought , but you must tell it . the index of your hearts you carry both in your tongues and eyes ; for shame , learne silence in the one , and secrecy in the other . will you give power to an insulting lover , to triumph over your weakenesse ; or , which is worse , to worke on the opportunity of your lightnesse ? doe not ; rather ramme up those portells which betray you to your enemy , and prevent his entry by your vigilancy . keepe home and stray not , lest by gadding abroad , you incurre dinahs fate . you have consorts of your owne sexe to passe time withall ; their society will teach you to forget , what is better forgot than kept . let not a straid thought betray your innocency . checke your madding fancy , and if it use resistance , curbe it with restraint . it will doe excellently well , if you forbeare to resort to places of publike meeting ; till you have drawne up and seal'd a covenant with your eyes , to see naught that they may not lawfully covet . these , when they wander , they breed in the heart a dangerous distemper . lastly , addresse your imployment ever to something that is good ; so shall your fantasie finde nought to worke upon that is ill . this shall afford you more liberty , than the whole worlds freedome can afford you . now to you , coy ones , whom either coldnesse of nature hath benummed , or coynesse hath made subtill to dissemble it . you can looke and like , and turne another way , where you like most . no object of love can take you , till it overtake you . bee not wise too much . true affection cannot endure such dissimulation . divide not him , whom you love , into such extremes : you may be modest , and spare a great deale of this coynesse ; it is the rule of charity to doe as you would bee done to . now , would it content you to bee entertained with disdaine , where your deserts merit acceptance ? rectifie this then in your selves , which you would not have done by another to your selves . it is an ill requitall , to recompence fancy with contempt , or constant love with disdaine . this were to incurre ingratitude , a vice so odious , as no age could finde ever ought more uncivilly impious . i do not move you to bee too open-hearted ; or if so , not too liberally to expresse it : this were no discovery of fancy , but folly . so conceale and smoothly palliate your love , as your lover may not despaire of all hope to obtaine your love . indifferent curtsies you may shew without lightnesse , and receive them too in lieu of thankfulnesse . i leave it to your discretion to distinguish times and places ; for these may either improve or impaire the opportunity of such like curtsies . doe not immure your beauties , as if a jealousie of your owne weaknesse had necessitated this restraint . there can bee no conquest , where there is no contest . converse with love ; conceit with your selves whom you could like . this your cooler temper may admit , and still reteine that liberty which is fit . falconers use many meanes to make their hawks sharpe ; they begin with short flights , till weathring bring them to endure longer . pigmalions image received not life in all parts at once ; first , it took warmth , after that , vitall motion . is love coole in you ? let a kindly warmth heat that coldnesse . is love dull in you ? let a lively agility quicken that dulnesse . is love coy in you ? let a lovely affability supple that coynesse : so , in short time , you may have a full rellish of loves sweetnesse . now wee come to the attemperament of these ; wherein wee are to extract out of grosser metals some pure oare , which wee must refine , before it can give any true beauty to this specious palace of love . draw neare then , and attend to what of necessity you must observe ; if ever you meane to deserve her love , whom you are in civility bound to serve . in sicilia there is a fountaine called fons solis , out of which at mid-day , when the sun is nearest , floweth cold water ; at midnight , when the sunne is farthest off , floweth hot water . this should bee the lively embleme of your state ( gentlewomen : ) who , now after those cooler vapours of your frozen affection dispersed , those lumpish and indisposed humors dispelled , and those queasie risings of your seeming coynesse dispossessed ; have felt that chaste amorous fire burne in you , which will make you of shamefaste maids , modest matrons . when the heat of passion is at mid-day , i meane his full height , with those to whom faith hath engag'd you , and love , before the hostage of that faith , confirm'd you ; then are you to resemble the quality of that fountaine , by flowing with cold water of discretion and sweet temper , to allay that heat ; lest it weaken those you love , by giving way to passion , which patience cannot chuse but loath . againe , when heat is farthest off , and providence begins to labour of a lethargy ; when servants remit their care , neglect their charge , and the whole family grow out of order , through the coldnesse of a remisse master ; resemble then that fountaine , by flowing with hot water ; win and weane these whom love and loyalty have made yours , with warme conjugall teares , to compassionate their neglected estate , and by timely prevention to avert the fate of improvident husbands . or thus , if you please , may you make your selves gracious emblemes of that fountaine : doth the sun shine at mid-day , and in his fullest height on you ? do the beams of prosperity reflect brightly on you ? flow with cold water ; allay this your heat and height of prosperity , with some cooling thoughts of adversity , lest prosperity make you forget both the author of it , and in the end how to bestow it . againe , doth the sunne shine farthest off you ? doth not one small beameling of prosperous successe cheere you ? flow with hot water ; vanquish adversity with resolution of temper . desist not from labour , because fortune seconds not your endevour . to conclude , as your wild fancy ( if you were ever surpriz'd of any ) is now rectifi'd ; your coolenesse heatned ; your coynesse banished ; so conforme your selves to them , whom one heart hath made one with you , as no cloud of adversity may looke so blacke , no beame of prosperity shine so cleare , wherin you may not with an equall embrace of both estates , beare your share . the english gentlevvoman . argument . gentility is derived from our ancestors to us , but soone blanched , if not revived by us ; vertue the best coat ; a shamefaste red , the best colour to deblazon that coat ; gentility is not knowne by what we weare , but what we are ; there are native seeds of goodnesse sowne in generous bloods by lineall succession ; how these may bee ripened by instruction . gentility . gentility consists not so much in a lineall deblazon of armes , as personall expression of vertues . yea , there is no ornament like vertue , to give true beauty to descent . what is it to be descended great ? to retein the priviledge of our blood , to bee ranked highest in an heralds booke ? when our lives cannot adde one line to the memorable records of our ancestors ? there should bee no day without a line , if wee desire to preserve in us the honour of our line . those odours then deserve highest honours , that beautifie us living , and preserve our memory dying . should wee call to mind all those our ancestors , who for so many preceding ages have gone before us ; and whose memory now sleeps in the dust ; wee should , perchance , finde in every one of them some eminent quality or other , if a true survey of their deserving actions could bee made knowne unto us ; yea , wee should understand , that many of them held it their highest grace , to imitate their predecessors in some excellent vertue ; the practice whereof they esteemed more prayse-worthy , than the bare title of gentility . now , what just reproofe might wee deserve , if neither those patternes , which our ancestors had , nor the vertuous examples of our ancestors themselves , can perswade us to be their followers ? their blood streames through our veynes ; why should not their vertues shine in our lives ? their mortality wee carry about with us ; but that which made them immortally happy , wee reteine not in us . their gentility wee clayme ; the priviledges they had by it , wee reteine . meane time , where is that in us , that may truly gentilize us , and designe us theirs ? what a poore thing is it to boast of , that our blood is nobler , our descent higher ? tell me , can any one prescribe before adam ? and what shall hee finde in that first ancestor of his , but red clay ? the matter whereof hee was made , it was no better ; nor can wee suppose our mortar to bee purer . hee most emphatically described our genealogy , who cryed , earth , earth , earth : earth by creation , condition , dissolution . no lesse fully understood hee the quality of his composition , with the root from whence hee tooke his beginning , who called earth his mother ; wormes his brethren and sisters . his kinsfolkes hee could not much boast of , they were such inferiour creatures ; no strutters in the street , but despicable creepers . let me now reflect upon you , gentlewomen , whose generous birth should bee adorned with vertuous worth , and so make you moving objects of imitation both in life and death . are you nobly descended ? ennoble that descent with true desert . doe not thinke that the privilege of greatnesse , can bee any subterfuge to guiltinesse . your more ascending honour requires more than a common lustre . in places of publike resort you challenge precedency , and it is granted you . shall the highest place have the least inward grace ? no ; let not a word fall from you , that may unbeseeme you . others are silent when you discourse ; let it bee worth their attention ; lest a presumption of your owne worth draw you into some frivolous excursion . there is not an accent which you utter , a sentence you deliver , any motion in your carriage or gesture , which others eye not , and eying assume not . your retinue is great ; your family gracious ; your actions should bee the life of the one , and line of direction to the other . to see a light lady descending from a noble family , is a spectacle of more spreading infamy , than any subject of inferiour quality . i cannot approve of this apish kinde of formality , which many of our better sort use ; it detracts from their descent , to make affectation their tutresse . they were free-borne ; nothing then that is servile can become them . it is nothing to reteine the favour or feature of your ancestors , and to estrange you from that which truly dignifi'd your ancestors . vertues have more living colours , and are seconded with more lasting honours than any outward beauties . you deceive your selves , if you thinke that honour received her first life from descent ; no , it was demerit that made descent capable of honour . a pedigree argues your gentility ; but had not some deserving action beene , you had never attained to any noble pedigree . for gentility is not to bee measured by antiquity of time , but precedency in worth . if brackish or troubled water seldome come from a pure spring ; wilde and unsavory fruit from a good tree ; whence is it , that noble predecessors , whose pure blood was never corrupted with any odious staine , should bring forth such degenerating scions ? surely , this generally proceeds from the too much liberty that is granted to our youth ; whose inclinations , though otherwise good and equally disposed , are usually by custome , which becomes a second nature , miserably depraved . society they affect , and this infects them ; repaire to publike places they admit , and this corrupts them . those eminent examples which their noble progenitors left them , become buried with them . they comply with the time ; vertue ( they say ) can hardly subsist , where vice is in highest request . what though plato advise them to make choyce of the best way of living , which may bee easily effected by assiduate use and daily custome : they have learned to invert his rule , by affecting that custome most , which tends to the practice of vertue least . besides , there is another reason which may bee probably alleaged , why generous descents become so much corrupted ; and vertuous parents by vitious children so frequently seconded . our nobler women , though in other respects truly imitable , and for their vertuous conversation admirable , come short in one peculiar duty , which even nature exacts of them , and which being duely perfom'd , would doubtlesly , no lesse enable and ennoble them who are descended from them , than any particular , were it never so powerfull , that could informe them . these which are mothers by generation , are seldome their nursing-mothers by education . no marvell then , if they degenerate , when they partake of the natures of other women . though their owne mothers blood streame through their veines , a strangers milke must feed them , which makes them participate of their nature , as they are fed with their substance . wheresoever the nurses milke is received , the nurses manners are likewise reteined . whence it was , that chrysippus expresly commanded that the very best and wisest nurses should bee made choyce of ; that what good blood had infused , might not by ill milke be infected . it was the joynt advice both of plutarch and phavorine , that a mother should bee her childrens nurse : because , commonly , with the milke of the nurse , they sucke the quality or condition of her life . yea , according to an ancient decree , women were bound to nurse their owne children , and not to have any other women ( unlesse necessity enforc'd them ) to nurse them . let this then bee rectifi'd ; yee , whose noble descents have made you eminent in the eye of the world , and whom gods blessing hath made fruitfull mothers , to bring forth a faire and hopefull increase unto the world ; nurse them with your owne milke : this will expresse in you a motherly care to them , and beget in them a greater measure of child-like love to you . your care , the more it is parentall , will exact of them a love more faithfull and filiall . nurse them , i say , with the milke of your owne brests to feed them ; with the milke of your owne lives to informe them . so shall their actions prove them to bee your successours ; when they shall not onely derive their blood from you , but on this theatre of humane frailty , shall publish themselves to bee true representers of you . for in vaine is your blood to them derived , if your memory by their vertues be not revived . give them then that which may make them yours . goodnesse may bee blamed , but her succeeding memory can never bee blanched . thus shall you not onely shew your selves worthy of that house , from whence you came , but after your period on earth , bee receiv'd into a more glorious house in time to come . it is not the nobility of descent , but of vertues , that makes any one a gracefull and acceptable servitour in the court of heaven . houses are distinguished by coats and crests ; but these are dignifi'd by something else . in heraldry , those are ever held to be the best coats , that are deblazoned with least charge . consequently , then must vertue needs bee the best coat . shee requires the least charge ; in her attire , shee is not sumptuous ; in her fare , delicious ; nor in her retinue ( the more is the pitty ) numerous . shee confines her desires upon earth within a strait circumference ; a very small portion of that metall will content her . her desires are onely there seated , where they may bee satisfied . shee sees none so great in the court , as may deserve her envy ; none so rich in the city , as may beget in her an earthly desire ; none so repos'd in the countrey , as to induce her to change her state . shee is infinitely happy , in that shee aymes at no other happinesse , than where it is to bee found . ambition may display her pie-colour'd flagge ; but shee will never get vertue to bee her follower : her desires are pitcht upon a farre more transcendent honour , than these state-corrivals on earth can ere afford her ; or by their competition take from her . pleasure may cast out her lure , but vertue is so high a flyer , as shee scornes to stoupe to ought unworthy of her ; it pleaseth her to contemplate that on earth , which shee is to enjoy in heaven . these feathers in the ayre , are objects undeserving her care . profit may seeke to undermine her ; but all her policy cannot worke on vertues constancy . content is her crowne ; contempt of the world , her care ; what wordlings seeke , shee shuns ; whence it is , that her beauty , in the darkest night of adversity , shines . in a word , shee is an absolute commandresse of her selfe ; and easie is it to have that command , where no turbulent passions labour to contend . farre otherwise is it with those , who be they never so generously descended , popularly graced , nor powerfully guarded , yet being not adorned with this crest , distinguished by this coat , they can neither enjoy freedome within , nor safety without . lewis , the eleventh had a conceit , which , no doubt , proceeded from his melancholicke and indisposed humour , that every thing did stinke about him : all the odoriferous perfumes , or fragrant savours they could get , would not ease him , but still hee smelled a silthy stinke . so fares it with them , whose corrupt hearts , like musty vessells , not throughly seasoned with vertue , send forth no other smell than what is most distastefull to a pure and well-disposed minde . now , there bee many , who make an outward semblance of conscience ; and promise to the world apparant arguments of their uprightnesse ; whose inward cells , like corrupt charnell-houses , afford nothing but filthinesse . yea , these , to make the world more confident of their sanctity , will not sticke to condemne themselves , dis-value their owne worth , and rank them amongst the unworthiest that breath on earth . yet , though they disprayse themselves before others , they cannot endure to bee dispraysed by others . whereof wee read one excellent example to this purpose : there was a certaine woman , who had taken her selfe to a cloyster-life , and seemed very devo●t ; so as shee usually said to her confessor , who came often unto her , to heare her confession , and partake of her devotion : good father , pray unto the lord for mee ; for i am a woman so evill , yea , even so utterly naught , as i much feare lest the lord punish others for my sinnes . vpon this , the priest out of a discreet zeale , desired to try whether there were in her the foundation of true humility or no. next time therefore , that shee uttered the like words unto him , saying ; that shee was the very worst of all women ; the priest forwith answered : i have often times at many bands heard thus much of thee before this . whereat shee being presently incensed , replyed : you lye in your throat : and whosoever hath told you , or reporteth such things of mee , are all lyers . to attemper which immoderate passion , the priest humbly returned her this answer : now i perceive thy pride and hypocrisie ; for as much as thou speakest that of thy selfe , which thou disdainest any other should speake of thee . and this is no signe of true humility , but of inward pride and grosse hypocrisy . these dissembled , bee they never so assiduate , semblances , are no colours for vertues crest , they must bee dyed in graine , or they will not hold . these , who expresse modesty in their outward carriage , are good examples to those that consort with them ; yet if their private parler bee a witnesse of their dishonor , they deface the figure of goodnesse in themselves . vertue consists not in seeming but performing , nor piety in appearing but practising . what is it to bee outwardly retyred from the world , and inwardly affianced to the world ? how are those women in turkie affected , that most part of the yeare come not abroad ? those italian and spanish dames , that are mewed up like hawks , and lockt up by their jealous husbands ? this is such an enforced restraint , as it many times begets loose desires in the restrained . it is the prevention of occasion that crownes us . more prayse-worthy were those women of sio , could they confine their actions within the bounds of modesty , than these restrained libertines . for those iland women , as they are the beautifull'st dames of all the greekes , so have they more liberty granted by their avaricious husbands , than all the dames in greece . for their wives prostitution is their promotion . so as , when they see any stranger or promising factor arrive , they will presently demand if hee would have a mistris : which , for want of better supply , they mercenarily tender him in the person of their owne wives : so willing are they to weare the lasting badge of infamy , for base lucre or commodity . it is not then an enforced moderation of our affections , that deserves the stile of goodnesse . wee are to enjoy freedome in our desires , and over those a noble conquest , if wee merit the name of vertuous . come then , gentlewomen , you see what coat will honour your house most . other coats may bee blanched by corruption of blood ; or blemished by some other occurrent : but this is so pure as it will admit of no staine . fantasticall and false prophecies may bee ominously advanced , published , and dispersed , upon arms , fields , beasts , or badges , against which our lawes have ordained necessary provisions . but no augur , seer or southsayer can by any such groundless divination , detract from the constant beauty or splendor of his coat . soveraignizing saladine , after hee had made himselfe a terrour to many potent princes , by making them his subjects , who never till then knew what subjection meant ; after hee had atchieved so many prosperous victories , taken in so many flourishing provinces , and attained the highest degree of an imperiall greatnesse ; being surprized by so mortall and fatall a malady , as hee despaired of recovery : called his chiefetaine or generall before him , and bad him haste away to the great city damascus , and there in the midst of that populous city , to fixe his shrouding-sheete upon a speare , and display it like a banner , with these words ; this is all that souldan saladine hath left of all his ensignes ! this , the remainder of all his victories ! how happy had that emperour beene , if after so many memorable exploits done by him living , so many imperiall trophies of his dispersed victories erected by him breathing , hee had reserved this coat to have memoriz'd him dying ? dorcas coats were brought forth and shown , after shee departed . so live , that your best coats , which are your vertues , may give testimony of you , when earth shall receive you . let not your gentility become blasted with infamy ; nor your noble families labour of that scarcity , as not to give vertue all hospitality . divinely sung our moderne poet : to bee of gen'rous blood and parents borne , and have no gen'rous vertues , is a scorne . let it bee your highest scorne , to stoupe to any base thought . it is not priority nor precedency of place , but propriety and proficiency in grace that makes an honourable soule . that cloath is of most worth that weares best ; and that fashion of most esteeme that holds longest in request . vertue is right . sempiternam for weare ; and of that complete fashion , as with christian women it growes never out of date . make choyce of this stuffe then to suite you , of this coat to gentilize you . all others are but conterseits in comparison of her ; whose property it is to honour those that serve her ; harbour those that flye for refuge to her ; and to reward those who constantly stand in defence of her honour . there is nothing can wound you , being thus armed ; nothing ill-beseeme you , being thus adorned ; nothing disparage you , being thus honoured : heraldry findes a coat for your house , but vertue findes honour to grace your person . reteine those divine impressions of goodnesse in you , that may truly ennoble you : display your gentility by such a coat , as may best distinguish your family ; so shall you live and dye with honour , and survive their fame , whose onely glory it was to enjoy fortunes favour . painters are curious in the choyce of their colours , lest their art become blemished through those decayed colours , wherewith their pictures are pourtrayed . some are opinion , that the receit of painting or colouring the substance of glasse through , is utterly lost ; neither that these late succeeding times can regaine , as yet , that mysterious perfection . farre more is it to bee doubted lest vertue , which wee have proved by infallible arguments to bee the best coat , want her true colour , and consequently become deprived of her chiefe lustre . some pictures , i know , will doe well in white ; yet it is colour that gives them life . beauty never darts more love to the eye , not with quicker convoy directs it to the heart , then when it displayes her guiltlesse shame in a crimson blush . there is one flower to bee loved of women , which is the chiefest flower in all their garden ; and this is a good red , which is shamefastnesse . these standing colours are slow wooers to discreet lovers . vertues coat then is best beblazoned when a shamefast red breathes upon it . protogenes tables , wherein baccbus was painted , and all his furious bacchanals to life displayed , moved king demetrius to such admiration , during his siege of the city rhodes , that where hee might have consumed the city with fire , and buried the glory thereof in ashes , would not for the preciousnesse of that table : so as , protracting time by staying to bid them battell , wonne not the city at all . if a livelesse picture could enforce such affection in a knowing commander , what effects may wee thinke will a living substance produce ? truth is , there is such sweet and amiable correspondence betwixt vertuous beauty , and shamefaste modesty , as the one cannot subsist without the others society . not a light passage can want the attendance of a blush , whilest modesty is in presence . yea , though shee bee not conscious of any conceit , that might beget in her face a shamefaste blush ; out of a modest compassion shee will not sticke to blush , when shee observes ought in another deserving blame . her eares glow at any light report ; which , lest they should grow too credulous , shee fortifies with reason , to oppose the too easie entrance of suspition . shee partakes of no resemblance lesse than that of the chamelon , whose naturall property it is to represent all colours save white . shee is a milde and moderate interpreter of others actions ; but a serious censor of her owne . light discourses , which tend rather to the depraving of the hearer , than ministring any usefull subject to an attentive observer , shee excludes ; uncivill complement shee abhorres ; what onely is modest shee approves ; and seconds her approvement with a gracefull smile . shee holds an infected minde to bee more dangerous than an infected house : such company shee shunnes , on whom the rayes of vertue seldome or never shine . there is not that condition , bee it never so meane , which shee cannot with cheerefulnesse entertaine : so as , shee holds outward poverty the best enricher of an inward family . her desires are so equally poyzed , as shee neither seekes more than shee enjoyes , nor wants freedome to dispose of what shee enjoyes . honour shee affects , yet with no such eagernesse , as to hazzard the losse of a dearer honour , for so uncertaine a purchase . friends and favourites shee admits , and with that constancy , as it neither repents her of accepting , nor them of tendring such vertuous fruits of amity . here you have her , gentlewomen , who will tell you , and in her selfe exemplifie what shee tells you ; that modesty is the choycest ornament that can adorne you . now if you purpose to trace her path , or conforme your selves to her line ; you must worke on your affections , to embrace what shee loves , and reject whatsoever shee loathes . are you conversant at any time with such protesting servants , as make deepe oaths meere complements ; and whose tongues are witty orators in running descant on a wanton tale ? these are such consorts as modesty would bee loath to converse with . shee can never endure any of these discourses without an angry blush . should you delight in these , you should quickly heare her out of a vertuous passion , cry out with the poet : o age ! most of our women know not now , what ' t is to blush , till painting tell them how . againe , should you entertaine in your naked bosomes , what some wantons have too much affected , light amorous poems ; perusing them with no lesse content , than if they had beene purposely penned to worke on your conceit ; this cannot stand with your modesty : these may corrupt you , but never rectifie what is wandring in you . suffer not a wanton passage to play on your fantasie . sinne would never enter in upon you , if shee found but a preparation of resistance in you . tell me , what a sweet grace conferres it on you , to mixe your salutes with modest blushes , and entertaine your suitors with a shamefaste bashfulnesse ! sure i am , where love is discreetly grounded , this cannot chuse but be an especiall motive to affection . there may bee , i grant , such wilde lovers , who preferre the loose love of an inconstant phaedra , before the chaste embraces of a continent antiope : but their indiscreet choyce is ever seconded with a fearefull cloze . those , who esteeme more of a painted cheeke , than a native blush , shall finde all their imaginary happinesse resolved to a painted blisse . it is modesty and not beauty which makes the husband happy . would you then deserve the title of chaste virgins , constant wives , modest matrons ? while you are ranked amongst the first , converse not privately with a wanton thought ; send not forth a wandring eye to fetch in a sweet-heart . dis-value not your owne worth so much , as to wooe others to become your suiters : this would bee a meanes rather to depresse love , than increase it ; impayre love , than improve it . if you bee worthy winning , you cannot chuse but bee worthy wooing . meane time , let not a straid looke betray your too forward love ; nor a light conceit tax you of deserved reproofe . dye your cheeks with a rosie blush , when you heare ought that may detract from the modesty of your sexe . bee as silent as the night ; your best rhetoricke consists in maiden blushes , and bashfull smiles ; which will worke more powerfully on a lovers heart , than a rhetoricall tongue , bee it never so curiously tipt with art. for the second ranke , you know how strict a duty is imposed on you ; now are you not to converse with strange love , or suffer any other person have the least share in your affection . to court love , or use any complement , purposely to winne a private favorite , would detract as much from your honour , as for a souldier to flye from his captaine , and adhere to a stranger . hee hath invested you in himselfe , and ingaged himselfe yours by a sacred vow , which death onely may reverse : the dispersed loves which you enterteined before , must now bee reduc'd to one , and that but one , by whose mutuall choyce two are individually made one . a heart divided cannot live ; no more can the heat of divided love . you are now so farre from entertaining any stranger ; as you have vow'd with your heart , not to enter so much as any treaty with an unjust intruder . it is dangerous to converse with a profest foe , whose drift it is to undermine you ; and such an one is every loose lover , who labours with the licentious art of adulterous oratory , to deprive you of that inestimable gemme , which of all others , most adornes you . for you that are matrons , ripenesse of yeares hath enjoyned you to bid a lasting adieu to the vanities of youth . now are you set as examples of gravity , for others to imitate . it were dotage in you now to begin to love , when your decay in nature tels you , it is not long you are to live . you have hitherto performed your parts with a genercus approvement of your actions , faile not in the conclusion . this small remainder of your declining pilgrimage , should bee wholly dedicated to the practice of goodnesse ; that your pious end may second your vertuous beginning . the sunne shines ever brighter at his setting than rising ; so should your life appeare better at your departing than entring . it were incomparably beneficiall for you , now in this your exit , to have your affections seated in heaven , before you depart from earth : leaving some memorable examples of your wel-spent life , which may eternize you after this life . this will make your names flourish ; and cause others in a vertuous emulation of your actions , to reteine your memory in their lives . to bee briefe , bee you of what condition soever , either in respect of your age or state ; there is nothing can better become you than a modest shamefastnesse : which consists either in averting your eare from your owne praise ; or with-drawing your presence from dishonest or uncivill discourse ; or rejecting an importunate suitor , whose too inconsiderate entertainment might question your honour . i have noted in some women a kind of zealous and devout passion , when they chanc'd but to heare any light or wanton communication ; they could not hold but reprove them for their impudence , and amidst their reproofe , to adorn the rosie circlets of their cheekes with a blushing shamefastnesse . surely , this expressed a singular modesty in them ; which i would have you ( gentlewomen ) in a serious imitation of them , to represent in your selves . it will happen , many times , that you cannot chuse but encounter with some frontlesse buffouns , petulant pasquills , whose highest straine of obscene wit , is to justifie some fabulous story , or repeat an uncivill tale ; which you are to entertaine with such disgust , as these odious relaters may gather by your countenance , how much you distaste such uncivill discourse . for it is a sweet kinde of evincing sinne , to discountenance it with a modest shame . thus shall you make your very frowne an ingenuous index of your uncorrupt heart : and to adde one line more unto your honour , display the character of your guiltlesse shame in a maiden blush , a virgin-colour . severus the emperour would have majesty preserved by a vertuous disposing of the desire , not by a curious effeminacy in attire . for , as wee cannot account him for lesse then a foole , who prizeth his horse by the faddle , and trappings that hang about him , more then by the worth that is in him : so is hee most foolish , who values the man by the worth of his cloathes , rather then those inward parts that doe accomplish him . how many formall gallants shall wee observe , whose onely value consists in putting on their cloathes neatly ; wearing their cloaks before them , as if they would forgo them ; or bestow them upon some pandor to usher their mushrom gentility to a house of light society : with whom , if you should converse , you might easily finde aesops , painted seuls , fairely promising , but weakly performing ? the greatest obliquity these can finde in our age , is the too carelesse observance of fashions ; which our neate formalists have no great cause to taxe for an errour , seeing affectation in the choice of fashion is this ages humour . the golden apple was given to the fairest , not the finest ; the golden tripode , neither to the fairest nor finest , but wisest . for might the fairest have obtain'd it , alcibiades , being the daintiest and best favoured boy in all athens , might by right have challeng'd it . againe , might the finest have enjoy'd it , the lydian croesus , being richer in attire than any of his time , might have pleaded for it . of whom it is said , that solon of salamine came to visite him ; not to admire him , as simple people did , whose judgements most commonly were plac'd in their eyes : but to reprove him for his vanity , an apt subject for philosophy ; and weane him from that which threatned ruine to his state. this delicate prince had that learned sage no sooner found decked and adorned with the choisest ornaments , and seated on an high throne , than hee encountred that grave philosopher with this vaine question : demanding of him , whether hee had ever seene a more glorious sight ? to whom solon right gravely answered ; yes , quoth hee , i have seene house-cocks , phesants , and peacocks : and these were graced with a naturall beauty ; whereas yours is but a borrowed glory , which must vaile to time , and shake hands , ere it bee long , with mortality . to these that fabulous story of the persian prince crysalus may bee properly applied , and personally resembled ; who , with his pye-colour'd reteiners , presenting themselves at iupiters marriage like painted fooles , became transformed into plumed fowles . truth is , should wee judge of mens worths by their outward weare , or distinguish gentility by a fashionable attire , wee should erre more in judgement , then a blinde man in his first discovery of colours . what eminent ladies are recorded in the continuate histories of fame ; whose esteeme tooke first breath , not from what they wore , but what they were ? it was not their ayme to strike a stupid beholder into admiration with a phantasticke habit , nor allure an humorous lover with a conceited complement . our simple elders knew not what it was , to set their face , or court a looking-glasse . it was their highest taske to correct those errours that were in them : by which meanes they became so inwardly lovely , as none truely knew them , that could doe lesse than entirely love them . surely , there is no state that suites so sitly with gentility , as the low , but loyall attendance of humility . this is shee , who ( as shee is rightly defined ) is the princesse of vertues , the conqueresse of vices , the mirror of virginity , the choisest harbour or repose for the blessed trinity . shee considers , how hee , by whom our corrupt blood was restored , our unvaluable losses repaired , and our primitive nakednesse compassionately covered , was not with a diadem crowned , nor in a stately bed couched ; yea , scarcely rather with one poore coat covered : which hee wore not as an ornament to his body , to bestow on it trimnesse , but for necessity to cover his nakednesse . what a poverty is it then for you , whose ancient descent promiseth something extraordinary in you , to have nothing to boast of , save onely a gilded outside ? it was necessity that invented cloathes for you ; now were it fit to pride you in that , which depriv'd you of your prime beauty ? you shall observe in many of our grave matrons , with what indifferency they attire themselves . their inward ornaments are their chiefest care ; their renewing and repairing of them , their highest cure . they have found such choice flowers , as they afford more spirituall delight to the soule , than any visible flowers or odours doe to the smell . and what are these , but divine and morall precepts , soveraigne instructions ; which have taught them how to contemne earth , conquer death , and aspire unto eternity ? these by a continued custome or frequent converse with heavenly things , cannot now conceive any object to bee worthy their beholding on earth . fashions may bee worne about them , but little observed by them . the wedding garment is their desired raiment . this they make ready for the nuptiall day ; the meditation whereof so transports them , as nothing below heaven can possesse them . it is not beauty which they prize ; for they daily and duely consider the prophets words ; all faces shall gather blacknesse . againe , they remember the threats which god denounceth upon beautifull , but sinfull niniveh , i will discover thy skirts upon thy face . this makes them seriously to consider the dangerous quality of sinne , and to apply ninivehs salve to their sore : that wine of angels , the teares of repentance . which , howsoever it is , as one wittily observes , every mans medicine ; an universall antidote , that makes many a mithridates venture on poison : yet works it not this banefull effect with these ; for their affections are so sweetly tempered , their hearts so truly tendred , as they make not repentance security to delinquents : they well remember that aphorisme of spirituall physicke : as hee that sinnes in hope of remission , feeds distemperature to seeke a physician ; so hee that repents with a purpose of sinning , shall finde an eternall place to repent in . these , who thus belull themselves in the downe-beds of security , labour of an irreparable lethargy . they make bold to sinne , as if they were sure to repent . but the medicine was made for the wound , not the wound for the medicine . we must not suffer our selves voluntarily to bee wounded , in hope we have to bee cured : but prevent the meanes , that wee may atteine a more glorious end . the choicest receipt , the chiefest antidote then is to prevent the meanes or occasion of sinne ; which if at any time wee commit , to infuse the balme of repentance into it ; which seasonably applyed , may minister a soveraigne salve to our sore , so wee intend our care to so consequent a cure . come then , gentlewomen , beginne now at last to reflect on your owne worth . vnderstand , that gentility is not knowne by what you weare , but what you are . consider , in what member soever your creator is most offended , in that shall every sinner bee most tormented . remember , how the time shall come ( and then shall your time bee no time ) when the moath shall bee your underlining , and the worme your covering . trimm● your selves then with an inward beauty ; that a glorious bridegroome may receive you . fashion your selves to his image , whom you represent . that fashion onely , will extend the date of time , and crowne you with immortality after time . these , who have their judgements in their eyes , may admire you for your cloaths ; but those , who have their eyes in their heads , will onely prize you by your inward worth . were it not a poore ensigne of gentility , to hang up a phantasticke fashion to memorize your vanity after death ? so live , that you may ever live in the memory of the good . it will not redound much to your honour , to have observed the fashions of the time , but to have redeemed your time ; to have dedicated your selves to the practice of vertue all your time ; to have beene mirrors of modesty to your succeeding sexe ; to have dis-valued the fruitlesse flourish of fading vanity , for the promising hopes of a blessed eternity . o eternity , eternity ! let this ever emphatically sound in your memory ; supply then that in you , which bleered judgements expect without you . you challenge precedency in place , expresse your selves worthy of that place . vertue will make you farre more honoured , than any garish habit can make you admired . the one is a spectacle of derision , the other of true and generous approbation . this you shall doe , if you season your desires with discretion ; if you temper your excursive thoughts , and bring them home with a serious meditation of your approaching dissolution . it is said of the palme tree , that when it growes dry and fruitlesse , they use to apply ashes to the root of it , and it forthwith recovers : that the peacefull palmes of your vertuous mindes may flourish ever ; that their branches may ever blossome and never wither ; apply unto their roots the ashes of mortification ; renue them with some sweet and soveraigne meditation . that when you shall returne to your mother earth , those that succeed you may collect how you lived while you were on earth : by making these living actions of your gentility , happy precursors to your state of glory . fountaines are best distinguished by their waters , trees by their fruits , and generous bloods by their actions . there are inbred seeds of goodnesse ( saith the philosopher ) in every good man : and these will finde time to expresse themselves . it was davids testimony of himselfe : from my youth up have i loved thy law. an excellent prerogative given him , and with no lesse diligence improved by him . now these native seeds , as they are different , so are the fruits which come of them , variously disposed . some have a rellish of true and generous bounty ; wherein they shew that noble freedome to their owne , in their liberality towards others : as their very actions declare unto the world , their command and soveraignty over the things of this world . others discover their noble disposition , by their notable pitty and compassion ; these will estrange themselves from no mans misery . if they cannot succour him , they will suffer with him . their bosomes are ever open with pittifull zenocrates , to receive a distressed one . over a vanquish'd foe they scorne to insult ; or upon a dejected one to triumph . they have teares to partake with the afflicted ; and reall expressions of joy to share with the relieved . others shew apparant arguments of their singular moderation ; abstemious are these in their dishes ; temperate in their companies ; moderate in their desires . these wonder at the rioters of this time ; how they consume their daies in sensuality and uncleannesse their account is farre more straight ; their expence more strait ; but their liberty of mind of an higher straine . cloathes they weare , but with that decency , as curiosity cannot taxe them ; meats they partake , but with that temperance , as delicacy cannot tempt them . others from their cradle , become brave sparkes of valour ; their very childhood promiseth undoubted tokens of succeeding honour . these cannot endure braves nor affronts . generous resolution hath stampt such deepe impressions in their heroicke mindes , as fame is their ayme ; which they hunt after , with such constancy of spirit , as danger can neither amate them , nor difficulty avert them from their resolves . others are endued with a naturall pregnancy of wit ; to whom no occasion is sooner offered , than some dainty expression must second it . others with more solidity of judgement , though of lesse present conceit . and these are such , as generally imploy themselves in state-affaires ; wherein experience , purchased by an usefull expence , of time , doth so ripen them , as the publike state takes notice of them , and recompenceth their care with honours conferred on them . these and many other excellent endowments shall wee observed to bee lineally derived from ancestors to their successors ; which , as they reteine a neare resemblance of their persons , so they represent their actions : so powerfull is nature in bestowing her distinct offices on every creature , wherein they generally partake of their disposition as well as outward feature : whence the poet ; stout men and good are sprung from stout and good , horses and steeres reteine their parents blood . yet see the iniquity of time ! it fareth oft-times with those who are endowed with these vertues , to bee most traduced , where their more noble and eminent parts are to bee highliest honoured . which , as it was a maine error in former ages , so descends it to these present times . when rome was in her glory , this eclipsed her light , by detracting from their demerits most , whose free-bred vertues deserved of their countrey best . sundry families shee had , famous for their vertues , which by a depraved and mis-interpreting censure , became branded with undeserved aspersions . if the piso's were frugall , they were held parcimonious ; if the metelli devout , they were superstitious ; if the appii strict , they were rigorous ; if the manlii affable , they were ambitious ; the laelii , if wise , they were dangerous ; the publicolae , popular , by being courteous . but with good and well-disposed persons , vertue is never out of favour , though it bee never so much impeached by a traducing censure . thus you have heard , gentlewomen , what vertues have lineally and by blood descended from parents to their children ; what especiall inward graces usually attend some especiall families , which no lesse memorize them , than those native honours which are conferred on them . now , to select such as sort best with your sexe and condition ; in my opinion there is none that ennobles you higher , or makes you more gracious in the eye of the beholder than modesty , which was the greatest advancer of many roman families . this is that vertue , which expresseth you to be women ; this is that , which makes you honoured amongst women . chaines and carkenets , iewels and habiliments may bee valued ; but this ornament is of that high estimate , as it is not to bee prized . now , there is nothing that will cause this to appeare more pretious unto you , next to the testimony of a good conscience within you , with an ardent desire of promoting his glory who made you , than a reflexion to your family which bred you ; whose honour to preserve , as it is your especiall duty , so no object of profit or pleasure , no attractive lure of deceiving honour should remove this opinion from you : to bee high borne and basely minded , is to ingraffe bastard slippes in a noble stocke . branches of a crooked and inflexible quality , highly degenerate from true gentility . high and heroicke vertues become great houses . for , as they were first made great by being good , so should they by surceasing from being good , lose their title of being great . if by abusing the liberty of time , you detract from your ancestors fame , you lye a blemish on his shrine ; which , though it touch not him , yet it taints you who represent him . this , no doubt , was that noble lady right mindfull of , when on a time being sollicited by a powerfull suitor , who wooed her first in person , and after in a wanton rhetoricall letter ; shee , as one tender of her honour , and perceiving that the scope of his suit tended to her dishonour , answered his fruitlesse sollicitancy in this sort , with great modesty : should i condescend to your suit , i should not only derogate from the honour of my present state , dis-value that which i hold most deare , make my selfe a subject of contempt to every eare , but asperse that infamy on my family , which would beare record of my inconstancy . o what would the next age report of me , that i should so farre degenerate from those that bred me ? no ; poverty may enter in at my gate , but dishonour shall never lodge in mine heart . reserve these promises of honour for such , as prize them above their honour : that generous blood which distreames through my veines , shall sooner bee dried , than it shall bee for any hope of advancement ingloriously stained . such singular resolves many of our albion ladies , questionlesse , even at this day reteine ; who , rather than they would incurre the least dishonour , or occasion suspition by their too free entertaine of light suitors , would confine themselves to their chambers , and debarre themselves of publike recourse . seeing then , that there are native seeds of goodnesse sowne in generous bloods by lineall succession ; which even in their first infancy give faire promises of their inward beauty ; expresse your selves daughters worthy such vertuous mothers . emulation of goodnesse in great persons is honourable . their pictures you hang up , that their memories may live with you . enjoy their vertues too , and their memories shall live fresher in you . all memorials , being materials , be they never so durable , are subject to frailty ; only these precious monuments of your vertues survive time , and breath eternity . you spring from a noble seminary ; let those seeds of goodnesse which are sowne in your youth , come to that ripenesse in your age , that as in piety you imitated others , so you may become presidents unto others ; as you were here seasoned with grace , a good report may follow you to your grave . all which by instruction onely may bee effected , as in our next branch shall bee more pregnantly proved . he cannot chuse but live well , who conformes himselfe to that hee heares . good instructors are such faithfull monitors , as they will advise what is most fitting , not what is best pleasing . and these are to bee entertained with such endeered respect , as their speeches , bee they never so tart , should not incense us , nor their reproofes , bee they never so free , distaste us . though clitus open rebukes cost him his life , his free and friendly reproofe exprest his love ; so as alexander could never sufficiently bemone his losse . those native seeds of goodnesse , whereof wee formerly treated , bee they in our infancy never so plentifully diffused , yet in time they would grow ranke and wilde , unlesse they were by seasonable instruction ripened . now , gentlewomen , there bee no tutresses fitter to perfect this excellent worke in you , than those who were the secondary instruments of being unto you ; neither can those , who are derived from you , become better instructed than by you . your love , i confesse , will bee more indulgent , yet your care so much the more incessant . their dispositions are best knowne unto you ; if motherly affection then will give way to discretion , who more fit to mold them than you ? preceding times may afford you variety of examples in this kinde . cornelia instructed hers in all piety ; portia hers in exemplary grounds of chastity ; sulpitia hers in precepts of conjugall unity ; edesia hers in learning and morality ; paulina hers in memorials of shamefaste modesty . these , though heathens , were excellent informers of youth ; so as their children were more bound to them for their breeding than bearing , nurturing than nursing . besides , there is an inbred filiall feare in children to their parents , which will beget in them more attention in hearing , and retention in holding what they heare . now , there is no instruction more moving , than the example of your living . by that line of yours , are they to conforme their owne . take heed then , lest by the dampe of your life , you darken both their glory and your owne . i might propose unto you bookes of instruction , which might minister arguments plenteously in this kinde : but so short is the memory in reteining what it reads , yea so distracted is the minde in observing what it reads , that , as it fares with our naturall face in a glasse , from which the glasse is no sooner removed , than the resemblance of it is abolished ; even so , the booke is no sooner left out of the hand , than the contents are leapt out of the heart . yet , to the end you may not bee unprovided of such tracts as may enable you for instruction , and prepare you to encounter with tentation ; i will recount such unto you , as may best accomodate you for the one , and fortifie you against the other . learned vives in his instruction of a christian woman , recommends unto them these glorious lights of the church , s. hierom , cyprian , augustine , ambrose , hilary , gregory ; annexing unto them those morall philosophers , plato , cicero , seneca , &c. of which , severally to deliver my opinion , it is this : than s. hierom none more gravely copious , as may appeare by those pithy and effectuall epistles of his , directed to those noble ladies , marcella , demetria , laeta , furia , &c. wherin he useth singular exhortations , invincible arguments , perswasive reasons , sweet similitudes , and forcive examples . modesty is the subject hee commends unto them ; decency in apparell hee approves in them ; to a moderate restraint of liberty hee enjoynes them ; to an exemplary holinesse hee exhorts them ; and with sweet and comfortable promises of an incorruptible reward he leaves them . than s. cyprian , none more devoutly serverous ; in his reproofes hee shewes mildnesse ; in his treaties a passionate sweetnesse ; hee winnes the sinner by inducing reasons ; hee strengthens the soule mightily against temptations ; hee proposeth an excellent way of moderating the affections ; hee applyes soveraigne receits to soveraignizing passions : and concludes with that sober and discreet temper , as with a divine insinuation hee wooes , winnes , and weanes the sinner , and in a spirituall tye unites him to his redeemer . than s. augustine , none more profoundly judicious , more judiciously zealous ; pithy are his directions , powerfull his instructions : in his meditations hee is moving ; in his soliloquies inwardly piercing ; in his manuall comfortably clozing . amongst all those conflicts in our christian warfare , hee holds none sharper than our combat with chastity . hee applies meanes how wee may resist , resisting vanquish ; and by our christian victory , receive crownes of eternall glory . that conquest , hee holds , deserves small honour , which is atchiev'd without encounter . in a divine rapsodie drawne , as it were , from himselfe , hee shewes what should bee done by us . earth is no object fit to entertaine our eye ; nor her deluding melody our eare : hee exhorts us therefore to leave earth now while wee live , that leaving earth for altogether , wee may enjoy our best love. than s. ambrose , none more divinely plenteous ; sweetly serious are his instructions ; enforcing are his reasons : hee speakes home to the sinner ; whom hee no sooner findes wounded for sinne , than hee applies a spirituall salve to cure his sinne . many grave sentences are in his offices methodically couched ; singular directions to guide every christian in his spirituall path-way , are there delivered . like an expert physician , hee first gathers the nature or quality of your distemper , and then ministers soule-salving receipts to restore you to your right temper . hee shewes you how in your very motion , gesture , and pace you are to observe modesty : concluding that nothing can afford true comfort to a sojourning soule , but practise of piety . than s. hilary , none more fully sententious ; hee discovers the occasion of our corruption familiarly ; adviseth us with many passionate and teare-swolne lines to provide for our inward family ; hee proposeth us a reward , if wee contemne earth ; he threatens us with the law , if wee contemne life . sundry moving and effectuall lessons hee recommends to the perusall of women of all rankes , ages , and conditions . tenderly hee compassionates the case of a sinner ; passionately treats hee of those torments which shall last for ever : with prayers and teares hee sollicits them that have gone astray , to returne ; those that are already return'd , to goe no more astray . hee concludes with an usefull exhortation to sorrow for sinne , promising them , forth of that store-house of comforts , contained in the gospell , for this their momentaine sorrow , an incessant joy in sion . than s. gregory , none more highly mysterious , nor contemplatively glorious ; divinely morall are his morals ; full of heavenly comforts are his instructions ; hee walkes in an higher way than others trace , yet with that humility , as there is not a cloze from him , but it discloseth in him a love of meekenesse , lowlinesse , and piety . with proper and elegant similitudes are his works adorned ; with choice sentences , as with so many select flowers , neatly garnished ; in a word , hee is sweetly substantiall , and substantially sweet . hee reprehends the times gravely ; commends the practice of vertue gracefully . with an holy zeale hee reproves the remisnesse of the ministry . directions hee gives unto women , to have an especiall care of modesty : concluding , that the love of this life should not so possesse us , as to deprive us of that inheritance which might eternally blesse us . in good mindes hee holds poverty the portresse of humility : accounting those evils or adversities , which doe here presse us , to bee the cords which draw us unto god who made us . touching those three philosophers , this is my conceit of them ; wherin none can otherwise chuse than concurre with me , that shall seriously read , and sincerely scanne them : than plato , none more divinely philosophicall ; than cicero , more philosophically rhetoricall ; than seneca , more sagely morall . but for as much as it is not given to most of you to bee linguists , albeit many of their workes bee translated in your mother tongue , you may converse with sundry english authors , whose excellent instructions will sufficiently store you in all points ; and , if usefully applied , conferre no small benefit to your understanding . i shall not need particularly to name them to you , because i doubt not , but you have made choice of such faithfull reteiners and vertuous bosome-friends , constantly to accompany you . neither , indeed , are bookes onely necessary ; conference will singularly improve your knowledge ; but that is not altogether so convenient nor decent for your sexe in publike places . so as , i much condemne their opinion , who hold no meanes so fitting to bring their daughters to audacity , as a frequent consort with company . this , in time , begets in them rather impudence than boldnesse . it was held a touch to a maid to bee seene talking with any one in a publike place . but in private nurseries , which may bee properly termed your houshold academies , it will suit well with your honours to treat and enter into conference one with another ; or in such places , where your owne sexe is onely conversant . for such indiscreet mothers , who usually trim and deck their daughters , to send them forth to showes , meetings , or enterludes , they annoint havin with oyle , that it may burne the better . but much more blame-worthy bee those , who take them along to tavernes and gossippings ; which education a little time will bring into custome , and make modesty a stranger to her selfe . for above all things ( saith the philosopher ) ought young girles to bee kept from ebriety : which hee confirmes with this reason : it is good , saith hee , for young men and maids to bee kept from wine , lest such become afterwards protest drunkards , profuse rioters , and prodigall exposers of their honour : the maine occasion whereof , are their parents , by meanes of their ill instruction , and worse example . it is the very first instruction that takes the deepest impression ; how necessary then is it for you , gentlewomen , whose sexe is the embleme of weakenesse , and whose best resolves are oft-times weakned by youthfull promises , to furnish your blooming youth with wholesome instructions : and so to improve them , that they may increase in vigour , as you doe in stature ? this your sexe exacts of you ; this your present estate requires of you ; and this shall easily bee effected by you , if having ( as is to bee presupposed ) discreet and religious mothers , you submit your selves in all humble obedience to their direction . for as it is very hard for any one to know how to command , unlesse she know first how to obey ; so will it bee unto you to performe the office of a mother , if you never knew the duty of a daughter . strict and severe may those commands seeme to your youth , which riper age will easily digest . againe , you that are mothers , become patternes of modesty unto your daughters . your living actions are the lines of their direction . while they are under your command , the error is yours , not theirs , if they goe astray . their honour should bee one of the principall'st things you are to tender ; neither can it bee blemished , without some touch to your credit . i have knowne some inconsiderate mothers , and those none of the lowest ranke or quality , who , either out of a confidence they had of their daughters good carriage , or drawn with the hopes of some rich suitors to advance their marriage , have usually given too free way to opportunity , which brought upon their daughters names a spreading infamy . your instructions will doe well with them , till society deprave them : divert then the occasion , so shall your daughters , bee they never so poore , have good , portions of reputation . suffer not then those who partake of your image , to lose their best beauty . sigh then if they bee soyled , for their shame must bee on you aspersed . grace is a pure balme , and consequently requires a pure and sound vessell . in vaine is it infused , if the vessell bee not whole and found to preserve it . it must bee pure , that what is infused into it , bee not polluted ; it must bee sound , that what is poured into it , bee not effused , and it must bee deep , that it may bee more capacious in receiving of what is infused into it . looke then to your own actions ; these must informe them ; looke to your owne examples , these must confirme them . without you they cannot perish ; with you they may . what will you doe with the rest that is left , when you see a part of your selfe lost ? the harpie hath the face of a man , but a bird so cruell by nature , as when shee is an hungry , shee will assault any man and kill him : after which bloudy repast , shee becomes thirsty , so as , going to the river to quench it , shee sees her owne face ; and recalling to mind how it resembles him whom shee flew , she conceives such griefe , as shee dyes therewith . if your education or instruction deprave those who derive their beginning from you , the resemblance of this story may have proper relation unto you . but if your pious examples enable them , their proficiency in vertue shall ennoble you ; your comforts shall bee multiplyed in them ; your hopes seconded by them ; and , to your ever-living fames , the memory of your vertues preserved by them . let not that adage prove true , in respect of your charge : the most precious things have ever the most pernicious keepers . nothing more precious than a virgins honour ; it were shame for the mother to prove a tarpeian or treacherous keeper . that conceit was elegantly expressed by the emperour charles the fifth , in his instructions to the king his sonne ; that fortune had somewhat of the nature of a woman ; that if shee bee too much woo'd , shee is the farther off . but i hope i shall not finde that aversenesse in you . i have wooed you in words ; expresse your selves wonne by the testimony of your workes . i would not follow the indiscretion of empericks , which minister the same medicines to all patients ; i know well , that such physicke as agrees with age , would not agree with the hot constitution of youth : to either sort therefore have i applyed my severall receits : and to both , doe i addresse my conclusion . let the whole progresse of your conversation bee a continued line of instruction ; let the mother discharge her office in commanding , and that without too much rigour or indulgence ; let the daughter performe her duty in obeying , with all faithfull and filiall observance : so shall honour grace you here , and glory crowne you there with an heavenly inheritance . the english gentlevvoman . argument . honour is painted , when it is not with vertue powdred ; no cloth takes such deepe tincture , as the cloth of honour ; honourable personages should bee presidents of goodnesse ; vertue or vice , wether soever takes hold first , reteines a deeper impression in honour , than any lower subject ; that , vertue may receive the first impression by means of an in-bred noble disposition , seconded by helpes of education ; which reduc'd to habit , aspires to perfection . honour . promotion discovers what men bee , but true honour shewes what they should be . that is fed with a desire of being great ; this is inflam'd with a noble emulation of being good . it is a miserable thing to observe what brave and heroicke spirits , whose resolutions neither danger could amate , nor any disaster perplexe , have beene madded with an ambitious quest after honour ; what difficulties they incountred ; what oppositions they suffered ; what intricate pas●ages and provinces they entertained ! corrivals they could not want in their rising ; nor envyers of their greatnesse in their setling ; nor spectators to rejoyce at their setting . rough and menacing was the sea , on which they sayled ; dangerous and sheluy the wayes , by which they passed ; yea , full of disquiets was the port , at which they arrived . nay , which is worse , in what sinister and indiscreet paths would they walke ; upon what strange plots and projectments would they worke ; how discontentedly and disconsolately , with themistocles , would they walke , till they attained their end ; which , many times , brought them to an untimely end ? so quickly is poore man deluded with this shady picture of greatnesse , as hee will not sticke to engage for it his hopes of quietnesse . but these bee not those eminent personages , of whom i am now to treat : for such mens honour is meerely painted , because it is not with vertue poudred . morall philosophy , much more our christian theory , could never hold that for deserving greatnesse , which had not neare relation to goodnesse . those only they esteemed worthy honour , who did not seeke it , much lesse buy it , but were sought by it . such as knew not what it was to admire the purple , nor fawne on a rising favorite ; but interveined their actions with the precious oare of divinest vertues . such as had attained to a singular command or soveraignty of their affections : so as they had learned to say , as chilo answered his brother , wee know how to suffer injuries ; so doe not these fiery and furious spirits . it is a poore expression of greatnesse , to exercise it in revenge ; or in triumphing over inferiours ; or countenancing unjust actions . these detract from honour ; neither can their memory live long , who makes authority a sanctuary to wrong . know then , ( noble gentlewomen ) that your honour , bee it never so eminent ; your descent , bee it never so ancient ; lose both their beauty and antiquity , if vertue have not in you a peculiar soveraignty . be your wanton fancy painted and trimmed in never so demure or hypocriticall disguise ; bee your ambition or courtly aspiring never so shrouded with gilded shadowes of humility ; bee your unbounded desire of revenge never so smoothly coloured with the seeming remission of an impressive injury : in a word , should you never walke so covertly in a cloud ; nor never so cunningly with a dainty kind of dissembling gull the world ; all this will not avayle you . when your bodies shall come to be shrouded , then shall all your actions bee uncased . rumour then wil i take more liberty to discover unto the world , what you did in it . shew me that deepest dissembler , who retired himselfe most from the knowledge of man , and came not to discovery , for all his secrecy , to the eyes of man. many you have knowne and heard of that were great , but failing in being good , were their pretences never so specious , did not their memory rot ? iezabel was more eminent in titles than abigal ; but lesse glorious in her fame . such a poore piece of painted stuffe is that adulterate honour , which from vertue receives not her full lustre . when the subtill spider shall weave her curious web over your monuments ; when those beauteous structures of yours shall hee dissolved ; when all your titular glory shall bee obscured ; when those fading honours , on which you relyed , and with which you stood surprized , shall bee estranged ; and you from this goodly low theatre of earth translated ; it shall bee then demanded of you , not how eminent you were in greatnesse , but how servent in actions of goodnesse . while your skinnes then are with choycest odours perfumed , let your soules bee with purest vertues poudred . now for vertue , would you know how to define her , that you may more eagerly desire to become her reteiner ? or would you have her described , that you may thence collect how well shee deserves to bee observed ? heare the poet ; vertue in greatest danger is most showne , and though opprest , is never overthrowne . such a noble resolved temper ever accompanies vertue , as no prosperous successe can ever transport her , nor any adverse occurent deject her . shee feeds not on the ayrie breath of vulgar applause : her sole ambition is to aspire to an inward greatnesse ; to bee truly honourable in the title of goodnesse . great attendance , punctuall observance , stately retinues are not the objects shee eyes : shee loves to bee knowne what shee is , by that constant testimony which is in her , rather than by any outward ornament , much lesse formall complement , that may apishly suit her . would you enter then ( gentlewomen ) into a more serious survey of your selves ? would you rightly understand wherein your persons deserve honour , or how you may bee eternally honoured by your maker ? tender your service to vertue ; avoyd what is hurtfull ; admit what is helpfull . sacrifice not a vaine houre to the altar of vanity . employ your time in exercises of piety . dedicate your dayes to the advancement of gods glory . a soule solely dedicated to gods honour , is the best spirituall cloister . see not that poore soule in want , which your noble compassion will not relieve . have you friends ? hold them deare unto you , if deare in the eye of vertue ; otherwise , discard them , for you shall bee more stained by them , than strengthened in them . have you foes ? if vicious , they deserve ever to bee held so ; but if they affect goodnesse , prize them above the value of your highest fawning friends : who , as they are meere observers of the time , preferre your fortunes with which you are inriched , or honours to which you are advanced , or some other by-respect secretly aymed , before those essentiall parts which are in you , and truly ennoble you . are you of esteeme in the state ? become powerfull petitioners for the poore mans sake : preferre his suite : entertaine a compassionate respect of his wrongs : labour his reliefe ; and doe this , not for the eyes of men , but of god ; who , as hee seeth secretly , will reward you openly . againe , have you such as maligne your honour ? their aspersions cannot touch you ; he that made you , hath made you strong enough to despise them , and with a patient smile , or carelesse neglect to flight them . those that are good , can have none but those that are evill to bee their foes . the sweet smell of your vertues hath already dispersed themselves ; your memory is without the reach of infamy : live then secure , while your vertues shine so pure . reteine a true and unenforc'd humility in you ; so shall honour appeare more gracefully in you . imitate not those sudden-rising gourds of greatnesse , who have no sooner attained the titles of ladies , than this report makes them put on a new port ; old acquaintance must bee forgot ; scorne must sit on their browes ; and a contemptuous disdaine on their lips . though their mold bee but the same , they would faine change themselves into another mold . these are such as deserve not your knowledge ; though they be by their titles honoured , their titles by their ignoble actions become blemished . let them therefore study making of a face ; composing of their ga●e ; preserving of their vaine pompe ; with an unbeseeming port : while your contemplation shall fixe it selfe on no other object , than that true expressive end of honour : which is , to reteine a christian humility in your state ; a noble compassion in your eye ; an affable sweetnesse in your discourse ; and exquisite practice of goodnesse in your whole life . to dis-esteeme vertue , and hugge that painted idoll of titular honour , is to contemne the instrument , and foolishly to prize the case or cover . bee ye never so eminent , ye are but painted trunks , if vertue bee not resident . let her then not onely bee resident but president over all your actions ; so shall you not onely live but dye with honour ; by leaving that succeeding memory of your vertues behind you , that time may here eternize you , when time to eternity shall change you . for as salt to every subject , whereto it is applied , gives a savour ; so gives vertue the sweetest rellish unto honour . cloth dyed in graine reteines ever the deepest colour ; but none of deeper dye than the cloth of honour . if it bee but with the least blemish tinct , it can never wipe off that taint . spots in white are soonest discerned , and errors in great personages , whose actions should bee whites for inferiours to shoot at , are quickliest discovered . true corall needs no colour ; no more needs true honour any exteriour lustre . when parasius , that exquisite painter was to take a counterfeit of hellen , hee drew her with her head-attire loose ; and being demanded the reason , answered , shee was loose . bee your actions never so darkely shrouded , nor your amorous encounters cunningly carried ; there will bee ever some private pencill to pourtray them , some quicke-sighted eye to display them . loves enterview betwixt cleopatra and marke anthony , promised to it selfe as much secure freedome as fading fancy could tender ; yet the last scene clozed all those comicke passages with a tragicke conclusion . no pleasure can bee constant , unlesse it afford inward content ; nor can it minister content , unlesse it bee on vertue grounded . honour then must chuse for her selfe such a consort , as shee may not bee ashamed to have chosen . a vigilant circumspection should attend her ; resembling in this particular , the watchfull crane , whose wary eye ever feares , and by a timely feare prevents surprizall . now , there is nothing that asperseth a deeper staine upon the cloth of honour , than too much attention unto sycophants . these are they , which transport honour above her selfe , by bringing her to a vaine and odious idolizing of her selfe . these will not suffer their trencher-patronesse to reflect on her selfe , nor to enter into a private treaty with mortality . those bee too sowre and severe tractates for greatnesse . death is to bee thought on with these , when nothing else is to bee thought on . o what pernicious consorts bee these for noble personages ? antisthenes said truly of them , praestat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quàm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incidere : for ravens seede onely on dead carkasses , but flatterers upon living men . o banish these your portells ! let not your loose tyre-women , while they trimme you without , soile you within . you shall finde their oratory , a continued scene of sycophancy . these will infuse a poysonous juyce into your too credulous eares : and the more to delude you with selfe-idolatry , tell you how such a dressing infinitely becomes you ; such love-spots enamour young gallants of you ; how those rivells of contemptible age are estranged from you . give no eare to such inchanting ayres ; they do but this to inlarge their vailes . their glozing will labour your confusion . they will make you forgetfull of your being , and consequently deprive you of your well-being . every foole ( saith menander ) will bee taken with arrogance and applause ; whereas the judiciously wise account it their highest happinesse , to meditate of the meanes how to prevent their highest unhappinesse . it is a miserable thing in a man ▪ to make himselfe a beast , by forgetting himselfe to bee a man : which usually comes to passe , when wee propose before our bleered and deluded eyes the glorious spectacles of this theatre of vanity , but never seriously meditate of our owne frailty , nor of the excellency of that supreme beauty , which makes the enjoyer absolutely happy . that mot of the athenians to pompey the great , thou art so much a god , as thou acknowledgest thy selfe to bee a man , was no ill saying : for at the least to be an excellent man , is to confesse himselfe to bee a man. violets , though they grow low and neare the earth , smell sweetest ; and honour appeares the fullest of beauty , when shee is humblest . alas ! what are titles worth , when deserts are wanting ? the best signall of descent , is distinguished by desert . antiochus was at one time saluted both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a glorious prince , and a furious tyrant . so s●itting is the applause of the vulgar , as it never conferres on the subject it approves or applauds , any permanent honour . it is miserable ( saith the poet ) to rely on anothers fame ; but worse , to begge fame from them that are infamous . it is prayse worthy to bee by some dis-praysed ; yea , vertuous actions , should they bee by vicious persons commended , would rather lose of their lustre , than become any way improved . to bee cheerefull in adversity , humble in prosperity , and in both to shew a temperate equality , is worthy praise , and deserves honour for a prize . yet , should these bee but onely pretences to gull the world , or delude the simple admirer , they would in time unmaske themselves , and display their counterfeit insides with shame to the world . false and adulterate colours will not hold , nor vertuous semblances long reteine the esteeme they have . wee have ever held them for most ridiculous , who follow the fashion , and were never yet in fashion . and such are all those counterfeit followers of vertue , who pretend fairely , but fall off foulely . these may be properly , in my opinion , compared to our new counterfeit stuffes ; which , as at first they are made best , so do they weare best at first . your cloth , gentlewomen , must bee of another nap : it must not bee the best a farre off . flowers , edgings , laces , and borders doe beautifie the outward attire , but adde no grace to the inward man. now , that cloth is the best , which strinks the least . doe any extremities encounter you ? let the innocency of your untainted mindes cheere you ? doth disgrace or infamy presse you ? you have a cloud of witnesses within you , that can beare testimony of you , and for you . that person needs not feare any foe , that hath within him such an incomparable friend . there was never any yet so happy , as to bee wholly freed from adversity , and never feele any gusts of affliction . trials of patience are sweet encounters ; by a minde rightly-resolved , they are with more delight than distaste entertained : which , as they come not unexpected , so are they no lesse cheerefully received . it is the argument of a generous spirit , to expresse his highnesse most , when the world accounts of him least . honour , if truly grounded , can looke in the face of terrour , and never bee amated . her device deserv'd approvement , who in the portraiture shee made for her selfe , directed her eye to the picture of vertue , and pointing thereat with her singer , used this imprezza : that picture is my posture . truth is , shee that makes vertue her object , cannot but make every earthly thing her subject . yea , there is nothing shee weares , which shee makes not a morall use of to better her selfe . her very attire puts her in minde of what shee was before shee needed it ; and how breach of obedience necessitated her to weare it . shee will not therefore pride her selfe in her shame , nor glorifie her selfe in the cover of sinne . shee cannot eye her selfe with any selfe-love , seeing shee lost her selfe by affecting that which shee ought not to love . her head-tyre puts her in minde of the helmet of salvation ; her stomacher , of the brest-plate of righteousnesse ; her partle , of the shield of faith ; her very shooes , of the sandals of peace . in this tabernacle of earth , shee is every day nearer her port of rest ; for her discourse is ever seasoned with discretion , winged with devotion , and graced by her owne conversation . shee is none of these , who are saints in their tongues , but divels in their lives : shee propounds nought fit to bee done , which shee confirmes not with her owne action . againe , for her actions , shee is free from publike scandall , as her whole life is a golden rule of direction , a continued precept of instruction . in a word , shee considers from whence shee came ; her descent was noble , and this shee graceth with noble vertues . her house must receive no dishonor from her , but an ample testimony of a deserving successour . let this idaea , gentlewomen , bee your patterne . pure is the cloth you weare ; let no staine of yours blemish it ; no moath of deserved detraction eat into it . many of your sexe , though highly borne , have so blemished the honour of that house from whence they came , and corrupted that noble blood from which they sprung , as their memory rots , yet their infamy lives . againe , others there have beene , who though obscurely borne , yet by those eminent vertues which did adorne them , those divine parts which did truly ennoble them , they became enlightners of their obscurity , filling annals with their glorious memory . imitate these ; relinquish those . honour is not worth receiving , unlesse it bee entertained by one that is deserving : yea , how many have incurred disgrace by dis-esteeming vertue , when they were advanced to highnesse of place ? nay , how many while they lived obscure , lived secure , and preserved their good names , who afterwards , by becomming great , lost that private esteeme which before they possest ? so hard it is to encounter with honour , and every way returne a saver . seeing then no cloth takes such deepe tincture as the cloth of honour , let no vicious aspersion spot it , no corrupt affection staine it ; lest , by being once blemished , it bring that honour into contempt , which before you reteined . land-markes are usually erected for direction of the mariner , and magistrates elected for instruction of the inferiour . the keele of mans life being ever more laden with vanity than verity , and more chilled with the bitter gusts of affliction , then cheered with the soule-solacing drops of true consolation , is ever tossed with contrary windes : neither , without the helpe of some expert pilot , can poore deluded man arrive safely at the port where he would bee . pride transports him , avarice infects him , riot corrupts him , sensuality secures him , anger distempers him , envy consumes him , idlenesse duls him . thus becomes hee piece-meale divided from himselfe , because hee reflects not with a pure and impartiall eye upon himselfe . what great need stands hee in then of direction in this maze of misery , vale of vanity ? hee portraid him well , who in the description of him , stil'd him a story of calamity , a statue of infelicity . hee is fraile in resisting , prone to falling , slow in rising . examples then were usefull , to conduct him in his iournall . and who more fit to bee these presidents , than such whom an honourable descent that ennobled , or princes favour advanced ? it is not for these to entertaine any servile or degenerate affection , nor to harbour one mutinous thought against the soveraignty of reason . to bee a lady of honour is more then titular . shee is onely eminent , who makes every action of her life a vertuous president . goodnesse must bee infused in her blood , that descent may partake of desert . now , there bee three especiall objects , upon which they are to reflect : charity , chastity , humility . an honourable minde is best showne in her liberall and compassionate exhibition to such , whose necessities require reliefe . yea , shee loves those best , to whom these arguments of bounty are in highest measure exprest . shee averts not her eare from the needy beggar , shee will shew him all favour for his image or feature . shee holds it an unbeseeming state , to entertaine a sowre looke , where noble pitty should beget in her a compassionate love . shee is so daily and duely inured to workes of mercy , as shee joyes in no object more than occasion of bounty . shee considers ( and this shee divinely applies unto her selfe ) how nought but vanity is to bee attributed to them , reteine they never so much earthly glory on them , who dwell in houses of clay , whose foundation is in the dust , which are crushed before the moath . silken vanity cannot delude her , nor any opinionate conceit of her owne estate transport her . her minde is not subject to wavering , nor her walke to wandring . bee her life long , her goodnesse becomes improved ▪ bee it short , her desires are crowned . neither reserves shee the gleanings for him , that is master of the harvest . poverty , appeare it never so despicable to her eye , it conveyes compassion to her heart . shee gives almes of the best , for his sake whom shee loves best . her piety is such , as shee prefers her almes-basket before her cabinet . a miserable minde shee hates ; for shee conceives how nothing can bee better worth enjoying , than a liberall desire of disposing : which shee expresseth with that cheerefull alacrity , as it inhanceth the value of her bounty . thus shee lives in a free and absolute command of what shee enjoyes ; with an hand no lesse open than her heart ; that action might second her pious intention . neither is the true nobility of her minde lesse discerned by her love to chastity . pure bee her thoughts , and unstained . the sanctuary of her heart is solely dedicated to her maker ; it can find no roome for an inordinate affection to lodge in . shee knowes not how to throw out her love●attracting lures ; nor to expose the glorious beauty of her soule to shame . a moments staine must not blemish her state . shee will not therefore give her eye leave to wander , lest it should betray her honour to a treacherous intruder . how weak prove those assaults , which her home-bred enemies prepare against her ? her looke must bee set on a purer object than vanity : shee will not eye it , lest shee should bee taken by it . her discourse must bee of a better subject than vanity : shee will not treat of it , lest shee should bee engaged to it . her thoughts are not admitted to entertaine vanity : they must not conceit it , lest they should bee deceived by it . occasions wisely shee foresees , timely prevents , and consequently enjoyes true freedome of minde . you shall not see her consume the precious oyle of her lampe , the light of her life , in unseasonable reere-bankets , unprofitable visits , or wanton treaties . those will shee not admit of for companions , who are prodigall of their honour . these shee reproves with a milde spirit , labouring to reclaime them with an ingenuous tender of her vertuous compassion towards them . none shee more distastes than these brokers or breakers of licentious bargaines : shee excludes them the list of all civill society . how cautelous shee is , lest suspition should tax her ? outwardly , therefore , shee expresseth , what shee inwardly professeth . that honourable bloud which shee from her predecessors received , till death surprize her , will shee leave untainted . neither is there ought shee hates more than pride , nor scornes more than disdaine . shee rightly considers how her daies are mensurable , being but a span long , which implies her brevity ; and miserable , being altogether vanity . shee disclaymes that state which consists in scornefull lookes ; a sweet and affable countenance shee ever beares : the honour shee enjoyes makes her humbler ; and the prayses which are given her , work in her thoughts no distemper . so farre is shee from affecting the pompe of this world , as it growes contemptible to her higher-mounting thoughts . a faire and well-seeming retinue shee ever keepes about her : but none of these must bee sycophants , with their oylie tongues to delude her ; neither must any , who cloaths his countenance with scorne , attend her . shee observes on what steepe and dangerous grounds ambition walketh . her sleepes are sweter , her content higher , her thoughts heavenlier . it is one of her greatest wonders , that any one should bee so rest of understanding , as to forget what infirme ground hee stands on . the purest creature , bee shee never so absolute in her feature , is of no richer temper than earth , our common-mother . shee is wiser than to preferre a poore handfull of red earth before her choycest treasure . though her deserts merit honour , shee dis-esteemes her owne deservings : being highly valued by all but her selfe . thus shee prepares her selfe daily for what shee must goe to . her last day is her every dayes memoriall . lower may her body bee , when interred ; but lower cannot her mind bee , than at this instant . so well hath shee attained the knowledge of her selfe , as shee acknowledgeth all to bee fraile , but none frailer than her selfe . here , gentlewomen , have yee heard in what especiall objects you are to bee honourable presidents . you shine brighter in your orbe than lesser starres . the beames of your reflecting vertues must admit of no eclipse . a thousand eyes will gaze on you , should they observe this in you . choyce and select are the societies you frequent ; where you see variety of fashions : imitate not the newest , but neatest . let not an action proceed from you , which is not exemplary good . these that are followers of your persons , will bee followers likewise of your lives . you may weane them from vice , winne them to vertue , and make them your constant followers in the serious practise of piety . let your vertues cloath them within , as their veiles doe without . they deserve not their wage , who desist from imitating you in actions of worth . your private family is a familiar nursery ; plants of all sorts are there bestowed . cheere & cherish those that be tender ; but curbe and correct those that bee of wilder temper . free and fruitfull scions cannot bee improved , till the luxurious branches bee pruned . but above all things , take especiall care that those vices spread not in you , which are censured by you . you are soveraignesses in your families : neither extend your hand too much to rigour ; neither contract it by shewing too much remisnesse or favour . let neither vertue passe unrewarded , nor vice , if it grow domineering , passe unreproved . foule enormities must admit of no privileges . no ; should you , by a due examination of your selves , finde any bosome-sinne secretly lurking , any subtill familiar privately incroaching , any distempred affection dangerously mutining ; bee your owne censors . bee not too indulgent in the favouring of your selves . proficients you cannot bee in the schoole of vertue , unlesse you timely prevent the overspreading growth of vice . let not your sunne , the light of your soule bee darkned ; let not your spring , the fount of your vertues bee troubled ; let not your fame , the perfume of your honour bee impaired . as you are generous by descent , bee gracious by desert . presidents are more powerfull than precepts : these onely lead , those draw . bee examples of goodnesse , that you may be heires of happinesse . the style you enjoy , the state you reteine , the statues which after you may remaine , are but glorious trophies of fading frailty . vertues are more permanent monuments than all these ; these are those sweet flowers that shall adorne you living , impall you dying , and crowne you with comfort at your departing . lastly , as you were honourable personages on earth , where you were presidents of goodnesse ; so shall you bee glorious citizens in heaven , where you are to bee participants of all happinesse . where vertue●s ●s sowne in a noble seed-plot , manured and fructisied by good discipline , strengthened by example , and adorned with those more gracefull parts , which accomplish the subject wherin vertue is seated ; what bickrings of fortune will it sustaine ? what conflicts in the necessities of nature will it cheerefully encounter ? her spirit is raised above any inferiour pitch : yea , the habit of goodnesse hath wrought such divine impressions in her soule who is thus disposed ; as society may improve her , but cannot corrupt her ; because a zealous affection to vertue doth possesse her . you shall ever observe these , whom nobility of blood hath advanced , to reteine some seeds or semblances of their progenitors ; which are so impressive in them , as no occurrent , bee it never so violent , can estrange these from them . here you shall see a native affability , or singular art of winning affection , to one naturally derived . there in another such a rough and unseasonable austerity , as her very count'nance is the resemblance of a malevola . some from their infancy have reteined such a sweet and pleasing candor , as they could cover anger with a cheerefull smile , and attemper passion with a gracefull blush . besides , they had the gift to expostulate with their discontents , and by applying seasonable receits to their wounds , free themselves from falling into any desperate extreames . others would rather dye , then suffer the expressions of their passions to dye . for affronts , as their spirits could not beare them , so did their actions discover them , and make them objects of derision to such as observ'd them . and whence proceeds all this ? surely , from the very first relish of our humours ; when that unwrought table of youth becomes furnished with choice characters ; and the subject begins to affect what is engraven in them ; by continuance of time they become so habituate , as no art can make them adulterate . sempronia was too light in her youth , to bee staid in her age . fulvia gave too much way to her passion in her youth , to attemper it in her age . zantippe was too shrewd a maid , to become a quiet wife . what nature hath not effected in us , may by industry bee facilitated in us , so wee begin to worke while the waxe is soft . o gentlewomen , how many , whose excellent endowments deserve admiration , either by selfe-opinion have become transported , or by giving loose reines to passion , have miserably wandred , or by inveying against others more deserving parts , have wittingly transgressed ? by which meanes , they become spectacles of contempt , who otherwise by their conceiving discourse might have given occasion of content . it is too true , that the liberty of greatnesse is such , as it is more apt to finde fewell to feede the humour of vice , then to minister any usefull ingredience for the recovery of vertue . great mindes are many times sicke of great maladies , which by soothing parasites become insensible , and consequently incurable . vice in a poore habit never reteines that majesty , which it displayes in a richer robe . is it so ? reflect then upon your selves ; if vice seeme so specious , what will vertue do : ( though all your vertues bee but indeed specious vices . ) beleeve it , if you cherish vertue in your minority , shee will performe the office of a faithfull guardian . the widowes teares shall bee very few , for shee will finde justice to redresse her : the orphans cryes shall not bee so loud , shee will finde compassion to cheere her . the state shall not exclaime of surfeits , for temperance shall shield her : nor the church of coldnesse , for zeale shall inflame her : what a sweet consort is an unison of vertues to the eare of a divine soule ! all other musicke is dis-rellishing , because it workes not on the affection . now would you know whence it comes , that vertue or vice , whethersoever takes hold first , reteines a deeper impression in honour , than in any lower subject ? the reason is evident : as in their state or condition they are more eminent , so is their representative example in others more inherent . doe these honourable personages then love vertue ? they are vertuous molds unto their followers : they shall finde in their shadowes what they expresse in themselves . iulia could not bee loose , when lucretia was so chaste : shee saw that in her mistresse which deserv'd love , and to that shee conform'd the line of her life . to consort at unseasonable houres with loose lovers , or to entertaine light discourse to beguile time , was no authenticke doctrine in her mistresse family : no day was without her taske , no night without her peculiar employment . there is no question , but the prime yeeres of this noble lady were seasoned with such exquisite instructions , as what her youth had received ; were not in her riper yeares to bee abolished . first , motions have deepe impressions : especially , when they become seconded by examples of authority , whose very persons impose on their pupils a resistlesse necessity . the estimate of honour , with those who are truly honourable , is at too high a rate to ingage it selfe to the hazard of disgrace , for any temporary profit or delight . their onely profit is to become proficients in the practice of vertue ; their highest delight , to subdue their delights to the obedience of reason , for the love of vertue . such as these , are to bee accounted onely noble ; for their desires are so , which they ever ennoble with deserving actions . for tell me , can any one whose judgement is not blinded , or inward light not wholly blemished , esteeme that person for honourable , whose outside onely magnifies it selfe in a poakt head , a poland sleeve , and a protean body ? no ; these are but outward badges of their inward vanity . these have too much coare at their heart , to bee of sound health . if they have no other expressions to deblaze their honour , they are rather objects of contempt than state , bee they never so glorious to the eye of our vulgar . it hath beene ( and i could wish it were not to this day continued ) an usuall forme of breeding , with some more eminent persons , to have their children practise a kinde of state from their infancy ; which , indeed , being truly defined , was a phantasticke supercilious garbe , which discovered more pride than deserved prayse . neither could these so easily relinquish in their age , what was commended to them in their youth . for such as commonly attended their persons , extolled whatsoever they saw by them , or in them expressed ; such is the misery of greatnesse that if it be not an exact censor and reprover of her owne vanity ; they shall finde approvers of it by those odious professors of sycophancy , whose glozing condition hath beene the ruine of many a noble family . for what may bee the usuall dialect of these tame-beasts to their bounteous benefactors , those prodigall disbursers of their fathers providence , but this parasiticall parley ? it would well become you , to bee rarely seene , reservedly affable ; to reteine state in your pace , awe in your face , scorne in your eye , a storme in your brow , with a gracefull contempt in all your carriage . an excellent direction to purchase hate ! these followers are not for your honour . the way to divert their straine , is to affect what they distaste . you cannot want vitious libertines to second you in a sensuall course , if your owne disposition stand so affected . calphurnia could not bee good , when messalina was so naught . your lives , as they are lines to your selves , so should they bee lights unto others . are you modest ? it will beget a love of modesty through all your family . not one who owes their observance to you , but will admire this vertue in you , and practise it in themselves , because they see it so highly valued by you . againe , lightnesse , or any irregularity in you whatsoever , will not redound onely to your owne , but your whole families dishonour . which opinion once possest , your honour receives such a mortall wound , as no continuation of time ( so lasting is the record of infamy ) may perfectly cure it : which seemes confirmed by our moderne poet : search all thy bookes , and thou shalt find therein , that honour is more hard to hold than win . how cautelous then ought you to bee of that , which preserves your well being ? many nobly descended , are sufficiently instructed , how to reteine their state , what place to take , by remembring whence they came ; meane time , they forget whence they came first . o consider how this speciosior pulvis , this more specious or seemingly precious dust of yours , is but dust ! vice will but varnish it ; it is vertue that will richly e●ammell it . your birth rather restraines than improves your liberty ; your sexe should detract from it selfe , were it estrang'd from modesty ; your beauty , honour , and all , are servants to time ; or worse , if bestow'd ●n vanity . let vertue reteine such deepe impression in you , as no vicious affection may seize on you . occasions are dangerous perswasions : prevent therefore the meane , that you may attaine a more glorious end . that onely deserves your love , which shall make you for ever live . vertue , if you love her and live with her , by becomming your survivor , will crowne your happy memory with succeeding honour . it is usually observ'd , that hawkes of one ayrie , are not of one nature ; some are more metall'd , others more lazy . as in birds , so in all other creatures . livia and iulia , angustus his daughters , were sisters , but of different natures . some there are , who even from their infancy have such excellent seeds of native goodnesse sowne in them , as their dispositions cannot rellish ought that is irregular . in arguments of discourse , they are moderate ; in company temperate ; in their resolves constant ; in their desires continent ; in their whole course or carriage absolute . others naturally so perverse , that , like our * humorous ladies , they can affect nought that others love , nor rellish ought that others like . the byas of their fancy runnes still on the fashion ; their tongue a voluble engine of feminine passion ; their resolves full of uncertainty and alteration . the whole enterlude of their life a continued act of femallfollies . it were hard to winne these to the love of vertue , or those to delight in vice . this might easily bee illustrated by divers memorable instances , personated in such , who , from their very cradle , became seriously devoted to a religious privacy , supplying their want of bookes , wherein they were meerely ignorant , with a devout and constant meditation of gods works , wherein they employed their whole study . industrious were their hands in labouring , and bounteous were they in bestowing . a native compassion lodged in their hearts , which they expressed in their charitable workes . hospitality to the stranger and needy beggar , was their highest honour . suffer they would the height of all extremes , ere they would suffer the desolate to want reliefe . so strongly were their affections fortifi'd against the assaults of an imperious lover ; as death was to them a cheerfull object to preserve their high-priz'd honour . such singular effects as these , have beene usually produced by an innate noble disposition ; so as , some of these whom wee have here cursorily shadowed , were endowed with such virile spirits , as they stickt not to spit in the face of tyranny ; others were not abash'd to * disfigure their owne beauty , lest it should become an adulterers booty . in these had vertue taken such deepe impression , as nothing could deepely touch them , but what trenched on their reputation . though by nature they were timorous , and inconstant , resolution had so prepar'd them , as they became discreetly valiant ; looking death in the face without feare , and embracing her stroke as a favour . doe you admire this in them ? imitate them , and you shall bee no lesse by succeeding times honoured , than these in ours admired . conceive your life to bee an intricate labyrinth of affliction ; the very anvill , whereon the heavy hammer of misery incessantly beateth . reflect on your birth ; and you shall perceive how you give the world a good morrow with griefe ; looke at your death ; how you bid the world good night with a groane . ioy then cannot bee long lasting , when you are daily taking leave of the place where you live ; which now , though living , you are leaving . besides , no continued hope of comfort can bee expected , where feare presents her selfe an inseparable attendant . feare has command o're subject and o're king , feare has no phere , seare's an imperious thing . to allay which feare , addresse your selves to that most , which may give you occasion of fearing least . and what may that receipt be ? a minde purely refin'd from the corruption of this infectious time . meditate therefore of that never fading beauty that is within you . labour to preserve it from the injury of all incroaching assailants . if your flesh with any painted flourish of light rhetoricke wooe her , timely prevent her before shee winne her . if the world with her lure of honour , command , or the like , seeke to draw her ; reclaime her , lest vanity surprize her . if her profest enemy labour to undermine her , make knowne his long-profest enmity unto her , that a vigilant circumspection may arme her . admit your dispositions become sometimes averse from the practice of that which you should most affect ; divert the current of them . you love liberty ; confine it to moderate restraint . you affect honour , curbe it with a serious meditation of your owne frailty . you desire to gather ; sowe your bread upon the water : charity will bring you quickly to a better temper . you admire gorgeous attire ; remember the occasion how you first became cloathed : had not sinne beene , these poore habiliments had never needed . doth delicate fare delight you ? consider how it is the greatest misery to pamper that delicately , or cherish it with delicacy that is your mortall and profest enemy . doe wanton consorts worke on your fancy ? cure , betime , this dangerous phrenzy . avert your eye , lest it infect your heart : converse with reason , and avoid nothing more than occasion . doe you finde your affections troubled , or to passion stirred ? retire a little from your selves ; attemper that boyling heat which workes so violently on you ; and in the end , resolve thus ; it will redound more to our honour to bridle anger , than to engage our discretions by giving reynes to our distemper . can you not see your neighbours field flourish without an envious eye ? of all others , expulse this soonest ; because of all others , it partakes of the divell the nearest . as you are commanded to love him as your selves , so with not that evill unto him , which you would not have to fall upon your selves . lastly , doe you finde a remisnesse in you to any employment that is good ? shake off this naturall dulnesse , and inflame your affections with a divine ferventnesse . you have hitherto beene slow in doing good , shew that in doing ill . meane time , with the wings of holy and heavenly desires , mount from earth to heaven ; plant your affections above , though your pilgrim dimensions bee here below . which the better to facilitate , reteine ever in your memory this devout memoriall or meditation : think whence you came , and bee ashamed ; where you are , and bee aggrieved ; where you goe to , and bee affrighted . every way wherein you walke , as it is full of snares , so should it bee full of eyes . those two roots of inordinate feare , and inordinate love , have brought many to the brinke of misery , by plunging their mindes in the puddles of vanity . looke about you ; snares you shall finde within you , snares without you . snares on your right hand , and those deceitfull ; prosperity in affaires temporall . in which , such persons are usually taken and surprized , by whom the benefits of god are abused . as the rich , when hee bestowes his wealth in attiring himselfe sumptuously ; the mighty , in oppressing the needy ; the amorous or lovely , in giving others occasion to bee taken with their beauty : whence the lord by the mouth of his prophet : thou hast made thy beauty abhominable . snares likewise on your left hand , and those fearefull ; adversity in affaires in temporall . in which the poore , infirme and afflicted are intangled and miserably inthralled : who by suffering affliction impatiently , curse god , their neighbors , and themselves in their adversity : whence that divine and devout father saith : in affliction the wicked detest god , and blaspheme him ; but the godly pray unto him , and prayse him . now , vertuous gentlewomen , whose titles doe not so much transport you as your love to goodnesse doth inflame you ; may you hence observe , how noble and generous dispositions , which , indeed , are properly defined equall or temperate disposers of the affections , have and doe ever receive the first impressions of vertue ; which are with constancy reteined , as they were cheerefully received . expresse then this nobility of your well-disposed natures in affecting what is good . vice throwes her aspersions on no subject so much as on honour . relinquish then rather all state , than it should reteine the least staine . much is promised by your disposition ; and no lesse by your discipline or education . your well-seasoned youth was never knowne to that rudenesse , which more rurall or servile states were bred in . second these rising hopes of inward happinesse . you are fruitlesly great , if you bee not fruitfully good . every moment wafts you nearer your haven ; let every action draw you nearer heaven . if you feare at any time to wander , religious feare will bee your conductor . if you doubt the issue of your encounter , stedfast patienc● will bee your encourager . if you distrust your owne strength , you are securer ; humility will crowne you with honour , and direct you to an happy harbour . as inbred noble dispositions have then enrich'd you , which by helpes of education are seconded in you , professe your selves lovers of vertue by your affections , advancers of vertue by your actions , that as honour attends your persons , fame may crowne your names , felicity your soules . what remaines then , to perfit this absolute master-piece of honour ; but that yee reduce to habit , and consequently to their best improvement , these initiate seeds of goodnesse sowne in your native disposition , growne by succession , and ripened through education ? now are yee in the way , and daily nearer the end of your worke . your unconfined soules must ever bee aspiring , till they come to their perfection . there is nothing under heaven , that can satisfie a soule created for heaven . are you virgins ? let your virgin-lamps bee fed with the oyle of charity . bee ready before the bridegrome call you ; yea , call on him before hee call you . let not your virgin-vayles bee vayles for vices . entertaine not a light thought , lest by degrees it spread to a sinne . in suffering ismael to play with you , though her sport seeme in jest , your ruine will prove in earnest . eye not that object , which may enthrall you ; heare not that subject , which may corrupt you ; rellish not that delight , which may deprave you ; admit not of that conceit , which may delude you . retort a light discourse with a maiden-blush ; it argues a spotlesse soule . hee well described a virgins prime beauty , who display'd it in shamefaste modesty . let your good name bee such a precious oyntment as you would not spill it for a world . are you matrons ? enlarge your selves by instruction unto the younger ; this is the office of a reverend mother . derive some portion of that knowledge unto others , which you fruitfully received from others . your lives must bee their lines . every action of yours is exemplar ; take heed then , it lead not into error . as you are ripe in yeares , so appeare rich in houres . remember not a sinne without a sigh ; nor a toy without a teare . there is no sinne more odious , because none more insolently glorious , than to remember sinnes committed with joy , and apprehend them with delight . your families should bee vertues nurseries , wherein your selves are to bee governesses and presidents of goodnesse . here you are to teach your children in the trade of their wayes , that when they are old , they may not depart from them . briefly , are you young or old ? esteeme no life sweeter , then when every day improves you and makes you better : then when every taske tastes of goodnesse , to advance your honour . delights , as they may moderately cheere you , so let them not play too much on your fancy , lest they take you : bee not commanded by them , but command them . the onely meanes to weane you from them , or make you more indifferent for them , is to fixe your affections on those which doe infinitely surpasse them . there is no comparison betwixt a palace and a prison : neither betwixt finite and infinite is there any proportion . o how happy were you , if with spirituall eyes you might once behold , how the princes goe before , joyning with the singers , and in the midst , young damsels dancing ! the way to contemplate these , and consort with these , is to meditate of heaven , which enjoyeth all these . here no pleasure , bee it never so promising ; no delight , bee it never so relishing ; no recreation , bee it never so refreshing ; but , though it cheere you in the beginning , it cloyes you in the end . last day , you were at court ; where revels , reere-bankets , showes , and solemnities , were objects to your eyes , eares , and tastes : but all these are vanished . this day , you coach to th' exchange ; where you see all kinde of vanities set at sale , that may any way soile a deluded soule : but the night clozeth the day , which makes them shut up shop , and then all those vanities are shrouded . next day , you goe to a play ; wherein you expect some new scene of mirth , or some state-action lively presented : but the last exit , your impreze of frailty , dismisseth you , and then all those artfull presentments , which gave so much content , are removed . thus you runne in a maze , while you lay the scene of your mirth on earth . recollect then your divided thoughts ; seat there the delight of your minde , where you may find a continued mirth . earth is too low a stage for an act of that majesty ; and too straight to give your best guest content within her mud-wals of misery . let not one houre passe by you , which is not well past . every day requires his due ; every houre her proper hire . consider , how the eyes of heaven are upon you ; how that generous stemme , from whence you were derived , expects much from you . the former injoynes you , upon hope of a future reward , to bee more cautelous ; the latter , as you tender the honour of your house , to bee vertuous . besides , know ( noble ladies ) that all the port or state-magnificence which this inferior globe can afford you , clozeth ever with more discomfort than content , bee your persons never so seemingly happy , nor happily secure , that doe enjoy them . yea , how happy had many eminent personages beene , had they never beene taken with this shadow of happinesse ? conclude then , for this conclusion will beseeme you , and in your highest ascent of honour incomparably secure you : honour is vertues harbour ; onely those styl'd great , are vertues friends , and vices foes . that glorious light of the church , an industrious searcher and judicious censor of antiquities , s. augustine , saith , that anciently the romans worshipped vertue and honour for gods . whence it was , that they built two temples , which were so seated , as none could enter the temple of honour , unlesse hee had first passed through the temple of vertue : to signifie that none was to bee honoured , unlesse by some vertue he had first deserved it . the morall admits no other exposition than its owne expression . for honour , none should bee so daring bold as to wooe her , till by passing thorow vertues temple , hee get admittance unto her . if you desire to bee great , let it bee your height of ambition to aspire to honour in the court of vertue . where the lowest cannot bee lesse than a lady of honour , because the lowest of her actions correspond with honour . such a service were no servitude but a solace . admit , that sometimes you affected forraine fashions , now let forraine nations admire your vertues . perchance , the delicacy of your nature , or misery of a long prescribed custome will not so easily at the first bee wholly weaned , from what it hath for so many yeares affected . vse than an easie restraint at the first ; withdraw your affections from vanity by degrees ; reserve some select houres for private devotion ; check your fancies when they dote on ought that may distract you . the first encounter will bee hardest ; time will bring you to that absolute soveraignty over your passions , as you shall finde a singular calmenesse in your affections . for the windes of your passions shall no sooner cease , then that vast boundlesse sea of your distemper'd affections shall become calme . what a brave salique state shall you then enjoy within your owne common-wealth ? vigilancy becomes warden of your cinque ports ; not an invasive forrainer dare approach , while shee with watchfull eyes waits at the port. all your followers , are vertues favorites . piety guides you in your wayes ; charity in your workes . your progenitors deserved due praise , but you surpasse them all . thus shall you revive the ashes of your families , and conferre on them surviving memories . but , it is the evening crownes the day ; sufficient it is not to diffuse some few reflecting beamelings of your vertues , at your first rising , and darken them with a cloud of vices at your setting . as your daies are more in number , so must they bee every day better . what availes it the mariner to have taken his compasse wisely , to have shunned rockes and places of danger warily , and at last to runne on some shelfe , when hee should now arrive at the bay where hee would bee ? rockes are ever nearest the shore , and most tentations nearest your end . if you resolve then to come off fairely , prepare your selves for some encounter daily ; observe your exercise of devotion duely ; resist assaults constantly ; that you may gain a glorious victory . this is all the combat that is of you desired ; wherein many of your sexe have nobly deserved . stoutly have they combated , and sweetly have they conquered . emulate their vertues , imitate their lives , and enjoy their loves . so may you with that patterne of patience dye in your owne nests , and multiply your dayes as the sand : so may your vertues , which shone so brightly in these courts of earth , appeare most glorious in those courts of heaven . so may these scattered flowers of your fading beauty , bee supplied with fresh flowers of an incorruptible beauty : yea , the king himselfe shall take pleasure in your beauty ; who will come like a glorious prince out of his palace of royall honour , to grace you ; like a specious spouse out of his nuptiall chamber , to embrace you . meane time , feare not death , but smile on him in his entry ; for hee is a guide to the good , to conduct them to glory . conclude your resolves with that blessed saint ; in hope no lesse confident , than in heart penitent : wee have not lived so in the world , that wee are ashamed to live longer to please god : and yet againe , wee are not afraid to dye , because wee have a good lord. short is your race , neare is your rest : onely , let the lesse of earth bee your gaine , the love of god your goale ; and angelicall perfection , to which your constant practice of piety and all christian duties have so long aspired , your crowne . the feare of the lord is a pleasant garden of blessing , there is nothing so beautifull as it is , eccles. . . trin-uni deo omnis gloria . a gentlewoman , is her owne tyrewsman ; one that weares her owne face ; and whose complexion is her owne . her iournals lie not for th' exchange , needlesse visits , nor reere-bankets . showes and presentments shee viewes with a civill admiration ; wherein her harmlesse desire is , rather to see than bee seene . shee hates nothing so much as entring parly with an immodest suitor . retire from occasions drawes her to her arbour : where the sole object of her thoughts is her maker . her eyes shee holds her profest foes , if they send forth one loose looke ; teares must sue out their pardon , or no hope of reconciliation . her resort to the court , is for occasion , not fashion : where her demeanour ever gives augmentation to her honour . her winning modesty becomes so powerfull a petitioner , as shee ever returnes a prevailing suiter . during her abode in the city , shee neither weares the street , nor wearies her selfe with her coach : her chamber is her tyring-roome , where shee bethinks her how shee may play her part on the worlds theatre ; that shee may gaine applause of her heavenly spectators . her constant reside is in the country ; where hospitality proclaimes her in-bred affection to workes of piety . all which shee exerciseth with that privacy , as they will witnesse for her , shee feares nothing more than vaine-glory . in her house shee performes the office of a mistris , no imperious governesse . shee knowes when to put on a smooth brow , and to cherish industry with moderate bounty . her discreet providence makes her family look with a cheerefull countenance : her posterity cannot chuse but prosper , being nurs'd by so naturall a mother . the open field she makes her gallery ; her labourers , her living pictures ; which , though shee finds meere pictures , hanging on , rather than labouring , passion transports her not above her selfe , nor forceth her to the least expression unworthy of her selfe : shee passeth by them with a modest reproofe , which workes in them a deeper impression , than any fiery or furious passion : her neighbors shee daily wooes and winnes : which shee effects with such innocent affability , as none can justly tax her of flattery . an over-seer for the poore shee appoints her selfe , wherein shee exceeds all those that are chosen by the parish . shee takes a survey daily and duly of them , and , without any charge to the hamlet , relieves them . she desires not to have the esteeme of any she-clarke ; shee had rather bee approv'd by her living , than learning : and hath ever preferr'd a sound professant before a profound disputant . a president of piety shee expresseth her selfe in her family , which shee so instructs by her owne life , as vertue becomes the object of their love . her taske shee sets her selfe daily , which shee performes duely : her owne remisnesse , ( if any such be ) shee reproves by so much more than others , as she knowes her owne life to bee more exemplary than others . some bookes shee reads , and those powerfull to stirre up devotion and fervour to prayer ; others shee reads , and those usefull for direction of her houshold affaires . herbals shee peruseth , which shee seconds with conference : and by degrees so improves her knowledge , as her cautesous care perfits many a dangerous cure . in all which , shee turnes her eare from her owne praise : humbling her selfe lowest in heart , though descent ranke her highest in place . she affects nothing more than mildnesse ; distastes nothing more than harshnesse . prosperity could never worke so upon her thoughts , as to transport her ; nor adversity so weaken her well-resolved temper , as to amate her . though shee tender her family ; extend her care to her posterity ; her highest ayme is the practise of piety . her discretion hath enabled her to distinguish of times : whereby shee informes her selfe when shee should bee provident and frugall , when bounteous and liberall . her gate is not more open than is her heart ; where shee holds the poorest her richest guests . shee thinkes that day wholly lost , wherein shee doth not one good worke at least . she is no busie-body , nor was ever , unlesse it were about her family , needle , or sampler . she holds that day the swetest , which in actions of goodnesse is the fruitfull'st . like a good merchant , shee brings her merchandize afarre , and yet shee travels not farre for it ; shee ●its at the sterne , steeres the rudder of her state , and frees it from hazard when driven to a strait . her husband shee acknowledgeth her head ; whom to oppose , were to mutine against her leader , and consequently shew her selfe an unruly member . if hee bee intemperate , shee wooes and winnes him with love ; and , in time , weanes and reclaimes him from his irregular life . so conformable is shee to his opinion , both in points of religion , and arguments of providence ; as the exchequer must bee no sponge to her husbands purse through her conscience . yet makes shee conscience her gaine ; and in that blessed commerce , humility her guide , heaven her goale . her houshold shee makes her common-weale ; wherein not any from the highest to the lowest of her feminine governement , but knowes their peculiar office and employment : to which they addresse themselves ( so highly they honour her they serve ) with more love than feare . shee becomes promoter , i meane of no office to wrong her countrey , but the tender care of a mother in behalfe of her well-educated progeny ; to which the world no sooner gives entertainment , than shee begins to enable them for their advancement . markets shee seldome visits , nor any place of freer concourse : for shee findes when her eyes are abroad , her thoughts are estrang'd from home . would you take a fuller view of her ? draw nearer ; observe her even in these which some of her sexe esteeme least , with how generous a beauty shee adornes her selfe most . apparell shee weares ; and sighes when shee remembers her sexe . she wonders how that fig-leafe , habit , should bee so strangely altered . how this ensigne of originall sinne should bee so quaintly slasht , and indented . what paines sinne takes to display her shame ! her garment is of another cut . though shee cannot rectifie this broad-spreading malady , the corruption of this age must not draw her to that vanity . shee knowes the use of apparell , which shee would bee loath to invert . ordain'd it was , to keepe in naturall heat , and to keepe out cold : this shee observes with a gracefull presence , making this her impreze : comely , n●t gaudy . behaviour shee sets out with a civill expression , without much art or affectation . there is nothing which doth not infinitely become her . in places of resort , shee is so highly admir'd , as those which observe her , could bee well content to serve her . she is generous in all ; not a look but gives life to love ; and that so vertuously dispos'd , as not a light thought can distract it . her very motion is a moving direction ; shee never learned to tinkle with her feet , to wander with her eyes , to staine her spotlesse honour with a painted blush . all shee doth is her owne ; all her owne doth incomparably please ; which shee clozeth with this impreze : loving modesty is a living beauty . complement shee admits , but not that which this age affects ; shee preferres substance before meere formality . pith before the rinde , performance before ceremony . shee distastes nothing so much as that court fustian ; which , in her e●teeme , is quite out of fashion ▪ your servants servant . shee cannot protest in jest , nor professe what shee meanes not in earnest . shee cares not for this rhetoricall varnish , it makes a good cause suspitious ; her desire is to expresse her selfe in action more than discourse . that complement which consists in congies , cringies , and salutes , dis-rellisheth her palate most : it tastes too much of the caske ; for the rest shee is secure , so her actions bee really pure ; her selfe completely honest . thus shee summes up her dayes , makes vertue her praise , this her impreze : civill complement , my best accomplishment . decency is her native livery ; though shee make no shadow of it , her owne shadow is not more individuate . in her attire shee is not so sumptuous as seemely , not so costly as comely ; in her discourse shee delivers her mind not so amply as fully , nor so quickly as freely ; in her whole course shee expresseth her inward beauty . her glasse is not halfe so usefull to her selfe , as the glasse of her life is to others . whatsoever is worne by her , receives a singular grace from her . her fashion is never out of request ; though more constant in it , than the age would admit . shee lives to bring time into some better t●●e : this is her taske in every place ; this is that which crownes her with peace ; while shee deviseth this for her impreze : virgin-decency is vertues livery . estimation is that precious odour which gives sweetnesse to her honour . dye had shee rather with it , than enjoy an empire and live without it . it is the goale of all her actions . the crowne of all her labours . poverty shee holds an incomparable blessing , so her name bee inriched by estimation : no lead fly can corrupt that ointment . happy needs must be her state , that preserves this without staine . this shee feeds not with the juyce of vain-glory ; nor seeks to augment it with a fabulous story . many have purchas'd praise in oylie lines , that never merited applause all their lives . her desire is to be , rather than seeme ; lest seeming to bee what shee is not , shee gull the world ; but her selfe most , by playing the counterfeit . resolute is shee in this her impreze : my prize is her owne prayse . fancy she entertaines with a cheerefull but chaste bosome . though love be blind , her love has eyes . no lesse faithfull is shee in reteining , than doubtfull in entertaining . protests are dangerous lures to credulous lovers , but her fancy is too staid to stoope unto them . shee can love well , but lest shee should repent soone , and that too late , shee will try before shee trust , have some reason to like before shee love . shee holds that fancy a frenzy , which is onely led by sense . shee makes reason her guide , that content may bee her goale . long time shee debates with love , before ever she give love her heart ; which done , shee confirmes the bargaine with her hand . her constancy shee displayes in this impreze : my choyce admits no change . gentility is not her boast , but that which dignifies that title most . titles from ancestors derived , and by their successors actions not revived , shee holds degenerously usurped . vertue is her soveraignesse ; in whose service to live and die shee holds the absolutest happinesse . gentry shee thinkes best graced by affability : to bee surly , derogates as much from her worth , as basenesse from nobility of birth . her linage is best distinguish'd by her crest , her worth by her selfe . her desert gives life to her descent . not an action comes from her , but excellently becomes her . shee ever reflects on the house from whence shee came , whose antiquity shee ennobles with numerous expressions of piety ; from the rising height of which increase , shee drawes this christian impreze : desert crownes descent . honour shee deserves more than desires ; this shee may admit , but not admire . weake shee holds that foundation of honour , where vertue is not a supporter . that antick portrature of state must needes decline , where piety beares not up the traine . the more honour that is conferr'd on her , makes her the humbler ; shee cloathes not her looke with a disdainfull scorne , nor clouds her brow with an imperious frowne . farre more esteemes shee the title of goodnesse than greatnesse . shee holds nothing more worthy of her approving , than a daily drawing nearer to perfection , by her vertuous living . her whole pilgrimage is nothing else than to shew unto the world what is most requisite for a great personage . in a word , shall wee take a re-view of her noble carriage in each of our observances ? for the first , she is fashionably neat ; for the second , formally discreet ; for the third , civilly complete ; for the fourth , amiably decent ; for the fifth , precious in repute ; for the sixth , affectionately constant ; for the seventh , generously accommodated ; for the eighth , honourably accomplished . whence it is , that shee impalls her diuinall race with this imperiall impreze : honour is vertues harbour . goe on , then , shee may with honour , seeing the king in her beauty takes such pleasure . a divine presage of promising goodnesse was her infancy ; a continuate practice of piety was her youth and maturity ; the cloze of her pilgrimage a calme passage from frailty to felicity . longer would the earth keepe her , but so should shee bee kept from that which shee values farre better . her husband cannot stay long behind , seeing his better part is gone before . finis . appendix vpon a former supposed impression of this title . during my late and long abode in the countrey , i was advertised by a friend from the universitie , that my english gentleman was matched in the citie . which report did not a little perplexe me ; that one so tenderly nursed , carefully nurtured , and by the testimony of all such as did judiciously know him , absolutely accomplished , should without his fathers consent , become tide , whom a generous liberty had made free . besides all this , i was infinitely troubled with the feare of his choice . for , thought i , should he now bee married to some young-roisting-minx , who ne're knew what providence meant , but intended more the tricking and trimming of her selfe , than decking or dressing of her soule ; who makes it her sole taske , to sacrifice the morning to her glasse , the mid-day to the stage , the evening to a light consort or recre-banket ; and so spin out her time in a sensuall surfeit ; how would this distemper him , and consequently dis-rellish them , who treasured up their hopes in him ! this begot in me diverse resolves , which were seconded with a fresh fally of doubts and feares . sometimes i resolved , if the match were not already concluded , nor the rites solemnized , to forbid the baines lest it should bee his bane , so rashly to contract , before hee had his parents consent . but i feared , lest this might have the selfe-same issue , which that cashiered souldier had , who having bestowed seven yeares and more in service with the states ; and now returning home ; and comming on a holiday to the parish church where hee was borne , hee might heare the baines of matrimony published betwixt one who bare his owne wives name , and another , to whom shee was to bee espoused , as hee rightly conceived . so as , impatient of farther delay , hee forbad the baines ; but to no purpose ; for though shee bare her name , shee was not his wife whom hee heard published ; for his owne wife was long before , to the curate of the parish solemnly contracted . all this while recollecting my senses , and adding spirit to my resolves , i began a fresh thus to expostulate with my selfe : admit this young gentleman were married , and by his choice disparaged ; were it not in the compasse of our lawes to redresse it ? yes ; for , thought i , her carriage will not bee so faire , but one may take advantage of it ; and consequently procure a divorce by it . or , should her circumspect levity bee such , as none could discover it , nor taxe her demeanure for it , yet presumptions and probabilities , exemplified with fat fees , would bring her to a discovery , and in short time produce a nullity . records upon due search , ( had they not of late either subtilely or tumultuously beene defaced ) i needed little doubt , but they would furnish me with eminent instances of this kind ; which being feelingly pressed , would become very prevalent before a conceiving court. besides , i might justly insert this in the course of my pleading , as a sufficient ground or motive to separation ; pregnant proofe i have of a precontract betwixt this english gentlewoman and him ; which marriage , though it were not solemnized with an externall rite , yet by mutuall consent was it confirmed , and reciprocally plighted with a ceremonious entergage of hand and heart . but i held it fittest , to addresse my course to the place , before i resolved of the materiall points of my pleas . and first to conferre with my gentleman himselfe , that i might understand by him how hee stood affected ; and whether his owne relation would confirme , what erring report had so constantly bruited . but to my comfort , as i left him , so i found him ; of too discreet a temper , to bee taken with any such counterfeit creature . such reports , hee ingenuously confess'd , there were dispersed ; but what am i ( said hee ) by these disparaged ? my untainted honour is neither improv'd nor impeach'd by rumour . hee builds weakely , who reares his foundation on the opinion of the vulgar . have you ever seene me so lightly enamoured , as to preferre either face or habit , before a deserving spirit . did you ever injoyne mee that morall embassie , which i have not faithfully performed ? or imposed on mee that taske , being noble and generous , which i have not carefully discharged ? were your eyes ever witnesses of any loose or light affection , to which i too pliably inclined ? or have you at any time observed mee so lightly credulous , as constantly to affect what was transitively commended ? have you ever knowne me sacrifice my lampe to the idoll of an undeserving love ? or melted into passion , to display the least impression of that love ? or flattered that love with any forced hyperbole , or passionate line ? or with folded armes past over a tedious houre , with an amorous redoubling of a mees ? how fares it then , you should so rashly conceit , what prejudicate report had so lightly dispersed ? no , believe it ; had it beene my unhappy fate , to have engag'd my faith to such a staine ; or darkened my discretion with such a foile ; or interchang'd my present happy estate , with such a blemish of her sexe ; i would have razed out my title , and expos'd my selfe a contemptible subject to all people . besides all this , i verily thinke , i should have turn'd true courtier , and made it my perpetuall progresse , never to lye with her . this did not a little revive me , to heare him so constantly expresse himselfe : being therefore thus freed , from what i feared , i desired nothing more than to search out the occasion of this feare . where i perceived , that a mercenarie * meretrician , who had taken upon her the state and stile of gentlewoman , with more impudence than became her sexe , had challenged acquaintance of my gentleman ; which , though his modesty did distaste , his civility would not altogether reject , but permitted her like a thing of sale , to lye apart from him on the open stall . this propinquity of lying , or contiguity of lodging , begot a groundlesse probability of their loving . but how farre his affection was estranged from her , shall appeare by the entertainment hee gave to this gentlewoman , whom wee here tender ; upon whose arrivall , hee expressed the true ground of his affection , after this manner : with a chast embrace of true conjugall love , you are welcome . let it not amate you , nor lessen my former esteeme with you , in that report hath blaz'd me forgetfull of you , by preferring an undeserving choice before you . fame were not her selfe , if all the grounds of her reports were truth . indeed , if either titles could have drawne me , or mercenarie respects seaz'd on me , i had bin neither yours nor mine owne ; for in being lesse than yours , i could not possibly have beene mine owne . but tell me , my vertuous choice , did you ever know me either taken with titles , or deluded with showes ? here is one indeed , who intrusively , and with lesse modesty than became her sexe , pressed my acquaintance ; but could her forwardnesse worke upon my affection , or leave with it the least retentive impression ? no ; should i chuse againe , as now my choice admits no change , i should equally prize the love of a wench too forward , and of one too froward : and entertaine them both with that indifferent respect , as neither the forwardnesse of the one , should beget in mee a desire of winning , nor the frowardnesse of the other , move me to spin out my time in fruitlesse wooing . indeed , i was seated in a warmer clime than where you resided . the south was my seate , while the north was your nest ; yet could not that clime make me discontinue my claime . coole is that love which either ayre can distemper , or distance of place dissever , or any disastrous occurrent alter . you know what pledge i left you ; nor did i ever since , engage it to any but you . never shall you find me any such paphlagonian partridge , as to have two hearts . it is not title but substance , i affect . your vertues were my first motives of affection ; i did not eye your descent , though nobly eminent ; nor those outward accomplishments of yours incomparably excellent ; nor your fortunes , in a worldings eye highly consequent . these i confesse , might produce rare effects , in such , whose conceits onely worke on outward objects . mine eye was fixed in an higher spheere ; spheered in a more glorious orbe . what i observed in you , did so enamour me , as i preferred that inward faire , which did so truely grace you , farre above those outward ornaments which did superficially adorn you . could you imagine then , that a forraine beauty could engage me , or a simpring civilized thing , whose best habilliments were borrowed , and whose very complexion , like a bee in a box , preserved , should so weane me from what i deservingly fancied ; as to become affianced to her , whose exposed liberty had made her publickly suspected ? no ; i never distinguished true merit by any of these : being such weake supports , as should any one relye on them , they would faile them , if not fall under them . but mildly tempered shall my construction be of my deare loves suspect . i perswade my selfe , it was a surpassing affection that first begot this conceit : which now sweetly allayed and attempered by reason , will admit of no such feare ; seeing discreet fancie cannot dispence with faith , nor ●hat faith incline to any separation , till enforced by an inevitable fate . with these and such like amorous regreets , mixt with other variety of choice discourse , they entertained time ; while shee , now safely seaz'd of him shee solely lov'd , and in whom her desires were fully cloz'd ; importunatly sought rather , out of an apprehension of love than feare , ( as what creature more impatient of a corrivall , or more solicitous of revenge in the quest of love than a woman ) to know the true ground of that report , which rumor had dispersed ; that any other should bee interessed in his love , whom so constant and continuate an affection had confirmed hers . wherein hee fully resolved her , by relating unto her , how amongst other impertinent pasquils , usually foisted , and wherewith publick presses are frequently farced , which begets in our age such a surfeite , as more learned labours become dis-rellished , and the surquedry of wit onely affected ; a young gentlewoman , whose ungenerous parts scarcely deserved that title , had by a secret or surreptitious claime made challenge unto him , but never durst to that day professe any such thing publikely before him ; which hee so sleighted , as his thoughts never deigned to stoope to so low a lure ; having long before , on a purer object fixed his love , and to her sacred shrine sacrificed the remaines of his life . this relation so cleared her from the least thought of suspicion , as it added now strength to her already-sufficiently strengthened affection . equally communicated became their joyes , sociably attempered became their griefes : no sorrow could worke so violently , nor breake forth so passionately , which the sweet union and communion of their concording mindes , could not qualifie ; no solace could transport them so highly , nor seaze on them so hotly , wherein with joynt affections they did not partake mutually , and which , with a vertuous temper they allayed not mildly . thus were they individually plighted , thus are they inseparably placed , mutually pleased , immutably planted , equally solaced , and now to the publike view of the world , solemnely united . imagine then , if at any time you encounter with the impression of any former labour bearing this title , that'tis but the embrio of his braine , whose mercenarie profession it is to divulge any corkie subject , that may promise but the least hope of profit ; resembling that ancient pantotipe of amsterdam ; who publikely protested , that hee could bee well contented , that the turkish alcaron were universally professed , so the priviledge of it might bee to him and his assignes solely granted . for this appendix , it was occasionally writ upon the report of publishing a subject bearing this title : which , belike , hearing of the coming forth of a more deserving consort , hath beene discreetly silenced , or by neglect of time , in obscure privacy retyred . now if any such amphibium , after so long diving shall appeare venting , let it receive what it deserves to have , timely suppression . for such readers , as are rather taken with titles than substance , and become miserably enamoured on a beauteous frontispi●e ; i would request of them this favour , to spare their labour of perusing more than the title-page , which will serve well enough for their classick discourse of authors ; for these , it is their highest honour , to furnish their uselesse memories , with scholies and catalogues of unread authors ; and to taxe them too of some egregious errors , although these subjects mount farre above the pitch of their critick censures . in a word , let our gentleman with this his incomparable choice be compared , and you shall find them equally matched , affectionately mated , and both for ornament and substance compleatly graced . so i commend you to the perusall and parallel of these ; which if you truely imitate , bee yee of what sexe or state soever , they will make you truely commendable , and crowne your ripened age with honour . embleme . some hold these observations to bee long , some more judicious , hold them to be short , thus are they censur'd bee they right or wrong ; what should wee then make censure but a sport , since good or bad , wee 're ne're the better for 't ? which to attemper , i should thinke it best , " vertue were censor in each authors brest . a compendious table ; wherein the principall points contained in this booke , are with no lesse brevity than perspicuity , propriety than facility couched . apparell . observat. . of the necessity of apparell . pag. . primitive purity exempted us from these necessities ; originall impurity subjected us to these necessities pag. . apparell keepes the body warme two wayes : first by keeping in the naturall heate : . by keeping out accidentall cold . pag. . these benefits are inverted by phantasticke fashions late introduc'd : where attires are not made to keepe cold out , but to bring cold in . pag. . & . of the use of apparell . . to makes this use good , modesty must bee our guide , vertuous thoughts our guard ; so shall heaven bëe our goale . ibid. a me●●●rable instance of a religious woman ; expressing what divine use shee made in the eying of her apparell . ibid. the habite of the minde may bee best discerned by the carriage of the body ; the disposition of the body , by the habite . pag. . the constancy of the heathen , in reteining their ancient countrey fashion ; and immutably observing the habite of their owne nation . ibid. habite is to bee used as an ornament of decencie ; without the least border or edging of vanitie . pag. . directions , how to dispose the senses ; and that reason must keepe sentinell , lest they become sensuall . ibid. the preciousnesse of time ; whereof , a moment is our portion ; nor hath the commandingst emperour a larger proportion . ibid. how contemptible a thing is man , if hee erect not his thoughts above man ! ibid. of the abuse of apparell . ibid. more time spent how to abuse time , and corupt licentious youth ; then how to addresse employment to qualifie the distractions of the one , or to rectifie the distempers of the other . pag. . this illustrated by instances in three severall places . citty , court , and countrey : and accommodated , with observations proper to every subject . ibid. the taske of a vertuous mirror , and a true lady of honour , expressed ; and to all ladies , as a president of goodnesse , zealously recommended . pag. . the life of a meere libertine instanced and displayed with a relation of those desperate conclusions to which shee adhered . ibid. how the use of apparell may bee inverted to abuse : either by delicacy , or superfinity . pag. . reproofe touching apparell , originally occasioned from foure respects : . sumptuousnesse . and that confirmed by a memorable example . . softnesse . and that confirmed by a memorable example . . strangenesse . and that reproveable in these . particulars : . superfluousnesse . and that reproveable in these . particulars : variety . ibid. immensity . ibid. vanity . ibid. all which are interveined with sundry instances of various delight . pag. . & &c. a disswasion from delicacy of apparell , by reflecting on the embleme of humane frailty , the modell of our mortality . which continuate subject is stored with a select variety of divine and humane observations . pag. . & . superfluity of apparell condemned ; the fashion-mongers answered : clozing that branch , with a devout admonition and personall application from divine basile extracted , and usefully applyed . pag. . & . that apparell most comely , which conferres on the wearer , most native beauty , and most honour on her countrey . pag. . habit is a custome ; yet it is our custome to change our habit. ibid. each countrey reteines a fashion of her owne , save our owne . ibid. ours an extraction or confection of all , which makes us ieered at by all . ibid. gregory the great being highly taken with the comely feature of the english ; said , it was great pitty that those angles should not , in disposition as well as proportion , resemble angels . ibid. phantasticke fashions are no motives of affection to discreet lovers . pag. . discretion will bee more taken with modesty , than vanity ; and humility , than vaine-glory . ibid. the world is our stage , our life an act ; the tyring-house , where wee bestow'd such care , cost and curiosity , must bee shut up , when our night approacheth , and strips us of these robes of our mortality . without vertue , all humane glory is a vading beauty ibid. behaviour . observat. . behaviour reflects on three particulars . action . pag. . affection . pag. . passion . pag. . vertue is the life of action , action the life of man. ibid. in this subject some are employed ( but remissely ) to the purpose . others are employed to no purpose . others sleepe out their mind in security . others creepe and cringe into an apish formality . none of these direct the bent of their actions , to the object of true glory . ibid. a womans honour is of higher esteeme than to bee thus disvalued . light occasions are many times grounds of deepe aspersions . actions are to be seasoned with discretion , seconded by direction , strengthened with instruction , lest too much rashnesse bring the undertaker to destruction . ibid. a briefe commemoration of divers noble women , who as they were honourable by descent , so were they memorable for desert . parallels to the best men for conversation , though weake in sexe , nature and condition . pag. . an exhortation to young gentlewomen , to conforme themselves to such imitable patternes : concluding with that excellent instruction addressed by st. hierom to that holy virgin demetrias ; commending nothing so much unto her as industry , the better to inure her in the practise of pietie . hier. ad demet. ibid. nothing requires more discretion than affection . pag. . one can never truely love and not bee wise : which directly opposeth plato's opinion . ibid. nothing more impatient of delay than love : nothing of more different passion : with an exact relation of their distinct operation . ibid. love is neither to bee too subtilly coloured , nor too simply discovered . if too hot , the violence of it is best rebated by absence ; if too coole it is to bee quickned with more frequent conference , and assiduate presence . pag . passion never workes more fearefull effects , then when it streames from iealousie : verified by a tragicke example in our owne ile and time occurring , and to succeeding times surviving . ibid. remedies to appease anger , and every passionate distemper . pag. . & . * the discommodities which arise from passion ; the benefits which redound from attempering it . * greg. moral . lib. . cap. . ibid. &c. an usefull exhortation , to this temperate moderation . pag. how a gentlewoman is to behave her selfe in company . ibid. modesty and mildnesse hold sweetest correspondence in all societies . pag. chastity is an inclosed garden ; and by no licentious foote to bee entred . ibid. oth●r vices are discomfited by fight , lust onely defeated by f●ight . aug. lib. de honestate mulieris . pag. we may be in security , so long as we are sequestred from society . ibid. we are to subject affection to the soveraigntie of reason . ibid. how a gentlewoman is to behave her selfe in privacie . ibid. patternes of singular devotion recommended to h●r imitation . pag. , & . meditation being a key to open the morning , a locke to close the evening , should be a gentlewomans bosome companion . ibid. gentlewoman , without much reservancie , are not to frequent publike places of society . pag. instances of such , as being discreetly reserved , accommodated their persons to publike affaires , and became improved by them . pag. a judicious recollection of such who intend time , and such who mispend time : clozing with the relation of sundry fearefull examples , to deterre loose livers from the like securenesse . pag. & that behaviour most approved , which is clearest from affectation freed . ibid. vertues habit and behaviour is free and not affected ; native and not traduced . pag. an accurate distinction or dijudication betwixt an enforced and unaffected behaviour . ibid. a gentlewoman is so to behave her selfe , that to● much curiosity taxe her not of pride , nor too much majesty of state. pag. complement . 〈◊〉 . complement defined . pag ●●● with what 〈…〉 retained their forme of complement . ibid. & different g●●●es proper to distinct places . ibid. a 〈◊〉 betwixt reall and 〈◊〉 complemen● . ibid. a deserving commendation of 〈◊〉 english ladies , in their unaffected way of complement . ibid. & . how complement may be corrupted . ibid. a descr●pti●n of am●rous 〈◊〉 , with a just repre●se of thei● 〈◊〉 hyperbolees . pag. the complement 〈◊〉 by some great ones , were but meere c●nting among beggars . pag. how complement 〈◊〉 be refined . ibid. civility is the best and most refined complement that may be . pag. civility is never out of fashion 〈◊〉 deserving admiration . pag. it is society that gives us , or takes from us our security . pag. ● wherein complement may be admitted , as mainely consequent . pag. the court is the beacon of the state ; the seate or schoole of complement . ibid. as courtiers are objects to many eyes ; so should their actions be platformes to many lives . pag. corrivalship in a light c●r●●zans love , hath deprived many a hopefull g●ntleman of his dearest life . ibid. in contests of love , it is hard to determine whether the agent or patient suffer in me . ibid. wherein complement may be omitted , as meerely impertinent . pag. apish formalists , or complementall actors dis-esteeme those three principall faculties of the vnderstanding . discourse . distinction . election . singular directions , how to accommodate them in all these . ibid. & . what complement gives best accomplishment . ibid. sensuall curtezans are their owne furies . pag. . a good christian the compleatest courtier : vertue the ornament , which gives complement the best accomplishment . ibid. decency . observat. . decency recommended as requisite , in foure distinct subjects : gate . pag. . looke . pag. . speech . pag. . habit. pag. . gate . it is no hard thing to gather the disposition of our heart , by the dimension of our gate . ibid. though our feet bee here below , our faith should be above . pag. . no path of pleasure should draw us from those joyes which last for ever . ibid. looke . a wanton eye is the truest evidence of a wandring mind : our eye becomes the sense of sorrow , because the sense of sinne . ibid. an vncleane eye the messenger of an uncleane heart . ibid. distinct objects proposed to eyes diversly affected . ibid. by looking upward , the more wee looke , we shall like ; the longer we live , we shall love . pag. . speech . without speech can no society subsist . ibid. excellent rules for propriety of discourse . pag. . & . a deliberate apprehension begot by serious attention , is to goe ever before discourse . ibid. what subject suites best for a gentlewomans discourse . ibid. a pleasant answer of mellifluous bernard , applyed to all forward shee-church discoursers . ibid. silence in a woman , is a moving rhetoricke . ibid. habit . there is nothing which moves us more to pride it in sinne , than that which was first given us to cover our shame . pag. . sumptuousnesse of the habit deserves not so much reprehension , as phantasticknesse of the habit , in respect of the forme of fashion . pag. . decency is a civill gentlewomans choycest livery , which sets her forth before all embroidery . ibid. time is too precious to be made a pageant or morrice on . ibid. a briefe but most usefull application of those foure proceding subjects . pag. . decency , the attractivest motive of affection . ibid. nothing convayes more affection to the heart , than decency in the object we affect . ibid. in this age , the best shot to be discharg'd is a taverne reckoning , the best alarum carousing , and the most absolute march reeling . ibid. no habit so decent , as what is native and properly habituate . pag. . where vertue is not directresse in our choyce , our inconstant minds are ever prone to change . ibid. nothing should give us content , but what is decent . ibid. decency the smoothest path that leades to perfection . pag. . the onely way to be compleat , is to be decent . . an adumbration of that glory , reserved for those that affect decency . ibid. a vertuous exemplarie life crownes the soule with eternall rest . ibid. estimation . observ. . estimation , a gentlewomans highest prize . pag. . the losse of estimation makes the richest merchant an irreparable bankrupt . ibid. fame , the sweetest flower that ever grew neare the border of time. ibid. a continuation of sundry eminent personages ; puissant in armes , continent in desires ; and absolute commanders of their owne affections . pag. , . greece and rome were no lesse honoured for penelopes and lucretia's constancie ; than for vlysses wisedome , or collatines loyalty . ibid. portion may woe a wordling ; proportion a youthfull wanton ; but it is vertue that wins the heart of discretion . pag. . a select improvement of our albion ladies . pag. . how estimation may be discerned to be reall . ibid. instructions of singular use for maides , wives , and widowes : illustrated with proper instances in each kinde . the way to winne an husband is not to wooe him , but to be woo'd by him . pag. , . mother 's the fittingst nurses of their owne children ; seconded by examples in all ages . pag. , . &c. a mistresse of a family many times taxed for her handmaides delicacy : instanced and illustrated copiously . pag. the lives of the dying , consist in the memory of the living . ibid. how estimation may be discerned to be superficiall . pag. . many desire to appeare most to the eye , what they are least in heart . ibid. the first occasion of kissing the lip : with a free reproofe of our late but too neate introduc'd custome of kissing the cheeke , elegantly shadowed in a sonnet . ibid. discretion cannot approve of that for good , which selfe-opinion or singularity onely makes good . ibid. those who dedicate themselves to the service of vertue , preferre the pith before the rinde , substance before appearance . pag a 〈…〉 wanton women . ibid. sinnes may 〈…〉 but never without feare . ibid. superficiall complementors , are hypocriticall courtiers . ibid. directions how to be gracious courtiers in the highest court. ibid. how estimation may be impregnably preserved . pag. . of all arrowes , those which are darted by the spirit of zeale wound the enemy most , and procure the archer best rest : confirmed by sundry notable examples . ibid. & none can walke safely , that walkes not religiously . ibid. a reflection upon the constancy and resolution of heathens , r●●●mmended to the imitation of christian wom●n . ibid. vertue cannot exercise her owne strength , nor expresse her owne worth without an opposite . ibid. an instance in a noble lady . pag. a direction in the cloze . ibid. how estimation may be irreparably lost . ibid. the * ivie while it is winding , decayes the plant , with which it is wreathing . * ilices hederae , agiles horae conficiunt . ibid. an instance of a citie-virago . pag. an use of this instance . ibid. the absolute end , whereunto estimation aspires , and wherein it cheerefully rests . ibid. this confirmed by sundry examples ; and one most remarkeable of our owne . ibid. & &c. an application to these ladies of our owne . pag. . fancy . observat. . fancy , is to be with deliberation grounded . pag. the eye is fancies harbinger , but the heart is her harbour . ibid. directions for settling and disposing our affection . pag. loves purity is to be discussed , before it be entertained . ibid. not the rinde but the minde it discretions ad●●●ant . ibid. the misery of jealousie debla●●n●d and exemplified . ibid. singular resolves for a conjugall 〈◊〉 . pag. . & fancy is to be with constancy retained . p●g . two memorable mottoes recommended . ibid. the waywardnesse of some women justly reproved , and how that humour may be rectified . pag. the admirable puritie and efficacie of love. ibid. memorable examples of conjugall constancy and continency . which constancy or rather pertinacious fancy might be instanced in that hartfordshire widow ; who , though l●ft deeply ingaged by her husband , was strongly sollicited by sundry eminent suitors : all which she rejected , making choice of a d●b●u●ht spend-thrift ; and , though much disswaided by her friends , she declined not her affection , saying ever , he was good enough to lye in a ●ayle ; which she performe , for the very same day they were married , her bridegroome was arrested and committed to prison , where she accommodates him with all necessaries , but never to this houre admits him the enjoyment of her person . pag. ● an exhortation tending to the imitation of such famous presidents . ibid. wanton fancy is a wandring ●renzy . ibid. wanton love , seldome or never , promiseth good successe : covertly shadowed in the instance of a wretchlesse lady ; who , though an hoary dye had discoloured her haire , and ripenes of yeares had summoned her to her 〈◊〉 , yet so farre was she estrang'd from 〈◊〉 , as her brothell-bed chased with 〈◊〉 broaths , became an ●arbouresse to three ●●●dinous consorts night by night . to this fury of loose fancy , as she prostituted her honour , so wheresoever she struck a●ch●r , ill successe did ever accompany her . ibid. the inc●ndiaries or soments of this inordinate passion , to sixe particulars reduced , all which are in one distich includ●d . ibid. the odious and inhumane effects in all 〈…〉 the violence of this wanton fancie , or wandring frenzie . pag. . soveraigne receipts to cure this desperate maladie . pag. what kind of affection deserves a gentlewoman● election . ibid. how fancy may be checked , if too wilde ; confirmed by a philosophicall demonstration or physicall experiments . ibid. a pleasant and pit●y expostulation with fancy . ibid. a disswasion from too much credulity to the light protests of deceiving fancy : confirmed by a moderne example . pag. a gentlewoman may with more safety suspect , than too rashly affect . ibid. a discreet resolution upon tearmes of affection , seconded with the promise of an assured blessing . ibid. the secret impression , and passionate expression of an unfortunate lady in the relation of her misery . ibid. & it is not so hard to give comfortable counsell to the sorrowfull , as to finde a fit season when to give it . ibid. consideration , a necessarie guide to affection . ibid. repentance comes too late at marriage night . ibid. how fancy may bee cheered if too cold . ibid. the incomparable honour of a virgin-condition . pag. the hate of iu●est with brute beasts . ibid. the bird of love , the embleme of a lovers heart . pag. moneyes are inferiour pictures to true lovers . ibid. the absolute end of a conjugall state. ibid. an attemperament of both those indisposed fancies before mentioned . pag. the difference betwixt a wise and wilde love , consists in this : the one ever deliberate● before it love ; the other loves before it deliberate . ibid. necessarie cautions for all kind-hearted gentlewomen . ibid. & . the like for all coy or coole-affected gentlewomen . ibid. a sweet attemperament of both these humours : with an apt emblem explained and properly applied , to such , as are with either of these humours distempered . pag. gentility . observat. . gentility , is derived from our ancestors to us , but soone blanched , if not revived by us . pag a perswasion to the imitation of our ancestors vertues . pag. there was nothing mortall about them but their bodies , and those were too fraile cabonets for such rich eminences to lodge in : whereas , there is nothing but frailties about ours , for loose and licentious love to lie in . ibid. those odours deserve highest honours , that beautifie us living , and preserve our memory dying . ibid. to see a light lady descending from a noble family , is a spectacle of more spreading infamy , than any subject of inferiour quality . ibid. gentility , is not to be measured by antiquity of time , but precedency in worth . ibid. the reason why generous descents become so much corrupted ; and vertuous parents by vitious children so frequently disparged . ibid. & mothers , the naturallest nurses : confirmed by precept , custome , and example . pag. ibid. * supra pag. , & an effectuall perswasion to that duty . ibid. vertue the best coat . pag. heraldry proves vertues coat to be the best , because deblazoned with least charge . vertue is no admiring lover of ought that is below her . pag. the misery of this age , in sumptuousnesse of attire . ibid. a notable example of hypocriticall piety . pag. . sinnes prevention , is to prevent the occasion . ibid. a shamefaste red the best colour to deblazon vertues coat . pag. gentlewomen are to reflect more on their inward worth , than on their outward weare . pag. the honour of humility . pag. a glorious approvall of modest matrons . pag. it will not redound much to a gentlewomans honour , to have observed the fashions of the time , but with a discreet contempt or civill neglect of fashion , to have redeemed her time . pag. living actions of true gentility , happy precursors to the state of glory . ibid. there are native seeds of goodnesse , sowne in generous bloods by lineall succession : variously instanced . ibid. & those who are with the choycest vertues endowed , become oft times , most traduced . ibid. there is no one vertue which makes a gentlewoman more gracious in the eye of her beholder , than modesty , the greatest advancer of many ancient family . ibid. to be high borne and basely minded , is to ingraft bastard suppes in a noble stocke . pag. high and heroicke vertues become great houses : confirmed by the resolution of a noble lady , in rejecting the powerfull solicitancy of a sensuall suiter . ibid. emulation of goodnesse in great persons is honourable . ibid. how these native seeds of goodnesse may be ripened by instruction . pag. no tutresses sitter to perfect this excellent worke in gentlewomen , than those who were the secondarie instruments of their beeing : strengthened by example and reason . ibid. a select choice and recommendation of sundry bookes of instruction , to the perusall of our english gentlewoman . ibid. a briefe enumeration , serious discussion , and judicious election of sundry ancient fathers , with other morall authors . ibid. & &c. english translations , the lights of ladies , but dampes of schollers . pag. private nurseries , houshold academies . ibid. the first instruction takes the deepest impression ; with an usefull application to every condition . pag. . necessarie directions highly conducing to the good report and repute of maides and matrons . ibid. the most precious things have ever the most pernicious keepers . nothing more precious , than a virgins honour ; it were a shame for the mother for any base lucre , to prove a treacherous keeper . ibid. the whole progresse of a gentlewomans conversation should be a continued line of direction : to which line he confines his observation . pag. honour . observat. . promotion discovers what men be , but true honour shewes what they should be . pag. honour is painted , when it is not with vertue poudred . pag. morall philosophy , nor christian theory , could ever hold that for deserving greatnesse , which had not neare relation to goodnesse . ibid. their memory cannot live long , who make authority a sanctuary to wrong . ibid. vertue defined , and by it true gentility with the honour of an ancient family expressed . pag. an accurate connexion with a personall application of the preceding subjects , to all gentlewomen . ibid. & be women never so eminent , they are but painted trunkes , if vertue be not resident . ibid. vertue should not onely be resident but president over all their actions . ibid. no cloth takes such deepe tincture , as the cloth of honour . ibid. no pleasure can be constant , unlesse it afford inward content . ibid. there is nothing asperseth a deeper staine upon the cloth of honour , than too much attention unto sycophants . ibid. soveraigne receipts against the poison of flattery ; with a serious exhortation to the entertainement of humility , patience , constancy , and every generous vertue . ibid. & violets , though they grow low and neare the earth , smell sweetest : and honour appeares the fullest of beauty , when shee is humblest . ibid. honour , if truly grounded , can looke in the face of terrour , and never be amated . pag. she that makes vertue her object , cannot but make every earthly thing her subject . ibid. honours imprezza and pasture . ibid. honours compleat armour , dresse , and portraiture . ibid. her description , with motives to her imitation . ibid. a briefe but usefull application . ibid. honourable personages should be presidents of goodnesse . ibid. landmarkes are usually erected for direction of the mariner , and magistrates elected for instruction of the inferiour . ibid. the world , a maze of misery , a vale of vanity . pag. man , a story of calamity , a statue of infelicity . pag. to be a lady of honour , is more than titular . ibid. three especiall objects , upon which honourable personages are to reflect : charitie . pag. ibid. chastitie . pag. ibid. humilitie . pag. ibid. a most accurate and serious discourse on each particular object . pag. , & the very last day to an honourable christian , is every dayes memoriall . ibid. the actions of noble personages , like sweet odours , diffuse themselves by imitation to their followers . pag. those that are followers of their persons , will bee followers likewise of their lives . ibid. their private family is a familiar nursery . ibid. foule enormities must admit of no priviledges : eminent persons are to be their owne censors . ibid. an excellent application , by way of exhortation to all such honourable censors . ibid. vertues are more permanent monuments , than statues , styles , trophees , or obeliskes . ibid. vertue or vice , whethersoever takes hold first , reteines a deeper impression in honour , than any lower subject . ibid. in these , whom nobility of bloud hath advanced , be ever some seeds or semblances of their progenitors reteined . ibid. this confirmed by philosophicall reason and example ; president and precept . pag. great mindes are many times sicke of great maladies : how this by timely prevention may be seasonably cured . ibid. the efficient cause , why vertue or vice , whethersoever takes hold first , reteines a deeper impression in honour , than in any lower subject ; illustrated by instance . ibid. first motions have deepe impressions ; first notions firme retentions . pag. the greatest profit of honourable personages , is to become proficients in the practice of vertue ; their highest delight , to subdue their delights to the obedience of reason , for the love of vertue . ibid. the corruption of time hath introduc'd that deformity of fashion , as it asperseth on our formall imitators much imputation . ibid. where youth is initiated in affectation of state , it partakes in age of too much pride . ibid. the humour , temper , and danger of our tame-beasts , or state-parasites . ibid. a reservancy of state in pace , face , & every posture , recommended by an insinuating faune , to a phantasticke gallant . ibid. sycophancy the ruine of many a noble family . ibid. an election of honest and discreet followers . ibid. gentlewomens lives , as they are lives to themselves , so should they bee lights unto others . ibid. for popular honour , vice will but varnish it ; it is vertue that will richly enammell it . singular motives to mortification . pag. that vertue may receive the first impression , by meanes of an in-bred noble disposition , seconded by helpes of education . ibid. a pleasant epigram alluding to all humerous ladies . marg. pag. ibid. a choice recollection and expression of such vertues as sort and suit with the condition of our noblest ladies : with cautions to attemper them in all extreames : by an usefull reflection upon all the senses ; and those commanding passions , which domineere most over the senses . ibid. & a singular meditation for recollection of our affections . pag. & . vice throwes her aspersions o● no subject , so much as on honour . ibid a fruitfull application to all young gentlewomen , for regulating their dispositions , and bow to make them true inheritrices of honour . ibid. vertue reduced to habit , aspires to perfection . pag. there is nothing under heaven , that can satisfie a soule created for heaven . ibid. exquisite directions for virgins , wives , and widowes . ibid. & we are to esteeme no life sweeter , than when every day improves us and makes us better . ibid. a divine contemplation , reflecting upon our mutabilitie on earth , our immortality in heaven . ibid. & a review of our ladies court and citty solace . ibid. recreations run a maze , while they lay their scene of mirth on earth . ibid. a twofold consideration full of sweet and select consolation . ibid. how happy many eminent personages had beene , had they never beene taken with this shadow of happinesse . ibid. no passage to the temple of * honour , but through the temple of vertue . * honor virtutis praemium ; virtus honoris pretium . ibid. if gentlewomen desire to be great , let it be their height of ambition to aspire to honour in the court of vertue . ibid. what a brave salique state shall gentlewomen enjoy , when vigilancy becomes warden of their cinque ports ? pag. perseverance is the crowne of goodnesse . ibid. a constant resolution , the diadem of a christian in her dissolution . ibid. a character , entituled ; a gentlewoman ; wherein such an one is described , whose desert answeres her descent ; whose actions truely ennoble her selfe : with a briefe touch or review of all his observations ; which are showne to bee objects of her love , improvements of her life . an appendix , upon a former supposed impression of this title ; wherein the authors feares are suggested , discussed , and resolved : and his compleat english gentlewoman to as compleat a gentleman espoused . where they rejoyce , like two tender turtles , in their mutuall triumph of love and honour , joyntly combined . finis . what may be wish'd in widow , wife or maid , is in our frontispice to life portraid : who seekes for more , may thus much understand , shee takes that feature from an higher hand . vpon the errata . to describe an english gentlevvoman without an error , were a glozing palpable error ; and to free her more than an english gentleman of error , were to incurre a prejudicate censure . of both which , without farther apologie , the presse hath sav'd me a labour : yet reflect upon the weakenesse of her sexe , ( whose purest selfe dignifies her sexe ) and the subject will injoyne thee to hold it thine highest honour , to salve her error with an ingenuous candor . so maist thou vindicate the author , and by beeing a vertuous lover , gaine a most deserving mistresses favour . prelum . crimen authores patiuntur omnes . praelium . typus . crimen authores patiuntur omnes . cippus . errata in the english gentlewoman . page . line . for eber , read ebor. pag. . l. . f. mortality , r. morality . pag. . l. . f. balcone , r. belcone . pag. . l. ult . f. and , r. an . pag. . l. . f. anacrons , r. anacreons . pag. . l. . f. phavorius , r. phavorinus . pag. . l. . f. strinks , r. shrinks . had woman , mans choyce succour , ne're beene sinner , pure as shee 's faire , shee 'd had no error in her : now , humble soule , her error to descrye , shee still reteines the apple in her eye . a ladies love-lectvre : composed , and from the choicest flowers of divinitie and humanitie culled , and compiled : as it hath beene by sundry personages of eminent qualitie , upon sight of some copies dispersed , modestly importuned : to the memory of that sexes honour ; for whose sweet sakes he originally addressed this labour . by ri. brathvvait esquire . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . london , printed by iohn davvson , . to that absolvte owner and honovr of discreet fancy , mris . elizabeth westby . mistris , receive here with a booke , the reall abstract of your selfe . for in it , when you have read it , do but converse with your owne thoughts , and you shall finde your selfe portrayed . phidias could never with all his art , present a master-peece of such beautie , as vertue can doe in drawing her line , & bestowing on it a modest blush to enliven fancie . these idaea's are englands cynthia's . you were sometimes pleased to peruse your selfe shadowed in my elegiack poem ; require this for a more lasting and living embleme . now , as to wish you what you already have , i neede not : so to wish you more then you already have , i cannot : unlesse some new choice might accomplish his happinesse that should attaine it . goodnesse is such a dower , as no maid can bring with her a better portion ; nor no widow enfeffe herself in a fairer iointure . may you ever shine in these , which make a woman most eminent : while you leave me infinitely joying in enjoying the title of your affectionate servant , ri. brathvvait . the stationer to the reader . at the instancy of sundry persons of qualitie , to my knowledge , was this our author induced to publish this epitome ; extracted from the choicest flowers of fancie : but in such a compendious method and manner , as it may abide the test of the severest censor ; seeing all such light passages , taking life from the too loose pens of ariosto , tasso , baccace , rheginus , alcaeus , &c. are here omitted : lest the modest eares of those beauties , at whose request and to whose bequest this epitome or love-enlectured lady , was addressed , might be offended by such affected levitie . entertaine it as thou shalt reape profit by it : farewell . a ladies love-lectvre : stored with all varietie of ingenious moralitie : extracted from the choicest flowers of philosophie , poesie , ancient and moderne history . and now published at the instancy of sundry persons of qualitie . ovos conspicui lumina phoebi . the excellency of women in their creation . section i. howsoever that divine plato , whose very infancy presaged many faire expressions of his future maturity ; definitely professed , that he had , amongst many other blessings which the gods had bestowed on him , greatest cause of all others to give them thankes for three things : first was , for that they had made him a reasonable creature , and no beast : second was , for civilizing him a grecian , and no barbarian : thirdly , in making him a man , and no woman : yet did hee sometimes ingenuously confesse the necessitie of them in winding up all his humane felicitie in these foure particulars ; so i may have ( said he ) eyes to reade , my mind to conceive what i reade , my memory to conserve what i have conceived and read , and a woman to serve me at my neede ; should adversitie assaile me , it should not foile me ; should an immerited disgrace lye heavy on me , it should not amate me ; should my endeared friends forsake me , by enjoying my selfe thus in mine owne family ; i should laugh at the braves of fortune ; account reproach my repute : and partake in the free societie of so sweet and select a friend within me , as no cloud without mee could perplex me . here was a brave philosophicall resolution ! he could see nought on earth , that could divert his thoughts from the contemplation of heaven ; provided , that he enjoyed that on earth , which made his earth seeme a second heaven . some are of opinion , indeede , that hee had perused the mosaicall law , and that he bestowed much time in it , during his reside with his deare friend phocion in cilicia . no marvaile then , if he found there the excellency of their creation : with their primary office or designation . being made helpes for man : and so intimate to man , as she tooke her mould from man , as man his modell from mold . yea , but she was made of a rib , will some say , and that implide a crooked condition . no ; but rather thus , a rib is bending , which presupposed her pliable disposition . and if that ancient philosophicall maxim hold good : " that the temperature of the soule followes the temperature of the body ; we must necessarily conclude , that , as their outward temperature and composure is more delicate : so their inward affections must be more purely refined . no violent passion so predominant , which their mild temper cannot moderate ; provided , that they be seasoned with grace , which makes them proficients in all spirituall growth . for a quicke unsanctified wit is a meere pery for the divell : whereas witts accompanied with humilitie , make their privatest soliloquies to converse with actions of glory . these , and onely these reteine in memory the object and end of their creation . and as those affectionate sabines call'd their wives their penates , their houshold gods , through that incomparable comfort they conceived in them , and benefits they derived from them : so are these domi-portae , damae-portae , delitiae horti , as that witty epigrammatist was sometimes pleased to enstile them , the choicest sociates of humane solace : so as ; if the world were to be held a wildernesse without societie , it might justly despaire of that comfort without their company . whence it is , that the wise man concludeth ; without a woman would the house mourne . when that delphick oracle had told that flourishing and ▪ victorious state ; that her many triumphes and trophies should not secure her ; nor her numerous ports so enrich her ; nor that confidence she reposed in her powerfull allyes priviledge her : for the very beautifull'st city she had , her sole magnificent metropolis , whose present glory aspired to the clouds , should labour of her owne providence , and interre her honour in the dust ; if they did not by sprinkling the purest dust that earth could afford , upon their prophaned altars , expiate her guilt , and appease their wrath . a strong and serious consultation being forthwith taken ; they advised amongst themselves which might be the purest and most precious dust ; but so many men , so many mindes . for the earth-worme , who made gold his god , and that dust his deitie : held none to be purer then the soile or dust of gold . others held , that none was purer then the dust of that copper whereof the athenians had made the pictures of the two tyrants , armodius and aristogyton : because their death gave life to the state ; their dust recovered their countries fame . others held ebonie , because the most continuate monument of humane memory , and monumentall embleme of his mortalitie . others held ivorie , because an emblematicall mettall of puritie . while one , whose opinion was delivered last , though his judgement appeared best , freely imparted himselfe to them , taxing them all of errour . for , saith he , it is not the pouder , dust or ashes of any materiall shrine that can be possibly any way propitious to the gods : as the enormitie of our losses hath incensed them , so must the ashes of some living sacrifice appease them . my opinion then is positively this : the ashes of some undefiled virgin must be sprinkled on their altar , if we meane to preserve our state and honour . this experience hath confirmed long since so highly usefull , as wee may reade what eminent states had perished ; how their glory had been to dust reduced ; nay , their very names in oblivion closed , and with dishonour cloathed , had not the fury of the incensed gods beene pacified , and by offertories of this nature attoned . this might be instanced in those sacrifices of iphigenia , hesyone , mariana , with many others : whose living memory raysed it selfe from dust , in so free and voluntary offering themselves to the stake , to deliver their endanger'd state ; confirming their country-love with the losse of their dearest life . search then no further , yee conscript fathers , how to appease their wrath ; virgin ashes cannot but be the purest dust of earth . whose sacred vowes , as they are dedicated to vesta , who cannot admit her temple to be prophaned by any impure touch : so ha's shee conferred such an excellent priviledge on a virgin state ; as the fierce untamed vnicorne , when nothing can bring him to subjection , nor attemper the madding fury of his disposition : as if he had quite put off his nature , and assumed another temper , he will be content mildly to sleepe in the lap of a virgin ; and in eying her , allay his passion . with joynt voyce and vote all the ephori inclined to his opinion : which so well appeased those divine furies , as their state , before by the oracle so highly menaced , became secured ; their altars , which were before prophaned , purged : and those pollutions , whereof their city laboured , clearely expiated . these poeticall fictions , though they easily passe by the eare , yet they convey by a morall application , an emphaticall impression to the heart . for hence might be divinely concluded : there is nothing comparably precious to a continent soule : nothing of so pure nor pretious esteeme , as a virgin state . and that a woman , being the weaker vessell , when shee either in her virgin-condition remaines constant , or in her conjugall state loyall , she so much more inlargeth her glory , as her sex or condition partakes more of frailtie . but to divert from these ; eye her in the excellency of her creation you shall finde her in her qualitie , an helper ; in her societie , a comforter ; in the perplexities of her consort , a counsellour ; and in all these , a sharer . had her beautie no other imbellishment , it were a moving object to entertaine a loving consort : but when inward ornaments accomplish that beautie , what a sweet perpetuall harmony runnes descant on their societie ? this makes a private family an earthly paradise . no frayes within , no feares without : no illimited passion raging either within or without . the reason is , she discreetly considers for what end she was created : and addresseth the whole course of her affaires to accomplish that for which she was created . in eying her selfe in the glasse , she admires not her owne beautie ; but his goodnesse , who bestowed on her so gracefull an image of fancy not to winne others unto lightnesse , but to waine others by her example from the pathes of loosenesse ; and by her patterne of pietie , decline them from vanitie , by chalking them forth a way to conduct them to happinesse . section ii. their imitable vertues , illustrated with examples . no discourse more prevalent to goodnesse , then what is illustrated by examples . on darke nights the least starre shewes her glory : which if it darted forth his lustre by day , would not be discovered so easily . then is goodnesse most improved , when the indisposition of the time does least approve it . those foure cardinall vertues , whereon all others have and hold a necessary dependance ; are compared by that devout and divine father , saint ambrose , to those foure rivers which issued from the foure borders of the garden of paradise : and of these imitable vertues , wee shall finde women such incomparable professours , as their actions deserve imitation and admiration . how prudently did artemisia and zenobia , thomyris and penthisilea demeane themselves in the mannagement of their affaires whether publique or private ! they might worthily take up the saying of that discreet contemplative roman : " they were never lesse alone , then when alone . for these when they were left to themselves , they were not left eyther lesse fear'd or lov'd . these held up their states so wisely ; disposed of their counsells so discreetly ; governed their people with feare and love so equally : mannaging all their actions with those prudentiall grounds of policie ; as their allyes lov'd them , their enemies fear'd them : none about them , but did honour them , desiring nothing more then to enter into a firme and inviolable league with them . so just likewise they were in all affaires of judicature ; that if those dayes were accounted happy wherein basill the emperour of constantinople lived ( and worthily might they be so esteemed ) for that whensoever hee came to his judgement seate , he neither found partie to accuse , nor defendant to answer : no lesse memorable were those halcyon daies of theirs ; when litigious appellants were so handled , that if they commenced any suite without just ground , they were to pay to the defendant double costs , to the publique state a mulct , and receive a personall disgrace : being disabled ever after to beare any publique office , or be imployed in any military or civill state-service . worthy indeede , of high commendations was the answer of that invincible alexander to his mother , who transported with passion ( as what humane condition but subject to such affections ) being desirous to execute an innocent harmelesse man , the better to prevaile with him , and the more impressively to worke on him , remembred him that herselfe for the space of nine moneths had carried him in her wombe , fed him with the substance of her selfe , and for that reason he must not say her nay . aske ( saith he ) good mother , some other gift of me : the losse of a mans life can be recompenced with no benefit . and no lesse wisely did the emperesse admonish her husband ; when , without ever examining or discussing the qualitie of the crime , he was ready to pronounce the judgement of death upon a delinquent ; who , for ought he knew , might appeare innocent . o , quoth she , leave your game at tables , and looke into the tables of moses , and you will finde how unjust it is to execute before you examine , to condemne before you advise . so temperate too , were many eminent women both ancient and moderne , as they dis-relished nothing more than inconsiderate passion . that discreete and well-composed speech of architas is much commended , who being angry with one of his hindes , said , o how would i have beaten thee , had i not beene angry with thee ! and no lesse deserving approvement was that noble ladies assertion : " so farre aliened hitherto have my thoughts beene from any predominant distemper , as i have chused rather to give way unto death ; then an indiscreet anger . whence it was , that noble biscoy , no lesse happy in his wives vertues , then his many victories ; avouched : that though he had foiled all his assailants , he could never yet foile his wives patience . whereas , that girle was quit of all other humour , whom , when her husband found her one day , all off th' hinges ; demanded of her , what had displeased her ? answered , because she saw nothing that could displease her . what excellent tempers many of their sex have showne , if wee would insist on examples , or enlarge our discourse with varietie of instances ; we might finde both our greeke and roman annals stored with such choice and select flowers , as we should more easily finde arguments of admiration than imitation . for many of these acted the parts of rare philosophers : knowing how to be silent in prosperitie , patient in adversitie , in neither of these to shew a distemper'd qualitie ; in either of these to expresse motive arguments of philosophie . in their discourse , they could argue without bitternesse ; in their habit , goe neately without nicenesse ; in the whole mannage of their affaires , live purely without affectednesse . tell me , sayes one , with whom thou conversest , and i will tell thee who thou art . this made them cautious with whom they consorted ; lest others conversation might make them suspected . those light examples of iulia , posthumia , and semphronia deterred them from conversing with any that might corrupt them . these had not onely perused but practised that arabian proverbe : " to shut their five windowes , that their house might give light . these windowes were their senses ; which , when they become most opened , the house of the mind becomes most darkened . these therefore , must be closed , that their inner house may be cleared . and this hath our christian philosophie in an exacter manner and fuller measure taught us : as fire and water will not sort well together : no more will heavenly and earthly delights ever strike in one harbour . these have drawne their resolutions to this period , and happy they in so glorious period : if the flames of hell were on the one side , and sinne on the other side , they would rather lie in those flames then sinne . nor have their sex showne lesse excellence in their fortitude of spirit : preferring their fame before life ; their honour before the utmost extreames of death , danger or disaster . this that epicaria , a romane libertine , and a vindicator of romes liberty ; this that leaena , that couragious revenger of hippeas tyranny confirmed ; when no torments could amate them ; no objects of terrour or torture amaze them : when the one chus'd rather to spit out her tongue , then spite her countrey by disclosing the revengers of her wrong ; the other to be torne by wilde beasts , then make that tender bosome of her native countrey , a receipt for tame beasts . here were virile spirits cloathed with womanly habits . their mindes were better composed , then to give way to an effeminate passion , when they beheld their indeared countrey suffer in her reputation . thus did their noble sex shew prudence without singularitie ; iustice without partialitie ; temperance with modestie ; fortitude in those amicable expressions to their countrey . section iii. their moderation of passion . although we have discoursed of this subject before , in our treaty of temperance : yet to amplifie this point ; wee shall finde , that there is no passion , whereto by reason of our humane frailtie we are most inclined , which we shall not observe by imitable mirrors of this sex to be strangely attempered , nay subdued . and first , to begin with what worketh strongliest upon our weake conditions : revenge ; which may reflect , by a proper and genuine division upon these three distinct objects , life , fame , fortunes . for the first , how bravely could that noble spartan lady , when she was staged upon the scaffold , to receive the stroke of death , becken to her injurious accuser ; with a mild and gracefull aspect advertise him of the wrongs he had done her : wishing him to lay his hand on his heart , and make his peace seasonably with the gods ! for my life , quoth shee , as it is of little use to the state , so i lesse prize it in regard i can benefit my country smally by it . trust me , i pitty more the indangering of your inward peace , then the losse of my life . this may be redeemed by an elysian freedome ; yours never to be prevented but by perpetuall sorrowing . indeede i lose my friends , but these are without me . but you should have a nearer friend within you , from whose sweet amitie and amiable familiaritie if you should once sever , ( heare the last breathing words of a dying woman ) you are lost for ever . so easily did she remit that wrong which cost her life . with what moderation did that triumphant thomyris beare the death of her sonne ! a feminine passion could not extract from her well-tempered eyes one teare : nor from her resolved heart one sigh . she knowes how to shadow passion with a cloud ; and immaske the designe of a future revenge with the whitest vaile . she chuseth rather to perish in her selfe , then doe ought unworthy of herselfe . she could put on a countenance of content , when she heard how her sonne had paid to nature her debt , though in a reflexion to his youth , before his time . i was his mother , and hee is now returned to her , who is mother to us both . if i lov'd him too much while he lived with me , i will make satisfaction for that errour , by bemoaning his losse the lesse , now when hee has left mee . but i finde her moderation in this object , amongst all others most imparallel'd ; which i the rather here insert , because she was a rare phoenix both in our time and clime : a woman nobly descended , richly endowed , which by her practise of pietie and workes of mercy became highly improved . she , when she understood how passionately and disconsolately her noble husband tooke the death of his daughter whom hee infinitely loved ; ( for her promising infancy gave apparent arguments of succeeding maturitie : ( made it one of her constant'st taskes to allay his passion ; and by playing the part of a faithfull and discreet consort , expostulates with the grounds of his immoderate sorrow in this manner : how is it sir , that your wisedome should thus forget it selfe ? is it any newer thing to dye then to be borne ? are we here placed to survive fate ? or here planted to pleade a priviledge against death ? is our daughter gone to any other place , then where all our predecessours have gone to ? yea , but you will say , she dy'd in her blooming youth ; before the infirmities of a decrepit age came upon her ! the more was shee bound to her maker . the fewer her yeares , the lesser her cares , the fewer her teares . take upon you then something more of man ; and partake lesse of woman . these comforts which i make bold to apply to you , might be more seemingly derived to me by you . to grieve for that which is remedilesse , argues weakenesse ; and not to prevent what admits a probabilitie of cure , implies carelesnesse . let us neither be too effeminatly weake in the one ; nor too securely remisse in the other : so may wee cure the one with patience , and redeeme the other by a timely diligence . for the next object reflecting upon their fame : nicetas sayes plainely , no punishment so grievous as shame . and nazianzen yet more expressely ; better were a man dye right-out , than still live in reproach and shame . ajax being ready to dispatch himselfe , used these as his last words ; no griefe doth so cut the heart of a generous and magnanimous spirit , as shame and reproach . for a man to live or dye is naturall : but for a man to live in shame and contempt , and to be made a laughing-stocke of his enemies , is such a matter as no well-bred and noble-minded man , that hath any courage or stomacke in him , can ever digest it . and yet bravely-spirited leonida , sleighted those assailants of her fame with no lesse dis-respect then her foes sought to blemish it . i am more confident of my fame , said she , then to suspect how any light tongue should impeach it . nor was that vertuous clareana lesse resolute , who directing her speech to her accusers ; told them ; her fame was so farre distanced beyond the reach of their impeaching ; as it ingenuously pittied the weakenesse of their detraction . this confirmed the resolution of that noble patron ; who occasionally used these words in a grave and great assembly : no womans fame could priviledge it selfe from a dangerous ●aint , if it were in hazard to suffer or lose it selfe by a poysonous tongue . for the last but least , which is fortune : many heroicke spirits have we had of this sex , who so farre dis-esteemed this outward rinde , ( for no other title would they daigne to bestow on it ) as one of them freely professed : " what matter is it , whether i be rich or poore , so my minde be pure ? and these instances are not so rare , but we may finde another of the same sex , to second so vertuous and accomplished a sister . the poorest thing on earth , is to suffer ones enlivened thoughts to be fixt on earth . and we have a third to make up a consort . she is of a weake command , who submits her thoughts to the command of fortune . and this a quaternion of brave resolved spirits expressed , in delivering the noblenesse of their thoughts in these proper imprezes ; which with their diamonds they left writ in the panes of their owne chamber windowes : the device of the first was this : it is not in the power of fate , to weaken a contented state . and the second scornes to fall short of her resolution : fortune may sundry engines finde , but none to raze a noble minde . the third in contempt of fortune , inlargeth this subject : should fortune me distresse , my minde would be no lesse . the fourth , to shew her affection true toutch , attests her constancy in this : fate may remove life , but not love . thus have we showne their spritely tempers in their contempt of all oppositions that might assaile or assault them : life they sleighted , being in competition with honour . fame , though it was too high a prize to lose , yet being not conscious to themselves of any staine , they neglected with a gracefull scorne the irregular libertie of a loose tongue . and for fortunes , they stood so indifferent , as they held content their crowne ; and that crowne the absolutest imbellishment of an infranchis'd mind . section iiii. their continency in assaults . noble spirits cannot chuse but preferre that most , which incomparably adornes them most . though the case give an outward beautie to the instrument ; yet it is the instrument gives the harmony to the case , or all were out of case . now if creatures , who never were indowed with reason : and whose highest desires confined themselves to sense , so much abhorred a communitie in the use of their sex , or an incestuous commixture of seed in their generations of one kind : how much more , those , who have captivated their sense to reason , and knowne what it was to give reines to unbounded libertie ; or slave their inward freedome to the weakely recompenc'd service of vanity ? for man , who as he is the noblest creature , and accomplish'd best with those choicest ornaments of grace to beautifie so princely a feature : so is he to discover some impressions of the dignitie of his nature , by living so on earth , as after earth hee may live for ever . o how hatefull it is , for a beast to be liker man , then man to himselfe ! for beast to partake of man , while man partakes no lesse of beast ! lust , saies that ambrosian father , is detestable to brute beasts and savages . the loving turtle forsakes her laune , and dis-esteemes life , when she has lost her love . on no greene branch will she perch ; no cheerefull ayre will she breath ; no new confort will she entertaine . a retired melancholy is her affected melody : privacy is her mansion ; remotest shades close best with her disposition . the porphyrio , or purple cout , cannot endure to repaire to his nest , after that he findes it stained with an adulterous foote : yet so loving is hee to his owne , as he scornes to take any unworthy revenge of his make , but by an incessant passion of continued griefe , to weave out the web of his woes , and so dispatch himselfe . it is reported of the camell , that they usually hood-winke him , when at any time they bring his mother unto him : which act ( observe this incestuous hate ) he no sooner knowes , then he tramples her under his feete , and kickes her to death with his heeles . so egregiously hatefull is incest , even to brute beasts , whose native instinct abhorres such obscene commixtures . nay , to present to your eyes the spleenefull disposition of some creatures ; who , to revenge their abused loves , have reteined a memory above their qualitie , to expedite their intended tragedy . this might be instanced in that memorable example of crathis ; who dwelling in the towne of sybaris , so monstrously , and unnaturally raged in the heate of immoderate lust ; as on a time neglecting all humanitie , to extinguish the violent flames of his bestiall affection , came to a she-goate , and coupled with her : which , the he-goate as one seeing , yet reserving revenge for a fitter time , found the said crathis one day fast asleepe : upon presentment of which opportunitie , to revenge the injury of his corrupted love , and revenge the horrour of his detested lust , hee presently fell upon him , and mall'd him to death with his hornes . by these , you shall collect , how myrrha never lookes better , then when mya stands beside her : and how the preciousest gems shew ever in the darkest places their fairest lustre . ladies we have here , who are so farre from a light assent , as they scorne to admit a weake assault : which confirmes the judgement of that nobly-accomplish'd , though unfortunate gentleman : in part to blame is she that has beene tride , he comes too neare , that comes to be denide . this that noble minded lady armenia expressed ; who being solemnly invited to king cyrus wedding , went thither with her husband . at night when those royall rites had beene solemnized , and they returned , her husband asked her , how she liked the bridegroome , whether upon perusall of him she thought him to be a faire and beautifull prince or no ? truth , sayes she , i know not : for all the while i was forth , i cast mine eyes upon none other , but upon thy selfe . those receiving portells of her senses , were shut against all forreigne intruders : shee had made a morall league with her loyall eyes , to fix on no unlawfull beautie ; lest her surprized eye might ingage her to folly . nor could these hold it to stand with their repute , either to heare , or conceive ought that might worthily trench upon their husbands fame , or redound to his reproach . one of hiero's enemies , finding nothing else in him , whereby he might revile him , or asperse disgrace upon him ; reproaching him with a stinking breath : went home and questioned his wife why she told him not thereof ? who answered , she thought all men had the like savour . this confirmes that maxim of divine plato : the lover is ever blinded with affection towards his beloved . but to enlighten the beautie of this subject with one exquisite and imparallel'd example , for all ; bestow your eyes upon chiomara , wife of orgiagon , a petty king of that province , upon discomfiture of the gallo-gracians , being ravished by a roman captaine , gave a memorable patterne of conjugall vertue , and sponsall continency : for she cut off the fellowes head from his shoulders , and escaping from her guard , brought it to her lord and husband . we might enlarge this discourse by illustrious examples derived from the continence of those dalmatian and sabine ladies : who preferred their honour before life ; holding nothing in more contempt then loose love . that princely care which darius wife and his daughters had to preserve their highly-valued honour : and how much their care was cherished by that universall conquerour . and though youth matched with age , oft-times begets distracted thoughts , yet might we produce instances , not onely in the survey of forraigne states ; but even within our native borders : how fresh-blooming youth , unequally affianced to hoary age , has borne it selfe so free from scandall , that , though they might professe themselves vestall virgins at the funerall of their husbands ; yet so cautious were they to decline shame , as their modest thoughts scorned to incline to a prohibited embrace of sinne . albeit , i must ever cloze in opinion with the poet : there 's nothing does more dully move in fancies orbe , then aged love . age then , with an ingenuous acknowledgement of his owne strength , should not fully such prime redolent blossomes with an earthy touch . yet if old age must doat ( as 't is too common ) that age suits better with the man then woman . thus have you heard how continent this weaker sex has beene in their assaults : how constant in their resolves : how ready to encounter with the extreames of death and danger , rather then impaune that incomparable gage of their honour . love was the line by which they were directed ; fame the ayme to which they aspired : and honour the centre wherein they closed . section v. their modesty in count'nance , habit , and expression of affection . it is true ; " nothing deserves lesse credit then the looke . yet in candid and ingenuous natures , it appeares much otherwise . for these cannot disguise their count'nance with a counterfeit appearance . these are they , who make their face an index to their mind . they cannot walke in the clouds with tibur●ia : nor adulterate their cheekes with a false blush ; nor cast forth taking lures from their eyes . these are what they seeme : and , as to seeme lesse then they are ; would tax them of weakenesse : so to seeme more then they are ; would evince them of arrogance . to avoide then these two hazzards : they desire to have their thoughts legible in their eyes . these be farre distanced from the conceit of that wanton : who , with a presuming confidence affirmed : that she could catch more with her eyes , then others could with their embraces . but such as these , are such profest traders in the merchandize of honour ; as they merit no esteeme in the eye of goodnesse : for as these cloath their actions with habiliments of splendid sinne : so they close , for most part , their light spun scene with apparent shame . these then , we resolve to leave behind us : addressing our penne to such vertuous patternes as are rank'd before us : and such , whose modest countenance scornes to entertaine the least acquaintance , either with scorne or too much smoothnesse ; lest the one might imply pride , the other lightnesse . these cannot endure to partake of their despicable condition , who can shew an open-house , but reteine a shut count'nance . they have hospitalitie in the one , as well as the other : and to a vertuous lover , have ever in readinesse a prepared harbour . i cannot remember , said that modest matron ; that i have suffer'd mine eyes to stray from me : nor to hunt after forreine suiters , to bring them home to me . i have not ey'd that face , since i was married , which could either so take me , as to preferre it before his , who had best title to me ; nor so delude me , as to beget in my thoughts a glowing fancy ; and so corrupt me , by admiring a strange beauty . no doubt , but that princely surveyor of his daughters dispositions , augustus ; could gather well enough by iulias light lookes , as well as her loose consorts , what received freest entertainment in her heart : as hee might , to his comfort , collect what vertuous thoughts accompanied his livia , by observing those staid lookes and modest countenance , which bestow'd an incomparable addition on her virgin beauty . pietie , as it receives scandall from the countenance ; and chastity treason from the eye , by conveying trecherous thoughts to the heart : so modesty runs many times on hazzard by the outward habit . all gorgeous attire is held the attire of sin . being such as is either worne above our ranke ; or by a garish and phantastick effeminacy , to introduce that broad spreading tetter of vanity , or loosenes of folly into the state. that simple old woman , belulled with a sleepy zeale , had a minde to goe to 'th church , purposely to take a nap : and many of our daintie ones , desire nothing more , then to goe to the temple , to present to a deluded eye a new dresse . o the phrensie of humane vanitie , when the sanctuary cannot plead priviledge from this selfe admiring idolatry ! it is a true position ; as to lust makes one a sinner , so he falls into the same list who has a desire to be lusted after . modesty then , as it is the decent'st dresse for a virgin , much more for a reverend matron ; whose demure looke ; unaffected gate ; civill habit should returne a president unto others ; how to conforme themselves to the time without affectation : and how to demeane themselves in the whole progresse of their life , as may deserve a vertuous imitation . these , as they reteine a loyall heart : so they affect a civill habit . they have no lures for light eyes . these mould their course to the example of that religious-noble widow : who , after the death of her truly honour'd and endeared lord , could neither in the habit of her person ; nor furniture of her chamber , admit of any other colour , but the sable livery of a mourner . and being one day demanded by a compleate courtier ; whose sense consisted most in sent , why shee would not put off that sullen-cloudy habit ; seeing it was high time for her rather to thinke of a new choice , then still to confine herselfe to that disconsolate recluse . o sir , replyed she , though my husbands funeralls were long since solemnized on earth : yet shall they be ever in solemnizing with me so long as i am on earth . this habit , me thinkes , so infinitely becomes me ; as i should not looke like my selfe should i put any other on me . neither can i hold this funerall roome a disconsolate recluse , as you please to stile it : for , trust me sir , i conceive more absolute comfort in it , by remembring his person whom sometimes i enjoyed in it : then if all that various affluence of your courtly pleasures should accompany it ; for by inthralling my selfe to these , i should become lesse my selfe , by depriving my widow-thoughts of those soule-solacing soliloquies , and sweet aspirations i enjoy in it . excellent was the answer of that heroick stranger ; who being asked why she addressed not herself to the habit of our countrey : because , quoth she , i can finde no constancy in the habit of your countrey : you affect forraigne fashions so much , as it implies you dis-affect your owne : why should i then accommodate my selfe to yours , who have none of your owne ? the way then to preserve opinion is , in our choice of habit , to admire no selfe-affected fashion . we have choicer ornaments to beautifie us , then those whose outward splendour highly detracts from that inward beauty which should truly accomplish us . now , in our expression of affection ; which requires a great measure of discretion ; we shall finde a rare temperance in the feminine sex. these could shadow their reserved loves with a discreet secrecy : and with an absolute command of what soveraignizeth most over that sex , decline apparent grounds of jealousie . that modest mytilene confidently maintain'd : that she had rather cease to live , then surcease to love : yet would she rather in exile live , then discover her exil'd love . it argues , indeed , a modest policy , to reserve our affections to our selves ; yet not so long , as to deprive us of the meanes to enjoy those whom we love equally as our selves . delay gives way to corrivalls : fabius maximus , indeed , wonne by delaying , but delay seldome speeds so well in our assay of loving : and yet , to see a declining chrone , who had liv'd long enough to number her dayes ; and whose aged furrowes had return'd a numerous arithmeticke of expended yeares ; play the wanton in a love-sicke expression , could not chuse but beget more sensible motives of derision then affection . this suites well with that old prediction : when age casts her slough , and takes on her youth , when old chrones breed young bones and are swelling , th' antipodes here , and we to their sphere , must both in a yeare change our dwelling . there be other inducements too , which are of force to re-tardate affection : and these are such holding remora's , as wee cannot possibly saile fairely , nor arrive safely , nor partake the f●uition of our hopes freely , nor enjoy our freedome fully , so long as these distance us from the object of our fancy . i would be , said that discreet lover , individually ti'd to thee , but that one tie divides me from thee . and what was this , but that lineall tie of consanguinitie , which restrained them from the tie of conjugall fancie ? this legall tie of honour , that amorist more elegantly expressed in this manner : had you the beautie of helena , the presence of cleopatra , the spirit of penthisilea , those endowments of zenobia , those fortunes of nicaula , the majestie of sophonisba , those melting kisses , moving embraces of myrrha ; and that my owne fancy should make choice of you for my bride , yet have we● a mother that would forbid the banes . that sacred bond of the church , divided him from his choice . love must hold a distance , where devotion will not admit of the allyance . in this expression of affection ; what may seeme boldnesse in the woman ; may comply well with the qualitie of the man. if there were bashfulnesse on both sides , love might hold a perpetuall progresse , and to her palace of pleasure , never be admitted to have accesse . yet to veile both with more modesty , and phidias-like , draw a more artfull curtaine to shroud fancy with more reserved privacy ; lovers use to supply this expression with the office of their pen : which , as it cannot blush , so it can usually more amply inlarge it selfe by writing ; then the perplexed secretary may in modesty doe by discoursing . and to returne a president of this ( because subjects of this nature are best graced , when grounded on examples ) i shall here propose the conceit of one , who both for state , stile and subject may well deserve , not onely your approbation but imitation in this kind . lines used to be those lights , which gave direction and accesse to the seat of love . but where constancy of affection seconds a profession of zeale ; that mistresse was accompted too remorselesse ; who entertained not his suite with a promising smile , and confirmed not that smile with a pleasing consent . honours , fortunes , all , have beene already prostrate . your selfe made the sole object , without the least reflex to any by-respect . nothing could be proposed , that might render you satisfaction , which was not embraced with a firme and loyall affection . to close with your desires , was the crowne of my content . this was my highest ambition . for , had present fortunes power to have withdrawne me , or possibilitie to have over-wrought me , or the faire and free tenders of powerfull allyes to have prevailed with me ▪ beleeve it , dearest , i might long before this time have fixed and planted my choice on an object of fancy : but how selectly and sincerely i have reserved my selfe for you , since those ample demonstrances of that gracefull and affectionate favour received from you , i will appeale to any candid or equall relatour in the world . o spin then no longer time ! mutuall be our consents , as they expect mutually immutable joyes . tell me , deare one , were it not better to be fixt then daily removing ? fix on your owne condition . though your affable and humble nature , which highly improves your honour , may beget in you this incomparable temper ; if you would please but to recollect your discreeter and more compose● thoughts , you should finde great distinction betwixt this fixed and that your present unsetled condition . this may suite well with some disposition , but me thinkes it should not poize evenly in the scale of your discretion . some may , happely , feed their hopes with a day will come ; now were it not more happinesse to you , to see that day shine upon your owne : wherein the world may have cause to blesse you , both church and commonwealth be improved by you , and your selfe amply partake in those living comforts , which derive their birth and breath from you ? let me receive one line , for a linke to combine this love . as it shall infinitly transport me in the perusall , so it shall incomparably solace you in the happy consummation of that nuptiall , which shall confirme me , legally and loyally yours . thus you see what expressions deliver themselves with most modesty , when the pen becomes their secretary . and how unbeseeming an oratour love is , when she wooes with too bold a face . hence you may collect ; what beautie accompanies a bashfull looke ; what an attractive fancy to a modest eye , derives it selfe from a civill dresse : and how entire love is best exprest , when with crimson blushes most deprest . these beget in a discreet temper more favour , then a leering looke , a wanton habit , or light expression shall ever recover . section vi. their violence upon such as were corrivalls in their choice . his judicious observation closeth equally with our experience ; who said : " the best things becomming ill , ever prove worst . an evill man is the worst of all creatures ; an evill christian the worst of all men ; an evill professor the worst of all christians . a woman , though she be a delicate creature , and , in her owne proper condition , of a sweet nature ; yet in one respect she may be resembled to the iuniper , which once kindled , will hardly be quenched . no fury to be compared to the anger of a woman ; which is aggravated or attempered according to the qualitie of the wrong wherewith she holds herselfe injuried . it is said of the river * himetus ; that it distreames or divides it selfe into two channells : which send forth waters of different natures . the one is sweet and pleasing : the other brackish and dis-relishing . we may properly apply this divided current to our present subject : by imagining a woman to this river ; as she is compared in an higher hieroglyphick , & of a more enlivened nature . and in this allusion , let us conceive these two channells variously streaming , to those two distinct affections soveraignizing over her , and in her severally working . these two similizing or discording passions shall borrow the names of love and hate . in both which we may properly call most of our women silla's daughters ; then whom none ever shewed more love to his friend , nor more hate to his enemy . and to discourse more amply of these ; wee shall finde some kinde hearts dispatch their husbands by loving too much : others , meere antipodes to the former , by loving them too little : this might be instanced in lucia and lucilla ; livia and iulia. two of these never held themselves so happy , as when their husbands were in presence ; the other two ever held nuptiall love at such a distance ; as they were never more discontented then when they were present . darke seem'd the house when their husbands were in it : clear'd was that cloud , when their husbands had left it . whereas those two other loyall dames , exprest themselves true theogena's ; who so tender'd her agathocles , as shee shewed admirable constancie , in her husbands greatest misery : professing her selfe most his owne , when hee was relinquish'd , and forsaken of his owne . but this revenge , whereon wee insist in this section ; proceeds for most part from grounded jealousie , or too exuberant fancy : which will admit willingly of no corrivall ; but if it doe , the issue generally becomes tragicall . our italian theaters have at all times reeked with these bloody issues ; which both in those admirable histories , long since published : and in that subject entituled , gods revenge against murder ; lately revived , and as i conceive from the former partly extracted , are copiously handled . ancient times had their hands imbrued in these crimes . their dye was as deepe ; though their fact seem'd lesse , in regard they were not so conscientious of what they did . hippolytus was guiltlesly murdered by a woman . hercules poysoned by a woman . candaules poniarded by meanes of a woman . yet examine these in a direct line , and you shall find all these perishing through too much love . they could not inflict that torment upon their lovers , which they themselves would not suffer , by designing themselves their owne tormentors . though phaedra's love to hippolytus were incestuously grounded ; and that unlawfull heate so impetuously enforced , as it could not be restrained , till it was with blood asswaged : yet her selfe selfe became the sacrifice to expiate her love-sicke malice . and for deianira , how constant she was in her affection : how loyall in her love : how inviolable her vow : the tragedian will returne you a faire account : and acquite her of all suspition , by the discovery shee made unto nessus , of her affection . that shirt which was given her by treacherous nessus , was intended to increase , as shee thought , a more vehement love in her hercules . lastly , for candaules wife , her shamefull , and too naked discovery unto gyges , justly expos'd his person to those miseries which he suffered : for the injury done to her modesty , was the onely occasion to hasten his tragedy . now , i must confesse , wee have had in all ages savage monsters , as well as civill matrons . and these of messalina's race ; who would not sticke to quench the heat of their lust in the actors blood . others no lesse cruell , but in their affections more loyall . and these had servants , but they could not endure to have them reteiners to many mistresses . this begot teares in their eyes , but stings in their hearts . too much love quickned their revenge . wronged fancie transform'd it selfe into a fury . this may confirme that passionate admiration of that heroick tragedian : how sharpely stings a womans discontent ! now there is no inducement more motive to give wings to this passion , then matches contracted with di●taste : proceeding either from disp●rity of yeares , or descent : which many times workes sundry distractions : and begets severall beds before their honey moneth bee well ended . when maids are deepe struck in yeares , be their fortunes never so promising , their alliance strengthning , or the beauty of their inward parts deserving ; they are commonly courted by youthfull fancy , with a neglectfull contempt . their rivell'd skin merits not a light amorous touch : nor their rugged browes deepe-indented with aged furrowes , a gracefull looke . and the like may be said of our stale batchelors ; who are so long in chusing , and so singular in their affecting ; as their affection fals into a neglect ; their declining persons into a contempt . to these may that similitude be not altogether improperly applyed : one having liberty given him to goe thorow a whole wood , to make choice of the best staffe he could find ; provided , that he chused it in his going on , but not in his returning back ; taking his course , and with a curious eye observing where hee might fit himselfe best : hee found many faire and streight plants that might serve his turne : but these would not content him ; on hee goes still , expecting better : till comming to the end of the wood , he found none but crooked ones to supply his choice , and of those no great change . then , but too late , hee repented him of his too-much singularity , in neglecting the opportunity of chusing what might give him content : and in submitting himselfe to a choice , which , in respect of those he refused , might deserve contempt . thus have wee discovered the grounds of those tragicke straits , which unhappy lovers have falne into : either by matching where they did not love ; or by being jealouse over those whom they did too much love ; or by conceiving a mortall hate towards those , who were corrivals in their love . which cruelty , as it proceeded from jealousie ; so that jealousie sprung many times from the disloyalty of those inconstant servants , to whom they bore such intimate fancy : as may appeare more amply in this their ensuing apology . section vii . their modest defence . you have heard what cruell creatures , those fatall effects of jealousy , and corrivalry , have made of the sweetest , and softest natures . and yet let not these relations lay such deepe tinctures , or aspersi●ns on that weaker sexe : as if blind affection had so inthralled reason to sense ; that there were no place left for their modest defence . cruelty indeed , admits no apology : yet when too impressive a fancy occasions this cruelty , it merits rather the title of a distracted phrensie , then an affected cruelty . many of these were inflamed with such heat of love : as the catastrophe closed as well with the losse of their owne life , as the life of their friends . yea , could they have forgotten the injury done them by the disloyalty of their servants : they could willingly have dispenced with that breach of faith : and expiated their guilt , with the haplesse embrace of their owne fate : truth is , their impatience was too great , to expostulate with reason : which drove them into this fury , or phrensie of passion . and this that noble , but unfortunate crescentia witnessed ; when after such time as shee had set her affection on a disloyall servant : and by her meanes , fortunes and favours , had highly advanced him : finding her love so meanely requited , as a strange mistresse became entertained , where her fancy should have beene solely lodged : another , and she a light curtezan , harboured , where shee should have beene honoured : shee burst forth into these extreames : the issue whereof sealed the period of her love , with the forfeiture of her life . o my demetrius , were 't not in restraint ; and who did inlarge thee ? were 't not hopelesse of fortunes ; and who advanc'd thee ? were 't not engag'd to the opposition of a powerfull foe ; and who atton'd thee ? nay , were 't not growne contemptible in the eyes of the lowest ; and who restor'd thee ? were not thy dejected fortunes so farre distanced from hope of reliefe , as not the least beameling of comfort afforded thee redresse ? where was thy sabina then to befriend thee ? no , no , demetrius , her light affection tooke first grounding from thy fortune , as thy fortune received birth from my too hasty loving , and too easie believing of so unthankefull a servant . yet shall it appeare to the world ; that though my love first issued from the source of folly : yet even in that there appeared a loyall constancy ; which , as it shall weave up the web of my fate ; so shall it beare record to posterity of thy unjust breach of faith . but spinne forth no more protractive houres , unhappy gratiana , in expostulating with his breach : or to no purpose , in wasting thy tedious breath . may my premature end , occasioned by my too credulous trust , become a caveat to all my sexe , to reteine more esteeme of their fame , and to be more carefull whom they trust . my indiscreet love brought me to ruine before my time : may my example bee a memoriall to after-times , to prevent their ruine derived from such meanes : and closing their hopes with such fearefull ends . nor was her hand lesse ready to execute , then her tongue was to dispute . for with these words , shee closed her amorous woes : farewell demetrius ; and redeeme the injury thou hast done to me , in expressing thy constancie to sabina's beauty . my best wishes shall attend thee : though thy subtilty did first wind me , then by surprizing my honour , wound me ; and wounding , unthankefully leave me . but to divert from these memorable , though miserable instances of constancy ; with the wrongs they suffered by their too light credulity : wee will now descend to such particulars , wherein these censorious timonists ( whose poore degenerate spirits are ever delighted most in detracting from women , or aspersing some unworthy disgrace upon their sexe ; ) usurpe this liberty , to lay upon their purest reputes a lasting infamy . wee shall in every place heare calumnious tongues too lavish in this error , and inveighing against them in this manner : what vice is there extant , which is not in the practise of women frequent ? if vanity were lost , where were it to be found , but in their light bosomes ? the forbidden fruit is ever in their eye : and ever dangling in their desire . whatsoever is prohibited , is by them most affected : whatsoever by obedience injoyned , scornefully neglected . if young , they are lascivious : if old , they are covetous . their whole life a comedy of errors : their formall feature a fardell of fashions . alas poore girles ! have you no defence against such viperous tongues ? when you desire to goe neat , or , according to your ranke , to hold your place ; you are term'd proud , or ambitious . if frugall , you are covetous . if you discover your wrongs , you are malitious . if with admiration you chance to eye the fulnesse of anothers estate , you are envious . if you be sparing in your dishes , you are penurious : if choice in your dishes , you are delitious . if you innocently converse with a youthfull neighbour , you are streight lascivious : if you keepe home , you are lazy , or unsociably censorious : if you walke abroad , you are too liberall of your honour , and to light eyes suspitious . nay , they will not sticke to presse this argument yet a little further : if goddesses themselves were wantons : what may wee thinke of the hand-maids of those goddesses ? dircetis that great goddesse of ascalon , could be inflamed with love to a youth , who sacrificed to her : and gratifie his oblation with a sensuall affection : yea , and close her loose love with as base a conception . 't is true ; the fable reports so much : yet if wee may give credit to the authority of a poet : wee shall find this goddesse resolving her eyes to teares : and , as one highly ashamed of her incontinency , exposing that adulterate brat to the desart : abandoning the society of that light amorous youth : and to make the scene more fully tragicall , throwing her selfe downe into a lake , bounding upon ascalon : to confirme unto the world , that if her staine were great , her sorrow was no lesse . the harbinger of the morne , could not so soone usher in these roseat consorts of the ensuing day : as this deluded goddesse ( if wee may grace her with such a title ) offered her penitentiall teares to her polluted shrine : her pleasure could not be so great , but her torture was more . yea , but these feminine criticks will say ; it is not enough for the youth of their sexe to glory in their growth of vanity : but even those old maquarella's ; whose very earthly breath divines their approaching returne to earth : as if they had perused aesons herball , and freely partak't of his receipts : must assume a gracefull presence of youth ; and fill up their irreparable decayes with art-beauty : by new plaistring those crazy buildings , which had long since falne into the lord paramounts hand , for want of repaire . alas , is this all ? if the weaker sexe deserve such reproofe , in their desire to cover their rivals : or smoothing those rugged deformities , which their decline in nature has laid on them : what may wee thinke of those old seniors , whose eyes have beene long since incased ; and whose constant aches in their bones , have beene above all other prognostications approved : and yet these can vaile their reverend age with an artfull peri-wigge : and court a light piece with as much vaine rhetoricke , as if their winter had beene metamorphos'd into a spring : and their silver-haires into downy blossomes ! that old blade had , no doubt , greene thoughts ; who coming to a barber to be trimm'd : and being asked by his complete trimmer , after what fashion hee would weare his beard whether he would looke amiable to his friend ; or terrible to his foe ; or point vice to his apparell ? this ancient fashion-favorite answered him , that hee would ( in regard of the rarity of the cut ) be trimmed point-vice to his apparell . which this nimble snap did ; and that to a haire , till he had not left him one haire , to worke on : this rivell'd scaledrake , having seene himselfe in the glasse , durst hardly acknowledge his owne face : but terribly distemper'd hee was to see himselfe so strangely disfigured ( which indeed might have beene prevented , if a sleepy distemper had not belulled him while he was trimmed . ) howsoever , seeing himselfe a stranger to himselfe , hee fell into a terrible quarter with his roguish trimmer : asking him in a cholericke manner , how he durst to abuse his face ? excuse me , reverend sir , said the barber ; i am but a naked trimmer , but your worship was the director : you told mee , that you would be trim'd point-vice to your apparell ; and i have observed your direction : for i have left your face as haire-bare , as your coat was thred-bare ; and that was point-vice to your apparell . the next objection you can presse against them , is this : they are covetous . but tell me , can you find in all their sexe such a midas , as to with the very meat he eate , to bee turn'd into gold ? or such a passionate incompetible revenger , as with silla , never to forgive , nor forget the injury done him by an offender ? or such a marrow-eating envious tetter , as ctesiphon , who macerated himselfe in the prosperity of an other ? or such an idolater of honour , as themistocles , who could not sleepe for the ambition he bore to those triumphs of miltiades ? or such a glutton , as cambletes , who dreaming hee had devour'd his wife ; as before , no dainties could asswage his hunger , he became his owne executioner , for feare of dishonour ? or such a catamite , as that bithinian ; who was a woman for all men ; and a man for all women : an equall agent or patient to satisfie nature ? or such a lazie lollard as margites was ; who never digged , ploughed , nor sowed , nor ever did any good all his life long in the least weight or measure : but slept out his time in a sluggish , and uselesse manner ? but some will againe object ; none can deny but they are light in their favours ; changeable in their fancies : the posies of their love-rings , ever hold check with this impreze : " our choice admits a change . no , no ; you shall find their disposition of a more choice and constant temper . for should they imitate our wanton free-natur'd youths , who having lately enter'd loves-lists , and brought some shreads of their fathers unnecessary providence to passe the alienation office ; you might find them accommodated with myriads of amorous servants . of which number that wanton wooer , and lavish lover , might be well accounted , who gloried in the multitude of his mistresses , and boasted of his fits and fancies ; resolving to be a servant to many , but a consort to one : though one has left me , i 've fresh storc enow , and all these presse me to performe my vow . content you girles , i me for one or none , one wench at once , will be enow for one . whereas , even that amorous curtezan of venice , whose embraces appear'd more mercenary , then complied with her honour , could protest , though shee had many servants , her sole solace was in one favorites service : stoope shee might to the lure of many : incline she could not , but to the love of one . 't is true , an impudent woman may wooe man : and if confidence dictated that it was loyalty , which caus'd modesty so farre transgresse , she that should thus woe , could not chuse but win ; for such oratory could not but be prevalent , where bashfull fancy became oratrix , and was predominant . as men woo women , might women woo men , for one watch now , there would be ten . this that stage-wit expressed in his enforced conceit , betwixt ecco and narcissus : this woe to man , shall henceforth be no woman , since woe to man is now become a woo-man . sometimes indeed , it was more curiously then usefully , more subtilly then fruitfully demanded ; why a woman might not as properly wooe man , as man woman : and that arabicke resolution , retrived from the very depth of imagination , with much ingenuity assoiled this question . wooing , said that arabian , was but a lovely seeking : now wee seeke not for that wee have , but what we have not . it is more proper then for the man , in this loves quest , to seeke for what he has lost ; then for the woman to seeke for what shee already has . the man he has lost his rib , and hee seekes after her that has it . meane time it were folly in her to seeke it , when she has it . it is for him then to seeke it ; who , though hee may not have it : yet he seekes to enjoy her who has it . againe , will some say : but why were all the furies women ; those three fatall sisters women ; those circean witches women ; those inchanting sirens women ? did not the first imply their cruelty ? the second their implacability ? the third their impiety ? the fourth their subtilty ? and with these you might insert that late chimera of the german hog-fac'd gentlewoman of wirkham : all alike probably true , and credibly built upon equall grounds . but to answer these prodigies of nature ; tell me , yee critick cavallieres , who have surely got a stroak over shins with some french faggot , or you would never thus inveigh against so exquisite a subject ; why were all the muses women ; all the sibyls women ; those watchfull hesperides women ; those nine-worthies , so lately memoriz'd , women ? surcease then , and close with me in their modest defence ; if you see in them any lightnesse , impute that to their weaknesse . againe , if you see in them that composednesse , which best becomes them : account that in them a reall goodnesse . sweet sociable soules they are , when grace conducts them . the path they walke in , is chalked forth by modesty : the track they pursue , is the practise of piety : where the period of so gracefull a scene , closeth ever with felicity . none ever but those proud pharisees , who us'd to weare philacteries , and ceremoniall philanties on their browes and elbowes , were knowne to winke at the approach of women : and may such winke still ; who , though they have sealed eyes , they may have seeing hearts . for though desire come in by the windowes : yet some mens windowes may seeme to be shut , when the doores of their desires are open . fancy may play the wanton within , while modesty seemes to play the goaler without . thus have you heard their modest defence : and how calumnious pens and tongues are ever most vers'd in traducing innocence . where if a woman be demure , she is taxt of coynesse ; if courteous , she is taxt of lightnesse ; affability and disdaine equally ingage her to a rigid censure : yet for all this , pure minds cannot be so amated : nor goodnesse , which reteines with her an inseparable witnesse , so eclypsed . the sunne appeares in his fullest beauty , when hee breaks forth of a cloud . so vertue , when she has dispell'd those malignant vapours which interpos'd her , shewes her selfe then in her clearest feature . this in those divine apothegms , which even in their greatest extreames they composed , may fully appeare , as you shall heare in our ensuing section hereafter . section viii . their witty aphorismes , apothegms , and answers . from these , no doubt , but the best principles of humane learning have derived their being and beginning . but as the best fruits are soonest corrupted , the earliest bloomes quickliest blasted ; so have our choicest maxims of this nature lost much of their lustre , by being diverted from that object whereat they aymed . pure rils should not bee so corrupted , by giving way to such troubled or brackish inlets as dis-relish the purest water , in making it quite degenerate from its owne primitive nature . some aphorismes there bee ( if they may merit that style ) which lose much of their state , and detract too much from their light , by their too weake discovery of an anacreonticke straine ; which generally makes obscene pasquils of serious apothegms . but these are not worth our observation : it shall be our taske , to avoid distaste ; by laying before you those witty aphorismes , apothegms , and answers ; the perusall whereof may afford both delight and profit ; the one to cheare you , the other to store you : whensoever any occasion of such discourse shall be ministred to you . that noble lady , though her descent and fortunes might fixe her above an inferiour spheare , shewed excellent arguments of a composed temper , and an humble nature in this resolution : as my descent exacts of me a tender eye to my reputation : so should my example be a president to others of imitation . for those , who commit any unseemely act in a publike presence , doe as much as lye in them , to murder those who take observance of them . my gate shall not publish me proud : nor my habit phantastick : for i find nothing in me , worthy such idolatry . that sicilian matron closed her content with an incomparable contempt of the world ; who publikely protested , that shee could eye nothing in this theatre of earth , that might seeme worthy to entertaine so divine a guest as her soule . and as of a finite to an infinite , there was no proportion : so it was impossible , that the circumference of earth should confine that infinite beauty of the soule to her dimensions . that moderne mirror of true nobility exprest her selfe a brave soveraignesse over her affections : who held it the greatest derogation to feminine honour , to discover the least distemper in subjects of anger . when i take a serious survey , said shee , of mine owne infirmity : and re-collect daily what cause i give my maker to be angry with me : i am halfe ashamed to expresse my passion of anger to any . can he forbeare me who made me ; and cannot i forbeare them who are equall in their creation with me ? cannot poore dust containe it selfe in patience with dust , when he can shew his gracious patience to ambitious dust , who made all of dust ? no lesse composednesse of spirit did that heroick parisian discover in her desire to see others flourish without repining : yea , wishing with that divine morall ; that all envious persons had their eares and eyes seated in all cities , that with others prosperities , being the proper objects which they most maligned , these , in the survey of them , might be more tormented . nor is that noble attestation of hers to be here omitted ; deserving so well in lasting characters with the point of a diamond to be inscribed . i doe not see my neighbours field flourish , but i wish it were more fruitfull ; nor any one honoured , but i wish it amplifi'd , if the person be desertfull ; nor any of my sexe beautifull , but i conceive joy in so faire a feature , being inwardly gracefull . it is an argument of a servile quality , to dart an envious eye on anothers prosperity . if hee be rich , and worthy of what he possesseth , much good may it doe him ; if unworthy of what hee enjoyeth ; it were a malitious pitty to envie him , having within him what will undoe him . he is already seazed of such a marrow-eating tetter , as this festred vlcer needs no other torture . a good proficient in the schoole of vertue , had that theban lady proved ; who held nothing so pretious as a continent soule : vowing withall ; that , should shee find in her bosome a thought of incontinence ; if it were possible , shee would estrange her selfe from an harbour of such lightnesse . neither could that brest reteine any impression of shame , that could present a sacrifice of love to any , but her husbands shrine : clozing her resolves with this divine impreze : as my hand has confirm'd the gift of my heart : so shall the loyaltie of my heart confirme the testimony of my hand . when that princely dame of ferrara , had heard of those luscious and licentious feasts of domenico silvio , that italian cleopatra ; good god ( said she ) has not the flesh foments enough , but it must be provoked , to the utter ruine of that divine part which should command it ? this is not to with-draw fuell from a flaming desire , but to feed it : and by feeding , famish that injuried guest which suffers for it . alas ! woman is not so strong , as to have all meanes diverted , by which her modesty might bee preserved : and to unrivet all those operative secrecies of art , by which their forts of honour may be betrayed . the wanton idumite is already too stirring ; shee needs no fresh fuell to feed her affection . it is strange , said the pious edessa , that wee should so cast about by sea and land to feed those , who will feed upon us : and to throw forth baits to those , who meane to make a prey of us . i never fare better , said that sage abstemious lady , then when i seeme to fare worst . abstinence is such a choice receipt , as it will admit of no sensuall deceipt . what can delude me , so long as i make my appetite subject to reasons soveraignty . there is no day so tedious , said that discreet consort , to a grave senatour , as that which is made a stranger to any taske . that sun shall not shine on me : nor that place entertaine me , which shall not receive some argument of life from me . for better were it for me by dying to cease from living : then by living unprofitably to be ever dying . for my part , in all this continued chesse-game of our life , i shall ever hold him or her the greatest looser , who riots forth the rich treasure of time in fruitlesse pleasure : for , as the deepest staine to an active spirit is sloath ; so the greatest griefe that can befall an improving man , is his losse of time . it is rare likewise to observe what excellent rules they not only delivered unto others ; but what they themselves reteined , that their owne exemplary life might publish to the world , they taught not others what themselves neglected : nor imparted by way of precept unto others those lessons which they sleighted . as the very best of gods creatures , in the opinion of that wise stagyrite , is that man who enjoyes himselfe in the execution of what is legall and just : so the very worst of his creatures is that man , who divides himselfe from what is lawfull or just . what incomparable creatures these feminine mirrors have showne themselves , even in these offices of judicature , would this briefe epitome give mee leave , i could here amply illustrate with many , both ancient and moderne instances : where you might find some even reproving their emperours for remisnesse of justice , in shewing too much lenity : or taxing their severity of justice , in their inflicting on easie delinquents too much cruelty . with instances of this sort our roman and greeke annals are so plentuously stored , as this subject shall little need to be further illustrated . this is most certaine ; as the prime intention may be properly said to give a name to the worke : for the very best work scarcely merits the title of a morall action , being not accompanied by a pure intention : so with what pure intentions many of these heroick ladies beautified their noble actions , may be easily confirmed by many memorable acts by them atchieved ; and with that modesty , as they could not well endure to have their names recorded in the performance of those pious workes and sacred structures ; which , as they were dedicated to devotion ; so were they sincerely erected , without the least tincture of vaine-glory , or heat of ambition . and well might many of their pious resolves cloze in such conclusions : when they so divinely considered , how they enter'd this life with the society of a teare ; how they past over this life in labour and care ; and how they were to end this life with griefe and feare . this made them cautious not only of their actions , how they were performed ; but of their thoughts , how they stood affected : as likewise of their words , how they were delivered . this moved them to observe that excellent discipline in the regiment of their tongue , which that experienc'd professor so discreetly recommended . there is a time , wherein we are to speake nothing : and there is a time , wherein we are to speake something : but there is no time wherein we are to speake all things . rightly did these observe , and seriously did these reteine , what they had received : by the very speech which is delivered , may we gather how the mind stands affected . neither can evill communication become a christian. and whereas youth it selfe is ever interested in most dangerous hazards ; they tooke a course to restraine youth , lest their light youth might beget a sad age . in a word , these observed those perillous motives to sin , and therefore wisely stopt their eares to the syrens song : kisses , words , bookes , light-eyes , cates , merry mates , make chastest minds to open fancies gates . thus have we in a succinct manner , to their surviving honour presented testimonies of their ability and piety in their aphorisms , apothegms , and witty answers : wherein they discovered an admirable promptnesse of wit , preparednesse of mind , and depth of judgement . but we are now to descend from these golden sayings which they uttered , to those glorious workes which they composed . in which their memory shall bee crowned : and with which our epitome , or love-lecture in morality , clozed . section ix . their eminent labours ; and how they were assistants in the exquisitest workes that have beene formerly composed , either for history or poesy . zeale of goodnesse is such a glorious ambition , as it can never be too aspiring . and in this , many eminent and heroick spirits of their sexe shew'd themselves worthy corrivals . where wee shall find some excellently vers'd in history . others in rare compositions , to give a rich lustre unto poetry . others far above the delicacy of their sexe , in the profound search of philosophy . others no lesse usefull in compiling morall precepts , properly conducing to an oeconomy . various patterns wee might here produce in each of these ; examples of such mysterious learning , and high contemplation , as their memory deserves no lesse admiration , then their piety imitation . for professors , and rich improvers of their knowledge in those precious treasures of time , history , and antiquity , wee shall find a princely zenobia , and a sage cleobula . for affecters , and happy enrichers of poesie , a spritely corinnathia , and a pharsalian pollia . for serious searchers of profound secrets in philosophy , a theoretick theano , and a divine diotima : a woman , who was so famous a philosopher , that both socrates and plato went to heare her lectures . and for morall precepts , and rules of oeconomy , a lovely sulpitia , and a stately edesia . prompt were their wits , rich their fancies , and so bravely composed their affections , as those who enjoyed them , might hold themselves so farre as humane happinesse extended , truly beatifi'd by them . one chancing pleasantly to repeat , in the presence of his wife , that old assertion ; how , of all inferiour blessings , the very summary of them might be comprised in this three-fold dimension : . to have a wife of his owne chusing . . to have an orchard of his owne planting . . to have a child of his owne begetting . but what answer'd his wife to this supposed abstract of all humane happinesse ? truly , said shee , if you had not done the first , you had never beene my husband . and if you have not done the second , you are the worser husband . but should you conceive the least suspition of the third , i should account you unworthy the name of a husband . truth is , such sweet consorts as wee have here in this section described ; and with whose vertues those very monumentall statues which enshrined them , are perfumed : confine not the period of their love to a honey-moneth . their delights are more perpetuate , because with goodnesse beautifi'd . for skin-beauty returnes but a sickly appetite to fancy . whatsoever reteines in it selfe a proclivity of decaying or declining , cannot conceive much felicity in the enjoying . for though the present object delight , one poore fit of a fever will darken those attractive rayes of content : and enforce the late enjoyer to distaste that most , which his bleere-ey'd judgement did so causelesly admire . whereas these , whose interiour beauty begets to their happy consorts a permanent fancy ; have beene ever reputed the choicest companions to ●ray with , to play with , to converse or commerce with . every of which wee shall illustrate by personall instances gregory in his dialogues writeth , that his aunt trasilla being dead , was found to have her elbowes as hard as horne : which hardnesse shee got by leaning to a deske , at which shee used to pray . the like writes hierome of asella , who , though confined to the straight compasse of a cell , enjoyed the whole circuit of heaven . but lest wee might fall into the heresie of the euchitae ( a thing i must confesse little to be feared , seeing the knees of devotion every where so benummed ) who professed to doe nothing else but pray : because the apostle exhorteth us to pray continually . so that professing to pray , and to doe nothing else , in effect they did nothing lesse : seeing , as theodoret reporteth of them , they did nothing for the most part but sleepe . whereas in basils judgement , a prayer should be filled not with syllables , or good words , so much as good workes . now i say , lest women should become so wholly contemplative , as wholly to forget the office of being active : wee shall present to you such , who are no lesse apt consorts to play with , then devout supplicants to pray with . right wisely knew that empresse how to play her irish game , who admonished her husband , that the life of a man was more to be valued , then a throw at dice. the losse of a life was to be recompensed with no benefit . when the game is ended , a new game may supply it : but when a life is forfeited , once deprived , it cannot be restored . an excellent direction , and worthy our observation in our forme of play , was that princely feminine caution : in game play faire , and doe not sweare , sleight hope of gaine , scorne thoughts of feare . the brave resolution of that noble gamester , discovered no lesse masculine temper ; who , to prepare her selfe against the braves of fortune , fortifi'd her well-composed spirit with this antidote : should a blacke cloud sit on my fate , i can with patience sleight her hate . nor were some of these inimitable femals , onely fitting consorts for subjects of devotion , to pray with ; nor onely pleasing companions for scenes of recreation , to play with : but moving sociats for arguments of communication , to commerce and converse with . those tyrian and sidonian women might confirme their propriety and expeditenesse in the way of commerce : with our daily experience of discourse with creatures of that sexe in treaties of converse . it seemes those three gentlemen , as if they had beene trium-viri in their fruition of this happinesse , could returne sufficient arguments of their mistresses abilities in this kind : while one making choice of this posy , expressed the absolutenesse of his choice in the neatnesse and elegancy of her discourse ; which hee recommended to the impressure of his diamond in a window : my choice is one , whose accents beare such weight , as all discourses else to mee seeme light . these lines when another gentleman had perused ; as one who conceiv'd himselfe no lesse enriched by his choice ; seconds the former in this manner , by engraving this impreze to his mistresse honour : single's my choice , yet with her cheered am i , as if that single conference were many . the third nothing short in his conceipt , of the like beauty , and for subjects of discourse no lesse moving in the care of fancy , to publish to the world that hee tender'd his deserving mistresse no lesse affection , with a more enlivened or mounting invention , closed his opinion he reteined of her in this commendation : my consort 's single , yet when shee is by me , mee thinkes the spheares in warbling quires draw nigh me . such as these may wee well hold , with that eminent statist , for old mens nurses , and young mens mistresses . should their youthfull prime entertaine by an enforced injunction a frosty consort : their vertuous temper is such , as their enforced choice must admit no change . euryala was never more obsequious to tender ithacus , then these will expresse themselves to their decrepit husbands . their disparity in yeares must not beget in their affections any disloyaltie of thoughts . though they be young brides , they will performe the offices of old nurses . their care must extend it selfe , instead of amorous embraces , to preserve health in their declining husbands : which they addresse themselves to with no lesse alacrity , then if they had beene matched to persons of more vigorous quality . these have made a league with their eyes ; that they shall be no betrayers of their hearts . as it was their doome to marry unequally , and to bestow their virgin youth on meere patients engaged to each infirmity : so they have vowed solely to observe them ; constantly to love them ; peaceably to live with them : and amidst all overtures so to beare with their infirmities , as no peevish humour of age shall distemper them : nor any groundlesse jealousie suggest to their revenge an opportunity to wrong them . and this their observance must not proceed from any by-respect ; as many cautelous younglings doe ; who usully accommodate themselves to their perverse husbands humour , with hope of a day to come after . their affections are pure without dissembling ; their care constant without projecting ; their desires addrest to please without humoring . others wee shall find of their sexe , fit to be young-mens mistresses ; and these no lesse modestly pleasing , then vertuously affecting : these can stand upon their points without apish nicenesse : and hold their distance without a squeamish precisenesse . they can love without fonding ; ingratiate themselves without fauning : neate they desire to goe without phantasticknesse ; sweetly can they converse without affectednesse ; these hold it a feminine madnesse to pride themselves in that , which stript their predecessors of their purest state . these reflect upon eve with a teare-swolne eye ; and in a retired contemplation , and recollected affection , present her image to their well-composed thoughts : and this they make their diarie to the end it may worke upon their imaginations more effectually . o was not eve created in her will free and innocent ; in her reason sage and prudent ; in her command strong and potent ? and what deprived her of so blest a condition , but an indisposed heat of ambition ? had her thoughts confin'd themselves to the lists of her present state , shee had never throwne upon her posterity such a surviving staine . o had shee beene content with what shee was , her sexe had never beene so miserable as it is . her ambition became our perdition : her pride our ruine . they sigh to see their sexe so vainely magnifi'd ; to heare them with titles of worthies dignifi'd ; to have their portratures in such magnificent manner beautifi'd ; these they sleight with more religious contempt , then ever the victorious vtican did the erection of his statue ; being no embellishment , as hee accounted it , to the essence of vertue . well deserving a succeeding memory was that motto : i did never in any thing to my selfe arrogate , wherein i did not from my selfe derogate . and such is the modesty of these patterns of piety , as they cannot endure to have their commendable actions too much observed , or publickly applauded , lest by hearing themselves praised , they might incurre vaine-glory , and so become deluded . their constant nuptiall impreses , or loves loyall posies were these : chaste faith enstiles me spouse . " a hand for my wheele , a bed for my spouse . " where thou art caius , i am caia . i love , i live , and yet i give that to my love by which i live . to live and have no heart were strange , yet have i none but by exchange . death may contract my life ▪ but not my love . such as these famous mirrors shall wee occasionally encounter withall , in our readings : who , though they were ethnicks borne , reteined in them such impressions of morall goodnesse : as their memory left an annall to posterity ; being so much more to be admired , in regard those times wherein they flourished , were with mists of pagan ignorance clouded . these desired to doe well , and not to be applauded ; to advance vertues , and not to have their names recorded : nor their amiable features with glorious frontispices impaled . to improve goodnesse by humility , was their highest pitch of glory . this their sundry excellent fancies confirmed ; their elegant labours discovered ; whereof though many have suffered oblivion through the injury of time , and want of that incomparable helpe of the presse , the benefit whereof wee enjoy : yet shall wee find by the testimony of our approvedst authors , that many of these women , which for brevity sake wee have onely shadowed , have beene assistants to the highest and most enlivened composures that ever derived birth or breath from helicon . besides other historicall relations , whose memory , time shall sooner expire in her selfe , then obscure . turne over those mysterious volumes of the sibyls ; those accurate ayres of corinnathia , that incomparable corrivall to the poet pindarus ; those emathian raptures of argentaria , that happy consort , and assistant to the heroick lucan . neither need wee travell abroad in pursuit of forraigne instances wee have not onely formerly enjoyed , but even in these times are we seazed of many eminent and deserving women , and in addition to their honour , no●ly descended , who rightly merit the style bestowed on them ; the wits . and these have the happinesse to judge of a well-composed line ; to breath spirit in invention ; to correct the indisposure of a scene ; to collect probably ( a worke i must confesse of greatest difficulty ) what may best comply with the humour of the time , or suite best with the propriety of court-maske , or publike stage . others wee have , who , by the helpe of our numerous translations , can read a lecture upon homers iliads , and with that exactnesse , as if with dares phrygius , they had beene personally interessed in that tragick service . others singularly versed in tongues ; and all these with such modesty managed , as if their many tongues had made them tongue-ti'd : and with a sweet composed silence so incomparably graced them , as if in others presence they had made exchange of their elocution with attention . let mee then addresse my discourse to you , who make it your taske to detract from this sexe . some of you have i heard traduce them , in laying such injurious aspersions as these upon them : women , of all others , are to bee esteemed the improvidentst governesses of their cinque-ports . they pervert the use of their five senses , by ingaging them to sensuall ends . eares they have , and these make them eve-droppers . eyes they have , and these make them tempters . smels they have , and these are compounded of love-pouders . tastes they have , and these returne them rioters . touches they have , and the●e render them free embracers . their feet make them gadders ; all their faculties , irregular li●ers . if old , their rivell'd furrowes make them sullen ; if young , their taking beauties make them wanton . if rich , they are haughty ; if poore , they turne naughty . every thing must live , and poverty cooles the hotest love . that adage proves ever true : love when it wants harbour , fals many times into a fever . besides , what a misery it is to bee matched to such an one , as affects nothing more then fashion ? such an one , who reserves more unfained adoration to her glasse ; then to the prime maker of the object of that glasse . the tender love shee beares to her tyre-woman , makes her forgetfull of the duty shee ought to tender to her husband . to such as these , husbands become meere shelters : those names they beare , serve onely for sk●●anes to salve their wives honours . againe , how pittifully discontented will some of these spotted beauties appeare ; when they see a dresse they affect , which their parents care , or husbands cost will not procure . lye downe and die they must instantly , there is no remedy : women they are not of this world , if they may not enjoy the loosest vanities of the world . but well did those two conceipts cloze , and in creatures of this pettish and perverse humour ingeniously meet : while one , having had his handfull , no doubt , of such a wilde one , wrote these two lines with his diamond in the chamber window of his discontented peat : maids that will die because they 'r lightly crost , may grieve their parents , but themselves the most . the other answer'd him in the same key , though in a more generall tone : by vixons that will dye for being crost , their countrey gaines farre more then shee has lost . thus doe these feminine criticks , whose best of elocution is detraction , labour to vilifie that sexe , without whose being they had never beene . but imputing the ground of their immeriting splene to some hard fortune they have suffered in the choice of their wanton , wilfull , or unsociable mistresses : or from their disdainefull repulse , which might probably beget in them this pittifull reproofe ; wee will leave these to feed and fat themselves with the seldome-thriving food of their distemper ; and addresse this our clozing discourse to you , who are those pious patterns of feminine honour ; for whose sakes , not onely in the maine subject more fully amplified , but even in this epitome more briefly contracted , wee have bestowed our oyle and labour . yee worthy women , who have no other device but the dresse of vertue to beautifie your frontispice ; yee , who give a gracefull accomplishment to those three incomparable ornaments of a woman , complexion , favour , and behaviour : for the first ▪ it is your owne , and not borrowed ; for the second , it is ever with a second looke improved ; and for the third , it is every way without affectation accomplished . yee , i say , whose living actions become so exemplar , as they are directories unto others how to live at distance from errour ; shall bee ever patronesses to these lines , as these lines shall bee relators of your vertues . yee reteine in your memory those mysterious emblemes of your creation ; yee find that you were made of man ; but not of his head , as to bee his imperiall ; nor of his foot , as to bee his vassall ; but of his ribbe , to bee his equall . yee were given him for helpes , not to spend his estate ; but to partake with him in every estate in his comforts to augment them , in his discomforts to allay them . the phantastick habits of the time have no power to delude you ; price nor prayer to corrupt you ; much lesse to dissease him of your fancy , who by right enjoyes you . as in your creation you are excellent ; so in your imitable vertues eminent . as in your passion moderate ; so in assaults continent . as in countenance , habit , and expression of your affection modest ; so , forth of loyall zeale to those you love , and with whom you account it your highest happinesse to live , to those who are corrivals in your choice , violent : albeit , with a modest defence may that violence , proceeding from an exuberance of affection , be sweetned . as your witty aphorismes , apothegms , and answers have confirmed you seriously pregnant ; so have your eminent labours publish'd you integriously diligent . and in each of these subjects , contracted in one entire individuall modell , have i portrayed your worth : which , so long as you hold correspondence with vertue , shall become the continued annall of my pen ; and in your noble acceptance , account it a sufficient guerdon for my paines . finis . the contents , disposition , and order of this ladies love-lectvre . sect . . hee treats of the excellency of women in their creation . plato's opinion touching women . the story of the delphicke oracle : with the explication and application of it . nothing comparably precious to a continent soule . eye a woman in the excellency of her creation ; she is found in her quality , an helper ; in her society , a comforter ; in the perplexities of her consort , a counsellor : and in all these , a sharer . sect . . their imitable vertues , illustrated with examples : and confirmed to be most eminent patternes in their practise and profession of the foure cardinall vertues . these compared , by an apt resemblance , to those foure rivers streaming forth of paradise . the way to sinne , is to open to occasion , and let temptation come in . the five senses are those cinque ports , which being well guarded , this little world , man , may remaine secur'd . sect . . their moderation of passion in motives to revenge , properly reflecting upon these three distinct subjects : life . with admirable instances in each of these : and with dainty motto's or imprezes to imbellish these . fame . with admirable instances in each of these : and with dainty motto's or imprezes to imbellish these . fortunes . with admirable instances in each of these : and with dainty motto's or imprezes to imbellish these . sect . . their continency in assaults . sundry historicall emblemes of beasts and birds , illustrating this subject . how an unaffected reservancy suites best with conjugall fancy . age becomes rather an object of pity , then fancy to the eye of youth . sect . . their modesty , in count'nance , habit , and expression of affection . candid thoughts are ever most legible in the eyes . piety receives scandall from the count'nance ; and chastity , treason from the eye , by conveighing treacherous thoughts to the heart . imitation of forrain habits , begets in us a dis-esteeme with forrainers . more advantage in dispatch then delay . delay gives way to corrivals . fancy , when it falls remisse in pursuit , it produceth cold fruit . a pleasant old prophesie of aged fancy . a presidentall love-letter . sect . . their violence upon such as were corrivals in their choice . a parallel betwixt the river himetus and the disposition of a woman : with the reasons of this allusion . a womans disposition bounds upon two extreames : boundlesse love. or endlesse hate . no receit more soveraigne then the one ; no deceit more subtile then the other . one of the best policies in a christian , is to delude a wily wanton : and decline the fury of a jealous woman . disparity of years , fortunes , or descent , ever begets in the parties married most discontent . a similitude suiting well with the temper of a stale batchler . sect . . their modest defence . though cruelty admit no apology : yet when too impressive a fancy occasions this cruelty , it merits rather the title of a distracted phrensy , then an affected cruelty . love , when it falls into these extreames , is more apt to expostulate with passion then reason . a memorable example in this kind . degenerate and creeping spirits are ever promptest to taxe the weaker sexe of errors . their censorious objections retorted , and with a merry story requited . womens inventions discover no such lightnesse in their love-imprezes and poesies , as more masculine spirits usually doe in their devices . an arabicke resolution to this question : why a woman might not as properly wooe man , as man woman ? none but proud pharisees were ever known to winke at the approach of women : and these , though they had sealed eyes , they had seeing and stealing hearts . sect . . their witty aphorismes , apothegms and answers . obscene pasquils detract from the style and state of serious aphorismes . these divine and morall aphorismes were not onely delivered by them , but personated in them : in their humility , contentment , charity , patience , continency , abstinence and industry . their excellent rules delivered unto others , for the better regiment of their thoughts , words , and workes . sect . . their eminent labours ; and how they were assistants in the exquisitest workes that have beene formerly composed , either for history , or poesie . and all this ennobled by memorable patterns and professors in all ages : where zeale of goodnesse was such a glorious ambition , as it could never be too aspiring . the discreet reply of a wife to her husbands assertion : " how all inferiour blessings were comprised in this three-fold dimension : . to have a wife of his owne chusing ; . to have an orchard of his owne planting . . to have a child of his owne begetting . nuptiall delights are more perpetuate , because with goodnesse dignifi'd . whatsoever reteines in it selfe a proclivity to declining , cannot conceive much felicity in the enjoying : whereas these , on goodnesse , not on greatnesse cast their care , ●shee's truly noble that is vertues heire . consorts inwardly beautifi'd , are the choicest companions for closet . casket . carpet . and this authorized with ancient and moderne instances . the ingenious contest of three gentlemen , touching their fruition of happinesse in their choice ; with answers to each others imprezes . discreet women sort themselves to their choice , in each condition : whether they be old-mens nurses , or young-mens mistresses . though they be young brides , they will performe the offices of old nurses . and being young-mens mistresses , they can shew a modest freedome without squeamish precisenesse . their pleasant love-posies to their loyall consorts . no learning shewes more lustre , then when enshrined in the bosome of a woman . no eloquence leaves a deeper impressure , then when delivered by the tongue of a woman . their silence an implying eloquence . their defence in the disposition of every sense , to the improvement of their honour , against the opposition of every critick feminine censor . he addresseth his conclusion to all such worthy women , whose vertuous lives promise a glorious evening . and with a recollection of every subject formerly handled , recommends them to their usefull observance : his labours to their gracefull acceptance . a sonnet . ladies , yee , that would be faire , i a cerusse can prepare will make you clearer then the ayre , 't is such choice and precious ware . hold your purse , it costs you nought , 't is in no shop to be bought , worth an empire , seldome sought , being from elysium brought . have yee rivels in your face , want yee love-spots for a grace , want yee borders , edging , lace , favour , feature , posture , pace ? would yee ever be in fashion , vye inventions with our nation , in your treaties move compassion , suite your persons to occasion ? would yee make affection flye from your love-attractive eye , to intrance the standers by , wishing there to live and dye ? would yee fixe in fancies spheare , or enjoy your onely deare , and no sly corrivall feare , apt to undermine you there . would yee feed on such choice food as enliveneth the blood , purging ill , infusing good , " a rare conserve for woman-hood ? would yee courtly measures tread on the flowry-checker'd mead , would yee no love-powders need , would yee in your seed succeed ? would yee love and feele no heat that may wrong chaste delia's seat , would yee in rich language treat , without envie become great ? here is one will make you fit both for lineament and wit , as yee cannot chuse but hit the marke that may accomplish it . here is one will fancy move , and such a tyre-woman prove in the discipline of love , as ne're was such a turtle-dove . poore shee is , yet is shee pure , vertve her name , her only lure a constant care , a carefull cure to make her loyall lovers sure . " this 't is will cheere your amorous braines like nectar , " and crowne you happy schollers in loves-lecture . the turtles trivmph ; presented in a svpplement : highly condvcing to an usefull application , and gracefull reconciliation of the two former subjects . continued by ri. brathwait , esquire . london , printed by iohn dawson . intentissimo viro , pvblicae salvtis stvdiosissimo , iohanni banks militi ; attvrnato avgvstissimi regis generali : r. b. parnassidvm hvmillimvs ; observantiae vestrae deditissimvs , heroinam hanc coronidem , legali ivgo , sponsali voto , geniali thoro , conjvnctam . d. d. d. a svpplement , highly condvcing to an usefull application , and gracefull reconciliation of the two former subjects . long time have these two affectionate consorts beene divided ; now at last it is their happinesse to become united : to confirme their loves , which they have vowed to remain inviolably firme , to their expired lives ; wee are to propose such necessary observances , as may prevent all occasion of distrust , and divert all grounds of future distrust . we are then in this usefull connexion ; first to treat of conjugall offices , being inherent , as that grave morall tels us , betwixt husband and wife , wife and husband . secondly , of parentall offices , being subsequent , as that profound stagyrite teacheth , of parents to their children , and children to their parents . thirdly , of domestick offices , being concomitant , as that sound stoicke reasoneth , being of masters to their servants , and servants to their masters . fourthly , of neighbourly offices , being reciprocally dependent , as that excellent politicke concludeth , being mutuall civill offices , or courtesies , betwixt neighbour and neighbour . in all which distinct subjects , our purpose is , with such brevity , and perspicuity , to deliver our usefull directions , that in this very breviarie may be layd downe the rules of an entire oeconomie : which , being perused with attention , and seconded with retention , may not onely prevent all occasion of dissention at home , but all division abroad . for , be the sea never so troubled , there is good hope , that the groaning ship may be better secured , when wisedome and moderation performe the offices of a pilot , and with a vigilant eye , steers her against all occurrents . of conjugall offices . it was the saying of the wisest of kings : hee that findeth a wife , findeth a good thing , and receiveth favour of the lord. and that he might more emphatically expresse the incomparable estimate of a good wife , and how far in the scale of judgement , she is to be preferred before substance , riches , or any worldly inheritance ; to render them the more proper , and genuine distinction , he returnes them not only a distinct gradation , but also a different derivation : house and riches are the inheritance of the fathers : but a prud●nt wife commeth of the lord. in what high estimation are you then , gentlemen , to hold discreet women ? and what happinesse may you be said to enjoy in casting your lots in so faire a field , so fruitfull a ground ? where you are caius , shee will be caia , such is her constancy . where you are agathocles , she will be theogena ; yours in prosperity and adversity . fulnesse of fortunes cannot transport her , nor any indigence dej●ct her . shee cannot endure to admit of that italian proverbe for orthodoxall , which they hold for a tenet so generall ; when love wants harbour , it drives love into a fever . no ; so shee may live , where she enjoyes her love , she is rich enough how soe're she live . now , what mutuall offices are required , that love so freely tendered , may be requited ! humanity , sayes the philosopher , exacts love for love . but love her you cannot , if you mixe your love with any , or fix it on any , wherein shee partakes not . let it then be your care , that she only have the monopoly of your love . let her bed be undefiled , your vow inviolate ; remembring ever that divine maxim : to breake a spo●full vow 's an odious sin ; to keepe't unstain'd , h 'as still an honour bin , and , to observe this lesson better ; conceive with your selfe , how ill you should digest her , if shee should wrong you in the same sort . it is an apparent argument of honest wisedome ( said that ancient sage ) to module an other by our owne measure . for to impose heavie burdens on others , and never to partake of them ; to injoyne taskes on others , and not to share in them , argues an indulgency in respect of our selves , our inhumanity unto others . entertaine this fellow-helper then which you have received , and to whom , by a sacred nuptiall tye ( recorded in heaven , solemnized on earth , and confirmed by the mutuall gages of two individually united hearts ) you stand affianced , with an affectionate continence ; knowing , how an heart divided cannot live , nor a divided fancy truly love . for , as there is nothing so precious as a continent soule : so is there nothing more odious , than a nuptiall bed stained with an adulterate soyle . that devout father , saint ambrose , can tell you , that it is a crime detestable to savages and barbarians ; how much more to be excluded from the practise of christians . the very birds of the ayre can retaine a memory of a dishonour'd love ; witnesse the porphyrio , who , as the naturall historian reports , no sooner finds another too familiar a sharer in her love , then she despaires any longer to live : her nest she leaves desolate , and in her distasted life she becomes so disconsolate , as being so injuriously abused by her endearedst friend , she chuseth griefe to be her only associate to accompany her to her grave . how passionately takes the loving turtle the losse , or dereliction of her beloved ? she will brouze on no greene herbe ; sit upon no flourishing sprig ; nor entertaine any new love . she frequents the retired laune ; where throbs and dis-passionate threnes become her choycest melody ; sighes , griefes and groanes , her widows obsequy . receive these loyall emblemes of constant fancy , in the precious store-house of your memory ; ever making use of these morall readings , that if creatures , directed onely by sense , scorne to be sensuall , much more purity should that soule retaine , which is rationall . how mournfully did that propheticall dove expresse his pious zeale , and devout compassion in the discovery of this sinne , a great dishonour to the house of sion ! in the morning every one neighs after his neighbours wife . nay , observe how hee seconds it , that the brutish nature of this sin might be fuller displayed ; in the morning they are as fed horses : thus were they sated and surfeited in their sensuall delights , making the pleasures of sinne their gaine , and the torments of hell their goale . shall wee close this with the positive conclusion , of that vessell of election ? marriage is honourable among all , and the bed undefiled : but whore-mongers and adulterers god will judge . or with that passionate expostulation of the prophet , in the person of god himselfe against this sinne , with the numerous professors of this sinne ? how should i spare thee for this ? thy children have forsaken me , and sworne by them that are no gods : though i fed them to the full , yet they committed adultery , and assembled themselves by companies in the harlots houses . but to use the words of that elegant morall , it is the least of our feare but to find more rich treasure in your tents , more pious graces in your pavillions ; your descent promiseth largely to your family ; that as your predecessors vertues were as signals , or land-markes to their posterity : so you , walking in the same pathes , might derive the like streamlings of goodnesse unto yours . an ancient family , saith that excellent ethick , retaines ever some beame-lings transcending others : and as a genuine modesty is for most part an attendant to ingenuity ; so are generous graces those constant'st consorts , which hold in equipage with true gentry . that solid cinick , hearing how a young gallant , descending from the order of the ephori , became hatefully debaucht , preferred his suite , and in it humbly begged this loose rioters estate : the whole synod wondring much , how , and on what grounds that wise dogge ( for so they were pleased to stile him ) preferred his suite ; seeing the gentleman was neither distracted , nor any way so disabled but hee might well enough manage that estate was left him : o conscript fathers , said he , know you not how this profuse foole ha's forfeited all that estate he had by his ancestors , by discovering his owne bastardy , in degenerating from his ancestors vertues ? ha's hee not made his family a brothell : and exposed his wives honour to a lascivious duell ? hee ha's not only stayned his house , in becomming so enormiously ill ; but in depraving others , who might have become , had not his example made them ill , ingenuously good . strip him then of all without him , who ha's already stript himselfe of all graces within him . trust me , fathers , wee have none here that will bemoane his losse ; but those whom even goodnesse loaths to looke upon ; and whose very lives make athens a l●th-stow of pollution . and such mourners have all prodigals ; nor doe these weepe to lose him , but by his losse to lose that estate which did supply them . give me him then , good senators ; i shall become his trusty faithfull guardian , and keepe him short enough to consort with a wanton . now to decline the just reproofe of such jeering cinicks ; nay , the distaste of all good men ; ( for men of honest quality can never relish any thing better than actions of piety : ) be it your highest terrestriall pleasure , to tender her , whom you ought to honour : to estrange from your thoughts those injurious embraces of an usurping lover . and remember ever lisimachus song ; the memory whereof will preserve that pure splendor and beauty of your soule from an eternall staine . the pleasure of fornication is short , but the punishment of the fornicator is long . one dayes dalliance exacts many yeares of repentance . imprint in your retentive memories the excellent interrogation of that choice mirror of chastity ; patterne of presidentall piety : how shall i doe this wickednes , and sin against god ? he chused rather to lose his coat , than his honour . opportunity could not tempt him , nor importunity taint him : price , prayer , power became al weak in power , to surprize a disposition so resolutely pure . be his patterne your president , his president the pattern for you to imitate . nor is this conjugall office , or duty restrained only to this limitation . as your affection is to be constantly continent to their bed : so are you to be affably pleasant at board . i have observed a strange kind of imperious and domineering soveraignty in some husbands ; who held it a great posture of state to insult over their wives : nay , to be marvellously discontented with what dishes soever were served ; to catch at offence , and to relish nothing better , than to discountenance those , whose desires were levelled only to please . but this argued in them a perversenesse of disposition ; resembling that ill-condition'd aglataidas , who was never better pleased , then with displeasing others : nor ever relished any dish better than what was distasted by others . or like that strangely temper'd demophon , who used to sweat in the shade , and shake for cold in the sunne . now i could wish to these , if their wives affability cannot in time reclaime them ; that their lots had beene throwne in more rugged grounds : for had these beene match'd with our zantippe's , iulia's , lucilla's , or faustina's ; no doubt , but they would have addressed the best of their endeavours as much to please , as their perverse humours are now to displease . then they would have studied apologies purposely to divert the furious torrent of their displeasure ; and for the purchase of one poore smile , engaged themselves to an herculean labour . it was a singular philosophicall use , which that wise socrates made of his wives shrewdeness : whether i go abroad ( said he ) or i return home , i am fenced with the armour of patience against whatsoever shall come . hee had so freely fed upon the herbe of patience , as nothing could distemper him , how violent soever the assault were that encounter'd him : yea , those bickerings he grapled with at home , made him better prepared to entertaine all encounters abroad : so as , with mithridates , hee had so well fortified his virile spirits , with soveraigne receipts , against the invasive power of all poyson , as he could performe the part of a true philosopher , in smiling upon affliction ; and receiving all distastes with so composed a brow , as hee wondred much how any motives of anger should in an intellectuall soule beget the least distemper . for , whosoever he be that in resemblance of this morall mirrour of admirable patience , can in prosperity be silent , and not transported ; in adversity , patient , and not amated ; in neither of these distempered ; in either of these philosophically composed ; scornes to ingage his more airy thoughts , to an un-manly passion : having already sphear'd them in an higher mansion . in the very same scene , gentlemen , are you interessed ; wherein should you fall short , or in the least measure defective : most part of all our spectators eyes are fixed on you , whose censure will prove as quick sighted , as your errour ; accounting you unworthy those brave parts bestowed on you , because mis-acted by you . entertaine these then , to whom you are espoused , with a free , and no servile affection . waine them from passion , if at any time they become ingaged to any , rather with a pleasing smile , then a daring frowne : for the former partakes more of an awfull soveraignty , then cheerfull fancy . the way to preserve in any family a sweet consorting , and concording harmony , is never to have the master and mistris of the house , at one time angry . let the sweetnesse of the one allay the sharpenesse of the other . it was an excellent resolution , which that laconian lady ever reteined : my husbands frowne shall be a beame to disperse my cloud , which cannot chuse but beget in him a cheerfull reflexe , seeing i make discontent a stranger to my heart for his sake . now there is one thing , gentlemen , which i am to annex to what i have formerly delivered ; which , being carefully remembred , and cautiously practised , cannot chuse but highly improve this conjugall love ; without which , your unconsociable communion were but an hellish life : and it is this . are you conceited , that shee whom you have married , is endowed with a sufficient measure of discretion to governe a family : and without just exception can propose to her selfe , with those recommended to her charge , rules of good huswifery ? doe not intermixe your care with her charge . the disposall of a daery , is more proper for a mistris than a master of a family . strong and manly offices become the man ; soft and delicate the woman . nor is there any intrusion lesse beseeming then this ; nor ought that more exasperates the spirit of a woman , then to have her care suspected , or her charge interposed by her husband ; either through a jealousie of her care , neglect of her charge , or disability to manage any such charge . those two honest rurall lovers , though their estates were but meane , their quality obscure , their place of habitation poore ; yet knew they how to distinguish their cares , by a fit addressement of themselves to their peculiar charge . palemon was not to meddle with his galatea's spindle ; nor galatea with her palemon's hook : distinct persons , distinct offices . besides , it is a derogation from gentry to converse too much with a daery . other imployments doe farre better become him : and persued with a discreet care ; may more improve him , then to intermedle in such inferiour offices ; which , as they suite meanly with him , so they decline him from the care of what may more properly become him , and more amply profit him . there was nothing which aliened the affections of those assyrians , more from their effeminate king , then his too familiar conversing , and manuall imploying of himselfe in the use and exercise of his needle ; weaving of purple ; and inuring himselfe to such feminine offices , as held no correspondence with the quality of a prince , nor the entertainment of any generous subject : for if agesilaus deserved to be in some sort condemned , for stooping to so low and unprincely a pleasure , as riding on cock-horse with his children ; which implyed only a tender parentall affection : much more deserve such to bee highly censured , who debase themselves in such servile , and un-virile offices , as detract from the honour of their place , and occasion many times domestick distaste . in a word , gentlemen , as you have more generous imployments to reteine you , more improving cares and studies to entertaine you : so have you more imitable patterns to propose unto you , what may infinitely become you . eagle spirits cannot stoop to low lures . reflect upon your family ; and by your faire examples , informe your posterity . leave to your noble consorts , the care and charge of what best suits with their sex : imploy your selves in what may better correspond with your state . different hands mixed in these , will rather redound to your prejudice , then profit ; disparagement , then credit . as you have made your choyce , recommend to that choyce her peculiar charge : this will heighten the opinion of your discretion , and raise an addition to her care . thus if you shall demeane your selves to your well-disposed consorts ; you shall find them ready , with chaste and cheerfull bosoms , to receive you ; with affable , and affectionate lookes to entertaine you ; with sweet innocent smiles to enchaine you : for , so constantly united unto you shall bee their love , as they will hold it their highest terrestriall happinesse , there to plant where you love : your danger shall become their greatest terrour ; your safety their gracefullest honour . for , as it shall be the fullest period of their joy to enjoy you : so shall it be accounted by them their dis-passionatest scene of griefe to forgoe you . nor shall you need any other monument to memorize their love , then those sweet joyes they conceive in your life , those sincere teares they sacrifice at your death . now to you , gentlewomen , are we to addresse our discourse . you have heard what conjugall offices are to be tender'd to you : and wee must now lay downe such peculiar offices , as are to be render'd by you . for husbands , wee have furnished you with such choyce , as their persons accommodated with faire , and generous qualities , admit no change . be you the same in affection , which they expresse themselves in a votive and loyall profession . let me tell you , though you be the weaker sexe ; yet that weaknesse must not give the least priviledge to any staine . the roman ladies were so farre from giving occasion , as they usually estranged themselves from places of suspicion . now , the only meanes to secure you , is so to fortifie those parts within you , as no dangerous pioner may betray you , nor ingage your safety to the assaults of a glozing enemy . wee have many english proverbs , both pithy and pregnant , but for your use none so consequent , as that arabian adage : shut your windowes without , that your house may shine within . it is related ( for ancient annals would have no memorable action , were it either to the fame or infamy of the agent , shrouded ) that tarpeia betrayed the gates of the capitol to the enemy , only upon promise , that they should throw her the bracelets , which they wore on their left armes ; which they accordingly performed , throwing also their targets ( to counterpoize those ornaments ) wherewith shee was pressed to death . it is true indeed , price , prayer , and power are dangerous assailants to forts of fancy : but to rebaite the force of these , hold price at such a distance , where it holds in competition with your honour , as it deserves not to be admitted into the scale , where a generous spirit is commander . and for prayer , though it be a perswasive oratour , yet must it be put to silence , when it is abused , and made an agent to corrupt honour . lastly , for power , that resolute megara may give you a brave lesson in her tragick constant expression : whom power can quell , she knowes not how to dye . no ; as price is too servile a solicitor to procure love in any loyall lover ; so is prayer too uncivil an oratour to worke any impression in arguments of honour : and for power , it is a poore grounded fancy that will yeeld her fort up , when she may keepe it , to so intrusive an vsurper . now , there is no way better to remaine safe from such impairers , and impeachers of honour , then to avoid conversing with them . corrupt society is a dangerous introduction to any inward malady . posthumia could not be taxed more for her immodesty , then semphronia or iulia were for consorting with light company . it is to bee supposed , you are now fixed , because espoused : you must then keepe your eyes at home ; not like those lamiae , whose custome was to incase them in a box ; for so they might remaine uselesly shut to the necessitated care of your family ; but from opening them to any light objects of vanity . dinah had not erred , had she not strayed : nor had she strayed , had her eyes beene restrayned . wee may imagine that noble lady armenia , when she was invited , with her husband , to the solemnizing of those princely nuptials of magnificent cyrus , that she might have seene many goodly , and amiable personages , pleasing and attractive objects : such as wanton eyes would have taken infinite delight in : but how sixt was her outward eye on him solely , to whom she stood ingaged by an inward tye , may appear by that discreet modest answer , which shee returned her husband : who at night when they were come home , demanded of her ( it may be out of a causelesse jealousie , which hee conceived of her ) how shee liked that princely bride-groom , whether she thought him not to be a faire , and beautifull prince , or no ? and what personage in all that brave assembly rendred the most gracefull presence to her eye ? truth , sayes she , i know not : for all the while i was forth , i cast mine eyes upon no other but thy selfe . this was an excellent patterne to imitate ! when no object could so take her eye , as to convey the least impression of deluding fancy to her heart . there is small doubt , but those experimentall maxims hold constantly currant : that the very state and composure of the mind is to be seene in the cariage and posture of the body : and that by the gesture and composition of the body , is to be discovered the quality , and disposition of the mind . so as , were one as cunning in his carriage , as tiberius was in his ; who could walke in the clouds to his friends ; and with pretended glozes delude his foes : or as subtile , as that apostate iulian , whom gregory nazianzen called a chamelion , because hee could change himselfe into all shapes and colours : or as crafty as herod antipas , that cunning foxe , who could ingratiate himselfe with his foes , for his owne ends : yet in the secretst , and subtilest carriage of all these , wee shall ever find by the outward gesture , some probable appearance of the inward temper . ambition cannot walke so privately , nor retyre her selfe from the eyes of men so cunningly , nor deceive a weake eye so much with a seeming humility : but some action or other will draw out to life his anatomy , themistocles may walke in the night , and have none but the moone and stars to be his spectators ; yet for all this , there be such observing spies and pioners within him , as the night cannot bee so darke , nor his retired thoughts so close , but humane eyes may see him ; and discover too the necessitie of his walke : for they find by his discontented looke , and ambitious gate , that miltiades triumph will not suffer him to sleepe : so as , no sooner doe his inward thoughts betray him , then his outward eyes display him : every trifling action becomes his discoverer ; every weake passion or broken fancy breaths forth the quality of his distemper . let me , gentlewomen , returne againe to you , and make such usefull application of these , as may improve you : stand your minds affected to publike assemblies , or private visits ? doe these enterludes , or pastimes of the time delight you ? begin you to dis-affect a countrey life , and with a night perswasive rhetorick , to incline the affections of your easie husbands to plant in the citie ; and to leave their ancient mannor-houses , sometimes memorable for hospitality ? trust me , these are no promising arguments of modesty . plants transplanted doe seldome prosper : and beauty exposed to all hazards , highly endangers the preservation of honour : cities and places of great confluence have brought to composed minds much prejudice ; especially , where a recession or diversion from imployment leaves the mind to talke with it selfe , without bestowing it selfe on any usefull designe , publike or private . nay , by estranging her acquaintance from good company , whose advice might assist her ; whose precepts might informe her ; and whose pleasing harmelesse discourse might delight her . and in exchange of such friendly consorts , entertaine society with light fantastick spirits , from whom no other profit can bee derived , then what vanity hath suggested , and the conceit of a deluded fancy hatched . o how many have preserved their reputes untouched , their names unquestioned , their fames unblemished , during their reside in the countrey , who , by entring acquaintance with light fashions , and loose consorts , incurred much infamy ! but as it is not the place , but grace , which workes most effectually with the soule ; be it your care to intend your inward cure : your pretence for the citie may be physick ; but if that physick of your bodies , beget in your minds an infirmity ; it had beene much better for you to have retained still those sickly bodies , you had in the countrey , then by so dangerous a recovery to labour of a farre worser malady in the citie . that sententious petrarch could say , it made no great matter , how the outward house ( alluding to the body ) fared , so the inward house ( alluding to the soule ) flourished : how the outward subsisted , so the inward were supported : yea , we shall observe how the decay , or decrease of the one , becomes many times the repaire and increase of the other . for too much agility of body , begets now and then a debility in the soule . restraine then your eyes from those outward objects , which may any way darken the prospect of your inward house . it is one of our especiall cares in our architecture , that our houses bee pleasantly seated ; and to faire prospects dilated . and we hold it an unneighbourly office , that any one whose contignate dwelling boundeth or butteth neere us , should upon any new superstructure , or late erected story darken the light of our windowes : this must not be endured ; the questmon must be informed , the wrong done us must be aggravated ; nothing omitted , to have the injury of our lesser-lights reformed , and our unsufferable wrongs ( as wee immeritedly account them ) redressed . mean time , any ill disposed neighbour , any vicious or distempered intruder , may at will and pleasure incroach upon the liberty of our higher rooms , these glorious structures of our soules . pride may damp and darken our lights , by over-topping them ; avarice may stop and straiten our lights , by soiling them ; riot may close and clot up our lights , by cloying them ; lust may raze and deface our lights , by peeping and peering through them ; wrath may bruise and break down our lights , by assailing them ; envie may obscure , nay immure our lights by interposing them : and sloath , like a more fruitlesse then harmelesse weed , may blanch and blemish our lights by over-spreading them . come then , ladies , let me become your watchfull bel-man , hang out your lights . the night you walke in is very darke ; and dangerous bee those assailants , to the court of honour , which encounter you . lay aside those love-sports , which your deluded fancies dictate to you , and falsely tell you , that they infinitely become you . lay aside , i say , those numerous love-sport trifles , distinguished by these idolatrous titles : your favour , your fancy , your complexion , your affection , your dasie , pancy , mirrha , venus , and phoebe . o exchange these love-babies with divine graces ! this will incomparably become you , and make you amiable in his sight , who made you . suffer not your eyes to wander ; but fixe upon that centre , where all mortality must of necessity take harbour : obstruite quinque fenestras , ut luceat domus . saint hierome gives this excellent testimonie of that devout woman , asella ; who being confined to a cell , enjoyed the whole circumference of heaven . though i doe not limit you to a cell , i would have your thoughts confined to one orbe ; seeing they cannot be circumscribed by any limit but heaven . thus farre have i addressed my discourse to you , for composing your affections , and contriving your fancy to your choice , whose election admits no change : i am now to caution you , and that briefly of a dangerous guest , which like the snake in the fable , many times disturbs the quiet of a whole house : and this is violent and distempered passion . the indiscreet fury of some wives have made prodigals of frugall men : yea , those who never knew what a loose or debauched course meant ; nor were much addicted to any liberty , became uncivill , and irregular by their wives fury . and howsoever i can by no meanes approve this aversion from goodnesse in the man , yet must i highly condemne the impatience of the woman , who abused so much the temper and good nature of the man. entertaine you then no acquaintance with these sprightly virag●'s , whose only sweet temper is ever to be out of temper . let not a frowne sit on your brow , nor a sparke of fury dart from your eye ; nor one syllable of harsh language from your tongue . soft words mitigate wrath ; observe this rule then , it will so prepare you against all suffering ; as you shall taste an incomparable sweetnesse in your suffering ; rejoycing most in that incounter , wherein you seemed most to suffer . give no place to wrath , but give place to your husbands in time of their wrath . the onely way to allay passion , is to calme it with an expostulation . this that bravely composed roman lady , made excellent use of ; who when shee found her husband quite off the hinges ; affecting nothing more ; then to catch at offence ; with a sweet countenance , and pleasing language , she enter'd into a faire treaty with him after this manner . o my deare quintianus , whence may these distempers grow ? you had a iuliana , i must confesse , a consort well deserving your choice ; and because your now espoused chariclea supplies her place , doth it repent you of your change ? and yet , me thinkes , should you recollect your selfe , and in an equall scale weigh your chariclea's love , you would hold it an ungratefull guerdon , to requite her loyall love with a distastefull looke . your first choyce was faire , incomparably faire , of a gracefull presence , perswasive language ! it is confess'd . yet knew this abstract of perfection , to break forth into passion . but she knew her owne worth , so as passion lodging in such a subject , might admit an easie dispensation ; and make that eagernesse appeare a vertue in her ; whereas even mildnesse , seated in so imperfect a peece as my selfe , may present it selfe like a vice , being shrouded with so meane a cover ! beleeve it sir , as nature has bestowed little on me , to make me proud ; relinquish me for ever , if my respect to honour shall not supply those defects of a more exquisite feature : your anger shall not beget in me the least distemper ; but , if at any time i be moved , it shall be , because you are discontented . have you occasion to rejoyce ? i shall increase it . have you cause to grieve ? i shall allay it . should you in any extremity suffer , i should desire nothing more then to become your sharer . many , very many might you have had , more rich in portion , more choice in proportion , but never any more true in her affection . in one word ; as there is no office in chariclea , which shall not bestow it selfe to quintianus honour , during life : so may it be quintianus goodnesse to accept the loyall sacrifice of her devoutest love . this conjugall protest wrought so impressive an effect in her too passionate husband ; as , recollecting his dis-joynted affections , he became so truly inamoured of his choyce , as the conceit of her imparallel'd vertues estranged his resolves , not onely from the least apprehension of a future change : but fairely attemper'd in him all motives of choller ; so as , it was rare to find in him upon any occasion whatsoever , any appearance of distemper , much lesse of any inconsiderate anger . there is no doubt but grounds of distaste may be easily suggested ; especially , where either iealousie , arising from an exuberance of fancy ; or an intended desire to displease , workes upon the conceit of the party . but admit , gentlewomen , your eyes and eares were so strongly possest of your injuried bed , as you may visibly perceive a breach and violation of that faith , which by a sacred vote , should in reason and religion have admitted no blemish unto death : yet if you shall find a relenting disposition in them , doe not aggravate your wrongs by too bitter an expression of them . the confession of a wrong should beget in you an indulgent smile ; yea , though a modest shame could not brooke to make too open a discovery of what loosenesse of folly had committed ; yet , though never so covertly shrouded , being with a resolved contrition closed , and not hypocritically cloathed , it deserves to be ingenuously remitted . this might be in him instanced , who desirous by a line to discover the irregularity of his life , brought in a livelesse monument to witnesse unto the world the relenting guilt of a sorrowfull delinquent . this babe had prov'd one of our wits , no doubt , but bastard-slips doe seldome take deep root : botolph , prepare for this small corpse a shrine ; the crime , beleeve it , was not his but mine . but time would sooner faile me , then this subject scantle me ; i must not inlarge my selfe too much , lest i deceive your trust . one thing i am to advise you of , which observed , may prevent many occasions of distaste , which are usually ministred . as i formerly advertised your husbands , not to intermedle in those feminine imployments , which concerne your charge : so be it your modesty to decline from those interesses , which properly admit their care . it is an hatefull thing , saith that devout father , to see a man practise the spindle , and a woman to handle the speare . you have peculiar offices equally designed ; let them not bee improperly mixed . that roman was much condemned for imparting secrets of state to his wife ; but his wife was more publikely taxed for laying downe grounds how to rectifie the state to her husband . this is a presuming evill , and too largely spreading , said that cinick , to bee cured , till selfe-conceit , by a timely reproofe , be rebaited . humility is the way to prevent it : for though pride be a dangerous mate to accompany man : yet it is never so domineering , as when it pleads for soveraignty in a womans mind . remember then that divine mandat ; it will be a meanes to calme it : thy desire shall be subject to thine husband , and hee shall rule over thee . which subjection , as it implyes a distinct condition , so it begets in every family an harmonious order , or disposition : if there be danger in civill warres , there can be no great security in domestick brauls : where both the conqueror , and conquered , become equally endammaged . doe not contest then for precedency , since the divine law hath given your consort the priority . and in one word , to the end you may appeare more amiable in his sight who made you ; and in his choyce , for whom hee made you ; reteine in memory that divine lesson , for it prescribes you a perfect rule of direction , how to behave you selves in your whole course or conversation : in your very motion , gesture , and gate , observe modesty ; it will infinitely become you , and attract a kind of reverend esteeme in those who eye you . this will make your husbands to second what a noble gentleman sometimes pronounced in testimony of his good fortune , and approvement of his choyce : who , as it was long before hee married , so did much happinesse crowne his expectance , after such time as hee was espoused . i thanke god ( said he ) that i abandoned my conceit , and thus embraced an honourable state . as i was long time in chusing , i shall bee longer ere my thoughts incline to a changing . as increase of posterity put me upon the one , so shall my vowed fidelity divert me from the other . her condition , whom i have taken , doe's so suite me , as i should make my selfe unworthy such a choyce , should i ingage my desires to any forraine fancy . vndeserving is he of a worthy one , who intangles his affections with more then one . this is the way then , gentlewomen , to ingratiate your selves in their bosoms with whom you live , and whom onely you are entirely to love ; to make a contract betwixt your eyes and hearts , when at any time you goe abroad , or are admitted to any necessary visit : that your eyes may not become treacherous tarpeia's to your hearts . nor suffer any intrusive thought to enter , that may incroach upon your honour . for it is no lesse errour to have a desire to be sought by others , then to seeke after others . to cast out deluding eyes , and , like subtile falconers , with light deceiving lures , to seaze on amorous fooles ; which howsoever it imparadise them , it cannot chuse but highly disparage you . for speaking eyes are such dangerous orators , that though they allure others to folly , they ever ingage themselves most to apparent misery . but your discreet moderation ha's taught you a better lesson ; your thoughts are impatient , in giving reines to any such diversion . one sun is but for one spheare ; one diadem for one head ; and one conjugall embrace for one bed ; this best becomes you , this crownes you . this , as it confirmes your loyall love , while you are living : so will it leave a memory of your goodnesse at your dying : for , as to love a wife while she lives , is a pleasing fancy ; so to reteine the memory of a wife when she dies , is an act of piety . thus having sufficiently treated of this conjugall office , which deserves preheminence , because dignified by a primitive ordinance : wee purpose now to descend to our second observance , wherein wee are briefly to recommend to your candid iudgements , the distinct qualities of parentall and filiall offices . of parentall offices . parents , as they beare a naturall love to those they get , so are they to have an innate care in providing for those they have got . which parentall care properly reflects upon two objects : internall , externall : internall , the better to inable and prepare them for the happy fruition of things eternall ; externall , to accommodate them in a way of livelihood , lest they should become indigent , or necessitous in things temporall : the former ha's proper relation to nurture ; the latter to such necessaries , as conduce to the conservation of nature . for the first , it is an excellent lesson , which the wiseman giveth : teach a child in the trade of his way , and when he is old , hee will not depart from it . wee say , vessels keepe a savour of their first liquor : as cloath dyed in graine reteines his prime tincture . how cautious then should parents be of their childrens nurture ? if wee should take a re-view of preceding ages , we might find with what diligence and intentive care , the very ancient pagans provided schoole-masters for their children ; not only to instruct them in principles of learning , but discipline of living . yea , even our most ancient and eminent princes , ( so much was soveraignty enamoured on philosophy , men of highest quality on morall piety ) reteined ever some philosophers to their familiars : as alexander , aristotle ; ●arius , herodetus ; augustus , ●iso ; pompeius , plauto ; titus , pl●ni● ; adrian , secundus ; trajan , plutarch ; anthonius , apollonius ; theodosius , clandinus ; s●v●rus , fabatus . and there were not onely imployed in their owne conference : but in composing and delivering precepts , or rules of instruction to their children : you then , parents , who reteine in you better grounded hopes , then airy thoughts of elysian fields ; you , i say , who treasure great hopes in your posterity , and with a provident eye labour to improve their estates , by advancing them to places of dignity : be it your primary care , to enrich them inwardly ; that they may know how to manage an estate , before they come to be masters of an estate : many have lept into faire and full fortunes , conferred on them by their parents providence ; who , as they kn●w little how their too carefull fathers got it ; so with as much indifference they dispatcht themselves of it . education , which is a second nature , had given them no better nurture , then to follow feathers in the ayre ; their best of philosophy was hunting or falconry . and more excusable had it beene , if they had to closed : but corruption of manners stript them of all their mannors : forty entertaining those consorts of death , loose pandars , or light parasites , they exhaulted those streaming treasures , and exuberant fortunes , in one yeare , which many yeares ac●ompanied with watchfull ●ares , had to ●●lici●ously gathered . nor is it indeed a thing possible , that young gentlemen , who are mounted to high e●●stes , attended by numerous reteiners ; supplyed with variety of pleasures ; but indigent in these mentall treasures , should devote themselves without some miraculous inspiration , to any studious employments learning , as it was a stranger to them in their youthfull minority ; so the very thought of it begets a fastidious aversenesse to their memory . bookes are for retired spirits ; but soone tired would their spirits be , to be so retired . divine fancies , they hold i remiticall frenzies . such studies must never make them leane : for they professe themselves aliens to all stories , but legends of love. o what a word of disgrace in these novices eares , is the title of a scholler ? and to estrange themselves the better from such pedanticall consorts , they have resolv'd already , never to entertaine any such for their follower or ret●iner , that holds least correspondence with a philosopher . the reason is , as their parents indulgence would not suffer them to l●arne when they were young : so now they hold themselves too old to learne . to prevent this malady ( too epidemicall in most places ) be it your principall care to prepare such tutors for them , as may instruct them in the principles of divine and humane learning : and by their incessant diligence , so enable them , as they may taste a sweetnesse in those sciences they have learned . for the onely reason of his neglect , or remissenesse in arguments of knowledge , is their deficience in knowledge . for did they but understand the sweetnesse of learning , they would preferre the incomparable delight of one houres study , before a myriad of houres imployed in vanity . that brave picene had arrived , no doubt , at this port ; who , though his descent was noble , his revenues ample , and his objects of pleasure many ; yet hee ingenuously protested , that the least graine of philosophy , which either his tutors industry , or his owne sedulity had purchased him , was of more weight in his scale , than all the revenues that were left him . truth is , as youth is most docile to learne , so it is many times most facile to erre . and because diverse and sundry are the dispositions , with which our masters are to encounter : so there is required in them ; a free and plenteous measure of discretion , to the end they may accommodate their discipline to every ones disposition . some natures they shall find sweet and affable ; others rough and intractable . some apt to get , and no lesse apt to forget ; others flow to get , but apt to reteine . some to be won by an apple ; others to bee taught by the rod. and in these discoveries ▪ i should with parents rather to recommend the scrutinie to their masters ; then by too much indulgency to interesse themselves . he deserves not to be a master , whose discretion applyes not it selfe to the disposition of his scholler . neither is our discourse only restrained to arguments of learning . i am not ignorant how children descending from one root , may differ in the quality of their mind . some are not capable at schoole , who may shew themselves sufficient for a trade . as you then shall find your children disposed , be it your care to have them so bestowed : as neither your too much indulgence may decline their improvement : nor your too remisse care beget in them a neglect of their advancement . for youth , as it may become depraved by too much cockring , so may it be nipped in the bud , and consequently too much discouraged , by too rigid a curbing . be it then your prime care to lay a faire foundation : and to give them such accomplishment by a generous education , as their very posture may confirme them branches of honour : scorning to appeare in that designe , that may in the least manner derogate from their place , or lay a blemish on their blood . if thou beest cato's sonne , said that brave roman , doe nothing unworthy of cato's father . this patterne , but in a more divine imitation , should all children reteine in their memory : to prove unto the world , that they are true native scienes derived from such a family : from whence , as they received their birth , so they labour to improve it by presenting good examples upon this theatre of earth . o if inconsiderate youth did but know , what precious time it bestowes in trifling vanity ; as in dedicating those first houres of the day , in crisping those wanton love-lockes ; in cerussing and repairing a decayed beauty , by idolatrizing themselves in the reflexion of a flattering glasse ; by composing an adulterate countenance , purposely to induce fancy ; and , like wanton dalilah , to rob deluded man of his strength by their lascivious folly ! againe , how it bestowes the after-noone in needlesse visits , immodest objects , light presentments ; but scarcely reserves one minute , after so many mis-spended houres , for workes of devotion ! o , i say , would youth but lay these to his heart , and cloze the period of his thoughts with this short expostulation : o what have i done ! hee would returne no doubt with the poore penitent prodigal , and acknowledge his sinne ; hee would feed no longer on the husks of vanity ; nor goe astray , any more in those by-paths of folly . he would returne , i say , with the turtle , truly mourning ; bestow the remainder of his dayes in repenting : and desire no longer to live after he desisted from that pious resolution , which had so wholly possessed him , as it had left no hope for vanity to seize on him . now to perfect this good worke , let it be the especiall care of parents , to educate their children religiously , to season their infancy with principles of piety . for there is nothing that makes elther youth or age more wavering in points of religion ( next temporary respects , which too often times coole divine effects ) then ignorance in the grounds of religion . now , as it is the office of parents to plant them in it : so is it their duty to suffer no temporall respect to decline them from it . it was that learned fathers resolution ; i will hold that faith now when i am old , which i was nursed in when i was young . there is more beauty in our christian truth , then ever appeared in helen of greece . this moved that victorious emperour constantine the great , to protest , what his princely constancy had ever exprest , that he preferred his happinesse in being a member of christs church , before his being the head of an empire . seeing that the priviledges of faith are of larger extent , then the confines of an empire ; and of that inestimable price , as no treasure is to be compared to her : it becomes every sincere professor , to desire rather to suffer , then so incomparable a princesse should suffer in her honour : nay , rather to perish by speaking , then that truth should perish for want of a speaker . having thus laid downe the foundation , whereon the first hopes of youth are to be grounded ; with such eminent graces , wherewith it is to be seasoned : and such consequent principles of religion , wherein necessarily it is to be confirmed : wee are now to descend to our secondary parentall care ; which as it is not to precede the former , so is it not to be neglected in a proportionable measure and order . the soule indeed , as it is of a more precious substance then the body , so ought their cares to be of a distinct quality . this the poet intimated elegantly : lesse is the losse of fortune then of fame , more of a soule then of a glorious name . diverse then , and of distinct nature be these different cares : wherein parents are to be so much the more cautious , in regard their too anxious and immoderate cares , may become highly noxious . o how many by doing too much for their children , have undone their children ! be it then your especiall ayme , in these temporall cares , to improve your meanes by honest wayes . a revenue got with honesty , is a thriving portion to posterity : whereas , estates built on rapine , or the ruine of others , what shallow foundations have such fabricks , being many times no sooner raised , then razed ! these illegitimate patrimonies , as that grave morall stiled them , seldome survive an age : for the macerating cares of an exacting father , treasure their hopes most commonly on a prodigall successor . howsoever then , that apostolicall admonition is ever to be remembred ; and by a discreet providence to be seconded : if there be any that provideth not for his owne , and namely for them of his houshold , bee denieth the faith , and is worse then an iufidell : yet let a religious feare ever accompany this care . gods honour must be in the first place ; or there can bee no peace in any place . now to advance his honour , and obtaine favour in the presence of our best master , let not the provision for a family , nor improvement of a posterity make you remisse in your care of eternity . be owners of your owne ; seeke not to reape , what you have not sowne . scorne to be intruders in anothers right ; or , in the confidence of your power , to crush your inferiour ; or to grinde the face of the poore , by working on his necessity who flies to you for succour ; or by removing buttals , to enlarge your boundiers ; or by any meanes , to surprize others , to inhance your injurious co●ers . the partridge ( saith ambrose ) makes her a nest of stolne eggs , which she hath not laid , but as soone as the birds are hatched , the true mother cals them all away from their thievish step-dame : this may be the proper embleme of the covetous and cruell man , incubat auro . such incroaching brooders be all unconscionable misers , who sit hatching those golden egges ( to use the words of the apologue ) which they never lay , but , to their griefe , must be stript by the true owners , of what they so immoderately love . for the oppressors wealth is like achans wedge : turnus belt : dagons house broke dagons neck ; and all usurping possessors are to expect the like fate . gnipho the vsurer ( as lucian feigneth ) lieth in hell lamenting his miserable estate , that one rodochares ; an incestuous prodigal did on earth consume his goods wastfully in the su●feits of pleasure , which hee with care , and unjust meanes had scrap'd together . the way to decline these laments , and prevent those infernall teares ; is with discretion to moderate your cares and feares . let not an unjust nor injurious thought seize on you ▪ nor a desire to improve your selves by anothers ruine surprize you ; let not a widowes teare , nor an orphans shreeke beare record against you ▪ these have shrill voyces , and will find an avenger : one who has a bottle to preserve the teares of the one , as a precious elixir ; and an eare to compassionate the cryes of the other , like an indulgent father : the way then in these temporall cares , to make you happy parents , is with that indifferency to value gold , as to make godlinesse your chiefest gaint : to preferre the approvement of equity , before the improvement of a posterity ; to rejoyce more in honest poverty , than in those swelling titles of iniquity . for beleeve it , that little common-weale of man cannot chuse , but enjoy much quietnesse , where conscience becomes soveraignesse , and receives preheminence . now , there is one errour that i have observed in parents , which were well to be rectified : it is too generally spreading , and consequently exacts the more expedite prevention . it shall be our care to prescribe a cure : which if it admit a cure , it shall amply recompence our care . many , too many make it their prime ayme , their principall care in preferring their children , to fixe upon inheritance , or portion . their sonnes must marry with c●●cires , and so joyne land to land . a survey of their estates with whom they intend to match , must precede all inducements of love . grounds of fancy must be rank'd in the second siege . proportion is to veile to portion . reall affection to a rich possession . it was onely hope of promotion , that preferr'd this loves motion . were those inward ornaments of this great inheretrix never so meanly accoutred , being thus encountred , and with such rare fortunes embellished , they must be above their estimate valued : there is not so much as the least question made of the young gentlemans love . the parents choyce must admit no change . meane time , what miseries have attended such enforced marriages , every age can afford variety of dolefull instances : where an vnion of hands begot a dis-union of hearts . the reason might be this ; indirect affections seldome receive a blessing . they invert the use of marriage , who make portion directrice of affection : fancy subordinate to fortune . love is not to be made such a page of : bee it then your office to examine the affection of your child , before you engage their persons to an enforced choyce . though a good fortune be not to be rejected , yet is a good liking betwixt the parties to be preferred . in a word , let vertue be the ayme : and the marriage-day cannot chuse but cloze with a glorious even . in bestowing likewise your younger children upon trades , you are to be very circumspect in the choyce of their masters , with the quality of their professions . ingenuous natures suite not well with rigid masters . neither are tender , or delicate constitutions for toyling ●or sinnewy professions . this was especially observed by the ancient romans , which made them exquisite artists in those manuall mysteries . wee have here in this our flourishing iland many staple trades ; wherin , as it is no derogation for our gentry to interesse their younger children ; so by gods blessing , and their good endeavour , they become many times so well improved , as they need not obsequiously ingratiate themselves to any inferiour favour , nor rely on a pentionary supply , or any necessitated succour , being able by a civill remonstrance to render curtesie for curtesie to their elder brother . neither can i approve the indulgence of such parents , whose too tender affection towards their children , declines them from all hopes or helpes of preferment in this kind . birds wee see , after such time as they have brought forth their young ones , will not for ever foster them under their wings . they must be sent abroad to provide themselves food to releeve them , to build them nests to receive them , and fitting mates to consort them . and must these be wiser in their generation , than those nobler creatures , who partake of reason ? these observe the meanes by which they are directed to conserving ends . now , would you have these meanes defined ; they are properly styled , the way by which wee are directed , to that scope or marke , at which we aymed . as you are then by nature their parents , be it your care to raise them meanes of supportance . as they had from you their being , let them receive from you grounds of subsistence . let not your delicacy estrange their spirits from industry ; lest by too much hugging them , with the ape in the fable , you stifle them . send them then forth into the world , that as you have educated them , so you may reape the fruit of your provisionall care , by their improvement . for , trust me , highly are such parents to be condemned , who leave their estates so perplexed , as they recommend the lively-hood of the younger , to the remisse consideration , or doubtfull commiseration of the elder . for these , many times , entertaine such profuse followers , as their vast and unbounded ryot begets a neglect in them , towards such as were recommended to them , by making servants of their brothers , and brothers of their parasites . besides , the charge of annuities , as they exhaust the estate of the elder , making him live all his time like an ancient descendible begger ; so it begets an irregular course in the younger : who , either falling short in receipt of his annuall allowance , or exceeding his bounds , ingageth his perishing hopes to some desperate action , which in the end spins to a full length , the threed of his ruine . so many fearefull examples , both ancient and moderne , present themselves daily upon the stage of our state , as they need no further illustration in this kinde . that maxime holds ever authentick : brethren are ever kindest one to another , when they are least beholding one to another . assigne then to every one their peculiar portion , which will become such a firme cement or ligament to their affection ; as their mutuall supplyes may produce reciprocall tyes : by which harmonious freedome , or propriety of living ; one may enjoy the others society , without the least conceipt of a too tedious beholding . in the disposing too of your estates , let me advise you not to neglect opportunity of doing good to your owne , now while it is in your power to dispose of your owne . many by deferring the settling of their estates to their death , become abridged of their intents , by being prevented with the inopinate arrest of death : and so leave their distracted estates to be determined by lawyers , who being sed with fat fees , make fooles of your intended heires : leaving them after many an humbly complayning to bemoane their leane fortunes , when they fall into consideration how their extracted estates , by those numerous suite atoms , are resolved into papers : and how their long practise in a litigious kind of alchimy , by a precious pragmaticall pouder , has reduc'd all their chymicall fortunes into the remaines of a greater worke , the elixir of poverty . sicknesse is a sufficient burden of it selfe : disburden then your selves , by disposing of your estates before sicknesse commeth : not by dis-possessing your selves of them , for so you may give others power over you ; but by a discre●t and deliberate disposure of them , that temporall cares may lesse intangle you , when sicknesse shall surprize you : and your inward house be set in such order , as your composed soules may receive rest to your comfort , and gods honour . thus farre have wee enlarged our discourse , in laying before you the care which you are to have in spirituall affaires , for improving your children in that best knowledge , which may truly enable them for their highest inheritance : as likewise how you are in a conscionable provision to addresse your inferiour care for their temporall subsistence . in which two respects , as you shall performe the office of prudent and affectionate parents : so shall those rich treasures , which you deposit in succeeding hopes of your children , crowne your silver haires with incomparable comfort : for as this religious care was sincerely discharged by you : so shall you receive those filiall offices from yours , as may amply recompence your care ; and , as you shall now heare , returne to their labourer a deserving hire . you have heard what is required of parents to their children ; their incessant cares ; jealous feares ; and these intermixed with such doubtfull hopes , as not one houre without a corroding care ; nor a promising hope without a threatning feare . it was observed in augustus , that so long as his two daughters iulia and livia were in his presence , hee could never returne any expression to his councell with much resolvednesse . his mind was not fixed upon an answer , but upon his daughters behaviour . where he collected by the company they frequented how their affections were inclined . if iulia converse with a ruffian , it becomes no lesse a sting to her fathers heart , then a staine to his daughters reputation . whereas if livia enter into discourse with any grave senatour ; this pleasing object redounds equally to his solace , as well as her honour . now to recompence these numerous cares and anxious feares , which become constant companions to parents hearts , let children returne a gratefull remonstrance of their duty and zeale in these three distinct respects . first , in tendring them the sacrifice of obedience ; secondly , in performing that filiall office with all reverence . thirdly , in affording them , if necessity should thereto enforce them , their best supportance . of these we shall take occasion to treat severally , and with that perspicuity , as the very youngest and rawest in these offices , may vnderstand his peculiar duty . it was an excellent admonition of that sonne of sirach ; honour thy father from thy whole heart , and forget not the sorrowes of thy mother . which admonition in the next ensuing verse he strengthneth with this emphaticall remembrance : remember that thou wast borne of them , and how canst thou recompence them the things that they have done for thee . this confirmes that maxime of the stagyrite : to our masters , our gods and parents can never be rendred an equivalence . and if that divine rule hold , that the obedience we exhibit to our superiours , we even exhibit to god himselfe , who is the lord paramount , and in whose presence the highest potentates are inferiours ; what superiority in a degree of such propinquity exacts of us a more filiall duty ? whence it was , that blessed basill falling into a serious contemplation of this tender native affection , affirmeth ; that we are bound to love our parents as our owne proper bowells . so as hee well deserveth , saith saint gregory , to bee punished with blindnesse , which lookes vpon his parents with a louring count'nance , or with proud eyes offends the piety of his naturall parents . canst thou looke ( said that excellent morall ) vpon those who brought thee forth into the world with a contemptuous eye , as if they were not worthy to live in the world ? must those who bred thee , breed a distaste in thee ? art thou by being a man of place , ashamed of thy birth , which gave thee a being upon earth ? must thine honour so degenerate from nature , as nature must veile to honour ; and make the affluence of a fading state to soveraignize over her ? are these arguments of obedience , when creditors become debters , and parents servants to their children . as every family is a private soveraignty ; so ought there to bee a disposition , order , or apt symmetry in every member of that family . the members are ministers unto the head : so are children and servants to the master of the house . should the least member surcease to minister , the head could not chuse but infinitely suffer . now , how unnaturall bee those tendrells , how adulterate those scienes , which decline from that stemme which gave them growth ; from that parentall stocke , which render'd them their first birth ? the philosopher , indeed , gives a reason why parents love their children more , then children their parents : and why they know more then those children that derive their being from them : because , sayes he ; as water is the purest which flowes from the fountaine head the nearest ; so that love which descends from the originall root is ever the dearest : and for as much as true love is ever grounded upon knowledge , for otherwise it merits rather the title of folly then fancy ; in regard parents know us better to be theirs , then we our selves know us to be theirs : so much more as their knowledge is surer , so much is their parentall affection purer . whence the poet delivers this for a knowne experiment . nature do's oft descend , but seldome mount , parents areeres fall short in their account . but if children would consider how they have received their native being from them : againe , those incessant cares which attend them : with those promising hopes which they have treasured in them , they would hold it one of the highest taskes , and noblest acts of piety , to be imployed in those offices of filiall duty ; and to performe them with all alacrity . besides , doe children desire a blessing ? the honour which they render unto their parents is confir●ed with a promise . nor is any commandement ratified with a stronger assumpsit . length of dayes is promised , which implyes an abridgement of time to such as neglect it . nay , that i may presse this argument a little further , by recounting those benefits which arise from parentall honour : wee shall generally observe , how that dis-regard to obedience , which children shew towards their parents , ●s fully requited by the disobedience of their children , when they come to be parents . for what more may you expect from yours , then what you tendered unto yours ? you may collect hence what singular blessings are from obedience derived : againe , what discomforts even to posterity are from disobedience occasioned . the one proposeth a long life ; the other implyeth a short life . the one conferrs a comfort on us in our posterity ; the other a myriad of afflictions in our progeny . nor can that child be of ●a ingenuous nature , who with a free and uncoacted embrace addresseth not his best endeavours to advance this honour . let him but respect upon his parents tendernesse , and hee cannot chuse but highly taxe himselfe of unthankefulnesse ; should hee suffer the neglect of one houre in returning the obedientiall sacrifice of a child to his father . neither is any time to be exempted from so pious a taske . for as their tender and vigilant eye has beene from infancy to yeeres of more maturity ever intentively fixed , that their hopes might be improved , and their comforts ●n that improvement numerously augmented ; so ought it to be the delightful'st study to their posterity , to crown their parents white hairs with comfort ; and in imitation of that ve●tuous corinthian , to recollect themselves , by considering what might give their parents most content : and with all cheerfulnesse to performe that for them , even after their death , which they conceived could not chuse but content them in their life . alas , so indulgent are most parents , and so easily contented , as the very least offices of duty performed by their children , transport them above comparison . when children in obedience play their part , they drop young blood into an aged heart . nay , i may truly affirme of this precious plant of filiall obedience , what our ancient poets sometimes wrote of that aesonian herbe , or what the ever living homer reported of his moli ; that it has power to restore nature , and beget an amiable complexion in the professor . for a good life attracts to the countenance ( sayes the ethick ) expressive characters of love . now should you more curiously then necessarily enquire after the extent of this obedience ; as , wherein it is to be exercised , and to what bounds confined : take this for a positive rule ; that in whatsoever shall not be repugnant to the expresse will of god , there is required this observance : yea , even in matters of indifference , it is farre safer to oppose your owne wils , then distaste your parents . it was an excellent saying of saint gregory ; hee that would not offend in things unlawfull , must oft abridge himselfe in things lawfull . the way to infuse more native heat in this obedience , is to shew an alacrity of obeying , even in subjects of indifference ; for a remissenesse in these cannot but argue a probable coolenesse in those of higher consequence . and , as the command of a discreet father will injoyne his child nothing but what may comply equally with piety and reason : so will a dutifull child submit himselfe to his fathers command , without the least unbeseeming debate or expostulation . thus from these premisses may wee draw this infallible conclusion : would you enjoy length of dayes , glad houres , or a succeeding comfort in yours ? answer their aged hopes who have treasured their provisionall cares for you ; bring not their silver haires with sorrow to their grave : but returne them such arguments of proficience in every promising grace ; that your sincere and unfeigned obedience , may not be only a surviving comfort to your parents , but a continuall feast to your owne conscience . neither are you to performe these offices of obedience , with a regardlesse affection , or without due reverence . for , as god would have those who are labourers in his vineyard , to doe their worke with cheerefulnesse : so is it his will that naturall children returne all offices of duty , and filiall obedience with humility and reverence . age is a crowne of glory , when it is found in the way of righteousnesse . and this closeth well with that saying of the preacher : the crowne of old men , is to have much experience , and the feare of god is their glory . but admit they were such , whom native obedience injoynes you to reverence : as the nearer to their grave , the further from knowledge : the nearer to earth , the more glued to earth : yet for all this , in lawfull things are you not to alien your thoughts of obedience from them : but as you derived your being from them , so with a sensible compassion of their infirmities , with the veile of piety to cover their nakednesse . it is true indeed what that sententious morall sometimes observed : a there is no sight more unseemely then an old man , who having lived long , reteines no other argument of his age then his yeares . this moved curius dentatus to conclude so positively , b that he had rather be dead , then live as one dead . neither indeed is age to bee measured by yeares but houres . many are old in yeares , who are young in houres : many old in houres , who are young in yeares . for time is of such unvaluable estimate , that if it be not imployed to improvement , it becomes a detriment to the accomptant . no object more distastefull ( said that divine morall ) then an c elementary old-man : no subject of discourse more hatefull ( said witty petrarch ) then a d dialecticall old-man . a logicall age , howsoever it appeare copious in words ; it seldome becomes plenteous in workes . free discoursers in philosophy , are oft the slowest proficients in the practick part of philosophy . whereas , it is better to be a truant at schoole , then in the practise of life . for , as it is better to know little ; and practise much ; then to know much , and practise little : so it is a more usefull knowledge , to learne the art of living , then of learning . for many with their learning have gone into hell : whereas none , were they never so simple , but by living well have gained heaven . it is an excellent caution indeed , and well deserving our deepe impression : if thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth , what canst thou find in thine age ? put sufficient it is not to gather , but to make use of that experimentall treasure . medicines deposited afford small benefit to the patient : nor are talents to bee buried : nor our lights under a bushell shrouded . knowledge cannot be usefully active , unlesse it be communicative . howsoever , then , age in respect of her ancient livery with those aged emblemes of her antiquity exact reverence : yet deserves it most honour when those gray haires are beautified with knowledge . oh , how pleasant a thing is it , when gray headed men minister judgement , and when the elders can give good counsell ! oh , how comely a thing is wisedome unto aged men , and understanding an● prudency to men of honour ! this no doubt , as it begets them esteeme amongst their equals : so it highly improves their reverence with inferiours . for , foolish age , though it should be exempted from derision ; yet such is the levity of time , and piercing eye of youthfull observation , as age becomes censured by youth ; whereas youth ought rather to interpret the best , then detract in the least from the reverence of age . it is too true , that every obliquity , be it either of higher or lower quality , is more incurable in age , then youth . the reason is , age becomes more insensible of what it has committed , and growes more indurate through an accustomed habit : whereas , though an unconfined heat of youth drive the other into folly : an ability of conceipt brings them to an apprehension of what they have done : and consequently to a recollection of themselves , to reforme what they have mis-done . now , the way how to improve this reverence in parents to their children , and magistrates to their inferiours ; is to expresse such patterns of piety in the whole course of their life , as the very shadows reflecting from such mirrors may produce an awfull reverence , zeale , and love in their observers : with a zealous desire of imitation in their successors . this , no doubt , begot a pious emulation in our predecessors towards those , whose actions being of ancient record , induced them to trace those steps wherein they had walked : and with much constancy to professe those vertues , which they had found in them so highly approved . others lives became their lines ; lines to direct them by their coppy : lights to conduct them to an higher pitch of true nobility . it is a rule worthy inscription on the ancient wardrobe of age : old men , by how much they are unto death neerer , by so much more ought they to be purer . this will attract unto them duty in their life ; and eternity after death . now , gentlemen , that you may better observe this reverence , addressed to those to whom you owe all obedience : be it farre from you to debate or dispute their commands : it suites not well with the duty of a child to expostulate with a father ; especially , in morall respects : where the quality or nature of the command discovers no opposition to the law divine . be never in their presence without a pious feare , and awfull reverence . interrupt them not in their discourse : neither preferre your owne opinion before their advise . it tastes of an ill condition to stand upon conditions with a father , upon proposals of meanes or exhibitions . but much more distastefull to contest in termes ; as if the memory of nature were lost in you , and all acquaintance with piety estranged from you . this it was which moved that dis-passionate theban , to take up his unseasoned sonne in this manner : putting him in mind of his neglect , even of civile duty ; which the better to remember , hee layes before him his uncivile demeanour in this severe character . an ale-house seemes by your apologie an excellent receipt for a male-content . i am sory you have lost the principles of more divine philosophy . you might recall to mind those attick studies , wherein you were sometimes versed ; those academick colleagues , with whom you discoursed : a memoriall of these might have better qualified this humour ; by reducing your troubled affections to a clearer temper . but my hopes now are to be resolv'd into prayers : for as yet there can appeare small hope , where your morning sacrifice is offer'd to smoake : a sweet perfume for an intended convert ! you seeme to presse your father to a performance of promise ; god blesse you ! i see plainely your pen must necessarily make that maxime good : — where there is a want in the practise of piety , it must needs beget a neglect of duty , nay of civility . i could wish that you would be as ready to reform : the errours of your life , as i to performe the offices of a fatherly love : so speedily do's love descend , so slowly do's it ascend . to conclude all in one , — i must tell you , to condition with a father , argues no good condition in a sonne . but let the wisest consort you consult with advise you , and with their tap-rhetorick surprize you ; you shall find that i have power to proportion meanes to every ones merit . from which resolution , neither shall affection draw me , nor power over-awe me : so as , if you expect from me a patrimony , exercise piety . be what you seem● , or prove the same you vow , wee have dissembling practisers enow . thus have you heard the course of a profuse sonne , with the resolution of a dis-consolate father . collect hence what discontents accompany the one : what distractions conscionably may attend the other children reflect constant cares , but uncertaine comforts . cares are proper attributes to parents : comforts , those fruits , after a long seed-plot of cares , the sole harvest they reape . it is true , parents are to dispence with discomforts in their children ; and receive them as familiar guests to lodge with them : but what heavy fates attend such children , as exemplarily present this condition ! welcome guests you cannot be to your father in heaven , who make your inferiour cares such unwelcome guests to him on earth . i have found in some children a serious inquisition after their fathers yeares : so as , if they could possibly have contracted with the register , to inlarge his aged character , hee could not want an ample fee for so gratefull a labour . such as these would ride in their fathers saddle before their time . but trust me , few of these lap-wing hopes or loose-pinion'd desires , but they cloze in a fatall catastrophe : and as their ill-grounded hopes were scean'd in prodigality , so they end tragically in an act of misery . let it be your honour to reverence their gray haires , and with wishes of pious zeale to rejoyce in their length of dayes : for this it is will bring an happinesse to your age ; and beget a reverend obedience in yours , as you in all piety offer'd like sacrifice unto yours . for take this for a constant position ; you shall seldome see any prodigals falling short of these inherent offices of duty , but if they live to have a progeny , they receive the like discomforts from their posterity . nay , i have knowne very few such vnnaturalists , who desired their fathers death , in hope to enjoy his land ; that ever enjoy'd much comfort in possession of that land : for as these murder their parents in their hearts , so they are many times stifled in the fruition of their hopes : tasting more aloes of discontent in their enjoying : then ever they did sweetnesse in their expecting . consider then the excellency of that divine proverbe : a foolish son is a griefe unto his father , and a heavinesse to her that bare him . now , lesse then foolish you cannot be , so long as dis-obedience hales you to ruine : for your folly becomes an abridger of your dayes : or an ingager of your yeares to many dis-consolate cares : inverting that by making it a cursing , which by preserving it in his owne purity , might have beene an incomparable blessing . remember then that golden sentence , and let it reteine a faire character in the signature of your conscience : childrens children are the crowne of the elders : and the glory of the children are their fathers . as you are their crowne , so let them be your glory . let every day wherein you live , produce a testimony of your unfeigned duty , your entire love . this shall be a meanes to accumulate gods blessings on you : and leave patterns of piety , to such as shall succeed you , with a sacrifice of like obedience to please you , and in the memory of their vertues deservingly to prayse you . thus by performing the religious taske of sincere obedience , you cannot chuse but seasonably afford them your supportance , to whom you tender'd such entire reverence . should children forget their duty to those that bred them ; or neglect all such pious offices as properly become them . should those native impressions be wholly razed in them , which , as shadowes to their bodies , should individually attend them . should humanity lose his name , or piety relinquish her nature : yet might these , even by fixing on sensible creatures , find such moving objects , as the very parentall affection which these inferiour emblemes beare to those that gave them being , could not chuse but strike in them a glowing shame , and present to their weake memory , the neglect of their necessitated duty . it is said of the cranes , that when their parents have moulted their feathers , their young ones seeke about for all such necessaries as may relieve them , till such time as their aged parents recover their feathers ; or by death leave them . likewise to shew how wee ought to succour and support our parents when they grow aged , may be instanced in the tender affection of the storke : whereof wee reade , that when the storkes grow old , their affectionate brood take up their parents upon their owne wings , and set them in their nests , and like tender infants place them in their owne bosome ; where they nurse and nusle them , affording them all supportance that may any way accommodate them . nay , of all the birds in the ayre , the vultur onely suffers his parents to perish with hunger ; which discovers his ravenous and odious nature . it is most true what an ancient father sometimes observed : should wee bestow on them whatsoever we could possibly conferre on them , yet could wee not doe that which they have done for us , beget them . how tender then should wee be of their supporting , from whom we receive the source of our being . it is written of the tyger , though a beast of a savage and truculent nature , that when they take away the young one , they set looking glasses , or some transparent models in the way to stay the pursuit of the she tyger ; wherein seeing her selfe represented by reflexion of the glasse , she there solaceth her selfe with the conceit of her owne forme , while the hunters make way for escape . whence wee may take a view of the tender affection of the savagest creature to her cubs in an imaginary reflexion on their feature . these unfeignedly love those who came from them ; and no doubt by a secret instinct of nature , are equally requited by a thankefull remonstrance returned to them : and shall the parthian tyger reteine more impressive characters of a tender nature , then the most noble and rationall creature ? you heard before , how when the old storke through age becomes naked of feathers ; destitute of all personall supply or succour : when her life becomes tedious unto her , through those infirmities of age which attend her ; yet shee receives comfort from those , who derived their being from her : shee is fed by her brood , and carried by them from place to place upon their wings . so was aged anchises carried by his pious aeneas : and so should all children doe to their distressed parents . valerius relates an excellent example , wherein hee shewes how we ought by so imitable a patterne to succour and support our parents when they are in necessity ; which hee commends unto us in this admirable story : there was sometimes a certaine noble woman of high descent and parentage , who being adjudged to dye for some foule offence , yet in respect of her family the iudge decreed she should not dye publikely ; but be shut up in prison , and so dye for hunger . but her tender-hearted daughter being then married , having got leave of the iudge that shee might daily visit her mother , a dis-consolate prisoner , but before she were admitted to her , to be carefully search'd that shee brought no reliefe unto her : so as , being in that manner prevented to afford her such comfort or repast as she desired ( behold how wittily naturall affection became provided ) shee pull'd forth her owne brests , and with her milke nourish'd her mother . and when the iudge wondred how shee could so long subsist , being deprived of all meanes of reliefe ; having at last heard what her daughter had done unto her mother , being moved with compassion , and the unexemplary piety of her affection , he restored the mother to her daughter . now shall pagans expresse better the piety of christians , then christians the humanity of pagans ? shall a beameling shew more splendor , then the sonne it selfe , whose reflection affords that lustre ? a glimmering at the best had but these ethnicks , and that onely darting from the light of nature : whereas we enjoy the sunne in his meridian glory ; being adorned with an inward beauty : expecting no elysia● f●●lds , but those essentiall joyes of eternity . as our hopes are higher ; our expectance surer , our grounded assurance firmer : let our affections appeare purer ; our actions in the practise of piety clearer . it was an excellent commendation which that monument bore in her front to the memory of that vertuous matron , constantia , the lady lucie : a true performer of all duties to husband , parents , children , friends . in the first , expressing conjugall constancy ; in the second , filiall piety ; in the third , naturall propinquity ; in the fourth , reciprocall courtesie . now , of these , some have maintained that no office was more obliging , then that of a child to his parent , confirming their affection with this reason : in the losse of a wife , one may redeeme that losse with the marrying of another : in the losse of a child , one may repaire that losse in the generation of another : and in the losse of a friend , one may recover that losse by the purchase of another : but should we forgoe a father or a mother , wee cannot possibly restore that losse with the supply of another . howsoever i stand doubtfull of the authentick validity of this opinion : seeing wee are expresly injoyned to leave father and mother for our wife : which parentall dereliction implyes , that man is to adhere to his wife in the nearest tye of affection ; no doubt but wee are by the law of nature , nay by the definite command of our maker , rather to surcease from living , then from supporting those from whom we received our being . our breeding was their care ; let our care bestow it selfe on their succour . let not a wish proceed from our heart to accelerate their end : though a wish extend not to an act , yet it breaths too much inhumanity to worke upon so native a part . man should be of a more noble and malleable a temper , then to partake of the nature of a viper . it is reported , that towards the north-west part of ireland , there is an iland so temperate , or by some miraculous influence so indowed , as when any inhabitant there becomes worne with age ; or so enfeebled , as their life becomes an affliction : so tedious their houres ; so fastidious their yeares ; their children or friends must remove them out of that place , before they can dye . whether there be any such enlivening ile or no , i shall leave to the credit of the relater : but i much feare mee , there be many remorcelesse friends , and gracelesse children , who would find ready hands to remove those eye-sores from that iland ; long before such times as any such decrepit age seized on them : desiring rather to enjoy their present fortunes then the presence of their persons . but such premature hopes resolve themselves into weake helpes : for where sonnes are sicke of the father , or daughters of the mother , they generally decrease no lesse in the prosperity of their estate , then quality of their nature . be it then your care to provide for their necessity ; to support them in their misery ; and cheerefully returne them all such offices of piety , as may relieve their age , and consequently improve your comfort in a surviving posterity . and so we descend briefly to those domestick offices , wherein the servant is to expresse himselfe with all diligence and reverence to his master ; as likewise in what manner every master is to demeane himselfe towards his servant , in a gratefull and ample measure to requite his endeavour . wherein , as they merit precedency , we are first to treat of the offices of a master : and in the second place of those duties of a servant to his master , which are ever to be rendred with competent honour . of domestick offices . every private family is a little city ; wherein if there should be no order , nor harmony , that distracted government would beget a private anarchy . it were a great abuse ( said that mellifluous bernard ) for the mistris to play the hand-maid ; the hand-maid and mistris : yet as the eyes of the hand-maid should be upon the eyes of her mistris ; so must not the eyes of the mistris be estranged from the eyes of her hand-maid . as there is a deputative charge recommended to the one : so should there be a supervisive care in the other . now , as masters challenge to themselves a power to command : so are they to have discretion in knowing what they command . in some cases , servants may more conscionably dis-obey , then obey the commands of their masters . ioseph would not ingage his honour , by prostituting his chaste thoughts to a prohibited pleasure , for the losse of a light mistris favour . lawfull things only , as they are by masters to bee commanded ; so are they with all alacrity by servants to be obeyed . now to walke in such a faire a smooth path of commanding ; as neither the master may erre in the exhibition of his commands : nor the servant shew himselfe remisse in observing what is commanded : the master is to decline two extreames ; the neglect whereof many times begets either a contempt or hate in the master : an insolence or remissenesse in the servant . these are leuity and severity : for as the one makes the servant more insolent : so the other makes the master more hated . the wise-man , indeed , proposeth a rule how masters are to command : and in what manner they are to demeane themselves to their servants : which he expresseth to life in these words : he that delicately bringeth up his servant from youth , at length hee will be even as his sonne . whence he inferreth , that too much delicacy or familiarity with ones servant begets a contempt . this makes him quite forget his servile condition : and strangely infuseth into him an over-weening conceit of his owne abilities : which begets in him such a malapertnesse , as in short time his perverse disposition confi●mes the wise-mans assertion : he will not bee chastised with words : though hee understand , yet hee will not answer . it is dangerous then , to make a copesmate of our inferiour . you are then to observe a meane in this ; neither to insensate them by too much indulgency : nor decline their affections from you by too much severity . that indiscreet act of vedius pollio could deserve no lesse then an extreame censure ; who , as one stript of humane nature , could so intemperately tyrannize over his servants , as to cause one to bee cast into a fish-pond for breaking a glasse , what an excellent rigid master would this man have beene for our lascivious and spritely gallants , who cannot present an health to their britle venus , without the breach of a venice glasse ? now , there be many masters , who with zimri , by seeking their servants , lose themselves . these are so glued to the world , as they verily think the world has not enough mould to give every one an handfull . they never looke upon the wheele ( for such emblemes are farre from them ) which in its motion has ever the least part or portion of all his proportion upon the ground . earth receives the least part of it ; whereas earth enjoyes the most of their heart . these , though they reteine the title of masters , are in their condition poorer then the lowest of their servants . for in those comforts or complies of nature , they partake the least share . their sleeps are distracted ; their unseasonable repasts undigested : their clothes sordidly or broakishly suited . so as , such miserable wretches as these , who are only rich in having , but poore in enjoying , want no character to discover the quality of their slimy nature , but that epitaph or inscription which was addressed for one of the like temper , and in this manner : here lyes hee who had stocke and store , had flocks i' th field , had corne o' th floore , had goats within , and gates at 's doore , had all a-shore , yet dyed poore . i vow by fate , a wondrous feate , that such a mate should dye for meate . it is farre better to possesse little , and enjoy it : then by possessing much , to be estranged from the enjoyment of it . these , as they are ever their owne tormentors : so they for most part leave few mourners , but fat executors . i have observed many of these rigid and severe masters , suited with the very sluggisht and sloathfull'st servants . such , as though they pretended diligence in their masters sight , it was , but eye-service at the best : for their masters absence gave them an easie dispensation with conscience . their seeming labour must then turne loyterer ; their late distemper'd rest into a shady repose or plenteous repast . such as these will be the aptest for taking up those words of that malapert servant in the gospel : my master doth deferre his comming . hee resolves therefore to take advantage of time ; and to play the commander in the absence of his master . where , like an imperious censor , he begins to smite the servants , and maidens , and to eate , and drinke , and to be drunken . these are many times the fruits of parcimonious masters : who , by tasking their servants too strictly : or by deteining from them what they are to render them in equity ; either make them dissolute , or some other way desperate : whereof wee have such daily examples , as their too insulting command have brought many timorous servants to a fearefull end . the like may be spoken of domineering mistresses ; who make their correction of their maids , their sole recreation . and these for most part , are of that tenacious nature , as they will not afford a competence to their family , but ingage themselves to famine amidst of plenty . these , as they live without love , so they generally dye without teares . their excessive care to advance a posterity , as it expos'd them to an indiscreet parcimony ; so it ever closed their memory with an incompassionate elegy . this that injuried melissa in the poet expressed ; who , having long time served where shee little profited , and now freed of her sharpe mistris drusilla , by death attached ; resolved to revive her mistresses memory , one no lesse decrepit in mind then body , in this loves lachrymae , or her ladies elegie : ladies tell mee , you that shine in the fancy of the time , would you live when you doe feele maladies from head to heele ? rugged wrinkles on that brow whiter once then ida's snow ; many rivels , beamlings few where the rose and lily grew ; when those dangling'trosses shall in a timely autumne fall ; when that breath shall earth partake , which was once ambrosiack ; when those pearled cordons shed leave your mouths unpeopled ; when your nose and chin shall meet , balmy palme has lost her heat ; when those weake-supporting feet faile in traversing the street ? if death pleasing be to such , why should frailty then thinke much , when like grasse she is cut downe for others good , and for her owne ? let not a tear then dimme your eye , when you see your mother dye . she only to her mother goes where for a while she must repose , till her united parts shall sing a glorious paean to her king ; or to dis , i know not which , who made her poore by being rich : " for ready entrance who 'l deny her , " that has the keyes of angels by her ! but let us decline our course from these parcimonious natures ; being such as make themselves most miserable in having : by enjoying least what they have in possessing : and in briefe deliver the true character of a deserving master . which we shall not presume to commend unto you , as a patterne , or modell drawne from the engine of our owne conceit : being already so exactly presented to life , by that glorious convert , and excellent vessell of election in these words : yee masters , doe unto your servants , that which is just , and equall , knowing that ye also have a master in heaven . and to attemper the inclemency of sterne and implacable masters , whose highest glory it is domineere over their servants , he useth this exhortation : put away threatning ; for know that even your master also is in heaven , neither is there respect of persons with him . now to observe this golden meane in your command ; neither beare your selves so indulgent , as your remissenesse may probably beget a neglect in your servant : for so by remitting your care , might you occasion him to difert , or omit his charge : nor cruell ; for your distemper may discourage a well composed nature , and make him weary of his imployments for so severe and rigid a master . be it your care , that neither your remissenesse make him sleight you , nor your to much strictnesse bring him to hate you : so shal your gracefull demeanour deserve the choyce of such a servant , as i am now to present unto you : whose service shall be to your solace : and whose behaviour shall ever conduce to your profit and honour . now , as you have heard those distinct offices of masters to their servants : you , who are in all lawfull things to obey your masters , recollect what especiall duties import you : and how you stand obliged , both by divine and humane law to performe conscionably , what you are enjoyned to observe legally . and to expresse your selves the better in the performance of this duty , let not such taskes nor imployments as are injoyned you , be done perfunctorily or remissely , but cheerfully , and with all alacrity . observe the direction of that sage morall : that labour loseth a great part of its honour , that is done in a secure or drowsie manner . a servant , to render himselfe truly obedient , must have agility of hand , and alacrity of heart . many by repining have lost their penny in the evening . and know ye , that as a curse is denounced on that master , who defraudeth his servant of his wages : so can no blessing redound unto that servant , who defraudeth his master of his worke . it was the apostles exhortation , and it well deserves your attention : servants be obedient unto them that are your masters according to the flesh , with feare and trembling , in singlenesse of your hearts as unto christ. whence you may collect , how pretences of obedience without reverence and sincerenesse can purchase no acceptance . let it bee your principall care to reteine a memory of your highest master : by which you shall learne to performe those offices to his honour , which are recommended to your charge ; and in the evening of your service , amply remunerate your care . iacob , because hee did the duty of a carefull servant , became a master of dutifull servants . he shall never know well how to command , that has not learned first how to obey . obedience is a thankfull sacrifice : neither can he well expresse it to his invisible maker , who has not endeavour'd to render it to his visible master . you know well what is commended and committed to you : discharge your place with discretion ; it will improve your masters affection ; confirme his good opinion ; and conferre a blessing on your fortune . a discreet servant shall have rule over a lewd sonne . doe you observe this honour ? as you tender then your reputation , let your service be ever seasoned with discretion . let not your labours be to the eyes of men ; seeing you are in his sight , whose eyes are upon all the children of men . let not your masters presence be the sole motive to your diligence : but when hee is farthest divided from you , addresse your imployments as if hee were present with you . let no wandring thoughts distract you : as you are seated in a vocation , you must not suffer it to admit of the least distraction . this has made too many labourers mighty loiterers , by suffering their thoughts to wander amidst those interesses of their labour . thinke how many are made slaves of servants : this cannot chuse but sweeten your taske , in conceiving that extreame servitude which others taste . let not an indiscreet word passe from you : know how you are to serve . let your speech then suite with the condition of a servant . a malapert answer may exasperate the passion of the most indulgent master . but above all things observe this caveat : guild not over your errours with glozing excuses . to defend an errour , is the way to confirme you in errour . nor is there any hope of his reclayming , who either stands in justification of his offence , or with a frontlesse boldnesse labours to approve it , either by a palliated excuse , or apparent defence . for in this case , saith the civilian , the meere defence equals the quality of the offence . now to divert all occasions of wandring , be it your care to assigne every distinct houre his peculiar taske . there is no rust that consumes iron so much , as sloath enfeebles or effeminates the spirit . idlenesse makes of men women , of women beasts , of beasts monsters . let it not then be said of you , what was sometimes spoken of margites ; that he never plowed , nor digged , nor did any thing all his life long that might tend unto goodnesse . such as these are wholly unprofitable to the world . furnished with ericthous bowels , but philoxenus hands : for howsoever they are lesse then pigmies at their work , yet at their meat they are more then men . i would have these patrons and patterns of idlenesse used , as zeno handled his servant bruso ; who being taken with theft , and alledging for himselfe that it was his destiny to steale ( so apt are the most irregular to weave excuses ) his master shaped him as ready an answer , and thy destiny to be beaten . the crab-fish , ( when as the oyster doth open her selfe ) by a politick instinct casteth a stone into her shell ; by which meanes being not able to shut her selfe againe , she becomes a prey unto the crab. the fathers by a proper allusion apply this unto the divell ; when hee findeth men gaping and idle , he casteth into them some stone of temptation , whereby he workes their overthrow and ruine . the sloathfull man is the divels shop ; there hee workes , ever most busie when men are lazie ; ever intentivest when men are securest . for as mans extremity is gods opportunity , such is his piety : so the divels opportunity is mans security , such is his policy . you are to know then , that health commeth not from the clouds without seeking , nor wealth from the clods without digging . the earth begun from her former fertility to faile , when adam begun to fall . it needed not then such culture , as it afterwards required to make it fruitfull . had adam never transgrest , hee had never received that strict command of eating his bread in the sweat of his browes . eden was then a native fruitfull garden : but adams sinne alter'd the soyle . as you are then injoyned , and by a strict covenant tyed ; neglect no time wherein you may in a conscionable way render unto your master an usefull account of your imployment . and as this is required at your hands ; so let this bee done with cheerfull hearts . for where alacrity accompanies any good , or pious action , it argues a sincere previous intention : which indeed , is the crown of every action . for good actions may be ill done , either by being corrupted in their doing , or by being not intended before they were done . you are then to performe your labours with singlenesse of heart ; which affords an high approvement to every act . there is one thing more , which you are carefully to prevent : for as the errour is more generall , so it requires a timely diversion , lest habit begin to sleight the quality of the offence , through an inurement or continuance of practise . i have observed many servants to hold this opinion : that if their care extend it selfe to what is committed to their charge ; they are not bound in conscience to looke any further : the charge of their fellow-servants holds no relation with them : they doe what is injoyned them , and this ( as they erroneously pretend ) may sufficiently discharge them . it is true , indeed , as the world goes , such servants may bee well received into the list of carefull reteiners , who addresse their labour to what is peculiarly injoyned them by their masters : but if they should duly consider the office of a faithfull servant : their care would dilate it selfe to an higher extent . for that servant cannot love his master sincerely , nor performe those offices which are required of him effectually , unlesse hee reteine a cautious and vigilant eye towards his fellowes care , and to their neglects prescribe a cure . yet not so , as by an insinuating way , so to ingratiate themselves in their masters favours , as by private whisperings or suggestions to lay a disgrace upon their fellow-servants . this is neither an act of duty ; nor any such office as may hold coherence with charity . for her rule is , to doe as you would be done unto . but if you apparently perceive that those who are in family with you , neglect their charge , or profusely dissipate your masters goods ; you are not in conscience bound to bee their secretaries . for when no admonitions will reclaime them , corrasives instead of cordials must be applyed to them . thus have you heard what you are to doe , and what you are to decline . much is expected from you , because much is committed to you . remit not your care ; but reflect on your heavenly master , in whose presence you ever are . begin the actions of every day with a memoriall of piety : so shall you prosper better in the performance of those offices in your family . and so we descend to our last observation ▪ which strikes anchor upon those neighbourly offices , which wee are to doe mutually one to another . of neighbourly offices . ovr daily experience and hourely observance may sufficiently informe us ; that , as our speech is the bond or arterie of humane society : so is humane society ; an especiall solace in this vale of misery . that rough philosopher , who gloried more in his contempt of the world , then others did in enjoying the fulnesse of it , though he naturally affected retirednes , yet could he not chuse but apprehend a great happines to consist in the mutuall enjoyment of one anothers neighbour-hood . this moved him to returne that answer to one , who intreated his resolution touching a parcell of ground which he was to purchase , with the conveniences which accomodated it : before thou become purchaser , inquire first who shall be thy neighbour . an ill neighbour makes an unhappy farmer : neither can the purchase be deare , who has a friendly neighbour at his doore . it was the wisemans positive assertion : he that despiseth his neighbour is destitute of wisedome . now , to preserve this neighbourly vnion : that as propinquity of place hath joyned them , so a sweet harmony of mindes may ever accompany them : you are first to know in what especiall offices this neighbourly amity is to bee exercised what proper obiects it reflects upon . that knowing how and in what particulars it consisteth , you may neither decline from the object at which it aimeth , nor become defective in performing those proper offices which it requireth . our ethicks will tell you , that these neighbourly offices , whereof wee are here to treat , either pitch upon arguments of discourse , and communication ; or upon action and negotiation ; or pastime and recreation . and first for matters of discourse ; wherein you are to bee so cautious , as nothing proceed from you as may either ingage his life , fame , or substance ; nor put your selves upon so desperate an hazard , as by your too free and inlarged discourse , to empaune your freedome under anothers girdle . which obvious perill that you may the better decline ; beware of these four precipices : for many by too securely failing upon the maine , have perished in their too much security , and through too much confidence lost themselves irrecoverably . first then , play not too much the part of an egregious traveller , by telling marvailes , nor of too pragmaticall a sophister , by pressing reasonings ; nor of too tart a critick , by detracting from others merits ; nor too arrogant an opinionist , by making comparisons . the first may erroneously dictate to your deluded thoughts that you are admired , when indeed you shall finde your selves to bee pittifully jeered . the second may perswade you that you are scholastically approved ; when you are in the test of him that heares you , pedantically censured . the third may hold you in hand that you are with resolution against all opposition armed ; whereas your too liberall censure makes you hated . the last , though it like you best , can never bee more by others distasted , then when by your selves most relished . we usually say , we may speake any thing safely , under the rose . but this proverbe is to reteine a discreet restriction . the rose is an embleme of charity ; which so long as wee make our obiect , wee may speake safely , because our discourse is seasoned with a pious reservancy . but no place can secure us , be it never so retired , unlesse the subject of our discourse be so seasoned . thinke then before you speake , that an irrevocable word beget not in you too untimely a repentance for what you have spoke . many , too many , will rather loose their friend then their jest . but these are dangerous to consort with : a jest unseasonably uttered has occasioned too many an indiscreet buffoun much losse , and irreparably divided them from others love . there is no greater deliberation then to bee taken in any passage of this life , then in our choice of acquaintance : many have perished by being too credulously confident of the privacy or fidelity of those they consorted with . catiline had never been so unexemplarily mischievous , had he not so daily consulted and consorted with a cethegus . now in arguments of discourse , as you are to addresse your scope according to the quality of the person , or necessity of his occasion with whom you converse : so three particulars are mainely observable in treaties of this nature : verity , vtility , modesty . by the first , we are taught to deliver nothing upon trust or fabulous report , but what is infallibly true and integrious . by the second , not to insist upon impertinences , but to presse upon that subject which is usefull and commodious . by the third , to decline too much vehemency in arguments of discourse ; for this argues a disposition arrogant and impetuous . for these with that daring epicurean velleius , are so confident and peremptory in matter of argument , as not a period must be delivered , but they expect it should be for a maxim received . and herein they erre most , because they hold themselves secure from erring . to bee briefe , in subjects of discourse ; let it be your care to regulate your speech to the direction of that ambrosiack father ; whose advice is , that there be weight in our words , sense in our speech , gravity in our discourse . which observed , neither shall your hearer be tediously cloyed , nor any impropriety discovered ; but by meanes of this communicative discourse become so mutually interessed and improved , as the evening may returne a faire account of whatsoever has beene delivered . secondly , as these neighbourly offices may pitch vpon action or negotiation ; be it ever your prime ground , ( as i have else-where observed ) to doe as you would be done vnto : you would not have your trust deceived : delude your neighbour with faire pretences . let your contracts bee just without circumvention ; your intentions cleare without collusion . suffer with your neighbour , as if it were in your owne particular . comfort him when you shall finde him perplexed ; relieve him when you shall find any way necessitated . now in directions of comfort , it is not so hard to give comfortable counsell to the sorrowfull , as to finde a fit season when to give it . make choice then of an opportunate houre , wherein the office of an affectionate neighbour may be performed ; and the action to which it is addressed , cheerefully seconded . tell me , is he brought upon the stage for his life ? performe the part of a constant damon to your distressed pitheas . bring him off if it lye in your power : especially , if his innocence merit your defence . sollicite his cause ; labour to free him from tyrannizing foes . it is a worke of piety , and reteines the highest place in those living annals of amity . againe , comfort him in the losse of those he loved . attemper his griefe with seasonable advice . so compassionate his teares , that they may find a sympathy in your eyes , and an antidote in your discourse . it was no lesse divinely then wittily said of epictetus the philosopher , who going forth one day , and seeing a woman weeping that had broken her pitcher ; and the next day meeting another woman weeping for that shee had lost her sonne : yesterday i saw teares shed over a broken pitcher ; and to day teares shed over one for paying his debt to nature . sociable and seasonable counsell in these , as it effectually workes upon the patient , so is it an argument of a pious disposition in the agent . you desire comfort in these cloudy dayes of your affliction ! minister the like solace upon every occasion : so shall others be stirred up to afford you the like receipt in your greatest strait : the like remedy in your pressingst extremity . in the second place , you are to tender his good name . for fame and honour is such a precious odour , as it survives man : and reteines the memory of his actions in a lasting shrine of glory or shame : these are monuments which cannot perish . touch , ieat , marble , ivorie , are all of them materials of mortality : whereas a precious fame survives such perishing metals , and makes perpetuity her trophey . the righteous shall be ever in remembrance : but the memory of the wicked shall rot . as it is palpable flattery then to bestow an adulterate beauty upon immeriting actions : so is it an act of impiety to detract from the repute of deserving persons . this moved devout hierome to conclude : to lay upon good men an aspersion , admits not easily a pardon . this were to discourage vertue , and to imbolden vice . be it then your especiall care to value his honour with whom you familiarly consort . such a pure stole as an undefiled fame may admit no staine . to observe this , let the preachers advice , be your impreze : if thou hast heard a word against thy neighbour , let it die with thee , and be sure , it will not burst thee . now in the choyce of those with whom you desire to be intimate , as you are to try before you trust , prove before you approve ; so having once confirm'd them yours , let their fame be equally pretious to you as your owne . first for your choyce , let them be such as you may rest confident that you may either better them , or be better'd by them . it was the advice of a learned morall , and the wisest may reserve an attentive eare for such usefull counsell : be not too easie in entertaining , but be constant in reteining . for the former , as it may taxe you of levity ; so the latter cannot chuse but accuse you of much inconstancy . if hee deserve your love , tender his fame as your owne life . if it be your opinion of him , that hee deserves not to be so enlisted ; use more freedome to him in trifles , then in what may appeare more consequent . it was the expression of a divine father to his affectionate friend : tuus sum totus . but before such time as his pious discretion admitted of any such subscription , by a more serious examen and discussion of his parts , he had found him worthy his affection : that maxime is true : love transanimates into the thing loved . they who truly love , fix on no object with more desire , then on that wherein they see their friends desire to cloze . hearts so really devoted , cannot possibly be divided . for as aristotle saith , friendship is one soule which ruleth two hearts , and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies . how is it possible then that such an amicable union should admit of the least division ? for these sweet musicall ayres of entire affection , never suite well with those warbling measures which consist of divisions : for friendship implyes an equality ; nay , it is more platonically spheared , and infers a community . now there are five degrees of civill society ; . is of one family ; . of one city . . of neighbourhood or propinquity . . of amity . . of one countrey . all which produce effects in a severall manner , according to their contiguity , analogy or order . albeit , that society which derives it selfe from the lineall tye of blood , challengeth to it selfe the highest prerogative . now , i must not prescribe you what neighbours you are to have , but how to demeane your selves with those you have . and of these , none are held more dangerous , then such as are either superciliously insolent , or furiously impatient . for the former , that poet pourtrayes him to life in these his lofty and enlivened measures : whose proper similies so nearly allude unto him , as i cannot omit him . like to the bending shoulders of our anticks , who seeme as they 'd supported the foundation of an imperious structure , when god wot those arched cielings , rafters , beames and all would fe●le th' weight of their grandeure , and decline to mouldred earth , had they no firmer ground-workes to buttresse their rare fabrick : — so did th' fly i th' fable glory , that she rais'd the dust those spoke-wheeles fanned ; — thus though sense forbid it , a selfe-opinion ever thinkes she did it . neither be our impatient and violent spirits lesse incommodious in neighbourly offices . for with these , the least trespasse is of such high quality and nature , as it must admit no arbitrator . archita's milky dove must not build in their lovure . it were a taske of difficulty to consort with these neighbourly : and yet a moderate and well-composed temper may not only attemper such an humour , but bring his neighbour to a recollection of himselfe , and consequently to an acknowledgement of his errour . these effects wrought socrates , stilpho , and that tarentine archita's in theirs : and the like elixir may you extract from yours , if you seasonably apply your advice after the heat of their passion , and so by degrees bring them to enter treaty with reason . by which meanes you shall win them , by waining them from what did most unman them . now , there is no better office in the opinion of our soundest moralists , that can be expressed by one neighbour to another , then in moving him to peace , if he be contentious : and exhorting him to patience , if he be furious . where two meeke men meet together , their conference ( saith mellifluous bernard ) is sweet and profitable : where one man is meeke , it is commodious : where neither , it proves pernicious . for the contentious person , as he spins subtile webs to intangle others : for the most part ( with that grecian shipwright phereclus ) he becomes a prey unto others . it is said , that law , logick , and the switzers may be hired to fight for any one : sure i am it holds with these factious men , whose disposition holds ever in opposition with peace : and can find a fee for a lawyer , when they can scarce find a farthing for a dinner . these make their whole life a continued suite ; till they have brought such an irrecoverable consumption to their estate , as they leave no other inheritance to their posterity , then the remaines of a greater worke , reversions of poverty . i must confesse such litigious tetters are dangerous neighbours : for as they scorne to take wrong , so for most part they are as unwilling to doe any one right . yet a discreet temperate neighbour may worke much good upon such an indisposed nature . it is said agltaidas , that hee was a man of that surly and crooked disposition ; as hee dis-relished nothing more then the purchase of others affections . his only ayme was to disturbe others peace : and detract from others praise . yet , behold , how this rough peece , of a surly saturnine became affable ; of a cloudy critick , indifferently sociable , by a neighbourly consorting with those , whose propinquity of place , and familiarity of speech wrought strongly upon his spirit ! now , there is another office in you requisite , and to your neighbour expedient : and that is to afford your comfort by a seasonable exhortation of him to patience . if you find him dejected by receiving a legall censure otherwise then he expected , or , as hee conceives , deserved : by which hee holds himselfe so highly disparaged , as hee is ever harping upon that sentence of nicetas ; " no punishment so grievous as shame : or that expression of nazianzene , which reteines a more impressive stampe ; better were a man dye right out , then ever live in reproach and shame : or that dis-consolate speech of ajax , who being ready to dispatch himselfe , and with a desperate hand to divert the current of a maturer fate , used these as his last words ; no griefe doth so cut the heart of a generous and magnanimous man , as reproach and shame : oh then deferre no time , but seasonably apply your taske by infusing into his breathing wounds some balmy comfort , such as that cordiall was of a divine poet : nulla tam tristis sit in orbe nubes , quam nequit constans relevare pectus ; nulla cordati scrinio clientis ansa querelis . no cloud so dusky ever yet appeared , which by minds armed was not quickly cleared ; ne're suit to th' bosome of a spirit cheered sadly resounded . againe , should you find him afflicted with sicknesse , which hee increaseth with a fruitlesse impatience ; wishing a present period to his daies , that so death might impose an end to his griefes . suffer him not so to waste his spirits ; nor to dishonour him who is the searcher of spirits ; but apply some soveraigne receipt or other to allay his distemper , which vncured might endanger him for ever . exhort him to possesse his soule in patience : and to supply this absence of outward comforts with the sweet relishing ingredients of some mentall or spirituall solace . ingenious petrarch could say , be not afraid though the out-house , ( meaning the body , ) be shaken , so the soule , the guest of the body , fare well . and he closed his resolution , in a serious dimension , who sung : he that has health of mind , what has he not ? 't is the mind that moulds the man , as man a pot . lastly , doe you find him perplexed for losse of some deare friend , whose loyall affection reteined in him such a deepe impression , as nothing could operate in him more grounded sorrow , then such an amicable division ? allay his griefe with divine and humane reasons : tell him how that very friend which he so much bemones , is gone before him , not lost by him . this their division will beget a more merry meeting . let him not then offend god by lamenting , for that which he cannot recall by sorrowing : nor suffer his too earthly wishes for his owne peculiar end , to wish so much harme to his endeared friend as to make exchange of his seat and state of immortality , with a vale of teares and misery . admit he dyed young ; and that his very prime hopes confirmd the opinions of all that knew him , that a few maturer yeares would have so accomplish'd him , as his private friends might not onely have rejoyced in him , but the publique state derived much improvement from him . his hopefull youth should rather be an occasion of joy then griefe . though priam was more numerous in yeares , yet troilus was more penurious in teares . the more dayes , the more griefes . no matter , whether our dayes be short or many , so those houres we live be improved and imployed to gods glory . but leaving these , admit you should find him sorrowing for such a subject , as deserves no wise mans teares : as for the losse of his goods . these teares proceed from despicable spirits , and such whose desires are fixed on earth . so that , as their love was great in possessing them , so their griefe must needs be great in forgoing them . many old and decrepit persons ; to whom even nature promiseth an hourely dissolution ; become most subject to these indiscreet teares : for with that sottish roman , they can sooner weepe for the losse of a lamprey , then for the very nearest and dearest in their family . at such as these , that morall glanced pleasantly who said : those teares of all others are most base , which proceed from the losse of a beast . and these though their grounds of griefe appeare least , yet many times their impatience breakes forth most . fearefull oathes and imprecations are the accustomablest ayres or accents which they breath . these you are to chastise , and in such a manner and measure , as they may by recollection of themselves , agnise their error , and repeat , what that divine poet sometimes writ , to impresse in them the more terror : that house which is inur'd to sweare , gods judgements will fall heavy there . these , as they are inordinate in their holding , so are they most impatient in their losing . and it commonly sareth with these men as it doth with the sea-eagle ; who by seeking to hold what she has taken , is drench't downe into the gulfe , from which shee can never be taken . it was the saying of sage pittacus , that the gods themselves could not oppose what might necessarily occurre : sure i am , it is a vaine and impious reluctancy to gaine-say whatsoever god in his sacred-secret decree has ordained . his sanctions are not as mans , they admit no repeale . what availes it then these to repine , or discover such apparent arguments of their impatience , when they labour but to reverse what cannot be revoked , to anull that which must not be repealed ? exhort them then to suffer with patience , what their impatience cannot cure : and to scorne such servile teares , which relish so weakly of discretion , as they merit more scorne then compassion . now , there is another kinde of more kind-hearted men , who though in the whole progresse of their life , they expressed a competent providence ; being neither so frugall as to spare where reputation bad them spend ▪ nor so prodigall as to spend where honest providence bad them spare . yet these , even in the shore , when they are taking their farewell of earth , having observed how their children , in whom their hopes were treasured , become profuse rioters , set the hoope an end , and turne spend-thrifts too : and so close their virile providence with an aged negligence : sprinkling their hoairy haires with youthfull conceipts : and singing merrily with the latian lyrick : our children spend , and wee 'l turne spenders too , and , though old-men , doe as our young men doe . this i must ingeniously confesse is an unseemly sight : that old men when yeares have seazed on them , and their native faculties begin to faile them ; should in so debaucht a manner make those discontents which they conceive from their children , the grounds of their distemper . for as the adage holds it prodigious for youth to represent age ; so is it ridiculous for age to personate youth . but for decrepit age , as it is for most part unnaturall to bee prodigall , so is it an argument of indiscretion for it to be too penuriously frugall . for to see one who cannot have the least hope of living long , to bee in his earthly desires so strong ; to be so few in the hopes of his succeeding yeares , and so full of fruitlesse desires and cares , what sight more vnseemely ? what spectacle more uncomely ? that man , deluded man , when strength failes him ; all those certaine fore-runners of an approaching dissolution summon him : and the thirsty hope of his dry-ey'd executors makes them weary of him ; that then i say , his eager pursuit of possessing more ( when as he already possesseth more then he can well enioy ) should so surprize him , discovers an infinite measure of madnesse : for , as it divides his affections from the object of heaven , so it makes him unwilling to return to earth , when his gellied blood , his enfeebled faculties , and that poor mouldred remainder of his declining cottage , as they have made earth weary of him , so should they make him desirous to returne to earth . now , as you cannot expresse a more christian neighbourly office , then in your private arbours , to converse with these groundlings ; and acquaint them with the hopes of another life ; and the feares of a second death : so even with all such as neighbour neere you , when at any time you shall perceive any predominant irregular affection over-swaying reason in them : to afford your best advice to reclaime them ; by which means as you may winne them , so may you winne favour with the highest by your so discreet , pious and seasonable endevour to waine them . for as comfortable cordials are usefull to such as be disconsolate : so are more sharpe medicinable corrasives helpefull to such whom a long custome of delinquency has made indurate . and so i briefly descend to the pleasant'st , neither altogether the unprofitablest neighbourly office , which we formerly , according to the distribution , of our ethicks , proposed ; which particular office , discreetly moderated , cannot but redound with much mutuall content to the parties so lovingly and neighbourly interessed . it is a received tenet ; apollo's bow must not hold ever bent , and once a yeare his laughter gives content . there is none so intentively serious , unlesse hee be wholly drenched in mundane cares : or fastned to the privacy of a studious life : but hee will reserve an houre to recreate his over-tyred spirits with his friend . yet sayes that flower of roman oratory , wee are in these to use a restriction , lest of our recreation we make a profession . wee are to make use of it , as of our sleepe or rest : to cheere us , not to dull us . if wee lye too long groveling in it , we become stupid and insensate by it . this makes me recall to mind that pleasant dialogue betwixt a tutor and his pupill ; whom when his tutor found lying a bed at nine of the clock ; he chid him , telling him that five houres were sufficient to lye in bed for necessity : and seven for recreation : and truly , said his pupill , i thought good to make use of both ; for i have laine twelve : so as , tutor , you cannot justly blame me , having observed both mine houres of recreation and necessity . now in subjects of this nature , wee shall find such variety ; as they cannot chuse but afford us delight , and that in a pleasing satiety . for these extend equally to the exercises both of body and mind . to the mind , to reason or contemplate : to the body , to practise or operate . the one being no lesse apt , ( to use the words of that witty centurist ) to handle his booke , then the other his ball : the one his pen , the other his pike . for the former of these , that neighbourly farmer writing to his honest friend and farrier , upon his herauld labour , exercised his wit in a recreative way after this manner . parthen . in miscell . marg . a black-smith , and a writer ! 't is a straine , well hammer'd forth by th' anvill of the braine . each period is a naile , that well bestowes this prayse on th' author : " he has won his shoes . he needs no belloes to disperse his fame , each stroke returnes an accent of his name . with common cates he do's not cloy your gorge ; nay , what is rare , he workes without a forge . admit you 've broke , or lost your armes , reteine this man , hee 'l bring them to their use againe . nay , reade till you be gravell'd , i le assure you , repaire but to this farrier , hee will cure you . one smelt shall serve for all ; the more i read , the more , me thinkes , he hits the naile o' th head . so as i vow by th' crowne of polihymnie , more learned smoak ne're steam'd from lemnian chimny : whose wel-composed bulke for state and style , needs not the helpe of any vice or file : for th' more one lookes , the more it would amaze one , to see a mulciber a coat deblazon : succeeding yeares shall say , when these times passe , that never horse-leach such an herald was : and stationer too will wish , if 't roundly sell ; " many such smiths were in his israel . such harmelesse pleasing passages as these , doe not onely delight the fancy ; but remaine as pledges of neighbourly love and amity : whereas such light straines or jeering wits , as run descant on the same of their neighbour : they may perhaps please themselves , but they cannot chuse but dis-relish any well-disposed hearer . for true ingenuity can never hold equi-page or relation with love of infamy or detraction . that wit reteines the best state , which frees it selfe from others staine . whereas , the too fat and fertile soiles of exuberant wits , for want of due culture , grow wild with weeds , and returne to their master a fruitlesse crop for all his labour . to divert from these ; there is an other recreation more commonly used , then worthily approved : because the too free scope given to the use , has brought it into an abuse . i meane their too assiduate familiar-neighbourly meetings ; which , though they imply love , yet they cloze too oft in violent extreames , and apparent issues of hate . frequent meetings and long sittings cannot chuse but produce unexpected effects ; especially seeing , that even the best tempered spirits , and sweet composed natures daily lose themselves by tasting too freely of circes cups : and of disceet antenors , become intemperate elpenors : entring those inchanted cels like lambs , but going forth like lyons . neither ( as i have often observed ) did these distempers arise from any love they bore to the cup , but their companion : or some other attractive motive , which lengthneth the shots , and makes the merry-madding houre seeme short . this that pleasant pasquill daintily shadowed : an handsome hostesse needs not keepe true score , a smile will cause her guests stay one night more ; she shewes no curt'sies , but they must requite them , while ev'ry kisse she lends , makes up an item . many mis-spent houres have these occasions produced ; which upon a more serious , and indeed temperate consideration could not but be repented : for upon discussing expence of time and coine ; how frivolous , if not noxious delights , begot a neglect in the former , then which nothing more precious : and a needlesse dis-respect of the latter , then which nothing more profusely foolish : these could not chuse but taxe themselves of ignorance in the one , and improvidence in the other : such consorts as these , can neither make good husbands for wives ; good companions for neighbours ; good masters of a meney ; nor trusty friends to any . for the first , that lydian maid discovered her resolution fully , and imparted her mind freely , in her distaste to a mate of this society : i 'd rather dye maid , and lead apes in hell , then wed an inmate of silenus cell . for the second , how can they performe the office of a neighbour , whose distemper'd braine cannot distinguish a neighbour from a stranger ? for the third , how were it possible that they should be discreet masters over others , who have not the discretion to bee masters of themselves ? for the last , how should they be trusty to any , when intemperance has betrayed the trust of every faculty , and unriveted that golden claspe of the memory , which should have reteined ( like a sure recluse or store-house ) the bowell of every secrecy ? in your deportments then of this nature ; as your reserved houres admit of moderate recreation , to allay the weight or grandeure of more serious businesse , make it only as a pastime , not as a continued taske of passing time . flies , when they play with the candle , never leave it , till their wings are singed by it . habit , as it is precious in the practise of vertue ; so it growes pernicious in the exercise of vice . observe then these circumstances in these inferiour actions of delight . . with whom you consort . . for what end you consort . . to observe a meane , whereby you may attaine the end , for which you consort . now , to give an usefull touch in each of these : that excellent morall can informe you : the way to safety is to retire your selves from company : but seeing humane society admits , nay injoynes it ; you are to make choyce of such as may improve your knowledge by it . all good fellowes are not good men . you are then to bee no lesse cautious in your choyce of company ; then you would be of those you consort with , in a contagious or pestilentiall city : the way to infect all , is to mixe the sick with the whole . the meanes to avoid this malady , is to make piety your directresse in the course and choyce of your society . secondly , you are to consider for what end you consort . not to ravell out time , as if no account were to bee given of it : but to bestow it upon some usefull discourse ; such as may improve the hearer , and returne this testimony of you to the discreetest eare , that you come not thither to be time-spenders , but improvers of your talents to your selves and others . thirdly , you are to observe a meane , whereby you may attaine the end . distemper is an ill manager of any busines . and in the course or passage of occasions to admit any unnecessary diversion , mainely troubles the current , or in-let of occasion . avoid both these : let neither your bloods bee inflamed through distemper : nor your occasions diverted by any irregular or indisposed humour . so shall these amicable intercourses of yours , not only redound to the benefit of the hearer : but returne into your owne bosomes with much profit and honour . now to take our worke out of the loome ; you may remember how in this our last observance , wee told you that these neighbourly offices , either pitched upon arguments of discourse and communication ; or upon action and negotiation ; or pastime and recreation : in the pursuit or agitation whereof , you were to be cautelous of the life , fame , or substance of such with whom you stood interessed . of all which , with no lesse brevity then perspicuity wee have so farre treated , as nothing now remaines to be further handled or discussed , save only substance ; which being in the estimate of opinion the least , wee have reserved for the last . we shall briefly descend to that too ; that nothing may be omitted wherein your knowledge may be improved , and these mutuall offices better performed ; which even in humane society are necessarily to bee preserved . touching this then , a better morall direction you cannot receive , then from that well contented and rightly tempered tarentine : who protested that hee never saw his neighbours field flourish , but hee rejoyced in the fecundity of it , as if it had beene his owne . his welfare made him smile . his successe caus'd him to give thankes to the gods , as if that successe had redounded to his owne goods . this well-disposed ethick had not an evill eye . he knew not how to repine or murmure when his neighbour did prosper . be you of the like mind . as it is an angelicall vertue , to rejoyce at anothers good : so is it a diabolicall vice , to repine at anothers gaine . let not your eye be evill , because another's good . be it your salutation , when you passe by them , in your devoutest prayers to blesse them : saying , " god speed you , we wish you good luck , may you prosper in your labour to his glory whom you honour . these if you duly observe ; when you see your neighbours field look fat , ( to use the saying of that wise cinick ) it wil not make your cheeks look leane . that marrow-eating envie cannot grind you , because your neighbours prosperous successe doth infinitly cheer you . you will not stumble on his meere-stone , nor remove his buttoll to inlarge your own , because you tender his welfare equally as your owne . his losse must not procure your curse : because your best wishes ever cloze with his successe . let us draw in our sailes , and contract all in one . would you , gentlemen , in your reflexion upon conjugall offices , performe the duty of good husbands ? love your wives , even as christ loved the church , and gave himselfe for it . and rejoyce with those whom you have loved . observe likewise that mutuall office and benevolence betwixt them and you : and let none partake in your love , but those who are affianced to you . the wife hath not the power of her owne body , but the husband : and likewise also the husband hath not the power of his owne body , but the wife . this mutuall interest thus confined , should make your hearts the more individually united . performe then the office of good elkanahs , loving husbands : so may you find in your wives , the like mutuall affections . and yee wives , who are thus happily espoused , render a faire requitall unto them , in whose esteeme you are so much endeared . be discreet , chaste , keeping at home , good , and subject unto your husbands ; usurpe no authority over them , but bee in silence . this conjugall office , by a sweet introduced habit , will become a solace . secondly , touching parentall offices ; as yee children are to obey your parents in the lord , for this is right : so are yee fathers not to provoke your children to wrath : but bring them up in instruction , and information of the lord. thirdly , for domestick offices ; as yee servants , are to be obedient unto them that are your masters ; pleasing them in all things , not answering againe : so yee masters , doe the same things unto them , putting away threatning . this in every private family will beget a sweet consorting harmony . lastly , in neighbourly offices ; as yee neighbours are to please one another in that that is good to edification ; let no man seeke his owne , but every man anothers wealth . these offices thus performed , what can be less expected then such a sweet union of minds and affections ; as these two consorts here combined , and to one volume reduced , cannot in their loves be more firmely cemented , then they harmoniously joyned ? be it then your care to preserve this faire contexture ; trust mee , it will conferre on your family , where vertue gives the best beauty , more true honour , then the easie-resolving varnish of fortunes , or whatsoever may outwardly accommodate you . for in the survey of these , you shall find such a faire provision , as it may prepare you to be loyall lovers , discreet fathers , just masters , friendly neighbours : and which is above all , such absolute commanders of your own affections , as should all those occurrents which encounter mortality , oppose you , they could not surprize you , because a pious resolution hath reer'd her counter-mure to secure you . this taske i shall account happy , so it may redound to your profit , gods glory . finis . a tablet reflecting upon this svpplement . a preamble , branching it selfe into a briefe analysis of the whole tract . pag. . of conjugall offices . pag. . observat. . the excellent saying of caia , wife to caius tarquinius . ibid. the noble florentines impreze , which hee caused to be engraven for a nuptiall embleme . pag. conjugall offices are not to be disorderly mixed . palaemon , si caulam negligat , galataeam faciet indigentem : galataea , si colum deserat , palaemonem faciet insipientem . p. . the offices of a wife to her husband . pag. wonderfull examples of piety and mortification . p. a discreet loving treaty betwixt a wife and her husband , recommended to the constant practise of all affectionate censorts . p. offences ingenuously acknowledged , are with conjugall piety and pity to be pardoned : and this locally instanced . p. of parentall offices . p. . observat. . a parentall care reflects properly upon two distinct objects : internall . externall . the one to educate them in principles of religion : the other to accommodate them for a vocation . p. . . &c. the highest point of discretion in a schoole-master , is to find out the disposition of his scholler . p. inconsiderate youth accounts the fruitlesse expence of time , a meere pastime . ib. parents are to dispose of their estates now , while they stand seazed of estates , lest their decease alter the intention of their estates . p. the offices of children to their parents . ibid. children are bound to render unto their parents expressions of their duty and zeale , in three respects : obedience . p. . &c. reverence . p. . &c. supportance . p. . &c. the fruits of obedience , as they have relation both to children and parents . p. the admonition of an incensed father to a disobedient sonne . p. a constant position observable in disobedient children . p. . the graduall respects of love and duty . p. of domestick offices . p. . observat. . the offices of masters to their servants . ibid. two extreames or perillous poles to be avoided , whereby this domestick obedience may be better observed : lenity . p. ibid. severity . p. ibid. no servant meaner then a parcimonious master . p. . the duty of servants to their masters . p. the duty of a servant to his master , will make a servant an happy master . ibid. emblematicall hieroglyphicks of sloath . p. adam no sooner became sinfull , then the earth unfruitfull . ibid. it is not sufficient for a servant to intend his owne peculiar charge , unlesse he admonish others of the neglect of their care . p. of neighbourly offices . p. ibid. observat. . all neighbourly offices pitch upon three particulars : arguments of discourse or communication . p. . &c. arguments of action and negotiation . p. . &c. arguments of pastime and recreation . p. . &c. foure cautions in matters of discourse to be avoided ; that all grounds of distaste may be better diverted . telling marvailes . p. pressing reasonings . p. lessening others merits . p. making comparisons . p. three particulars observable in arguments of discourse : verity . ibid. vtility . ibid. modesty . ibid. three peculiar subjects , wherein these neighbourly offices are to be exercised : life . p. fame . p. svbstance . p. five degrees of civile society : of one family . p. of one city . p. of neighbourhood or propinquity . p. of amity . p. of one countrey . p. the dangers arising from opinionate wits . p. . the unexpected events of frequent meetings . p. ▪ circumstances observable in all inferiour actions of delight : with whom wee consort . p. for what end we consort . p. the meane , p. whereby we may attaine the end for which we consort . hee winds up the series of his discourse , with a repetition , and usefull application of every particular branch . ibid. the usuall salutation by the ancient lations observed , and as it is to this day by us reteined . p. hee concludes this supplement , with a briefe relation of the benefit of every particular subject . ibid. a conclusive poem contracting all these subjects in one . by him , who steers the sterne of ev'ry state , inspires our muse , informes us how to write , that palme of peace , that day which knowes no date , that sole-all-seeing , and surveying sight , that wings our faith , and cheers us when we fight : " by his sweet influence was this begun " with whom it ends , and so my worke is done . to you then , english gentlemen ; to whom our first part is addrest : — bestow your care to act what may gentility become ; that as yee in your fathers fortunes share , your vertues may proclaime whose sonnes yee were . " 't is this will leave your names more eminent " then honour , fading favour , or descent . next , to you english ladies ; who expresse a native beauty in each act yee doe , let good resolves prepare your morning dresse , and thinke on heav'n when wanton suiters wooe , or on those mates yee stand affianc'd to . " fame is a precious odour , whose least graine " once shed , is hardly gather'd up againe . ladies love lectvre to you have i read , where yee such fresh-choice-fragrant flow'rs may cull as yee no other ornaments shall need ; fill then your iv'ry-azur'd bosomes full , ne're any such did atalanta pull . " prove usefull readers then , and , if yee erre , " condemne mee for a carelesse lecturer . lastly , i 've cloz'd all in a svpplement , where modest tearmes describe the art of love , which to the rest gives such embellishment , 't is styl'd the trivmph of the tvrtle-dove , whose reall-loyall emblemes if yee prove , " i shall not chuse but like where ere i looke , " and for your sakes make bold to kisse the booke . finis . for the most vertvovs , and nobly-accomplisht ladie , the right honovrable , elizabeth , ( dowager ) covntesse of strafford ; highly eminent in the skale of the serious't , and serenest judgements , for her pious conservation of the living memory of her most absolute consort . a character of honovr . to write of honour , and not amply , according to honours character , were a derogation to her : and to write exactly , would require a more expert and judicious artist , then every rude myson to take in hand a subject of such consequence ; but vertue , as she is best adorned when least garnished with externall colours : so honour is most lively when she seemes most naked of rhetoricall varnish . the best moralls have ever pourtray'd justice by a scale , poyzing every action duely , discussing every ambiguity throughly , without fixing of her eye on the object of majesty commanding , or of amity ( with more easie meanes ) perswading ; they have deciphered fortitude , not by thrasoe boast , or a precipitate opposing her selfe to all dangers without mature judgement to foresee , and resolution to prevent the iminency of all occurrents : which made homer dilate upon the essence of true fotitude , represented in hector , as an archytipe no lesse imitable , then for mannagement in all assaies admirable : he brings him in dehorting his brother paris , from his inconsiderate purpose : with this good caveat . it becommeth us not to take armes upon every sensuall respect , but to ground the motion of warre upon a cause honestly moving . to be brief , there should be no vertue which should not rather-character her selfe , by her owne purity , then be displaied by a curious or affective style ; which rather detracts then augments those perfect and unstained ornaments wherewith she is endued : and that which cicero speaks of the office of an orator , censuring that speech as most vicious , which seemes most curious ; may i speak of honour , whose dependence is of vertue : onely illustrated in her selfe , because her essence gives to her more eminence than the polish'd styles of the best rhetoricians could ever effect . but i will descend into the particular discourse of truly honourable : what they should be that arrogate that name , and what they are that merit it . honour relisheth best , when highliest descended : not boasting with lycas in the tragedy of noble ancestors , but of inward vertues ; making their mindes the purest mansions of nobility ; their vertues , the symbolls of their d●scent and progeny . for what is it to challenge precedencie by our ancestors , being made noble by them , whom our owne actions perchance , makes as ignoble ? i can approve that disposition of alexander the best ; who rather wished his fathers exploits ( though not in e●vy ) to be obscured , whereby his owne memorable atchievements might purchase him glory , not by relation had to the prowesse of his father , but his owne demerits ; yet not with a too listning eare of attention , hearing his warlike designes above truth praysed : but more willing to doe , then heare of his doings . for hearing aristobulus on a time commending his memorable acts farre above truth in his writings , he threw the booke into the river , as he was sailing over hydaspis , saying , he was almost moved to send aristobulus after . for this i have alwaies observed in an honourable minde : no popular conceipt can transport her above her shpaere ; she cannot endure a temporizing humorist , that feedes on the aire of his owne applause ; but like a wise ithacus commits the sailes of his prudent and provident affections to be disposed by vertue , stopping his eare at the incantations of the voice-alluring syren , or cup-attracting cyrce . an honourable man stereth his ship with no sterne of ambition , but with a temperate opinion of himself and his owne actions : referring the whole current and passage of his intentions , purposes and endeavours to his countries welfare : whose safety he preferres before his owne : wishing rather death with a good opinion of his country , then immerited honours with her detriment . the truly honourable will accept of no honours but such as her deserts challenge : nor those neither , if not obtruded . this moved many of the ancient heroes , whose acts deserve no lesse memory , then their lifes did glory , to expose themselves to all perils , whereby their names might be recorded in the annalls of fame : leaving not only statues or monuments of what they have been , but by the exact representation of their vertues , what they are ; for even the pagans reserved a place of honour and celebrity to such as had either exempted their country from the servitude of her enemy , or had augmented her glory by the voluntary resignation of their lives . such were the memorable annalls of the decii , curtii , bruti . many of the worthy mannagers of state in former times , desired to have no statues to be erected in their glory , rather making their owne vertues the liveliest records of their memory ; the reason whereof may be conceived or at least conjectured ) by those occurrents which even hapned in their times : being pursued by that publique foe to vertue and all vertuous intendments , envy : which ( marrow-eating locust ) attended the worthiest personages that then breathed . caesar had a pompey , pompey a septimius : african a marius , eschines a demosthenes , cicero a cethegus . this might move , and that not without just cause , that columne of justice , lacedemons glory , vertuous agesilaus , to erect no statue in his honour , lest his life 's ideome after death should be no lesse contemned , then he was in his life envied : in meum honorem simulachra erigi non cupio , ea enim magis gloriam detrahunt quàm augent : in hoc autem humili thoro fama mea ab aliorum invidia maximè aliena est : i desire to have no statue nor curious monument erected in mine honour : they rather diminish than propagate our glory ; my fame is least envied in this low and dejected bed of earth . poore prince , shall thy name , which hath spread it selfe by so many victories atchived so many conquests purchased , non sine sanguine & sudore , shall they feare to be vanquished or suppressed by times anatomy , cankred envy , that never knew what honour meant , but by corrupting honour ? o then how vaine be those trophies which are hung in honour of those heroes of former times ! what availeth it cyrus of the translated monarchy from the medes to the persians ? or for alexander to have reduced the whole world into one monarchy ? or caesar so farre to have dispersed his glory , making his motto — veni , vidi , veci ? the envenomed breath of one serpentine spirit can consume , so great and happy vertues , which once aspired to that height , that eminence , as they enstyled their possessors truly heroicall ; making flaccus axiome no lesse true to demonstrate our declining memory , then to describe our times mortality : quò pius encas , quo tullus dives & ancus ? pulvis & umbra sumus . — dust and ashes indeed ; yet such , as albeit the slimy substance of the externall man rest immured and incaged in the bowels of earth ; yet there is an aethereall , an heavenly aspiring beauty which cannot be depressed with the terrene and massie weight of earths interior centre — alta petit , nec cessat , quoad altissima perringit . it hovereth higher , as a bird farre removed from her native repose , till it arrive at those elysian fields of true immortality , where her expected habitation is possessed — even the mansion of heavenly syon . hence therefore may those carnall and epicureall men , who have wallowed in all mundane delights , drunke deep of the sensuall lethe of their security , be confounded with shame ; who relinquishing the offred time of grace , expose themselves to the brothells of sin and impiety , forgetting all respect of honour , as corvinus messala did his owne name — and when they behold the admired and most resplendent honours of our time , either to decline by some in auspicious accident , or cut by the common sithe of fate , compare their contaminate lives with their refined vertues . they are gone , and who will now remember them ? they were pillars of the state , while they lived , but now the state is altered ; where be all the fruits of their fruitlesse cares ? the harvest of so industrious labours ? where is that great attendance which gained them observation in the eye of the world ? our state is now more happy , we breath not on others breaths ▪ yet receive no lesse content by our riot ; we are not publikely observed , and yet observe no lesse repute by private attendance ; we live merrily ; and dye without the least perturbation , anguish or pensive distraction of a minde surcharged with care , over-ballanced with distresse : ●e thinke not of ample inheritances , nor make others riot in our funeralls : castè & cautè vivunt , qui aliorum quadrâ non vivunt , saith the comick ; and we may believe him . our privacy gaines us a retired liberty ; rest is not purchased by honour , nor the date of our time protracted by the ambicious wings of preferment . thus will the sileni of our time descant upon honours ruine , interpreting life , vertues best reward : when no lesse distast is conceived by the truly vertuous , of these distempered humors , which proceed from the cachexie or evill disposition of our mindes , then that renowned phylosopher heraclitus did by the vanity of ephesus , or diogenes by the vain and fruitlesse rarities of synope . for he is truly honourable , who employeth his oyle , the faculties of his soule , so to his countries availe , that he may attaine a more glorious seate , in his country supernall . neither are we to hold the ornaments of honour onely derivative from their princes favour . we have seene many eminent in their eye , whose actions have throwne a worthy odium upon their persons , by abusing the grace bestow'd on them : and bringing a fatall and fearefull combustion upon the state by their ambition , or appetite of revenge : or some other indirect aime ; as all ages can present instances , and these of our owne , to our griefe , even in these our late distractions . and though families of high extraction and innate honour might be held worthiest to fit at the sterne , and to mannage the highest affaires of state ; yet have princes suffered in their too much confidence : and falne under their umbrage , by whom in their greatest extreames , they ought to have beene supported . and to inlarge our observations in this particular ; whence is it to be thought , that this degeneration ariseth ? is it from corruption of blood , or of time ? we shall finde a decay or defection in both : effeminacy or delicacy being generally nursers of our gentry : which cannot chuse but make plants sprung from eminent descents looke unlike themselves . so as , where honour and valour with other decoring endowments , should close in competition with one another : education , which is a second nature , intervenes and tells them , that their breeding never school'd them in any such notions . former times might finde seminaries for such abilities : but a long continued peace and fulnesse of fortunes have made the excercise of those abilities uselesse . but shall we proceed a little further , and unrip the occasion or ground of this malady ? we shall render it briefly and truly . let us suppose a prince ( as in a platonick idaea ) seated in his chaire of state ; and in a full assembly as in his senat-house : where persons of quality and such as are elected for the benefit and indemnity of their country appeare assistants . and in this grand convene , proposalls of high concerne are debated : but clearely carried by the plebeian party ; as in our roman annalls , we may finde sundry presidents . whence is it , i say , that the candidates and those of nobler extraction should vaile to the lower : and to their princes prejudice and regall priviledge ▪ subscribe to their decretalls ? is it weaknesse or personall interest , that begets in them this remissnesse ? no ; not wholly from weaknesse ; though their judgements be not of the first sight , but their facility in subscribing to inferiour votes , is grounded upon three respects . popularity ; self-ends and pusillanimity . the reasons you shall hear thus discussed . it was well observed by a statesman in our time ; whose travells had sufficiently read unto him , how plebeian votes were ever for crying up libertie of subjects ; and subjection of soveraignes : that nothing was more dangerous to a state government , then this popular overswaying power : being ever over-clowded with discontents : and picking quarrells at the present government , were it never so prudently managed , nor peaceably administred . innovation is the posture of state , they aime at : which , though it introduce with it many fearefull consequences ; they will chuse rather to smile on their owne approaching ruine ; then admit that state or condition be it never so calme nor serene , so long as they hold it incapable of a change. now would you know the cause why these plebeian votes passe for current ; and receive no opposition ? we are to understand , how highest families are not ever indued with the pregnant'st wits , nor percivest judgements . they find subtil groundlings , who , though they came but th' other day from cart & never look't so high as into the glorious horizons of a court ; yet they have found the way how to over-wit those perfumed ingenuities : who ravell out time in their court-dialect : and by intending more the trimme then the dress ; spoile the pursuit of their arguments : and give easy way to their rurall opponents : who , though lesse neat , hold more to substance : and win ground upon those state-popinja●es , by taking advantage upon their impertinencies . but to omit these ; for all of them retaine not a savour of this cask ; there is another bait , which these lordly lobsters usually nibble at ; being a politike designe , as they conceit it ; the apprehension whereof ( though it expire like an airy fancy ) has great influence over them . and what is this illusion , but a popular opinion ? their desire is to feede on vulgar aire ; the steame whereof for most part choakes them . they have heard perchance , of some persons , who by suffrage of the people , and their applause , have swolne great in the opinion of the state : and sometimes by being borne upon their shoulders , have attained the highest pitch of command . they observe , how the fame of mens actions receives more life from popular opinion , than any other instrument of state. and in this they canonize their owne fancies , by applying that rapsody of the poet , to the imaginary extension of their spreading shadowes : quàm pulchrum est digito monstrari , & dicier hic est ? as the theater , whereon they act their mimick-tyming parts , are hung about with the arras of vanity : so their prime care is to woo and ingratiate their spectators , and by winning in upon their affections , to purchase their applause in the cloze of their actions . but as we commonly note , that by-standers see more then the gamesters ; so fares it with these deluding changelings . for by labouring to please those of inferiour judgements , these mechanicks below the stage ; they lose themselves in the opinion of these serious and mature censors ; those gallant gallery wits ( to passe by those feminine boxes , where pregnancie even in criticisme , oft-times transcends the quality of their sexe ) who can discover their defects ; for so enlivened are their judgements , and so farre distanced from a popular verge , where conceipt , like a restrained vassall , is ty'd to the demension of the object they looke on , and no further ; as they know well how to distinguish betwixt a roscius and a lysias . popularity is an affected kinde of action ; which the higher it mounts , it ever lesseneth it selfe the more in the eye of judgement . surely would honour equally ballance her owne worth , and enter into a serious consideration with its owne extraction ; she would blush at nothing more , then in suffering her selfe to be deluded with such a phanatick shadow of fruitlesse glory : which ( though it promise much ) is ever failing in her reality of performance : and not onely failing the expectance ; but drawing the too credulous believer into a dangerous precipice ; from which no thread , were it never so curiously spun by the artfull or subtill hand of an ariadne , may ever free him . it is prevention that is the life of policy ; but if opportunity be not taken by the foretoppe ; he failes in his pursuit of prevention , by neglecting the season . let honour beware of aspiring , or raising herself one story higher , either by indirect wayes , or weake hopes ; both which she shall finde , like so many egyptian reedes , rather piercing than strengthning her in her progresse , or ascent to greatnesse in her pursuit of popular fame ; which seldom or never accompanied the merit of any action : but observes the issue , & upon that successe grounds the basis of their opinion . honour should derogate much from her true native value , in entertaining such flitting and fly blown followers ; who act nothing with alacrity but innovation , faction & disloyalty . thus farre you have heard what strong influence this popular froath has upon adulterate honour ; which , as it retaines a glo-worme light , so it deceives others with its false splendor , and makes the pursuers of it most unfortunate . we shall litle need to strengthen this assertion with instances : our owne chronicles may afford us variety , without ranging further . now to the second motive ; wherein we shall lay open unto you , how powerfully self-ends operate upon this painted greatnesse . their revenues are such land-marks , as they direct their course by them . these make them conclude positively , though poorely for persons of descent and quality : si mihi res constet , satis est ; quo publica flerem ? non aliâ pendet compage nostra domus . publique safety is the lightest feather in their skale . so they may riot and play the sensuall libertines in the free and undisturbed injoyment of their own ; they hold the game well plaid to their advantage . no defection of subjects ; no alteration of government , no decrease of commerce , no hostile invasion by a surreptitious nation ; can work much upon their affections : or resolve their adamantine temper to a compassionate teare , the wheel of their fortune holds a constant course , amidst these inconstant and vertiginous wheelings of the state. and this is enough for them . now to preserve these , and stand at distance , like priviledg'd persons , secur'd from exception or opposition ; they ever have an intentive eye upon the stronger party . and these they follow with a servile reverence . how happy had it been for these moaths of honour to have been souldiers of fortune , or younger brothers , or persons of inferiour quality ; that the lownesse of their condition might have freed them from the pursuit of such dishonourable self-ends . the maxim is true : o quàm multi foeliciores fuissent , si minus possedissent ! whereas , a spirit cloathed with true habilliments of honour , will rather suffer all extreames ; then admit an injurious or disgracefull bargaine in the sale or prostitution of his honour . the historian returnes us the relation of a foolish emperour ; who , when newes came unto him , that rome was taken ; he imagining it to be his hen which he called roma , fell into a violent passion , and torrent of teares for the loss of his bird. i cannot more properly resemble them then to this brainsick prince ; who preferr'd so contemptible a creature before the surprize of his own person , and the ruine of his empire . teares have easy issues and avenues that break forth upon such inconsiderable trifles . and this , even in this last scean & catastrophee of our imbroyled state , ( as some of our traducing criticks blanch it ) might we find instanced in sundry persons of note ; whose actions , in parallel lines directly tended to this centre . for although they beheld spectacles of grief every where numerously presented , the face of their country changed ; those whom they held in time of peace deservingly honoured , & in relation to themselves most indeared ; stripped of what they justly injoyed : & for their honest principles , exposed to the weight of an injurious and malignant censure ; yet some of these , whose ripe and mellow yeares , besides the distractions of the time , might have taught them a more usefull lesson ; never , or very coldly applyed the sundry traverses of others misfortunes to their own condition . their connivence and concurrence with those eminent votaries , who bore the sway , and made their wills , their lawes ; would ( as they hoped ) secure their persons and states . but they found their ill-grounded confidence meere foolishnesse . the umbrage of that usurped greatnesse , whereon they relyed , could not supersede that guiltinesse , which their actions , though with much privacy carried , had casually incurred . it was the least of their care , and tooke the lowest place in their apprehension of grief , to see a late-flourishing state much envyed by forraigne nations ( being such a store-house of all necessary provision , and an inclosed garden of selected delicacies ) to see , i say , so choice and well-cultuated a soyle , soyled with perfidious feet , and made a wilde forrest for rationall brutes . this they lightly resented ; it begot no qualme in them to see the state quite turned off the hinges : so they remained secure by hugging the constitutions of a corrupted state ; and by vertue of that protection , were not in feare to be turn'd out of their own houses . thus have you heard how strait-lac'd these selfe-interested personages are , and have been ever to their owne ends ; being deterred from opposition , or speaking in defence of their country or ancient-regall priviledges in time of danger for feare of losse ; or through some other servile respects , by being over-aw'd with number , a great derogation to persons of honour . we are now to descend to the last , but lowest staire ; wherein we shall finde how these declining spirits retardate their flight in the pursuit of honourable actions , through pusillanimity . so as , none would hold them , by seriously reflecting on them , but for such a broad as had beene hatched from the eggs of those paphlagonian partridges ; which our naturallists report to have no hearts . neither be our neuters much better : who , like those salmacian sharks have two hearts ; for these can skrew their posture to the time , and become serviceable shadows to any commands ; presenting hope of advantage or assurance to their present condition . these cinnamon-curtaine lordings , who sacrifice more devotion to their glasse and complexion , then any noble designe , or virile action ; being school'd only in the discipline of complement , & frenchifide wholly in ducks , cringes and congies ; these , i say , having left their fathers houses , ( ancient monuments of hospitality ) have resolv'd , ( for so their effeminate course proclaimes ) neither to increase nor preserve the honour of them . the camp has ever held an antipathy to the curtaine . loyalty , or what addresse soever , looke it never so fixtly upon honour , cannot gentilize their humour . their growth professeth them meere state-sycamours ; all for shade , nought for fruit . or such as the witty emblematist portray'd under the notion of galeati lepoares , who would be in the van at a feast , but in the reere at a fray ; these mens resolutions are not to indanger their persons upon any rate . to obtain a victory without hazard , and partake a rich spoile without blood , is the height of their ambition : & the utmost pitch of their valour . to see a kingdome at stake , or a prince acting his last tragick sceane on a stage ; is not so much as resented by them . pusillanimity has begot in them such a strange kinde of charity ( if it may without offence assume that name ) as they can looke upon the innovated deformity of a state ; violation of lawes and liberties , prophanation of divine honour , or whatsoever is most odious to humanity , without a thought of revenge : or aime to redresse . were honour to be purchased in their dayes by the sword ; how slowly would it be conferred : how weakly merited ? such is the mettall of these partiall-guilt pieces of sophisticated honour : it cannot indure the touch . yet we shall observe in many of these , military promises : presentments of valour : but wherein consist they ? in surly and supercilious lookes to their over aw'd followers : or affronts to disgrac'd favourites : but these lyons within verge of the court , appeare ever lambes in the campe. they blesse them from the report of a cannon , as from a stroak of thunder . youth inured to a canopy , is not so easily disciplin'd in a course of souldiery . it was the saying of epaminondas ; that he could not fiddle , but he knew how to make a small village a glorious city . whereas these , whose character we return in this place , are just antipodes to his harmony . a chest of viols , or a set of lutes , is the onely brave military fyle wherin they desire to be inlisted . if this be the badge of honour , let feminine delicacy arrogate to it self , the style of valour . but these be dull-pallid colours in the annals of heraldry : and deserve no other deblazonry ( to beget a glowing blush in their successors ) then lines blanch'd with infamy . let us here then in the cloze of our character , present these advertisements to honour ; that she may know how and in what posture to preserve her state clear'd from the opinion of a deceiving lustre : by appearing more really-gracefull , then poorely-popular . to compleat this worke , it will conduce highly to her advantage , to be a constant professor of fidelity ; in the first place to soveraignty . and next in all offices of amity . an affable smile gives an excellent grace to the countenance of honour . amicitia nunquam minore acquirenda est dispendio quàm clementiâ . clemency gains most with least cost . in her expresse of bounty , or works of charity , let discretion be her almoner : by an indisposed liberallity , many have lost more then they have won . in actions of valour , honour should be rather resolute than daring : and in nothing more confident then in the maintenance of a good cause . for habit ; more comely then gaudy , is the nearest livery : being to be knowne better by what we are , then what we weare . for diet ; delicacy should be a stranger to her palat . these olia's of our time have brought an odium upon our state. lastly , a princely command or composure of her affections , will returne her absolute in all . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e n●e levier tibi culpa fuit crevisse per orbem ; grande satis genti crimen boxore frui . sta. altius surgentes , innocentes licet , comitatur suspicio . tacit. majori invidas foveam parat ; quam ne devitet , unâ corruet . minutius . mancipia 〈◊〉 lectionis cum fint . for my dedication , in stead of all unnecessary excuses of presumption ; i wil cloze briefly with this constant resolution : " though to your title there be honour due , " it is your self that makes me honour you . notes for div a -e observa● . . the dangers that attend on youths vnum est instar bell●ae humiliari , aliud est belluiros mores imitari . * vicina lapsibus adolescenti● . hieron . omniainb ac aetate juvenescunt vitia . euseb. lib. . modò inveniaem , non perditus est , &c. euseb. ibid ; siingratum dixeris , omnia dixeris . min. publianus . qui simus , quinam erimus , in ephebio constitutum est . diog. cyn. lectum non citius relinquens , quàm in deum delinquens : non citius surgens , quàm insurgens . the vanity of youth display'd in foure distinct subjects . gate . audacia pro muro bebetur . salust . in bell . caril . dan. . . . . seneca . looke . plutarch . in vit . syll. august . gregor . de tran● . an . quo ●ltior in diviti●s , eo copiofier in vitiis . ber. de inter . dom. metam . . speech . sine loquela non potest stare societas . arist. aug. de magist . psal. . . prov. . . in vit . phoc. in lib. desecr . secret . two reasons why young men were not admitted to deliver their opinions in publike assemblies . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pi●● mirand . in epist. ad hermol . neque iocas , neque amicus quisquam teget , quem arma non texerint . ● salust . in bell . iugurth . ferociam animi , quam babebat vivus , in vultu retinuit catilina . salust . in conjur . catil . salust . law , logicke , and the switzers may be hired to fight for any one . blos . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . basil. virtus maxima , in mole minima . singular directions in arguments of discourse , & discovery of secrets . eccl. . , . habit . in vit . solon . horat. epist. l. . ep. . * vt in exequi is epulis que celebrandis nimioque apparatu corporis , omnis inutilis sumptus prohibeatur . plut. in vit . alcibiad . socrates . mihi mirabile fit quòd non enecentur , cum tantum onas bajulent . clem. alex. , paedagig . hier. ad fur. de vid. serm. tom. . aug. de christ. fide . tertul. de bab , mul. cap. tim● . . . pet. . . prima est haec ultio , quod se judice , nemo nocens absolvitur . iuv. sat. ● aug. in ena● sup . . psal. bern. de inter . domo . cap. . aug. scliloq . cap. . sen. ad lucil. tuscul. quaest . lib. . august . sup . psal. . prov. ● . prov. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arch. tare●t . prov. . . aug. ser. . nazian . contra mulieres immodicè comptas . hier. de exitu lea. laert. lib. . laert. ibid. iames . . . . seneca act. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aug. three violent passions incident to youth . lvst . two reasons why youth is naturally subjected to illimited passion . an espiciall motive tending to the increase of this passions venus in vinis . nunquam ego ●brium putabo castum hier. plato . plutarch . macrob. q. curt. lib. . * irene . what rare effects the precepts of morall philosophy wrought in heathen men . etiam feris ac barbaris detestabile est . ambr. lib. . de abraham . vid. aul. gell. in noct. atticis . seneca . — rara est concordia formae , atque pudicitiae . iuven. sat. . numb . . . ambition nullus enim magni sceleris labor — iuven. sa● . . tuscul. quaest lib. . tolluntur in altum , vt lapsu graviore ruant — hen. the fourth whose name deserves to be enrouled among the ancient worthies . aristot. chrysost. in . corinth . quantum-cunque te dejeceris , bumilior non eris christo. hier. plutarch . semper hiat , semper tenuem qua vescitur auram reciprocavit chamaeleon . et mutat fasiem varios sumit que colores , praeter rubrum & candidum . alciat . nil tam metuens , quàm ne dubitare aligua de re videretur . petrarch . de remed . utri●s . sort . revenge . appian . alex. hom in iliad . & polyb. apud curionem . lib. . facilè redimunt qui sanguine famam . martial epig. — impium est mortis statum praecipere tempus . galesti lepores . pet. mar. the proper postures of a compleat roarer . est venus in vinis , vinis venus illita venis . sint proculà men●is vina venus que meis . hom. in odyss . seneca ad gaelion . de remed . fortuit . quicquid ● vobis minor exti●escet , major hoc vobis dominas minatur , horat. king. . , . horat. lib. . epist. . basil. homide ira. greg. mor. l. . cap . ephes. . . rom. . . iam. . . isay : . nah. . , . numb . . . iam. . . prov. . . ● cor. . . prov. . . eccl. . . . prov. . . . ephes. . . . physicke precribed , and receits applied to cure these maladies in youth . omnis actio duas habet ansas . in lib. de leg . luke . . what imployments deserve entertainment from a gentleman . blos : christ. lib. de orand . deo. luke . . rom. . , . eph. . , . col. . , . psal. . . eccl. . . notes for div a -e observ. . the diversity of dispositions . exeunti intro , miranti exeo . vid. laert. a probable judgement of our dispositions , drawne from the delights we affect , or company we frequent . salust . passion the best discoverer of our disposition . discovery of dispositions in distempers . non habet ulterius quod nostris potibus addat posteritas — habebitur a●iquando ●br●etatt ho●or , & platimum meri cepisse , virtus erit . sen. non invenit ●rimen , etiam viri fortis accipit nomen , tantò nequior , quantò sub po●●ulo invi●●●er aug. de verb. apost . ser. . promotion held ever mans best anatomy lecture . thom. in . quaest . . c. . op●andaea est amissio honoris , quae facit nos humilicres . nihil difficilius est quam bene imperare . diocles. dict. l. flor. lib. cap. . the disposition is not to be forced . objection . sancti iuvenes , satanici senes . hieron . cont . lucif . resolution . * vt●a ●●●●nibus nascuntur ●●geni●a , ita ab exiguis 〈◊〉 ingenia . quibus●um evenit , ut cum primis floribus arboru●a ; hi enim citi●● acc●lerius , illi autem felicius ac●uberius gemmare so●ent & germinare suet. tran. in vit . ner. stupent in ●itulis & imaginibus . bene est cui deus obtulit , par●a , quod satis est manu . hor. od. lib. . cap. . eccles. . . nugae & delirtum : quanto magis capit , tanto magis cupit : quanto magis cupit , tanto minus sapit . * plutarch . in moral . horat. lib. . epist. . what disposition is most generous . mildnesse . blutrch . in vit . pomp. ioseph . in hist. iud. in vit . marcel . comin . matth. ▪ . dan. . . king . , . deut. . . bede . nec leges metuunt , sed cedit viribus aequum , maestaque victrici jura sub ense jacent . omnia adversa exercitationes putant seneca . cyprian . munificence . amici , perdidimus diem . sext. aurel. iustin. cujus domus quasi quaedam munificentiae officina crederetur . val. max. l. . paucos heavit aula , plures perdidit● sed & hos quoque ipsos , quos heavit , perdidit . faern . in emb. amos . . amos . , , . nihil liberale , quod non idem est justum cic. calvin . instit. lib. . cap. . fortitude . maldon . in . matt. cap. . arist lib. . de hist animal c. . & l . de part . anim . c. . fort is non est qui in arenam descendendo , dimicare audet , sed qui nocendi cansam secum discutis , priusquàm auder . . macchab. . the proper aime or end whereto the actions of true resolution are directed . cicero . boet. in lups . treatise of charitie . cic. . lib. tusc. quaest . the prudent observation of cortugal , one of the turkish princes , in his o●ation persuasive to his lord to besi●ge rhodes , was this christimus occasus discord●s intesti●●● correboratur . sitting * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes for div a -e observ. . what education is . knowledge . vt cognoscam te ; ut erg●●scam me . bern. knowledge of god. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . luke . . . knowledge of mans selfe . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . multum semper discens , senesco . socrat. panorm . de reb . gest . alphon . lib. . prodigi praed●a , parasiti praeda . socrat. quomodo proficis , sitam tibi sufficis ? bern. aug. in s●liloq . cap. . bern. medit. cap. . plutarch . in l. de virt . amor . motus animae ( saith s. aug. ) quos graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant . ex lati●is quidā ( ut cic. . tus. ) perturbationes dixerunt , alii affectiones , alii affectus , alii expr●ssas passiones vocav●runt . damascen defineth other affections of the minde . motio sensualis appetivae virtutis , ob boni vei mali imaginationem . l. . de fid . orthodox . c. . zeno ap . cic. in . tusc. ita definit : perturbatio seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aversa recta ratione contra naturam animi commotio . in vit . anselmi . * vt a christo accepimus beneficium , praesiemus christiani officium . praebendomemoris christi hospicium . erige oculum in humilitatis speculum , ejus enim exemplum , speciosii deo praeparabit templum . quantumcum . que te ●cejeceris , humilior non eris christo . hieron . tim. . . a right profitable exhortation to all such as are drawne away by strange doctrine . sacerdotes nominamur , non sumus . gr. humilium sumus doctores , superbiae duces . ibid. nemo ●am impius est , quem haereticus impietate non vincat . s hieron l. . in esaiam . si enim haeretici sunt , christiani ●sse non possunt . tertul. de praesor . cap. . cypr. de vnitate . et hier contra luciferianos . discourse . laert. lib. two especiall errors incident to subjects of discourse ; affectation , imitation : whereof gentlemen are seriously cautioned affectation . s●●● ser. . imitation . vin● . de vit . spirit . ibid● cicero . pic. mi●●nd . ad hermel . life of the speaker . i●m . . . truth of the subject . * equites asiam , iuven. sobriety of speech . gell in noct. atti● . immoderate passion , in arguments of discourse and reasoning , to be avoided . plutarch . in vit . phoc. two powerfull motives or perswasion vehemencie of passion : and instancie of demonstration . qualis sermo o●tenditur , talis & animus comprebatur . isid. est enim fidelitut● silentio merces . hor. carm . l. . ad . silentio culps crescit . isidor . neque imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare , neque sacerdotale quod sentiat , non dicere , ambr. epist. . gr●g ezek. . . cor. . . quic ●uid non licet , pastoris est prohibere ne fiat . aug. ludo v. viv. instruct . christ. mul. adeoque ut errorem cum lacte nutricis sugunt . cic. vberalactis & lucis , alent vos milites supremi ducis . action . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cic. sen. de tranq . anim . appian . alex. the admirable effects of education . educatio & doctrina efficiunt mores . seneca . without learning hercules becomes a tyrant , darius insolent , achilles inordinate . par● divinain homine mersa . sen. lips. phavorinus . vid. tit. liv. luc. flor. plut. in vit . rom among wolves was his education , by vultures his inauguration . hi pastores pecorum , magis quàm reges gentium . xenophon in cyropaedia . quint. curt. plutarch . in vit . alex. hominis ●●im solus xullo beneficio persotur . seneca . tuse quaest . l●b . quart . stil●●o . al●●●iades . affrican marcellus . how a gentleman may he best enabled by education . * for aristotle , howsoever termed his master , is thought to have flourished when he came to riper yeares . vid. ep alex. ad arist. con . scriptam , de sit . & stat ind. three things moved tiberius to send drusus into illyricum : the first was senescere ●●lttiae : the second , studiae exercitus ●● . rare : the third , simul ●uvenem urbano luxu lascivientem melius in castris haberi re●batur tiberius . tacit. * for aristotle , howsoever termed his master , is thought to have flourished when he came to riper yeares . vid. ep alex. ad arist. con . scriptam , de sit . & stat ind. three things moved tiberius to send drusus into illyricum : the first was senescere ●●lttiae : the second , studiae exercitus ●● . rare : the third , simul ●uvenem urbano luxu lascivientem melius in castris haberi re●batur tiberius . tacit. milites ira non lyra , sed turba sonat . nec telis est not a chelys . cic. in bruto . isocrates . sext. philosophus . this may be confirmed by that elegant distich : virtus in●rtis habet , titulum sepeli●e the●aurum ; ●irtus amand● parit cu●ta , sepulta perit . eunius . plut. in vit● marcel . habet ornatū satis illo majorem ; habet aliud spactaculum , ad iliud spectaculum te compone . quod ergo tibi est specta●ulum ? coelum , angelorum innumera multitudo . chrysost. hom . . in epist. . ad hebraeos . notes for div a -e observ. . gen. . . gen. . . a qui luxuriant in vermiū operibas . chris. tom . hom . . in genes . fueruntur quidam ex india vermiculi , hujusmodi facere vestes . idem . tom . . hom . , in ●ad timoth. b imu●in viscera terrae , & in sede manium opes quaerimus ; eiusque penetrat luxuris , plin. hist. natural . l. . c quid memorem pretiosorū aromatum , quae ex india , ex arabia , & ex perside convebùntur . sunt si vis unguenta pretiosa , quae non e● arabia , vel ex perside , sed ex ipso convehuntur coelo , quae emuntur , non auro sed fide non ficta . chr. c. . tom . hom . in ad tim. aug. tom . . serm. de temp. d animaliumque vento feruntur , delitiae . cl. alex. paea . l. . c. ● . e et sua vestimenta & vestes stragulas su●●umigāt , & aspergunt : atque adeo ut ipsas propemodum matulas , clem. alex , ●●aed . l. . c. . f vermium texturae . chrys. tom . . hom . . in gen. g maximi autem pretii margarita mulierum conclave invasir : ea autem nascitur in quodii ostreo . clem. alex. paed. lib. . c. . h quae peccatorem sactum convincerent . aug. l. . de gen. ad lit . &c. . i di●o ergo hominem , non alia de causa opus habere ve●●imentis , qu●m ut regatur corpus , ad maxima frigora & ve●e●entes oestus propussandos : hic est vestis scopus . clem alex. paed l. c. . verbera ventorum vitare imbrosque coactos . ● ucr l. . li●el de imag hor. l . ep . . ornamentum est quod ornat : ornat autem quod honestiorem mulier●m facit . plutarch . in praecept . connubial . hoc ipsum , quod vos non ornatis ornatus est . ambros lib. . de virg. ambros. tom . . lib. . offic. cap. . phil. . , . the necessitie of a vocation . ezek. . . prov. . . . . ecclus. . ● ▪ . thess. . . . . tim. . . cor. . . health commeth not from the clouds without seeking , nor wealth from the clods without digging . vocation a peculiar labour or function , particularly allotted to any one person . * alijs micans , consumer . aul. gell. in noct. artic. adde quod ingenium long â rubigine loesum torpet , & est multo quam fuit ante , minus . vita quanto magis procedit , tanto propius ad mortem accedit . aug. soliloq . c. . sam. . . ester . . . king. . dan. . . sam. . . king. . . ibid. . . luke . . gen. . . act. , . cor. . . eccles. hist. deut. . . xista potius quàm zenodochia , regia potius palatia , quàm tectain pauperum solatia , erigent . horti delitiae , horrei divitiae , elegantiae aedificij , morientium oculis dolores inimicíssimí . ib. three necessary considerations touching the conveniencie of a vocation . a divine consideration . a civil consideration . amore dei amor vicinig ignitur , amore vicini amor dei nutritur . bern. oratio inter maxima charitatis opera numerandae est . the effect of prayer confirmed . exod. . . a peculiar consideration . vid. salust . in bell . iug. nec enim libertas ●utier ulla est , qu●m domino servire ruo . prima est libertas carere cri●inibus . aug. a damnum potius quam turpe lucrum eligendum est . laaert . b omnes complectuntur artes ex quibus lucrum consequi poterint . plat. de leg . lucri bo●●m odor ex re qualibet . iuvenal . lucrum sine damn● alteriue ●ieri nō potest . sen. epist. . d cum aliqua species utilitatis objecta est , nos commov●ri necesse est cic. de offic . . omnes appetimus utilitatem , & ad ed rapimur . ibid. e lucrum facit homines deter●●res . polit. . nisi lucrū esset , nemo ●uisset improbus . f nam tale turpe lucrum accusatio naturae est . apud stobaeum . g recuniae studium , fidem , probitatem , caeterasque bonas artes su●vertit . hor. h voluntas firgendi , & mentiendi est eorum qui opes appetunt , & luc●um desidera●t . lact. 〈…〉 . i clar●●-ubique fuit , fortis , sapiens , etiam rex , & quicquid vole● . horat. si for●una vole● , fies de rhetore consul ; si volet haec eadem , fus de consule rhetor. iuvenal . sat. . k virtus nihil quod extr●se est quaerit . pontan lib. de prud. l nulla potest esse virtus nisi gratuita cic in tus. m domat omnia virtus . salust . quicquid homines arant , navigant , aedifica●t , virtuti omnio ●a●ert . ibid. n virtuit fortuna ●●dit . plut. o nihil eripit fortuna , nisi quod ipsa dedit . sen. de tranq . an . p virtute qui praediti sunt , soli sunt divites . cicero . * deut. . . pauperes eligit deus ad haereditatem regni ●aelestis . . cor. . . luk. . . . o mors , quàm amara est memoria tuae , homini habenti pacem in substantiis suis● non s●lii virtus , sed etiam ●ama , decus ; divina humanaque pulchris divitiis p●rent . hor●t . lib . sat. . we are to resist vices , by practising & doing acts of the contrary vertues . no man exempted from a vocation . non vestrae magis irae , quom famae cōsulatis . caes. in orat . pro cat. de libertate vindicanda . vide salust . in maxima fortuna , minimalicentia est . salust . bere paupert●● humili tec●o contenta latet . qu●tiūt altas● aepepro●cila ; aut evertit fortuna demus . s●n. in agam. quiequid excelsum est . cadat . in octa●o . invident honori meo , ergo invideant labori , & innocentiae , periculis etiam meis , quoniam per haec illum cepi . salust . in bell . lug . cic. in l. de leg . agendo , audendeque res romana crevit . salust . l ▪ flor. lib. . cap. . gen. . . in iis linguis quas nō intelligimus , surdi sumus . tusc. lib. . hoc nempe ab homine exigitur , ut profit hominibus si fieri potest , multis ; si minùs , paucis ; si minùs , proximis ; si minùs , sibi . seneca de vitâ beat â. a resemblance betwixt the offices in the body of a state , & a body naturall . ocules ad caelum , manus ad clavum . experimenta per mortes agunt . hippocr . 〈…〉 ; & 〈…〉 ut hier. ad pat● . conquerum ) scripturarum interpretationem passim sibi vendica●t omn●s , benegat . ruia anus , hanc del●us sen●x , hanc sophista verbesus , hanc vniversi praesumant , lucerant decent antequam discant . see the first rising of all novellisme and innovated doctrine , how & upon what weak grounds planted , and how strangely by the bellows of singularity increased . exod. . ● . west . west . . . ●d . . . ed. . . h. . . h. . . h. , & . el. mala fama benè parta d●lectat . sen. nam vivos interdum fortuna , saepe invidia fatigat : ubi anima naturae cessit , demptis obtrectatoribus , ipsa se virtus magis magisque extollit salust . homines inertissimi quorum omnis vis virtusque in lingua sita est . salust . in . orat . virtus per se amara atque aspera est . ad virturem una atque ardua via est . ibid. vocation in generall . ezek. . sam. , . prov. . . j●rm . . . zeph. . . mich. . ion . . hinc alij aliis artib●s incumbunt ; hi in mari navigantes , hi in mentes p●scantes et pastinantes , &c. vis●e procedere in thessaliam ? artem disces hortulanam ; visne in barbariam ? arrem experieris equesirem . sam. . sam. . . gen. . . gen. . . gen. . . gen. . . grammar . logicke . sera cogitatis quae à clave artis reseratur arist. in poster . vid. meleb. can. in l. . de locis theologicis . rhetorick . eras. lib. . apotheg . quint. curt. — si vis me flere , delendumest primū ipst tibi , tunc tua me infortunia laedunt . hor. de art . poet . cic. lib. . de orat. * maro both a poet & an excellent orarator ; who with isocrates for lacke of a good voice ( otherwise called the father of eloquence ) never pleaded publikely : therefore was it said of his orations , that if maro penned them , and cicero pronounced them , nothing could bee more exquisite . mathematicks . libenter ignoro quod me scire . deus noluit . caetera quidem nescio , hoc autem scio , quòd dii oderint curies●s . euclid compescat igitur se humana temeritas , & id quod non est , nō quaerat , ne illud quod est , non inveniat . maxim. serm. . geometrie . vid plut. in vit . marcel . l. flor l. c. . physick . vid. app. al. hippocrates . l. flor. l. . c. . musicke . vt lyram vel citharam percu●iat , &c. sam. . . musicke hath a different working melody , mirth & melancholy . king. . . exod. . . iudith . . iudg. . . aug. conf. lib. . cap. . qui tam modic●flexu vocis faciebat sonare lectorem psalmi , ut prenu●tianti vicinior esset quàm canenti . ibid. the vocation of a gentleman in particular . quae retro sunt oblivisci , & ad ea quae antè sunt apostolum sequi . epist. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dial. . exod. . . gen. . . psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mark. . . cor. . . luke . . . the vocation of a gentleman hath relation to imploiment publike or private . objections framed against byron , set his treaty with forraine states . credulitie in two respects dangerous to persons imployed in af●sires of state. credulitie in beleeving the relations of oth●rs . credulity in imparting his thoughts to the secrecy of others . for cabinet-counsell this may be their motto ; plenu● sum rimarum . vt thesaurus repositus . leporis ventri quam vento vulgi , multò satius mandari sentiens . iust. resolution in suffering neither price to draw him , nor power to over-awe him . excitamur ad meliora magnitudine rerum , salust . herodotus l. . initio . vid. hotman de legat. legatus ipsam reipub. faciem suam attulisse videtur . ad virtutem laudesque habendas naturam si●e doctrina , quam doctrinam sino natura valuisse . cic. disobedience punished in attempts most successive . virgis coedi jussit quibus miserè periit . plut. in apoth●g . how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in publike affaires . cypr●● . macc. . . magne , non bene . a●g a frier , who writte diverse works viz. de papae & corelij , autoritate . speculum clericorum . &c. zinglerus l. de 〈◊〉 viris germaniae , cap. . in turc . hist. probè def●●rur à stoicis fortitudo , cum eam virtutem duunt . ●sse propugnatem pro aequitate . ci● . salmacida spolia sine sanguine & judere . si. lib. . plut. in vit . iul. cas. ioseph in bell . iud. clementiam id 〈◊〉 imperatoris pro inertia ducebant . ib. dulce & decorum est pro p●tria mori . hor. l. . od . . poeni faedifragi . cic in offic. nulla sancta societas , nec fides regni . philip. . . a glorious enterprize recommended to the undertaking of all generous spirits . totum adimit , quo ingrata refulget . coping with the persian sapor in titular insolence , who caused himself to be stiled , rex regum , frater solis & lunae , particeps syderum . a glorious fight is ever accompanied by a noble fate . non debet timere hostem fortem , ●u● dominum habet fortiorem . esa. . . psal. . . how a gentleman is to demeane himself in private affaires . sic crimine nota crumena est . quid non speremus , si nummos possideamus ? omnia nummus habet quod vult , facit , addit & aufert . this may be observed in suits of law , as well as private affaires of justice . a deut. . . b deut. . . c sam. . . d ierem. . . e gen. . . f deut. . ● g esdr. . . rom. . . psalm . . . h act. . . i prov. . . k ecclus. . . . . act. . . . tim. . . , . l . . . to . m sam. . . n iob . . amos. . . purpuram magis quam deum coleutes . iudges . . two perillous shelfes which in danger iustice. sicut absynthiaper se pellunt morbos , melle tamen illiniuntur , ut puerorum aetas improvida ludificetur . pic. mirand . ad hermol . mark. . . a exod. . . b exod. . . c sam. . . d deut. . . e king. . . f exod. . g cor. . . . h deut. . . . heb. . . i exod. . , . num. . . melius est qu●d perist unus , quam unitas qui malis parcit , bonis nocet . luxuriantes amputantur surculi , ut genuini coalescant rami . in putatione sarmenta flerilia reciduntur : ut ca quae praevalent uberiùs fructum ferant greg. in mor. exposit . in iob. nimius amor & nimiū odiū omne pervertaut iudicium . chrysost. malle se inter inimicos , quam amicos iudicare dicebat . laert. in vit . eian . perit omne iudicium cum res transit in affectum . sen. habeo in me , quod testetur pro me . omnis piorum vita testimonium redilit deo. cypr. de duplo martyrio , initio . prob pudor ! secundum fortunam aestimatur persona , quum potius secundū personam aestimanda sit fortuna : tam bonus reputatur quàm dives ; tam malus , quàm pauper ; cum potius tam dives sit reputandus quàm bonus , tam pauper quàm malus . de contem . mund . l. . cap. . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in his owne family . tim. . . aug. ephes. . . ad ul● . eph . ad . demus , ( inquit aristoteles ) est quas● 〈◊〉 civitas , & civitas quasi magna domus . every family a private common-wealth . how a gentleman is to bestow himselfe in temporall affaires within his family . gen. . . deut. . . prov. . . . prov. . , . luke . . gen. . . sam. . . exod. . . nec soràidè custodiat , nec prodige spargal . salust . eph. . . * circa domest●cos severiratem . med. cap. . deut. . . cor. . . tim. . . how highly to bee condemned was that act of vedius pollio , who tyrannzed so much over his servants , that he caused one to be cast into a fish-pond for breaking a glasse ? invenes amârunt , senes ●derunt . famulos impubescentes amasse voluptas , adolescentes utilitas , senescentes pietas . alauda cristā habet . proverb . tim. . . domum suam coercere , plerisque baud minus arduum est , quam prov●nciam regere . tacit. gen. . . gen , . gen. . . . . luke . . prov. . . . hydroptē habent conscientiam . aug. quanto magis bibunt , tanto magis sitiunt . quanto magis capiunt , tanto magis cupiunt . quorum sitis neque copia , neque inopia minuitur . salust . vera inopia , cupiditatum copia . how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in spirituall affaires within his familie . gen. . . chron. . . deut. . , . . vers. . consisting upon a precept and a promise . ostendit exemplo , quod promisit in praemio . aug. ruth , , nimium est negoti● continere c●s quibus praesis , nisi te ipse contineus . anima mea quid secisit hodiè ? &c. quod malum hodiè sanas●i● senec. deira , lib. . veni ad judicium . hieron . paratum est cor meum . ibid. nulla di●s sine linea . esai . . . choen●cine insideas . thess . joh. . luke . . vlterius . luke . . nunquam ei praeesse familiae , quae parùm studiosa est divinae gloriae . philip. . . notes for div a -e observat. . the difference of recreations . vid. strab. vid. plut. aul. gell. in noct . att. laert. in vit . cbyl . l. flor. l. . c. . balsares narrat à qua gente balistas no●men duxisse , verisimile est , jasulandi arte omnium facile principes esse . * sicut nostri ab anno domini , prisci ab olympiad um stadio , sua comput ârunt ● secula . lucullian● horti . vid. plut. in vit . a cynosargus , locus in quo palestriae exercebaniur ; cerostrotum , in quo eorum corpora ungebantur . b circus , quia aculeatis spiculis circumclusus . vid. varro . de antiq . rom. c haec quae difficilis turget bagenica pluma , folleminus luxa est , & minus arcta pilà . martial . lib. . d fortissima adversus mētem , & dolorem disciplina . vid plut. in apotheg . & in vit . socr. flat . in repub . vid. plut. in vit . lycurg . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . such like exquisite peeces may we imagine our rare italian iec●ano limned : whose incon parable art bestowed on them so much beauty , as they wanted nothing but a promethean fire to enliven fancie . nazian . contra ●ulieres immodicè comptas . nescit equo rudis hae●ere irgenuus puer , venarique timet ludere doctior , s●● graeco jubeas troc●o , seu m●lis vetita legib●s alea. h●r . od. . . cor sule victorem , in vit . imperator . studiosus aleae lusor . ibid. suct . in aug. * vocatus numeravit calculos , & sodali suo ; vide ( inquit ) ne post mortem meam mentiaris te vicisse . tum annuens genturioni : test is ( inquit ) eris , uno we antecedere . sen. de tranq . anim . of the moderate and immoderate use of recreation . pic. mirand . in epist. ad . hermol . the benefits redounding from moderate recreation . sen. de tranq . anim . nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit . ibid. horat. ● . . ep . . cellae & coeli habitatio cognatae sunt . ber. de vit . solitar . non calathum iuno , non arcum semper apollo tendit : amant roquiem corpora fessa suam . sueton. tranq . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . avaritia bellua fera , immanis , intoleranda est . salust . domi-porta , limax ; quia limum serpendo relinquit . vid. alciat . in emblem . aelian . in nat . hist. * revel . . . the inconveniences arising from immoderate recreation . immoderatione relaxantur artus , immin●untur vires : moderatione religantur artus , reparantur vires . laert. in vit . chyl . num. . . eccles. . . amos . . amos . . . . in the yeare of iubile all captives were delivered , all slaves enfranchised , all debts discharged . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . solon . dediscere didisi , oblivisci qua memini . sen. de tranq : enim . plut. in apoth . aelian . in varia hist. lib. . cap. . dies festos nolite inhonorare ( inquit ignatius ) quid tamen agunt isti , qui licenti●s epulando crapulae indulgent , aut calites hauriendo ebrietatem fovent ? melius est quod omni die foderent , quàm omni die saltarent . aug. sup psal. . mark. . . ebrietate nil latius serpit , nil gravius s●vit . panorm . homer . in odyss . horat. in epist. laert. in vit . cleo● . vid. quint. curt. lib. . armatis , divum nullus pudor . sil. ital. plato . plutarch . macrob. tim. . . mo●ico vino utere . ecclesia mater est , noverca non est ; libertas datur ad necessitatem , modo cohibeatur ad vanitatem . a itae evenit , ●t cúm aliquid ubi non oportet adhibetur , illic ubi oportet negligatur . tertul. lib. de poeniten . initio . b in apolog. c. . democritus excaecando seipsum incontinentiam emendatione profitetur . at christianus salvis oculis faeminam videt , animo adversus ●ibidines caecus est . c ego mergam vos , neipse mergar ● vobis . d noctium attic. l. . c. . homo miser vites suas sibi omnes detruncat . quo major , eò melior ; idque exemplo perfice , ut aliis etiam bene vivendi exempla trilua● . prov. . , . observation of admirable continencie , instanced in beast , and birds . vt eruaentur à multere altena , &c. ●● . vers . . the publication of secula plays used by the heathen , was cryed in these words ; convenite ad ludos spectādos , quos neque spectavit quis quam , nec spectaturus est . suet. in claudio , cap. . pol. vug. de invent . lib. . cap . ovid. trist. lib. object . . primum quod urgent illi histriom ast . di sumptum est è deuter. . ●e cultu multebri , an pueris li uit cum assumere ; carumque mo res assimilare ? vni bezae omres acquiescunt theologi . object . . obj●ctio de sacra scriptura sumpta & perita . quàm plurima in pubitcis theatris sunt spectanda , ad regendos mores , dirigendos motus , corrigendos animi metus , admodum utilia . object . . vt metus humilitatem ▪ sic nimia laetitia gestit levitatem . cic. eccles. . . object . . tertul. lib. de patient . theophylact. chrysostome . gregory . object . . de deo loqui e●iam vera periculosissimum est . arnob. object . in comed . de thaide . * anticyrainsula est o●tae , monti thessalio opposita , ubi helleborus crevisse dicitur . object . . aut vinculum aut vehiculum . de civit dei. lib . cap. . theatra idolatricis deorum sacris esse turpiora &c. augustinus , latinorum patrum augustios de civit . dei lib. . cap. . * nunc sum delignatus aedilis , habeo rationem quòd à populo acceperim , mihi ludos sanctissimos , maxima et ceremonia cereri liberoque faciendos . cic. in ver. quintilianus hypocritam histrionem appellat : qui mores , motus gestus , incessus voces , vultus , deponere & dediscere ( quorum personas agunt ) nullo modo possunt . elizabetha orbis phoebe ; inter mulieres sibylla , inter reginas , saba . homerus , sophocles heroicus ; sophocles , homerus tragicus . had ovid supplied cherilus place he might by this meanes have inriched his fortunes above the condition of a poet. sedeo inter suspiria & lachrymas . — ego laudoruris amoeni rivos , & musco circumlita saxa , nemusque . hor. . epist. . carmina sec●ssum scribentis & otia quaerunt . frustra poet as feres compos sui p●pulit . sen. de tranq . anim . macrob in som. scipioni . ad reprehendenda aliena facta atque dicta ardet omnis animus . salust . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eupolis atque cratinu● , aristophanes que poetae . horat. serm. lib. . sat. . saepius me eupolis in theatro demersisti , semel te in mari demergam . * ignotum tragicae genus invenisse camanae . dicitur , & plaus●ris vexisse poemata thespis , quae canerent agerētquè peruncti faecibus ora . horat. in art . poet . hence it may appeare how injuriously i was ●●aduced by mr. w. p. in his historiomas●ix . though the most able and s●nowy fancies , which of late times flourished amongst our italians for dramatick measures , were accounted these : lopis de vega . arisiofane . mauzano . mirinda . vivianus . assarino . alvisus . astolsus . cum fame craciantur christi pauperes , effusis largitatibus nutriunt histriones . greg. donare res suat histrionibus causa histrionatus , vitium est ●mmane & non virtus . aug. sup. iohan. daindigenti , & non da saltanti et hiero. this fearfull example disapproves not the use but abuse of stage-playes . ludus ale ae et omnis ludus qui innititurfortunae prohibitus est . in sum. pisan. barthol . merula . in ovid. de art . amand , l. . * canis , canalicula seu chius , apud romanos jactus erat omnium maximè inauspicatus ; hercules , venus seu basilicus , omnium benignissimus . vid. lips. antiq . lect lib. ● . c. . turn . adu . lib. . cap. . in tesserario lud● , mydas jactu● erat fortunatissimus . de●●pst . antiq . rom. l. . c. . * in a treatise entituled ; the hunismans raunge . vellet que videre , non etiam sentire . act aeon apud ovid. quos mortes ascendent , quas paludes transibunt , quas vepres sentesque sine sensu percurrent , modoò unum lepusculum tāto sudore capiant ? horat. optat aprum , aut fulvum descendere monte lecnem . virg. ●●t olim gargilius , qui manè plagas , venabula , servos differtum transire forum , populumque jubebat , vnus ut è multis ( populo spectante ) referret emptum mulus aprum . horat. epist , lib. . . vid. sueton. tranquill. greg. in moral . exposit . in iob. the romans , as may appeare by their laetoria lex , accounted all prodigals mad-men . cic. . de offic . horae non auri dispendium defleo . of recreations best sorting with the quality of a gentleman . tus●●l . lib. . quint. curt. lib. . heu quantum potuit terrae pelagique parari , hos quem civiles hauserunt sanguine dextrae . a ephes. . b rom. . . prov. . . . c prov. . . ● . d prov. . . lucan . spiritus magni magis quàm utiles . liv. dec . . lib. . is●i sunt maximè no●ij , quibus minimè noti . the saying of adherbal , bomilcars son ; vincerescis hannibal , sed uti victoria nescis . l. flor. l. . c. . resembling clement the fourth , who had a pregnant wit for projecting , unfortunate for atchieving . object . sol. vid homer in iliad . plin. in nat. hist. knowledges are as the pyramides , wherof history is the basis. de orat. l. . whence cicero moved luceius to record his acts in his writings . annot. in tacit . dequo verè dici po●est , ut inclytus ille lipsius de guicciardino testatus est ; " prudens peritusque scriptor , et qui taies lectores suos facit . * in the survey of histories lately revised and amply inlarged ; which might be rightly entitled , the muses wardrobe , or , the noble-mans lecture , dilating on the various delights of history , the best accomplisher of true gentility . historicum nobilem et verum aug. de civit. dei , l. . graecorum thucydidem et herodotum , latinorum salustium & t. livium facilè principes esse judicamus . laur. vall. in ●r●oem thucyd . * ●linius iunior wished he might be mentioned in the histories of cornel. tacitus , because he did foresee their succeeding memory . * non solùm animis , sed etiam oculis servire civium . cic. * homines fronte & oratione magis quàm ipso beneficio , reque capiuntur . ibid. tusc. . quint. curt. . a cicero said of galba's leaden and lumpish body : his wit had an ill lodging . b who would have majesty preserved , virtute non cultu . macrob. lib. . saturnalium , c. . dion . lib. . appianus alex. plut. in vit . bomp . iustin. quint. curt. vid. polydor. fab. stow. & al. appian ▪ alex , l. flor. l. . c. quint. curt. l. . the miserable ends of such as committed sacriledge in their time . virg. aeneid . . lib. . lactant. de orig . error . cap. . valer. max. vid. chron. what good morall men have flourished in evill times . plut. initio apotheg . regum . iustin. lib. . i● fine . non dolenda solùm sed periculosa etiam res est , cum ingratis habere negotium . sen. appian . alexand. o ingrata patria , ne ossa quidem● valer max. quint. curt. l. ● . plut. in apotheg . quarti d●x . tanti exercitus . l. flor. l. . c. . pecoritus fatigatis quoque velocior domum gradus est . sen. de tranquill . anim . lib cap. ● . as in the reign of king iohn ▪ a● . dom. . having crossed the seas to ierusalem . id credo non fuit hominum , sed conscientia sc●lerum . polydor ▪ virgil ▪ how a gentleman is to bestow himselfe in recreation . defunctum asseruntimmodica laetitia & se●ii imbecillitate , &c. laert . in vit . chyl . suet. in nero●● . plut. in vit . s●xt . a●rel . herodian . virtus atque sapientia major in illis fuit , qui ox parvis opibus tantum imperium fecere , quàm in nobis , qui ea bene parta vix retinemus salust . majus dedecus est parta amittere , quam non omnino par avisse . peculatu● ararii factus est ibid. assuetis nulla sit passio . eresius . suet. in tiber. si videas murem dominari alii muri , nunquid risum teneas ? quantò magis ridiculum est quando tax illum , quod est minoris valoris quàm mus , homini dominetur ? sen. from this inordinate desire spring two maine branches : cupiditas acquirendi ; aviditas retinendi : eagernesse of gaining ; greedines of reteining . blos . omnium notarum peccatores ; et nulli rei nisi panitentiae nati . tertul. de paenit . in fine . quic quid repre●en dendum non damnandum est . sen. de benef. l. . cap. . davidem saltantem plus stupeo quàm pugnantem . moral . l. . c. . sam. . . chro. . . ludam ( inquit ) ut illudant . bonus ludus quo michol . irascitur , & deus delectatur . greg. mag. chrysost. in gen. hom. . tom. . cap. . notes for div a -e observat. of the use of acquaintance . one. dentatus apud senecam de tranq . anim . mar. . . acts . . prov. ▪ ▪ deut. . , . a bern. de vitâ solitariâ . b honores mundi , tumores mundi . eucher . epist. par●en-de contempt . mundi . c omnis seculi honor , diaboli est negotium . hil. can . . in matth. quaeremus unum bonum in quo sunt omnia , bona et sufficit . aug. med. * greg. diligenti deum sufficit ei placere quem diligit , quia nulla major expetenda est remuneratio quam ipsa dilectio . leo magnus serm. de jejuno . mat. . . . psal. . . tim. . . iob. . . bernard . in . . lib. de consid . ad eugen. in eodem lib. cap. . periclita●ur castitas in delitiis , humilitas in divitiis , pi●tas in nego ●io , verit as in multiloguio , charitas in hoc nequam saeculo . bern. asrariu● . of the benefit we reape by acquaint●nce in matters of discourse . amor à praesente gauder , absente dolet . bern. sup . cant. nihil interest habere estium apertum , vultum clausma . cicero . no rush without mire , no corrupt heart without sin . p●in . in na● . hi●● . iob . . of the choice of acquaintance in matters of advice . iob . . la●rt . in vit . periand . omnia pro tempore , nihil pro veritate . optatus . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eccles. . . * whose wood is sweetest , shade coolest , and coale hottest . fabiolae m●us . . lat●at , ●aec una salus . sc● . in troad . in tiberius t●me . prov. . . . lacrt. in v●t . biant . suct . in aug. tusc. lib. . of the benefit properly derived from one friend to another in every peculiar action . plutarch . in pelopida , initio . plutarch . in paulo aemilio , sine . nihil tan aequè oblectaverit animum quàm amicitia fidelis . sen. in tranq . anim . vt flores qui odore delectant . ibid. nullus sine amicis locus amaenus : omnis sine sociis mūdus eremus . * the expressive character of a reall friend . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nam in ●●ro sunt lites & actiones moles●● . posidio . si qu●s in hos mundo cunctis vult gratus baberi ; det , capiat , quaerat , plurima , pauce , nihil . plato . the benefits which redound from the mutuall union or communion of friends in the exercise of pleasure . ioci non sint nimis salfi , multò minus in sulfi : illi enim multum ●fficiunt ; isti , nisi per cachinnum , parùm proficiunt . vanitati propriè festivitas cedit . cic. de orat . lib. . as many stars as in the heavens bee ; so many maids has rome to welcome thee . as many kids as on the downs wee see ; so many prostitutes in rome there be . scipio nasica . a tergo nemesis . laert. in vi● . biant . a rule of infallible direction , touching choice of acquaintance . quis quis pl●s justo non sapit ille sapit . martial . l. . those jests are best seasoned , that are least salted . of the choice or judicious approvement of acquaintance , in affaires of highest consequence . amicos sequere quos non pudeat elegisse . bias. neither timist nor timonist are within the lists of acquaintance to be entertained . the timist or time-observer displaied and displaced . nec tuta fiducia regum , quae levibus plerunque suis nituntur amicis . philip. comin . l. . sext. aurel. in constant. these timists have resemblance to those applauding parasites , by whom a●tiochus was at one time saluted both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a glorious prince , and a furious tyrant . . 〈◊〉 peccatum semper praegnans , aliudex alio gignit . vitia morbi sunt animi . sen. vitia ad vicinos serpunt et contactu nocent . ib. marcionist . * faciunt favos & vespae , faciunt ecclesias & marcionistae . tertul . l. . cont . quae malè afficitur , miserè inficitur . quot vitiae , tot daemonia : tot daemonia , quot crimina . emisenus . si innocentes existimari volumus , non solum nos abstinentes , verum etiam nostros comites praestare debemus . cic. fro incerta spe , certa praentia . salust . gratia quae cocat sicti malè sarta sodalis , est velut in siculo scylla cavenda mar● . pub faust. andr. prov. . . the timonist , or time-detracter discovered and discarded . arist. hist. anim . nosque ubi primus equis oriens afflavit anhelis , illie sera rubens accendit lumina vesper . tu voluptatem complecteris , nos compescimus : tu omnia voluptatis causâ facis , nos nihil . sen. de malis accidentibus bonis . lib. . neu tibi pulthra placent caeci vestigia mundi , fallere quae citiùs quàm renovare selent ? plutarch . what directions are to be observed in the choice of a wife . gen. . . the harsh and heremiticall conceit of the carthaginian arminius , touching marriage . se non prosperae tantùm , sed oranis fortunae inisse societatem . - vix ulla perēnior urna est , vel tibi grata magis proprio quam corpore busium condere . — una requiescit in urna . o vid. met. l. . heb. . . arist. lib. . polit. cap. . eum eligas magistrum , quem magis admireris cum videas , quam cum audias . seneca . egnatius quod condidos habet dentes renidet usque quaque , seu ad rei ventū est subsellium . vid. catul. in lib. eleg. a epictet , enchirid . b cypr. de disciplina & habitu virg . c petr. mart. reg. . . d cyprian . e ambr. hexam . lib. . cap. . f hieron . g iunius . h aug. de christ. fide . i ambros. l. . de offic . cap. . k hier. ad furiam de vid. ser. tom. . l tertul. de hab . mul. cap. . m scult . n cyprian . in lib. de hab . virg . o vict. ad salmonem . p tho. hudson . q clemens alexconst . apost . lib. . cap. . r hier. de exitu leae . s vict. ad salmonem . t caesar. in comment . u nazian . contra mulieres immodicè comptas : x laert. lib. . optimisunt odores qui odorant mores ; aliter non sunt flores sed faetores . y lessius de justitia & jure . lib . cap. . fol. . z pet. alagora in compendio manual . navar. c. . num. fol. . laert. in vita cleeb . portion and proportion . a vbi deu● est , ibi pudicitia , hieron . ad ●uriam de vid. serm tom. . b velamen istud antichristi . ibid. cael. rhod. lib. cap. . priviledges of marriage . plin. . ● . . laeert . in vit . chyl . optimī optīmis claruere gratiis : pessimi pessimis caluere vitiis . fortes creantur fortibus et bonis . est in juvencis , est in equis patrum virtus — horat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . infelicem dicebat bias qui ferre nequiret infelicit atem . laert. pomp. mela. lib. . quorsum alter dives , alter pauper ? theophrast . nil habet infelix paupertas durius in se , quàm quod ridiculos homines facit — iuven. sat. . quem fugiam scio , quem sequàr nescio . homer . iliad . this was never more exemplarily then in that place , and at this time presently confirmed ; where faction guilded over with pretences of religion , labours to bring an united state to division . nihil turpius dubio & incerto , pedem modo referente , modò producente . sen. ep. . sundry motives to love recounted : parentage . benovelence . fame . pardoning of injuries . num. . , . concurrency in hatred . compassion in afflictions . king. . , sam. . . eccles. . . vatus in infamitate persicitur . cor. : . delivery from danger . iudith . . . esther . . ● . exod. . . ioshua . iudg. . . maccab. . . vid. eccle. à cap. ad . expression of vertue . king. . . acknowledgement of injuries . a position of aristot. rh●t . . cap . vt tenuissima scintilla quae in oceanum demittitur . chrysost. in hom . ad pop. suffering of injuries . bounty , or munificence . cor. . . eccles. . . . eccles. . . . ibid c. . . . obad. . arist. eth. l. . of constancie in the choice of acquaintance . eccles. , . . amârunt solem ardentem , oderunt arguentem . vt abiis melicres f●ant , aut eos quibuscuns versantur , meliores faciant . inter vestales hoc celebr● juit , primò discunt quid agant , postea agunt quod discunt , tertiò alios do●ent guod discant , & agant . non est strepitus oris , sed jubilus cerdis ; non sonus labiorum sed morus gaudiorum ; concordia voluntatum , non consonantia vocum : parum enim prodest sola voce cantar● sine cordis intentione . bern. * etiam cadaver mortui officioso geslu precabatur . quaerite quod quaeritis , sed non ubi quaeritis . august . delicatus magister est , qui pleno ventre disputat de jejunio . hieron . qui satur est , pleno laudat jejunia ventre . eccles. . . quin. cur. l. ● amicitiae ut pares quaerunt ita et faciunt : ut cuique est aetas , it a quemque facetus adopta . hor. l. . epist. . suaves omnes fiunt soles inter socios et sodales . qua dementia est potius trabi quàm sequi . seneca . nec quia delectat , placet ; sed quia placet , delectat . ibid egregium apud vos virtutis officium voluptates persuanere : super mens●m recognoscentes omnia gentium animalia : & quò magis implentur , e ò magis inexplebiles , ibid. three faculties of the understanding . these observe that maxim ; he that knoweth how to speak well , knoweth also when he must hold his peace . these thinke an houre before they speake , and a day before they promise . in lib. disecrit . secretor . ecclus . , . talis substantia non est slabilis , aut ipsis inventoribus est peritura , aut à molis haeredibus est diss●panda . chris. in mat. ecclus. ● . . arist. l. . eth. of reservancy towards acquaintance . chap. . . to . iudg. . . chap. . . ecclus . . aditam nocendi perfido praestat sides . sen. in oedip. sam. . . king. . arcanum neque tuscrutaberis ullius unquam ; commissumque teges , & vino tortus & irâ . hor. front●m aperiat , mentem tegat . cic. sam. . . quid difficile ●arcana ( inquit ) retie●re , & ocium rectè disponere . laert . in vit . chyl . aristot. sext. autel in vit . commodi . sam. . . king. . . stow. annal. in vit . iohan. reservancie in respect of our substance , salust . predigas & siultus donat quae spernit , et edit . herat. l. . cp ●● ecclus . . nos proprii simus praedi coloni . nascitur è scopulis nutritus lacte ferino , et dicam silices pectus babere summ . ovid. ecclus. . . . of the absolute end of acquaintance . omnis labor aliquò referatur , aliquò respiciat . sen. de tranque anim . cornel. gall. seneca . aristot. laert. in vit . biant . ecclus . . . in itinerarie . pag. . scholasticus ? et mendicus ? ô secula ●oeca ! nonne alterius seculi ros est transire per terramauri sine auro ? bern. de consid . lib. . zeno noster cum omnia sua audiret submersa , jubet ( inquit ) me fortuna expeditùs philosophari . sen. de tranq . anim . mergam vos ne mergar à vobis . magnum est malum non posse ferre malum . sen. sen. de mal . accident . bonis . lib. . especiall offices wherein friendship and acquaintance should be exercised . arist. maxima foelicitas hujus mundi confiftis in anticis . boet . de consol . phil. nemome amicus beneficentiâ , remo inferendâ injuriâ inimicus superavit . plut. in vit . syl. posse et nolle , nobile . * vsque ad adventum christi brittannia fertilis provincia tyrannorum , & scoticae gextes , omnesque usque ad oceanum per cir●●itum barbarae ●ationes , moysen , propheta●que igno●abant . b stow annal in vita morgani . c camdeni britan. in essexia . d stow annal . in vita blad●d , & leyre regum , & severi imperatoris e iuellus in tractat. de sacris scripturis pag. . acts . . templum christi in templum iovis , mariae in veneris , diceres conversa . d. aegidius . f gildas . lib. de victoria aurelii . am. g nicephorus l. . cap. . h dorotheus in synopsi . cap. . rom. . . tim. . . the flourishing state of the church , amidst many hoarie winters of innovation . i adver . iudae . cap. . hispaniarum omnes termini , & galliarum diversae nationes , & britannorum inaccessa romanis loca christo vero subdita . k hom. . in ezek. quando terra britannia ante adventum christi in unius dei consensit religionem ? nunc verò universa terra cum latitio cl●mat ad dominum . l socrat. l. . c. . m hom. . in cor. n epist. ad evagrium . anno . columbanus in anglia , palladius in scotia , patritius in hi●ernia floruit . o advers . graes . lib. . p epist. lib. . cap. . . q hist. lib ▪ . c ▪ . vide praeter caeteror nec minus inclyti nominis , vitam bernardi . . cap. . et bernard . de con●iderat . l. . si miscere licet figmentis s●cra profanis : atque paludiferis pura fluentalocis ▪ in upupae nido lapis est diversi coloris , qui tam occultae est virtutis ut gerentem planè invisibilem reddet . albert. mag. basil. omnis injuria in sensu patientis . gravis est miseria iniquè ferenti suavis autem est divino amore ferventi . praecept . . vid. goguin . lib. . hist. franc. sur. tom. . notes for div a -e observ. . moderation defined . omnis quae à ratione suscipitur de aliquare institutio , debet à definitione proficisci , ut intelligatur quid sit id de quo disputetur . cio . offic . l. . nihil interest an habeas , an non concupiscas . sen. dil tibi divitias de derant artemquè fruendi . hor. epist. lib. . plutarch . in vit . camill. appian . alex. plutarch . in vit . vespas . habere vitam in patientia , mortem in desiderio . sen. cohaeres christi , quid gaudes ? quia socius es pecorum ? aug. mihi credite , mori mallem quàm imperare . otho . curia curis stringitur , diadema spinis cingitur . aphorism . sen. in thiest . no vertue can subsist without it . quint. c●tt . plutarch . in vit . ages . plutarch in alexandro . plut in apotheg . eras. in apotheg . ludens par impar , equitausque in arundinelonga . agis rex lacedemon . laert in chilo . what excellent fruits are derived from temperance . homer . lib. . odyss . oculi dolores . plut. in vit . alex. honores mundi , tumores mundi . euche . epist. paren . de contempt . mundi . velamen istud antichristi . hieron . ad furiam de vid. serm. tom. . amici fure● temporis . cic. arist. lib. . ethic. cap. ▪ accepit luxuriet sceptrum ; quid sperandum est praeter naufragium ? august . plut. in apoth . caro & mundus pleni sunt spinis : conversari in his & non laedi , divinae potentiae est & non virtutis humanae . bern. quint. c●●t . lib. . cum de virtutibus agitur , nulla excellentior cernitur quam illa quae in castis adolescentibus in venitur . salust . in i●g . bel. vid. plutarch . in apotheg . q. curt. lib. . cap. . mallem quae●i cur statua mihi nulla posita fit , quam cur sit . cato . seneca . prasulgeb●●t iunin● & blaesus eo ipso , quod effigies eorum non viseb●ntur . tacitus . plut. in vit . legitur in gestis romanorum , quod ille q●i primitiùs inter eos vestem purpuream induit , à fulgure percussus est , & sic interiit . faces faecesque superbiae . sueton . aul. gell. noct. atti. l. . c. . alex. gen. dic . lib. . c. . s●uckius de convi . lib. . cap. . haec d●od deo , modo cum conservetione naturae stare poterint , unicè postulaebat ; ut à loquendo & edendo perpetuò abstineat . vltimum refugium naturae , est potus . axioma . gell. in noct. attic. aug. de academ . laert. in vit . biant ▪ august . lib. . de bapt. cont . don. cap. . ebrietas inimica est cognitioni dei ; cupidit as amica necessitudini diaboli . ambros. lib. . de abraham . qui luxuriatur , vivus mortuus est . hier. bona est castitas conjugalis , melior continentiae vidualis , optima perfectio virginalis . beda . qui non nubent , ●xores non ducunt , sicut angeli in terra sunt . ambros. supergreditur virginitas conditionem humanae naturae , per quam homo angelis assimilatur . ibid. virginitas si labitur , nulla poenitentia reparatur ad integritatem . ifid . de sum. bon. audenter loquor , cum omnia possit deus suscitare , tamen non potest virginem post ruinam . valet quidem de poena liberare , sed non valet coronare corruptam . hier. vel●a , or velleia . alphons . in lib. de haeres . in verb. tyrannis . soto . lib. . de iust. & iure . quaest . . artic . . si tanta humilitate se deprimit divina majestas , superbire in quo audet & praesumit humana infirmitas ? aug. de conflictu vitiorum . mihi mirabile fit quod non enecentur , cum tantum o●us bajulent . clem. alexan. . paedag. o nobilem magis quam faelicem pan●um ! stob. sur. . si adam nunquam offendisset , ad dume●● non confugisset , nec ficul nec folia in perizomara consuisset . sen. epist. . visus jam est vestis non regumenti . clem. alex. paedag. lib. . cap. . chrysost . tom. . hom. vivere et mori naturae functio , ludibrio esse proprio ducitur . ambros. ep . . venter vitae charybdis . diog. apud laert. chrys. hom. . in gen. impossibile est hic implere ventrem , & ibi mentem . hier. in epist. si sermo meus caperetur , caperet : nam fic est sermo die , & sic esse debet fidelibus , sicut pisci hamus ; tum capit quando capitur , nec sit captis injuria ; ad salutem enim , non ad perniciem capiuntur . aug. tract . . in iohan. aug. in l. confes. blos . collyr . haeret. gregor . in mor. exposit . in iob. qui per annos plurimos tecum familiariter vixit , ad mensam tuam sedit , cibum de manu tua sumpsit , in ●inutu● dormivit : cum voluit , tecum colloquium habuit , hic jure haereditario servustum est . bernard . aristot. de historia animalium . lib. . c. . lucretius l. . oppianus l. . de venatione . non cervus fluvios sic avet algidos , cervus , turb● canum quem premit , buchan . in psal. . ebrio sus confundit naturam , emittit gratiam , perdit gloriam , incurrit damnationem aeternam . ambros. l. de poenit . dum absorbent vinum , absorbentur ● vino . vt cautes , evitemus calices , ni in ore nauseam , in mente naufr●gium sentiamus . pestis non saeviùs grassatur in urbe , quam ebrietas in corde . basil. * amongst which consorts of death , if at any time it be your fortune to encounter with these civill city foysts whose cheats are their chequer , timely discard them , lest untimely experience make you distaste them . run with the roe unto the rose ; the roe must winne , the rooke must loose : for northern rookes are little worth , compar'd with those the south brings forth . senec de tran . anim . bernard . august . emissenus . stultum est servire diabolo offenso , qui nullo placatur obsequio . greg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wherein moderation is to bee used . au●um horamque petunt , petendo perdunt perdende pereunt . expence of coine . tertul. instit . lib. . cap. . this is excellently seconded by a princely pen , in a pithy poem directed to all persons of ranke or quality to leave the court and returne into their owne countrey . the rich retinue of a rare rioter . relata ad se magnitudine aeris aticujus , quam quidam eques romanus dum vixit celaverat , culcitram emi cubicularem sib●●ussit : et praeceptum mitantibus hanc rationē reddidit ; habenda est ad somnum culcitra , in qu● ille cumtantum deberet , dormire potuit . macrob. saturn . l. . c. . frugall men being rightly stiled , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tusc. l. . dona prius quàm tempora dedit . datur etiam vermibus nere è visceribus , accuratiorem cultum praebere hominibus . vid. pet. mart. * qui totum orbem possederit , ne in orbe sepulchrum in venire poterit . quò cumuli gazae , si desint ossibus urnae ? eosdem penates habuit & regiam , & rogum , & sepulchrum . valer. max. de tull. hostil . ambros. aug. epist. . bernard . de adventu serm . . august . in med ▪ cap. . expence of time . eucheriars ▪ nil preciosius tempore , & heu nil bodiè eo vili●s i●venitur : transeunt dies salutis & nemo cogitas . bern. majus dedecus est , parta amittere , quàm non omninò paravisse . salust . martial . l. . sext. aurel. in domit. ne quid usquam honesti oculis occurreret . vid. tacit. quàm quisque pessimè fecit , tam maximè ltutus est , sa●ust . cujus cupe diae , fercula in actu , cujus januae carceres mendici . dan. . . fet. dam. de borâ mortis sic mihi divitias , famuli patiendo labores , nec minorest domino servus in aere suo . eccles. . . vtinam invidi oculos baberent in omnibus locis , ut de omnibus foelicitatibus torquerentur : nam quanta sunt faelicium gaudia , tanti invidorum sunt gemitus . seneca . luke . . . . mac. . . . fieri non potest ut malè moriatur , qui benè vixerit . blos . enchirid . parvul . author . non potest malè mori qui bene vixerit , & vix bene moritur qui malè vixerit . aug. de discip . christiana . moderation of the passions of the mind reduced to two subjects . ioy. iob. . . hester . . . eccles. . . dan. . . , . &c , iob . . prov. . ● . esay . . iob. . ● . zeph. . . gen . . iob. . . psal. . . thes. . . sorrow . sam. . . kin. . . gen. . . ionah . . * or gederans . ioseph . li. . c. . matth. . . quò quisque sanctior , eò ejus in orando fletus uberio● . aug. via est incipientibus : veritas est proficientibus : & vita perfectis . tho. à campis in solileq . animae c. . cor. . . bernard . wherein moderation is to bee limited . aug. solileq . cap. . iohn . . concupiscence of the flesh . gen. . . king. . . sam. . . iudith . . gen. . . dan. . . esther . . dan. . . dan. . . acts. . . qui modo immortalis vocabar , &c. euseb. ephe. . . august . de civit . dei , l. . c. . tertul lib. de poeniten ▪ initio . quem de flumine galio qui per phrygiam labitur , propinesse arbitremur ; de quo quicungue bibit , tantoperè insanire solet , ut scipsune ililco castraturus est . pomp. laetus de sacred . bl●s . tertul. in apolig c. . psal. . . noctium atticarum li. . c. . concupiscence of the eye . gen. . . king. . . ● cor. . . coepore interias , sed corde exterius . bernard , med. cap. . col●wella lib . cap. . vnum musculū prae caeteris animalibus oculum elevantem babet ▪ quo ad coeleslia magit rapiatur , terrestribus minus capiatur . ib. foetorem , quem ab illis priùs emisisset , ab ore denud recipit . plin. in nat. ●ist . aeliah . gersen . ariosto . erga mundum habecmus oculum retortum . pride of life . august . soliloq . cap. . omnia metiri malim dignitate quam ambitione . plin in epist. * iudging of another consisteth in these ▪ three points ; first , when a man doth well , to say he doth evill . secondly , when a man doth evill , to say that man doth worse . thirdly , when a thing is doubtfull to take it in the worse part . vid annal . stow. laort-in vit . pittaci . solâ socordiâ innocentes . tacit. ●allium video , philosophum non video . comment . in ● reg. cap. . chrysost. lib. de orando deo. august . soliloq . cap. . of the accomplished end which attends moderation . lib. de philosophia apud . aug. de civitate dei. lib. . cap. . the difference betwixt the ethnicke and christian ethick in the opinion of felicity . prov. . . august . bernard . revel . . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazi●n . b qui nil ●●bet in mundo quod app●t●t , nihil est quod de mundo p●●timescat . cyprian . c quis ei deseculo metus est , cui in se●ulo deus tutor est ? ibid. de hoc die lux proficit , sed ●ox deficit . aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellat clemens . august . de civit . dei. lib. . cap . tract . . in io. vnde mors in anima ? quid non est fides . vnde mors in corpore ; quid non est animae . ergo animae tu● anim● est fides . anger . this might be instanced in our late fleetstr●et tumult . plutarch in apotheg . rom. cic. tus. lib. . ira mortalium debet esse mortalis . lectant . wantonness . august . pride . august● wherein true content properly consisteth . the goods of the minde . plato in timaeo . primùm oritur , postremiun moritur . quis me stygias mittet ad umbras ? mori juvabit , poenae nam gravior● nece esi . sen-in octav. messala corvin . the goods of the body . plut. in vit . anl. gel. nect . attie . l. . c. . su●t●● . tranqull . homer in odys . certum est quòd morieris , inc●rtum est quando , quomodo , aut ubi ; quoniam ubique te mors expectat , tu quoque si sapiens fueris , ubique eam expectabis . ber. in med. . excusit redeuntem natura , ut intrantem . sen. vnus intro●tus , innumori exitus . men. nazian . in funeb . orat . pro caesario . the goods of fortune . aug. s●liloq , cap. ▪ notes for div a -e observat. . deus fecit hominem ratione sapi●●tem , vitainnocen tem , domino potentem . two considerations of maine consequence . bern. med. . august . manual . cap. . the christians compleat armour . augustin . sicut nullus locus vacat à peccando , it a nullus locus vacet à precando . a matt. , , . b luke . . c mark. . . d thes. . . e exo. . , . f dan. . . g paralip . . h sam. . . i ier. . . qui copiofiores sunt , ●t volunt pro arbitrio quisque s●o quod visum est contribuunt , et quodita colligitur apud praepositum deponitur , &c. iust. mart. apol. . non pecca●erem , sed ●uf●um paupere●●utrit , quia in illo non culpa●● , sed naturam diligit , &c. greg. m●g . the fruit of fasting . vid cyprian . serm . de jejunio , tom . . basil. de jejun homil . . tertul , lib. de jejun . origen . hom . . in levit. vid. bedam . quo viro verè venerabili ( testimonio p●●lyd●ti ) nihil fuit cas●ius , nihil melius , nihil verius , &c. polydor. lib. . greg. in mo● . expos. in iob. hieron . the power of prayer . in dei auribus desidertum vehemens clamor magnus est ; remissa intentio , vox submissa . bernard . greg. in dialog . nazian . in epitaph . gorgon . sororis ejus . euseb. in hist. hieron . in vit . paul. eremit . vid. doct. andr. in tortura tort. greg. nazian . in flumine palladis ignem . cicero , lib. de orat. plut. in vit . cicero . . lib. t●s●ul . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . solonis dict . * grata commercia , na●tae gratia : bona consortia , vitae solatia . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . physic. matth. . heb. . . cor. . . colloss . . . of the contemplative part . psal. . euclionum animae , struthionum ●lae . august . lanspurg . aug. s●liloq . cap. . tim. . . acts . . acts . . ignoravi quòd tam suavis , o bone iesu , ●sset tuus amplex●● , tam henestus attactus tuus , tam diliciosus convictus tuus . bonavent . aug. soliloq . cap. . nec inveni● guidlicentius appellandum extstimemus coelum caeli domino quàm contemplantem &c. aug. med. cap. . vanity ha's not art to forge that illusion , that may surprize a fixt divine contemplation . august . soliloq . cap. venire ad er●mum s●m●● perfectio est . caesar ar●latensis . hom . . p. . aug. in retract . de anton . eremita hoc refert , quem damescenus p●imum monasticae vitae professorem vocat . vid. histor. barlaam . vid. paul. diaconum . tim. . . , . philip. . . * magis resistit ignis ferro quam ligno , sed cum ignis vincat utrumque , inten●ior est calor in ferro quàm in ligno . stell ▪ de centemtr . m●nd . qued tentation● quo●●ndam sanctorum assimilari potest : acrius tentationi resis●unt , susceptam tamen al●i●● . retinent . a three-fold meditation of necessary consequence . aug. med. cap. . vita corporis anima , vita animae deus . august . manual . cap. ● . * viscus est amor possessionis , affectus cognationis , cupidit a● honoris , & carnis voluptas . bern. med. . nothing may satisfie the senses , but the divine essence . palea ad triticum , siliquae ad panem , c●pae et allia egypti ad coelestem mann●m . aug. in med. cap. . no● est 〈◊〉 tempore & die ●●mortam benefi●●● de●●ni●i cicero . of the active part . 〈…〉 , nihil ag●●e . gasper in hipposit . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gell. noct attic . lib. . cap. . luke . ▪ multi miseri 〈◊〉 magis 〈…〉 quod amant , quam c●rendo amando enim res 〈◊〉 miser● , b●be●do sunt misertores . aug sic vivite , ut nemo de vobis m●lè l●qui abs . que mendacio possit . hieron . epist. ad coelum de inflit . matris . morbi animi sunt vi●●a . petrarch . two especiall memorials recommended to our devoutest meditation . . the author of our creation . . the end of our creation , aug. soliloq . c. . aug. soliloq . cap. . ecce pulchrum ac pretiosum lipidem putre ca●●ver tegentem ! gasp. in her●clit . plato . aug. ●●liloq . cap. . 〈…〉 . a●sel . aug. s●liloq . cap. . aug. soliloq . cap. . rom. , . the end of our creation . luke . . . . matth. . , , , . v●d . aegid . in hunc locum . feria quart. & quint. hebd . prim. nec proderunt hîc divitiae divitibus , nec parentes filiis , nec angeli ipsi proderunt . chrysost. ille iudex nec gratia praevenitur , misericordia jam flectitur , nec pecunia corrunspitur , nec satisfactione vel poena mitigabitur . august . singular precepts of mortification . hieron . ad demet. act . . ibid. prope finem . idlenesse begetteth security , properly termed the soules lethargy parum est le ger● , ●ur ●o●igere ; sed intell gere & in formam red● g●re , hoc artis , hoc laboris est . casman . vid. histor. barlaam . aug. in retract . bernard . a christians ephemerides basil. plutarch . in moral . revel . . . coloss. . . king. . . . luke . . luke . . sam. . . gen. . . & ● . . gen. . . prov. . . the active part preferred . agapetus . bern. de inter . domo . c. . nicet as . nazi●nzen , ambros. epist. . a●imae tuae gratum ●eceris si misericors fueris , bern , de modo bene vivandi . nil magis commendat christianum animum &c. ambros. ● . tim. pag. . tract . . in iohan. dives factus est prop●er pauperem , & pauper propter divitem ; pauperis est r●g●re , divitis erogore , august . he preacheth best , qui dieit non lingua sed vità . aug ser. . de verb. dom. charitas vis●●ra tua percu●iat . august . vta christo accepimus beneficium , praesiemus christi●●● officium , praebendo membris christ● hospirium provocaris chri●●iane , provocaris à vidua in certamen . august . kin. . . iohn . , . eo d●e in quo ratio reddetur , quid fecimus , non quid ●ovimus , quaeretur . object . sol. luke . . object . sol. the active preferred before the contemplative for two respects . gaspar . in heraclito . c. . mundum ex animo prius fugare , quàm mundum fugere . nec divinitùs accepium talentum in terram defodore . ibid. wherein the active part of perfection consisteth . aug. de civit . dei. l. . cap. . active perfection consisteth in mortification of action and affection . mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect , to these three distinct subjects . . life . . name . . goods . mortification in our dis-esteem of life . iren. advers . haeres lib. . cap. . euseb. i● eccl. hisp. ruff●nus l. . hist. cap. . * infoelix multis theta est , mihi litera f●elix . si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scribit , scribit & illa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. . . plin. l. . c. . aug. tract . . in iohan. hollins●ed . cyprian . con●rarii sunt illis factiosi haeretici , quorum conscientiae usque adeò sunt amplae , ut in illis civitatem decem millium civium aedificare possis , quemadmodum quid●m magnum alexandrum depinxit . aegid . in . thess. . tertul. lib. . cont . marcionist . in omnibus quae egimus , finem intenti onis , m●gis quam actum operationis intendit . aug. soliloq . c. . luke . . . luk. . . * par●m refert , vestis tua ●n sericea an cilicea , modo pudica ●it , non meretricia . lanspurg . in pharetra divini amoris . ibid. scire debes , quòd quamvis de morte meditari sit horribile , de statu finalis judicii cogitare ut aestimo , non minus est formidabile : quia nullus tunc poterit fallere sapientiam , flectere justitiam , inclinare clementiam , declinare ultionis & justae retributionis sententiam . bern. mortification in our dis-respect of fame or report . mortification in averting our eare from our owne praise . phavor . in l. . de rebus gest . alphons . regiis auribus , ni escianatae , adulantium laudes maximè ingratae . ea laus , d. augustini judicio , unicè approbanda est , quando nec laudantem adulatio movet , nec laudatum tentat elatio . aug. soliloq . cap. . mortification in suffering aspersions laid on our good name . matth ▪ . . . * qui jusius est & maledicitur , praemium ei pro maledictione redditur . aug. quod si ips● dei filius à diabolo in eremo tentatus fuit ; quis eremitarum idem non expectet ? gaspar . in heraclito . vid. aegidium in hunc locum . matth. ● , , . tota vita christi in terris quae per hominem gessit , disciplina morum fuit . omnia bona mundi christus contempsit , quae contemnenda docuit : & omnia mola sustinuit , quae sustinēda praecepit ; ut in illis non quae reretur foelicites , neque in istis timeretur infoeluitas . aug. de ver . rel . ambr. ep . . beneficium se putabat accepisse augustae memoriae theodosius , quoties rogabatur ignoscere . optabatur ineo , quod tilmebatur in atiis , ut irascereur . de obit . theo. charon nec lethis caeca charybdis faedarunt sacras sorde charites , socrat. in eccles . hist. l. . cap. . the arians scandalized the great athanasius , of practising magick with the dismembred hand of arsenius . non solum quorum ate incusafti , fateor reum , sed verè cogor tuam inculpare ignorantiam , quiaunius me fecisti reum , quando conscius fui millium . act. . , , . ▪ tim. . ▪ . luke . . . iohn y. . matth. . . matth. . acts . . scandalum pharisaeorum . scandalum pufillorum . scandalum activum . scandalum passivum . mortification in our contempt of all worldly substance . prov. . . two remarkable considerations : first , by whom these blessings are conferred on us : secondly , how they are to be disposed by us . non dabit ●uod non babet . aug. isa. . . isa. . . luke . . signa viis reparant , ut nomina nota relinquant m●rmore quae sculpto nomen inanis habent . luke . , . &c. poenitentia dolorum , non remissionis peccatorum . chrysost. hom . . in iohan. aug. lib. . de civit . dei . c. . greg. lib. . moral . c. . act. , . an accurate repetition and connexion of the precedent meditations . gal. . . a nullum deo gratius sacrificium quàm zelus animarum . greg. in bom . . sup . ezec. b nam qui non ardet , non accendit . bernard . c nec lucere potest , nisi prius ardeat . aquin . in . iohan : d lucernae quoad officium , extinctae quoad effectum . ibid. quod emittitur voluntarium est : quod amittitur necessarium . ambros. elemosyna in vita , est lucerna lucens ; elemosyna post mortem , lucerna caecutiens . qui à dle in diem deferunt , donec parcae cuncta auferunt . non memini me legisse mala morte mortuum , qui libentèr opera pietatis exercuit . hieron . in epist. ad nepotianum . quàm immensa est laetitia de recordatione transactae virtutis ; &c. bern. in fest . omnium sanctorum . serm . . iob. . . the absolute or supreme end whereto this actuall perfection aspireth , and wherein it solely resteth . chrysost. aug. solioq . c. . terent. in heauton . plau. in rudeute . prov. . . ecclus. . . eccles. . . . . , . scire omniae volumus , nihil agere . gasper . in herac. c. . sub quorum velamine , frequenter magna avaritia comperitur . vincent . de vit . spirit . cap. . sive dormiam five vigilem , somniat : & cogitat qui●qui deii occurrit . bern. med. cap. . in petendo honorem timet ne praeveniatur , in possidendo valdè timet ne privetur . cui tam deest quod habet , quàm quod non habet : adeptae voluptatis coronidem si quaeres , poeniten●iam invenies . cum se cuncta novisse putat , plura se ignorosse quàm didicisse , indies sentit . sid deo non affligatur homo , seipsum affliget . in herac . cap. . ita de humano arbitratu penfitatur divinitas , nisi deus homini placuerit , deus non erit . tertul. in apol. cap. . ibid. cap. . vid. vit . honor . corporis vitamus venena non animi . ibid. in heraec . quis vicinus malus , quis latro , quis infidiator tibi tollit deum ? et potest tibi tollere totum good po●●ides corpore , non tibi tollit cum quem possides corde . aug. ecclus. . . beauti qui ex eorum numero esse merentur , quos mund●● prostultis , deus pro s●pientibus habet . blos . enchirid. parvul . auth . esther . , , . ecclus. . . ● . multi miseri sunt metu , ne miseri fiant : multi mori metuentes , moriuntur . gaspar . in herac. thē reason of his frequent repetition of sundry sentences , similitudes , and other memorable discoveries thorowout this book . hier. in vit . pontius in fine vitae ejus . in vit . bedae . extrema morientium eloquia , audientium oracula : ultimae voces , viventium vates . nicet . in funeb . orat . sepulchra enim non tam mortuorum quàm viventium memoriae condita sunt . ambitio his dux illis , amor dei gasp. in epist. ante heraclit . vitruvius l. . cap. . august . manual . cap. . ibid. cap. . luk. . . trinitas divinarum personarum est summum bonum . quod purgatissimis mentibus cernitur . aug. lib. . de trin. cap. . rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . isidorus etymol l. . c. . aug. manuel . cap. . ibid. ▪ aliud noli petere , uni suffice , quia una tibi sufficiet . aug. in psal. . where we are to seeke . august . med. cap. . eccles. . . aug. med. cap. . sipes in terris , spes sit in coelis . blos . enchirid parvul , auth . ibid. minore negetionobis calum comparem possum●s , quàm infernum . ibid. hilar. enar . in . ps. . hi , lice●●lta nimis cogitent ▪ humilitèr se gerent , quo aliorum gratiam sibi concilient , in litibus decernendis justa statuent , quo majoreus ●ibi reverentiam , f●catâ eâ iustitia larva , sibi adferant : in●●rim , alios dum capiunt , sese decipiunt ; aliena dum rapiunt , miserè ruunt . vid. annal , hiber . bernard . when we are to seeke . eccles. . . gen. . . luke . . . matth. . . . . . . deus cōversioni tuae indulgentiam promisit : sed dilationi tuae diem crastinum non promisit . aug. matt. . . august . ierem. . . eccles. . à vers . . ad . gen. . . august . poenitentia poenae ; non p●na p●nitentiae . king. ● . . da mihi sallere , da justum sanctumque videri , noctem peccatis & fraudibus ob●ice nubem . nullus est in rima , nullus qui me ex●●udiat . eras. dial. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . — cernit deus omnia vindex . kin. . . annon pudet id facere in conspectu dei , actes●ibus sanctis angelu , quod pudet facere in conspectu hominum . quid si tuta possint esse scelera , ●● secura e●se non possunt ? vel quid prode●t nocentibus habuisse latendi facultatem , cum liten●i fiduciam non habent ? sen. opist . . bernard . de vitâ solitariä sen. epist. . august . mau cap. . quicquid ages mundo , furtìmve palàmve , momento , inspectatorem semper adesse deum . prúdentius hymno●um . l. . cont . symmach . aug. soliloq . cap. . aures habet in pedibus aristippus . c●nt . . . tim. . . mat. . . mat. . . cor. . . cor. . . mat. . . esay . . matth. . num. . ● . rom . . sam. . . . luke . . qui amat desiderare , defideret amare . bern. de amore dei. c. . vid. greg. mor. lib. . cap. . a●pithy exhortation . via●i●tutis , s●ella salutis . pandect . happy misery , when cloathed with the white roabe of immortality , cheered with heavenly harmony , holy melody ! aug. man. cap. . a powerfull instruction . majorem s●bi gloriam conferri existimab●t , in seipsum exhibendo membrum ecclesiae , quám caput imperii . vid. euseb. exod. . . exod. . . gen. . . luke . aug. soliloq . cap. . a perswasive conclusion . matth. . . hebr. . . prov. . . greg. in moral . exposit. in iob. blos . enchirid . parvul . auth . notes for div a -e such , to your honour , is her zealous affection , as she makes it the sole apology of her presumption : which she weaves up in this dimension : to serve some great ones i 've been oft-times woo'd , but hers i 'm vow'd that is both great and good . notes for div a -e observat. the necessity of apparell . the use of apparell . the abuse of apparell . how the use of apparell may be inverted to abuse . zephan . . delicacy of apparell . superfluity of apparell . that apparell most comely , which confers on the wearer most native beauty , and most honour on her countrey . notes for div a -e observat. . behaviour● eflects on three particula●s . action . affection . passion . how to behave herselfe in company . how to behave herselfe in privacy . this branch might seeme included in our former discourse of company ; but that reflected on persons , this on affaires . de 〈◊〉 worie . that behaviour most approved which is clearest from affectation freed . notes for div a -e observat. complement defined . how complement may be corrupted . how complement may bee refined . wherein complement may bee admitted , as mainely consequent . plutarch . wherein complement may be omitted , as meerly impertinent . eccles. . . what complement gives best accomplishment . apoc. . notes for div a -e decency recommended as requisite in foure distinct subjects . gate . loo●e . speech . ambros. in lib. de offic . greg. in mor ▪ habit . cic. in lib. de leg . tim. . , . pet. . . decency the attractivest motive of affection . decency the smoothest path that leads to perfection . aug. soliloq . cap ▪ . sen. de vita beata . m●d● . . greg. in mor. notes for div a -e estimation , a gentlewomans highest prize . tit. liv. lib. . cap. . how estimation may be discerned to be reall . sen-in octov . how estimation may be discerned to bee superficiall . how estimation may be impregnably preserved . lactant. lib. . divin . ins●it . cap. . e●s●b . l. . de prap . evang. lucian . in alex. l. flor. lib. . cap. . how estimation may be irreparably lost . the absolute end , whereto estimation aspires , and wherein it cheerfully rests . an english amazon . plutarch . notes for div a -e observ. . fancy is to be with deliberation grounded . hieron . cont . ruffin . fancy is to be with constancy reteined . wanton fancy is a wandring phrenzie . eccles. . arist. de reg . princ. if cupid then be blind , how blind are yee , that will be caught by one that cannot see ? how fancy may be checked , if too wilde . sen. de tranq . an . how fancy may be chee●ed if too cold . an attemperament o● both . pemp . mela. an explanation of the embleme . another proper application of this embleme . notes for div a -e observ. . gentility is derived from our ancestors to us , but soone blanched , if not revived by us . vertue the best coat . nazian . a shamefaste red the best colour to deblazon vertues coat . gentility is not knowne by what wee weare , but what we are . o age ● no cover now fit for our mold , but plush , shag , velvet , tissue , cloth of gold. calcagninus apol. marg . aug. ioel. . nahum . . bern. these are native seeds of goodnesse sowne in generous bloods by lineall succession . how these native seeds of goodnesse may bee ripened by instruction . greg. in . eva●g . a briefe enumeration , serious dicussion , and judicious election of sundry ancient fathers with other morall authors . arist●t . pol. . notes for div a -e observ. . honour is painted , when it is not with vertue poudred . no cloth takes such deepe tincture , as the cloth of honour . horac● . honourable personages should bee presidents of goodnesse . epicter . iob. . . vertue or vice whether soever takes hold first , reteines a deeper impression in honour , than any lower subject . aristot. . de anima . that vertue may receive the first impression by meanes of an in-bred noble disposition , seconded by helps of education . * these are described to life in the person of an humurous fantasticke , in this pleasant epigram : she that must eat her breakfast in her bed , and is til neon in trimming of her head , and sits at table like a maiden ▪ bride , and talkes all day of nothing but of pride : god may doe much in mercy for to save her , but what a case is he in that sh●ll have her ? * this was formerly instanced in that memorable example of spirituals . tob. . . bern. aug. lib. . de civit. dei. vertue reduc'd to habit , aspires to perfection . candida virgine is miscuit ora rosis . aug. in epist. prov. . . ambros. notes for div a -e * a frisking fro , freighted hither in a florentine frigot . notes for div a -e flora nec veris speciosi fora viridariis punicis amaeniora . notes for div a -e bern. anselm . ambros. epist. . ambros. lib. . de abrahamo . sir t. o. cogitate quotidie moriturum , & nunquam de s●cundis nuptiis cogitabis . hier. tom. . ep . ad furn. p. . vt laqueariae pulsant inertia , feles aniles ineunt consortia , o vos lepiduli pereunt acredulae , alta nam coeli vela ruentia . eheu ! antipodes mutârunt oras , nos illis , nobis tribuere suas . a presidentall love-letter . * or himellaz a rivet of high esteeme with the sabines , called ismene . o noxlonga ! hor. me nova turba petit , licet una puella recessit , et mihi vota premunt , quae violanda negant . sijtite vos nimphae , vix tanta licentia zonae , vni nuptus ero , sufficit una viro. arist. . pol. amb. aug. in lib. de spiritu & anima . hugo de disciplina mona . isid. ib. sidonius in epistolari . oscula , verba , libri , vaga lumina mensa , sodales . mentibus intactis tela fuere necis . diotima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . iovis gloria : such was her divine etymon . hier. de la●d . asella epist. . aelian . impendeat fat is nubes opaca mei● , discutiet mens nubes patiendo leves . sir fra : bacon . in nullo unguam arrego , in quo mihi non derogo . casta fides sponsam me fe●ent — . manus colo , thor●s sponso . vid. var. since to taxe womens errors 't is so common , what may my booke looke for in praise of women ? notes for div a -e sen. arist. anax. montan. prov. . . prov. . . the saying of caia , wife to caius tarquinius . vid. plu● . arist. eth. conjugalem fidem violare nefas , nuptialem thorum venerari a●cus . thales miles . ambros. lib. . de abraham . aeli●n . in nat . hist. alcia● . in emblem . this you may the better retaine , by engraving in the window of your bed-chamber with thas noble fl●rentine , this impreze , to make you more tender of your nuptiall honour : emblema est 〈…〉 theri . ier. . . heb. . . ier. . . optima semper ingenia , quaedam ge●●●●a comitatur modestia . gen. . . tali conjugio fruor , ut , sive foris egrediar , sive revertar , quicquidevenerit libentissimè patior , & patiendo vinco citiùs quàm vincor . vid. licost. apotheg . meleand . in bast. palemon . ad caulam , calatea ad colum . plutarch . licosth . macrob. the offices of a wife to her husband . obs●ruantur fenestrae , ut luceat dom●s . sen in herc. fur. macrob. habitus mentis in corporu statu cernitur . gestus corporis indicat qualitatem mentis . vid. gre. in mor. bern. in epist. aug. in confess . nazian . luke . . in urbe maxima confluunt vitia . bona consortia , vita solatia . petrarch . de remed . utriusquè fortunae . caro quò agilior , anima debilior : anima quò sortior ▪ caro infirmior . in pandect . hippol. de collib . obserantur aedes , quò interiores splendeant sedes . quae unius cellulae clausa angustiis , latitudine coeli fruebatur . her. de laud. asellae ; epist. . a discreet loving treaty , betwixt a wife and her husband : recōmended to the constant practice of affectionate consorts . primitias prolis teneas botolphia sedes ; ingenio pollens , palladis arte potens ; prae s●ciis docilis , puerilibus argus in annis : ast spurii stirpes obtinuere leves . vid. remaines of a greater work . aug. gen. . . victi victoresquè in lachrymas fusi . cadmaea victoria . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ambros. li. . de offic . ca. . vxorem vivam amare voluptas est , defunctam religio . observ. . a parentall care reflects properly upon two distinct objects . arist. in eth. prov. . . vid. plutarch . trog . pomp. macrob . in aturn stobae . appian . alex. patere . how a prodigals profu●enes●e abuseth his parents providence . with such transported spirits as these , divine ayres are accounted choyce canto's only for dull eares . our ignorant gentry estrangeth philosophy from their society . the reason why young gentlemen are not in learning delighted is because they are not in principles of learning sufficiently grounded vid. petrarch . the highest point of discretion in a school-master , is to find out the disposition of his scholler . inconsiderate youth accounts the fruitlesse expence of time a meere pastime . 〈◊〉 sen●x ten●io ●idem , in qu● 〈…〉 s●m hier. ad pammach . & ocean de e●ror . orig. . levius es● dispendium sert●●ae quàm famae , famae quàm anim● . chrysol . l●●●●t . tim . . talis substantia non est stabilis ; aut ipsis invenientibus est peritura , aut à malis haeredibus es● dissipanda . chrysost. in matth. vide plut. vid. var. macrob . in sa●●● . media vi● pe●ere ? via dirigitur , quâ ad●●ctam ●endi●ur . fodere nondum didicerunt , & mendicare crabuerunt ▪ fures igitur non cai●s vident qu●m cum iis currunt , & 〈◊〉 adulteris portione ponunt . ista ne generosa cers●amus vitia , quae antiquae 〈◊〉 detraxerunt auspicia ? pandect . parents are to dispose of their estates now while they stand seized of estates : lest their decease alter the intention of their estates . the offices of children to their parents . children are bound to render vnto their parents expressions of their duty and zeale in respects . obedience . ecclus. . . . magistris , di●s & parentibus non 〈◊〉 reddi equivalens . arist. eth . parentes nostros vt propria viscera d●ligamus . basil. m●retur caecitatis suae subire supplicium , qui parentum vultus torvo visu respexit , & elatis oculis laeserit pietar●● . greg. sicut membra capiti , liberi et servi patri familiae . elench . parentes pius diligunt fa●es quam è converso , eò quòd magis sciunt parentes quám filij , quòd ab iis sunt geniti . arist. eth. . rariùs ascendit , descendit gratius 〈◊〉 , quae patres paeris non retulere suis. salv. illud expectandum est à nobis , quod praestitimus nostris . panorm . quicquid parenti placuisse vivo senserit , eo etiam mortuo praestare non desi●it . pater● . o quam parva fuis tenero placuere parenti . parvula in nostris misuere noble . hom. in iliad . vita spectabilis , vultus amabilis , vita enormis , forma deformis . greg. the fruits of obedience ▪ as they have relation , both to children and parents . reverence . prov. . . ecclus . . a quare nihil turpiu● est , quàm grandis natu senex , qui nullum aliud argumentum , quo se probet diu vixisse quàm aetatem . sen. de tranq . an . b malle esse se quàm vivere mortuum . ib. c nihil sene elementario turpius . sen. nihil dialectico sene deformius . petrarch . ecclus . . ecclus . , . omne peccatum incurabilius est in sene , quam in juvene . holgot . sup . li. sap. quantò senes sunt morti viciniores : tantò debent esse puriores . in decret . dist . . tune aurorae filius , nepenthiacis salamancae fumis , primas aurorae horas offeres ? e tabernis vestri proruant rhetores . a constant position observable in disobedient children . prov. . . prov. . . svpportance . plin. in nat. hist. aelian . sambuc . in emblem . paradin . soli vultures parentes fame mori permittunt . ib. quam vis plurima 〈◊〉 reddidima , rursus tamen eos generare non possumus . ci●il . admoverunt labiis tigrides ubera , & lacte sugunt nutricis ilia . basil. homil. . & . valer. max. the gradual respects of love and duty . donec ab insulae finibus removeantur , languentem agentes vitam , emori non poterint . the offices of masters to their ●ervants bern. med. . two extreames to be avoyded , whereby this domestick obedience may be better observed . prov. . . prov. . . no servant meaner then a parcimonious master . vid. lucian . in sat. luke . . lacrymans amoris epicaedium ; vel heroinum elegium . farn. in epig. colos. . . eph. . . the duty of servants to their masters . vid. laert. eph. . . the duty of a servant to his master , will make a servant an happy master . tunc nostra magis clarescunt bona , cū fuerint praesentibus comparata malis . gothofred . de corp . iur. civil . casel . de jure civili iulius pacius in analysi . theoph. instit . fabrot . inter. vid. plut. in mor. ovid. in met. arist. in eth. emblematicall hieroglyphicks of sloath. adam no sooner became sinfull , then the earth unfruitfull . it is not sufficient for a servant to intend his own peculiar charge , vnlesse hee admonish others of the neglect of their care . vid. arist. in polit. zenophon in cyro . ped . observ. . oratio vinculum humanae societat iis societas solatium animae peregrinantis . vid cic. hippol. casiman . laert. in vit . diog. prov. . . arist. in eth. melanct. fonseca . pererius . discovrse . life . foure cautions in matters of discourse , to bee avoided ; that all grounds of distaste may be better directed . three particulars observable in arguments of discourse . vid. epict. enchirid. ambrose in offic. action . observ. . here he insists upon those three particular subjects , wherein these neighbourly offices are to be exercised . life . fame . svbstance . heri vidifra gilem frangi ; hodie video mortalem mori . epict. fame . non facilis est venia , prava dixisse de rectis . ecclus . . ambros. offic. . amor transanimat in rem amatam . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . five degrees of civile society . frieg . in prim . offic. cic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vid. plut. in moral . arist. in eth. sen. in epist. boet. bern. hi necis artifices , ph●lari● , phereclusque perillu● , quae texunt aliis , poena fuere suis. dum vult esse praedo . fit praeda . aug. vid. plut. macrob. strom. nicet . nazian . homer . in in odys . petrarch . de remed . vtriusque fort . cui mens sana fuit quid in orbe requireret vltra . mens cujusque virum format , vt ille scyphum . prianus , quò diutius vixit , magis flevit . ille troilo ditior in annis : troilus priamo foelicior in lachrymis . reg. epicaed . quantò maior fuit amor in possidendo , tantò gravior erit dolor in amittendo . nullae sunt lachrymae indigniores iis tandem quae à discrimine jumenti sunt orientes . a domo domini perperàm jurantis , nunquam recedit ira tonantis . cum ferre quod cepit nequeat , in gargitem demergitur . pittacus apud laert. vt proles dispersit opes , spargamus & omnes . a s●nious juvenes efficiendo leves . seni invenescere ludibrium inveni senescere prodigium . inventus et aetas varias agans scaenas . quanto propinquior sepulchro , tanto porrectior in desiderio . quanto minus suppetit , tanto magis appetit . in viribus deficiens , et in cupiditatibus proficiens . sicut lux sive ignis non melius accenditur quam ignem igni applicande : fic servi dei non melius inflammantur quàm simul habitando . serm-in octav. pas. recreation . ludo et j●co vti licet ficut somno et quiete . cic. the dangers arising from opinionate wits . the unexpected effects of frequent meetings . virgineam citius vitam agam , simias apud inferos ●raham . sponsum quàm obrium in thal●mum admittam . circumstances observable in all inferiour actions of delight . seneca . ib. this ( as hath been shown in his introduction to the first observance ) will prevent all occasion of distaste , & divert all grounds of future distrust . he winds up the series of his discourse , with a repetition and usefull application of every particular branch . vid. plut. in moral . anselme . this salutation was by the ancient latians used , as it is even to this day by us reteined : sit deus vestris al● laboribus ; sit deus vestris aura laboribus ; sit deus costis s●ctus amoribus ; sit deus gratio portus ho●●ribus . eph. . . eccles. . . cor. . . sam. . . &c. tit. . . tim. . . eph. ▪ . . tit. . . rom. . . cor. . . he concludes this supplement with a briefe relation of the benefit of every particular subject . notes for div a -e philotas his perdiccas , perdiccas his pausanias , antigonus his pharnaees , tigranes his tiridates . ☞ ☞ plat. in repub . zenoph . in cyro . paed . these be they who rubricate their own fancy : preferring a singular opinion before a consistory . sext. aurel. no government but may present the face of a common-wealth ; so long as good lawes be regents , and subjects reall in their obedience . principes tyrannidem gravitis exercent quàm optimates ; ni optimi sint principes . bodin . de repub . a faire conquest cannot properly rceive the style of usu●pation . paraeus . this by inversion , was sometimes the complaint of the peeres , against the boores of france , occasioned upon their late distractions . which corruption ariseth not wholly from the indisposure of a state ; but distemper of mind . aelian . those were held in the roman account worthy of honour , who , without any relative extraction acquired it by their valour . var. de antiq. rom. velleius de mor gent. val. in c. de fort. viger . de milit. arist. in polit. polyb. oberuations diuine and morall for the furthering of knowledg, and vertue. by iohn robbinson. robinson, john, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) oberuations diuine and morall for the furthering of knowledg, and vertue. by iohn robbinson. robinson, john, ?- . [ ], , [ ] p. printed [by the successors of giles thorp], [amsterdam] : in the year m.dc.xxv. [ ] printer's name and place of publication from stc. with a final contents leaf; the last leaf is blank. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion observations divine and morall . for the furthering of knowledg , and vertue . by iohn robbinson . prov. . . give instruction to a wise man , and he will be yet wiser : teach a just man , and he will encrease in learning . printed in the year m. dc . xxv . the preface . in framing these myne observations , christian reader , i have had as is meet , first and most regard to the holy scriptures ; in which respect i call them divine : next to the memorable sayings of wise & learned men , which i have read , or heard , and carefully stored up as a pretious treasure , for mine own , and others benefit ; and lastly , to the great volume of mens manners , which i have diligently observed , and from them gathered no small part thereof ; having also had , in the dayes of my pilgrimage , speciall opportunitie of conversing with persons of divers nations , estates , and dispositions , in great varietie . the names of the authors , specially known , out of whom i gathered any thing , i have , for the most part , expressed : partly to give them their due ; and partly , that the authoritie of their persons might procure freer passage for their worthy , and wise sayings , with others : and make the deeper impression of them , in the readers heart . in the method i have been neyther curious , nor altogether negligent ▪ as the reader may observ . now as this kinde of study , and meditation hath been unto me full sweet , and delightfull ; and that wherein i have often refreshed my soul , and spirit , amids many sad , & sorrowfull thoughts , unto which god hath called me : so if it may finde answerable acceptance with the christian reader , and a blessing from the lord ; it is that which i humbly crave , specially at his hands , who both ministreth seed to the sower , & fruit to the reaper . amen . iohn robbinson . cap. i. of mans knowledg of god. the lord giveth wisdom ; and out of his mouth cometh knowledg , and understanding , saith salomon : and therein warneth us , to lay our ear close to the mouth of god , and when he speaketh once , we may hear twice , and having our closed hearts opened , by his spirit , may attend to the words of grace , and wisdom , which proceed from him ; and are able to make us wise to salvation . as all our wisdom to happinesse consists summarily in the knowledg of god , and of our selues ; so is it not easie to determine , whether of the two goes before the other . but , as neither can be without other , in any competent , or profitable measure , or manner ; and as in vain the ey of the mind is lifted up to see god , which is not fit to see it self ; so seem the reasons of most weight , which prefer the knowledg of god to the first place . for , first , god in his word , and works is the rule and measure of mans goodnesse ; and man , at his best , but formed , and reformed after gods image . as in nature , the rule is before that which is to be ruled by it ; so must it be in our knowledg . secondly , such is our in-bred pride , and hipocrisie , as that , whilst we looke only upon our selus , and upon other creatures here below , we think we are some-body for goodnesse ▪ and vertue : but are then brought to that confusion in our selus , which is requisite for our humiliation , when we come to take some knowledg of the super-excellencie of god : even as our bodily ey forth-with dazeleth being cast upon the bright sun ; how quick , and strong-sighted soever it seem , whilst it is set onely upon earthly objects . thirdly , so absolutely necessarie is the knowledg of god , as that we can ascribe nothing , as is meet , unto him , of whom , and for whom we , and all things are , till we first know him in his word , and works : but even in our best devotions , with the superstitious athenians shall build our altars to the unknown god ; and with the blinde samaritans , worship we know not what . to conclude ; he that pretends the service of god , & yet knows him not in his word , and works of creation , & redemption also , wherein his face is seen ; is like him that counterfeits himself to be the houshold servant of some great lord , whose face he never saw , nor once came within his court ▪ gates . some ambitious , and curious wits , but not able ( & no marvail ) to raise up , & advance their notions to god his infinitenesse , for the comprehending of it ; have laboured to depresse , & pull him down to their dwarfish conceptions of him : and have indeed rather made him some great , and giant ▪ like man , or angel ; then ( as he is in truth ) an infinite god : allowing him an essence , power , and wisdom hugely great ; but not properly infinite , and immence : as though god could not be that , which they cannot conceive of him . the essence of god is known onely to himself ; but is undiscernable to all men , and angels : partly by reason of its infinitenes , which therefore no finite understanding can comprehend ; and partly , for that , no voice , signe , or form can sufficiently expresse it either to sence or reason . and if god have placed such light , & glorie in some created bodies , as that we cannot intentively fix our bodily ey upon them , without dazeling ; what marvail is it , though the ey of the understanding of all men , and angels dazle , in the too curious , & intentive contemplation of his infinite , & infinitely glorious majestie it self ? so as , if the most wise , & learned christians should with the heathen phylosopher undertake to descry gods being ; they would be compelled , as he was , after one daies respite , to crave two ; and after two , four ; & so still to double the time , with acknowledgment , that the more they searched into it , the more unsearchable it appeared . albeit the understanding of man though glorified cannot possibly comprehend gods infinite being yet shall we , ( coming to enjoy the blessed uision of god , where of the angels , and spirits of iust men perfited are made partakers ) know in a far both greater measure , & more excellent , and immediate manner , then now we do . we now walk by faith ; & not by sight , as we then shall do : we now see through a glasse darkly ; but then face to face : knowing him even as we are known of him . and for the present , we are by the means of revelation vouchsafed us his word , & works , partly within , and partly without us ) to be led in our praiers , praises , & meditations of god , to such a being for the object thereof , as in which , first , there is nothing which hath the least affinity with the imperfection found in any creature ; for the expressing whereof those attributes serve , which we call negative ; as immortall , invisible , a spirit , that is , no body , & the like ; shewing what god is not , though not what he is : , which is that eminently , infinitely , & essentially , which we , in the creature , call power , wisdom , goodnesse , & whatsoever els imports any perfection : and thirdly , which is that first fountain , & originall of all goodnes in all creatures . and by these three stayers doth our understanding raise up it self frō created things to the knowledg of god. this knowledg we must seek with all earnest diligence , and store it up carefully in the treasurie of our hearts ▪ that knowing god we may love him , and trust to him , and fear him , and honour him ; that as the daughters of ierusalem though before marvailing what ailed the spouse of christ to be so affectioned towards her beloved , and so earnestly to seek after him , as she did ; when they once came to take knowledg of his perfit beautie , would then seek him with her : so we knowing god , specially in the face of christ iesus , may so be ravished with love of his majestie , as to have our whole heart set to seek , and find him , in whose presence is satietie of joyes evermore . cap. ii. of gods love . god loveth himself first , and most , as the cheifest good : and all other good things , as he communicates with them lesse , or more , the effects of his own goodnesse . and from this infinit love of his own infinit goodnesse is it , that he so severely punisheth some creatures , though the work of his own hands , which he alwaies loveth . for , first , the creature by sin violating gods holinesse , and despising his authoritie in his righteous commandments , and so going on in impenitencie , and unbelief ; and withall , it being impossible , that gods love of his own holinesse , and iustice , and the honour of the same ; and the love of the creatures happinesse ( so obstinatly dishonouring him ) should stand togither : it cannot be , but that the latter must give way to the former , and greater ; and the creature ( so sinning ) become miserable ; rather then god forgetfull of his own honour and glorie . god reveales his glorious majestie in the highest heavens ; his fearfull iustice in the hell of the damned : his wise , and powerfull prouidence is manifest through-out the whole world ; but his gracious love and mercie in , and unto his church here upon earth ; which he therefore hath chosen , and taken near unto himself , that in it might be seen the riches of his glorious grace . and albeit all things in god are infinit , and one ; yet are the effects of his love more wonderfull , and excellent , then of any other his attributes ; as appeares in that his greatest , and strangest work of giving his only begotten son to the cursed death of the crosse , for his enemies , out of his love and mercie . this the scriptures ( and worthily ) call a great mysterie , and which , for the rarenesse of it , was not onely hidden from the sons of men , but also from the verie angels in their perfection of created knowledg . which manifold grace , and wisdom of god they therefore desire to look into , and learn by the church . love in the creature ever presupposeth some good , true , or apparent in the thing loved ; by which that affection of union is drawn , as the iron by the load-stone : but the love of god on the contrarie , causeth all good wrought , or to be wrought in the creature . he first liveth vs in the free purpose of his will , and thence worketh good for , and in us ; and then loves us actually for his own good work , for , and in us : and so still more , and more , for his own further work . and hence ariseth the unchangablenesse of gods love towards us , because it is founded in himself , and in the stablenesse of the good pleasure of his own will. and although the arguments of comfort be great , which we draw from the certain knowledg of our love to him ; yet are those infinitely greater , which are taken from the consideration of his love to us ; as being not onely the ground of the other ; but in him also infinite , and vnchangable . and hereupon it was , that the sisters of lazarus seeking help for their sick brother sent christ word ; not that he , who loved him ( though that were not nothing ) but that he whom he loved , was sick . as by the hand of a friend reached unto us we are made partakers of the strength of his whole body , to hold , or help us up : so by the hand of the love of god reached down from heaven , in the gospel , we become interessed in the most comfortable apprehension , and happy use of all other his attributes whatsoeuer . the more wise , powerfull , holy , glorious , eternall , and infinite god is , the more happy are we by means of his love , and mercy in christ ; which moveth him to use , and improve them all for our good , and to communicate them with us , as his friends , in their effects , so far as serves for our happinesse . he whom god loves though he know it not , is an happy man : he that knows it , knows himself to be happy . which caused the apostle to make in his own name , and in the names of all the beloved of god , that glorious insultation over all the enemies of his , & their happines , that they could not seperate him , or them ( not from the power , or wisdom , or holinesse ; but not ) from the love of god , which is in christ iesus . from this love of god , as from a spring head , issueth all good both for grace , and glory . yea by it ( which is more ) all evill by all creatures intended , or done against us , is turned to good to us . by it our afflictions work together with our election , redemption , vocation , &c. for our good . by reason of it the stones of the feild are at league with us , & the beasts of the feild at peace with us : yea even the very sword that killeth us , the fire that burneth us , and the water that drowneth us , is a kinde of spirituall , and invisible league with us , to do us good . vpon the knowledg of this love of god shed abroad into ▪ our hearts by the holy ghost , is laid the foundation , and ground-work of whatsoever good thing we return again unto god , with acceptation at his hands . vpon this we do build our faith , and confidence in him : by this our cold and frozen hearts are not onely thawed , but inflamed also with love again to him , and to men for him : as the earth being heated by the beams of the sun beating upon it , reflecteth heat again towards the heavens , & upon all the bodies between it , and them . lastly , from hence arise all the pleasing services , wherewith we present his majesty . for howsoever we ow our selvs , and whatsoever we are , or can do , vnto him , as our gracious , and powerfull creatour , & absolute lord ; yet can we do nothing heartily , & as we ought , but from the faith , & feeling of his love in christ , & by the motion of the spirit of a sound minde given unto us . but being once drawn sweetly by the coards of gods goodnes , & love , we readily , & pleasingly follow after him ; as being debters , and constrained , not by necessity , but ( w ch binds more strongly ) by love the tokens of this love of god in christ are not onely by us highly to be prized , but carefully to be discerned ; lest we bring our selves into a fools paradise , and grow presumptuously secure ; which is the fore-runner of suddain , and certain destruction . we must therefore in this scrutiny neither trust our selvs , nor any other creature , but god alone in the testimony of his word , & spirit , which knows , & makes known the minde of god ; and by which we may unerringly learn ; first , what the tokens of his love are ; and secondly , who they are which partake of them ; and thirdly , that we our selvs are of that blessed number . now , amongst them all , there is none so certain , and infallible ( though those of feeling be more joifull ) as the gracious work of true repentance in the mortifying of the old man in his sinfull affections ; and in the quickning power of christs spirit to willing ( though weak ) obedience to all gods commandments . as we may certainly know , that the sun shines , by the beams , and heat thereof below , though we climbe not into heauen to see : so may we haue certain knowledge of gods gracious love towards us , without searching further then our own hearts , and waies ; and by finding them truly , and effectually turned from sin to god. as god may so far hate some evill in a person ( for example , the adultrie of david , and other sins accompanying it ) as to punish the same severely in this world ; and yet not hate the person himself : so may he , on the other side , love some good in a man , so far , as to reward it highly in this life : and neverthelesse , not love , but hate , the person-in whom it is found ; as may be seen in the zeal of iehu for the lord against wicked ahab , and his house . and if our narrow , and partiall hearts can , upon occasion , hold and preserve this difference between persons , and things ; how much more may , and doth the same right well stand , with the distribution of rewards , and punishments made by the most holy , and wise god ? as then , when the lord manifests some signes of his anger at us , and hatred against the evils in us ; we must take heed we conclude not presently , that therefore we in our persons are hated of him , and cast-awaies ; except the evils raign in us without repentance : so must we , on the other side , take more care ( considering how by selflove we are commonly in more danger thereof ) that we c●oclude not of the love of god towards our persons , from everie effect of some kinde of love , and likeing of some particular good things in us ; and not except those good things be such , as make us good also ; as faith and holines do ; trans-forming us , as it were , into their nature , and kinde : as in the parable of the wheat , and tares , the good seed is expounded the children of the kingdom because they grow of the good seed of the gospel ; and by their regeneration , as it were , turn verie word and spirit . cap. iii. of gods promises . the promises of god are a kinde of midle thing between his purpose , and performance of good unto them , whom he loveth . and as wicked iezabel could not satisfie her hatred of elyas the prophet , in intending evill to him , and executing it upon him , in time , as she could ; unlesse with all she thundred out against him terrible threatnings , in the mean while : so , much lesse can the love of our good god satisfie it self in a gracious purpose of good towards us , in his heart ; and actuall performance of it accordingly , in due time ; except with all he make it known unto us before hand ; both for our present comfort in the knowledg thereof , and for the ground of our hope and expectation of the good things promised , and accordingly to be receaved at his hands , in their time : he haveing by his promise bound over unto us both his love , and truth , and other attributes for performance . and herein the lord provides verie graciously for his poore servants ; who are oft-times brought into that distressed state both outward , and inward , as they have verie litle els , save the promises of god , wherewith to comfort themselvs . which yet are sufficient , if we improve them , as we ought ; considering , first , his love ( moveing him to promise ) and the unchangeablenesse of it : secondly , his wisdom , directing him to promise nothing unfit ; thirdly , his power enabling him , and fourthly , his truth bindeing him to all performance : in regard whereof , god hath made himself a debtor , though not by receaving from us , yet by promising unto us : promise being , as we say , due debt . god ever performeth what , and as he promiseth , and not one good thing for another , as some think : no not heauenly for earthly , nor a greater good for a lesse . for howsoever so to do , might stand with his bountie , and goodnesse ; yet his truth bindes him to his word , which is truth . spirituall good things necessarily accompanying salvation he promiseth absolutely unto his ; other good things ( ordinarily ) upon condition . which ( considering , that through our abuse of them , they may prove prejudiciall to our spirituall man ) if so be the lord should promise absolutely , as the former ; it were , many times , indeed , not to promise a benefit , but to threaten a hurt rather . and truly we may observe in the dangerous fals , & miscariages of the wise salomon , unto whom temporall good things were absolutely promised , in the fullest measure , and accordingly performed ; how graciously our wise , and good god provides for our slipperie state , in scantling his promise of good things of that kinde to our spirituall skill , and care of useing them , for the advantage of our true , and eternall happinesse . we are therefore first , to beware , that we expect not absolutely temporall prosperitie : lest by so doing we both wrong the lords truth , and our own faith in the things promised indeed , by doubting of them , because we have failed of obtaining of other things by us presumed of , but not promised by the lord. secondly , we must as firmly beleeve , and expect the performance of temporall promises ( as the lord hath made them ) as of eternall . for , albeit his loue do not manifest it self in like degree in promiseing both ; yet his truth is alike bound to exhibit both being once promised . neither is that person in earnest with god , who pretending faith for eternall good things , yet dare not trust his word , for temporall . such as despise heavenly things , and loue earthly , usually pretend their trusting of god for the former ( of which they are indeed profanely secure ) : but will trust themselvs , and their own fingers for earthly , which in truth they set by . i must therefore thus conclude with my self touching those matters . seeing god hath promised all good things to them that love him . if this , or that bodily good thing ( good in it self ) be indeed for my good , i shall receave it from him , in due time : and if i receave it not , it is a reall testimonie from him , that indeed it is not good for me , how much soever i desire it . as gods goodnesse shines most clearly in his promises ; so mans perversnesse abuseth , and misapplieth them above all other parts of his word . a great many divide gods promises from the other parts of his revealed will : and making small , or none account , that either the rules of the word appertain unto them for direction , or the precepts for obedience , or the threatnings for restraint ; yet do lay their sacrilegious hands boldly upon the promises , as their true , and undoubted right . and the reason is , because the promises contain in them things good , and pleasing to mans nature ; which because we would gladly have true , we readily beleeve , and apply . but such seperate what god hath joined together , and in effect , take away from the words of the book of god ; and god will take away their part out of the book of life . others again trans-form commandments into promises , with great , and dangerous ▪ errour . for example ; where it is said , the priests lips should preserv knowledg , the romish priests chaleng an immunity from erring , whence they should take warning , that they er not . so , from christs teaching , that a city set upon an hill , cannot be hid , they will wring a promise of perpetuall visibility of church and ministery , from him , where he intends onely an exhortation to his disciples ( after to become apostls ) unto answerablenesse both in life , and doctrine , to the eminencie of their places . some again make conditionall promises absolute : as that , whose sins ye binde upon earth , they are bound in heaven : forgetting that it must be the church gathered together in christs name , that is , both furnished with lawfull authoritie , & useing it lawfully . likewise , that christ will preserv the ministery , and ministers , and be with them to the end of the world : leaving out the condition going before , which is , that they do their duty in their places , in makeing discipls , and baptizeing them , and teaching them to observ , whatsoever he had commanded them . lastly , how many , because god promiseth forgivenesse to sinners whensoever they repent , promise unto themselvs repentance upon an howers warning , before their death , though they go on in sin all their life long ? but the saying of the ancient is memorable in this case ; he that promiseth forgivenesse to him that repents , doth not promise repentance to him that sins . but , on the contrarie ; as he that makes a bridg of his own shadow , cannot but fall in the water ; so neither can he escape the pit of hell , who layes his own presumption , this way , in the place of gods promise . cap. iiii. of the works of god , and his power , wisdom , will , goodnesse , &c. shining in them . it is a receaved truth in divinity , that whatsoever is in god , is god. so the will of god considered as the foundation of that which he wills , and as inherent in him , is nothing els , but god willing : his justice nothing els , but god just : his mercy but god mercifull , and so for the rest of the divine attributes . and as everie work of god is founded in some of those attributes : and that by name , in his understanding , as judging the thing to be good ; in his holy will agreeing thereunto ; and in his power effecting all things : so this foundation and first cause of them all being immanent , and inherent in god , is god essentially , of what nature soever ( alwaies good ) the work be without him , which his will and power effecteth . neither is this will of god to work by his power , wrought in him by any thing without himself ; for then he should receav addition of perfection from the creature , moveing him thereunto : though yet it be most certain , that there are many things , which god neither in his wisdom judgeth fit to be done by him , nor wills the doing of them , nor would work or do them by his power , but upon the creatures work going before . for example : god wills , and works the condemnation of some sinners , because he judgeth fit , willeth , and will work therein the manifestation of the glorie of his justice ; but this condemnation ( which otherwise he would not lay upon any ) he both wills , and works by , and for the creatures sin , according to his eternall , and unchangeable purpose of will in himself . when the scriptures speak , and we according unto them , of any thing done by god , in respect of the creature , before the world was made ; it must be understood as meant onely of his foreknowledg , and decree of will , and purpose of doing . for things could be done no otherwise , then they could be ; nor could be otherwise , then in god , who alone was ; nor could be in god otherwise , then in his foreknowledg , and will : according to which he works them actually , in time , by his power . these three attributes ( as before i intimated ) his power , will , and wisdom do concur to the produceing of all , and everie one of his works . his power worketh and effecteth all things : his will sets his power a working : his wisdom directs both the one , & other ; his will in willing ; and his power in working . touching his power : the right hand of the lord ( which in men is the instrument of strength ) is exalted , and by it he can do what he will ; and much more then he will. and whereas god cannot ly , or denie himself , or the like , it is ( immediately ) because he will not : and that not of impotencie in him , but of potencie , and perfection of excellencie : as , on the contrarie , it is the power of mans weaknesse that he can do amisse . so for things importing contradiction ; as that the same thing should be , and not be at once , or not be that which it is , or the like ; it is religiously said by some , rather that such things cannot be done by god , then that god cannot do them : seeing the reason of this impossibilitie of their so being is not in gods nature , but in theirs . the will of god is one , as god is one . but as there is one spirit , but diversitie of manifestations ; so this one internall will of god doth exercise , and extend it self diversly to , and upon divers objects . this extention and exercise of this one will of god is of us to be considered in divers degrees . the weakest and most remisse degree is to will the suffering of evill . for though god ( to speake properly ) wills not sin , yet he willingly suffers it : not as ignorant of it , nor as neglecting it , nor as unable to prevent it : but as willingly , wittingly , and of purpose suffering that evill to be done , which he could easily hinder , if he would oppose his omnipotent power . the next degree of gods willing stands in commanding good , and approveing of it , where it is found : and thus god wills and commands that all men should repent : thus he wills , that all should come to the knowledg of the truth , and be saved : and thus , lastly , he would haue the wicked turn from his wickednesse ; and live , and not dy . and these things and the like he seriously wills , to wit , by way of commanding & requireing them , and of approveing them , wheresoever they are found . the highest , and most intent degree of willing in god , is , when he so wills a thing , as withall he imploys his omnipotent power for the effecting of it : and by this he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in the heavens , and in the earth . the former will which stands in commanding , promiseing , and the like , may be , and is too oft resisted , and made ineffectuall by men : this latter neuer possibly ; except men be stronger then god. by it his power availeth to make things to be , which were not ; to continue them that are ; to work all good ; and to order all evill unto good . and as the works of gods power according to his will are manifold , so hath he wrought them all in wisdom . for notwithstanding both the absolutenesse of his will , and infinitenesse of his power : in regard whereof one saith , it is more becoming god to ascribe any power to him , then to make him impotent ; yet is he neither wilfull in willing , nor unwealdy in working . by his wisdom he not onely eternally , and infallibly knoweth himself , and all creatures that are , or can be , and what either he , or they , or both together will do , or can do , and that upon supposition of whatsoever can be supposed ; but both willeth , and doth in time himself , what he willeth ; and doth it also for good cause , and to good purpose : and accordingly , either , on the one side , hinders ; or , on the other , sustains , effects , and orders everie motion of everie creature . by exerciseing these attributes god worketh all his works whether immediate by himself alone , or mediate by the creatures ; which he useth of all kindes , and everie one according to his kinde ; whether good or evill ; reasonable or without reason . by gods works i mean all things whatsoever are in the world , or haue any being , and existence in nature . for , he hath made the whole world , and all things therein . in him we live , and move , and have our being : he giveth all to all things . and , of him , and through him , and for him are all things . as he gives being unto all things that are , by communicateing the effects of his being with them ; so is there nothing either so casuall , in regard of men , as that he directs it not ; or so voluntarie , as that he determines it not ; nothing so firm , but he sustains it ; nor so small , but he regards it ; nor so great , but he rules it ; nor so evill , but he over-rules it . neither can any of the works of god possibly be other then verie good , and righteous ; seeing they are all wrought by the exerciseing of his holy will , divine power and godly wisdom . and if a simple man ow the honour to him that is of greater wisdom , and understanding then himself , to think , upon occasion , that the other hath reason for that which he speaks , or does , though he in his shallownes cannot reach unto it : how much more do all men and angels ow this honour unto god , to beleev alwaies , that whatsoever he saith is true , and whatsoever he doth , good , and righteous , though they discern not the reason of it . some of the works of god are such , as we can rather admire at them , then discern of them : some again are such , as at which proud flesh is ready to repine , and murmur . amongst the works of gods most wise , and powerfull providence upon bodily things , it is most admirable , that the heavenly bodies , the sun , moon , and starres should by their influence , and operation , have such power , and effects upon the bodies here below , as to change , order , and dispose the ayer , earth , and water , with all things framed , and compounded of them as they appear to do , by scripture , sence , and experience . yet , if we consider ( besides the two greatest lights and most powerfull agents , the sun and moon ) the numberlesse number of the stars , their huge greatnesse , the varietie , and excellencie of vertues , wherewith they are furnished far above the most precious pearls , or any earthly quintessence ; and with all these , the infinite power and wisdom of him that made , and constituted them ; it will not seem incredible unto us , that the least , & suddainest naturall change in the ayer , water , or other elementarie bodies , should be wrought by the position , and disposition of the stars , and celestiall bodies . neither doth this at all diminish , or detract from the honour of the lord in governing the world , but rather amplifieth it ; as it ads to the honour of the skilfull artificer , so at the first to frame his clock , or other work of like curious deuise , as that the severall parts should constantly move , and order ech other in infinite varietie , he , as the maker , and first mover moveing , and ordering all . where yet this difference must alwaies be minded , that the artisan leavs his work being once framed to it self ; but god by continuall influx preservs , and orders both the being , and motions of all creatures . here also we except both unnaturall accidents ; and specially , supernaturall , & miraculous events ; which are , as it were , so many particular creations , by the immediate hand of god. in them that are made partakers of the grace of god , the remainders of corrupt reason is readiest to rise up at the work of gods providence in the prosperitie of the way of the wicked , and workers of iniquitie : especially , if they themselvs be pressed with any singular afflictions : as we may see in david , ieremy , and other . but the same men of god , who were in their persons , present exampls of humain frailtie , do in their writeings , by the holy ghost , affoard us matter sufficient for divine comfort , and direction . as first that , before we come to plead with god , how his works are righteous , we know , and acknowledg them all to be righteous ; that so we may learn how and wherein their righteousnesse consists . secondly , that god is both as good to those whom he loves in their afflictions , as in their prosperitie ; and as wroth with his enemies , in their momentarie prosperitie , as if his rod were already upon their backs . thirdly , that he hath appointed a day , in which he will right whatsoever seemeth crooked in the mean while ; and will fully , and for ever , recompence both the good and evill : in the expectation of which day , and of the work of the lord in it , we should satisfie our selvs , for the present , and suspend our thoughts till the manifestation of his righteous iudgment therein . in them that desire to establish mans righteousnesse rather then gods either righteousnesse , or power ; fleshly reason is most apt to quarrell partly that work of gods mercie , by which he freely justifies a sinner ; and partly those his just dispensations , upon which followeth the creatures sin , and miserie for sin . but for the former : it stands not with the riches of gods mercie , and grace , whereof he would make full manifestation in the justifying of sinners , to borrow any thing of mans merit ; but well becomes his bountie , freely to bestow both the gift , and hand to receav it . for the latter ; it must be considered , that gods work ( so far as it is his ) is good , as well in the sinfull doings , or miserable sufferings of men ; as in their most holy , and happy estate . the person that sinneth , with all his parts , and powers of soul , and body , is gods work : so is the preservation , and sustentation of both person , and personall abilities ; so is the naturall motion it self , whether within , or without the person ( in which the sin is like the halting in the horses going ) ; and lastly , so is , not onely the voluntarie permission of the sin , which he could easily hinder by his omnipotent power , if he would oppose it ; but also the ordering both of sin and sinner to his own supernaturall ends . for example ; the act of iudah and thamar , morally considered , was sinfull , and impure : but naturally ; good , and blessed of god with a son , of whom christ came according to the flesh . so the abhominable sins of absolom were ordered of god unto most just punishments of the sins of his father david . there is a two-fold use of the world , and works of god in it : the one naturall ; the other supernaturall . the former is common to men with beasts ; who are alike cherished with the heat and influence of the sun ; alike nourished by the fruits of the earth . the other is peculiar to men with the holy angels , by which they behold the face of the creators power , wisdom , goodnesse , &c. as in a most clear looking-glasse ; and are provoked accordingly to praise , and glorifie him in his wonderfull works : even as by beholding some curious piece of workmanship ( much more if therewith we have singular use of it ) of a skilfull artificer , we are led in the view of the work to the commendation of the workman . and look how much the soul excelleth the body , yea the spirituall man the naturall ; so much is this use of gods creatures more excellent then the former . and so the opinion of the philosopher , who thought , he was born to look upon the sun , and heavens , was not wide , but short ; nor absurd , but defective ; for he should have pierced further , even through the heavens , unto him , that made , and governs them , whose glorious power , and goodnesse shineth in them ; that so he might have glorified him as god , in his works . for though by that glimpse of light in the creatures , we cannot attain to the knowledg of god , as our father in christ ; yet are we both to honour him according to it , and to be provoked by it to further search , and enquirie after him , in such means of revelation , as by which he further manifests himself ; which are his word and gospel of salvation : even as he , that lying in a dark dungeon spies some small glimpse of light , will groap toward it by the wall , hoping to finde some dore , or window , by which it comes in . for neglect of this , the verie wisest of the heathens were left inexcusable ; and not glorifying god , whom they knew in his works of creation of the world , but vanishing in their own imaginations and serving the creature rather then the creator , who is blessed for ever , were given over of god to a minde void of judgment , to do the things , which are inconvenient . now , of how much sorer punishment shall we be guiltie ; if together with this lesser glimpse of divine light by the creatures , we despise also the more glorious light of the gospel , not honouring god aright either as our powerfull creatour , or mercifull redeemer by christ iesus ? but if we so honour him , and make him great in our own hearts , and before men ( what we can ) as he hath manifested , and made known himself in his word , and works ; he will honour us with himself for ever , in glorie . cap. v. of created goodnesse . everie thing that is , and hath being is , in that regard good , and of god. the naturall parts , and powers of body , and soul of most wicked men remain in themselvs ( notwithstanding all infection of evill in them ) gods good creatures : so do the naturall acts and motions of those parts , and powers , in themselvs considered , notwithstanding any morall accessorie of evill in them , ariseing either from the evill affection wherewith , or unlawfull object , upon which they are performed . there can be no evill in the work , which is not first in the worker , as the cause . and so ( a wicked person being worse then a wicked action ) if the sin prevail not so far , as to make the part or facultie of the person in which it is , to cease to be a part , or power created of god ; neither doth it so far prevail in the action , or work , as to make it cease to be , in it self , a created motion , and therein a naturall good thing . god is , and so by all is to be acknowledged for the giver of everie good gift , that is , of everie thing save sin : which sin is nothing that hath being in nature , but an absence of , and crosnesse to that which should be ; as darknesse is of , and unto light . and so the good father would not say , that his mother gave him milk , but god by her . and though the good which we enjoy , come unto us by never so ready , and ample means ; yet must we alwaies religiously minde , that both the means are of gods raysing , and ordering ; and the blessing upon them , for our good . and if iob saw by faith , that all the evils , and harms that came unto him , and his , though by the divels , and wicked mens means , were from the lord , as supream orderer of all things : how much more should we look upon god , as the authour , and worker of all the good that befalleth us ? notwithstanding , if god so far honour any persons , as to make them hands , and instruments ( specially voluntarie ) for the reaching of any blessing unto us from himself ; we also ( and that even therefore ) are to love and honour them : as david not onely blessed the lord as the authour ; but abigail also as the minister of the good counsell which she gave him , for the not avenging of himself upon nabal . actions , besides their naturall entitie , or being , are by one distinguished , and that aptly , according to a four-fold goodnesse . first , an action is sometimes good in it self , and to them to whom it is done , but not to the doer ; as works of mercie done , but not for god : secondly , good in it self , and in the doer , but not to him , to whom it is done ; as the preaching of the word to them that despise it : thirdly , good in it self , and the doers , and to them to whom it is done ; as the same preaching to him that receivs it : fourthly , though neither good in it self , nor in the doer , nor for him to whom it is done ; as an evill , or injurie : yet good , as it is ordered by god to an end supernaturally good . who , as saith another , would not suffer evill , but as knowing how to work good out of it . in actions of the third kinde onely , goodnesse is entire in all it parts , and relations . a man should never glorie in that good , how great soever , which is common to a beast with him : nor a wise man in that , which is common to a fool with him : no nor a good man in that , which is common to a wicked man with him : seeing , notwithstanding it , the person may be out of gods fauour , and accursed . and therefore christ our lord would not have his disciples rejoyce , or glorie , that the divels were subiect unto them ( which was though much , yet common to the workers of iniquitie with them ) but that their names were written in heaven . many so measure the good which they affoard others , by the list of their own will , as they deceav themselvs in the whole piece of their goodnesse , by the bad list that goes about it . they will do what good they list , and when they list , and where they list , and as they list ; as though their goodnesse were not due debt ; though not immediately to men , yet to god , and so to men , for , and according unto god : for whom , even they ow love to all men , who ow nothing els to any ; and the same upon bill , and therefore to be payed , in law , whensoever , and by whomsoever the lord will call for it ; and not when , and as pleaseth them . these conditions are requisite , that we may do well in doing good : first , we must do things in obedience to gods commandments , and in honour of his name , and gospel ; and must ever have that end in our ey , as archers have their mark. secondly , that we do it at all times , as we have opportunitie ; sowing our seed in the morning , and in the euening not holding our hand . we must beware of that agueish goodnesse , which comes by fits onely , and when men are pleased : for so , they say , the divel is good . thirdly , we must do good readily , and whilst we have opportunitie ; not saying to our neighbour , go , and come again to morrow , and we will do it , if it be in our power to day . for who knoweth what a day will bring forth , and whether the opportunitie of doing good , will continue till to morrow , or no ? he that giveth ( or doth other good ) readily , giveth twice : he scarce once , or at all , that doth it slackly : he rather , in truth , suffers a good turn , to be drawn from him , then doth it . living springs send out streams of water : dead pits must have all that they affoard , drawn out with buckets . we should therefore have the minde ▪ though we want the abilitie , of theodosius the emperour , who did much good upon request ; but more of his own accord , and unasked : and so meet , as one saith , a just request in the teeth , and grant it before it be made ; as god many times doth ours . he that defers a good turn , looseth two things : the time ; and manifestation of a loving affection . both which are precious . and without which loving affection all the kindnesses , which we shew to any , are but so many false witnesses to the unbeleeving , and unkind heart . fourthly , according to our abilitie ; knowing that as our receavings are from god greater or lesse , so must our accounts be , for good doing . it is true , that god lookes to the heart of the doer , and measures the work by the will , as men measure the will by the work : but this according to that which a man hath . els , albeit poore men may love as much as the richer , though they have not so much money to do good withall : yet is not the will good , except they do the good they are able . and this our abilitie we must not measure according to our wantonnesse , and unbelief : but according to the truth of the thing , and equitie of the case : which is , that our superfluities give way to our brethrens conveniencies : our conveniencies to their necessities : yea even our ( though great ) necessities to their extreamities , for the supplying of them . fifthly , we must have respect to mens present wants ; and not onely consider , what we can best spare , but withall , what they stand most need of : as having learnt of our lord , and master , in his gospel , that our dutie is to feed the hungry , cloath the naked , visit the sick , &c. as their need is : whereby we may do a great good turn in a small matter : even one loaf ( yea a shive ) to him that is hungry : and the shewing of a spring of water to him that is thirstie , being a benefit . sixthly , we must do good to all , knowing , that wheresoever a man is , there is place for a good turn : but more specially to some , according to the singular bond , naturall , civill , or religious , wherewith god hath tied us together . to good men we must do good because they do deserv it ; to strangers , because they may deserv it , and do stand in need of it ; to all men because god deservs it at our hands for them ; to our friends , because we ow it them : and to our enemies to heap coals of fire upon their heads : the coals of charitie to thaw , and soften their hardnesse , if it may be , and at which we must aim : or els the coals of anger from god for their unplacablenesse towards us . lastly , a good man ( how gracious soever , and readie to do good ) guideth his affairs with discretion ; not sowing his seed in barren ground , by bestowing favours without difference ; for that is rather to throw away , then to bestow a benefit . and it is not the least difference between mans good nature , and gods good grace ; that whereas the former makes men much-what alike kind to all , the latter ( though also to all ) yet with great difference put between person , and person ; as men sow their seed diversly in soils that differ . although this good nature , and the grace of god be as different as heaven , and earth : the one being of our selvs ( that is ) of nature created : and the other the gift of god by supernaturall grace : and that a man be neither the neerer god for his good nature , where the grace of god is wanting ; nor the further of for his ill , where it pleaseth god to use his alsufficient work of grace : yet the sweet and kind naturall disposition in some much advantageth the manifestation of their smaller measure : which an ill nature , as we speak , so much obscures , as it can scarse be seen of other men : though the lords ey peirce through all such humain prejudices . it is the main order , which god hath set both in grace , and nature , that the superiour should do good to the inferiour . so god doth good to all , and receavs good from none : our goodnesse reacheth not to him : the sun and stars give their light , and influence to the earth , but receav no thing back from it : parents lay up for their children , not children for their parents . and for this end god bestows good things , both inward , and outward , upon some above others , in ample measure ; that their aboundance might supply the others want . it were good for other men , that the mightie of the earth duly considered this ; but better for themselvs ; as it is better to do good to others , then to receav good from them . but this most wise , and equall order of god is perverted everie where , by mans iniquitie ; and they who are lesse able , must still be adding to the greaters heap : so as , if accounts were diligently kept , it would be found in most places of the world , that the meaner sort bestow more on the better able , then these of them . when i consider , what good the rich and mightie otherwise , in the world might easily do , if they had hearts answerable ; and how little they do , for the most part ; it seems horrible unthankfulnesse , and iniquitie in them , and matter of indignation against them : but then , on the other side , when i consider , how little good i my self do , in my meannesse ( and others my likes ) to that which i should , and might do , if i did my utmost ; i finde reason to be most angry at my self , and mine own unprofitablenesse ; and to be glad , and thankfull , that so much good is done by the other , as is . in benefits and good turns done , and receaved , it is the best , and right order , that he who doth them should forget , and conceal them ; and he remember , and speak of them , that receavs them . and therefore the first of the three graces is so ordered , as ever to look forward for the doing of more good , and never backward , to upbraid with good done : which , where it is used , takes away the grace of the kindnesse ; and is as unpleasing , as the after-upbraiding of meat in the stomack , eaten with delight . the other two ever look towards the first , to signifie , in how continuall remembrance benefits receaved should be born . which accordingly to acknowledg with thankfulnesse , is a ready way to procure further good : as from god , who specially delights in a thankfull heart , and would have a reflux of his blessings to keep them sweet , as waters are by flowing to , and fro ; so likewise from such men , as either are , or would seem to be like unto god , in goodnesse , and bountie . to use to speak much of mens unthankfulnesse ( even where their hath been great fault that way ) for benefits receaved , both argues a minde not so free in well-doing , as is meet ; and that looks too much for thanks from men , and too little , for reward from god : and is , withall , a course for a man to quench his own charitie , and forwardnesse , in other mens unthankfulnesse . it is a more blessed , that is , both a more comfortable thing , and that wherein a good work is more properly performed , to give , then to take ; to do , then to receav good : and so all good men should strive both to be able , and willing , so to do . yet should a good , and wise man , as god sends occasion , be indifferent to either . neither can he , in truth , do kindnesse , as he ought , that is not willing to receav kindnesse , as he needs . it comes partly from a suspitious , but specially , from a vain-glorious heart , that some , who are forward in affoarding kindnesse , can yet scarse , though there be just occasion , have the like fastened upon them . such desire to be too like unto god , who doth good to all , but receavs none back again from any : but the verie greatest must remember that he is not god , but man ; and so stands need of other men . the head cannot say to the foot , i have no need of thee . besides , to refuse a kindnesse offered is to shame it , as a ball ill sent , and let fall to the ground . neither hath a true christian any cause to be ashamed of his condition in receaving good from others : seeing that , as in doing good he is in gods place ; so in receaving it , in christs stead . cap. vi. of equabilitie , and perseverance in well-doing . whatsoever is done for god , saith one , is done equally : and the apostle more fully : the grace of god teacheth us to denie ungodlinesse , and worldly lusts ; and to live soberly in our selvs , justly towards others , and holily towards god. true goodnesse is comly , and well proportioned in all the parts ; whereas the counterfeit is still at jar in it self , and like the patches of a beggers cloak . a wise man should be a wise man at all times , and in all things ; and so should a good man be a good man. otherwise when a good thing is done ( specially if it be not ordinarie ) the goodnesse seems rather to arise from some other motiue from without , then from within the person doing it . besides , what strange thing is it to see a stone fall downward , or a spark fly upward ? so nor to see a fool do foolishly , or a lewd person like himself . but for a wise man to do foolishly , or a good man wickedly , is not onely hatefull , but monstrous . he that hath not in him all christian graces , in their measure , hath none ; and he that hath any one truly , hath all . for as in the first birth , the whole person is born , and not some parts ; so is it in the work of regeneration : the whole person is born again , though not wholy . there is but one spirit both of faith , and hope , and love , and humilitie , and patience ; which all have that are christs ; and if any have not the spirit of christ , he is none of his . this spirit though god but drop , as it were , into some ; and pour into others with a full hand ; so as one christian far exceeds another in degree of graces : yet are the habits of all graces , and that as i conceav , equally one with another ( though not equall to those in other men ) infused at once into the same mens hearts , by that spirit : but so as in time by diuers occasions and means , both the habits , or graces themselvs , and the excercise of them , inward , and outward , have their different encrease in the same persons : till ech have attained to the degree of grace allotted to him , and serving for the preparing of him for the glorie prepared for him of god. perseverance in good is not any particular grace , or vertue ; but the consummation , and store-house of all vertue and goodnesse . evill men stand need of all graces ; the good onely of this of perseverance , without changing , to the end , that they loose not the things which they have done , or suffered ; but that they may receav a full reward ; and in due season reap , if they faint not . where i speak of the necessitie of not changing , i mean that changing , which is either to the contrarie reigning evill ; or to a totall want of true goodnesse . otherwise , even nature , which works most necessarily , may have its most naturall work interrupted , and changed , for a time , and yet not be destroyed : witnesse the fire in nabuchadnezars furnace , which though it retained in it both the nature , and heat of fire , yet did not burn the three confessours which were cast into it . how oft do men , though remaining , in nature , reasonable creatures , perform acts plainly unreasonable and brutish , thorough ignorance , or appetite ? how much more is it possible , that a man though not wholy destitute of gods grace , may through the remainders of his corruption , advantaged by occasion of temptation , practise some particular , and the same grosse evils ? out of which , in time , he recovers himself by repentance . who not foolish himself will say that david was ( simply ) a fool , even when ( by occasion of speciall temptation of satan ) he did a verie foolish act , in numbring the people ? we are not therefore to measure a persons state by some one , or few acts , done , as it were , by the way , and upon instance of some strong temptation ; but according to the tenour , and course of his life . els , what wise man should not be a fool also ? or what fool should not be a wise man ? what nabal should not be liberall , yea bounteous , when he makes a feast like a king ? a rebell lurking in a kingdom , may , by some advantage watched , and taken , prevail against the lawfull king , in a conflict , or two ; and yet for all that , not raign in the kingdom : so may the treacherous flesh , lurking in a spirituall man , get the masterie in some combat ; and yet not therefore drive the lord quite out of his kingdom there . yea the same flesh ever lusting against the spirit even in them which are led of the spirit , and leading them into captivitie to the law of sin , doth oft so far prevail in them , as to captive them in some particular by-paths both of judgment , and practise ( not so easily discerned ) all their life long . for who can understand his errours ? and for these particular enormities , whether actions or courses , of godly persons ; howbeit , considering them in themselvs , and in their externall acts , there appear in them no difference , from those of the same kind , practised by men utterly godlesse ; yet is there a great difference in gods ey , not onely in the person of the doer , in gods account ; but also in his own heart , and affection , even in the verie doing of them : in which the lord sees the inward struglings of grace ( though , alas , too weak , by the persons default ) tending and bending the clean contrarie way ; and therein plainly differencing the doer from the profane contemners of god , doing the same things : in whom there is either altogether peace without any strife , and resistance , whilst the strong man keeps the house ; or that resistance which is meerely of naturall conscience : terrifying with fear of punishment onely , without the hatred of sin , which is ( though too weak and feeble ) in the other . although it be a greater work of grace to become of vicious and evill ; good and vertuous ; then so to continue , or to grow therein : yet considering the mightie , and many enemies of our salvation , and the great stumbling stones in our way , and with these , the heavie clog of our own corruption , which we draw after us : it will be and is found a matter of no small difficultie , not to be wearie of well doing ; nor to faint , before we come to reap in due time , that , which we have formerly sown to the spirit . and this the experience of all ages confirmeth ; in which there are few , which do the first works , and leav not their first love : fewer that bring forth more fruit in old age , and are fat and green . and yet we know , that albeit of the labourers in the vineyard , who receaved ech his pennie , some entered sooner , and some later , and some not till the very last hower of the day ; yet all continued their labour till the evening : so for our selvs we must make account , that at what time soever any begins , onely he that continues to the end , shall be saved . and indeed , it is a great honour to god , when a good man , notwithstanding all discouragements either from within , or from without , persevers in the course of goodnesse begun ; and gives not over till he come at the goal ; how tirering soever his way be . such a one shews , that the lord is faithfull , and that there is no unrighteousnesse with him . to which purpose the saying of polycarpus is verie remakable ; who , being provoked by the proconsul to blaspheme christ , answered ; that he had served him now eightie and sixe yeeres , and had never had hurt by him in any thing , why then should he speak evill of him ? on the contrarie , he that departs from the lord in the course of godlinesse formerly held , greatly dishonours him ; as the servant doth his master , in leaving him before his time be out . such a one makes shew , as if out of judgment , and experience he disliked goodnesse ; and therein really accuseth god , as if he had found some evill in him : or at least , not that good , which he promised , and the other expected . and to that purpose , the lord , in great indignation , expostulates with the iews , and asks , what iniquitie they or their fathers had found in him , that they were gone from him after their vanities . it is dangerous in course of religion and godlinesse to fall forward by errours , preposterous zeal , or other misguidance ; yet not so much , as to fall backward by an unfaithfull heart . the former may break his face thereby , and loose his comfort in a great measure both with god , and men : but the latter is in danger , utterly to break the neck of his conscience ; as old ely brake his neck bodily , by falling backward from his seat , and dyed . are there not many elyes in all ages ? and as the least declension from god is dangerous ; so is totall desperate : neither will god ever forgive that sin , or give repentance to any so sinning ; but hath utterly excluded everie such a one out of the ( otherwise infinite ) bounds of his mercie in christ. the preaching of the word of god is the means to beget faith , and grace ; but for the nourishing , and encreasing thereof , we must therewith joyn the observation in our places of whatsoever christ hath appointed his apostles to teach : in the vse whereof , as the sanctified means for the obtaining of that end , we shall keep our selvs in the fear of god , and not fall from our stedfastnesse ; and withall , grow in grace , and in the acknowledgment of the lord iesus ; if not in bulk , yet in firmnesse ; as when the body leavs growing in bignesse , it knits better then before . neither indeed can we be safe from being drawn away from god otherwise , then by continuall drawing nearer unto him . for , our way to heaven is up a hill , and we drag a cart load of our corruptions after us ; which , except we keep going , will pull us backward , ere we be aware . the holy ghost in those vehement exhortations of the faithfull to perseverance , inforced with so many promises , and threatnings , both shews therein mans pronenesse , and danger , in himself , to fall away ; and also affoards the means , by which god will preserv his sanctified ones from apostacie ; using the same as evangelicall conducts of grace for his working of that perseverance in them , which he requires of them : and that rather by our being apprehended of christ , as the apostle speaks , then by our apprehending him : as the father leading his weak childe in a flipperie way bids him hold him fast by his hand , lest he fall ; which he also puts forth unto him , yea wherewith he takes hold of the childe , that so by communicating his strength with him , he may stand , and not fall . the lord that saith unto his , seek ye my face , and gives them a heart to answer , thy face , lord , do we seek : gives ech of them also , when he warns them to stand fast , and not to fall away and the like , to answer effectually , lord , by these thy commandements thy seruant is warned to stand fast and to beware , lest i fall away , as hypocrites do . and whensoever god either promiseth unto men , or purposeth in himself absolutely an event touching any his good work in or by them ; he withall both purposes , and promises , and accordingly affords them both means conuenient , and skill , and will to use them ; and therewith an answerable blessing upon them , for infallible successe . in regard of this grace of perseverance , the truly godly haue an advantage above adam in innocencie . he receaved to himself , at the first , his portion of grace , and goodnesse from god ( being made after his image ) and full freedom , and power both to use , and encrease it . but instead thereof , he soon mispent , and lost all , by transgression . god therefore , as a gracious , and wise father , hath prouided better against our misgouernment ; and made christ iesus our head , and feoffer of trust for our state of grace , that he , in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodily might still furnish , and supply us , as we have need ; lest we having all put into our own hands , as adam had , should mispend , and cast away all , as he did . and so the same christ our lord , and head , partly , by his mediation and intercession with the father ; partly , by the continuall supply of his spirit assisting us in our weaknesses , and recovering us in our falls ; and partly , by his divine power restraining the enemies of our saluation ; most faithfully preservs us in the grace of god ; not suffering the living members of his body to be plucked from it ; nor the habitation of his holy spirit wholy , and for ever to be possessed by his , and his elects enemie , satan . the scriptures speak of mens falling from the grace of god as they do of their receiving it . when the apostles entitle particular churches , or persons saints , sanctified in christ , partakers of the heavenly calling , and such as in whom god will perfit the good work begun in them untill the day of christ , as it is meet to speak and judg of them all ; they do not so judg and speak in respect of the inward truth of the things , as certainly being in their hearts , which they neither did , nor could ordinarily know : ( for god onely ▪ knoweth the hearts of all the children of men : the things of a man no man knoweth , save the spirit of a man which is in him ) but according to the outward appearance , and profession made , in word , and deed : so when they speak of the falling away of particular churches , or persons , from god ; they are to be understood , as they mean ; and mean , as they know : that is , according to the outward appearance , and profession which men formerly have made , and then do make ; leaving to god , and mens selvs ( which onely know them ) the inward , and hidden things of the heart : which too many causlesly make shew of ; sometimes deceaving themselvs , and sometimes others , and sometimes both , till the time of revelation of hidden things come . and whereas weak christians might unhappily ▪ stumble at the revolt from faith , and holynesse formerly professed by many ; as if there were not that stablenesse , satisfaction , and comfort in the gospel , and grace thereof , which it promiseth ; the lord , in great wisdom , and mercie , removes this stone of offence out of their way , by intimating plainly , that those apostates were never truly and throughly made partakers of the gospels grace ; from the former profession whereof they had unfaithfully ▪ declined . thus the holy ghost teacheth , that the ground ( what shew soever it made ) in which the seed sown was either withered by persecution ; or choaked by worldly cares , or pleasures ; and which brought not forth fruit to the harvest ; was never good : but either stonie , or thornie ground : that they whose faith was overthrown , were not vessels to honour , but to dishonour : nor truly built upon the steadie foundation of god : nor of them who had the seal of his spirit ; nor were of his known ones : that those who fell away , and crucified to themselvs the son of god afresh , were but formerly as the earth which drinks in the rain , which comes oft upon it , and yet brings not forth hearbs , but thorns and briers : that they , who bring in damnable errors , and they who follow their pernitious waies , both the one , and other departing from the holy commandment delivered unto them , and turning the grace of god into wantonnesse , were ( at their best ) but as dogs , though having for a time cast up their stomack , and vomited ; and as swine washed from their mire ; and as iude saith , ungodly men of old ordained to that condemnation , and crept in , to wit into the churches , unawares : and , to conclude , that they , which went out from the apostles and churches , by heresies , and profanenesse ; were not , to wit , truly , and indeed of them before . thus gods wisdom , and mercie provides a shield of faith against the fierie darts of mens hypocrisie , and perfidiousnesse ; wherewith otherwise the tender hearts of weak christians might be deeply wounded by satan . cap. vii . of religion , and the differences and disputations thereabout . onely men of all earthly creatures are capable of religion : which is also so naturall unto all men , how barbarous soever , that rather then any countrey , citie , or family would want whereon to bestow their devotions ; they would worship they know not what : yea which is more , that which they do know not onely to be base and vile , as stocks , and stones ; but also hurtfull , and evill . as then religion , in the generall , is naturall ; and false religion of corrupt nature : so is true , and christian religion by supernaturall revelation . for how can that worship of god please him , which is not according to his will ? and who knoweth gods will but by revelation of his spirit ? but vain men are readie to deem god like themselvs , imagining , that the things which please them , please him as well . herevpon the heathens have devised to themselvs gods , and goddesses of theft , murther , and all manner of filthinesse : and even christians ( in name , at least ) because the kings , and lords of the earth account themselvs honoured by their subjects , when they entertain them with pompous shews , and pageants of wittie devise ; are readie fondly to imagine , that their wittie , specially stately devises and fancies please the lord himself , as they do them : and therein denie unto him his two properties ; of simplicitie in the things ; and power in appointing them : but if we will give god his due in religion , we hust have him both for the object , and appointer of our worship . the apostate israelites of old , and antichristians since are said to have worshiped divels ; not for that they did ( at least , ordinarily ) direct their worship unto divels ; but for that ( at least , more commonly ) they followed their suggestions , in the devised manner of worshiping though even the true god. as in directing our worship unto him alone , we honour , and acknowledg his majestie and fatherhood , as being our father in heaven ; so in receaving it from him as the onely institutor , we honour , and acknowledg both his love in providing , and his wisdom in contriving , and his authoritie in commanding the manner of his service , and means of our salvation thereby . this religion is the means of gods worship , and withall , of mans happinesse : which two main ends god in great wisdom , and mercie hath joyned togither inseperably ; that the desire of the latter might provoke to conscience of the former ; and the exercise of the former effectually promote , and further the obtaining of the latter . and this ▪ being the onely way to happinesse , ought to be common to all men , rude and skilfull , ; base and honourable ; high and low . and so all chistians are one in christ and christ one in , and unto them . for though the terrene , and worldly state of the persons , who are christians , be verie different ; yet is their spirituall estate of christianitie all one . there is one lord christ , through whom ; and one faith , by which they are justified , and that equally ; one spirit by which they are sanctified , though in different degrees ; one calling of god begun , and perfited by the same gospel , and ordinances thereof . no mans highnesse of worldly estate can set him above the lowest part of it , or them : nor anyes mean-nesse keep him down from flying as high a pitch of christianitie , as any other . an afflicted outward state stands in need of religion to sustain it : a prosperous , to perfit it in eternall happinesse ; besides the moderating of it in the mean while . and seeing our religion is to god alone ; and onely the manifestation of it to men ; we ought to be alike grounded in it , and resolved of it , and zealous for it ; whether we enioy the fauour of the times , or the contrarie . all things requisite for the performance of religious exercises are not parts of religion ; but some are of naturall necessitie ; others for civill order , and comlinesse . the former need neither be taught , nor commanded , being imposed by absolute necessitie ; which is the strongest law , and most pressing master , that may be . the other are such , as without which all exercises of religion would be confused , and unorderly ; and like the chaos which god made in the beginning , void and without form , and whose face darknesse covered . for these , the generall rules of the word , with common sence , and discretion , are sufficient . notwithstanding , though things be not therefore comely , and orderly ▪ because they are done of custom , or commanded by authoritie ; but are therefore both used and commanded ( lawfully ) because they are comely , and orderly : yet if either custom commend , or authoritie command things that are such indeed ; wise , godly , and peaceable men should hold themselvs even therefore the more bound unto them . religion is the best thing ; and the corruption of it the worst : neither hath greater mischief , and villanie ever been found amongst men , iewes , gentiles , or christians , then that , which hath marched under the flag of religion , either intended by the seduced , or pretended by hypocrites . the iews in zeal of god ( such as it was ) persecuted christ himself to the death : and saul in a kind of zeal of the law , was no lesse then a blasphemer , persecuter , and oppressor . pompey the roman having erected that arcem omnium turpitudinum , would not call it the stage , or stews ( as it was ) ; but the temple of venus . and what shall we think of the spaniards romish zeal ? who , by their own bishops relation in his first instance of spanish cruelty , hanged upon one gallows thirteen innocent indian women , in honour of christ and of his twelue apostles . but god is not pleased with good intentions exercised in evill actions ; much lesse either pleased , or deceaved with the vizzards of impietie , and inhumanitie : but as he will repay unto the wicked according to their evill works of all kinds ; so will he render double vengeance unto them , who under the liverie of religion seek countenance for impietie and wickednesse . a man hath , in truth , so much religion , as he hath between the lord , and himself , in secret , and no more ; what shews soever he makes before men : and makes sound proof of his religion both before god , and men , so far , as he is forward , and readie to everie good work , especially to the works of mercie towards them that need . pure religion , and undefiled before god the father is this , to visit the fatherlesse , and widows in their affliction , and to keep a mans self unspotted from the world. there are many civill hypocrites , who , if they converse honestly , and kindly with men , presume of great acceptance from god , though they have little care to know his will in his word , and lesse to observe his precepts , and ordinances of worship . there are also religious hypocrites not a few , who because of a certain zeal which they have for and in the duties of the first table , repute themselvs highly in gods favour , though they be far from that innocencie towards men , specially from that goodnesse , and love indeed , which the lord hath inseperably joyned with a truly-religious disposition . such persons vainly imagine god to be like unto the most great men ; who if their followers be obsequious to them , in their persons ; and zealous for them in the things , which more immediately concern their honours , and profits ; do highly esteem of them ; though their dealings with others , specially meaner men , be far from honest , or good . but god is not partiall , as men are : nor regards that church , and chamber religion towards him , which is not accompanied in the house , and streets , with loving kindnesse , and mercie , and all goodnesse towards men . such are also stuffed with selflove in their verie service of god , and do but flatter him for their own advantage : for if they love not ( and that in truth and deed ) their brother whom they see , how can they love god whom they see not ? besides , they sacrilegiously divide the two tables of the law one from another , making the two great commandments , which christ saith , are like one to another , to be unlike in effect . in these , pharisaism lives , and faith is dead : who as they shame christianitie , and christ in it , what in them lyes ; so shall their recompence from him be answerable at that day , when everie man shall receav honour or shame , according to the works , specially of mercie , and goodnesse that way , which he hath done , or not done in the flesh . the common saying , as good never a whit , as never the better , is verified in the works of religion : which not being performed , as they ought , for substance , are accounted , as not done , in regard of gods acceptance , and the doers present benefit . so the new inhabitants of samaria served not the lord ; and yet they served the lord. so he is not a iew , who is one outwardly , neither that circumcision , which is outward ( to wit onely ) in the flesh . so the carnall corinthians in eating the lord supper , did not that which was to eat the lord supper , to wit , with acceptance from god , and profit to themselvs , for the present . i say , for the present : for by after repentance those verie corinthians might come to have and obtain the right use and end of the lords ordinance formerly abused by them , and unusefull to them : and so might simon magus , by repentance , of the baptism prophanely , on his part , receaved at the first . the reason of this is , because the effect of the word , and sacraments , and other ordinances of religion is neither naturall , as of meat , and drink , which must either nourish presently , or not at all : nor depends upon the worthinesse of the minister , as the donatists imagined ; no nor upon the present fitnesse of the receaver simply ( though both minister and receaver ought to be worthy , and fit ) : but upon gods blessing of that which is his own , in his time ( it may be many yeers after the receaving ) unto his elect ; and in mercie covering what was formerly amisse both in giver and receaver . besides them , who put on forms of godlinesse , and religion onely , as men put on their cloaths ( because to be naked of all religion would be both shamefull , and in many places dangerous ) and them , who for love of lucre and riches fein and dissemble in religion ; many of those who seriously minde it , make their choise amisse : as either lead by custom of times , and places , in which they live ; or by affection and admiration to and of some speciall persons ; or traduced by some vehement passion of anger , fear , envie , or the like : or mislead by some guilfull appearance , without due examination . and having so done , they commonly set themselvs earnestly to advance that faction into which they have once entred , and to depresse all others , though oft without competent knowledg of one , or other . wherein yet they misse , whichsoever is good , or bad ; since either may be either , for ought they know . notwithstanding , we ow this honour to the particular courses of religion which we have once imbraced , or wherein we have been brought up , and receaved any good , that we leav it not lightly ; nor further in any particular , then we needs must ; nor at all , in the things , which god , in it ( in true , and distinct consideration ) hath blessed to our spirituall good . to be lightly moved in religion , is childish weaknesse : but to be stiffe without reason , manly obstinacie : and better to be a childe in weaknesse , then a man in perverse obstinatenesse . the former thinks too well of others , by whom he is too easily moved : the latter thinks too well of himself ; despising other men , and gods gifts , and graces in them ; as if the word of god came either from him , or to him alone . and this fault of the two , is both the worse , and more dangerous : the former may in time be more easily confirmed in the truth ; as a childe , in time , becomes a man : the other is seldom and hardly reclaimed , by reason of his hardnesse and obstinacie . disputations in religion are sometimes necessarie , but alwaies dangerous ; drawing the best spirits into the head from the heart ; and leaving it either emptie of all ; or too full of fleshly zeal and passion if extraordinarie care be not taken still to supply , and fill it a new with pious affections towards god , and loving towards men . and this the more , considering how the controversies in religion are generally carried with more heat , then of any other subject : for that , besides reason , art , credit , and perswasion of truth , and right ; which warm men in other differences ; they are in this inflamed , as it were , with zeal for god , and his service : for whom , and which , not to be fervent , seemeth to be derogatorie to his , and its honour . we are therefore carefully to beware , and earnestly to pray , that we may in controversies of religion strive for god , and according unto god : seeing in them we both may easily , and do dangerously er , if we misse at all : and therewith , that we neither make our adversaries cause worse then it is ; nor conceiv a sinister opinion of his affections in it , without reason . in both which men seek unhonest and unconscionable advantages : and are sorrie in effect , that they whom they oppose , are not worse then they are . he that strives for errour , strives for satan against god : he that strives for victorie , strives for himself against other men : but he that strives for truth against errour helps the lord against gods , and his own enemie satan , the father of lyes ; and this specially , if withall he handle gods cause according unto god. a man shews most knowledg and understanding in the matter of truth : but most grace in the manner of handling of it , with reverence , holinesse , and modestie . no facultie hath so many unskilfull ones to medle in it ; as that of disputing in matter of religion . which cometh to passe , either because men think it a shame for them not to have both knowledg in , and zeal for that subject : or because they make account in truth , that they venture nothing but words in the voyage , and so can have no great losse : or els ( which , is common with ignorants ) because they still presume they gain , with whom , or about whatsoever they medle : whereas , if they had modestie to call things into consideration , and wisdom to discern of them aright ; they would finde themselvs plain loosers , where they think their gain greatest . divers men are affected diversly with the oppositions , and arguments this way brought against their tenents . some through feeblenesse of heart are afflicted with them , as with a troup of enemies invading their possessions : others are lightly turned about , like weather-cocks , with everie puffe of new doctrine . the complaint is just , and great of the vanitie , and wantonnesse of men , and women , in finding , and following new fashions of apparell : but it were well , if this vanitie and newfanglednesse , were to be seen onely on peoples backs , and that the complaint were not as just , and more grievous of the profane wantonnesse of many in taking up new forms of faith , and religion , specially in places of libertie , and where men may professe any religion , or none , if they will , without bodily danger . i have known divers , that have more lightly , and licentiously changed their religion , and that in no small points , then a sober man would do the fashion of his coat : and who ( in my conscience ) if it might but have gained , or saved them twelue pence , would have held their former religion still . others by oppositions are drawen into further search , and examination of things : and this is commendable , where the matter is such , as we either understand not throughly , or may er in . some again , though of weak understanding , no sooner heare an objection against any thing , which they hold , but forth with they fall upon it with an answer . and this they do oft out of a conceipt that it is a point of wit in them , and credit to them , to say something to everie thing , though little to purpose to any thing : in whom the proverb is verified , to the contrarie , he that answereth a matter before he know it , it is folly , and shame unto him . others there are again , who trust most to the scorpions sting , their venemous tongue , in disgracing , in stead of refuting , both cause , and person of their opposites , by all possible means : and these are for the most part such , as presume that the times ( which they serv ) and their credits with them , will countenance , and authorize against their underling-adversaries the slaunders , and calumnies which they either malitiously invent , or lightly receav , or uncharitably conceiv against them : which therefore they spit freely abroad with black tongues as serpents do their poyson , to blast , and corrupt whatsoever they light upon : these hoat reproachers are often as cold disputers . there want not also , who affect differences in religion with others , either in wantonnesse , and for ostentation of wit ; or in affectation of singularitie ; or in envie at superiours ; or in contempt of inferiours ; or to gratifie the mightie , by : opposing such ( specially of mean condition ) as the other hate , and despise . but we should affect strife with none ; but studie , as far as can be , to accord with all ; accounting it a benefit , when we can so do with any ; and the contrarie , a crosse ; and the same the greater , by how much their gifts , or graces , or places are greater , or the bond nearer between them , and us ; whether naturall , or civill , or religious . lastly , there are to be found too many , who make either proud contempt , or bold obstinacie a buckler to ward all blows of arguments , that are , or can be brought against their preconceaved opinions . we ought to be firmly perswaded in our hearts of the truth , and goodnesse of the religion , vvhich vve embrace in all things ; yet as knowing our selvs to be men , whose propertie it is to er and to be deceived in many things ; and accordingly both to converse with men in that modestie of minde , as alwayes to desire to learn something better , or further , by them , if it may be : as also to beg at gods hands the pardon of our errours , and aberrations , which may be , and are secret in us , and we not aware thereof . whosoever offers the word of god , and holy scriptures for justification of his religion , deservs to be heard , and to have his cause examined for the verie words sake , whose testimonie he offers to produce : as in civill course , he who offers to bring for his cause witnesses honourable , and worthy of credit , will be admitted to plead it for his witnesses sake , though not for his own . no difference , or alienation in religion how great soever , either dissolvs any naturall , or civill bond of societie ; or abolisheth any the least , dutie thereof . a king , husband , father , &c. though an heathen , idolater , atheist , or excommunicate , is as well , and as much a king , husband , or father , as if he were the best christian living : and so both oweth , and hath owing unto him reciprocally the duties , and offices of that state , in which he is set , by an inviolable right : which they that denie , are monsters amongst men , and enemies to humain societies . divisions amongst a few , though not in the greatest matters , are most observed , because first , it is expected that weak parties should be firmly united for their better defence . secondly , a few , and their doings are remarkeable for their fewnesse , as a handfull of forreighnours in a strange countrey . thirdly , their differences are oft more vehement , partly for the greater zeal ( spirituall , or carnall ) of the persons ; and partly because their opposition is more immediate ; whereas amongst many it will be hard , but some mediatours will be found , to moderate things . and this is the reason , why the danger of civill tumults is greatest in such countreys , as in which two religions onely are in use . lastly , all will be bold with them , and readie to proclaim their miscariages to the full , and above truth . the most count it the best and safest way in differences of religion without further question , to take the strongest part : that doing as the most do , they may have the fewest finde fault with them . such forget god who is strongest of all . but the best and safest way indeed , is to get true , and sound conscience of things certain , and without controversie . such a person god will direct in his wayes , so far , and certainly , as not to misse of the main end , life eternall ; and therewith in mercie will pardon all other his humain abberrations . with mine whole heart have i sought thee : oh let me not wander from thy commandments . men are for the most part minded for , or against toleration of diversitie of religions , according to the conformitie , which they themselvs hold , or hold not with the countrey , or kingdom , where they live . protestants living in the countreys of papists commonly plead for toleration of religion : so do papists that live where protestants bear swey : though few of either , specially of the clergie , as they are called , would have the other tolerated , where the world goes on their side . the verie same is to be observed in the ancient fathers , in their times : of whom , such as lived in the first three hundred yeeres after christ , and suffered with the churches , under heathen persecuters , pleaded against all violence for religion , true or false : affirming that it is of humain right and naturall libertie , for everie man to worship what he thinketh god : and that it is no propertie of religion to compell to religion , which ought to be taken up freely : that no man is forced by the christians against his will , seeing he that wants faith , & devotion , is unserviceable to god : and that god not being contentious , would not be worshiped of the unwilling : whereas , on the contrarie , the latter , having the emperours christian , and on their side , incited , and pressed them to violent courses . but considering , that to tolerate is not to approve ; and that the magistrates are kings , & lords over men properly , and directly , as they are their subjects , and not as they are christs ; but that by accident , and as the same persons who are civilly their subjects , are spiritually christs and christians ; and lastly , considering , that neither god is pleased with unwilling worshipers , nor christian societies bettered , nor the persons themselvs neither , but the plain contrarie in all three ; the saying of the wise king of poland seemeth approveable , that it is one of the three things which god hath kept in his own hands , to urge the conscience this way , and to cause a man to professe a religion , by working it first in his heart . if the order in israel be objected ; it may be answered , first that the land was holy , as no land now is ; that one nation seperated from all other nations to be the lords peculiar people , as no nation now is ; the kings types and figures of christ , as no kings now are : and secondly , that none were , in truth , compelled to the israelitish church and religion ; but being of it , whether israelites , or proselites , were to be cut off from the lords people , and destroyed out of land for presumptuous sins ; or working iniquitie ; or for not serving god with all their heart and might . kings by this course would come short of the number of subjects , in whose multitude their honour stands : and unto churches , few or none could possibly be added . if it be further objected , that men may be by the magistrate constrained to the outward acts of justice , honestie , and the like , though destitute altogether of the inward vertues ; it may be answered , that these serv properly , and immediately to preserv civill societies , of which magistrates are properly kings , and lords , and so do obtain their proper ends , if the verie outward things be done , though never so unwillingly : but of religious actions the proper end is not civill societie , nor is attainable but by faith , and devotion in the heart of the doers . lastly , to that of the father , that many who at first serv god by compulsion come after to serv him freely , and willingly . i answer , that neither good intents , nor events , which are casuall , can justifie unreasonable violence : and withall , that by this course of compulsion many become atheists , hypocrites , and familists : and being at first constrained to practise against conscience , loose all conscience afterwards . bags , and vessels overstrained break , and will never after hold any thing . yet do i not denie all compulsion to the hearing of gods word , as the means to work religion , and common to all of all sorts , good , and bad ; much lesse excuse civill disobedience palliated with religious shews , and pretences ; or condemne convenient restraint of publike idolatry ; so as this rule of reason holds its place , viz. that the bond between magistrate , and subject is essentially civill : but religious accidentally onely , though eminently . for conclusion of this matter , let the godly magistrate consider , that as there is no church-state , and profession so truly christian , and good , in which too many may not be found carried in their persons with a spirit plainly antichristian : so there is hardly any sect so antichristian or evill otherwise , in church profession , in which there are not divers truly , though weakly led with the spirit of christ in their persons , and so true members of his mysticall body . with whom to deal rigorously for some few aberrations of ignorance , or infirmitie , were more to please christs enemie in the oppressing of the person ; then christ , in so repressing his failing in some particulars , specially if they be not fundamentall . as then the christian magistrate hath his power of magistracie from god , which his christianitie servs to sanctifie , and direct : so , undoubtedly , he is to use it for god , and his honour , & that in his true worship , in which he is specially honoured ; and against the contrarie ; yet with these two cautions . first , that as the greater sins of other kinds , do not so violate and dissolv the marriage-bond , as adulterie doth , by reason of its direct opposition thereagainst : so neither do idolatry , or heresie ( how great sins soever in themselvs ) so outlaw a subject civily , as do seditions , murthers , adulteries , and the like directly violating , and disturbing civill societies . the second is , that no authoritie of man may bring into , or uphold in the church either doctrine , or ordinance of religion , or person ( which last is not lightly to be regarded , seeing the other two serv for it ) unto which the lord in his word hath not first given testimonie of approbation for that use : seeing magistrates are not governers against , nor besides , but under god , in their dominions . cap. viii . of the holy scriptures . the holy scriptures are that divine instrument , and means , by which we are taught to beleev what we ought , touching god , and our selvs , and all creatures ; and how to please god in all things , unto eternall life . i speak of beleeving things , seeing faith comes by hearing : for els , we know things touching god by that which we see , feel , and discern in , and by his works . we are led to the knowledg of god in his power , wisdom , goodnesse , iustice , and mercie , by his works both without , and within us ; and whensoever god either doth , or suffers a thing to be done ( though not so much as insinuated formerly in his word ) we then know it to be his will , that such a thing should be , as certainly , as if he had expresly revealed it before in the scriptures . i speak of pleasing god in all things ; first , because entire obedience ( so far as humain frailtie will permit ) is the immediate end , and use of the word of god ; and the way , and means to salvation : secondly , to meet with that dangerous presumption of doing that , which is necessarie to salvation ( as many use to speak ) though with affected ignorance of , and apparent disobedience to many of gods commandments . who knoweth with how little god can , and doth save many , being faithfull in learning what they can , and in observing what they know ? though much more be necessarie to such , as have means to know more . and thirdly , because it is no childe-like , but a bastardly disposition , to take care for serving god no further ( though , alas , all be little enough for that ) then to be sure of the fathers inheritance . the heart of a man is then assured before god , and hath a warrant from heaven against eternall confusion , when he can say , with good conscience , that he hath respect to all gods commandments . god would have his will written , that is , his word to become scripture , partly for more certaintie of truth to men , and to preserv it the better from being corrupted ; as all make account , that things set down in black , and white ( as they speak ) are most firm : partly , for accord , and unitie of churches , and christians in the same truth : who , if they differ so much , notwithstanding they use the same rule ; what would they do , if their rules were different , or uncertain ? and partly , for more communitie ; seeing books , and writings may easily both be dispersed whither the voyce of teachers cannot come , and also be read in private by christians , when they are apart from their teachers . neither all things which the prophets of god wrote , were written by divine inspiration ( but some of them humainly , as their humain affaires , common to them with other men , required ) : neither was all wherein they were divinely inspired , brought into the publike treasurie of the church , or made part of the canonicall scriptures , which we call the bible ; no more then all which they spake , was spoken by the spirit ; or all which they spake by the spirit , written : but onely so much , as the lord in wisdom , and mercie , thought requisite to guide the church in faith , and obedience , to the worlds end : so as the scriptures should neither be defective through brevitie ; nor burthensom by too great largenesse , and prolixitie . and thus to judg is more answerable both to gods providence in preserving the scriptures from miscarrying ; and to the churches care , and faithfulnesse in keeping safe this heavenly treasure committed to her custodie ; then to say with some , that any of the books , or parts of the canonicall scriptures are lost . it no more detracts from the authentique authoritie , or generall use of some parts of the holy scriptures , that they were penned upon some speciall occasions , then of the sermons of christ , the prophets , and apostles , that some of them were ▪ preached upon speciall occasions : and surely , it seems a strange conceipt , that the authoritie of the writing should be the lesse , because the thing written was suggested by the holy ghost , and so penned , upon speciall occasion offered : as such scriptures were . the scriptures are not onely authentique in themselvs , as having the spirit of god for the authour both of matter , and manner , and writing ; but do also ( as they say ) carrie their authoritie in their mouthes , binding both to credence , and obedience , all whomsoever , unto whom they come , by what means soever . and if god left not himself without witnesse in his works of creation , and providence ; how much lesse in his written word ? wherein , without comparison , he reveals himself much more clearly , then the other way : which is therefore discernable by its self , as is the sun by its own beams , and light : and which ( as one saith ) he that studies to understand , shall be compelled to beleev . their assertion , therefore , who hold , and teach , that we are to receav the scriptures for the churches testimonie , because usually ( as others more truly , and religiously speak ) we receav them by its testimonie , is in effect none other , then that we are to beleev god for mens cause : whereas , on the contrarie , if a man should finde the book of holy scriptures in the high-way , or hidden under a stone ; yet he were bound to learn , receav , beleev , and obey them , and everie part of them , in his place , though without , yea against the likeing , and approbation of all the men in the world : except god must not be god without mens likeing . and if the word preached by christ , the prophets , and apostles , in their time , whether to iews , or gentiles , were absolutely to be beleeved , and obeyed , by everie one that heard it , without other , or further testimonie : why not as well , and much , now , by all that read it written ? he that receavs the testimonie of christ for it self ( whether exhibited in speach , or writing ) sets to his seal that god is true : he that receavs it for the testimonie of the church , sets to his seal , that men are true . but the childe of god knows his fathers voyce . the profit and power of the scriptures , both for stay of faith , and rule of life , and comfort in all manner of afflictions , no tongue , or pen is able so fully to expresse , as everie true christian findes , and feels , in his own experience . there is but one true happinesse , life eternall ; one giver of it , god ; one mediatour , iesus christ ; and so but one means of imparting it , the word of god : by which , he that is both authour , and finisher of all , both begins , and perfits all . blessed is the man , that hath his delight therein , and meditates in the same , day , and night : that so he may learn the things upon earth , the knowledg whereof will fit him for heaven . when we avow the scriptures perfection , we exclude not from men common sense , and the light of nature , by which we are both subjects capable of understanding them , and directed in sundry manners of doing the things commanded in them : yea besides other humain helps , we both acknowledg , and beg of god as most needfull for their fruitfull understanding , the light of his holy spirit : onely we account , and avow them as a most perfect rule neither crooked any way , nor short in any thing requisite . this their sufficiencie and perfection is not to be restrained to matters simply necessarie to salvation : for who can say , how many , or few , and no more , nor lesse , they are ? but to matters necessarie to obedience , that we may please god in all things , great , or small ; expressed , or intended , and to be gathered by proportion , and just consequence . without faith we cannot please god ; and faith comes onely by the word of god : which we must therefore make our guide in all our wayes . and if we be to give an account for everie idle word , and so for every vain thought , or work , there is then a law of god for these smallest matters : for where no law is , there is no transgression ; and where there is no transgression , or fault , there is no account to be given . but as phylosophers say , that the least naturall things are not sensible , by reason of their smalnesse ; so may , and doth it too easily fall out , that we fail through want of skill , or care in applying our rule of direction , both in smaller matters , and others of greater moment also . but this is not because the scriptures are defective in directing ; but we either blinde in discerning , or negligent in searching , or both . and if the holy scriptures direction reach unto the whole course of our life , how much more of our religion , or worship of god ? in which nothing is to be practised , but that which is to be beleeved ; nothing to be beleeved , but that which is to be taught ; nothing to be taught , but according to the scriptures : this being the first thing that we are to beleev , that we must beleev nothing , but according to them . all things els are humain ; and humain it is to er , and be deceaved . the custom of the church is but the custom of men : the sentence of the fathers but the opinion of men : the determination of councels but the judgments of men . to conclude , one onely place of holy scriptures rightly understood , and fitly applyed , will have more power , and fasten deeper upon a truly good , and godly heart ; then all the consenting authorities of men , and angels , though uttered with the tongue of men , and angels . as the title set over the head of christ crucified , was the same in hebrew , greek , and latin ; so are the scriptures the same , whether in the originall ; or other language , into which they are faithfully translated . yet , as the waters are most pure , and sweet in the fountain ; so are all writings ( divine and humain ) in their originall tongues ; it being impossible , but some either change , or defect , or redoundancie will be found in the translation , either by default of the translatour , or of the tongue , into which it is made . in a translatour is required specially skill in words , and tongues ; in an expositour , judgment in things . that translation is most exact , which agreeth best with the originall , word , for word , so far as the idiom , or proprietie of the language will bear : so as for words , or phrases ( in the originall ) proper , or common ; simple , or figurative ; perspicuous , or doubtfull ; words , and phrases of the same sort , proper or common , and so of the rest , be put , and retained in the version : lest the interpreter bring his own commentarie for the scriptures text. on the contrarie , the commentarie is best , which shews most clearly the sense , scope , and meaning of the text , in what words soever . as the law-maker best knows the meaning of the law , and how it is to be expounded ; so for the exposition of the holy scriptures , the spirit of god , as the authour thereof , is first and most to be consulted with , by faithfull , and earnest prayer , from a good conscience ; that god may fulfill his promise made of giving his holy spirit to them that ask it ; and of revealing his secrets to them that fear him . and so some speciall instruments of renuing the gospels light in the former age , have professed , that they learned more this way by prayer , then by much studie otherwise . there is in a scripture but one proper , and immediate sense ; others are rather collections from it , relations unto it , or illustrations of it , then immediate senses . the literall sense is to be followed ( as being most naturall ) what may be ; and not to be refused , if it may stand without danger , without blasphemie , and according to other scriptures . and here it must be noted , that christ , and his apostles in expounding moses and the prophets , did not onely infallibly expresse their conceptions , and meanings , but the meaning of the spirit speaking in them ; and that ( by reason of their more plentifull measure of the same spirit and experience withall ) in some particulars ( as i conceav ) further then the prophets themselvs understood : albeit they alwaies knew the immediate drift of the spirit and meaning of the things , which they spake : and were not as the pythonists , or other the like instruments of the divell , uttering oracles which they themselvs understood not . the lawyers have a rule ( and the same competent to the matter whereof they treat ) that laws of fauour are to be extended , as largely , as may be : but odious laws ( as they speak ) as much straitned , and confined within the narrowest bounds of interpretation . but all gods laws , and instructions must , in honour of the lawgiver , be expounded in the largest sense , that they can beare : that so they may reach as far , and binde as fast , as may be . this the infinitenesse of his wisdom challengeth , in directing us ; of his authority , in commanding us ; of his mercy , in promiseing ; and justice , in threatning : which by so interpreting , and applying his word , we acknowledg , and honour , as is meet . and as they are blame-worthy , who out of a scrupulous fear , lest they should ad to the scriptures , allow them no further meaning , then the words expresse : so is their sin greater , and full of presumption , who shorten , and straiten the scriptures instruction to that which is expressed in so many words , that they may make room thereby , for their own devises . a scripture commandeth , promiseth , or threatneth whatsoever is contained in it , though not expressed : and that is contained in it , which can truly , and iustly be gathered from it , though by never so many consequences , or inferences ; though the fewer the lesse dangerous , by reason of our weaknesse of discourse . particular words and phrases more obscure are to be interpreted according to the scope & mind of the speaker ( the holy ghost ) in the place : which is , both in time , and excellencie , before the thing spoken ; and that for which the spirit speaketh as it doth in the place : neither is the scripture profitable , except the scope be first found . and to hang upon a word , phrase , or sentence in a text , without looking to the main drift , is , if any other , the character of an hereticall disposition . with this that other most necessarie rule hath affinitie ; namely , that the words are to be understood according to the subject matter : the words of law , and gospel according to the different nature of law , and gospel ; the words of an historie historically ; of a sacrament sacramentally and mystically ; and accordingly notes of universalitie according to the extent of the matter , or person spoken of . as we oft finde out , & learn mens meaning by some of their companie , & of such as are about them ; which we could not learn of themselvs ; so may we gather the meaning of a scripture ( otherwise hard to be understood ) by marking the things which accompanie it , and which are above and below , as the iews use to speak , and christians with them . like as the lamps in the golden candlestick did one help anothers light ; so doth one place of holy scripture anothers . and though a thing found in one place ( if in one indeed ) be as true , & binde as strongly , as if it were a thousand times written ; yet so to insist upon any one place , in a difference , as to neglect others , is the high-way to error , and to loose the right sense , by breaking the scriptures golden chain , whose links are all fastened together . and as one place must be expounded by another ; so must the more brief and obscure by the more plain , and larg : and not the contrarie , & crosse way : for that were not to lighten the darknesse of a text , but to darken its light : according to that of the father : the fewer must be understood according to the more ; and one saying must rather be taken according to all , then against all . touching precepts affirmative , and negative , first , they are usually either kept , or broken together . he who doth not what he should do , commonly doth what he should not do ; if a man be drawn away from god , he is easily ensnared by his own lust : on the contrarie , he that doth his dutie faithfully , hath as it were , a supersedeas from the lord , against the temptations of sin , and satan . the way not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh is to walk in the spirit . secondly , the receaved rule , that affirmative precepts binde alwayes , but not to alwayes , as negatives do , is true , being rightly understood . we are to take no time for doing evill , and but some time for the doing of the best good , to wit , as we have opportunitie , and abilitie . thirdly , in the prohibition of an evill we must ever understand the command of the opposite vertue ; and so on the contrarie . he that saith expresly thou shalt not kill , means also , as well , thou shalt preserv thy neighbours life . lastly , there is both more vertue , & more vice practised in affirmatives , then in negatives . it is more good to do good , then not to do evill : and more evill to do evill , then not to do good ; though both the tree that brings forth evill fruit , and that brings forth no fruit , shall be cut down , and cast into the fire . the oppositions intended in scriptures are diligently to be observed : upon mistaking whereof errour followeth ; upon neglect , maimed obedience . for example : the apostle in teaching that there is but one god the father , and one lord iesus christ , doth not oppose the father to the son ; nor the son to the father for either is god , either lord ) : but both to all whether creatures , or idols . so where christ bids his apostles baptize them that beleev , he doth not exclude their infants ; but such as beleev not the gospel being preached unto them . likewise , where paul saith of the incestuous man , that he was rebuked of many ; he opposeth not many to all ( as some conceav ) but to one , viz. himself . lastly , he that will expound the scriptures , ought in honour of the graces of god bestowed upon other men , and in conscience of his own infirmitie , with the holy use of other means , to joyn the reading and searching of the commentaries & expositions of such speciall instruments , as god in mercie hath raised up for the opening of them , and edifying of the church thereby : remembring alwaies , that the word of god neither came from him , nor to him alone . he that depends too much upon other mens judgment , makes as if the word of god came not to himself at all : he that neglects it , as if it came to him onely . of which two evils the latter is so much the worse , as arrogancie in a mans self is more odious both to god , and men , then either slacknesse in examining , or dulnesse in discerning , or excessive fear of departing from the opinion ( specially receaved ) of others . it is strange , and lamentable , that in the great profession of the scriptures made in our dayes , so many should be ignorant of the difference between the law , and the gospel ; of which two heads the scriptures consist : making the gospel nothing els , but a more favourable , and easie law : and thereby transforming grace into nature ; a promise to be receaved , into a commandment to be fulfilled : and the offering of new life ( even the life of christ ) into the exacting of old , and due debt onely . god as an absolute lord , gives his holy law , saying , do this and live : and therein properly exacts obedience , as a naturall debt , of the reasonable creature , thereunto enabled by creation : but as a gracious father publisheth the gospel , in it offering help to the miserable , and helplesse creature , and working withall ( according to the election of grace ) power , & will to receav the help , and hand offered . this if many considered , as they ought , they would not , as they do , plead the power of mans free-will in spirituall things , against the free grace of god ; nor exclude , as some of them do , the infants of beleevers from the covenant , and baptism of the church : as though god could not shew grace , because they cannot shew free-will to receav it . the utmost ordinarie means of revelation of gods will for mans salvation , and happines , is the gospell . when the law written in mans heart by creation was almost worn out , god gave it written in tables of stone . but life , and freedom from sin , and death , being impossible to the law in that it was weak , through the flesh , and all men by it ( whether considered as written in tables of stone , or of the heart , by creation ) comming short of the glory of god ; it hath pleased the same god by the gospell of his son christ to provide a gracious remedy ; that the sick to death , by the justice of the law might be cured ; yea the dead revived , by the grace of the gospell , and mercy of god therein . and other remedy besides , and beyond this , for the obteyning of salvation , god hath not revealed . he that fulfils not the righteousnesse of the law , violates gods justice : but remaining obstinate against the grace of the gospel also , he despises , with gods justice , his mercy ; and his authority in both . and what remains for such , but a fearful expectation of the work of his terrible power ; of the revelation of his wrath from heaven against all ( specially such ) ungodlinesse of men ? for if the word ( of the law ) spoken by angels was steadfast , and everie transgression , and disobedience receaved a just recompence of reward : how shall we escape , if we neglect so great salvation ( of the gospel ) which at first began to be preached by the lord , and was confirmed to us by them that heard him . cap. ix . of authoritie , and reason . avthoritie leads us to the authour of a thing , and bids us rest in his word , whether for credence to his relation , or obedience to his commandment . reason wils us to look to the thing it self , and to the arguments for , or against it , taken either from common sense ; or naturall principles , and conclusions ; or other undoubted grounds of truth , or goodnesse of matter . the ground in authoritie is , in a sort personall : in reason , reall . it is a kind of impeachment of authoritie , to examine the reasons of things : so is it a prejudice to reasons work to call authoritie to counsell ; save onely when god speaks ; for then the authoritie justifies the reason ; and reason bids , receav the authoritie , and do all things commanded without reasonings . the authoritie and credit of him that relates a matter , whether man , or angel , yea or god himself , makes it not the truer in it self , but the more readily to be beleeved by them that hear it . the testimonie of god in his word , that in the beginning he made the world of nothing ; and will judg men and angels at that day by iesus christ , is onely therefore true in it self , because god indeed hath done the one , and will do the other ; but is therefore by us to be beleeved as true , because he so testifies in his word . divine authoritie is to sway with us aboue all reason : yea reason teacheth , that god is both to be beleeved , and obeyed in the things , for which man can see no reason . and hence it is that the lord hath so severely punished mens transgressing his laws of ceremonies , and divine institutions , called by the schoolmen voluntarie precepts ; for that in commanding of them gods absolute authoritie most clearly appears , and mans pure obedience in observing them . humain authoritie hath more or lesse weight , according to the worth of the person , or other circumstances : but as the moneys of all men high , and low ; good , and bad ; are alike ; so are the reasons . the meanest mans reason ( specially in matter of faith , and obedience to god ) is to be preferred before all authoritie of all men . i say , specially of faith ; yet not excluding other subjects . for though i will and ought to do some things , simply because i am commanded ; yet i will not therefore simply beleev that any thing is good in it self . and albeit i am bound to obey humain authoritie in sundry things , for the commanding of which i know no reason , yea know there is no reason : yet know i reason for mine obedience , even the honour of authoritie , and preservation of peace . the thing commanded may be unjust , and evill in him that commands , and yet good in me obeying his authoritie in it . for example . a matter of outward wrong to me commanded by the magistrate ; in the doing whereof i sustain dammage , but sin not . god who made two great lights for the bodily ey , hath also made two lights for the ey of the mind : the one the scriptures , for her supernaturall light ; and the other reason , for her naturall light . and indeed onely those two are a mans own : and so is not the authoritie of other men . the scriptures are as well mine , as any other mans ; and so is reason as far as i can attain to it : but the authoritie of others is not mine , but theirs : which when i use , i borrow , and lay to pawn unto them , whom i cannot satisfie , or secure by the other means , which are mine own . who would , borrow of others that hath enough of his own to satisfie as well . god , who , though he be absolute lord , so oft annexeth reasons to his precepts , teacheth even the most powerfull and mightie upon the earth , in their governments , to prefer reason afore authoritie . and the man that would not rather rule men by reason ( yea beasts , if they were capable thereof ) then by violent authoritie , is himself inhumain , and beast-like . the authoritie of gods word , and testimonie is alwaies the same , as being grounded upon his unchangeable veritie : but the credit of mens judgments is lesse , or more according to varietie of circumstances . men deserv most credit in the facultie wherein they haue been most exercised : for none can judg so well of the craft , as the crafts-man . so more likely it is , that a man wise , learned , and studious in the scriptures , specially , if withall , he be such a one , as unto whom god hath promised , in ordinarie course , as unto one that fears him , to reveal his secrets , should finde the truth , then one sleightie , illiterate , and of more shallow meditations . in former ages the divell hath so far prevailed , as that men in superstitious reverence , haue , as it were , pinned their faith and religion upon the sleeves of the churches authoritie , and clergies learning : putting out , or winking with their own eyes , that their guides might lead them : and this blinde-fold devotion is yet affected by too many . but withall , there want not , specially in places of libertie , whose minds satan hath so far possessed with the contrarie delusion , as they think it halfe poperie so much as to seek counsell , and direction at men of learning , and knowledg ; lest , for sooth , they should be deceaved by them . this suspition hath been , and is , too much occasioned , by the abuse of learning to covetousnesse , and ambition in the learned : but is taken and held up by the other ; partly , by unbelief , whilst they more fear the divels subtletie in deceaving them by learned men ( specially being in any measure conscionable ) then they trust to the blessing of god upon his own gifts in them for their information ; partly , from conceiptednesse in themselvs , as if they were indeed verie popes , and exempted from danger of erring ; and partly , through partiall affection to their preconceaved opinions : of which they are as loath to hear any ill , as fond parents are to hear ill of their children , though there be never so much cause ; lest thereby they should be brought out of love with them . but as we are more to desire , and endeavour , that we our selvs may walk in the wayes of god , then others : so should we rather desire , and more endeavour , as we have occasion , to converse with men of knowledg , and such , as may inform us ; then with them that know lesse then our selvs , and do depend upon us for information . and , to conclude ; as learning makes the good better , and the bad worse : so is it more likely , that a man should be bettered by it , then not ; and that knowing what concerns him , he will be the more ashamed of the contrarie . it is also more probable , that many , specially wise , and godly , should finde the truth , then one ; as many eyes see more then one : whereupon it was , that the verie apostles in some cases of practise sought or took the advise of others ; which help our dulnesse makes much more necessarie for us . into this account we must also bring the advantage of ages , and times in which men live : and so more credit in matters controverted between rome and vs , is to be given to the churches , and fathers of that first age after christ , then of the latter , when the mysterie of iniquitie ( rising by degrees ) had gotten too great both height , and breadth . besides , the occasions offered have their weight in these ballances . austin is observed , by occasion of the errour of pelagius , to have examined more diligently , and more exactly discerned , and in preffer terms to have propounded the truth , in the points of predestination , and free-will ; then others his ancients . many are ignorant , yea mistake , specially in smaller matters ; not properly because they want either skill , or will to finde out the truth in them , but occasion onely pressing them to examine things receaved by tradition , or done of custom without ground of reason . with these also we must ioin the consideration of such advantages , as the latter times have of the former , whose helpfull labours they enjoy : by which those which follow them ( though in themselvs meaner then they ) are enabled to discern of many things better then the other that went before them ; as a dwarf set upon the shoulders of a giant can see further then he . lastly , it is more likely , that of two , in any measure alike otherwise , he who suffers affliction for conscience of god , should have the truth ; then he that gets worldly benefit by his course in religion ; specially if he have not in a great measure learned to denie himself , and this world : it being their guize to dissemble herein , who love ●ucre , and riches : as too many do . the credit commending a testimonie to others cannot be greater then is the authoritie in it self of him that gives it ; nor his authoritie greater then his person . the person then being but a man , the authoritie can be but humain ; and so the faith but humain , which it can challeng . the custom of the church is but the custom of men : the sentence of the fathers but the opinion of men : the determination of councels but the judgments of men , what men soever . and so , if all the men in the world ( not immediately directed , as were extraordinarie prophets , and apostles , in whom the spirit spake , and testified by them ) should consent in one ; as they , notwithstanding their multitude , were but men , though many ; so were their testimonie but humain , though of many men ; neither could it challeng other then humain assent unto it : and not that neither absolutely either in matters of discourse of reason , wherein it is possible that men should deceav themselvs ; or of relation from others , by whom they may be deceaved . we are therefore to beware , that we neither wrong our selvs by credulitie ; nor others by unjust suspition . to receav without examination mens sayings , is to make of men , god : to reject them lightly , is to make of men divels ; or fools , at the best . the latter hath pride , and uncharitablenesse for the ground : the former either argues men to be simple , which cannot ; or idle , which will not ; or presumptuous , which think they need not ; or superstitious , which dare not judg ; or ( which is worst of all the rest ) desirous in a kinde of humble hypocrisie to shelter an evill conscience before god under the shadow of great mens authoritie . to presse immoderately mens authoritie in divine things , is to wrong gods : which alone is authentick ; and whose will , and it alone , and all it ( so far as is fit for us to know it ) we know more certainly to be contained , and preserved , without corruption , in the scriptures ; then any fathers opinion , in the books , which go under his name . this also wrongs mens faith , and reason , captivating them by prejudice ; and rather offering a hand to lead the blinde ; then a light for the help of him that hath eyes to see with . i have known some , who , if they light upon a peremptorie authour , and bold asserter of things , were readie to be still of the same opinion with the book which they last read : their weaker judgment being overborn rather by the strength of other mens asseverations , then reasons . lastly , this ingenders endlesse contentions : as is to be seen in some learned mens writings ; in which there is more adoe about the meaning of such , or such a place in a father , then were enough to determine the whole controversie by the scriptures , and good reason . these things notwithstanding , there is both a lawfull , and convenient use of humain testimonie even in divine things ; as first , for the convincing of such thereby , as regard it too much , and gods word too little thus paul amongst heathens , even in his verie sermons , alledged heathenish poets , and phylosophers ; and we in our writings rightly alledg fathers , and councels against papists , and others , who more regard the saying of an ancient father , or canon of a councell , then the written word of the ancient of dayes . they are twice overcome , who are beaten with their own weapons , in which they trust . secondly , it induceth a morall probabilitie , though no absolute necessitie of truth : and though we see not the truth by other mens eyes , but by our own ; yet may we be something held up in the arms of their testimonie to see it the better , and so be helped , as zacheus was , by the tree , into which he clymbed , to see christ. so the apostles in penning some parts of holy scripture , upon occasion of differences in the churches , and opposition to their apostolicall authoritie , took in , for the better passage with men of gods undoubted truth , the concurring testimonie even of ordinarie christians : though both the decrees , & epistles were penned by infallible , and immediate direction of the holy ghost , as well , and as much , as any other parts of canonicall scriptures . thirdly , citation of humain authoritie helps to wipe away the aspersion of schism , & singularitie , when we can shew that our assertions , and practises have agreement with such as are in account in the churches . lastly , it commends both a mans modesty & diligence , when he enquires after , and withall , his cause , in the eyes of men , when he appears to know the judgments of others in the things he handles : as it is , on the other side , an imputation to him that knows them not ; and that even where it is otherwise , no benefit , to know them . the authoritie of him that prescribeth , or commandeth ( within his limits ) is the same , whether the matter be great , or small . god is god , in the smallest things , which he requires ; and man but man , in his deepest charges . the prophets , and apostles in their writings are extraordinarie ; and pastors and teachers , ordinarie ministers ; and neither are either more , or lesse in any part of their ministerie , for the instruction of the churches . so likewise all true reasons are of the same force in themselvs , to confirm that for which they are brought : neither is any one stronger then other , but onely more evident . the best but proves of itself the things to be so ; and the meanest ( if sound ) doth as much . cap. x. of faith hope , and love. of faith reason , and sense . faith in generall is a firm assent upon knowledg to an affirmation , for the credit , or authoritie of him that affirmeth a thing ; whether god , or angel , or man. to some things we assent by sense , and naturall light : to some , for certain proof of reason : but the assent of faith rests upon the fidelitie of the speaker , and not upon the sense , or reason of the thing , how agreeable to either soever it be . yet so as the more reasonable the thing related is , the more readily we beleev it to be true . the thing beleeved faith apprehends primarily , as a matter of truth , and therein hath its seat in the understanding . divine faith assents to the revealed will of god , for the authoritie , and truth of god , which cannot deceav . that faith , or act of faith by which we are justified is a due assent to , and application of the promises of the gospel , as made , and appertaining to us in particular : the generall promise upon condition of application duly , and rightly made , being as much for certaintie , as either extraordinarie revelation , or particular nomination of person . this application of gods promises in christ hath evermore affiance necessarily , and immediately ioyned with it . for being by the spirit of god , and word of the gospel , perswaded of gods love in christ ; we cannot but trust unto him , rest , and repose our selvs upon him , and expect accordingly from him , all good . but as we must lay hold of the stay or prop before we can rest upon it ; so must faith go before affiance in order of causes : and we lay hold of gods love before we can repose our selvs upon it . hope is the expectation of the good things promised , having faith for its foundation . these two , faith and hope have many the same objects ; yet neither all ; nor any in the same respect . we beleev things past , present , and to come : but hope for things to come onely . we beleev both promises , and threatnings ; both rewards , and punishments , in the order set by god : but hope onely for things desireable . and for the verie same things in themselvs beleeved , and hoped for ; as for example , the resurrection of the body , and life everlasting ; we beleev them as present in gods promises , which faith applyes unto us ; but hope for them as absent , and to come in performance , unto which hope carieth us . faith begets hope ; for by beleeving the forgivenesse of our sins , and gods promises , for the present ; we are encouraged to expect , and hope for all future good . and hope again , as a good childe , helps to reliev its father faith , in time of need : whereupon the apostle saith of the faithfull , that if they had hope onely in this life , they were of all men the most miserable . for what availeth it a man in miserie to beleev eternall life , if he had not hope in time to obtain it , and therewith freedom , and redemption from distresse ? but we have therefore comfort in beleeving , because we have hope of enjoying in due time . love is the affection of union in regard of the loving ; and of well-wishing , in regard of the creature loved . and divine love is the affection of union with god , in his grace , and glorie ( in which mans happinesse consists ) ; and with the creature , according unto god. faith is the root ; and love the sap spreading forth it self , for the fruits of good works , throughout all the branches of our lives : faith the beginning , and love the end of our conversation . by faith we live the life of the son of god , and receav all good from him : by love we are moved , and perswaded , to use what we have to the good of men , and prayse of god. and whereas faith makes a man some great thing , richer then the richest , and lord of the whole world : love makes him a servant unto all men , in humbling , and applying himself unto them , in all lawfull things , for their good . now albeit love have these two prerogatives ; first , that it perswades most effectually , and immediately , to the use , and imployment of all the good things which we have receaved from god , to the benefit of others ; and secondly , that , whereas faith , and hope are determined formally in this life ; and ended in sight , in the life to come ; love abideth there also ; and that , in these two respects the apostle ascribes an excellencie , and chiefnesse to love above the other : yet herein faith hath his singular preheminence , that whereas by love we , and what we are , become gods ; and mens , for god : by faith , not onely all other things , but even god himself becomes ours for all-sufficient good unto us : as he saith , i am thy god all sufficient . by it , the will , and word of god is ours for our instruction , and direction ; his righteousnesse ours , for our justification ; his spirit for our sanctification ; his power for our protection ; and his glory for our happinesse , in the fruition thereof . this faith in christ is a gift supernaturall , not onely in regard of nature corrupted , but even created : which therefore is not so properly repaired in men by grace , as are some other vertues ; but , after a sort , new built from the ground ; as directing to that attribute in god primarily for its object , whereof adam in innocencie had no need ; which is , mercie through christ , against the miserie of sin , and punishment . vnto this faith most precious promises are made ; and most excellent things affirmed of it : and that not onely for the excellencie of the grace in it self ; which yet is great , and greatly honoureth god ; in his truth , which it beleeveth ; in his power , as able ; and love as willing to bestow all good things upon us : but specially for an attractive , and applying facultie which it hath above other vertues , to make god ours , and all creatures with him , according unto god , as is aforesaid . to beleev in christ is to receav him , and the promises touching him . and hereupon it is said of that cloud of witnesses , that by faith they quenched the violence of fire , stopped the mouths of lyons , put to flight the armies of alients , &c. the reason whereof seems to be , for that , as by justifying faith they applyed the righteousnesse of god , to salvation ; so by the faith of myracles , they apprehended , and applyed the infinite power of god , to the producing of those supernaturall effects . the strength of true christian faith the divel knows to his cost ; as that , by which he the prince , with his whole armie the world , hath been so often foyled , and overcome : for being by faith perswaded , that in doing ▪ or suffering according to the will of god , we please him , and are under his protection , and blessing , we stedfastly persevere in well-doing , and patiently endure all things for his names sake : whereupon he , specially in the day of their distresse , assaults the faith of the godly , that that might fail ; as knowing that if the root of faith be shaken loose , the fruit of good works will wither . faith therefore must as a welcome passenger be well carried , and conveied through the sea of temptations in the vessell of a good conscience , that it suffers not shipwrack by the leaks of an evill ; directed by the chart of gods word , and promises rightly understood , that it run not a wrong course ; and having ever in a readinesse the sure , and stedfast anchour of hope against a stresse ; and continually gathering into the out-spread sails of a heart enlarged by prayer , and meditation , the sweet , and prosperous gusts of gods holy spirit , to drive it to the desired haven . this faith , if it be not grounded upon gods word , is fancie : if it receav not the same word in everie part , but where it lists , it is sawsinesse : if it work not as well ( yea more ) in an afflicted state , as in a prosperous , it is nothing but fleshly presumption : if it be not fruitfull in all good works , as we have opportunitie , and are able , it is dead ; and will in the end , like the faith of the divels , affoard onely matter of trembling . lastly , it must be firm , and not ambiguous , or going by peradventures ; els it is not faith , but opinion . yet are we not here to imagine an idea of faith , free in this infirmitie of our flesh , from doubting . the tree may stand , and grow also , though shaken , and bended with the wind : so may faith hold its both standing , and life , notwithstanding such doubtings , as the flesh ( ever lusting against the spirit ) mingleth with it . against which weaknesse , and imperfection of our faith we have this firm comfort , that we are not saved for , no nor by the perfection of the instrument , which faith is ; but of the object , christ , which it apprehendeth : and so may with a true , though palsie hand of faith receav , and keep both christ , and all his benefits . this weaknesse , and disease of faith we must not commend , as papists do ; nor nourish like secure persons ; but cure , with all diligence , by the holy , and diligent use of the ministrations sanctified of god , and given by christ , for the perfiting of the saints , and edifying of the body , till we attain in the unitie of faith , and acknowledgment of the son of god , unto a perfit man , according to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ. also , we must nourish faith by frequent meditations of gods love , and promises in christ , and of the gracious effects of them ; and must , as the prophet , and apostle teach us , live by it : both doing in faith and assurance of acceptance at gods hands , what we do , not onely in the works of his worship , but in those also of our conversation with men ; and putting our selvs in all our waies , under his protection , and that specially in the time of distresse ; or danger : that as the bodily hand gets , and gathers strength by being diligently used in works competent ; so may also the spirituall hand do ; which faith is . now , as , for our succesfull wrestling against the rulers of the darknesse of this world , and spirituall wickednesses in high places , we must put on , amongst other parcels of the armour of god , the shield of faith ; so must we not forget the helmet of salvation , hope ; whose strength is great to bear off all blows of temptation , and that with chearfulnesse . for what burthens of afflictions , and temptations will not he cherfully undergo , that expects undoubtedly their speedie ending in endlesse happinesse ? alexander the great meaning to invade asia , and giving away his riches aforehand , being asked , what he would reserv for himself , answered , hope . but what is the shadow to the substance ? he hoped for the kingdom of persia , we of heaven . and what if his hope stretched it self to the monarchy of the whole world ? it was but to this world , wherein also it was frustrated , and perished with him . but the anchour of our hope is cast within the veil , and extendeth to the world to come ; being also firm , and stedfast , and which cannot be disappointed ; nor shall have other end then in being perfited in the end of all , the full fruition , and eternall possession of happinesse with god. were it not for hope , the heart would break : but we having this hope faint not , but hold fast the profession thereof without wavering ; yea even glorie in afflictions under the hope of the glorie of god. lastly , touching love ; as it is the affection of union so it makes , after a sort , the loving , and loved one : such being the force thereof , as that he that loveth suffereth a kind of conversion into that which he loveth , and by frequent meditation of it , uniteth it with his understanding , and affection . thus , to love god is to become godly , and to have the mind , after a sort , deified , being made partakers of the divine nature in its effects : to love the world is to become a worldling ; and so of the rest . thus , in the parable of the tares , the children of the kingdom are called good seed , and wheat , as growing , and becoming wheat of the wheat , or seed sowen in them ; as the wheat ear groweth of the wheat corn : as on the contrarie , ungodly men are said to have eyes full of adulterie , and the like ; and not onely to be sinfull , but sin , unrighteousnesse , darknesse , and beliall ; as being even metamorphized and transformed into the evils which they love , and delight in . oh , how happie is that man , who by the sweet feeling of the love of god shed abroad into his heart by the holy ghost , which is given him , is thereby , as by the most strong coards of heaven , drawn effectually , and with all the heart , to love god again , who hath loved him first ; and so becomes one with him , and rests upon him , for all good , and happinesse . for this our love to god , there is required not onely the positive affection of the heart aspiring unto union with god , upon knowledg of him , as the chiefest good , both in himself , and to us in christ ; and a contentation in him so known , and obtained : but withall , that we exercise , prove , and approve that our love to him , in our love to such good persons , and things , as unto which he hath imparted some sparks of his goodnesse ; especially to his good children , and good word , and ordinances . he cannot love him that begetteth , saith the apostle , who loveth not him ( and that in deed and truth ) who is begotten : in truth of affection ; and in deed of action , for his comfort : and this with greater bent of both , as the graces of god are more eminent in him . neither loves he god , that loves not his word , and that both in affection of heart , and effect of readie obedience to all his commandments . we must take heed of a shadowish love of goodnesse , and pietie onely in the abstract : and must love it in the concrete , where both the person , and good in him , is visible ; in whom hypocrites , for the most part , hate , and persecute it . he but pretends to others , the love of goodnesse , or imagines it in himself , that loves not good men for it . lastly , he that loves not his brother whom he sees , how can he love god whom he sees not . not but that there is matter of love infinitely more then in any , or all men ; but because for the loving of god , we want the advantage of sense , and motive of compassion , by which our love to our distressed brethren , is holpen . this love is the fulfilling of the law : the love of god being the greatest commandment ; and the love of our neighbour like unto it . it is also that to which the gospel in the end leads us : by which gospel , or new covenant , god writes his lawes in the mind , and heart of his : and so perfits the one in the other . and so naturall to christians is this brotherly love , as that the apostle makes account he needs not write to the churches , to teach them that which god taught them so many wayes . by this we know our selvs to be raysed from death to life ; by it all others know us to be christs disciples , if we love one another . see , said the heathens ( pointing at the christians ) how they love one another : and see , said the christians of them ; how they hate another . oh that heathens could not now say of christians , as they sometimes said of them . if we were perfit in this love we needed no other law to rule us , either in the duties towards god , or our neighbours , no more then do the angels in heaven , and souls of the faithfull men departed : who by the law of love alone , do live both most perfit , and most happie lives . and indeed to love as we ought , is a verie happie thing , wherein we resemble god , and the angels : as by the contrarie , we complice with the divel , and wicked men ; who live in mallice , and envie , hatefull , & hating one another . and howsoever naturally we desire rather to be beloved , then to love ; yet is it incomparably a more both excellent , and blessed thing to love , then to be beloved ; as it is to give , rather then to receav . besides , love is the loadstone of love : and the most readie , and compendious way to be beloved of others is to love them first . they taking knowledg thereof , will be effectually drawn to answerable good will , if they be not harder then iron , and such as have cast off the chains , and bonds of common humanitie : for even publicans , and sinners love those that love them . yea , admit thy love of them never come to their knowledg ; yet will god by the invisible hand of his providence , bend their hearts , by mutuall affection unto thee , at least , so far as is good for thee : and wherein they are inflexible , and defective , he will make supply out of the aboundance of his love , and goodnesse ; that so it may be verified which is written ; with the same measure that ye meet with all , it shall be measured to you again . to conclude this point : let the grace of god herein specially triumph over our corruption : that whereas by nature , we would be loved of them , whom we hate ; by grace , we may love them , which hate us . and this is a great work of grace in deed ; and yet most necessarie for all christs disciples . we must not be like the pharisees who in stead of enlarging their own affections , streightned the law of loving their neighbours , unto such , as loved them , or dwelt within a certain compasse of them : but we must account all our neighbours that need pittie or help from us : and our christian neighbours , and brethren also , if the lord have receaved them , though they be neither minded in all things as we are ; nor towards us , as we are towards them . lastly , as faith is to rule love , that it prove not lust ; and hope , that it prove not presumption : so also must it reason , and sense in all their operations : which it no way abolisheth , but orders , and sanctifies . and as in nature , the denomination is from the predominant qualitie ; so is it in our course of life . to live by reason is to live the life of a man ; to live by sense is to live the life of a beast : but to live by faith is to live the life of the son of god , and to be ( in its effects ) partaker of the divine nature ; and that not onely in the reasonable , but in the sensitive faculties also . for these three , faith , reason , and sense , being all gods works in a man , cannot be contrarie , in their right use , one to another : neither can any thing be true in one , which is false in another : neither doth , or can any one of them destroy another ; but use , order , and perfit it : reason , sense ; and faith , both sense , and reason . for faith comes by hearing , at the first , and is nourished , and encreased both by hearing , and seeing , and by the benefit of all other senses afterwards . neither can it possibly either be begot , or nourished , or encreased , but by the discourse of reason ordered , and sanctified by the spirit of god. which spirits work is so effectuall , as it makes even the meanest powers of nature created in a man to serv effectually for the furthering of the highest works of supernaturall grace . sweet is the harmonie of all the powers , and parts both of the soul and bodie of a sanctified person . reason is that wherein man goes before all other earthly creatures ; and comes after god onely , and the angels in heaven . for whereas god and nature hath furnished other creatures , some with horns , some with hoovs , others with other instruments , and weapons both defensive , and offensive : man is left naked , and destitute of all those , but may comfort himself in that one endowment of reason , and providence , whereby he is enabled to govern them all . now , who would not strive to excell other men in that , wherein men excell all other creatures ? how much more , in that , to which few men attain : true faith , and the life thereof . cap. xi . of atheism and idolatry . some are atheists in opinion ; others in affection ; but many more in conversation of life . there are but few of the first coat , and which can so wholy blot out the remainders of gods image written by creation in their hearts , as to leav them altogether emptie , and devoyd of the knowledg , conscience , and reverence of a divine majestie ; and which come to conclude roundly in their hearts , that there is no god. yet , some , without doubt , in time , and by degrees , proceed from atheism in conversation , to atheism in affection ; and from atheism in affection , to atheism in opinion , and judgment . men civilly honest , seldom , or never become atheists in perswasion ; but lewd , and flagitious persons do ; who being pursued by the furie of an accusing conscience for hainous evils , wish ( and no marvail ) that there were no iudg in heaven to condemn them : and so come at last to be perswaded in themselvs of that , which they gladly would have true ; and are justly left of god to such horrible delusion : that so sinning without fear , they may perish without remedie . and this is the reason , why there are more atheists in opinion , in our dayes , then of old ; even because so many are more bent upon mischief : and liveing wickedly in this world , bear themselvs in hand ( and so get to beleev ) that there is no justice in the world to come . another reason is the proportion of wit to which our age is come , above the former . in regard hereof it is , that atheism ( though dissembled , and concealed by the same ungracious wit , which begets it ) is a thousand times more to be feared in the land , then papism . men have too much wit to become papists , in any generallitie : and just enough to fit them for atheists , if gods powerfull hand restrain them not . the verie simple dare not become atheists ; but are more in danger to prove superstitious , and to beleev everie thing : the verie understanding hardly can : but have by sound reason , and sad thoughts ( will they , nill they ) some acknowledgment of a divine majestie forced upon them : but persons of froathy wit , and vicious life , are fitly tempered for the impression of atheism for the divel . atheism is incomparably worse , and more odious , then idolatry : as it is more intollerable in a state , or kingdom , to enterprize the overthrow of all kingly power , and soveraigntie , then to detract how much soever , from the lawfull kings , or magistrates due honour , and to give it to a stranger . besides , whereas idolaters , and superstitious persons , having in them some reverence of a divine power , are thereby both restrained from many mischiefs , and provoked to many good actions : the atheist wanting both this divine restraint , and motive ; both runs riot in wickednesse , and villanie ; and is barren of all good things : neither doing good , nor forbearing evill , further then for meer fear , or shame of men . atheists use to be verie confident in their assertions , as the orator observs in vellejus : partly lest they should seem unto others to doubt , or fear , that there is a god , who will punish heir impieties : and partly to encourage themselvs in their wickednesse ; as fearing lest they should be drawn into some conscience , and aw of gods majestie . it is oft true in this case amongst others , that the most cowards are the greatest boasters . idolatry either makes that to be god , which is not ; or god to be that , which he is not . it is exercised either in intending divine worship ( so known to be ) to that which is not god : or in intending a devised worship to the true god ; wherein men make a will of god , which is not , and so a god willing , which is not : or els in an act of worship in it self , though neither professed nor judged such by him that performs it ▪ such mens actions reprove both their intention in heart , and profession in word : and can not be excused by either from idolatrous . this sin in gods people is usually compared by the holy ghost to the whoredom of a wife ; and gods anger at it to the husbands jealousie , in that case . and as adulterie most directly impeacheth the mariage bond ( and so procures the bill of divorce ) : so doth idolatry the churches covenant with the lord , and provokes to sequestration from him . yet herein two rules must be held . the former , that not onely speciall idolatry ▪ but even all , or any other wickednesse with profane obstinacie adjoyned , separates from god. secondly , that all sin whatsoever is founded upon a kind of idolatry . in sins of omission , we acknowledg not god , for our god , as we ought , in doing what he commands : in sins of commission we make some other thing our god ; as our riches , if we trust to them , as to god ; or our belly if for it we do what god forbids the doing of . cap. xii . of heresie , and schism , it is an ancient , and receaved saying , that heresie ariseth from want of faith , and schism from want of love : which also hath its truth , being rightly understood . yet if we mark , we shall find the scriptures to speak something otherwise of both the one , and other , then men commonly understand . we usually call obstinate errour in the foundation heresie : but the scriptures many times seem rather to place it in the peruersnesse of the will , and affections , whether the matter be great , or small ; then in the errour of the judgment : the word also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying any election , or choise of will which a man makes ; or sect which he followeth , whether good , or bad ; whether in matters of greater , or smaller moment . besides , men are oftens accounted heretiques , with greater sin , through want of charitie , in the iudges ; then in the judged , through defect of faith. of old , some have been branded for heretiques , for holding antipodes ; others for holding the originall of the soul by traduction ; others for thinking that marie the mother of christ had other children by her husband ioseph : the first being a certain truth ; and the second a philosophicall doubt ; and the third , though an errour , yet neither against foundation , nor post of the scriptures building . as there are certain elements and foundations of the oracles of god , and of christian faith , which must first be layed , and upon which other truths are to be built : so must not the foundation be confounded , with the wals , or roof ; nor errours lightly be made fundamentall , or unavoidably damnable . yea who can say with how little , and unperfit faith in christ both for degree , and parts , god both can , and doth save the sincere in heart ? whose salvation depends not upon the perfection of the instrument , faith ; but of the object , christ. as , on the contrarie , there are some vulgar , and common errours ( though lesse severely censured ) which are apparently damnable ; as by name , for a man to beleev , and expect mercie from god , and salvation by christ , though going on in affected ignorance of , or prophane disobedience to gods commandments . and for schism ; the scriptures note it as sometimes made from the church ; but most commonly in it . from it by the ten trybes sequestring themselvs from iudah , and ierusalem , the onely place where the lord had promised to dwell by his solemn church presence : and after christ , by certain of the hebrews forsaking the assemblies of the christians . the former was from the onely true instituted , and ministeriall church in the world ; which was then one individuall , and not many , as now ; and that by idolatry . the latter , from all christian churches , and persons by totall defection from christ himself . the other schisms mentioned were made in the church , either through the carnall lusts ( bearing two great sway ) of envie , strife , and uncharitablenesse ; whilst the stronger despised the weaker , and the weaker judged the stronger ; or by heresie , and prophanenesse of manners : of which the apostles peter , iude , and iohn speak . that which is commonly called schism , ariseth ( if it be affected ) from the conceipt of faith , and want of love : but may fall out , upon simple errour of judgment , or scrupulositie of conscience : by occasion whereof a person may seqester himself , eyther in ( or from ) some particular church in some inferior courses of religion , from them , towards whom he yet bears much more true , and hearty christian affection , then the most of them do , who unite with them therein . and if onely an uncharitable heart make an uncharitable person before god , and a proud heart a proud person , then he , who upon due examination , and certain knowledg of his heart , findes , and feels the same truly disposed to union with all christians , so far as possibly he can see it lawfull ; though through errour , or frailtie , he may step aside into some by-path , that way : yet hath that person a supersedeas from the lord in his bosom , securing him from being attached for a schismaticall person , and so found in the court of heaven ; what blame soever he may bear from men upon earth , or correction from god , for his failing , upon infirmitie , therein . no man can endure to be withdrawn from , nor easily dissented from , by another , in his way of religion ; in which , above all other things , he makes account , that he himself draws nearest unto god. therefore to do this causlesly ( for not the seperation but the cause makes the schismatick ) though out of errour , or scrupulositie , is evill ; more , to do it out of wantonnesse of mind , or lust to contend , or affectation of singularitie ; most of all , to do it out of proud contempt , or cruell revenge against others . cap. xiii . of truth , and falshood . truth is either naturall , or morall . naturall truth stands first in the conveniencie , and agreement of the notions of the mind with the thing conceaved ; and secondly , of the means of manifesting it ( especially speech ) with the thing to be manifested . morall truth stands in the conveniencie , and agreement of a person with himself : namely of his heart with his tongue , and speech . the same consideration is to be had of truths contrarie , in its kind ; which is falshood . whereupon also it comes , that a man may sin , and speak falsly not onely in speaking that which he knows , or may know to be false , for what end soever he speak it , yea though it be , that he may not deceav : but also in speaking that which is true , in it self ( if he know it not ) that he might , or so as he may deceav by it . all truth , by whomsoever spoken , is of god , and of his holy spirit , the spirit of truth , in some its manner and degree of working . whereupon it followeth , that nothing true in right reason , and sound phylosophy , is , or can be false in divinitie . the truth in the inferiour facultie is subordinate to that in the superiour , in all things ; and comes short of it in many things ; but can in nothing be contrarie unto it ; seeing god , and his spirits work , cannot be contrarie to himself ▪ i ad , though the truth be uttered by the divel himself , yet is it originally of god. when he speaks a ly , he speaks of himself ; but when he speaks the truth , he speaks of god ; who so far useth , or rather abuseth him , as to utter , and professe that which he hateth . we ought to reverence excellent men , but the truth more , as dionisius said of nepos ; and aristotle of plato , and socrates . and good reason , seeing a main cause of our reverencing of men is their knowledg , and profession of the truth . no prescription ( say the lawyers ) lies against the king : say we , with the father , against the truth : which , by the verdict of a great king himself , and his nobles with him , is greater then the king ; no space of time , no patronage of person ; no priviledg of place , from which blind , or simple custom commonly getting footing , and growing into use by succession , is brought to coap with truth it self : and that the most violently , where the persons are the most bruitish , and godlesse . but our lord christ called himself truth , not custom : neither is falshood , errour , or heresie convinced by noveltie , but by truth . this truth is alwayes the same whilst the god of truth is in heaven ; what entertainment soever it finde with men , upon earth : it is alwayes praise-worthy , though no man praise it ; and hath no reason , or just cause to be ashamed , though it oft go with a scratcht face . they that fight against it are like the floods beating upon the strong rocks , which are so much the more miserably dashed in pieces , by how much they are the more violently carried . though fire and sword assault it , yet will it not be killed , or dy : and though by violence it be buried quick , yet will it rise again ; and if not before , yet when all flesh shall rise again ; and when truth , which was first , and before falshood , and errour , shall be last , and abide for ever . we must love , and attain to the knowledg of the truth in our selvs , first ; lest we be clouds without rain promising that to others , which we our selvs want : and must in our places , afterwards make manifestation , and profession of it : and not be like the grave , insatiable in receaving in , and barren in returning any thing back : but must be alwayes readie , as we see hope of doing good , to propagate it : like the phylosopher , who being found fault with for disputing with all that he met with , wished that the bruit beasts also could understand him , that he might impart something even to them : yea in our kind , like god himself , that gives wisdom to all that asks it of him ; and to christ the lord that word of god , and true light ) which inlightens everie one that comes into the world : and sometimes , even , when we see no hope of doing good , if dutie bind us , though hope fail us ; that so the non-proficients may have cause rather to complain of themselvs , for not learning ; then of us , for not manifesting the truth unto them . and albeit all truth is not to be spoken at all times : ( a fool uttereth all his mind ; but a wise man keeps it in for afterwards ) yet nothing not true at any time , or for any cause . he that hath but a right philosophicall spirit , and is but morally honest , would rather suffer many deaths , then call a pin a point , or speak the least thing against his understanding ▪ or perswasion . a man in pleading for the truth may shew his judgment , and understanding best in the matter : but his grace , and godlinesse in the manner ; when he handles a good cause well , and the lords cause after the lords manner . sometimes men pretend gods truth , and zeal for it , when indeed they make their pleas for truth serv onely for hackneys , for their lusts to ride on , whither they would have them : sometimes men seriously intend truth , and yet mingle both with their good intention , and ( it may be ) true assertion also , such their personall corruptions , and distempers , as christ looseth more by their inordinatenesse that way , then he gaines both by their sound knowledg , and fervent zeal of , and for his truth . the most account a ly more shamefull , then sinfull : and therefore make it a matter of great disgrace , to take the ly , specially in the hearing of others ; and yet make it no matter of conscience to make the ly before god , and his angels . ah foollish people , thus to honour your selvs , and other vile men ( your likes ) more then god himself , and the angels with him : and with all , base in your pryde ; who will rather bear the ly at your own mouth then at an others . when a man speakes against his knowledg , his own heart tels his tongue it lyeth : which to put up quietly , argues both a gracelesse , and an abject spirit . whereas both grace , and true courage also may be shewen in bearing the ly at an others mouth , by overcoming such indignation , and anger ryseing thereat , as is harder to conquer then a citty . the divell is the father of lyes : which whilst they , in the womb of whose heart he begets them , impute to other , and better causes mooveing them thereunto ; they are but like harlots , who for theyr credits sake , father theyr bastards upon honest men . many things even good , may occasion lying ( as all good , may do all evill ) but no thing can bring it forth , and cause it , save the womb of our own corrupt heart imprignated by the divell . now if both by the law of god , and light of nature , it be an abhominable confusion , for a woman to lie down before a beast ; what is it for man or woman to prostitute themselvs to sathan for the gendring of so mis-shapen a monster , as a ly is ? and very rightly is a ly called monstrous , considering both the divels kindes , of which it comes , and also the disproportion in it , often between the speach , and the thing spoken ; and alwayes between the tongue , and heart of the speaker . neyther doth the goodnes of the meaning , though never so good , excuse the evill of the doing , when as a ly is told . he that tels a ly for god , is an accepter of persons , and god wil surely reprove him , saith iob. and no marvayl . since his own heart condemnes him , god which is greater then his heart , and knoweth all things , will condemn him much more . and if a ly told , that through it the truth of god may more abound to his glory , procure just condemnation ; what may they expect that use to ly for meaner , though good ends ? he that tels a ly for a good end , puts the divell into gods service ▪ which neyther his truth needs , nor his holynes will endure , but he that tels a ly for an evill purpose ( as the most do to cover preceeding evils , which they are more ashamed to confesse , then to practise ) helps therein the divell in his own businesse . but whosoever loves , and makes a ly hath no right to the tree of life , nor shall enter the gates into the holy city , but shall remayn without , with dogs , and sorcerers , and whoremongers , and murderers , and idolaters , we see with whom the lord ranks lyers , what reckning soever the world makes of them , or they of themselvs . he that tels one ly is not onely the more prone to tell another , and so a third ( which is common to all evill doers ) but ( for the most part ) necessitated so to do for the covering of the former ; as beggars cover one patch with another ; and that a lesser with a greater , and often a simple ly with a false oath , as was peters case . besides , he that is once taken in a manifest ly will hardly escape suspition when he speaks the truth , that i may not say with one that he deservs not to be trusted , no not in that wherein he desires you would not trust him . neyther doth he wrong himself alone for after time , but others also , who speak the truth . by somes lying , others when they speake truely , are not credited : specially such as have any conformity with them in other things , that is oft seen in effect , which is said of the host , that being once deceaved by one that held his hat before his eyes , when he gave thanks , at meat , would never trust any afterwards that used that fashion . cap. xiiii . of knowledg , and ignorance . the first lyne of the repayred image of god in man , and that by which he is first united to god is sound knowledg : the second is the sincere love of the heart : which draw with them in the third place , the other affections , and senses of soul , and body . as the waggon is guided by the waggonner , and he by his ey : so is the body by the soul , and it by the ey of understanding , and knowledg . if the ey be single , the whole body wil be full of light . to beleev a thing futher then we know it , is indeed impossible ; to love it , lightnes ; to hate it injustice ; seeing it may deserv the contrary , for ought we know . he that knows not in his measure , what he ought to know ( specially in the matters of god ) is but a beast amongst men : he that knows what is simply needfull , and no more ; is a man amongst men : but he who knows ( according to the helps vouchsafed him of god ) what may well be known ; and so far , as to direct himself and others aright ; is as a god amongst men . and to this purpose the lord tels moses , that he should be to his brother aaron , in stead of god. such bear the lively image of gods wisdom . the knowledg even of things evill is good , and the greater the better , so as it be neither experimentall , nor with approbation , nor have other infectious accessorie joyned with it . the apostle knew satans devises better then the corinthians did : and god ( onely wise , and good ) onely knows all the both good and evill of men , and angels . and so pleasing a thing is knowledg to reasonable creatures , not unmeasureably degenerated ( as the light is pleasant to him that hath eyes to behold it ) that not onely they who strive to attain unto it by likely means ; but even many , who hold a course tending to all ignorance , and errour , do desire it , as a naturall good : and if not much the thing it self , yet the opinion of it ; hating the imputation of ignorance , as a matter vile , and reproachfull . by how much the more monstrous are many , and grown out of kind ; who make reckning , that it concerns not them to get , or have any more knowledg , then is simply necessarie for the maintaining of a poore , barren , and half-bruitish life ? how many , specially of the meaner sort ( to let passe mens secure , yea affected ignorance , in divine things ) would think it half curiositie in themselvs , or others of their rank , to know the east from the west ; or what the reason is of the suns setting , and rising again everie day ; though they see the thing continually before their eyes ? the punishment of nabuchednezzar is upon such people , who had an oxes heart in a mans body . of them that seriously desire , and carefully use means to obtain knowledg , the ends are verie different . some desire to know that they might know ; which is curtositie : some that they might be known ; and that is vanitie : some onely to make profit of their knowledg ; and that is covetousnesse : some , on the other side , to edifie , & better themselvs ; and this is true wisdom : and some withall , to do good to others ; which is godly charitie . the means to get knowledg , specially divine ; are , first to love it : if thou cryest after knowledg , and liftest up thy voyce for understanding : if thou seekest her , as silver , and searchest for her , as for hid treasures ; then shalt thou understand the fear of the lord , and finde the knowledg of god. the second is the knowledg of our ignorance : it being an effect of christs comming , that they , which see not ( to wit , in the conscience of their own blindnesse ) might see ; and that they which see , might be made blind . to which joyn that of the phylosopher , that many more would attain to knowledg , and wisdom , if so many did not think , that they had alreadie attained to it . a third is the fear of god , to which he hath made the promise of revelation of his secrets ; and to teach such the way which they shall chuse : who will also set themselvs the most carefully to learn it . a fourth is prayer , by which this wisdom and knowledg , as with a strong hand , is fetcht from heaven . a fifth is the reading and meditating upon ( specially ) the divine scriptures , and withall , other approved authours . for , as the affections are most moved by hearing , so the judgment is best informed by reading . the last means is the companie , and societie of wise , and understanding men : whereupon it was , that the queen of sheba pronounced the servants of salomon happie , which continually stood before him to hear his wisdom . they who profit not in knowledg , and wisdom by conversing with wise men , are unworthy of their companie ; and worthy to keep or keep with oxen , and asses . besides the forementioned meanes of getting knowledg ; there is a mediocritie , and mean-nesse of outward estate not a little advantageable to this purpose : which if it be too low , and depressed , keeps down the disposition ingenuous , and apt to great things ; as his emblem imports , who holds a wing in the one hand ; but hath the other clogged with a great stone . on the other side , a state great , and prosperous usually lifts up men above the love of knowledg , and learning ; making them arrogant in themselvs , and fastidious of the labour , and industry requisite for the getting of understanding ; and oftens indangers the verie quenching of that spark of naturall desire , to become wise ( which god hath kindled in all mens breasts ) in bodily , and beastly sensualities . hereupon it was , that plato judged the cyrenians by reason of their prosperous estate , uncapable of any good information , and constitution of a common-wealth by good laws . man is in honour , and understandeth not ; he is like the beasts that perish : and not understanding , he perisheth like the beasts , and worse . few of great state in the world , are humainly ; fewer divinely wise . the knowing to do good , and the not doing it , is sin : not because it is known , but because it is not practised : as meat undigested hurts the body , not because it is taken into the stomach , but because it is not by concoction turned into good nourishment . papists call ignorance the mother of devotion ; and so make reckning , that , if they ( the multitude especially ) be ignorant enough , they are devout enough . but the phylosopher , though a heathen , who thought all sin to come of ignorance , shot nearer the mark then those left-handed christians . and in truth , where the reasonable faculties of understanding and will come to work ; the will therefore wills , or nills a thing , because it is judged good or bad in the particular , by the practicall understanding : whose office it is to direct the will in its choyse . for example . peter though knowing , and judging it in thesi , and in the generall , better to confesse christ , then to deny him ; yet , being in the high-priests hall , and in the midst of his enemies , thought it , in that particular place , and case , and state of things , better to deny his master , then to confesse him : better i mean , not in regard of that good , which we call honest , and vertuous ; but profitable , and commodious , for his present peace . he neither would nor could have chosen the denying of him , but as a good apparent , and in shew . ignorance is not alwayes blame-worthy , but then onely , when we are ignorant of that which we should know . yea , not onely some ignorance , but ( which is more ) even some errour is , in a sort , commendable : as when we judg of men , whose hearts we know not , by the outward appearances , which they make , though they be inwardly , and in truth , nothing lesse . so philip charitably , and christianly judged simon magus a true beleever , and accordingly baptized him ; though in truth , he then were , and soon after appeared to be in the gall of bitternesse , and bond of iniquitie . in some other cases , ignorance , though it justifie not wholy , yet excuses a fayling in part ; and that more , or lesse , as the thing whereof we are ignorant , either is more , or lesse necessarie to be known of us ; or can be known more , or lesse easily : and thus the servant that knows not his masters will , and commits things worthy of stripes , shall be beaten with fewer . on the contrarie , there is an ignorance , which both shews , and makes the ignorant culpable of greater judgment . and that is either affected , or inflicted . affected , when a man either of purpose shuts his eyes , lest he should take knowledg of the sin , which he loves , and is loath to forsake ▪ or purposely neglects the use of the means of attaining to knowledg ; or doth the things , upon which ignorance cannot but follow ; as in making himself drunken : or fills the eyes of the minde with the dust of wilfull prejudice , and partialitie . inflicted , when god to recompence former disobedience , gives men up to a minde void of judgment , in the things discernable by the verie light of nature . thus not to know , nor do the will of our master , deservs double stripes . cap. xv. of simplicitie , and craftinesse . simple persons are prone to suspect , that all wise men are craftie : and craftie mates to despise all honest men , as simple , and silly . the simplenesse of the former makes them suspitious : and the naughtinesse of the latter causeth them to measure other mens shoes by their own last ; and to conceipt , that none are honest , but for want of wit to deceav . but both experience , and reason teach , that craftinesse , and deceipt argue men to be conscious of their own imbecillitie , and weaknesse , one way , or other ; which makes them ( hare-like ) to trust to the double , and turn , rather then to the right on course . and so , many of shallow wits , improving throughly , their skill to deceav , prove their crafts-masters that way : shewing that craft and fraudulencie stand more in the wills , then wits of men . i ad , that as david by seeming besides himself , deceaved achish : so many make advantage of their simplenesse , to deceav the more easily . for , appearing simple , they are unsuspected : and though they be taken something tardi ; yet if the matter be not verie foul ; men are readie , in compassion of their weaknesse , rather to ascribe it to their want of wit , then of honestie . and as this of simple appearance is one ; so are their other singular engines of deceipt ; specially if they fall into the hands of such , as know how to use them . the first is the shew , and appearance of honestie , especially of religion : and therefore the preamble of the whorish woman for the inveighling of the simple youth , was , that she had her peace-offrings upon her , and had paid her vowes . and indeed , what good heart would suspect him of unfaithfulnesse with men , that seems entire with god , and to walk under the conscience of his presence , and judgment ? a second is flatterie , by which even wise men are made fools , and led as it were , by the lip . by this the divel brought ou● first parents in paradise into a fools paradise , by beating them in hand , that in following his counsell , they were in a way to become as gods. a third is the mingling of some truth with falshood , and matter of deceipt ( as hucksters do their wares good with bad ) that so impostures may not be discerned by being viewed alone . the last is to keep touch in smaller things , that thereby men may take their opportunitie with more both ease , and advantage to deceav in greater ; as is said of fabius maximus . the safest way not to be deceaved by others , specially to our spirituall prejudice , is not to deceav our selvs : which till we do , no other can deceav us . hence is it , that god in his word so oftens warns us , that we be not deceaved , and that we deceav not our selvs , and our own souls . but and if we either put out our own eyes with our finger , through passion , or prejudice , or willingly wink at dangers , which we might foresee ; who will pittie us , if we fall into the ditch of deceipt which others dig for us ? whilst craftie men deceav others , they themselvs ( though they little consider it ) are most deceaved by satan , whose instruments they are , fitted for his hand , & purposes . and what avails it the ravenous bird to devour that , which belongs not to her , if therewith , she her self be taken by the leg , in the fowlers snare ? besides , even in respect of men howsoever such wi●y-beguili●s may for a time ( if they carrie close ) amongst other advantages , get the opinion of prudent , and politick persons , and be accounted the more wise , by how much they have the more skill to deceav ; yet if their craftinesse come to be found out , and appear ; they become oftens a prey to all , & alwaies a scorn to the most simple ; like the wily fox who being once catched , hath his skin pluckt over his ears , wherewith everie fool will have his cap furred , as a worthy lord was wont to say . such are heirs apparent to achitophels comfort , and reward . his rule was peremptorie that said , a wise man will not deceav , nor cannot be deceaved : so was his profession both of wisdom and honestie lowd , who chose this motto , f●llere vel falli res odiosa mihi : and though usually it be worse to deceav , then to be deceaved ( though austin ( and who not ) met with many that would deceav , but never with any that would be deceaved ) as a sin is worse then a crosse : yet whereas to be deceaved is alwayes either a crosse , or a sin , or both ; a man may , in some case , and manner deceav , without either ; as did athanasius the president lucius , who pursuing him , and approaching neer the boat , wherein he was , asked for athanasius , and was answered by him ( whom he knew by name , but not by face ) that athanasius was hard before him , and that if he made hast , he might presently overtake him : who thus escaped , deceaving his arian persecuter , by speaking nothing but the truth , and that both wisely , and with good conscience . cap. xvi . of wisdom , and folly. some have been found not onely contented with , but glorying in the name of irreligious , and unhonest : but hardly ever any were willing to bear the note of foolish , or unwise . and even of them , in whom is found some true love of vertue and goodnesse , how few are there , that either indeed do , or would be thought to do any thing , in fauour thereof , which might , in the least degree , impeach the credit of their wisdom , in the eyes of the partiall world ? so fain would all be counted , though few , in truth , be wise . the main reason of this seems to be , that whereas the want of wisdom imports impotencie , and inabilitie ; irreligion , and dishonestie are by election , and free choyse . the pride of men , if gods grace correct it not , makes them more impatient of a want either inward , or outward , arguing them to be weak , and impotent ; then of a grosser vice in either , upon their own free election , and choyse of will. and hence it is , that many boast of things done by them for some particular advantage , which they know to be evill , and unlawfull . it is the first , and a great point of wisdom to know wherein true wisdom stands : specially , seeing that the thing , which god cals wisdom , and which the world cals wisdom , are as different , as heaven , and earth ; yea as heaven , and hell. that cannot but be best , which god so valueth . it is known from the worlds wisdom , by first , its object : secondly , the properties which attend it : thirdly , the school where it is learnt : fourthly , the end to which it tends . the object is christ primarily who of god is made unto us wisdom ; and in whom are hidden all the treasures thereof , which the gospel the wisdom of god openeth unto us . he that knows christ aright in the gospel , knows both god , and man , and the most gracious , and glorious effects of both united in one . secondly , the wisdom from above is first pure , then peaceable , gentle , and easie to be entreated , full of mercie , and good fruits , without jangling , and without hypocrisie : the other is clean contrarily qualified : thick , and muddie with lusts , and monstrously compounded , arrogant , self-willing , and self-loving , inexorable , quarrelsom , craftie , and cruell . thirdly , the wisdom of god is learnt in the school of christ , and upon the book of holy scriptures : the other hath so many masters , as there are corrupt either lusts within a man , or customs in the world. lastly , the wisdom of god teacheth to provide surely for the spirituall , and eternall state , though with prejudice to the bodily , and temporall : the other bids , make sure worke for the flesh , and pinch not it , though the spirituall man speed hardly by it . he that will be wise to god , must be a fool to the world : which yet makes him not a fool in worldly affairs , but skilfull how to order them aright , both for the spirituall life , and naturall also , as far as it is subordinate unto it . the high-way to wisdom divine or humain is to observ and consider the reasons , and causes of things . he that beleevs a thing because god affirms it , shews faith ; he that does it because god commands it , obedience : but he that joyns with these the reasons of the doctrine , or exhortation in the word gets into his heart the props of wisdom against the storms of temptation both of unbelief , and disobedience . so in humain affairs , he that minds , or remembers things to be thus , or thus , gets skill in the things : but he that observs , and learns the reasons , and causes why they come so to passe , or are so done , he takes the right course to become wise in the matter , of what kind soever . a wise man is the same , though his outward state be changeable , yea changed from a prosperous to an afflicted , or the contrarie way : els he but hits right at aventure , when he doth well in either of both . his condition is rather happily fitted to him ( as the howre once a day comes to the hand of the clock that stands alwayes still ) then he to it , by true wisdom . a wise man will wish the more prosperous state , but fear the more afflicted , and use that which falls , and his wisdom , in it . the sayler , which wants skill , may misse his course , or drown his ship in a fair wind ; but he needs most skill in a tempest : so is the wisdom of a man most seen in the right guiding of himself , and his affairs in a stresse of trouble , and affliction ▪ i have seen it in experience , that many , specially women , and women like men , who have shewed forth much goodnesse in a quiet , and prosperous state of things , if any great storm of tryall have happened to have overtaken them ; have , through the want of wisdoms chart , and compasse , lost all , and not onely been altogether uncomfortable , but above measure , burthensom both to others , and themselvs . the apostle by the work of the wisdom of god knew both how to be abused , and how to abound . he that is not wise for himself first , cannot be wise for another , either in bodily , or spirituall things ; though he may do him good in both . but that is rather by occasion , or in humour ; then upon ground of true wisdom . god , and nature , which teach everie man to love himself most ; and his neighbour ( truly and heartily ) as himself ; teach him withall , to use his best wit , and skill , for the promoting of his own welfare . by love of himself i do not mean that ravenous self-love , which ea●s up all love of god , and of other men , save for a mans self : but that affection of created nature , enclyning everie man to procure his own true welfare , to his power , everie way . the former is rather hatred of a mans self in effect ; whatsoever the positive affection be : but now , the question is , what this himself means . himself is not his worldly riches , nor honour , nor any the like appurtenance ; but his soul , and body in a convenient state , and constitution , to perform good duties , and to obtain true happinesse . he that is wise for this himself , is wise to god , and for other mens true good . but for that other common , and commonly called self love , in which men foolishly mistake , by takeing that for themselvs , which is not : the best that can be wished to such , is , that they have little wit , and lesse authoritie : and that specially considering the deepest wisdom of such vermin is , not to care , how much and in how great things they harm others , so they may benefit themselvs never so little , in comparison ; like the thief , that to get the gold-ring , would eat off the finger upon which it stuck close . if the wealthiest life were the best , wisdom were not so much to be desired ; considering how many meer naba●s , and rich fools the world hath . and if the merryest life were the best , it were better to be a fool , then wise . the fagle continually gnaws the heart of prometheus : and in much wisdom , is much grief ; so as he that encreaseth knowledg , encreaseth sorrow , saith the wise man , out of his own experience : whereas , on the contrarie , naturall fools ( and many artificiall fools also ) almost alwayes laugh , and are merrie ; as having neither grace to mourn for sin , not wit to be much troubled with crosses . but for all that , wisdom excelleth folly , as far as light excelleth darknesse : yea for that , if there were nothing els : seeing by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better ; whereas the laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorns under a pot . there is in truth no greater recreation in the world , then to converse with wise men . yet many cannot make themselvs merrie , without a fool : though salomon amongst all the vain delights , which he could devise , or procure , got not a fool to make him merrie with . such companions of fools might for the most part save that charg , and say that in earnest , which a wise man said for fashion : when at any time i would be merrie with a fool , i laugh at my self . salomon in his proverbs uses to call good , and godly men , wise ; and wicked persons , fools : partly because there is folly , and madnesse too , in all wickednesse ; partly because the fear of god is the beginning of wisdom , as both making men carefull to learn their duties , and having a promise of direction in the way that they shall chuse : and partly to free true pietie , and goodnesse from the reproach of folly , and simplenesse cast upon them by worldly-wise men : who , as the heathen-wise counted the doctrine of the gospel foolishnesse , so do these worldly-wise judg all true conscience of it , and obedience unto it to arise from want of wit , and superstitious simplicitie . but say men what they will ; the gospel is the wisdom of god ; and the obedience of it , the wisdom of gods people , in his sight , and in all theirs , that judg aright : which to neglect , and true happinesse in it , is the madnesse of folly . we say of some , that they have good wits , if wise men had them in keeping . but as wooden daggers are fitter for some , then those of iron , and steel ; so a blunt wit is indeed fittest for him , who wants discretion , and wisdom how to use it : without which the sharp is as dangerous , as is the sharp knife in a childes hand , or dagger at a fools back . and as sharp wits without wisdom are dangerous , so are they pernitious without grace : serving to make men , both more incorrigible , and more inexcusable , and fitter instruments of the divel , for mischief : even as the fat soyl unordered brings forth greatest plentie of thorns , and weeds . the serpent was more subtile then any beast of the field : and of him before the rest the divel made choyse to deceav by : who accordingly so well fitted his turn at the first , as ever since he hath well liked , and much used such subtile , and serpent-like instruments for mischievous purposes . but the serpent , who was more subtile then other beasts , was also cursed by the lord above all other beasts : and so are those serpent-like men : for whom how much better were it , if they had been born ideots , and naturall fools ; then to abuse gods good gifts of naturall wit , to the dishonour of the giver , as they do ? cap. xvii . of discretion . discretion is a skill enabling a man to improve himself in all his affairs , and whatsoever he is , or hath , to best advantage , according to variable circumstances , and occasions . sapience , or wisdom stands in bare contemplation of things excellent gathered from principles , and conclusions : prudence , and discretion are for practise : which if we will distinguish ; the latter , discretion , is to be restrained to things fit , or unfit . this discretion is neither wit , nor wisdom , nor learning , nor any art liberall , or illiberall ; but that which shews how to govern them all conveniently , & everie other thing with them : like iphicrates , who was neither legionarie souldier , nor archer , nor targeter , but one that could rule , and use all these . and of such use is this discretion , in the whole course of our life in regard of the infinite varietie of circumstances , according to which particulars are performed conveniently , or inconveniently ; as that we may daily observ men , of lesser meanes for the world as riches , trading , and skill in faculties , and yet doing well in it , yea better by discreet manageing their little ; then others , wanting this discretion , with far greater helps , and measure of means otherwise . yea , even in divine matters some of lesse knowledg , zeal , diligence , and other generall graces , by the benefit of this particular vertue , are found more serviceable to god , and profitable to men , then others wanting it , though far exceeding them in the former . discretion is to be preferred before wit , or art , or learning ; and onely comes after goodnesse in worth . as the serpent-like generation ( specially where truth and honestie goes with a scratcht face , and is in disgrace of the times ) esteems men square & upright in their courses , for witlesse & silly : so must the more shallow-headed take heed , that they sensure not discreet cariage , and handling of things , for craftie , and unhonest : considering that other men may do that in good , & honest discretion , which they , by defect thereof , could not do but in evill conscience . the same honestie , & sinceritie may continue in a man , though in discretion applying himself diversly , to diuers occasions : as the hand remains the same , whether closed into a fist , or extended abroad , or bended this , or that way , as occasion servs . of all enemies this vertue hath none greater , then pride ; which deprives men ( able otherwise ) of much , and fools of all use of discretion : as making them either rash , by which they do not ; or so presumptuous in themselvs , as they wil not restrain , and humble their understanding to due consideration of circumstances of conveniencie ; in the ordering whereof discretion stands . and hence it is , that proud persons above others , fall into many things uncomely , and inconvenient . on the contrarie , god guides the humble in this way of discretion , amongst others . lastly , as the discerning of spirits is one of the gifts of gods spirit ; so are we by prayer to beg at his hands this grace , that we may be enabled to discern both of persons , and things which differ , so far as concerns us in our places : without which we go but by peradventures , and may do more harm then good , even when we both mean well , and do the thing which is good in it self , if unseasonably . cap. xviii . of experience . onely god is not taught by experience , to whose knowledg all things are present at all times , and before all times . but there is no creature so perfit in wisdom , and knowledg , but may learn something for time present , and to come , by times past . the day following ( saith one ) is shcoller to that which went before . and the vertue ( saith another ) which nature denies , experience brings to wise men . so as , though it be the mistresse of fools , who will learn no wisdom , but that which is beaten into them with rods , through a torn skin : yet are the wisest taught many things by it , and so become of commendable admirable : as antigonus being asked , who was the best captain in his time , answered , pirrhus , if he grew old . and even experience teacheth , that there are many particulars , and those tending both to our naturall , and spirituall state , which neither our own wit , art , studie , or conscience , nor the information , counsell , or example of others can teach us ; which yet we learn by this dull mistresse experience . this , if it be ripe , and but ioyned with any indifferent capacitie , and diligence , to compare together events past , and present occurrances ; will affoard better help for direction , in doubtfull cases , then any other ordinarie rules : as a man can better in the dark finde the way , to which he hath been used , then another that never went it can do , by the best instructions , and directions that can be given him . and it seems to have been one end why god gave our great grand-fathers in the first age of the world , so long life , that by experience , and observation they might learn the skill , and art of sundry courses , specially of the starres : the knowledg whereof otherwise ( without myracle ) would hardly , if at all , have been attained to . i conclude upon the premises that men of experience ( with which wit , and sometimes authoritie without wit , is still at jar ) are not lightly to be gainsaid , or neglected in their facultie : seeing experience is gotten by sense , which easily ers not in its proper object : whereas the discourse of reason is verie subject to swarv in inferring and concluding of things . yet hath this plodding guide experience this danger in it , that it leads men on in the beaten way to which it hath been used , without due consideration of such variable circumstances , as fall in , and make cases past , and present , though alike in generall nature , yet in particular applycation , and consideration verie unlike : of which differences wit , and art make men more able to discern . though all knowledg be good in it self , as tending to perfect the understanding : yet the getting of it is not alwayes good ; as when it is gotten by experience of punishment , specially of sin : as our first parents got the knowledg of evill both wayes , to their , and our cost , in eating the forbidden fruit . a man may buy gold ; so may he experimentall knowledg too dear . salomon seeking by experience to try the delights of all things under heaven , & being too bold in wading in that stream , that he might know the depth of it , fell in , and without gods speciall helping hand , had been drowned therein for ever . wofull then is the experience , which is gotten by sin , and miserie , our own , or other mens either : like that of hexophilus the physition , that butchered six hundred men , that he might search into mans bodily nature : destroying man , that he might know him . the servants of god are sometimes so pressed with the sense of present temptations , as that their speciall comfort ariseth from the recourse they have to the experience of the dayes of old , and yeers of antiquitie : considering that god casts not off for ever , nor forgets to be favourable to his any more . so some in age , and under temptations , have receaved more comfort from their former experience , though of a weaker measure , of grace , in their childhood , then they could of a greater , in their riper yeers . cap. xix . of examples . the rules in some sciences , especially speculative , and for truth onely , are grounded upon examples , and gathered by wise observation , and induction of particulars : but so are not divine , and morall rules . neither is any thing to be reputed good , and just in it self , and so exemplarie to us , because such , and such men have done it : but they have done it ( if doing their dutie therein ) because it is good , just , and lawfull : and so are unto us examples of faith , patience , mercie , and the like ; as they in their particular courses expressed these , and the like vertues ; and not otherwise . onely he , that can do nothing but good , is our absolute example in things which concern us . particular facts commended in holy scripture are generall examples , and binde to imitation , when either the same thing is els-where commanded in generall ; or where either the ground , or drift , or equitte , of the thing in generall . and thus the verie both myraculous , and meritorious works of christ ( though in their particular nature , causes , and ends inimitable ) are so far forth our examples , and to be followed by us , as the holy vertues of faith , patience , and obedience towards god , and of love , and compassion towards men shine forth in them . morall examples serv first for confirmation , and commendation unto others of the truth , and goodnesse contained in precepts ; and are therefore called by some the pledges of rules . secondly , for direction in particulars agreeable unto precepts , but not expressed in them . thirdly , to till men on in obedience active , or passive : for even lazie travellers will hold out with good companie , which beat the path before them . and this help examples specially affoard , by taking away the excuse of frailtie , that we are readie to make , against the obedience , which yet we confesse , and are convinced that we ow. now the presidents , and examples of godly men , as of abraham the father of the faithfull in beleeving under hope against hope ; and of iob in keeping patience in extreamitie of tryals , and the like , are as a cloud of witnesses going before us , as did the pillar of cloud before the israelites in the wildernesse to shew them the way : and do testifie against our withdrawing hearts , that other frayl men , as we are , by the power of the same grace of god , whereof we are made partakers , have performed due obedience unto god , in such , and greater tryals , then ours are : so that as in precepts we have the word of god , and his will in it to direct us ; so in those patterns of godlinesse we have his work , and , as it were his visible hand reached down from heaven to lead us in the way , which by his word we are appointed to walk in . by which if we profit not we take the name of our god in vain both in his word , and works ; in which he makes himself known for our good . he who makes another his ensample , really acknowledgeth both the want , and the desire of that perfection in himself , which he imitates in the other . and so parmeno in his ( how artificiall soever ) imitating of the gruntling of a sow , aymed but at a swinish perfection : the like is to be said of childrens playing of bulls , and bears , and horses . to which purpose tended the saying of a great lord , that womens imitation of men ( as their perfection ) in apparrell , gesture , and the like , might better be born ; then mens effeminate , and degenerate imitation of women . which also the practise of lycurgus confirmed in trayning up maids in manly exercises , and making them thereby , after a sort , masculine ; whereas usually by riot , and wantonnesse , men are transformed into women , and made feminine . many think themselvs good enough , if there be any worse then they : but we should not strive with the worst , but with the best rather ; makeing apace , and as fast as we can , after them , though we come never so far behinde them , in wisdom , and goodnesse : as the apostle exhorts the corinthians to be followers of him , as he was of christ. yea , further , as eupompus would imitate nature , and no workman in painting : so neither should we stint our endeavours , and desires absolutely at the degree of goodnesse , to which any meer man is come before us : but should aym at the verie perfection , which the law of god requires . men in shooting aym at the white , though sometime they misse the but. onely the law of god which onely is perfect , must be made by us the absolute rule of our life , and wayes . as land-marks are set up by the sea-shore not onely to teach men which way to take , but sometimes also which to leav : so are sundry examples even of good men propounded in holy scripture not for imitation , but for warning . and a verie preposterous course it is to follow good men , wherein they do evill : which they that use , are like unto apes , and dotterels , that are aptest to imitate men in their mops , and mows , and unseemly gestures . and if it were folly in the persians to esteem such men the fairest , as had hooked noses , because cyrus their king had such a one : it is meer madnesse in christians to deem vices vertues , and errours truths , or either the one or other to be embraced , through superstitious admiration of some mens persons , in which they are found . but as the egyptians following the israelites with the dark part of the cloud towards them , were drowned in the sea , which the other passed thorow safely : so they who follow good men in their faylings , and not in their vertues , shall surely be punished , when the other escape . notwithstanding , although examples of others great , and antient cannot make sins to be no sins : yet doth it something lessen their blame who are mis●●d by such guides ; as it was in the polygamy of the patriarcks ; and both hath been , and is in other the like traditionall evils . some pretend the examples of good men in their faylings , for the excuse of the evils , which they themselvs have a minde to do , and would do , though none ever had done them before them , or should do them after them : others are indeed misled by their aberrations . in both the divel shews himself his crafts-master . and hardly can he more improve evill , then when he so works , that a good , or great mans vertues ( which he cannot abolish ) should countenance , and commend his vices to others . by how much therefore the more any person excelleth in knowledg , wisdom , vertue , or authoritie ; by so much the carefuller must he be , that he furnish not from thence the enemie of gods glorie , and mans salvation , with weapons of advantage for evill , from whence the speciall means of his overthrow therein , are to be taken ; as , by gods appointment , they are , from great , and good men . and if any thing possibly could , surely this would make the verie saints in heaven sorrowfull for their faylings upon earth ; that others having by their example , o● other provocations , been drawn to evill ( whereof they never repenting , as the principals did ) do for the same suffer the eternall wrath of god , which they by true repentance have escaped . examples of superiours are strong coards to draw on others , either to good , or evill : in which regard , it is rightly said , that great men have no small either vertues , or vices : with which that of austin consorts ; the joy for the great , is great , if they be good , because it is not for them alone . so on the contrarie , when peter dissembled for fear of them of the circumcision ; not onely the other iews dissembled likewise with him , but barnabas also was carried away with that their dissimulation . how good were it for inferiours , that superiours minded this , ●s they ought ? how much better for themselvs ? that they might be warned to take heed , that they encrease not the guilt , and extent of their personall sins by making them exemplarie . he that having many standing under him , falls from aloft , may easily bruise others besides himself , with his fall . and if the blinde do lead the blinde , though both fall into the ditch , yet the guide falls under ; and so is pressed , besides his own , with the others burthen , that falls after , and upon him . as , on the contrarie , he that furthers others by his holy ensample , in vertue , and godlinesse hath his part in their goodnesse also both in the eyes of god , and men . cap. xx. of counsell . counsell , by which we consider wisely , whither , what , and how things are to be done , for profitable ends , is a sacret thing ; and withall so necessarie to be taken not onely with god , and a mans self , but with others also ; as that salomon , though peerlesse in wisdom , yet had his councellors about him . without counsell people perish , and purposes are disapointed ; but in the multitude of conncellors there is both safetie , and stabilitie , it is gods peculiar to be all sufficient in himself whether for wisdom , or otherwise . no one man but stands need of another ; and if for little els , yet for counsell . he that gives counsell to another , therein stands in the place of god , who is the councellor , and whose mine , counsell is , and sound wisdom . this , he that gives advice , must well weigh , that he neither dishonour the wisdom , and goodnesse of god , whose place for the dispencing of these attributes , he sustains therein ; nor wrong him , by whom he is so far honoured , as to be sought to , as gods mouth . and so must he also that takes counsell ; that he may neither seek it at fools , which none but fools will do ; nor at godlesse persons ( specially in matter of conscience ) which he that doth , desires to deceav himself , and to mock with god. now of all councellors , in whom any wisdom , and goodnesse is to be found , the peremptorie , and bold are most dangerous : whose custom is to put men upon extreamities , happily fitting their own ventersom disposition , but oftens above the strain , and strength of their friends , or reach of reason either . whereas councellors , specially in more difficult , and dangerous cases , should both verie sensibly apprehend the difficultie , and danger of the thing in deliberation ; and withall be carefull , that they spur not on their friends whom they advise , above their pace , lest they tyre them by preposterous inforcements , and put them upon such difficulties , as they are not fit to struggle with . warinesse is best in advice ; and boldnesse in execution . dead men ( to wit , in their books ) were accounted by king alphonsus , for the best councellors . and indeed so are they in regard of one of the best properties of a good councellor , which is sinceritie , and unpartialnesse . a vertue rare , specially in inferiours , who too oft look asquint in their counsell : as either casting how to advantage themselvs in councelling others ; or in following the direction of achabs messengers to michajah , by speaking that which is good to , rather then for the ●ing . which latter calamitie befals great men not onely by base perfidiousnesse of flatterrers , but oftens by a just judgment of god punishing them with their own desires , and so ordering that they that seek shall finde such as may rather deceav them by flatterie , then trouble them with the truth . yet in these dead councellors ( books ) there is wanting a lively , and likely discerning of such particular circumstances , as must be observed , and gathered by present discourse , that men counsell not at adventure ; which no books can sufficiently provide for . in books we best learn generall grounds of direction ; but that skill is unperfect , & must have joyned with it a large , and piercing discourse of the councellors mind , who by comparing together things past , and present , with due respect to singular circumstances incident , is able probably to gather things to come ; in which the life of counsell consists . some will eloquently propound , and earnestly perswade to good and profitable courses in generall ; but in the mean while , give no direction , how or by what particular means to prosecute them , for the attaining to the desired end . such councellors are like him that is earnest in perswading with a travellor to hold the right way to the place , where he would be ; but shews him not which it is , and what are the marks of it : or to him , who trims the lamp diligently , and fits it to burn , but poures no oyl into it . as we understand even most necessarie things in vain , except we love them : so blinde love ( which alone in effect , the bellows of loud , but windie perswasion kindles in the brests of many ) avails nothing , where knowledg guides us not in our way . the fewest of them that ask good counsell , do mean indeed to follow it . some ask counsell onely in good manners , and to make shew of respect to friends : others for a colour , that they did nothing , but having first heard , what such and such ( it may be , wise and godly ) could say about it : and not a few , though they pretend to ask , yet indeed intend rather to give counsell ; that is , to have the courses allowed by others , which they themselves affect . a man may have divers ends , in requiring the adviee of others , and all of them honest , and lawfull ; provided he alwayes keep his heart free to receav either information , or confirmation , or reformation from others , upon good ground . three sorts of men though standing most in need of counsell , are many of them most uncapable of it . first , they in great prosperitie ; secondly , they in extream affliction ; and thirdly , such as are weak , and simple . they of the first sort are , for the most part , high minded , and lifted up in themselvs ( nabal-like ) above the good counsell of other men , presuming , that they are able enough to direct themselvs . the second are commonly either obdurate , or melted in their miserie ; like wax , either too hard to receav ; or too soft to retain any impression , as the israelites for anguish of spirit , harkned not unto moses the messenger of their deliverance . the third are partly uncapable of advice , through simplenesse ; and partly suspitious , either lest they should be circumvented by their friends close-minding their own ends ; or els thought weak , and too simple to govern , and manage their own affairs : by which prejudice it comes to passe , many times , that they become wilfull , and headie ; because they would not be thought simple , and unable to direct themselvs . it is a rule , wherein many wise men have agreed , that it is more available for the common-wealth to have an evill prince , and good councellors , then a prince good , and vertuous , with corrupt councellors about him ; for that , it is more like , that one should be bettered by many , then many be corrupted by one . but the mischief is , that such as are nought themselvs will make choyse usually of such councellors as themselvs are , rather to flatter , then better them : as contrariwise , the good commonly , will chuse such , as may further them in goodnesse . when a thing verie inconvenient , and absurd is propounded to us , it is not best alwayes to manifest any great dislike ; though we both have it in our selvs , and our reasons for it , never so present : except either urgent necessitie presse a sudden , and violent stop of the matter ; or that we have to do with him , whom we know we can oversway , by our reasons , and authoritie : lest by that course our friend take occasion to withdraw himself , and to conceal his affairs from us , and so to steal miserie closely , and , it may be , suddenly also , if he be bent upon his course ; for fear that our importunitie should bring hindrance to his purpose . but it is best , at first , to put off the thing , and to provoke to further consideration , and so to gain time , with some small manifestation of dislike for the present ; thereby , as it were , pointing , and making way for our after more vehement disswasions . by which course we shall have our friends both ear , and heart more open to receav advice from us ; as conceiving , that we neither are forward to crosse his designe , nor caried against him , or it , in passion , contempt , or unadvisednesse . cap. xxi . of thoughts . men say , thoughts are free , and pay no tribute : and this is true being understood of mens custom-houses , where they cannot be searched , but as they bewray themselvs by some outward signe , either word , or work . but so much the more watchfull we had need to be in our selvs , over those close commodities , lest we willingly feed a filthy , though secret sinck within us ; which in time will shame us before men , as it stinks in the mean while , where it is , in the nostrils of god ; and men for it . besides , if we do evill in word , or deed , men may help us , either by contrarie examples , or friendly reproofs , or hatefull upbraydings , or just punishments : but against sinfull , and unsanctified thoughts we have no help but from god alone , and our selvs , by his grace ; to whom alone they are known . everie thought of evill is not an evill thought , but onely such as to which we adjoyn either consent of will , or , at least , delight of affection . for besides the thoughts of , or about evill , which are either in pure speculation , or naturall consideration of the thing , or with aversenesse of affection from the matter thought on ; there are thoughts meerly by suggection from satan ; who being a spirit , and having such affinitie of nature with our spirits , and souls , can unite , himself , in his suggestions , with our imagination , after a manner by us unconceavable ; and offer unto us thoughts of great evill : which yet we may by grace so resist , as that they are to be accounted his sin , and our crosse onely , who are constrained to bear such temptations ; as we are compelled oftentimes to hear , and bear the ill counsell of wicked men his instruments , with sin in them , and grief in our selvs ; but without our sin , if we no way hearken unto them : yea with commendation , both in the one , and other , in the victorie of faith which we obtain over them . indeed we are too readie to receav such suggestions ; as tinder is to take fire ; specially being subtilely fitted by satan to our speciall inclinations , and occasions : and so must be more carefull either to prevent them by nourishing in our selvs an abhorring of them ; or to quench them if they arise , by the stream of holy meditations running in our hearts . they whose words , and deeds are faultie , and evill , and yet plead their good hearts towards god , are like malefactours , who being convinced of theft , or the like naughtinesse , by plain evidence , to their faces ; do appeal to the testimonie of such persons for their purgation , as they know cannot be found . if the hearts of such men could be seen of others , as their works , and words are , they would appear worse then they ; as they do to god who seeth them . there is no evill in the mouth , or hand , which was not in the heart first , as the stream in the fountain : neither can the flesh be corrupted , except the mind be corrupt first . men judg of our thoughts by our words , and actions : but god of our words , and works by our thoughts ; accounting the thing whether good , or evill , as done in his sight , if once it be resolved on in the purpose of the heart ; thus abraham offered up isaack by faith ; and iudas did that which he meant to do . and as god judgeth of us , and of our doings ; so ought we to do our selvs . the thoughts of the righteous are righteous . and by these , good and evill men are best and trulyest differenced one from another : whereas all outward works ly common ; and are many of them oft exercised equally by good , and bad . no outward works are so good , but hypocrites have done them , at times : and few , or none so evill , but some godly haue at some times ( by temptation ) faln into them . but how alike soever the outward faces of such sinfull actions be ; the difference is great in the heart of the doer , and is so seen of god to be at the verie time of the doing ; and by after and better fruits in their time , so manifested unto men afterwards , to have been at that time , when in the outward evill act no such difference could appear . but our onely comfortable course , and that by which our hearts are assured before the lord , is , to provide , that in them may run constantly so strong a stream of holy purposes , and setled thoughts , as may both overbear the contrarie current of our flesh , and lusts ; and also carrie with it our outward man to all good , and godly practises . cap. xxii . of speech , and silence . man is endowed above beasts , especially with reason , and with speech to uttet it : without which , his reason , how deep , and profound soever , were little more profitable unto others ( nor many times to himself neither ) then a spring hidden in the ground . hence the tongue is called the index of the mind : and as by the index we know what is in the book ; so do we by the speech what is conceaved in the heart . out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh . and so readie is the passage from the heart to the tongue , as that what is conceaved in the one is usually brought forth by the other : neither doth any outward thing so soon bewray a man , as his words . though iacob brought his brother esaus hands , and neck , and meat , and sauce , and smell , to his father isaak ; yet could he not bring his tongue and voyce : and though a man put upon his hands the gloves of dissimulation , and the shoes upon his feet , and mask his face never so cunningly ; yet can he hardly so tip his tongue , but , in a short time , a wise man will discover him , & discern whether he be good , or bad ; specially whether he be wise , or simple . great is the affinitie between the heart , and mouth : and so the second person in trinitie is not called the work , but the word of god. salomón in his proverbs compares the speech of a wise , and righteous man to a tree of life , and to a fountain of life , and to many other pleasant , and profitable things . which must teach both them that speak to preserv pure that fountain , and to prune , dig about , and manure , with all diligence , that tree ; that it may bring forth fruit to the hearers : and so must it teach them that hear , not to neglect that benefit , but to admit , and receav the words of truth , and wisdom , as seed , by which they also may conceav , and bring forth good fruit . a word spoken in due season is like aples of gold in pictures of silver : and so a wise man must provide , that his words be not onely gold for their worth , but also framed to silver-like opportunitie : there being a time when nothing , a time when something , but no time when all things are to be spoken . that which is generally spoken of a blessed man , that he is like a tree that brings forth his fruit in due season , may specially be applied to the aples of the tongue , and fruit of the lips . for the bringing forth of which , he that can observ and take a due season , shall as effectually promote his purpose , as he that takes his pull at the bell-rising . a fool will utter all his mind , and is readie to burst , if he speak not whatsoever he thinks : but a wise man will keep a word for afterward : and will neither run before , nor neglect ; but follow opportunitie . want of wisdom makes men commonly too forward in speaking , and over-much wisdom too backward . as the bird oftens flyes away , whilst the fowler still seeks to get nearer , and nearer her : so doth golden opportunitie many times , whilst we wait too long for better , and fitter passage for our speech . it is better then to take a reasonable good opportunitie presenting it self , then to adventure the losse of all by wayting still for a better . he that takes up the time ( specially wise , and godly men being in the companie ) with unprofitable ( how much more , with ungodly ) speech , besides the account which he must give to god for everie vain word , that is , for evere word not some way or other , profitable ; greatly wrongs the whole companie , in hindring the speaking , and hearing of better things by his vanities ; which are like ill humours filling the stomach , and taking from it both appetite of , and benefit by better meat . let not thy speech , saith one , be vain , but such as servs either to counsell , or to perswade , or to comfort , or to direct : and the apostle more divinely , let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth , but that which is good to the use of edifying , that it may minister grace unto the hearers . he that doth this , is gods minister , in his place ; and hath his part in the honourable prayses of that wise king , into whose lips grace was poured . he that can rule his tongue ( considering how unruly an evill that little member is ) is able also to bridle the whole body , and is a perfit , and entire man , and he to whom no christian dutie is impossible . this he that cannot do , though he seem religious , both to himself , and others , deceavs both ; and his religion is in vain . if this rule were well minded , and rightly applyed ; either more would bridle their tongues , or fewer seem religious to themselvs , and others then do . many affect speaking in an imperious and commanding accent . some out of familiar boldnesse with friends : but such may easily be more bold then welcom , if they have not both good knowledg of , and interest in their so commanded friends . men write to friends , yours to command , and offer their service : but they that will take all , either in substance , or ceremonie , which their friends offer , will wearie them in time . some fools also affect masterfulnesse in speech , specially with underlings . and of them i have known some so swoln in the mouth , as they have thought , that if they gave their servant a better name , then sirra , or boy , they lost of their authoritie . there are also which love to snarl , and use surly , and currish speech , especially towards inferiours , or equals either . it is pittie such are not over some great mens dogs , to order , and govern them . such become unsociable , and burthensom , and abuse the singular benefit of god , and nature ( the tongue , and speech ) bestowed on men for the mutuall intercourse of their reasonable conceptions , and preservation of humain societie . on the contrarie , besides other benefits , there is nothing , by which men may at so cheap a rate purchase good will , especially at their hands , who are of a lower rank then themselvs , as by kind , and respective language : which made titus vespasian say ( as he also proved the good of it by experience , gayning the opinion , and name of the darling of man-kind ) that a prince should never send away any petitioner discontented . and , albeit , as the saying is , fair words make fools glad ; yet so do they wise men also . good language ioyned with reall performance , is as a pleasant sause to wholesom meat . without performance , where abilitie is wanting , it ought to be as acceptable ( though it stand us not in so good stead ) as if the thing we desire , were done for us : and in that case we should account of good words , as diogenes did of his wortles , which were for sause to other meat ; and for meat , when he had no other . and even where men fayl us in that , which both they are able to perform , and we have reason to look they should ; better we receav from them good words , then otherwise : seeing they carrie with them some appearance of respect to him , to whom they are used ; whereas the contrarie cast withall contempt upon his person ; which is more grievous to most men , then a moderate disappointment in their suit . words are like cloathes , used first for necessitie , after for convenient ornament , and lastly for wantonnesse . neither do harlots more strive to inveagle fools by wanton tricking , and trimming themselvs ; then do fawning oratours , and word-wise men , to allure vain hearers , and readers ( who , as one saith , had rather be strewed with flowers , then fed with fruits ) by curious , and affected forms of speech . such deserv ( though they oft get a better ) the reward of the harper , whom dionysius pleased with hope whilst he pleased him with singing : and there an end of both . and truly i know few things by which men are either more puffed up in themselvs , as theodoret taxeth chrysostom , or purchase from others with lesse desert , greater opinion of excellencie , then by curious and affected eloquence , whether in pompous , or plausible speech , without weight of matter . this is vanitie in all subjects , and in divine matters , profanenesse : and so the truly learned apostle professeth , that his preaching was not with perswasible words of mans wisdom , but in demonstation of the spirit , and power ; that the churches faith should not stand in the wisdom of men , but in the power of god. he that ( without sound information of judgment going before ) is either by eloquence , or earnestnesse perswaded to the liking of any course ; will , if he meet with an opposite oratour more eloquent , and vehement , then the former , be as lightly disswaded from it , and perswaded to the contrarie . as a woman over-curiously trimmed , is to be suspected ; so is a speech . and indeed he that goes about by eloquence , without firm ground of reason , to perswade , goes about to deceav ; and he that suffers himself so to be perswaded , is willing to be deceaved . i may , and will do some thing for importunitie of speech , but if i like any thing the better , i follow passion , and not reason . he is rightly eloquent , who observing decorum , and tempering his stile according to his person , can speak fitly , fully , and eloquently of all things ; temperatly of mean things , and weightily of matters of importance : and not he that can magnifie his mouth above measure , and the weight of the matter ; and draw hercules his hose upon a childes leg ; which the wise king counted no matter of commendation . and besides affectation , in which men strain the strings of their eloquence , to make persons , or things as good , or bad ; or as great , or small , not as they are , but as the speaker can ; i have known some by an abused benefit of nature , and art , so impotently eloquent , as that they could hardly speak in prayse or disprayse of person , or thing , without doubling , and trebling upon them superlative synonomies of honour , or disg●●●e . such oratours would make notable market-folk , in crying up their own wares , which they meant to sell ; and in making other mens , which they would buy , double nought . both length , and shortnesse of speech may be used commendably , in their time ; as mariners sometimes sayl with larger-spread , and sometimes with narrowergathered sayls . but as some are large in speech out of aboundance of matter , and upon due consideration : so the most multiply words , either from weaknesse , or vanitie . wise men suspect , and examine their words ere they suffer them to passe from them ; and so speak the more sparingly : but fools pour out theirs by talents , without fear , or wit. besides , wise men speak to purpose , and so have but some thing to say : the other speak everie thing of everie thing , and thereupon take libertie to use long wandrings . lastly , they think to make up that in number , or repetition of words , which is wanting in weight . but above all other motives , some better , some worse , too many love to hear themselvs speak ; and imagining vainly , that they please others , because they please themselvs , make long orations , when a little were too much . some excuse their tediousnesse , saying , that they cannot speak shorter : wherein they both say untruly , and shame themselvs also : for it is all one , as if they said , that they have unbrydled tongues , & inordinate passions setting them a work . i have been many times drawn so dry , that i could not well speak any longer , for want of matter : but i ever could speak as short , as i would . some have said , that hurt never comes by silence : but they may as well say , that good never comes by speech : for where it is good to speak , it is ill to be silent . besides , he that holds his tongue in a matter that concerns him , is accounted , as consenting . indeed lesse hurt comes by silence , then by speech ; and so doth lesse good . some are silent in weaknesse , and want either of wit to conceav what to speak ; or of courage to utter what they conceav ; or of utterance , where the other defects are not . they of the first sort are not desperately foolish , seeing they are sensible of their own want ; which is half the way to mending it : there being more hope of such a fool , then of a man wise in his own conceipt , that is thinking himself wiser then he is . besides , such have the wit to cover their folly ; and a fool whilst he holds his tongue , is accounted wise : whereas a bab●ing fool proclaims his foolishnesse . for the second , though it be a miserie for a man to be compelled to keep silence , when he would speak : and that the prison be strait , where the verie tongue is tyed , yet he wants not all wit , who can for fear of danger hold his tongue , and not make his lips the snare of his soul. some again are silent in strength of wisdom , and others of passion . as deep streams are most still ; so are many , of deepest judgment ; through vehement intention of mind , upon weightie , or doubtfull matters ; whereas the shallower are lowder , and more forth-putting . and here the testimonie which spintharus gave of epaminondus hath place , that he met with no man in his dayes , that knew more , and spake lesse . again , in some , vehemencie of passion , and affection dams up the passage of speech . the grief is moderate which utters it self ; that which is extream is silent . so absolom hating his brother amnon to the death , spake neither good , nor evill to him . lastly , there are who can bridle their tongue in discretion ; and know , not onely how to take the time to speak , but also the time to keep silence : which surely is no small commendation in a wise , & able person . and this the phylosopher knew well , who , when all the rest of his fellows ( being ech to present the king with some notable sentence , or other ) were forward to utter everie one his ware , desired of the kings messenger , that it might be certified in his name , that he had skill to hold his peace , when others were forward to speak . cap. xxiii . of books , and writings . writing is the speech of the absent : and even he that gives a writing into the hand of another , to be read by him ; thereby , after a sort sequesters his person from him , and desires to speak with him being absent ; and that to his advantage , if his personall presence and speech may endanger either contempt , or offence . the lord god in providing , that the books of holy scriptures should be written , effectually commended the writing , and reading of other books touching all subjects , and sciences lawfull , and lawfully handled . for though the difference be ever to be held between divine , and humain writings , so as the former may worthily challeng absolute credence , and obedience , as breathing out onely truth , and godlinesse ; whereas the other are not onely to be learned , but judged also : yet even in humain writings , the truth in its kind , is taught commonly both more fully , and more simply , and more piously , then by speech . for howsoever the lively voyce more pierce the heart , and be apter to move affection , and that to the receaving of truth , and goodnesse not onely by love , and liking , but by faith also , and assent ( for faith comes by hearing , and hearing by the word of god ) : yet men seldom take either the pains , or time to lay down things in speech , which they do for publike writings : neither can any possibly either have the obportunitie to hear the tythe of that which he may read for information , or take the time for the full understanding of things remarkeable spoken , which in private reading he may do . besides , men are commonly in their writings both freer from passion in themselvs , and from partiall respect of others , then in their speeches . and hence it comes to be said of dead men , that they are the best councellors ; to wit , in their books , wherein they are freest from affection one way , or other . lastly , though the father found some in his time , who because christ had said , thou shalt not swear , thought they might do that in writing , which they might not do in speech ; and confirm idolatry with their hand , so they professed it not with their tongue : yet it is usually found otherwise ; and that men are , or would seem to be more religious in writing , then in speech . who ever shall finde a black-mouthed blasphemer cursing , & swearing in his books ? though in daily speech he scarse utter ten words without oath , or execration . yea are there not many , who by the glosse of pietie cunningly set upon their writings published to the world , steal the opinion of pietie , & vertue from strangers , and those that know them not ; whose ordinarie conversation in word , and deed to them that are acquainted therwith , proclaims them no better then verie atheists , and epicures ? i ad , even touching conferences , and disputations of purpose appointed , and used , for light of truth ; that though they may be , and are singularly profitable for that purpose , to a modest , and tractable disposition , which will as well hear , as speak ; and be as readie to learn truth of others , as to teach it them : yet to men of more unquiet , and stiffe spirits , the reading of books is a course far more convenient for information : for that therein will not be the provocation to inordinate anger , and passion , which in speech oftens falls in . besides , he who comes to dispute , comes specially to shew the truth to others : but he that comes to read an authour , comes specially to learn something from him , for the most part . great care is to be taken , and circumspection used in writing of books ; not onely ( though specially ) for conscience of god ; but also because the author therin exposeth himself to the censure of all men , and those not onely then living , but also to be born , when he is dead , and rotten . and under their censure he comes , whether he be wise , or foolish ; learned , or ignorant ; of sound , or of corrupt judgment : and in part therewith , whether of vertuous , or vitious disposition . he that commits any thing to writing gives men a bill of his manners : which everie one that reads may put in suit against him , if there be cause , in the court of his own heart , and neighbours ear . some through extream diligence are devourers of books , & of infinite reading : in whom if there be found any answerablenesse in memorie to retain , judgment to dispose , and wit accordingly to improve things read ; such persons prove singular . but this is rare by reason of the different temper of the brain requisite for such furniture . some are of great reading , but of so slipperie memorie , as they are like water-conduits , which what they continually receav in at one end , they let out as fast at the other . some again are meer ind●xes , serving for nothing but to shew , where , and in what authours , things are to be found ; by benefit of their strong memorie . there are also of those great book-men , that know better the most other mens judgments , then their own , in matters of controversie , through injudiciousnesse , or irresolution ; and if they come to settle upon any rather opinion , then perswasion , it is commonly according to the last bool which they read . it is best for ordinarie capacities to travell in some few books ( though by occasion they may step into many ) and the same picked by good advice , of unpartiall , and experienced men ; and those throughly to digest , and discourse upon ; as it is best for weak stomacks to eat of few , and wholesom dishes : which may also be done for further use , extention , and applycation , then the authour himself conceaved , or at least , expressed . and though lucilius wished , that his books might be read neither of men verie learned , nor altogether unlearned ; lest the one should understand nothing , and the other more then he intended : yet indeed he reads a book ill , that understands not something more either in , or , at least , by it , then the authour himself did in penning it . as the maladies of the minds of many have been cured by reading of books ; so have the diseases of the bodyes of some , and those such as wanted no other medicines ; if we may beleev histories : as of alphonsus king of spain , by reading of livy ; and of ferdinand king of sicily , by reading of quintus curtius . the cure is both more common , and more excellent , which the reading of the holy scriptures affoard . cap. xxiiii . of good intentions . a good meaning no more sufficeth to make a good action , then a fair mark doth to make a good shot , by an unskilfull archer . this hath been fully verified in the iews , who out of no lesse good end , then the zeal of god , and desire ( such as it was ) to do him pleasing service , persequuted christ , and his disciples to the death . what intention could be better , or action worse ? we must not therefore take the sanctuarie of fools by good meanings , without knowledg : but first setting our faces towards heauen by meaning well , must further so far honor god , and humble our selvs unto him , as to resigne our whole man also into his hands , to be guided by him in the way thither : joyning our prayers with his , who had lesse need to fear stepping aside that way , then wee , and yet said , with myne whole heart have i sought thee ; o let me not wander from thy commaundements . and yet albeit a good end alone suffice not ; yet there is nothing eyther good , or tolerable without it , no not though it have never so good successe . although the good meaning excuse not wholy yet the evill wholy condems . this good intention and end is the first , and last in everie lawfull action . it is the first , and that which sets the agent awork to do what he doth , whether working reasonably , or naturally . it is the last , ( and so the best ) and that at which he ayms , as the perfection of his work . and this , where it is found god so much regardeth , as he sometimes prevents an evill action in him , in whom he sees a good intention ; as is to be seen in abimele●k king of gerar , whom god kept from sinning against him , and suffered not to touch sarah abrahams wife , because he had taken her into his house , in the integrity of his heart . sometimes also god rewards the good purpose , yea though he refuse the work intended , as incompetent , for some speciall cause ; as in david , when he would haue built the lord an house . alwayes , he that means well , yea though the work be evill , which he doth , makes the divell ( after a sort ) serv god in it . he that doth that which is good in it self for an evill end , makes god serv sathan : he that doth that which is evill for a good end , makes sathan therein ( though not warrantably ) serv god ; as the means serv the end . and considering how litle truly-good-doing there is amongst men , in comparison ; it were well there were more good meaning , yea though it were without knowledg . by which both fewer mischeifs would be done , & they that are done would therein be lesse heynous . we measure things ( sayth one , and it is true , in a respect ) by the ends of goodnes ; and so better misse , and we shall misse lesse , in the means , then in the end . he who hath the mark in his ey , and aymes at it , will hardly misse so much , as he that takes a wrong mark to shoot at . and for true goodnes ; he who gets this generall grace , to have his heart indeed , and seriously bent upon the course of piety towards god , and innocency towards men , the lord wil not so far suffer to erre in his way , as to misse of heauen in the end , notwithstanding his particular aberrations of humayn frailty ; which god will cover under the veyl of his rich mercy , by the persons sincere fayth , and generall repentance . chap. xxv . of means . means are so called of the middle place which they hold , betweene the efficient and finall causes ; serving the one for the furthering , and atcheiving of the other . and so all creatures , whether persons , or things , come under this account , in respect of him , from whom , and for whom all things are . god is able without meanes to doe whatsoever work of power he doth , or can doe by them : and the reason is playne , for that he both creates , and provides the meanes ; and also giues the blessing upon them , by which they are avayleable . neyther ( if we minde it ) hath the lord ever done greater workes then those , which the hand of his power hath wrought eyther immediately ; or by meanes very weake , and feeble ; which being improved by gods omnipotency haue produced wonderfull effects . thus god and froggs could plague pharaoh and all egipt : so can the h. ghost and simple preaching make men wise unto salvation . god often useth meanes verie weake and base , not because he wants better ; but partly for his owne glory : as first for the glorie of his goodnes , that being so mightie , and excellent in majestie , he will vouchsafe to imploy them : and secondly of his greatnes , in bringing to passe what he will by them , as he tould gedeon , the people were too many for him to saue israel by . when men make wars they ge●t the powerfullest helps they can , therein bewraying their owne weaknes : whereas god , on the contrary wanting no mans help , oft times makes choyse of weake meanes , as needing none : partly , the lord doth this for the means themselvs , that they which god so farr honours , specially for good to men , should not be despised : and partly for others ; that none should be overmuch affected with , or to them . to trust to means is idolatry : to abuse them , want of wisdom , or of conscience , or both : to neglect them , eyther desperatenes , when a man is without hope of good by them ; or presumptuous tempting of god , when he expects good without them ; or sloath , when he will not trouble himself with them . with all which , unthankfulnes to the lord is joyned , who provides them as helps against our infirmities : and therewith profane sawcines also , if with the contempt of the means which we have , we long after such as we have not ; as did the israelites in the wildernes , in loathing manna , and lusting after flesh ; and the iewes in despiseing christs miracles upon earth , and desiring to see a signe from heaven of him . we must then ( as one sayth ) mingle our owne sweate with faith to make a sweete odour withall to god. for though his power be not bound to means , yet his will bindes us to such , as he in mercie affoardeth ; partly as helps of our fayth , which need such glasses wherein to see gods helping hand ; and partly to exercise our obedience ; and partly to stir up our diligence . and this we must do the rayther , for that when god purposeth good to , or by a man eyther , he commonly provides him means accordingly : which , when opportunity servs , he expecteth he should use , in good conscience , for atteyning to the good unto which they , as it were , lead him ; which to neglect , is to disobey a kynde of reall calling from god. in the carefull use of naturall means we shew most wisdom , and that we are not like beasts without understanding : and of supernaturall means , prayer , and the like , the most grace : and that we are not as men which know not god. a man must be sure in his most carefull use of means alwayes to bear in mynde the end for which he useth them ; that he be not like the messenger , who so myndes his way , as he forgets his errand ; to sever the means , and end to which they lead ordinately , is vanity , in all courses : in divine matters , mere madnes . he that sinning without repentance , looks to escape hell , separates the end from the means : he that without fayth , and obedience lookes for heauen , separates the means from the end , which he aymes at . both would pervert gods word , and work of providence . chap. xxvi . of labour , and idlenes . god , who would have our first father , even in innocency , and being lord of the whole world , to labour ( though without payne or wearisomnes ) in dressing the garden ; and when he had sinned , to eat his bread with the sweat of his brows , would haue none of his sinfull posteritie lead their life in idlenes ; no nor without exerciseing themselvs diligently in some lawfull calling , or other . i say diligently : for as poore men play for recreation , now and then : so do rich men work . but that sufficeth not . for god who hath in the naturall body appointed unto every member its office , and function , which it is constantly to exercise ; would have no member in any societie , or body of men ordinarily unimployed . neyther doth that man ( how great , or rich soever ) keep a good conscience before god , who makes labour but an accessorie , and not a principall , and that which takes up his ordinarie tyme. man is borne to sore labour , in body , or minde , as the spark to fly upward . in heauen is onely rest without labour : in hell , restles payn and torment : and as sin makes the earth ( which is between both ) liker to hell , then heauen ; so god for sin hath given to the sons of man soar travail to afflict them upon earth . and that in most wise , and gratious providence , considering the mischiefs that come by idlenes : as , the weakning of the endowments of nature ; whereas labour brings strength to the body , and vigour to the mynde : yea the consumption of grace , as rust consumes the iron for want of using : yea , whereas idlenes brings bodily poverty like an armed man : it brings not onely spirituall povertie in graces with it , but withall , a legion of vices , like so many armed divels ; puffing up the flesh with pride , and makeing the heart sathans anvile , ( who is commonly least idle , when men are most ) whereon to forge a thowsand vanities , and sinfull lusts , as having a fit opportunity to perswade men to doe evill , when he findes them doing nothing ; that so they , who will not sweat in earth , eyther with the labour of the hand , or heart , ( though king alphonsus sayd that god , and nature had given kings hands as well as other men ) might sweat in hell : and that if they will not bear their part in the payns of men , they might partake in the payns of the divils . whereas , on the contrary , if we doe that which is good , and well done , though with labour , and paynefulnes ; the labour is soon over , and gone , whereas the goodnes and reward thereof remayns behinde . proud folk despise labour , and them that use it : and so it would be thought by many , far meaner then iosephs brethren ) a disgracefull question to be asked , as they were by pharaoh ; of what occupation they were ? and this difference i have observed , for the matter in hand , that whereas in plentifull countryes , such as our own , it is half a shame to labour : in such others , as wherein art and industry must supply natures defects , as in the country where i haue last lived , it is a shame for a man not to work , and exercise himself in some one or other lawfull vocation . and , in truth , there is more comfort to a good man in that which he gets , or saves by his labour , and providence , and gods blessing thereupon ; then in that which comes to him any other way . for he considers it not onely as a fruit of gods loue , but withall , as a reward of his obedience unto gods commandement of labour and travayl to be undergone in this world of the children of men . it is a blessing upon every one that feareth the lord , and walks in his wayes , that he shall eat the labour of his hands . and , he that without his own labour eyther of body or mynde , eats the labour of other mens hands onely , and lives by their sweat , is but like unto lice , and such other vermine . let every godly christian , in his place , say with christ , i must work the works of him that sent me , while it is day : the night cometh when no man can work . longa quiescendi tempora fata dabunt . it is a great blessing , when god gives a man grace , and wisdom to take payns about things first lawfull , and secondly profitable . the diligent in evill are but like the divill , who compasseth the earth , and that like a roaring lyon , seeking whom he may devour . such do best , when they do least . the life of others is i● quieta inertia , buesying , and oft times troubling both themselvs , and others , with things altogether unprofitable ; like the kings of egipt in building their pyramides , to the mispending of their own mony , and peoples labour . i have known divers , that with the tithe of the study , and payns taken by them , had it been rightly improved , and to profitable uses , might have benefited both themselvs , and others far more , then they have done , with all their diligence , and that with good meaning also . labour spent upon things eternall must not be counted lost , or too much : seeing temporall things of any worth are not usually obteyned without it . and surely , if heaven , and happines could be had with so litle payns and trouble , as the world reckons ; it were strange , if they were worth the haveing . and yet how many might obteyn the pearl of christ promised with lesse payns , then they take for earthly and transitory things , which yet oft times they are disappointed of ? yea , i add , then many take for hell , which their wickednes brings upon them unavoydably ? labour not for the meat which perisheth : but for that meat , which endureth unto eternall life , sayth christ our lord. cap. xxvii . of callings . the effectuall calling of a christian is that by which the lord first differenceth actually , and in the person himself , the elect from the reprobate : and by which the called approacheth , and draweth nigh unto god that calleth him : and that takes away his sin , which separated betweene the lord , and him ; both by justifying , and sanctifying him . this generall calling of a christian is incomparably more excellent , and honourable , then any particular calling , and state whatsoever . by it we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things both for grace , & glory . it alone is properly an holy calling , hallowing all other callings : which also are so far lawfull , and lawfully used , as they further it ; and not otherwise . if the excellency of it were well weighed , & rightly prized , no man honoured therewith should be thought worthy to be despised for any other meannesse ; nor without , it to be envyed for any other excellency how glorious soever in the worlds ey . these two mayn priveledges of gods providence the elect before their effectuall calling are made partakers of , aboue others . the former that into what other , or howsoever otherwise greivous sins they fall , yet they are kept by the power of the lord , from sinning against the holy ghost , of which there is no forgivenes : and this the apostle insinuates , where he testifyes of himself , that before his calling by grace , he was a blasphemer , and pers quuter ; but doing it of ignorance , in unbeleif , he obteyned mercy : which if he had done of malicious knowledg , he could not possibly have done . the second priveledg is , that though such a man may fall into great dangers , so as there is oft but a step between him and death ; yet still god will rescue , and keep him alive , till he be effectually called to the participation of his grace in christ : witnesse the iaylour in philippi . god calls a man actually in tyme , as he hath chosen him in his eternall decree ; that is , as he hath purposed to call , and save him in due tyme. and if there be a particular , and effectuall calling of some above others , then was there undoubtedly a particular election , or purpose from eternity in god so to do : except we will say , that god doth that in tyme , which he did not from eternity purpose to doe . and if the lord work no otherwise in calling of any to the grace of christ , then by outward means , and motives , so leaving them , as some say , to the freedom of their will to determine it self by chusing , or refuseing the grace offered in the gospell ; then are many wicked men , so liveing and dying , more bound to the lord for his work of grace towards them , then are divers his holy , and faythfull servants . the reason is , because many of the former have been made partakers of the outward means , and motives of grace , in preaching of the gospell , godly examples , and education , in far greater measure , and more ample , and excellent ; then many of the latter have been : neyther are the true servants of god , by this doctrine , to go so far in humble thankfulnes to god , as did the prowd pharisee in the gospell ; who thanked god , that he was not like the publican , and other sinners . for whatsoever els they have cause to thank god for ; by these mens gospell , they have cause to thank themselves , and not god , that they are not like other men , who haue been made partakers of as great , and ample outward means , and provokations of grace , as they have been . a lawfull calling is necessarie for every lawfull work : the generall calling of a christian , before we can perform any christian work aright : and so a particular calling to this , or that state of life , before we perform the works thereof . the inward calling is requisite in regard of god , who knows the inwards of the man , and with what heart , and affection he undertakes any state , or action : so is the outward also , because god is the god of order . also , when a man knows himself to be orderly called to a condition of life , he both sets himself more chearfully , and roundly to the works thereof , wherein he is assured he servs gods providence by his order , and appoyntment : and with fayth expects a blessing from god upon his endeavours in that course of life , in which his hand hath set him ; and with all , bears with comfort the crosses befalling him therein : as wee see in david ; whose sheild of comfort against all darts of danger was , that god had selected him unto himself , and annoynted him his king upon sion the mountayn of his holynes . litle account is made by many of a lawfull outward calling : whereas indeed it is that alone , by which all states ( save those that are naturall , and so are subject neyther to election nor change ) are both constituted , and continued . for what makes him , who yesterday was none , to day to be a magistrate in the common wealth ; minister in the church ; steward in the family , or any other officer , or member in any orderly society , but an orderly outward calling by them , who have lawfull authority to confer that state upon him ? this being neglected opens a gap to all confusion in all states . the gifts of a man enable him to his office ; his grace sanctifyes both the gifts , and office to the person ; his inward calling perswades his heart to undertake the outward in desire to glorify god , and in love to men ; his exequution of it in the works thereof presuppose it ; and testify his faythfulnes in it : but onely the outward orderly calling confers the outward state , and condition of life . abilitie for a mans calling is greatly to be desired for many reasons . for , first , it is a thing well-pleasing in gods sight , specially in the most serviceable courses of life , as we may see in salomon , who being called to the state of a king , desired above all other things , kingly endowments , and therein pleased god greatly . secondly , he whom god calls to a place , or sets over a busines , he enables accordingly ; as he did the same salomon , being set over a people many in number , as the sand by the sea shore , with wisdom , and largenes of heart , as the sand by the sea-shore . thirdly , it is great case to a man , when he is mayster of his place , and course , and able to play with it : otherwise , if he be compelled to strive continually with it ; it will both make his life burthensome ; and force him at some time , or other , to let fall the works thereof , as unable to weild it . yet if such a one be willing , and able to bear it out , it is a good way for him to grow to great perfection , by daily improveing his abilitie to the full : as milo by using to bear a calf every day , proved able to bear him , when he was grown an oxe . fourthly , it is an honour to a man to be excellent in his faculty , yea though it be mean in it self . and so men excelling in mean trades , or callings are more regarded , then those who are mean in more excellent faculties . one sayth truly , that even plowmen and sheep-heards being excellent are applauded . lastly , the unskilfulnes of the artisan dishonours the art it self how excellent soever , in the eyes of many : although in reason it should not so be ; seeing that the more excellent any profession is , it finds the fewer , whose worth can answer its excellencie . although callings most usefull , and necessarie , are most despised by prowd folks ; both because they are ordinary and common ; and followed by mean , and ordinary persons : yet it stands with a good conscience to provide , that our course of life be such , as in which we benefit humayne societyes . and an uncomfortable thing it is to him , that hath any either feare of god , or love to men , to spend his dayes , and labour in such a course , as by which more hurt then good comes to the world . it is a good and godly course for a person diligently to read , and seriously to meditate upon such places of holy scripture , as concern his , or her speciall calling : as , for the magistrate diligently to read deut. . . &c. the minister tim. . and so for husband , and wife ; father , and childe ; mayster and servant ; and the rest : that by so doing we may both more fully learn , and better remember , and conscionably practise the particular duetyes , in which god would have us exercise our generall christian graces . chap. xxviii . of the use , and abuse of things . we are said to enjoy god alone , and to use the creatures : because we are not to rest in them ; but in god onely , to whom we are to be holpen by them . and of the things which we use , some of them we must use , as though we used them not : others , as though we used them . the world , and all things serving for this life , we ought to use with a kinde of indifferency , and without setting the affections of our hearts upon it , or them , how busy soever our hands be about them : spirituall good things , on the contrary , and which concern our eternall happines , we ought to use , as using them indeed , with all earnest bent of affection upon them ; and as not suffering our selvs , at any hand , to be disappoynted of the fruit of them . god ( sayth the wise man ) hath made every thing beautifull in his time : and indeed , every thing is good for something : ( i mean every thing that god hath made ; for there are many vayn and leaud devises of men , which are truly good for nothing ) as , on the other side , nothing is good for every thing . and hereupon prometheus told the satyre , when he would haue kissed the fire , upon his first seeing it , that if he did so , it would burn his lips , as not being for that use , but to minister heat , and light . some things alwayes bear , as it were , their use on their backs , and cause also the right use of other things , where they are found ; as the sanctifying graces of gods spirit , which yet some use more fully , and faythfully then others ; and this is also a grace of god : whereas all other things haue theyr good in theyr useing , and not in their owning . and a great poynt of wisdom , and advantage for good it is to apply things to their right use , and end , whether great , or smal . he that can doe this spiritually , is happy , though he have receaved but one pound for others five , or ten . as on the other side , how many were , ( though not happy , yet ) lesse miserable , if they altogether wanted the wit , learning , riches , and authority ; which they want grace to use , according to the will of the giver ? a man hath that most , and best , whereof he hath the ( lawfull ) use . and hereupon a follower of a great lord was wont to say , that he had , in effect , as much , as his lord ; though he were owner of little , or nothing : considering how he had the use of his gardens , and galleryes , to walk in ; heard his musick , with as many ears , as he did ; hunted with him in his parkes ; and ate , and drank of the same , that he did , though a litle after him ; and so for the most other delights , which his lord enjoyed . and , in truth , what great difference is there , save in the proud , and covetous minde of a man , whether he himself , or another be owner of the good things ; whereof he with him , hath the lawfull use , and benefit ? distinction must be put between the things themselvs , and their casuall , and personall abuses : otherwise the natures of the things can neither be rightly conceaved of , nor expressed . neyther doth the abuse of good things so take away , or make forfeyture of the use , as that the counsayl of lycurgus is to be followed , who would have the vines cut down , because men were sometimes druncken with the grapes . yet may the abuse of a thing be so common , and notorious ; and the use so small , or needlesse ; as better want the small use , then be in continuall danger of the great abuse of it . the best things abused become the worst , both naturally , and morally , by reason of a greater force in them then in other things . which we must not therefore superstitiously disavow , or cease to account the best , as they are ; but we must thereby be warned to use them the more warily , that we may enjoy their full goodnes ; and not prejudice them by abuse : otherwise , we shall be lyable to the curse of a greater then a istippus , who wished a plague upon those wantons , who by their abuseing it , had defamed a sweet oyntment , wherein he took delight . all evil stands in the abuse of good . and good things are abused commonly , eyther when they are unmeasurably used ; as it is said of wyne , that the first cupp quenches thirst , the second procures chearfulnes , the third drunkennes , and the fourth madnes : or by applying them unaptly , or to wrong ends , or persons ; as when one offers light to the blynde , or speech to him that is deaf , or wisdom to a brutish man ; or as when cowards fight with their tongues , and swash-bucklers dispute with their swords : or in regard of their supernaturall use , when we referre not all to the glory of god , and our own , and others eternall good , and welfare : which are the utmost ends of all things . cap. xxix . of riches , and poverty . it is the first degree of riches to have what is necessarie ; the next to have what is enough . and indeed , he is a rich man , who wants no outward means , wherewith to mainteyne himself , and his , plentifully , in that state of life , in which god hath set him , whether high , or low : and he poore , on the contrary , to whom that proportion is wanting . and hence it comes to passe , that there are poore kings , and rich coblers ; poore landlords , and rich tenants : as there are warm dayes in winter , and cold in summer ; respecting the season of the yeare . besides , if a person have the possession , and not the use of riches , and be sick of that disease , which salomon saw , and experience of all ages confirms to be common among men ; namely of a man , to whom god hath given riches , wealth , and honour , so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desyreth : and yet god giveth him not power to eat thereof ; i would not call him , but rayther his chests and storchouses rich ; seeing , he as well wants that which he hath ( in regard of its use , and end ) as that which he hath not . a freind of myne in the university was wont to tell me merily , and wittily , that surely there was something in this mony , more , and better , then he , and i saw : seeing such a great wise , and learned man ( whom he would name ) loved it so well ; and such another , as wise and learned as he , as well as he ; and so a third , and a fourth . he knew well ynough , it was not any good in it , which we saw not ; but lust , and filthy coveteousnes in them , whose learning , and wisdom should have taught them to despise , and ha●e such basemyndednes . and in truth , if in any other thing , basenes of mynde is seen in the love of mony , and so they are justly contemned in the eyes of others , that are enamoured of it . some do make theyr belly theyr god ; and those are men of an abject spirit : others their riches , ( for covetousnes is idolatry ) and that in a special work of devotion , by trusting to them , which no man doth to his belly : yet is the covetous , of the two , the more vile , and servs the baser god : for the life , & belly ( for which food is ) are better then food ; and yet food for the belly is the best part of riches ; and that of which alone adam in innocency stood need . if men were not above measure infatuated with sensuallitie , they , who know inward good things , would not affect outward inordinately . that fools , and idiots , that know no better things , should love mony , is not strange : for oxen love grasse ; and swyne draffe ; and every creature naturally the best thing which it knows : but that wise , and learned men , and they who know the good things of the minde , specially the good things of god in his word , should so doat upon it , is most vile , and monstrous . some love mony for it self , and for the bare possession of it , and because they delight to tell their pence : but that is the case of few of learning , or wisdom . but as mouls by digging in the earth rayse up hils : so do they hope to clyme up by this basenes ; as being set a work , this way , by ambition , for the most part ; which too often breeds in the breasts of men rarely endowed ; as the cancker doth in sweet flowers . for such men esteeming themselvs worthy of account in the world for their excellency : and perceaving riches the readyest way to procure it , or make way for it ; they lay hold thereof with both hands : and being seduced with the love of mony for that end , do for the getting , and keeping of it , peirce themselvs through with many sorrows . the blessing of the lord maketh rich . if wealth come by inheritance ; it is gods blessing that a man is borne of rich friends , and not of beggars : if by mens free gift ; it is his blessing , that hath made them able , and willing to do us good : if goods be gotten by industry , providence , and skill ; it is gods blessing that both gives the faculty , and the use of it , and the successe unto it . and as riches are in themselvs gods blessings , so are we to desire them of him , and to use lawfull diligence to get them : for the comfortable course of our naturall , and civill state : for though we are to be able to bear poverty , if god send it : yet should we rayther desire riches ; as a man , though he can go afoot , yet will rayther chuse to ride . secondly , to free us from such temptations unto sin , as povertie puts many upon . thirdly , that they may minister unto us , and ours , more plentifull matter of exerciseing vertue , and goodnes , specially of mercy towards the poore , and them in need . god could , if he would , eyther have made mens states more equall , or haue given every one sufficient of his own : but he hath rayther chosen to make some rich , and some poore , that one might stand in need of another , and help another ; that so he might try the mercy , and goodnes of them that are able , in supplying the wants of the rest . and the richer sort that make not this account , know not wherefore god hath given them theyr goods ; and are as poore in grace , as rich in the world . both poverty and riches , if they be in any extreamity , haue their temptations , and those not small : in which regard agur prayes god to give him neyther of both ; but to feed him with food convenient for him . and , in truth , the middle state is freest from the greatest danger eyther of sin , or misery , in the world : as icarus his father told him , that the middle way was safest for his waxen wings , neyther to be moystned with the water , nor molten with the heat of the sunne . and of the two states , the wise man insinuates in that his prayer to the lord , that the temptations of riches are the more dangerous . povertie may drive a man to steale , or deal unjustly with others ; and after to lye , or , it may be , and , as the holy ghost insinuates , by swearing to take the name of god in vain , to cover it : but if a man be rich , and full , he is in danger to deny god , and to say in pride , and contempt of him in effect , as pharaoh did , who is the lord ? for hardly doth any thing cause the mynd to swell more with pryde , then riches ; both by reason of the ease , and plenty of worldly good things , which they bring with them : as also of the credit , which rich men , or their purses , have in the world ; and both those specially , if they have gotten their wealth by their own art , or industrie . he that is proud in a poore estate , would in a rich be intollerable before men , as he is in the meane while abhominable in gods sight : he that is humble in a prosperous , is a good scholler of christ , and hath taken out a hard lesson , which the apostle would haue timothy to charge the rich withall ; which is , that they should not be high minded , nor trust in uncertayn riches from rich mens pride in themselvs ariseth commonly contempt of others , specially of the poore . i have known nabals , who , in my conscience , have , thought , that all that were not rich , were fools ; notwithstanding any eminencie in them of gifts , or graces . but thus to mock , or despise the poore , is to reproach god that made him so : and besides , if the person be wise , and godly , as he may well be ; for any bar that his povertie puts against him ; it is withall , to despise the image of gods wisdom , and goodnes in him . but for us ; considering how the truly wise , by the spirit of god , pronounceth , that the poore who walketh in his uprightnes , is better then he that is perverse in his way though rich ; as also , that a poore , and wise child is better then an old , and foolish king ; we should have that strength of fayth against sense , and carnall reason ; as , in all resolvednes , to prefer an honest , or wise poore man before a rich naball . besides , though still the rich man be , and will be wise in his own eyes ; yet the poore that hath understanding searcheth him out : and by searching oftens findes , that litle witt ( being imployed wholy thereabout ) and lesse grace , servs to get wealth with . a poore , and playn person seeing a dives ruffle in silcks , & glitter in gold , and silver , is half readie to worship him , as a petty god , many times : but after findes by his speech , and other caryage , by which a fool ▪ and wise man are differenced , that if he had so done , he had but worshipped a golden calf . god sends poverty upon men to humble them , both in the want of bodily comforts , and specially in regard of the contempt , which it ever casts upon men in the worlds ey . and blessed indeed are they , who by povertie , and other worldly crosses are humbled so , as to become poore in spirit : not being of those , of whom the complaynt is , that they are humiliati , not humiles . as if a rich man be humble , he is not of the rich of the world : so , if a poore man be proud , he is not of the lords poore , and blessed ones . some are of opinion , that none but rich folks can be proud . but the pride of many ( as was said of diegenes ) may be seen through their rags . and who ever saw any prouder , then some such worms , as in whom no others could discern any thing outward or inward , ( saving the divell ) that should make them so ? god in his good , and wise providence many tymes sends poverty , and other calamities upon such , to restreyn them ; whose overswellings of pride , if they enjoyed a prosperous state , would make them both odious , and troublesome to all societies . there be some , who out of a kynde of naturall diligence , patience , parsimony , and contentment with mean things , seem so fitted for a poore , and mean state , as that if they were ever pressed with want , they would ever be good , and vertuous ; but being rich , and wealthy , are eyther base mynded , or arrogant , in the eyes of all men : there are also , who by their kynde , and courteous disposition seem so fitted for prosperitie , and plentie , that if they ever enjoyed it , they would be no meanly good people ; and yet falling into a poore , and needie condition , they appear not onely impatient , but unconscionable also . but the truth is , that howsoever some be fitter for the one estate then the other , and so carry it better to the world ; yet he that is not , in his measure , fit for eyther , is indeede fit for neyther . the apostle had learned , and so must all good christians with him , both to be full , and to be hungry ; both to abound , and to suffer need . he that is not faithfull in a litle , would not be faythfull in a great deal ; and so , for the contrary . he that is impatient , or unhonest in poverty , would be and is wanton , or arrogant , or otherwise faultie , though more closely , in aboundance : neyther is any broken with an afflicted state , save he , who is too much inveigled with a prosperous . he again , whose course is either to high , or too low , in plentie , would never keep a mean in want . the over-valuation of riches drives divers men to divers , yea contrarie appearances : some to make themselvs rich , though they have nothing : and others , to make show of poverty , though they have all aboundance . the former so much esteem of riches , and think them so much esteemed of by others , as that , if they seem not to the world to have them , their life is a death unto them : and therefore they will be sure to make a fayr outside , and appear rich , though they be nothing lesse . the other esteeming themselvs happy in having , and keeping them ; conceal , and spare that theyr treasure what they can ; least by haveing it known , they should be occasioned , one way , or other , to diminish it . both are injurious to god , to other men , and to themselvs . to god , in belying him ; the former , as if he had given them that which he hath not : the latter , as not haveing given them that which he hath . to others ; the former , in getting into their hands the riches , which they cannot satisfy for ; or credit , which they deserv not : the latter by with-holding both from god and men their due . to themselvs ; the former , in frustrateing the occasion of humiliation , unto which the lord by poverty cals them : the latter , by preventing , or quenching the provocations unto thankfulnes to god for his plenty bestowed upon them , besides other comfortable effects thereof . the apostle poynts at some christians ( so called ) that will be rich , even , whether god will , or no ; and say he what he will , and almost do he what he can , to hinder it . they will be rich ( if it may be ) keeping fayth , and good conscience in outward profession ; if that will not be , they will be rich without them ; and rayther loose their own souls then not gayn the world . but wo be unto them ; for they run greedily after the errour of balaam ; and will haue god also run with them , otherwise he is not for their company . chap. xxx . of sobriety . the grace of god ( in christ , & his gospell ) which hath appeared , teacheth us as well to live soberly , as iustly , and godlily in the world . and he that is not sober in himself , useing , and desireing moderately , the good things of this naturall life , as meat , drink , apparrell , sleep , pastime , credit , and the rest ; will neyther converse righteously with men , nor piously with god. he that takes more to himself , then is due to him ; cannot give eyther god , or men theyr due . nature is content with few , and small things : for though the belly will be craveing , yet it is no exacting creditour ; but will be satisfied with a small proportion : which to presse with superfluityes , makes things eyther unpleasant , or hurtfull . it is reasonable to deal with , if we give it but what we owe , and not what we can . in reproof of glut●ony , and excesse , one sayth , that the throat hath killed more then the sword . and i think it may be truly sayd , that how hard soever it have gone with many in the world , at times ; that more haue receaved hurt by eating too much , then too litle . and though many be of mynde , that by devouring a great deal , they shall make their bodyes the stronger , and lives the longer : yet is there reason to think , that were not men provoked by company , and sensuall objects ; or misled by inordinate appetite ; or miswonted by custom ; even half the meat and drink which the most use , would affoard as long , and strong a state of body , and bodily health , as they do enjoy . moderate dyet ( sayth one ) is good both for the soul , and body : and so is it for the estate also ▪ and the contrary pernitious ; god both saying , and ordering , that he that loveth wyne , and oyl shall not be rich . he , especially if he be a poore man , and of small means , that will this worlds goods win , must at his belly begin . it is a base , and beastly thing , for a man to give himself to eating , and drinking , or to eyther of them : neyther are such to be reckoned ( sayth one ) among men but beasts . but for a man to be so inordinate , as to hurt eyther his body , or minde by excesse ( as a riotous youth delivers over to old age a feeble body , and more feeble mynde , and destitute , for the most part , both of wisdom , and grace ) is to follow the basest of beasts , and to become swynish : few other beasts save swyne will over-eat themselvs . neyther is it any sufficient excuse for him that hath plenty to be excessive ; more then for the cook that had made the meat oversalt , to say , that he had store of salt by him . neyther yet excuseth it , that by custom some are able ( as they say ) to bear their drink , and not be overcome by it . for , albeit drunckennes in this be very odious ; that whereas other sins deprive persons of gods image , it deprives them of mans ; leaving them the use neyther of reason , nor speech , in which two things man differs specially from beasts ; no nor of sense , and motion accordingly , wherein beasts excell stocks and stones ; but so blockifyes them , for the present , that neyther hand , nor foot , can do their office : yet the lord by the prophet denounceth a wo not onely against them that are overcome by drink , ( which may befal some by a very litle , through naturall weaknes of brayn ) but against them , who can overcome it , being mightie to drink wine , and men of strength to mingle strong drink . considering that meat , ( and so for other bodily good things ) makes us not the more acceptable before god ; and that god will destroy both the belly ( in that use ) and meat : it should teach us , in the mean while , moderately to use all things for the belly , and naturall life . but if , besides these considerations , we weigh with our selvs , how unworthy our sins make us of the least comfort by any of gods creatures ; specially , if with these things concerning our selvs , we weigh how many in the world , and those of the lords faythfull servants , stand in need of meat , drink , &c. for their naturall necessitie ; if there be in us eyther fear of god , or love of men , it will work in us a great conscience not to mispend any thing vaynly , or riotously , wherewith we might comfort the hearts of them that need it . and they who in this case will not be warned by moses , and the prophets ; nor by christ and the apostles neyther ; shall with the glutton feel the torment of the flame of hel , for their excesse in themselvs , and unmercifulnes towards others . the speciall use of wine , and strong drink is , that the heavy of heart , and readie to perish might drink , and forget his povertie , and miserie . but the abuse is more common then the use ; by which the strong , and stout take the greatest part therein ; drinking many times , till they forget both god , and them selvs ; whilst the other languish in want , and sorrow . christ , and his apostles oftens joyn in their exhortations sobrietie , and watchfulnes together . for drunckennes , and gluttonie make men fitter for sleeping , then watching . and so doth all excesse in bodily things draw with it carnall securitie ; and securitie destruction . we are therefore to be sober in the desire , and use of all earthly things , that we may watch : and to watch , that we may escape the danger of spiritual enimies , which watch for our destruction . when thou sittest to eat with a ruler ( sayth the wise man ) consider diligently , what is before thee , and put thy knife to thy throat , if thou be a man given to thine appetite . they that eat with rulers , or where there is varietie of delicates , are apt enough to consider diligently what is before them ; but it is for the most part , not to restreyn their appetite , as it should be ; but rayther to provoke it . but a wise man will consider of his temptations , to escape the danger of them : a foole to provoke himself to swallow them the more greedily , as the fish doth the bayt with the hook under it . he onely is not overtaken with unlawfull things , who inureth himself , at times , to absteyn from many things lawfull . he that will go as near the ditch , as he can , will at some time , or other , fall in : so he who will take all the libertie , that possibly he may lawfully , cannot but fall into many unlawfull things . thereupon , austins mother would not allow the young mayds committed to her government , to drink as much water as they would : least afterwards , becomming wives , and having plentie , they should use excesse in wyne . chap. xxxi . of liberality , and its contraries . liberalitie teacheth us to bestow our worldly goods , when , upon whom , and as we ought , in obedience unto god , and for mens good . this is to be done without hope of requitall from them ; as not being a mercinary vertue , but that wherein a man looks to his dutie to others , and not to profit from them . els it is not liberality rightly performed , but a bargayn well made . neyther is that to be accounted liberalitie , which is done for vayn glory ; seeing the work is named from the affection : least of all that , when men give to some , that they may take from others . this is rayther theeverie upon condition . many account themselvs , and are by others accounted not onely liberall , but even bounteous , because they give great gifts : whereas , if we consider the persons on whom , and the ends for which they so pour out themselvs , and their mony ( and other mens also , oft tymes ; ) we shall see that in truth they deserv no more the name of liberall , then those prodigals do , who bestow their goods upon harlots , for the satisfying of their lusts . for as that is not a benefit which wants the best part of it , namely , to be given in iudgment : so neyther is that liberalitie , which wants that part ; but the casting away of a mans goods . this vertue exercised in great states , and gifts , is called bountie , and a hingly vertue : but may preserv the due respect of liberalitie in the smallest matters , and by the poorest persons , if it be constant : which rayther teacheth to give a litle to many , then much to few . this was verifyed in the churches of macedonia , towards the poore saints in ierusaelem ; whose deep povertie abounded unto their rich liberalitie . the same is confirmed , by our saviours testimonie of the poore widows contribution of two mites , that she gave therein more then all the rich men . none can give more , and therein be more liberall , then he that leavs himself litle , or nothing . on the contrary ; none can spare more , and therein be more covetous , then he , that will not do the litle which he can do , and his neighbour stands in need of . it is the dangerous errour of poore men , that onely the rich are covetous , or liberall . they may be , and oft are , as very mizers , and odiously covetous in their penny ; as the other in their pound . so may they be as liberall . every one , sayth solomon , is a freind to a man of gifts : which have in them , sayth another , a kinde of secret force to draw the mindes of men , as the loadstone draweth iron : and that not onely of them that desire to use the liberalitie of others ; but of such also , as neither need , nor would use the same ▪ look what liberalitie looseth a man in his purse , it gets him in a better place ; not onely in heauen , but in earth also , and the best place there , the hearts of men , and their loving affection . on the contrarie , covetous men are contemned , and hated , not onely of them , whom they wrong by unjust getting , or keeping ; but by all others that know them , though all dare not so manifest . their credit with others , and comfort in themselvs is onely in their purses . it is a question amongst learned men , whether of the two extreames of liberalitie ; prodigalitie in the excesse , or covetousnes in the defect , is worse : but something the lesse needfull to be determined , considering how often they meet together in the same person , and beget eyther the other . many lust , and desire to have ( and sometimes obteyn ) that they may consume upon their pleasures : like unto kites , and gleads , and other ravenous birds , who are ever watching , and catching for prey , and yet remain ever caryon-lean , converting the greatest part of their nourishment into long feathers . as some desire riches that they may haue them : so a great part of the covetousnes reigning in the world , is to maintayn prodigall expences : that look what covetousnes hath gathered together , ryot may lash out and consume . for men , as well as women , being with child of ryot , and excesse in diet , apparrel , and other worldly vanities ; long ●or riches , and great gettings , to nourish , and maintain their lusts : without which they are in danger to cast their calf . on the other side , they who scape best with prodigalitie , are driven to repair their too great lavishnes in one thing , by too great nigardlines in another . but as it was said of cataline , that he was prodigall of his own , and covetous of other mens ; so the greatest mispenders , for the most part , are constreyned to be as great misgetters , to feed one vice by another . hence some borrow without means , or meaning , to pay again ; circumvent others , if they haue more cunning then they ; oppresse them , if they have more power ; and some are driven to plain theeverie , violent , or secret . yet if we will compare together these two naughts , we shall finde covetousnes the worse of the twayn . for , first , it is the root of all evill : for that there is no evill fruit but will grow of it . iudas sould christ for it : and manie thousand daylie sell their bodies and souls to sin , and hell for it ; and would sell christ , if he were in their hands : whereas wise men , and lawyers count the prodigall raither vayn , or at the worst , but half mad , and not capable of governing his own goods ; then mischeivous . secondly , covetousnes is ●● the apostle called idolatrie , not in the common condition of all sinns , in which men either in affection , or effect , esteeme of transitorie vanities aboue god ; and despise him , in comparison of them ; but especially for that they put more confidence in their riches , for their safetie , and welfare , then they do in gods providence ; and by them promise themselvs all aboundance of happines . this madnes befals not the but half-mad prodigals . thirdly , the covetous doth good to none , nor to himself neither ; many tymes ; wanting as well the things he hath , as the things he hath not ; god not giving him power to eat of , and use his riches . whereas the prodigall doth good to manie , though not well . fourthly , covetousnes is a base , and beggarlike vice : prodigalitie a worshipfull , honourable , and kingly sin . fiftly , povertie , and want ( the fruits of prodigallitie ) prove , oft times ▪ good scool-masters to the ding-thrift , for his bettering ; as we see it fell out with the prodigall son : but the effects of covetousnes ( which are usually riches , and plentie ) harden the hould-fast ; causing him to blesse himself the more , in his wicked way . the ryot of the prodigall drawes him dry ; but the gettings of the other serve to feed his disease , which causeth him , dropsie-like , the more he hath , to desire the more . ad we unto all these , that whereas age is some remedie against other vices , ( specially against prodigalitie ) which grows old , and decayes with the person , in whom it is ; ) covetousnes then grows young : so as they who are but thriftie in youth , are usually covetous in age . and though it seem , and indeed be unreasonable , that the lesse way men have to go , they should be carefull for the more viandour , and provision , for their journey ; yet are there divers colourable occasions , though no just causes of this maladie . as first , age being impotent , and unable to susteyn it self , is occasioned the more carefully to seek , and g●t riches , as a staffe to lean on . but for this , we shall never see any more greedie , then such as have more then enough for many ages : their aboundance no more quenching their lust , then fuell doth the flame . secondly , the aged are oft charged with families , and freinds , for whom they are to provide ; from which burden youth is free : for children are not to lay up for the parents , but parents for the children . but for this also ; we see , that a man , though he be alone , and have no second , neyther child , nor brother , puts no end of labour to get , nor is ever satisfyed with riches . i have not in my life observed any more given to covetousnes , then such as have not , nor are like to have children to leave their goods to . thirdly , the other lusts of prodigal youth languishing in age , the heart ( not being set upon god , and true goodnes , which alone could fill , and satisfy it ) findes onely the lust of coveting riches a fit guest to harbour in it ; wherewith the flesh mainteyns it self , that it fall not wholly into decay . so symonides , being accused of covetousnes , answered , that whereas the delight of all other pleasures was gone , he nourished his age with that alone profitable pleasure . and lastly , which is worst of all , though god have set religion , and covetousnes at such variance , that they can not possibly reign in one person : none can serve god , and mammon : and again , he that loveth this world , the love of god dwelleth not in him : yet we see it , that religion working in persons a loathing of excesse in worldly vanities , their flesh so works with it , as it disposeth very manie to such a warines , as between which , and playn covetousnes there is too near affinitie . yea how many have i known , who having passed the danger of the high-way ground , and understood the word of god preached , and professed the same : and of the stonie ground too , in undergoing some troubles , and persequutions for the same : yet nourishing in themsevs too much love , and care of worldly riches , have had all their goodnes choaked before the harvest , by those dangerous thornes ? against this so dangerous , deceitfull , and close-cleaving evill , we are , first , to get into our hearts fayth in gods providence , as well , and as much , for the good things of the life present , so far forth , as they are good indeed , as of that to come . he that dares not in the use of good means , trust god for this life , doth not indeed trust him for life everlasting , how oft soever he say over his creed . such a man mocks with god , in making a shew of trusting him with that , which in truth he profanely despiseth : whereas , for worldly good things which he desires in earnest , he will trust god no further then he sees him . though the lords love shew forth it self more in heavenly , then in earthly things ; yet his truth bindes him alike to performance , as he hath promised : upon which , he that dares not rest for the lesser , makes but a shew of resting for the greater . secondly , we must get contentation with that which we have , seeing god hath said to us , i will ▪ never leav thee , nor forsake thee : esteeming , and saying with our selvs , that this which we enjoy with a good conscience , and by means lawfull , diligently used , is our alotment from god , by the sanctified use whereof , he will provide competently for our temporall state , and further our eternall . thirdly , considering , how uncerteyn means of our good , even for this life , all earthly things are ; and how , many times they become the very snare thereof , as in the case of naboth ; and how alwaies the coveting of them deprives of the hope of a better : ( for the covetous is an idolater , and hath no inheritance in the kingdom of christ , and of god ) it is both sin , and folly , inordinately to affect the getting , or keeping of them . but , as the pharisees being covetous , mocked at christ , when they heard him speak against their joyning the serving the mammon of unrighteousnes , with the serving of god : so men , in all ages , becomeing rich by covetousnes , and proud by riches ; are ready to mock at whatsoever god , or man can say against their gaynfull wickednes . considering how many poore people want , and of those not a few , the living members of christ iesus ; we ought to make great conscience eyther of spending prodigally , or sparing covetously any thing lesse , or more , wherewith we might comfort them , and shew them mercy : how much more , of that whereby we should deal justly with them in giving them their due ? which should first be done . chap. xxxii . of health , and phisick . health is the greatest bodily blessing , which god bestows upon any in this life : yet is it one of the least regarded : partly by reason of its commonnes to al sorts of people , poore and rich , fools and wise , the vilest and most excellent otherwise : partly , for that it is a naturall good thing , which we bring , for the most part , into the world with us , and so oftens preserv , without any sensible change : and accordingly , we see , that no man is the more honoured for his health ; which can scarse be sayd of any other good thing whatsoever . the benefit of this most sweet sause of al other goods is scarsly discerned by them that enjoy it , till sicknes come : for then not onely orpheus his song , but much more our own experience teacheth us , that nothing is avaylable to men without health : neyther riches , nor honour , nor the greatest delights for belly , or back , which the earth can affoard . this blessing therefore , where it is , may be set alone against many other wants : and god acknowledged to deal graciously with us in bestowing it , though with the want of many other outward good things : which though others enjoy , yet without it , they want the comfortable use of them ; & have lesse joy of their lives by far , then we by it , without them . the best rule in physick is to preserv health by the use of things wholesome , and eschewing what is noxious , and hurtfull , either in matter , or manner , or measure : and that betimes , and before distempers have taken too deep root , or that the strength of nature be too much impayred by the inordinate appetites , and licentiousnes of unadvised youth . we say in the proverb , at fortie years every man is either a fool , or a physition . but because most are fools so long before , & that in their best years , it is too late for them to become physitions at this age ; & the after years are constreyned to bear the manifold infirmities , & diseases which are owing to inordinat youth . and a happy thing it were , considering how few young folks will regard , or beleev these things , till they be taught them by miserable experience , that wise parents , and governers would so shew their care over their children , pupils , and servants ; that where they cannot disswade the affection , they might yet prevent the using of those unwholesom , & hurtful youth-banes , unto which inordinate appetite carryes young folk headlong . i have marvailed oft at the aversnes of many , specially of the meaner sort , from physick , in time of sicknes : but more at their unreasonable choyse of physitions , when they use it . how ordinarie a thing is it with a number , that if but theyr horse , or cow be sick , or but in danger ; they will let them blood , or get them a mash ; or run to a leach for them ? who yet for themselvs , or their nearest freinds will neyther seek , nor willingly be perswaded to use the counsail , or help of a physitian . the reasons hereof i conceav to be , eyther , for that men are prone , and ready to perswade themselvs , and to be perswaded by their freinds , that they shall do wel enough without such helps , and that manie times out of a superstitious presumption of gods speciall help , where mans is neglected : or , on the contrary , when they are heartlesse , and dispair of good thereby . but yet more strange is the choyse which many make , when they use means . for though in all other courses , men seek for such , as are most skilfull ; yet in this they are not onely more readie to beleev any that professeth himself a physition , then of any other facultie ; but also chuse rayther to trust theyr bodyes , and lives in the hands of ignorant empericks , men or women , then of the most expert , and learned physitions that are . which i speak not , as esteeming the counsayl , or help of the meanest to be neglected , specially where eyther the more skilfull cannot wel be come by , or that the danger is not great : but for that all things are to be done reasonably , and for the best advantaging and likelihood of good , that may be . the causes of this are on the empericks part ; that they are more officious about their patients ; the other being many tymes supercilious , and neglective of meaner persons : secondly , that they are more bold boasters of their own doings then the other , whose learning makes them modest : thirdly , their affoarding their counsail , and pains at a cheaper rate then the other do ; who verie likelily , and as experience teacheth in other countries ) if they would descend to that rule of equitie in other cases , ( a penny-worth for a penny ) would finde , that lighter gayns comming thicker , would make heavier purses . fourthly , their administring of medicines usually lesse offensive , and loathsome unto nature : which , it may be , the others skill , and care ( if custome made not men lesse compassionate then they should be , ) might much correct : though it can not be denyed , that by gods providence , and for mans sin , the most wholesom things eyther naturally , or morally , are bitter , and unpleasing . on the patients part this aryseth commonly , . from a suspition , least they being mean , and playn persons should eyther be overreached , or neglected by the learned . . from envy , which the learneds arrogancy also oftens occasioneth . . from an ambitious desire in them , to advance those of their own order ; as of old , the citizens of rome would have the cheif officers , even the consuls , and dictatours created , and chosen out of their rank . and lastly , for that , if any cure be , or seem to be wrought by them , which want art , men are therein ready to conceav of a special divine assistance , and helping hand of god. one speciall use of a skilfull artist is to discerne aright of the varietie of circumstances that fall in . simple men and women have many times the same medicines , or simples , at least , with the most skilful doctours : but wanting art , and skil to temper , and apply them , according to the diversitie of the estates of patients , and varietie of accidents within , and without the sick , they eyther profit not ; or hurt one way , what they profit an other . to which purpose it was wittily answered of the physition , who having prescribed a medicine to his patient , and thereby cured him ; and being asked by him afterwards , why the same medicine , which the same person , falling into the same disease again , took himself , did not avayl him , as before ; that the reason was , because he ( the physition ) gave it him not . neyther is the use greater of the skilfull in this consideration , then of the experienced . physitians ( sayth one , and truely ) have this advantage above them of other professions ; that the sun beholds their cures , and the earth covers their faylings . they that dy under their hands , or by their default , are past complayning of them : they that recover and survive , though , sometimes , by the benefit of nature alone , under gods providence , will repute , and report them the means of their recovery . which consideration makes not the honest , and conscionable the more secure ; but the more carefull of their account to be given unto god , from whose eyes nothing is covered . chap. xxxiii . of afflictions . al afflictions are for sin , as the deserving cause : for living man mourneth for the punishment of his sin . whereupon the prophet tels the iews , that their own wickednes should correct them . neyther doth god punish , but where man sins , sayth one . now to set these two together orderly , is the propertie of a wise man : and accordingly in our afflictions , to mourn for our sins , which we then rightly do , when out of the clear sight of their odiousnes in gods account , we more vehemently desire the pardon of them , then the removing of the bodily punishment : as who having understanding in him , would not raither haue the bodily soar healed , then the playster ( though byting ) taken from it ? and withall , when we acknowledge , that our afflictions are infinitely lesse , then our sins . which they that do not , neyther know gods justice , nor their own demerits , as they ought . neyther yet is it sufficient , that in such cases , wee confesse our sins , and how we have walked contrarie unto god ; but we must withall confesse our miserie , and that god hath walked contrary unto us , and brought our present afflictions upon us . in confessing our sins we shame our selvs , and declare our naughtines : but in ackowledging our selvs justly punished for them ; we honour god , as a wise , powerfull , and just iudg. notwithstanding there be alwayes the desert of sin procuring punishment : yet god doth not alwayes principally aym at that : but sometimes that his power may be seen , as in the man born blinde : sometimes for the honour of his holy name , having been blasphemed of his enemies by the sins of his servants , as it was by davids adulterie , and other mischeifs following thereupon : sometymes for mans salvation , as we see in the sufferings of christ : sometimes for the confirmation of others , by testimonie given to the truth , as in the case of steven , whose sufferings ▪ sayth one ) exhort to the confession thereof : sometimes for the tryall of our faith , seeing without afflictions neyther others knew us , nor we our selvs , and for the shameing of the divell therein , as in the case of iob : sometimes to draw men nearer to himself by humiliation , and repentance , which is a generall end : sometimes to wean us from the love of the world , unto which we are too much addicted , notwithstanding all the sorrows , which we do finde in it , and like foolish travaylers , love our way , though troublesome , in stead of our country : sometimes , to prevent some sin ready to break out in us ; as physitians let blood to prevent sicknes : lastly , to make the glorie which shall be shewed , and whereof our afflictions are not worthy , the more glorious ; as the sun is , when the clouds are driven away , wherewith , for a time , it hath been darkned . now , as it were to be wished , that we could alwaies certainly know the lords particular ends in afflicting us ; ( as we may gather much ordinarily , by the knowledge of his word , observation of his dealing towards our selvs , and others , and due examination of our estate , and wayes in his sight ) so is it most necessarie for all his people , ever to hold this generall conclusion ; that in all their afflictions the justice , and mercy of god meet together : and that he begins in justice , and wil end in mercy , with them . god hath in a peculiar manner entayled afflictions to the sincere profession of the gospel , above that of the law before christ. the law was given by moyses , whose ministerie began with killing the egiptian , that oppressed the israelite ; and was prosequuted with leading the people out of egipt , through the sea , and wildernes , with great might , and a strong hand ; and lastly , was finished with bloody victorie over sihon , and og the kings of canaan . but christs dispensation was all of an other kynde : his birth mean ; his life sorrowfull ; and his death shamefull . and albeit the love of god towards his people be alwaies the same in it self , yet is the manifestation thereof very divers . before christs coming in the flesh , in whom the grace of god appeared , god shewed his love more fully in earthly blessings , and peace ; and more sparingly in spirituall , and heavenly : but now , on the other side , he dealeth forth temporall blessings more sparingly ; and spirituall with a fuller hand . it is not unprobably gathered , that , after the destruction of the dragon , and beast , and recalling of the iewes after their long divorse from the lord ; the blessings of both kindes shall meet together , and the church enjoy , for a time , a verie gracefull state upon earth both in regard of spirituall , and bodily good things . in the mean while , many would fayn have their worldly advantage , and the obedience of the gospell to agree together , further then they will. and when they cannot frame the world and their worldly conveniencie to the gospell ; they will fashion the gospel to the world , and to their carnall courses in it . pitty it is , that such men were not of the lords councell , when he first contrived , and preached his gospel ; that they might have helped him in some such discreet , and middle course , as might have served the turn both for heaven , and earth . but let the world , in its foolish wisdom , say and do what it will , or can ; the way is narrow , which leads unto life : and considering mans naughtines , it is neyther fit , nor hardly possible , that it should be broader . all the afflictions which christians suffer are not afflictions of christ : nor all the crosses which they take up , the crosses of christ. the afflictions of christ may be set in three ranks . the first , ( and those most properly so called ) are when men for christs cause , hate , revile , and persequute us . the second , when we suffer evils , which we might be free from , and escape , if we durst deny in word , or deed any part of christs truth . the third , and last sort are , such as befall us in the course of godlines , though humayn , and as they do all other men ; as bodily sicknes , death of freinds , crosses , and losses by sea , and land , and the like . if we be members of christ our such afflictions are the afflictions of christ ; els the mercy shewed , and good done to such were not done to christ. but now , if he that in his person is a true christian , suffer for evil doing , he takes not up the crosse of christ , but of the divel therein ; and if he put himself upon needlesse danger , and difficulties , he takes not up christs crosse , but his own herein : and so hath his amends in his own hands . yet may even afflictions so coming by our true repentance be sanctified unto us ; and we please god in their use , though not in their cause . both good conscience and wisdom must be used in applying such scriptures , as speak of the afflictions of christians for well doing : neyther is all that can be sayd out of everie text thereabout , to be applyed to all times . for howsoever hardly at any time , or in any place , things go so well , especially in our dayes ( which even they , who are none of the best themselvs , will confesse , yea complayn to be extreamly evill ) but that truth goes with a scratcht face , lesse , or more ; yet the differences of times and state of things must be observed , and put , this way . yea further , though the times in the generall should be very evill ; yet for a person , who himself is wel furnished with earthly good things , wel fed , and glad , and in outward peace , to dwel much upon the afflictions of christians , specially with application to the present state of things , is not to hold decorum , but hath an appearance more oratour , then preacher-like . we are never simply to desire crosses , because they are naturall evils : nor to abhor from them , because we know they work together with our election , calling , justification , and sanctification , for our good : not as causes thereof , as the forenamed are ; for the effects of sin cannot be the causes of righteousnes , or happines : nor yet as means properly ; as are the word , sacraments , prayer , and examples of good men : but onely as occasions capable of sanctification to our use , which sins properly are not , as having no good in them , as such ; whereas afflictions have a morall good in them , as they are of god , and by him inflicted . though to speak of crosses most properly , god sanctifies us to them , in giving us grace to make a right use of them . and considering , how it is both good for us to be afflicted , and that god hath promised , that no good thing shall be lacking to them that fear him ; we are thus to make account ; that god afflicts us , as he doth , not onely in justice for sin , but in faythfulnes also ; that is , both in mercy , and in truth of promise : and must accordingly confesse with the man of god ; i know , o lord , that thy judgments are righteous ; and that thou in faithfulnes hast afflicted me : and so must learn to take our severall crosses at gods hands , not onely patiently , but thankfully . we have cause to thank our selvs , and our sins , that wholesom things both for body and soul are for the most part bitter and greivous to our nature : and to thank god , that makes afflictions bitter-sweets , by turning deserved curses into fatherly corrections to us . it is commonly receaved for truth , that in all adversitie the greatest miserie is , sometimes to have been happy . but we must here use a distinction . if we onely respect the time in which we are in miserie apart from the former time , we are both more sensible of our present miserie , by remembring our former happines ; and also more tender , and delicate , and so lesse able to bear it : but if we consider our whole life together ; then the lesse time we are afflicted , the lesse our afflictions are , in that respect , and so must be mynded of us . it is not nothing , that god hath given us to passe over some part of our dayes in peace , and with comfort : neyther must we be so unthankfull , as to account it no benefit , because it is past : but we must , contrarywise , something quiet ourselvs in our present affliction with the remembrance of gods goodnes in our former peace ; as did our example of patience , who in the extreamitie of his present distresse sayd , shall we receav good at the hand of god , and shall we not receav evill ? reason teacheth this ( except in a case , when god lifts up a man on high , that he may the more violently through him down ) how much more , fayth ; which perswades the godly mans heart , that the lord loves him as well , & as much , in his after afflicted estate ▪ as he did before in his prosperous ; as the gold-smith esteems his gold as much , though melting in the furnace ; as glittering in the shop : and that the same god will both give patience , and strength of fayth , according to the tryall ; and encrease of strength , if he encrease the affliction ; as also full deliverance in due time . he will redeem israel from all his trouble . as even good men perform their whole duetie to god , with some corruption mingled among : so god promiseth ( and performeth accordingly ) the good things of this life , with exception of the crosse , and tribulation . if we could amend the one , god would leav out the other . the lord who tryed abraham in his son isaak , whom he loved ; and the rich young man in his riches which he loved , knows well in what veyn to strike a man , that the blood may follow . the more we love any earthly thing , we are the more in danger to be crossed in , or about it . not that god envyes our delights , as one man often envyes anothers : but eyther because we do , or lest we should surfet in affections towards it . most men are moved too much with their own miseryes in this world , melting in them , as wax in the sun , so as they are unapt to hold any impression eyther of fayth , or reason : but are too litle moved with other mens calamities , not affoarding them so much as a compassionate affection . yet may , and doth the contrary extream of over pittying others also , prevayl with some . against both which it is good to consider , that eyther we , and they reap spirituall benefit by our afflictions , or no. if the former ; that may , and ought to moderate the greif : if not ; there is cause of greater greif for after greater afflictions to come upon us , and them . a man may much encrease , or lessen a crosse by the course , which he suffers his mynde to run , in it ; seeing all crosses have some conveniencies joyned with them ; as all commodities have some discommodities . if a man set his thoughts a work upon the inconveniencies , and discommodityes alone , which are in it , he shall heap sorrow upon sorrow . but if , on the contrary , he draw into consideration such conveniencyes , as usually fall in with their contraryes ; he shall alwaies finde some matter of ease : and sometimes , that meat comes out of the eater , and that which at first seemed a crosse , is rayther a benefit . it is a most dangerous thing for any to deem his afflictions extraordinarie ; least by so doing , he prejudice himself against ordinary comforts ; which we should with readynes , and thankfulnes embrace ; and not look for angels from heaven to comfort us , or for manna from heaven to feed us . chap. xxxiiii . of injuries . an injurie ( say the lawyers ) is whatsoever is not done justly . in one , and the same act may be found both sin against god , and injurie against man. and therefore in cases of wrong done either by violence , or deceit , the offender , under the law , was bound both to make restitution to the wronged , and also to bring his trespas offering to the priest , to make an atonement for him before the lord. sometimes the sin is taken away , and the iniurie remayns ; as when the person which hath wronged another , truly repents ; but is not able to make satisfaction : sometimes , on the other side , the injurie is taken away , and the sin remayns ; viz. when the offender makes satisfaction by compulsion , or for shame ; but repents not before god : sometimes both are taken away , and sometimes neyther ; as both or neyther satisfaction to men , and repentance towards god is performed . between the injurying , and offending of a man there is this difference ; that we may injurie him that is altogether ignorant of it ; but can offend onely him that takes knowledg of some evil in truth , or appearance , done by us , whether with injury , or not . the more power any hath to do hurt , without worldly prejudice to himself therein , the more carefull had he need be , that he take not to himself any lawlesse liberty that way ; remembring alwayes that he hath also a master in heaven ; and that he who is higher then the highest regardeth : who also may with more right , and reason destroy him for ever , then he ( how great soever ) do the least hurt to the sillyest worm , that crawls upon the face of the earth . they who use injurious dealings themselvs hate them in others , and them that offer them ; as do they also who take knowledge of them . for whom men fear , they hate : now there is cause for all to fear him ( to his power ) that hurts any ; seeing in wronging one , he threatens all that he hath power to hurt . yet if we will look upon things a litle spiritually , such persons are more to be pittied , then eyther hated , or feared ; as being , ( though cruell to others , yet ) more to themselvs : hurting others in their bodies , and bodily states ; themselvs in their hearts , and consciences before the lord , which is far the greatest damage . and upon this ground it was , that the ancient father desyred scapula , that he would pitty himself , if he would not pittie the christians , whom he cruelly persequuted , seeing the most hurt came to himself thereby . when therefore we thus suffer any heynous injuries of any kinde by any , we must pray the lord both to deliver us out of their hands , and them out of the divels , whose instruments they are , in so doing . for any one man whosoever to offer injurie to any other whomsoever , is unnaturall , and inhumayn : but especially odious in these four sorts of persons : the first is magistrates , and men in authoritie , whom god hath therefore furnished therewith , that they might prevent , and redresse injuries by others ; and exequute wrath upon evill doers . which if they become themselvs , they transform the image of the lords power , and justice , which they susteyn , into the image of gods enemy , sathan , whom therein they resemble ; and become , after a sort , wickednesses in high places , as the divels are . the second are freinds , whose office it is by help , counsayl , riches , or otherwise , to succour their wronged freinds ; and if no other way , at least , by condoling with them , and comforting them . a man that hath freinds should shew himself friendly ( sayth the wise man ) and for such a one to shew himself enemie-like , is very greivous ; as we may see in iobs , and davids case . now , if it be here demanded , whether the injuries offered by freinds , or by others , be lesse tolerable ? answer must be made with distinction ; that some injuries are such , and so notorious , as cannot stand with a true freindly heart , but do plainly discover an evil , and enimious affection : and of these by false freinds david ( and worthily ) complayns , as more greivous then by strangers . some again , are such , as may scape him that truly loveth , through negligence , rashnes , or other infirmitie . such the heat of love should digest . and they , who , in this kinde will bear more at the hands of others , then of freinds , are unworthy of them . a third sort are men religious , whose professed pietie towards god promiseth honest dealing with men : as on the contrary , abraham looked for all injurious dealing in that place , where the fear of god was not . the fourth , and last are men themselvs oppressed by others , specially lying under the injuries of the times . when one poore man oppresseth another , it is like a sweeping rayn , which leaveth no food . yet is it found by certain experience , that it oft rayns from this coast ; and that the poore by oppressing one another , teach the rich to oppresse both : and this not onely in bodily things , but in spirituall also : none being found more injurious , and unmercifull , then are some ( out of the favours of the times themselvs ) to others , that are a litle more in their disgrace , then they . none of the heathens were so cruelly bent against the christians , as the iews , though themselvs but scattered amongst the heathens , to be tolerated by them . such should think of the brethren of ioseph , who being themselvs in danger to be violently oppressed , remembred , and bewayled the violence , and wrong , which they had formerly offered to their brother ioseph . there are two things causing inordinate stirring , and indignation at injuries offered : the one naturall ; the other morall . the naturall is the aboundance of hoat choler boyling in the veyns , by which the blood , and spirits are attenuated , and so apt to be inordinately stirred , and inflamed , upon apprehension of a wrong done . this cause may something be helped by naturall means , and medicines ; and the effect by true wisdom , and government , which represseth all inordinate motions in the minde . the morall cause is pride , and self-love : for men having themselvs in high estimation , make account ▪ that if they be a litle wronged , some great , and heynous offence is committed , and that at which there is just cause of high indignation . the injury to such seems great , because they seem great to themselvs : whereas to him that is litle , and lowly in his own eyes , injuryes and wrongs seem lesse : specially if he set this low price , and valuation upon himself , in conscience of his sins against god : as it was with david . what strange thing is it , if an earthen pot get a crack ? or if a silly worme be troden upon ? or that he , who is litle , be litle set by ? it is wisdom , in cases , not to seem to take knowledge of an injurie : as eyther , when it is small , and scarse worthy the myndeing ; and such the stately gravitie of some persons make many to be , which to others seem intollerable ; witnesse cato , who being asked pardon of him that had given him a bob on the mouth , answered , that there was no injurie done , and so no pardon needfull : or when the greatnes , ( and mallice withall ) of the injurious is such , as that to expostulate a wrong is to provoke to the doubling of it : to which purpose his answer fitted well , that sayd , he had grown old in a tyrants court , by thanking men , when he had received an injurie from them . sometimes , again , it is wisdom to let persons know , that we account our selvs yll used by them , and that cheifly , when our expostulation is like to prove their warning ; by working eyther fear , or shame in them . if the commendation given of caesar had not been by him , who was too good a courtjer , that he was wont to forget nothing but injuries ; he though a pagan , might therein have been a mirrour to all christians ; considering the mischeivousnes of our corrupt nature this way , which is apter to remember a wrong done , then any thing els , specially then a benefit ; because , as one sayth , we account thanks a burden , and revenge an ease . in regard whereof it was not without cause , that christ our lord in our directorie of prayer , which we must dayly use , reinforceth nothing but the condition of the fifth petition : as we forgive them that trespasse against us ; the petition being , forgive us our trespasses ; adding therein , that if we forgive not ▪ them that trespasse against us , neyther will our heavenly father forgive us . and this exhortation , sayth one , if we be not more hard , then iron , and steel , cannot but soften us , and make us appeasable , and ready to remit offences ; considering how many , and great our offences are against the lord ; for which he both so justly might , and so easily could take revengment upon us . and since vengeance is the lords , and that he will repay , we must beware we take it not further into our hands , then god gives it us : lest medling with edged-tools , in gods shop , we surely cut our selvs deep , howsoever they scape , against whom we use them . and , besides the conscience of offending god by revenge , in wish , word , or deed , we may take instances of inducement to forgivenes , from circumstances of all the persons that injurie us . if it be a meaner person then our selvs , that wrongs us ; let us forgive him , in pittie of his weaknes : if our superiour , let us pittie , and forgive our selvs : the former in charitie ; the latter in wisdom . is he a malicious , and unmerited enemy ? why should we marvayl , if he do his kynde ? have we hurt him before ? he but gives us our due , and why should we not take it at his hands ? is he a good man ? let us be ready to forgive him , whom god forgives . is he wicked ? alas , we may well forgive him , considering how fearfull vengeance ( if he repent not ) god will take on him for that , and other his sins . many who think it divelish ( as indeed it is ) to offer an injurie , think it but manly to requite it . but it is , ( sayth one , evill as well to requite , as to offer ; since god forbids both . and there is , sayth another , onely this difference between them ; that he who offers the injury , is before in mischief ; and he that requites it , comes after therein , as fast as he can . with which two joyn a third witnesse saying , that to render evil for evill , is to make two divels for one . not to be revenged for an injury done is not alwayes to forgive it . for this may be through want of power , or of courage , or in a kinde of haughtines of mynde , when a man esteems himself above the wrong done , or scorns to fyle his fingers with his adversarie . neyther yet is it sufficient ( though it be a great thing ) that we wish him no hurt who hath wronged us ; but we ought further also so to keep our hearts , that they rejoyce not at his fall , or slumbling , by any other means ; least the lord see , and it displease him , and he turn his wrath from him upon us . all the other wayes we may be accessory before ; this way , after the fact . notwithstanding , we may , & have cause to be glad , if the injurious , and oppressours be restreyned by some work of gods over-ruling providence ; that the fox being chayned up may no more worry the lambs : but this is not to rejoyce for his hurt ; but for his good . lastly , as god forgives injuries against him ( which all sins are ) if for the same he hate not the person so sinning , though he both be angry at him , and correct him ; and therein provide for the repayring of the honour of his majestie impeached by him : so may men forgive injuries done against them , in spirituall sense , and holy manner ; if therefore they hate not , nor wish hurt to the person , that hath wronged them ; though , in cases , they provide for his due correction , and also for the repayring of the damage susteyned by him in theyr body , goods , or good name , by lawfull means . chap. xxxv . of patience . it is our sinfull condition that makes us subject to crosses : our humayn , that makes us sensible of them : without which sense of them we were no more patient in bearing them , then the stone is patient , upon which the weight of the wall lyeth . but in the bearing of such evils as are brought upon us , or befall us , with equanimitie , and moderation , true patience is seen . the grace it self must be in us , even without crosses , and we by it in heart martyrs , without fire , or sword : but so can not the use of it be ; no more then there is use of a salve , where there is no soar . and thereupon the apostle sayth , that affliction worketh patience , that is , occasions the exercise , and increase of it . and hence it is , that men are most deceaved in the measure of this grace , and esteem their inches e●ns ; till by tryall of evils , they finde the contrarie . but patience tryed by afflictions , and found firm , and good , gives , above other graces , experimentall assurance of gods love . whereupon the apostle , in the place forenamed , gives it alone the honour of working experience : and no marvayl ; seeing by it god gives a poore , and feeble creature such experience of his powerfull grace , and goodnes , for the bearing , and bearing out of those crosses , and miseries , both inward , and outward ; which , without this staf of supportance , were intollerable . neyther is the work of gods goodnes lost in them , to whom he imparts this grace ; seeing by it , if by any other , they shew forth the vertues of god ; and honour him in so many of his attributes , in the exercising of it . as first , of his will both commanding , and approving it : as christ tels the church and angell at ephesus : i know thy works , and labour , and patience . secondly , of his justice , as acknowledging really , that all the afflictions , which they suffer , are lesse , without comparison , then their sins deserv . thirdly , of his power , and that both over them , with which they struggle not , but making a vertue of necessitie , quietly bear what he layes upon them : and also in them , in susteyning them , that they faynt not under their burden . fourthly of his wisdom , in effectuall acknowledgment , that he hath his good , & holy ends of his so dealing with them , though oft times not so particularly known to them . lastly , of his goodnes , in dealing with them in their chastisements , as with sons , for their profit , and that they might be partakers of his holynes : without which last , all the rest how honourable soever to god , are uncomfortable unto man. vpon this goodnes of god , we do in our afflictions specially exercise the two mayn graces of fayth , and hope . fayth , perswading our hearts , that god loves us as well in our greatest afflictions , as out of them , and will do us nothing but good by them , is as the foundation for this bulwork of patience . hope assureth us of happy issue out of them all ; which if we wanted , what would it avayl us though we had the strength of men , and angels to bear miseries ? some christians have sayd , that patience is a miserable remedy . but how much better said the heathen byas , that he onely is miserable that wants patience , for the bearing of his misfortunes . as indeed , he is in a miserable case ; considering unto how many calamities all mortall men are subject : against which they can neyther promise themselvs before hand , nor finde in time , other sufficient remedy , then this of patience ; which is a salv for all soars : and the same also so approved , that though it make not miseries cease to be miseries ; yet it keeps the person that hath it , and suffers them , from being miserable . yea , as deadly poysons may be , and are so mixed , and tempered , as they become , in cases , more wholesom , then meat ; so do calamities , deadly in themselvs , tempered with patience become better then their contrarie delights . sicknes with this is better then health without it ; and poverty so tempered , then riches otherwise : and so all the works of gods justice , unto which the faythfull are lyable , are better to them , then any work of his mercy to others . lastly , so absolutely necessarie is this grace , and the use of it , for all christians , as that the apostle tels the beleeving hebrews , and other beleevers in them , that they had need of patience , that having done the will of god , they might receav the promise : with which accords an others exhortation , that patience may have its perfit work in the saints , that they may be perfit , and intire , lacking nothing . a man would think in reason , that he who hath done the will of god , and been carefull in all things to keep a good conscience towards god , and men , should have nothing lacking , for the receaving of the promised reward . but the wisdom of god tels us , that we must first doe our duetie in all things ; and then afterwards , suffer evill with patience , before we receav the reward promised . in which our patient suffering for , or in the way of righteousnes , we please god more ( if it may be ) then in our former weldoing ; as christ our lord performed the greatest work of his obedience unto his father , and of our redemption therein , by his innocent , and patient suffering of death . of all manner of crosses none are so hard to bear by gods servants , without despayr , as those , wherein the lord seems , to theyr sense , and reason , to be their enemy , by reason of some strange , and unusuall working against them ; as we have iob for an example : nor any so hardly born by them , without inordinate stirring , and spurning again , as those , in which a man must be a meer patient , using , as they call it , that passive patience ; and may , or can say , or do nothing in defending himself , or offending an adversarie . a blow , or wound receaved in fight , or action , is scarse perceaved : but if a man must sit still , and suffer himself to be bobbed on the mouth ; or , as the prophet sayth , must give his back to the smyters , and his cheeks to them that pluck of the hayr , or must be coupt up alone in a dungeon , or prison , where none may come at him , this goes near him , and tryes his patience , and how he hath hearkened to the lord god , the holy one of israell , saying , in returning and rest shall ye be saved ; in quietnes , and in confidence shall be your strength . where mens injuries are joyned , and concur with gods providence in a crosse , there the flesh and fleshly passions take more libertie . i haue known some , who have atteyned to a good measure of patient bearing calamities and crosses by other ordinarie hand of gods providence ; and yet have been most impatient of any prejudice , or damage by mens injurious dealing . and this may seem not to want reason . to be stirred against god for a crosse , is divelish ; against unreasonable creatures , brutish ; but hath a shew of manlines , for a man to be stirred against a man that injuries him . but be the shew what it will , the truth of the ground , for the most part , is ; that pride causeth this swelling of the heart against him , who is deemed to injurie us , specially if we conceav it to be out of contempt ; whereof all men are impatient . against the pang of impatiencie this way , it is best we labour , not to overvalue our selvs ; nor easily to think that others dispise us ; and , as we have iob for a pattern of patience , so to follow his steps ; who , looking through the violence , and wrongs of men ( the sabeans , and chaldeans , ) beheld , by the eye of fayth , which sees a far of , gods providence , as the soul of the worlds body , and ruling all things in it ; and thence took instruction for quiet , and patient submission unto the lord : seeing , & saying in all the outragious practises against him by the divell , and wicked men ; that god who had given , had taken away . chap. xxxvi . of peace . the hebrews by comprehending under the name of peace , all both safety , & prosperitie , whether bodily , or spirituall , do shew therein how both pleasant , and profitable a thing peace is , for all persons , and societies . and though to strive , contend , yea and wage war also , be in cases , and at times , not onely lawfull , but also necessarie ; yet are they never so much as tolerable for themselvs , but onely for peace , as the launching of the wound is for the cureing of it . from peace with god through the forgivenes of sins by faith , and a good conscience , aryseth peace with a mans self ; with the angels ; with all men , after a sort , yea with all creatures in the world . such a one is in league with the stones of the field , and at peace with the beasts of the field , sayth eliphaz . yea his very enemies ( sayth the wise man ) are at peace with him . i add , that though he be burnt in the fire , drowned in the water , or otherwise killed ▪ yet that fire , water , and other instrument of his bodily destruction ; and therewith , all other creatures , are in a kinde of secret league with him , and do even in killing him bodily , work for his spirituall , and eternall good . and if they which are at peace with a king have his subjects at peace with them ; how much more shall gods servants , and people , have all the creatures in heaven , and earth at peace with them , for their true good , by the favour of him their absolute king , and lord. god to shew how peaceable man should be , hath denyed him such instruments of offence , and naturall weapons , as many other creatures are furnished withall ; of which some have horns , some hoofs , some paws , some tushes , some talents : but , alasse , how hath sin armed man with hatred , and mallice ; and they with weapons of violence , and destruction ? so as more men are destroyed by men , then by all other creatures . when the lord would shew himself to elijah , he did it not in the great , and strong winde , nor in the earthquake , nor in the fire ; but in the small still voyce , which came after them . and when he would have a temple built to dwell in , he would not have david build it , because his hands were full of bood , though of gods enemies : but salomon the king of peace . in the building of which there was neither hammer , nor ax , nor tool of yron heard in the house . as the spirit of a man doth not quicken any member of the body , but as it is united to it ; so neyther doth the spirit of god any member of the church , but being united in the bond of peace . god would have christians , if it be possible , and as much as in them lyeth , to have peace with all men . but in some cases , and specially , where this cannot be done without sin , on their part ; it lyeth not in them to have peace , but in the other , which would put upon them the necessitie of sinning . and in such a case , they must rayther want peace with men , which is a crosse ; then with god , which is a greater crosse , and a sin also . the apostle that bids follow peace with all men , adds in the same place , and holynes , without which no man shall see the lord. such may be the case , as a man may see god without peace with men ; because it may be their fault , and not his : so can he not possibly without holynes , of which no man fayls but by his own fault , and sin . the contention which makes us nearer god , is better then the peace that separates us from him . they are not most unpeaceable alwayes , who dissent most from others , whether in opinion , or practise : but they who eyther affect differences , or carry them turbulently , whether small , or great , when they fall in . a feirce horse may be so whistled , or yoaked , as he may draw in the same waggon quietly with others , eyther gentle , or head-strong ; so may a violent , and turbulent person go on in the same course quietly a long time , because it pleases him , or because he is strongly yoaked , though without all true love of , or earnest pursuit after peace . but the lord would have us not onely to be held in peace by others , and to hold peace with others , when we have it , and to imbrace it when it is offered ; but to pursue and follow after it , even when it seems to fly from us . many can cry aloud for peace , and against peace-breakers : and can speak very glorious things in commendation of so profitable , and pleasant a good , whereby to perswade others to it . but what is this peace , unto which not a few of those good oratours so earnestly , and eloquently perswade ? surely too often nothings els but eyther a cursed consent in evill , or servile subjection to their , or their masters wils , and lusts , without regard eyther of equitie , or reason . they would willingly have peace ; that is , they would do what they list , and have others do the same their lists also , how unreasonable soever . but this ( saith one ) is not to follow peace , but to command it . the divell himself would have such peace , and hath with his ; ( when the strong man armed keeps his house , all things that he hath are in peace ) and upon condition that he might rule in , and over them after his wicked will. but to follow after peace aright is clean an other , and the same an excellent thing ; requiring at the least these three particular vertues . first , a truely affectioned heart unto it , in conscience of god , and love to men , out of a due valuation of its excellencie ; as elisha loving , and reverencing his master eliah , would follow after him , and not leave him . the second is , to deal justly , and equally with all men , without wronging any . it is double injury to beat men causelesly till they cry , and then to beat them for crying . thus many breed strife by injury , and oppression ; and then cry out against it ; as athalyah cryed out of treason . there are two freinds ( sayth the father ) righteousnes and peace ; he that will have the one , must do the other . all would have peace ; but all will not do righteousnes . but he that puts the one away , and loves not the freind of peace ; peace loves not him , nor will come at him . a third thing , is forbearance of others , what may be , though in our own wrong . for considering how ready all sorts of men are to wrong one another , and withall how apt to think themselvs wronged , when they are not , yea often times , when they themselvs do the wrong : except we mingle with the former two , such moderation , and christian forbearance , as to bear , and tolerate for peace sake , persons , and things not intollerable , we follow strife in effect ; whatsoever we eyther pretend , or intend otherwise . it is ill when good men have not peace , and unity amongst themselvs ; and as yll , yea worse , when there is peace amongst wicked , and godles persons ; seeing thereby their strength in evill is encreased . it is better the work of god go on weakly , as it doth , when peace among the good is wanting ; then the divels work strongly , as it doth , in the conspiracie of wicked men . it is therefore a speciall work of gods good , and powerfull providence to cast a bone amongst such , and to set them one against another , that a fire may come out from abimelech , and devour the men of shechem : and from the men of shechem , and devour abimelech : by which god makes one of them the others exequutioner in his just judgment ; and therewith provides many times for the peace of his people , whose utter ruine otherwise , their accord in evill and violence against them , would endanger . chap. xxxvii . of societie , and freindship . god hath made man a sociable creature ; and hath not onely ordeyned severall societies , in which persons are to unite themselvs for theyr mutuall welfare ; but withall so dispensed his blessings , as that no man is so barren , but hath something wherewith to profit others : nor any so furnished , but that he stands need of others to supply his wants . the head cannot say to the foot , ( much lesse the foot to the head ) i have no need of thee . and the lesse need thou , by reason of thine aboundance of bodily , or spirituall endowments , hast of others ; the more neede they have of thee , and thy plentie . to which purpose tended his saying , who having many servants , some better , and some worse ; and being moved by one to disburden himself of such as were unprofitable , and to keep the rest , answered ; that he stood need of the better ; and the worse of him . the king himself is served by the feild ; and stands need of the husbandman ; and so doth he of many of far meaner condition . some wrong humayn societies by being too divine ; many more , and much more , by being too bestiall . by the former i understand such as in the profession of devotion towards god swallow up , & dissolv such naturall , & civill bonds , as wherein god hath tyed them unto men ; by chusing solitarie , and monasticall lives . all christians ought to have their conversation in heaven , and to use this world , as though they used it not : and herein such as are called to the holy ministerie ought to be ensamples to others , and to go before them ; but not to hide themselvs in holes from them , as melancholick monks do . so for others ; the lesser helps , and provocations of grace they can have from them with whom they are occasioned to converse ; they are to be the more frequent with god in the personall exercises of pietie : but so as they take heed that they wrong not father , and mother by their corban : nor make a speciall calling of the common works of all christians . others are grown more out of kinde , who take greater delight in the following , and fellowship of horses , and hauks , and dogs , then in mens companie . such have drunk deep of the cup of circes , by which she is said to have transformed men into beasts . that which was nabuchad-nezzars punishment , they make their cheif pleasure . as god hath established fellowships , and communities of men to procure their mutuall good ; and to fence them the better , on everie side , against evill ; so sin and wickednes being the greatest , and onely absolute evill ; christians are most bound by vertue of their association , to help , and assist , within the bounds of the callings in which god hath set them , their brethren , and associates against it : according to that of the phylosopher ; he that bears with the vices of his freind makes them his own . hence all israel was punished , and is sayd to have sinned , for not preventing , or reforming one achans transgression . the sin of another , how near soever unto me , cannot defile me , because he doth it : for then that which neyther goes into a man , nor comes out of him might defile him : but when eyther i doe something for the furthering of it , which i should not do ; or neglect something which i should perform in my place for the preventing , or reforming of it ; by these means i become accessorie eyther before , or after the fact ; and not otherwise . although it be to be desyred , and that , unto which we are bound , as humanitie , & our speciall places , and occasion will permit ; that we converse onely with such , as eyther may make us better , which is wisdom ; or which we are like to make better , which is charity : yet will a good , and wise man make good use of all companies . amongst the good he will learn to love goodnes the more : amongst the evill ( and most amongst the worst ) the more to hate evill . but yet notwithstanding , there is a difference . in evill company we see what to avoid ; which is good : but in good , what to follow ; which is better . besides , there is danger ( if of no worse thing ) lest the edg of our zeal against evill should be taken of , if we be occasioned continually to be grateing against it . the spirit of grace , and goodnes had need to be strong in him , that is not tyred with continuall struglings , and stryvings with the mallice of others . he that , at the first , with righteous lot vexeth his righteous soul dayly with the wicked deeds of them , with whom he liveth , yet will in time , be in danger , to be vexed dayly lesse , and lesse , with them , as things growing by custom , more familiar to him . also there is a second danger , lest living amongst fools , or wicked persons , we cōtent our selvs with the litle model of goodnes , or wisdom which we have ; because we are some body in comparison of them , ( as he that hath but half an eye , is a king amongst them that are blinde : ) whereas amongst the wise , and good , we have still matter of imitation , and provocation to aspire unto greater perfection in goodnes . i conclude with that of the father . if men good , and bad be joyned together in speciall bond of societie , they eyther quickly part , or usually become alike . friendship eyther takes , or makes men alike . much acquayntance shews eyther great imployment in the world , which puts men necessarily upon the acquayntance of many : or great ability , and endowments , which draw the acquaintance of many to a man , for their benefit : or an ambitious heart , which seeks to be known and acknowledged by many : or an idle head , that hath litle els to do , but to occupy it self , in seeking , or getting freinds . as many , who , if they walked alone , would , by reason of their richer apparrell , be thought men of better estate , then they are : and others meaner then they are , by reason of their russet coats : who yet both are discerned of what condition , and rank they be , by their companions and consorts : so the vertuous , or vitious dispositions of men are much discovered by the company , which they affect , and with which they sort with most gladnes , and content : for like will to like , whether good , or evill . there is a difference between love , goodwill , and freindship . we may love other things besides men : bear good-will to the persons that know us not : but we have freindship onely with men ; and that with mutuall consent , arising from mutuall love , and goodwill , for our mutual good . now though divers other contracts be more streyt in severall relations ; yet is there in this of freindship a kinde of inwardnes , arising from conformitie of judgment , and affections ( the conjunction of the minde being the nearest kindred ) by which persons are more streitly tyed together , then any other way . there is a freind ( sayth salomon ) that sticketh closer then a brother : and moses passing from brother to child , and from childe to wife , placeth her as near , as the mans bosom ; but a freind nearer , as reckning him as his own soul. such a freind ionathan was ; whose love to david passed the love of women . him whom we are to take so near unto us , so constantly to keep , and so freely to communicate withall , we must not lightly make choyse of ; nor as the manner of many is , by meeting together at a feast ; or playing a game at bowls , or tables ; or lodging in one inn : but eyther after long experience , and having , as the proverb is , eaten a bushell of salt together : or upon some singular , and extraordinary motive , or tryall . and as christ committed not himself to the iews , because he knew their hearts ; so neyther are we easily to commit our selvs to men , because we know not their hearts . we are wisely to judg before , but freely to credit after , the knot of freindship tyed : yet so as we try the wisdō , secrecy , & faithfulnes of our freinds in smaller matters , before we trust them in greater ; as men use to try , whether their vessels will hould water , or no , before they put wyne into them . and albeit that christian love , which is the bond of perfection , and first fruits of the spirit , be due to all christians from all ; yet are not all fit freinds for all , of that fellowship . david notwithstanding the many worthyes in his kingdom , had specially husha● the kings freind : and so had our lord , whilst he lived upon earth , specially iohn , among all the twelv , the disciple whom he loved . this speciall affection to one above the rest in christ , was holy , yet humayn . many complayn of the perfidiousnes of freinds , & how vilely they have been used by them whom they have trusted : and not without cause ; it being as vile , as common , to deccav him , whom we could not have deceaved , if he had not trusted us : but if all things be rightly weighed , the most have most cause to complain of themselvs , for makeing no better choyse . he is but right served , in all mens judgments , that hath his broath running out , which he puts into a riven dish . and first , god is love ; and no marvayl then , if there be no firmnes in that love , which is not founded in god , and goodnes . as , on the other side , if a man be deceaved by such a freind as he trusts upon the shew of pietie and goodnes , which he makes ; he hath comfort with god , unto whom he had respect in trusting him . men that trust others upon the testimonie , and commendation of any , and are deceaved by them , use to complayn to them , for whose cause they trusted them : he that looks , in his league of freindship , to the appearance of godlynes , and vertue , which the other makes , takes his friend , after a sort , upon gods word , and testimony ; and if he happen to be deceaved by him , may complayn , and moan himself to god ; as david complayned of achitophell the traytour , with whom he had taken sweet counsayl , and walked into the house of god , as a freind . but on the contrarie , he that leagues himself with a vayn , and godles person , especially with respect and liking to any vanity , or leaud quality in him ; if he be deceaved by him afterwards , ( as like enough he will be ) may go to the divell to complayn ; upon whose word , in effect , he took him . some do discover their pryde , and ambition by affecting acquaintance , and societie with their superiours ; thereby eyther to become , or to seem greater then they are . so do others not a litle , if not more , bewray their pride , by affected sorting with much meaner persons then themselvs ; that they may have honour , and respect from them , and domineer amongst them : which in truth , though under an appearance of humilitie , shews the prouder minde . it was swelling pride in caesar , that he rayther desired to be the first in the least village of italie , then the second in rome it self . he that will throughly reform , and correct his faults , had need eyther of singular circumspection , and jealousy over himself , and his wayes , for the finding out of his own faylings : or of faythfull freinds who will seriously admonish him ; in which dutie christian freindship is specially differenced from all other : or els of bitter enemyes , who will not spare , nor fayl to cast his faults in his teeth ; that so he may make a medicine of their mallice , as physitions make triacle of venemous serpents . and as iason had his impostume opened , and so healed by his enemies sword , in the wars , which his freinds the physitions could not cure ; so we receav sometimes , that good by our enemyes reproaches , which our freinds eyther cannot , or will not affoard us , by their loving , and faythfull advertisements . a wise man makes better use of his enemies , then a fool of his freinds . to him that knows the use of true freindship , no earthly thing is more delightfull , then the sweet societie of wise , and honest freinds , whether for recreation after studie , or labour ; or communication in a prosperous state ; or comfort in an afflicted . he that so esteems not this benefit , is unworthy of it . yet , for my self , though i have ever thus valued truly loving freinds ; notwithstanding , considering unto how many dangers , and calamities mine afflicted state hath been exposed , i have counted it a benefit , that i have not had many such , as were in danger to take excessive sorrow for my miserie that hath , or could befall me . some freinds , in this respect , have a very ill , and unfreindly fashion . if any good come to them , they conceal it from their freinds : if any hurt , they hasten to fill their ears with that , to the utmost . such are more perversly chyldish , then children . for as they will streight complayn to their mothers , of any hurt that befals them : so , on the other side , if any good come to them , though it be but an apple , or nut ; they will as readily run , and acquaynt them with it also . such persons are commonly lovers of themselvs , envious , and unthankfull . we , on the contrarie , should rayther hasten , and desire to manifest to our freinds matter of gladnes , when good befals us ; then of sorrow , in our crosses : and shew therein both our love towards them , in procuring their rejoycing with us ; and also our wisdom , and strength of fayth , and patience , in the silent swallowing of our sorrows , without greiving our freinds more then needs must . so we read of the woman , that had lost her peice ; she lighted the candle , swept the house , and sought it diligently ; and all this she did alone : but when she had found it , then she called in her freinds , and neighbours to rejoyce with her . it is best mourning alone ; and best rejoycing with companie . some freinds are rayther to be used , then trusted : namely such as are more able , then entire , or free-hearted : some agayn are rayther to be trusted , then used , saue in case of necessitie , and then also sparingly : and those are such , as whos 's truly loving affections exceed their abilitie . and in these considerations , the proverb oft times fitteth : rich mens purses , and poore mens hearts . wealth maketh many freinds , and povertie tryeth them ; as the winde shews which clouds have rayn in them , and which not . and so , though the rich have the more freinds ; yet the poores better appear to be faythfull , in giving testimony that they love their freinds for god , and the persons themselvs : which to know is not a small priveledg , that poore men have above others ; who can hardly discern , whether their persons , or riches be loved . a freind ( sayth the wise man ) loveth at all times : and a brother is born for adversity . he sayth not , a freind is born for prosperitie ; though it be one end of freindship , that we might have with whom to communicate , and rejoyce in a prosperous state of things ; but for adversity ; this being the more principall end ( specially in our sinfull , and sorrowfull state ) for which god hath linked men together in all societies : which the wiser sort of the heathen have seen by the dim light of nature , and that it apperteyns specially to the office of a true freind to ease his freinds greif by speach , to affoard him counsayl in doubtfull cases , to drive away sadnes by his chearfulnes , and to refresh him with his very presence . and for such persons in societies , as , in effect , make account , that they are onely for other mens prosperitie , and not for their afflicted state ; and that others are for their help , and benefit ; and they for their own : these are the verie moths , and caterpillers of family , church , and common wealth : and so far from deserving the fellowship of men , as they are scarse worthy of the flocks , and heards of beasts : of which divers are helpfull to their fellow , as they are able , and the other need . as none can sin against the holy ghost , and irremissibly , but they , whom god hath receaved into some degree of fellowship with him , at least , in the knowledg of the truth : so there is no so great enmitie amongst any others , as amongst them ; who of freinds become enemies . a brother offended is harder to be wonn , then a strong citty : and such contentions are like the bars of a castle . a twyne thread , if it be broken , is more easily knit together , then a cable . and the hard adamant , if it hap to be beaten in peices with the hammer , flyes into such small dust , as is scarse discernable . and no marvayl , if , where men look for love , and kindenes , they finde , in truth , or supposition , the contrary , & that which agrees not with a freindly affection ; that there they conceave most indignation , and greatest matter of alienation . it is therefore requisite , that a freind shew himself freindly , for the preserving inviolated that bond of amitie with his freind : and avoyd all make-bates , persons or things . and of this sort , not onely greater unkyndenesses use to be , but even smaller also , if they be frequent : as men consume their states , many times , by small ( if dayly ) losses , and mispendings . and if it so come to passe , that our freinds become , or appear so ill , as that in their freindship there is more hurt , or danger , then in their hatred ; it is yet better we untwyne , then break the coard of former freindship : save where some extraordinarie unworthines suddeynly breaks out , and which urgeth present renunciation . lastly , when we are necessarily pressed eyther to the one , or other ; let us rayther do it with sorrow , then anger : and withall , have in us a disposition to reassume our old course of kindenesse , if there appear cause afterwards : as the storks , when the winter is over , do affect their former nests . chap. xxxviii . of credit , and good name . credit , and good name with men so follows vertue , and good deserts ( like the shadow the body ) as it remayns notwithstanding gods good gift , sundry wayes . first , in bestowing upon men vertue , and goodnes to deserv it : for which also the gifts of god are to be the more welcom . secondly , in guiding them to manifest , and improve their endowments to the advantage of their good name ; not as stage-players , but as good stewards of the gift of god that way . thirdly , by moving the hearts of other men to have them in due respect , and estimation : to which purpose it is sayd of ioseph , and others ( though of most singular desert in regard of men ) that god gave them favour in their eyes . many rayther desire a great name , then a good : and therefore rayther enterprise great , then good matters . some matters greatly great ; as they in the east , who to get them a name , would build a tower , whose top should reach heaven . such also was the levell of the huge , and high pyramides built by the egiptian kings . some , things greatly strange though mean , as parmeno in his artificiall imitation of the gruntling of a sow . some , greatly dangerous ; as those funambuli , who rayther will venture their necks , then want a name . some again , things , if no otherwise , yet greatly odious ; as herostratus , in burning the temple of diana , in ephesus , with wilde fire . and so pilate is famous for crucifying christ ; and iudas for betraying him : so is ieroboam known by this brand , he that made israel to sin . but a great name so got , and left to posteritie , is like to the great stinck of a lamp , or candle , when it is gone out : whereas the memoriall of the righteous is blessed ; and like the smell of the costly oyntment of spykenard , wherewith mary annoynted our lords feet : the sweet sent whereof filled the whole house . and this good name of the godly , and vertuous , living amongst good men upon earth , when they are dead , is a kinde of pledge of their souls living for ever with god in heaven . this none neglect , but they , who mean to do nothing to deserv it : nor despise , but with endangering their own hardning in evill , both against the fear of god , and shame of the world . this good name is rayther to be chosen then great riches , sayth he , who could well discern what was best . which shews , both that he , who impayrs anothers credit by slaunder is worse then a theif , and steals a more pretious thing ; as also that he , who seeks , and gets it to himself undeservedly , is as well to answer to god for his undeserved credit with men , as is a theif for his stoln goods . this credit , and good name we may desire , as a good pleasing naturall thing , and for our more comfortable living amongst men : and so david prayed sundry times in one psalm , that god would turn away reproach from him , which he so feared . but this good name , and note with men , we are specially to desire to honour god withall , and to further , and prefer goodnes with others : as otherwise , so chiefly , by the good regard , and respect , wherein they have us , to advantage the example , and other provocations of vertue , and godlynes proceeding from us , for more ready imitation by , and better acceptance with them . and them , who thus labour to honour god with the honour , and respect , which he vouch safes them from others , he will surely honour with men ( so far as is meet ) and with himself for ever . whereas the vaynglorious , and ambitious , that eyther seek honour above their desert , or onely thereby to advance themselvs , and theirs , above other men ; they lift up themselvs against god , and climbe higher , then that the bow will bear them : and god , first or last , will throw them down into perdition . and whereas god would have us seek good name , & fame by well doing ; if any seek it by evill , ( as in evill times , and companyes too many do , as austin confesseth of himself , that in the dayes of his vanitie , he oft did evill , not onely in lust of the thing , but for prayse by it , amongst his consorts ; and sometimes also slaundered himself with the evils , which he had not done , lest seeming more chast he should be more contemptible then the rest ) such do no better then set the divell in gods place , and glory in their shame , whose end , without repentance , is damnation . for god will keep his place in heaven ; and from him shall men at length , and for ever , receave prayse for wel-doing ; and not from the divell for evill . neyther yet is credit alwayes gotten with men , by following it , no more then a mans shadow is : but he that seeks to honour god in his mayn intention , god will cause some strinkling of his own prayse to reach unto him ; and covering his sins from his divine eyes , will so farr , as is meet , cover them from the eyes of men also ; and therewith , as it were , commend his vertues to their acceptation : specially , if withall , such a man joyn with his zealous heart towards god , good thoughts , and speeches of other men , & good doings unto them . god will provide , that others shall mete the like measure to him again , in thinking , and speaking well of him . as the whitenes of the ethiopians teeth is the more remarqueable by reason of the blacknes of his whole body : so are the few vertuous doings of some persons the more noted ; and they the more famous for the same ; by reason of their contrarie course in evill . things eyther rare in themselvs , or not expected from such or such persons , are most observed : so are the commendable actions , in them , whose ordinarie course in evill gives men litle cause to look for better . and by this means it comes to passe , that divers ( specially great men , who have many trumpetters of their few vertues , and scarse any that dare so much as see their vices ) get often times a greater name of just , mercifull , and pious , for some one , or a few works of those kyndes ( like the ethiopians teeth ; ) though in a course of injustice , and impietie ; then many others do by the constant practise of those , and other vertues . seeing honour , and respect is in the hand of the honouring , and not of the honoured ; we are for the right valuation of mens credits in the world , to have speciall regard to the persons that honour others ; whether by praysing them , or otherwise . for fools will prayse men lightly , and at a venture : flatterers , having linguas venales , for their own advantage : vayn and leaud persons , such as are like themselvs ; in praysing of whom , they prayse themselvs by reflexion : but to be praysed by them , who themselvs are prayse-worthy , is both a reward of vertue , and a blessing of god. but above all things , we must remember , that whatsoever eyther we think , or speak of our selvs , or others of us ; onely he , whom the lord commendeth , is approved : without , or against whom , he that would be commended of men , shall not be defended of men , when god judgeth him ; nor delivered by men , when god condemneth him . and what doth it advantage him , that runns a race , that the standers by approve of his running ; if the agonothetes , or iudges of the course disalow him ? and what will it avayl any , if all men , and angels should extoll him never so highly , and even clap their hands at him , in admiration of his excellencie ; if god the judg of all , and by whose sentence he is eternally happie , or miserable , should condemn him , and cast him of , as unworthy ? let our mayn care then be , that wee may alwayes be accepted of god : and for acceptance with men , let us not neglect it ; for that were desperatenes ; nor yet set our mynds too much upon it : lest to procure , or keep it , we loose favour in a better place . let us rayther fear , with the apostle , lest any think of us above that which indeed there is cause : and if we be approved , or happen to be praysed by any ; let us with the godly father ( considering both our wants , and other things amisse ) take thereby occasion of blushing in our selvs : and , with another , of begging at gods hands , that he would make us answerable to the good , that any think , or speak of us . chap. xxxix . of contempt , and contumelie . contumelie hath a sting ; as the saying is : and is hard to be born eyther by wise or good men , how mean otherwise soever . even the worm being troden upon will turn again : neyther can any esteem eyther so highly of another , or so meanly of himself , as to think he deservs to be contemned by him . and therefore ionathan , though both wise , godly , and humble-mynded , being reviled by king saul his father , scarse kept himself within the bounds of due respect eyther to a father , or king . many , sayth one , can better endure paynfull stripes , then contumelious words . and hence it is , that povertie is more greivous unto many then other ordinarie crosses , because it brings with it more contempt in the eyes of others . now , although the fear of god in a person , should , in all equitie , procure him honour , and respect from all : yet as the phylosopher advised , in his time , wouldst thou take up the study of wisdom , prepare thy self to become a laughing stock to many , &c. so in ours , and all ages , must gods most faythfull servants much more arm themselvs against contemptuous , and contumelious caryages by many ; if against any other temptation : following therein the holy apostle , who approved himself to god in honour , and dishonour : yea the son himself , the author , and finisher of our fayth , who for the joy set before him , not onely indured the crosse , but also despised the shame . and this the more carefully we must do , because the divel will never fayl to stir up his cruell instruments to ply the servants of god , with the most sharp , and byteing rods of contempt , and vilitie , in the middest of theyr other most greivous afflictions ; as is to be seen in christ our lord , and david his type : that they finding themselvs despised in those their calamities , which should move compassion towards them , in all mens eyes , might even be broken in their hearts , and so , through de●payr , fall from their stedfastnes ; as many do , not being sufficiently rooted in gods promises by faith , whereby to bear this sore-pressing temptation . many buy at a dear rate the use of a few contemptuous speaches , and that not onely at the hands of superiours , and equals ; but oft times , of meaner persons , then themselvs : with whom they loose more love , and respect by one contumelious passion , then they can recover by many freindly actions . yea men ( so impatient are all of contempt ) are better satisfied and contented with a respective denyall of a benefit , then with a contumelious graunt of it ; yea , i add further , with a playn injurie of some kinde , then with a favour so sauced : because in some injuries persons are thought worthy to be mynded , though not for good towards them : in the other case , worthy to be despised , even by them from whom they receav good . he that despiseth the poore , eyther such in estate , or naturally impotent in minde , or in body ; despiseth god that made him so : at which he is alwayes as truely displeased in a measure , as he was at the children , upon whom he sent a shee-bear to teare them in pieces , for mocking at the prophets bald-head , though he do not so visibly manifest his anger . he that despiseth a man for the grace of god appearing in him ( which is too frequent in ours , and all evil dayes ) despiseth , and almost despyteth the verie spirit of god , which made him so . but he that despiseth a wicked , and vile person , in liew of his vilenes , despises the divell , and sin , that made him so . and albeit the followers of christ should not come near a proud , or disdaynfull spirit : yet ought they to get , and mainteyn in themselvs a kinde of spirituall highnes of minde , by which , vileny , and a vile person for it , may be contemptible in their eyes : and vices , as said one , not onely odious , but ridiculous . some have gotten the foxes cunning , in scorning the grapes for their sowernes , which for their height he could not reach to ; affecting the contempt of that good which they want , and cannot obteyn ; that so they may seem to want it upon judgment , as a thing not worthie the having ; and not of impotencie . so some contemn learning , others policy , others other things , as unworthie their having ; which they indeed are unworthy to have , and unable to attain to . others partially say , with salomons buyer , that things are nought , when they would have them easily , & for nought : thus lot sayd of zoar , which he would have god spare for his cause , is it not a litle one ? lastly , there are , who , in a cruell craft , use to vilifie , and debase , what they can , such persons , and things , as they either have oppressed unjustly , or mean to oppresse . thus saul purposing to oppresse david , still terms him , in contempt , the sonn of ishai : so did the ephramites term the gileadites , for like purpose , fugitives of ephraim amongst the ephramites , and amongst the manassites : the iews and others christ a samaritan , and gal●lean : and wicked men now the faithfull servants of christ , lutherans , hugonites , calvinists , and by other more contemptible names , that so they may make themselvs , and others the better beleev , that it matters not , what is done to , or becomes of so vile , and unworthie persons . but men are men , though they be sowed in bears skins , that dogs might worrie them : and the contempt cast upon the lords servants , by those carnall and craftie enemies , neyther makes the oppressed by them lesse precious in gods sight , nor their oppressions lesse odious . men , on the contrarie , when they have in hand any thing hard , or greivous to an other , should bethink themselvs of what is good , and commendable in the person ; that thereby they may breed in their hearts due respect of him , and not wrong him : if the grace of god , though in never so great weaknes ; that we wrong not it . if the image of his authoritie , wisdom , or other honourable attribute ; that we wrong not it : if nothing els , yet that he is a man , and so deservs all humayn respect to be given unto him , as the apostle bids , honour all men . men say , familiaritie breeds contempt ; whereupon many fearing to be contemned by others , dispose themselvs to contemn others by a supercilious , and overly behaviour . but as there is a mean in familiaritie , as in all other things ; so they most fear contempt by it , who have least worth in them , to free themselvs therefrom : and therefore in jealousie , and consciousnes of their own wants , take up a theatricall , and affected strangenes , and statelynes , specially towards their inferiours , and equals . such are like the asse in the lions skin : but by braying when they should roar , are discovered , and become more ridiculous , then if they had alwayes shewed their asses ears . considering how greivous a thing , and hard to be born contempt is ; it is wisdom in a man , not easily to think himself despised by others ; and that even for his own peace . but if an injurie be offered , rayther , if it may be , to impute it to unadvisednes , or negligence , or almost to any other originall , in the offerer , then to contempt . besides , an aptnes to conceave a contempt shews a minde uncharitable , discontented , and usually proud withall , as looking too much for respect . lastly , he that judgeth himself despised by another , ( specially being troubled at it ) honoureth him therein : since it cannot be , but that he desires to be respected of him , with whose contemptuous cariage towards him he is troubled . chap. xl. of envie . envie is a greif conceived at the good of another ; specially by him that wants it himself : whereof the highest degree is , so to envy it to him , as we desire it our selvs . it is a verie shamefull affection , and which no man will own , how many so ever use it . some will confesse , and professe , upon occasion , that they hate , or fear , or scorn others : but none that they envie anie . and no marvayl ; for though many deserv to be hated , feared , and despised ; yet none to be envyed . good , and wise men are to be honoured in , and for all the good things that god hath given them : foolish , and corrupt to be pittied in their greatest jollitie , considering what their end shall be . and though there be cause to greiv , in a sort , at the prosperitie , and power of unworthy persons : yet this is not because those things ( good in themselvs ) are good to them ; but because they abuse them to their own , and others hurt . it is like a fire ascending upwards , still ayming at that which is above it : for though superiours oftens grudg at the good of inferiours , yet raither this is indignation then envie . or rayther it is like smoak , not onely in the former respect ; but also for that , as smoak is greatest at first , and before the fire burn clear , but after the flame bursts out , vanisheth away : so is envy greatest in the first rising of any in vertue , or honour , or other eminent good ; but by continuance of time , and vertue in the envied is tyred out , and gives over . he that envyeth maketh another mans vertue his vice , as bernard confesseth of himself : and an other mans happines his torment : whereas , he that rejoyceth at the prosperitie of another , ( even thereby , if no other way ) is partaker of the same . yet were this vice the more tolerable , if , besides men , our selvs , and others ; we in it did not so directly wrong the lord ; and that ( which is worst ) even in his goodnes , which it not onely perverts , as other vices do , but abolishes , as much as it can . it is ( and worthily ) accounted in some , horrible impiety , to complayn of god , that he made the world no better : but what is it then to quarrell with him for making it so good ? as in truth , an envious person doth : saying unto god , in effect , why hast thou bestowed this vertue , this knowledg , this honour , these riches , or the like good upon this man , or woman ? so the first labourers in the vyneyard sayd of the last , to him which hyred them ; why givest thou so much unto them ? how injurious soever notwithstanding this cancker worm is both to god , and men ; yet is it in this point most just ; that it punisheth and tormenteth , with no small torment , him in whom it beareth swey ; consuming his heart , as rust doth the yron , whereon it groweth ; and rotting his verie bones , whiles he liveth . the good gifts of god , as riches , honour , wit , learning , &c. in any eminencie often endanger their owners by puffing them up with pride in themselvs : and if they have the grace , and modestie to use them aright ; yet are they dangerous to others , becoming oftens fewell to kindle their fire of envy withall . and so it fell out between ioseph , and his brethren ; david , and king saul ; and many mo : verifying that of the wise man : everie perfection of work is the envy of a man from his neighbour . by means whereof it also hurts its owner , many tymes , by a kinde of unnaturall rebound , as it were , from the envious ; and that so violent , as none , but god in heaven , can stand against it . not adam in paradise agaynst the divels envy ; nor david against sauls ; nor christ against the pharisees . and in this regard , a mediocritie in any good is the more thankfully to be accepted from god ; considering unto what danger this way , all eminencie exposeth a man. the highest trees are soonest , and soarest shaken with tempests . the best remedy for preventing envy by others is to carry a low sayl in the most prosperous gayl that can blow : and to ascribe the good a man hath rayther to any other cause , then to himself , or his own wit , industry , or worth any way . therein he least disparageth others that want it , and so frees himself best from their envy at him . chap. xli . of slaunder . he is a slaunderer , who wrongs his neighbours credit , eyther by unjust raysing , or upholding an evill report against him . of which two , viz. the raysing , or receaving a false report , ( seeing that if there were no receavers , there would be no theevs ) one of good skill in discerning doubteth whether is more damnable . we must then get amongst others , this mark of him that shall sojourn in the lords tabernacle , and dwell in his holy mountayn , that we neyther rayse , nor take , or hold up a reproach against our neighbour . though the north winde be not alwayes to be wished , because it driveth away rain : yet is an angry countenance to drive away a backbyting tongue . as a man may be wounded in his body with the sword taken out of his own hand● so may he in his credit , by the injurious relation of the very thing , which his hand hath done , or tongue spoken . and the same also sometimes being good in it self ; and eyther wrested to some other sense then he intended ; as were the words of christ by false witnesses : or craftily made an opportunitie whereupon to build some false , but colourable insinuation of evill ; as was davids being at nob with the high priest , by doeg : sometimes also being evill ; as when men without just , and necessarie occasion blaze abroad the faults of others ; eyther in idlenes , for want of other talk ; or of hatred , by way of revenge ; or in flatterie , to please other men ; or in envy , as grudging at their good name . and it may wel be thought , that persons oftner calumniate others of love to themselvs , then of hatred to them : thinking therein to build their own credit , upon the ruines of other mens : which is , as if one , to make his own garment seem the fayrer , should cast mire upon his neighbours . some slaunders are such as confute themselvs in the eyes of all reasonable men , as eyther being so great , or so senselesse , as are incredible : or when the known qualitie of the person accused , fastens a slaunder upon the accusation : as did platoes with diogenes , when he heard one accuse him of evill . some also there are , which turn to the advantage of the slaundereds credit afterwards , namely such , as a litle time will plainly manifest to have been false , and feyned . for then they , who before have wronged them , through credulitie , will hold themselvs their debters for amends afterwards ; which also it may come to passe they may make them , by not beleeving some ill ( though just ) report of them , in after time . slaunderers of any others may rightlyest be called divelish , seeing the divell hath his name of slaundering . he sometimes slaunders god to men ; as to eve , of envie , in the beginning : sometimes men to god , as iob of hypocrisie : and continually man to man , by his venemous instruments thus anotamized in their parts , by the apostle . their throat is an open sepulcher ; with their tongue they have used deceipt ; the poyson of asps is under their lips ; whose mouth is full of cursing , and bitternes . and truely it may be , he should not much misse the mark , that affirmed , slaunders , and false reports to have raysed as great , and many quarrels amongst equals ; conspiracies from inferiours ; and from superiours violent oppressions ; as all injuries in truth offered , or other provocations whatsoever . men commonly with one stroak wound , or kill but one : whereas a slaunderous blow reacheth to many . he wounds himself with his own slaunderous tongue ; his mouth making his flesh to sin : he wounds him in the ear , to whom he slaundereth ; specially if credulous , as the most are , in receaving false reports : and as for him , whom he slaundereth , he wounds him in his good name ( though him onely by suffering evill , the former two as workers of it ) and withall , oftens makes way by so doing for further wrong to be offered him , eyther by himself , or others . thus maximinus the tyrant set awork certain vile persons to accuse the christians of heynous evils , that so he might persequute them with more shew of reason : like as men , when they would have their dogs killed , give out , that they are mad . david never complayns of the sharpnes of the swords of the philistims , or other enemyes ; but of the sharp swords of the tongue of slaunderers , he oft , and piteously complains , in the book of the psalms , as peirceing deeper then the former . and yet for fence against those sharp swords god hath put into the hands of his innocent servants two bucklars : the one inward , viz. a conscience , upon due knowledg , and examination , excusing before god ; and this is of proof : the other , such a conversation before men , as may ward our credit and good name from being wounded in the eyes of such as know us , and are equally mynded ; and such , as are not apt eyther greedily to devour , or lightly to admit slaunders , and vituperies raysed against us . yet , if the divell could by the serpents slaunders impeach the credit of god himself with our first parents , in their state of innocencie ; no marvayl , if his serpentlike instruments can prevayl with sinfull men , & women this way , even against gods faithfull servants . we must therefore prevent slaunders what we can ; bear what we cannot avoyd ; and alwayes be mindefull , by earnest prayer , as well to commend our good name to god , that he may take charge of it , as our persons and estates . better never accused , then quit , though after the clearest , and most honourable manner , that may be : seeing after a bold slaunder something ever will stick behinde : by which the ignorant of the truth will be abused , and adversaries take advantage to upbrayd . but how great soever matter of greif or shame unjust slaunder causeth ; yet he that is reproached for well doing , hath the spirit of glory resting upon him , and being innocent , may say , that the evill is not against him , but against another , whom the slaunderer takes him to be . the advised consideration partly of the cause , and partly of the end , which the lord will make , aboundantly sweetens all the sowrnes of the reproaches , which he suffers : and such a one may know himself to have atteyned to the highest pitch of christianitie , and conformitie with christ , when for wel-doing he is ill dealt with . it is kingly , sayth one , say we , christian like , to do well , and to be ill spoken of . yet is it not enough , that when we are slaundred , we be from under the desert of it directly : but we must withall consider , whether we have not drawn it upon our selvs deservedly , in regard of god by slaundering others , & that so god payes us home in our kinde : or by some other scandalous sin , which the lord will punish in us by slaunderous tongues ; as he did david by shemei : or whether we have not given vehement occasion of mens suspecting us ; and so accusing our selvs as one sayth , of suspicion ; what marvayl , if others think , and speak evill of us ? chap. xlii . of flatterie . the reproof by diogenes is not more known , then just , upon flatterers ; that as tyrants are the worst of all wild beasts , so are they of all tame . and yet there is ( and the same verie common ) a worse beast , then eyther of them severally ; to wit , a monster-gendred of them both . men flatter their superiours , or others able to oppose them ; to the intent they may tyrannize over their inferiours the more freely , without danger , or fear : and so become both flatterers , and tyrants . a man needs no other flatterer then his own partiall heart to infatuate him . notwithstanding , though few would rayther buy a false , then a true glasse to see their faces in : yet how fewer are there so truely ha●eing their own vices , as that they had not rayther seek , or at least , enterteyn such freinds , as may rayther cover their faults by flatterie , then cure them by faythfull reproofs ? and this benefit men of a poore , and despised condition may set against divers miseryes incident thereunto : that they are thereby out of danger of being much flattered . every one will be bould to call a poore man fool , or knave , and to speak of , and to him , all the ill which he knows , & more also . whereas the rich , and mightie in the world are , for the most part , soothed up , to their destruction ; as the fat ox is clawed by the same hand that strikes him down . and this is just from god upon the most of them , because they desire rayther to be pleased by flatteries , then bettered by hearing the truth . few coming near davids order , will say as he did , let the righteous smite me , it shall be a kindenes : let him reprove me , it shall be a pretious oyl . where yet the excuse is not nothing , which the phylosopher makes ; that as worms soonest breed in soft and sweet woods : so gentle and noble spirits do most easily admit ▪ flatteryes . he that reads the epistles dedicatorie of learned me●s books in all faculties , divinitie not excepted ; if eyther he knew not the contrarie , by experience , or suspected not , how easily ambition ( the canker of learning , and mother of flatterie ) might grow in learned mens breasts : would soon be brought to think , that almost all the great men in the world were so good , so vertuous , so religious , such , & so wise , and worthy patriots , as nothing more could be wished , or hoped for . but how oft , god and men know , whilst they labour to honour many of them unjustly , do they most justly shame themselvs , in proclayming those things of their benefactours to the world , with all confidence , which a modest man that knows the persons , cannot read without blushing ? and giving men just cause to suspect ( as lactantius speaks of a philosopher in bithynia , writing against christians , and pouring out himself into the prayses of persequuting princes ) that oft times they write their books rayther to flatter in their prefaces , then for other matters prosequ●ted in the treatises themselvs . flatterie is in all cases , and persons a base sin , and which will make one man ( dog-like ) to fawn upon another , for a morsell of bread : but in the ministers of gods holy word , above all other men , it is most pernitious . for whereas in other cases a man makes himself a claw-back ; in this he makes god himself , in whose name he speaks , no better , what in him lyes : besides that , he turns into deadly poyson the onely sovereign medcine of the soul. this made the apostle take god to witnesse , that he never used flattering words : and to protest against others , that they in doing it , served not the lord iesus , but their own bellyes . such are not to be accounted the servants of christ , whom they make their stayl ; nor yet of their flattered lords , and maysters , how lowd soever they professe themselvs their obedient servants : but they have a base mayster , whom they serve , and are ashamed to own ; their belly , and the divell in it . it is not for nothing that the prophets , and apostles have so thundered against the flatterers of the mightie ; who both look so much for it , as that they think themselvs half maligned , and envyed , if they be but sparingly flattered ; and yet are so deeply endangered by it . here notwithstanding , we must beware , that to avoyd the note of flatterers we become not raylers , affecting to speak evill of dignities , eyther in pride , ( as many scorn to flatter , that is , love to revile ▪ or out of discontentment in our selvs , or to nourish it in others . chap. xliii . of suspicion . svspicion ( as it is commonly taken ) is , as it were , a looking under an hidden thing , with an inclination to judg it evill , and amisse . it sets the person suspected in a kinde of middle state , ( but something bended the worse way ) and neyther quit , because he is suspected : nor condemned , because he is but suspected . he that should deal by all persons , and things , as caesar did by his wife , whom he put away , because she was suspected of uncleannes , though solemnly cleared in judgment ; should leav himself neyther friend , nor wit , nor honestie neyther : for all these , and whatsoever els he hath that good is , are subject to unjust suspicion , by others . suspicion indeed , how unjust so ever is a blemish , and so may justly occasion refusall , where there is free libertie ; but not rejection in way of punishment , this is to right a former wrong by a second greater . some suspect all men , and some none : both are in fault ; the former in the more sinfull fault ; the latter in the more honest , but more dangerous to themselvs . and yet even for that ; there want not , who by causlesse suspicion teach their servants , friends , yea wives , and children also , to deceav them . for many respecting more their credit with men , then a good conscience before god , by being suspected ( though causlesly ) grow desperate : yea think themselvs half priviledged to deceav them that suspect them ; seeing that by so doing , they but become that , which they are deemed to be before . it is best therefore , first not to suspect without good cause : next , not to bewray our suspicion , except we have great hope to over-aw thereby the suspected person . there are many unreasonably ( though not altogether unoccasioned ) transported from the one of the extreams formerly mentioned to the other : who being at first credulous , and light of beleif , and thereby oft deceaved ; at length come to trust none ; but would burn , as they say , their shirt , if they thought it knew their secrets : & therefore set it down for a rule , to have al men in jealousie . such overwise men are like the fool , that because the sive deceaved him , and let his drink run out , would not trust his dish with it afterwards . howsoever things fall out , it is best to keep our byasse alwayes on the right side : and to encline still to a better , rayther then to a worse opinion of men ▪ then they deserv . for though it be best of all , to judg of others just as they are : yet seeing , that is alwayes hard , and sometimes impossible ; we shall lesse offend god in judging of men too well ( though sometimes to our own damage ) then too ill , with certain injurie to them , and sin in our selvs , in the violation of the law of charitie , which is not suspicious . the generall cause of suspicion is the want of this true love , whose propertie is to beleev all things , and to hope all things , which with reason , can be beleeved , or hoped for : and so men are in danger to presume of , and promise to themselvs more good of their wives , and children , and friends , whom they entirely love , then there is cause ; rayther then otherwise . notwithstanding , a very inordinate , and doating affection also breeds causlesse jealousie . another generall cause of suspicion is the knowledge and consciousnes which persons have of their own inability , and weaknes any way . of beasts , and birds , hares and doves , and such impotent , and unarmed creatures ; and of men & women ; the childish ; weak , silly , and decrepit are most given to suspicion , as being most subject to be circumvented , or oppressed . so it hath been observed , how the scythians , and other barbarous nations have laboured to supply their defects of wisdom for prevention of hurt from enemyes , by excesse of suspicion . it is true , that this disease sometimes befals very wise men : but this aryseth from an other , and worse cause , to wit , an evill conscience . men muse , as they use : and suspect others by themselvs : as is common with all leaud persons . he that is good himself , doth not easily suspect an other to be evill : nor the evill , that an other is good . besides , an evill conscience accusing men , and women , that they in truth deserv not love , nor respect , nor credit , easily perswades them , that they are not loved , nor respected , nor credited by others . lastly , it is oftens a punishment from god , that as a man in debt , suspects that every bush which he sees , is a sargeant to arrest him ; so they which are without true grace , and assurance of the pardon of their sinns from him , should be suspicious , that every one would deceav , or hurt them otherwise . it was gods curse upon cain , when he had killed his brother abel , to suspect , and fear , that every one that he mett with , would kill him . notwithstanding all these things ; sometimes god sends a spirit of jealousie upon interessed persons , for the discoverie of evils in others formerly hidden ; which out of probable suspicion come to be searched into , and by searching are found out . and alwaies we must strive for that discretion , and wisdom , as not to take our marks amisse , by censuring any rashly , as eli did hannah for druncken , because her lips went , and her voice was not heard : nor yet to be so fondly charitable , as not to see the spots of mens leprosie breaking out in their foreheads . we are not onely by innocencie to prevent just blame ; but withall , by christian care , and wisdom , to provide that we hurt not our good name by coming under colourable suspicion of evill . we provide things honest before god by preserving innocency : but before men , by giving no probable cause of their suspecting us . and so doing , if yet god by his providence , so order , that we come under it ; we must bear it patiently , as a burden layd upon us by him ; eyther to prove us ; as it was not the least tryall upon iob , to be suspected by his freinds , and others , of hypocrisy : or , it may be , to warn us to take heed of some sin , of which we are in danger , though not guiltie : it may be , for our present peace , and safety , as it happened to david , by being suspected of the lords of the phylistims ; or , it may be , for their just punishment , by whom we are unjustly suspected ; as in the same davids case , in being suspected by king saul of affecting the kingdom ; to his own great harm in wanting him , and the worthyes with him in the battle with the philistims . cap. xliiii . of appearances . it is the royall prerogative of gods infinite wisdom to judg of persons , & things , as , in truth , they are . it is mens , yea angels unperfit condition , in comparison , ( under which god hath humbled them ) to judg of the one , and other , according to outward appearances ; leaving to him alone and the persons themselvs , the hidden things of the hea●● . to appear evill to a righteous judgment , is alwaies evill , whether the person be evill , or good . if evill , his evill appearance is but his inward evil manifested to be , as it is ; and his inside turned outward : if good ; he slaunders himself in appearing evill . he that makes an ill shew , we may well account evil , and corrupt , ordinarily ; seeing all ( save in the case of some speciall temptation ) desire to seem , as good , as they are , & to put the fayrest side outward . he that is once well known to me for good , and vertuous i will alwayes esteem so , except i come to take certeyn knowledg of his after-declyning to evill . so , on the contrarie , if i have once rightly and certeynly branded a man for evil , i shall not easily come to think good of him , except his after-repentance as playnly appear to me . the reason is , because bare time makes none of evill good ; or of good evill : but onely confirms men in that which they are , whether the one , or other . although it be not simply a sufficient warrant for our answerable judgment of , or caryage towards persons , or things , that they appear good or evill unto us ; because we often err in our judgments about them , through ignorance , negligence , or partialitie : yet is it a certeyn rule , that we must never proceed , eyther in judgment , or practise against appearances : for in so doing ▪ we condemn our selvs in the thing , which we approve ; if it appear good , and yet we condemn it : so do we also in the thing which we condemn ; by holding any course of approbation towards that , which seems evill unto us . notwithstanding , such is the force of outward appearances , as that , in cases , they bynde us in conscience , both for judgment , and practise , to that which indeed is not true , nor due ; but wherein we are altogether deceaved . as when we receav a matter for truth ( which yet indeed is not so ) upon the clear testimonie of two , or three witnesses worthy of credit , so far as we can discern : or when we esteem an hypocrite ( cunningly dissembling ) for good and godly , as did phillip simon magus . it is a fortunate sin to suspect him , without apparent cause , that dissembles : and an infortunate vertue to be deceaved in him . the appearance of evill ( by the apostles prescript ) is to be absteyned from . which yet we must not understand absolutely of whatsoever seems evill unto others : for then we should absteyn from all , or the most good ; whereof there is litle , but some , or other misdeem it . but the meaning is properly , that , in prophesying ( of which the apostle speaks ) as we are to hold that which is good , and proved so to be ; so if any thing be delivered , of which we have a sinister suspicion , as fearing that some poyson cleaveth to it , though not plainly so discerned by us , we with-hold our assent , till by fayth we can receav it . and in the generall , that , if a thing appear amisse , and evill unto others , especially unto weaker brethren , though it be not such of it self , yet we forbear it ; except eyther conscience of duety simply binde us unto it ; or that some greater conveniency appear in doing it , then is the inconveniency of , or to others , in misconceaving of us , and our doings . if it be a good thing to appear good , how much more to be so indeed ? it is also the readiest way , and most compendious for any to appear , and be thought wise , vertuous , or godly ; to be , in truth , such . for god will both ( so far , as it stands with his glory , and the persons good ) give occasion of manifestation of that good which is ; and also provide , that others may accordingly take knowledg of it . and though many things be secret in the mean while ; yet , when the lord shall come , he will both bring to light the hidden things of darknes , and make manifest the counsels of the hearts , and then shall everie one have prayse of god. the lord bestoweth his graces upon men not onely for their own good , but for the good of others also : and that , as otherwise , so for the manifesting , and shewing forth the vertues of him , who hath called them out of darknes , into his marveylous light . who must therefore provide carefully , both to be , as they appear , for their own comfort ; and to appear , as they are , to the glory of god , and good of men . yet so as their first , and greatest care herein be , that their appearances be not above their existences ; and that they make shew of no more then they have . as in the outward estate , it is the high way to povertie , or worse , for a mans expences to exceed his receipts ; & his layings out his comings in : so in the spirituall course , to overstreyn in outward manifestations is a way tending to all impudent , and desperate hypocrisie , under a form of godlynes , without the power thereof . and for other gifts , as knowledg , wisdom , learning , eloquence , or the like ; he that in the manifestation of them will streyn above his reach , may easily crack his credit , and make himself ridiculous to others ; like the stage-player , who with too much wypeing of his borrowed beard puls it from his face , and so bewrayes his bare chin . and though a forth-putting man play his part so well ( as many do ) that he not onely satisfy , but draw into admiration his simple spectators , who cannot discern between shadow , and body ; yet shall he hardly , or not at all , escape the censure of vayn-glorious , and arrogant , by more judicious men . we are oftens angry , and offended at others , for wronging us , by conceaving a worse opinion of us , then we deserv : whereas , in right , we should be angry at our selvs , for giving them occasion so to judg , by our ill , and suspicious appearances . for , albeit thereby , he , whose heart , and way is upright in gods sight , loose not his comfort with him , who sees the heart : yet by his misappearances made in word , or deed , he may justly forfeyt his credit with men ; to whom it apperteyns to judg of the tree by the fruit , or leavs , or any other outward mark , or note , rayther then by the sap . cunning naughtines hath oftens more credit in the world , then unadvised honestie . chap. xlv . of offences . it must needs be ( considering mans frailty , sathans mallice , and gods providence ) that offences come , sayth christ our lord : but w● be to the person by whom they come . wo be to him , first , that gives offence ; next , to him that takes it , where he should not : as the same our lord teacheth els where , saying , blessed is he , whosoever shall not be offended in me : that is , who takes not occasion of stumbling , to hinder himself in the way of godlynes , eyther at my person , or doctrine , or works , or followers ; or at the persequutions , and contradictions raysed against me , and myne , by myne , and their adversaries . and considering how many such like stumbling stones are in the narrow way of christ , which leads unto life ; he is a happy man indeed , that hath eyther power to remove them , or wisdom to decline from them , or nimblenes of grace to leap over them . offence may be given , where none is taken ; as in such evill actions , as whereby others may or might be , but are not provoked to evill ; and so peter was an offence , or scandall to christ : or offence may be taken , where none is given ; and so christ , and the gospell were a stone of stumbling , and rock of offence to both the houses of israel ; and so are many good , and lawfull things , yea necessarie also , to many now . offence also may both be given , and taken in the same action : and that eyther in things simply evill ; as when one provokes , and an other is provoked to evill , by false doctrine , corrupt counsayl , ill example , or the like : or in things of indifferent nature , but unseasonably used , to the effectuall hindrance of others , in the way of godlynes . in such cases , as i last mentioned , offence is given through want of charitie ; and taken through want , or weaknes of fayth in the particular . god would have us walk in fayth towards him , and love towards men : that so doing we may neyther offend god , nor men . but these two , which the lord hath joyned together , sathan would not onely disjoyn in many , but so oppose , as eyther may oppresse , or destroy other . hence some are so strong in fayth , and zealous for faythfulnes towards god , as they are lifted up above charitie towards men ; not considering how they ought to receav the weak , and bear , and forbear them , yea apply unto them in many things , and drive according to their pace , as fearing to offend one of those litle ones . and though we may do nothing simply evill to please men ; ( for that were to prefer them before god ) nor betray the truth to gratifie them ; ( so better scandall arise , then truth forsaken ) yet are we not onely to do , or leav undone things of indifferent nature , wherein we have libertie , for the preventing of offence , and so to depart from our own right : but withall , both to do divers things , which out of the case of offence were sin , as paul circumcised timothy ; and for a time also to forbear both the publishing , and practising of some truth , to the which in time we do ow testimony both wayes . others , on the contrarie , are so full of charitie towards men , and fear of offending them , as that for , and sometimes under pretence thereof , they will both adventure to do many things , which god plainly enough forbids ; and neglect the practise of other things commanded them , and all christs disciples , in his gospell . many pretend the weaknes of others , where , in truth , they shew their own weaknes ; others , that they would do such and such things , ( to which indeed both conscience of god , and duty to men bindes them ) but for offence . and what is this offence many times ? surely oftens nothing els but the waspishnes of some peevish and imperious persons caryed against others with hatred , or contempt , or envy , or divers of those passions . but this is not to respect the weak in fayth , but the strong in passion . to be offended at good things in men ( which is the propertie of an evill minde ) is to be offended at god in men : to be offended at things indifferent , is to be offended , as it were , at men in men : but to be offended at evill in men in due manner , and measure , is to be offended at the divell in men . in this last case no man should think much at due opposition , and reproof , seeing it is not properly against him , but against sathan in him . readines to take offence , and exception at , and against other men in their faylings , shews eyther weaknes of understanding in the offended , when they discern not eyther of mens temptations , under which they lye ; or what they may and ought to bear in their brethren : or it shews pride which makes men eyther out of envy apt to bark at others upon every small occasion ; or to despise them in their wants and weaknesses , through over-valuation of their own excellencie ; whereas , on the contrarie ; they should support them , that they sinck not under the burden of their infirmities : or els it comes from hypocrisy , out of which many seek to cover both from other mens eyes , & from their own also , their proper beam-like corruptions by quarreling at the moats in their brothers eye . i never knew any more forward to take offence ; then such as were most apt to give it : nor any more hardly brought to bear with saylings at the hands of others ; then such as stood in greatest need to have both god , and men to bear with no small things amisse in themselves . oh hypocrite , first cast out the beam out of thine own ey : and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers ey . none should plead his own offence against a thing , but his reason ; nor say , this should not be done , because it offends me : but it offends me , because it should not be done , being contrary to the word of god. to say to another , do not this because it offends god , shews love to god : and , do not this , because it offends others , love to men : but to say , do it not , because it offends me ( without rendring further reason against it ) is from playn self-love ; and is an absurd , and insolent request , and motion . all should take care not to offend one another : but none should look much not to be offended by others : for that is to nourish weaknes in himself , and to provide trouble , and disquietnes for himself before hand . chap. xlvi . of temptations . god tempts a man , and sathan tempts him , and one man tempts another . gods temptations are as he is ; good , and for good : and no other thing , but so many tryals of the fayth , patience , love , wisdom , and obedience of his creatures : not that he might know them ( for he understands the thoughts a far of ) but that they might have use , & make manifestation of the grace of the heart in outward acts , that others might know them , and they themselves : or that ( by accident , as they speak ) the contrarie vices of unbeleif , impatiencie , and the like might be discovered where they lye hid , which is good also . it is good , on gods part , and for his church , that mens naughtines , where it is , should in its time , be discovered . where also we gather it to be our saviours meaning to teach his disciples , and us all in them , to pray against temptations , as they are provocations unto sin ; but not , as they are moderate tryals of fayth : and therewith , that our heavenly father would so sweeten the bitternes of them with the sprinklings of the sence of his love in christ , as that they may not be excessive , or intollerable . sathans temptations , on the contrarie , are as he is ; evill , and for evill , and sin : eyther outwardly by fitting of objects , or stirring up of instruments , or provyding of furtherances of evill of all sorts : or in regard of the heart and soul , by suggestion of evill thereto , together with the so disposing , and stirring up of the humours of the body , as that they may be ready instruments for the myndes inordinate passions . and albeit he cannot compell eyther the understanding to assent , or the will to consent , or the affections to liking ; and so not the body to the acting of evill : yet being a spirit , he is undoubtedly able to unite himself in his suggestions with our spirits , after an unknown manner ; and the same also verie perswasive , specially with such , as upon whom he is by the lord in anger let loose , for the punishment of former sins by latter . so we read that sathan filled the heart of annanias : entred into the heart of iudas : works in the children of disobedience : and blyndes the minde of the unbeleevers . notwithstanding all which his both power and mallice ; seing he can doe nothing to hurt , but by the permission of god , and power which he hath from him ; and that justly given , though , on his part , unjustly used ; we are still to remember the good counsayl by one given us , which is , never to fear the power of the divell more then the offence of god. this were to fear the exequutioner more then the judg . though a man cannot be drawn away , but by his own concupiscence ; yet may he be tempted otherwise : and be compelled to suffer temptations , which is humayn ; and divelish onely , to be overcome of them , by assent , consent , or liking : and where none of these three is ; there is the divels sin , and but mans crosse , as one sayth , in the temptation . if the thought of evill arising in the heart be such , as unto which not so much as our affections do encline ; but that , on the contrarie , we wholly abhor from it , in the very first rising ; we may gather it to be rayther by suggestion from sathan , then of our own concupiscence . and as it is not in our power to avoyd the outward presentations of evill , by wicked men , to our eye , or ear ; but we are compelled oftens to see , and hear their unlawfull works , and words , as did lot the sodomites : so neyther seemeth it to be in our power to avoyd the bare thoughts of evill , ( which are not alwayes evill thoughts ) by sathans suggestions : but that he being a spirit , and spirituall wickednes , can present them to our spirits more effectually , then can any man object , and offer outward , and corporeall provocations to our outward , and bodily senses . as christ our lord , after the glorious testimonie given of him by his father from heaven , and by the holy ghost sitting upon him in the form of a dove , and by ihon the baptist both in word , and deed ; was immediately led into the wildernes , by the spirit , to be tempted of the divell : so must christians make account , after the speciall testimonies of gods love receaved , of some singular combat of temptation , for their tryall ; wherein , if they overcome , the love of god is thereby , as it were , sealed up unto their hearts . holy men therefore prospering in vertue must exult , and count it all joy , when they fall into divers temptations , and are exercised in them by the divine providence , for the tryall of their fayth : and therewith of gods gratious power , which is perfited in their weaknes , this way . there are none of gods servants , but in the case of temptation have reaped the fruit of his singular providence towards them : sometimes in preventing such temptations , as if they had come upon them in their full strength , would have been most like , if not clean to have overthrown them , yet to have caused their greivous fall ; by which , they have , through gods providence sitting at the stern , glyded , as a ship by the side of a rock : sometimes in guyding them even in the verie midst of temptations compassing them about , like so many sands : and sometimes by helping and haleing them off , even when they have stuck fast , and been ready to sinck in them . many have been the bodily dangers known , and not known , which , by gods good providence , we have escaped : but how many more those that are spirituall ; in which we had been utterly swallowed up , a thousand times , if his gratious hand from heaven had not releived us ? now , besides those common to all , everie person hath his speciall temptations , arising eyther from his temper of body , or sex , or age , or education , or custome , or state , or calling , or company , or other occasion , against which he must watch most carefully , as men use to watch in the gates of a c●ity beseiged , and in such other places , as in which the enemy is likest to make his assault : in which , if we quit our selvs as men , and stand fast , we shall have our part in his comforts , who sayd , i was upright with him , and i kept my self from mine iniquitie . some have thought it a wise christian course in the confession of our secret sius , resydeing in the heart , unto god , not to use the outward voyce , for fear of acquainting sathan with them thereby , and so of advantageing him to tempt us , by applying himself to that , wherein he seeth us likest to sin . as it is certain that he knows not our hearts at all , as god doth , by immediate insight , but gathers them by the motions , and manifestations of the body : so considering that he himself is the originall of all evill , mediately , or immediately ; it is like , he is , for the most part , acquainted with his own work in men . and so it is good wisdom in us to prefer the best manner of acknowledging our sins to god , for the advantaging of our repentance , before the fear of discovering our corruption to the divell . christ our lord teaching us to pray , that god would not lead us into temptation , but deliver us from the evill one , would warn us not to lead our selvs into temptations , nor to deliver our souls into sathans hands : which yet we do by affecting familiaritie with wicked men , which are as it were his brokers ; by omitting duties of religion publiquely , or privately , or doing them unfruitfully ; by neglecting our speciall callings , and doing nothing , and thereby giveing him opportunitie to tempt us to do evill ; and lastly , by opening too wide the windows of our outward senses towards allureing objects . by these means we not onely tempt god to leav us ; but the divell , after a sort , to tempt us . we have a promise , that if we resist him , he will fly from us : but that is , when he assalts us ; and not when we challenge him , as it were , with his own weapons , wherewith he hath foyled so many . he that thus puts himself within the reach of his paws , shall hardly scape being torn in peices by him . let us commit our selvs unto gods safe keep-in all our wayes : but not come in sathans way , lest we advantage his mallice , and put our selvs out of gods protection . as the saylers skill is seen in carrying his ship through a storm : so is the strength of fayth in vanquishing dangerous temptations . yet must we not measure the state of a man too much by that which befals him in some , or other such dangerous tryall . there are few so evill but have at times , their temptations ( that i may so speak ) to some particular good , by which they are caryed lesse or more that way : and few or none so good , but , on the contrarie , have temptations to evill , in which , at times ; something humayn befals them . now to judg of mens persons according to some such few particulars , contrary to their generall course , were partiallitie . the wicked fall not into evill , but lye groveling in evill : the godly fall sometimes by occasion ; but god is faythfull , who with the temptation maketh a way for his to escape , by their renuall of repentance , and victorie of fayth . and though in those their wrestlings they get a wrench , and limp afterwards , as iacob did ; yet they have power , and prevayl , and go on , as he did , in their way . cap. xlvii . of conscience . everie mans conscience is , as it were , a second god within him , both to judg of his actions within , and without him , and also of his person , and personall state , and whether in ▪ it he be accepted of god , or not . and surely , a great good work of god it is , that he hath created , and set such an overseer as this conscience is , in the soul of man , by which , if he doe any thing amisse , he is checked in secret , that so by repentance he may finde mercy at gods hands . and how good is it , sayth one , that this worm should be felt , whilst it may be killed ; and gnaw for a time , that it may be choaked for ever ? as , on the contrary , if a man do the thing which good is , the conscience gives testimonie of gods acceptance , and therewith boldnes before him : making him chearfull even in the sorrows of the world , quiet in its turmoyl , and happy in all extremitie of torments , and withall satisfying him with the testimony from within himself , against mens unjust accusations . this conscience makes a man eyther a conquerer over the whole world , or a craven ; and ready , specially in danger , and being wakened , to thrust his head in a hole . but now the comforts are not greater in having this good conscience , then are the dangers in mistaking it . many do craftily pretend it without cause , merely for their credits before men , whose hearts condemn them before god : and whom god who is greater , will condemn much more . many more are securely presumptuous ; and being ready to beleev that , which they wish true , are bold upon their good conscience so deemed ; not because they know , and try themselvs , and their wayes before the lord , by his word , as they ought ; but because they know not , nor will know , and examine them . and this is the vulgar conscience of ignorant persons , that are free from those grosser sins , which the light of nature condemns : and of some others also not without understanding , being of bold spirits , and stout hearts , and which will not easily be in fault , eyther before the world , or god himself . there are besides these , whose consciences are benummed ; and seared with an h●at iron ; who by practising at first , and continuing after in sins against their naturall conscience , have obteyned from the lord this miserable priveledg , and seal of their condemnation , that their mindes should be voyd of understanding , and hearts of sense , and feeling even of heynous sins , in time . better ( sayd the godly martyr ) sit in the stocks of this world , then of an ill , or accusing conscience : and yet better a conscience accusing , if not desperately ; then benummed , and without feeling . the dead flesh must be eaten out of the wound , and sorenes come before soundnes : so must a benummed conscience become accusing , before it can become excusing aright . the larger conscience the better , if rightly informed . to know that to be lawfull for me , which indeed is lawfull , is the perfection of understanding , and strength of fayth : as , on the other side , to be ignorant of it , is to be weak both in knowledg , and fayth . but we must here put a difference between the conscience it self , and the use of it : for the largest use of conscience is not alwayes best , though the judgment be . some things are so commaunded , as they absolutely bynde conscience , as to love god and our neighbour , &c. some things again are so commanded in the generall , as for example , the obedience of the magistrate , keeping peace with all men , and the like , as yet they have this particular exception . if we can without sinning on our parts : for we must not do evill that we may do good . but yet in these cases we are to be as large , as we can , and to go as far , as possibly we can see it lawfull , in conscience of the commandement of god. other things are in their kinde indifferent , and such as we perform for our profit , pleasure , credit , or other worldly commoditie . in these we are to use lesse liberrie of conscience , and to take heed that we give not the divell advantage , by some blast of temptation , or other , to blow us into the ditch , if we go to near the side of it . and in observing this difference , we have a conscionable use of our conscience . it is a great question , whether an erroneous conscience be to be followed , or no : and as ill resolved by many affirmatively , after much dispute . not to follow it is evill , and to do , or leav undone that wherein the man so doing , or not doing , condemns himself ; and therein hath god also condemning him : to follow it , is for the blinde to follow the blinde ( the blinde person his blinde conscience ) into the ditch ; and to have god condemning him in his word , though he justifie himself . besides then the violation of the conscience , which is alwayes evill , and a by-path on the left hand ; and the following it in evill , as a by-path on the right ( which is sometimes worse , then the former , as in sins against the light of nature ; ) there is a third , and midle way , safe and good ; and that is , the informing of the conscience better by gods word , and following it accordingly ; unto which also every person is bound , for the duties of his generall , and speciall calling . it is the first dutie of a man to inform his conscience aright ; and then to follow the direction which it gives . a good conscience is as the ship , in which fayth sayleth to heaven : and which they that put away , make shipwrack of fayth . we must therefore first get a good conscience by the sprinkling of the heart with the blood of christ from the guilt of sin ; and with his spirit from the filth thereof : and having got it , must keep the same with all care , and tendernes , specially by eschewing presumptuous sins , in which is much transgression ; and by which the conscience is wasted , and consumed , as iron by the rust . we offend too much , alasse , through ignorance , and infirmitie : let us not ad to provoke the lord by sinns against conscience : in which we sin against a double voyce of god , first speaking in his law , and secondly , in our own hearts . where this is , no marvayl though the voyce of fayth , and witnes of gods spirit cease : and that the conscience so violated excuse not , but accuse . chap. xlviii . of prayer . no christian exercise hath so many counterfeyts as , prayer : which whilst all would seem to practise , few in truth , & experimentally know . we may say prayers , & sing prayers , and read prayers , and hear prayers , and yet not pray indeed . yea , we may out of a kinde of naturall instinct , by reason of the indissolible relation between the creature , and creatour , be caryed towards god , so far as to appeal unto him , or heartily wish good from him ( wherein , as one sayth , the soul gives testimonie to god ; ) and yet be far from praying aright ; that is , from making known our requests to god , according to his will , with fayth in his love , and the feeling of our own wants , in our hearts . and the reason why this true prayer is not every mans work , is , because god must first work it in mens hearts , by powring upon them the spirit of grace , and supplication , thereby to teach them both what to pray , as they ought , for matter ; and how , for manner : and without the hand-leading of which spirit we dare not in truth approach unto god , but do , by reason of the guilt of sin , flye from his presence , as adam did , how nigh unto him soever we seem to draw . where , with the apostle , i speak of making our requests known to god , my meaning is not , that we pray to the intent to inform god , but our selvs , both what our wants are , which we desire supply of ; and from whom also we expect it : nor yet to move god to doe that which before he purposed not , as one man is moved by the importunity of another ; but to move our selvs , and make our own hearts beleev the performance of that which god before both purposed , and promised : for therefore david found in his heart to pray unto god to establish his house , because god had revealed unto him , that he would build his house . and if we look for this honour at our childrens hands , that they should ask of us such things , as they want , and as we purpose to bestow upon them : how much more is it agreeable to our duty , and gods right , that we by prayer begg at his hands all good things both purposed , and promised by him afore hand . by this all things are sanctified to our use , which are sanctified in themselvs by the word of god : by it we have spirituall right to our dayly bread , in what aboundance , and by what naturall , or civill right soever we possesse it before : by it we obteyn many good things of all sorts , at gods hands , unto which we could atteyn by no art , or industry , or other help : as the favorites of kings get more by begging , then any other can do by any other facultie . besides , as by conversing with men , we do by litle , and litle , learn their manners , and have bred between them , and us a certain mutuall affection : so by our conversing with god in prayer , we learn the manners of heaven , and feel encrease both of love in us to god , and of god to us . lastly , by prayer we obteyn with the good things prayed for , the confirmation of our fayth in gods goodnes towards us , whereof he giveth us testimonie in hearing , and granting our requests , put up unto his majestie . and in this respect , a good thing receaved by prayer hath a double good in it . god is to be invocated not onely with the heart , and with the tongue , but , as one speaks , with the hand also ; as asa and the men of iudah prayed to god , and fought with their enemies . and for us to ask any thing at the hands of the lord , which withall we do not offer our selvs ready instruments to effect , and bring to passe ; is to tempt gods power , and to abuse his goodnes . to pray for that which we desire not , is to mock with his majestie , as austin confesseth of himself , that in his youth he begged of god chastitie , and continencie , but was affrayd , lest he should be heard too soon of him . all things live by heat : and the life of prayer stands in the heat of earnest , and fervent desire . and how should we make account , that god should hear us , if we hear not our selvs ? or look that god should be mindefull of us , if we our selvs mynde not , with intention of thought , and desire what we ask of him ? i , sayth the father , prayed , when i was litle , with no litle affection , that i might not be beaten in the school . but how many grown men pray but with litle , ( if any ) affection , that they may not be beaten in hell ? our prayers must be earnest , as well for small things , as great ; temporall , as eternall ; but with difference of degrees of earnestnes , according to the degrees of goodnes , or necessity of the things prayed for . but as for fayth , our very degree should be the same , whatsoever the thing be , which we pray for , according to gods will : seeing the truth of his promise , upon which our fayth resteth , is the same in all things small , and great , and alwayes infallible . we ought as wel , and as much to beleev a small thing , as a great , if god have promised it , and as he hath promised , because his truth , and power are as great in performing all things , though with different degrees of his love . he hath not absolutely promised temporall good things in the particulars , and so sometimes denyes them in love to his children , as seeing them unfitting for them : and sometimes again he grants the desires of his enemies in wrath , and indignation ; as he did of the rebellious israelites desiring quayls . besides , if the lord should not sometimes grant unto his that ask them , the good things of this life , even plenteously , men would think they belonged not to him : if he should grant them to all , and alwayes , it would be thought , that for them , and them alone , he were to be served ; and so in serving him men should not be godly , but covetous . but above all things , we must take heed we ask nothing evill of god : for that were to transform , and turn him , what in us lyes , into sathan himself . whosoever , sayth one , will bring his enterprizes to good effect , must begin with prayer to god , and end with praysing of him . and he that begins not his work in that manner , specially being of any difficultie , or weight , is in danger , if it succeed , rayther to end in his own prayses , then in gods : and if it succeed not , he may thank his own prophanenes in passing by god. and as we are to pray upon all occasions , so specially in the time of trouble ; as children are alwayes running to their fathers , but cheifly , when they get hurt , or fear danger . then even hypocrites are forced to god ; and this partly out of a naturall desire of releif ; and partly by a naturall perswasion of the power , and goodnes of the creatour , by which he is able , and willing to help his distressed creature : and so ionahs maryners in the extremitie of the storm , went every one to his god. but as god is a sanctuarie to flye unto for his faithfull servants , in the time of need , whither he leads them by his holy spirit given them : so is it not fayth , but impudency , for hypocrites , and such as in their quiet , & prosperous estate , have not hearkned to god , speaking to them in his word , and works , to presse upon him in their affliction , for help , and succour , without true , and unfeyned repentance , and sorrow , as well , yea more , for sin , then punishment , accompanying it . and though they call upon him , he will not answer : though they seek him early , they shall not finde him . and if he that stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poore , shall crye himself , and not be heard , how much more he that stops his ears against the lord calling and crying unto him in his word ? the prayers of such are abhominable , and sin : and how miserable must his state needs be , unto whom that becomes sin , by which the godly obteyn remedy against sin , and all other miseryes ? a readines to pray earnestly to god for good things , & the same improved accordingly , is a kinde of pawn from heaven to him that hath it , that he shall receav the good things prayed for : both because all true prayer is by the teachings of the spirit of god , which searcheth the minde of god , and so acquaynts him therewith , in whom it dwels : and also because such a disposition hath fayth not onely joyned with it as a companion , but as the very parent of it : which fayth on mans part , ever presupposeth a promise on gods. from the use , and fruit of this heavenly grace of prayer nothing can keep him , that keeps himself in the favour of god ; though many things can from other exercises of religion . not want of fellowship of men , nor solitarines of place , nor depth of dungeon , nor darknes of the night , nor thicknes of wals neyther : but his devout prayers will finde way of ascending unto god. blessed be his name , who hath provided for his poore servants in their most dolefull , and desolate estate , this ready means of divine comfort , whereof they , in whom his spirit dwels , cannot possibly be deprived . prayer in secret , and by him that is alone with god , hath these advantages above that , which is publique , and in the church : first , that it is lesse in danger of the taynt of hypocrisy . the proud pharisee , as well as the humble publican goes to the temple to pray : and the hypocrites love to pray standing in the synagogu●s , and in the corners of the streets , that they may be seen of men : he that prayes in secret , doth it to be seen of god. secondly , in private , a christian may descend to such particulars ; as in publique , or before others , he will not , nor ought to mention . thirdly , he may in private , use such expressions , and outward manifestations , for the better passage of his hearts affection , specially being perplexed with sorrow , or fear , as before others were unseemly , and immodest . in that day of the great mourning in ierusalem , when they shall look upon him whom they have peirced , and shall mourn for him in bitternes ; everie house , and family shall mourn apart , and their wives apart . on the other side , publique prayer wants not its prerogatives : as first , that it is performed in the order , and ordinance of the church , which the other is not . secondly , that in the church and congregation , many agreeing touching a thing to be asked , have a speciall promise , that it shall be done for them of their father in heaven ; upon whom they set , by their prayers , as it were , in a troup . lastly , in our publique prayers , and prayses of god , we do give testimonie of his providence in governing the world , and all our affayrs ; and that he is present with his church , and hears their requests ; for the convinceing of atheists , and epicures ; and confirmation of others in beleeving undoubtedly his care over his people , and servants . chap. xlix . of oaths , and lots . there is great affinity between an oath , and a lot. both the one , and other serv to end controversies , and cause contentions to cease , not easily , or conveniently otherwise to be decided . in both , men as it were , renounce themselvs , and all other creatures ; and appeal to gods speciall providence . in an oath we appeal to god , as a wise , and righteous witnesse , and judg ; knowing what is truth ; and hating , and punishing falshood , and lyes . in a lot we appeal to god , as to an absolute lord , for the disposing of persons , and things , by his more singular work of providence : unto which alone he that casts the lot , referrs himself , if he mock not both god , and man ; wholy renounceing his own wit , and skil every way , for the furthering of this chance , event , or lot , rayther then that . some may be , and are too scrupulous in both : but a thousand times more are too profanely prodigall of the one , and other . in an oath we desire god , as the searcher of hearts , and patron of truth to testifie with us , that we deceav not : and withall , to take vengeance on us , if we do deceav . it is a part of gods worship , though much used civily ( as civill things are religiously ) : in which we make clear , and solemn confession of gods presence , wisdom , truth , justice , and omnipotency . there is in it no shadow of any shadow , or type : and therefore no colour , why it should not be morall , and perpetuall , and as lawfull for us now , as for the church before christ. it must be taken in truth , in wisdom , and in righteousnes . in truth of thing , & so the same known to him that takes it , in an oath assertory : and with firm purpose of heart , in an oath promisorie . there are ( sayth one ) three bonds or degrees of confirmation of truth . first , a bare affirmation : secondly , an assertion : thirdly , an oath . in the first of the three we onely give our word , as they say , by yea , or nay : and whatsoever is above this , ( to wit , in ordinary communication ) is of evill . when our bare word will not be taken , and the weight of the matter requires it , we do pawn our best jewels , as our truth , fayth , and veritie , in an asseveration ; as christ our lord confirmed divers his weightie sayings with a doubled amen . but now , if men will not accept of our pledg neyther , we procure god for our surety in an oath : unto whose justice we also enter counter-bond , for punishment by him , if we deceav . and an oath being the strongest bond of truth that is , and so avowed by god himself , who when he would confirm unto the heyrs of promise the immutabilitie of his counsayl , when he had no stronger bond , interposed an oath , and sware : and when he had no greater to swear by , sware by himself ; it followeth , that they , who are eyther without conscience what they swear , or can dispence , or be dispensed with in their consciences having sworn ( though to their own hinderance ) are both impious towards god , and trea●herous to men ; and such as do really out-law themselvs from all humayn societies ; as neyther deserving credit with them , nor fellowship amongst them . secondly , we must swear in judgment , with prudent consideration of the thing together with the circumstances , to which we so streytly bynde our selvs : as in an oath promissorie , first , that it be possible unto us ; els we mock both men to whom , and god , by whom we swear : secondly , that the thing be lawfull which we tye our selvs unto ; to bynde our selvs to that which is evill by an oath , is to make sure work to do evill . lastly , the matter must be of some weight , and such as becomes the majestie of god , whom we thus far interest in it . now what christian heart ( any way tender of gods glorie ) bleeds not at the worlds impietie this way ? which fears not to call the glorious majestie of god to witnesse , upon such trifling occasions , as for which no wise man but would be ashamed to call his meanest neighbour , yea or servant eyther ? lastly , we must swear in righteousnes , that is both according to his meaning ( being made known unto us ) to whom , and for whose satisfaction we swear ; as also for warrantable , and good ends : as the glory of god ; our own and others good ; his satisfaction to whom we swear ; and for the ending , and not the beginning of strife : els we prostitute gods name eyther to our own , or other mens lusts . common , and light swearing argues such a degree of irreverence of gods majestie , as we may truly , & boldly say , that the heart of a common , and customary swearer is voyd of all grace , and true fear of god. and in weighing with my self with admiration , and horrour , the customarie swearing amongst so many ; considering that there is nothing in it , as in other sins , eyther profitable , or pleasant , or of credit in the world , or that brings eyther reasonable , or sensuall good ; i have made account , that , besides imitation of one another ; and custom , which makes it half naturall to some ; and a conscience guiltie of want of credit in others , which moves many to swear that they may be beleeved ; and want of wit in not a few , who strive by accessory oaths to supply their defect of matter , or other inabilitie of speach ; there is in this swearing ▪ veyn a deeper mysterie of mischeif , then ordinary : and that indeed , men take it up ( specially , in the divels intention , who sets them a work ; and not a litle in their own ) in direct opposition of god , and because he in his law hath so severely prohibited it . if god had not in his word so expresly , and severely forbidden it , as he hath done , certeynly there would not be the least part of it used , that is . gracelesse men seem therein , to affect a professed contempt of god ; and withall , an opinion from men , that they fear nothing ; neyther god , nor divell , as they say . but god will make them feel , that fear not the guilt of taking his glorious name in vayn , which all creatures ought to honour , and reverence . this sin being directly against gods majestie ; he reservs , by his providence , the punishment of it ordinarily to himself : spiritually , by hardnes of heart , and impenitencie in this life , usually to the end thereof : and both bodily , and ghostly , by hell-fire for ever where it is also like , that the divels , and damned men do , and will swear , and curse in their utter rejection from god , and intollerable torment ; and so make their sin , and course of blaspheaming as endlesse , as their punishment for it . chap. l. of zeal . zeal is by some well defyned the heat , and intention of all affections ; and not eyther any one simple affection , or composition of divers : i add of the understanding also : so men meditate zealously , and love zealously , and hate zealously , and rejoyce zealously , and mourn zealously , and with great intention of heart . the like is to be sayd of all the rest of the affections . as nothing lives without naturall heat ; so neyther lives he the life of christ indeed , who is destitute of christian zeal to warm him in his affections , and actions , specially in matter of gods worship , and service ; in which whether wrong , or right , luke-warmnes is odious , and loathsom . the lord will spue out of his mouth the luke-warm , whether wyne , or water . worldly wise-men despise zeal , as prejudiciall to wisdom , & discretion : so festus judged paul mad ; & michall accounted david as one of the fools , for the singular zeal of god which they manifested . but even this foolishnes of god is wiser then men . yet is it certeyn , that men of great knowledg , and judgment do seldom make that manifestation of zeal , which weaker persons do . the former have their spirits most in their brayns , and are exercised specially in the disquisition and discerning of truth from falshood , and of good from evill : the latter have them most in their hearts , and accordingly give themselvs to the affectionate pursuit of that , which they conceav to be true , and good ; and alike to the avoyding , and impugning of the contrarie . some deceav others by the pretence of zeal , which they put on for their advantage , as stage-players do vizours , till their part be played : and thus ismaell deceaved the fortie men of samaria with his crocodiles tears . also there are not a few , who deceav both others , and themselvs , by seeming to both , eyther to have the zeal of god , which they wholly want ; or much more , then they have : and of this number was iehu , how loud soever he cryed to ionadab , behold the zeal , which i have for the house of the lord : whereas in truth , that , which most set him awork , was zeal for his own house ; though it may be , he thought not so . besides craftines in this iehues zeal , there are two other properties : the one suspitious , where it is found ; and the other odious . the former is a furious march against evill , without an answerable pursuit of , and affection unto the contrarie good : many are vehemently carryed against antichristian devises in truth , or so appearing unto them : in whom yet appears litle love and affection to that which is of christ in their own judgment . such are rayther carried by their own flesh , then led by the spirit of god. the other is crueltie . to be aright , and truely zealous cannot but be good ; seeing so many ( and those wise men ) desire , at times , to seem so , though they be not . true zeal must be for god , and from god , and according to god : and having god both for beginning , and end , and rule of direction ; it cannot but it self be good , and godly . it must be for the lord , and for the furtherance of his glorie in the obedience of his will , and in mans salvation ; and not for our own , or other mens by-purposes . and if it so fall out , that by one and the same thing gods cause , and our own profit , credit , or other worldly advantage be promoted ; we had need keep a jealous eye over our selvs , that we serv not our turn on god , by making his ends , as it were , a bridg to our own , as iehu did . secondly , as the fire of the altar came from heaven ; so must our coal of zeal be fetched thence , as being the work of gods spirit in our hearts , in the use of prayer , meditation upon the word of god read , and heard , the examples of others godly ( as it were , ryding in the fierie chariot of elyas ) and the like holy means ; by which this divine fire is kindled , and nourished in mens breasts . thirdly , it must be according to god , both for the qualitie of the matter , and quantity of the intention of affection . for the former , it is good alwayes ( even then , and then onely ) to be zealous in a good matter ; and that neyther lightly presumed , nor partially conceipted so to be , but certeynly known : els we burn not sweet incense with holy fire , but dirt ; and doung in stead thereof . our zeal also must be apportioned to the object ; and that not onely considered in it self , but also in the circumstances attending upon it : in regard whereof , things not alwayes the most good , or evill in themselvs , may justly deserv at our hands , a great bent eyther of love to them , or hatred against them . and amongst other circumstances we must be carefull so far to have respect to that of persons , as to hate evill most in them whose persons we most love ; and so in our wives , children , and friends , more then in strangers ; and in our selvs most of all . and he that hath not learnt to bear things amisse in others , which he will not bear in himself , hath eyther too much fleshly zeal , or too litle spirituall , or both : which two oftens lodg in one breast : by which it comes to passe , that many are earnest to pluck the moat out of their brothers eye , that perceav not the beam in their own . notwithstanding , as it doth not detract eyther from the dignitie , or necessitie of naturall heat in our bodyes , that there is found in some , an agueish , and unnaturall heat far greater then the naturall ; so neyther , in truth , and just valuation of things , doth it derogate from the excellencie , and necessitie of the heat of true zeal , and life of grace in the godly , consisting therein ; that many are zealous amisse , whether knowing , ( and so deceaving others ) : or not knowing , ( and so deceaving themselvs ) of what spirit they are . cap. li. of hypocrisie . hypocrites have their names from stage-players , as rayther playing then working that which is good and vertuous ; and the same onely upon the stage , and to please lookers on . and as amongst stage-players the same persons act divers parts , at divers times , and those very different one from another ; so is it with the actions of hypocrites : they hold no correspondencie one with another ; but some of them cover , and others discover their masters shame ; as noahs sons did their fathers . and as such persons are never constant ; for none can long play the counterfeyt untyred : so neyther are they free in any one kinde of good ; but have a goodnes rayther like the water in a dead pit , forced out at tymes , with buckets ; then of a living spring , which sends out its streams freely , and constantly . yea further , as iacob ( though for his fathers blessing he covered his hands , and neck very cunningly ) was bewrayed by his tongue and voyce : so , hardly can a counterfeyt carry his matters so close , but that oft times , even in one and the same work , there will be found a jarr of the parts one with another ; so as eyther the tongue will check the hands , or the hands the tongue , or both mutually ; to the shewing , and shaming of all . when great hypocrites , and deep dissemblers are left of god to fall into any grosse , or scandalous evill , they seldom , or never recover their former shew of religion : neyther ( as one sayth ) will the lambs skin , which the wolf wears , being once shorn , ever grow agayn : but god in judgment leaving them in some speciall temptation to grosse wickednes , in which they loose their credit in the world , which alone they sought , and so break the hedg which formerly restreyned them , doth punish their former close dissimulation with after open profanenes . young hypocrites commonly prove old atheists . it may well be sayd , as it is in the proverb , that , hypocrisie is spun with a fine thread : considering how hypocrites deceav , and over-reach others ; and oft times , weaker persons those that are wiser then they ; how much more , considering , how thereby they deceav themselvs . in which latter there is a transgression and evill both in deceaving , and being deceaved . for albeit a man may often without sin be deceaved by another ; yet never so by himself : seeing the spirit of a man may ( if it do not ) alwayes know the things of a man. this self deceavablenes ariseth in men eyther from presumption , when they think they need not ; or from slouth , that they will not take the payns ; or from an evill conscience , that they dare not trye , and examine themselvs , and their works , and estates with god , as they ought . besides hypocrites by false appearances getting credit with others , come to esteem themselvs better then they are , because others esteem them so . this hypocrisie is indeed not onely a base , but a foolish evill . base in dissembling the evill , which it hath , and is ashamed of : and in counterfeyting the good , which it hath not , and is ashamed to seem to want : and therefore notably proud people ( scorning , as they use to boast , to dissemble ) seldom come under this coat ; but do usually appear to men , as voyd of grace and goodnes , as they are before god. foolish it is , if in nothing els , yet in covering from men that evill , which god seeth , and hateth , and will punish with infinitely greater both losse , and shame , and torment , then any , or all men will , or can : and not onely the evill dissembled , but therewith the dissimulation also : which men legally do not . great must the hypocrites portion be in gods plagues ; with whom as the principall , the apparantly evill , as but an accessorie , hath his portion appointed . it is one thing to doe a work in hypocrisie , which onely hypocrites doe ; and an other thing to do it with hypocrisie ; which is still ready , alasse , to mingle it self with the work of gods grace in all our best actions ; as tobyah , and the rest of the heathen would have mingled themselvs with the lords people in the building of his temple . the same may be sayd of unbelief , indevotion , & the like corruptions . it is no marvayl , that atheist , and epicures judg all that make shew of pietie and godlynes ( specially above the size , & custome of the times ) conceipted , fantasticall , and very hypocrites ; seeing they measure others by themselvs : and knowing , that if they should make the semblance of godlines , which the others do , it should be no better in them , then hypocrisy , and fancie ; they conclude the same roundly upon others , from their own premises . and of this they are also desirous to perswade both themselvs , and others : themselvs , for a kinde of envious comfort in evill , that others are as ill as they ; and for their own hardning out of that imagination : others , for their miserable credit , when they are not thought leaud alone . they being themselvs sad●cees , would fayn think others , & have them thought pharisees by others . a tang of this also is to be found even in them , who are not voyd of all goodnes , towards such , as a litle overstep them in the wayes of godlynes . though hypocrisie be in it self a verie odious thing , and so evill as it corrupts all good in him , in whom it reigns ; making both his works of devotion , and of mercy abhominable to the lord : yet considering how litle true good is in the world ; it were well ( for others , at least ) that there were more hypocrisie in many , then there is . which would help both to represse in them many grosse enormities , for shame , and to keep credit with men ; which now shamelesly they practise : and also provoke them to many outward good works ( for the good of others at the least ) which now they wholy , and boldly neglect in professed godlesnes , and dishonesty . besides , hypocrisie yeilds , though it intend it not , a full and loud testimonie to true vertue and godlines : seeing no man ordinarily desires to seem but good . now if it be a thing so desireable , even by their testimonie , who want goodnes , to appear good ; how much more to be so in deed : what is the emptie shadow to the solid body ? to shut up this head : as the shadow follows the body , so doth the name , and fame of good ; true goodnes , with equally-mynded men . and in stead of a thousand compasses of devise which men fetch about to obteyn the name of good , and vertuous , this one short , and right-on way of being good indeed would serv the turn for the procureing it from all indifferent , and wise judges . the most compendious way to this honour is , that in truth a man be , as he would be accounted , sayth the heathen : how much more ought christians , who are perswaded of gods providence in ordering this , and all his other blessings upon themselvs , and others , thus both to say , and think , and proceed accordingly ? and look what recompence of honour , or other reward , this playn , and homely uprightnes ( which of all other vertues laudatur , & alget ) is denyed from men ; god who seeth , and loveth it , will plenteously supply . blessed are the perfit in way : who walk in the law of iehovah . to chuse the right way of gods law first , and then to walk uprightly in it , is to be guided by gods own spirit to heaven . chap. lii . of sin , and punishment from god. whatsoever swarveth from the law of god ( written in the table of the heart , or of stone ) whether in our nature , or actions , eyther in the not being of that which should be , or being of that which should not be ( which two are alwayes joyned together in originall sin , and oftens in actuall ) is sin , and evill : yea the greatest ; yea the onely evill indeed . sin is worse then the divell , as having made him evill , whom god made good : yea then all punishments , yea then hell it self , which god prepared , and made ( and is therefore good ) to punish sin , and sinners by . and accordingly , it was godlily sayd of one , that if sin , and hell were set before him , the one on the one side , and the other on the other ; & that he must needs go through the one of them ; he would rayther enter upon hell , then sin . but blessed be god , who will assuredly keep them from hell , whose hearts are so set to keep themselvs from sin , by his grace . this sin is incident onely to reasonable creatures : god the creator being above sin ; and unreasonable creatures beneath it . for the disorders in bruit beasts ; they are not sin in them , to whom there is no law ; but punishments of mans sin against god ; who hath subjected them to vanitie , thereby to testifie how greatly he is offended at mans , for whom at first he made them , and all other creatures in a more excellent state . the case of children is otherwise , as being reasonable creatures , made after gods image in adam , and having the law written in their hearts , as a subject capable both of good and evill ; which bruits are not . although sin be onely in reasonable creatures , yet is it a most unreasonable thing : otherwise it were not sin , save as it crosses true reason , eyther by lust against reason , or shew of reason against truth . so for particular enormities ; the more unreasonable , the more sinfull : as lusts against nature ; adulterie in a maryed person ; pryde in a mean , prodigalitie in a needy ; covetousnes in him that abounds in riches ; prophanenes in a preacher ; and so of all other vices . all sins , save that first of adam , and mens very last , are both sins in themselvs , and effects of former sin , and causes of latter : and that not onely by gods just , though severe judgment , in punishing one by another ; but oft times also by a kinde of naturall , and necessarie coherence , and affinitie . sometimes one sin brings on an other by provoking unto it , as rash anger unto strife : sometimes to back it , as peters denying of christ did his after forswearing him : sometimes to conceal it , as all other evils draw on lying ; and theft murther many times : sometimes to mainteyn it , as pride doth covetousnes , and oppression ; and sometimes to countenance it , that it be not disgraced , as herods rash oath drew after it the beheading of iohn the baptist . and of these commonly a lesser draws on a greater , as lesser sticks set the greater on fire . so also by those degrees of iniquitie do men proceed in one and the same particular enormitie : in which , as in a chayn drawing from heaven to hell , each link moveth his next , from the one , and smaller end , to the other greater . first , there is in a man concupiscence , by which he is drawn away from god , unto whom he ought to cleave with the whole heart . and having once let goe his hold on him , the true , and unchangeable good ; he is forthwith seazed by some appearing , and counterfeyt good , and thereby entised ; as the byrd by falling on the ground is taken in the s●are , from which , whilst she held aloft , she was free . vpon this inveigled affection , and deceaved judgment thereby , comes consent of will to have , or do the thing which is evill , called by the apostle the conception of lust : which that it may bring forth sin in outward act , and exequution , wants nothing but opportunitie . this sin perfited by a continued course therein without repentance , brings forth death unavoydably . he therefore that begins to do evill , or to forsake that which is good , in the affection of his heart , is like him that puts his feet into a pit , and lets the hold of his hands go : and without gods gratious hand catching hold of him , can never stay , till he come to the bottom of the pit of perdition . and no marvayl of this progresse in evill ; seeing everie sin ( how small soever in degree ) hath joyned with it the contempt of god. as therefore the safest way against the flame is to quench the spark , by which it may be kindled ; so against this fire of hell , to quench betymes the spark of concupiscence , and lust . this is done partly by withdrawing from it the occasions , and incitements of , and unto sin ; which are as fewell for nourishing it : as if it be the lust of anger , and revenge ; not to give ear to words of provocation , but to be as a deaf man that hear● not : if of uncleanenes ; not to look upon a mayd : if of drunckennes , or excesse that way ; not to look upon the wine , when it is red ; &c. the second help is by smothering the corruption in the beginning ; which as fire , if it have no vent , goes out ; but getting passage , breaks out into a flame . lastly , as water ( fires contrarie ) quencheth it ; so do the spirituall means of grace , as prayer , meditation upon gods word , and the like , quench by degrees , the sparks of sin , and fire of hell . the greatnes of the sin is not alwayes to be esteemed by the thing done . for , as much crookednes may be found in a small line ; so may a great evill be committed in a small matter . hereupon , he that but gathered sticks on the sabaoth with a high hand , ( viz. in contempt of moses , and of god in him ) was to be stoned to death without mercy the sin is also greater , as the temptation , or occasion is lesse ; and therefore the rich man , that having many sheep of his own took his poore neighbours lamb , to enterteyn his stranger withall , was adjudged worthy of death ; whether we take the words , as they seemed to david , or as nathan meant them . likewise , the forecasting of evill exceedingly aggrevates it : as with him who devised mischeif upon his bed , and after , set himself in a way to practise it : others are overtaken by sin , but such overtake sin . so doth it not a litle , if men sin , that they may sin : as it seems many swear , that they may swear : and as austin confesseth of himself , that being a boy , he stole apples , and cast them away , when he had done . he stole , that he might steal . lastly , sin becomes more sinfull , if it have scandall , and offence of men , or other damage joyned with it . yet even for the least sin ; ( if any sin by any , being against gods infinite majestie , may be accounted litle ) if god should presse the same upon the conscience , and suffer sathan to urge it to the full ; it would be a burthen intollerable : and such as neyther the heavens could bear ; for the angels that sinned were cast from thence : nor paradise ; for adam for transgression was driven from thence : nor the earth ; for that swallowed up dathan and abiram for their sin : neyther could any men , or angels undergo it , without being born down into the bottom of hell by it : and there onely it rests , as in its proper center . happy are they , who in the sense , and feeling of the intollerable burthen therof , come to christ by fayth , that he may ease them . the sin against the holy ghost , which shall never be forgiven in this world , or the world to come , is not onely committed by them , who have sometimes professed the gospell ; but by others also , though never coming so far ; but being convinced of the truth thereof , do maliciously hate , blaspheme , and persecute it : and therein sin against the work of the holy ghost in their own hearts . and this christ insinuates against the scribes , & pharisees , who yet never came to professe christianitie . the reason of the 〈◊〉 of this sin is not any de●ect eyther in the mercy of god or mer●●s of christ ▪ as though the evill in it were greater , then the good in them ; but for that god hath s●t those bo●nds of his grace , and mercy ; that he will never vo●c●●afe fayth , and repen●●●ce to that person , who once so despyteth his spirit , in that its holy work . and considering how oft the scriptures speak of this sin , not onely for warning of persons in themselvs , but also for direction ●o●ching others so ●inning ; it is to be feared , that the same is more ordinarie , where the gospell is preached , then the most make account of ; and that many malitiously ha●eing and persequuting ( specially after some singular profession made , and forsaken ) true , and conscionable gospellers , would do the same by the gospell it self , if they were not restreyned by fear of men , and shame of the times . the lord oftens punisheth men in the same kinde , wherein they have sinned : and causeth to be ●ea●●d unto them with the measure , wherewith they meat to others . thus he dr●●●ed ph●rao● in the sea , who had formerly drowned the israelitish infants : and served king a●o●●bezek , as he had served other kings before . and this god doth to make his justice the more conspicuous ; and that mens punishments may be as glasses , wherein their sins may be seen more clearly ; if not for their repentance ; yet for the warning of others . when i seriously weigh and consider the fearfull & greivous punishments , which god ( so good , and gratious hath partly exequuted , in this life ; as upon the old world ; sodom , and gomorrah ; corah , and his company ; and the like : and partly threatned ; as in the end of this life , in the soul ; so in the end of the world , both in soul and body ; and the same for measure , intollerable ; and endles in continuance : lord , think i , what sin can procure such punishment ? but when , on the contrarie , i consider the horrible contempt of god , & his word , even in them to whom it is dayly and diligently offered : lord , think i , what punishment can be sufficient for such sin ? what is it then ? man is fearfully wicked in sinning : and god fearfully just in punishing ; where by fayth , and repentance mercy is not obteyned . my flesh trembleth for dread of thee : and i fear for thy judgments . chap. liii . of rewards , and punishments by men . men that are able , and ready accordingly to reward the vertues of good men , and well-deserving , do therein not onely give them , and god in them , their due ; but doe give others incouragement also to apply themselvs to vertuous courses , which finde so good acceptance , and reward at mens hands , specially at theirs , who are of place , and abilitie in the world . whereas , on the contrarie , for such to favour wicked , and leaud persons , is really to invite , and perswade men to evill , and litle better then plainly to hyre both them , and others to doe naughtily . the former in that their approbation , and remuneration of goodnes , and vertue , bear the image of god , who plenteously rewards the well-doers : the latter plainly resemble the divell , who offered christ the glorie of the kingdoms of the earth , if he would fall down and worship him . it is a known , and approved saying , that by rewards and punishments societies are preserved . and of these two , though occasion of rewards be more to be desired ; yet the exequution of punishments is more diligently to be looked unto , for the preserving of humayn societies . the reason is ; because , whereas vertue ( as the phylosopher sayd ) rewards it self ; or more truely , if it be true , expects it reward from god ; vice , and vileny , on the contrary , can be restreyned in the most , and worst , onely by the fear of punishment : neyther serv humayn laws to make men good ; but to keep them from such outrages , and extreamities of evill , as into which otherwise they were in danger to break . the speciall use of the law of god it self , where by his spirit he puts it not in mens minde , and writes it not in their hearts is to restreyn lawlesse persons , as murtherers , whoremongers , and the like ; how much more of mens . there is then a mercifull crueltie , when men save , by severitie , the persons themselvs that are punished , and others also ; the punishment reaching to one , or a few ; and the fear , and warning to many : there is , on the other side , a cruell mercy , when men by spareing spoyl both the persons offending , and others ; who by their impunity take boldnes to offend . this foolish pitty spoyls the cittie , if the magistrate use it : so doth the fond love of parents the family . this love , salomon ( respecting the effect more then the affection ) cals hatred , saying : he that spareth his rod hateth his son . notwithstanding this , and that god hath left power , and charge also of punishments in all societies , family , church , and common wealth , which they that exercise , bear the image of gods justice , and holynes ; the honour whereof they are to preserv , and to breed , and continue in them over whom they are set , a reverend aw of their authoritie for their good : yet considering both mans frailtie , and pronenes to offend ; and miserie in suffering for offences : all in authoritie should still encline to the more favourable part , and rayther to come short , then to exceed measure in punishing even where the offence is evident ; and where it is doubtfull , to forbear , at any hand . he that punisheth another , whether as judg , or exequutioner eyther , must know legally , that he hath done evill , and deserved it : otherwise the authoritie of the whole world cannot bear him out , from being a murtherer before god. the law which sayth . thou shalt not murther , forbids specially violence in judgment . besides , punishments must be administred with sorrow , and commiseration ; as rewards with joy and gladnes . it is pittie men should deserv punishments ; and deserving them , pittie but they should have them : yet are we to pitty them in their miserie also : which he that doth , remembers himself to be a man. lastly , it is worthy the observing , which one hath , that in all punishments respect is to be had to things to come , rayther then past : for howsoever the punishment be just onely in lieu of the offence committed ; yet is it profitable onely , because it tends to prevent after offences , eyther in the person punished , or in others warned by it . and hereupon another would not have a wise man punish because an offence is committed , but least it should be committed afterwards : of which the former renders this reason , that things past cannot be recalled ; but things to come may be prevented . temporary torments , specially those more great , are greivous to conceav of ; how much more to undergoe ? yet will the sad , and serious consideration of those that are eternall eat them up , as it were , and make them seem nothing in comparison . whereupon it was , that polycarpus tould the proconsul , ( who threatned to burn him , if he did not renounce christ ) thou threatnest me with the fire , which would burn for a time , but presently after should be extinguished : because thou art ignorant of the fire of the judgment to come , prepared for the eternall punishment of the wicked . fear not them then which kill the body ; but are not able to kill the soul : but rayther fear him who is able to destroy both soul , and body in hell . chap. liiii . of the affections of the minde . ovr affections , as love , sorrow , fear , and the rest , are common to us with bruit beasts ; which therefore the understanding must order , that they be not bruiteish ; and with them , the will , for its yeilding of consent to their motions , or withholding it from them . but as the litle sticks set the greater wood a burning : so do they most what set the understanding , and will aworking in sensuall objects . for example . one sees a naturally pleasing good thing , but belonging to another , or not to him , as achans wedg of gold : his affection of love , and appetite is inordinately caryed unto it ; and is ready to sollicit the will to consent to the getting , and enjoying of it . but now , if the understanding do its dutie , it steps in , represseth the affection , and restreyneth the will , by discerning , and discovering , that the good thing desyred is anothers , and therefore not to be desyred , or had by him . but as the fumes arysing from a corrupt stomack darken , and dim the bodily eyes : so in sensuall persons the understanding is commonly ( besides its own inherent blyndnes ) so corrupted with partiall , and brutish affections , as that it neglecteth all due search , and disquisi●ion ; and unadvisedly judgeth that good , which is pleasing to appetite , and sense : and so being sweyed , and led by the affections , as a foolish waggoner by his horses , draws with it the wils consent ; which obteyned , the evill is done in gods account , and wants onely opportunitie for outward effect . although the seat of the affections be the soul , whose motions they are , and not the bodyes : yet do they more or lesse vehemently , and efficatiously act , and exercise themselvs , as the blood , and spirits , ( the souls immediate instruments ) are more , or lesse fitted to their hand . hence is it , that anger in the heart moved by some occasion , is so vehement in a cholerick body ; sorrow , or fear in a melancholick ; and so for the rest . these our affections are eyther merely naturall in us ; or sanctifyed by grace ; or morally corrupt , and inordinate . nature ( and so naturall affections ) is content with a litle : corruption not with a great deal : as the thirst , which is naturall , is quenched with a draught , or two ; but that which is unnaturall , and agueish , not with a whole vessell of drink . this and the reason of it he layes down wittily , that sayth , naturall desires are finite , but those arysing from false opinion have no limits : as he that goes his right way , hath some end of his journey ; he that wanders , none . and as for sanctified affections , they , alasse , are too feeble in us : and as iehu was known by his furtous marching ; so may they be , by their soft , and lazy pace : neyther , if they were excessive , were they sanctified , that is , directed by grace , and good reason : nor are they easily so , if they be any thing vehement ; but have commonly too much flesh mingled with them . and no marvayl : for setting our affections above , where christ is , and whither the spirit of grace advanceth them , we clime up the hill , and withall draw after us the clog of our flesh , lusting the contrarie way : whereas sensuall men led by their lusts , goe down the hill , and are caryed headlong to evill . besides , sensuall objects are present to the outward senses , by which the affections are moved : but things spirituall are seen a far of , as needing the direction and discourse of fayth for provokeing of affection unto them ; which makes their work in this case more weak and slow . yet being created faculties , they are the greater the better , if rightly ordered . and so it is not unbrobably sayd by some , that christ had the greatest fear , sorrow , anger &c. upon him , that ever man had , or could have . but as the stronger the horses in the waggon are , though the better , yet the more dangerous ; so are those horses of the soul in us , lest by misguidance they overthrow all . and as for violent , and inordinate affections ; the person , in whom they are found , how wise , or wel meaning soever otherwise , or howsoever bent upon some good course , is no more to be trusted to ; then the charyot drawn by unbroken horses , going , for the present , quietly on , and in a good way , but which will quickly take a toy , and indanger the overthrow of all . as in a tempestuous sea , the waves , in the same place , are sometimes lifted up ; and the depths , at other times , disclosed : so in an unmortifyed , and passionate heart , one unlawfull , & inordinate passion often breaks into the contrarie , as evill , and inordinate , as it : as did ammons inordinate love to his sister thamar into as excessive hatred . so some of extreamly prodigall become extreamly covetous ; of credulous , suspitious ; of mad-merry , sad without measure . the cause is , for that such persons are not led by the lore of reason , or conscience ; but caryed headlong by pangs of passion ; and withall driven by the divell , and so must needs go , and run too ; though up , and down the same way ; and forward , and backward , after his will. as in a fish-pond some one great pike devours both the lesser fish of other kindes , and of its own also ; so in divers , some one affection is so predominate , as it eats up not onely reason , and conscience , but with them , almost all other affections . many are so sowred with discontentment , and sorrow ; that they appear to have place left for nothing els in their heart : some are set upon so merry a pin , as if they had the image of laughter which licurgus set up for the lacedemonians ever before them . others again are so overgrown with anger ; as they seem to have no blood but choller running in their veyns . if any danger be comeing towards them , ( which all reason would teach them to fear specially ) they will pick a quarrell at something in , or about it , to set anger , and indignation awork . if god send greivous crosses upon them , and thereby call them to mourning ; it shall go hard but they will finde what to be angry at , in some person , or other , to turn the stream that way . it is some disparagement ordinarily to the government of a wise man ( specially in their eyes , who haue no share in the motive ) to make great manifestation of affection , one or other : & therefore ioseph when he would make himself known affectionately to his brethren , commanded all the egiptians out of the place . so zachariah foretelling the extream mourning , which shall be by the familyes in ierusalem , when god shall pour upon them the spirit of grace , shews , that every family shall mourn apart , and their wives apart . yet are there cases , in which it stands as well with wisdom to manifest great affections , as with grace , or nature to have them . and this david prudently considered , and practised , at abners funerall . we should order our affections before we have any speciall provocations ; and set down with our selvs ( what may be ) before hand , that if such , or such a thing come to passe , we will allow it such , and such a measure of its compatible affection , and no more : that as feirce dogs , though provoked by other mens voyces , yet are quieted by their masters voyce , to which they are used ; so the feirce motions of the minde may be , by reasons voice , with which they are formerly acquainted , for that purpose , made still , and quiet . these motions and affections are well ordered , when they rise , and fall according to the varietie , and weight of objects . to be greatly affected with small occurrences , is womanlike weaknes : litle with great matters , stoicall block●shnes . and me-thinks , he that hath a life to loose and considers it well , should not easily come to fear excessively the losse of his goods : nor he the losse of his bodily life , who hath a soul to loose , or save for ever . and therefore christ our lord bids , fear not him that can kill the body , and then hath shot his sting , and can hurt no more ; but fear him , who can cast both body , and soul into hell . as physitions fearing a mans over-bleeding at the nose , open a veyn in the arm , thereby to turn the course of the blood another way : so we ▪ finding one affection , or other inordinate in us , and like to overflow ; if we cannot so rule , and represse it , as is meet , by good reason , shall do well to set some other affection a working by some moveing , and lawfull object ; that so the stream being turned another way , we may disappoint the passion , which we cannot so well order . for example , if a man finde himself in danger of exo●bitancy in anger , it is good for him to set afoote sorrow , or fear , by some such lawfull object , as god offers him : and so for other passions of the minde . or if the stream of the affection happ to run so strong , as that we can not well turn it another way ; it is wisdom to get it upon some such object in the same way , as wherein it may freely take its scope : as the horse that can not be stayed , yet may be guided into such a way , as in which there is no great danger , how fast soever he runs ; which may also be so heavie , as will keep him from running fast in it . thus , if sorrow , fear , or anger be like to work inordinately in us , let us set them upon our sins ; and so the danger of all excesse will soon be over , for the most part . and indeed , it is no small point of christian wisdom , for a man to provide fit matter for his affections ( especially predominant in him ) to be exercised in . is any among you afflicted ? sayth the apostle , let him pray : is any merry ? let him sing psalmes . and by this means he shall neyther loose his own advantage for good ; nor further sathans for evill , by any passion , or affection in him . cap. lv. of fear . fear hath onely evill for the object ; eyther evill in it self ; as is sin : or to him that feareth ; as are the effects thereof ; temporall , or eternall punishment , and the anger of god inflicting them . it is a base affection , and the cognisance of the creatures infirmitie , shewing him to be subject to evill ; from the fear whereof onely the creatour is absolutely free . and so , whereas courage , and stoutnes of heart ( though none of the best ) procures unto men a kinde of respect in the eyes of others : fear , though better used , makes them more contemptible . a lyon is more regarded , then many oxen ; though one oxe be of more use both for labour , and meat , and otherwise ; then many lyons . but god loves rayther a good , then a great heart . and in the law , gods sacrifices were to be offered of lambs , and kids , and doves , and pigeons ( fearfull creatures , and innocent withall ) ; and not of lyons , and eagles ; though they be the kings of beasts , and birds . there is in man , a threefold fear of god , arising from a threefold apprehension of his majestie : the first , is of god , as our glorious creatour , and governour ; & this is naturall : the second , as of a just , and angry lord ; which is servile : the third , as of our gratious father in christ ; called , and being filiall . all these are found in the true fearers of god in this life : though the midle least , ( which per●it love driveth out ) and in them the last onely reigns . to fear sin more then punishment , ( which they of the last sort do ) is to love god more then our selvs : on the contrarie , to fear punishment more then sin ( which the second disposition leads to ) is to love our selvs more then god : considering , that by sin god is offended ; and we by punishment : and that sin in the committing of it seems good to us , and ill to god : and that punishment , in the exequuting of it , is good in respect of gods justice , though evill to our sense . the holy fear of god the scriptures put many times for the whole service of god , as being a generall vertue diffusing it self into all the parts thereof . for we must trust to god with fear , love him with fear , obey him with fear : and in conscience , and consideration of his excellencie , & our own frailtie , work out our salvation with fear and trembling : that is , do all things tending thereunto , with that affection of heart . and considering our boldnes , as king saul sayth of himself , to step aside , to our destruction ; it is worthily advertised by the wise man ; that he is blessed , who feareth alwaies : that is , who sets himself in gods sight continually , making him the judg of all his wayes , and works , out of a serious consideration within himself , unto what sin , and miserie for sin , he is exposed , poore creature , as he is . besides , this fear of god , is called the beginning of wisdom ; and that partly , because the true reverence of his majestie in the heart makes a man carefull , and studuous to know , and do the things which please him , and to avoyd the contrarie : as also for that god blesseth such an affection with good understanding , and reveals his secrets to them that fear him . whereas , on the other side , a prophane heart is commonly punished with a foolish head , and minde void of discerning , specially in particulars , what is good , or evill . god would have them that hearken unto him , not onely safe , but also secure , and quiet from fear of hurt , and evill . for which purpose the scriptures so oft both exhort them , not to fear , and propound arguments of encouragement unto them : not to exempt their hearts wholly from fear , for that were to exalt them above the condition of mortall , and frayl men ; but so far to bring that unruly passion under the regiment of fayth , as that by it a man be not drawn to do any thing evill , and unlawfull ; nor to forbear any requisite good in his place ; nor to be divided in his heart ; nor to shame himself ; nor to discourage others in that which is good . it is wisdom for us so farr to fear an evill , as to quicken our carefull use of all good means to escape it ; or being a crosse inevitable to prepare us the more patiently to bear it , as not comeing unlooked for : in which regard , christ spake to his disciples , before hand , of their approaching persequutions , that when they came , they should not be offended . and further to fear evill , is an evill both of sin , and punishment : and that of unbeleif specially , if being hindred by fear we dare not doe that , which apperteyns to our calling ; or be driven by it , to do that which becomes not pietie . otherwise , to be fearfull of heart , and yet not to be overcome by it , more commends a man , then if he were without fear . this fear though it be something excessive , if not extream , hath this good in it , that it makes a man the more circumspect , and causeth him to call his wits , and other helps , about him , as men in danger use to doe : it helps in deliberation , and preparation ; though it hinder something in exequution . but and if it once get dominion over a man , and rule in him ; there is no such cruell , and tyrant-like master within , or without him . it makes him cruell , and a tyrant to others , from whom it may any way be suspected , that danger can come unto him ; and provokes to the oppression of whatsoever is in his way . neyther yet doth it exercise lesse tyranny over the fearfull himself . it bereavs him of the use of understanding ; drives sleep from his eyes , which sorrow procures ; disables the tongue from speaking ; and all the other parts of the body from doing their office , by withdrawing the blood , and spirits from them to the affrighted heart . and whereas men by serious consideration , and thought of things in hand are holpen against most other affections ; the objects of fear the more they are mynded , and thought upon , are the more terrible . some have through extreamitie of fear become grey-headed in a week or two , as one m. ba●ning of ●ondon , as i have heard : and some in one night , as is testified of the duke of mantua●s ●●●sman f●a●●●s us gonzaga , unto whom ( being committed to prison vpon suspicion of reason ) thought and care , in one night brought grey hayr , by subduction of nourishment . and if we would further and in another and worse kinde , take knowledg of this tyrants cruelty , in constreyning even good men to do evill ; we may see abraham , for fear , denying his wife ; david his reason , peter his master christ in his person ; and many continually in his truth , lesse , or more . he is a man , that can overcome excessive fear by reason : but a child of god , that can overcome i● ▪ by true , and sound fayth in gods good providence over him . some , though lambs amongst lyons , yet are lyons amongst lambs ; feirce , and terrible towards their underlings , which cannot , or dare not resist them : and like the young ruffian in the poet , tha● sh●wed his courage in beating a sill●-woman ; and poore bond slave , that durst not strike again . such beleev not , or forget , that they have a mayster in heaven ; whose terrours if they knew , with the apostle ; they durst not , in such sort be terrible unto others . there are many governers in families , and common wealths ; who ( if difference arise between them of the last sort , and their subjects ; or between them of the first , and their wives , children , and servants ) will dominere marveylously ; and be so stout , and stern , as if they were made of iron and steel : whereas , on the contrarie , if they have to doe with such as stand upon even ground with them , specially such as have a li●le the higher ground ; they sh●w all cowardize , and base fear , suffering them even to play with their noses . such a one was re●oboam , who spake ●o●ghly to the people under him ; but had no courage against the king of egipt : and so litle against ieroboam that rebelled against him , as that his own son abijah taxed him of tendernes , that is , feeblenes of heart , after his death . such another also was naball : so evill , that none of his servants , or family , or others of whom he was secure , might speak to him : but perceaving himself to have been in danger ( though it were over ) by david , whom , and whose men he had rated , and reviled , in his druncken securitie ; at the very hearing of it , his heart dyed in him , and he became like a stone . these lyons paws , and roarings amongst the poore beasts , are odious in civill administrations ; more in domesticall ; most of all in church-governments , where they are found ; which ought to be specially doctrinall and exemplarie . let us fear , as we ought , the doing of wrong to others , over whom we have advantage : and god will so provide , that we shall not excessively fear hurt from them , who have power to hurt us . chap. lvi . of anger . anger ( as fear , and sorrow , and other affections of aversnes ) hath onely evill ( in truth , or appearance for the object , on which it worketh . but whereas fear , and sorrow out of a kinde of impotency , withdraw the person fearing , or sorrowing , from the evill feared , or sorrowed for ; a●ge● in strength , and stoutnes ( as being the strongest of a●●●ffections ) intends the driveing away , and d●pe●i●g of the evill ; at , and against which it riseth . which , being also , as chrisipp●s cals it , and experience confirms , a blinde thing ▪ there is nothing so sacred , and precious which it will spare ; but without difference it flyeth ( where the wings are not clipt ) upon friends , as well as foes ; and upon unreasonable creatures , as well , as upon men . and so zerxes in anger bet the sea , and threatned the mountayns , if they hindred his passage . yea it will not spare the truth it self , if it be against its purpose : no nor god neyther , as we may see not onely in furious blasphemers , or peircers of god ( as the word imports ; ) but even in the prophet himself , who was angry even to the death at god , for sparing ninive● . it is therefore rightly called a short fury , as differing from playn madnes in nothing , but time . and , in truth , it is pittie , that they , in whom it reigns ( specially pleasing themselvs in its fits ) are not chayned up like mad men ; or that they have eyther riches , or strength , or authoritie , or wit , or any thing els to hurt with . it were good he had no other thing in his power , who is not in his own power ; as no angry man is . if a wrathfull man saw himself in a glasse , when his fit is upon him : his eyes burning , his lips ●umbling , his face pale , his teeth gnashing , his mouth foaming , and other parts of his body trembling , and shaking : or but some of these deformities : he would ( and worthily ) loath , himself , and it may be amend things , for after , as some have done . but if the same person saw the face of his soul , in the glasse of gods word , and the deformities thereof in gods sight ; he would much more abhor himself , and start aside , as terrified at the sight of so hideous a monster . this rash anger ( whether causlesse , or unmeasurable , where some cause is ) hath alwayes evill in it ; though it be never so speedily repressed : upon which if the sun be let go down , & that it lodg all night in the heart , it becomes mallice by the morning . men nourish it in pride , and because they will not give place to other men ; not considering ; that in so doing , they give place to the divell , and become like him in mallice , wherein he exceeds himself . this anger god so brands , as he scarse doth any created affection : in forbidding the making of friendship with an angry man , and walking with the furious , for fear of learning his wayes , and getting a snare to the soul. for though all affections becoming inordinate , are vicious , and that god would have his servants watch diligently against the excesses of sorrow , fear , joy , and the like : yet doth he never give warning of the fellowship of such , as in whom they reign , for fear of learning them : neyther is there that danger of smitling by other passions , which is by this . if salomon were a wise man , and took not his marks amisse , who so oft , and plainly sets out a fool by rash anger , and wrath ; there are many more fools in the world , then go in the mo●ly coats ; and the same no small fools neyther : considering how many ( specially of them who take a priveledg from their greatnes , to give scope to their passions ) eyther affect , or give way to inordinatenes in this kinde : as if otherwise they could not sufficiently manifest their wisdom and discerning , and goodnes in dislikeing , and greatnes in controuling things amisse in others . but as vainglorious men desire to shew their authoritie in needles commands : so do fools affect the shewing of their wisdom , goodnes , and greatnes , in needles anger . the links whereof a chayn may be made to tye up this feirce dog , that he do not more hurt , then good in byteing , and commit not a greater offence by unadvisednes , and excesse , then the person hath done , which he is set upon ; are specially these : first , lowlines of minde , by which he that thinks not himself great , thinks no great hurt done if he be a litle wronged : whereas on the otherside , the high mynded conceavs great indignation , that his understanding should be opposed ; his authoritie neglected ; his will crossed ; his credit impeached ; or any thing sayd or done importing any undervaluation of his presumed worth of himself . christ the lord teacheth both by example , and doctrine , that humilitie , and meeknes are inseparable companions . a second , consideration what is just with god ( in regard of our sins ) to bring upon us , though by mans unjust provocations and injuries : and this was davids remedy , when shemei reviled him . a third , true love to others , which is not easily , no● excessively provoked to anger at such as wrong us ; but rayther moves to pittie them , as the father wished scapula ( a great persequuter of the christians ) that if he would not spare them , he should spare himself , who should have the worst of it . a fourth is a litle delay , and forbearance eyther for the inward working , or outward uttering of anger , whilst we gather our wits about us : which he that can bring himself to , will oftens by finding just cause of anger at himself , forbear being angry at others . and to this tended the counsayl given unto ▪ c●s●● , that he should neyther do , n●r speak any thing in anger ; till he had sa●d over the greek a●phabet . a fifth is , not to take libertie to be a litle angry at tr●●●e● : for he that useth himself to that , will not keep from extreamitie ●● great matters . the last is to avoyd occasions of provocation● , whether persons , or things : which whilst angry folk , for the most part ▪ aff●ct , they gather such for the fire , wherewith to burn themselvs ; hasten to discover their own sh●me ; & make w●y for the divels temptations , unto which they give way afterwards . chap. lvii . of humilitie , and meeknes . hvmilitie is that vertue by which we are taught to v●lue according to , & not ab●ve the worth , ourselvs , and all the good things ▪ which god ●ath given us . i say , according to the worth ; for men may , as one sayth , not subj●ct , but a●j●ct themselvs : and sometimes , we see men , specially pressed with great burdens of temptations , in a kinde of abjectnes of minde , to moulder away , and make their gold litle better then drosse , by undervaluing gods goodnes towards them . such are unthankfull to god , uncomfortable in themselvs , and unprofitable unto others , in comparison . besides , there is an humble hypocrisy , when men so subj●ct thems●lvs to others ( specially superiours ) as they reverence their vi●es ; or suffer their reason , ( more , if their fayth , and consciences ) to be captived to their lusts : and hence comes the worshiping of angels , and other poynts of will worship : in which the sh●w of ●isdom in the inventers , & imposers ; and of humilitie in the followers bear ●w●y . lastly , there is a desperate humilitie , when out of an evill , and accusing conscience , a man knows , and judges himself out of gods favour , and a vile person . but now the most of this humilitie hath joyned with it no small pride . that of the first kinde is very rare : and the infinitely more common , and dangerous disease is the overswelling of the heart , through excesse of self-love , and presumption . self-love disposeth a person to think himself , and to desire to be thought of others to have the excellency , which he hath not . herewith the minde is easily corrupted , and vayn man induced to presume of that goodnes in himself , which he wants ; and to be lifted up with that , which he hath . many by stouping loose of their bodily height : but few stoop too low , in conceipt of themselv● . yet as christ iesus ceased not to be god , though he humbled himself to the taking upon him the form of a servant : so neyther is any man eyther in truth , or account of god , or good men , the lesse , but much the more excellent for his lowly appearance to himself , or others . yea , as the same christ our lord stepped from the shamefull crosse to the height of his glory , and exaltation : so he that will make any high building in christianitie , must first think of , and lay this low foundation of humilitie . this lowlynes of minde is the mother of meeknes , as christ insinuates , saying , learn of me , for i am lowly and meek . the humbly-mynded , if a crosse come , or injurie be offered , bears them moderately , as thinking moderately of himself : yea meanly in regard of his sins , and the miserie to which they expose him . the proud through want of consciousnes hereof , if he be a litle crossed ; is feirce , and violent : ●ove dignas concipit iras . what ? he ? a man of his worth so to be used ? specially by such a one ? and as the boar whe●s , and sharpens his ●uskes in his own foam ; so doth a proud person whet , and sharpen his heart , hands , and tongue to indignation , and revenge in the froathy , and foamish imagination of his own worth . seeing that in evill dayes the meek and milde in spirit following christs example , who was as a lamb dumb before the shearer , not opening his mouth , are in danger not onely to be shorn , but to be flayed also ; the most in the wisdom and lust of the flesh , think it better to ●owl with the wolves , and to byte too , then by departing from evill , specially by bearing wrongs patiently , to make themselvs a pray . but here fayth steps in , and leads the meek to gods promises , that he shall inherit the earth : and that god will arise to judgment , to save all the meek of the earth : and that he will see , and hear , and in due time right the wrongs of meek moses , though he passe them by , and as a deaf man hears not : but for the violent , and self-avenger , he puts himself out of gods protection , and goes upon his own hazzard . as the stommack swels eyther with good meat excessively used , or with winde , and ill humours : so there is ●carse any thing eyther so good , or so evill ; but mans corrupt heart takes occasion of prydeing , and puffing up its self by it . the prophet speaks of some , who boasted in evill : and the apostle of others , whose glorying was in their shame . if former ages have been bold ; ours is impudent this way : in which it is hard to say , whether the pride which persons take in good , or in evill be greater . many shame not to boast of the evils practised by them , which modest men are ashamed to hear of ; and some of the evils which they never did , nor dare , nor can doe , thereby to get credit with vayn persons . if pride in good be hatefull , it is abhominable in evill : specially when men bely themselvs to get matter of glorying in mischief ; as austin confesseth he in his youth had done . fools glory in their mo●ley coats ; and therein shew why they wear them : but worse then mad are they who glory in sin , and are lift up for that , which cast the angels from heaven ; adam out of paradise ; and nabuchadnezzar out of his kingdom amongst the beasts of the feild : and which will cast all into hell , that delight in it . as wicked men pride themselvs in their evils : so are the good in danger to be enamoured of their goodnes . and as he that beseigeth a cittie , if he can neyther obteyn it by composition , nor take it by assault , nor constreyn it by hunger , will , in the last place , if he can , undermine , and blow it up with gunpouder : so our , and gods enemy , sathan , when he cannot corrupt , or destroy gods servants otherwise , attempts ( and that oft successively ) the lifting them up with vayn conceiptednes of themselvs , and their own worth . the holy apostle was in danger to be exalted above measure with the number of revelations ; for the preventing whereof he needed a messenger of sathan to buffet him , so god for the keeping , and driveing of pride from his servants , sometimes brings great afflictions upon them ; and humbles them thereby ; and sometimes he doth this , by suffering them to fall into other sins , to remedy that greater sin of pride : as men use to drive out a greater pin with another somewhat smaller . how close doth this corruption cleav unto us , and how dangerous is it withall ; for the purging out of which , the lord useth such a medicine ? there are in this pride many strange touches : some being proud in , and some of their humilitie . of the first sort were they , who being vaynly puffed up by their fleshly mind● , in voluntarie humblenes worsh●ped angels : from a touch of this kinde peter was not free , when he so refr●ct●rily refused to suffer christ to wash his feet . there is also danger of being proud of not being proud , nor ●oftie in caryage , apparaell , or contempt of inferiours : and of being called rayther goodman , then mayster ; and rayther mayster then sir knight . besides all these , many will goe on their tiptoes , though barefoot : being proud of no man knows what eyther within , or without them : and none more then they . there want not , also amongst the rest , who put out pride to usurie , that by forbearing it a while , and u●ing for it , humble , and submissive appearances , they might after receav it with advantage . of this sort are they , who use to dispraise themselvs , that others may the more commend them : and who , forsooth , will alwayes come the hindmost , and sit the lowest , that they may be the more solemnly preferred to the first place . others also ( their crafts-maysters in this trade ) will be very submissive to their superiours , which are but a few , that their inferiours , being many , may learn thereby to honour them the more . so herod shewed how desirous he was of honour from his subjects , by the honour which he gave to caesar , and agrippa . lastly , there are who put on pride , by strutting , and looking , and speaking stately , and other affected forth-puttings , to free themselvs from contempt . such are like esops asse , in the lyons skin : and have like successe with him , in the end . the proud so loves himself , as none other can endure him . not god , for to him he is abhominable : nor humble men , because he is not as they are , and as he should be : nor other prouds , because he is as they are ; who would be singular , and have none other like them . and as god hates the proud , so he resists them : and no marvayl , for they in a singular manner resist him . some sinners are most directly , & immediately against themselvs ; as the ●louthfull , prodigall , &c. some against other men ; as the covetous , slaunderer , cruell , &c. but the proud exalts himself most directly against & above god , whom alone all creatures should exalt , and magnifie . and he , whom god resists , must needs fall , though the whole world would take his part . persons are vulgarly most noted for proud by their apparaell . and indeed by it ( if eyther too costly for stuffe , or affected for fashion , or curiously put on ) not onely the flag of pride , as augustin cald it , is displayed ; but the vice nourished . many say to their fine cloaths , in effect , as saul said to samuel , honour me before the people . and this also they may effect with them that know them not , nor their estates , and may get them more credit with such , then they deserv ; for which they are to answer god : but to them that know them , and their condition , they thereby make themselvs a by-word , and ridiculous for their pride , and vanitie . a second mark of pride may be taken from mens lof●ie eyes , stretched forth necks , and other the like strutting gestures . a third , contempt of mean persons , and things . a fourth , excessive care not to be neglected , or contemned by others , and trouble , if so it fall out . a fifth , continuall striving , and janglings with others . a sixt , crueltie in word or deed towards feeble adversaries . a seaventh , affectation of singularitie , & being unlike to others . good men in evill dayes are compelled to be singular in many things , as lot was in sodom ; but never affect it . an eighth , an aptnes to observ , and task others , as proud . lastly , a readines to speak of ones own worth , or of his great acceptance with others of worth , thraso like . the speciall remedyes against pride are , first , consideration how god forbids , hates , and resists the proud : who will therefore have a fall , if not upon earth , into hell . secondly , meditation upon our sins , and miserie for the same . thirdly , thinking ra●ther what good we have not , then what we have . fourthly , that , if in any good thing we goe before others , we remember , that it is god that hath differenced us : and that having receaved it , we should not glory , as if we had not receaved it . fiftly , a serious fore casting with our selvs , that the more our receipts are , the greater our account to the lord must be : which if we consider , as we ought , will rayther make them matter of humiliation unto us , then of arrogancie . lastly , it will something help to keep the heart down , if we consider , that others are instruments of gods glory , and of good to men , as well as we . chap. lviii . of modestie . modestie adorns other vertues , and good things in a person ; as blushing doth a comely countenance . and though many vertues ( of which it is a very unperfit one , as some call it ; and as others , the keeper of other vertues ) be more serviceable ; yet none is more gracefull , in the eyes of others , then this mayden , and sw●et grace , modestie . for this , some have thought our saviour bare that singular affection to the beloved disciple . and what a loadstone it is to draw mens affections , we all finde in our own experience ; as being prone in matters , of comparison , and controversie between others , rayther to favour the more modest , then the more able , or more worthy eyther otherwise . where it is , it covers many faults , and inabilities from being seen : and where they do appear , procures sometimes excuse , and alwayes commiseration . it commends a man not onely for that which he hath ; but often even for that which he hath not : for as some by arrogateing to themselvs something which they have not , or know not , give others occasion to think them destitute of that which they have , or know indeed : so others modestie in the things , which they have receaved , procures unto them often times , the opinion , from other men , of having that which in truth they want . even a fool , when he holdeth his peace , ( which modestie will teach him to do ) is accounted wise . it is an odious thing to see men deserving litle to arrogate much to themselvs : which yet is as usuall , as for a wyndy stommack to swell ; and that specially , in vain confidence , and conceipt of knowledg : whereas men of understanding indeed , are more modestly mynded . the formers brayn , by streytnes of apprehension , can hold but one thing at once : whereas men of larger discourse so apprehend this , or that reason for , or against a matter , as that at the same instant , other things also offer themselvs to their consideration , which may justly occasion modest doubting about it . and as an advised person by the reflection of his understanding , knows his knowledg ; so doth he his ignorance ; as we see a shadow by the light about it , without which , all would be black darknes . so menedemus was wont to say , that men comeing to studie in athens , were at first wise men , after that , very punyes , and ignorants : for that , as leather vessels , or bags , being emptie , are stiffe , and hard : but being filled with ●●quour , are soft and plyable : so is it with men commonly , as they have lesse , or more knowledg . this tincture of vertue , as diogenes cals it , though it be more usefull for the young , then old ; and for women , then men , for the covering of their infirmities ; which through immodest boldnes , irrespectivenes , and want of fear of shame , and reproof , ( in which modestie consists ) they proclaym to the world : yet is it necessarie for all states , sexes , and persons , at all times ; whether alone , or in company with others ▪ whether conversing with god , or men . the apostle testifies of himself , that he served god amongst the ephesians in modestie of minde , and many tears : giveing therein an ensample to all , how far they ought to put from them a secure , and impudent heart , & countenance . and though that monster of men caligula accounted it the most commendable thing in his nature , that he was ashamed of nothing : yet doth both nature , and grace teach it , to be a most odious thing for a man to have a dogs face , as the proverb is : or as the prophet speaks , a wh●res forehead , that refuses to be ashamed . it is pi●ttie any should speed so well , by mere boldnes , without reason or other defect , as many do : who become thereby of audacious impudent , having once broken the bounds of modestie , specially to their advantage . towards men of such foreheads the proverb must be put in practise , a bold begger must have a bold nay-sayer . it was the unrighteous judg , that did that for the widows importunitie , which conscience would have had him done , for the goodnes of her cause , and povertie of her person . though to speak , as the thing is ; to be overcome by importunitie argues no● so properly injustice , in what case soever , as impotency of minde to resist . peter and iohn with the other apostles prayed to the lord for boldnes in the speaking of his word . many others also pray for boldnes , as they did ; but forget , that they are not apostles , nor infallibly directed , as they were . who , if they knew themselvs aright , and how prone they are to speak their own word in stead of gods , would rayther pray for modestie and advisednes , that they rush not upon the rock of errour . besides , they so prayed in regard of the threatnings of unbeleevers , with whom they had to do . but amongst brethren , and christians , let us rayther affect the lambs bleat , then the lions roar . chap. lix . of mariage . god hath ordeyned maryage , amongst other good means , for the benefit of mans naturall , and spirituall life , in an individual societie , as the lawjers speak , between one man , and one woman : and hath blessed it alone with this prerogative , that by it , in lawfull order , our kinde should be preserved , and posteritie propagated . and though the lord have sometimes suffered , & that almost unreproved by the prophets , other bodily conjunctions , then between the proper husband and wife ; and altogether unpunished by the magistrate : and withall shewed the effect of his powerfull providence , as still he doth , so far , as for the procreateing of children , in that disorder : yet did he never approve of any other , or exempt the same from guilt of sin , in the court of conscience ; and seldom from manifest signes of his displeasure ; as experience , and the scriptures teach . not onely heathen poets ( which were more tolerable ) but also wanton christians , have nick-named women , necessarie evils : but with as much shame to men , as wrong to women , & to gods singular ordinance withall . when the lord amongst all the good creatures which he had made , could finde none fit , and good enough for the man ; he made the woman of a rib of him , and for a help unto him : neyther is she , since the creation , more degenerated then he , from the primative goodnes . besides , if the woman be a necessarie evill , how evill is the man , for whom she is necessarie ? some have sayd , and that ( in their own , and others judgment ) both wittily , and devoutly , that mariage fils the earth , and virginitie heaven : but others have better answered , how should heaven be full , if the earth were empty ? i ad , that ( because christ hath sayd , that the children of the regeneration neyther marry wives , nor are marryed , but are like the angels in heaven . many , whilst they would , by preposterous imitation , become like the angels in heaven , have in truth become liker the divels in hell : for they also neyther marry wives , nor are marryed . but this is , indeed , the very dr●gs of poperie , to place speciall pietie in things eyther evill ; or indifferent , at the best , as is abstinence from mariage , and the mariage bed : which is no more a vertue , then abstinence from wine , or other pleasing naturall things . both maryage , and wine are of god , and good in themselvs ; eyther of them may in their abuse , prejudice the naturall , or spirituall life : neyther of them is unlawfull , no not for them which simply need them no● : which also not to need , argues bodily strength in the one ; but a kinde of weaknes in the other . the ancient heathen used to place mercurie by venus , to shew what need the affections of mariage have of the rule of reason , and wisdom , to order them . neyther in truth is there any thing wherein persons more need , & lesse use reason , and true discretion , then in their maryage choyse : in which the most are unreasonably transported by one affection , or other . and if he moralized well , who made this a reason , why god cast adam into a heavie sleep , whilst he prepared ; and made him a wife of one of his ribs ; that the affections ought to sleep about this work , & the reason to w●k● ; how do they misse , whose manner is to have their affections onely wakeing , or working in this busines ▪ whilst their reason , and conscience also is fast asleep ? i have alwayes thought , that good men crossed with ill wives , or good wives with ill husbands , are ordinarily least to be pittyed of any others in misery : considering how wilfully , and presumptuously ( for the most part ) they tempt god in their choyse . i ad herewithall , that there is no one particular , in which men ; and women bewray , whether their hearts be set upon worldly riches , and honours or sensual pleasures , on the one side ▪ or , on the other side , upon the nourishing , and promoteing of vertue , and godlynes both in themselvs , and their posteritie , then in their choyse this way . when the sons of god take for wives the daughters of men , gyants are born , and all monstrous confusion followeth , first in the family , and after in church , and common wealth . but when the sons of god take the daughters of god to wives , and the daughters of god are taken by the sons of god : there is an equall yoak , for the persons themselvs to draw in with comfort , and a right course taken , for the leaving of an holy seed behinde them . some marry by their eye , as did those sons of god formerly mentioned ; and therein follow favour , which is deceip●full , and beauty , which is a vain thing : others by their fingers , as mynding what the woman is worth , in the worlds sense : others by the ear , as specially respecting their wives title , and high birth ; and so , many times , get themselvs so many lords , and maysters over them , as she hath freinds : but they that specially respect vertue , and godlynes ( which being attended by the other handmayds , as hester by her seaven mayds , is the more beautifull , and desireable ) they marry not onely the daughters of such , or such men , but the daughters of god himself . a woman that feareth the lord , she shall so be praysed : and the man so blessed that marry●th her . we say , in wiveing , and thriveing take counsayl of all the world ; and so men had need . but in this busines affection so far over-rules reason in the most , as they could willingly make their choyse without the counsayl of their nearest , and wisest freinds . herein therefore freinds should be officious , and forth ▪ putting ; and that both in love of their freinds , and for their own sakes also : who so oft as their freind marryes , make an adventure ; and the same full of danger , whether they shall not wholly , or in a great measure , loose their freind ; which is oftens seen . herein parents specially must both preserv the right which god , and nature hath given them ; and do the dutie , which the one , and other hath layd upon them : as accounting their children theirs , most of all other things . whom if they this way bestow conveniently , and in due time ; they provide well both for them , and themselvs . for them , in preventing two dangerous evils ; uncleannes , and unfit matching . for themselvs , according to the saying of democritus , that he who gets a good husband to his daughter , findes another son : as he looseth his daughter , that gets an ill one . the vertue of the wife is the housbands ornament , so is the housbands the wives much more . and therefore philons wife being demanded , why she alone went so plainly apparreled , made answer , that her housbands vertues were ornament sufficient for her . if her practise were a rule , and that housbands vertues were to be measured by their wives homelynes in at●yre ; eyther fewer housbands would be thought vertuous then are ; or more wives ●ound soberly apparreled then are . after goodnes fitnes in maryage is most to be regarded : & that so much , that , as , for a pare of gloves , or yoak of oxen , two alike , though meaner both of them are fitter , and better for use , then if the one were more excellent ; so in this maryage pare , and yoak , the woman best qualifyed is not alwayes the best wife for every man ; nor every man the best qualifyed the fittest housband for every woman : but two more alike , though both meaner , sort better usually . and according to this , pittacus being demanded by a freind what kinde of wife he should marry , answered ▪ one fit for him . fitnes of years is requisite , that an old head be not set upon young shoulders ; nor the contrarie , which is worse : fitnes in estate , lest the excelling person despise the other , or draw him to a course above his reach : fitnes for course of life , and disposition unto it ; the dislike whereof in either by other breeds many discontentments . lastly agreement of affection , and inclination , what may be , to all good persons , and things . onely , it is good , if the one be too fierie-hoat , and suddeynly moved ; that the other can cast on the more cold water of forbearance . but now seeing there is seldom , or never found such conformitie betweene man , and wife , but that differences will arise , and be seen ; and so the one must give way , and apply unto the other : this god , and nature layeth upon the woman , rayther then upon the man ; although the man should not to much look for it , nor use all his authoritie ( ordinarily at least ) which none but fools will doe . as the glasse , sayth one , though never so rich of gold , and pearl , if it represent not the face of him that looks into it , is not to be regarded ; so neyther is the wife , how well endowed soever otherwise , except she frame , and compose her self , what may be , unto her housband , in conformitie of manners . many common graces , and good things are requisite both for housband , and wife : but more specially the lord requires in the man love , and wisdom ; and in the woman subjection . the love of the housband to his wife must be like christs to his church ; holy for qualitie , and great for quantitie , both intensively , and extensively . her person , and whatsoever is good in her he must love fervently ; mending , or bearing ( if not intollerable ) what is amisse : by the former of which two he makes her the better ; and himself by the latter . and if her faylings , and faults be great , he by being inured to bear them patiently , is the fitter to converse quietly , and patiently with other perverse persons abroad ; as socrates sayd , he was , by bearing the dayly home-brawlings of zantippe . neyther sufficeth it , that the housband walk with his wife as a man of love ; but before her also as a man of understanding : which god hath therefore affoarded him , and means of obteyning it above the woman , that he might guide , and goe before her , as a fellow heyr of eternall life with him . it is monstrous , if the head stand where the feet should be : and double pittie , when a naball , and abigail are matched together . yea experience teacheth , how inconvenient it is , if the woman have but a litle more understanding ( though he be not wholly without ) then her housband hath . in the wife is specially required a reverend subjection in all lawfull things to her housband . lawfull , i mean , for her to obey in , yea though not lawfull for him to require of her . he ought to give honour to the wife , as to the weaker vessell : but now , if he passe the bounds of wisdom , and kindenes ; yet must not she shake of the bond of submission , but must bear patiently the burden , which god hath layd upon the daughters of eve. the woman in innocency was to be subject to the man : but this should have been without all wrong on his part , or greif on hers : but she being first in transgression , hath brought her self under an other subjection ; and the same to her , grevious ; & in regard of her housband , oftens unjust ; but in regard of god , alwayes most just : who hath ordeyned that her desire should be subject to her housband , who by her seduction became subject to sin . and albeit many proud women think it a matter of scorn , and disgrace , thus to humble themselvs to god , and their housbands ; and even glory in the contrarie : yet therein they but glory in their shame , and in their housbands shame also : and whilst they refuse a crosse , chuse a sin of rebellion , both against god , and their housbands . which shall not escape unpunished from god : though many fond housbands nourish them therein ; and by pampering , and puffing them up by delicate fare , costly apparrell , and idlenes , teach them to despise both them themselvs , and all others . mariage hath divers ends that make it convenient ; and one that makes it necessarie , for the most ; which is the preventing of that most foul , and filthy sin of adulterie . and this brand it deservs in speciall manner ; seeing , he who coupleth himself with an harlot becomes one body with her : which cannot be sayd of him that consorts with a theif , or murderer , or drunkard in their sins : as also for that such a one sins against his own body . not that he sins not against his own soul too ; or that ▪ all others sinning , sin not against both body , and soul ; but in regard of that speciall blot , and blemish wherewith this sin steyns the body ; which never after can be wiped of , though the guilt of the sin may be repentance . he that committeth adultery lacketh understanding ; getteth a wound , and dishonour , and his reproach shall not be wiped away , sayth salomon . as maryage is a medicine against uncleannes : so adulterie is the disease of maryage ; and divorce the medicine of adulterie : though not properly for the cureing of the guiltie , but for the easing of the innocent : which remedy he may , but is not simply bound to use , as some are the former . some have sayd , that he who conceals the fault of his wife this way , becomes a patron of her ●●●●hynes : but this is rightly restreyned by others to certain cases . the divorce for adulterie both under , and before the law was to be made by the magistrates sword . where that is not drawn , the innocent may use this remedy against the peccant , as directly violateing the maryage bond ; which other sins , though greater otherwise , do not . in other cases , divorce , though much used amongst the iews , was never approved by the lord in the court of heaven , as no sin ; but permitted onely in civill courts , without bodily punishment ; and onely the giving of the bill commanded , and that for the advantage of the divorced , and to testifie , that the housband had so freed the wife , as he might not require her after-returning unto him , though he would . this permission unto the iews being onely for the hardnes of their hearts , may justly by the magistrate be denyed to christians , whose hearts should be more softned by the blood of christ. as a man may surfet at his own table , or be drunken with his own drink ; so may he play the adulterer with his own wife , both by inordinate affection , and action . for howsoever the mariage bed cover much inordinatenes this way : yet must modestie be observed by the maryed ; left the bed which is honourable , and undefiled in its right use , become by abuse hatefull , and filthy in gods sight . it hath been by some well observed , that divers of the patriarks conversed with many wives ( whom they took out of a singular desire of a plentifull progeny more chastly , then many others did , and do , with their one . cap. lx. of children , and their education . god , that made all things good , and blessed them ; imparted expresly this blessing first to his creatures ( capable thereof ) that they should encrease , and multiplie in their kinde . more specially , god created our first parents , male and female , and blessed them , saying , be fruitfull , and multiplie , and fill the earth . this order then set he hath preserved to this day , and mankinde by it . by this , parents when they are dead , live in their children , as parts of them , and imps taken from their stock , & in speciall manner , one with them . this onenes gods gratious covenant with the faythful and their seed confirms , and commends : blessing even the godly dead parents in their living children ; and so cursing the wicked in theirs ; and that oftens , sundry ages afterwards ; as both the scriptures , common sense , and experience teach . such parents as leav their seed under gods covenant , and blessing , as heyrs of their fathers pietie , as ambrose sayd of theodosius , provide a good inheritance for them , if they afterwards by their own rebellion , and unthankfulnes disinherit not themselvs . and a sweet comfort it is to christian parents , when they can commend their litle ones , liveing , or dying into christs hands in heaven ; who being upon earth testified both in word , and deed , their interest in his blessing . the generation of the upright shall be blessed : but the posteritie of the wicked shall be cut off . and as we judg of the plant , or graffe , by the stock whence it was taken , till it be grown able to bring forth its proper fruit , and that the tree be known by the fruit ; so do we of children by their parents , till coming to years of discretion they chuse their own way . not that grace is derived by naturall generation , but by the supernaturall covenant with beleevers , and their seed , confirmed in christ , and by godly education on the parents part , which promise of blessing , as it is ever effectuall in some , according to the election of grace ; so where it follows not , usually the negligence , and indulgencie of the parents ; and alwayes the parties proper rebellion is the cause thereof ; as we may see , both in the word of god , and dayly experience . we read of dionisius the tyrant , that , meaning to revenge himself upon dion , who made war against him , he caused his son ( whom he had in his power ) to be brought up in riot , and wantonnes . this labour many save their enemies , and do it themselvs , and so prove miserable parents of dissolute children . it was an odious thing in the israelites to sacrifice to divels their sons , and daughters which they had born unto god , and whom he avoweth for his children . which , in a spirituall sense , we certeynly do , if we eyther neglect instructing them ; or praying to god for them ; or walking exemplarily , as we ought , before them ; or correcting them duely ; or any other such means , as by which the seeds of grace may grow , and prosper in them . and let us remember , that as bruits bring forth in their kinde , and all parents their children ; so we ( being in the lords covenant of grace ) bring forth , as by nature ours , so by supernatural covenant and grace , his children also ; and that he trusts us with the bringing them up for him , and in his nourture , and instruction ; which is a great matter , and wherein we must deal faythfully with him ; that so under his blessing , we may fit them for his heavenly inheritance , provided for them with us . it is a during fruit of gods gracious covenant , when good parents by their godly care have gracious children ; and that by which our fayth is much confirmed . children , in their first dayes , have the greater benefit of good mothers , not onely because they suck their milk , but in a sort , their manners also , by being continually with them , and receaving their first impressions from them . but afterwards , when they come to riper years , good fathers are more behooffull for their forming in vertue , and good manners , by their greater wisdom and authoritie : and oft times also , by correcting the fruits of their mothers indulgencie , by their severitie . they are a blessing great , but dangerous . they come into the world at first with danger both in respect of themselvs , as passing sometimes , from the womb to the grave ; sometimes being born deformed in body , sometimes uncapable of understanding : as also in regard of the mother ; the first day of their being in the world being oftens her last in it . after their coming into the world through so many dangers , they come even into a world of dangers . in their infancie , how soon is the tender bud nipped or bruised by sicknes , or otherwise ? in their ventersom dayes , into how many needles dangers do they throw themselvs ( in which many perish ) besides those into which god brings them , and that all their life long ? above all other , how great , and many are their spirituall dangers both for nourishing , and encreasing the corruption which they bring into the world with them ; and for diverting them from all goodnes , which gods grace , and mens endeavour might work in them ? these dangers , and difficulties , howsoever they make not gods blessings in giving children to be no blessings ; or deserving to be lightly esteemed ; yet should they moderate our desire of them , and greif for their want : that none should say eyther to god , or one to another , as rahell did to iakob , give me children , or els i dye : specially if we weigh withall , that though the lord give us divers towardly , & good ; yet one , or two proving leaud , and wicked will break our tender hearts more , then all the rest will comfort us : like as in the naturall body there is more greif by the akeing of some one part , though but a tooth ; then comfort , and ease in the good , and sound state of all the rest . if children considered aright of the carefull thoughts , sorrows , and fears , and , sore peyns withall of their parents , they would think they ought them more honour , service , and obedience , then , for the most part , they do . we seldom consider ▪ and prize worthily the cares , and peyns of parents , till we become parents our selvs , and learn them by experience . many bodily diseases are hereditarie ; and so are many spirituall , in a sort ; and that both by naturall inclination , and morall imitation much more : that , as the lord sayth of israell , thou art thy mothers daughter , so may it be sayd of many , that they are their fathers and mothers sons , and daughters in evill . yet , if it so come to passe , that god vouchsafe grace to the childe of a wicked father , and that he see the sins which he hath done : he commonly hates them more vehemently , then if they had been in a stranger : and good reason , considering how they have been his dearest parents ruine . yea further , even where grace is wanting , the child , oft tymes , by observing , and sometimes by feeling also the evils of his fathers sin , is driven though not from his evill way into a good way , yet into the contrary evill . thus a covetous father oftens makes a prodigall son ; so doth a prodigall a covetous . the son of the covetouse takeing knowledg how odious his fathers covetousnes is to all ; and therewith perswading himself , and being perswaded by others about him , that there is enough , and , more then enough for him ; takes occasion as prodigally to pour our , as his father hath mizerly hoarded up : as on the contrarie , the son of the prodigall both seeing , & feeling the hurt of his parents lavishnes , is thereby provoked to lay the harder about him , for the repayring of his fathers ruines . love rayther descends , then ascends ; as streams of water do : and no marvayl , if men love where they live , as parents doe in children , and not they in them . hence also is it , that grandfathers are more affectionate towards their childrens children , then to their immediates ; as seeing themselvs further propagated in them , and by their means proceeding on to a further degree of eternity ; which all desire naturally , if not in themselvs , yet in their posteritie . and hence it is , that children brought up with their grandfathers , or grandmothers , seldom do well ; but are usually corrupted by their too great indulgencie . it is much controverted , whether it be better , in the generall , to bring up children under the severitie of discipline , and the rod ; or no. and the wisdom of the flesh out of love to its own , alleges many reasons to the contrarie : but say men what they will , or can , the wisdom of god is best ; and that sayth , that foolishnes is bound up in the heart of a child , which the rod of correction must drive out : and that he , who spares his rod , hurts his son ; not in the affection of person , but effect of thing . and surely there is in all children ( though not alike ) a stubbernnes , and stoutnes of minde arising from naturall pride , which must , in the first place , be broken , and beaten down ; that so the foundation of their education being layd in humilitie , and tractablenes , other vertues may , in their time , be built thereon . this fruit of naturall corruption , and root of actuall rebellion both against god , and man must be destroyed , and no manner of way nourished ; except we will plant a noursery of contempt of all good persons , and things , and of obstinacie therein . it is commendable in a horse , that he be stout , and stomackfull , being never to be left to his own government , but alwayes to have his rider on his back , and the bit in his mouth . but who would have his childe like his horse in his bruitishnes ? indeede such as are of great stomack , being throughly broken , and informed , become verie serviceable , for great designes : els , of horses they become asses , or worse : as themistocles his mayster told him , when he was a childe , that eyther he would bring some great good , or some great hurt to the common wealth . neyther is there need to fear , left by this breaking , the children of great men should prove base spirited , and abject and so unapt to great imployments : for being adams sons , whose desire was to have been like unto god ; and having those advantages for maysterfulnes , and highthoughts , which great mens children want not , ( unto whom great affayrs are appropriated usually ) they will not easily be found unfurnished of stomack , and stoutnes of minde more then enough ; wherein a litle is dangerous , specially for making them unmeet for christs yoak , and to learn of him , who was lowly , and me●k . for the beating , and keeping down of this stubbornnes parents must provide carefully for two things : first that childrens wils , and wilfulnes be restreyned , & repressed , and that in time ; lest sooner then they imagine , the tender sprigs grow to that stiftnes , that they will rayther break then bow . children should not know ( if it could be kept from them ) that they have a will in their own , but in their parents keeping : neyther should these words be heard from them , save by way of consent , i will , or i will not . and if will be suffered at first to swey in them in small , and lawfull things , they wil hardly after be restreyned in great , and ill matters , which their partiall conceipt , and inexperienced youth with the lusts thereof , and desire of libertie , shall deem small , and lawfull , as the former . and though good education , specially the grace of god may afterwards purge out much other evill , and weaken this also : yet will such unbroken youth most commonly draw after it great disquietnes in crosses , when they fall ; and in the whole course of life , a kinde of unweyldines , inflexibilitie , and obstinacie , prejudiciall to the partyes themselvs , and uncomfortable ( at least ) to such as converse with them . the second help is an inureing of them from the first , to such a meannes in all things , as may rayther pluck them down , then lift them up : as by plain , and homely dyet , and apparrel ; sending them to school betimes ; and bestowing them afterwards , as they are fit , in some course of life , in which they may be exercised diligently , and the same rayther under then above their estate : by not abetting them one against another , nor against any , ( specially before their faces ) without great cause : nor by makeing them men , and women , before they become good boyes , and girls . how oft have i observed , that parents , who have neyther fayled in diligent instructing of their children , nor in giving them good example , nor in correcting them duely , have onely by streyning too high this way , eyther endangered , or utterly overthrown their posteritie ? hereby lifting them up in their vayn hearts , and teaching them to despise both mean things , and persons ; and themselvs also , many times , amongst others : thereby drowning them ( icarus like ) in a sea of mischeif , and misery , by their flying too high a p●●ch . and this must be the more mynded , because there is in men an inbred desire , and that inordinate usually , to hoyse up their children , as high , as may be : so as they half think they do them wrong , if they set them not higher , or as high , at least , as themselvs ; almost whether god will , or no. yea what place affoards not some such , as make themselvs their childrens slaves ; not careing how basely they themselvs grovell in the earth , so they may set them on their tiptoes ? but first of all for childrens competent education , specially for their disposeing in some particular course ( on which all are to settle at last , though some libertie of stepping this way , or that be given them for a while ; as a man though for his pleasure he see many places , yet seeks his abode in some one in the end ) there is required in their parents a through discerning , and right judgment of their disposition : which is as difficult , as necessarie . the difficultie aryseth from the partiality of parents towards their own : for that , as the crow thinks her own bird fayrest , so do they commonly their children towardlyer , and better then they are , or then any other indifferent judg doth . this partiality in many is so grosse , as they not onely deem small good things in them great , and great evils small ; but oftens account the same things well becomeing them , and commendable , which in others they would censure as undecent , and it may be , enormous . this perni●ous errour ariseth from self love . for , as in nature , the object cannot be seen , which is eyther too near the eye , or too far from it ; so neyther can the disposition of that ●●i●de be rightly discerned , which lyeth too near his fathers heart . and yet is the knowledg of this so necessarie , that we build not eyther upon a vain , or uncerteyn foundation , with great hazzard of losse , both of labour , and expence , in sorting our childe to his particular calling , and course of life ; as all without it , is but a verie rash adventure . for as none is fit for everie course , nor hardly any for many , in any great degree ; so everie one is fit for one , or other : to which if his ability , and disposition be applyed , with any convenient diligence on his part , and helps by others ; he may easily come to a mediocritie therein , if not to some rarenes . hence was it , that fathers in some places , used to lead their children to the shops of all kinde of artificers , to try how they could both handle their tools , & like their works ; that so they might bestow them accordingly . some wise men also have wished , that there might be established , by publique authoritie , a course for the due tryall , and choyce of wits for severall sciences . and surely , where there goes not before a naturall aptnes ( and morall disposition also for some callings ) ; there will follow nothing but losse : losse of time , losse of labour , losse of charges , and all ; as when the seed is cast into the barren ground . and as the midwife how skilfull soever in her art , cannot make the woman to be delivered , that was not first with childe ; so neyther can the best maysters make their schollers , or servants , to bring forth sciences , unlesse they have an aptnes thereunto first conceaved in their brayns . there is running in the breasts of most parents a strong stream of partiall affection towards some one , or other of their children , above the rest , eyther for its beautie , or wit , or likenes to themselvs , or some other fancyed good in it ; which is alwayes dangerous ; and oft hurtfull . sometimes the lord takes away such before the rest , to punish the fathers fondnes : and most commonly such if surviveing , prove the worst of all the rest , as growing hereby proud , and arrogant in themselvs , presumptuous upon their fathers love , and contemptuous of the rest of their brethren , and sisters ; as we may see in esau , absolom , and adoniah , their fathers darlings ; and in many mo , in our dayly experience . and though they in themselvs ( which they seldom are free from ) be not corrupted with pride ; yet will the rest seldom , or never escape the infection of envy at it ; as is to be seen in iosephs brethren . it is naturall for parents tenderly to love all their children ; and best for them to be as equall towards all , as may be , reserving the bestowing of their best and greatest love , till they see , where god bestows his . and if so be they cannot , or will not command their inordinate affections , as they should ; yet it is wisdom to conceal them from their children ; whom els they may hurt so many wayes ; as the ape is said , many times to kill her young ones by too streyt embraceing them . the lord promises , and affoards long life to such as honour father , and mother : whose dayes if he shorten in this life for their good , he lengthens out with immortalitie in glory . on the other side , he cuts off from the earth stubborn , and disobedient children suddeynly , and sundry wayes : and if he give them long life , it is for a curse unto them . they also oftens dye without children themselvs ; and if not ; their children oftener pay them that which is due , and owing them from their parents . the historie is note worthy of the father who being drawn by his son to the threshold of the house , by the hayr of the head ; cryed to him , to draw him no further ; for that he had drawn his father no further . and how should they expect honour from their children , who have dishonoured their parents ? or a happy life , who despise the author of their life under god ? this honour is due not onely to them by whom we have our being ; but to them also by whom our well-being is furthered . chap. lxi . of youth , and old age . that cittie , or common wealth ( sayth one ) flourisheth most , where old mens counsayl , and young mens swords are in request . and a litle ( sayth another ) avail weapons abroad , and in the hands of young men ; if there be not counsayl at home , and in the breasts of the aged . and as some fruits are ripe before others , and divers fit for divers seasons of the year : so god , and nature hath so ordayned , that the bodyes of young men should be ripe in their youth , & fittest for bodily employments , by reason of their naturall heat , and spirits : and the counsayls of old men in their age , through their long experience , and observation . things go well , where both do their parts in societies . it is worthily sayd of one , that childehood should be manly , that is , not without all wisedom : and age childe-like , that is , without pride , and arrogancy . yet may the aged above the younger sort , chalenge , and use a kinde of authority , and confidence in their words , & caryage . so is there to be permitted unto childhood that childeishnes , which without violence to nature , & the god thereof , cannot be driven from it . many , in pride , striving , and streyning to have their children men , and women too soon , and ere they be full boyes , and girls ; force them above their pace ; and eyther cause them to tyre , as discouraged ; or occasion them to content themselvs , in after time , with certayn manly forms , without substance , unseasonably forced upon them , in their childehood . fruits ripened by art , before their time , are neyther toothsom , nor wholesom : so children made men when they should be children , prove children when they should be men . notwithstanding stubbornnes , and corruption cannot too soon be forced out of them : neyther is half that libertie to be given to the younger sort , which they would take ; not knowing , nor being easily brought to beleiv , how slipperie their state is , till they come to feel it by their fals : which if they did , they would not complayn with the foolish young man , in the poet , that all parents keeping any hand over their children ( though for their good ) are injurious unto them . as all men are to honour all men , because they are men , and made after gods image ; so should the younger sort specially be trayned up to a bashfull , and modest reverence towards all , and cheifly towards their ancients . which so well becomes their mayden years , as that the phylosopher accounts blushing a vertue in young folks , though a fault in the aged . many parents desire to have their young ones trayned up in such exercises , and courses , as may inbolden them : but they should , for the most part , provide much better for them , ( specially in our audacious age ) if they got them held constantly in courses of modestie , and ●hamefastnes ; that so demetrius might have his wish in them ; which was , that young folks would reverence their fathers at home , all men abroad , and themselvs being alone . the apostle writeing to timothie warns him to fly the lusts of youth . if timothy , who was brought up in the knowledg of the scriptures from a childe , and who had profited so well therein , and whose place in the church was so eminent for the teaching , and governing of others , stood in need of such advertisement , and warning ; what warning can be sufficient for ordinarie young people to eschew and fly from such lusts , and vanities , as to follow after them , and unto which the heat and heedlesnes of youth carryeth them ? it is indeed a great mercy of god , when young persons get over that their slipperie , and inexperienced state without eyther such publique scandall , or secret wound of conscience , as the scar whereof they carry to their graves with them . how much more , and greater a mercy is it , when they receav the grace to consecrate their youth and best dayes to god in holynes ? offering their souls , and bodyes as the sacrifices of young lambs unblemished , upon the lords altar . wicked men , who hate goodnes both in youth , and age , use to say , young saints , old divels : but the truth is young divels old beelzebubs , for the most part . to whom yet , if god , in singular grace , vouchsafe repentance in after age ; what a corasive will it be to the heart of such a convert , casting back his eyes to his youth consumed in lusts , and vanitie , to think how great dishonour he hath brought to gods name , and hindrance to others salvation ; which he may repent of , but cannot redeem ? on the contrarie , sweet is the remembrance in old age of a youth led in true vertue , and godlynes . some would enjoy both the honour of age , and liberty of youth : but curled grey hayr is not comely . eyther state hath its benefit , and burden alotted of god. he that obteyns the benefit must be content to bear the burden . young men must be content to want the honour , which is due to the aged of their order otherwise , in regard of the image of gods eternitie , which they bear : and so must the aged be content to forbear even the lawfull libertie , & delights of youth . multitude of years should teach wisdom , sayth young elihu in iob , to his three ancients . and this the younger sort should with reverence , and may with good reason look for , at their elders hands , considering their long experience , and manifold advantages above them , for the getting of wisdom . this wisdom makes their age honourable indeed , and their grey head a crown of glory , being founded in the way of righteousnes : whereas an elementarie old man , having no other argument to prove that he hath lived long , but his grey hayrs , and wrinkled forehead , is a contemptible , and ridiculous creature . how many such a b c old folks are there in the world , whose grey hayrs promise wisdom , & knowledg ; and to whom opportunitie , and means of atteyning it hath not been wanting ; who yet being proved , and known , will appear very babes in understanding , and such as , for that skill , had need to begin to live againe ? this is not meerly a want of wit in them , or of the love of knowledg eyther ; but withall a curse of god upon them , usually punishing a lustfull , and rechlesse youth with a doltish age : in whom the proverb is true , in another sense : ab equis ad asinos : such of young horses become old asses . a wise man should live well in youth , and before old age come , that he may dye well in age , if it come ; and may be ready for death , as the white regions are for the harvest : and so may both wayt for it , and even meet it the more boldly in the way of such vertuous actions , as expose unto it . for though youth & likelyhood of long life should make none withdraw from any good duety , or doe amisse for fear of danger of losse of life ; yet age should ( though in course of nature the more fearfull ) upon ground of good reason , wisdom , and grace , make men the more ventersom of that , in a good cause , which god & destiny will deprive them of ere long , though other men let them alone : as solon was bold upon his old age to oppose himself to pisystratus the tyrant . one adviseth to be old betimes , that so we may be old long . but who would desire to be that lo●g , which is but a long infirmitie ; save as age accompanyed with wisdom and godlynes ads authoritie to the aged for the more effectuall enforceing of these and the like vertues upon others . cap. lxii . of death . naturall death stands in the separation of the soul from the body : spiritúall of the soul , and whole man from god , in respect of grace : eternall in respect both of grace , and glorie , with the sense of the contrarie evils . by sin death in all three degrees came into the world . for albeit god onely have immortalitie , and unchangeablenes from , and in himself , and that all creatures ( and so man , with the rest , in regard of his elementarie body ) be subject to change , save as they do depend upon him that uncreated beeing , and are susteyned , and upheld by the word of his power , and by a continuall influx from him ; yet god having engraven his image in man , did both so temper his body , and order all creatures , under his providence , for him ; as that nothing but sin could possibly impeach his life , or welfare . by his sin he actually lost spirituall life ; and the right both to temporarie , and eternall . the first death is a naturall evill : the second a spirituall : the third both . for although in regard of the universall , and of gods supernaturall ends , it be better that a man bee , to be continued , though in eternall miserie ; then that he should cease to be altogether : yet in regard of the persons particular ( as better eye out , then ever akeing ) better never to have been born , or by death utterly to be abolished , as the bruit beasts are ; then to live , and continue alwayes accursed , and miserable . by naturall death divers men , how like soever they have been in their temporall state , become most unlike in their eternall : the wicked miserable without hope ; and the godly happy without fear : and by the same death , both they and all other , in other things , altogether alike , how unlike soever they have been in them formerly . after death remayns no naturall or civill relation ; as of father , son ; housband , wife ; or the like : all these are for this life onely . the liveles earth unto which the body returns , is altogether uncapable of them : so is the soul , being a spiritual substance , whether in heaven or hell . with them in glory , after the end of the world , god shall be all in all : and men shall be like the angels , neyther taking wives , nor giving in mariage , nor remayning maryed . peter and paul neyther are , nor shall be apostles there ; neyther is the virgin mary christs mother there : but they onely remayn those persons which sometimes , upon earth , had these states , and relations upon them . if there be any naturall , or bodily difference after death , it is , that the bodyes of the richer s●inck the more by reason of their greater fulnes , and aboundance whilst they lived . and for the good , and bad , which are mingled together in this life , but cannot agree ; death parts them for ever : being hastened of the lord , that the godly dying may no more be vexed with , or by the wicked : nor the wicked any longer persequute the godly . if men should live alwayes in the world , or but so long in our age , as did the first patriarks ; to what a height would many come in worldly happines , or misery ? how extreamly rich would many be ? how many extreamly poore ? how mightie , and powerfull some ? how dejected , and depressed many more ? but the wise providence of god is to be honoured herein : by which it comes to passe , that the more men are set to drive things to extreamitie , the lesse time should be allowed them for their courses one or other in the world . onely man being both mortall , and reasonable , can think of his death . not the angels ; for though they can by understanding conceav of death , yet are they by their spirituall state , set without the reach of it : nor bruit beasts , though mortall ; because it is not perceaved by sight , or other sense ; but being a privation , to wit , of life , is onely discernable by understanding . if a beast see never so many of its own kinde slaughtered before its eyes , it fears not death , which it sees not ; though it may fear the instrument which it sees , or other terrible , and sensible object . and hence it comes to passe , that the more brutish men are , they have the lesse thoughts or fear of death for the most part . it is appointed unto men once to dye ordinarily ; and after this the judgment . i say , as the apostle means , ordinarily : for some dye not , but are changed onely : some dye twice , as lazarus , and others . this death , which will certeynly once come , and with it eternall , and unchangeable happines , or miserie ; we should alwayes bear in mynde ; as if phillips deaths head were set before us . for though the thoughts of death be not sufficient to rayse the heart to heavenly things ; yet are they so avaylable to draw it from earthly ( which is first to be done ) as no thing is more , then the frequent , and serious meditation thereof . we should think seriously of that part of our life , which remayns unfinished , that we may provide things necessarie for it : and also of our death , that we may cut off superfluityes ; and use that moderately , which we must not use long . the saying , nothing more certayn then death , and yet nothing more uncertayn then the hour of death is common , and commonly abused . the certayntie of it should teach us moderation in the use of the world , and all worldly things , and that we abuse them not : because the fashion of this world passeth away . but contrary-wise , many take hereby occasion to lay the faster hold of it , eyther in the profits thereof for themselvs , or theyrs ; or pleasures ; saying , let us eat , and drink ; to morrow we shall dye . and whereas god would have us ignorant of our last day , and hour , that suspecting it alwayes , we might alwayes be ready ; we are apt , on the contrarie , because we know not the certayn tyme , to be the lesse ready at all times : and ( which is worse ) not to take warning neyther , as we ought , by any , or all those known messengers of death ; which are reckned three : . casual●ie , . weaknes , and . age : the first shewing our death to be doubtfull ; the second and third to be near , and at hand . hardly any so old , but thinks he may yet live a year ; or so sick , but that he may live a day longer . not onely the foolish , but even the wise virgins are too prone to slumber , if the bridegroome defer his coming a litle . few regard the good counsayl given , to account every day the day of our death , and as that , wherein we are ( it may be ) to appear before the lord. few watch because they know not what hour the lord w●●l come , ( as all are warned ) . but the servant that so doth , and is ready ; blessed is he , whom his lord when he cometh , findes so doing . young folk may dye shortly ; but the aged cannot live long . the green apple may be pluckt off , or shaken down , by violence ; but the ripe will fall of it self . it is wisdom therefore to provide for death in youth , ( there being many more that dye in youth , or childehood , then that survive till old age ) ; but madnes it is to neglect preparation , when age commeth : though in truth few dye well in age , that have not lived well in youth . that we may once dye the great death aright , and in peace ; it is requisite , that we dye dayly many litle deaths , both by outward afflictions ; & inward mortifyings of our worldly , and corrupt lusts . we should so live , as being content to dye , when god calls us hence : and that upon knowledg of the nature , cause , and event of death ; and out of a good conscience towards god , and men : and not in senseles blockishnes , overcomeing death , as the most do , by forgetting it ; as if a man overcame his enemy , by getting as far from him as he could : nor yet by desperate wearisomnes of life for any troubles in it ; but as being willing , yea desyrous to live to serv gods providence for good , upon earth . it is ill ( sayth the wise heathen ) to wish death ; but worse to fear it . but godly christians are to doe both in different respects . to desire it ( as it stands with gods will ) that they may be free from sin , and misery ; it being best for them to be dissolved , and to be with the lord : to fear it , as being in it self a fearfull punishment of sin ; the dissolution of the most excellent creature upon earth ; and an end of further praysing god in his church , and performing particular offices of goodnes , and love to men . and in truth , though grace have this effect with them that desire to be dissolved , and to be with christ , that they do not dye onely patiently ; but even dye with delight , and live patiently : yet nature causeth , that not onely they that know they must dye , as all doe ; but they also which beleev , that after death they shall enjoy a more happie state , desire the deferring of it : so loath to part are the two old acquayntances , the body , and soul. pretious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saincts , when they dye for , or in ●ayth , and a good conscience : as the gold melting , and dissolving in the furnace is as much esteemed by the gold-smith , as any in his shop , or purse . pretious also it is , whilst they live , and that which god will not lightly suffer to befall them . and if he put their tears in his bottle , he will not neglect their blood , nor easily suffer it to be shed : neyther doth death , when it comes , part him , and them ; though it part man , and man ; yea man and wife ; yea man in himself , his soul , and body . freinds shew themselvs faythfull in sticking to their freinds in sicknes , and all other afflictions : but they ( how affectionate soever ) must leav them in death : and are glad to remove them , and to haue their dead buried out of their sight . but the fruit of gods love reacheth un●o death it self : in which he doth his beloved ones the greatest good , when freinds can do no more for them . he that sayd , before death , and the funerall no man is happy , spake the truth , as he meant , of the happines which can be found in worldly things . but both he , and they , who have so admyred his saying , should have considered , that he who is not happie before death in worldly things , cannot be happy in them , by it ; which deprives him of them all , and of life it self , which is better then they , and for which they are . but miserable indeed is the happines , whereof a man hath neyther beginning , nor certain●ie , but by ceasing to be a man. the godly are truly happy both in life and death : the wicked in neyther . we are not to mourn for the death of our christian freinds , as they which are without hope : eyther in regard of them , or of our selvs . not of them , because such as are asleep with iesus , god will bring with him to a more glorious life , in which we ( in our time , and theirs shall ever remayn with the lord , and them : not of our selvs , as if that , because they had left us , god had left us also . but we should take occasion by their deaths to love this world the lesse , out of which they are taken ; & heaven the more , whether they are gone before us , and where we shall ever enjoy them . amen . finis . the table conteyning the contents of everie chapter . chap. j. of mans knowledg of god. fol. . ch. ij . of gods love . . chapt. iij. of gods promises . . chapt. iiij . of the works of god & his power , wisdom , will , goodnes , &c. shineing in them . . chapt. v. of created goodnes . . chap. vj. of equab●litie , and perseverance in wel-doing . chap. vij . of religion , and differences , and disputations thereabout . . chap. viij . of the holy scriptures . . chapt. ix . of authoritie and reason . . chapt. x. of fayth hope , and love of fayth reason , and sense . . chapt. xj . of atheisme , and idolatrie . . chapt. xij . of heresy , and schism . . chap. xiij . of truth , and falshood . . cha. xiiij . of knowledg , and ignorance . . chapt. xv . of simplicitie , and craftines . . chap. xvj . of wisdom , and folly . . chap. xvij . of discretion . . cha. xviij . of experience . . chap. xix . of examples . . chapt. xx . of counsell . chap. xxj . of thoughts . . cha. xxij . of speach , and silence . . cha. xxiij . of books , and writings . . cha. xxiiij . of good intentions . . cha. xxv . of means . . cha. xxvj . of labour . . ch. xxvij . of callings . . ch. xxviij . of the use , and abuse of things . . cha. xxix . of riches , and povertie . . chapt. xxx . of sobrietie . . chap. xxxj . of liberalitie . . chap. xxxij . of health . . cha. xxxiij . of afflictions . . ch. xxxiiij . of iniuries . . chap. xxxv . of patience . . cha. xxxvj . of peace . . ch. xxxvij . of societie , and friendship . . ch. xxxviij of credit , and good name . . cha. xxxix . of contempt , and contumelie : . chapt. xl . of envie . . chapt. xlj . of slander . . chap. xlij . of flatterie . . chap. xliij . of suspicion . . chap. xliiij . of appearances . . chapt. xlv . of offences . . chap. xlvj . of temptations . . chap. xlvij . of conscience . . cha. xlviij . of prayer . . chap. xlix . of oaths , and lots . . chapt. l. of zeale . . chapt. lj . of hipocrisy . . chapt. lij . of sin , and punishment from god. . chapt. liij . of rewards , and punishments by men . . chap. liiij . of affections . . chap. lv . of fear . . chapt. lvj . of anger . . chap. lvij . of humilitie , and meeknes . . chap. lviij of modestie . . chapt. lix . of mariage . . chapt. lx . of children , and their education . . chap. lxj . of youth , and old age . . chap. lxij . of death . . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e prov. . ps. . caluin . bernard . acts . iohn . thales . cor. . cor. ● dionisius . cant. . tim. . eph. . pet. . scaliger . iohn . phil● . rom. . iob . cor. . austin . cor. . rom. . gal. . ps . king. . and . math. . king. ● austin . iohn . ps. . revel . . mal. . math. math. ps ▪ . tertullian . cor. . scalig●r . iunius . acts . tim. . ezech. ps. . ps. . tertullian . ps. . acts . rom. . austin . gen. . iob . hosh. . ier. . ps. . ier. . bodin . rom. . ps. . perkins . anaxagoras . acts . rom. . rom. , ps. . acts . and . iames . austin . iob . sam. lumbard . austin . luke . math. . rom. eccl. . gal. . prov. . seneca . eusebius . esay . seneca . cor. . bernard . cor. . math. seneca . gal . seneca . math. luk . math. . rom. ps. ▪ seneca . ps. . ps. . cor. . terence . seneca . ferus . acts . cor. plutarch math. . tit. . eph. . gal. . rom. . barnard . tertullian . iohn . gal. . dan. . sam. ● gal. . rom. . ps. . gal. . rev. . ps. . math. . mark. . gregorie . ps. . eusebius . ierem. . math. . pet. . austin . philip. . ps . ps. . coloss. . rom. . cor. . phil. . hebr. . king. cor. . math. tim. . hebr. . pet. . iude. iohn . caluin . acts . iohn . cicero . lactantius cor. . tertullian . chr. ● revel . . math. . morneus ficinus . gal. . iohn . thales . gen. . tim. . tertullian . glasse of spanish crueltie . iames ▪ ● iohn . king. rom. . cor. tim. . lactantius cor. . acts . prov. . scaliger . ps. . bodin . ps. . tertullian . lactantius king steven . num. . ps. . chr. austin . keckerm ▪ psal. . iunius . iohn . and . pet. . acts . tertullian . whittakers tertullian . iohn . morneus psal. . ierom. thess. . hebr. . rom. . prov. . math. . tertullian . whittakers luke . psal. . luther . ireneus celsus . chrysostom melancton tertullian . chrysostom tertullian . iames . gal. . gal. . cor. . math. . mark. . cor. . cor. gal. . rom. . rom. . rom. . hebr. . philip. . sam. . sam. . chr. anacharsis comineus . acts . lactantius whittakers p. martyr act. . . . gal. . . vrsinus . scaliger . hebr. . rom. . cor. scaliger . ignatius . gal. . cyril . luther . cor. . cor. . and . gen. . perkins ▪ iohn . hebr. . and . eph. . iohn . luke . tim. . iames . bernard . chemnitius perkins . eph. . habak . . hebr. . eph. . curtius . hebr. . hebr. ▪ rom. . scaliger . pet. . mark. . pet. . cor. . rom. . zanchy iohn . and . ps. . iohn . iohn . rom. . hebr. . thess. . iohn . iohn . tertullian . titus . acts math. . luke . math. . luke . gal. . . pet. . rom. . seneca . plutarch morneus prov. cicero . ps. . rom. . acts exod. . chr. . coloss. . philip. . cor. gal. . titus . hebr. . ● king. hebr. . cor. . and . iude pet. . iohn . tertullian . scaliger . austin . ambrose . iohn . iohn . eusebius . aristotle . tertullian . ezra . cicero . iames . iohn . austin . prov. iohn ▪ . levit. . iob. . iohn . rom. . revel . plautus . bernard . coloss. . zanchy math. . tertullian . exod. . cor. . prov. . eccles. daniel . bernard . prov. . iohn . seneca . ps. . iames . alciat . genes . . plutarch psal. . ●ames . bernard . socrates . acts . luke . zanchy rom. . seneca . bodin . sam. ● prov. . genes . . ireneus livius . petrarch lord willoughby . sam. seneca . austin ▪ eusebius ▪ gor. . coloss. . iames . plutarch philip. . tim. . prov. . eccl. ▪ chapt. . chapt. . cartwright senoca . psal. . acts . rom. . deut. . genes . . plutarch seneca ▪ ps. . cor. . phil. . seneca . politian . plutarch iosephus . austin . eccl. . and . tertullian . ps. . greenh 〈…〉 ▪ plato . caluin . rom. . iames . hebr. . plutarch lord willoughby . plutarch cor. plutarch psal. . plutarch . exod. . beza . austin . cal. . math. ● . keckerm ▪ menand●r king. ▪ prov. . and . esay . prov. . panormi● . king. plutarch . erasmus . ierem. ezech. ▪ sam. exod. . math. ambrose . hebr. . iohn . prov. . cartwright math. . genes . . iohn . revel . . cartwright plutarch prov. . hug● . psal. . prov. seneca . math. . seneca . ephes. . psal. . iam. . iames . sueton. plutarch theodoret cor. ● cicero . morneus . agesilaus . prov. . numb . prov. . chap. . chap. ● seneca . prov. . plutarch seneca . sam. eccl. . rom. ● . tertul. seneca . psal. . austin . bernard . gen. . sam. . bodin . exod. . cor. . iudg. . philo iud. num. . matt. . gen. . and . iob. . ecles . . plutarch ringelb . prov. ierome . h. smith . bernard . seneca . musonius . genes . ● psal. . iohn . iob . pet. . seneca . ierom. iohn . ephes. . cor. . tim. . act. . luke . psalm . ● . and . calvin . king. . chap. . pindarus . erasmus ▪ austin . ● cor. . eccles. . plutarch . chemnit . plutarch la●rtius . tertull. cyprian . seneca . eccles. . ierom. phil. . ephes. . tim. . prov. . seneca . prov. . seneca . deut. . prov. . tim. . prov. . ecles . . prov. . eccles. . prov. . martial . math. . cassander bernard . phil. . luke . austin . prov. . cartwr . iam. . tim. . math. . iude . titus . boethius . seneca . patricius . ierom. prov. . seneca . cicero . terence . esay . cor. . chap. . luke . prov. . math. . luke . thes. . prov. . gregorie . austin . arist. lactant. cicero . ambrose . cicero . seneca . seneca . cor. . mark. . ambros. prov. . cartwr . iames . gregory . salust . tim. . seneca . eccles. . luke . polybius . ierom. cicero . gregory . cor. . eccles. . plutarch math. . tim. . hebr. . king. ● ephes. . luke . plutarch . pliny . livy . antoninus lamen . . ieremy . ieremy . levit. . ioshua . iohn . sam. . melanct ▪ ignatius . iames . seneca . gregorie ▪ cor. . naziam . math. . rom. . psal. . and . psal. . boethius . keckerns ▪ iames . iob . psalm . . mark . iudg. ▪ pacius . levit. . coloss. . eccles. seneca . austin . tertul. rom. . terence . prov. . psal. . gen. . prov. . gen. . sam ▪ . seneca . cicero . tacitus . math. . calvin . rom. . seneca . lactant. tertul. calvin . prov. ▪ ● sam. . lactant. gregory . rom. . rev. . chrysost. hebr. ▪ laertius . seneca . hebr. . iames . iob . esay . esay . iob . rom. . iob . prov. . rom. . kin. . sam. . kin. . austin . rom. . hebr. . nazianz. psal. . calvin . hugo . luke . psal. . austin . cor. . ephes. . austin . psal. . iudg. . cor. eccles. . phil. . cor. . seneca . iosh. . pet. . chrisost. dan●●● . seneca . prov. . deut. . sam. . plutarch iohn . seneca . plutarch . colos. . galat. . chr. . iohn . seneca . iohn . . psal. . plutarch . luke . gregorie . prov. . seneca . prov. . cartwr . pliny . prov. . is●dorus . cicero . pliny . austin . gen. . gen. . plutarch . prov. . iohn . . prov. . psal. . austin . phil. . math. . cicero . corin. . austin . corin. . corin. . ignatius . greenham cicero . sam. . ambrose . epictetus . cor. . hebr. . math. . sam. . prov. . kings . . psal. . seneca . prov. . gen. . sam. . iudg. . pet. . sene●a . plutarch . cyprian . scaliger . plutar●h . politian . plutarch . bernard . politian . chrysost. math. . basil. prov. . eccles. . prov. . bernard . psal. . prov. . mark. . sam. . and . hubert . taffin . gen. . iob . rom. . herodotus ▪ eusebius . psalm . . . . &c. calvin . pet. . chrisost. antisthenes . plutarch . psal. . plutarch . lactant. prov. . thes. . rom. . seneca . iude . seneca . swetonius . seneca . corin. . bodin . chrisost. gen. . numb . . acts . thes. . calvin . corin. . pet. . math. . math. . math. . esay . pet. . rom. . corin. . rom. . austin . bernard . math. . iohn . math. . tertul. math. . psal. . math. . acts . luke . ephes. . cor. . ambrose . gregory . iames . gregory . ● pet. . math. . gregorie . iames . cor. . psal. . hugo . austin . math. . prov. . iames . psal. . cor. . perkins . bernard . iohn . . seneca . politian . iohn . . tim. . philpo● . rom. . tim. . heb. . psal. . tertul. phil. . iohn . kings . zach. . rom. . calvin . austin . sam. . tim. . taffin . seneca . chron. . & . austin . cyprian . austin . psal. . austin . nazianz. ionah . prov. . chap. . prov. . psal. . rom. ● . cor. . cyril . luke . math. . zach. . math. . tertull. hebr. . prov. . cor. . prov. . 〈◊〉 . ier. . perkins . math. . hebr. . psal. . bernard . cicero . exod. . rev. . cor. . ier. . ● kin. . gal. . math. . luke . chrisost. seneca . cor. . gregory . math. . cicero . psal. . math. . auselmus rom. . beza . prov. . math. . math. . iames . eccles. . psalm . iob. . prov. . numb . sam. . psal. . galat. . austin . math. . math. . math. ● . mark . ● iohn ● . h●b . . and ●● . pe● . . ●od● . math. ● . exod. . and ● . iudg. ● . psal. . math. . cicero . bodin . tim. . prov. . seneca . plutarch . eusebius . math. . seneca . colos. . galat. . pet. . plato . lacta●● . sam. . gen. . zach. . sam. . plutarch . lactant. math. ● iames ● . iohn . phil. . prov. . psal. . prov. . iohn . . calvin . chrisost. scaliger . terence . col. . cor. . chr. . & . & . sam. . tit. . p●t . . scaliger . plutarch . seneca . levit. . ionah . cato . seneca . plato . seneca . ierem. math. . ephes. . prov. . ierom. math. . cor. . tertull. seneca . plutarch . seneca . gregory . col. . phil. . austin . math. . isa. . calvin . isa. . math. . psal. . num. . psal. . psal. . phil. . austin . cor. . colos. . calvin . perkins . iosephus . prov. ▪ iames . thes. . sw●ton●us . psal. . austin . cor. . melanct● cicero . ambros. prov. . plutarch . scaliger . act. . s●etoni●● ▪ ier. . cicero . luke . act. . menander gen. . math. . plutarch . gen. ▪ gen. . prov. . erasmus . ester . . prov. ● . s●obe●● . laertius . gen. . cor. and . ● tim. . hester . . ephes. . gelliu● . pet. . ephes. ● . pet. . tim. . gen. . cor. . prov. . chrisost. gen. . levit. . math. ● iosephus . pare●● i●ro●● . calvin . hebr. ● . gen. . and . ambrose . math. . psal. ● . gen. . gal. . rom. . aemil. probus . ezech. ▪ eph. . aristotle . gen. . ezec. . prov. . chap. . erasmus . plutarch . math. . plutarch . plat● . exod. . calvin . melanct. austin . tereno● . pet. . tit. . aristotle . tertul. tim. . iob . prov. . seneca . seneca . iohn ▪ . plutarch . seneca . austin . rom. . tim. . hebr. . math. . eccl. . cor. . math. . ambrose . austin . scaliger . hebr. . ● cor. . ierom. bernard . cor. . cor. ● austin . gregory . hugo . math. . perkins . math. . seneca . cor. . seneca . phil ▪ . austin . idem . psal. . gen. . ● thes. . humane prudence, or, the art by which a man may raise himself and fortune to grandeur by a.b. de britaine, william. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) humane prudence, or, the art by which a man may raise himself and fortune to grandeur by a.b. de britaine, william. the second edition, [ ], , [ ] p. printed for john lawrence ..., london : mdclxxxii [ ] attributed to de britaine by wing. [ ] p. of advertisements bound at end. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion humane prudence : or , the art by which a man may raise himself and fortune to grandeur . by a. b. the second edition , with the addition of a table . london , printed for john lawrence , at the angel in cornhil , near the royal exchange . m.dc.lxxxii . the bookseller to the reader . i have had these few sheets so long by me , that the author ( who is a gentleman of modesty and worth ) has ev'n almost forgot them , and left it to me to recommend them to the publick ; though indeed they may very well expect a welcome from you , without the compliment of an ushering preface . upon the credit of the author , and some ingenious persons who have viewed this treatise , i dare be bold to say , that he who is willing to be improved by reading , shall find so much contracted in this little manual , as by ordinary reflection and application , may be extended to the several uses and qualities of his life , if he intend to spend it in vertue , and expects reputation from his actions ; and to such onely counsel is to be given and reward proposed . prudence ( in general ) i am told , like truth , consists in a single and individual point ( and that is in doing always what is best to be done ) though the kinds of it may be various , according as the matter to which it is applied is diversified by the circumstances of times , places and persons ; for there are indeed , many who would be thought prudent , that often take very different methods in pursuing one and the same design ; because reason , which ought to be their guide , either out of weakness mistakes the way , or by prejudice , interest , or other deluding considerations , is diverted into by-paths : and therefore it is necessary that vertue and integrity do carry the light , else conscience it self may err and mislead men in the dark ; as being often swayed by prevailing passions , and forced forward by pride , whimsey , prejudice , and all the regards that influence the frailties of man : nay knavery and cunning pass sometime for prudence , and true wisdom for silliness and simplicity ; but the success does in some mens minds , determine the nature of an action ; yet he that acts with most sincerity and uprightness , according to the best measures he can attain to , if he be not the most prudent in the esteem of the world , he is certainly the honestest man ; and honesty is the greatest wisdom . it 's upon this principle alone , that the author has founded the following sections , and discoursed of many things ( for no man can treat of every thing ) so succinctly , and with so much sententious perspicuity , that he who carries this little book about him in his pocket , and being willing to learn , opens it at a venture , when he has nothing else to do ; shall i dare affirm shut it again with satisfaction , and if he meet not with something in it at a superficial glance , which may give him hints as to his conduct ; yet he will certainly find that his patience hath not been baited with tedious and magisterial documents . for those who are vertuously inclined , but think themselves wise enough already ( as there are many who do so ) this little treatise , if it do them no good , it will certainly do them no harm , nevertheless it is no presumption to advise such not too hastily to leave off trade ; seeing , though their stock may at present seem sufficient , yet many casualties of losses and times , may bring them to want a new supply ; and let them think on the saying of the old poet. — semper tibi pendeat hamus , quo minime modis gurgite , piscis erit . for such as are of an understanding and humble mind , this little book ( as i have said ) cannot miss of being an useful vade-mecum , because it gives pertinent tho general directions for the conduct of most part of any mans life , the actions of whom are not onely the subject of the manual , but of all the ethicks and large volumns of morality that have been written since the beginning of the world ; but lest i should offend the genius of the worthy author ( who asserts brevity ) by the prolixness of a preface , that sutes ill with the bulk of the book , i shall add no more , onely wish the reader benefit in perusing of it ; and so bid him ▪ farewel . the contents . sect. . generall heads for one about to begin the world , as we commonly speak , to act well the allotted part , to avoid vain , and embrace useful studyes , not to be discouraged . p. . sect. . of religion , p. . sect. . of religion , p. . sect. . of loyalty , p. . sect. . of conversation , behaviour , civilty , p. . sect. . of conversation . of talk and silence . of reservedness of secrets , p. . sect. . of modesty and humility in disputes . of the weakness of humane knowledge , p. . sect. . of reputation , p. . sect. . of boasting of being too open . of speaking ill of persons . of bearing reproaches . disoblige none , p. . sect. . of passion . of passing by injuries , p. . sect. . of vertue and bounty , p. . sect. . of friends and friendship , p. . sect. . of wealth , p. . sect. . of riches and honour . of the contempt , and use of them , p. . sect. . of going to law , p. . sect. . of gaming , p. . sect , . of marriage , p. . sect. . of justice in dealing . of promises . borrowing . fidelity . considerations and resotions , p. . sect. . of industry and diligence . of temporising . of secrecy and celerity . of vain confidence in undertakings . of circumspection . of chance and caution in affairs , p. . sect. . of opportunity . of nicetyes , and wise compliance in affairs . of concealing ones prudence . of fair words and promises . not to rely too much on anothers honesty . of prudential diffidence . of trust , self centre , over officious persons . stand upon your guard , p. . sect. . a diary of your actions . the experience of our own errors is the best instructor , p. . sect. . of complacency . of laying hold on opportunity , against singularity , p. . sect. . the dangers attending vertue . what conduct to use in time : of danger : and of faction . of state factions . not to be neuter in popular . commotions . sit not still under an extraordinary misfortune . be not disturbed at things out of your power , p. . sect. . in preferments , mony and the favour of great men more usefull than merit . persons of worth often purposely neglected and oppressed . not the modesty of wisedom , but the confidence and ambition transact the business of the world , p. . sect. . in adversity men betake themselves to a wife and virruous man. honour and preferment seldom the reward of vertue , but the issue of pleasure and interest . vertue a reward to it self , p. . sect. . of ambition . of moderation and privacy . a rising person must study the humour of the prince : not to monoplize his ear. beware of too great services . study the interest of his kingdom . be ready to give an account of your management . p. . sect. . be humble , and of easy access . a●ainst rigour in religion . how to be in prosperity . to make goodness accompany greatness , p. . sect. . age flatterers . to worship the rising sun. to sweeten denials . advice in managing designes , and in case of enemies , p . sect. . of libells and pasquils . of new favorites , of the pretence of publick good , how useful , to establish ones self in a princes favour . directions in negotiations . of councel . of matters of great concern , who to be in your cabal . how to act in dangerous attempts : and in doubtful matters . where wisdom misses , mony hits , p. . sect. . to intermix wisdom with innocence , p. . sect. . of honour . to retire to solitude if fortune frown . the mind must not vary with the fortune , the advantage of hope and benefit of affliction , p. . sect. . the happiness of contentment . p. . sect. . of contentment and submission . only heaven valuable . piety the only wisdom ▪ and happiness , p. ▪ maximes to be observed by statesmen , p. . humane prudence . sect . . sir , i know you are ingenious and industrious , the conjunction of two such planets in your youth doth presage much good unto you . you are now entring upon the theatre of the world , where every one must act his part ; what part you shall act , i know not ▪ but if it be your fortune to act that of a begger , do it with as much grace and comeliness as you can . never perplex your head with the schools , whether a myriad of angels can dance upon the point of a needle ; nor spend time in the finding out of the proportion between the cylinder and the sphere , though the invention highly pleased archimedes . neither will it become you to quarrel the orthography of a word , and whether we should write foelix or felix , but get to be so . it will be an instance of great prudence in you , to study things which may be of solid use , and come home to business ; the whole province of learning is infested with frivolous disputations and vain impostures . i must confess , the speeulations of the metaphysicks ( which are nothing but the needle-work of curious brains ) are exceeding pleasant : but pleasure without profit , is a flower without a root . and all the philosophy in aristotle and plato , or the sublime theorems of the schools , will not pay one debt , add to your own stores from observation and experience , a-way of learning as far beyond that which is got by precept , as the knowledge of a traveller exceeds that which is got by a mapp . the whole universe is your library , conversation , living studies , and observations , your best tutors . the new world of experiments is left to the discovery of posterity ; but it hath been the unhappy fate ( which is great pity ) of new inventions to be undervalued ; witness that excellent discovery of columbus , with the great neglect which he under-went before and after it . but let nothing discourage you ; worth is ever at home , and carrieth its own welcome with it : your own vertues will innoble you , and a gallant spirit will make you cosin-german to caesar . sect . . link not your self with any parties on design , but with all christians in communion ; for you will find it true in some persons , that , maxima pars studiorum , est studium partium . for my self , i wish the christian world unity in the few fundamentals , which are necessary , liberty in things indifferent , and charity in all things . i know there are many things obtruded upon the world , as oracles of heaven , when they are but the accustomed cheats and delusions of impostors . but wise-men cannot be content to be abused with umbrages , nor is the world any longer to be entertained with dark lanthorns , since god hath said , fiat lux. i must confess i have not faith enough my self to swallow camels , nor can i perswade my reason to become a dromedary , to bear the whole luggage of humane tradition , or the impostures of the alcoran . that religion to me seemeth best , which is most rational ; especially if we consider , how much of interest and the strong impressions of education , there is in that which many call religion . i do not speak this , that you should try the articles of your creed by the touch-stone of aristotle . be content with a true faith in god , the comforts of a good life , and the hopes of a better upon true repentance ; and take the rest upon the authority of the church . in things necessary go along with the ancient church , in things indifferent with the present . though you have some opinions and motions of your own , yet yield ( as the orbs do for the order of the universe ) to the great wheel of the church . sect . . let not your faith , which ought to stand firm upon a sure foundation , lean over hardly , on a well-painted , yet rotten post . if in scripture some points are left unto us , less clear and positive , be content , it is that christians might have wherewith to exercise humility in themselves , and charity towards others . if you design to make your self happy , look to your thoughts before they come to desires ; and entertain no thoughts which may blush in words . be assured he hath no serious belief of god or the world to come , who dares be wicked . instead of a cato , set before you a god , whose eye is always upon you ; and therefore keep your eye always upon him . fear to do any thing against that god whom thou lovest , and thou wilt not love to do any thing against that god whom thou fearest . let your prayers be as frequent as your wants , and your thanksgivings as your blessings . in the morning think what you have to do , for which ask god blessing ; at night what you have done , for which you must ask pardon . take an exact account of your life , be not afraid to look upon the score , but fearful to increase it ; to despair because a man is sinful , is to be worse because he hath been bad . in all our actions aim at excellency ; that man will fail at last , who allows himself one sinful thought . and he that dares sometimes be wicked for his advantage , will be always so , if his interest require it . consider the shortness of your life and certainty of judgment , the great reward for the good , and severe punishment for the bad ; therefore make even with heaven by repentance at the end of every day , and so you shall have but one day to repent of before your death . sect . . next your duty to god , i advise you , that you be loyal to your king ; never sell honour to purchase treason . a secure and happy subjection is more to be esteemed than a dangerous and factious liberty . government is the greatest security of freedom ; for as obedience in subjects is the princes strength , so is the same their own safety : therefore they who weaken the sovereign power , weaken their own security . never suffer the dignity of his person to be slurred ; for the most effectual method of disobedience , is , first to sully the glory of his person , and then to overthrow his power . as rebellion is a weed of hasty growth , so it will decay as suddenly ; and that knot which is united in treachery , will easily be dissolved by jealousies . great crimes are full of fears , delays , and frequent change of counsels ; and that which in the projection seem'd full of its reward , when it comes to be acted , looks big with danger . and let me tell you , the ends of the common people , if nusled up in a factious liberty , are much different from the designs of sovereign princes . submission to your prince is your duty ; and confidence in his goodness will be your prudence . let no pretence of conscience render you disobedient to his commands ; for obedience to your prince is part of your duty towards god. and conscience is not your rule , but your guide ; and so far only can conscience justifie your actions ; as it is it self justified by god and his sacred word . remember alwayes that kings have long hands , they catch afar off , and their blows are dangerous . sect . . let your conversation be with those , by whom you may accomplish your self best ; for vertue never returns with so rich a cargo , as when it sets sail from such continents ; company , like climates , alter complexions . keep company with persons rather above than beneath your self ; for gold in the same pocket with silver , loseth both of its colour and weight . retain your own vertues , and by imitation naturalize other mens ; but let none be copies to you longer , than they do agree with the original . study to gain respects , not by little observances , but by a constant fair carriage . hear no ill of a friend , nor speak any of an enemy ; believe not all you hear , nor speak all you believe . give not your advice or opinion before required , for that is to upbraid the others ignorance , and over-much to value your own parts : neither accustom your self to find fault with other mens actions , for you are not bound to weed their gardens . never commend any person to his face , but to others , to create in them a good opinion of him : nor dispraise any man behind his back , but to himself , to work a-reformation in him of himself . over-great encomiums of any person do not suit with prudence ; for it 's a kind of detraction from those with whom you do converse , and it will express arrogance in you : for he that commends another , would have him esteemed upon his judgment . nothing will gain you more reputation with the people , than an humble and serene deportment . a rude and morose behaviour in conversation , is as absurd , as a round quadrangle in the mathematicks . urbanity and civility are a debt you owe to mankind : civil language and good behaviour , will be like perpetual letters commendatory unto you : other vertues have need of somewhat to maintain them ; justice must have power , liberality , wealth , &c. but this is set up with no other stock than a few pleasant looks , good words , and no evil actions . it 's an easie purchase , when friends are gained by kindness and affability . let your behaviour , like your garment , be neither streight nor loose , but fit and becoming . catch not too soon at an offence , nor give too easie way to anger ; the one shews a weak judgment , and the other a perverse nature . avoid in conversation idle jests and vain complements , the one being crepitus ingenii , the other nothing but verbal idolatry . vertue , like a rich stone , is ever best when plain set . by trifles are the qualities of men as well discovered , as by great actions ; because in matters of importance they commonly temporize , and strain themselves , but in lesser things they follow the current of their own natures . you will meet with many persons ( as i my self have done ) which are wise in picture , and exceeding formal ; but they are so far from resolving of riddles with oedipus , as they are very riddles themselves . you must have a care of these , for a pedant and a formalist are two dangerous animals ; but to the solons and heroes of the times , out of duty you must pay them the debt of an honourable regard and memory . if you meet with a person subject to infirmities , never deride them in him ; but bless god that you have no occasion to grieve for them in your self . sect . . be not futile and over-talkative , that is the fools paradice , but a wise-mans purgatory : it will express a great weakness in you , and doth imply a believing that others are affected with the same vanity . speak well or say nothing ; so if others be not better by your silence , they will not be worse by your discourse . by your silence you have this advantage , you observe other mens follies and conceal your own ; and he discovereth his abilities most , that least discovereth himself ; not that i would have you over-reserved , that 's a symptome of a sullen nature , and unwelcome to all society . but let your discourse be solid , not like a ship that hath more sail than ballast . there is no man that talketh , if you be wise , but you may gain from him , and none that is silent , if you have not a care , but you may lose by him : if you must speak , it will be prudence in you always to speak last ; and so you will be master of others strength , before you discover your own . reservedness will be your best security , and slowness of belief the best sinew of wisdom : never impart that to a friend , which may impower him to be your enemy . your servants ( which usually prove the worst of enemies ) you may admit into your bed-chamber , but never into your closet . a secret , like a crown , is no estate to be made over in trust ; and to whomsoever you do commit it , you do but inable him to undo you ; and you must purchase his secresie at his own price . consider how precarious and unhappy your life and fortune will be , which depends upon so slender a thread as anothers pleasure ; therefore let me advise you always to carry two eyes about you , the one of wariness upon your self , the other of observation upon other men. parca lingua , aperta frons , and clausum pectus , are the best ingredients of wisdom ; and that made the italian say , gli pensiere streti , & el viso sciolto ; keep your thoughts close , and your countenance loose . never trust twice , where you have been deceived once ; for he that makes himself an ass , it 's fitting others should ride him . sect . . be not magisterial or too affirmative in any assertion : for the bold maintaining of any argument doth conclude against your own civil behaviour : modesty in your discourse will give a lustre to truth , and an excuse to your error . if you desire to know how short your understanding is in things above , consider how little you know of your self , what the soul is , of what members your body is inwardly compacted ; and what is the use of every bone , vein , artery , or sinew : which no man understands , as galen himself confesseth . protagoras hath delivered to us , that there is nothing in nature but doubt ; and that a man may equally dispute of all things ; and of that also , whether all things may be equally disputed of . i do pay much reverence to the humility of plato , democritus , anaxagoras , empedocles , and all the new academicks ; who positively maintain , that nothing in the world could be certainly known . and socrates was by the oracle adjudged the wisest man living , because he was wont to say ( i know onely this ) i know nothing . yet archiselaus was of opinion , that not so much as that could be known , which socrates said he knew , to wit , that he knew nothing . much of the knowledge of the arts we profess , we have been instructed therein by the very beasts and other creatures : of the spider we learn to spin and sew , of the swallow to build , of the nightingale musick : of divers creatures physick , the goats of candia , being shot with an arrow , do chuse from out of a million of simples , the herb dittany , and therewith cure themselves . the tortoise having eaten of a viper , doth seek for wild marjoram to purge her self : the dragon clears her eyes with fennel : the cranes with their bills do minister glisters of sea-water unto themselves . therefore i must tell you , as amongst wise-men , he is the wisest , that thinks he knows least , so amongst fools , he 's the greatest , that thinks he knows most . sect . . be studious to preserve your reputation ; if that be once lost , you are like a cancelled writing , of no value ; and at best , you do but survive your own funeral ; for reputation is like a glass , which being once cracked , will never be otherwise than crazy . it will beget a contempt of you , and contempt , like the planet saturn , hath first an ill aspect , and then a destroying influence . a noble reputation is a great inheritance , it begetteth opinion , ( which ruleth the world ; ) opinion riches , riches honour . chi semina virtu fama raccoglie . but howsoever be careful to keep keep up the reputation of your parts and vertue with the vulgar ; for it will be more advantage to you to be accounted . vertuous and learned by the ignorant , than ignorant by the learned ; for the ignorant are many , but the learned are few . it was a principle in julius caesar , not to be eminent amongst the magnifico's , but to be chief amongst inferiors . thy credit wary keep , 't is quickly gone ; being got by many actions , lost by one , sect . . never magnifie your self , or boast of your great actions ( that is pedantry ) and as in falconry , so take it for a truth , that those of the weakest wing are commonly the highest fliers . make not your self a body of chrystal , that all men may look through you ; but ( as wise-men ought to do ) be like coffers with double bottoms , which when others look into , being opened , they see not all they hold on a sudden and at once . let your discourse of others be fair , speak not ill of any ; if you do in his absence , it 's the property of a coward to stab a man behind his back ; if to his face , you add an affront to the scandal : every man thinks he deserves better than indeed he doth , therefore you cannot oblige mankind more , than to speak well : man is the greatest humourist and flatterer of himself in the world. i have observed , that no men are so ready to sully the honour and reputation of others , as those which do deserve the worst themselves ; yet i have so much charity for them , that many times they do it not so much out of a principle of malice , as thereby to gain a reputation ( as they think ) of being vertuous and just themselves ; therefore if any person shall speak ill of you , i advise you not to disquiet your self ; but endeavour to live so vertuously , as the world shall not believe that to be true , which is reported of you . and you must understand , that many speak ill , because they never learned to speak well . your own innocency will be a back of steel unto you , and a clear soul , like a castle , against all the artillery of depraving spirits , is impregnable . howsoever it will be your wisdom to carry a counter-pest or antidote in your ears against the poison of virulent tongues . it was an instance of great prudence in the earl of carnarvan , when discourfing with a doctor of physick , the doctor told him he lied : the earl ( though a person of much honour and courage ) without any passion replied , that he had rather take the lye of him twenty times than physick once . this was a noble gallantry of spirit , for a lye , like false and counterfeit money , though a good man may receive it , yet ought he not in justice to pay it . i am not much concerned if the plebeian heads take me for the image of a flie , a nullo , a cypher ; nay if they tell me i am a fool , i can have the same sentiments with that great chancellour , who when cardinal wolsey told him he was the veriest fool in the council ; god be thanked , said he , that my master hath but one fool here . i do desire to honour my life not by other mens opinions , but by my own actions and vertues . si vis beatus esse , cogita hoc primum contemnere , & contemni , nondum es felix si te turba non deriserit . howsoever disoblige none , for there is no person so contemptible , but it may be in his power to be your best friend or worst enemy : if you do courtesies to a hundred men and disoblige but one , that one shall be more active to your ruin than all the other shall be to serve you : therefore if you will gain respect , turn usurer , and make all men enter into obligations to you . the world is a shop of tools , of which the wiseman onely is the master . sect . . never be so below your self as to let any passion be above you : be assured when passion enters in at the fore-gate , wisdom goes out at the postern . he who commands himself , commands the world too ; and the more authority you have over others , the more command you must have over your self . i cannot but admire at the temper of that persian , who in his fury threatned the tempest and whipt the sea. it is a sorrow to me , to see a passionate man scourge himself with his own scorpions , and in the midst of his innocent contentments fondly to give himself alarms . it 's the infelicity of many men , to sally into the greatest passion upon the least occasion : not unlike that gentleman ( though learned , yet none of the wisest ) when seeing his man at plow , fell into a great distemper , and was much incensed against him , because he did not plow , secundum artem , in drawing his furrows mathematically , and in linea recta , as he said : a friend of his standing by , told him that he had little reason to be displeased , if he considered the small difference between errare and arare . i am not pleased , if i see a butter-flie in the air , and cannot catch it . be you like the caspian sea , which is said never to ebb or flow . have not to do with any man in his passion , for men , contrary to iron , are worst to be wrought upon when they are hot . it 's more prudence to pass by trivial offences , than to quarrel for them ; by the last you are even with your adversary , but by the first above him . if you have an injury done you , you do your adversary too much honour to take notice of it , and think too meanly of your self to revenge it : let me advise you , to dissemble an injury , when you have not the power to revenge it , and generously to forgive it , when you have the means to do it . it 's a noble way of revenge , to forget and scorn them ; for resentment doth but encourage that malice which neglect would dissipate . lewis the twelfth of france being advised by some of his council to punish such as were enemies to him when he was duke of orleans , answered like a prince , that it did not suit with the glory of a king of france to revenge the injuries done to the duke of orleans . if you be displeased with every peccadillo , you will become habitually forward : learn to be patient , by observing the inconveniences of impatience in other men. if you have an infelicity upon you , by your impatience you super-add another to it : he who submits to his passions , at the same time is a slave to many tyrants . i prefer the freedom of my mind and the serenity of my soul ( not clouded with passions ) before the empire of the world. it will be the test of prudence in you , without any passion to indure the injuries and follies of other men : if you cannot indure them in others , you may make them your own : for first you lose your judgment , and then offend your self ; and so passion will praecipitate you into that ill which you would avoid . if any man doth me an injury , i am not disturbed , but must pity him ; for he is the first offended , and receives the greatest damage ; because in this he loseth the use of reason . every day i meet with bravo's , false and perfidious persons , but they can do me no harm , because it 's not in their power to disquiet me or to make me act any thing dishonourable ; neither am i angry nor disaffected toward them , because they are by nature near unto me ; for they are all my kinsmen by participation of the same reason and divine particle : if at any time i have an injury done me by them , i convert it to my own advantage , i know how to avoid them ; and they discover to me my own weakness , where i may be assaulted ; therefore i study to fortifie that place : and if an ass doth kick me ( as many times he doth ) i never use to put him into the court. i speak this to you ; not that i would have you without sense , for chi la fa pecora il lupo la mangia : he who maketh himself a sheep , the wolf will devour him . it was a maxime worthy of caesar's gallantry , nec inferre nec perpeti . sect . . i shall commend unto your practice that excellent precept of pythagoras , nil turpe committas , neque coram aliis , neque tecum , maxime omnium verere teipsum : and believe it , a good man will blush as much to commit a sin in the wilderness , as upon a theatre : the less the occasion of sin , the greater is the nature of it : and to justifie a fault is a greater sin than to fall into it : and let me tell you , sin is masculine , and begets the like in others ; and many times like venom it infects the blood , when the viper is dead , which gave the wound : therefore take care that the bright lustre of your vertues may inlighten the whole sphere wherein you move . i would not have you like a sun-dyal in the grave , of no use . as to acts of charity and vertue , let not your heart be a narrow island , but a large continent ; be your own almoner , and dispose of your own charity : but as to favours and kindnesses , imitate the wise husbandmen , who when they sow their ground , do not throw all their seed in one place , but scatter it ; and believe me , small and common courtesies do more oblige than great favours : and whereas others are made poor by oppression , make you as many beggars as you can by your bounty : and if you design to gain all interests , make all interests gainers . sect . . out of your acquaintance chuse familiars , and out of those pick friends . but let me advise you never to make a coward your friend , or a drunkard your privy-councellor ; for the one upon the approach of the least danger , will desert you , and the other will discover all your secrets ; both dangerous to humane society . friendship is a sacred thing , and deserves our dearest acknowledgments : a friend is a great comfort in solitude , an excellent assistance in business ; and the best protection against injuries . in the kindness of my friend , i sweeten the adversities of my life ; by his cares i lessen my own , and repose under his frienship : when i see any good befall him i rejoyce , and thereby increase my own happiness . therefore i cannot but hug the resolution of that philosopher , who when he was dying , ordered his friend to be inventoried amongst his goods . a friend , like a glass , will best discover to you your own defects . but never purchase friends by gifts , for if you leave to give , they will leave to love . love is built upon the union of minds , not the bribery of gifts ; and the more you give , the fewer friends you will have . an enemy is better recovered by kindness , than a friend assured . have a care in making any man your friend twice , except the rupture was by your own mistake , and you have done penance for it . when you have made choice of your friend , express all civilities to him ; yet in prudence i would advise you to look upon your present friend , as in possibility to be your future enemy . i never have forsaken my friend , but when he hath first forsaken himself and vertue ( which was the true lovers knot which first united us ; ) and if at any time i renounced his familiarity , yet in respect of my former intimacy , i retained an affection for him , and wished him well . i do profess my self a citizen of the world , and have such an aversion to any thing that is unkind , that i look upon an injury done to another , as done to my self . and many times when i have heard that my friend was dead , i have bemoated my eyes with tears , and could as passionately have wept over his sacred urn , as that graecian matron did for the loss of her mother : but when i had considered , it was more kindness in me than prudence ; for i might as reasonably have wept that my friend was born no sooner , as that he should live no longer . sect . . study not only to preserve your estate , but justly to increase it : mony is the heir of fortune , and the lord paramount of the world. riches are the keys to greatness , and make the access to honour more easie and open . a man without money is like a wall without a cross , for every man to draw upon , el senner dinero par un gran cavallero . it 's storied , that a noble man of venice made his address to cosmo de medicis duke of florence , and signified to him that he understood his highness had the philosophers stone , and desired to see it . it 's true , saith the duke , but my elixir is this , never to do that by another which i can do my self ; not to do that to morrow , which i can do to day : not to neglect the least things . the venetian thanked his highness , and took his leave of him ; and by the observation hereof became the wisest and the richest man in venice . if you purpose to be rich and wise take this elixir . i know a generous man least regards money , but when he hath it not , he wanteth it most ; and the most excellent person without an estate , is like a ship well rigged , but cannot sail for want of wind : if your estate be but small , come seldom into company ; but when you do , let your mony go freely . have a care you do not imitate his fortune , who labouring to buoy up a sunk ship of anothers , bulged his own vessel . those men which have wasted their own estates will help you to consume yours . these are like the fox in the fable , who having lost his tail , perswaded others to cut off theirs as troublesome . i have read there was a goddess fasten'd to an oak in a grove , who for a long time had many worshippers ; but when the tree was ready to fall , none would come within the shadow of her statue . love and respect are rarely found in lost fortunes , and adversity seldom meets with the returns of friendship . the world hath no kindness or affection but interest ; and though you have many persons allied to you , yet you will find them most a-kin to their own interest . and charity , though a saint , is yet without an altar in the world ; you will meet with many men , which have much of the heliotrope in them , which open in the sun-shine of prosperity ; but towards the night of adversity , or in stormy seasons , shut and contract themselves . and believe me , none will be so severe enemies to you in adversity , as those , that in prosperity have been your friends . sect . . i am not by my constellation destinated to be rich , neither do i much care ; for the more a man hath , the more he wanteth . and riches were to be sought after above all things , if they brought content as well as content bring them ; if they be for real uses , then it followeth , he who hath not need of so many things as another , is richest of the two ; and be assured , he who needeth least , is most like god. external fortunes may befal the unworthiest persons , but a man 's own solid worth is that which begets him glory . nobility and riches are reputed to make men happy , yet deserve not much to be commended , being derived from others . vertue and integrity , as of themselves they are lovely , so do they also give a singular lustre to the most excellent person . crassus accounted him a rich man , who had an estate to maintain an army ; but he that hath an estate to maintain an army , had need have an army to keep his estate . get all the possessions of the earth , yet if you measure your own shaddow ( as archidamus told philip of macedon ) he should not find it longer than before . bias made himself rich , by abandoning his goods ; and his omnia mea mecum porto , hath raised him a glorious pyramid of honour to all posterity . the rich man lives happily , so long as he useth his riches temperately ; and the poor man who patiently endureth his wants is rich enough . methinks when i see a poor man drink out of his hand , i could with diogenes , throw away my dish . and many times wish with crates , that the stones were bread , as well as the water drink , that we might have a certain provision by nature . what is beyond that which is purely necessary to me , is useless : if my cloathes be sufficient to defend me from heat and cold , or my house from wind and rain , i expect no more : if i find any thing beyond , i can behave my self with indifferency . i value not the treasures of the samnites , or the delicasies of apicius : neither would i ( if it were in my power ) with dyonisius the sicilian , reward those who could invent any new pleasure . i am not ambitious with scipio to be magnus , or with fabius to be maxim●● ; nor do i affect great riches or honours , but look upon them as pretty little toys and nuts , which fortune throws out to men , just as we do to little children ; pleasing my self with tasting now and then one , which some accident hath slung even to me , too , whilest that others are struggling and contending who shall get the most . i am not much delighted with the regalio's or gaiety of the world : i can do by them , as princes do by great banquets , look on them , and touch them , and so away : there was no magick in that beautiful face of darius's lady , which could have inchanted me ; neither could the eyes of cleopatra have triumphed over the powers of my soul , as they did over caesar and anthony ; for this i am beholden to my stars ; saturn was ascendent in my nativity ; i am but slow and dull : yet i can say at any time with a good heart that verse which cleanthes hath made famous . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . quocunque voles jupiter , me ducito , tuque necessitas . for a wilderness to me is as pleasant , as the land of promise , my mind can find a hermitage every where ; and in the most numerous assemblies of men in the greatest cities , i very frequently find my self in a desart . when i hear the nightingale singing in a wood ( where i often retire ) i do envy her happiness , because she is perched on the pinacle of her highest felicity ; free from care and toil , and entertaining her self , in her solitudes , with her own musick and warbling notes . of all persons i look upon them to be happy , who have their estates in their own hands ( i mean labourers ) for as they never gain much , so they are sure never to want but little . however let me advise you , to make use of your estate while you live ; for when you die , you shall leave it to the greatest enemies you have , who wished your death when you were living . and when you are dead , you are no more concerned in that you shall leave behind you , then you were in that which was before you were born ; therefore get well to live , and then study to live well . sect . . if you design to your self happiness and an improvement of your estate , let me advise you to avoid suits in law ; if you engage in any , you put your self into a house of correction ; where you must labour stoutly to pay your fees. if the case shall go for you , there are those who will tell you , that victory is a fair game , but you must give them leave to divide the stakes . if it shall be your misfortune to engage in any , have a care of a rich fool ; for there is nothing more dangerous , as to mischief , than a rich obstinate fool , in the hands of a cunning knave . there were two lawyers very passionately pleading their clients case , to their great satisfaction ; when the case was done , the lawyers came out of the court , and hugged each other ; the clients much admiring their behaviour , one of them asked his lawyer , how they could be friends so soon ? tush man , faith the lawyer , we were never foes ; for we lawyers are like a pair of sheers , if you open them , and then pull them down ; they seem to cut one another ; but they only cut that which cometh between them . you remember the epilogue of the vulture , sitting upon a tree to see the lion and the bear fight , and to make prey of him which fell first ; have you a care you do not make the moral . i speak not this to reflect upon that honourable profession , to which i shall ever pay the greatest tribute of my service . i know there are many excellent persons towards the law , if it be your fortune to meet with them . but you will be sure at every market in the countrey , to find some fairies , elves , and little spirits , with hawking bags or snapsacks by their sides , wherein they have their familiars ; some with green coats , others with yellow vests , which they send forth to the disquiet of good men , as aeolus did the winds , which he had gotten into his bottle , to the disturbance of the world. certainly these elves are much of the nature of the ant , very good for themselves , but exceeding pernicious in the garden of a common wealth . if ever you should flie to these for succour , as the sheep do to the bushes , in a storm , you will be sure to leave a good part of your coat behind you . these , like a quartane ague , will never leave you , as long as any humour be left in you ; and if you shall have need to make use of them , they will stirr no more without their fee , than a hawk without a lure . my advice to you is , that you seriously imploy your self in the study of the laws of this nation ( being the most excellent for their justice and wisdom ) if not to practise the law , yet to gain so much knowledge therein , as to defend your self and estate from the robbin-good-fellows of it . if you be not so disposed , you must lay up one third part of your estate to preserve the other two , or else you will be assuredly undone . sect . . next suits in law ( which are but jactus aleae ) avoid gameing ; it hath no satisfaction in it , beside a sordid coveting of that which is anothers , or a prodigality of that which is your own : it 's a madness beyond the cure of hellebore , to cast a die whether your estate shall be your own or not , if you have not a care ( i can without an augure tell what will be your fate ) this like a quick-sand , will swallow you up in a moment ; and goods which are so gotten , are like pyramides of snow , which melt away and are dissolved with the same ill husbandry that did beget them ; and believe me , you will find it more chargeable to you than the seven deadly sins . remember that one crown in your purse will do you more honour than ten spent . sect . . there is one step more to make your life comfortable , and to advance your fortune , and that is , well to dispose of your self in marriage ; certainly a business which requireth grave consideration . ride not post for your match , if you do , you may in the period of your journey , take sorrow for your inn , and make repentance your host . if you marry , espouse a vertuous person ; a celebrated beauty , like a fair , will draw chapmen from all parts . never marry so much for a great living as a good life ; yet a fair wife without a portion , is like a brave house without furniture , you may please your self with the prospect , but there 's nothing within to keep you warm . be sure you love her person better than her estate ; for he who marrieth where he doth not love , will be sure to love where he doth not marry . remember there 's a great difference between a portion and a fortune with your wise : if she be not vertuous , let her portion be never so great , she is no fortune to you . but if you be able to live of your self , and out of debt , and design to marry , have a care you make not too great a joynture out of your lands ; especially if you have children by a former wife : if you do , it will be more fatal and calamitous to your family than any debt . if you have children , it 's better to leave them a competent estate with a profession , than great riches without it ; for in the one there is a place for industry , but the other , like a lure , will bring all birds of prey to devour them . have a regard to a good bishop to satisfie your conscience ; for an honest lawyer to settle your estate ; and marry into a good family , to keep your interest . chuse such a wife as may sympathise with you in your afflictions ; for marriage is just like a sea voyage , he that enters into this ship , must look to meet with storms and tempests . methinks the zeal of that priest did trespass upon his discretion , when in a wedding sermon he much commended marriage , but compared the women to a grave . for as every grave ( saith he ) hath a hic jacet , so when you come to marry , hic jacet the wisdom of solomon , hic jacet the valour of david ; hic jacet the strength of sampson . i must confess , i ever had a noble affection for that excellent sex , as great instruments of good , and the prettinesses of society ; and ever thought , that of all follies in man , there is none more excusable than that of love ; but i find by my self that passion will grow old , and wear out in time . sect . . vvhen you come upon the stage of action , as it 's your duty , so it will be your glory , to deal justly with all persons . clear and round dealing is the honour of man's nature : hate nothing but what is dishonest : fear nothing but what is ignoble , and love nothing but what is just and honourable . to stoop to any sordid low action , is to imitate the kite , which flieth high in the air , yet vouchsafes to condescend to carrion upon the ground . do injury to none , for by so doing you do but teach others to injure you . innocency will be your best guard , and your integrity will be a coat of mail unto you . it 's less difficult and more safe , to keep the way of honesty and justice , than to turn away from it ; yet commonly our passions lead us into by-paths . and be assured , he that in any one affair relinquisheth honesty , banisheth all shame in succeeding actions ; and certainly no vice covereth a man with so much shame , as to be found false or unjust . whatsoever i act , i endeavour to do it , as if it were my last act ; and therefore i do it with care and integrity ; i think on no longer life , than that which is now present . i forget all that is past , and for the future ( with a humble submission ) i refer my self to providence : what others shall say or think of me , or shall act against me , i do not so much as trouble my thoughts with it . i fear nothing , i desire nothing , i admire nothing : yet i do even reverence my self , when i have done a just and vertuous action : but to inrich my self by any sordid means , i dare not ; for in so doing , i distrust providence , and be come an atheist . keep touch in lesser matters , not to deceive in greater , but the better to dispose your self to perform things of weight and moment : a promise is a just debt , which you must take care to pay , for honour and honesty are the security . borrow before you have need , and pay before the time you promised ; it will gain you credit : breaking your faith may gain you riches , but never get you glory . it was well said by monsieur d' georgius a french captain , who having burnt many of the churches of the spaniards in florida , and being asked , why he did so ? told them , that they which had no faith , needed no churches . before you act , it 's prudence soberly to consider ; for after action you cannot recede without dishonour : take the advice of some prudent friend ; for he who will be his own councellour , shall be sure to have a fool for his client . resolutions are the moulds wherein actions are cast ; if they be taken with over-much haste or too mueh affection , seldom do they receive good success . when you have fully resolved what course to take in any action , you must not after repent , or fear any difficulty ; for such things will lessen the gallantry of your mind . and although some difficulties do happen to arise , yet you must believe that every other course would have been accompanied with the same or greater impediments ; yet many times it 's more prudence to follow the direction of a present good fortune , than the first resolutions . in the conduct of affairs , you may shew a brave spirit in going on , but your wisdom will most appear in securing your retreat , and how to come off ; for there is such incertainty in all humane affairs , that that course to me seemeth best , which hath most passages out of it . therefore it was well observed by one , that the turks , who made an expedition into persia , and because of the streight jaws of the mountains of armenia , the bashaws consulted which way they should get in ; one that heard the debate , said , here is much ado how we shall get in , but i hear no body take care how we shall get out . sect . . in business be active and industrious , for many men of large abilities , relying wholly upon their wit , and neglecting the use of ordinary means , suffer others , less able , but more active and industrious , to go beyond them . diligence alone is a fair fortune , and industry a good estate . idleness doth waste a man as insensibly as industry doth improve him . chi ha arte , ha parte , chi non corre non ha il pallio . aesop's fisher could catch no fish by his playing upon his flute , but was necessitated , to preserve his being , to cast his nets and his tackling into the river . and you may observe , that in heaven , the moving planets are of much greater consideration than those that are fixt and do not stir at all . if success of business doth not at first answer your expectation , let no fumes of melancholy possess you ; use other expedients and addresses : for he that constantly makes head against the assaults of fortune , shall be sure to be victorious and attain his ends. every thing hath two handles , if the one proves hot and not to be touched , you may take the other , that is more temperate . howsoever , in doing business apply your thoughts and mind seriously to it , but be not too eager , nor passionately ingage your affections in it ; nor promise your self success : by this means you will have your understanding clear , and not be disturbed if you miscarry ; which you must make account will often happen to you . when a business may turn to disadvantage , it will be your wisdom to temporize and delay , and get what time you can by deferring ; because time may occasion some accident which may remove the danger . but if it be for your advantage , delays are dangerous , and you must act with secrecy and celerity , which are the two wheels , upon which all great actions move . the noblest designs are like a myne , if discovered , prove ineffectual . and to spend that time in a grave gaze on business , which might serve for a speedy dispatch of it , is to imitate that musician , who spent so much time in the tuning his instrument , that he had none left to exercise his musick . if the matter you undertake be doubtful , warrant your own diligence , but keep no office of assurance to warrant the success : remember the italian makes it part of the character of an englishman , when he is to undertake any thing , presently he saith i 'll warrant you , but when he misseth of his undertaking , he saith , who would have thought it ? however use circumspection in all your actions , for he who intendeth what he doth is most likely to do what he intends : half doing in any thing , is worse than no doing ; and a middle course in case of extremity , of all is the worst . it was excellent advice of tiberius caesar , non omittere caput rerum , neque te in casum dare : follow safe courses by reason rather than happy by chance . yet some things must be ventured , and many things which exceed the prudence of man , are often by fortune disposed to the best . certain it is , that he who will commit nothing to fortune , nor undertake any enterprize , whose event appeareth not infallible , may escape many dangers by his wary conduct , but will fail of as many successes by his unactive fearfulness . all that a wise man therefore can do , is to attempt with prudence , pursue with hope , and support intervening accidents with patience . sect . . it will be great prudence in you , rightly to take hold on opportunities , for opportunity admits of no other game ; and those that have lost their first hopes , any thing that is future seems best . in management of affairs stand not upon niceties and punctilioes of honour , but by fair compliance gain your ends : heat and precipitation are ever fatal to all businesses ; a sober patience and a wise condiscention , do many times effect that which rashness and choler will certainly ruin and undoe . keep formality above board , but prudence and wisdom under deck ; for nothing will give a greater stop or remora to your affairs , than to be esteemed wise by them with whom you are to deal ; it will beget jealousies in them , and your wisdom will be but as an alarm to them never to come unprovided , when they have any concern with you . if you are to negotiate a matter with any persons , observe their temper , and ( as far as prudence and discretion will give leave ) comply with their humour ; suffer them to speak their pleasure freely , rather than interrupt them ; provoke them to speak , for they will out of ignorance or inexperience , let fall something which may be for your advantage . give fair words , and make large promises , for they are the most powerful engines to work your ends. converse with all men as christians , but if you have to do with any stranger , look upon him as one that may be unjust ( it's severe but it will be your own safety ) if he proves otherwise , he doth but fail your expectation ; for believe me ( and i have found it to my cost ) nothing will undo you more than to rely too much upon the honesty of other men . and if possible order your affairs so , that he with whom you are to deal , perform first , when that is done , if you be deceived , you may thank your self . if at any time you shall be overmuch pressed to do any thing hastily , be careful , fraud and deceit are always in haste : diffidence is the right eye of prudence , cavendo tutus . in all great actions take many ( if you please ) to your assistance , but few to your trust . when you have a present good in prospect , which may turn to advantage , decline it not by the importunity of others , if you do , you will make work for repentance ; let the business of the world be your circumference , but your self the center . if you meet with a person that is more compliant or officious unto you than usual , have a care , for he hath some design upon you ; and he either hath or doth intend to deceive you . never put your self into the power of any person how he will deal with you ; if you come to depend upon the charity of others , you are undone ; therefore always stand upon your guard . sect . keep an exact diary of all your actions , and the most memorable passages you hear or meet with . and if in the conduct of your affairs you have been deceived by others , or have committed any error your self , it will be discretion in you to observe and note the same , and the defailance , and the means or expedients to repair it ; it will make you more prudent and wary for the future . for let me tell you , no man is truly wise but he who hath been deceived ; and your own errors will teach you more prudence than the grave precepts or examples of others . at a time there was a great contest between folly and prudence which should have the precedence ; the difference grew so high , that they agreed to refer it to jupiter , who hearing what could be said on both sides , at the last gave this judgment , that folly should go before , and prudence follow after . let all your observations and remarks be committed to writing every night , before you sleep , and so in a short time you will have a dictionary of prudence and experience of your own making . for wise men now begin , not to be content to inhabit the world only , but to understand it too . sect . . it will be great prudence in you well to study the art of complacency , certainly an art of excellent use in the conduct of affairs . for there are so many circumstances in the way to an estate or greatness , that a morose or peremptory man , rarely attains either . make sail while the gale blows ; follow the current whilst the stream is most strong ; for if fortune be followed , as the first doth fall out , the rest will commonly follow . never violently oppose your self against the torrent of the times you live in , thereby to hazard your fame or fortune ; but by fair compliance attain your safety . plato compares a wise man to a good gamester , which doth accommodate his play to the chance of the die. so should a wise man accommodate the course of his life to the occasions which do often require new deliberations . you must imitate m. portius cato , who was of such a temper , that he could fashion himself to all occasions ; as if he were never out of his element . a wise pilot always turns his sails according to the wind. be not singular but observe the humour and genius of the times ; for he that with the camelion cannot change colour with the air he lives in , must with the camelion be content to live only on the air. i must confess i am by the malignity of my stars , very morose and tart ; i cannot asservile my self to the humour of other men ; i cannot with anaxagoras maintain snow to be black , nor with favorinus a quartan ague to be a very good thing ; but must appear without any disguise , and declare my judgment according to my own sentiments . i have no sol in me , nor am i ductile ; i cannot mould my self platonically to the worlds idea : i had rather lose my head than stoop to any low and un-becoming action . in my solitudes , i can bless my self when i contemplate the felicity that my ashes will meet with in the urn. sect . . he that in a wicked age will endeavour to do that which ought to be done , or to study to be truly vertuous and just ( which i wish you ever to be ) will thereby hazard his fortune and his safety , and believe me , more men are undone for their vertues than for their vices , and a good man is more in danger than a bad . a plebian moved in the senate of athens to have aristides banished ; being asked what displeasure aristides had done him , he replied , none , neither do i know him , but it grieves me to hear every body call him a just man. theodorus , the patriarch , was scoffed at by the grecian court , as an antick for using goodness when it was out of fashion , and adjudged impudent for being vertuous by himself . in elder story it passed for an oracle of prudence , that honesty was the best policy , but in modern practice you will find that policy is the best honesty : to deal justly looks like a piece of knighterranty , and a good man is but apuleus . vertue and integrity when inversed men were good and innocent , were great securities , but in a depraved state they are but as traps to ensnare those who do profess them . but if it shall be your infelicity to live in bad times ( as i wish you the best ) i hope you may be the better for them by an antiperistasis . if the times be perilous , you must as a discreet pilot , play with the waves which may indanger you ; and by giving way thereunto avoid the hazard : so the tempest may shake , but not rend your sails . in all factions carry your self with moderation , and so you may make use of them all . and herein pompontus atticus was so happy , that all factions loved him , and studied to do him kindness , and in the midst of them lived in peace and prosperity . factions in state never long hold their ground , for if they be not suppressed by the power of the state , they will be ruined by some distempers rising in their own party . but in popular commotions , if you stand neutral , you will be sure to run the fortune of the bat , to be picked by the birds , and to be bitten by the mice . i am of that boon courage , that i had rather be devoured by a lion than stung to death by flies . neither can i suit my self with those persons who act for their advantage , like the bird whereof leo affricanus makes mention , which when the king of birds demanded tribute would always rank himself amongst fish , and when the king of fishes required his service , would be always with the birds . but if any signal infelicity shall happen to fall upon you , the only way is , not to sit still , but to resolve upon action ; for so long as nothing is done , the same accidents which caused your misfortune do still remain ; but if you act something , you may deliver your self : however you express a brave spirit , that you durst attempt it . but that which is out of your power let it be out of your ear : you may if you think fit , give your self much trouble , but leave god to govern the world as himself pleaseth . if you will live comfortably , let god alone with his providence , and men with their rights . sect . . if you aim at advancement , be sure you have jovem in arca , otherwise your flight to preferment will be but slow without some golden feathers . you must study to enworthy your self into the favour of some great person , upon whom you must lean rather than upon your own vertues ; if not , you will be like a hop without a pole , for every one to tread upon . though vertue be a patient for honour , and preferments ought to be an encouragement for worth. yet in the epoche and account of times , we have observed that men of the greatest abilities are on design supprest ; and they deal with persons of the best accomplishment as the birds in plutarch did , who beat the jay for fear in time she might become an eagle . and it hath been the unhappy sate of many vertuous persons , who like the axe after it hath hewed out the hard timber , to be hanged up against the wall unregarded ; or like a top which hath been for a long time scourged and run well , yet at last to be lodged up for a hobler . but methinks it 's great pity to see the courtain drawn between a vertuous person and preferment . yet i cannot with carneades maintain that injustice is to be preferred before justice ; or that it 's better to be a knave than a vertuous honest man. but many times i am under such a paroxism , that i am almost induced to think that it 's better to be fortunate than wise or just , and cannot but with brutus cry out , virtus colui te ut rem , at tu nomen es inane . therefore if you design to rise and become great , i would not advise you to accomplish your self overmuch , or study to be very learned or wise ; for i have observed that wisdom many times gives a check to confidence , which is the scale and rundle by which many climb up to the pinacle ; and i find by experience , that under heads and narrow souls by industry , accompanied with ambition and covetousness , work wonders , and do the business of the world. a little good fortune is better than a great deal of vertue ; and the least authority hath advantage over the greatest wit. sect . . but let nothing disquiet you , a vertuous person will at one time or another be thought good for something ; and a wise man will once in an age come in fashion . i am much pleasd with the remarks of themistocles upon the atheneans , who resembled himself to a plane-tree , the leaves and boughs whereof men break off in fair weather , and run under it for shelter in a storm . you must know that honours and preferments are rarely the reward of vertue , but the issue of pleasure or interest : is it not strange to observe a person raised to the dignity of a constable of france , for having taught magpies to fly at sparrows . to what grandeur do you think such another person as domitian , if he had lived in that princes time , would have advanced himself unto who was so excellent at catching of flies ? but let honour be your merit , not your expectation ; and attain to preferment , not by winding stairs but by the scale of your own vertues : if you miss of it , you must be content ; there is a reward for all things but for vertue . and it 's sometimes a greater honour to fail of the reward of merit , than to receive it ; the glory and highest recompence of noble actions , is to have done them ; and vertue out of it self , can find no retribution worthy of her . sect . . beware of ambition ( that over-rides without reins ) lest you catch a fall. god gives wings to the ant , that she may destroy her self the sooner . and many men , like sealed doves , they study to rise higher and higher , they know not whither , little considering that when they are mounted to the solstice of their greatness , every step they set is paved with fate , and their fall , how gentle soever , will never suffer them to rise again . let it be your ambition to be wise , and your wisdom to be good : reject opinion , and you are like a ship in the harbour safe : it 's the unhappiness of many men , to covet the greatest things , but not to enjoy the least . the desire of that which we neither have nor need , takes from us the true use and fruition of that we have already . a wise man , like empedocles sphere , is round , and all like it self . that which a sober man hath to do in this world , is to make his life comfortable . ever think , it 's the best living in the temperate zone , between nec splendide nec misere . if heaven shall vouchsafe me such a blessing , that i may enjoy a groat or a mole-hill with content , i can look upon all the great kingdoms of the earth , as so many little birds nests . and i can in such a territory prune my self , as much as alexander did , when he fancied the whole world to be one great city ; and his camp the castle of it . if i were advanced to the zenith of honour , i am at the best but a porter , constellated to carry up and down the world a vile carcass : i confess my mind ( the nobler part of me ) now and then takes a walk in the large campagne of heaven , and there i contemplate the universe , the mysterious concatenation of causes , and the stupendious efforts of the almighty : in consideration whereof i can chearfully bid adieu to the world. depone hoc apud te , nunquam plus agere sapientem , quam cum in conspectu ejus divina atque humana venerunt . you will find by experience ( which is the best looking-glass of wisdom ) that a private life is not only more pleasant , but more happy than any princely state. i can easily believe , that dioclesian after his retreat from the empire , took more content in exercising the trade of a gardiner in salona , than in being emperour of rome ; for when maximianus herculius went to him to resume the empire ( which he had with much felicity governed for twenty years ) he returned this answer , that if he would come unto salona , and observe the rare productions of nature , and see how well the coleworts which he had planted with his own hands did thrive and prosper , he would never trouble his head with crowns , nor his hands with scepters . and sometimes i think , that dyonisius took as great pleasure in commanding his scholars in corinth , as in reigning over syracuse . this made scipio , after he had raised rome to be the metropolis of almost the whole world , by a voluntrary exile to retire himself from it ; and at a private house in the middle of a wood near linternum , to pass the remainder of his glorious life , no less gloriously . the tallest trees are weakest in the tops , and envy always aimeth at the highest . those who have been bad , their own infelicity praecipitates their fate ; if good , their merits have been their ruin . if they have been fortunate abroad , they have been undone at home by fears and jealousies . if unsuccessful , the capricio's of fortune , are counted their miscarriages , and their unhappinesses esteemed for crimes . howsoever a vertuous honest man ( as i wish you ever to be ) though his bark be split , yet he saves his cargo , and hath something left towards his setting up again . but if it be your fortune to rise and become a favourite to a great person , as you may have some hopes in eutopia ; for i have heard men are advanced there for their merit and worth. you must understand there are many doors which open to preferment , but the prince keepeth the keys of them all . therefore be sure to study well the alphabet of his humour ; and observe his inclinations , as the astronomers do the planet dominant , and the mariners the north star. for great persons accompt them the wisest men , that can best suit themselves to their humour ; and usually they tye their affections no further than their own satisfaction ; and to deal truly with you , the life of those who wait upon great persons is nothing but the art of fencing . he that on the right or left hit their humour , win and partake of their bounty , but not he that useth much skill . therefore as princes have arts to govern kingdoms , so favourites must have arts by which they must govern their prince . desire not to monopolize his ear , for his misadventures will be imputed to you ; and what is well done , will be ascribed to himself . too great services will be oversights and weakness in you ; that merit to which reward may easily reach , doth ever best . to study the humour of a prince may for the present advance , but to understand the interest of his kingdom , is alwayes secure . he that serves a princes private interest is great for a time , but he is always so who is careful of the publick good . be ready to give an account , if required , of all your transactions : for he is like gold which hath too much allay that feareth the touch . sect . . in all your deportments be humble and of easie access ; a favourite is like coin , to which vertue may give the stamp , but it 's humility must give the weight . a high fortune , like great buildings , must have low foundations . pride doth ill become any person , and though no man be thereby injured , yet it doth move in others an offence ; for none can indure an excessive fortune any where so ill , as in those who have been in an equal degree to themselves . you must be minimus in summo , like the orient stars , the higher they are the less they appear ; honoris bonum sine clavi & sera ; it 's like the rose , which in the evening makes its tomb of the scarlet , which in the morning it made its cradle : to be proud of knowledge is to be blind with light ; to be proud of vertue is to poison your self with the antidote ; to be proud of authority is to make you raise your downfal . a country man in spain coming to an image enshrined , the first making whereof he could well remember , and not finding that respectful usage which he expected , you need not ( quoth he ) be so proud , for we have known you from a plum-tree : have a care you do not find the mythology in your self . to be humble to superiors is duty , to equals courtesie , to inferiors nobleness , to all safety . be careful not to exasperate any sect of religion ; rigor seldom makes ill christians better , but many times it makes them reserved hypocrites : zeal doth well in a private breast , and moderation in a publique state. never do that in prosperity , whereof you may repent in adversity . ever think goodness the best part of greatness ; when honour and vertue are in conjunction , it 's a noble aspect , and jupiter is lord of that ascendent . but greatness without goodness , is like the colossus of rhodes , not so much to be admired for its workmanship , as its huge bulk ; therefore make goodness like a diamond set in gold , a support to greatness . greatness may build the tomb , but it 's goodness must make the epitaph . sect . . give things the right colour , not varnishing them over with a false glass : a flatterer is a dangerous flie in a state , yet they thrive and prosper better than the most worthy and brave men do . i have much of the genius of that courtier in me , who being asked by heliogabalus , how he durst be so plain ? because i durst die , said he , i can but die if i am faithful , and i must die if i flatter . but i would advise you to have so much of the persian religion in you , as to worship the rising sun ; you must learn to translate into english , neminem tristem demittere ; and when you cannot give men satisfaction in that they desire , entertain them with fair hopes ; denials must be supplied with civil usage , and though you cannot cure the sore , yet your prudence may abate the sense of it . if you have any vertuous design in projection , it 's prudence before you come to action , sometimes to give things out on purpose , to see how they will take ; by that means you will discover the inclinations of the people ; if it hath no fair reception presently check it , and make no farther progress . if you desire that the designs you labour with , may not prove abortive , do not assign them a certain day of their birth , but leave them to the natural productions of fit time and occasions ; like those curious artists in china , who temper the mould this day , of which a vessel may be made a hundred years hence . if you have enemies , as you must expect many , being great in your masters favour , the better to establish your self , is privately to give out false libels and reports , tending to your own disgrace ; your enemies like powder will fire at the first touch , and then you know what you have to do : and to deal plainly with you , the greatness of one man is nothing but the ruine of others , and their weakness will be your strength . sect . . but if any pasquils or libels shall be vented against you by others ( as the most excellent persons many times are insested with them ) it 's more prudence to bury them in their own ashes , than by confuting of them , to give them new flames ; for libels neglected will presently find a grave . but let me tell you , as false rumors and libels are not always to be credited , so are they not always to be condemned ; it being no less vain to fear all things , than dangerous to doubt of nothing . and we have learned by experience , that libels and pasquils ( the only weapons of some unhappy persons ) have been proemial to the ruin and destruction of the bravest men. you must be careful to keep an ephemerides , to know how the great orbes of the court move ; and if any new star shall arise out of the east , and men begin to worship it , you must study either to eclipse or suppress it ; therefore it will be prudence to cut off all steps by which others may ascend to height or grandeur , for if you leave any stairs standing others will climb up . and i must tell you , it 's more safe at court to have many enemies of equal power , than one false and ambitious friend who hath absolute command . but in case any shall get up , you must by your sagacity remove him out of the way , under pretence of some honourable employment or otherwise ; when that is done , you know how augustus caesar dealt with mark anthony when he got him from rome into aegypt . it hath been the practice of some , like the fox , to thrust out the badger that digged and made room for him , but this must be left to your discretion . in all business ever pretend the publick good , that will make you popular , and so you may with more safety and security drive on your own private interest ; and let me advise you to be so faithful a servant to your master , that whatsoever you do your self , you suffer no others to deceive him . study what you can to partake of his bounty , the more you obtain from him the greater is your security ; for he will look upon you as his creature and by him raised , and so will endeavour to preserve you ; but if you propose any thing which you are afraid will hardly be accepted or granted , offer it by parcels , that one piece may be digested before the other be presented . in all your negotiations you must have an indiscernable way of intelligence , as angels have of communication : gyges's ring will be of great use unto you , for he observeth best , who is least observed himself . and if you design your own safety ever speak truth , for you will never be believed ; and by this means your truth will secure you if questioned , and put those you deal with ( who will still hunt counter ) to a great loss in all undertakings . it will be prudence in you to oppose in council all resolutions as to business of importance in dubious matters ; if the thing designed succeed well , your advice will never come in question , if ill ( whereunto great undertakings are subject ) you may make advantage , by remembring your own counsel . but in great concerns it will be your wisdom not to rest in the dull counsels of what is lawful , but to proceed to quick resolutions of what is safe . admit none to be of your cabal but such as have their fortunes solely depending upon you . in dangerous attempts put others before you to act , but ever keep your self behind the curtain . in doubtful matters you must be always provided with some cunning stratagems , either to baffle your enemies , or else to secure your self and your own party . if by wisdom you cannot attain your ends , use argenta tela , they never fail ; for virtutem & sapientiam vincut , testudines : and as men have a touch-stone to try gold , so gold is the touch-stone to try men. sect . . i have hinted these unto you , not that you should act any thing against honour , or the dignity of your religion . prudence is an armory , wherein are as well defensive as offensive weapons ; of the first you may make use of upon all occasions , but of the other only upon necessity . we know that the apocrypha is allowed to be digested into one volumn with the sacred word , and read together with it , but where it thwarts that which is canonical , it 's to be laid aside . policy and religion , as they do well together , so they do as ill asunder ; the one being too cunning to be good , the other too simple to be safe , therefore some few scruples of the wisdom of the serpent , mixt with the innocency of the dove , will be an excellent ingredient in all your actions . sect . . but i have stained too much paper ▪ i must with apelles manum de tabula ; if you be mounted on the pyramid of honour , you must know it hath but one point , and the least step may hazard your fall. if you should chance to lose your self in the empire of greatness , return to your own solitudes and privacy , and there you may find your self again . let no condition surprize you , and then you cannot be afflicted in any : a noble spirit must not vary with his fortune ; there is no condition so low but may have hopes , nor any so high that is out of the reach of fears . in your worst estate hope , in the best fear , but in all be circumspect ; man is a watch which must be looked too and wound up every day . it no less becometh the worthiest persons to oppose misfortunes , than it doth the weakest children to bewail them . it 's the temper of a brave soul always to hope ; adversities are born with greater glory than deserted : for such are the comforts of unhappy vertues and innocent souls . it was a rare temper of eumenes , whose courage no adversity ever lessened , nor prosperity his circumspection . one month in the school of affliction will teach you more , than the grave precepts of aristotle in seven years ; for you can never judge rightly of humane affairs , unless you have first felt the blows and deceits of fortune . sect . . i am not ( i bless my stars ) disturbed at any thing , neither doth passion disquiet me : i hate nothing except it be hatred it self ; and i am no more troubled for the want of any thing i have not , than i am because i am not the sophy of persia , or the grand signiour : he is a happy man that can have what he will , and that i profess my self to be , because i will nothing but that i can have . i am much delighted with the pleasant humour of thrasylus , and can in my own conceit make my self as rich as the indies . i am a little world , and injoy all things within my own sphere : honour and riches , which others do aspire unto , i do now possess and enjoy them in my self : health is the temperate zone of my life ; and my mind is the third region in me ; there i have an intellectual globe , wherein all things subsist , and move according to my own idea's . doth any man rob you of your goods , consider that god by that man takes back what he hath only lent you ; the thing you fore-saw is come to pass , and what should amaze you ? that which hath happened out , 't is but that which you have often seen and known . all things , by nature , in the universe , are subject to alteration and change : how ridiculous then is it , when any thing doth happen , to be disturbed , or wonder , as if some strange thing had happened ? i must own my self as a part of the universe , and therefore cannot be displeased with any thing that happens to my particular share ; for nothing which is good to the whole , can be hurtful to that which is part of it . however innocens sit animus iniratâ fortunâ ; for vertuous persons , like the sun , appear greatest at their setting : and the patient induring of a necessary evil , is next unto a voluntary martyrdom . adversity overcome , is the highest glory , and willingly undergone the greatest vertue ; sufferings are but the tryal and touch-stone of gallant spirits . sect . . and though you are fallen from your princes favour , yet you may be a rex stoicus , a king in our own microcosme ; and he who knoweth how to rule that well , may despise a crown : thrones are but uneasie seats , and crowns nothing but splendid miseries . a quel les rey , que nunca vio rey. the change of your fortune may diminish your hopes , but it will increase your quiet ; you must understand that favourites are but as counters in the hands of great persons ; raised and depressed in valuation at pleasure . there is no constancy either in the favour of fortune , or in the affection of great persons ; so that no wise man can trust the one or depend safely upon the other . but whatsoever the traverses of fortune are , let no discontent surprize you ; if the thing be within your power , manage it to your content ; if not , it 's weakness in you to be disquieted . do your best , that the best may happen out ; if that do not yet think it best : however it will be but piety in you to submit to divine providence . a humble soul , like a white sheet , must be prepared to receive that which the hand of heaven shall imprint upon it . never antidate your own misfortune , for many times men make themselves more miserable than indeed they are ; and the apprehension of infelicity doth more afflict them , than the infelicity it self . hope will be your best antidote against all misfortune , and gods omnipotency an excellent means to fix your soul. if you be not so happy as you desire , it is well you are not so miserable as you deserve ; if things go not so well as you would they should have done , it 's well they are not so ill as they might have been . if you seriously consider , you have received more good than you have done , and done more evil than you have suffered . measure not life by the enjoyment of this world , but by the preparation it makes for a better , looking forward what you shall be , rather than backward what you have been : believe me , he that anchoreth one thought upon any thing on this side heaven , will be sure to be a loser in the end . to serve god , and keep his commandments , is the onely wisdom , and will at last , when the account of the world shall be cast up , be found to be the best preferment and highest happiness : and so farewell ; remember your mortality and eternal life . sententiae stellares , or maximes of prudence to be observed by artisons of state . . that government is best tempered , where a few drams of fear are blended with the peoples love . . it is the interest of princes to make acts of grace , peculiarly their own ; because they which have commonly the art to please the people , have commonly the power to raise them . . he who putteth off his hat to the people , giveth his head to the prince ; for the immoderate favour of the multitude , as it can do a man no good , so it will undo so many as shall trust to it . it was said of the earl of sussex , that he was grown so popular , that he was too dangerous for the times , and the times for him . . he that gives a prince counsel by his desires , sets interest which cannot err , by passions which may . . it may sometimes be the interest of a prince , not only to remove grievances , by doing what is desired , but even jealousies by doing something which is not expected : for when a prince does more than his people looks for , he gives them reason to believe that he is not sorry for doing that they desired . . in popular tumults many times nothing is more safe than speed , and greater advantages accrew by expedition than delays ; for while some are in fear , some in doubt , others ignorant , all may be reduced to the limits of obedience ; and fury when the first blast is spent , turns commonly to fear ; and those persons which are the heads of rebellion , whom the people honour and admire at first , are at last plentifully repayed with scorn and contempt . . when a prince seeks the love of his subjects , he shall find in them enough of fear ; but where he seeks their fear he loses their love . . denial from princes must be supplied with gratious usage , that though they cure not the sore , yet they may abate the sense of it ; but best it is that all favours come directly from themselves , denials and things of bitterness from their ministers . therefore if a prince resolve not to answer a request , the least offensive way is , not to use direct denial , but by delays prolong the time ; and so in place of effect , afford good expectation . henry the fourth of france was so courteous , that when he would not answer a petitioner , he always so obliged him with some good word , that he always went away satisfied . . the more a prince weakneth himself by giving , the poorer he is of friends . . equal authority with the same power , is ever fatal to all great actions ; and therefore one wise general having but a thousand men , is more to be feared than twenty of equal authority ; for they are commonly of divers humours , and judging diversly , do rarely what is to be done : and lose time before resolutions can be taken . . reward and punishment justly laid , do ballance government , but it much concerns a prince , the hand to be equal that holds the scale ; therefore if any subject doth deserve never so highly of his prince , if he becomes afterwards a malefactor , he must be made an example of justice , without regard of his former merit . manlius capitolinus , though by valour he had delivered the capitol of rome from the french , who beleaguered it ; yet afterwards growing seditious , was thrown down from the capitol , which by his great renown he had formerly delivered . . that prince which scrues up the pins of power too high , will break the strings of the common-wealth . wise princes make use of their prerogative , as god almighty doth of his omipotency , upon extraordinary occasions . . the prince is the pilot of the common-wealth , the laws are his compass . . reversionary grants of places of profit and houour by princes , are the bane and ruin of industry ; but acts of grace and bounty are the golden spur to vertuous and generous spirits . . in holy things he that strikes upon the anvil of his own brain , is in danger to have the sparks flie in his face . . a kingdom is like a ship at sea , whose ballast should be the princes coffers ; which if they be light and empty , she doth nought but tumble up and down , nor can be made to run a direct and steady course : therefore it 's the interest of princes to have a good treasure against all extremities ; for empty coffers give an ill sound . . that prince , who upon every commotion of the subject , rusheth presently into open war ; is like him who sets his own house a fire to rost his eggs. . that state which goeth out of the lists of mediocrity , passeth also the limits of safety ; while sparta kept her self within those boundaries that licurgus presented unto her , she was both safe and flourishing ; but attempting to enlarge her territories by new acquists of other cities in greece and asia , she every day declined . . rather than the least dishonour shall fall upon the state , it 's prudence , sometimes to preserve the honour of the publique , to cast the male administration upon some favorite or councellor , and offer him a sacrifice to justice . . charles the fifth laid the loss and dishonour he received in the invasion of france , by way of provence , to anthony de leva . the spaniard , to cover the dishonour they received in their attempt against england in eighty eight , cast it upon the duke of parma in his not joyning with them in convenient time . so did charles the sixth of france , upon the duke of berry , in his design of invading england , as many wise princes and states had formerly done . . reputation abroad , and reverence at home , are the pillars of safety and soveraignty . . taxes which the soveraign levies from the subject , are as vapors which the sun exhales from the earth , and doth return them again in fruitful showers . . too great a city in a nation , is like a bad spleen in the body natural , which swells so big as makes all other parts of the body lean ; therefore some sober persons have conceived that it 's more prudence to have three cities of equal power , that in case one should rebel , the other too might ballance or give law to the third . a great city is the fittest engine to turn an old monarchy , into a new common-wealth . . that state which doth not subsist in fidelity , can never continue long in potency . . wise princes must sometimes deal with mutinous subjects , as the sun did to take away the passengers cloak , not as the ruffling winds , to blow him down . . there is nothing which doth more impoverish a prince , than imprests of mony at great usance , for thereby a prince is brought to one of these two extremities , either to overthrow his dominions and finances , whereof the french kings are examples , or else to play bankrupt , and pay none , as king philip of spain hath done to the merchants of genoa , florence , ausburgh , and almost to all the banks in christendome . . tumults may be raised by men of little courage , but must be maintained by hazard , and ended with the loss of the most valiant . . in popular tumults it's safer for a prince with some yielding , to condescend to peace , than by staning upon high points of honour , to hazard the issue of a battle , wherein the king cannot win without his weakning , nor lose without danger of his undoing . lewis xiii . of france was a sad and mournful instance hereof . . when any mischief grows in a state , and becomes formidable , it 's many times more prudence to temporize with it , than by force to attempt the redress of it : for they who go about to quench it , kindle it the more , and suddenly plucks down that mischief upon their heads , which was then but feared from them : by courting or dissembling the mischief , if it doth not remove the evil , at least it 's put off for a longer time . . charles the fifth ( even he who was surnamed the wise ) of france , at such time as he was regent in france , his father at that time being a prisoner in england , by evil counsel of some , being ignorant in matters of state , at once suspended all the officers of france , of whom he suppressed the greatest part , appointing fifty commissioners for the hearing such accusations , as should be laid against them for extortation and bribery by them committed ; whereupon all france was in such a tumult ( by reason of the great number of such as were male-contents ) as that shortly after , for remedy thereof , he by decree in the high court of parliament in paris , was forced to abrogate the former law. . it 's a noble ambition , and absolutely necessary for a prince , to believe none of his subjects more worthy than himself , nor more fit to govern ; when he hath not this good opinion of himself , he suffers himself to be governed by others , whom he believes more fit than himself : and by this means falls into many infelicities . this was the unhappiness of philip the third of spain , though a prince of eminent parts , yet suffering himself to be governed by the duke of lerma , he became of so little esteem with his people , and had no ways to free himself from those indignities which were cast upon him , but by becoming a church-man and a cardinal . . a wise prince , when he is obliged to make war , ought to make it powerful and short ; and at first to astonish his enemies with formidable preparations , because by this means it returns to good husbandry ; and the conquests made through fear of arms , reacheth farther than those made by the arms themselves . . punishment and reward are the two pillars where on all kingdoms are built ; the former serves for restraining of vile spirits , the latter for the encouragement of the generous : the one serves instead of a bridle the other of a spur. . the love of the subject is the most sure basis of the princes greatness ; and princes are more secure and better defended by the love of the people , than by many troops and legions . every wise prince must suppose that times of trouble may come , and then will be necessitated to use the service of men diversly qualified ; therefore his care and study must be in the mean time so to entertain them , that when those storms arise , he may rest assured to command them : for whosoever perswades himself by present benefits to gain the good will of men , when perils are at hand , shall be deceived . . it 's not safe for a prince to commit his secrets to his greatest favourite , for if he that is concerned will give , the prince is certainly betrayed . . it concerns a prince to contain his best friends within a moderate and convenient greatness , as to weaken and depress his greatest enemies . . forreign succours are most dangerous , and therefore it must be the last resolve of every wise state ; for they are seldom gotten out but by the undoing that state which received them ; or else , as most commonly it happens out , they make themselves masters of it . . in all distempers in a state , pilae aureae , are the best physick ; for they ever work safely . . those people which by arms do endeavour to deliver themselves from oppression , do many times change the tyrant , but not the tyranny ; and after a rebellion is suppressed , the king is more king , and the subject more subject . . the chief wisdom and happiness of a prince , is to know well to enjoy the soveraignty of his power , with the liberty of his subjects : love , fear , and reverence , are the three ligaments which tie the hearts of the subjects to their soveraign : let the prince have the first in height , the second in good measure : and of the last so much as he can . . that state which doth affect grandeur , or the preservation of its interest , must be bold and daring ; in the mean there is no safety : and those attempts which begin with danger , for the most part are crowned with glory , and end in honour . . that state which will preserve it self in puissance , must prevent divisions , to which states are subject ; and where people are factious and apt to divisions , it 's prudence to soften them with pleasures ; for where they are subtile and proud , they must be made voluptuous , so their wit and malice will hurt the less . it 's some security that a faction is deboshed , for it 's not safe to suffer sober men to come to undo the common-wealth . as in a tempest each wave striving to be highest , rides upon the neck of that which hasted to the shore before it , and is it self suppressed by a following : so it happens in a civil tempest of the common-wealth , each party strive to suppress the other , till a third undiscerned assaults and suppress the conqueror . . when a nation is at war within it self , it 's not safe for any state or prince to attempt the invasion of it , for it will certainly reunite them . . whatsoever a prince doth , it 's to be presumed that it was done with great reason : if he commandeth any thing , every one is bound to believe that he hath good reason to command the same ; his actions are manifest , but his thoughts are secret . it 's our duty to tollerate the one , and not to murmur against the other ; for the books of kings are written in dark characters , which few can uncipher ; and their actions like deep rivers , whereof we see the course of the stream , but know not the source of it . . when a state is jealous of the obedience and loyalty of the metropolis , or chief city in its dominions ; the only means to secure its obedience , is to borrow great sums of money of them ; for by that means they will not easily break out into any action or rebellious attempts , for fear of losing their money . edward the second of england , being deprived by his own subjects of his royal diadem , had never been restored , if he had not been indebted to the citizens of london , who upon his coming up to london , purchased him the favour and friendship of the greatest part of the city ; of which being master , his power encreased , and thereby became so strong , that he subdued most of his enemies , and thereby recovered his kingdom . . eumenes understanding that divers noble men sought occasions to kill him , to prevent their malice against him , pretended that he had need of great sums of money , which he borrowed of them who hated him most , to the end they might give over the seeking of his death , whereby they were assured to lose all their money . . he who groweth great on the sudden , seldom governeth himself in the change : extraordinary favour to men of weak or bad defects ; doth breed insolency in them , and discontentment in others ; two dangerous humours in a common-wealth . . great persons must not at all be touched , but if they be , they must be made sure from taking revenge ; and there is nothing more dangerous than to bring a great courage to the place of execution , and then grant him his pardon ; for he will always remember the affront and forget the pardon . . sudden resolutions are always dangerous , and no less peril ensueth of slow and doubtful delays . . it 's the interest of princes , that their servants fortunes should be above temptation ; for many times new officers to princes , are like fresh flies , bite deeper than those which were chased away before them . . princes strike their enemies more smartly with the head than with the hand , and are as much to be feared for their prudence , as for their valour . . a good magistrate must be like the statue of apollo , which had a lance in one hand , and a harp in the other , that is , resolution to awe on the one side , and sweetness to oblige on the other . . a prince hath more reason to fear money that is spent , than that which is hoarded up ; because it 's easier for subjects to oppose a prince by popularity , than by arms. . outward esteem to a great person , is a skin to fruit ; which though a thin cover , yet preserves it . . no man can be merry , that hath more than one woman in his bed , more than one faith in his heart . . what wants a soveraign ( says a flattering courtier ? ) truth , said a serious king. . a sound faith is the best divinity , a good conscience the best law , and temperance the best physick . . a good magistrate must be made up of craterus and hephestion , who must love the kings interest and his person : for he that loves not his interest , hath no kindness for his person . . he that entertains a dangerous design , puts his head into a halter , and the halter into his hands to whom he first discovers it . . the dis-esteem of religious ceremonies , argues the decay of the civil government . pious princes have first kept their people religious , and thereby made them vertuous and united . . heresies and errors in the church , are rather to be suppressed by discipline , than increased by disputations ; for in many cases it's impiety to doubt , and blasphemy to dispute . . the riches of the people are the princes safety , but their poverty his calamity ; for they being rich will not easily attempt against the government , for fear of loss ; whereas being poor and beggerly , will upon every discontent be apt to break out into action ; for such will think being poor , that they cannot be worse , but by bold attempts they may be better . . great men are the first that find their own grief , and the last that find their own faults . . discontent is the greatest weakness of a generous soul , which is always so intent upon its unhappiness , that it forgets its remedies . . there is a time when you may say nothing , and a time when you may say something , but never a time when you should say all . . emulation amongst favorites is the security of princes . . the lord chancellor worthily said , that he would not have his servants gain by his livings or decrees , because the first were gods , the second the kings : to honest men your places , said he , are enough , to knaves too much . . when a cousin of justice sir john fitz-james , urged him for a kindness , come to my house ( saith the judg ) i will deny you nothing ; come to the kings court and i must do you justice . . the two main principles which guide humane nature , are conscience and law ; by the former we are obliged in reference to another world , by the latter in reference to this . . two things break treaties , jealousie when princes are successful , fear when they are unfortunate . . inconveniences which happen to government , are sudden and unlooked for ; therefore a prince must be provided in omnem eventum . . it 's safer for a state by death to extinguish the power , or by pardon to alter the wills of great offenders , than to put them to exile or abjuration ; therefore henry the fourth of france , being advised to banish marshal byron , he said , that a burning fire-brand casts more flame and smoke out of a chimney , than in it . finis . a catalogue of some books sold by john lawrence , at the angel in cornhill , near the royal exchange . the works of the famous nicholas machiavell , citizen and secretary of florence , conteining his history of florence , art of war , discourses on titus livius , &c. written originally in italian , and thence newly and faithfully translated into english , in folio . gell's remains , being sundry , pious , and learned notes and observations on the new testament ; opening and explaining it : wherein jesus christ , as yesterday , to day , and the same for ever ; is illustrated by that learn'd and judicious man dr. r. gell , late rector of st. mary aldermanbury , london ; in two vollumes , in folio , l , s . the jesuits catachisme , according to ignatius loyola , quarto , price s. the priveledges and practises of parliaments in england . collected out of the common laws of this land. commended to the high court of parliament , quarto , price d. a collection of letters , for the improvement of husbandry and trade . number , , , , . and intended to be still continued by john houghton , fellow of the royal society , quarto . the merchant royal , a sermon preached before the king at the nuptials of an honourable lord and his lady , quarto , price d. the admired satyr against hypocrites , quarto , price d. the ruine of papacy , or a clear display of simony of the romish clergy ; with a circulatory letter to the fathers of those virgins that desert their families to turn nuns : by the learned pen of that famous divine peter du moulin , oct. indiculis vniversalis , or the universe in epitome : wherein almost the works of nature , of all arts and sciences , with their most necessary terms , are in english , latin and french , methodically , and distinctly digested , and composed at first in french and latin , for the use of the dauphin of france , by the learned t. pomey . and now made english , by a. lovell , m. a. in oct. praxis catholica , or the countrymans universal remedy : wherein is plainly and briefly laid down the nature , matter , manner , place and cure of most diseas●s incident to the body of man ; not hitherto discovered , by chr. pack , operator in chymistry , oct. price s. d. english military discipline , or the way of exercising horse ▪ and foot , according to the practise of this present time , with a treatise of all sorts of armes and engines of war ▪ of fire works , ensigns , and other military instruments , both antient and modern , oct. price s. clavis grammatica , or the ready way to the latin tongue , conteining most plain demonstrations for the regular translating of english into latin , fitted to help such as desire to attain the latin tongue , by f. b. schoolmaster in london , oct. price s. the abridgment of the history of reformation of the church of england . by gilbert burnet , d d. with several copper plates , in octav. a mathematical compendium , or useful practises in arithmetick , geometry , astronomy , navigation , embateling , and quartering of armies , fortification and gunnery , &c. by sir jonas more late surveyor of his majestyes ordinance , the edition , with many large additions twelves , price s. essaies vpon the fiue senses with a pithie one vpon detraction. continued vvith sundry christian resolues, full of passion and deuotion, purposely composed for the zealously-disposed. by rich: brathwayt esquire. brathwaite, richard, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) essaies vpon the fiue senses with a pithie one vpon detraction. continued vvith sundry christian resolues, full of passion and deuotion, purposely composed for the zealously-disposed. by rich: brathwayt esquire. brathwaite, richard, ?- . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by e: g[riffin]: for richard whittaker, and are to be sold at his shop at the kings head in paules church-yard, london : . printer's name from stc. with a final leaf of verse and errata. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng senses and sensation -- religious aspects -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion essaies vpon the five senses , with a pithie one vpon detraction . continued vvith sundry christian resolues , full of passion and deuotion , purposely composed for the zealously-disposed . by rich : brathwayt esquire . mallem me esse quàm viuere mortuum . london , printed by e : g : for richard whittaker , and are to be sold at his shop at the kings head in paules church-yard . . to the right eminent favovrer and furtherer of all noble and free-borne studies , sr henry yeluerton atturney generall , accomplished happinesse . sir , i haue long sought the expressiō of my thoughts , which haue euer with all sinceritie tendred them yours : but how infirme is conceit without further demonstration ? loue is a deepe effect of the soule , which vndiscouer'd , struggles , yea strangles herselfe till shee be deliuer'd . i haue many times purposed to offer some vowes next to him , whose diurnall prouidence ( if nought else should induce ) and his maiestie , whose halcyon-raigne makes vs happy , vnto your selfe , to giue argument of my loue , the exquisite idea of humane life ; and now haue i seconded what i intended , though not in that perfection as my intirest wishes aymed . it is a great defect ( and i haue noted it ) not in will but worke , nor in purpose but power , to see so many extended desires limit their issue to leane effects : which fareth vsually to best-affected dispositions , where affectionatest thoughts are buried in silence for want of a tongue to discouer them . i will say nothing , for much speech rather argues affectation , than intimacie of affection : here be certaine essaies or obseruations , or what you will , dilating vpon the fiue senses , whereto , as to their proper obiects and subiects they are limited : where you shall finde ( as questionlesse you haue found in your selfe ) the eares choicest harmonie to be gods glory , the eyes cleerest vision his contemplation , the noses sweetest posie , the odours of his mercy ; the tastes delightfull'st fullnes , meditation of his goodnesse ; the touches mouingst action , the feeling of his passion . many subiects i confesse excellently composed , whose title deriues their essence from essaies ; but few restrained to these obiects , which the devout father termes those windowes which open to all vnbounded libertie ; organs of weale or woe , happy if rightly tempered , sinister , if without limit . for in what erre wee and take not the occasion ( as primitiue source ) from one of these ? the fable of the syrens had allusion to the eare , of ixion to the eye , of atalanta to the taste , of mirrha to the smell , of semele to the touch : where the eare not temperately restrained was soone inchanted , the eye lightly affected was to misery exposed , the taste for want of due relishing foyled her that was vanquishing , the smell too rankly breathing brought it selfe to perishing , the touch too highly aspiring , through her ambition fell to ruine . these were excellent types , and not vnbeseeming the purest and piercingst eye : now it rests , that i draw in my sailes , least my gate be too great for my worke , onely thus much i may confidently say , if my presumption err , my thoughts replie , it is my loue that errs , it is not i. may i euer so direct my subiect as to render you content , whose deseruing parts make me honour you , more then that title of honour which is conferred on you , vowing to rest yours in duest obseruance , rich : brathwaite . an aduertisement to the devout reader , vpon the vse of the fiue senses . lend here thine eare of zealous atten●ion , fixe here thine eye of inward contemplation , that following the sauour of thy sauiours oyntments , and tasting how sweet he is in goodnes , thou may vnfainedly be touched with remorse of conscience . farewell . theses , or generall rules drawne by art , from the line of nature , tried by the touchstone of infallible experience , and applied as obseruances to these present times ; hauing reference to the fiue sences ( proper subiects ) to which they are restrained . of seeing . . essay . though the eye of my bodie allude to the eye of my soule , yet is the eye of my soule darkned by the eye of my bodie ; where sence inclines to concupiscence , affection to affectation : and that part ( the curious modell of the eye ) which ought of it selfe to be a directrice to all other sences , becomes the principall organ of error to the affections : there is a motiue of thankfulnes in the eye of man , more than in the eye of any other creature ; a muscle which lifteth the eye vpward , whereas others be more depressed , bending downeward . why should man then fix the eye of his delight on the creature , hauing his eye made to looke vp to his creator ? the eye of our bodie , is like the orbe of the world ; it moueth in the head , as the sunne in the firmament ; take away the sunne , and there is darknes ; by the depriuation of the eye , there ensueth blindnes . conceits by nature ripest , are euer wandringst : and the eye of all parts most eminent , is to obiects of all kindes most extended : though i gaze , till mine eye be dazled , yet is the desire of mine eye neuer satisfied : as the eye of all other sences is most needfull , so of all others it is most hurtfull : it findes an obiect of affection pretending loue , when her ayme is cleane contrary , peruerted by lust ; there is no passage more easie for the entry of vice than by the cranie of the eye : there shee hath first acceptance , facilest entrance , and assuredst continuance . she hath first acceptance , because by the eye first entertained : facilest entrance , because of all others easiest to be induced : and assuredst continuance , because once perswaded , not to be by any motiue afterwards restrained . there is nothing so litle , that hath such diuersitie of operations attending it ; being moued by the obiect that it lookes vpon , to loue or hate . passions of the minde receiue their greatest impression by the eye of the bodie ; and soonest are they allayed , when the eye is most temperate . if the eye chance to be restrained , and want an obiect outwardly , it makes it self a mirror represented inwardly , and sometimes narcissus-like doates for want of a substance , on an imaginarie shadow : it is iealous , and that is the cause , it is euer prying into others secrets . he is a wise man , that carries his eyes in his head , making them his sentinels : but he is foolish , that sends them out like spies , to betray his soule to the obiects of vanitie . i haue heard some wish , that some space before their death , they might be depriued of their sight , inferring that the motions of the soule were aptest for inward contemplation , when the eye of the bodie was least conuersant in outward delectations . it is true ; but why should the principallst motiue and organ of thanks-giuing be an occasion to the minde of erring ? i haue eyes to direct me by obiects outwardly mouing , to the affections of the soule inwardly working . it is against reason , that the greater light should be extinguished by the lesser ; the eye of the soule , by the eye of the bodie . a candle burnes the darkest , when the sun beames shut out the brightest : so should the eye of the bodie subiect her light to the soules beauty ; that as the sunne cheeres and renewes by his milde aspect , cleeres and purifies by his more piercing reflex ; so the eye of the soule might cheere the bodie ( if deiected ) renew her ( if decayed ) and purifie her maleuolent affections ( if corrupted . ) lastly , as the eye is the bodies guide , it should not be made a blinde guide ; it should lead vs , and not in our straitings , leaue vs : as it chalkes vs out our way here vpon earth , so it should cheere vs in our convoy vnto heauen . of hearing . . essay . hearing is the organ of vnderstanding ; by it we conceiue , by the memorie we conserue , and by our iudgement wee revolue ; as maine riuers haue their confluence , by small streames , so knowledg her essence by the accent of the eare . as our eare can best iudge of sounds , so hath it a distinct power to sound into the centre of the heart . it is open to receiue , ministring matter sufficient for the minde to digest ; some things it relisheth pleasantly , apprehending them with a kinde of enforced delight : some things it distastes , and those it either egesteth , as friuolous , or as a subiect of merriment meerly ridiculous . in affaires conferring delight , the voluptuous man hath an excellent eare ; in matters of profit , the worldly-minded man is attentiue ; and in state-deportments the politician is retentiue . the eare is best delighted , when any thing is treated on , which the minde fancieth : and it is as soone cloyed , when the minde is not satisfied with the subiect whereof it treateth . as a salue faithfully applied , oportunately ministred , and successiuely continued , affords comfort to the patient ; so good instructions deliuered by the mouth , receiued by the eare , and applyed to the heart , will in time proue motiues to the most impoenitent . they say , the obiect of the eare , to wit , melodie , is the soueraing'st preseruatiue against melancholy ; which opinion is true , if grounded on the melodie of the heart : for externally sounding accents , though they allay the passion for an instant , the note leaues such an impression , as the succeeding discontent takes away the mirth that was conceiued for the present . the eare is an edifying sence , conveying the fruit of either morall or diuine discourse to the imagination , and conferring with iudgment , whether that which it hath heard , seeme to deserue approbation . a judicious and impartiall eare obserues not so much who speakes , as what is spoken ; it admires not the externall habit with the garish vulgar , but the force of reasons , with what likelyhood produced . if herod speake , hauing a garment glittering like the sunne , the light-headed multitude will reuerence herod , and make him a deitie , not so much for his speech , for that is common , as for his apparell , to them an especiall motiue of admiration . such as these ( the common sort i meane ) haue their eares in their eyes : whatsoeuer they heare spoken , if they approue not of the person , it skils not ; such a neere affinitie haue the eare and the eye in the vulgar . a discreet eare seasons the vnderstanding , marshals the rest of the sences wandring , renewes the minde , preparing her to all difficulties , cheeres the affections , fortifying them against all oppositions ▪ those be the best forts , and impregnablest , whose seats , most opposed to danger , stand in resistance against all hostile incursions , brauely bearing themselues with honour , in the imminencie of danger . such be the eares , they are planted in the high-rode-street , and exposed to a world of incursions ; scandall , than which nothing more swift , nothing more frequent shoots her arrowes , detracting by aspersion from the excellentest modell of perfection : yet a resolued eare ( like an other antomedon ) tempers the heat of her passion , by recourse had to herselfe and the sinceritie of her owne reputation . there is no discord so harsh to a good eare , as the discord of the affections ; when they mutine one against another ; for shee heares how a kingdome diuided cannot stand . i heare many things i would not heare , yet being enforced to heare them , i meane to make this vse of them ; that hearing what moueth detestation to me in an other , i may be cautioned not to represent that to an other in my selfe . as the martin will not build but in faire houses : so a good eare will not entertaine any thing with an approued iudgment , but what is faire in it selfe , and confers an equall benefit vnto others . as of all vertues none more eminent than iustice ; so no sence of all others more accommodate than hearing vnto iustice. it is an excellent commendation , which the historian giueth to that princely monarch and father to the worlds sole monarch , philip of macedon ; that after hearing of the plaintffe , he would euer keepe one eare open for the defendant ; a prerogatiue princely and worthy the management of her affaires , that is princesse of all vertues . but as best things peruerted , proue the worst ; so fares it in attention ; many haue eares , who mydas-like are depressed to earths obiects : erect them how can they , hauing their attention fixed on the basest of subiects ? with how prepared an eare come these to the prediction of a scarce summer ? how apt these be to heare report of a young scape-thrift , ready to vnstrip himselfe of a faire inheritance vpon any termes ? how vnworthy tidings these be for so diuine an herald ? the eare is one of the actiuest & laborioust faculties of the soule : pitty then it is that the soule should be by her intangled , or by her meanes to such base subiects enthralled , being for the succour of the soule principally ordained . i haue thought long time with my selfe , how i should imploy this sence best for my soules aduantage : wherein i tooke a suruey of all those subiects , to which this peculiar sence of hearing was especiallest extended ; and i found the eare much delighted with musicke ; but finding it but an aërie accent , breathed and expired in one instant , i thought there was no abiding for my attentiue sence ; fitter to be employed in a delight more permanent . presently i made recourse to the acts of princes , and gaue my eare to the discourse of fore-past exploits : subiects i found well deseruing my attention , mouing me to imitation , and eying my own weaknesse with their puissance , forcing me to admiration . but retyring to my selfe with this expostulatorie discourse ; where be those eminent and memorable heroës , whose acts i haue heard recounted ? where those victorious princes , whose names yet remaine to posteritie recorded ? and hearing no other answer , saue that they once were , and now are not , i wayned my eare from such a subiect , as onely had power to giue vnto the memorable a name , but no essentiall being . from hence trauersing my ground , i descended ( a descent i may terme it , being a studie of lesse height , though of more profit ) to the discourse of the lawes : where i found many things in their owne nature worthily approued , by the prescription of time , and proscription of conscience to be strangely depraued : here me thought , i saw the poets arachne , spinning webs of so different a warpe , that great flies might easily breake out , while litle ones suffered , strange vnctions able to cast iustice on an euphuus slumber ; motions made to moue commotions twixt party and party . here was no employment for my sence , desiring rather a direction in her way to eternitie , than to haue partiall-guilt corruption her best solicitor in this vale of misery . whilest i was thus roving , seeking for a pylot to giue free and safe waftage to my vnharbored sence , at last after many tempestuous occurrences , my afflicted mindes perturbations , i fixt anchor , and by the direction of reason , got what i sought for , a quiet harbour . and where may i limit or how confine the straying circle , of many perplexed and confused thoughts wherewith i am surprized , within so blest a period ? not by the appetite , for that slaues the best of man to vnworthiest ends : nor by the obedience of my owne proper will , for that i found perverted by ayming at indirect obiects : nor by ambition , which alwaies ( as pindarus defined her , was accompanied with danger in assaying , impatience in prosecuting , and an opposition of expectance in atchieuing : nor by the vsurers calender , for there is auarice , that decrepit infirmitie of old age haling , many a poore-prodigall wittall cursing , and an inward corasiue , worse than any outward affliction , tormenting : nor by the courtiers fawning , where times be obserued , fashions imitated , good-cloths admired , and the onely-generous qualitie is to be phantasticall-idle : nor by the country-farmers engrossing , where many a poore orphans teare accusing , many a desolate widowes complaint contesting , and the hunger staru'd soule witnessing , make him of all others most wretched , in that his nabal-securitie makes him obdurate . these are not guides to lead my directing sence to her harbour ; she is not for earth ; her musicke is mixt with too many discords . the worlds harmonie to a good christian eare , may be compared to that of archabius the trumpeter , who had more giuen him to cease than to sound : so harsh is the sound of this world in the eare of a diuinely-affected soule . a good eare will not say , as the powerfull auditor , or incorrigible sinner , saith to his preacher ; speake to vs pleasing things , speake to vs pleasing things : for these must haue orphuus melodie , whom the cyconian women tore in peeces , because with his musicke he corrupted and effeminated their men . these are not like those deuils , whereof guydo reporteth , that cannot abide musicke : these are contrary deuils , for they delight in nothing but the musicke of flatterie . these obiects are not made to harbour me ; my pitch is higher , my thoughts more vnbounded , my eare more arrected , and the consideration of mine owne imbecillitie more apparent : it is heauen she aymes at ; the angels , with which shee would consort , and that melodie of the superior powers , which yeeldeth to her eare the absolutest concord ; shee shall sound forth therefore ( tuning her voyce by her eare ) the vnworthinesse of earths affections , compared to that excellencie of reall delights planted aboue . first , shall be that delight , which depriued the first angell of his eternall delight , to wit , pride ; whereby we become like cinnamon-tree , whose rinde is better than all the bodie . hence is it we desire to reforme the workmanship of god , becomming polishers of nature , garnishers of corruption , and proud of our shame . and how should we thinke , that god will respect vs , who haue disfigured his owne similitude , and so disguised our selues as he can hardly know vs ? there is no workman , that regardeth or esteemeth his owne workmanship after it is translated and transposed by others ; and wee becomming creatures of our owne making , shadowing natiue modestie with a dissembling blush , seeme to translate that amiable forme and proportion , which was giuen vs by our creator , to an vgly and promiscuous habit , extracted like flaccus crow , from the phantasticke invention of all countries . the ancient law obserued , that such as had a yellow locke vpon their leprous parts , were not to consort with other people ; though we want that yellow locke , the apparent token of leprosie , yet we haue a yellow band , and other running sores of vanitie . far be this vice from the mansion of my soule , lest her speedy surprisall , depriue me of all : and euer may the consideration of my owne weaknesse , restraine me from the least conceit of aspiring arrogance . next of pleasure , shall be sensuall delights , the vaine obeying of our owne affections , the soules bane , the bodies vlcer , and the deuils watch bell . we are rocked asleepe , and sit dandled on the knee of an impudent strumpet ; as babels subversion proceeded from the height of her sinne ; so this linke of impietie , by which death and ruine is haled along to vs , promiseth subuersion to the possessor , the best reward her serpentine embraces , adulterate affections , and obsequious delights can propose to her attendants . shall my eare be intangled with her soules staine ? or prostitute her attention to so odious a subiect ? shall my sence of direction tend to my subversion ? or the bodies instructresse ( like a blinde guide ) throw her headlong to confusion ? no , i will not engage so excellent an hostage as my soule , for the bitter-sweet of a repenting pleasure . reason tells me , that pleasure merits onely that title , when it is relished with vertue ; nor can sensualitie satiate the delight of the intellectuall part , when it is confined to immerited respects . this i will make my position , in the bent of my resolution ; i meane onely so far to obey my delights , as the after-hope of my soule may not be abridged , the future ioy in the expectance of soueraigne happinesse , impayred : but that my sence to reason subiected , may in the sweet concord of an inward contemplation drawne from her creator , apprehend an exceeding pleasure , to haue done any thing pleasing to her maker . can i finde in rich coffers ( the misers idols ) any true obiect to plant this excellent organ ? ô no , the corruption of coine is the generation of an vsurer , or a lowsie begger . for the first , i loue my soule too wel , for so meane & base a traffick to hazard a gem so incomparable : heau'n is the tabernacle i desire to dwell in , but so far is that mansion from the conceit of our english iew , or oppressing vsurer , as he chuseth rather to liue in the tents of kedar with the depraued issue of dathan , than by hauing lazarus scrip , to be carried after to abrahams bosome . rightly was his experience grounded , who said ; that the multitude of physicians and lawyers are the signes of a distempered state ; but the number of vsurers and their factors , is the argument of a fatall disease raigning : for the second , to wit , beggery ; i know not what to thinke on 't : it is a beneficiall trade , where impudence marshals it : but a shamefast beggar ( saith homer ) neuer yet could liue on his profession . i could wish a more temperate harbour ; neither too rich , lest the fulnes of my estate make me insolent ; nor too poore , lest the consideration of my want , force me to some course exorbitant . pauperis est ( saith the poet ) numerare pecus : but boni est ( saith dauid ) numerare dies : it shall be my arithmeticke , my golden number . but stay , let me reduce my thoghts , and in the consideration of my distempred and indisposed affections , propound to my selfe a forme which i may obserue , a line by which i may direct my course , and a centre , where i may end my distance ; than a caueat which may restraine me , an obseruance to conduct me , and a reason drawne from an inconvenience to divert me . and thus i expostulate ; why would i not be rich ? why no extortioner ? why no oppressor ? why no biting vsurer ? rich i would not be , lest i should admire my owne fortunes , and after admiration fall to idolatrize , and then where should i plant my future expectance ? it is hard for a cammell to goe through the eye of a needle , and more difficult for a gold-adoring mammonist to enter heauen . extort i would not , for i know there be vialls of wrath ready to be powred downe on the extortioner : and though the wicked for a while flourish like the greene bay-tree , time will come , when his place is not to be found . oppresse i cannot , when i heare the orphans teare , the widdowes curse , the poore mans prayer , the hunger-strau'd soule : for i know the orphans teares will be botled , the widdowes curse effected , the poore mans praier receiued , & the hunger-staru'd soule reuenged . vse my money , but vsure it i will not : ten at hundred shall not depriue mee of ten hundred times more glory , to purchase here a litle treasure subiect to corruption , and transitorie . quòd foenorari , est hominē occidere , to play vsurer , is to play the murtherer , saith the orator cicero : which may appeare ( if euer ) euen in the ruines of this time ; where hospitalitie , which was the glory of england is vanished , and seruing-men , who by reason of their education and number , were the strength of the i le , to suppresse the barbarous tumults of all turbulent heads , are turned to a few garded pages , coloured like so many butter-flies . our ancestors established by their lawes , that the theefe should be censured to make restitution two-fold , but the vsurer foure-fold ; so odious was this trade to ancient times , when onely the light of nature shone vpon them . yea an vsurer by an old canon , was denied christian buriall ; and more prophane , than allowed was his opinion , who concluded in his owne behalfe , that no profession merited more exemption than vsurie : his reason was ; it was impartiall , and respected no degrees : his conclusion was true , but his inference erroneous : for it taketh fast hold of cities , villages , ports , and obscure hamlets , and laies vnhallowed fist on persons of all qualitie , euen from the pere to the poore oyster-crying-wife . hence must i draw my caution , not to touch pitch , lest i be defiled ; their conversation is infectious , their conscience a very gulph or charuell-house , to swallow and consume , devoure and exhaust all at once . the indian anthrophagoi are not halfe so rauenous : i will walke in a more modest path , both to cheere my affections , with a satisfying desire of competence , and to blesse my selfe from such canker-wormes , as prune the vertuous blossoms of others , to feede a posteritie of prodigall rake-hels ; my eare must be tuned to another note , that my edifying sence may discharge her peculiar office , not to affect nouelties , or chuse varieties , but to dedicate her inward operation to the mindes comfort ( to wit ) the melodie of heauen . of touching . . essay . this facultie of all others is most indiuiduate ; it inheres in the subsistence of man , and cannot be separated or taken away without the detriment or vtter decay rather , of the subiect wherein it is : it may therefore be called the liuing sence , though in diuers diseases & occurrences also oft-times befalling , the subiect wherin it is , may be depriued of it ; as we read of athenagoras of argus , who neuer felt any paine , when stung by a scorpion . this sence hath a certaine affinitie with the essence of man , and therefore should be employed in such things , as confer to the glory of that essence : many abuse it , who belulled with the lethargie of sin and securitie , neuer turne their eye to a serious contemplation of the supreme glory , or a consideration of their owne frailtie ; they know not how gods deferring is the more to infer ; how hells torments were no torments , if invention might conceit them . these are they that are depriued of the spirituall vse of this sence ; crying with the sluggard , yet a litle , and yet a litle ; turning in their bed like a dore on her hinges ; their delay like a pulley draweth on them vengance , like a mighty engine , razeth downe the fortresse of their soule , and like a consuming winde , or violent tempest , breaketh downe that faire cedar which was planted for the heauenly libanon . when neither the white flagg , nor the red , which tamberlaine aduanced at the siege of any citie , would be accepted of , the blacke flagg was set vp , which signified there was no mercy to be looked for . it is strange that man endewed with reason , the ornament of the minde , should become so blinded with a terrestriall rest ( which indeed is no rest , but a torment ) as to forget his owne composition ; being made of no better temper than clay , and as a vessell in the hand of the potter . far more wisely did agathocles that prince of sicilie , who commanded his image to be made with the head , armes , and bodie of brasse , but the leggs of earth , to intimate of how weake and infirme a ground , his imperiall person subsisted . weake indeed , and of as weake accomplishment : for what can man doe , wherein he may glory ? or attribute the least of so exquisite a worke to his cunning ? if we glory in any thing , it is our shame , which is no glory , but a reproch ; for who , but such as haue a fore-head glazed with impudencie , will triumph in their owne defects , or boast of their owne imperfections ? doth the peacocke glory in his foule feete ? doth he not hang downe the taile when he lookes vpon them ? doth the bucke , hauing befiltht himselfe with the female , lift vp his horns , & walke proudly to the lawnes ? ô no ; he so hateth himselfe , by reason of the stench of his commixture , that all drooping and languishing into some solitary ditch , he with drawes himselfe and takes soile , and batheth till such time , as there fall a great shower of raine , when , being throughly washed and cleansed , he posteth backe to his foode . if such apprehension of shame appeare in brute beasts , what should his be , that is made lord and gouernour of all beasts ? is this liuinge sence , this vitall faculty , this indiuiduate propertie made a rubb in our way to immortality ? doth that by which we liue , cut from vs all means of liuing hereafter ? miserable then is our sence , when without all sence of sinne , we become depriued of the sence of glory . this sence of touch may be reduced to those three obiects , wherein our vnderstanding is summarily emploied : the intelligible , the irascible , and the concupiscible . the intelligible , whereby we apprehend the end of our creation , whereby we iudge of causes and events , touching with the apprehensiue hand of iudgement , what may concerne vs , and the state wherein we are interested . the irascible , when stirred vp with ire or indignation , we prosecute reuenge , not suffering the least disgrace without an intended requitall . the concupiscible , when in an ambitious desire of honour or estate , or lustfull satisfaction of our owne illimited affections , we couet this or that , ardent in pursuing , and least contented , when obteining that we haue pursued the vnderstanding if rightly seated , like a wise pylot steres the ship , saues her from splitting , mannaging all things with a prouident respect had , of what may come after . no syren can tempt this wise and subtile vlisses : though the sea looke neuer so faire , this wise and temperate mariner is suspicious of it , knowing , where the sea lookes the whitest , oftimes the periloust rocks , and ineuitablest shelfs are seated . she sinks , plumms , and tryes the shaldes , whether apt for nauigation or noe : in briefe she doth nought without serious premeditation , & fore-thinks of the meane , ere she attaine the end . she affects not curiosity either in words , habit , or manners ; yet vertuously curious how to expresse herselfe truely honourable in all deportments , without aspersion of scandall . she will not disguise herselfe in an vnhonest couer , but affecting plainenesse , teacheth the same rule and precept to her followers , which iesu the sonne of syrach taught : ne accipias faciem aduersus faciem tuam : not to be dooble faced , but with sincere plainenesse , such as thou art , such do thou seeme . a rule far more accomodate to the course of vertue , and more directly leading to the seate of glory , then all the pollicies which euer machauell yet inuented , or the dissembling appearances of all obseruing timists . though numa pompilius in rome kept the people in awe , and subiected them to what tirannous lawes he pleased , vnder pretence of conference with aegeria ; minos in athens , vnder colour he was inspired in a certaine hollow caue by iupiter ; and pallas in a counterfeite habit , deceaued claudius , in the adoption of nero. this deuine essence of the soule , ( the vnderstanding part ) will assume no other forme then as she is : knowing her perfection cannot be made more accomplished by anie borrowed colours . she vnderstands her selfe to be composed of a more deuine element , then to subiect her will to vnworthy ends ; for she knowes , that as the sence is conuersant in outward things , she is seated in inward things , not directed by the eye of the body , which is many times deceued , but by the eie of the soule , which alwaies aimeth at one certaine scope , to wit , immortality , she considereth the ends , which mortality aimes at ; honour , ample territories , great possessions , popular respect , and long life , to enioy these without disturbance , and she makes vse of these with a penetrating iudgment , apprehending wherto the ends of these externallie-seeming goods confer . honour ( saith she ) is quickly fading , and an aspiring spirit , like the loftie cedar , is euer subiect to most danger ; when like iacks in a virginall , or nailes in a wheele , the fall of one is the rising of another . ample teritories and great possessions ( saith she ) are more then nature requireth ; she is content with a competent ; and that competency reduced to a very narrow scantling , when of all our drosse , estate , tresure and possessions , going downe into the earth , nothing shall you take with you : you shall carrie no more hence , nisi parua quod vrna capit , but a coffin , and a winding sheete . when saladine that puissant emperor of persia , with many victorious and successiue battails , had extended the limits of his empire , and through the happinesse of his warrs being neuer in any one pitcht field vanquished , become the sole terror of the easterne part , at last fell mortally sicke , and perceiuing how there was no way but one with him , called his chiefetaine , and commanded him ( hauing bin chiefe leader in all those prosperous warres , which the emperor had atchieued ) to take his shrowding-sheet , and to hang it vpon a staffe in manner of a banneret , and with it , to proclaime in the streets of damascus , this is all that saladine , the emperor of persia , hath left of his many conquests , this is all he hath left of all his victories . long life ( saith shee ) is not worth desiring , since it giues but increase to a multitude of sorrowes ; she prefers a good life , before a long life , and esteemes that life best beyond all comparison , which is exercised in the vse of her creation . shee concludes with the philosopher , optimum est aut non omnino nasci , aut quàm cito mori ; making life the theatre of shame if abused , but the eminent passage from a pilgrimage to a permanent citie , if rightly employed . to be briefe , she meditates of nought , affecteth nought , entertaineth nought with a free will , and a pure consecrated desire , but what tastes of the spirit , hauing her eare barracadoed against the insinuating desires of euery seducing appetite ; shee is not of the world , though in the world ; nor can shee loue any thing within the worlds circumference , in regard , the world hath her limits , but shee not to be confined . the irascible is attended alwaies vpon by reuenge : for the obiect of the wrathfull facultie is honour and aduantage , and if this cease , straight-waies courage and stomach decay , so as the least argument of distast , like another silla stirrs her blood , and makes vp a centaures banquet . this facultie is alwaies as ready to apprehend an occasion of punishing ( yea before it is offered ) as to obserue the meanes of executing , when the occasion is ministred . she will not say with that noble venetian duke ; it is sufiicient for a discreet prince , to haue power to reuenge , that his enemies may haue cause to feare him . no , meditation vpon reuenge is the onely prayer-booke , that this vnbounded passion vseth . yet may this part rightly tempered include in it an excellent good : for anger is not alwaies vnto sinne : whence it is said , be angry , but sinne not . wee may be angry through zeale , and the feruencie we beare to the gospell : christ was angry , when he whipped the buyers and sellers out of the temple : he was angry , when his disciples contended for prioritie ; he was angry at the incredulitie of the gentiles , the obduracie of the iewes ; yea he was angry at the barren fig-tree , when it brought out no fruit , and therefore cursed it , shadowing thereby the fruitlesse synagogue . o may my soule , if euer shee be angry , feele this passion in the feruent loue shee beares to her creator : may her anger be against her selfe , in the wofull remembrance of her sins ; that her anger may breed a detestation , detestation a reconciliation to her sauiour . but for such as with the beare cannot drinke , but they must bite the water , far may my soule be diuided from their dwelling : i will be angry , but commit no sin , for the god of sion hath prescribed mee a forme , to be angry for the zeale of gods house , wherin is no sin . the concupiscible is as the rest , of it selfe indifferent ; and as a line in a circle , equally tending to either part of good or euill : yet so depraued is man become , that medea-like , he is euer more prompt to take the worse rather than the better : here the couetous miser couets to engrosse an huge estate to himselfe , making his purse the diuels mouth , and with his hydroptick conscience , though euer purchasing , yet euer coueting . here the ambitious man displaies his own humor to the eye of the world , of whom i may say , as was once said of one puffed vp with the like spirit : quod habere non vult est valde bonum , quod esse non vult , hoc est bonū : that is good which he desires not to haue , that is good which he would not haue come to passe ; so exorbitant is the desire of the ambitious , as what he desires is nothing lesse then vertuous : here the merchant aymes at an exceeding gaine in trafficke ; he sliceth the seas , opposeth himselfe to all dangers , all distempratures of winde and weather , euer vsing this concupiscible part , desiring a happy fraught for his aduenture . here the warriours desire is confined , to gaine by the spoile of an other . euen the basest mechanicke offices be conuersant in this facultie , ayming at some especiall end , whereto their labors be directed . to couet things temporarie , planting our affections on them , is discrepant from the right vse of this excellent facultie : there is a good couetousnes , and it is heauenly ; there is a good theft , and it is heauenly ; there is a good ambition , and it is heauenly : the good and godly couetous couet not with demas , nor magus , nor demetrius ; they couet righteousnes , sobrietie , temperance , yea all vertues which confer to humane perfection ; there is but one pearle of esteeme , and to purchase it , they sell all that they haue ; this is a happy couetousnesse , a glorious merchandise : the good and godly thiefe cares not for embezling earthly treasure ; for he knowes mothes will corrupt it , rust will consume it , and continuance of time will deface it ; it is that immortall treasure which he would steale , for he obserues how it is subiect to no alteration , but continues in the same state euer . againe , he reads , the kingdom of heauen suffers violence , and rather then he will loose it , with all violence he meanes to pursue it . the good and godly ambitious ayme not at worldly honour , but as a subiect incomparably aboue all externall seeming happinesse : for they consider how it is better to be a doore-keeper in the lords house , than to be conversant with princes . happy theefe , whose theft is heauen ; blessed couetousnesse , to couet heauen ; glorious ambition to aspire to heauen ; may this theft be my soules discipline ; this couetousnesse her exercise ; this ambition her prize : so like the good theefe , may shee be crowned , with the godly-couetous zacheus rewarded , and with the heauenly-aspiring soule exalted . how happy shall i be in this sence ( the life of humane essence ) if by vsing these three faculties of my soule sincerely , i shall at last attaine to the state of glory ? yet how much is this sence , especially conuersant in these three subiects , perverted , and violently wrested from her own nature ? where such as desire to touch the arke , make this sence the instrument of their fall : others gehezai-like , whose beating pulse will not forgo the touch of gold , though they purchase it by a leprosie . o how many fall by this sence of life , making it their sence of death ? sodoms apples were but touched , and to dust and ashes they were reduced : the fairest of all our vanities be but sodoms apples , they cannot endure the touch , for they are painted and adulterate . far be my sence estranged from so prophane a subiect : vertue , as it needs no colour to garnish it , so can it endure the touch , and neere be changed . it is shee that shall attend my sence , so as touching her intellectually , my soule by so sweet an apprehension , may be incorporate in her indiuidually . here is my liuing sence well satisfied , and in this harbour planted , she will neuer desire to be remoued : for affliction is ended , discontent cheered , and a perfect rest , without interruption , by her that is the true essence of delight , proposed . of tasting . . essay . this sence makes mee weeppe ere i speake of her ; sith hence came our greefe , hence our miserie : when i represent her before my eyes , my eyes become blinded with weeping , remembring my grandame eue , how soone she was induced to taste that shee ought not . hence doe i imagine ( imagination is the end of man ) how pure i had bin , if this one sence had not corrupted my pristine innocencie : apples are suspicious to me , being the first that depraued me . i will rather distaste mine owne palate to giue true rellish to my soules appetite , than by satisfying the first , corrupt the puritie of the latter . by the ministerie of this sence , i apprehend the vniuersal delights of this world , and as in the palate , so finde i in them a distinct operation . many things hot in the mouth , are cold in the stomacke : such are wordly pleasures : hot they are in the first pursuite or assault , and eagerly are they followed : but in the stomacke , that is , when digested and rightly pondered , how cold are those pleasures , being attended on by remorse , and obserued by repentance . againe , hence doe i gather the frailty and breuity of all earthly pleasures ? whatsoeuer ministers singular'st content vnto our appetite , is no longer satisfieing then in the palate ; for after going into the stomach , that content is done . so delights momentany , and limitarie to an instant , may for the present yeild a satisfaction , but how soone be these ioyes extinguished , how soone forgotten ? this sence cautions me of two sects , the epicure and pithagorist , the first by too much exceeding , the latter by too much restraining ; the epicure puts his mony in his belly , as the miser doth his belly in his purse : but the pithagorist neither cares for belly nor purse , scrupulously abstayning from that which was ordained for his vse . the fiue sences ( saith one ) be our greatest sleepers ; yet i may affirme that this sence neuer sleepeth ; for there is nothing seemingly-sencelesse , which she apprehends not either with free taste or distaste . of all others , this sence produceth the diuerst qualities : whence it is we say , like lips , like lettice : where this facultie , either by an indisposition of the bodie , or a distinct operation in the subiect , showes this pleasing and acceptable to one , which is noysome and different to an other . this sence must haue the bodie and minde prepared , before shee can rightly show her owne power ; she admits of no distemper , suffers no restraint : whence it is , that we finde by experience , where the bodie is not equally disposed , this facultie hath much of her operation impaired . the best taste is to distaste sin , and the worst taste is to affect that , which confers to the soulea distaste of all tastes inherent in all subiects , none lesse distinguishing than the hungry-mans taste : which may appeare in those miserable famines of samaria and ierusalem ; ratts , mice , weasels , and scorpions were no common mens iunkets ; where motherly loue renounced her name , and became the ruine of that shee should cherish ; as the matron myriam , who constrained for her liues supportance ( though shee had but one sonne ) killed and rosted him . hence comes it , that necessitie hath no law , nor hunger needs no sawce . let my taste be directed by reason , and not by sence . reason may enlighten her , and make her distinguish of desires ; but sence perplexeth her , and subiects the better part to a slauish appetite . many haue exceeded in the vse of this sence , but few restrained their desires with moderation . more cleopatra's than cornelia's , more vitellij than vticae , more sileni than salustij : ancient and moderne replenish vs with stories of this nature ; where violent ends euer attended the immoderation of princes , but healthfull liues , and ioyfull periods summ'd vp the dayes of the temperate . the venetians giue vs instance of these in themselues ; amongst which there appeares one more memorable : domenico syluio his duchesse , was so delicate a woman , as she would haue dew gathered to make her baine withall , with many other curious perfumes and tricks ; yet before her death her flesh did rot , so as no creature could come neere her . may my taste be seasoned with no such delicacie : let my affection rather disclaime herselfe , than vndo my soule by intemperate subiects . i will not care so much to taste what i loue , as what i hate ; for i know my selfe more subiect to surfet in the one , than in the other . i haue tasted most of inferior delights , yet in a generall suruey of all my pleasures , i cannot chuse but weepe , to remember how those delights which i affected , produce no other fruit but repentance . the taste of vice to a mortified affection , is like sweet meats to him that is in an ague : shee is distastfull , and becomes more odious , in that shee cloaths delight with an habit of wantonnesse . i will chuse with holy hierome , to build me a cell in the desart , to liue out of the heat of concupiscence , rather than by liuing in the eye of the world , enthral my reasonable part to the appetite of sence . taste ingenders delight : i will not taste euery thing i like , lest late repentance force me to distaste that which i liked . i will fore-see the end , ere i approue of the means , that grounding on a golden meane , i may attaine a glorious end . no tempting delight shall feede my appetite : for as preuention is the life of policie ; so temptation , if consented to , is the passage to miserie . fowles of the ayre , though neuer so empty-stomackt , flie not for foode into open pit-falls : quae nimis apparent retia , vitat avis . my soule shall imitate the bird , that she may escape ( like the bird ) out of the hand of the fowler . how happy were i , if i would taste nothing but what ministers content to the minde , sustayning nature , but not oppressing her , feeding , but not pampering her , cheering , but not cramming her . i haue tasted many liquors , yet none like the brinie current of mine eyes : teares are best extinguishers of sin , preparatiues to remorce , motiues to true contrition : precious elixir may thou euer be my drinke in the time of my pilgrimage , and quench my thirst of sin with a desire of an heauenly inheritance . as the nurse layeth wormwood or aloes on her pap , to waine her childe from sucking , so will i sprinkle some bitter thing vpon such things as i affect , that my delight may be restrained . how full of comfort am i , when my taste is directed to a right end ? and how directed , when it is besotted with vanities ? how far better were it , to liue temperate , taste all things as indifferent , and conclude our dayes in quiet , than to haue diues doom , nabals doale , or balthazar 's fall ? how far better were it to liue like the hermit in the desert , then like the sensuall libertine in the world so dissolute ? what is it to feed lusciously , fare daintely , tast all things with full satiety , when our fare shal be reduced to famine , our luscious feeding to soule-staruing , and our satiety here on earth , to our penury for euer in hell ? it is better to distribute to those that craue , vse temperance in what we haue , & make our posteritie true heyres of what we leaue , than to cry in midst of an eternall flame , for one small drop to quench our thirst , and not be heard ; for one crum , and not be satisfied ; for one minutes ease , and not released . taste may my soule no such dainties as may starue her ; delighted be my soule , but with no such vanities as may corrupt her ; reioyce may my soule , but in no other subiect , no other obiect , yea her only maker . soe in the tast of this life , shall i remember my yeres with bitternesse of heart : that my life which is reckned not by yeres , but howres , not how many , but how good , may be as the tast of sweete smelling odors , in the nose-thrills of her sauiour ; there is no odour like it , no perfume to be compared to it ; it is a saving sauour ; a pretious odour ; and the saints honour . happy sence that is thus saincted ; comfortable taste that is thus renewed ; and blessed soule that is thus invited ; taste and see how sweet the lord is ; sweet in his mercies , sweet in his promises , and sweet in his performance . and such is the spirituall sweetnes , which euery devout soule conceiueth in the contemplation of eternitie , whose ioy is not in the tents of kedar , but in the bowels of her sauiour ; not with the inhabitants of moloc , but the glorious seed of isaac : these haue their taste in the greene and flourishing pastures of gods word ; distasting the slesh-pots of aegypt , and relishing onely the manna of heauenly canaan . pleasures which are earthly , they neither long for in expecting , nor loue when enioying . they haue found obstruction in the sences corporall , but free passage in the sences spirituall . they compare worldly-tasting men to those wilde asses , which snift the winde ; their desires extend onely to be thought good , dis-esteeming the excellencie of reall goodnesse , which maketh man truly happy . they obserue foure sorts of men in the world discouered by the eye of wisdome : some are wise , but seeme not so ; some seeme so , but are not so ; some neither are nor seeme ; some both are and seeme : the last , these onely partake ; for as their essence concurrs with their appearance , so scorne they to expresse more in semblance , than they are in essence ; if there were no god , yet these men would be good : and for sin , though they wist ( to vse seneca's words ) that neither god nor man knew it , yet would they hate it . o my taste be thus seasoned , my palate thus relished , my affections thus marshalled , my whole pilgrim-course thus managed , that my taste may distaste earth , rellish heauen , & after her dissolution from earth , enioy her mansion in heauen . of smelling . . essay . so prouident hath that great workeman bin of all his creatures , as no delight euen in this tabernacle of earth , is wanting to make him more accomplished : and though the fiue sences ( as that deuout barnard obserueth ) be those fiue gates , by which the world doth besiege vs , the deuill doth tempt vs , and the flesh ensnare vs ; yet in euery one of these , if rightly employed , is there a peculiar good and benefit redounding to the comfort of the soule , no lesse than to the auaile and vtilitie of the bodie . for euen by the smell , as by the conduit , by which is conveyed vnto vs the dilated fountaine of gods mercie , doe we apprehend all varieties of flowers , sootes , sweetes : which moued the philosopher to terme this sence , the harbinger of the spring . some are of opinion , that this peculiar sence , is an occasion of more danger to the body than benefit , in that it receiues crude and vnholesome vapours , foggie and corrupt exhalations , being subiect to any infection ; it is true : but what especiall delights confers it for one of these inconveniences ; cheering the whole bodie with the sweetest odours , giuing libertie to the vitall powers , which otherwise would be imprisoned , delight to her fellow-sences , which else would be dulled , and the sweet breathing ayre , which by her is reciued : all these ( as so many arguments of consequence ) bring vs to a more exact acknowledgment of this sences excellencie . the smelling is termed the vnnecessariest of all other sences , yet may it be employed in cases of necessitie ; witnesse democritus , who against the celebration of the feast buthysia , fasted nine dayes , sustayning nature onely with the smell of hot bread . this sence of mine shall not be subiected to outward delicacies : let the courtier smell of perfumes , the sleeke-fac'd lady of her paintings , i will follow the smell of my sauiours oyntments : how should i be induced , following the direction of reason , by such soule-bewitching vanities , which rather peruert the refined lustre of the minde , than adde the least of perfection to so excellent an essence ? no , let pigmalion dote on his owne picture , narcissus on his shape , niobe on her numerous progenie ; my taste , shall be to taste how sweet the lord is ; my touch , the apprehension of his loue ; my sight , the contemplation of his glory ; my eare , to accent his praise ; my smell , to repose in the faire and pleasant pastures of his word . o comfort truly styled one ; in that my soule transported aboue herselfe , vnites her selfe to be ioyned to her redeemer . the gardens of the hesperides warded and guarded by those three daughters of atlas , were pleasant ; the gardens of lucullus fragrant ; the groue of ida eminent ; yet not comparable to those exquisite pleasures , which the diuine pastures comprehend ; there is that hedged garden , that sealed well , that bethesda , that eden , that syloe ; here may the delight of euery sence be renewed ; the thirstie satisfied , the hungry filled , the sicke cured , the labourer cheered , and the exquisite mirrour of all perfection ; torrent of euer-flowing bounties , iessaes branch , aarons rod , and that flowrie garden of engaddi represented . there is mel in ore , melos in aure , iubilus in corde ; honie to the taste , melodie to the eare , and harmonie to the heart ; honie which breedes no loathing , melodie which is neuer discording , harmonie euer agreeing . this it is to be ioyned to an heau'nly spouse , sending from paradice pomgranats , with the fruits of apples ; cypresse , nard , nard and saffron , fistula , and cinnamon , with all the woods of libanon , mirrh and aloës , with the best oyntments . what excellent delights be here proposed ? what exquisite comforts ministred ? it is sufficient for me to admire them in this pilgrimage , enioying them by contemplation , which after many pilgrim dayes i shall possesse in fruition . there is no pomander to smell at , like the oyntment of my sauiour : he is all sweet , all comfort , all delight ; sweet in his mercy , comfortable in his promise , and delightfull in his presence ; in his mercy a father , in his comfort a redeemer , and in his delight a replenisher ; from his mercy and compassion is deriued abundantly fulnes of consolation , from his comfort or promise , an assured expectation , and from his delight , of himselfe a plenarie possession . o would to god with happy ioseph , i had taken downe my sauiour from the crosse , embalmed him in the spices or graces of my soule , had layen him in the new sepulchre of my heart , that at least attending or following my iesvs , my obedience might haue ministred something to so heauenly obsequies . for how should i think but by the smell of his oyntments , my sin-sicke and soule soiled conscience should be cured , who had power to raise dead lazarus stinking in his graue , hauing bene foure dayes buried ? o that i might goe to the mountaine of myrrh , to the hill of frankincense , to be ioyned to him , whose oyntments are aboue all spices : how should i want any thing being so enriched ? how should i feare any thing being so armed ? or how wish any thing , hauing whatsoeuer i desired ? sweet-smelling perfume of selected vertues , pure streame of diuine graces , and amiable beauty neuer blemished ; no delight shall withhold me , no affection seduce me , no inordinate pleasure entice me , no sweet smell draw me ; i haue tyed my selfe to my spouse in all my sences ; being he , that ministers refreshment to all my sences . if i eye any thing , it shall be my sauiours crosse ; if i heare any thing , it shall be my sauiours praise ; if i touch any thing , it shall be my sauiours wounds ; if i taste any thing , it shall be my sauiours comforts ; if i smell any thing , it shall be my sauiours oyntments : blessed eye , that hath such an obiect ; blessed eare , that heares such a concord ; blessed touch , that hath such a subiect ; blessed taste , to haue such a rellish ; blessed smell , to haue such a sweetnesse . as the nose is the conduit , by which wee receiue breath , so should it be the conduit , by which we receiue grace : by it we breath ; may wee rather not breath , then employ it not in breathing praise to our maker ? as the taste and smell haue two distinct offices , yet by an affinitie vnited , for the obstruction of the one is the annoyance of the other ; so may they be linked in one consort , in the contemplation of their creator ; that as the one is to be employed to taste and see how sweet the lord is ; so the other by following the smell of her sauiours oyntments , may at last attaine to the mountaine of eternal spices . finis . ornatissimo et lectissimo viro , i. b. de l : eqviti avrato , pvblicae pacis ivrisqve stvdiosissimo . pariterque h. b. filio inter svperstites ortv maximo , tali patre nato dignissimo , indolis optimae , spei amplissimae , mentis tenacissimae . richard brathwayt hanc detractionis narrativn cvlam , in gratam animi memoriam ( invita quorundam invidia : ) candide , condite , intime , integre d. d. d. detraction . detraction is a sin , deriued from him , who first seduced woman to sin : shee is conuersant in extenuating of vertues , detracting from the good , and spying occasion how to derogate from his worth , which is most deseruingly eminent : shee is called by the sententious lipsius , a priuy guilefull wounding of the name , by these two instruments , pen and tongue : she is termed by that diuine philosopher , a secret vndermining thiefe , that breaketh into the precious cabbinet of all morall vertues , not to possesse them , but corrupt them , not to enioy them , but detract from them : shee is harbored in male-contents , respectiuely entertained by nouelists , an inquisitiue obseruer of state-affaires , and a serious agent in ciuill diuisions : she is a great enemie to peace , yet expects small benefit by warre , neuer contented so long as she sees deseruing men honoured : shee is amongst men as pernicious , as to god odious , being a profest foe to none more than such as be zealous of god. saturne is said to haue predominancie ouer her , idlenesse is the foster-mother of her , and enuie claimeth an especiall prerogatiue in her . it is strange to see how her censures be euer grounded on ignorance in matters of knowledge , where publike or priuate imputation vseth to be the maine scope of her invention . rightly was shee compared to the venemous tarantula bred in the region of apulia , whose stinging was not to be cured by ought but musicke , to wit , the melodie of a sincere and patient minde , prepared to endure whatsoeuer she shall inflict , yet able to wipe of , whatsoeuer she can asperse . as it is the propertie of a friend to conceiue well , to defend , and speake well of those labours we compose , or actions we performe ( saith lucilius ) : so is it the vse of a discontented and malignant nature , to depraue the best by misconstruction , euer ayming at the worst : much like the toade , that may not endure to smell the sweet sauour of the vine , when it flourisheth . whence i may iustly assume a particular complaint , hauing got the name of a detractor , which i neuer merited . but well doe i perceiue whence i gained that title , traduced not deserued , being by malice suggested , or on misconstruction ( the indirectest path to probable opinion ) grounded . for construction is the moulder of detraction : and impossible is it , that so many different mindes should iumpe in one censure ; for particular vices enforce an application to our selues , what was meant in generalitie . so as nothing can be writ in how temperate a style soeuer , but some personall distast may be occasioned contrary to the minde of the author , yet sorting with their owne vicious humour : whereas it would rellish more of true wisdome , to reforme that in our selues , which giues occasion of reproofe vnto others , then publikely to discouer our owne defects , by applying that to our selues , which perchance , had as neere , if not neerer affinitie to others . and herein was vespasian commendable , who apprehensiue enough of offence , and powerfull enough to reuenge , could wisely forbeare to be captious in the one , or violent in the other . as for popular opinions , which haue their foundation on no other ground than erring repentance , i appeale from them to a firmer and faithfuller testimonie , that is , my owne conscience , which can say thus much for me in lieu of so many obiections : non habeo in me , quod testetur contra me : so sincere were my purposes from the beginning , as they euer aymed at a more generous and glorious marke , than to stoupe to such basenes , as personall calumniation , the infallible note of an ignoble and vnworthy disposition . albeit more apparant it is than light : vt belluae sunt humanae , ita homines belluini ; whose depraued actions should be glanced at , whereby shame might reclaime them , seeing themselues brought forth naked to the world , or the examples of others deterre them , whose fearefull ends were occasioned vpon like meanes . and such as these be as necessarie fautors and supporters of vertue , and her declining soueraigntie , as those cherishers and professors of vice be principall causes of vertues decrease : yea those be they , which that regall patron and patterne of iustice , aristides , termed the centinels of his kingdome , because they rowsed and raised his people from the secure sleepe of ryot and excesse , perswading them to imployments more generous and manly , than to expose so precious a treasure as time to sensuall effeminacie . amongst these ( i confesse it ) i may be ranked , nor is this ranke vnworthy the approbation of the best : for my ayme hath euer bin ( so farre as the small portion of my abilitie extended ) to propose a way as accommodate , to the course of vertue in a generall obseruance , as particular practise : endeauouring to instance in my selfe by example , what my workes proposed by instruction . wherein , if at any time i failed , ( as what man liuing may not at sometimes faile , if not fall ) so vnsained and vrgent was my desire of redeeming the time i lost , as i surceased not to labour till i regain'd what i lost . yea , so farre haue my thoughts euer beene from excusing or extenuating my imperfections ( which haue beene euer before mine eyes ) as i made that diuinely-morall instruction of epictetus , my entirest councellour : who wils mee to denie the sinnes mine enemy taxes me with , but to reproue his ignorance , in that , being vnacquainted with the infinitie of my crimes ( which minister no lesse occasion of feares then teares ) he layes onely two or three to my charge , whereas , indeed i am guilty of a million . but for that other ranke , whose oyly tongues can smooth the errours of the vicious , aswell as smother the deseruing parts of the vertuous , i asmuch loath the gaine of their trafficke , as i hate their trade . for the world shall not hire me to vtter one word to their praise , which depraue the world , nor the eminentst rewards force mee to detract , where vertue bids me commend . for so small is the content i reape on earth , as i see nothing in it of that worth , which might moue mee to flattery : or of that daring command , to force mee to dispraise what is good , hauing a prepared soule within me . briefly , as i detest these base creepers , so will i seeke to auoide the daungerous company of detractours , since the former , as they imply spirits ignoble and depressed , so the latter inferre troubled minds , and such as are discontented . long time therefore haue i resolued to sconce my selfe betwixt these two , for who so obserueth not a meane is in danger of being split by one of these two . but to returne to the nature of these detractors , which pindarus calls men of vncurbed mouths , they are euer itching after newes , which by an vncharitable glosse , they labour so to peruert , as they may redound to the imputation of some personall agent interrested in those affaires . they are subtill interpreters to the worst sence : for ( spider-like ) they sucke poyson out of the holesomest flowers . as euery age is infected with their poison , so no age from them , can plead exemption . where nature her selfe shall be reuiled by them , being shee that first produced them . one findes fault with nature , and taxeth her of indiscretion , for setting the bulls hornes rather on his head then his backe , being the stronger part . an other , that she should place both the eyes before , whereas prouidence would haue set one behinde , and an other before , to arme man against danger aswell behinde , as before . yea , euen those orators , and pleaders for the prerogatiue of nature , haue beene oftimes seene to detract from her soueraignty : as the sensuall epicure , whose absurd opinion was , that there was indeed a superiour power , which had commaund ouer the inferiour creatures : yet was that power but an idle god , louing his rest and quiet , and retyring himselfe from the care of man or his affaires ; giuing him free scope and liberty to doe what he list , and reposing the supreame happinesse of a deity in rest . to confirme which palpable opinion , some irreligious epicures of our time , for the better establishing their doctrine of security , haue produced , or rather most impiously traduced that portion of sacred scripture , requieuit dominus in septimo die super omnia quae patrarat . so generally pernicious is this poison of the world , as it aymes not onely at inferiour subiects , but euen at the transcendent power of the almighty , piercing ( that i may vse homers words ) the spheare of heauen , & wounding iupiter himselfe . these be those aspes tongs , which poyson our good names ; those spiders , which with an art full of secret admiration , bring webs out of their bodies to intangle vs poore flies in their snares ; those spreading tetters which eate into our reputation ; those suck-blouds which exhaust the pith and marrow of our soules ; they are those canker-wormes , which euer browze on the tenderest and sweetest blossomes of our vertues . in briefe , whatsoeuer is opposed to good , that are they , aspersing the foulest blemishes , on men of approuedst deseruings . true it is , that nothing is more swift than calumnie , for shee is euer flying ; more eager , for she is euer assailing ; more cautelous , being euer prying ; more tyrannous , being euer raging , or more remorcelesse , being euer deuouring . in a well-gouerned state , this axiom holds euer impregnable ; eadem est foelicitas vnius hominis & totius ciuitatis : but how far shee is estranged from that felicitie , may appeare by the hate shee beares to euery good man within the citie ; professing for faith , fraud ; mixing deceit with fairest pretences of affection ; conversing with purpose to traduce , importunate in the pursuit of acquaintance , which she makes as notorious by her report , as if they were prodigies in nature , by their life . shee cannot endure to entertaine such into the lists of her discourse , as affect a reserued silence : for those cannot yeeld her argument of talke , because they are not talkers . those which catiline-like , will promise much and doe litle , rellish better in her palate , than such , as iugurth-like , will speake litle but doe much . thus far in expression of her nature , i will now touch the place of her abode . for the place of her abode , it is harder to finde where she is not , than where she is ; in diuers villages , as obscure , as time could make them , haue i liued , and i haue euer noted one mother trattles , newes-carrier to all her neighbor-gossips within the parish : one that had art to tell a tale with winks and nods : yea so excellent were these old-trots in invention , as they could make one and the selfe-same tale , told in disgrace of one neighbour to another , with a litle alteration , as pleasing to the latter , as the former . it pleased therefore the spartan orator , to call them brands , because raisers of ciuill differences and heart-burnes one with another . brands indeed , as well to publike states as priuate families ; whose many ruines will witnesse , that though the wound be healed , the scar remaines still , harboring that viper within them , that preyed on them ; so miserable was their fate to cherish her which occasioned their fall . rightly did he say , that termed them antipodes to all good men , because they walke alwaies in a path opposite to the trace of vertue , being as indirect in their courses , as vncharitable in their censures . for iudgment , they as much disclaime it , as those that are profest enemies vnto it ; so much for conceit they thinke onely requisite , as may detract from merit , and adde to disgrace . the athenian tearmed them owles , haters of light , bats , recreants to their owne , scarabees , euer feeding on vlcerous flesh ; aptly displaying their natures , by these borrowed names . but for their place of being , as they euer loue to insinuate into the acquaintance of the eminentst persons , so they make them the vsualst subiects of their discourse : wherein they vse to compare their actions and parts with their progenitors , whose vertues they make as transcendent , as they disvalue the commendable qualities of those now present : and which is more remarkeable , though they be altogether ignorant of what their ancestours did , yet expresse they their actions , in dispraise of their successours , as by ocular experience they knew what they did . farre bee my thoughts estraunged from conuersing or commercing with these men ; yea , may i rather not speake , then detract from the vertues of the least eminent by speaking . i haue euer wished , that my speeches might tend rather to edification of some , then imputation to any . for so free haue my intentions beene from publike or priuate calumnie , as my inuention ( euer grounded on a probable truth ) hath euer seated and setled it selfe , on the serious commending of goodnesse , with a modest improuing of what was vicious . yea , i may safely auow ( out of a sincere confidence within me ) that i neare saw the man , who could worthily taxe me in this kinde : indeede poesie , which one of the fathers is pleased to terme vinum daemonum , not because it cheeres but charmes sinne , may seeme sometimes to satyrize , when it is personall application , not the authours intention which makes his poeme a satyre : rightly therefore was that resolue of the greeke poet grounded : at him my satyre aimes , whose application claimes , that it to him was sent howseuer it was ment . and that againe of the golden moralist : satyres are like to images in wax , taxing such men whose guilt themselues doth tax . for my part , i haue bin euer so religious an obseruant of my friend , as i wish rather not to liue , than by my lines to loose any mans loue : especially when i esteeme ( with that diuine sage ) my friends life , my best of humane glory , and his good name the essentiallst part of his life ; but wonder i cannot chuse ( for else should i wonder at my owne stupiditie ) how any should harbour the least conceit of an intended detraction by me or by my labours , vnlesse my title of deuill imply so much , which may seeme to haue affinitie with that which the greekes terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , detraction : but i hope , the iudicious , whose censures haue not their dependence on titles but essences , types but truths , are resolued of the remotenesse of my thoughts from such an vngenerous condition ; meane time , as the intentions of my soule are grounded on a more setled foundation , than the opinion of that monster-multitude , so shall my studies euer be directed for the satisfactorie delight and profit of the generous . i am now drawing from the world , heauens forbid , that i should proue such a seruile obseruer of the world , as to prize her fauours before my fortunes in an other world . in briefe , as i am now learning how to number my dayes , so will i take a strict account of the expence of my howres , that my dayes well numbred , may bring me to the length of dayes neuer to be summed ; that my howres well expended , may bring me to ioyes in that last howre , neuer to be ended : so shall those vertues which i haue in others admired moue me to imitation , those vices which i haue obserued in others , enforce in me a detestation . male de me loquuntur sed mali , mouerer si de me m. cato , si lelius sapiens , si duo scipiones ista loquerentur , nunc malis displicere laudari est . seneca ad galion : de remed : fortuit : finis . resolves . i offered before the sacrifice of my teares ; now remaines the prosecution of my resolues : that as the first were symbols and signalls of my conuersion and contrition , so the latter might be persuasiue motiues of my firmer resolution . dry be those teares of repentance , which are not seconded by a zealous continuance ; sith the perfection of vertue is perseuerance ; and fruitlesse is that zeale , which like the seede in the parable , is either by the thornie cares of the world choaked , by the heat of persecution parched , or by stonie impenitencie and obduracie withered : i will therefore by the power of him that made me , so forme my resolution , that i may finde a comfortable friend in the day of my dissolution ; so shall the howre of my death be my convoy to life , my exit a conduct to a more glorious intrat , my farewell on earth to my welfare in heauen ; reaping for what i sowed in teares , in a plenteous haruest of ioyes . thus therefore i addresse my resolues , which i wish may be with like feruor receiued , as they were composed , ministring no lesse matter of consolation to the devout reader , then they did of mortification to the penitent author . i resolue to fix mine eye ( more intentiuely ) vpon my image , that my forme may put me in minde of my former . i haue conversed too long with the world : i will fall from discourse to contemplation ; from talking with the world , to contemplate him that made the world . i will no longer put my candle vnder a bushell , shrowding my soules lustre with my bodies couer , but will display the eminence of the one , by the basenes of the other . since it is not granted to man to loue and to be wise , willingly will i incurre the opinion of vnwise , to gaine the loue of him , that is solely wise . the most precious things haue euer the most pernicious keepers ; which i found too true , when i made my bodie my soules guardian : i will henceforth esteeme more highly of such a treasure , than to commit it to the trust of a traytor . i haue obserued two solstices in the sunnes motion , but none in times revolution ; i will redeeme therefore my time while opportunitie is offred , for being past shee is not to be recalled . i haue seene young mens loue end in lust , old mens in dotage ; if ere i plant my affection , i will so waine my selfe from the first , that my chast youth may exempt me from the latter . elegantly expressed was that conceit of the emperor : fortune hath somewhat of the nature of a woman , that if she be too much wooed , shee is the farther of : i will thinke it therefore the best of fortune , neither to be allured by her fawne , nor deiected by her frowne : for our indifferencie towards fortune makes vs most fortunate . excellent was that soueraigntie or regencie of fortune , attributed by liuie to cato maior : in whom ( saith he ) there appeared such abilitie both for constancie of minde , and maturitie of wit , as in what place soeuer he bore himselfe , he seemed to be the moulder and maker of his owne fortune : but i desire no such transcendencie ; more haue fallen through the height of successe , than for the want of meanes : this is my wish , to enioy no other meanes , than my sauiour , who makes meanes for me to his father . i haue wondred at the strict accounts betwixt man and man , while man the image of his creator , forgets his accounts due to god by man : i resolue therefore to make the euening the summer vp of the day and morning ; that my daily memorandums may direct me in my reckning , when i shall come to be accomptant for my dispensing . in my childhood i wished time after time to please my waggish fancie ; now is my wish extended to the length of time , resoluing to liue to my fathers glory . it grieues mee when i call to minde , how those many howres of vanitie , which did once delight me , shall be produced as so many witnesses , to condemne me ; yet am i cheered with this resolue , that he , who moued me to this remorce for my sin , will not suffer me to make relapse into sin , nor will pronounce the iudgment of death on me for my former sin . grieuous sinnes require grieuous sighes ; i will passe therefore the remainder of my time , in lamenting , as i spent the prime of my time in transgressing ; so shall my teares witnesse my contrition , my retire from the world my conuersion , that in both , i may adde to my soules glory , by wayning my bodie from the conceit of her beauty . ech thing we see in her kinde and nature ; yet man by sin a priuitiue , degenerates from his nature primitiue ; opposing himselfe , by transgressing his law that made him for himselfe . i haue heard many call this life a pilgrimage ; yet did they liue in it , as if it had bin the sole hope of their inheritance : i resolue therefore to take in hand the actiue part , and leaue the discursiue ; doe before i speake , practise mortification before i prattle of it : so shall my discourse be powerfull , subsisting in the worke not word , not externall or for fashion , but in essence and operation . i haue oftentimes entred into discourse with my selfe , making the scope thereof venite & abite : i contemplated withall , the happinesse of those fiue virgins receiued , the miserie of those fiue reiected : reasoning with my selfe what this should meane ; and i found that no entry was admitted , where the oyle of grace was not infused , and that the heauenly bridegroome will be by vs watchfully attended , ere we be by him gloriously receiued . i resolued therefore , to prepare a wedding garment to adorne me , a lampe full of oyle to lighten me , and a trustie friend to direct me ; the garment of humilitie , the oyle of charitie , and my friendly conscience within me . i haue wondred at some mens humors , whose chiefest discourse was euer bent on their owne commendations ; for my part , the knowledge of mine owne imperfections inioynes me silence , considering how far i am short of that i should be , how exceeding in that which is not required of me ; i haue resolued therefore by the scale of humilitie , to ascend to the throne of glory , making the acknowledgment of my defects , my directest path for the attayning of perfection . as the completest follie appeares in too much complement , so the best of wisdome is to be least popularly wise ; where opinion makes vs proud , whil'st priuacie in knowledge makes vs onely knowne to our selues , and no otherwise . i haue found oft-times the excellentest parts shrowded in the meanest and vnhansomest couers ; which i can instance in nothing better , than in the diuine essence of the soule , couered with the garment of flesh . honour is a faire baite , but a sincere disposition will not assume it before shee deserue it . the best of honour is to acknowledge our selues vnworthy of him , to whom is ascribed all honour ; nor can we better expresse our worth , than by confessing our own shame . purposes and resolues may be compared to pauls planting and apollo's watering , but their disposes to the blessing of god. i haue resolued in reflexion to my houre-glasse , considering times preciousnes with his swiftnes , to vie teares with her graines of sand ; that my teares might ( in some measure ) wash away the heap of those sins , which are multiplyed like the sands . earth as a globe in the ayre , the soule as a diamond in lead , reason as a queene in her throne ; in the first we moue and are moued ; in the second we shine , yet is our splendor by our bodies couer , obscured , by the last we are distinguished from beasts , yet by her abuse we become worse than beasts . if caesar ( saith machauell ) had beene ouerthrowne , he would haue beene more odious then euer was catiline ; so strangely doth th' euent make indirectest actions glorious : but successe doth not euer argue a direct cause ; for the morning-flourish of the wicked shuts vp their euening in a sullen discontent ; i will therefore so direct the meane that i may attaine the end : that an equall relation of one to the other , may produce a necessary successe in both . i haue wondred why the thracian being a pagan should lament his birth like a christian ; when we that are christians laugh at our birth , but pule at our death , like pagans . as wee enter the world with a shrike , so we leaue it with a sigh ; the first implyes what place of miserie wee are entring ; the other shewes with what griefe we leaue the world in our departing . i haue considered with what tranquillity and peace of conscience , a soule sequestred from the world taketh her farewell of earth ; she finds no obiects to distract her , shee sees no friends that can with-drawe her from her approaching dissolution ; all seeme as in a calme sea ; whilest a soule plunged in worldly cares , grieues to leaue what shee did so exceedingly loue . o may my soule so contemne the world , as she may addresse her selfe for a future world : so extend her hopes aboue earth , as she may raigne with her sauiour after earth . as the vale best discouereth the hil ; so a humble outside best displaieth a glorious soule ; vanity becommeth not a wise-man , much-lesse him that should be only wise to saluation . i had neuer the fate to admire titles , nor hope to rise by fauning on greatnesse ; heauen grant i may so follow him that is onely great , that the choyce of his attendance may purchase mee a place of perpetuall residence . age cannot alter habite , nor aër condition ; i doe wish my age may be so well tempered , that i may get that habite of vertue , which cannot be depraued , those internally-beautifying qualities of the minde , which may not be corrupted . that is the choycest pleasure , which hath onely relation to vertue ; others may haue appearance but no essence : for bitter is the fruite of that pleasure , which is attended on by repentance . there is no bulwarke so impregnable as a spotlesse soule ; for shee can oppose all hostilitie inward , where the other is onely for outward : as there is a continuall feast to him that enioyeth her , so there is securitie to him that is attended by her . length of daies is not in this vale of teares , for few be they and full of misery ; but in the tabernacle of syon there is length of time without transition , and accomplished yeares without conclusion . i haue collected that there is a reward for the good , as reuenge for the wicked , after this life ; because the sunne shineth aswell on the wicked as the good in this life . i haue resolued therefore , that as the temporary sunne cheeres mee with his heate , so to dispose of my actions , that by his operation which workes in mee , i may bee exalted by the sunne of righteousnesse , being made pertaker of his glory . when i behold the dew fall on the grasse , by which it is nourished ; i presently recollect how happy that soule is , which is watered by the dew of gods grace , by which it is onely renewed , and in her affliction comforted . it is strange that man in his trauaile , should so often measure his graue , yet be forgetfull of his end ; seuen foote is his dimension , yet man liueth in that securitie , as if that small scantling had a perpetuall extension . making ech day an abstract of my life , i finde by bitter experience ( yet hopefull repentance ) that i haue spent my morning in wantonnesse ; now my resolue is , to redeme my morning idling with my mid-dayes labouring , that i may receiue my penny in the euening . as the sun shines the brightest at his setting , so should man at his departing ; it is the euening crownes the day ; happy soule that shall be crowned , when her euening is approached . flatterie is not alwaies to praise in presence , for incurre we may that name by praising in absence ; that is , when either the vertue is absent , or the occasion ; as for vertue , shee can neither be ouer-prizd , nor ouerpraisd : i will hate therefore to insinuate , where vertue is not resident ; nor can he be a parasite , that is her attendant . i finde seuerall perturbations , to which i am exposed , diuers infirmities , to which naturally i am subiected ; i would not follow the indiscretion of empyricks , which minister the same medicines to all patients : as my griefes be sundry , proceeding from diuers meanes , so must my receits be sundry , if i meane to cure the effects . i will vse therefore corrasiues to eat away the hard and dead skin of impenitence , lenitiues to renew and cherish my tender skin , lest i fall to despaire , through too much weaknes . i am almost of copernicus opinion , who in his theorie supposed , that the earth did moue ; it moues man indeed to moue vnlike himselfe , becomming in his motion forgetfull of his first mouer : i resolue therefore , as many lines tend to one centre , so to ayme all my soules motions to the glory of my maker ; that earths motion may by no meanes draw me from him , who first gaue me motion to serue him . i haue sometimes wished an end of my miserie , lest miserie should cause my end ; but i found how foolish i was to wish for an end of that , which can no way possible , haue an end before my end ; for miserie is an inseparable companion to man , so long as he is man , for ceasing to be miserable he becommeth an angell and no man. he that falls from diuine contemplation , to take content in the world , is as he , that after he hath bin fed with meat of angels , falls afterward to delight in swines meat : sensuall desires shall not captiuate my reason to the soueraigntie of sence : i resolue so to liue , that dying i may liue ; for this life as it is a death , so death to the good is an aduantage of life . true it is , which democritus saith : truth lyeth hid in certaine deepe mines or caues ; yet being daughter to time , she will be at last discouered , after she hath bin so long depressed : neuer , neuer ; truth loues to be retired from the world , because shee sees that her fauourites be few in the world ; and rather will she liue a stale virgin , than bestow herselfe of such as will but make a stale of her . mans life is a globe of examples , a shadow of imitation , where the latter day is euer scholer to the former : i wish no further knowledge than to be a perfect scholer in christ-crosse row ; for there ( as in a mirrour ) shall i behold gods mercie , mans miserie ; his miserie in falling , gods mercy in raising ; matter of thanksgiuing in man to god , argument of affection in god to man. long is it since i purposed my conversion ; but yet a litle and then a litle , makes to morrow as far from conversion as was yesterday : i collect hence , how powerfullst resolues produce oft-times the poorest effects : henceforth therefore i intend not to put off till to morrow by idling to day , lest i neuer liue to repent on to morrow , being call'd on to day . i haue run a great part of my race , & am out-stripped by all in the course of vertue ; what remaines , but that i should now strip my selfe of this heauy garment with which i am ouer-loaded , that i may put on the heauenly garment , with which those happy runners ( the saints ) are adorned . he that failes in his course , cannot obtaine the goale ; and soone brethlesse am i , vnlesse the lord infuse his diuine breath in me : i will therefore run and pray ; run that i may obteine , pray that i cease not to run till i obteyne . i haue found how soone affliction alters the countenance of adulterate friendship ; i haue a litle taste of it , and experience bids me make this vse of it : though one swallow make no summer , yet one mans summer makes many swallowes : i will seeke therfore to gaine friends after time , since most of these worldly friends are but obseruers of time . pittie it is , i heare some say , such a braue spirit should want ; but what a wittall was he , that through his owne follie should enforce his own want with others pittie ? enuie is better than pitty , in estate not in honour : for the decrease of honor as she is enuied before her fall , yeelds argument of pitty , so is shee oft-times restored by being generally pittied , where estate , as she was an obiect of enuie , so piteously complayning shee remaines the same poore , without altering . i will not , like another herodicus , doe nothing all my life long , but intend my health ; for why should i bestow more care on the case than on the instrument within the case , on the bodie , than the soule ? no , i will reserue that moderate care for the health of my bodie , that like a good instrument , it may euer yeeld cheerfull musick to the eare of my soule ; so shall my soule , by the ministerie of my bodie , conforme her-selfe in obedience to him , that made the soule to enlighten the bodie . it is strange to know what an impression of loue , absence breeds in the louer ; i wish the like effect in the absence of my soule from her creator : she is here diuided by the vaile of her flesh , may shee be more firmely vnited to him in spirit ; she is here a prisoner , may her desires pierce through these walls of earth , and expresse their feruencie to the god of heauen : shee is here a pilgrim , may her skrip be humilitie , her weede sanctitie , her staffe charitie , and her foode the nourishing milke of the word : shee is an exile , may shee hasten to her natiue country , cherefully leauing this vale of misery : shee is an orphan , may she addresse her-selfe thither , where raignes the widdowes iudge , and orphans father . abide here ( ô my soule ) let this be thy retreit ; cheere thy spirit ( ô my soule ) with this eternall receit ; he it is that from perills past hath preserued thee , in perills present hath armed thee , against perills to come hath fore-warned thee . he it is invites thee fore-slowing , expects thee opposing , recalls thee straying , and embraces thee returning . he it is that protects thee resting , assists thee labouring , exhorts thee fighting , and crownes thee vanquishing : fore-slow not therfore since he invites thee , oppose him not since he expects thee , stray no farther since he recalls thee , but returne with speed , that he may embrace thee . rest thou mayst with ioy being so protected , labour in hope being so assisted , fight with courage being so excited , and vanquish with comfort being to be crowned . we must passe through a wildernesse to canaan ; this wildernesse is the wide world : ô may my soule neuer murmur , though hunger should annoy her , thirst afflict her , all perturbations enclose her : yea , let her rather say with iob ; i beleeue that my redeemer liueth , and that with these eyes i shall see him : happie eyes that are made contemplators of such exceeding glory ; ô may my eyes grow dim with weeping , to be afterwards partakers of so glorious a vision ! i resolue now to bid farewell to the world , before i leaue it , that being in it , i may not be of it : there is no affinitie betweene the citizens of mammon and syon , i will fall by a loathing of the one , to an vnfained louing of the other , that in contempt of this world , i may make my account more free in the world to come . i will make the worlds follie my chiefest policie ; soule-wise without desire of sole-wise or self-wise : may humilitie henceforth conduct me ; for conceit of knowledge through an opinionate arrogance , hath made me ( many times ) glory in my owne ignorance . i had rather be imprisoned in the flesh , then by the flesh ; for so i bee freed in minde i little care though i be imprisoned in body : since restraint of the one , enlargeth the libertie of the other ; whether therefore at freedome or restrained , i resolue so to liue , that my conscience may be a testimonie how i haue liued ; making in prison better vse of my grace , then the curtezan of her glasse : for there will i note the blemishes of my soule , while she the spots and moles in her face ; there shall i learne how to liue , how to die for my creator ; while she how to loue , how to dye her colour different , from what was giuen her by her maker . hee that seeks to preuent that which cannot be auoyded , flies into adams groue to sconce himselfe from gods iudgment : i finde this approued , when i labour to be exempted from the stroke of death , which can by no meanes be preuented , whose doome as it is certaine , so is his date vncertaine ; knocke he will , but at what time i know not : i will therefore so set all things in order before he come , that he may finde me prouided when he comes . i would be loth to be taken napping , i will therefore so addresse my selfe euery houre , that i may cheerfully embrace death in my last houre ; receiuing him not with feare , as a guest that will be of necessitie harboured , but with a friendly wellcome , as one , by whom i shall be to a secure harbour conducted . death , as he is importunate , so is he iminent ; fearefull to the rich , but cheerefull to the poore : for affliction breeds a loathing in liuing , an accomplished content in dying ; knowing that there is an end of miserie apportioned by death , which was not granted to man during life . i wish so to liue , that my life may be an argument that i did liue ; sith life without employment ( the essence of mans life ) hath more affinitie with death than life . as my god is alpha and omega , being my alpha begun in the kingdome of grace , so he will be my omega , accomplished in the kingdom of glory : the last day of my liuing , the first day of my raigning , the houre of my bodies discention into earth , the houre of my soules ascention into heauen . finis . the heauenly exercise of the fiue sences couched in a diuine poem . let eye , eare , touch , tast , smell , let euery sence , employ it selfe to praise his prouidence , who gaue an eye to see ; but why was 't giuen ? to guide our feet on earth , our soules to heauen . an eare to heare ; but what ? not iests o' th' time , vaine or prophane , but melodie diuine . a touch to feele ; but what ? griefes of our brother , and t' haue a fellow feeling one of other . a tast to relish ; what ? mans soueraigne blisse , " come taste and see the lord how sweet he is ! a smell to breath ; and what ? flowers that afford all choice content , the odours of his word . " if our * fiue sences thus employed be , " we may our sauiour smell , tast , touch , heare , see . vpon his resolues . may i resolue , so my resolues expresse , that th' world may see i am what i profess . may earth be my least care , my heart on him , whose crosse's my crowne , whose sonne did salue my sin . the avthors opinion of marriage : deliuered in a satisfying character to his friend . sir , as i am no timon , so am i no marriage-affecting libertine : i will labour therefore to satisfie your demands exactly , making experience my directresse , whose late familiaritie hath instructed me in this positiue doctrine . as it repenteth me not to know it now , so it litle repenteth me not to haue knowne it before now : for as the present estate adds to my content , so my former want perhaps kept me from discontent : i perceiue no such thing as bondage in marriage , onely a restraint from batchler-sensualitie , which merits not the name of seruitude but libertie . vpon consideration had of two estates , i account mariage concurring neerer with perfection , and i ground my opinion vpon no worse probabilitie , than the arithmeticians maxime , numbers haue their beginning but not perfection from vnities ; yet exclude i not these two indiuidually vnited , from that incomparable effect of marriage , vnitie . content i finde more accomplished where mindes are consorting ; for singlenesse includes rather the condition of an anchorite , than of one affecting societie : this better for procreation , that for contemplation . there is no felicitie ( if earth may be said to enioy it ) like a fellow-helper , & no fellow-helper equall to a faithfull bosom-friend : i am neither for committing secrets nor concealing them , till i finde an aptnesse to conceale , or faith to reserue . i finde mysogenes opinion grosse and erroneous , touching the secrecie of a woman , a faithfull wife cannot chuse but be a good secretarie . shee makes her husbands reputation her principall subiect , and chuseth rather to dye , than it should dye . her acquaintance is not popular , nor craues shee rather to be seene what she weares , than to be knowne what shee is . vertue is her best habit , and her garnish is beholden more to nature than art : shee affects no colours , doing well without pretence of glory , affecting what is good without desire of applause . i haue bin in a strange error , and it much repents me of it , where imagination suggested to me , wedlocke could not be without some aspersion of lust ; for i perceiue the sanctitie and puritie of the rite , adds more to content than the outward delight ; it relisheth more of the spirit than the flesh ; he that feeles an other effect in marriage , he is more brutish than reasonable . the best purchase is a good wife , and the worst is her contrary : i haue commended arminius opinion , and haue long embraced it , whose conceit was so much remoued from the affection of marriage , as he censured him dead to earths-comforts , that tooke himselfe to any other bed-fellow , than his owne minde to converse with ; but i exclaime now vpon that heresie : i finde my minde strengthned by conference , and that proceeds with best grace and consonance from a faithfull mate : i will not trust her with my bodie , whom i dare not make partner of my minde ? and though the excellencie of the one , surpasse the frailtie of the other , yet will i not commend the one where i dare not commit the other . for frailtie of sexes , i conceiue how apt man is to iudge sinisterly of the weaker vessell , and i impute it either to a want of braines , in that they cannot diue into the excellencie of so pure and exquisite a composition , or some hard hap they haue had in making choice of such infirme creatures . i haue found one , though weake by condition , yet firme in her affection ; making her resolues so vndoubtedly approued by him she loues , as she hath vowed to engrosse her loue to none saue him she onely loues : her content is so setled , as she scornes to haue it diuided , for she knowes that a heart diuided cānot liue . she professeth her selfe to be , not where shee liues but where she loues , and the adamant which drawes her to affection , is the perswaded ground she intertaines of her husbands disposition , which is too choice to be popular , and too relenting not to be wonne ; as meere protestations were not of force to winne her , so flatterie was too palpable a suter to woe her . content is worth a kingdome , and my kingdome is my owne familie , where i make euery day my account , casting vp in the euening what i did in the day : i thinke my day well bestowed , if employed in the seruice of my creator , and my conclusion is this : i will be none of that familie , which is not carefull of promoting gods glory . marriage-melodie should haue no concurrence with diuisions ; though musique be graced by it , marriage distasts it : i haue wondred how two distinct bodies can be so inseparably vnited , and i perceiue the strange and indeed vnsearchable effects of marriage , which consists not so much in the ioyning hands , as hearts . there is a sympathie equally working , equally mouing in the parties louing ; nor is it beauty , or any externall motiue so much enchaineth , as a sacred-secret infusion , conceiued by an holy and heauenly influence induceth . i haue heard how that , when the hawthorne springs , and the cuckow sings , actaeons head with hornets rings : it is true indeed , ielousie is such a self-consuming vermin , as it neuer rests day nor night , from feeding her suspitious head with fruitlesse and friuolous doubts ; but i would not haue one subiect to this miserable phrensie , betake himselfe to such fuell of ielousie as a woman : for my part as i was neuer capable of such vaine suspect , so conclude i euer , i had rather be one and thinke me none , than be none and thinke me one , contenting my selfe with a generall fate , rather than incurre disquiet by my owne default : which , that glory of graece , the euer-liuing homer seemes wittily to glance at in the person of telemachus : babe saith my dade , but he may say amisse , for ought that i know , i am none of his ; yet i reply with dade , but that 's all one , i may mistake my syre , and he his sonne . there is no order so ancient nor more maligned : honour hath many times correspondence with her , and forraine marchants may be confident , their pinnace is entitled to many factors ; stratta iulia had neuer more brothels in her , then shee hath clamorous suters attending on her : yet what cannot resolued patience beare ? my aduice is to him , whose suspition hath already pronounced him horne-mad , to make vse of ithacus counsell to andromache , in behalfe of her tender infant astyanax . conceale him , that 's the best meanes to saue him . oft-times iealousie publisheth mans shame , more then the occasion of his shame . a wise-man will rather conceaue and conceale , then disclose his conceit to others report : the best of reputation is grounded on opinion free from suspition , and he is an egregious wittall , that loues to watch oportunity to adde to his discontent : my eyes are no such sentinalls : charity bids me iudge the best , and i wil rather expound my wiues secret parly some instructiōs of huswifery , then motiues of peruerted liberty ; i haue somtimes wondred at the folly of hans caruiles dreame , applying to my selfe the vse , that i might better auoyde the end , where euery fained and imagainarie conceit argues an apparancie of act , but i doubt not such bugbeares , they are terrors to suspicious heads , scarcrowes to addle braines : beautie shall neuer be such an idoll as to enforce my adoration , or so bewitching a hagge as to enthrall me to suspicion ; as a safe conscience is a perpetuall friend to sticke neere vs , a continuall feast to cheare vs , and a brasen wall to shield vs : so is a faithfull bosome-friend the louingst companion , the dearest minion , and the indiuidualst vnion ; a companion to refresh vs , a minion to delight vs , and such an vnion as will inseparably ioyne vs. i little weigh the woman-haters of our age , whose subiect is euer in dispraise of woman , they shew the vnworthinesse of their nature in satyrizing vpon the weaker . as chastity is rare and incomparable , marriage-state hath beene euer deemed honourable . he that will not marrie & will not withdraw his eyes from vanity , let him burne ; such obiects are either subiects of loue or lust ; if of loue , then happy is the louer , if of lust , miserable is the beholder . i remember that noble matrons motto , where thou art caius , i am caia : and i make no question of the like choyce . i haue read of diuers women , who as they were delightfull to their husbands in bed & boord , so added they delight to the labouring inuentions of their braine . such a one enioyed cato in his portia , seneca in his paulina , mar. antonie in his octauia : yea , the best labours haue beene illustrated , if not originally composed by married women , witnesse those diuine poems reduced to centons by theodosia daughter to the emperour theodosius , the royall compositions of lucane , the sententious measures of ennius , the tragicke odes of aristobulus , which labours ( though they retaine the names of these authors ) were reuised and refined by women . i perceiue the wisest may erre , and salomon himselfe may faile in his iudgement , making this interrogation , but as for a good women where is she to be found ? but his question imported rather a difficulty then an impossibility : which hee had some cause to speake , seeing women were the cause of his idolatry ; a goodman must of necessity make his wife of like quality : she is casten in his mould , let him blame himselfe then if she be not good . beautie is one of the least motiues to fancy , who more admires a smooth skin than a sound minde , may gaine content in his wiues prime , but shall loose it in her age : i care not how poore her outside be , so her inside be pure . i neuer set my affection on marriage to strengthen me with friendship , my ayme was the woman , and the grounds of my loue were her minds indowments : i sought not in her what the gallant seeks in his , a minc'd speech , a ginger pace , or a drawing eye ; i found her speech able to deliuer her meaning , her pace quicke enough in her employing , and her eye too modest to loue gadding . a good wife is the best portion ; nor consists this her goodnesse onely in proportion : she that is onely outward faire , deserues more to be loathed than loued , despised than preased : a case beautifies the instrument , but adds nothing to her accent ; and goodnesse is more continuate than beauty . i could neuer approue of that shape which deriues her beauty from the shop ; there is an innate decencie that better becomes vs , and aboue all comparison doth better grace vs : it is not toyes , tyres , dressings , but a personall comelinesse adds honor to our clothing . i haue much admired at mans follie , whose commendations onely extend to what they weare , not what they are . i will neuer tye my selfe to such impertinences , nor can with iudgement esteeme the rinde for comely , where the pith relisheth corruptly : it is not worth our praise , to say , such an one is faire , that is no qualitie but an adiunct ; giue me one good , i much weigh not any other attribute , for good is a better attribute than faire . as i haue chosen , so i repent me not of my choice : i haue planted my resolution thus , nor hope i to alter it : the strange woman shall not allure me , nor the courts-idol , a painted face inveagle me ; i am now for one , and that one is all : me thinks marriage , as it is a type betwixt christ & his church , the state politike & her head ; so it is a neerer combining of the bodie to the soule : the soule hath promised for the bodie , that shee shall not make her selfe a cage of vncleane birds , nor prostitute her-self to many ; and the bodie hath so tyed her by plighting her faith by her hand , that shee will inviolably performe what her soule hath promised , sr , god send you ioy . a shrow is a continuall dropping , whose actiuitie consists principally in the volubilitie of an infatigable tongue ; her father was a common barretter , and her mothers sole note ( being the voice of her vocation ) eccoed , new wainflete oysters ; in her sleepe when shee is barr'd from scolding , shee falls to a terrible vaine of snoring , and fomes at mouth , as if she were possessed , or shrudely rid by the night-mare : shee is most out of her element , when most at quiet , and concludes ioyntly with the arithmetician , that vnities are to be excluded from numbers : her progenie is but smal , yet all hopefull to be interested in some clamorous offices ; for her eldest itcheth after bellman , her next after cryer , and her daughters scorn to degenerate , vowing to bring the aunciently-erected cuckstoole into request : shee frets like gum'd grogram , but for weare she is sempiternum . shee goes weekly a catterwauling , where shee spoiles their spice-cup'd gossiping with her tarttongued calletting : she is a bee in a box , for she is euer buzzing : her eyes , though they be no matches , for she squints hatefully , are more firing than any matches : she is a hot shot , for she goes euer charg'd : she hath an excellent gift for memorie , and can run diuision vpon relation of iniuries . in some thing she is praise-worthy , for shee hates complement , and grins when she heares any one commended , much more flattered : all the phrensies in bedlam cannot put her downe for humors . if shee be married , she makes her husbands patience a fit subiect to work vpon , where his miserable eares are deafed with her incessant clamour . she is neuer pleasd , for being pleasd she were not her selfe , whose choysest musique is euer to be out a tune : a nest of wasps and hornets are not comparable to her for spite , nor may equall her in splene ; and in this they principally differ , she hath her sting in her tongue , they in their tayle . she is monstrously vnsociable , and grounds the reason of her distast vpon others approbation . when shee hath none to exercise her furie on , she mumbles ouer some dogg'd pater-noster to her self , as if she were conjuring : her signe is euer in cancer , and hates patience left it should bastardize her blood . shee is euer suspicious of others thoughts , and therefore answers for her selfe before she needs . were she as strong in power as will , she would commit more insolencies with her tongue , than euer nero did tyrannies with his sword . silence shee hates as her sexes scandall , and reprou'd for her distemper , her answer is , the worme will turne againe . happy were her husband if shee were wormes-meat , but her hope is to out-weare her winding-sheete : when shee comes in companie , all cry god blesse them , as if they heard thunder ; she omits no time , spares no person , obserues no state , but wounds with her tongue , terming it her sole defensiue instrument . great ones she as much disvalues , as shee contemnes inferiors , yet neither shall slip her , for she neuer saw that creature , which might not giue her argument to vent her impatience ; her reading is but small , yet when she heares of stentors tongue , shee would giue her dowrie for such a cimball . she somtimes counterfeits grauitie , but her ferret eyes and hooke nose display her for an hypocrite . her tongue neuer findes vacation but in church , which time giues her occasion to commence some new brawle . her tongue is as glibberie as an eele , all the posts in the kings high roade cannot equall her for speed ; marie truth is , she enterfears dangerously . shee weares her clothes negligently , of set purpose to moue her husband to taxe her for her sluttishnes , whose reproofe she retorts with haile-shot , and pellets him with words as disgracefull as she is fulsom . by this time she hath formald a paire of high corke shoes to heighten her dwarfish proportion , purposely intended to beard her husband . in her infancie she was tongue-tyed , but by an expert artist , the string being cut , she euer after vowed neuer to loose the facultie of her vtterance by discontinuance . she hath seriously protested to make her husband run mad , but he is a foole then . she claimes some priuiledge in his bretches , and that is th' efficient cause of a breach betwixt them . it may be she is honest , but if her dogd humor would giue her leaue , i am perswaded shee would enter parlie with a knaue in a corner : being ( as she is ) a very crab , if shee affect any pleasures , they must be backward . she resembles the raile , and her name concurrs with her nature . shee condemnes no act so much , as that of hypemnestra , who procured her husbands safetie , while all the rest practised their deaths . shee approues of no ancient soueraigntie , but that of amazon , where the gouernment was feminine : and for the salique law , she hath already repeald it , as expresly preiudiciall to their sex . her tongue-feuer is quotidian , for it is euer shaking : her nature is so far out of temper , as shee hath vowed to be phrenticke euer . she maintaines this , that fancie is a phrensie , and loue such a painted idoll , as she will rather burne , than tye her selfe to such a fopperie . i would see that saint , which shee would not incense , a man of that temper , whom she will not nettle . there is no bird which she lesse resembles than the doue , for she is all gall . saturne hath sole predominance ouer her , dis-affecting nothing more than affabilitie . she can be merry by times , but then especially , when her husband is malecontent . she liues of litle sleepe , and seldome sleeps but dreames , and awakes laughing , relating how in her sleepe she beat her husband . the crocodyles teares are not by halfe so mortally dangerous , making euer her hatefull teares assured harbingers of reuenge . she weeps because she may not effect what she would , tuning all the day a hellish discord , best sorting with her serpentine subtiltie . she willingly entertaines her owne dislike , to infer her husbands distast ; which she apprehends with ioy , and obserues with a continuate delight . she rewards the sexton liberally in her husbands presence , onely adding , a day will come . she presseth him to make his will , perswading him he cannot liue long , albeit he finde no such fault with himselfe . she would make an excellent hawke , for she is euer sharpe . shee vowes temperance is none of the cardinall vertues ; and that too much sufferance may make the bleare-eyed world esteeme such an on a saint , whose recreant patience deserues rather the title of sot. she may seeme to haue some allusion to the pismire , wheresoeuer she is , she brings smarting , and in prouidence too , for the shrow is euer scraping . her tongue would make a singular scarcrow , for it is euer ratling : in her discontent ( as when is she out of that humor ? ) her only dolefull song is lachrimae , which she vsually sings in any consort . her complexion is sallow , of constitution strong , yet is her bodie incomparably weake to her will , which can finde no period , till death be her herald , to whose comfortable arrest i bequeath her . finis . to my loving friends , my country-cottoneeres . droupe not , though dead , you may reviue againe by th' cheerefull beams of such a soueraigne ; who can discerne what painfull men deserue , and would be loath , your families should starue , or want the staffe of bread , but by command will see your case redressed out a hand ; meane time read my resolues , where you shall finde in state-distresse , some solace to your minde : which found , build on this ground , and be as i , who am resolu'd , hows'ere i liue , or die . yours , or not his owne . r. b. for the booke i 'le say , if there be errors in 't , the world had not known them , but for th' print , errata . pag. . lin : vlt : for strailings , read strayings . pag. . lin : vlt : for passions , read ( in some copies ) fashions . pag : . lin : . for charuell-house , read charnell-house . pag : . lin : . for yea , read then . pag. . lin : . for reciued , read receaued . pag : . lin : . for repentance , read ( in some copies ) report . pag. . lin : . for , to denie , read , not to denie . pag. . lin : . for grace , read ( in some copies ) grate . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e sence . of seeing . sence . of hearing . esay . ● . ossic. ibid : proper finem . sense . of touching sence . of tasting . sence . of smelling . cantic . . cant. . notes for div a -e * alluding to that sacred-secret mysterie of his fiue wounds , curing and crowning our fiue sences . notes for div a -e character lycosthen : in apotheg : homer in telemach : in odiss . notes for div a -e character . a holy life, the beauty of christianity, or, an exhortation to christians to be holy by john bunyan. bunyan, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a holy life, the beauty of christianity, or, an exhortation to christians to be holy by john bunyan. bunyan, john, - . [ ], p. printed by b.w. for benj. alsop ..., london : . imperfect: print showthrough with loss of print. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life. conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a holy life , the beauty of christianity : or , an exhortation to christians to be holy . by john bunyan . holiness becomes thy house , o lord , for ever . london , printed by b. w. for benj. alsop , at the angel and bible in the poultry , . an introduction to the following discourse . when i write of justification before god , from the dreadful curse of the law ; then i must speak of nothing but grace , christ , the promise and faith : but when i speak of our justification before men , then i must joyn to these , good works . for grace , christ , and faith are things invisible , and so not to be seen by another , otherwise than through a life that becomes so blessed a gospel as has declared unto us the remission of our sins for the sake of jesus christ. he then that would have forgiveness of sins , and so be delivered from the curse of god , must believe in the righteousness and blood of christ : but he that would shew to his neighbours that he hath truly received this mercy of god , must do it by good works ; for all things else to them , is but talk : as for example ; a tree is known to be what it is , to wit , whether of this or that kind , by it's fruit. a tree it is without fruit , but so long as it so abideth , there is ministred occasion to doubt what manner of tree it is . a professor is a professor though he hath no good works ; but that , as such , he is truly godly ; he is foolish that so concludeth . not that works make a man good ; for the fruit maketh not a good tree , it is the principle , to wit , faith , that makes a man good , and his works that shew him to be so . what then ? why , all professors that have not good works flowing from their faith , are naught ; are bramble-bushes ; are nigh unto cursing , whose end is to be burned . for professors by their fruitlesness declare that they are not of the planting of god ; nor the wheat : but tares and children of the wicked one . not that faith needeth good works as an help to justification before god. for in this matter faith will be ignorant of all good works , except those done by the person of christ. here then the good man worketh not , but believeth : for he is not now to carry to god , but to receive at his hand the matter of his justification by faith ; nor is the matter of his justification before god ought else but the good deeds of another man , to wit , christ jesus . but is there therefore no need at all of good works , because a man is justified before god without them ? or can that be called a justifying faith that has not for its fruit , good works ? verily good works are necessary , though god need them not , nor is that faith , as to justification with god , worth a rush , that abideth alone , or without them . there is therefore a twofold faith of christ in the world , and as to the notion of justifying righteousness , they both concur and agree , but as to the manner of application there they vastly differ . the one , to wit , the non-saving faith , standeth in speculation and naked knowledg of christ , and so abideth idle : but the other truly seeeth , and receives him , and so becometh fruitful . and hence the true justifying faith , is said to receive , to imbrace , to obey the son of god as tendred in the gospel : by which expressions is shewed both the nature of justifying faith , in its actings in point of justification , and also the cause of its being full of good works in the world. a gift is not made mine by my seeing of it , or because i know the nature of the thing so given : but then it is mine if i receive and imbrace it , yea , and as to the point in hand , if i yield my self up to stand and fall by it . now he that shall , not only see , but receive , not only know , but imbrace the son of god ; to be justified by him , cannot but bring forth good works , because christ who is now received and imbraced by faith , leavens and seasons the spirit of this sinner ( through his faith ) to the making of him capable so to be . faith made sarah receive strength to conceive seed , and we are sanctified through faith , which is in christ. for faith hath joyned christ , and the soul together , and being so joyned , the soul is one spirit with him : not essentially but in agreement , and oneness of design . besides , when christ is truly received and imbraced to the justifying of the sinner , in that mans heart he dwels by his word and spirit through the same faith also . now christ by his spirit and word must needs season the soul he thus dwells in : so then the soul being seasoned , it seasoneth the body , and body and soul , the life and conversation . we know it is not the seeing , but taking of a potion that maketh it work as it should , nor is the blood of christ a purge to this or that conscience , except received by faith. shall that then be counted right believing in christ unto justification , that amounts to no more than to an idle speculation , or naked knowledg of him ? shall that knowledg of him i say be counted such , as only causes the soul to behold hold but moveth it not to good works ? no verily . for the true beholding of jesus to justification and life , changes from glory to glory . nor can that man that hath so believed , as that by his faith he hath received and imbraced christ for life before god , be destitute of good works : for , as i said , the word and spirit comes also by this faith , and dwels in the heart and conscience : now , shall a soul where the word and spirit of christ dwels , be a soul without good works ? yea , shall a soul that has received the love , the mercy , the kindness , grace and salvation of god through the sorrows , tears , groans , cross and cruel death of christ , be yet a fruitless tree ! god forbid . this faith is as the salt which the prophet cast into the spring of bitter water , it makes the soul good and serviceable for ever . if the receiving of a temporal gift , naturally tends to the making of us to move our cap and knee : and binds us to be the servant of the giver : shall we think that faith will leave him who by it has received christ , to be as unconcerned as a stock or stone , or that it 's utmost excellency is to provoke the soul to a lip-labour , and to give christ a few fair words for his pains and grace : and so wrap up the business ? no , no : the love of christ constraineth us thus to judge that it is but reasonable , since he gave his all for us , that we should give our some for him . let no man then deceive himself ( as he may and will if he takes not heed , with true notions ) but examine himself concerning his faith , to wit ; whether he hath any , and if some , whether of that kind that will turn to account in the day when god shall judge the world . i told you before that there is a twofold faith ; and now i will tell you that there are two sorts of good works : and a man may be shroudly guess'd at with reference to his faith , even by the works that he chuseth to be conversant in . there are works that cost nothing , and works that are chargeable : and observe it , the unsound faith will chuse to it self the most easie works it can find . for example , there is reading , praying , hearing of sermons , baptism , breaking of bread , church fellowship , preaching , and the like : and there is mortification of lusts , charity , simplicity , open-heartedness , with a liberal hand to the poor , and their like also . now the unsound faith picks and chuses , and takes and leaves , but the true faith does not so . there are a great many professors now in england , that have nothing to distinguish them from the worst of men , but their praying , reading , hearing of sermons , baptism , church fellowship , and breaking of bread. separate them but from these , and every where else they are as black as others , even in their whole life and conversation . thus they have chosen to them the most easy things to do them , but love not to be conscionably found in the practice of the other : a certain sign their faith is nought , and that these things , even the things they are conversant in , are things attended to of them , not for the ends for which god has appointed them , but to beguile and undo themselves withall . praying , hearing , reading ; for what are these things ordained , but that we might by the godly use of them , attain to more of the knowledg of god , and be strengthened by his grace to serve him better according to his moral law ? baptism , fellowship , and the lords supper , are ordained for these ends also . but there is a vast difference between using of these things , and a using of them for these ends . a man may pray , yea , pray for such things , had he them , as would make him better in morals , without desire to be better in mortals , or love to the things he prays for . a man may read and hear , not to learn to do , though to know : yea , he may be dead to doing moral goodness , and yet be great for reading and hearing , all his days . the people then among all professors , that are zealous of good works , are the peculiar ones to christ. what has a man done that is baptized , if he pursues not the ends for which that appointment was ordained : the like i say of fellowship , of breaking of bread , &c. for all these things we should use to support our faith , to mortifie the flesh , and strengthen us to walk in newness of life by the rule of the moral law. nor can that man be esteemed holy , whose life is tainted with immoralities , let him be what he can in all things else . i am of that mans mind as to practical righteousness , who said to christ upon this very question , well master , thou hast said the truth : for to love the lord our god with all the heart , and with all the understanding , and with all the soul , and with all the strength : and to love his neighbour as himself , is more than all whole burn-offerings and sacrifices . to love my neighbour as my self , to do as i would be done unto , this is the law and the prophets . and he that is altogether a stranger to these things , how dwelleth the love of god in him ? or how will he manifest to another that his faith will save him . satan is afraid that men should hear of justification by christ , lest they should imbrace it : but yet if he can prevail with them , to keep fingers off , though they do hear and look on , and practice lesser things , he can the better bear it . yea , he will labour to make such professors bold to conclude they shall by that kind of faith injoy him , though by that they cannot imbrace him , nor lay hold of him . for he knows that how far soever a man ingages in a profession of christ with a faith that looks on , but cannot receive nor imbrace him , that faith will leave him to nothing but mistakes and disappointments at last . the gospel comes to some in word only , and the faith of such stands but in a verbal sound : but the apostle was resolved not to know , or take notice of such a faith : for the kingdom of god , saith he , is not in word , but in power . he whose faith stands only in a saying , i believe , has his works in bare words also , and as vertual is the one as the other , and both insignificant enough . if a brother or a sister be naked or destitute of daily food . and one of you say unto them , depart in peace , be you warmed and filled : notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body , what doth it profit ? even so faith , if it hath not works is dead , being alone . this faith therefore , satan can allow , because it is somewhat of kin to his own . besides , what greater contempt can be cast upon christ than by such wordy professors is cast upon him ? these are the men that by practice say , the gospel is but an empty sound . yea , the more they profess , the louder they proclaim it thus to be to his disgrace , while they , notwithstanding their prosession of faith , hold and maintain their league with the devil and sin. the son of god was manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil , but these men profess his faith and keep these works alive in the world. shall these pass for such as believe to the saving of the soul. for a man to be content with this kind of faith , and to look to go to salvation by it : what to god is a greater provocation ? the devil laugheth here , for he knows he has not lost his vassal by such a faith as this , but that rather he hath made use of the gospel , that glorious word of life , to secure his captive through his presumption of the right faith , the faster in his shackles . it is marvelous to me to see sin so high amidst the swarms of professors that are found in every corner of this land. nor can any other reason be given for it , but because the gospel has lost its wonted vertue , or because professors want faith therein . but do you think it is because of the first ? no ; the word of our god shall stand ( in its strength ) for ever : the faith of such therefore is not right , they have for shields of gold , made themselves shields of brass : or instead of the primitive faith , which was of the operation of god , they have got to themselves a faith that stands by the power , and in the wisdom of man. and to say no more to this ; for what is god so angry with this land , but for the sin of the professors that dwell therein , while they have polluted his name with their gifts , and with their idols ? god , i say , has been provoked most bitterly by us , while we have profaned his name , making use of his name , his word and ordinances to serve our selves ( o lord what wilt thou do to this land ! ) . we are every one looking for something ; even for something that carrieth terrour and dread in the sound of its wings as it comes , though we know not the form nor visage thereof . one cries out , another has his hands upon his loyns , and a third is made mad with the sight of his eyes , and with what his ears do hear . and as their faith hath served them about justification : so it now serves them about repentance and reformation , it can do nothing here neither , for though , as was said , men cry out , and are with their hands upon their loyns for fear : yet where is the church , the house , the man that stands in the gap for the land to turn away this wrath by repentance , and amendment of life . behold the lord cometh forth out of his place , and will come down and tread upon the places of the earth , and the mountains shall be molten under him , and the valleys shall be cleft , as wax before the fire , and as the waters that are poured down a steep place ( but what is the cause of all this ? ) for the transgression of jacob is all this , and for the sin of the house of israel . it is that that is observed by them that can make observation , that all that god has done to us already , has been ineffectual as to cause that humility and reformation , by which his judgments must be turned away . repentance is rare this day , and yet without doubt , that without which things will grow worse and worse . as for them that hope that god will save his people , though but from temporal judgments , whether they repent and reform , or do otherwise : i must leave them and their opinions together : this i have found , that sometimes the repentance , even of the godly , has come too late to divert such judgments . and how some of the godly should be so indulged as to be saved from punishment without repentance , when the true and unfeigned repentance of others will not deliver them , leaves me , i confess , in a wilderness . but that which is most of all to be lamented , is , that sin , through custom , is become no sin . the superfluity of naughtiness is at this day become no sin with many . surely this was the case with israel , else how could they say when the prophets so bitterly denounced gods judgments against them , because we are innocent , surely his anger shall turn from us . when custom or bad example , has taken away the conscience of sin : it is a sign that soul is in a dangerous lethargy : and yet this is the condition of the most that profess amongst us this day . but to leave this and to proceed . as there is a twofold faith , two sorts of good works , and the like , so there is also a twofold love to christ. the one standing or stopping in some passions of the mind , and affections . the other is that which breaks through all difficulties to the holy commandment to do it . of both these there is mention made in the scripture : and though all true love begins at the heart , yet that love is but little set by that breaks not through to practice . how many are there in the world that seem to have the first , but how few shew the second . the young man in the gospel did by his running , kneeling , crying ▪ enquiring and intreating of christ to shew him the way to life , shew that he had inward love to christ and his own salvation , but yet it was not a love that was strong as death , cruel as the grave , and hotter than the coles of juniper . it was a love that stopt in mind and affection , but could not break out into practice . this kind of love , if it be let alone , and not pressed to proceed till it comes into a labouring practising of the commandment , will love as long as you will , to wit , as long as mouth and tongue can wag ; but yet you shall not by all your skill drive this love farther than the mouth . for with their mouth they shew much love , but their heart goeth after their covetousness . nor may this love be counted for that of the right kind , because it is in the heart , for the heart knows how to dissemble about love , as much as about other matters . this is feigned love , or love that pretends to dear affections for christ , but can bestow no cost upon him . of this kind of love the world is full at this day , especially the professors of this age , but as i said , of this the lord jesus makes little or no account , for that it hath in it an essential defectiveness . thus therefore christ and his servants describe the love that is true and of the right kind , and that with reference to himself and church . first , with reference to himself . if a man loves me , saith he , he will keep my words . and again , he that hath my commandments and keepeth them , he it is that loveth me . and , he that loveth me not , keepeth not my sayings . and , the word which you hear , is not mine , but the fathers which sent me . behold you now where christ placeth a sign of love , it is not in word , nor in tongue : not in great and seemingly affectionate gestures , but in a practical walking in the law of the lord. hence such , and such only are called the undefiled in the way . ( you know who sayes , i am the way . ) blessed , saith david , are the undefiled in the way : who walk in the law of the lord. but here again , the hypocrite will give us the slip by betaking of himself to exterior matters , as to his mint , anise , and cummin : still neglecting the more weighty matters of the law , to wit , judgment , mercy , faith. or else to the significative ordinances , still neglecting to do to all men as he would they should do to him . but let such know that god never ordained significative ordinances , such as baptism , the lords supper , or the like , for the sake of water , or of bread and wine : nor yet because he takes any delight that we are dipped in water , or eat that bread : but they were ordained to minister to us by the aptness of the elements , through our sincere partaking of them , further knowledg of the death , burial , and resurrection of christ ; and of our death and resurrection by him to newness of life . wherefore he that eateth and believeth not , and he that is baptized , and is not dead to sin , and walketh not in newness of life , neither keepeth these ordinances nor pleaseth god. now to be dead to sin , is to be dead to those things forbidden in the moral law : for sin is the transgression of that , and it availeth not to vaunt that i am a saint and under this or that significative ordinance , if i live in the transgression of the law. for i am convicted of the law as a transgressor , and so concluded to be one that loveth not christ , tho' i make a noise of my obedience to christ , and of my partaking of his significative ordinances . the jews of old made a great noise with their significative ordinances , whiles they lived in the breach of the moral law , but their practice of significative ordinances could not save them from the judgement and displeasure of their god. they could frequent the temple , keep their feasts , slay their sacrifices , and be mighty apt about all their significative things . but they loved idols , and lived in the breach of the second table of the law. wherefore god cast them out of his presence : hark what the prophet saith of them . come to bethel , and transgress , at gilgal multiply transgression ; and bring your sacrifices every morning , and your tithes after three years . and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven , and proclaim , and publish the free-will offerings ; for this liketh you , o ye children of israel , saith the lord god. thus as i said , the hypocrite gives us the slip ; for when he heareth that love is in the keeping of the commandments of god , then he betakes him to the more external parts of worship , and neglecteth the more weighty matters , to the provoking of the god of israel . secondly , as love to god is shewed , by keeping of his commandments : so love to my neighbour is the keeping of the commandments of god likewise . by this we know that we love the children of god , when we love god , and keep his commandments . for this is the love of god ( in us , both to god and man , ) that we keep his commandments , and his commandments are not grievous . he that keepeth not gods commandments , loves neither god nor men. thus then we must learn to love one anoth●r . he that keepeth gods commandment , doth to his brother what is right , for that is gods commandment . he that keeps gods commandment doth to his brother even as he would be done unto himself , for that is gods commandment . he that keeps gods commandment shutteth not up his bowels of compassion from him : for the contrary is his commandment . further , he that keepeth gods commandment sheweth his brother what he must do to honour the christ that he professeth , aright : therefore he that keeps the commandment , loves his brother . yea , the keeping of the commandment is loving the brethren . but if all love which we pretend to have one to another , were tryed by this one text , how much of that that we call so would be found to be nothing less ? preposterous are our spirits in all things , nor can they be guided right but by the word and spirit of god : the which the good lord grant unto us plentifully , that we may do that which is well pleasing in his sight through jesus christ our lord. yea and that there may , by them , be wrought sound repentance in us for all that hath been done by us amiss , lest he give jacob to the spoil , and israel to the robbers ; for that they have sinned against him by not walking in his ways , and by not being obedient to his law. let me add , lest god doth not only punish us in the sight , and by the hand of the wicked : but imbolden them to say , it was god that set them on , yea lest they make those sins of ours , which we have not repented of , not only there bye-word against us to after generations , but the argument one to another of their justification for all the evil that they shall be suffered to do unto us : saying , when men shall ask them wherefore hath the lord done thus unto this land ? what meaneth the heat of this great anger ? even because they have forsaken the covenant of the lord god of their fathers , and walked not in his ways . john bunyan . a holy life , the beauty of christianity . . tim. . . and , let every one that nameth the name of christ , depart from iniquity . timothy , unto whom this epistle was writ , was an evangelist , that is , inferior to apostles and extraordinary prophets , and above ordinary pastors and teachers . and he with the rest of those under his circumstances was to go with the apostles hither , and thither , to be disposed of by them as they saw need for the further edification of those who by the apostolical ministry were converted to the faith : and hence it is that titus was left at creet , and that this timothy was left at ephesus . for they were to do a work for christ in the world , which the apostles were to begin , and leave upon their hand to finish . now when the apostles departed from places , and had left these evangelists in their stead , usually there did arise some bad spirits among those people , where these were left for the furtherance of the faith. this is manifest by both the epistles to timothy , and also by that to titus : wherefore paul , upon whom these two evangelists waited for the fulfilling of their ministry , writeth unto them while they abode where he left them , concerning those turbulent sprits which they met with , and to teach them how yet further they ought to behave themselves in the house of god , which is the church of the living god , the pillar and ground of truth . and to this purpose he gives them severally divers instructions ( as the judicious reader may easily understand ) by which he incourageth them to the prosecution of that service which for christ they had to do for those people where he had left them , and also instructeth them how to carry it towards their disturbers , which last he doth , not only doctrinally , but also by shewing them by his example and practice , what he would have them do . this done , he laboureth to comfort timothy with the remembrance of the stedfastness of gods eternal decree of election , because grounded on his foreknowledge ; saying , tho' hymeneus and philetus have erred from the faith , and by their fall , have overthrown the faith of some , yet the foundation of god standeth sure , having this seal , the lord knoweth them that are his : now lest this last hint should still incourage some to be remiss and carnally secure , and foolish , as i suppose this doctrine abused , had incouraged them to be before : therefore the apostle immediately conjoyneth to it , this exhortation : and , let every one that nameth the name of christ , depart from iniquity . two truths strangely , but necessarily joyned together , because so apt to be severed by the children of men ; for many under the pretence of their being elected , neglect to pursue holiness ; and many of them again that pretend to be for holiness , quite exclude the doctrine , and motives that election gives thereto . wherefore , the apostle , that he might set mens notions as to these things , right , he joyns these two together , signifying thereby , that as electing love doth instate a man in the blessing of eternal life , so holiness is the path thereto ; and , that he that refuseth to depart from iniquity shall be damned , notwithstanding he may think himself secured from hell by the act of gods electing love . for election designeth men not only to eternal glory , but to holiness of life [ a means ] thereto . and the manner of this connexion of truth is the more to be noted by us , because the apostle seems to conjoyn them in an holy heat of spirit : saying , the foundation of god standeth sure , having this seal , the lord knoweth them that are his . and , and let every one that shall but so much as name the name of christ , depart from iniquity : or , as who should say , god will be revenged upon them for all , or notwithstanding they appropriate unto themselves the benefits of election . in the text we have , . an exhortation . the extension of that exhortation . . the exhortation is , that men depart from iniquity . . the extension of it , is to them , all of them , every one of them that name the name of christ. and , let every one that nameth the name of christ depart from iniquity . in the exhortation there are several things to be taken notice of , because insinuated by the apostle . the first is , that iniquity is a very dangerous and hurtful thing , as to the souls of sinners in general , so to them that name the name of christ. it is very a dangerous and hurtfull thing to men in general . for 't is that which did captivate the world at the beginning , and that made it a bondslave to the devil . it has also done great hurt to mankind ever since , to instance a few things : . 't is that which hath stupefied and besotted the powers of mens souls , and made them even next to a beast and brute in all matters supernatural and heavenly . for as the beast minds nothing but his lusts , and his belly , by nature : so man minds nothing but things earthly , sensual and devilish , by reason of iniquity . . it has blinded and darkned the powers of the soul , so that it can neither see where it is , nor which is the way out of this besotted condition . . it has hardened the heart against god , and against all admonition and counsel in the things of the gospel of christ. . it has alienated the will , the mind , and affections from the choice of the things that should save it , and wrought them over to an hearty delight in those things , that naturally tend to drown it in perdition and destruction . . it has made man odious in gods eyes , it has provoked the justice of god against him , and made him obnoxious to hell fire . . yea , it so holds him , so binds him , so reserves him to this , that , not he himself , nor yet all the angels of heaven , can deliver him from this deplorable condition . . to say nothing of the pleasure and delight that it makes him take in that way to hell in which he walketh . never went fat oxe so gamesomely to the shambles , nor fool so merrily to the correction of the stocks , nor silly bird so wantonly to the hidden net , as iniquity makes men go down her steps to the pit of hell and damnation . o 't is amazing , 't is astonishing to consider what hurt sin has done to man , and into how many dangers it has brought him : but let these few hints at this time suffice as to this . i will now speak a word to the other particular : namely , that as iniquity is dangerous and hurtful to the souls of men in general , so it is to them that name the name of christ. as to the so , and so naming of him , to that i shall speak by and by , but at this time take it thus : that religiously name his name . and i say iniquity is hurtful to them . . it plucks many a one of them from christ , and the religious profession of him . i have even seen , that men who have devoutly and religiously professed jesus christ , have been prevailed withall by iniquity to cast him and the profession of his name quite off , and to turn their backs upon him . israel , saith the prophet , has cast off the thing that is good . but why ? of their silver and their gold they have made idols . the sin of idolatry drew their hearts from god : their love to that iniquity made them turn their backs upon him . wherefore god complains , that of forwardness to their iniquity , and through the prevalence thereof , they had cast him behind their back . . as it plucks many a professor from christ ; so it keeps many a one from an effectual closing with him . how many are there that religiously profess and make mention of the name of chri●t , that yet of love to , and by the interest that iniquity hath in their affections , never close with him unto salvation , but are like to them of whom you read in paul to timothy , that they are ever learning and never come to the knowledg of the truth . . and concerning those that have indeed come to him , and that have effectually closed with him , and that name his name to good purpose : yet how hath iniquity hurt and abused many of them . . it has prevailed with god to hide his face from them , a thing more bitter than death . . it has prevailed with god to chastize , and to afflict them sorely ; a thing in which he taketh no pleasure . . it has provoked god to give them over to the hand of the enemy , and to deliver them to the tormentors . . it hath brought them to question their interest in christ , and whether they ever had grace in their souls . . and for those that have yet believed they were in his favour , this iniquity has driven them to fear that god would cast them away , and take all his good things from them . yea , he that would know the hurt that iniquity hath done to them , that name the name of christ , let him consider the cries , the sighs , the tears , the bemoanings , the bewailings , the lamentations , the sorrows , the confessions the repentings and griefs wherewith they have been attended , while they have complained that they have been put in the stocks , laid in the dungeon , had their bones broken , suffered the terours of god , been distressed almost to distraction , and have been fed with gravel , gall , wormwood , and with the water of astonishment for days , yea , years together . by all which , and many more which might be mentioned , it appears that iniquity is a dangerous and hurtfull thing . but i proceed , and come in the next place to the extension of the exhortation : namely , that it reacheth to all those that name the name of christ. and let every one that nameth the name of christ depart from iniquity . to handle this a little , and , first , to shew you what the apostle here means by naming of the name of christ : he meaneth not an irreligious naming of that worthy , name , nor those that name it irreligiously . this is evident , because , he passeth by their manner of naming of it without the least reproof , the which he would not have done , had the fault been in their manner of naming of the name of christ. now i say , if he intendeth not those that name the name of christ irreligiously , then tho' the exhortation [ let every one ] seems to extend it self to all and all manner of persons that any ways name the name of christ , yet 't is limited by this , to wit , that rightly , religiously , or according to the way of the professors of christ , name his worthy name . and it must needs be so taken , and that for these reasons . . for that , as i said before , the apostle taketh no notice of their manner of naming of his name , so as ●o reprove any undecency or unseem●iness in their naming of him ; wherefore he alloweth of the manner of their naming of him . . because , the apostles design in this exhortation was , and is , that the naming of the name of christ , might be accompanied with such a life of holiness , as might put an additional lustre upon that name when ever named in a religious way ; but this cannot be applied to every manner of naming the name of our lord jesus christ. for if a man shall name the name of christ unduely , or irreligiously , though he shall never so much there withall depart from iniquity , and be circumspect to the utmost in all civility and morality , yet he answers not the apostles end which he seeks by this his exhortation , for , . suppose a man should name the name of christ vainly , idlely , in vain mirth , wantonness , false or vain swearing , or the like , and shall back this his manner of naming the name of christ with all manner of justness and uprightness of life , would this answer the apostle's end in this his exhortation ? verily no : for this manner of naming the name is worthy reprehension ; thou shalt not take my name in vain , or vainly make use thereof : and moral goodness attending the so naming of the name of christ will do more hurt than good . . there is a reproachful and scandalous naming of the name of christ , such as the jews , and pharisees did accustom themselves unto , as to call him jesus , the deceiver ; and christ in a way of scorn and contempt . nor were these men quite destitute of that which put a luster upon their opinions ; for said the lord christ himself unto them , ye indeed appear beautiful outward . . there is such a naming of the name of christ as to make it a cloak for false and dangerous errors : that men , by the use of that name and the putting of it upon such errors and delusions , may put off their errors to others the better . many shall come in my name , to wit with their delusions , presenting them in my name to the world , and shall put them off in my name to the destruction of the soul. now can any imagine that the apostle should extend his exhortation to such , that they thus continuing to name the name of christ , should depart from iniquity . to what end should such be comprehended in this exhortation of his ? to no purpose at all : for the more an erroneous person or a deceiver of souls shall back his errors with a life that is morally good , the more mischievous , dangerous , and damnable is that man and his delusions ; wherefore such a one is not concerned in this exhortation . . there is a naming of the name of christ magically , and after the manner of exorcism , or conjuration : as we read in the acts of the apostles . the vagabond jews , the exorcists there say , we adjure you by jesus whom paul preacheth . thus they called over them that had evil spirits , the name of the lord jesus . but what if these should cloth this their devilish art and devilish way of using or naming of the name of the lord jesus , with departing from iniquity so , as to commend their whole life to bye-standers for such as is morally good : what advantage would christ , or paul , or the gospel get thereby ? verily none at all , but rather dammage and reproach : as will soon appear to any mans reason , if it be considered that goodness of life joyned to badness of principles , is like the devil clothed in white , or satan transformed into an angel of light . and paul was grieved in his spirit when the wench that had a spirit of divination did acknowledg him to be the servant of the most high god , for he knew it would nothing further or help forward the lords design , but be rather an hindrance thereto . for when witches and devils come once to commend , or make use of the name of christ , christ and paul like it not ; therefore pauls exhortation which here we are presented with by the text , is not extended to any of the four sorts aforenamed , but , first , to those upon whom his name is called , they should depart from iniquity . i say those whom god has so far dignified , as to put the name of christ upon them : and i will add , that apply that name to themselves . and the reason is because god is now concerned . god has changed thy name from pagan , to christian , and thou chusest to call thy self by that ●ame , saying , i belong to christ. now thou must depart from iniquity , for that notice is taken of thee both by heaven and earth , that thou art become a disciple , and let every one that ( so ) nameth the name of christ , or , that nameth it ( being himself by god and himself put under such circumstances as these ) depart from iniquity . secondly , it is spoken to those that name the name of christ either in the publick , or pri●ate , worship of god : being themselves professed worshippers of him : and the reason is , for that the ordinances as well as the name of god is holy , and he will be sanctified in them that come nigh him . he therefore that approacheth the presence of christ in prayer , or any other divine appointment , must take heed of regarding of iniquity in his heart ; else the lord will stop his ears to his prayers , and will shut his eyes , and not take notice of such kind of worship or worshippers . thirdly , those that the apostle in this place exhorts to depart from iniquity , are such as have taken unto themselves the boldness to say , that they are in him , abide in him , and consequently are made partakers of the benefits that are in him . he that saith he abideth in him , ought himself also to walk even as he walked . and the reason is , because christ is a fruitful root , and a free conveyer of sap into the branches ; hence it is written , that the trees of the lord are full of sap . so then , he that nameth the name of christ by way of applying to himself his benefits , and as counting that he is found of god in him , and so abideth , ought himself to walk even as he walked , that he may give proof of what he saith to be true , by bearing forth before men that similitude of righteousness , that is in his root and stem : for such as the stock or tree is , such let the branches be , but that cannot be known but by the fruit : by their fruit ye shall know them . so then , he that thus shall name the name of christ , let him depart from iniquity : yea , let every such man do so . fourthly , this exhortation is spoken to them that name christ as their sovereign lord and king ; let them depart from iniquity . the lord is our judge , the lord is our lawgiver , the lord is our king , he will save us , are great words : and as they cannot be spoken by every one ; so they ought not to be spoken lightly by them that can . nor may he that claims so high a priviledge , be but obedient , submissive , apt to learn , conscienciously to put in practice what he hath learnt of his judge , his lawgiver , and his king. lest when some shall hear him say that christ by name is his lawgiver , and his king ( and shall yet observe him to do things evil , and to walk in ways that are not good ) they should think evil and speak so of his king ; saying , learnt you this of christ your king , or doth your king countenance you in ways that are so bad ? or do you by thus and thus doing , submit to the laws of your king ! yea your king , his name and gospel shall bear the burden of the evil , together with the shame thereof , if thou that namest the name of christ , shalt not depart from iniquity . lastly , what ever man he be that by his naming of the name of christ , shall intimate that he hath any reverence of love to , or delight in that christ , whose name he nameth , that man should depart from iniquity not only for the reasons that are above mentioned , but for those that may be named afterwards . but having thus far opened the word , and shewed who , and what manner of man the apostle had in his eye , in this his exhortation : i shall come in the next place to make some observations upon the text. as first , that it is incident to men to name the name of christ religiously , that is , rightly as to words and notions , and not to depart from iniquity . this was the occasion of this exhortation , for paul saw that there were some that did so : to wit , that named the name of christ well , as to words , but did not depart from iniquity . some such he also found among them at corinth , which made him say , awake to righteousness , and sin not ; he found such at ephesus , and cries out to them most earnestly , saying , awake thou that sleepest , and arise from the dead : for albeit they were professors of christ , yet they lived too much like those that were dead in trespasses and sins . this he also found among the hebrews , wherefore he saith to them , let us lay aside every weight , and the sin that doth so easily beset us , and let us run with patience the race that is set before us . these professors were easily beset with sin , yea it did hang upon them as weights to hinder them from making of that proffesion of christ , whose name they named , so beautiful as did become both him and them . in my discourse upon this subject , i must endeavour to shew you two things . first , what paul means when he saith , depart from iniquity . secondly , why some that as to words , rightly name the name of christ , do not depart from iniquity . the first of those doth need some explanation , because in some sence even the best of saints cannot depart from sin , or iniquity . . because , as to the being of it , it is seated and rooted in their flesh , and hath its dwelling there . yea , it hath , and so will have an abiding there , so long as man is on this side that state of perfection , which is not to be injoyed while we are in the flesh : for in me , that is in my flesh , sin dwells , nor doth any thing else but sin dwell there : for in me , that is in my flesh ( said paul ) dwells no good thing , therefore the apostle must not be understood as if he intended to insinuate that there was a possibility that the nature , and being of sin could be pluckt up by the roots , and so cast clean away from us , as to the very nature thereof : no , that will abide with us , for it hath its dwelling in us . . and as they cannot depart from the nature of it as such , that is , as they cannot be rid of the being of sin , so neither can they depart from the motions , and stirrings of sin , no more than they can stir from the motions or stirrings of their natural sences , or of their natural reasons : the motions of sin , which paul also calls the lusts thereof , will be where the nature and being of sin is , because it is not dead ; for that which liveth , what manner of life soever it hath , will have motion according to the manner of life which it hath : and sin being one of the most quick and brisk things that are , it will also have its motions and lusts accordingly . hence paul saies , it lusts and will lust , where it is , and dwells : though the very spirit of god , and the utmost diligence of a christian be also there to oppose it . . again , as the being and motions of sin will be with us , so also will it in its indeavours . it will endeavour to overcome us , and to make us captives to it self , and to satan ; and these endeavours will be with us ; nor can we so depart from iniquity , as to be utterly rid of all sence and feeling of what endeavours there are in sin and iniquity to be master and lord , and reign ; sin will endeavour to defile the mind , to defile the conscience , to defile the life and conversation : and this endeavour , as endeavour , we cannot depart from ; that is , cause that it should not be in our flesh : for there it will be , since sin in its being is their . . as the being , motions , and endeavours of sin will still abide in our flesh , so consequently will its polluting fumes be upon us ; nor doth the apostle mean , when he bids us depart from iniquity , that we should think that we can so be , or so do , in this life , as that our being or doing should not smell of the strong scent of sin . who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one . we are all as an unclean thing , and therefore all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags . the scent , the smell , the rank and odious stink of sins abides upon , yea , and will abide upon us , when most spiritual here , and upon our most spiritual actions too , untill they be taken away by christ. thus far therefore , we cannot be concerned in the exho●tation . for should paul exhort us to depart from the being , motion , endeavour , and polluting fumes and scent of sin : i mean so to depart from them , as that there shall no such thing have place , or motion , or striving , or scent in , or upon us : he would exhort us to that which is altogether impossible for us to perform , yea , to perform through that working of the spirit of god which is to be with us , and in us here . yea , he must exhort us to that which he could not perform himself , but such exhortations did not stand with the wisdom of an apostle . wherefore there is a certain meaning in this exhortation , from the which if we swerve , we shall both wrong the apostle and our selves . let us inquire then , what paul should mean when he bids them , that name the name of christ , depart from iniquity . and for our better understanding of him we must consider that there is an iniquity that is inherent in us , and an iniquity that is apart , and at a distance from us : now if he means , as certainly he doth , that they that name the name of christ should depart from that sin and iniquity that is in themselves : then , though he cannot mean that we should separate that from our persons , for that 's impossible , yet he would have us take off and with-draw our minds and affections there from . and he tells us that they that are christs do so . and they that are christs , have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts : sinful lusts and sinful motions , our minds and affections should depart from them . there are the affections and lusts of sin : and there are the affections and lusts or desires of the soul : and again , there are the affections and lusts of the new man , in saints . now this is that that the apostle would have , to wit , that the affections and passions of our souls should not chuse but depart from the affections & lusts of our old man , and should be renewed and made willing to be led by the holy ghost from them . this i say , saies he , walk in the spirit , and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh . wherefore when he saith , depart from iniquity , if he means , from our own inherent iniquity , then he mu●t mean thus , take your mind and your affections off , carry your minds away from them , set your minds and affections upon other objects , and let your minds and affections be yielded up to the conduct of the word and spirit of god. let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body , that ye should obey it in the lust thereof . now a man , in mind , and affections , may depart from that which yet will not depart from him : yea , a man in mind , may depart from that which yet will dwell in him as long as he lives . for instance , there are many diseases that cleave to men , from which , in their minds , they willingly depart . yea , their greatest disquietment is , that so bad a distemper will abide by them : and might they but have their desire accomplished , they would be as far there from as the ends of the earth are asunder , and while they are found to continue together , the mind departs therefrom , and is gone either to god or to physicians , for help , and deliverance from it . and thus it is with the saint , and should be with every one that by way of profession nameth the name of christ : he should depart from his indwelling sin , with his mind : with his mind he should serve the law of god. and this is an excellent thing to do , and can be done by none but such as are possessed with an excellent spirit . ah! to find a man that really departs from himself , and that draweth the affections of the soul , from the affections and lusts of his flesh , is a rare thing . the heart of the most of professors go after the heart of their detestable lusts , and after their inward abominations : but such shall of the flesh reap corruption , notwithstanding they name the name of christ. sin is sweet to him that is nothing but flesh , or that can savour nothing but what is of the flesh : nor can it be that he that is such , should depart from himself , his sweet self : no they that are after the flesh , do mind the things of the flesh : wherefore they that are in the flesh , though they profess religion and name the name of christ , cannot please god ; for such instead of walking in and after the spirit , have put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces , to hinder their departing therefrom , nor will all their inquiring of god , nor their seeking and praying to him , keep them from stumbling and falling , and spliting themselves in sunder upon the rocks and ruins that are provided for them , as a reward of the evil of their doings . yea , they shall suck the poyson of asps , and the vipers tongue shall slay them , notwithstanding all their profession ? but some may say , how shall i know that i do depart from the iniquity of my flesh , from the iniquity that is in me . i shall answer this question briefly thus : . how is iniquity in thine eye , when severed from the guilt and punishment that attends it ? is it as sepeparate from these , beauteous , or illfavoured ? i ask thee how it looks , and how thou likest it , suppose there were no guilt or punishment to attend thy love to , or commission of it . for if in its own nature it be desirable to thy mind , and only therefore shunned , for fear of the punishment , that attends the commission of it : without doubt thou art none of them that do depart from it : all that thou dost , is , thou shunnest the sin , not of abhorrence of the sin , but for fear of the punishment that attends it . like the thief that yet refuseth to take away his neighbours horse , not of hatred of theft , but for fear of the gallows . . how dost thou like thy self , as considered possessed with a body of sin , and as feeling , and finding that sin worketh in thy members , doth this yield thee inward pleasedness of mind , and a kind of secret sweetness , or how ? for to be sure , where a sanctified mind is , there is nothing more odious in it self , nor that makes a man so in his own eyes , as doth this sight , the sight of sin in him , of the working of lust in him . 't is this that makes the good man ashamed , that makes him blush , and that makes him abhor himself . . how look thy duties in thine eyes , i mean thy duties which thou doest in the service of god ? i say , how look the best of these , the most warm and spiritual of these , since not one of them can be performed , but they do catch the stain of sin , as coming from thee ? or art thou through the ignorance that is in thee as unacquainted with these things ? . why wouldest thou go to heaven ? is it because thou wouldest be saved from hell , or because thou wouldest be freed from sin ? i say wouldest thou go to heaven , because 't is a place that 's holy , or because 't is a place remote from the pains of hell ? i ask again , wherein dost thou think , the blessedness of heaven consists ? is it in the holiness that is there ; or in the freedom that is there from hell ? there is not a man alive but would go to heaven , that he may be saved from hell : but how many would go thither that they might be saved from the pleasures of sin , from the inward pleasure of sin ; of that i will be silent : though surely they are those that are out of love with sin , and that do depart from iniquity . verily my brethren , 't is a great thing to depart from iniquity ; 't is a great thing to have my will , my mind , and my affections departing from it . but secondly , as they that depart from iniquity withdraw their minds and affections from the lusts and motions of it , so they depart also from the occasions of it ; there are occasions by which sin worketh to bring forth the fruits thereof , and some seek those occasions . but he that hath set himself to depart from sin in himself , will not seek occasions from abroad , to do it . such a man as will keep far from an evil matter , will not company with a person that pollutes and defiles , nor will he come near the door of the adulteresses house . he will shun profane and vain babling , for fear of the ungodliness that attends it . he will walk with wise men that he may be wise , knowing that a companion of fools shall be destroyed . now there are occasions given and occasions taken to sin against the lord jesus : but he that departeth from iniquity departeth from them both . he is not for giving any occasion to others to sin ; he had rather wrong himself and put up injuries done , than give occasion to others to do iniquity , and as he is for giving none , so neither is he for taking any . he is for partaking of no mans sins , but for keeping of himself pure . thirdly , to depart from iniquity is to depart from it in those examples that are set before us thereto : occasions , and examples are sometimes the same , but there may be occasions to sin , where there are no examples thereto : and therefore in that they differ . and to depart from iniquity is to shun and depart from those examples , those beastly examples that in every corner of the country present themselvs to men . examples to drunkenness ; examples to whoredom ; examples to swearing , to lying , to stealing , to sabbath-breaking , to pride , to covetousness , to deceit , to hypocrisie , and to what not , are now adays common among men , and he that is to seek in this matter , and that knows not how to be expertly base , may have patterns and examples thereto in every hole . but to depart from iniquity , is to depart from sinful examples , to shut the eyes at them , to turn the back upon them , and to cry out to heaven for grace , to be kept in the path of life . and , let every one that nameth the name of christ , depart from iniquity . fourthly , to depart from iniquity , is to depart from the enticings of iniquity . there is that in iniquity that is of an enticing nature . its pleasures , profits , honours , delights and sweetnesses are enticing , and he that hankers after these is not departed , nor departing from iniquity : a man must be weaned from these things , and must find some things somewhere else , that are better than these , else he cannot depart from iniquity . but some may say i go from it and it follows me . i reject it and it returns upon me . i have said it , nay a thousand times , and yet it offereth it self and its deceits to me again , what would you have me do ? i would answer thus , departing from iniquity , is not a work of an hour , or a day , or a week , or a month , or a year : but it 's a work that will last thee thy life time ; and there is the greatness and difficulty of it : were it to be done presently , or were the work to be quickly over ; how many are there that would be found to have departed from iniquity : but for that it is a work of continuance , and not worth any thing , unless men hold out to the end , therefore it is that so few are found actors , or overcomers therein . departing from iniquity , with many , is but like the falling out of two neighbours , they hate one another for a while , and then renew their old friendship again but again , since to depart from iniquity is a work of time , of all thy time : no wonder if it dogs thee , and offereth to return upon thee again and again : for that is mischievous and seeks nothing less than thy ruin ; wherefore thou must in the first place take it for granted that thus it will be , and so cry the harder to god for the continuing of his presence , and grace upon thee in this blessed work , that as thou hast begun to call upon the name of the lord jesus , and begun to depart from iniquity : so thou mayest have strength to do it to the last gasp of thy life . and further , for that departing from iniquity is a kind of a warfare with it , for iniquity will hang in thy flesh what it can , and will not be easily kept under , therefore no marvel is thou find it wearisome work , and that the thing that thou wouldest be rid of , is so unwilling to let thee depart from it . and since the work is so weighty , and that it makes thee to go groaning on : i will for thy help give thee here a few things to consider of , and . remember that god sees thee , and has his eyes open upon thee , even then when sin and temptation is lying at thee to give it some entertainment . this was that that made joseph depart from it , when solicited to imbrace it by a very powerful argument . . remember that gods wrath burns against it , and that he will surely be revenged on it , and on all that give it entertainment . this made job afraid to countenance it , and put him upon departing from it : for destruction from god was a terror to me , and by reason of his highness i could not endure . . remember the mischiefs that it has done to those that have imbraced it , and what distress it has brought upon others . this made the whole congregation of israel tremble to think that any of their brethren should give countenance to it . . remember what christ hath suffered by it , that he might deliver us from the power of it . this made paul so heartily to depart from it , and wish all christians to do so as well as he . . remember that those that are now in hell-fire went thither for that they loved iniquity , and would not depart from it . . remember that a profession is not worth a pin , if they that make it do not depart from iniquity . . remember that thy death-bed will be very uneasie to thee , if thy conscience , at that day , shall be clogged with the guilt of thy iniquity . . remember that at the judgement day christ will say to those , depart from me , that have not here departed from their sin and iniquity . lastly , remember well , and think much upon what a blessed reward the son of god will give unto them at that day , that have joyned to their profession of faith in him a holy and blessed conversation . having thus briefly shewed you these things , i shall come in the next place to shew you , why some , that as to words , rightly name the name of christ , do not depart from iniquity . that it is incident to men to name the name of christ religiously , and not to depart from iniquity : i have proved already , and now i must shew you why it is so , and the reasons are of three sorts . first , some profess him , yet have not saving faith in him , nor yet received grace from him . that some profess him that have not saith in him , nor received grace from him , i will make appear first . and then that they do not depart from iniquity , shall be shewn afterwards . that the first is true , consider , christ saies to his disciples , there are some of you that believe not . and again , for jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not , and who should betray him . now if they believe not , they have none of his grace in them : for faith is the first and head grace , the beginning and leading grace : he therefore that is destitute of that , is empty of all the rest . besides , other scriptures also confirm this truth . james calls some of the professors of christ that were in his day , vain , or empty men ; that is , men void of grace . and the apostle suggesteth in the very words below the text , that as in gods house there are golden , and silver saints , so their are also earthy and wooden ones . for in a great house as gods is , are not only vessels of gold and silver , but also of wood and of earth , and some to honour , and some to dishonour ; that is , some for heaven , and some for hell. now they are these wooden , and earthy professors that he aimeth at in the text ; to wit , that they should depart from iniquity , or else their profession would do them no good , and these also that he despaireth of in the next words , saying , but , but in this great house of god there will not only be golden and silver christians , but wooden and earthly ones . and if any man purge himself from these , from these mens companies , and from these mens vices , he shall be a vessel to honour sanctified , and meet for the masters use , and prepared to every good work . from all which it is gathered that there are some that name the name of christ in a way of profession , that have neither faith nor grace in them , and so consequently that do not depart from iniquity . for , first , these want that principle ; that holy and blessed principle that should induce them thereunto ; to wit , the great and principal graces of the spirit , and they are four . first , as i have said , they want faith , that heart purifying grace : for the heart is purified by faith . i have shewed you already that departing from iniquity must be with the mind and affections , or with the heart : but how can that be , where the heart is not sanctified and made holy ? for an unsanctified mind cannot depart from iniquity , no more than the ethiopian can change his skin ; but nothing can purifie the heart but faith . therefore nothing can make a professor depart from iniquity where faith is wanting . so then , when men professedly name the name of christ without having holy faith in him : they still abide by their iniquity : they depart not from their iniquity , but rather make of their profession , a cloak for their iniquity , for their malice , and for their covetousness and the like . it is not profession , but faith , that bringeth god and the soul together : and as long as god and the soul are at distance , what ever profession is made , there is not a departing , not an heart departing from iniquity . wherefore to these professors , james writeth thus : draw nigh to god and he will draw nigh to you , cleanse your hands , ye sinners , and purifie your hearts , ye double minded . men , far from god , cannot think reverently of him , nor so speak and profess him , as standeth with the nature of gospel religion ; wherefore god saith , draw near hither , that is by faith , and again , let them come near , then let them speak , then let them profess . without faith a man cannot please god , because he cannot without it , stand before him in the spotless righteousness of christ , nor yet depart from iniquity and live a holy life . there are three things in faith , that directly tend to make a man depart from iniquity . . it apprehendeth the truth of the being , and greatness of god , and so it aweth the spirit of a man. . it apprehendeth the love of this god in christ , and so it conquereth , and overcometh the spirit of a man. . it apprehendeth the sweetness and blessedness of the nature of the godhead , and thence perswadeth the soul to desire here communion with him , that it may be holy , and the injoyment of him , when this world is ended , that it may be happy in , and by him for ever . but without faith these things cannot be apprehended , and therefore those that want it , whatever their profession is , they will not depart from iniquity . secondly , repentance , is another of the great and principal graces , which the holy ghost worketh in the heart : wherefore without this also there can be no departing from iniquity . it is in vain to expect it of any man , let his profession be never so stately and great , if he is a stranger to found repentance . how many are there in our day , since the gospel is grown so common , that catch up a notion of good things , and from that notion make a profession of the name of christ , get into churches , and obtain the title of a brother , a saint , a member of a gospel congregation , that have clean escaped repentance . i say they have catcht up a notion of good things , and have through that adventured to name the name of christ ; quite forgetting to take repentance with them . repentance should be , and is one of the first steps into true gospel profession : but some know nothing of it , untill they come to the end of all , and their repentance will do them no good . repentance is not , but where the true fear of god is ; yea , the fear of god is one ground of repentance . repentance is the scouring grace , 't is that which purges . repentance is , as i may call it , that bitter pill without the taking , and sound working of which , base and sinful humours will rest unstirred , unpurged , undriven out of the soul. can repentance be where godly sorrow is not ? or can repentance be where the fruits of repentance are not ? o the fruits of repentance , thick sown by preachers , but it comes up but thinly ! where shall the fruits of repentance be found ? confession of sin is one fruit of repentance ; shame for sin , is another fruit of repentance ; amendment of life , is another fruit of repent●nce ; restitution for cousening , cheating , defrauding , beguiling thy neighbour , is another fruit of repentance ; yea , if you would see the fruits of repentance as described by the holy ghost , and put together for the further conviction and shame of the impenitent professor ; look into the second epistle , to the corinthians , chapter . vers . , , . but this is a day that was never read of , a day wherein conversion is frequent , without repentance ; such a conversion as 't is , and therefore doth the church of god now swarm with them , that religiously name the name of christ , & yet depart not from iniquity . alas ! all houses , all tables , all shops , have hanging up in them , the sign of the want of repentance . to say nothing of the talk , of the beds , and the backs of most that profess : by which of these is it that one of a thousand for men ; and for women , one of ten thousand do shew that they have repentance ? no marvel then that the name of christ is so frequently mentioned there , where iniquity dwells , yea , reigns , and that with the consent of the mind . i would not be austere , but were wearing of gold , putting on of apparel , dressing up houses , decking of children , learning of complements , boldness in women , letchery in men , wanton behaviours , lascivious words , and tempting carriages , signs of repentance : then i must say , the fruits of repentance swarm in our land : but if these be none of the fruits of repentance then , o , the multitude of professors , that religiously name the name of christ , and do not depart from iniquity . but , thirdly , love is another of those great and principal graces , which the h●ly ghost worketh in the heart : wherefore let profession be never so high , yet if love be wanting there , to be sure such professors depart not from iniquity . hence all profession , and subjecting to profession are counted nothing , where love is not . love is counted a most infallible sign that a man is in a state of salvation . he that loveth dwells in god , is born of god , and knoweth him . love divideth it self to god , and to my neighbour . love to god , is , that we keep his savings , his commandments , his laws . if a man love me , saith christ , he will keep my words ; and he that loveth me not , keepeth not my sayings . for this is the love of god , that we keep his commandments , and his commandments are not grievous . so then , that professor that hath not love , cannot depart from iniquity . . where no love is , men cannot be tender of the name of god , they are not afflicted because men keep not gods law. . where no love is , men cannot deny themselves of that , which otherwise they might lawfully do , lest the weak should fall , and the world be destroyed . . where love to god is , there is hatred against iniquity ; ye that love the lord , hate evil . a man cannot love god , that loves not holiness ; he loves not holiness , that loves not gods word ; he loves not gods word , that doth not do it : it is a common thing to find men partial in gods law , setting much by small things , and neglect●ng the weightier matters , paying tythe of mint , and anise , and cummin , and neglecting the weightier matters . these turn the tables of gods book up-side-down ; making little laws , of great ones ; and great ones , of little ones ; counting half an hours bodily service , better than a moral life . love ! love is gone out of the conutry ; love to ●he doctrine of the first table , love to the doctrine of the second table ▪ o how many professors , in gods eyes , are accounted of no more than sounding brass for want of this ornament , love . to speak nothing of the first table , where is he that hath his love manifested by the second ? where are they that feed the hungry , and cloath the naked , and send portions to them , for whom nothing is prepared ? where is paul that would not eat meat while the world standeth , lest he made his brother offend ? where is dorcas , with her garments she used to make for the widow , and for the fatherless . yea , where is that rich man that ( to his power ) durst say as job does , as is recorded in those chapters quoted in the margent ? love ! love is gone , and now coveting , pinching , griping and such things are in fashion ; now iniquity abounds , instead of grace , in many that name the name of christ. they want love , and therefore cannot depart from iniquity . fourthly , hope is another of those great and principal graces , which the holy ghost worketh in the heart , and without which let a man be never so high in profession , and so open in naming the name of christ , he cannot depart from iniquity . as was said before of faith , so we say now of hope . and every one that hath this hope in him , purifieth himself as he is pure . here is that excellent office , or rather effect of hope made manifest , it purifieth , it cleanseth a man ; it makes him make the lord jesus his example , as well as his saviour . he purifieth himself even as he is pure ; to wit , in soul , in body , in spirit , in life and conversation . hope of life eternal by christ , makes a man purifie himself in obeying the truth through the spirit . hope to be with christ hereafter , will make me strive to believe him here . hope of being with angels then , will make a man strive to live like an angel here . alas ! alas ! there is a company of half-priests in the world , and they cannot , they dare not teach the people the whole counsel of god , because in so doing they will condemn themselves and their manner of living in the world : where is that minister now to be found that dare say to his people , look on me , and walk as you have me for an example ? or that dare say , what you see and hear to be in me , do , and the god of peace shall be with you . these men had hope , and hope purified them to an example , till they became patterns to others : is not this now far off from some professors in the world , are they purified , are they clean that name the name of christ ? are they weaned from that milk , and drawn from the breasts . no , nor their profession is not attended with grace ; they name the name of christ ; well , but they do not depart from iniquity . let a man believe a lie , and according to the reality of his belief , such will his obedience be ; let a man hope for that , for which he hath no ground to hope , yet his hope will work with him according to the power thereof : and yet we have a generation of men that profest the blessed gospel , which yieldeth the most substantial ground for faith and hope : yea , we have a company of men that will be naming the name christ , which is the sweetest , the most taking , and desirable name that is named among the sons of men , and for all that , this gospel , this worthy name , nor yet their naming of it , doth make them depart from iniquity . but what 's the reason ? why , they have taken up a profession , but want the grace of christ ; the faith , the repentance , the love and hope of the gospel . no marvel then , if they abide among the wooden sort of professors : no marvel then , though the iniquity of their heels still follows them , and that it droppeth from them whereever they go . but so much for the first reason , why men do name the name of christ and yet do not depart from iniquity . secondly , the second reason , why some that name the name of christ , depart not from iniquity , is , for that , though they rest not in bare notions , as those forementioned , yet they take up as they , short of the saving grace of god. there are bare notions , there are common workings , and there is a work that is saving , and that will do the soul good to eternity . . there are bare notions , and they that have them , are such unto whom the gospel comes in word only ; such whose religion stands in word only , and is not attended with a power sutable : that is , there goeth not along with the word , a power sufficient to subdue , and work over the heart to a cordial , and gracious close with that word that comes to them . yet such is the noise , and sound of the word that they are willing to become professors thereof ; there is some kind of musicalness in it , specially , when well handled and fingered by a skilful preacher . and lo , saith god unto such preachers , when their auditory is made up of such kind of hearers , and lo , thou art unto them as a very lovely song ( or as one that sings a song of loves ) of one that hath a pleasant voice , and can play well on an instrument : for they hear thy words but they do them not . . but then , besides these , there is another sort , and they go further than these . for to them the word came , not in word only , but also in power : though not in that or in such a power , as is sufficient , absolutely against all atempts whatsoever , to bring the soul to glory . of these we read in several places ; to wit , that they have tasted of the powers of the world to come ; but not so as to bring them safe to glory . yet thus far they go . . they attain light or illumination , to see much of their state by nature with . . this light standeth not in bare speculation , but le ts fall upon the conscience , convincing arguments to the bowing and humbling of the spirit . . they submit to these convictions , and reform , and may for a time , not only come out from them that live in error , but escape the pollutions of the world , by the knowlege of our lord and saviour jesus christ. . yea , so powerful will this dispensation be , that it will prevail with them , to do and suffer many things for the vindication of the truth of that gospel which they profess . for . the word will be sweet unto them . . christ , the gift of god , will be relished by them . . the powers of the world to come will be in them . . some workings of the holy ghost will be in them . . and joy , which is as oyl to the wheels , will be with their souls . thus , i say , it is with some professors , who yet cannot be said to depart from iniquity , that is , for all ado , because the things that now are upon them , abide with them but awhile . for awhile , they believe ; they rejoyce in the light for a season . so they clean escape from them , who live in error for a little , or awhile ; and after that return to their old course , and are again intangled with their inquities and overcome . this is called , a turning with the dog to his own vomit again , and with the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire . and some of these are set forth by this and such like sayings . when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man , he walketh through dry places seeking rest , and finding none . then he saith i will return into my house , from whence i came out ; and when he is come , he findeth it empty , swept , and garnished . then goeth he , and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself , and they enter in and dwell there , and the last state of that man is worse than the first . now the causes of this declension , returning , or falling away again unto iniquity , are many . first , one is for that this work , this work of power that they have been made partakers of , has not been thorough enough upon all the powers of their souls . their understandings , their judgments and consciences have been dealt with , but the power of god has not been upon their wills and minds , and affections rightly to subdue them to the grace of the gospel . indeed there seems to be a subjection of the will , and an overruling of the mind , and affections also , else they could not for a time lay aside their iniquity , come off from the pollutions of the world , and for a season rejoyce in the word and be pleased with the light thereof . but we may consider , that this may be , not for that a sound work of god hath passed upon these powers of the soul , but that rather this was by reason of those reflex acts , that the understanding now inlightened , the judgment now informed , and the conscience now convinced , had upon these other powers of the soul. and i the rather think it so , because willingness , mindfulness of , and affection for this gospel , lasted no longer than the light shined in their understandings , or than the things were relished by their judgment and conscience . so that when the light of their candle went out , and when the taste of this sugar-plumb was out of their mouth , their wills and affections , not being possessed with the fear of god , they returned again to their course , and went away as before with iniquity . nor do i by any thing here discoursed , lay blame or fault at the door of god. for , . he is a free agent to do what he pleaseth , and may if he please refuse to give any thing , or if he gives something , why may he not give what he pleases also ? he may give special grace to one , and that which is not so to another : he may open baalams eyes , and open lydia 's heart ; he may give some but a taste , and cause some to eat abundantly . he may suffer some to fall away , and keep others by his power , through faith unto salvation . . besides , gods withdrawing , to wit , of those common workings , if they were withdrawn without a cause given , ( which yet i question ) yet why may they not be withdrawn from these , as well as from his own peculiar ones . he knows but little , that doth not know that god oft-times hides his face from his own , and also withdraws from them the light and great influences of the holy ghost : and turns them over at least in their own apprehensions to the ungodly , and to fallen angels for their chastisement , or tryal , or instruction , &c. . and why may not god , since these rebels had such working with them , as that their minds , by their understandings , their will and affections , by their judgment and consciences were somewhat taken and allured , cause a withdrawing of these for tryal , and to see if they would cry after him to return . but we will let these things pass , and call you again to a remembrance of what is in hand : we are now shewing that there be them that name the name of christ , that yet depart not from iniquity , and in shewing the cause of their not so doing , one was for that the gospel came to them in word only ; and the other was for that though it came to others in power , yet not in power , or in that power , that effectually keepeth some to salvation . upon this second reason i now am , and am shewing how it comes to pass that they that are under the power of the things that we have afore discoursed , should notwithstanding that return to their vomit again . one cause of this declension , or going back to iniquity i have just now touched upon , and we have some more behind . secondly , therefore such persons upon the withdrawing of those influences that at present are mighty upon them , do forthwith forget , both what they had , and what work it made upon them . straightway they forget what manner of men they were : 't is said of israel they sang his praises , they soon forgot his word . so these they forget . . they forget what light and what conviction they had . . they forget what sorrow for sin they had . . they forget what tastes of christ and his word they had . . they forget what joy and comfort they had . . they forget how fair for heaven they were . . and they forget how cleansed once they were . they have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins . now forgetfulness makes things that are past , as nothings ; and if so , then it can lay no obligations upon the mind to ingage it to the delight of them , and to the injoying of them , no not in the thoughts of them , as if they were remembred by us . for●etfulness is a very dangerous thing ; ●t makes preaching vain , profession ●ain , faith vain and all to no pur●ose . such profession is but a dream , ●nd the professors but as dreamers ; ●ll vanishes in the morning . this made paul so caution the corinthi●ns , that they forgot not the preach●ng ; and the author to the hebrews , ●o earnestly call them , in their back●liding , back to the remembrance of former days , and to the recollecting of what it was that then had made them so willingly indure their great fight of affliction . forgetfulness , i say , makes things , no●hings ; it makes us as if things had never been ; and so takes a way from the soul one great means of stay , support and incouragement , when choice david was dejected , the remembrance of the hill hermon was his stay : when he was to go out against goliah ; the remembrance of the lyon and the bear was his support : so when those that have had the power of the things of god upon them , can think of this ; when they are withdrawn , it will , even the thinking of it will have some kind of operation upon the soul. and therefore you shall find that the recovering of a backslider , usually begins at the remembrance of former things ▪ remember therefore from whence thou art fallen , and repent , and do thy first works . 't is marvelous to see how some men are captivated with this forgetfulness . those that sometimes have prayed , cryed , groaned , and sighed for eternal life : those that sometimes thought no pains too much , no way too far , no hazzards too great to run for eternal life ; those who sometimes were captivated with the word , and with the comforts and joy thereof , and that , had it been possible , could have pulled out their eyes , and have given them to a gospel minister , so dear , and sweet were the good tidings which they brought to such . i say 't is marvelous to see how such men are captivated with the forgetfulness of this . they are as if they never had been them men ; they are , as if they never had had such things ; or as if they had never had thought about them . yea , they are strange , and carry it strangely to all those that still are under the power of that word , and of that mighty hand , by which sometimes themselves were guided . should one say to some , art not thou the man that i once saw crying under a sermon , that i once heard cry out , what must i do to be saved , and that sometime ago i heard speak well of the holy word of god : how askew will they look upon one ; or if they will acknowledge that such things were with them once , they do it more like images and rejected ghosts , than men . they look as if they were blasted , withered , cast out and dryed to powder , and now fit for nothing , but to be cast into the fire , and burned . the godliness from which they are departed , and the iniquity unto which again they have joyned themselves , has so altered , so metamorphosed , and changed their heart , and mind , and ways . this therefore is the second thing which shews why some that have been under something of the power of things , are again with iniquity , entangled and overcome . thirdly , another thing that makes these enlightened ones that they continue not to depart from iniquity , is the persecution that always attends the word : for persecution always attends the word , that of the tongue , or that of the sword : now these men that were once enlightened , though they cannot remember what they were themselves , yet satan helps them to think that their neighbours remember what they were : and having now lost the savor , the sence of what they once had , and sinned away that spirit that brought it to them , they grow weak ; ye are above all men the most unable to stand up , to abide the shock , and tryal , that for their profession is coming upon them . wherefore , by and by they are offended ; to wit , with their own profession , and call themselves an hundred fools , for being so heedless , so witless , and unwary to mind gods holy things , in such a time and day . then they bethink with themselves how to make an honourable retreat , which they suppose they usually do , by finding fault first with their own unadvisedness , and of the over-perswasiveness of others ; they also now begin to say farewel conscience , yea , god and heaven and all , and joyn in confederacy with the world again . thus are they in fear , where no fear is ; and the sound of a shaken leaf doth chase them . and there are four things are the cause of this . first , for that , notwithstanding the former power that attended the word to their hearts , their hearts did still abide as hard as a rock , there was no true and sound breaking , nor softning in that : wherefore there the word wanted depth of earth , as our lord is pleased to call it ; and anon when the sun was up , that which remained was presently scorched , and so withered away . secondly , notwithstanding what they had sometimes injoyed , yet the grace of the fear of god was wanting in them ; so wanting , that what should hinder but that they should return to go as they came , and leave christ , the gospel , and the people of god to shift as well as they can for themselves . thirdly , all that they injoyed did not estrange their heart from their lusts , though when they were in the power of things they were deader to them than formerly ; i say than formerly : and it is even with such , as with them , who are for a time taken off from what yet they love , by some new imploy in which they are ingaged . saul went out to look for david to kill him , but when he came at naioth in ramah , the spirit of god came upon him and he prophesied . but this lasted but for a while , saul soon returned to his old envy against the holy man again . fourthly , it comes upon them even of judgment and wrath , for since they so soon give way to sin , and forget , god suffereth them to fall into fear of men , and to force their hearts to comply with bad things , even as judas and demas did ; till they are swallowed up of that gulph , into which the ungodly descend . as for such as turn aside unto their own crooked ways the lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity . when once god is angry with a people ; he can deal with them , he can give them up to those lusts in judgment , that they will not be separated from by mercy . yea , he can make a way for his anger to overtake them that have made a way by the deceits of their hearts , to go a whoring from under him . and these are the causes , why those that were once inlightned and have tasted the good word of god , and the powers of the world to come , return with the dog to his own vomit again , and so though they have or do name the name of christ , yet depart not from iniquity . thirdly , a third reason , why they that name the name of christ , do not depart from iniquity , may be , because grace is weak , and corruption strong . i speak now of them that are truly gracious : for as those that never had nothing but notion , did never at all depart from iniquity ; and as those that never had saving grace , though common workings were with them , do but a little depart from iniquity : so those that yet have the grace of god in them , in truth , do not , as they should , depart from iniquity : wherefore the exhortation is as much to them as it is to any body else ; and let them that name the name of christ , with gracious lips , depart from iniquity . for though there is a great difference 'twixt these , and the two sorts that i mentioned before , these having the true principles of holiness in them ; but the other nothing thereof : yet they , even they , also have need of this exhortation : for they do not as they should , depart from iniquity . their graces as i said are weak , and that is the reason thereof . that these do not depart from iniquity as they should , is clear . . for that their highest acts of holiness , are tainted therewith , and made imperfect thereby : this is manif●st , because they s●ill are afraid to shew themselves before god in their own works , and because they betake them for acceptation with god , to the priestly office of christ , and pray by him , forgive us our trespasses . . this is clear also , because we are , while in this world , no where by the word , said to have attained to the mark and point of absolute perfection ; but are bid to grow , to follow on , to press forward , and to perfect holiness in the fear of god. yea , the best of us all , even the apostles and prophets , have not only made it manifest by their imperfections , that as yet they have not departed from iniquity , as they should ; but they have confessed , and denyed not , that they were yet in the pursuit of righteousness , and had not already attained . . this is clear also , for that the righteousness , by the which the best of saints are justified in the sight of god , is a righteousness of another , not their own ; the righteousness of another man , for that there is not any upon earth that doth good and sins not . and what need we pray , forgive us our trespasses , approach god in the perf●ctions of another , and be bid to perfect holiness , if we had already attained , or were already perfect , or were so departed from iniquity as we should ? . ala● , the complaints of god concerning this matter doth sufficiently testifie the truth of what i say . when god came to his people in egypt , and bid them forsake the idols of aegypt , they did not . but they rebelled against me , says he , and would not hearken unto me : they did not , every man , cast away the abominations of his eyes , neither did they forsake the idols of aegypt . well , he saved them out of aegypt , and brought them into the wilderness , and said to them there , obey my laws and my commandments ; but the house of israel rebelled against me in the wilderness , they walked not in my statutes , they despised my judgments . well , then he had them from the wilderness to canaan , and then said to them , keep my laws . but when he had brought them into the land , then they also polluted themselves , and sinned against him as before . again , when god brought them out of captivity , both they and every thing that they did was unclean . to be short , what says paul in the seventh to the romans ? what says james in the third chapter of his epistle ? and what says john in his first epistle , and first chapter ? do they not all confess , though themselves were apostles , and so for grace and gifts beyond any that breath in this world , that sin and iniquity was yet with them ; and so consequently that there was not as yet , that departing by them , therefrom , as there should . and the reason , as i have said , is because grace is weak , weak in the best and most strong of the saints of god. hence the greatest saints use to complain , when much assaulted with corruptions , or attended with very hard service for god , of their weakness , and insufficiency , as to a compleatness of doing the will of god. . moses , when god did but bid him nourish and succour israel in the wilderness , and carry them in his bosom , as the nursing-father beareth the sucking child , was stricken with such fear of miscarrying , through the weakness of his graces and the power of his corruptions , that he cryed to god saying , i am not able to bear all this people alone , because it is too heavy for me . and if thou deal thus with me , kill me , i pray thee , out of hand , and let me not see my wretchedness . . job , when he was , for a proof of his integrity , to be exercised awhile with some of the judgments of god , crys out in a sence of his w●akness to bear them , and to go through as he should : is my strength the stre●gth of stones , or is my flesh brass ? and again , am i a sea , or a whale , that thou settest a watch over me ? wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro ? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble ? . so daniel , when he was but to stand and talk with the angel , how weak did he find himself ; there remained , saith he , no strength in me ; and , o my lord , by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me , and i have retained no strength . for how can the servant of this my lord , talk with this my lord ? for as for me , straightway there remaineth no strength in me , neither is breath left in me . some may say , but this is natural weakness . but i ask , how came nature to be so weak , but through sin ? the remains whereof abiding still upon the best of saints , make them , notwithstanding their graces , uncapable to do any thing as they should . . paul , a man of men , who had so much grace , revelation of grace , and communion with christ , that sometimes he knew not whether he was in or out of the body , and yet you find him making bitter complaint of the weakness of his grace , and of the power of his corruptions . i am carnal , saith he , and what i hate , that do i. how to perform that which is good i find not ; when i would do good , evil is present with me . but i see another law in my members , warring against the law of my mind , and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin , which is in my members . o wretched man that i am , &c. what complaints , what confessions , what bewailings of weakness is here ? and what need was there of any of this , if paul could , as he would , have departed from iniquity ? i have instanced in these four men , because as to failings and miscarriages , they are as free ( by what the holy record saith ) as any four of whose lives you shall read in all the bible : but you see that they were too weak to do , and depart from iniquity as they would . grace may be said to be weak , either when a lower or less degree thereof , is compared with a higher and greater degree of the same ; or it may be said to be weak when , in what degree of it you will , it shall be ingaged by , or ingage it self against sin , &c. . there are degrees of grace in the world : some have less , and some bigger measures thereof , and according to the measure of grace received , so is a christian capable of action . he that has little , acts but weakly ; he that has much , acts more strongly ; and he of the saints that has most , acteth best of all : but yet none of these three can act so as they should and would , and , consequently , so depart from iniquity as is their duty . witness those four that i mentioned but now , for they are among the first rate of saints , yet you see what they did , and hear what they said . sin is a mighty tyrant : it is also installed in our flesh , and has moreover that in it which suiteth with what ever is sensual in us : the flesh relisheth it well , though the spirit of the christian is against it . sin is an active beast , and will not admit that the soul should attempt to put forth it self in any good thing , without opposition , and contradiction . when i should do good , evil is present with me . sin is of a polluting and defiling nature ; and what grace soever it toucheth , it staineth , and in staining , makes it weaker , than were it not so defiled it would be . besides , not a grace , nor an act of grace in the soul can escape untouched . vnbelief stands ready to annoy faith in the grace , as well as in the act of faith . hardness of heart will not let love so affectionately , and sympathisingly act as it should . sence and reason being polluted , will not let hope be so stedfastly fixed upon unseen things as it should . pride will not let us be so humble as we ought ; nor self , so self denying : passion often interrupts our patience , and angry motions our meekness . by these and more that might be named , it appears that sin is in us , opposeth our graces , and letteth them from acting as they should . and because this sin has part of our self in its possession ; therefore , though our more noble part be utterly against it , yet we depart not from it as we should . god chargeth moses with rash and unadvised words , and so he doth job also : daniel did wear the name of an idol god ; and paul freely confesseth himself unfirm . nor may what hath now been said , be applied to those that are weak in faith , and so in every other grace ; for the strongest grace when acted as well as we can , cannot cause that we depart from iniquity as we should . . because the strongest grace , cannot act without opposition . . because we that are the actors are lame , infirm , and made weak by sin that dwells in us . . because grace and a state of grace , is not that wherein the perfection designed for us doth lie ; for that is in another world . . this is a place to act faith in . . this a place to labour and travel in . . this is a place to fight and wrestle in . . this is a place to be tryed in . and therefore this is no place of perfection , and consequently no place , where gods people can depart from iniquity as they should . now there is a twofold way of departing from iniquity . . one is when the mind is set against it , and withdrawn from the love and liking of it . . the other is when the practice of it is shunned by the whole man. the first of these ways , the saints though they truly do depart from iniquity , yet depart not from it as they should . . their understanding sees not the utmost baseness that is in it . . their judgment is not informed about the vileness of it to perfection . . the conscience has not yet been convinced of all the evil that is in it . then , . how should the soul abhor it as it should . . how should the desires depart from it , with that fervency as they should . . and the will and affections so turn away from it as they should . secondly , as to the shunning of the acts of sin , there we also come wonderful short . we shun not the sins of others as we should : this is made appear , . for that we shun not the company of base men as we should . . nor shun or refuse to imitate them in their evil , as we should . how easily are good men perswaded to comply with bad mens ways : yea , jehosaphat himself said to ahab that base one ; behold , i am as thou art , my people as thy people , my horses as thy horse . joseph could learn in pharaohs court , to swear by pharoahs life . peter also when dissembling was in fashion among the people , could learn to dissemble likewise . we shun not our own sins , or the sins of our own company as we should . christians learn to be proud one of another ; to be covetous one of another ; to be treacherous and false one of another ; to be cowardly in gods matters one of another ; to be remiss and negligent in christian duties one of another . besides , if i should go about to shew here , how christians will hide iniquity , as david ; how they will excuse it , as did aaron , how they will plead for it , as did the men of the city of joash for baal , and the like , i might soon make it abundantly appear , that christians do not depart from iniquity as they should . and therefore the exhortation stands good , and of use to the best of saints on earth , that they and every of them should depart from iniquity . yea , the observation also that they do not do it as they should , doth still stand good against us . wherefore , as it is true in those that have nothing but notion , and that it is true in those that are wrought upon , but not effectually : so it is true , upon those that are truly gracious ; observation , proves it fears ; of damnation prove it ; the outcry of the world , proves it ; and the confession of the best men , proves it . i come now to another observation , with which i will present you , and that is this , namely , that every one that in way of profession and religion names the name of christ , should depart from iniquity . i say , that every one that in a way of profession and religion , nameth the name of christ , should depart from iniquity . this truth needs more practice than proof : for i think there are none that have either scripture or reason by them , but will freely consent to this . nor is there any thing ambiguous in the observation that we need now to stand upon the explaining of . for , what iniquity is , who knows not ? that it cleaves to the best , who knows not ? that it is disgraceful to profession , who knows not ? and therefore that it ought to be departed from , who knows not ? but because the motives in particular may not be so much considered as they ought , and because 't is satans design to tempt us to be unholy , and to keep iniquity and the professing man together : therefore i will in this place spend some arguments upon you that profess , and in a way of profession do name the name of christ , that you depart from iniquity ; to wit , both in the inward thought , and in the outward practice of it . and those arguments shall be of four sorts , some respecting christ , some his father , some our selves , and some the world. first , the christ , whom you profess , whose name you name , and whose disciples you pretend to be , is holy . be ye holy , for i am holy . this is natural to our discourse : for if christ be holy , and if we profess him , and in professing of him , declare that we are his disciples , we ought therefore to depart from iniquity , that we may shew the truth of our profession to the world . secondly , they that thus name the name of christ , should depart from iniquity , because this christ , whose name we name , is loving . those that have a loving master , a master that is continually extending his love unto his servants , should be forward in doing of his will , that thereby they may shew their sence , and acceptation of the love of their master . why , this is his will , that we depart from iniquity , that we throw sin away : that we fly every appearance of evil . thirdly , they that thus name the name of christ should depart from iniquity , because of the honour and reputation of their lord. 't is a disparagement to christ , that any of his servants , and that any that name his name , should yet abide by , and continue with iniquity . a son honoureth his father , and a servant his master : if then i be a father , where is mine honour ? and if i be a master , where is my fear ? saith the lord of hosts , unto you , o priests , that despise my name ? and ye say , wherein have we despised thy name . fourthly , they that name the name of christ should depart from iniquity , because of his name , that his name may not be evil spoken of by men : for our holiness puts a lustre and a beauty upon the name of christ , and our not departing from iniquity draws a cloud upon it . wherefore we ought to depart from iniquity , that the name of the lord jesus may be glorified , and not reproached through us . fifthly , they that name the name of christ should depart from iniquity , because of the gospel of the lord jesus christ. that the gospel of our lord jesus christ , which they profess , may not be evil spoken of by our neighbours . the gospel is called holy ; therefore let them be holy that profess it : the which they can by no means be , if they depart not from iniquity . men cannot serve the designs of the gospel , and their own worldly and fleshly designs . but they that profess the name of christ , they should be tender of his gospel , that they keep that in good esteem and reputation in the world . the which they can by no means do , unless they depart from iniquity . sixthly , they that name the name of christ should depart from iniquity , because the very profession of that name is holy . the profession ; is an holy profession . be ye clean that bear the vessels of the lord : the vessels , that is , the profession for by that , is as it were , carried about the name , and gospel of jesus christ. we must therefore lay aside all iniquity , and superfluity of naughtiness , and do as persons professing godliness , as professing a profession , that christ is the priest of , the high-priest of . it is a reproach to any man to be but a bungle● at his profession , to be but a sloven in his profession . and it is the honour of a man to be excellent in the managing of his profession . christians should be excellent in the managment of their profession , and should make that which is good in it self , good to the church and to the world , by a sweet and cleanly managing of it . seventhly , they that profess the name of christ , or that name it religiously , should to their utmost depart from iniquity , because of the church of christ which is holy . he that religiously professeth the name of christ , has put himself into the church of christ , though not into a particular one , yet into the universal one . now that is holy . what agreement then hath the temple of god with idols ? i , or any pillar , or post , or pin , or member of that temple . one black sheep is quickly espied among five hundred white ones , and one mangie one will soon infect many . one also among the saints , that is not clean , is a blemish to the rest , and , as solomon says , one sinner destroyeth much good . eightly , they that profess the name of christ , or that name that name religiously , should depart from iniquity , because of the ordinances of christ , for they are holy . men of old before they went in to meddle with holy things , were to wash their hands and their feet in a vessel prepared for that purpose . now since they that name that name religiously do also meddle with christs appointments , they must also wash and be clean : cleanse your hands ye sinners if you mean to meddle with christ in his appointments : wash lest god cut you off for your not departing from iniquity . ninthly , they that name the name of christ religiously , should depart from iniquity , because of christs observers . there ar● many that keep their eye upon christ , and that watch for an opportunity to speak against him even through the sides of those that profess him . behold , this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in israel : and for a sign that shall be spoken against . some take occasion to speak against him , because of the meanness of his person ; here some again speak against him , because of the plainness of his doctrine ; also some speak against him , because of the meanness of his followers ; and some speak against him , because of the evil deeds of some that profess him . but if he that gives just occasion of offence to the least of saints had better be drowned in the sea with a mill-stone about his neck : what think you , shall his judgment be , who , through his mingling of his profession of christs name , with a wicked life shall tempt or provoke men to speak against christ ? i come now to those arguments that respect god the father . first , then , they that profess the name of christ should depart from iniquity ; because of god the father , because god the father has made christ to be to us what he is ; to wit , the apostle and high-priest of our profession . he that honoureth not the son , honoureth not the father , which hath sent him . nor can the father be honoured by us , but by our departing from iniquity . all our talk and profession of christ , adds no glory to his father , who has made him our king , and priest , and prophet : if it be not joyned to an holy conversation . wherefore , if you profess the name of christ , and would hold the word in hand , that you have believed in him , depart from iniquity , for the fathers sake that hath sent him . secondly , as it is the father which has made christ to us what he is ; so it is the father , who hath called us to partake of christ and all his benefits : wherefore we must depart from iniquity , that profess the name of christ , that we may glorifie him for his call . he has called us to the fellowship of his son jesus christ ; that is , to partake of all that good that is in him , as mediator , and to be done by him for those that trust in him . nor had we ever come out of a cursed and condemned condition , to christ for life and blessedness , but by the call of the father ; for 't is not of works , but of him that calleth : now since he has called us to this priviledge , [ even us whom he has called ] and left others in their sins to perish by his judgments , it is meet , we should depart from iniquity . specially since the call by which he called us , is heavenly , and holy , and because he has not only called us to glory , but to vertue . thirdly , we that religiously name the name of christ , should depart from iniquity , because god the father of our lord jesus christ has commanded us so to do . wherefore gird up the loyns of your minds , be sober , and hope to the end , for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of jesus christ. as obedient children , not fashioning your selves according to your former lusts in your ignorance ; but as he that has called you is holy , so be ye holy in all manner of conversation : because it is written , be ye holy , as i am holy . fourthly , they that religiously name the name of christ , should depart from iniquity , that they may answer the end for which they are called to profess his name . the father has therefore called them to profess his name , that they might be trees of righteousness , the planting of the lord , that he might be glorified . dost thou then profess the name of christ ; bring forth those fruits that become that holy profession , that you may be called trees of righteousness , and that god may be glorified for , and by your professed subjection to the gospel of his son. fifthly , they that name ( as afore ) the name of the lord jesus christ , should depart from iniquity , that they may shew to the world the nature and power of those graces , which god the father has bestowed upon them that do religiously name the name of christ. and the rather , because , he that religiously nameth that name , declareth even by his so naming of him , that he has received grace of the father , to enable him so to do . now he cannot declare this by deeds , unless he depart from iniquity : and his declaring of it by words alone signifies little to god or man. sixthly , we therefore that religiously name the name of christ , should also depart from iniquity ; because the spirit of the father will else be grieved . the countenancing of iniquity ; the not departing therefrom , will grieve the holy spirit of god , by which you are sealed to the day of redemption : and that is a sin of an higher nature than men commonly are aware of . he that grieveth the spirit of god shall smart for it here , or in hell , or both . and that spirit that sometimes did illuminate , teach and instruct them , can keep silence , can cause darkness , can withdraw it self , and suffer the soul to sin more and more ; and this last is the very judgment of judgments . he that grieves the spirit , quenches it ; and he that quenches it , vexes it ; and he that vexes it , sets it against himself , and tempts it to hasten destruction upon himself . wherefore take heed , professors , i say take heed , you that religiously name the name of christ , that you meddle not with iniquity , that you tempt not the spirit of the lord to do such things against you , whose beginnings are dreadful , and whose end in working of judgments is unsearchable . a man knows not whither he is going , nor where he shall stop , that is but entring into temptation ; nor whether he shall ever turn back , or go out at the gap that is right before him . he that has begun to grieve the holy ghost , may be suffered to go on untill he has sinned that sin which is called the sin against the holy ghost . and if god shall once give thee up to that , then thou art in the iron cage , out of which there is neither deliverance nor redemption . let every one therefore that nameth the name of christ , depart from iniquity , upon this second consideration . thirdly , in the next place , i come now to those arguments that do respect thy self . first , those that religiously name the name of christ should , must depart from iniquity , because else our profession of him is but a lie . if we say we have fellowship with him , and walk in darkness , we lie . and walk in darkness : that is , and walk in iniquity , and depart from a life that is according to the course of this world. he that saith , i know him , and keepeth not his commandments , is a lyer , and the truth is not in him : the truth that he professes to know , and that he saith he hath experience of , is not in him . every man that nameth the name of christ , is not therefore a man of god , nor is the word in every mans mouth , truth ; though he makes profession of that worthy name . it is then truth in him , and to others with reference to him , when his mouth and his life shall agree . men may say they are apostles , and be lyers : they may say , they are jews , that is christians , and lie , and be lyers , and lie in so saying . now this is the highest kind of lying , and certainly must therefore work the saddest sort of effects . thus mans best things are lies . his very saying , i know him , i have fellowship with him , i am a jew , a christian , is a lie . his life giveth his mouth the lie : and all knowing men are sure he lies . . he lies unto god : he speaks lies in the presence , and to the very face of god. now this is a daring thing : i know their lies , saith he : and shall he no● recompence for this ? see these scriptures in the margent , and take heed . i speak to you that religiously name the name of christ , and yet do not depart from iniquity . . he lies unto men ; every knowing man ; every man that is able to judge of the tree by the fruit , knows that that man is a lier , and that his whole profession as to himself is a lie , if he doth not depart from iniquity . thus paul called the slow bellies , the unsound professors among the cretians , liers . they were so in his eyes , for that their profession of the name of christ was not seconded with such a life as became a people professing godliness . they did not depart from iniquity . but again , . such a man is a lier to his own soul. what ever such an one promiseth to himself , his soul will find it a lie . there be many in the world that profess the name of christ , and consequently promise their soul the injoyment of that good , that indeed is wrapt up in him , but they will certainly be mistaken hereabout , and with the greatest terror , will find it so , when they shall hear that direful sentence , depart from me , all ye workers of iniquity . christ is resolved that the loose-lived pr●fessor shall not stand in the judgment , nor any such sinners in the congregation of the righteous . they have lied to god , to men , and to themselves ; but j●sus then will not lie unto them : he will plainly tell them that he hath not known them , and that they shall not abide in his presence . but , secondly , those that religiously name the name of christ should depart from iniquity , else , as they are liers in their profession , so they are self-deceivers . i told you but now such lie to themselves , and so consequently they deceive themselves . but be ye doers of the word , not hearers only , deceiving your own selves . 't is a sad thing for a man , in , and about eternal things , to prove a deceiver of others ; but for a man to deceive himself , his own self of eternal life , this is saddest of all : yet there is in man a propenseness so to do . hence the apostle says , be not deceived , and let no man deceive himself . and again , if any man among you seem to be religious , and bridleth not his tongue , but deceiveth his own heart , this mans religion is vain . these words [ but deceiveth his own heart ] i have much mused about : for they seem to me to be spoken to shew how bold and prodigiously desperate some men are , who yet religiously name the name of christ : desperate i say at self deceiving . he deceiveth his own heart ; he otherwayes perswadeth it , than of its own self it would go : ordinarily men are said to be deceived by their hearts , but here 's a man that is said to deceive his own heart , flattering it off from the scent and dread of those convictions , that by the word sometimes it hath been under : perswading of it that there needs no such strictness of life be added to a profession of faith in christ , as by the gospel is called for : or that since christ has died for us , and rose again , and since salvation is alone in him , we need not be so concerned , or be so strict to matter how we live . this man is a self deceiver : he deceives his own heart . self deceiving , and that about spiritual , and eternal things , specially when men do it willingly , is one of the most unnatural , unreasonable , and unaccountable action in the world . . it is one of the most unnatural actions . for here a man seeks his own ruin , and privily lurks for his own life . we all cry out against him that murthers his children , his wife , or his own body , and condemn him to be one of those that has forgot the rules , and love of nature : but behold the man under consideration is ingaged in such designs as will terminate in his own destruction : he deceiveth his own soul. . this is also the most unreasonable act ; there can no cause , nor crum of cause that has the least spark or dram of reason , or of any thing that looks like reason , be shewen why a man should deceive himself , and bereave his soul of eternal life . therefore , . such men are usually passed over with astonishment and silence . be astonished o heavens at this ! and be ye horribly afraid , for my people have committed two evils , they have forsaken me the fountain ▪ of living waters , and hewed them out cisterns , broken cisterns , that can hold no water . but above all ; this , as to this head , is the most amazing place , where 't is said that the self deceiver makes his self deceiving , his sport : sporting themselves with their own deceivings . these are a people far gone to be sure , that are arrived to such an height of negligence , carelesness , wantonness , and desparateness of spirit , as to take pleasure in , and make a sport of that which will assuredly deceive them forever . but this is the fruit of professing of christ , and of not departing from iniquity . the wisdom and judgment of god is such , as to give such over to the sporting of themselves in their own deceivings . thirdly , those that religiously name the name of christ , should depart from iniquity , because of the scandal that will else assuredly come upon religion , and the things of religion through them . upon this head i may begin to write , with a sigh ; for never more of this kind than now . there is no place where the professors of religion are , that is clean and free from offence and scandal . iniquity is so intailed to religion , and baseness of life to the naming of the name of christ , that one may say of the professors of this age , as 't was said of them of old , all places are full of vomit and filthiness , so that there is no place clean . where are they even amongst those that strive for the rule , that mind it at all , when it pinches upon their lusts , their pride , avarice and wantonness ? are not , now adays , the bulk of professors like those that strive at a gnat and swallow a camel ? yea , do not professors teach the wicked ones to be wicked ? ah! lord god , this is a lamentation , and will be for a lamentation . what asore disease is now got into the church of god , that the generality of professors should walk with scandal ! no fashion , no vanity , no profuseness , and yet no niggardliness but is found among professors . they pinch the poor and nip from them their due , to maintain their own pride and vanity . i shall not need to instance particulars , for from the rich to the poor , from the pastor to the people , from the master to his man , and from the mistress to her maiden , all are guilty of scandal , and of reproaching , by their lives , the name of the lord. for they profess , and name that worthy name of christ , but are not , as they should , departed from iniquity . . hence the name of god is polluted and reproached even till god is weary and cries out , pollute ye my name no more with your gifts , and with your idols . o do not pollute my name , says god : rather leave off profession , and go every one to his wickedness . tell the world , if you will not depart from iniquity , that christ and you are parted , and that you have left him , to be imbraced by them to whom iniquity is an abomination . 't would far better secure the name of god from scandal and reproach , than for you to name the name of christ , and yet not to depart from iniquity . then , though you sin as now you do , the poor world would not cry out , ay! this is your religion ! then they would not have occasion to vilifie religion , because of you ; since you tell them that christ and you are parted . but , . if you will not leave off to name the name of christ , nor yet depart from iniquity , you also scandal the sincere professors of religion ; and that is a grievous thing . there are a people in the world that have made it their business ever since they knew christ , to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , and that desire to perfect holiness in the fear of god : and you scandalous professors mixing your selves with them , make their gold look dim . you are spots and blemishes to them ; you are an evil mixing it self with their good , and a scandal to their holy profession . they are you that make the heart of the righteous sad , whom god would not have sad . they are you that offend his little ones . o! the mill-stone that god will shortly hang about your necks , when the time is come that you must be d●owned in the sea , and deluge of gods wrath . . if you will not leave off to name the name of christ , nor yet depart from iniquity ; you continue to extend your scandal also to the word and doctrine of god. they that name the name of jesus religiously , should so carry it in the world , that they might adorn the doctrin of god their saviour : but thou that professest , and yet departest not from iniquity ; thou causest the name and doctrine which thou professest , to be blasphemed , and reproached by the men of this world ; and that is a sad thing , a thing that will bring so heavy a load upon thee , when god shall open thine eyes ( and he will open them either here or in hell-fire , that thou wilt repent it with great bitterness of soul. the lord smite thee to the making of thee sensible to thy shame , and conversion , if it be his blessed will. amen . but , . if thou wilt not leave off to name the name of christ , nor yet depart from iniquity , thou wilt bring reproach , scorn and contempt upon thy self . for sin is a reproach to any people . . these are they that god will hold in great contempt and scorn : see the first of isaiah . . these are they that his people shall have in great contempt . therefore , saith he , have i also made you contemptible and base before all the people , according as you have not kept my ways , but have lifted up the face against my law. . such shall also be contemned , and had in derision of the men of this world . they shall be an hissing , a by-word , a taunt and a reproach among all people . for him that honoureth me , saith god , i will honour , but he that despiseth me , shall be lightly esteemed . i remember that philpot used to tell the papists that they danced bare-arsed in a net , because of the evil of their ways ; and the lord bids professors have a care that the shame of their nakedness does not appear , or lest they walk naked , and their shame be discovered . for those professors that depart not from iniquity , however they think of themselves , their nakedness is seen of others . and if it be a shame to the modest to have their nakedness seen of others , what bold and brazen brows have they who are not ashamed to shew their nakedness , yea , the very shame of it , to all that dwell about them ? and yet thus doth every one that religiously names the name of christ , and yet doth not depart from iniquity . fourthly , those that religiously name the name of christ , and do not depart from iniquity ; they are the cause of the perishing of many . wo , saith christ , to the world because of offences : and again , wo to that man by whom the offence cometh . these are they that cause many to stumble at sin , and fall into hell. hark , you that are such , what god says to you . you have caused many to stumble at the law , and at religion . men that are for taking of occasion , you give it them : men that would enter into the kingdom ; you puzle , and confound them with your iniquity , while you name the name of christ , and do not depart therefrom . one sinner destroyeth much good : these are the men that incourage the vile to be yet more vile ; these be the men that quench weak desires in others ; and these be the men that tempt the ignorant to harden themselves against their own salvation . a professor that hath not forsaken his iniquity , is like one that comes out of the pest-house among the whole , with his plague sores running upon him . this is the man that hath the breath of a dragon , he poysons the air round about him . this is the man that slays his children , his kinsmen , his friend , and himself . what shall i say ? a man that nameth the name of christ , and that departeth not from iniquity ; to whom may he be compared ? the pharisees , for that they professed religion , but walked not answerable thereto , unto what doth christ compare them , but to serpents and vipers ; what does he call them , but hypocrites , whited walls , painted sepulchers , fools , and blind ? and tells them that they made men more the children of h●ll than they were before . wherefore such an one cannot go out of the world by himself : for as he gave occasion of scandal , when he was in the world ; so is he the cause of the damnation of many . the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life : but what is the fruit of the wicked ? of the professors that are wicked ? why , not to perish alone in their iniquity . these , as the dragon , draw many of the stars of heaven , and cast them to the earth with their most stinking tail : cast many a professor into earthly and carnal delights , with their most filthy conversations . the apostle did use to weep , when he spake of these professors , such offence he knew they were and would be in the world . these are the chief of the engines of satan , with these he worketh wonders . one balaam , one jeroboam , one ahab , o how many fish bring such to satans net . these are the tares that he strives to sow among the wheat , for he knows they are mischief to it . wherefore let every one that nameth the name of christ depart from iniquity . fifthly , those that religiously name the name of christ , and do not depart from iniquity : how will they die , and how will they look that man in the face , unto the profession of whose name , they have intailed an unrighteous conversation ? or do they think that he doth not know what they have done , or that they may take him off with a few cries and wringing of hands , when he is on the throne to do judgment against transgressors . o! it had been better they had not known , had not profest : yea , better they had never been born . for as christ said of judas , so may it be said of these ; it had been good for that man , if he had never been born . and as christ says it had been good , so peter says , it had been better . good they had not been born , and better they had not known and made profession of the name of christ. but perhaps some may ask me , what iniquity they must depart from , that religiously name the name of christ ? i answer , first , in general , those that religiously profess the name of christ , must depart from all iniquity . they should lay aside every weight ; they should fly all appearance of evil . many there be that are willing to part with some sins , some pleasures some unjust prophets , if they may be saved : but this selling of all , parting with all , forsaking of all , is a very hard chapter . and yet the lord jesus lays it there , saying so likewise , whosoever he be of you ( of any of you that professeth my name ) that forsaketh not all that he hath , he cannot be my disciple . christ by this text requireth more of them that are his than to forsake all iniquity : wherefore to be sure , every sin is included . no less than vniversal obedience , will prove a man sincere . a divided heart is a faulty one . he that forsaketh not every sin , is partial in the law , nor can he have respect to all gods commandments . there can be no true love to christ where there are reserves ; he that will hide any one sin in his bosom , or that will keep it , as the phrase is , under his tongue , is a secret enemy to jesus christ. he loveth not christ that keepeth not his sayings . to halt between two is nought , and no man can serve two masters . christ is a master , and sin is a master : yea , and masters are they , so opposite , that he that at all shall cleave to the one , shall by the other be counted his enemy . if sin at all be countenanced , christ counts himself despised . what man would count himself beloved of his wife , that knows she hath a bosom for another ? thou shalt not be for another man , saith he , so will i be for thee . would the king count him a loyal subject , who would hide in his house , nourish in his bed , and feed at his table , one that implacably hateth and seeketh to murder his majesty ? why , sin is such an enemy to the lord jesus christ : therefore as kings command that traitors be delivered up to justice ; so christ commands , that we depart from iniquity . take away all iniquity , is a good prayer , and to resist unto blood , striving against sin , is a good warfare , and he that brings every thought to the obedience of christ gets a brave victory . grace leaveneth the whole soul , and so consequently all the parts thereof : now where the whole is leavened , the tast must needs be the same throughout . grace leaves no power , faculty , or passion of the soul unsanctified ; wherefore there is no corner in a sanctified soul , where sin may hide his head , to find rest , and abode without controul : consequently , he that has harbour for this or that sin , and that can find an hiding place , and an abode for it in his heart , is no christian man. let them then that christianly name the name of christ , make it manifest that they do not do it feignedly , by departing from iniquity . but , secondly , and more particularly : they that name the name of christ , as above , let them depart from their constitution-sin , or if you will , the sin that their temper most inclines them to . every man is not alike inclined to the same sin , but some to one and some to another : now let the man that professes the name of christ religiously , consider with himself , unto what sin or vanity am i most inclined ; is it pride ? is it covetousness ? is it fleshly lust ? and let him labour , by all means , to leave off and depart from that . this is that which david called his own iniquity , and saith , i was also upright before him , and i kept my self from mine iniquity . rightly are these two put together ; for it is not possible that he should be an upright man that indulgeth , or countenanceth his constitution-sin ; but on the contrary , he that keeps himself from that will be upright as to all the rest : and the reason is , because if a man has that grace as to trample upon , and mortifie his darling , his bosom , his only sin , he will more easily and more heartily abhor and fly the rest . and indeed , if a man will depart from iniquity , he must depart from his darling sin first : for as long as that is entertained , the other , at least those that are most suiting with that darling , will always be haunting of him . there is a man that has such and such haunt his house , and spend his substance , and would be rid of them , but cannot : but now , let him rid himself of that , for the sake of which they haunt his house , and then he shall with ease be rid of them . thus it is with sin . there is a man that is plagued with many sins , perhaps because he imbraceth one ; well , let him turn that one out of doors and that 's the way to be rid of the rest . keep thee from thy darling , thy bosom , thy constitution-sin . motives to prevail with thee to fall in with this exhortation , are several . . there can no great change appear in thee , make what profession of christ thou wilt , unless thou cast away thy bosom sin . a mans constitution-sin , is , as i may call it , his visible sin ; 't is that by which his neighbours know him and describe him : whether it be pride , covetousness , lightness , or the like ; now if these abide with thee , though thou shouldest be much reformed in thy notions , and in other parts of thy life . yet say thy neighbours , he is the same man still : his faith has not saved him from his darling : he was proud afore , and is proud still ; was covetous afore , and is covetous still ; was light and wanton afore , and is so still . he is the same man , though he has got a new mouth . but now , if thy constitution-sin be parted with , if thy darling be cast away , thy conversion is apparent , 't is seen of all , for the casting away of that is death to the rest , and ordinarily makes a change throughout . . so long as thy constitution-sin remains , as winked at by thee , so long thou art an hypocrite before god ; let thy profession be what it will : also when conscience shall awake and be commanded to speak to thee plainly , what thou art , it will tell thee so , to thy no little vexation and perplexity . . besides , do what thou canst , so long as thou remainest thus , thou wilt be of a scandalous life . no honour is brought to religion by such . but , again , as they that name the name of christ should depart from their constitution-sin : so they should depart from the sins of other mens ●empers also . much harm among ●rofessors is done by each others sins . there is a man that has clean escaped from those who live in error : has shaken off the carnal world and the men thereof , and is come among professors , but behold , there also he meeteth with wicked men , with men that have not departed from iniquity , and there he is intangled . this is a sad thing , and yet so it is . i doubt there are some in the world , i mean professors , that will curse the day that ever they were acquainted with some professors . there are professors that are defilers , professors that are wicked men , professors of whom a wicked man may learn to sin . take heed of these , lest having fled from thine own sins , thou shouldest be taken with the sins of others . be not partakers of other mens sins , is the counsel and caution that paul giveth to timothy , if he would keep himself pure . . dost thou profess the name of christ , and dost thou pretend to be a man departing from iniquity ? then take heed thou dost not dedeceive thy self , by changing one bad way of sinning , for another bad way of sinning . this was a trick that israel plaid of old : for when gods prophets followed them hard with demands of repentance and reformation , then they would gad about to change their ways ; but behold , they would not change a bad way for a good , but one bad way for another ; hopping as the squirrel , from bow to bow , but not willing to forsake the tree . hence they were said to return , but not to the most high. take heed i say of this : many leave off to be drunkards , and fall in with covetousness : many fall off from covetousness to pride and lasciviousness : take heed of this . this is a grand deceit , and a common one too , a deceit of a long standing , and almost a disease epidemical among professors . many times men change their darling sins , as some change their wives and servants ; that which would serve for such an one this year , may not serve to be so for the year insuing . hypocrisie would do a while ago , but now debauchery . profaneness would do , when profaneness was in fashion ; but now a deceitful profession . take heed , professor , that thou dost not throw away thy old darling sin for a new one . mens tempers alter . youth is for pride and wantonness , middle age for cunning and craft , old age for the world and covetousness . take heed therefore of deceit in this thing . . dost thou profess the name of christ , and dost thou pretend to be a man departing from iniquity ? take heed lest thy departing from iniquity should be but for a time : some do depart from iniquity , as persons in wrangling fits depart from one another ; to wit , for a time , but when the quarrel is over , by means of some intercessor , they are reconciled again . o! satan is the intercessor between the soul and sin , and though the breach between these two may seem to be irreconcileable ; yea , though the soul has sworn it will never give countenance to so vile a thing as sin is , more ▪ yet he can tell how to make up this difference , and to fetch them back to their vo●●t again , who one would have thought , had quit● escaped his sins , and been gone . take heed therefore , o professor : for there is danger of this , and the height of danger lies in it . and i think that satan , to do this thing , makes use of those sins again , to begin this rejoynder , which he findeth most suitable to the temper and constitution of the sinner . these are , as i may call them , the master sins ; they suit , they jump with the temper of the soul : these as the little end of the wedge , enter with ease , and so make way for those that come after , with which satan knows he can rend the soul in pieces . wherefore , . to help this , take heed of parlying with thy sins again , when once thou hast departed from them : sin has a smooth tongue ; if thou harken to its inchanting language , ten thousand to one but thou art intangled . see the saying of the wiseman , with much fair speech she caused him to yield , with the flattering of her lips , she forced him . he goeth after her straightway , as a● ox goeth to the slaughte● , or as a fool to the correction of the stocks . he heard her charm , and by hearing , is noosed , and led away to her house , which is the way to hell , going down to the chambers of death . take heed therefore of listning to the charms , wherewith sin inchanteth the soul. in this be like the deaf adder , stop thine ear , plug it up , to sin : and let it only be open to hear the words of god. thirdly , let them that name the name of christ , depart from the iniquity of the times . there are sins that may be called the iniquity of the day . it was thus in noahs day , it was thus in lots day , and 't was thus in christs day ; i mean in the days of his flesh : and 't is a famous thing for professors to keep themselves from the iniquities of the times . here lay noahs excellency , here lay lots excellency , and here will lie thy excellency , if thou keep thy self from the iniquity of this day . keep or save your selves from this untoward generation , is seasonable counsel : but taken but of few ; the sin of the time , or day , being as a strong current or stream that drives all before it . hence noah and lot were found as it were alone , in the practice of this excellent piece of righteousness , in their generation . hence 't is said of noah that he was a just man , and perfect in his generations . and again , the lord said unto noah , come thou and all thy house into the ark ; for thee have i seen righteous before me , in this generation . the meaning is , he kept himself clear of the sin of his day , or o● the generation among which he lived . the same i say of lot , he kept himself from the sin of sodom : and hence peter crys him up for su●h a right●ous man. just lot , saith he , that righteous man , whose righteous soul was vexed with the fil●hy conv●●sation of the wicked . mark a just man , a righteous man , his righ●eous soul , &c. but how obtained he this char●cter ? why h● ab●orred the sin of his time , he fell not in with the sin of the people , but was afflicted and vexed there about : yea , it was to him a daily burden . for that righteous man dwelling a●ong them , in seeing and hearing , vexed his righteous soul from day to day , with their unlawful deeds . so david , i beheld , saith he , the transgressors , and was gri●ved because they kept not thy word . the sin of the times , is to god the worst of sins , and to fall in with the sin of the times , is counted as the highest of transgressions . consequently , to keep from them , though a man should through infirmity be guilty of others , yet he is accounted upright . and hence it is ( i think ) that david was called a man after gods own heart ; to wit , because he served his own generation , by the will of god , or as the margent reads it , after he had in his own age served the will of god. by the sin of ●he t●mes satan , as it were , set up his standard in defiance to god ; seeking then to cause his name in a signal way to be dishonoured , and that by the professors of that age . and hence it is that the lord doth manifest such wrath against his people , that are guilty of the common sin of their day , and that he shews such special favour to them that abstain therefrom . was there no more , think you , but noah , in his generation that feared ●od : yes several no doubt , but he was the man , that kept clear of the sin of his day , therefore he and his family must be partakers of gods deliverance : the other must die before , and not be permitted to the mercy of the ark , nor to see the new world with noah . vnbelief was the sin of the day , when israel was going from aegypt to canaan ; therefore all that were guilty of that transgression , must be denyed to go in to see that good land , yea , though it were moses himself . and the lord said to moses and aaron , because ye believed me not , to sanctifie me in the eyes of the childr●n of israel , therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which i have given them . the sin of the day , is an high transgression ; from the which because caleb , and joshua kept themselves , god kept them from all the blasting plagues , that overtook all the rest , and gave them the land which he had promised to their fathers . but my servant caleb , because he had another spirit in him , and hath followed me fully , him will i bring into the land , whereunto he went , and his seed shall possess it . idolatry was the sin of the day , just before israel were carried captive into babylon . now those of the priests that went astray then , even they say , god shall bear their iniquity . but the priests , the levites the sons of zadok that kept the charge of my sanctuary , when the children of israel went astray from me , they shall come near unto me , to minister unto me , and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood , saith the lord god. they shall enter into my sanctuary , and they shall come near to my table to minister unto me , and they shall keep my charge . great complaints have we now among professors , of deadness in duties , barrenenss of the ministry , and of the withdrawing of god from his people ; but i can tell you a cause of all this , namely , the sin of the day is got into the church of god , and has defiled that holy place . this is the ground and cause of all these things : nor is it like to be otherwise , till the cause shall be removed . if any should ask me what are the sins of our day . i would say they are conspicuous , they are open , they are declared as sodoms were . they that have imbraced them , are not ashamed of them : yea , they have got the boldness to plead for them , and to count them their enemies that seek to reform them . all tables are full of vomit and filthiness . and for pride and covetousness for loathing of the gospel , and contemning holiness , as these have covered the face of the nation : so they have infected most of them , that now name the name of christ. and i say again , when you find out a professor that is not horribly tainted with some of these things , ( i exclude not the ministers nor their families ) let him be as a beacon upon an hill , or as an insign in our land. but say one , would you have us singular ? and says another would you have u● make our selves ridiculous ? and says a third , such and such more godly wise than we , do so . but i answer , if god has made you singular , and called you to grace , that 's singular ; and bid you wa●k in ways that are singular , and diverse from the ways of all others . yea , if to depart from iniquity will make you ridiculous , if to be holy in all manner of conversation will make you ridiculous , then be contented to be counted so . as for the godly-wise you speak of , let them manifest themselves to be such by departing from iniquity . i am sure that their being tainted with sins of the day , will not prove them godly-wise . behold , i have taught you , said moses , statutes and judgments , even as the lord my god commanded me ; that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it . keep therefore , and do them , for this is your wisdom , and your understanding in the sight of the nations , which shall hear of all these statutes , and say , surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people . here then is wisdom , and this is that that manifesteth a people to be understanding , and godly-wise , even the keeping of the commandments of god. and why , follow the apish fashions of the world ; hath the god o● wisdom set them on foot among us ? or is it because the devil and wicked men ( the inventors of these vain toyes ) have out-witted the law of god ? what nation is there so great , who hath god so nigh unto them as his people have , and as he is in all things that we call upon him for ? and what nation is there so great , that hath statutes and judgments so righteous , as all this law , said moses , which i set before you this day . this then is that which declareth us to be godly-wise , when we keep our soul diligently to the holy words of god : and sit not only our tongues and lips , but also our lives thereto . fourthly , but again , let them that name the name of christ depart from the iniquity , that is , as i may call it , from family-iniquity . there is an house-iniquity ; an iniquity that loves not to walk abroad , but to harbor within doors . this the holy man david was aware of , therefore he said that he would behave himself wisely , in a perfect way ; yea , saith he , i will walk within my house , with a perfect heart . now this house-iniquity standeth in these things . . in dom●stick broyls and quarrels . . in domestick chambrings , and wantonness . . in domestick misorders of children and servants . first , for house broyles and quarrels , it is an iniquity to be departed from , whether it be betwixt husband and wife , or otherwise . this , as i said , is an iniquity that loves not to walk abroad , but yet it is an horrible plague within doors . and many that shew like saints abroad , yet act the part of devils when they are at home , by giving way to this house iniquity ; by cherishing of this house-iniquity . this iniquity meeteth the man and his wife at the very threshold of the door , and will not suffer them to enter , no not with one foot into the house in peace , but how far this is from walking together as heirs of the grace of life , is easie to be determined . men should carry it in love to their wives , as christ doth to his church ; and wives should carry it to their husbands , as the church ought to carry it to her saviour : and untill each relation be managed with respect to these things : this house-iniquity will be cherished there . o! god sees within doors as well as without , and will judge too for the iniquity of the house as well as for that more open . dly , as house-iniquity standeth in domestick broyls , and contentions : so it also standeth in chambrings and wantonness . wherefore the apostle puteth them both together , saying , not in chambring and wanness , not in strife and envy . this chambring and wantonness is of a more genneral extent , being entertained by all , insomuch that sometimes from the head to the foot all are horribly guilty . but , it is a shame to speak of those things that are done of some in secret : for through the lusts of their own hearts , they dishonour their own bodies between themselves , working that which is unseemly , to their ignominy and contempt ; if not with their fellows , yet with god , who sees them ; for the darkness hideth not from him . it was for this kind of iniquity with other , that god told ely that he would judge his house for ever : also the words that follow are to be trembled at , that say , the iniquity of eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever . such an evil thing is house-iniquity in the eyes of the god that is above . thirdly , as domestick iniquity standeth in these , so also in the disorders of children and servants . childrens unlawful carriages to their parents , is a great house - iniquity , yea , and a common one too . disobedience to parents is one of the sins of the last days . o! 't is horrible to behold how irreverently , how irrespectively , how sawcily and malapertly , children , yea , professing children , at this day , carry it to their parents ; snapping , and checking , curbing and rebuking of them , as if they had never received their beings by them , or had never been beholding to them for bringing of them up : yea as if the relation was lost , or as if they had received a dispensation from god to dishonour , and disobey parents . i will add that this sin reigns in little and great , for not only the small and young , but men are disobedient to their parents ; and indeed , this is the sin with a shame , that men shall be disobedient to parents ; the sin of the last times , that men shall be disobedient to parents , and without natural affection . where now adays shall we see children that are come to men and womens estate , carry it as by the word they are bound . to their aged and worn-out p●rents ? i say , where is the honour they should put upon them ? who speaks to their aged parents with that due regard to that relalation , to their age , to their worn-out condition , as becomes them ? is it not common now adays for parents to be brought into bondage , and servitude by their children ? for parents to be under , and children above ; for parents to be debased , and children to lord it over them . nor doth this sin go alone in the families , where it is : no , those men are lovers of their own selves , covetous boasters , proud , blaspheemers , that are disobedient to their parents . this is that the prophet means , when he saith , the child shall behave himself proudly aginst the antient ; and the base against the honourable . this is a common sin , and a crying sin , and to their shame be it spoken that are guilty ; a sin that makes men vile to an high degree , and yet it is the sin of professors . but behold how the apostle brands them : he saith , such have but a form of godliness , and deny the power thereof , and bids the godly shut them out of their fellowship . this sin also is , i fear , grown to such a hight in some , as to make them weary of their parents , and of doing their duty to them . yea , i wish that some are not murtherers of fathers and mothers , by their thoughts , while they secretly long after , and desire their death ; that the inheritance may be theirs , and that they may be delivered from obedience to their parents . this is a sin in the house , in the family , a sin that is kept in hugger mugger , close ; but god sees it , and hath declared his dislike against it , by an implicit threatning , to cut them off that are guilty of it . let them then that name the name of christ , depart from this iniquity . disorders of servants , is also an house-iniquity , and to be departed from by the godly . he that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house , said david ; and he that telleth lies , shall not tarry in my sight . one of the rarities in solomons house , and which the queen of sheba was so taken with , was the goodly order of his servants . some of the disorders of servants are to be imputed to the governors of families , and some to the servants themselves . those that are to be i●puted to the governors of families are such as these . . when the servant learns his vileness of his master , or of her mistress . . when servants are countenanced by the master against the mistress ; or by the mistress against the master : or when in opposition to either , they shall be made equals in things . . when the extravagancies of servants are not discountenanced , and rebuked by their superiors , and the contrary taught them by word and life . those to be imputed to the servants themselves are . . their want of reverence to their superiors . . their backbiting and slandring of them . . their unfaithfulness , in serving of them . . their murmuring at their lawful commands , &c. from all these domestick iniquities let every one depart that religiously nameth the name of christ. and before i leave this head , let me , to inforce my exhortation , urge upon you a few considerations to work with you , yet further to depart from these house-iniquities . first , a mans house , and his carriage there doth more be speak the nature and temper of his mind , than all publick profession . if i were to judge of a man for my life , i would not judge of him by his open profession , but by his domestick behaviours . open professio● is like a mans best cloak , the which is worn by him , when he walketh abroad , and with many is made but little use of at home . but now what a man is at home , that he is indeed . there is abroad , my house , my closet , my heart ; and my house my closet shew most what i am : though not to the world , yet to my family , and to angels . and a good report from those most near , and most capable of advantage to judge , is like to be truer than to have it only from that which is gotten by my observers abroad . the outside of the platter , and cup may look well , when within they may be full of excess : the outward shew and profession may be tolerable : when , within doors may be bad enough . i and my house will s●rve the lord , is the character of a godly man. secondly , as the best judgment is made upon a man from his house : so that man is like to have the approbation of god for good , that is faithful in all his house . i know abraham , says god , that he will command his children and his houshold after him , and they shall keep the way of the lord. to make religion , and the power of godliness the chief of my designs at home , among those , among whom god by a special hand has placed me , is that which is pleasing to god , and that obtaineth a good report of him . but to pass these , and to come to other things . . a master of a family , and mistress of the same , are those that are intrusted of god , with those under their tuition and care to be brought up for him ; be they children or servants . this is plain from the text last mentioned : wherefore here is a charge committed to thee of god : look to it , and consider with thy self , whether thou hast done such duty and service for god in this matter , as , setting common frailties aside , thou canst with good conscience lift up thy face unto god : the which to be sure , thou canst by no means do , if iniquity , to the utmost , be not banished out of thy house . . and will it not be a sad complaint that thy servant shall take up against thee , before the judge at the last day , that he learnt the way to destruction in thy house , who art a professor . servants though themselves be carnal , expect when they come into the house of professors , that there they shall see religion in its spangling colors ; but behold , when he enters thy door , he finds sin and wickedness there . there is pride instead of humility , and heighth and raillery instead of meekness and holiness of mind . he looked for an house full of vertue , and behold , nothing but spiders-webbs . fair and plausible abroad , but like the sow in the mire at home . bless me , saith such a servant , are these the religious people ! are these the servants of god , where iniquity is made so much of , and is so high●y entertained ! and now is his ●eart filled with prejudice against all religion , or else he turns ●ypocrite like his master and his mistress , wearing , as they , a cloak of religion to cover all , abroad , while all naked and shameful at home . but perhaps thy heart is so h●●d , and thy mind so united to the pleasing of thy vile affections , that thou wilt say , what care i for my servant . i took him to do my work , not to train him up in religion . well , suppose the soul of thy servant be thus little worth in thine eyes : yet what wilt thou say for thy children , who behold all thy ways , and are as capable of drinking up the poyson of thy footsteps , as the swine is of drinking up swill : i say , what wilt thou do for them ? children will learn to be nought of parents , of professing parents soonest of all : they will be tempted to think all that they do is right . i say , what wilt thou say to this ? or art thou like the ostrich , whom god hath deprived of wisdom and has hardned her heart against her young ? will it please thee when thou shalt see that thou hast brought forth children to the murderer ? or when thou shalt hear them cry , i learnt to go on in the paths of sin by the carriages of professing parents . if it was counted , of old , a sad thing for a man to bring forth children to the sword , as ephraim did : what will it be for a man to bring up children for hell , and damnation ? but , fifthly let those that name the name of christ , depart from the iniquity of their closet . this may be called part of the iniquity of the house : but because it is not publick , but as a retired part , therefore i put it here by it self . there are are many closet sins that professors may be guilty of , and from which they have need to depart : as , first , there is the pride of a library , that is , the study or closet , and i doubt this sin and iniquity to this day is with many great professors : and in my judgment it is thus manifested . . when men secretly please themselves to think 't is known what a stock of books they have ; or when they take more pleasure in the number of , than the matter contained in their books . . when they buy books rather to make up a number , than to learn to be good and godly men thereby . . when , though they own their books to be good and godly , yet they will not conform thereto . this is an iniquity now on foot in this land , and ought to be departed from . 't is better to have no books , and depart from iniquity , than to have a thousand , and not to be bettered in my soul thereby . secondly , there is an iniquity that attends the closet , which i may call by the name of vacancy . when men have a closet to talk of , not to pray in ; a closet to look upon , not to bow before god in ; a closet to lay up gold in , but not to mourn in for the sins of my life . a closet , that could it speak , would say , my owner is seldom here upon his knees before the god of heaven : seldom here humbling himself , for the iniquity of his heart , or or to thank god for the mercies of his life . thirdly , then also a man is guilty of closet-iniquity , when though he doth not utterly live in the neglect of duty , he formally , carnally , and without reverence and godly fear performs it . also when he asketh god for that which he cannot abide should be given him , or when he prayeth for that in his closet , that he cannot abide in his house , nor his life . fourthly , then also a man is guilty of closet-iniquity , when he desireth that the sound of the devotion he doth there , may be heard by them without in the house ; the street , or of those that dwell by . for a closet is only for the man , and god , to do things in secretly . these things let the professor beware of , lest he add to his iniquity , sin ; untill he , and it comes to be loathsom . the closet is by god appointed for men to wait upon him in , and to do it without hypocrisie . to wait there for his mind , and his will , and also for grace to perform it . and how can a man that went last time out of his closet to be nought , have the face to come thither again ? if i regard iniquity in my heart , the lord will not hear my prayer ; and if so , then he will not meet me in my closet ; and if so , then i shall quickly be weary thereof , being left to my self , and the vanity of my mind . it is a great thing to be a closet-christian , and to hold it : he must be a close-christian , that will be a closet-christian . when i say , a close-christian , i mean one that is so in the hidden part , and that also walks with god. many there be that profess christ , who doe oftener ( in london ) frequent the coffee-house than their closet ; and that sooner in a morning run to make bargains , than to pray unto god , and begin the day with him . but for thee , who professest the name of christ , do thou depart from all these things ; do thou make conscience of reading , and practising , do thou follow after righteousness ; do thou make conscience of beginning the day with god : for he that begins it not with him , will hardly end it with him . he that runs from god in the morning , will hardly find him at the close of the day : nor will he that begin● with the world and the vanities thereof , in the first place , be very capable of walking with god all the day after . 't is he that finds god in his closet , that will carry the savour of him into his house , his shop , and his more open conversation : when moses had been with god in the mount , his face shone ; he brought of that glory into the camp. sixthly , i add again , let those that name the name of christ , depart from the iniquity that cleav●th to opinions . this is a sad age ●or that ; let opinions , in them●elves , be never so good , never ●o necessary , never so innocent , ●et there are spirits in the world ●hat will entail iniquity to them , ●nd will make the vanity so inseparable with the opinion , that 't is almost impossible with some to take in the opinion and leave out the iniquity , that by craft and subtilty of satan , is joyned thereto . nor is this a thing new , and of yesterday . it has been thus almost in all ages of the church of god , and that not only in things small , and indifferent , but in things fundamental , and most substantial . i need instance in none other for proof hereof , but the doctrine of faith , and holiness . if faith be preached as that which is absolutely necessary to justification ; then faith-fantastical , and loosness and remisness in life ( with some ) are joyned therewith . if holiness of life be preached , as necessary to salvation , then faith is undervalued , and set below its place ; and works as to justification with god set up and made co-partners with christ● merits in the remission of sins . thu● iniquity joyneth it self with the great and most substantials of th● gospel , and 't is hard to receive an● good opinion , what ever , but iniquity will joyn it self thereto wicked spirits do not only tempt men to transgress the moral law , but do present themselves in heavenly things , working there , and labouring in them , to wrest the judgment , and turn the understanding and conscience awry in those high and most important things . wherefore , i say , we must be the more watchful , and careful lest we be abused in our notions and best principles , by the iniquities that joyn themselves thereto . 't is strange to see at this day , how , notwithstanding all the threatnings of god , men are wedded to their own opinions , beyond what the law of grace and love will admit . here 's a presbyter , here 's an independent , an anabaptist , so joyned each man to his own opinion , that they cannot have that communion one with another , as by the testament of the lord jesus , they are commanded and injoyned . what is the cause ? is the truth ? no! god is ●he author of no confusion in the church of god. it is then because every man makes too much of his own opinion , abounds too much in his own sence , and takes not care to separate his opinion from the iniquity that cleaveth thereto . that this confusion is in the church of christ , i am of paul , i of apollo , i of cephas , & i of christ , is too manifest . but what unbecoming language is this for the children of the same father , members of the same body , and heirs of the same glory to be accustomed to ? whether it is pride , or hypocrisie , or ignorance , or self , or the devil , or the jesuite , or all these joyntly working with the church , that makes and maintains these names of distinction . this distance , and want of love , this contempt of one another , these base and undervaluing thoughts of brethren , will be better seen , to the shame and confusion of some , in the judgment . in the mean time , i advise thee with whom i am at this time concerned , to take heed of this mixture , this sinful mixture of trut● and iniquity together . and to help thee in this thing : keep thine eye much upon thine own base self , labour also to be sensible of the imperf●ctions that cleave to thy best performances , be clothed with humility , and prefer thy brother before thy self : and know that christianity lieth not in small matters , neither before god , nor understanding men . and it would be well if those that so stickle by their private and unscriptural notions ( which only is iniquity cleaving to truth ) : i say it would be well if such were more sound in faith , and morals , and i● by their lives they gave better conviction to the world , that the truth and grace of christ is in them . sometimes , so much iniquity is mixed with good opinions that it prevails , not only to hurt men in this world , but to drown them in misery everlasting . 't was good that the j●ws did own and allow the ceremonies of the law , but since the iniquity that joyned it self thereto , did prevail with them to make those ceremonies copartners with christ in those matters that pertained to christ alone : therefore they perished in them . the galatians also with many of the corinthians had like to have been overthrown by these things . take heed therefore of that iniquity that seeketh to steal , with the truth , into thy heart , thy judgment and understanding . nor doth one iniquity come without another , they are linked together , and come by companies , and therefore usually they that are superstitious in one thing , are corrupted in several other . the more a man stands upon his points to justifie himself , and to condemn his holy brethren : the more danger he is in of being overcome of divers evils . and it is the wisdom of god to let it be so , that flesh might not glory in his presence . his soul , that is lifted up ; to wit , with his good doings , with his order , and methods in religion , his soul is not upright in him . i have often said in my heart , what is the reason that some of the brethren should be so shy of holding communion , with those every whit as good , if not better , than themselves ? is it b●cause they think themselves u●worthy of their holy fellowship ? no verily : it is because they exalt themselves , they are leavened with some iniquity that hath mixed it self with some good opinions that they hold , and therefore it is that they say to others , stand by thy self , come not near me , for i am holier than thou : but what is the sentence of god concerning those ? why , these are a smoke in my nose , a fire that burneth all the day . wherefore , as i said before , so i say now again , take heed of the iniquity that cleaveth to good opinions . the which thou wilt in no wise be able to shun , unless thou beest clothed with humility . but , seventhly , let them that name the name of christ , depart from hypocrisies . this exhortation is as the first , general ; for hypocrisies are of that nature , that they spread themselves ( as the leprosie of the body ) all over ; not the faculties of the soul only , but all the duties of a man. so that here is a great iniquity to be parted from , an over-spreading iniquity . this sin will get into all thy profession , into every whit of it , and will make the whole of it a loathsome stink in the nostrils of god. hypocrisie will be in the pulpit , in conference , in closets , in communion of saints , in faith , in love , in repentance , in zeal , in humility , in alms , in the prison , and in all duties . so that here is , for the keeping of thy soul upright and sincere , more than ordinary diligence to be used . hypocrisie is one of the most abominable of iniquities . it is a sin that dares it with god. it is a sin that saith , god is ignorant , or that he delighteth in iniquity . it is a sin that flattereth , that dissembleth , that offereth to hold god , as it were , fair in hand about that which is neither purposed nor intended . it is also a sin that puts a man upon studying and contriving to beguile , and deceive his neighbour , as to the bent and intent of the heart , and also as to the cause and end of actions . it is a sin that perswadeth a man to make a shew of civility , morality , or christian religion as a cloak , a pretence , a guise to deceive withal . it will make a man preach for a place , and praise , rather than to glorifie god and save souls ; it will put a man upon talking that he may be commended ; it will make a man , when he is at prayer in his closet , strive to be heard without doors ; it will make a man ask for that he desireth not , and shew zeal in duties , when his heart is as cold , as senseless , and as much without savour , as a clod : it will make a man pray to be seen and heard of men , rather than to be heard of god. it will make a man strive to weep , when he repenteth not , and to pretend much friendship , when he doth not love . it will make a man pretend to experience , and sanctification , when he has none ; and to faith and sincerity , when he knows not what they are . there is opposed to this sin , simplicity , innocency , and godly sincerity , without which three graces , thou wilt be an hypocrite , let thy notions , thy knowledge , thy profession , and commendations from others be what they will. helps against this sin there are many , some of which i shall now present thee with . . believe that gods eye is always upon thy heart to observe all the ways , all the turnings , and windings of it . . believe that he observeth all thy ways , and marks thy actions . the ways of man are before the eyes of the lord , and he pondereth all his goings . . believe that there is a day of judgment a coming , and that then all things shall be revealed and discovered as they are . for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed , nor hid , that shall not be known . therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness , shall be heard in light , and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets , shall be proclaimed upon the house tops . . believe that an hypocrite , with the cunning and shrouds for his hypocrisie , can go unseen no farther than the grave , nor can he longer flatter himself with thoughts of life . for the triumphing of the wicked is short , the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment . though his exellency reach up to the heavens , and his head reacheth unto the clouds : yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung , they which have seen him , shall say where is he ? he shall fly away as a dream and not be found ; yea , he shall be chased away as a vision of the night . . believe that god will not spare an hypocrite , in the judgment ; no nor punish him neither with ordinary damnation : but as they have here sinned in a way by themselves , so there they shall receive greater damnation . of all sins , the sin of hypocrisie bespeaks a man most in love with some lust , because he dissembleth both with god and man to keep it . for a conclusion upon this seven-fold answer to the question above propounded ; let me advise those that are tender of the name of christ , to have regard to these things . first , be well acquainted with the word , and with the general rules of holiness ; to wit , with the moral law , the want of this is a cause of much unholiness of conversation . these licentious and evil times , wherein we live , are full of iniquity , nor can we ( though we never so much love god ) do our duty as we are injoyned , if we do not know it . the law is cast behind the back of many , when it should be carried in the hand , and heart , that we might do it to the end , the gospel , which we profess , might be glorified in the world . let then the law be with thee to love it , and do it in the spirit of the gospel , that thou be not unfruitful in thy life . let the law , i say , be with thee , not as it comes from moses , but from christ ; for though thou art set free from the law , as a covenant for life , yet thou still art under the law to christ , and it is to be received by thee , as out of his hand , to be a rule for thy conversation in the world . what then thou art about to do , do it or leave it undone as thou shalt find it approved , or forbidden by the law . and when ought shall come into thy mind to be done , and thou art at a stand , and at a loss about the lawfulness , or unlawfulness thereof , then betake thy self to the law of thy god , which is in thy hand , and ask if this thing be good , or to be avoided . if this were practised by professors , there would not be so much iniquity found in their beds , their houses , their shops , and their conversations as there is . secondly , as thou must be careful to find out the lawfulness or unlawfulness of a thing before thou puttest forth thy hand thereto : so thou must also consider again , whether that which is lawful is expedient . a thing may be lawful in it self , and may yet be unlawful to thee , to wit ; if there be an inconveniency , or an inexpediency attending the doing of it . all things are lawful for me , says the apostle , but all things are not expedient : all things are lawful for me , but all things edifie not . this then thou must consider , and this also thou must practise . but this is a hard lesson , and impossible to be done except thou art addicted to self-denial . for this text , and so the practice of what is contained therein , has respect chiefly to another , to wit , to thy neighbour , and his advantage and edification ; and it supposeth , yea , injoyneth thee , if thou wilt depart from iniquity , to forbear also some things that are lawful , and consequently profitable to thee , for the sake of , and of love to thy neighbour . but how little of this is found among men ? where is the man that will forbear some lawful things , for fear of hurting the weak thereby . alas ! how many are there that this day profess , that will not forbear palpable wickedness : no , though the salvation of their own souls are endangered thereby ; and how then should these forbear things that are lawful , even of godly tenderness to the weakness of their neighbour ? thus much have i thought good to speak , in answer to this question , what iniquity should we depart from , that religiously name the name of christ : and now we will make some use of what hath been spoken . and the first shall be an use of examination . art thou a professor ? dost thou religiously name the name of christ ? if so , i ask , dost thou according to the exhortation here , depart from iniquity . i say , examine thy self about this matter , and be thou faithful in this work : for the deceit in this will fall upon thine one pate . deceive thy self thou maiest , but beguile god thou shalt not . be not deceived , god is not mocked , for what a man soweth , that shall he reap ▪ wherefore let no man deceive himself , either in professing , while he lives viciously ; or in examining whether his profession of this name , and his life and conversation do answer one another . what departing from iniquity is , i have already shewed , in the former part of this book : wherefore i shall not here handle that point farther , only press upon thee , the necessity of this exhortation , and the danger of the not doing of it faithfully . the necessity of it is urged , . from the deceitfulness of mans heart , which will flatter him with promises of peace and life , both now and hereafter , though he live in iniquity , while he professeth the name of christ. for there are that say in their hearts , or that have their hearts say unto them , i shall have peace , though i walk in the imagination of my heart , to add drunkenness to thirst . and what will become of them that so do , you may see by that which followeth in the text. the heart therefore is not to be trusted , for it will promise a man peace in the way of death and damnation . i doubt not but many are under this fearful judgment to this day . what means else their quietness of mind , their peace and boasts of heaven , and glory , though every step they take , as to life and conversation , is an apparent step to hell and damnation ; these sayings , the heart is deceitful : and , he that trusts his heart is a fool ; were not written without a cause . let as many therefore as would examine themselves about this matter have a jealous eye over their own heart , and take heed of being beguiled thereby : let them mix hearty prayer with this matter , unto god , that he will help them to be faithful to themselves , in this so great a matter , yea , let them compare their lives with the holy commandment , and judge by that rather than by the fleshly fondness , that men naturally are apt to have for , and of their own actions . for by the verdict of the word , thou must stand and fall , both now , at death , and in the day of judgment . take heed therefore of thy heart , thy carnal heart , when thou goest into thy life , to make a search for iniquity . take the word with thee , and by the word do thou examin thy self . . it is urged from the cunning of satan . wouldest thou examin thy self faithfully as to this thing , then take heed of the flatteries of the devil : can he help it , thou shalt never find out the iniquity of thy heels . he will labour to blind thy mind , to harden thy heart , to put such vertuous names upon thy foulest vices , that thou shalt never , unless thou stoppest thine ear to him , after a godly sort , truly examin and try thy ways , according as thou art commanded . wherefore take heed of him , for he will be ready at thy side when thou goest about this work . now for thy help in this matter , set god , the holy god , the all-seeing god , the sin-revenging god , before thine eyes ; for our god is a consuming fire . and believe that he hath pitcht his eyes upon thy heart , also that he pondereth all thy goings , and that thy judgment , as to thy faithfulness , or unfaithfulness , in this work , must proceed out of the mouth of god. this will be thy help in this thing , that is , if thou usest it faithfully ; also this will be thy hindrance , if thou shalt neglect it , and suffer thy self to be abused by the devil . . it is urged from the dangerousness of the latter days . wouldest thou examin thy self , then make not the lives of others any rule to thee in this matter . 't is prophesied long ago , by christ and by paul , concerning the latter times , that iniquity shall abound , and be very high among professors . therefore it will be a rare thing to find an exemplary life among professors . wherefore cease from man , and learn of the word , try thy self by the word , receive conviction from the word ; and to take off thy self from taking of incouragemnt from others , set the judgment before thine eyes , and that account that god will demand of thee then ; and know that it will be but a poor excuse of thee to say , lord such an one doth so , did so , would do so : and they professed , &c. whether thou wilt hear me , or not , i know not , yet this i know , if thou be wise , thou shalt be wise for thy self : but if thou scornest , thou alone shalt bear it . let me then , to press this use farther upon thee , shew thee in a few particulars , the danger of not doing of it , that is of not departing from iniquity , since thou professest . first , the iniquity that cleaveth to men that profess , if they cast it not away , but countenance it , will all prove nettles and bryers to them : and i will assure thee , yea , thou knowest , that nettles and thorns will sting and scratch but ill-favouredly . i went , saith solomon , by the field of the slothful , and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding . and lo , it was all grown over with thorns , and nettles had covered the face thereof , and the stone wall thereof was broken down . suppose a man were , after work all day , to be turned into a bed of nettles at night : or after a man had been about such a business , should be rewarded with chastisements of bryers and thorns : this would for work be but little help , relief , or comfort to him ; why this is the reward of a wicked man , of a wicked professor , from god ; nettles and thorns are to cover over the face of his vineyard , his field , his profession , and that at the last of all ; for this covering over the face of his vineyard , with nettles and thorns , is to shew what fruit the slovenly , slothful , careless , professor will reap out of his profession , when reaping time shall come . nor can he whose vineyard , whose profession is covered over with these nettles and thorns of iniquity , escape being afflicted with them in his conscience : for look as they cover the face of his vineyard through his sloth now , so will they cover the face of his conscience , in the day of judgment . for profession and conscience cannot be separated long : if a man then shall make profession without conscience of gods honour in his conversation , his profession and conscience will meet in the day of his visitation . nor will he , whose condition this shall be , be able to ward off the guilt , and sting of a slothful and bad conversation , from covering the face of his conscience , by retaining in his profession the name of jesus christ : for naming , and professing of the name of christ , will , instead of salving such a conscience , put venom , sting , and keenness into those nettles , and thorns , that then shall be spread over the face of such consciences . this will be worse than was that cold wet cloth that hazael took and spread over the face of benhadad , that he died . this will sting worse , tear worse , torment worse , kill worse . therefore look to it . . nor may men shift this danger by their own neglect of inquiring into the truth of their separation from iniquity , for , that god himself will search them . i search the reins and the heart , saith he , to give unto every one of you according to his ways . there are many that wear the name of christ for a cloak , and so make their advantages by their iniquity ; but christ at death and judgment , will rent this cloak from off such shoulders , then shall they walk naked , yea , the shame of their nakedness shall then appear . now since no man can escape the search of god , and so , not his judgment : it will be thy wisdom to search thine own ways , and to prevent judgement by judging of thy self . . christ will deny those to be his that do not depart from iniquity , though they shall name his name among the rest of his people . depart from me , saith he , all you that departed not from iniquity . yea , they that shall n●me his name religiously , and not depart from iniquity , are denyed by him all along . . he alloweth them not now to call him lord. and why call ye me lord , lord , saith he , and do not the things which i say ? he cannot abide to be reputed the lord of those that presume to profess his name , and do not depart from iniquity . the reason is , for that such do but profane his name , and stave others off from falling in love with him and his ways . hence he says again , behold i have sworn by my great name , saith the lord , that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of judah . . he regardeth not their prayers . if i regard iniquity in my heart , the lord will not hear my prayer . and if so , then what ever thou hast at the hand of god , thou hast it , not in mercy , but in judgment , and to work out farther thine everlasting misery . . he will not regard their soul , but at the last day will cast it from him , as a thing abhorred by him . as is evidently seen by that thirteenth of luke , but now noted in the margent . wherefore from these few hints , thou , whoever thou art , maiest well perceive what an horrible thing it is to make a profession of the name of christ , and not to depart from iniquity . therefore let me exhort thee again to examin thy self , if thou hast , and dost , ( since thou professest that name ) depart from iniquity . and here i would distinguish , for there is two parts in iniquity , to wit , the guilt , and filth . as for the guilt , that is contracted by inquity , i perswade my self , no man who knows it , needs to be bid to desire to depart from that ; nay , i do believe that the worst devil in hell would depart from his guilt , if he could , and might : but this is it , to wit , to depart from the sweet , the pleasure , and profi● of iniquity . there are that call evil good , iniquity good , and that of professors too : this is that to be departed from , and these are they that are exhorted to forsake it upon the pains and penalties before threatened . therefore , as i said , let such look to it , that they examin themselves if they depart from iniquity . and come , now thou art going about this work , let me help thee in this matter . . ask thy heart , what evil dost thou see in sin ? . how sick art thou of sin ? . what means dost thou use to mortifie thy sins ? . how much hast thou been grieved to see others break gods law , and to find temptations in thy self to do it . for the first , . there is a soul-polluting evil in iniquity , . there is a god provoking evil in iniquity . . there is a soul-damning evil in iniquity . and untill thou comest experimentally to know these things , thou wilt have neither list , nor will , to depart from iniquity . for the second . i mean not sick with guilt , for , so the damned in hell are sick , but i mean sick of the filth , and polluting nature of it . thus was moses sick of sin , thus jabez was sick of sin , and thus was paul sick of sin . for the third . you know that those that are sensible of a sickness , will look out after the means to be recovered ; there is a means also for this disease , and dost thou know what that means is , and hast thou indeed a desire to it ? yea , couldest thou be willing even now to partake of the means that would help thee to ●hat means , that can cure thee of this disease ? there are no means can cure a man that is sick of sin , but glory ; and the means to come by that is christ , and to go out of this world by the faith of him . there is no grace can cure this disease ; yea , grace doth rather encrease it : for the more grace any man has , the more is he sick of sin ; the greater an offence is iniquity to him . so then , there is nothing can cure this disease but glory : but immortal glory . and dost thou desire this medicine . and doth god testifie that thy desire is true , not feigned . i know that there are many things that do make some even wish to die : but the question is not whether thou dost wish to die : for death can cure many diseases : but is this that that moveth thee to desire to depart ; to wit , that thou mightest be rid , quite rid , and stript of a body of death , because nothing on this side the grave can rid thee and strip thee off it . and is hope , that this day is approaching , a reviving cordial to thee ? and doth the hope of this strike arrows into the heart of thy lusts , and draw off thy mind , and affections , yet farther , from iniquity . to the fourth . how much hast thou be●n grieved to see others break gods law , and to find temptations in thy self to do it ? i beheld the transgressors and was grieved , said david , because men kept not thy word . the same also had paul , be●ause of that body of sin and death which was in him . professor , i beseech thee be thou serious about this thing , because it will be found , wh●n go● comes to judge , that those that profess christ , and yet abide with their iniquity , are but wooden , earthy professors , and none of the silver or golden ones : and to consequently such as shall be vessels , not to honour , but to dishonour ; not to glory , but to shame . secondly , my next shall be a use of terror . has god commanded by the mouth of his holy apostles and prophets , that those that name the name of christ , should depart from iniquity : then what will become of those that rebel against his word . where the word of a king is ▪ t●ere is power ; and if the wrath of a king be as the roaring of a lyon , what is , and what will be the wrath of god , when with violence it falls upon the head of the wicked ? sirs , i beseech you consider this , namely , that the man that professeth the name of christ , and yet liveth a wicked life , is the greatest enemy that god has in the world , and consequently , one that god , in a way most eminent , will set his face against . hence he threatneth such so hotly , saying , and the destruction of the transgressors , and of the sinners shall be together ; and that they that forsake the lord shall be consumed . but what sinners are these ? why , the sinners in zion , the hypocrites in the church . so again , the lord shall purge out from among you the rebels , and them that transgress against him . all the sinners of my people shall die with the sword , which say , the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us . for though such do think that by professing of the name of christ , they shall prevent their going down to hell , yet they shall go down thither , with those that have lived openly wicked and profane : egypt , and judah , the circumcised with them that are not ; for it is not a profession of faith that can save them . whom dost thou pass in beauty , saith god ? wherein art thou bettered by the profession , than the wicked ? go down , and be thou laid wi●h the uncircumcised . this in general : but more particularly , the wrath of god manifesteth it self against such kind of professors . in that the gospel , and means of salvation shall not be effectual for their salvation , but that it shall work rather quite contrary effects . it shall bring forth , as i said , quite contrary effects . as , . the preaching of the word shall be to such , the savour of death unto death , and that 's a fearful thing . . yea christ jesus himself shall be so far off from being a savour unto them , that he shall be a snare , a trap and a gin to catch them by the heel withal ; that they may go and fall backward , and be broken , and snared , and taken . . the lord also will chose out such delusions for such , as will best suite with the workings of their flesh , as will effectually bring them down , with the bullocks and with the bulls to the slaughter : yea , he will lead such forth with the workers of iniquity . . such , above all , lie open to the sin against the holy ghost , that unpardonable sin , that must never be forgiven . for alas , it is not the poor ignorant world , but the enlightened professor that committeth the sin that shall never be forgiven . i say , 't is one inlightened , one that has tasted the good word of god , and something of the powers of the world to come ; 't is one that was counted a brother , that was with us in our profession : 't is such an one that is in danger of committing of that most black and bloody sin . but yet all and every one of those that are such , are not in danger of this ; but those among these that take pleasure in unrig●●eousness , and that rather than the● will lose that pleasure , will commit it presumptously . presumptuously , that is , against light , against convictions , against warnings , against mercies . or thus , a presumptuous sin is such an one as is committe● in the face of the command , in a desperate venturing to run the hazzard , or in a presuming upon the mercy of god , through christ to be saved notwithstanding : this is a leading sin to that which is unpardonable , and will be found with su●h professors that do hanker after iniquity . i say , it is designed by the devil , and suff●red by the just judgment of god , to catch and overthrow the loose & carnal gospelers . and hence it is that david cries unto god , that he would hold him back from these sort of sins . cleanse thou me from my s●cret faults , says he . and then adds , keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins , let them not have dominion over me ; then shall i be upright , and i shall be innocent from the great transgression . if there were any dread of god , or of his word , in the hearts of the men of this generation , the consideration of this one text is enough to shake them in pieces : i speak of those that name the name of christ , but do not depart from iniquity . but the word of god must be fulfilled ; in the last days , iniquity must abound ; wherefore these days will be perilous and dangerous to professors . in the last days perilous times shall come , for men shall be lovers of their own selves , covetous , boasters , proud , blaspheemers , disobedient to parents , unthankful , unholy . i do the oftner harp upon this text at this time , because it is a prediction of what shall be in the latter days , to wit , what a sea and deluge of iniquity , shall in the latter days over-spread and drown those that then shall have a form of godliness , and of religion . so that this day is more dangerous than were the days that have been before us . now iniquity , even immorality , shall with professors be in fashion , be pleaded for , be loved and more esteemed , than holiness it self . now godliness , and self-denyal shall be little set by ; even those very men that have a form of godliness , hate the life , and power thereof ; yea , they shall despise them that are good . now therefore ministers must not think that what they say of the doctrine of self denial among professors , will be much , if at all regarded . i say , regarded , so as to be loved and put in practice by them that name the name of christ. for the strong hold that iniquity shall have of their affections , will cause that but little , effectualness to this end will be found to attend the preaching of the word unto them . but what will these kind of men do , when god that is just , god that is holy , and god that is strong to execute his word , shall call them to an account for these things ? now some may say , but what shall we do to depart from iniq●ity ? i answer , . labour to see the odio●sness and unprofitableness thereof ; which thou maiest do by the true knowledge of the excellent nature of the holiness of god : for until thou seest a beauty in holiness , thou canst not see odiousness in sin and iniquity . danger thou maiest see in sin before , but odiousness thou canst not . . be much in the consideration of the power , justice , and faithfulness of god to revenge himself on the workers of iniquity . . be much in the consideration of the greatness and worth of thy soul. . be often asking of thy self , what true profit did i ever get by the commission of any sin . . bring thy last day often to thy bed side . . be often thinking of the cries , and roarings of the damned in hell. . be often considering the lastingness of the torments of h●ll . . be often thinking what would those that are now in hell give , that they might live their lives over again . . consider often of the frailty of thy life , and that there is no repentance to be found in the grave , whither thou goest . . consider that hell is a doleful place , and that the devils are but uncomfortable companions . . again , consider together with these , how the patience of god has been abused by thee ; yea , how all his attributes have been despised by thee , who art a professor , that does not depart from iniquity . . moreover , i would ask with what face thou canst look the lord jesus in the face , whose name thou hast profaned by thine iniquity ? . also ; how thou wilt look on those that are truly godly , whose hearts thou hast grieved , while they have beheld the dirt and dung that hath cloven to thee and to thy prof●ssion . . but especially consider with thy self , how thou wilt bear , together with thine ow● , the guilt of the damnation of ●th●rs . for as i have often said , a p●o●essor , if he perishes , seldom perishes alone , but casteth others down to hell with himself : the reason is , because others , both weak professors , and carnal men , are spectators , and observers of his ways . yea , and will presume also to follow him specially in evil courses , concluding that he is right . we read that the tail of the dragon , or that the dragon by his tail , did draw , and cast down abundance of the stars of heaven to the earth : the tail. the prophet that speaketh lies , he is the tail. the prophet that speaketh lies , either by opinion or practice , he is the tail , the dragons tail , the serpentin tail of the devil . and so in his order , every professor that by his iniquity draweth both himself and others to hell , he is the tail. the tail , says the holy ghost , draws them down : draws down even the stars of heaven . but whither doth he draw them ? the answer is , from heaven , the throne of god ; to earth , the seat of the dragon . for he is the god of this wo●ld . the professor then that is dishonourable in his profession , he is the tail. the antient and honourable , he is the head ; and the prophet that speaketh lies , he is the tail. nor can satan work such exploits by any , as he can by unrighteous professors . these he useth in his hand , as the giant useth his club ; he , as it were , drives all before him with it . ( 't is said of behemoth , that he moveth his tail like a cedar : behemoth is a type of the devil , but behold how he handleth his tail , even as if a man should swing about a cedar . ) this is spoken to shew the hurtfulness of the tail : as it is also said in another place . better no professor than a wicked professor : better open profane , than a hypocritical namer of the name of christ : and less hurt shall such an one do to his own soul , to the poor ignorant world , to the name of christ , and to the church of god. let professors therefore take heed to themselves , that they joyn to their naming of the name of christ , an holy and godly conversation : for away they must go else with the workers of iniquity to the pit , with more guilt , and bigger load , and more torment by far than others . but , thirdly , my next word shall be to those that desire to be tru● , sincere professors of the name of christ. first , do you bless god , for that he has put not only his name into your lips , but grace into your hearts , that thereby that prof●ssion which thou makest of him , may be seasoned with that salt ; every sacrifice shall be seasoned with salt . now naming of the name of christ is a sacrifice , and a sacrifice acceptable , when the salt of the covenant of thy god is not lacking , but mixed there with . therefore i say , since god has put his name into thy mouth to profess the same , and grace into thy heart to season that profession with such carriage , such behaviour , such life , and such conversation as doth become the same : thou hast great cause to thank god. a man into whose mouth god has put the name of christ to profess it , is as a man that is to act his part upon a stage in the market-place ; if he doth it well , he brings praise both to his master and himself : but if he doth it ill , both are brought into contempt . no greater praise can by man be brought to god , than by joyning to the profession of the name of christ a fruitful life and conversation . herein , saith christ , is my my father glorified , that ye bear much fruit , so shall ye be my desciples . fruitful lives god expecteth of all that profess the name of christ. and , let every one that nameth the name of christ , depart from iniquity . bless god therefore if he hath kept thee from blotting , and blemishing of thy profession ; if thy conversation has not been stained with the blots and evils of the times . what thou feelest , fightest with , and groanest under by reason of the working of thine inward corruptions , with that i meddle not , nor is thy conversation the worse for that , if thou keepest them from breaking out . thou also shalt be counted holy unto god through christ , if thou be of an upright conversation : though plagued every day with the working of thine own corruption . as gods grace is the salt of saints , so saints are the salt of god. the one is the salt of god in the heart , and the other is the salt of god in the world . ye are the salt of the earth : that is , the salt of god in the earth . for the earth would be wholly corrupt , and would altogether stink , if professors were not in it : but now if the professor , which is the salt , shall inde●d lose his savour , and hath nothing in his conversation , to season that part of the earth , in which god has placed him , where with shall it be seasoned ? the place where he dwels , as well as his profession , will both stink odiously , in the nostrils of the lord : and so both come to ruin and desolation . indeed , as i have shewed , the professor will come to the worst of it : for that god doth deny further to give him salt . if the salt has lost its savour , wherewith shall it be salted ? wherewith shall the salt be salted ? with nothing . therefore it is thenceforth good for nothing : no , not for the dunghill , but to be cas● out , and troden under foot of men . he tha● hath ears to hear , let him hear . how much therefore , is the tender hearted , and he that laboureth to beautifie his prof●ssion with a gospel conversation , bound to bless god for the salt of his grace , by the which his heart is seasoned , and from his heart , his conversation . secondly , as such christians should bless god , so let them watch , l●t them still watch , let them still watch and pray , watch against satan , and pray yet for more grace , that they may yet more and more beautifie their profession of the worthy name of christ , with a suitable conversation . blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garment ; that is , his conversation clean , nor is their any thing , save the overthrowing of our faith , that satan seeketh more ●o destroy . he knows holiness in them that rightly , as to doctrine , name the name of christ , is a maul and destruction to his kingdom , an allurement to the ignorant , and a cutting off those occasions to stumble , that by the dirty life of a professor is laid in the way of the blind . he knows that holiness of lives , when they shine in those that profess the name of christ , doth cut off his lies that he seeketh to make the world believe ; and the slanders that he seeketh to fasten upon the professors of the gospel . wherefore as you have begun to glorifie god in your body and in your spirit , which are gods : so i beseech you do it more and more . thirdly , to this end , shun those prof●ssors that are loose of life and conversation : from such withdraw thy s●lf , saith paul , and follow righteousness , faith , charity , peace with them that call on the lord out of a pure heart . if a man , if a good man takes not good heed to himself , he shall soon bring his soul into a snare . loose professors are defilers , and corrupters ; a man shall get nothing but a blot by having company with them . besides , as a man shall get a blot by having much to do with such ; so , let him beware that his heart learn none of their ways . let thy company be the excellent in the earth ; even those that are excellent for knowledge and conversation . he that walketh with wise men , shall be wise ; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed . be content to be counted singuler , for so thou shalt , if thou shalt follow after righteousness , &c. in good earnest , for holiness is a rare thing now in the world . i told thee before that it is foretold by the word , that in the last dayes , perilous times shall come , and that men shall walk after their own lusts , yea , professors , to their destruction . nor will it be easie to keep thy self therefrom . but even as when the pestilence is come into a place , it infecteth , and casteth down the healthful : so the iniquity of the last times will infect and pollute the godly . i mean the generality of them . were but our times duly compared with those that went before , we should see that which now we are ignorant of . did we but look back to the puritans , but specially to those that but a little before them , suffered for the word of god , in the marian days , we should see another life than is now among men , another manner of conversation , than now is among professors . but i say , predictions and prophecies must be fulfilled , and since the word says plainly , that in the last days there shall come scoffers , walking after their own lusts ; and since the christians shall be endangered thereby , let us look to it , that we quit our selves like men , seeing we know these things before ; lest we being led away with the error of the wicked , fall from our own stedfastness . singularity in godliness , if it be in godliness , no man should be ashamed of . for that is no more than to be more godly , than to walk more humbly with god than others : and for my part , i had rather be a pattern , and example of piety : i had rather that my life should be instructing to the saints , and condemning to the world , with noah , and lot ; than to hazard my self among the multitude of the drossie . i know that many professors will fall short of eternal life , and my judgment tells me , that they will be of the slovenly sort of professors , that so do . and for my part , i had rather run with the foremost and win the prize , than come behind , and lose that , and my labour and all . if a man also strive for masteries , yet is he not crowned , ex●ept he strive lawfully . and when men have said all they can , they are the truly redeemed , that are zealous of good works . not that works do save us , but faith , which laieth hold on christs righteousness for justification , sanctifies the heart , and makes men desirous to live in this world , to the glory of that christ , who died in this world to save us from death . for my part i doubt of the faith of many , and fear that it will prove no better at the day of god , than will the faith of devils . for that it standeth in bare speculation , and is without life and soul to that which is good . where is the man that walketh with his cross upon his shoulder ? where is the man that is zealous of moral holiness ? indeed , for those things that have nothing of the cross of the purse , or of the cross of the belly , or of the cross of the back , or of the cross of the vanity of houshold affairs ; for those things i find we have many , and those very busie sticklers : but otherwise , the cross , self-denial , charity , purity in life and conversation is almost quite out of doors among professors . but man of god , do thou be singular as to these , and as to their conversation . be not therefore partaker with them , in any of their ways , but keep thy soul diligently ; for if dammage happeneth to thee , thou alone must bear it . but he that will depart from iniquity , must be well fortified with faith , and patience , and the love of god , for iniquity has its beauty spots , and its advantages attending on it : hence it is compared to a woman ; for it allureth greatly . wherefore , i say , he that will depart therefrom had need have faith , that being it which will help him to see beyond it , and that will shew him more in things that are invisible , than can be found in sin , were it ten thousand times more intangling than it is . he has need of patience also to hold out in this work of departing from iniquity . for indeed to depart from that is to draw my mind off from that , which will follow me with continual solicitations . samson withstood his dulilah for a while , but she got the mastery of him at the last ; why so ? because he wanted patience , he grew angry and was vexed , and could withstand her solicitation no longer . many there be also that can well enough be contented to shut sin out of doors for a while ; but because sin has much fair speech , therefore it overcomes at last . for sin and iniquity will not be easily said nay : it is like her of whom you read , she has a whores fore-head , and refuses to be ashamed . wherefore departing from iniquity is a work for length , as long as life shall last . a work , did i say ? 't is a war ; a continual combate : wherefore he that will adventure to set upon this work must needs be armed with faith and patience , a daily exercise he will find himself put upon , by the continual attempts of iniquity to be putting forth it self . this is called an enduring to the end , a continuing in the word of christ , and also a keeping of the word of his patience . but what man in the world can do this , whose heart is not seasoned with the love of god , and the love of christ ? therefore he that will exercise himself in this work , must be often considering of the love of god to him in christ : for the more sense , or apprehension a man shall have of that , the more easie and pleasant will this work be to him . yea , though the doing thereof should cost him his hearts blood . thy loving kindness is before mine eyes ( says david ) and i have walked in thy truth . nothing like the sense , sight or belief of that , to the man of god , to make him depart from iniquity . but what shall i do , i cannot depart therefrom as i should ? keep thine eye upon all thy shortnesses , or upon all thy failures , for that is profitable for thee . . the sight of this will make thee base in thine own eyes . . it will give thee occasion to see the need , and excellency of repentance . . it will put thee upon prayer to god for help , and pardon . . it will make thee weary of this world . . it will make grace to persevere the more desirable in thine eyes . also it will help thee in the things which follow . . it will make thee see the need of christs righteousness . . it will make thee see the need of christs intercession . . it will make thee see thy need of christs advocateship . . it will make thee see the riches of gods patience . . and 't will make heaven and eternal life the sweeter to thee when thou comest there . but to the question . get more grace . for the more grace thou hast , the further is thine heart set off of iniquity , the more also set against it , and the better able to depart from it , when it cometh to thee , tempteth thee , and intreats thee for entertainment . now the way to have more grace , is to have more knowledge of christ , and to pray more fervently in his name : also to subject thy soul and thy lusts with all thy power to the authority of that grace thou hast , and to judge and condemn thy self most heartily before god , for every secret inclination that thou findest in thy flesh to sin-ward . the improvement of what thou hast , is that , as i may say , by which god judges how thou wouldest use , if thou hadst it , more ; and according to that , so shalt thou have , or not have , a farther measure . he that is faithful in that which is least , is faithful ( and will be so ) also in much , and he that is unjust in the least , is ( and will be ) unjust also in much . i know christ speaks here about the unrighteous mammon , but the same may be applied also unto the thing in hand . and if ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans , who will commit unto you that which is your own ? that is a remarkable place to this purpose in the revelations . behold , saith he , i have set before thee an open door ( that thou maiest have what thou wilt , as was also said to the improving woman of canaan ) and no man can shut it : for thou hast a little strength , and hast held fast my word , and hast not denyed my name . a good improvement of what we have of the grace of god at present , pleases god , and ingages him to give us more : but an ill improvement of what we at present have , will not do so . to him that hath , ( that hath an heart to improve what he hath ) to him shall be given ; but to him that hath not , from him shall be taken , even that which he hath . well weigh the place and you shall find it so . i know that to depart from iniquity so as is required , that is to the utmost degree of the requirement , no man can ; for it is a copy too fair for mortal flesh exactly to imitate , while we are in this world . but with good paper , good ink , and a good pen , a skillful and willing man may go far . and 't is well for thee if thy complaint be sincere ; to wit , that thou art troubled that thou canst not forsake iniquity , as thou shouldest : for god accepteth of thy design and desire , and 't is counted by him as thy kindness . but if thy complaint in this matter be true , thou wilt not rest , nor content thy self in thy complaints , but wilt , ( as he that is truly hungry , or greatly burdened , useth all lawful means to satisfie his hunger , and to ease himself of his burden ) use all thy skill and power to mortifie and keep them under by the word of god. nor can it otherwise be , but that such a man must be a growing man. every branch that beareth fruit , he purgeth it , that it may br●ng forth more fruit . suc● a man shall not be a stumbling in religion , nor a scandal to i● , in his calling , but shall ( according to gods ordinary way with his people ) be a fruitful and flourishing bough . and i would to god this were the sickness of all them that profess in this nation . for then should we soon have a new leaf turned over in most corners of this nation : then would graciousness of heart , and life , and conversation be more prized , more sought after , and better improved , and practised , than it is . yea , then would the throats of ungodly men be better stopt , and their mouths faster shut up , as to their reproaching of religion , than they are . a christian man must be the object of the envy of the world ; but 't is better , if the will of god be so , that we be reproached for well doing , than for evil . if we be reproached for evil doing , 't is our shame ; but if for well doing , 't is our glory . if we be reproached for our sins , god cannot vindicate us ; but if we be reproached for a vertuous life , god himself is concerned , will espouse our quarrel , and in his good time will shew our foes our righteousness , and put them to shame and silence . briefly , a godly life annexed to faith in christ , is so necessary that a man that professes the name of christ , is worse than a beast without it . but thou wilt say unto me , why do men profess the name of christ , that love not to depart from iniquity ? i answer , there are many reasons for it . . the preaching of the gospel , and so , the publication of the name of christ , is musical and very taking to the children of men . a saviour ! a redeemer ! a loving sin-pardoning jesus ! what better words can come from man ? what better melody can be heard ? son of man , said god to the prophet , lo thou art to them as a very lovely song , or as a song of loves , of one that hath a pleasant voice , and can play well on an instrument . the gospel is a most melodious note , and sweet tune , to any that are not prepossessed with slander , reproach and enmity against the professors of it . now its melodious notes being so sweet , no marvel , if it intangle some , even of them ( that yet will not depart from iniquity ) to take up and profess so lovely a profession . but , . there are a generation of men that are and have been frightned with the law , and terrified with fears of perishing for their sins , but yet have not grace to leave them . now when the sound of the gospel shall reach such mens ears , because there is by that made publick the willingness of christ to die for sin , and of god to forgive them for his sake ; therefore they presently receive and profess those notions , as the only ones that can rid them from their frights and terrors , falsely resting themselves content with that faith thereof , which standeth in naked knowledge ; yea , liking of that faith best , that will stand with their pride , covetousness , and leachery , never desiring to hear of practical holiness , because it will disturb them : wherefore they usually cast dirt at such , calling them legal preachers . . here also is a design of satan set on foot . for these carnal gospellers , are his tares , the children of the wicked one . those that he hath sowed among the wheat of purpose , if possible , that that might be rooted up by beholding and learning to be vile and filthy of them . . another cause hereof is this , the hypocrites that begin to profess , find as bad as themselves already in a profession of this worthy name : and , think they , these do so , and so , and therefore so will i. . this comes to pass also through the righteous judgment of god , who through the anger that he has conceived against some men for their sins , will lift them up to heaven , before he casts them down to hell , that their fall may be the greater , and their punishment the more intolerable . i have now done , when i have read to you my text over again ; and let every one that nameth the name of christ , depart from iniquity . the end . advertisement . the reader is desired to take notice , that by the inconvenient distance of the author , some errors have crept into the foregoing sheets ; which it is hoped the judicious reader will both discover and amend . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e matth. . , . jam . . matt. . . luk. . . heb. . . matt. . , . rom. . , , . job . , . jam. . , . a twofold faith. joh. . . heb. . . rom. . . acts . . ch. . , . heb. . , heb. . . cor. . . king . , , , . cor. . two sorts of works . tit. . . mark . , . thess. . , . cor. . , , . jam. . , . ver. . john . chron. . , . col. . . cor. . , . mich. . jer. . . a twofold love to christ. mark . . cant. . . ezek. . . john . , , . psalm . . . matt. . . significative ordinances . joh. . . amos . , . john . , . isa. . . deut. , , . king. . . jer. . . notes for div a -e chap. , , ephes. . . tim. . . ephes. . , . pet. . . eph. . . rom. . colos. . . ezek. . . pro. . . isa. . . pro. . , , . . hos. . . ezek. . . tim. . , , , , , , . lam. . . jer. , . mat. . . psa. . . psal. . psa. . . psa. . . psa. . . jer. . . cor. . . psa. . . ps. . . . jo . . psal. . lam. . . lam. . . jer. . . chap. . . psal. . . ezek . . exod. . mat. . mat. . . acts . , , . acts . . chap. . . pet. . . lev. . . psa. . . joh. . . ps. . . mat. . . isa. . . cor. . . ephes. . , heb. . , , . rom. . rom. . . gal. . . eph. . . cor. . . heb. . . job . . . isa. . . gal. . . vers. . col. . . ▪ . ro. . . rom. . ezek. . . gal. . . job . . ro. . , , , , ezek. . , . job . . quest. answ. job . . ezek. . . ro. . . ro. . . tim. . . exod. . . prov. . . tim. . . prov. . . tim. . . quest. answ. gen. . , . job . . josh. . , , . cor. . . psal. . . psal. . . jam. . , . hos. . . . luk. . . mat. . . the reasons . first reason . joh. . . jam. . . tim. . . rom. . . , . . acts . . jer. . . thes. . . pet. . . jam. . . isa. . . heb. . . mark . . pro. . . chap. . . mark . . . rom. . . jer. . , . luk. . , , , . eccles. . , . cor. . joh. . , , . joh. . , . psal. . . cor. . . rom. . . psal. . . cor. . cor. . . acts . . . job . chap. . . . joh. . . philip. . . chap. . . second reason . thes. . . cor. . , . ezek. . , , . heb. . . king. . , , . pet. . , , . gal. . . chap. . . heb. . . . luk. . . luk. . . joh. . . pet. . mat. . , , , psal. . . numb . . . acts . . heb. . cant. . . pet. . . cor. . , . heb. . , . revel . . , . gal. . . . joh. . mat. . , . luk. . . eccl. . , , . psal. . , , . sam. . . . psal. . . psal. . . the third reason . isa. . . psal. . . heb. . . mat. . . pet. . . heb. . . phil. . , , . cor. . . ezek. . hag. . · jam. . . jo. . . numb . . , , , , . job . . chap. . . chap. . , . dan. . rom. . numb . . . psal. . . job . . chap. . . dan. . . rom. . . kings . . gen. . , . gal. . , , . sam. . . exod. . , , . judg. . , , . heb. . . thes. . . mal. . . pet. . . tim. . . heb. . . cor. . . eccl. . . exod. . , . . . . luk. . . cor. . . joh. . . chap. . . cor. . . heb. . . rom. . , . heb. . . pet. . , . isa. . . tit. . . eph. . . thes. . . isa. . . acts . . joh. . . chap. . king. . . rev. . , . chap. . . acts . . rev. . . . chap. . . tit. . , , , , . luk. . . jam. . . vers. . prov. . . jer. . , , . pet. . . isa. . . mat. . . jer. . . ezek. . . pet. . . jud. . tim. . . tit. . , . prov. . . mal. . . jer. . , . sam. . . mat. . . mal. . . mat. . prov. . . job . . rev. . . acts . . phil. . , . mark . . pet. . , . quest. answ. . heb. . . thes. . . luk . . hos. . . job . . joh. . , , , . hos. . . hos. . . heb. . . cor. . . answ. . psal. . jer. . . jer. . . tim. . . jer. . . hos. . . pet. . , , , , . prov. . , . vers. . answ. . act. . . gen. . . chap. . . pet. . , . psal. . . acts . numb . . . numb . . , , . ezek. . , , , , , , . isa. . . deut. . , , , . answ. . psal. . ● . . ephe● . ▪ ● , . ● , , , . ●et . . . ro. . . eph. . . rom. . , . psal. . . sam. . . vers. . . tim. . , . tim. . . isa. . , . tim. . , , , . tim. . . ephes . , , . psal. . . chro. . . mat. . , , , . jos. . . gen. . , . . job . . , , . hos. . . answ. . mat. . , . exo. . answ. . ephes. . , . cor. . . hab. . . isa. . . answ. . mat. . . luk. . , . ezek. . . mat. . , . tim. . . cor. . . mal. . . mat. . . col. . . mat. . . cor. . . luk. . . . hypocrisie a vile sin . pro. . . pro. . . luk. . . pro. . . luk. . , . job . , , , . luk. . . cor. . . cor. . . chap. . . use. . gal. . . deut. . . jer. . . pro. . . joh. . . lam. . . cor. . . heb. . . pro. . . chap. . . mat. . . tim. . , , , , , . , . prov. . . pro. . , . king. . . revel . . . luk. . , , . luk. . . ezek. . . rom. . . jer. . . psal. . . numb . . , . chro. . , . rom. . . cor. . , , . philip. . , , , , . cor. . psal. . . vse . isa. . . chap. . . ezek. . . amos . . jer. . . ez●k . . . cor. . . . isa. . . , . chap. . . chap. . , . psal. . . heb. . . joh. . . thes. . , , . psal. . , . mat. . . tim. . vers. . vers. . quest. answ. rev. . . isa. . , . isa. . . . job . . rev. . vse . mark . . heb. . . levit. . . joh. . . mat. . . luk. . . levit. . . tim. ● . . tim. . . isa. . . pet. . , . cor. . . tim. . . . tit. . . ephes. . . zech. . ▪ . cor. . ●● . judg. . , , . pro. . . jer. . mat. . . revel . . . psal. . , , . object . answ. luk. . , , . revel . . . mat. . mat. . , , , , , , . pro. . . joh. . . pet. . & chapters . ezek. . . mat. . , , , , , , . mat. . , , , , . the theory and regulation of love a moral essay, in two parts : to which are added letters philosophical and moral between the author and dr. henry more / by john norris ... norris, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing n estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the theory and regulation of love a moral essay, in two parts : to which are added letters philosophical and moral between the author and dr. henry more / by john norris ... norris, john, - . more, henry, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed at the theatre for hen. clements, oxford : . errata on p. [ ] at end. advertisement on p. [ ] at end. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng love -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the theory and regulation of love a moral essay . in two parts . to which are added letters philosophical and moral between the author and d r henry more . by john norris m. a. and fellow of allsouls college in oxford . quod ergo nos coelo restituit , non dei cognitio est , sed amor. marsilius ficinus tom. . p. . oxford , printed at the theatre for hen. clements . . to the lady masham at oates in essex . madam , the esteem , wherewith your ladyship honour'd my former writings , has at once obliged me to an high measure of gratitude , and pointed me out a way of shewing it . for i was hence led to conclude , that if any thing of mine could afford you pleasure and entertainment , when you had no other interest in it than in the common light of the sun , much more would it be acceptable , if made yours by some peculiar right and property . the difference of advantage seeming to me much the same , as between taking a turn in a common walk , and enjoying the retirements of one's own private garden . one only objection stood in my way . i was a little scrupulous whether the oblation were worthy the altar , whether so mean a performance could strike the tast , much more deserve the patronage of a person of such nice and refined sense , and whom nature and your own unassisted curiosity have conspired to accomplish beyond what the present age can parallel , or ( unless your ladyship will be perswaded to bequeath some monument of your extraordinary genius to the world ) the future will ever believe . this consideration i confess , did a little arrest my pen , till i confronted it with another , that your ladyship is as eminent for candour and goodness , as for parts and ingenious attainments , and that you have mildness and sweetness enough to temper the severity even of your own iudgment . these madam , were the considerations that embolden'd me to entitle your ladyship to this work . concerning which ( whatever faults it may be charged with ) i have something to boast , which i am sure all writers have not , that i make an offering of that which is purely my own. which if your ladyship please to accept , there will be much added both to the happiness and to the duty of madam , your ladyship 's most humble and devoted servant j. norris . all-souls coll. march . . to the reader . having accounted in the first section for the general design of this undertaking , i have here no more to do than only to prepare the reader , by giving him some few advertisements concerning the manner of its performance . in the first place , i make no apologies ; for i would not have exposed these papers to the view of the world if i thought they needed any . neither do i desire any favour or kind allowances from my reader , i only desire that he would be so kind to himself , and so just to me , as to afford me his closest and most unprejudiced attention , that he would suspend his iudgment till he has gone over the whole , and that then he would censure no farther than he understands . this request is at all times reasonable , but now i think it in a manner necessary . for i have here used great liberty of thinking , and accordingly could not avoid lighting upon several notions , which are remote from common observation , and some that are directly contrary to the vulgar sentiments . and these i have endeavour'd to dispose according to the greatest accuracy of order and method , and to carry on with a thred of more than ordinanary connexion and dependence . all which , as it requires a great deal of attention and application of mind in the composer , so does it almost as much in the reader , who can no more expect with an hasty and careless glance to comprehend the recesses and retirements of a nice speculation , than a man that rides post can discern the artful strokes and curiosities of a fine-wrought picture . attention therefore is the thing that i do again commend to him that shall find leasure to persue these meditations ; though for his comfort i must tell him , that i have endeavour'd to ease him of this trouble as much as i could , by expressing my notions with all possible distinctness and perspicuity . in order to which i found it necessary sometimes to use new terms , and such as would raise more clear and distinct ideas than those which had before obtain'd , which i hope will easily be excused by those who consider , that words are purely in order to thoughts , and would therefore rather think rightly , than speak customarily . and this i was the more necessitated to do , by reason of the novelty and singularity of my design . for i must further observe to the reader , that this way of writing ethics is intirely new and unblown upon . for though the reduction of all vertue and vice to the various modification of love be obvious enough to any one that will consider , yet i do not know of any moralist that ever drew up a scheme of morality upon this hypothesis . i hope the reader will find it here done to his satisfaction , though i must tell him that i do not descend to a particular consideration of virtues and vices , it being not my design to insist minutely upon particulars , but only to lay down such general principles upon which a more particular scheme of morality may be erected , or into which those particular morals which are already extant may and ought to be ultimately resolv'd . the whole i have endeavour'd to comprize within as little room as may be . i have set my self this law , to write nothing but what is directly and perpendicularly to the point in hand , and to express what is so in as few words as i could with perspicuity . for i think it the perfection of discourse to come as nigh intuition as may be , and that none are so far removed from the measures of angels , as prolix and voluminous writers . it would have been more for my own ease to have been lax and popular , but i thought it of more concern to consult the patience , the time , and the purse of the reader . joh. norris . the general contents of the whole . part . i. sect . i. the general design of this undertaking , and its great usefulness to the whole drift of morality . pag. . sect . ii. of the dignity and nature of love in general , and of the first and great division of it . pag. . sect . iii. the analogy between love and motion , particularly with the motion of the heart , with a further illustration of the first and great division of love. pag. . sect . iv. of the first great branch of love , viz. love of concupiscence or desire , with the several kinds of it . pag. . sect . v. of the second great branch of love , viz. love of benevolence , its division into self-love and charity , where also t is inquired whether all love be self-love . pag. . part . ii. sect . i. that love requires some measures of regulation , and why love as dirigible is made the subject of morality rather than vnderstanding . pag. . sect . ii. the measures of love of concupiscence all reduced to these two general heads , what we must desire , and what we may desire . the measures of these , both in general and in particular . whether sensual pleasure be in its self evil , with an account of the true notion of original concupiscence , and of mortification . pag. . sect . iii. the measures of love of benevolence , particularly of self-love . p. . sect . iv. the measures of common charity . p. . sect . v. the measures of friendship . pag. . motives to the study and practice of regular love by way of consideration . pag. . part . i. sect . i. the general designe of this undertaking , and its great usefullness to the whole drift of morality . the subject of these contemplations is love. a thing that has employ'd many curious pens to little purpose , and has been perhaps the most and withall the worst written upon of any subject in the world . 't is i confess , strange that men should write so darkly and confusedly of that which they feel and experiment so intimately , but i must take the boldness to say that what i have hitherto seen upon this subject , has been so confused , ambiguous and indistinct , that i was thereby rather distracted , than inform'd in my notions concerning it . finding therefore no satisfaction in advising with books , i was fain to shut my eyes and set my self a thinking , without having any regard to what others had observ'd upon the same matter , so as to be in the least sway'd or determin'd in my conclusions by it . a method that would tend more to the discovery of truth , and to the advancement of all notional learning , than that narrow straitlaced humour of adhering to the dictates of those , who have nothing more to recommend them , but only the luck of being born before us . my design therefore here is to employ my meditations about two things , st . the theory of love according to its full latitude and comprehension , and ly . the measures of its regulation . the discharge of which double undertaking will thoroughly exhaust the subject , and answer the ends both of speculation and practise . i think it requisite to begin with the theory of love. for since the physitian thinks it necessary to know the anatomy of that body which he is to cure , and the logician to open the nature of those intellectual operations which he is to direct , i know not why the moralist should not think himself equally concern'd to frame a just theory of that affection of the soul which he is to regulate . the whole work i conceive to be of great usefulness and general importance to all the purposes of morality , nay indeed to contain the whole sum and substance of it . for what is the grand intendment and final upshot of morality but to teach a man to love regularly ? as a man loves so is he . love is not only the fulfilling , but also the transgressing of the law , and vertue and vice is nothing else but the various application and modification of love. by this a good man is distinguish'd from a bad , and an angel of light from an angel of darkness . this is that which discriminates the orders of men here , and will consign us to different portions hereafter , according to that of st. austin faciunt civitates duas amores duo . hierusalem facit amor dei : babylonem amor saeculi . interroget ergo se quisque quid amet , & inveniet unde sit civis . the two loves make the two cittys . the love of god makes hierusalem , the love of the world babylon . let every one therefore ask himself what 't is he loves , and he will find to which citty he belongs . he therefore that shall rightly state the nature , and prescribe due measures for the regulation of love , not only serves the cause of morality , but may be truely sayd to discharge the whole province of a moralist ; this i take to be a sufficient apology for the undertaking it self , and if the performance come up to the moment of the design ( whereof the world is to judge ) i know of nothing wanting to render it both serviceable and acceptable to the public . sect . ii. of the dignity and nature of love in general , and of the first and great division of it . let us make man in our image , after our own likeness , sayd god. now among other instances of resemblance wherein man may be likened to god , such as the internal rectitude of his nature , or self-dominion , and his external dominion over the creatures and the like , this i think may be consider'd as one , and perhaps as the chiefest of all , that as in the divine nature there are two processions , one by way of intellect which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or word , and the other by way of love which is the h. spirit , so likewise in the humane nature there are as it were two processions , and that of the same kind too as in the divine , vnderstanding and love. these are the two noble facultys that branche out from the soul of man , and whereby he becomes a little image of the trinity . and altho' we generally value our selves most upon the former ; yet i know not whether there be not an equality in these as there is in the divine processions , and whether it be not as much the glory of man to be an amorous , as to be a rational being . sure i am that in the gentile theology and in the most refined philosophy of the ancients the preheminence is given to love. socrates in plato's symposion says concerning love , that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eldest and most honorable of the gods. and we know love is made the first hypostasis in the platonic triad . the holy scripture goes yet higher , and does not only in several places set forth love as the flower of the divinity , and magnify the divine essence chiefly from that excellence , but seems to resolve all the perfection of the deity into this one point . for when it defines god it does not say he is wisdom or power , no not so much as wise or powerfull , but seems to overlook all his other perfections , and says in the abstract that he is love. they are great words of st. iohn , and such as make much for the great dignity of this divine affection , god is love , and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in god. so noble a thing is love , and so deserving of our most intense theory and inspection . and indeed it needs it , as well as deserves it . for there is nothing that darken's the nature of things , and obscures the clarity of our conceptions more than ambiguity of terms , and i know nothing that is more equivocal and full of latitude than this word , love. it is given to things whose ideas are notoriously different , and men seem to have agreed together not to detect the fallacy , and from the identity of the name to conclude the identity of the thing . to give one instance out of many , what is there that passes for an axiom of a more simple , certain and uniform signification than that common proposition in divinity , that we must love god for himself , and our neighbor for god's sake . but now when we come to examin what ideas we have under these words , 't is plain that that idea which is express'd by love in the first part of the proposition , is not the same with that which is express'd by love in the second . for love in reference to god signifys simple desire , and in reference to our neighbor , wishing well to , which ideas are as different as east and west , and yet because of the commonnes of the name , and the jingling turn of the proposition , this passes smoothly and unquestionably for one and the same love. but tho' this word love be used to signify ideas so very different that they seem to have nothing in common but the name , yet i think there is one thing wherein they all agree and whereof they all partake , and which may therefore be acknowledg'd as the general and transcendental notion of love. and that is , a motion of the soul towards good . this i say is the first and most general notion of love , and which runs throughout all the species of it . but then this includes two things . for as in the motion of bodys we first conceive gravity or a connaturality to a certain term of motion , and then the motion it self which is consequent upon it , so also in love ( which is the motion of the soul ) order requires that we first conceive a certain connaturality or coaptation of the soul to good , whence arises all the variety of its actual motions and tendencys toward it . this i take to be that peculiar habitude of the soul to good which the schools call complacentia boni a complacence , a liking or relish of good , which i consider as really distinct from and antecedent to its actual motion towards it . for as 't is observ'd by aristotle with more than ordinary nicenes in his d de anima ; the motion of love is in a circle . first good moves and acts upon the soul , and then the soul moves and exerts it self towards good , that so there may be the end whence was the rise of its motion . this first alteration of the soul from good answers to gravity in bodys , and may be call'd for distinction sake the moral gravity of the soul , the second to gravitation or actual pressure , and may as fitly be call'd the moral gravitation of the soul. i further consider that this moral gravity is impress'd upon the soul primarily and originally by good in general , or by the universal good or essence of good , that is , by god himself , who is the sum and abstract of all goodness , and the centre of all love. so that this moral gravity of the soul will be its connaturality to all good , or good in general , that is , to god as its primary and adequate object , and to particular goods only so far as they have somthing of the common nature of good , something of god in them . whence it will also follow that the moral gravitation of the soul does naturally and necessarily respect good in common or god as the term of its motion and tendency . so that upon the whole to speak more explicitly the most general and comprehensive notion of love will be found to be , a motion of the soul towards god. but now in this motion there is great difference . for god having unfolded his perfections in the creation with almost infinite variety , and as it were drawn out himself into a numerous issue of secondary goods , our love becomes also multiplied , and divides its cours among several chanels , and tho' after all its turnings and windings we may at last trace it up to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as plato speaks , the greot sea of beauty and head fountain of all being and perfection ( for we love particular goods only as they carry some impress of the universal , or to speak more properly , we love the universal good in the particulars ) yet it must be acknowledg'd that the immediat object of our love becomes hereby more various and multiplied , and consequently our love too , as receiving its specification from it . nor does our love receive lesse variety and diversity from the manner of its motion or tendency , motion being specify'd from the manner of it as well as from its term. and it may be also lastly diversify'd according to the nature of the part moved , whether it be the superiour or the inferiour part of the soul. from these three , the term of motion , the manner of motion , and the nature of the part moved , arise all the different kinds of love , such as divine and worldly , spiritual and carnal , charity and friendship , love of concupisccnce and love of benevolence , intellectual and sensitive , natural , animal and rational love , with several others which i shall not stand to enumerate . but notwithstanding this variety i believe all will be comprehended under these two in general , concupiscence and benevolence . this i take to be the first and great division of love , to which all the several kinds of it may be aptly reduced . for when i consider the motion of love , i find it tends to two things , namely to the good which a man wills to any one , whether it be to himself or to another , and to him to whom this good is will'd . so that the motion of love may be consider'd either barely as a tendency towards good , or as a willing this good to some person or being . if it be consider'd in the first way , then 't is what we call concupiscence or desire , if in the second , then 't is what we call benevolence or charity . for there is the same proportion in love that there is in hatred , which also involves a double motion . either a declining or tending from evill , which the greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the latins fuga , in our own language aversion or abhorrence , or else a willing evil to some person or other , which we call malice or malevolence . concupiscence or desire answers to the former of these , and benevolence or charity to the latter . there is indeed this difference to be observ'd between the motions of love and the motions of hatred , that those of hatred are not necessarily concomitant . for there may be a simple aversion without any malice or wishing ill to , tho' perhaps the latter can hardly be conceiv'd without the former . but now in love these motions are always concomitant and reciprocal . there is no desire without benevolence , and no benevolence without desire . for every thing that is desired is desired to some body , and so again , desiring to some body implies and supposes simple desire . and this i suppose has been the occasion of that great confusion which has been generally incurr'd in this matter , men being very apt from union and concomitancy to infer indistinction and identity . but notwithstanding this connexion , the ideas of desire and benevolence are very distinct , as will easily and clearly appear to any close and attentive thinker . sect . iii. the analogy between love and motion , particularly with the motion of the heart , with a further illustration of the first and great division of love. having in the foregoing section fix'd the general idea of love in the motion of the soul towards good , and this being a term somwhat metaphorical , and withall not so often applied by scholastic writers to this purpose , i thought it concern'd me to draw here a short parallel between love and physical motion , and to shew the admirable agreement and correspondency that is between them : whereby 't will appear that the general idea of love could not have had a more convenient representation . the excellent monsieur malebranche undertaking to describe the nature of the mind , and considering its idea to be very abstract , and such as did not fall within the sphere of imagination , thought it best to shadow it forth by the two eminent propertys of matter , viz. that of receiving various figures , and that of motion or mobility . to the property of receiving various figures he resembles that faculty of the mind which we call understanding . and to motion or mobility he liken's the will. the first of these parallels he persues and illustrates in many particulars , but when he comes to the last he gives only this one instance of resemblance , that as all motions naturally proceed in a right line , unless by the interposition of external and particular causes they are otherwise determin'd , so all the inclinations which we have receiv'd from god , are right , and would tend only to the true good , were they not turn'd aside to ill ends by the impulse of some forreign cause . this indeed is finely observ'd by this ingenious and learned theorist , but for an inlargement of the parallel i consider further , that as in the motion of bodys gravity precedes actual gravitation , that is , we necessarily conceive a certain congruity or connaturality of a body to a certain term before its actual tendency thither , so in the soul there is a natural complacency or liking of good , before its actual exerting it self towards it , for we desire nothing but what we like or relish as convenient and agreeable to us . but this i have touch'd upon already , and shall therefore no longer insist upon it . further therefore , as this affection call'd gravity in bodys , is nothing else but that first impression or alteration made upon them by the various actings of those effluviums or streames of particles which issue out from the womb of the great magnet , the earth , so that if there were either no such magnetic body , or a vacuum to intercept its influences , there would be no such thing as gravity ; so in the like manner this radical complacency and connaturality of the soul towards good ( which i call her moral gravity ) is nothing else but that first alteration or impression which is made upon her by the streaming influences of the great and supreme magnet , god , continually acting upon her , and attracting her by his active and powerfull charms . so that if either there were no god , or this his influence never so little a while intercepted , there would be no such thing as this complacency or moral gravity of the soul. again , as this physical gravity causes in bodys an actual effort or tendency toward the centre , and that with such necessity that they cannot but tend thither even while violently detain'd , and when at liberty hasten with all possible speed to this last term of their motion , so by vertue of this moral gravity the soul actually puts forth and exerts her self towards the great magnet , good in general or god , and that with as much necessity as a stone falls downwards . and tho' detain'd violently by the interposition of her body , yet still she endeavours towards her centre , and is no sooner set at liberty but she hastens away to it and unites her self with it . for the will notwithstanding all her soveraignty and dominion acts according to nature and necessity when she tends to her perfection . nay i take this necessity to be such , that i think it absolutely impossible for god to create a soul without this tendency to himself , and that not only because 't is against order and decorum that he should do so , but also because this moral gravity of the soul whence proceed all her actual tendencys , is caused by the continual acting of god upon her by this attractive and magnetic influences . for god is the first mover in moral as well as in natural motions , and whatever he moves he moves to himself . again i consider , that as the gravitation or actual endeavour of bodys towards the centre is always alike and uniform however their real progress may be hinder'd or the swiftness of it resisted by accidental letts and impediments , so is this moral gravitation or actual indeavour of the soul towards good in general or god always equal and uniform ( for a man does not desire to be happy more at one time than at another as i have elsewhere shewn ) i say this endeavour of the soul towards good is always equal , however her real advancing to it be hinder'd or resisted by the interposition of the body . again i consider , that as natural motion is a tendency or translation of a body from an undue and incongruous place to a place of rest and acquiescence , whereby it acquires as it were a new form of perfection , so love is extatical , and carries a man out from himself as insufficient to be his own good towards good without him , which by union he endeavours to make his own , and so to better and improve his being , till at length his desire be swallow'd up in the fruition of the universal good , and motion be exchanged for rest and acquiescence . this parallel between love and motion in general might be carried on much further , but besides that 't is convenient to leave somthing for the contemplative reader to work out by himself , i have also another parallel to make between love and a certain particular motion , namely that of the heart , wherein as there is as much harmony and correspondency in other respects , so there is this peculiar in it , that this is a motion perform'd within a man's self , and depending upon an intrinsic and vital principle as well as the other . first then we may consider that the heart is the great wheel of the humane machine , the spring of all animal and vital motion , and the head-fountain of life , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hippocrates somwhere calls it , and that its motion is the first and leading motion of all , that it begins as soon as the flame of life is kindled , and ends not till the vital congruity be quite dissolv'd . and thus 't is in love. this is the great wheel of the intellectual frame as the other is of the natural , this is the spring and ferment of the soul , that gives her life and energy , and without which she would be utterly torpid and unactive . love is the first and mother motion that both prevents and actuates all the rest . 't is from her that all the inclinations and passions of the soul take their rise , and did we not first love we should neither hope nor fear , nor hate nor be angry , nor envy nor be any other way affected . nay we love and desire before we can apprehend , judge , reason or discourse , nay our love is then commonly most impetuous and high-set ; we love long before we know what 't is to love , nay before we know whether we love or no , even as soon as we receive the breath of life . and as 't is the first , so it is also the last motion . 't is the vltimum moriens of the intellectual , as the heart is of the natural structure . this is the motion that out lives and sees the funeral of all the other operations of the soul. for when either age or sickness by disturbing the crasis of the body has also untuned and disorder'd the facultys of the soul , when the man can no longer understand , nor discourse , nor remember , when all his rational facultys are as 't were benumm'd and death-struck , yet still he loves , and inclines towards happiness with as much weight as ever ; for love is strong as death , and as importunate as the grave , many waters cannot quench love , neither can the floods drown it again we may consider , that as by the pulsation of the heart the arterial blood is transmitted to the brain , whereby are generated those animal spirits which are the instruments of motion throughout the body , and which very animal spirits do again return and assist the motion of the heart by contracting its muscular fibres , and so straitning its ventricles to expel the blood contain'd in them into the arteries ; the same reciprocation may we observe in the motion of love. that moral gravity and gravitation of the soul impress'd on her by the universal good acting attractively upon her , and whereby she stands inclined to good in general , first moves the understanding , which as the schools allow , is moved by the will quoad exercitium actus , tho' not quoad specificationem . and then the understanding moves the will as to particular and actual volitions concerning particular goods . for as to these we will nothing but what we first know and judge pro hic & nunc fit to be will'd . which by the way may give great light to that intricate and perplex'd controversy , whether the will moves the understanding or the understanding the will. for they both move one another , tho' in different respects . even as the heart by its motion sends spirits to the brain , and is by those very spirits assisted in her motion . this indeed is a wonderful instance of resemblance , and the more i consider it the more strange i think it , and full of mystery . again as by the continual reciprocation of the pulse there is caused a circulation of the blood , which is expell'd out of the heart into the arteries , out of these into the parts which are to be nourish'd , from whence 't is imbibed by the capillary veins , which lead it back to the vena cava and so into the heart again ; and same may in proportion be applied to love. this is the great pulse of the body politic , as the other is of the body natural . 't is love that begets and keeps up the great circulation and mutual dependence of society , by this men are inclined to maintain mutual commerce and intercourse with one another , and to distribute their benefits and kindnesses to all the parts of the civil body , till at length they return again upon themselves in the circle and reciprocation of love. and if we further meditate upon the motion of the heart we shall find that it is not only an apt embleme of love in general , but that it also mystically points out to us the two great species of love , concupiscence and benevolence . the motion of the heart we know is double , dilatation and contraction . dilatation whereby it receives blood into its ventricles , and contraction whereby it expels it out again . and is it not so also in this great pulse of the soul , love ? is there not here also the like double motion ? for we desire good , which answers to the dilatation and immission of the blood , and we also wish well to , which answers to the contraction and emission of it . i know not what some may think of this , and i know there are a sort of men in the world that never think themselves , and look with scorn and contempt upon such notions as are not to be found out without more than ordinary thinking ; but for my part i must needs own that i stand amazed at this wonderful harmony and correspondence , and that i am thereby the more confirm'd in that celebrated notion of the platonists , that as the soul is the image of god , so the body is the image of the soul , and that this visible and material is but the shadow , or ( as plotinus will have it ) the echo of the invisible and immaterial world. sect . iv. of the first great branch of love viz. love of concupiscence or desire , with the several kinds of it . we have consider'd the nature of love in general , and have shewn it to consist in a motion of the soul towards good , whence we took occasion to represent the analogy between love and physical motion , which we find to be exact and apposite even to surprise and admiration ; we have also discover'd the double motion of this mystical pulse , and accordingly have branch'd out love into two general parts , love of concupiscence and love of benevolence . i come now to treat of each of these severally . and first of love of concupiscence or desire . the general idea of which i conceive to be a simple tendency of the soul to good , not at all considering whether it wills it to any person or being or no. not that there is or can be any desire without wishing well to , ( for as i observ'd before these are always inseperable concomitants ) but their ideas being very distinct , i think i may very well abstract from the one , when my business lies only to consider the other . concerning this love of desire i further consider , that the primary and adequate object of it is the same that is of all love , namely good in general or god. for we desire good as good , or good in common , before we desire this or that good in particular . and when we do desire any particular good , 't is still for the sake of the universal good whereof it partakes , and according to the degree of this participation either real or apparent so we measure out and dispence our love. so that good in general is the primary and adequate object of desire . but now this general or universal good being variously participated by particular beings , hence it comes to pass that our desire has many subordinate and secondary objects , which it tends to with more or less inclination according as the marks and footsteps of the universal good appear in them more or less discernable . for the universal good is so congenial and connatural to the soul as always acting upon it and attracting it to it self , that we love every thing that carries the least image or semblance of it . there is this difference only between the love of the universal , and the love of particular goods . our love to the universal good is natural , necessary and unavoidable . we have no more command over this love than we have over the circulation of our blood or the motion of our pulse . for god is the centre of spirits , as the earth is of bodys , and in our love of him we are as much determin'd as fire is to burn , or a stone to descend . and the blessed in heaven love him with the highest degree of necessity and determination . but now we are not thus determin'd to the love of particular goods . i say not thus determin'd . for it must be acknowledg'd that there is a sort of determination even here also . for good being desirable as good and consequently in every degree of it , so far as we consider any thing as good we must needs love it with a natural inclination , that which the schools term a velleity or voluntas naturae , or a loving a thing secundum quid , according to a certain respect ; but it being possible that this lesser particular good may in some circumstances come into competition with a greater particular good or with the greatest of all , the universal good , and so upon the whole become evill , 't is not necessary , nor are we determin'd to love it absolutely , thoroughly and efficaciously , but may nill and decline it absolutely , tho' still we retain a natural love or velleity towards it as before . for the case is the same here as 't is in evill . we necessarily hate evill as evill , and the greatest evill we hate absolutely as well as necessarily . but for particular and lesser evills , tho' we necessarily hate them too by a natural aversion as far as we consider them as evill , yet 't is not necessary that we should always hate them absolutely , but may in some circumstances absolutely will them as a means either to avoid a greater evil , or to obtain a greater good . and in the same proportion as any evil less than the greatest tho' it be necessarily nill'd and declined in some respect , may yet be absolutely will'd and embraced , so any particular good tho' it be in some respect necessarily lov'd , may yet absolutely be nill'd and refused . indeed the excellent monsieur malebranche in his treatise of nature and grace , asserts this non determination of our love to particular goods in more large and unlimited terms , when he tells us , that the natural motion of the soul to good in general , is not invincible in respect of any particular good . and in this non invincibility he places our liberty or free will. but in my judgement this proposition of his must either be corrected , or better explain'd . for without this our distinction , it will not hold true . our love to particular good is invincible secundum quid or as to a certain respect , but absolutely and simply speaking it is not invincible . and if in this absolute non invincibility he will have our liberty or free will to consist , i readily agree with him , and do think the notion to be very sound and good . and thus the difference between our love of the universal , and our love of particular goods is clear and apparent . our love to the universal good is primary and immediate , but our love to particular good secondary and mediate . our love to the universal good is invincible absolutely and simply , we will it necessarily , and we will throughly , but our love to particular good is invincible only in some certain respect . we do not always love it thoroughly and effectually , tho' we must always love it . in short , our love to the universal good is like the motion of our blood within our veins , which we have no manner of empire or command over , but our love to particular good is like the motion of respiration , partly necessary , and partly free. we cannot live without breathing at all , and yet we can suspend any one turn of respiration in particular , but yet not without a natural inclination to the contrary . and so in like manner we can't live without loving some particular good or other , but when we point to this or that particular good , there is not one but what we may nill and refuse absolutely and simply , tho' yet in some respect we must love it too , with a natural love. thus far i have consider'd the general nature of this first great branch of love , love of concupiscence or desire . i come now to the kinds of it . for the right distribution of which i consider first that any motion of the soul is specify'd from the quality of the object or term to which it tends . now the object of desire being good it follows that the kinds of desire must receive their distinction from the kinds of good . now good is relative , and the relation that it implies is a relation of convenience either to the soul or body , that is , either to the soul directly and immediately , or indirectly and by the mediation of bodily sensations . so that all good is either intellectual or sensual , and consequently the same members of divisition will be the adequate distribution of desire . that is an intellectual desire whose object is an intellectual good , and a sensual desire is that whose object is a sensual good . but i further observe , that this same denomination of intellectual and sensitive may be taken from the nature of the part moved as well as from the quality of the object . the appetitive faculty in man is double as well as the cognoscitive , and consists of a superiour and inferiour , of a rational and sensitive part . for as in the cognoscitive part there is pure intellect whereby ideas are apprehended without any corporeal image , and imagination whereby objects are presented to our minds under some corporeal affection , so also in the appetitive there is a pure and mere act of tendency or propension to the agreeable object , which answers to pure intellect and is what we call will or volition , and there is also such a propension of the soul as is accompany'd with a commotion of the blood and spirits , and this answers to imagination , and is the same with what we usually term the passion of love. and 't is in the divided tendency or discord of these two wherein consists that lucta or contention between the flesh and spirit . that which our b. lord intimated when he sayd the spirit truly is willing , but the flesh is weak , and which st. paul calls the law of the mind and the law of the members . i say in the divided tendency of these two . because sometimes the intellectual and sensitive appetite may both point one way , and conspire in the same object , as it does either in men very wicked , who sin with unity and intireness of consent without any check or remorse from the superiour part , or in men eminently good , who have reduced even their very bodily inclinations to the order of the spirit , and have attain'd to the highest degree of mortification and simplification of desire . and it may yet be observ'd further , that so far as this denomination of intellectual and sensitive is taken both from the quality of the object , and from the part moved , our desire may be at the same time both intellectual and sensitive . for that desire which is intellectual in respect of the part may be also sensitive in respect of the object , ( for we may will a sensual good as well as passionately desire it ) and so on the other side , that desire which is sensitive in respect of the part may be intellectual in respect of the object . for there may be a sensitive appetite of an intellectual good , and we may love even god himself passionately as well as rationally . thus is love of desire divided in general into intellectual and sensual . but as for the particular kinds under these they are almost infinite , and therefore i shall not offer at a distinct recital of them . i shall only remarque some few things concerning intellectual love , and by the way shall also briefly touch upon the principal and most eminent species of sensual love , and so end this section . and first concerning intellectual love , i consider that the general object of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or beauty . for intellectual love is that whose object is an intellectual good , and an intellectual good is that which pleases the intellect , and the intellect is pleas'd with nothing but as 't is proportionable , harmonious and some way or other beautifull . whence it follows that intellectual love has beauty in general for its proper object . . but then this beauty which is the proper object of intellectual love , is either the first and original beauty , or created and derivative beauty ; if the first and original beauty , then the love of it is divine love , and if this be in a very high degree such as is the product of an intense contemplation , then 't is what we call seraphic love , which is the greatest exaltation , and perfection of intellectual love , and withall the greatest happiness the soul of man is capable of in this state , as i have shewn at large in another treatise . but if it be created and derivative beauty , then i consider that either we ascend by and from the love of it to the love of the first and originary beauty , or else we stick there , or we descend to the desire of corporal contact , and the delight arising from it . if we take occasion to ascend , then 't is what we call platonic love , which ( as i have elsewhere more at large explain'd the notion ) is the ascent of the soul to the love of the divine beauty from the aspect of beauty in bodys . but if we terminate and stick in this sensible form or pulchritude , tho' this affection be not so noble and generous as that which ascends higher , yet still this is pure intellectual love , so long as 't is free from all desire of corporal application , and for distinction's sake may be call'd the love of abstracted beauty . and let not any one think it strange that i make this abstract love of sensitive beauty an intellectual love. for beauty let the subject of its inherence be what it will , consists in harmony and proportion which is the immediate good of the soul , that only being capable both of understanding it , and of being primarily affected with it . and tho we give it the name of sensible beauty , yet that is only because the senses are the instruments of conveiances , not as being the part primely affected , and to distinguish it from those beautys which are immediately intelligible , such as the beauty of truth , the beauty of vertue and the like ; but in reference to the part directly and immediately affected all beauty , even sensible beauty is an intellectual good , and is one of the fainter rays of the divine glory , one of the remoter mirours that reflect the supreme and original beauty . the sublime platonist marsilius ficinus has a fine notion to this purpose . he takes the first beauty to be nothing else but the splendour of gods glory , and of this he says there is a threefold reflection . for he supposes angelical minds , rational souls , and beautiful bodys as three glasses of different colours , which reflect this one and the same light after different manners . his words are , ipsa certe pulcritudo prima nihil aliud est quam splendor gloriae penes patrem luminum , & figura substantiae ejus . vnde triplex emicat pulcritudo . prima quidem per angelicos intellectus , secunda vero per intellectuales animas , tertia per corpora ubique formosa quasi lumen unum per tria quaedam vitra coloribus inter se varia , ideoque varium ex primo splendorem subinde reddentia . the first beauty certainly is nothing else but the splendour of glory with the father of lights , and the figure of his substance . whence there shines forth a threefold beauty . the first through the angelical minds , the second thro' intelligent souls , the third thro' beautifull bodys , which reflect the same light as it were through three glasses of diferent colours , and accordingly they successively reflect a different splendour from the first . so that sensible and corporeal beauty is one of the glasses that reflect and represent the first beauty , and tho' it must be confess'd that we see through this glass darkly , yet still it represents according to its proportion , and is only as a picture remotely drawn after several copies , a weaker and further projected ray of god. and therefore it must needs be an intellectual good , and consequently the love of it , if abstracted from corporal applications , must also be a pure intellectual love. but if we do not stick and terminate here , but are by the aspect of sensible beauty precipitated down to the desire of corporal contact , and the pleasure thence arising , then this is sensual love , that is , a desire of a sensual good . i may add of the greatest sensual good , and consequently that this is the most sensual love. and 't is so common with men thus to descend , rather than love platonically or abstractedly , that the name of love is almost wholely appropriated to this affection , and to be in love signifies as much as to be inclined to corporal contact by the occasion of corporeal beauty . as if there were no other good but this kind of sensual good , and no other love but this sensual love. and accordingly plato in his symposion distinguishing between his two cupids , intellectual and sensual love , stiles the latter by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the vulgar or epidemical love. indeed this is a very strange affection , and has so universally prevail'd as to turn all other love almost out of the world. this is a passion that has made more slaves than the greatest conquerours , more stir and disturbance in the world than either ambition , pride or covetousness , and has caused more sin and folly than the united force of all the powers of darkness . it has wounded almost as many as death , and devour'd like a contagion or the grave . it makes no distinction , the wise man is as little secure from it as the fool , age submits to it as well as youth , the strong as well as the weak , the hero as well as the coward . in fine , this one passion sets on fire the whole course of nature , rages and spreads with an unlimited contagion , and is an image of the universal conflagration . and that which increases the wonder is the vilenes of that structure which is made the object of this sensual love. 't is not indeed much to be wonder'd that we should love corporeal pleasure , all pleasure being in its proportion lovely , but that the imbracing such poor materials should afford any , that 's the wonder . should one angel fall in love with the pure and refined vehicle of another , tho' matter even in its highest exaltation is but a poor sort of being , there would however be somthing of proportion in this : but to see a man idolize and dote upon a masse of flesh and blood , that which the apostle calls our vile body , or as 't is in the original more emphatically , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body of our humiliation , that is at present the reversion of worms , and may the very next minute be a carcase , this is indeed so strange to one that thoughtfully considers it , that one would think all mankind were intoxicated with some general philtrum or love potion , that has thus charm'd them into this most stupid and wretched degree of idolatry . so that whether we consider the greatness of the effects , or the slenderness of the cause , this kind of sensual love is of all the most wonderfull and unaccountable . one thing more i have to observe concerning this kind of sensual love , the desire of corporal contact occasion'd by the aspect of sensible beauty , and that is , that this is a passion peculiar to man. brutes are below it , and angels are above it . for man being a middle sort of creature between an angel and a beast , 't is requisite he should have somthing to distinguish him from each , and that in his appetitive as well as in his intellective part. and thus it is , in his intellective part he has reason and discourse , which is above sensible knowledge , and short of intuition . and so likewise in his appetitive there is this desire of corporal contact arising from the sight of beauty , which is a mixt love , partly intellectual and partly sensual , and is thereby distinguish'd from the love of brutes , which is purely sensual ( for they are not affected with beauty ) and the love of angels which is purely intellectual . so great harmony and proportion is there in the works of him who made all things in number , weight , and measure . sect . v. of the second great branch of love viz. love of benevolence , its division into self-love and charity , where also 't is enquired whether all love be self-love . having dispatch'd the first great branch of love , love of concupiscence or desire , with the several kinds of it , i come now to consider the second , viz. love of benevolence . by this i understand a desiring or willing of good to some person or being that is capable of it . and herein 't is differenc'd from love of concupiscence . the idea of love of concupiscence is , a simple tendency of the soul to good , not at all considering whether it wills it to any person or being or no. but the idea of benevolence is a desiring or willing this good to some being or other . as far as 't is a desiring or willing of good , it agrees with love of concupiscence , but it is distinguish'd from it in that it wishes well too . for as in physical motion a body may be consider'd either as simply moving towards another , or as moving this other to some certain body , so in love which is a moral motion , the soul may be consider'd either as simply desiring or willing good ( which is concupiscence ) or as desiring or willing it to some capable being , and this is that species of love which we call benevolence . and i further meditate that as in motion the body that moves another may either move it towards it self as in circular motion , or towards some other body as in direct motion . so in the love of benevolence this wishing well to , may either be a willing of good to ones self , or to some other being . if to ones self , then 't is that special sort of benevolence which we call self-love . if to another , then 't is what we call charity . then again as to charity , this may be consider'd either as extended to all men in common , grounded upon one common consideration , viz. similitude of nature , and a capacity of being benefitted , which is common charity ; or as confined to one or two , and as mutual , and as mutually known , and withall as in a special degree of intensness and application , and then 't is friendship , which differs not from common charity but as 't is qualify'd by the preceding modifications . but this our division is in danger of being closed up again by some who contract all these kinds of benevolence into one , by telling us that all love is self-love . thus the epicureans of old , who by this plea thought to evade the necessity of owning a providence . for when you argue from the perfections of god that the world is cared for and govern'd by him ; no say they , the quite contrary follows . for all love is self-love , and proceeds from indigency , if therefore god be such a full and perfect being as you suppose , he cannot be concern'd for any thing abroad , as having no self-interest to serve . and indeed the conclusion would be right , were the principle so . for if all benevolence did proceed from indigence , it would certainly follow that the more perfect and self-sufficient any being is , the less he must needs regard the good of others , and consequently a being that is absolutely perfect , must necessarily be utterly void of all benevolence or concern for anothers welfare . but to hear an epicurean maintain this principle is no wonder . even plato himself in some places seems to look favourably towards it , particularly in his lysis , where purposely treating of friendship he concludes toward the end of the dialogue that friendship arises from indigence , necessity and privation . the same he again insinuates in his symposion , when he makes penia indigence or poverty to be the mother of love. but the roman plato , cicero , in his book of friendship will by no means allow this notion , but contends that love proceeds rather from nature , than from indigence or imbecility . there is in the other opinion somthing of truth , and somthing of errour , or rather 't is either true or false as 't is understood . how far true and how far false , i shall determin in the following conclusions . and first i do acknowledge that all love of concupiscence does proceed from indigence , and ends in self-love . for all desire is in order to further perfection , and improvement , and did we not want something within , we should not endeavour towards any thing without . and accordingly god , the self-sufficiency of whose nature excludes all want of indigency , is by no means capable of love of concupiscence . again i acknowledge that even love of benevolence or charity may be , and ( such is our present infirmity ) is for the most part occasion'd by indigence , and when unravel'd to the bottom concludes in self-love . our charity not only begins at home , but for the most part ends there too . for it must be confess'd that we generally love others with respect to our own interest , and dispense kindnesses upon the consideration of common infirmity , and that both the condition and the releif may be our own another day . i do also further acknowledge that things are so happily twisted and complicated together , that a man cannot benefit another without doing some kindness to himself , either in the consequence & final issue of things , or in the very act of benefaction , it being not only a pleasure to do good to others , but perhaps one of the greatest pleasures in the world . and this pleasure is withal inseparable from acts of kindness , so that 't is as impossible for a man to bestow a kindness to his neighbour , without having it some way or other redound to himself ; as 't is for the sun to shine upon the earth , without having his light reflected back again toward his own orb. all this is true , and thus far i grant that love proceeds from indigence , and that all love is self-love . but if the meaning of the assertion be that all love of benevolence does so necessarily depend upon indigence and so necessarily point to self interest , that were not a man indigent himself , and had an eye to his own advantage , he could not possibly wish well or do well to another , in this sense i deny that all love is self love . and i think not without just reason . for first there is nothing in the nature of the thing to hinder but that there may be a pure and disinteressed benevolence . for i consider that the good of another consider'd as anothers may be the object of volition as well as ones own . for the object of volition is good in common , or that which is agreeable to any intellectual being , whether ones self or any other . but now good as anothers or to another , is good as well as ones own , and therefore may be the object of volition , and consequently we may will good to another independently on our own interest . if it be objected that there is no such thing as pure malice , for when we wish ill to another we consider his evil as making for own good , and therefore why should there be any such thing as pure benevolence . i answer , the difference lies in this . that in malice the thing which we wish to another is evil . now evill being not any way desireable whether to ones self or another , as evil , it must in order to eligibility be considerd under the formality of good in some respect or other . but now it cannot have the formality of good with respect to our neighbor , for to him we wish it as evil. it must therefore appear good with reference to our selves . that is , we consider anothers evil as making for our good some way or other , and so will it to him . but now in charity or benevolence the thing which we will to another being supposed to be good already , there is no cessity that in order to the willing of it we should further consider it under the formality of being our own . the nature of good in common being sufficient for that . and this i conceive to be the reason that although there cannot be a pure and uninteressed malice , yet there may be a pure and uninteressed charity . besides , this love of benevolence is frequently exercised without any design of prospect , nay sometimes where there is no possibility of any self advantage . this is plain in god , who as he is the most self-sufficient and unbenefitable , so is he also the most beneficient and communicative being . and i question not but that it may be so in men also . for not to mention our doing kindnesses to those , whom we are certain never to see again , to dying persons , who cannot live to requite us , or to the living when we our selves are dying , and can't live to be requited , and the like , i only consider , that we often rejoice at the happiness of those who were born and lived before us , and hear with pleasure the successes of good men , with whom ( as being of another age ) our interest cannot be at all concern'd . now what we rejoice at we do implicitly and vertually will , for nothing can be matter of ioy which is not according to our will. lastly i consider that if all benevolence did necessarily spring from indigence and self-love , then it would certainly follow that our inclination to do good would be continually abated as our fortune rises , and we make nigher advances to full-ness and self-sufficiency . but now i dare appeal to common observation and experience , whether there be not many generous spirits , who retain the same propension to be beneficial , when they are set at the greatest distance from poverty , as they had before when at the lowest ebb , which yet could never be , if benevolence did necessarily depend on indigence . more i might add , but this i thing sufficient to shew that all love is not , as some pretend , resolvable into self-love , or founded upon indigence , and consequently that my division of benevolence into self love and charity is sufficiently accurate and contra-distinct . the second part of the discourse which contains the measures whereby our love is to be regulated . hitherto shalt thou come , but no further , and here shall thy proud waves be stayed , job . . . part . ii. sect . i. that love requires some measures of regulation , and why love as dirigible is made the subject of morality rather than understanding . having finish'd the theory of love , i come now to consider the measures of its regulation . a great and important work this ; for next to the regulating of our love , i know nothing either more difficult or more useful and necessary , than to prescribe measures how it ought to be regulated . indeed it is very necessary to six the bounds of regulating our love ; and that both because of the difficulty of loving regularly , and because of the moment and consequence of it . for the difficulty , as t is impossible not to love at all , so is it one of the hardest things in the world to love well . solus sapiens scit amare , says the stoic , the wise man only knows how to love. and there are very few of these wise men in the world , and to love regularly is oftentimes more than the wisest of us all can do . for first the appetite which we have to good in general is so strong and craving that it hurries us on to all sorts and degrees of particular good , and makes us fasten wherever we can trace the least print or foot-step of the universal good . now this promiscuous and indefinite prosecution of particular goods must needs oftentimes engage us in sin and irregularity . for though these particular objects of love separately considered are good , as being participations of the universal good , yet consider'd as they stand in relation either to one another or to the universal , they may become evil , in as much as there may be a competition , and the the lesler may hinder the greater . as for instance , the pleasure of sense ( as indeed all pleasure ) singly and separately consider'd is good , but the enjoyment of it may in some circumstances be against a greater good , the good of society , and then 't is evil as in fornication or adultery . but now we are so violently push'd on to particular good , by that general thirst after good in common , that we don't mind how things are in combination , but only how they are singly and separately in themselves . for to observe how things are in combination requires thought and reflexion , which in this hurry we are not at leisure to make , but to find how things are singly in themselves there needs nothing but direct tast and natural sensation . whence it comes to pass that we more readily do the one than the other , and so are very apt to transgress order , and to love irregularly . this is one ground of the difficulty of loving well , and as i conceive a very considerable one , tho' no one that i know of did ever assign this as the cause of this difficulty . but there is also another . for as from the love of good in general we are eagerly carried out to particular goods , so from the original pravity and degeneracy of our nature , among all these particular goods , that which we most eagerly propend to , is sensual good . the lower life is now highly invigorated and awaken'd in us , the corruptible body ( as the wise man complains ) presses down the soul , and the love , which we have to good in general , does now by the corruption of our nature almost wholly display and exert it self in the prosecution of this one particular good , the good of sense . . now though good of sense be as truely good as good of the intellect , as being a rivulet of the same sea , and a ray of the same sun , yet ( as i said before ) it may in some circumstances and combinations cross and thwart some higher interest , and so become evil. and the strong inclination , which we now have to the good of sense in general , will often betray us into the love and enjoyment of it in those particular circumstances wherein it is evil , and against order . and that oftentimes , even when we consider it as evil , that is , when we do not only mind it as it is singly in it self , but as it is in a certain combination . for this sensual concupiscence in us may be so strong , that though we do actually consider a sensual pleasure so circumstantiated as evil , yet we may for that time think it a lesser evil than to deny our selves the gratification of so importunate an appetite , and so chuse it , and be guilty of an exorbitant and irregular love. and if we further consider how we are perpetually sorrounded with sensible goods , which by troops thrust themselves upon us , while those that are intellectual require our search and inquisition , how early they attack us , and what deep impressions they make upon our then tender faculties , how much the animal part is aforehand with the rational , that we live the life of plants and beasts before we live the life of men , and that not only in the sense of aristotle , while we are in the womb , but long after we have beheld the sun , that the seducer eve is form'd while adam sleeps , and that sensuality comes to be adult and mature , when our discourses are but young and imperfect . so that by that time we arrive to some competent use of our reason , there has been laid in such a stock of animal impressions , that 't is more than work enough for our riper age , even to unravel the prejudices of our youth , and unlive our former life ; i say if we consider this , the difficulty of regular love will appear so great , that instead of admiring at the ill course of the world , one should rather be tempted to wonder that men love so regularly as they do . so great reason had the stoic to say , the wise man only knows how to love . but were it onely a piece of difficulty to steer the ship right , and were there not also danger of splitting against rocks , and of other ill contingencys , the pilot might yet be secure and unconcern'd , commit himself to his pillow , and his vessel to the winds . but 't is otherwise , there is moment and consequence in loving regularly as well as difficulty . no less a thing than happiness depends upon it , private happiness and publick happiness , the happiness of single persons , and the the happiness of the community , the happiness of this world , and the happiness of the next . for as motion is in the natural , so is love in the moral world . and as the good state of the natural world depends upon those laws of regular motion , which god has establish'd in it , in so much that there would need nothing else to bring all into confusion and destruction , but the irregular motion of those bodies which it consists of , so does the welfare and happy state of the intellectual world depend upon the regularity of love. according as this motion proceeds , so is the moral world either an harmonical frame , or a disorderly chaos , and there needs nothing but the irregularity of love to undermine the pillars of happiness , and to put the foundations of the intellectual world out of course . and accordingly we see that god who loves order , and takes care for the perfection of both worlds , has prescribed both laws of motion and laws of love. and for the same reason 't is a thing of great importance and necessity to state these laws and measures , the welfare of the moral world being as much concern'd in love , as that of the natural is in motion . and this is the reason why love as dirigible is made the subject of morality rather than understanding . for the happiness of life is not so much concern'd in the acts of our understanding , as in the acts of our love ; indeed not at all in our understanding any further , than as our understanding affects our love , and opinion influences practise . and then indeed it is , which is the ground of that obligation to orthodoxy , which we are under as to those articles of faith which are call'd fundamental . otherwise in matters of pure speculation the happiness of society is not at all concern'd in what we think , as for instance in that celebrated mathematical problem , whether the pertual approximation of some lines be consistent with the impossibility of their concourse , what does it signify to the good estate of society which way this be held ? 't is indifferent therefore which side we take . but now we can't advance one step in the motion of love , but something or other comes on 't in relation to political happiness , as there is not the least motion in nature but what tends either to generation or corruption . for the difference is this , the acts of our understanding are immanent , and ineffective of any alteration upon things without us , but the acts of love are transient , and leave external and permanent effects behind them in the course of things , and for this reason love , as dirigible , is made the immediate and proper subject of moral consideration , and understanding is here no otherwise concern'd than as it influences and determines our love . what the measures of regulating our love are , i come now to define . sect . ii. the measures of love of concupiscence , all reduced to these two general heads , what we must desire , and what we may desire ; the measures of these , both in general and in particular . whether sensual pleasure be in its self evil , with an account of the true notion of original concupiscence and of mortification . being now to define the measures of love , i shall first begin with love of concupiscence . and here i consider that duty and liberty divide between them the bounds of morality , which ought wholely to be taken up in the consideration of these two things , what we must or ought to do , and what we may do without being peccant . and accordingly i shall reduce all the measures of love of concupiscence to these two general heads , what we must desire , and what we may desire . concerning the first , all that we must desire will i suppose be comprehended under these three , god , the good of the community , and all those things which have a natural connexion with it . god , as the greatest and last end absolutely and simply , the good of the community , as the greatest of subordinate ends , and all those things which have a natural connexion with it , as means without which 't is not to be obtain'd . wherein is also comprehended the obligation of not desiring , or avoiding whatever has naturally a contrary or opposite tendency . the first thing which we must love or desire is god. but now god may be loved two waies , either confusely and implicitly , or distinctly and explicitly . the confuse and implicit love of god is natural and necessary , for t is the same with the love of good in common or happiness , to which our nature is originally and invincibly determin'd , and consequently cannot be morally obliged . but that which we are here obliged to , is to love or desire him distinctly and explicitly , that is , to contract and concentre that natural and original love , which we have to good in general or happiness , upon god , as being the true and only cause of all that happiness , to which we so blindly and necessarily aspire . the love of god therefore , to which we are obliged , includes two things , a desire and an explicit desire of him . and this indeed is the only love of him to which we can be morally obliged . for as to loving him confusely , that we can't be obliged to , because 't is necessary and unavoidable ; and as to loving him with love of benevolence or wishing well to , that we cannot be obliged to because 't is unpracticable ; the former we cannot be obliged to , because of the condition of our own nature , and the latter we cannot be obliged to , because of the nature of god. i know very well that i am singular in this point , and that nothing is more common , among those that treat of the love of god , than to talk of it as of a love of benevolence , and accordingly they alwaies express our love to god , and our love to our neighbour under the same common appellation of charity , as if they were both one and the same love , whereby we love god , and whereby we love our neighbour . but there is i remember an old rule , that we may talk with the many , but must think with the few , and i think t is very applicable in this case . for however we may use the word charity in respect of god , to comply with popular modes of speaking , yet i cannot see how in strictness and propriety of notion god may be lov'd with love of benevolence . for certainly as indigence in the lover is the ground of his loving with love of concupiscence , so indigence in the person lov'd is the ground of our loving him with love of benevolence . but now what can we wish to god that he has not already ? my goodness extendeth not to thee , but to the saints which are in the earth , sayes the psalmist , and to speak truely we can no more love god with love of benevolence , than he can love us with love of desire . god is as much above this our love as he is above our understanding , he can indeed wish well to us , but we can only desire him . and i observe that in scripture our love of god is set forth in such expressions as import not any benevolence to him , but a desire of him . as when the psalmist saies , like as the hart desireth the water-brooks , so longeth my soul after thee o god ; and again ; my soul is a thirst for god , when shall i come to appear before the presence of god ? and again , my soul breaketh out for fervent desire . again , whom have i in heaven but thee , and there is none upon earth that i desire in comparison of thee . and so again in the canticles which express the very soul and spirit of divine love , saies the inamour'd spouse , the church , let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth , for thy love is better than wine . again , tell me o thou whom my soul loveth , where thou feedest . but most emphatically of all , when she saies , i charge you o daughters of ierusalem , if ye find my beloved , tell him , that i am sick of love. thus again the angel expresses the seraphic temper of daniel , by calling him a man of desires ; for so the hebrew criticks chuse to read it . i shall mention but one place more , and that is in the of tim. where the apostle describing a sort of wicked men , saies of them , that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lovers of pleasure more than lovers of god. which plainly intimates that our love of god is of the same sort with that love wherewith we love pleasure ; but now we don't love pleasure with love of benevolence , but only with love of desire , and consequently that is the love wherewith we love god. if it be here objected that though there be no room for wishing well to god formally and directly , yet we may rejoyce and take a complacency in those perfections of his , which make him uncapable of our more express benevolence , which will amount ( as was urged before ) to an implicit and vertual willing them to him , i answer , that what we rejoyce at we do implicitly will , if it be in a being who either might not have had that happiness , or holds it precariously and may hereafter be deprived of it , for here is still some indigence in the person to make him capable of our good wishes ; but now the happiness of god is as necessary as his existence , and consequently however we may rejoyce in his being happy , we can no more will him to be happy , than we can will him to exist . for to will him to be happy necessarily supposes , that he has not the perfect possession of that happiness which we will him , for if he has , why do we yet will it to him ? here therefore is no room for benevolence . nay i do not conceive how we can wish well to god so much as ex hypothesi , on supposition that he were not happy in that respect wherein we would wish well to him . for the supposition is impossible , and takes away the very subject of our benevolence . for if god were not completely happy , he would not be what he is , but some other being . i would by no means straiten or retrench our love to god , but am rather for inlarging and multiplying its chanels as much as may be , and therefore if any think that god may be lov'd with love of benevolence , let them enjoy and ( if they can ) act according to their notion . for my part i cannot bring my self to any clear conception of it , and i am very scrupulous in venturing upon any thing whereof i have no distinct idea . which ought to be apology sufficient for me , if i make love of desire to be the only love , wherewith we are obliged to love god. and that we are obliged thus to love him , i shall briefly make out from the consideration of our own nature , and from the nature of god. as to our own nature , i consider that our thirst after good or happiness in general is so natural , so necessary , and so vehement , that as at present we can neither suspend , nor moderate , nor in the least interrupt it , so we can never expect fully to quench or extinguish it , but in the enjoyment of that object , which has all that happiness in it , on which the whole bent of our soul is so strongly set . from the strength and invincible necessity of this our inclination to good in general , i conceive 't will follow that 't is highly reasonable , that that being wherein is all this happiness , to which we indefinitely are inclined , ought to be lov'd and desired expressly by us , and not only so , but with the very same love wherewith we love happiness it self . for otherwise we should contradict our first and grand appetite , and act against the very frame and constitution of our nature . this admitted , i consider secondly that god is that full and rich being , that has all this happiness in him . he is not only the cause of all good , but the very essence and nature of it . he is ( as the divine philosopher stiles him ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good it self , lovely it self , and desirable it self . he is indeed the first desirable as well as the first intelligible , and as we see and understand all things in him , so in him we desire all that we desire . in short , he is the complement and perfection of good , the end and the centre of the whole intelligent creation , and all that we can desire or enjoy ; and consequently as we cannot love beyond him , so we ought not to love short of him . st. austin has words to this purpose worth citing . summa bonorum deus . neque infra remanendum nobis est , neque ultra quaerendum . alterum enim periculosum , alterum nullum est - god is the sum of all good . we are neither to fix on this side of him , nor to seek any thing beyond him , the former is dangerous , and the latter is nothing . and as we are obliged to love god , so ought we to love him beyond all other things whatsoever . we cannot indeed love him as he is lovely at all , nor can we love him to our utmost till we shall see him as he is , but we may & must now prefer him in our love . thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart , with all thy soul , with all thy mind , and with all thy strength ; so runs the commandment . and very just we should . for if even in particular goods order requires that the most lovely should be loved most , much more ought we to love him who is the very essence of good , good it self , beyond all derivative and secondary good . for there is here no proportion or comparison at all . and for the same cause we can never love god too much . as moderation has here no excellence , so excess has here no place . an infinite desirable can never be too much desired . god is the measure of all love , every thing being lovely only so far as it participates of him , and consequently the measure of loving him is to love him without measure . the philosopher sayes well in his politics , that the appetite of the end is alwaies without end or term , and that bounds and stints are only in those things that are in order to the end. god therefore being our end we can never love him to excess , no nor the angels in heaven neither . indeed the thing is absolutely as well as relatively impossible , for as the narrowness of our nature will hinder us from loving him enough , so the infinite fulness of his own makes him uncapable of being lov'd too much . . and thus much for the love of god. the next thing that we are to desire is the good of the community . this next to god is the greatest possible good . for 't is the good of the whole , than which nothing can be greater . the good of the community is the end , the measure , the accomplishment and the final result of all private goods . hither they all point , and here they all conspire and concentre . and consequently this is the greatest beauty , the greatest order , and the greatest harmony that can possibly result from the creature , and is the very next resemblance of the perfection of god , who is all in all . this therefore being the greatest delectable good in it self , it ought to be so also to us , who are to love and desire this good of the community beyond all private good whatsoever . nay we ought to desire private good no further than as 't is conducive to , or at least consistent with the public interest . for i consider society as a musical instrument , consisting of variety of strings of different sizes , and strain'd up to different pitches , some of whose sounds , though ungrateful in some junctures , are yet musical as they stand in relation to others , and in order to a common design . now tho 't is natural to desire the grateful sound of every string singly , were this equally conducing to the harmony of the whole , yet certainly no body is so unreasonably absurd , as to desire that this or that discord should be turned into a sound singly more grateful , to the prejudice of the general harmony , which is of infinitely greater consequence , than the single gratefulness of one or two particular strings . and this is the case of us men in society , and this ought to be our measure . we ought to consider our selves as so many strings of one great instrument , and not affect any pitch or degree more grateful to our selves , to the prejudice of the common harmony , the good of the community , which is the most delectable good , and ought by us to be most cordially tender'd , and principally regarded . especially considering that this is the good which god himself cheifly proposes , and principally regards both in the creation and government of the nniverse . and now since the desire of the end necessarily includes the desire of the means , the next object of our desire must be all things which have a natural connexion with the good of the community . and here 't is supposed in the first place , that there are some things that have this natural connexion with it . and 't is necessary so to suppose . for as god cannot make a natural world according to any particular system whatsoever , but there will necessarily arise upon it some certain relations and habitudes of agreement and disagreement ; some motions will naturally make for its order and perfection , and some against it . so is it impossible for god to make an intellectual word , that is , to constitute society in any particular condition , scheme or posture , but relations of agreeable and disagreeable will naturally and necessarily arise ; some things will naturally make for its order and convenience , and some things will be as naturally contrary to it . and this without any arbitrary interposition of god by the mere natural result and necessity of things . for to recur again to the instance of a musical instrument , let an instrument be so and so made , so and so strung , and so and so tuned , and some certain strokes upon it will necessarily be harmonical , and other some as necessarily disharmonical . but now let the instrument be tuned another way , and the relations of convenience and disconvenience will alter , the same strokes , that were before disharmonical , may be now harmonical , and so on the contrary . but yet still some strokes will be naturally agreeable and some disagreeable , let the instrument be set which way you please . the application of this to society is too obvious to insist upon . to proceed therefore , it being supposed that there are some things , which have a natural connexion with the good of the community , the next obligation of our love will be , that whatsoever has this natural connexion be will'd and desired by us . for as the good of the community is the greatest delectable good , so that which has a natural connexion with it is the greatest proffitable good , and is therefore to be lov'd with the same love wherewith we love the good of the community it self , wherein is also implied that whatever has an opposite relation is in the same manner to be hated and abhorred . for this is the general reason of moral good and evil , of vertue and vice , and the prime fundamental law of nature , which never can cease of expire , however the particular instances may change according to the variation of the intellectual systeme : as i have more fully shewn in another discourse , and shall therefore here no further enlarge upon it . . and now because with relation to the present posture of the intellectual world , there are some particular things in specie , which have this natural connexion with the interest of the community , such as justice , temperance , fortitude , patience , humility , veracity , fidelity and the like ; hence it comes to pass that these are to be lov'd and will'd by us , by vertue of that general canon , that whatever naturally serve to the good of the community is to be loved , to which these are reduced as special instances and exemplifications . but i do not think my self obliged to descend to a particular prosecution of these or any other vertues , it being not my design to insist upon particulars , but only to lay down such general principles , upon which a more particular scheme of morality may be erected , or into which those particular morals which are already extant may and ought to be resolv'd . and besides having brought the reader into the road , i think i may now be excused from attending him any further , and shall therefore advance to some other theoryes of more remote and uncommon observation . having therefore fix'd the general bounds of duty by shewing what we must desire , i proceed to consider the bounds of liberty by shewing what we may desire . now the measures of this are either general or particular . the general measures are two . the first is , that we may desire any thing that is not contrary to what we must desire . from this arises the second general measure , which is that we may desire any thing that is not contrary or prejudicial to the good of society . now as to the particular measures , there is too much variety in them to be all minutely and punctually consider'd . and besides it would be a needless as well as a tedious undertaking . i shall therefore only touch upon the more considerable instances , and such as have not been made the subject of ordinary speculation . and the first instance of our liberty which i shall consider , is that we may desire pleasure . first because the desire of it is necessary and invincible , implanted in us by the author of our nature , and which we can no more devest our selves of , than we can of any the most essential part of our constition . ly because pleasure as such in the common nature of it is singly and simply good , and in no respect or combination evil . it is singly and simply good , because convenient and agreeable , and in no respect or combination evil , because as such not against the good of the community . for if pleasure as such were against the good of the community , then every particular pleasure would be so , because every particular pleasure partakes of the common nature of pleasure , which would then be enough to render it evil , the least defect being a sufficient reason to make any thing so . but now this is so far from being true , that not only some pleasures are laudable and excellent , but on the contrary no particular pleasure is evil so far as pleasure , but only by reason of some accidental combinations and circumstances , wherein some higher interest is opposed by it . now this is so far from making against pleasure , that it makes strongly for it . for if the enjoyment of particular pleasures be then only and in such instances and circumstances restrain'd , when the interest of some greater happiness is thereby cross'd , it follows that pleasure it self is a thing principally regarded and provided for by god ; and consequently that it is good in it self , and therefore may be desired by us . so much as to the desire of pleasure in general , or as such . now concerning particular pleasures i propose these two general canons , which i think will hold in all instances whatsoever . first that that pleasure which has no trouble or pain annex'd , may , nay indeed cannot but be embraced ; as on the contrary , that pain which has no pleasure annex'd is to be avoided . the other canon is , that that pleasure which either hinders a greater pleasure , or causes a greater pain is to be nill'd and avoided , as on the contrary that pain which either takes off a greater pain , or causes a greater pleasure is to be will'd and embraced . by these two general canons we are to regulate our desire of particular pleasures . but now of particular pleasures , some are intellectual and some are sensual . as to intellectual pleasures there is no question to be made , but that any of them may be desired as to their kind , only there are some measures to be observ'd with reference to their degree , time , place , and other circumstances which are too numerous to define , and withal too obvious to need it , and may therefore be left to the discretion of common prudence to determine according to the two preceding general canons . but now concerning sensual pleasure , especially that eminent species of it which we call venereal , there is more difficulty . of this it may be doubted whether it be in its self evil or no. some we know among the ancients have expressly thought so , and upon this ground have condemn'd the use of marriage , as namely , the sect of the essenes among the jews , tatianus , marcion , manichaeus and others . and though these were censured as hereticks , yet nothing more common even among orthodox and approv'd writers , than to let fall such expressions , from which the same conclusion will follow . for when they tax the immorality of some particular instances of sensual pleasure ( suppose adultery or fornication ) they don't ground their charge wholely upon those civil inconveniences , which either of them bring upon society in their respective circumstances , but resolve part of their immorality into sensuality as such , abstracted from those other ill consequences . they condem them not only as unjust , as injurious , as inconvenient to the public , &c. but also as sensual : now if any particular sensual pleasure be evil as sensual , then 't will unavoidably follow that sensual pleasure as such is evil . and that it is so , a man might be further induced to think , when he observes that in the divine writings ( not to say any thing of our common way of discourse ) such peculiar epithets of infamy are given to certain instances of sensual pleasure , which can belong to them on no other score than as as sensual . nay and as if here lay the very point of the immorality , they often receive a denomination from the sensual pleasure , but never from the injustice , unfaithfulness or the like . thus is adultery call'd the sin of vncleanness . and adulterers are common call'd unclean persons , filthy , brutish , &c. in like manner david in his penitentials for that sin insists cheifly upon the sensual part of it , and accordingly speaks of washing , cleansing , and making clean . from all which a man would be tempted to gather that the moral ilness of adultery were at least partly to be resolv'd into the sensuality of it , and consequently that sensual pleasure is in it self or as such evil . and this seems yet more probable from the consideration of a certain instance of sensual pleasure , wherein there seems to be nothing besides the mere sensuality . as namely voluntary pollution . and yet this is universally condemn'd as immoral , and consequently sensual pleasure seems to be in it self evil . . as it does yet further from those sharp invectives , which the moral writers of all ages have ever used against it as a low , base , brutish and dishonorable thing , and from that shame which naturally attends it , even in circumstances professedly lawful , whereby men seem naturally conscious of some moral incongruity in the thing purely as such . but now to all this i need oppose but these two things . first that if sensual pleasure were evil in it self or as such , it would be so in all its instances . this is an undeniable consequence . but now that it is not so in all its instances , is plain from the divine institution of marriage . and therefore it is not evil in its self . for it must not be thought ( as some seem to fancy ) that marriage makes that good which was in it self evil . for if once evil in it self , it must eternally and universally be so , and consequently even in marriage it self , that as to sensual pleasure being the same with fornication or adultery . but sensual pleasure is not evil in marriage , therefore not in it self or as such . this is demonstration . to this i further add that even the grossest pleasure of sense , is one of the remoter participations of god. for it must be granted to be at least a natural good , and every particular good be it what it will , is a ray and emanation of the universal good . but now nothing of god can be simply and absolutely evil . and besides , i consider that in the human frame god has prepared organs and instruments for the use of sensual pleasure , and that he has also given us natural appetites and inclinations to it . whereby it appears that god has provided for the gratification of the animal as well as the divine life . and though this is to be chiefly nourish'd , yet the other is not to be starv'd . for it is a tree of gods own planting , and therefore the fruit of it may be good for food , as well as fair to the eye . for there can be nothing simply evil in the paradise of god. as t is finely made out by the excellent doctor more in several places of his conjectura cabalistica , where the reader may find this argument copiously and very excellently managed . i conclude therefore that sensual pleasure is not in its own simple nature evil , and consequently that no particular instance of it is evil barely as being sensual ( for if so then sensual pleasure as such would be evil ) but only as it stands invested with some circumstances , which make it inconsistent with some higher good , the good of society . thus in voluntary pollution there is a deordination from the end of nature , generation , and herein consists its evil , not in its being a sensual pleasure . and accordingly we find that those other pleasures of sense , which are not appropriated by nature to any peculiar end , are in their use wholely indifferent , as using rich perfumes , drinking delicious wines , &c. thus again in fornication , though the end of generation may be here serv'd , yet the ends of convenient education cannot . and herein lies the evil of this , not in its being an act of sensuality or a sensual pleasure . but because there are some that are ready to call in question the natural immorality of simple fornication , and those that do allow it are scarce resolv'd where to fix it , 't will not be amiss to prosecute this a little further . the best account that i know of this matter , is that which is given by tho. aquinas , and indeed i think it very full , rational and satisfactory . and because i cannot do it in better words , i will give it in his own . it is to be consider'd ( sayes he ) that in those animals , in which the female alone is sufficient for the bringing up of the young , the male and female after copulation remain no time together , as in dogs . but among those animals in which the female is not sufficient for the bringing up of the young , the male and female after copulation remain together , as long as is necessary for the education and instruction of the young . as it appears in some birds , whose young ones can 't get their living presently after they are brought forth . for since birds don't nourish their young with milk ( which nature has made ready at hand , as in beasts ) but are forc'd to go forrage abroad for meat , and besides to cherish their young while they feed them , the female would not be sufficient alone for all this . and therefore by the order of providence the male among such creatures is naturally inclined to abide with the female for the education of the young . now 't is plain that in human kind the woman would by no means suffice alone for the education of the child , since the necessity of human life requires many things which cannot be supplied by one only . it is therefore convenient according to human nature that the man after conjunction should abide by the woman , and not presently depart , and take up indifferently with any body , as 't is among those that fornicate . neither will the case be alter'd by the womans being so rich as to be able to nourish her child by ber self . because the natural rectitude of human actions is not to be measured according to those things , which happen by accident in one individual , but according to those things which follow the whole species . again it is to be consider'd , that in human kind the off-spring does not only need nourishment as to the body , like other animals , but also instruction as to the soul. for other animals have natural instincts by which they may provide for themselves . but now man lives by reason , and must attain to discretion by long experience . whence it becomes necessary that children be instructed by their experienc'd parents . nor are they capable of this instruction assoon as they are born , but after a considerable time , and chiefly when they come to years of discretion . for to this instruction a great deal of time is required , and even then too by reason of the violence of passion by which the iudgment is perverted , they will want not only to be instructed , but to be subdued . now for this the woman alone is not sufficient , but this is rather to be the work of the man , whose reason is better able to instruct , and his strength to correct . 't is necessary therefore in human kind to take care of the off-spring not for a short time as in birds , but for a considerable space of life . and therefore whereas t is necessary in all creatures that the male abide with the female as long as the office of the male is requisite for the off-spring , 't is natural to mankind that the man associate not for a little while but alwaies with one determinate woman . and this society we call matrimony . matrimony is therefore natural to mankind . and fornicarious mixture , which is besides matrimony , is against the good of man , and for this reason must of necessity be a sin . thus this excellent and most exact theorist , whose words i should not have transcribed at length , were they not of more than ordinary weight and moment . by this it appears , that simple fornication is naturally immoral , and wherein its immorality lies . not in its being a sensual pleasure , but in its being so circumstantiated as not to comport with the good of society . and what i observe here in particular of simple fornication , the same may be said of any other forbidden instance of sensual pleasure , that they are not evil as sensual , but upon the consideration of some accident or circumstance , whereby they interfere with the publick interest . to the objections therefore on the other side i answer , first that it must be own'd that nothing is more common , even among approv'd writers , than when they tax the immorality of some particular instances of sensual pleasure to condemn them under the formality of their being sensual . but herein is their mistake , and if men will talk confusedly of things , and assign false causes for true ones , who can help it ? to the second i answer , that when the scripture gives such peculiar epithetes of infamy to some instances of sensual pleasure , that can belong to them on no other score than as sensual , it must be confess'd that the sensual part is then tax'd . but then this is not , must not be understood as to the kind , but as to the degree . not the degree of pleasure , but the degree of affection , it being a plain argument , that men are too much set upon sensual pleasure , when for the sake of it they will adventure to gransgress order , and trespass against the good of society . and this indeed is a culpable sensuality . to the third i answer , that in that certain condemn'd instance of sensual pleasure wherein there seems to be nothing besides the mere sensual perception , there is really something besides , tho not according to a physical , yet according to a moral estimation . for it is not barely a sensual pleasure , but a sensual pleasure deordinated from the end of god and nature , namely , generation , for which it was design'd . and in this deordination not in the sensuality consists its natural evil and moral turpitude . to the fourth i answer that those severe declamations which the moralists of all ages have made against sensual pleasure in general , as a low , base , brutish and dishonourable thing , must either be understood comparatively , with respect to the higher character of intellectual pleasures , or they are ill grounded and unreasonable . and then as to the shame , which naturally attends the acting of this sensual pleasure in all its instances , though it may in the first place be question'd whether this shame be from nature or no , and not rather from education and arbitrary usages , yet for the present i will suppose it natural , and the account of it i conceive must be this , it being a thing of vast consequence and moment to the interest of sociable life , that man should be propagated in a decent and regular way , and not as brutes are , god thought it convenient for this purpose to imbue our natures with this impression of shame with respect to venereal pleasure in general . not because this sensual delectation is in its own nature simply evil , but lest our inclination to sensual pleasure in general should betray us into those instances of it which are so . which this natural impression was intended as a curb to prevent . by all which it plainly appears notwithstanding all the intricacy , wherewith some confused thinkers have entangled this matter , that sensual , even the grossest sensual pleasure cannot be in its own nature and as such evil , and consequently that it may be desired by us in such convenient circumstances , wherein no higher good is opposed . now from this hypothesis it will follow first , that original concupiscence must be far otherwise stated than usually it is . it is commonly understood to be a vicious disposition or depravation of nature , whereby we become inclined to evil . now if you ask , what evil . they tell you , t is carnal or sensual pleasure . but now ( as it has been abundantly demonstrated ) this is not simply and in its own nature evil , but only as 't is circumstantiated . and this original concupiscence is not so particular ( as being a blind appetite ) as to point to sensual pleasure in this or that circumstance , but is carried only to sensual pleasure in common or as such . which being not evil , neither can the inclination that respects it be evil or sinful , every act or inclination being specified from its object . it must not be said therefore , that this originary concupiscence , or natural impression toward sensible good , is formally evil and sinful , the most we can allow is , that it is an occasion of evil , the strong tendency we have to sensual pleasure in common , being very apt to betray us to consent to the enjoyment of it in inconvenient instances and circumstances . another consequent from the premises is this , that the duty and vertue of mortification does not consist ( as 't is vulgarly apprehended ) in removing and killing the natural desire of sensual pleasure . for the natural desire of sensual pleasure is not evil , its object not being so , and consequently not to be eradicated . but that it consists in such a due repression and discipline of the body , that our natural desire of sensual pleasure in common may not carry us to the express willing of it in such instances as are against order , and the good of society . sect . iii. the measures of love of benevolence , particularly of self-love . having prescribed some general measures for the regulation of the first great branch of love , love of concupiscence , i come now to set bounds to the other arm of the same great sea , love of benevolence . and because this is first divided into self-love and charity , or wishing well to ones self , and wishing well to some other being , i shall in the first place state the measures of regulating self-love . this sort of love is generally the most irregular of any , and that which causes irregularity in all the rest . we love our selves first , and last , and most of all . here we alwaies begin , and here we most commonly end , and so immoderate are we in it that we prosecute our own private interest , not only without any respect to the common good , but oftentimes in direct opposition to it , and so we can but secure to our selves a plank , care not what becomes of the vessel we sail in . this is the great sucker of society , and that which robbs the body politick of its due nourishment , and drains the common fountain to feed our own lesser streams . nay so foolishly immoderate and inordinate are we in the love of our selves , that we prefer our own little interest not only before greater of the public , but before greater of our own , and love our bodyes better than our souls , a lesser interest that 's present better than a greater that's distant , tho equally sure , ond infinitely greater . in short , t is from the inordinateness of this one principle , self-love , that we ruin the good of the community here , and our own selves both here and hereafter . here therefore is great need of regulation . now i suppose the measures of self-love may all be reduced to this one in general , viz. that self-love is never culpable , when upon the whole matter all things being taken into the account , we do truely and really love our selves . it is then only culpable , when we love our selves by halves , and in some particular respects only to our greater disadvantage in others of more importance . and because this we generally do , hence it comes to pass that self-love is commonly taken in a bad sense , as if 't were a thing evil and irregular in it self . but that 's a mistake , self-love is a principle and dictate of nature , and the instrument of attaining to that happiness , which is the end of our creation , and consequently can never be faulty , when upon the whole matter all things consider'd , it is a true love of our selves , now to make it so , three things are required . first that we do not mistake our true selves by wishing well to , or consulting the welfare of our worser part in prejudice to our better , by feeding the brute and starving the man. this would be to love our selves in a little , and to hate our selves in much , and would therefore upon the whole , better deserve the name of self-hatred than self-love . if therefore we would love our selves truely and regularly , we must learn in the first place not to mistake our true selves . the next requisite is , that we do not mistake our true interest , by willing to our selves a lesser good , when the having it will cost us the loss of a greater . this is properly that foolish exchange condemn'd by our b. saviour ; 't is to gain a world , and loose a soul ; and what gain 's that ? this is indeed the bargain of fools and madmen , and yet such bargains we usually make , and what adds to the folly , think that we love our selves all the while . but this is not to love our selves truely , and therefore not regularly . the third and last requisite for the regulation of self-love is , that we do not will any good to our selves , that is not consistent with the good of the community . and that not only because the publick good is of greater consequence than any private good can be , but also because that which is against the good of the community , cannot be upon a final consideration of things really for the good of any particular person in it . for the good of the whole is the good of the part , and the evil of the whole is the evil of the part , and all private interest is so twisted , complicated and imbarqued with the publick , that there is no prejudicing this without prejudicing that . this indeed may not be the present and immediate effect , but 't will prove so in the consequence and final upshot . for society is like an arch in a building , where one stone supports another , and in supporting others they support themselves . and so on the contrary , should they undermine one another , they would at length by consequence undermine themselves . he therefore that out of love to himself prosecutes any private interest to the prejudice of society , trespasses against his own good as well as that of the community , and when all is computed , cannot be said truely and really to love himself . the sum is , to make our self-love regular and according to order , we must take care not to mistake our true selves , nor our true interest , and that we don't prejudice the publick welfare , and then we can never love our selves too much . sect . iv. the measures of common charity . concerning common charity . i consider that the measures of it may all breifly be absolv'd in these two , the object of it , and the order of it . as to the object of charity , 't is of a very great and diffused latitude , and takes in first all men , whether good or bad , friends or enemies , neighbours or strangers , and in all respects , whether as to soul or body , name or goods &c. it extends also in some measure to the very irrational creatures , it being one of the characters of a good man in scripture to be merciful to his beast . nay it reaches to the angelical natures themselves , and indeed to the whole intellectual , rational and sensitive world that are capable of the least degree of benefit . in all this there is no difficulty , only it may be here question'd , whether the devils and damn'd spirits are to be comprehended within the sphere of our charity ? to which i answer , that there are two things that may render any being uncapable of being an object of our charity or wishing well to . either perfect fulness , or perfect indigence . now 't is the perfection of indigence to be reduced to such a degree of want as not to be in a capacity of ever being releiv'd . the former is the condition of god , which makes him uncapable of being made the object of our benevolence , as was observ'd before , the latter is the case of devils and damn'd spirits : and for this reason we cannot will any good to them , as not being capable of any . for we cannot exert any act of love which we know to be in vain and to no purpose at all , let the incapacity proceed either from extream fulness or extream indigence ; for what is there that should excite any such act ? and besides if we could possibly wish well to such beings , yet i don't see how we may do it lawfully and regularly . for our will would not be then conformable to gods , but directly opposite to it , and besides we should disapprove , at least tacitly and interpretatively , the iustice of his waies , by thus loving them whom he extremely hates , and blessing them whom he curses and abandons for ever . thus far of the object of our charity . now concerning the order of it , let these general measures be observ'd . first that we wish well to him most , who is most likely to be serviceable to the publick , supposing the good which we will him , to be such , as by the having it , he become more capable of serving the publick . thus had i the disposal of an ecclesiastical benefice , which is a thing wherein the good of the publick is highly concern'd , i ought certainly to bestow it upon him who i thought would do most good in it . tho at the same time i had never so many friends or relations that wanted it . for this is a sure and never failing rule , that the good of the publick is alwaies to be prefer'd before any private interest whatever . secondly that of two that are equally serviceable to the publick , we will this good wherein the publick is concern'd , to him that is most indigent ; for after the publick exigence is provided for , private necessity comes in to be regarded . but if both equally serviceable and equally indigent , then we are to will it to him that is most our neighbour , friend , or relation , or any other way indear'd to our affection . but thirdly , supposing the good to be such that the interest of the public is not concern'd who has it , then i am only to consult the good of the person to whom i will it , and consequently here equity will require that the preference be given to those that are near me before strangers , and among those that are near to those that are nearest , whether by nature , choice , or place , or in any other respect . and among strangers 't is equitable that the indigent be prefer'd in our charity before the rich , the good before the bad , and the more good before the less good , and the like . but still with this necessary reserve , that all other things be equal between them . for ly , 't is utterly unreasonable , that i should prefer the convenience of my friend before the necessity of my enemy . no , i ought to do the contrary , and prefer the necessity of my worst enemy before the convenience even of my dearest friend . thus i would leave my friend in the mire , to save my enemy from drowning . for in this and such like cases the greatness of the necessity compensates for the want of merit in the person . the last general measure that i shall prescribe is , that as we ought not to prefer any man's convenience before another man's necessity , so neither ought we to prefer any man 's own convenience before his own necessity . my meaning is , that we ought to consider our neighbours true and best interest , will and do him that good which he stands most in need of , and not do him a little kindness which will end in a greater mischief . hence it follows that we ought to tender the interest of his soul , more than the good of his body ; the direction of his conscience more than the ease and security of it ; that we stick not to prick and launce him in order to his cure ; and ( when both can't be done ) that we chuse rather to proffit him than to please him . for this is true charity , tho a severer sort of it , and he is a fool , who when saved from drowning , complains of being pluckt out of the water by the hair of his head . sect . v. the measures of friendship . i am now come to my last stage , where i am to give measures to the greatest rarity , and the greatest excellency in all the world . for indeed among all human enjoyments nothing is so rarely acquired , so dearly possess'd , and so unhappily lost as a true friend . indeed true friendship is so great a rarity , that i once thought it hardly worth while , to prescribe measures to a thing that so seldom happens , and when it does , those few excellent persons , that are fit for so sacred a union , can never want to be instructed how to conduct it . but then considering withal the great excellency , and usefulness of it to human life , i could not forgive my self so considerable an omission , as the passing by the regulation of so noble a charity . i call it charity , for 't is a special modification of it , and differs no otherwise from common charity , than as 't is qualify'd by some particular modifications and circumstances , as was above described . it is a sacred inclosure of that benevolence , which we owe to all mankind in common , and an actual exercise of that kindness to a few , which we would willingly shew to all , were it practicable and consistent with our faculties , opportunities , and circumstances . 't is indeed a kind of revenging our selves upon the narrowness of our faculties , by exemplifying that extraordinary charity upon one or two which we both owe , and are also ready and disposed , but by reason of the scantiness of our condition , are not sufficiently able to exercise towards all . we are willing that even this our love should be as extensive and diffused as the light , ( as for common charity , that must and ought to be so ) but then finding that the rayes of it would be too faint and weak , to give any body any considerable warmth , when so widely spread and diffused , we are fain to contract them into a little compass to make them burn and heat , and then our charity commences friendship . now as to the measures of friendship , these have been already so amply and excellently stated by the seraphic pen of a great prelate of our church , in a just discourse upon this occasion , that there needs nothing to be further added ; nor should i offer to write an iliad after such an homer , did i not think it more necessary to the intireness of this work in general , than to make up any defect in this particular part , which that excellent author has not supplied . i shall therefore be the more brief and sparing in this account . now i suppose all that is necessary for the regulation of friendship may conveniently be reduced to these three general considerations . first what measures are to be observed in the contracting of friendship . ly what measures are to be observ'd in the conducting or maintaining it . ly what measures are to be observ'd in the dissolving of it . in the contracting of friendship our first care must be to make such a choice as we shall never have cause to repent of . for when ever we cease to love a friend , 't is great odds if we do not mortally hate him . for 't is hard to maintain a mediocrity ; and nothing can reflect more upon our prudence and discretion , than to hate him whom we once thought worthy of our highest love . now that we may not repent of our choice , the measures to be observ'd are these . first , that the person whom we mark out for a friend , be a good and vertuous man. for an ill man can neither long love , nor be long belov'd . not by a good man to be sure , nor indeed by one as bad as himself . for this is a true observation , that however men love evil in themselves , yet no man loves it in another , and tho a man may be a friend to sin , yet no body loves the sinner . and accordingly we find that the friendships of wicked men are the most temporary and short-lived things in the world , and indeed are rather to be call'd conspiracies than friendships . and besides their interests will draw them several waies , and so distract and divide their union ; for vice is full of variety and contradiction , sets one and the same man at odds with himself , much more with another . but now virtue is a thing of oneness , simplicity and uniformity , and indeed the only solid foundation for friendship . the next measure is that we chuse a person of a sweet , liberal and obliging humour . for there are a thousand little endearments and compliances in the exercise of friendship , that make good nature and necessary as rigid virtue and honesty . strict vertue in friendship is like the exact rules of mathematicks in musical compositions , which indeed are necessary to make the harmony true and regular , but then there must be something of ayre and delicacy in it too , to sweeten and recommend it , or else 't will be but flat and heavy . the next measure to this purpose is that we chuse a person of a humour and disposition as nigh our own as we can . this will make our friendly communications both more pleasant and more lasting . the other qualities are as the materials in building , this answers to figure and shape . and unless the materials be of an agreeable and correspondent figure , though otherwise never so good , the structure will neither be sightly to the eye , nor hold long together . one thing more i would have remember'd in the contracting of friendship , and that is , that we don't make our selves over to too many . marriage which is the strictest of frienships admits but of one , and indeed inferiour friendship admits not of many more . for besides that the tide of love , by reason of the contractedness of our faculties , can't bear very high when divided among several channels , 't is great odds but that among many we shall be deceiv'd in some , and then we must be put upon the inconvenience of repentance and retractation of choice , which in nothing is so uncomely and inconvenient as in friendship . be kind therefore to all , but intimate only with a few . now the measures of conducting and maintaining friendship may be such as these . . that we look upon our friend as another self , and treat him accordingly . . that we love him fervently , effectually and constantly . . that we use his conversation frequently , and alwaies prefer it . . that we trust him with our secrets and most important concerns . . that we make use of his help and service , and be not shy of being obliged to him . . that we don't easily entertain any jealousies or suspicions of him . . that we defend his reputation when we hear it wrongfully charged . . that we wink at those small faults which he really has . . that we take the freedom to advise , and if need be , to reprove him , and that we be well contented to take the same usage from him again . . that we freely pay him that respect and just acknowledgment that 's due to his merits , and that we shew our selves pleased when the same is done by others . . that we do not envy him when advanced above us , nor despise him when fallen beneath us . . that we relieve him plentifully and liberally when reduced to any streights or exigencyes . and lastly , that we alwaies prefer the good of his soul before any other interest of his , and make it our strictest concern to promote his happy condition in the other world . this indeed is the most excellent and necessary office of friendship , and all without this is but of little signification . . and thus much for the conducting of friendship . i proceed now to the measures that are to be observ'd in the dissolution of it . and here two things come to be consider'd , the cause , and the manner of dissolving it . and first , 't is supposed that there may be a cause for the dissolution even of friendship . the wise man tells us , that for some things every friend will depart , and marriage , which is the strictest frindship , has its divorce . for t is with the union of two friends , as with the union of soul and body . there are some degrees of distemperature that , although they weaken and disturb the union , yet however they are consistent with it , but then there are others again , that quite destroy the vital congruity , and then follows separation . now as to the cause , that may justify a dissolution of friendsh , it can be no other than something , that is directly contrary to the very design and essence of friendship , such as a notorious apostacy to vice and wickedness , notorious perfidiousness , deliberate malice or the like . to which ( were i to speak my own sense ) i would add , a desperate and resolv'd continuance in all this , for i think as long as there is any hopes of amendment , the man is rather to be advised than deserted . but if hopeless and irreclaimable , we may and must desert him . but let it be with all the tenderness imaginable , with as much unwillingness and reluctancy as the soul leaves her over-distemper'd body . and now our greatest care must be that our former dearness turn not to inveterate hatred . there is great danger of this , but it ought not to be so . for tho the friend be gone , yet still the man remains , and tho he has forfetted my friendship , yet still i owe him common charity . and 't were well if we would rise a little higher , and even yet pay him some little respect , and maintain a small under-current of affection for him , upon the stock of our former dearness and intimacy . for so the deceased ghost loves to hover for a while about her old companion , though by reason of its utter discongruity , it be no longer fit for the mutuall intercourses of life and action . motives to the study and practice of regular love by way of consideration . . consider o my soul , that the very essence of the most perfect being is regular love. the very same apostle that saies god is love , saies also in another place that god is light , and that in him there is no darkness at all , joh. . . god therefore is both love and light ; light invigorated and actuated by love , and love directed and regulated by light. he is indeed a lucid and bright act of love , not arbitrary love , but love regulated by the exactest rules and measures of essential perfection . for how regular a love must that needs be , where the same being is both love and light ! . consider again my soul , that the material world the offspring and emanation of this lucid love , is altogether conformable to the principle of its production , a perfect sample and pattern of order and regularity , of beauty and proportion , the very reflexion of the first pulchritude , and a most exact copy of the divine geometry . and if thou could'st but see a draught of the intellectual world , how far more beautiful and delightsom yet would that orderly prospect be . and wilt thou my soul , be the only irregular and disorderly thing among the productions of god ? wilt thou disturb the harmony of the creation , and be the only jarring string in so composed and well-tuned an instrument ? as thou wilt certainly be if thou dost not love regularly . for consider my soul , that 't is regular love that makes up the harmony of the intellectual world , as regular motion does that of the natural . that regularity of the understanding is of no other moment or excellency , than as it serves to the regulating of love. that herein lies the formal difference between good and bad men in this world , and between the good and bad spirits in the other . brightness of understanding is common to both , and for ought we know , in an equal measure , but one of these loves regularly and the other does not , and therefore one we call an angel , and t'other a devil . for 't is regular love upon which the welfare and civil happiness of society depends . this is in all respects the same to the moral world , as motion is to the natural . and as this is maintain'd in its course by regularity of motion , so must the other be upheld by regularity of love. and therefore further . . consider o my soul , that the god of order , he that is both light and love , has prescribed two sort of laws with respect to the two worlds , laws of motion , and laws of love. indeed the latter have not their effect as necessarily and determinately as the former ; for the laws of motion god executes by himself , but the laws of love he has committed to the execution of his creatures , having endow'd them with choice and liberty . but let not this my soul be used as an argument to make thee less studious of loving regularly , because thou art not irresistibly determin'd and necessitated to love according to order , but art left to thy own choice and liberty . neither do thou fancy god less concern'd for the laws of love , than for the laws of motion , because he has not inforced those , with the same necessity as he has these , for . consider yet further my soul , that god has taken as much care for the regulation of love as is consistent with the nature of free agents . for has he not prescribed laws of regular love ? and has he not furnish'd thee with a stock of natural light and understanding , of reason and discourse to discern the antecedent equity and reasonableness of these laws ? and lest thou should'st be negligent in the use of this discursive light , has he not as a farther security of thy regular love against the danger either of ignorance or inconsideration , furnish'd thee with certain moral anticipations and rational instincts , which prevent all thy reasonings and discoursings about what thou oughtest to love , and point out the great lines of thy duty , before thou art able , and when thou dost not attend enough to see into the natural grounds of it . and left all this should prove insufficient or ineffectual , has he not bound thy duty upon thee by the most weighty sanctions , and most prevailing ingagements of rewards and punishments , of eternal happiness , and eternal misery ? and to make all this efficacious , does he not assist thee by the graces of his spirit in the regulation of thy love ? and what can god do more with the safety of his own wisdom , and of thy liberty ? and lest thou should'st fancy that 't is either in vain , or unnecessary to apply thy self to the study of regular love , . consider yet further my soul , that the great mystery of godliness is nothing else but a mysterious expedient for the promotion of regular love. as it proceeded from love , so does it wholly tend to the regulation of it . 't was to attone for the irregularities of love , that the son of god became a sacrifice to his father . to attone for it so far , that all the lapses and misapplications of our love should be forgiven , provided we return to the regularity of love for the future . had he not done so much , to return to regular love had been in vain , and had he done more , it had been needless . but herein is the mystery of godliness , that by the wise dispensation of god the matter is so order'd , that happiness is attainable by the order of love , and not without it . and can there be a stronger ingagement , o my soul , to perswade thee to the study of regular love , or to convince thee that god is not less concern'd for the harmony of the moral , than of the natural world , for the order of love , than for the order of motion ? be wise then o my soul , and consult the ends of god , the harmony of the world , and thy own eternal happiness . and that these thy considerations may be the more effectual , apply thy self with all possible elevation of spirit to the god of light and love. the prayer . o god of order and beauty , who sweetly disposest all things , and hast establish'd a regular course in the visible world , who hast appointed the moon for certain seasons , and by whose decree the sun knoweth his going down , let the moral world be as regular and harmonious as the natural , and both conspire to the declaration of thy glory . and to this end grant that the motion of our minds may be as orderly as the motion of bodyes , and that we may move as regularly by choice and free election , as they do by natural instinct and necessity . o god of light and love , warm and invigorate my light , and direct and regulate my love. in thy light let me see light , and in thy love let me ever love. lord i am more apt to err in my love than in my understanding , and one errour in love is of worse consequence than a thousand in judgment , o do thou therefore watch over the motions of my love with a peculiar governance , and grant that i my self may keep this part with all diligence , seeing hence are the issues of life and death . o spirit of love , who art the very essence , fountain and perfection of love , be thou also its object , rule , and guide . grant i may love thee , and what thou love'st , and as thou love'st . o clarify and refine , inlighten and actuate my love , that it may mount upward to the center and element of love , with a steddy , chast , and unfullied flame ; make it unselvish , universal , liberal , generous and divine , that loving as i ought i may contritribute to the order of thy creation here , and be perfectly happy in loving thee , and in being lov'd by thee eternally hereafter . amen . letters philosophical and moral , to d r henry more , with the doctor 's answers . advertisment to the reader . the publication of this correspondence was almost extorted from me by the importunity of some friends , who would not endure to think that any remains of so great and extraordinary a person should be lost . and truely when i consider'd , how curious and busy some men are in recovering a few broken fragments of some old dull author that had scarce any thing to recommend him but only , that he lived a great while ago , i began to think there was some force in the argument , and that i should be unkind to the world as well as to the memory of my deceased friend , should i detain in obscurity such rich treasures of excellent theory as are contain'd in these letters . to the publishing of which i was yet the less unwilling to consent , because of that near relation which some of them have to the matter of some part of this book , which may receive some further light from what is herein contain'd . but there is more in the business yet . i had formerly in a discourse , at first printed by it self and dedicated to the doctor , but now inserted in my collection of miscellanies lately publish'd , laid down an hypothesis concerning the root of liberty , which whether for its novelty and singularity , or because not well understood , underwent a great deal of censure at its first appearing ; and the excellent dr. himself was pleased to animadvert upon it ; and i think has urged all that can be said against it . but i think i have sufficiently vindicated the truth of the notion , and was therefore willing it should now appear to the world in its full strength and evidence , which could not have been more abundantly confirm'd to me , than in its being able to stand the shock of so severe a speculatist . epistola prima ad clarissimum virum henricum more . vir eximie , quum eruditionem tuam & humanitatem ex scriptorum tuorum genio pari passu ambulare animadvertam , & insuper in ipso libri tui vestibulo te coram profitentem audiam , te non tibi soli laborare , sed etiam pro omnibus iis qui exquirunt sapientiam , eousque mihi nativus exolevit pudor , ut ad te ( ignotum licet ) oraculi vice de quibusdam arduis sciscitatum mitterem . duo igitur sunt ( ut apud virum horarum quam parcissimum compendio agam ) quae animum meum suspensum tenent . in enchiridio tuo metaphysico demonstrare satagis immobile quoddam extensum à mobili materia distinctum existere ; quod demonstrationum tuarum nervis adductus non solum concedere paratus sum , sed etiam firmissime credo . illud tantum me male habet , quod dimensionem istam incorpoream ( quam spatii nomine designare solemus ) in infinitum porrigas , & undequaque immensam statuas . hoc equidem ut admittam nondum à facultatibus meis impetrare potui . quum enim spatium illud sit quantitas permanens , cujus omnes partes , quotquot sunt vel esse possunt , simul existunt , contradictoria mihi videtur affirmare quisquis illud infinite extensum dixerit . infinitum enim esse & tamen secundum omnes partes actu existere repugnant . nam secundum omnes partes actu existere est certis limitibus claudi . eodem modo ac quilibet numerus ( quantuscunque assignetur ) continetur sub certa specie numeri , proindeque finitus concludi debet . fateor aliter se rem habere in quantitate successiva , cujus partes existunt aliae post alias , quae quoniam post quantamcunque appositionem incrementi ulterius capax est , suo modo cenferi possit infinita . cujus vero partes omnes coexistunt ( cujusmodi est spatium ) finitum sit necesse videtur , quum partes ejus ( prout etiam innuit terminus ille inclusivus ( omnes ) sub certam numeri speciem cadant . altera quam ejusdem enchiridii tui lectio mihi suggerit difficultas est de penetrabilitate spiritus . dicis spiritus non obstante illorum extensione posse se mutuo penetrare , hoc est , idem ubi occupare . quod tamen explicas per sui contractionem , & illustras exemplo cerae in minus spatium convolutae . quod innuere videtur , te per spirituum penetrationem nihil aliud intelligere , quam quod duo spiritus per situs mutationem in pressiorem formam reducti , eundem illum locum occupare possint quem situ non mutato unus illorum forsan impleret . itane ? sed haec non est penetratio illa in scholis adeo decantata , scilicet coexistentia dimensionum in eodem ubi , sed solum juxta positio in eodem loco communi , quae non minus corporibus quam spiritibus competit . haec forsan à me non adeo dilucide prolata sunt , verum tu tam meae quam propriae mentis facilis esse potes interpres . rogo igitur ut in tenebris hisce ( modo per alia majoris momenti non stet ) facem mihi accendere non graveris . non oppugnatoris sed quaesitoris personam gero , nec ut te inscitiae arguam haec scribo , sed ut propriae ignorantiae medelam quaeram . opera tua omnia tribus voluminibus latine edita studiose perlegi , & ob summam illorum eruditionem ut in bibliotheca nostra statione donarentur , curavi . utinam metaphysicam quam exorsus es pertexeres . scire vehementer aveo quodnam tibi de ista re sit consilii . dolenda profecto res esset , si tam admirandum opus mancum semper maneret & imperfectum . maneat vero necesse est , nisi te authore ad exitum perducatur . quis enim alter erit apelles , qui dimidiato operi manum ultimam admovere sustineat ? noli igitur curiosos speculatores spe tanta in aeternum frustrari . quod superest deum ex animo precor ut te lucidissimum in orbe literato sidus diu ab occasu praeservet , & post decursum stadium beatorum choro immisceat , & ex ipso sapientiae fonte immensam tuam cognoscendi sitim tandem expleat . sic exoptat dovotissimus tui & tuorum scriptorum cultor johannes norris . dabam oxon. ex coll. om. an. jan. . . d r more 's answer . sir , i have received your very civil and elegant latin letter , but answer you according to my constant use to our own countrey men , in english. you have therein such significations of your kindness and esteem for me and my writings , that you have thereby obliged me to a professed readiness to serve you in any thing that lies in my power . and therefore without any further ceremony i shall endeavour , as touching those two difficulties you propound , to give you the best satisfaction i can . the first difficulty , if i understand you aright , is this : how that immobile extensum distinct from matter which in my enchiridium metaphysicum i demonstrate to exist , can truely be said to be infinite , when as it has all its parts that are or can be coexistent at once . because to exist according to all its parts at once is to be included within certain limits , as any number how big soever is conteined under some certain species of number , and therewithal conceived finite as the term [ all ] also implyes . and therefore successive quantity seems more capable of being infinite then permanent quantity , because there may be still more parts coming on ; when as in permanent quantity all the parts are at once , and that term [ all ] includes an actual bounding of the whole . this i conceive is the full scope of the first difficulty propounded . to which i breifly answer first , that that immobile extensum distinct from matter , being really a substance incorporeal , i do not conceive that the term [ parts ] in a physical sense does properly belong thereto , every incorporeal substance or spirit , according to my notion of things , being ens unum per se & non per aliud , and therefore utterly indiscerpible into parts , it implying a contradiction , that this of the substance or essence should be divided from that , the entire substance being ens unum per se & non per aliud . but understanding by parts onely notional or logical parts , which will consist with this indiscerpibility , wee 'll admit the phrase in this sense for more easy and distinct discourse sake , and also of totum and omne and whatever is a kin to them . and the same caution i premize touching the word [ quantity ] that we take it not in that crass physical sense , such as belongs to matter and bodyes , but meerly in that notional and logical sense , which is so general that it clashes not at all with the sacrosanctity , as i may so speak , of incorporeal substances . and now secondly to come nearer to the point , if we mind closely and distinctly , what sense we have of those terms totum and omne , we shall certainly discern , that they may signify either the entireness-indefectuousness or perfection of the thing they are pronounced of , or meerly that there is nothing left out of that subject they are spoken of , or else they imply also a comprehensibleness , limitableness , or exhaustableness of the number of those parts which are said all to be there . in this sense is totum plainly used in summa totalis at the foot of a reckoning . but for those that hold infinity of worlds at once , and infinite matter , when they will easily acknowledge , that omnes partes materiae sunt divisibiles , understanding by materia a congeries of atoms ; omnes mundi generabiles & corruptibiles , and tota materia mundana impenetrabilis , without the least suspicion that they thereby imply , that there is onely a finite number of worlds , or parts of matter , or that all the matter of the universe taken together is but finite ; it is plain that to them the former sense is as easy and natural of totum and omne as the latter ; and indeed to speak my own mind , i think it is the most natural and proper of all and the onely true logical sense of omne and totum ; which suspends it self from making the subject , of which it is pronounced , either finite or infinite , but declares onely whatever it be that there is no part left out of that subject it pronounces of . so that if totum , or omne , or omnes partes be pronounced of a subject infinite , it leaves nothing of that infinite subject out nor omits any parts , and consequentially implies the perfect infinity thereof . so far is it from curbing or terminating it , it reaching as far as that absolute infinity it is pronounced of . so that it is the subject of which omne & totum are pronounced , when it is finite that makes them have a finite signification , and not the intrinsick sense of those terms themselves . whence i think we may discern , that there is no repugnancy to assert that all the parts of that immobile extensum distinct from matter do exist together at once , though it be infinite , and that [ all ] in this enunciation does not curb the immensity of this extensum , but rather necessarily implyes it according to the true logical notion thereof , that term being alwaies commensurate , when it is truely used to the subject it is spoken of . and lastly , it is onely permanent quantity , and spiritual , and indiscerpible , whose parts are all at once , that is capable of absolute infinity . but as for successive quantity , it is not capable of being infinite , neither a parte ante nor a parte post . but your phancy seems unawares to have transferred the property of successive quantity to the permanet , and so because , so soon as we can say of successive quantity there is all of it , it implyes certainly there is an end of it , and so it is finite ; so you seem unawares to have imagined , because it is true of the parts of permanent quantity that there is all of them at once , therefore they are now exhausted , as the parts of successive quantity were , and therefore are finite . this i think is the sophisme you put upon your self . but you are the best judge of your own meaning . now as for the second difficulty , it seems such to you from your missing my meaning in my bringing in that instance of wax drawn out an ell long . and after reduced into the form of a globe , suppose no bigger than of an ordinary nutmeg : an heedless or idiotick spectator of this change may haply imagine the dimension of longitude quite lost thereby , whenas there is not one atom of the quantity thereof lost by this change of site , no more than there is of the substance of the wax . but what seems lost in longitude , it is compensated in latitude and profundity . so say i of the contraction of a created spirit , suppose from a spherical form , ( for we must take some figure or other ) of half a yard diameter , to a sphear of a quarter by the retraction of it self into so much less an vbi ( eight times less than before ) for as much as nothing of its substance is annihilated thereby , nothing of its dimensions is , but what seems to be lost in longitude , latitude , and profundity , is gained or compensated in essential spissitude , which is that fourth dimension i stand for , that it is in rerum natura . which tho it is more particularly belonging to the contraction of one and the same spirit into it self , yet it is also truely found , when any two substances whatever adequately occupy the same vbi ; as suppose a spirit occupyd a cube of matter of such a side or diameter . the spirit and the cube have their proper dimensions each of them in the same vbi , and therefore are an instance of a real essential spissitude in that vbi . and if there were another spirit in like manner occupying the same cube , there would be still a greater essential spissitude . and he that will not grant this essential spissitude , he must either list himself with that ridiculous sect of the nullibists , or that wretched sect of the materialists , or atheists , that hold there is nothing but matter in the universe , which i conceive i have again and again demonstrated to be false in this enchiridium of mine . but i suppose out of what has been said , you see plainly now that by the contraction of a spirit , i mean that of the same spirit , whereby it may occupy a less vbi than before , and not of several spirits so contracted , that they may take up no more space then any one of them did before contraction . and these hints i doubt not are sufficient to one of such quick parts as yours , to make you thoroughly and distinctly understand the meaning of the th section of the th chapter of my enchiridium metaphysocum . to satisfy your desire of knowing my intention touching the finishing the said enchiridium , i must confess to you freely , that i have no purpose of so doing . i am now of a great age , above threescore and ten , and have other designs also . and besides , this first part which i have finished is the most useful , the most assured , and yet i add the most difficult of all ; and having thoroughly made out the main truths of the existence of spiritual substance , and what its nature and essence is , intelligibly and demonstratively , i make account the greatest business is done , and i may leave the rest to others , especially there being laid in so much already in other treatises of mine , as you may observe in reading the scholia upon the sect. of the th chapter of the enchiridium . where yet i have left out what is considerable , my cabbala philosophica , & exposition of the iewish mercava , or ezechiels vision , the right understanding whereof contains the choicest secrets of the iewish theosophy or metaphysicks . this is all for the present , but the repeating of my thanks for the great kindness you seem to have for worthy sir , your affectionate friend to serve you hen. more . c.c.c. jan. . / the second letter to d r more . sir , the civility and profound subtilety of your letter are both so very extraordinary , that i know not which most to admire . indeed i cannot but look upon it as an infinite obligation , that a person of your age , worth , and character in the world , should vouchsafe an answer ( and that so candid a one ) to such a green student as my self , one that just begins to climb that tree of knowledg , upon whose utmost bough you sit , and is so far from spreading his name ( like you ) far and near , that he has scarce lustre enough to enlighten the little orb wherein he moves . this great condescention of yours bespeaks you to be a person of an excellent spirit , as well as understanding , and ingages me ( if possible ) to honour and esteem you more than i did before , and to say of you as cicero in his book de legibus does of plato , quem admiror , quem omnibus antepono , quem maxime diligo . sir , i have consider'd and digested your letter , and i find my satisfaction increases with my perusal of it . which gives me incouragement to trouble you with another inquiry , especially since i find you willing as well as able to inform , and that you do not send away those that inquire of you , as the sullen oracle did augustus , asking concerning his successour with — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing then is this . i am not well resolv'd concerning the moral turpitude of sensuality . not of such species of it as are complicated and accompany'd with civil incommodotyes , such as adultery , fornication , &c. ( concerning which 't is easy to account from those mischeifs , which , considering the present system of the intellectual world , they necessarily bring upon mankind ) but of sensuality as such . now concerning this i inquire , . whether there be any moral turpitude in it or no. and ly , supposing there is , wherein it lies . for my own part i am so divided betwixt arguments on both sides , that i know not what to resolve . for first that there is some moral , or intrinsick turpitude , in sensuality as such , i am tempted to suspect from the authority of many great moralists ( especially among the antients ) who , when they lay open the immorality of adultery or fornication , do not fetch their arguments wholely from those ill effects , which either of them has upon the welfare of society , but resolve part of their immorality into sensuality as such , abstracted from those other ill consequences . besides i observe , that in the divine writings ( not to say any thing of our ordinary oral discourses ) such peculiar epithetes and adjuncts of infamy are given to adultery , which can belong to it on no other score , than as 't is an act of sensuality . nay , and as if that were the principal ingredient , it oftentimes receives a denomination from the sensuality , but never from the injustice , infaithfulness , or the like . thus it is call'd the sin of uncleanness . and adulterers are said to be unclean persons , filthy , brutish , &c. in the like manner david , in his penitentials for that sin , insists much upon its sensuality , and accordingly speaks of washing , and cleansing , and making clean . all which seems to imply , that the immorality of adutery is not wholly to be deriv'd from those mischeivous effects it has upon society , but does also partly ( if not chiefly ) consist in the mere sensuality , and consequently that sensuality as such is immoral . again ly ( to proceed from mental abstraction to real separation ) there are some acts of sensuality ( such as voluntary pollutions &c. ) which are really separated from such ill effects , and yet these by the consent of all nations were ever condemn'd as dishonorable and immoral , and yet there is nothing in them besides the sensuality , and consequently there seems to be a moral turpitude even in sensuality as such . again ly , that there is some natural turpitude in sensuality as such , i am apt to believe , when i consider how unanimously 't is vilify'd and decry'd by those , who were mere strangers to revelation , and so could not derive this notion from the prohibition of some certain species of it . sir i need not tell you , what a continual topic for invectives this has been to the platonists and stoicks . now how these men , who follow'd the mere conduct of nature , should all conspire in such abject and disdainful thoughts of sensuality , unless it were some way or other disagreeable to the unsophisticate and genuin relish of the soul , i cannot comprehend . again ly and lastly , that there is some natural intrinsick turpitude in sensuality as such , seems to receive no small confirmation from that natural shame , which attends the acting of it , and that not only in circumstances professedly unlawful , but also in those which are otherwise reputed , whereby men seem conscious to themselves of some incongruity in the thing as such . from this and more that might be alledg'd , it seems to me that there must be some moral turpitude in sensuality as such . but now wherein this immorality should ly , i am still to seek . as also i am how to unwind my self from the difficulties of the other side . for first , i find that the more modern masters of morality ( such as grotius , dr cumberland , puffendorf with many others ) resolve the immorality of adultery wholly into those pernicious effects it has upon society , without bringing in the sensuality as such into any part of the account , which they could not do , did they apprehend any moral turpitude in sensuality as such . again ly , that there is no moral turpitude in sensuality as such , seems to appear from hence , that if there were , it would be so in all its instances , and consequently even in marriage it self . but 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . so that hence arises a considerable difficulty . for if there be no moral turpitude in sensuality as such , then all abstracted acts of it ( as voluntary pollutions &c. ) must be held lawful , which are yet condemn'd . and if there be , then marriage must be condemn'd , which yet is held lawful . again ly , i can see no reason why that sort of corporal indulgency , which is emphatically call'd sensuality , should be charged with any moral turpitude , when as other pleasures of sense ( and those perhaps equally intense ) are not so . such as using choice perfumes , eating delicious sweet-meats , &c. t is plain these all agree in this , that they are gratifications of sense , and therefore why there should be a moral turpitude in one , and not in another , i am yet to learn. again ly and lastly , to argue from the simple and absolute nature of the thing , i cannot imagine how it should be a moral incongruity for a man to please himself . what malice is there in it either against god , himself , or his neighbour ? for that there is in some particular instance ( as in adultery ) or in degree ( as in intemperance ) is purely accidental , and therefore ought not to be charged upon sensuality as such . these considerations do prevail with me to think , that there is no moral turpitude in sensuality as such , that all the pleasures of sense are in themselves equally indifferent , like the trees of paradise . so that if that , which we here treat of , only be evil , it must be ( as the forbidden fruit ) because made so by a positive law ( which yet i know not of ) as an instance to try our obedience . but how to reconcile this with the former difficulties , i profess i know not . and here sir , i desire your unerring hand to lead me out of this labyrinth , and that at your own leisure , ( for i am not in hast , and would by no means be troublesome to you ) you would be pleased to give me a resolution of this whole matter , and that you would not only satisfy the doubts , but also pardon the boldness of most worthy sir , your most real friend and most humble servant j. norris . allsouls coll. ian. . ● d r more 's answer . sir , you may very well judge me more than ordinarily rude and uncivil , that i have not all this time answered your so friendly and affectionate letter . but i have such abundance of business lying upon my hands , that i could not find time till now , and foreseeing that i shall be suddenly more busy than before , in this strait of time that i am in , i have chosen , rather than to be still silent , to write , though but briefly , and it may be brokenly to the point you propound . viz. concerning the moral turpitude of sensuality . you have shewed a great deal of not onely wit and eloquence , but solidity of reason in pleading pro and con in the case . but you had proceeded more clearly , if you had first defined what you meant by sensuality , ( which , according to the ordinary acception of the word , signifies immorally , and insinuates an irregular and ungovernable indulgence of the pleasure of the grosser senses ) and so the business had been less difficult . but considering the whole matter of your arguing on both sides , i perceive you mean no more by sensuality , then the pleasure of what iul. scaliger in his exercitations calleth the sixt sense . for so he counts that tactus venereus , which some are so taken with . and therefore , if you will , we will state the question according to his phrase , and it shall be , whether the pleasure of the sixt sense have any moral turpitude in it . wherein i will adventure to pronounce , that it has not as such . but to be captivated to that pleasure , so as to make us less capable of that , which is better , or to break the laws of what is just and decorous , this is the turpitude that is contracted therein , and argues him , that is thus captivated , to be brutish and sensual in the ordinary sense of the word . and therefore it is no wonder such persons are stiled filthy , brutish , and unclean in the holy scriptures , because the goatish nature has got dominion over them . you have urged excellently well for the turpitude of sensuality hitherto taken in the usual sense , though prescinded from the consequent inconveniencies thereof . but now that platonists decry without revelation , the delight of corporeal pleasures , and that there is a natural shame of having to do with those pleasures of the sixt sense , this looks like a shrewd argument for an innate turpitude in those very pleasures themselves , though in lawful circumstances ; but yet i conceive this instinct of natural shame , if rightly interpreted , does not so much intimate any moral turpitude in having to do with the pleasures of the sixt sense , as admonishes us , that though these things rightly circumstantiated have no moral turpitude in them , yet such is the nobleness of the soul of man , that such gross enjoyments are exceedingly below her , who is designed for an angelical life , where they neither marry , nor are given in marriage , and therefore even nature has taught her to sneak , when , she being heaven-born , demits her noble self to such earthly drudgery . if this passion of venereal shame be rightly interpreted , i suppose this is all it signifies , and not that there is any intrinsick immorality or turpitude in the pleasures of the sixt sense . but for sensuality taken in the ordinary sense , of which adultery is a specimen , most certainly there is a foulness and uncleanness in it , distinct from what it sins against political society , which by no means is the adequate measure of sound morality , but there is a moral perfection of human nature antecedent to all society . i pray read what i have writ on this argument in my scholia on the sect. of the chapter of the first book of my enchriridium ethicum . which will save me the labour of adding any thing more here . but when the matter is simply the perception of the sixt sense , there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this rightly phrasing the point in question takes away all the difficulties , that would infer no moral turpitude , where there is such , or any moral turpitude , where there is none . to your third plea for no moral turpitude i answer , that corporeal pleasures in eating and drinking &c. if they be irregular or excessive , have a moral turpitude in them . viz. if they are so much as to hinder and lessen the better enjoyments of the soul , and obstruct the design of living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as aristotle some where speaks , and makes our bodies a less commodious temple for the spirit of god to dwell in . and to your fourth and last , wherein you say you cannot imagine how it should be a moral incongruity for a man to please himself . what malice is there in it either against god , himself , or his neighbour ? you say right , he may mean no ill to himself , but he may mistake himself , and out of ignorance of the dignity of his own nature , take that to be chiefly himself , which is least of all himself , or the meanest part of him , i mean that part which is common to him with the brutes , the pleasures of which life the more he endeavours to shun , as far as is consistent with the health of his body , and disdains to be captivated with the gratifications of the flesh , the more surely will he arise into the enjoyment of such a life , as is unexpressibly above all the pleasures this mortal flesh can afford . but he that layes his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of god. there must be assiduity , constancy , and a perpetual guard and watchfulness over a mans waies , over the inclinations of of his mind and outward words and actions , and devotional addresses to god for further illumination & strengths , to carry on the work of real regeneration , and the issue will at last be ineffably pleasing and glorious . and he , that gives himself up to such a dispensation of life , will not miss of meeting with the clearness of all useful truths . and when his true self is awakened in him , it will be a moral congruity to please himself , that is , that intellectual and godlike life and sense raised in him . and all the trees of paradise , which god has planted , the pleasures of all the six senses , he may tast of , so long as he keeps in the life aforesaid , and makes that the measure of all his inferiour enjoyments , that he is not lessened above , by being captivated by any thing below . then the pleasure of the sixt sense is not forbid , nor is there any thing forbid in the paradise of god , but the irregularity of our own lust and will. i hope out of this you will pick out my meaning , though this pinch of time that i am in , has made me but huddle up things together with less order than i usually endeavour to do . thus in some hast committing you to gods gracious keeping , i take leave and rest , dear sir your affectionate friend to serve you hen. more . c. c c. april . . . the third letter to dr. more . sir , suddainly after my receiving your last , i withdrew into the country , whence i am but lately return'd . i had no manner of conveniency of writing to you there , but now i have , i think , my self obliged to use it forthwith , left you should suspect that i am forgetful of you , or of the thanks i owe you for your last excellent letter . it gave me much satisfaction in several things , and i read it ( as indeed i do every thing of yours ) with a peculiar pleasure . but since i have begun to move a question , and you have been so kind as to communicate to me your thoughts concerning it , i hope you will not take it amiss , if in order to the clearing up the whole matter i here reassume it , and desire from you some further satisfaction obout it . the summ of the determination which you give to the difficulty i proposed , is ( if i understand you right ) in short this . you distinguish of sensuality as it signifies concretely and immorally either as to measure or other circumstance , or as 't is simply the perception of the pleasure of the sixth sense . which last ( that which i meant in my inquiry ) you acquit from all moral turpitude . now i confess i am and ever was perfectly herein of your judgment , and that ( among other reasons ) because of the divine institution of matrimony . only there is one thing that still sticks with me . i find my self still intangled in one of my difficulties which , tho in your answer you take notice of it , appears to my apprehension the most considerable of all . 't is this , that if there be no moral turpitude in the simple perception of venereal pleasure , then all abstracted acts of it , such as voluntary pollutions , lascivious embraces &c. must be accounted lawful , which are yet condemn'd by all moral and divine writers . the reason of the consequence is , because there seems to be nothing in such abstracted acts , besides the simple peception of the pleasure of the sixth sense . for as for excess , captivation of spirit , too sensitive applications and the like , these are merely accidental , and equally incident to the same acts in all other circumstances . this is the short of the difficulty , which i need not persue in more words to a person of your exquisite conception . sir i humbly crave your sense in this point , ( the only thing not clear'd in your answer ) which if you please to vouchsafe me , you will no less ingage the affections than inform the iudgment of ( most worthy sir ) your most real and highly obliged friend and servant j. norris . d r more 's answer . sir , it is now above a month since i received yours . but indisposition of body , and several unexpected occurrences have hindred me from writing till now . if my memory fail me not , i intimated to you in my last , that i would read over again that sermon , which you was pleased to dedicate to me , and signify to you more of my mind touching it . wherefore to be as good as my word , i will take notice of a passage or two , before i answer this present letter . you fall , pag. . upon a very subtile subject , viz. what it is , in which our pretense to free agency may be safely grounded , whether in the will or understanding . and in order to decide the point in hand , you do with good judgment declare against talking of the will and understanding , as faculties really distinct either from one another , or the soul her self . but tho you begin thus hopefully , yet methinks you run your self into an unnecessary nooze of fatality , by granting the soul necessarily wills as she understands ; you know that of the poet. — video meliora proboque , deteriora sequor . — and for my part , i suspect there are very few men , if they will speak out , but they have experienced that truth . else they would be in the state of sincerity , which over few are . but now that you would salve the phenomenon of free agency , pag. . by making it depend upon the degrees of advertency or attention which the soul uses , and which to use either more or less , is fully and immediatly in her own power , this is an invention ingeniously excogitated , to escape the difficulty you have cast your self into , by admitting the soul necessarily wills as she understands , and necessarily understands as the object appears to her . for thus indeed we were frozen up in a rigid fatality and necessity . but this does not cast the ground of free agency upon the soul as intelligent , more than as volent , if so much . for unless she will exert her advertency or attention , how can she to any degree advert or attend to the object ? so that the ground of free agency will be still resolved into the soul , not as intelligent , but as volent , and willing to understand the nature of every object she is concerned to speculate . moreover , though the soul be willing to exert her advertency or attention to the object , this alone seems but a defective principle as to the redeeming us into the ability and freedome of closing with what is best , as discerning it to be so . for as the eye , let it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never so much , if it be vitiated in it self , cannot rightly discern the condition of the visible object it fixes its sight upon ; so the mind of man , let him set himself never so diligently to contemplate any moral or intelligible object , if she be made dim by moral corruptions and impurities , will not be able or free to close with what is best in the circumstances that lye before her , being held captive by the vices the party has not yet purifyed himself from . wherefore the true ground of our being able and free to chuse what is best , consists rather in the purity of the soul from vice , than in advertency and attention to the object , while the mind is vitiated and obscured for want of due purification . which the best philosophers and christians have alwaies declared to be requisite to true illumination . and that notable instance of martyrdome , which you bring in to illustrate the case , methinks , may be made rather to illustrate and confirm what i drive at . viz. that there is something of greater weight than advertence or attention , that will enable a man to witness to the truth with his blood . for notwithstanding the mere being notionally convinced , that sin , or such a sin as the denying of christ , is the greatest evil in the world , though he never so closely attend to this truth in the notion thereof , if the old man or carnal mind be still alive in him , that crafty serpent will not fail to suggest such evasions or tergiversations , as will excuse him from suffering , and that , it may be , though he do firmly believe the torments of hell , and joyes of heaven after this life . for the mercy of god , and future repentance , and violence of the temptation , or pretense of making amends some other way , and i know not how many other such slim insinuations , may be fool the unregenerate man from ever adventuring to suffer martyrdome . but he that is to a due degree regenerate , and made , as s. peter speaks , partaker of the divine nature ; the spirit of life in the new birth being awakened in him , and the love of god in him perfected ; this new nature in him into which he is born from above , having rather quicker sensations than the animal nature it self , this is the thing indeed that will secure the crown of martyrdom to him , nor will he be liable to be imposed upon by the carnal mind , to listen to such evasions and tergiversations as i mentioned before , but had rather dye a thousand natural deaths , than wound and pain that life and spirit into which he is regenerate . wherefore no fear of pain from man can shake him ; the love of the lord jesus and of his life , into which he is regenerate , being stronger than death , and all pains of the natural life more tolerable by far to him , than to wound and pain and grieve that life and spirit in him , which is supernatural and divine . and this is that which the beloved apostle s. iohn witnesses , joh. . . that there is no fear in love , but perfect love casteth out fear . because fear hath torment . he that feareth is not perfected in love . and towards the beginning of that chapter he saies , greater is he that is in us , than he that is in the world . speaking of the spirit of christ , and the spirit of the world. these things i hint to you to let you understand , that sometimes more than the notional attending to the hainousness of sin is required to furnish out a martyr . and that our being redeemed into an ability or freedom of chusing what is best , is not from mere attention to the object , but from purification , illumination and real regeneration into the divine image . but i cannot insist largely on any thing . verbum sapienti sat est . i will onely take notice of one place more in your ingenious discourse , and that is , pag. . where i stumbled a little at your seeming severity towards the severe masters , as you call them , of spiritual mortification . i confess some passages in them lye fair for your lash . but the high and hyperbolical expressions of holy and devout men are not to be tryed by the rigid rules of logick and philosophy , but to be interpreted candidly , according to the scope they aym at . which is a perfect exinanition of our selves , that we may be filled with the sense of god , who worketh all in all , and feelingly acknowledge what ever good is in us to be from him , and so be no more elated for it , than if we had none of it , nor were conscious to our selves we had any such thing . and to be thus self-dead and self-annihilated is the onely sure safe passage into eternal life , peace and glory . and is the most safe and lovely condition of the soul that possibly can be attained to . all knowledg to this is but vain fluttering , a feather in a mans cap tossed with the wind . here is firm achorage , rest , and such a peace as passes all understanding . this is the proper character of christ and his followers . learn of me for i am humble and meek , and you shall find rest for your souls . and blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . this mystical death or spiritual annihilation , whereby all self-wishing is destroy'd , is the peculiar transcendency of the christian state above that of the noblest heathen philosophers that ever were . and who ever feels it will find it so . for these are divine sensations , and lye deeper than imaginative reason and notion . nor is there any mistake in this state devoid of all self-attribution . for tho the soul attribute not to her self what good she has in possession , yet she denyes not but that she has it . like that profession of s. paul gal. . . i am crucifyed with christ , nevertheless i live , yet not i but cbrist liveth in me , namely by his spirit . and being this christian state is the most perfect state the soul of man is capable of , we are obliged by way of duty to endeavour after it as much as we can , according to that of the stoick , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but i have dwelt upon this point also longer than i intended . and i know you will pardon my freedom in thus descauting upon these two passages of your learned and elegant discourse . i will pass now to your letter , and endeavour to finish the point betwixt us there , and make up what you think defective in my other letter . we are both agreed in this , that the simple perception of the pleasure of the sixt sense hath no moral turpitude in it . but you say hereupon that there is one difficulty still you are entangled in , which , though i took no notice of in my letter , yet seems to you the greatest and most considerable of all , namely , if there be no moral turpitude in the simple perception of venereal pleasure , then all abstracted acts of it , such as voluntary pollutions , lascivious embraces , &c. must be accounted lawful , which are yet condemned by all moral and divine writers . and the reason of the consequence , you say is , because there is nothing in such abstracted acts besides the simple perception of the pleasure of the sixt sense . for as for excess , captivation of spirit , too sensitive applications and the like , these are merely accidental , and equally incident to the same acts in all other circumstances . i suppose you mean in the state of matrimony , where the perception of this pleasure is lawful and allowed . there was in my former letter what might answer this difficulty , tho you took no notice of it . but here i will answer more fully and gradually . first therefore , though we should admit , that the perception of the pleasure of the sixt sense in such circumstances , as you describe , had nothing in it immoral , yet certainly it were a thing disangelical , if i may so speak , and undivine ; whenas we being born to that high condition of angels , we ought to breath after that state , and as aristotle somewhere adviseth ( against that vulgar proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) we ought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to affect the life of the immortal angels , who neither marry nor are given in marriage , and therefore to have nothing to do with that pleasure farther then necessity requires , not for the mere pleasures sake , which nature has stigmatized with the sense of shame accompanying it , on purpose to remind us of that immortal and angelical condition we are called to , where that pleasure is perfectly silent ; though at the resurrection , we then having organized bodies , it were hard to conceive , that we should be like the idols of the heathen , have eyes and see not , ears and hear not , noses and smell not , no not so much as the fragrant odours of paradise , nor tast of the food of angels , as the psalmist somewhere expresses it . which philosophical hypothesis , if it be true , there is an obvious reason why the sixt sense has the stamp of shame upon it , and the other five not , and is no contemptible argument of the immortal state of the soul out of this earthly body : so handsomely are these things complicated gether . secondly , it being apparent to any , that has but the least sagacity in interpreting nature , that the pleasure of the sixt sense is in order to that weighty end of propagation , it is most manifestly a gross abuse of the pleasure of the sixt sense , to affect it , and excite it merely for the pleasures sake , the end of god and nature being frustrated at the same time , and the due use of that sensation grosly perverted . if this be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an unnatural act or the transgression of the law of nature , what is ? so that it cannot be said that this is the simple perception of the pleasure of the sixt sense , but is the perception thereof in such circumstances , as make it abominable . and here are broken the laws of what is fit and decorous , as i intimated to you in my former letter , and which might have afforded an answer to this scruple you now again raise in this . but thirdly and lastly , there is an analogie betwixt the pleasure of the sixt sense , and the pleasure of tast. the former as it is in order to the propagation of the species of living creatures , so the latter is in order to the sustentation of the individuals . the pleasure of the tast is to engage the animal to eat sufficiently to nourish him and to renew his strength . now suppose any man had found some art or trick , to enjoy the pleasure of the tast of meats and drinks all the day long in a manner , and from day to day , though he eat no more for strength and sustenance than others do , were not this man most wretchedly sensual and gluttonous ? how then can the exciting of the venereal pleasure by voluntary pollutions , &c. be thought to be any other than the foulest act of lust that may be , thus to indulge to this carnal pleasure meerly for the pleasures sake , against the law of god and nature . wherefore you see that the reason of your consequence is very infirm , and that there is something in those abstract acts , as you call them besides the simple perception of the pleasure of the sixt sense . for the very abstractiveness of this pleasure from the natural end and use of it , is its essential filth or moral turpitude , to be abhorred of all holy souls , and abominated for the reasons i have mentioned . nor is the pleasure of the sixt sense lawfully enjoyed , but in the state of matrimony . but excess captivation of spirit , &c. are lawful in no state that i know of . and thus you have as full resolution of this point as i can give , and if it may have the success to prove satisfactory to you , i shall think my pains well bestow'd . but if upon a deliberate perusal of what i have writ , and an impartial improvement thereof to your best satisfaction you can , there should chance to remain any further scruple , i shall , if you write me word of it , readily endeavour to ease you thereof as it becomes dear sir , your faithful and affectionate friend to serve you hen. more . c. c. c. ian. . / . the fourth letter to d r more . sir , there was no need of an apology either for the lateness of your answer , or your freedom in descanting upon some passages in my sermon . i can very easily be contented to stay for what by its excellency will reward my patience , and can easily forgive him that will make me wiser . for i am concern'd for no opinion any farther than i think it true , and so far i am , and therefore as i profess my self heartily obliged to you for your kind and excellent endeavours to rescue me from an errour , so i must beg your leave to return something in defence of my hypothesis . which i question not but you will readily grant , especially when i assure you that i argue only to be better inform'd . and that your authority is so sacred with me that nothing less than the desire of truth should ingage me to oppose it . presuming therefore upon your pardon , i shall first offer something in confirmation of my opinion , and then consider what you alledge to the contrary . and in the first place 't is agreed betwixt us that there must be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , some principle of free agency in man. all that does or can fall under debate is what is the primary and immediate subject of this free agency . now this being a rational perfection must be primarily subjected either in the understanding or in the will , or ( to speak more accurately ) either in the soul as intelligent , or in the soul as volent . that the latter cannot be the root of liberty will be sufficiently clear , if this one proposition be fully made out , viz. that the will necessarily follows the dictate of the understanding , or that the soul necessarily wills as she understands . now for the demonstration of this , i shall desire but this one postulatum , which i think all the schools of learning will allow me , viz. that the object of the soul as volent is apparent good , or that the soul cannot will evil as evil. now good apparent or evil apparent , is the same in other terms with that , which is apprehended or judg'd to be good or evil respectively . ( for to appear thus or thus does not ponere aliquid in re , but is an extrinsecal denomination of the object in reference to the faculty . ) if therefore good apparent be the object of the will , good apprehended will be so too , and consequently the soul necessarily wills as she understands , otherwise she will chuse evil as evil , which is against the supposition . this i take to be as clear a demonstration of the souls necessarily willing as she understands upon the supposition that our postulatum be true , as can be afforded in the mathematicks . but for more illustration , we will bring it to an example . and for the present let it be that of s. peter's denying of his master . here i say that s. peter judged that part most eligible which he chose , that is , he judged the sin of denying his master , at that present juncture , to be a less evil than the danger of not denying him , and so chose it . otherwise if he had then actually thought it a greater evil , all that whereby it exceeded the other , he would have chosen gratis , and consequently would have will'd evil as evil . there was therefore undoubtedly an errour in his understanding , before there was any in his will. and so it is in the case of every sinner , according to those trite sayings , omnis peccans ignorant , and nemo malus gratis &c. and therefore t is that in scripture , vertue is expressed by the names of wisdom and understanding , and vice goes under the names of folly and errour . all who commit sin think it , at the instant of commission , all things consider'd , a lesser evil , otherwise 't is impossible they should commit it . but this ( as the psalmist expresses it ) is their foolishness , and in another place , have they any understanding that work wickedness ? from all which i conclude that the will is necessarily determin'd by the dictate of the understanding , or that the soul necessarily wills as she understands , so that in this sense also that of the stoick is verify'd , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the soul therefore as volent cannot be the immediate subject of liberty . if therefore there be any such thing as free agency , the seat of it must be in the soul as intelligent . but does not the soul necessarily understand as the object appears , as well as she necessarily wills as she understands ? she does so , and therefore i do not place the seat of liberty in the soul as judging or forming a judgment , for that i confess to be determin'd by the appearance of things . but though it be necessary that the soul judge as things appear , yet 't is not necessary ( except only in self evident propositions ) that things should appear thus or thus , but that will wholely depend upon the degrees of advertency or attention ; such a degree being requisite to make the object appear thus , and such a degree to appear otherwise . and this advertency is that wherein i place the seat of free agency . lower than this i discern not the least glimps of it , and higher i cannot go . here therefore i conceive i have good reason to fix , and to affirm that the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the soul consists in her having an immediate power to attend or not attend , or to attend more or less . i say an immediate power , for if you will have an express act of the will interposed , that act of the will must have a practical iudgment , that judgment an objective appearance , that appearance another attention , that attention another will , and so on ad infinitum . i think it therefore reasonable to stop at the first . i shall now apply my self to your objections . and first , against the necessity of the soul 's willing as she understands you alledge that of the poet , concerning medea — video meliora proboque , deteriora sequor — i answer by distinguishing the antecedent , a thing may be judg'd good either by a speculative or universal knowledg , and that i do not alwaies follow , or by a practical knowledg , when i look upon it and pronounce of it pro hic & hunc as cloath'd with all its circumstances , and that i do alwaies follow . but you farther urge that if so , then there would be no such thing as sin against knowledg . or ( which is the same otherwise worded ) that then men would be in a state of sincerity . to this i answer , that a sinner according to this hypothesis may be said to sin both knowingly and ignorantly too in different respects . he sins knowingly in as much as he knows in the theory or by an habitual judgment , that such a fact is a sin , and yet he sins ignorantly too , in as much as either he does not actually attend to that speculative and habitual judgment of his , that such a thing is a sin , or if he does , yet he thinks it upon the whole matter to be a lesser evil ; which indeed is implicitly and confusely though not explicitly that t is not a sin , because that which is truely a lesser evil cannot be a sin , for a sin can never be eligible , but a lesser evil may . and whereas you say that advertency , or attention to the object is a defective principle as to the redeeming us into the ability of closing with what is discern'd best , i confess i can easily conceive how a man may be defective in his attention , but not how attention it self if duely applied can be defective towards true illumination though in the midst of moral corruptions . all that can be said is , that these moral corruptions may divert the soul from sufficiently attending to the beauty of holiness , and this i take to be the true and ultimate ground of all sin , and here t is i fix the necessity of grace and divine assistence . and whereas you say , that the instance of martyrdom which i alledg for my opinion , does rather confirm that there must be something of more weight than advertency to inable a man to dy for the truth ; and that though a man be notionally convinc'd that the denying of christ is the greatest evil in the world , and attend never so closely to this notion , he may yet find such evasions as will excuse him from suffering ; for you say the mercy of god , and future repentance , and of the temptation , or pretence of making amends some other way , may do it . to this i reply , that he who is notionally convinc'd that the denying of christ is the greatest evil in the world , cannot possibly chuse it so long as he continues that judgment , or notional conviction , there being according to his then apprehension no greater evil for the avoiding of which he should think it eligible . if thefore he should then chuse it , he must chuse it as a greater evil , that is , simply as evil , than which i think there can be no greater absurdity . as for those considerations therefore which you subjoyn , the mercy of god , future repentance , &c. these cannot prevail with him to chuse the denying of christ while he judges it the greatest evil , any more than they can induce him to chuse evil as such . they may indeed prevail with him in the present juncture not to think it the greatest evil , nay to pronounce it a lesser evil than the evil of pain , and then no wonder if he chuse it . but this i do not conceive to make any thing against my hypothesis , but to be rather according to it . as to what you remark concerning humility and spiritual mortification , i think i may be perfectly of your mind without retracting or altering any thing of my sermon , for i don't find , if the business be sifted to the bottom , that we differ any thing at all . your determination concerning the pleasure of the sixt sense , i submit to as very full and satisfactory . and i have only one thing more to move concerning it . which is , that since you make the abstractedness of this pleasure from the natural end of it , that of propagation , to be its essential turpitude , whether this does not conclude against all those who marry in such an age , when 't is impossible according to the course of nature , that this end should be serv'd . and whether there be any difference according to your measures between the enjoyment of the sixt sense in such circumstances or the like , and voluntary pollutions . i would willingly know your sense in this matter . and now ( sir ) all i have to do is to return you extraordinary thanks for your many and great civilities , to desire a long continuance of your health and welfare , and favourable construction of the defence which i make against your reflections . that t is not in the least from a design of wrangling and opposition , but from a perswasion of my being at present in the right , and an earnest desire of being wiser . i am truely indifferent which side of the question be true , all that i am concern'd for is to know which is so . and being so indifferent , as i am the more likely to find the truth , so i hope i am so to obtain pardon from you who are so great a friend to it . which yet you will be the more ready to grant when you consider how much your judgment ( tho not in this particular fully assented to ) is yet admired and esteemed by ( most honour'd and dear sir ) your most obliged friend and servant j. norris . d r more 's answer . sir , i have received yours , and reading the confirmation of your hypothesis ( which i took the boldness a little to vellicate ) and your answer to my objections against it , i could not but observe your ingenious dexterity therein with pleasure . and yet i must ingenuously confess that i still stick where i was , nor can conceive but that the free agency we are conscious to our selves of , is placed in the soul as volent as much as intelligent , because this volency , as i may so speak , is implyed in her attention or advertency , and is a necessary requisite thereof . the thing therefore that i affirm being this viz. that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is placed in the soul as volent as well as intelligent , the volency of the soul being required to make those free attentions or advertencies on the object , let us see how you demonstrate that it cannot be seated in the soul as volent . your argument in breif is this , ( for i intend to answer your letter with all possible brevity i can ) that since the soul cannot will evil as evil she must necessarily will and and chuse according as the betterness of the object appears to her understanding , otherwise she will chuse evil as evil which is against the supposition . to this i answer , that though she does not chuse according as the betterness of the object appears to her understanding , it does not thence follow that she will chuse evil as evil , but that she will chuse a natural good and prefer it before the moral . so that the absurdity of chusing evil as evil here vanisheth , and the demonstration falls to the ground . and this was the case of s. peter in denying christ. the object of his choice was that natural good , his security from pain and punishment , which he preferred before that moral good the faithful and professed adhesion to his lord and master christ jesus . nor could the understanding of s. peter err so grosly as not in the notion to think that faithfulness to his lord christ was better absolutely than the securing himself from pain and punishment ( as indeed there is no comparison betwixt the moral or divine good and the natural ) but there was wanting in this act the exertion of his will towards the divine good ; or else the divine nature or grace was wanting , whence he slipt into this choice of the meaner good . and as for that maxim , omnis peccans ignorant ; if it be true in that vniversality the sense is , that whoever sins it is out of defect of either notional knowledg or inward sense , such as accompanies real regeneration ; in which sense the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , insensati in scripture are to be understood , and on the contrary the pythagorick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . those that want this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , though they have a notional knowledg of the thing , yet they may sin , and that from the want of this sensibility of spirit . but he that is born of god sins not because the seed remains in him , this life or sensibility in the new birth which is an higher and more effectual principle then notional knowledg . which alone is not able to determine the choice of the soul to a moral or spiritual object without the accession of the other . for life and sense can onely counterpoise life and sense , not mere notion . whence the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. the moral or divine good is not followed , but what is pleasing and grateful to the animal nature . so that the soul here wills or chuses against the dictate of her understanding , which is the sin against conscience , otherwise there would be no such thing . the cheif pith of the last paragraph of your confirmation is this . though it be necessary the soul judg as things appear yet 't is not necessary ( except onely in self-evident propositions ) that things should appear thus or thus , but that will wholly depend upon the degrees of advertency or attention . and in this , say you , i place the seat of free agency , viz. in an immediate power in the soul of attending or not attending or of attending more or less to the objects that occur . i demand therefore is this any thing more then what is couched in that of the poet , quid verum atque bonum quaero & rogo & omnis in hoc sum , viz. a sincere inquisition ( and sincerity is immediatly in our power , that is , it is in our power to do as well as we can ) after that truth and good in which human happiness consists . which if it be done in a mere notional way there will still remain that liberty i mentioned above of the soul chusing contrary to the dictates of her understanding . so that there will be more liberties then you conclude for in this paragraph . but if this diligent and sincere inquisition , or sincere desire of knowing what is man and whereto serveth he , what is his good and what is his evil be absolutely sincere , it cannot fail to inquire what is the most safe and effectual way to have objects duly represent themselves to the understanding as the objects of sight to a pure and clear eye . and what can this be but the purification of the soul as i intimated in my last to you , which is by mortification and real regeneration , that the divine principle may be more fully awakened in us , and so become life and sense to us in virtue whereof the soul will be free and able to chuse what is absolutely the better , that is to prefer the moral or divine good before that which is animal or natural , and if this state advance to the highest , never to chuse any , if they stand in competition but the moral or divine , according to that of s. iohn above mentioned , he that is born of god sinneth not &c. wherefore so far as i see , it may be but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwixt us as to this point where you place the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the soul in her immediate power of using the best means she can to find out what is her best good or readiest means to true happiness and riddance of sin and errour . which taken in the full sense thereof as i have intimated , is , as i conceive , a sound and useful theorem and well adapted for the chastising of the world for their sloth and laziness in these things . we come now to your answers to my objections . and to that of video meliora proboque you answer indeed learnedly and scholastically , by saying , a thing may be judged good either by a speculative or vniversal knowledg , or by a practical knowledg when it is lookt upon and pronounced of pro hic & nunc as cloathed with all its circumstances , the former is not alwaies followed but the latter is . but is there any thing more in this but that the eligent ( when as both these knowledges are speculative or universal , the former already granted , the other plainly implyed by the choice of the eligent , who in such circumstances judges the choice is universally to be made , else how is he obliged to make it ? ) but that the humour of the eligent onely has made this latter practical by putting it into practice instead of the former , it being clothed with the circumstances of iucundum or vtile , when the other recommends it self onely upon the account of honestum : which though he sees ( as medea sayes video meliora proboque — and that hic & nunc , for she speaks of the present case and time , yet deteriora sequor ) notwithstanding he declines that which is absolutè & simpliciter melius according to his own judgment , and closes with that which seems melius , that is , vtilius and jucundius to himself , to his animal nature against the dictate of the divine . this is the clear case of the controversy freed from the clouds of the school . and therefore notwithstanding what you have answered it is plain that the soul may understand notionally and actually better then she practises , and not follow the dictate of her understanding but of her animal appetite . to my objection against your hypothesis , that thence every man would be sincere , nor any sin against knowledg , you answer , that a sinner may be said to sin both knowingly and ignorantly , he may know in theory or habitual judgment such a fact is a sin , and yet be ignorant by not actually attending to his habitual knowledg ; or by judging the sin upon the whole matter to be the lesser evil and thence implicitly to be no sin , and so not sin against knowledg . but i answer , it is incredible that one that has an habitual knowledg , that such a thing is a sin should not remember it is so when he meets with it or is entring upon it . it is as if one had the habitual idea of such a person in his mind , and should not remember it is he when he meets him in the very teeth . nor can he judg the sin upon the whole matter to be the lesser evil , but he must in the mean time remember it is a sin and so commit it against his knowledg , onely sugar'd over with the circumstance of iucundum or vtile or both . this composition though there be ratsbain in the sugar , makes the soul listen to the dictate of the animal appetite and let go that of moral reason , tho they both clamour in her ears at once . and there the soul against the understanding concludes for the suggestion of the animal appetite , that bears her in hand , that such a sin with pleasure and profit is better then an act of of virtue with pain and wordly loss . this i conceive is the naked case of the busines . nor does this choice seem to be of a lesser evil to the soul as intellectual , which dictates the contrary , but as sensual or animal . to your answer to my third objection of attention or ( advertency ) being a defective principle , that though a man may be defective in his attention , yet you cannot easily conceive how attention it self if duly applied can be defective : i reply , that mere attention of it self in a morally corrupt mind , let it be never so great can no better rightly discover the moral object , than the vitiated eye the natural . it is the purity of the soul through regeneration that enables her to behold the beauty of holiness as our saviour speaks , blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see god. there is no seeing of god but by being purified and regenerate into his image . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as plotinus somewhere has it , touching the divine pulchritude . if thou beest it , thou seest it . if we be regenerate into the image of the eternal pulchritude we then shall see it , having ( if i may use the poets expression here ) — incoctum generoso pectus honesto . but if this principle of life be not sufficiently awakened in us , no attention is sufficient to make us rightly discern the beauty of holiness , but onely a shadowy notion or meager monogrammical picture thereof , which will not avail though you use all the attention in the world against the dictates of the animal sense and life unmortified , in the day of trial . whence the defect of this principle alone , is evident . but if you mean by sufficiently attending to the beauty of holiness the diligent and sincere inquisition after truth and holiness , which implies our serious entring into a method of purification and clearing our inward eye-sight by our resolved progress in the way of mortification and thereby of real regeneration , whereby the divine life and sense will sufficiently at length be awakened to counterpoise and overcome the sway and importunity of the animal life and sense ; the neglect of this we shall be both agreed in , that it is the ultimate ground of all sin , and that we shall discern , when we seriously make trial , the necessity of grace and divine assistance to carry us thro so weighty an enterprise as you rightly note in this paragraph ; which i hope i have sufficiently spoke to by this . i will onely add , that , what occurs psal. . vers . , , . seems a figure of this spiritual progress towards the beauty of holiness in virtue of which every one at last appears before god in sion , according to that promise of our saviour , blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see god. and now lastly for your reply to what i said touching the instance of martyrdome , which reply of yours is this . that he that is notionally convinced that the denying of christ is the greatest evil in the world , cannot possibly chuse it so long as he continues that judgment , there being according to his then apprehension no greater evil for the avoiding of which he should think it eligible . if therefore he should then chuse it he must chuse it as a greater evil , that is , simply as evil , than which i think there can be no greater absurdity , &c. this reply is handsome and smart , but in my judgment not free from a fallacious subtilty . if where the greater evil is chosen the two compared evils were of one kind that absurdity would be manifestly consequent , but when one of the evils is moral , suppose the greatest moral evil that is , the other natural and very great or the greatest natural evil that is , suppose a painful torturous and ignominious death , in the avoiding of which is implied the securing to himself the natural ease and sweetness of this present life , tho upon this account he chuse that which is the greatest moral evil and is so esteemed in his notional judgment , yet he cannot be said then to chuse it as evil , but as the onely effectual means and therefore good or expedient for that end , viz. the avoiding the highest natural evil and enjoying the sweet of that great natural good , a life painless and at ease . and therefore upon this account he having onely a notional judgment of the moral evil of that highest sin mentioned , but a lively sense both of the natural evil and good here specified which are the one avoided the other secured by chusing the aforesaid moral evil : it is no wonder that , though retaining still his notional judgment of that greatest moral evil he yet chuses it to avoid that horrid natural evil , and to enjoy the sweet of that natural good , viz. this life with ease and safety , there being in one scale of the balance nothing but the mere truth of notion , in the other the urgent weight of life and sense which will easily preponderate , if there be not life and sense also , ( which is the state onely of the regenerate ) to weigh against it in the other scale of the balance . so that though the notional judgment be not corrupted , but that such a sin is still held the greatest moral evil that is , yet the soul is born down to follow the suggestion of the animal life and sense against the dictate of her notional discernment and may truely pronounce with medea . — video meliora proboque deteriora sequor . — nor need i proceed any further . for what is already said i hope will reach every particular of the whole paragraph which contains your reply to this last point . at least it will make good , that the soul does not chuse evil as evil in the present case , which is the main sting of your argument . that we agree in our sentiments touching humility and spiritual mortification , this profession of yours i easily beleive from reading what occurs in the latter part of your sermon which is excellently good solid and edifying . and that i have satisfied you in my determination concerning the pleasure of the sixt sense i am glad of that also . and as for this last scruple you move ; whether what i have said does not conclude against all those who marry in such an age when it is impossible according to the course of nature that this end of propagation should be served , i say it does not so conclude . because there is a considerable end of marriage besides that of propagation of children , which in our liturgie the office of marriage takes notice of , viz. mutual society help and comfort , which comprizeth all the handsome adjustments of the married parties , secular affairs and oeconomical conveniences , and also their mutual help to one another in piety and devout pursuance of fitting themselves for the future state , their age remainding them that it is not far off . and in this regard their mutual society may be very delectable to one another while their discourses and meditations are of the joyes of the other world , and so they may live chastly and comfortably without any frustranious abuse of their bodyes upon the titillation of lust , which exact christian temperance and holy meditations and discourses together of their joyous change into the other near approaching state ought to prevent . sir , i have told you freely my sentiments touching all the things you have propounded , but i dictate nothing but leave all to your own free judgment , and so wishing you good success in your vertuous studies , i take leave and rest dear sir , your affectionate friend to serve you hen. more . c. c. c. febr. . / . the fifth letter to dr. more . sir , as i cannot express the thanks which i owe you for your great condescension and civility , so neither can i the pleasure which i had in perusing your ingenious and learned answer . it is spun throughout with a very fine thred , and richly fraught with curious and retired sense . but yet tho i was and still am exquisitely pleased , i am not fully satisfyed with it , whether the defect be in your letter , or in my apprehension i shall not take upon me to determine . but so it is i cannot as yet bring over my judgment to yours , and that i do not dissent without some considerable reason , it shall be the business of this paper briefly to shew you . and first then i observe , that the postulatum upon which i ground my demonstration of the will 's necessarily following the dictate of the understanding , is by you admitted , as indeed it is by all except only the school of the nominals , namely , that the soul cannot will evil as evil . this you admit by saying ( paragraph the second ) that the absurdity of chusing evil as evil vanishes , only you deny the consequence of that acknowledged absurdity upon such a choice as is made against the practical dictate , by saying , that it vanishes , here then is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the truth or falsehood of which i am content the demonstration should either stand or fall to the ground . now to make appear that this is a true consequence , that the will by not following the practical dictate would chuse evil as evil , i shall not add any positive and direct proof to the former demonstration , but only consider whether the consequence is any thing invalidated or evaded by what you have offer'd . you say , that although the soul does not chuse according as the betterness of the object appears to her understanding , it does not thence follow that she will chuse evil as evil , but that she will chuse a natural good and prefer it before the moral . true , but unless this natural good be in the present circumstance , all things consider'd , judg'd greater and more eligible than the moral , the chusing of it will not be the chusing of good , but of evil as evil . for a less good ( whether natural or any other it matters not ) tho good singly consider'd , yet in competition with a greater does induere speciem mali , as a less evil tho evil singly consider'd yet in competition with a greater does commence good and eligible . such a choice therefore as is here suppos'd would not be the choice of a natural good , nay not so much as of good , but of evil as evil . there is therefore no choice but what is according to the appearing betterness of the object ; which conclusion you your self seem unawares to slip into by using the word ( prefer ) for what is it to prefer , but to think or pronounce upon the whole matter to be better or more eligible . and thus you say again concerning st. peter that he prefer'd the natural good of security from pain before the moral good of adhesion to his lord. well , if so , then however strange it may seem , his understanding did err so grossly as at that instant not to think faithfulness to his master to be absolutely better than security from pain , otherwise his chusing the latter would have been the chusing of what he then thought a lesser good , and consequently of evil as such . nor will it suffice to say , that there was wanting in that act of his denial the exertion of his will toward the divine good , that indeed is true , but not the whole truth , for had there not been also a defect in his understanding , there would have been nothing amiss in his will. as for your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sensibility of spirit , i have a very good liking to the notion , and do think it a concomitant if no● the principal part of real regeneration . but whereas you say , those that want this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tho right in their judgment may yet sin , and that because life and sense can only counterpoise life and sense , to this i reply , that the want of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may indeed in the heat of a temptation be the occasion of a wrong judgment ( and so indeed t is necessary to the prevention of sin that life and sense counterpoise life and sense ) but it can never be the occasion of sin with a right and practically unerring iudgment , for the reasons above mention'd . so that notwithstanding this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reason of the action good or bad will be ultimately devolv'd upon the rectitude or obliquity of the iudgment . and in that respect only the axiom will hold true , omnis peccans ignorat . as to the close of this your third paragraph how sinning according to the dictate of the understanding and yet against conscience are consistent , i think they are very reconcileable . for he that commits a sin tho by not sufficiently attending to it at the moment of action either as a sin , or as a greater evil he comes to pronounce it eligible and so to chuse it , and so may be said to sin ignorantly , yet he sins knowingly and against conscience too , in as much as he does such a fact either against an actual dictate that t is a sin , or an habitual dictate that t is also a greater evil , as i intimated to you in my last . as to the question which in this next paragraph you are pleas'd to put to me , whether this attention , wherein i place the seat of free agency , differ any thing from what is coutch'd in that of the poet quid verum atque bonum quaero & rogo & omnis in hoc sum . i answer that it does , and that my notion may be more clearly conceiv'd , i shall here breifly explain what i mean by this power of attention . whereas therefore the operations and powers of the soul as intelligent are usually divided into these three , apprehension , iudgment , and discourse , i find it necessary to add a fourth , that of attention , which i look upon as really distinct from the other three , they being conversant about their objects as true and false , but this only as intelligible , and is only in short , a general power of converting the acies of the understanding towards any intelligible object , whether simple or complex , and answers exactly to the application of the eye to a sensible object , and accordingly is as distinct from either apprehension , iudgment or discourse as this application of the eye is from the very act of vision . in short 't is a kind of openness or wakefulness of soul , such as i conceive to be hinted at in scripture by such and the like expressions as these , watch lest you enter into temptation , awake to righteousness and sin not , awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead &c. the notion thus explain'd i will now shew how it differs from that of the poet. the difference is in this . that inquisition of the poet denotes a particular exertion and employment of all the faculties , a diligent use of all means , methods and opportunities , and that in order to the finding out a truth or a good not yet known , but this attention i speak of is onely a general wakefulness of the understanding , or application of mind to the speculation of a truth habitually known , which will make it actually present , and so determine the practical judgment , and by that the will. i come now to the place where you consider my answers to your objections . and here to that distinction of mine of speculative and practical knowledg , the latter of which i said was alwaies follow'd , though not the former , you say they are both speculative and universal , the first granted to be so , and the other plainly implied by the choice of the eligent , who in such circumstances judges the choice universally to be made . i answer , you may call them both speculative if you please , i shall not contend with you for a word , but then 't is to be consider'd that there will be two distinct speculative dictates , one that is habitual , out of the circumstance of action , that such a thing is a sin and a greater evil , and another that is actual , in the circumstance of action , that 't is a lesser evil , which therefore for distinction's sake i call practical , because of the immediate influence it has upon action . which latter is alwaies follow'd , tho the former is not . neither is this latter as you say made onely practical by being put into practice , but is so antecedaneously , being that which determines the choice of the eligent . as to the next paragraph , where you think it incredible that one , who has an habitual knowledg that such a thing is a sin , should not remember it to be so when he is entring upon it . i reply , that it seems to me most certain , that whoever commits sin must think it some way or other eligible . now this must come to pass one of these two waies , either by his not attending to it as sin , or not as a greater evil . the first of which in many cases i can easily conceive possible , and the latter in all cases i think certain . and this methinks you your self run into by saying ( paragraph the sixth ) that the animal appetite bears the soul in hand , and such a sin with pleasure and profit is better than an act of virtue with pain and worldly loss . for what is this but in other words to say , that the concupiscible may be so strong and rampant , that the soul may judg pro hic & nunc the uneasiness of abstaining to be a greater evil than an unlawful indulgence , so as upon that judgment to chuse the latter . to your next paragraph where you continue your charge upon mere attention as a defective instrument towards the discovery of a moral object in a morally corrupt mind , i make this short reply , that since for such a fact to be a sin , or for sin to be the greatest evil , are plain and obvious theorems , i cannot conceive but that constant and actual attention should prove a sufficient directory to the understanding , all the difficulty is to be thus actually and constantly attentive , and here ( as i said before ) is the work of grace and regeneration . and now lastly to your last paragraph concerning the instance of martyrdom , whereas i said that he , who is notionally convinc'd that the denying of christ is the greatest evil in the world , cannot possibly chuse it so long as he continues that judgment , there being , according to his then apprehension , no greater evil for the avoiding of which he should think it eligible , if therefore he should then chuse it , he must chuse it as the greatest evil , that is simply as evil , &c. this reply you say is not free from a fallacious subtilty , concerning which you thus distinguish . if where the greater evil is chosen the compared evils were of one kind , that absurdity would certainly follow ; but where one of the evils is moral , the other natural , tho a man should chuse the greatest moral evil , yet he cannot be said to chuse it as evil , but as the only means of avoiding the natural evil , and consequently as good . this is the sum of your answer . to which i return , that i cannot conceive how the diversity of the compared evils , as to their specifick nature , can any thing alter the case , the question as to eligibility being not concerning their specifick natures , but concerning their degrees , not which is natural and which moral , but which has most of the general nature of evil . so that if i chuse that which to me has the most of the general nature of evil , notwithstanding its being an evil of another kind , i certainly chuse evil as evil . neither can this be brought off by saying that t is chosen as a means of avoiding the natural evil , and consequently as good , for it can never be good to chuse a greater evil to avoid a less , that being all over loss and damage . and thus as briefly and as fully as i could have i set down the grounds of my opinion , which i am ready to part with upon the first conviction of their weakness or insufficiency . if you should find any thing in this paper worth your notice , you may return answer at your best leisure , for i would by no means divert you from more important concerns . i am very sensible what interruptions i have already given you , but i hope you will easily pardon me when you consider that t is the peculiar reverence i have for your judgment which has brought this trouble upon you from ( dear sir ) your highly obliged friend and servant j. norris . an appendix . considering with my self that those into whose hands these papers may light , may not all of them have that other book of mine , which contains the hypothesis here defended concerning the root of liberty , and that t is very necessary the hypothesis should be seen with its defence , i thought it convenient to set it down here for the benefit of the reader . the hypothesis runs thus . that the will cannot be the immediate subject of liberty , must be acknowledg'd plain , if the will necessarily follows the practical dictate of the understanding . and that it does so i think there is demonstration . 't is an unquestionable axiom in the schools of learning , that the object of the will is apparent good . now apparent good in other words is that which is judged to be good , and if so , then it follows that the will cannot but conform to the dictate of the understanding ; because otherwise somthing might be the object of the will that is not apprehended good , which is contrary to the supposition . in short , the will ( as aquinas well expresses it ) is the conclusion of an operative syllogism , and follows as necessarily from the dictates of the understanding , as any other conclusion does from its premises , and consequently cannot be the immediate subject of liberty . but then are we not involv'd in the same difficulty as to the understanding ? does not that act with equal ( if not more ) necessity than the will ? so i know 't is ordinarily taught . but if this be absolutly and universally true , i must confess it above the reach of my capacity to salve the notion of morality , or religion . for since t is evident that the will necessarily conforms to the dictates of the understanding , if those very dictates are also wholly and altogether necessary , there can be no such thing as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the man is bound hand and foot , has nothing left him whereby to render him a moral agent , to qualify him for law or obligation , virtue or vice , reward or punishment . but these are consequences not to be indured , and therefore i conclude according to the rules of right reasoning , the principle from which they flow to be so too . to clear up then the whole business , i shall no longer consider the understanding and will as faculties really distinct either from the soul it self , or from one another , but that the soul does immediately understand and will by it self , without the intervention of any faculty . and that for this demonstrative reason in short , because in the contrary hypothesis , either judgment must be ascribed to the will , and then the will immediately commences understanding , or the assent of the will must be blind , brutish , and unaccountable , both which are absurd . this being premised , i grant that as the soul necessarily wills as she understands , ( for so we must now speak ) so likewise does she necessarily understand as the object appears . and thus far our sight terminates in fatality , and necessity bounds our horizon . that then which must give us a prospect beyond it must be this , that altho the soul necessarily understands or judges according to the appearance of things , yet that things should so appear ( unless it be in propositions self-evident ) is not alike necessary , but depends upon the degrees of advertency or attention which the soul uses , and which to use either more or less is fully and immediately in her own power . and this indifferency of the soul as to attending or not attending i take to be the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bottom and foundation into which the morality of every action must be at length resolv'd . for a farther proof and illustration of which hypothesis , let it be apply'd to a particular case , that we may see how well it will answer the phenomena . in the case then of martyrdom , i look upon sin as an evil , and not only so but ( while i attend fully to its nature ) as the greatest of evils . and as long as i continue this judgment 't is utterly impossible i should commit it , there being according to my present apprehension no greater evil for the declining of which i should think it eligible . but now the evil of pain being presented before me , and i not sufficiently attending to the evil of sin , this latter appears to be the lesser evil of the two , and i accordingly pro hic & nunc so pronounce it , and in conformity to that dictate necessarily chuse it . but because t was at first absolutely in my power to have attended more heedfully , there was liberty in the principle , the mistake which influenc'd the action was vincible , and consequently the action it self justly imputable . this is the hypothesis . i shall now sum up the whole matter in this order of reasoning . . that a creature void of liberty cannot be capable of law or obligation , vertue or vice , reward or punishment , is certain . . that man is capable of all these , is certain . . that man therefore is indow'd with liberty , is certain . . that liberty is a rational perfefection , or a perfection belonging to an intellectual nature , is certain . . that therefore this liberty must be subjected either in the understanding or will , or ( to speak more properly ) in the soul as intelligent , or in the soul as volent , is certain . . that it cannot be subjected in that part which acts necessarily , is certain . . that the will necessarily follows the dictate of the understanding , or , that the soul necessarily wills according as she understands , is certain . . that therefore this liberty cannot be immediately subjected in the will , or , in the soul as volent , is certain . . that therefore it must be subjected in the soul as intelligent , is certain . . that even the soul as intelligent so far as it acts necessarily cannot be the immediate subject of liberty , is also certain . . that the soul as intelligent necessarily judges according as the object appears to her , is certain . . that therefore the soul as judging or forming a judgment , can no more be the immediate subject of liberty , than the soul as volent , is certain . . that , since the soul necessarily wills as she judges , and necessarily judges as things appear , we have thus far no glimps of liberty , is certain . . that therefore our liberty must be founded upon the no necessity of some certain things appearing determinately thus or thus , or that we have no liberty at all , is as certain . . that things appearing thus or thus ( unless in self-evident propositions ) depends upon the various degrees of advertency or attention , and nothing else , is certain . . that therefore we have an immediate power of attending or not attending , or of attending more or less , is certain . . that therefore this indifferency of the soul as to attending or not attending , or attending more or less is the prime root and immediate subject of human liberty , is no less certain , which was the point to be demonstrated . errata . pag. . for divisition read division . p. . for conveiances read conveionce . p. . line . after , for , add our . p. . l. . for of read or . p. . for pertual read perpetual . p. . for serve r. serves . p. . for common r. commonly . p. . l. . for as r. that . p. . l. . after , take , add , no. p. . for hunc r. nunc . p. . l. . before of the , r. violence . books printed and sold by henry clements . archaeologiae atticae libri septem , by francis rous , and zachary bogan . o. mr. rodericks visitation sermon at blanford-forum . o. . sermon at the consecration at the l d weymouths chappel at long leat . o . . education of young gentlemen , th . edition . o. angliae notitia , five praesens status angliae succinte enucleatus . o. . smith aditus ad logicam , o. brerewoodi elementa logicae . o. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e de. civ . dei l. . cap. . tom. . . . . lib. . de inquirendâ veritate . p. . contemp. and love. p. . can. rom. . see idea of happiness . lib. de lumine tom. . cap. . p. . phil. . notes for div a -e psal. . psal. . psal. . psal. . . . . . . . dan. . lib. de mor. eccl. lib. . cap. . consid. upon the nature of sin. lib. . con . gent. cap. . the first book of tullies offices translated grammatically, and also according to the propriety of our english tongue; for the more speedy and certain attaining of the singular learning contained in the same, to further to a pure latin stile, and to expresse the mind more easily, both in english & latine. done chiefly for the good of schools; to be vsed according to the directions in the admonition to the reader, and more fully in ludus lit. or grammar-schoole de officiis. book . english cicero, marcus tullius. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the first book of tullies offices translated grammatically, and also according to the propriety of our english tongue; for the more speedy and certain attaining of the singular learning contained in the same, to further to a pure latin stile, and to expresse the mind more easily, both in english & latine. done chiefly for the good of schools; to be vsed according to the directions in the admonition to the reader, and more fully in ludus lit. or grammar-schoole de officiis. book . english cicero, marcus tullius. brinsley, john, fl. - . [ ], p. printed by h. lownes, for thomas man, dwelling in pater-noster-rowe, at the signe of the talbot, at london : . translator's dedication signed: iohn brinsley. a translation of book of: de officiis. the first leaf is blank except for signature-mark "a ". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tonya howe sampled and proofread - tonya howe text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the first book of tullies offices grammatically , and also according to the propriety of our english tongue ; for the more speedy and certain attaining of the singular learning contained in the same , to further to a pure latin stile , and to expresse the mind more easily , both in english & latine . done chiefly for the good of schools ; to be vsed according to the directions in the admonition to the reader , and more fully in ludus lit . or grammar-schoole . at london , printed by h. lownes , for thomas man , dwelling in pater-noster-rowe , at the signe of the talbot . . to the right worshipfull maister doctour hunton , d. of physicke , and his most reuerend and worthily respected friend , i. b. wisheth all true happinesse in christ both now and euermore . considering with my selfe ( right worshipfull ) to whō i should dedicate this small part of my schoole indeauours , i could bethink me of none to whom it might be more iustly due , then to you ; sith i owe vnto you euen mine owne selfe and all my later trauels : for i must needes acknowledge your vnfained loue and tender care for mee , to the glorie and praise of our blessed god , and to bind my selfe still more vnto his heauenly maiestie , and euen vnto your owne selfe to testifie my thankfulnesse , all my daies . because , besides all your regarde which you haue euer had of my health , when as through long affliction by sundrie most heauie trials , and by ouer-toyling both minde and bodie ( in lacke of all meet helps and means , to performe that seruice which i had entered into , and so much desired for the good both of church and common weale ) my life was become most miserable and a burden vnto me , by changing the best humors of my bodie into lumpish melancholy , it pleased him , to make you his principall instrument for my recouerie and restoring . whereby in stead of that heauie dumpishnesse , by which i was made vnfit for my calling , and almost vtterly ouerwhelmed , as you well knowe ; that our holy and most gratious god , to bee praised for euermore , hath caused me to finde euen heauen vppon the earth , so that i can againe reioice in all my labours , and especially in my calling : by which , my ioy in him , is vnto mee indeed a continuall feast , yea my strength and health , and such a portion , as in regard whereof i can account basely of all earthly things . and secondly , for that loue and fauour , which you haue continually shewed to all my poore labours , so incouraging me therein . and moreouer also , for that you are able to iudge of the hope of this worke , for the perpetuall benefit of schooles , by the more speedie and certaine attayning both of the singular matter and latine contained in that booke of offices , which i haue thus farre proceeded in . for the book it self i cannot but admire , according to the high commendations giuen vnto it , by the most learned : who preferre it before all others of this kind , which haue beene written by the light of nature alone ; for that it doth so diuinely point out the true pathway to all vertue , and guide vnto a right course of life , as if it had receiued direction from the sacred scriptures themselues . so that it i●… graced , as a mirror of wisedome , a fortresse of iustice , the teacher of valour , a schoole of temperance , the iewell of cōlinesse , containing in so fewe leaues , so many excellent instructions , as no other the like . whence , erasmus wonders tha●… a heathen man should write so much to heathens ; admireth the equitie in it , holinesse , veritie , sinceritie , agreement of euerie part with right nature & amongst themselues , as also the conscience he requireth especially in gouernours , the amiable beautie of vertue which he setteth before the faces of all . yea , he thinketh it strange , that he should write so religiously and so like a diuine , of helping and rele●…uing one another , of procuring and maintaining friendship , of the contempt of those vanities which the common sort of christians doe so doate after . and finally iudgeth it most worthie and meet for schoole-masters to teach , and scholars to learne ; and not onely for all young men , but euen olde men themselues againe and againe both to vse and peruse . inregard of all which , so many learned men haue not disdained to beare it in their bosome , lay it vnder their pillows , make it their companion , which way soeuer they haue gone . now what i haue done heerein , that all who are truely studious of good learning , though children in yeares , may more easilie beholde and bee more fully partakers of these rich treasures , for which the learned haue had this worke in so high estimation , i referre to all who are truely learned to iudge , and chiefly to your selfe who are better acquainted with my indeuours in it . for my self , my hope is , that whereas it hath formerly seemed to sundrie so obscure , as that they haue read with very little fruit or delight , because they haue not vnderstood it ; that they may now at the first viewe , liuelilie beholde the true lustre thereof , and receiue most sweete content , to cause them euer to delight therein . which if the lord shall vouchsafe , as i vndoubtedly trust , i shall receiue the end of my desires , and bee incouraged to proceede to the accomplishing of the rest of it , and euer to be imployed for the common good , vntill i haue spent my last breath for the same . in which vnfained desire , i rest & euer shall yours in the lord most beholden , iohn brinsley . an admonition to the louing reader . vnderstand , first , the matter contained in each chapter , by reading ouer and obseruing wel the inmost columne . then , try so farre as need is , for the true construing and resoluing therof out of the author it selfe , both for grammar and phrase ; and also to read it into a good english stile , by the helpe of the second columne and the margents . and lastly ( which is the principall ) practice , out of the same ( viz. the second columne and margents alone ) to read daily some part of it , out of the translation into the latine of the author , studying it out of the english alone ; trying by it , and a little help of the latine booke , where need requireth ( as i haue aduised chiefly for corderius ) how neer you can come to expresse tully liuelily for latine , phrase , composition , and whatsoeuer elegancy besides . after each sentence , reading the author , to see how neer you came , marking where you failed , with the reason of it . so in a schoole , causeeuery one in a forme , or so many as you would haue to practice this together , thus first to construe extempore daily euery one a peece out of the latine bookes alone , without the english ; onely one of them by the english to aske and direct , where any one failes . afterwardes , or euery other day , let euery one read his peece out of the english book alone , none hauing any latin book , but onely some one to be in the place of the master , to obserue , and where they faile to direct ; first , by asking of him who readeth , and then of others , after helping ; so posing for sense phrase , latinisme , both out of the latin , & english , as is directed in the grammar-schoole . and then , i hope , you will in time seale with mee vpon experience , what●…oeeuer i haue written , concerning the benefit of such grammaticall translations in this behalfe . for the worth of the books of offices themselues , i referre thee to the epistle dedicatory . for the slips which thou shalt meete with herein , which i know to be very many ( as in all the rest of my labours , chiefly through want of meete helps of bookes and conference , and also time to peruse in the midst of my continuall imployments in my calling , vvherein i am still labouring as god vouchsafes mercy , not only for the priuate , but for thine and the publicke good , as also thorow my absence from the presse ) let me intreat thy curteous aduice and direction to the printer , that hee may conuey it vnto me , as some louingly haue done : future editions may reforme it . so shall i be both more incouraged , and furthered for performing my promise in finishing my intended labour , for the generall good ; and the blessing thereof shall returne into thine owne bosome . and thus desiring euer the assistance of thy prayer for mee , to his heauenly maiesty vvhos●… all my trauels are , i commend thee to hi●… grace ; and rest thine wherein his goodness shall inable i. b. the letter q , prefixt to words , directs to the grammar order , in such places wher●… the grammar order would not stand wel●… with our tongue ; the starre * , to variet●… of phrase , the better to expresse the matter , the first booke of marcus tullius cicero , q concerning duties , to marcus [ his ] sonne . chapter . the * argument [ of thi●… first chapter ] q by desiderius erasmus of roterdame . tvlly ] exhorteth * his son●…e cicero by his own exāple , that he * addict not himself to any q one studi●… alone ; but that hee q ioyne greeke with latine , & q eloquence of speech with the q knowledge of philosophie . * afterward q to the end to make him * more attentiue , hee commendeth [ vnto him ] thi●… part of philosophie , which is concerning duties ; q for two causes especially ; either for that the vse o●… it , q extendeth it selfe most largely to euery condition of life : or because q this alone is common to all sorts of philosophers . lastly , q hee affirmeth , that he chiefly followeth the stoiks in this discourse , because these haue q determined the very best of the end of goodnes , q whereunto al duties are referred : whereas epicurus measuring the chiefe good by pleasure , and aristo , pyrrho and herillus taking away [ all ] * choyce of things , haue q subuerted * euen the nature of dutie . * although ( sonne marc. ) ●…t q cōcerneth you , q hauing heard cratippus now a year , & that at q athens , q to be throughl●… furnished with * precepts & institutiōs of philosophy , for that q singular authoritie both of your * teacher & also of the city ; q the one whereof may q store you with knowledge , q the other with examples ; yet as i my self q haue euer for my benefit ioyned latine studies with greek neither haue i dōe that only in philo sophy , but also in the q practice of oratory ; q so i think you ought to doe the same that you may be * alike in the * faculty of both kindes of speech : q vnto which purpose we ( as wee q suppose ) haue broght great * helpe to our q countriemen ; that not only [ they who are ] q ignorant of the greeke tongue , but also the learned , may thinke * thēselues to haue attained somwhat , q both to further their eloquence , & also their iudgments . wherefore you shall learne indeede , of the q chiefe of the philosophers of this * age : & you shall learn as long as you * will ; yea & you q ought to be willing , ●…o long as it shall not repent you how much you * profit . but yet q reading q my books * not much diss●…ting frō the * p●…ipateticks ( because * wee desire to be both * socratians and platonians ) q vse your owne iudgement ▪ concerning the mat●…ers themselues . ( for q i do not hinder you ) q but surely you shall make [ your ] latine q tongue more q flowing by reading q my workes . neyther q yet wold i haue this q thought to bee spoken arrogantly [ of me ] for q yeelding vnto many the knowledge of philosophy , if i * assume that vnto my self , which q properly belongeth vnto an oratour , [ that is ] to speak * aptly , distinctly & q eloquē●…ly , bec●…use i haue q spēt [ my ] time in that study , q i seeme after a sort to challenge it [ as ] by my own right . * for which cause ( sonne cice●…o ) q i earnestly exhort you , that you reade q carefully not only my orations , but also these bookes [ which i haue 〈◊〉 ] of philosophy , which q haue now almost made themselues equall vnto those : for there is a greater q force of eloquence q in those , yet this q euen & q middle kinde of stile is also to bee * regarded . and q the rather because i do not see , that it hath happened as yet to any of the grecians , that the same man trauel●…ed q in both those kindes [ of speech ] & followed bo●…h q that lawyerlike maner of pleading , and this q m●…lde kinde of q discoursing : except peraduenture demetrius phalerius may be q accounted in this nū●…er ; [ who was indeede ] * a subtile disputer , q but no great orator , yet * sweet , that you may knowe [ him to haue been ] * the scholar of theophrastus . but how much vvee haue profited in both [ kinds ] q let others iudge : certainely wee haue followed both . q and i think verely , that pla. also ( if he would haue practiced that lawyerlike kinde of pleading ) could haue spoken most grauely and * most copiously : and q that demosthe . could haue don elegantly and finely , if he had ●…ept those things which hee learned of plato , and q would haue pronounced thē . q so i iudge likewise of aristotle and isocrates , q either of which being delighted with his owne * studie , despised the other . but q whereas i had * determined to write somwhat vnto you at this time , and many things hereafter , i haue q desired q to beginne with that especially , which vvas both most q fitte for your age , and most q graue for authority ; q for whereas there are many things in philosophie both weightie and profitable , disputed of q very exactly and * copiously by the philosophers , those which haue beene q deliuered & prescribed by them concerning duties , do seeme q to extend most large ly . for no part of [ our ] life , neither in q publicke [ affaires ] nor * in priuate , nor [ in matters ] * pertaining to the * pleading place , nor in * domesticall businesses nor if you doe q ought alone , nei ther if you q haue dealing with another , may q bee without dutie . also all honesty of life q doth 〈◊〉 in * regarding it , and [ all ] q dishonestie in neglecting it . and indeede this question is cōmon q to all the philosophers . for who is he , that q giuing no precepts of dutie , dare name himselfe a philosopher ? but there are some q sects , which * peruert all duty , hauing determi ned the q boūds of good & euill . for hee that so determineth the soueraigne good , that it hath nothing q con●…oined with virtue , and measureth the same by his owne com modities and not by honestie , it cōmeth to pass , that this man if hee * consent vnto himselfe , and be q not somtimes ouercomne by the goodnes * of nature , can neither q practice friendship , nor iustice , nor * liberality . and certainly he can by no means be a valiant [ man ] q who iudgeth griefe to bee the greatest euill , or temperate q who determineth plea sure to bee the chief good : which things , although they are so q apparant , that the matter needeth * no disputation , yet they are * disputed q by vs in another place . these q sects therefore , * if they will bee agreeable to themselues , can say nothing concerning dutie . q neither can any precepts of dutie [ which are ] * firm , stable , & q agreeable to nature , be set downe but eyther q by thē who [ affirm ] only [ honesty ] [ to be desire●… ] or by them who q hold q that honesty is especially to be desired for it selfe . and therefore q the giuing precepts thereof , is q peculiar to the stoiks , and academiks . and peripatetiks , because the opinion of aristo , pyrrho and h●…rellus , hath beene * hissed out lōg agoe ; who neuertheless q might haue had their q lawfull liberty , of q discoursing concerning dutie , if they had left any choise of * things , that ther might q haue bin an entrance to the finding out of dutie . q we therefore at this time , and in this question , doe chiefly follow the stoiks : not as * interpreters , but as vvee are * wont , we will draw out of their fountaines , so much as q by any meanes shall seem good , q according to our mind and iudgement . this first chapter cō●…ineth the exordium or entrance into the whole worke : and in it t●…ully directing all his speech to his ●…onne , . putteth him in minde what knowledge in philosophy might be lookt for at his hāds ; to wit , that he should be fully furnished with the groundes thereof . . because of the excellenci●… of his reader , viz cratippus . . in regard of the time wherein he had heard him ▪ viz. ●… whole yeare . . for the place where , viz. at athens a famous vniuersi●…ie . and that because as his rea der might store him with precepts , so the place with examples ; hee exhorts him to ioyne the study greeke and latine together ; . for that he himse●… had done so , both i●… the stndie of philosophy and rhetoricke ; . to the end that he might bee equall in both tongues , viz. both greeke and latine ; . that thereby hee might benefit his countri●…men ; not only the rud●…r sort , but euen the l●…arned also , as he himselfe had done before , both for speech & iudgement ▪ hee willeth him that ( though hee was a hearer of cratippus the chiefe philosopher of that age , and doe incourage him therevnto that hee should he●…re him as long as he would , & as he perceiued hims●…lf ●…o profit by him , yet ) ●…ee would ●…ade his writings also : and that . because his writing●… did not much diff●…r from the philosophy of the pe●…ipatetiks , which his sonne followed ▪ ( ●…ith they desired to be both followers of socrates & plato ) though concerning that sect , hee leaue him to his owne iudgement . . for that reading his writings hee should make his latine tong more copious . . because howsoeuer hee yeelded vnto others the superioritie in the knowledge of philosophy , yet hee challenged vnto himselfe a preheminence amongst oratours ; for that hee had spent his whole time therin . to this purpose hee perswades him further , to the diligen reading not onely o●… his orations , but also of these his three bookes of offices , which were now equa●… in number ●…o those three volumes of orations : and this likewise , . because though his orations were more lofty , hauing more power of eloquence in them ; yet this middle kinde of stile , which he vseth here in his offices is also to be regarded . . for that he obserued that none of the gretians had attained heereunto , to excell in both these kinds of stile . except peraduenture demetrius phalerius , who was no great oratour , though a subtile disputer , and yet of sweete speech , that he might be knowen one of theophrastus scholars . but for his owne skill in both kindes , he referreth it to the iudge ment of others . allso he thinketh that plato could haue don excellētly , if he would haue followed that kinde of stile . and in like maner demosthenes , if hee would h●…u pronounced those things which he had learned of plato . so likewise aristotle and isocrates , if they had not despised one another , being either of them too much conceited in his owne studie . hee sheweth why he purposing to write many things vnto him , began with these books of offices . for that this worke was most meete for them , both for the age of the one of thē , and the grauity of the other . because although there are many other things in philosophie very profitable , yet none so profitable as this concerning duty ; nor any that extendeth it selfe ●…o largely ; sith no part of our life can bee without dutie , in what matters soeuer , or howsoeuer we are to deale in priuate or in publike . and moreouer for that all honesty of life is in regarding dutie , all dishonesty in the neglect of it ; because this question of dutie belongs to all philosophers , neither dare any assume the name of a philosopher , vnlesse hee haue giuen some precepts of dutie ; hee giueth him warning of some sects of philosophers 〈◊〉 peruert al dutie in setting downe 〈◊〉 the limits of good and euill . because ●…e that determineth the chief good to be in any thing but in virtue , or in that which is agreeable thereunto , cannot be virtuous , nor so much as put any vertue in vre , vnlesse hee bee ouercomne by the goodnes of nature . neither hee that iudgeth the chiefe euill to be in a●…y thing but in vice , or that which belongs thervnto , or followeth thereupon . these things hee omitteth ; as both apparant ▪ and handled by him in another place . and moreouer hee sheweth , that these sects can say nothing concerning dutie ; nor that any can set downe any right precepts of dutie , but nor that any can se●… downe any right pre cepts of dutie , but o●… ly they who hold 〈◊〉 tue to be the chiefe good . and therefore th●… onely the stoiks , ac●…demiks , and peripa●…cians canne giue p●…cepts of duty ; for that the opinio●… of other philosophe as of aristo , 〈◊〉 and herillus , 〈◊〉 been hissed out o●… t●… schooles long befo●… hee therefore professeth that hee chiefely followed the stoiks in these bookes so far as hee thought ●…t , for his purpose , to sette downe the truth ; and so drewe out of their fountaines , what so euer seemed necessary heerevnto . chap. . * i think it therfore meet , sith q all my discourse shal bee q of duty , to * define q first what duty is : which i * maruell q that panetius pretermitted . for euerie q treatise q cōcerning any matter , which is * vndertaken q according to reason , ought to q begin with a definition , that it may be vnderstood , what it is * wherof it is q discoursed . chap. . in this chapter t●…ly first declareth h●… purpose to began w●… the definition of d●…tie , as most meet ; ●…r the whole disputatie is to be of duty . . reproueth pan●…tius for omitting it . . teacheth that eu●…ry treatise ought to ●…gin of a definition , ●… the end that the who discourse may be b●…ter vnderstood . chap. . the argument . because the q name of duty is not q of one sort , neither could be fitly defined q in generall ▪ he expreseth it by a diuision , which q in truth is double in word , but the same q in substance . hee maketh also two kinds of duties , q according to the q opinion of the stoiks . * the one , which they call a perfect dutie , and is ioyned with the end of goodnesse , neither doth it q appertaine to any man q but only to a wise man. q the other is of a middle kinde , or onely begun , which is neither good of it selfe nor euill , but is q vndertaken for some vse of life : as for exāple , q rightly to restore that which hath beene committed to our trust to keepe , q is a worke of perfect dutie : * [ onely ] to restore that which hath been committed to vs in trust , q of * an vnperfect ; * whenas no man saue onely a vvise man can restore * aright , q though eu●… fooles also may restore . and saint ambrose thinketh , those duties which are q performed according to q coūsell , to be of the former kinde ; q those vvhich are done * according to precepts , q of the latter : as for example ▪ to q husband our substance well , * appertaineth to the q imperfect dutie ; to bestowe vpon the poore q to the perfect . * every question concerning dutie , q belongeth to one of these two kindes ▪ one kinde is which appertaineth to the * ende of good things : q the other which * consisteth in precepts ; by which q the course of [ man●… ] life may be framed for euery condition thereof : q of the former kinde , there are such like examples ▪ as these following . ●…hether all duties be perfect ? whether one dutie bee not greater then another ? q and such as are of the same kinde . but q those duties whereof precepts are giuen , although they appertain to * the end of good , yet that doth lesse appeare , because they seeme rather q to belong to the framing of the common kind of life : concerning which q we are * to shew our mindes in these bookes . q there is moreouer another diuisiō of dutie . for there is saide [ to bee ] a certaine * middle and a perfect dutie . i suppose vvee may call [ that ] the q perfect dutie which the grecians mame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : q but this [ we may call ] a * middle [ dutie ] which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and they define those [ duties ] thus : that they define that which is right , to be a perfect du-dutie . but they say , that * to be a middle dutie , q for which a probable reason may bee rendered , wherefore it is done . before hee defines duty , he declareth that there are two sorts of questions concerning it . one sort of them about the end of good things : the other , concerning precepts of duty for framing the whole course of life . and first hee sette●… downe precepts 〈◊〉 the former kinde●… . whether all d●… ties bee perfect , & and in the seco●… place , hee shewe●… his purpose to ha●… dle in this boo●… the later sort of th●… former question viz. cōcerning pr●… cepts of duty f●… ordering and fr●… ming the life 〈◊〉 man. afterwards he propoundeth an other diuision of duty , to wit , that duty is eyther meant ▪ viz. of a middle nature , or else perfect . the perfect hee thinketh to be that which the grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; & the middle , that which they name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . then sheweth how they define both of them , viz that they define the perfect duty to bee a right duty . the meane to bee that , for which a probable reason may bee rend●… why it is done . chap. . what q maner of delibe●…on [ ought to be ] in the choise of things . q the deliberation then of taking counsell is of three sorts , as panetius thinketh . for first [ men ] doe doubt , whether that which q commeth to bee consulted of , bee honest to bee done or dishonest . in cōsidering wherof , their mindes are oft distracted into contrarie q opinions . q secondly , they * inquire or consult , vvhether the thing whereof they take aduice , may farther [ them ] for the commoditie and pleasantness of life , for q ability and plentie of [ all ] things , for wealth and power , q whereby they may both helpe themselues & q theirs ; all vvhich deliberation falleth q vnder the consideration of profit . the third kind of doubting is , whenas that thing which seemeth profitable , is thought to * fight with honestie . for whenas profit doth seem to snatch to it selfe , [ and ] * contrarily honestie , to q call backe againe vnto it selfe ▪ it commeth to passe , that the minde is * distracted in q deliberation , and bringeth a q perplexed * care of q imagination . whereas , to q omit any thing in diuiding , is a very great fault , tvvo things are * pretermitted in this diuision : q for men are not onely wont to deliberate whether the matter bee honest or dishonest ; but also q of two honest things propounded , whether is the honester ; and also of two profitable things layde before [ vs ] vvhether is more profitable . so q that consideration , which hee thought to be three foulde , is found q meete to be diui ded into fiue parts ▪ first , then q wee are to intreat of honestie ; but , two manner of waies : then q in like sort of profit ; q lastly , of the q comparing of them together . chap. in this chap●… tullie in the fi●… place setteth dow●… three question which are vsuall taking counsell , a●…cording to pane●… us . . whether the m●… ter to be consult●… of be honest or d●… honest : in wh●… consideration h●… sheweth that th●… are many difficu●…ties . . whether it be profitable or no , viz. whether it may further our commodities or pleasures ; or more enable vs to helpe our selues and others . . when profit seemeth to fight with honest●… ; whether is to be chosen . because when our profit draweth vs one way , and honestie another , o●… mindes come to 〈◊〉 exceedingly d●…cted and perplex●… ▪ in the second pla●… reprouing pane ▪ 〈◊〉 omitting 〈◊〉 in this diuision , 〈◊〉 addeth other 〈◊〉 questions where men are wont deliberate also , . of two ho●… things whether more honest . . of two profit●…ble things wheth●… is more profitab●… so that hee maketh fiue generall questions in ech deliberation ▪ the two first concerning honesty . the two next concerning profit . the fifth of comparing them both together . of the two first hee disputeth in the first booke ; of the two next concerning profit in the second ; of comparing them both in the third . chap. . the argument . q in this chapter [ tully ] according to the opinion of the aucient academy , and of the storks ( who thinke the chiefe good to come from nature , and doe q affirme , this to be the very thing to liue blessedly , [ viz. ] to liue according to nature ) doth teach , what seedes nature hath sowen in vs , and what helps it hath q giuen , wherl●… q through dili●…nce and practice w●…e may attaine to felicitie , * whither all things are referred . for , * in the first place it hath * put into euery liuing creature an q endeuour of defending it selfe ; which is common to men with beasts by the lawe of nature , and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , q that is to say , the first according to nature ; q then followeth a●… earnest desire of those things , which are q furtherers of safetie ▪ [ ●…nd ] * a flying of those which are hurtfull . but moreouer q it hath giuen to man ( because hee consists not onely of body but also of * minde ) a * power of reasoning , that hee may bee q wholly safe ; from whence all q disciplines , and those moral vertues do q proceed . it is giuen to * euery kinde of liuing creatures by nature * from the beginning , * to defend it selfe , life and body , and * to shun those things which seeme hurtfull ; and also to seek out & prepare all things whatsoeuer are necessarie * to liuing : as , feeding , q dens , and q other things of the same kinde . an q earnest desire also of q comming together for the cause of * procreation is q common to all liuing creatures , and also a certaine * care of those * things which are q bred . buth this q is the speciall difference betweene man and beast . q for that the beast q bendeth it self so much as it is mooued by sense , vnto that thing onely which is at hand , & which is present , very little perceiuing * what is past or to come : but man because he is * partaker of reason , whereby he seeth q what will follow , * perceiueth the beginnings and causes of things , q neither is ignorant of the q proceedings of them , and as it were q things going before them , he compareth q things that are like , and adioyneth & knits together things to come q vvith things present , * seeth easily the course of [ his ] whole life , and prepareth thin●…s necessary q to the leading thereof . q moreouer the same nature doth q win man to man by the * force of reason , to q a society both of speech and of life , & doth breed q 〈◊〉 a certaine q speciall loue towards them which are q begotten ; and inforceth that q companies of men are willing to bee q assembled amongst thēselues , and q bee also seruiceable vnto ▪ one another : and for those causes [ inforceth them ] to studie to prouide those things , which may q furnish them both q for apparell and also for sustenance ; and that not for themselues alone , but for their q wiues , children and others , * who are deare vnto them , and vvhom they ought to defend : which care q doth also stir vp mens spirits , and doth make them q more couragious to doe their businesse . also the the inquiry and searching out of the truth * is especially proper q vnto man. therefore when wee are free from necessarie businesses and cares , then we q desire to see , heare and learne * something ; and wee account the al knowledge of things either * hidden or * admirable [ to be ] necessarie * to liue well and blessedly . q wherevpon it is vnderstood , what thing [ soeuer ] is true , simple , and * sincere , q that is the fittest to the nature of man. q there is a certaine q desire of soueraintie adioyned to this q loue of * seeing the truth , that a minde well * informed by nature , is willing to obey no man , but one q commanding or teaching , or q gouerning iustly and lawfully q for [ his ] commoditie sake : whereof * appeareth [ that ] greatnesse of courage and the contempt of q worldly vanities . neither indeede is * this a small * power of nature & reason , that this one liuing creature doth perceiue what order is , what q is seemly in deedes and in wordes , * what a measure is . and therefore no other liuing creature perceiueth the * fairenesse , comelinesse and q proportion of the partes of those same things which are perceiued by sight . which q resemblance , nature & reason q conueying from the eyes vnto the minde , doth think q comlinesse , * constancy [ and ] order q to bee also obserued , much more in counsells and in deedes ; and q is heedfull q that it doth not any thing vncomlily or q ffeminately ; also that it q neither do not * thinke any thing * wantonly , both in all opinions q or deedes . of which things , that q honestie which vvee seeke is * forged and made : which although it be not q honoured , yet let it bee honourable : * for wee say truly , though it be praised of no man , yet q it is prayse-worthie by nature . q you see doubtlesse ( son marke ) the very forme and as it were the face of honestie : which if it could be beholden with the eyes , it would stirre vp ( as plato saith ) q a maruelous loue of wisdome . chap. . in this fifth chapter tully teacheth first what is common to all liuing creatures by nature : as namely , . to defend them selues , liues and bodies , to shun what appeareth hurtfull , to follow after that which seemeth good for them . . an earnest desire of going together for procreatiō , with a care of their young . in the second place hee declareth the speciall difference betweene man and beast . . that the beast followeth only that which is present , & whereunto it is moued by sense , little perceiuing what is past or to come . but man carried by reason , in considering circumstances and comparing things together , fol loweth what he taketh best for the life , and prepareth things necessarie for the leading thereof . . that men by th●… meanes 〈◊〉 reason ar●…●…ore sociable and desirous to liue in assemblies together , hauing a special care of their progeny . and that they a●… also more seruiceable one to another studying to prouide all necessaries for themselues , and theirs , and so for all other whom they loue , a●…d ought to defend , as their wiues and children and all others who are neere and deare vnto them . heereby their spirits are stirred vp , & they are made more cheerefull to their businesses . . a third difference is , that man onely searcheth out the truth , whence he 〈◊〉 by all meanes desirous to learne ; and accounteth the knowledge of all secret and admirable things necessarie to a blessed life . the consequen●… heereof . . that there is i●… man a certaine desire of soueranti●… 〈◊〉 bearing rule and 〈◊〉 obey none but 〈◊〉 that gouerneth for his benefit . hence springeth in man that greatness of courage & contempt of humane things . . a fift difference i●… , that man onely obserueth order measure and com●…nesse in words and deeds : and taking a proportion from the fairenesse 〈◊〉 things that are seen it cōueieth it to th●… minde for framing all speeches and actions accordingly that it do all thing comelily , no thing vnseemlily . hence ariseth that honesty which is heere sought out : which though it were not seene nor praised of any , yet is praise worthy by nature . and this hee teacheth to bee the verie forme of honestie , which seene with ●…he eyes would stir ●…p in vs a marue●…us loue of vertue . chap. . the argument . of the foure * vertues , from whence all the duties q of the common course of life doe q spring : [ as ] wisedome , iustice , q valour and temperance , and of the matter of euery one of them . bvt q * whatsouer thing is honest , q springeth out of some one of [ these ] foure * fountaines . for it is q exercised either in the q wise perceiuing of the truth and q skilfulnesse : or in preseruing the * society of men , and giuing to * euery one that which is his owne ; and in the q faithfull keeping of contracts ; or in the q greatnesse & power of a q hauty & inuincible courage ; or else in the order and measure of all things which are done q & spoken , q wherin consisteth * modestie and tempetance . which fower although they be q wrapped and * intangled together amongst themselues , yet q certaine seuerall kindes of duties * doe growe out of euery one of them : as , out of that part which was described first , wherein wee place wisedom and prudence , q there is the searand q finding out of the truth ; and this is the proper q function of that vertue . for as eueone perceiueth q most clearely , what is truest in euery matter , and q can both se●… and q giue a reason most wittily and most readily , q he is wont q to be rightly accounted the most prudent and wise . wherfore truth * is subiect to his , as the mater which it handleth , and in which it is q exercised . but necessities are * propounded to the other three vertues , to get and keepe those things , q wherby the trade of [ mans ] life is maintained ; that both the societie of men and q neighbourhood may be preserued , and his excellencie and greatnesse of courage may * shine abroad , both in increasing of q substance , and getting commodities both to himselfe & * his , and also much more in despising these same things . also order , & constancy , and moderation , and those things which are like vnto these , are exercised in that kinde , vnto which a certaine action is to be * adioyned , not onely an q occupying of the mind . for we q applying a certaine meane and order to these things which are q practiced in [ our ] life , shall * obserue both honestie and comlinesse . in this sixt chapter tullie teachete that there are som●… chiefe and cardin●… vertues , out 〈◊〉 which all other d●… ties do proceed : 〈◊〉 wit , prudence , i●… stice , fortitud●… temperance . of euerie of whic●… he first setteth dow●… the definition , the the subiects abo●… which they are conuersant . . as , that prudēce is a vertue , exercised in spying out the truth , & in cunning . . iustice , is in preseruing the societie of men , and giuing euerie one their owne . . fortitude , in the greatnesse of an in●…cible courage . . temperance , in keeping order and measure in all speeches and actions . secondly , he sheweth how certaine seuerall duties issue out of each of these : as , out of prudence the finding out of the truth . because as euerie one best seeth the truth , and can best giue a reason thereof , so he is accounted the most prudent . . thirdly , declareth the subiects of these vertues ; that truth is the subiect , about which prudence is chiefly exercised . but certaine necessities are the subiects of the other three vertues . as for example ; to get and keepe these things whereby mans life may he maintained , societie & neighbourhoode preserued , the excellencie and greatnesse of his courage may bee seene , by increasing substance , getting commodities for himselfe and his , & in disposing these humane things ; are the subiects about which both iustice and fortitude are exercised . and fourthly that temperance is exercised in keeping order , constancie , and moderation : whence doe chiefly proceede both honestie and comlinesse . lastly , hee noteth a difference between prudence and the other three duties . that prudence is only in the exercise of the minde , the other three are chiefly seene in outward actions . chap. . of prudence the q chiefe of all vertues , and what is to be auoided in it , also what is to bee q imbraced . q now of the foure * places into which wee haue diuided the nature and q power of honesty ; that first which consisteth in the knowledge of the truth , doth q especially concerne q mankinde . for q wee are all drawne and led to a desire of knowledge and q skill . q wherein wee thinke it a goodly thing to q excell . q but to shippe , to erre , to bee ignorant , [ and ] to de deceiued , wee account it both q euill and dishonest . in this kinde [ of vertue ] q being both naturall and honest , two q faults * are to be auoided : the one , that we q take not things * vnknowen for knowen , and q rashly assent vnto them . which fault hee who will q escape ( q as all ought * to be willing ) q must bestow both * time and diligence to the q considering of matters . q the other fault is , that some [ men ] q imploy ouergreat studie , & q too much trauell q vpon obscure and difficult matters , and the q same q not necessarie ▪ which faults beeing q auoided , q whatsoeuer diligence and care shal be q spen●… in things honest and worthy of knowledge , q shall be q rightly commended : q as , in astrologie , wee haue heard of ca●…us sulpitius ; in geometry , wee our selues haue known sextus pompeyus , many in logicke , moe in the ciuill lawe ; all which arts are exercised in the q searching out of the truth : * by the studie whereof , to bee drawen away from q necessarie imploiments , it is against dutie . for the q whole praise of vertue doth consist q in action : from which yet oftentimes q there is an intermission , & q there are granted q many recourses * vnto studies : q yea and the stirring of the minde which neuer * resteth , may q continue vs in the studies of q meditatiō , euen without our q trauell . but eue ▪ q cogitation and motion of the minde q ought to be occupied either in q taking aduice q about honest matters , and pertaining * to liue well and blessedly , or in the studies of science and knowledge . q and thus haue wee spoken of the first fountaine of dutie . in this chapter tullie speaketh of prudence : which consisteth in the knowledge of the truth . . shewing it to be the chiefe of all the foure vertues , and to concerne mankinde especially : and that , because we are all drawne to a desire of knowledge , thinking it a goodly thing to excell therein , and contra●…ily as dishonest to be ignorant or deceiued . . he teacheth , that in prudence two faults , contrary thereunto , are to be auoided . . that wee take not things which wee knowe not , as though wee knew them , and so assent rashly vnto them : and to this end , to bestowe both time & diligence to consider of matters . the second is , that we bestowe not too much studie & travell in matters both obscure & difficult , and also needlesse . and these two falts beeing e●…chewed , that all care and diligence bestowed in searching out things honest and worthy of our knowledge , shall deserue due commendation : as , caius sulpitius is commended for his knowledge and paines in astrologie , sextus pompeius in geometry many in logicke and the ciuill law , & so in other good studies . yet heere giueth another c●…ueat , viz. that by such ●…udies wee suffer not our selues to bee drawne away from more necessarie imployments . and that because all the praise of vertue cōsisteth in action o●… performing duties , from which yet there may be intermissions and returning to studie . and also for that the verie meditatiō of the minde is a kinde of studie ; though without any great trauell . lastly , he concludeth this point with one other caution . to wit , that all our thought●… be imployed eyther in aduising about honest matters and which app●…tain to a blesse●… life or in the studies of science and knowledge . chap. . of iustice. but of q the other three [ virtues ] remayning , q that part extendeth it selfe the farthest , q wherein the society of men amongst thēselues and ( as it were ) the communitie of life is contained ; whereof there are two parts : iustice , q wherein is the greatest q brightnesse of vertue ; * which good men q haue their name , and * beneficence ioyned q hereunto , which s●…me q wee may call either * bountie or liberality . but the q principall dutie of iustice is , that q no man hurt another , vnlesse [ he bee ] prouoked by an q iniurie : * and then that hee vse common [ things ] as common , and priuate [ things ] as * his owne . q howbeit no things are priuate by nature , but either by ancient * occupation , as [ of them ] who in time past came into * empty [ places : ] or by victorie , a●… [ of them ] who q got [ things ] by warre : or by lawe , couenant , condition , lot . q whereupon it is come to passe that the q ground arpinas is * saide ▪ to bee of the arpinatians , the q thusculan [ ground ] of the thusculanians . and the * description of priuate possessions is q of this sorte . q whereupon , * because part of those things which q were common by nature , * is becomne proper to euery one ; let euery one * hold that , which hath * befallen q to each . if any man will couet greedily vnto himselfe more then that , he shall * violate the lawe * of humane societie . but because ( as it is notably written q by plato ) we are born not for our selues * alone , q but our countrey doth * chalenge a part of our birth , q our parents a parte , our friends a part , and ( * as it pleaseth the stoiks ) * all things which are bred in the earth , * to be created for the vse of men , and men to bee q borne * for the cause of men , that q they amongst themselues may * profit one another : q herein * we ought to follow nature [ as ] q a guide , and q to bring abroad common commodities , by exchange of duties , in giuing and q taking , [ and ] to * binde together the q society of man with man , both by arts and by trauell , and also by riches . in this chapter tullie . setteth out the nature of ●…ustict that by it al humane society is preserued , and how it extendeth it selfe most largely of all the other three vertues . . he sheweth that there are two parts of it , viz iustice properly to called , wherein is the greatest glory of vertu●… , and whereof good men are specially named : and beneficence ▪ which wee m●… call bounty or liberaliue . . hee declareth som speciall functions of iustice : as , that no man hurt another but vpon iust c●…use . that men vse common things as common , priuat as their own ▪ . hee teacheth heereupon , how by nature all things were common , but made priuate by these meanes following , or the like : as ▪ by auncient tenur●… or ocupation , by victorie , lawe , couenant , condition , lot , &c. hence also he shew eth how things haue had their names of their owners , as the field arpinas , of the arpinatians , &c. hereupon also hee gathereth these rules ; . that euerie one should content him selfe with his owne so gotten : and that whosoeuer coueteth more then his owne , violateth the lawe of humane societie . . that for so much as we are not borne for our selues alone ( as plato writeth notably ) but partly for our countrie , partly for our parents , partly for our friends ▪ and ech for the good of others ; like as all creatures are bred for the good of man , so men especially for the benefit of men to profit one another ; that we should heerein follow nature as guide , in cōmunicating our cōmodities to one another and so by exchāging of kindnesses , by giuing & taking , by our cunning , helpe , and riches to binde all sorts vnto vs in society and good wil. chap. . q faithfulnesse [ is ] the foundation of iustice , from the etymology of the worde . al bvt the foūdation of iustice is faithfulnesse : that is to say , a constancy and truth of words and * couenants : whereupon , although this peraduenture shall seeme * hard to some man , yet we may bee bolde to imitate the stoiks , who search out q diligently from whence words are deriued , and vvee may q think * faithfulnesse to be called , because q that is * done which was promised . in this . chapter tully . teacheth what is the foundation of all iustice , viz. faithfulnesse . . he defineth faithfulnesse , that it is constancie & truth in all our speeches and agreements . . in imitation of the stoiks , who search out diligently the deriuation of words , he sheweth whence fides is named , viz. a fio & dico , because that is performed which was promised , so to shewe the nature of it . chap. . q [ there are ] two kindes of iniustice , as [ there are ] * of iustice : and from whence they q come . bvt there are two kindes of iniustice . the one [ * is ] of those men who q offer [ iniury : ] the other of those who doe not * beate backe an iniurie from them to whom it is offered , if they be able . for hee that makes an assault vpon any man vniustly , beeing stirred vp either by * anger or any q passion , hee seemeth as it were q to lay violent hands vpon his fellowe : and hee who * defendeth not nor resisteth iniurie if hee can , is as well in fault , as if he should forsake [ his ] parents or friends , or coūtrey . and indeede those iniuries which are done of set purpose q to hurt , doe oft times q arise from feare : whenas hee who q intendeth to hurt another , feareth * lest vnlesse hee do that to another , himselfe q should be q anno●…ed with some discōmodity . and [ for ] the most part , q many men q take occasion to doe * wrong , that they may obtaine those things which they q do earnestly desire : in q which kind of vice , couetousnesse doth q shew it self most euidently . riches also , are earnestly desired , both for necessarie vses of life , and also to enioy pleasures . but in those in whom there is q more loftie minde , the coueting of money q hath an eye vnto q power , and ability of q p●…easuring [ others : ] as of late m. crassus denyed q any substance to bee sufficient for him , who desired to be a prince in the common wealth , q * with whose reuenues he could not q maintaine an army . q moreouer , sumptuous q furnitures do delight , and the q brauery of life with * elegancie and plenty ; by which * things q it commeth to passe , that the desire of money q is infinite . neither indeed the q enlargement of a mans priuate estate hurting no body , is to bee dispraised : but iniurie is euermore to be q auoided . and q most men are q exceedingly brought q to forget iustice , whenas they q fall into a desire of rule , q honour , or of glory . for that which is in ennius ( there is no q holy societie , nor fidelity of a kingdome ) * doth extend it selfe more largely . for whatsoeuer is q of such sort , in which moe cannot * excell , * so great contention q commeth to passe for most part therein , that it is a very hard thing to keep a holy societie . the * rashnesse of caius caesar declared that of late , who q ouerturned * all diuine and humane lawes , * for that soueraintie which hee had imagined to himselfe by the errour of [ his ] q conceit . and it is a grieuous thing in this kinde , that the desires of honour , rule , power , and glorie , are for the most parte in the * greatest courages ▪ and goodliest wits . by how much more q wee are to take heede , q that wee offend not at all in that kinde . tully in this chapter teacheth . that there are two kinds of iniustice , as there are of iustice . the one is of such as doe iniurie . the other of such who doe not saue others from wrong when they may . . he declareth the greatnesse of these faults by comparison . for the first : that hee who assaults another vpon anger or any like passion , doth , as it were , lay violent handes on his fellowe . for the second : that he that saueth not another from wrong if hee can , is aswell in fault , as if hee should forsake his parents , friends or countrie . . he noteth the vsuall causes of wrongs : as of those done rashly ; anger or some sudden passion . others done of set purpose , arise from feare of some euill to themselues vnlesse they hurt others . or from couetousnesse of getting riches , or a greedie desire of pleasures . or else from ambition : as when men desire riches , eyther to be come great therby , or to pleasure others . as in m. crassus : who thought no man meet to bee a prince or chief man in the common-weale , vnlesse hee were able with his reueneues to maintaine an armie ▪ moreouer , he sheweth that wrongs are cōmitted for stately buildings , maintaining sumptuous furniture , for gorgeousnesse & plenty of all things : for which ends and the like , the desire of money is infinite . . he giueth a caueat , that the increase of a mans pri uate estate is not to be dispraised ▪ but only the wronging of others by it . . he teacheth that the principall cause of iniustice is ambition , when men fall into a vehement desire of honour & glorie , and cheefly of bearing rule . this hee prooueth . by the testimony of ennius ; that there is no holy societie nor fidelitie in seeking or ruling a kingdome . . by reason . because in things wherein moe cannot excell together , such contentions fall out , as it is hard to keep a holy societie . this point hee also further illustrateth by the example of caius cesar , who had verie lately before ouerturned all lawes both of god and men , for obtaining that rule which hee had formerly conceited . lastly , he giueth another caueat in regard heereof , that sith these ambitious desires of rule and honour are for the most part in the greatest courages and goodliest wits , therefore all noble mindes and excellent wits should chiefely take heede heereof . chap. . one iniurie [ is ] lighter then another . bvt q it is especially to bee considered in all iniustice , whether the * iniurie be don with q some passion of the minde , which for most part is short & q for the present time , or else * of purpose and aduisedly . for those q wrongs are * lesse , which * happen vpon some sodaine q moode , then such as are done * beeing premeditated & * prepared . and thus * haue wee spoken of q doing iniurie . in this chapter . he teacheth that the nature & kinde of the wrong is to bee wisely considered : whether the iniurie was don vpon som sudden passion , or mature deliberation & aduise . . hee giueth the reason of the necessity of this consideration , viz. because those iniuries which are done vpon any such sudden passion are lighter & to be accounted lesse , the those which are done vpon deliberation & as it were of set purpose . chap. . he rehearseth the causes from whence the second kinde of iniustice may q arise . q moreouer there are wont to be q many causes of q omitting [ our ] defence , and of q leauing [ our ] dutie . for either q men are vnwilling q to vndertake q displeasure , or trauell , or q charges : or else they bee so hindered with negligence , sloth , q idlenesse , or else by their owne priuate studies , or by certaine q bu●…nesses , that they suffer them to bee * forsaken , whom they ought q to defend . q wee must therfore take heed ▪ that wee doe not thinke , q that to be sufficient , which is spoken q of plato in behalfe of the philosophers ; q that they are therefore iust , because they are q imployed in q finding out the truth , and because they q contemne and q set at nought those things which q most men doe * vehemently desire , [ & ] q for which they are wont q to be at daggers drawing amongst thē●…elues . for whilst they attaine the one kinde of iustice , that they hurt no man in q doing of wrong , they fall into the other : for beeing q hindred by the studie of learning , they forsake [ thē ] whom they ought to defend . therefore q hee indeed thinketh , q that they would not enter into the affaires of the common weale , q vnlesse they were compelled . but it were * more equall to be done q voluntarily . for whatsoeuer is q rightly done , q the same is thereby iust , if it be voluntarie . there be also , who either for a * desire of * sauing their substance , or q for some hatred to men , do say , q that they q looke vnto their own busines ; lest they q should seeme to do wrong to any man : who whilst they are free from the one kind of iniustice , doe runne into the other . for they forsake the * society of life , because they bestowe q no studie vpon it , no labour , nor substance . q seeing then that two kinds of iniustice being propounded , wee haue adioyned the causes of q both kindes , and haue set downe those things before , in which iustice is cōtained ▪ we shal be able q easily to iudge ( vnlesse we will exceedingly * fauour our selues ) what is the dutie of euery season . for q the care of other mens matters is difficult , although that q chremes in terence q accounteth nothing appertaining to man , to bee * strange to him . q neuerthelesse , because wee perceiue and feele those things more , which happen vnto our selues , q either luckily , or vnfortunately , then those things [ which q happen ] to others , which wee beholde , * as it were , a great way off ; wee iudge otherwise of them , then of our selues . wherefore they q giue a good precept , who forbid to doe any thing , which you doubt of , whether it bee right or wrong . for , q the rig●…t it * shineth q of it selfe : but doubting q signifieth q an imagination of wrong . tully declareth in this chapter . . that there may be sundrie causes of the second kinde o●… iniustice , viz. of omitting the iust defence of our neighbour . . he setteth down diuers of those causes : as , for auoi●…ing either the ill will of others , or of their trauell or charges . or else for that they are hindered by neg●…gence sloth or by their owne priuate studies or businesses . . he warneth that men doe not therefore think thēselues iust , and that they haue done their duties ( as some philosophers do ) because they are imployed in the studie of learning , or for that they contemne the world , which most men so dote vpon , and so leaue the defence of others . and thē giueth the reason hereof ; because heerby , whilst that they auoid the one kinde of i●…iustice , that they hurt no man , they fall into the other , viz. to forsake them whom they ought to defend . and that there-vpon they cannot bee drawne to any seruice in the cōmonweale , but by constraint ; whereas of the contrarie , hee teacheth , that all such seruice for the good of others , especially for the cōmonwealth , ought to be voluntary , & that then onely it is iust . after , he rehearseth some other causes why men vse to leaue the defence or helping of other●… : as for sauing their substance ▪ or vpon som hatred , grudge or the like . and yet , that they to this end pretend their own businesse , orlest they should seem to doe wrong to others . so that heerby they forsake the society of life , whilst they will neither bestow any of their studie , trauell or substance for the helping of others . by these things rightly considered , ●…e teacheth that men may bee able easily to iudge , what duty is required at euery time and season ; vnlesse they be too partiall and ouer much loue them selues . yet heerin he sheweth that it is a verie ha●…d matter , to take care of other mens businesse as wee ought : howsoeuer chremes in terence thinketh otherwise ; and after giueth the reason herof which is this ; for that wee haue more feeling of those things which happē to ●…ur selues , the●… of those which befall others : because we behold other mens estates as it were a great way of , but our owne more neerely . lastly , for a conclusion , he commendeth that precept of such wise men , as , who forbid a man to doe any thing whereof hee doubteth , whether it bee right or wrong . because the right is apparent of it selfe , but the verie doubting intimateth an imagination of a wrong . chap. . tully teacheth * duties to bee caried q in regarde of circumstances ; and that which was q agreeable to dutie , to be made against duty two waies especially : if either q there bee a departing from profit , or the lesse profitable be preferred before the more profitable ; moreouer to be sometimes basides dutie to stick too much in q the strict words of law . bvt the * time doth q fall out , when those things which seeme most q meete for a iust man●… and him whom wee call a good man , are changed & * made contrarie : q as , not to restore a thing committed to vs to keepe ; also not to performe a promise made to a q mad man ; and sometimes to deny and not keep those things which appertaine to truth and vnto fidelity , may be iust . for q it is meet q that they bee referred to those foundatitions of iustice ▪ which i laid down in the beginning : first * that no man be hurt ▪ * and then that q there be a respect had to the common cōmoditie . q when these things are changed by the time , dutie is changed , that * it is not alwayes q alike . q for there may fall out some promise & couenant , q which to be performed , may bee vnprofitable either to him to whom it is promised , or else to him * who promised it . for if ( as it * is in the fables ) neptune had not * done that , which he had promised to * theseus , thes. had not beene q bereft of his sonne hippolitus . for of [ his ] three * wishes ( as it is written ) this was the third , which q in his fury hee * wished * concerning the death of hippolitus : which beeing obtayned hee fell into q most grieuous lamentation . therefore q neither are those promises to bee * kept , which are vnprofitable to them , to whome you haue q made them ; nor if they hurt you more , then they q benefit him to whome you haue * promised . it is against dutie , * the greater * damage to be q rather admitted then the lesse : as , if you q haue appointed * your self to come as an aduocate to any man vpon a present occasion , and in the meane time your sonne shall begin to bee grieuously sicke , it cānot be against dutie , not to q performe that which you * said ; and he to whom the q pro mise was made , should more q swerue from dutie , if hee q should complaine that he was disappointed . now who seeth not q that it is not necessarie to stand to those promises , which q a man hath promised , beeing either constrained by feare , or deceiued by guile ? * which things indeed , q for most parte , q are discharged by the * pretors court , and many of them by q statutes . in this chapter he teacheth , . that duty may bee altered in regard of circumstances ; & that which seemeth meet for a iust and good man , may become cleane contrarie : as for example ; that it may sometimes bee lawfull & meete , not to restore a thing committed to vs in trust : as also , not to performe a promise made to mad men : & sometimes to deny those things , which other wise truth and faithfull dealing would require . and then giueth the reason heereof . because it is meete that all such matters be limited by tho ▪ two foundations of iustice layd downe before ; viz. . that no man be hurt . . that there be a respect had to the generall good , or commonweale . and that so , duties may bee altered according to times and occasions a●… these fall out . . he sheweth what promises and couenants a man is not bound to keepe . as first , such promises as the performance-of prooueth hurtfull eyther to him to whom they are promised , or to him that hath promised them . this he illustrateth by the euill that came vpon the performance of that promise which neptune made to theseus for graunting him three wishes . the last wherof was the death of his owne son hippolitus , which in his furie he had desired : which promise being performed accordingly , hee fell into most grieuous lamentation . hence hee concludeth , that neyther such promises are to be kept ; nor such as may more hurt him who promised , thē then they can benefit him to whom they are promised . and then giueth a reason of both . for that it is against duty , to admit ●…ather of the greate●… euill then the lesse ; and also giueth an instance of the later kinde . as , if an aduocate should promise his client that he would pleade his cause at such a time ; & in the meane while his son fals grieuously sicke that he cannot be for him ; that it is not against duty for the aduocate to be absēt in th●…s case : and that the client should more swarue from duty , if hee should complaine that he was disappointed , then the other by his absēce . so likewise hee teacheth that men are not bound to such promises as they made , inforced by feare , or drawne into by deceipt . lastly , hee sheweth that for such promi ses men are discharged of them either by the court of conscience , or some statute lawe . chap. . q in duties belonging to the lawe , vve are not to stick in the q wordes [ of the lawe ] [ but ] equity is to be looked vnto . q moreouer , ther doe oft times iniuries arise by a certaine cauillation , & too craftie q and q subtile interpretation of the lawe . whereupon that [ saying ] viz. q extreamity of lawe is the q extreamest iniurie , is now * becomne a q common prouerbe in [ our ] q talke . in which kinde many things are done amisse , euen q in the common-weale matters : as hee who when q truce was taken with the emie for a hundreth and thirtie dayes , q spoiled his q land in the night , because q the truce was takē for daies , and not for nights . q no nor yet indeed q our countrieman is to bee q approoued of , if it bee true , q that quintus fabius labeo or any other ( for i haue nothing but by heare-say ) beeing q appointed by the senate to bee an * arbitratour q between the nolanes * and neapolitanes * concerning the bounds of their land , when hee came to the place , q did commune with them both apart , that they should not do nor desire any thing * couetously , and that they would rather q goe backe then * go forward . * when al both of them had done it , * some ground was left in the midst . therefore hee so q limited their bounds , as they had * saide ; [ and ] adiudged that which was left in the midst , vnto the people of rome . this verely is to deceiue , not to iudge . wherefore such subtilty is to be * auoided in euery q matter . there bee also certaine duties to bee obserued euen towards them , of whom you haue receiued wrong . for there is a measure both * of reuenge and punishing . and [ indeed ] i * know not whether it be sufficient q that hee who q began should [ onely ] repent of his iniury , but [ that hee be ] punished , that hee commit not q the like offence after , and other also may bee the slower to doe wrong . tully in this chapter declareth , how iniuries oft-times are committed by cauilling & subtile misconstruing or wresting of the lawe . this he prooueth , . by that common prouerbe : that the extremitie of law is the extreamest ini●…rie . . by vsuall experience in the cōmonwealth , whereof he giueth two notable examples of crafty dealers . one of which ( whose name he omitteth ) hauing made truce with the enemy for thirty daies , spoiled his land in the nights ; pretending that the truce was taken only for the daies , and not for the nights . the other example is of quintus fabius labeo : who ( as the report wēt ) being appointed by the senat of rome , for an arbitratour betweene the nolanes and the neapolitanes about the setting out of the boundes of their lands , communed with both sides apart , perswading them to do nothing couetously , & that eyther side would rather giue backe then forward , in regard of peace , and that they might not seeme to incroche vpon one another . which when both sides had yeelded vnto , there was a peece of ground left in the midst between them : which hee adiudged from both to the people of rome . but this dealing he accounteth to bee rather ▪ to deceiue then to arbitrate ; & so admonisheth all to beware of it . lastly , he teacheth that there are duties of iustice to be executed vpon thē who do such wrōgs and giueth the reason thereof ; that it is not alwaies sufficient that hee who ●…ath done the wrong bee sorie for it , but that hee be punished also somtimes ; and that for two causes . . that he may not doe the like after . . that others also may bee terrified from doing wrong by his example . chap. . hitherto [ tullie hath spoken ] of ciuill iustice : now [ he discourseth ] of warlike duties ; and maketh two kindes of warre , to both of vvhich these things are common ; that q they be not vndertaken but vpon iust causes ; that they be not entred into , but q their demaundes first made , [ nor ] vnlesse [ they bee ] solemnly proclaimed : that they may bee rightly atchieued , that * vvee bee not cruell aboue measure against them vvho are ouercom●… . also that they who yeeld themselues bee receiued more curteously ; that fidelibee performed to an enemie euen priuatly , not onely in solemn q agreements . but these things are proper ; that we deale more * ●…ildely with this kinde of enemies vvho striue for soueraigntie ; more seuerely vvith them who seek our life . q moreouer the laws of q armes are to be q specially kept in a common weal. for whereas there are two kind●… of contention , one by q reasoning , another by * force ; and whereas that is q the property of man , this of beasts ; wee must fly to the later , q when wee cannot vse the former . wherfore q in very deed , warres are to bee q taken in hand * for q this , that q we may liue in peace without iniurie . and the victory beeing gotten , * they are to bee preserued who haue not q beene cruell nor q vnmercifull in fight : as our ancestours receiued euen into [ their ] citie , the thusculans , q equians , volscians , sabines , [ and ] hernicks ; but they q vtterly razed carthage and numance . q i would they had not so razed corinth : but q i take it , that they chiefly respected the situation of the place , lest the very place might at any time q incourage them to mooue warre . q certainly in my minde , q we ought alwaies to aduise for peace , q which may be free from feare of treachery . wherein q if they would haue yeelded vnto me , wee should haue had , although not the q best , yet some common vveale , which now is none . but whereas q you are to prouide for their safetie whome you q shall subdue by force ; q thē they especially , who yeelding vp their weapons , fly vnto the mercy of the gouernours , are to bee receiued , although q the ram hath q battered the wall . q in which point , iustice hath beene q so much regarded q amongst our men , that they who had receiued * to [ their ] mercy cities or nations q conquered in warre , should bee patrones q of the same , * by the custome of [ our ] ancestours . and q in very truth the q iustice of warre is * described most * holily in the q feciall lawe of the people of rome . q whereby it may bee vnderstoode , q that no warre is iust , but which either is q mooued , q demands beeing first made ; or which is proclaimed before , and q bidden by defiance . pompilius q the general [ of the romanes ] kept a prouince , in whose armie q catoes sonne , being a young souldier , q did serue . q and whenas it q pleased pompilius to q dismisse one q band , he dismissed also catoes son , who serued in the same band . but whenas hee remayned still in the army , for the loue q of the warres , cato writ vnto pompilius that if he q suffered him to q remaine in the army , hee should q sweare him again ; because q he being discharged of his former oath , might not lawfully fight with the enemies . so q great regarde there was in q making warre . there is q a letter of marcus cato q the elder , to marcus his sonne ; wherein he wrote q that hee had heard , q that hee was dis charged by the consull , q being a souldier in macedonia in the persian warre . hee therfore q warneth him that he * beware , that he enter not q the battell : for hee denyeth * it to bee lawfull [ for him ] who is not * a souldier to fight with the enemie . and q certainly i note q this , that hee q who by his proper name was perduellis [ id est ] * a stubborn enemie , was called hostis [ meaning ] q a stranger ; the mildenesse of the wordes asswaging the q haynousness of the * thing . for he was called hostis * with our ancestours , whom now wee name peregrinus , [ a stranger . ] the twelue tables declare [ the same ] * aut status dies cum hoste ; and againe , aduersus hostem aeterna authoritas . what may bee added to this q mildenesse , to call him by so q faire a name , with whome you * make warre ? although q processe of time hath now made that name more * hard : for it q is departed from the name of peregrinus , [ that is to say , a stranger ] and * q remaineth properly * for him who q beareth armes against any one . q also vvhen q there is fighting q for soueraigntie , and glory is sought by warre ; yet it behooueth alwaies , q that there be the very same iust causes of warre , which i spake of a little before . but those warres q in which the glory of q soueraigntie is propounded , are to be made q with lesse cruelty . for as when wee contend q in ciuill matters , wee doe one vvay * if he be an enemy [ ●…ith whome wee contend ] : otherwise if * a competitour : [ for ] q with the one the strife [ is ] for honour & dignitie , with the other q for life and honestie . thus warre was * holden with the celtibers , and with the cimbrians as with enenemies , whether should q liue , not whether should ●…eare rule : but q with the latines , samites , samnites , q carthagineans , [ and ] with pirrhus , q the fight was about the q empire . the q carthaginenans [ were ] truce-breakers . anniball [ was ] cruell , the rest [ were ] more iust . q that is doubtlesse q a noble saying of pirrhus , q about restoring of prisoners . neither require i golde q for my self , neither shall he giue me any * price ; neither q [ are we such as ] q make a gaine of warre , but q warriours . let both of vs q make triall for our life , with the q sworde , not vvith golde . whether q lady fortune will haue you or mee to raigne , q or vvhat may betide ; let vs try by q valour , and withall take this q answere ; q whose manhood the fortune of war q shall spare , q i haue determined to spare their freedome . q accept it : q for i giue it , with the good liking of the great gods . q a princely saying indeed , and well beseeming al the lineage of the eacidanes . q likewise also if q priuate men , q inforced by occasions , shall promise any thing to the enemie , q they must keepe their promise therein : as regulus , being taken by the carthagineans in the first * punick-war : [ who ] when hee q was sent to rome q about the exchāging of prisoners , and had sworne q that hee would returne ; first , q as soone as he came , q his aduice vvas in the senate senate house , that the prisoners shold not bee restored : afterwards , when * he was staied by his kinsfolkes and friends , q hee was more willing to returne to punishment , then to q breake his promise giuen to the enemie . and in the second punike warre , after q the field at canes , q verb. the censors q sessed all those tenne at a yearely fine so long as any of them liued , vvho had forsworn themselues : which anniball sent to rome bound by oath , that they should returne , except they obtained the ransoming of those that were prisoners [ at rome : ] q & him likewise who had found an excuse by deluding his oath : for vvhen as hee had q gotout of the campe by the permission of annibal , * hereturned a little after , b for that he sayd , q hee had forgotten i knowe not what . and then being gone [ again ] out of the campe , hee thought himselfe * freed from his oath ; and [ ●…o ] hee was in wordes , but indeed hee was not . for q it is to bee considered alwaies in promises , vvhat a man q meant , not what hee said . but the * greatest example of iustice towardes an enemie , q vvas shewed by our ancestours . whereas * a runnagate traitour from pyrrhus had promised the senate , q that hee would giue the king poyson and kill him , q the senate and caius fabricius deliuered that runnagate traitour to pyrrhus : so as it did not not approue * the treacherous q death no not of an enemie , both mighty and mouing warre * vnprouoked . and thus q haue we spoken sufficiently of q duties appertaining to warre . let vs also remember , that there is a iustice to bee kept euen towards q the basest . and the condition and q estate of q slaues is the basest : whom they that commande to vse so , as q hired seruants to q require [ their ] labour , and q giue them their due , do not q command amisse . q moreouer , whereas iniury * may bee done two manner of waies . that is to say , either by * force or by * guile : guile seemeth to be * as of the fox , force of the lion ; both of them most q vnbeseeming man : yet guile * [ is ] worthy the greater hatred . but of all iniustice none is q more capital , thē of them , who then when they deceiue most , yet * doe it to the end that they may seeme good men . q [ so likewise ] enough is said concerning iustice. tully heer discourseth of military duties , and teacheth ; . that the lawes of armes are chiefly to be obserued in a common-weale . . that whereas there are two kinds of contention , the one in debating matters by reason , the other by force ; and that the first of these beeing proper onely to man , the other more belōging to the beastes ; that we are then only to flie to the later when we cannot preuaile by the former . . sheweth , for for what cause wars are vndertaken . viz. that men may liue in peace without iniurie . . what is to bee done when the victory is gotten , viz. that they bee preserued who haue not carried themselues cruelly in the fight . this he illustrateth by the example of their ancestors , who receiued some such euen into the citie , as the tusculanes , equies , &c. when as they vtterly rased and spoiled other cities , as carthage and numance . and so likewise corint ; though he thinketh that this was done onely in regard of the situation of it ; lest the place might haue incouraged them to new warre . here he giueth this generall aduice ; that men should alwaies consult for peace , so 〈◊〉 as it may bee free from dāger of treachery . this he teacheth by the effects , that if they had done this as hee would , they had had a florishing cōmonweale , which now was none in respect . . that as the conquerors are to prouide for the safetie of all whom they shall subdue , except such who haue carried themselues cruelly ; so more specially for them who yeelding vp their weapons haue betaken them selues to the mercy of the gouernour , though there hath been no remedy but to yeelde or die . this he commendeth by the example and custome of their auncestors , that made such cōquerours as had receiued to mercy cities or nations , to become patrones of the same . . hee declareth that the iustice of war , is most holily lette downe in the lawe of the heralds of the romanes ; & that therein it may be seene what warre is iust , viz. no war but which is moued vpon demands first made , or proclamed solēaly , or b●…dden by open defiance . he setteth down certaine other special duties to be obserued in warre . . that no souldier be admitted to fight with the enenue , but being first solemnly sworn . this he sheweth by the authoritie of cato , writing to pompilius the generall , vnder whom his sonne was a young souldier : that , whereas hee had heard , that hee had dismissed his sonne , vpon the occasion of dismissing that band 〈◊〉 hee was ; hee should not suffer him to remaine in the armie much less to fight , vnlesse hee sware him againe ; because hee beeing discharged of his former oth might not lawfully fight , vnlesse hee was sworne againe . also by another letter of his , to his sonne ; that whereas he heard that he being then a souldier in the persian wa●… was discharged by the consull , hee should not enter the battel to fight : because it was not lawfull for him who was not a souldier , to fight with the enemie ; signifying that none indeede were souldiers but those which stoode sworne . a second is , that there bee as much mildenesse shewed to the enemy as may be . this he proueth by the example of their auncestours ; who gaue to the enemie the fairest name they could : as by calling him who was properly perdu●…llis , viz. a stubborn enemy , hostis , meaning , a stranger or forener , according to the auncient custome ; so mitigating the hainousnes of the thing by the mildenesse of the word . this hee proueth moreouer by the lawes of the twelue tables wherein the obstinate enemy is vsually called hostis , intimating a stranger . although he sheweth that through processe of time the word hostis is vsed properly for the open enemie , who proudly beateth armes against vs. a third dutie is , that when the war is onely for souerantie and glory ; as there must bee the same iust causes of war , mentioned before : so that warre must be made with as little cruelty as may be . this he illustrateth . by an argument from the like , taken from the manner of our contention in ciuill matters . that is in ciuill strife wee deale one way with an enemie , with whom we contend for life & honestie ; and another way with a competitour who contendeth with vs onely for honour & dignity : so must it be in warlike matters . after , hee further manifesteth it by particular exāples : as by the warre against the celtibers & cimbrians , which was as against enemies for life : and contrarily against the latines , sabines samnites , carthagineans & pyrrhus for the empire only wherein they dealt fairer , though some of these enemies were truce breakers and too cruell . thirdly , he sheweth it by a noble saying of pyrrhus , about the restoring of pr●…soners , 〈◊〉 in verie by en●…ius , to this effect ; that he sought not golde but victorie ; neither would bee ha●…e the tri●…ll made with golde . but with the sword . so that hee who should win it by the sword should weare it , with as harty good will as the great gods gaue it . this he commendeth for a princely saying , and well beseeming one descēding from achilles . a fourth precept is , that the verie priuate souldiers performe their word to the enemy , though they promised , being inforced thereunto , by the occasion of the times and straights whereunto they were driuen . this ho●… declareth also by examples ; first of regulus a worthy roman : who in the first punike war , being taken prisoner by the carthagineans , and by them sent to rome about the ex changing prisoners , hauing sworne that he would returne vnlesse he obtained the exchange of them ; hee both disswaded the matter [ as incōmodious ] and chused rather to returne to the enemy , to endure any punishment ( thogh he was much staied by his friends ) then to breake his promise giuen to them . the second example is of the censors of rome : who fined all those tenne at an yearely fine , during their liues , who had falsified their othes , whereby they had bound themselues to anniball the enemy that they would returne to him , vnlesse they obtained the ransoming of certaine prisoners at rome . and so dealt they likewise with one other , who deluded the oth which hee had taken , by a kinde of equiuocating , so imagining himselfe free . for he hauing sworne to returne ; so soone as euer hee was gotten without the campe , he returned presently , as if hee had forgot something : & then getting himself out of the campe again , he thought himself quit from his oth ; as hee seemed in words , though indeed hee was not . which tully prooueth by a generall rule for all promises ; that the true meaning , not the bare words , is euer to be respected therein . a fift precept is this , that there be euer kept a speciall hatred of treachery . this hee teacheth by a notable example of iustice euen towards the enemy and against such dealing : that when as a runnagate from pyrrhus had promised the senate to poison him ; the senate sent the traitor back to pyrrhus signifying his treacherie : thereby shewing their hatred of such a fact , though against an enemie both mightie , and mouing war vnprouoked . thus farre he hath spoken of warlike duties . next , he speaketh of iustice to bee kept , euen towards the basest sort and condition of people , which he maketh to bee the slaues ; that we are as wel bound to giue them their due for their labor , as to require their labor of them . lastly , hee setteth downe two maners of doing iniurie : one by force , which is most proper to the lion ; a second by fraude , the propertie of the foxe : both of them be vnbefitting man ; but guile the worse of the two . and here he teacheth what is the most hainous kind of all iniustice , viz. when men intende the most deceipt , yet do it vnder a pretence of honesty , and to the ende that they may seeme good men . chap. . the argument . of liberality the second parte of iustice , which yet aristotle seemeth to q ioyne to modestie : vvherein tully q sheweth that three things [ are ] to be looked to especially . the first [ is ] that wee giue not any thing which may bee hurtfull to the receiuer ; nor that wee take from q some by wrong that which we * may giue to others . the second [ is ] that wee * exercise our liberality q according to our ability . the third [ is ] that wee giue not to whom wee ought not . but we must giue either q to them who are commended for vertue , or to them who q are louingly affected towards vs ; or with whom q wee haue some speciall bande of societie : or to conclude , [ to them ] who [ haue ] deserued well of vs ; to whome a kindnesse is to be q repayed euen with vsurie : last of all , repeating the degrees of humane societie from the q first originall , he cōpareth them amongst thēselues , that so much may bee performed q as is due to euery one . but seneca hath written most * diligently in many bookes concerning this part . q let vs now speake , as we had q purposed , of bounty and liberality , then which certainely nothing is more * befitting the nature of man. q not withstanding , it hath diuers q cautitions . for first [ wee ] must q take heed q that our bountie hurt not both q those to whom wee would seeme to be ●…ountifull and also others : * secondly , that our q bountie be not q more , then our abilitie : q thirdly , that we giue to euery one , according to their dignitie . for that is the foundation of iustice , whereunto all these things * are to bee referred . for both they that doe a pleasure to any one which may hurt him , whom they would seeme q willing to profit , are not to be q deemed bountious , nor liberall , but q pernicious flatterers . and also they q that hurt q some , that they may be liberall to others , q are in the same iniustice , as if they should turn other mens goods into their owne . * and indeede there are many q and namely [ those who ] are desirous of honor and glory , who * catch away from some , that which they * lauish to others . these also suppose that they shall seeme bountifull towardes q their friends , if they inrich them by * any meanes . but that is so farre off from dutie , that nothing can be more contrarie to dutie . we must therfore take heed , that we vse q such liberality , as may profit our friends , and hurt q no man. wherefore q l. sil. las and c. caesars q conueying of q goods from the iust q owners vnto * strangers , ought not to be thought q liberality . for nothing is liberall q which is not iust . q the second point of caution vvas , that the * bounty should not bee q more then our abilitie ; for that they that will bee more q liberall , then their q abilitie doth suffer , offend first in * this , that they are iniurious q to their next kin . q for they conuey those riches vnto q strangers , which it were more reason to be dealt and left q to these . there is also for the most parte in such liberalitie a greedy desire of catching and q pulling away by iniurie , q that they may haue store to q lauish out to others . q moreouer , wee may see q very many , not so liberall by nature , as led vvith a certaine q vaine glory , that they may seeme bountifull : which things may seem to q proceed rather from ostentation , then from a q free heart . and such a q counterfeit shew is neerer to vanitie , then either to liberality or honestie . the third q caution is , that in [ our ] liberality there should bee a q regarde of q worthinesse : wherein both his manners vpon whome the benefit shall be bestowed q are to be looked vnto , and also his q affection towardes vs , and community and felowshippe of life , and kindnesses q performed before for our commodities : q all which , it is q to bee wished that they may q concurr : if not , the moe causes and the greater , shall haue more weight [ in them ] . in this chapter tully discourseth of bounty or liberalitie ; . giuing it this commēdation , that nothing is more be seeming man. . he teacheth that three things are to be looked vnto in it : as , . that our bountie neither hurt thē to whom we would seeme bountifull , nor others . . that our bountie bee not aboue our abilitie . the third is , that wee giue to euerie one according to their dignitie : for this he counteth the chiefe foundation of iustice , whereunto all these are to be referred . cōcerning the first of these three ; he teacheth vs to beware of it : first , because they , who pleasure others with that which may hurt them , are not to bee deemed bountifull , but pernicious flatterers . and secondly , because they who hurt some to be bountifull therewith to others , run into the same fault , as if they should take from others to i●…rich themselues therby , now hee sheweth that there are many of this later so●…t ; as namely all desirous of glorie : who suppose that they shall seeme bountifull to their friendes , if they may inrich them by any means but this he teacheth to be so farre from duty , as that nothing can bee more contrary vnto it . whence hee giueth this generall direction for our liberalitie to our friends , that it bee such as may do them good without the hurt of any man. and so concludeth , that the conueying of goods by sylla and cesar from the iust owners to others , ought not to be thought liberality ; because nothing is liberall which is not iust . concerning the second caution , viz. that our bountie bee not aboue our abilitie , hee giueth these reasons of it : . because such as will giue beyonde their abilitie , are iniurious to their next of kin : for that they conuey those riches to strangers , which it were more reason , should bee dealt & left to their kinsfolkes . . because there is commonly in such liberalitie a greedie desire of pulling from some iniuriously , that they may haue to lauish to others : . because this kind of liberalitie springeth rather frō vaine glorie then good nature , onely to the ende that they may seeme bountifull ; and so rather from ostentation , then a free heart . so that he accounteth ●…uch a counterfeit shew , neerer to vanitie , then either to liberalitie or honestie . for the third cautiō viz. that we giue to euery one according to their dignity ; hee directeth , that heerin we haue a speciall regard of the worthinesse of each towards whō we vse our bountie ; and therein to consider both his manners and affection towards vs , as also his neighborhood , society , friendship , & kindnes●…es to vs. all which he teacheth , that it were to be wished they might concurr ; otherwise the moe of them and greater to haue the more weight and respect with vs in our liberalitie . chap. . q manners are to bee considered , not according to the exact q consideration of the vvise stoicke , but the civill * image of vertue . and because q we liue not with perfect men , and * fully vvise , but with q such in whom q it is very well , * if there bee [ in them ] resemblances of vertue ; i q take this also meete to be q considered , q that wee despise no man , in whom any q signe of vertue doth appeare . q also that euery man be specially so regarded , as each shall bee q more specially graced with these milder vertues , [ viz. ] * modestie , temperance , and that same iuslice of which * many things are spoken alreadie . for q a hauty & a great * courage is for the most parte more feruent , in a man q who is too short in perfection and wisedome : [ but ] these * vertues seeme rather to q appertaine to a good man. and these things [ may be considered ] in manners . tully declareth in this chapter , what is to be considered concerning mens maners spoken of before , for the guiding of our liberalitie . and first , that wee neglect no man , in whom there appeareth any shewe of vertue . hereof also hee giueth this reason ; because we liue not with men who are perfect & absolutely wise ; but with such as in whome , wee thinke it very well , if there be but resemblances of vertue . . that we regarde euery one the more as he shall be more graced with the milde vertues of modesty , temperance and iustice : and then giueth the reason hereof ; because hauty courages and hotte spirits are not vsually in the wisest men ; but contrarily those milder vertues , viz. of temperance & iustice , seem commonly to follow a good man. chap. . * how the good will of others towards vs , is to bee * considered . q now concerning the good wil which euery one * hath towards vs ; that is the chief point in dutie , that we giue most to him , of whome wee are beloued most . but q wee must measure good will , not after the q manner of young men , by a certaine q heate of loue ; but rather by * stabilitie and constancie . heere tully teacheth how we are to consider of mens affections towards vs. and first , that this is to bee looked vnto principallie ; that wee giue most to him of whom wee are most beloued . . that we measure mens affections towards vs , not by a certaine heate of loue for a fit , as yong men are wont to doe ; but by the stability & constancie thereof . chap. . how kindnesse is to bee requited to them who haue q wel deserued of vs. bvt if the deserts [ of men ] be such , that q we are not to seeke to creepe into fauour , but to requite kindnesse ; a certaine greater care is to be q vsed , * because there is no dutie more necessarie then * requiting of * thanks . for if hesiode cōmandes to restore those things which you haue q borrowed for your vse , with a q larger measure , if that you can ; what then ought wee to doe being prouoked by a q kindenesse ? ought wee not to imitate the * fertile fields ; which bring much more then they haue receiued ? for if vvee q stick not to bestowe kindnesses vpon them , whom wee hope will q do vs good hereafter ; q what manner of men ought wee to be towards them , who haue done vs good alreadie ? for whereas there bee two kindes of liberality , one of q bestowing a benefit , the other of requiting , q it is in our owne power vvhether wee vvill giue or no : [ but ] q it is not lawefull for a good man not to restore , if so that he can do it without iniurie . there are also q respects to be had of benefits receiued : neyther [ is there any ] doubt , but most is due q to euerie the greatest . wherein yet it is especially to bee * weighed , with what minde , affection , and good will q any man * hath done it . for many men doe many things * in a certaine q headinesse , without q discretion or measure , towards all [ alike : ] or else being q carried with violence of affection , as with a certaine * sudden winde : which * benefits are not to be accounted so great , as those which are q offered with iudgement , q adui sedly and constantly . but in * bestowing of a benefit , and in requiting kindnesse , ( if [ all ] other things bee q correspondent ) q this is a principall point of duty ; that as q any one stādeth q most in neede of [ our ] * helpe , so to helpe him especially . which is done q of verie many * clean contrary . for q of whom they hope for most , although he haue no neede q of them , yet they * serue him * especially . tullie in this chapter giueth directions for requiting of me●…s kindnesses to vs ; & first teacheth that wee ought to haue a speciall care heereof . because there is no duty more necessarie then it . . that wee ought to repay such kindnesses with a greater measure then we receiued them . this hee prooueth first , by the testimonie of hesiode , commanding to restore things borrowed for our vse , with fuller measure , if we can ; and therfore much more such good turnes , as haue been done vs frankly , and whereby we haue bin prouoked ; heerein imitating the fertile fieldes . secondly , he sheweth it by another reason from the less thu●… ; that if wee sticke not to bestowe benefits on them who ( wee hope ) will doe vs good heereafter , much more ought we on them , who haue done vs good alreadie . . whereas there are two kindes of liberalitie , one of bestowing a benefit , the other of requiting ; hee teacheth , that howsoeuer it is in a mans owne power whether hee will freely giue a benefit or no ; that yet it is not in any case lawfull for a good man , not to requite a kindnesse , if he can do it without iniurie to any . . for kindenesses receiued , that wee haue special regard : because howsoeuer wee owe most to him of whom wee haue receiued most ; yet wee are to weigh with what mind & affectiō any one hath benefited vs. because many men do such things vpon a certain headinesse without discretion , & towardes all alike , or carried with some violence of affection : which benefits he teacheth not to bee so great , as those which are bestowed with iudgement , aduice and constancy . lastly , that in all these , this is a principal part of duty ; that ( all other things beeing answerable ) we helpe him most that stāds in most neede : though men commonly deale cleane contrarily ; giuing to them most , of whom they looke for most , although they haue no need . chap. . what order [ is to bee obserued ] in the q neighborhood of life : and first concerning the vniuersall societie of all mortal men . bvt the q societie , and neighbourhood of men shal be q best maintained , if as q euery one shall bee the neerest [ vnto vs ] so q we shall bestow most * liberalitie vpon him . but it seemeth wee must q fetch somewhat further , what are the q naturall * principles of neighbourhood & q humane societie : for , q the first is that , which * is seene in the societie of all mankinde . and the bond thereof is reason & speech : which q reconcileth men amongst themselues , and ioyneth them together in a certaine naturall societie by teaching , learning , q conferring , q reasoning , and iudging . neither q do wee differ more in any thing from the nature of * wilde beasts : in vvhich wee say oft times q that there is fortitude , as in horses , [ and ] in lions ; but wee doe not say [ q that there is in them ] iustice , equitie [ or goodnesse : ] for they are void of reason and speech . and surely this is the q fellowshippe which q extendeth most largely to men amongst thēselues , & to all * amongst all : in the which a community of all things , which nature hath * bred to the common vse of men , is to be kept so , as those things which are q appoynted by statutes and the ciuill lawe , bee so * holden as it is ordayned : q besides which [ all ] other things are to be so obserued , as it is in the greeke prouerbe ; all things q to bee common among friends . q likewise all those things doe seeme to bee common q to all men , which are of the same kinde : which being put [ for example ] by ●…nnius in one thing , may bee q transferred vnto many ; [ thus . ] a man who curteously sheweth the way to one out of his way , doth , as if hee should light a q candle q at his candle ; that neuerthelesse it may light himselfe , when he hath q lighted the other . for * there is sufficient commaunded by one thing , that whatsoeuer can bee lent without * hindrance q be granted to euery one , q yea though vnknown . whereupon q are those common sayings ; not to forbid [ * any ] the running water : to suffer [ any that will ] to take fire from [ our ] fire ; to giue faithfull counsell q to him that asketh aduice : which things are profitable to those who receiue [ thē ] [ and ] not q hurtfull to the giuer . wherefore wee must both vse those things , and * alwayes bring somewhat to the common cōmoditie . but because the q substance q of each priuate man is small , and the multitude of them who neede q it is infinite , common liberalitie must be referred to that end * of ennius , that neuerthelesse it q light himselfe ; that we may haue ability , wherewith we may be liberall to our owne . here tully setteth downe certaine things concerning the neighborhood and society of men , and how it may bee best maintained . and first giueth this generall precept ; that as euerie one is neerest vnto vs , so wee bestowe most on him . secondly , noteth the degrees of neighborhood and societie in nature . and therin the first is , that which is seen in the generall societie of all mankinde : the bonde whereof he sheweth to bee reason and speech . because these ioyne men together in a certaine naturall societie , by teaching , learning , conferring , reasoning , iudgeing and the like : and also because these make men to differ most from the nature of beasts : which though they may haue hardi nesse as in lions , horses , &c. and other such like qualities : yet can they not haue iustice or goodnesse , because they want reason & speech . thirdly , he sheweth that this societie extendeth it self most largely to all men amōgst themselues ; & that to this end , a community of all things which nature hath made to the cō mon vse , be kept according as they are appointed by statutes and the ciuill lawe ; and for all other things , that they be so obserued , as it is in the greeke proverbe ; that all things be common among friends . fourthly , he noteth more particularly , what duties ought to bee common to be performed to al , besides those appointed by lawes ; viz. what good soeuer we may doe to others , without hurt to our selues : and that wee are to performe the same euen to them whom wee knowe not ; according to the saying of ennius : as , to shew the way curteously to one going out of his way . to light another mans light frō ours . so , not to for - so , not to forbid any the running water . to suffer any one to take fire from our fire . to giue faithfull counto each asking ou●… aduice . and generally to yeelde whatsoeuer things are profitable to the receiuer , not hurtfull to the giuer . whence he concludeth that as we are to vse these things our selues ; so euer to haue respect to the common good of all : yet here he giueth another caution . that because the substance of each priuate man is small , and the multitude of them that stand in need is infinite ; that euery one so order his liberality that first he looke to himselfe and his , and so to all other in their place , and as they are neerer to him or further off in degree . chap. . there bee also moe degrees of society of men . * for that we may departe from that infinitenesse , there is a neerer [ degree ] ; to bee of the same q stocke , nation , [ and ] q language , q whereby men are q especially knit together . it is also more q neere , to bee of * the same citie . q for citizens haue many things common amongst themselues ; the q common hall , q churches , q gallerie walks , q high waies , lawes , q priuiledges , iudgements , voices in election , customs q likewise and familiarities , also many matters and q bargaines with many . but q a faster k●…ting [ of men ] together , is of the fellowship of kinsfolkes . for from that * vnmeasurable society of mankinde , q it is driuen into a little and a narrowe compasse . for q whereas this is common q to all liuing creatures by nature , that they haue q a desire of procreation ; the first societie is q in the very wedlock , the next in children q and after that one house , q whereto all things are common . and q this is the q originall of a citie , & as it were the q seed-plot of a cōmonweale . [ then ] followe the q kinreds of brethren ; after , of q brothers children & sisters children : which when they cannot now bee q contayned in one house , get them abroad into other houses , as into q colonies . [ afterwardes ] doe followe q entermariages and q alliances , of which also q many kinsfolke [ do * arise . ] which * propagation and q succession is the originall of common weales . and so the * coniunction of blood & good will [ thereupon ] * knitteth men in loue together . for it is a great matter to haue the same monuments of our ancestours , to vse the same q religion , to haue q the same burying places . but of all societies there is none q better , none more * firme , then when good men like in q conditions , are q linked together in familiaritie . for that honestie , ( which wee haue oft times q mentioned ) although wee see it in another , yet it * moueth vs ; and maketh vs * friends to him , in whom it seemeth to q be . and although * all vertue allureth vs to * it selfe , and q causeth vs to loue them in whome it seemeth to be ; yet iustice and liberality q worketh that most of all . * but , there is nothing q that winneth more loue , nor q that linketh men more surely together , then q a likenesse of good conditions . for in whome there are q the same desires , the same q mindes , q it commeth to passe amongst these , q that either is as much delighted with the other as with himselfe : and that q is brought to passe , which pythagoras q requires in friend ship , that q many become one . also that q common fellowship is great , which q groweth of q kindnesses giuen and q receiued to and fro . q which whilst they are * mutuall and pleasuring , they amongst whome q those happen , are q linked in a firme societie . but when you haue q considered all things , in q discourse and reason ; q of all societies there is none more acceptable , none more deare , then that q which euery one of vs hath with the cōmon-weale . q deare are our parents , deare are our children , [ our ] kinsfolkes , and familiars : but our countrey alone contaynes [ in it selfe ] all the loues of all [ these . ] for which , what good man q could doubt q to take his death , if he may q doe it good ? q whereby the beastly crueltie of these men is q more to be abhorred , who haue q rent in sunder their countrey with q all manner of mischiefe , and both are and haue beene occupied q in the vtter ouerthrowe thereof . but if q question and comparison be made , to whome most dutie ought to bee yeelded ; our countrey and parents are the chiefe , by whose benefits we are especially bound : al our children [ are ] next , and our whole familie ; which q hangeth vpon vs alone , neither can haue any other refuge . q afterwards our kinsfolkes agreeing well [ with vs ] q who also commonly haue the same estate . wherfore the necessarie * aydes of life , are due to those especially whome i spake of before : but q conuersation and common liuing , counsels , * speeches , exhortrtions , * consolations , and q otherwhiles ch●…dings , q are most vsuall amongst friendes . and q that friendship is the pleasantest , which q likenesse of conditions hath q linked in one . chap. . in this chapter hee setteth downe sundrie degrees of the societie of men . and first , how after the generall society with all , these are neerer degrees ; . to bee of the same stocke , nation & language , whereby men are more specially knit together . . to bee of the same citie , is a neerer degree . these also haue many things common among themselues , as common-hals , churches , walkes , high-waies , lawes priuiledges , iudgements , voyces in election , customes , dealings , and the like , to ioyne them together . . a neerer degree is of kinsfolkes , to be of the same kin , wherein the society of men is brought into a narrow compasse . and heere hee teacheth , what is the ▪ verie first and ●…ighest societie ; and so how that ascendeth and spreadeth . that whereas there is in all liuing creatures a naturall desi●…e of procreation , so also in mā : whēce the first societie is in wedlocke , the second in children , a third in one house wherto most things are common . this he sheweth to be the originall of a citie , & as it were the seede plot of a common weale . a fourth societie he noteth to be of cozin germanes , viz. of brethren and sisters children : which when they so increase that they can not be contained in one house , doe get them abroade into other houses as into colonyes , or newe townes . after do follow entermariages : whence ariseth a fift societie ; viz. of alliances of kinsfolkes by mariage , of which many kin do spring . and this propagation hee noteth to be the original of common-weales . also , that this coniunction of blood and good will knitteth men in loue together ; and that so much the more , because they haue the same monumēts of their ancestours , religion , burying places , &c. which hee noteth to bee a great matter to knit the harts of men in one . but of all other societies he teaches that the excellentest and most firme , is of friends ; viz. whē good men like in conditions , are linked together in familiarity . the reason hereof is , first , because the vertues which wee see or imagine in others , do most firmly binde vs vnto them , & especially iustice & liberalitie . and secondly , for the likeness of conditions in right friends ; then w c● he sheweth that nothing winneth more true loue , nor linketh men more firmely : for that in whom there are the same desires & mindes , either of them is as much delighted with the other as with himselfe ; & thence a●…iseth that which pithagoras requires in friendship ; that many become one . furthermore , hee teacheth here , that the fellowship which groweth of kindenesses giuen and taken to and fro , is verie great ; because these being mutuall and pleasuring one another , must needs link men in a firme league . sixtly , he teacheth , that yet all things being rightly considered , the most acceptable & deare societie of all others , is that which which euerie one hath with the common wealth . this hee prooueth by an argument from the lesse , thus ; that howsoeuer our parents are dear vnto vs , and so our kinsfolkes & familiars , yet our countrie alone contains in it selfe the loues of all these , and therefore ought to be dearer to vs then all these . so that no good man should doubt to lay down his life for it , if hee may doe it good . whence hee noteth that the beastly crueltie of such men who seeke the vtter ouerthrowe of their countries , or the rending the same in peeces by any mischiefe , ought to be abhorred of all . lastly , he declareth , that if yet comparison and question be made , to which of these societies most duty ought to bee yeelded ; that , . our countrie & parents are to bee preferred , because wee are specially bounde with their benefits . . that our children and whole familie are next , because they depende vpon vs alone . . our kinsfolk carying themselues well and louingly towards vs. and to these principally he teacheth , that the necessarie aydes of life appertaine ; but that familiar conuersation , counsels , speaches , exhortations , consolations and otherwhile chidings , are most vsuall amongst friends . and in a word , that of all friendships that is the pleasantest which is linked by likenesse of conditions . chap. . the argument . q the duties of liberality ought to be cōsidered , not only q by these degrees of societie , but also by other circumstances . bvt in q doing all these duties , q we must mark what is most * necessarie for euerie man , and what euery one q is either able or vnable to attaine with vs or without vs. therefore the degrees of friendship * shall not bee the same , which [ are ] of times . al there are certaine duties which are q more due to some then to others : as , you shall sooner helpe your neighbour in q inning [ his ] corn , then either your brother , or your familiar friend . but if there bee a q trauerse in law , you shall rather defend your kinsman and friende then your neighbour . these things therefore , and the like are to be q thorowly considered in euery dutie ; also custome and q practice q are to be vsed , that vvee may bee * good q makers of account of duties : to see by adding and deducting q what summe remayneth of the rest . whereupon q wee may vnderstand how much is due to euery one . but , as neither physiciās , nor captaines ▪ nor oratours , although they haue q gotten the rules of [ their [ art , can attaine to any thing worthy great q commendation , without vse and q practice : so indeede those rules of * keeping duty are q taught vs , that wee our selues q should put them in vre . q for the q hardnesse of the matter requireth also vse and exercise . q and thus haue we spoken almost sufficiently , how honestie from which [ all ] dutie q springeth , is q deriued from those things , which are in the law of q humane societie . tully in this chapter setteth downe some other duties , concerning our bounty and liberality : as , . that in performing duties to ech societie mentioned , we must still consider , what is most necessarie for euery man ; and then what each is able to attaine of himselfe , & what hee cannot without our helpe : and that the degrees of friendship and of times are not alwaies alike . . that there are certain duties more due to some further from vs in degree then others neerer . as , that we are sooner to helpe out neighbour in inning his corne then our brother , or familiar friend ; but in a trauerse of law a man is rather to defend his kinsman or friende then his neighbour . . that as wee are throughly to consider these things in euerie duty , so also to put them in vre : that by long custome and practice we may become expert to knowe what is due to euery man. this hee maketh plaine by a similitude taken from physiciās , captains and oratours ; who although they haue gotten the rules of their art , yet cannot attaine ought worthy any great commendation , without vse and practice . and also that al the rules of duty are taught vs that wee may practice them ; and for that the hardnesse of the matter requireth vse and exercise . and thus concludeth this point , how honestie is deriued from those things which are in the lawe of humane societie . chap. . the argument . the third fountaine of dutie [ ] of q magnanimitie : which q is bred of a contempt of humane things , and a certaine q noblenesse of minde : and it is declared especially in q dangerous attempts , and q atchieuing difficult matters . q this hath at the right hand q a●…daciousnesse , q obstinacie , q outragious fiercenesse , q arrogancie , cruelty , q rash confidence , q weiwardnesse , anger , q rigour , q ambition ; at the left hand q fearfulness , q cowardlinesse , q stupiditie , and [ other ] vices of q the same kinde . also magnanimity is * exercised partly in * warlike matters , but more in ciuill affaires , and to conclude in the priuate life , concerning all vvhich q tully q discourseth diuersly . bvt wee must vnderstand , whereas four kinds [ of virtue ] are propounded , from which honestie and dutie should q pro ceed ; q that seemes to shine most brightly , which is q wrought with a great and q loftie spirit , despising q worldly vanities . therefore [ that ] is q commonly ready in q reproach , if any such thing may be said . for in truth yee young men q carry q womanish hearts . and that q virgin [ the heart ] of a man. and if there be any thing like to this . o salmacis * giue spoyles without blood or sweat . and contrarily in praises , i q know not how , we praise those things , as with a more full mouth , which are done with a * great courage , q valiantly and excellently . hence is the [ large ] * field of the rhetoriciās , concerning maratho , salamis , the plateans , thermopilanes , luctrians , and [ concerning ] stratocles . hereby our cocles , hereby the decians , hereby cneius & p. q scipio , hereby m. marcellus & innumerable others , & especially the very people of rome * excelleth in * greatness or courage . and [ their ] desire of q martiall glory is declared , for that wee see euen [ * their ] pictures for most parte q in vvarlike aray . heere tully entereth to speak of fortitude , shewing it self in a braue mind , despising these externall things ; teaching that it seemeth the most glorious of all the foure cardinall vertues . this hee prooueth first by the vsuall reproches & taunts which are cast vpon men for their lacke of courage : as the speech of the generall in ennius taunting the cowardlinesse of the souldiers ; that they bare but womanish hearts , and that a maide by her valour put them all to shame . and againe : that the salmatian spoiles were without sweat or blood . secondly , by the contrary praises , & the exceeding commendations of such exploits as are done valorously and with a noble spirit . this hee further illustrateth , . by the ample praises of the rhetoricians both of his owne and former times , concerning sundry valorous persons , their noble acts , and places where ; especially of the people of rome , whose chiefe fame was for their valour . and lastly , for that whome the people of rome would chiefly honor , they erected them pictures in honour of them , for most part in warlike attire . chap. . q fortitude if it departe from honestie , q loseth q the name . bvt that loftinesse of q spirit which is seene in perils and in q trauells , if it q be void of iustice and fight not for the common * safetie , but for q priuate commoditie , * is faultie . for that is not onely q no propertie of vertue , but rather of q brutishnesse , q setting all humanitie aparte . therfore q fortitude is well defined of the stoiks , vvhen they say , q that it is a vertue * fighting for * equity . wherfore no man that hath attained the glory of fortitude , [ euer ] got [ that ] praise , by q treacherie , & naughtie deceit : for nothing can be honest vvhich is voide of iustice . q therefore that is a worthie saying of plato : not only ( quoth he ) [ that ] knowledge which is q seuered from iustice is rather to be called q subtilty then wisedome ; but also a courage which is q forward to danger , if it be q set on q for ones owne greedinesse , and not for the common q good , may rather haue name of q audaciousnesse then of q fortitude . and therefore we would haue q men who are valorous and puissant , to bee good and q plaine hearted , q louers of truth , and nothing at all deceitfull ; which are q of the midst of all the praises of iustice . but that is odious , that in q such hautinesse and greatnesse of courage , there groweth * most easily q a wilfulnesse , and and ouer-great desire of bearing rule . for q as plato writeth , that the generall fashion of the lacedemonians , was to be inflamed with a desire of conquering : euen so euery one as hee doth most excell in greatnesse of courage , so hee specially desireth to bee q chiefe of all , or rather q without p●…ere . and when q a man coueteth q to bee aboue all , it is a difficult thing to keep equitie , which * is most proper to iustice . wherupon it commeth to passe , that they cannot * endure themselues to be ouercomn , neither by reasoning , nor q by any common and right order of lawe . and they become for the most part q bribers & q factious , that they may attaine the greatest wealth , and be rather superiours by power , then equall by iustice . q but the harder it is [ to master this affection ] the worthier it is ▪ for there is no * time that ought q to be without iustice . they therefore are to be accounted valorous & of a worthie courage , q not who doe wrong , but withstand it . but a true and wise valour of minde iudgeth that honesty which ▪ nature chiefly followeth , q to consist in deeds and not in glory ; q and had rather q bee the chiefe , then to seeme so . for q hee that dependeth vpon the q erronious conceit of the q rude multitude , q is not to be accounted q in the number of valiant men . but as euery man is of courage most high and desirous of glorie , [ so ] is hee most easily q driuē on to vniust q matters . q which place is indeed slipperie , because there is scarce any man found , who , q when he hath sustained trauells , and aduentured dangers , doth not desire glorie as a reward of his labours . tullie in this chapter teacheth , how to discerne of true fortitude . and first , that bould nesse in daungers , if it be either voide of iustice , or fight for a mans priuate cōmoditie and not for the common good , is not true fortitude : because it is no propertie of vertue , but rather of brutishnesse , setting aside all humanitie . secondly , he commendeth that definition of fortitude , giuē by the stoiks ; that it is a vertue fighting for equity . and thereupon inferreth first , that no man euer attained the praise of true fortitude by treacherie or naughtie dealing : for that nothing can be honest which is not iust . secondly , commendeth a worthy saying of platoes to this end ; that as knowledg seuered from iustice is rather called subtletie then wisdom ; so a courage , thogh forward to perils , yet if it be set on for greedinesse of gain or other priuate respects , and not for the cōmon good , ought rather to be tearmed audaciousnesse then valour . and thirdly thereon exhorteth all who would be truely valorous , to be good men and of plaine hearts , louers of truth , and free from all deceipt ; because these vertues rightly deserue the praise of iustice . in the third place , he reprooues another odious fault which attends vpon too great hautinesse of minde : that commonly such men become headie , and are ouer-desirous of ruling . this hee prooueth by the testimonie of plato , shewing this to be the generall fashion of the lacedemonians , to be inflamed with a desire of conquering : and that hēce ; because as any one more excelleth in courage , so he more desireth to be chief of all and without peere . and then declareth other mischiefs following in them heereupon : as first , iniustice ; because it is hard for such to keepe equitie . . pride , so as they cannot indure to yeelde to others either in reasoning or any right triall of lawe . bribing or corrupting others by gifts and making factions , whereby they may attain the greatest wealth and become rather superiours by wealth , then equall by iustice . but yet he teacheth that the harder it is for such valorous mindes to bee iust , the more excellent it is in them who attaine it . lastly , he concludeth heerupon that they onely are to be accounted valorous , not who do wrong to any ; but they who saue others from wrong . and that true valour iudgeth that excellencie , which nature aimeth at chiefely , to consist in deeds and not in glory . also that all who are truly valorous had rather bee the chiefe indeed then to seem so . because hee who dependeth on the erronious cō ceipt of the rude multitude , is not to be reckoned in the number of val●…ant men . and besides , because the brauest mindes and most desirous of glorie are the easiliest ouer carried to vniust actions . and finally , that therefore valorous mindes do stand in a very tickle & slippery place : because it is hard to finde a man , who hauiug atchiued great exploits & dangerous aduentures , desireth not glory as a reward of his labors . chap. . true q valour of mind doth consist in two things chiefly : in contemning both q prosperitie and aduersitie , and in q atchiuing hard enterprizes . a valorous and great minde is q alwaies discerned in two things especially : whereof the one consisteth in the q despising of outward things : when q one is perswaded ▪ q that a man ought not either to admire , or to wish , or earnestly to desire any thinge , but what is honest and comely ; q neither to yeelde to q any either man , or q perturbation of mind , nor to fortune . the other thing is , that when you are so q disposed in minde , as i said before , you q vndertake great q enterprizes , and those indeed most profitable , but q very hard , and full of trauell and danger both of life , and also of many things which * appertaine vnto life . all the q glory and q honour of these two things , i adde q moreouer , the profit * is in the later ; but the cause and meanes making worthie men , is in the former . for q therin is that which maketh excellent courages , q and such as despise all humane things . and this q same q appeareth in two things ; if you both iudge that thing onely to be good which is honest , and also be free from all q disquietnesse . for it is to bee accounted the part of a valiant and worthy mind , both to q set light by those things , which seem to most men q singular and q excellent ; and also to contemne the same with a * stable and q grounded iudgement . and likewise this is [ a tokē ] of a valiant courage and of great constancie , so to beare those things which seeme bitter , q wherof there are many and diuerse in the life & and q state of man , q as that you nothing swerue from the q order of nature , q nor from the dignitie of a wise man. moreouer , it is not q sutable q that hee should be subdued with q inordinate desire , who cannot be q subdued by feare . nor q that he should be conquered by pleasure , who hath shewed himselfe q vnconquerable q by [ any ] trauell . wherefore both these [ vices ] are to be q auoided , also couetousnesse of money is to be q eschewed . q for there is no such a signe of a base and ignoble minde , as to loue riches : q nor any thing more q honest and q noble , then to q despise money , if you haue it not ; [ and ] if you haue it to q bestow it in bountie and liberalitie . the desire likewise of glorie is to be taken heed of , as i said before . for it plucketh away q freedome of minde , for the which all contention ought to be q amongst men of worthie spirits . q and indeed we ought nor to seeke for rule ; but rather , sometimes either not to receiue it , or otherwhile to giue it ouer . we must also bee free from all * perturbation of minde , both from desire , and feare , and also from q griefe , and q voluptuousnesse , and angrinesse ; q that we may inioy tranquillitie & securitie , which may bring both q constancy , and also worthie estimation . but many there are and haue been , who earnestly desiring that same q tranquillity of minde , which i speake of , haue q withdrawen thēselues from q publicke businesses , & haue q betaken thēselues vnto q a quiet life . q amongst these , both the noblest philosophers , q & euen the very chief [ of them ] q and indeed both seuere and graue men , could neither q endure the manners of the people , nor of the q rulers ; & q many of them haue liued in q mannour places , delighted [ onely ] with q their home matters . q these aymed at the same end , which kings doe ; that they might neede nothing , q obey no man , vse their own libertie : whose property it is , to liue q as they list . wherefore , ●…ith this is common q both to them who are desirous * of power , q and those seeking a quiet life , whome i spake of ; the one sorte thinke q that they can attaine it , if they haue great wealth ; the other , if they be content q with their owne q and a little . q wherein verely the opinion of neither [ of them ] q is vtterly to be despised . q for the life of q those who haue betaken them selues to liue quietly , is both more easie & more safe , and lesse grieuous or troublesome to others : but [ the life ] of them who haue q applied thēselues for the good of the common-weale , and to q atchiue great matters , is more q profitable for mankinde , and q fitter for fame and q honour . wherefore q it may bee that both they are to bee borne withall , who doe not q vndertake the affaires of the common-wealth , who being of an excellent wit , haue * giuen themselues wholly to quietnesse and to learning : & q also they who beeing hindred by q sicknesse , or some other more weighty cause , haue q retired themselues from businesses of the common — vveale , when as they q yeelded vnto others both the * power and * praise of managing of the same . but to vvhome there is no such q occasion , if they say , q that they con temne those things which most men q haue in admiration , [ as ] rule & q magistracy ; q to those i thinke it worthie to be accounted not onely no cōmendation , but also a fault . q whose iudgemēt it is verie hard to disallowe , in that they despise glory , and esteeme it as nothing . but they seeme to q fear the q troubles & griefs both of q giuing offence , and also of * repulses , as a certaine reproach and infamie . for there be [ some ] who q doe not agree with themselues in contrarie matters ; who doe most seuerely contemne pleasures , are more tender in grief●…s , regarde not glory , [ and ] bee q ouercomne with infamie . and these things indeed [ they doe ] q very vnconstantly . but q offices are to bee q gotten , and the common — vvealth is to be q serued of them , who haue q by nature helps of dispatch of businesse , all lingring q set aside . for otherwise neither can q the state be gouerned or the greatnesse of courage be declared . moreouer , both a q maiestie and q despising of vvorldly things ( which q i oft repeat ) also q tranquillity of minde and q security is to bee q vsed of them , who take vp-them [ any ] gouernment in the common-weal , nothing lesse then of philosophers , i q knowe not whether [ not ] q more also ; if so be that they will not bee q ouermuch oppressed with cares , q but will q liue with grauity and constancy . which things be so much more easie to philosophers , q the fewer things they haue in their life , which fortune may strike ; q and for that they doe not stand in neede of many things , and also because they cannot fall so grieuously , if any aduersity q betide . wherefore , not without cause , greater motions of [ their ] mindes are stirred vp , & greater q maters are q to bee done by q the gouernours of the common-vveale , then by them who liue quietly . and therefore q the more greatnesse of courage and freedome from vexations is to be vsed of them . moreouer , whosoeuer commeth q to atchieue any great matter , let him take heed , that hee do not only q consider , how honest the matter is , but also , q how it may bee discharged . in which q thing q a man must consider , that hee neither q despaire thorow q cowardlinesse , q nor bee ouer confident thorow a greedy desire . also a diligent preparation is to be q vsed in all businesses , before you q goe about them . heere tully noteth wherein a valiant minde is discerned : to wit , in two things especially . the first whereof is , in despising outward things . when as a man is perswaded that hee ought neither to admire , not so much as to wish any thing but that which is honest and comely : nor yet to yeeld either to man or passion of mind or to fortune , but onely to right reason . the second is , that when a man is thus disposed in minde , he vndertake the atchieuing of great enterprises , & those such as may bee most profitable ; but very hard and full of trauell and danger , both vnto life , and other things appertaining to the com for t therof . now , hee sheweth that all the glorie , honour and profit arising of these two things , is in this later of them : but the cause and means of making wo●…thie men , is in the former of them ; because the despising of all outward things , as riches & honours , is the way to make excellent courages . this againe he teacheth to appeare in these two things : first , if a man iudge that thing onely to bee good which is honest ; and secondly , if he be free from all passion and disquietnesse of mind . because this is , first , to be accounted the true property of a valiant minde ; not onely to set light by those outward things , which ●…eem to most men excellent and singular , but also to cōtemn them with a stable iudgement . and secondly , because this declareth a valiant courage and rare constancie , for a man so to beare the hardest & bitterest things that can fall out in this life , bee they neuer so many , as that hee neuer swarue one iot from the state & order of nature ; nor from the dignitie of a wise man , to doe any thing against either of these . and this againe , because it is not meete that hee should bee ouercomne by any inordinate desire , who cannot bee ouercome by feare ; much lesse be conquered by pleasure , who hath shewed himselfe vnconquerable by any trauel . therefore hee teacheth that these things are carefully to be shunned of a valiant man ; & also that couetousnesse of money is chiefly to bee eschewed of him . because there is no such signe of a base minde , as to loue riches ; & contrarily nothing more noble , then to despise money if a man haue it not ; & if he haue it , to bestowe it in bounty and in liberalitie . and secondly , that he is to beware of a desire of glory : because that plucketh from him freedom of minde , for which all noble spirits ought chiefly to contend . thirdly , that he do not proudly seeke for soueraintie ; but sometimes not to receiue it being offered , otherwhile to giue it ouer , being had . fourthly , that hee labour to bee free from all perturbation of minde , as namely desire , fear , griefe , voluptuousnesse , and angrinesse ; that so hee may inioye both trāquillitie of mind & also securitie , which may bring him both constancy and a worthy estimation . heere he taketh occasion to speake of some , who earnestly desiring to attain this tranquillitie , haue withdrawne themselues from publike businesses , and betaken them to follow a quiet life . and amongst others some of the noblest and verie chief philosophers , and some most seuere & graue men , because they could neither indure the maners of the people , nor the rulers , haue chosen to liue in remote and solitary places , delighting themselues only in their domesticall occasions . also for these hee sheweth what ends they aimed at herein ; viz. the same ends which kings do : that is , that they might neede nothing , obey no man , vse their owne liberty , and indeede liue as they list . now both these sorts , viz. both philosophers and great men ayming at this tranquillity & freedome from all disquietnesse ; the one sort , viz. the great men think that they can obtaine it , if they can get great wealth ; the other , if they can be content with their owne and with a little . and for these two sorts hee declareth that neither of their opinions are vtterly to be despised . first , because the life of tho●…e who haue betaken themselues to liue priuatly and quietly , is both more easie & safe , and also lesse greeuous and troublesome to others . but the life of those who apply themselues to gouernment , for the good of the common-wealth , or to atchiue great maters : for the same , is more profitable to mankinde , and also more ▪ fit for attayning fame and honour . moreouer , hee teacheth that many of thē who haue chosen the priuate life may be borne withall in another respect ; because beeing of excellēt wits they betake themselves to the studie of learning . as also such as being hindred throgh infirmitie of body , or som other more weighty cause , haue left the managing of the affaires of the commōwealth to others . but for them who , haue no such occasion , and yet withdrawe themselues from publike seruices in the common wealth , onely vpon pretence that they contem●…e those things which most men so admire , as namely rule & magistracy ; hee sheweth that hee taketh it to bee not onely no commendation to them , but a fault in them : for that howsoeuer their iudgement may seeme not to be altogether disallowed for despising glory , yet they may withall bee thought to feare the troubles and griefes which follow such callings , as a certaine reproach and infamie . and then giueth the reason heereof ; because some are of such a disposition , as that they agree not with themselues in contrary matters : as , who seuerely contemning pleasures , cannot yet indure griefe ; and despising glory , are yet ouercomn with infamy . and therefore hee teacheth that such men who haue the best helpes of dispatch of businesses are rather to sue for offices , that they may serue the commonwealth , all delaies and excuses set aside . because otherwise neither can the state bee gouer●…ed , nor their greatnesse and worth declared . moreouer , he sheweth , that all such as take vpon them any gouernment in the common weale , are to despise worldly things , and to seeke after quietnesse of minde and security , as well as the philosophers , or more , if that they will not bee ouermuch oppressed with cares , but liue with grauitie and constancie . and thereunto they must striue more earnestly , because the fewer things of the world the philosophers haue to lose , the more easie is it , to despise it ; and also for that they doe not stand in neede of so many things , as the magistrate & great man , neither can fall so grieuously whatsoeuer aduersity doth betide . likewise , because such great commāders haue occasions of greater stirrings of their mindes , and for that greater matters are to be don by them , then by philosophers : whereupon they haue neede of more greatnesse of courage & freedom from vexations . lastly , hee giueth three caueats to all that are to atchiue any great matters . . that they take heede , they doe not onely consider , that the matter bee honest , but also that they haue abilitie to performe it . . that they weigh all things so wisely , as that they neither despaire , through cowardliness of the effecting thereof , nor yet be ouer cōfident through a greedie desire . . that as in all businesses , a man is to vse a diligent preparation ; so likewise , as the matter is greater , to be more carefull therein . chap. . the argument . [ tully ] q sheweth by many q reasons [ in this chapter ] that it is q a matter of greater valour , to excell * in ciuill then * warlike affaires , and [ speaketh ] somewhat concerning himselfe . bvt vvhereas q most men thinke q martiall affaires to be greater then * ciuil , this opinion is to bee q altered . for many haue oft times sought warres , for the desire of glory ; and that falleth out for most parte in great q stomacks and [ excellent ] wits : and so much the rather , if they be [ men ] fit for q chiualry , and desirous of warfare . q yet if wee vvill iudge q aright , there haue beene many q citie businesses greater and q nobler , then the q martiall . for although themistocles be q rightly commended , and his name be more famous then [ the name ] of * solon ; and also salamis be cited [ as ] a witness of [ this ] most * glorious victory , which is preferred before the counsell of solon , [ euen ] that whereby hee first ordained the q areopagites : [ yet ] q this is to be * adiudged no lesse * praise-worthie then that . for that q auailed onely once : this q shall for euer doe good to the citie . q by this counsell the laws of the athenians , by this the ordinances of [ their ] ancestours are preserued . q moreouer , themistocles in very deed saide nothing , wherewith hee helped q areopagus . but it is true q that themistocles was helped by * him . for the vvarre vvas q maintained by the q aduice of that senate which vvas q ordained by solon . we may say q the same q of pausanias and lisander : by whose q deedes of armes although q the empire of the lacedemonians is thought to haue beene enlarged ; yet in very deede they are [ not ] to be q compared , no not in the least part to the lawes and * discipline of lycurgus . q moreouer , * for these same causes , they had [ their ] armies both more q ready and q valiant . neither indeed q when wee were children , marcus scaurus seemed q to be inferiour to caius marius ; q nor when we q had to to doe in the common — wealth , q quintus catulus to cneius pompeius . for q armes are of small force abroad , vnless there be q good aduice at home . nor africanus , beeing both a singular man , and a worthy q captaine , q did more seruice to the common wealth in q razing of numance , q then at the same time , publius nasica a priuate [ man ] did ] when he slew tiberius gracchus . q howbeit this case indeed is not onely of a ciuill consideration . for it concerneth also the warlike ; because it was done by force and by q strong hand : yet the very same was done , by q the counsell of the citie , without an army . that also is q a worthy [ speach ] vvherein i heare q that i am wont to be q taxed of enuious and lewde [ persons ] . * let q armes giue place to the q gowne ; let the q laurell yeeld to the [ oratours ] tongue . for , that i may * omit q others , did not q armes yeelde vnto the q robe , q when we gouerned the cōmon - weale ? for neither was there euer q a sorer danger nor greater hatred in the common-weale : so that the very weapons q slipping forthwith out of the hands of the bouldest citizens , fell [ to the ground ] by our counsels & diligence . q what so great an exploit i pray you , was euer done in warre ? what triumph [ is ] to bee compared [ with it ? ] q for i may bee bolde to glorie before you sonne marke ; * vnto whom both the inheritance of this glory , and also the imitation of [ my ] deeds doth appertaine . in very truth , cneius pompeius , a man q abounding with all martiall praises , * attributed this vnto mee q in the * hearing of many , q whenas hee said , that q hee should in vaine haue borne away the third triumph , * vnlesse hee had had a place in the common-vvealth by my * benefit , where hee might q haue triumphed . q home-valorous acts , then , are not inferior vnto * martiall ; wherein also q we are to bestow more labour and studie , then in these . for that * honestie which we seek by a q hauty and princely courage , is * effected by the q power of the minde , not of the body . yet the body must be exercised and q brought into such order , as that it may bee able to obey counsell and reason , in executing businesses , & q enduring trauell . but that honestie which wee q search out , doth wholly consist in the care and q casting of the minde . wherin they bring no lesse commodity , who gouerne the common — vvealth q in peace , then they that make warre . and therefore wars are oftentimes either not q begun , or ended , and now and then attempted , by their q aduice : as the third q punicke warre [ was ] by the counsell of marcus cato : in which the authority of him preuailed , euen q after his death . wherefore certainely q wisedome in * determining is rather to be desired , then q valour in fighting . but we must beware , that wee doe it not rather for the q auoiding of warre , then q in regarde of commodity . q and so let warre be taken in hand , that no other thing but peace may seeme to haue beene ●…ought . q it is moreouer , indeed a token of a valorus and * constant courage , not to be q disquieted in rough stormes ; nor * making a hurliburly , q to be cast downe from his place , as it is said ; but to q follow the aduice of a present resolution : nor yet to q swarue from * reason . although q this proceedeth from a worthy resolution , that also from an excellent wit , q to cōceiue aforehand of things to come ; and to q determine somewhat before , what may q fall out on both sides , & what is to be done when any thing shall hap pen , nor to q doe ought that at any time q a man shold say , had i vvist . these are the workes of a great and lofty courage , and q relying vpon prudence & counsell . but q for a man to thrust himselfe rashly into the forefront of the battell , & to q fight with the enemy hand to hande , is a certaine q brutish and q beastly thing . q yet when time & necessity doth require , a man must fight hand to hand , and * death is to be preferred before q slauery & shame . heer tully ( about to teach that to excel in ciuill affaires , is no lesse commendation , then in martiall exploits , but rather greater ) sheweth . that whereas most men think the contrary , their opinion is to be cōfuted . and this hee doth , . by propounding the end which most men aime at in war , to wit getting glory and renowne ; especially if they bee of high stomacks and excellent wits , and withal fitted for chiualrie and desirous of warfare by nature . . by sundry examples both of the grecians and romanes , of city businesses which haue bin greater and nobler then the martiall . the first whereof is taken from the athenians , by comparing and preferring solons counsell for athens before themistocles victory . that although themistocles bee rightly cōmended , and his name more famous then solons ; and also that the victory of themistocles namely at salamis bee extolled before that worthy counsell of solon wherby he first ordained the areopagites : yet hee thinketh that indeede , this is to bee adiudged no lesse praise worthie then that , but more , and that for these reasons ; . because that victorie did good to athens once onely , but this counsell should doe it good perpetually ; for that by this , their lawes and the ordinances of their ancestors should bee preserued inviolable . secondly , for that themistocles said nothing whereby he helped that coūsell concerning the areopagites : but hee was helped by solon & by them ; because that warre was managed by the counsell of the senate which was was obtained by solon . the second example , is from the lacedemonians , in preferring the discipline of lycurgus the lawgiuer , before the victories of pausanias & lisander . because although the empire of the lacedemonians is thought to haue beene inlarged by their noble exploits yet those are in no part to bee compared to the lawes and discipline of lycurgus . besides that by the means of these , they had their armies more readie and valiant . a third sort of examples is taken frō themselues , in sundrie particulars : as in comparing and closely preferring m. scaurus before c. marius ; and more lately , quintus catulus before cneius pompeius , the gouernment & counsell of the one before the martiall acts of the other . and then giueth the reason of it . because armes are little worth abroade , vnles there be good counsell at home . . by comparing p. nasica a priuate man , to africanus . that although africanus was indeed a singular man and a worthy captaine , yet hee did not more seruice to the common wealt in taking and razing numance , then publius nasica when he slewe tib. gracchus . and how beit that act of nasica might seem not onely ciuill but martiall , because it was done by force and strong hand , yet it was done by the counsell of the city alone without any armie . this point hee further confirmeth by a worthie and general approued speech of his owne , howsoeuer som enuious and lewde persons did carpe at him for it : to wit , this ; let armes giue place to the gowne , the laurel to the oratours tongue . the truth whereof he verefieth , instancing in his own example , to omit others , by an interrogation to his sonne , as of a matter notoriously knowne ; viz. whether in his gouernment , armes did not yeelde to the robe , whenas ( though there was neuer sorer daunger no●… greater hatred in the common-weale : yet the verie weapons seemed to fall out of the bouldest enemies hands , all being husht by his owne counsell and diligence . now hee asketh him , what so great an exploit was euer don i●… war , or what triumph was to bee compared with it . and then giueth a reason of this his bould glorying therein ; that it was but vnto him , his sonne , as vnto whō both the inheritāce of his glory , & the imitation of his deedes did appertaine . and secondly hee declareth further the truth heerof by the franke testimonie & commendation of c●… . pompeius a singular man for all martiall praises , who ascribed thus much vnto him whenas he said , that it had been in vaine for him to haue had a third triumph , but for that hee had a place in the cōmon weale through ●…ullies wi●…e gouernment , to inioy the same . whence hee concludeth , that it is no lesse but euen a greater matter , to excell in ciuill gouernmēt , then martiall acts : and that therefore we are to bestowe more labour and studie in those then in the other . and secondly teacheth , that the honour which is sought by valour , is atchiued chiefely by the power of the mind , and not of the body ; although the body must bee brought in order , to become seruiceable to the mind for executing businesses and induring trauel . but the honour which is sought by ciuill gouernment , doth wholy consist in the care and casting of the minde . thirdly , that they bring no lesse commoditie who gouerne in peace at home , then they that make war abroade . and fourthly also , that by the aduice at home , wars are vsually ordered and managed abroade , for the attempting , beginning and endding of them . this hee instanceth in the third punike war guided by the counsel of m. cato , which they obeyed euen after his death . whereof hee inferreth , that wisedome in aduising & determining or ending war , is to be preferred before valour in fighting . yet heerein hee giueth this caution : that we do not aduise for the ending of war , onely for auoiding the present danger and trouble thereof , but for the good of the commonweale . and that warre is euer to bee ●…o vndertaken , as that nothing may seeme to haue bin sought in it , but an honest & safe peace . lastly , hee noteth one other token of a true valorous and constant courage , viz. for a man not to bee daunted or disquieted so , as to do any thing swaruing from reason , whatsoeuer dangers or euils shall betide ; but euer to follow the wise aduice of a presēt resolution . and therefore that he haue not onely courage to resolue , but also an excellent wit to conceiue of whatsoeuer may be likely to fall out ; & so to determine afore what to doe ; and neuer to doe any thing , whereof he may say , had i wist . these things hee teacheth to bee the works of a great & worthy courage , guided by prudēce and counsell . but contrarily for a man to thrust him selfe into danger , as into the forefront of the battell , or to fight with the enemie hand to hand rashly & without iust cause , hee counteth it a certaine brutish and beastly thing ; although when time and necessitie doth require it indeede , a man is to fight hand to hand , and to prefer death it selfe before slauery or shame . chap. . [ heere hee teacheth ] q that cruelty and also rashnesse are vnbefitting a valorous man. bvt q as concerning the razing and sacking of cities , this is principally to bee considered , that q nothing be done rashly , nor any thing cruelly . and that q is the cōdition of * a valorous man , q in the end of broyles , to punish the offenders to q preserue the multitude , to q maintaine right and honestie in euery state . heere tully teacheth , how valorous men are to car rie themselues in the razing and sacking of cities . that they are then to take heed of two faults principally , viz. rashnesse , and cruelty . . that in the end of all , the victorie being fully gotten , they looke to these three things chiefly : viz. to punish the chiefe offenders ; to preserue the multitude or common sort ; and finally , to maintaine right and honesty in ech state and degree . chap. . how perils are to bee q aduentured by a valiant man. for as there are some ( as i said before ) who preferre q martiall prowesse before citie businesses : so you shall find many , to whom * perillous and * crafty q deuices seeme q gloriouser & grea ter then quiet q cōsultations . q indeed wee must neuer q so carry ourselues for auoiding danger , that wee should seeme q cowardes and q dastards ; q yet q we must also take heede of this , that we q thrust not our selues into dangers without cause ; then which , nothing can be more foolish . wherefore in q attempting dangers , q wee are to imitate the course of physicians , q who vse light cures to q them who are lightly diseased ; but are inforced q to minister dangerous and doubtfull medicines to * more grieuous diseases . q therefore in a calme to wish a sore tempest is the part of a mad man ; but to q preuent the danger of the tempest , by all maner of meanes , is the part of a wise man : and so much the rather if you may obtaine more good , q when the matter is dispatched , then hurt while it is in doubt . q moreouer , the managing of * things is dangerous partly to thē who vndertake , partly to the common-weale . and also some q are brought into hazard of [ their ] life , others of [ their ] * glory , and good-will of [ their ] citizens . we ought therefore to bee more readie , q to aduenture our own then common perils ; and to fight more readily q for honour and glory , then for other commodities . but there q haue beene many found , who q haue been ready to spend not onely [ their ] * mony , q but euen [ their ] very life for their countrey , [ & yet ] the same q vvould not lose , no not the very least iot of their glorie ; no though the common-weale required it : as , callicratides , who when he was captaine of the lacedemonians in the peloponesian war , and had done many things q very notably , ouerturned all q in the end , when he q followed not their aduice , who thought good to * remoue the nauie from arginuse and not to fight vvith the athenians . to whom hee answered , q that the lacedemonians , though they should lose that nauie , might * prepare another , q [ but ] that hee could not fly without his q dishonour . and this was q no doubt a q prety blowe to the lacedemonians : [ but ] that [ was ] a pestilent q plague , whereby the q power of the lacedemonians q fell flatte to the ground , whenas cleombrotus fearing enuie , had rashly q incountered with epaminondas . how much better [ did ] quintus fabius maximus ? of whō ennius [ wrote thus ; ] one man hath restored [ our ] q state by q delaying : for , hee q preferred not rumors before our safety : therefore q euer the longer his renowne is more famous . which kinde of q fault must also be auoided in q ciuill affaires . for there are [ some ] who although that which they thinke , be * the very best , yet they dare not q vtter it for feare of enuy . tully , being heer about to set downe some other duties of valour in warre , sheweth , that as there be some such , as prefer martiall prowesse before city businesses ; so there are many who thinke subtile and dangerous plots , more glorious then quiet and safe consultations . and heer teacheth , . that wee neuer so carrie our selues in war , as that for auoiding daungers , wee should seeme cowards & dastards . . that wee neuer thrust ourselues into daungers without iust cause ; for that , that is , of all other , most foolish . . that in dangers we imitate the courses of good physicians , who vse but light cures in light diseases ; whereas in more grieuous and desperate diseases , they are inforced to vse more desperate cures . the contrarie practise hee sheweth to bee the part of a mad man rather then of one wise ; & to bee as if a mariner should in a pleasant calme wish a sore tempest ; which a wise man should by all manner of meanes seek to preuent . and for this he teacheth , that wee are the rather to labor vnto it ; if wee may obtaine more good by it , when the matter is quietly and safely dispatched , thē we could whilst it was doubtfull . . whereas the vndertaking of such may be daungerous partly to them who vndertake them , & partly to the commonweale : also that thereby some hazard their liues , others their glorie , & good will of their citizens ; hee teacheth for the first , that we are to bee more readie to aduenture of any perill to our selues then to the common weale : and for the second , that we are to fight more readily for honour and glorie then for other commodities ; and so rather to lose life and all , then true glorie . and yet heere hee giueth warning of a great fault in sundry against the former of these two . that there haue beene many , who though they would readily aduenture not onely their money but euen their verie liues for their countries ; yet wold not lose , no not the verie least iot of their owne glorie for the same , although neuer so great dammage should come to it thereby . this he confirmeth by three memorable ensamples : . ●…e of callicratides a famous captaine of the lacedemonians , in the peloponesian war : who hauing there done many things verie worthily , yet in the ●…d ouerturned all vtterly hereby , when he would needes fight with the athenians contrary to all aduice , and aduenture rather the losse of their whole fleete as it came to passe , then by withdrawing his ships a little and auoiding that fight , to be thought to flee with disgrace ; saying that althogh they should los●… their nauy they might prouide a nother , but he cold not flie without his dishonour . a second ensample is of cleombrotus another captaine of the lacedemonians ; who vpon the like surmise of disgrace , would needes encounter rashly with epaminōdas ; wherin his armie beeing ouercomne hee vtterly ouerthrew that whole estate . but for the contrary , he sheweth how much better it is , by one worthie ensample in q. fabius max. who deferring to ioyne battel with anniball vntill hee sawe that hee was able to ouercome him ; howsoeuer by delaying hee receiued some present disgrace , yet at lēgth setting fiercely vpon him and ouercomming him ▪ recouered eternall glory to himselfe & safety to his countrey , for which hee is so highly extolled by ennius in verse . lastly , hee giueth warning of the like fault in ciuil affairs : for that therin som dare not vtter their mindes for feare of enuy , though they thinke that which is the best . chap. . q whosoeuer shall bee gouernours in the common-weal , let them euer obserue two precepts of plato . one [ is ] that they so maintaine the profit of the q commons , that vvhatsoeuer they doe , they referre it thereunto , q forgetting their owne priuate commodities . another [ is ] that they q haue care for the whole body of the cōmonweale : lest whilst they q vphold som one part , they leaue the rest destitute . for as a q gardianshippe , euen so the q gouernement of the common-weale , is to be q vsed to the commoditie of them who are com mitted [ to q be gouerned ] and not of them to whom q it is committed . q but who so prouide for [ one ] part of the people , that they neglect [ another ] part , do bring in a most pernicious matter into the commonweal , [ to wit ] sedition and discord : wherupon it q falleth out , that some seeme q popular , some q affectionate to the nobility , [ but ] few to the whole . hereupon great q dissentions sprang amongst the athenians ; and not only seditions , but also q pestilent ciuill warres in our common-vveale . which a graue & stout citizen , and worthie of q rule in the common-weale , will fly and hate , and will giue himselfe wholly to the commonweal , neither will hee q hunt after riches or power ; * and vvill so defende q the whole estate that hee may prouide for all [ men . ] neither in truth will hee q bring any man into hatred or enuy by false accusations ; but will q alwaies so cleaue to iustice and honestie , that q so that hee may maintaine it , hee q will q incurre the grieuous displeasure of any ; and desire death rather , then forsake those things which i haue spoken of . chap. . tully here , about to set downe some duties of ciuill gouernours , teacheth that they must euer obserue two precepts of plato . . that they alwaies prefer the common good before their owne priuate , and referre all that they doe , thereunto . . that they euer haue care for the whole body of the common wealth ; lest vpholding som one part , they leaue the rest destitute . for the first of these he sheweth it by the example of a gardianship : that as it is to be vsed for their commoditie who are committed to be gouerned , not of them to whom they are committed ; so it must be in the commonweale . for the second hee confirmeth it by a dangerous effect that otherwise may insue ; that prouiding for one part with the neglect of an other , cause sedition and discord , which are most pernicious to the commonweale . and moreouer that some of them seem popular , others set to please the nobilitie , but fewe that regard the whole . the mischiefe hee manifesteth by particular instances , both amongst the athenians and them selues : that heereupon great dissentions sprung among the athenians ; and not onely seditions , but also pestilent c●…uill wars fel out in their owne cōmonweale . now these things he teacheth to bee such , that a graue and stout citizen , fit to beare rule will slie , and giue himselfe wholly to the care of the common wealth , without hunting either after riches or greatnesse ; and will so defend the whole state , as he may pro uide for the good of each one . lastly , hee noteth this as another property of a worthie magistrate , that hee will not bring any into hatred or disgrace by false accusations ; but contrarily will euer so cleaue to iustice & honestie , as that he will rather incur displeasure or danger , yea euen death it selfe , then leaue the maintenance & iust defence thereof chap. . * to contend vehemently about honours , to bee contrarie to the dutie of a q valorous minde . q ambition & striuing for q promotion , is of all other most miserable . q concerning which it is notably q spoken in the same plato ; q that they who would contend among themselues , whether of them should rather rule the cōmon-weale , q should do q after the same fashion , as if mariners shold striue , which of them should chiefly * gouerne . and the same * man hath q al taught vs , that we should q take them for enemies , who * beare armes against vs , [ and ] not those who desire to pre●…erue the cōmon-weal by their q discretion ; q as was the dissension betweene publius africanus , & quintus metellus , without [ any ] bitternesse . in this chapter , tully teacheth that m●…n of worthie resolutions , ought to beware of ambition , and all bitter contending for promotion & bearing rule , as a thing verie miserable . this hee teacheth by two testimonies of plato ; . comparing their contentions to the contentions of mariners striuing which of them should gouerne the ship , & in the meane time indanger all . and secondly , directing that wee should take them onely for enemies who beare armes against vs ; notthose who striue to helpe to preserue the cōmonweale by their discretion . this later sort of contention tully approoueth by the example of the dissension between p. africanus and q. meteilus , which was for the more safe preseruation of the common weale , without any bitternesse . chap. . [ it is ] q the property of fortitude , to moderate anger . neither q certainely are they q worthie to be heard , who shall hold opinion that we are to be q furiously 〈◊〉 angrie q with our enemies , and doe iudge it the propertie of a * magnanimous and valiant man. for there is nothing more commēdable , nothing more q seemly for a great and q noble personage , then q placability and clemency . moreouer q amongst free people , and q where there is equality of law , there must be vsed also * gentlenesse , and q noblenesse of courage , q as they * cal it ; lest if wee bee q angry either with [ those ] q who come out of time , or who aske impudently , we fall into q testinesse [ both ] vnprofitable and odious . and yet q gentlenesse and clemency * is so to be * approued , that seuerity be vsed for the q common-weales sake , without which a citie cannot be q gouerned . chap. . heer tullie , about to teach that it is the property of true fortitude to moderate anger , . reproueth them as vnworthie to be heard , who houlde this opinion , that we are to be exceedingly angry withour enemies , and iudge it to bee the propertie of a valiant man. . sheweth that cōtrarily nothing is more commendable , nor more beseeming a great & noble personage , then placabilitie & clemencie . thirdly , that amōg all free people , and which inioy equalitie of lawe , mildenesse & gentlenesse must be ioined with nobleness of mind . because otherwise the magistrates , being angry either with such as come at vnfit times , or who are too boulde or importunate , fall into testinesse or rage , which is both vnprofitable and odious . lastly , giueth this caution , that yet gentlenesse and clemencie are so to be approued of , that seueritie be also vsed sometimes for the common good , for that without it a citie cannot bee gouerned . chap. . q we must especially abstaine from anger in all kinde of correction . q all punishmēt ought to bee voide of q contumely ; q and not bee done to serue his turne who punisheth or q rebuketh any , but to the * commoditie of the common-weale . we must also beware , q that the punishment be not greater then the fault ; and that some be not punished for the same causes , others q not so much as spoken to . q likewise , wee must chiefly refrain from anger in punishing . for he that * goeth to punish [ others ] being angry , shall neuer keepe that q mediocrity which is betweene q too much and too little . which q [ moderation ] pleaseth the * peripatecians : and it q liketh them * rightly , so that they would not commend angrynesse , & say , q that it is profitably giuen of nature . but that [ q affection ] is in all * things to be q eschewed : and it is to be wished , that q such as gouerne the commonweal , q be like the lawes ; which are q mooued to punish not by * angrinesse , but by equity . in this chapter , tully setteth down certaine duties to be obserued in all maner of correction : as , . that all punishment and chastisement ought to bee done without contumely , viz. without taunting or bitter speeches or contempt to the partie punished . . that it bee not done to serue his turn onely who inflicteth the punishment , but for the good of the commonweale . . that there bee speciall care had , that the punishment be not greater then the fault . . that all offending alike , be punished alike ; & not some punished , others not so much as spoken to . lastly , that they who are to punish others doe refraine from anger ; and that for this cause chiefly ; because he that goeth to punish others being angry , can neuer keep the true meane which is betweene too much & too little . and for this keeping a moderation , he commēdeth the opinion of the peripateticks , only dis liking thē for their approbation of angrinesse , affirming it to bee profitably giuen by nature . but for this passion of angrinesse hee teacheth , that it is in all things to bee eschewed : and that it were to be wished , that such as gouern the common weale should bee like the lawes ; which punish , not by angrinesse , but onely by equitie and iustice . chap. . it is [ the condition ] q of a noble courage , neither to wax q insolent q in prosperity , nor to be deiected in aduersity . q moreouer , in prosperity , and when things flowe euen at our will , let vs earnestly fly pride , disdainfulnesse and arrogancy . for as it is q a token of lightnesse , to take aduersity [ impatiently ] ; so likewise to vse prosperitie immoderately . q for a continuall euennesse in all a mans life , also the same countenance euer , q and one manner of cheer , is q very cōmendable , as vvee haue q heard concerning socrates and concerning caius lelius also . i see indeed philip king of the macedonians to haue beene q surmounted by his * sonne in * valorous acts and glory , q [ yet ] in q mildenesse & curtesie to haue beene farre superiour . therefore the one [ was ] alwaies q noble ; the other oft times most q beastly . that they seeme to q aduertise aright , who warne vs , q that the higher we are , the lowlyer wee * carrie our selues . q panetius reporteth , q that africanus his hearer & familiar friend , was wont to sai , that like as [ mē ] q vse q to put to riders , horses waxing ouer fierce for their often fights in battel , that they may q haue them the * more gentle ; euen so should men * vnbridled through prosperity , & q ouer much trusting to themselues , be brought as it were , within the compasse of reason and learning , that they might thorowly beholde q the frailty of * humane things , and the q wauering of fortune . q moreouer , also in our greatest prosperitie , we are especially to vse the aduice of our friends ; q and wee must giue them also a greater authority then before : and at q those times wee must take heede , that wee open not our eares to flatterers , nor suffer our selues to be * flattered , wherein it is an easie thing to be deceiued . for we then thinke our selues q such , that of right wee may be praised : whereof innumerable faults doe * spring ; whenas men puft vppe with q conceites , are shamefully scorned , and are q vvrapped q in very grosse errours . q but of these matters thus farre . tully , here proceeding to teach other conditions of a noble courage , sheweth , . that in prosperitie , and when all things flowe according to a mans wil , hee is carefully to shun these vices viz. pride , disdaine , arrogancie , which vsually attend vpon prosperity & great courages . because as it is a token of inconstancy and leuitie , to beare aduersitie impatiently ; so of the other side to vse prosperitie so immoderately , as to fall into these vices . . he teacheth that a continuall euennesse kept in all a mans life , and as it were the same coūtenance , and one manner of cheere , is verie commendable . this hee proueth , first , by the examples of socrates & c. lelius . secondly , of philip king of macedonia ; who howsoeuer he was inferiour to alexander his sonne , in valorous acts & glorie : yet for continuall gentlenesse 〈◊〉 curtesie was so far superiour vnto him , that he was alwaies noble ; whereas alexander by the contrarie cariage was oft verie base & ignoble , through the vices mentioned . hence hee gathereth this , as a worthy aduertisemēt ; that the higher wee are , the lowlyer we cary our selues . thirdly , he illustrateth it by the testimonie of panetius , cōcerning a speech of africane his hearer and famili●…t friende , who was wo●…t to say , and so to vrge this point , by this similitude , that like as men are wōt to put their great horses to riders , to the ende to haue them more gentle , whereas otherwise they would proue ouer fierce , through their often fights in battel ; euen so men beeing too vnbridled through an ouerweening of themselues , are to bee brought within the compasse of reason and learning , that they may throughly beholde the frailtie of all the things of this life , and the inconstancie of fortune . lastly , he directeth that in our greatest pro●…peritie wee bee especially carefull to v●…e the aduice of our friends , & then also to giue them greater authoritie ouer vs then euer before , for the free aduising of vs. and , of the otherside , to take heede chiefely at such times , that wee harken not to flatterers ; nor suffer our selues to bee flattered in any case ; because it is so easie a matter to be deceiued by them . for that , listning to thē , we think our selues worthie of what praise soeuer they giue vs : whereof he sheweth , that innumerable euills doe spring ; and namely this , that being puft vp with conceitednesse of our selues , wee are oft times scorned and abused very shamefully , & wrapped in verie grosse errours . chap. . the dutie of a noble minde in an honest q priuate life . q this then is to be * so iudged ; the greatest q acts , and of the greatest courage to bee q vndertaken by them , who gouerne the common-weal ; because their q gouernement q extendeth the farthest , and appertaineth vnto most . q yet there be , and haue been many of great courage , euen in the * quiet life , vvho wold either q search out or q indeauour certain great * matters , and q keepe themselues within the bounds of their owne businesses ; or else being * cast betweene philosophers , and those that rule the common-weale , would bee delighted with their owne q housholde substance ; q not heaping vp the same by all maner of meanes , nor * excluding theirs from the vse thereof ; but rather imparting it both to [ their ] friends , & to the common-weale , * if there should bee neede at any time . q which first let it be q well gotten , q by no dishonest nor q odious gain . q secondly , let it be in readinesse for the good of many , so they be worthy : q lastly , let it bee increased by q discretion , diligence and q thrift ; q and let it not lie open rather to lust and riot , then to liberality and bountie . q hee that obserueth these precepts may liue q roially , grauely , and q stoutly , and also plainely , faithfully , and friendly , q for the life of man. chap. . tully heer ( being about to teach that there may be a noble minde , euen in a priuate life , & some duties thereof ) declareth first , that although the noble acts & which beseeme best the greatest courages , are to bee vndertaken by them chiefly who gouern the commonweale , because their gouernment appertaineth to the most ; yet that there bee and haue bin many of noble mindes who haue liued a priuate and a quiet life , who would still be either searching out or indeuouring som great matters , yet keeping themselues within the boundes of their owne callings & businesses ; or else being of a middle ranke betweene philosophers , & those that rule the common-weale , haue delighted themselues with their owne domesticall affaires and estate ; not heaping vp riches by any ma ner of bad means , nor excluding others from the vse the●…eof ; but rather imparting their goods both to the vse of their friends , and of the common weale , if there haue beene neede at any time . secondly , he giueth certaine precepts concerning the substance of such . . that it bee well gotten ▪ and not by any dishonest or odiou ▪ game . . that they haue it euer in readinesse for the good of all who stand in neede thereof being worthie , and to whom they are more specially bound . . that it be increased by discretion , diligence and thrift , & be readie alwaies to be bestowed not on lust and riot , but on liberalitie and bountie . lastly , he declareth the benefits of obseruing these precepts ; that a man may liue royally , brauely and stoutly ; and also honestly & profitably for the life of man. chap. . the fourth fountaine of dutie [ is ] temperance : which aristotle thinketh to be a moderation of q desires , [ viz. ] of those onely which are q imployed about the pleasures of the q gullet and of the groine . a temperate man , quoth hee , desireth those things vvhich hee ought , and as hee ought , and when hee ought . the q principall point heereof , is , that the desire obey reason , as the childe [ his ] scholomaster . from thence ariseth that q decorum , q vvhich , how it is q deriued from nature and other circumstances , and q graceth euery * dutie of life , tully sets downe diuinely . it followeth , that wee speake of q one other parte of honesty which remayneth , wherein q bashfulnesse , and temperance , as it were a certaine ornamēt q of mans life , and also of modestie , and all q appeasing of the passiōs of the mind , and the measure of things , is seene . q in this place is contayned that [ comlinesse ] which may bee called in latin decorum ; for it is called in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the q nature heereof is , that it cannot bee separated from honestie : for both that which becommeth is honest , & also that which is honest becōmeth . q but what difference is betweene honestie & comelinesse , may q sooner be q conceiued then q expressed . for whatsoeuer it is which becometh q doth then appear , when honestie q hath gone before . tully , comming to speak of the fourth fountaine of duty , viz. temperance , which he calleth the other part of honestie ; sheweth first what parts it containeth vnder it : to wit , bashfulnesse & temperance , which he termeth to bee a speciall ornament of mans life : and withal , modesty & calmnesse in appeasing all passions of the mind , and moderation in keeping a measure in all things : and finally that comlinesse which is called in latine decorum , as it is called in greek●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . secondly , he teacheth the nature of this comlinesse to be such ▪ as that it cannot be separated from honestie : because that which becometh is honest , & that which is honest becommeth ; but for the difference that is beween these two viz. betweene honestie and comlinesse , that it may sooner bee conceiued in our mindes then expressed in words ; and that comliness doth then onely appeare when honesty hath gone before . chap. . q comelinesse is double : generall , which consisteth in euery dutie ; and speciall , which properly * followeth tēperance . saint ambrose taketh that to bee the generall comelinesse , vvhich q ariseth of a q harmonie and q concent of all vertues , amongst themselues , and shineth brightly in the q agreement of the q whole frame of the vvorld : the speciall [ to bee that ] which shineth in any one parte [ thereof ] but especially in temperance . therfore it appeareth what is q decent , not onely in this parte of honesty , whereof q wee are to discourse in this place but also in the three former . q for [ as ] it is decent q to vse reason and speech discreetly , and to doe that which * you doe , considerately ; and also both q to espie and maintain that which is true , in euery matter ; [ q so ] contrarily q to erre , to slippe , to bee deceiued , doth as much disgrace , as to dote , and to be q distract in minde . all iust things also are comely ; and contrariwise all vniust things , as they are dishonest , so they are vncomly . q the nature of valour is like hereunto . for q that which is don manfully and with a great courage , q seemeth meete for a man , and comely : q and that which [ is done ] * contrarily , as it is dishonest , euen so it is vncomely . wherfore in truth , this comlinesse , which i speak of , doth appertaine to all honestie ; and doth so appertaine [ thereunto ] that it is seene not * in a certaine hidden manner , but q appeareth openly . for there is a certain q decencie , & the same is q perceiued in euery vertue : which may be separated from vertue rather by q imagination , then * indeed . for , as * beautifulness & fairenesse of bodie cannot be q separated from health ; so this comeliness whereof wee q intreat , q is indeede wholy mixed with vertue , but is distinguished in [ ones ] minde and q conceit . q moreouer , the description therof is q of two sorts . for both wee q vnderstand a certaine gerall q decorum , which q is in all honesty ; and another q vnder this , which appertayneth to euery seuerall parte of honesty . and that former is wont q to be commonly thus defined ; q that , that is comely , which is agreeable to * the excellencie of man , q wherin his nature * differeth from other liuing creatures . q but they define that part which is vnder the genenerall [ viz. the speciall ] ▪ in such sort , that they will haue that to be comely , which is so agreeable to nature , as both moderation & temperance may appeare in it , with a certaine * honest shew . [ now ] vvee may q conceiue q that these things are so q meant by the philosophers , by that comelinesse which the poets follow : concerning which q more is wont to be spoken in another place . q but we say that poets doe then obserue q that grace which becometh , when that which is q fitting to euery person , is both done and said . as if eacus or minos should say ; q let them hate , so that they feare . or [ this . ] the father himselfe is a graue to his children : it should seeme vncomly , because vvee haue heard , q that they were iust . but atreus saying [ so , ] q it would cause a great applause : for q it is a speech beseeming the person . but poets vvill iudge q by the person , what q is comly for euery one . q moreouer , nature it selfe hath put vpon vs q a personage of great excellency & preheminence , aboue all other liuing creatures . wherefore poets will q discerne in great variety of persons , what is befitting euen to the * vicious , and what becommeth [ them . ] but sith that the parts of * constancie , moderation , temperance , and q modestie , are giuen [ vs ] by nature , and seeing that the same nature teacheth vs not to q be carelesse , * how we q behaue our selues towards q euery man ; * it cometh to pass , that it both appeareth , how farre that comelynesse , which appertaines to all honesty , q doth extend it selfe , and also q this which is seene in euery seuerall kinde of vertue . for as the q fairenesse of the body , with a fitte composing of q euery parte , doth mooue the eyes , and delighteth [ ●…hem ] q euen in this , that all the parts consent together amongst themselues with a certaine q grace : euen so this comelinesse which shineth in [ our ] life , q winneth * the approbation of those with whom we liue , by an order q constancy , & * moderation , of all [ our ] words and deedes . q there must be vsed therefore a certaine reuerence towards men , both q to euery one of the best sorte , and also * to others . q for to bee retchlesse what euery one thinketh of him , is not onely a signe of an arrogant body , but also of one altogether q dissolute . but there is q a certaine difference q al in each respect to bee had , betweene iustice & q modestie . q it it is the parte of iustice q to offer men no violence ; of modestie , not * to offēd [ thē ] : wherein the q nature of comelynesse is q seene especially . these things therefore thus declared , i thinke it q sufficiently vnderstood , q what it is which we * say , to become . heere he , proceeding to handle this matter of comlinesse , sheweth , . how in a generall maner it appertaineth to euerie part of honesty , viz. to euerie of the other three vertues as well as to temperance . and first , how it belōgeth to prudēce , by a comparison , because as it is decent to vse reason & speech discreetly , & to doe whatsoeuer a man doth advisedly , and withall both to espie & to maintaine onely that which is true in euerie matter ; so contrarily , to erre & to be deceiued , doth as much disgrace as to doate or to bee distracted in minde . secōdly , how to iustice : because all iust things are comly ; and contrarily all vniust things , as they are dishonest , so they are also vncomely . and thirdly , for valour : because that which is done manfully and with a valiant courage is cōly for a man ; & cōtrarily , what soeuer is done otherwise is dishonest and vncomely . whence hee concludeth this first point , that this comlinesse appertaineth to each part of honestie ; & that so , as it may be seen therein not darkely or in a hidden maner , but openly . yet so , as that it can hardly be separated from the seuerall vertues themselues ; but that it is rather distinguished , by imagination and in a mans conceipt ; then indeede . this hee also illustrateth by a fit resemblance : that as fairnesse of bodie cannot be separated from health ; so neither this comliness can be distinguished from vertue , but onely in our minde and conceipt : because it is so wholly mixed therewith . in the second place he cometh to diuide this comlinesse , making it to be of two sorts , viz. generall and speciall , & then defineth them seuerally . and first , for the generall he sheweth that it is wont to be defined thus ; that it is such a comlinesse as is agreeable to the excellencie of man in all things ; wherein his nature differreth from other liuing creatures . the speciall comlilinesse is that , which is so agreeable to nature , as that both moderation & temperance may appear in it , with a shewe of honestie . that the philosophers did take these things so , he prooueth it by the testimonie of the poets in that comlinesse which they follow : of whom wee say , that they obserue a right decorum ; whenas they bring in euerie person both saying and doing that , which is fit ting vnto him . and contrarily that they should vtterly misle this decorum ( as for example ) if they should bring in eacus or minos wickedly , it would be very absurde , because they were knowne to bee iust men : whereas bringing in atreus so speaking , it wold be verie comly and moue a great applause , because he was a vile man. also the reason why they obserue this decorum is , because they iudge by the persons what is comely for euerie one . secondly , he declareth it frō the work of nature it selfe : because it hath giuen man a personage of great excellencie & preheminence aboue all other liuing creatures . whence the poets will , in great variety of persons , discerne what is fitting and what vnfitting to each . and moreouer , for that nature hath giuen vs the seuerall parts of constancie , moderation , temperance and modestie , and teacheth vs withall , that wee bee not carelesse how we behaue our selues towards euerie man ; it sheweth vs likewise how far that generall comlineste , which appertaineth to all honestie doth extend it selfe ; and also that speciall comliness , which is seene 〈◊〉 euery seuerall kinde of vertue . for the excellencie of this comlinesse kept in euerie action , and how it winneth the approbation of all , he illustrateth by a verie familiar and notable ensample . that as the fairness of the bodie and comlie proportion of euery part mooueth the eies of others , and delighteth them with the grace appearing therein ; euen so a comlinesse shining in our life , winneth the good will and liking of all with whom we liue , by obseruing order , cō stancie , and mode ▪ ration , in all our words and deeds . also for the more full accomplishmēt of this comelinesse , he teacheth moreouer that we must vse a certain reuerence towards all sorts , not onely them of higher ranke , but also others of meaner degree . because this will bring vs a good estimation with all men . wheras contrarily to bee retchlesse what euerie one thinketh of vs , is not onely a signe of an arrogāt body , but also of one altogether dissolute . lastly , to this purpose hee setteth downe a difference betweene iustice & modesty : that it is the part of iustice not to offer violence to any ; but of modesty , not to offend them ; & that heerein the nature of comlinesse is seene especially . and so endeth this point , what comlinesse is ; as beeing plaine enough by that which hath bin said . chap. . q comelinesse is according to nature , & q auaileth very much both in all * parts [ of vertue ] and especially in teperance . q moreouer , also the dutie which q proceedeth from that [ comliness ] * hath first of all this way , which leadeth vnto the q conuenience and preseruation of nature : which if wee will followe as a guide , we shall neuer q erre . and wee shall q followe that which is both acute , and witty by nature , and that which q serueth fitly for the consociation of men , and also that which is q forceable & manly . but the greatest q efficacy of comeliness , q standeth in this parte whereof vvee dispute . for not onely the motions of the body , which q agree vnto nature , but much more the motions of the minde , which are likewise agreeable vnto nature , are to be approued . chap. . in this chapter t. setteth downe the efficacie of true cōlinesse ; that it leadeth vnto the conuenience and preseruation of nature , beeing agreeable thereunto : and that following nature , we cannot erre ; but wee shall both follow that which is acute & wittie , viz. prudence ; and that which serueth for the increase of humane societie , to wit iustice ; and likewise that which is truly valorous . so that he sheweth that there is a comlinesse in all these three parts of honestie ; yet so , as that the greatest efficacie of it consisteth in this fourth part of honestie , to wit in temperance . and that , because all motions not onely of the body , but much more those of the minde , if they be agreeable to nature , are approoued and liked of by all . chap. . the fountaine of all modesty q is , that the appetite obey reason : q and ambrose thinketh this same to be the q first fountaine of all duties . for the power of the mind & of nature q consisteth in two parts . the one part q cōsisteth in appetite , q which in greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which q pulleth a man hither and thither . the other q in reason : which teacheth and sheweth plainely what is to be done or to bee q au●…ided . so it commeth to pas●…e that reason ruleth , and appetite obeyeth . q moreouer , euery action ought to q bee free from ●…ashnesse and negligence : neither indeed [ ought a man ] to doe any thing , wherof q he is not able to render a probable reason . for this is * in a manner the * description of dutie . wee must also q looke to this that our * appetites obey reason , and neither runne before it q through rashnesse , neither * forsake it , thorow sloath or q cowardlinesse ; and that they be quiet , and q free from all * perturbation of mind . whereupon all constancy & q moderation shal plainly appeare . for , vvhat q desires q stray q ouerfarre , and as it were insulting too much , either in q longing after [ things ] or flying [ from them ] are not sufficiently staied by reason , these without doubt q passe their q bounds and measure : for they * ●…eaue and q reiect obedience , neither yet obey reason , wherunto they are subiect by the lawe of nature . q whereby not onely q the mindes , but * also the bodies are disquieted . we ●…ay see the * very faces of angry [ men , ] or of those who are moued by any lust or feare , or [ who ] q reioice with too great pleasure : all whose countenances , voyces , motions , & q standings are changed . of which q this is gathered ( that wee may returne to the forme of dutie ) q that all appetites are to be q restrained and abated , and q that wee must stirre vp all q care and diligence , that wee doe not any thing rashly and at q aduenture , [ nor ] q inconsiderately , and negligently . q for we are not so bred of nature , that we should seem to be made q for play and for q sport ; but rather to seuerity , and to certaine more weighty and greater studies . and as for q play and iesting , wee may indeede vse them , but e●…en as [ we vse ] sleep , and other q recreations , q at such time when we haue q dispatched [ our ] weighty and earnest businesses . and the very maner of [ our ] q sport ought to be q neither excessiue , no●… immodest , but * ingenuous and * pleasant . for as wee q grant not to children all libertie of play , but such as is not q estranged from honest exercises : so in our very iesting there should appeare q some light of an honest disposition . chap. . here 〈◊〉 ( about to s●…t ou●… the ●…ountaine of all modestie and comlinesse , therein ; to wit that the appetite obey reason ) teacheth first , that the motions of the minde which he spake of , are of two sorts : the one sort consisting in appetite , which appetite the ●…recians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which haleth a man hither or thither . the other sort consisting in reason : which reason teacheth and sheweth plainly , what is to bee done and what to be avoided . wherupon it is that reason is to rule , appetite to obey . and thēce he sheweth that these properties ought to be in euerie action : . that it bee free from rashnesse and negligence ; and that so far , as that a man ought neuer to doe any thing whereof hee is not able to rēder a probable reason . for that this is almost the definition of dutie . . that our appetites or willes must neither run before reasō through rashnesse , nor leaue the following of it through sloth or cowardlinesse . . that our desires and motions must bee quiet & free frō all perturbations & passions of minde ; and so thereby all constancie and moderation shal plainly appeare . then hee giueth this reason heereof : because what desires or motiōs st●…ay ouer far frō reason , or are too vehemēt in longing after any thing or flying from it , those passe their bounds , for that they therein do not obey reason , whereunto they ought to be subiect by the lawe of nature . and that thēce ariseth the disqu●…etting not onely of the mindes , but of the bodies also . this he proueth by experience : giuing instance in the suddaine changes wrought in men by such 〈◊〉 motiōs and desires . how in angry men and those who are vehemently moued through lust , feare or any tickling ioy , their verie countenances , voyces , motions and standings are changed . wherupon he cōcludeth , that all our appetites are euer to bee restrained & guided according to reason ; a●…d that wee must vse all care and dil●…gence , that wee neuer do any thing rashly or at aduenture , nor in considerately & negligently . and lastly , hee further declareth this euen from nature it selfe : that wee are not bred by nature for play and spor●… ; but rather to seueritie & to great and weightie studies . and here he taketh occasion to shewe the right man●…r of sport●… and play , how we may vse them aright : . for the time ; that wee vse them as sleepe and other recreations , onely at such times , when we haue dispatched our weightie & earnest businesses . secondly , for the manner of them ; that they bee not excessi●…e or immodest , but ingenuous and pleasant . this hee teacheth by a comparison in an instance of that libertie which wee graunt to children : that as we graunt not to them liberty of al maner of play , but onely of such playes and sports as are not estranged from honest exercises ; so likewise in all our owne iesting and sports , some light of an honest disposition should euer shewe it selfe . chap. . of scurrility and q pleasantnesse of spe●…ch . q to be short , there is a double kinde of iesting : one q base * malapart , q lewd , q filthy : the other elegant , ciuill , witty , [ and ] * pleasant . with which kinde not only our plantus , and the ancient comedy of the q athenians , but also the books of the * socratical philosophers are * full . there are also q many witty speeches of many men , as those that are gathered by ●…lde ●…ato , which be called q apothegmes . the difference therfore * of an ingenuous and a q homely iest is plaine . the one is q meet for an honest man if it bee done in q seaso●… & q mildely : the other is not indeed meete for [ any ] man , * if vncleannes of words bee adioyned to the filthinesse of the q matter . chap. . in this chapter t. proceedeth to discourse of iesting & of the maner & vse thereof . and first , hee diuideth it , teaching that there is a double kinde of iesting . one verie base , malepart , lewde & filthie ; the other elegant , c●…uil and pleasant . this later he commendeth by the testimony of plautus , in his practice of it , and by other auncient comedies 〈◊〉 are generally approoued of ; and more specially by the bookes of the socra●…ical philosophers , which hee sheweth to bee full of it . and to this kinde of iesting he teacheth that all wittie speeches of learned men do appertaine ; as namely those called apothegms , gathered by old cato and others . thence he concludeth , that the difference between these two kindes , viz. betweene an ingenuous and base iest , is plaine : also that the one of them , viz. an ingenuous iest is befitting an honest man , especially if it bee done in season and mildely ; but that the other , viz. a base ●…est , is not at al meete , no not for any man ; chiefly , if base & odious matters be vttered , and made worse by base and filthie words . chap. . q that a measure must bee kept euen in honest pastimes . there is also a certaine measure of q pastime to be kept , that wee doe not q lauish out all too excessiuely ; and beeing q ouer merry , slip into some dishonestie . but both our [ martiall ] field , & also the exercises of hunting do q afforde vs honest examples of q pastime . chap. . heere ●…ully proceedeth to giue directions likewise for our pastin●…es & recreations ; teaching , . t●…at there m●…st bee a measure kept euen therein , & that for two speciall causes . the . whereof is : lest thereby wee should la●…ish out our goods too excessiuely . the second ; lest being ouer carried with the pleasure of the recreation wee fall into some kinde of dishonesty . second hee directeth what exercises are most commendable and safe for auoiding these euils : as ●…amely , . exercises of feats of armes , such as were practised in mars field at rome . hunting . chap. . the delight of the minde is to bee q sought from honest q exercises : the pleasure of the body , because it is * belonging to beasts , is either to bee reiected altogether , or to be q vsed very sparingly . bvt it belongs q to the whole discourse of duty , to haue euermore q in minde , how farre the nature of man exceedeth * cattell and all other beasts . for q they perc●…iue nothing but pleasure , and are carried thereunto * with all violence . but the minde of man * is nourished by learning ; and doth euer either * search out some matter by deuising , or doth perform somthing ; and is led with a delight of seeing and hearing . moreouer , if there bee any one * somwhat too much q inclined vnto pleasures , so that hee be not of the * kinde of beasts ( for q some there be [ that are ] men not in deede , but [ onely ] in name ) but if there be any somewhat q lesse addicted to pleasure [ then these , ] although hee bee * caught with pleasure , hee hideth & dissembleth his q longing desire of pleasure , for * shame fastnesse . whereupon q we may obserue , q that the pleasure of the body is not * beseeming the excellency of man ; q but that it ought to be despised and reiected . but if there be any man who q yeeldeth somewhat vnto pleasure [ let him knowe ] q he must very warily keepe a measure of enioying thereof . and q for that cause , q let the diet and apparell of the body be referred to health & strength , not to q voluptuousnesse . q moreouer if wee will consider what an excellency and al dignity there is in the nature of man , vvee shall vnderstand how vnbeseeming it is to * ouerflowe in riot , and to liue deliciously and * wantonly ; and how q comely a thing is is to liue q frugally , * continently , q sagely [ & ] soberly . chap. . heer he sheweth the meanes how we may keepe a measure in our play and sports . and this point hee teacheth to belong to euery question of dutie . the first meanes is this ; by hauing euermore in minde , how far the nature of man exceedeth the nature of beasts . which he teacheth to appeare heerein especially , for that they perceiue nothing but pleasure , & are carried thereunto with all violence : whereas contrarily the minde of man is nourished by learning , and is euer searching out some matter by meditating and deuising or performing something of more worth ; and is euermore led with a delight of seeing or hearing some great matter . secondly , for that i●… there be any one who is by nature more inclined to pleasure ( if hee bee not a verie beast as some such beasts there are who are not men in deede but onely in name ) although hee bee sometimes too violently carried after pleasures , yet for verie shame hee will hide and dissemble his ouerlonging desire after the same whereby he sheweth that it is most euident , that verie nature teaches , that the pleasures of the bodie are not beseeming the excellencie of man. a second means , to keepe a measure in our pleasures , especially if we bee too much giuen therto , is ; so to moderate our diet and apparell , as that wee vse them onely so , as they may bee best for our health and strength , and not for voluptuousness . a third meanes is , by considering aright what an excellencie and dignitie there is in the nature of man : by the due meditation whereof , wee shall see plainely , how vnbeseeming it is for man to lauish out all riotously , & to liue deliciously & wantonly ; and contrarily , how comly it is to liue frugally , continently , sagely and soberly . chap. . the argument . reader , marke the order : first [ tully ] sheweth [ in this chapter ] what is comely according to nature * common with beasts : and then , what q * according to the excellency of man : afterward , what becommeth q euery ones person , either giuen by nature , or imposed by chance , or assumed vvith i●…dgement . q we must further vnderstand , that we * are as it vvere cloathed by nature with two * persons : vvhereof one is common , q thereupon , because wee are all partakers of reason , and of that * excellency , whereby we q surmount beasts : frō which all honesty and comelinesse is q deriued : and out of which the way of finding out of dutie is sought out . q and the other [ is that ] which is properly q assigned to euery one . for as there bee great q differences in bodies , ( for vvee see some to q surpasse others in swiftnesse for q running , * others in strength q for wrastling : & likewise in q coūtenances , q that som haue a maie sty , other●… amiablenesse : so there are in minde●… also greater * varieties . there was in lucius crassus and lucius philippus much pleasantness ; but greater and more of set purpose , in caius caesar q lucius his sonne . q and q at the same time , q there was in marcus scaurus and marcus drusus being a young man , a singular grauitie ; q in caius lelius much mirth , q in his familiar friend scipio greater * ambitition , * a sadder life . also among the grecians wee haue heard of socrates , to haue been sweet & pleasantly conceited , and of a merry q discourse , and also [ to haue beene ] an q * e●…ronist in al his speech , whom the grecian●… named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : contrariwise p●…thagoras and pericles to haue attained q very great estimation , without any mirth at all . wee haue heard of hanniball , q of the nation of the carthaginians , to to haue been q subtle ; quintus maximus of our captaines , q to haue beene very cunning in concealing matters , in silence , dissimulation , plot ting , preuenting the deuices of enemies . in which kinde the greekes preferre themisto●… cles the athenian and iaso the pherean before all other ; and especially the subtile and crafty deed of solon : q who to the end that his life might be the safer , and that he might * al somwhat more further the common-wealth , fayned himselfe to be madde . there be others much vnlike to these ; plaine and open : which thinke q that nothing ought to be done secretly , nothing by guile , being louers of truth , enemies of deceit . and againe there be others , who can endure any thing , doe seruice to any man , so that they may obtaine what they * desire : as we saw sylla and marcus crassus . in which kinde we haue heard of lysander the lacedemonian to haue beene most subtle and q most able to endure any thing ; and contrariwise callicratides , who vvas admirall of the nauy next after lysander . and likewise q in speech wee see indeed another man , although he be * very mighty , yet so to order the matter , that hee may seeme to be [ but ] one q of the common sort . which thing we haue * seen both in catulus the father , & q the sonne , and also in quintus mutius mancinus . i haue heard also of [ mine ] ancestours , q that the same was in publiks scipio nasica ; and contrarily q that his father , euen who auenged the mischieuous enterprises of tiberius gracchus , q had no affability of speech : no no●… indeede xenocrates q vvho was the sagest of all the philosophers , and for that very cause q both great and famous . innumerable other diuersities there be of nature and maners , yet not at all to bee dispraised . but euery mans owne q [ gifts ] are q carefully to be maintained ; [ tho ] not such as are * vicious , q yet those vvhich are naturall , whereby that comelinesse which we doe seek may bee more easily retained . for we must so deale , that wee contend not at all against q that nature which is vniuersall : yet that beeing preserued , let vs euery one follow our own proper nature ; [ so ] that although there bee q other grauer and better studies , yet q wee measure q our own by the rule of nature . for neither q is it to any purpose to fight against nature , nor to q ensue any thing which you cannot attaine . whereupon it more appeareth q what manner of thing this comelinesse is : sith that nothing becommeth , q maugre minerua , as they vse to say : that is , * nature with standing and resisting . q and verely if there be any thing comely , certainely there is nothing more , then an q euen and constant * course of our whole life * and of euery action : which you cannot keep , if you * imitate the nature of other men , [ and ] * omit your owne . for as wee ought to vse that * speech which is knowne vntovs , lest q chopping in [ certaine ] greeke words , as some [ v●…e to doe ] wee bee worthily q scoffed at : q so wee should shew no contrariety in our doings or in our whole life . and this difference of natures hath so great q power , that somtimes one man ought q to procure his owne death , another ought not , in the same * cause . * for was marcus cato in one q quarrell , the rest which yielded themselues to caesar in africk , in another ? yet peraduenture it had beene q accounted for a fault in the rest , if they had q slaine themselues , because their life had been * more pleasant , & their maners more q milde . but whenas nature had giuen vnto cato an incredible grauity ; and himselfe had q confirmed the same by a perpetuall constancy , and euer remained in his q intent and determined purpose , he ought rather to die then behold the tyrants face . how many things q endured vlysses in that q long trauell , when he both q did seruice vnto women ( if circe and calipso are to be named women ) and desired to shew himselfe * affable and curteous to all men , in all his speech ? and also q at home endured the * con●…umelies of q slaues and girles ; that hee might * at length at●…aine to that which hee desired . but a●…ax ( q being of that courage wihich is reported ) had rather die a thousand * deaths , then to endure those things of another man. q which diuersities when wee beholde , it shall bee q necessarie to weigh , * what echone hath of his owne , and to order those aright ; q and not to haue a desire to try , how q others mens gra ▪ ces would become him . * for that especially becommeth each man , which is * most of all q euery one 's owne . q let euery man therefore knowe his owne disposition : and let him * shew himself●… a sharp 〈◊〉 both of his owne vices , & q vertues ; lest q players may seem to haue more q discretion then we . for they chuse not the best q enterludes , but the fittest for themselues . they that * relie vpon their pronuntiation , chuse epigonus and medea . they [ who relie vpon their ] gesture , q [ take ] menalippa , or cl●…temnestra . rutilius , whom i remember , euer q [ made choyce of ] antiopa : esop q very seldome [ chused ] aiax . shall a player then see this in the stage which a wise man shall not see in his life ? q we are therfore q to labour especially in those things , whereunto wee shall bee most apt . but if at any time necessitie shal q inforce vs vnto those things , which shall not bee q fit for our disposition , q wee must vse all care , meditation & diligence , that wee may q performe them , if not comelily , yet q with as little vncomeliness [ as may be . ] neither ought wee so much to endeauour ourselues q to follow the vertues which are not giuen vnto vs , as q to fly the vices . chap. . tully ( still going on to set out more fully the nature of comlinesse , and the fountaine thereof ) teacheth . . that enerie one har●… by nature , as it were two persons . the one of them common ; which is in that wee are all partakers of reason and of that excellency whereby we surmount brute beasts : & from this hee sheweth that both all honestie & comlinesse are deriued , & the way of finding out dutie . the other proper : to wit , that which is properly assigned to euerie one in regard of the speciall constitution both of his body and minde , and therein the speciall differences amongst men . this hee noteth by experience , . in the bodies , for that we see som to excell in swiftnesse for running , others in strength ●…or wrastling , some hauing in their coūtenances a maiesty , others being amiable . . by experience in the mindes , & that therein also are greater varieties and differences . this he proueth by sundry particular examples , and first , amongst themselues : as , that there was much pleasantnesse of speech in l. philippus , but greater and more of sette purpose in c. caesar l. his sonne . likewise at the same time , that there was in m. 〈◊〉 sus , though but a young man , a singular grauity ; much mirth in caius lelius ; in scipio his familiar friend grea ter ambition with more austeritie . secondly , amongst the grecians , as he had heard by report ; as that socrates was sweete & pleasantly conceited , and also of a merry discourse , an eironist in all his speech . contrarily , that pithagoras and pericles were of greater esteeme , yet without any mirth at al. so amongst great captaines : as , that haniball of carthage was very subtle ; q. maximus one of their owne captaines , very cūning in concealing his purposes , dissimulation , plotting and preuenting the deuices of the enemie . and that among the grecians , themistocles the athenian captaine , and iaso the pherean are renowned for the like . finally , that solon the lawgiuer is famous for policy ; & namely in that act , where in to the end , that his life might both be safer , and he do the better seruice to the cōmon weale , hee fained himselfe mad . sundry other examples hee brings to this purpose not vnlike to the former , to shewe the great varietie of dispositions amongst men . as that there are some plaine and open hearted , enemies to all deceipt : others who can indure any thing , serue any man , so they may obtaine their desire : as sylla , m. crassus , and lysander the lacedemonian ; though callicratides , who succeeded lysander in the admiralty of the nauie , was of a contrarie disposition . others excelling in curtesie of speech , and in affabilitie ; so as thogh they were verie great men , yet could frame themselues to the common sort so , as to winne the hearts of all ; like as they had seene in the catuli both in the father and the sonne , and also in q. mutius mancinus . the like hee sheweth to haue bin reported of p. scipio nasica , tho his father , otherwise a worthie mā ( as who auenged the mischieuous enterprices of tiberius grachus ) yet had no affabilitie of speech at all . no nor xenocrates who was the verie sagest of al the philosophers , and for that cause a great & famous man. and thus hee sheweth that there are innumerable diuersities of natures and dispositions ; yet not to be dispraised . now in these seuerall varieties and all other hee giueth this rule ; that euerie ones owne proper gifts are carefully to bee maintained ; thogh not any such qualities as are vicious , yet all such gifts as are naturall , and whereby that comlinesse which wee seeke may be retained more easily . and so long as wee striue not against that nature which is vniuersall , that each of vs follow our own proper nature . whence hee teacheth this as a second lesson ; that although there might be other grauer & better studies to be followed of vs , yet that we are to measure & limitour studies by the rule of nature , to doe nothing against it . because it doth not auaile to fight against nature ; or to pursue any thing ▪ which we haue no hope by nature to 〈◊〉 . and that heereupon it appeareth more fully wherein true comliness consisteth ; that we do not any thing as it were , against nature ; but onely that whereto we are fitted by it . because , if wee euer follow nature , wee shal be able to keep an euen and a constant course , both of our whole life ▪ & of e●…erie action ; then which there is nothing more com ly : whereas if wee imitate the nature of other men omitting our owne , wee cannot keepe that euennes●…e which we ought . this hee 〈◊〉 plaine by a certaine similitude : that as wee are to vse that speech onely , which is known vn●…o vs , lest chopping in greeke or other strāge words ( as some do ) we be worthily scoffed at ; so wee are to keepe an euennesse in all our actions & our whole life , that no contra●…ietie appear at all . again , he teacheth that the differences of natures are of so great power , that that may bee commendable in one , which should bee faulty in another . as for example : that one man ought to lay violent handes vpon himselfe , which should be reproueable in others in the same cause . this hee instanceth in m. cato slaying himself , rather then to yeeld vp himself to cesar in africke as others did ; wheras it had bin faultie in the rest of them , to haue done the like , because their liues had bin more pleasant , and their maners more mild : yet in him it is cōmended , for that he was of such an vncredible grauitie by nature , and had confirmed the same by perpetuall constancie , and al●…o had euer remained in this determinate resolution , that hee would rather die , then behould the tyrants race . . in comparing the faults of vlysses and aiax together : that whereas this was an honour to vlysses to haue indured the things which he did , in his long trauels , and that he had beene able to yeelde himselfe to do seruice to women , as to circe & calipso , ( if they were worthie to be named women ) & to shew himselfe so affable & curteous to all ; yea after his returne home , so to indure the contum●…ly of slaues and wenches , to the end that hee might attaine to that which he desired : yet contrarily this is ajax his honour , that he being of an vnconquerable courage by nature , had rather die a thousand deaths ▪ then to endure such contumelies or iniuries from any . hence hee concludeth , that we are necessarily to weigh what gifts each of vs hath properly , & to vse the same aright ; and not to haue a desire to tr●…e how other mens gifts would become vs : because that especially becometh euerie one , which most properly belongeth vnto him and secondly , hee aduis●…th each man to knowe his owne disposition , and to shew himself a sharp iudge of his owne vertues , and vices ; and so to chuse and follow that course which is fittest for him . this also he vrgeth by a reason taken from players ; lest they should seeme to haue more discretion heerein then wee . because they chufe not the best interludes to act ; but those that are fittest for them , in regard of their pronuntiation , or gesture , and which they can performe the best ; as hee sheweth in sundrie particulars : whence hee inferreth againe what an absurd thing this is , that a player should see that on the stage , which a wise man cannot in his life . and so shutteth vp this point , that we are chiefly to labor in those things whereunto wee are most apt . yet here he giueth two cautions . . that if at any time necessitie shall inforce vs vnto those things to which we ar not apt by nature ; that then wee specially vse all care , meditation and diligence that we may performe them , if not comlily , yet with as little vncōlinesse as may be . . that we do not so much indeuour to attaine the vertues to which wee haue no aptnesse by nature ; as to shun those vices to which wee are by nature strongly inclined . chap. . the argument . comelinesse from those things , which fortune hath giuen vs , or vvhich wee haue q gotten by [ our owne ] q discretion . q moreouer , vnto those two persons which i spake of q before , a third person is adioyned which some chance or time q imposeth [ on vs. ] and also a fourth which wee shall q fit vnto our selues after our owne q mind . for kingdomes , empires , q nobility , honours , riches , q power , and those which are contrary to these , q consisting on fortune , q are ordered according to the times . but it proceedeth from our owne q free will , * what person wee q list to beare . and therefore som apply themselues vnto philosophy ▪ others the ciuill lawe , others eloquence : and q som one chuseth to excell in one of those vertues . [ another in another . ] * but whose fathers or 〈◊〉 q haue beene famous in any kinde of glory , * most of theirs doe study to excell in the same kinde of q cōmendation : as quintus mu●…us q publius his sonne [ did ] in the ciuill lawe : africanus q paulus his sonne , q in chiualrie . also q diuers doe adde some q of their owne vnto those praises , which they haue receiue ▪ from their * fathers : as this same affricanus increased his martiall glory by [ his ] eloquence . which selfe same thing q did also timotheus conons sonne : who * when as hee was not inferiour q to his father in q praises of warre , yet * adioyned vnto that commendation the glory of learning & wit. sometimes also it q falleth out , that certaine q hauing omitted the imitation of their parents , follow some q course of their owne ; and those especially trauell therein for most part , who beeing borne of q obscure parents , * propound vnto themselues great * matters . therefore when we seek what things q are comely , wee ought to q cast all these in our minde & q cogitation . chap. . in this chapter tully teacheth ▪ that besides those two persons spoken of before , which euerie one hath by nature , we haue other two also . the first whereof is that , which euerie one hath imposed vpon him , by some chance , or in regard of the times : as to bee kings , emperours , nobles , honorable , rich , mightie and the like , or such as are contrarie to these : which as they cōsist in fortune , so are they ordered according to the times the later is that which wee fit vnto our selues , according to our iudgement applying our selues thereunto ; for that it proceedeth from our own will , what course of life we will follow . hence are the diuers studies of men ; that some applie themselues to philosophie , others to the ciuill lawe , others to eloquēce , and that one chooseth to excell in some one of these vertues , another in another . more specially , that those whose fathers or auncestors haue bin famous for any kind of glorie , doe for most part 〈◊〉 to excell in the same : as q. mu●…us publ. his sonne in chiualrie . hence also it is that sundrie increase the glorie of their auncestors : as hee instanceth in affricanus that hee increased his martiall glory by his eloquence ; and in timotheus conous sonne who by his wit and learning augmented the renowne which hee had receiued from his auncestors by their martiall praises . and moreouer , that certaine leauing the imitation of their parents follow som course of their own ; and especially they who borne of obscure parents , yet propounde vnto themselues great matters . and thus hee concludeth , that when wee seeke what is comely , wee ought to think of all these things . chap. . wee must determine the kinde and q course of our life . bvt first of all wee must determine whom and what manner of men wee vvould * haue our selues , and q of what kind of life : which * deliberation is the hardest of all other . for in the entrance into the q youthfull time , q wherein there is the greatest weaknesse of counsell ; then euery man q appointeth vnto himselfe that kind of q life , which he q chiefly liketh . and therefore hee is entangled with some certaine kind and course of liuing , before q that hee q bee able to iudge , what should be best . for q wheras prodicus saith , q that hercules ( as it is in xenophon ) so soone as he q began to come to mans estate , ( which time is gran ted by nature , to chuse what q vvay of liuing euery man will enter ) q went forth into q a desart place , and sitting there , doubted * long with himselfe and much , when he beheld two waies , the one of pleasure , the other of vertue , whether of them it q were better to enter into . this peraduenture might * happen vnto hercules being q borne of iupiters seede ; but not so to vs , who imitate whom it seemeth best to q euery of vs ; and are * inforced to their studies & and q fashions . and for the most part wee beeing * trayned vp by the precepts of our parents , q are drawn vnto their * guise and q manners . others are carried * by the iudgement of the multitude , and q long after those things especially , vvhich seeme q goodliest to the greater part . q yet some , whether by a certaine happinesse , or by goodnesse of nature , or by the instruction of their parents , haue followed the right course of life . q but that kinde of men is most seldome found , who beeing * adorned either with excellent q profoundnes of wit , or else with famous learning & knowledge , or with both of them , haue q yet taken a time of q delibe ration , what course of life they would especially followe . in which deliberation , q all a mans counsell is to bee q applied to each mans q proper nature . for ●…ith that q in all things that are done , we search out of that q nature , * wherewith euery one is borne ( as is said before ) what q is comely ; then q a farre greater care thereof must be had in setting downe the whole course of our life ; that vvee may q euer agree with our selues in all our whole life , and neuer halt in any dutie . but seeing that nature hath the greatest q power vnto this choice , [ and ] fortune the next ; there must euer be had a * regarde of both of thē , in chusing the q course of our life , but of nature more . for q it is both much * more firme and * constant : in so much , that sometimes fortune , as beeing q mortall , may seeme to fight q with nature being immortall . hee therefore that will apply q his vvhole course to the kind of his nature no●… corrupted , let him kee●…e q constancy ; for that becommeth chiefl●… : except peraduenture hee shall p●…rceiue that q he hath erred in c●…using * the kind of [ his ] life . which if it sh●…ll fall out ( q as indeede it may ) there must bee made a change of manners and purposes . we * shall make that change more easily and commodiously , if the times shall q further vs ; but if not , it must be done q leasurely , & by little and little : like as wise men do iudge is to be more q conuenient , to q breake off by little and little , those friendships , which doe not so much delight vs , and are lesse approued of vs , then to cut thē off , q of a sodaine . q and when we haue changed our course of life , wee must by all means take ●…eed , that we be thought to haue done it vpon good q aduice . but for●… as q vvee 〈◊〉 ▪ a little before ▪ q that vvee 〈◊〉 * imitate out 〈◊〉 ▪ ●…et q this first ●…e ex●… , that their vices q are not to be imitated ▪ * and then it nature will not beare , that q we can imitate certaine things ; ●…s q the elder affricanus sonne , who adopted q this ou●… 〈◊〉 his sonne , could n●…t , for his q sicklinesse , be so like vnto his father , as the * other q was his : if therefore one be not able , either to * defend causes , or * to retaine the people with orations , or to q followe the warres , yet q hee ought to performe those things , which * shall bee in his power : as iustice , q fidelity , ●…iberality , modestie ▪ [ & ] tēperance ; q that that thing , which is lacking in him , may bee the lesse missed . q and indeed the best inheritance [ which ] is left by fathers vnto their children , and more worth then any patrimonie [ is ] the glory of [ their ] vertue , and of worthy deedes : whereunto to be a * staine , is to be accounted [ both ] a fault and shame . and because the same duties q doe not belong to vnlike ages ▪ but q some are for young men , others for old men , somewhat is also to be spoken of this diuersity . chap. . heere t. proceedeth to teach , how to determine of the course of our life , which euerie one is to follow as most fit for him . and first he sheweth that this deliberation is exceeding hard in regarde of the time , when men are to determine hereof . because they are to resolue of it in the verie enterance into their youthfull age ; at what time they are at the weakest for counsell & iudge●…ēt to determine aright : and so e●…ch followeth that which he liketh or fancieth to himself without any grounded reason . whereupon it commeth to passe that they haue intangled thēselues with some certaine course of life , before they are able to iudge what were the best : and that howsoeuer hercules ( as xenophon reporteth ) at this age of youth , when he began to come to mans estate , going into a desert place , and there beholding two waies , the one the way of plea sure , the other of vertue , & after long deliberating with himself whether of them he shold take , made choice of the better ; viz. the way of vertue : yet , this hee thinketh might befall to hercules being sprung of the seed of iupiter , & so of a diuine vnderstanding and iudgemēt : but that there is not any hope that any of vs should make such a choice . . because wee vse rashly to imitate whomsoeuer wee like best of , and so follow their studies and fashions . . for that we being for most part trained vp by the precepts and aduice of our parents , are drawne vnto a likeing of their guise & maners . or thirdly , for that we vse to be carried by the iudgement of the multitude , & so to long after those things which the greatest part do most admire . yet notwithstanding how hard soeuer it is , he acknow ledgeth that some indeede haue followed a right course of life , whether a certaine happinesse betiding them , or the goodnes of their natures , or through the right institution of their parents . but for this kind of men who 〈◊〉 so , he noteth that they are verie seldom to be found , which ( if they be of profo●…d wits , of excellent learning and knowledge ) will take a due time for delibe●…ing hereof , what course to choose . thus hauing shewed the difficultie of his deliberation he now commeth to set downe the right maner of it ; that we ought chi●…fly to cō sider to what we are most fit by nature . because sith that we seeke in euery thing particularly , what is comely , by doing it according to nature ; then much more care ought we to haue heereof in determining the whole course of our life ; and that chiefly to this end , that we may euer agree with our selues in all our whole life , and neuer halt in any dutie . and whereas , next vnto nature , fortune hath the greatest power for making this choice , he teacheth that we are to haue a regard euen of fortune also therein ; but yet of nature more . for that it is more firm & cōstant , then fortune ; in so much as fortune sometimes , as beeing mortall may seeme to fight with nature as beeing immortall . in the third place he 〈◊〉 , that a man thus applying the whole course of his life to the kinde of his nature vnco●…rupted , ought to be constant in it . because constancie principally becommeth a man , vnlesse he shall afterwards perceiue that hee hath 〈◊〉 in his choice : which if it happen ( as he sheweth it may well ) he directeth wh●…t is to be don , viz. that he must the●… make a change of his course & purposes . and for the manner of effecting heereof , that if the 〈◊〉 serue and 〈◊〉 thereto , it may then be made more easily & commodiously ▪ 〈◊〉 if not , it is to bee made more leasurely , and as by little and little . and that we are to doe heerein as wise men in breaking off their friendship with such as they would ●…aine be shut of ; who thinke it more cōuenient to break off with thē by little & little , then to cut them off , of a suddaine : and yet euer to obserue this caution in our chāge ; that when we haue thus changed , wee may bee thought to haue done it vpon good aduice . here also 〈◊〉 two other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ration of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ther 's or auncestors in our courses of life , spoken of before . . that we 〈◊〉 that we do not ●…tate their vices . . if through nature , or any other imped●…ment , wee cannot 〈◊〉 certaine things which were commend●…ble in them , like as he instan●…eth in the elder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who could not to imitate his father , as the other 〈◊〉 ▪ son did his , through ●…ickliness ; or if we be not ●…o fitted for pleading or defending causes , or for making orations & like speeches to the people , or to follow the wars or the like ▪ that yet we are to ●…e careful to performe those things which are in our power ( as iustice ▪ fidelitie , liberalitie , modestie and temperance ) in the best ●…ort that we can , that so what is lacking in vs may bee lesse missed . finally , he concludeth this poynt , vrging the care of it ; that sith indeede the best inheritāce , which can be left by fathers vnto their children , & which is more worth then any patrimonie , is the glorie of their vertues and worthy deeds ; and for that cause , seeing to be a staine thereunto , is both a foule fault & a great shame : therfore eu●…rie one should the more warily looke to the right imitation of them . and thus he endeth this matter , making an entraunce to the discourse following of the diuersiue of duties in regard of ages , &c. chap. . what things doe properly become * youth . it is therefore q a young mans dutie to reuerence his elders , and to chuse out of them the best and most approued ; whose counsel and authoritie he may q rel●…e vpon . for the vnskilfulnesse of q youth , is to bee q directed and gouerned by the * wisdome of old men . this age is also to be specially q refrained from * lust , and to bee exercised in labour and * patience both of minde and bodie , that their industry may q excell both in martiall and ciuill duties . q moreouer , vvhen they will refresh their * mindes and * giue thems●…lues to q pastime , let them beware of intemperance , and remember q to obserue modesty ; which q they may doe more easily , if they will q have their elders also p●●sent at such * things . chap. . here ●… . teacheth the speciall duties of young men , & what things do become them : as , . that they reuerence their elders . . that they chuse out , amōgst the ancienter , the best and most approued , whose counsell and authoritie they may vse and rely vpon . the reason whereof ●…s , because the v●…skilfulnesse of youth is to be direc ted by the wisedom of the auncient . . that this age is specially to bee re●… from lustful●… pleasures , and to bee exercised in labour and patience both of minde and body , that they may excell in martiall & cruall duties , & their industrie bee s●…ene therein . . that when they desire to recreate themselues with sports , they carefully beware of intemperance , & remember modesty . and to this end he thinketh it fit , that they should haue som of the ancienter present at such recreations wherin otherwise might be danger of any intemperance or immode●…ty . chap. . what things q do chiefly become olde age . * bvt the labours of the body are to bee q diminished in olde men , and exercises o●… the mind q seeme meere to be increased . and q they must doe their endeauour , that they q principally 〈◊〉 both their friends , and the youth & chiefly the common-weale vvith counsell and wisedome . but * nothing is more to bee taken heede of to olde age , then that it giue not it selfe ouer to lithernesse & q idlenesse . * riotous●…esse also q as it is dishonest to euery age , q so to olde age most shamefull . but if the intemperance of lust shal q moreouer bee ioyned therewith , there is a double q mischie●… ; because both age it selfe q receiu●…th * shame [ therby ] and it causeth q the young mens intemperance to bee more q shamelesse . chap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setteth downe some duties of olde men , as especially concerning them : as , . ●…hat they diminish the labours of their bodies , and increase the exercises of the minde . . that they vse all indeuour to helpe both their friendes & the younger sort , and chiefly the cōmonweale , by their counsell & wisdom . . that they beware in any case that they giue not themselues ouer to lithernesse and idlenesse . . that they take heed of riotousness : because as it is dishonest to euerie age ; so in olde men it is most shamefull . . that they more heedfully auoide all intemperance of lust : because that , ioyned with riot or sloth , is a double mischiefe ; for that both age it selfe receiueth shame therby , and also that it maketh the younger sort to be more shamelesse and ou●…ragious in al intemperance . chap. . what things q are befitting the person of the magistrate . and * this indeed is not q from the purpose , to speak * of the du ties of magistrates , [ & ] of priuate men ▪ of citizens [ and ] of strangers . it is therefore the proper office of a magistrate , q to consider that hee represents the person of the citie , q & that he ought to maintaine the q honour & reputation thereof : q to see the statutes obserued , q to make lawes , and to rememb●…r q that those things are committed to his q charge . 〈◊〉 behooueth also a priuate man , to liue q vnder the like lawe , as the rest of the citizens ( neither q as an vnderling and ab●…ect , no●… q hearing himselfe too high ) and also to q seeke those things in the cōmon-weale , * that are quiet and honest . for wee are vvont both to * thinke and to call such a one a good citizen . but it is the dutie of a stranger and q alien inhabitant , to ●…eddle with nothing 〈◊〉 his owne ●…ulinesse . q 〈◊〉 to enquire of another mans matter ; and to b●…e q no whit * curious in a * strange cōmonweale . q thus for the most parte duties shall be found ou●… , when it shall be q enquired what q is decent , and what is q befitting persons , times and ages . and there is nothing that * can so much grace a man , as to keep constancy in q managing euery matter , and in * taking of aduice . chap , . heere t. proceedeth to set downe certaine duties of magistrates , priuate men , citizens and strangers ; as which are most comly and commendable in each of th●…m . and first , for the magistrate . . that it is his proper office to cōsider euer , that hee represents the person of the citie , and that therefore hee carefully maintaine the honour and 〈◊〉 ▪ on thereof . . that 〈◊〉 see the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 obserued . . that he helpe to make lawes . . that he euer remember all things committed to his trust and 〈◊〉 . secondly , for the priuate man. . that he liue orderly , submitting himself to the same lawes and orders as other 〈◊〉 . . that he neither demeane 〈◊〉 ●…oo ba●…ely , as an ●…derling , or 〈◊〉 , nor beare himselfe too high . . that hee follow those things onely which concerne peace and 〈◊〉 ; for that such are esteemed good citizens . thirdly , for the 〈◊〉 and then inhabitant , he pre●… this , as most be●…eeming & 〈◊〉 ; . that he meddle onely with his own businesse , without inquiring into other mens matters ; and much more withou●… intermedling in 〈◊〉 of the cōmonweale . and to conclude , thus hee ●…heweth that duties may be found our ; when there is a wise consideration what is befitting to persōs , 〈◊〉 and ages . and finally , to the ende that wee may be constant in good duties , hee ●…etteth this downe as a generall rule . that nothing can so grace a man as to keepe constancie in managing euerie 〈◊〉 , and also in taking of aduice . chap. . q comelinesse in the ordering and motion of [ our ] bodie . bvt because q this comeliness q appeareth in all deeds & words , and finally in the motion and q gesture of the bodie , & the same q consisteth in three things , q fairnesse , order [ and ] q setting forth , meete q for ones doings : it is more difficult to * vtter , but it wil be easie enough to be * vnderstood . that care also is cōtained in these . things , that we be * approued of thē with whom , and amongst whom we liue . let q some few [ wordes ] bee spoken q likewise of these things . chap. . in this chapter ●… . sheweth , that 〈◊〉 is not onely to bee obserued in all our words & deeds but also in the verie motions and gestures of our bodies . and that this same consisteth chiefly in these three things , viz. fairnesse , order , and handsomnesse of the gesture meet for the thing done . also that howsoeuer this point bee somwhat difficult to vtter , yet it is plaine enough to bee vnderstood . finally , that in these three things consisteth chiefly that care that we may be approued of them with whom and amongst whom wee liue . chap. . q that it is vncomely for certaine parts of the body to be shewed ; and likewise that it is vnbeseeming either to do certaine things or so much as to 〈◊〉 them , openly . q first of all , nature it selfe seemeth to haue had a great * respect of our body , which hath set q in open view our q countenance and the rest of our shape , wherein there is a q comely shew : but she hath couered and hidde those parts of the bodie , which being giuen for the necessitie of nature , would haue an ilfauoured & q ●…oule sight . the modestie of * man hath followed this so q cunning a frame of nature . q for what things nature hath hid , those all men , who are well in their wits , do keep from the eyes : and they doe their endeauour to q serue * very necessitie as q closely as they can : also of what parts of the body there are q seruile vses , they neither * call those partes nor [ their ] vses by their owne names : q and so that which it is no shame to doe , if it be q secretly ; it is q vncleanly to report . and therfore neither the q doing of those things openly 〈◊〉 voide of q impudencie , q nor the speaking of them [ free from ] dishonestie . neither yet indeed are the cynicks q worthie to bee heard , or if there haue beene any stoicks in maner cynicks , who * reproue and scoffe at vs , because wee say , q that those things are shamefull to bee vttered in vvords , which are not dishonest in deede : and yet wee ●…earm those things which be * filthie , by their owne names : q as , to robbe by the high wayes , * beguile , commit adultery , is a thing dishonest indeede , but it is q spoken of without any dishonestie : q to beget children is indeed honest , q but vncleanely to bee vttered . q and so these philosophers bring many things to that purpose against q modestie . but let vs followe nature , and q shun euery thing which q abhorreth the verie * approbation of the eyes & ears . let our standing , * going , sitting downe , sitting at the table , countenance , eyes , moouing of [ our ] hands keepe that same q decorum . in which things , two [ faults ] are to be q 〈◊〉 especially : q that wee doe nothing effeminately or nicely , q nor rudely or clownishly . neither indeede may wee yeeld vnto * players & oratours , that these things should bee q seemely done by them , dissolutely by vs. the very custome of stage-players , hath so great q modestie from the ancient q order , that no man commeth on the stage without breeches . for they are afraide , lest if it should fall out by any chance that * certaine parts of the bodie should be q discouered , they would bee q seene vncomely . q and as the fashion is with vs , children growing to q mans estate , are not q bathed with their parents , nor sonnes in lawe with their fathers in law . the q modestie therefore of this kinde is to be q obserued , especially nature herself beeing mistresse and guide . chap. . heere t. proceedeth to shewe more specially how comlinesse may bee retained in all these , viz word , deede , motion , gesture , that we may bee approued of all . and first , that wee are chiefly to follow nature heerein likewise : that as it seemeth to haue had a great respect of our body , hauing sette in open view our coūtenance and the rest of our shape , wherin the principall comlinesse is ; but hid those parts which beeing giuen onely for necessitie of nature would bee vncomly to looke vpon so the modestie of man doth & ought to follow this so cunning a worke of nature : which he declareth euidently he●…reby ; because what things nature hath hid , those all who are wel in their wits doe keepe fo●…th of sight ; and do what they can to serue the necessitie of nature as secretly as may be . likewise , of what parts of the bodie there are more seruile and base vses , they doe not somuch as call them or their vses by their owne names . so that , that which it is no shame to do so it be secretly , yet it is vncleanly to reporte . whence it is , that the doing of those things openly cannot be without impudencie , no nor the verie speaking of them can be free from dishonestie . and heere he confuteth & reproueth the cynicks as vnworthy to be heard and also the stoicks who were almost cynicks in this point , who vsed to scoffe at them for this ; because they affirmed that these things are shameful to bee vttered , in words , which are not dishonest indeede : and yet they vsed to tearm other things by their owne names , which were dishonest & vile indeed , as namely to rob , cos●…n , commit adulterie , and could speake of them with out dishonestie ; ●…ut to beget children a matter honest in it selfe , they accounted vncleanly to be vttered . this and other like reasōs they brought against modestie . but for answere heereof hee setteth downe this as a sure rule ; that we are heerin to follow nature , & to shun euery thing which our eyes dislike to beholde , or our eares to heare . so likewise that our standing , going , countenance , eyes & gestures keep the same decorū , as that they may be approued of all . and here he giueth warning of two principall faults : . to beware that we doe nothing e●…feminately or too nicely . the other , that wee doe not any thing rudely or clounishlie . after , he vrgeth this point for obseruing comlinesse : . by the examples of players , by whō it is shame to be reproued heerein . amongst whom there is so great regarde of modestie , in this behalfe euen according to the auncient custome , that none of them come vpō the stage without breeches , and that because they feare lest by any chance some parts of the bodie should be discouered and seene vndecently . . by the fashion in bathing , in vse amongst them ; that childrē growing to mans estate might not bee bathed with their parents , nor sonnes in lawe with their fathers in lawe : only for this modestie which nature hath taught . hence , finally hee concludeth , that the modestie in this kinde is carefully to be obserued ; especially nature herselfe be●…ing such a strict mistresse and guide heerein . chap. . what q beauty becomes a man , what a woman , and how q both of them are to be q adorned : in like manner , what gesture , and what motion is comely . bvt whereas there are two kindes of q beauty , in the one of which is fairnesse , in the other maiesty : wee ought to account fairnesse to belong to the woman , and maiesty to the man. all q manner of trimming therfore q vnbefitting man , must be remooued from his q outward forme : and let a fault like vnto this be taken heede of in the gesture and in the motion . for both q the stirrings like wrastlers are oft times * more q misliked , and also q many gestures * of players are not vvithout * foolish toyes : also in both kinds those things are cōmended which are right & q plain . but the maiesty of the fauour is to be preserued by the goodnesse of the colour , [ and ] the colour by the exercises of the body . q there must moreouer bee vsed a cleanelinesse , [ which is ] not odious , nor too curious , but onely which escheweth all q rude and vnciuill slouenrie . * the same regarde is to be had of [ our ] apparell ; in which as in most things a meane is the best : wee must also take heede that wee neither vse q ouer nice slownesse in our q pase , that vvee should seeme to be like the * pageants in triumphes , q nor too much q speed in our haste . which things whē they q fall out , q there followeth shortnes of breath , the q countenance is changed , q the face is disfigured : of which q ariseth a great presumption , that they haue no staiednesse . but wee must * labour much more , that the * motions of our mind q swarue not from nature : which we shall attaine , if we beware that we fall not into q passions and q mazes , and if we wil keep our mind●… q heedfull to the * preseruation of comelinesse . but the motions of the minde are q of two sorts ; some of the q * thoughts , others of the appetite . the thought is q especially busied in searching out the truth : the appetite * inforceth a man to action . q wee must therefore bee carefull , that we q imploy our tho●…ghts about the very best matters , [ and ] that wee q make [ our ] appetite obedient to reason . heere t. declareth yet more paticularly , what things becom a man , what a womā , what both , so as they may bee approued of all . and first teacheth , that whereas there are two kindes of beautie , to wit fairnesse and maiestie ; that fairness belōgeth more properly to the woman , as more comely for her , maiestie to the man as more gracing him . whence he giueth these lessons : . that men beware of too much tricking their outward beautie . that they neither vse ouer , violent motions like wrastlers , nor too much gesture or other foolish toyes like players ; but that such as are most plaine are best . . to preserue the 〈◊〉 of the fauour by ●…he good ▪ nes of the co●…our ; & 〈◊〉 , by the exercise of the body . . that they carefully vse clenlinesse , and that such as is not any way odious or too curious , but only which eschews all vnciuil slouenry . . for apparell that it likewise be clenly ; and that in it , as in most things , a meane is best . . for our pase . that we neither vse ouernice slownesse , to seem to goe like pageants borne in triumphs , as it were , not mouing , nor yet too much speed in our haste . this later hee giueth speciall warning to preuent by the inconueniences following thereof ; as shortnesse of breathing , changing of the countenance , disfiguring the face ; whence ariseth a great presumption of lacke of staiednesse in the party . . that yet aboue all these , wee looke to the motions of our mindes , that they swarue not frō nature . and withall teacheth how wee may attaine thereunto ; viz. if wee bew are that we fall not into passions , and apply our mindes to preserue comlinesse . lastly , hee giueth this aduice , that whereas the motions of the minde are of two sorts , som of the thoghts others of the appetite ; that wee carefully imploy our thoughts about the verie best matters , and euer make our appetites obedient to reason . chap. . there is * a double kinde of speech , * rhetoricall and q common . and because q the power of speech is great , and that q also [ 〈◊〉 ] of two sortes , the one of q vehement speech , the other of q ordinarie talk . let the * vehement speech q serue for pleadings in q iudgments , orations in assemblies , & speeches in the senate house : q let the ordinarie speech be vsed in companies , q reasoning about matters , meetings of q 〈◊〉 , and q let it also be at feasti●…gs . * there are many precepts of rhetoricians , of vehement speech , none of ordinarie talke ▪ although i * knowe not whether q there may not be such also . h●…wbeit there are masters for their studies that will learne : but there are none that studie this : all places are q replenished with store of rhetoricians . although those same precepts which are of words & sentences , q may serue for talke . but sith that we haue [ our ] voyce the * declarer of [ our ] speech , q and in our voyce we seek two things , that it bee cleare and sweete , q they both are to be fetched altogether from nature ; but exercise vvill increase the one , and imitation q of thē that speake q pithily and pleasantly , the other . what was there in the catuli , that you should think them q to bee of an exquisite iudgement in learning ? although they were learned , q so were others also . but these were thought to vse the latine tongue the best , their q pronuntiation was sweete , their letters neither q too much mouthed nor drowned , lest it should be either q darke to be vnderstood , or * ouer harsh . [ their voyce was ] without straining , neither q faint nor q too shrill . the speech of lucius crassus [ was ] more q flowing , and no lesse * conceited . q yet for eloquēce the catuli were in no lesse estimation . but caesar , the brother of the father of catulus , q went beyond all in q wit and pleasant conceits , that in that verie lawyerlike kinde of speaking , he q surpassed the vehemencie of others , [ euen ] in q [ his ] familiar talk . q we must therfore take paines in all these things , if wee seeke out what q is decent in euery matter . chap. . in this chapter and the next . t. giueth directions for the manner of our speech . and heere fi●…st for the rhetoricall or mo●…e vehement speec●… ; that whereas there are two ●…orts of sp●…ech , the one more eloquent and vehement , the o●…her ordinary , he directeth that the vehement speech serue for pleadings , orations , speeches in the senate house , and the like : the ordinarie in vsuall meetings and debatings of matters at feasts & the like . . he sheweth that the rhetoriciās giue many precepts for the vehemē●… sp●…ech , none for the ordinarie : howbeit he thinketh there may be for this also ; ( although there are none tha●… studie it , and so no such teachers for it , as there are for the veheme●…t , all places beeing replenished with store of rhetoricians : and that ●…he same precepts which serue for words & sentences may serue for ordidinarie speech . for the more vehement ; that sith our voice is giuen vs to be the declarer of our minde , and that in it wee seeke these two things , that it be cleare and sweet ; hee teacheth that although both of them are to bee fetched from nature , yet they may be much helped ; the clearnesse by continuall exercise , the pleasantnesse by imitation of them who speak most pithilie & pleasantly . that these two doe exceedingly cōmēd the voice , he prooueth by instances in the catuli , who were thought to be of exquisite learning , & to excell others , who were as learned ; and to surpasse others in the latine tongue , only because their pronuntiation was so sweet . their letters were neither too much mouthed , nor drow ned in their pronūtiation , lest their speech should haue bin either darke or vnpleasant . their voice also without strayning , neither too weake nor too shrill . so that although the speech of l. cr. was more flowing & no lesse conceited , yet for eloquence the caruli were in as great estimation . lastly , hee teacheth by the example of caesar , catulus fathers brother , that each should labour to excell in wit and pleasant conceipts ; that heereby , in his verie familiar talke he went beyond the eloquēce of others ; and therefore concludeth that we are to take paines in euerie one of these , if we seek to attaine what is decent in euerie matter . chap. . [ how our ] familiar talke is to be * moderated . let then this * talke ( in which the socratians most excell ) be * gentle , and not froward . let there bee therein q a pleasantnesse . neither yet indeed q let a man exclude others , as though hee were q entered into his owne possession : but let him think that he ought q oft times to vse an enterchange — able course , as in other matters so also in common talke . and let him q consider first of all of what matters hee speake : if [ it bee ] of earnest bus●…esses , let him q vse q sagenesse ; if of merry matters , pleasantnesse . especially let him q looke vnto it that his talke doe not q bewray some vice q in his manners . which is wont to fall out then especially , when as q men do speake purposely of them who are absent , to their reproach , q in scorn or earnest , either raylingly , or spitefully . q moreouer , ordinarie cōmunication is for the most parte , ei●… of domestical businesses , or of the common-weale , or of the studies of good artes , and of learning . q wee must therefore do our endeauour ▪ that q howsoeuer our communication shall begin to stray vnto other matters , [ yet ] it be called back q herevnto . but howsoeuer , the matters q bee ( for neither are vvee [ all ] delighted vvith the same things , nor at euery season , nor alike ) [ ye●… ] we must also q consider how our speech may q bee seasoned with delight : and as there was a way to begin it ; so let there bee a q good manner of the ending therof . but because this is most rightly q inioyned , in our whole life , that we flie [ all ] q passions , that is to say , all q vnmeasurable moodes of minde , q not ruled by reason ▪ so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must bee 〈◊〉 of such passions , lest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [ in it ] either anger , or any * couetousnes , or q lazinesse , or cowardlinesse , or lest any such thing appeare . and aboue all , q we are to be carefull , that wee seeme both to reuerence and loue them with vvhom q we talke . also now & then , there q fall out necessary chidings , wherin peraduenture wee are to vse a greater strayning of voyce , and a sharper grauitie of words . q wee are also to loo●…e to that , that wee doe not seeme to doe those things q angrily : but as physicians [ doe come ] to searing & cutting , so we come seldome and [ as it were ] vnwillingly to q such kinde of rebuking ; q nor euer but necessarily , if no other remedy will be found . but yet q let it be altogether void of anger , with vvhich nothing can bee done well , nothing q considerately . q for the most parte likewise q we may vse a gentle manner of rebuking , yet q tempered with grauitie , that both * seuerity may bee shewed , and all q contumely auoided . and also that q same bitternesse which is in chiding , must bee signified to haue beene q vsed for his * cause who is chidden . it is q good also , euen in those * contentions , which are made with our greatest enemies , although we heare [ wordes ] q vnfit to bee spoken to vs ; yet to * retaine a grauity , [ and ] to q suppresse the angry moode . for those things which are done with any * passion , can neither be done constantly , nor bee approued of them that are present . it is also * an vncomly thing , [ for a man ] to report [ great matters ] of himselfe , especially being false ; and to imitate the * glorious soldier , with the q scorning of the hearers . chap. . heere hee giueth sundry precepts for ordinarie talke ; wherein the socratians did most excell : as , . that it be gentle , not froward , but having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that 〈◊〉 grant others 〈◊〉 due course 〈◊〉 free ●…betie of 〈◊〉 , as 〈◊〉 ●…s wee wish to our selue●… . . to consider well of the matter of the cōmunication , that if it bee about carnest businesse 〈◊〉 vse lagen●… or 〈◊〉 : in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 itters , pleasantnesse . . that our speech bewra●…e not some vice in our maners . and this hee teacheth to fall out then especially , when we speak of set purpose , of them that are absēt to their reproch , whether in scorne or good earnest , either raylingly or spitefully ; and therfore to be wary how wee speake of such , who beeing absent are not able to defend themselues . . our ordinarie cōmunication beeing for the most part of some more serious matter , as of domesticall businesses , or things concerning the cōmonweale , or some matter of learning ; that we indeuour to call backe and keep our speech to the point in hand till it be finished , if vpon occasion any begin to diuert from it . . that whatsoeuer we talke of ( as there are varieties of matters and occasions ) yet we consider and looke well to this ▪ how our speech may bee seasoned with delight to giue contet to them that heare vs. . as we are to be carefull to take a meet occasion for the entrance into our discourse ; so for the ending of it ▪ to do it in the best maner . . that as wee are inioyned to flie all pa●…siōs in our whole life , so more specially in our talke we are to beware of all moodie fits not ruled by reason , that there appeare not in any part of our speech either anger , couetousnesse , lazinesse , or cowardlinesse , or any such vnbeseeming fault . ●… . that aboue all we bee carefull that we may be thoght both to reuerence and loue them with whom we talke . . if it fall out that wee are necessarily occasioned to chide any , and therein to vse more loudnes of voyce & more sharp nes in words , yet that we are to looke to this , that we seem not to doe it irefully or headily : but , as the wise & disc●…eete physitians who come to searing & cutting but verie seldome and as it were vnwillingly , when no other meanes will serue ; ●…o we come likewise to this kinde of rebuking , & that neuer but necessarily ▪ when no other remedy wil be found . here he giueth also four other cautions for our rebuking of others , that it may be comly and profitable . . that it hee altogether voide of anger , because in it nothing can bee done well or aduisedly . . that it be done in as milde a maner as may be , yet tempered with grauitie , that a wholesome seueritie may bee shewed , & all contumely auoided . . if there seeme to be any bitternesse in it , that it be signified that it was vsed chiefly for his good who was chidden . . euen in those contentions which fall out to bee with our enemies , howsoeuer they giue vs verie vnbefitting speeches , that yet we euer retaine grauitie and suppresse our angry moode , because we cannot otherwise carry our selues wisely therein , nor be approued of them who are present . lastly , hee giueth this aduice , that in speaking of our owne matters , wee beware how we report any great things of our selues especially false , seeming to imitate therein the glorious souldier , with the scorning of the hearers . chap. . what order is to bee kept q in buildings . and because wee pursue q euery point ( q at least certainely we desire to doe it ) wee must shew also what a one q it becommeth the house of an honorable man and of a prince to bee : the end whereof is the * vse , whereunto the q plot of the building must be q framed ; and yet [ withall ] q there must be a respect be had of the q statelinesse and * commodiousness of it . wee haue heard q that it was an honor to kneius octauius ( q who was the first consull of that family ) that he had built a q goodly and very stately house in the palace : which when it was q seen of all the vulgar sort [ re●…orting thither ] it was thoght q to further the master [ of i●… ] ( being q a man newly come vp ) vnto the consulship . s●…aurus q plucked this downe , [ and ] enlarged 〈◊〉 owne houses . * th●…rfore * octauius first brought the consulship into his house : q this othe●… a noble and famous mans sonne ▪ brought into his enlarged house , not onely a repulse but also q shame and miserie . for a mans honour is to bee q set out by his house , and not his whole honour sought * from his house : neither is the master to bee q graced by [ his ] house ; but the house is to be q graced by the master . and as in all q things else , a regarde is to be had not onely of a mans owne selfe , but also of others ; so * in the house of a q noble man , into which both many guests are to bee * receiued , and a q number of men of * euery sort [ is ] to bee admitted , q there must be made a prouision for roomth . otherwise , a q large house oft times q prooueth a disgrace to the master q if there bee in it solitarin●…sse , and especially if at any time it was wont to be q well filled by another master . for it is an odious thing , vvhen it is saide of q the passers by : o ancient house , alasse with how q vnbefitting a master art thou gouerned ? al. q which indeed a man may [ truly ] say of many q now a-daies . you must take heed also , q namely if you builde , that you * goe not beyond measure in q sumptuousnesse & * magnificence : in the which kind , ther is q much euill euen in the example . for * very many doe earnestly imitate the doings of princes , especially in this q behalfe : as , who [ doth imitate ] the vertue of lucius lucul . a q singular man ? yet how many haue imitated the q statelinesse of his mannour places ? q whereof yet in very deede a measure is to bee kept , and to bee q reduced vnto * a mediocritie , and that same mediocrity to be referred al. q to the cōmon vse and ornament of life . q but of these hitherto . chap. . here t. desirous to pursue euery point wherein comlinesse may consist , cometh to buildings , for the order and decencie to bee obserued in them . and first , for the house of a prince or an honourable man , he giueth this precept , that althogh for the frame and forme of it , it must be fitted especially according to the end of it , which is chiefly the vse thereof : yet notwithstanding that there must be a due respect had , to the state and comlinesse of it , meet for the place and honour of the owner . this hee sheweth , . by the example of kn. octauius , the first that was consull of that familie : who by reason of a goodly house which he had built in the palace , yet such as was befitting him , is reported , not onely to haue receiued much honour , but also through the concourse of the vulgar sorte to view it , and of other beholders , to haue bin aduanced to the consulship ; being otherwise a man but new ly comne vp . . by another example of scaurus contrarie to this , who building beyonde his est 〈◊〉 ouerthrewe himselfe ther●…y for ●…owsoeuer ●…ee was made by octauius the first consull of h●…s family for it , and was a noble mans son ; yet he brought into his ●…nlarged house together with the consulship , not onely a repul●…e , but also shame and miserie in the end , whē hee was not able to maintaine it . and therefore heer he giueth two rules to this purpose . . that a mans honour is to be set out by his house , and not to bee wholly sought from his house . . that the maister is not to looke to be graced by his house , but his house by him . a second precept for such buildings is this , that a man therein haue regard not only of himself , but also of others . and therefore in great mens houses into which many strangers are to bee receiued , & a great number of all sorts to bee admitted , there must bee speciall prouision for conuenient roome , so as it may bee large enough , and the owner able to main tain the port ▪ that it may euer be wel fild ; for that otherwise a large house may proue a disgrace to the maister if it come to be solitary , especially if it was euer well filled by another maister . this disgrace hee exaggerates by the odious speeches of the passers by , as might be truly verified of many in his daies . a third precept is , that in such buildings a measure be kept for sumptuousnesse and magnificence . because thereby otherwise ariseth much euill , euen by the example . the reason is : for that verie many do earnestly imitate the workes of princes chiefly , in this behalfe , although they neuer regarde their vertues . this he instanceth in l. lucullus a singular man for vertue : yet none imitated him in that ; but verie many in the sumptuousnesse of his man our places . and therefore hee concludeth , that in all these things a measure is to bee kept , and all to bee reduced thereunto : and finally that that same mediocritie is to be referred to the common vse and ornament of life . chap. . three things q to bee obserued in the whole life . q moreouer , in euery action q we vndertake , three things are to bee q obserued . first , that appetite obey reason : then which , nothing is more * meet to preserue dutie . q secondly , that wee consider how great the matter is , which wee desire q to bring to passe ; and that neither * greater nor lesse care & * diligence q be vsed then the cause requireth . a third thing is , that wee take heede , al. q that we moderate those things which appertaine to liberality , by an honest shew and q seemly grace . and the best meane is , to keepe that comelinesse , whereof we spake before ; q & not to goe beyond it . also the chiefe of these three is , q that appetite obey reason . chap. . in this chapter t. setteth downe three things to bee carefully obserued in a mans whole life ; as , much tending to the gracing thereo●… and so of euerie particular action . . that appetite & will euer obey reason ; then which he teacheth that nothing can bee fitter to preserue vs in the way of vertue . . that wee consider wisely of each matter which wee desire to bring to passe ; and so also of a meet diligence for the sure effecting thereof , and neither more nor lesse care then the matter requireth . . that in things which chiefely appertaine to honesty , wee euer moderate all , by retaining a decent shewe and seemely grace according to our place & estate ; and in all things euer to striue to keepe that comlinesse which hath bin taught ; & and not to goe beyond it . finally , he concludeth , that yet of these three this is the chiefe , that appetite euer obey reason . chap. . comelinesse from the place and time . q now wee are to speake of the order of things and opportunity of times : and herein is contayned that q know ledge which the grecians q call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; not this , which we * interpret q moderation , in which worde●… modus [ viz. a mean ] q is comprehended . but this is [ that ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in which is q meant a keeping of order . as therefore wee call the same q discretion is thus defined of the stoicks : that * discretion is q the knowledge of q setting those things which shall bee done or said , in their q proper place . and so it seemeth there will be the same q power of order and q disposing things aright . for thus also they define order , to be q a composing of things in apt and * conuenient places . q and place they say belongeth vnto action , but opportunity vnto time . also * the time conuenient for the doing of any thing [ is called ] in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in latine it is called occasio . so q it is , that this discretion , which wee interpret , as i haue said , is a knowledge of the opportunity of fit q seasons to doe any thing . q yet there may be the same defini●…ion of prudence , whereof wee spake in the beginning . but q in this place we dispute concerning moderation and temperance * and [ other ] vertues like q vnto these . * therefore vvhat were the properties of prudence haue been * shewed in their place . but what * things of these vertues , wherof wee haue q begun to speake , do appertain to q discretion , and q to their liking with whom we liue , are now to be shewed . chap. . here t. about to teach how comlines●…e is to be kept i●… regard both of place & time , viz. in obseruing the right order of doing things , and fi●…test opportunities of times , for the same , sheweth , . that therein is contained that knowledge which the grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , meaning the●…eby not that which the latines expour d●… modesty , viz. moderation , in which word modus , to wit a meane , is compre●…ended ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , viz. discretion , or keeping order . . he teacheth how this is defined by the stoicks , viz. that discretion is a science of setting those things , which are done or said , in their proper place and order . and so maketh it nothing but a facultie of ordering & disposing things aright . because thus they define order also ; that it is a composing of things in apt and conuenient places ; and say that place belongeth to action , but opportunitie to time . . for the time cōuenient for the doing of things , hee first sheweth it by the names ; that it is called in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ in latine o●…casio and then defineth it , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a knowledge of the opprotunities , or fit seasons to doe any thing , also that prudence ( spoken of before ) may be defined after the same maner . to conclude this chapter , he sheweth that heere he speaketh concerning discretion and temperance , and other vertues like vnto them , hauing spoken before of prudence and the properties thereof , in the right place ; and that now he is only to speake of such other vertues , as appertain to modesty , and to gaine the good likeing of them with whom we liue . chap. . what q is decent in euery place and time , and vvhat q not . * svch an order then of our actions is to bee q obserued , q that as in a well framed oration , so in [ our ] life all things bee * apt and agreeable among themselues . for it is a dishonest thing and very faulty , in a q sage matter q to bring in any table talke , or wanton speech . well spake pericles , vvhen he had sophocles the poet q ioyned with him in the pretorship ▪ q and these two were cōmuning about their office ; q as by chance a well fauoured boy passed by , and sophocles had saide , oh faire boy ●… pericles , [ he ] answered : q but sophocles , it becommeth a pretor to haue not onely q continent hands , but eyes also . q now if sophocles had spoken this same q in a place of approbation of wrastlers , hee had q beene free from iust reproofe . so great force there is both of place and time , that if any man , when hee is to plead a cause do q meditate with himselfe in his iourney , or in his walking , or q think of any other thing more seriously , he may not be reproued ; but if he doe q the like at a feast he may be thought vn●…iuil , q for hauing no regarde to the time . howbeit those things which farre dasagree from q all ciuility ( as if any man sing in the q market place , or if there be any other great q disorder ) do * easily appeare , neither doe they greately neede admonition or precepts ; q but vvee are more carefully to shun those faults which seeme to be small , and cannot be perceiued of * many : as , q in stringed or q winde instruments , tho they q iarre neuer so littl●… , yet q it is vsu●…dly obserued of a * skilfull [ man. ] q we are so to carry our selues in our life , q that nothing chance to iarre ; yea and by much more also , q as an harmony of deeds is greater and better then of * sounds . and therefore as q the musicians eares doe perceiue euen the least discords in instruments : so wee ( if wee will be sharpe and * diligent iudges , and * markers of faults ) shall oft vnderstand great things of small ; wee shall easily iudge by the q setting of the eyes , q by either the smooth looking or bending of the browes , by sadnesse , mirth , laughter , speech , silence , q strayning and falling of the voice , and other like things , * which of them is fitly done , which q swerueth from duty and nature . in which kinde it is not * incommodious to iudge by others , q of what sort each of them is : that if any thing bee vndecent in others , wee our selues also may auoid it . for it comes to passe , q i wot not how , that wee see more in others , then in our selues , if any thing bee done amisse . q therefore in learning , [ those scholars ] are very soone corrected , whose faults the masters doe q counterfeit , to the end to amend them . neither indeed is it amisse q to vse the aduice of learned or experienced men , for the choosing of those things , vvhich may bee doubtfull , and to q enquire what liketh them concerning euery kinde of duty . for the greater parte q is vsually wont to be carried thither , whither it is led by q very nature . in which things wee are not onely to consider , what euery one speaketh , but also what euery one * thinketh , and also * for what cause each man thinketh so . for as painters , & q picturers , and also the true poets q are desirous to haue their workes seene of all sorts of men , that if any thing bee q found fault with by many , it may be corrected ; and they doe diligently * enquire both vvith themselues and others , vvhat is * done amisse in it : so very many things are to bee done and left vndone of vs , q according to the iudgement of others , and also changed and q amended . q as for those things that are done q after the custome and ciuill q ordinances , q there is no precept to bee giuen of them : for they are precepts of themselues . neither ought any man to be q caried with this errour , that if socrates or aristippus haue done or spoken any thing against q ciuill order and custome , he shold thinke the same thing to be lawfull for himselfe . for they obtained this * liberty by their great and diuine gifts . but the q fashion of the cynicks is wholly to be reiected . for it is q contrarie to modesty , vvithout which * nothing can be right , nothing honest . q moreouer , we ought to * obserue and to * reuerence them , whose life hath been thorowly tryed in honest and great matters , [ being men ] q hauing a good opinion of the common-wealth , and hauing deserued or deseruing well [ thereof , ] [ and ] q aduanced to any honour or place of gouernment : & also * to giue much vnto olde age . * to giue place to those which q beare office ; q to make a difference betweene a citizen and a stranger ; and also [ to consider ] in the very stranger , whether hee came q of his owne priuate businesse , or about the common-wealths affaires . q in a word ( that i may not intreate of euery particular ) we are bound to loue , maintaine and preserue the common q agreement , and society of all mankinde . chap. . in this chapter t. being to shew what is decent in euerie action , time and place , teacheth , . that such an order is to bee kept in all our actions , that in our whole life , all the parts and euerie thing therein , bee apt both for place and time , & agreeable amongst them selues ; like as in a wel framed oration . and secondly , that of the contrary it is dishonest and verie faultie , to doe that which is vnbeseeming in any action . as for example : if a man in a sage matter , should bring in table talke , or any wanton or idle speech . this he confirmeth by a witty speech of pericles : who when sophocles the poet was ioyned with him in the pretorship , and they two were of a time cōmuning about matters of their office ; as by chance a faire boy passed by , sophocles saide , oh faire boy ! pericles reprehending him , spake thus vnto him again : but sophocles it becommeth a pretour to haue not onely stayed hands , but continent eyes also . now concerning this speech t. sheweth , that if sophocles had vsed it in some other place , as where maisteries are beholden or the like , he had beene free from any iust reproofe : whereas doing it in this place and at this time , hee was iustly reproued , for that ther is such great force of time and place herein . . hee setteth it forth by another example illustrated by a comparison of contraries , thus ; if any man when hee is to pleade a cause , doe meditate of it in his iour●…ie or as he is walking , or doe then think●… more seriously of any other matter , he is not disliked : whereas if he shold doe the like at a feast , hee would bee thought verie vn●…iuill , for hauing no regarde of time or place . . hee teacheth , whereas some disorders are so gros●…e , and so far disagreeing frō all ciuility , as they neede not greatly any admonition or precept , as to sing in the pleading place or the like ; that wee are therefore to shun more carefully those faults which seeme to bee but small , and cannot be perceiued of euery one but only of the wise , for that they are to iudge euen of the least disorder . this he teacheth by a fit similitude taken from musiciās ; who auoid the least iarre in their instruments , because the verie least is easily obserued , of the skilfull : and so wee likewise are to demeane our selues in our whole life , that nothing chance to iarre therein . and that this wee are to doe so much the rather , as an harmony of deeds , is greater and better then a harmony of soūds . then , where as it may bee said , but how shall i come to discerne of these little faults ; hee answereth it by a fit similitude ; that as the musicians eares doe perceiue euen the least discords , in instruments , by a diligent obseruation and cōparing of sounds ; so we , if we will be●… diligent markers & iudges of faults , shall be able to vnderstand euen the least . secondly , he giueth speciall direction how we may iudge by others : viz. by obseruing the fixing of their eyes , the smooth looking or bending of their browes , their dumpishnesse , mirth , laughing , speech , silence , or ouer much lifting vp or falling of their voices , or the like ; so in them to iudge what was don fitly , what otherwise , and then what we haue obserued to bee vndecent in others , to auoide the same in our selues . after , he giueth the reason hereof . because it vsually commeth to passe , that we see more in others then in our selues if any thing be ami●…se , and so do better amend our faults thereby . this he confirmeth by an instance in scholars , who are the eas●…yest corrected , by their masters counterfetting their faults , to let them see the ill fauourednesse of them . . hee directeth what meanes are best , to know what is the fittest in euery kinde of dutie , and so in all doubtfull matters ; viz. to vse the aduice of learned or experienced men herein . because the greater part of men is vsually caried whither they are led by nature . therefore wee are not onely to consider what euery one speaketh ▪ but what he thinketh ▪ & why he thinketh so ; which wise men can giue the best reason o●… and so to vse them chiefly . and that we are to doe herein as painters , pictureres and poets ; who are not only desirus to haue their workes seene of all sorts , that if any thing be generally or iustly disliked , it may bee amended : but also to this ende do diligently inquire , what is amisse in the same . euen so that we are to doe , or leaue vndone many things , according to the iudgement of others , and likewise to change and to amend them . . hee giueth this rule : that in what things we haue customes & ciuill ordinances to follow , we carefully obserue them ; for that they are precepts of thē selues , and so need not to haue any pre cepts giuen of them . and that we are not by any priuate mans ensample , though neuer so wise or of the greatest authoritie , to be drawne to do or speake any thing against ciuill orders and customes ; no not by the ●…nsample of socrates or aristippus . because they might haue that liberty by their great and diuine gifts , which wee cannot haue . yet here hee giueth a caueat , that for the fashion & guise of the cynicks , it is wholly to bee reiected , as contrary to all modestie , without which nothing can be right or honest . lastly , he giueth some fewe other particular directions , concerning this point , and so concludeth : as , . that we ought specially to obserue and reuerence them whose liues haue bin throughly tried in honest and great matters ; chiefly being sound louers of the commonweale , hauing alreadie deserued well of the same , & aduanced to any honour or place of gouernment . . that wee much respect olde age . . that we yeelde & submit our selues to them that are in office . . that wee put a difference between citizens and strangers ; and yet in the very strangers to consider whether they came of their owne priuate busisinesse , or about the affaires of the commonweale : and in a word to looke carefully to this generall , as comprehending many particulars ; that each knowe himselfe bounde to loue , maintaine & preserue the common agreement & societie of all sorts chap. . what q trades , and q what kindes of gaine are base : what contrarily are q honest . now concerning q trades and commodities , which are to bee accounted q honest , which base , q thus commonly wee haue heard ; first , those q kinds of gaines are disallowed q which are odious to all , as [ the gaine ] of q tolefarmers , and vsurers . the gaines also of q all hirelings , q whose labour is bought & not their cunning , are seruile & base . q for in them the very q hire is [ as it were ] the q bond of their q seruitude . they moreouer , are q to be accounted * base , vvho buy of marchants that which q they presently retayle againe . q for these gaine nought , vnlesse they lye q exceedingly . q and indeed there is nothing more dishonest then lying . also all kinde of q handicrafts men q serue in base occupations . neither in truth can the * shoppe haue in it q any thing beseeming a gentle-man ; and in no wise are those trades to bee approoued which be seruers of pleasures ; [ as ] * fishmongers of great fish , butchers , cookes , puddingmakers , fishermen , as , terence speaketh : adde to these , if q you * please , * perfumers , dancers , and all * play at dice. but in vvhat q sciences there is either greater wisedome , or * no small gaine is sought , as physicke , q casting plots for buildings , the learning of q worthy things , these are honest for them * to whose estate they agree . ma●…chandize also , if it be small , is to bee q accounted base : but if it bee great and q abundant , q bringing in from euery side many commodities , & q dispersing the same into many mens hands , without lying , it is not much to bee dispraised . and furthermore , if it beeing * satiate or rather content with gaine , as it hath oft comne from the q sea to the hauen , so [ it shall * betake ] it selfe from the hauen q to lands and possessions , it seemeth * that it may bee commended * by very good right . q for of all things from which any [ gaine ] is q sought , nothing is better then q husbandry : nothing q yeelding greater increase , nothing more q pleasant , nothing meeter for q a free borne man. * cōcerning which , because wee q haue sufficiently spoken q in our book called cato maior [ or de senectute ] from thence you * shall take q whatsoeuer shall appertaine to this place . chap. . t. in this chapter still pursuing this point of comlinesse and honestie , cometh to speake of trades and kindes of commodities ; and teacheth in the first place , what sorts of them are to bee accounted liberall and honest , what base according to the common esteeme of men . and first hee reckneth vp sundry of those kindes which are disallowed as base and odious : as , . the trades and gaines of tolefarmers & vsurers . . the gaines of all sorts of hirelings , whose labours are bought , & not their cunning . because in them their hire is , as it were , the bond of their seruitude . . they who buy of the marchants such commodities , as they presently retaile againe . for that these vsually gaine little or nothing , vnlesse they lie exceedingly : then which he sheweth that nothing is more dishonest . . he teacheth that all kinde of handy-crafts men serue in base occupations ; because that in truth , the shop cannot haue , in it , any thing beseeming an ingenuous or free man. . aboue all other , he accoūteth those trades most base , which are for seruing the pleasures of men : as of fishmongers , butchers , cookes , pudding makers & the like , and more specially perfumers , dancers , and all gaining by dicing and such vnlawfull games . in the second place hee sheweth what arts are to bee accounted liberall and honest . as first , all arts & sciences , wherein there is either greater wisedome required , or no small gain sought : as namely physicke , casting plots for buildings ; and so all maner of learning of honest & worthie matters ; for that these are comly for them , for whose state and degree they are conuenient . . marchandize , which howsoeuer being small , it is accounted but base ; yet if it be great , bringing in commodities from forraine countries , and dispersing the same into many mens hands for the common good , so that it be without lying , is not much to bee dispraised , but rather commended . and especially if the marchant , being thereby sufficiently inriched , shall content himselfe and buy lands & possessions therewith , to settle himselfe thereupon , for the good of his countrie . . of all things from which gaines are sought , he preferreth husbandrie , for that nothing yealdeth greater increase , nothing more pleasant , nothing meeter for a free borne man. but for this matter of husbandrie , hee referreth vs to his booke de senectute , where he hath written of the delight of it at large , that from thence we may learne whatsoeuer wee desire in this behalfe . chap. . of two honest things , whether is the more honest . bvt q i thinke it sufficiently declared , how duties should q bee deriued , from those parts which q belong to honesty . q yet of those same things which are honest , there may fall out oft times a question , and a cōparison q of two honest things , whe ther is the honester : which point is passed ouer of panetius . for wheras all honesty q sprin geth out of four●… q heads , whereof one is of knowledge , another is of q community , the third of * magnanimity , the fourth of * moderation ; it is q of necessitie , that in chusing of dutie , these be oft cōpared amongst themselues . q we think therfore that those duties are more agreeable to nature , which [ are q borrowed ] from q cōmunity , then those which are q fetched from knowledge . and that may bee * confirmed by this argument : because , q if a wise man shall happen on such a life , that hee bee inriched with q abundance of * all things , although hee consider with himselfe with the greatest * leasure , and * beholde all things which are worthy q to bee knowne ; yet if his solitarinesse q should bee so great , that hee q could not * see a man , q hee would wish to bee out of this life . and that wisdome which the greekes * call q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is the princesse of all vertues . q for we take prudence , which the greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to bee another certain thing , which is the knowledge of things to be q desired , and [ things ] q meete to bee eschewed . but that wisedome ( which i named the princesse ) is the q knowledgè of diuine and humane things : wher in is contained the the q community of gods and men , and their society amongst thēselues . [ now ] if * that be the greatest ( * as it is indeede ) q it must needs follow that the dutie which is borrowed from community , is the greatest also . for knowledge and q contemplation of * nature q is after a sort q maymed and imperfect , if no q performance of deeds follow : and that q performāce doth especially appeare , in ▪ defending q mens commodities . it then appertaineth to * the society of mankind ; and for that cause , is to bee preferred before knowledge . and euery q best disposed man doth declare and shew the same thing , q when it comes vnto the point . for who is so q studiously set in q the searching out and knowing the nature of things ; that if q tidings q shold bee brought him of a sodaine , of the perill and hazarde of his countrey , which he might be able to succour and helpe ; although hee were handling and contemplating matters most worthy q to be knowen , would hee not leaue and q cast aside all q these [ studies ; ] yea althogh he thought q that hee vvas able to number the stars , and to measure the greatnesse of the worldes ? q and he would do the very same thing in the cause o●… perill of [ his ] q parents or friends . by which things q wee may plainely gather , q that the duties of iustice which apper taine to the profit of men , then which nothing ought to bee q dearer vnto man , q are to bee preferred before the studies and duties of knowledge . q they moreouer , whose studies and whole life hath beene q spent in the knowledge of things , q haue not yet withdrawne themselues from increasing the profits and commodities of men . for they also haue instructed many , * to the end that they might bee the better citizens , and the more profitable in their common-weales ; as lysias * the pithagorean [ instructed ] * the thebane epaminondas ; plato taught dion * the syracusian , & q many other haue done many moe . and q whatsoeuer benefit wee ourselues haue broght vnto the cōmon-wealth ( if so bee that wee haue brought any thing ) wee haue q attained vnto it , being instructed by teachers , and furnished with learning . q neither doe they onely instruct and teach them that are desirous of learning , while they are aliue and present ; but they attaine the very same thing also , euen after their death by [ their ] monuments of learning . q neither is there any q point q omitted of them , which might q concerne the lawes , customs and * discipline of the commonweal : so that they may seeme to haue imployed their * leasure vnto our affaires . thus they themselues beeing giuen to the studies of learning & wisedome , q do chiefly bestowe al. their wisdome , prudence and vnderstanding , to the cōmodity of men . and for that cause also , it is better to * speake copiously so that it be * wisely , then to q meditate euen most wittily without vtterance ; q for that , meditation serueth onely within ones-selfe , but eloquēce q serueth for the benefit of all those , with whom we beioined in q common society . and as the swarmes of bees q doe cluster together not to this end to make combes , q but beeing swarming by nature they worke their hony combs ; so & much more also , men being * gathered by nature , doe vse their cunning in doing and deuising . therefore vnlesse that vertue which consisteth q in defending men , that is to say , q in maintaining the society of mankinde , q doe meete with the knowlege of things , it may seeme a lone-wandring and barren knowledge and in like manner , greatnesse of courage , separate from humane q society & friēdship , is a certaine * sauagenesse and * vntractable cruelty . so it commeth to passe , that the q accōpanying together of men & common society , far surmounts the study of knowledge . neither is it true which is saide of q some , q that therfore this community & society with men , q is for the necessity of life , because wee could not attaine nor q effect without others , those things which nature might desire . for if so be that all things which appertaine to the food & * furniture of life , were q ministred vnto vs as is were , by the q grace of god , as they say ; then euery one q of a good wit , q omitting all other businesses , would q imploy himselfe wholly in knowledge and science . but it is not so . for he would both fly solitarinesse , and seek a cōpanion of his study ; & q wold both teach and learne , also heare and speake . [ and ] therefore euery dutie which appertaineth q to the maintenance of the neighborhood & society of men , is to be preferred before that duty which q consisteth in knowledge and science . chap. . t. hauing finished the first maine question concerning honesty , to wit , how duty may be deriued from the foure chiefe fountaines thereof , and also whether the thing to be deliberated of be honest or dishonest ; cōmeth now to the second question , arising from the comparing of honest things amongst themselues : viz. of two honest things propounded whether is the more honest : which point hee sheweth as before , to haue bin omitted by panetius . secondly , he giueth the reason heereof : that all honestie springeth from out of these foure foūtaines , viz prudēce , iustice , fortitude , temperance ; that in the making choice of what duties wee are to performe , we vse oft to compare these among them selues . and 〈◊〉 hee teacheth , that those dut●…es are more agreeable to nature which spring from our communitie with others , viz. from iustice , then those which are fetched from prudence ; and so to bee preferred before them . this he confirmeth by sundry argumē●…s from the necessitie of humane societie , from which the duties of iustice doe proceede . which societie he sheweth to be so necessarie , that if a wise man should happen on such a life , that hee should be inriched with all abundance of good things , and should haue both abilitie & leasure enough to contemplate and consider of all things worthy the knowledge of mortall man ; yet if his solitarinesse , should be such that hee could not see a man , hee would wish much rather to die then to liue . secondly , frō that wisedome which is called in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and in latine sapientia , from which these duties of iustice & communitie are likewise deriued : this wisedome he sheweth to bee the princesse of all vertues , and distinct from that which is called in latine prudentia , & in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is defined thus , viz a knowledge of things , meet to bee desired or eschewed : where as this wisedome called sapientia is the knowledg of diuine and humane things , wherin is contained the cōmunity of gods and men , and their societie amongst themselues . whence hee reasoneth thus : if that vertue of wisdom from which these duties proceed be the greatest and as it were the princesse of all vertues , that then these duties flowing frō it must needs be the greatest also . and that they doe proceede hence , hee proueth further ; for that the contemplation and knowledge of nature is maimed and vnperfect , if no performance of deeds follow●… : which performance he declareth to appeare especially in defending the commodities of others , and so appertaineth to the societie of man-kind ; & therfore to bee preferred before meere knowledge . thirdly , he proueth it by the examples of the best disposed men ; who vse to cast aside all duties of getting knowledge , whatsoeuer , that they may helpe their countrie in any extreame perill . for example , he asketh this question , who there is so studiously set in searching out the nature of things , if tidings should be brought him of a suddaine , of some great imminent perill of his countrie , which hee might bee able to preuent ; though he were contemplating matters most worthie of all other to be knowne , which would not yet cast aside all those studies : yea although hee thought hee should bee able by his searching , to number the starres , and to measure the greatnesse of the world . and moreouer , for that hee would not onely doe this for his countrie , but euen in the verie cause of the perill of his parents , or friendes . whence he concludeth euidently againe , that the duties of iustice appertaining to the profit of mankinde , then which nothing can bee dearer vnto vs , are to be preferred before duties of knowledge . fourthly , hee further demonstrateth it by other generall ensamples in this kind . as , first , in that they whose studies and whole life haue bin spent in seeking out the knowledge of things , yet haue not withdrawne themselues from indeuouring to inincrease the commodities of men . as those who haue instructed many , to make them the better citizens , & more profitable to the commonweales . of this sort hee giueth sundrie ensamples : as , . of lysias the pithagorean philosopher , who instructed epaminondas of thebes . . of plato , who taught dion the siracusian , and many other haue done the like . . hee sheweth for himselfe , that whatsoeuer benefit hee had brought to the commonweale ( if he had brought any at all ) he had attained vnto it by beeing himself instructed by teachers , and so furnished with learning . secondly , in that such doe not onely instruct them that are desirous of learning , whilst they are aliue and present with them ; but they also effect the same euen after their death much more effectually , by the monuments of their learning left behinde them . thirdly , in that they omit no point which might concerne the lawes , customes & discipline of the common-weale : so that they may seeme to haue imployed all their leasure for the benefit of posteritie . thus hee sheweth , that they being giuen to the studies of learning , bestowed all their wisedome and vnderstanding for the good of the commonweale , and so did euer preferre duties belonging to the societie of men . fourthly , he prooueth it by this instance ▪ that for this cause alone it is bet ter to speake copiously , so it be wisely , then to meditate most wittily without vtterance . because meditation serueth only within ones selfe , but eloquence serueth for the good of all with whom we conuerse , and many others . fiftly , because wee could not deuise nor effect matters sowel alone as with others . this hee proueth by a fit similitude taken from bees : that as they swarme together , not to the ende to make combs , but being thus swarming by nature doe make their combs more ea●…ily ; euen so and much more also , men being of a sociable nature , do vse their cunning in doing and deuising much the better & more speedily . sixtly , in that know ledge separate from iustice or imployment for the common good , remaineth fruitlesse and barren . and so likewise fortitude or valour separate from humane societie & friendship , viz if it be not vsed for the good of others , is nothing else but sauagenesse & cruelty . whence he concludeth , duties appertaining to the societie of men to bee far greater then the studies of know ledge . lastly , he answereth an obiection of som , who affirmed , that wee vse duties appertaining to societie , for our owne necessitie ( for that wee could not effect nor attain with out others , those things which nature might desire ) & not for the good of others . wherevnto hee answeres ; that if this were true , then if a man had all things necessary for liuing , ministred ( as it were ) by the grace of god , without any labour or helpe of others ; if the same man were of a good wit , hee omitting all other businesse would wholy imploy himselfe in knowledge and science . but he teacheth that this is false ; because euen such a man would still flie solitarinesse , and seeke some companion for his studies , and would desire still both to teach and learne , to heare and speake . and therefore vpon all these groūds he concludeth this point , that euerie dutie which appertaineth to the main tenance of humane societie , is to be preferred before such as consist in knowledge and science . chap. . whether iustice or tēperance be better . q this question may peraduenture be well asked , whether this cōmunity which is q most agreeable to nature , be also euer to be preferred before moderation and q temperance ? q i thinke not so . for there are q som things partly so q dishonest , partly so haynous , that a wise man wold not doe them , no not q for the preseruing of his country . possid . hath gathered many of them together ; but * certain of them so q vile [ & ] so filthy , that they may seme q shamefull euen to be spokē . q these things therefore ought no man to vndertake for the cause of the cōmonweale , neither indeed would the commonweale q haue them vndertakē for her * cause . but this matter q stands so much in better case , for that there q can befall no time , that it should * concerne the commonweal , for a wise man to do any of them . wherfore let this be concluded in chusing of duties , q that such kind of duties excel most , which cōcerne the society of men . for q wise performance will follow knowledge & prudence . so it commeth to passe , that q to performe [ our ] actions considerately , is * of more [ worth ] then q wisely to meditate . q and thereof thus farre . for q this point is sufficiently layd open , that it is not q difficult in the searching out of duty , to * see q what euery one is to preferre . moreouer , in q that very cōmon society , there be degrees of duties , * of which it may bee vnderstood what excelleth euery other : * that the first [ duties ] be due ] to the immortall gods , the * second , to [ our ] country , the third to [ our ] parents , q & so forth by degrees , al. the rest are due q to others . of which things q thus briefly discoursed of , it may bee vnderstood , q how men are wont not onely q to doubt , whether a thing be honest or dishonest , but also q of two honest things q pro pounded , whether is the q honester . this q point ( as i said before ) is q ouerslipped by panetius . but now let vs q proceed to * the rest . chap. . heere ●… . proceedeth to speak of the cōparing of duties ; and first , somewhat in comparing the dutie 's of iustice & temperance , sheweth that this question may chance bee propounded ; whether duties of societie be euer to be preferred before others of moderation & temperance . whereunto he answereth , that hee thinketh not so ; and giueth his reason , for that there are some things partly so dishonest partly so hainous , that a wise man would not doe them , no not for the preseruing of his countrie . of this sort hee sayth , that possidonius hath gathered many : certaine whereof are so odious that they are shamefull to be vttered . now , these hee teacheth that a wise man ought not to vndertake , no not for the cause of the commonweale , neither that indeede the commonweale would haue them vndertaken for her cause . but for these he sheweth that ther cannot befall any time wherein it can concerne the good of the common-weal for a wise man to doe any of thē . and therfore , notwithstanding all these , he concludeth this point concerning the choosing of duties ; that euermore such duties be preferred which concerne the good of others ; and that wise performance of our actions will euer follow knowledge & prudence . whereupon it commeth to passe , that considerately to per forme our actions for the good of others , is more worth thē to meditate wise ly . so he shutteth vp this whole matter as sufficiently layed open , that in the choosing of duties it is not difficult to see what euery one is to preferre . lastly , for the ending of this whole treatise , & the right performance and preferring of duties , hee aduiseth to remēber that which was taught before ; that in the common societie , there are degrees of duties , whereby it may be best vnderstood what duties are especially to be preferred and and performed first and chiefely . as first those which are due to god ; next , such as are due to our countrie ; thirdly , those to our parents , and so the rest according to degrees as they are due to others in order . and thus finally he sheweth , that wee may easily vnderstand by the things handled before , both these questions , whereof men are wont to doubt , viz. first , whether a thing be honest or dishonest ▪ secondly , of two honest things propoūded , whether is the honester ; which was ouerslipped by panetius . and so prepareth himselfe to proceede to that which followeth . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e q [ written or de●…icated ] to [ his ] sonne marcus , of duties . * summe . q [ gathered or set downe ] by d. erasmus . * cicero , his sonne . * giue not himselfe wholly vnto . q simple studie [ or any one kinde of ●…earning ] . q ●…oyne together greek [ studies ] with latin [ studies ] . q the vertues of speech . q science or skill . * and then . q science or skill . * to the intent that he may make him &c * to m●…ke it better . q ch●…fly by two names or cōmendations layeth open most largely [ or most w●…de ] to euery respect [ viz. part or purpose ] of life . q ch●…fly by two names or cōmendations layeth open most largely [ or most w●…de ] to euery respect [ viz. part or purpose ] of life . q this one is comm●…n to ●…ll philosophers amongst themselues . q he witnesseth himselfe to follow the sto●…ks chiefly in this disputa●…iō . q appointed the very b●…st , the end or limit of &c. q vnto which ●… end . * election or difference . q ouerturned also . * the very nature of dutie . * albeit q behooueth or is meet for you q hearing . q athens a famous citie & vniuersity in greece ▪ q to abounde or flowe . * rules and instructions or lessons . q chiefe . * reader cratippus , viz. your teacher . q of which the one ▪ q increase or furnish you . q the other viz. the citie may store you with , &c. q haue ioyned together . alwaies latin to greeke for my profit . q exercise of speaking [ eloquently ] or practice of pleading . q exercise of speaking [ eloquently ] or practice of pleading . q i think the same to be don of you . * equall . * skill or knowledge . q to which thing indeed . q do seeme or are thought . * furtherance . q men . q rude or vnskilfull of greek letters or learning . * that they themselues haue gotten something , q both to speake [ 〈◊〉 ] and also to iudge . q prince . * time . * please . q shall owe to will or be willing . * increase in learning . q you reading q our works [ or writings . ] * greatly . q disagreeing . * philosophers of aristotles ●…ect . * we both desire . * followers both of socrates and plato , who was aristotles schoolmaster and socrates schollar . q do as you think good . q i hinder nothing . q but you . q speech . q full or copious . q our writings . q verily . q to be thought [ or deemed ] spoken proudly or vauntingly . q granting [ or giuing place ] to many the skill of playing the philosopher . * take vpon me that . q is the property of an oratour . * fitly or properly . q finely . q consumed . [ my ] age . q i seeme to challenge it as by mine own right , in some manner . * wh●…refore . q i exhort you verie greatly . q studio●…sly or diligen●…ly . q my cicero . q haue equalized themselues almost o●… wel-n●…ere vnto those . viz. are become so many as the other . q power of speech . q in those [ orations . ] q equall of one ●…ort . q temperate or meane , viz. not too lofty nor too base . * ado●…ned or practised . q truly i see that to haue happened as y●…t to none of the ●…recians q in either kind q that kinde of speaking belonging to the pleading place or the bar . q quiet . q disputing or reasoning . q had or reckoned . * a sharp disputant . q an orator smally [ or nothing ] vehement . * pleasant . * theophrastus-his scholar . q let it be the iudgement of others . q i truly do iudge also plato to haue been able to speak most grau●…ly and most copiously , if he would haue ●…ndled [ or followed ] that lawyer like kind of speaking . * with great variety of words . q demosthenes t●… haue been able to doe ●…rimly and glitteringly [ or notably ] . q had beene willing to pronounce them . q also i iudge after the same manner . q both of whom . * course . q when as . * decreed or appointed . q been most willing . q to make my entrance from that . q apt . q weighty , or of most importance , or most beseeming . q for whereas many things in philosophy both weightie , & profitable , are disputed . q accurrately , or very curiously * at large . q deliuered by them and giuen in precepts . q to lye open [ or reach the furthest ] q common matters . * belonging to a mans selfe , or some few . * common pleas where matters are pleaded for all sorts , or the iudgement hall. * common pleas where matters are pleaded for all sorts , or the iudgment hall. * common pleas where matters are pleaded for all sorts , or the iudgment hall. q matters at home q my thing with or by your selfe . q contract [ or make bargaine ] . q is set . * practicing or exercising it . q filthines or ●…hame . q of . q in no precepts of dutie to be giuen , or being deliuered . q disciplines [ viz. sects of philosophers ] . * ouerturne . q ends [ or limits ] of good things and euill . q agreeable to * be very like himselfe . q not ouercomne sometimes . * of his nature . q loue , vse or exercise . * bounty . q iudging . q determining or setting downe . q in readinesse , or euident . * not further debating . * debated . q of vs. q disciplines . * vnlesse they will 〈◊〉 from , themselues . q neither any precepts of duty can be ●…et downe [ as ] firme , stable , &c. * sure . q conioyned or coupled . q of them . q say . q honesty to bee most earnestly desired for it selfe . q that doctrine [ or the right of giuing precepts ] of dutie , doth p●…oly belong . q proper of . * hissed out of the schooles . q should haue . q right or due . q disputing . * matters . q be . q therefore truly wee doe follow chiefely the stoiks at this time , and in this question . * expounders or translaters . * accustomed . q shall seem good by any meanes . q in our iudgement and arbitrement [ or opinion ] q it pleaseth [ or liketh ] therefore . q all my disputation [ or the whole dispute following ] q concerning duty . * describe or set downe . q before . * wonder . q to haue beene omitted of panetius . q institution or booke of giuing precepts . q of any . * taken in hand . q from reason . viz by an orderly course . q come or proceede from a definition . * concerning which the discourse is . q disputed or intreated . q word , tearme denomination . q simple : v●…z . of one kinde onely . q in the general , or according to the generall . q being twofold in deed . q indeed or in effect . q of . q sentence . * the one kind . q agreee to or belong . q except or saue onely . q the other is a middle duty or begun . q taken or done to to some necessarie purpose . q to restore aright . q is of a perfect duty , or a property or part of &c. * to restore , but not aright . q [ is ] of . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect [ duty ] . * si●…h that . * as right and honesty requires . q but. q done . q counsels or aduice , viz. of our selues , without command or inforcement . q those [ duties . ] * onely according to the commandement of others or lawes . q [ to be ] of &c. q ●…mploy , gouern or order * may belong to . q duty begun . q appertaineth to the perfect . * all the question . q is double [ or of two sorts . * determinat , one of good . q the other [ kinde ] is . * is placed . q the vse of life may bee confirmed into all parts . q examples of the former kinde are of this sort ▪ or there are such like examples of , &c. q and which are of the same kinde . q of what duties precepts are deliuered * the attaining of the greatest good . q to belong rather to ●…e institution [ or orderin●… ] of the common life . q it is to bee expressed of vs. * intreate . q and also there is another diuision of duty . * meane . q right . q but they call this common office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * meane or common . * that is a middle duty . q which wherefore it is done , &c. q way of deliberaliberating [ or aduising ] in chusing things . q therefore there is a triple [ or threefold ] aduisēent [ or maner of aduising ] in taking counsell , as it seemeth to panetius . q falleth into deliberation , or commeth to be considered of [ or to bee weighed . ] q sentences . q and then or in the next place . * search out or advise . q riches and store or abundance . q by which things . q their friends . q into the respect . * be contrary to honestie . * of the other side , q recall . * haled to and fro . q deliberating or aduising . q doubtfull . * studie . q thinking or deliberating . q passe by . * ouer●…lipped . q for neither are wont to deliberate onely , &c. q two honest things being propounded . q what reason [ or manner of aduising ] he thought to be &c. q to owe , or that ●…t ought . q wee must dispute . q by a like reason , or as many waies . q afterwards . q comparison of them . q tully doth teach in this chapter according to the sentence of &c. q mention this only to be to liue blessedly . q added . q by which , industrie and vse comming thereunto . * whereunto . * first . * giuen . q study or earnest desire . q that is . q an appetite is following . q friendly to safety . * an avoiding . q nature hath added * soule . * force or abilitie . q whole or all . q arts or sciences . q goe or come . * in the beginning or first of all * each creature should saue it selfe . * auoide or flie from . * to preserue life . q as dens or hiding places . q other . q appetite . q coniunction , copulation or ingendering . * breeding . q common thing of all . * loue . * creatures . q pro●…reated or brought forth . q doth differ chiefly q because this . q applieth . * that which is past . * indued with reason o●… vnderstanding . q things that follow , or consequents or sequels . * he . q also he is not ignorant . q progresses . q foregoings or forerunners . q similitudes or semblances . q to . * considereth or obserueth . q to rule or gouern it . q to the liuing of it . q and. q reconcile or gain . * power . q both to a fellowship of speech and a fellowship of life . q first of all . q chiefe . q procreated . q a company . q celebrated or gathered by many together . q obey themselues . q minister sufficiently . q to cloathing and food or liuing . q wife . * whom it hath deare and ought to defend q also doth stir vp the mindes . q greater to manage their affaires . * is a speciall or chiefe property of man. q of man. * void of necessarie q couet . * somewhat . al. cogitation . * secret . * wonderous . * to a blessed life . q of which it i●… gathered , that what is true . &c. * pure . q that to be . q there is adioyned to this . q earnest longing for . q couetous desire . * espying or finding out . * framed of nature . q instructing . q [ a man ] q commanding . q for the cause of [ his ] commoditie , wherein standeth . * ariseth . q humane things . * that . * force . q becommeth . * what measure [ is to be obserued ] in de●…ds and words . * beauty , grace . q conuenience or agreement . q similitude or proportion . q transporting . q fairenesse or beautie . * steadfastnesse . q also to be kept . q bewareth or taketh heed . q lest 〈◊〉 doe any thing . q womanishly . q do not nor thinke any thing . * imagine . * sensually . q and. q honest thing . * framed . q made noble . * que for enim . q it to be laudable . q you see indeed . q admirable loues . * chiefe or cardinall vertues . q of the common life , or belonging to life . q flowe abroad or proceede . q fortitude . q all which is honest . * euery part or dutie of honesty . q ariseth out of som [ part ] of the foure parts . * branches or heads q occupied or conuersant . q full perceiuing or in●…ght , o●… searching out . q cunning or policie . * fellowship . * euerie bodie his right . q faithfulnesse of things contracted ; viz faithfull dealing in all maner of couenants . q strength or worth q high and inconquerable minde . q and which are spoken . q in which is in . * moderation or discretion . q tied or linked , knit * folden one within another . q certaine kindes * spring or proceed . q is in , viz. issueth out . q inuention . q office or work . q most of all or especially . q he that can . q expresse or render q to be reputed worthily . * is the subiect thereof . q conuersant or occupied . * assigned or are the subiect . q in which the action of life is contained . q coniunction . * appeare . q riches or wealth * his [ friends ] q stead fastnesse , keeping of a measure . * added . q tossing or exercising . q adding or keeping measure . q handled or medled with . * keepe . q princesse or principall . q followed . q and or but. * chiefe heads or common places . q force or strength q touch chiefly . q the humane nature or mans nature q we all are drawne q science . q in which to excell we account it , &c. q passe others . q but we account it both euill & dishonest , &c. q an euill thing . q both naturall . q vices . * must be shunned . q haue not or account not . * which we knowe not , as though wee knewe them . q assent vnto them rashly . q flie from . q and. * to desire . q shall adde . * leasure . q matters to bee considered . q there is another fault . q confer , or bestow . q much diligence . q vpon things obscure , &c. viz. in darke and ha●…d matters . q same [ things . ] q nothing necessarie , or needlesse . q shunned or eschewed . q what , &c. q put . q it , the 〈◊〉 . q pra●…led by right . q as we haue heard ●… . sulpit●…s [ to haue trauel●…ed much o●… been verie excellent ] in astrologie . q conuersant or occupied . q tracing or finding out . * through the. q doing things , or following necessarie businesse . q all the commendation . q in doing or performing good duties . q an intermission is made , or may be . q many returnes are giuen . q many returnes are giuen . * vnto the former studies . q and also the tossing . * ceaseth . q keepe vs. q thinking or contemplation . q labour . q thought and mouing . q is conuersant . q consulting . q concerning honest things . * to the good and blessed life . q and indeed . q three other vertues . q that reason [ or consideration ] doth extend it selfe most largely . q wherein there is conta●…ned the societie , &c. q in which . q splendour . * whereof . q ●…re named . * bountifulnesse . q to this . q it is lawful to call . * gentlenesse . q first . q not any man hurt any one . q wrong . * the next , or secondly . * his owne , peculiar for himselfe , or priuate . q but no. * possession or tenure . * waste grounds or places without inhabitant . q obtained in warre . q of which it is don . q field called arpinas . * accounted the arpinatians [ field ] thusculan , of the thusculanes . q field called arpinas . * setting out . q like . q like . * sith that q had bin . * the owne of euery one . * enioy . * chanced . q to euerie one or to himselfe . * befallen him . * breake . * of fellowship amongst men . q of plato . * onely . q que for enim . * claime . q our parents [ clayme ] a part . * as the stoiks hlode . * that all . * are created . q begotten . * for mans cause . q some may profit others . * benefit or helpe . q in this . * we are bound . q a leader . q to bring into the midst . q receiuing . * knit . q fellowship of men amongst men . q fidelitie or faithfull dealing . al and faithfulnesse is the foundation of iustice. * all agreements . * more difficult . q studiously . q belieue . * that faithfulnesse is named thereof . q that which was said is done . * performed . q [ tullie teacheth that there are ] two kindes of , &c. * two kindes of . q may arise or be deriued . * belongeth . q bring in or doe iniurie . * put or driue away * choler . * perturbation . q to bring violent hands to his fellow . * doth not defend no●… 〈◊〉 iniurie to be don to others q for the cause of h●…rting . q come or proceed . q thinketh . * that except . q shall incur some damage . q affected or touched . q some . q attempt . * iniurie . q haue coueted or earnestly desired . q which vice . q lie open or extend it selfe most largely . q a greater courage or stomacke . q belongeth or hath a respect . q gratifying . q riches . q that any money or any summe of money was sufficient , &c. q with the fruits [ or increase ] whereof . * if he were not able to maintaine an ar●…ie with his reuenew . q nourish . q also . q preparations . q tricking or adorning . * finenesse . * meanes . q it is effected . q should be . q amplifying or inc●…rease of the goods of a mans family . q fled or shunned . q very many . q brought especially . q that a forgetfulnesse of iustice should take them . q haue or shall fall . q honours . q sacred fellowship . * reacheth further . q of that sort . * be cheefe . * therein falleth out for most part so great contention . q is made or happeneth . * storme raised of late by caius cesar , &c. q peruerted or turned topsie turuie . * the lawes of god and man. * for the cause of that principalitie q opinion . * stoutest stomacks or brauest mindes . q it is to be looked to . q lest it be any thing offended in that kinde or behalfe . q it verie much concerneth . * wrong . q any perturbation , or vpon a hotte blood as it is called . q to a time . * of set purpose or consultation . q things . * easier . q befall . q motion or passion . * deuised & thoght of b●…fore . * p●…epared for . * enough hath bin spoken . q bringing in or offering iniurie . q spring or growe . q and. q moe . q ●…termitting . * to defend one another . q forsaking . q they will not . q to take vpon them or vndergoe . q enmities or ill will. q cost . q slugg●…shnesse ▪ ignorance or cowa●…d linesse . q occupations . * helplesse . q to saue harmeless . q therefore we must looke . q lest it be not sufficient . q in plato concerning the philosophers . q [ them ] to be iust therfore . q conuersant or exercised . q tracing or searching out of the truth . q depise . q account for nothing or make no reckning of . q most part of men * greedily seeke after . q cōcerning which ▪ q to fight with swords , contend or braul●… . q offering iniurie . q letted by a desire of getting learning q in truth he thinketh . q them not about to come to the commonweale , or to intermeddle in . q but compelled or inforced , or were they not compeld . * more reason that it should be done . q with good will , without constraint . q well done . q that same is iust to ▪ if it be done voluntarily . * loue . * looking to their houshold affaires . q by a certaine hate or some grudge . q themselues to do , or to follow . q themselues to do , or to follow . q may be thought . * fellowship . q nothing of study , nothing of labour , nothing of substance . q because therefore after we haue declared the two kindes of iniustice . q either kinde . q to iudge easily . * loue or flatter our selues too much . q it is hard to take care of other mens matters . q terentian chremes. q thinketh nothing to be strange to him of that which appertaineth to man. * estranged from . q but yet . q evther prosperous or crosse . q befall * as ye would say . q commaunde or teach well . q equitie it selfe . * is apparant . q by it selfe . q declareth . q a cogitation of in●…urie . * that duties are . q for circumstances q officious . q it be departed . q apex is taken for the highest top of any thing ; heere for ●…ice quiddities or extremities of law . * seasons . q fall out often . q worthy of . * become cleane otherwise . q as , it may be iust , &c. q furious . q it becommeth . q [ them ] to be referred . * that hurt be done to no man. * next . q it be serued to the common profit , viz. that the cōmon commoditie be preferred . q duty is changed when as &c. * remaines not . q the same q for some promise may fall out and couenant . q that it may be vnprofitable to be effected . * that . * reported in stories . * performed . * see the marginall note in the latine bookes . q depriued . * boones . q he being angry . * asked . * for the death . q the greatest mourning . q neither those promises are . * fulfilled . q promised . q profit . * made the promises . * that the greater losse should be . * harme . q put before or preferred to the lesse . q shall appoint or promise . * that you will come to be an aduocate or counsellour to speake for another in his matter which is in hand . q doe . * promised . q it was promised . q depart . q complaine himselfe to be left destitue . q not to be stoode to , or that we are not to stand to , or that it is not meet to &c. q any man. * most of which things . q most of them are freed . q most of them are freed . * chancery or court of conscience . q lawes , or statute-lawes . q equity is to be looked to in law matters . q offices or matters . q also wrongs are oft times . q but. q naughty or wrested misconstruing . q the chiefest or vtmost , or the vigour of lawe . q chiefe . * made . q worne . q speech or communication . q in the common-weale . q league of peace . q truce of a hundreth and thirtie daies were couenāted with the enemy q destroyed , wasted or ouer●…anne . q fields by night . q the truce of daies and not of nights were couenanted q neither truly . q ou●…s . q allowed of . q quintus fabius q giuen . * vmpire or daies-man . q to the nolanes . * and them of naples . * about . q to haue spoken with either of them seuerally . * greedily . q set backe or retire * encroche one vpon another . * which when either of them had done . * there was a parcell of ground , &c. set out or bounded . al on both sides . * yeelded . * eschewed . q thing , or case . * in reuenge and chastisement . * wot not . q him who began to repent of his iniury . q prouoked . q any like thing . q the warres . q matters required or challenged , viz. the things which they who begin , would require . * we vse no cruelty q couenants . * mercifully or curteously . q also . q warre . q preserued in any wise . q disputing or debating the matter . * violence . q proper . q is . q truly . q vndertaken . * to this end and purpose . q that . q it may liued [ of vs. ] * they ought to be saued . q bin cruell in war. q fierce , sauage or outragious . q equies . q tooke away [ or spoiled ] vtterly . q i would not co●…inth . q i belieue them to haue followed the opportunity of the place especially . q prouoke them to make warre . q truly in my opinion . q we are alwaie to consult for peace . q which shall haue no deceipt . q if it had been obeyed vnto me , or if i had bin obeyed . q best [ common-weale . ] q it is to be prouided for them . q haue ouercomne . q then they who their weapons being laide away fly to the fidelitie of the emperours . q aries , is an engine called a ram : which serued in warre to beate downe walls . q smitton downe . q in which thing . q so verie greatly . q at or with ours * vnto their fidelitie . q ouercome , subdued . q of them , viz. of those cities and nations . * after the manner . q truly . q equitie . * set downe . * sincerely . q law of the heralds who were to proclame warre . q of which . q no war to be iust . q done . q things being first claymed . q denounced solemly or published . q the emperour . q the sonne of cato , a nouice . q did play the souldier . q but. q seemed good to . q send away or discharge . q legion of souldiers . q of fighting . q should suffer . q tarry . q binde him by a second oath of warfare . q the former [ oath ] being lost , hee might not fight by right &c. q chiefe obseruation they had . q mouing or managing their warre . q an epistle [ extant ] q being an olde man. q himselfe to haue heard . q him to haue bin dismissed . q whenas he was a souldier . q admonisheth him to . * take heede . q into the battel . * that it was lawful . * a sworne souldier . q in good truth do obserue . q that . q who was a stubborne enemy by a proper name or by a proprietie of speech . * an open enemy . q a souldier or man of war. q sorowfulnesse . * matter . * amongst . * in these words , aut , &c. q gentlenesse or moderation . q soft or milde . * wage warre . q long continuance * odious . q hath . * standeth . q remained properly * in him , viz. stands for &c. q 〈◊〉 armour of the contrary part . q but. q it is contended , viz. the contētion is q concerning empire , viz. about gouerning or ruling , who shall rule . q the causes to be the same altogether which i said a little before , to be the iust causes of war. q to which . q empire or bearing rule . q lesse bitterly . q ciuilly . * if it bee against an enemie : otherwise if against a competi●… . * a ●…uter against vs. q the strife of honour & dignitie is with the one . q of the head . * waged . q bee . q war was holden with the ●…atines . q pe●…os . q it was foughten . q 〈◊〉 , viz. who should beate rule . q penes . q that indeed is , &c. q a worthy sentence or speeche . q concerning captiues to be restored . q to my selfe . * summe of mony or hire . q playing the hu●…sters with war. q making war. q making war. q trie out or fight for our life . q iron . q the mistresse will haue it , &c. q or what fortune may bring . q vertue . q speech . q the vertue of whom . q shall be spared . q account it for a guift . q it is determined , me to spare . q and i giue it , with the great gods willing . q truly a rega●…l [ or kingly ] sentence , and worthy the stocke of the eacidanes . see the margent latin. q and also if euerie one by themselues . q and also if euerie one by themselues . q led or drawne by the times , viz. vpon such extremities . q fidelitie is to be kept in the same verie thing . * war of carthage q had bin sent . q concerning the interchanging . q himself to return . q as he came . q he thought not in the senate , the prisoners to be restored . * he should haue bin retained or stopped of his . q chused rather . q deceiue or frustrate his fidelity . q the cannas battel or fielde , viz. battel fought the●…e . q left in the common treasure , or to pay to the cōmon treasure , or disfranchiled & put from their freedome to pay as strangers . verb. which ten annibal sent to rome bounde with an oth themselues to returne , except they had obtained concerning the redeeming of those which were taken ; the censor●… left them all in fines [ or to pay yeerely fines ] who had fors●…orne , so long as any of them liued . q left in the common treasure , or to pay to the cōmon treasure , or disfranchiled & put from their freedome to pay as strangers . verb. which ten annibal sent to rome bounde with an oth themselues to returne , except they had obtained concerning the redeeming of those which were taken ; the censor●… left them all in fines [ or to pay yeerely fines ] who had fors●…orne , so long as any of them liued . q nor lesse [ or and no lesse ] him who had found a fault by the decerning of his oth . q gone out by annibals licence . * within a little while after . q because . q himselfe to haue forgotten . * discharged of his oth . q you ought to thinke in fidelitie [ or giuing your faithfull word ] q haue meant [ or ought to haue meant . ] * most notable example . q is constituted or appointed . * a traitor hauing run away from pyrrhus . q himselfe to giue poison to the king , [ or to poison the king . ] q he , or the senate . * by treacherie or wickednesse . q the death . * of his owne accord . q it is spoken . q warlike or warfaring or militarie duties . q the lowest men , viz. the meanest . q fortune . q seruants . q hirelings or mercenarie . q exact . q performe iust things vnto them q giue precepts amisse . q but. * is . * violence . * fraude . * the property of the fox . q alienated or 〈◊〉 ged from man. * deserueth . q more worthy grieuous punishment or more hainous . * so handle the matter . q concerning iustice enough is said . q knit . q teacheth three things to be looked vnto chiefly . q others . * would giue . * vse . q for the measure of our substance . q to [ men ] being commendable or praise worthie . q prosecute vs in honest good will , q some band of societie doth come betweene to vs or pas●…e between vs. q measured backe . q chiefe fountaine or spring . q how much . * carefully . q let it be spoken furthermore , as it was purposed , of bountie and liberalitie . q determined . * beseeming or agreeable to . q but. q 〈◊〉 . q see . q lest our bountie . q those themselues to whom it shall seeme to bee done bountifully . * afterwards . q liberalitie . q greater then our substance . q then. * must be applied . q to will or desire pleasure . q iudged . q pestilent . q who . q others . q doe fall into . * for there are : autem for enim . q and [ those ] indeede . * forceablely take . * giue vainely . q their owne . * any way . q we must see therefore that . q no body . q of l. syll●… . q translating . q money . q lords or maister●… * others . q liberall . q which same . q the other place of caution was , or the second caution . * liberalitie . q greater . q bountifull . q substance . * that . q neighbours or kinsmen , next any way . q for what riches it were more equall , &c. q fremfolkes . q to their kinsfolks . q taking away . q that store may abounde . q giue prodigally . q we may also see . q the most part . q glory . q come . q good will. q dissembling , a neerer neighbour . q thing propounded . q choice . q dignitie . q shall be looked vnto . q minde or good will. q conferred . q good turnes , or seruices or duties . q to our profit . q a thing to be wished . q meet together , that all which may concur it is to be wished . q maners to be looked vnto . q reason . * patterne or resemblance . q it is liued , leade our life . * throughly or absolutely wise . q those . q it is done verie well . * if they be . q thinke . q vnderstoode . q no man to be despised . q signification , or shewe . q and euerie one to be so honoured especially . q chiefely adorned * moderation . q wee haue spoken much before . q a valiant minde and great . * spirit . q not perfect nor wise . * viz. modestie , temperance and iustice . q touch . * how we are to consider . * esteemed . q and. * beareth . q let vs iudge q guise or fashion . q feruency . * assurednesse and steadfastnesse . q if there shall be deserts . q fauour is not to bee gone into or to besought , but to be requited . q added . * for . * thankfulnesse . * thankfulnesse . q receiued to vse or occupy . q greater . q benefit . * fruitfull . q doubt not . q profit vs. q what ones . q giuing . q whether we will giue or no is in our owne power , choice q not to restore is not lawfull for a good man. q choises . q to each greatest , or who hath done vs the greatest kindenesse . * considered . q euery one . * doth it . * of or through . q rashnesse . q iudgement , reason q stirred vp by force of minde . * rushing . * kindenesses . q deferred or giuen q considerately . * gratifying any . q alike . q this is chiefly of duty . q euerie one . q especially . * aide . q by the most . * contrariwise . q from whome . q of these things * respect him . * chiefly . q ioyning together o●… familiari●…e . q fellowship , loue . q preserued best . q each , or any one . q most liberalitie shall be bestowed on him . * kindnesse . q to repeate more deepely . q beginnings of . * first things or principles of nature q the fellowship of man. q the first [ principle . ] * appeareth . q winneth one man to another . q communicating . q disputing . q are we further away in any thing . * sauage . q strength to be i●… ▪ q iustice , equity , or goodnesse to be in them . q societie . q this is the largest spreading fellowship . * amongst themselues . * giuen or afforded . q described . * kept . q of which same things . q to owe to be . q and. q of men . q applied . q light . q of his light . q kindle it to him . * that one precept is sufficient . * losse or hurt . q it . q euen vnknowne . q those things are common . q the running water to any . q to one deliberating . q troublesome or burdensome . * doe something to further the common commoditie q of euerie one by himselfe . q riches . q these riches . * which ennius speaketh of . q may shine to him selfe . * for to leaue that endlesse number . q countrie or people . q tongue . q by which . q chiefly . q inward . * one . q for there are many things common to citizens among themselues . q place where the court is kept or the market . q temples . q porches or galleries . q waies . q rights . q besides . q reasons [ couenants or dealings ] contracted . q sundry . q a straighter binding together or neerer . * infinite or innumerable . q it is shut vp into verie little and streight [ place . ] q sith . q of all liuing creatures . q a lust of procreation , breeding or ingendring . q in wedlocke it selfe . q and then . q to which . q that . q beginning . q seminarie . q coniunctions or societies of brethren do follow . q cosin germanes , viz. brethren and sisters children . q taken or holden . q newe townes . q mariages . q affinities . q moe . * spring . * multiplication . q issue or ofspring . * felowship or matching of bloods . * bindeth . q holy rites . q sepulchers , or places of buriall common . q more excellent . * sure or stable . q maners . q conioyned . q spoken of . * allureth vs. * to be friendly . q be in , or to dwell . * euery vertue , or all kinde of vertues . * her . q maketh that we loue them . q effecteth it . q to be in , viz. dwell or harbour . q especially . * and indeed . q more amiable . q more coupling together . q similitude of good maners . q like studies . q wills . q it is done in these . q that each is delighted equally with , &c. q is effected or commeth to passe . q willeth . q one be made of many . q communitie of fellowship , or societies q is made of . q benefits or good turnes . q taken . q which kindnesses . * common from one to another , and such as pleasure one another . q those [ kindnesses ] are . q tied in fast fellowship . q viewed or perused . q reason and minde q there is none of all societies . q which is to euery one of vs. q [ our ] parents [ are ] deare , [ our ] children [ are ] dear . q [ our ] kinsfolkes & familiar [ friends ] [ are ] deare . q can or would . q to ofter himselfe to death willingly , or to die . q profit the same . q by which [ or by how much . ] q more detestable q torne in peeces , rende their country in sunder . q all horrible wickednesse . q in blotting it out [ or destroying it ] vtterly . see heere the pouder traitors & all of that bloody faction . q any contention and comparison bee made . q most or duty ought to be giuen . q principall . q by the benefits of whom wee are bounde chiefly . al next our children and our whole house . q looketh to vs and can haue no other refuge . q and then . q with whom for most part a cōmon fortune . * comforts . q life & commonnesse of table . * communications * comfortings . q sometimes . q do florish especially . q that is the most pleasant friendship . q the similitude of maners . q yoked together . q it behooueth the duties of liberalitie to be looked vnto not onely , &c. q from . q distributing or performing al these q it is to be seen . * needfull . q can attaine or cannot . * must not be alike to the degrees of times . al. and there are duties . q due rather . q getting . q controuersie in iudgement . q warily looked vnto . q exercise . q is to be taken . * able to giue vp a good account . q reckners . q what may be the summe of the rest or remainder . q you may vnderstand , viz. a man may vnderstand . q perceiued [ or attained ] the precepts q praise . q exercise . * obseruing . q set downe or deliuered . q may doe them q but. q greatnesse or difficulty . q and we haue said almost enough . q ariseth or cometh q drawn or fetched . q right of mans fellowship . q valiantnesse of courage , nobleness of stomacke or fortitude . q doth come from . q amplitude or greatnesse . q going to [ or attempting ] peril 's . q going about . q there is to this at the right [ hand . ] q foolish hardinesse or ouer●…entrous bouldnesse . q 〈◊〉 . q proud presumption . q confidence [ or presumption . ] q frowardnesse . q cruelty or tyranny q an immoderate desire of honour . q timorousnesse . q slothfulnesse . q blockishnesse . q that . q that . * practised . * martiall business or matters of warre or chiualrie . q cicero . q disputeth . q slee . q that to seem most bright , or most glorious . q done . q haughty courage . q humane things . q especially in readinesse . q reproachfull speeches . q doe beare . q womanlike mindes . q maid . * thou giuest . q wot . * noble . q both . * discourse . q the scipioes . * hath the commendation to excel . * valorousnesse or noblenesse . q warlike . * their images of honour set vp or statues . q in military attire , or the attire of souldiers . q valour or manhood . q to lose . q the name of fortitude . q mind or courage . q labours . q want of iustice . * good . q the owne commodities [ or a mans priuate gain ] * is in fault [ or is to bereckoned faulty ] q not the propertie of vertue . q fiercenesse . q repelling all humanitie . q valour therefore . q it to be a vertue . * contending . * in defence of equitie . q wilie traines and naughtie dealing . q that therefore of plato is worthy . q remoued . q craftinesse . q prepared . q inforced or thrust forward . q by the own couetousnesse or desire of gaine . q profit . q rash or lewde hardinesse . q manhood . q valiant and noble minded men . q simple . q friends . q of the middle praise of iustice q this * very soone . q obstinacie . q as it is in plato . q prince . q to be alone . q you shall earnestly desire . q to excell all . * belongeth properly . * abide that they should be ouercomn or bridled . q by any publike & lawfull right . q giuers of great gifts . q makers of factions . q but by how much that is more difficult , by so much [ it is ] more famous . * season . q to want . q not who doe , but who driue away iniurie . q to be put . q himselfe to be chiefe . q himselfe to be chiefe . q whoso . q errour . q vnskilfull multitude . q he is not . q in great men . q inforced or eged on . q doings . q which is indeed a very slippery place q labours being vndertaken and perils gone into or a●…chiued . q magnanimity . q prosperous and aduerse things . q performing hard matters . q altogether . q contempt . q it is perswaded to a man. q a man to owe to admire , wish or to desire earnestly nothing but that , &c. q and to yeeld to none , neither man. q no. q passion or affection . q affected ▪ q doe . q matters . q vehemently . * to life do belong . q splendour or shining brightness . q dignitie . q also . * stands ▪ q that is [ or consists ] therein . q and despising worldly vanities . q same thing . q is seene . q perturbation or vexation of minde . q account small , or make small reckoning of . q picked out , or most notable or choise . q very famous . * steadfast . q firme reason . q which being many and diuers are conuersant [ or fall out . ] q fortune [ or condition ] of men . q that you depart nothing . q state . q nothing from . q agreeable or likely . q him to be broken q couetous desire . q broken . q him to be ouercomn of pleasure . q i●…uincible . q by labour . q shunned . q fled . q for nothing is of ●…o strict and little a courage . q nothing honest q commendable . q magnificent . q contemne . q imploy it vnto . q libertie . q to couragious men . q neither verely [ are ] empires to be earnestly desired , & rather not to be receiued sometimes , or now and then to be layed downe . * passion or disquietnesse of minde . q sicknesse of mind . q pleasure of mind . q that quietnesse of minde may be preserued and voidness of care . q stedfastnesse and also dignitie . q quietnesse . q remooued . * common affaires q fled or got themselues away . q idlenesse , quietnesse or ease . q in these . q and far the princes or chiefe . q others also constant or vpright . q beare . q princes . q some of them . q fields or desert places , or the fielden countrie . q matter belonging to their family or priuate businesse . q the same thing hath bin propounded to these which also [ hath bin ] to kings . q that they might not obey any man , that they might vse liberty . q so as you will. q of them who are couetous . * of ruling or to be great . q with those ( whom i spake ) leading the quiet life [ or idle . ] q themselues to bee able to obtaine it . q both . q and with a little . q in which indeed . q is to be contemned altogether . q but. q the idle or free from great business q fitted themselues to the common-weale . q doe worthily or goe through with q fruitfull or beneficiall to the kinde of men . q more apt . q greatnesse . q peraduenture it may be yeelded to those not going to take , &c. q taken in hand or meddled with the commonweale , viz. to deale in such matters . * applied . q and also to those . q imbecillity of their health . q gone backe [ or departed ] from the common weale . q graunted . * authority or libertie . * commendation . q cause . q themselues to despise . q admire q bearing office . q i thinke it to be giuen to those not only not for praise , but also for a fault . q the iudgement of whom , in that they contemne glory and coūt it for nothing , is a thing difficult to be done not to allowe or approue . q thinke . q trauels and. q offences . * hauing repulses . q are little constant to themselues . q broken . q not constantly enough . q magistracies or gouernments . q obtained . q gouerned by them . q helps of dispatch of businesse by nature . q cast away . q a citie . q magnificence . q contempt . q i speake of oft . q quietnesse . q voidnesse of care . q added or practised to them going to take the common wealth . q wot not . q yea much more i suppose . q carefull . q and. q leade their life . q by how much not so many things in their life lie open , which fortune may strike . q and by how much they lesse need many things . q shall fall out . * enterprises q meet to be compassed . q them who manage the common-weale . q the quiet or priuate . q by how much both greatnesse of courage & freedom from griefs is more to be added to these q to performe a businesse . q consider that thing . q how it may haue a faculty or abilitie to be effected . q same thing . q it is to bee considered . q be out of hope . q sluggishnesse , or lacke of courage . q or trust ouermuch q added . q goe into them or goe in hand with them or vndertake them . q teacheth . q arguments . q more valiant . * in businesses belonging to the citie then to the warre . * martiall feates . q verie many men . q things belonging to war , viz. martiall feats . * citie causes or matters . q diminished or abated . q mindes or courages . q military seruice . q but. q truely . q matters belonging to the citie . q more famous . q 〈◊〉 . q bee commended by right or rightfully or iustly . * solons . * famous or noble . q iudges which determined weightie matters concerning the commonwealth q this counsell of solon . * thought . * commendable . q profited or did good once onely . q shall profit the citie for euer . q the lawes of the athenians [ are preserued ] by this counsell , the institutions of the elders are preserued by this . q and truly . q the village of mars where the areopagites ●…at in iudgement or counsell . q themistocles to haue bin helped . * solon . q managed . q counsell or direction . q constituted or appointed . q the same thing q concerning . q valorous acts . q the empire is thought to haue bin inlarged to the lacedemonians . q compared to the lawes , &c. not in the least part . * order . q moreouer they had , &c. * vpon these occasions . q prepared or forward . q more valiant for these same causes . q we being children or when i was a childe . q to yeelde or giue place . q nor q. c. &c. q were conuersant or imploied . q q. c. seemed to giue place , &c. q weapons or wars do little auaile . q counsell . q an emperour or commander . q did profit more q cutting downe , destroying , beating downe or sacking . q then p. n. being a priuate [ man ] did ] at the same time when , &c. q although this thing in truth is not onely of the domesticall reason , [ or a ciuill matter ] for it toucheth also the warlike [ or belongeth to martiall feats ] &c. q hand . q citie counsell . q the best . q me to be wont . q inuaded , set vpon or touched . * let wars giue place to peace , let the laurell branch [ or garland ] be graunted to the oratour . q weapons or wars , because weapons are a signe of war. q gowne put for peace whereof it is a signe , or for ciuill magistracy . q the laurell branch a signe of eloquence or a reward thereof . * passe ouer . q other [ men ] . q armed men . q goune or magistracy in the citie . q we gouerning or when i gouerned . q a greater perill . q slidden speedily out , &c. by our counsell and diligence fell . q therefore what so great a matter in war was euer done . q for ( sonne mark ) i may boast with you , * who are to be the inheritor or heyre of my glory and imitator of my acts . q flowing full . * gaue me this commendation . q many hearing . * audience . q that he said . q himselfe to beare away in vaine . * had he not had * meanes . q triumph . q domesticall fortitudes , or courage at home . * militarie exploits . q more labour and study is to be put . * reputation , credit . q lofty and great . * wrought . q strength . q so affected . q sustaining or abiding trauell . q search for , or earnestly require . q deuising . q being gowned or robed . q vndertaken . q counsell . q war of carthage . q being dead . q reason or wisedome of decerning or decreeing is to be desired more , or of . * ending the warre . q fortitude of striuing . q flight of fighting . q for the reason of profit . q and let war be taken in hand so . q and t is of a valiant and constant minde . * resolute . q troubled in sharp matters . * vtterly out of order . q to be cast downe from the degree or staire . q vse the counsell of a present minde . q depart . * wisedome . q this is of a [ great ] minde or courage , that also of a great wit. q to perceiue by casting things to come . q appoint . q happen or betide , on either part . q commit any thing . q it should be said i had not thought ; or had i thought of such a matter ▪ i had done thus or thus . q trusting to or leaning vpon . q to be conuersant rashly in the edge or forefront of the battel . q skirmis●… with the enemy with hand q outragious or fierce . q like vnto beasts . q but. * must preferre death . q seruitude or bondage . q crueltie and also rashnesse [ to be ] far off frō the dutie of a worthie stomack . q of or touching the ouerturning & spoiling of riches , that is greatly to be considered . q not any thing ▪ q is [ the part ] of . * a noble minde . q matters being tossed or ended . q saue the common sort . q retaine right and honest things in each fortune . q vndertaken of a valiant man. q martiall matters or affaires , to ciuill . * dangerous . * subtile . q counsels . q more bright . q cogitations or counsels . q we must neuer at all . q commit for flight of perill . q cowardous , and timorous . q but. q that also is to be 〈◊〉 . q offer not our selues to . * that . q going vnto or aduenturing . q the custome [ or guise ] of physicians is to be imitated . q doe lightly cure . q men being sicke lightly . q to vse pe●…ilous & doubtfull cures . * sorer sicknesses . q wherefore to wish an aduerse [ or boysterous ] tempest in a calme , is of a mad man. q helpe the tempest [ or make shift in a tempest ] by any meanes . q the matter beeing dispatched , then good the matter being doubtfull . q and the doing of things . * great attempts . q are called into daunger . * reputation and fauour of the people . q vnto our owne perils then common [ dangers . ] q concerning or about honour . q had . q had . * substance . q but also their life . q would not make the least losse [ or hazard ] of their glory , not the commonweale requiring . q egregiously or very worthily . q at the last . q obeyed not the counsell of them * transport . q the lacedemonians , that nauy being lost , to be able to prepare another . * make forth . q himselfe not to be able to flie . q reproach or shame . q indeede . q meane or meetely ●…ore plague . q blowe . q wealth . q fell downe or were spent . q skirmished or combated . q matter or wealth to vs. q pausing or prolonging of time . q put not before mens speeches . q the glorie of the man is famous both after & more . q offending or misdoing . q citie businesses . * neuer so good . q speake it . q they that shall gouerne the common weale , let them altogether [ or euer ] keepe two precepts , &c. q citizens . q forgetfull . q care for or look to q defend [ or maintaine ] any part , they forsake the rest . q wardship or custodie of a childe . q procuration or administration . q done . q the gouernment of others . q the gouernment is , &c. q but they that prouide for part of the citizens , and neglect part . q citie . q happeneth . q people-pleasers . q studious of euerie best [ or greatest ] man. q fewe of all . q discord or breaches . q pestiferous or sore . q principalitie or dominion . q follow after or pursue . * but. q it wholly . q call . q so cleaue altogether . q so long as , or whilst . q may . q grieuously offend any one . * that it is contrary to the duty [ or condition ] of a valiant minde , to contend , &c. q magnanimous [ man ] or one of a high minde . q ambition no doubt [ or verely . ] q honours . q whereof . q said . q them who . q to doe . q ●…emblablely or euen in like maner . * holde [ or guide ] the helme . * plato . q commaunded . al. doth teach . q thinke them aduersaries . * take vp armes or armour . q iudgement or aduice . q what a one the dissension was , &c. q to moderate anger is the property of fortitude . q indeede . q to be heard . q grieuously , exceedingly , vehemently . q at our enemies . * couragious or generous . q worthie or beseeming . q famous man. q easinesse to be appeased , & gentleness q in free people or cities . q in equalitie or equity of lawe . * mildenesse . q loftinesse of minde . q which is said . * tearm it . q anger at either . q commers vnseasonablely , or crauers without shame viz. impudent askers . q weywardnesse . q mildnesse and mercy . * are . * allowed . q cause of the common-weale or good of it . q ordered . q wee must temper our selues especially from anger in punishing . q but both all punishment . q taunting reproch or contempt . q neither to bee referred to the commoditie of him who punisheth any . q chastiseth in words . * behoofe . q lest the punishment be greater then the fault , and lest some be punished for , &c. q be not indeede called , [ or spoken to . ] q also anger is to be prohibited [ or auoided ] in punishing . * goeth about to take punishment . q measure . q ouermuch . q mediocritie . * peripatetiks . q pleaseth . * iustly or well . q it to be profitably giuen of nature . q affection of angrynesse . * cases . q refused . q they that are ouer q be like of lawes . q led or drawne * wrath . q of a valorous man q arrogant , disdainfull , proud . q in prosperous things , nor to be east downe in aduerse . q and also let vs flie greatly pride , disdainfulnes , & arrogancy in prosperous 〈◊〉 and flowing to our will. q a part of inconstancie to beare aduerse things , so prosperous immoderately . q and an euen proportion [ or equalnesse ] in all the life q and the same forehead . q famous or notable . q receiued . q excelled or gone beyonde . * alexander . * noble exploites , or prowesse . q to haue bin superiour . q facilitie or gennesse and humanity q great . q filthie or dishonest . q giue precepts or teach well . q that by how much we are superiours [ or higher ] we carry our selues more sub●…isly by so much . * demeane . q indeed panetius saith . q africanus his hearer [ or scholar ] to haue bin wont to say . q are wont . q to deliuer to tamers [ or horsebreakers ] horses vaunting with fierceness for their often contentions of battels . q vse . * readier . * headie , headstrōg . q trusting too much to [ or ouerweening of ] themselues to owe to be brought , as it were , into the circuite of &c. q weaknesse . * the world . q varietie or inconstancie . q and also we must vse most of all the counsell of our friendes in our most high prosper●…tie . q and a greater authoritie is to bee giuen to them then before . q those same . * clawed with flattery . q to be such as we may be praised by by right . * arise . q opinions . q conuersant [ or intangled . ] q in the greatest errours . q but truly these matters hitherto . q vacation or freedome from businesse . q but that . * taken thus , that the. q things or deeds . q done . q administration . q lieth open or reacheth most largely . q and to be , and haue beene . * priuate . q trace or trie out . q take in hand . * enterprises . q containe . * placed or set . q houshould businesse goods domesticall or priuate estate . q not heaping it vp indeed by euerie way . * barring . * if at any time need should require . q which substance or goods . q gotten well . q neither by no filthie , &c. q filthie . q then that it sheweth itselfe profitable to verie many , so that worthie . q afterwards . q discretion . q sparing . q neither let it lie , or neither that it lie open to , &c. q it is lawfull for a man obseruing these prescripts to liue . q magnifically , &c. q couragiously or stoutly . q to the life of men q affections or lusts q conuersant or occupied . q throte , and parts about the secrets . q head . q comlinesse . q which tully deliuereth diuinely , how &c. q drawne . q honesty . * action . q that one part of honesty remaining . q shamefastnesse . q of life . q quieting of the perturbations . q that [ comlines ] is contained in this place . q force of this . q but what a difference there is of honestie and comlinesse . q more easily . q vnderstood . q explaned . q it then appeareth . q is . q there is a double decorum . * ariseth of or attendeth vpon temperance . q is . q agreement . q agreement . q concord . q vniuersall world . q becommeth . q we must dispute . q for both it becommeth one . q both . * a man should doe aduisedly . q to see and to defend in euerie matter that which is true . q and. q it doth as much disgrace to erre [ or misse . ] q taken [ or distraught ] in minde . q there is a like reason of fortitude . q what thing . q that seemeth . q and what . * otherwise . * after a certaine hidden sort . q may be in readinesse . q thing that becommeth . q vnderstoode . q cogitation . * in verie deede . * comlinesse and beautie . q parted . q speake . q also it is indeede confused or mingled . q cogitation . q ●…nd the. q double . q double . q meane . q comlinesse . q is conuersant or exercised or hath to doe . q subiect to this , viz. a speciall comlinesse . q almost or for most part to be defined thus . q that thing to be comly . * mans excellency . q in which thing . * is different . q but which part is subiect vnto the generall , they define it thus , that . * comly appearance q thinke . q these things to be so , or thus meāt . q vnderstood . q moe things are wont to be , &c. q but then we say . q that which is decent . q worthie or befitting euery person . 〈◊〉 shall hat ▪ q them to haue bin iust . q applauses [ or clapping of hands ] are stirred vp . q the speech is worthie the. q of . q may b●…e . q and. q a pers●… great ex●… surmou●… ther cre●… q see . * wicked sort . q settlednesse . q shamefastnesse . q neglect ▪ * 〈◊〉 what maner q ca●… . q me●… * it is b●…ht to pass●… ●…or q this comlinesse q beauty . q the members or limmes . q in this same th●… q plesant grace or comlinesse . q mooueth . q shineth out or bright . * the good liking . q and. * measure . q therefore a certaine reuerence is to be giuen . q of euery best [ or chiefe ] man. * of the rest of meaner degree . q for it is not onely [ the part ] of an arrogant man but also dissolute , to neglect what euery one 〈◊〉 of him . q retchlesse or out of all order . q that differeth . q that differeth . al. in hauing a respect of men . q shamefastnesse . q the parts of iustice are . q not to wrong any by violence . * to giue offence to q force . q most throughly seene . q vnderstood or plaine . q what a one that thing is . * affirme to be decent . q comlinesse to be q to auaile . * kindes . q and the dutie which is . q drawne from it * followeth first . q agreeablenesse . q goe awrie . al. and 〈◊〉 both followeth that which is . q sharpe , and quick sighted . q is agreeable to the fellowship of men . q vehement . q force . q is in this . q are apt , or befitting nature . q to be . q but. q primary , or chief q is double . q is put or placed in appetite . q which is in greek q snatcheth or haleth . q [ consisteth ] in reason . q fled . q and. q be without . q he cannot giue a proueable cause . * almost the definition . * almost the definition . q effect [ or bring to passe this ] * desires bee ruled by reason . q for . * leaue it . q dastardlinesse , or lacke of courage . q voide of . * trouble or passion q all moderation shall shine bright . q appetites . q goe too far astray . q further . q coueting . q passe ouer or exceede . q bounde . * forsake . q cast away or set aside . q of which motions . q the mindes are troubled , but also the bodies . * euen . * in the verie faces . q gesture , leap or skip . q stations or hehauiours . q that is vnderstood q all appetites to be q drawne in or pluckt in , asswaged . q and all heede and diligence to be stirred vp . q and all heede and diligence to be stirred vp . q venturously o●… by chance . q vnadu●…sedly . q for neither are we q to play . q ●…est . q those [ viz. ] sport or iesting . q rests . q then . q satisfied . q iesting or pastime q not immoderate . * honest . * merrie . q giue . q strange from the actions of honestie . q let some light of an honest wit appeare . q witty conceitednesse . q there is altogether a double kinde &c. q illiberall or homely . * saucy , wanton . q vngratious or wicked . q baudy or dishonest . * conceited . q atticks . * philosophers of socrates sect . * well stored or full fraught . q many things spoken pleasantly and wittily of many men . q short and witty sentences . * of an honest and an vnhonest iesting . q vnhonest [ or base ] is easie . q beseeming a free man. q time . q with a remisse or a milde minde . * if vncleannesse of the ma●…ter , being increased with filt●…inesse of words . q things . q t●… be a certaine measure ●…uen of honest play . q playing or recreation . q poure out or spend all too much q lift vp with too much pleasure , or too merry . q minister vnto vs. q playing . q required . q studies . * meete for beasts . q added most sparingly . q to euerie question of dutie . q in readinesse . * the nature of cattel . q the beasts . q with their whole sway . * is fed with learning . * study out or inquire some matter . * a little more ready * beastly kinde . q there are certaine . q erect or lifted vp from pleasure . carried , ouertaken q appetite . * modesty or bashfulnesse . q it is vnderstood . q the pleasure , &c. to be . * befitting . q and that . q attributeth somwhat vnto pleasure . q the measure of inioying it , to be holden diligently of him . q therefore . q the diet , &c. must be , &c. q pleasure . q and also . al. dignitie of nature there is in man. * lauish out in riot or run to riot . * nicely . q honest . q sparingly . * temperately . q seuerely or strictly . * as it is common . q [ becommeth . ] * in regard of . q the person [ or condition ] of euery one eyther giuen , &c. * aduise or consideration . q also we must vnderstand . * haue on vs as it were [ or sustaine ] two persons . * estates or conditions . * of that . * preheminence or dignitie . q excell . q drawne . q but. q attributed . q dissimilitudes . q preuaile or excell . q to run . * some . q to wrastle . q ●…ormes , shapes or 〈◊〉 . q dignit●…e to be in som●… , comlinesse in others . * differences . q the sonne of lucius . q but. q in the same times q there 〈◊〉 a singular seueritie in , &c. q much mirth in caius 〈◊〉 . q 〈◊〉 scipio his familiar . * more seeking of honour . * more sorrowfull or full of discontent , or auster●… . q speech . q dissembler . * a pleasant ●…ter or jiber . q the highest authoritie . q of [ the captains ] of the carthaginians . q crafty . q easily to conceale , holde his peace , diss●…mble , ●…rap , preuent the counsels of the enemies . q who fained himselfe to be mad , to the end his life might , &c. * do better seruice to the cōmōwealth . al. sometime or in time to come . q nothing to be done , [ as ] of a secret plot , by laying in waite . * aime at ▪ q most patient . q we see another man to effect by [ his ] speeches . * of great authoritie . q of many . * obserued . q in the sonne . q the same thing to haue bin . q his father , euen him . q to haue had no gentle [ or curteous ] maner of speech , or no pleasing grace . q being the most ●…euere of the philosophers . q to haue bin both &c. q things . q verie greatly to be defended . * faulty . q but yet the pro per. q the vniuersall nature , or belonging to all . q other studies more weightie , &c. q ●…et vs measure . q owne studies . q auaileth it to resist nature . q follow . q of what sort . q minerua tho god●… of wisedome and all good sciences being vowilling * against nature . q if there be any thing at all . q euennesse . * carriage . * and also . * follow . * let passe . * kind of speech . q inculcating , thrusting in or beating vpon , or repeating now and then . q mocked or laughed at by verie good right . q so we ought to bring no disagreement [ or variance ] into our actions and all our life . q force . q to procure death to himselfe , viz. to kill himselfe . * quarrell . * for m. cato . was not in one quarrell , the rest in another &c. q giuen [ or imputed ] for a fault [ or a reproach ] to the rest . q killed . * lesse austere . q easie . q strengthned . q purpose & counsell taken to die rather , then that the face of the tyrant was to be looked on . q suffered . q long continued wandering . q serued or became seruiceable . * faire spoken . q indured the spitefull taunts of , &c. at home . * reproachfull or spitefull speeches . q seruants & handmaids or wenches . * once . q with what courage he is reported . * times . q which things wee beholding . q meete . * what gifts . q neither to be desirous to trie . q other mens things may becom . * for euery ones pr●… 〈◊〉 ●…ts do 〈◊〉 of all become him . q the owne of euerie one . q therefore let , &c. * make . q good things . q players in comedies & enterludes . q wisedome . q comedies . * inioy [ or delight in ] their voice , viz. who haue excellent voice●… . q chuse . q chused . q not often . q therefore vnto what things we shall be most , &c. q we shall labour chiefly in those . q thrust vs forth or driue vs. q of our wit. q all care , meditation and diligence is to be giuen . q doe . q as little vncomlily q that we may follow . q that we may flie ▪ q gotten to our selues . q iudgement . q and there is a third person adiovned vnto those two , &c. q aboue . q putteth or casteth on vs. q fashion or frame . q iudgement . q nobilities . q wealth . q being placed in fortune [ or in the power of fortune ] q are gouerned by the times . q will. * what calling we will follow . q will. q another or some had rather . * and. q haue excelled or ●…in notable in any commendation . * 〈◊〉 for the most part . q praise . q the son of publius q the son of paulus . q militarie businesse or feats of armes . q certaine or sundry q some their owne . * auncestors . q timotheus conons sonne did . * whereas . q then his father . q the praise . * added . q commeth to pass . q the imitation of parents being omitted or let passe . q trade or determination . q scarce knowne or base . * appoint to attempt . * enterprises . q do become . q comprehend . q thought . q purpose or appointment . * be . q in . * consultation or aduice . q youth which is from . or . to . or . q to which the greatest weaknesse of counsell is . q most slenderness . q determineth . q passing his age or liuing . q he hath loued most of all . q then . q could . q that prodicus saith q hercules . q began to haue a beard , or came to maturitie or ripenesse of yeares . q course or trade of life each will follow q to haue gone forth . q solitarie place or wildernesse . * long and much with himselfe . q should be . * fallout . q bred of the seede of iupiter . q euerie one . * allured . q determinations . * instructed . q we are led or doe incline . * customes . q maner . * after the. q most wish for q fairest . q some notwithstanding haue followed a right course of life , whether by , &c. q but that is the most rare kinde of those men . * indued . q greatnesse . q also . q aduising . q the whole counsell or aduice . q recalled . q owne . q we search out in all things , &c. q maner . * wherto euerie one is naturally inclined . q becommeth . q a greater care by much of that matter is to bee added , in determining our whole life . q be constant to our selues in the continuance of our life , nor to halt in any dutie . q force . * consideration . q kinde . q nature is . * surer . * stable . q it selfe mortall or mortalitie it selfe . q immortall nature q all counsell , or the whole course of his life . q stedfastnesse . q himselfe haue erred . * his course of life . q and it may fal out . * may . q helpe . q by little and little and foot by foot , or 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 . q 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were stitch by stitch q suddenly . q 〈◊〉 the kinde of our life being changed , we must care by all reason . q counsell . q it is said . q 〈◊〉 auncestors 〈◊〉 be imitated . * follow . q that . q be not . * 〈◊〉 , that we seek 〈◊〉 ●…o follow them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against our nature ▪ q they can . q the sonne of the elder 〈◊〉 . q this ●…on to pau●… 〈◊〉 ▪ q infirmitie of his health . * other affricanus sonne . q was like his father ▪ * 〈◊〉 . * to make orations or 〈◊〉 to the people . q make warre . q it shall be his duty * he can . q faithfulnesse . q to the end , that that thing may be lesse required . q and the best inheritance is left from the fathers to the children , and better then all patrimonie [ or liuelihood or childspart ] [ viz. ] the glorie of , &c. * shame , disgrace or di●…paragement . q iudge an vniust thing [ or dishonest ] and a fault . q are not giuen obefitting . q there are some [ ●…uties ] of young men , others of olde , somthing also is to be said of this distinction . * young men . q [ the duty ] of a young man. q ●…eane vnto . q entring age , or the tender yeares . q ordered & guided * experience . q driuen away or weaned . * pleasures . * patiently induring toyle both , &c. q florish or be of chiefe strength , or they may be most fit for . q and also . * wits . * betake . q pleasure . q shamefastnesse . q shal be more 〈◊〉 q their elders will be presen , or amongst them . * times . q become especially * but for old men , labours of , &c. q lessened . q doe seeme . q their diligence must be giuen . q helpe as much as they can , or assits verie much . * olde men are to beware of nothing more . q slothfulnesse . * but as for riot . q is both filthie , q and also most foule to olde age . q also come vnto it . q euill or inconuenience . q conceiueth . * disgrace . q the intemperance of young men . q impudent . q become . * that . q strange or besides the matter . * concerning , or touching . q to vnderstand himselfe to beare q and to owe. q dignitie and honour . q to keepe lawes . q 〈◊〉 describe or set downe . q those things to be , &c. q trust or fidelitie . q with an equall & like lawe with the citizens . q 〈◊〉 and base q li●…ting vp himself . q will or desire . * which concerne peace and honestie . * esteeme . q one of another countrie inhabiting in the citie , a ●…ner . q to inquire [ or ask buf●…ly ] nothing of , &c. q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all . * more busie 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 , or o●…er medling . * 〈◊〉 . q so almost . q sought out . q becommeth . q apt , 〈◊〉 , or agree●…ble . * doth so much become . q doing or performing . * consultation . q what is comly . q that . q is seene . q forme . q is put . q well fauourednesse q adorning or garnishing . q to action . * expresse . * conceiued . * allowed . q a fewe words . q also . q certaine parts of the bodie to bee shewed , vncomly : also certaine things either to be done dishonestly , openly ; or to be named openly . q in the beginning verie nature . * regard or consideration . q in readinesse that our . &c. q fauour , face or physnomy . q honest . q vnoomly . * men . q diligent . q for all men , who are of a sound 〈◊〉 remoue from the eies those things which nature hath hid . q obey . * necessitie of nature . q secretly . q necessarie or base . * tearm . q and that . q closely or in a secret place . q filthie to speak of it . q open acting or doing of . q shamelesnesse . q nor the speech [ is voide of ] filthinesse . q to be heard . * find fault with & mocke or 〈◊〉 at vs. q those things to b●… 〈◊〉 [ or shameful ] in words . * vnhonest . q as it is a thing dishonest indeed to rob [ or goe a theeuing , ] &c. * deceiue or cosin . q reported [ or told ] not obscenely . q to giue he inde●… for children . q obscene in name . q and moe things are disputed by the same ▪ philosoph●…rs ▪ to that sentence &c. q shamefastnesse . q flie . q abhorreth from [ or cannot receiue so much as ] the approbation , &c. * pleasing . * gate . * comlinesse . * faults . q fled . q effeminate [ or womanish ] and nice or wanton . q and not any thing ●…ard [ or rude ] or carter-like . * stage players . q fit for them , dissolute [ or left loosly ] to vs. q shamefastnesse . q discipline . * some . q opened . q be beholden . q and indeed after our maner . q ripenesse of age . q washed . q shamefastnesse or bashfulnesse . q retained . q forme or fauour . q either of them . q decked or preserued . q amiablenesse or comlinesse . q dignitie . q adorning or tricking . q not worthie man. q beauty . q wrastler-like motions . * too too . q odious . q some . * 〈◊〉 players . * follies . q simple . q there is to be added besides . q countrie-like and inhumane negligence . * we must haue ▪ q too so●…t slownesses , or too much nicenesse . q going or gate . * pageants borne in triumphs or shewes to be seene . q either that we take vp . q swiftnesses . q are done . q the breathings are moued . q countenances are changed . q the faces are writhen . q a great signification is made , no constancie to be presēt . * studie . * affections . q depart not . q perturbations or moodes . q amazednesse . q attent . * keeping . q double . q cogitation . * vnderstanding . q co●…uersant or exercised . * stitreth a man to be doing . q therefore wee must care or prouide . q vse our cogitation vnto the , &c. q giue . * two sorts of speech . * cloquent . q daily . q there is great 〈◊〉 of speech . q double . q contention . q talke . * eloquent speech . q let it be giuen . q of iudgements , assemblies [ or solemne meetings ] the senate house . q speech let it be vsed in circles [ or cōmon meetings . ] q disputations . q ●…amiliar [ friends . q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [ or 〈◊〉 ●…pon ] feasts . q the rhetorician●… giue m●…ny precepts concerning vehement speech . * wot . q these also may be q but maisters [ or teachers ] are found for the studies of learners . q full with the company of &c. q will appertaine to talke . the vtterer , or to vtter . q and we follow two things in our voice . q both of them is to be required , &c. q of men speaking . q presly & mildely [ will increase ] the other . q to vse an exquisite iudgement of letters , or pronouncing . q but and others . q sound . q expressed nor oppressed . q obscure . * vnpleasant or too much affected . q fainting . q shrill . q plentifull . * pleasant . q but the opinion concerning catuli , of well speaking , was not lesse . q ouercame . q salt . q ouercame the contention . q speech . q we must labour therfore . q becommeth . * guided , ordered or directed . * familiar talke . * milde , and not at all obstinate . q a pleasant grace . q let him exclude . q come . q now and then . q see . q adde . q seueritie or grauity q foreset . q declare . q to bee in his maners . q it is spoken studiously of the absent , for the 〈◊〉 of detracting . q either by a mocke or seuerely , or reproachfully or con●…umeliously . q and [ common ] speeches are had for the most part . q therefore our diligence is to bee giuen . q although our speech . q vnto these things ▪ q shall be present . q marke . q haue delight . q measurable mean or good fashion . q commaunded . q perturba●…ions . q ouer great stirrings . q not obeying reason . * greedie desire . q ●…lothfulnesse . q we must care . q we confer speech . q happen or come by chance . q that is also to be done . q irefully . q this kinde of chastising . q and not at any time but vpon necessitie . q let anger be farre away . q discreetly or aduisedly . q and for a great part . q it is lawfull to vse q grauitie being adioyned . * austeritie be added . q reproachfull ●…peech bee repelled . q same thing of bitternesse which chiding hath . q vndertaken . * sake . q right . * braules or quarrels . q vnbefitting vs , vnfashionable . * keepe . q repell angrinesse . * perturbation . * a matter vnbefitting or vnbeseeming . * thraso in terence . q laughing at o●… scorning . q in building vp edifices . q all things . q we will it in verie deede . q it pleaseth or it liketh vs , that the house &c. * occupying it . q description . q accommodated or fitted . q a diligent care is to be added or vsed q dignitie . * handsomnesse . q it to haue bin , &c. q who was made the first consull of that familie . q famous [ or gorgeous ] and full of dignitie . q visited commonly q to giue the voice in election . q a newe man. q hauing demolished or th●…owne downe this , ●…ade an 〈◊〉 to his , &c. * ●…nd so ▪ * the emperour . q this the sonne of a chiefe and famous man. q ignominy and calamity . q adorned . * by . q honested or adorned . q honested or honored . q other things . * in a noble mans house . q famous . * intertained . q multitude . * all sorts . q there is to be ●…ad a care of largenesse or widenesse . q ample . q is made . q if it be but little ▪ frequented . q much frequented . q them that passe by q vnequall or vnme●…te . q al. which same thing it is lawfull to say . q in our times . q especially if your selfe build or bee a builder . * exceed not . q cost . * gorgeousnesse or statelinesse . * much hurt commeth euen by the example . * the most men do imitate studiously the deed●… &c. of the chiefe men . q part . q chiefe . q magnificence [ or sumptuousnesse ] of his farme houses . q of which things doubtlesse a meane is to be v●…ed . q recalled . * keeping a mean. q al. to euerie vse , & handsomn●…sse or conueniencie . q but [ we haue prosecuted ] these things hitherto . q are to be obserued q and. q to be vndertaken . q kept . * fit to preserue duties . q and then that it be considered . q effect . * lesse . * payne . q be vndertaken . q al. that those things which appertaine to an honest shew be moderated by dignitie . q dignity . q no●… to proceede any further . q appetite to obey . q furthermore wee must speake . q science or skill . q name . * expound . q modestie . q is in . q vnderstood a preseruation . q modestie or moderation . * moderation . q a science . q placing or disposing . q owne . q force or property . q placing or disposition . q a framing or ordering things . * fit . q also they say , place to be of the action , opportunitie of the time . * the seasonable [ or fit ] time of an action . q it is called in latine occasio q it commeth to passe . q times to do a thing . q but. q we aske in this place . * and other like vertues . q of these . * and so . * spoken . * properties . q spake a good while agoe . q shamefastenesse . q to the approbation of them . q becommeth . q becommeth not . * we are therefore to keepe such an order . q vsed . q that all things be fit and agreeable among themselues , as in a constant oration , so in the life . * fit . q seuere . q to bring in any speech meet for a feast , or delicate . q his collegue or fellow . q and they had talked of the common dutie . q and a faire boy passed by , by chāce . q but for . q abstaining or forbearing . q and. q in the approbation of wrastlers , or where wrastlers are allowed or tried . q wanted . q muse . q deuise any matter more attentiuely . q the same thing q for the ignorance of the time . q humanitie . q pleading place , or in the street . q peruer●…enesse . * soone or plainly . q but what faults seeme to be small , neither can be vnderstood of many , we must decline from these more diligently . * most . q in instruments with strings , as harp or lute . q pipes . q differ , disagree or be out of tune . q it is wont to be marked . * cunning . q we must liue so in [ our ] life , or to demeane our selues . q least peraduenture any thing iarre . q by how much a consent [ or concord ] of actions . * tunes . q the eares of musicians . q the least things . * quicke . * censurers or correctors of vices . q looking or stedfast beholding or fixing . q either by the remission or contraction of the eye-browes , by heauinesse or dumpishnesse , by mirth , by &c. q contention and submission . * what is done . q disagreeth . * amisse or inconuenient . q what a one . q i know not by what meanes . q and so they are corrected most easily in learning . q imitate for the cause of amending [ them . ] q to adde learned men , or also those who are skilfull by practice , to chuse those things , which may bring doubt , and to search diligently concerning euerie kinde of duty , what liketh them q is wont almost . q ●…ature it selfe . * iudgeth . * why each man thinks so , or what their reason is . q they who frame signes or make pictures . q euerie one desireth his work to be considered of the common people . q reprehended . * examine . * missed or faulty therein . q by th●…●…udgement q corrected . q but what things are done . q by custome . q institutions . q nothing is to be giuen in precepts concerning them : for these verie things are precepts . q led . q the [ vsuall ] maner and ciuill custome . * freedome of doing and speaking as they thought best . q whole reason [ o●… guise ] of the cyniks is to be vtterly cast out [ or refused ] q an enemy to shamefastnesse . q there can be nothing right , nor any thing honest . q and. * attend vpon or marke . * honour . q thinking or meaning well . q affected [ or graced ] with any honour or dignitie . * to haue olde age in high estimation . * [ we ought also ] to &c. q haue a magistracie [ or be in authoritie . ] q to haue a choice [ or difference ] of a citizen , &c. q priuately [ or as a priuate person ] or publikely [ as a publike person . ] q to the sum [ or summarily ] that i may not deale of euery one . q reconcilement and consociation of the whole kinde of men . q arts . q what gaines . q liberall , meet for a free man [ or an honest man. ] q occupations and gaines [ or maner of gaining . ] q liberall . q we haue receiued these things almost . q gaines . q which run into the hate of all . q customers taking tole of hauens . q all who serue for hire or wages . q whose labour and not their arts are bought . q for the very hire in them . q wages . q obligation or presse-money . q bondage . q to be thought . * of the baser sort . q they sell straight way as by retayle . q for they profit nothing . q verie greatly . q neither in truth is there any thing more filthie then vanitie . q workemen or crafts-men . q are imployed in a base art [ or trade ] * workehouse . q any ingenuous thing . * trinkermen . * it please you . * list . * makers of sweet oyles , or perfumers . * players at playes ●… standing on hazard . q arts . * great gaine . q the art of building or carpentrie . q honest . * for whose degree they are conuenient q thought . q copious , well fraught . q conueying to vs. q imparting it to many without vanity or vaine wordes . * satisfied . q deepe . * change or be changed into lands and possessions to settle thereon . q into fields . * to deserue due commendation . * verie iustly . q for nothing of all things . q gotten . q till age of the ground . q more plentifull . q sweet . q a free man. * whereof . q spoken things cnow . q in cato the elder or the elder cato . * may fetch . q what things shall appertaine to this place . q it seemeth expounded sufficiently . q be drawne or proceede . q are of honestie . q but a contention of those very things which are honest , may oft fall out . q whether of two honest things is the honester . q which place is pretermitted by panetius . q floweth or streameth . q parts or fount ▪ q common societie . * valorousnesse or couragio●…snesse . * temperance . q necessarie that these be compared oft together in chusing dutie . q it pleaseth therefore , those duties to be more apt to nature . q drawne . q common societie . q drawne or deriued . * proued . q if that life shall happen to a wise man. q flowing plenty or store . * all maner of substance . * aduice . * viewe . q knowledge . q be so great . q cannot . * haue the sight of a man. q hee would depart out of life , or wish to die . * tearme or name . q sapientia . q for we vnderstand another certaine prudence , which the greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is the science , &c. q earnestly desired . q to be fled . q science of heauenly and worldly things , or things belonging to gods and men . q common conuersing o●… intercourse , or fellowship . * that vertue . * as certainely it is . q it is necessary that dutie to be the greatest which is drawne from communitie . q viewe [ or consideration . ] * naturall things . q is in a certaine maner . q ●…ame and begun [ onely . ] q doing of things . q doing is seene especially . q commodities of men . * this communitie of men . q best man. q in verie deede . q desirous . q through seeing . q the perill & danger of [ his ] countrie which he might &c. q should be brought sodainly to him handling [ o●… treating vpon ] and viewing matters most worthie [ his ] knowledge . q knowledge . q cast away . q those things . q himself to be able q and the same man would do this thing q parent . q it is vnderstood . q the duties of iustice . q more auncient . q to be preferred or put before . q also they them selues . q occcupied o●… imployed . q yet haue not . q gone backe or departed . * to make them the better citizens , &c. * a follower of pithagoras , or a pitha goreā philosopher . * epaminondas of thebes . * siracusa . q many [ haue taught ] many . q what soeuer thing q come vnto it , instructed and adorned by teachers and learning . q neither onely they liuing and present do instruct and teach &c. q for neither . q place . q pretermitted or ouer-passed by them q apperaine to the lawes , which [ might appertain ] to the maners , &c. * gouernment . * quiet studies for our businesse or commodity . q do cōfer especially al. their prudence and vnderstanding . * vtter the minde plentifully . * discreetly . q to thinke [ or conceiue ] most sharply without eloquence . q because cogitation [ or conceipt is 〈◊〉 or imployed ] 〈◊〉 in it selfe , but 〈◊〉 . q 〈◊〉 those 〈◊〉 whom &c. q 〈◊〉 q are not gathered together ●…or the cause of framing hony combs . q but whereas they are congregable [ or soone assembled ] ●… by nature they fashion [ th●…ir ] comb●… * of an assembling ▪ or sociable nature , do adde the cunning of doing and deuising . q of defending . q of the societie of mankinde . q touch or be ioyned with . q communitie and neighbourhood . * beastlinesse . * beastly . q consociation . q certaine . q therefore this . q to be for the necessitie . q bring to passe . * ornament of life . q afforded or found . q diuine rod. q of the best wit [ or of an excellent wit. ] q all businesses omitted or ▪ set aside . q place or bestowe . q he would . q to maintaine the coniunction , &c. q is contained . q that preaduenture may be asked . q especially apt . q modestie . q it pleaseth not . q certaine things . q filthie . q for the cause of preseruing of , &c. * some . q foule . q filthie or dishonest . q not any man therefore shall vndertake these things for the cause of the commonweale . q them to be vndertaken . * sake . q hath it selfe more commodiously . q a time cannot happen . * benefit or further q such kinde of duties to excell especially , which is kept in the societie of men . q considerate dealing ▪ q to doe aduisedly * better . q to deuise or think of , or ponder wisely q and indeed let these things [ suffice ] hitherto . q the place it selfe is set open . q a difficult thing . * perceiue . q what is to be preferred of euerie one or what [ duty ] is to be preferred before euerie other . q that the communitie it selfe . * whereby it may may be knowne what one is aboue the other . * so as . * next . q furthermore the rest are due to others by degrees . q to the rest . al. some . q disputed briefly , or handled shortly . q men to be wont . q to doubt that thing . q two honest things being , &c. q set before them . q more honest . q [ common ] place . q omitted of &c. q goe forwarde to those things which remaine . * the residue of duties . man ashiv le-yahoweh, or, a serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life, in and after a time of great mortality, by a wasting plague (anno ) answered in xiii directions / by tho. doolitel. doolittle, thomas, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) man ashiv le-yahoweh, or, a serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life, in and after a time of great mortality, by a wasting plague (anno ) answered in xiii directions / by tho. doolitel. doolittle, thomas, ?- . [ ], p. printed by r.i. for j. johnson, and are to be sold by a. brewster ... and r. boulter ..., london : . title transliterated from hebrew. "the epistle" signed: thomas vincent. first ed. cf. nuc pre- . marginal notes. imperfect: print show-through. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . plague -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion הוהיל בישא המ or , a serious enquiry for a suitable return , for continued life , in and after a time of great mortality , by a wasting plague : ( anno . ) answered in xiii . directions . by tho. doolitel . psal . . . for thou hast delivered my soul from death , mine eyes from tears , and my feet from falling . . i will walk before the lord in the land of the living . . i will pay my vows unto the lord now in the presence of all his people . isaiah . . for the grave cannot praise thee , death cannot celebrate thee ; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth . . the living , the living , he shal praise thee , as i do this day , &c. london , printed by r. i. for ● johnson , and are to be sold by a. brew●er , at the threee bibles at the west end of st. pauls , and r. boul●er at the turks-head in cornhill , . to such whom the lord hath kept alive in the time of so great death by the plague in the land , especially in the city of london . the design of these lines , is neither to commend the author , nor the book , which in these few following sheets is presented to your view ; the former being as needless to them that know his person , as the later to them that read his directions ; but i would commend the subject ( being so seasonable ) to your perusal , and the duties ( being so necessary ) to your practice . it was the saying of a learned divine , who had the honour of being made a prisoner , as well as minister of the lord , that it was great pitty there were no more prisoners of jesus christ , to write songs of his love : i will not say i could wish that more of our citizens had in this late dreadful plague , remained in this , then doleful place , which to the countries seemed more formidable than a prison ; but i believe that many of you whose calling and duty did tye your hands and feet , and shut you up in the city , have found such sweet experiences of the goodness and love of god , that they will be recorded ; and — . will be remembred by you with thankefulness so long as you live . you have seen the destroying angel entering the city , and death riding upon the pale horse triumphant in the streets , arrows flying , the sword bathed , garments rouling in blood , and this grim conqueror breaking in upon houses without resistance , taking captive , men , women and children , and clapping them up in the prison of the grave , where they must remain fast bound in his chains of darkeness , untill the opening of the doors , by him who hath the keys of the grave , who having conquered death himself , will at his appearance loosen the bonds of all deaths prisoners , that they may stand before his judgement seat , to receive their final dooms . in the midst of which slaughter and captivity , the captain of your salvation hath stood by you , held his shield over you ; set his mark upon you , and given you singular experience of his power and goodness in your preservation . you have been in a storm , god hath shown you his wonders in the deep , and when so many ships have been cast away before your eyes , and so many persons have been devoured by the cruel waters , and your selves inviron'd with waves on every side , yet the lord hath kept you alive , like jonah in the belly of the sea , or made a way for you to pass through , when so many not onely egyptians , but israelites have been drowned ; you have been in the water , but the lord hath been an arke about you : you have been in the fire like the three children , but the son of god hath walked with you , and suppressed the violence of the fire , that it hath not prevailed over you ; you have been like the bush which moses saw burning , but was not burn't , because god was in it . and when you look back upon those dark days , and black bills of mortality , where you have had account of so many thousands dying for so many weeks together : do you not wonder at your strange escape ? do you not look upon your selves , as brands pluckt out of the fire ? and must you not acknowledge it is the lords mercy you are not consumed ? you who have continued in the city in the time of the plague , when such throngs of people have been crouding out of this world daily into another , have had singular advantages of looking into and preparing for eternity , which few think of with fixed seriousness , till they be awakened by some dangerous sickness , whereby withal they are usually so weakened in body and spirit , that they are rendred unfit for such cogitations ; but to be in such danger , whilst in so good health , and in such leasure from encumbring employments , i doubt not but it hath effectually moved many of you to soar a loft in your thoughts and meditations , that you might take a view of the other country , which the scripture doth set forth , of the city which hath foundations , whose builder and maker is god. i believe the wicked have had dreadful apprehensions of the burning lake , of the ocean of gods wrath , which every day they were ready to launch forth into , and that however some have been hardened , and are as bad , yea worse than before ; yet i hope others have been so awakened with this dreadful providence , that they have been effectually perswaded to repentance and faith in christ , who alone can deliver from the wrath which is to come ; i believe that others have had deeper impressions of eternity upon them , than ever they had in their lives , which the borders thereof , on which they have been walking have given them so near & frequent a prospect of ; and i doubt not but all of you have made vows and promises to the lord of a holy conversation , of leaving those sins your conscience at that time upbraided you withal , and dedicating your lives to the lord , if he would be pleased to spare your lives : take heed of dropping asleep again after you have been awakned ; of returning again unto sin after it hath been imbittered ; of forgetting or abusing gods mercy after such a wonderful preservation ; retain the same thoughts of sins evil and the worlds vanity , of the worth of true grace and christs beauty ; retain the impressions you had of eternity , when you were so near it in your apprehensions ; hath god laid obligations upon you by his preservations and deliverances ? and have you laid obligations upon your selves by your purposes and resolutions . labor then to live up to your obligations , and if you be at a loss , what return to make to the lord : you have by his providence this little book put into your hands to give you directions ; receive them not as the bare counsel of man , but ( so far as backt by the scripture ) as the prescriptions of god , as if the lord should speak to you from heaven , and say , this is my will , these are your duties , and see that you perform them : hereby you will both please the lord , and rejoyce the heart of the author , and him who is your servant in the lord thomas vincent . the contents . the preface or introduction , p. , , . direction i. containing two parts , viz. since you live after this plague , be not worse , but better . p. . i. the first part of this direction containeth seven questions , p. . question i. whether wicked men wax worse and worse ? p. . six things premised for explication , p. , , , , . proved by scripture instances , p. , to . proved by arguments , p. , to . question ii. what are the several steps or gradations , whereby sin grows from a low ebbe to its highest actings ? or , ten rounds in the sinners ladder to hell , p. , to . where , seven things about gods hardening wicked mens hearts , p. , . question iii. under what dispensations wicked men wax worse and worse ? p. . viz. . vnder gods providences , in prosperity ▪ p. , , in adversi●y . in deliverances , , , , , to ▪ vnder ordinances , word , sacrament , p. , . question iv. why god is pleased to remove judgements , though many men are worse than they were before ? p. , to . question v. what are the aggravations of this great impiety , to be worse , after gods sorest judgments , than they were before ? answered in ten particulars , p. , to question vi. what are signs of a man waxing worse and worse ? answered in particulars , p. , to where six restraints of sin , which keeping from sin do not prove truth of grace , yet sin against , do prove height of sin , p. , , question vii . what considerations may be useful to stop the stream of such mens wickednesse that are waxing worse and worse ? p. , , seven questions to such sinners , p. , , , six directions to such sinners , p. , eight corollaries from this first part of this direction , p. , ii. the second part of the first direction , since you live , be better after this judgement than you were before , directed especially to the godly , p. where , ten lessons to be learned by those in the city , that ( by reason of the plague ) hath been a great house of mourning , p. to ten aggravations of gods peoples sin , if they be worse in their spiritual condition after this plague , than they were before , p. , , seven positions , p. , &c. seventeen arguments to gods people to be better , p. ▪ direction ii. since you live after this plague , pay your vows , and live up to your holy purposes and resolutions , which you made in time of danger , and fears of death , p. — where , seven reasons for care to keep your resolutions , holy purposes and vows , p. twenty helps to perform your resolutions , holy purposes and vows , fourteen aggravations if you come short of your resolutions ▪ holy purposes and vows , p. , &c. where , eleven signs of a beloved sin , p. ibid. direction iii. since you live , and are free from , or cured of your bodily sickness , look after the cure of soul-sickness ; take heed that you lye not under spiritual judgments , when temporal judgment is removed , p. sin is the souls sickness , in particulars , p. , spiritual judgments are worse than temporal , in seven particulars , p. — how a man may know whether he be healed of soul-sickness , in six particulars , p. — how a soul-sick sinner should do for healing , in particulars , p. the excellency of christ our soul-physician , in particulars , p. , &c. what those must do whom christ hath healed of soul-sickness , to improve this cure to the glory of god , in particulars , p. , &c. direction iv. since you live after this plague , be eminently exemplary in the capacity god hath set you , p. an humble exhortation to magistrates , whom god hath preserved , p. , , subjects duties to magistrates in particulars , p. , ministers duties whom god hath spared in this plague , in particulars , p. — peoples duties whom god hath continued to their ministers , p. governours of families duties , whom god hath spared in this plague , in respect of family worship , p. where is shewed why , in particulars , p. , to wherein , in particulars , p. how , in particulars , p. , duties of husbands and wives whom god hath continued together after this plague , viz. mutual love , p. , where is shewed what manner of love it must be , p. why they should thus love , p. wherein they should manifest it , p. , duties of parents whom god hath continued to children , in particulars , p. — duties of children , whom god hath continued to parents , what , in particulars : why , in particulars , p. — duties of masters and servants , in particulars , p. in particulars , p. — direction v. since you live by gods secret way of preservation , watch against secret sins , p. perform secret duties , p. minde secret things in publick duties , p. where , fourteen arguments against secret sins , p. — nine masked sins detected p. , ten preservatives against secret sins , p. , &c. four secret duties , p. , six secret good things in publique duties , p. , six secret sins in publique duties , p. , direction vi. since you live after this plague , be dead to the world , p. viz. to the profits of the world , p. , to the honours of the world , ibid. to the pleasures of the world , p. to the wisdom of the world , p. how a man may know , whether he be dead to the world , p. , , direction vii . since you live , be dead to sin , and be buried with christ , p. believers are buried in respects , p. two differences in burial of our friends , and of our sins , p. five things included in the burial of sin , p. , four things for comfort to those who are buried with christ , p. . direction viii . since you live after this plague , walk in newnesse of life , p. what newnesse of life doth not consist in , in particulars , p. what i● doth consist in , in ten particulars , p. the excellencies of a new life , in particulars , p. the hinderances of walking in newness of life , in six particulars , p. direction ix . since you live after this plague keep upon your heart a constant sense of gods distinguishing providence in preserving of you , p. six helps so to doe , p. direction x. since you live , and many of your relations dead , love god so much the more by how much you have fewer objects of your love than you had before , p. direction xi . since you live after this plague , remember what conscience did condemn you for , in time of fear of death , and avoid it ; what it did commend you for , and do it , direction xii . since you live , after such danger of death , trust god for the future , what this trust is ? eight arguments to trust in god , , , six special times for trusting in god , direction xiii . since you live after this plague , give thanks to god for your preservation , three wayes how we must praise god for continued life , twelve motives to praise god for continued life , , &c. six helps to praise god for continued life , , &c. directions how to live after a wasting plague . question : how should those that have been preserved by god from the grave in this time of plague , live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy ? this is a case of general concernment , to those many thousands whom god hath kept alive in a time of plague , which hath swept so many thousands into their graves , whose bodies are now rotting in the dust , and whose souls are entred into an unchangeable condition of happiness or misery , whose life is ended , whose time is past and gone , who are now receiving their wages or reward , according to what their state was found to be when the plague removed them from time into eternity , from this world into that , which now they must be in for ever , without alteration or redemption . what family is there in this great city , or what person is there in all those families , that are not concerned to enquire what signal and more than ordinary return they should make to god for such signal and more than ordinary preservation from the gates of death : who have walked upon the very borders of the grave , and are yet alive , who have been nearer the brink of eternity , and in more danger of being cut down than at other times , and yet are spared ; and are numbred amongst the living , and not reckoned nor made free amongst the dead . it is the unquestionable and standing duty of all living to live to god , but there is a super-added obligation upon all those whom god hath marked out for life , when the slaughtering angel was going from parish to parish , from house to house , to cut down those whom god had commissioned him to remove from hence . oh! should you not consider with your self , what it is that god expecteth at mine hands ? how would he have me for to live ? and what would god have me to doe ? what is the special work he hath reserved me for ? hath god layd the corpses of thousands in the church-yards , and yet given me a little respit to act for my precious soul , and for his glory ? hath he reprieved me for a while , and am i not a living , walking monument of his distinguishing mercy , and unwearied patience towards me ? when others are dead , i live ; when others must pray no more , hear no more , god giveth me time as yet to do both , and all other duties in order to my eternal peace . thus should you reason your self into your duty , and to a diligent inquiry , what you should doe to live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy . but reader , wilt thou first resolve in the fear and presence of that god that hath redeemed thy life from death , to make a conscientious use of any helps and directions so to doe ? wilt thou indeed engage thy heart ( before thou readest any further ) to use thy utmost diligence in practising and obeying what shall be from the word of god discovered to thee to be thy duty ? yea , in the name of god i charge thee that thou doe it , as ever thou wouldest appear before the barr of god with comfort , and give a good account of this his patience and providence towards thee , and of these lines which now thou readest , that neither the one nor the other rise up in judgement against thee , as an aggravation of thy sin , nor for the greater condemnation of thy soul . what dost thou say ? wilt thou promise , and accordingly obey , or wilt thou not ? if not , better thou hadst dyed in time of plague , and fallen with others into the same common grave , than to out-live the plague , and not out-live thy sin , to live longer to adde unto thy sin , and in the day of gods patience towards thee , to be heaping up wrath against the day of wrath , and the revelation of the righteous judgement of god : but if thou wilt , i shall by gods assistance proceed to resolve this important case , in laying down these following directions : which will also be of use to answer another query , viz. how you may know whether god hath lengthened out your life in mercy or in judgement . if you live according to these following rules , god hath spared you in mercy , if you live contrary to them , and dye so at last , i fear your escaping this judgement will at last prove a judgement to you . the first of these directions will be more general , the rest shall be more particular . direction i. hath god spared you in time of plague , then be better and not worse than you were before . those that before were bad , have now greater engagement to be good ; and those that were good before , are engaged by gods merciful providence to them to be better ; not only better than those that are bad , but better than themselves that before were good . in time of plague you did enquire for the best antidote , and for the best cordial and preservative , and should you not now the plague is thus ceased , enquire what is your best return you are to make to god , especially when in time of plague , gods protection was your best preservative , and the spirits comforts your chiefest cordials . this direction consisteth of two branches , and i will speak of them apart . before the plague begun . be not worse than you were be better than you were and indeed if you be not better you will be worse , as afterwards will be made appear . now because it is to be feared that some men will be worse after this dreadfull , and devouring , man-eating judgement , than they were before , i shall more largely treat of this particular , if peradventure god may by these lines prevent in some so great an evil after so great a plague . where i shall speak to these particular questions . q. . whether ungodly men doe oftentimes wax worse and worse , and why ? q . what are the several steps that men do take in sinfull wayes in their waxing worse and worse ? q. . vnder what dispensations wicked men wax worse and worse ? q. . why god is pleased to remove judgements , though many men are worse than they were before ? q. . what are the aggravations of this great impiety to be worse after gods sorest judgement than they were before . q. . what are the signs of a man that waxeth worse and worse under all the means that god doth use to make him better ? q. . what considerations may be usefull to stop the stream of such mens wickedness , that yet are waxing worse and worse ? section i. whether ungodly men do often times wax worse and worse ? some wax richer , and some wax better , and all men wax older , and many wax worser . tim. . . but evil men and seducers wax worse and worse ; deceiving and being deceived . to encrease in riches is not simply evil ; to encrease in grace is surely good . this increase is commanded : pet. . . but grow in grace , and in the knowledge of our lord and saviour jesus christ . it is commended , cor. . . in every thing ye are enriched by him , in all utterance and in all knowledge . it is to be prayed for , luk. . . lord encrease our faith . col. . . for this cause we also , since the day we heard it , do not cease to pray for you , and to desire you may be filled with the knowledge of his will , in all wisdom and spiritual understanding . vers . . that ye may walk worthy of the lord unto all pleasing , being fruitfull in every good work , and increasing in the knowledge of god. but to encrease in sin , and to grow in wickedness , especially after men have seen gods displeasure against sin , in a wasting plague , is an evil to be lamented , if we could , with tears of blood . when instead of adding grace to grace , pet. . , , . they adde sin to sin ; to drunkenness they add adultery ; to passion malice , to malice revenge . some men make such progress in sin by little and little , till ( as all the little channels meeting in one place ) become a common sewer of all filthiness , and impiety ; sinks of sin and nasty dunghils of all uncleanness . let me premise these six particulars , and i will pass to the proof of this first thing , . that the nature of man is wonderfully depraved , and in all men ( except christ ) equally sinfull . for first , all men are equally under the guilt of adams first transgression . secondly , all men are equally deprived of originall righteousnesse . thirdly , all men have equally the seeds of all sin in their nature , all naturally prone to all sin , gen. . . though by reason of the temperament of the body , some men might be more inclined to one sin than to another , yet all sin is seminally and radically in every mans nature , all men by nature are equally tinder the curse of the law , deserve the wrath of god , and equally liable to the torments of hell , ephes . . . . that every sin that men commit is of a damning nature , and though some sins in comparison of others might be called little sins , yet in respect of the great god against whom they are committed , no sin is small . though degrees of sin , and inequality of sinning , have greater degrees of torment , and shall have inequality in sufferings , yet eternall death is the wages of the smallest sin . therefore let no man think , while i speak of the increase of sin , that he is good , because he is not so bad as others grow to be . . that in the world there are severall sizes and degrees of sinners , as in the church there are severall sizes and degrees of believers . * in the church there are , fathers , young men , children , joh. . . and babes , pet. . . so there are severall sizes of sinners . some morall men , some openly prophane : some are great swearers and great drunk●rds , ringleaders to sin ; the devils lievetenants , provoking others to sin , and incouraging them therein . some are chief among sinners , luk. . . some drink in iniquity like water . job . . some are drawn to sin , and some draw sin to them , and that as with cart ropes , isa . . . some commit sin , and tremble at it : and some commit sin and rejoyce at it . prov. . . some commit sin , and are terrified at it when they have done it : some commit sin and make a mock and sport of sin , when they have done it , pro. . . & . . some commit sin with great remorse and reluctance , and others commit sin with as great and eager greediness , eph. . . . a dreadfull text , having the understanding darkned , being alienated from the life of god , through the ignorance that is in them , because of the blindness of their heart , vers . . who being past feeling , have given themselves over to lasciviousness , to work all uncleanness with greediness . these are sinners of a great magnitude , if you weigh the things spoken of them ( ) having their understandings darkned . * the word doth either signify the faculty it selfe , or the ratiocination , or reasoning of the understanding , and it is true in both respects , their understandings are dark and ignorant , and their reasonings are dark and obscure . ( ) being alienated from the life of god , i. e. * that life , that god commands and approveth , they are too much acquainted with a sensuall , flesh-pleasing , swinish life : but they are utter strangers to an holy , self-denying , sin-mortifying life : because of the ignorance that is in them , as a bruit doth not know the life of reason , so sinners are ignorant of the life of god. ( ) because of the blindness , ( more properly ) the hardness of their heart ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this word is sometimes rendred blindness , sometimes hardness , because they are conjunct , a blind heart is a hard heart , and a hard heart is a blind heart ; it signifieth the thick skin that covereth the palmes of the hands of hard labourers , that they can handle nettles , and in that part of their hand have no feeling of the stingings , as others are sensible of . there is a thick skin hath over grown the hearts of some sinners , that they are ( ) past * feeling , unsensible as a stone , who are said to have their consciences feared as with an hot iron . but though they feel not their sin here , they shall feel the torments due for sin in the life to come . the hideous howlings , and gnashings of teeth amongst the damned , speak plainly that they feel the punishment of sin . ( ) have given themselves over to lasciviousness , sometime sinners are said to sell themselves to work wickedness , as ahab , king. . ● . sometimes are said to give themselves to wickedness , which denotes their constancy , and complacency in working wickedness , as when st. paul commanded timothy to give himself to reading , he saith , give thy self wholly to them , tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . be thou in these things , a mans heart is in those things he is given to , a schollar that is given to his book , a drunkard that is given to drinking , when his cup is in his hand , his heart is in the cup. he is in drink is our proverb , when the drink is in him . god and christ should dwell in their heart , but their heart is in their sin , and sin is in their heart . ( ) to * work , they work at sin as for gain , when it is the loss of the soul , that will be the issue . sin indeed is a hard labour , and greatest drudgery : sinners work and damnation will be their wages ; they should be working out their salvation ; but they are working out their damnation , they are labouring for hell , and taking pains to undoe themselves ; and what is it they are so much imployed in ; ( ) in uncleanness , in the extent and latitude of it , working all manner of uncleanness , and that ( ) with greediness , or with * covetousness . wicked men are as eager after sin , as a covetous man is after a good bargain , they are covetous to commit sin . but beza , renders it certatim , contending and striving who may sin most , as if they could not get to damnation soone enough , or sure enough . . that the reason why sin doth not rise to its height in all men , is not from themselves but from god. it is god that sets bounds to the ocean of mens lusts that they should no more overflow . god in great measure by restraining grace dammeth up the fountain of sin , that it sendeth not forth so many streames as in others it doth . gen. . . — for i also withheld thee from sinning against me , therefore suffered i thee not to touch her . but some god giveth up unto their lusts , rom. . , . . that men stand not at a stay , in virtue , or in vice , in holiness , or wickedness : if a man doth not increase in grace , likely he is decreasing , so if a man be not mending he is growing worse ; like rotten things every day are worse and worse ; more seared , if not softned ; more resolved to sin if not reclaimed . of good it is said , non progredi est regredi , not to goe forward , is to go backward ; of wicked , i say , non regredi est progredi , not to go backward from sin , is to go forward in sin . . that wicked men might seem to mend in one thing , and waxe worse in another , and so they do not leave their wickedness , but only change it , as one that was a prodigall and licentious , turns to be niggardly and covetous . sect . ii. these things premised , i shall shew that oftentimes wicked men grow worse and worse ; and therefore will appear that this advise is not unseasonable , after such a thundring voice of judgement , as this plague hath been . this will be manifest from scripture , by arguments . first , the scriptures evidencing this , that men oftentimes grow worse , and are more wicked , are such as these , psal . . . blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly , nor standeth in the way of sinners : nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull . in which scripture there are nine words that set forth the progress of men in sinning ; and their comming up to the height of wickedness gradatim . three respect sinful objects , counsel . way . seat. sinfull actions , walk . stand. sit. sinfull persons , vngodly . sinners . scornfull . and every third of these includes the second , and the second includes the first , non contra , every scorner is a sinner , and every sinner is ungodly , but every ungodly person is not a sinner , i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , emphatically , as the word is sometimes used , luk. . . and behold a woman , in the city , that was a sinner , i. e. a great and notorious sinner , and every such sinner is not scornfull . sitting includeth [ standeth ] and doth suppose it , for a man must stand before he sits in a wicked way ; and standing supposeth a man first to come into that way , or to that seat in which he sits , but not contrary , a wicked man may walk in that way in which he doth not stand , and he might stand in that way in which he doth not sit , and so of the rest . now here observe davids climax or gradation , setting forth the progresse of wicked men in sinning . first they walk , then they stand , next they sit . first they are ungodly , then they are great sinners , next they are scornfull : for the fuller opening of this scripture to see mens growth in sin , i will review them . first , the objects , about which wicked men are conversant , which were noted to be three , . counsel , a wicked men consult how they may satisfy their lusts , they deliberate how they may get an opportunity to sin . thus the malicious man studies revenge , and the adulterer contrives secrecy , psal . . . he deviseth mischief upon his bed , and the devil is near his pillow to be his counsellour . . way , b manner of life is set out by way , in scripture , mens practises are their way , a man that hath a good trade and thrives therein , we say , he is in a good way ; and so the profession , and serving of god in such a manner is called a way , act. . . so that a wicked man maketh sin his profession and trade . thus the common drunkard by his daily wickedness professeth himself a drunkard , that is his way . . seat , by frequent commission they settle themselves on their lees , then fixe their abode in the house of sin , they lye down and like swine wallow in their iniquity , psal . . . he deviseth mischief upon his bed , he setteth himself in a way that is not good : they first consult , then act , then settle in their sin . secondly , the actions which were also three . . they walk , * they take delight in their sin as a man doth in a pleasant walk ; and as the devill ( with whom they walk ) in walking to and fro to tempt and devoure souls : a godly man might possibly step into a sinfull way , but a wicked man walketh therein . . they stand , next they become obdurate and shameless in sin , they are not ashamed of their oathes , and drunkenness , and open prophanations of the sabbath ; a godly man might fall into sin , but he doth not stand in it ; he doth not persist in it , but wicked men will stand and justify themselves in wickedness and plead for it . . they sit , as men secure , will persevere in evil ; a man that sits intends to stay , it being a gesture more remote from motion than standing is . thirdly , the persons , and these likewise are three . . the vngodly , a man that sins and repents not is an ungodly man , septuagint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . then they are sinners , i. e. notoriously wicked as was before shewed ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * it signifieth habituall sinners . . then they are scornfull , will be scorners of reproofs , and scorners of the way of holiness , and then are come to such height in sin , that solomon forbids to reprove them as men scarce reclaimed , prov. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pests , plagues . tertullus the oratour called the apostle paul , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pest , a plague , pestilent fellow , act. . . but by the septuagint , scornful sinners are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the pests of a place . thus from this scripture you have the progress men make in sin , accurately described by the psalmist . thus cain waxed worse and worse , and did grow in sin , gen. . . he dealt hypocritically with god , vers . . he brought to god of the fruit of the ground , but kept back his heart . ( ) he envyed his brother abel , and the grace of god that appeared in him , joh. . . and he offered to god and persecuted his brother to death , gen. . . ( ) he lyeth before an all knowing god , speaking falsly , vers . . ( ) he flies in the face of god , as if god had charged him with that which was not his duty . am i my brothers keeper ? ( ) he despaireth of mercy , vers . . my punishment is greater than i can bear , or , my sin is greater than that it may be forgiven . ( ) he flyes from god , vers . . ( ) he takes up with the pleasures and profits of the world without god , vers . . so cain increased in wickedness . so did ahab , king. . . he seeth naboths vineyard . ( ) he doth covet it , and unlawfully desire that which was another mans , vers . . and would have bought that which naboth had not a power to sell , because it was the inheritance of his fathers , vers . . and numb . . . ( ) he was discontent at naboths answer , though he gave him the word of god as the reason of his denyal ver . . ( ) he doth unfaithfully report the words of naboth , as is usual with wicked men to doe , vers . . he leaves out the reason of naboths denyal , because it was the inheritance of his fathers , ( ) he was guilty of naboths death , suffering jezebel to use his seal to effect it , vers . . and elijah the prophet chargeth ahab with his death , as being guilty of his blood , vers . . ( ) he takes possession of that which was none of his own , and which he got with the shedding of innocent blood , contrary to the command of god , ezek. . . the like steps you might perceive in jezebels sin , and if you trace her , you will find her step by step to come up to an height of sin . . she approves of ahabs unlawfull desire , vers . . ( ) she resolves to get by violence what ahab did sinfully desire , vers . , . ( ) she makes her husband guilty of blood by gaining his consent to that which he would not act with his own hand , vers . , compared . ( ) she draweth other men ▪ and makes them partakers of her sin ; the elders and nobles , vers . , . ( ) she causeth two wicked men to take a false oath against naboth . ( ) she suggesteth the charge that should be brought against him , which was high and false , ver . . let them swear that naboth did blaspheme god and the king ; when indeed naboth did neither . ( ) she prophanes gods ordinance , she proclaimed a fast ; she coloureth her wickedness with religious pretenses . ( ) she obtains the murder of naboth , vers . . they stoned by jezebels counsel an innocent man , to death . this was the growth and gradation of jezebels wickedness , till it became monstrous great . so judas encreased in wickedness , and grew worse and worse . ( ) he was an hypocrite . ( ) a theife , joh. . , , . ( ) a traitour to his lord. ( ) he despaired of mercy . ( ) he murdered himself . the groweth of sin is intimated in that expression of the holy-ghost , gen. . . the iniquity of the amorites is not yet full . it was increasing , but their measure was not full , sin would increase in infinitum , but there is a measure that a swearer , or a drunkard , and all wicked men shall fill up , and then god will call them to an account , mat. . . fill ye up then the measure of your fathers . thus from the word of god i have shewn that wicked men do grow in sin , and wax oftentimes worse and worse . sect . iii. secondly , arguments drawn from reason do evidence this , that wicked men are apt to grow in sin ; i will take up with three only , least i be too large in this direction . and they are taken , first , a natura peccati , from the nature of sin . secondly , ab impulsu diaboli , from the instigation of the divell . thirdly , ab absentia contrarii , from the absence of that which should keep them from sinning more and more . removetur prohibens . i. this appears from the nature of sin that is predominant in ungodly men , that swayes , and byasseth them in all their actions , and ruleth in them and exerciseth authority over them . . one sin doth incline and dispose the heart to sin again : the first sin inclined all men to commit more , where grace is predominant , the heart is inclined to love god , and to obey god , the generall scope of such a mans life , and the bent and inclination of his heart is towards god and duty , to grow in grace , and become better and better . now contrariorum contraria est ratio & natura . sin doth dispose the heart to sin , and to depart from god more and more , heb. . . it makes the bent of the heart to backslide further and further from god , hos . . . it makes the heart set to do evill , eccles . . . the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil . as is the tide to the boate , so is sin to mans heart . . sin is of a multiplying nature , as sin committed inclineth the heart to the iteration of the same sin , so one sin begets another , of another kind , as drunkenness and gluttony , begets lust : and malice , revenge ; as one circle in the water multiplies to twenty , out of one root of a tree grow many armes , out of one arme , many branches , out of every branch many twigs . from the same fountain proceed many streames , from the same body of the sun , many beames . so from one sin are many multiplied . so adams first sin hath multiplied innumerably . . in wicked men there is a complication and a connexion of sins , sins thus multiplied are linked one to another ; and are twisted together , as there is a chaine of graces in a godly man , that if you draw one link you move the whole chaine ; when you exercise faith upon a promise , ( suppose ) of eternall life , this sets all his graces on exercise , as one wheele in a watch moveth all the rest : faith applying this promise , stirreth up love to god that made the promise , and hath prepared the thing promised , it inflames holy desires after it , & desires put on to diligent indeavours to obtain it ; it begets a lively hope , which earnestly , yet patiently waiteth for the possession of it . so there is a concatenation of sin , therefore sin is compared to a body , in which all the members by sinewes and ligaments are knit together ; that though all the members do not grow , to an equall quantity , but some are bigger , some lesse ; yet all do proportionably grow ; so though all sins in a wicked man are not of the same magnitude , but in some drunkenness is greatest , in some pride , in some covetousness , yet all sin is growing in them , and therefore must necessarily be worse and worse : as unbelief makes a sinner fearless of gods threatnings , and fearlesness makes him secure , and security hardneth his heart , and when his heart is hard , and his conscience seared , he will be very bad . . sin is of an infectious nature , an infectious disease doth not only spread unto others , as one man sick of the plague may infect a whole parish , but getteth nearer and nearer to his heart , and seizeth upon his very vitals , that he waxeth sicker and sicker , and at last brings him to his grave : so one sin doth not only infect others , as one drunkard inticeth another to the same sin , but sin encroacheth more into the sinners heart and affections , and brings him more and more into bondage to it , and so makes him worse and worse , as a man that was wont to take a cup too much , at length is brought to frequent drunkenness , till at last it brings him to hell and to damnation irrecoverably , where he is as bad as he can be . . sin is of a craving and unsatiable nature , therefore those that would satisfie their lusts , must needs in length of time be very bad . there are four things which are never satisfied , and never say , it is enough , prov. . , . and sin may make a fifth : for though a man drudge under sin all his dayes , yet it thinks the sinner hath not done enough for it . the horse-leech hath two daughters , crying , give , give : such a thing is sin , that never leaves sucking the heart-blood of the sinner , till it hath sucked him to death . sin cannot cease to ask , and sinners know not how to deny ; and they must be wicked indeed , that will be as wicked as sin can make them . i might run through the several kinds of sin , and shew how they are never satisfied : the egyptians thought that the israelites never made brick enough : and sin thinks the sinner never is enslaved enough , that he never doth obey enough ; but i will briefly instance but in three . first , covetousness is unsatiable : it never saith , it is enough : it is not satisfied with having , nor in seeing what it hath , eccles . . . and . . and therefore puts the worldling to go drudge again . crescit amor nummi , &c. secondly , revenge is unsatiable . malice never thinks it hath done enough , and therefore puts on the malicious to consult , to contrive , and never to be at rest till he hath been more injurious to the person that is the object of his malice . thirdly , lust and uncleanness is unsatiable , and therefore such as are addicted to it , and would have it satisfied , must be very wicked , for they never do it . pet. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , having eyes full of the adulteress , the very looks of their eye betrayes the lust of their heart ; and it follows , and cannot cease from sin , therefore will proceed to great impiety . sect . iv. ii. that wicked men will grow in sin , appears from the instigation of the devil , who is unweariedly diligent to tempt unto sin , and to adde one iniquity unto another : and that because he rules in their hearts , and takes them captive at his pleasure , tim. . . a man will be very wicked , that will sin as often as the devil tempts . a man is never so bad , but the devil would have him to be worse ; judas was an hypocrite before , but yet satan put it into his heart to be more vile , in betraying christ , joh. . . satan tempting without , and sin inclining within , satan never ceasing to tempt , and sinners not knowing how to resist , will be growing ( like the crocodile from an egge ) to a stupendous magnitude . sect . v. iii. that wicked men will grow in sin , appears from the absence of that which should restrain them . if a man hath drunk in poyson , and hath no alexipharmacum , or antidote , his sickness will grow upon him . wicked men want that which should preserve them from sin ; as . the fear of god : this is that which causeth a man to shun evil . job . . job was a man fearing god , and eschewing evil . prov. . . the fear of the lord is to hate evil . but where the fear of the lord is not , there the flood-gates are pulled up : if the devil tempt a man that feareth not god to sport on the lords day , he will do it ; to omit prayer , he will doe it ; yea , if there were no devil to tempt him , he would run on in sin . this is brought in as the cause of crying sins , rom. . , , , , , , . many sins there are enumerated , and at the close of all is , there is no fear of god before their eyes . abraham dared not to trust himself with a people that did not fear god , gen. . . abraham said , because i thought , surely the fear of god is not in this place , and they will slay me for my wives sake . . wicked men want serious consideration , that should keep them from being worse ; they do not seriously consider of death and judgement , of the wrath of god , of the torments of hell ; nor of gods omniscience , that he alwayes sees them . hos . . . they consider not in their hearts , that i remember all their wickedness , now their own doings have beset them about , they are before my face : nor of his omnipresence , that he is alwayes with them and by them ; they consider not , if i sin , i shall lose my soul , and it will cost me bitter tears or bitter torments : they do not weigh in their serious thoughts , the greatness of their danger , the heaviness of gods wrath , nor the eternity of the miseries of another world . god complains of the want of consideration as the great cause of the height of sin , isa . . , , . . wicked men want a firm assent to the verity of gods word , that they doe not verily believe the truth of gods threatnings ; but they have a secret hope that it shall goe well with them , whatever they doe , and whatever god saith . they hear of the evil of sin , and of the torments of hell , but they feel nothing for the present , and fear nothing for the future , and therefore goe on to adde drunkenness to thirst , deut. . , , . and it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse , that he bless himself in his heart , saying i shall have peace , though i walk in the imagination of mine heart , to adde drunkenness to thirst . vers . . the lord will not spare him , but then the anger of the lord , and his jealousie shall smoak against that man , and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him , and the lord shall blot out his name from under heaven . . wicked men want a lively tender conscience , which should warn them that they sin not , and accuse them , and threaten them with damnation , if they doe . many have cauterized consciences , tim. . . where conscience is dead , or sleepy , or feared , there iniquity will abound . sect . vi. what are the several steps and gradations whereby sin growes from a low ebbe to its highest actings ? there are ten steps to the highest actings of sin , five of which are common to good and bad , the other five proper to the wicked and ungodly . many hypocrites may goe half way with the godly in that which is good , but never ( while such ) goe quite thorow . so too often a man that is godly goes half way with the wicked in sinning , but never goes quite thorow with them in all the circumstances of sin , the rounds in the sinners ladder to hell are these ten : . original concupiscence . . temptation . . inclination . . consent . . action . . custome . . habit. . hardness contracted . . hardness judicial . . consummation or final impenitence . of these briefly in their order . i. natural concupiscence , or the vitiousness of our nature , which is in infants , this is as the tinder or the gun-powder whereby our natures are apt to take fire at the least spark . this is a sin , because it is the absence or privation of that rectitude which ought to be in our nature ; it is a fruit and punishment of adams first sin , and an immediate consequent of the loss of our original righteousness . this is fomes peccati : like to that wherewith the fire is kindled or kept burning : called the old man , sinful sin , the body of sin , sin dwelling , law of members . ii. then there is some temptation , solicitation , suited to this corrupt principle , either by the devil or wicked men : or some object presented to a man that might stirre up and excite this internal principle of corruption in our hearts , and though all men have the seeds of all sin , yet satan observing mens different constitutions hath different baits , ( as men have several baits , for several fish ) some he soliciteth to drunkenness , others to uncleanness , and others to covetousness : where note , that satan hath a wonderful advantage of us , which he had not in our first parents before the first sin ; for there was nothing in their hearts that was corrupt , and yet how did the devils temptation together with the object set before their eyes , prevail over them ! what the warm sun is to the stiff and frozen serpent , it doth enliven it , and then it sendeth forth its venom , and useth its sting ; that a temptation , or an object , proposed is , to our corrupt natures . some call this abstraction , a drawing the minde off from good to evil . iii. then there ariseth some inclination in the soul , or an hankering of the heart after that sinful object ; an entring into a patley with the devil , minding of the motion made by the tempter , thinking further of the committing of the sin . this is called inescation , ( as the fish delighteth to play with the bait ) or vitiosus motus , joyned with some titillation or delight of the heart therein . the first motions of the heart , that are primo primi , though they be involuntary , and before consent of will , and the judgement against them , yet are sins , ( ) because they are motus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , disorderly motions of the heart ; ( ) because they be forbidden by the law of god , and ( ) hinder our love to god. iv. next is the compliance and consent of the will , yielding to the temptation , and closing with the motion made concerning such an act upon such an object . the will as queen and commander in the soul , makes a decree to close with the temptation , and to close with and consent unto the solicitation to sin , upon the understandings mistake in its comparative judgement , apprehending and dictating to the will that to be good which indeed is evil , or the sensitive appetite moving the will by the mediation of the understanding , allureth it unto consent ; and this is the conception of sin , jam. . , . but every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own lust and entised , then when lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin , &c. v. when the will hath consented it layes a despotical or flat injunction on the members of the body to execute and proceed to action , and this is the actual commission of sin in the execution , in imperate acts . thus when judas had consented to betray christ , he goes forth and covenants with christs crucifyers , and betrayes him . thus the eye moveth to behold , and the hand to act that which the will consenteth to and commands . thus far it is the unhappiness of the people of god in their state of imperfection , to yield . david had a principle of corruption , then an object proposed , then wicked suggestions arose or were injected into his minde , then his will consented , and then proceeded to the actual commission of his after-bitterly-lamented sin . vi. then wicked men proceed to the frequent iteration of the same sin , till it becomes customary . a wicked man is drunk till it is his custom to be so , and to swear till it becomes his custom to do so . this is a great progress made in sin , it is great growth , and such will be hardly reclaimed . jer. . . can the aethiopian change his skin , or the leopard his spots ? then may you who are accustomed to do evil , learn to do well . aethiopem lavare is to labour in vain . ministers endeavour to reclaim men accustomed to swearing , and lying , and drunkenness , and they preach in vain , and study and pray in vain , as to any success usually upon such mens hearts . it is the commendation of a man to be accustomed to a thing , if it be good , for a christian to say , it is his custom to pray ; and a minister , it is his custom to preach ; though it is not good , that the one pray out of custom , nor the other preach customarily : to have it customary to perform holy dutyes is good , but to do them customarily is evil . thus it was christs custom , or he was wont to preach and teach the people . but it is an aggravation to be accustomed to a thing if it be evil , and if it be gross , it is a sign of a graceless person : though some carnal men when reproved for their often swearing , say , i thought no harm , it is only a custom i have got , and i cannot leave it : a custom ! why that is the aggravation and growth of thy wickedness , and thou dost as foolishly alledge that to extenuate thy sin , which indeed doth aggravate thy sin ; as a thief accused before the judge for stealing should plead , it was his custom so to doe . now sin is become the profession of the sinner , and he goes to his sin as customarily as an artificer to his shop or work-house ; but it is not the custom of gods people to make a custom of committing gross sins . david did to the wounding of his soul once commit adultery , but it was not his custome so to doe . peter at one time did deny his lord , but it was not his custom so to do . it is not the custom of a gracious person often to commit the same grosse sin , but it is his custom often to lament a gross sin but once committed . therefore if it be thy custom to commit grosse sins , and thou art wont to do so , thou art gone beyond the people of god in thy sinnings . thy state is deplorable . vii . customary commission of sin begets an habit in sinning ; whereby the love of sin is more deeply radicated in the heart . habits are got by frequent repeated acts , and doth adde a greater facility to act ; and such as are customary sinners will soon be habitual sinners , by frequent swearing they will have an habit of swearing ; by frequent drunkenness they will acquire an habit of that sin , and what is habitual especially in evil things , is not easily lost . viii . then habitual commission of sin begets contracted hardness of heart , and fearlesness of all gods judgements and threatnings ; and contracted hardness added to natural hardness , is a great progress in sinning . * thy conscience is seared , thy heart hard as the nether milstone ; past feeling . when pharaoh hardened his heart , his sinning was great , exod. . . now thou stiffenest thy neck against all admonitions , act. . . and hardenest thy heart against reproofs , prov. . . now thou actest as if thou wert above controul , and if thou couldst , wouldest shake off the very sovereignty of god. exod . . and pharaoh ( who was come up to the degree of hardness ) said , who is the lord , that i should obey his voyce , to let israel goe ? i know not the lord , neither will i let israel goe . so hardened sinners reply to gods ministers exhorting them to let their sins and lusts goe ; saying ( at least in their hearts ) who is the lord , whose name you use ? we know not the lord , neither will we let our sins goe , nor our pleasures and profits goe . now thou sayest to the lord , depart from me , job . . my tongue is mine own , who is lord over me ? psal . . . now thou gloriest in thy wickedness that is thy shame , philip. . . thou rejoycest to doe evil , prov. . . and makest a mock of sin , prov. . . and makest a sport in doing mischief , prov. . . oh if thou couldest vapour it thus at the day of judgement , and make as light of torment as now thou dost of sin , if thou couldest brave it out thus before christ at his comming , and russian like , bid defiance to an almighty god , and angry judge , thy case were not so miserable , but thou canst not , alas , thou canst not doe it : now thou art stout against the lord , mal. . . but then thou shalt sneake and crouch before him . ix . then judiciall hardness is added to contracted hardness , thou hast hardned thine own heart , and god will harden it also . now when naturall , contracted , and judicial , all meet in one mans heart , how hard must it needs be , and how great a sinner is this man in the sight of god ? you read sometime , pharaoh hardned his heart ●●mself , exod. . . and sometimes that god hardned pharaohs heart also , exod. . . so god giveth men up to their own hearts lusts which is a greater judgement , unspeakably greater than all bodily plagues . read rom. . . to the end , psal . . , . rev. . . isa . . . . hos . . , . but here conceive of god aright , when the scripture saith god hardneth mens heart , it is not to be understood , as if god were the author of their sin no more than the sun can be the efficient cause of darkness , for how shall the chiefest good be the authour of the greatest evill . for . god doth not infuse any wickedness into their hearts . . nor doth god tempt them to sin , james . . he may try them , but not tempt them to sin . . god commands no man to sin , for gods command would make it no sin , as in the case of abrahams sacrificing his son , or the israelites taking the jewels and ear-rings of the egyptians : except such things as are intrinsecally evill , as are hating of god , and blaspheming of god , and these things god cannot command , as he is said that he cannot lye , tit. . . . god with greatest severity forbids mens sins , he chargeth you upon pain of damnation , upon perill of hell torments , that you sin not , but commands men to repent , and mourne for sin , therefore doth forbid them to be hard and stupid under sin . . neither doth god co-operate , or concurre to the wickedness of their actions , though without derogation to gods honour we may say , he doth concurre to their wicked actions , for in him all live and move and have their beings , act. . . the action materially considered ( as it is an action or motion ) is good , and so god is the cause of it , but the action formally considered is evill , and so god is not the author of it , as when you spur a lame horse , you are the cause that the horse doth move , but you are not the cause of his halting . . but god doth permit and suffer men to harden themselves , he doth not give them preventing grace , but denieth that ( which he is not bound to give ) which would keep off this hardness from them . so god is said to give men over to their own wicked hearts , to let them alone , and leave them to their lusts , rom. . , . and to give them over to a reprobate mind , thes . . , . . but if some should say , bare divine permission cannot be the reason why god should be said to harden mens hearts , no more than he would be said to steal , because he suffereth men so to doe . some therefore adde , . that hardness of heart may be considered either as a sin , and so god is not the author of it , or as a punishment , and so it may be from * god , as the same thing in divers respects might be a sin , and a punishment of former sin , and a cause of future sinning , so the same thing in divers respects might be from god , and from the creature : as absaloms rebellion against the king was an hainous sin , as from him , yet it was also a punishment of davids sins , sam. . . but the scripture asserts two things however , ( ) that with god dwels no evill , and he cannot be the cause of sin , and yet ( ) expressely saith , that the lord hardned pharaohs heart exod. . . though we know not the manner , that doth not lessen the dreadfullness of the judgement , but when god doth judicially harden , then men are almost ripe in sin and for hell . x. when god hath judicially hardned them , they let loose the reignes of their lusts and now are fit for any wickedness , and stop not at the most abominable and loathsome practises . now they can blaspheme , and mock god , and deride holiness , and act like incarnate devils , when the people in act. . . . saw the wonderfull works wrought by the apostles ; they said , the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men , but when we see the most abominable , and sordid practises of wicked men , might we not say , the devills are come up to us in the likeness of men ? when men are judicially hardened they will commit sins against nature , rom. . , . &c. and could wish there were no god ; nay now they are ( when they have given themselves over to work wickedness , and god hath given them over too , when they say , we will be filthy , and god say , you shall be filthy ) eager and greedy after sin , they weary themselves in committing iniquity , and yet are not weary of iniquity , and do even scorne at threatnings , and mock at judgements , pet. . , . men walking after their own lusts , say , where is the promise of his coming , for since the fathers fell asleep , all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation . is . . . that say , let him make speed , and hasten his work , that we may see it : and let the counsell of the holy one of israel draw nigh , and come , that we may know it . thus sinning with judiciall hardness , and dying in finall impenitency , are at the bottom round , from whence they step into endless misery . thus you see how great a matter a little fire kindleth ; and from how small beginnings some have proceeded to the very pitch and height of sin , that can scarce be worse ( save in the frequent iteration of the sins , that they commit ) for they have got into all kinds of sin , they are guilty of spirituall wickedness , which the devill is , malice , enmity against god and goodness , &c. and of corporall wickedness , as adultery , drunkenness , gluttony , &c. which the devill is not capable of committing , the devill being only a spirit , but men consist of body and spirit , and so may commit more sins for kind , than the devill himself can do . but god forbid that after such a judgement , amongst us should be found such sinners , this will be an evil requitall to the lord for his removing his sore judgement from us . sect . vii . vnder what dispensations do wicked men grow worse and worse ? in the generall i answer , wicked men are the worse in all conditions that god puts them into : more particularly they are worse and worse , under gods providences , gods ordinances . first , wicked men wax worse under all gods providences , whether of prosperity , adversity , deliverances , i. ungodly men are worse under their prosperity , when the world smiles upon them , and when they have all that their carnall hearts can wish and desire : if the sun shine , it hardens the clay , and the more it makes the dunghill send forth unsavory smels , rom. . . or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance , and long-suffering , not knowing that the goodness of god leadeth thee to repentance , ver . . but after thy hardness and impenitent heart , treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath , and revelation of the righteous judgement of god. a wicked man is more hardened by gods kindness to him ; animus iniquus beneficio fit pejor . a wicked heart is made worse by every kindness . as , christ fed judas at his table , and he runs presently to betray him . the more god aboundeth to them in common goodness , the more they abound against god in multiplied wickedness . neh. . . ad . psal . . , . prov. . . the prosperity of fools shall destroy them , isa . . . let favor be shewed to the wicked , yet will he not learn righteousness : in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly , and will not behold the majesty of the lord. they are worse by prosperity . . because they are thereby listed up with pride and carnall confidence ; many men the more rich , the more proud , and the prouder , the worser ; the more their riches increase , the more they set their hearts upon them , and the more a mans heart is upon the creature , the worse he is . prosperity is full of snares ; and we are apt then to forget god , and to lift up the heel against him . deut. . . but jesurun waxed fat and kicked , thou art waxen fat , thou art grown thick , thou art covered with fatness ; then he forsook god which made him , and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation . here is great prosperity , and great impiety ; and god seeing how apt his own people are to be worse by prosperity , doth caution them largely against it , deut. . , , , , , , . . wicked men are worse by prosperity , because then they have more fuell to feed their lusts . sodomites had fulness of bread , and that did feed their uncleanness . they turn gods grace into wantonness , and his mercies into fuell for their wickedness . those things which should be cords of love to draw them to god , they turn to the nourishment of their sinnes against god , and desire riches not that they may glorify god , but gratify their lusts , jam. . . the more abundance of outward things a drunkard hath , the more he is able to please his palate with great abundance of the richest wines ; the more the adulterer hath , the more he bestows upon his harlot : and so the greater plenty , the more they lead a sensuall , bruitish , flesh-pleasing life , and the more of that , the worse they be . . wicked men in prosperity are the worse , because they are apt to gather gods special love to them , from the common bounty he bestowes upon them . because the world smiles upon them , they think god doth so too : because gods hand is opened to them , therefore they think they are engraven upon his heart , and think divine toleration * is divine approbation , when indeed it is a sign of gods great displeasure , to give prosperity to a man in a sinfull course . god was angry with the rich man in the gospel , when he gave him more abundance than he knew how to bestow , luk. . , , . and . , . they are apt to think that is the best way , which is the most prosperous way , jer. . . but we will certainly doe what soever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth , to burn incense to the queen of heaven ▪ and to pour out drink-offerings unto her , as we have done , we , and our fathers , our kings and our princes , in the cityes of judah , and in the streets of jerusalem , for then had we plenty of victuals , and were well , and saw no evil : vers . . but since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven , and to pour out drink offerings unto her , we have wanted all things , and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine . by prosperity they take encouragement to proceed in their iniquity . . wicked men by prosperity are worse , because , they are apt to put far from them the evil day , and the hour and thoughts of death and judgement , and the life to come : in health they have not serious thoughts of sickness ; a wicked man is too apt to think that the sun of prosperity which shines upon him , will never set , nor be clouded . psal . . . their inward thought is , that their houses shall continue for ever , and their dwelling places to all generations : they call their lands after their own names . in prosperity they think little of death . luk. . . and i will say to my soul , soul , thou hast goods laid up for many years , eat , drink , and be merry . they promise themselves a continuance of their outward happiness , and so sin more freely and abundantly . isa . . . come ye , say they , i will fetch wine , and we will fill our selves with strong drink , and to morrow shall be as this day , and much more abundant . this perswasion begets carnal security , and the more secure , still the worse . sect . viii . ii. wicked men are often times worse under adversity , judgements and afflictions that do befall them , the more they are punished , the more they are hardened ; there is nothing in adversity and judgements , in sickness and plagues , in poverty and distress , to make an alteration or a change in the heart of a sinner from worse to better , except god sanctifie it . the plague upon the body is not a remedy in it self to cure the plague of the heart , for men love more the plague of their hearts than they loathe the plague of the body . possibly outward judgements may put a stop to some mens sinnings for the present , but they will return to them afterwards , except god speak effectually to their hearts and consciences , as well as lay his heavy stroaks upon the body . judgement to a sinner may be as a barre to a thief , it may stop him from the present act , but doth not change his heart ; or as a storm to a mariner , may make him cast anchour for the present , but still he retains his purpose of sayling in his voyage when the storm is over ; they are oftner salve for their eyes to shew them their sin , than physick for their hearts to purge them out ; sinners in judgements might declaim against their sin , but without a setled purpose in their hearts to decline their sin ; where there is grace , afflictions work patience and submission ; but where there is nothing but corruption , they often work passion , and repining , not repentance ; the more god sent his judgements and his plagues upon pharaoh and the egyptians , the more they hardened themselves against god and his people ; and by gods judgements were not the better but the worse , exod. . . to . isa . . . why should ye be smitten any more , ye will revolt more and more . psal . . . they were not estranged from their lusts , but while their meat was in their mouths , v. . the wrath of god came upon them , and slew the fattest of them . v. . for all this they sinned still , and believed not for his wondrous works . and as it was with the woman that had an issue of blood twelve years , in respect of her bodily distemper , after great cost and charge and use of means , she was nothing bettered , but rather grew worse , mar. . , . so under gods judgements it is with most wicked men , in respect of their spiritual state , they are nothing bettered , but rather grow worse . and this appears , first , because in time of judgment they are not separated from their dross ▪ ezek. . . in thy filthiness is lewdness : because i have purged thee ( i. e. god used purging judgments ) and thou wast not purged , thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more , till i have caused my fury to rest upon thee . god hath been purging our houses , but many have not been purging their hearts , but retain their heart-filthiness stil , and their life-wickedness stil : if god in judgement say to such , you shall not be purged ; their case is irrecoverably miserable . secondly , because they are not more serious in religion than they were before ; either they omit it wholly as before , or are as dull and formal as they were before . thirdly , because they are not brought nearer unto god , but are rather removed ( were it possible ) at a further distance from god than before . and the reasons of this are , . because , when gods hand is lifted up , they will not see , isa . . . they look more to second causes than to god. . because they search not after the sins that provoked god to so great indignation . . because , if they do see their drunkenness and whoredoms , and sabbath-breaking , yet they will not be humbled for them , nor forsake them . sect . ix . iii. wicked men are oftentimes worse by gods delivering them from judgements and calamitous distresses . take a wicked man upon his sick bed , when god is shaking him over the grave , and threatning him with death , and affrighting him with the terrours of hell , you shall hear him acknowledge his sin , confessing his drunkenness , his neglect of his soul , and you shall hear him , it may be , with tears in his eyes promising , if god will raise him from his sickness , and trust him with life and time a little longer , he will forsake his wicked company , and prophane the sabbath no more ; if god will but try me ( saith the sick , dying man ) how will i live , and what will i doe , and how obedient will i be to the commands of god : and when god answereth his desires in his restoration , he performeth not his promise in his reformation , but is more wicked and more vile than before . you might see this in pharaoh , when the plagues were upon him , oh then send for moses , and let him entreat the lord for me , and then i will let israel goe : then he confesseth , i and my people have sinned , but the lord is righteous . though many wicked men , will not acknowledge nor confess their sin in times of judgement , so much as an hardened pharaoh did . but yet when the plagues were removed he hardened himself more against god still . read exod. . . . . . . and . . . so nehem. . , , , . and the reasons are , . because after judgements removed , they are more secure , and think the bitterness of death is past . . because they break their promises made to god in time of judgements , and so their sin is greater , and their guilt is greater , and therefore they the worser , of this more under another direction . . because judgement is removed from them before they are purged from their sin . when the plaister is taken off before the sore is healed , it will be worse : the course of physick is not continued , till the vitious humours are dispersed and purged away ; but gods people desire the cure may be wrought , before the affliction be removed . but pharaoh was for the removing of the plagues , but not the hardness of his heart . . because they adde incorrigibleness unto all their former sins , and must answer for all those judgements that were lost upon them . wicked men shall not only answer for their mercies , but for the judgements god sent upon them to reclaim them ; sinner , god sent the plague into thy house , and then he looked thou shouldest have hastened to have thrown sin out of thy heart ; but thou hast not done it : god did cast thee upon a bed of sickness , but thy bed of sickness was not to thee a bed of sorrow for thy sin , thou howledst , and cryedst our of thy loathsom running-sores , but not of thy filthy heart , and more loathsome sins ; thy body was pained , but thy heart not broken ; thou hast been punished and delivered , but art not reformed : but know , the more thou hast sinned , and the more thou hast been punished here , and yet sin still , the more shalt thou be tormented in hell . for these thou shouldest look upon as means , which god doth use to bring thee to himself , and the more means thou hardenest thy self against , the more is thy sin , and the more shal be thy misery . thus wicked men are oftentimes the worse by gods providences . but if this be thy case that readest these lines , that wast a drunkard before , and wilt be drunk more frequently now ; that wast a lukewarm formalist before the plague begun , but now thou art quite cold in the matters of religion ; i charge thee in the name and fear of the eternal god , that thou presently bethink thy self , what an aggravation this will be of thy continued and increased wickedness , and that thou turn from it , least god turn thy body into the grave by some other distemper , as an ague , or feaver , or consumption , though he did not by the plague . oh think with thy self , god hath taken away some of thy sinful companions , that were wont to be drunk and swear with thee , who if god should bring them back again from the dead , would tell thee that they are damned for their drunkenness , and that they have been in hell among devils , and have felt the wrath of god to be heavy and intolerable , for those very sins they have committed in thy company , and thou with them : would not they tell thee , if they had thy time , they would pray , but swear prophanely no more , if god had suffered them to out-live the plague ; or would after death and tryal of the torments of hell , entrust them with life again , they would be better . remember , some of them that the other day were drinking unto drunkenness in the ale-house , dying in final impenitency , are now damned with the devils ; that some of them that the other day thou hadst by the hand , and drunkest unto in the tavern , and did sing and roar together at your cups , are now howling and roaring amongst the damned , and are scorched in those flames , and rowling in that lake of brimstone , where there shall be no mercy , no mitigation , no cessation of their torments : and know thou , whoever thou art , that if thou dost not speedily return to god , if thou dost not mend thy life , and that quickly too , if thou dost not repent and reform , and that quickly too , thou shalt be a companion with them in torments , with whom thou wast companion in sinning : it was but a few dayes since , that they were with thee upon the earth , and if thou art not changed , it will be but a few dayes hence , and thou shalt be with them in hell , and when thou art there remember , once thou readest such lines that told thee so . therefore , if thou art not resolved for hell , be perswaded to be better after such an awakening judgement ; if thou valuest thy soul , if thou hast any fear of hell and wrath yet left in thee , let it work to a speedy reformation . tell me , what if god had set thee in some place , when five , six , seven thousand dyed in a week of the dreadful plague ( amongst whom no doubt but many went to heaven , and are now viewing the son of god , &c. ) that thou mightest have seen , impenitent drunkards , and impenitent worldlings , and impenitent swearers , seized upon by devils , and carried into torments , gone crouding in at the broad gate into pains eternal and unspeakable , and couldst but have heard their words , or perceive their apprehensions of their manner of life upon the earth , how would this have affected thee ? after such a sight as this what wouldst thou doe ? be drunk still ? wouldst thou be a sweater and a worldling still ? a formalist and hypocrite still ? then , if thou wilt be damned , goe on , who can help it ? but rather return , repent , that thou mightest have everlasting cause to admire god , that thou dyedst not in this plague , till thou repentest of thy sin , and wast prepared for another world. sect . x. secondly , wicked men will be worse under the dispensations of gods ordinances . but here i shall be the shorter , because it hath been the providence of god in the late plague that hath moved me to this work , to which i would have my words have more immediate reference . many wicked men are oftentimes the worse . for the word of god and the preaching thereof : not that there is any thing in the word to make men so , but it is * accidental to the word ; it may be occasioned by the word , but caused by their own corruptions . ministers might preach till they waste their strength , and yet they will be whoremongers and adulterers still , they will be envious and malicious still . the same sun that softens the wax , doth harden the clay : obed-edom was blessed for the ark of god , but the philistines were cursed for it . ungodly men suck poyson from the sweet flowers of gods word , which yields nourishment to the souls of gods people . weak eyes are the sorer if they look upon the sun. naturalists observe , that the fragrancy of precious oyntments is wholsom for the dove , but it kills the beetle ; and that vultures are killed with the oyl of roses . and st. paul , that the word is to some , the savour of life unto life , and to others , the savour of death unto death , cor. . , . . for the sacrament of the lords supper . that which is to believers , calix vitae , a cup of life , is to unbelievers calix mortis , a cup of death . wicked men call good evil , so they turn that which is good in it self , to be evil unto them . donum male utentibus nocet . good becomes evil to those that use it not aright . st. paul , treating of the sacrament sayes , ye come together not for the better , but for the worse , cor. . . the red sea saved the israelites , but drowned the egyptians . and the reason why the devil maketh drunkards and profane swearers so eager after this sacrament ( as our first parents after the forbidden fruit ) is , because he knowes it will do them harm , not good ; as a bad stomach full of crudities turn the food received not into the nourishment of the body , but for the feeding of their humours . as a mans sea-sickness is occasioned by the waves , but the foulness of his stomach is the cause thereof . they must needs be worse , for ( ) the devil takes fuller possession of their hearts : when judas had eaten the sop , the devil entred into him ; that 's a fatal morsel , when the devil follows it , joh. . , . ( ) their presumption and false hopes of heaven are hereby strengthened ; they think , if they doe but receive , their sins shall be pardoned , and their souls saved . ( ) their guilt is more encreased , because they are guilty of the body and blood of christ . this is dreadful guilt , this is a 〈◊〉 fact . ( ) they prophane gods ordinance , and abuse christs institution . ( ) they are thereby riper for temporal plagues , cor. . ( ) they eat and hasten their own damnation , cor. . . but i dwell not upon this , because i must pursue my design in reference to the late providence in the dreadful plague . sect . xi . why god is pleased to remove judgements , though many men are worse than they were before ? that god should stay his hand , and put up his arrows into his quiver , and his sword into his sheath , and call in the destroying angel , is indeed matter and cause of great admiration ; that when men sin still , god doth not slaughter stil ; when men provoke him still , that he doth not by the plague punish them still : the sins that were offensive unto god at first , are amongst us still ; the sins continue , the judgement removed : oh stand and wonder at this , that when justice hath cut down so many , that mercy yet hath spared so many ; especially if you seriously consider gods holiness and purity , gods justice and severity , gods infinite hatred unto sin , and that it is not the death of thousands that can satisfie gods justice , nor the death of those that are gone down into the grave , that have pacified gods wrath for us that do yet remain alive . what may be the reasons ? . god hath done this for his own names sake : if you goe to the church-yards and burial places in and about the city , and see the heaps of dead bodyes , and ask , why hath god done this ? we must answer , we all have sinned . if you goe into your houses and dwelling places , and finde so many living , after so great a mortality , and ask , why hath god done this ? we must answer , it is for his own name sake . the plague was inflicted because we had displeased him , but it is removed because mercy hath pleased him : we had deserved the inflicting of it , but could not merit the removing of it . in this late providence justice and mercy have been wonderfully magnified ; justice in removing so many thousands , and laying them in their graves ; mercy in sparing so many thousands , and maintaining them in life that have been so long walking in the valley of the shadow of death : this is , because god in the midst of judgement hath remembred mercy . ezek. . . but i had pity for mine holy name , — ver . . therefore say unto the house of israel , thus saith the lord god , i doe not this for your sakes , o house of israel , but for mine holy name sake . so when god gives good things , as well as when he removeth evil , it is for his name sake . god hath taken away your sickness and plague-sores , and given you health . vers . . then shall ye remember your own evil wayes , and your doings , that were not good , and shall loathe your selves in your own sight , for your iniquities , and for your abominations . v. . not for your sakes doe i this , saith the lord god , be it known unto you ; be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes , o house of israel . oh if you have been spared for his names sake , then let all the praise of your life be unto his holy name . but then you must not be worse but better than you were . . god hath removed his judgement in answer to the prayers of his people . prayer hath been an ancient antidote against the plague , and many have been preserved from the grave as a return to prayer ; and so it hath of old been prevalent for the removing of the plague : and therefore magistrates commanding the people to fast and pray , proceeded in solomons course to have it removed : king. . . if there be in the land famine , if there be pestilence — whatsoever plague , whatsoever sickness there be . what must they do then ? vers . . what prayer and supplication ( prayer you see is a panpharmacum , a remedy for every disease ) soever be made by any man , or by all thy people israel , which shall know every man the plague of his own heart , and spread forth his hands towards this house . vers . . then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place , and forgive — prayer is the remedy prescribed by solomon , but what are the persons whose prayers shall prevail for the removing of so sore a judgement ? not those that have plague-wishes so often in their mouthes , but the prayer of any man , that knoweth ( i. e. seeth and is sensible of ) the plague of his own heart . . god may remove judgements for the benefit of his elect that yet may be unconverted , and in mercy to them , who may be yet in their sins , god may stay this plague , it might be for some yet unborn , that may proceed from the loyns of some that are now worse than they were before . the patience and long-suffering of god is conducible to the conversion and salvation of gods elect , pet. . . and doth lead men to repentance , rom. . . many peradventure have not yet repented , whom god will bring to glory ; and he that hath designed them to the end , will preserve them in life till the means have been effectual to fit them for that end . . god may spare some that are worse , by removing judgements , because as yet they are not ripe enough for slaughter : the oxe is spared longer time , because not yet fit for the shambles . thus god spared jerusalem till they had filled up the measure of their sins , mat. . . and so god exercised patience towards the amorites , till their iniquity was full , gen . god may remove and keep off judgement from some ; and this may be in judgement to them , as he may in mercy , deny some mercies unto some . sect . xii . what are the aggravations of this great impiety , to be worse after gods sorest judgements than they were before ? that many wicked men are so , we have shewed before , and given the proof and reasons of it , but wo to you whose case this is : is this the return you make to god ? is this the fruit of his patience and forbearance to you ? do you thus requite the lord ? oh foolish people and unwise ! deut. . . will you seriously consider this evil frame of heart , and this ungodly practise in your lives , in these following particulars ? i. are you worse then you were before , then you are more like unto the devil than you were before , and the more unlike to god that made you . a man full of all sin , and bent to every wickedness is called a childe of the devil , act. . . the devil sins as much as he can , and thou dost as wickedly as thou canst , jer. . . it is a folly in men to picture things immaterial and invisible , and living , by things without life , material and visible ; never send a man to view the picture of the devil with a cloven foot drawn by art , the most exact and accurate lively picture of the devil ( as a devil , that is , as a sinner ) is the worst of wicked men ; and who are worse than thou , that neither mercy can draw , nor judgement drive to god and christ ? ii. the worse you grow , and the further you proceed in sin , the more impudent you will be in the commission of it : the beginnings of sin are often done with blushings of face , but the progress in sin is voide of all modesty ; then you will be drunk and glory in it , then you will swear and not be ashamed of it , jer. . . were they ashamed when they had committed abomination : nay , they were not at all ashamed , neither could they blush — pro. . . iii. the further thou proceedest in making progress in thy sin , the more it is to be feared thou wilt never return , but if thou shouldest , the more thou hast to sorrow for . it is but very rare that god bringeth those back that are come up to an height of sin ; sometimes he doth , that none might despair ; but very rarely , that none might presume . it is to be feared thou art forsaken of god , and he hath left thee to thy self , when word , nor rod , can reclaim thee from thy sin , nor put a restraint upon thee from waxing worse . iv. the worse thou art after such a judgement , the sooner god will be provoked to hast on thy destruction by some other . god hath not spent all his arrows in the late judgement , he hath his quiver full still ; and if thou go on when god giveth thee yet a space to repent , after so great a warning by the plague , he will ere long cast thee into a bed of trouble , rev. . , . thy increased wickedness is to gods wrath , as the blast to the fire , will quickly blow it up into a flame ; though thy conscience is asleep , yet thy damnation slumbereth not , pet. . . . while thou lingerest in thy sin , gods judgements do not linger , but are upon the wing ; and the worse thou art , the sooner will they befall thee , and be more heavy when they come . jer. . . the calamity of moab is near to come , and his affliction hasteth fast . v. the worse thou growest , the more thou heapest up treasures of wrath , and every sin is adding to the pile of that fire by which thou must eternally be burned ; temporal judgements might quickly befall thee , but if they do not , eternal damnation shall overtake thee ; and the higher thou goest in wickedness , the lower thou shalt sink and lye in hell ; god will proportion thy degrees of torments to thy growth and progress in sin . now thou hast a treasure of sin , mat. . . and god hath his treasures of wrath , deut. . . and as thou layest in sin , to the treasury of sin , so god layeth in wrath , to the treasury of wrath . * rom. . . thy present preservation , is but a reservation to greater indignation , then is discovered in a plague . tarditatem supplicii gravitate compensabit deus . he will recompence the delay of thy misery and punishment , with the weight and load of it , job . . vi. to be worse and more wicked after so great a judgement , will be to slight and set at nought the justice of god , when you have seen with your eyes the dreadful heaps of dead corpse , that it hath made in every church-yard . have you not seen that god is displeased with sin , and will you go on to do worse , as if you would bid defiance to god , even when he is angry and displeased ? have you not seen that there is wrath in god ? and that justice will call sinners to his barre by dragging them out of this world ? and will you after all this go on to sin against a just god , and as it were say , let justice do its pleasure , i will have mine ? this doth aggravate your sin . vii . to be worse after such a judgement , will be to sin against the patience and the mercy of god that hath spared thee , and waiteth to see what thou wilt do after such a visitation . the mercy of god is the attribute thou intendest to appeal to , it is that which thou hopest in , but by this thy wickedness thou wilt turn mercy it self against thee , that which thou wilt make thy request unto , must be the mercy of god , but this will plead against thee , and patience will plead against thee . lord , will mercy say , when thousands dyed weekly in london , i had pity upon this sinner and did spare him ; when the angel went through the streets and lanes in london , i mercy marked out this man for longer life , but he abused me , and sinned the more . and i [ shall patience say ] waited some moneths or years after the plague , to see if the mercy shewed him , would any thing work upon him , but i was abused too as well as mercy : the longer i , patience , did lengthen out his life , the more he added to his sins , and therefore now we , both patience and mercy , deliver him up into the hands of justice to deal with him according to his sins , and according to the wrong he hath offered unto us . oh how will thy mouth be stopped when mercy and patience shall plead against thee ; sins against mercy and protracted patience , are aggravated sins ; and the pleadings of mercy and patience against a man , will be the most piercing cutting pleadings . viii . the worse thou art , the more thou wilt have to answer for , and the greater accounts thou wilt have to make when ever thou shalt dye . the more thou sinnest , the more sins shalt thou finde in the book of gods remembrance , and in the book of thine own conscience , when thou shalt be brought before the barr of god : so many sins committed before the plague begun , and so many while the plague continued , and so many when it was stayed , and this sinner spared . when it shall be set down in the book of god , such a sinner was drunk so many times while the plague was round about his habitation , so many oaths he swore , when he saw multitudes buryed every day ; so long the plague was in the parish where he dwelt , and in the house in which he lived , and he never made one hearty prayer unto god all that time : and such notorious sins , in and after a time of a sweeping plague , will multiply thy account and aggravate thy misery . ix . to be worse after such judgements , will be to adde incorrigibleness to thy former wickedness : as before thou didst shew that thou hadst an unteachable heart , so now thou declarest thou hast an incorrigible heart : thou wouldest not be instructed by gods word , neither wilt thou be corrected by gods rod ; thou didst stop thine ears against gods word , and thou hardenest thy heart against his rod. but if thou wilt not be corrected by a plague , thou shalt be tormented in the infernal pit. x. to be worse after such a judgement , will be high ingratitude . thy life was the dearest thing thou hast in the world ( except the sin in thy heart ) for , skin for skin and all that he hath he will give for his life , ( except his sin , and he will venture his life , and lose it too , before he will part with his sin , ) and hath god kept thee , and is this thy thanks to god , to dishonour him more , and to provoke him more ? as if he had spared thee for no other end , but to sin against him ? oh what is ingratitude if this be not ? oh now for gods sake , and for thy precious souls sake , that as thy body hath hitherto escaped the grave , so thy soul may ( if possible ) escape the damnation of hell , be entreated , sinner , to consider the evil of thy present practice , after such a narrow escape of death and the grave : oh wilt thou that art but briars and thorns , set thy self against god that is a consuming fire ? dost thou sleight the wrath of the almighty , or despise his power , or contemn his judgements ? dost thou think that thou canst grapple with omnipotency , and make thy party good against almighty strength ? didst thou ever read of any one that hardened himself against god and prospered ? and dost thou think that thou shalt be the first ? who art thou ? or what is thy strength , or what were thy ancestours , that thou dost thus in pride and stubbornness of thy heart dare the great , eternal god , who can look thee into hell , and frown thee in a moment into another world ? sure , if thou hadst the knowledge of god , of thy self , of sin , of the guilt of sin , of hell and the torments thereof , thou wouldest not thus proceed to adde these new sins to thy former old sins , but wouldest fall down upon thy knees , and cover thy face in the very dust before the lord , in deep humiliation for thy sins , and wouldest own it as a mercy so great , that cannot be express'd , that the plague hath been so vehemently raging round about thy habitation , and it may be hath been upon thy body , and thou yet alive , and thy body not rotting in a cold grave , nor thy soul roaring in a hot hell ? think on this , this is mercy ; and wilt thou so abuse it ? sect . xiii . what are the signs of a man that waxeth worse and worse under all the means that god useth to make him better ? my purpose is not here to speak of the declinings of grace in the hearts of gods people , which never is so much ( because not total ) to denominate them absolutely bad , though they make them worse ( because on the losing hand ) being compared with themselves , when better in the lively actings and daily increase of grace ; but of the growth of wicked men in sin and impiety , which may be discerned by these symptomes . i. the less a man is attending upon god in the use of holy means , the worse he is . thou wast wont to keep up a constancy , or at least a frequency in holy duties , though thou never didst perform them in a right manner , nor from a right principle , nor for a right end ; yet time was , that thou couldest not omit them , but thy natural conscience would reproach thee , and molest thy peace ; and though the performance of those duties in thy manner and way , did never prove thee to be good , yet the total omission of them now , doth prove thee to be worse : inasmuch as thou hast shaked off all form of religion , and dost not profess thy self to be at all religious , but hast stifled natural conscience , and laid aside a sense of a deity , which before did stir thee up to do some homage unto god. thou didst pray , but now thou dost not ; thou didst hear , but now thou dost not ; it is because thou art worse . ii. the lesse thou lyest under the common workings of the spirit of god , the worse thou art : though thou hearest and prayest as before , yet the spirit of god doth not strive with thee as before : thou wast wont to finde thy heart something affected , and to have some common convictions and relentings for sin , and some purposes and resolutions to forsake thy sin , and leave thy wicked wayes and company , and almost perswaded to come over unto christ ; but now thou art no more affected than the seat thou fittest upon , and the pillar thou leanest against ; thou hast quenched the motions of the spirit , and he in wrath hath departed from thee , and leaves thee to the hardness of thy heart , and the blindness of thy minde , and then thou must needs be waxing worse . iii. the more thou art found in the iteration and repetition of the acts of sin , the worse thou art . thou wast wont to swear but seldom , but now oaths are frequent in thy mouth : thou wast wont to be drunk more seldom , but now it is thy weekly , or thy daily practice ; iteration of sin is an aggravation of sin : the number of thy sins , and the greatness of thy guilt is hereby encreased , and thou made worse . iv. the more kinds of sins thou dost usually fall into , the worse thou art . thou wast wont to swear , but not to be drunk , but now both : thou wast wont to be drunk , but wast not given to uncleanness ; but now thou art ; and to uncleanness thou addest scorning at godliness , vvhen sometimes thou seemedst to approve it , and speak for it ; and to thy scorning of godliness , thou proceedest to the persecution of godliness , when before thou didst pretend to favour and to countenance it . thou art increased in thy wickedness . v. the fewer self-reflexions , the worse thou art . thou wast use to reflect upon thy wayes , and sometimes consider of thy deviations from the rule of holiness , and thy conscience did check and did reprove thee ; but now thou goest on and never lookest back , so much as to consider wherein thou goest astray ; and though thou art more wicked , and more vile , yet thou hast more peace and quietness in thy wayes . it is because thy heart is more hard , and thy conscience more seared , and thou worse . vi. the greater light thou sinnest against , and the more thou goest on against the dictates of thy conscience , the worse thou art . conscience discovereth to thee the evil of thy wayes , the wickedness of thy life : conscience threatneth thee with damnation , with the loss of god and happiness , and thundereth against thee , and doth disturb thee in thy sin , and yet thou goest on against thy knowledge , and dost imprison the truths of god ; thou art worse . vii . the more of thy heart and will is in thy sinnings than before , the worse thou art now , than before . the more the will doth give consent , and the more the will doth choose wickedness , the greater progress thou hast made in thy sinful courses . though a childe of god doth commit a sin , yet because his will and the bent of his heart is against it , the lesser is the aggravation of his sin : when he can say , the thing that i doe , i would not , i allow it not . so , when thou art wilful in thy sin , thou frequentest wicked company , and thou wilt doe it ; thou prophanest the lords day , and thou wilt do it , this maketh thee to be very bad . the more of resolution and purpose of heart , the more of the choice and consent of the will in sinning , the greater is the sinner . viii . the lesser force divine arguments have upon thy heart to keep thee from sin , than before , thou art so much worser than thou wast before . time was , that arguments taken from the wrath of god , from the torments of hell , from judgement to come , from the curses written in the law of god , did awe thy heart , and restrain thy hand from the open actings of thy grosser sins ; these were once the banks that dammed up thy wickednesse , but now thou sleightest all these , that hell doth not affright thee , and the wrath of god doth not awe thy heart ; but the spring and fountain of sin within , is risen higher , and overflowes these banks , and like water spreads it self , and diffuseth it self in the general course of thy life . ix . the lesser force humane arguments have upon thy heart , to keep thee from sin than before , thou art so much worser than thou wast before . though abstaining from sin upon such accounts , doth not prove the truth of grace , yet the committing of sin notwithstanding these , doth argue growth of sin . now these humane arguments that did formerly restrain thee , were such as these . . shame amongst men . thou hadst an inclination to wicked company , but thou wast ashamed to be seen amongst them ; and therefore didst not associate with them . but now thou thinkest it no shame , or if thou dost , thou hast a face of brass , and an heart of stone , and blushest not . thou art worse . . care of reputation . thou wast tender of thy credit , and good name ; and though thou hadst a love unto some sins , that would have disgraced thee amongst men , yet now thou wilt blot thy name , and lose thy credit , and sacrifice thy reputation to satisfie thy lust . . costliness of sin . some sins are very chargeable , and call for great expence ; and thy love to thy money , and natural affection to thy wife and children , was a barre which did restrain thee from them : thou wouldest not feed and satisfie thy filthy lusts , because it would be chargeable to thee ; thou refrainedst from riotous prodigals , because company with them would wast thine estate : but now thou thinkest no cost too great , no charge too much , that thou mayest have thy fill of sin , but tradest , and labourest , and workest , to get something to maintain thy lust , and wilt rather that thy wife and children should want bread at home , than thou shouldest not have enough to spend upon thy sins abroad . thou art now grown to an exceeding magnitude in sin , that thou art monstrous to beholders . . health of body . such sins that tend to the impairing of thy health thou wouldest not commit : thou didst refrain , not so much because they would damn thy soul , as destroy thy body . thou thoughtest excessive drinking would shorten thy life , and hasten thy death , and bring thee sooner to thy grave ; that acts of uncleanness would fill thee full of loathsom diseases , and leave some mark upon thy body , whereby thou wouldest be noted for an unclean adulterer . but now thou wilt venture health , and life , and all that thou mayest more freely sin : and the very food thou earest is now not only to nourish thy body , but to provoke thee to lust . verily thou art much worse than thou wast . . fear of death . when the fear of god would not prevail to keep thee from sin , yet fear of death somtimes hath done it , and according to the strength of the fears of death , have been thy restraints from sin : but now thou canst think of death , and speak of thy death , and yet act thy sinne . . displeasure of men . thou hast had dependance upon some that hate such sins that thou lovest in thy heart , but because thou wouldest not loose their favour thou hast bridled thy sin , but now thou layest the reignes loose upon the neck of thy lusts , and wilt proceed to obey them , let who will be displeased thereby . when thou wilt displease thy best friend , and them upon whom thou dost depend for lively-hood and maintenance , that thou mayst please thy lust , it is a sign that sin is very high in thy heart , any one of these formerly were a sufficient bolt to keep thee from grosser sins , but now all put together are too weak ; a signe that sin is so much the stronger . x. the more thou hast had experience of the dreadfull effects of sin , and the more god hath punished thee for thy sin , and yet wilt proceed , the greater sinner thou art . god hath punished thee with poverty as the fruite of thy sin ; with diseases in thy body , with horrours in thy conscience , with the death of thy relations ; when thou hast tasted the bitterness of sin to set against the pleasures of sin , when god hath put worm-wood and gall into thy sin , yet thou art bent upon it : thou art very bad . xi . the more thou justifiest and defendest thy self after the commission of sin than formerly , so much the worser thou art than formerly . when thou wast reproved , thou wast use to acknowledge thy sin , and to confess thy wickedness , but now thou dost plead for thy lust , and pleadest for thy evil wayes , and takest the quarrell of sin upon thy self , it is a signe thy heart is more wedded to thy lusts , by how much the more thou espousest its cause . xii . when thou art more presumptuous in thy sinnings , and addest more contempt of god , and pride and contumacy than formerly , the worse thou art . sins of presumption are scarlet sins , of a crimson dye ; when a man sinneth against god , and blesseth himself in his wickedness , and presumeth of gods mercy , and presumeth upon the patience of god , a man that sins presumptuously makes a bold adventure against express threatnings of the law of god , and is mingled with great contempt of god ; it is no less than reproaching and despising of god himself , num. . . but the soul that doth ought presumptuously — reproacheth the lord ; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people , vers . . because he hath despised the word of the lord , and hath broken his commandment ; that soul shall be utterly cut off : his iniquity shall be upon him . xiii . the more mercies thou sinnest against than formerly , the worser thou art than before . god hath given thee more mercies , and multiplyed many good things upon thee , and yet thou committest more sins , than when thou hadst fewer mercies ; to make gods mercy to be fewel for thy lusts , is an aggravation of sinning , for as much as it is contrary to the end of mercy , which is to draw men off from sin : every mercy thou receivest hath a voice , and its language is , repent of sin , return to god , rom. . . god loadeth thee with mercy , and the more thou pressest him down with thy sin ; the more good , and the more mercifull god is to thee , the more vile and rebellious thou art against god , this is to be highly wicked . xiv . the more thou drawest others into sin by thy entisements or example than before ; so much the worse thou art . when thou art not content to sin alone , not to dishonour god thy self , but drawest and incouragest others to do so also ; and so damnest thy own soul and others too ; and makest thy self guilty of the bloud of those thou allurest with thee into sin . the more sins thou committest thy self , the worse thou art , and the more persons thou dost influence by thy sin to partake with thee , the worse thou art . thus if thou wilt compare thy self what thou art now with what thou hast been formerly , thou mightest discern how much more thou sinnest now than thou didst before . sect . xiv . what considerations may be usefull to stop the streame of such mens wickedness , that yet are waxing worse and worse ? because i am loath to leave thee with a bare conviction , that thou art worse than thou wast wont to be ; i shall add a few considerations to presse thee to put a stop unto thy sinnings , hoping that though thou hast gone far , yet thou mayst return : while thou art out of hell , thou art within our call , and within the reach of exhortation and reproof . god hath called often to thee to return , and yet thou hast not returned , but art going on unto destruction . the son of god hath called to thee , and said , how long wilt thou goe on in thy rebellion against him that would redeem and save thy soul ? he hath told thee , if thou dost proceed thou must be damned , and said , the mercy of god will not save thee , and my merits they will not , they shall not save thee , but if thou wilt return to god , and come to me , here is mercy for thee , here is pardon for thee , and i will give eternal life unto thee . the spirit of god hath often moved upon thy heart , he hath been often knocking at thy doore , that thou wouldest open thy heart and let him in , and he would apply the blood of christ unto thee , and he would fill thee with better joyes , and better pleasures , and better comforts than thou ever foundest in the way of sin . but hitherto thou hast stopped thine ears , and stiffened thy neck , and hardened thy heart , and wouldest not hearken nor obey . the ministers of god have often wooed thee and beseeched thee with tears in their eyes , and sorrow in their hearts , as if their happiness had been wrapped up in thine , and as if they could not have gone to heaven and been saved without thee : while patience waited upon thee , they have been earnest with thee , and now at last one unworthy to preach the gospel , is a suiter to thy soul , that thou wouldest be divorced from thy sin and be married unto christ ; as yet thou art out of hell , and art not yet reckoned among the dead , nor numbred amongst the damned , as yet thou art not irrecoverably lost , this day christ is once more tendred to thee , in the name of god i once more offer thee pardon and eternall life , upon thy repenting of thy sin , and turning unto god. oh that i could perswade thee , or if i cannot , as indeed i cannot ; oh that god would yet perswade thee ? if i might be serviceable to thy soule , oh how should i rejoyce ; if i did but know where thou dost dwell , that hast been wicked all thy dayes , and now art reading of these lines , having a purpose in thy heart to come to christ , i would come to thee ( as opportunity was offered ) and beg upon my knees , that thou wouldest cherish those purposes , and be perswaded to what conduceth to thy eternall happiness : if teares and prayers would do it , i would endeavour ( though my heart is hard ) to shed them for thee ; if putting my hands , under thy feet , and stooping to the meanest office of love unto thy soule , would excite thee to let christ into thy heart , how readily ( by the grace of god ) would i be willing to it . i beseech thee by the mercies of god , by the death of christ , by the coming of our lord , by the love thou bearest to thy self , as ever thou wouldest see the face of christ with comfort , as ever thou wouldest escape the damnation of hell , return at last , and though it be late , yet return at last . but if thou wilt not , let god be my witness , let as many as read these lines be my witnesses , let thy own conscience be my witness , that thou hast been asked , entreated , yea earnestly entreated to reform , and mend , and turn to god. but in hopes that i may prevail , i beseech thee in the fear of god , give in a sober and deliberate answer unto these following questions . first , whether art thou going , while thou art waxing worse and worse ? dost thou know that hell is at the end of the way in which thou art daily walking ? dost thou know , that if thou dost proceed a little further , a little longer in this course , thou wilt be among the devils , those cursed fiends of hell ? or dost thou know it , and yet wilt venture to dance about the brink of a bottomless pit ? who hath bewitched thee ? or what hath made thee mad , that thou seest thou art going unto hell , and yet wilt venture on ? secondly , dost thou believe the scripture to be the word of god , or dost thou not ? and are the threatnings contained therein , true , thinkest thou , or are they not ? wilt thou say they be false , or that they were found out by some precisians , or are the workings of some melancholly brain ? or that they were found out by some politician , to keep the world in awe ? i would have thee know , that to thy eternal sorrow thou shalt finde them all true , even to a tittle ; and to thy everlasting woe shalt know the truth of gods word : when thou art shrieking in the flames of hell , and roaring hideously among the damned , because of gods eternal wrath ; thou shalt be convinced , that the wicked shall be turned into hell , that the unbeliever shall be damned , and that it was true which thou wast told , that without repentance there was no deliverance from eternal condemnation . but if thou dost believe this word to be true , what aileth thee then to live as thou dost ? that thou actest quite contrary to what is contained in the word of god ? doth not the word of god in a thousand places cry down sin , and press to holiness ? doth it not tell thee , the drunkard , the covetous , the unbelieving , the lyar , shall be damned ? if thou never didst observe such places , take thy bible and turn unto them . cor. . , . rev. . . heb. . . gal. . . to . col. . , . eph. . , . mar. . . mat. . . luk. . , . canst thou read and believe these scriptures to be true , and yet goe on in the practice of those things that the eternal , holy god doth forbid upon pain of eternal torments ? wilt thou be worse than thy very beast , which thou canst not force into the fire when he seeth it before him . shall i call out thy neighbours to behold a dreadful sight , viz. a man that knowes he is in the way to hell , and yet will goe on . thirdly , with what face or heart canst thou hope ( as thou dost ) that god will pardon thy sin , or save thy soul , while thou persistest in thy wickedness , and encreasest therein ? shew me an instance of any one man in all the word of god , that was pardoned and saved , who repented not , and i will be thy slave for ever . i know , great sinners have been saved ; and i know , those that have gone far have obtained mercy : manasseh did , chron. . , . mary magdalene did , luk. . but then they turned unto god. canst thou say , there is any one now in heaven that did not repent , and believe before he dyed ? or dost thou think that thou shalt be the only man ? fourthly , whom dost thou set thy self against ? or who is it that thou dost provoke ? whose anger and indignation art thou daily kindling against thy self ? what art thou , that thus dost sin ? or what is god against whom thou sinnest ? dost thou know thy self , and thine own weakness ? and dost thou know god , and his almighty power ? art thou any better than chaffe before the winde of gods wrath ? art thou , any better than stubble before a consuming fire ? canst thou make thy party good against god ? then why dost thou take thy bed , when he layeth his finger light upon thee ? or why dost thou complain and art so restless under the pain of the tooth-ache ? why dost thou roar so much under the pain in thy bowels ? and why dost thou groan , when he makes thee sick ? why art thou sick , and why wilt thou dye , if thou canst contend with god ? but if thou canst not , poor worm , thou canst not ; why then wilt thou proceed and increase thy wickedness more and more , to provoke him more and more ? fifthly , how canst thou call thy self a christian , while thou daily increasest in thy sin against god and christ . christians have their denomination from christ , because they follow his steps , and own him for their lord and master : christ was holy , and so is every true christian ; christ hated sin , and so doth every true christian ; christ did the will of his father , and thou art doing the will of the flesh and of the devil . that which consisteth of a head of one kinde , and members of another , is monstrous . if any creature had the head of a man , and the members were the members of a beast , it would be monstrous . christ is an holy head , and all his members united unto him are holy members ; therefore thou art none of them : take it as thou wilt , thou art not a christian , that should not be thy appellation ; thou art more rightly called a sinner , a childe of the devil . sixthly , how canst thou goe unto thy prayers and yet go on in thy sin , and come to the word preached , and hear drunkenness reproved , and go away and be drunk ? how canst thou sit in thy pew , and hear the minister from god tell thee , the drunkard shall be damned , and all thy neighbours know thee for a drunkard , and yet hold up thy head ? where is thy shame ? art thou become impudent ? where is thy fear of god and his word ? art thou utterly hardened ? where is thy conscience ? is it quite seared ? seventhly , dost thou think that god will never call thee to an account ? dost thou think that time will alwayes last ? dost thou think thy soul shall live for ever , and yet do that which will bring thee to an eternity of misery ? and expose thy self for a little momentany pleasure unto eternal torments ? thus i have set before thee these considerations , whereby thou mayst be brought to bethink thy self , and at last enquire , what would you have me to doe ? i answer thee : . make a stand and pause a little with thy self , whether it be not so with thee or no ? and labour to convince thy self of the hainousness of thy sins , in making such an increase and growth in sin . . when thou art convinced thus , urge it upon thy heart till thou feelest it begin to melt , and to be dissolved in thy breast . use thy reason for thy souls good , after this manner : oh god hath been good to me , and i have been wicked against god ; god was alwayes good to me , and i have been alwayes evil against god ; god multiplyed his mercy upon me , and i multiplyed my sins against god ; if he had not given me bread to eat , i had dyed with hunger ; and if he had not given me drink , i had perished with thirst ; but what he gave me for my nourishment i have abused to gluttony and drunkenness ; i have fought against god with his own mercy , and made his goodness an encouragement to me in my wickedness : he lengthened out his mercy , and i did lengthen out mine iniquity ; oh what rich grace and patience is this , that i am not in hell ! oh this was long-suffering indeed , to bear so long with such a swearer and drunkard as i have been ; and when the dreadfull plague hath taken away my companions in sin , yet i am left behinde ; oh that it may be , that i may repent and turn to god! woe is me ! i have been damning of my precious soul , and have spent my dayes hitherto in dishonouring of a good and patient god. . then resolve with thy self , that by the grace of god thou wilt forsake and leave those practises , and wilt no longer continue in thy wickednesse ; say , now i see this is not my way to happiness ; swearing , and lying , and drunkenness , is not my way to the kingdom of god : the devil hath deceived me , and my companions have deceived me , and my own wicked heart hath beguiled me ; i will , by the grace of god , i will do so no more ; i am resolved i will do so no more : and write down thy resolution , that thou mayest have it under thine own hand , that such a day thou didst resolve to do so no more . . beg of god that thou mayst be deeply humbled for what thou hast already done , and labour that thy sorrow may be proportionable to what thy sins have been . . make haste to christ , and take him and receive him for thy lord and saviour , and submit to him upon his gospel-terms , as willing he should rule thee , as ever thou wast for sin to rule thee . . then endeavour to be as good as thou hast been bad , as holy as thou hast been wicked , as eminent for piety , as thou hast been exemplary for iniquity ; speak for holinesse as much as ever thou didst speak against it ; and love the wayes of god as much as thou wast wont to hate them , and by persevering so to doe , thou shalt finde great mercy will be shewn to thee , who hast been so great a sinner . sect . xv. now i will draw some corollaries from this first branch of this direction , and so pass on unto the second . is it the nature of sin to make men worse and worse ? and do wicked men usually wax worse and worse ? then learn , . the evil that there is in sin : there is a depth in the evil of sin that cannot be fathomed , and a length in the evil of sin that cannot be measured ; that is very bad that makes men so in every condition , as grace is very good that turneth every thing for the best to them to whom it is infused . . learn that wicked men are never from under a curse : let their condition be what it will , prosperity is a curse unto them , adversity is a curse , and deliverances are in wrath . when they do increase in riches , they do increase in sin ; envy not the prosperity of the wicked . . learn the bottomless depth of iniquity in a wicked mans heart : he was bad twenty years ago ; he was a grief to all the godly in the town and parish where he lived , but yet he is many times worse than before . . learn what abundance of guilt an old sinner goes with to his grave when he comes to dye : he was bad when he was born , and worse while he lived , and worst of all when he is to dye . . learn the equity of gods justice in punishing a wicked man with eternal torments for sins committed in time : for he sinned more and more as long as he lived , and if he had lived longer , he would have sinned longer ; and if he had lived for ever , he would have sinned for ever . . learn the over-ruling providence of god : that setteth bounds to wicked mens sins ; if he did not restrain them , they would be worse , and do worse than they do . . learn , that natural men by the improvement of common grace , or the means of grace , cannot work themselves into a state of grace , nor of themselves that are bad , make themselves to be good ; for we have shewed , that without the speciall and irresistible operations of the spirit of god , wicked men grow worse under the administrations of the gospel . . the folly of delays and procrastinations of repentance and turning unto god : wicked men think they can repent when they will , and though they have no heart to turn to god for the present , yet they will hereafter ; but he that is not disposed to turn to god and repent to day , will finde his heart more indisposed to morrow , and the longer they put it off , the more unwilling and unable they will be to do it hereafter . we have heard we must not be worse , now let us see we must be better , and that is the second part of this first direction . sect . xvi . hath the plague been raging , and you yet alive ? then be better than you were before . and here i especially direct my speech to those that had the grace of god infused into their hearts , before this judgement came upon us ; that you would improve this providence by being better than you were before ; if drunkards and swearers will not be better , yet be you ; if sensualists and flesh-pleasers will not be better , yet be you . it may be the wicked will be worse , but will you be so too ? if gods people are not mended by his judgements , who will ? and hath god swept away so many thousands into another world , and shall there be no good effect , or fruit upon neither bad nor good ? god forbid ? london hath been a place of great prosperity , a city of feasting , and a place of plenty of outward enjoyments ; but in this last sickness , god hath filled it with dolorous complaints by the many breaches made by death in so many families and relations ; god hath filled it with pale faces , and sick persons , and running sores ; god hath turned it into a place , an house of mourning . and solomon saith , eccl. . . it is better to go into the house of mourning , than to the house of feasting ; for that is the end of all men , and the living will lay it to his heart . have not your houses been houses of mourning , some dead out of most houses , and you are yet living ; will you then lay it to your heart ? what should you lay to heart ? lay to heart the great judgement that hath been amongst you . lay to heart the sins that did provoke the lord to lay his hand so heavy upon you . lay to heart the goodness of god in preserving you . the city hath been an house of mourning , but have you learned the lessons that are to be learned in an house of mourning ? have you met so many dead corpse carried in the streets ? have you seen the living laboring to carry forth their dead , and yet not learned the lessons that are to be learned in such a place of mourning ? where one is dead in a family , that before was an house of mirth and gladness , it will turn it into an house of mourning and sadness , much more , when many dead in one family ; and this is the case of many families . god hath been teaching you many things at such a time , but is your lesson taken out ? oh , what dull scholars are we in the school of christ that must thus be scourged to learn our lessons , and yet have not done it ? consider , when god hath turned london , by reason of their dead , into an house of mourning , he hath been teaching you such things as these . i. god hath been teaching you the infallible verity of divine threatnings . god threatned our first parents , gen. . . that if they sinned , they should certainly dye , they and their posterity . this threatning was made some thousands of years since , and it hath been made good in all generations . length of time makes not voide the threatnings of god ; men read gods threatnings , but do not believe them , nor fear them , nor tremble at them . many will not practically believe that they shall dye , though they sin , and will not at all believe they shall be damned , though they sin ; but we see that men that have sinned must dye , and wicked men shall feel that they shall be damned according to gods threatnings , but you have learned the truth of gods threatnings in this , and they are as true in all other respects ; therefore do you that are gods people , learn the truth of gods threatnings , when he saith the drunkard shall not inherit the kingdom of god ; and let this move your heart to pity them that are such , that have a threatning of god , which is of undoubted verity , as a flaming sword standing in their way to keep them out of the paradise of god , and be thankful unto god that you are none of these . do you learn the truth of gods threatning , when he saith , the hypocrite and unbelieving shall be cast into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone , rev. . . and pity and pray for them that are such , and bless god that you are none of them , and so are taken from under the curse of that threatning . ii. in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you what are the wages of sin . you have often heard that death is the wages of sin , rom. . . the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used , is a military term , signifying the wages that is due to souldiers , intimating that death is as due to a sinner for his service to the devil , as pay is to a souldier for his service to his general ; it comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth properly , all kind of pleasant meats that may be prepared or made ready by fire , so that all the delicates , and dainty dishes that sin prepares for sinners , hath a deaths head in them . do you learn this , and by this learn to hate sin more than you did before , and watch against it more than you did before . iii. in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you the certainty of mens mortality . you have seen that this is the way of all flesh , josh . . . king. . . and therefore learn to live as mortal , dying men should live ; you have seen that thousands have been carryed from their houses to their graves : and , oh what manner of persons ought you to be in all manner of holy conversation , after such a sight as this ? iv. in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you the worlds vanity . you have seen what miserable comforters riches are to men in time of plague , and at an hour of death ; you have seen death haling men from that which they had set their hearts upon ; you have seen death dragging men from their riches , and from their pleasures , and hath forced them to come away to the bar of god , and leave their riches behinde them , and their pleasures behind them . you have seen that riches could not go with them into another world , but left them in a time of need . you have seen that those that loved riches , could finde no comfort in them when they stood in greatest need of comfort . you have seen that what men have been laboring for , and scraping together all the time of their health and life , death hath come and scattered in a moment . oh how weaned should you be from the world , and the riches and the pleasures thereof , after such a sight as this ! oh how much less should you afford the world , of your heart and affections , of your love , desire , and delights that is so unkind to dying men , even unto those that served it most , and loved it most . oh do you learn to deal so with the world , as you have seen the world to deal with others , i. e. turn it out of your heart with as little love and pity to it , as you have seen the world turn its followers out of it , and shake them off , notwithstanding all their entreaties to abide and stay therein . the world may now entreat you , that it might stay in your heart , and live in your love ; but hearken you no more to its entreaties , than it hath hearkened unto others , and you must expect the world ere long will deal with you , as it hath dealt with others ; therefore part with the world , before you leave the world . v. in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you the short continuance of all relations : you have seen death taking husbands from their wives , parents from their children , ministers from their people , and so wives from their husbands , children from their parents , people from their ministers . those that had but one onely son. plague and death hath stripped them of him , and teared one relation out of the others bosome ; fain they would have kept them , but death would not suffer them ; they wept and cryed , but death would not have pity on them , nor hear their cries , nor regard their tears , but said , this is your childe , but i must have him ; this is your husband , but i must seize upon him ; god hath given me a commission , and i always use to do according to the commission i receive from god , if god will not spare you , in vain you look for pity at mine hands . i ( saith death ) am blinde and cannot see the beauty of your childe , that hath drawn out your heart so much towards him , i am deaf and cannot hear your pleadings for the continuance of your childe , or husband , or friend ; if god doth not hear you , i cannot , and if god doth not spare and pity you , i will not , therefore i will smite him , and stick my arrow in his heart , and dippe it in his life-blood , and take him from you . oh how many have thus experienced the dealings of death ! and you have seen it , and will not you learn to sit looser in your affections towards your nearest and dearest relations ? you have seen death hath seized upon them that were most beloved by their friends , and perhaps did therefore do it , because they were over loved ; and took up too much of that love , and that delight which should have been more , and would have been better placed upon god. your lesson then is set down by the apostle , for i would not teach you by rott , nor without the book of gods word , cor. . . but this i say , brethren , the time is short , or rolled up , or contracted ; a metaphor taken from a piece of cloth that is rolled up , onely a little left at the end ; so some . as mariners near the haven winde up their sails , or make them less . when the sails of time are thus contracted , it is a sign we are near the harbor of eternity . it remaineth , that both they that have wives be as though they had none , vers . . and they that weep as though they wept not , and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not ; and they that buy as though they possessed not , and they that use this world as not abusing it , for the fashion of this world passeth away . vi. in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you the lesson of humility . how many humbling sights have you seen ? every corpse that you have seen hath been an humbling sight . it may be you have been proud of your beauty , but have not you seen that beauty vanisheth away when death comes ; that beautiful bodies by the plague and death have been turned into loathsome bodies ? and those that you have loved and been delighted to look upon , you have been glad to have them buried out of your sight , when once dead . how many open graves have you seen , and those that have been nice and curious of their comely bodies , have been interred , and given to be meat for worms , and to be a prey to rottenness and putrefaction . have you seen any difference betwixt the poor and the rich , be●wixt that body that was fed with courser fare , and that which was nourished with more delicate dishes ? have you not seen bodies that were made out of dust , been turned to the dust , to be turned into dust , and will you be proud after god hath taken such an effectual course to teach you to be humble ? vii . in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you , that all things fall alike to all , that the wise must dye as well as the fool , and the good must dye as well as the bad . and though god hath promised [ conditionally ] preservation from the plague unto his people , which hath been literally fulfilled to some of his , yet some of his have fallen in this general mortality , god hath been teaching of you , that though grace doth deliver from eternal death , yet not from temporal ; though from the sting , yet not from the stroke of death , that you ( though godly ) should be preparing for your own departure out of this world . viii . in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you the difference between the death of the wicked and the death of the righteous , that though good and bad alike have dyed , yet they have not dyed alike . but as there was a difference in their life , so god did make a difference in their death : have not you seen some wicked dye without any sense of sin , or fear of god , or hell ? and some with terrors in their consciences ? and have you not seen some godly dye with peace and comfort , and giving good evidences of their hope of a better life ? that god hath filled them with joys that they were going to their fathers house ? and that the plague and death had not so much in them to terrifie and affright , as the hopes of heaven had to comfort and support their hearts . it hath been ground of great rejoycing to hear : how many of gods people in this plague did dye with joy and comfort ? and should not y●u by such a sight as this , be quickened in your service unto god , and ever while you live look upon religion as a real thing , that letteth in such real comforts into their hearts , who had real grace , in such time of real discouragements ; after such a sight as this , never think it a vain thing to serve god ( though you must dye ) who comforts his peoples souls in the very gates of death ? ix . in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you the folly of delaying in the great concernments of another world ; you have seen many drunkards did delay to repent and turn to god , but when death once came to arrest them , it would not stay till they had done their work . have not you seen many have been surprized by death ; that those that thought they would repent hereafter , and talked how they would mend hereafter , are gone down into the grave before that time was come ? and wil not you after such a sight as this be quickned to make more haste in doing of the work that god expecteth at your hands ? have not you seen some that have talked what they would do the next year , laid in the dust before this year is past and gone ? god hereby would have you learn not to boast of to morrow , because you know not what may be in the womb of another day , nor what to morrow may bring forth , prov. . . god would have you learn so to number your days that you may apply your hearts to wisdom , psal . . . god would have you learn to do your duty quickly , and to do it with all your might , because it will be too late , when you are rotting in your grave , eccles . . . x. in this great house of so great mourning , god hath been teaching you the great lesson of mortification ; you have seen how many dyed by sin , and should not you be now dead unto sin , you should now in good earnest labor for the death of sin . o be the death of your passion , and be the death of your lusts , and be the death of your worldliness , especially be the death of your beloved sin , god forbid that sin should be found alive in your heart after such a time of death to so many thousand persons . are so many dead and rotting in their graves , and shall not sin be dead and mouldring in your hearts . these be some of the lessons god in his late providence hath been instructing you in , and if you can now do these duties better than before , it is some sign that you are better than you were before , but yet because so great a providence should not be sleightly passed over , with but a little improvement , i shall take occasion to press you to be much better than you were before ; before , god saw a great deal of sin in his own people , and amongst professors , much censoriousness , and rash and uncharitable judgeing one of another , want of love and affection , a great deal of pride in apparel , pride in diet , pride in furniture of houses , pride of beauty , pride of parts and gifts ; and god hath been staining the pride of all families therein . god saw a great deal of neglect of family duties in professors houses , and customary , cold and dead performance of them in others , and doth it not concern all to see where they have failed , and do so no more ? sect . xvii . i know the wicked world thinks that professing people are too exact already , and that they make more adoe than is needfull : but their charge is , . false ; for there is no man is so exact in his life as he ought . . blasphemous ; for what do such but blame god himself in giving such strict rules unto his people . . malicious ; cain envyed abel because his works were evil , and his brothers good . . diabolical ; what could a devil say more , or what is this but to play the devils part , in discouraging , discountenancing , speaking against the pressing after the highest degrees of goodnesse . but let it be your great care whom god hath spared from the grave in this time of plague , that are such as truely fear god , and are truely good : on take heed , that after such a preservation none of you might be found worse than you were ; for though those that once were truely good , shall never so decline as to be [ absolutely ] bad , yet they may so farre fail , that they may [ comparatively ] be sayd to be worse . here consider , . to lose any degrees of goodness and grace , is a grievous and a sinfull loss : if you had lost your life in this plague , it might not have been your sin , but you cannot be in the least degree worse than you were ( after such a providence ) but it is a great sin : because it is our duty to love god as much as we can , therefore to lose any degrees of our love to god , is to come short of our duty , and therefore a sin . . to be worse in your spiritual condition , will be great unthankefulnesse to god for his watchfull providence over you . if a man do a kindness for you , will you be worse towards him than you were before ? and will you deal worse with god than with a fellow creature ? . to be worse in your spiritual condition after such preservation and deliverance , will be displeasi●g unto god , and a grief unto him if god see his children love him less , and fear him less , and delight in him less , will it not grieve him , and displease him ? and had it not been better you had dyed , than to live to be a grief to god ? had not you rather follow your children to their graves , than to see them live to be worse , and dishonour god ? and will you yet do so your selves ? is it not a grief to you , the more kindness you shew unto your children , to see them the more undutiful to you ? and will it not be so in you to god ? . if you be worse than you were in your spiritual condition , you shall have less communion with god than you had before : and had not you better dye than lose your communion with god ? for what is your life without fellowship with god ? . if you be worse , you will have less comfort from god than you had before . if you deny duty to him , which you performed to him before , he will deny that comfort to you , which he gave you before , and what will your life be , without the comforts of god let down into your soul ? is not his loving kindness better than life ? psal . . . and what is life if you have no comfort in it ? and where wi●l you have solid , lasting , suitable , satisfying comfort , if not from god ? . if you are worse in your spiritual condition than you were before , and love god less , and desire after him less , and delight in him less , you will have less evidences for heaven than you had before , you will not so clearly see your interest in christ , your title to his kingdom , as you did before ; and do you live to blot your evidences ? oh what an aggravation will it be to you , to say , before the plague i knew that god did love me , but now i doubt of it . before i knew , if i had dyed i should have been saved , but now if i should dye , i cannot tell . . if you are worse than you were , you will have less experience of the workings of god upon your heart , than you had before . you will not have such experience of his quickning presence , nor of the powerful operations of the spirit upon your heart ; and what is it , if you feel the motions and acting of life , if you do not feel the motions of the spirit so much upon your heart ? . if you are worse , you will dishonour god more than you did before , and that you need not do , you did that too much before : and hath god spared you to live to his dishonour ? i tell you , you had better dyed with others in the plague , than live after it to dishonour god. . if you have less of goodness than you had before , you will have more of sin than you had before . if you love god less than you did , you will love something else more than you did ; if you have less faith , you will have more unbelief ; if you be less heavenly , you will be more worldly ; if you be less spiritual , you will be more carnal : and hath god been using physick to purge out your sin , and shall it be found more in you than it was before ? hath god put you in the furnace , and doth your dross continue , and increase ? it is the nature of contraries , the less there is of the one , the more there is of the other . if the sun be setting , darkness is approaching ; if heat be expelled out of the water , more cold is introduced ; and so it is with your heart in respect of sin and grace . . if you be worse , it will cost you much pains , and prayers , and tears , before you will recover to be as good as you were before . you may lose that with a little neglect , which you will not re-gain without great diligence . thus i have laid before you these considerations , to prevent your being worse : but that will not be a sufficient improvement of this providence , that you be not worse in your spiritual condition , but you must be better : not enough , that you do not decline , but you must increase and thrive in grace and goodness . and before i come to press you to be better , let me lay down these following positions ; and the last shall bring me to my intended work. sect . xviii . posit . . there are many that are really bad , and not so much as seemingly good . there are many that do not profess any goodness ; such are your open , debaucht sinners , that give themselves up unto all licentiousness and sin . posit . . that there are many that are seemingly good , that are not really good . many make a great shew in religion , that have no religion in them . many pray much , and hear much , and talk of good things much , but are not good themselves ; and the misery of these is , . that they lose all their labour ; for if they themselves be not good , their praying is not good , and their talking of good things is not good : for , the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the lord , prov. . . . they have no real communion with god who are but seemingly good : for , what communion hath light with darknesse , cor. . , &c. . they shall have no real reward , in the kingdom of heaven . their goodnesse is but seeming goodness , and their happiness is but seeming happiness . . they are seemingly like to god , but are really like the devil . . they associate with gods children , but are none of gods children ; for all gods children are good . . they have no true peace , isa . . . but god hath really preserved you from death , and really kept you alive , therefore be not satisfied to be seemingly good , but be really so . posit . . that there be many that are really good , that are not gradually good , that have grace in truth , that have not grace in growth . those that are seemingly good are not so many as those that are openly bad , and those that are really good are not so many as those that are seemingly good , and those that are gradually good are not so many as those that are really good . ever the better the fewer , both for kinde and degree . it is so in naturals ; not so many whales as lesser fish ; not so many eagles as little birds ; not so many suns as stars : and so it is in spirituals ; not so many strong men in christ , as babes ; not so many tall cedars , as there are shrubs in gods lebanon . now my purpose is to exhort you ( especially after such a providence ) to be not only really good , but to be gradually good . posit . . that those that are gradually good , are yet imperfectly good , as appears by the remainders of sin in the best ; and would be evident by a particular enumeration of their graces , which is the best thing in the best men ; they know but in part , and they love but in part , and delight in god but imperfectly , philip. . , , , . posit . . those that are really good though imperfectly good , are truly acceptable unto god. god will not break the bruised reed , nor quench the smoaking flax , mat. . . there may be a great deal of smoak where there is but little fire , a great deal of sin where there is but little grace ; but yet it is pleasing unto god , if it be true ; a little grace is of great value , ( a pearl of small quantity might be of great worth ) and better than a great deal of riches , or of gifts ; better than a strong memory pregnant phantacy , solid judgement , quick apprehension , voluble tongue , or any such things ; because the least grace is a pledge of heaven , and so are none of all the rest . posit . . that when a good man doth increase in goodness , he increaseth more or less in all saving goodness . when any one sin is more mortified , every sin is in some measure more mortified , and yet every sin is not equally strong , because some sins are more deeply radicated , have been more strengthened by frequent acts , and are more rooted in the constitution ; so though addition be made in every grace , when a christian growes better , yet every grace might not be equally strong in the same christian , because some grace may be more opposed by the contrary sin , and some grace is drawn forth more into act and exercise than the rest ; yet as a childe growes in all parts truely though not equally ; so it is in a good christian : and this i adde , that you may endeavour to be universally good , and universally better , better in faith , and better in love , and humility , &c. posit . . that those that are good should labour to be better , and those that are better , should strive to be best . you should not rest in goodness positive , but labour to have comparative goodness , and when you have it in the comparative degree , you should aspire after superlative goodness : you see it is so in other things ; amongst scholars men strive who should be the best scholar ; and amongst artificers , men strive who shall be the best artificer ; and now after the plague , you will perceive men to be more earnest in their trading ( i pray god they may not exceed ) to re-gain , what they lost for want of trading : and so amongst christians , every one should strive who should be the best ; and to quicken and provoke you hereunto , lay these things to your heart . consider , sect . xix . . you are not so good as once you were ; i mean in your primitive condition and first creation , we had more goodness as we came out of the hands of god ; then we had good and no evil : and when god hath restored us , we should labour to come up as near to what we were in adam , ( though not by the same covenant ) as we can . . you are not so good as you shall be . you were good in adam , but you shall be better in heaven : in adam we were perfectly good , in heaven we shall be perpetually good ; and should you not labour to get as much of heaven into your heart as you can . . you are not so good as you ought to be , no , not by many degrees ; you come farr short of what you should be in grace and goodness . . you are not so good as you may be : though you cannot be so good as you were in adam , as you shall be in heaven , as you ought to be upon earth , yet you may be better than you are . you have not so many degrees of love to god , but you may have more , nor such strong desires after christ , but you may have more : how weak is thy love ! how cold are thy desires ! how stupid is thy heart ! not only in comparison of what it ought to be , but of what it may be : thou wantest many degrees , oh christian , put on , there is much more that is yet attainable . . you are not so good , but you need to be better . if thou be no better , and shouldst come into some conditions , thou wouldest be found not good enough to go through the same as becomes the gospel . thou mightest be brought into those straits , and assaulted by those temptations , that except thou hast more patience , more love to god , more faith in christ , thou wilt not be able to bear them , nor resist them , as becomes a childe of god to doe : thy burdens might yet be greater , and thy duties greater , and thy temptations greater , therefore thou shouldest hasten to be better . . you are not so good as others are , that have had but the same time , and the same means , and helps as you have had , nay some that have not had so much preaching as you have had , nor such examples as you have had , nor so much time , that did set out for heaven after you , that were bad while you were good , yet have overtaken you , and gone beyond you : oh christian , thou art lagging behinde , put on , least thou shouldest be last of all . . you are not so good , but you are as bad . you have not so much grace , but you have as much sin ; nay , is not your sin more than your grace ? is not your unbelief more than your faith ? and your wandring thoughts in duty more than your fixed thoughts in duty ? and your dulness more than your liveliness ? if thou canst say truely , it is not , do thou go and bless god that it is not so with thee , while i must go and be humbled before god , because it is so with me . . the better you are , the more excellent you will be . riches is not your excellency , and learning is not your excellency , and grace is not your utmost and your highest excellency , but the highest degrees of grace is . reason makes a man differ from a beast ; and the more rational a man is ( by the improvement of reason ) than others , the more excellent as a man ( for a fool might excell a wise man in riches ) he is above other men : so grace makes a christian differ from a man as such , and the better christian he is than others , the more excellent he is than other christians are . . the better you are , the more like to god , who is the greatest , the chiefest , and the best good . when we lost our goodness , we lost our likeness unto god ; and when god makes us good , he makes us like himself , and the better god doth make us , the more he makes us like himself : and should not this provoke thee to be better ? especially considering , to be most like to god , is thy greatest duty : the end of all the rest . desires : oh that i were more like to god. dignity : and therefore our dignity will be greatest in heaven , because there we shall be likest unto god. . the better you are , the more you shall have gods approbation : and what will it be to be approved of god! you may by seeming goodnesse have the approbation of men , but you must be really good , if you will have the approbation of god ; and the better you are , the more he will approve you . god observeth the worst of men , but approveth only of good men ; and only the good actions of good men , not their sinful actions , king. . . . the better you are , the more clearly you will see that you are good . many question , they are not good , and the reason of their doubt is , because they are no better : that time you spend in complaining you fear you are not good , improve in endeavouring to be better , and your doubts will be sooner answered , and your fear expelled . . the better you are , the more profitable you will be to all about you . the better you are in your self , the better it will be for your self , and the better for all about you ; the better you are , the more you will lay out your self for god , and for the good of souls . others shall be the better , for your counsels : you will be directing them how to do good . for your reproofs : you will be telling them when they do evil . for your example : you will lead them in the good way . for your experiences : you will communicate to them how good god hath been unto you , and what god hath done for you . . the better you are , the more inward joy , and the more established peace you shall finde . the great trouble of a christian is , because he is no better ; be you better and you will have the lesser trouble within , though the better you are , the more trouble you might have from men ; but that 's not so great matter . . the better you are , the more glory you will bring to god. herein is my father glorified that you bear much fruit , joh. . . and what is your design in the world , but to glorifie god , and to do that , and be that which tendeth most thereunto ? . the better you are , the more you will credit religion , and realize the wayes of god ; it will appear that religion is a real thing , when it hath made bad men good , and good men better . if there were nothing else to disgrace the ways of sin , this would be abundantly sufficient to behold the great wickedness of those men ( how bad they be ) that walk most therein . . the better you are while you live , the more undaunted you shall be when you come to dye : the reason why we are so troubled in our sickness , is because we were no better in our health ; conscience then remembers at such a time i sinned , and at such a place i fell , and in such company i defiled my soul ; be better in health , you will be the better in sickness and death . . the better you are upon earth , the weightier your crown shall be in heaven : those that be truly good , shall have sure glory , but those that are better , shall have more . there shall be no want of any thing to any one in heaven , but yet some shall shine more eminently in glory , than others . thus i have dispatched this particular also , that you be better after such a signal providence as this , for if you be not , this very thing will be a greater plague , than the plague upon the body ; and if you ask me wherein you should be better ? you must gather up that in the following directions , which shall be more particular ; and such as may be useful to prevent men from growing worse , which was the first thing , and helpful to promote this duty of being better , which was the second thing i have spoken to . direction ii. hath god spared you in time of plague , that you live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy , carefully endeavour to live up to the purposes , and resolutions and vows which you made to god in time of danger and distress . good purposes and holy resolutions , when observed and put in practice , are great helps to an answerable return to god for his mercies conferred upon us ; but holy , religious vows , being something more than single purposes and resolutions ( being a promise made to god with due deliberation , of something lawful in it self , and in our power to perform , as a testimony of our thankefulness unto god for some extraordinary mercy received , or expected , or deliverance from some great evil in extraordinary danger and distress ) do much promote a holy life , whereby we may the better be inabled to walk in some measure worthy of what the lord in mercy hath done for us , or given to us . in time of extraordinary danger , or when we are in expectation of some extraordinary mercy , we have the example of the holy men of god in scripture , to binde our selves to endeavour to walk more close with god. so jacob , gen. . . and jacob vowed a vow , saying , if god will be with me , and will keep me in this way that i go , and will give me bread to eat , and raiment to put on . vers . . so that i come again to my fathers house in peace , then shall the lord be my god. and this he was careful to perform , gen. . . then jacob said unto his houshold , and to all that were with him , put away the strange gods , and be clean , and change your garments . vers . . and let us arise and go up to bethel , and i will make there an altar unto god , who answered me in the day of my distress , and was with me in the way which i went. thus david made a vow to god when he was in danger of his life , psal . . . thy vows are upon me , o god : i will render praises unto thee . vers . . for thou hast delivered my soul from death — and in the like danger , psal . . . the sorrows of death compassed me , and the pains of hell gate hold upon me : i found trouble and sorrow . vers . . then called i upon the name of the lord , o lord , i beseech thee deliver my soul . vers . . the lord preserveth the simple : i was brought low , and he helped me . vers . . thou hast delivered my soul from death , mine eyes from tears , and my feet from falling . vers . . what shall i render to the lord , for all his benefits towards me ? vers . . i will pay my vows unto the lord , now in the presence of all his people . and hath not this been thy case , christian reader , did not the sorrows of death compass thee about ? didst thou not finde trouble and sorrow ? wast thou not brought very low , and received the sentence of death within thy self ? didst thou not then call upon the name of the lord , and resolve thou wouldst walk before the lord , if he would restore thee ? and hath not god delivered thy soul from death , and thy feet from falling ? then pay thy vows to god , and perform to him thy promise , and live up unto thy resolutions . tell me , what were thy purposes when thou heardest the plague had entered into thy neighbours house , when it came unto the family nearest unto thine ? what were thy resolutions when the plague did enter into thy house , and took one away , and then another ? what were thy holy , deliberate , lawful vows , when it seized upon thy body ? when thou betookest thy self unto thy bed , to sweat out thy distemper ? when thou foundest risings on thy body , swellings and carbuncles in several parts , when the apprehensions of death did fill thy minde , and the terrors of the lord did fill thy heart , when thou thoughtest thou hadst not many days to live , and that thou wert near to death and another world , and shouldest certainly dye , if god did not preserve thee ? what didst thou think then ? and what didst thou purpose then , and resolve upon then ? didst thou not determine with thy self if god would spare thy life , if god would give thee health again , and try thee a little longer in the world , that thou wouldest walk more holily , and act for god more zealously ? that thou wouldest pray more frequently and more fervently ? that thou would minde the world less , and heaven more ? that thou wouldest make religion thy business , as long as thou shouldest live ? didst thou not resolve that god and christ , and things above should have more of thy heart and hearty love ? that thou wouldest then forsake loose and carnal company , and associate thy self with those in whom thou couldst discern most of god , and walked most conscientiously before him ? that thou wouldest no more take a cup too much , nor club in the ale-house and tavern , to the neglect of duties of thy family at home . did it not then trouble thee that thou being a professor , hadst been at nights drinking in the tavern , when thou shouldst have been praying in thy family ; that thy wife and children , though they have not gone supperless to bed , yet have almost every night gone prayerless to bed , except they went apart to pray in secret . but did not then thy conscience tell thee , that their performance of their duty would be no excuse to thee , when thou shouldst stand at the bar of god , for thy neglecting of what thou oughtest to have done ? didst thou not then resolve , if thou shouldst live , it should be so no more ? that thou wouldst read thy bible more , as well as look over thy shop-books daily ? that thou wouldst spend some time in secret before god , whereas before thou wast use to waste it in thy pleasures , and taking of thy worldly delights . deal plainly , man , with thy self , and do not flatter thy soul , and daube with thy conscience , was there not some such thoughts and purposes , and resolutions as these in thy heart at such a time ? and didst thou promise and resolve in jest , and not in earnest ; god did afflict thee by the plague in good earnest , and thou waste then affraid of death , and the grave , and judgement , in good earnest ! and didst thou onely purpose in jest , and resolve in jest , and play with holy things when thou wast near another world ? and dally with god , when thou didst not know but within an hour thou mightest have appeared at his bar ? and been set before the terrible tribunal of the great heart-searching god ? but if thou wast in earnest with god , when god was in earnest with thee ; if thou wast in earnest in promising , be earnest in earnest to perform ; if thou didst indeed resolve to reform when thou shouldst be well , then reform indeed according to thy resolution , since god hath made thee well , and saved thee from the grave , to which thou wast so near , so very near . or if god hath been so good to thee to preserve thee from the infection of the plague , amongst the many thousands that have been visited , that thou hast not been heart-sick , yet thou hast often felt shootings , and pains , and prickings up and down in several parts of thy body ; and sometimes hast had such things as thou hast thought to be symptomes of the distemper , and hast apprehended it to be approaching to thee , that hath made thee hasten to thy bed , and make use of thy preservatives , and thy cordials , that thou thoughtest thy self in real danger , and wast possest with real fears : what were thy purposes at such a time as this ? and what didst thou resolve to do ? and how to live , if god would prevent the thing thou fearedst ? or hadst thou no such purpose in thy heart ? no such resolution in thy breast , that if thou livedst thou wouldst be better ? was thy heart indeed so backward unto good , that at such a time of fears and dangers , thou hadst not so much as a purpose to be better ? but if thou hadst ( and let thy conscience be thy witness , and the god of heaven that did fully know the purpose of thy heart ) then now perform , what then thy heart did purpose to perform . i am perswaded if the people in london ( and in country too ) would live up according to the purpose of their heart , in time of danger of the plague , would reform and mend as they did resolve to do , we should be much better than we were before . oh what a difference would there be in the frame of our hearts , and in the course of our lives ! what a change would there be in all our practises ? those that were forward professors of religion , and were not much more then professors , would be zealous practisers of religious duties ; and in order hereunto i shall to follow this direction , do three things . . lay down some considerations why you should be careful to keep your purposes , resolutions and vows . . prescribe some helpes how you may perform your purposes , resolutions and vows . . set down the aggravations of your sin , if you break your purposes , resolutions and vows . sect . i. . great and constant diligent care should be taken in time of health , to keep our purposes , to perform our resolutions , and to pay our vows to god , which we made in time of sickness , and danger , and distress , if you consider these particulars . . that one great deceit of the heart of man doth appear in this , in being forward to purpose in our selves , and promise unto god , but are backward to perform . in time of sickness , what resolutions do men make ? what purposes have they in themselves , to mend and turn to god , and seem to promise this with tears in their eyes , and sorrow in their hearts , for the evil that is past and done , and seem to others , and think verily themselves , that they promise in good earnest , and mean to do as they do speak , and when they think the danger is past , and their fears removed , do nothing less than what they promised : i have known some upon sick beds so to promise , that they would be drunk no more , &c. and yet when health hath been restored , have returned to their wickedness : so did pharaoh promise fair when the plagues of god were upon the land , that he would let the children of israel goe ; but when the plagues have been removed , he hath hardened his heart against them more than before ; and this he often did . exod. . , . & . , , , & . , , . now this deceitfulness of the heart is yet in part remaining in the best of men , and therefore you must be carefull , else though you have promised , you will never perform . . that sin is of a bewitching , encroaching and alluring nature ; if it can prevail , it will keep you from resolving against it ; if you do resolve , it will entreat you that you would not send it farre from you , that your resolution might not be peremptory and universal , that if you resolve to banish it from your heart , it might be only some of its members that are not so dear unto you , and reserve the rest ; or if it be peremptory and universal , that you will part with all sin , it will contend that your resolution may not be perpetual , that you send it not away for ever , but only till your danger of death is over , and your fears thereof are ceased , that then it may be received into your heart , be your favourite again ; or if you do resolve to part with sin , peremptorily , universally and perpetually , yet after a while it will solicit you to change your resolution ; or if you will not change it , it will solicit you to abate the strength and vehemency thereof ; and will come and offer you so much delight , and so much pleasure , and so much profit , if you will not be so severe against it . if you are not carefull , it will encroach upon your heart , and insinuate and winde it self into your love and delight , and allure your will into a consent , first not to be so severe , next to indulge it , then to countenance it , and then to renew its acquaintance , till it again become familiar to you . . that satan will assault you , and set in with sin for its re-admission . if he cannot keep you from resolving , yet he will lay hard at your heart to break your resolution : he will lay his snares and baits , and use his stratagems in sins behalf ; and come to you as he did to our first parents , gen. . . he ( i. e. satan ) said unto the woman , yea , hath god said , ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden ? so satan cometh unto thee , and saith , yea , hast thou said , thou wilt not be kinde unto thy sin any more ? hast thou said , thou wilt be so severe against thine iniquity ? if thou reply , i have said , i will not keep my sin , lest god be angry with me , and send some soret judgement upon me ; he will return to thee , and say , god will not surely be angry with thee to plague thee , it may be thou mayst escape , or if thou yield now , thou mightest repent , and renew thy resolution against it again , do it but this once , take but the other cup ; play but the other game . if you be not carefull to look to your resolutions , when sin , satan , and your own heart do set against you , you will certainly break them . . the world will interrupt you , that you may not live up to your resolutions made to god in time of danger . this is another powerful assaultant , for your heart and affections ; and will plead , if thou didst resolve against sin , that was unlawful , but the things that i have ( saith the world ) are good , my riches are good , and my pleasures are not absolutely evil , and my profits are not unlawful ; if thou wouldest turn off thy drunkenness , why should i be resolved against ? and if thou wilt shake off thy wicked company , yet what have i done , that i must not be loved ? company-keeping ( saith the world ) did impoverish thee , but i will enrich thee , that did consume what was necessary for thy family , but i come with supplyes for them , i will cloathe their backs , and i will furnish their table , and i will bring in portions for thy children , i will make thee honourable and esteemed , and i will lay up in store for thee against thy old age , when thy labour will be past : thus will the world come in for entertainment in your heart again , that though you resolved to spend so much time in secret prayer every day , if god would suffer you to live , yet this worldly business cometh to divert you , and another cometh to take you off from your resolved practice : if you consider what earnest suiters , satan , sin , and the world will be for your heart , and how your heart is as ready to yield , as these are to solicit , your heart is as willing to have them , as these are to have your heart , then without diligent care it is impossible to live up unto good and holy resolutions made in time of danger . . the difficulty of the things you have purposed and resolved to do , calls for your greatest diligence if you would live up unto them . the more excellent and difficult the work is we resolve to do , the more apt we are to flag and faint , and come short in performance . now it will appear that these things are difficult , because they are praeter super contra naturam . first , the things you have purposed and resolved to do , are preternatural . these things are , that you will love god more , and that you will delight and joy in god more . now those things are praeternatural which are added to another thing ( as an adjunct to its subject ) so that it doth not constitute the nature of it , nor destroy it , but perfect it . such a thing is grace , that you have resolved to get greater degrees of . grace and holiness doth not constitute the nature of man , for a man without grace is a man ; neither doth grace and holiness destroy but perfect nature : grace doth not destroy the affection of love , but doth correct it , and place it upon its proper object ; nor destroy our joy , but turns the stream of our joy to empty it self in god , or rather to fetch our joyes from god. secondly , the things you have resolved to do , are supernatural , above nature ; it is not in the power of nature to enable you to do what you have resolved upon . you resolved in your time of fears and danger , to pray to god more fervently ; but nature cannot help you to do this : to believe more stedfastly , to love god more ardently , to walk with god more holily , but all these are above the power of nature ; and must be wrought in you by the supernatural and almighty power of god ; and yet you did well to resolve to endeavour to do all these , if you did remember to make your resolution , in the strength of christ to do this , by whose strength we can do all things , philip. . . thirdly , the things you have resolved to do are contra-natural , against nature , i. e. against corrupt nature : for our love to god doth not destroy the faculty or affection of love , but perfect it and innoble it , but it doth destroy our love to sin , and our love to the world , and the things of the world. now to do that which is against corrupt nature is very hard , you will finde it exceeding difficult , it is swimming against the stream , and rowing against the tide , that if you do not ply your oar , you will be carryed back . . the opposition you may meet withall from your nearest friends , will make it evident that there is need of your greatest diligence to make good your good resolutions . you have purposed in your heart to spend more time for god , and your soul , and for the life to come , if you do so as you have resolved , it may be thy father , the wife of thy bosom , thy fellow-servants , will scorn thee and deride thee , and set themselves against thee . thou hast purposed in thy heart to reprove sinners for their oathes and drunkenness , and prophaneness , and if thou do so , they will envy thee for thy pity , and hate thee for thy love ; it may cost thee dear , it may expose thee to trouble from men , and from those that by bonds of nature are nearest to thee , if thou wilt indeed come up in thy practice in time of health and safety , to thy resolutions , which thou didst believe was thy duty to make , in time of sickness and danger . . the necessary concurrence of many difficult duties that you may perform the purposes of your heart , in living in some measure answerable to the mercy of divine protection in time of plague , calls for your utmost diligence and care , else you will undoubtedly fail and come short of what you did resolve upon . where many duties are to meet , and to be done as necessary requisites to another duty that makes this duty so much the more difficult . there are many things to be done , if you will perform your vows and resolutions to be better , without which it will be impossible , and these are such as watchfulness , self-denyal , fervent prayer , frequent examination , &c. but these i reserve for their proper place , as helps hereunto . but first i would have you to believe the necessity of your utmost care and diligence to perform your purposes of an holy life . that man that thinks it easie to live up to such resolutions , will undoubtedly come short in putting them in practice . sect . ii. ii. i come to the helps to be prescribed for the better performance of your purposes and resolutions of a holy , heavenly , gospel-conversation , made in time of your danger by reason of the plague . if you would live up to your resolution of an holy life , then . evermore take heed of your beloved sin ; take heed of that which is to you peccatum in delitiis ; your darling lust , which by way of special propriety you may call your own . keep a very strict hand over it , for if any sin undoe you , it is likely to be this , and if there be any sin that will weaken your endeavours to live according to your purpose , it will be this : beware of all , but especially of this ; maintain your holy warfare against the whole hoast of sin , but especially fight against this as the general and commander of all the rest : whether it be pride , or worldliness , or the pleasing of your sensitive appetite , or the lusts of the flesh , &c. that you may know what is your darling sin , take these signs . first , that sin you have been more accustomed to , and hath usually broken out to the wounding of your soul , and disturbing of your peace above any other sin , is your beloved sin . secondly , that sin that all other sins doe wait upon and vail to , and bring in their aid and assistance to maintain , is your beloved sin . thirdly , that sin of which you are most impatient of reproof ; you can hear of other sins , and be reproved for other sins , but if you are plainly dealt with about this , you cannot so easily bear it , but you will finde your corrupt heart to bestir it self to finde out excuses to extenuate it , and plead for it ; that is likely your beloved sin . fourthly , that sin is likely your darling , when disappointments of the fulfilling , and pleasing of it , is more grievous to your soul than the frustrations of any other sin . fifthly , that sin is your darling , which you have often found your heart wishing it were no sin , when you wish that it had not been forbidden by god ; which you finde your heart most unwilling to resolve against . sixthly , that sin is your darling , which you are willing to be at any cost and charges to maintain or satisfie . seventhly , that is your darling sin , which you are most delighted in the committing of , and had rather part with all the rest than with this ; it is a sign your heart is indeed marryed to that sin , when you will leave all to cleave to this . eighthly , that sin is your darling sin , which doth most disturb you at the throne of grace , and fill your minde most usually with distracting thoughts . the devil will divert your heart from god in holy duties , and there is no sin he can better make use of for this purpose , than what your heart is most apt naturally to close withall . ninthly , that sin is your darling sin , which doth most interrupt you in your chosen solitudes , and retirements for your souls concernment . it is not every man , but some special friend that will joyn himself unto you , when he knows you are retired for some special business . tenthly , that is your darling sin which conscience doth most reproach you for in time of danger and fears of death . eleventhly , that sin is your darling sin , which usually lies down in your thoughts at night , which your minde most thinks upon in the night when you wake , and first endeavours to salute you in the morning . whatever sin this be , you must resolve to deal severely with it , if ever you would keep your holy resolutions : while you cocker this sin , and be too kind towards it , you will not walk so close with god in time of health , as you purposed to do in time of sickness . and next to this beloved sin , be carefull to mortifie that sin that is next unto it in your love . there is some other sin , besides the darling ( which is chief ) that the corrupt heart hath some peculiar favour for ; and if you ask what sin that is ? i answer , it is that sin which your heart is most apt to change your beloved sin for , when you press your heart to forsake your darling sin : and that which was the second chief sin in your soul , would be first , if the former be taken down and suppressed . . take heed of dallying with temptations , or playing with the baits of sin , and be careful to abstain from the very appearance of evil ; rather deny your self of what is lawful , then play upon the borders of that which is unlawful , if you always go as far as you may , you will sometimes go further then you should : if you venture to the utmost , you will be in danger of transgressing and going beyond your bounds . you will finde the devil and your own heart sometimes to reason thus , so far thou mayest go , and yet keep thy resolution ; so far thou mightest venture , and maintain thy holy purpose ; thou maist go with such a one into the tavern , and yet keep thy purpose to be sober , thou mayst take another glass of wine , and then another , and then another , and yet not break thy resolution . thus the devil will play upon thee , and ply thee , step after step ; till he makes a prey of the peace of thy conscience , and hath brought thee to a violation of thy purpose , principiis obsta , resist the first risings of the sin thou hast resolved against ; thou hast resolved to keep a constant course of secret prayer every morning , but when thou risest , there is this business offers it self to be done first , and then another , till thou dost omit it and neglect it , or there is this business which stayes for thee , and that will make thee first be slight and hasty , and over-short in the performance of it , till at last it brings thee to neglect it . beware then of the appearances of sin . . often press upon your heart , that sin is as odious unto god , and displeasing unto him at one time as another , in time of health , as well as in times of sickness and great mortality , when the plague is over , as when it was slaughtering thousands in a week . though god doth sometimes manifest more of his displeasure against sin , yet he always equally ( because he always infinitely ) hateth sin . if the thoughts of gods displeasure , and the sight thereof in the effects of it , did move thee to resolve and purpose against sin , the believing thoughts of this when the plague is over , will have some special influence upon thee , to make thee endeavour to do according to the purpose of thy heart in dying times . . consider , holiness is as pleasing unto god at one time as another , and if god was pleased with thy purpose , it will be more pleasing if thou proceed unto performance : the moving reason of your purpose in the time of your distress , was that you judged it pleasing unto god ; and would you please god at one time by purposing , and displease him at another by non-performance ? would you please god at one time by resolving to reform , and displease him at another by nonreformation ? sin and holiness is the same in the eyes of god at all times , but it seems it is not so in thine ; if sometime thou dost purpose to forsake sin , and at another dost willingly commit it ; if sometime thou approvest holiness , and p●●●osest to follow after it , but at another time thou art remiss in thy pursuit . . work this upon thy heart , that sin is as destructive to thy soul , and pre●udicial to thy peace and comfort , at one time as another : though sometime the circumstance of time might aggravate a mans sin , and make it more hainous ( as a man to be drunk upon the lords day ) yet sin committed at any time is damnable , and sin loved at any time is damnable ; though sometime we feel the effects of sin , in sickness on our bodies , and terrors and fears upon our consciences , and then have greater and more affecting apprehensions of the evil of it ; yet you can at no time ( when you have your perfect health ) lay sin in your bosom , but it may sting you unto death . in your sickness you thought that sin would undo you , that your evil actions would certainly damne you , therefore you did resolve against it ; think so still , and let those thoughts abide upon your heart , and they will carry you in the strength of christ , to live as you did purpose . . work this upon your heart , that holiness in act , and a godly life in act , will be more sweet unto your soul , than it was onely in your purpose : and that a holy life should be esteemed by you at one time , as well as another , because it will be as sweet and profitable to you at one time as another ; if you thought it would be for your good , to purpose holiness , and to resolve to live to god , and this did something quiet your heart , if you had dyed , that god had given you a real and unfeigned resolution , and fixed purpose of heart to lead ( as you could with utmost diligence ) a gospel conversation , how much more will it be a comfort to your heart to see your purposes end in performances , and your resolutions come unto a real , thorough , continued reformation . get the same thoughts of holiness in time of safety , as you had in time of danger ; and this will help you to live holily as well as to purpose so to do . keep upon your heart a constant , daily sense of your own mortality , and of your nearness to another world : what is the reason that men under sickness are more apt to purpose to forsake sin , and to promise to mend and to reform , than in time of health , but because they have greater apprehensions of death in its nearer approaches unto them ; and things as neer do more affect , than things apprehended as further off ; and was it not the thoughts of the nearness of death , and your daily danger of it , that did quicken you to resolve against sin , and for god , and to winde up your resolutions something higher than at other times ? why you have reason still to walk in daily expectation of your dissolution , though the plague be stayed . if the plague be removed out of your habitation , yet sin is not removed out of your heart ; there is the meritorious cause of death still in you , and there are natural causes of death still in you , and you must as surely dye , as if the plague were raging , and you may assoon dye ; we dye a thousand ways : death might be as near to you by some other disease , and you may fall by some other disease , as so many have done by the pestilence ; though you were not one of those that dyed eight thousand in a week ; yet you may be one of those that dye eight , or five hundred in a week . doe not say the bitterness of death is past , that now there is no danger ; do not put far from thee the evil day . what if so many do not dye every week as when thou resolvedst to be better , yet thou mightest dye every week . an apoplexy , or a feaver , or dropsie might fetcht thee to thy grave , who hast ( through mercy and patience ) escaped death by the plague ; think with thy self , when thy heart is negligent of thy former purpose , when ? and why was it that i resolved to give my self more to a holy , heavenly life ? when the plague did come nigh unto my dwelling , and because i thought every day i might have dyed : why it is my daily danger , if not by the plague , yet by some other disease , that will as certainly be the cause of my dissolution , as if it were the plague . thou didst purpose , because thou thoughtest death was neer , then perform , because death is still as near , yea it is nearer to thee now , then when thou madest this resolution ; for the more days thou hast lived since , the fewer now thou hast to live ; it was near then , but to thee it is nearer now . . frequently possess thy heart with serious believing thoughts of judgement to come . when men , and when thou amongst the rest shall give an account to god of all , thoughts , purposes , promises , vows that thou hast made to god , to walk before him in an holy life : but what account canst thou give to god , when thou hast not performed what thou purposedst ? if it was not good to purpose and to promise to forsake thy sin , and live to god , why didst thou purpose ? if it were ? why dost thou not perform ? if thou fail now , thou wilt be self-condemned at the bar of god : thy purposes and promises will be brought forth against thee ; and god will charge thee before all the world with breach of promise unto him . . work this upon thy heart , that thou walkest daily in the sight and presence of that god that exactly doth observe , whether thou art the same in thy practice when thou art well , as thou wast in thy purpose when thou wast sick : god did see thy purpose , and he did hear thy promise made in thy distress and time of fears ; and his eye is upon thee , to observe how thou livest , and what thou dost ; and do men keep their promises made to men ( as some do from no other principle then ) because the eyes of men are upon them , to observe them , and they would not lose their reputation by falsifying of their promise , and wilt not thou much more perform thy promise unto god , when thou canst never break it , but when god is looking on ? . keep a lively and a tender conscience , and diligently hearken to its admonitions , that thou keep thy purpose ; cominations , while thou art purposing to come short of thy purpose , and accusations afterwards ; if thy conscience is not faithful unto thee , thou wilt be false unto thy promise , and fail of thy purpose ; but if it be , do not choak the voice of conscience , for it is thy monitor and remembrancer to put thee in minde of the bond ●nd obligation that lies upon thee to a holy life , by virtue of thy own resolutions and vows in time of great mortality . . make a prudent choise of some wise and holy christian for thy most intimate associate : one that knows thy ways and practise most , that is most acquainted with the manner of thy life , and hath most occasion to be most in thy company ( supposing him to be faithful , prudent , pious ) tell him what hath been the purpose of thy heart , when the terrors of the lord were upon thee , not onely against sin in general , or in respect of holiness in general , but what was the purpose of thy soul , and the resolution of thy heart against this sin ( if it be convenient ) in particular , which thou hast been most prone unto , and the particular duty thou hast resolved to be constant and diligent in , which thou hast found thy heart most backward to ; and engage him as he loves thy soul , and the promoting of the work of god in thy heart , that he will carefully observe thee , and if he discern thee to be backward to thy duty , that he would admonish thee , if forward to thy sin , that he would reprove thee ; and in all deal faithfully with thee ; this would be an exceeding help to perform our promises and purposes of holy living ; and such a friend as this is to be prized above his weight in gold ; and such a friend as this , is better than a brother , if you finde him , let him not go . . seriously consider and work upon your heart , till you feel your soul affected with it , that gods purposes concerning you and your good , and eternal peace is the same at one time as at another , and he performes all his promises which he maketh unto you : god doth not one time purpose for to save you , and another time purpose to condemn you ; and why should you then be unconstant in your purposes towards god , one time to purpose that you will serve him more , and glorifie him more , and at another time be careless to order your life according to the intention of your heart . when you finde your hearts begin to slink , and goe from the purpose and promise that you have made , press your self with affecting thoughts of the immutability of gods purposes to you , and this might help you to constancy in your purposes towards god. . steel your heart with an holy courage against all oppositions in your way of performance : take heed of slavish fears which enfeeble your resolutions , and put a stop in the way of an holy life you have resolved upon ; fear of danger and of death made you to resolve to keep close to god , and yet your fear of death , and fear of danger for holiness sake , will hinder your living up to those purposes and resolutions . fear of death natural and from god , was the occasion of your resolving to practise an holy life ; but fears of death violent , and from men , will be the cause of your breach of promise so to doe : therefore resolve to live up to your resolutions , though loss of estate , liberty , or life , should attend you for so doing . . fill your heart with an holy zeal for gods glory ; and if you be zealous for the glory of god , you will be couragious against all impediments and obstructions of an holy conversation . courage is opposed to slavish fears , and zeal is opposed to lukewarmness : and lukewarmness is inconsistent with the practice you have resolved upon . you have purposed to pray more fervently than you were wont to do , but if your heart be as lukewarm in religion , you cannot do it ; you have purposed to lay out your self more for the good of souls , to endeavour to help others in their way to heaven , but if you be as lukewarm as before , you cannot do more than you did before : but if your heart be enflamed with zeal for god , more than before , you will perform all your religious undertakings with more life than before , you will pray with more life , and preach with more life , and speak to men about the things of god and another world , than you did before ; and this is the performance of your purpose . . be much in daily reflexions whether you live up to your resolutions , or no. review your life every night , reflect upon your duties , and the manner of performance of them . survey at night before you sleep the actions of the day , whether they have been according to the rule of gods word ; what temptations did assault you , and how you did resist them ; what corruptions did rise in your heart , and how you did subdue them ; what ordinances of god you have sate under , and how you did improve them ; what talents god hath entrusted you with , and how you have employed them ; what company you have been in , and how you did behave your self . if you do not call your self frequently to account , you will live below your purposes , and not perceive it . . be often renewing your purposes and resolutions for an holy life . frequent acts do beget and strengthen habits : actually renew your purpose to pray to god , to walk circumspectly , to discourse of the things of god , and it will at length be habitual to you so to do . if you finde upon reflection and self-examination , that your purposes are weakened , and your heart draws back from that pitch of holiness you did intend to labour after , binde your heart thereto by the renewal of your purposes . if you finde you have broken your resolutions , do not resolve to continue so to do , but repair them . if the mariner be driven back by windes and storms , yet he keeps and renews his purpose of sailing unto his intended harbour . if a traveller fall in his journey , he gets up and resolves to hold on his way . . presse your heart with the evils of coming short , and with the benefits of living up unto your resolutions . the evils of this , i shall speak to in the third general head that follows next in order . the benefits of keeping the purpose of your heart are many and great : your sins will not be so many ; your sins will not be so strong , for resolutions against sin that are firmly made and carefully kept , do exceedingly weaken sin ; and if you should sometime sin , your sin will not be so great , when god doth see you keep the firm purpose of your heart against it , though sometimes you are overborn and bowed down , yea and fall against the inclination of your will , and purpose of your heart . . pray much to god for strength and power to perform your purpose . you resolved to pray more importunately unto god for mercy , but then you must pray to god , to enable you to pray as you have resolved . resolution is our duty , but strength to perform them is not in our selves , but must be fetched from god , and that must be by fervent , frequent prayer . pray that god would not leave thee to thy self , that he would not forsake thee . psal . . . i will keep thy statutes ; there is davids purpose : oh forsake me not utterly ; there is davids prayer . as you must not purpose in your own strength , but in the strength of christ ; so you cannot perform in your own strength , but in the strength of christ . if your resolution be strong against sin , and you rest in the strength of your resolution , and think you shall not sin , because you have strong resolutions against it , you will fail . . mortifie carnal self-love , and be very much in the exercise of self denyal . if you cannot deny your self of what is pleasing to the flesh , you will deny a holy life . you must often deny your own wills , and your own desires , and delights , your own judgements and reasonings , your sensitive appetite , and your profits in the world , and hate all these in comparison of better things , and when they stand in competition with god and christ : if you love your pleasures inordinately , and love your liberty and your life inordinately , your resolutions for strictness of holy walking with god , will not abide , nor be accomplished . the love of self , as well as of sin , is a great enemy to holy resolutions . . often urge your heart with the examples of the holy men of god recorded in the scriptures . they purposed and were carefull to perform . jacob vowed unto god , and payd it . david vowed unto god , and payd it . job made a covenant with his eyes , that he would not look upon objects that should irritate his sinful nature , and said , why then should i do it ? job . . so do you say , when i thought my self to be near the grave , i purposed to honour god more than i did before , if he should spare me , why then should i not do it ? i purposed to watch against my sin , why then should i be careless ? thus i have given you the considerations to press you to be careful of your purposes ; and helps to the performance of them , next i come to the aggravations of neglecting to live according to your engagements in the time of sickness and danger . sect . iii. iii. the aggravations of the breach of your vows and resolutions made against sin , and for holiness , when fears of death were upon you , do exceedingly heighten and increase your sin ; and because sick-bed promises are so seldom made good , and sick-bed resolutions usually prove so ineffectual , i shall desire you who have the vows of god upon you , and who have resolved ( if god would continue to you l●fe ) as god and conscience , and it may be others , are witnesses of , that you would weigh seriously as in the presence of god , the evil of breaking your vows , and being careless of your resolutions . . this is great hypocrisie , to purpose and not perform : you seemed in your affliction to be affected with your condition , and to be afflicted for your transgression , and to approve of an holy conversation , then you could weep for sin , and now you work it ; you could then lament it , and now commit it ; then you seemed to be changed from what you really were before when you lived in some known sin ; but now it appears that you have really lost that good which you did seem to have , and made profession of in time of your sickness . it is usual with hypocrites to be best when they are ill , and to be worst when they are well . hypocrites have their good moods , are good by fits ; sometimes pray , but not alwayes . job . . for what is the hope of the hypocrite , — v. . will he delight himself in the lord ? will he alwayes call upon god ? i. e. he will not at all times , and in all conditions pray to god ; when he is sick , he may , but when his sickness is removed , his prayers are abated ; it is a sign thy goodness was as a morning cloud , and as the early dew , it 's gone away . hos . . . . this is double iniquity ; it is twisted wickedness : it is one sin woven with another ; it is not onely double dealing , but it brings double guilt ; if thou hadst not made thy vow and resolution to pray frequently , it had been but a single sin , if thou hadst been seldom in it , but now it is a double sin , and hath double guilt ; that thou dost omit to pray , this is one sin ; that thou dost omit it , after thou hast promised , and resolved and vowed to do it , this is the other sin ; and indeed is this thy mending in thy sickness and dangers , to be doubling thine iniquity ? . this is great folly , eccles . . . when thou vowest a vow unto god , defer not to pay t●●o● he hath no pleasure in fools : pay that which thou hast vowed : it is folly to do that which is better be undone than done . vers . . better it is that thou shouldest not vow , then vow and not pay . in thy affliction thou shouldest have learned wisdom and not committed folly . . this is to lye to god , to men : a vow is a promise made to god , deut. . ● . that wh●ch is gone out of thy lips , thou shalt keep and perform even a free will offering ▪ according as thou hast vowed unto the lord thy god , which thou hast promised with thy mouth . what is first called a vow , is after called a promise , & if thou madest this promise with thy mouth and didst not really intend the fulfilling of it , but didst it , either to deceive thy self or others ; or ( had it been possible ) god himself , what is this but a lye ? if the words of thy mouth were not conformable to the thoughts of thy minde , that thou spakest one thing in thy sickness , and didst intend another ; thou spakest not as thou thoughtest , thou art guilty of a lye * ethical . but forasmuch as thy words do not agree to the things thou spakest of , thou art guilty of a falshood logical , both are bad , though the first is worst . and is not this an aggravation of thy wickedness to lye to god when thou art under his rod ? do not parents deal more severely with their children , if they finde them lying , when they are under the rod ? are we not like to children , when they are scourged , will promise any thing to be spared , but presently be found in the violation of their promise ? but take heed how thou liest unto god. remember the fearful instance of ananias and sapphira , act. . . peter said , ananias , why hath satan filled thine heart to lye to the holy ghost , and to keep back part of the price of the land . vers . . whiles it remained was it not thine own ? and after it was sold , was it not in thine own power ? why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart ? that thou hast not lied unto men but unto god. vers . . and ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost . the like i might say of thy vow , before thou hadst made it , it was in thy power , deut. . . but if thou forbear to vow , it shall be no sin in thee ; but if thou hast vowed , god will surely require it of thee , and to slack to pay would be sin in thee . vers . . why then hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart , to lie to the holy ghost , in making a vow and not paying , thou liest not to men , but unto god. oh fear and tremble least death should seize thee presently , and thou fall down and give up the ghost . in thy vow thou liest unto god , if thou dost not pay , because we must vow onely to god ; for sacred vows are a part of religious worship , which must be given onely unto god , deut. . . eccles . . . but in thy promises thou hast made to men , thou hast lied unto men ; and all this doth aggravate thy neglect of coming up to thy vows and promises in time of sickness and fears . . to neglect the keeping of thy resolutions and purposes against sin , and for an holy life , is it not a sinning against conscience , and against knowledge ? it seems thy conscience hath told thee , when thou resolvedst to pray more fervently , that luke-warmeness in prayer was a sin , and yet now thou dost not strive against it , thy conscience told thee that the ways of god were the best ways , and best for thee to walk therein , and yet now thou dost not do it , thy conscience hath been so far inlightned to dictate this unto thee , and yet thou goest against the dictates of thy conscience ; thou dost not onely sin with knowledge , but against it , and sins against knowledge and conscience , are aggravated sins , and such a sinner is an inexcusable , and self-condemned sinner , rom. . . didst thou not condemn thy self in time of plague , that thou hadst taken no more pains for heaven , and for thy soul , that thou hadst prayed no more , and lived no better ? and what need we any further witness , when thine own conscience will come in against thee ? . this will make death terrible indeed unto thee , when it comes in good earnest to seize upon thee , and then thou shalt finde that the same purposes , and resolutions will not quiet thee , when in former sickness thou hast had them , and in after recovery thou hast neglected to perform them . thy last sickness will come , and death at last will come , and then thou wilt remember what vows thou hast made , and how thou didst not pay them unto god , how thou hast resolved against sin and a wicked life , but hast made no conscience of living answerable unto them , and this will make thee much afraid to dye . . this will be great unthankefulness unto god for his preservation from , or restoration out of sickness : to god belong the issues from death , but you deny it to him . when hezekiah was restored from his sickness ( its thought the plague ) he was thankful unto god for his restoration , isa . . . the living , the living , he shall praise thee , as i d● this day ; the father to the children shall make known thy truth . vers . . the lord was ready to save mee ; therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments , all the days of our life , in the house of the lord. and is this to give thanks to god for preservation , for restoration from sickness ? hath god given you your life from the very borders of the grave ? and is this the fruit you return to god , not onely not to be so good as you ought to be , but not so careful as you purposed to be ? or do you give thanks to god with your mouth that god hath kept you from the grave , and contradict it in your life ? your orall thankesgiving is nothing without practical thankes doing : or do you praise god in words and dishonor him in your works , and do your lips acknowledge you are engaged to god for his protecting providence , and do you so live as if you had received no such mercy from him , and that your dependance were not now upon him ? is this your thanks to god to break your word with him ? . this will make you loose the spiritual benefit of your sickness and affliction , to be worse by the mercies of god , is to have mercies in judgement , to be better by judgement , is to have judgements in mercy : but when you live no better , and are no better , nor endeavor to walk according to your resolutions in time of sickness , it is a sign your affliction hath not been sanctified to you , that ( as to spirituals ) you are not benefited by it ; god hath put you into the furnace , but you are not purified , your dross remaineth ; god hath corrected you but you are not amended ; if affliction had worked for your good , if you had been bad , if would have made you good ; if you had been good it would have made you better . david could say , before i was afflicted , i went astray , but now i have learned to keep thy commandment , psal . . . but you might say , in my affliction i purposed to walk close with god , but after i have been afflicted i go astray . surely your heart is very bad , when afflictions made you not better , and when mercies makes you worse . . what is this but to like of sin , and disapprove of stricktness of holiness , after you have professed your dislike of sin , and approved of closest walking with god : in your affliction you seemed to be sorry for your sin , but now the affliction is over , you seem to be sorry that you were sorry for your sin ; in your affliction you seemed to repent that you had sinned , else why did you resolve against it ? when your affliction is removed , you seem to repent of your resolutions against sin , else why do not you live and do as you did resolve ? what is this but to smile upon sin after your deliverance , which you seemed to frown upon in time of danger of death and the grave ? what is this but to finde sweetness in sin after you have tasted something of the bitterness of it ? to re-imbrace that which you seemed to have cast from you ? and this is an aggravation of the evil frame of your heart . . what if thou hadst dyed in thy affliction , thou hadst gone to hell upon a mistake , and perished for ever , when yet thou hadst some hope ( though upon false grounds ) that thy condition was good , and that thou shouldest have obtained mercy : when thou wast sick or in danger , thou thoughtest thy condition was good , because thou foundest thy heart to resolve to forsake thy sin , and purpose to close with the closest wayes of holiness , but if thou hadst then dyed , thou wouldest without doubt have been eternally damned , because thy resolutions were not penitential resolutions , as appears by the fruit of them , in my returning to thy sin again , and that thou didst not indeed love god , and his holy ways , for if thou hadst thou wouldest nor so soon , no , never after turned from them in the general course of thy conversation . . this will encourage the devil to more frequent tempting of thee : for if by temptation he can prevail with thee to do that which is contrary to thy resolution ; what hopes will he have to draw thee into sin , against which thou hast made no such particular resolution ? if he overcome thee where thou art strongest , what spoil will he make upon thee where thou art weakest ? it is a great advantage we give unto the devil , when we sin against our resolutions . . this will be a great provocation unto god , when thou dost sin , not only against his precepts , but against thy own purpose ; not only against the obligations he layeth upon thy soul by mercy and afflictions , but against the obligations thou layst upon thy self by thy purposes and resolutions : and in thy affliction and fears didst thou not apprehend god to be exceedingly provoked , but thou must after he hath preserved , recovered thee , go on , to provoke him more . . if this neglect be found in thee who hast the truth of grace , yet it will much hinder thy confidence at the throne of grace , and stop the influences of the spirit of god , and obstruct the illapses of the spirit from descending upon thy heart . when thou keepest thy resolutions , and keepest out of the wayes of sin , thou canst go to god with an humble , holy boldness , and pour out thy heart with much enlargedness before god , and there is sweet intercourse betwixt god and thee , thou feelest thy heart to burn in love to god , and thou perceivest god to bear a love to thee ; and oh how sweet is this unto thy soul ! but when thou neglectest to watch against sin , and to walk with god ; when thou hadst resolved to do both , when thou goest to thy duty , thou wilt finde conscience reproach thee , and thy heart straitned , and thy mouth stopped , and thy confidence abated , thy heart much estranged from god , and god carrying himself as a stranger unto thee , when thou art upon thy knees : and this is the bitter fruit of a careless heart after heightned resolutions . . if this neglect be found in thee that hast the truth of grace , it will much occasion the doubting of the sincerity of thy heart . a childe of god may fail and be remiss in prosecuting of his purposes sometimes , but if he be , it will make him jealous of his own heart , and suspicious that it is not well betwixt god and him ; and is not that a sore evil , and much to be opposed and lamented , which doth blot thine evidences for heaven ? and will make thee question whether thou hast one dram of grace in truth conferred upon thee , infused into thee ? thus i have finished this direction also , shewing how you may live in some measure answerable to the great goodness of god in sparing you in time of plague , when so many thousands fell round about you : by being carefull to be as good when the sickness is over , as you purposed and resolved to be when you were in expectation of death , and waiting for your change and dissolution , when the arrowes of god were flying amongst you , in the time of this sore judgement of the plague . direction iii. hath god spared you in time of so great contagion , that you live when others are dead , or were you sick and are recovered ? then endeavour that the cure may be a thorow cure , that your soul be healed as well as your body , that there be not spiritual judgements upon your soul , when temporal plagues are removed from your body . you may observe , that such that came to christ with diseased bodies , christ healed their bodies and their souls too ; he took away their corporal sickness , blindness , distempers , and the guilt of their sins too , mat. . , . many are delivered from a corporal plague , that yet are infected and in danger of eternal death by the plague upon their hearts : that remain under spiritual judgements , and soul-sickness , when temporal judgements and corporal sicknesses are cured and removed . when st. john wrote to gaius , he desired that it might be as well with him as to his bodily health , as it was in respect of his soul , and spiritual health , ep. john v. . beloved , i wish above all things that thou mayst prosper and be in health , even as thy soul prospereth . but it may be matter of our desire concerning those that remain alive , and are well after this visitation , that their souls may prosper and be in health even as their body prospereth . it is a greater mercy to have an healed soul in a sickly body , than to have spiritual sickness remain in an healthful body : it is not so great a judgement to have the body full of plague-sores , as to have the soul full of reigning sins . if your body be cured and not your soul , the cure is but half done : therefore in speaking to this direction . i shall shew these things : . wherein it appears that sin is the sickness of the soul ? . wherein it appears that sin and spiritual judgements upon the soul , are worse than sickness , and temporal judgements upon the body ? . how we may know whether our souls are healed of spiritual sicknesses ? . what they must do that lye under soul-sickness , that they may be healed ? . what such should do , that are healed of their soul distempers , to improve the cure to the glory of god ? sect . i. i. wherein doth it appear that sin is the souls disease , and the sickness thereof ? in these particulars . . sicknesses and diseases do abate and take away the appetite . sick men have not the appetite to their food as men in health have . so sin takes away the spiritual appetite of the soul , that it doth not hunger after christ , nor thirst after righteousness , and hinders its feeding upon christ , and the word of god , which is the spiritual food for the souls nourishment and growth . . sickness and diseases do abate the strength and activity of the body . so sin doth weaken the soul , and all the faculties thereof , and doth disable it in all its actings to , and for god. . sickness and diseases often fill the body full of pain , aches , and sores , making men to cry out , oh my head , and oh my heart , and oh my bowels , i am pained , i am pained : so sin doth fill the soul full of racking fears , and perplexing torments and doubts , and sometimes make some sinners cry out , i am undone , i am undone , i am damned , i am damned . . some diseases do stupifie and make men insensible , and those are the worst . so sin sometimes makes some sinners stupid and unsensible of their misery and danger . . sickness and diseases do take away mens delight in those things which men in perfect health do take pleasure in . sick men have no delight in the pleasures of the world , and in the riches of the world , which other men finde . so sin takes away that delight in god and spiritual duties , and in heavenly things , which those whose souls are cured do experience . . sickness and diseases do spoyl the beauty of the body : they spoil the fairest complexion , and make the ruddy cheeks to become pale ; and many diseases bring deformity in the room of beauty . so sin doth spoyl the soul of that spiritual beauty wherewith it was adorned in its first creation , which did consist in likeness unto god , so that now instead of the likeness of god , there is nothing but blackness and deformity ; that the soul that was comely and amiable in the sight of god , is now become loathsome and abominable . sect . ii. ii. wherein doth it appear , that soul sickness and spiritual judgements upon mens hearts , are worse th●n sickness and temporal judgments upon mens bodyes ? though most men in the world look upon bodily sickness and corporal judgments to be more dreadful than sin upon their souls , yet if we take a right estimate , and make a true judgment of both : spiritual judgements are the greater evils , in respect of the . cause , or manner of conveyance . . signs of greater wrath . . subject , in which they do reside . . number , being many . . effect , that they do produce . . difficulty of cure . . want of sense . . spiritual judgements and soul-sicknesses are greater evils than temporal judgements and sickness upon the body in respect of the cause , or manner of conveyance , which is by natural propagation , and so unavoidable . sin is born with us , it is derived from parents to children , from one generation to another . there are some diseases that are conveyed from parents to children , but this is not general , nor perpetual to all generations . but the propagation of spiritual diseases is universal and general , it is constant and perpetual . the seed of all sin is derived from adam to all his posterity . . soul-sicknesses and spiritual judgements upon mens hearts are signs of greater wrath than bodily sicknesses are . you may be sick of the plague , and yet god may love you ; you may have bodily afflictions , and god may be at peace with you , and because he loves you , he may afflict you . but spiritual judgements , as judicial hardness , blindness , are signs of gods anger , yea his sorest displeasure , yea ( which is more ) they are signs of gods hatred to such a man that lyeth under them . now that which doth alwayes argue hatred in god to a sinner , is worse than those things that might proceed barely from his anger , and sometimes from his love : god loathes and abhorres that man , the plague of whose heart is not at all cured . . spiritual judgements and soul-sicknesses are greater evils than temporal and corporal sicknesses are , because they be spiritual , and have the heart and soul for their seat and subject : as mercies are better that are spiritual , and that are soul mercies , so judgments and sicknesses spiritual are the greater evils , because they are the disease of the better and more noble part of man ; that which doth corrupt the soul , must be worse than that which doth corrupt the body , by how much the soul is more excellent than the body . . they are worse , because they are more numerous ; there is more diseases in the soul than in the body . if the body be diseased in one part , it may be well in all the rest ; if in more , yet not in all ; if in all , yet your case is not so bad : but there is no sinner but is diseased in every part ; there are spiritual distempers in all the faculties and powers of the soul , in the understanding , will , affections , conscience , memory , phantasie : in the members of the body , no part free : nay there are many spiritual diseases in every faculty : in the understanding , there are many ; ignorance , errour , &c. in the will many , stubbornness , choosing the creature and sin , before god , &c. in every affection of the soul there are swarms of sin : in the heart there are innumerable distempers , evil thoughts , murders , adulteries , fornications , thefts , blasphemies , false witness , ma● . . . spiritual diseases naturally be all in every man , and be in every part of every man. . they are worse in regard of the effects . the effects of bodily sickness , at the utmost , and the greatest , is but the death of the body ; it brings the body to the dust , and the grave , it doth but separate from friends , and betwixt the body and the soul . but the effects of spiritual soul-sicknesses ( except they be healed ) are dreadful , and inconceivably great ; great and dreadful in this world , but greater and more dreadful in the world to come ; they cause gods anger , they deprive the sinner of communion with god , they will separate betwixt god and him for ever , they will bring the soul to the place of devils , and the torments of the damned . . they are worse in regard of difficulty of cure. bodily distempers may be cured by the skill of man , in the use of natural means , but the sickness of the soul with nothing but the blood of christ : of which more afterwards . . they are worse in regard of the want of sense . where one man cryes out of the hardness of his heart , and complains of the unbelief and earthliness of his heart , there are many cry out of the sickness of their bodyes . if their finger doth but ake , they are sensible of it ; but though the whole head is sick , and the whole heart is faint , and exceedingly distempered , yet they are not sensible of it . therefore , though god hath cured the plague of thy body , and not the plague of thy heart ; if thy bodily disease is removed , but the sickness of thy soul remain without cure ; thy case is deplorable : and while thou art rejoycing that thou hast escaped the plague , thou hast more cause to goe unto thy chamber , and be deeply humbled and mourn before god , for the plagues and judgements that remain upon thy soul. sect . iii. iii. how may a man know whether he be healed of soul-sickness ? the cure of these distempers are but partial , yet so far are they healed , that they shall not be the death of the soul . the cure will not be perfect till we die . death ( we say ) cures all distempers , and so it doth those of the soul . there is a double wound that sin doth make , there is the wound that doth certainly destroy the soul , by hindring it from salvation and eternal life , and there is the wound that destroyes the peace and comfort of the soul . so there is a double cure , which christ doth work , the one for the safety and happiness of the soul , the other for the peace and comfort of the soul. the first of these we enquire after . . every man that is healed of soul-sickness , hath been sensible of it : sin hath been thy sorrow and thy grief , and the burden of thy heart ; thou hast groaned under it as the greatest load , as the greatest evil in the world . every man that is bodily sick , and is sensible of it , and is unfeignedly willing to be freed from his sickness , and desireth nothing more , is not cured ; but it is so in spirituals : he that is sensible of sin , and is heartily , and unfeignedly willing to part with his sin , as ever sick man was of sickness , is certainly healed by jesus christ : but such as never found so much sorrow for sin , nor sense thereof , as to make them willing to part with every sin , were never yet cured . how can a man that is wounded , have his sore dressed and lanced , in order to a cure , and not be sensible of the smart and pain thereof ? or how can he be healed , while the sword that made the wound , abideth in it ? it is as impossible that man should be healed of his spiritual sickness and wounds , that is not willing to part with sin , as for a man to be healed of his bodily wound , while he will not have the sword pulled out that did make it . sin caused the wound and the sickness of thy soul , and if thou art not willing to part with every sin , thou art not healed : thy soul is sick , and if thou dost not feel it , that is the worse . . where the soul is healed the sin is killed ; the life of sin is the death of the soul , and that which is the life of the soul is the death of sin ; if christ heal the soul , he wounds sin , he never heals both ; if sin be wounded to death , the soul is healed unto life ; as in the body , the more health is repaired , the more the disease is weakned ; so the more the soul is cured , the more sin is mortified . . where the soul is healed , there grace is infused ; sickness being removed , health is restored . when christ heals a sinners soul , he doth not onely mortifie the sin , but sanctifie the sinner ; when a man is restored from sickness to health , that which made him sick is not onely removed , but that is introduced which maketh him well ; so when christ cures the soul , he doth not onely take down the power of sin , which did make him bad , but he infuseth that which doth make him good . . where the soul is cured of the disease of sin , it is sick of love to jesus christ ; it is not onely weary of sin , but exceedingly longeth after the presence of christ , and communion with god , cant. . . i charge you , o daughters of jerusalem , if ye finde my beloved , that ye tell him , i am sick of love . . where the soul is cured of the disease of sin , it doth receive christ by faith , when the israelites were stung with the fiery serpents , and looked up to the brazen serpent , they were certainly cured , num. . . faith is an healing grace , because it eyeth christ the soul-physician , and fetches vertue of healing from him , mat. . . and jesus answered and said unto her , o woman , great is thy faith , be it unto thee , even as thou wilt . and her daughter was made whole from that very hour . mat. . . and they brought unto him a man sick of the palsie lying on a hed , and jesus seeing their faith , said unto the sick of the palsie , son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee . the blood of christ is the healing plaister , and faith is the hand that takes it and applyeth it unto the sore . . where the soul is cured of the disease of sin , it is getting strength for spiritual work , and employment , more and more ; it is growing stronger and stronger in grace and goodness , as a man whose distemper is broke , and going away , he is recovering strength more and more to go about his calling and employment , he is stronger to walk and work ; he can endure cold , and bear burdens more than before . a man that is spiritually cured is waxing in the fruits of the spirit , and growing in all the graces of the spirit of god , is more and more able to resist temptations , to perform duties , to bear afflictions , and endure hardships for the sake of christ . by these signs you may discern whether your soul is cured , so far of the diseases it lay under , that they shall not be its death and damnation . sect . iv. iv. what should such do that are under soul-sicknesses , that they may be healed ? . you must be sensible that you are sick ; he that doth not feel himself sick , will take no care about the means of health ; it is those that are sensible of sickness that will value the skill of the physician , and send to him , and desire his direction , mat. . . but when jesus heard that , he said unto them , they that be whole need not the physician , but they that are sick . . when you are sensible of your soul-sickness , you must apply your self to christ , the great physician of souls . it is christ that cometh to those that feel themselves diseased , with healing under his wings , mal. . . it is he that healeth the broken-hearted , luk. . . christ healeth us by his wounds , and cureth us by his stripes , isa . . . it is matter of admiration , and to many past belief , that applying of medicines to a sword , should heal the wound made thereby ; but this is above all reason , and beyond all dispute that the bleeding wounds of christ will be healing , to the bleeding wounds of the sinner ; christs golgotha , is our gilead , and that you may be the more encouraged to come to christ when you feel your self sick ; consider ( . ) christ can heal every disease , and cure every wound ; he hath a salve for every sore . there are some physicians that can cure some diseases but not all , but christ when he was upon earth , did heal all manner of diseases , mat. . . whether thy eyes be blinde , or thy heart hard , or thy minde earthly , he can open thy eyes , and soften thy heart , and make thee spiritual ; yea though thy sickness hath been chronical , of long duration , yet he can heal thee ; yea though thou art sick of a relapse ( which is most dangerous ) yet christ can cure thee . ( . ) christ will heal your souls without putting you to any charge ; though you be poor and mean , and have nothing to bring to christ , yet you may come for healing , he will give you his advise and counsel freely , he will give you your physick ( his own blood ) freely , you have nothing and he expecteth nothing . the woman that had been diseased twelve years , and suffered many things of many physicians and spent all , and grew worse , came to christ and was presently and freely healed , mar. . . ( . ) christ will proceed in this cure with all compassion and tenderness ; he will not deal more roughly with you than is needful , he exerciseth bowels of compassions while he is dressing his patient , or if he give you bitter po●ions , or sometimes useth corrosives , he will be exceeding tender over you all this while , mat. . . and jesus went forth and saw a great multitude , and was moved with compassion toward them , and he healed their sick . ( . ) christ is a physician that is always present with his patients , to observe what operation his medicines have upon their hearts ; if you are ready to faint under the terror of a threatning , he is by you presently to administer a cordial from the promise to uphold your swooning souls . other physicians cannot be always present with all their patients , but christ is , psal . . . he is nigh to them that are of a broken heart , and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit : if your heart be broken , he is nigh to binde it up . ( . ) christ can heal your soul-diseases throughly and effectually , and he onely can do it ; others will but skin over your wound , but christ will heal to the bottom , jer. . . they have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly , saying , peace , peace , when there is no peace . thus if you consider what a physician christ is , you may be encouraged to come to him for healing . . if you say you are so sick you cannot go to christ , send for him by fervent prayer and he will come to you : cry to him , o thou physician of souls , i am sick , so sick that i cannot come unto thee , and except thou heal me i am a dead man ▪ a damned soul . i beseech thee use thy skill , for that will save my soul alive , put forth thy power for the curing of my diseases , oh stanch this bloody issue , else my soul will bleed to death ; christ never refused to come to any sick soul that was importunate with him to come with healing under his wings . . if you would be healed , you must come to christs-hospital , i. e. unto christs ordinances , and this you may do ; if you cannot come to christ , yet you may come unto his ordinances , you may come and hear , you may attend at the pools side , and at length he might come , and put you into the healing waters , mat. . . and the blinde and the lame came to him in the temple , and he healed them , psal . . . he sent his word and healed them . . if you would be healed of your soul-sickness , you must follow the directions and prescriptions of christ your spiritual physician . if you be sick , and the physician tell you what you must do , and prescribe you means , and you set them in your window , or let them stand upon your table , and do not do as he prescribes , you may dye of your disease ; you must observe his advise , for the time , when , and for the quantity , how much you must take , or else your distemper will abide , yea and increase ; christ will tell you what you must do , and if you follow his directions , your soul shall recover and be saved . . if you would be healed of your soul-sickness ; you must not let slip the time of healing ; there is a time , a nick of time for healing , if you let that pass , you will dye of your disease . the impotent people that lay at the pool of bethesda , were to observe the season when the angel moved upon the water , and he that stepped in at the very nick of time was healed , joh. . . there is a time to heal , eccles . . . i pray god , this healing-time might not be past and over to thee that readest these lines . cloze then with the present motions of the spirit , if yet thou feel him working upon thy heart . . if you would be healed of your soul-sickness , you must take heed of those things that will continue your disease ; if a man will eat those meats that feed his distemper , and is contrary to his health ; he cannot rationally expect a cure . you must take heed of those sins , that if you do indulge , will not onely hinder your recovery , but will increase your misery . . if you would be healed of your soul-sickness , do not undertake to be a physician to your self , nor go about to heal your souls , with any of your own medicines ; you may heal your own body , but not your soul , we are too apt to be physicians to our selves , and to think to cure our soul-distempers by our duties , and by our own performances . but this will never be . sect . v. v. what must those do whom christ hath cured of their soul-sickness , to improve this cure to the glory of god ? . a scribe the cure unto christ , and not unto any means or instruments : if you are cured of any bodily disease , you are not to ascribe it to your physick , nor physician , but to the goodness of your god ; so if you are cured of your soul-diseases , you must not attribute this to praying , or to the preacher , but to jesus christ , hos . . . i taught ephraim also to go , taking them by their armes , but they knew not that i healed them . thus david blessed the lord , who healed all his diseases , psal . . , . . encrease your love to christ , who hath healed the distempers of your heart ; will you not love that man that saved your life ? and will you not love that lord , that saved your souls ? especially when you consider the manner and means of your cure . that he did it freely , and that with a medicine of his own blood , other physicians make you medicines of other things , but christ of his own heart blood ; he died that you might live , and he was peirced , that you may be spared . . if you are healed , take heed of falling into a relapse , take heed of wounding your soul after healing ; if you are healed go away and sin no more , least a worse thing come unto you , joh. . . . if you are healed , direct others to the same physician , you do so to your acquaintance , that are sick of the same disease that you have been , you tell them such a man is able and skilful , and he hath cured the same disease in you , and counsel and perswade them to go to him ; do so in this case ; you have a friend , a neighbor , a relation in a sinful state : oh speak to them to go to christ . dost thou hear any soul complaining , alas my wound it is incurable , and my sorrow it is intollerable , my heart is sick , my soul is full of running sores ; and i pray , but have no help , and i hear , but have no cure ; now direct such a distressed sinner unto christ , and from your own experience encourage him to hasten unto christ , from whom you have found such healing virtue . and if god hath healed thy body of the loathsome disease , in which thou mightest have said with david , psal . . . thine arrows stick fast in me ( probable david was sick of the plague , which is called the arrow of god , psal . . . ) and thy hand presseth me sore . . there is no soundness in my flesh , because of thine anger — . my wounds stink and are corrupt — . my loyns are filled with a loathsome disease , and there is no soundness in my flesh . . my lovers and my friends stand a loof off from my sore , and my kinsmen stand afar off . this ( it may be ) hath been thy condition who readest these lines ; thy body was full of loathsome sores , and god hath cured thee , and which was worse , thy soul was full of loathsome reigning sins , and god hath healed thee ; what now doth god expect at thy hand ? but that since he hath given health unto thy body , and grace into thy soul , thou shouldest use both unto his glory ; which if thou conscientiously and sincerely endeavor and practise , ere long thou shalt be received into the armes of thy lord , where there shall be no more sickness in thy body , nor sin in thy soul for ever . direction iii. hath god spared you in time of pestilence , then , if you would live in some measure answerable to so great a mercy , be eminenth exemplary in the place : capacity , calling , station , or relation wherein god hath set you . every rela●ion hath some duties peculiar to that relation ; and every calling and capacity , wherein divine providence hath pl●ced you , hath something wherein you may be peculiarly eminent : and , who knowes but god hath preserved you for this end , that you may excell in the capacity and condition god hath called you unto : if your condition be a condition of prosperity , be eminent in humility , self-denial , and charity ; if of adversity , be eminent in submission and patience , in undergoing the will of god. but , that i may speak more comprehensively and distinctly , i shall consider , that every one that is left alive ( after this sore judgment ) stands in one or more of these following capacities or conditions ; in every one of which every man ( whom god hath spared ) should now labour to be eminently exemplary : this capcity is , either political magistrates , or subjects . ecclesiastical . pastors , flock . oeconomical . conjugal husband , wife . parental , or filial . parents , children . despotical , or servile . masters , servants . one of these every person is , that is preserved from the grave : and , if every one would now endeavour in good earnest to do something singular ( but singularly good ) for god , in his particular relation , to do the duty which god peculiarly calls for , and excell therein , that you failed in , and came short of before ; this would be a good improvement of the mercy , and this would be in some measure to walk up unto it . section i. let us consider the persons whom god hath in mercy spared from the grave , in their political c●ci●y , and such are , either , . magistrates and governours for over us by god : le●e , with humility and reverence , minde you of your duty , and tell you , that god expecteth , and requireth , that since he hath intrusted you with authority from himself , and given you life , and preserved you from the grave in the day of his sore visitation in the city , that , though your place and office did oblige you to a less retired life then many others , yet god hath kept you from death by infectious diseases : now , should you not inquire what you should do for god ? and , how you may improve your time and talent for his honour ? should not you punish sin ( that is so indeed ) and countenanc● holiness and religion ( that is so indeed ? ) should not you be zealous for god , in punishing of open-prophaneness ? and the horrid oathes , that have cried aloud in the eares of god , men prophanely swearing by the sacred name of god ; and sabbath-bre●king , and violation of the holy day of god ? did not nehemiah do so ? nehem. . . in those dayes saw i in judah some treading wine-presses on the sabbath , and bringing in sheaves , and lading asses , as also wine , grapes and figs , and all manner of burdens , which they brought into jerusalem on the sabbath day : and i testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals . vers . . there dwelt men of tire also therein , which brought fish , and all manner of ware , and sold on the sabbath ( as many did fruit openly in some places of the streets , and in fields about london ) unto the children of judah , and in jerusalem . vers . . then i contended with the nobles of judah , and said unto them , what evil thing is this that ye do , and profane the sabbath day ? ver. . did not your fathers thus , and did not our god bring all this evil upon us , and upon this city ? yet ye bring more wrath upon israel by profaning the sabbath . vers . . and it came to pass when the gates of jerusalem began to be dark , before the sabbath . i commanded the gates should be shut , and charged , that they should not be opened till after the sabbath : and some of my servants set i at the gates , that there should be no burden brought in upon the sabbath day . vers . . so the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without jerusalem once or twice . vers . . then i testified against them , and said unto them , why lodge ye about the wall ? if ye do so again , i will lay hands on you ; from that time ●orth came they no more on the sabbath . this example is worthy your imition ; and , oh how much good may you do , and how much sin , and dishonour to god thereby might you preven● , if you do indeed obey the laws of god , and execute the good laws of this kingdom , in that case made and provided ? should not you discourage drunkeness , and houses notorious for uncleanness ? that taverns and ale - 〈◊〉 be not so much frequented ? should you not be a terror unto the evil ? why drunkenness and prophane swearings , and brothel-houses are evil : indeed , for which a land is made to mourn : and , should not you be a praise to them tha● do well ? rom. . . are not you gods ministers for good to them that are good ; and revengers , to execute wrath upon him that doth evil ? and , can you w●●k worthy of so great preservation from the plague , if you do not cut down sin , and incourage godliness ? section ii. . subjects , and people governed : many and strickt are the pre●epts and injunctions of god upon people to their magistrates ; and , no less then damnation is threatned , by god himself , to such as oppose themselves against their magistrates , rom. . . let every soul be subject to the higher powers , for there is no power but of god ; the powers that be are ordained of god. vers . . whosoever therefo●e resisteth the power , resisteth the ordinance of god ; and , they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation . vers . . wherefore ye must needs be subject , not only for wrath , but also for conscience sake . true religion we see ( from this scripture ) doth oblige people and subject , in duty and obedience , to their magistrates ; and none will more conscientiously obey , than those that are most religious : obedience to magistrates ( from this place ) is required , because ( . ) they are ordained of god. ( . ) they that resist them , resist an ordinance of god. ( . ) such as do so , receive to themselves damnation . ( . ) they are ( appointed of god ) to be a terror to the evil , not to the good . ( . ) conscience is bound so to do . ( . ) there is necessity we should obey ; we must obey , not only for wrath , but conscience sake : some might obey for favour , and some for fear , but true religion teacheth men to be obedient to magistrates from principles of conscience . strictness of holiness is reproached when it is asserted to make men disobedient : once more , pet. . . submit your selves to every ordinance of man , for the lords sake ; whether it be to the king , as supreme . vers . . or unto governours that are sent by him , for the punishment of evil doers , and for the praise of them that do well . vers . . for so is the will of god , you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. vers . . honour all men. religion doth not teach us to deny civil respects to men : love the brother-hood , fear god , honour the king. religion presses and obliges subjects in duty to their magistrate in these particulars . . obedience to their laws and commandments , tit. . . for their laws and commands are to be according to the laws and commands of god. . honour to their persons , rom. . . for they are gods vice oys , therefore called gods , psal . . . for i have said ye are gods , — but ye shall dye like men . . loyalty , whereby we are bound to the uttermost of our power , to maintain their prerogatives , and preserve their persons . . prayer on their behalf ; if god be angry with them we must intercede for them , if they want any blessings , we must make supplication for them ; if they lye under evil , we must deprecate those evils ; if they find mercy from god , we must give thanks for them ; all this is in tim. . , . . tribute , rom. . . for , for this cause pay you tribute also , for they are gods ministers , attending continually upon this very thing . . subjection to their penalties , rom. . , . this is to live in this capacity , to be peaceable , and rather take a thousand wrongs , than offer one ; and to live in that obedience as becomes the professours of the gospel , that all may see that those that are obedient unto god , dare not be disobedient unto those to whom , and wherein , god commands them to yield obedience . sect . iii. such as are spared from death by the plague may be considered in their relation as pastors and people ; and the protection of god over such , should engage them to discharge their mutual duties , as those that would testifie their thankfulness to god for continuing them in that relation . god hath removed by the plague some ●inisters that the people shall never hear preach more , and god hath taken some from every congregation , of the people , to whom the surviving ministers shall never offer christ and peace unto any more , who are now out of the reach of their reproofs , and exhortations : therefore such ministers as yet have time to preach unto the people , should improve that little time that god hath given them in so doing ; and the people that yet have time to hear their ministers , should diligently do it , and improve their ministry for the saving of their souls . but more particularly . first , ministers that have escaped the plague should be eminently exemplary in a diligent performance of every work that god expecteth at their hands . i. as in improving time , in giving themselves more unto serious , closer studying , that they may be more and more able for their masters work , and more and more eminent in converting and building up the elect of god ; to be more in their studies , than in the streets ; more at their books , than at their pleasures ; at this they should be early and l●te , according to saint pauls charge to timothy , tim. . . till i come give attendance to reading . ver. . meditate upon these things , give thy self wholly to them , that thy profiting may appear to all . such as are to work for god and the saving of souls should be given to study and medi●ation , that they may be more skilful and successful in their work ; they should be as much in their studies , as any worldling in his shop ; especially now such should study more ( . ) the word of god , which is to be the matter of their preaching . such are more apt to study the writings of men , more than the word of god. ( . ) their own hearts , and the dealings of god with their own souls , that they may first experience the sweetness , and power , and efficacy of those truths they are to commend unto the people . ( . ) the stare of their flock , and the condition of their people , who of them need to be reproved , who of them need to be comfortes , and who of them be in doubts , and how they may by their preaching be resolved . they should study their people more , that they may preach on such subjects , not that are easiest unto themselves to speak un●o , but that are most sutable to their people , and so most likely to be most profitable to them . sect . iv. such should be more in improving time in frequent , fervent prayer . they should pray , ( . ) that god would direct their thoughts to the choice of that subject which might be most useful to , and is most necessary for their peoples souls . ( . ) that god would assist them in their meditations upon that subject , that they may speak from thence those things that may be most convincing , piercing , that they may meet with the sins and doubts of those they are to preach unto . ( . ) that god would give them success in their labours . ( . ) that god would give them a door of utterance , and assist them in the delivering of their message ( which they have from god ) unto the people : st. paul was much in praying for the churches , ephes . . , , , , , . phil. . . col. . . , , . thes . , . thes . . , . and in blessing god for the truth , and growth of grace in the hearts of the people ; as matter of his joy , to see them holy , and eminent in holiness ; to see them embrace the gospel , and walk according to it , cor. . , , . phil. . , , . col. . , , . thes . , , , , , , . and looked upon such as his crown and joy , thes . . , . section v. such should improve the time ( that god hath given them from the grave ) in right preaching of the word , and administration of the sacraments unto the people : god hath not spared them to eate and drink , and sleep , and live at ease ; but to be painful in their work. god hath laid ( in this time ) some of his ministers in the dust ; and , they are silent in the grave , whilest others have opportunity to speak for god , in preaching to the people : and , god doth expresly charge them so to do , tim. . . i charge thee therefore before god , and the lord jesus christ , who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing , and his kingdom . vers . . preach the word , be instant in season , and out of season ; reprove , rebuke , exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine : and , there is a woe unto them , if they do not preach the gospel , cor. . . and are described to be such as are apt ( as well as able ) to teach , tim. . . and if they do forbear to warn men of their sins , those men shall die , but god will require their blood at their hands , ezek. . . and though god ( in judgment to a people ) may make his ministers dumb , and cause their tongues to cleave to the roofe of their mouthes , that they should not be reprovers to them , because of their sin , ezek. . . yet , such as are dumb , through ignorance , that they cannot , or through negligence , that they will not speak to men to save their soules , is a great charge of god against them , isa . . . his watchmen are blind , they are all ignorant , they are all dumb dogs , they cannot bark ; sleeping , lying down , loving to slumber . vers . . yea , they are greedy dogs , which can never have enough : and they are shepherds that cannot understand : they all look to their own way , every one for his gain from his quarter . vers . . come ye , say they , i will fetch wine , and we will fill our selves with strong drink ; and to morrow shall be as this day , and much more abundant . and god sharply reproveth such for this neglect , ezek. . . son of man , prophesy against the shepherds of israel , prophesy , and say unto them , thus saith the lord god unto the shepherds , woe be to the shepherds of israel , that do feed themselves , should not the shepherds feed the flock ? vers . . ye eate the fat , and ye cloath you with the wool ; ye kill them that are fed , but ye feed not the flock . vers . . the diseased have ye not streng●hened , neither have ye healed that which was sick ; neither have ye bound up that which was broken ; neither have ye brought again that which was driven away neither have you sought that which was l●st ; but with force and cruelty have ye ruled them : vers . . seemeth it a small thing to you to have eaten up the good pasture , but you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures ? and to have drunk of the deep waters , but ye must foule the residue with your feet ? vers . . and , as for my flock , they eat that which ye have troden with your feet , and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet . ministers diligence in preaching the word ( which , such should be awakened to , much more by gods late providence ) is pointed at by god , in those several names , and appellations ; with which , they , and their work , is metaphorically set forth , as they are , . labourers . mat. . . therefore must not loyter , but should work as day-labourers . . builders , cor. . . must repair gods buildings . . husbandmen , cor. . . must plow up the fallow ground , that they sow not among thornes : they are gods harvest-men , and that is hard work . . watchmen , ezek. . . must see the danger , and indure the cold , and give warning . . stewards , cor. . , . must deal to every one their portion . . fathers , cor. . . thes . . . in begeting , and bringing up spiritual children for god. . guides , rom. . . must direct lost men into their way . . nurses , thes . . . must seed the babes in christ . . physitians , jer. . , . must heale the spiritual sickness of mens soules . . embassadours , cor. . . must parley with sinners , to make peace betwixt god and them . after such a providence as this , those in this office should labour to be more in the most effectuall manner of preaching ; as , . in preaching with more self-denial ; not seeking themselves , nor their own applause , but more the glory of god , and the good of soules : cor. . . for , i seek not yours , but you . tim. . . not greedy of filthy lucre . thes . . . for , neither at any time used we flattering words , as ye know , nor a cloak of covetousness , god is witness . . with more plainness to the capacity of the people ; not with enticing words of mans wisdom , but in demonstration of the spirit , and of power , cor. . . lest such seem to preach themselves , and not christ ; and to speak one word to shew the excellency of christ , and ten to shew the excellency of their own parts . . with more experience of the things they preach upon their own hearts . . more particularly , coming down to the particular cases of the peoples soules : dolus latet in universalibus . . more compassionately ; if possible , shewing the greatest desire after the soules of them they preach unto : when you stand in your pulpit , remember , many of them you preached to the other day are now in their graves , and are entred into eternity ; and , those that are before you must shortly follow after ▪ you have not long to preach unto them ; those that are now alive before you must shortly die , and be damned or saved ; be received to glory , or thrust down to misery : such actu●l believing thoughts as these woul● move great compassion in ministers hearts unto their people . . more livelily ; as those that believe the things themselves which they preach unto others ; remember you are preaching to men that must sho●●ly die , and yet eternally live : and , for ought you know , if you do not prev●il with them by this sermon , they may perish for ever : and , will you be luke-warm in such a case of so great importance ? . what is most necessary to the salvation of their soules : press more the misery of man by nature ; the necessity of seeing the evil ; and be sensible of the burden of their sin ; the necessity of christ ; of regeneration ; of holiness of heart and life ; of justification by faith in the blood of christ ; of judgment to come ; of the happiness of heaven ; of the torments of hell. section vi. ministers , whom god hath spared from the grave , in th● time of great morrality , should improve this mercy in the manner of their holy conversation ; i● 〈◊〉 mens lives should be the application of their doctrine , should press to holiness , and live sho●tly ; press the people to mortification of sin , and self-denial , and be examples to the people in this , else the people will not believe that they think what they say , if they do not in some measure live as they say : drunkards will not believe that that minister is in good earnest , in telling them , that drunkards shall be damned , if he be one himself . look therefore to your life , and copy out that pressed upon you , tim. . . let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example of believers , in word , in conversation , in charity , in spirit , in faith , in purity . tim. . . for a bishop must be blameless , the husband of one wife ▪ sober , vigilant , of good behaviour ; a lover of hospitality , apt to teach . vers . . not given to wine , not a striker , not greedy of filthy lucre . section vii . the people whom god hath kept alive should improve their life , in attending upon their ministers ; in inquiring the law of god at their lips ; in mingling the word with faith ; in conforming to the truths of god , that are taught by them ; and being obedient to them , as those that watch for their souls , heb. . . but more particularly . . come to hear the word of god with more preparation then you were wont to do ; knowing it is the word of god , and not the word of men , thes . . . as that which doth concern your immortal souls , and your eternal state in another world. . come with a more teachable heart than you were wont to do , submitting your reason to the word that is taught you ; resolving to forsake every thing which shall be proved to you to be a sin , and to do every thing which shall be made appear to be your duty : hear , that you may obey , and practise what you hear : be not hearers only , but doers of the word . . suffer not your m●ndes to be filled with so many distractions , in time of hearing , as they were wont to be ; when you sit under the preaching of the word , let not your hearts go after your covetousness , ezek. . . . make particular application of what doth most concern your souls , more than you were wont to do : hear for your selves . . treasure up the word ( that you hear ) in your hearts , and suffer not the devil to steal the good seed ( of the word ) out of your hearts , nor the cares of the world to choak the word of god. . meditate more upon the word of god after you have heard it ; work it upon your heart : preparation before , diligent attention in , and meditation after hearing , will make you thrive more , and be more fruitful , by the word preached , than you were for nerly , when you wholly omitted , or were more sl●ght in all these . section viii . such whom god hath spared alive ( in this time of great morrality ) may be considered in an oeconomical capacity , as persons constituting of families ; and these may be considered as governours , or those that are governed : and surely all our families are concerned to inquire what improvement those that are left in families should make of gods signal preservation of them : hath god swept away some families wholly , not a person left , and spared yours ? doth not this call for some return you should make to god ? hath not god visited your family , and taken away some of your children , or some servant , or some friend out of your house , and hath spared you ; hath given life to so many whom he hath so eminently preserved : when god hath sent the plague into your house , he gave it commission to fetch such a one ( in your house ) to his or her eternal state ; but , gave it a charge , it should not seize upon you , or , if it did , it should not kill you : and , doth not this call aloud to you , in all your families , for speedy thorough reformation ? consider the dismal devastations made in some families ; the total subvertion of others : and yet , that god should keep any families in the midst of his burning wrath ; should not this make every person inquire , what would the lord have me to do ? now , the governours should bethink themselves , what is our duty ? and , the children whom god hath continued to their parents , what would god have us to do ? &c. there is not a member in a family but is greatly concerned to study what is the duty which he should excel in , according to the capacity and relation he standeth in , in that family : and that , after such family-visitation there may be family-reformation , i shall consider , ( . ) the duties of the family in general , in reference to their joynt-worshipping of god. ( . ) their duties in particular , in the relation in which they are considered . for , when the family in general , and every member in particular live up to the following duties , they will live in some measure answerably to so great preservation . first , after your families have been in such danger , and yet so many of them , and so many in them are preserved ; it must be your care to set up the worship of god in your families ; else you cannot [ as a family ] walk answerably to so great preservation : what , hath god not turned you out of your house by death , and will you turn the worship of god out of your house ? hath god spared you ( think you ) for this end , that there should be eating and drinking in your houses , and not praying and reading in your families ? that there should be working , and labouring early and late , and no calling upon god ? is this to make a family-return to god ? is this to give to him the praise of his safe-keeping of you in time of danger and distress ? and , this is chiefly incumbent upon you that are the governours of families , to call your children and servants together ( every morning and every night ) to worship the god of your salvation ; the god that hath wrought so great deliverance for you . i beseech you in the fear of god , nay , in the name of the eternal god i charge you , that you carefully , constantly keep up the worship of god in your families . and , that i may follow this , i shall shew you why , wherein , and how , you must worship god in your families . sect . ix . first , the reasons why you should set up the worship of god in your families , are such as these ; . from the example of the holy men of god in scripture , josh . . . and , if it seeme evil unto you to serve the lord , choose you this day whom you will serve ; whether the gods whom your fathers served , that were on the other side of the flood , or the gods of the amorites in whose land ye dwell ; but , as for me and my house we will serve the lord. some will serve the god of this world , that is the devil , cor. . . some will serve their bellies , which they make their god , phil. . . and some will serve their unrighteous mammon , which they make their god ; but , do you take up joshua's resolution , that you and your house will serve the lord. . from the benefit that will come to you and your house , if you carefully and constantly worship god therein : god will take care of you and your family , if you take care of his worship therein . gen. . . and the lord said , shall i hide from abraham that thing which i do ? ver. . for i know him , that he will command his children , and his houshold after him , and they shall keep the way of the lord , to do justice and judgment ; that the lord may bring upon abraham that which he hath spoken of him . . from the great evil that hangs over your family , if you should neglect the worship of god therein ; god will curse your family , and his wrath shall be the portion of you and your children , if the worship of god be excluded from your house : though god hath spared you and your family in this late contagion , yet his wrath is still hovering over your house , if you call not upon him , jer. . . pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not , and upon the families that call not upon thy name . — fury is the utmost of gods wrath : and , this shall not be dropped only , but poured out upon your family ; god will poure down showres of wrath and fury upon those houses that neglect his worship . . from equity ; you would have all in your family disc●a●ge their duties which they owe to you ; you would have your children be obedient to you , and your servants be dutiful to you , and do your work , and serve you ; and , is it not then reasonable that you and they should discharge your du●ies unto god ? and that you and they should serve the lord ? when you and they have more dependance upon god , then they have upon you . . if you neglect your duty herein , you will be guilty of the blood of the soules of those that die in your family , and are damned for ever : you will be bloody butchers to the soules of your children and servants : god hath committed the care of their soules ( in great measure ) unto you , and , can you discharge your trust that god hath reposed in you , in the total neglect of your duty herein ? hath not god charged you in the fourth commandment , that neither you your self should prophane his day , and that you should see that neither your sons nor daughters , neither your men-servants , nor maid-servants should prophane it ; and , if they do , will not god require this at your hand ? . the total neglect of family-worship will be ● flat denying god to be the god of your family ; that you take not god to be the master of your family : would not you say , that your servants deny you to be their master , if they deny their service to you ? and , can you say , that god is the god of your house , if you , in your house do not worship him ? mal. . . a son honoureth his father , and a servant his master ; if then i be a father , where is mine honour ? and ▪ if i be a master , where is my fear ? — if your family disown god , god will disown your family ; and , if god disown and cast you off , will not your family be a miserable family ? . if you neglect the worship of god in your family , this will be a bad example to those that go out of your family to constitute other families ; when your children shall have families of their own , and your servants shall have families of their own , will not they be too apt to neglect them , as they have seen you neglect yours ? and so your sin will have an influence upon them , and you will be , in some respect , guilty of the neglect of gods worship in your children and servants families ; but , if you be conscientious in your family , you will be exemplary to them to do likewise . . god will punish your neglect of his service to him with family-judgments : if you do not make your house a house of prayer , god will make your house an house of contention and strife ; an house of railings and quarrellings ; and will punish you with undutiful children , and disobedient servants : for , how can you expect that they should be good toward you , when you endeavour not to make them good towards god ? if you would press your children and servants to love god , and obey and serve god , they would then obey you from a principle of conscience , and serve you , out of fear to god ; they would be more faithful to you , if you would call upon them to serve god : might not god justly suffer your servants to purloin , and steal from you , when you and they do steal from god that time for the world , which is due to god ? section x. secondly , the duties wherein you should worship god in your families , are such as these ; in praying unto god , and that ( . ) ordinarily : and , your ordinary praying unto god in your family should be daily , and , that at least twice every day ; every morning when you rise , and every night , before you dismiss your family to their rest and sleep . exod. . . now , this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar ; two lambs of the first year , day by day continually . vers . . the one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning , and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even : though the ceremonial part of this be abolished , yet the moral abideth , and is perpetual : and , the reasons for daily prayer in your families are perpetual ; as , ( . ) you have daily family sins , and therefore in your family you should daily confess them , and beg the pardon of them ; that you and your family might not go about your necessary occasions all the day , nor to your necessary rest at night , with the guilt of sin upon your soules . ( . ) you have every day daily wants , therefore you should daily beg supplies for your family : and , christ bids you pray , give us this day our daily bread . ( . ) you have family business every day , and you should pray to god daily for his blessing upon your endeavours , for the good of your family . ( . ) you have every day family mercies , and should daily bless god for them : when you wake in the morning and find your house not fired in the night , is not this a family mercy ? and , should not your family be called together to bless god for this mercy ? in the morning you find your family all in health , none of them dead in their beds : and , should not you , since you all live , all come together , and bless god , that sleep was not turned into death , nor the darkness of the right into the darkness of hell to any of you ? and , have you not many mercies every day , you went out well about your imployment , and you returned well , and god hath blest your endeavours with success ; and , should not you give to god the praise of his mercy before you sleep ? or , if you have sustained some losses , should not you pray to god to sanctifie them to you , and inable you patiently to bear them , and submit to the will of god therein ? ( . ) or , family-prayer is sometimes extraordinary , when your family lies under some extraordinary affliction , or wants some extraordinary mercy , or have had some extraordinary deliverance from evil and danger , then should you in your family send up extraordinary prayer and p●aises unto god : so did esther and her maidens fast and pray , esther . . and i could wish that families apart were more acquainted with , and more frequent in this du●y . in reading the word of god : this would be bet●er then cards and dice . but , in many fam●l●es the bible lies upon the shelfe all the week long , and scarce h●ve it in their hands but when they take it to go to church , and many scarce then neither . god hath commanded you to acquaint your family with ●he wo●d of god , and , how will you do it , if you never read it to them , nor discourse of it with them ? deut. . . therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart , and in your soul , and bind them for a sign upon your hand , that they may be as frontless between your eyes . ver. . and ye shall teach them your children , speaking of them , when thou sittest in thine house , and when thou walkest by the way ; when thou liest down , and when thou risest up . view this scripture well , ( ye masters of families ) and be ashamed of your neglect of reading the scripture in your houses ; you should talk of it at home and abroad , morning and night when your familie should be with you . you should read the scripture to your family for these reasons : . because the word of god is the spiritual food of the souls in your family . it is the bread of life . it is milk for the nourishing of their souls , pet. . . it is to be preferred above their necessary food , job . . now will you give them bread for their bodies , and deny them bread for their souls ? their souls can no more live without spiritual food , than their bodies can without corporal . take heed you deny not bread to your children and servants souls . . because the word of god is the spiritual armour for the preserving your family from being robbed by your spiritual enemies , the devil , sin , and the world ; you will have some weapon in your house to defend your self f●om thieves . why , the devil will play the thief in your house , and will steal away the souls of your children , and will steal away the souls of your servants , and will you not put so much as a weapon into their hands to defend themselves ? your children and servants will be stollen away by the spirits , if you arm them not with the word of god , which is the sword of the spirit , eph. . . . because the more you read the word of god to them , the better they will be to you , and the better perform the duties of their relation : you complain of disobedient children , why do not you read the scripture to them more , to teach them that god requires them to be obedient to you ? you complain of bad servants , why do not you then read the word of god to them more , that they may know their duty better by reading the scripture to them ? make them but good christians , and then they dare not , but be good children , and good servants . . because the word of god is able to make them wise unto salvation ; you would have your children wise to live in the world ; you would have them wise to get riches , and a great estate ; you would have your servants wise to do your work , and to go about your business : and would you not have them wise for their souls ? would you not have them wise for heaven and the life to come ? if you would , then acquaint them with the word of god , tim. . . and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures , which are able to make thee wise unto salvation , through faith which is in christ jesus . and he is wise indeed , that is wise enough to save his soul . in repeating what you hear in the publick congregation , in discoursing to your family what sin was reproved , and what duty was inforced , and what were the arguments and motives thereunto . what christ preached more publickly , he repeated to his disciples ( which were as his family ) more privately , mar. . . and . . mat. . , . and the apostle commanded wives to ask their husbands when they came home , the things that were delivered in the congregation , cor. . , . this would keep your children and servants better imployed on the lords day , than to be standing idle at your doors , or walking sinfully in the fields . this would make them profit more by the word preached , if you would repeat it to them , and use them to give account of what they hear . in catechizing of your family , and teaching them the principles and fundamentals of religion : mans innocency by creation , mans misery by the fall , mans recovery by christ , and the terms of the covenant of grace ; the meaning of the ten commandments , what sin in them is forbidden , what duties are required ; this is gods plain injunction that you should do so , deut. . , , , . and the meaning of the sacraments , exod. . , , . ( . ) to teach them while they are young is a good means to make them good when they are old , prov. . . train up a child in the way he should go when he is young , and he will not depart from it when he is old : but if you let them alone till they be accustomed to do evil , it will be hard to reclaim them , jer. . . quo semel est imbuta recens , &c. ( . ) this will be an effectual mean● to keep them from being seduced , and led away with e●●ours and false doctrine . ( . ) it will be great cruelty to the souls of your children and servants to neglect it . will you carry your self towards your little ones , as the ostrich doth towards her young ones , job . . which ( speaking of the ostrich ) leaveth her eggs in the earth , and warmeth them in the dust . ver. . and forgetteth that the foot may crush them , or that the wild beast may break them . ver. . she is hardened against her young ones , as though they were not hers . — ( . ) it would be to break your vow which you made when you brought your children unto baptism ; did you not promise they should forsake the pomps and vanities of this world , and that you would bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the lord , and will you dedicate them to god in baptism , and leave them to the devil all their life after ? consider i beseech you , it may be god in mercy and pity to your childrens and servants souls hath spared you in this late-great mortality ; and consider whether your conscience doth not accuse you of great neglect towards some of your children and servants which are now lying in their graves ; it may be there hath dyed a poor servant out of your house , which you never spake to in good earnest about the matters of his soul ; or doth not your heart wish that he were with you again , that you may instruct and teach him , and will you do so to those that do remain ? it may be some of them that have died out of your house are gone to hell through your neglect , and will you have no more pi●y upon those that yet are with you ? the other , now are out of the reach of your counsells and instructions , but these are not , what was wanting in you towards those that are dead and gone , make up to those that live and do remain . in singing forth gods praises , in psalms , and spiritual songs ; this is an ordinance of god , eph. . . jam. . . you must sing with grace , col. . . exercise your grace of joy in god , in commemoration of gods benefits , of holy desires , of godly sorrow , as the occasion and the matter of the psalm require ; this is the sweetest harmony in the ears of god. you must sing with understanding , with sense and feeling , and to the lord , to his glory , as in his presence ; this would be more sutable for your family , than ballads , prophane and lascivious filthy rymes , which you should not suffer under your roof . sect . xi . thirdly , the manner how you should worship god in your family is chiefly to be minded , for it is not any service that god will accept , you may keep up a course of praying in your family , and yet live very unworthy of the great mercy of god in your wonderful preservation . therefore , . in your family worship god really and indeed , with your heart , and mind , and all your strength ; do not seem to pray , but pray indeed , in your family . for this end consider , ( . ) the god whom you serve in your families is god indeed ; he is a real god , therefore worship him indeed , and in a real manner . ( . ) the sins of your families are real sins , your own sins are real sins , and your childrens sins are real sins , and have real guilt , therefore confess them really , and mourn and sorrow for them really . ( . ) the wants of your family are real wants ; you do not seem to want outward mercies , but except god supply you , you will want them indeed . ( . ) the supplies which god doth give you are real supplies : god giveth you real health , and real food , and re●l cloathing for your family , therefore be real in your family worship . ( . ) you and your family are real in following of the world , you work in good earnest , and you buy and sell in good earnest : and will you be real in the things of the world that concern your family , and will you not be real in your family worship ? . in your family worship god livelily ; not only with a true and sincere heart , but with a lively heart , take heed of dulness and formality ; take heed of sleeping at your prayers . and here i would advise that masters of families would not put off their duties too long in the morning , till half the day be past , nor too late in the evening , when the family will be more disposed and inclined to sleep than to pray . . in your family worship god chearfully , go not to family prayer as a task and burden , but as a great favour and priviledge that you and your children might call upon god. . in your family worship god constantly : some will pray on a sabbath night , but it may be not all the week after . thus if you serve god in your family it will be a great step to your walking in some measure answerably for so great preservation , and then it will be a good discovery that god hath spared you in mercy , to do him service in the education of your children , and not in judgment , to the encreasing of your sins only . thus far concerning the duties of families whom god hath spared in this time of pestilence in general . of the several relations in a family next . sect . xii . secondly , if you will live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy , as preservation from death in a time of great mortalitie , is , then fill up the duties of your particular relation wherein you stand . relative sins are very offensive unto god , and a great scandal to religion . the fi●st of these relations in a family is , first , conjugal , betwixt husband and wife ; and the great duty incumbent upon them is mutu●l love , in which many are deficient , and many are excessive , it being hard for such to let out their affections one to another so much as god commands , and no more than god allows ; and both these extreams will terrisie conscience when such come to dye . and this sin is more usually seen when death hath broken this relation , than while god continueth them together ; the surviver then seeth he did not love his wife , and the wife , her husband , with that degree of love as that relation called for , or with a greater degree than was pleasing unto god , when the love of this relation did diminish the love they should have to god : and how many breaches hath god made in this relation to punish the sin of both extreams ? it may be thy love was immoderate , and therefore god hath taken thy relation from thee : or it may be thy love was deficient , and therefore god hath taken thy relation from thee . when thou w●st sick , and thou thoughtest thou shouldest have died , did not thy conscience then accuse ▪ thee for one of these in thy relation ? and yet hath god spared thee and thy wife , or thee and thy husb●nd , then what conscience did reproach thee for in this particular , if thou wouldst answer gods mercie in sparing of thee , let this be reformed . there are many this day may be lamenting not so much the loss of this relation , as that they did not walk sutablie in this relation while they were in it , this being the sting of their affliction . oh! methinks such as god hath continued in a conjugal relation in this time of great mortality , should look upon themselves now more engaged to perform their mutual duties with more care and conscience than before . such a one hath buried his wife , and such a one hath buried her husband , but god hath preserved you in your relation , you cannot live answerablie for this mercie but in a better discharge of your mutual duties . how would you wish you had loved your relation , wife or husband , if god had taken either away by death , so do now when god continueth you both in life . because this conduceth so much to an answerable return for so great a mercie i will a little insist upon it . and in the general , if you would improve this mercie , the direction is , that your love and affection be such one to another , as is the love betwixt christ and the church . eph. . . husbands , love your wives , even as christ loved the church , and gave himself for it . and this love of the husband must be requited with the love of the wife , for it is reciprocal , tit. . . teach the young women to be sober , to love their husbands . — sect . xiii . but more particularly i shall speak to three things : what manner of love is this why they should have this wherein they should manifest this love one to another . if you will improve this mercie god hath vouchsafed you , your love must have these properties . . it must be a superlative love , that is in respect of all sublunarie things ; though your love to god and christ must be more than your love one to another , else it doth sinfully exceed , for if any loveth father or mother , husband or wife , more than christ , he is not worthie of him , yet in respect of all other persons and things in this world , it must be more , else it is sinfully deficient ; a man must love his wife above all other persons , above his estate , or whatsoever is dear unto him in this world , and so the wife . thus christ loveth his church , and a believing soul , above all other persons , and the church reciprocallie loves christ above all other things in the world . . it must be a constant love , it must last as long as life in both do●n last . the longer you live in this relation , the more you should love . length of time must not wear off the commanded and allowed strength of your mutual affection . thus christ alwaies love● his church , and the church alwaies loves jesus christ . . it must be holy love ; from an holy principle , obedience to gods command ; in an holy manner , according to the word of god ; for holy ends , the glorie of god , &c. carnal love , for carnal ends , is not the love that god requireth in this relation , thus christ loves the church , and the church loves christ with an holy love . . it must be a tender , compassionate , and sympathizing love ; if god lay his afflicting hand upon either , in sickness of bodie , in terrours of mind , the other is to be tender , and to sympathize in those afflictions . if god lay his hand upon both , in povertie and want , they should not fret one against the other , ( which is too usuall ) but should both with tenderness of compassion endeavour to bear the same burden , and make up that which is wanting in outward enjoyments in the degree of their love . and this would lighten many burdens , and sweeten the bitter cup of affliction which god may put into both their hands ; as the want of conjugal affection in many doth make that heavie which is light , and that bitter which is sweet . thus christ loveth his church , and sympathizeth with her in all her afflictions , isa . . . acts . . . it must be forgiving love ; that shall hide and cover the infirmities of each from the world , every miscarriage in this relation should not abate the affection of one to the other . sinful infirmities must not be allowed of in one another , because they must be faithful to each others souls , and yet they should not be blazed unto others , because of the love to each others person . thus christ loveth his church notwithstanding her sinful infirmities ; and because he loveth her , he is readie and willing to forgive her . but there is no such retaliation of this propertie of love in the church to christ , because he hath no such sinful infirmities : but there is no such husband in the world besides christ , and therefore in our case it is reciprocal . sect . xiv . the reasons why there should be such love and mutual affection betwixt those in a conjugal relation are such as these : . because god commands it ; and with gracious persons a command of god is instead of a thousand reasons . before this relation be entred into , persons may lawfullie look after attractives and motives of love , but when once they are so rel●ted , this is sufficient reason ( though there are others ) why they should love , eph. . . tit. . . . because they are one flesh ; he that loveth his wife loveth himself , and she that loves her husband loveth her self , eph , . , . it is unnatural in any to h●te their own flesh . . because the comfort of their life , and the sweetness of this relation much depends upon their mutual affection . . because the gospel will be much hindered by the want of this love in those that make profession of it : the gospel much suffers when wicked persons observe that professors fill not up their relative duties , tit. . . teach the young women to be sober , to love their husbands , to love their children . ver. . to be discreet , chaste , keepers at home , good , obedient to their own husbands , that the word of god be not blasphemed . . because else they will be more unfit for spiritual duties , either together , or apart . when there are differences betwixt husband and wife , it is an hinderance to them in their praying one with another , in their praying one for another ; want of this conjugal affection , and breaches in this relation , hath often straitened the heart of the party offending at the throne of grace , and this professing husbands and wives should be careful of , pet. . , , . the apostle had exhorted persons in a conjugal relation to discharge their mutual duties , after the example of abraham and sarah , and the reason he alledgeth is , that your prayers be not hindred . . because else they cannot comfortably dye . breaches in the duties of this relation , will make great breaches in our peace of conscience when we come to dye . when you are to part at death , conscience will be lashing of you : god hath set thee ( saith conscience ) in such a relation , but thou hast not had the love of that relation . god gave thee such a yoak-fellow , but thou di●st not live with that affection as he did require , and now thy relation must be broken . oh the● , saith the offendor , if god would continue me a little longer in this relation , how would i walk more sutably in performing the duties thereof better than hitherto i have done ; but do it now before death doth part you . sect . xv. the duties wherein those in a conjugal relation should manifest this mutual affection , and they are such as are , either proper to each . common to both . the husband manifests his love in direction in cases dubious . protection in cases dangerous , sam. . . provision of things needful , tim. . . the wife manifests her love in inward reverence , eph. . . outward subjection , pet. . . the duties that are common to both do either concern . the body , or things temporal . the soul , or things spiritual . . in the affairs of this life they should manifest their mutual love one to another , in procreation of children . education of children . administration of houshold affairs times of affliction and sickness . . in the concernments of each others souls , or things spiritual , their love should be especially manifested ; love to the soul is the noblest love , because the soul is the nobler part ; to love the body and hate the soul , ( as too many do ) is but cruel love . their love is highest love , that love each others souls , and this love is manifested , . in reproving one another for sin ; this is greatest love ; not to reprove is to hate , lev. . . so job his wife , job . , . so abigail her husband , sam. . , . where you may observe both abigails piety , she reproved nabal : and her prudence , when the wine was out of his head . . in comforting one another under inward terrours ; so manoahs wife comforted him , jud. . , . . in provoking one another to good works of piety , and charity . this is the only allowed contention betwixt husband and wife , who shall be best , and love god most , and do most good : but not to provoke to wrath and wicked works , as jezabel did ahab , kings . , , . wicked husbands are usually very wicked , when wicked wives stir them up to do wickedly , ver . . . in praying one with another , and praying one for another . it is great love in such to improve their interest at the throne of grace one for another . thus if you whom god hath spared , and continued life unto , after thi● contagion , would resolve to live together , you would so far as concerns you in this respect , live in force measure answerably to so great a mercy , else you cannot . hath god spared you to be more unkind one to another ? to be bitter one against another ? to grieve one another ? or do you think this is the improvement you should make of this mercy ? god forbid . sect . xvi . secondly , the next relation i consider in a family , is between parents and children , whom god hath continued after this great mortality . god hath taken away parents from others , and they are lest orphans , but god hath continued thy parents , both , or one to thee . what doth god require from thee in answer to a sutable return for this mercy ? god hath taken away children from others , and bereaved them of those that were dear to them , but god hath continued thine , all , or some to thee , what doth god require at thy hands in answer to a sutable return for so great a mercy ? it is that parents and children should fill up the duties of this relation , else you can never walk worthy of this mercy . but more particularly , first , parents , if they would live answerable to his mercy of children continued to them , must be careful , first , in instructing of them in the things of god : and training them up in the waies of god , this is the duty of both parents , pro. . . my son hear the instruction of thy father , and forsake not the law of thy mother , prov. . . the words of king lemuel , the p●ophesie that his mother taught him . this mothers might do when they are dressing of their children . do not think you do enough if you make provision for your children , and get a portion for them : let me tell you , that is the le●st part of your duty , as hard as you think it is ; but , you must give them instructions , and that . timelily , before they are accustomed to evil ; they are born in natural hardness , and , by frequent acts of wickedness they will contract habitual hardness ; and then , if god clap upon their hearts judicial hardness , your children are undone for ever : children before they can goe , can run from god ; and , before they can speak plainly , can speak wickedly : teach them not to be proud of their fine clothes ; teach them not revenge , by giving you a stroak to beat others ; these be the buddings of pride and revenge in little infants . . instruct them frequently ; they are apt to learn evil , but backward to learn any thing that is good : there must be line upon line , deut. . , . you must whet the things you speak unto them , that they may pierce their hearts ; frequently inculcate the same things upon them , and instil the knowledg of god into them by little and little . . instruct them affectionately ; let them perceive ( when more grown up ) that they are matters of weight and moment , that you speak to them about : when you speak of heaven and hell , of god and sin , let them see that your hearts are affected with what you say . secondly , in correcting of them for the evil of sin : he that spares the rod spoiles the childe : better you correct them here , than god damne them hereafter : the rod is as needful for your children as their food ; prov. . . folly is bound in the heart of a childe , the rod of correction shall drive it far from him . do this , . timelily ; a young twigg is flexible , and easie to be bent ; break them of wicked words and w●ies betimes , or else they may break your heart when they are bigger . adonijah was davids d●●ling , an ●he was wanting in correcting of him , and he rebelled before he died , and usurped the kingdom before his fathers death : king. . . then adonijah the son of haggith exalted himself , saying , i will be king ; and he prepared his horsmen and chariots , and fifty men to run before him . vers . . and his father had not displeased him at any time , in saying , why hast thou done so ? — too much indulgence will make undutiful and disobedient children . . proportionably to their fault ; do not correct a small offence over sharply , nor an hainous sin too slightly ; if you are too severe for a small offence , they will hate you : if you are too indulgent in a great offence , they will despise you . this was elyes sin , that he did not correct the hainous sin , and reprove the abominable practise of his sons with greater severity : sam. . . and he said unto them , why do ye such things ? for , i hear of your evil dealings by all this people . vers . . nay , my sons , for it is no good report that i hear , ye make the lords people to transgress . it is no good report ! that was too good a word for so hainous wicked works : it was an abominable thing that was reported by others , and committed by his sons : but , see what god saith to ely , vers . . thou honourest thy sons above me : and , god severely punished his children for their vile offence ; and the father for his so cold reproof , as you may read in the following verses . . compassionately ; do not correct your children in the heate of passion , but with bowels of compasion : when the rod is in your hand , let there be tender love in your heart . . discreetly ; observing the temper and disposition of your childe which you correct ; if you scourge , and frown upon one , as much as is needful for another , you will discourage him ; if you scourge not another , more than this , that is more tender spirited , you will not break him : correction is like a medicine , in which the physitian hath respect to the constitution of the patient . children are like herbs , some , if you cut and tread will grow again ; but , if you do as much to other herbes , you kill them . . seasonably ; there is much wisdom in parents , in timeing their correcting of their children ; if you correct them for some faults before others , you will discourage them ; take the fittest season . . penitently ; when you correct your children , judge your self first , and repent for your own sin , or else you do but beat your self . . believingly ; when you exercise your child with the rod , do you exercise faith upon the promise . thirdly , in praying much for them ; many pray for children before they have them , but neglect to pray for them when god hath given them ; as though their being were a greater blessing than their well-being : you must add prayer to instruction and correction ; for , it is not onely your instruction , nor correction , but gods blessing given in to servent prayer , that will make your children good . when you look upon your little infants as they are sucking at your breasts , or laughing in your faces , or playing in your armes ; oh consider the seed of sin that they have in their hearts ! that they , by nature , are the children of wrath ; and , when you go to pray for them , use such considerations that might make your heart to mourn over them , and for them : when you consider they are enemies to god , can you not mourn for them upon your knees ? when you consider they are lost children , except mercy find them ; that they are damned children except free grace save them : can you not mourn abundantly , and pray servently for them ? can you consider they are by nature , without the image and likeness of god , and not be grieved at the heart ? that your child is a little traitor against the king of heaven ; a little rebel against the glorious god ; and , will you not pray that his heart may be changed ? could you weep and grieve if your child were a monster , if it had a body of one kind , and an head of another ; if it had an arme too much , or a leg too much , or little ; why , its misery is more by nature then all this , and yet , can you not mourn in your prayers for him ? fourthly , in choosing for them some lawful calling and putting them forth unto some religious familie : choose not a calling that hath more snares and temptations attending it , then usually others have ; and place them in such families , where they may learn the way to heaven , as well as the way to be rich in the world : if you put them forth to an ungodly family , you may loose all your former labour in instruction , correction , and prayer : for , will you give your childe an antidote , and then care not if he run into a pest-house , among persons that have running plague sores ; or , would you not judge it presumption in any so to do , without a special call ? but , the former is greater , and higher , and more dangerous presumption than the latter ; in as much as the death of the body of your child is endangered by the one ; but the damnation of his soul is endangered by the other . fifthly , in careful disposing of them in marriage ▪ that you match them to godly persons , and , if you can , into a godly family ; or , to one that hath religious relations : take heed of marrying them to the children of the devil , though their outward advantage be never so much : thus abraham took care that his son isaac should not take a wife of the daughters of the canaanites , amongst whom he dwelt , gen. . . if you thus take care for your children , whom god hath continued to you in this great mortality , you act , in this respect , in some measure answerably to so great a mercy . section xvii . secondly , children , if they would live answerably in their relation , to so great a mercy , as is , gods sparing their parents , and continuing them unto them , must be careful of filling up the duties of their relation : and , the duty of children is set down in col. . . children , obey your parents in all things , for this is well-pleasing unto the lord : in which observe , . the charge , obedience . . the persons charged ; children , younger , elder , poor or rich . . the persons to whom this obedience is to be given . parents , father , mother . whether poor , or rich. . the extent of this obedience ; in all things . . the limitting and enforcing reason , for this is well-pleasing to the lord ; therefore the all things are to be limitted to things lawful , else it would not please the lord ; but , they must in those things , because it pleaseth god. now , if you that are children would walk worthy of gods mercy , in sparing your parents to you in this contagious times , you must obey them in these particulars . . in receiving instructions from them , in hearkning to their wholsome counsel and advice , prov. . . my son forget not my law , but let thine heart keep my commandments , prov. . , , , . and . , , . and . . &c. and . , , . . in submitting to their correction , without murmuring and repining . . in being content with your diet and apparel that your parents provide for you . . in yeilding them sustenance and maintenance if they come to poverty , if you be able to supply them ; they gave you maintenance when you could not provide for your selves , do you so for them , if they need , though you work hard to help them , tim. . . but , if any widow have children , or nephews , let them first learn to shew piety at home , and to requite their parents , for that is good and acceptable before god. though children can never ( fully ) requite their parents , for they had their being by them ; and , what if they have help by you in outward things , you had your being by them , and that is more : take heed of being ashamed of your parents , if they be poor , and you are raised to an higher degree in the world than ever they were , but , to disown them would be impious . . in submitting to their choise of a calling for you . . in disposing of you in marriage : change not your condition without their consent , as isaac , gen. . and sampson , judg. . , . nay , ishmael obeyed his mother in his marriage , gen. . . and , will you be worse than ishmael ? . in all things , though they be cross to your humour , though it might not please you , yet , if it please your parents you must do it . but , that i may not lay a snare for childrens consciences , and put a staff into ungodly parents hands , to drive their children to hell , you must take this distinction of [ things , ] viz. things are either , simply good and necessary , and these must be done , though your parents forbid you ; as praying , reading scripture , &c. simply evil and unlawful , and these must not be done , though your parents command you ; as to play , or work upon the lords day , to lie and defraud in dealing . neither good nor evil in their own nature ( though every thing is good or evil , considered in all circumstances ) and , in all these you must obey your parents . and , the reasons of this obedience to your parents , are such as these . . gods command , ephes . . . children , obey your parents in the lord. v. . honour thy father and mother , which is the first commandment with promise ; that is the first command with promise in the second table ; for , there is a promise in the second command of the first table , of shewing mercy unto thousands , &c. . this is right , or justice ; ephes . . . thou hadst thy being and thy education by thy parents , therefore it is justice thou shouldest obey them . . christs example ; he was obedient to his parents , luke . . and he went down with them , and came to nazareth , and was subject to them . . gods judgments upon disobedient children : absalom rebelled against his father , and god cut him off in the very act of his rebellion . . it is pleasing to god : if it were in any thing that would displease god , you must not do it ; for you must please your heavenly father rather than your earthly , but , if it be pleasing unto god , you must not deny it ; you please god , when you please your parents in things lawful . . god might punish you with disobedient children hereafter , if you are disobedient to your parents now : thus children also will walk so farr answerably to so great a mercy , as gods sparing their parents to them , if they thus obey them . section xviii . thirdly , the next relation i consider in a family , is , the relation of masters and servants , whom god hath spared in this great mortality ; and , if you would live in some measure answerably to this mercy ( as , it is a mercy to some to have servants ; and , it is a mercy to others to have masters ) then you must fill up the duties of your relation . first , masters duties are set down , col. . . masters , give unto your servants that which is just and equal , knowing , that ye also have a master in heaven : where you have , . the charge that is given , to do that which is just and equal . . the persons to whom this charge is given : masters . . the persons unto whom this justice and equity must be shown : servants . . the reason to enforce it ; knowing that ye have a master in heaven . there is no man , that is a master , but he hath a master , and that is god. . masters must not impose upon their servants any thing simply unlawful , that is not just ; to work , or carry burdens upon the lords day , without necessity , &c. . masters must not impose upon their servants things above their strength , though they be lawful , this is not just . . masters must not deny their servants convenient food , nor their due wages , this is not just . . masters must not turn away their servants when they are sick , who served them when they were in health and strength , without their consent ; this is not just . . masters must not deny them necessary time for the performance of their necessary duties unto god , this is neither just nor equal : it is but equity if servants spend their time in your service , that you should allow them some time for the service of god , and the saving of their souls : for , to wear out their bodies in serving you now , and , for want of time to read and pray , to have their soules damned hereafter , would be a very unequal , unjust , and unreasonable thing . sect . xix . secondly , servants , if you would live answerably for the mercy of god , in sparing you , then performe the duties god requireth at your hands towards your masters . the duty of servants is set down , eph. . . servants , be obedient to them that are your masters , according to the flesh , with fear and trembling , in singleness of heart , as unto christ . vers . . not with eye-service , as men-pleasers , but as the servants of christ , doing the will of god from the heart . vers . . with good will doing service , as to the lord , and not to men. vers . . knowing , that whatsoever good thing any man doth , the same shall he receive of the lord , whether he be bond or free . to this the apostle addeth ; servants , obey in all things your masters , knowing , that of the lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance , for ye serve the lord christ , col. . , , , . in both which places the apostle meets with the usual defects of servants in their relation ; which are . half service . . eye service . . hypocritical service . . prophaneness in service . . irreverence in service . . grudging in service . . baseness of mind in service . to these are opposed service . in all things . . not eye-service . . in singleness of heart . . in the fear of god. . trembling . . from the heart , and with good will. . a glorious reward . . servants must do all the service they owe unto their masters ; not to do one thing , and leave another undone , but , you must obey in all things , i. e. lawful . . servants must not give eye service ; that is , onely in their masters sight and presence , but must be as careful of their masters business in his absence , as if he were looking on them : they must not do their work as those that are serving men , who cannot alwaies see them , but as the servants of christ , serve him , who believe , that he alwaies sees them : and , let servants remember , that though masters do not alwaies see them , yet god doth . . servants must performe the works of their masters service in singleness of heart , with uprightness , and without dissimulation ; they must not be hypocrites in mens service , as they must not in the service of god : servants must do all from obedience to gods commands , and yield therefore obedience to wicked masters in lawful things , pet. . . servants , be subject to your masters with all fear ; not onely to the good and gentle , but also to the froward . so , to poor masters , though they can give them but mean wages . . they must do it in the fear of god : as the servants of god must pray in the fear of god , and hear in the fear of god ; so they that are servants to men , must do their work in the fear of god : then , they must not curse and swear at their work , nor talk sinfully , nor speak or sing obscenely . . wi●h reverence to their masters , tim. . . let as many servants as are under the yoke , count their own masters worthy of all honour , that the name of god and his doctrine be not blasphemed : if thou serve a poor master , yet , being thy master , thou art bound to honour him ; else , thou will be a reproach to the name of god , and his doctrine . . they must not grudge the service they do , but do it from the heart , and with good will : servants hearts must not be set upon their masters business , they cannot give away their heart from god : but , they must do their work from the heart , i. e. willingly , cheerfully . . they must not onely aime at the wages they have from their masters ; that is poor , and low , and sordid to work and labour for such a reward ; but , as those that know , if they do their service , ( be it never so mean and servile ) in obedience to gods command , and for his glory , they shall have a reward in heaven : god will reward the mean service of a poor servant with an eternal crown . . they must be faithful in their masters business ; they must not purloin , steal , and secretly convey away any thing of their masters estate , money or goods ; or sell it at under-rate to his masters real prejudice and dammage , by private contract between himself and the buyer , to consider him for his cheap bargain . tit. . . exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters , and to please them well in all things , not answering again . vers . . not purloining , but shewing all good fidelity , that they may adorn the doctrine of god our saviour in all things . when thy hand is in thy masters box , and thou art pilfring away his money , to game , to keep company , or spend any way without his knowledge , this is theft ; and , god seeth thee , though he do not : and , if thou hast purloined , or stole any thing , thou art bound to restore it , if thou canst , and , to confess thy fault and be humbled , and do so no more . . they must be frugal for their masters ; that , though they steal nothing from them , yet they may sin , by suffering their masters goods to be wasted ; as food to be cast away , and many things to be spent and consumed when there is no need : this is not to shew all fidelity to your masters . so jacob , gen. . , . , , . that which was torn of beasts i brought not unto thee ; i bare the loss of it : of my hands didst thou require it , whether stollen by day , or stollen by night . . they must not answer again out of a murmuring spirit , nor give word for word ; that , if their master rebukes them for their sin , they must not speak as fast as he : nay , though a master should speak wrathfully , and in unjust anger , yet they must not answer perversely to them again , but with meekness and silence ( except they require , or give leave ) go about their imployment , committing their cause to god , who will right them , if their masters wrong them , col. . . but , he that doth wrong , shall receive for the wrong which he hath done : and , there is no respect of persons . god regards not mens outward conditions ; he regards not the mistriss more than the maid : nor the master more than the man ; but judgeth righteously betwixt the greatest and the meanest . . they must remember , when they are obedient in their masters service , they are serving the lord christ : what a poor servant doth in servile labour , in the meanest , lowest imployment , he is serving of god : and , this might sweeten to him more difficult and unpleasing work. thus i have done with this direction , in which all men , in one capacity or other , herein considered , are concerned to make improvement of gods preserving of them in time of so great contagion ; by being eminently exemplary in the conditions , capacity , relations , wherein they stand ; which , if they do ( caeteris paribus ) they live in some measure answerable to so great a mercy . direction v. hath god spared you in a time of pestilence , then if you would live answerable , diligently watch against secret sins , and let your special care be about the hidden and secret things in religious duties . god hath kept you in his chambers , isa . . . come my people , enter thou into thy chambers , and shut thy doors about thee ; hide thy self as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpast . god hath hid you from judgment in the secret chambers of his protection , and will you hide your sins in the secret corners of your hearts ? or will you allow your self to sin because you are in your secret chambers ? or will this be to live worthy of gods secret protection of you , to commit secret sins against god ? that you are preserved this is visible ; all that see you walking in the streets know this : but gods way of preserving you was not only by visible means , as antidotes and cordials , but by the invisible guard of holy angels , psal . . . there shall no evil befall thee , neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling . ver. . for he shall give his angels charge over thee , to keep thee in all thy waies . ver. . they shall bear thee up in their hands : lest thou dash thy foot against a stone . the reason why you have been preserved is , because god hath caused you to dwell in the secret place of the most high , and hath made you to abide under the shadow of the almightie , psal . . . when the pestilence was walking in darkness , and the arrows of the almightie were secretly shot and flying abroad , he kept you in the secret of his pavilion , psal . . . for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion : in the secret of his tabernacle he shall hide me , he shall set me upon a rock . as all visible means would not have been effectual for your preservation , without gods secret and invisible watching over you : so abstaining only from visible sins , and performing only that of duty , which is visible , will not be a sutable , nor answerable return for this great mercie : therefore my advice unto you is , that as gods goodness to you hath been in a secret way of preservation , so your care should especially be about secret things , and that in two respects . in abstaining from secret sins . in maintaining secret duties . first , be careful to abstain from secret sins . do not cherish sins in your hearts and thoughts , though they should never proceed to outward act : for a man whom god hath kept in time of plague , might be no open swearer , no visible drunkard , nor live in open wickedness , and yet might walk unworthy of gods mercy to him . and here i shall answer these two questions . . what are those considerations whereby a man should urge his heart to abstaine from heart and secret sins ? . what are the helps and means for inabling of a man to abstain from heart and secret sins ? quest . . what are those considerations whereby a christian should urge his heart to abstain from heart sins , and secret sins ; not to let into the secrets of his heart what he can , by watchfulness prevent , and not to allow that which notwithstanding all his diligence he cannot prevent . for there is great difference betwixt having sin in the heart , and regarding or allowing sin in the heart , psal . . . if i regard iniquity in my heart the lord will not hear me . a christian may have , yea , cannot in this life but have sin in his heart , but this ( not allowed , but groaned under , and lamented for , ) shall not hinder the audience of his prayers , nor the salvation of his soul . but the regarding and allowing of it will prevent both . sect . i. considerations to keep you from secret sins . god sets your secret sins in the light of his countenance , psal . . . you can never sin so secretlie , as to hide your sins from god. study well these scriptures , psal . . , to , vers . jer. . . heb. . . prov. . . for the waies of man are before the eyes of the lord , and he pondereth all his goings . whether your waies are good or evil , open or secret , they are before the eyes of the lord , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectà è regione , right over gods eyes . he pondereth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he weigheth them in scales ; and many of our actions he findeth to be too light . there are some sins so secret that other men might not know them ; and some are so secret that a man might not know them himself ; as sins of ignorance , psal . . . who can understand his errours ? cleanse thou me from secret faults . but no sin can be said to be secret in respect of god ; others see some sin in you , you may see more in your self ; but god seeth all : because he is omniscient . but there ●re many sins which are so secret that we our selves see them not : the causes of this are . imperfection of self-knowledge . . excess of self-love . . decei●fulness of sin . . closeness of sin . . want of watchfulness . but there is no sin can be hid from god , for god seeth the nature , number , and aggravations of secret sins . many indeed have vailes for their sins that they may not be discerned by men , but god looks through them : let me instance in these following sins , that appear to men in the shape of grace , but in the sight of god are manifest sins : or sins vailed and masked with plausible pretences of good , yet are naked to the sight of god. . pride covered with humility ; a proud person often appears in the shape of an humble man. in abasing of himself , discommending himself , that another may commend him , crying down himself , that another may cry him up ; by dispraising himself he would force and wrest a commendation from other men : but if he discommend himself , do you discommend him too ; if he say such a thing was meanly done , if you say , you think so too , a proud man cannot bear it ; he cannot hear another say of him what he saith of himself : but this secret pride god seeth . . hypocrisie masked with zeal ; many seem to be forward in good waies , and zealous in good works ; but self is the end , kings . . come see my zeal , &c. . secret love of the world , covered with pretence of care for their family ; many have a cloak for the hiding of their covetousness ; of which you read , thes . . . for neither at any time used we flattering words , nor a cloak of covetousness , god is witness ; this is seen by god. . secret hatred against mens persons , covered with pretended zeal against mens sins , or covered with plausible expressions of love and amitie . judas had murdered christ in his heart , and yet calls him master with his mouth , and kisseth him , mat. . . many have words smoother than oyl , yet have hatred sharper than swords , psal . . . . vain-glory hidden from men by pretended charity ; many will do good , relieve the poor , help those that be in distress , but they aime at esteem amongst men . matth. . , , , . . self-interest hidden from men by pretence of the good of mens souls , and the glory of god ; so a preaching hypocrite may pretend to lay out himself for the good of mens souls , and yet may use his ministry only as a trade to get a living by it . . blasphemous hard thoughts of god , might be hid from men by speaking good words of god. . inward murmurings repinings against gods providences , may be hid from men by words of great submission to the will of god. . inward fleshy lustings of heart , and contemplative uncleanness , may be kept secret from men by chaste discourse . he may love the presence of a person that is occasion of such secret uncleanness , and commit adultery in his heart , and the person not know of it , and the offender speaking chastly all this while : but i warn you in the name of god to strive against these sins , for though they are secret to men , yet god sets them in the light of his countenance . there are three eyes upon you when you are in secret , viz. . the eyes of angels good and bad , and they may see much of your secret wickedness . . the eye of conscience , and this may see more secret sin , than the angels see in you , the very thoughts of your heart . . the eye of god , and his eye seeth more than the conscience , joh. . . and this view that god hath of thy secret sins when he sets them in the light of his countenance hath these four properties . first , it is a clear and distinct view ; god seeth all the evil there is in thy secret sin . we have a confused sight of sin , and a dim sight of sin : we see not so much evil in the greatest sin as there is in the least : we see not so much evil in open prophaneness as indeed there is in a vain thought : but god seeth all distinctly . what a man hath before his eyes , that is a sutable object , at an equal distance , and having a necessary medium he seeth distinctly . secondly , it is a full view ; as god seeth all the evil in any one secret sin , so he seeth all thy secret sins . man may know none of them ; thou knowest some of them , but god knoweth all . when thou turnest thy back to go into secret to commit sin , remember then , thou art before gods face . thirdly , it is a constant view ; what we have seen with our eyes might be quite razed out of our memories , but not out of gods knowledge ; and when god is said to remember our iniquities no more , it is not to be understood of real oblivion , but gracious remission . fourthly , it is a judicial view ; if we speak of the secret sins of an hypocrite or a wicked man , then god sets them in his sight , as a judge sets before him the crimes of a malefactor , that they may be read ; he accused , convicted , and executed . if we speak of the secret sins of gods people , god sets them before him as a father doth the miscarriages of his child , not to disinherite him for it , but to correct him and chastise him . these are the properties of gods viewing our secret sins , and shall not this move thee to watch against them , and abstain from them ? or hast thou not done that in secret in the sight of god , which thou wouldst have been ashamed to do openly in the sight of men ? there are six comfortable expressions ( among others ) which the scripture useth , to set forth gods free pardon of our sins , viz. that he casts them behind his back , isa . . . blots them out , isa . . . casts them into the depths of the sea , mic. . remembers them no more , heb. . . will be merciful to our unrighteousness , heb. . . hides his face from our sins , psal . . . there are also six terrible expressions ( among others ) which the scripture useth to set forth gods displeasure against men for sin , viz. that he writes them in a book , rev. . . seals them in a bag , job . . remembers them , hos . . . marks them , psal . . . will visit them , jer. . . and . . sets them in the light of his countenance , psal . . . if therefore there be any thing in the believing thoughts of gods viewing your secret sins , ( as doubtless there is very much ) be careful that you abstain from them , and not allow your self in them . sect . ii. to keep you from secret sins consider , that secrecy in sinning is no security to the sinner ; this is a consequent of the former , because god seeth you in secret , therefore you are not safe , though your sin be secret . you may secure your credit and reputation awhile , by keeping your sin secret from men , but not your happiness and salvation . while your sin is secret you may not be reproached for it by men , but you shall be damned for it by god , if it be allowed and not sincerely repented of . many shall be openly damned for secret sins . read psal . . throughout . this will be a notable discovery of the sincerity of thy heart , if thou darest not allow thy self in secret sins . an hypocrites greatest care is conversant about things visible and manifest , viz. his conversation , profession , or open transgressions , these are visible . but the things that are secret and hid from the eyes of men , in those he is careless and negligent . but a true child of god , though he is not careless of his conversation , yet he is especially mindful of his affections , and of the secret frame of his heart , and of the sins that lye lurking within him . consider , god doth not esteem of men by what they seem to be to others , but by what they really are . god doth not judge as man judgeth ; men judge of the heart by the actions of the life but god judgeth of the actions by the heart . men judge of that which is secret and invisible by that which is open and visible , but god judgeth of that which is open and visible , by that which is secret and invisible , mat. . . woe unto you scribes , pharisees , hypocrites , for ye are like unto whited sepulchres , which indeed appear beautiful outward , but are within full of dead mens bones , and of all uncleanness . ver. . even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men , but within are full of hypocrisie and iniquity . luk. ▪ . and he said unto them , ye are they which justifie your selves before men , but god knoweth your hearts : for that which is highly esteemed amongst men , is abomination in the sight of god. a man might be applauded for that by men , for which he shall be condemned by god. that which might set a m●n high in the estimations of men , might be an abomination unto god. it is hainous impiety for a man to encourage himself to sin because he is in secret . kings . . and the children of israel did secretly those things that were not right against the lord their god. — there are many great sins wrapped up in this , as , . damnable infidelity ; they believe not god seeth them , psal . . , , . . desperate security ; they hide god from their eyes , and then think they are safe . . deep stupidity ; a degree further than the former . . daring insolency ; it is bold presumption to sin before gods face . secret sins do provoke god as well as open sins ; god is not like the sinner that hath better thoughts of sin , because it is secret : the openness of sin might add something to the eclipsing of gods glory , and to gods dishonour , but it addeth nothing to gods hatred of sin , because gods hatred to sin , as sin , is infinite . secret sins will grieve the spirit of god ; and causeth him to withhold his influences from thy heart , and to withdraw his presence from thy soul . as , . secret sins will cause the spirit of god to withdraw his witnessing presence , and to suspend his testimony . . they will cause him to withdraw his comforting presence , that thou shalt not have those joyes that thou wast use to find when thou wast more careful to watch against secret sins . . they will cause him to withdraw his quickning presence , that thy heart will be left more dead , and more dull , and thy affections will be more flat and cold . . they will cause him to withdraw his assisting presence ; that thou shalt not be so able to perform duty , to resist temptation , to bear affliction . thus secret sins will make you great losers by gr●eving and quenching the spirit of god. secret sins will exceedingly disturb the peace of thy conscience , they will make great gashes in thy soul ; they will wound surely , they will wound s●ely and deeply ; they may make thee go with a sorrowful heart unto thy grave ; they may cost thee many a groan , and sigh and tear , many a prayer and strong cry to god before thy peace may be restored , and thy conscience healed , and thy heart bound up . they may be the breaking of thy bones , and thy heart too , that thou mayst think god is thine enemy . secret sins will hinder the growth of thy grace ; a constant cours● of allowed secret sinning , argues the nullity of grace ; and secret sins , through carelessness 〈◊〉 by gods people , will hinder much the encrease of grace . they will be like a frost to the blossom ; like a worm and caterpiller to the fruits of the earth . secret sins by experience you will find will much hinder your , . faith ; that you shall not believe so stedfastly . . desire ; you shall not thirst after god and christ so strongly . . love ; you will not love god and christ so ardently . . delight ; you will not delight in god so frequently . . hope ; you will not hope for heaven so livelily . . evidences ; you will not lay claim to heaven so confidently . secret sins will hinder your fervent praying , and will stop the audience of your prayers . they will exceedingly damp your affections at the throne of grace , and make you sneak in the presence of god , that you cannot have that liberty and confidence in prayer , because conscience will be interlining thy prayers , and say , thou prayest against this sin , and yet thou didst not watch against it , but didst knowingly commit it . they will stop thy mouth that thou canst not speak , and they will stop gods ears , that he will not hear , psal . . . if i regard iniquity in my heart , the lord will not hear me . secret sins will harden thy heart , and make thee more prone to commit open sins . they will strengthen the evil habit of sin , and make thee more incline to visible transgressions , and increase the propensity of thy heart to greater evils . thus judas giving way to secret covetousness did ripen the inclination of his heart more and more to betray his master . secret sins will stop the communications of gods secrets to thee ; there are some secrets of god , which he doth not communicate to any man in this life , deut. . . secret things belong to the lord our god : but things revealed belong to us , and to our children for ever , that we may do all the words of this law. but there are some secrets of god that he doth reveal unto his people , and to those that make conscience of secret sins , prov. . . but his secret is with the righteous . psal . . . the secret of the lord is with them that fear him , and he will shew them his covenant . the revealed things of the gospel are secret things to wicked men ; the gospel is hid to them , cor. . . regeneration is a secret to them . faith in christ is ● secret to them . the joyes of the spirit , and the comforts of the holy ghost are things hidden from them . but if you dare not allow your self in secret sinning , you shall have many secret intimations of the love of god unto your soul ; many secret illapses of his spirit into your heart . if you make conscience of secret sins you shall have an open reward . what christ saith concerning secret duties , mat. . . but thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet , and when thou hast shut thy door , pray to thy father which is in secret , and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly . this is true also of abstaining from secret sinnings , god will reward you openly . be most careful against secret sins because in these thou hast least help , and least assistance from others . if thy sin be visible , thy friend may reprove thee , and he may help to recover thee . if thy sin be visible , thy enemy may reproach thee for it , and that may occasion thy repentance . but if thy sin be secret , thou wilt not have these helps nor occasions of repentance ; and therefore where thou art least capable of advantages and helps from others , therein be the greatest friend unto thy self . thus if you would walk answerably for gods hiding of you in the secret of his . tabernacle in time of danger live not in a course of secret sins ; and for your help herein i shall next proceed to the second question . viz. sect . iii. what are the helps and means for the enabling of a christian to abstain from heart-sins , and secret sins . . fill your mind with actual , believing thoughts of gods all-seeing eye . when you are tempted to sin in secret , consider god seeth you : all the thoughts of your heart , and all the motions of your affections are known to him , cor. . . but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty , not walking in craftiness , nor handling the word of god deceitfully , but by manifestation of the truth , commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of god. psal . . . if i say the darkness shall cover me , even the night shall be light about me . ver. . yea , the darkness hideth not from thee , but the night shineth as the day : the darkness and the light are both alike to thee . it is the atheism and infidelity of mens hearts that encourageth them to sin , because it is secret . . firmly believe , and often think of the judgement to come . then will god make manifest every secret thing ; the thoughts of the heart shall then be revealed . if thou wouldst not have thy secret sin produced at the last day , and published befo●e all the world , do not commit i● , 〈◊〉 . . for god shall bring every work i●to ●dgmen● , with every secret thing , whether it be good , or whether it be evil . rom. . . in the day w● god shall judge the secrets of men by jesus ch●ist , according to my gospel . cor. . . therefore ●udge working before the time , untill the lord come , who both shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness , and will make manifest the cou●sels of the hearts , and then shall every man have praise of god. . get a deep ro●ted hatred in thy heart to sin . he that hateth sin truly will not indulge himself in committing sin secretly : for true hatred of sin will set the soul with strongest opposition against it , at all times , and all places : hatred to sin as sin , will be to all sin , whether open or secret . he that hates a toade , will hate it in his chamber or closet , as well as in the field ; yea , the nearer it is to him ( if in his bed ) his hatred is raised so much the more : and , the nearer sin is to your heart , the more you should hate it . he that can sin secretly , when he will not openly , it is not because he hates the sin , but because he hates the disgrace , which that sin would expose him to before men. . possess thy heart with the true fear of god : fear of shame , and lessening our esteem among men , might keep from open sins ; but the fear of god doth steel and antidote the heart against all sins : when our restraint from sin is terminated in god , it will be a general preservative against all sorts of sin . . get , and increase in uprightness of heart ; the more of sincerity , the less in secret sinning . hypocrisie is consistent with a constant course of secret sin , but sincerity of heart doth diminish the acts and habits of sin . . make it your great design to have the approbation of god : he that doth hunt after the commendation of men , will be good when men do see him ; but , he that seekes for the approbation of god , endeavours to be good at all times , and in all places : rom. . . but , he is a jew , which is one inwardly , and circumcision is that of the heart , in the spirit , and not in the letter , whose praise is not of men , but of god. tim. . . study to shew thy self approved unto god. . be very watchful over your heart when you are alone : and over your outward senses when you are in company . he that doth not diligently watch , will frequently sin : there will be many secret stirrings of unbelief in your heart , and of pride , and of vain-thoughts , either injected by the devil , or arising from the corruption in your own heart : a secret enemy must be watched more narrowly , and so must secret sins . . suppress the first motions of sin : crush this cockatrice in the egge : do not dally with secret temptations unto sin : abstain from every appearance of secret sins : if you are too much given to contemplative uncleanness , avoid such things as may occasion it , as beholding of objects , &c. . get a deep impression of gods kindness and mercy into thy soul : many of gods mercies to thee are secret mercies , which none can infallibly see in thee , but thy self : as grace , and the love of god shed abroad in thy heart : and , let the sense of gods secret love to thee keep thee from secret sinnings against god , then wilt thou say with joseph , when he was tempted to secret uncleanness , gen. . , , . how can i do this great wickedness and sin against god ? . if you would be kept from secret sins , be much in secret duties : he that hath all his duties abroad , will have a nest of secret sins at home : and this brings me to the second general head about secret good. section iv. secondly , maintain secret duties , and especially mind the secret things of publick duties : this part consisteth of two branches , maintain secret duties . minde secret things in publick duties . i. keep up a constant course of secret duties : be much with god when you are alone : let not all your religion lie without doores : especially be much in the practise of these four duties in secret . . be much in secret prayer : this hath been the practice of the holy men of god , so jacob , gen. . . and jacob was left alone : and there wrastled a man with him , while the breaking of the day . in this you have the example of christ himself , who was much in secret prayer , ma● . . . and when he had sent the multitudes away , he went up into a mountain apart to pray , and when the evening w●s come he was there alone . you have some secret burdens upon your heart , you have some secret and hidden workings of sin in your soul , which is not convenient for you to express in the hearing of others ; take time then to do this when you are alone in secret : you have the command of christ also for this secret duty , as well as his practise and example , mat. . . . be freqent in self-examination in secret : when you are alone , be much in conversing with your self , and often in looking down into your own heart , enquiring after the truth of grace , and your growth therein : after the mortification of sin , and your growth therein : psal . . . stand in awe and sin not : commune with your own hearts upon your bed , and be still . commune with your self , whether you set a due valuation upon the meanes of grace : whether you thrive in holiness , according to the time and meanes that you have had : commune with your self , whether your conversation be suitable to your profession , and , as becomes the gospel : whether you are fit to die , and prepared for another world : in your secret chamber commune with your own hearts about such things as these . . be much in secret reading of the word of god : a worldling , when he is alone , will spend much time in reading over his writings , his bonds and bills , his leases and acquittances : and , will not you take as much pains in secret reading of the word of god , which are the writings upon which you must both build your evidences for heaven , and try them by . . be much in secret meditation : when you are alone , let your thoughts be dwelling upon the life to come , in thinking of your future happiness ; oh , what inward warmth may you have , when you are alone , if you would but fill your minde with some believing fore-thoughts of the life to come . section v. ii. minde secret things in publick duties : as your preservation is visible , but ( as i have noted before ) the most effectual meanes of your preservation were secret and invisible : you have not seen the way that god hath taken in keeping you ; he hath secretly kept you by his power ; he hath given a secret charge to his angels over you ; so , let your duties ( that god requires should be publick and visible ) be so : but then , let your principal care be about the secret and invisible things of publick and visible duties . the secret and invisible things in publick duties , which we are to mind , are good , bad. i will instance in six of each of them . six things in a gr●cious heart in publick duties , are secret and invisible . . the communion that a gracious heart hath with god in publick duties , is secret and invisible : you may hear a mans expressions , and you may see his tea●es , and he●r his groanes , but , whether he have true communion with god , is such a secret , that none can know but himself . . the joyes that a christian hath in publick duties , are secret and invisible joyes : expressions of joy and praise may be heard , and outward discoveries of joy there may be ▪ but this joy it self is a secret thing : whether you have indeed true spiritual joy in publick duties , none can know but your self . . the principle that puts a man upon publick duties , is a secret and invisible thing : whether you pray or pre●ch , or do any publick duty , out of a principle of love and fear of god , is such a secret , that none can tell but your self . . the manner , in which publick duties are performed , is a secret and invisible thing : whether there be the exercise of faith , and repentance for sin , and love to god , and desire after spiritual things , is such a secret , that by-standers cannot know . . the end a man propounds unto himself in publick duties , is secret and invisible : whether a duty be done for the glory of god , for the good of others , for the enjoying more communion with god , for more strength against sin , or whether it be for self-interest , and carnal ends , is onely known to a man 's own conscience : your duties men may see , but your end they cannot see . . the peculiar aim and design of a gracious soul , in publick duties , against some peculiar sin , and secret corruption , is a secret and invisible thing : a man may be heard to pray against a bosome , darling lust , but , whether his design is to get down the power of this sin , is onely known unto himself . these be the six things in publick duties that are secret , which you must especially labour after in all such duties . section vi. six things in publick duties , that are evil , but yet secret and invisible : as there hath been some secret danger which you have been in , when you have not discerned it , and , some secret infection god hath kept you from ; so in publick duties ( the same may be in secret duties also ) there are some secret evils you are to watch against . . there may be secret unbeliefe lurking in the heart , when a man in prayer is pleading particular promises with his mouth : you may hear a man urge the promises of god for removal of evil , for obtaining of good ; but , whether he act faith upon these promises , or whether there be not in the mean while secret unbelief , doubting of the truth of this promise , or especially of the application of it to himself , is known onely to himself , it is a secret to those that joyn with him . . hypocrisie in publick duties is a secret thing : whether your heart be upright and sincere with god , or false and hypocritical , is a secret unto others ; yea , sometimes it is such a secret that might not be known by a man himself . . inward-heart-pride in publick duties is a secret thing : a man may be full of self-loathing-expressions , and of humble gestures , and yet his heart might be lifted up with spiritual pride , and self admirations , and towring thoughts of his own worth and excellency , and suitableness and freedom of expression , and a by-stander cannot perceive it . . dulness and deadness of heart in duty is a secret thing : a man might h●ve lively expressions in publick prayers , and seeming warmth of affection , and such things that might affect and warm the hearts of others ; and yet his own heart be dull and lukewarm , yea qui●e cold in that duty . . wandring thoughts , in publick duties , are secret things : a man may use the name of god , and the attributes of god , and yet his thoughts may be upon something else : others may see you engaged in the duty , and see your outward gestures , but are strangers to the secret wandrings of your mind . . the inclination of the heart to sin , in publick duties , is a secret thing : a man may confess sin , and bewaile it with tears , and beg for power against it , and yet he may have a secret inclination of heart to this very sin , and secret purposes of heart to keep it , and a secret fear , least god should hear his prayers , which he makes against this sin ; whether you hate that sin in your heart , which you bewaile with your tongue , is known onely to your self : and , if indeed you know it your self , it is a good degree of self-knowledge . thus , as god hath kept you in an invisible manner , and most by invisible and secret means , and preserved you from secret and invisible danger that you have been in : if you would live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy , you must have a special care of minding the secret and invisible things in christianity , and abstain from secret and invisible sins . direction vi. hath god spared you in time of pestilence ; then be dead unto the world , and to things below : take heed that you do not returne with too great an eagerness after the affairs of this world ; as if you had not seen such sights , as you have seen , of death , and the vanity of the world : you are not dead in your grave ; let this mercy move you to be dead to the world , and sinful affections : you are living in the world , but , you must be dead to the world. it is to be feared , that there are many will be as eagerly bent after the things of this world , as they were before ; notwithstanding the course that god hath taken by smarting judgments , to weane them from the world : that will be like unto a stream stopped and dammed up ; when it gets over the bankes , and the obstruction is removed , runneth down with greater force . god hath put many by their way of trade , for some moneths ; now take heed , that through over-much eagerness , to regain what loss you have sustained by the forbearance of your calling , you do not let out too much of your heart and affections upon these things ; nor give them more of your time , than you can well allow from the necessary duties of gods immediate worship , and the things that do concerne the state of your soules in the life to come . be dead to the profits , honours , pleasures , wisdom , of this world. section i. . should not you be dead to , and take heed of returning , in your love , back again unto the riches of the world , after such a judgment as this hath been ? to prevent an over-eager pursuit of the riches and profits of this world , when ( by the removal of this judgment ) you have opportunity of returning to your callings ; consider . . the riches of this world are corruptible riches ; they are perishing treasures : silver and gold are things corrupting others , and are corruptible in themselves , pet. . , . but , you have an incorruptible kingdom and crown before you to strive after , reserved in heaven for believers , and for those that are so vehemently set for heaven , that they will take it by force . . the riches of this world are unprofitable riches ; therefore be not too eager in your pursuit of unprofitable profits : they cannot profit you in tim● of g●eatest need . have not you had the experience of the unprofitableness of riches ? that they are unprofitable ( . ) for diverting of judgments , or removing evils that come upon you ; whether temporal , as sickness , plague , death ; or spiritual , as hardness of heart , blindness of minde , terrors of conscience ; none of all these can be removed by worldly riches . ( . ) for the procuring of good ; whether temporal , for the body , as health in time of sickness , or ease in time of pain ; or spiritual , for the soul , either grace , or comfort , or glory ; if conscience be wounded , they cannot heale your consciences , nor comfort your hearts . . the riches of this world are oftentimes hurtful to the owner and possessor of them , eccles . . . there is a sore evil which i have seen under the sun , namely , riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt . grace and christ can never hurt you : but , your riches may , by being clogs to your affections in holy duties ; by being snares and temptations to you in your converse in the world ; by increasing your account , when you have not well improved them . . the riches of this world are uncertain riches , tim. . . after you have got them , you may presently lose them : the loss of outward riches may arise , . by men ; by force and power ; by fraud and deceit . . by casualty ; your houses may be consumed with flames of fire . . by gods secret curse , hag. . . — he that earneth wages , earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes . . the riches that men get in this world , are easily valued : a mans estate is easily computed ; but there are riches in christ , which are unsearchable : seek and search after more of them , ephes . . . . when you have got them they will not satisfie your desires , eccles . . . ii. should not you be dead to the honours of this world , which will be a bait to many after such a judgment ? should not you , who are yet alive to behold the graves of some honourable persons , now in the dust , call off your heart from seeking after them ? have you not seen , that death respects not the honourable more than the ignoble ? the reverend and esteemed no more than the mean and contemptible ? those that have honourable names and titles , honourable friends and relations , honourable callings and imployments , honourable preferments and enjoyments , are equalized in the grave with others : and , have not you seen some fall ? and , heard of others in this judgment , and yet , after all this , set your heart upon the honours of this world ? iii. should not you be dead to the pleasures of this world , which will be snares for others ? should you , after such a judgment as this , give your self to live a sensual flesh-pleasing life ? and spend your time in needless delights and recreations ? when you have heard so many dying men complain of the loss of time , when they were well , and the want of time when they came to die ? consider what these pleasures be , that you are so much addicted to ; that such sadning sorrowful sights , that you have seen , will not we●n you from them : nay , when gods smarting rod upon your own body , by the plague , will not imbitte● your worldly pleasures and delights ; but , you will go out of such a dreadful judgment of god , to your gaming 's and sports ; to the pleasing of the flesh , in satisfying the lusts and desires thereof , in acts of uncleanness . consider these ( . ) are short pleasures , they are but for a little while ; they are passing away while you are at them : but , these short pleasures may bring you to eternal torments and endless woe , heb. . . choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of god , then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season . ( . ) by giving up your selves unto these pleasures , you deprive your selves of the pleasures of gods house in his ordinances , which others drink of , psal . . . ( . ) you deprive your self of the pleasures of gods house above in heaven ; of the rivers of pleasures which are at gods right hand for evermore , psal . . . ( . ) these pleasures are more brutish pleasures , and do but delight the more brutish , i. e. sensitive part in man : the rational soul , as such , is not delighted in the pleasures of the flesh , in eating and drinking , a horse doth find pleasure in this as much as you ; and some unreasonable creatures herein do excel you . ( . ) they are empty , and unsatisfying pleasures : they do not fill , content , nor satiate them that give themselves most to follow after them . iv. should not you be dead to , and take heed of resting in the wisdom of the world ; in the attainment onely of humane learning ; after you have seen the learned die as the ignorant ; and the wise man as the fool : humane learning is more desirable than riches and honours , and the pleas●res of this world ; but , yet it is not to be acquiesced in , without the knowledg of god in christ . notions in learning will never deliver from the torments of hell : many learned sinners have gone to eternal misery , and their torments there are greater than the torments of the ignorant , and unlearned : the vanity of the wisdom of this world , compared with the knowledge of christ , appeares , in that . it cannot redress the sinfulness of the thoughts , nor help against the vanity of the mind : the wise and learned heathens became vain in their imaginations , rom. . . . it doth not prevent sinful elections , and choise of the will : men of great knowledge choose the world , and honours , and ease , and preferments before christ . . it doth not remedy a sinful conversation : m●ny know things to be evil , and yet do them ; and so is an aggravation of their sin , and will be of their misery . . it doth not season mens communications , nor prevent corrupt discourses ; but makes them more witty , and able to scorn godl●ness ; jest with scripture , and deride the professors of the gosspel : but , the knowledge of christ , i● is ( . ) the sweetest knowledge . ( . ) it is the surest knowledg ; being by the revelation of the spirit of god : ( . ) it is saving knowledge : thus take a true account of all the things ; the best , the most excellent , the most desirable things in this world ; and you will see no reason why you should wholly spend the residue of that time , which god hath ●ent you from the grave , in such an eager pursuit of any thing of this life . section ii. but , that you may know , whether you ( yet living ) are dead to the things of this world , i shall give you this general character , viz. if you carry your self towards the world , as those that are dead to god , do carry themselves towards god , then are you dead unto the world : and , this general is resolved into these particulars . . those that are dead to god , they see no real excellency in god and christ ; but they see something more in the things of the world : they see more excellency in their gold and silver ; in their profits and preferments ; in their pleasures and delights : so , if you are dead to the world , you do not admire the choisest and the chiefest things that are therein ; but , do see more real worth in god and christ , and one dram of grace ; then in all the mines of the most precious things in nature : and , in your practical judgment do account them but dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of christ jesus our lord. . those that are dead to god , do make choice of the world , and the things thereof , before god : the will , following the ultimate comparative , practical dictate of the understanding , in wicked men , doth choose earthly things before god and christ : for , though their absolute judgment might be for god , yet the comparat judgment ( all circumstances considered ) is for the world ; and their will doth make choice of it accordingly : so , if you are dead to the world , you make choice of god for your chiefest good , and greatest happiness . for , though you may , in your absolute judgment , look upon the things of the world , used with moderation , and kept in their proper place , as good ; yet , in your comparative judgment ( all circumstances considered ) you do ultimately conclude , that god is better in himself and for you , yea , in both respects , and your will doth choose him accordingly . . those that are dead to god , though they may pray to god , and talk of god , yet they do this as though they did it not : and pray , as if they prayed not : god hath their tongues , but , the world hath their hearts . so , if you are dead to the world , though you may talk of the world , and trade in the world , yet you do all this as if you did it not : you buy as if you possessed not ; and you use this world as if you used it not : and , though the world may have your hands , yet god hath your heart . . those that are dead to god , they are not troubled at the loss of god , nor rejoyce at the tidings how they may have the enjoyment of him ; so if you are dead to the world , you are not chiefly troubled at the loss of these things , nor count it so great matter of joy , if you have them and enjoy them . a man that is dead to god desireth the world , and let who will look after god : so a man dead to the world , desireth god , and let who will look after the world as his portion , and his chiefest happiness , he will not . . a man that is dead towards god , is not restrained from sin by gods most terrible threatnings ; though god threaten him with eternal death and everlasting damnation , with the loss of heaven and eternal happiness , if he persist in his wickedness , and continue in sin , yet fear of the punishment of loss , nor of the punishment of sense , will not awaken him to conversion and through reformation . so a man that is dead towards the world , all the threatnings of men , that he shall have inflicted upon him , divers penalties , loss of goods , liberty , life , yet all this is not cogent to bring him in to a course of sin , and to do wickedly . . a man that is dead towards god , is not drawn nor allured with the precious and most glorious promises of god to do that which is good ; though god promise him heaven and eternal happiness , the pardon of sin , and his favour , yet all this moves him not to come to christ , nor forsake his sins : so a man that is dead to the world , all the offers , preferments , enticements of the world to allure him into sin will not prevail , he is dead to these things ; and offers and over●ures of the greatest things move not a dead man. thus you may try whether you are dead to the world or no. you live in the world , even after such a devouring pestilence , you cannot live answerably to this great mercy , except you be dead to the world. direction vii . hath god spared you in time of pestilence , then now be dead to sin , kill your sin , and solemnize the funeral of your lusts ; because you live after such a judgment , such a mercy doth oblige to the death and burial of sin . you are not buried with others in their graves , but you should be buried with christ , rom. . . therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death , that like as christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father , even so we also should walk in newness of life . ver. . knowing this that our old man is crucified with him , that the body of sin might be destroyed , that henceforth we should not serve sin . in which scripture are set down these things . viz ▪ . the parts of sanctification , mortification , vivification . . the cause of our sanctification , viz. communion with christ in his death , burial , and resurrection . . the testimony and pledge of it , our baptism . . the growth and progress of mortification ; we should aime at the total destruction of the body of sin , by the crucifying , destroying , and burial of sin . you have seen the death of thousands , and you have seen the burial of thousands , to all these add one more funeral , and that is the funeral of your sins . do you out-live this judgment , and shall your sins do so too ? god forbid . this would be to live altogether unanswerably to so great a mercy . you live , but your sins should be dead in you , and you unto your sins , rom. . . likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin : but alive unto god through jesus christ our lord. though you live , yet must you be buried . now believers are buried in three respects : . in respect of their good names , as they are reproached by the wicked ; the throats of the wicked are the sepulchres , or burial places of the good names of gods people ; this is part of a believers sufferings . . in respect of self-denial . believers must be no more taken with the things of this world ( so far as to draw them from god ) than a person dead and buried and lying in his grave . . in respect of the mortification of sin , and these two last are our duty ; and of this last i would speak a little , following the metaphor , in which there is some difference , and some agreement in the burial of our sin , and in common burial . the difference in these respects . first , we bury our friends weeping for their death , desirous of their life , wishing , o● that this my friend had not died ; oh that i could have kept him in life : but we must bury our sin rejoycing , as those that are glad of its death ; not weeping because sin is dead , but that it once did live . secondly , we bury our friends with hopes that they shall rise again , and live again : but we must bury our sins with hopes they shall never live more ; never return to them more . the resemblance holds in these particulars : . the burial of sin supposeth the death of sin ; never any man yet buried his sins alive : for while sin doth live , it is in the heart as in a throne , and not as in a grave . . the burial of sin supposeth the ceasing of the love of sin , that we see not that beauty and comliness in sin , as we did when it was alive . a man that loves his relation , while he lived , put him in his bosome , yet will not do so when he is dead ; a man while he loves his sin , will never bury it . . the burial of sin includeth the removal of it out of our sight , and as much as may be out of our thoughts . we love not to look upon dead friends , nor many times to think or talk of them , who while they lived were pleasing objects to our eyes , and the delightful matter of our discourse . while sarah lived she was beautiful in abrahams eyes , but when dead , he desired to have her removed out of his sight , gen. . . i am a stranger and a sojourner with you , give me possession of a burying place with you , that i may bury my dead out of my sight . the presence of sin is a trouble to you when it is dead , and you would have it out of your sight ; and this removal of sin , when dead and buried hath these three properties . first , it is a total removal , the whole body of sin , and all the members of it are buried ; death might arise from the disease of some particular part , but burial covers all . he that makes a shew of the burial of sin , and yet keeps any in his heart as his love and delight , hath indeed buried no sin : for who doth so bury his friend as to keep any of his members in his house ? secondly , it is a voluntary removal ; when one is dead , we make it matter of our choice to have him buried : yea , we look upon it as a sore evil and great annoyance to have burial denied to our dead friends : so it is your choice to bury your sins , and the thoughts of not having them buried is a great trouble to you . thirdly , it is a perpetual removal ; we bury our friends so , that we would not have them taken up again and brought into our house : so you bury sin , never to have it brought back to live again in your heart . one that hath buried his sin doth earnestly desire it might be removed out of the sight of god , by free pardon ; out of the sight of his own eyes , by the evidence of the pardon ; and out of the sight of others , by leading a contrary conversation . . the burial of sin includes the rotting of the old man in its grave , the mouldring of it , and the daily wasting of it , as dead corps buried in the earth do consume and wast daily . though a body buried doth not presently totally consume : many years after the burial , if the grave be opened , you may find the bones and the skull ; the reliques of sin in the heart of a child of god , are but as the bones and the skull , but the body of sin is destroyed . . the burial of sin includes , the loss of the power and authority that sin had in the heart while it was alive . though a man were never so potent while he lived , yet when he is dead and buried , he hath no more power nor jurisdiction . though thy sin did sit as a lord , and rule in thy soul while it lived , yet being dead and buried , its dominion ceaseth . now if you are buried with christ , these things will be a comfort to you , viz , . those that are buried with christ are most comely in the sight of god ; a man that is naturally dead and buried , is not so with us , but he that is spiritually dead to sin , is beautiful in the eyes of god. . those that are buried with christ have converse and communion with god ; those that are naturally dead have no more converse with us , but a man hath no communion with god , till he is buried with christ . . those that are buried with christ are past the hurt of death ; as those that are naturally dead have past through all that death can do unto them ; if you are buried with christ , though you must come under the stroke of death , yet the sting of death is taken out . . those that are buried with christ shall be raised at the last day , and shall for ever live with god and christ , and with holy angels and saints in the kingdom of god , rom. . : now if we be dead with christ , we believe that we shall also live with him . thus if you would live in some measure answerably to gods mercy in preserving of you from death and the grave , that you are not buried yet with others , you must die to sin , and be buried with christ . direction viii . hath god spared you in the time of plague , that you yet remain among the living ? if you would improve this mercie , then live to god , and walk in newness of life . god hath not spared you that you should live to your self , or to the flesh , or that you should walk in your old courses : but your duty is now to live to god , and to lead a new conversation . god hath brought you to the borders of the grave , and to the very confines of another world , and shaked you over the grave , and hath recovered and restored you , and hath as it were given you a new life , by reprieving you from the gates of death when you were so near unto it , rom. . . that like as christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father , so we should walk in newness of life ; and the equipollent phrases of this new life are , to walk with , before , and after god. to walk after the spirit , rom. . . to serve god in newness of spirit , rom. . . to walk as children of light , eph. . . to walk in the waies of god , psal . . . to walk circumspectly , eph. . . that you may , being spared from the grave , lead a new life , i shall shew you the signs or nature of it . the excellencies or dignities of it . the impediments and hinderances of it . sect . i. the nature of , or that which is included in , newness of life , doth not consist in these things . . it doth not consist in some new notions , or new speculations , which you had not before , a new light might be made in an old house . new speculations may consist with an old conversation . . it doth not consist in a newness of a bare resolution to lead a new life ; this is but in order to it , though , if it be real , it is a good step towards this walking . . it doth not consist in a bare performance of some new duties which you did not before ; an old course of sin may consist with the external performance of some new duties , as praying , reading , &c. . nor in a bare keeping of some new company ; though this is to be desired , that many would forsake their old wicked company ; or if god hath taken thy wicked companions away by death , thou wouldst not make choice of those that be as bad . . nor in new discoursing of spiritual things ; a man that was wont to swear , and reproach , and blaspheme the name of god , might now talk of god with others , and yet not lead a new life . . nor in forbearing of many old sins , which before you lived in ; you were drunkards before , but not now , i would more were so changed , but yet this comes short of this newness of life ; which doth include these things following . to walk in newness of life , supposeth a new saving knowledge , a new sight , and a new judgement of things . no man can lead this new life with his old judgment which was corrupt , judging that good which was evil , and that evil which was good , pet. . . as obedient children , not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts , in your ignorance . there must be a new sight and new discoverie of these things : . of god , and his excellency . . of christ and his sufficiency . . of ●in , and it● deformity . . of the world , and its vanity . . of grace , and its necessity . . of heaven , and its felicity . . of hell , and its extremity of woe . till a man hath new eyes , and hath his understanding opened to see the nature of all these things , otherwise than he did before , he will not walk contrary to what he did before ; if he see no more of christ , nor in the attributes of god , nor in grace , he will still flight all these and undervalue them ; if he have the same admiring apprehensions of the world , and seeth as much beauty in ( deformed ) sin , he will love it still , and delight in it still . there must be new light , and new saving knowledge before there can be a new life . to walk in newness of life , includes newness of principle ; a man with his old principle can never lead a new life . a man in old courses may live according to the dictates of a natural conscience , according to old customes , but he that leads a new life must have a new principle of love to god , a new principle of true fear of god , he must have new strength from christ , a new heart and new affections . to walk in newness of life , includes the vigorous actings of this new principle , and living in the exercise of these new graces infused into the heart , in the exercise of new love to god , of new desires after christ , of new sorrow for his sin , of new hatred to his sin . to walk is to exert a principle of motion into act . to walk in newness of life , is to have a conversation filled with new works , and to have all things done according to the rule of new obedience . his old work was to please the flesh , but his new work is to please god. his old work was chiefly to get riches and encrease therein , his new work is to get grace and more of it . his old work was to obey the commands of sin , his new work is to obey the commands of god. to walk in newness of life ▪ is to walk according to the new rule , not according to the practises and examples of wicked men , but according to the rule of gods word , according to the example of christ . to walk in newness of life is to live for new ends ; his end is not now self-interest in the world , not his own estimation amongst men , not his preferment in this world ; old ends are inconsistent with a new life : but this mans end is the glory of god ; all the actions of his life are ultimately resolved into this , and all is , in subordination unto this : he trades for this end , that god may be glorified ; he praies , and preacheth , he reads and studies , that god may be glorified . to walk in newness of life includes a newness of objects , about which he is conversant ; such as keep their old course of life look no higher than worldly objects , the honours , and the pleasures and the profits of this world : but such as are risen with christ , to walk in newness of life , have proposed to themselves new objects , things that are above ; god , and grace , and heaven , things that are invisible to the eyes of carnal men . to w●lk in newness of life , it is to walk as christ did after he was risen from the dead , i. e. in our measure . christ did not incumber himself with the things of this world , after his resurrection , he did not converse with the men of this world , neither must we use their company out of choice . christ aft●r his resurrection waited for his ascension into glory : so if we will walk in newness of life , we must have our conversation in heaven , and be continually expecting our dissolution and our translation into glory . to walk in newness of life , it is to do all the actions of out life in a new manner ; to do al● religious duties , to pray , and to hear in a new manner . before he prayed lukewarmly , and with a dull , and hard , and unbelieving heart , but now more fervently , more livelily ; though the matter of his duties might be the same , yet the manner is new . to walk in newness of life , is to be making progress in all these , walking is a progressive motion ; it is to continue , and to persevere in the waies of holiness : not to decline nor to go backwards , not to return or walk back again to old wickedness . sect . ii. the excellency and dignity of a new life is very great , and for your greater encouragement to walk therein i shall instance in some of them . . a new life is a life according to the new covenant which god hath made with fallen man. men that walk in old sinful courses , continue the covenant they have made with sin and satan : but a man that walketh in newness of life , is a man that hath entred into a new covenant with god , ezek. . . a new heart also will i give you , and a new spirit will i put into you ; i will take away the stony heart 〈◊〉 of your flesh , and i will give you an heart of flesh . ve● and i will put my spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my statu●es , and ye shall keep my judgments , and do them ; and to walk thus in gods statutes is to walk in newness of life . . a new life it is the most rational life . when the prodigal left his old waies , and took up a new course , he is said to come to himself , luk. . . men act most unreasonably when they act wickedly . . a new life is the sweetest and most comfortable life ; there are sensual , carnal , brutish delights in the waies of sin , but there is much terrour and bitterness in a wicked course , alwaies at the end of it . such as lead a new life , they have experience of the comforts of the spirit , of the joyes of the holy ghost . all these new waies ( so called as opposed to his former waies , else the best way is the oldest way ) are waies of pleasan●ness , and all these paths are p●●ce . . a new life it is the noblest life , we then live according to the highest elevation that we are capable of in this life . nay , it is a life nearest to the life of glory . . a new life is an evidencing life ; it is an evidence of the great and glorious things that are brought to light by the gospel , all full of delighting comfort . a new l●fe ( t●king in all the particulars before set down , shewing the things included in it ) is an evidence , first , of our election ; his new life is a fruit of gods ancient love , eph. . . secondly , of a new robe of righteousness put upon us for our justific●tion . thirdly , of p●r●on of old sins . fourthly , of our union with christ ; we could not le●d a new life , were we not engrafted into a new stock . fifthly , of the sincerity of our hearts , and the truth of grace . sixthly , of our sure title to heaven , to the new jerusalem that is above . . a new life is ●n encouraging life ; it will be an encouragement to a man to go ●o god in his greatest straits ; it will encourage a man with boldness to look death in the face when it comes . . it is the most profitable life to our selves and to others ; we shall be giving to others a good example , if we lead new lives , whereby they may be drawn to an holy imitation . a new he●rt you may have , and that may profit your self , but a new life will be profitable to others as well as to your self . . a new life is the only life that honours god , and that doth credit the gospel , and the profession that we make . to live in an old course of swearing , and lying , and sabbath-breaking , is to dishonour god : but if you walk in newness of life , you will promote the great end for which you live , i. e. the glory of god ; and the excellency of any thing is according to its sutableness and tendency to the attaining of a mans ultimate end , it is a new life that only glorifieth god , therefore a new life is the only ex●ellent life . . he that leads a new life hath a new guide to direct him in his holy walk ; the spirit of god will be your guide to shew you the way that you ought to go : though ( to you ) it may be a new way , yet you shall not lose your way , because the spirit is your guide . . he that leads a new life is taken into new relations . god is now his father , and the son of god is now his lord , head , redeemer , brother and all the people of god are now related to him in the bonds of grace . these things and many more may be said in commendation of the excellency of a new life : which appears to be so in the eyes of carnal men ( who have walked after their old hearts ) when they come to dye , that they then resolve if god would spare them , they would lead a new life . sect . iii. the hinderances of walking in newness of life are many , and very great , that it is not an easie thing for any man to lead this life . . the old serpent is a great enemy to this new li●e ; he hath old stratagems , and old devices and snares to divert them out of this way . . the old principle of corruption remaining in our hearts is a great impediment to this new life . it is working still in us , to walk in the old waies of pleasures and delights ; the old man within will still strive hard to hinder this new life without . . old sinful company will hinder you in your new manner of life ; they will be tempting , and enticing , and perswading you , to come to your old games , and your old delights ; it will be hard to live a new life amongst old sinful companions . . slavish fear of men is a great impediment of walking in newness of life ; it may be thou mightest displease thy father , thy master , the friend upon whom thou dost much depend , if thou shouldest forsake thy old wicked life , and become a new creature , and lead a new life , thou wouldest meet with new troubles ; but , fear god , and his vengeance more if thou walk in thy old course of sin , and keep thy old heart , then be filled with slavish fear of men , if they should deny their old favour , and friendship to thee , because thou walkest in newness of life . . flesh-pleasing ; and being too much over-powred by the sensitive appetite . . spiritual sloth : for , a new life hath many new difficult duties . thus , if you would improve this mercy , that god hath spared you ; you must live to god , and walk in newness of life . direction ix . hath god spared you in time of so great contagion ; then keep upon your heart a constant sense of gods distinguishing providence , in his preservation of you . let not length of time ( if god give it you ) wear off the greatness of this his mercy towards you ; if you forget gods goodness , you will not walk worthy of it : this was the sin of the people of israel , for whom god did such great things , psal . . . they kept not the covenant of god : and refused to walk in his law. vers . . and forgot his works , and his wonders that he had shewed them . psal . . . they forgot god their saviour , which had done great things in egypt . god hath done great wonders for you , in preserving of you in the valley of the shadow of death : god hath not given you over unto death ; god hath not laid you in the grave , where you would soon have been forgotten : do not you lay gods mercy , towards you , in the grave of oblivion ; nor bury his mercy ( of saving you alive ) in forgetfulness : david laid a charge upon his soul , that he should not forget the benefits of the lord towards him , psal . . . set down therefore , and record your danger , what it was ; such a moneth in such a year the plague was nigh my dwelling ; it came into my house , it took away so many of my children and servants , but god spared me : he took away the wife , the husband of my bosome , but god spared me ; yea , it was upon my body , so many plague-sores were running at once , and god delivered me from the grave , and from the very jawes of death : and , will you forget this while you live ? that you may have , and keep a sense of gods mercy to you , in preserving of you , consider these few particulars . . consider you had deserved the plague , and death by the plague , as well as those that have fallen into their graves thereby ( and it may be more too ) do not think that those that have died were greater sinners than you , luke . . and jesus answered and said unto them , suppose ye that these galileans were sinners above all the galileans , because they suffered such things . vers . . i tell you , nay , but except you repent , ye shall all likewise perish . vers . . or , those eighteen , upon whom the tower of siloam fell and slew them ; think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in jerusalem , vers . . i tell you , nay , but extept ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish : do you think , that those , whom the plague hath slaughtered , that they were greater sinners then all that dwelt in london ? take heed of such conceptions : or , if many have fallen in this judgment , that were of worser lives than you ; yet , none have f●llen that had worser hearts than you naturally h●ve : nay , have not your sins been capable of greater ●ggravations than the sins of many d●unkards , and swearers , and prophane pe●sons , that did never sin against a god that pardoned their sins ; that did never sin against such love ▪ nor after such experiences of the working of gods spirit upon their hear●s as you have had ? nay , consider , that you are not likely ●o do god that service , nor bring to god that glory , that some of them might have done , that are now in their gr●ves , if god had spared them ; and yet god hath lengthened out your life : oh , what an obligation should this be to you to remember gods mercy , that you had plague-deserving-sins , but yet you had not the plague ! that you have death-deserving-sins , and yet you are not dead ! . consider you had a body as liable to infection as many others had ; there were such natural causes in your body , that might have laid you in your grave , if god had not prevented it : and , did not you suck in the same aire as others did , yea , as others breathed out , and yet god hath kept you ? . consider you had no better preservatives , nor cordials , then many others had , that yet by the plague are laid silent in the grave , and are now resting in the dust ; and others , that now are dead , used the same meanes as you did , and it may be more , and better too , and yet god denyed his blessing to the use of those meanes that were more probable to prevent infection then yours were ; by this you may be convinced , that it was the hand of god that hath preserved you : and therefore by this , you should be obliged to remember , and keep upon your heart a sense of gods mercy towards you . . consider you have been in more visible danger ; and , when you were called , did venture further then many others did : some were more reserved , and kept from company more than you have done ; being called to duty , where visited persons have been , as to help them that were sick of this distemper , &c. and yet some that lived more retiredly , and kept themselves more close , were visited , and are dead , and yet you have escaped , this is the finger of divine providence , and will you let the sense of this weare off from your heart ? . consider that you have been more weakly , and more infirme of body then many of them that the plague hath removed : many that were more likely to out-live you , are cut down before you : many that were strong , and of healthful constitutions , are laid in the dust ; while you , ( that have been waiting for your dissolution many moneths , or years , because of the infirmity of your body , and the frequent distempers that have been upon you ) are preserved . . consider how great a mercy your praservation is , not onely to your self , but to those to whom you are related ; you have many little children , that are not able to help themselves , nor to provide for themselves ; that in all likelihood would have been exposed to hardships and to want , if god had taken you from them : they are sharers in this mercy of your preservation ; and , the more are concerned in it , the greater the mercy is ; and , the deeper and more lasting sense it should make upon your heart : the thoughts of your children did increase your feares and trouble , when you were in danger ; and , should not the consideration of this , advance the greatness of the mercy , of being continued to them . direction x. hath god spared you in time of pestilence ; when he hath taken away many of your own relations , then , the fewer objects you have for your love now , the stronger let your love be towards god then it was before : in ste●d of murmuring against god , that you have lost those whom you did love ; the greater let your love be to god , since you h●ve not so many for to love . love l●id out upon many objects , is the weaker ; bu● , love united , and spent upon one object , is t●e stronger : as those , that have but one only son , love that more , then those that have more do love any ; because their love is divided amongst them all : it may be god had too little of your love , and it was ●n offence , and griefe unto your god , that the crea●ure should have that love which w●s due unto himself ; and therefore he hath cut off the s●re●es , that you may get nearer to the fountain . thy relation had more of thy affection then came unto his share ; and therefore , in stead of murmuring , be more in loving of thy god ; and this will be to live answerably to gods correcting , and afflicting of thee , in the loss of thy relation , and to his mercy in sparing of thy self : and , look what relation it is that is taken from thee ▪ while thou survivest ; and get clearer evidences that god will be in stead of that relation to thee , and be better to thee than that was : hast thou thy husband removed by this contagious disease , now make out more to god , that he would be an husband to thee ? hast thou lost thy children , or thy onely son ; see more diligently , that god hath bestowed his onely son upon thee , and this will much satisfie , and quiet thy heart ? hath god done thee any wrong , if he hath taken thy onely son from thee , and hath given his onely son to thee . thus , since you did survive others that are taken from you , improve your affliction , and your mercy , in being advantaged in spirituals ; and , this will be to live in some measure answerably to gods dealing with you . direction xi . hath god spared thee in time of plague , then see what it was that thy conscience did most accuse thee , or commend thee for , when the plague was nigh thy dwelling , or thou wast in fear and danger , and order thy life accordingly : what sin was it that thy conscience did reproach thee for , in a time of danger , and in feares of death ? whether of omission or commission ; publick or secret ; of what nature soever it was : and let it be the design of thy heart , in the course of thy life , to mortifie that sin , and keep it under ; that thou carefully avoid the occasions thereof : that , when death shall certainly come , and conscience shall have no more occasion , or just ground to reproach thee , thou mayest see , that god in mercy did prolong thy dayes , till thou hadst got the victory over , and the pardon , and the evidence of the pardon of that sin . what was it in thy feares , and when thou wast in expectation of death , that conscience did approve in thee ? it did then approve thy diligence in thy family , go on in this still ; it did approve of thy strickt and holy walking with god , go on in that which was good , and thy rightly inlightned conscience did commend in thee ; and , this will be to live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy , as is gods preserving of you in a time of such a wasting plague . direction xii . hath god spared you in such a time of so great mortality and contagion , then learn to trust your self , and all your affairs with god for the time to come : you have lived in time of danger , and have been in hazard of your life ▪ and yet god hath preserved and kept you : god hath called some to abide in the city , because they could not remove their habitation without neglect of duty ; for , where our duty lies and where our work is , that god calleth us unto ; there we may trust god , though our danger be never so great ; because , while we are in our duty , we are in our way , and god hath promised to keep us in all our wayes in time of plague , psal . . . many had opportunity of retiring into the country , without neglect of duty , without running away from duty ( those that went from their duty and work , which god expected they should there have done , have cause to be humbled for their slavish feares of death , and great distrust in god ) and , the use of meanes , for preservation , is not inconsistent with trusting in god , but is supposed and included in it , else it is not trusting in god , but presumption ; but many were obliged to abide upon the place , and god hath preserved you amongst them : oh , what an obligation and encouragement is this for you , for the time to come , to put your trust in god , in the use of meanes , in a way of duty ; and , the more you are able to commit your self to god in future dangers , the more you do improve this providence of god in preserving of you . but , because we need all helps and supports for putting our trust in god , i shall lay down some considerations to help you more and more to trust in god ; premising first the nature of it , that you may perceive what it is , that you are exhorted to , when perswaded to trust in god. trusting in god is a special fruit of faith and hope , whereby the soul looking upon god in christ , through a promise , is in some good measure freed from fretting feares , and cutting cares , about the removing or preventing of some evil , or the enjoying or procuring of that which is good . . it is a fruit of faith ; for therefore a man trusteth in god , because he believeth , and is perswaded of the truth of what god saith , and believeth the performance of his promise , and so it is called fiducia fidei . . it is a fruit of hope ; for therefore i trust in god , because i hope it shall be with me according to his word : if i had no hope of this , i could not trust in god , and so it is called fiducia spei . . this trust hath god in christ , through a promise , for its object ; we trust in god , through christ , eying the promise : for , the promise of god , is the foundation of our trust in god , and the promise of god draws forth the hearts of his people to trust in him , psal . . . — i trust in thy word . . the effect of this trusting in god is the quietation of the heart , and a freeing of the soul ( proportionably to the degree of his trust ) from fretting feares , and cutting cares about good and evil , to be avoided or procured , psal . . . what time i am afraid i will trust in thee . vers . . in god will i praise his word ; in god i have put my trust , i will not fear what flesh can do unto me . the arguments for the moving you to trust in god , for the future , are such as these . . will not you trust in god after such rich and full experience that you have had of gods taking care for you ? hath god cared for your life , and will not you trust him for food and raiment ? experience is a great support for confidence in god , cor. . . who delivered us from so great a death , and doth deliver , in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us . when david had had experience of gods delivering him from the lion and the bear , he trusted in god to deliver him from the hands of the uncircumcised philistine , sam. . . when thou hast been in danger , god hath kept thee ; and when thou hast been in sickness , god hath restored thee : and , if it be good for thee , he will do so again . . will not you trust in god that is all sufficient and allmighty , able to deliver you from any evil , able to bestow upon you any thing that is good ? he can remove your feares , and he can fill your desires : according to your perswasions of a mans ability to help you ( caeteris paribus ) will your trust be in him , cor. . . for we had the sentence of death in our selves , that we should not trust in our selves , but in god which raiseth the dead . that god that can raise the dead , may be trusted in any case or condition : you have found him able . . will not you trust in god , that is so willing to do you good ? you may acknowledge gods all-sufficiency to be a support for your trusting in him , but , the doubts that you find in your soul , whether god be willing to do you good , is a cause of your ( too frequent ) distrust in him : you must believe that god is a god of mercy , and ready to do for his people , whatsoever he seeth conduceth to his glory and their good : and , you may know his willingness by his promises , which are various , according to the condition that you are , or may be in : you have found him willing , and yet will you not trust him ? . will not you trust in a god , that is faithfull in all he saith ? he declares his willingness to do you good , to supply your wants , to preserve you in dangers , by his promise : for , a promise of god is a declaration of his will , for the bestowing of some good thing upon his people through christ , and his will and purpose he will never change , and his promise he will not suffer to faile : will you trust a man that is faithful to his word , and not god ? especially after you have found him faithful in performing promise unto you . . will not you trust in god that is infinite in wisdom , and knowes how to order all your affaires ? when your condition is altogether intricate , and you know not how to winde your self out of difficulties , then your wise god can do it , pet. . . the lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation . — and , will you not trust a god that is able and willing , and faithful and wise ? especially after you have experienced all these in god , in the late dangers and feares of death that you have been in ? or , shall these qualifications of power , willingness , faithfulness , and wisdom in men ( in their measure ) be a ground of your putting civill trust in them ; and , shall not all these , that be in god without measure , be a ground of your putting religious trust in him ? . will not you put your trust in god , since it is his due , it belongs to him of right ? it is a part of your spiritual homage which you owe to god : religious trust doth so belong to god , that it will be idolatry to place it in any thing besides , psal . . , , , , . it doth so properly and solely belong to god , that it is a periphrasis of god to be the confidence of all the ends of the earth , psal . . . give to god the things of god , and give to the creatures no more than belongs unto them : you have nothing else to trust to , you must not place religious trust in men ; not in great men and nobles , psal . . , . nor in riches , tim. . . not in horses and chariots , psal . . not in your own righteousness and religious duties , ezek. . . . will not you trust in god who is so nearly related to you ? men are apt to trust too much in th●ir e●rthly friends and relations : we put civil trust and confidence in our neer relations , because of the affection that they bear unto us : thus children trust to their parents , and wives in their husbands , and one friend in another ; god is your father , your husband , and your friend , and yet will you not put your trust in him ? . will not you put your trust in god for smaller things , since you trust him for the greatest ? you trust in god to deliver you from the torments of hell ; and , will not you trust him to deliver you from farr lesser evils ? you trust in him for pardon , and for eternal life ; and , will you not trust in him for smaller matters ? will you trust him wi●h your soul , and not with your body ? for eternal life , and , not for temporal ? would you trust a man for thousands , and not for pence ? especially , when the providence of god extends to the smallest concernments of his children , even to an hair of their heads , mat. . . when must we put our trust in go● ? in general i answer ; at all times , psal . . . trust in him at all times , ye people ; pour out your hearts before him : god is a refuge for us . in particular , trust in god , . in time of sickness and affliction upon your body , job . . though he slay me , yet will i trust in him . . in time of outward wants ; in the losse of all things , sam. . , to . hag. . . . in time of desertion ; when you have not the smiles of his face , isa . . . . at the hour of death commit your soules to him ; trust him with your soul , psal . . , . . in times of greatest inconstancy , psal . . , , . . in times of evil tidings , psal . . . he shall not be afraid of evil tidings , his heart is fixed , trusting in the lord. thus , if you trust god more because of the experience you have had in gods keeping of you , you do , in this , improve this mercy . direction xiii . hath god spared you in time of so great mortality ; then give thankes to god , and the praises that are due unto him for so great preservation : every person should be very thankful unto god , that hath kept him alive ; and every family should sound forth his praises : you spent time extraordinary , in seeking god by prayer , in your closet , in your family , that he would preserve you ; and , hath god done so , in answer to your prayers ? and , will you not spend some time extraordinary in , and with your own family in thankful acknowledgments of gods love unto you , and his care over you ? oh set some time apart , every family whom god hath preserved , or so many that are left in every family , in solemn praisings of god for his signal preservation vouchsafed unto you . in the time of your trouble , you called upon god , he hath delivered you , and now you should glorifie him , psal . . . and god is glorified by you when you offer praises to him , ver. . in the pressing you to the practice of this direction , i shall do three things : . how , or with what , must those that are preserved from death in time of plague give thanks to god , or glorifie god for this mercy ? . with what arguments should the people of god that are spared press themselves to give praises to god ? . what course must such take to get a thankful heart for so great a mercy ? sect . i. how , or with what , must those that are pre●erved give thanks to god ? this must be done three waies : . you must praise god with your tongues : your lips must shew forth his praises , psal . . . your tongue must sing aloud of gods righteousness and mercy . for this end god hath preserved you , psal . . . thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing : thou hast put off my sackcloath , and girded me with gladness . ver. . to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee , and not be silent : o lord my god , i will give thanks unto thee for ever . by [ glory ] david means his tongue : the tongue is the glory of a man , it being his priviledge above all creatures , with the tongue to form articulate words , having distinction of sound , for the communicating of the conceptions of his mind unto others . thus we should praise god by speaking of his excellencies and perfections of his nature , of his works and waies , of his dealings with us , of the danger he hath delivered us from , of the good he hath given to us , of the salvation he hath wrought for us . . you must praise god with your heart as well as with your tongue ; for as prayer for mercy with the tongue , without the heart will not be profitable to us , so praises with the tongue for mercy received , without the heart , will not be acceptable unto god. to praise god with the heart , is the very heart of our praises . thus david , that before called upon his tongue to bless god , doth also elsewhere call upon his soul to do it , psal . . . bless the lord o my soul , and all that is within me , bless his holy name . god blesseth us , by giving good things unto us , eph. . . we bless god , when we do thankfully acknowledge the good things we receive from god. you must then stir up your soul , and all that is within you unto this great work of praise for so great preservation . . you must praise god in your lives , and by your works and conversations ; you must not only speak gods praises , but you must live to his praise ; you must do it with life , and in and by your life . life is the mercy i call upon you to praise god for , and you must do it by your life . you may praise god with your lips , and not with your hearts , but if you do indeed praise god with your heart , you will also do it by your life . if you will give thanks indeed , you must live thanks . the best thanks-giving is thanks-doing . thus if you would be thankful for the life of your children , shew it by your religious care in their holy education ; that god might not say of you , i spared such a mans children in time of plague , and afterwards he brought them up to dishonour me , and to sin against me ; if you would be thankful for your own life , then lay it out in holy walking with god. sect . ii. with what arguments should the people of god urge their own hearts thus in tongue , in heart and life , to praise and glorifie god for his preserving of them ? work your heart hereunto with these following arguments . consider , . should not you thus praise god for your preservation from danger by the plague , who did make this one of your arguments to prevail with god by prayer in time of danger to preserve you ? did not you reason thus with god in time of sickness ? lord lengthen out the life of thy servant , o lord deliver my soul , o save me for thy mercies sake , for in death there is no remembrance of thee ; in the grave who shall give thee thanks ? what profit is there in my bloud , when i go down into the pit ? shall the dust praise thee ? shall it declare thy truth ? the grave cannot praise thee , death cannot celebrate thee : they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth . the living , the living he shall praise thee . were not these your pleadings at the throne of grace ? and did not you promise to god , and purpose in your heart , that if god would spare you , you would celebrate his praises ? and shall not there be a correspondence betwixt your actions when you were in fears , and your actions , when your great danger ( by the plague ) is over ? . should not you thus praise god for your preservation , who have such examples for your practice , recorded in the scripture . when hezekiah had been sick and was recovered he sang forth the praises of the lord , isa . . , . when david had been in danger of death and was delivered , he deliberates with himself what he should return and render to the lord , psal . . , &c. what shall i render to the lord , for all his benefits towards me ? i will take the cup of salvation , and will call upon the name of the lord. ver. . i will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanks-giving — for your imitation consider davids practice , ( . ) he propounds a case of conscience . since i was brought low and the lord hath helped me ; since the sorrows of death have compassed me about , and god hath delivered me , what shall i render ? what must i do ? what return must i make ? and he presseth himself to this by four forcible arguments , in these words , for all his benefits towards me . he considered , first , benefits received . kindnesses call for acknowledgments ; favours are obliging . we must give thanks in , and for afflictions , much more when we are delivered . i deserved judgments , but benefits have been my receipt . secondly , the author of them , [ his ] benefits ; the kindnesses of men should not be forgotten , much less the benefits of god. your life is a benefit , and god is the author of it . thirdly , the number of them ; [ all ] his benefits ; they were many , not a few . three things are innumerable : gods mercies to us , our sins against god , the evils that good men suffer , psal . . , . fourthly , the person to whom they were given : for all his benefits to [ me . ] hath god indeed given such mercy to me ? hath god continued life to me , so vile , so unworthy , oh what shall i render ? ( . ) he resolves this case propounded ; i will take the cup of salvation ; i will offer the sacrifice of praise . god hath taken from you ( for the present ) the cup of death , which was to so many a cup of trembling ; he hath removed your cup of affliction , and instead thereof hath given you a cup of consolation , and a cup running over with variety of mercies , and will not you take the cup of salvation , and offer the sacrifice of praise ? do you see david ( in the like case ) so diligent and inquisitive what to render , and so peremptory and resolute , to offer praise to god , and will not you go and do likewise ? . is not this the noblest work you can engage in , to praise god , and to celebrate with thankfulness the greatness of his mercy and goodness ? it is the work of angels to be praising god ; and when you take your flight into heaven , and are perfectly removed from sin , sorrow , suffering , temptation , wants , you shall do nothing else but love , and praise , and admire god ? and will you not in the mean while accustome your self to that work on earth , which shall be your imployment in heaven ? and will you not take occasion hereunto , by so great a mercy as god at such a time as this hath vouchsafed you ? . is not god most worthy of your highest and your heartiest praises ? you were not worthy of gods mercies , you were not worthy of life , but god is worthy of the best of your praises , were they as perfect as the hallelujahs of the saints in heaven . god indeed is above all praise , neh. . . but yet he is pleased with his peoples praising of him . . will you praise the efficacy of your antidotes , and the skill of your able physitian , by whose help you have been ( under god ) preserved : and will you not be much more in praising of god , for your safety , when without his blessing all had been ineffectual ? will you praise the instrument and means , and say , i had an able doctor , and not the principal cause of your preservation , and say , i had a good god. . will not you praise god for his mercy towards you , no , not for your life , when this is all that god requireth at your hands , that you should be th●nkful for your life , and thankfully improve it for his glory ? you cannot make a requital , but god expecteth some return ; you cannot make a retaltation , but god looketh for some retribution : and will not you think an alms ill bestowed upon that beggar , that will not give you thanks ? and will not life be continued to the aggravation of your sin , if you are not thankful for it ? . is not this a duty that will well become you ? a christian doth then act most like a christian when he is praising god , in tongue , in heart , and life , psal . . , . and . . praise is comely for the upright . three things are very comely , to weep as a sinner , to walk as a saint , to rejoyce as a son. . will not you give to god the glory of his preserving providence , when if you do not , ( that are gods people ) none else will ? the wicked that are spared , they will not , they cannot praise god ; they will dishonour him , they will speak to gods dishonour , and act to gods dishonour , so that if you do not praise god for his sparing so many alive , none else will : and shall god be without all thankful acknowledgments of his remembring mercy , in the midst of judgment ? god forbid : that amongst all the thousands that are spared , there should be none found , making some thankful return to god. this number will be but small ; amongst the ten lepers that were cleansed there was but one found thankful . if you would not have god to lose the glory of his providence , then you must be the men that must honour him for it . many wicked men were not found praying to be preserved , much less will they be found praising , when they are preserved . . have you more cause to bless god for life than others have , and yet will not you do it ? your life is more sweet and comfortable to you , than the lives of wicked men are , or can be , forasmuch as you have those comforts with life , and that communion with god in life , that wicked men have not : they live only a natural life , and have only the sweetness of natural life , but you with this life have also the comforts of an higher life , and yet will not you bless god for it ? they are delivered from the grave for a while , but not from the wrath of god too ; from the grave , but not from the danger of hell too , but so are you : and have you so much cause to bless god for life , and will you want an heart to bless him ? . is this the most effectual way to have life continued to you , and yet will not you do it ? to have life continued will be , to be thankful for it ; else god ( finding you unthankful ) when the plague is over , might commission death by some other distemper , to take that from you , which you would not be thankful for . . is not life the sweetest of all earthly mercies , and more to be prized , and yet will not you be thankfull to god for it that hath so signally continued it unto you ? skin for skin , and all that a man hath he will give for his life : and yet will not you give thanks to god for life ? what earthly thing will you be thankful for , ●nd what mercy upon earth will you make returns to god for , if not for life ? . do you finde unthankful men placed amongst the greatest rank of sinners , and yet will you be unthankful ? unthankful persons are numbred among blasphemers , covetous , disobedient to parents , such as are without natural affection ; false accusers , despisers of those that are good , &c. tim. . , , . and , will you yet be unthankful , and that for your life ? thus , by these considerations you should press your heart to give praises to god for this so great preservation . section iii. iii. what is the course that those that remain , after this judgment , should take , to be thankful to god , and to render praises to him for the preservation of themselves , and those of their relations continued to them ? take these rules . . if you would render thankes to god in tongue , in he●rt and l●fe , for this mercy , then get a right judgment of the worth and greatness of the mercy , that you , and some of yours are continued after this visitation . those that do not prize a mercy , will never be thankful for it : what a mercy is life to you , that are not yet assured of the love of god ? what a mercy is life to you , that are not yet certain of the salvation of your soules ? or , if you are sure of heaven , yet is life to you a great mercy ; that you have time to do the works that god hath appointed you to do . consider also what a mercy it is to have your children continued , that you may yet instruct them , and pray for them ; that you may see christ formed in them before you or they do die . . if you would be thankful for life , and have an heart to render praises to the lord , for your own , and your relations ; consider , how uncomfortable your life had been , had god continued you , and taken away your neerest relations ; and , how uncomfortable your life would have been , had god continued them onely , and taken you away from them : you may consider while you live , the discomforts of your relations , and the sorrow of their hearts , if god had removed you by death ; what an uncomfortable widow would your wife ( now ) have been ? what uncomfortable orphans would your children [ now ] have been ! you have enough before you , and amongst you , that are sad instances of this : oh , consider this , and it will be a meanes to make you thankful , and to give to god the glory of your preservation . . retain in your memory the greatness of this mercy , when you have apprehended how great it is ; a forgetfull person will be an unthankful person : when david would have his soul to bless god for his mercy , he layes a charge upon himself not to forget the benefits he had received , psal . . . bless the lord , oh my soul , and forget not all his benefits : record gods mercy to you herein , and get it imprinted on the table of your heart : forgetfulness is a great hinderance to every duty ; as , some men forget their sins , and they will not be humbled for them : some men forget gods mercies , and they will not be thankful for them : some forget both , and are neither penitent nor thankful . so , to remember some things , and forget others , is very injurious to mens soules ; as , some remember gods mercy , and forget their sins : and these presume . some remember their sins , and forget gods mercy : and these despaire . but , it is best to remember both our sins and gods mercy : the one will make us humble , and the other thankfull . . let the relations that god hath continued unto you , have a roome in your heart and affection , according to the measure that god commands : he that hath children spared , and hath not sutable affections for them , will not , cannot be thankful unto god for the continuance of their lives , and so husbands and wives : but , then you must love them , and your own life , but according to the measure that god allowes : for , to love any of these , your relations , or your life immoderately , will not be to be thankful for them , but to abuse them , and make idols of them : let your own life and your relations have their allowance of your love , but no ●re . . pray to god for a praising thankful heart for this mercy . god gives us all our mercies , and god must give us a thankful heart for these mercies , else we cannot give to god the glory of them : when you were in your danger you were afraid , least god should deny you life , when you prayed unto him for it : but , are you as afraid , least you should not have an heart thankfully to improve it , when he hath granted it unto you ? you prayed for life , now pray to god to make you thankful , and thankfully to improve it : . labour to keep your graces lively and vigorous : to praise god is a lively work , and a dull heart cannot do it : you must love god for his mercy , if you would praise him for his mercy : you must delight in god , if you would praise him : the more lively your graces are , the more sweet and comfortable your life will be ; and , the more comfort you have in life , the more your heart will be engaged to give god the glory of it : and so shall you be found amongst those few that do endeavour to live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy , as preservation from the grave , in a time of plague . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the first p●rt of the first direction contains questions . question first . six things premised , for explication . * pe●de● haec [ peccati ] differentia graduum ( ) a respectu personae a qua admittitur . ( ) a g●nere & natura rei , ( ) ah intensione & remissione actus . ( ) ratione et modo patrandi . ( ) a circumstantiis loci , temporis , &c. ames ●ed . p. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * vitam ● dei appellat , vitam illam qua deus vivit in suis : quamque praecipit & approbat . beza in loc . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is opera quaestus . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. e. quasi agatur de lu●●n ita ut ●liu● alium superare conte●d●t . beza in loc . scriptures shewing many wax worse . nemo repente sit turpissimus , sed sensim sine sensu . psal . . v. . opened . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam id quod consulitur , quam quod consilio efficitur . by th . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mos consuetudo , studium quae sunt quasi viae per quas incedunt , versonturque . by th . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ambulavit metaphoricè usurpatur de vita , moribus & actionibus . * nomen plurale absque singulari , ex conjugatione pihel deductum , idcoque significationem intendit , ac habitum denotat . ●i●lmer , in psal . arguments proving wicked men wax worse . from sin . sin disposeth the heart to sin . sin begets sin . sin is linked to sin . rom. . . sin infects the sinner . sin is unsatiable . oculi sunt in amore duces . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . satan . absence of grace . question second . rounds in the sinners ladder to hell . natural concupiscence . temptation . inclination . ●am . . is inticed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the word signifi●th baiting , as men doe bait for fishes . rom. . . , , , . consent . action . iteration . habit. hardness contracted * peccata sive sint commissionis sive omissionis per multiplicationem diuturnam , in consuctudinem ducta & inveterata , pravum habitum gignunt , ac quasi callum obducunt voluntati simu●●c menti . ames med. p. . hardness judiciall . things about gods hardning mens hea●ts . deus concurrit ad actum non ad malitiam actûs . * excaecatio activa tribuitur deo , satanae & homini scipsum excaecanti ; satanas & homo in ista actione gravissimè peccant , deus autem justissimè agit . strangius , de volun . dei circa peccatum . p . modi notandi sunt , quibus dicitur deus indur●re . ( ) quia deus juste deserit eos , a quibus desertus est , suumque auxilium subtrabit aut denegat , privatque eos donis suis , quibus illi perverse abusi sunt , idem . p. . ( ) viam eis aperit , objecta & occasiones subministrans , quibus illi flagitia exequantur , ut in perniciem suam ruant . . ( ) offert , confert , aut facit ea quae sua natura hominem ad bonum converterent , atque ad illustrandum , & emollieadum volerent , sed abutentium vitio fit , ut magis obdurentur . p. . ( ) flagella , flagellorum remotio , adversa , impiorum indurationem promovent , iisque pulsati inster ineudis sub malleo magis indurescunt . p. . finall impenitence . question third . prosperity makes the wicked worse . * psal . . , , , . adversity makes wicked men worse . deliverances make wicked men worse . wicked men are worse , by the word . * sciendum est , evangelium non perimere quenquam ▪ sed evangelii contemptum . bez. in cor. . . by the sacrament . grande id nefas , quando remedium , non modo , non proficit aegro sed in venenum vertitur . par. in cor. . question fourth . reasons are , . from god. . from the elect converted . . from elect unconverted . . from reprobates . question fifth . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vnium , quo qui laborat , ad quodvis scelus , paratus est . joh. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in crastinum recondere , quo significatur homines dum cupiditatibus suis quotidie indulgendo existimant se aliquod bonis suis adjicere , tandem pro the sauro inventuros dei indignationem . bez in loc . question sixth . question seventh . corollaries from the first part of this direction . the second part of the first direction , ten lessons to be learned in this city that hath been a great house of mourning . verity of divine threatnings . desert of sin . mans mort●l●ty . the worlds vanity . the uncertainty of all relati●ns . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they set forth to sea , v●la da●t , when they have done their voyage , vela contra . hunt . humility . parity in ●●t ●●d afflictions . difference ●n the ●anner . folly of delays . mortification . ten aggravations of gods peoples sin , if they be worse . seventeen arguments to gods people to be better . perform your purpose , pay your vows . seven arguments for care to keep o●r resolutions made in time of fear and sickness . the heart is deceitful sin is encroaching . satan will assault . the world will interrupt . you will meet with opposition . concurrence of many duties re-qui-red . twenty helps for keeping our resolutions . watch against your darling sin . signs of a beloved sin . and against temptation . sin is as odious to god when you are well as when you were sick . holiness in ac● , pleasing to god , more than in purpose . sin is prejudicial , ●h●n you are well as when you were sick . holiness in act will be sweeter to you , than onely in purpose . when you are well , you are stil mortal . believe judgment to come . gods eye is upon you . keep conscience tender . choose a choise friend . gods purpose always the same to you . holy courage . zeal . frequent self-reflexions . renew your purpose . it will bring great benefits . pray for strength . mortifie self-love and use self-denial . examples . fourteen aggravations of neglect to live up to our holy resolutions . it is great hypocrisie . double iniquity . crea●●olly . it is to lye to god. * oratio , quando non est conformis menti dicentis , dicitur falsa ethice quando non est conformis rebus , est salsa logice . to sin against conscience . it will make death terrible . it is great unthankfulness for your life . it will make you loose the benefit of affliction . it is to approve of sin after dislike . if thou hadst dyed in thy sickness thou hadst been damned . it encourageth the devil to tempt . it provoketh god. hinders prayer . begets doubtings . since you live , look after the cure of soul-sickness . sin is the souls sickness . sickness of the soul more dreadfull than of the body . signs of the cure of soul-sickness . how to be cured of soul-sickness . christ the soul-●hysician . directions to give to god the glory of our souls cure . the reader is desired to make the following direction the fourth . be eminent in your place and relation . subjects duties to magistrates . ministers should be more in studying . praying . preaching . appellations , shewing the work of ministers . living exemplarily . the peoples duty in hearing the word . governo●s of families must set up gods worship in their houses . why ? wherein in praying . four reasons for daily prayer in families . r●adi●g the word of god. reasons for reading scripture in families . repeating things delivered in publick . in catechizing . reasons for catechizing in families . in singing psalms . how 〈◊〉 really . for five reasons . livelily . chearfully . constantly . duties of husbands & wives , whom god hath spared in this plague . the properties of their love superlative . constant holy , tender . forgiving love the reasons of their love wherein they should manifest this love . ☜ duties of parents whom god hath continued to children , viz. instruction . correction . prayer . choosing them a calling . disposing them in marriage duties of children , whom god hath continued to their parents . reasons for these duties . duties of masters whom god hath continued to servants . duties of servants whom god hath continued to masters . watch against secret sins . abstain from secret sins . considerations to watch against secret sins . god setteth secret sins in the light of his countenance . masked sins detected . properties of gods view of secret sins . secresie is no security . it is a sign of sincerity . god judgeth not by outward appearances . to allow secret sin is great ●mp●iety . secret sins provoke god and grieve the spirit . and destroy your peace . h●nder grace . and fervent prayer , and prevent audience . do harden . stop communications of gods secrets ▪ if you make conscience of secret sin , you shall have an open reward . in these you have least help from others . que. . helps against secret sins . god his eye . e●e judgment to come . deep hatred . true fear . uprightness of heart . design gods approbation . be watchful . suppress first motions of sin . sense of gods love . secret duties . secret duties . secret things in publick duties . secret evils in publick duties to be avoided . since you live after the plague , be dead to the world. to the profits of the world . are corrupt●ble . hurtful . unprofitable . hurtful uncertain . easily valued . unsatisfying . to the honours of the world. to the pleasures of the world. to the wisdom of the world. ☜ signes of a man that is dead to the world ▪ since you live , after this plague , be dead to sin , and be buried with christ . believers are buried in . respects . differences between the burial of our friends and our sins . resemblances . comfort to those that are buried with christ . since you live after this plague , walk in newness of life . what newness of life doth not consist in . in what consisteth newness of life . the excellen●ies of a new life . hindrances of walking in newness of life . since you live after this plague , keep upon your heart a sense of this mercy . helpes to be sensible of the mercy of life . if you have fewer objects of love left you , love god so much the more . since you live , remember what were the actings of conscience in time of danger , and live accordingly . since you live , after you have been in such danger , trust god for the future . description of trust . arguments to trust in god. six special times to trust in god. since you live after this plague , give thanks to god. wayes you must pra●se god with your tongue . heart . life . arguments to thankfulness for life . psal . . , . psal . . . isa . ● . , . mat. . , . jer. . . psal . . . helpes to thankfulness for life . the iudgment of humane actions a most learned, & excellent treatise of morrall philosophie, which fights agaynst vanytie, & conduceth to the fyndinge out of true and perfect felicytie. written in french by monsieur leonard marrande and englished by iohn reynolds jugement des actions humaines. english marandé, léonard de. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the iudgment of humane actions a most learned, & excellent treatise of morrall philosophie, which fights agaynst vanytie, & conduceth to the fyndinge out of true and perfect felicytie. written in french by monsieur leonard marrande and englished by iohn reynolds jugement des actions humaines. english marandé, léonard de. cecil, thomas, fl. , engraver. reynolds, john, fl. - . [ ], , - , [ ] p. imprinted by a. mathewes for nicholas bourne, at ye royall exchange, london : . a translation of: jugement des actions humaines. the title page is engraved and signed: t cecill sculp. the last leaf is blank. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . ethics -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic vera felicitas the ivdgment of humane actions a most learned & excellent treatise of morrall philosophie , which fights agaynst vanytie & conduceth to the fyndinge out of true and perfect felicytie written in french by monsieur leonard marrande and englished by iohn reynolds london imprinted by a. mathewes for nicholas bourne , at the royall exchange i cecill sculp . to the right honovrable , and truly noble , edward earle of dorset , lord lieutenant of his majesties counties of sussex , and middlesex : lord chamberlaine to the queene : one of the lords of his majesties most honourable priuie councell , and knight of the most illustrious order of the garter . his singular good lord and master . right honovrable , either by earthly accident , or heauenly prouidence , meeting with this late imprinted french treatise , of the iudgement of humane actions , written by monsieur marande ( a name that i more honour then know ) and diuing into the perusall thereof , i found it for matter so solide , and for phrase so curious a master-peece of morall philosophie , that i sawe my selfe engaged ; yea and in a manner bound to deuest it from its french garbe , and to sute it in our english attire and habite ; as desirous that england , as well as france , should participate of that benefit and felicitie . but as i was entering into this taske , and casting my selfe vpon the resolution of this attempt ; i was instantly met and assayled by an obstacle of no small importance ; for considering that france hath now made , and declared her selfe englands enemie , and cons●quently giuen vs no iust cause or reasons to loue french men , but many to hate them , i therefore ( in honour to my prince and country , to whose prosperity and seruice , my best blood and life shall euer bee prostrated ) at first began to reiect this booke , because written by a french man , and so to looke on the translation thereof , rather with an eye of contempt then of affection : but at last recollecting my thoughts , and considering that peace is the gift and blessing of god , and char●ty the true marke of a christian , i therefore from my heart and soule wishing and desiring , a safe , honorable , and perdurable peace betweene these two mighty neighbour sister kingdom●s in particular , and to all christians , and the whole christian world in general . and also well knowing that learning is vniuersally to be cherished , and vertue honoured in all persons , times , and places of the whole world , without exception or distinction ; then ( these premi●es considered ) this my last consideration preuailed and vanquished my first , and so i re-assumed my former designe and resolution to finish it ; although ( in regard of the deepe matter , and the knottie , and elegant stile thereof ) i ingeniously confesse , that many gentlemen , both of england and scotland , had beene farre more capable for the discharge and performance thereof then my selfe . hauing thus made my selfe an english eccho to this french author , and now in these times of warre taken this booke , as a rich french prise , and landed him on our english shores ; where should this impe of my labour looke , but on your ho : on whom my hopes & heart haue euer looked , or to whom else should it flye for harbour and shelter , but onely to your lordship , who ( in all the stormes and tempests of these my weather beaten fortunes ) haue so graciously and generously serued me both for shelter , and harbour , when the immerited malice of some , and the vndeserued ingratitude of others haue denied it me ; the which yet i speake and remember , more out of sensibility to my selfe , ●hen any way out of passion , much lesse of enuie to them , as resting contented with this resolution , to keepe the griefe thereof to my selfe , to leaue the shame to them , and to giue the thankes and glory to your honour . as this booke of marande is curious , so he made his dedication thereof , wherefore led by the fame , and lustre of his example , i could doe no lesse then immitate him herein ; for as he directed it to the cardinall of richelieu ; so your lordships merits , and my dutie , enforce me to inscribe it to your honour , who are as much the cardinalls equall in vertues , as by many degrees his superiour in bloud and extraction . and although i well know , that shall rather wrong mine author , then right my selfe , to erect or proffer any pa●●gerike ( to his merits and iudgement ) on this his booke ; because of it selfe i● sufficiently pe●formes and acts that part : yet when your lordship● leasure and pleasure shall borow so much time from your great and weighty ●ff●ires of the state , to giue it to the perus●ll and contemplation of this his booke ; i doubt not but you will then see and acknowledge , that marande herein , as another cornelius agrippa , learnedly fights against the vanitie of humane sciences , ; and as a second montaigne iudiciously contests against the poyson of our hearts , i meane against our intemperate ( and therefore our pernicious ) passions . for in this worke of his ( as in a rich treasurie and sacrary of nature ) he ( with a zeale and iudgement euery way worthy of himselfe ) laughes at the vanitie of all humane artes , and actions , as also generally at all the presumptuous , and profane professors thereof ; and by reasons as cleare as the sunne ; passeth his iudgement on them , prouing god to bee the sole author and giuer of wisdome ; and that god , and none but god ought to bee the onely obiect of our desires and affections . here hee hath deuested and stript our passions naked , and curiously delineated and depointed them to vs in their true colours , and naturall deformity . heere he hath taught vs to beleeue , and our thoughts and resolutions to know , that exorbitant ambition prooues most commonly the bane of our hearts , the poyson of our mindes , and the arch-enemie , and traytor to our owne fortunes and f●licitie . here hee hath curiously arraigned , and anatomized the power , and functions of the senses , and shewed vs how violently and maliciously they euery moment conspire to corrupt our bodies , and to betray our soules to sinne , and voluptuousnesse . here he hath brought home to our vnderstanding , and iudgement , what power our soules haue ouer our bodies , and god ouer our soules , and that our bodies can expect no true tranquillity , or felicity here on earth , except our soules doe first fetch it from heauen , and deriue it from god. and here hee hath crowned reason to be the queene of our soules , and adopted vertue to bee no lesse then a princesse and daughter of heauen , and taught vs how tenderly and religiously we ought to loue either , and honour both of them , sith thereby , they will then infallibly prooue the two spirituall guides to conduct vs to true happinesse in this life , and consequently to bring vs to true felicity and glory in that to come . which considered ; as also that such is the vniuersall iniquity of our times , & the generall deprauation and corruption of our liues and manners , that through the darke cloudes of our humane vanitie , and ambition , we many times cannot see reason for passion , nor permanent felicitie , for transitory delights , and pleasures . and therefore that the world ( or rather the courts of kings and princes , which is the pride and glory thereof , very often vseth vs not as a lady of honour , but as a deboshed strumpet or courtisan ; who many times strangleth vs , when shee makes greatest shew to embrace and kisse vs , and the which in that regard and consideration i may pertinently and properly parallell to the panther , whose skinne is faire , but his breath infectious . therefore out of the zeale of my best prayers , and the candour and integrity of my best seruice and wishes , eternally desiring and wishing , that your lordships prosperities and honours may bee as infinite as your vertues and merits , and as immortall , as you are mortall ; i hope , and implore , that your honour will please to pardon this my presumption , for proffering vp this poore epistle to your rich consideration ; and for being so ambitious to make this vnworthy translation of mine soare so high as to your honourable protection and patronage , in affixing , and placing your noble name thereto , as a stately porch , or front , to this rich and stately temple of vertue . not , but that i perfectly know that your honour is plentifully and aboundantly furnished with great variety of sweet preseruatiues , and sound , and salubrious antidotes , both against your owne humane passions , as also against the frownes , and flatteries of the world : but yet i could giue no satisfaction to my selfe , before i had giuen this booke the desired ( though not deserued ) honour to kisse your lordships hands ; for the transplantation thereof being mine , my duty , and seruice prompted mee that i must needes direct and consecrate it to your honour , as well by the right of a iust propriety , as by the equity of a commanding obligation , and therefore of a necessary consequence . againe , your honour louing vertue , and cherishing philosophie , so tenderly and deerely in your selfe , i thought that others would be the sooner induced and drawne thereto by the powerfull influence of your example , and therefore , that the dignity and lustre of your name , would serue as a sure pasport to make this booke passe current , with the different affections , pallates , and censures of his readers whom now it goes foorth to meete with . in which regard i hold it more presumption in me toward your honour , then neglect towards them , to make this your epistle serue likewise for them , as being equally resolued , neither to court their fauours , nor to feare their reprehensions and heere before i shut vp this my epistle ; i beseech your honour to bee pleased farther to vnderstand , that in this translation i haue sometimes borrowed from the letter , to giue to the sense , by adding voluptuousnesse to pleasure , shewe to apparance , and affliction to euill , or the like ; a liberty which i hold tolerable in a modest interpreter ; as also i haue sometimes added griefe , to paine , although according to the rules and grounds of logicke , i know that the last hath reference to the body , and the first to the soule : but i did it purposely to make it speake the more significant and fuller english ; because your honour knowes so well , as no man better ; that as other languages , so english hath her peculiar idioms , and proper phrases and accents , which may but ( yet in my poore opinion and iudgement ) ought not to be omitted or neglected . i will no farther vsurpe on your lordships patience , but will leaue this booke , to his fortune , and my selfe to your wonted honourable fauour ; so wishing all encrease of earthly happinesse , and heauenly fefelicity to your honour , to your honourable , and most vertuous countesse , and to those sweet and noble young plants your children . i will liue and dye in the resolution , euer to be found your honours humblest seruant , iohn reynolds . a table of the discourses , and sections which are contained in this booke . the first discourse . of vanitie , section i. man diuerteth his ey●s from his condition , not to know the deformity thereof , and abandoneth them to follow his owne vaine imaginations . pag. section ii. the wisedome of man cannot free it selfe from vanitie , so naturall she is to it . pag. the second discourse . of the senses . section i. the soule and the body are vnited together 〈…〉 strong ●●inke , that as the 〈…〉 by the meanes of the soule : so the soule cannot moue towards externall things , nor know them , but by the meanes of the senses . pag. section ii. the different operation of the senses concludes not that there are fiue , no more then the different effects of the rayes of the sunne , that there are many sunnes . section iii. nature being icalous of secrets , permits not the senses to discouer the essences of things , nor that they can conuey any thing to our vnderstanding , that is not changed and corrupted by them in the passage . section iv. science ( or knowledge ) is the marke and seale of the diuinity , but that which resides among vs here in earth , is nothing else but abuse , trumpery , and vanitie . pag. section v. man hauing some knowledge of himselfe ( although it be imperfect , ) as also of those whom he frequents , hee contemnes their learning , and esteemes none but that which is growne in forraigne countries , or which hee receiues from an vnknowne hand . the third discourse . of opinion . section i. to cut off the liberty of iudgement , is to bereaue the sunne of her light , and to depriue man of his fairest ornament . pa. section ii. all things wonderfully encrease and fortifie themselues through opinion . section iii. opinion very ill requi●es the greatnesse , to hold her still in shew and esteeme , and to giue all the world right to controle her actions . section iv. the common people haue no more certaine , nor cleare seeing guide , then opinion . section v. opinion ( as an ingenious painter ) giues those things which enuiron vs such face & figure as it pleaseth . section vi. opinion leaues nothing entire , but its corruption , and pardoneth not vertue her selfe . the fourth discourse . of passions . section i. stormes arise not so many surges on the sea , as passions engender tempests in the hearts of men . section ii. we may say of loue , that which the romanes said of an emperour ▪ that they knew not whether they receiued more good , or euill of him . section iii. ambition hath no mediocrity ▪ and feares not his burning , if the fire of heauen , or the thunder-bolt of iupiter furnish him the first sparkles . pa. . section iv. couetousnesse is only iust , in that it rigorously punisheth those whom it mastereth and commandeth . section v. fortune hath not a more charming lure , or bayte , then our owne hope . section vi. feare casts her selfe into the future time , as into a darke and obscure place , thereby with a small cause , or subiect , to giue vs the greater wonder and astonishment . section vii . of all passions there is no greater enemie of reason , nor lesse capable of councell then choler . section viii . passions haue so deformed a countenance , that albeit they are the daughters of nature , yet wee cannot loue them , and behold them at one time . the fift discourse . of felicitie . section i. every thing naturally tends to its repose , onely , man strayes from his felicity , or if he approach it , hee stayes at the branches , insteed of embracing the trunke or body of the tree . section ii. it is not without reason that wee complaine of fortune , because hourely shee teacheth vs , her mutable and variable humour . pa. section iii. wealth and riches are too poore , to giue vs the felicitie which we seeke , and desire . section iv. glory and reputation hath no thing which is solide but vanity , we must therefore else-where seeke our soueraigne contentment . section v. honours , and dignities expose to the world all their splendour and glory : but contrariwise , felicity lockes vp all her best things in her selfe , and hath no greater enemie then shewe and ostentation . section vi. among all the faire flowers which an extreame fauour produceth , wee haue not yet seene this felicity , to bud forth , and flourish . section vii . kings , and soueraigne princes owe vs their continuall care and motion , as the starres doe ; and therefore they haue no greater enemie then repose and tranquility . section viii . as the light is inseparable from the sun , so felicity is an inseparable accident of vertue . the sixth discourse . of morall vertue . section i. sicke ( or distempered mindes ) are not capable of all sorts of remedies , but they shall finde none more soueraigne then the diuerting thereof . pag. section ii. the life of a wise man is a circle whereof temperance is the centre , whereunto all the lynes , i meane , all his actions should conduce and ayme . section iii. to thinke that vertue can indifferently cure all sorts of euils or afflictions , is a testimony of vanity , or else of our being apprentices and nouices in philosophy . section iv. as it belongs to none but to the minde to iudge of true or false , so our sense ought to be the onely iudge either of pleasure or paine . section v. although wee graunt that mans felicity consists in vertue , yet i affirme ( against the stoicks ) that felicity is incompatible with griefe and paine . section vi. mans life is a harmony composed of so many different tones , that it is very difficult for vertue to hold , and keepe them still in tune . pag. the ivdgement of hvmane actions . the first discourse . of vanitie . section . i. man diuerteth his eyes from his condition , not to know the deformitie thereof , and abandoneth them , to follow his owne vaine imaginations . my enterprise to depaint , and chalke out the vanitie of man , hath ( it may be ) no lesse vanitie in his designe , then in his subiect , but it greatly skils not to what i intend to speake , for whatsoeuer i say , or doe , i still aduance ; i say , it imports not where i strike for all my blowes ▪ are directed and bent to fall on vanitie ; and if the pensill be not bold , and the colours liuely enough , we will imitate the industry of that painter , who being to represent ( in a table ) the sorrowes of those who assisted at the sacrifice of iphigenia , most ingeniously ouervayled the face of this virgins father with a courtaine ; as well knowing that all his art and industry was incapable , and confused herein ; if hee should vndertake to represent at life all the parts and passions which sorrow had so liuely imprinted on his face . it were a happinesse if onely to overvaile the face of man , were to couer all his vanities , but when wee haue extended this vaile or courtaine ore all his body , i much feare there will yet remaine more to be concealed and hidden , then that which wee haue already couered : for this imagination cannot suffer this constraint , and his desire which followes him with out-spred wings , findes no limmits but in her infinity . man is composed of body , spirits , and soule ; this animated body participates most of earth , as neerest to the place of his extraction , and to say truely , is a straying and a vagabond plant ; the spirits participate most of the ayre , and serue as the meanes or medium to fasten , ioyne , and stay the soule , which falles from heauen into the body of men , as a ray or sparkle of the diuinitie that comes to reside in an vnknowne place . those spirits which dwell in the bloud are as little chaines to vnite and fasten the soule to the body , which comming to dissolue , from thence followes the entire dissolution of this compound . they participate as partakers of these two contrary natures by the extremities ; that which is most pure and subtill in them , is vnited to the superiour parts , as that which is grosser is vnited and fastned to the affluence of bloud ; and these are they that so dexterously make affections to flye from one to the other subiect , which they embrace so strictly and deerely , and in this marriage is sworne communitie of goods and wealth , or rather of misery , they haue no longer but one and the same interest , and in this mixture , actions as passions distill from these different springs , by one onely and the selfe same pipe . they wedde themselues to contentions and quarrels , which are not easily appeased ; but notwithstanding this discord , they maintaine themselues in their perpetuall warre ; fearing nothing but peace , which is separation . doth it not seeme to thee , o man , that thou much deseruest to bee lamented and pittied , sith in the composition of such different pieces , thou findest thy selfe engaged to calme the stormes and tempests which arise in thy breast , by the contrary motion of so many different passions . if thou wilt cast thine eyes vpon thy birth , thou shalt see , that after hauing languished nine monthes in prison , fedd and nourished with the waters of rottennesse and corruption it selfe , thou commest into the world with cryes and teares for thy welcome , as if despight of thee , that destiny had placed thee on earth to sweat vnder the heauy yoke and burthen of a miserable slauery ; but grieue not at thy teares , for they cannot be imployed to weepe at a more miserable condition then thine owne ; because among other creatures thou art the most disgraced by nature ; abandoned naked on earth without couering , or armes ; swathed and bound , and without knowledge of any thing which is fit or proper for thy necessities . and reason it selfe which befalls thee afterwards ( as the onely aduantage whereof thou mayst vaunt and glory ) doth most commonly turne to thy shame and confusion , through vices and interiour diseases which it ingendreth in thee . vnfortunate that thou art , those weapons which thou imployest to thy ruine , were giuen thee for thy conseruation . me thinkes those barbarous indians of mexico doe singular well , who at the birth of their children exhort them to suffer and endure ; as if nature gaue no other prerogatiue to man then miserie , whereunto hee is lincked and chained by the misfortune and dutie of his condition . let vs consider a little , that his first babling and pratling yeares are watred with nothing but with his teares ; his infancy full of astonishment and feare , vnder the rod of his superiour ; his riper yeares discouer him by all the parts of his body and soule , & expose him to the inevitable snares of loue ; to the dangerous blowes of fortune , and to the stormes and fury of all sorts of passions . in his declining age , ( as broken with so many cares , calamities , and labours , ) hee flyes but with one wing , and goes coasting along the riuer to land more easily , possessed and tormented ( neuerthelesse ) with many vnprofitable and superfluous thoughts . he is afflicted at the time present , grieved at the past , and in extreame care and trouble for that to come , as if he now beganne to liue ; hee perceiues not his age but by his gray haires , and wrinkled forehead ; and most commonly hath nothing remaining to testifie that he hath liued so great a number of yeeres , but an old withred age , which enclines him to a generall distaste of all fruits that his weake stomach cannot digest , which often imprints more wrinkles and furrowes in his minde then in his face ; his body bending and bowing , which is no longer supported but by the ayde and assistance of others , like an old building ruinous and vncouered in a thousand places ; which by little and little seemes to end and destroy itselfe . whiles his fugitiue soule , ( which meets nothing else in this fraile vessell but that which is either sowre or vinowed , ) seekes by all meanes to breake her alliance ; and in the end retires , being infinitly weary to haue so long conducted and supported so decrepit and heauy a burthen , loden with all miseries , as the sincke and receptacle of all griefes and euils ; which the influence of heauen continually powreth downe vpon the face of earth . nothing so weake , and yet so proud ; let vs heare him speake , with what boldnesse doth he not praise his audacious front . his heart is puffe vp and swelld with glory , and many great bumbasted words , as if mounted on some throne ▪ hee formes himselfe an imaginary scepter , for a marke of his soueraigne greatnes ; hee hath ( saith he ) the dominion and empire ouer all things created ; he commands all beasts , the sunne , heauen , and earth are but the ministers of his power ; but wretched and proud as thou art , dost thou beleeue thou hast power to command where thou hast no right but in thy obedience ? thy inclinations , fortune , and mis-fortune , which droppe and destill on thy head through those celestiall pipes ; doe they not constraine thee with blowes , and stripes to stoope and acknowledge their superintendency ? bow downe , bow downe thine eyes , for it is farre more proper and conuenient for thee , if not that after the custome of the thracians , thou wilt shoot arrowes against heauen , which will after returne and fall on thine owne head ; and if for the aduantages and priuiledges of the body , thou wilt preferre thy selfe to all beasts , vouchsafe onely to enter in comparison with a few of them in particular : the courage of the lyon , the strength of the elephant , the swiftnesse of the stagge , and the particular qualities which are found in others , will prooue thee farre inferiour to them . hauing thus walked thine eyes vpon the garden knots of this world , now make a reflexion thereof in thy selfe , and if thy iudgment retaine any ayre of health , i know thou wilt say with me ( or rather with wise solomon ) that man is nothing else but vanity without and within , in what forme and posture of vice so euer thou contemplate him : then wee shall haue the assurance to say with the philosophers , that laughter is proper to man , and proper indeed it is , according to the rules of democritus , to laugh and mocke at his folly , as at his vanity . that other philosopher more pittifull then this , testified by his weeping , that hee had no other weapons then teares to defend the blowes , and wipe the wounds of so miserable a condition as ours ; that if we enquire by what right he imposed on his companions , the burthen of so seuere a law , and so ponderous and pressing a yoke , i finde that hee is no way excusable but in this , that hee submitted himselfe to the same slauery and seruitude . the equality of our euils herein doth some way extenuate and cut off the iust subiect of our complaints ; for he which sees himselfe fettered to the fortune of an iron chaine , although thou haue inroled him among the number of thy slaues ; yet hee may neuerthelesse vaunt to see thee fight vnder the displayed ensigne of the same misfortune ; not like himselfe tyed to an iron chaine , but to one a little more honourable ▪ as it may be to a chaine of gold ; or peraduenture to a bracelet of haire , which captiuates thy heart and liberty vnder the tempting lures of a young beauty ; or else by the linkes of thy ambition , which inseperably chaines thee to fortune ; sith all sorts and degrees of liuing is but slauery , & that the scepters of princes are farre heauier in their hands then the crookes of innocent shepheards ; that if no condition haue power to exempt and dispence thee from this slauery , what shall wee accuse ? either the vice of a malicious nature , which at thy birth powred into thy breast so many miseries ; or rather the defect of thy knowledge and iudgement , which enwrapped thee in so obscure and thicke a cloude , that this blindnesse makes thee euery moment stumble against the good which presents it selfe to thy eyes , as against euill ; and that in this ignorance thou art as a ship abandoned to the fury of the waues , which the horrour of the night hath surprised in the middest of a storme and tempest , wherein in the feare of shipwrack , the surest places where his good fortune throwes him , giues him no lesse astonishment , and feare then the most dangerous places . for the fauours of nature should still put thee out of the suspition of her malignitie . what hath shee not done to preuent and remedy the discontent which may arise in thy heart , through an obiect so full of discontent ; shee hath hid from thine eyes and sight , the most secret parts which giue the life and motion , as the weakest and most subiect to corruption ; and the most vile , because they resemble the inward part of the foulest beast of all : and indeede shee hath giuen thee eyes to see abroad onely , and to admire in the world , as in a temple , the liuely images of the diuinitie : but as for those things which are without vs , could she doe any thing better , or more aduantagious to man , for the cōsolation of so many afflictions and griefes which incessantly assaile him , then the habit or custome thereof , as a sweet potion which administreth sleepe , and easeth that part whereunto it is applied to operate his effect with more facilitie and lesse contradiction : this fauour ( in my opinion ) is not the least present which she could giue him , for a habitude of suffering afflictions dulleth the first edge and point thereof , and hardneth the body to the performance thereof : and surely if the griefe which wee very often feele and endure , had so much violence in the continuation , as in the first excesse thereof , the courage and strength of man would proue too weake so long to resist it : the irons which were clapp'd on the hands and feete of the philosopher , seem'd not so heauie to him the second day as the first , and when they tooke them from him , to make him swallow downe the poyson which was prepared for him , that very day and time hee saw his consolation to spring and arise from his griefe , and in the middest of his tortures and executioners the subiect of pleasure and ioy . consider then if there remaine any thing to thy pride wherewith it should swell , and growe so great , but vanity , and what weapons there are left thee to fight against thy misfortune , but onely patience , which ought to make thee acknowledge that thou art indebted for thy slauery , but onely to thy selfe , because nature hath assisted thee with her best power ; and that for the rest shee referres it hee to ordaine according to the rules of thy sufficiencie : or if thou wilt yet know the head spring and originall , from whence arise so many discontents in our life , it is because men feare as mortalls , and desire as immortalls : they binde the liuing to the dead , diuine with humane : they will ingraft the head of a god vpon the body of a hogge : so their desires which are deriued from this superiour part , giues no end to their impatiencie : their feare in this soule and inferiour part , giues lesse truce to their true torment , and the one and the other draw for our misfortune an affliction and paine of that which is not , because they labour for the future as for the present , vpon the empty as vpon the full , and vpon the inanitie as the substance : enterprises begun hold our mindes in suspence , those which are desperate , in sorrow ; as if some byas which we haue to manage and turne those things which present themselues to vs , could not meete but with causes of affliction and misery ; and as if ambitious of our owne misfortune , wee deuance and runne before to meete it , and that it were impossible for vs to gather a rose , except by the prickle . also griefe hath more art to make vs feele it , then pleasure hath ioy to make vs tast it : a little affliction presseth vs farre more then an extreame contentment , and in reuoking to minde those things which time hath stolne from our eyes , it seemes that our memory is better edged by the sharpnesse of those things which we haue felt , then by the polishing of those things , which haue but as it were rased our vnderstanding . our remembrance cannot keepe firme , his foote slides , and as soone failes him . our thoughts flye vpon things past , and stop not but at that which she findes sharpe , angry and difficult to digest : so the time past which afflicts vs , the present which troubleth vs , and the future which denounceth warre to our desires , or feares , doth hinder vs from relishing any thing which is pure . homer who put two tunnes at the entry of iupiters doore , of good and euill ; ought to haue said , that the good was reserued for the gods , and the other remained in partage to men ; or that iupiter being a louer of that which was good , as hee is the cause , was too couetous in his expenses , and with one hand was too prodigall in powring out euils vpon mankind . good and euill is in all things , and euery where intermixed so confusedly , and are so neere one to the other , that it is not in our weake power to marke the difference thereof , except by that place which doth neerest touch and concerne vs , which is that of griefe and sorrow ; which side so euer wee bend or encline , it is still towards that of misery . consider the inconstancy and irresolution of thy desires ; it is not in thine owne power to stay firme and permanent in one condition and qualitie : that if thy sensuall appetite could bee the iudge and arbitrator of her owne voluptuousnesse , and that shee were left to doe what shee pleased : i yet doubt that shee would still finde some thing to craue , or desire ; for this hungry and insatiable desire , which carrieth her to that which is not ; and the displeasing taste which is intermixt in the enioying thereof , makes vs presently weary thereof ; which is the reason , why the wiseman craued nothing of god , but the effects of his diuine will , requiring that which was truly proper and necessary for him : but as our desires are wauing and different , so our will is weake towards good or euill , and cannot absolutely beare it selfe towards the one and the other , without some bruse or hurt , deriued from the croude and confusion of our owne proper desires . we can difficultly agree with our selfe , and none with a firme and an assured heart can suggest any wicked act ; but that his conscience repines and murmures within him : shee cannot consent vnto crime , and thorowe so great a masse of flesh , she discouereth and accuseth her selfe for want of witnesses : or if despight her power she cannot disclose it , yet shee then secretly scratcheth , and incessantly excruciateth her selfe : constancie and vertue which the philosopher would lodge in the heart of the wise man , as in a sacred temple , is it so firme that it will neuer shake : no , it is a vanity to thinke so . but as the world is but a perpetuall dance or brawle ; so shee goes from one dance to another a little more languishing . and as in a sicke body the parts lesse offended with paine , and the contagion of the disease , are termed sound : so among this great troope of men the least vitious are termed vertuous ; and wee terme that firme and constant , which moues not with so much swiftnesse and leuity as the rest . qualities haue no title but in the comparison . those boates which seeme so great on the riuer of seine , are very little at sea , and that resplendant vertue of the antient philosophers , which diffuseth and darts forth so much brightnesse among vs , doth owe this aduantage to mens folly and ignorance : shee will be found vitious , if shee submit her selfe to be sounded , and to suffer the last touch and triall , because the diuine wisedome hath baptised ours with vanity , weakenesse , and folly : to giue it more firmity , shee hath neede of a foundation , more solide then the heart of man ; for as the fixed starres in their disposition and scituation , ought notwithstanding to obey the course & motion of heauen ; so constancie doth alwayes wheele and waue about , and despight her selfe , is obliged to the motion and inconstancie of that whereunto it is tyed and fastned . the wisest doth nothing else but goe astray in all his actions ; and if he strike vpon the point of constancie , it is most commonly by indirect meanes and wayes : hee neuer aymes where he strikes : hee resembleth those muskatieres , who knowing their defect or fault , take their ayme higher or lower : and indeede if hee cannot vanquish his vices , hee transformeth himselfe as achelous , to steale himselfe away out of the hands of his enemies , and so endeuoureth by conniuing to escape them . if he cannot choake the seede in his breast , he will enforce himselfe to change the fruites , by the graft of some different passion , which hee will ingraft vpon the foote and twigge of this . in this manner hee will finde the meanes to lose the thought of displeasing remembrance , in the throng and crowde of some other thoughts and diuertisements , where she loseth her trace and steps , and insensibly erreth and strayeth from vs ; to shew , that inconstancie resounds aloude the iurisdiction which she hath in our hearts ; yea in the most inward and secret motions of our soule , a small matter stayes vs , and a matter of smaller value doth divert vs : the externall shew and apparance of things deceiues vs ; and doth touch vs as much , or more then truth it selfe . the complaints of ariadne , which wee know to be a fabulous inuention and fiction , doth almost draw teares from our eyes : the feigned action of a tragedian , makes vs shake and tremble : and caesars roabe engendered more griefe , and sedition in the hearts of the romanes , then his fresh and bloudie death could possibly doe . section ii. the wisedome of man cannot free it selfe from vanity , so naturall shee is to it . whosoeuer will busie himselfe to controle the vanity of popular spirits , who more cherish the ornament of their face then of their life , and who feare lesse to see the common-wealth in disorder & confusion then their periwigge ; doe not testifie much lesse in their owne proper actions , as if hee should imploy his time , and study to number the waues , and sands of the sea : but our intent and designe is to seeke in the condition of man , if hee can finde some throne so high erected and eleuated , that vanity cannot attaine to it : it must not be in the thrones of princes and emperours , nor in great offices and dignities , for then she is lodged as in her fort and castle , and hath already surprised all the approaches and auenewes . wee shall finde it in some lower seate or station , as in the degree of vertue termed wisedome , which resisteth iron , fires , tyrants , and other instruments of fortune . those noble vestments wherewith the antients delighted to decke and adorne themselues , are not much lesse to be esteemed then themselues , she hath not much more reality in the forme then in the matter . the dreames of these philosophers haue had no lesse art to forge them , then to cause them to bee beleeued . it is a faire princesse which holdes vnder her feete fortune chain'd , and the world captiue : it is pittie that it is not a body , as it is but a shadowe , and the shadowe of an imaginarie fantasie : those who haue giuen vs such great aduantages in paintings , it may be haue neuer seen extreame griefe & sorow but in pourtrait . that philosopher who with a seuere countenance reproached to his sorrow , that it was not capable to make him complaine , or to stoope his courage by his hard vsage , in my opinion yeelded him homage and acknowledgement enough by this refuse . the onely difference of him with others , is because hee complain'd in other termes , as those who discourse of their loues by silence . if he had beene dumbe , he had yet had a greater aduantage , in not confessing that griefe and paine was an euill . but i thinke we neede not apply any other tortures to make his experience and feelings confesse what they deeme thereof . to shut our mouth to our complaints , wee cannot exempt or shutte our breast from griefe , which as a furious fire , if it haue not vent by this sighing place , will growe the more enflam'd by its constraint : hee will finde it as sharpe and irksome as a poore country labourer : to be braue and proud in his words , will not any way diminish his sence thereof , for his vertue consisteth onely in his patience , but this salubrious and wholesome remedy neuer wants , but to those who are in despaire . o that wee were happy if this vertue could be found amongst vs ; yea vpon the walls of a besieged citie all dustie , our hands full of galls , and all couered with wounds and bloud , as saith seneca ▪ but wee shall as soone finde cowardise as generosity , and choler as valour , which in the feare of sacking a towne , or of our totall ruine , o● of the infallible losse of our dignity , wealth , o● family , borowes the apparell of valour , and vnder that strange name and vesture , steales the name and glory of vertue : in any other place where we will lodge him , wee shall finde nothing but his colours . if our particular interes● presse vs of that side , which it makes v● stoope and bend , wee would haue it to be th● high way of vertue ; and to make it flexible to our actions , we giue it so many disguises , tha● to establish it in his first being , it will not be i● our power , nor it may be in his owne . if she● will permit her selfe to be disposed and managed by vs , it must be grosly , shee must suffe● our corruption , and wholy forget what shee is to cloathe her selfe with our weakenesse : th● firmest instruments wherewith wee may sta● and stop her , are our naturall weapons , as weak●nesse , inconstancie , and vanity ; for how true o● false is wisedome , which giues place to frenzie , a burning feauer , and decrepit sicknesse ? what temperance did the philosopher obserue in the embraces of his wife ? let vs confesse that in what degree or quality so euer hee be , that he is alwayes man , and that he cannot forbeare to act and play his owne part , what action so euer hee will counterfeit , for his maske and disguise , is pull'd off by truth . take away the opinion of euill from a foole , and that of good from a wise man , you will bring them both into their shirts , and then finde that they are two men , which differ nothing but in their apparell ; and extreame folly hath yet this affinity with much wisedome , that they are not ioyned , and yet not farre distant , and that they are constrained to borrowe one from the other , that which makes them appeare in their chiefest lustre and glory . consider if the soule ( in the degree of temperancie ) can produce any thing , but that which is vulgar and common ; or if she will discouer any greater then accustomed , shee must rush forth of her selfe , shee must violently draw vs , and taking the snaffle in her , teeth , shee must beare vs vpon her selfe , with as much temerity and rashnesse , as that young sonne of the sunne did his chariot : but the excellence of vertue consists not in eleuating our selues high , for it matters not where wee are , so wee be in rule and order . the power and greatnesse of the minde , consists not in an extraordinary motion of running , but in a firme , constant , an● sure pace , and still equall to himselfe : wha● then shall this rash sally bee , but irregularity , and this irregularity but a degree of folly : le● vs seeke the confirmation of my speech in th● schoole of the philosophers . plato beleeued no● that a solide and sound vnderstanding ought or should knocke at the gate of poesie , because the poet ( saith he ) sitting on the chaire of the muses , furiously powres forth all which comes into his minde , without tasting or digesting it ▪ it escaped from homers tongue ; that it is goo● sometimes to be a foole : cato affirmes , that th● best wits are those which haue most variety ▪ but aristotle makes it cleare , that a wit which mounts it selfe into the supreamest degree of excellencie and rarity , is indebted to his irregularity , which issueth forth from his seat of wisedome , and is therefore of the iurisdiction of folly , as if the soule had no surer signe of her perfect health then sicknesse : it is a misfortune to owe his wisedome to folly , his glory to contempt , and his reformation to vice. to sprinckle on vs oracles and prophesies , according to the diuine philosopher , the soule must abandon her vsuall custome and pace , and be surprised , and forced by some heauenly raptures and rauishment , thereby to steale ( as prometheus did fire from heauen ) the secrets of the diuinity . that if hee whom antiquity beleeued , to merrit the name of wise aboue all other men , hath refused it as vnworthy ( although humane nature enforced it selfe to produce him as a bright sunne among the shining wits of his age ) by what right and iurisdiction must we attribute it to him . shall wee be iudges of that whereof wee are incapable , and shall our ignorance haue this reputation aboue his knowledge , to be beleeued more true therein ? we are prodigall of that which we haue not , and thinke to iudge more truly then he , of those colours which we haue neuer seene , and whereof himselfe alone hath had some knowledge , though imperfect . is it not true that socrates had more knowledge of his wisedome , and of himselfe , then all those vulgar people , who with confused voyces , and ill assured words , would be wiser then him in this art and science of wisedom ? socrates had too much freenesse in his soule , to vse any counterfeiting disguise ; that if hee would attribute to his modesty , the contempt which hee made of himselfe , his wisedome , and condition , i will esteeme him guilty of no lesse vanity , because there is no lesse errour and vice , to conceale and couer the truth one way , then another . let vs therefore stay at his free confession , rather then to our owne rash iudgements ; and yet notwithstanding wee shall giue him no lesse praise and glory then antiquity hath done . but let vs receiue this contentment , that it be done in our sight , and to our knowledge , and that hee drawe vp art and science from the bottome of his ignorance , and his greatest and iustest glory , ( with so much reason and iustice ) to haue despised and contemned himselfe ; and from thence let vs deriue this consequence or corollary : that the power of man goes no farther then this point , to cause to issue and streame foorth some riuolets of cleare water , from the bottome of a deepe and dirty well : hee still sauours of slime and dirt , and if hee haue strength enough to dissemble it to our sences , hee hath not sufficient art to disguise it to the truth . hee deemes himselfe powerfull through the vse and frequecie of his owne opinions . he resounds aloude the wealth and treasure of his imagination , and hath reason to prise and value them at so high a rate , because all his riches is but a dreame , his felicities but in outward shewe and appearance , his prerogatiues but in discourse , and hee himselfe is nothing else but vanity and lyes . chiron who refused the immortality which was offered him by the gods , had learnt in the schoole of nature , the esteeme which he should make of so miserable and wretched a condition ; wherein there is nothing immortall but vexation and labour , nor mortall , but contentment . wee liue in sorrowes and afflictions , or rather they liue by and in vs , and for the defect of true causes , we adde phantasticall bodies thereunto to afflict vs. and if we are reduced to this point , to haue nothing without to paine vs ; wee yet make our selues enemies of our selues , as if our peace and rest were but in contradiction , and our tranquillity in perpetuall apprehension and feare . but let vs proceede to examine the other springs and lockes of his nature , thereby to discouer them ; to see whether wee shall finde more or lesse vanity in him , although notwithstanding we purposely conceale the greatest part thereof : for if all were discouered , it were to be feared , that it being but vanity , it would all proue but winde , which would carie away with it the subiect whereon wee are to entreate . the end of the first discourse . the second discourse . of the sences . section . i. the soule and the body are vnited together by so strong a linke , that as the body cannot moue but by the meanes of the soule : so the soule cannot moue towards externall things , nor know them but by meanes of the sences . riuers doe not sufficiently discouer the nature of their head springs , and mens actions yeeld not knowledge enough of their originall ; their perpetuall motion , bereaues from our eyes ( through its violence ) the meanes how to know them ; and from our thoughts , the meanes how to iudge of them : it is the flight of a bird , which leaues no trace in the ayre behinde him : we must therefore follow him as he goes , to know what hee is , what is the principall marke whereby hee differeth from other creatures , what are his priuiledges , faculties , and meanes , whereby he receiues knowledge , the ayde and assistance whereof , ( besides the perpetuall trouble wherein it entertaines him ) fills him full of vaine glory and presumption : in so doing , wee shall see reason in her castle , how she establisheth her selfe with power and authority : what is her beginning , her progresse , and her end : how she findes not in vs any free , common , and naturall entrance , but by the sences , which are as the sentinels of the soule , disposed without to aduertise her of all that passeth , and to furnish the principles and matter ; to establish this proud building , wherein she afterwards sits as in her throne of maiestie , which i terme science , or the knowledge of things : for if all things that are knowne , may bee knowne onely according to the faculty of the knower ; wee must acknowledge that wee are solely bound to them for this knowledge , because it doth necessarily begin , and likewise end in them . for by the meanes of the sences , imagination , memory , and opinion is framed and formed , and from these imaginations being once placed in quietnesse , and of memory and opinion , reduced in order by iudgement , is deriued the knowledge of things . to passe on , and proceede with more facility to this knowledge , we say that the sence is a faculty ioyned in a certaine proportion and harmony , with its proper obiect ; as the sight to colours , hearing to sounds , smelling to sents , tasting to sauours , and feeling to colde , heate , and other naturall qualities , whereof the subiects or causes consists and this by the meanes of the ayre , which receiues , retaines , and beares , as a mediator , these sorts of the one to the other subiect . these fiue messengers carie to the interiour powers ( endewed with knowledge ) all that we can comprehend or desire : and they all thrust forward to common sence , as to thei● centre , where they faithfully report the images of those things , according as they haue gathered and collected them , which after iudgeth and discerneth thereof . their particular power is confined and limited within the bounds of the obiect which is prescrib'd them , without whose extent they neuer aduance : for the eyes neither iudge nor know any thing but colours , nor the eares but onely those tones and sounds wherewith they are strucken : but common sence iudgeth of the one and the other seuerally , neuer confounds them , and is industriously carefull to present them to the imaginatiue ; who as an ingenious painter , receiues and gathereth the liuely formes , which being cleansd of sensible conditions , and particular qualities , become vniuersall ; and are capable to be presented to the vnderstanding , being thus disroabd of their grosse apparell , and guided by the light of the intellect ; an agent which stands at the entry , as a torch to hinder either the order or confusion of images or formes which may meet and assaile one the other in the crowde ; and then presently presents them to the still and quiet intellect ; who hauing opinioned vpon these formes that haue beene presented to him , iudgeth which are profitable , and which preiudiciall ; and then offers them afterwards to our will , together with his iudgement thereon : who as mistresse of the powers , ordaines that they shall all embrace her party , and so to follow that which pleaseth , or else to eschew and avoid that which displeaseth him ; but to the ende , that in the absence of objects the vnderstanding may haue wherewith to imploy and entertaine himselfe , hee commits to the guard and custody of memory , those formes which are shewed to him by his fancy , to present them to him as often as it is needefull ; and although the subtilty , and quicke actiuitie of these different motions are almost insensible , wee must neuerthelesse thus dispose and order them ; although one onely motion doth in one and the same instant touch all these different strings , which concurre to the sweet harmony of the thoughts , and motions of a well-ordered minde , thereby to enlighten with more familiarity , the beginning , progresse , and ende of matters ; and how , and in what manner materiall things are made spirituall , thereby to haue more communication and commerce with our soule . and yet notwithstanding , it is not a necessarie consequence that this order bee so religiously obserued : for i speake of free operations , which are made in a sound vnderstanding , and not of those who permit themselues to be guided and gouerned by their owne opinions , and who content themselues simply to follow the great high way , as the more frequented and beaten ; without enquiring where they goe , nor why they follow this sort of life , because their affection and fancy , which hath receiued the formes which sense presented to them , with some particular recommendation and fauour , presented them likewise as soone to the sensuall appetite vnder the forme of good , or euill : who without communicating it to his superiour iudges , commands as a lieutenant generall ouer the moovable powers who are subiect to him , which are dispersed in the muscles , arteryes , and other parts of the body , that they obey him , either to approach , or retyre ; to flye , or follow ; and to performe such other motions , as is requisit and proper to the impression that is giuen them by this sensuall appetite . section . ii. the different operation of the senses concludes not that there are fiue , no more then the different effects of the rayes of the sunne , that there are many sunnes . it seemes to me ( with some probability and apparance ) that the number and multitude of the senses might bee reduced to that of feeling ; for as the most delicate parts of the body feele cold or heate , good or euill , more sensibly and liuely then the grosser : so man touched with the same obiect , seemes to be diversly touched , because his body ( in her tenderest parts ) receiues a feeling so delicate and subtile , that it loseth the name of feeling , and then we giue it another according to our fancy and opinion ; although in effect , that proceeds from the disposition or delicatenesse of the sensible part ; the which the more it is small , tender , and subtile , the more the feeling becomes delicate and subtile . and indeede the same obiect which toucheth vs , if it be generally ouer all the body , that wee terme feeling , or if hee meet with any part more liuely or animated , as in the superiour part of man , where nature hath lodged ( as in a heauen ) the intelligences and the liuely formes and images of the diuinity , the same obiect ( i say ) which in all the body could meete with none but with grosse parts , could not make , that the feeling should produce the effects of all the other senses , according to the part where he met , the which the more delicate it is , the more this feeling doth subtilise , & in the end purifies it self so , that it seemes to be absolutely some other thing , and to haue no resemblance with that which the vulgar and popular voyce termes feeling : for if the obiect touch our tast , the sence and feeling is farre more subtill then when it toucheth our foote , hand , or any grosser part of the body : and therefore we will terme it no more feeling , but sauour or relish : if it be present it selfe to the nose , it subtilizeth it selfe the more : if to the hearing againe , more : if to the sight , it is with such a subtilty and purity , that it seemes to be an opinion meerely erroneous to call that sense feeling ; because the obiect which strikes it , toucheth it not hard enough , or that it doth not hurt or offend so much & so liuely in this part as in others . if neuerthelesse they will behold the sunne with open eyes , this pricking burning paine which they feele in their eye , will bee enough sharpe and sensible to draw this confession from their tongue : for were it so that the obiect touched not our eye : but that this faculty of seeing depended wholly of him , he would imagine all things of one and the same colour . if the feeling he receiues by the degrees of the obiect , which are conuayed to him by the meanes and assistance of the ayre , made him not to obserue the difference , as if he alwayes looke through a greene or red glasse , all that is presented to him , appeares of the same colour . that if this faculty were absolutely in vs , that the thing touched vs not , that the obiect had no right , but of patience and reception , and not of action or emission . we should see all equally , without being more interested of one obiect then of another , because on toucheth vs not more then another . but our weake sight cannot support or suffer the darts and blowes of the sunne , as of some torch or simple light : wee must then acknowledge and confesse , that it is the obiect which toucheth it more or lesse , sith nature hath operated most wisely in vs , in giuing vs senses , which by their proper power and suggestion , would beare themselues to our ruine and confusion : which would fall out if the effect that wee feele in our sight by the splendour of the sunne , proceeded onely from the visible facultie , and not from the blowe or the touch of the sunne . but all obiects which come to strike our sight in a reasonable distance , shee will be ioyfull in this meeting and feeling ; shee sees and knowes this obiect as much as shee can , according to the resemblance and conformity betweene her , and that which toucheth her . hearing is nothing else but a feeling of the tune or sound in this part , the which accordingly more or lesse , as it strikes our eare , makes the sound graue or harsh , sweet or displeasing : and if it strike vs too rudely and violently , it then not onely toucheth the eare , but all the whole body , as when a great noyse or thunder makes all things tremble and shake vnder vs , and seemes to strike and astonish the foundations of houses by this suddaine and violent feeling . in a word , feeling is performed by the meanes of the ayre , which according to the power of the obiect , and as it is bent against vs , or such part of our body , makes either the visible , the sound , the smell , the tast , or the feeling , which is vniuersally ouer all the body , and which the common people beleeue , doth onely merrit the name of feeling . neuerthelesse , because in all doubtfull matters my humour is not to affirme any thing ; i therefore leaue to the opinion and iudgement of euery one , the free choyse and liberty , to beleeue what he pleaseth . and i care not if they are one , or many , sith the diuersity of their functions seemes to merit , if not an essentiall difference , yet a different name . it sufficeth that wee haue the centre of their operations in the common sence , which together verifies their stile , their rule , their forme . if he abuse it , i appeale , hee is iudge and party : neuerthelesse , because the multiplicity of motions of that thing which passeth in our thoughts , and which to this end is refined by the labour of the operation of vnderstanding , seemes at first aboard , to disburthen it selfe of that which is grossest in her , and not to retaine but the simplest and most perfect essence ; to make it the sweeter , and more familiar to the tast and palate of the minde ; yet i doubt that shee estrangeth her selfe the more , and that the more she is spiritualiz'd to our fantasie and minde , the lesse shee discouereth her selfe , and the more she growes great and corporall to our vnderstanding , i meane she estrangeth her selfe from the truth . section . iii. nature being iealous of secrets , permits not the senses to discouer the essences of things , nor that they can conuey any thing to our vnderstanding , that is not chang'd and corrupted by them in the passage . the so different opinion of things , makes vs plainely see , that wee are not yet arriued thereunto . wee cannot take hold of them in a good place : wee deuest them at the entrance of their proper qualities , and receiue new knowledge of the minde , and such impression as shee pleaseth . of the obiect which presents it selfe to vs , euery one of our senses seize that which is pleasing , and proper to him , except the essence , that is to say , the true being thereof , so that all our art is to know the obiect by this sort , but not that he is of this sort . vice and the defect of our knowledge , doth not change , or alter it in any thing . the childe which lookes thorowe a red glasse , hath hee not cause to laugh to see thy face of that colour , but hast thou not more cause to laugh to see how he is abused and deceiued , and the soule , which in our body will intermeddle to iudge all according as it is athwart so many grosse and thicke glasses , as are our senses , and susceptible of so many different colours . doth she afford lesse cause ? againe , if all that we see , we sawe to be all of one sort ; wee might then establish a certaine knowledge of our ignorance , and not of the thing , for the true being and essence thereof is in it selfe , and cannot discouer it selfe to our knowledge . truth cannot glide , and passe into our vnderstanding , because our senses change and corrupt that which it brings vs from without ; and that of things which by them comes into our fancies , is obscured in its passage : and as much difference and distance , as there is betweene the thing , and the image and resemblance thereof : so much difference there is betweene the true reality of the thing , and that which wee imagine wee know : yea , there is more ; for betweene man and his picture , there is some resemblance : but our senses being too weake to apprehend and comprehend that of truth , cannot so much as represent vs the image or figure thereof ; because there is no comparison or resemblance betweene true and false : but our senses deceiue themselues , and contradict and contrary one the other : as in painting , the picture which in our eyes seemes a corporall statue , is found smooth and flat when we feele it . in these contrary apparances , the one must needes be true , and the other false , if rather they are not both false . the senses therefore do not carie the image of truth to common sense , sith the image ought still to be the resemblance of the thing . if wee presse the corner of our eye , wee shall see two candles for one . our hearing being somewhat stopped , receiues sounds otherwise then they are . the sicke patient findes wine sowre and bitter , which in health he holdes to be sweet and pleasant . the senses likewise finde themselues abused by the power of the vnderstanding . the passions of the soule change their function . loue placeth a thousand rarities of beauty in her obiect ; and hatred , and disdaine as many imperfections . the vermilion and the ceruse , which to our knowledge adornes and beautifies the face of a woman , enflames our amorous desires , and despight of all these shewes , and apparances ; we say they will neuer fade or faile , and wee shall be beleeued to haue farre more reason to quarell the truth thereof it selfe , then to contradict it . it is true , that if thereon wee are prest , or called in question , wee cannot retire farther backe : we must fight , and it hazardeth the entire losse of arts and sciences . in such a cause i know it is farre fitter to cast away our weapons , then to vse them , and not to support so vniust a quarell , with so weake defences : i know not who shall be iudge hereof , and for my part i name and institute complesancie , to be arbitrator of this difference . and i doe not wonder if the epicuriens submit vs to the mercie of the senses , with so much seuerity and tyrannie , that they permit it to be more lawfull for vs to inuent all sorts of lyes and fictions , then to accuse them of falshood . those philosophers cannot chuse but establish excellent arts and sciences , sith they are so religious in their principles , and they well demonstrate by their atomes , the faith and sound beliefe which they want in their weake beginnings . it is true that in the spagerycall art , the more things are discharged from the grosse accidents and qualities which enuiron them , the more they are made perfect , and essentiall ; but it fares not with our vnderstanding as with a lymbecke ; because the labour of our minde doth in nothing touch the true being of the thing ; and the strongest stroake which hee can giue to apprehend it , is this first communication of the senses to the things which are neerest by their faculties , relation , harmony , measure , and true proportion which is betwixt them and their obiect by the interuention of nature , so as then when one of the senses hath carried to common sense the figure of his obiect , hee is so farre from being cleansed and purified by this idea ; or that hee communcates more easily by the vertue of his being , that he is much the further off it . and as the sides of an angle the more they are continued the more they are distant one from the other : so the more those figures or images are borne to the common sense , and are purified to make them capable and worthy of our vnderstanding , the more they estrange themselues from the obiect which they represent , and consequently from his true being . our thoughts runne af-after obiects to embrace them , but in vaine , for they can ouertake nothing but shaddowes , through the ayd and assistance of their weake imaginations . it is a handfull of water , which shee will retaine and hold , and the more shee graspes fast her hand , the swifter it runnes out . but sith thoughts enioy nothing else of the thing then the id●ea , can we say , that it is a subiect capable to containe him , to possesse it ; yea in a being more certaine , sure , and purer then she is . if wee say there is so small reason to measure a right line by a crooked one , to know the true measure thereof , and that a square cannot bee measured by an orbe or circle , although these lines and figures are of the same nature , and differ not but accidentally , is it possible that wee would so proudly measure and know the truth of things , by so false an instrument ; and which hath so small resemblance to its true being : it is to esteeme the shadowe aboue the light , to giue more beliefe to dreames , then watchings , and more to prise and value apparance and shewe , yea of not being , then of the true being of the thing it selfe . this faculty of sense which distills through all our body , is descended from aboue , and from our soule , as the light of the sunne , which exposeth to our eyes the beauty , but not the essence of things that enuiron vs : sith nature it selfe ( according to plato ) is nothing else but abstruse and enigmaticall poesie , as an ouer-vailed painting resplending , with infinite variety of false lights , thereby to giue vnto the apparence of our reasons , and the weakenesse of our coniectures more cause to admire the sacred and powerfull hand of our diuine painter , god ; who in all the corners of the world , and chiefely in man , hath engrauen the caracters and images of his diuinity . section . iv. science ( or knowledge ) is the marke and seale of the diuinity , but that which resides among vs here in earth , is nothing else but abuse , trumperie , and vanitie . ovr knowledge is but a vanity , his assurance hath no other foundation but doubt . there is nothing more weake or fraile then his principles : his beginnings are tender and childish , we must leade them by the hand : they had neede haue ayde and support from euery one , of a firme and vndoubted beliefe for want of valable reasons . if our faith did not maintaine them , they could not subsist of themselues . also none will permit that they be examined or proued , for the triall and quest will be of too dangerous a consequence : but there can be no principles , if the diuinity haue not reuealed them , and therefore there is no science or knowledge . all contrary presupposition hath no lesse authority one then the other , if reason make not the difference . that which we will establish for reason , it must needes be reason it selfe , and not our owne opinion . if it be lawfull for vs to enforme our selues of the principles of sciences ; yea , of that which is held and maintained for the most certaine , and true by the common consent of all philosophers ; wee shall finde that by their false presuppositions , they establish a knowledge of truth : for they will measure materiall things by immateriall ; although neuerthelesse they will haue the thing which measureth , of the same nature , with the thing measured : as their numbers which are not measured but by numbers , and their lines , by lines : but the point is the principle of their measure ; the point is nothing , they haue therefore no point of a principle in their measure . there is nothing so opposite and distant , as being from not being : how will they then by the not being of the point , passe to the infallible and sure demonstration of the true being of the body ? can they giue any other assured foundation to the point , the line and the superficies , then their imagination ? let them not therefore attempt to measure imaginary things , sith they are of the same nature , and that there is nothing more different then reall being to imaginarie , frō the line to the pearch , and from the angle to the compasse . let the surueyer of lands make vse of his pearch , to measure the earth : but let not the astrologer forme in his head or minde any imaginary pearches to measure heauen ; the distance of the planets , or the extent of the zodiacke : let our grosse sense , be the test of true and false , sith we haue none more sure : it will ill become vs to play the wise men aboue our senses and vnderstanding : our wit can neither forme nor frame any thing beyond it , which hath any foundation . this is to vndertake too much : they make vs confesse despight of our selues , that they are the expert masters therein , and that we haue no right but in obedience , not in counsaile . if the mathematicians will not that the point measure the line , the line the superficies , nor the superficies the body : why will they that this body framed in their imaginations , by the weauing and connexion of the point , the line and the superficies which is but imaginarie ; be capable to measure a body physicall and reall , which admits nor knowes any point , line , or superficies : it is to establish principles with too much tyrannie , not to giue leaue to examine them ; sith the knowledge which results thereof , is a bird of the same nest : and that he ought to enforme himselfe of all , before he giue vs demonstrations for articles of faith , which haue no other foundation , but doubt and incertainty : for we most say with epicure , that all things are compounded of points , sith it is the beginning , middle , and end of a line . but the line is to the superficies , that which the point is to the line , and the superficies to the body , that which the line is to the superficies , wherefore this point being in all , and through all to the line , must likewise be in all , and throw all to to the body ; for withdrawing by the power of the imagination ( because this is solely the work of imagination ) all the points which may meet , or can be imagined in the line ; there will then remaine no more line , or that which remaines will haue no more points : but she cannot be diuided but by the points , therefore either the line shall bee nothing more ; when the points shall be taken away , or she shall be indiuisible in her length , because she is not deuisible , but by the points which shall be no more . may i not then conclude of the absurdity of their demonstrations and principles : for the same that we haue done to the line , by withdrawing of the points , we may doe to the superficies by the substraction of lines , and to the body by the substraction of the superficies , and there will nothing remaine to vs but the point , which they themselues can neither expresse nor define , but by negation : but can there be found any thing in the body of nature , which is nothing ; and neuerthelesse is euery where , and composeth all , and that from thence we may inferre , that the mathematician is nothing , nor yet his art and science : why then will we borrowe of imagination the principle of so reall and true a being , as the body which falls vnder our senses , sith there is no conformity nor resemblance of the measure , to the thing measured . the astrologers haue more reason to forme epicicles to the sunne and moone : and because they cannot attaine thereto , they are constrained to lend a body , and a forme to their inuentions . if they cannot approach the sunne , they will approach the sunne neere to them , to forme him materiall springs and lockes , to the end that they may manage him according to their owne pleasures and fashion , and that he may not escape from them , and as well they shall not be beleeued : but what , doth it seeme to them , or doe they thinke that the diuine prouidence , who ruleth and limiteth the motions of all things , could doe nothing without them , and that heauen , if it were not hung fast by her poles , and the sunne and moone linked and nayled fast to their heauen , that they would fall on our heads : that the planets could not moue , because euery moment without rule & order they met and contended , and troubled themselues in their course and reuolution : as if i say , this diuine prouidence had not established so much , but a fairer order aboue , among these celestiall bodies , ( where in outward shew & apparence he is more pleased , because hee delights in cleannesse and purity ) then hee hath done belowe here among the elements , which take not the hand and place one of the other : but euery one keepes himselfe in his proper place and station ordained to him . earth mounts not vp to the region of fire , nor the ayre throwes her selfe not downe into that of water , but according to their vsuall custome & commerce , and the harmony which nature hath contracted betweene them , as is seene in the mixture of compounds : which of their discordant accords and agreements , yeeld so sweet a harmony and diapazon : but sith this wise mother of the world is so carefull to conserue peace among beasts , who deuoure not one the other : yea , likewise among corruptible bodies , although age hauing destroyed them , she can easily make & propriate others of the same clay , & of the same matter which shee moulds , and workes continually in her hands , by a farre stronger consideration shee hath reason to entertaine and maintaine : a perfect peace , rule , order , and measure , among those caelestiall bodies , and that it were not in her power to establish ( if they were entermixed and confused ) in the order which was prescribed to them from their beginning , by him who neuer had , nor shall haue end or beginning . they can , and are well conseru'd without them , and without their epicicles , and hee among them who can erect his eyes in the contemplation of this great body in comparison of the earth , of that which wee possesse and enioy , will assuredly iudge that nature vseth vs as children , because it giues vs nothing but trifles of small or no value , yea , which are not worth the losing : in regard of those which we want and enioy no● . i beleeue that the epicicle which they giue to the moone , differs not much from that of their wit , and i thinke i wrong them not in the comparison . a heauenly body doth at least deserue as noble a scituation , as a feeble , and earthly imagination . they conduct , and gouerne themselues , very well without vs , and i would to god we could doe it so well without them : and although their influence , ( whereof man cannot know the cause , and motion , if he ascend not to the head spring , and fountaine , ) distribute vs happinesse , or misfortune , good , or euill ; yet neuerthelesse , we will giue them but a younger childes portion , and will make them trot , retire , and aduance , according to our pleasures ; but our vanitie cannot be concealed , or kept from them , they retaine recorde thereof , so , as whosoeuer can breake open , and discouer those seales ; he shall presently , and palpably behold , things past , present , and to come , and as the flood of all mortall matters runnes incessantly with one , and the same impetuositie . our designes are faire , and generous , but their execution ridiculous ; our mountaines of pride , and vanity produce , and propagate vs nothing but mice , and are more to bee lamented , and pittied in the weakenesse of our wits , then those small pigmees , for the weakenesse of their bodies , & in their enterprise vpon hercules . if those giants , which would heretofore assault , and scale heauen , yea , the throne of the gods , and pull the thunder out of iupiters hands , had finished ●h●ir intended enterprise , they would haue 〈◊〉 vs of what matter the sunne was 〈◊〉 , how he is captiue , bound , and tied to 〈◊〉 , what is his epicycle , apogee , and other 〈◊〉 misteries , & functions ; if their presumption ▪ and rashnesse were not at the very instant , 〈◊〉 vnder the very weight , and burthen of 〈◊〉 ●●mour , and weapons ; to shew that the 〈◊〉 , presumption , and vanitie of our reasons brings vs nothing else but shame , and confusion . the principles of these sciences are weake , shaking , and trembling ; it is a labour to support , and affirme them , but when they are avered , and that their principles , and demands are granted , then they afterwards triumph in their demonstrations . they approoue a thousand faire things , without that there proceede thereof any good effect : can the industry of m●n make a circle so round , that the right line comming to make the angle of contiguitie shall not touch it , but in one point , and not imaginary , and that there can bee no smaller sharpe angle giuen but that : as if the sharpe right-line angle , being a quantitie , cannot bee diuided into so many partes , that it meete with a smaller then that , which the angle of contiguitie giues . we must send them to the schoole of sense , and they shall finde themselues farre wide , and distant from their reckoning : but how can they tearme demonstrations , those apparances of reason , which prooue euery thing contrary . for our mathematicians , and astrologers say , that the earth is a fixed , and immoueable point , about which , mooues , and turnes this great masse of heauen : cleanthes , nicetas , and copernicus , haue prooued that the heauens were immoueable , and that the earth wheeled about the oblique circle of the zodiacke , turning round about his axell-tree : are they not appointed , and placed directly contrary ; haue they tane any other footing then on their principles , haue they aduanced any thing , but by demonstration ; and yet neuerthelesse , we see them contradict , and contend in the effect , and proofe of their opinions : who then shall bee the true iudge betweene these two different sects ; for if wee permit our selues to bee carried away by the force , and strength of humane reason , they haue both of them spoken trueth : is there any thing truer then demonstration , there is nothing then more true , then the contrary thereof , & consequently , because one of these two opinions , is necessarily false ; if they are not both false . then there is nothing truer then falsehood and nothing more certaine , then incertainty , for both of them haue operated by demonstration . but humane iudgment cannot giue more weight and beliefe to one demonstration , then to another : sith by the chaine , and dependance of precedent propositions , you are directly led to principles , the which if you haue not the liberty to contradict ; complaine not afterwards , to see so many , and so great absurdities , and such resemblance of contraries , & likewise of so true apparances , if we call that trueth , which restraines , & hinders vs from passing beyond the necessary consequence of a proposition ; but for my part , i am not of this opinion , i call that trueth , which is immoueable , and which hath no other rest , or refuge , but in the bosom of god , it is the proper place wher it reposeth , she is not of our placing ▪ or disposing : she doth euery where present , & profer her selfe vnto vs ; but a mortall hand is not capable to retaine , or hold her . we seek her , we possesse her , & yet we cannot meet her ; our wit is blinde borne , which at high-noone , in the fairest summer day , seekes the light of the sunne . wee haue no nobler designe ; but our effects , and weake reasons cannot follow , or second her ; and when she falles into our hands , haue we where withall to seize , and maintaine her in our possession ? our meanes , and powers are too weake to apprehend her : we perpetually runne , and wheele about her , but the contrary sh●wes , which wee finde in all sorts of things , and subiects , make vs apparantly see , that they are but the barkes , and rindes of trueth ; and if we tearme the out-side of our discourse , reason , ( which euery one frames in his minde , ) according to his capacitie , to apply it to the knowledge of the thing , shall we not then say , that there is nothing more weake , and inconstant : if this reason haue trueth still on her side , see how many contrary faces , and semblances we giue to trueth ; there was neuer a proposition so firmely held , or mainetained , which hath not , or may not receiue at least a hundred contrary reasons , if wee will cast off opinion , and so saile without her , to what winde shall wee expose , and abandon our sailes , if not that being met , and beaten with so many windes , equally contrary , wee remaine fixed , and immooueable in our station . this point will infallibly be both the center of all motion , and the rest , and tranquillitie of a well gouerned minde : but humane knowledge doeth not conduct vs , shee neuer followes , or shapes this course , if we will follow any , we must the very selfe-same houre , embrace his partie , and quarells . if the sophister , and he which controules all , knew as well how to laugh at himselfe , as at others , i should thinke his side , and party very strong : but to beleeue outward shewes , or apparances , it is indeed too great a simplicitie . the libertie of the minde ought not to ingage it selfe , except in those things wherein wee are not permitted to rest doubtfull ; as in our religion , and faith , where we ought to hold , and retaine our written lesson , from that wise , holy , and sacred word of god ; and not that so weake an instrument as our humane reason , should intermeddle to enquire , or iudge ; for whosoeuer contesteth , doeth not freely consent . but it is not so with sciences , for if reason it selfe be not their foundation , we are not bound to passe farther in beleeuing them ▪ that which is receiued by the opinion , and common consent of many , must not here passe , as the forme of a reuokeable law , and if all men beleeue it , yet i would the more doubt it ; their ignorance may haue some reputation with themselues , but not with others . from the cradle , we say , that one and one are two : but wee must acknowledge , that the greatest reason of this principle , is , because it is so held & receiued among vs : for this tenent holdes more of custome then of reason , and of opinion then truth ; as we will more amply declare hereafter . it is vpon this foundation that plato by the meanes of numbers , eleuates and caries his thoughts euen into the very bosome of god , seeming to serue himselfe hereof , as of a ladder to mount and vnite himselfe to this diuine knowledge . hath he not reason to make great esteeme thereof . sith our cabalists haue so firmely beleeued them , as it seemes that by them all thinges ( though neuer so farre distant ) doe approach , and become familiar to their minds : but they haue neede of a very soft and tractable wit , to subiect it to the beliefe of their principles , as if the composition and collection of the number of two and three which make fiue , the resultance thereof were the mariage of the whole body of nature , which is found conformable to the opinion of pythagoras , that two is the matter , and three the forme : that two is the female , because it may be cu● in two , and equally diuided , and hereby to make it selfe capable to receiue in it selfe , the motiue power of the forme , which is the number of three , as male● because it cannot be equally diuided , and therefore vnworthy to receiue , as the number of two , which opens it selfe to receiue , and growes great by this commixture , which if it ingender a male , which is the number of three , you shall finde that this three , propagates the number of fiue , from whom it is issued , and being againe conioyned together , doe compose the number of eight , which they tearme the full number , and the accomplishment of all things ; where the creature vnites it selfe , to his creator , in a perfect harmonie : and this first principle , which is generally extended euery where , being reunited in it selfe , soundes foorth the most melodious diapason , which the musician tearmes octaue , and the cabalist , the perfect , or full number . so the musician , and the cabalist doe neede , that the principles of arithmetique bee layed , and confirmed before they proceede farther to the establishing of their science ; but who can iustly say , that one , and one are two , so as there is no apparant , or pregnant reason to doubt thereof ; which is , that i beleeue not , for there cannot be found in nature two things , which are so entirely one , and the same . it must then needes be , that this one , which you ioyne to the first , to make two , are somethi●g different ; for either it is the same , or i● is 〈◊〉 from the first : if it be the same , 〈◊〉 is nothing but brings foorth her like , and ●hey will make but one , and not two ; as if to a sound , you adde , and ioyne the same sound , so much the more you adde the same , and it will still be one , and the same sound ; vntill you adde , and conioyne another which is different , which then will make the second , the third , the fourth , the fift , or any other consort , or diapason . so if the one , which you adde to one , be the same , you will neuer engender but one . or if it be different , as it is necessary to make two , according to the aboue-said example ; it is not then one , and one , which make two , but onely then , when one is conioyned , and added to any thing , which is different to it . againe , is not euery number a quantity , and is not number composed of his other parts : but number is not composed but of vnities , which ioyned together make all ▪ therefore vnitie is a quantitie , because the parts thereof ▪ are of the nature of all , and consequently of the whole diuisible . for vnitie is a number , if rather out of it selfe it giue no number : and if it be not so , we must aske them , what then shall be the number , which they will giue vs from vnitie , and to cut it off , sith it is not ; or if they giue vs two , or thr●e for a number , in substracting two vnities from the one , and three from the other , there will nothing more remaine to them , therefore the number must be nothing , or the vnitie must be number , and if it be a number , it must be a quantitie , and if a quantitie , then diuisible into as many parts as we please ; so as insteed of ioyning threescore and tenne vnities , to make vp the number of seuentie , we should not deuide but one of these vnities into so many parts , vntill we had met with the number of seuenty , so then there wil remaine sixtie nine superfluous vnities : and is it not thriftie husbandry , sith the diuision , which i can make of one onely vnitie , into threescore and tenne parts , hath filled vp the number of seuentie ? but this way , and progresse would be infinite , so that when you adde one , to one , thinking to make two , i say , you make fortie , or the number which i please , for euery one of these vnities , may be diuided into twentie partes ; which conioyned all together , will make fortie , or any such number , which i please : how then can it be prooued , that one , and one , being separated ; and not being then two , if they are placed one neere the other , that this congression , should cause them to be two , and that if the one of these vnities , which composeth these two , come to be diuided in it selfe , that this diuision should be the cause to make them two ? for we meet with the cause , why those two , are made diametrically contrary to the former , in regard , addition , and diuision produce the same effect here in , which is necessarily false ; that one , and one are two , it must bee atributed to the vse , and custome of the world , thereby to facilitate commerce , and trafique betwixt merchants , and countriemen . but to permit , or tolerate it in philosophie , or astrologie ; which by a long chaine of numbers , and calculations , will raise their insolency as high , as in the rancke of the gods ; in taking away , and disioynting this piece , from his building , you see all the rest reuersed , and ouerthrowne , and my philosopher to runne after to gather vp the pieces thereof , without being able to recouer , or sowe together any ragges , or fragments thereof , so that to escape this ruine whereunder he sees himselfe surprised , and beaten downe , he is in the end constrained to throwe himselfe into the armes of ignorance , as his nursing mother , who is pleased with our defects , and faults , and with much delight entertaines , and supports all our infirmities ; so that all these great chieftaines of the schoole sects , who in the most perfect knowledge of things , which fall into the wit of men , haue professed to know nothing , and haue inclined , and bent themselues that way , as the sweetest pillow to repose a well tempered braine , and head on . if wee demand of physitians what is their principle , they will neuer agree among themselues to tell vs ; how then will they doe it in the rest of their art and science , if the more they aduance , the more they estrange and retire themselues . one tells vs that water is the principle of all things , another that the ayre is , another that fire , and others that the atomes are their principle ; and thus we finde to be thales , anaximander , pythagoras , parmenides , anaxagoras , empedocles , democritus , anaximenes , plato , xenophon , aristotle , diagoras , and epicurus : whose different opinions will be troublesome , and not much profitable in 〈◊〉 our discourse . they incessantly contradi●● themselues , and in this sedition they vndoe , and ou●●throw themselues with their owne proper weapons : and in this great disorder doe they not openly expose themselues to their enemies , and so giue them infinite aduantage to confute and confound them , in that they onely labour to their owne ruine and destruction ? as those armed children on earth , which a ciuill warre causeth to dye in their birthes . and indeede this philosophicall sedition , doth strangle science in her cradle , yea before shee is borne . how then wil they doe , sith they hinder the growth of so faire a science , that it cannot take deepe root , and sprowt foorth so high and flourishing as heauen , and make the gods desirous to tast and relish the sweetnesse of its fruit . euery way a vanity . but among so great a noyse and clamour of philosophicall braines , i demand who among them shall be held the truest . doe they all want reason , and professe as much the one as the other : i beleeue that the causes of their quarels will rather faile , then the grounds and reasons to contradict them . they vse reason as an ambodexter , who adheres as much to lyes as truth , & who being orevail'd with the maske of outward shewe , doth debosh and abandon himselfe to all sides : so many new subiects , so many contrary and different opinions as their philosophers . they agree not among themselues , that fire is hot , when there should bee none but the pirrhoniens , to make them rest doubtfull thereof , and despight of their knowledge , to affirme nothing certaine . they suspect the senses , as if they were halfe corrupted by the familiarity of those things which enuiron them . and if we will condemne them according to the mercy of sense , wee shall finde that beasts suffer the same iurisdiction that wee doe , and that by the priuiledge of their sence wee cannot refuse them , the liberty to leaue or chuse , to take or refuse , to absolue or condemne , according to the quality of good or euill , which presents its selfe to their imagination ; by the particular fauour , and recommendation of their senses . for they haue learnt in their schoole , that fire is hot , and they know it as well as we , who can yeeld no other reason , and cannot passe beyond the knowledge of this cause , aboue that which our experience , and sense hath taught vs. the ape will beware , and not approach too neere the fire , except the fagot be small , and vnbound , because of the discourse he holds in himselfe , to auoide the like disaster , wherein he was formerly fallen . but what haue we to say , if they haue their sense , and feeling , more subtile then ours , doeth it not thence follow , they haue a purer knowledge , a simpler resemblance , and a more harmonious condition then we ? the stagge hath his hearing , the eagle her sight , the dogge his smelling , the ape his tast , and the tortoise her feeling , more subtile then wee , although of this last onely , as of the most brutall , some attribute vs the preheminency , and thereby they finde the obiects more discouered , and naked then we doe : that which a hundred ensuing propositions doe but imaginarily discouer to vs , this beast sees it with a simple , and first innate knowledge ; and who can deny , but that it is more noble , and perfect in this kinde of beast , then in vs ? if it bee true , that those things which are most approaching , and neerest to the trueth , are the most worthie ; is not the eagle to bee esteemed , and held a truer obseruer of the light , and greatnesse of the sunne , then the sight of man , which flies , and soares so low , that the least obstacle astonisheth him , and his owne proper weakenesse , and imbecillity hindereth him : that if for the conseruation of our owne good temper ; and the knowledge of hearbes , which are proper , and necessary for the restoring of our health , we will atribute the priuiledge , and aduantage to our selues : let vs see of a man , and a beast hurted , which of the two will be soonest cured : the serpent among a thousand different plants , and hearbes ; throwes himselfe on that which is proper to him , and returnes to his combat more couragious , and generous then before : whiles man in his conference , and consultation of hearbes , and of their properties , and qualities , runnes most incertainely after his remedy , which many times prooues more preiudiciall , and hurtfull to him then his wound , or sickenesse . when reason failes vs , we then imploy experience , and the conference of euents , which most commonly produceth a bad consequence , in regard they are still different , and variable : but this knowledge which causeth the serpent without premeditation , to take that which is proper for him ; either it is giuen , and infused to him by nature , or it is done by a simple , and primary apprehension , which at first sight , discouereth him the trueth of the obiect . but howsoeuer , it is farre more noble , and absolute then ours ; which consisteth , but onely of the tast , and comparison and conference of so many false things . so beasts doe more certainely know obiects then men , because they are led , and conducted there to , by the light of nature , which is still certaine , and cleere-seeing , and men by their owne , which is but an obscure , and glimmering light ; for the true knowledge , or trueth it selfe , is the tranquillity of the minde ; it is an infallible point , which is expressed in one word ▪ as the perfectest knowledge , which is attributed to superiour intelligences , proceedes of the first ray of the minde without reflection , i meane without deuoluing , or ratiotination ; for we neede no discourse , but onely to approach the thing , which is farre distant from vs , or to approach our selues neerer to it : if we haue our finger thereon , there is nothing more vnprofitable , then those intricate propositions , then those lets , and stops of discourse , wherein our thoughts are frequently so entermixed , and confused , that we shall haue sooner done to teare , then to vntie the webbe , or knot thereof . section v. man hauing some knowledge of himselfe , ( although it bee imperfect , ) as also of those whom he frequents , he contemnes their learning , and esteemes none , but that which is growne in forraigne countries , or which he receiues from an vnknowne hand . the nimblest wits , are accustomed to frame to themselues most conceptions , but they are so weake , as they can giue no blow to trueth ; and if we haue found it open , and vncouered , we will in such sort tie , and fixe our selues there-to , that the stormes , and tempests , which continually arise in vs by the trouble of our passions , giue vs too weake iogges , or thrusts to make vs forsake the possession thereof . we should be still inseparably vnited , and as the heauy body , which is arriued to his center , is no longer waighty ; so our soule , arriued to her center , and vnited to her true obiect , shall haue no more lightnes , weaknesse , or inconstancy : but she is too farre estranged from it : those arts , and sciences , which the poet said , were giuen vs by the gods , are but the shadowes , and images of that which remaines in their brest ; we find none but weak ones like our selues , all things goe with a trembling , and an ill assured pace , & it seemes they are obliged by one , & the same law , to follow one , and the same pace , and dance as we doe : it seemes that our first fathers haue enioyed it more pleasantly , and with lesse contradiction then we ; our antient philosophers who succeeded them , haue seized it by a thorny place , which hath sowne among them so many diuorces , and quarrells , that if wee beare any respect , or reuerence to their writings , it is as much for their antiquitie , as for their merits : our age hath seene many great , and excellent wits , which the farther distant they are from our sight , the neerer they approach our praise , and recommendation : but because learning is no longer prised , and esteemed among vs , it seemes that she is choaked , and smothered betweene their hands ; it appeares to vs , she hath no more fame , and lustre , but among strangers : wee beleeue , that hee in whom wee haue seene , and obserued some faults , can produce nothing but that which is defiled , and vitious : we value men , as we doe figures , or statues of stone , which wee prise the more for their antiquity , and behold them more curiously , and attentiuely then we would doe a statue of gold , or siluer , which we our selues haue seene made , although it were farre more inriched by the art , and labour of an excellent workeman ; and this onely because we haue seene a deformed massie piece thereof , whereon he hath began to labour ; let him hencefoorth doe what he can , he cannot remooue this thought from our minde , where as the other hath neuer appeared to vs but in his lustre . so those whom we haue seene to play the men like our selues , their oracles , and prophets haue not beene approoued , or esteemed among vs , as those antient philosophers , whom it seemes that we cannot otherwise imagine , then with their eyes , and thoughts tyed fast to the bosome of the diuinity ; and in a perpetuall re-search of the dependance , and vniting together of second causes , to this first sacred spring , and fountaine ; we haue neuer seene them in their bed , table , or family : if one and the same age had made them our time-fellowes , i know not if the familiarity of their life , had not distasted vs of the familiaritie of their wits . that medales are not prised but for their rust , and age , and that man ( so weake , and wretched he is ) deserues no honour , or praise , but of those to whom he is vnknowne : if his memory be too recent , and fresh , if the fame of his vertues be as yet but in his orient , he aduanceth with much difficulty . for as at the rising of the sunne , we see a great thicke fogge of grosse , vapours , which seemes to arise , but onely purposely to ecclipse , and darken his light , vntill with a bold , and resolute pace , he trample vnder his feete the pride of this malignant fogge , who is so ielous , and enuious of his brightnesse ; but in the middest of his course , hauing attained the point of our zenith , then he seemes to triumph ouer his enemies , as antiently vnder the image of apollo , he quelled the arrogancy of that infamous serpent of the earth : so i say , the fame , and glory of all those illustrious personages , hath commonly found its death , in its cradle , and in her very birth : is still found obscured , yea , almost defaced by the hot vapours of a thousand enuious spirits , vntill that after the tract of many yeeres , it in the end remaines victorious of their life , and likewise prooues so of their callumnie . and then ariued to the point of the zenith , their merits haue found no farther hinderance to oreshadowe their glory ; and the length of time hauing transported them from our sight , hath then likewise transported and secured them from the darts of enuie and scandall . if truth were borne , or resided in the tongue of our neighbour , it should be vndervalued , yea , contemned ; whereas we receiue it as an oracle from that of a stranger . i admire not if those of elder times were so ambiguous in their answeres : for the difficulty and intricacie thereof , brought them more admiration . we haue too bad an opinion of our selues in this onely , and too good in all other things . if hee who by the iudgement hee makes of man in generall , would yet vse him with more contempt ( so as it were equally ) we then should haue nothing to gaine-say , prouided i say , that a stranger which comes not to vs , but by his writings , and by that which is best in him , could not hope for more particular fauour , and applause then another among vs. but because it seemes that the glory which wee giue , and conferre to this last , diminish our owne : we will therefore giue it farre cheaper , and for lesse interest to him whom wee haue not seene , and hauing nothing to intermeddle or doe with him ; but for an end to all , it is alwayes man who giues , and man who receiues . as long as art aad learning is found in him , it shall still be to him a reproach of incertainty and ignorance . o that the life of man is farre different from his writings , yea from himselfe ! our pen rules and gouernes the thoughts which we commit to paper , and inconstancie , those which wee permit to runne vpon the waues of our imagination : but whosoeuer could see them in grosse , and in their ordinary demarch and pace , shall finde little lesse cause to laugh at the vanity and inanity of one then the other , and at the fantasie of a philosopher , then wee doe at the may-games of a childe : for despight of the order and polishing , which we vse in the dependance , and connexion of our discourse , wee cannot for the most part auoide or preuent , that our reasons doe not contend and assaile one the other , as well as their effects . in this small and short discourse , there are contradictions enough , but it matters not : reason contradicts her selfe ; and my opinion can turne it selfe no way whatsoeuer , that shee meete not with some of her owne party , and who will maintaine her in the point of her reasons , so much humane knowledge hath of auerse and different faces . wee incessantly turne round about obiects , and we can neither seize nor apprehend them , but by strange qualities , and outward apparances . but the apparance and the subiect it selfe , are different things . if then our iudgement stop onely to apparances or outward shewes , hee iudgeth of some thing which is not the subiect . what certaintie in this incertaintie ? what light amidst so much darknesse ? what truth ( i say ) can result or arriue to vs , if the matter or subiect , according to the opinion of pythagoras , be in perpetuall changes and reuolution ? if wee haue no participation of a true being : if all humane nature be still in the midst betweene birth and death , the time present betwixt the past and the future ; and if it be true , that reason receiues nothing , but which is brought him from without , by the meanes and interuention of the senses , which cast great mists betweene the true and false , and betweene the obiect and the thought ; she can very difficultly come to the knowledge of truth , a-thwart so many cloudes of lusts , loues , feares , and hopes ; and of an infinity of false formes , which frequently arise from our body , to ouer-vaile and shadow our minde , and to trouble the power of our imagination : that if our soule doe not estrange her selfe from the contagion of the body , and from his fantasies and frenzies ; it is in vaine that she attempt to reason or consult so certainly , without the assistance of particular grace , or speciall priuiledge which may descend to him from aboue . she ought to know that shee is shut vp , and confined in our body , as in a strange place . true it is , shee beares about her this diuine desire of knowledge ; but it is a coyne or money , which doth nothing else but vnprofitably load and charge her , because it hath no currant course in that country where she is . the senses vnderstand not her language , so that vnder their pleasure and mercy , shee is enforced and constrained to content her selfe , with what portion it pleaseth them to giue her . her morsels are cut : if shee thinke to escape this slauerie , by the flight of her thoughts , and the labour of a long meditation , shee but drawes her chaine after her , and despight of her shrill resounding , findes her selfe so weake without their assistance , that for the time which she is retain'd here in prison , she may say , shee is wholly indebted for the benefit of her faculties , and most free actions , to the fauour , good disposition , and sweet vsage of our senses . they are indeede our seruants and our slaues ; but yet they haue more power and authority in the house then our selues . wee are masters by the obedience which they voluntarily yeeld vs , and not by the command which we haue ouer them . our power lasteth but whiles they please , and if any passion throwe them into confusion , our soule then retireth into her selfe , all perplexed and fearefull , vntill the disorder be appeased , and pacified in her estate , and that euery one of our senses bee re-established in his kingdome . and how then , after so exact and perfect a knowledge of the weakenesse , vanity , and other imperfections of man ; shall wee yet haue the courage to place him in the ranke of the gods , according to the opinion of pythagoras , when he spake of dion , whom hee said to be as vertuous as a god ? yea , and by a higher straine and ladder ; if wee will enter into the schoole of seneca ; then saith he , when a wise man by the degrees of reason , hath attained so high , that hee hath gotten an absolute power , and command ouer his passions : hee hath done that thing which god cannot doe ; because it is beyond all passions . is it not from mans impotencie , to deriue a power more soueraigne then that of god : for , for man to glory in his actions , he doth a thing which god cannot doe : is not this a faire consequence of our reasons ! o vanity of man , vanity of science and knowledge , the more wee aduance , the more wee still haue to aduance . can we then beleeue , that this reason which so puffes vp our heart , and fills and enflames our courage , hath any thing permanent or subsistent in it , but pride and vaine glorious outward apparance ? shee knowes not how to fight , but faignedly . our reasons impetuously follow their point ; but meeting with a stronger they conniue , they escape ; and commonly those which are diametrally contrary , and so affirmatiuely maintained , that they seeme to partake and engage in their quarell the authority of the greatest wits , are yet diametrally false , and as much distant from the centre of the truth , one as another . wee haue nothing more certaine then doubts : and for me , if i doubt of the reasons and principles of those sciences , whereof we haue aboue discoursed : it may be i doubt more of the reasons which i haue alledged to the contrary . the end of the second discourse . the third discourse . of opinion . section . i. to cut off the liberty of iudgement , is to bereaue the sunne of her light , and to depriue man of his fairest ornament . the senses conduct vs ( as by the hand ) to the knowledge of things : but our iudgement stumbles at euery step , and many times shipwracks her selfe against the errour of opinion : for if the eye of the body iudge of the difference of colours , the eye of our reason very often horrowes a strange light to iudge the qualities of her obiect . as if our passions and vices , did not fill vs with defects and faults enough , without hauing neede to ioyne those of others , thereby to bring vs the more anxiety and trouble , and the more to obscure vs the knowledge of the truth . this abuse teacheth vs , that to know well how to keepe , and maintaine the opinion of others , is the end of our knowledge . that philosopher seeking in the secrets of nature , the being and essence of things , ( notwithstanding any liuely conceptions and true apprehensions , wherewith his soule shall be possessed , ) hee shall be likewise fed with many false and absurd ones , the which wee confusedly embrace and espouse , with an equall passion , through the reputation which they haue purchased and gotten among vs , vpon the pasport of a popular iudgement . good money should not authorise the course and passage of false ; nor for bad opinions to condemne those which deserue to be approued and applauded . it is one and the same fault , absolutely to praise , or to condemne all things in a man ; and i hold it cannot bee performed with iustice. those who haue sought the truth before vs , should bee our guides , but not our masters , in such manner , that they rather teach vs how to beleeue , then dispute . but this aduantage and profit which we receiue by them , should be but as a sparkle to enkindle and enflame our courage , with a generous desire of enioying this truth . all the world seeke her ; their wayes are open , and free to all those who will approach her . some one thinke they haue giuen her some assault : others stay halfe way , and yet there will be place found for our reasons . it is the butte whereat all ayme , but none can strike ; it is too farre distant from vs : and i beleeue that as many powers as wee employ to attaine thereto , they are so many arrowes darted vp against this diuine sunne , which are scattered and lost in the cloudes of our weake and vaine imaginations . neuerthelesse , to beleeue the onely report of others , and to content our selues of their proofes ; i hold it better to essay , and bee assured of our owne weakenesse , then to relie vpon the reputation and authority of other men . our actions are of so small importance and consequence , that if in their losse they yet enwrappe that of our time , we should lesse grieue to employ them in this curious research , then yet to consume them vnprofitably in the vanitie of things , where wee feele our selues caried away by the streame and current of the water ; i meane by the errour of opinion . our senses haue formerly taught vs , that without them reason is nothing , nor hath no place from whence to drawe her forces ; or from whence shee may take her motions , thereby to know the truth of things , and to establish a firme foundation , to the end , that by the perquisition which shee makes of things knowne and discouered , shee may passe on to the knowledge of those , which are obscured and hidden ▪ let vs for this regard content our selues of the vice and fault which is in vs , without contributing any more , through the vice of our owne opinion , and the weakenesse of our iudgement ; which dares not vndertake to con●roule the opinion of others , and lesse to weigh or balance the the reasons , which many times are more esteem'd , and considerable in the white beards of their authors , then in a solid or lawfull value ; which makes , that wee ought not to admire , if wee finde so many learned personages among vs ; it is , that relying , and resting our selues vpon principles , which we haue neuer proued or essayed ; wee by this way , finde our reason well grounded , and still assi●●ed by truth her selfe ; if it bee true that authority and opinion , ought to haue this credit and reputation . being curious to know , we doe as those who goe to seeke fire in their neighbours houses ; and hauing found some , we stay there to heat our selues , without any more thinking to bring home any to our owne . wee stop at the knowledge of others , and forget that which nature hath infused in vs , of the most sucsseptible of this flame ; and it may be , which may produce a more shining fire , then that of whom wee haue borrowed the first sparkes . this voluntary tyrannie of the pythagoriciens cannot please me , who for all reasons , and satisfaction of their doubts , make answere , that their master held it so . if pythagoras had beene so religious in the rules , and principles of his master , so many excellent secrets , had remained buried in the bosome of nature , or at least , had neuer beene discouered to him . but because there are found so few well gouerned soules , that we ought to assure our selues , by their proper comportment , and conduction ; and that without the vse of common opinions , can follow a firme , and sollid way , it is more fit to commit them to tuition , not to lose the sight of them , and to stay them against their nature , by feare of the rod , vnder the priuiledge , and authority of their superiour . how many are there dayly seene , who relying vpon the onely mercury of their wit , flying the common way , doe ouerflow in the licentiousnesse of their owne opinions , and afterwards finde nothing firme , or stable : no more in their manners , then in their imaginations : and so of a wit , too vaine , and subtile to their owne preiudice , thinking to erraise , and eleuate themselues beyond the vulgar , in the research , and knowledge of the most curious things , they sincke , and drowne themselues in the misprision , and not knowing of themselues : and with the thrid of their owne presumption , doe weaue out their owne ineuitable losse , and ruine : this confusion of true , and false , and the perpetuall disorder , where their thoughts are engaged in a new philosophie , without end , middle , or beginning , may suffice of it selfe to replace them ( as by force ) in the right way , or at least to rectifie ; and make them see , and know their erring , and straying ; if they loue not to be absolutely blind , yea , to pull out their owne eyes , not to be obliged , to see the raies of this diuine sunne of iustice , no more then they doe the shadowes of their owne grosse ignorance : let vs farther beleeue , that in denying this diuine iustice , it is a reasonable way , and meanes to decline it . mad-men that you are ; what recusation can you giue to that iudge , which makes you to flie from his iurisdiction . if you see that all things of nature , vnder one same law , reuerence one , and the same lord ; how can you then escape him ? if not , that your soule being infected with so mortall a poyson , vnites , and fastens her selfe to the corruption of the body , and will follow the course of mortall things , rather then aspire to the place of her birth . the liberty they beleeue they haue to penetrate , and sound the trueth of religion , by the point of their weake , and vnprofitable reasons , is the head spring of so preiudiciall a contagion , imagining with themselues , that it is but a piece of mens inuention , requisite , and proper to linke , and chaine together their societie . but it is not with religion , as with sciences , for they haue very opposite , and different proofes ; for science , ( or learning ) is the subiect , and hand-maid of reason , and humane reason must be the hand-maid of religion , not but that she some times essayeth to set , and place vs aloft on her shoulders , that we may thereby see a farre off , and to make vs see the trueth of that sacred word , which in his height laughes at the most proude , and astonisheth the most attentiue , with his profunditie ; feedes great ones with trueth , and descending to the capacitie , and vnderstanding of the least , entertaines them with a pleasing , and affable language ; notwithstanding , i● will be more requisite for vs , not to submit it to the test , or approbation of our humane reasons , because religion being singular of it selfe , and beyond comparison of any naturall things ; it is vaine , and ridiculous , for man to fasten thereunto his weake reasons , because they are incompatible , and haue no trafique , or commerce together . humane , and diuine things conioyne together , but by a diameter , which is not of the purchase of our knowledge ; much lesse , that which is presented to vs by the hand of god ; and yet euery one among vs , ( notwithstanding ) hauing right to contribute his reasons , thereby to fortifie himselfe , giues him pretext , and colour , seeming to submit to mans reason , and iudgement , that which ought absolutely to bee excluded , and chiefely of the vulgar sort of men ; who from the depth of their ignorance , endeauour to aduance , and eleuate their heads , to speake their opinion thereof ; which makes , that if we condemn● any thing of superstition , and that if we giue it the audacitie , to contemne any opinion which it reuerenceth , he presently shakes off the yoake to all others , doeth lose , and confound all , one among the other , and as if freed , and disburthened of all which formerly most opressed him , doeth afterwards abandone himselfe to those exemptions , and liberties , which through their poyson , and contagion , are capable to engender most dangerous diseases in the estate of the body ; and if wee contemne his iudgements , and counsells in common affaires , is it reasonable , we permit him to speake in a matter of so great importance ? section . ii. all things wonderfully encrease , and fortifie them selues through opinion . mans iudgement hath else-where enough to imploy it selfe , without he interest , or ingage himselfe herein ; let him looke round about him , and he shall finde nothing but corruption , both within , and without , if hee desire to remarke , or remedy it . which comes to passe by the meanes of false opinions , who hauing vsurped the empire of our reason , haue banished the pleasures , which a sweete nature presents vs , to lodge strange lusts , and desires insteed thereof , which haue nothing in themselues but shadowes , smoake , and vaine apparitions ; resembling those forraigne forces , who hauing violently possessed themselues of a citie , doe exclude , and banish the naturall inhabitants thereof . i may say , wee haue done as the companions of vlysses , who despight the prohibition of their master , being led by a curious desire to see what was in the bladder which they caried in their ship ; as soone as their rash curiosity had opened , and giuen way to the windes there enclosed , they presently disturb'd the calme empire of the sea , with so many stormes and tempests , that vlysses himselfe sawe himselfe within two fingers of shipwracke , and of death . right so , man retaining enclosed , and pent vp in his imagination , the seede of so many vanities , cannot refraine from disclosing them ; and giuing way to his errours , hath risen vp so furious a tempest , that the wiseman himselfe , although innocent , can difficultly saue his ship from the fury of the waues , and from the dangerous sea monsters , which of all sides appeare , and approach to swallow him vp . our passions are the windes , from whence proceede the tempests of our soule ; windes pent and shut vp , which can finde no other issue or passage , but by false opinion , who weake and tender in his beginning , hauing surpriz'd the most simple , vnder the authority of number and antiquity of witnesses , hath extended himselfe to the most iudicious and capable . but hee who can ascend to his head-spring , shall finde but a very small brooke , which being difficultly knowne at the place of his first birth and originall , is wonderfully encreased and fortified by the course and currant of his age . the birth and beginning of estates and empires , doe fade and wither by degrees , through the very greatnesse and w●ight of their augmentation . by the same hands which princes held their scepters , they also caried the sheepe-hooke , and the senate of rome disdain'd not to borrow her consuls from agriculture ; to commit the helme of the estate into his hands , who formerly contented himselfe to conduct the plough ; and this new dignity fill'd their courages with so little vanity , that they preferr'd the ease and tranquillity of their country life , to the greatest honours they could exspect from their dignities . but it seemes that mans inuention , would extenuate , and quell the troublesome burthen of these dignities , by the lures and charmes of a vaine glory , which it hath sowen and disperced vpon the approaches , to the end that , that which heretofore was contemn'd by the most worthiest , may giue them some cause to affect themselues : as that adulterous woman , who hauing not l●res enough to make her desired , doth ( by the meanes of painting ) borrowe a thousand other forraigne fashions , the more easily to seduce , and abuse those whose affection she seekes and desires . but since that deceitfull painting and decoration , hath poysoned the hearts of men , they haue all inconsiderately ranne thereto who should be first : so as that which heretofore could difficultly be desired ; is now so passionately beloued and embraced of that passion , that our wealth , our pleasures , and our life , hath nothing but bitternesse out of the painefull employment , and troublesome exercise of some publique dignity or office , which more truly oppresseth and loades our mindes , then our backes ; and wholy engageth our liberty in popular affaires and disturbancie : as if our owne had not enowe , whereof sufficiently to employ our selues ; if it be not that too familiarly casting our sight vpon our owne affaires and businesses , that the fauour which wee conferre and giue to our selues , preuents and hinders the effect of our iudgement , by diuerting it other wheres . which is that , that hath occasioned the poet to complaine with vs , in that being too much knowne to the world , we yet dye onely vnknowne to our selues . that if we laugh at those who antiently commended themselues for weeping at funeralls , and so to purchase true profit , by their false and faigned teares ; what ought wee then say of those , who to wed themselues to other mens passions , and to make themselues slaues to their affections , doe engage their wealth and liberty . the sorrow of those was in showe , and their profit in effect : but the wealth and honour of those , is but in opinion , and their labour and solicitude in truth . the profit and honour which succeedes thereof , doth too ill requite and pay this subiection , without needing to buy it so dearely , yea at the double value thereof , by engaging our goods and persons . and yet if desert or merit could bee receiued in payment , it were well : but it seemes that merit is one of the weakest meanes to arriue thereto . gold and siluer will finde place in the worser sort of people , and by their splendor , doth so ecclipse and blinde the eyes of the vulgar , that the very report and beliefe thereof sufficeth with them , to giue those the title of wiser , whose grauity , fortune , and roabe , giues beliefe to a thousand vaine , and ill-beseeming discourses . apelles was not discommendable , who seeing a knight in his shop very brauely and richly apparelled , and couered with many bracelets and chaines of gold , who after a long silence , intermedled impertinently to praise some of his courser pictures ; apelles returned him this answere : thou art much to be reproued and blamed , because before thou spakest , thy followers , thy countenance , and rich apparell , made my apprentizes esteeme thee to be some great and wise personage ; but now by thy speeches hauing discouered thy ignorance , they no more prise , or regard thee : a regular silence is no small grace , and aduantage to a man raised in dignity . we still presume all things of him , whereof he ought to be capable , vntill his discourse confirme and ratifie it to be the contrary , and many times to the preiudice of his reputation . and many one will finde in this mans tongue matters of admiration , which in anothers , hee will repute worthy of contempt and laughter : so much iudgement is ore-mastred , and curbed by opinion , which of it selfe produceth nothing , but faigned and disguised . section . iii. opinion very ill requites the greatnesse to hold her still in shew , and esteeme , and to giue all the world right to controule her actions . the priuiledge of princes , and great men sufficiently testifies it , by the false exteriour shew , and apparance ; those sumptuous buildings , adorned with marble , and porphyry ; those robes enriched , and embroidered with gold , and pretious-stones , touch vs but exteriourly , they deceiue our eyes , but if our fight could as well perceiue the rust , which they engender by the vse thereof in their soules , as the spark●ling splendor , which they outwardly defuse ; wee shall finde , that fortune delights to strew roses about them , and that she hides the thornes in their hearts , thereby to giue all the world more cause to enuie her fauours , which are but in shew , and apparance . it seemes that to bee aduanced , and eleuated in so high a throne , they must renounce the common pleasures of the societie of men , and that hauing no more commerce , and familiarity with them , by reason of so great a disparity , they must conuerse , and disport themselues a part ; and no more entermeddle with the delights , and pleasures of life , which seemes to bee so inter-wouen , and linked together , that they cannot please vs , except others haue the same interest therein with vs : if their greatnesse giue them a facile , and easie enioyance of their desires , meeting with no difficultie , which egges them forwards , or rather , which inflames their appetites ; then this facilitie makes them presently the more to loathe , and distast it ; and so those delights , and pleasures which fortune seemes to present , and prostitu●e to them , it is onely to the end , and purpose they shall not enioy them : that which shee giues them with her left hand , shee snatcheth from them with her right ; i meane , shee giues them imaginary good things , and but too true , and assured euills : in a word , their condition hath more dignitie , then content , or profit . a●las , on whose shoulders our poets haue placed this great stupendious masse of elements , and heauens dared not to bow , or slumber , for feare lesse the weight of this burthen , meeting with weake , and feeble shoulders , through the vapours of a slumber , comming to be reuersed , and ouerthrowne , should returne to his first chaos , and confusion . the vigilancy of a prince , must defend the houses , his care the rest , and his diligence the delights , and pleasures of his people ; and as another sunne , hee must incessantly stray among the houses of his zodiaque , that by his continuall motion , all things be preserued , and entertained in a constant , and an immooueable order : adde here vnto , that they are of the same mettall we are , and that their crownes , and diademes , doe not couer them from the sunne , or raine ; what remaines there , but onely the bare , and naked opinion , which drawes after her the true feeling of a most painefull , and trouble-some care ? but to be too farre estranged from the quality , and condition of men , they flie , and stray from themselues , and their vices , and passions , and feeling themselues flattered by all those who enuiron them , doe so augment , and encrease , that through so thicke , and darke a cloud , their reason can no more iudge of that which may bee trueth in others , and much lesse in themselues : all that which they see about them is vailed , and masked , and if it bee true , that the knowledge of our wretched condition , and the contempt which we make of our selues , cannot but difficultly suffocate , and strangle in our soules , ambition , presumption , and the other vices of a corrupted nature . iudge then , to what point , and height they ought to ascend in the persons of princes , and if they doe not infinitely , and immeasurably grow , when they are approoued , and applauded of all the world. they therefore must haue a wonderfull care , and constancy to bee able to resist them ; for who is hee among vs , who enuironed with flaterers , and of those who praise him , doeth not then most flatter himselfe ; a degree of flatterie , much more dangerous then the other , because the minde being arriued to this point , hath no more diffidence of her selfe : i vnderstand it of a most dangerous flatterer , from whom hee is to defend himselfe : there is no step more slipperie then that , nor fall more dangerous , because chiefely , our will disdaineth to lend vs her hand to lift vs vp , and seemes to mocke at our misfortune , without knowing it ; as those barbarians , who vnaccustomed to see the engins of warre , doe remisly , and carelesly see those worke who besiege them , without vnderstanding , whereunto those workes , and approach tend , which they see made towards them . our soule surprised by the lures , and charmes of a false praise , findes her selfe insensibly besieged of so many vices , without knowing their approaches , vntill she haue no more meanes , or power to resist them . opinion comes , and assailes her , drawing after her animositie , detraction , lying , inconstancy , irresolution , incertainetie , sorrow , superstition , enuie , ielousie , couetousnesse , ambition , and an infinite other irregular , mad , and vndaunted appetites , and passions , which comming sodainely to fall , and rush pell-mell vpon her , she findes her selfe to bee sooner vanquished , then beaten downe , and quite ouerthrowne , before shee know the forces of her enemies , against whom she is to contend , and fight . section . iv. the common-people haue no more certaine , nor cleere-seeing guide then opinion . the condition of the vulgar seemes to be in a more peaceable estate , and tranquillitie , and in a station more firme , and secure to wrestle with his enemies . trueth is more familiar with him , and the libertie which is in euery one to contradict the vices , and ill manners of his friend , giues a great aduantage , and way to finde out the knowledge of his owne imperfections , which is the first , and most necessary meanes to apply wholesome preparatiues , and remedies : but he is so deepely plunged , and ingulphed in vice , that he hath lost all feeling thereof ; the more he is spurred on , the deeper he stickes fast in dirt , and mire : hee hath his interiour , and exteriour so infected , and corrupted , that it seemes , it is the onely rockes , and shelues , which wee must eschew in the tempestious sea of our life , and against which , neuerthelesse , the currant of the water drawes vs after it , with so much violence , and impetuositie , that it is almost impossible for vs to secure our selues from shipwracke ; for who is he , who being desirous to introduce himselfe in the way of wisedome , hath not had more to doe , to fight against opinion , then against any other particular vice ? those common imaginations which wee finde about vs , and which are infused into our soule , by the seede of our fathers , are so generall , and naturall , that they giue vs enough shamelesse art , to condemne of errour , and barbarisme , all that growes in forraigne coun●ries ; it is not thus , that we must abandone the liberty of our iudgements , to the slauery of opinion . wherfore serues this facultie of reason to him , which hath not resolution enough to examine , and know the vice of things , which are in credit , and reputation with himselfe ; and the good of those which hee findes vsed , and practised by his neighbours . it is very farre distant , to measure the boundes of his citie , by those of the sunne ; in a moment to behold all the habitable earth , and to nourish in him this generous designe , to produce such excellent actions , that the seruice , and vtilitie which the place of our birth may receiue thereby , may generally redound to all the parts , and corners of the earth . partialitie , is an enemie to libertie , and as long as we shall bee subiect to this example , it is but an abuse of our iudgement . he is beloued , and priuiledged of the people , who esteemes euery thing according to its valew : it is iniustice in all things , to make the ballance fall to our side , if it bee not by the weights of reason . it seemes that the eye of our vnderstanding is so much shortned , that it ought to be confined to the knowledge of those things which enuiron vs ; wee are so much , and so fast tyed to our owne particular interest , as we beleeue the sunne shines onely for vs , and that the cloudes which couer our hemisphere , should ouer shadow all the earth : all goes in the same braule , and dance as we doe ; that which out-flyes , and exceedes the limites of our vse , and custome , are no more birdes of our vnderstanding ; hee must shut himselfe vp in this straite ; and that this guide , and torch which nature had giuen vs , to conduct vs through all the parts of the world , should bee strangled by the multitude of opinions , wherein wee haue beene bred , and are so growne vp with age , that they haue tane the hand , and place of reason , and after hauing dispossessed her of her empire , they haue interdicted vs all other knowledge of trueth , but that which wee can perceiue , and discerne through the foggie thickenesse of so many false cloudes . section v. opinion ( as an ingenious painter , ) giues those things which inuiron vs , such face , and figure as it pleaseth . hee that can take off the maske of all our feares , and apprehensions , shall finde that they are vaine idoles , which we haue so clad , and that affrighted with the apparell we haue giuen them , and the lineaments which wee haue painted in their faces , wee goe hide our selues , and dare no more cast our eyes vpon this ghost , who fills vs with wonder , and astonishment , at the sight of his fearefull posture . if wee haue so much resolution , and courage to affront him , to take from him that which we haue giuen him , and to deuest him of that which hee hath borrowed of our opinions , we shall finde that we are true children , which formerly feared nothing , but the ma●●e , losse of honour , exile , banishment ; and all that afflicteth vs : except griefe , which is deriued of nature ; haue they any grounds ▪ or foundations but opinion . honour wherewith wee are so passionately surprised , and taken , that griefe , death , and all that nature hath depainted vs so fearefull , and ghastly , is nothing in comparison of this lose . what brings she with her , at her arriual but wind , and smoake ? or what else doeth slee draw after her ? 〈◊〉 vs feele euery place ▪ and part of our 〈◊〉 , to see what marke she hath 〈◊〉 vs , & what she hath tane , and cari●d from vs , & we shall finde all that we had before to be whole , and sound . what is this exile which wee so much feare , if we transport , and cary all our vertues with vs ; what losse , what dammage can we be reproached of ? bias being reduced , and stript to his shirt , and enforced , and driuen from his countrie by the sacking , and burning of his citie , did neuerthelesse vaunt to haue lost nothing , because the goods which were stolen from him , were subiect to fortune . he neuer held them but perishable , and the which hee could lose without lamenting them ? and to vse but one word ; fortune could neuer make a breach in his vertue : doe wee not see the sunne , and starres in all parts of the world ; and is not vertue an excellent coine , and money to purchase vs friendes euery where ? man borne to see all things , if he be lincked to the place of his birth , through the dutie of an office , or dig●itie , or the loue of his parents , doeth he no voluntarily banish himselfe from all the world , to liue in one place of his countrie ; an● hee whom fortune will driue from his home , ●he consents thereto , 〈…〉 in his will , whom finde you , who deserue , to 〈◊〉 most lamented ; either he who wedding himselfe to a particular passion , exiles himselfe from all the world , to inclose , and shut himselfe in some smaller island ; or he who banisheth himselfe from this little island , to giue himselfe to all the other parts of the earth ? if we are taken away from our bed , we are so tender , and delicate , that we can no more repose our selues : the bird cannot stay contentedly in his cage , though neuer so well vsed ; as holding no greater enemie , then constraint , and man no greater friende then slauery : if you expell him his house , you put him out of content , and countenance . so cowardly , and vncouragious is he , that he wondereth at his owne wit , vndertakes , and triumpheth ouer all , whiles cordes , and fetters euery where inseperably binde , and chaine him to slauery ; and hee were happie , if this affliction flying from his eyes , might bee insensible to him : but hee hath now as little right , and power ouer his minde , as his body ; all is a like engaged ; he liues not , hee thinkes not , hee mooues , nor shakes not , but vpon credit ; his soule , bound , and constrained vnder other mens opinions , makes her selfe slaue , and captiue to their authori●ie . should not beasts haue reason , hauing so well knowne how to conserue that which nature hath giuen to euery one of them in particular , to mocke man , who onely for a piece of bread , hath either lost , or engaged the fauours , whereof nature had giuen him the preheminencie , and predominancie aboue all other creatures ? but when he lookes a little about him ; i assure my selfe , that hee shall yet finde tyrants , who after they haue stripped him to his shirt , ( as a thiefe doeth a merchant in a wood , who ties him to a tree , for feare that hee reueale him , ) after i say , they haue hood-winked his eyes , they haue so subtilly fettered him to his passions , that hee euery where drawes after him his owne chaine , without knowing it : vanitie , and opinion haue reduced him to the same estate , wherein you see him : they are still at his elbowes , and for feare that he doe not reknow himselfe , they neuer lose sight of him . one makes him beleeue he is a god on earth ; the other presents him the vowes , and prayers of the multitude ; the honour , and esteeme of all the world , as wee doe to a childe , castles of gold , and siluer , or some other ridiculous thing , to make him endure more patiently a phlebotomising : and yet hee is not in so bad an estate , that hee should despaire of his health ; but he treates , and parlies with them too much . if hee receiue any good , and wholesome instruction , it is as soone corrupted by their too frequent familiaritie : at least , if that which hee could not doe by meere force , hee would yet endeuour to performe by the addresse , and dexteritie of his body . if he could not vanquish , and ouerthrow them by high wrestling , he would yet finde meanes to auoide , and escape them : the ioynt promise , and condition which hee hath passed them , may bee disolued , when hee desires it , for two chiefe , and principall reasons ; the one , the violence which he may alleadge to the contrary , the other , to haue subiected them to a thing , which of its nature cannot bee of this condition ; so that any tie , or aduantage , which they may haue ouer vs , wee shall yet reserue meanes enough to saue our selues , if wee haue the intent , and designe thereto . section vi. opinion leaues nothing entire , but its corruption , and pardoneth not vertue her selfe . it is not reasonable to make our enemie stronger then hee is ; let vs not giue vnto things , any other face , nor lend them any other body , but that which trueth , and nature haue giuen them ; we shall then finde , that all that which we tearme good , or euill , will come and prostitute themselues to our feete , and yeeld to our mercy , to receiue of vs such condition , and qualitie as wee please . we will conuert to our behoofe , and profit all that falles into our hands , and will order , and manage it so , that all that which is round about vs , shall not touch vs , but by the best place . fortune hath no power to furnish any other thing then matter , and it resteth in our iudgement , to giue it what forme it pleaseth . all things differ but by that , and if they borrowed not those displeasing formes of our opinion , wisedome would bee in reputation , and glory ; and fortune would languish , as beaten downe to the feete of a triumphant vertue ; whosoeuer can manage it to his aduantage , it will bee the part of a well-refined , and polished wit. but let vs proceed to that which toucheth , and concernes vs more neerely ; and let vs enforce our selues to pull out this thorne , which incessantly trauerseth , and troubleth our repose , and giues vs so many disturbances . it is that which we call paine , which by the inequalitie of her sence , and feeling , sufficiently witnesseth , that wee foment , and cherish it beyond her worth , and naturall being , and that at the very entrance of our euills , and afflictions , it remaines in vs to giue them what composition we please . some haue beene more afflicted at the feare of paine , then of paine it selfe , and more tormented at its absence , then presence . all things are proportioned ; if the afflictions which assaile vs bee violent , they are not lasting , nor permanent ; and difficultlie can wee feele it , because the suddainenesse takes away the sence thereof : if it bee moderate , it is the easier to bee supported ; if pouertie , griefe , death , bee such as they are figured , and depainted vs , why then did socrates laugh at pouertie , mocke at griefe , and contemne death ? were the senses of his body insensible ? no , but he iudged otherwise thereof then we doe , hee lodged them in himselfe , according to their iust esteeme , and valew , and not as we doe , who know them not , but by the fearefull markes , and countenance of those who haue approoued , and experienced them ; and who had prepared such faint courages to withstand them , that it was easie enough for death , and griefe to make themselues victoriously felt , and feared : the feare of some who are carried to their execution , hath it not made them in a manner , to meete with death halfe way ; the sight of the preparatiues of death , doe as it were , make death flie into his brest , and depriue him of his sense , and life , before hee haue felt any of the torments that are prepared for him : hee who on the scaffold attended the blow of the sword to cut off his head , being but touched with a wet table-napkin , his very apprehension , and feare made him to deuance death , and so died immediately . and then let vs take assurance from such spies , to know whence it is ; but farre was that philosopher , from this vniust , and base feare , who at the very point , and instant that the executioner was to giue him the blow of death , being demanded by one of his friendes whereon hee thought , answered , that hee imployed all the powers of his minde , to consider how his soule would separate her selfe from his body . if many like him , had beene sent to know , and affront death , it may bee they would depaint him to vs not so obscure , as sleepe , and slumber . death did not much preiudice him , he would silently treate , and reason with himselfe till the end , and till the very last-gaspe , and period of his life , he would manage the vnderstanding , which nature had giuen him : so wee iudge of all things , either by the semblances , or euents of things , which of themselues haue nothing sure , or certaine . our imaginations , thoughts , and manners may well bee corrupted ; sith this contagion hath not excused , nor spared vertue her selfe , which could not comport her selfe so well , passing through our hands , but that shee felt our corruption . wee more willingly embrace her for the glory which shee drawes after her , as her shadow , then for her selfe . the markes , and armes , whereby shee makes her selfe seene , knowne , yea desired , doe they not sufficiently declare , and testifie that they are the fruites of our opinion : whosoeuer should see her alone by her selfe , all naked , and without artifice , although indeede , this bee her riches● dresse , and attire ; i know not if hee would desire , or loue her . a soule must be wonderfully powerfull , not to affect , and cherish her , but because she is amiable , and makes as little esteeme of contempt , as of glory : for if wee performe any vertuous action , it is rather for the content which wee hope for , to sow , and spread our name in many mouthes , then for our owne satisfaction . so wee are pleasing to the world , we care not what we are within our selues : the world is extreamely obliged , and bound to vs , to affect , and cherish her more then we do our selues : some are seene in the front of a battaile , who feele themselues more animated , and egged on by their owne vanitie , then by their courage in the execution of a generous exploite ; so as it seemes , that in these our times , there is nothing so cleane , or pure , but this vice hath thereunto added , and applied her rust : also it is very difficult , how so euer wee resolue so to vnwinde , and free our selues from popular opinions , that wee still remaine not some where engaged . vlisses had to defend himselfe , but against the charming voyce of the syrenes , but it was not against the voyce of the people . that which wee ought to feare , comes not from one rocke , but from all the corners of the world ; a voyce neuerthelesse of so small importance , and consequence , that it can neither eleuate , nor deiect the merits of a wise man , no more then shadowes being great , or little , doe diminish the true proportion , and greatnesse of the body : at least , because a wise man cannot wholly disingage , and exempt himselfe from this presse , and croude of people ; let him leaue his body , his goods , his legges among them , for it matters not much , prouided that he retire his minde wholly to himselfe , and that as the sunne , ( despight his dayly motion , ) leaues not to obserue , and follow a particular way , and course , contrary to his first mooueable . so a wise man in the course of worldly affaires , although hee bee tyed to the custome , and dependance of popular opinions , vnder the conduct of reason , yet hee findes , and followes a particular way , whereby to entertaine himselfe , in a perpetuall health , and tranquillitie of minde . the end of the third discourse . the fourth discourse . of passions . section . i. stormes raise not so many surges on the sea , as passions engender tempests in the hearts of men . hippocrates saith , there is no worse or more dangerous sicknesse , then that which disfigureth a mans face : but i say , that those which at one and the same time , disfigure the beauty both of his body and soule , are yet by many degrees farre worse . there is no passion which ariseth in man , that leaues not on his face some visible signe of his agitation ; but the soule within altogether confused , beares more singular and remarkable markes . shee sometimes loseth the knowledge of her selfe , in misknowing her own proper misery ; or if shee flatter her selfe so farre as to think to know it , shee holdes it for a good signe , or signe of health , and so coloureth her most dangerous sicknesse , with the title of a recouery thereof . choler with her passeth for valour , and cowardise for wisedome , ; and th●s she palliates and couereth her proper vices with the cloake of vertue . this defect proceedes , for that our vices touch vs too neerely , and that the eye of our reason disturb'd by the power of our passions , hath not the requisite and necessary distance , for the vse of her functions . if the soule see any thing through so thicke a cloude , it is contrary to that which it is , and chiefely when it is touched with the opinion of euill ; because those sorts and degrees encrease , and demonstrate him those things , which threaten him , of a fearefull greatnesse . among passions some are framed by a dilation of bloud , and spirits which bend o●e all the body , as choler . others by the contraction of the same spirits , which assemble and shut themselues vp neere to the heart , as feare ; but the place where they are in action , is that which wee terme sensitiue appetite , which philosophers diuide into irascible and concupiscible ; this contents himselfe , simply to seeke those things which are conuenient to him : but that enforceth himselfe to vanquish the obstacles wee meete withall , which impugne or oppose our inclinations ; neuerthelesse it is very likely , that that proceedes from one and the same power . and indeede if the concupiscible finde no hinderance ▪ shee continueth her way towards the obiect which she seekes . if shee finde any let or obstacle , shee becomes irascible , which is to say , she enforceth her selfe to surmount it , as the water of a fountaine , which glides slowly and softly on the grauell ; if it be stopped by any thing it meetes , it then swells and growes great , and in the end ouerfloweth and vanquisheth her obstacle . all things naturally oppose themselues against their contraries , not neuerthelesse that shee is any other , when shee shields or defends her selfe , then shee is in her vsuall countenance . the reason which they alledge to the contrary , is , that nothing beates it selfe : but these two powers contradict one the other , at one and the same time ; it must then needes be , that they are two different things . i say that this combat proceedes not from this party , but from a higher ; that is , from imagination , who touched with a contrary obiect , contests and fights against this inferiour party . but not that this quarell ariseth in the sensitiue appetite betweene these two powers ; for not being able to comprehend the thing in its simplicity , wee are constrained to multiply and diuide it , as we doe of the minde , which wee diuide into imagination , vnderstanding , and memory , or of the sensitiue appetite in irascible and concupiscible . it seemes that hereby wee keepe the thing more strictly shut vp ; but it is of the essence of things , as of the definitions : we cannot cut off any member from this , without vitiating and corrupting it . wee cannot diuide that , without ruining the science which we seeke : shee is one , and all simple , but our grosse sight ( which cannot perceiue her so lightly apparelled ) runnes to his effects , and stayes there as to the first cause : like vnto those pagans , who not able to comprehend one onely god , diuided his powers , which our theologians terme attributes , into so many different diuinities , and stayed to consecrate riuers , and to baptize them according to their different operations . so we farre easier comprehend two contrary powers , then one which produceth two different effects . wee difficultly beleeue that the sunne hardneth , and softneth at one time , if experience had not taught it vs. i say then , that this power which dwells in the sensitiue appetite , is one ; shee desires , she seekes her obiect , thereby to content her selfe . if she be hindred , shee is bent and incensed against the obstacle to force it : if shee ouercome it , she walkes after her vsuall accustomed pace without any violence . the soule is the principle of life , one in all , and by all : in one part shee seeth , in another shee imagineth , in another shee vnderstands , and in another she retaines , according to the disposition of the organ where she agitateth . but euen as the heauens are not subiect to the alterations of sublunary things , and doe not moue , but to oblige the body by a perpetuall liberality : so the soule , which of her selfe is not subiect to the alteration of mortall things , ought to lend her motion as principle of life to all the body , thereby to oblige it , but not to interest and ingage her selfe so , that shee can no longer retaine her selfe , and that forgetting her selfe , she suffer her selfe to be led and caried away by the violent streame of her passions , which after , by little and little estrangeth her from her selfe . false opinion giues them birth , but wee must not so much consider the place from whence they part and issue , as the soule of him on whom they fall . the winds which raise small cocklings vpon our riuers , and who throwe furrowes on the serenities of their christalline faces , can raise whole mountaines of waues , and waters on the sea , and ingender impetuous stormes and tempests . the soule of the philosopher is tranquile , and quiet in his course ; and wisedome who is neere him , dissipateth the waues before they haue the power or leasure to lay hold of him , or to stirre vp others by their violence : and the soule of the ignorant man , is a sea of inconstancie which is shaked , , and tossed with euery winde , and is neuer surely firme , wherein because hee cannot quiet and appease the stormes in their first emotions , they swell and growe infinitely violent and implacable . the philosophers are yet doubtfull of the nature of the windes , and from whence they are deriued , and proceede : but those who stirre vp in our soule , such furious stormes and tempests , are but too easie to be knowne , we feele them borne within vs. they at first embrace , but in the end strangle vs. men are not onely polluted , but poysoned by their vices . that if ciuillity and ceremonie ( the bastard daughters of naturall wisedome ) preuent that they doe not commonly resplend , and appeare before people , when they are retired in their family , they delight to nourish and cherish their passions . they withdrawe themselues from the sight of men , to hide their defects and imperfections , as if their houses were purposely giuen them to act and perpetrate sinnes closely , and with more liberty and licentiousnesse then abroad . and it is not by the exteriour face , that you must iudge of him with whom you speake in the streete , or whom you see in the middest of his ceremonies . this is nothing but false painting , and true artificiall dissembling : you shall finde him cleane contrary in his house : it is no more him , his soule and his face haue changed posture , and countenance . but if they will conceale vs the manner of their life , they should at least diminish and cut off their passions . it may be it is for this reason that ariston said : that the windes which are most to be feared , are those which discouer vs : they expose them to the eyes of the most ignorant , and onely ours will remaine darkned , and much eclipsed in this trouble . xerxes caused the sea to be whipped , and sent a challenge to mount athos : and caligula dared iupiter to the combat : and while these their impertinencies and fooleries exposed them to the laughter of the vulgar people , those generous spirits remained hoodwink'd , and blinded by their owne passions . but what ; as long as we languish in our vices , we know them not . none but hee that is awaked , can recount his dreames ; for in sleepe we perceiue not their abuse and deceit . the euills of the soule are obscured in their thicknesse : hee that is most sicke , feeles it least . and although ( according to marsilius ficinus ) that passions are indifferent to good and euill , to vice and vertue ; neuerthelesse , the noblest of them accuseth vs of imperfection , because they neuer obserue rule or measure . there are other wayes & passages to ariue to vertue . it is too dangerous to walke or vsurpe on vice : for it is then to bee feared lest wee fall into it : the soule bred in the shadowe , which hath not as yet tempted hazards , and repulsed the assaults of fortune , must essay all other wayes but that . for one that ambition hath cast into vertue , it hath precipitated a million to vice . it is still safer , and better for vs , couragiously to quarell with her , then to trust her , except it be in the same manner , that we would trust our enemie . but because all passions are weake and tender in their beginning , the safest way to secure vs from their corruption , is to strangle them in their cradle , and make that the first point of their birth , doe in the same moment and instant , see their last ruine and destruction , and consequently the end of their essence or being . section . ii. we may say of loue , that which the romanes said of an emperour , that they knew not whether they receiued more good or euill of him . we are taught , that there is neuer lesse found to speake , then when the subiect whereon wee will discourse , is better knowne of himselfe , then all which can bee alleadged , to proue and confirme it . it is the same in the cause and subiect of loue , which of it selfe giues such cleare maximes and instructions , that all the reasons which wee can contribute to the cleering , doeth but onely serue to the obscuring thereof ; and nature within vs , hath giuen vs such pertinent lessons , that all words , and discourse will finde themselues confounded , when they vndertake to discouer the secret of this art , and science . his first flames strike such an excesse , or fits , that they cannot be knowne by the motion , or beating of our pulse ; and his dartes flie , and slide into our heart with so much craft , and subtiltie , that reason can neither obserue , nor finde out the way , pathe , or steppes thereof . she nourisheth with her heat , and giues the first motion to all our interiour motions , as the first principle of humane passions : because all the violent motions , which man can feele , are either for his defence , and conseruation , and this is the loue of himselfe ; or for the encrease of his owne content , and this is the loue of vnion , without himselfe ; and these are the two greatest wheeles of nature , who haue the charge to mooue the rest of our passions , and who obey at the first command of loue , according to the necessitie of the law , which they haue thus established among them . but we shall know her better , by her effects , then by her selfe . if we thinke to hold her any where , she escapes from vs , and transformes her selfe into so many shapes , and fashions , that we can obserue nothing in her but mutation , and change . it is reported that mercury by the commandement of iupiter , once vndertooke to make a gowne for diana , that she might be no more dishonoured in going naked among the gods , and especially against the lawes of her shame-fastnesse , and chastitie : but seeing that incessantly she either encreased , or diminished , and that she was neuer at one , and the same stay , he despaired of being able to effect it . the inequalitie of mens affections , and inconstancie so naturall to loue , may serue for the same excuse , to him that will vndertake to define it , and to prescribe a roabe , o● vestment fit for her humour ; what inconuenience will there be to permit her to goe naked ? sith none is of a more shame-full face then this goddesse , and that she is neuer richer then in her pouertie , nor prouder in her apparell , then in her simple nakednesse , at least if wee will beleeue the poets . for feare therefore that the fresh , and louely sight of so many beauties , doe not dazell our eyes , we must put our eyes before them , not behold them fixedly , diuert our sight from their charmes , or enforce our selues to couer them , and to hide them from the ragges of any description . loue is a desire of beautie , ( say the philosophers , ) which by reason dislodgeth the soule from the body to liue elsewhere , and to agitate in others : a passion which not onely altereth mans nature , but wholly reuerseth , and ouerthrowes it ; because the soule of him that loues , is more in the subiect where she loues , then where she animates , and resides . iudge what order , and measure she can obserue in her deportments , and carriage ; sith , that bound , and constrained vnder the authoritie of others , she neither mooues nor stirres , but vpon credit , and by the leaue of others : man in his other passions , is not tormented , but with one at a time ; but in this of loue he conuokes , and assembles all the others , who at their very enterance lose their names , as small brookes , which ingrosse the brest , and bosome of greater riuers : moreouer , he yet addes those of others , which he loueth , and weddes with as much , or more affection then his owne : i esteeme , that it is therefore for this reason , that some of the ancients beleeued that iupiter himselfe could not be enamored , and wise at one time . agesilaus tells vs that wisedome , and loue are incompatible , because , that , by the conference of things past , iudgeth of euents to come , and this considereth nothing but the present , and takes no other councell , but from his owne fury , and blindnesse : his obiect which he tearmeth beautie , consisteth in a concurrence , harmony , and decency of many parts linked , & conioyned in one , & the same subiect . that point which stings , and tickleth our heart , and by his ready , and violent motion inflames our senses to seeke it , is tearmed desire , the which if it inflame his obiect with the like desire , ( as one torch which lightens another , ) this concurrence caused by the resemblance , is called reciprocall loue , sympathie , or according to astrologers , inclination , or participation of the same planets , and influences , as it hapneth to those , whose very first sight is so fatall , that at that same instant they lose the one , to the other , and both their hearts , and libertie , by the meeting and enterchainging of visuall raies , which vnite , confound , and lose themselues in one , and the same end , and concurrence : the will of the one doeth diue , and plunge it selfe into that of the other , and no longer reserues any thing of his owne particular , or proper ; wee can no more perceiue the threades , or seames whereby they are conioyned , and sowed so close together . it is not in loue , as it is in musique , which is composed of different ayres , and tones : loue is neuer engendered among different humours , which haue no sympathie . i vnderstand this reciprocall loue , and that which the poets said , had neede of a brother for the increase thereof . the subtiltie , whereof he serues himselfe to seduce the noblest hearts , is it at first to heate , and inflame them with a vertuous desire , thereby the more easily to ingage them ▪ an admirable principle of this naturall art , and science , which teacheth vs not to seeke beautie , but in vertue , and to borrow no other grace , and splendor , but from her luster , as if there were nothing amiable , but that which were faire , and nothing faire but vertue ; because loue is not ingendered , but by her resemblance . this passion inflames vs to vertue , to giue vs some tincture of beautie , and thereby to make vs like vnto his obiect , and worthie of that which we loue : but as soone as it gets the hand , and aduantage of vs , then she throwes vs into vice , and makes vs descend by by-pathes , and strange wayes vnknowne to all others , but to her selfe : this fearefull cyclope of the poets , who dranke nothing but humane blood , did hee not abandone his slaughtered preyes , as soone as he felt himselfe touched with the first points , and darts of loue , by the eyes of his cruell galatea ; and being carefull to apparell , and embelish himselfe , sought at first , onely to please her . but in the end , the fire of his loue surmounting his patience , the excesse of his passion suggested him more bloody , and furious desires , then his barbarous nature had formerly taught him . so loue disposeth our first designes , and conductes them towards vertue , but it falles out , that he still diuertes vs in the middest of our course , and deliuering vs vp to the power of vice , he drawes vs after him by oblique , & vncouth wayes , as the violence of an ouerflowing torrent , caries vs here , and there against shrubs , and thornes , which teare vs to pieces , without that wee haue any other aide , or assistance , but that of their mercilesse rage , and furie . it is reported , that the young-men of lacedemonia , had alwayes some melodious instruments to flatter them in warre , and to preuent and hinder , that they threw not themselues on rashnesse , and fury . but he who fights vnder the ensigne of loue , hath farre more neede of some gracious layes , and songs of philosophie , to restraine , and hinder that he doe not insnare , & precipitate him in his owne losse , and the absolute mis-knowledge of himselfe . the wisest counsell herein , is that of the philosopher panetius , not to engage himselfe in so violent a matter : many haue changed the heate of their diuine zeale , into vnchast flames ; the wisest haue lost themselues ; and the philosopher in the darknesse of paganisme , seeming to haue beene inspired , and conducted by some raie of the diuinitie , hath he not lost him in this passage ; when hee wished himselfe to bee heauen , thereby to haue so many eyes , as that had sparkling starres , to admire ; not trueth , nor wisedome , but more lasciuiously , to behold and see the sweete lures , and charmes of the obiect of his loue. and the father of the philosophicall academie , who seemes to haue drawne wisdome , from her head-spring , or fountaine , and to haue made whole riuers streame thereof , through all the corners of the world , hath he not likewise made shipwracke of his vertue in this straite , and hath not his owne reason seene her selfe constrained to yeeld to his blindnesse : not onely in the transports , and extasies of this voluptuousnesse , but after the violent fits of this bitter-sweet fury , when he addressed sacrifices to his concubine , and offered vpon her altar , his reason , and vertue , as victimes to the feete of this triumphant passion . it is a rocke or shelue , where the iustest had neede apprehend , and feare , not to make shipwracke . if we will sound the depth hereof any farther , the course , and current of the water will beare vs downe . if a storme threaten vs , we must cast anchour by time before the ariuall of the tempest : for all emotions are difficult to calme in their violence , and impetuositie : the waues of the sea are mercilesse , but those of loue farre more ; those afflict vs with the feare of death , but these deuoure , and swallow vs vp euery moment , and yet we can neither submerge , nor drowne . if the many different accidents which staye our enioyance , sharpned not our amorous desires , then this passion would not prooue so preiudiciall , as it is , nor so much feared of wisedome . his powers , and forces encrease by the length of the way , and time ; and its naturall sweetnesse growes sower in seeking many vndecent meanes , and vnbeseeming wayes to obtaine it ; the more a weight is distant from his centre , the more ponderous , and heauy it is . a souldiers arme , which is not owner of its extent , strikes not so violent a blow : so the fury of loue encreaseth by its motion , as his desire is rebated , and extenuated , in the enioying of his obiect ; neuerthelesse , to condemne it any other way , but by diuine wisedome , will testifie an excesse in our humane , which in this irregularity , is as neere a neighbour to obstinacy , as to vertue . to banish it from ciuill society , is to vndertake no lesse , then to take and cut off from the yeere , the fairest , and sweetest season , and dayes . this passion of loue , is the daughter of nature , who cherisheth , and flattereth it , when it is entertained in respect , and modesty ; but she will easily wantonise , and vitiate her selfe , if we shew it not a seuere countenance . the surest way therefore , for those who haue any distrust , or diffidence of their owne strength and vertue , is , not to tempt fortune , or to runne the hazard of a temptation . for hee who cannot stop it , before it part from his hand , must not thinke to curbe , or restraine it in his cariere ; i say , hee must choake the seede of this growing euill , and not permit , that it take so deepe roote in our hearts , that wee cannot afterwards be able to expell them . all soueraigne remedies are slow , when the sickenesse is inueterate ; and vnprofitable , when by the length of time , it is become stronger then the art , and sufficiency of the phisitian . if thou timely call thy reason to thy assistance , at her arriuall , loue will lose all his credit and reputation ; his flames will as soone vanish , his fire will be nothing but ashes , the fountaines of thy teares will stop , thy groanes and sighes will bee but small windes , and pleasing zephirs , which will calme their troubles , and thy sorrowes , and disturbances . section . iii. ambition hath no mediocritie , and feares not his burning , if the fire of heauen , or the thunderbolt of iupiter , furnish him the first sparkles . desires issue from the same place , and flow from the same fountaine ; the farther they estrange themselues from their birth , the more they swell with pride , and increase their impetuous violence . the greatest riuers in their first springs are confined in a small place , but their long course , and progression makes , that the farther they aduance , the larger is their extent , vntill being throwne and precipitated into the depth of the sea , together with their naturall freshnesse , and sweetnesse , they loose the sweetnesse of their former name . desires slide away softly , and the wise man himselfe cannot refuse them an honest libertie ; for they cannot endure to be pent , and shut vp . if wee keepe them neere vs , they are small riuers , which enuiron their spring , not seruing but to embelish it , and simply followe that which smiles , and laughes to our hopes : but those who violently carry and transport themselues beyond vs , doe no longer obserue rule , or measure ; for they swell so much that they burs● in sunder : and ( as minerall waters alwayes sauour of the qualitie of the soile , and places where they passe ) they are full of sharpenesse , and bitternesse , vntill that the couetous hunger of vanities , and greatnesse roles them by strength of armes in the gulph of some miserable slauery , from whence they can neuer more get foorth . this irregular motion , this insatiable thirst of honour , is tearmed ambition ; abundance fam●sheth this vice ; the more he findes , the more he deuoures , and yet the lesse he is satisfied , his designes are hidden , and concealed . vertue accompanieth his enterprise , tyranny secondeth the successe , and in the end , fortune ( whom hee courts , and cherishe●h , ) being weary of ambition , is constrained to free her selfe by the ruine of the ambitions . miserable fortune , who holds her empire of our wills ; who of our disasters , and misfortunes , raiseth her trophees , who buildes her temple vpon the ruines of our estates , who entertaineth her peace , by our seditions , and whose wheele ( constant in afflictions , and vnconstant in felicities , ) hath nothing for axell , but the onely proppe , and support of our vaine ambitions . why must thy altars yet smoake with the fire of our sacrifices ? what recompence is it , which obligeth vs to teare our selues in pieces with our owne proper hands ; to besprinckle , and bathe them with our blood ? thou stranglest none but thy fauourites , and it seemes that to serue thee , is to displease thee ; and to obey thee , is to exasperate and incense thee ; and that feare , and respect , is a sufficient meritorious subiect of correction , and punishment . to shut vp this dangerous passage to our desires , were to diminish the credit , and reputation of fortune , and in the end to anull and ruine her selfe . those who terme this desire to honour a spurre to vertue , or who take it for vertue her selfe , doe euery way deceiue themselues . it is to follow the splendour of a false light , and of a strange brightnesse , which easily receiues the shadowe of all the obiects that appeare before her . ambition and vertue hath as small sympathie and alliance , as slauerie and liberty . alexander the great held the liberty of al nations in his hand , and yet miserably consumed and languished in the slauery of his owne ambitions . the limits of the vniuerse could not bound the extent , and the enioying of all that the earth contained , was not capable to quench this thirst : hee will force the barres of the world by the point of his ambition , and his desire is enraged to finde nothing equall to himselfe . but hee who is peaceable and quiet in his house , and within the extent and limits of his goods ; giues bounds to his desires and ambitions ; hath he not farre more tranquillity and repose ? if we measure this good by content , doth hee not as farre surpasse alexander in his felicity , as alexander surpassed him in the extent of his domination ? naturall desires haue some measure , but those which are engendered , and borne of a false opinion , are onely limited by infinitie . this prince had vanquished the opinion of all men , and yet hee suffered himselfe to bee miserably vanquished by his owne . hee could not attract the eyes of a more infinite number of people , to be witnesses of his valour , and to admire his trophees . neuerthelesse , his blinde ambition would not permit , or suffer that his eyes should participate of the rayes , and light of his greatnesse . hee burnt himselfe in the sunne of his glory , and so consumed himselfe in the flames , which the wings of his desires and ambition had enkindled . i would not that our condition should tye or wed it selfe to the ambition of an alexander : but it is as easie to drowne himselfe in small brookes , as in the middest of the waues and tempests of the ocean . the highest pyne trees and cedars are beaten with the greatest stormes , and the flowers which repose at the feete of the mountaines , are dried and withered with the least winde ; or by the feruencie of some excessiue heat : small cordes hold weake beasts , as an iron chaine doth generous lyons . in a word , there is but one degree of slauery , and to liue in that of his ambitions , is to approue , and make triall of the most rigorous and seuerest : for if fortune be at attonement and peace with thy desires , thou mayest in the end , beare and endure the yoke of a forraigne slauery ; but thou doest more entangle thy selfe in the linckes and fetters of this foolish passion . thou resemblest those birdes , who being cousened by the deceit of the hunter , the more they beat themselues against the net , the faster they make themselues . those who loue arts and learning , and triumph in their disdaine of ambition , doe most commonly resemble those who preach much of fasting , yet doe not obserue it : so naturall is this vice to them : for vpon the ruines of ambition they will rayse the trophees of their glorie ; but this defect sufficiently giues the lye to their knowledge , and reproues them of an imperfect knowledge in things whereof they make profession . they take the shadowe for the body , sith they content themselues with this smoake , and to pay their labours with money as light as the winde . but tell me , the honour which thou seekest , doth it not depend of the esteeme which euery one makes thereof ? doth not estimation follow opinion ? and is there a greater slauery , then to depend on the opinion of the vulgar ? thou must begge his fauour , and make thy selfe a slaue to his passions , in regard thou hast an intent and desire to please him : and doest thou not know , that that which pleaseth one , displeaseth another ; and that their vnderstanding is as a sicke eye , which receiues not the colour of things as they are ; but doth properly giue and imprint his owne ? how can it bee then effected , that the vulgar , who cannot agree with himselfe , should yet accord with others , to be of the same minde , to praise and esteeme all one and the same thing ? if thou wilt measure estimation by vanity , it serues but onely to make thee beheld and seene : and knowest thou not , that enuie , who alone hath more eyes then a multitude of people , will discouer thy imperfections , and vnder a little fault , will hide and deface the rest of the glory ? desire and wish for nothing , and thou shalt be the happiest man of the world . refuse not the fauours of fortune : but doe not receiue or take them vp to interest , they oblige nothing but our ingratitude ; and it seemes of good offices which shee hath done vs , giues her cause enough to bereaue vs thereof . shee calls thy ambitions , but if thou giue them too much liberty , hope not any longer to stay or retaine them . they are daughters of the minde and imagination , who embrace more vanity in a moment , then riches or vanity her selfe can containe . the falsenesse of things which thou discouerest in enioying them , doth but onely encrease the desire , and thy hope to arriue to a more assured matter , giues new fewell to this fire : so thou languishest miserably betweene hope and feare . thou complainest of thy griefe , and yet fauourest the cause thereof . thou art often enough incens'd and angry against thy ambitions ; but if thou threaten them with one hand , thou doest court and flatter them with the other . remaine and dwell then with thy selfe : clip the wings of thy desires if thou wilt stoppe their flight . their course is precipitated ; nothing opposeth their swiftnesse and leuity , but the insensible weight of misfortunes which they draw after them . their promises giue thee probabilities , which their disasterous successe accomplish not , but in their fall they enwrap thy destruction and ruine . seianus ( a prodigious example of an extreame insolencie ) serued as a prey to his hungry and ambitious desires : and he whose wounds will for euer bleede in all the corners of france , testifieth , that the fauours of fortune , makes as many threatnings as promises . section iv. couetousnesse , is onely iust , in that it rigorously punisheth those whom it mastereth and commandeth . as the feauer engendereth a heat contrarie to our nature : so ambition hauing surprized the noblest part of our soule , commonly heates and enflames it with a desire of wealth and riches , and fastneth and gleweth this venome to him , which in the end by a contagious order , consumes the rest of his life purposely , to lodge a strange and bastardly affection , full of diffidence . the ambitious man , prick'd forwards with the spurre of glorie and vertue , awakes as from a dreame , and yet halfe languishing in the errour of his slumbers , followes the first spendour of light , which presents it selfe to his eyes , vntill that the false apparition of this light discouer , and bewray him the abuse of his election by his rash enterprise . but the couetous man , with his head deiected , and his eyes fixed on earth , admires the shining of his metall , knowes no other light ; and his too weake sight cannot endure the splendor , and raies of any other sunne . he diues into the bowells of the earth , and in the end buries himselfe therein with his treasures . that comforteth his losse with some generous designe ; this perisheth in his owne blindnesse , and yet sees not his preiudice and damage ; briefely , that liues in the esteeme of the vulgar , and this in the contempt of all the world . to burne , and be passionate after wealth , with an irregular , and boundlesse desire ; foolishly to change himselfe , and to consume himselfe with an inraged thirst , in the middest of waters , is the true effect of this weake , and foolish passion of couetousnesse , which penetrates into soule of man by a false opinion , and so corrupts the puritie of his actions , that he doeth nothing which is iust for himselfe , but in finishing , with his life , his hungrie and almost famishing desire of couetousnesse . riches haue nothing in themselues of good , or euill . it is a seede which receiues the qualitie of the place where it is . in well dressed , and manured soules , she produceth faire flowers , but in rude , infertile , and vnsound mindes , she ingendereth nothing but thistles , and thornes , who are sharpe onely to pricke , and offend those who manure , and dresse them : and as there is nothing which shines without the helpe of the light ; nor obscure , but by darkenesse which enuirons it ; so riches are faire and profitable , when they are enlightned with wisedome ; as they are obscure , and troublesome , being attended on , and conducted by couetousnesse ; this giues vs onely enuie , and denies , and defends vs pleasure ; that tempers our desires , and leaues vs to tast the fruites thereof , in a moderate , and honest freedome . so the acquisition , and purchase of treasures , receiues such a beautie , as he that possesseth them , is capable to giue them . the couetous mans soule is all rustie , by the continuall feeling , and familiaritie of his coine , and thereby eclipseth its lustre , as the wiseman giues it a faire , and pleasing brightnesse . this is a sunne , who by his raies , giues life to dead things ; as that by his contagious aire , giues death to those ioyes , and pleasures which enuiron him . wealth , and riches , doe but incense , and anger him , by their proude shewes ; couetous hunger which presseth him by her voluntary indigence , makes it insupportable , and fights against his owne satietie . in a word , his misfortune hath so strong wings , that it flies before his wealth which is comming in , and infects it , as those contagious harpyes did the meates of phineus . wee must not thinke that our pouertie , or the want of wealth , by acquiring , or enioying it after , be an absolute remedy to this disease . for it proues many times but a light exchange and alteration . the same vice which gaue distast to pouertie , and made it of hard digesture , corrupts the pleasures of wealth , and makes riches seeme burthen-some . vice is in the minde , and soule , and not in wealth ; it takes what countenance we please to giue it . the opinion of the vulgar , ( although most commonly vitious in all things , ) seemes generally to blame , and condemne this vice : but in particular , euery one dissemblingly , striues to couer it with the name of thrift , and good husbandry , thereby to auoide the reproach thereof . the wiseman who retires himselfe from the world , and from fortune , to liue contentedly , and happily in his soule , shall finde more wealth in his pouertie , then the couetous man in the regorging of all his treasures , if nature doe but neuer so little agree with his indigence . for can we esteeme him poore , who wants nothing ? which of the two is better , either to haue much , or enough ? he that hath much desires more , his greedy couetousnesse testifies his fault , and defect , and that he hath not yet enough ; whiles he which contents himselfe , is ariued to the point of his desires ; where the couetous man , despight of his power can neuer attaine : necessitie easily bounds her selfe ; nature fixeth her limits euery where , and in all places presents wherewith to satisfie her desires : thirst is as soone quenched with a little water in an earthen pot ; as with delicious wine in a cup of gold. but if we will passe these bounds it is very difficult to temper our motions , and stop their course , since riches make vs stray from the good way , and if vertue reached vs not out her hand to reconduct , & support vs , we are in imminent danger ; it is a slippery step , and a dangerous precipice , and if there be found any one , who by other meanes , then that of wisedome ( in the affluence of goods , and riches ) seemes to goe firme , and so to enioy the rest , and tranquillitie of the minde , we must not admire thereat , and so build vpon this foundation . for sometimes it falls out , that the rocke which hath split our ship , serues vs for refuge , and sanctuary , and serues vs for shelter against stormes , and tempests . fortune is often met in the company of reason , so many haue found life in the conflicts of death , and danger ; yea , extreame folly hath produced the like effects , as perfect wisedome . i approoue not the aduise of the philosopher crates , who to make sure worke , threw his riches into the sea , and dispoiled himselfe of this dangerous roabe , as beleeuing , that they , and vertue could neuer sympathise . there is as much folly , and weakenesse , not to endure riches , as there is courage to support them . to corrupt our selues by their familiarity , or to depart with them so easily , & simply , argues the likeweaknes of mind . if we contemne them , it must be yet more for their small vallew , then for their superfluousnesse . vertue prohibites vs not the enioying ; but rather commands the vse therof ; otherwise , how canst thou esteeme that to be in the number of thy wealth , which thou enioyest not ; and why doest thou so reigiously oblige thy care , and labour to conserue , and increase it ; couetousnesse commands , a strict accompt euery day to be giuen of thy actions , and most rigourously condemnes thee , which grieuest to take from thy purse , to giue to thy expenses . thou willingly stealest thy selfe from thy riches , to commit thy selfe into the custody of pouertie , and indigence . neither honour , nor pietie can open the lockes of thy coffers , thou art not maister thereof , and therefore it sufficeth thee to be the keeper . a true scythian griffon , which keepes great heapes of gold , and siluer in caues , and yet enioyes it not : but tell me ; the porter of an arsenall , who with his key shuts in farre more treasure , then thou canst with thine , cannot he compare , and dispute of riches with t●ee ; in this he is yet more happie then thy selfe . for when he sees gold , and siluer goe in , and out , he ioyfully opens , and shuts his doore , with an equall affection . his countenance changeth no● ; he neither shakes , nor lookes pale ; troublesome cares interrupt not his sleepes , and dreames , as perpetuall f●are euery moment assailes , and disturbes thee : th●● thinke●t that some theeuish hand steales away the one halfe of thy profit , that th● for●ress● of ●hy house is too weake , against the eng●●s , and designes of thy enuiers ; mountaines , waters , drawbridges , which begirt , and shut vp thy cittadell , cannot secure thee from this apprehension , and feare . thou doest distrust thy selfe , in hauing thy hands too often in thy bagges ; for it seemes , thy eyes still discouer a want of some pieces ; nay shall i say more , for all that which belongs to others , and which thou canst not make thine , thou placest it in the catalogue of thy losses . so that which thou hast thus purchased is not thine , because thou enioyest it not , and that nature will one day condemne thee to abandon them , because she condemnes thee to die , if thou wilt not doe as hermocrates ( in lucian ) who in dying , instituted himselfe , to be heire to himselfe , for feare to lose that which he had purchased with so great labour , and conserued with infinite care , and which his death ( despight his testament , ) made him leaue behinde him , with a world of sighes and teares . vnfortunate ; yea , wretched vice , which hast so blinded vs , that wee cannot perceiue his imperfection , which makes vs miserable in our chiefest height , and heate of purchasing , and againe , more miserable in the possession of that which we haue purchased . section v. fortune hath not a more charming bayte or lure then our owne hope . all the world liues now , and entertaines themselues by the hope of the time future . no man at hometasts the present good , he will still be beyond it : there is not a personage , whom euery one represents , and acts not worse then his owne . his desire transports him in all places , and hee himselfe is therefore neuer in any . it is the greatest aduantage which fortune hath of vs , for she still makes vse , & serues her selfe of our hope , as of a golden hooke , the more easily to deceiue vs. if any disaster or misfortune befall vs , whiles our hope hath transported vs other wheres ; shee takes possession of the place , and fortifieth her selfe with our owne proper weapons , and at our returne makes vs suffer a thousand sorts of tyrannies in this new slauery . hee who is at home , when some accident o● fire hath cast a sparkle thereof in our own● firebrands , hee very easily quencheth it , and by this meanes saues his house from the fury of flames and burning : and if when fortune darts a sparke of some voluptuousnesse in our soule , that we were carefull to runne speedily to extinguish it , before it had burnt our hopes , which by little and little goe to enkindle them with the bellowes of good successe ; we may then saue our selues from this fire , & so preuent the burning of our passions . the spring time produceth not so many flowers on the wide bosome of the earth , as hopes engender thornes in the hearts of men . the louer who languisheth in the flames of his desire , blowes the fire thereof , and so enflames himselfe the more by the winde of some foolish promise . the hope of glory , animates the courage of the ambitious man ; and he whom couetousnesse controules and commands , making him to passe so many seas for the obtaining thereof , he findes no more fauourable and pleasing windes , then that of his hope : so ambition , loue , couetousnesse , are three riuers which issue from this spring , the which we must stop , if we resolue to dry vp all the displeasures , and discontents which wee receiue . hope is a motion , and passion of the soule , which very easily procures vs the possession of a future good , whereof we haue already receiued the impression . she enflames vs in the difficultest actions . impossibility hath no barres so strong , which shee cannot breake in sunder : all things are inferiour to her , and nothing equalizeth her , but her desire . shee holdes our thoughts hanging in the ayre , and our felicity yet more in ballance and suspence . shee lifts vs vp so high , that reason it selfe findes no surer foundation , or reason to secure vs from the ruine of our enterprizes , which commonly bring vs more shame by their imperfection , then glory by their euent . the blinde desire of the ambitious , should not bee guilty of his fall , without the pernitious councell of his deceitfull hope . icarus had not lost himselfe by his rash folly , if hee had not beleeued , that the winges of his hope were stronger , then those which hee had receiued from his father . the disobedience of this sonne , prefigureth the ignorance of the common people , as the fathers command is the picture of wisedome , which contents it selfe to haue escaped slauery . we must surcease to hope , thereby more easily to obtaine the place whereto we aspire . wee may as soone ariue there by diuerting our face , as by following it by the eyes of our hope ; as well as rowers , who by turning their backes , obtaine the port of their desires . the greatest good which we can finde in the goods of fortune , is not to seeke or research th●m . to flie that which is subiect to decei●e our hopes , is the surest meanes to meete with what we desire . we must stop and stay our hopes in the very beginning of their conceptions , sith the good which assembles them by the name or forme of greatnesse , is false , and gratifies none lesse then those who follow the glimmering light , and brightnesse thereof : yea , it is so farre from true good , as it commonly falls out vnto vs , as to a child , who gazing at the flame of the candle , is so taken and rauished with the sight and beauty thereof , as he thrusts his hand to it : but hauing cr●sh'd it in his fingers , he extinguisheth the light thereof , and so burnes himselfe for wan● of iudgement : so we follow the rayes of fortune , but being possessed of it , wee eclipse the lustre thereof in our owne hands , whereof wee were formerly enamoured and delighted , which leaues vs a very sharpe and sensible burning , to the preiudice of our reputation : because if our desire succeede , our hope presently enkindleth a new one , which nourished by this , becomes farre more violent then the form●r , as fire ( if the wood or matter faile not ) enkindleth infinite more . wee must therefore stop the flight and current thereof betimes , and if reason giue no end to our hopes , let vs not hope that fortune is capable to doe it . for it is impossible for her to giue true content and tranquillity to our soule , because true tranquillity cannot be meant or expounded , but by the vniformitie and resemblance of the like , or equall thin●s . but as the circle and the square of geometricians , cannot comprise or containe one and the same space , and that the figure and superficies of the one , is not entirely filled by the figure and superficies of the other : so the soule , which is the image of god , and therefore simple , and circular ( if wee will vse the words of the cabalists ) agreeing in all , and by all , with it selfe : it is impossible that shee can be equally comprized among the bounds of other figures , multiplied and composed of many parts and angels ; i meane of worldly pleasures , and fauours of fortune , which cannot satisfie her , and which by this insacietie , doeth sufficiently testifie their insufficiency . we must therefore ecclips the wings of our hope , and if possible wee can , stop her as soone as she beginnes to take her birth , and flight ; or else temperately imploy her in the research of riches , whose veine is so deepely , and profoundly hidden within vs. neuerthelesse , because the winde of this passion seemes to appease the fire , and ardor of our discontents , and that the most violent griefe that can be , feeles it selfe ouer-mastred by the very point , and consideration of hope , we must in this regard suffer , and endure it , and make vse thereof , in those inconueniences where the constancy of the soule findes her selfe , to be very weake , because too strongly assaulted , and assailed . misfortunes which threaten vs , doe not alwayes befall , and surprise vs , but are many times diuerted by other accidents , and some times by the ruine of their owne authours . such a one hath prepared poyson for another , who hath beene choaked therewith himselfe : and when this euill , or misfortune , should be ineuitable , yet , the good which wee haue receiued by the sweet flattery of our hopes , cannot yet be taine away , or bereaued from vs. but when we are not besieged by sharpe , and violent afflictions , and that our estate , and condition being farre distant from the great blowes of fortune , makes vs to respire the aire of a sweet and pleasant life , what neede we then to make our selues blinde in the middest of our good fortune , to forsake , and stray from our selues , by the inraged licentiousnesse , which we giue to our desires ; to flie the good which we possesse ; to contemne that which we haue obtained , & purchased ; & it may be , which heretofore hath inflamed vs with the lik desire to enioy it , as that which now torments vs , through the hope of a new good , and where we may yet finde lesse saciety , then in the former . and this is the most dangerous blow , wherewith our enemie ( i meane fortune ) can offend vs ; for what disturbance , and torment is it , which surpriseth our hope , when she inforceth her selfe to breake all those lets , and obstacles which oppose our desire . she changeth our good , into euill , so that which should comfort vs in our griefe and sorrowes , doeth change the sweetnesse , and tranquillitie of our liues , and ingendereth afflictions , and crosses , in the middest of our contentments , and felicities . section vi. feare casts her selfe into the future time , as into a darke and obscure place , thereby with a small cause , or subiect to giue vs the greater wonder , and astonishment . hope , and feare are sister-germaines , but as that heates our desire , and inflames our courage to the most generous actions , so this quencheth and deads it , by the ice of her vaine apprehensions . among those things which we should apprehend , i finde none more worthy of feare , then feare it selfe ; because from an imaginary euill , she knowes how to draw most sharpe , and bitter sorrowes , and being ingenious to worke our sorrow , shee runnes before the good which may befall vs ; disguiseth them ; apparelleth them with her owne liuery , and by this meanes , giues the name of enemy , to him that comes purposely to assist vs. but what suspition can we haue of him , who vnder the cloake , and shadow of good will , comes to counsell vs to our preiudice and damage : this chimaera beates at our breasts , and aduertiseth it , that his enemy is at the gate ; which is true , but it is with so great terrour , and trembling , that it makes vs incapable of counsell . it is by this art , and subtilty , that she deliuers vs vp to our enemy , of whose approaches she had foretold vs. so as if we giue eare to her pernitious designes , she makes vs distrust our owne proper good ; and by these euill courses , changeth the tranquillity and sweetnesse of our life . for what pleasure doeth the enioying of any good bring vs ; if it be still accompanied with the feare of losing it : she incessantly tells vs of bad euents , and teacheth vs thereby , that the surest things for our content , are subiect to the inconstancy of fortune , which with one backe-blow , shakes and ouerthrowes the strongest foundations of our tranquillity . as our desire is not inflamed , but to seeke good , so our feare aimes onely to flie , and eschew euill . pouertie , death , and griefe , are the liueli●st coullers , wherewi●h wee can depaint the cause of our feares . wee haue formerly shewen that pouerty is onely euill , in our opinion ; whose points are not sharpned , but by the temper of our owne imaginations . but it is in vaine to feare that which cannot offend vs despight our selues . nature hath caused vs to be all borne equally rich , & esteemes so little of the goods she giues vs , which we tearme riches , as of our passions , and the feare to lose them . seneca sayes , that the gods were more propitious , and fauourable , when they were but of earth , then since , when they were made of gold , or siluer ; meaning thereby , that the rest , and tranquillity of the mind , was more frequently found in the life of our fore-fathers , who sought no other riches , then the fruites of their labours , then it hath done since , when men being curious to open the bosome , and rip vp the bowells of the earth , haue therein found mines of gold , and siluer , which shee hath dispersed , and sowen among vs ; as seed of discord and diuision . the meanest estate and condition , and those steps which are neerest the earth , are still the firmest and surest , as the highest are the most dangerous . and if pouertie bee any way harsh , or distastfull , it is onely because she can throw vs into the armes of hunger , thirst heate , cold , or other discommodities . so in pouertie , it is not she which is to be feared , but rather griefe , and paine , whereof we will hereafter speake in its proper place . but some one will say , who is he that apprehends , and feares not death . there is no pouerty so poore , which findes not wherewith to liue : the body is easily accustomed , and hardned to endure heate , or cold ; but what remedy is there against death ? who with his sharpe sithe , cuts and reapes away so many pleasures , yea , the very threed of our life , which can neuer be regained ; for although old men approach death in despight of themselues , and that their distast of worldly pleasures ( the forerunner thereof ) should yet giue them resolution to aduance boldly ; neuerthelesse , they retire backe , they tremble at the ghastly sight , and shadow of death , yea , they are affraide , sincke downe in their beds , and wrap themselues vp in their couerlets ; and to vse but one word , they dye euery moment , at the onely feare , and thought of death . and i who am in the spring-time of my age cherished of the muses , and beloued of fortune in the very hight of all pleasures , and voluptuousnesse , shall not i yet feare death . so many griefes and sorrowes , so many conuulsions , and gnashing of our teeth , are they not to be apprehended , and feared ; can the linkes of that marriage of the body , and soule be dissolued , and broken , but by some violent effect , and power ; those who are insensible , feare their dissolution . flowers , and trees seeme to mourne at the edge of the knife , and shall not then our sense , and feeling bee sensible thereof , yea , and remarke , and see it in our feare ? i answere , it is true , that of all things which nature representeth vnto vs most terrible , there is nothing which shee hath depainted in such fearefull colours , as the figure and image of death . euery thing tendes to the conserua●ion of its being , and generously oppose and fight against those who seeke to destroy it : but the feare which wee entermixe with it , is not of the match o● party ; but is onely of our owne proper beliefe and inuention . paine which seemes to be the iustest cause to make vs apprehend it , is excluded , and hath nothing to doe with it , because the seperation of the soule and body , is done in so sodaine a moment and instan● , that our vnderstanding hardly perceiuing it , it i● very difficult for our sense to doe it . those gastly lookes which deuance it , or the rew●rd of good or euill which followes it , are no appurtenances , ●or dependancies of this instant or moment : but i will say more ; for as there is no time in this instant , so likewise there is no paine ; because the senses cannot operate or agitate ( according to the opinion of philosophers ) but with some certaine interim of time , and which is more , that those last panges are passed away without any sense or feeling thereof . and contrariwise , if in this seperation , the paine should be either in the body or soule , or both ; first , the body feeles it not , because there is nothing but the senses which can perceiue it , who being in disorder and confusion , by the disturbance of the vitall spirits , which they oppresse and restraine , their disposition is thereby vitiated . the function of the senses being interrupted , they cease to operate ; and therefore of feeling the effect of paine , but more especially when the spirits abandon them , and retire and withdrawe themselues from the heart : the which wee perceiue , and see in those who fall in a swoone , whose eyes remaine yet open , without seeing , and without operation : which happeneth and comes to passe , because the spirits which should make the wheeles of the sight to moue and operate , haue abandoned their places and functions . the soule of her selfe cannot remedy it , no more then a fountainer can cause his water-workes to play , when there is no water ; the which by reason thereof , is then meerely out of his power . and as the eye by the defect hereof , performes not her function ; and without perceiuing thereof , ceaseth to operate : so all the other senses by the same rule and reason , doe faile vs. when our soule will take her last farewell of our body , shee flyes to the regions of the liuer and heart , as to her publique places , all the spirits being dispierced , and bending here and there in the body , to take her last fare-well of them , which retire , without that the parts or members farther off , doe feele any paine of this seperation : but because henceforth they can no more feele it , for that they carie away with them the heat and strength of feeling . if therefore there be any paine , it must be in the noble parts , who profer their last farewell , and thankes to the soule for the care , labour , and paine ; which shee hath had to giue them life and motion . the husband cannot l●aue or goe from his wife , without a great sense and feeling of sorrowe : for his sighes , griefes , and teares , testifie how bitter and displeasing this seperation is to him : can therefore this seperation of the soule from the body , bee performed with lesse griefe and paine ? some will say , that the most remote parts and members shall be insensible thereof , and endure and suffer nothing in this reluctation and conflict , which is onely because they haue giuen this charge , and conferred this commission to the noble parts to performe it . as in the seperation of one whom we deerely affect and loue , all the whole body which suffereth in this farewell , ( to make his griefe and sorrowes the more apparent ) commits the charge thereof to the eyes by their teares , and to his breast by her sighes , to expresse his sense and feeling thereof : i answere , that there is no paine , because the spirits who withdrawe themselues , by the defects and failing of others in these interiour parts , are either in good and perfect order , and their function is common , and therefore without paine ; or else in confusion , and then the function , and organes of the spirits are changed , and consequently their effect , which is the sense and feeling thereof : which is seene by those who fall into a trance or swooning , they feele nothing lesse then paine in those parts , which with farre more reason should betide them ; because the force and power of the spirits dispierced throwe all the body , is in one instant assembled , and gathered together in this place : whereas contrariwise death hapneth , and comes to vs , by the extinguishing of the spirits , who by their extreame weakenesse , cannot furnish power enough , to moue the wheeles and organes of our feeling ; and as without paine they haue abandoned the remotest parts and members , they faile in them without any perceiuing thereof . the body depriued of knowledge , and therefore ignorant of his losses , supports it without any paine or griefe : so that if there be any paine or bitternesse in this seperation ; it should be in the soule , who touched with the remembrance of fore-past pleasures , which she hath enioyed , and tasted in her commerce and traffique with the body , shee cannot depart or estrange her selfe without paine , and lamentation . but i affirme , and say , that paine hath no power , but ore the body , and that the soule , being wholly simple , pure , and spirituall , is exempt of its iurisdiction , and it hath no hold , or power ouer her . that if the knowledge which she hath bee capable to giue him any sense , or feeling of paine , it should bee for his good . but there is nothing which the soule embraceth with more passion , nor desireth so eagerly , then her rest , and tranquillity ; i meane the enioyance , and possession of her obiect ; for then chiefely when she is detained in the prison of the body , she findes nothing pleasing in this strange countrie , which can content her appetite . iudge then if she g●ieue to depart and dislodge from the body , and whether a prisoner detained by the turkes , when we take off the chaines from his hands , and feete , pay his ransome to reconduct him into his natiue country , & so restore him to the free possession of his goods , and liberty , haue any great cause to afflict himselfe for this separation : i confesse you will answere me ; that i no more feare death for its paine , sith there is none so sharpe , which we will not willingly endure and suffer ; and which is not entermixed with some sweetnesse ; if we fla●ter our selues with the hope of a remedy . but who is he , who ought not to apprehend the losse of goods , which are common to the one , and the other , to the minde , and the body , which being diuided , and separated , their sweet enioyance can no more be recouered ; i say , that if this losse be a griefe , or euill : this euill ought to concurre , and meet , either in the enioying thereof , or then when you possesse , and enioy it , no longer . as for the present , should you not iniustly complaine , because you enioy it quietly , and that you attribute the good which they bring vs , to the possessing of them : but it is no euill , no more then when you enioy them not , because the euill is the feeling which we haue of a thing that afflicts vs ; but death depriues vs of all sense and feeling , and therefore of this paine and affliction ; that if you afflict your selfe , because death depriues you of the remembrance thereof , by the same reason , euery night before you sleepe , you ought to bewaile and lament it , and to take your farewell , because you goe to lose the memory thereof . those who haue iudged most sollidly , and pertinently of death , and who haue most curiously depainted it at nature , and life , haue compared it to sleepe . but , if we will aske the opinion of trophonius , and agamedes , they will teach vs , what is the most soueraigne of our riches and contents ; because after they had built , and consecrated a stately temple to the honour of apollo , they besought him in requitall , that he would eternally grant them the best thing , and it was answered them by the oracle ; that their demand should be satisfied within three dayes ; but before the expiration thereof , they both died . he who is in the worst estate and condition , beginnes to hope when he hath no more to feare , whereof he is not presently afflicted : man being then so miserable in his life , hath he not reason to aime , and aspire to some better thing . to feare death , ( saith socrates , ) is the part of a wise man , because all the world ignores it ; in not knowing whether it be our good , or our euill : but what should we not feare ; if we feare that which cowardise her selfe hath sought for her retraite , and shelter , and for the speediest and most soueraigne remedy of all afflictions and miseries : the egyptians had still in their bankets , the image of death ; neuerthelesse , it was not feare who had the charge to represent them this picture , but it was constancy , and vertue , who had that commission , and who would not permit that in the middest of their delights and ioyes ; they should be interrupted by any vnexpected accident : but if death then befell them , that he should be of their company , that the ceremony might not be troubled , in regard they kept him his place , and dish ; and briefely , that the ioy of the company mought not be disturbed ; for because they neither knew the certaine place , or time where they should attend death , they therefore attended him in all times , and places . aristotle tells vs , that there is no feare , but of doubtfull things ; it is then in vaine for vs to apprehend it , or that our feare prepares him such base , and cowardly courages , in regard there is nothing more ce●taine then death . how many are there found , who suruiue their glory , and whose languishing life hath not serued , but for a tombe to bury their reputation . it was said by a philosopher , that the sweete pleasures of life , was but a slauery , if the libertie to die , were to be said so , why then should we feare that , which the wisest of the world , held the surest harbour , and sanctuary of our tranquillity . it now rests , that we fight , against the feare of paine , which serues but to afflict vs , with a present griefe of that which it may be , will n●uer befall vs , or at least , farre otherwise then we feare . the painter parhasius exposed his slaues to the racke , thereby , the more naturally to represent the feigned tortures of prometheus . we are slaues to feare , who of an imaginary euill , delights to cast on vs the gall , and bitternesse of a thousand true vexations , and afflictions . for how often haue we shaked , and trembled with feare , at those things which haue produced vs no greater damage then the bare apprehension thereof . haue we euer feared , or expected any thing with extreame impatiency , but that we haue still found it altered , and changed with the beliefe and hope thereof ? hath not paine many sharpe points , and throes of it selfe , without it be any way needfull , for our feare to edge , or sharpen them ; as farre distant as they may be , they still approach vs ; opens them our brest and heart , and casts them into our very blood . hee who cannot defend the blow which threatens him ; at least , let him defend the feare thereof , whereby he shall diminish , at least the one halfe of his griefe and paine : our feares are as easily deceiued , as our hopes . if our griefe and paine be violent , it will be short ; if wee cannot carry it , it will carry vs ; but if it be moderate , and supportable , then our constancy can agree , and sympathise with it ; howsoeuer , it will be high-time to thinke thereof when we come to resent and feele it : but aboue all things wee must remember , that there can nothing befall vs , which is not incident , and common to all the world , and that we entertaine , and receiue the conditions of this our life , onely at our owne perills , and fortunes . there is good , and euill , ease , and paine , and therefore there will bee no particular rule , or law made for vs. destiny doeth not vnwinde for one man the threed of the aduentures , and fortunes of all the world ; and that very paine which wee endure , depends of a part of diuine power , which must finish its course ; hath the rising of this starre beene a maligne aspect vnto vs , why , his setting will giue vs a benigne , and gracious influence : nothing remaines long fixed , or immooueable ; in tortures , and torments , there is yet some relaxation , and ease ; all paines , and griefes haue their interims , which giues other formes , and faces to voluptuousnesse , then a dumbe , or obscure felicity . briefely , it is an ineuitable decree , which hath no appeale ; it is therefore farre better for vs to aduance , and follow , then to permit our selues to bee dragged , and constrained , and so by our reluctation , and contradiction to incurre the anger of our great captaine . section . vii . of all passions , there is no greater enemie to reason , nor lesse capable of councell then choler . it is reported that minerua ( on a time ) playing on a flute in the looking-glasse of a fountaine , was so extreamely angry with her selfe , to see the deformity of her face counterfeited , by reason of the swelling of her cheekes , that she threw her flute to the ground and brake it : if man were so curious to consider the deformitie of his manners , and the indecency which choler imprints on his face , i beleeue , that he would spend all his anger on this passion ; and that reason would againe counsell him once againe to be cholericke , thereby to cut off the roote of so pernitious a vice ; i know not if our soule could be seene of our eyes , in the furious fumes of this passion , who could indure the sight thereof ; for iudge what she may be interiourly , sith her exteriour image , is so foule and deformed . the liueliest traces , and the most delicate lineaments , which make her most commendable , are those which reason , and vertue pourtray in her . but what can we more see faire in her , as soone as they are defaced by the darke , and obscure colours of this passion ; the madnesse thereof , ingendereth such a combustion , and disorder , that reason is constrained to retire , as wholly confused , and to abandon the conduction of the soule , to the rage and insolency of this fury . she makes vs beleeue that we are offended , and that there is nothing but reuenge , which can diminish our iniury ; as if vice could be corrected by her selfe , and neuerthelesse , not being able to wreake it on others , as soone as she would , she then performes it on her selfe , and teares her selfe in pieces , conditionally , that she may sprinckle some of her owne blood , on the face of her enemy . oh passion ! what an enemy art thou to man ; knowest thou nothing else , but how to offend him ? thou puttest weapons into our hands , to repulse iniuries ; and then thou makest vs enemies to our selues , to the end that wee may haue occasion to offend our selues , and thereby , from one & the same wound , to cause to proceede the iniury , and the reuenge ; but herein she is the more dangerous in that she aduanceth not little , and little by degrees , and solicites not the soule as other passions doe , but contrary-wise she drawes , and precipitates her at one blow : after we are fallen into this frenzie , it matters no more , what hath occasioned it , for we still aduance , and passe on to the bottome of this precipice , which the poets haue well represented to vs , who for o●e apple , reduced greece , and asia to fire , and sword . the same cause which makes a master of a family to murmur in his house , animates a prince against his subiects ; and an iniury which puts weapons into our hands against a particular person , doeth some times occasion , & enkindle a warre in a whole kingdome , at least if fortune haue giuen vs reputation , and power enough to effect it ; choler is easie enough to be curbed in her beginning , but very difficult to be restrained , when she is escaped our hands ; she takes the snaffle in her teeth , violently carrieth vs away , and takes no other counsell , but from her owne licentious madnesse . in this passion we may obserue three seuerall motions ; the first proceedes from the power of nature , as a certaine vnwilling disposition , and changing of affection , which we cannot remedy , but by a prescription of long time , and custome , and yet very difficulty , because nature hath this power in men , to mooue them despight of themselues ; yea , and to make them remember the very strongest of their imperfections : the second is voluntary , to wit , then when this passion consults , and takes councell of reason , and submits to it , but he who flattereth his choler , and doeth not stop it in this point , and behalfe , let him neuer hope to restraine it in the third , and last motion , because reason hauing once stooped vnder the command of this passion , she tramples on her throate ; takes the possession of our iudgement , and being shut vp , and fortified in our house , sets fire both without and within it , and then by little and little , consumes her selfe in the flames thereof ; i am of opinion , that it was for this cause , and reason , that seneca said , that it were better to exclude vertue from our soules , then to receiue , or admit choler , because the end thereof , prooues most commonly the beginning of repentance . for reason eleuating her selfe by degrees , and disingaging her selfe from the tyranny of this domesticall enemy , she then comes to know the disorder , occasioned by her owne blindnesse ; whereof she is taken as surety , and pledge , because she must answere , for the force and power which she hath committed vnto him . or if our reason thinke to iustifie her selfe , for that she seemes at his arriuall , to prescribe , and giue him lawes , let her know , that choler forgets them , and that she neuer remembers them , except it be then , when they offend her . those who are intemperate in their sicknesse , prohibit , and defend to be obeyed when they are sicke : & sith man cannot be temperate in this sicknesse of the soule , i meane choler , i am of opinion , that by times he defend reason to obay him . or if we beleeue , that it is some times necessary , because ( as a philosopher said , ) it giues weapons to valour ; i answere , that vice produceth nothing which is vertuous , although it seeme to shoote foorth some false buds , or twigges , which beares i know not what deceitfull image , or representation thereof . it is no good fat , when through sicknesse we become puffed vp , and corpulent . it is neither courage , nor vallour , when through choler we rush vpon our enemies : vertue neuer makes vse of so weake a champion as choler ; it is a weapon which commands vs , and which we manage but at his pleasure , and as dangerous towards our selues , as towards those whom it will offend . it is true , choler hath power and predominancy ouer all men ; that there are many people who haue not yet approoued the stings of ambition , who know not the name of couetousnesse , and yet there are none who haue not felt the effect of choler . all the world is naturally subiect to loue , yea , none can iustly deny the trueth hereof , and yet we haue not seene a world of people mad wi●h the loue of one woman , as we haue seene possessed with this passion of choler ; but it followes not that we cannot auoide it , we goe more often , and more swiftly towards choler , then she doeth towards vs. we seeke the occasions thereof insteed of eschewing , and flying them ; in imitation of caesar , who hauing recouered all the writings , letters , and memories of his enemies , he caused them to be throwne into the fire without seeing them , thereby to preuent , and shorten the way of choler , and reuenge ; and it is also reported of him , that hee neuer forgate any thing but iniuries receiued , a defect and imperfection of memory , worthy of so great a prince . it appertaines to none , but to those great courages to contemne iniuries . in the highest region of the ayre , there is no thunder , saturne ( the greatest of the gods ) walkes so frest , and the more the quality and condition of men are eleuated , the more slow they should bee to follow this passion , because they haue more meanes to offend , and to adde , and giue to the nourishing of this inraged fury , the blood , and ruine of those whom they threaten . if a childe , or a foole offend thee in the streete with iniurious words , thou wilt auoide him with disdaine ; they are too much below thee , to be able to offend thee ; so , know that if the vertue , and greatnesse of thy courage , could as much lift thee aboue common people , as aboue these innocent persons ; that thou shouldest finde as little iniury from the one , as from the other ; the reuenge which thou seekest , is a confession of griefe for a wrong . if he had not offended thee , thou hadst not needed this remedy , a remedy worse then the wrong it selfe , because it befalls vs ; for not being able to endure anothers folly , we very often make it our owne : none can offend vs despight of our selues ; an iniury offered vs , is either true , or false . if true , why should we be offended to heare , or vnderstand a thing as it is . if it be false , are we not satisfied , because the iniury then returnes , and retortes vpon our enemy , through the vice of his life ? his designe is to offend thee ; so , he hath then neede of thee to execute his resolution , and for what art thou indebted to him , to obey his will ; if the iniury offend , and anger thee , it is that which he desireth , and then thou makest no more difference of thine enemy , then of thy friend : because thy will is that of either of them . as words are but winde , so know that the lye , or iniury which offends thee in point of honour , is but vanitie , courage is to be esteemed and prised , but it is either god , thy prince , or countrey , which must dispose thereof vpon good occasions ; iniuries receiue no sharper answeres then contempt . a philos●pher demanding of an old courtier how so rare a thing as age could ripen , and subsist in court ; made answere , in receiuing iniuries , and thanking those who proffer them . the best reuenge which we c●n ta●e of our enemie , is to reape profit by his in●uries . we haue some times neede of enemies , because , discouering our imperfections by their iniuries , we afterwards r●forme and remedy them . reprehension also , is some times necessary to preuent , & hinder , that this vice augment not , but ( as one affirmes ) he who practiseth it , must neither be hungry , nor thir●ty ; let him beware that he adde not reuenge to choler , for then he shall doe nothing , worth any thing , no more then doeth that phisitian , who being angry with his sicke patient , neuer administereth him phisique , but in choler . but me thinkes , the best way to flye and abandon it , is to consider , that it doeth more endamage vs , then those whom we would offend . it suckes the greatest part of our owne proper gall , and so poysoneth vs , for we cannot expell our breath , but after the proportion we attract , and draw it in , for we draw it in , before we first breathe , and powre it forth on others ; and our choler vomiteth out nothing on our enemy , before it haue first corrupted our owne stomach , by its too great indigestion . section viii . passions haue so deformed a countenance , that albeit , they are the daughters of nature , yet we cannot loue them , and behold them at on● time . passions are to the minde , as diseases to the body ; and as the body is reputed sicke , if any part or member thereof be afflicted , or pained , so the soule cānot be said to be healthfull and sound , as long as she feeles the distemper of any passions ; whereof some are sodainly enflamed , and haue no mediocrity , as choler , and others by little , and little , are nourished in our vaines , and bowells , vntill the poyson thereof being spread , and fortified , is become strong enough , to ingender a vniuersall emotion ; as the very thought that we shall be pained , or afflicted by small degrees , appales ▪ and daunts our courage , and comes to surprise our soule , with languishing , griefe , and sorrow . a vice more dangerous then the first , because choler is a clappe of thunder , yea , a thunder-bolt , which with one blow , breakes the branches of a tree , whereas sorrow as a worme stickes to the roote thereof , by little and little consumes its naturall heate , and quite withers , and dries it vp : that in an instant disturbes the tranquillity of our soule , but is soone appeased ; this pierceth to the bottome , remooues the very dregges , and dirt thereof , and hauing lifted it vp aboue it selfe , is not quieted but by a long tract of time . a base , weake , and effeminate passion , which condemnes it selfe , and forbids the pleasing familiarity of his deerest friendes , who fearing to be surprised , as an adulterate woman in her vitious countenance , she constraines her selfe to flie , and steale away from her selfe , as well as from other mens eyes , but yet in what place soeuer she thinkes to saue her selfe , she still goes augmenting of her paine , and flattering of her misfortune ; and the fairest fruites which she is capable to produce , are sighes , teares , and groanes ; the irreproachfull witnesses of the small courage of those who foment , and cherish them . but if it violently proceede , from the good which we see others possesse , then we tearme it enuie . a most infamous passion , which being not able to offend others , seeks to annoy , and destroy himselfe ; and busking euery where , seekes onely his owne tortures in other mens contentments . those who are eminent and sublime in vertue , seeme to haue their reputation exempt from the assaults , and blowes of enuie ; because commonly it ingendereth not but among equalls , and those which by the same competition , and concurrence , aime at the same ends . iniust in their designes , and onely iust in that they are sufficient for their owne proper vexation , and to tie themselues to their owne torments . or if it happen that we are melancholly to see another participate of our goods ; then it is no more sorrow , but ielousie which proceedes from the diffidence of himselfe , and of his owne merits , or from the defect of that which hee loues , as inconstancy , or leuitie , whereof our heart secretly accuseth him , or from the vertue , or excellent parts which we see , and obserue in our riuall . among all other passions , it is she alone to whom most things serue for phisique , but least for remedie ; she screwes , and insinuates her selfe vnder the title of good will and affection , and yet on the foundation thereof , she buildes her chiefest hatred . and if any one contrariwise pretend that it is a signe of loue ; i say , that like as a f●auer in the body is a signe of life , but yet of distempered , & corrupted life , that so iealousie may be a testimony of loue , but yet it is of an imperfect & def●ctiue loue ; for that which we suspect , either is , or is not ; if it be not ▪ we offēd that which we loue ; if it be , is it not properly to ruine affection : but is there a greater folly then to be eager in the knowledge of our owne shame , and misery , when there is no phisique , which doeth not augment , and inflame it ? b●t he who is curious in his owne damage , informes himselfe thereof , and hauing discouered it , findes no remedie , but which is a thousand times worse then his griefe and vexation ; me thinkes the sight of his passions , is sufficient to make him detest them ; they haue deformity enough in them , to exasperate our anger and hatred against them : they are the seditious , and factious persons of our soule , and the professed enemies of our p●ace , and tranquillity . it is true that we may throw them to the ground , and trample on them , by the assistance , addresse , and subtilty of vertue , but doe what we can , they will seeme anew to reuiue , and re-enforce themselues as antaeus the son of the earth , the blow of their fall , makes them glance , and rebound against vs , and if they cannot wholly support and raise themselues , they will yet enforce themselues to fight with vs on their knees . the end of the fourth discourse . the fift discourse . of felicitie . section . i. euery thing naturally tends to its repose , onely man strayes from his felicitie , or if hee approach it , he stayes at the branches , insteede of embracing the truncke , or body of the tree . in interiour diseases there is not much lesse art to know them , then to cure them ; but especially then , when their poyson hauing surprised the most secret and hidden parts , is stollen from our sight , yea , and from the sense and feeling of him who harboureth it in his brest ; the most apparant , and truest signe of curing such diseases , is to expell the paine , and to awaken in the patient , his sleepie , or benummed parts , to the end that the feeling which he findes thereof , make him assume the strength , and courage to practise the remedies , the which we haue already formerly done . it remaines now , that thou lend a strong hand to the remedies , thereby to pull , and roote vp these virulent humours . thinke not that thes● diseases are of the number , and quality of those who are inchanted , and which are cured with bare words , : the phisitian , and sicke patient , doe neither aduance , nor performe any good by discourse or words , if they adde not effects thereto . if occasion require , we must vse irons , and fire to extirpe this plant ; there is such a distance from the estate , wherein this contagion hath reduced vs , to that point which we seeke and desire , that the changing of one to the other cannot bee performed with lesse violence . to approoue any other way , is to attempt an impossibility ; and herein to want courage , is to dispaire of the cure , and remedy of his disease . neuerthelesse , we will attempt the most pleasing remedies , and make vse of irons , and fire but in the greatest extreamities . i conceiue and apprehend , that some one will say to me , thou wilt make me forsake my hold , and so abandon a good in effect , although it be some what sharpe , and bitter , to follow this felicity which thou proposest , which it may be is a good in shew , which in its selfe hath no other body but contempt , nor soule , but vntrueth and lies . hath any one discouered it out of the empire of fortune , and what else is it but the fulnesse , and the loade-stone of his fauours ( which attracts the eyes of all the world , as the white , and leuell of our desires , and the center of our affections . ) but that which we terme felicity , without which there is nothing found but is false and imaginary . no , no , i will not snatch out of your hands , that which you affect , and cherish so deerely , nor bereaue your eyes of these obiects , whose lustre vnites , and ties them to it . i will not cut off your pensions , nor reuenewes ▪ and least of all diminish your credit , and authority . but by the increase , and surplus of a 〈◊〉 good , i will adde to that heape , this soueraigne contentment , which is not of their n●ture and grouth , if we will beleeue 〈◊〉 disturbance which we meet with in the 〈◊〉 of their affluence . this faire goddesse vertue , whose 〈…〉 is beloued , and honoured of all the world , yea , of her proper enemies , ought to lead , and conduct vs by the hand in this passage , and to put vs in possession of that felicity , whereof we affect and cherish but the shadowes : it is she which beares the key of the treasury , which hauing vnshut and opened , we may all thrust in our hands , for it is inexhaustible . our affections shall finde the inioyance of their desires , and our insatiable thirst of loue , shall finde wherewithall to quench this violent fire , who in enioying the goods of fortune , did but the more enflame it . wee shall haue so much the more accesse and familiarity , as our nature doth sweetly encline vs. doe i say that shee constraines vs with some degree of violence ; the desire which wee feele in our heart , is it any other thing but a sparke of felicity , which would ioyne as to his element , and the place of his origine ? for where the defect is found vnited , and linked to power , there necessarily is formed desire : but man is knowne to want many things , chiefely vertue , which is a perfect habitude . hee then desires it ; but this desire tendes to something , which may bee truly purchased and obtained , and where being ariued , he findes his tranquillity , or otherwise this his desire were in vaine . so not finding it in the goods of fortune , but in vertue , it followes , that there is another felicity , besides that which is propos'd vs by fortune . imperfection supposeth the diminution of any perfect thing , because the nature of things hath not deriued its power and vigour from a defectiue and imperfect nature , but from a most compleat and full one . it followes then that there is a point of nobility , from whence they haue degenerated , and especially in the act of our soueraigne good , from whence through errour and opinion , man hath beene diuerted as from his obiect , to follow a stranger ; the which because hee of himselfe cannot wholy appease our desire , sufficiently demonstates and testifies by this imperfect beatitude , that he is either the part , the shadowe , or the image of some accomplished thing , which is felicity : but the part presupposeth the whole , and the shadowe or image must necessarily haue relation to the body . wherefore , of this imperfect happinesse , wee may drawe a necessary consequence of the soueraigne good , and indeede the wit of man , in whatsoeuer extasie hee can be , retaines in it selfe i know not what seede thereof . but as the reeling drunkard , although hee cannot finde the way home , doth not for all lose his desire to returne to his owne house : so man being drunke with the delights and pleasures of the world , doth not yet omit to desire this felicity , which is proposed him by nature , although by their enchantments hee no more know●s what way to obserue and follow . mens actions , although they are deriued of the vertues , vices , troubles of the soule , and of other affections , doe yet all tend to felicity , but all m●n are not so happy to obtaine it . this felicity is either actiue or contemplatiue . this last ha●h some thing more noble , and yet more imperfect then the other : his designe is more generous and noble , but his execution is more imperfect ; yea , it is more noble in that it seemes that by her , man is made like vnto the diuine nature . in the actiue we shall finde some thing , as strength and wisedome , wherein we haue some common resemblance to beasts , more imperfect in his execution . first , she depends of the actiue , and according to the saying of plato , hath neede that all the troubles of the soule be appeased , and dissipated , because they very much disturbe con●emplation , and yet she cannot passe without the goods of the body and of fortune , which ought to be prepared to her by this ; when she wants nothing whereof shee ought to be furnished and assisted , to aduance her with more ease and facility . to what degree can shee ascend . perfection cannot bee bought or purchased in this world , because of the obstacles which befall vs by the meanes of the body and the senses , who by throwing too darke and thicke cloudes betweene the true and false , hinder the soule that shee cannot enioy a perfect f●licity in the contemplation of truth . contrariwise , the actiue who employes not her selfe , but to correct those troubles which fall into the soule , by animating some when they withdrawe vs from our dutie , and in stopping others when they make vs passe the bounds of reason , ariues at last to the end of his enterprise , and makes vs enioy in effect that good ▪ which shee proposeth her selfe . shee may easily leaue and omit contemplation , which is somewhat lesse necessarie then the goods of the body . sciences ( or learning ) haue their vices and defects , as pride , vanity , and presumption , which cannot be corrected but by the ayde of this . many haue beene happy without learning : and socrates for the regard thereof , was not by the oracle reputed the wisest man of the world , but for the conduction and ordering of his manners . neuerthelesse , as one good added to another , makes it the greater , so the contemplatiue brings some profit & aduantage to the actiue felicity , although neuerthelesse she seeme rather to offend then serue her : for she beares with her a ( i know not what ) trouble to enquire and know ; which sells vs many light and triuiall shewes of contentments , in regard of continuall sweat and labour ; and in the end discouereth vs the vanity of her pretences . for all learning , which wee can purchase , is not perfect , but by reason of his obiect , which is god , or the essence of things wherein he is , if rather they be not in him , as in their soueraigne head spring and fountaine . but by those wayes and meanes which wee possesse it , shee cannot bee but extreamely weake and imperfect , being ore-vayled and obscured with an infinite number of shadowes and cloudes , because it is not things and their essences which conioyne themselues to our soule , no more then bodies are seene in the christall of looking-glasses ; but onely their formes and representations . so in steed of truth she receiues nothing but the resemblances and shadowes thereof ; as wee haue formerly obserued in the tract of the senses : and neuerthelesse , shee wheeles and runnes round about obiects , and proffereth vs her hands , to stop and arrest the shadowes of our visions , in steed of the body , and the thing itselfe . so that wee must not wonder if learning cannot content or satisfie our desires , and therefore serues but to disturbe vs , because her formes and resemblances giue vs no essentiall nor solid thing , but onely fill vs with i know not what ayrie , emptie , and superficiall , which doth rather anger then appease vs : which absolutely contradicts our actiue felicity , which is nothing else but a perfect tranquillity of the minde , in the moderate vse of goods which shee enioyeth . the vulgar and common sort of men , assigne this felicity to bee in pleasures and voluptuousnesse , imagining that the greatest part of those who are constituted in authoritie , liue after that manner , beleeuing that all euill is in griefe and affliction : and they are not farre wide of the truth herein , because all our actions still ayme at delight and pleasure ; which commonly accompanieth felicity as her shadow : but this approaching end is not the last , so that this imperfection sufficiently giues the lye to their beliefe and opinion . the errors of others growe according to the proportion of their greatnesse ; for it seemes that the more man is eleuated in fortune , that thereby he either augments his faults , or else makes them appeare the greater . the oeconomicall , or domesticall man , proposeth himselfe nothing but wealth and riches : but it is a life too full of trouble and agitation ; the enemie of re●● , and tranquillity , and therefore of felicity . those who are dignified aboue the people , hold that they are risen to that honour which the politique life seemes to propose for her end ; but there is small likelihood or reason , that our good consists more in others then in our selues , whereby it were to permit that fortune should take part , which delights in nothing more , then in crossing and aff●icting vs. it is not with felicity , as it is wit● fortune . such haue honours which they merit and deserue not ; but none can buy this felicity , but with the price of merit . princes thinke of nothing so much , as how to extend the bounds of their empires , to the confines of the world ; and to see their selues onely absolute in this soueraigne power . alexander neuerthelesse agrees not hereunto , as whether his designe was yet more generous ; or that he hath acknowledged his abuse and vanity in this point : but the one and the other deceiue themselues in their opinions , and take a part for the whole . one swallow or faire day , makes not a summer : so the assistance of one of these contentments being separated , and vntyed from the huge number thereof , they are not sufficient to make a man be iustly term'd happy , no more then a man for hauing performed one act of vertue , ought to be term'd vertuous ; because it is an exercise which consists of many actions , and which so often repeated , composeth a custome or habit . a captaine cannot be stiled victorious , who hauing defeated a squadron of the contrary side , in the end sees his armie ouerthrowne by the rest of his enemies . so repute not him happy , who surmounts and vanquisheth his choler , and other wayes leaues the better part of his minde and affections in prey , to couetousnesse , ambition , or some other vice , which captiuates and torments him . section ii. it is without reason that we complaine of fortune , because hourely shee teacheth vs , her mutable and variable humour . as there is but fortune and vertue , who share and diuide our passions , it is they also who communicate vs , all that wee terme goods or riches , yea our felicity it selfe : let vs iudge of that who hath giuen vs the better part ; and let vs equally weigh and ballance the fauours which we receiue . it seemes to me , that fortune aduanceth , and comes forth first to meete vs ; deck'd , and embellished in her richest attire , and ornaments to heat and enflame our affections , and to make vs feele the obligations , wherewith shee enchaines and captiuates our wills . it is true , i cannot consent or adhaere with those , who do not sufficiently feele and acknowledge it , and testifie by iniurying her the vice of their owne vnderstanding . i too much esteeme , and prife equity not to confesse ingeniously , as well the good as the euill , which we finde in our enemie . nothing engageth mee but iustice ; nothing enforceth me but reason . but what reason is there , that thou who hast opened her , all thy dores , and who hast issued foorth to meete , and salute fortune , to receiue her into thy house , that thou wilt quarell with her when shee is there ▪ or because she giues thee that too late , which pleaseth thy ambition , or that shee too sparingly bestowes her fauours and treasures on thee , to satisfie the taste and palate of thy distempered and irregular appetites : or because shee is weary to reside and dwell so long vnder one roofe , shee retires other wheres . that which shee hath lent thee , shee hath departed with out of her pure liberality ; and therefore what reason is there , that thou contest and quarell with her , because shee withdrawes it . it may be thou hast not vnderstoode the clauses and conditions of her bargaine : for , for a time she giues vs , the vse and profit of her goods ; but she neuer dispossesseth her selfe of their propriety . and in retiring hath shee caried away any thing that was not her owne : what shall become of thy obligation and debt to her for her presents ? shall their absence haue the credit wholy to wipe off and deface it . if any one had reached thee out his hand to withdraw thee out of a mire , were it reasonable that thou shouldst quarell with him , because hee would not carie thee home to his house on his shoulders ? liberality hath his limits in his intents , and not in the will of others , who neuer say , it is enough . otherwise , what monarch by his guifts could content and satiate the will of the meanest shepheard , which encreasing by the enioyance of those things which his desire proposeth him , raiseth himselfe by little and little to so excessiue a degree of pride and arrogancie , that the possession of the whole world , and of all which it containes ▪ will yet be found to be inferiour to his ambitions . he who lends or giues , doth still oblige when hee performes more then hee owes . when one lends thee any thing , hath he no more right to aske and demand it of thee ? whereof doest thou then complaine ? doth it not remaine that thou shouldst thanke him for the time which thou has enioyed it ? if shee take leaue of thee , goe and conduct her home to her dore . it is true ▪ shee is so good and pleasing a companion that wee cannot suffer her seperation without griefe ; but there is no reason that we should enforce her against her will and nature , to remaine so long time in one place , because shee delights in nothing more then in mutability and change . the law of ciuility permits vs not to quarel with him who comes to oblige vs by visiting vs , if his visite seeme too short to vs. where then is the wrong which fortune hath done thee ; what is the griefe whereof thou complainest ? doest thou not know her artifice , who to make her fauours more pleasing and desirable , withdrawes them for a time . her absence makes our loue more violent , and thereby makes it doe homage , which her presence could neuer draw from our tongue : the estimation which wee make of things being of this nature , that it neuer tyes it selfe , but to those things which we haue not ; and contempt contrariwise to that which wee possesse and enioy . but the same inconstancie which dislodg'd her , will it may be cause her returne . there is nothing constant in her , but onely her inconstancie , nor so durable as her mutability . polycrates knowing very well her humour , to content her vicissitude and changeablenesse , without giuing her the paine to come home to him , beleeued that he had sufficiently satisfied her due and interest , in throwing into the sea a iewell of an inestimable value . but to shew that shee will not that any one shall act and play her part ; but that she will take and chuse at her pleasure , shee caused this iewell againe to returne to him , found in the belly of a fish , which was serued in to him on his table . nothing displeaseth her but our resolution , nothing contents her but our weakenesse and pusillanimity . to contemne that which shee giues vs , is the meanes to enioy it long , because she difficultly resolues to withdrawe the good which she hath done vs ; if at least shee haue not formerly endomaged our vertue , or corrupted vs by her familiarity : in the meane time i perceiue not that her weapons fight against her selfe ; and that the onely way to excuse her herein , is to accuse her for the ruine of our repose and tranquillity , because her inconstant nature cannot looke or bend to the surest side , and that feare and hope wherewith shee perpetually ballanceth the course and actions of our life , promiseth vs nothing lesse then perfect felicity . section . iii. wealth and riches are too poore to giue vs the felicitie which wee seeke and desire . bvt there is no reason so soone to stoppe her mouth and condemne her ; let vs a little see and obserue the great preparatiues , which with so much noyse shee drawes after her . the master doth not alway carry the purse . it may bee that this felicitie may consist and meete in the one or the other of her goods and benefits of fortune , that follow her as her chiefest officers . let vs cursorily consider , hee who defuseth so much pompe and lustre , that it seemes the eyes and hearts of all the world should follow this splendant brightnesse . it is that which we tearme wealth , or riches . what is your designe , promise nothing which you cannot performe , if it bee not that you are constrained thereunto by the command of your mistris ; obedience is blinde , and it is onely that which excuseth you . doe you beleeue that in curing our pouerty , you cure vs of the rest of our diseases ? doe you thinke because of your aboundance , that you want nothing to adde to your content ? you doe nothing lesse for all that ; you onely a little rub your itch , but presently after it afflicts you farre the more ; for then the heate or fire takes it ; and the more you continue it , the more it encreaseth . but what good doe you riches bring vs ; if wee cast vp our accompts together , i beleeue you remaine our debter ; what is there in you which is worthy to bee esteem'd by your price and value , but onely your exterior lustre and shew ; and if there be but onely that , what is there which wee finde not farre more admirable , in starres and flowres , and which is not common to a thousand other naturall bodies : you must then confesse , that you are in our debt , by vertue whereof , you must couenant and condition with vs , to satisfie our desires , and so to exempt vs of pouerty . and yet notwithstanding you neither performe the one , or the other . is it in your power to quench our thirst when we are extreamely pressed and afflicted therewith ; you make vs beleeue that we yet want something , and yet the possession thereof doth but encrease its violence . if there be any thing in you that be capable to enrich vs , it must be your presence ; and yet notwithstanding you bring vs more profit vpon the exchange then in your coffers . it is not therefore your presence which is to be desired , sith your absence enricheth vs farre more : by this wee see , that pouerty is found richer then abundance . whereof then are we healed and cured ? but you will say , that your want doth impouerish vs ! o poore riches , sith you still carie with and about you some degree of beggery . hee who wants many things , is hee not iustly held and reputed poore : but when you are ariued any where , how many seruants and guards doe you want to secure you from your enuiers . how exceedingly you want the ayde and assistance of iudges , to punish those who offend and wrong you . and if hee who receiues and enioyes you , haue neede of all these things , and which is more , hath neede of himselfe , because hee is no more himselfe , ( the last and most extreame point of beggery ) is not hee then more to bee contemned , or rather pittied , then hee whom you tearme poore , who weighes not his goods by the goldsmithes ballance , but by the yard of necessity : and who wants not all these things ! o riches , for what then serue you : but onely to enrich vs in wanting farre more things then wee enioy . why then doe you constraine vs to carie on our backes your gold and siluer , which oppresseth and afflicts vs farre more in your company , then it did when you were alone , or absent . a double burthen is not the way to ease a porter ! o riches , where then is this good which hath deceiued our hopes ? it is not for you to purchase it ; it hath cost vs too many cares and labours : it is not for you to conserue it ; it hath too many feares and apprehensions . is it in your losse , i doubt so , if wee will beleeue the wise man , who reioyced to study philosophy more at his ease , after the shipwrack and losse of all his goods . auant then riches , for you are professed enemies of repose and tranquillity , and therfore of felicity . section . iv. glory and reputation hath nothing which is solide but vanity , we must therefore else-where seeke our soueraigne contentment . there is more likelihood and semblance , that this lady clad so sleightly and slenderly , who promiseth to carie our name on her wings to all parts and corners of the world , tearmed glory , honour , or reputation , doth carie in her bosome this precious pearle which we seeke , i meane felicity . it is impossible hauing trauailed , and ranne ouer so many countries , but that shee hath met it either in the east indies , or some other transmarine part . and indeede , if wee will beleeue those who haue made profession of learning and philosophie , wee shall finde that they were partly of that opinion , which they sufficiently testified , by the desire and immortality of their writings , and that our felicity depended of the fauours of this goddesse , who hath power , besides the fruit which wee receiue thereby in our life , to prolong the enioyance thereof after our death . shee opens graues and tombes : shee forceth times and ages ; shee snatcheth out of the bowells of death , and the hands of obliuion , the life and name of him , who by the merit of his loue , and the assiduity of his seruices , hath wonne her heart and affection : but faire goddesse , i am much deceiued , if you are not extreamely debased and fallen from your pristine beauty , and from what you haue beene . i know not , if it be not the loue of some narcissus , which hath so much blemished , and withered you , and reduced you to the estate wherein you now are . what hope remaines there for vs , to cherish and comfort our loue , by the sweet pressure of your embracings ? what is become of this former health and beauty , of this delicate skinne , this rauishing countenance , and vermilian cheekes ? what doe you retaine nothing thereof , but onely your voyce , no more then miserable eccho doth : a voyce so weake and imperfect , that shee can pronounce nothing but our name . what say i ? if as to an eccho wee make her speake what we please , and pronounce with one tone , yea and no. this triuiall lady hath beene taught to praise vice as vertue , and to vse the same language for the one as for the other . he who flatters a tyrant , hath no other tearmes to praise a good prince , and those who knowe them not but by this relation : what shall he doe to hazard nothing of the esteeme , which his iudgement giues him . among mens inuentions , i approue the artifice which they haue had , to forge this feigned diuinity , to stirre vp , and incite mens hearts by the alluring sight thereof , to surmount all difficult things , thereby to make his way and passage to vertue . but we ought not to expose and abandon it to all men , nor permit that it should be so cheape and common among vs as it is . wee ought not with the same pensill to paint white and black , nor with one and the same cloake to couer vice and vertue . those who built the temple of vertue and honour together , so that none could enter into this , before they had first past that , did yet retaine some forme and image of this first institution . but what law so euer wee can make , it degenerates in the end through the vse thereof , either into abuse , or tyrannie , which seemes to proceede not so much by the fault of man , as of the nature of the thing it selfe , which being ingaged in the course , and vicissitude of mortall things , runnes to the end , and cannot long subsist or remaine in one constant and immutable being . and indeede , in her first yeares and time , this lady glory followed nothing but virtue and merit , but some stupid man ( desirous to content the eyes of his body , as well as those of his minde ) would giue her some solid thing , whereunto she might fasten and fixe her selfe , as to him who is the best timbred , the strongest , and the most couragious , the dignity to march first in warres , and to command and conduct others : as the infidels doe at this day ( a thing which sauours not of barbarisme ) to him which excells in wit , iudgement , and iustice , the office to appease differences , which arise among the people , as moyses likewise did . these offices giue the first ranke and preheminence to those who were established , and by degrees erected in dignities . neuerthelesse , those who were formerly prouided , were not yet so much honored for the charge and office which they possessed ; but onely by merit , which made them worthy and capable aboue all other . but after-times haue not proceeded by election , but haue beleeueth that the vertue of predecessours , ought to be infused with the seede , in the person of successors . the which being since maintained , then vertue began to withdrawe , and retire her selfe apart , and hath not since beene found vnited to these dignities ; but that by hazard and accident some persons of merit haue beene found of that number . in the meane time , honour which was inseparably vnited to those dignities , for vertues sake ( which was the soule thereof ) hath not ceased to follow this body , although shee haue beene diuided and separated ; also the glory , and the estimation , and opinion of people , is farre more capable to vnite it selfe to i know not what grosse obiect , thing , or person , then to any thing which is more refined and sublime . he cannot perceiue , yea nor conceiue vertue otherwise then painted , blowne vp , and swell'd by artifice . those who slide into offices and dignities , by their naturall honesty and simplicity , doe easily escape from so grosse a sight , which hath neede of a greater and stronger body , although they can take no hold-fast thereof . wee are in a time , where the good opinion and estimation of people is iniurious ; why then shall we so much esteem it ? hee who hath a hundred thousand crownes to bestow on an office or dignitie , he hath verie much shortned the way , which another must make by his vertuous actions , to make himselfe so well esteemed and accepted : it matters not much whether he enter in by some false doore , or that it comes not to him by fayre play : howsoeuer he hath performed more in an hower , then all the vertue of this other can doe during his whole life . yea , to speake properly , he hath herein resembled the troian horse , who effected that in one night , which a great armie could not doe in ten yeares . if all the vertue and wisedome of the world were assembled in the other , it cannot exempt , or priuiledge him from being push'd and abused in the streets , by euer porter or cobler , in the throng and croude of those who retyre to giue way & place to this great new merchant : and if honour and prayse be so impertinently and vndeseruedly giuen , what shall hee profit who will buy it at the price of his owne vertue and integritie . glorie should be followed , not desired ; it is not purchased but by the greatnes and goodnesse of our courage , which measureth all things by conscience . wee must doe for vertue , that which wee doe for glorie ; but me thinkes there is yet more honour not to be , then to be praised for a thing which d●serues it not . but the vulgar people , who is the distributer of this praise , and who keepes the record and register thereof , markes downe the payments and receipts : if he offer it to thee , canst thou safely receiue this present from so corrupted a hand ? if hee denie it thee ; for what doest thou complaine ? if none could worthily praise the athenians but before the athenians themselues ; shouldst thou care for any other praise then for that of wise men ? or if because thou art a good musitian , that some should praise thee for a good pylot , or for an excellent physitian , canst thou endure this false praise without true shame ? the estimation of the vulgar measures all things according to the outward shew and lustre , and iudgeth not of a mans sufficiencie , but by the number & liuerie of his footmen . that philosopher who discoursing publiquely in the streetes , was interrupted by the applause of the people ; he presently turned to one of his friends , to know if there had any thing impertinently escaped his tongue which had thus giuen the people occasion to praise him , as if hee were not capable to esteeme any thing , but that which is worthy of contempt . and yet when these defects doe not meete and happen , can a man receiue honour , but from at least his equall ; to wit , or on the like tearmes and condition . if there were not the like interest , hee should but sleight him , and say , it s a man that spake it : there are reproaches enough in this very word to blemish the lustre of his best actions ; they issue from sense as from vertue out of their originall spring , the which wee must re-obtaine , thereby to make a worthy iudgement thereof . none can obserue or remarke the difference : the approbation of a vertuous man , is better then that of a multitude : but the onely approbation of a good conscience , is yet farre more to be priz'd and esteem'd . he is happie who liues peaceable and quiet , and who without designe contemplates the course of worldly actions and accidents : as the shepheard , who during the heat of the day , reposing himselfe at the foote of a tree , lookes sloathfully and carelesly vpon the streame of a small riuer , thereby to employ and recreate his thoughts , vntill the setting of the sunne , which then driues him and his little flocke home to his masters house . section v. honours and dignities , expose to the world , all their splendour and glory : but contrariwise , felicitie lockes vp all her best things in her selfe , and hath no greater enemie then shewe and ostentation . neuerthelesse , if wee yet giue any thing to the obstinacie of fortune , shee will enforce vs to proceede , and to seeke in dignities the felicity which she hath promised vs , although by the precedent reasons , we haue partly engaged their interest in the combat of glory and honour ; and that by the same weapons wee may as easily vanquish as assayle them . their shewe , their lustre and pompe , seemes to be small rayes of the diuinity , dispierced here and there among vs : but they doe as the rayes of the sunne , who if they meete any shining or polished body , as at the meeting of a looking-glasse , then by their repercussion & reflection they represent the image : so if honours and dignities befall vertuous men , wee see there shines in them i know not what image of the diuinitie , which strikes our eyes with admiration and astonishment , and our hearts with respect and feare . but dignities and honours , be not proud , nor vaunt you of this lustre , for it is of vertue that you borowe it . is there any thing more easie to corrupt then you , by the contagion of that which you receiue in your bosome ? what serue you for else , but as torches to discouer and bring to light our defects & imperfections , at least if therewith you could burne our vices , in steed of enlightning them . but they liue in this flame as the salamander , and from this fire attract a powerfull nutriment : is there any thing more dangerous , then to commit power and authority to offend vs , into the hands of our enemie . but those who are vitious and wicked , are enemies of all men : or at least of all good men , because the vertues of the one haue still some thing to contest with the vices of the other ; and for this effect doth estrange them as much as they may , from publique offices and dignities , for feare that vertue , as the true diamond , doe not by her conference demonstrate the vice of the false one . if it be not , that vertue which is commonly in milde and humble courages , be found in the person of him who hath not the assurance , to assayle or assault him . not that it be therefore the the lesse ; but as a good sword , cuts not so well in the hands of a man of small courage , as it doth in those of a braue and resolute captain : so vertue in a weake & feeble soule , ( who feares the assault and brunt ) produceth not so many acts and effects of generosity , as that which is vigorous , who opposeth all that contradict him , and so ouerthrowes and dissipateth the forces of his enemie : so that dignities deserue not to bee tearm'd good things , because they conferre vs not this quality and condition . the white or blacke colour imprints their owne in the wall , and the candor of these dignities doth the more obscure and blemish the soule of the vitious . they resemble those faire and rich vestments , which adorne and cloathe a foule woman , which onely serue to make her deformities the more manifest and apparant : they are still followed with some respect and obseruance , where they are authorized , but not of honour . this takes his spring and originall , from a pure and free disposition ; as led thereto by the estimation we make of a vertuous man : but that of constraint , chiefely then when obedience is due with subiection . adde hereunto , that it is a money which is not current , but in our owne countrey . i say not , that those scarlet roabes , insteed of curing our interiour diseases , doe make them worse . ambition , enuie , reuenge , loue , feare , and passions doe trauerse and thwart them ; and without respect or dignitie , teare their owne breasts in a thousand peeces . section vi. among all the faire flowers which an extreame fauour produceth , we haue not yet seene this felicity to bud forth and flourish . what likelihood , what shadow of felicitie ; fortune , the more thou aduancest , the more thou doest enchaine and fetter thy selfe : retire thou vpon thy losse , rather then to lose all ; but thou doest yet expect some things in the persons of princes fauorites . it is true , the name of fauorite makes vs beleeue , that thou hast honoured it with some singular present , which cannot be found in any other : but whatsoeuer it may be , i doe not hold that it is felicitie . tell me , can thy fauorite defend himselfe , from all the blowes and assaults of enuie . ( fort. ) why not ? is there any stronger rampier , then the fauour of a royall maiestie . at least , hee cannot defend himselfe from suspitions , feares , distrusts , because there is no scottish guard , how faithfull or vigilant so euer they can be , which can defend him frō the blowes of his enemies . the same qualities which are in him , and which haue gained and obtayned the fauour of the prince , can they not meete and concurre in another , yea in a farre greater number : ( fort. ) it s true : but this fauorite will be carefull to preuent , that hee approach not the presence of the prince . for sith the way is so straite to him , that there is no place but for one ; hee which possesseth it , will easily hinder others for hauing accesse . but fortune thou knowest , that there is nothing sought after with so much passion . hee must night and day stand vpon his guard . the fauour hee hath gayned of his prince , giues him the iealousie of great men , the enuie of his equalls , and the hatred of the common people . if he be farre absent from his prince , his place will be gotten : if he sleepe , hee will be surprized : hee must watch the enterprizes of one , and the other to oppose them . thou wilt say , that he may fortunately compasse his desires , because humane reason is capable of so many different & contrary formes , that the iustest enterprizes and actions may be interpreted as euill . o fortune , thy fauorite must haue a wonderfull care to conserue himselfe ! what rest is there in this life , sith at euery accident hee must be armed to defend the blowes of enuie , and to preuent that the very report of ill speeches and calumnie ( which pardoneth not that which is not ) come not to his princes hearing , because it may engender and stirre vp some diffidence in him , which distilling and sliding into his affections , may shortly after make them become tart and sower : but if the wisest , and happiest in this art , haue beene constrain'd to forsake it , what then is there more to be hoped for ? should not their fall infinitely astonish those who follow their steppes and traces ? how many times hath the image , and remembrance of such a spectacle , yet freshly bleeding , leapt into their dreames , and troubled their rest by night . can there bee found any one who hath better vnderstood it then scianus : in whose fauour resided the whole power of the romane empire : and for what hath his greatnesse serued for , but onely to make his fall the more fearefull and greater . the true feare of such an euent , was it not the fury of the poet , and which burnt and consumed his bowells with his blacke and fatall torch , and hindered him from tasting any pure content , in the enioying of this his fauour . it was gall and wormwood intermix'd in his eating and drinking , which his cooke could not take off , nor banish from the delicacie of his vyands . there are not many found of the like flight , and fortune , who haue not signed and confirmed this passage with their bloud . kings can doe nothing worthy of themselues , which is not as great as themselues : but as their fauour proceeding from a royall power , cannot admit of mediocrity : so their disgrace issuing from one and the same cause , can be no lesse , and is difficultly quenched but in their blood . they are armed men , who mount and fight at a breach , who haue nothing to conserue their life , but their armour and weapons , and yet feare nothing more ; for if they are throwne downe , they are kill'd with the weight thereof . fauour resists against all things , but against it selfe . it is a fire which defuseth a shining brightnesse , he which moderately approacheth it , feeles with much content and pleasure , the sweet heat of this flame : but it is a heauenly fire which is extinguished in a moment , and burnes the mortall that will embrace it . true it is , that fortune markes them with some degrees , and lends them her hand to bring them more sure to the point of this fauour : but be it that her inconstancie is accessarie to their losse ; or that with a premeditated designe , shee particularly prepares their ruine : shee abandons them as soone as they are eleuated on this stage , and breakes and teares downe the steps thereof , to make them despaire to be able to descend by any other , but by that of a precipice , or of an ineuitable shipwracke . and yet in this point and euent , there must be some more powerfull genius then that of fortune ; because hee who could triumph ore fortune , could not triumph ore fauour . for was there euer neer great princes , ( and in the heart of abundance ) any fauorite more moderate then wise seneca ; hee , who neuer beheld the fauour of his prince , with an ambitious eye , who induced and led , by the very contempt of riches , sought pouerty , in the bottome of fourescore thousand pounds ( english ) of yearely reuenewes which he possessed . hee who neither thought nor dream't any thing else , then of his retiring to a priuate life , was neuerthelesse beaten downe , vnder the ruines of his fauour . hee who had taught nero , how hee ought to raigne with iustice , and vnto what point he should mount and establish the royall power : but notwithstanding all this , the obligation of this cruell tyrant , and the vertue of this braue philosopher , could not long subsist and dwell together : so dangerous it is to approach this colossus , whose anger being kindled and exasperated , without making distinction of innocents , falls on the heads of those who enuiron him . it is a clap of thunder , whose bolt deuanceth the lightning , and whose blowe praecedes the threatning : who then can hold himselfe firmer then the●e fauorites , in a place so steepe and slippery , which beares farre more thornes then roses , and is onely fertile in afflictions ; and infertile in repose and tranquillity , and therefore in felicity . section vii . kings and soueraigne princes , owe vs their continuall care and motion as the starres doe , and therefore they haue no greater enemie then repose and tranquillity . it will be then in this last point of royall power , where this felicity may be found ; because being the highest and sublimest , it must necessarily follow , that herein shee takes vp her residence and lodging . indeede she cannot ascend higher ; and we must affirme , that the contentment which may be obserued in her fauorites , is found farre more powerfull in the person of the soueraigne , being exempted ▪ and farre distant from all likelihood of feare : hee who is the liuely image of god on earth ; why should he not bee so of felicity ? it is ●●en soueraignty which possesseth this soueraigne contentment . but how many shall wee finde in histories , who either by forraigne or intestine warres , haue beene violently pulled away from this high throne , as if fortune had not aduanced and eleuated them , but to make their fall the greater . o power , how thou art weake and impuissant , in not being able to conserue thy selfe , and to haue no stronger hinges and axle for thy authority , then the hearts & affections of those whom lot and destinie haue cast into 〈◊〉 hands and gouernment . but some one will tell me , that that hinders not that empire be not the true point of felicity , for in any other place where shee may be assigned , that preuents not that wee may lose her : or if that be so as thou wilt , it is then the power that hee hath to command ouer many nations , which makes him happy : therefore weakenesse or impotencie should diminish his defectiue authority herein ; and as his happinesse consists to command , so his misfortune should be not to command . but how farre greater a number of nations are there found without , then within the compasse of his empire , th● which he commands not . it remaineth then , that his weakenesse farre exceedes his power ; and therefore his vnfortunacie surpasseth his happinesse , as much as the rest of the world exceedes the extent of his domination : so the good which this felicity preposed vnto vs , remaines suppressed , and choak'd by its contrary . true it is , that from the lowe stages where wee are , the sight of man cannot looke higher then their thrones : but hee who is there seated and inthronized , seeth very much farther off . his neighbours to his dominions , are his companions . he is not alone as wee thought hee had beene : his ambition caries his eyes through euery place of sea and land ; and if i dare say it , shee againe transports his desires much farther . but is hee powerfull , who would performe that which hee cannot : what then shall be this power and image of soueraignty , but the figure of an imperfect diuinity ; and againe , of a more imperfect felicity . it is not then there , that shee can be met and found , for ( as well ) she cannot be enioyed , but by one . in that which nature hath not iudged reasonable , she vseth vs more iustly . fortune , what resteth there now to you to make vs see ▪ that the sodaine change of the goods , and contentments of those , who abused by the shadow of a vaine felicity , buy it by the ingaging of their liberty , the ruine of their goods , and the losse of themselues . if your head-band hinder you to see the misfortunes , whereof you are the cause , at least let it not hinder you from hearing , and vnderstanding the complaints : if it bee not that as deafe as blinde , the pittie of our griefes and afflictions be equally forbidden , and prohibited from your breasts ; sith it cannot enter but by the one or the other of those passages , which are lock'd and shut to him . section . viii . as the light is inseparable from the sunne , so felicitie is an inseparable accident of vertue . let vs then seeke our felicitie else where , because shee is not to be found in those things which enuiron vs : it is not that they enforce not themselues to contribute all which possible they ca● ; but wee deuest them of their best things , to cloathe them with our owne vice and corruption , thinking hereby to adorne them more richly . poore abused creatures , we thinke to enrich them more , then he who hath crea●ed them , and giuen them as much beauty and perfection , as they were capable to receiue . as a greater master then hee , we will seeke to deface their naturall beauty , by the strange lustre of our owne false colours . the first man had the right & priuiledge to impose names to things , but not their iust price and value . the essence hath no community with the accident : let vs not foolishly vaunt to bee able to enrich his workes ; for their lineaments are so delicate , that they are inimitable , and our hand so dull and heauie , that there is no thing more ridiculous , then our actions and enterprises . if any apprentice boy , beholding and considering apelles his rich picture of venus , should blame the defects thereof , and vndertake to correct and mend it ; had we not then reason to mocke at the folly of this poore ignorant : but if hee would yet proceede further , to change the face , and alter the beauty thereof , to paint his owne faults and imperfections , of what reprehension and crime should hee not make himselfe guilty . man being an apprentice● ▪ in the knowledge of the rich pictures and ●●bles of nature , hauing receiued of god t●e pensill , ( which was not giuen him , but to paint out his name and praises in all places of the world , as we doe in images the name of the sculpture : but o insupportable arrogancie , man insteed of writing , god hath made this : hee hath most impudently attributed himselfe the glory , and ingrauen in great caracters , man hath made this ▪ at least paint it no● but vpon the frontispeece of thine owne workes , which are , vice , sinne , and corruption : but contra●iwise , hee hath proceeded farther , and made himselfe more guilty , by imploying himselfe to deface and destroy the rich pictures , and liueliest colours which were in euery worke , to paint downe the chymereous dreames & lyes of his owne vanities , thinking hereby to performe some compleate thing . feare no more now to glorifie thy workes , and to say with a loude voyce , man hath done this : for indeede it sufficiently appeares of it selfe . the abuse of those who were buried in the darknesse of paganisme , following no other light , but that of their owne weake reason was ascended so high as to beleeue ; that nothing was capable to appease the wrath and anger of god , and to wash off their impurities , but onely the blood and sacrifice of innocent soules : they beleeued that the gods delighted to 〈◊〉 their owne workes destroyed , and when they were satiated and distasted with nectar and ambrosie , that they found nothing so sweet , as the blood of those victimes an● oblations : and with this their bloody p●●sill they defaced the art and master-peece , the most curious and liueliest which was in this picture , i would say , the life which wee cannot receiue , but from this sacred and soueraigne hand , as if we obliged the architector , who shewing vs the rarities of his building ; we thought to doe him honour , by destroying the fairest peeces thereof , and those which he loued & esteemed most . a strange stupidity and blindness● : our abuse is not so grosse , we doe not destroy it , but insteed of valuing and prizing it , by their liuely beauty , and particular lineaments which resplend and shine in euery thing , wee cannot estimate them , but according to the reason of our owne defects and imperfections ; or else for those things which are not in them . as he who hath his eyes troubled and perplexed , beholding the painted face of any picture or statue , will accuse it to be pale or white , or if another liked it to praise the excellencie of his worke , because hee was very wise , and temperate , and could not be perplexed or troubled , or what offence or iniurie soeuer was done to him , hee was neuer angry thereat . hath hee not then reason to bee contented and satisfied of this praise . mans estimation and opinion , commonly beares the one or the other of these defects with it . to esteeme a diamond more for his price then for his beauty ; is it not more to prize the art of man , then the excellencie of his maker ? to praise or cherish vertue , more for renowne and glory , then for the satisfaction of a good conscience , is it not an effect of this corruption ? to esteeme a man more for his wealth and dignities , then for his merits and reason , which is the onely iewell which enricheth the beauty of his picture , aboue all other workes of nature , is it not a blinde and rash iudgement ? so we shall finde that the estimation whereof wee haue spoken , proceeding from an imperfect man , cannot giue vs a perfect contentment . but his art being as weake , as his inuention is malitious , cannot hinder the eyes of the clearer sighted ; to pierce and penetrate those shadowes , although they are smoakie , and obscured round about the obiects by reason of their olde age , and to discouer the liueliest colours thereof . it is but a little dust which the winde , or rather folly hath throwne thereon , which hides the dellcates : lineaments of their faces , the which we may wipe off with our handkercher , i meane with the vse of perfect reason . let vs permit that vertue chalke vs out the way , tha● shee may now take her turne to entertaine vs , and that shee vnfold and shewe the treasures which ●he will giue vs , with so liberall and boun●●full a hand that to possesse them , is onely but to desire them . we must not issue foorth of our selues to embrace this felicity : if it bee not hot and enflamed in our breast , let vs not imagine that any other heat can giue it life and motion : for what other thing is this , but the accomplishing and sufficiencie of all other goods and goodnesse . but it is in our power by the cutting off of these desires to purchase this sufficiencie : who then shall we accuse of this defect but our selues ? who being friends to all the world , remaine onely enemies to our owne selues , because to our owne good and tranquillity . the knowledge of fortune , and of her gifts and presents , makes vs contemne them ; and this contempt makes that the fauour and estimation which wee haue of them , redounds & falls on those good things that this vertue produceth , which carying this contempt with one hand , beares his owne contentment with the other ; and therefore this sufficiencie which wee tearme felicity . hee who runnes and barkes after the goods of fortune , the greatest profit and aduantage which he can hope thereof , is repose and tranquillity in enioying them ; & he who inioyeth this tranquillity , it is a vanity for him to seeke it ; and this is the effect of our vertue , which yeelds our desires to our power , and giues and ordains thē this felicity , that then is not wanting to our felicitie , sith all our defects and wants proceede from an irregular desire , and which is no longer , when once it submits it selfe to the obedience of vertue . the goods of fortune are by their nature such , as they cannot fill the vessels of our desires ; but that there will still remain the greatest part therof empty and hungry ; because it seemes that we alwayes see something beyond it , which we more desire , then that which shee hath already giuen vs to enioy . but vertue , because by constraint she still reserues her sights in her selfe , she sees nothing beyond it , and contemplates all this great extent , sufficiently fill'd with her owne proper goods , without that there remaine in her any empty or defectuous place . our soule must bee contained , to bee contented ; that which it enioyeth , shee easily lets goe to embrace another . shee doth as the first matter of philosophers , who being extreamely in loue with all particular formes seekes them , and hauing found them , destroyeth them , vntill she meetes with some vniuersall forme . our soule ( this first matter of our desires ) is hungry of all the goods of fortune , which she meetes as particular formes ; she takes much paine to enioy any good thing ; but as soone as shee doth enioy it , shee presently ruines the contentment which shee had in hoping for it , to runne to the seeking and embracing of another ; which neuerthelesse shee vseth with no more fauour , because they cannot satisfie his vniuersall appetite , vntill shee meete with vertue . this vniuersall forme which in degrees of excellencie and perfection , comprehends all other good things , as inferiour formes doe presently fill all the hungry and famished vessells ; and all the vniuersality of the power of his inclination and desire . so vertue prepareth vs a perfect abundance of all things , and establisheth no felicity out of her selfe : and by the scepter of reason , which shee puts into our hands , she frees vs from the tyrannie of our appetites , and in this new region and empire , where shee establisheth vs , shee makes vs easily to vanquish the reuolt and rebellion of our senses ; and there is the point of felicity which nature hath established , which prouokes and courts our desire , and which man would in the end embrace , if he were not diuerted by the perswasions and blandices of fortune . it is the butt the which he cannot misse , if hee ayme and leuell right . but as to ariue to a certaine place , wee turne our backe to it without knowing it , or else take a contrary way : so it is not the fault , neither of him who hath caused it to be buil● ▪ nor yet of our designe . so if any one of vs faile to meete with this felicity , let him not say , that it is because there is none in the world . let him neither accuse nature , no● likewise his desire ; but onely the contemp● which he makes of the rules and instructions ▪ which are giuen him for this regard . we are gone astray ; we must be replaced in the right way ; we must carefully enquire after it , auoid the aduice and the way of those who are formerly gone astray like our selues . if it be not that vertue toucheth them with the same sense and feeling . thornes will stand in ou● way ; we shall haue hedges to leape and passe ouer : yea , wee must put our hands to the worke and labour , and although they are all bloody with their prickings , yet either too much feare or too little courage , must not hinder vs from passing forwards ; for else we must not wonder if our desire ( although it aduance ) finde no rest and tranquillity . two right and equall line ; drawne among infinite others vpon the same table , or paper , neuer meete . our desire , and our felicity meet yet lesse , although they are both on the same table : if not , that the same plant which produceth desire , as his follower , is not obliged by the same law , to giue vs felicity as his fruit : wee must then boldly search the graft of the one and the other , and water it with the sweatings of a painefull labour , thereby to reape repose and felicity . it is there where socrates hath exhausted this sufficiencie of all things , i meane this tranquillity of life . it is there where cato hath found this inuincible courage . it is there where seneca hath made pouerty to issue from the bottome of his treasures , to enioy a permanent felicity . it appertaines to none but to reason , to point and remarke vnto vs all the rarities , as it hath made vs know the abuse and error wherin they are enwrap'd and inuelloped ; and to hide them from the eyes of our vnderstanding . this abuse will testifie how it is dangerous to want the principles of things ; because after the same rate as we aduance , our errour doth vnmeasurably growe great and encrease . wee must ascend to the head fountaine , to iudge more truly and safely what it is . the which wee cannot doe , but in taking the threed of wise ariadne , i meane of reason : who after the combat , reserues the laurells of victory for vs in her hands . if thou wilt essay to passe the barres which separates this small number of wise men , from the prophane multitude of the vulgar ; doe a little eleuate the eyes of thy thoughts , and consider here as from a high land , wherein dwells vertue , all that shee will shewe and point thee with her finger in this plaine and raze field , as the scepters and crownes , broken by the thunderbolts of warre , which cannot couer the ambition of their masters . behold this riuer of gold , which cannot quench the insatiable thirst of these poore tantales ; they will rather drowne themselues , then appease this burning fire ▪ which they nourish in their entrailes and liuer . consider a little all this great multitude of people vpon the bankes of this riuer , and what seemes to thee of those which retaine the first place . to see them so farre off , wilt thou not say , that ( by the way of a faire comparison ) they resemble aesops frogges : is there any thing in all that which will not giue thee more pittie then enuie . thou wilt tell mee it is true : but more narrowly to consider their lookes , gestures , and countenances , there is nothing so glorious and maiesticall . poore abused creature , doest thou not know , that by seeing a thing too neere thee , it appeares greater to vs then it is , and indeede otherwise then it is . there must be a certaine distance and proportion betweene the eye and the obiect , to make its operation compleat and sound , such as from the place where thou ar● , there is in comparison of earthly things . hast thou neuer heard spoken of those mountebankes , who vndertake to shewe a flye drawing a little beame , or some great peece of wood : and there is none present , but wonders at it , as at a prodigie . and yet that onely proceeds from the fascination of the eyes , which is abused and deceiued , and thinkes to see a biller , for a strawe : so opinion makes vse of the same artifice , and whiles the eye of reason is deceiued and betrayed , hee cannot not discouer the abuse . now consider then with a sound and perfect sight , all those things as they are , to the end , that if thou fall once againe into the relapse of this same errour , that the remembrance of that which thou now ●eest , may diminish the opinion and estimation of that which thou mayest make hereafter , which will bee no small profit and aduantage ●or thee . the lesse thou esteemest them , the lesse passionate thou shalt bee for them . for the worth and merit which wee beleeue is in a thing , is that which engendereth our desire and loue . what doest thou thinke hereof now at present ? doest thou not feele a tranquillity in thy selfe , through 〈◊〉 contempt , and disdaine of those thin●s ▪ and al●hough thou art voluntarily disp●●y led of all thy delights as thy vaine glorie , ambition , and foolish loue of riches , yet thou shalt neuerthelesse feele a perfect co●●nt●●ment . thou must then confesse that 〈…〉 true , sith the possession of all these things ▪ hath not giuen thee this perfect content 〈…〉 tranquillity , that thou must accuse 〈◊〉 weakenesse , and that it proceedes 〈◊〉 some other thing which is in vs , which is called reason , and which must bee dressed and pruned by a long exercise and custome , which wee tearme vertue , which watering this plant , makes it to produce desire and felicitie . as our good issueth from interiour man , so also doth our euill : for that which afflicts thee , is the designe to possesse those things which thou hast not . but those things are within thee , sith they touch thee not , and they doe thee no good nor harme . thou complainest neuerthelesse to feele so sharpe and burning a griefe , that it troubleth thy rest by night , and almost dries thee vp with languishing . but heerein there is but two things to consider ; to wit , desire , and the thing desired : and because this last is neither criminall , nor guilty of thy griefe , as being farre distant from thee ; it must therefore needes follow , that it is desire , sith it is lodged in the same place , where thou feelest this burning , this affliction in being remoued with too much violence . hee hath exceedingly scratch'd and fetch'd blood of thee within : he is then the cause of thy griefe and euill ; thou must th●refore cut it off ; and retaine it peaceably , within the compasse of those things which are easie and neere . if fortune diminish any thing , it is but to restraine it the more ; and when all that wee haue shall vanish , and be tane away , there will yet remaine enough in our breast and minde to reioyce us . the voyce being restrained and shut vp , makes more noyse ; strength being collected and assembled , produceth more effects ; and the more our desire is restrained , the more it puffes vp , and swells our contentment , as being neerest to his tranquillity , and next neighbour of our owne felicity . cease therefore to desire any thing , but that which thou enioyest . all these things which fortune giues thee , is but borrowed apparell from common brokers , the which because it is common to all men , belongs not properly to any one who weares them . i counsell thee to clad thy body with them , but not thy affections , and to loade thy backe with them , but not thy minde : reserue this for vertue , it is by her which we ought to weigh and ballance all the priuiledges and good fortunes of man. reason makes him very different from beasts : but reason , or perfect reason , makes him to differ much from other men who are like him in shape , but as then not in quality and vertue . to measure a man by his exteriour goods of fortune , is to comprehend in measuring a statue , the height of his basis or foundation ; but to measure him by his interiour vertues , wee must then doe it by his naturall greatnesse , whereof neither fetters nor fire can diminish or take away the very least part . fortune subiecteth vs to all things ; but contrariwise , vertue eleuates vs aboue all : shee dissolues ice , shee enforceth and giues a law to griefe and paine : she breakes irons ; yea , she passeth through fire and flames , to put vs in possession of this felicity . we say therefore that felicity is the vse of a perfect reason . it is this philosophers stone which conuerts to gold all that wee touch . shee supports all aduerse accidents , and misfortunes that befall her , with a requisite moderation and decencie , and performes the best actions , which can be desired or discouered vpon all causes and accidents which betide her . if wee are assieged by many disasters and afflictions , she then makes vse of constancie , as of some sharpe and physicall potion , to cure vs in this extreamity ; or at least to flatter and sweeten the sense and feeling of our paine and griefe . if they come not to vs by whole troopes , but by one and one at a time ; then she teacheth vs how to fight with them , and which is more , how to vanquish them . and because the goods of fortune , by their arriuall or departure , doe still engender some interiour disease in vs ; therefore shee purifieth and preserues our minde from this contagion . or if it seeme to thee , that vertue giues thee not so many sweet and ticklish pleasures in this felicity , as vnchast and impudent fortune doth in the hugge of her embraces ; the pleasure neuerthelesse is more firme , solid , and permanent . men dally and kille their mistresses , otherwise then they doe their children ; and yet notwithstanding in these embraces and kisses their affection is sufficiently bewrayed and demonstrated to those who see it . time in the end cuts off the web of those foolish affections : but what griefes so euer this naturall loue meetes in the breeding and bringing vp of his children ; it is yet more tender and deere , as if their watchings , their care , sweat and labour therein , were as so many materialls , to cyment more firmely and soundly this their affection to their children . so any difficulties which oppose the designe of a vertuous man , cannot interrupt the course of affection , which hee conceiues and beares to his lawfull children , i meane to those faire and glorious actions , who as to make shewe and demonstration of their beauties , they seeke not an ampler theater , then that of a good conscience : so they neede no other light or day to accompany their glory , then that which they cast and dispierce in the company of wise men , by the lustre of their owne proper brightnesse . the end of the fifth discourse . the sixth discourse . of morall vertue . section i. sicke ( or distempered mindes ) are not capable of all sorts of remedies , but they shall finde none more soueraigne , then the diuerting thereof . wee haue long enough played the philosopher , and now in its turne , we must represent and act that of man : that heroicall vertue , whereof wee precedently discoursed , appertaines to none , but to those of the first classe or schoole , and who with socrates can tame death so well , that they will seeke for no consolation out of it . life and death seemed to this wise philosopher , as naturall one as the other . hee considered the first point of his birth , as the first graine of sand which begins the houre , and the last motion of his life , as the last graine which ended it : and yet both the one and the other with a regard and looke , equally fixed , and constant . if we rush out of our selues , and that sometimes our vertue drawe and enforce vs to this last point : wee are more indebted for this sally to irregularity , then to the power , constancie , or vigour of our minde , the which likewise cannot long remaine in this high seate , because it as soone feeles it selfe depressed and beaten downe by the weight of the body , to re-integrate it in this obscure prison , from whence hee was , but as it were escaped ; and then comming againe to himselfe , hee knowes no more the trace or way , whereby hee hath performed so faire a cariere : so that trembling with astonishment , he may say , that there is nothing more different , or dis-semblable to man , then himselfe . if wee will giue an exact and sound iudgement of vertue , wee must as much consider her defects , in whom it meetes and resides , as her proper force and power . to see her stark naked , it is a ray or sparke of the diuinity ; but our weake nature hauing married and espoused her , doth stifle her in the crowd of her vices and corruptions . pythagoras affirmes , that men assume new soules , when they approach the statues of the gods to receiue their oracles : and i say , that wee doe the like , when wee resolue to see and consult with vertue : for it seemes , that then our soule doth cleanse and purifie her selfe from the fil●hines which she hath gathered among the crowd and throng of people , and who discharging her selfe of this troublesome burthen , she richly dressed and clad , runnes to sit downe on the sacred seat of this goddesse . but againe , after that we re-assume our olde custome and vices , which wee haue forsaken at our first entrance ; as he whom wee see in a fooles habit , after hee hath represented the personage of a king in a comedie . if vanities , if the dreames of lyes did not take vp and preoccupate our thoughts insteed of these philosophicall reasons , there could bee nothing more commendable , noble , or generous , then he who consulting , and conuersing with reason , passeth his time in obseruing the familiar conferences which they haue together : so that if fortune apparelled in all her brauest and richest ornaments , should arriue at the very instant to offer him all her most pretious treasure , to embrace her side and party , i am sure shee should receiue nothing from him , but a short refusall and shame ; but if she chance to come to him eight dayes after , i beleeue that if she doe not wholy vanquish him , that she will at least make a great breach in his heart & affections . the minde of man cannot be still extended and prepared . he must continually haue his weapons in his hand , and put himselfe on his guard to defend himselfe from those blowes which fortune still giues vs : shee but feignedly fights with vs , for she leuels at our head , but strikes vs at our heart . we defend and auoid our selues from ambition and couetousnesse , but yet wee inconsideratly permit our selues to bee transported and ouerthrowne by choler . so the blowe is not dangerous or violent , because it struck vs with the butt end ; and although it neither reuersed nor ouerthrew vs , yet it made vs recule at least a pace backward . what good countenance so euer our vertue shewes , shee is still subiect to many imperfections . if shee had but our minde to gouerne and conduct , then nothing were impossible to her : but when she must take vp , and loade on her shoulders the body wherein this minde is enchained and imprisoned , shee then stoopes and faints vnder this burthen ; and all shaking and trembling shee hath much a doe to support her selfe by her owne proper strength and vigour : for shee is constrained to seeke ayde and helpe to prop her selfe vp , yea and to begge assistance to keepe and stay her from reeling and falling . where the lyons skin cannot suffice , wee must sowe on that of the foxe ; and where courage hath not power enough to support and defend it selfe from the iniuries of fortune , wee must in her behalfe substitute subtilty to oppose and diuert it . the vertue of socrates fore-sawe his affliction ; he inured , & tamed himselfe to it , yea laughed and played with it ; and ours makes vs to looke a thwart and squint-eyed : yea , to turne and diuert our eyes from the remotest obiects thereof , to steale away vnseene from the very thought of it ; which otherwise by little and little growes sharpe and contentious in our minde , and so by its gall , corrupts all which seemes most sweet and pleasing to our pallats . we haue named that heroicall ; and this we will tearme morall vertue , or temperance , which as plato said , is a mutuall consent of the parts and faculties of the soule , which makes reason to follow as a rule , and curbe to all licentious and vnbridled desires : the which pythagoras calls , the light , which chaseth from her all the darknesse and obscurity of passions . this vertue seemes to me to be wonderfully bold and audacious vnder one , or the other of these descriptions , and differs nothing from the precedent : for she caries the axe to the rootes , whereas ours is contented to loppe and prune off the twigges and smaller branches . that takes away , and cuts off euill humours , and this diuerts and turnes them vpon some part or member lesse dangerous . the remedies are not so sharpe , and bitter , and so they serue not but to palliat and sweeten the euill , or disease : but the other in the meane time without flattering it , doth at first teare it off , and cuts vpon the quicke , the griefe of a sensible losse by the very edge of his reasons . that is to say ; that complaint according to his precepts , is not an action , either iust or commendable . that a wise man should foresee the blowe which threatens him at the very point of the birth of his affection . that succeeding yeares , and the sweetnesse of the fauours of fortune , should not so bewitch or make him drunke , as to cast him into a swoone or lethargie , and be able wholly to shut his eyes to these infallible accidents . there is none but an ignorant person , who findes any thing new . in a word , that this accident was still present with him , and that hauing so often re-chewed this bad meat , hee may in the end accustome himselfe to it , and so resolue to swallow it downe , without any distast or bitternesse . but as it appertaines to none but to the birdes of diomedes , to separate the athenians from the greekes : so it belongs to none but to socrates , or spirits which haue raised themselues to the height and sublimity of the same flight , to select and make choyse of vigorous and masculine reasons , in comparison of those which wee commonly vse and employ for our consolation , which are as weake , lame , and feeble , as our courage . it some times falls out , that the same reasons issuing ▪ from our mouth or pen , as from theirs , but not from our hearts , and from the very bottome of our breasts . wee present them all rawe , and as the boyling or bubling of a fountaine , renders his water without tasting or digesting it , so wee onely preferre these words without knowing their price or value . our too rawe and indigested stomack cannot consume this meat , and draw its nutriment thence . wee discourse in the same manner , language , and tearmes as they doe , but yet wee thinke differently : our words are but as the rinds and barkes of our conceptions ; it is not enough that the report thereof come to our eares , but the sense must also passe to our vnderstanding : wee must cleaue them in sunder to gather the iuyce and sugar of them , and to discouer that which they haue in them of secret and hidden . but our morall vertue diminisheth that which is of the honour of her dignity : shee hath sooner done to stoope and descend downe to vs , then to lift our selues vp to her . and then familiarizing , and accommodating her selfe with our imperfections , she per●mits vs to shed some teares : shee weepes with vs , and fauoureth our plaints and mournings , in their first and most furious violence , vntill by little and little , shee can diuert the eyes of our thoughts , vpon some other remote obiect , and so exhale and dissipate in the contemplation of contrary things , the power of the spirits of our blood , which were assembled & conspired together about our heart , to surmount and vanquish all sorts of consolations , and so to permit onely the enterance of griefes , torments , bitter thoughts , sharpe and cruell remembrings , and other officers of comfortlesse sorrow and affliction . so this power being diuided , is thereby so weakened , that the first obiect being capable to enflame , & touch our thoughts to the quicke ; hee easily takes possession of the place , and banisheth this importunate tyrant from the seate and empire which he had violently vsurped . this remedy as the most sweet and pleasing , is the most generall and vniuersall physicke which shee employes in the cure of violent'st passions . all diseases of the minde are not cured , but either by diuersion , or by the equall sharing and diuision of our imagination , in whose power resides all that they participate of , sharpe , or bitter ; because shee assembles , and linkes together all the spirits of the soule , which are perfectly purified and refined , in the admirable nets which lye vnder the ventricle or posteriour part of the braine , to marke him out the greatnesse of his euill or disease , which it augments , and encreaseth by this labour and paine ; as fire doth by the aboundance and affluence of wood : and if this imagination can be diuided by the force and strength of a contrary obiect , shee thereby makes her selfe weake and feeble in her functions , and contrariwise in the ease or paine , the good or euill which wee may feele . the minde is a power which communicates her selfe wholly to the subiect to which shee is fixed & tyed : from whence it comes , that we many times see her equally tormented at obiects of small value , as at those things of farre greater consequence . the good which enuironeth vs , is not considerable to him , in comparison of a little euill , which at present presseth and afflicteth him . and not being able to surprise this sorrowfull matter , before hee haue let gone all the others , hee then vnites and fastens , yea glewes himselfe thereunto , vntill he become drunke with this griefe : and as the horseleach still suckes out all the bad bloud vntill hee burst : so the minde suckes and drawes hence all that is bitter , vntill this poyson hauing engendred a kinde of an impostume in our heart , doth in the end burst therewith , and frees her selfe thereof by our teares , which distill and descend from our eyes . if the rayes of the sunne are fully receiued in the bottome of a burning looking-glasse , they there vnite in their centre , and their power straying and defusing before they are recollected , and assembled in this point , doe so linke and fortifie themselues , that they burne and destroy that which so sweetly they had formerly cherish'd and nourished : right so , if the minde assemble all her powers , and her intellectuall rayes in the force and strength of imagination , as in the christall of a looking-glasse , it destroyeth the tranquillity , which it reuiued before by her benigne and gratious influences , the which she generally owes to all the members of the body , and whereof she cannot wholly dispose to the seruice of the one without the domage and preiudice of the others . as it visibly befalls those who newly feele some griefe or anxiety , or to those who dispose and addict themselues to things which require a strong imagination , as poesie , painting , or perspectiue . wee must then without giuing time or leasure to our minde , to taste the poyson of this passion , dispierce the rayes of this imagination , by the alluring charmes of a contrary obiect . hee who dies in the heat of a combat with his weapons in his hands , hath apprehended & feared nothing lesse then death , for glory is the point of honour ; choler , and reuenge , do equally preoccupate his thoughts , and surpasse his imaginations , so as there remaines in him no place to feare death . and those who haue attempted to plant the crosse among infidells , and cyment and water it with their blood , thereby to make christianity to encrease and fructifie , they being possessed of this holy zeale , hath not the force and power of their loue surmounted in them the feare of death ? shall i say , that the power of so liuely and so ardent an imagination , by his extreame violence can likewise destroy the common function of the senses , and hereby pull away the weapons out of the hands of griefe and paine , because the senses make not their operations , but by the helpe of the spirits ; which are dispierced in the muscles and arteries , and generally throughout all the body , which may be attracted by a suddaine motion , to this superiour part and place of imagination , so that the members remaine without this interiour operation , and therefore without griefe or paine : the which celsus reports of a priest ( but how truly i know not ) whose soule being rauished in an extasie , left his body for a certaine time without respiration , or any sense or feeling . but as our letting blood and phlebotomizing , is the onely remedy in these , and the like suddaine accidents , because hereby they attract the spirits to their region and duty : so in strong imaginations , be it that they proceede from extreame griefe or paine , which takes vp all our senses in the contemplation of his misery ; or the deformity of his obiect , which makes vs shake and tremble , and stupifies , and dulls our feeling thereof ; as the poets fiction made miserable niobe to approue and feele ; who afflicted her selfe with the murther of her children , although they departed out of most extreame sorrow and melancholly . wee must diuert and attract the spirits to hearing , as the most subtill and industrious sense for this cure and remedy ; especially those who are preualent , and delicate in this sense . so dauid by the sweet melody of his harpe , charmed and expelled the deuill out of saul : so orpheus , hauing enchanted his sorrow , and lull'd a sleepe his griefe , for the remembrance of his losse , by the sweet tunes and harmony of his lute : hee thought hee had againe drawne his deare euridice from her tombe , hauing for a small time calmed the stormes and tempests in his soule , of his violent griefes and sorrowes : and if we may beleeue the masters of this art and mysterie of loue , they haue practised no more assured remedy , to cut off , and appease the violence of their passion , then by the diuerting and diuiding of their hearts and thoughts , as it were into two riuers , which they leaue to streame and slide away , to the discretion and seruice of their mistresses : or if they yet feele them selues too much oppressed and afflicted , with this halfe diuided empire ; they can then enlarge themselues , and breathe more at their ease vnder the gouernment of many , by changing ( if they can so please ) the monarchie of loue into an aristocratie , or democratie : and time which we see , proues the sweetest physitian of afflicted hearts and soules ; what hearbs doth it not imploy in their cure , which the vse and practise of diuers iests , and replies that mannage , and surprise our imagination , doe in their turnes thereby cast into a slumbering lethargie , or obliuion , the remembrance of these our afflictions , as some sweet , and sense-pleasing nepenthe , or drinke of obliuion : yea , the change of ayre contributes something to the cure of our spirituall afflictions and diseases , and briefely , as poysons are profitably vsed and employed in our physicke : so passions ( the true poysons of the soule ) serue to the cure of her troubles and perturbations , which cannot bee so speedily or easily appeased , as by applying the power of some different and contrary passion . and these are the weapons and armour wherwi●h our vertue couereth her selfe , hauing not any other sufficient force and courage , to appeare in the face of her enemie vnarmed , and vncouered . section . ii. the life of a wise man is a circle , whereof temporance is the center , whereunto all the lines , i meane , all his actions should conduce and ayme . stormes doe not much hurt , or endomage ships which are in harbours ; and the tempest of humane actions , doth not much disturbe the tranquillity of that minde , which rides at an anchor in the harbour of temperance ; if man in his infirmities , will yet preuaile ouer any perdurable felicity , hee mu●t with full sayles , and top and top gallant striue to ariue there , although the rockes and shelues are so frequent in his way , that he can difficultly secure himselfe from shipwrack . and yet he is likewise happy , who sauing himselfe vpon the broken ribbes or plankes of his ship , can yet steare and conduct the rest of his life to this place of secu●rity and safety . some wise men haue approued the excesse of intemperancie , and the distast of an extreame satiety , before they could resolue to containe themselues within the bounds , and limits of this vertue : imagining that her grauity contained some hard and anxious thing , vntill experience had taught them , that temperance is the seasoning and ordering of pleasure , as intemperancie is the only plague and scourge therof . or if you will tearme intemperancie to bee the daughter of pleasure and voluptuousnes : say then withall that shee is cruell , and a parricide , because by her life she giues vs death , and doth hugge and embrace vs so fast , that shee strangles vs : contrariwise , temperance sharpens her desire , and caries vs into the very bosome of true pleasure , yet not to engage our soule there , but to please her , and not to lose her , but to finde her . considering this vertue , mee thinkes it may be said of her , as of bacchus , that shee is twice borne . her first birth shee deriues from vice , as he doth his from a simple woman ; because to ariue to this point , and this mid way where shee is situated , she must necessarily proceed from the one or other of these vitious extreames , which are neighbours to this vertue : for hee which is not yet liberall , or bountifull , before he be , he must either be a niggard or a prodigall ; but afterwards , shee ripeneth and perfecteth his being in the power and vigour of the wise mans minde and opinion , as the sonne of semele in the thighes of iupiter . strange effects of a corrupted nature , which from the infected wombe of vice snatcheth vertue , and from that of vertue likewise drawes vice. choler giues weapons to valour , valour lends them to rashnesse , and yet all three neuerthelesse hold themselues so close together , and are vnited with so naturall a cyment ; that it is extreamely difficult to obserue their bounds ; so much they are intermixed and confounded on their confines . wee must haue wonderfull strong reynes to keepe our temperance firme in this passage ; for if shee passe or slide neuer so little beyond these fixed and appointed limits , shee shall presently finde her selfe to bee in the way and tracke of vice . two enemies are still at her sides and elbowes , who watch for her ruine and destruction . if shee recoyle or aduance neuer so little , shee is instantly endomaged either by the one or the other , either by excesse or defectuosity : but as to strike the white , there is but one way ; but many , yea , an infinite number to misse it : so for vs to walke to this perfect felicity , there is but this only way ; whereas to misse it , and to fall into the one or the other of these vitious extreames , wee may doe it by infinite wayes and courses . this tranquillity of the soule which philosophie represents vnto vs , is it any other thing then the obedience of the inferiour part , ( which wee call sensuall appetite ) to the superiour , which we tearme reasonable . but how can they remaine of one minde and accord , if wee grant and passe not some thing to the desire and will of the law which we feele in our members , wholly opposite and contrary to that of our reason . this perpetuall warre , and ascending tyrannie , which wee will maintaine betweene them : doth it not approue and testifie vnto vs , how farre distant we are from this tranquillity . there is no peace , but is to be preferred to warre , prouided that it can maintaine it selfe . mans life on earth , is nothing but a perpetuall warre , and it sufficeth that it be a forraigne one , without that wee should againe foment a ciuill and intestine one . a souldiour holdes himselfe vnfortunate , who in time of peace , cannot safely enioy the spoyles and pillage which hee hath wonne in warre : and yet farre more , he who hauing fought with , and vanquished the vice of a corrupt nature : doth not mannage his profit so , that the remainder of his life , be to him as the theater of his triumph , in the quiet and delicious enioyance of this his victorie . i say , that the law of honour permits vs to fight with our enemie , in giuing him place by our retiring ; and that the scythians euer fought bes● in flying : but i esteeme and prise not these stollen victories , no more then did braue alexander ; at least , those which owe their chiefest aduantage , to subtilty and flight , in comparison of him , who with ensigne displayed , and drum beating , hauing by his generous cariage awakened and stirred vp courage in the hearts of his enemies , knowes couragiously and generously , both how to animate and vanquish them . if the name and vertue of the vanquisher , do somewhat reioyce and comfort the losse of the vanquished ; and afford him some degree and thought of glory , by a farre stronger reason , the power and courage of the vanquished should augment the renowne and glory of the victorious . as many combats as continencie fighteth , they are to her so many stollen victories , which shee gaines by her griefe and flight : as this atalanta more cruell yet to her selfe then to her followers and louers . but contrariwise , temperance fights with a bold and firme foote , and with a cheerefull and ioyfull countenance in the heat of the combat ; and hauing vanquished her enemie , takes pleasure to vanquish and surmount her selfe . shee is masculine and vigorous , and cannot lodge but in the heart of a philosopher : where as the other is cowardly weake and effeminate in comparison of her : as also , shee is not in the throne of her state and honour , but when she is in the breast and bosome of a woman , where beautie , desire , and chastity , doe euery moment send her a thousand temptations and challenges . honour , feare , and respect , who with weapons in her hand , establisheth this vertue in the hearts of a virgin , & opposing and bending her courage against all assaults , are commonly the most faithfull guards and surest guardians : but were the eyes of their care and vigilancie , more in number then those of argus , or more subtill and piercing then those of linceus : yet they cannot conserue their virginity from the assaults of vice , if the purity of the soule , and of a free will , aduanced not forth to repell and defend their iniuries . a place of hard and difficult keeping , because it is in the power of the least desire to thinke to betray it , and to deliuer it vp into the hands of her enemie . desire , if i dare say it , equally innocent and guilty at one and the same time , which deriuing its birth from so faire a flower , doth at that very instant fade and wither it , by the excesse of an vntimely and abortiue heat , and so dries vp her rootes , that it is neuer more in her power againe , to growe greene and flourish , nor to produce any other flowers , but such as shame and modesty chalkes out , and depainteth on her face . if montaigne ( that excellent iudge of humane actions ) had approued and tried the nature of either sexe , as tiresias did , hee would decide this difference to their disaduantage , when hee said , that it is not in the power of a woman , no , nor of chastitie her selfe , to preuent and hinder her from desires . but desires notwithstanding may very well violate their chastity without infringing , or making a breach in their continencie , which hardneth and fortifies it selfe the more , at their abord and meeting . it is true , that this vertue of chastitie , besides the delicacie of their dyet , the sweetnesse of their sexe , the charmes of idlenesse , the liberty and freedome wherein they are bred and brought vp ; as also their beauty , and the affections , seruices , vowes , and prayers of those louers who research and solicite them , should make the base insatiablenesse , and courage of men , to blush for shame , who abandon themselues to all sorts of beastly voluptuousnesse and sensuality , and onely attend and expect , that snow-white age ; giue them a lesson of coldnesse and temperancie . not that it needes that this bridle so much curbe and restraine them ; that the shadowes of voluptuousnesse strike terrour to his heart and minde . of a philosopher i intend not to become a woman , to prescribe him such seuere and rigorous lawes : for so farre forth as hee forget not himselfe , and fall a sleepe in the breast and lap of voluptuousnesse ; hee as a generous vlysses , may gather the palmes of victory in the same field , where the intemperancie of his companions haue buried their glory and reputation . i haue lesse labour to consider the vertue of xenocrates , in his refuse and flight , from the embraces of that faire curtizan , then in the bosome of the enioyance of this pleasure and voluptuousnesse : and i much doubt , if with an indifferent eye , hee could behold the rich cabinet of beautie and voluptuousnesse : in no other manner then he did the faire front of his house . we cannot easily stay our selues , when wee are allured or moued . the force of a horse is best knowne , when hee makes a round and neat stop , or stay . to auoyd passion , there needes but a little constraint : but after wee are embarqued therein , then euery corde drawes . continencie hath nothing to reuenge her selfe , but of the eyes , and of some weake desires : but temperance findes our thoughts , heart , and all the sinewes of the minde , bent to serue voluptuousnesse , and by the shewe of this maiesticall power , separates the two chiefetaines which were in contestation and difference , sending the one and the other peaceably to their homes , without any other obstinate desire of reuenge or quarell . continencie performes nothing but despight her selfe , shee drawes concupiscence after her with griefe and vexation , and aduanceth not , but with blowes and bastinadoes : all her beauty is but in shewe and exteriour appearance ; for within she is onely a painted and a feigned beauty : let vs see her interiourly ; shee entertaines and nourisheth a thousand contrarieties : there is in her , hatred , loue , and repentance . shee teares her selfe in peeces and morsells , and makes her selfe bloudie with her owne hands . it is a saturne , who eates and deuoures his owne children ; for shee nourisheth her selfe of her owne bloud , and feedes onely on her owne proper bowels and entrailes . the continent man is forsaken of vertue , and possessed of vice : i meane , of the troubles & passions of the soule , which he cannot appease . the temperate man contrariwise being assaulted by voluptuousnesse and concupiscence , is possessed of vertue , which opens all the gates to her enemies without , thereby to triumph more gloriously ore her spoyles . it seemes that continencie is the most vsuall and common punishment , which loue rigorously ordaines , for those who disdaine her flames , who outrage and offend her ; and neuer requite or repay her seruices , but with ingratitude . witnesse the prodigious change of scilla , whose seuerity found yet more cruell torments ; then those whom shee made her louer to feele . her inferiour members were changed into monsters , and barking dogges who seemed desirous to deuoure her , and which indeede are no other but desires , proceeding from the sensuall appetite ( which plato saith , is one of the horses that drawes the chariot of the soule ) which fights against this reason ; whose obstinate insensibility so hardened and obdurated it selfe , that shee exchanged her heart into a rocke , which could not be mollified by the teares of her infortunate seruant and louer . it is for none but for temperance , to enter into the temple of pleasure and voluptuousnesse : vlysses vpon the assurance of this flower which hee had receiued from heauen ; and which hee caried not in his hand , but in his heart , entered into the pallace of circe , awakened his sleeping companions , and being drunke with those enchantments , past on to the most secret cabinets of voluptuousnesse and pleasure ; contented his amorous desires , receiued those sweet daliances , courtings , and embraces ; and without forgetting himselfe , he considered the charming snares of her eyes ; which seem'd to lull him a sleepe in the rauishing extasies of an amorous passion ; and inuited him to repose and rest himselfe in the lap of so many sweet delights and pleasures . but his courage hauing loosed and slacked the reines to his affection , vpon the prostitution of so many delicious and amorous dainties , he then made a short stay and stand ; returned to his former minde and resolution , takes his leaue of her without reluctation or sorrow , and by his pleasing , and yet generous cariage constraines the curtesie of this faire princesse , to accompany him forth to the gate of her owne pallace . but how much easier is it not to enter , then to come forth , and depart in this manner : the vice is not to enter , but not to bee able to come forth , said aristippus , going into a curtizan . with a very small force and constraint , wee may at first stop the motions of these emotions ; but when they are once begun , wee are but too too naturally subiect to follow them . most commonly it are they which drawe vs , and there is but this vertue of temperance , which can againe take vp the reines , and stop them in the very middes of their course and cariere . we must cut off the head and tayle thereof ; whereof the first withereth our heart ; and the second incessantly scratcheth and woundeth it . intemperancie giues death to voluptuousnesse : continencie denies and refuseth it life ; and temperance giues and conserues it to her , and by a certaine griefe which shee intermixeth in all her actions , she agrees so well in all things , and euery where with her selfe , that she much obligeth vs , and makes vs her debters , for the felicity which wee may pretend and hope for from her . section . iii. to thinke that vertue can indifferently cure all sorts of euills or afflictions , is a testimonie of vanitie , or else of our being apprentices and nouices in philosophie . felicitie , how comes it to passe that wee can surprise and hold thee , but with one hand ; if it bee true that thou reposest thy selfe in the bosome of philosophie , as he made vs beleeue who first caused it to descend from heauen , to liue among vs here in earth . but why should there bee so many philosophers , and yet so fewe wisemnn ? if these promises be true : if these remedies are certaine and infallible , where is the effect ? and yet there is no reason , so much to taxe our condition , as to thinke to make it guilty of that , whereof it may be innocent . it is good somtimes to auoyde , and leaue off anger and violence , where faire meanes may suffice , and preuaile of it selfe : i much doubt , if philosophie , who puts weapons into our hands , to correct and chastise vice , could defend the blowes , if wee turned them against her selfe . for wherein doth she employ her selfe , but to afflict vs in thinking to heale and cure vs. when we are in perfect health , shee doth so often againe assaile and touch vs , that in the end shee changeth our good disposition and welfare . her false councels turnes into true afflictions , which shee afterwards fights not against , but onely feignedly . if shee raise vs vp a degree aboue others ; wee thereby see euils and afflictions farther off then they do : and at the very instant and moment , that we fore-see them ; wee haue neede to remedy them , because th●y wound vs as much by their sight , as by their assaults . and when with the same lance she can cure this wound , is the physitian to bee commended , who wounds and offends the health of his sicke patient , thereby to make shewe of his skill and sufficiencie ? but yet so farre is hee from curing vs , that our minde is easily shaken , and can afterwards very difficultly resolue , with firme footing to support this phantasticall enemie , and imaginarie euill and affliction . but if any simple , or earthly man ( who hath no other obiect in his thoughts , then that which hee hath before his eyes ) runnes the same fortune which we doe to the disasters , which wee haue fore-seene and predicted , then this his stupidity hath no neede of remedy , but at the very blowe and occasion . hee liues as ioyfull and contented , as the philosopher pyrrhons hogge , without any feare of stormes or tempests , whiles philosophie enuironeth vs purposely to rectifie and comfor● vs with her sweetest consolations . shee tells vs , that it is but a cloud ; that the least winde can beate off this storme and tempest , before it fall on our heads : that the inconstancie of fortune , as often deceiues our feares as our hopes . but who is hee , who in the expectation of an euill or affliction , can purely rellish and taste the sweetnesse of comfort and ioy which enuiron him . this sharpe remembrance , hath it not bitternesse enough in it , to make it seeme sower and distastfull . this affliction holdes vs fast by the coller of our doublets , and hee therewith stoopes the philosopher as well as the clowne . the goute , and stone doe equally afflict and offend them : all our reasons are left behinde the doore , and there is but onely our sense and feeling , which is of this scot and company . but yet i will pay the philosopher more soundly and seuerely then the clowne : for that considereth nothing else , but that which he feeles . his appetite is colder , and therewithall more subiect to griefe and paine . and this , hauing the spirits of his blood more refined , and subtilized , by the labour of his meditation , as also his sense and feeling more tender and delicate , the liuely image of paine workes as much , yea a greater power and effect in him by his imaginary impression , as by his point and reality . so this fore-sight serues for nothing , but to drawe those miseries neere vs , which are farthest from vs ; and then very difficultly can she cure , our other present and naturall discommodities , because she cannot well ease and comfort her owne . if shee vndertake to appease the burning fire of the paine which afflicts her , shee then employes , and applies no other physick , but onely the remembrance of fore-past pleasures . a weak and feeble remedy , which by this disioynted and lame comparison , insteed of diminishing ; doth exceedingly encrease and augment our paine : as a great fire encreaseth , by throwing a little water in it ; so our paine is the more incensed and exasperated , by the image and remembrance of pleasure , which presents it selfe to oppose it . this grosse and stupid ignorance , which giues i know not what manner of patience to present euills and afflictions , and carelesnesse to future sinister accidents , is farre more aduantagious to humane nature . what neede is there , that vnder the shewe and colour of good , shee should come to discouer vs so tyrannicall a countenance , and wayted and attended on by so many true euills and vexations ; and by her vaine and rash enterprise , exposing to our sight the miserable estate of our condition . wee can neuer truly knowe our iust weight , but in lifting our selues vp aboue the ground . he who is well , remoues not ( sayes the italian prouerbe . ) nature had placed vs in a very firme and sure degree , where wee ought to haue stayed . wee could not haue fallen from thence , because it was the lowest step . man thinking to raise and eleuate himselfe higher , hath prepared the danger of his owne fall : shee hath more liuely imprinted in our fancies their weight and greatnesse ; then the reasons and meanes to vanquish them . i graunt that this knowledge is the sweetest foode of the minde , and that mans chiefest felicity , proceedes from meditation . but was it not farre better to haue exhausted and dried vp the head spring : sith from thence is flowne the torrent of our miseries and afflictions . the wisest and subtillest philosophie is but folly to god , and because wee are vpon reprehensions and reproaches , wee may also accuse it to be guilty , for the defect of those who haue separated and withdrawen themselues from the bosome of the church : it had beene better to haue failed to doe well , for feare of some small euill which might ariue ; because wee farre more sensibly feele griefe then pleasure . to man there is nothing more visible then good , nor more sensible then euill . we shal as litle feele a long health , as the sweetnesse of a quiet and profound sleepe , without dreames or interruption . if we are troubled and tormented with an ague , that day which it ariued to vs , shall of all the yeare be marked , either with capitall or rubrick letters . our thoughts fix and tye themselues thereunto , and they disdainfully steale ouer all the rest without seeing them , and stop at nothing , but at this displeasing remembrance . in his health and possession , he is peaceable of all other good things , as those great riuers , who in their beds and course , commonly make small noyse ; and of his griefe , it is as of those impetuous torrents and inundations , which commonly by their precipitated motions , astonish with their noyse and violence , all those who dwell neere them . man knowes not his own good , but by the absence and want thereof . hee cannot soundly iudge , or esteeme of health , but in his sicknesse : contrariwise , the point of griefe and paine , by reason of the feare we haue thereof , which is as the shadow ( yea the true shadow , which followes and deuanceth our body ) doth by her presence and his absence still afflict vs. our senses fall into a swoon and slumber of ioy , and are neuer awakened , but by afflictions and sorrow . also shee is more moueable and inconstant then pleasure . and if any extreame pleasure or voluptuousnesse will awaken vs , and pinch vs with the sense and feeling thereof , it must borrow i know not what point of griefe and paine , which by a pleasing constraint , will drawe from our tongue some tone of weeping and bewailing . a peaceable life , full of security and assurance , and exempt , and free from the stormes and tempests of fortune , resembleth a dead sea , without trouble or agitation , as demetrius affirmed . but because in the estate whereunto the world is reduced , as one said well , it is easier to make a new , then to reforme it . let vs leaue the physitian to be calumniated , and scandalized by him that is in health : bu● for wee who languish in the assaults of euill and misery , let vs shut our eyes to his imperfections . if insteed of lancing our impostume , hee hath pricked vs neere it , or hurted vs in any other delicate and sensible part of our body : let vs not quarell with him , for feare lest hee forsake and abandon vs , and that thereby wee be doubly grieued and offended . it may bee that hee will cure one , or the other of our wounds : but to beleeue that these remedies are so soueraine , that all sorts of griefes and afflictions should , and may hope for their entire cure thereof , it is that which we cannot , and therefore must not promise our selues . truth still giues the lye to flattery . great alexander feeling himselfe wounded of an arrow , all the world ( said hee ) swore that i was the sonne of iupiter : but yet the bloud which streames from this my wound , cries out wi●h a loud voyce , that i am a man. let vs not thinke that mineruas sonne , and his dearest fauorites , haue any more dignified priuiledge . the blowes of fortune make them well remember , that they are dull and stupid men , because our body , and the one halfe of our selues , is a thing which wee possesse not , but at his courtesie and mercie , and whereof she hath farre more right and propriety then we . the best philosophie doth not indifferently cure all sorts of diseases and afflictions ; but without cherishing or diminishing the fauour which wee receiue thereof : let vs endeuour not to esteeme it by its iust price and value . me thinkes , that in this pilgrimage of our life , shee resembleth the tree which the traueller met in his way , who if the weather be faire and cleare , in beholding and considering it ; hee admires the beauty thereof , and the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of its fruit . but if there happen any storme and shower of raine , then hee flies vnder the branches thereof , thereby to defend and shelter him from the iniurie of the weather , although hee can difficultly so well saue and couer himselfe ; that he doe not yet feele many discommodities thereby : but yet farre lesse ( by comparison ) then him , who disdaining and contemning this shelter , still continueth on his way , and without any fence or defence whatsoeuer , exposeth himselfe to the mercilesse mercy of the tempest . when wee are at peace with fortune , there is no thing so sweet and pleasing as this philosophie . doth fortune regard vs with a bad eye ? will she dart vpon vs the arrowes of her choler ? then wee runne and arange our selues vnder this tree , which as soone extendeth his branches ouer vs : yea , he weds our quarell , and striues to defend the blowes , or to quell and dead the violence thereof : and yet wee cannot so well auoide it , but yet there remaines many parts and places aboue vs , whereby wee are exposed to the mercy of our enemie , and to the point and fury of his choler . the branches and shel●er of this tree , may defend the traueller from raine , hayle , winde , and lightning : but if the thunder come to fall thereon , it then teares its branches , and thunder-claps our trauelling pilgrime . so philosophie armes vs against contempt , pouertie , banishment , and the other defects and vices of opinion , and defends , and sheltereth vs from the violent windes of passions : but if sicknes and paine , ( which is the thunder of fortune ) fall vpon vs ; it teares all that it meetes withall , breakes downe our weake baricadoes and defences , and makes vs feele the points and edges of his indignation . and yet the thunder of heauen spared the sacred tree of apollo : but that of fortune without any respect to vertue ( that euer sacred and soueraine tree of th● gods ) insolently breakes and teares it in peeces , as triumphing in the losse and ruine thereof . so that if the vertue of man could diuert and turne away this thunder from his head , as she doth other iniuries of fortune : i beleeue with reason , that she might pretend the name and title of perfect and compleat felicity . but likewise wee must not indifferently tearme all that to bee griefe and paine which afflicts vs : let vs therefore endeuour , yea enforce our selues to restraine and keepe it within the surest bounds and limits that we can . let vs see what it is , and if mans felicity , may agree and sympathize with it , according to the opinion of the stoicks , which for my part , i beleeue not . section . iv. as it belongs to none but to the minde , to iudge of true or false : so our sense ought to be the onely iudge either of pleasure , or paine . all things should be considered absolutely , and simply in their proper essence and being ; or relatiuely as regarding our selues . absolutely in their being , as the earth , the sea , the sunne , and the starres : which essence or being is equally spread and diffused euery where . it is this truth which is not knowne in his essence , but onely of god : and therefore where the point of humane wisedome in vaine striues to assaile it : or relatiuely in regard of our selues , and then this reflexion engageth either our body or our minde . if the body , it is tearmed good or euill ; and there is none but our senses , which haue right to iudge of a knowledge which is infused to them : and so much , and so long conioyned , that the harmony of the temperaments , is not molested or troubled by any false agreement . if the minde , then it is tearmed true or false , whereof the one caries the figure of good , and the other of euill , which is that which wee tearme ratiocination , which from vniuersall propositions , inferres and drawes particular consequences , and composeth of this collection , reduced in order by iudgement , the science or knowledge of things . but the minde and the body ioyning together in a community , in those things which they had of each other in particular , the minde secures the body , and promiseth to prouide him a sentinell , to conserue and watch against the surprises of his enemie , which is paine , or affliction , by the meane of her care and fore-sight , conditionally that shee may participate of the enioyance of those profits and pleasures , which proceede from her . but this agreement and harmony lasteth not long ; for the minde abuseth her selfe ; and this abuse is conuerted into tyrannie : for of a companion that formerly she was , she now becomes master , and violating the lawes of society , shee vsurpes vpon the iurisdiction of the senses , beleeuing , that this vsurpation , giues her an absolute right , and full power to iudge of the quality of good or bad , without consulting , or taking counsell of the senses ; and then as shee will iudge that to be either good or bad which is not : so will she doe of griefe or pleasure , which was not of the same nature : and in the end disposing soueraignly of all , she is ariued to this height and point , to beleeue that those pleasures which were fallen to the lot and share of the senses , were obliged to content and satisfie her insatiable appetite , without informing her selfe , if they had worthily acquited themselues of their charge and functions , which was to appease the hunger and desire of our senses . the which desire , because it is limited within the extent of its obiect , is easily exchanged , and conuerted into tranquillity , and a peaceable enioying thereof . in the meane time , the minde playes the auerse and difficult ; still murmures and repines against it , and entertaines man in this perturbation and perplexitie which you see . he is become more amorous and affectionate to other mens children then to his owne : and this bastard affection of his , serues him as a paire of staires , whereby by little and little he descends to the misunderstanding of himselfe , and then being buried in the darknesse of obliuion , he leaues in prey the inheritance which he had promised to giue to this community , and renounced his owne which was lawfull , which is the meditation or knowledge of true or false , for as much as in the body of man , the soule may bee capable to foment and cherish the goods or pleasures of her companion . and farther , if their profits or pleasures were of the same quality and nature , when by any misfortune the portion of the one or other were ruined , there would yet in the other lot and portion , remaine enough , to nourish and content them both ; as the philosopher , who liuing by the sweat and labour of his owne hands , vaunted that thereby he was yet able to maintaine and nourish another like himselfe . but the foode and nutriment of the one , is not that of the other , for all that which they haue truly in commons betwixt them , is the harmony which should make this musicke to be composed of spirituall and corporall things , wherein if either the one , or the other mutinie or rebell , then expect no farther harmony or agreement , for it is nothing else but confusion . but the senses being conducted by the infused and cleare-sighted light of nature , are better gouerned in their common-wealth . the one hath enterprised nothing against the other . it neuer happens , that the eye vndertakes to heare , or the eare to see , if it bee not abusiuely spoken : but since they haue elected this inconstant mind , to gouerne them as their head or chieftain : they haue reaped and receiued nothing but shame and confusion . the eye findes nothing to be absolutely faire , but that which raritie or opinion , pleaseth to recommend to vs to be so . so the rose and gilliflower , are nothing in comparison of a flower which growes in the indies , or forraigne countries . but this tyrant aduanceth yet farther , for he puts them to the racke , and makes them pay deerely for the errour of this their foolish indiscretion : for the senses dare not embrace that which they prise and affect dearest , without her free consent and permission . if any ticklish desire giue them a contrary motion to that of reason , then the minde lifts vp her hand and staffe , and vseth them so vnkindly and vnworthily , that there is no seruitude or slauery so rigorous . they may well passe without her , and without the fruit of this meditation , which makes it so commendable . a pretious iewell indeed it is , but farre more necessary to this little common-weale for ornament and decencie , then for absolute necessity . for that which is in this manner necessary , is vniuersall and equall , as the heart is necessary to the life of man ; reason is a faculty , which although it haue her roote in the soule : yet she cannot perfect her selfe without the assistance and concurrence of well disposed organes ; for the most accomplished is but errour : iudge therefore what the most imperfect are , it is but an accident , whose defect changeth nothing the substance of man. plato was no more a man , then a common porter was . an inequality which sufficiently testifies , that of absolute necessity it is not necessary to man. but at last , the senses growe rebellious and mutinous , and will proclaime their triumphes , or holliday in that which concernes their charge or duty of the minde , because the minde so powerfully and soueraignly , vsurpes vpon their iurisdiction ; and from this sedition , as from the head spring or fountaine of all euills , flowes the disorder and confusion , which we finde in all things . arts and learning are endomaged and damnified by the corruption of the senses , which hauing no more right to iudge of good or euill , will yet intermeddle to knowe true , or false ; as is seene in those who denie infinity , because their grosse senses , who would intrude themselues to bee parties in this difference , can neuer agree with that which they cannot comprehend : or as those who denie the life or immortality of the soule , because they haue demaunded counsell of the senses , which cannot approue of things so difficult and hard of disgestion , and so seldome controuerted or proposed : for the eye hath not seene , nor the eare heard spoken of these discourses : neither can tast , smelling , or feeling , giue any testimonies thereof . to make them therefore know this soule , it must be ( as cicero speakes of the gods to the epicurians ) not a body , but as a body that it had not veines , arteries or bloud ; but as it were veines , arteries , and bloud , that shee was , and that shee was not , that it had not a humane figure , but as a humane figure , not being able to represent the soule vnto vs ; no more then painters , who represent angels vnder humane shapes and figures . if beasts could figure themselues out a god , they would make him of their owne form and shape , not beleeuing ( as an antient philosopher affirmed ) that there is any fairer , or better shaped then their owne : and these men doe the same of the soul● , which they cannot otherwise comprehend or conceiue then vnder that of a body , whose members possesse some place , hauing her dimensions , length , breadth , and depth , vnder the very image and figure of man , then which they beleeue there is no nobler : or else they otherwise beleeue there is none at all ▪ or at least , that it must be corporall : so if it be corporall , it must needes bee corruptible , as indeede they themselues are wholly composed both of body and corruption : and this is the preiudice which the senses bring to those who haue caused it to bee beleeued in the iudgement , which they should make of true or false : but as the minde being farre more busie in motion , and of a larger latitude and extent then the senses , hath caused a more apparant , sensible , and vniuersall disorder : so shee will not allowe for good , but onely that which is pleasing and delightfull to her . she hath put new guards ouer all the goods of nature , and will not without her permission and consent , that it should bee lawfull for vs to enioy any of them : and yet neuerthelesse , among those things which we hold and tearme good , wee may easily obserue and remarke those that she hath charged & corrupted . those goods which carie the marke and seale of nature imprinted on their fore-heads , doe content vs , and satisfie and appease by their enioyance , the burning desire which hath so violently caused vs to re-search and seeke them . and contrariwise , the others doe but encrease this feruent desire or thirst , which the opinion and vice of our minde hath enkindled in vs : the goods which are of his owne inuention , doe neither appertaine to the minde , or the body ; for they are neuters and indifferent . the minde ( as it were ) commit●ing adultery with the body , hath engendered them as so many monsters , which participate some thing both of the one and the other . of the minde , the estimation , price , and value : of the body , that which they containe in them of materiall and terrestriall . that which they haue in them of more naturall , or of speciall and indiuiduall difference , doth not properly belong either to the one or the other . it is reported , that mules ( who are a third different sort of beasts , which two former haue propagated ) are incapable to engender . so those goods or priuiledges of nature , which deriue their being from such different natures , doe neuer of themselues engender any good either to the minde , or the body . they are instruments , whereof we indifferently make vse either to good or euill : and which for the most part serue onely to foment our vices and passions . but as these good things are neuters and indifferent ; so the euill which likewise proceedes of his artifice , ought not to haue greater priuiledges , and therefore the effect which they produce in vs , which we tearme griefe or paine , cannot be tearmed so , but very wrongfully and abusiuely : as imprisonment , banishment , losse of honours : pouerty offends neither the body , nor the minde , but is the chaine which onely presseth either the one or the other . if the mind complaine , it is too blame , for it belongs to him onely to knowe true or false : if he say that riches are good , and pouerty euill , the senses will giue him the lye thereto , for they complaine not , at least if they doe , they doe it vniustly . if our minde had made this proposition , to wit ; that the oare , or matter of gold , resembles that of earth ; or that the difference proceedes not from the mixture of qualities and accidents , wee must not appeale therein to our senses . or if the eye would contradict this proposition , because the colour of earth differs from that of gold , hee should not bee receiued or beleeued as iudge . if our feeling would adde in his own behalfe , that hee findes the one hard , the other soft ; the one smooth , and the other harsh and impollished , yet it were false , and it may be shewed them , that it belongs onely to them , to iudge of good or euill , and not of true or false . wee must not then by the same reason tearme that good or euill , but which onely the senses will so please to doe , or as true or false , that which it shall please the minde to ordaine : so then there is nothing which will beare the name and quality of paine , but the contrary obiect to the inclination of our feeling thereof , as long as it is present with him , and doth still sensibly and extreamely afflict him therewith : so that which is mediocrity , can be supported and endured by the constancie of our vertue , without astonishing or mouing her , and yet neuerthelesse not without offering some outrage and violence to our felicity . but sith she exceedes the powers of patience , there is no courage so ambitious , but will be strucken and beaten downe to the ground by the thunder of fortune ; whereof i no way feare the threatnings , but the blowes , and happy is he that can preuent and hinder , that his feare deuance not the effect thereof . section . v. although wee graunt that mans felicity consists in vertue , ( which is not absolutely true ) yet i affirme against the stoickes , that felicity is incompatible with griefe and paine . the noyse of weapons ( as one reporteth ) hindreth the voyce of lawes ; but i beleeue with zenos scholler , that the noyse of weapons , and assaults of paine , should more iustly hinder vs from vnderstanding the precepts of philosophie . this philosopher being besieged by the sharpe points of griefe and paine , seeing that it was more perswasiue to make him confesse , that it was euill , then the power of all his stoicall reasons were to the contrary . he ingeniously confessed , that it was an euill , because all his long study , and time which hee had employed in philosophie , could not secure him from the torment , and lesse againe , from the trouble and impatiencie which griefe and paine brought him . a sect so rigorous , that as one of them said ▪ it will neither rebate nor diminish any thing of the felicity of a wise man , although he were in phalaris his bull : for felicity consists in vertue , and this vertue is the vse of perfect reason , which wee carie to goodnesse . this reason conserues it selfe whole and found in the middes of rackes , torments , and afflictions , and consequently this felicity . i contrariwise say , that so perfect a felicity is imaginary ; and although it were true and reall , that necessarily it is changed by griefe and paine ; for the first head heereof , i say , that nature hath imprinted in all creatures a desire to compasse their owne ends , whereunto being arriued , they seeme to feele the true perfection of their being , from which being estranged and separated , they suffer ( if wee may say so ) some paine in their insensibility . the simple bodies ariue more easily hereunto , hauing nothing in them which contradicts this desire . the compounded , as they enclose and shut vp many contrary qualities , they cannot attaine to this perfection , because their desires and obiects being different and contrary , one cannot enioy his tranquillity , but with the preiudice of the others : but if it fall out that they are dissolued , and diuided by the fire , then euery one retires to that part , where his desire calls him . but among the compounded , there is none more multiplied then man , because it seemes that nature would assemble in him , as in a small compendium or epitome : all that which is generally defused in all sublunarie bodies ; and far●e the more , because the soule being conioyned with it , she hath brought her desire with her , which tending to an infinite obiect , giues her selfe but small rest , and yet lesse to him of whom she hath the gouernment and conduction . therefore man being composed of so many contrary things , hee nourisheth a discord , and perpetuall ciuill warre within him : and it is ( as it were ) impossible for him to appease it , because the remedy of the one , is the poyson of the other . heauen is the center of light things , and earth of those which are ponderous and heauie ; that as the compound of these two still obayes the predominate quality , in such sort , that hee cannot ariue to his centre , without offering violence to the least : so besides the contrary inclination of all the compounds , which slide into the structure and fabrique of man ; wee must chiefely obserue and remarke these two . of the party inferiour and superiour ; sensitiue , and reasonable , who incessan●ly oppose and contradict each other ; and whereof the one cannot be in hi● perfect peace and tranquillity , except the other bee farre remote and distant from his ; because their obiects being contrary , and distant one from the other , at one time they cannot be in diuers places , nor much lesse in one and the same place , without quarels and dissention ; for which cause and reason , man cannot hope for perfect felicity in his life , sith it ought to bee tearm'd of an vniuersall repose and tranquillity . if an enemie set fire to all the foure corners of a citie , and batter it with an intent to ruine and take it : can we beleeue it is in peace , because the gouernour thereof is in a place of assurance and security : so the minde being farre distant from the assaults and blowes of fortune , is not a good consequence of tranquillity and perfect felicity ; it will remaine then imperfect , as man himselfe remaines imperfect ▪ and he should not be man , if he had but one of these parties and priuiledges : wherefore we may affirme , that the vse of this perfect reason , should not be this perfect felicity , if it ioyne not with her the repose and tranquillity of her companion the body , which should haue the better part in felicity , because it is he true touchstone of good and euill , as we haue formerly shewed . in the second place i say , that put the cause that felicity consists in the vse of perfect reason ; and that shee cannot long sympathize and agree with paine , because all the faculties of the soule in generall , suffer according to the motions and alterations of the body : so reason is a materiall and corporall effect , which hath her roote in the soule , and which cannot perfect her selfe : but by the benefit of the organes , and the temperate concurrence of the refined spirits of the bloud , which if they are of too great a number or quantity , then they subuert , embroyle , yea confound themselues , and become brutish and beastly , as you see they doe by excesse of wine or sleepe . and if there bee any defect , they degenerate into capriciousnes , or weakenesse of braine and ratiocination : but aboue all , she depends of the good disposition of the organes , the minde being more liuely and actiue in health then sicknes . a sweet and cleare ayre , and a faire day doth cleare and consolidate the iudgement , sharpens our wit , dispelleth melancholly , makes our reason more masculine and vigorous , and in a word , makes vs ciuiller and honester men . reason is engendered , and growes with our body , their powers are brought vp together , and wee know that its infancie , vigour , maturity , age , and decrepitude , doe commonly follow the age and temper of the body : and what then if this body bee afflicted with griefe or paine , shall shee not feele it ? what shall wee say of those whose excesse and violence of paine , caries them to swooning and convulsions , which proceedes and happens , because the spirits of bloud being changed by this violence , doe diuert themselues from their ordinary course , and put themselues into disorder and confusion in the organ ; so that they hinder their regular function . there is no point of wisedome so pure , which can hinder this trouble , or secure it selfe from it , because it cannot resist the power of sleepe . but perfect reason subsisteth nor but by this well-gouerned function of the spirits , for that ceasing shee also ceaseth . but o yee stoickes , what will be your felicity in torments ! if your reason forsake you , and play false company with you ; what will then become of this vertue , which no longer knowes her selfe : is this it which she had promised you ? whiles the enemie sackes you , and fortune teares and dragges you by the haire , shee will abandon you at neede , and dares not shewe her selfe , but when your enemies are retired and vanished . and yet then shee returnes so weake and trembling , that it seemes shee hath felt the very same blowes which our body hath . what shall we say of those from whom shee hauing beene but once absent , shee neuer had the assurance to returne againe ? lucretius a great poet and philosopher , by a loue potion , too sharpe for the palate of vertue , gaue him occasion to dislodge , and to abandon the place to folly . faire felicity , how your fauours are difficult to purchase , and easie to lose . will you so permit , that leuity command , and dispose you to the preiudice of that fortitude and constancie , whereof you make profession : you say that you are a daughter of heauen ; and can you therefore suffer the affront and disgrace of this daughter of earth , i meane fortune , that she dragge you captiue , and proudly triumph of your spoyles : at least , if this stoicall vertue could ingender a degree of leaprosie in our sense and feeling : shee hereby might make head , and oppose against fortune : but shee is so farre from it , as she sharpens it , and makes it more sensible to the arrowes that she shoots at vs : and to shewe more clearely and apparantly how this poyson of paine and griefe runnes into the superiour party , which wee tearme reasonable , and so infects it with its contagion : wee must knowe that the contrary qualities , which concurre and meete in the compound , would neuer subsist together , if they were not attoned and agreed by a third party ; who participating both of the one and the other , doth thereby entertaine them , and appease their enmity and contention . and nature could neuer haue sowed or tyed to man , two such contrary peeces , without the ayde and assistance of a third , which are the purest and most subtillest spirits of the bloud ; which hold fast , and tye themselues to the abundance and affluence thereof , by the grossest part which is in them , and to the soule by that which is purest in it , and which holds fast , and stayes in this prison of the body : so that prouided that this third be not offended ; man still maintaines himselfe . he can liue without reason , as the sunne can doe towards vs , and in our hemispheare , without enlightning vs with his rayes and beames , whiles hee is eclipsed with so blacke , and thicke a cloude , that it cannot pierce forth to our eyes ; because reason is as the eye of the soule , which shines not forth openly and brightly to vs , if it meete with any obstacle or interposition . if the legges or armes of a man be wounded , or cut off , he may yet support himselfe , and liue : but when this third is excessiuely endomaged , and that hee hath forsaken the match ; then the body being too corpulent and massiue , hauing no more hold-fast of the soule , is constrained to forsake and abandon her . this third therefore serues as an interpreter both to the one and the other . hee giues the body to vnderstand the will of the soule , and to the soule , the appetites and desires of the senses . all that generally befalls man , is diuided by this third , which sends to the one and the other their part and portion . if paine afflict the body , it spreads and runnes through all the spirits to the very soule ; as by a sulphurous match , lighted at both ends ; and at the same instant sets fire euery where , as well in the superiour as the inferiour part , where she offends and outrageth both the senses , and reason . thus paine hauing then past and entered into reason , it there troubleth the repose , and changeth the felicity of the stoick . so that the voyce of that philosopher , who cryed out , o paine , i will not say that thou art sharpe or euill : is not a sufficient testimony of his victory ouer it . it is a souldier which hee hath taken in the middest of the conflict and combat : but yet hee dragges our philosopher as his prisoner after him . a captiue who spets iniuries in her masters face , is yet no lesse his slaue : hee who willingly obeyes not , is more rigorously handled , and the wise man who armes himselfe against a violent paine or griefe , hath not so cheape a bargaine as our selues , because it is still ill done of vs to incense an enemie , who hath in his hands the power and meanes to offend vs. to put this constancie as she is depainted by them into a mans hands , to oppose and fight against this strong enemie , it is to put hercules his club into the hands of a pigmee . the weapons and armour wherewith they loade our weake shoulders , doe beat vs down , and kill vs with their weight . it belongs to none but to socrates , to weare this corslet ; or to manage or play with the weapons of achilles , and to accustome our selues to it , we must vigorously assayle and assault fortune , neuer to make truce with her ; to prouoke and dare her to the combat , with a firme footing and resolution , with the sweat on our front , to sup dust into our mouth , to make vs drunke with her wounds ; by little and little to fortifie our stomack , as another pill of methridatum , against the poyson of vnlooked for accidents , which may corrupt our health . i meane the peace and tranquillity of our felicity . section vi. mans life is a harmonie , composed of so many different tones , that it is very difficult for vertue to hold , and keepe them still in tune . i finde that the poets doe exceedingly sing , and paint forth the praises and beauty of venus : that commonly they lend arrowes to this young cupid , which are sharper then those he caries about him in his quiuer ; and that their true naturall beauty is nothing in comparison of those they borrow from this strange painting and false decoration : but it seemes to mee , that philosophers doe no lesse by their wisedome , for she ha●h not so much beauty or excellencie naked , as by those ornaments and attires wherewith the stoikes embellish and adorne her : and i know not if the gods enuie not the condition of men , for the price of the like recompence . this vertue , as it is painted out by seneca , ha●h such enchanted lures and graces , that if this image could heat it selfe in our breast , and receiue life in our armes by the fauour of minerua , as heretofore the statue of pigmalion , did by the 〈◊〉 of venus : i beleeue that the felicity and sweetnesse thereof , would tire our hopes and desires . the b●yers and thornes which they place on the approaches and aduenewes thereof , and those extreame difficulties which they put before it ; to ariue to this last point , is the onely meanes which they vse to couer their secrets , and consequently to conceale the vanity of their art. let vs not bee so ambitious to aduance and eleuate our selues so high , for those who see and perceiue it , will easily iudge , that their wings are by farre too weake to second and make good so audacious a flight . to promise more then we can performe , is the part of an ignorant ; and to hope for lesse then we ought , is that of a nouice or apprentice . but to hope , and not to promise our selues , but that which we can , is the act of an experienced and wise man. let vs not therefore thinke that the point of felicity , where-vnto this morall vertue can raise vs , is aboue the stormes and tempests of fortune . all which she can doe , is to cast anchor in the middest of the tempest : in the meane time , the vessel notwithstanding will still be tossed with the waues and billowes thereof . if affliction , of paine assault vs not , wee shall then remaine inuincible and victorious : but if fortune assaile and bord vs there , shee then beates downe , and ruineth all our defences . for reason is wonderfully tender and courteous to paine : shee knowes not how to fight with her , but with words : shee is a woman who hath no other offensiue weapons , but iniuries and obstinacie . and yet if wee enforced our selues to ariue to the degree of this vertue as she is , wee should then very often be in repose and tranquillity , and might enioy felicity , whereof wee are capable . at least , knowing her imperfection , we should doe as the painter , who hides his grossest and obscurest colours vnder his fairest , and most liueliest . wee should compell our selues to couer the misery of our misfortunes , by the happinesse of those which second our desires : for to promise our selues so perfect and compleat a contentment , that the approaches and aduenewes thereof , bee not crost by some affliction or displeasure ▪ we should therein counterfeit a true mountebanke , who pretends and affirmes , that he can drawe a tooth from vs without feeling or paine . voluptuousn●sse hath some thing in her , i know not how bitter and ineuitable , both in her beginning and end . i commend and highly praise that philosopher , who proceedes in the purity of his soule , and not he who purposely shewes his conceptions : but who strikes home , arangeth his reasons orderly , and speakes freely what hee thinkes . let his life be conformable to his writings , and if it be possible , let his effects teach his owne rules and instructions ; for hee cannot easily cure others , who is not able or capable to comfort himselfe , except he passe for a hired sophister , orator , or philosopher : for wisedome must exhaust from the profundity of our soule , ( as from the well of democritus , ) all that which is truth , or at least which seemes so to vs. for if abuse or flattery preuaile , or penetrate so farre with vs , there will nothing then remaine either sound or entire in vs. to promise a compleat and perfect felicity without the fauour of fortune , is tha● which i cannot doe ; and to thinke , or pretend to doe it any other way then by vertue , is a designe too defectiue and ridiculous to receiue the fauours of fortune , by the dore of vertue , and not to let them depart from you , but by the same passage , is in my opinion the onely meanes to giue entrance to repose and tranquillity : but here our courage must not faile vs at neede . let vs follow the point of this naturall desire , which wee feele in vs , as a small and weake sparke , which may be enkindled and enflamed , till it growe to a greater and purer light , and then serue vs as a guide in so generous an enterprise . there is none but in some sort feeles ; and cherisheth vertue ; with a hope to obtaine and enioy her : but wee may say of her as isocrates of the citie of athens , that shee was pleasant and delightfull in the same nature and manner , as faire strumpets or curtizans , with whom men onely loue to passe their time with , but not to wed them , or reside with them : right so , vertue is beloued and courted of all the world , to passe our time with , and onely for shew and ostentation . but no man takes her to his wife , and espouseth her . wee b●are her on our lips , but not in our hearts , and in our speeches and writings , but not in our actions : for wee must water and colour our soule therewith . if wee thinke , or hope to feele the effects of true felicity , which must not be as wee suppose , a ioy conceiued through the opinion of a false good , gouerned without rule or discretion ; but a constant and setled pleasure , agreeing in all things , and in all places with her selfe . and this is the most sublimest and eminent'st place ; where the wisedome of man endeuoureth and striues to ariue : wisedome which yet can neuer eleuate him so high , but that hee shall still feele and knowe himselfe to bee man. hee cannot take himselfe from himselfe , nor escape those his naturall defects and qualities , but that hee shall still receiue some mortall , or at least some sensible blowes and assaults thereof . the windes beate and assaile the highest towers and turrets , vanity pardoneth not the highest , brauest , or most solide wittes and iudgements : but contrariwise , as she meetes with a barren and empty wit , discharged of passions ; which seemed formerly to prouoke and animate her , shee thereby then thinkes , she hath the more right to possesse and enioy its place : as a pipe or butt is emptied , so the winde and ayre succeedes in place of the wine : and by the same measure that wee make the greatest and grossest imperfections to distill and streame away from the nature of man : vanity ariues in the place thereof , where shee ex●ends her selfe euery way at large , and resides and dwells with farre more ease . and to conclude , what priuiledge or aduantage so euer we can giue to man , who is like our selues , or what honours wee can render or yeeld either to him , or to our selues . man is nothing but a dreame , who feedes , and gnawes on lyes extreame : in his best state constant neuer : a shadow which the morne dispelleth , a lightning that a cloude refelleth , whose being , and not being , a moment seuer . finis . the english gentleman containing sundry excellent rules or exquisite observations, tending to direction of every gentleman, of selecter ranke and qualitie; how to demeane or accommodate himselfe in the manage of publike or private affaires. by richard brathwait esq. brathwaite, richard, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the english gentleman containing sundry excellent rules or exquisite observations, tending to direction of every gentleman, of selecter ranke and qualitie; how to demeane or accommodate himselfe in the manage of publike or private affaires. by richard brathwait esq. brathwaite, richard, ?- . vaughan, robert, engraver. [ ], , [ ], - , [ ] p. printed by iohn haviland, and are to be sold by robert bostock at his shop at the signe of the kings head in pauls church-yard, london : . with an additional title page, engraved, signed "ro: vaughan fecit". the first leaf is a folding letterpress explanation of this. "three choice characters of marriage" (p. [ ], - , [ ] at end) has separate divisional title; register recommences at ² n . variant: lacking this section. reproduction of the original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . courtesy -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jennifer kietzman sampled and proofread - jennifer kietzman text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the english gentleman : containing sundry excellent rules or exquisite observations , tending to direction of every gentleman , of selecter ranke and qualitie ; how to demeane or accommodate himselfe in the manage of publike or private affaires . by richard brathwait esq. seneca in herc. furen . — qui genus jactat suum aliena laudat . london , printed by iohn haviland , and are to be sold by robert bostock at his shop at the signe of the kings head in pauls church-yard . . to the nobly accomplished , honoured , and loved ; thomas viscount wentvvorth , lord president of yorke ; all correspondence to his prudent'st and prepared'st resolves . worthyly honoured , vertue the greatest signall and symbol of gentry : is rather expressed by goodnesse of person , than greatnesse of place . for , howsoever the bleere-ey'd vulgar honour , the purple more than the person , descent more than desert , title than merit : that adulterate gentility , which degenerats from the worth of her ancestors , derogates likewise from the birth of her ancestors . and these be such , whose infant effeminacie , youthfull delicacie , or native libertie hath estranged them from the knowledge of morall or divine mysteries : so as , they may be well compared to the ostrich , who ( as the naturall historian reports ) hath the wings of an eagle , but never mounts : so these have the eagle-wings of contemplation , being indued with ●he intellectuall faculties of a reasonable soule ; yet either intangled with the light chesses of vanity , or trashed with the heavie poizes of selfe-conceit and singularitie , they never mount above the verge of sensuall pleasure . but i am here to tender unto your honours judicious view , a gentleman , quite of another garbe : one , whose education hath made formall enough , without apish formalitie , and conceiving enough , without selfe-admiring arrogancie . a good christian in devout practising , no lesse than zealous professing ; yet none of the forward'st in discoursing on religion . for hee observes ( as long experience hath brought him to be a judicious observer ) that discourse of religion hath so occupied the world , as it hath well-neere driven the practice thereof out of the world . he esteemes such only happy , who are of that number , whom the world accounts fooles , but god wise men . hee understands , that whatsoever is sought besides god , may so imploy the minde , as it may be occupied , but never satisfied . he observes the whole fabricke of humane power , and hee concludes with the preacher ; ecquid tam vanum ? he notes how the flesh becomming obedient , behaveth herselfe as a faithfull servant to the soule : this governeth , the other is governed ; this commandeth , the other obeyeth . finally , he summes up all his observations with this : hee that sigheth not while hee is a pilgrim , shall never rejoyce when hee is a citizen . this is the gentleman , whom i have presumed to recommend to your protection : and to you hee makes recourse , not so much for shelter , as honour : for his title , it exempts him from servile bashfulnes , being an english gentleman . now , if any of those corkie censurers , qui mercurium in lingua non in pectore gerunt , shall chance to accoast my gentleman : i resolve me , his education hath made him so accomplish'd at all assayes , and his conversing with the most piercing'st judgements , hath brought him to that perfection , as hee can discerne of what mould or temper these criticks are ; concluding , voces sunt , praeterea nihil ; as is said of the nightingall . this only resteth ; if i limme him to the life , in spite of censure , he will merit the patronage of honour : if i faile in my art , ( as i dare not presume of my strength ) it is in your honour to impute the fault rather to the pen than the man , whose intimate affection to your lordship , made him erre , if he erre . your honours in all devotion , richard brathvvait . to the knowing reader . he that provides not for his family is worse than an infidell : yet he who prefers the care of his family , before the advācement of gods glory , may seeme to be of cardinall bourbons minde , who would not lose his part in paris , for his part in paradise , each mans private oeconomie ought to be a certaine academie , wherein all sacred and morall knowledge is to be taught . for that master of a family , who only extends his care in providing how to get , making the object of his providence gaine , will experimentally crie out , when his mouth shall be filled with gravell : o death , how bitter is the remembrance of thee to that man , whose peace is in his substance ! to prevent which immoderate care , and that every one may cloze with cicero : virtute qui praediti sunt , soli sunt divites , i have proposed some especiall rules of direction , right worthy ( if my judgement doe not deceive mee ) the observation of every publike or private family : though principally tending to the making up of an accomplish'd gentleman . for who knowes not , ( if he know any thing ) how the gentry of this age , through a depraved effeminacie , must be in custome with the fashion , to purchase him the title of gentleman ? where he is to enter cōmerce with taylor , haberdasher , millener , sempster , and sundry other appertinences of a gentleman : which in time , worke gentility out of love with hospitality , engaging him so deeply to vanity , as by a strange catastrophe , he ever ends with misery . to rectifie these obliquities , i have brought a gentleman , who professeth the true and new art of gentilizing : yet not like your begging pedanticall artist , who by a mercenary bill pasted on some frequented gate , gives notice to the itching passenger , that if any one be minded to learne the rare and mysterious art of brachygraphie , stenographie , logarisme , or any art ( indeed ) whatsoever , ( though he be a meere stranger to any ) upon resort to such a signe in such a lane , he shall find a most illiterate anacharsis , ready to bray his braines in a morter to give him content . but this gentleman , as the science which he professeth is free , so doth he teach it freely : craving no other reward for his fruitfull observance , than thy friendly acceptance . vpon the volume and title . i had purposed that this worke should have beene digested into a portible volume , to the end it might be more familiar with a gentlemans pocket , not to picke it , but that he might picksome good f●om it : but since the volume would not beare it , you must with patience beare with it , and with more trouble beare it : by enlarging your pocket to containe it . now for the title , i am not wholly ignorant , how a subject intitled the complete gentleman , was heretofore published ; which ( i can assure you gentlemen ) consorts with this rather in title than tenour , name than nature ; the proofe whereof i referre to the generous and judicious reader . the subjects whereof this booke principally treateth and insisteth . youth . disposition . education . vocation . recreation . acquaintance . moderation . perfection . an exact table or directory , leading to the principall points contained in this booke . yovth . observat. . ovr youthfull yeares , our climactericall yeares ; with the dangers that attend on youthfull yeares ; seconded by an authenticke story out of eusebius . pag. . the vanity of youth displayed in foure distinct subjects . two reasons why young-men were not admitted to deliver their opinions in publike assemblies . three violent passions incident to youth . two reasons why youth is naturally subject to those illimited passions of ambition , lust , revenge . especiall motives or incendiaries , tending to the increase of those passions . the proper postures of a complete roarer . physicke prescribed , and receits applied , to cure these maladies in youth . what choice imployments deserve entertainment from a gentleman . disposition . observat. . the diversitie of dispositions . pag. a probable judgement of our dispositions , drawne from the delights we affect , or company we frequent . passion the best discoverer of our disposition . ibid. discovery of dispositions in distempers . promotion held ever , mans best anatomy lecture . the disposition is not to be forced . what disposition ( being distinguished by three infallible markes ) is most generous . the proper ayme or end whereto the actions of true resolution are directed : with the prudent observation of cortugal , one of the turkish princes , in his perswasive oration for the besiege of rhodes . . edvcation . observat. . what education is . pag. education dilates it selfe to three subjects . ibid. our knowledge reflects upon two particulars . a profitable exhortation to all such as are drawne away by strange doctrine . two especiall errours incident to subjects of discourse ; affectation , imitation : whereof gentlemen are seriously cautioned . perswasion , being the life and efficacie of speech , consisteth on three parts . immoderate passion , in arguments of discourse and reasoning , to be avoided . education either improveth or depraveth . education , the best seasoner of action , aswell as of speech , or knowledge : no lesse prevalent in arts manuall , than actions martiall . . education , the best seasoner of youth . vocation . observat. . the definition , necessitie , and conveniencie of a vocation without personall exception or exemption . pag. , . . vertue consists in action , time in revolution , the maze of mans life in perpetuall motion . pag. . lin . three necessary considerations touching the conveniencie of a vocation ; divided and applied . the efficacy of prayer in every vocation ; and the exercise thereof seriously recommended . we are to resist vices , by practising and doing acts of the contrary vertues . men of place , in respect of three distinct objects , are three wayes servants . . lin . men of place , of all others least exempted from a vocation . . lin . the ground of all novellisme . vocation in generall . the first invention of trades , arts , or sciences . the antient borough of kendall ( upon serious discourse of manufacture ) worthily commended for their industry in wooll-worke : the judicious dutch-men of keswick , for their copper-worke . , a serious survey and judicious display of all the liberall sciences . the vocation of a gentleman in particular . the vocation of a gentleman hath imployment publike or private . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in publike affaires of state. the life of man either active or cōtemplative . ib. lin . directions of reservancie , usefull to all gentlemen in their keeping of company . ib. lin . . credulity , in two respects , dangerous to persons imployed in affaires of state. credulity in beleeving the relations of others . in imparting his thoughts to the secrecie of others : shewed in a conceited storie . , , resolution in suffering neither price to draw him , nor power to over-awe him . disobedience punished in acts most successive . the holy war , as a consequent action of honour , recōmended to the undertaking of all young gentlemen . . lin . how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in publike affaires . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in private affaires . two perillous shelfes which endanger iustice. how iustice is to be poized equally . impunity the foster-mother of all impiety . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in his owne family . every family a private common-wealth . . marg . a gentleman is so to demeane himself in his family , as he neither hord up niggardly , nor lash out lavishly . . lin . he is to keepe a hanke of his bounty , lest too much profusenesse bring him to misery . ibid. lin . he is neither to be too remisse , nor too severe in his family . ibid. how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in spirituall affaires within his family . the exercise of devotion commended , a blessing thereon pronounced , if duly performed ; which blessing is on a precept and a promise grounded . . recreation . observat. . the difference of recreations . pag. of the moderate and immoderate use of recreat . the benefits redounding from moderate recreat . the incōveniences arising frō immoderate recreat . the yeare of iubile defined and described . objections against stage-playes , proposed and resolved . what honours antient and moderne times have conferred on poets , and what bounties for their poems . . what especiall subjects are privileg'd from iests . who the first comedian , who the first tragedian . a wofull example of a gentlewoman , who was a continuall frequenter of stage-playes . excesse of gaming reproved . cheaters displayed ; their humours experimentally decoloured ; their habit , garbe , and formall insinuation discovered . young gamesters most subject to passion . a dolefull example of one that at gamoused imprecation . ibid. another moderne example covertly shadowed , of one who desperately surprized with distemper of losse , poisoned himselfe . ibid. an excellent morall discourse of hunting . the story of the foole of millan , and his discourse with a falconer . in exercises of recreation , those only are most approved , by whom they are with least affectation performed , and with most freedome of minde embraced . . lin . an accurate discourse of valour , and how in arguments of contest or challenge , a gentleman may come off with honour . the misery of duello's . a collection and election of histories . the knowledge of our owne moderne chronicles , most beneficiall to gentlemen . history , the sweetest recreation of the minde . the judgement of god inflicted upon the actors and authors of treason , sacrilege , &c. , , what good morall men have flourished in evil times . how a gentleman is to bestow himselfe in recreation . prodigality condemned , moderation in expence , aswell as in the exercise it selfe , commended . distinction of times for recreations , necessarily injoyned . no expence more precious , than the expence of time . ib. election of games for recreation : which conduce most to memory or retention ; which to pregnancie of conceit or apprehension . ibid. acqvaintance . observat. . of the use of acquaintance . pag. mans security , the devils opportunity . . lin . a display of some monasticke professors . ibid. privacie no lesse perillous than societie . . the particular benefits derived from acquaintance , extend to discourse . advice . action . ibid. of the benefit we reape by acquaintance in matters of discourse . ibid. of the choice of acquaintance in matters of advice . friendship resembled to the iuniper tree , whose wood is sweetest , shade coolest , and coale hottest . . marg . of the benefit properly derived from one friend to another in every peculiar action . the expressive character of a reall friend . the benefits which redound from the mutuall union or communion of friends in the exercise of pleasure . all iests either festive or civill . those jests are best seasoned , that are least salted . a rule of infallible direction touching choice of acquaintance . ibid. of the choice or judicious approvement of acquaintance , in affaires of highest consequence . neither timist nor timonist are within the lists of acquaintance to be entertained . ibid. the timist , or time-observer , displayed and displaced . ibid. the timonist , or time-detracter , discovered and discarded . evill societie the source of all sensuality . what directions are to be observed in the choice of a wife . . * which branch hath proper relation to three choice characters annexed to the end of this worke ; which characters are in some copies only annexed , and for some other observations hereafter reserved . the harsh and heremiticall conceit of the carthaginian arminius , touching marriage . the character of a shamelesse wanton . , the character of a shamefast woman . , advice in respect both of portion and proportion . privileges granted to such as are married . nobilitie and affabilitie hold equall'st concurrencie . ibid. lin . sundry inducing motives to love recounted . , &c. of constancie in the choice of acquaintance . who are best consorts to pray with , to play with , to converse or commerce with . . lin . three faculties of the understanding , with their objects . of reservancie towards acquaintance . a two-fold reservancie ; . in concealing our secrets . . in retaining our substance . an admirable story , clozing with an unexpected catastrophe , of a prodigall gentleman and an unconscionable creditor . of the absolute end of acquaintance . all things by course of nature have their proper end , save only suits of law , which admit no end . ibid. lin . a briefe survey of acquaintance in city , court , and countrey . , learning , the moving'st inducement and exquisitest ornament of acquaintance . titles formerly conferred on such as were learned . ibid. the absolute ayme or end of acquaintance , is either to better them , or be bettered by them . especiall offices wherein friendship and acquaintance should be exercised . what gracious effects were produced by the friendly compassion of those faithfull instruments of gods glory , in the first conversion of this kingdome . , , &c. the flourishing state of the church , amidst many hoary winters of innovation , turbulent times of persecution . an excellent conclusive precept recommended to all young gentleman . moderation . observat. . moderation defined . pag. our life a medley of desires and feares . moderation of princes in their contempt of soveraigntie , illustrated by an example of one of our owne . otho's resolution , who by dying had rather prove himselfe a mortall creature , than by living , load himselfe with cares of an emperour . no vertue can subsist without moderation . a review of those maine assailants of temperance , lust , ambition , gorgeousnesse in apparell , luscious fare , company-keeping , &c. illustrated by divers instances . , what excellent fruits are derived from temperance . conquest of a mans affections the greatest victory . chastity the choicest ornament of youth . a distinction of degrees , conjugall , viduall , virginall . a more particular display of cheaters , with their obsequious natures , &c. wherein moderation is to be used . expence of coine . expence of time . motives to hospitality , with a reclaime of our gentry from the court to their country . three sorts of persons encountred and reproved for their abuse or carelesse expence of time , the ambitious . voluptuous . miserably-covetous . the ambitious mans designes aptly compared to domitians catching flies , or the misty conclusions of the deluded alchymist . the voluptuous libertine mis-imployeth time in two respects ; in respect of himselfe . in respect of those good creatures , ordained for the use and service of himselfe . ibid. the covetous wretches treasury , the store-house of his misery . nothing so terrible as the approach of death to a worldling . moderation of the passions of the minde , reduced to two subjects , ioy. sorrow . the christians ioy is no carnall but a spirituall joy . ib. his sorrow is not a sorrow unto sinne , but a sorrow for sinne . eie is made the sense of sorow , because the sense of sin . where in moderation is to be limitted . the occasion of all immoderation derived from those three troubled springs : concupiscence of the flesh ; concupiscence of the eye ; pride of life . excellent rules prescribed for moderating cares of the flesh . the eye , as it is the tenderest and subtillest organ of all others , so should the object whereon it is fixed , be the purest and clearest of all others . the eagle an embleme of divine contemplation . ib. the worldlings earthly honour resembled to the bird ibis , her filthy nature . ibid. the desperate fate of an inamored italian . . lin . . the proud luciferians of this world similized to the chameleon , who hath nothing in his body but lungs . ibid. lin . . promotion declares what men be ; instanced in cardinall woolsey . the power of prayer expressed by these three distinct characters : it is gods honour ; mans armour ; the devils terrour . or thus . gods oblation ; mans munition ; the devils expulsion . which pious practice , as it is gods sacrifice , so should it be mans exercise . an absolute clozing direction tending to true moderation . of the accōplished end which attends moderation . the difference betwixt the ethnicke and christian ethicke , in the opinion of felicitie . ibid. the exercise of moderation reduced to a three-fold practice ; overcōming of anger , by the spirit of patiēce . wantonnesse , by the spirit of continence . pride , by the spirit of lowlinesse . he who useth his tongue to filthy cōmunication , incurs a three-fold offence . in dishonouring his maker . in blemishing his soules image or feature . in ministring matter of scandall to his brother . wherein true content properly consisteth . those two passions or affections of desire and feare ; desire of having more than we have ; feare of losing what we already have , may be properly said to have a three-fold respect : to the goods or endowments of minde . body . fortune . no attendant more tenderly constant to a gentlemans reputation , than moderation . moderation the best monitor in advising and advancing him to the true title of honour . ibid. perfection . observat. . no perfection in this life absolute , but graduall . pag. two considerations of maine consequence : the foe that assaults us . the friend that assists us . the christians complete armour . ibid. the first institution of fasts , with the fruit thereof . the power of prayer : with examples of such as were most conversant in that holy exercise . ibid. & circumstances observable in workes of charitie and devotion . ibid. objections and resolutions upon the ground of perfection . . lin . of the contemplative part of perfection . a corollary betwixt the heathen and christian contemplation . examples of a contemplative and retired life . a three-fold meditation of necessarie importance : worthinesse of the soule ; vnworthinesse of earth ; thankefulnesse unto god , who made man the worthiest creature upon earth . of the active part of perfection . no contagion so mortally dangerous to the body , as corrupt company is to the soule . two especiall memorials recommended to our devoutest meditation . the author of our creation . the end of our creation . ib. a foure-fold creation . . lin . the fabulous and frivolous opinions of foure heathen philosophers , ascribing the creation of all things to the foure elements . . lin . their arguments evinced by pregnant testimonies , both of scriptures and fathers . ibid. the end of our creation . singular precepts of mortification . idlenesse begetteth security , properly termed the soules lethargy . a christians ephemerides ; or his euening account . the active part of perfection , prefer'd before the cōtemplative . no armory can more truly deblazon a gentleman , than acts of charity and compassion . the active preferred before the contemplative , for two respects ; the first whereof hath relation to our selves ; the second to others . , ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted : with a comparison by way of objection and resolution , betwixt the conveniences of action and knowledge . , action is the life of man ▪ and example the direction of his life . . l. wherein the active part of perfection consisteth . active perfection consisteth in mortification of action and affection . mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect , to these three distinct subjects : life . name . goods . illustrated with eminent examples of christian resolution , during the ten persecutions . , not the act of death , but the cause of death makes the martyr . no action , how glorious soever , can be crowned , unlesse it be on a pure intention grounded . mortificat . in respect of name or report , is two-fold : in turning our eares from such as praise us . in hearing with patiēce such as revile us . scandals distinguished : and which with more patience than others may be tollerated . , , &c. mortification in our contempt of all worldly substance : pitching upon two remarkable considerations : by whom these blessings are conferred on us . how they are to be disposed by us . vain-glory shuts man from the gate of glory . an exquisite connexion of the precedent meditations . the absolute or supreme end wherto this actuall perfection aspireth , and wherein it solely resteth . singular patternes of mortification , in their contempt of life , and embrace of death . , the reason of his frequent repetition of sundry notable occurrences throughout this whole booke . the heart can no more by circumference of the world be confined , than a triangle by a circle filled . . lin . . though our feet be on earth , our faith must be in heaven . a pithy exhortation ; a powerfull instruction ; clozing with a perswasive conclusion . , , a character intitled a gentleman . the english gentleman . yovth . argument . the dangers that attend on youth ; the vanitie of youth , display'd in foure distinct subjects ; three violent passions incident to youth ; physicke prescribed , and receits applied to cure these maladies in youth . yovth . howsoever some more curiously than needfully may seeme to reason , that there be divers climactericall or dangerous yeeres in mans time ; sure i am , that in mans age there is a dangerous time , in respect of those sinne-spreading sores which soile and blemish the glorious image of the soule . and this time is youth , an affecter of all licentious liberty , a comicke introducer of all vanitie , and the only heire apparent to carnall securitie . this it was which moved that princely prophet to pray , lord forgiue mee the sinnes of my youth . sins indeed ; because the youthfull sinner is ever committing , but never repenting , usually provoking god , but rarely invoking god. this is hee who snuffeth the wind , with the wilde asse in the desart , being like the horse or mule which hath no understanding , by giving sense preeminence aboue reason : and walking in the fatnesse of his heart , as one wholly forgetfull of god. he may say with the psalmist , though in another sense , vt jumentum factus sum apud te : upon exposition of which sentence , it is laudable ( saith euthymius ) that in the sight of god we take our selues as beasts to shew our humility , but not to resemble beasts in ignorance or brutish sensualitie . many are the dangerous shelfes which menace ruine and shipwracke to the inconsiderate and improvident soule , during her sojourning here in this tabernacle of clay : but no time more perillous than the heat of * youth , or more apt to give fuell to the fire of all inordinate desires ; being as ready to consent , as the devil is to tempt , and most willing to enter parley with her spirituall enemie upon the least assault . it is reported by eusebius , that saint iohn meeting a strong young-man , of good stature , amiable feature , sweet countenance , and great spiri● , straightway looking upon the bishop of that place , he said thus unto him : christ being witnesse and before the church , i commend unto thee and thy care this young man , to be especially regarded and educated in all spirituall discipline . whom when the bishop had received into his tuition , and promised that he would performe whatsoever he ought , s. iohn againe and againe gives his charge , and contesteth his fidelity : and afterwards he returnes to ephesus . the bishop takes the young man home : brings him up as his owne sonne , keeps him within the limits of his dutie , intreats him gently , and at last baptiseth him , and confirmes him . afterwards , upon remitting something of his care , and giving freer reines to his libertie , the young man takes occasion to shake off the yoake of tuition , and falls into bad company , who corrupt him : diverting his course from the path of vertue by these meanes . first , they invite him to banquets , then they carry him abroad in the night , afterward to maintaine their profuser expence , they draw him to theevery , and so by degrees to greater wickednesse , being now made captaine in this theevish company . at last saint iohn returnes and saith ; goe to bishop , give me my depositum , which i and christ committed unto thee in the church which thou governest . the bishop was astonied , thinking that he had deceitfully demanded some money which he never received , and yet durst scarce distrust the apostle . but as soone as saint iohn said , i demand the young man and soule of my brother : the old man hanging downe his head , sighing and weeping , said ; ille mortuus est , he is dead . how and with what kinde of death , said iohn ? deo mortuus est , hee is dead unto god , answered the bishop : nam nequam & perditus , & uno verbo latro evasit : for he is wicked and lost , and in a word a theefe . much matter might be collected from this story , to enlarge the ground of our proposition , to wit , what imminent dangers are ever attending on youth , and how easie it is by the painted flag of vanity , and sensuall pleasure , to draw him to ruine . for doubtlesse , many excellent rules of instruction had this grave bishop delivered and imparted to his young pupill : many devout taskes and holy exercises had hee commended to his practice : many prayers full of fervent zeale had hee offered for his conversion : many sighes had he sent , many teares had he shed to reclaime him from his former conversation . yet see , how soone this youthfull libertine forgets those instructions which hee had taught him , those holy taskes which were injoyned him , those zealous prayers which were offered for him , those unfained sighes and teares which were shed for him i hee leaves this aged father , to become a robber , he flies from the temple to the mountaine ; he puts off the roabe of truth , and disguiseth himselfe with the vizard of theft . and no small theefe , but a leader . rachel was a theefe , for shee stole idolls from her father ; iosuah was a theefe , seeing hee stole grapes from canaan ; david was a theefe , seeing he stole the bottle of water from saul ; ionathas was a theefe , since he stole hony from the hive ; iosaba was a theefe , since he stole the infant ioash . but here was a theefe of another nature ; one , whose vocation was injury , profession theevery , and practice crueltie : one , whose ingratitude towards his reverend foster-father , merited sharpest censure : for bysias the grecian , osige● the lacedemonian , bracaras the theban , and scipio the roman , esteemed it lesse punishment to be exiled , than to remaine at home with those that were ungratefull for their service . so as , it is not only a griefe , but also a perillous thing , to have to doe with ungratefull men . and wherein might ingratitude be more fully exemplified than in this young-man , whose disobedience to his tutor , sleighting his advice that had fostered him , deserved severest chastisement ? but to observe● the cause of his fall ; wee shall finde how soone those good impressions , which he had formerly received , were quite razed and defaced in him , by reason of depraved company : whence we may gather , that youth , being indeed the philosophers rasa tabula , is apt to receive any good impressure , but spotted with the pitch of vice , it hardly ever regaines her former puritie . whence wee are taught , not to touch pitch , lest we be defiled : for as that divine father saith , occasiones faciunt latrones . truth is , the sweetest apples are the soonest corrupted , and the best natures quickliest depraved . how necessary therefore , the care and respect youth ought to have in the choyce and election of his company , may appeare by this one example , which sheweth that society is of such power , as by it saints are turned into serpents , doves into devils : for , with the wise wee shall learne wisdome , and with the foole we shall learne foolishnesse . dangerous therefore it is , to leave illimited youth to it selfe : yea , to suffer youth so much as to converse with it selfe . so as , that greeke sage , seeing a young man privately retired all alone , demanded of him what hee was doing ? who answered , he was talking to himselfe . take heed , quoth he , thou talke not with thine enemie . for the naturall pronenesse of youth to irregular liberty is such , as it is ever suggesting matter of innovation to the soveraigntie of reason . now to reduce these enormities incident to youth , to certaine principall heads , we will display the vanitie of youth in these foure distinct subjects ▪ gate , looke , speech , habit : that by insisting and discoursing on each particular , we may receive the feature of ladie vanitie portrayed to the life . it is strange to observe how the very body expresseth the secret fantasies of the minde : and how well the one sympathizeth with the other . i have seene even in this one motion , the gate , such especiall arguments of a proud heart ; as if the body had beene transparent , it could not have represented him more fully . and i have wondered , how man endued with reason , could be so far estranged from that where with he was endued ; as to strut so proudly with feet of earth , as if hee were never to returne to earth . but especially , when youth is employed in ushering his mistresse hee walkes in the street as if hee were dancing a measure . he verily imagins the eyes of the whole citie are fixed on him , as the very patterne which they esteeme worthy imitation : how neerely then concernes it him to stand upon his equipage . he walkes , as if he were an upright man , but his sincerity consists onely in dimension . he feares nothing so much as some rude encounter for the wall , and so be discredited in the sight of his idoll . now i would be glad to weane this phantasticke from a veine of lightnesse , and habituate him to a more generous forme . first , he is to know , how that which is most native and least affect●ve , deserves choisest acceptance . we were not borne to glory in our feet , the bases of mortalitie : but to walke as children of light , in holinesse and integritie . safer it were for us , to observe and make use of that , which the swan is reported to use , when at any time shee glories in the whitenesse of her colour , to wit , shee reflects her eye upon her blacke feet , which qualifies her proud spirit : making her so much the more dejected , as joying before in her owne beautie , shee was erected . excellently was that embleme of humane frailtie shadowed in the image of agathocles the syracusan tyrant , who commanded his statue to be composed after this sort : the head to be of gold , signifying purenesse , the armes of ivory , intimating smoothnesse , the body of brasse , implying strongnesse , but the feet of earth , importing weaknesse . be the head-peece never so pure ; be it a diadem of gold wee weare , it cannot promise to us perpetuitie ; wee stand on earthen feet , how may we then stand long , relying on such weak supporters ? though nebuchadnezzer strut never so proudly upon the turrets of his princely palace , saying , is not this great babel which i have builded ? hee knowes not how soone he shall be deprived of his glory , and be enforced to feed with the beasts of the field , being as one estranged from his former magnificence . quid ergo ad nos consolatio mundi ? let us not glory in mundane vanitie , nor repose too much confidence in these feet of frailtie . sipes interris , mens sit in coelis ; though our foot be on earth , let our minde be in heaven : knowing , that ( as saint augustine saith ) three cubits of earth doe expect us ; and how little or much so ere wee possesse , this is all that shall be left us . the next subject we are to treat of in this display of youthfull vanity , is his looke : wherein hee is ever noted to shew a kinde of contempt , expressing by his eye , what he conceives in his heart . here is oculatus testis , an eye-witnesse to tax him of his pride ; disdaining to fix his eye upon the lower shrubs , as if a reflex on them should derogate from his glory . they that looked upon sylla's ring , could not choose but take notice both of sylla's seale and the treason of iugurth ; so he that should but eye a proud look , could not choose but collect from what heart so disdainfull a looke proceeded . i have ever observed , the most generous to be least affective in this kinde : for it is , and hath beene ever an inherent propriety in them , to expresse a generous affability as well in looke as speech . the eyes ( saith a good father ) are members of the flesh , but windowes of the minde ; which , eagle-like , should be ever erected to the beames of righteousnesse , and not depressed by any unworthy object of externall basenesse . the only sight of god is the true food and refection of our minds : we look to be satisfied , but satisfaction we cannot finde in any outward object ; much lesse in contempt of our poore brother , who many times exceeds us more in worth , than we him in birth . but tell me , young gallant , what it is that moveth thee to this contempt of others ? is it thy descent ? alas , that is none of thine ; thou derivest that glory from thine ancestors , whose honour by thy vertues as it liveth , so obscured by thy ignoble life , dieth . yea , recall to minde how many glorious houses now lye buried in the grave of oblivion , by the vicious course of irregular successours : and again , how many houses , whose names formerly were not so much as knowne , either raised from others ruine , or advanced by industrious merit , usurpe their glory . is it thy riches ? indeed , if the philosophers axiom bee true ; riches is a signe of eternall glory , there were some reason to glory in them : but we shall finde this glory meerely imaginary , yea a great darkner and blemisher of the internall glorie and beautie of the minde . for as the moone doth never eclypse , but when she is at the full : so the minde is never so much obscured , as it is with the superfluitie of riches . and againe , as the moone is farthest off from the sunne which giveth it light , when it is at the full ; so a man , when he is the fullest of riches , is farthest off from that equitie and justice , which ought to give him light in all his proceedings . and therefore , he might doe well herein to imitate the fly , which putteth not her feet in the great masse of honey , but only taketh and tasteth with her tongue so much thereof as serveth her turne , and no more , lest by doing otherwise , she might remaine taken and drowned therein . yea , if we should but reflect and take a view of certaine ethnicks , whose ●dmirable contempt of riches eternized them , wee should observe what inimitable continencie was in them , and what an hydropticke thirst of avarice remaineth as yet unquenched in us . and though we must live according to lawes , and not to examples , yet cicero held that nought could be taught without example ; wherefore , to enforce this argument further , wee will here produce certaine heathens , who contemned riches so much , as being offered , yea obtruded , they would not accept them . anacharses refused the treasure sent him by croesus : anacreontes refused the treasure sent him by polycrates : and albionus refused the treasure sent him by antigonus . the like moderation we reade in fabius maxim. crates , mimus , and most of the greeke philosophers . this indifferencie towards fortune , is excellently described by the sententious seneca , concluding , nihil eripit fortuna , nisi quod ipsa dedit . to insist on more examples , were to enlarge this branch too much ; we will therefore shut them all up with that divine observation of the wise simonides ; who being asked once , whether vertue or riches were of more reputation , made answer , that the vertuous did more frequent the doores of the rich , than the rich the vertuous : thence inferring , that wealth was a great nourisher of vice , and povertie of vertue ; or rather implying , how those who are richest are oft-times the retchlest , being ev●r with vices more infected , who are to highest fortunes advanced . wherefore i assure me , thou wilt not glory in riches , for they deprave the soule , which should be in the body , like a queene in her palace . whence then proceedeth this haughty looke ? perchance thou wilt object , that thou art a man of place ; admit thou beest : is there nothing thou canst finde to expresse the eminence or greatnesse of thy place , to which thou art called , save a disdainfull or surly looke , ● neglectfull or scornefull countenance , contemptuously throwne upon thy inferiour ? surely , if such an one thou be , how great so ere thou be , i will admire rather thy seat than thy selfe : and conclude with aristippus , a stone sits upon a stone . these are they , at whom our moderne poet glanced pleasantly , when he saith : " they dare not smile beyond a point , for feare t' unstarch their looke . so punctuall and formall they are , as besides a kinde of formall and phantasticke humour they are nothing : or to expresse them better ; they thinke it a derogation to honour , to converse with basenesse ; they shew a great deale of peremptory command in an awfull looke , imagining it a sufficient argument of greatnesse , for midas asse to have minos countenance : for thus hath time drawne out their formes to me , they be and seeme not , seeme what least they be . since then neither descent , for that is derived from others ; nor riches , aptest to deprave us of all others ; nor place , being worst expressed in glorifying our selues and contemning others ; should move us to put on the countenance of disdaine to our inferiours : we are to conclude , that humilitie , as it opens the gate unto glory , so affabilitie , a vertue right worthy of every generous minde , cannot be better planted than in the eyes , those centinels which guard us , those two lights which direct us , those adamantine orbes which att●act affection to us . a face erected , first to man was given , t' erect his eyes unto the king of heaven . let not then any other object entertaine it , at least , not retaine it : if they be to be employed in any worldly object , let them be employed in contemplating his workes who made the world ; for all other objects are but meere vanitie and affliction of spirit . the third subject we are to discourse of , is speech ; a proprietie wherein man is distinguished from other creatures : yea , the only meanes to preserve societie among humane creatures . quant●meliu● est docere quàm loqui , tanto melior est quàm verba locutio , saith s. augustine : by how much better it is to teach than to speake , by so much better is speech than words . here this learned father maketh a maine difference betwixt speech and words : which distinction may be properly applied to the argument whereof we now treat . the rash young man , who useth no guard to his mouth , nor no gate of circumstance unto his lips , inureth himselfe to many words , but little speech . now to define speech , it is nothing else than an apt composing , and an opportunate uttering of words ; whence it is said , words spoken in season or opportunitie , are like apples of gold with pictures of silver . and herein is youth many times blame-worthy , who will professe himselfe a speaker , before he know what to speake ; yea , putting his oare in every mans boat , admits no conference , no treatie , no discourse , how transcendent soever , but he will be a speaker : though it oft-times move some wise phocion to say to this jangling pithias , good god , will this foole never leave his babbling ? aristotle debating of the convenience and proprietie of discourse before alexander , maintained that none were to be admitted to speake , but either those that managed his warres , or his philosophers which governed his house . observe here what strictnesse was imposed even upon heathens , to restraine them from too much libertie of speech , onely such being admitted to speake , whose approved judgement in militarie or philosophicall discourse might worthily be said to deserve attention . divers reasons of no small consequence might be here produced , why young men were not to give their opinions in any matter of state in publike places ; but we will reduce them to two . the first whereof may be imputed to their rashnesse in resolving ; the second to a passionate hotnesse in proceeding . for the first , to wit , rashnesse in resolving : it is the propertie of youth without premeditation to resolve , and without counsell to execute . now as it possible any good effect should succeed from such unsteadie grounds ? yes , you will say ; some are of that present and pregnant conceit , as a matter is no sooner imparted , than they apprehend it : and for speech , divers haue had such excellent gifts , as they would shew more native eloquence in a speech presently composed , than upon longer preparation addressed . did not tiberius better in any oration extempore , than premeditate ? have not many in like sort , as if secretly * inspired , expressed and delivered abundance of profound learning upon the present ? it is true , yet are wee not hence to collect that premeditation is fruitlesse , that rash and inconsiderate resolves are to be admitted , or young mens advice , which is for most part grounded on opinionate arrogancie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , secundum opinionem , non secundum veritatem , should be authenticke . for admit young men were eloquent , yet foolish eloquence ( which must needs be in unseasoned youth ) is as a sword in a mad-mans hand , it cannot but hurt much ; being first , apt to perswade , and likewise by delivering dangerous matter , no lesse prompt to depra●e the eare that is perswaded . the second reason which we observed , why youth was not to give his opinion ●n any publike place , was his hotnesse in proceeding . it is intolerable for these young-heads to be opposed : they are deafe to reason , as if opinion had possest them of purpose to oppose reason . this appeared in those violent attempts of catiline , cethegus , lentulus , and their factious adherents ; who , though privately cautioned and friendly advised by such , whose long experienced loue and fidelitie assured them of their unfained amity yet rather than they would lose the opportunitie of their aimes , all counsell must be rejected , and their own private opinions ( without ground of reason ) embraced . but to come nearer them in our discourse : these young-blouds use rather , catiline-like , to speake much and doe little , than iugurth-like , to speake little , and doe much . of all innes , they loue not that of harparates , with the signe of the finger on his mouth . they are unmeasurably passionate in any argument , and so nailed to their owne opinion , as conceit transports them aboue reason , and leaves no place for contradiction . it is commonly said , that law , logicke , and the switzers , may be hired to fight for any one ; and wee have found out one that will match them . now you have received the character of his speech , i would labour to reclaime him from his errour ; which to effect the better , he must know , that being a gentleman , ( for to such an one chiefly doe i direct my discourse ) he can asperse no greater imputation on gentry , than in exercising his tongue in fruitlesse and frivolous discourse , or spending his breath in uselesse or needlesse contention . the tongue ( as one observes ) is a small member : but very glibbery and proane to ruine : apt it is to rebell , if not restrained , prompt to innovate , if not confined . but of all the sallies or excursions which are made by the tongue , none in my conceit lesse beseeming a gentleman , than in giving reines to passion , to slave himselfe to illimited fury : much more profit should he finde in expostulating with passion , recalling to minde that saying of archytas so much commended ; who being angrie with one of his hindes , said ; o how would i have beaten thee , had i not beene angrie with thee ! where two meeke men meet together , their conference ( saith bern●rd ) is sweet and profitable ; where one man is meeke , it is profitable ; where neither , it proves pernicious . may your speech , ( gentlemen ) be so seasoned , as it may relish of discretion : rather learne the art of silence , than to incurre the opinion of rashnesse : for the one seldome gives argument of offence , but the other ever . speak , but not with affectation , for that gives a better rellish to the eare , than to the conceit : speake , but not in assentation , for that is mercenarie , and seemes better in the mouth of a slavish sycophant , than a generous professant : speake freely , yet with reservation , lest the comedians phrase have some allusion to your opennesse ; being so full of chinkes , as secrecie can haue no hope to finde harbour in your bosome . as to speak all that we know , sheweth weaknesse ; so to impart nothing of that we know , inferres too much closenesse : to observe a meane in these extremes , choice respect is to be had with whom we converse . if we finde him apt to conceale , we may more safely and freely deliver our minde ; but where suspicion of secrecie ministers argument of distrust , we are to be more cautelous : for it is great folly to engage our thoughts to the secrecie of him whom wee know not . worthy commendation was augustus in this respect , who was so choice in the election of a friend , to whom he might communicate his privatest thoughts , as he would employ much time in searching and sifting him , ere he would retaine him . and hence i might take occasion to tax divers , who are too readie to open their bosoms unto all encounter● ; and yet i must freely confesse , that this credulitie ●f theirs , meerely proceeds from the goodnesse of then nature : for they imagine ( such is their easie simplicitie ) that others are as secret , as they open . such is the affabilitie of unexperienced youth , as they cannot reserve the secret'st of their thoughts , but must discover them upon the first view to their first acquaintance : whence plautus , benignitas ejus ut adolescentuli est ; wherein he seemes to instance youth , as a patterne of ingenuous affabilitie , no lesse readie to utter his thoughts , then his subtill applauder is to heare them . much more fruit should hee reape by observing that divine precept of ecclesiasticus : thou that art young speake , if need be , and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked . comprehend much in few words ; in many be as one that is ignorant : be as one that understandeth , and yet hold thy tongue . wherein he proposeth an exact rule to be observed by youth , even in circumstance , as well as substance of speech . now it may be expected , that i should propose a forme for words , as i have proposed a rule for discourse ; but my reply to him , who expects this , shall be the same which demosthenes made to aeschynes the orator ; who having found fault with demosthenes , questioning him of certaine words which he had pronounced , something rare and strange , was in this sort answered by him ; that the fortunes of greece depended not upon them . only thus much i will adde , to reclaime him , who more curiously then pertinently , insisteth rather on words than substance : that as there is no man but would esteeme him for an indiscreet builder , who preferreth the care of his frontispice before the maine foundation , or such an one for a foolish painter , who bestoweth more art upon the varnish than the picture : so whosoever intendeth his care rather to finde out words than matter , may be holden for a verball rhetorician , but no serious orator . to be short , if you will have my opinion touching the use of words : i esteeme such to be most elegant , which are least affected ; for there 〈◊〉 proprietie of speech which best becomes us ; being adorned with such ornaments , as grace our discourse better than adulterate art , which many times bestowes so much time upon beautifying her selfe , as shee forgets whom shee should serve . wee are now to descend briefly to the last , though not least vanitie incident to youth ; and it is habit or attire . wherein i have not a little wondered , falling now and then into more serious meditation with my selfe , how any man , having reflex , by the eye of his soule , to his first fall , should glory in these roabs or rags of shame , being purposely invented to cover his sinne . sinne indeed ; for had not man sinned , his shame had never beene discovered . poore fig-leaves were then the onely shelter , to shroud from shame this miserable sinner . then was adam his owne taylour , and stood not much on fashion , so his nakednesse might finde a cover . come then and heare mee , thou perfumed gallant , whose sense chiefly consists in sent ; and observe how much thou derogat'st from thy owne worth , in covering a shell of corruption with such bravery . all gorgeous attire is the attire of sinne ; it declines from the use for which it was ordained , to wit , necessitie , and dilates it selfe purposely to accomplish the desire of vanitie . forraine nations , on whose flowrie borders the glorious sun-shine of the gospell hath not as yet shined , though for their silkes and sables , none more plenteous or precious , yet with what indifferencie doe they use these riches ? it may be you will object , that art hath not as yet showne her cunning amongst them ; so as their neglect of fashion meerely proceedeth from want of skilfull artists , to introduce the forme or fashion of other countries ( by meanes of civill government , more curious and exquisite ) to their people . but i shall ●●ov● and that by impregnable arguments , how this contempt of pride is naturally planted in them ; yea , with what scorne and derision they looke upon other countries , usually affected to this delicacie and effeminacie in apparell . such as have travelled , and upon exact survey of the natures of forraine countries , have brought the rich fraught of knowledge stored with choicest observations to their native home , have confirmed this : for they have found such contempt in other nations , touching these fruitlesse vanities , wherein we idolatrize our owne formes , as it strucke admiration in them , as their records , to this day extant , doe apparantly witnesse . to instance some whereof , as the russian , muscovian , ionian , yea even the barbarous indian , it may appeare with what reservancie they continue their ancient habit ; loth , it seemes , to introduce any new custome , or to lose their antiquitie for any vain-glorious or affected noveltie : with a joynt uniformitie ( as it seemes ) resolved , tam in cultu numinis , quàm apparatu corporis , moribus legibusque uti praesentibus , etiamsi deteriores sint . but leaving them , because we will a while insist upon prophane authorities ; let us reflect our dim eyes , bleered with the thicke scales of vanitie , to those divine sages , whose excellent instructions no lesse imitable than admirable , merit our approbation and observation . it is reported by laertius , that on a time croesus , having adorned and beautified himselfe with the most exquisite ornaments of all kindes , that either art , or cost could devise ; and sitting on a high throne , to give more grace or lustre to his person , demanded of solon if he ever saw a sight more beautifull ? yes ( quoth he ) house-cockes , phesants , and peacocks ; for they are clothed with a naturall splendour or beautie bestowed on them by nature , without any borrowed elegancie . the like contempt appeared in eut●apelus , who valued the internall beautie of his mind , more than the adulterate varnish of art. besides , hee was of this opinion , that hee could not doe his foe a greater injury , than bestow on him the preciousest garments he had , to make him forgetfull of himselfe and his owne frailtie ; whose nature the poet excellently describeth thus : the sage eutrapelus right wisely bade his foes should have the richest roabes he had , thinking he did them harme , himselfe much good , " for given , they made him humble , them more proud . amongst many profitable laws enacted by numa , the law * sumptuaria conferred no small benefit upon the state publique . for by that law was prohibited , not only all profuse charge in funerall expences , but likewise the excessiue use of apparell , whereby the roman state grew in short time to great wealth , labouring to suppresse those vices , which usually effeminate men the most , to wit , delicacie in fare , and sumptuousnesse in attire . now there be many , i know , who invent fashions meerely to cover their deformities , as iulius caesar wore a garland of laurell to cover his baldnesse withall ; and these seeme excusable , but they are not : for did not he who made thee , bestow this forme on thee ? could not he have stamped thee to the most exquisite or absolute feature , if it had so pleased thy creator ? and wilt thou now controule thy maker , and by art supply the defects of nature ? beware of this evill : i can prescribe thee a better and safer course , how to rectifie these deformities . hast thou a crooked bodie ? repaire it with an upright soule . art thou outwardly deformed ? with spirituall gra●●● be thou inwardly beautified . art thou blinde , or lame , or otherwise maimed ? be not there with dejected , for the bl●nd and lame were invited . it is not the outward proportion , but the inward disposition ; not the feature of the face , but the power of grace which worketh to salva●●●on . alcibiades , socrates scholer , was the best favoured boy in athens ; yet , ( to use the philosophers words ) looke but inwardly into his bodie , you will finde nothing more odious . so as , one compared them aptly ( these faire ones i meane ) to faire and beautifull sepulchres ; exterius nitida , interius faetida ; outwardly hansome , inwardly noysome . notable was that observation of a learned philosopher , who professing himselfe a schoole-master , to instruct youth in the principles and grounds of philosophie , used to hang a looking-glasse in the schoole where he taught ; wherein he shewed to every scholer he had , his distinct feature or physnomy : which he thus applied . if any one were of a beautifull or amiable countenance , hee exhorted him to answer the beautie and comlinesse of his face , with the beautie of a well-disposed or tempered minde ; if otherwise he were deformed , or ill featured ; he wished him so to adorne and beautifie his minde , that the excellencie of the one , might supply the defects or deformities of the other . but thou objectest ; how should i expresse my descent , my place ; or how seeme worthy the company of eminent persons , with whom i consort , if i should sleight or disvalue this general-affected vanity fashion ? i will tell thee : thou canst not more generously , i will not say generally , expresse thy greatnes of descent , place , or qualitie , nor seeme better worthy the company with whom thou consortest or frequentest , than by erecting the glorious beames of thy minde , aboue these inferiour things . for who are these with whom thou consortest ? meere triflers away of time , bastard slips , degenerate impes , consumers of their patrimonie , and in the end , ( for what other end save misery may attend them ) haires to shame and infamie . these ( i say ) who offer their morning-prayers to the glasse , eying themselves 〈◊〉 till narcissus-like they fall in love with their owne shadowes . o england , what a height of pride art thou growne to ? yea , how much art thou growne unlike thy selfe ? when , disvaluing thy owne forme , thou deformest thy selfe by borrowing a plume of everie countrey , to display thy pie-coloured flag of vanitie . what painting , purfling , powdring and pargeting doe you use , ( yee idolls of vanitie ) to lure and allure men to breake their first faith , forsake their first love , and yeeld to your immodestie ? how can you weepe for your sinnes , ( saith saint hierome ) when your teares will make furrowes in your face ? with what confidence do you lift up that countenance to heaven , which your maker acknowledges not ? doe not say that you have modest mindes , when you have immodest eyes . death hath entred in at your windowes ; your eyes are those cranies , those hatefull portells , those fatall entrances , which ( tarpeia-like ) by betraying the glorious fortresse or cittadell of your soules , have given easie way to your mortall enemie . vtinam miserrimus ego &c. i would i poore wretch ( saith tertullian ) might see in that day of christian exaltation , an cum cerussa , & purpurisso & croco , & cum illo ambitu capitis resurgatis : no , you stanes to modestie , such a picture shall not rise in glory before her maker . there is no place for you ; but for such women as array themselves in comely apparell , with shamefastnesse and modestie , not with broided haire , or gold , or pearles , or costly apparell . but , as becommeth women that professe the feare of god. for even after this manner in time past did the holy women , which trusted in god , tire themselves . reade , i say , reade yee proud ones , yee which are so haughtie , and walke with stretched-out neckes , the prophet isaiah , and you shall find your selves described , and the judgement of desolation pronounced upon you . beca●se the daughters of zion are haughtie , and walk with stre●ched-out neckes , and with wandring eyes , walking 〈◊〉 minsing as they goe , and making a tinckling with the●● feet ; therfore shall the lord make the heads of the daughters of zion bald , and the lord shall discover their secret parts . and he proceeds : in that day shall the lord take away the ornament of the slippers , and the calles , and the round tyres . the sweet balles , and the bracelets , and the bonnets . the tyres of the head , and the sloppes , and the head-bands , and the tablets , and the eare-rings . the rings and the mufflers . the costly apparell and the g●ailes , and the wimples , and the crisping-pins . and the glasses , and the fine linnen , and the hoods and the launes . now heare your reward : and in stead of sweet savour , there shall be stinke , and in stead of a girdle , a rent , and in stead of dressing of the haire , baldnesse , and in stead of a stomacher , a girding of sack-cloth , and burning in stead of beautie . now attend your finall destruction : thy men shall fall by the sword , and thy strength in the battell . then shall her gates mourne and lament , and shee being desolate shall sit upon the ground . see how you are described , and how you shall be rewarded . enjoy then sin for a season , and delight your selves in the vanities of youth : be your eyes the lures of lust , your eares the open receits of shame , your hands the polluted instruments of sinne : to be short , be your soules , which should be the temples of the holy ghost , cages of uncleane birds ; after all these things , what the prophet hath threatned shal come upon you , and what shall then deliver you ? not your beautie ▪ for to use that divine distich of innocentius , tell me thou earthen vessell made of clay , what 's beautie worth , when thou must die to day ? nor honour ; for that shall lye in the dust , and sleepe in the bed of earth . nor riches ; for they shall not deliver in the day of wrath . perchance they may bring you , when you are dead , in a comely funerall sort to your graves , or bestow on you a few mourning garments or erect in your memory some gorgeous monument , to shew your vain-glory in death , as well as life ; but this is all : those riches which you got with such care , kept with such feare , lost with such griefe , shall not afford you one comfortable hope in the houre of your passage hence ; afflict they may , releeve they cannot . nor friends ; for all they can doe , is to attend you , and shed some friendly teares for you ; but ere the rosemary lose her colour , which stickt the coarse , or one worme enter the shroud , which covered the corpse , you are many times forgotten , your former glory extinguished , your eminent esteeme obscured , your repute darkened , and with infamous aspersions often impeached . if a man ( saith seneca ) finde his friend sad , and so leave him , sicke without ministring any comfort to him , and poore without releeving him ; we may thinke such an one goeth to jest , rather than visit or comfort : and such miserable comforters are these friends of yours . what then may deliver you in such gusts of affliction which assaile you ? conscience ; shee it is that must either comfort you , or how miserable is your condition ? shee is that continuall feast which must refresh you ; those thousand witnesses that must answer for you ; that light which must direct you ; that familiar friend that must ever attend you ; that faithfull counsellour that must advise you ; that balme of gilead , that must renew you ; that palme of peace , which must crowne you . take heed therefore you wrong not this friend , for as you use her , you shall finde her . she is not to be corrupted , her sinceritie scornes it ; shee is not to be perswaded , for her resolution is grounded ; she is not to be threatned , for her spirit sleights it . she is aptly compared in one respect to the sea ; shee can endure no corruption to remaine in her , but foames , and frets , and chafes , till all filth be removed from her . by ebbing and flowing●s ●s shee purged , nor is she at rest till shee be rinsed . 〈◊〉 ab agro ad civitatem , à publico ad domum , à domo in cubiculum , &c. discontentedly shee flies from the field to the citie , from publike resort to her private house , from her house to her chamber ; she can rest in no place ; furie dogs her behinde , and despaire goes before . for conscience being the inseparable glory or confusion of every one , according to the qualitie , disposition or dispensation of that talent which is given him , for to whom much is given , much shall be required : we are to make such fruitfull use of our talent that the conscience wee professe may remaine undefiled , the faith wee have plighted may be inviolably preserved , the measure or omer of grace we have received , may be increased , and god in all glorified . which , the better to effect , wee are to thinke how god is ever present in all our actions ; and that ( to use the words of augustine ) whatsoever we doe , or addresse our selves to doe , it is before him that we doe , yea whatsoever it be that wee doe , hee better knowes it than we are selves doe . it was seneca's counsell to his friend lucilius , that whensoever he went about to doe any thing , he should imagine cato , or scipio , or some other worthy roman to be in presence . in imitation of so divine a morall , let us in every action fix our eye upon our maker , whose eyes are upon the children of men ; so shall we in respect of his sacred presence , to which we owe all devout reverence , abstaine from evill , doe good , seeke peace and ensue it . such as defil'd themselves with sinne , by giving themselves over unto pleasure , staining the nobilitie and splendour of their soules through wallowing in vice ; or otherwise fraudulently , by usurpation or base insinuation , creeping into soveraigntie , or unjustly governing the common-weale ; such thought socrates , that they went a by-path separated from the counsell of the ●●ds : but such , as while they lived in their bodies , ●nitated the life of the gods , such hee thought had an ●sie returne to the place from whence they first came . if the pagan had such a divine conceit of those , whose approved life represented a certaine similitude or resemblance of god , as he imagined , no glory could be wanting to them , in regard of their integritie : let us embrace the like opinion , and expresse such apparent demonstrations of sanctitie , that as we exceed the pagan in regard of that precious light wee enjoy , so wee may exceed him in the conversation of the life we lead . but how should these painted sepulchres , whose adulterate shape tastes of the shop , glorying in a borrowed beautie , ever meditate of these things ? how should their care extend to heaven , whose basiliske eyes are only fixed on the vanities of earth ? how should that painted blush ( that iewish confection ) blush for her sin , whose impudent face hath out-faced shame ? two loves ( saith that learned bishop of hippo ) make two cities . hierusalem is made by the love of god , but babylon by the love of the world . and these are they , who engaged to worldly love , have forsaken their true love ; they have divided their hearts , and estranged their affections from that supreme or soveraigne good . o then ( young men ) come not neere the gates of this strange woman , whose feet goe downe to death , and whose steps take hold on hell . this is the woman with an harlots behaviour , and subtill in heart . this is shee , who hath deckt her bed with ornaments , carpets and laces of aegypt : and perfuming her bed with myrrhe , aloes and cynamon . take heed thou sing not lysimachus song ; the pleasure of fornication is short , but the punishment of the fornicator eternall . but of this subject wee are more amply to treat hereafter ; onely my exhortation is to youth , whose illimited desires tend ever to his ruine , that if at any time it be your fortune to encounter with these infectious ulcers , these sin-soothing , and soule-soiling lepers ; and they like that whorish woman in the proverbs , invite you to their lothed daliance , saying . come , let us take our fill of love untill the morning : come , let us take our pleasure in daliance : that you shake off these vipers at the first assault , and prevent the occasion when it first offers it selfe . for know , that which a devout and learned father saith concerning the dangerous habit of sinne , is most true : prima est quasi titillatio delectationis incorde , secunda consensio , tertium factum , quarta consuetudo . sinne begins with an itch , but ends with a skar . the first degree begins with delight , the second with consent , the third with act , and the fourth with custome . thus sinne by degrees in men of all degrees , like a broad-spreading tetter , runnes over the whole beautie of a precious soule , exposing the fruits of the spirit to be corrupted by the suggestion of the flesh . but too farre ( i feare mee ) have i digressed from this last branch , whereof i was to discourse , to wit , of habit , or attire : albeit i haue enlarged my selfe in nothing which may seeme altogether impertinent to our present purpose . for discoursing of the vanitie of women ( whose phantasticke habits are daily theames in publike theatres ) i imagined it a necessary point to insist upon : partly to disswade those shee-painters of this flourishing iland from so base and prostitute practice . base , for festus pompeius saith , that common and base whores , called schaenicolae , used dawbing of themselves , though with the vilest stuffe . partly to bring a loathing of them in the conceit of all young gentlemen , whose best promising parts use often to be corrupted by their inchantments . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. there is one flower to be loved of women , a good red , which is shamefastnesse . saint hierom to marcella saith , that those women are matter of scandall to christian eyes , quae purpurisso & quibusdam fucis ora oculos● depingunt . i might here likewise justly tax such effeminate youths , whose womanish disposition hath begot in them a love to this hatefull profession ; but i will onely use diogenes speech , which hee made to one that had anointed his haires : cave ne capitis suaveolentia vitae maleolentiam adducat . or that saying he used to a youth too curiously and effeminatly drest : if thou goest to men , all this is but in vaine ; if unto women , it is wicked . so as , being asked a question of a young man , very neatly and finely apparelled , he said , hee would not answer him till he put off his apparell to see whether he were a man or woman . there is another objection , which i imagine youth will alledge , to prove how expedient it is for him to be choice or curious in respect of apparell . it gaines him more acceptance and esteeme with men of eminent place . but harken how the apostle opposeth himselfe to this ; reproving such whose judgement consists in the eye rather than in the braine , proceeding thus : if there come into your company a man with a gold-ring , and in goodly apparell , and there come in also a poore man in vile raiment , and yee have a respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing , and say unto him , sit thou here in a goodly place ; and say unto the poore , stand thou there , or sit here under my foot-stoole : are yee not partiall in your selves , and are become judges of evill thoughts ? so as , howsoever these diffident worldlings , annulo magis credunt quam animo ; it is not the habit , but the heart which god accepts : yet most acceptable is that habit which is not so sumptuous as seemely , not so costly as comely . true indeed it is , that the popular eye , which cannot distinguish of the inward beautie , but observeth rather what wee weare , than what wee are , admires nothing more than the outward habit ; as we may reade how much herod , being arrayed in royall apparell , was applauded by the people , who gave a shout , saying , the voice of god , and not of man. but that all-seeing and all-searching eare of the divine majestie seeth not as man seeth . he prefers l●zarus rags before dives roabes . though the one be clothed in purple and fine linnen , and the other seeme despicable in the eye of the world , in respect of his nakednesse ; yet , mortua necessitate , peribunt opera necessitatis : the one is translated to glory boundlesse , the other to misery endlesse : for this sorrow which he here felt , ended when he did end ; but the joy which he obtained , exceeded all end . thus farre have i laboured to answer all such objections as might be proposed in defence of this generall-approved vanitie , concluding ; quod peccata sericea teterrima sunt vitia ; no sinnes like to silken sinnes , for they ever crave impunitie , the foster-mother of all impietie . i intend yet to proceed in decyphering the lightnesse of youth , by expressing three grand maladies incident to youth ; whereof i purpose to dilate particularly , to move the young man to be more cautelous of his wayes , in the mazie labyrinth of this life . these three ( for all the rest may be reduced to them ) are comprehended under lust , ambition , revenge : of which briefly , according to our former method , we purpose here to intreat . so exposed is youth to sense , and so much estranged from the government of reason ; as it prosecutes with eagernesse whatsoever is once entertained with affection . this might appeare in the ruines of troy , occasioned by the unlawfull love of paris ; where the violent intrusion and usurpation of anothers bed , brought an irreparable fall to the trojans . some have given two reasons , why youth is more subject to this illimited passion , than any other age . the first is , that naturall heat or vigour , which is most predominant in youth , provoking him to attempt the greatest of difficulties , rather than suffer the repulse where hee affects . the second is , want of employment : which begets this distemperature ; whence the poet : take away idlenesse , and without doubt , cupids bow breakes , and all his lampes goe out . this want of employment was it , which moved aegistus to shew himselfe more familiar with clytemnestra , than stood well with his honour ; for had he ranked himselfe with those valiant greekes , whose resolute adventures gain'd them generall esteeme , he had prevented occasion , and purchased himselfe equall renowne by his valour , as by vaiue expence of time he incurred dishonour . wittie and proper was that elegant invention of lucian , who faining cupid to invite the gods to an amorous feast , prevailed with all of them to give way to love , till he came to pallas ; but she was found conversing with the muses , and would admit of no time to enter parly with cupid . true it is , that exercise draweth the mind from effeminacie , as remisnes●e feeds the desire , and addes fuell to unlawfull heat . and no lesse occasion gives wanton discourse , or lascivious bookes to the enraged affections of distempered youth : so as , much more blessed were the state , if restraint were made of composing or publishing such subjects , where every leafe instructs youth in a new lesson of folly . alcaeus , a man of good reputation and generall observance in the common-wealth ; what toyes wrote he of the love of young men ? all the writings of anacreon , are only of love . but most of all other , rheginus even burned with love , as appeareth by his writings . yea even philosophers ( and that by the counsell and authoritie of plato , whom therefore dicearchus did worthily reprehend ) became the commenders and honourers of love . such discourses should be throwne to the darkest corner of our studies , as that of ovids was by augustus , which tend to corrupt youth , and divert his minde from the exercise of vertue . but alas ; to what height of licentious libertie are these corrupter times growne ? when that sex , where modesty should claime a native prerogative , gives way to foments of exposed loosenesse ; by not only attending to the wanton discourse of immodest lovers , but carrying about them ( even in their naked bosomes , where chastest desires should only lodge ) the amorous toyes of venus and adonis : which poem , with others of like nature , they heare with such attention , peruse with such devotion , and retaine with such delectation , as no subject can equally relish their unseasoned palate , like those lighter discourses . yea ( which hath struck me to more admiration ) i have knowne divers , whose unriper yeers halfe assured me , that their greene youth had never instructed them in the knowledge , nor brought them to conceit of such vanities , excellently well read in those immodest measures ; yea , and prompt enough to shew proofes of their reading in publike places . i will not insist upon them , but leave them , to have their names registred amongst those infamous ladies ; semphronia , scribonia , clitemnestra , cleopatra , faustina , messalina , whose memories purchased by odious lust , shall survive the course of time ; as the memory of those famous matrons , octavia , porcia , caecilia , cornelia , shall transcend the period of time . to expresse what especiall motives tend most to increase of this passion , i thinke it not amisse : because i hold it necessarie to propose the cause , before we come to cure the effect . for i thinke , according to the opinion of socrates , that then my instructions have brought forth good fruit , when by them any one shall be provoked to apply his disposition to the knowledge and practice of vertue . which , the better to effect , you shall know , that there is no one motive more generally moving , or enforcing to an eager pursuit of our immoderate affections , than curious or luscious fare , delicious liquors , which might appeare ( if we should have recourse to history ) in those prodigall feastings of anton. and cleopatra : where no cost was spared to give more free course to lascivious desires . to prevent this , ( as may be probably gathered ) greece in her flourishing estate , restrained women both publique and private accesse to banquets : and kinsmen kissed their kinswomen , to know whether they drunke wine , or no , and if they had , to be punished by death , or banished into some iland . plutarch saith , that if the matrons had any necessitie to drinke wine , either because they were sick or weake , the senate was to give them licence ; and not then in rome neither , but out of the citie . macrobius saith , that there were two senators in rome chiding , and the one called the others wife an adulieresse ; and the other his wife a drunkard ; and it was judged that to be a drunkard was more infamie . here we may collect what strictnesse , even the heathen used , to observe a morall course , and to represse such inordinate motions , as most commonly invade the eminent'st states , when long peace hath rockt her people asleepe , snorting in the downe-bed of securitie . sure i am , as there is nothing which brings either publike or private state to a remisnesse of government sooner than peace or plentie ; so nothing effatuates the understanding of man more , than excesse in meat or drinke , subjecting the intellective part to the bondage of sence . for what may be the discourse of epicurists , but lascivious , begot on excesse of fare curious and luscious ? these are dilating ever on the rape of ganimedes , lais in euripides . beautie is their object , and vanitie their subject . white teeth , rolling eyes , a beautifull complexion ( an exteriour good ) being that which euryala praised , when shee washed the feet of vlysses , namely , gentle speech , and tender flesh . thus are their tongues tipt with vanitie , their desires ayming at sensualitie , and their delights engaged to fleshly libertie . amongst the romans , venus or cous was the best chance at dice : and no chance , ( till some heavie mischance over-take them ) more happie in their opinion , than to receive a loving smile or cheerefull aspect from their terrestriall venus . some countries i haue read of , whose naturall basenesse , being given to all avarice , induced them to dis-esteeme all respects in this kinde , and to make merchandize of their womens honour . such are the women of sio reported to be , who are reputed for the most beautifull dames of all the greekes in the world , and greatly given to venery . their husbands are their pandors , and when they see any stranger arrive , they will presently demand if hee would have a mistresse : and so they make whores of their owne wives , and are contented for a little gaine to weare hornes : such are the base minds of ignominious cuckolds . here is a dangerous i le for our amorous gallant , who makes his travell ( with griefe i speake it ) too oft the ruine of himselfe and his estate . happie are those ( but too few are those ) who with wise ithacus stop their eares to these soule-tainting and sin-tempting syrens . yet some there are , and some there have beene ever ( i perswade mee ) whose noble conquests over themselves and their owne desires , have seconded , if not surpassed those many conquests which they atchieved in foraine nations . as the admirable continencie of alexander the great , in sparing darius wife and his three daughters . the continencie of scipio during the space of foure and twentie yeeres , wherein his prosperous exploits could purchase him no more glory , than in the besieging and taking of a citie in spaine , he gained him renowne , by repressing his flame of lust , when a beautifull maid was brought him : restoring her with a great reward to allancius , a celtiberian lord , to whom she was espoused . no lesse worthy was that part of marius , who having sylla's wife and sisters in his power , sent them nobly , unattempted . an example of like continencie might be instanced in solyman the magnificent , towards the faire * greeke ; whom , albeit he entirely loved , yet to shew unto his peeres , a princely command of himselfe and his affections ; as he had incensed them before by loving her , so he regained their love by sleighting her ; whence the poet : with that he drew his turkish symeter , which he did brandishore the damsells head ; demanding of such ianizers were there , if 't were not pitie shee'sd be slaughtered ? pitie indeed ; but i perforce must doe that which displeaseth me , to pleasure you . many such instances , ancient and moderne histories afford , but i must not insist on each particular , lest i should enlarge my selfe too much in this branch . my exhortation shall be to such , whose unmellow yeeres crave instruction , that they would betake themselves to employment : for idlenesse maketh of men , women , of women , beasts , of beasts , monsters . and amongst employments , ever mix such readings as may minister matter , either divine , or morall , to allay the heat of this distempered passion . we reade of the roman stilpho , that albeit he was naturally addicted to all incontinencie , yet by reading certaine precepts of morall philosophie , he became an absolute commander of his owne affections . hate to consent to that , which so transformes man , as hee wholly loseth the true title of man , and becommeth meerely bestiall . nos qui accepimus rationis lucem communem cum angelis , non transiamus vitam in silentio cum pecoribus . thou art beautified with an angelicall feature ; let it not participate of any inferiour creature . to be short , art thou a gentleman ? beare that posture still : staine not a native glory with an infamous blemish . this vice of all others , derogates most from honour : for we commonly say , such whose lightnesse incurres scandall , to have lost their honour . o let not the honour of a generous minde suffer eclypse , for a minutes pleasure ! lais asking of demosthenes so much for one nights-lodging , he presently replyed : i will not buy repentance at so deare a rate . dearer is the rate of shame , than of come . prize honour at that estimate , as the height of pleasure may never have power to surprise it . canna , wife to synattus , whom one synoris , of greater authoritie than synattus , loved : making no small meanes to obtaine her love , yet all in vaine ; supposed the readiest way for effecting his desire to be the death of her husband , which hee performed . this done , he renewed his suit , to which shee seemingly consented . but being solemnly come into the temple of diana for celebrating the nuptials , shee had a sweet potion ready , which shee drunke to synoris , wherewith they both were poisoned , to revenge her husbands death . here is a pagan patterne of inimitable continencie ; who rather than shee would consent to contract mariage with her husbands foe , disvalued all future hope of preferment , yea embraced death , as a happie agent of her intended revenge . the wise ( saith that sententious philosopher ) may gather gold out of dung ; which may be thus applyed . the wise christian , may cull excellent flowers from an ethnicke garden : for the envious man he is the spider , which sucks poison from the fragrant'st and freshest flowers . i will conclude this point , and intreat the generous affected , whose glory should be vertues bootie , and whose best beauty to be enriched by her bounty ; to make vertue their prize , being so praise-worthy of her selfe , as shee needs no outward praise . to purchase which incomparable blessing , i could wish , gentlemen , that your resort to eminent places be more spare , till you finde in your selves an aptnesse to resist , if any vnchaste motion make assault . yet good it were not to presume , upon one single triall : for the disposition may be more temperate at one time than another ; and the assault also more perillous . to court beautie is an enterprize of danger : for some i have knowne , who upon their accesse to beautie , have beene free-men , who upon their returne , became slaves . but you will object ; to vanquish where there is no assault made , is a weake conquest ; true , but to play with the candle till we suffer our wings to be cing'd , is a greater folly . i would not hazard my honour upon those termes , as by affronting temptation , to be caught . to conclude this branch , as the substance of the soule is pure , so this masse of flesh is corrupt : staine not the puritie of the former , by conversing with the latter : for to parley with so subtill an enemy , is to give way to his policy . observing these , you shall goe to your graves with honour ; not to the graves of lust , the sepulchres of shame , and receptacles of corrupted love . we will now descend to the second maladie incident to youth ; that eagle-soaring passion , ambition . those who are affected to this , vse to say with tiridates in tacitus : sua retinere , privatae domus , de alienis cer●are regia laus est . these can never confine themselves to their owne , raising their hopes above possibilitie : but are building airie castles , of purpose to confront greatnesse . we shall never heare them talke of any subject save soveraigntie or dominion . one termed an empire , a monstrous and untamed beast ; and so may this passion be well defined : whose aime is onely to purchase glory , albeit her aymes be planted on indirectest termes . we reade how pa●sanias killed philip of macedon only for fame or vain-glory : so did herostratus burne the temple of diana at ephesus , with this resolution : because he could not by any act of renowne eternize his memory , he would gaine him fame , though by an act of infamie . how violent these ambitious heads are , and have beene ever , there is scarce any state which hath not felt : where civill wars have menaced no lesse danger to the state , than forraine powers ; private factions , than open hostilitie . in some likewise , so deepe impression hath ambition wrought , as the envie which they conceive at others greatnesse , deprives them of all rest : this appeared in themistocl●es , who walked in the night-time in the open street , because he could not sleepe : the cause whereof , when some men did enquire , he answered , that the triumph of miltiades would not suffer him to take his rest . the like height of ambition shewed alexander , weeping bitterly to see his father win so fast before him , fearing nothing should remaine for him to conquer . now , how naturally youth is affected to this illimited motion , may be observed even in usuall games ; where youth , rather than hee will endure the foile , exposeth himselfe to all encounters . it is glory which he aimes at , and before he lose it , he will hazard himselfe for it . his prize is his praise : he values nothing more than to get him a name , which may brute his renowne , and gaine him respect with his dearest . his disquiet , ( for what is ambition , but a distraction of the mind ? ) as to affect that best , which doth afflict him most . augustus had broken sleepes , and used to send for some to passe the night away , in telling tales , or holding him with talke . see the misery of ambitious spirits , whose ends are without end , limiting their desires to no other period then sole soveraigntie . their ayrie thoughts ( like icarus wings ) are ever mounting , till the sunne , which they threatned , dissolve them . inferiour taskes they as much sleight , as eagles doe flies : they love not to stoope to basenesse , when many times lowest fortunes entertaine them with no lesse discontent , than despaire can force them to . and in their lowest ebbe , when hope forsakes them , and their neerest ( like tiberius friends ) shrinke from them , and no comfort remaines , save expectance and sufferance of all extremities ; you shall heare them upbraid prince or state ; relating ( with much vain-glory ) what dangers they have undergone for them . instance whereof , even in these latter times , might be produced ; as in that ambitious french-man , the brave byron , who seeing no way but one , burst out into these violent extremes : i have received three and thirtie wounds of my body , to preserve it for him , and for my reward , he takes my head from my shoulders : he now quencheth the torch in my bloud after hee hath used it . this is the condition of high spirits , whose aimes were transcendent , to close up their tragicall scene with a vain-glorious boast of what they have done : little considering , how their countrie might lawfully exact and expect as much as was in them to performe , a●● they still debtours to her , because they had their being from her . yet see ( though sometimes they stand upon termes of resolution , desiring to die standing ; ) when the sentence of death is pronounced , and all future hope extinguished , they will be ( as that great french-man was ) supple as a glove : presenting their heads ●s willingly to the sword , as agis did his unto the halter . it is strange to note , how these men walke in clouds , imagining themselves most secure , when imminencie of perill assures them nothing lesse . the reason whereof may seeme to be this ; they flatter themselves in their vanitie , as pigmalion with his image , or narcissus with his shadow ; reposing more confidence in their owne valour ; and the aide , which ( themistocles or pausanias-like ) they contract abroad , linking and uniting themselves with forraine powers , than on all the information of friends , or the perswasions of a loyall and uncorrupted heart . but these ( as that heroick prince noted ) must bow or breake : be their persons never so hopefull , or directions behovefull to the state , they must be curbed , or the state endangered . their proprietie is ever to swim in troubled waters : nor can they endure to be mated . though their aimes bee to perpetuate their greatnesse , yet those beasts , which are bred about the river hypani● , and live but one day , may oft-times compare with them for continuance : whence the poet saith excellently , out of his owne observation : much have i seene , yet seldome seene i have , ambition goe gray-headed to his grave . there is nothing which the ambitiou● man hates so much as a corrivall ; he hopes to possesse all , and without a sharer . but so indirect are his plots , and so insuccessive their end , as hee findes to his great griefe , that the promise of securitie had no firme foundation to ground on : nor his attempts that issue they expected . now gentlemen , you , whose better parts aime at more glorious ends , so confine your desires to an equall meane , that mounting too high bring you not to an irreparable fall . wee are borne indeed ( as that divine father saith ) to be eagles , and not iayes , to fly aloft , and not to seek our food on the ground : but our eagle eyes are to be fixed on the sunne of righteousnesse , not on temporall preferments . we are to soare to the tower from whence commeth our helpe . for it is not lifting up a mans selfe god likes , but lifting up of the spirit in prayer . here are wings for flying , without feare of falling : for other aymes , they are but as feathers in the aire ; they delude us , howsoever they seeme to secure us . but i heare some young gentleman object , that it is a brave thing to be observed in the eye of the world ; to have our persons admired , our selves in publike resorts noted , yea our names dispersed ! indeed i grant ; he who consists on nothing more than showes ; thinkes it is brave to heare , loe there he goes ! but such , whose solid vnderstandings haue instructed them in higher studies , as much disvalue popular opinion , or the corkie conceits of the vulgar , as the nobilitie scornes to converse with any thing unworthy it selfe . their greatnesse hath correspondence with goodnesse : for esteeme of the world , as in respect of their owne worth they deserue it , so in contempt of all outward glory they disvalue it . come then ( yee nobly affected gentlemen ; ) would yee be heires of honour , and highly reputed by the highest ? resemble the nature of the highest : who humbled himselfe in the forme of man , to restore miserable man ; vilifying himselfe , to make man like himselfe . it is not , beleeve it , to shine in grace or esteeme of the court , which can ennoble you : this glory is like glasse , bright but brittle : and courtiers ( saith one ) are like counters ; which sometime in account goe for a thousand pound , and presently before the count bee past , but 〈◊〉 single pennie . it is more glory to be in the courts of the lord , to purchase esteeme with him , whose judgement never erres , and whose countenance never alters . it is reported by commine , in his french annals , that charles , whom he then served , was of this disposition , that he would make assay of the greatest matters , revolving in his mind how he might compasse them : yea perchance ( saith he ) assayes farre above the strength of man. see the picture of an ambitious spirit , loving ever to be interessed in affaires of greatest difficultie . camelion-like on subtill ayre he feeds , and vies in colours with the checkerd meeds . let no such conceits transport you , lest repentance finde you . it is safer chusing the middle-path , than by walking or tracing vncouth wayes , to stray in your iourney . more have fallen by presumption , than distrust of their owne strength . and reason good ; for such who dare not relie on themselves , give way to others direction ; whereas too much confidence , or selfe-opinionate boldnesse will rather chuse to erre , and consequently to fall , than submit themselves to others judgement . of this opinion seemed velleius the epicurean to bee , of whom it is said ; that in confidence of himselfe hee was so farre from feare , as hee seemed not to doubt of any thing . a modest or shamefast feare becomes youth better : which indeed ever attends the best or affablest natures . such will attempt nothing without advice , nor assay ought without direction : so as their wayes are secured from many perills , which attend on inconsiderate youth . my conclusion of this point shall be in a word ; that neither the rich man is to glory in his riches , the wise man in his wisdome , nor the strong man in his strength : for should man consider the weaknesse and many infirmities whereto he is hourely sub●ect hee would finde innumerable things to move him to sorrowing , but few or none to glory in . againe , if he should reflect to the consideration of his dissolution , which , that it shall bee , is most certaine , but when it shall be , most vncertaine : he would be forced to stand upon his guard with that continuall feare , as there would be no emptie place left in him for pride . this day one proud , as prouder none , may lye in earth ere day be gone . what confidence is there to be reposed in so weake a foundation ; where to remaine ever is impossible , but quickly to remove , most probable ? then ( to use petrarchs words ) be not afraid though the house , the bodie be shaken , so the soule , the guest of the body , fare well : for weakning of the one addeth for most part strength to the other . and so i come to the last passion or perturbation incident to youth . revenge , is an intended resolve arising from a conceived distaste either justly or unjustly grounded . this revenge is ever violent'st in hot blouds , who stand so much upon termes of reputation , as rather than they will pocket up the least indignitie , they willingly oppose themselves to extremest hazard . now this unbounded fury may seeme to have a two-fold relation : either as it is proper and personall ; or popular and impersonall . revenge proper or personall , ariseth from a peculiar distaste or offence done or offered to our own person ; which indeed hath ever the deepest impression . which may be instanced in menelaus and paris ; where the honour of a nuptiall bed , the law of hospitalitie , the professed league of amitie , were joyntly infringed . or in antonie and octavius ; whose intestine hate grew to that height , as antonies angell was afraid of octavius angell . which hatred , as it was fed and increased by fulvia , so was it allayed and temp●red by octavia : though in the end it grew irreconciliable ; ending in bloud , as it begun with lust . revenge popular or impersonall , proceedeth extrinsecally , as from factions in families , or some ancient grudge hereditarily descending , betwixt house and house , or nation and nation . when annibal was a childe , and at his fathers commandement , he was brought into the place where he made sacrifice ; and laying his hand upon the altar , swore , that so soone as he had any rule in the common-wealth , he would be a professed enemie to the romans . whence may be observed , how the conceit of an injury or offence received , worketh such impression in that state or kingdome where the injury is offered , as hate lives , and survives the life of many ages , crying out with those incensed greekes ; the time will come when mightie troy must fall , where priams race must be extinguish'd all . but wee are principally to discourse of the former branch , to wit , of proper or personall revenge : wherein wee shall observe sundry occurrents right worthy our serious consideration . that terme ( as i said before ) usually called reputation , hath brought much generous bloud to effusion : especially amongst such , qui magis sunt soliciti vani nominis , quàm propriae salutis : prizing vain-glory above safetie , esteeme of valour above securitie of person . and amongst these , may i truly ranke our martiall duellists , who many times upon a taverne quarrell are brought to shed their dearest bloud , which might have beene employed better in defence of their countrey , or resistance of proud infidels . and what is it which moves them to these extremes ; but ( as they seeme to pretend ) their reputation is engaged , their opinion in the eye of the world called in question , if they should sit downe with such apparant disgrace ? but shall i answer them ? the opinion of their valour indeed is brought in question , but by whom ? not by men of equall temper , or maturer judgement , who measure their censures , not by the last of rash opinion , but just consideration . for these cannot imagine how reputation should be brought in question , by any indiscreet terme uttered over a pot , whereof perchance the speaker is ignorant , at least what it meant : but of these distempered roisters , whose only judgement consists in taking offence , and valour in making a flourish ; of these , i have seene one in the folly of my youth , but could not rightly observe till my riper age : whose braving condition ( having some young gooselin to worke on ) would have made you confident of his valour : instancing what dangerous exploits hee had attempted and atchieved , what single fields hee had pitched , and how bravely he came off : yet on my conscience , the battell of the pygmeies might have equall'd his , both for truth and resolution . yet i have noted such as these , to be the bellowes which blow the fire of all uncivill quarrells ; suggesting to young gentlemen ( whose want of experience makes them too credulous ) matter of revenge : by aggravating each circumstance to enrage ●heir hot bloud the more . some others there are of this band , which i have likewise observed : and they are taken for grave censors or moderators , if any difference occur amongst young gentlemen . and these have beene men in their time , ( at least accounted so ) but now their fortunes falling to an ebbe , having drawne out their time in expence above their meanes , they are enforced ( and well it were if misery forced them not to worse ) to erect a sconce , whereto the roarers make recourse , as to their rendevou : and hereto also resorts the raw and unseasoned youth , whose late-fallen patrimonie makes him purchase acquaintance at what rate soever : glorying much to be esteemed one of the fraternity . and he must now keep his quarter , maintaine his prodigall rout with what his parcimonious ●a●her long carked for ; prepare his rere-suppers , and all this , to get him a little knowledge in the art of roaring . and by this time , you may suppose him to have attained to some degree , so as he can looke bigge , erect his mouc●atoes , stampe and stare , and call the drawer rogue , drinke to his venus in a venice-glasse , and to moralize her sex , throwes it over his head and breakes it . but for all this , he hath not fully learned his postures : for upon discourse of valour , he hath discovered his cowardize ; and this gives occasion to one of his cumrades to triumph ore his weaknesse . who entring upon termes of reputation , and finding himselfe wrong'd , he would gladly wipe off all aspersions , and gaine him opinion in the eye of the world : but recalling to mind , the dangers incident to quarrells , he thinkes it best to repaire to that grand moderator ( whose long experience hath made his opinion authenticke ) to receive satisfaction , whether hee may put up the injury offered him , without touch of disgrace . now he must be feed for his opinion , ( as if he were some grave legall professour : ) which done , his reply must tend to the defini●tion of a wrong , and what the law of valour holds fo● satisfaction in actions of that nature . againe , ( for still he workes on this young-gallants weaknesse ) how the world esteemes his opponent to be a brave sparke ; one , whose spirit cannot be daunted , nor fury appeased with lesse than bloud : drawing him in the end by some rhetoricall perswasion ( as nothing more smooth than the oyly tongue of an insinuating foist ) to some base composition , whereof he and his complices are made equall sharers . now gentlemen , i could likewise produce certaine wofull occurrents , which have befallen some of your ranke and qualitie , and that within these few yeares , by consorting with such grand cutters : who pressing them to offence , could not endure such affronts , but with ●●solution ( which ever attends a generous spirit ) encountring them , have been utterly overthrowne , either in doing or suffering . but you will aske me , how should this be prevented ? can any gentleman suffer with patience his reputation to be brought in question ? can he endure to be challenged in a publike place , and by that meanes incurre the opinion of coward ? can he put up disgrace without observance , or observing it , not revenge it , when his very honour ( the vitall bloud of a gentleman ) is impeached ? heare me , whosoever he be that frameth these objections ! i am not ignorant how many unjust and immerited aspersions shal be throwne upon men of eminent'st desert , by such , whose tongues are ever steeped in calumnie : but who are these , save such as the glory of greece ( the everliving homer ) displayeth in the contemptuous person of thersites ; whose character was , more deformed in minde than bodie ? their infamous and serpentine tongues inured to detraction , deserve no other revenge , ( next legall punishment ) save avoiding their company , and bruting their basenesse in all societies , where their names are knowne , to caution others of them . i am spoken evill of ( saith seneca ) but the evill speake it : i should be moved , if m. cato , if wise lelius , or the two scipio's should speak this of me ; but it is praise for mee , to have the evill displeased with mee . it is true ; for as no imputation can truly be said to staine a pure or undefiled soule , whose inward sinceritie ( like a brazen wall ) beats backe all darts of envie or calumnie ; so it is not in the power of the evill to detract from the glory of the good : for what then should remaine secure from aspersion of the vicious ? but i imagine , you will reply ; it is not only the report or scandall of these men of uncurbed tongues , ( for so pindarus termes them ) but of such , whose eminent esteeme in the world , gives approbation to what they speake , which awakes my revenge . if they be as you terme them , men of eminent esteeme , and that esteeme by merit purchased , ( for all other estimation i exclude it : ) i need little doubt , but the distaste which you conceive against them , hath proceeded in some part from your selfe ; and that upon maturer consideration you should find your owne bosome guiltie to the cause of these aspersions . if otherwise it happen , ( as i grant it may ) that upon private surmises , or suggestions derived from some factious heads , these men of more eminent note and esteeme have brought your name in question , because ( as they were informed ) you formerly aspersed a blemish upon their honour : i would not have you to erre so farre from your owne judgment , as without further discussing the cause , to fall into desperat extremes : for were it not much better for you to sift the cause , how you both are abused , whereby that base suggestour might be duely censured , and your wrongs mutually redressed , than to vow revenge ere an injury be offered ? yes sir , beleeve it , much better and safer , and in the opinion of discreet men , wiser : howsoever our hare-brain'd gallant , whose property is to act before he resolve , esteeme it a derogation to ex●postulate on termes of disgrace , but to publish war ere the league be broken . we account him who can beare the most , to be the strongest ; yet esteeme we him who can beare injuries most , to be the weakest ; so ill disposed is mans temper , as for an opinion of reputation , hee will incurre apparant errour . now there is another revenge , which proceedeth from a nature farre more inglorious than the former . and that is , when for some little distaste conceived against our inferiour , ( even in worldly respects ) wee labour his undoing : yea many times , because hee stands too resolutely for right , wee threaten his ruine : but true shall we finde it : as the high doe use the low , god will use the highest so . and this might appeare in poore naboth , who because he would not give the inheritance of his fathers , his vine-yard , he must be stoned . but of this revenge i am not to insist ; for this is an evill more properly inherent to our rich oppressours , who grind the face of the poore , and raise them an house to their seldom thriving heires out of others ruine . only my wish shall be , that their dwelling may be with owles and ostridges in the wildernesse , and not in the flowry borders of this iland , lest shee be forced to vie sighes for their sinnes . i might now in this subject of revenge , inlarge my discourse by speaking of anger , from whence revenge may seeme to receive her originall being : which anger the poet termes a short fury : anger is madnesse , and as strong in force , but not in course so long . for what differs an angrie man from a mad-man , save onely in this ; his violence of passion continues not so long : for the time it is as vehement and as violent . excellent therefore was that precept of moderation given and observed by that renowned emperour theodosius , drawne ( as may appeare in the like example of augustus ) from a former patterne : of whom it is written , that he would never in his anger proceed to revenge , or so much as shew any argument of distaste , till hee had repeated over the foure and twentie greeke letters . but to conclude this last branch , my exhortation to all young gentlemen shall be , whose high spirits cannot endure affronts , that they would labour to expostulate with passion ; which if once protracted , will be sooner tempered , meditating also of these divine places of scripture : which receits are indeed most powerfull and effectuall to allay this passion . we that are by nature children of wrath , ought to give place unto wrath . for the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of god. yea , we ought to imitate god , which if we will doe , we must not continue in wrath , knowing , god will not contend , nor be wroth for ever . hee is slow to anger . yea , every man ought to be slow to wrath : for it is wisdome . if we will joyne in the true lovers knot , we must not be angry , for , true love is not provoked to anger . and if we will prevent the effect , we are to avoid the occasion ; therefore are we taught to have no familiaritie , neither strive with an angrie man. would wee appease anger ? we must doe it by meeknesse . lastly , may we be angrie ? yes , but how ? be angrie , but sinne not . let not the sunne goe downe upon your wrath . neither give place to the devill . thus have we runne over all those predominant humours , which beare most sway in distempered youth . let us now , according to our former purpose , proceed in applying certaine receits to cure these dangerous maladies . which briefly ( to avoid all curious divisions ) may be reduced to these two : active and contemplative . the one in exercising and performing the offices of our calling : the other in practising workes of pietie , exercises of devotion , meditation , contemplation . for the former , to wit , active , everie action hath two handles ( to use the philosophers words ; ) the one whereof consists in plotting or contriving ; the other in effecting . without the former , the latter is precipitate ; and without the latter , the former is frustrate : but both concurring , the action becomes absolute . but to speake generally of action , as it is the represser , so idlenesse is the producer of all vice . whence came that ancient edict amongst the romans , mentioned by cicero ; that no roman should goe thorow the streets of the citie , unlesse he carried with him the badge of that trade whereby he lived . in so much that marcus aurelius speaking of the diligence of the romans , writeth ; that all of them followed their labour . now gentlemen , i perswade my selfe , you will most of you object and say with the displaced steward in the gospell , we cannot digge : ( and i could wish that many of our eminent ones , would adde unto it , and to begge we are ashamed . ) it is true indeed ; i know your breeding hath beene otherwise ; but admit you cannot dig , doe yee inferre hence that yee are exempted from all labour ? in no case are you so to argue . there are other taskes , other employments besides manuall and mechanicke labours , which require your furtherance . and these are forraine or domesticall : forraine , as to benefit your countrey by rare discoveries , reconveying the rich freight of knowledge ( by conference with forraine nations ) to your native soile : or by personall adventure , to stand resolutely in defence of the faith , against those profest enemies of christendom , the turks ; whose furie and hostile crueltie , the easterne parts ( to our great griefe be it spoken ) have alreadie wofully sustained . domesticall ; as in studying the practice of lawes , or other humane studies , in labouring to determine differences betwixt partie and partie , in chastising and due censuring , ( as farre as their callings give leave ) of such factious or litigious sectists , as either in church or common-weale disturbe the quiet of the realme , and distract the state with frivolous or fruitlesse ambiguities . here are labours fit to entertaine gentlemen , and nought derogating from men of eminentest descent or qualitie . for in actions of this nature haue the best and most renowned states and princes in christendome beene trained and exercised : glorying no lesse in the happie and successive management thereof , than in subduing the potent'st and flourishing'st kingdomes . secondly , for the contemplative , which participates more of the minde : i could wish all gentlemen ( as they claime a prerogative in height of bloud ) so to erect their contemplations above the sphere of these lower and inferiour mortalls , whose cogitations pressed downe with the rubbish and refuse of earthly preferments , cannot distinguish light from darknesse : that they may imagine ( as in truth they ought ) that whatsoever is sought besides god , may possesse the minde , but cannot satisfie it . now , of all exercises of devotion , i must principally commend prayer ; being ( as one excellently noteth ) to be numbred amongst the chiefest and choisest workes of charitie . for by prayer are digged forth those treasures , which faith beholdeth in the gospell : being gods sacrifice , mans solace , and the devills scourge . for the time and place of prayer , i will not insist much of it ; howsoever , divers more curiously than profitably , precisely than wisely , have quarrelled about the place : excluding withall , some places as unfit for prayer . but in a word , for the place of prayer or devotion , this shall be my conclusion ; as there is no place exempted from tempting , so there is no place excepted from praying : and for the time , as we are continually assaulted , so are wee exhorted to pray continually , that we may be the better provided to resist those temptations which are usually suggested . amongst those many devout and divine prayers commended to youth , none more needfull or effectuall than that of the psalmist : remember not the sinnes of my youth . nor any memoriall more powerfull , than that of the preacher : remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth . for by the latter are we put in mind of him , whose grace is to preserve us from sinne ; and by the former to call on him , whose mercie it is to forgive sinne . now gentlemen , have i composed and perfected what i purposed touching my first observance , entituled youth . wherein i have inlarged my selfe so much the more for two principall respects : the one , lest by being unprovided you should flie away naked ( as the young-man in the gospel ) wanting sufficient instruction to informe your weaker understandings : which moved me to amplifie each particular subject with varietie of morall reading ; because i knew how such discourse would relish more pleasantly to a young-mans palate , than graver or more serious matter . the other , lest wanting a convenient foundation to worke on , the maine building might shrinke . now , this i purposely framed for the basis or ground-work , the rest as stories , which are made to beautifie the foundation : for in these observances ensuing i intend brevitie , yet with such perspicuitie , as the gentleman to whom i write , may the better understand himselfe , and direct his courses to that bent of honour , whereto all generous actions are directed . the english gentleman . argument . of the diversitie of dispositions ; the disposition is not to be forced ; what disposition is most generous . disposition . how different the dispositions of men be , our usuall converse and commerce with men may sufficiently instruct us . yea even in youth , where the first seeds of inclination are sowne , we shall observe such diversitie , as the grasse-piles of the earth may scarce vie with them for varietie , the starres or sands for multiplicitie . where you shall note some youths of such wel-affected or tempered dispositions , as they shew undoubted arguments of future good : and these are such , whose natures are rather to be cherished than chastised , cockered than curbed : for the least distaste which their guardian or tutour can shew , workes such impression in them , as they could willingly choose rather to suffer his correction than his distaste . others there be , whose perverse and refractory natures are not to bee dealt withall upon equall termes : and these are the very antipodes to those well-tempered dispositions which wee spake of before : for they ever walke in a contrary path , directly opposite to such , whose native affability gains them love by an inbred courtesie . these ( diogenes-like ) are ever entring the temple , when others goe forth ; or repairing to the market , when others come from it . and these must taste of sharper censure ; for lenitie will not prevaile , therefore rigour must . the like may be observed even in their dispositions to learning : where wee shall finde some apt enough to get , and as apt to forget : others more solide ; though for the present slow , yet more retentive . and these , as with hardnesse they get it , so hardly will they lose it ; for their difficultie in gaining , is supplied by a facilitie in retaining . likewise , as the principall workes or faculties of our understanding be three ; first to discourse , secondly to distinguish , thirdly to choose : we shall also observe an admirable difference in these , in respect of their distinct qualities . where we shall finde one as apt to discourse , as unable to distinguish or choose ; and such an one hath all his judgement in his tongue . another of greater depth and maturer judgment than the former , more able to distinguish or choose , than apt to discourse : for though he want facilitie of utterance ( which want is generally supplyed by more excellent gifts ) yet so quick and subtill is the piercing eye of his judgement , as he is no lesse prompt in conceiving , than slow in uttering . now to treat of the dispositions of mens mindes ; it is strange to see what difference appeares in them , ( even by naturall and infusive motion . rome brought forth the pisoes for frugalitie , the metelli for pietie , the appii for austeritie , the manlii for affabilitie , the lelii for wisdome , and the publicolae for courtesie . which conditions appeared so lineally in their successours , as they seemed representers of their ancestours natures , as well as features . yet what reason can be given touching these distinct affections , save those prime seeds sowne in them by nature , which produce not onely these dispositions in themselves , but dilate or propagate their effects in others , to wit , those in whom they have stamped a likenesse both of image and condition . now to collect or gather , how men are affected , there is no course more direct , or in it selfe lesse erring , than to observe what delights they affect , or what company they frequent . augustus being at a combat , discerned the inclinations of his two daughters , iulia and livia , by the company which frequented them ▪ for grave senators talked with livia , but riotous persons with iulia. truth is , we shall ever se● persons of like condition love to consort together , for their qualitie or equalitie rather of disposition moves a desire of familiaritie one with another . likewise for delights , wee shall ever observe such , whose lighter dispositions affect libertie , to be frequenters of publike meetings , agents in may-games , profest lovers of all sensuall pleasures . that roman curtezan semphronia , was noted for her singing , sporting and dancing , wherein shee laboured to shew more art than became a modest woman , with other motives of licentiousnesse . but in my opinion , there is no one meanes to sift out the disposition of man better , than by noting how he beares himselfe in passion , which is of that violence , as many times it discovers him , though his purpose was to walke never so covertly from the eye of popular observance . should we have recourse to the lives of sundry tyrants , whose outward appearance or semblance promised much goodnesse : we might finde sufficient matter to confirme this argument . some whereof ( as tiberius ) so commonly carried and covered their plots , as none could dive into their thoughts , pretending ever most smoothnesse , when they intended a tempest . yet if at any time ( as it befell many times ) their spirits became netled or incensed ; so farre did passion transport them , as they apparantly expressed their natures , without further character . other discoveries may be made , and those are the manifestest of all , how men are affected or disposed when they are least themselves : and this is ( with griefe i speake it , for too highly doth albion labour of it ) when man , losing indeed that name , at least his nature , becomes estranged from the use of reason , by drowning his understanding with drunkennesse . in high germanie , the parents of such children as should be married , will see those which should be their sonnes in law to be drunke before them , to see what disposition they are of , before they marrie their children unto them . for they imagine , if they be subject to any especiall vice , they will then discover it , having no locke to keepe it secret . yet in this there are different humours which reigne and rage according to the disposition of the person subject unto it : as we shall see one lumpish without all conceit ; another jocund and merry , apt for any conceit : one weeping , as if some disastrous fortune had befallen him : another laughing , 〈◊〉 if some merry scene were presented him . we reade of two distinct conditions in philip and alexander , when they were in drinke ; for the one shewed his rage and furie towards his foes , the other to his friends : the one whereof participates of more true generous spirit than the other . for as nothing can be imagined more ignoble , than to triumph over our friend , so nothing relisheth of more resolution , than to shew our spirit ( so it be upon equall termes , and without braving ) upon our enemie . but would you indeed see the disposition of man truly discovered , and the veile which kept him from sight , cleare taken away ? then come to him when he is advanced to place of honour or esteeme ; ( for promotions declare what men be : ) and there you shall finde him pourtrayed to life . galba was esteemed in the opinion of all , fit to governe till he did governe . many have an excellent gift of concealing and shadowing ( which giveth grace to any picture ) so long as they are obscure and private : but bring them to a place of more eminent note , and give a lustre to their obscuritie , you shall view them as perfectly , as if their bodies were transparant , or windowes were in their bosomes . here you shall see one unmeasurably haughtie , scorning to converse with these groundlins ( for so it pleases him to tearme his inferiours ) and bearing such a state , as if he were altered no lesse in person than place . another , not so proud as he is covetous : for no passion ( as a learned schooleman affirmeth ) is better knowne unto us than the coveting or desiring passion , which he calls concupiscible : and such an one makes all his inferiours his sponges ; and ostridge-like can digest all metalls . another sort there are , whose well-tempered natures have brought them to that perfection , as the state which they presently enioy makes them no more proud than the losse of that they possesse would cast them downe . these ( camillus-like ) are neither with the opinion of honour too highly erected , nor with the conceit of affliction too much deiected . as their conceits are not heightned by possessing it , so they lose nothing of their owne proper height by forgoing it . these are so evenly poized , so nobly tempered , as their opinion is not grounded on title , nor their glory on popular esteeme : they are knowne to themselves , and that knowledge hath instructed them so well in the vanitie of earth , as their thoughts have taken flight , vowing not to rest till they approach heaven . pompey being combred with his honour , exclaimed to see sylla's crueltie , being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignitie he had ; and cried out , o perill and danger never like to have end ! such is the nature of noble spirits , as they admire not so much the dignitie of the place to which they are advanced , as they consider the burden which is on them imposed ; labouring rather how to behave themselve in their place , than arrogate glory to themselves , by reason of their place . neither are these sundrie dispositions naturally ingraffed in men , meerely produced from themselves , as the affections or dispositions of our mindes doe follow the temperature of our bodies ; where the melancholy produceth such , the cholericke , phlegmaticke , and sanguine such and such , according to humours predominant in that body , whence these affections are derived : but i say , these participate also of the clime wherein we are . for otherwise , how should our observations appeare good , which we usually collect in the survey of other countries ; noting certaine vices to be most entertained in some especiall provinces ? as pride among the babylonians , envie among the iewes , anger among the thebans , covetousnesse among the tyrians , gluttonie among the sidonians , pyracie among the cilicians , and sorcerie among the aegyptians , to whom caesar gave great attention , as alexander was delighted in ●he brachmans . so as i say , our dispositions how different or consonant soever , doe not only partake of us , but even of the aire or temperature of soile which bred us . thus we see what diversitie of dispositions there is , and how diversly they are affected : let us now take a view of the disposition it selfe , whether it may be forced or no , from what it naturally affecteth . the philosopher saith , that the disposition may be removed , but hardly the habit. but i say those first seeds of disposition , as they are primitives , can hardly be made privatives : being so inherent in the subject , as they may be moved , but not removed . not removed ( objectest thou ! ) why ; disposition can be of no stronger reluctance than nature ; and wee see how much shee may be altered , yea cleare removed from what she formerly appeared . for doe we not ( in the view of humane frailtie ) observe how many excellent wits drained from the very quintessence of nature , as apt in apprehending as expressing a conceit , strangely darkned or dulled , as if they had beene steeped in some lethaean slumber ? nay doe we not ( in this round circumference of man ) note divers honest and sincere dispositions , whose gaine seemed to be godlinesse , and whose glory the profession of a good conscience , wonderfully altered , becomming so corrupted by the vaine pompe or trifling trash of the world , as they preferre the puddle before the pearle , forsaking christ for the world ? doe we not see how uprightly some men have borne themselves all their time without staine or blemish : being all their youth vertuously affected , all their middle-age charitably disposed , yet in their old-age miserably depraved ? againe , doe we not behold , how many women whose virgin-modestie and nuptiall-continencie promised much glory to their age ; even then , when the flower of beautie seemed bloomelesse , so as their very age might make them blamelesse , when their skin was seere , and their flesh saplesse , their breath earthie , and their mouth toothlesse ; then , even then fell these unweldie beldames to embrace folly , promising longer continuance to pleasure , than they could by all likelihood unto nature ? now tell me how happened this ? were not these at the first vertuously affected ; if disposition then could not be forced , how came they altered ? all these rivers of objections i can drie up with one beame , darting from the reflex of nature . thou producest divers instances to confirme this assertion , that dispositions are to be forced from what they were naturally affected unto . whereto i answer , that dispositions in some are resembled ( and not improperly ) unto a beame cloathed or shadowed with a cloud ; which ( as we see ) sheweth his light sometimes sooner , sometimes later : or ( as by a more proper allusion may seeme illustrated ) may be resembled to the first * flourish in trees , which according to the nature or qualitie of the internall pith , from whence life is diffused to the branches , send forth their bloomes and blossomes sooner or later . true it is you object , that to the outward appearance , such men shewed arguments of good dispositions , for they were esteemed men of approved sanctitie , making conscience of what they did , and walking blamelesse and unreproveable before all men : but what collect you hence ? that their dispositions were sincerely good or pure , if societie had not depraved them ! no , this induction will not hold : it is the evening crownes the day . what could be imagined better , or more royally promising , than nero's quinquennium ? what excellent tokens of future goodnesse ? what apparant testimonies of a vertuous government ? what infallible grounds of princely policie , mixed with notable precepts of pietie ? yet who knowes not , how all the vices of his ancestours put together , seemed by a lineall descent to be transferred on him : being the patterne and patron of all crueltie , the author and actor of all villany , the plotter and practiser of all impietie : so as , if all the titles of crueltie were lost , they might be found in this tyrant . how then doe you say , that his disposition was naturally good , but became afterwards depraved and corrupted ? no , rather joyne with me and say , that howsoever his disposition seemed good during those five yeares , wherein he dissembled with vertue , and concealed those many vices which he professed and possessed afterwards : yet indeed he was the same , though not in shew , yet in heart . only now the cloud being dispersed , his tyrannous and inhumane nature became more discovered , acting that in publike , which he had long before plotted in private . for howsoever our dispositions may seeme forced , from what they naturally or originally were ; it is but a deception , they remain still the same , though advice and assistance may sometimes prevaile so much with them , as for the time they seeme to surcease and discontinue from their former bent ; but returning afresh , they will antaeus-like , redouble their strength and become more furious . for resolve me , and shew what may be the effectuallest or powerfullest meanes to remove disposition , or alter man most from what he may seeme naturally inclined unto . can honour ? no ; for that man , whose inclination is subject to change for any exteriour title , is not to be ranked amongst these generous spirits , with whom i am onely here to converse . for these admire titles , and assume a kinde of affected majestie , to make their persons more observed . but tell mee , what are these whom honour hath thus transported , expressing state with winkes and nods , as if the whole posture of state●●●sisted ●●●sisted in gesture , but meere popin-jayes , who glory more in the painting or varnish of honour , than the true substance of it ? and to speake truth ( as i had never fortune to doat much on an immerited title , nor gloze with counterfeit greatnesse ) their dispositions howsoever they seeme to the vulgar eye changed , they are nothing so : for their inclinations were ever arrogantly affected , so as they no sooner became great , than they deblazoned their owne thoughts . can riches ? neither ; for such , whose imaginations are erected above earth , scorne to entertaine discourse with ought that may make them worse : all in the world being either fumus or funus , a vanitie or vexation , as the preacher saith . these conclude , that no object lesse than heaven can satisfie their eye ; no treasure lesse than eternitie can answer their desire ; no pleasure save what hath concurrence with felicity , can gaine them true delight . now for these earthly moles , who are ever digging , till their graves be digged ; their dispositions are of baser temper : for they can taste nothing but earthly things . they measure not estate by competence , desiring only so much as may suffice nature , but by abundance ; which fares with them as liquor with an hydropticke man , who , the more he drinkes , the more he thirsts : so the more they have , the more they crave ; making their desires as endlesse , as their aimes effectlesse ; their hopes as boundlesse , as their helpes fruitlesse . when their mouths shall be filled with gravell , and corruption shall enter those houses of clay , for which so much provision was stored , and so small a share in the end contented . can acquaintance ? no ; for if company better me ( by an internall grace working secretly , yet effectually in mee ) my disposition consented , before such good fruit was produced : if it make me worse , my disposition , by consenting to suggestion , induced me that i should be therto moved . yea generally , whosoever is wel-disposed , wil keepe no man company , but either in hope to 〈◊〉 him , or to be bettered by him : as he , whose inclination is vicious and corrupt , leaveth the company hee frequents ever worse than when he found them . for as a * troubled fountain yeelds impure water , so an infected soule vicious actions . can travell ? no ; for , give me a man that hath seene iudasses lanterne at s. denisses ; the ephesian diana in the louvre ; the great vessell at heydelberge ; the amphitheatre at vl●smos ; the stables of the great mogol ; or the solemnities of mecha : yea all the memorable monuments which the world can afford ; or places of delight to content his view ; or learned academics , to instruct and enrich his knowledge ; yet are not all these of power to alter the state or qualitie of his disposition : whence the sententious flaccus ; to passe the sea some are inclinde , to change their aire , but not their minde . no ; shouldst thou change aire , and soile , and all , it were not in thy power to change thy selfe : yet as soone thy selfe as thy disposition , which ever accompanies and attends thee , moving in thee a like or dislike , just as shee is affected . having thus proved , that the disposition is not to be forced ; wee are now to descend to discourse of the noblest and most generous disposition : which wee intend to make knowne by certaine infallible markes , which seldome erre in their attendance , being vowed servants to such as are vertuously affected . the first is mildnesse ; the second munisicence ; the third fortitude or stoutnesse . mildnesse is a qualitie so inherent , or more properly individuate to a gentleman , as his affabilitie will expresse him , were there no other meanes to know him . hee is so farre from contemning the mea●●● , as his countenance is not so cheerefull , as his heart compassionate : though the one be no lesse gracious in promising , than the other generous in his performing . he poizeth the wrongs of the weakest , as if they were his owne ; and vowes their redresse as his owne . he is none of these furly sirs , whose aime is to be capp'd and congied ; for such gentilitie tastes too much of the mushrom . you shall never see one new stept into honour , but he expects more observance than an ancient : for though he be but new come from mint , he knowes how to looke bigge , and shew a storme in his brow. this meeknesse admits of humilitie to keepe her company ; in whose sweet familiaritie she so much glories , as she cannot enioy her selfe without her . and in very deed , there is no ornament which may adde more beauty or true lustre to a gentleman , than to be humbly minded ; being as low in conceit , as he is high in place . with which vertue ( like two kinde turtles in one yoake ) is compassion ( as i noted before ) linked and coupled : which compassion hath many times appeared in the renowmedst and most glorious princes . when pompeyes head was offered to caesar , as a most gratefull and acceptable present , it is reported that hee washed the head with teares of princely compassion , and inflicted due punishment vpon his murderers . the like is written of titus , that love and darling of mankinde , in his taking and destroying of ierusalem , using these words ; i take god to witnesse , i am not the cause of the destruction of this people , but their sinnes : mixing his words with teares , and tempering his victorious successe with royall moderation . the like is related of marcus marcellus , who having won the most flourishing city of syracusa , stood upon the walls , shedding plenty of teares before he shed any bloud . and this compassion attracts ever unto it a kinde of princely maiestie , gaining more love than any other affection . for as proud spirits , whose boundlesse ambition k●eps them ever afloat , till they sinke downe for altogether , use to triumph in others miseries , till miserie in the end finde them out : so these , in a discreet moderation or noble temper , will never assume more glory to themselves for any exploit , how successively or prosperously soever managed . such is the native modestie , wherewith they are endued , as their victories are never so numerous or glorious , as to transport them above themselves . which modestie surely becommeth men of all degrees , but especially men of eminent and noble ranke , to the end they may understand and acknowledge in every action , that there is a god , from whom all things proceed and are derived . now as there is no glory equall to the command or soveraigntie over our owne passions ; the conquest whereof makes man an absolute commander : so there is no ornament which conferres more true or native grace to one ennobled by place or birth , than to put on the spirit of meekenesse , being expresly commanded , and so highly commended of god , as the goodnesse thereof is confirmed by a promise ; the meeke shall inherit the earth . so humilitie is said to purchase gods favour ; for by that one vertue wee become to have a resemblance of him , whose glory it was to disesteeme all glory to fashion us like unto himselfe . now how precious may that exquisite treasure appeare unto us , which conferres so much light on us , as by it wee are brought to know our selves : being strangers , as it were , and aliens unto our selves , till humilitie tooke off the veile , and shewed man his anatomie . so rare was this divine vertue , and so few her professors in former time , especially amongst such whose titles had advanced them above inferiour ranke , as the place which they held made them forget the mould whereof they were made . an excellent historicall demonstration wee have hereof , as wee receive it from venerable bede , who reports 〈◊〉 thus : aidan a religious bishop , weeping for king osuinus , and demanded by the kings chaplaine why he wept ; i know ( said he ) that the king shall not liue long : for never before this time have i seene an humble king. which hapned accordingly , for he was cruelly murdered by oswin . but ( thanks to him who became humble for us ) wee have in these declining dayes , among so many proud symeons , many humble iosephs , whose chiefest honour they make it to abase themselves on earth , to adde to their complement of glory in heaven ; so much sleighting the popular applause of men , as their only aime is to have a sincere and blamelesse conscience in them , to witnesse in that judiciall day for them . these have not ( like those furies of revenge ) hearts full of wrath , but with all meeknesse and long-suffering will rather endure an injurie , than inflict too violent revenge , though they have readie power to effect or performe it . it is reported of thomas linacres , a learned english-man , much commended for his sanctitie of life , that when hee heard it read in the fifth chapter of s. matthew , diligite inimicos ; blesse them that curse you , &c. he brake forth into these words : o amici , aut haec vera non sunt , aut nos christiani non 〈◊〉 o my friends , either these things are not true , or we are no christians ! true it is indeed , that so strangely are some men affected , as they tender revenge equally deare as their owne life : their plots are how to circumvent , their traines how to surprize , their whole consultations how to inflict due revenge , where they have alreadie conceived distaste . and these are those bulls of basan , who rome and roare , and when the prey falleth , they stare on it , and teare it with their teeth . on these men may that of the poet be truly verified ; they feare no lawes , their wrath gives way to might , and what they plot they act , be 't wrong or right . but how farre the disposition of these men may seeme removed from the meeke and humble affected , whose only glory is to redresse wrong , and render right judgement unto all , there is none but may at the first sight apparantly discerne . for these humble and mildly-affected spirits , stand so firme and irremoveable , as no adversitie can depresse them , no prosperitie raise them above themselves . for adversities , they account them with that excellent morall , nothing else than exercises to trie them , not to tire them . and for prosperities , they ●eceive them as they come ; not for much admiring them , as making a profitable use of them ; and with a thankfull remembrance of divine bountie , blessing god for them . these are those impregnable rockes ( as one aptly compared them ) subject to no piercing ; those greene bayes in midst of hoarie winter , never fading ; those fresh springs in the sandie desart , never drying . whos 's many eminent vertues , as they deserve your imitation , ( gentlemen ) so especially their meeknesse , being the first marke i tooke to distinguish true gentilitie . the second was munificence ; that is , to be of a bountifull disposition , open-handed , yet with some necessary cautions , as to know what we give ; and the worth of that person to whom we give . for without these considerations , bountie may incline to profusenesse , and liberalitie to indiscretion . this moved that mirror of roman princes , the emperour titus , to keep a booke of the names of such , whose deserts had purchased them esteeme , but had not as yet tasted of his bountie . so as , it is observed of him , that no day came over his head , wherein he exprest not his princely munificence to such , whose names he had recorded : which , if at any time through more urgent occasions he neglected , he would use these words to such as were about him : o my friends , i have lost this day ! no lesse was the bountie which cyrus expressed , first in words , but afterward in deeds , to such souldiers as tooke his part against his grand-father astiages ; that such as were foot-men , he would make them horse-men , and such as were horse-men , hee would make them ride in their chariots . it is said of the house of the agrigentine gillia , that it seemed as if it had beene a certaine store-house or repository of all bountie . such indeed was the hospitalitie ( esteemed in this iland formerly , one of the apparantest signalls of gentrie ) which was showne to all such as made recourse to that mansion . and because i have accidentally fallen into this discourse , let me speake a word or two touching this neglect of hospitalitie , which may be observed in most places throughout this kingdome . what the reason may seeme to be i know not , unlesse riot and prodigalitie , the very gulfes which swallow up much gentrie : why so many sumptuous and goodly buildings , whose faire frontispice promise much comfort to the wearied traveller , should want their masters . but surely i thinke , as diogenes jested upon the mindians , for making their gates larger than their citie ; bidding them take heed , lest the citie run out at the gates : so their store-house being made so strait , and their gates so broad , i much feare me , that provision ( the life of hospitalitie ) hath run out at their gates , leaving vast penurious houses apt enough to receive , but unprovided to releeve . but indeed , the reason why this defect of noble hospitalitie hath so generally possessed this realme , is their love to the court. their ancient predecessours , whose chiefest glory it was to releeve the hungrie , refresh the thirstie , and give quiet repose to the weary , are but accounted by these sweet-sented humorists , for men of rusticke condition , meere home-spun fellowes , whose rurall life might seeme to derogate from the true worth of a gentleman , whose onely humour is to be phantastically humorous . o the misery of errour ! ●ow farre hath vanity carried you astray ( ye generous spirits ) that you should esteeme noble bountie , which consists not so much in bravery as hospitality , boorish rusticitie ? how much are you deluded by apish formalitie , as if the only qualitie of a gentleman were novell complement ? or as if there were no good in man besides some outlandish congie or salute ? alas gentlemen , is this all that can be expected at your hands ? must your countrey which bred you , your friends who love you , the poore , whose prayers or curses will attend you , be all deprived of their hopes in you ? no ; rather returne to your houses , where you may best expresse your bountie , by entertaining into your bosome , that which perchance hath beene long time estranged from you , charitie . for beleeve it ( as assuredly yee shall finde it ) that your sumptuous banquetting , your midnight revelling , your unseasonable rioting ▪ your phantasticke attiring , your formall courting shall witnesse against you in the day of revenge . for behold the lord commandeth , and he will smite the great house with breaches , and the little house with clefts . returne therefore before the evill day 〈◊〉 distribute to the necessitie of the saints , become good dispensers of what you have received , that yee may gaine your selves grace in the high court of heaven . but as for yee that put farre away the evill day , and approach to the seat of iniquitie ; ye that sing to the sound if the violl , and invent your selves instruments of musicke , yee shall goe captive with the first that goe captive . o misery ! that man with so beauteous an image adorned , with such exquisite ornaments of art and nature accomplished , to so high a ranke above others advanced , should delude himselfe so with the shade of vanitie , as to become forgetfull of his chiefest glory ▪ but experience ( i doubt not ) will unseale those eyes which lightnesse and folly have blinded ; till which happie discovery of youthfull errour , i leave them , and returne to my former discourse . you may perceive now , how requisite bountie is for a gentleman , being an especiall marke ( as i observed before ) whereby we may discerne him . amongst sundrie other blessings conferred by god on salomon , this was not one of the least , in that he gave him a large heart : not onely abundance of substance and treasure to possesse , but a large heart to dispose . indeed this is a rare vertue : worldlings there are , who possesse much , but they enjoy little , becomming subject to that which they should command . the difference betwixt the poore wanting , and rich not using , is by these two expressed ; the one carendo , the other non fruendo . of which two , the greater misery is the latter ; for he slaves himselfe to the unworthiest servitude , being a servant to obey , where he should be a master to command . to conclude this point in a word ; if wee ought to shew such contempt to all earthly substance as hardly to entertaine it , much lesse affect it ; let us make it a benefit , let us shew humanitie in it , by making choice of the poore , on whom we may bestow it . this which we waste in rioting , might save many from famishing : let us bestow therefore lesse of our own backs , that we may cloath them ; lesse of our owne bellies , that we may feed them ; lesse of our owne palats , that we may refresh them . for that 's the best and noblest bountie , when our liberalitie is on such bestowed , by whom there is no hope that it should be required . the third and last marke whereby a true generous disposition is distinguished , is fortitude or stoutnesse : being indeed the argument of a prepared or composed minde , which is not to be dismayed or disturbed by any sharpe or adverse thing , how crosse or contrary soever it come . excellently is this fortitude defined by the stoicks , terming it a vertue which standeth ever in defence of equitie : not doing , but repelling an injurie . those heires of true honour , who are possest of this vertue , dare oppose themselves to all occurrents in defence of reputation ; preferring death before servitude and dishonour . if at any time ( as many times such immerited censures occurre ) they die for vertues cause , they meet death with a cheerefull countenance ; they put not on a childish feare , like that baendite in genoa , who , condemned to die , and carried to the place of execution , trembled so exceedingly , that he had two men to support him all the way , and yet he shivered extremely . or ( as maldonatus relates ) how he heard of those which saw a strong man at paris condemned to death , to sweat bloud for very feare : proving out of aristotle , that this effect may bee naturall . but these , whose generous spirits scorne such basenesse , never saw that enterprise which they durst not attempt , nor that death which could amate them ; where honour grounded on vertue , without which there is no true honour , moved them either to attempt or suffer . but now to wipe off certaine aspersions laid on valour or fortitude : wee are not to admit of all daring spirits to be men of this ranke : for such , whose ambition excites them to attempt unlawfull things ; as to depose those whom they ought to serve , or lay violent hand on those whom loyall fidelitie bids them obey ; opposing themselves to all dangers to obtaine their purpose , are not to be termed valiant or resolute , but seditious and dissolute . for unlesse the enterprise be honest which they take in hand , be their spirits never so resolute , or their minds prepared , it is rashnesse , but no valour , having their actions ever suted by dishonour . sometimes likewise the enterprize may be good and honest ; the cause for which they encounter with danger , vertuous ; the agents in their enterprize couragious ; yet the issue taste more of despaire than valour . example hereof wee have in the machabees , in the death of razis one of the elders of ierusalem , a lover of the city , and a man of very good report ; which for his love was called a father of the iewes . one , who did offer to spend his body and life with all constancie for the religion of the iewes ; yet being ready to be taken on every side , through the fury of nicanor ; who so eagerly assaulted and hotly pursued him , he fell on his sword : yea , when his bloud was utterly gone , he tooke out his owne bowels with both his hands , and threw them upon the people , calling upon the lord of life and spirit , that he would restore them againe unto him ; and thus he died . whence augustine , that devout father , and most excellent light of the church , concludeth , that this was done magnè , non benè , more resolutely than rightly : for hee was not to lay violent hand upon himselfe , though there were no hope of safetie , but imminent danger in respect of the furious and bloudy enemie . now this fortitude , whereof we here discourse , as it is grounded upon a just foundation , so it never ends in basenesse or rashnesse : in basenesse , as in not daring ; in rashnesse , as in too inconsiderately attempting . it is so farre from any act of despaire , as it hopes so long as it breathes ; for to despaire , is to entertaine the extremest act of feare , which is farre from her condition . now to discourse of the aime or end whereto all her actions are directed : it is not any peculiar interest which moves true resolution so much as publike good . for such , whose aimes are glorious , are ever conversant in redressing wrongs , ministring comfort both by advice and assistance to such , whose weaknesse hath felt the power of greatnesse . for as in every good man there is naturally implanted a desire of goodnesse ; so in every valiant man there is a native desire to gaine honour by redressing injuries : yea , admit no honour were to accrue unto him by endevouring to right or releeve such as are distressed , yet for vertues sake ( which is a sufficient reward to her selfe ) he undertakes the taske . for charitie , being a good and a gracious effect of the soule , whereby mans heart hath no fancie to esteeme , value or prize any thing in this wide world beside or before the care and studie of god ; so inflameth a well-disposed man , as his desire is only to doe good , whereby he might in so doing glorifie god , the beginner and accomplisher of all good . now there are many motives to excite men to valour , as may be collected from histories properly and profitably tending to this purpose . but the usuallest motive is anger , being indeed the whetstone of fortitude : or the princes presence ; as wee reade of the macedonians , who being once overcome in battell by their enemies , thought the only remedie to animate their souldiers , was to carry philip being then a childe in a cradle to the field ; thereby stirring up the zeale of loyall and faithfull subjects to defend their innocent prince : and this whetstone so sharpned their swords , that indeed they won the battell . or the renowme of ancestors ; as the people of tangia in america alwayes in their warres carried the bones and reliques of their memorable predecessors , to encourage their souldiers with the memory of them , to avoid and eschew all timiditie . so tacitus reports how the germans inflame their spirits to resolution and valour , by singing the memorable acts of hercules . or the sound of warlike alarmes ; as the nairians in india stirre up their people to battell , by hanging at the pu●mels of their swords certaine plates to make a noise , to animate and incense them to warre . so ale●ander the great hearing antigenida that excellent ●rumpetter sound his trumpet to battell , was stirred up in such sort to fight , that his very friends were not secure from blowes which stood about him . or the passionate effects of musicke ; as s. basil recounteth one timothie to be so excellent in musicke , that if he used a sharpe and severe harmony , he stirred up men to anger , and presently by changing his note to a more remisse and effeminate straine , he moved them to peace : both which effects he once produced in alexander the great at a banquet . or opinion of the enemies crueltie ; as in the yeere appeared in agria a city in hungaria , engirt with long siege by mahomet bassa with an army of turkes amounting to threescore thousand , and battered with sixtie cannons ; in the citie were only two thousand hungarians , who with incredible valour repelled thirteene most terrible assaults : resolved to endure famine , or any extremitie soever , rather than yeeld to their truculent and insatiable desires . wherefore they never came to parley of truce , but to answer their enemies fury with cannons and calivers . at last , when the bassa had offered them many favours , they hung over the wall a coffin , covered with blacke , betwixt two speares , signifying thereby , that in that citie they would be buried . so the turkes despaired of successe , and the hungarians , to their eternall glory and renowne , prevailed : preserving themselves and their citie , whose libertie they defended from the turkes 〈◊〉 . and hence i might take occasion to advance with due deserved praise the glorious memory of such , whose resolution hath had no other ayme , than defence of the truth against those profest foes of christendome ; who have alreadie taken possession of the holy land making the keepers of that sacred sepulchre ( the most blessed monument that ere was erected on earth ) to pay them tribute , whose high-swelling pride is growne to that height , as their empire seemes to labour with her owne greatnesse . o what tender christian eye can behold these wofull distractions in christendome , and abstaine from teares ? to see christian armed against christian , while the common foe of christians laughs at these divisions , taking advantage of the time to enlarge his dominions . o who can endure to see pagans and infidels plant , where the blessed feet of our saviour once trod ? to heare mahomet called upon , where christ once taught ? to have them usurpe and prophane those temples , where he once preached ? to reare them altars for their false prophets , where those true prophets of god once prophesied ? to see mahomets oratorie erected , where the iewish temple was once seated ? to behold his palace in the cathedrall church of san sophia , now become his seraglia ; where stood once the high-altar or communion-table , and patriarchall throne , now made , and so used as a turkish moschie , with uncleane hands polluted , by unbeleeving hearts possessed ? alas for sorrow ! that soveraigntie should so much blind , or desire of command beare so much sway , that christs * enemie should get advantage by our discord . o thrice happie ( and may it be soone so happie ) were the state of christendom , if all civill and unnaturall broiles ( for unnaturall it is for christian to shed christians bloud ) were appeased and ended ! that they with one consent might assaile this common enemie , marching even to constantinople ( once the glorious seat of a victorious emperour ) crying with one voice , downe with it , downe with it even to the ground . and easily might this be atchieved , if christendom would joyne minde with might , that this vncircumcised philistine might bee discomfited , till which time christendom can never be secured . but to conclude this discourse , ( for i feare i have enlarged my selfe too much in my digression ; ) as fortitude is that 〈◊〉 marke which giveth a gentleman his true character , shewing resolution as well in suffering , as acting : my exhortation to our english gentrie shall be , that they so demeane themselves , that their countrey may be honoured by them , true worth expressed in them , and their predecessours vertues seconded , if not surpassed by them . the english gentleman . argument . what education is ; the effects of it . how a gentleman may be best enabled by it . edvcation . education is the seasoner or instructresse of youth , in principles of knowledge , discourse , and action . of all inferiour knowledges , none more behoovefull than the knowledge of mans-selfe ; of all superiour , none more usefull nor divinely fruitfull than the knowledge of god , who for man gave himselfe . by view had of the one , man shall have a sight of his misery ; by view had to the other , man shall finde cause to admire gods mercie . hence that hony-tongued father desired that his knowledge might extend it selfe only to these two : to know god ; to know himselfe . now as the beautie and splendor of the sun is best discerned by his beames ; so is the greatnesse of god best apprehended by his workes . whereof i may say , as simonides did of god , that when he had required but one day to resolve what god was : when the day was expired , he was more unable to answer , than at the first . so as hermes termes the sun-beames of god to be his works and miracles ; the sun-beams of the world to be the varietie of formes and features ; and the sun-beames of man , diversitie of arts and sciences . touching knowledge , it is in god to know all things ; in man to know some things : in beast to know nothing . as we cannot extend to the distinct knowledge of the creator , so let us extend our knowledge above the reach of the inferiour'st of gods creatures . it is written of alcibiades , that hee was skilfull in all things , in all exercises : so that he seemed in every nation to obtaine the conquest , in what prize or masterie soever he tooke in hand . it is not for us to labour the attaining of such exactnesse : vnum est necessarium : one only knowledge transcends all others , the attaini●● whereof makes the knower happie ; as the want if makes man , how knowing soever in all other sciences , most unhappie . for what skills it to have knowledge in reasoning of high and deepe points concerning the blessed trinitie , and want charitie , whereby we offend the trinitie ? let us therefore esteem i● the crowne of our hope , to attaine to the excellent and incomparable knowledge of him who made us , whose bloud did save us , and whose holy spirit daily and hourely shields and shadowes us . next is to know himselfe ; an excellent knowledge grounded on true humilitie : where man shall finde how many things he is ignorant of ; and of these things which he knowes , how farre short he comes of that perfection which is required of him . it was a saying of a grave philosopher , by learning alwayes something , i grow old . now how fruitfully were our time from infancie to youth , from youth to man-hood , from man-hood to old-age employed , if our aymes were so to direct our knowledge , that we might attaine the understanding and knowledge of our selves . then would not selfe-conceit transport us , nor opinion of our owne knowledge entrance us , but we would divinely conclude ▪ we have reaped more spirituall profit by dis-esteeme , than selfe-esteeme . alphonsus of arragon answered an orator , who had recited a long panegyricall oration in his praise : if that thou hast said consent with truth , i thanke god for it ; if not , i pray god grant me grace that i may doe it . the like temper i could wish in each gentleman , who in respect of meanes more than merit , shall many times heare himselfe approved and applauded by such tame-beasts or glozing sycophants , who feed on the prodigalls trencher . let not applause so much transport , or praise so farre remove man from himselfe , as to become ( by the vaine blast of others breath ) forgetfull of himselfe . humbly esteemed hee of his knowledge , who concluded : this i onely know , that i know nothing . nothing in respect of that i should know ▪ nothing in respect of that which is injoyned me to know ; nothing in respect of others who knew farre more than ere i may know . for ( saith bernard ) how canst thou possibly be a proficient , if thou thinkest thy selfe alreadie sufficient ? but alas , how farre hath selfe-opinion estranged man from knowledge of himselfe ; who rather than he will be found ignorant in any thing , will assume upon him a supposed knowledge in every thing ? he will rather lye upon his knowledge , then seeme defective in any knowledge . whence one speaking of the knowledge of mans selfe , most divinely concludeth ; nosce teipsum first descending from heaven to earth , is now ascended from earth to heaven , leaving miserable man admiring his owne feature , as if hee were his owne maker . and whence proceedeth this , but because he hath ascended unto that mountaine , to which the first angell ascended , and as a devill descended ? whereas , if he duely considered those many imperfections whereto he is engaged ; those many debts and bills of errours , which , as yet , are undischarged ; that naturall or originall sinne wherein hee was conceived ; and that actuall sinne wherewith hee is daily polluted ; hee would questionlesse conclude ; what 's man whose first conception's miserie , birth baine , life paine , and death necessitie ? which divine meditation is of power to subdue the whole man of sinne , and bring him under the yea●●●● of obedience , by an incessant consideration had of gods mercie , and mans misery ; which may produce in him a more blessed effect , by extenuating and humbling himselfe , both in respect of the substance or matter of his creation , and in respect of the irregenerate course of his conversation : as also in contemplating the ineffable mercie of the almightie ; whose grace it is , that directs miserable man , and reduceth him from erring ; whose compassion it is , that raiseth him from falling ; and whos● tender mercy it is , that supporteth him in his rising . bu● in my conceit , there is no one motive more effectuall , or divinely powerfull , to bring us to a true and perfect knowledge of our selves , than to observe with what passions or perturbations wee are encountred ; especially when through immoderate excesse , we are in the cup of forgetfulnesse drowned . which saint basil confirmeth , saying : that passions rise up in a drunken man , like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side . which passions are not such as are prevented by reason , and directed by vertue : for these are not altogether to be extinguished , as the stoicks supposed , but to be provoked as movers of vertue , as plutarch teacheth . but rather such distemp●red o● indisposed affections as are suggested to man by his implacable enemies : labouring to undermine and ruine the glorious palace of his deare bought soule . vpon which affections seriously to meditate , were to expell all selfe-conceited or opinion● t● arrogance ; to become humble in our owne thoughts : concluding , that our knowledge is ignorance , our strength w●●knesse ▪ and our wisdome foolishnesse . being ( as one well observeth ) like a spring-locke , readie of our selves to shut , but not to open ; apter to shut grace from us , than to receive grace into us : or like stones upon the top of a hill , by reason of our heavie and earthie nature , readie enough to tumble downe , but without the helpe or motion of another , slow enough to mount up . saint anselme walking abroad in the field , and beholding a shepheards boy , who had caught a bird , and tied a stone to her leg with a threed ; and ever as the bird mounted , the stone haled her backe againe . the venerable old man moved with this sight , fell a weeping pitifully , lamenting the miserable condition of man , who endevouring to ascend up to heaven by contemplation , are detained by the passions of the flesh ; which enforce the soule to lye there like a beast , and not soare to heaven by that pro●er motion , which was first given her by her creator . ●ow to conclude this first point , ( by making a fruitfull use or application of what hath beene already spoken ) i could wish young gentlemen , whose aymes , perchance , are addressed to purchase rather the light freight of forraine fashions , than the precious gemme of selfe-knowledge , to be otherwise minded , by conforming themselves to his * patterne and example , who though he knew all things , boasted not of his knowledge , but abased himselfe to make us rich in all spiritual knowledge . as for such as are puft up and know nothing , but dote about questions and strife of words , whereof commeth envie , strife , railings , evill surmisings , perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes , and destitute of the truth ; we are taught to withdraw our selves from them , because their fellowship is not of light , but darknesse ; their knowledge no perfect nor sincere knowledge , but palpable ignorance ; their wisdome no sound nor substantiall wisdome , but meere foolishnesse . their wayes are not by the stockes of the shepherds , but ragged and uneven wayes , leading their deluded followers head-long to all perdition . deare christians , though i know this point to have beene gravely and exactly handled by many solid and learned divines ▪ whose holy oyle hath beene fruitfully employed in unmasking and discovering these dangerous separatists , who have sowne the seed of pernicious doctrine in the eares of their weake auditory : yet i thinke it not amisse to presse this exhortation further , lest your speedie ruine prevent you of all hope hereafter . beware of these pharisaicall doctors , whose puritie only consists in semblance and outward appearance ; whose doctrine hath ever a taste of pride ; whose counsells ever tend to faction ; and whose wayes are ever antipodes to the truth . these are called prophets , but they are none : being humbl● teachers , but proud doctors . outwardly specious , but inwardly vicious : having faire rindes , but false hearts : having a shew of godlinesse , but denying the power thereof . come from among them and leave them , for their wayes lead to death , and their paths to destruction . saint iohn would not come in the bath● where the hereticke cerinthus was . another holy man ( though most innocent ) could endure to be accounted a whoremaster , an uncleane person , and the like ; but when one called him hereticke , he could beare no longer . wee have here ( thankes to our maker ) more pleasant and delightfull springs to retire to , than these troubled and corrupted puddles , which taste of nothing but pollution . leave these , and love those . where can there be vnitie , where there is no conformitie ? where a holy zeale or compassionate fervour , when nothing is spoke but by the sonnes of thunder ? be yee wise unto salvation ; may godlinesse be your best knowledge ; that , dissolved from this tabernacle of earth , yee may keepe consort with the angells in a blessed harmony , because ye resembled them on earth in mutuall love and unitie . and let this suffice for the first branch , to wit , knowledge : now wee will descend to the second , to wit , discourse , with some necessary cautions very profitable , if put in use , to direct ( or rather limit ) such , whose 〈◊〉 liberall and profuse speech oft times brings them within the censure of indiscretion . democritus calls speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the image of life , because it represents to man the occurrents and passages of his life . now forasmuch as through the subtiltie of time , men use to shroud and conceale their thoughts , by expressing least what they intend most ; speech becomes a darke image , representing man 〈◊〉 as he is , but as he seemes . diogenes wondred that men would not buy earthen pots before they proved by the sound whether they were whole or broken : yet they would be contented to buy men by their speech . the old proverbe used by socrates , and approved by ancient philosophers , was this : loquere ut te videam . subtill purposes were not then shadowed or gilded with faire pretences ; but so simple were their meanings , as they needed no words of art ( meerely invented to delude ) nor the gawdie ornaments of perswasive oratorie to colour them . but to propose some necessary cautions worthy observation of the generous in their discourse ; i would have young gentlemen to beware especially of two errours , usually occurring in subjects of this nature ; affectation , and imitation : the one for the most part arising from our selves , the other from too ardent a desire of imitating others . the first sort generally , are so miserably enamoured of words , as they little care for substance . these are ever drawing a leaden sword out of a gilded sheath ; and will not lose a dram of rhetoricke for a pound of reason : having , as theocrit●● said of anaximenes , a floud of words , but a drop of reason . these are ever talking , till their mint of words faile them , and then of necessitie they turne silent . these will lay themselves open to their professedst enemie , so they may gaine applause , and get the opinion of good speakers , being the onely marke they shoot at . and indeed , these seldome hurt others , but many times themselves : for these are those fooles ▪ which carry their hearts in their mouthes ; and farre from those wise men , which carry their mouthes in their hearts . though discretion of speech be more than eloquence , these preferre a little unseasoned eloquence before the best temper of discretion . and thus much of affectation . imitation tastes no lesse of barrennesse , than the other of phantasticknesse : though i must confesse , this draweth neerer true humilitie , in that it dis-values it selfe , to become a serious observer and imitator of others . but great men especially cannot want imitators , be the occasion never so unworthy imitation . if caesar have an use to hold his necke aside in his discourse or pleading , he shall have one to affect and imitate that deformitie . if vespasian draw in his face in a purse , ( as if it went hard with him ) hee shall have one to represent it , as it were naturally . and , which is of all others most intolerable , so habitually are these grounded on imitation , as they are conceited that nothing can so well beseeme them , as this uncomely fashion which they have observed , and now imitate in others . whereas if they would consider how nothing forced may appeare with that decencie , as when it is naturally descended , they would ingenuously confesse , that this apish or servile imitation detracts much from the worth of man , who should subsist on himselfe , and not relie on others postures . in briefe , that discourse is most generous , which is most genuine : nature may beseeme that , which imitation cannot : but to addresse our selves to imitation of others , in that which even appeares ridiculous in the persons themselves , this inferreth grosse stupiditie . it is an excellent lesson which a holy father giveth to all discoursers , that they should rather be given to heare than ●●ake● and in matters of argument , to assoile a needlesse question with silence . so as cicero preferreth wisdome attired with ignorance , before speech attended by folly . now because the best of discourse tendeth to perswasion , which is the life and efficacie of speech ; and this perswasion consisteth on three parts ; life of the speaker ; truth of the subject ; and sobrietie of speech ; of necessitie these three must be observed , ere we can have our audience sufficiently perswaded . first for the life of the speaker : if speech ( as wee have said ) be the image of life , why should not wee conforme our life to our speech ? wee would be loth to be taxed of indiscretion in our speech ; let us labour likewise to appeare blamelesse and unreproveable in our life . for he that forgetteth to conforme or fashion his life to his speech , his speech to his life , is like unto a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse : for he beholdeth himselfe , and goeth his way , and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was . wherefore gentlemen , of all others , ought to be most respective of their conversation : for a little soile is a great blemish in them , whose education promiseth more than inferiour men . such m●● , for most part , gaine best authoritie or approbation in discourse , who have beene ever observed to speake probably , and not of subjects above the reach or pitch of humane conceit . neither can any thing disparage or lay a deeper aspersion upon the face of gentrie , than to be taxed for fabulous relations . especially therefore should they inure themselves to probable discourses , being such as may gaine them an opinion of reputation , and be a meanes to conferre more authority on their discourse . the second is the truth of the subject , which must needs import much authoritie : for how should wee perswade , where the subject admits no probabilitie of truth ? therefore were it meet , that wee make choice of what wee relate , not maintaining whatsoever we heare by report , for undoubted trut●● for so should wee be made * knights of post to all newes-mongers , being no lesse ready to sweare , than they to report . i have casually fallen into the company of some , whose only relation was noveltie : these would entertaine no discourse but forraine , speaking as familiarly of the states of princes , and their aimes , as if they had new crept from their bosomes . but alas , how ridiculous are these in the sight of judicious men , whose eyes are not so sealed , but they may easily discerne the arrogancie of these , who affect rather to be admired than beleeved ? excellent and proper for our present purpose , is that fable of the fowler and the bird : a fowler having taken a bird in his snare , was humbly intreated by the bird , that he would free her and give her libertie , and shee would requite this courtesie with three good lessons ; which ( if duly observed ) would profit him more than her small body . vpon these conditions , the fowler was contented to release the poore bird , provided , that the lessons were so profitable and usefull unto him , as she pretended . which , in briefe , were these : not to lose a certaintie for an incertaintie : not to give credit to things beyond probabilitie● . nor to grieve for that which is past remedie . these lessons received , the bird was forthwith released : who being now at libertie , and mounting aloft in the aire , and triumphing in so blest a freedome , chanted out this merrie madrigall ; had'st thou knowne the wealth i had , thou would'st nere have let me gone , for it would have made thee glad to enjoy so rich a one . in my bladder there 's a stone , then which , never earth brought forth one of more unvalued worth . this the discontented fowler had no sooner heard , than presently he repented himselfe of so rare and inestimable a losse ; which the nimble bird perceiving , thus replied : how apt's man for to forget what might give him most content ? thou at libertie me set , when i taught thee , to repent nothing how the world went ; nor what crosse ere fell on thee , if past hope of remedie . but thou griev'st thou canst not have what thou canst not get againe : thus thou mak'st thy selfe a slave to thy selfe , and mourn'st in vaine : and long may'st thou so complaine . for my lessons i was free , yet thou keep'st not one of three . the perplexed fowler inquisitive of knowing further , pressed the bird againe ; asking her in what particular he had broken any of her lessons ? to whom the bird , flickring a little with her wings , as one that gloried in her unexpected libertie , answered ; the lessons which i gave thou sleight'st , and weigh'st them but a rash , or else thou would'st not lose one bird in hand , for two in bush. the next was , things incredible nere credited should be , yet thou beleev'st a precious stone worth worlds is hid in me . the last , for things remedilesse thou never shouldst complaine , and now when i am flowne from thee , thou wishest me againe . many excellent moralls are shadowed in these fables , which may deserve observation of the pregnant'st and maturest conceit ; not onely in the subject or substance of the admonition , but in the person which giveth this admonition . where the poets smoothly , but tartly , used to introduce beasts , birds , and such like creatures ; admonishing man , the noblest of all creatures , of his dutie . yea of beasts , they made choice sometimes of the grossest and contemptiblest , as the asse , to expresse the want of consideration in man ; whose diviner parts drowned in the lees of sensuall corruption , or carnall securitie , become forgetfull of that , for which they were principally created . it were easie to enlarge this subject with much varietie of examples ; but my purpose is , in digressions , rather to touch than treat . wee have handled two particulars , effectually moving to perswasion ; the life of the speaker , that it be unreprovable ; the nature of the subject whereof hee speakes , that it be probable . now wee are to descend to the third , which is , sobrietie of speech : an especiall motive to attention , being that which cicero much commendeth , and for which hortensius was much commended . albeit , arguing in sylla's cause , he was taxed by l. torquatus , and called for his too much effeminacie in apparell , as also for his too much action of bodie , not only a common actor , but even a dionysia , who was famous for her moving and wanton gesture . to whom hortensius answered , callest thou me dionysia ? sure i had rather be a dionysia than as thou art , torquatus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : one without learning , barbarous and uncivill . now this sobrietie consists not onely in the pronunciation of speech , but sober carriage or deportment of the body , which indeed addeth no little lustre to discourse . i haue observed in some , a kinde of carelesnesse in their forme of speaking ; which , though it gaine approbation in men of eminent ranke , it would seeme harsh and contemptible in men of inferiour condition . others there are , who can never enter into any set or serious discourse , but they must play with a button , as if they drained their subject from such trifling action : and these , me thinkes , resemble our common-fidlers , who cannot play a stroake , to gaine a world , without motion or wagging of their head , as if they had rare crochets in their braine : but this mimicke and apish action keepes small concurrence with the postures of a gentleman , whose speech as it should be free , native and generous ; so should the action of his bodie admit of no phantasticke imitation or servile affectation , which expresseth little , save a degenerate qualitie or disposition . others i have likewise noted , to conclude their set speeches with winkes and nods , as if the understanding of the whole world were confined to the circumference of their braine : and these usually expresse more soliditie of conceit in the action of their bodies , than the motion of their tongues . for oft-times , through want of matter ( being gravell'd with an affected gravitie ) they are forced to trifle time in impertinences , and leave that matter untouched for which they came . i could wish that young gentlemen would principally observe this lesson , to be sober in arguments of discourse , but especially in reasoning : for there is nothing that darkeneth or obscureth the light of reason , more than the boundlesse effects of passion , which makes a man forgetfull of that he should say , no lesse than indiscreet in that hee doth say . but especially in publike assemblies , where difference of judgements oft-times racke our speeches to a higher pin , ought deliberation to be had : for there we cannot recall so soone what we have spoke amisse , as in private , where lesse premeditation may afford matter of satisfaction . i approve likewise of his opinion , who would have such , whose pleasant conceits minister content to the hearer , if they meane to jest publikely , and force their wits to stem the streame of worlds judgements , ( which , i say , are different , and therefore more observant ) that they use pericles custome , who determining to speake any thing publikely , desired the immortall gods , that no improvident word should passe his mouth . certainly , whosoever he be that speakes and never meditates , may be compared to the uncleane beast , who digests and never ruminates . neither is it hard to gather this , even by their discourse , which consists meerely on ventositie , digressive and impertinent , spending much wind to small purpose : resembling pytheas that foolish orator , who would never leave his babbling . he that meditates before hee be prepared ( saith one ) builds his house before stones be gathered . but sure i am , he that discourseth before he be provided , serves up his dishes before they be seasoned . albeit tiberius be said to doe better in any oration extempore , than premeditate . now i could reduce these discursive motives of perswasion , to two generall heads : to wit , vehemencie of passion ; or instancie of demonstration : and first for vehemencie of passion , here may we produce an apt and proper example . there came a man to demosthenes , desiring his help to defend his cause , and told him how one had beaten him : demosthenes answered him againe , saying : i doe not beleeve this to be true : the plaintiffe then thrusting out his voice aloud , said : what , hath he not beaten me ? yes indeed ( quoth demosthenes ) i beleeve it now , for i heare the voice of a man that was beaten indeed . whence appeareth , what effects vehemencie of passion produceth , expressing her wrongs so well in words , as they enforce beleefe to the hearer . likewise , because examples illustrate , though they doe not prove ; touching instancie of demonstration , we have an excellent one in that of cato : who determined to strike the senate and romans in feare , discoursed at large of the carthaginian warres , aggravating the danger by proper circumstances , which threatned the publike state ; and instancing the ruine of many eminent and flourishing states occasioned by the securitie of their people . but they objecting againe , that carthage was farre from them ; he shewed them greene figs , implying thereby that carthage was not farre distant , for otherwise the figges would have beene dried and withered . these kindes of discourses , seconded by instance , are very moving and perswasive ; for as speech is called the object of the eare , so is such kinde of instance an object to the eye , which must needs be more perswading , because visibly appearing . but we have inlarged this subject too much ; wherefore to draw in our sailes , and apply particularly , what in generall hath beene discoursed : i could wish young gentlemen considerate in what they speak , because speech is termed the index of the minde , and can best expresse him , whether he taste of rinde or pith . now because moderation of the tongue is such an absolute vertue , as it displayeth the wisdome of him that hath it ; whence the wisest of all princes , he that bridleth his tongue is most wise : i must needs preferre discreet silence before loquacitie , for , in much speech there shall want no sinne ( saith solomon : ) whereas silence is exempted from all censure , so it bee mixed with discretion . it is said that pythagoras would desire two things of god ( if the poss●bility thereof could stand with the conservation of humane society : ) that hee might not speake , that he might not eat : for by the one , hee should prevent offence in discourse , by the other , avoid surfet through excesse . whence the poet ; silence is such a soule-entrancing charme , it may doe good , but can doe little harme . albeit that pythagorian silence i cannot approve of , being many times prejudiciall to the publike state : for by silence ( saith the orator ) is errour approved , the lustre of vertue darkned , good and wholesome precepts suppressed ; whereby youth might be instructed , private families directed , all inordinate motions corrected , and the whole structure of this little world , man , rectified and repaired . but especially in divine professors and dispencers of the sacred word , is silence most hurtfull : for these should be shrill trumpets in sounding and delivering the sweet tidings of salvation , the tidings of peace and spirituall consolation . the pastor ( saith a blessed father ) by holding his peace , doubtlesly killeth sinners : that is , when he will not tell the house of iacob his sinnes , nor israel her transgressions ; but cries , peace , peace , when there can be no true peace : for what peace unto the wicked , saith the lord ? so as the word of the lord which came unto the prophet , rouzed him up with this fearfull caveat : if thou givest not the ungodly warning , he shall perish , but his bloud will i require at thy hand . with whom the apostle harmoniously joyneth ; woe unto mee if i preach not the gospell . for in that cause wherein the faithfull and painfull pastor is to please god , he is to sleight the pleasure or displeasure of men . now gentlemen , yee whose education hath engaged you farre in the expectance and opinion of others ; yee whose more generous breeding promiseth more than others ; ye whose nobler parts should distinguish you from others ; let not those innate seeds of gentilitie first sowne in you , as in a hopefull seed-plot , be nipped in their rising : which , that yee may the better prevent , exercise your selves in noble discourses , not wanton or petulant , for these breed a dangerous corruption even in the life and conversation of man. quintilian would not have nurses to be of an immodest or uncomely speech , adding this cause ; lest ( saith hee ) such manners , precepts , and discourses as young children learne in their unriper yeers , remaine so deeply rooted , as they shall scarce ever be relinquished . sure i am , that the first impressions , whether good or evill , are most continuate , and with least difficultie preserved . how necessary then is it , that an especiall care or respect be had herein , that choice be made of such , whose modest and blamelesse conversation may tender you their brests in your infancie , and furnish you with grave and serious precepts in your minoritie ? that your knowledge may be fruitfull ; your discourses usefull ; and your actions in the eyes of the almighty gratefull . of which action , we are now to speake ; being the third branch which we observed in our definition of education . that education is the seasoner of our actions , wee shall easily prove , if we observe the rare and incredible effects derived from it : which , that we may the better doe , you are to know , that every action hath two handles ; the one whereof consists in contriving ; the other in performing . in the former , we are to observe deliberation : whence the orator ; before wee take any thing in hand , we are to use a diligent or serious preparation ; that we may effect what we intend , and more prosperously succeed in that we take in hand . in the latter , is diligence required ; for what is premeditation or preparation worth , if it be not by diligence seconded ? when annibal was a childe and at his fathers commandement , he was brought into the place where he made sacrifice , and laying his hand upon the altar , swore , that so soone as he had any rule in the common-wealth , he would be a professed enemie to the romans : nor did hee infringe the vow which his infancie had professed , but expressed when he came to be a man , what he had protested to performe being a childe . no device unassayed , no stratagem uncontrived , no labour neglected , no taske unattempted , which might conferre honour on carthage , or expresse his mortall and implacable hate to rome . in this one example , we shall see the strength of education : for though annibal had no cause personally given him , to vow all hostilitie rather on rome than any other place ; yet in respect he received his breeding from such as were professed foes to the romans , he seconds their hate , resolving to live and die romes enemy . the like may be observed in the demeanour and conversation of men : in which respect also , education discovereth her absolute power . for shall wee not see some , whose faire outsides promise assured arguments of singular worth , for want of breeding meere painted trunks , glorious features , yet shallow creatures ? and whence commeth this , but through want of that which makes man accomplished , seconding nature with such exquisite ornaments , as they enable him for all managements publike or private ? licurg●● brought two dogges , the one savage , wilde and cruell ; the other trained ; to let the people see the difference betwixt men brought up well , and badly : and withall to let them understand the great good of keeping lawes . now what are these savage and wilde doggs , bu● resemblances of such , whose untrained youth never received the first impressions of a generous education ? these , as they were bred in the mountaines , so their conversation is mountainous , their behaviour harsh and furious , their condition distempered and odious . yet see the miserie of custome ! what delight these will take in actions of incivilitie ! nothing relisheth with them , save what they themselves affect ; nor can they affect ought worthy approbation : for education ( which one calls an early custome ) hath so farre wrought with them , as they approve of nought freely , affect nought truly , nor intend ought purposely , save what the rudenesse of education hath inured them to . these mens aimes are so farre from attaining honour , as they partake of nothing which may so much as have the least share in the purchase of honour . their minds are depressed , and as it were earth-turned : for they aspire to nothing which may have being above them ; neither can they stoope any lower , for nothing can be under them . nor can their actions be noble , when their dispositions by a malevolent custome are growne so despicable . hence it is , that the philosopher saith ; the divine part in such men is drowned , because not accommodated to what it was first ordained . for how is it possible that their affections should mount above the verge of earth , whose breeding and being hath beene ever in earth ? they ( saith phavorinus ) who sucke sowes milke , will love wallowing in the mire : inferring , that as our education hath formed us , so will wee addresse our selves in the passage and current of our life . for as nature is too strong to be forced , so education ( being a second nature ) hath kept too long possession to be removed . she it is , that in some sort moldeth our actions and affections , framing us to her owne bent ; as if wee received all our discipline from her , by whom we were first nourished , and since tutored . but you may object , if education expresse such power , as her first native impressions cannot be suppressed ; how did those men appeare educated , whose first breeding was in mountains , and afterwards advanced to no lesse glory than a diadem ? such were romulus and remus ; that translater of the median empire to the persians , victorious cyrus ; and he who from the plow-stilts was elected emperour , to wit , gordius . surely their education came farre short of that which is expected in the majestie of a prince ; yet what inimitable presidents of renowme were these , shewing much resolution in conquering , and no lesse policie in retaining what they had conquered ? to begin with the first , to wit , romulus ; truth is , he laid the first foundation of a glorious and flourishing state ; yet as his nurse was a wolfe , he plaid the wolfe to his brother . he planted his kingdome in bloud , as his infancie received food from her , whose native disposition affecteth bloud . neither can i be perswaded , that his carriage could be so civill , as that his first breeding left no relique nor relish of barbarisme : especially , when i reade what injuries or indignities were offered the sabines by him , what cruelties were acted upon his owne uncle , what impieties were committed upon the neighbouring heards-men : the multitude whereof expressed how cruelly he was naturally addicted , and that the first seeds which his savage education had sowne in him , could hardly be suppressed . touching cyrus , no question his breeding was not altogether in the mountaines , for he had recourse or resort ( though unknowne ) to asti●ges court , where he received no small bettering in the progresse of his reigne . neither ( as it may probably be collected ) would harpagus permit so great hopes , as were treasured in him , and by all auguries and predictions likely to be confirmed of him , to be destitute of instructions fit and accommodate for so high a person . forels● , how should such excellent lawes have beene devised ; such exquisite cautions for state government provided ; the empire of the medes , with whom it had so long continued , to the persians peaceably translated , and without faction established ? these ( i say ) might probably confirme , how well this victorious shepherd was furnished with all precepts apt to informe him ; stored with all princely habiliments fit to accomplish him ; and exercised in all regall discipline , the better to prepare him against all occurrents that should assaile him . for the last , as he was from obscurity raised , so did he little in all his time that could be worthily praised , being more skilfull in setting of a turnep , than setling of a state ; more experienced in correcting the luxurious growth of his vine , than rectifying those abuses raging and reigning in his time : so as , his small acquaintance in state-affaires , during his minority , made him lesse affected to those employments in his riper years . whereas , if we reflect upon the noble and inimitable exploits of alexander the great , whose fame hath given life to many volumes , we shall see that his princely education gave him such rare impressions of glorious emulation in his father philip , as it raised him to those hopes hee afterwards attained . for where was that enemie he encountred with , that he overcame not ? that citie he besieged and wonne not ? that nation he assailed and subdude not ? yet who more mildly affected , though a souldier ; or more humble-minded , though a conquerour ? which may appeare by that answer of this invincible chieftaine to his mother ; who desirous to execute an innocent harmlesse man , the better to prevaile with him , remembred him , that her selfe for the space of nine moneths had carried him in her wombe , and for that reason he must not say her nay . but what replied he ? aske ( saith he ) good mother some other gift of me : for the life of a man can be recompenced by no benefit . behold a princely disposition lively charactred , having an eye no lesse to saving than subduing ; to receive mercie than to gaine a victorie ; to preserve the conquered than become a conquerour ; to get a friend than to win a field ! which , as it requires a noble and free disposition , not engaged to crueltie , boundlesse ambition , desire of triumph without compassion ; so questionlesse it shewes a composed , civill , and generous education : for these exclaime not with the poet ; omnis in ferro est salus : but esteeme it the most glorious conquest to be subduers of their owne wills , preferring the saving of a life before the gaining of an empire . yet doe i not conclude these men to be exquisite , as if they were freed from all such insulting affections as usually invade the brests of these high aspirers : for so should i renounce the credit and authoritie of all histories . themistocles ( as i have elsewhere noted ) walked in the open street because he could not sleepe : the cause whereof when some men did enquire , he answered , that the triumph of miltiades would not suffer him to take his rest : see the strength of ambition , how powerfully it subdued a man of approved resolution & exquisite temper ! pausanias killed philip of macedon only for fame and vaine-glory : see the weaknesse of a high spirit , whom the least blast of flickring fame could so transport , as to embrue his hands in bloud to gaine him an infamous glory . no , my aime is rather to expresse the noble acts and atchievements of such whose breeding had sh●wne them as well by precept as example , what might best become such eminent personages . hippocrates recounteth of a certaine sort of men , who to be different from the vulgar ( being men more nobly descended ) chose for a token of their nobilitie , to have their head like a sugar-loafe : and to shape this figure by art , when the childe was borne , the midwives tooke care to binde their heads with swathes and bands , untill they were fashioned to the forme . and this artificialnesse grew to such force , as it was converted into nature : for in processe of time , all the children that were borne of nobilitie , had their heads sharpe from their mothers wombe . for the truth of this relation i will not argue much , but sure i am , if art have such power on the outward forme , education , which is termed a second nature , can produce no lesse effect from the inward man. for have wee not read , how divers naturally addicted to all licentious motions , by reading morall precepts , and conversing with philosophers , became absolute commanders of their owne affections ? have they not ( some i meane , and those of place & esteeme ) even in the height of their desires , when opportunitie was offered , an occasion ministred , and all motives to a sensuall banquet mustered , restrained their desires , subjected sense to the obedience of reason , and became kings by not consenting , whereas they had become despicable slaves by yeelding ? yes , and in that more remarkable , that they were heathens , who had no knowledge of god , but directed by the light of nature only . what then may wee imagine might be done by long education and continuall practice , during the time of infancie , which ( as the philosopher saith ) is that smooth and unwritten table , apt to receive any impression either of good or evill ? for which cause , as all times require instruction , so this time especially , because subject to correction ; which moved sundry peeres to send for certaine wise and discreet men to instruct their children during their greener yeeres . achilles had his phoenix , alexander his * calisthenes , alcibiades his socrates , cyrus his xenophon , epaminondas his lycias , themistocles his symmachus : to whom they ought more ( as they themselves confessed ) than to their owne naturall parents : for , from them ( their parents i say ) they received only living , but from these they received meanes of living well . but me thinkes we decline rather to knowledge than action ; let us therefore presse this point a little further , and returne to where wee left . during that prosperous and successive time of victorious sylla , pompey the great , then a young man and serving under him , received such seasoning from his military discipline , as made him afterwards chosen amongst so many brave spirits , to trie the hazard of fortune with the victorious caesar. nor was his judgement inferiour ( if wee may build on the credit of historie ) to his potent adversarie , though fortune made him her slave , triumphing no lesse in the quest of his death , than view of his conquest . themistocles ( whose name as wee have oft repeated , so in all records worthily renowmed ) having beene trained from his infancie in the discipline of warre , became so affected , and withall so opinionate in himselfe of martiall affaires , as being moved on a time at a publike feast to play upon the lute , answered ; i cannot fiddle , but i can make a small towne a great citie . see what long use in experiments of warre had brought a noble souldier to ! his actions were for the publike state ; his aimes not to delight himselfe or others with the effeminate sound of the lute , but to strike terrour in his foe with his sharpe-pointed launce . now what should wee thinke of these , whose more erected minds are removed from the refuse and rubbish of earth , ( which our base groundlins so much toyle for ) b●t that their thoughts are sphered above the orbe of feare ? death cannot amate them , imminent perill deterre them , disadvantage of place or inequalitie of power discourage them ; this is their canto , and they sing it cheerefully : the only health ( what 's ever doe befall ) that we expect , is for no health at all . this might be confirmed by sundry histories of serious consequence , especially in those memorable sieges of rhodes , belgrade , vienna , and many other ; where the resolution of their governours sleighted the affronts of that grand enemie of christendome , the turke , and by their valour purchased to themselves both safetie and honour . thus farre have we proceeded in our discourse of education , which we have sufficiently proved to be a seasoner of action , as well as of speech or knowledge . neither in actions militarie only , but in all manuall arts practised in rome during her glorious and flourishing state : from which even many ancient families received their name , beginning and being . as the figuli from the potters ; the vitrei from the glaziers , the ligulae from the pointers ; the pictores from the painters ; the pistores from the bakers . all which ( as we may reade in most of the roman authors ) had applied themselves , even in the first grounds of their education to these arts , wherein they grew so excellent , as they inriched their posteritie by their carefull industrie . but to speake truly of action , as it is generally taken , neither speech , nor knowledge , of which we have heretofore spoken , can well want it . wherefore demosthenes defining the principall part of an oration , said , it was action : the second the same : the third no other than action . isocrates for lacke of a good voice , ( ●therwise called the father of eloquence ) never pleaded publikely . and cicero saith , some men are diserti viri , but for lacke of action , or rather untowardnesse , habiti sunt infantes . whence it is , that sextus philosophus saith , our bodie is , imago animi . for the minde is ever in action ; it resteth not , but is ever labouring , plotting or contriving , addressing it selfe ever to employment . the like affinitie hath action with knowledge : for barren , fruitlesse and livelesse is that knowledge which is not reduced to action . whence it is , that many ( too many , heaven knows ) burie their knowledge in the grave of obscuritie , reaping content in being known to themselves without communicating their talent to others . but this is hiding of their talent in a napkin , putting their candle under a bushell ; resembling the envious spitefull man , who will not open his mouth to direct the poore passenger in his way , or suffer his neighbour to light his candle at his : for both imply one thing , as the poet excellently singeth ; who sets the trav'ller in his journey right , doth with his candle give his neighbour light . yet shines his candle still , and doth bestow light on himselfe , and on his neighbour too . for this burying or suppressing of knowledge , it may be aptly compared to the rich miser , whose best of having is only possessing ; for that communicative good he knowes not , but admires so much the golden number , as he prefers it before the numbring of his dayes . yea , as it is much better not to have possessed , than to mis-imploy that whereof we were possessed ; so is he in a happier case who never knew any thing , than such a man who knew much , yet never made a communicative or edifying use of his knowledge . as may appeare by the parable of the talents . the contemplative part indeed affords infinite content to the spirituall man , whose more erected thoughts are not engaged to the meditations of earth , but are spheared in a ●ighe orbe . this mans minde , like archimedes ayme , should enemies invade him , death and danger threaten him , inevitable ruine surprize him , his desire is only to performe his taske , and that taske the highest pitch of a soule-solacing contemplation . and this kinde of rapsodie , or intrancing of the soule ( as i may terme it ) ministers unspeakable delight to the minde of that man , who is usually affected to these divine aspirations , as a godly father termes them . yet these contemplative persons , whose retirednesse of estate , immunitie , or vacation from publike government have drawne their affections wholly from the thought of earth or conversing with men ; as they relish more of the cloister , than societie of nature ; more of the cell or frocke , than communitie which affords the most fruit ; so they never extend further than satisfying their owne disconsorting humour . i confesse indeed , their contemplations farre exceed the worldly mans , for his are to earth confined ; or the voluptuous mans , for his are to pleasures chained ; or the ambitious , for his are to honours gaged ; or the deluded alchimist ( whose knowledge is a palpable mist ) for his are to impossible hopes restrained ; yet as profit and pleasure make the sweetest musicke : so contemplation joyned with practice , make the fruitfullest knowledge . to conclude our discourse touching education , on which as the principall'st seasoner of youth , we have long insisted ; may the first seeds of your more hopefull harvest , ( worthy gentlemen ) be so sowne , as they may neither by extremitie of winter , that is , by too awfull rigour , be nipped ; nor by the scorching heat of summer , that is , too much connivencie of your tutor , parched . so may your countrey reape what she hath with long hope expected , and receive a plentifull crop of that which she her selfe , by hopefull education , hath long manured . the english gentleman . argument . of the necessitie of a vocation ; no man is exempted from it ; of vocation in generall ; of the vocation of a gentleman in particular ; and how he is to employ himselfe therein . vocation . vocation is a peculiar calling allotted to every one according to his degree . wherein we are to consider ; first , a necessitie of vocation ; secondly , no exemption from that vocation : and first of the first . in that originall or primitive puritie of mans nature , i say before his fall , there was no such command exhibited , as was afterwards injoyned . for then he was created pure , and deputed soveraigne over a pleasant and flourishing empire , a delightfull eden , receiving no inhibition after so large and ample a commission , save this , that of the tree of good and evill , hee should not eat of it . but when adam had transgressed , this command was forth with directed to him and his sin-stained posterity : in the sweat of his face should he eat bread . then , then , and not till then began adam to delve , eve to spin ; inferring that the sweat of their brows should earne them a living . there were none that did gallant it in the workes of a wormes . there were none that pierced the bowells of the b earth for precious stones to adorne them ; none that had minde of precious c odours and aromaticall sweets to perfume them . in briefe , none held it then a grace to have the out-cast d feathers of birds to plume them ; the very excrements of e beasts to sent them ; the bowels and entralls of f wormes , to cloath them ; the white excretions of g shell-fish to decke them . those leatherne coats were provided to cover mans shame , and doe evince him of h sinne. they were provided likewise to repel the extremitie of i heat and cold , to shelter him against the violence of all seasons . there were other vocations then intended and attended , other labours proposed and sustained , other fashions used and observed than the vanities of this age , where the devill , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that imitating and apish thing , as k damascen calls him , peccati fomenta succendit , kindles those foments of sin to traine wretched man to the lake of perdition . hence it is , that he sets up that vexillum superbiae , to which all the sonnes and daughters of vanitie repaire ; affecting incivilitie before modestie , inquiring after the fashion , not how neat it is , but how new it is . these imagine it a labour sufficient , a vocation for their state and degree equivalent , to spend the whole morne till the mid-day in tricking , trimming , painting and purfling , studying rather to die well , than live well . these are they who beautifie themselves for the stage , to become deluding spectacles to the unbounded affections of youth . they make time only a stale for their vanities , and so prostitute their houres ( those swift coursers of mans pilgrimage ) to all enormous libertie . these are penelopes wooers , gilded gallants , whose best of discourse is complement , or apish formalitie , whose best thoughts reach but to where they shall dine , or the choice of an ordinary ; and whose best actions are but ravishing of favours from the idolls of their fancie . but how farre short come these of that necessitie of vocation injoyned them ? they thinke it sufficient so to attire themselves , as they may become gracious in the eye of their mistresse : whereas that , wherein they seeme to themselves most gracious , to the eye of a grave and considerate man may seeme most odious : as in apparell , we say that onely to be commendable which is comely , that laudable which is seemely : for it is an ornament which adorneth . now how deformed are many of our rayments drawne from forren nations , and as ill-seeming our ilanders , as cockle-chaines agricola's souldiers ? certainly , this attire becommeth not a christian , but such as are prostitutes to the whore of babylon . the garment of a true follower of christ , is innocencie , which , because it cannot be simple or absolute , wee should endevour to lessen our imperfections daily , becomming conformable to his image , who being free from sinne , tooke upon him our sinne , to free us from the guile of sinne , and punishment due unto sinne . let us therefore endeuour our selves , i say , to attaine the reward of our high calling in christ : which that wee may the better obtaine and purchase at his hands , by whom wee expect reward , wee are in the meane time to serve him in our vocation here on earth , that we may reigne with him in heaven . now that there is a necessitie of vocation injoyned all , of what ranke or degree soever , wee may prove by many pregnant places of scripture , inveighing against idlenesse , and commending imployment unto us . amongst which , that of the prophet ezechiel may be properly applied to our purpose . behold ( saith he , speaking of the sinnes of ierusalem ) this was the iniquitie of thy sister sodome ; pride , fulnesse of bread , and abundance of idlenesse was in her , and in her daughters : neither did she strengthen the hand of the poore and needie . againe , in that of the proverbs : he that tilleth his land , shall be satisfied with bread : but he that followeth the idle , is destitute of understanding . againe : he that is slothfull in his worke is even the brother of him that is a great waster . againe , that of the sonne of sirach : if thou set thy servant to labour , thou shalt finde rest : but if thou let him goe idle , he shall secke libertie . againe : send him to labour that he goe not idle : for idlenesse bringeth much evill . this likewise the blessed apostle admonisheth the thessalonians of , saying : for even when wee were with you , this wee warned you of , that if there were any which would rot worke , that he should not eat . for wee heare , that there are some which walke among you inordinately , and worke not at all , but are busie bodies . therefore them that are such , we warne and exhort by our lord iesus christ , that they worke with quietnesse , and eat their owne bread . againe , that serious exhortation of the apostle to timothie , describing the natures of such factious and busie bodies as intend themselves to no setled imployment : but being idle , they learne to goe about from house to house : yea , they are not only idle , but also pratlers and busie bodies , speaking things which are not comely . againe , that expresse charge given by the apostle touching every ones distinct profession or vocation : let every man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called . see here how much idlenesse is condemned , and labour commended ; the former being the mother of all vices ; the latter a cheerer , cherisher , and supporter of all vertues . for wherein may man better expresse himselfe than in the display and dispatch of such offices to the management and execution whereof he was first created ? vertue , as it consists in action , time in revolution , so the maze of mans life in perpetuall motion : wherein non progredi est regredi , non procedere recedere est . it is given to man to labour , for life it selfe is a continuate labour . see then the necessitie of a vocation , being a peculiar labour allotted or deputed to any one person in particular . whence sprung up first the diversitie of trades and occupations , which now by processe of time have aspired to the name of companies , gaining daily new prerogatives , the better to encourage them in their severall offices . it is a saying of cn. bentatus ; that he had rather be dead , than live dead : meaning , that vacancie from affaires , and retiring from such actions as tend to the conservation of humane societie , was rather to die than to live . for life , that is compared to a * lampe or burning taper , so long as it is fed with oyle , giveth light ; being an embleme of mans life , which should not be obscured or darkned , but ever sending forth her rayes or beames both to light it selfe , and others . whence the poet ; life is a lampe whose oyle yeelds light enough : but spent , it ends , and leaves a stinking snuffe . gellius compares mans life to iron : iron ( saith he ) if exercised , is in time consumed , if not exercised , is with rust wasted . so as this rust ▪ which indeed is rest from imployment , doth no lesse consume the light or lampe of our life , than labour or exercise : for our life decayes no lesse when wee are eating , drinking , or sleeping , than toyling or travelling about our worldly affaires . so much of our life is shortned , as wee are even in these things , which preserve and sustaine nature , imployed : thus death creepes on us when wee least thinke of it , surprizing us when wee least expect it . some with ammon carousing , others with haman persecuting , or with sanherib blaspheming , or with belshazzar sacrilegiously profaning , ahitophel plotting , the children mocking , that incredulous prince of israel distrusting , or that rich man in the gospell presuming . few or none with iacob exhorting , with martyr-crowned steven blessing , with the apostles rejoycing , or with all those glorious martyrs , whose garments were deepe died in the bloud of zeale , singing and triumphing . and a good reason may be here produced , why many die so wofully dejected : for how should they cloze their dayes cheerefully , who have spent all their dayes idly ? if they that disobey god , shall plant the vineyard ▪ and others shall eat the fruit ; how may those expect to be partakers of the fruit of the vineyard , who neither obey god nor plant vineyard ? how long have many , whose exquisite endowments were at first addressed for better imployments , stood idling in the market-place , never making recourse to gods vineyard , either to dung or water it , refresh or cherish it ; labouring rather to breake downe her branches , than sustaine it ? how many be there , who will rather imploy whole yeeres in contriving some curious banquetting-house , than one moneth in erecting one poore almes-house ? how choice and singular will the most be in their tabernacles of clay , while the inward temple goes to ruine ? as charles the emperour said of the duke of venice his building , when hee had seene his princely palace like a paradice on earth : haec sunt , quae nos invi●●s faciunt mori . they draw us backe indeed , and hale us from meditation of a more glorious building , which needs not from the inhabitant any repairing . how necessary is it for us then , to addresse our selves to such imployments , as may conferre on the state publike a benefit ? for as wee have insisted on the necessitie of a vocation , so are wee to observe the conveniencies of a vocation . which that wee may the better doe , wee are to consider three especiall things , which as scales or greeses may bring us to the right use and exercise of our vocation . the first consideration is divine , or to god-ward ; the second civill , or to man-ward ; the third peculiar , and to our selves-ward . for the first , because indeed the rest have dependance on it , and could have no subsistence but from it ; wee are to consider by whom we are deputed to such a place or office , 〈◊〉 for what end . the person by whom wee are so deputed , is god , who in his goodnesse as hee hath bestowed an image more noble and glorious on us than on any other creature , so hath he enabled us to execute our place under him with due feare and reverence to his name , ever observing the end for which wee were to such places deputed ; which is , to honour him , and be helpfull unto others who resemble him : which is the second consideration wee before observed , and termed civill , because in civill societie requisite to be performed . by the love of god ( saith a good father ) is love to our neighbour ingendred , by the love of our neighbour is our love towards god increased . now if wee should communicate all that wee possesse unto our neighbours , and want this love , which onely maketh the worke fruitfull and effectuall , wee were but as tinkling cymbals ; we are therefore incessantly to crave of god by prayer ▪ which ( as that godly divine saith ) is to bee numbred amongst the greatest workes of charity ; that he would infuse into us the fervour of his love , by which onely is granted us to ●●●taine true neighbourly love , performing such workes of charitie in our vocation , as we may preserve that union and communion , which members of one mysticall body have one with another . and this love thus planted , cannot bee so silenced or smothered , but it will be discovered , and that by such effects as are usually derived from charitie : for these will not grinde the face of the poore by extortion , or draw teares from ●he orphans eyes by oppression , or sow the seed of dis●ord betwixt neighbour and neighbour by the spirit of contention . no , as they are placed in a vocation , they will shew themselves to all helpfull , to none hurtfull . they will be an eye to the blinde to direct them , a staffe to the lame to support them , a visitant to the sicke to comfort them , a samaritan to the w●unded to heale them , a garment to the naked to cover them , meat to the hungry to releeve them , drinke to the thirstie to refresh them : being all unto all , that by all meanes they might gaine some . these are the effects of this love , which with adamantine tyes becomes linked to the love of god , and to man for god. the third consideration is peculiar ; wherein we are principally to take heed of selfe-love , a vice no lesse fatall than universall . which selfe-love as it hath many branches , or sciens , according to the disposition of the owner , so it produceth no lesse variety of effects . the ambitious man being ever aiming , ever aspiring , thirsteth after honour , and never leaves hunting after it , till hee fall with his owne grandure . his pre-coloured flagge of vanity is displayed , and his thoughts ( so open hearted is he ) as if hee had windowes in his breast , discovered . his agents are weake and unsteady ; his aimes indirect and maligned by envie , concluding his comicke beginning with a tragicke catastrophe . yet see how selfe-conceit transports him , sycophancy deludes him , and an assured expectance of an impossibility detaines him . now see him uncased ; he useth rather with catiline to speake much and do little , than with iugurth to speake little and doe much . he entertaines all with broad-spread armes , and proclaimes liberty , but none will beleeve him . for how should he proclaime , or proclaiming conferre that on others , which he enjoyes not in himselfe ? or how should he enjoy that inestimable libertie , which the earthly-sainted or contented only enjoy ; when he is become a slave to his owne unbounded desires , and through selfe-conceit , is made a prey to his foes deceit , falling in that lowest , where his expectance raised him highest ? yet see whence these effects proceed ! surely from no other spring than that troubled well-spring of selfe-love , which leaves her distressed master engaged to sundry extremes . the like may be observed in the avaritious man ; ( for to these two instances is my present discourse restrained : ) whose misery it is to admire rather than employ what he enjoyes . the difference betwixt the poore wanting , and the rich not using , is by these two expressed ; the one carendo , the other non fruendo . of these it may bee truly said , that their gaine is not godlinesse , but their godl●●●ss● is to reape gaine . and though apparent a losse be to be preferred before filthy gaine : yet they wholly and onely embrace such b arts , trades , or sciences , from which a certaine gaine may bee procured . they know ( and that knowledge makes them more culpable ) that c gaine cannot accrue to one , without losse to another : yet they will rather prejudice another in the greatest , than be an inconvenience to themselves in the least . they have felt by experience , that wealth is a great nourisher of vice , and poverty of vertue ; yet will they erect an idoll to honour her by whom vice is nourished , but disesteeme her from whom many vertuous motions and affections are derived . true it is indeed , that when any d object of profit is tendred us , necessarily are we induced to condescend to the meanes of acquiring that profit . againe , we all seeke profit , and are ( as it were ) haled unto it : yet this is to be intended such profit , as holds concurrence with honesty . they know , ( and wofull it is that they make no better use of their knowledge ) how e gaine maketh men worse : and but for gaine no man had beene evill . for this filthy f gaine accuseth nature , and reproveth us , that our life being so short , should have desires so long , labouring to joyne land to land , when so small a scantling will serve our turne at our departing . they know how truly that sententious poet sung ; g wealth disesteemes all learning , and all arts , faith , honesty , and all our better parts . there is a h native will or inclination to feining and lying in all such as seeke after wealth , and desire gaine . see how servile and ignoble their condition is , whose affections , slaved to private profit , embrace any course how indirect soever , for selfe-love , or selfe-gaine ! that are ever harping upon that of the poet ; i he shall be noble , valiant , wise , a prince , or what he will , that ha's but wealth , no matter how he got it , well or ill . but how farre short comes vulgar opinion of truth , whose judgement is in their eyes or eares , no● measuring man , nor his worth , by those nobler parts within him , but by his wealth or habit , whose best of glory is without him ? little know these earth-worms how they shall be uncased , and with what misery then enclosed . for if they did , they would preferre ( right sure i am ) the inestimable purchase of vertue , before this rust or rubbish , which leaveth the possessor as full charged with care , as his chest stored with coine . vertue is of that noble and unconfined nature , as she k seeketh nothing that is without her ; there is her glory . againe , there can be no vertue which is not l free and voluntary ; there is her libertie . againe , she m subdueth all things ; there is her soveraignty . againe , n fortune gives place to her ; there is her precedency . for o fortune can take nothing away but what she herselfe giveth . againe , they only are p rich which are enriched with vertue ; there is her felicity . so as , howsoever the philosophers axiome be , that riches is a signe of eternall glory ; sure i am , that vertue directeth man in this maze of misery , to the true sight and light of glory . this is that morning-starre sent from that sunne of the morning to direct us ; that brazen wall reared by that brazen serpent to shield and protect us ; that faire lilly of the valley cropt by that fairest often thousand to beautifie and adorne us ; that sweet odoriferous plant budding out of the root of iesse to sweeten and perfume us . what skills it then , if we be deprived of all , possessing vertue●hat ●hat includeth all ? the levites who were chosen for the altar and for gods owne service , were to have no possessions : for the lord was their inheritance . againe , god chuseth the poore for an inheritance of his heavenly kingdome . againe , blessed are you that bee poore , for yours is the kingdome of heaven . and againe , miserable are you rich men , who in your riches have all your consolation . againe , o death , how bitter is the remembrance of thee to that man , whose peace is in his substance ! hence we see the difference betwixt the state and condition of the worldling , whose affections are wholly planted and placed upon earth , and his , whose desires transcend the pitch of earth , having his feet below , but his faith above . the poet very covertly and wittily in derision of such , whose delights were wholly fixed on mould , satyrically concludeth ; not only vertue , winged fame , and honour too , i say , but things divine & humane too , must riches all obey . but to returne where we left ; whence commeth this so avaricious and illimited desire , but only from a selfe-love which these men have to their owne private and peculiar profit ? which that wee may the better p●●vent , being such a shelfe as it endangers the ship that commeth neere it ; we are daily to examine our selves , and observe what especiall affection we are most prone unto : which found out , we are to apply such remedies , or receits , as may best cure such enormities , as arise from the vicious and corrupted source of our affections . now to come to the cure ; because medicines provided and not applied , are fruitlesly employed . are yee naturally subject to vain-glory ? labour to suppresse those motions even in their rising , by becomming vile and contemptible in your owne sight . are yee affected to wantonnesse and effeminacie ? impose your selves a taske , inure your bodies to labour , reserve some houres for reading , as well those exquisite morall precepts of heathen writers , as those blessed patternes of continencie recorded in sacred writ . are ye slaved to the misery of a worldling ? wrastle with your affections , entertaine bountie , affect hospitalitie , so in time yee shall become weaned from base and servile parcimony . to be briefe , as vices are best cured by their contraries , ever oppose your selves to that which your natures affect most ; for this is the way to make you , that were slaves before , commanders of your owne affections : which soveraigntie surpasseth all inferiour command , for by this meanes you command those , who have had the greatest monarchs in subjection . thus have we proposed the necessitie of a vocation , and what especiall rules were to be observed in the undertaking of that vocation : which observed , yee shall conferre no lesse good on your countrey , who expects much good from you ; then yee shall minister content unto your selves , finding all depraved or distempered affections buried in you . and so we descend from the necessitie of a vocation , to inquire whether any from the highest to the lowest be exempted from it . no lesse authenticke than ancient is that position , the higher place , the heavier charge . so as , howsoever that erring opinion which vulgar weaknesse hath introduced , seem approved , that men whom fortune hath made great , may hold themselves exempted from all vocations , because either noblenesse of bloud may seeme too worthy to partake of them , or greatnesse of successe ( little subject to the feare of want ) hath made them too high to stoope unto them : i may safely averre , that of all other degrees , none are lesse exempted from a calling than great men , who set like high peeres or mounts , should so over-view others , as their lives may be lines of direction unto others . hee sinnes doubly , that sinnes exemplarily : whence is meant , that such , whose very persons should be examples or patternes of vigilancie , providence and industrie , must not sleepe out their time under the fruitlesse shadow of securitie . men in great place ( saith one ) are thrice servants ; servants of the soveraigne , or state ; servants of fame ; and servants of businesse . so as they have no freedome , neither in their persons , nor in their actions , nor in their times . first , they are servants to their soveraigne or state , for as they are by place set neere his person , so are they with due and tender respect ever to observe him , in affaires tending to the safetie of his person , and generall good of the state. they are servants ( likewise ) of fame : for howsoever the actions of inferiour men may seeme sleighted with neglect , or clouded with contempt , they are sure to have their deeds bruted by fame , either to their glory or disgrace . yea , these are also eager hunters after fame , preferring opinion before all other inferiour respects , and wishing rather themselves to die , than it should die . whence it was , that anaxagoras telling alexander that there were many worlds ; alexander wept , replying , that he had not wonne one : implying , that his fame , being that which he principally tendred , having scarce yet dispersed it selfe to the circumference of one world ; it would be long , ere it could diffuse or dilate it selfe to many worlds . lastly , they are servants of businesse ; being placed neere the helme of the state : and therefore , like wise and vigilant pilots , must be carefull lest the rudder of the state be not shaken by their securitie . neither is their state so sure , that it should move them to be secure : for men in high places are for most part pursued by many enemies , whose eyes are ever prying into their actions , which they invert , by labouring to bring the state in distaste with their proceedings . now what meanes better to frustrate their practices , than by a serious and cautelous eye to looke into their owne actions ? diogenes being as●●d how one should be revenged of his enemie , answered ; by being a vertuous and honest man. which badge ( i meane honesty ) as it should be the cognizance of every christian ; so should it shew her full lustre or splendour in these persons , whom descent or place hath so ennobled . now these enemies of greatnesse , if right use be made of them , may conferre no small profit to such as they hate . nasica , when the roman common-weale was supposed to be in most secure estate , because freed of their enemies , affirmed , that though the achaians and carthaginians were both brought under the yoake of bondage , yet they were in most danger , because none were left , whom they might either feare for danger , or who should keepe them in awe . this we shall finde verified even in our selves : for tell me , are wee not most circumspect in all our actions , wherein we have to deale with our enemie ? are we not fearefull lest by some inconsiderate or prejudicate act , he take advantage of us , and consequently circumvent us ? so as our enemies may be used as tutors or monitors to instruct us , warning us to be advised what wee undertake , lest they take hold of us in our mistake . there is also another benefit redounding to us , of which it were likely we should be deprived , if we wanted enemies , by whom this benefit is on us conferred . and it is this ; wanting enemies , we many times make of our best friends , enemies . whence oenomademus in a faction in the i le of chios , counselled his fellowes that they should not expell all their enemies , but still leave some in the citie , lest ( quoth he ) being void of all our enemies , we should begin to quarrell with our friends . thus you see , how men of place are of all others least exempted from a vocation ; for as idlenesse would give them occasion to sinne , so by their enemies should they be soone detected of shame : being more subject to detraction in those actions which are their best , than likely to plead a protection for such as are their worst . we may well then conclude this point , with that of a true and noble historian ; in the greatest fortune , there is the least libertie ; for by how much any man is higher placed , by so much is he more generally noted . we say , that there is required the greatest care , where there is the great●st danger : now what danger more presently imminent , or more powerfully violent , than highnesse of place , threatning ruine daily to the possessour ? where honour feeds the fuell of envie , and enmitie ever pursues in chace such as are advanced by fortune : whence our moderne poet excellently concludeth ; studie thou vertue , honour's envies bait , so entring heav'n thou shalt be graduate . how necessary then even in private respects to themselves is circumspection ; not only in labouring to prevent occasions of feare , but the finall and fatall effects thereof ? so may those , whom either fortune hath raised , or noblenesse of birth advanced , say with majestick marius : they envie my honour : let them also envie my labour , innocencie , yea , those admirable dangers which i have passed , for by these was my honour purchased . now then , how should such whose height of place hath raised them above the lower ranke of men , imagine that their place may exempt them from their taske ? offices are peculiarly assigned to all men , and vocations to all rankes of men . whence came that ancient edict amongst the romans , mentioned by cicero in lib. de leg. ( as wee have else-where noted ) that no roman should goe thorow the streets of the citie , unlesse he caried with him the badge of that trade wherby he lived : in so much that mar. aurelius , speaking of the diligence of the romans , writeth , that all of them followed their labour . so as , there was no difference betwixt the patricians and plebeians ; inter f●cem & florem civitatis ( as one well observeth ; ) but an expresse taske was imposed and exacted on every subject . whence it grew that the roman empire became absolute soveraignesse of many other ample dominions : whose flourishing estate ( as it was described to king pyrrhus ) appeared such ; that the citie seemed a temple , the senate a parliament of kings . neither is it to be doubted , but even as god is no accepter of persons so his command was generall , without exception of persons ; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread . albeit i doe not hence conclude , that all are to intend the plough , or betake themselves to manuall trades : for so i might seeme to presse that exposition which a frier once urged against latimer , touching reading of scripture in a vulgar tongue : if the rude people ( objected he ) should heare the scripture read in english , the plow-man when hee heareth , hee that holdeth the plough and looketh backe , is not apt for the kingdome of god ; would thereupon cease to plow any more : and the baker , when he heareth it read , a little leaven corrupteth the whole lumpe ; might be moved not to use leaven at all : and when the scripture saith , if thine eye offend thee , plucke it out ; the ignorant might be perswaded to pull out their eyes ; and therefore it was not good to have the scripture in english. to which objection latimer vouchsafed no other answer than this : he would wish the scriptures to be no longer in english , till therby either the plow-man were perswaded not to plow ; or the baker not to bake . no , i am not so stupid , as not to apprehend how severall places or offices are deputed to sundrie men : how some are appointed for guiding and guarding the state ; others for ranking and ranging powers in the field ; others for teaching and training of youth in the schoole ; others for propounding and expounding the lawes of our realme at the barre ; others for caring and curing of maladies in the bodie ; others for breaking the bread of life , and breathing the spirit of comfort to the afflicted . whence we gather , that of all degrees none are exempted or excepted : a vocation is proposed and imposed , which of necessitie must be by one or other observed and intended . for as in the mutuall offices of our bodie , every member intends that peculiar function or office to which it is assigned or limited ; so in the bodie of the state ( being all members depending and subsisting of that state ) wee are all in our mutuall places or offices to discharge that taske which is injoyned us . wherein i should thinke it convenient , if we observed the selfe-same rule , which the members of our bodie use in the due performance of their offices . for wee see not one of them incroach or intrude into anothers place or employment : the eye it sees , and handles not ; the hand it handles , and sees not ; the palat it tastes , and smells not ; the nose it smells , and tastes not ; the eare it heares , and walkes not ; the foot it walkes , and heares not . and so of the rest : but contrariwise , how itching are men after such employments as least concerne them ? how officious in businesse which least touch them ? the dray-man he will play the divine ; a dayrie woman the physician ; the collier the informer ; the farmer the lawyer . wherein surely , i have observed in the small progresse of this my pilgrimage , no small inconvenience redounding to the publike state. for say , whence sprung all these schismes in the church , these many rents in christs seamelesse-coat , but from those , who of mechanickes became divines , professing to teach , before they were taught ? whence are so many mens dayes abridged , their easie maladies without hope of being cured , but by meanes of these horse-leaches , who gaine experience by the death of their patients , professing themselves artists , before they know the definition of an art ? whence are so many unjustly vexed , so injuriously troubled , but by these base informers , who become disturbers rather than reformers ? whence arise these differences , betwixt partie and partie , but by meanes of some factious and seditious instruments , who like the serpent dipsas , sucke the moisture and verdure of every hopefull plant , building their foundation on the ruine of others ? surely , as we have statutes enacted , of purpose to have such turbulent members duely curbed and censured ; so were it to be wished that such lawes as are to this end provided , were likewise executed : for by this meanes the flourie borders of our realme should bee stored with grave divines , and learned professors , leading their flocks to the greene pastures of ghostly instruction , not to the by-paths of errour and confusion ; with judicious and expert physitians , who are not to learne experience by the death of their patients ; with sincere and uncorrupted officers , whose ayme is not to gaine , but to redresse abuses ; with upright and conscionable lawyers , whose desire is to purchase their clients peace , and not by frivolous delayes to cram their purses . o what a golden age were this ! when each performing a mutuall office vnto other , might so support one another , as what one wanted , might be supplied by another . then should we have no sectists or separatists divided from the unity of faith to disturbe us ; no artlesse quack-salvers or cheating mountebanks to delude us ; no factious brands to set a fire of debate amongst us ; no corrupt or unconscionable lawyers , by practising upon our states , to make a prey of us . then should we heare no ignorant laicks familiarly disputing of the too high points of predestination , rejecting the ordinary meanes of attaining salvation : as may be seene in the synodals or conventicles of many seduced soules , even in these dayes , where some barber is made a cathedrall doctor , to improve , rebuke , and exhort : but how is it possible that ought should be hatched but errour , where singularity grounded on ignorance is made a teacher ? s. basil talking with the emperour valens of matters of religion , and the cooke comming in saucily and telling the holy man his opinion , that it was but a small matter to yeeld to his master the emperor in a word or two ; and that he needed not to stand so precisely in divine masters . which seemed indifferent , or of no moment . yea , sir cook ( quoth saint basil ) it is your part to tend to your pottage , and not to boyle and chop up divine matters : and then with great gravity ( turning to the emperour , ) said , that those that were conversant in divine matters with conscience , would rather suffer death , than suffer one jot of holy scripture , much lesse an article of faith to be altered or corrupted . so carefull have former times beene of the reverence which ought to be had in dispensing the heavenly mysteries of gods word : admitting none to so holy and high a vocation , but such who had vrim and thummim , knowledge and holinesse : beautifying their knowledge , i say , with holinesse of conversation : being not onely speakers but doer● , for no word-men but work-men are fit for the lords vineyard . the like complaint might bee made touching these physitians of our bodies : where artlesse and ignorant handicrafts-men , who perchance upon reading of some old herball , wherein were prescribed certaine doubtfull cures for certaine maladies , will not sticke to professe themselves galenists the first houre : setting out a painted table of unknowne cures to raise them credit . to whom in my opinion , that tale may be properly applyed , which is related of one alphonso an italian ; who professing physicke , wherein his fortune was to kill oftner than he did cure ; one day as he and his man nicolao rode on the way , he might see a great multitude of people assembled upon a hill ; whereof being desirous to know the cause , he sent his man nicolao to inquire further : who , understanding that there was one to be executed for committing a murder , put spurrs to his horse , and running with all speed to his master , wished him to flie : wherewith alphonso not a little astonished ; demanded the cause : why master ( quoth nicolao ) yonder is a poore wretch adjudged to die for killing one man , and you in your time have killed an hundred . neither are wee lesse to grieve for the pressures which burden our state by such , who sow the seed of discord betwixt neighbour and neighbour , supporting champertie and emoracerie in buying of titles , maintaining suits out of a contentious or turbulent disposition . which enormities , as they are by apt and necessary lawes thereto provided , duly censured ; so were it to be wished , that for example sake some one , whom the impunitie and indulgencie of this time hath made too presuming , were punished according to the extremitie of the law thereto provided : for then should wee enjoy those happy halcyon dayes , wherein basil the emperour of constantinople lived : who , whensoever he came to his iudgement seat , found neither partie to accuse , not defendant to answer . to this end then and purpose tendeth our present discourse , that as a peculiar vocation is deputed to every one in this pilgrimage of humane frailtie ; so he should not intermix himselfe in affaires or offices of different nature . a man may be excellent in one , who cannot be exquisite in many . let us then so addresse our selves , as wee may be rather fruitfull in one , than fruitlesse in many . doe wee feare by being excellent in one to purchase hate of many ? let us sleight that hate which is procured by good meanes ; for so long as we live here , sometimes adverse fortune will crosse us , oft times envie curbe us : but where the minde hath given way to the infirmities of nature , and beares with a prepared mind whatsoever may be inflicted on her , shee makes no account of detraction ; for that vertuous resolution which is in her , doth daily more and more raise and advance her . neither are wee to be strong in tongue and weake in act ; as those , whose only valour is vaunting , and honour verball glorying : for of all others , such men are the slothfull'st , whose force and power is wholly seated in the tongue . no , rather let us know that vertue consists in action , which by long habit becomes more pleasant than the habit of vice , whose vaine delights tender no lesse bitternesse in the end , than they did promise sweetnesse in the beginning . agendo a●dendoque res romana crevit . let our eare , as it is a sense of instruction , become a light of direction : for then wee heare with profit , when wee reduce what wee heare to practice . thus you have heard both of the necessitie of a vocation , and how none is to be exempted from a vocation : wherein , gentlemen , i could wish , that as birth and breeding have advanced you above others , so you would shew such arguments of your birth and education , as may make you seeme worthy of a glorious vocation ; expressing such exemplary vertues in your life , as might gaine you love even in death . and so i descend to speake of vocation in generall ; wherein i will be more briefe , because i have partly glanced at it in our former discourse . vocation may be taken equivocally or univocally : when wee speake of vocation in generall , it is equivocall ; when of any speciall vocation in particular , it is univocall . without vocations no civill state can subsist ; because idlenesse maketh of men women , of women beasts , of beasts monsters . it was one of the sinnes of sodome , as wee may reade in the prophet ezekiel . it was that which brought david the anointed of the lord , nay the man after gods owne heart , to commit adulterie . it was this which moved salomon to bid the sluggard goe to the pismire to learne good husbandry . to be short , it was this which moved the prophets to denounce judgement upon the flourishing'st cities , for their securitie . how necessary then is it for all estates to be carefull , lest they incurre a heavy and fearfull censure , to addresse themselves to especiall vocations , beneficiall to the state , and pleasing to god , whose glory should be our aime , without any by-respect unto our selves ? wee shall see in most places both at home and abroad , how such trades or vocations are most used , as may best suit with the nature and condition of the place . as in our port-townes trafficke and commerce , conferring no lesse benefit to the state by importance , than profit to other countries by exportance . againe , in our townes lying further within land , the inhabitants use some especiall trade to keepe their youth in labour ; whereby they become not only beneficiall to themselves , but usefull and helpfull unto others . amongst which , i cannot be unmindfull of the diligence of the towne of kendall , and worthy care which they have to see their very young children put to work , being a labour which requires no great strength , to wit , wooll-worke . wherein , so approved hath their care and industrie beene , as they have gained themselves no small esteeme in forraine places , who are made partakers of the fruit of their labours . for i have known a familie , consisting of seven or eight persons , maintained by the work of two or three stones of wooll , which amounted not above thirty shillings : and with this they maintained credit , living in an honest and decent manner . whose labours as they were laudable , so have they beene no lesse furthered , favoured , and encouraged by our late gracious soveraigne of renowmed memory ; who , of his princely clemencie , hath dammed all such impositions or heavy taxations as might any way impaire or impeach the free use of that trade . albeit now of late , the towne of kendall , so famous for wooll-worke , by reason of a late decrease or decay of trade in those parts , is growne no lesse penurious than populous : so as ( with griefe i speake it ) such inhabitants as formerly by their paine and industrie were able to give an almes at their doore , are now forced to begge their almes from doore to doore . the redresse whereof , as it hath beene by the prince and those prudent guides and guardians of our state , the lords of his privie counsell , duely intended ; so no doubt , but by their wise care it shall be accordingly effected , & those poore people after so many miseries sustained , wholly releeved ; to the advancement of gods glory , the supportance of many a needfull family , and the succeeding renowne of his majesty , to whom every subject oweth his life , love and loyalty . the like commendation i could give to the copperworkes used in the north ; more especially about keswicke , where divers dutch-men being planted , have for many yeares expressed no lesse judgement than industry in sundry excellent and choice experiments , which to their succeeding fame may perpetuate their memorie . for these , like cunning and experienced artizans , have to doe in the bowels of the earth , whence they digge copper , which with incredible paines they bring to the hammer . for so steepe , ragged and cliffie are those mountaines , whence their copper is digged , as it might seeme a matter of impossibility to effect so intricate a worke ; but so infatigable are the labourers which they employ , as their patience in suffering is no lesse to be commended , than their skill in contriving to be admired . but to speake in generall of all vocations , sciences , or mysteries : wee are ever to observe the place and conveniencie thereof , that we may the better appropriate some especiall vocation according to the necessity and conveniencie of the place . as ship-masters in places of trafficke and navigation ; sheep-herds , graziers and farmers , in places of plantation : according to that ancient proverbe ; gardiners in thessalie , horsecoursers in barbary . now if you should object touching the difference of vocations , that some are more necessary than others : yea such as now seeme most necessary , have formerly ( as may appeare ) beene held trades of indifferency : my answer is , i grant it ; yet not so altogether as some might object against the necessity of a smiths trade , by alleaging that of the prophet samuel ; there was no smith found thorowout all the land of israel . for this did not inferre that smiths were of least use or imployment in israel , but rather the necessity of them made so few amongst them , as may appeare in the latter part of the verse : for the philistines said , lest the hebrewes make them swords or speares . here see the cause why there were so few in israel , because they would have beene most usefull and behooffull to the people of israel . for this cause were they banished , slaughtered and deprived of all meanes to assist their distressed country , whose people hid themselves in caves , and in holds , and in rocks , and in towers , and in pits . for the first invention of trades , arts or sciences , as they were in time and by degrees brought to perfection , so had they proper and peculiar persons , from whom they received their beginning and foundation . for example , tillage from cain , pasturage from abel , vintage from noah , navigation from zabulon , brazery or smith-worke from tubal-kain , musicke from iubal ; which by succession of time came to such perfection as they are now in . the satyre at the first sight of fire , would needs have kissed and embraced it , but prom●theus checked him . so highly admired were things unknowne , and so familiarly imployed being once knowne . the like we may imagine at the first rising of trades , what difficulties attended them , and what imperfections were incident to them ; being like the beares whelpe , ever in licking , before they came to perfecting , ever in renuing and furbushing , ere they came to such furnishing as they now expresse . yea , if we should make recourse to al such scholasticke sciences or vocations ( if i may so terme them ) as have the name of liberall sciences : wee shall finde that in their infancy or minority , there were many defects and blemishes in them , having not as then attained that heighth or growth , which they have acquired at this day . for then wee had not a quintilian to play the grammarian ; a subtill scotus to play the logician , an eloquent cicero for a rhetorician ; a learned euclid for a mathematician ; a studious archimedes for a geometrician ; a famous hippocrates to renowme a physitian ; a sense-ravishing orpheus to eternize the musitian . many conclusions were then to be sought and explored , ere such perfection as wee now enjoy could bee attained . for to instance grammar ; how long may we imagine , and tedious might the taske bee , ere so many rules could bee so aptly digested and disposed ? how long before such rules could be by authority of so innumerable authors approved ? how long being approved , before they could so generally and without opposition be received ? the like may be spoke of logicke , which is rightly termed the locke of knowledge , opened by the key of art : what subtill and intricate sophismes ? what formall and effectuall conclusions ? what rules of art to direct them in the maine current of their proceedings ? those foure questions produced by arist. in his posteriors , how fit are they to be observed in the managing of every subject : quid nominis , quid rei , qualis sit , propter quid sit ? likewise his distinction or division of places ; topicall or rhetoricall , called insita , being intrinsecally ingraffed or inserted in the nature of the thing : also places derived ab antecedentibus & consequentibus ; as , the sunne hath shone , whence it followeth , that day hath appeared ; the sunne is set , whence it followeth that night is approached . also places derived a comparatione majorum , minorum & aequalium . as if christ washed his disciples feet , much more ought we to doe the same one to another . likewise in those locall circumstances , very necessary for searching and discussing the truth of any matter ; who , what , what time , and where , how , why , what helps were there . why ; as the offence was more blame-worthy in iudas ▪ than if it had beene done by any other , being his disciple ; and so of the rest . all which , as they tend properly to the office of an orator ; so minister they no little elegancie even to our familiar discourse : wherein wee most commonly ( though wee observe not so much ) use some one of these places , to aggravate or extenuate the subject whereof wee speake . the like also of rhetoricke ; what perswasive inductions , what powerfull arguments are there to be found ? the definition whereof , if wee should expresse in one word , it is , to make great things little , and little things great . after aeschines being banished athens , was come to rhodes , he declared in an oration the cause of his exile ; the rhodians no lesse satisfied with the pregnancie of his reasons , than ravished with the elegancie of his phrase , wondred at the athenians who had banished him so undeservedly . o ( quoth he ) you heard not what demosthenes answered to my reasons ! this moved philip of macedon in a treatie of league betwixt him and the olynthians , to demand of them their orators ; little doubting , but having once deprived them of the stayes and supporters of their state , by receiving them as hostages , he might quickly receive the province into his subjection . it is above imagination to consider of the rare effects derived from moving or perswasive rhetoricians , resembling in some sort passionate actors ; who to move passion , such an order keepe , as they feigne teares to make their hearers weepe . now the difference betwixt actors and orators ( saith cicero ) is , that the one intermixeth levitie in their action , to make their hearers laugh ; the other use all gravitie , authoritie , & serious arguments ( with a gracefull insinuation ) to perswade . wherefore those are accounted ridiculous , these esteemed prudent . neither is this excellencie of theirs only in passion or efficacie of perswasion , but in a subject of more admiration : which is , they can make blacke seeme white , and cloath that which in the eye of the world seemes most deformed , in a beautifull habit . which art polycrates that athenian rhetorician had , who praised the tyrant busyris ; the like had seneca , who praised the dissembling claudius ; favorinus , who commended the deformed thersites ; no lesse elegant was * maro in commending his gnat ; lucian a flie ; apuleius his asse ; also favorinu● a quartan ague ; glauco , injustice ; synesius , baldnesse ; lucian , flatterie ; erasmus , follie. which elegant paradoxes they have so wittily and perswasively handled , as they gained more approbation , than if they had beene themes commonly received : for there is no discourse , of what nature soever , that can comparably delight the reader or hearer , like these which seeme opposite to opinion generally received , yet by strong and effectuall reasons use to be proved and maintained . neither was this rhetoricall art lesse required in the campe than in the court : for if wee should peruse histories both of ancient and succeeding times , we should finde what rare effects were brought to passe by this smooth inducing art of rhetoricke . how souldiers became animated by hearing their leader play the orator , in extenuating the enemies power , in proposing assured hopes of victory , and putting them in minde of their ancestors glory : againe , in shewing them the benefit of a rich booty , promising them much honour if they live , and no lesse memory of their valour if they should die . the like ( to descend to all those arts whereof wee have formerly spoken ) may be said of the rare and admirable effects of the mathematicks : what singular conclusions have beene drawne from thence by the line of art ? what secrecies above humane conceit have beene drained and derived from that mysterious knowledge ? wherein many have offended rather by being too curious , than by being too little solicitous . whence it was , that euclid being demanded by one too inquisitive in the secrecies of heaven , touching a question , which ( as he thought ) was more profound than profitable , he answered : surely i know not this , but thus much i know , that god hateth such as are curious searchers after his secrets . i might here produce the basis on which the studie of the mathematicks is grounded , as also the exquisite and admirable effects or conclusions from thence derived , but i hasten to the rest . the power of geometrie was shewne sufficiently in that studious artist archimedes , who by his owne proper power repelled the whole force of marcellus and all his army , laying siege to syracusa : so as it was imagined that this one man did more good in defence of the citie by his art , than all the rest of the inhabitants did by the force of armes . neither had marcellus ( as it was generally thought ) in long time prevailed , although the city was in most places razed and ruined , if it had not beene by false and trecherous meanes privately yeelded and betrayed . where this mirror of his time , the famous archimedes , was suddenly in his studie surprized , and by a common souldier much against marcellus will ) cruelly murdered . touching physicke , what rare cures have beene wrought by such excellent and expert artists as have professed this knowledge ? it is wonderfull to read , what perfection mithridates attained in this profession , being the first that found and gave name to that knowne receit against all poison , mithridate : with which he so inured his body , to repell the force of poison ; as in his ebbe and decrease of fortune , when he had lost in one houre what he had in so many yeeres gained , being deprived of all meanes to cure his miserie , he laboured to finde a way to end his miserie , and that was to deprive himselfe of life ; which the better to effect , hee drunke poison ; but so strongly had his former receits fortified his body against such banefull effects , as it would not worke , nor as he expected , produce that tragicall issue with him . the rare cures of dioscorides ; the admirable experiments of hippocrates , to them that shall but peruse their workes , will confirme the excellencie of this art : where the one concludeth , that art is long , life short , experience deceiving : implying , that so rare an art could not be attained , but by much industrie ; life being so short , and a very embleme of frailtie , was to be used tenderly ; and experience being so deceiving , was to be put in practice carefully . they give us this precept ; in sicknesse to respect health principally , and in health action . health , that we might be made for action ; action , that wee might the better preserve our health . lastly musicke , the first beginning or invention whereof , as it merits admiration ; so the perfection of it , at this day deserves applause : finding an open torteise on the ground , from it the art of musicke first was found . so observeth du bartas ; which indeed may rather be limited to one kind of instrument , whereto the torteise may seeme to have resemblance , that is , the lute . pythagoras chanced once into a company of drunkards , where a musitian ruled their lascivious banket : hee presently commanded him to change his harmony with a dorion , ( or an heavier tone ) and so with this tragicke melodie moved them to cast off their garlands , ashamed of whatsoever they had done , being brought by the accent of grave and solemne musick to sobrietie . whence it was , that aristotle forbiddeth in his common-wealth certaine lascivious musicke , and alloweth the doricall , which is of another kinde . the arcadians by musicke were transformed from savage and barbarous people to civilitie , and transported ( as it were ) from the violent current of naturall crueltie , to affabilitie and courtesie . shall we descend to some diviner effects of musicke , confirmed by holy writ ? saul being vexed with an evill spirit , when david played upon his harpe , he was comforted , and the evill spirit departed . musick causeth mirth and moane ; divine mirth , as appeareth in salomons songs ; a holy turtle-like moane , as appeareth in ieremies lamentable threnes , davids penitentiall psalmes . elizeus prepared his spirit to receive the influence of prophecie by musicke . when israel had passed the red-sea , moses with the men , and miriam the prophetesse , sister of aaron , with the women , sung panegyries of praise to god , with hymnes and musicall instruments . the like did iudith , when shee had vanquished holofernes . so did deborah , when sisera was discomfited . augustine reports of himselfe , what comfort he cōceived at the beginning of his conversion ; what teares he shed , and how he was inwardly moved with the harmonie and melodie which was used in churches : yet thought that holy father ( as he rightly thought ) that hee offended when hee was delighted more with the note and melody of the song , than sense of the psalme : and therefore highly commendeth saint athanasius , who caused the reader of the psalme to sound out the words with so small a forcing of his voice , as it seemed rather like one that did pronounce it , than one that did sing it . but i feare me , i have strucke too long on this string ; wherefore , lest i should wrong your generous patience too much , for whom i addressed my selfe at first to this task : i purpose now to descend from speaking of vocation in generall , to speake of the vocation of a gentleman in particular ; hoping to make amends by refreshing you in this , whose patience i have so much tired in the other . now are wee to addresse our selves in a more restrained and particular discourse , to propose a gentleman his vocation ; which , perchance , by our nicer and more curious gallants , whose sense consists in sent , will be distasted and dispalated : but to such , whose understanding consists not in perfumes , nor tye themselves to the vaine garbe of complement , as the onely posture whereon gentry relyes , these ensuing observations will not ( i assure mee ) seeme altogether unwelcome . s. bernard writing to one haimericus , chancellor of rome , in his very first salutation , without further insinuation , wisheth him to forget those things which are behind , and to follow the apostle to those things which are before . which no man can doe , that either stands still , or is idle . wherefore hermes saith generally , nothing in the whole world is altogether idle . the wiseman hath allowed a time for every thing else , but for idlenesse he hath allowed no time . moses arke had rings , and barres within the rings , to signifie that it was not made to stand still , but to be removed from place to place . iacobs ladder had staves , upon which hee saw none standing still ; but all either ascending or else descending by it . ascend you likewise to the top of the ladder , to heaven , and there you shall heare one say , my father doth now worke , and i worke also . whereupon basil noteth , that king david having first said , lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle ; addes then , not he that hath wrought righteousnesse heretofore , but he that doth now worke righteousnesse ; even as christ saith , my father doth now worke , and i worke also . descend you likewise to the foot of the ladder , to the earth , and there you shall heare that fig-tree accursed , which did beare leaves and no fruit . whereupon theophylact noteth , that iohn baptist having first said , the axe is laid to the root of the tree ; addes then , not every tree that hath not brought forth good fruit heretofore : but , every tree that doth not now bring forth good fruit shall be cut downe , even as that fruitlesse fig-tree was cut downe , and cast into the fire . therefore wee must so walke , as god seeing our continuall fruitfulnesse , may say of us , i see men walking like trees . men walke like trees , when men are never idle , but alwayes abounding in the worke of the lord : as the tree of life every month bringeth forth twelve manner of fruits . but that i may the better proceed in that which i have taken in hand ; you are to know , that the life of man is either active or contemplative , so as all our imployments have relation to the one , or to the other . which two were represented in mary and martha . the one whereof was very attentive , sitting at iesus feet , and heard his preaching : but martha was cumbred about much serving . the former sitting at iesus feet , hearing him preaching , may signifie likewise the spirituall man , whose actions , affections , motions and intentions , are wholly bent to the service of god , leaving all things to gaine him , who left his life upon the crosse to save him . the latter being cumbred about many things , signifies the naturall man , who betakes himselfe to the imployments of this life , ministring to the necessitie of his family , labouring with his owne hands to get him a competent living . neither are these to be divided one from the other , partaking indeed so neerely one of another . for as we are not altogether to imitate the hermite or anchorite in being wholly retired from the world ; so like the libertine or loose worldling are we not too much to be cumbred or intangled with the world . for the first , as it implyes a kinde of hate to humane societie ; so the latter inferres our too much care to the things of the bodie . now to observe that golden meane , which may free us ●●om being taxed by the one , or tainted with the other : ● doe thinke it fitting , that gentlemen should be sociably affected , ever with a reservancie , with whom they keepe company ; likewise from worldly affections weaned , that being on earth they may have their minds seated above : being ( i meane ) so free in the inward man , as rather than they will slave the noblest motions of the soule to the unworthy bondage of the body , they will endure want , contempt , or whatsoever the blinde world can lay upon them . the vocation of a gentleman , without more curiositie of division , is either publike or private . publike , when imployed in affaires of state , either at home or abroad : at home , either in advising or acting ; abroad , as by way of embassage , or personall exploits in the field . private , when in domesticke businesse he is detained , as in ordering his household ; or if not as yet attained to the name of housholder , in labouring to know such things as may ripen his understanding when he comes unto it . touching the first , to wit , publike affaires of state ; as all are not fit for such a charge or burden ; so there is a necessitie injoyned such , who are able to undertake so great and weightie a taske , to submit themselves willingly to the command of their soveraigne , whensoever his pleasure shall be to make triall of their sufficiencie in affaires of state. in the carriage whereof , divers necessarie cautions have beene formerly observed by statesmen . as first , to avoid all occasions of distrust , never to shew too much inwardnesse with forraine states : for this may beget a suspect in your prince , that your aymes are neither faire nor loyall . it was this which broke byrons necke : being accused to have had conference with one picote , borne at orleans , and fled into flanders to have intelligence with the arch-duke , to which picote he had given an hundred and fifty crowns for two voyages to that effect . likewise it was objected against him , that he had treated with the duke of savoy three dayes after his comming to paris . likewise the intelligence he had from the duke of savoy in the taking of bourges , giving him advice to attempt against the kings armie . likewise that hee should bring the king before saint katherines to be slaine there : and to that end had written to the governour , giving him some tokens to know his majestie . likewise , that he had sent la fin to treat with the duke of savoy , and the count of fuentes . to which , although he replyed , and in some sort purged himselfe , yet those treaties or parlyes which were proved against him , shewed him guiltie of divers indirect proceedings against him . it is dangerous therfore to entertain conference with strangers in matters of state : for howsoever your aymes may be faithfull and honest , such treaties may be so racked and misconstrued by such as maligne your greatnesse , as they will bring you in danger , if not to finall distresse . it is no lesse dangerous to one imployed in affaires of state , to be too credulous ; and that in two respects : either by being too credulous in giving trust to the relations of others , or by being too credulous in imparting his thoughts to the secrecie of others . for the former , it detracts much from the worth and estimate of man , yea ( and if i may so say ) argues great indiscretion to have an care open to all reports , seconding whatsoever is related , with an opinion of credulitie . for such as these , whom either greatnesse of place by descent , or some more noble and native characters of personall worth have advanced , need not want for relaters in this kinde , especially if they finde them apt to beleeve whatsoever they shall be readie to report . neither are any sort of men more subject to the garbe of strange and novell relations than travellers : who may arrogate to themselves a libertie of invention in this kinde , by authoritie . whence it is said , that travellers , poets and lyers , are three words all of one signification . now there is no meanes better to avoid the company of these fabulous relaters , than by interrupting them , or by requiting their tales ( to argue their incredibilitie ) telling stories farre more strange , and indeed beyond the compasse of common sense . : whereof i have heard a merry conceited tale to this effect : a certaine traveller , or at least one who desired though he never deserved that title , reporting wonderfull and incredible things which hee had seene in his travell , amongst the rest related this : vpon a time it befell ( said he ) that i travelled along a certaine desart in arabia felix , where i with others who then accompanied me , were assailed by a violent showre , so as labouring to flie for shelter to some covert , wee might perceive a little coppice , wherein grew great store of cabbages of such huge proportion , as the very leaves thereof ( so largely extended were the spurges ) might by their greatnesse give shadow to five hundred men . this tale being told , one amongst the rest , to answer his tale , makes this reply by way of discourse upon such occurrents as had hapned him in his travell , proceeding thus ; it fortuned that i with some other gentlemen of eminent ranke and quality , travelled neare the riphean mountaines , in the clifts of which mountaines abundance of all metalls , but especially of copper , is daily found : now as we coasted along , we might perceive some three leagues westward from those mountains , a great number of people beating and knocking with incessant labour , but for what end wee knew not : wherefore with one consent we resolved to approach neerer them , and see about what they so eagerly laboured . where we found five hundred braziers making of one caldron , which was of so huge proportion , as not any one of all those braziers , though they were all employed in one worke , could heare one another strike . good god ( quoth the former traveller ) for what use was so huge a caldron made ? surely ( replyed the second ) i cannot imagine for what use it should bee , unlesse it were to boyle your cabbage in . this present and pregnant answer so daunted that fabulous traveller , as he was ever after more sparing in discourse of his travells . a states-man ought likewise to beware of giving credit to all forra in relations : for divers there be who presuming of the distance of place , will invent and vent their inventions to curry favour : having so couched and digested their new-minted newes , as they passe for currant , at least they seeme probable for the present . and herein certainly have many beene abused , giving approbation to what was spoken onely by way of insinuation . the second respect , wherein a states-man ought not to bee too credulous , is this ; hee must not bee too open brested in imparting his thoughts to the secrecy of others . for if we say , that even a private man committing his secrecy to another , becomes his slave to whom he committed it : much more a states-man , whose affaires have no other limit than the publike state , by imparting his thoughts , or rather laying himselfe open to the trust or secrecy of others , makes himselfe bound , where he was before free ; yea , he endangers the body of the state , wherof he is an especiall member , by commending or committing her private intendments to the hazard of rumour , which should not be so much as possessed of the least intelligence given in matters of such maine importance . to be full of chinks in affaires of ordinary consequence , implies a great weaknesse : but especially , where the state is interested , there is injoyned that comicke impreza : if wise , seeme not to know that which thou knowest : at least , divulge not thy secret'st thoughts to the danger of discovery , whereby thou put'st thy head under anothers girdle . he is my deare friend ( saith one ) to whom i will impart my inferiour aimes ; but he shall be incorporated with mee , to whom i will make knowne what may endanger me . the like is requisite to bee observed in affaires of state : where all counsells and consultations tending to the safety and security of the publike state , should be laid up as a secret treasure , and not discovered to every mans trust . this that prudent and politicke statesman , harpagus rightly understood , when in disclosing a secret of state unto cyrus that persian monarch , hee commanded such letters as included the summe of his directions , to be inclosed and sowed in the belly of a hare , and so dispatched the messenger towards that victorious commander . there is likewise required a noble and prepared resolution in euery states-man : being so affected , as neither price can taint him , nor power over-awe him : addressing his aymes wholly for the benefit of the state , preferring death before his countries prejudice . of this resolution or constancie of minde we have a notable example in lewis duke of bavaria commended for his constancie ; in so much as being threatned by albert the marquesse of brandenburgh , that if he would not condescend to some reasonable ransome for his libertie , hee would deliver him over into the hands of his enemie , answered , aske that thing of me being prisoner , that thou would'st aske of mee as liberty . the like wee reade of pantaleon , who restrained in most strait bondage , was never a whit dismaied , nor so much as sighed , when he beheld his son paraxaspis thrust to the heart . this resolution or stoutnesse of minde , might be illustrated by divers examples of the like kinde , but my purpose hath ever beene ( because these doe rather illustrate than prove or confirme ) to take them , as it were by the way , but in no case to dwell on them : wee will therefore descend to forraine imployments of state , as affaires of embassage or treaty with any prince or state . now it is expedient that such as bee imployed in affaires of this nature , be choice and select men both in gifts of nature , and state-experience . for in nature is the foundation laid , which by experience and continuall imployment in state-businesse , useth to bee stored , furnished , and accomplished . so as i doe not altogether assent to his opinion , who thought that in choice of instruments to treat or negociate by way of embassie betwixt prince and prince ; it is better to chuse men of a plainer sort , who are like to doe that , that is committed to them , and to report backe againe faithfully the successe , than those that are cunning to contrive out of other mens businesse , somewhat to grace themselves , and will helpe the matter in report for satisfaction sake . for his conclusion agrees not with his premises ; for ( saith he ) if you would worke any man , you must either know his nature , and fashions , and so lead him ; or his ends , and so perswade him ; or his weaknesse and disadvantages , and so awe him ; or those that have interest in him , and so governe him . now how should a man , whom a simple plainnesse onely possesseth , one whom no diving or penetrating reach enableth , one whom the outward semblance onely instructeth , how should he ( i say ) by working any man , either know his nature or fashion , and so lead him ; since his eye can reach no farther than the outward seeming , which as oft deceives , as it receives diversitie of habits which it weares ? or how should he ( i say ) know his ends with whom hee treats and so perswade him , since politicke men doe usually pretend that which they least intend : shewing a faire glosse , and putting on a false face to delude , and deluding to colour their designes more cunningly ? or how should he discover the weaknesse or disadvantages of the person with whom hee deales , when his owne weaknesse so disables him , as hee oft-times lets opportunity slip , when the best advantage is for him ? or how discerne those which have interest in him , when his aymes are onely to conclude with him , with whom hee deales , without relation to any intercedent meanes to effect his businesse ? neither is it to bee doubted , but such whose understanding hath attained a higher pitch , will be as ready to doe that which is committed to them , as those on whom a more plainnesse hath naturally seized : for these will duly consider the great danger they are like to incurre , if they should exceed their commission either in doing too much , or detract from their commission in doing too little . for in affaires of this nature especially , parum agendum est de proprio , yea , though in the opinion of the party imployed , it seeme that hee could goe more effectually to worke , than just as his commission directs him . manlius torquatus commanded his sonne to be put to death , for fighting ( albeit prosperously ) against his commandement . pub. crass. mutianus sending to his inginer to send him the bigger of his two ship-masts that he had seene in athens , to make a ramme to batter downe the walls ; the inginer sent him the lesse , imagining it to be fitter : wherefore mutianus sent for the inginer , and caused him to be so cruelly whipped with rods , that he died therewith . if disobedience in such affaires as these , being of lesser consequence , seemed among the heathen cause sufficient to pronounce sentence of death upon the offender ; what may they deserve , who in conceit of their owne wisdome , dare take upon them directions of their owne , without tying themselves expresly to their commission ? and of these there be two sorts : the one , even in greatest and most important matters , will presume to take upon them without direction of autho●itie : wherein as they commonly erre , so they give advantage to him with whom they have to deale , of making his owne bargaine upon such termes as shall best please him : for how should one mans judgement equall a whole judicious counsell ? so as in dealing with cunning persons , wee must ever consider their ends , to interpret their speeches ; and it is good to say little to them , and that which they least looke for . the other sort tie themselves something more strictly or precisely to their commission ; for these will be loth to disgresse from it in matters of weight and substance , but rather in some impertinent ceremony or circumstance : as wee read in the generall historie of spaine , that there came two embassadours out of france unto king alfonfe the ninth , to demand one of his daughters in mariage for their soveraigne king philip ; one of which ladies was very faire , and named vrraca ; the other nothing so gracious , and called blanch. they both comming into the presence of the embassadours , all men held it a matter resolved , that their choice would light upon vrraca , as the elder and fairer , and better adorned : but the embassadours enquiring each of their names , tooke offence at the name of vrraca , and made choice of the lady blanch ; saying , that her name would be better received in france than the other . for matters of such indifferencie as these , it is not to be doubted but they are left to the discretion of the instrument : but for affaires of state , as they require due deliberation in discussing ; so require they the joynt assent and approbation of the state ere they come to concluding . there are likewise publike imployments , wherein gentlemen upon occasion may be interessed , which extend themselves to military affaires : in which , as it is not the death , but the cause of the death which makes a martyr , so it is not the action , but the ground of the action which merits the name of valour . that act of razis , in taking out his owne bowels , and throwing them upon the people , it was an act ( saith s. austin ) that tasted more of stoutnesse than goodnesse . for what could that act of his benefit his countrey ? wherein could it adde spirit to the distressed maccabees ? wherein allay the heavy burden of their affliction , or minister the least releefe in the time of their persecution ? that act of resolution by that noble bohemian , as it tasted more of true valour ; so it reared a columne of perpetuitie to his ever-living honour ; which exploit is thus recorded : when mahomet the second of that name besieged belgrade in servia , one of his captains at length got up upon the wall of the city , with banner displayed . another bohemian espying this , ran to the captaine , and clasping him fast about the middle , asked one capistranus standing beneath , whether it would be any danger of damnation to his soule , if hee should cast himselfe downe headlong with that dogge , ( so he termed the turke ) to be slaine with him ? capistranus answering , that it was no danger at all to his soule , the bohemian forthwith tumbled himselfe down with the turke in his armes , and so ( by his owne death only ) saved the life of all the city . the like worthy exploits might be instanced in those heires of fame , the rhodians , in the siege of their city : the knights of malta in their sundry defeats and discomfitures of the turks : the inhabitants of vienna , who being but a handfull in comparison of their enemies , gave them not only the repulse , but wholly defeated their designes . this valour or fortitude , which indeed appeareth ever in the freest and noblest minds , is excellently defined by the stoicks , to be , a vertue ever fighting in defence of equitie . these who are professors of so peerelesse a vertue , are more ready to spare than to spill : their aimes are faire and honest , free from the least aspersion either of crueltie or vaine-glory : for as they scorne to triumph over an afflicted foe , so they dislike that conquest ( unlesse necessitie enforce it ) which is purchased by too much bloud . the salmacian spoiles rellish better to their palate : for they are so full of noble compassion , as the death of their enemy enforceth in them teares of pity . this appeared in those princely teares shed by caesar at the sight of pompeys head ; and in titus that darling of mankind , in those teares hee shed at the sight of those innumerable slaughters committed upon the iewes . now as my purpose is not to insist on the postures of warre ; so i intend not to dwell upon every circumstance remarkable in martiall affaires , but upon the maine scope of military discipline , whereto every generous and true bred souldier is to direct his course . let your aime be therefore , gentlemen , to fight for the safetie and peace of your countrey , in the defence of a good conscience , which is to be preferred before all the booties of warre : for as you have received your birth and breeding from your countrey ; so are you to stand for her , even to the sacrifice of your dearest lives ; provided that the cause which you entertaine in her defence be honest , without purpose of intrusion into anothers right , or labouring to enlarge her boundiers by an unlawfull force . for howsoever the ancient heathens were in this respect faultie , being some of them truce-breakers , others violent intruders or usurpers of what was little due unto them : wee for our parts have learned better things , being commanded no● to take any thing from any man , but in all things learne to be contented . but of all enterprizes worthy the acceptance of a gentleman in this kinde , if i should instance any one in particular , none more noble or better deserving ( as i have elsewhere formerly touched ) than to warre against the turke that profest enemy of christendome ; the increase of whose empire may be compared to the milt in mans body ; for the grandure of it threatens ruine and destruction to all christian states , drawing light to his halfe moone by darkening of others , and shewing even by the multitude of his insolent titles what his aimes be , if the lord put no● a hooke in the nose of that leviathan . praise-worthy therefore are those glorious , and ( no doubt ) prosperous expeditions of such english and other christian voluntaries as have stood , and even at this day doe stand engaged in personall service against the great turke : for these , though they perish in the battell , shall survive time , and raise them a name out of the dust , which shall never be extinguished . these are they who fight the lords battell , and will rather die than it should quaile : these are those glorious champions , whose aime is to plant the blessed tidings of the gospell once againe in that holy land , which now remaines deprived of those heavenly prophets which shee once enjoyed , of those godly apostles which she once possessed , of that sweet singer of israel with which her fruitfull coasts once resounded . o gentlemen , if you desire imployment in this kinde , what enterprize more glorious ? if you aime at profit , what assay to your soules more commodious ? if you seeke after fame , ( the aime of most souldiers ) what expedition more famous ? since by this meanes the practices of christs enemies shall be defeated , the borders of christendome enlarged , peace in sion established , and the tidings of peace every where preached . besides , in assayes of this nature , being taken in hand for the peace and safeti● of christendome , assureth more securitie to the person engaged : for little need he to feare a strong foe , that hath a stronger friend . admit therefore that you returne , as one that commeth with red garments from bozra , so as the devill and his angels like wilde bulls of basan run at you , you shall breake their hornes in his crosse for whom you fight . as wee have discoursed of imployments publike , which wee divided into two ranks , civill and military ; and of the manner how gentlemen are to demeane themselves in court or campe ; so are we now to descend to imployments private , wherein wee purpose to set downe such necessary cautions or observances , as may seeme not altogether unprofitable or unusefull for the consideration of a gentleman . and first , i will speake of the imployment of a private iustice of peace , wherein he is appointed and made choice of , not only to redresse such annoyances as may seeme to prejudice the state of that countie wherein he lives , and is deputed iustice ; but likewise to mediate , attone and determine all such differences as arise betwixt partie and partie ; for to these also extends the office of iustice of peace . yea , wee are to wish him to be , as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a compounder , as a commissioner of the peace . godlinesse should be their chiefest gaine , and right and peace their greatest joy : for such are both pacidici , and pacifici , pleaders for peace , and leaders to peace : peace-lovers , and peaceable livers . as for the rest , they are deservedly blamed , that confine all their practice not within those ancient bounds , usque ad aras , but with those usuall bonds , usque ad crumenas . the old position was , iustice is to be preferred before profit ; but now the termes are transposed in the proposition , and the avaritious desire of having never disputeth of the equity of the cause , but of the utilitie . kinde men such are but where they doe take , hardening their hearts against the crie of the poore . if a man come to demand justice , he shall speed ill , having no money to give , no coine to present , no friends to speake , his cause is like to fall . suppose out of two mites hee give one : the rich adversaries horse eats up the poore clients oats ; there needs no oedipus to vnfold this riddle : in the end the poore sheepe , that lost but a locke of his wooll in the country , loseth his whole fleece in the citie ; consumeth what he hath , spendeth his time , loseth his hope , and falleth his suit , be it never so good and honest . whereas such ( and of such we only speake ) as doe a right judgement to the fatherlesse and widow , beare a resemblance of god , who is a loving father to the orphane , and a gracious iudge to the widow . these will not for conscience sake pervert the right of strangers , fatherlesse , &c. for such as doe so , shall be b cursed upon mount ebal : but these like pure lampes , diffuse those divine beames of unblemished justice , to all places where they reside , resembling david , who c executed judgement and justice to all his people : or like that propheticall dove , ieremiah , ever d exhorting to execute righteousnesse and judgement . or like that good patriarke abraham , ever e commanding his houshold to doe righteousnesse and judgement . for these know , how f all the wayes of god are judgements . and that , g just and like a great deepe are gods judgements . and the wicked h tremble at gods judgements . and the wicked i understand not judgements . and therfore strive against k perverse judgements . because they know what l equitie is to be required in judgements . having ever before their m eyes gods judgements . o how pretious are the lips of these who preserve judgement , being an honour to their country , a pillar to the state , leaving a memorable name to themselves , which as that princely prophet saith , shall never rot ! these are they , who have their faces n covered , lest they should have respect unto the person ; as godlinesse is their gaine and the preservation of a good conscience their principall ayme ; so if there were neither reward here , nor elsewhere , for such as executed justice and judgement ; yet for conscience sake , and a sincere love they bore to truth , would they continue in their zealous care to the profession and protection thereof . these are not of that leaven who turne iudgement to worme-wood , and leave off righteousnesse in the earth . for such in stead of judgement and equitie , execute crueltie and oppression . these are not of that sort , who preferre the purple before the person , the person before the cause ; never examining the cause how good it is , but observing the man how great he is . no , their counsells and consultations tend to the publike peace , and the redresse of such enormities as arise from vicious humours , breeding and spreading in the state. now what imployment more fitting or accommodate for a gentleman of what degree soever , than this , which inables him in affaires tending as well to himselfe in particular , as the sterne of the state publike in generall ? would you see errours and abuses in the state redressed ? you are seated where by your owne authoritie you may have them reformed . would you have officers execute their places under you honestly , being from corruption freed ? your prince , by especiall notice taken of you , hath so advanced you , that you may see all offices under you duely executed , and where default shall be , have them punished . would you further the poore mans cause , and see his wrongs releeved ? it is in your hand to effect that which you have desired . would you purge your countrey of such superfluous humours , as from long peace and too much prosperitie have oft-times issued ? you are those physitians who may lance and cure those broad-spreading sores , with which the state hath beene so distempered . would you curbe factions and contentious members , who like samsons fire-brands tyed to foxes tailes , kindle the fire of all division , and labour to have them extinguished ? you have authoritie to see such censured , that publike peace ( as becommeth a civill state ) might bee maintained . now there are two extremes which ( like two dangerous rocks ) are carefully to bee avoided , lest the precious freight of iustice might thereby hee enndagered . the one is rigour , the other indulgence . i approve therefore of his opinion , who would have intus mel , foris oleum ; as well cordialls as corrasives : for as some men ( and those of the basest and servilest condition ) are onely to be deterred from doing evill by the censure or penalty of the law ; so there are others of a more generous and noble disposition , who are only to be reclaimed by faire and affable meanes ; and these are to be brought in rather by love than awe . for as wormewood of it selfe , expels diseases , yet is to be anoynted with honey , that the improvident age of childhood might bee deluded , and they from their nurses teats the sooner weaned : so though this wormewood of rigour and severity bee of force to cure and expell most diseases raging or reigning ; yet being allayed with the honey of mercy and indulgence , it will sooner weane children , that is to say , such whose soft and easie temper is best perswaded by courtesie , than wormewood untempered , that is , than the law to her highest pinne wrested . indeed these boanerges , the sonnes of thunder , are powerfull in deterring such , whose braving and domineering natures use to oppose themselves to right : for perswasions are as little available to these , as to sow sand in the ayre ; wherefore as the law hath provided fit meanes to curbe and chastice such , whose obstinate and refractory natures will not by easie meanes be induced , so hath it qualified or attempered the rigour or bitternesse of such provisions , where there is assured hope , that the partie by easier perswasions will bee reclaimed . for if we will resemble that absolutest patterne or abstract of all iustice , god himselfe ; we shall reade that he came as well in a still voyce , as in thunder . so as , albeit a god when he delivered the law , came downe in the fire ; and the b glory of god appeared on mount sinai , as a consuming fire ; and out of gods mouth went a c consuming fire ; and in gods wrath against d israel was kindled fire ; and e eliah was taken up into heaven by a chariot and horses of fire ; and the f angell appeared to moses in a flame of fire ; and g every mans worke shall be tryed by fire ; yet god , as he is to the wicked a h consuming fire : so to the godly he is a i comfortable fire . be not then ever cloathed with fire , reprove the enormities of the state with the spirit of mildnesse , which if it will not prevaile , unsheath the sword of iustice , that such may bee severely , curbed , who by gentlenesse would not bee cured . it is not to be doubted , but you shall encounter with delinquents of severall natures : the chastizing of both which sorts is left wholly to your discretion : for many things , though expresly enacted , are in respect of the manner , referred to your discretion to see them executed . many there are , who will rather die for the act , than discover the act : like epicharia a libertine of rome , who made privie to a conspiracie against nero , would not disclose the plotters thereof , though tormented with cruell punishments : or leena , who conspiratour against the tyrant hyppeas , was not agast at the death of her friends , though torne with extreme torments , but resolute to the end , would not reveale her partners , but bit in sunder her owne tongue , and spit it in the tyrants face . there are others likewise , who will expose themselves to all extremities that law can inflict , onely to gaine themselves a name ; such was herostratus , who burned the temple of diana of ephesus , onely for vaine-glory : but to these you are not to use indulgence ; for they that brave it in sinne , esteeming mischievous practices to bee their chiefest glory , are fallen into that gall of bitternesse , as in them there is small hope of remedy . better it is that one perish , than that unitie perish , and in these ( sure i am ) that maxime is true ; he that spareth the evill , hurteth the good . for it is impossible that any state should flourish with increase of good men , where there is no difference made betwixt the good and evill . wherefore you are to deale in the state , as skilfull gardners or vine-dressers doe with their vines ; they cause the wild branches to be pruned , that their naturall sciens may bee better nourished . vnfruitfull members , and such as are more burdensome than behouefull to a state , are to bee purged and pruned , that such whose honest care and providence deserves due praise among you may be the more encouraged , seeing these , who used to live on others labours , duly punished . yet in all your censures beware of this , that no personall distaste aggravate in you the quality of the crime : i meane , let no private hate or dislike to any person , cause you to punish him , for this is a partiall and indirect proceeding , relying rather vpon the authority of your place , than equity of the cause . farre more generous is it to bury all hate towards your foes , especially when by meanes of your place , it rests in your power to spare or punish . when caesar commanded the demolished monuments of pompey to bee set up againe ; cicero told him that in erecting pompeyes trophies hee established his owne . and no lesse generous was scaurus , domitius his enemy , who when a certaine servant of domitius came before the judgement seat to accuse his master , he sent him home to his master . the like of cato and murena . be your censures likewise free from passion ; for there is nothing that so troubles the pure current of iustice , or so much transformes man from himselfe , 〈◊〉 giving way to wrath . the saying of archytas is much commended , who being angry with one of his hindes , said ; o how would i have beaten thee , had i not beene angry with thee ! heare the poore mans cause with an equall and impartiall care ; let not the greatnesse of his adversary be any barre to his plea , or any hinderance to his cause ; beare your selves sincerely with all singlenesse , uprightly without partiall connivence ; standing for your foe equally as your friend , if your foes cause be as honest as your friends . it was bias saying , that he had rather be a iudge amongst his enemies , than amongst his friends : and this might probably bee his reason ; because his enemies would pry more narrowly into his actions than his friends ; and therefore his desire was to bee by them onely approved , by whom hee was chiefly observed . yea , herein might you partake of a right noble revenge upon your enemies ; in shewing apparent testimonies of your care and zeale to the truth ; in preventing all occasions of scandall ; in preferring justice even in cases which neerely concerne your friend , before all termes of friendship ; having the testimony of a good conscience within you , as a wall of brasse against all opponents : for hence it was that diogenes being asked how one should be revenged of his enemy , answered , by being a vertuous and honest man. for the whole life of every good man giveth testimony unto god of the integrity or uprightnesse of his conversation . but beware above all things ( as i formerly noted ) of accepting or respecting persons ; for this is the very bane of iustice. let not the rich man with all his presents tempt you , nor those many friends which he hath laid up in store to speake for him , taint you . fie for shame ( saith innocentius ) now adayes man is esteemed according to his money , whereas rather the money should bee esteemed according to the man. every one is reputed worthy , if he be wealthy , and naught if he be needy ; whereas rather every one should be reputed wealthy , if he be worthy , and needy if he be naught . marcus caelius was said to have a good right hand , but an ill left hand ; because he could plead against a man better than for him . be you so equally handed , as poyzing the weight of the cause sincerely , you may minister right judgment to all parties , being as ready to defend the cause of the needy , as of the wealthy , giving him the best countenance , who hath the best cause . it was romes fault , which presages romes fall , to be facunda inimicuiis , faecunda praemiis ; farre be it from our iland , who as she hath enjoyed a long peace , so ought shee to become more thankfull to that god of peace , who in his mercy hath strengthned her bulwarkes , enclosed her as a hedged garden , fed her with the flower of wheat , making her feet like hindes feet to runne the wayes which hee hath appointed . and so i come to speake of such private affaires as require the care and charge of a gentleman , even within the compasse of his owne family . if there bee any that provideth not for his owne , and namely for them of his houshold , he denieth the faith , and is worse than an infidell , saith the apostle . now how carefull should we be to remove from us , so hatefull a title as the name of infidell ? have we not our appellation from christ ? but in vaine are we named after christ , if wee doe not follow christ. wee were not borne to passe our time in an improvident or carelesse sensuality ; wee were not created onely to cramme our selves , and spend our dayes in securitie ; man ( saith iob ) was borne to labour , as the sparkes to flie upward ; at least to provide for his owne family , over which hee is made a master : by releeving them outwardly with all necessaries , and inwardly with all good and wholsome instructions . now to propose you a forme , in what manner you are to demeane your selves towards all degrees within your family : i shall little need , since the apostle himselfe hath so notably laid downe every ones office or duty : where hee sheweth in what manner wives are to submit themselves unto their husbands ; and againe , how husbands should love their wives , even as christ loved the church , and gave himselfe for it . in the next ensuing chapter hee declareth the duty of children in these words ; children obey your parents in the lord , for this is right . then he descendeth to the duty of parents ; and ye , fathers , provoke not your children to wrath : but bring them up in instruction and information of the lord. then touching servants ; servants bee obedient unto them that are your masters , according to the flesh , with feare and trembling , in singlenesse of your hearts as unto christ. concluding the last duty with masters ; and yee masters doe the same thing unto them , putting away threatning : and know that even your master also is in heaven , neither is there respect of person with him . thus have wee briefly and cursorily runne over those particular duties , deputed to every one from the highest to the lowest in their peculiar places and offices ; where we can finde no exemption from the servant to the master , but that certaine particular duties are injoyned either . as every mans house is his castle , so is his family a private common-wealth , wherein if due government be not observed , nothing but confusion is to be expected . for the better prevention whereof , i have thought good to set downe sundry cautions , as well for direction in affaires temporall , as spirituall ; which observed , it is not to bee doubted but that god will give you all good successe to your endevours . first therefore , in affaires temporall i could wish you to observe this course ; so to provide for the releefe and supportance of your family , as you may not onely have sufficient for yourselves , but also bee helpfull unto others ; sufficient for your selves in providing food and apparell , being all which iaakob desired of god : and helpfull unto others , in giving food and raiment to the fatherlesse , in providing releefe for the desolate and comfortlesse , in harbouring the poore , needy and succourlesse , and briefly in ministring to the necessity of the saints , and all such as are of the family of faith . and because providence is the way , by which releefe both to your selves and others may bee sufficiently ministred , beware of prodigality , and excesse ; lest you give your honour unto others , and your yeares to the cruell . lest the stranger should be filled with your strength , and your labours be in the house of a stranger . go rather to the pismire , who though she have no guide , governour , nor ruler , provideth in summer her granary for winter . neither is it sufficient to gather , but frugally to dispose of that which is gathered . this providence admits of no vitellius break-fasts , nor cleopatra's bankets . the prodigalls daintie tooth brought him to feed on husks . esau's to sell his birth-right for a messe of pottage . ionathans for a honey-combe to endanger his life . the israelites to murmure against moses . babylons golden cup , to fill her full of abominations . i have observed , and no lesse admired than observed , how some have consumed their estates in satisfying their appetites , and that only in the choice of meats and drinkes ; and was not this a great vanitie ? that those , whom meats , though lesse delightfull , yet more healthfull might haue sustained , and fewer diseases occasioned ▪ could not content themselves with that which might have better satisfied nature , but to shew themselves epicures rather than christians , will bestow the revenues of a manour upon the superfluous charge of a supper . for these are they , who like ery●thous bowels , will disgorge as much upon the boundlesse expence of their owne family , as might serve well for releeving a whole countrey . these are they who like the endive or misselto , sucke up all the native verdure and vigour of such plants as they inwreath : for by their excesse , though their owne luscious palats taste no want , the commonaltie feeles it , when they goe to the markets , and finde the rate of all provision inhanced by such , whose prodigalitie scarce extends a provident eye to themselves , much lesse to the behoose of others . it is said of cambletes the gluttonous king of lydia , that he dreamed he devoured his wife , while they lay sleeping together in the same bed ; and finding her hand betweene his teeth when he awaked , hee slow himselfe fearing dishonour . howsoever the history be authenticke ; sure i am the morall taxeth such , whose epicureall mindes are only set upon prodigall expence , without respect either of present fortunes , or care to posteritie , whose want is oft-times procured by their riot . to be short , as parcimonie is too late when it comes to the bottome ; so it may be with discretion used , when it is at the top : for i approve of his opinion , who would have a gentleman neither to hoord up niggardly , nor lash out lavishly . for as the former argueth a miserable and ignoble minde , so the latter sheweth a minde improvident and indiscreet ; both which are to be so avoided ; that a meane betwixt both may be duely observed . for as i would have a gentleman , even in arguments of outward bountie , shew whence he was descended ; so would i have him keepe a hawke , left his too free disposition be ●hrough necessitie restrained . so as in matters of expence , i hold his resolve authenticke , who said ; i will never spare where reputation bids mee s●end , nor spend where honest frugalitie bids me spare . it is a good rule , and worthy observation : for whosoever spares , when with credit and reputation hee should spend , is indiscreetly sparing : and whosoever spends , when with honest frugalitie hee may spare , is prodigally spending ▪ now in government of a family , as i would not have you too remisse ; so i would not have you too severe , towards your servants ( i meane ) and those who have received their several charge from you : this it was which moved the apostle to exhort masters to put away threatning ; adding this reason : for know that even your master also is in heaven , neither is there respect of person with him . therefore it was saint augustines prayer unto god , that he would root out of him , all rashnesse , frowardnesse , roughnesse , unquietnesse , slownesse , slothfulnesse , sluggishnesse ; dulnesse of minde , blindnesse of heart , obstinacie of sense , truculencie of manners , disobedience to goodnesse , repugnance of counsell , want of bridling the tongue , making a prey of the poore , shewing violence to the impotent , calumniating the innocent , negligence of subjects , * severitie towards servants , harshnesse towards familiars , hardnesse towards neighbours . hence note , how in this holy fathers repetition and enumeration of many grievous and odious sinnes , he toucheth severitie towards servants , as a hainous and egregious offence : and not without great cause ; for if we be taught not to muzzle the oxe that treadeth out the corne : and that , we are to spare the life of our beast : much more ought we to have mercie over such as partake with us in the same image , which wee have equally from him received , by whom we live , move , and have our being . i approve therefore of them , who put on the spirit of mildnesse towards such as are deputed or substituted under them , bearing with one anothers weaknesse , as those who have a compassionate feeling of humane infirmities , not laying such heavie burdens upon them , as they themselves will not touch with their finger , but will in some measure partake with them in all their labours . but of all other vices incident to masters , there is none more hatefull in the sight of god and man , than the unthankfulnesse or disrespect of masters towards their servants , when they have spent their strength , and wasted themselves in their service . these like the grey-hound in the fable , may well say , that they see nothing can please , but that which doth profit : when they were young , able and fit to endure labour , they were respected ; whereas now being old , infirme , and helplesse , either to themselves or others , they are sleightly regarded . whereas , if they were thankfull masters , these whom they once loved for profit sake in youth , they would now love in age , in respect of the profit they reaped by their youth . but , alas , doe we not see how nothing is more contemptible than an old serving-man ? he may say he was a man in his time , but that is all . there is no man that will know him , since his blew-coat knew no cognizance ; the losse of his crest , makes him hang downe his crest , as one crest-fallen : so as the poore larke may boast of more than he may : for every larke hath his crest , saith simonides , but he hath none . to redresse this , as in humanitie you ought , so i know such as are generously disposed , will : that those who have deserved well under you , being now growne aged , yet unpreferred , may by your care be so maintained , that their service of labour may be made a service of prayer , offering their sacrifice of devotion unto god , that great master of a houshold , that he in his mercy would give a happie successe unto all your endevours . now as the labourer is worthy of his wages ; for , cursed is he that defraudeth ●he labourer of his hire : so there is an especiall care required in every servant to looke unto that which is given him in charge . for the better discharge whereof , it is injoyned you that be masters ; not to be too remisse in your care and overseeing thereof ; for much oversight is usually committed for want of a good overseer . admonish your servants that they intend their charge ; suffer them not to idle , but in their peculiar places to doe that which they in dutie are to performe , and you in reason are to expect . wherein , as they proceed in diligence , so are you to require their care with a cheerefull thankfulnesse . if it be your lot to have such an one as iaakob was , ( as rare it is to finde such an one as he was ) reward him not with a bleare-eyed loah , for a beautifull and faire rahel : i meane , abridge not , nor scant not their wages ; for this is a discredit to your selfe , and a discouragement to your servant . if he say , these twenty yeeres i have beene with thee : thine ewes and thy goats have not cast their young , and the rams of thy flocke have i not eaten . whatsoever was torne of beasts , i brought it not unto thee , but made it good my selfe : of mine hand diddest thou require it , were it stollen by day , or stollen by night . i was in the day consumed with heat , and with frost in the night , and my sleepe departed from mine eyes . thus have i beene twenty yeeres in thine house , and served thee fourteene yeeres for thy two daughters , and six yeeres for thy sheepe , and thou hast changed my wages ten times . if ( i say ) hee hath thus served you , and shewne faithfulnesse in that charge over which hee was appointed , reward him with a bountifull hand , and encourage his care with your best countenance . whereas , contrariwise , if you meet with such a servant , that saith in his heart , my master doth deferre his comming ; and shall begin to smite the servants , and maidens , and to eat , and drinke , and to be drunken ; you are not to use remisnesse to such a servant , but to cut him off , lest you give example unto others , by your indulgence , to be of the like condition . in briefe as a good servant is a precious jewell , tendring the profit and credit of him he serveth ; so an evill servant , whose service is only to the eye , and not for conscience sake , is a scatterer of his substance whom he serveth ; aiming only at his owne private profit , without least respect had to his masters benefit . difference therefore you are to make of their care , in cherishing the one , and chastising the other ; which can hardly be effected , unlesse you , who are to make this difference of your servants , have an eye to their imployments . neither would i have your care so extended , as to afflict and macerate your selves by your excessive care : a meane is the best both in the preservation of health and wealth . be diligent ( saith salomon ) to know the state of thy flocke , and take heed to thy herds . yet withall note his conclusion : let the milke of thy goats be sufficient for thy food , for the food of thy familie , and for the sustenance of thy maids . whence you may observe , that to gather is admitted , so the use or end for which wee gather be not neglected . for such , whose hydroptick minds are ever raking and reaping , yet know not how to imploy the blessings of god , by a communicative exhibition unto others , are become vassals unto their owne ; making their gold-adoring affection an infection , their reason treason , and the wealth which they have got them , a witnesse to condemne them . but i have insisted too long on this point , especially in framing my speech to you , whose more free-borne dispositions will ever scorne to be tainted with such unworthy aspersions : wherefore i will descend briefly to such instructions , as you are to use touching spirituall affaires , being masters of housholds in your private families . we reade that abraham commanded his sons , and his houshold , that they should keepe the way of the lord , to doe righteousnesse and judgement : and wee are taught what wee must doe , returning from gods house to our owne : and what wee are to doe sitting in our houses , even to lay up gods word in our heart and in our soule , and binde it for a signe upon our hand , that it may be as a frontlet betweene our eyes . and not only to be thus instructed our selves , but to teach them our children , speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house , and when thou walkest by the way , and when thou liest downe , and when thou risest up . and not so onely , but thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house , and upon thy gates . whence you see , how no place , time , or occasion is to be exempted from meditating of god : but especially in housholds and families ought this exercise of devotion to be frequently and fervently practised ; for a blessing is pronounced upon the performance hereof , as appeareth in the foresaid place , and the next ensuing verse , where he saith , you shall doe all that i have commanded you , that your dayes may be multiplied , and the dayes of your children , in the land which the lord sware unto your fathers to give them , as long as the heavens are above the earth . marke the extent of this blessing , for it promiseth not only length of dayes to them that performe it , but even to the children of them that performe it ; and that in no unfruitfull or barren land , but in the land which the lord sware unto your fathers to give them ; and that for no short time , but so long as the heavens are above the earth . so as , this blessed promise , or promised blessing , is ( as one well observeth ) not restrained , but with an absolute grant extended : so that , even as the people that were in the gate , and the elders wished in the solemnizing of that mariage betwixt boaz and ruth , that their house might be like the house of pharez ; so doubtlesse , whosoever meditates of the law of the lord , making it in his familie , as a familiar friend to direct him a faithfull counseller to instruct him , a sweet companion to delight him , a precious treasure to enrich him , shall finde successe in his labours , and prosperitie in the worke of his hands . but amongst all , as it is the use or masters of housholds to call their servants to account for the day past ; so be sure , gentlemen , and you who are masters of houses , to enter into your owne hearts , by a serious examination had every night , what you have done , or how you have imployed your selves , and those talents which god hath bestowed on you , the day past ; in imitation of that blessed father , who every night examined himselfe , calling his soule to a strict account , after this manner ; o my soule , what hast thou done this day ? what good hast thou omitted ? what evill hast thou committed ? what good , which thou shouldst have done ? what evill , which thou shouldst not have done ? where are the poore thou hast releeved ? the sicke or captive thou hast visited ? the orphan or widow thou hast comforted ? where are the naked , whom thou hast cloathed ? the hungry , whom thou hast refreshed ? the afflicted and desolate , whom thou hast harboured ? o my soule , when it shall be demanded of thee , quid comedit pauper ? how poorely wilt thou looke , when there is not one poore man that will witnesse thy almes ? againe , when it shall be demanded of thee , vbi nudus quem amicivisti ? how naked wilt thou appeare , when there is not one naked soule that will speake for thee ? againe , when it shall be demanded of thee , vbi sitiens quem potasti ? vbi esuriens quem pavisti ? vbi captivus quem visitasti ? vbi moestus quem relevasti ? o my soule , how forlorne , wretched , and uncomfortable will thy condition be , when there shall not appeare so much as one witnesse for thee to expresse thy charitie ? not one poore soule whom thou hast releeved ! one naked whom thou hast cloathed ! nor one thirstie whom thou hast refreshed ! nor one hungry whom thou hast harboured ! nor a captive whom thou hast visited ! nor one afflicted whom thou hast comforted ! thus to call your selves to account , by meditating ever with s. hierome of the judgement day , will be a meanes to rectifie your affections , mortifie all inordinate motions , purifie you throughout , that you may be examples of pietie unto others in your life , and heires of glory after death : concluding most comfortably with the foresaid father ; if my mother should hang about mee , my father lie in my way to stop me , my wife and children weepe about mee , i would throw off my mother , neglect my father , contemne the lamentation of my wife and children , to meet my saviour christ iesus . for the furtherance of which holy resolution , let no day passe over your heads , wherein you addresse not your selves to some good action or imployment . wherefore apelles posie was this , let no day passe without a line . be sure every day you doe some good , then draw one line at the least : according to that , line upon line , line upon line . and pythagoras posie was this , sit not still upon the measure of corne . doe not looke to eat , except you sweat for it : according to that , he which will not worke , let him not eat . in my fathers house ( saith christ ) are many mansions . so that no man may sing his soule a sweet requiem , saying with that cormorant in the gospell , soule take thy rest : for in heaven onely , which is our fathers house , there are many mansions to rest in . in this world , which is not of our fathers house , , there are not many mansions to rest in , but onely vine-yards to worke in . wherein , because not to goe forward , is to goe backward , we are to labour even to the day of our change . hereupon charles the fifth gave this embleme , stand not still , but goe on farther ; vlterius : as god saith to his guest , superius : sit not still , but sit up higher . doing thus , and resolving to be no masters over that family , whose chiefest care is not the advancement of gods glory , you shall demeane your selves , being here worthy that vocation or calling , over which you are placed , and afterwards , by following hard toward the marke , obtaine the prize of the high calling of god in christ iesus . the english gentleman . argument . of the difference of recreations ; of the moderate and immoderate use of recreation ; of the benefits re●ounding from the one , and inconveniences arising from the other ; of recreations best sorting with the qualitie of a gentleman ; and how he is to bestow himselfe in them . recreation . recreation , being a refresher of the minde , and an enabler of the bodie to any office wherein it shall be imployed ; brancheth it selfe into many kinds ; as hawking , which pleasure , one termed the object of a great minde , whose aymes were so farre above earth , as he resolves to retire a while from earth , and make an evening flight in the aire . hunting , where the hounds at a losse shew themselves subtill sophisters , arguing by their silence , the game came not here ; againe , by being mute , it came not there ; ergo , by spending their mouthes it came here . fishing , which may be well called the embleme of this world , where miserable man , like the deluded fish , is ever nibbling at the bait of vanitie . swimming , an exercise more usuall than naturall , and may have resemblance to these diving heads , who are ever sounding the depths of others secrets ; or smimming against the streame , may glance at such whose only delight is opposition . running , a recreation famously ancient , solemnized by the continued succession or revolution of many ages , upon the olympiads in greece , so as the account or yeerly computation came from races and other solemne games used on olympus . wrastling , leaping , dancing , and many other recreations of like sort , as they were by the continuance of many yeeres upon olympus kept , and with publike feasts duly celebrated : so in many places of this kingdome , both southward in their wakes , and northward in their summerings , the very same recreations are to this day continued . shooting amongst the scythians and parthians , was an exercise of especiall request , as afterward amongst the amazonites , being women expert above all people of the world in shooting and practising the dart. bowling amongst the romans was much used , especially in lucullus time , whose garden-alleyes were ever stored with young gentlemen , who resorted thither to recreate themselves with this exercise . the greekes had a a cynosargus , to traine and exercise their youth in wrastling ; and a cerostrotum to annoint their bodies in before they wrastled . the ancient romans had a b circus , to inure and practise their youth against military service , wherein they wrastled and contended . they used likewise , as the french doe to this day , the exercise of the c ball , which play is never sufficiently praised by galen : being an exercise wherein all the organs or faculties of mans bodie are to be imployed ; as the eye to be quicke and sharpe in seeing , the hand readie in receiving , the body nimble in moving , the legges speedie in recovering . that fencing also was of much use and practice among the romans , even in their height of glory , and during the flourishing time of their empire , may appeare by that high commendation which cicero giveth it , terming it , d the strongest and soveraignest exercise against death and griefe . that iusts , turnaments and barriers ( likewise ) were amongst our ancient knights usually practised and observed , both for gaining the favour of such ladies as they loved , as also for the honour of their country , vanquishing such strangers with whom they contended ; may appeare in histories of all ages . or to descend to more soft and effeminate recreations : we shall finde , of what great esteeme musicke was , even with some , who were in yeeres as ripe , as they were for wisdome rare . socrates , when he was well strucke in yeeres , learned to play upon the harpe . minerva and alcibiades disliked the lowd musicke of dulcimers and shalmes , but admired the warbling straines of the harpe . plato and aristotle would have a man well brought up in musicke . lycurgus in his sharpe lawes allowes of musicke . chyron taught achilles in his tender yeeres , musicke . achasia , with diotima and hermione , taught pericles prince of troy ( or rather duke of athens ) musicke . epaminondas of leuctra , was experienced in musicke . themistocles was lesse esteemed , because not seene in musicke . alexander was so ravished with musicke , that when he heard a trumpet , he used to cry ad arma , ad arma ; not able to containe himselfe : so highly were his spirits erected by the force of musicke . painting likewise among the ancient pagans , was for a recreation used , though at this day , through the dishonour our painted sepulchers doe to their maker , much abused . fabius surnamed pictor , from whence the fabii tooke their names , was a painter , for he painted the walls of the temple of peace . metrodorus a philosopher and painter of athens , sent to by l. paulus to bring up his children , and to decke the romane triumphs . protogenes his table wherein bacchus was painted , moved king demetrius lying at the city rhodes , so much to admire his rare art and workmanship , that whereas he might have consumed the city with fire , he would not for the preciousnesse of that table : and therefore staying to bid them battell , wonne not the city at all . so campaspe pictured out in her colours by apelles ; and crotons five daughters , lively pourtrayed by zeuxes , gained those famous artists no lesse honour . howsoever his art was in painting , i cannot chuse but commend his quicke wit in answering , being by them reproved whom he most distasted ; and thus it was . two cardinalls reproving one raphael a painter , in that he had made the pictures of peter and paul too red , answered , that saint peter and saint paul were even as red in heaven , as they saw them there , to see the church governed by such as they were . this device or invention of painting , was by the pagans generally , but especially those of the better sort , taken only for a recreation , and no trade or profession ; labouring to shew their cunning in beautifying , garnishing and adorning the triumphs of their conquerours , or in decoring their temples dedicated to the gods. as the scythes used to erect obeliskes or square stones upon the hearse of the deceased , in number so many as he had slaine of his enemies : where he that had not slaine an enemy could not drinke of the goblet , spiced with the ashes of some memorable ancestor , at solemne feasts and banquets . for other painting ( too much affected at this day ) it was not so much as used by any matron , wife , or virgin , whose best red was shamefastnesse , and choicest beauty maiden bashfulnesse : onely , as festus pompeius saith , common and base whores , called schaenicolae , used daubing of themselves , though with the vilest stuffe . but this may seeme an art rather than a recreation ; wee will therefore descend to some others , whose use refresheth and recreateth the minde , if imployed as they were first intended , being rather to beguile time , than to reape gaine . and first for the antiquity of dice-play , we have plenty of authorities every where occurring : being much used by all the roman emperours at banquets and solemne meetings , where they bestowed themselves and the time , at no game so much as dice. so as , augustus was said to be a serious gamester at dice : affecting them much , when at any time hee retired from court or campe. whence it is , that suetonius bringeth in augustus caesar speaking thus ; si quas manus remisi cuique exegissem : aut retinuissem quod cuique donavi , vicissem , &c. if i had exacted those chances which i remitted every one , and kept that which i bestowed , i had gotten by play ; whereas now i am a loser by my bounty . though no game more ancient , or which indeed requireth a conceit more pregnant than the chesse ; which we read to have beene in great request amongst the ancient romans , whereof we have a history in the time of caius caligula , tending to this purpose . this emperour being naturally addicted to all cruelty , chanced one day amongst others to send for one canius iulus a philosopher of eminent esteeme at that time : with whom , after some conference , the emperour fell into such a rage , as he bade him depart thence , but expect within short time to receive due censure for his boldnesse : for ( quoth he ) flatter not thy selfe with a foolish hope of longer life , for i have doo●ed thee to bee drawne by the officer unto death : but see with what resolution this noble canius bore himselfe ! i thanke you ( quoth he ) most gracious emperour , and so departed . within some few dayes after , the officer ( according to the emperours commandement ) repaired to the houses of such as were adjudged , not by any legall processe , but onely by the emperours pleasure , to suffer death ; amongst which , he made repaire to canius house , whom hee found playing at chesse with one of his companions . the officer without delay gave him summons to prepare himselfe , for it was the emperours pleasure he should die : whereat , as one nothing amated or discouraged , he called the officer unto him , and * numbring the chesse-men before him and his companion with whom hee played : see ( quoth hee ) that after my death thou report not that thou hadst the better of the game : then calling upon the centurion or officer : be you witnesse ( quoth he ) that i was before him one . thus laughed this noble philosopher at death , insulting as much over death , as hee insulted over him , who adjudged him to death . this kinde of game , now flater yeares is growne so familiar with most of our neighbouring countries , as no one play more affected or more generally used . so as wee have heard of an ape who plaid at chesse in portugall : which implyed , the daily use and practice of that game , brought the ape to that imitation . and certainly , there is no one game which may seeme to represent the state of mans life to the full , so well as the chesse . for there you shall find princes and beggers , and persons of all conditions ranked in their proper and peculiar places ; yet when the game is done , they are all thrust up in a bagge together : and where then appeares any difference betwixt the poorest begger , and the potentest peere ? the like may be observed in this stage of humane frailty : while we are here set to shew during the chesse-game of this life , we are according to our severall ranks esteemed ; and fit it should be so , for else should all degrees be promiscuously confounded : but no sooner is the game done , the thred of our short life spunne , than wee are throwne into a bagge , a poore shrouding sheet , for that is all that wee must carrie with us : where there shall bee no difference betwixt the greatest and least , highest and lowest : for then it shall not bee asked us how much wee had , but how we disposed of that we had . thus farre have we discoursed of the first part , to wit , of the difference of recreations : thinking it sufficient to have touched only such as are most usuall and knowne unto us . for some others , which wee have purposely omitted , lest our mindian gate should grow greater than our city , we shall have occasion to speake of some of them , when we are to discourse of such recreations , as are to be made choice of by gentlemen of best ranke and quality . in the meane time we will descend to the second part , to wit , the moderate and immoderate use of recreation . if wee eat too much honey , it will grow distastfull ; so in recreations , if we exceed , they must needs grow hurtfull . i approve therefore of his opinion , who adviseth us to doe with recreations , and such pleasures wherein wee take delight , as nurses doe with their brests to weane young children from them : annoint them a little with allöes ; sprinkling our sweetest delights with some bitternesse , to weane us from them with more easinesse . neither is it my meaning that gentlemen should be so from the pleasure of recre●tion weaned , as if from society wholly estranged : for this were like him , who became hermit because he might not have her he loved . but rather so to attemper or allay the sweetnesse of such pleasures or delights as they betake themselves to , that they bee never too much besotted with them . this course that gentleman tooke , who perceiving himselfe too much affected on hawking , resolved one day to weane his minde a little from it , by trying his patience with some inconveniences incident to it . wherefore he set a lazie haggard on his fist , and goes to his sport : where he finds store of game but few flights ; for wheresoever the partridge flew , his hawke never made farther flight than from tree to tree , which drove the gentleman faulconer to such impatience , as he lesse affected the pleasure for long time after . the like i have heard of a gentleman who used much bowling : which recreation he so continually practised , for the love he bore it , as his occasions were much neglected by it , which to prevent , as he rode farre for his pleasure , so he stayed late ere hee returned home , of purpose , so to become wearied , that his minde by that meanes might from his pleasure be the sooner weaned . but these experiments as they are oft failing , where the minde is not come to setling : so in my opinion there is no meanes better or surer to weane man , endued with reason , from being too much captived or enchained with these pleasures , than to consider what benefits redound from moderate rec●e●t●on , and againe what inconveniences arise from immoderate delight therein . first then , let us consider the end for which recreations were ordained , and wee shall finde that they were rather intended to beguile time , than to bestow our selves on them all our time . though many , too many there be , who will not sticke to say with him who sported himselfe in the warme sunne , vtinam hoc esset vivere , would to god this were to live ; would to god this recreation were a vocation , this pleasure my trade forever . no , as recreation was at first intended for refreshing the minde , and enabling the body to performe such offices as are requisite to bee performed : so is it not to bee made a trade or profession , as if we should there set up our rest , and intend nothing else . consider therefore the benefits which redound by a moderate or temperate use of recreation . first it refresheth or cherisheth the minde , accommodating it to all studies : clearing the understanding which would be easily depressed , if either with worldly cares , or more noble and generous studies wholly restrained . it is said of asinius pollio , that after the tenth houre he would be retained in no businesse , neither after that houre would he reade so much as any letter . of cato likewise , that he used to refresh his minde with wine ; the like of solon and archesilaus , that they would usually cheere their spirits with wine : yet whosoever should object drunkennesse to cato , might sooner prove that crime honest , than cato dishonest . so as , whether we beleeve the greeke poet , it is sometimes pleasing to be a little madding ; or plato , who in vaine expulsed poets the bounds of his common-weale ; or aristotle , that there can never be any great wit without some mixture of folly : we shall finde , that even the gravest and most experienced statists have sometimes retired themselves from more serious affaires , to refresh and solace their tired spirits with moderate recreations . the poet excellently describes a man buried in the deepe slumber of contemplation , after this manner ; he dies , pent up with studie and with care . so were the anchorites and hermites in former time , being wholly divided from societie : yea so immured , as they seemed to be buried living . whose conversation , as ( questionlesse ) it argued a great mortification of all mundane desires ; so it ministred matter of admiration to such , who given to carnall libertie , wondred how men made of earth , could be so estranged from conversing with inhabitants of earth . but to leave these , and imagine their conversation to be in heaven , though their habitation was on earth : we perceive hence , how beneficiall recreation is to the minde , in cheering , solacing , and refreshing her , if used with moderation . how it lessens those burdens of cares , wherewith shee is oppressed , revives the spirits , as if from death restored , cleares the understanding , as if her eyes long time shut , were now unsealed , and quickens the invention , by this sweet respiration , as if newly moulded . neither is this benefit so restrained , as if it extended onely to the minde ; for it conferres a benefit likewise to the bodie , by enabling it to performe such labours , taskes or offices , as it is to be imployed or exercised withall . there are two proverbs which may be properly applied to this purpose : once in the yeare apollo laughes ; this approves the use of moderate recreation . apollo's bow 's not alwayes bent ; this shewes , that humane imployments are to be seasoned by recreation : wee are sometimes to unbend the bow , or it will lose his strength . continuall or incessant imployment cannot be endured : there must be some intermission , or the bodie becomes enfeebled . as for example ; observe these men who either encombred with worldly affairs , so tye and tether themselves to their businesse , as they intermit no time for effecting that which they goe about : or such as wholly nayled to their deske , admit no time for recreation , lest they should thereby hinder the progresse of their studies . see how pale and meager they looke , how sickly and infirme in the state of their bodies , how weake and defective in their constitution ? so as to compare one of these weaklings with such an one as intermits occasions of businesse , rather than he will prejudice his health 〈◊〉 serving times as well for recreation and pleasure , as for imployment and labour , were to present a spectacle of iuius dwarfe , not two foot high , and weighing but seventeene pound , with a rhinoceros , tiger or serpent of fiftie cubits long : such difference in proportion , such ods in strength of constitution . for observe one of these starved worldlings , whose aimes are onely to gather and number , without doing either themselves or others good with that they gather ; with what a sallow and earthy complexion they looke , being turned all earth before they returne to earth . and what may be the cause hereof , but their incessant care of getting , their continuall desire of gaining , being ever gaping till their mouthes be filled with gravell . so these , who are wholly given and solely devoted to a private or retired life , how unlike are they to such as use and frequent societie ? for their bodies , as they are much weakned and enfeebled , so is the heat and vigour of their spirits lessened and resolved , yea their dayes for most part shortned and abridged : the cause of all which proceedeth from a continuall secludi●g and dividing themselves from company , and use of such recreations , as all creatures in their kinde require and observe . for if we should have recourse to creatures of all sorts , wee shall finde every one in his kinde observe a recreation or refreshment in their nature . as the beast in his chace , the bird in her choice , the snaile in her speckled case , the polypus in her change , yea the dolphin is said to sport and play in the water . for as * all things were created for gods pleasure , so hath he created all things to recreate and refresh themselves in their owne nature . thus farre have wee discoursed of moderate recreation , and of the benefits which redound from it ; being equally commodious to the minde as well as the body , the body as well as the minde : to the minde , in refreshing , cherishing and accommodating it to all studies ; to the understanding , in clearing it from the mists of sadnesse : so the body , in enabling it for the performance of such labours , tasks , or offices , as it is to be imployed or interessed in . it now rests that wee speake something of her opposite , to wit , of immoderate recreation , and the inconveniences which arise from thence ; whereof wee shall but need to speake a word or two , and so descend to more usefull points touching this observation . as the wind caecias drawes unto it clouds , so doth immoderate recreation draw unto it divers and sundry maine inconveniences : for this immoderation is a loosener of the sinewes , and a lessener of the strength , as moderation is a combiner of the sinewes , and a refiner of the strength . so dangerous is the surfet which wee take of pleasure or recreation , as in this wee resemble chylo , who being taken with the apprehension of too much joy , instantly died . now who seeth not how the sweetest pleasures doe the soonest procure a surfet ? being such as most delight , and therefore aptest to cloy . how soone were the israelites cloyed with quailes , even while the flesh was yet betweene their teeth , and before it was chewed ? so apt are wee rather to dive than dip our hand in honey . most true shall every one by his owne experience finde that saying of salomon to be ; it is better to goe to the house of mourning , than to goe to the house of feasting : for there may wee see the hand of god , and learne to examine our lives , making use of their mortalitie , by taking consideration of our owne frailtie . whereas in the house of feasting , wee are apt to forget the day of our changing , saying with the epicure , eat , drinke , and play ; but never concluding with him , to morrow wee shall die . so apt are wee with messala corvinus to forget our owne name , man , who is said to be corruption ; and the sonne of man , wormes meat . for in this summer parlour 〈◊〉 flourie arbour of our prosperitie , wee can finde time to solace and recreate our selves ; lie upon beds of ivorie , and stretch our selves upon our beds , and eat of the lambs of the flocke , and the calves out of the stall . singing to the sound of the viole , and inventing to our selves instruments of musicke like david . drinking wine in bowles , and anointing our selves with the chiefe ointments , but no man is sorry for the affliction of ioseph . so universall are wee in our iubile , having once shaken off our former captivitie . to prevent which forgetfulnesse , it were not amisse to imitate the roman princes , who ( as i have elsewhere noted ) when they were at any time in their conquests or victorious triumphs with acclamations received , and by the generall applause of the people extolled , there stood one alwayes behind them in their throne , to pull them by the sleeve , with memento te esse hominem : for the consideration of humane frailtie is the soveraignest meanes to weane man from vaine-glory . whence it was that themistocles , when symmachus told him , that he would teach him the art of memory , answered , he had rather learne the art of forgetfulnesse ; saying , he could remember enough ; but many things he could not forget , which were necessary to be forgotten ; as the over-weening conceit of himselfe , the glory of his exploits , and merit of his actions , the memory whereof tended more to his prejudice than profit . but to descend to the particular inconveniences occasioned by immoderate recreation ; we shall find both the minde and body , as by moderation cheered and refreshed , so by immoderation annoyed and distempered . it was a good rule which those great men of rome observed in their feastings and cup-meetings ; wee will drinke not to drowne us , but to drowne care in us . not to reave sense , but revive sense . not as those who are ever carousing in the cup of nepenthe , steeping their senses in the lethe of forgetfulnesse . for these , like those b●se elyots slaved to ebrietie , have buried that glory of man , the reasonable part , in the lees of sensualitie . these are so farre from standing upon their guard , as the devill may safely enter either upon the fore-ward or rereward without resistance : for mans securitie is the devils opportunitie , which he will not slip though man sleepe . i read of one leonides a captaine , who perceiving his souldiers left their watch , upon the city walls , and did nothing all the day long but quaffe and tipple in ale-houses neere adjoyning , commanded that the ale-houses should be removed , being the cittadels wherin they resided , from that place where they stood , and set up close by the walls ; that seeing the souldiers would never keepe out of them , at the least wise that they might watch as well as drinke in them . these were souldiers fit for such a captaine , and a captaine worthy the training of such souldiers ; being one who could sort himselfe to the necessitie of the time , and frame himselfe to their humour ; when hee could not bring them of with more honour , yet he brought them to stand upon their guard , though they could hardly stand to their tackling : so as i conclude , their march could not chuse but be lazie , when their heads were so heavy . generally , but irregularly , is this broad-spreading vice of drunkennesse holden now adayes for a recreation ; so deeply rooted is the custome of impietie , being once strengthned by impunitie . for what is our sabbath recreation in city and country , but drinking and carousing , imagining ( belike ) that the sabbath cannot be prophaned , if wee use not such works or labours wherein our vocation is usually imployed ? if the iewes made the temple of god a den of theeves ; wee come neere them in making that our temple , which gives harbour unto theeves . for what are our city or country ale-houses , for most part , but the devils boothes , where all enormities are acted , all impieties hatched , all mischievous practices plotted and contrived ? these are those sinkes of sinne , where all pollution and uncleannesse reigneth , where fearfull oathes and prophanation rageth , whence all sensuall libertie ariseth . o gentlemen , let not this professed friend to securitie attend you ! it will make you unlike your selves , transforming that glorious image which you have received , like cyrces guests , who became swine , by being too sensually affected . it was sage cleobulus saying , that ones servant made merry with wine , was not to be punished ; for ( saith he ) in seeing him , thou shalt see thy folly of drunkennesse all the better . whence it was that some countries have formerly used ( though the custome seeme scarcely approved ) to make their slaves or vassals drunke , to shew unto their children the brutish condition of that vice ; whereby they might be the better weaned and deterred from that , which through the libertie of youth is usually affected . for if we should but observe the braine-sicke humours of these professed drunkards , we would rather admire how reason should be so strangely drenched and drowned in the lees of senselesse stupiditie , than ever be drawne to become affecters of so loathsome a vice . yet see the miserie of deluded man ; how many , and those of excellentest parts , have beene and are besotted with this sinne ? for who ever lived , and shewed more absolute perfection in action and person , than that great conquerour and commander of the whole world , alexander the great ? yet what uncomely parts plaid he in his drunkennesse ? how full of noble affabilitie and princely courtesie being sober ? how passionately violent , once fallen to distemper ? witnesse the burning of persepolis , to which cruell attempt hee was perswaded by a common and profest strumpet , even thais , whom all greece had 〈◊〉 for a publike prostitute . likewise his killing of callisthenes , being one whom he so dearly affected , as hee was never well , but when hee enjoyed his company . of both which facts hee so repented , as it was long ere hee would bee comforted . neither onely such as hee , who was a souldier , and therefore might seeme rather to claime in some sort a liberty in this kinde : ( for of all others , wee observe such as these to bee more addicted to these distempers , than others whose more civill and peaceable conversation have inured them to a better temper : ) but even those ( i say ) whose sincerity of life , and severity of discipline had gained them all esteme in their countrey , have beene likewise branded with this aspersion . as censorius cato , than whom none more strict or regular ; asinius pollio , than whom none more gracious or popular ; solon , than whom none more legall ; archesilaus , than whom none more formall . yet if wee did but note how much this vice was by the pagans themselves abhorred , and how they laboured to prevent the very meanes whereby this vice might be either cherished or introduced , wee would wonder that moderation in a heathen , should be so weakly seconded by a christian . amongst them , kinsmen kissed their kinswomen , to know whether they drunke wine or no ; and if they had , to be punished by death , or banished into some iland . plutarch saith , that if the matrons had any necessity to drinke wine , either because they were sicke or weake , the senate was to give them licence , and not then in rome neither , but out of the city . and how much it was hated , may appeare by the testimonie of macrobius , who saith , that there were two senatours in rome chiding ; and the one called the others wife an adulteresse , and the other his wife a drunkard , and it was judged that to bee a drunkard was more infamy . thus you see even in pagans , who had but onely the light of nature to direct them , how loth they were to drowne the light of reason through drunkennesse , being indeed ( as a good father well observeth ) an enemy to the knowledge of god. to conclude then this first point ; may it bee farre from you gentlemen , to deprive your selves of that which distinguisheth you from beasts : make not that an exercise or recreation , which refresheth not , but darkeneth the understanding . drinke you may , and drinke wine you may , for wee cannot allow the device of thracius , but we must disallow saint pauls advice to timothy , vse a little wine for thy stomacks sake , and thine often infirmities . so as you are not injoyned such a strict or laconian abstinence , as if you were not to drinke wine at all : for being commanded not to drinke , it is to be implyed , not to use drunkennesse , wherein is excesse ; for in many places are wee allegorically and not literally to cleave to the text. as for origen , strange it is , that perverting so many other places by allegories , onely he should pervert one place , by not admitting an allegory . for our lord commanding to cut off the foot , or any part of the body which offendeth us , doth not meane we should cut off our members with a knife , but our carnall affections with a holy and mortified life : whence it is , that a origen was iustly punished by using too little diligence , where there was great need , because he used too great diligence where there was little need . no lesse worthy was b democritus errour of reproving , who was blinded before hee was blinde : for a christian need not p●t out his eyes , for feare of seeing a woman , since howsoever his bodily eye see , yet still his heart is blinde against all unlawfull desires . neither was crates thebanus well advised , who did cast his money into the sea , saying , c nay sure i will drowne you first in the sea , rather than you should drowne me in covetousnesse and care . lastly , d thracius , of whom aulus gellius writeth , was for any thing that i can see , even at that time most of all drunken , when hee cut downe all his vines , lest hee should bee drunken . no , i admit of no such strict stoicisme ; but rather ( as i formerly noted ) to use wine or any such strong drinke to strengthen and comfort nature , but not to impaire her strength or enfeeble her . for as by a little we are usually refreshed , so by too much are wee dulled and oppressed . there are some likewise , and these for most part of the higher sort ( i could wish they were likewise of the better sort ) who repaire to the house of the strange woman , sleeping in the bed of sinne , thinking so to put from them the evill day : and these are such as make whoredome a recreation , sticking not to commit sinne even with greedinesse , so they may cover their shame with the curtaine of darknesse . but that is a wofull recreation , which brings both soule and body to confusion , singing lysimachus song , short is the pleasure of fornication , but eternall is the punishment due to the fornicator : so as , though hee enjoy pleasure for a time , hee shall bee tormented for ever . but consider this , gentlemen ; you ( i say ) whose better breeding hath instructed you in the knowledge of better things ; that if no future respect might move you ( as god forbid it should not move and remove you from these licentious delights ) yet respect to the place whence you descended , the tender of your credit which should be principally valued , the example which you give , and by which inferiours are directed , should bee of force to weane you from all inordinate affections , the end whereof is bitternesse , though the beginning promise sweetnesse . it was demosthenes answer unto lais , upon setting a price of her body , non emam tanti paenitere : sure i am , howsoever this heathen orator prized his money above the pleasure of her body , and that it was too deare to buy repentance at so high a rate ; that it is an ill bargaine for a moments pleasure , to make shipwracke of the soules treasure ; exposing reputation and all ( being indeed the preciousest of all ) to the object of lightnesse , and subject of basenesse , paying the fraught of so short a daliance with a long repentance . wherefore my advice is unto such as have resorted to the house of the strange woman , esteeming it only a tricke of youth , to keepe their feet more warily from her wayes : for her house draweth neere unto death , and her paths unto hell. so as none that goe in unto her , shall returne , neither shall they understand the wayes of life . let such as have herein sinned , repent ; and such as have not herein sinned , rejoyce , giving thankes to god , who hath not given them up for a prey to the lusts of the flesh ; craving his assistance to prevent them hereafter , that the flesh might be ever brought in subjection to the spirit . for as the lionesse having beene false to the lion , by going to a libard ; and the storke consorting with any other besides her owne mate , wash themselves before they dare returne home ; and the hart , after he hath satisfied his desire , retires to some private or desolate lawne hanging downe his head , as one discontent , till he hath washed and rinsed himselfe , and then he returnes cheerfully to his herd againe : so we cannot be unto god truly reconciled , till we be in the floud of repentance thorowly washed . thus shall you from the wayes of the strange woman be delivered ; thus shall your good name , which is aptly compared to a precious ointment , remaine unstained ; and a good report shall follow you , when you are hence departed . there is another recreation used by gentlemen , but especially in this citie ; which used with moderation , is not altogether to be disallowed : and it is repairing to stage-playes , where , as they shal see much lightnesse , so they may heare something worthy more serious attention . whence it is , that thomas aquinas giveth instance in stage-playes , as ●ittest for refreshing and recreating the minde , which likewise philo iudaeus approveth . but for as much as divers objections have beene , and worthily may be made against them , we will here lay them downe , being such as are grounded on the sacred word of god ; and with as much perspicuitie and brevitie as we may , cleare and resolve them . playes were set out on a time by the citizens for the more solemnity of a league concluded betwixt the cantons of berna and tiguris ; touching which playes , sundrie differences arose amongst the ministers of geneva , which could not easily be determined , about a young boy , who represented a woman in apparell , habit and person : in the end it was agreed of all parts , that they should submit the determination of this difference , with generall suffrage and consent , to the authenticke and approved judgement of their beza , holden for the very oracle both of vniversitie and citie . this controversie being unto him referred , he constantly affirmed , that it was not onely lawfull for them to set forth and act those playes , but for boyes to put on womens apparell for the time . neither did he onely affirme this , but brought such divines as opposed themselves against it ▪ to be of his opinion , with the whole assent and consent of all the ecclesiasticall synod of geneva . now in this first objection , we may observe the occasion , which moved these zealous and learned divines to make a doubt of the lawfulnesse of stage-playes , because ( said they ) it is not lawfull for men to put on womens apparell , or women to put on mens . as we reade how stephanio , an actor of roman playes , was whipped , for having a mans wife waiting on him , shorne in manner of a boy . which doubt being so soundly and sincerely cleared by so glorious a light of the church , we will no longer insist upon it , but descend to the next objection . we are therefore to come to another place of scripture , pressed likewise by such as oppose themselves to the lawfulnesse of stage-playes , as we finde it written in the . psalme , turne away my eyes that i see no vanitie . which requireth of us a two-fold consideration ; generally , for the whole nature of things , as in that place of salomon , vanitie of vanities , &c. in which sense i freely confesse that stage-playes may passe under the name of vanitie . specially , for subjects vaine , light , foolish , frivolous , fruitlesse , being such as are to be applied or accommodated to no good use or profitable end ; in which sense or signification our stage-playes may in no sort bee termed vanitie . for wee shall gather , by a right use and application of such things as we shall heare and see , many excellent precepts for instruction , sundrie fearefull examples for caution , divers notable occurrents or passages , which well applied ( as what may not be perverted ) may confer no small profit to the judicious hearer . the third objection may probably ground it selfe upon the testimony of saint luke . . woe unto those that laugh now , &c. whence it may be gathered , that if the scripture condemne laughter , then consequently stage-playes also , whose speciall ayme and intendment is to make men laugh . but it is to be understood , that christ directeth his speech to those perverse and malicious men , whose mourning is but a dissembled sorrowing , outwardly grieving , and inwardly laughing ; who speake one thing with their mouth , but professe another thing in their life : for this is not to be understood of the common societie or conversation of men , as if christ should forbid any one to laugh at all ; but rather of immoderate laughter , whence is that of the poet ; woe unto thee whose spleene affecteth laughter , for thy short joy shall turne to sorrow after . for as feare begetteth humility , so too much mirth procureth levitie . much laughter corrupteth manners , and looseth the sinews of their former strength , but a grave countenance is the preserver of knowledge ; yet addeth ecclesiastes unto this : there is nothing better than for man to rejoyce in his workes ; which david confirmeth psalme penult . so as , there is nothing by this objection proved , but what with all reason may be approved : for immoderate mirth is that which is here condemned , being that which we have in this observation especially touched and taxed : whence we may inferre , that moderate delight tasting more of sobrietie than levitie , is not only allowed , but commended . the fourth objection is taken from saint matthew , chap. . . but i say unto you , that for every idle word , &c. of which word , that wee may use no other exposition , than what the ancient fathers themselves have used ; we will shew in this place their severall expositions upon this parcell of holy scripture . tertullian in his booke of patience , understandeth by every idle word , whatsoever is vaine and superfluous . but theophylact by idle words understandeth lyes , calumnies , all inordinate and ridiculous speeches . chrysostome , almost after the same manner interpreteth it , saying , that by idle words are understood such as move uncomely and immodest laughter . gregorie understandeth by these which want the profit ever redounding from modestie , and are seldome uttered upon any precedent necessitie , things frivolous , fables , old-wives tales . all which severall expositions , as they agree in substance , so doe we cloze with them in every circumstance . for such as these which corrupt youth by light and scurrillous jests , so little are they to be affected , as the very stages where these are used , are to be hated . for the fifth , it is written to the corinth . . . and exod. . . the people ●ate downe to eat and drinke , and rose up to play : which argument is drawne from chrysostome , where he sheweth that by these words the apostle meant two maine inconveniences , being the effects of false worship , and endangering the soules shipwracke , to wit , the idolatry , or idolomany of the israelites done to the golden calfe in dan and bethel . but farre be this from the conceit of any to imagine , that stage-playes intended for modest delight and recreation , should ever move the spectatour to such abomination . for so much ought stage-playes to be from introducing any such impietie , as they should not so much as once present in their shewes or pagents , ought that might tend to the depraving of the hearer in matters of conversation , much lesse in drawing their minds to any prophane or pagan opinion : which should not be so much as once named , much lesse entertained amongst christians . for the sixth , it is grounded on the foundation of the same apostle , where in divers places he writeth expresly against fables ; as tim. . . give no heed to fables , &c. againe , the tim. . . but cast away prophane , and old-wives fables , &c. againe , the timoth. . . taxing such as shall turne their eares from the truth , and shall be given unto fables . againe , pet. . . the apostles in their doctrine were not directed by deceivable fables . but for these comedians , let them speake for themselves , being such as follow the steps of terence , menander , &c. or may be properly referred to the lesbian rule of menander , and the lydian stone of paul. for such as breed corruption in our manners ( that i may jumpe in opinion with plato ) let them faile to * anticyra , and undergoe due censure for their errour . but how worthy the workes of some of the ancient comedians have beene , may appeare by the apostles alleaging divers of their sentences in his epistles , and vouchsafing to use the name of their poets , by a generall title , to approve some things in them worthy reading . as that of luke . . a proverbe used by euripid. in his tragedies ; that also of menander , made sacred by the mouth of the apostle paul , cor. . . as it is likewise manifest , that the same apostle paul used the authoritie of aratus and epimenides , act. . . all which adde a reverend approbation to the authoritie of poets . the seventh objection which these stage-antagonists frame , is taken from ephes. . . where the apostle willeth and warneth that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. that is , such things as become no man , and which our very eares should abhorre to heare , ought not to be so much as once named amongst christians . whereto i answer , that as these things tending to lightnesse were inveighed against by the apostle , that hee might leave unto us a more excellent patterne or example of modestie , which is an ornament that suteth best with the children of god : so there is none , having the light of grace in him , or fearing the judgement that is to come , who will applaud these scurrilous jests , which are wont to deprave , but seldome to edifie the understanding : whereof the poet speaketh ; iests that unseason'd are , i cannot beare , for they distaste a modest bashfull eare . but it may be here againe objected , that every thing , being ( as augustine testifieth , ) either a hinderance or a furtherance ; these stage-playes , which are properly called the bellowes of vice , may rather seeme a hinderance in the course and progresse of vertue , than any furtherance to him in his practice therein . besides , playes ( saith ambrose ) ought not to be knowne of christians , because there is no mention at all made of them in holy scripture . whereto wee briefly answer thus with peter martyr that sound and profound divine , that in holy scripture we have ( as it were ) a general rule set downe unto us , touching all things mediate or indifferent , in the number whereof are playes necessarily included . yea , but augustine the prince of the latine fathers , seemes to affirme , that even those stages or theaters where their interludes were acted , were more abhominable than those idolatrous sacrifices , which in honour of the pagan gods were offered . but hence is to bee understood , that this holy father meant of such solemne playes or enterludes as were acted and usually celebrated by the heathen in the honour of their father * liber , and other ethnicke gods , for the yearely increase of their fruits : wherein many uncomely and immodest parts were played . yea , but where shall we finde these stage-actors in former times so much as countenanced , being such as quintilian termeth expresly , hypocrites , from counterfeiting the manner , measure , motion , gesture , gate , grace , and feature of such persons as they represent ; whose fashion they often retaine when they have resumed their owne habit ? yes , and by the eminent'st and noblest personages . edward the sixth so much approved them , as he appointed one who was a witty courtier to bee ( as it were ) the chiefe master or disposer of the playes , who by his office should take care to have them set forth in a princely and sumptuous sort ; which office to this day retaines the name of the master of the revels . likewise our late queene elizabeth of blessed memory , rightly stiled the worlds phaebe , among women a sybilla , among queenes a saba : how well she approved of these recreations , being ( as shee termed them , ) harmlesse spenders of time ; the large exhibitions which she conferred on such as were esteemed notable in that kinde , may sufficiently witnesse . neither did shee hold it any derogation to that royall and princely majestie , which shee then in her regall person presented , to give some countenance to their endevours , whereby they might be the better encouraged in their action . yea , if wee would but peruse some bookes treating of this subject , we should finde poets in generall to have received such countenance and approbation from the most eminent'st princes , as their poems never wanted patrons , nor the authors themselves benefactors : which by instances i intend here to confirme , though the prosecution hereof may seeme digressive to our present discourse . wee read how much amyntas king of macedonia , made of the tragicall poet euripides , the athenians of sophocles ; in what price the noble and heroicke poems of homer were holden by alexander , placing them in that curious cabinet which hee got in the spoile of darius ; and not onely homer the father of the poets , was so honoured by him , but for his sake all other meaner poets : in so much as cherilus no very good poet , had for every verse well made , a philips noble of gold , amounting in value to an angell english , and so for every hundred verses ( which a cleanly hand could presently dispatch ) hee had an hundred angels . and since alexander the great , how theocritus the greeke poet was favoured by ptolomie king of aegypt , and berenice his wife . ennius likewise by scipio , virgil and horace by augustus ; betwixt which two poets the emperour sitting one day , and one that might bee bold asking what hee did ; marrie ( said hee ) i sit here betweene groanings and teares ; for the one was ever sighing , and the other seemed as if he were ever weeping . but to descend to our later times ; how much were i●han de mehune , and guillamne de loris made of by the french kings ? and ieffery chaucer , father of our english poets , by richard the second ; who , as it was supposed , gave him the mannor of newholme in oxfordshire ? and gower by henry the fourth ? harding by edward the fourth ? also how francis the french king made sangelais , salmonius , macrinus , and clemens marot of his privie chamber , for their excellent skill in latine and vulgar poesie . and henry the eighth , for a few psalmes of david translated and turned into english meetre by sternhold , made him groome of his privie chamber . also one gray , in what favour grew he with henry the eighth , and after with the duke of somerset , protectour , for his hunt is up , hunt is up ? and queene marie , for one epithalamie made by vargus a spanish poet , at her marriage with king philip , solemnized in winchester , gave him during his life two hundred crownes pension . nor were poets only eminent in this kinde , but esteemed for their universalitie of knowledge , apt for any office publike ; as in the administration of common-weales affaires , conduct of armies , &c. for wee finde that iulius caesar was not only the most eloquent orator of his time , but also a very good poet , though none of his doings therein be now extant . quintus catulus a good poet , and cornel. gallus treasurer of aegypt ; and horace the most delicate of all the roman lyricks , was importuned by many letters of great instance , to be secretary of state to augustus the emperour ; which hee neverthelesse refused for his unhealthfulnesse sake ; and being a quiet man , and nothing ambitious of glory , retired himselfe from publike deportments . and ennius the latine poet , was with all respect entertained as a fellow and counsellor by african , for his amiable conversation . so antimenides , of whom aristotle reports in his politicks ; and tyrtaeus the poet , though a lame man , was chosen by the oracle of the gods from the athenians , to be generall of the lacedemonians army . nor may that noble and honourable memoriall of that worthy woman twice french queene , lady anne of britaine , wife first to charles the eighth , and after to lewis the twelfth , adde lesse glory to this exquisite art ; who passing one day from her lodging toward the kings side , saw in a gallerie m. allane chartier the kings secretary , an excellent poet , leaning on a tables end asleepe , and stooped downe to kisse him , saying thus in all their hearings : wee may not of princely courtesie passe by and not honour with our kisse , the mouth from whence so many sweet ditties and golden poems have issued . yea plato himselfe , howsoever he may be said to exclude divers poets the bounds of his common-weale , for their obscene and immodest labours , which effeminated youth , training them rather to the carpet than the campe ; yet wrote he many epigrams and excellent poems in his younger yeeres , before he intended himselfe to philosophy . for even in fables appeare seeds of vertues , as macrobius testifieth . yea but our stage-stingers , or poet-scourgers , will againe object , that these theaters , which were at first erected for honest delight and harmlesse merriment , grow many times busie with states , laying aspersions on men of eminent ranke and qualitie ; and in briefe , will spare none , so they may gaine themselves by disparaging others . but i must answer thus much for them , albeit , - non me tenet aura theatri ; that such as imploy their pens in taxing or tainting any noble or meriting person in this kinde , deserve no better censure , than as they whipt , so to be whipt themselves for their labour : for they must know ( to use the words of one who was once an eminent statist ) that some things are privileged from jest , namely , religion , matters of state , great persons , any mans present businesse of importance , and any case that deserveth pitty ; and generally , men ought to finde the difference betweene saltnesse and bitternesse . certainly , he that hath a satyricall veine , as he maketh others afraid of his wit , so he had need be afraid of others memory . this was very straitly looked into by the ancient heathens , who ordained many strict lawes to punish such bitter satyrists as touched the good name of any citizen , either in publike stage o● any private worke . the ancient romans had a law enacted in their twelve tables , that whosoever should impeach any ones good name , o● detract from the credit of his person either in verse or action , should suffer death . so as tiberius slew scaurus , and not altogether undeservedly , for writing a spightfull tragedie against him . in like manner did augustus banish ovid , for writing too wantonly towards some that were neere him . so nero injoyned lucan silence , for his * smooth invection framed against him . so as , stesichorus writing bitterly against helen , aristophanes against cleon , eupolis against alcibiades , callisthenes against alexander , suffered equall punishments according to their demerits . this eupolis is said to be o●● of the first comedians , and was drowned in hellespont , about the time of that famous sea-fight betweene the lacedemonians and athenians : but i can scarcely assent to his opinion ; for wee finde it recorded , that hee was throwne into the sea by alcibiades , for presenting him on the publike stage , embracing timandra in a lascivious sort ; and that he used these words : oft times , eupolis , hast thou drowned mee upon the stage , i will once drowne thee in the sea. thespis likewise is said to be the first inventer of a tragicke scene , as * horace witnesseth : thespis some say inventing first the straine of tragicke scenes , grew famous in his vaine ; whose actors , that yee might the better note , with painted faces sung the lines he wrote , mounted in chariots ; which with greedie eares the people heard , and hearing sent forth teares . and in these did satyrus ( no doubt ) among the greekes shew an admirable art , being so highly extolled by demosthenes , ( for unto him did this satyrus propose the first forme of speaking plainly and articulately ) as he was no lesse praised by him , than the roman roscius was by cicero , or aesopus to whom cicero useth many titles of love and familiaritie in his epistles . for roscius and aesopus were held the choicest and chiefest orators , even at that time when the common-weale excelled not onely in eloquence , but also in wisdome . the like of pilades and hyla , master and scholer , who were such passionate actors , as they enforced admiration in the hearer . but to what end should i prosecute either comick or tragick subjects any further ? my opinion briefly is this ; as comedies should breath nothing but terences art , cecilius gravitie , menanders sweetnesse , aristophanes conceit , and plautus wit : so tragedies should relish of nothing but of the royall and majestick measures of sophocles , the sententious fulnesse of euripides , and the sincere integritie of seneca . for these which tend to corrupt youth , making their stages stewes , or their scenes meere satyres , to detract from the credit or estimation of any person either publike or private ; as their authors deserve due punishment , so should they be avoided : the former sort , because they are in danger to deprave us ; the latter , because perhaps wee shall heare them touch the credit of such as are neere us . for such enterludes ( gentlemen ) as participate with neither of these , but in a temperate and equall course mix profit with honest delight ; you shall account the time you bestow in hearing them , not altogether fruitlesly spent . for albeit the italians are held worthy before all others to carry away the garland for poesie , being for number and measure fuller , and for weight and merit better , as may appeare in the happy labours of petrarch and boccace ; yet if wee looke homeward , and observe the grace of our presentments , the curiositie of our properties , and proprietie of our action , wee may justly conclude , that no nation is or hath beene so exquisite in that kinde . but to draw in our sailes touching this recreation ; as i approve of the moderate use and recourse which our gentlemen make to playes ; so i wholly condemne the daily frequenting of them : as some there be ( especially in this citie ) who , for want of better imployment , make it their vocation . and these i now speake of , be our ordinary gentlemen , whose day-taske is this in a word : they leave their beds , to put on their cloathes formally , repaire to an ordinary , and see a play daily . these can finde time enough for recreation , but not a minutes space for devotion . so as i much feare mee , when they shall be struck with sicknesse , and lie on their death-bed , it will fare with them as it fared with a young gentlewoman within these few yeeres ; who being accustomed in her health every day to see one play or other , was at last strucke with a grievous sicknesse even unto death : during which time of her sicknesse , being exhorted by such divines as were there present , to call upon god , that hee would in mercy looke upon her , as one deafe to their exhortation , continued ever crying , oh hieronimo , hieronimo , me thinks i see thee brave hieronimo ! neither could shee be drawne from this with all their perswasions ; but fixing her eyes intentively , as if shee had seene hieronimo acted , sending out a deepe sigh , shee suddenly died . and let this suffice to have beene spoken of the moderate use of this recreation : upon which i have the longer insisted , because i am not ignorant how divers and different opinions have beene holden touching the lawfulnesse of stage-playes , which i resolved to reconcile in as briefe and plaine a manner as i could , before i descended to the rest . for as much as wee have begunne to treat of such recreations as require small use or exercise of the body , we will first proceed with such as follow , being ranked in the same siedge , because recreations of the same nature : descending from them to exercises requiring more alacrity of spirit , and more ability of bodie . of these , which may bee rather termed exercises of the minde , than exercisers of the faculties of the body , are cards and dice , a speciall recreation : meerely invented and intended to passe tedious winter nights away , and not to hazard ones fortunes at them , as many inconsiderate gamesters now adayes will not sticke to doe : which done , what ensueth hence , but entertaining of some desperate course , which bringeth the undertaker many times to an end as unfortunate , as his life was dissolute ? which makes me thinke i never see one of these gamesters , who in a bravado will set their patrimonies at a throw , but i remember the answer of one minacius , who having on a time lost at dice not only his money , but his apparell too ( for hee was very poore ) sate weeping at the portall doore of a taverne . it chanced that a friend of his seeing him thus to weepe and lament , demanded of him , how it was with him ? nothing , ( quoth minacius ; ) why weepest thou then , ( said his friend , ) if there be nothing ? for this cause doe i weepe ( replied minacius ) because there is nothing . his friend still wondring ; why then ( quoth hee ) doest thou weepe thus , when there is nothing ? for the very same cause ( quoth hee ) because i have nothing . the one understood , that there was no cause why hee should weepe ; the other wept because he had nothing left to play . how many be there who may sing lachrymae with menacius , going by weeping-crosse : being either by crosse fortune , as they ascribe it , or rather by flat cheating , as they may more properly terme it , stript of their substance ? amongst the romans , * venus or cous was the best chance at dice : but indeed the best chance that any one can have , is not to throw at all . howsoever , i could wish young gentlemen to beware of frequenting these common gaming houses , where they must either have fortune with advantage , or else bee sure to play like young gamesters to their owne disadvantage . truth is , i would have none to play much , but those which have little to play . for these , as they have little to lose , so they cannot be much poorer , if they lose all . whereas such , whose ancestors have left them faire revenues , by investing them as heires to their providence ; need little to raise or advance their fortunes by these indirect meanes . for tell mee gentlemen , doe yee game for gaine , or passing time ? if for gaine , it is needlesse , yee have sufficient . if for passing time , your stake sh●uld be lesse , and your care for winning , more indifferent . besides , doe yee not observe what foists yee have daily resorting and frequenting these houses ; whose purses are lined with cheats , and whose profession is only to sharke ? shun their companies then , lest they prey upon you : whereby you shall make your selves subjects both of want and weaknesse . of want , by filling their purses with your coine ; of weaknesse , by suffering your selves to be made a prey of by their cheats . if you will game , make choice of such as you know to be square gamesters , scorning to bring their names in question with the least report of advantage . as for tricks frequently used in these dayes , learne rather to prevent them , than professe them : for i never knew gamester play upon advantage , but bring him to the square , and his fortune was ever seconded with disadvantage . but above all , use moderation in play , make not your recreation a distemper : and set up this as your rest , never to mount your stake so high , as the losse of it may move you to choler . and so i descend to recreations more virile , wherein i will be briefe , because i would hasten to the next branch . in this ranke may be numbred hunting and hawking ; pleasures very free and generous , and such as the noblest dispositions have naturally affected . for what more admirable than the pleasure of the hare , if wee observe the uses which may bee made of it , as i have * elsewhere more amplie discoursed ; purposing here rather to touch them , than treat of them ? in her doubles , note her cunning ; in the dogges , eagernesse of pursuing . where all the senses remaine for the time pleased , but when at default , how much are they grieved ? what an excellent melody , or naturall consort to delight the eare ? what choice objects to content the eye ? what odoriferous smells in the flourie meads , to refresh the nose ? onely the touch and taste must have their pleasures suspended , till the sport be ended . non sine lepôre , tanto labore , pro uno lepore homines torqueri video ; saith one very wittily and elegantly . i can never chuse but laugh , to see what labour men will take for a poore hare . what mountaines they will climbe , what marishes they will passe , what brakes and bryers they will runne through , and all for a hare ? which may be an embleme of humane vanity ; where men ( miserable deluded men ) will refuse no toyle or labour to gaine a trifling pleasure . what indirect courses they will take for a moments delight , which is no sooner showne them , than vanished from them ? these pleasures are most commonly affected by youth , because they have agility and ability of body to maintaine the pursuit of them : whence the poet ; the beardlesse youth , when 's guardians raines do yeeld , sports him in horse and dogges , and open field , the reason may be this ; he cannot endure restraint : for the heat of youth must needs take aire , or it choaks it selfe with too much holding . it must be carried aloft on the wings of the wind , taking an icarian flight , but never fearing his fall . such dogges as were presented by the king of albanie unto alexander the great , who would not stirre at small beasts , but at lions and elephants , are the fittest for his kennell ; for youth is no sooner moving than mounting . whence ascanius in a youthfull bravery ; wisheth some boare or savage lion should descend the mount , and cope with him he would . so subject is youth to expose it selfe to all dangers , swimming ever with bladders of vain-glory , till they receive water , and it sinke . there are some also of these youthfull hunts-men , who when they cannot speed in their sport , will rather buy it , than want it ; that having their game on their backe , they may proclaime to the world , how they are masters of their profession . and these are excellently displaid by the poet , in the person of gargilius ; as once gargilius , who one morne betime sent out his servants forward to the chace , with hunting poles , and twisted nets of line , to buy a boare , which through the market place laid on a mule , as if his men had slaine him , would , as he thought , eternall glory gaine him . so apt are many in inventing , and eager in pursuing ought which may raise them a name , though in things meerely indifferent . for as reputation is a common conceit of extraordinary vertue , so every one laboureth to acquire the end , albeit they misse the meanes of acquiring it . for how should any one imagine ( unlesse his conceit were wholly darkned ) that these things could be any meanes to perpetuate his name ? but so soone transported is youth with any phantasie suggested , ( albeit upon no sufficient ground builded ) as whatsoever his conceit whispers to him , that may tend to his praise , he entertaines it with a greedy and eager desire , labouring to effect what may gaine him popular esteeme . so as the lover is never more blinded with affection towards his beloved , than youth is in affecting that which may cause him to be praised . to speake much touching this recreation i will not addresse my discourse : only this is my opinion , that as it is generous , so generally is it most harmelesse , so it be moderately used ; for otherwise it may weaken or enfeeble the body , impaire the health , and be occasion of many inconveniences : for in my discourse upon the particular branch of this observation , i am onely to approve of such recreations as are used with moderation . as hawking , which ( as i before observed ) is a pleasure for high and mounting spirits : such as will not stoope to inferiour lures , having their mindes so far above , as they scorne to partake with them . it is rare to consider , how a wild bird should be so brought to hand , and so well managed as to make us such pleasure in the aire : but most of all to forgoe her native liberty and feeding , and returne to her former servitude and diet . but in this , as in the rest , wee are taught to admire the great goodnesse and bountie of god , who hath not only given us the birds of the aire , with their flesh to feed us , with their voice to cheere us , but with their flight to delight us . the eagle , which is indeed the prince of birds , and the prime hawke , was observed much among the ancient romans in all their auguries : so as an eagle hovering in the aire , in the reigne of augustus , and at last setling upon the name of agrippa , and just upon the first letter of that name , a. a lightning descending downe from heaven , strucke the first letter of his owne name out , c. whence south-sayers , by conjecturall arguments gathered , that he should but live an hundred dayes after , and be afterwards canonized for a god : because aesar , the residue of that name , in the tuscane language signified god . for the romans , of all nations under the cope of heaven , relyed most upon the prophesying of birds : so as we reade , that they ever kept their oscines or birds of augury , by which they collected what their successe should be , both in peace and war. albeit , some there were among the heathen , who made small account of them : so as claudius pulcher , when in taking his auspicia , or the predictions of his successe before sicily , the pullets would not feed , he commanded they should be plunged in the sea , that they might drinke , seeing they would not eat . it is the saying of an ancient father , that the piercing eye of the eagle exceeds the sight of all other birds : being of such sharpe sight , as reflecting the beames of the sunne fixed upon her she can looke upon the sunne without shutting her eyes , which are not to be dazled , shine the sunne never so brightly . so as it is said , shee makes a triall of her brood when they are but young , by mounting up , and fixing their eyes against the sunne : of which , if any be so tender-eyed , as they cannot looke upon it , she disclaimes them ; but such whose sharpe sight can looke stedfastly upon it , shee tenders them as her selfe . whence many secret and sacred uses might be gathered , ( for this is but the type of a divine morall ) if i should insist upon the exposition of that blessed father ; but i must briefly descend , to speake of the moderate use of this recreation . this pleasure , as it is a princely delight , so it moveth many to be so dearely enamoured of it , as they will undergoe any charge , rather than forgoe it : which makes me recall to minde a merry tale which i have read , to this effect . divers men having entred into discourse , touching the superfluous care ( i will not say folly ) of such as kept dogs and hawkes for hawking ; one paulùs a florentine stood up and spake . not without cause ( quoth he ) did that foole of millan laugh at these ! and being entreated to tell the tale , he thus proceeded . vpon a time ( quoth he ) there was a citizen of millan , a physitian for such as were distracted or lunaticke ; who tooke upon him within a certaine time to cure such as were brought unto him . and he cured them after this sort ; hee had a plat of ground neere his house , and in it a pit of corrupt and stinking water , wherein he bound naked such as were mad to a stake , some of them knee-deepe , others to the groine , and some others deeper , according to the degree of their madnesse , where hee so long pined them with water and hunger , till they seemed sound . now amongst others , there was one brought , whom he had put thigh-deepe in water : who after fifteene dayes began to recover , beseeching the physitian that he might be taken out of the water . the physitian taking compassion of him , tooke him out , but with this condition , that he should not goe out of the roome . having obeyed him certaine dayes , he gave him liberty to walk up and downe the house , but not to passe the out-gate : while the rest of his companions , which were many , remaining in the water , diligently observed their physitians command . now it chanced , as on a time he stood at the gate , ( for out he durst not goe , for feare he should returne to the pit ) he beckned to a young gentleman to come unto him , who had a hawke and two spaniells , being moved with the novelty thereof ; for to his remembrance , before hee fell mad , hee had never seene the like . the young gentleman being come unto him ; sir ( quoth he ) i pray you heare me a word or two , and answer me at your pleasure . what is this you ride on ( quoth he ) and how doe you imploy him ? this is a horse ( replied he ) and i keepe him for hawking . but what call you that , you carry on your fist , and how doe you use it ? this is a hawke ( said he ) and i use to fly with it at pluver and partridge . but what ( quoth he ) are these which follow you , what doe they , or wherein doe they profit you ? these are dogges ( said he ) and necessary for hawking , to finde and retrive my game . and what were these birds worth , for which you provide so many things , if you should reckon all you take for a whole yeere ? who answering , he knew not well , but they were worth a very little , not above six crownes . the man replied ; what then may be the charge you are at with your horse , dogges and hawke ? some fiftie crownes , said he . whereat , as one wondring at the folly of the young gentleman : away , away sir , i pray you quickly , and fly hence before our physitian returne home : for if hee finde you here , as one that is maddest man alive , hee will throw you into his pit , there to be cured with others that have lost their wits ; and more than all others , for he will set you chin-deepe in the water . inferring hence , that the use or exercise of hawking , is the greatest folly , unlesse sometimes used by such as are of good estate , and for recreation sake . neither is this pleasure or recreation herein taxed , but the excessive and immoderate expence which many are at in maintaining this pleasure . who , as they should be wary in the expence of their coine , so much more circumspect in their expence of time . so as in a word , i could wish young gentlemen never to be so taken with this pleasure , as to lay aside the dispatch of more serious occasions , for a flight of feathers in the ayre . the physitian saith , that it is the best exercise which is , ad ruborem , non adsudorem ; refreshing the spirits , and stirring up the bloud a little , but not putting a man into any great sweat : for he that makes his recreation a toyle , makes himselfe likewise pleasures thral . rrefresh your spirits , stir up your bloud , and enable your bodies by moderate exercise : but avoid mixing of distemper with your pleasure , for that were not to refresh , but depresse the spirits ; not to stirre up , but stoppe the course of bloud ; not to enable , but enfeeble the bodie . and so i descend to the next branch , treating of recreations best sorting with the qualitie of a gentleman . to propose what recreations may please best , i cannot , ( because i know not how you stand affected ) but i shall , as neere as i may , recount what especiall recreations best sort and sute with your qualitie . of all those which i have formerly touched and treated , there is none but may be approved and entertained with an equall indifferencie , being ( as i have said ) tempered and moderated with discretion . but some there are i have not touched , which may be so much the more admired , for as much as they are by our young gentlemen usually affected ; yea , and as especial ornaments to grace and accomplish them , generally esteemed : as fencing and dancing ; the one to accommodate him for the court , the other for the campe. of which two recreations , to give my opinion freely , there is required a knowledge ; but respectively , to such ( i meane ) as only intend to court or gallant it : for these shall have occasion to make use of their knowledge , in the one to grace and beautifie them ; in the other to shield and defend them . yet in neither of these would i have them to imitate their masters : for ●o may they turne cowards , and so shew themselves true fencers . or in their dancing use those mimicke trickes which our apish professanes use : but with a reserved grace to come off bravely and sprightly , rather than with an affected curiositie . you shall see some of these come forth so punctually , as if they were made up in a sute of wainscot , treading the ground as if they were foundred . others you shall see , so supple and pliable in their joynts , as you would take them to bee some tumblers ; but what are these but iacke-an-apes in gay cloathes ? but others there are , and these onely praise-worthy , who with a gracefull presence gaine them respect . for in exercises of this kinde ( sure i am ) those only deserve most commendation , which are performed with least affectation . now i have heard of some who could doe all this ; shew an excellent grace in their carriage ; expresse themselves rare proficients in all schoole-tricks ; being so much admired as who but they : yet observe the cloze , and they spoile all with an english tricke , they cannot leave it when it is well . it is said of apelles , that hee found fault with protogenes , in that hee could not hold his hands from his table : and right so fares it with these young cavalieroes , when they have shewne all that may bee shewne to give content , striving to shew one tricke above ela , they halt in the conclusion . for fence-play , i have knowne some puffed up with a presumption of skill , to have beene too apt in giving offence : so as , of professors of worth , they became practicers of wrong . but see their unhappinesse ! this conceit or over-weening opinion of their surpassing skill , brings them many times to an unexpected end , by exposing themselves to inevitable dangers . and this they doe either for vaine glory , being ambitious after fame ; or else out of a quarrelling disposition , being no lesse apt to conceive or apprehend the smallest occasion of offence , than to prosecute revenge upon occasion offered . for the first , the bravest and noblest spirits have beene affected to it , i meane ambition , but their ends were more glorious . as themistocles , who walked in the night time in the open street , because he could not sleepe : the cause whereof when some men did enquire , hee answered , that the triumph of miltiades would not suffer him to take his rest . the like might be observed in alexander , who sighed that his father should winne so much , and leave him so little to winne . so as , it is said that he wept , hearing that there was another world , saying , he had not yet wonne one world . but with these it fareth many times , as it did with marius , who not contented with the glory hee got in the cimbrian warres , by seeking to augment it , did extenuate it . yet are these more noble in their aymes , than such whose ambition it is to commit all impieties , onely to gaine them a perpetuall infamy . as pausanias , who killed philip of macedon , onely for fame or vaine-glory ; so did herostratus burne the temple of diana , to get him a name by an infamous act . for the latter sort , being such as are given to quarrells , i have ever noted their gaines to bee small in all their adventures . for what are these , but such as value bloud at a low rate ? they pretend how their reputation stands engaged ; they cannot put up such disgraces but with touch of cowardize ; and what a blemish were it , for ones reputation to bee brought in question , upon termes so neere concerning them , and not seeke revenge ? where the wide world would take notice of their disgrace , pointing at them in the streets , and saying , there goe such and such who were most grosly baffled ; preferring their bloud before their honour , their safety before their reputation ! o gentlemen , how many of your ranke and quality have perished by standing upon these termes ! how many , and those of the choicest and selected'st ranke , have exposed themselves to extremest danger , whereby they might gaine themselves the stile of valiant ! how many , even upon trifling occasions have gone into the field , and in their heat of bloud have fallen ? sure i am , their deare countrey hath felt their losse , to whom in all due respect they should have tendred both love and life and not have made prodigall expence of that , which might have beene a meanes to strengthen and support her state . yet doe i not speake this , as one insensible of wrong , or incapable of disgrace : for i know that in passages of this nature , publike imputations require publike satisfaction , so that howsoere the divine law , to which all humane actions ought to be squared , may seeme to conclude , that wee are to leave revenge to whom revenge belongeth ; yet so passionate is the nature of man , and through passion so much weakned , as hee forgets many times what the divine law bids him doe , and hastens to that which his owne violent and distempered passion pricks him to . now to propose my opinion , by way of direction , in a word it is this . as one may be a angry and sinne not , so one may revenge and offend not , and this is by b heaping coales of fire upon our enemies head : for by this c meeknesse is anger appeased , and wee of our owne fury revenged . but the best meanes to prevent occasion of distaste in this kinde , is to avoid the acquaintance or society of such as are given to offence : whence it is that the wisest of kings exhorteth us in these words : d to have no familiarity with an angry man , neither go● with the furious man. and why ? lest thou learne his wayes , and receive destruction to thy soule . for indeed these , whose turbulent dispositions are ready to entertaine any occasion of offence , albeit the occasion perchance was never intended , are unfit for any company , or to passe time withall in any recreation . so as , of one of these it may be said , as was said of scaeva , who shewed apparant arguments of resolution , to slave himselfe to the servile yoake of tyrannous subjection ; infelix dominum quant â virtute parasti ! how many courses , miserable man , hast thou tryed ; how many wayes hast thou traced ; how many adventures entertained ; to get thee a master , fury , archtrai●our to that glorious fortresse of patience ? these are those bloud-hounds who are ever in quest , and are never satisfied in pursuit , till their eyes become the sad spectators of a fall : yea , rather than these men will be out of action , they will engage themselves in maintaining other quarrels ; so prompt they are to take offence , as a strangers engagements must be made their owne , rather than they will discontinue their former profession . another sort there are , who albeit they finde abilitie in themselves to subdue and moderate this passion of furie by the soveraigntie of reason , yet it fares with them as it did with hannibal , who knew better how to conquer , than how to make use of his conquest : or as it is said of glendor , that he was more able to get a victorie , than skilfull to use it . so these , though reason like a discreet monitor advise them to moderate their passions , yet so ambitious are they of popular praise , as rather than they will lose the name of being esteemed resolute , they will oppose themselves to all perils , and entertaine a course in the eye of true valour most dissolute . yet respect to our good name , being indeed the choicest and sweetest perfume , must not be so sleighted , as to incurre apparent termes of disgrace , and not labour to wipe off that staine , by shewing some arguments , that wee have so much conceit as to apprehend what an injurie is , and so much spirit as to take revenge on him , by whom the injurie is offered . it is true , neither am i so stupid , as not to conceive how insupportable the burden of those wrongs is , which touch our name . so as indeed , ( to speake as a man unto men , ) these wrongs are above the nature of mortalitie to beare : for the naturall man tasting more of earth than heaven , whilest he ponders the qualitie of his disgrace , and how farre he stands engaged , in respect of the opinion of men , to beare himselfe like himselfe , and not to burie such wrongs in silence , as if senselesse of the nature of an injurie ; he never considers what the divine law injoynes , but casteth his eye upon the wrong he sustaines . wherein , if passion will needs over-master reason , ( albeit i doe not hold it consonant to the divine law , morall , or nationall , but to all generous spirits experimentally usefull ) i could wish him to come off faire at the first , for this either wins him the buckler , or loseth it : so shall hee ever gaine to himselfe an esteeme of conceit , in knowing the nature of a wrong ; and an opinion of spirit , in daring to wipe off the disgrace that shall be laid upon him . for this is my position , faile at the first , and faile ever : for as the first onset terrifies the enemie , so in actions of this nature , the only meanes to gaine opinion is to come off bravely in the beginning . now perchance it may happen , that he from whom you have received wrong , will take no notice of your distaste , but will doe as hee did , who receiving a challenge upon some personall touch , whereby he apprehended the occasion for his best advantage , of making choice ( as the challenged may ) of time , place , weapon , and second , returned this answer to the messenger ; for the time , i know not when ; for the place , when that time comes , it shall be the alpes ; for the weapon , it shall be guyes sword that slew the cow on dunmooth heath ; and for my second , it shall be your selfe , that i may bring you within the compasse of duelloes . if with such your fortune be to deale , ( as many there are more valiant in tongue than hand , more apt to offer wrong than tender satisfaction ; ) know thus much , that these alpes which hee hath named , and whereto he never meanes to come , is what place soever you shall meet him ; the time , whensoever you shall have fit opportunitie to encounter him ; the weapon , though he chuse it , you may refuse it , ( because it is too closely kept to come to ) and make choice of your owne weapon lest by going to warwicke castle to procure a sword , you forget your wrong before you come there ; and the second , your only selfe ; that as you are particularly wronged , you may be particularly righted : for as the wrong toucheth you and no second , so you are to right your selfe without a second . but the safest and surest course ( as i said before ) not to partake with men of this condition , is to refraine their company and conversation : for these firie spirits , who have thersites tongue and antaeus hand , are dangerous to consort with ; for they seldome resort to any meeting , but either they doe hurt , or receive it . so as , even in these tolerable recreations of horse-races , cockings , bowlings , &c. you shall ever see these throw one bone or other to make differences amongst men of qualitie and ranke , wherein they will be sure to be interested as seconds , if not as principall agents . my advice therefore is , that you avoid their company , as disturbers of the publike peace , interrupters of all honest recreations , and profest enemies to all civill societie . for , as wee read of the bird curuca , that she will rather hatch the egges of another , than hatch none at all ; so these will rather engage themselves in others differences , and like subtill spiders spin the web of dissention , than be without imployment : but they hatch the cockatrice egges , reaping the fruit of their labours to their shame . but wee have insisted too long upon them ; wherefore wee will returne to our former discourse . as wee have briefly touched some recreations well sorting with the qualitie of a gentleman , being such as tend especially to his accomplishment outwardly ; so are wee now to treat of such as may conferre no lesse benefit to the inward man , by enabling him for matters of discourse . of which ranke , reading of history is to be accounted as one especially tending thereto ; and that not only in respect of discourse , but in respect of discipline and civill societie ; being there taught how to demeane ●r behave our selves in all our actions , how to moderate 〈◊〉 ●ffections , how to gaine worthy esteeme both in our ma●nagements publike and private . cicero entring into the commendation of histories , honours them with this rhetoricall definition : histories ( saith he ) are the witnesses of times , the light of truth , the life of memory , the mistresse of life , the messenger of antiquitie : in which notable exemplification , he shewes what excellent fruits may be gathered from the select flowers of histories . first , how the passages and events of former times are there recorded ; secondly , how the truth of things by the light of historie is discovered ; thirdly , our memory is revived ; fourthly , our life is directed ; fiftly , antiquities successively transscribed . in tacitus are three notes which are required in a perfect history ; first , truth , in sincere relating , without having any thing haustum ex vano ; secondly , explanation not only of the sequels of things , but also the causes and reasons ; thirdly , judgement in distinguishing things , by approving the best , and disallowing the contrary . touching which three notes , wee are to observe first , that there is necessarily required in every historie a sincere relation of truth , foisting nothing in which may seeme either fabulous or impertinent . likewise , it is not enough to lay downe or explaine the sequels or issues of things , but the causes and reasons from whence those sequels issued . thirdly , there is required judgement in distinguishing probabilities from improbabilities ; never setting ought downe for a grounded truth without approved authoritie . having thus proposed unto you the fruits redounding from historie , as also what is required therein , to make it more generally affected ; it rests now that i shew my opinion to●ching your choice of histories : of which subject , because i have * heretofore copiously treated , i will only speake a word , and so descend to the last branch of this observation . augustine in his fourth booke de civit. dei , calls salust , a noble and true historian ; noble in respect of his descent ; true in respect of his discourse . neither doth he indeed deserve any lesser title ; for his phrase is elegant without affectation , his discourse continuate without impertinent digression , and the series of his historie stored with much sententious instruction . from the depth of a princely judgement , caesars commentaries have received most noble approbation . but if you would take view of a flourishing state , whose greatnesse never any attained to , being raised from such beginnings ; be acquainted with * tacitus or livie , where you shall observe the courses and passages of many eminent princes , how they bare themselves in their height , how in their hate . here you shall see , those men , who ( as cosmo saith ) carry their heart in their mouth , are more to be pittied than feared : for these judge men only by the outward appearance . whereas tiberius gloried in nothing so much as in cunningly cloaking his purposes with faire pretences , going invisible , and deluding his subjects resolutions with a seeming good . here you shall likewise observe others so obsequiously seeming , as they strove not onely to satisfie the * mindes , but eyes of the citizens , understanding well enough , that the common sort of people were catcht sooner by a * cheerfull countenance , and a pleasing outward semblance , than any other respect whatsoever . some you shall see note much , yet will bee seene to note little : therefore agrippina in tacitus , knowing her life to bee attempted by nero , knew well , that her onely remedy was to take no notice of the treason : so is scipio described by cicero , to be the most cunning searcher of m●ns minds ; and sylla by salust . others you shall observe so much dejected presently upon any losse sustained , 〈◊〉 they entertaine affliction with a desperate sorrow , crying out with afranius sonne , alas mee wretched ! or philotas-like , receive such deepe impression or apprehension of their disgrace , as through it they are forced to lose the faculty of speech . whereas others , like furius camillus are neither puffed up with honour , nor cast downe with disgrace : as his dictator-ship could not make him too haughtily affected ; no more could exile from his countrey cause him to bee dejected . such was the resolution of the ancient romans , who at the disaster of cannae , when their utter ruine and overthrow was rung in every place , did nothing unworthy themselves . here you shall encounter with a iugurth , speaking little , but doing much ; there with a catiline , speaking much , but doing little . here one , in all mens opinions worthy of an empire before he had it , but most unworthy when he hath it , exemplified in a galba ; there one much doubted before he have it , but generally loved when he had it , exemplified in b severus . againe , observe you may in the course of histories , how justly god hath shewne himselfe towards such as practised treason against their princes , though they were heathens : finde out one of all those who conspired caesars death in the capitoll , who died in their bed . for no sooner had antonie shewed in his funerall oration the thirty three wounds wherewith caesar was deprived of life by his conspirators , and erected a temple to caesar , and sung a mournfull hymne in memory of caesar ; then trebonius and decimu● were the first that were dispatched , being of the conspiracie . cassius likewise was killed on his birth-day : who , some say , killed himselfe with the same dagger wherewith caesar was killed ; yea , observe the misery of these assacinates , being so unhappy , as they could hardly finde one so friendly , as to lend a hand to end their ●●sery . for cassius offered his throat to pindarus his page : brutus to strato , who denying to doe it , was answered by a servant ; votis tuis nec deërit amicus nec servus . the like revenge was inflicted on septimius , for betraying his master pompey . the like on the magi , for their treacherous attempts , after the death of cambises . the like on bessus for his disloyalty towards darius . and to descend to later times , even within the bounds of our owne nation , what just revenge seconded those perfidious complices ; alectus for conspiring against his deare soveraigne carausius ; and that arch-traitour edrike , for his treacherous practices with canutus the dane , and breach of allegeance towards king edmond ? for seldome hath any state in any age beene so happy , as it hath not bred a catiline with a catulus , a cethegus with a curtius , a sertorius with a soranus , a quadratus and quintianus with an aemilius and coriolanus . besides , you shall observe what justice and integrity appeared in the heathen , chastising such as would be bribed or corrupted , though they were their enemies . so as , mithridates tooke manius acilius , one of the chiefest embassadours of the romans , and set him contemptuously upon an asse , till he was come to pergamo , where hee put molten gold in his mouth ; reproving the romans for taking gifts . the like reward had tarpeia , being corrupted by t. tatius to deliver the capitoll : for having betrayed the gates of the capitoll to the enemie , onely upon promise , that they should throw her the bracelets , which they wore on their left armes , this they accordingly performed , throwing also their targets upon her , with which she was pressed to death . you shall likewise finde there , what reverence the pagans shewed to their idolatrous temples ; and how carefull they were to observe their countrie rites , which they esteemed sacred , and what successe ever followed the enterprises of such as committed , sacrilege . the very heathen observed , that after such time as the grecians once offered violence to the temple of pallas , that they lost all their hope , and never thrived after . lactantius reporteth of divers who were grievously punished for their impiety and prophanenesse towards the gods ; as namely fulvius the censor , who for taking away certaine marmoreas tegulas out of the temple of iuno lacinia , was distraught of his wits . appius claudius for translating and conveying those sacred reliques which were before consecrate to hercules , within a while after lost the use of his eyes . dionysius , who made a jest of sacrilege , taking a golden cloake from iupiter olympius his image , a woollen cloake being put in stead thereof , saying , that a golden cloake was too heavie in summer , and too cold in winter , but a linsie-woolsie cloake was fit for both ; cutting off also aesculapius golden beard , saying , it was no reason that the son should have a beard , and apollo his father have none ; and taking away certaine cups of gold which they held in their hands , saying , it was a great madnesse , to refuse them offered ; was for these driven into banishment . pyrrhus , for robbing proserpina's treasury , suffered ship wrack not farre from the shore . zerxes , who sent foure hundred of his souldiers to delphos , to spoile the temple of apollo , had them all destroyed , and burnt with thunder and lightning . marcus cr●ssus , for taking a great masse of money out of the temple , which pompey would not meddle withall , perished there with his whole armie . and here in albion , we reade of brennus , who in his expedition to delphos , was by a sudden hurly-burly , or immoderate feare , through a noise heard in the bowels of the earth , ( raised indeed by the lamentable shrikings and howlings of the distracted druids and ministers of apollo ) despairing of further successe , perished with all his army . whence may be observed , how justly such 〈◊〉 punished , who contemned the religion of their countrey , robbing their temples , and enriching themselves with the spoile of their gods : who , albeit they were idols and no gods , or rather devills and no idols , yet so ill was their successe in all their affaires afterwards , as they attributed the cause of their miserable ends to the contempt of their gods . but howsoever this may seeme erroneously ascribed , sure i am , that thus it may be rightly applied : that where god is dishonoured , his temple prophaned , and religion contemned , nothing can be succesfully or prosperously concluded . it is wonderfull to note in such evill times , so good men , as we shall every where meet with in the course of histories . an aristides for iustice , a pelopidas for temperance , a numa for prudence , a trajan for patience , an african for continence ; all which in this cleanthes table , history , shew admirable vertues in a corrupt government . againe , reflect your eye on those whose love to their countrey deserves eternall memory ; and you will no lesse wonder at the greatnesse of their mindes , than the happinesse of those realmes that enjoyed them . king darius upon a time , by chance opening a great pomegranat , and being demanded of what hee would wish to have as many as there were graines in that pomegranat ? answered in one word , of zopyrusses . now this zopyrus was a right noble and valiant knight , who to reduce babylon to the subjection of his lord and master , and defeat the traiterous assyrians , suffered his body to be rent and mangled , and being thus disfigured , fled straight-wayes to babylon , where the assyrians were intrenched : whom he made beleeve that darius had mis-used him in this sort , because hee had spoken in their behalfe , counselling him to breake up his siege , and to remove his armie from assaulting their citie . they hearing this tale , and the rather induced to thinke it true , because they saw him so shamefully disfigured in his bodie , were perswaded to make him their chiefe captaine : by which meanes he● betrayed them all , and surrendred both them and their citie into his masters hands . the like we reade of codrus prince of athens , who according to the counsell of the oracle , sacrificed his life willingly , to preserve the libertie of his countrey . the like did gobrias , who offered his bodie to slaughter , to free his countrey of a tyrannous traitour . yet observe withall , the ingratitude of former ages to men of best deservings ; which caused aeschines say , that though the citie of thebes and athens were full of naughtie men , yet not so full of any sort as of ungratefull men . this felt annibal , this felt asdrubal , this felt african ; while asdrubal within , must be accused by asdrubal without : and noble african , than whom none ever deserved better of his countrey , may begge a resting place for his bones , but must not have it . againe , it will not be amisse to note the sundry occasions of warres , proceeding from the sundry dispositions of men . some strove for soveraigntie ; others for preservation of their libertie : where , so eager was the one of gaining glory , the other of defending their libertie , they were many times brought to such straights , as there was more roome for beholders , than fighters , many bearing armes , but could not use them . no lesse remarkable is it , to note what incredible exploits have beene atchieved by a handfull of men under a valiant leader : where by a more particular survey had of their actions , we shall finde that observation of plutarch to be most true : better is an armie of harts , with a lion to their leader , than an armie of lions with a hart to their leader : an armie being said to derive her strength from her selfe , but her spirit from her captaine . in ● word , gentlemen , to observe the revolution of times ●he mutation of states , the natures and dispositions of persons , the issues and events of things , would 〈◊〉 an imployment of no lesse delight than profit ; conferring the ebbings and flowings of forraine estates with our owne . but to draw homeward , lest like messala carvinus by remembring the name of a stranger , we forget our owne : there is no history more usefull , or relation more needfull for any gentleman , than our owne moderne chronicles , where he shall observe many notable passages worthy his reading . as first , how his countrey was first planted ; how by degrees it became peopled ; how to civilitie reduced ; how by wholesome lawes restrained ; and how by the providence of the almightie , in so calme and peaceable manner established . here he shall see a good king , but a bad man ; there a good man , but a bad king. againe , here hee shall see the state more weakned by civill broiles , than forraine warres : securitie being no lesse hurtfull at home , than hostilitie abroad . scipio used to have this sentence in his mouth : that easie , favourable and affable captains , were profitable to the enemie , which though they were beloved of their souldiers , yet they set little by them . this shall you see verified in the too much indulgencie of many of our captaines , through which lenitie they made many hopefull souldiers , absolute cowards . againe , to note the raising of many obscure persons to great honour ; as likewise the pulling down of many eminent houses and families , would enforce no lesse admiration in us of gods divine providence , than of his secret iustice , who pulleth downe , and setteth up , as seemeth best to his wisdome . to observe likewise , in the corruption of bloud , what noble families have beene tainted , which by the princes clemencie were againe restored . what dangerous attempts and practices have beene undertaken , not only to shake but supplant the glorious frame of this ila●d : labouring to divide and remove all succession to this crowne , from the royall line of our princes , and to in●est forraine princes therewith : where an english king was summoned to the french kings court , while normandie was yeelded by us , the welsh invaded us , lewis with a speedie arrivall accosted us , and iohn himselfe was forced to leave us . nay which was more , one of the nurseries of our iland was displanted : for at that time was oxford of her students forsaken and abandoned , ( which before for the space of three hundred and nine yeares had successfully flourished ) so as not onely the state , but learning , the sterne of state , became much weakned . yet observe , how happily this storme was calmed , when it was least expected ; for by the vicount of mellin his confession , lying then upon his death-bed , was the whole practice of the french , by a frenchman discovered , which was no lesse happily afterwards prevented . for king iohn , being to repentance moved , tooke an oath before his barons that all things should be reformed , which the barons likewise seconded with an oath to confirme his proceedings . so iohn was absolved , and that crowne which he had before resigned , he forth with resumed , being in this made more happie , in that being once so unhappie , hee came to defeat his foes , make sufficient triall of his friends , and recover that by submission , which he had lost by his pride . againe , if we should but reade , and reading consider , how peacefull the government , how quiet the sleepes , how cheerefull the delights were of such as came by lawfull and lineall succession to the crowne ; and the heavie nights , troubled thoughts , broken sleepes , and many tedious houres which those were owners of , who came by usurpation to enjoy ( with little joy ) a princely diadem ; we should of necessitie conclude with pompey ; who being combred with his honour , exclaimed to see sylla's crueltie , being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignitie he had , and cried out : o perill and d●●ger never like to have an end ! for to use one example for all ; who should but consider the practices which richard the third used to get a crowne , planting his kingdome on an indirect foundation , blond , and those many strange passages and overtures which happened in his reigne , with those fearefull visions which appeared to him before his death , would certainly set downe this for his rest : that it is not what we have without us , but what we have within us that procures us peace or disquiet . whence polydore virgil upon that terrible dreame of richard the third , the night before bosworth field , in which hee was slaine , useth these words : i doe not beleeve that these were the ghosts of men that did affright him , but the guilt of a troubled conscience that did torment him . certainly , discourses of this nature cannot chuse but minister much profit with delight , and enable you that are gentlemen to entertaine the time with much content to them that heare you . for in this treasury or store-house of history , you shall finde better meanes , than all the helpes to discourse which our weake pamphletters can publish , to enable you for discourse in all companies . for to restraine or tye your selves to a set forme of discourse , as if you were to doe nothing without rules , were too pedanticall : besides , you should be sometimes so scantled , for want of subjects , that unlesse the subject whereof you are to discourse fall happily within your owne element , your ship for want of sea-roome would runne a ground . whereas history ( the sweetest recreation of the minde ) will afford variety , ( being not curtaild by epitomees , which are the moths of history ) both for table-talke to delight , and discourse of more serious consequence . which in my opinion would better seeme a gentleman , than to entertaine time in nothing but the cry of dogges , or flight of hawkes ; which , as they are gentlemanly pleasures , and worthily approved ( as i formerly noted ) so are they to bee used but onely as pleasures and recreations : of which to speake sparingly were much better , than onely to discourse of them , as if our whole reading were in them . neither doe i speake this without iust cause ; for i have noted this fault in many of our younger brood of gentry , who either for want of education in learning , or their owne neglect of learning , have no sooner attained to the strength of making their fist a pearch for a hawke , but by the helpe of some bookes of faulconry , whereby they are instructed in the words of art , they will run division upon discourse of this pleasure : whereas , if at any time they be interrupted by occasion of some other conference , these high-flyers are presently to bee mewed up , for they are taken from their element . wherfore gentlemen , let me advise you in a word , so to entertaine time in recreation , as the pleasure you take therein , draw not your minds from more serious and usefull imployments . i have proposed to you , and made choice for you , of some recreations which may no lesse delight and benefit your mindes , than these other active delights doe your bodies ; use them , and you shall finde such pleasure in them , as you may perceive profit and pleasure so equally mixed , as if at first intended to make your delight perfect . and so i come to the last branch , shewing how a gentleman is to bestow himselfe in them . as one said of love , that it should be a toy and no toyle ; so say i of recreation ; the spirits should be cheered by it , not drowned in it ; refreshed , not depressed . i doe not like of this eagernesse after pleasure ; for i● argues too much sensuality ; the minde should ●e so tempered , as it may shew an indifferencie to the use of pleasure . which i have surely found , as a maine errour in most part of young gentlemen ; whose eager appetite so unmeasurably pursuing the quest of pleasure , cannot containe it selfe from expressing outwardly , the love it conceives to such a pleasure inwardly . so as i have observed some intraunced ( as it were ) with joy in the chace of hare , or the flight of hawke ; which in my opinion argued much lightnesse : for no sooner was their pleasure at a stay or default , than all their former delight was turned to a contrary passion . i commend therefore his resolution who said ; he was never so over-joyed with pleasure , but he thought it good to allay that surpassing joy , with the remembrance of the end of that pleasure . it is an excellent thing to moderate our joyes , by considering the shortnesse of them ; and to allay the height of them , by observing what breaches or intermissions are incident to them . wherefore above all , it becommeth a gentleman to be circumspect in this kinde , for even by his outward carriage may his weaknesse bee discovered . sure i am , there is nothing that tasteth more of true wisdome , than to temper our desires in effects of joy : so as i cannot sufficiently wonder , how chylo being accounted one of the seven sages of greece , should bee so overtaken with joy , as to die with excesse thereof . the like we reade of argia the prophetesse , who being carried in a chariot of gold to the temple by her two sonnes , whereat shee conceived no lesse joy than if her two sonnes had beene invested with the title of emperours , through excessive joy immediately died . but these passions rather become women than men , who should be themselves still , but especially when they feele any such conceit undermining them . it is written of polycrates , that meditating one day with himselfe , how he had never any thing which crossed him all his life , but enjoyed all successe both at home and abroad , so as he became fearefull to his foes , and powerfull to his friends : resolved to try how hee might crosse his good fortune , by a voluntary incurring of losing that he did exceedingly love . wherefore one day he went unto the sea-side , where taking off a ring which he did especially tender , hee threw it into the sea , intending thereby to crosse himselfe , whom fortune would not : but see how polycrates was crossed in his crosses : for not long after , a fisher-man came and presented him the ring hee had lost , having found it in the belly of a fish ; which did not a little trouble the prince , saying ; i perceive the gods owe mee a displeasure , which they will doe when i least expect it , and make mee so much the more unfortunate , in that i never knew what misfortune meant . which he afterwards found true , being deprived both of crowne and dignitie . certainly , there is no meanes better to attemper and allay ones joy conceived in the pursuit of any pleasure , than to crosse himselfe in the quest thereof : for this tasteth of true manhood , when one can master his affections , and stay himselfe in that he loves . neither is this hard to doe being once assayed ; for wee shall finde more true content in the moderation of our pleasure , than in the pleasure it selfe . i have heard of some young gentlemen , who purposely crossing themselves in some one pleasure or recreation which they loved , and betaking themselves to their chamber , apprehended such a deepe impression of the fruition of their pleasure , as they visibly ( as it were ) enjoyed that pleasure in their chamber , which others enjoyed in the field . that conceit is strong i will not deny ; but that it should worke so strange and strong an effect , i am doubtfull : yet whosoere they be ( if any such there be ) sure i am they may well crosse themselves in pleasures abroad , having such pleasant conceits within themselves . now , as i would have young ●entlemen to use moderation in the exercise it selfe ; so would i have them to observe like moderation in their expence or charge requisite for that exercise or pleasure . it is deare bought pleasure that makes the posteritie beggers . nero was taxed for his prodigalitie , because hee would have his fishing-rods of gold , and his nets of purest silke ; vitellius for his embroderie , as well as his epicurisme ; lucullus for his gardens ; antoninus for his bathes ; caracalla for his roabes ; commodus for prodigall expence in all recreations . now what madnesse is it to bestow that to delight mee , which i may wish one day i had to sustaine mee ? to bestow that on my pleasure , which i may chance need to releeve nature ? wee have heard of one within this citie , who like a prodigall heire to his fathers thriving providence , bestowed an incredible masse of money to satisfie his five senses : but sure i thinke hee was distraught of his senses , and therefore quickly satisfied . it is no pleasure but a brutish affection , which gives it selfe so over to delight it selfe , as rather than it will be restrained or moderated , will engage credit , state and all to have her desires fulfilled . likewise in games at cards , dice , chesse , or such houre-beguiling recreations , i would not have our gentlemen to play for that which may occasion in them the least base or unworthy feare . you shall see some of these peasantly gamesters , who partly for desire of winning , or else for feare of losing , shew a perpetuall palsey in their joynts , so full of troubled thoughts they are , or passionate feares , which apparently discover a basenesse of disposition in them , whom either hope of gaine or feare of losse can drive to such extremes . i would have you therefore so to bestow your selves in these , as they may never force a change of colour in you : for there is nothing that may derogate more from the native character of a gentleman , than to expresse the least sembla●ce of feare , for the losse of ought that he shall play . neither is it any lesse touch to a gentleman , whose affections should be so composed as they may expresse his nature without any other character , to fall into passion for ought that he shall lose . albeit i have heard of one , who ( much subject to this imperfection ) chanced to be reproved by his friend , who in friendly and familiar sort wished him either to learne more patience in gaming , or else to surcease from game . what ( quoth he to his friend ) doest thou thinke i am a stock or stone , that i should have no sense of my losse ? surely i thinke there is no man that knowes how he comes by his money , but will be moved for the losse of it . but i approve not of his maxime : you shall see an old gamester beare all crosse chances with an equall and undejected spirit , whereas our young gamesters ( for passion is most incident to novices ) upon a crosse throw , pull their haire , teare the cards , stamp and fret like gumm'd grogram : so farre they are from patience for want of experience . their younger and unmellowed yeeres never felt the crosses of a gamester , and therefore can hardly digest them when they come . this the philosopher seemes to confirme , saying ; nothing can be violent , being once habituate . for use or custome as it makes perfectnesse , so it begets a composednesse of minde , to endure with patience whatsoever the extremitie of fortune may inflict . but now in my discourse of passion , which makes men so much forget themselves , as they will , rather than want a fit subject to revenge their ill fortunes on , minister occasion of offence to their dearest friends ; there is one thing which i would have our young gentlemen to take heed of , and that is , in their heat and height of passion to forsweare gaming at all , or with such an one , because they had never fortune to be savers at his hands ; yet , as men carelesse of what they sweare , without respect to what they formerly protested , presently fall , ●o game againe with the selfe-same company which they had so lately abjured . a dolefull and wofull example wee had of this within these few yeeres of one , whose more eminent parts interested him greatly in his countries hope ; yet having dipt his hand in bloud , was according to justice and equitie adjudged to die , which was afterwards accordingly executed . this gentleman , whose education had beene ever with the best , and in the most frequented places , used much gaming , at which he had generally ill fortune ; so as , feeling the smart of it , he resolved , binding his resolution with a solemne protestation , that if ever he gamed againe , he might be hange● : which protestation was so usuall with him , as nothing more frequent . but see this gentlemans miserable end ! within few yeeres after he suffered in himselfe what he had so often wished for himselfe . take example hence , you i say , who are so prodigall in oathes , vowing , protesting , and swearing in your heat of passion , what you are no lesse apt to forget having coold your passion . for though you little feare the effecting of that which you wish to your selves , yet time may come when you would wish you had not used those imprecations upon your selves . there is another thing likewise which i could wish young gentlemen to be mindfull of , and it is to make distinction of times for their recreations : for as all times are not for all pleasures , no more are pleasures for all times . wee are therefore to reserve so much time for our more serious affaires , as not to give way to pleasure or delight , and so neglect what wee should principally intend . no expence is more precious than the expence of time ; which is rather imployed than wasted , when bestowed to the good and benefit of the imployer . so as , even in matters of pleasure or recreation , i could wish you to betake you to those games which may best benefit your understanding ; as in games at cards , the maw requires a quick conceit or present pregnancie ; the gle●ke ( because of varietie ) requires a retentive memory . these are good exercisers of the minds , and such , as being made recreations only , and no tricks to circumvent , may afford some help or benefit to the gamesters understanding . now therefore , doe not ( theotimus-like ) preferre lust before your eyes ; preferre not any profit you are to reape by gaming , before the inward benefit which you may reape by conceiving . it is a mercenary trade , to frequent gaming-houses for gaine , to alter the propertie of a recreation , and make that an anguish which should be a solace , a torture which should be a pleasure . for what pleasure can that gamester enjoy by play , whose heart is surprized with hope , feare , passion , despaire , and a thousand perturbations , which like tiberius vision are ever startling him ? surely , if there be any pleasure in these recreations , those only enjoy it , whose minds are neither cast downe with the feare of losse , nor over-joyed with the hope of gaine ; making this use of all adverse or crosse fortune : how miserable is that man , whose highest hopes relie on so light a mistresse ? how simple he , whose conceit is grounded on the constancie of fortune , who is only constant in inconstancie ? how pittifully pittilesse is his case , who puts finger in the eye , because he hath felt her frowne ? how forlorne is his hope , who having had experience of the extremest affronts of fortune , is ever giving himselfe occasion of new sorrowing ? but contrariwise , how truly happy is he , who makes use of fortunes braves , and receives what chance soever comes , with a cheerefull brow ? how truly blessed he , who cares as little for the insults of misfortune , as he prizeth all momentany successe which so blinde a goddesse can afford him ? there is no griefe more base or unworthy , than that which taketh beginning from losse in game : for why will wee make a voluntary hazard to procure us sorrow ? why should any one imagine himselfe to be more dearly tendred by fortune than another ? if you play square , without intendment of advantage , then expect no more than another may looke for , being equally interested in the share of fortune . for in these recreations , as it is mercenary gaine , which is got by game ; so it is an indiscreet griefe to sorrow in losse , or rejoyce in gaine . recreations are not to be used as men use trades ; these are to maintaine us ; the other to refresh us . so as they greatly pervert the use of pleasure , which make it a daily taske , as many of our english gentlemen doe ; who made heires of their fathers providence , esteeme it the onely generous qualitie , to make use of their fathers coine , without respect to his care . these are they who blemish their descent , and detract from the glory of their house , consuming the sun-shine of their dayes in workes of darknesse . i have read a conceited treatise composed by an italian , entitled a supplication to candle-light : discovering the abuses committed and curtained by the silent and secret shade of night . where it might be demanded , as god in esay did aske the devill our subtill watch-man , custos quid de nocte ? and there hee shewes how a great office is not so gainfull as the principall-ship of a college of curtizans . for no merchant in riches may compare with these merchants of maiden-heads , if their female inmates were not so fleeting and uncertaine . too many , i feare me , there be of these licentious gamesters , who make sinne a recreation , wantonning in the lap of impudence , exposing their estate and name to a miserable hazard : whose youth , as it addes fuell to desire ; so age , the truest register of the follies of youth , will besprinkle those desires with the bitter teares of repentance : grieving to have committed , what may hardly bee redeemed . for hee that surceaseth but then from sinne , when hee can sinne no more , forsaketh not his sinnes , but his sinnes forsake him . it is one thing to fall into light sinnes , through occasion onely , or humane frailtie : and another thing to fall through affected negligence and securitie . farre be the latter from you , gentlemen , whose aymes ought to be so much the more glorious , as your descents are noble and generous . though humane frailty move you to offend , labour to redeeme that time wherein you did offend , by vying sinnes with sighes , those ungodly tares with incessant teares ; for if you will live when you be dead , you must die to sinne while you be alive . and for as much as pardon cannot be procured , but where repentance is renued ; as we are omnium notarum peccatores , so should we be omnium horarum poenitentes ; as every houre sinning , so every houre sighing ; as every houre committing , so every houre bringing forth fruits of remission . thus like hismenias the thebane , who would shew musicians of all sorts , to imitate the best , and reject the worst ; have i proposed and set downe recreations of all sorts , making choice withall of such especiall and select ones , as best sort with the qualitie of a gentleman , concluding how and after what manner he is to bestow himselfe in them . neither have i taxed any particular recreation , provided that it transgresse not the bounds of modestie , but admitted it as indifferent for the use of a gentleman . yea , such recreations as may seeme to undergoe the censure of lightnesse , have i not only not reproved , but worthily approved , being with decencie used . whereupon gregorie saith , i admire king david a great deale more , when i see him in the quire , than when i see him in the campe : when i see him singing as the sweet singer of israel , than when i see him fighting as the worthy warriour of israel : when i see him leaping , than when i see him weeping : when i see him dancing before the arke , than when i see him drawing forth his armie to the field . when david fought with others , he overcame others ; he wounded others ; he made others sicke . but when hee danced before the arke , and delighted himselfe , he was overcome himselfe , he was wounded himselfe , he was sicke himselfe . but this sicknesse did rather affect him , than afflict him ; joy him , than annoy him . i will play still ( sayes he ) that others may still play upon me . for it is a good sport when god is delighted , though michol be displeased . whence you see , that it is not the recreation , but the circumstance tending to that recreation , which for most part giveth occasion of offence ; as the time when , gods sabbath is not to be dishonoured , nor our serious occasions intermitted ; the place where , the holy ground is not by the feet of lightnesse to be profaned , nor places where iustice is administred , to the exercise of such delights inured ; the persons who , we must take heed lest the weakest of our brethren be scandaled , or offence to any by our sports occasioned . doing thus , we shall glorifie god , not only in this life , but in that best and blest life which is to come ; if wee fall not backe into the same sinnes , but bid a long fare-well to the illusions of the devill ; if with diligent attention to the word of god , earnest desire of conversion , and continuall confession of our sinnes , we procure the carefull eye of the almightie to watch over us . for it sufficeth him in his great mercy that we surcease from sinne , whereby wee shall be more easily moved to the practice of all good workes . wherefore to conclude this observance with that exhortation of golden-mouthed chrysostome , to the end wee may render more honour to his sabbat● ▪ let not any one hence-forth be seene trying masteries on horse-backe , nor spending any part of the day in unlawfull meetings ; let not any one hence-forth consort himselfe in games at cards or dice , or the tumultuous noise which ariseth from thence . for i pray you answer mee ( saith hee ) what profit is there in fas●ing , if all the day eating nothing , you game , sport , sweare and forsweare , and so spend the day in worse than nothing ? let us not , i beseech you , be so negligent in that weightie affaire of our salvation , but rather let our communication be of spirituall things . and let every one take in his hand a godly booke , and calling his neighbours together , water both his owne understanding and theirs who are assembled , with heavenly instructions , that so we may avoid the deceits of the devill . performing this , gentlemen , your recreations shall be healthfull to your selves , helpfull to your country , delightfull to the vertuous , and beseeming men of your ranke , nobly generous . the english gentleman . argument . of acquaintance ; of the choice of acquaintance ; of constancie in the choice of acquaintance ; of reservancie towards acquaintance ; of the absolute end of acquaintance . acqvaintance . the comfort of an active life consists in societie , as the content of a contemplative consists in privacie . intermission of action in the former , is a kinde of death ; intention to devotion in the latter , is a pleasant life . for solitarie places are the best for prayer ; but publike for practice . we reade that christ went out into a solitary place , and there prayed : but hee entered into the synagogue , and there preached ; that such libertines as were there trained might bee reclaimed . and wisdome cryeth without , and uttereth her voice in the streets , that her words might bee practised . as there is no publike state which can subsist without commerce , trafficke , and mutuall society ; so there is no creature living , whose life would not bee tedious , being debarred from all use of company . there are two birds which are noted both in divine and humane writ to be lovers of solitarinesse ; the owle in the desart , and the pelicane in the wildernesse . which two , among divers other birds , were accounted uncleane , and therefore were not to bee eaten by the iewes . as retirednesse from occasions abroad , makes us more serious in occasions at home : so this privacie or solitarinesse makes the memory more retentive in affaires usefull to our selves , but withdrawes our hand from affording helpe or assistance to others . but life should bee communicative ; not only intending it selfe ; but labouring wherein it may doe good to any . for whereas saint bernard saith , that the a affinity is neere betweene the dwellers in a cell and in heaven : it is to bee understood , that such whose mortified affections , and regenerate will have concluded all b worldly honours to bee worldly tumours ; and all c secular honour to be the devills trafficke , have stepped neere unto heaven . neither are we to conclude thence , that such who have to deale in the world , by commerce at home and abroad , are excluded from this affinity . for there are many ( as we are to be charitably perswaded ) who live in the world , & have to do with the world , yet are not of the world ; that is , are not so affected to the world , as they could not finde in their hearts to forgoe all things they have in the world , for the love of him that created the world . yea , who will not say , and with much comfort affirme , we will seeke one good wherein consisteth all good , and that sufficeth ; we will seeke one joy wherein consisteth all joy , and this onely joyes us . it is * grace and not the place , which saveth the soule . for as there may bee a wolfe in sheeps cloathing , so there may bee a worldly minde in a hermits dwelling . mans security is the deuills opportunity , which may be found in the wildernesse as well as in the world ; neither is the one place lesse subject to temptation than the other . the wildernesse is secret , yet christ was tempted in it . the night is silent , yet doth that princely prophet warne us , to lift up our hands in the night watches of temptation . for the life of man , as it is a continuall temptation , so is there neither time , place , sexe nor condition exempted from temptation . the monks cell and the monarchs court are equally subject to it . this , devout bernard seemes to confirme in his description of such as professed a monasticke life , saying ; they were large promisers , but slow performers , faire-tongued flatterers , but snarling back-biters , simple-seeming dissemblers , but malicious betrayers . againe , we ( saith hee ) receive all into our monasteries , in hope to better them ; whereas in the court it is more usuall , to receive such as are good , than to make them good : for we have found by experience , that more good men have decreased than profited in it . hence we may conclude this point , that no place is privileged from temptation , neither cell nor court : but those places are , and have beene ever most subject to danger , where men were left to themselves to enter lists with temptation . which proceedeth either from the naturall frailty of man , in that he falleth from best to worst ; or his want of judgement to discerne best from worst : whence the poet most divinely concludeth ; when want of judgement reignes in humane brest , the best is ta'ne for worst , the worst for best . god in his sacred wisdome having created man , thought it not good that hee should bee alone ; and therefore made him an helpe meet for him . it was an excellent saying of that sage cynicke , who seeing a young man all alone by himselfe , and demanding of him what he was doing , i am talking ( quoth the young man ) with my selfe ; take heed ( said hee ) thou talke not with thine enemie . for howsoever cato might say in respect of the inward delight hee tooke in contemplation , i am never lesse alone , than when alone ; we shall finde this true , that man is never more ready to give way to temptation , than when hee is alone . how needfull then is acquaintance , being indeed the life of the living ; the particular benefits whereof extend to discourse , advice and action ? it is experience hath begot wisdome , and memory as a mother hath brought it forth . now , what experience could we gaine , if wee should only be left to our selves , and have none to helpe us in treaties or matters of conference ? it is said of demosthenes , that he recovered his speech only by direction ; long would it be ere we attained to any perfection of speech , either in manner or matter , if we wanted these usuall helps of conference , which enable us when , where and how we should speake . for as the satyre was afraid at the first sight of fire ; or that captaine , who looking himselfe in a glasse when hee was angry , was affrighted with his owne countenance , so should we , having never consorted or conversed with men , stand amazed when we approached their companie . for what is it that ministers boldnesse and audacity to men , save their usuall frequent of assemblies ? or what is it , that so much benefits their knowledge , but their acquaintance with such who are professants of knowledge ? plutarch reporteth , that plato came forth of asia into cilicia , for no other cause but onely to see his deare friend phocion the philosopher . see here the love of good men one to another ; for amongst evill men can be no true friendship . for it is the ayme of acquaintance that makes it good or evill ; as to insinuate ones selfe into acquaintance for their owne ends , to wit , to profit by it , or worke on others weaknesse , this is acquaintance for macchiavells schollers , whose principall ayme is to undermine ; and under pretence of amity , shroud their villany . these hold concurrencie with frier clement , ravillac , iaurequy , baltazar gerard. they have an open gate , but a shut countenance ; or if an open countenance , a close shut heart . aristotle saith , that friendship is one soule which ruleth two hearts , and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies . whereas these men , whose acquaintance hath relation to their owne peculiar ends , have a heart and a heart ; a heart outwardly professing , and a heart secretly practising ; a heart outward , and a heart inward ; outwardly pretending , and inwardly plotting . these are no acquaintance for you gentlemen ▪ their hearts are too farre from their mouths ; learning to prosper by others errours . yea , by often conversing and practising with others , no lesse cunning than themselves , they have so farre prevailed , as they are not onely able to match them , but out-strip them : serpens nisi serpentem comederit , non fit draco : these are they who hatch the cockatrice egges ; come not therefore neere them , for the poyson of aspes is under their lips. yea , they sucke the gall of aspes , and the vipers tongue shall slay them . yet , to leave you alone without company , would make your life as much loathed , as choice of acquaintance makes you love it . he is a weake prince that enjoyes an empire without people ; and no lesse desolate or disconsolate is his state , who wants not for meanes , yet wants a friend to whom hee may impart his minde . lend me your hands therefore ( gentlemen ) and i will direct you in a way how to make choice of acquaintance in matters of advice , which is the second benefit redounding from the use of acquaintance . if a man ( saith seneca ) finde his friend sad and so leave him ; sicke without ministring any comfort to him ; and poore without releeving him : wee may thinke such an one goeth to jest rather than visit or comfort . whence we may observe the office or condition of a friend , who , if his friend be sicke , he will visit him ; i● sad , hee will cheare him ; if poore , hee will releeve him ; if afflicted in minde , he will comfort him ; otherwise his friendship is but dissembling , his visiting him , a meere mocking of him . iob called his friends miserable comforters , because their discourses were rather afflictions than comforts , their counsels rather corasives than cordialls , their exhortations rather scourgings and scoffings , than soule-solacing refreshings . these doe not advise friends ; but despise them ; miserable are such comforters . wherefore i may well distinguish acquaintance into two sorts ; the one halcion-like , come to us in a storme ; the other swallow-like , draw neere us in a calme . the former sort observe periandors precept , shew thy selfe still the same , whether thy friend bee in prosperity or adversity : but the latter observe that sentence of optatus , all for the time , but nothing for the truth . all acquaintance may be either compared to pitch staining , o●to balme curing . hee that toucheth pitch shall bee defiled therewith , saith the sonne of sirach ; such is the nature of much acquaintance , especially in these latter dayes , where vanity is more affected , than the practice of vertue , which should be onely loved . where many returne worse than when they went forth , confirming that sentence , sanabimur , si separemur à coetu . but balme , it refresheth , cheereth , and cureth ; such is that acquaintance , whose conceits are delightfull , discourse chearefull , and instructions fruitfull . these , if wee be at any time doubtfull , will advise us ; if in necessitie , will releeve us ; if in any affliction either outward or inward , will beare a part with us , to allay griefe in us . a little stybium is too much , such are the first ; a great quantitie of styrax is too little , such are the last . a * iuniper-tree maketh the hottest coale , and the coolest shadow of any tree : the coale is so hot , that if it be rak't up in ashes of the same , it continueth unextinguished by the space of a whole yeere : so doth true friendship or faithfull acquaintance ; it affordeth the coolest shadow to refresh us , and the hottest coales , implying fervour of affection , being once kindled , to warme us . when poore andromache craved vlysses advice , what he thought best to be done in behalfe of her young sonne astyanax ; conceale him ( said he ) this is the only meanes to save him . this shewed his faithfulnesse in advising , albeit her countries foe ; for otherwise hee would have perswaded her to submit her selfe and him to the hand of the mercilesse souldier , or reape a benefit by their bondage , making them his owne captives : as it is in the fable of the crow , who comming to the eagle that had got a cockle , the fish whereof he could not get out neither by force nor art , hee counselled him to mount up on high and throw the cockle downe upon the stones , and so breake the shell : now all the while did the craftie crow stay below expecting the fall : the eagle throwes it downe , the shell is broken , the fish by the crow is taken , and the eagle deluded . many such counsellors there be , who advise not others for their good , but their owne good . others there be , who make use of their friends or acquaintance meerely for their owne ends ; and rather than they will be prevented of their aimes , they will expose the life and safetie of their friend to imminent perill . and these resemble the fox , who seeing a chestnut in the fire , made use of the cats foot to take it out . but these are not those friends , whose advice is faithfull , as their friendship is firme and gratefull . their aimes are indirect , their advice tends to their owne benefit , their counsell tastes of profit , and their directions become as pitfalls to their friends . those to whom i would have gentlemen knowne , are men of an other ranke and qualitie , appearing like the canii , senecae , aruntii , and sorani ; whose admirable vertues were inimitable in so corrupt a government . neither would i have them to shake off these friendly monitors , if at any time their advice relish not halfe well to their palate ; but rather honour them for their vertuous sinceritie , as epaminonda● honoured lysias , agesilaus xenophon , scipio penetius , alcibiades socrates , achilles phoenix , sent him by his father peleus . for such as will not endure a friendly reproofe , i would have their acquaintance doe with them as plato did with dionysius , who perceiving him to be incorrigible , left him . the rebukes of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemie ; for the one , though at first displeasing , tend ( if rightly used ) to his conversion ; but the other , though pleasing , tend ( if not prevented ) to his confusion . had alexander understood this aright , he would have preferred the faithfull advice of his affectionate clitus before all his conquests ; for by his instruction might hee have learned humilitie , which lesson had beene worth his worlds monarchie . had nero that president of tyrants , or monster of men , given care to the wise advice of his loyall and learned seneca , hee might have found a subject to love him , a scholer to live with him , a souldier to fight for him , and a mother to blesse him . for surely , as of all possessions friendship is most precious , being suted with vertue , without which there is no true friendship ; so are we to value the life of our friend as the crowne of our glory . for tell mee , are you fad ? your friends conceit , as a soveraigne receit , will cheere you . are you disposed to be merry ? mirth alone , is a single consort , your friend will partake with you . would you have one to passe the tedious night away , in telling tales , or holding you with talke ? your friend will invent a thousand pastimes to cheere you , and make the night seeme lesse tedious unto you . is the burden of your griefes too heavy to beare ? you have a friend to share with you in your burden . in briefe , want you comfort ? he will supply it ; want you meanes to releeve your wants ? hee will afford it ; want you counsell ? he will impart it ; want you all that man can want ? you want not a friend who will supply your wants with his want . and so i descend from the benefit redounding from advice , to the third and last , which is the profit or benefit which redounds from one friend to another in every peculiar action , exercise or recreation . cicero , the glory of rome , and flower of orators , exemplifying the prowesse of themistocles and epaminondas , useth these words ; the sea shall sooner overwhelme the isle it selfe of salamine , than it shall drench the remembrance of the salamine triumph : and the towne of leuctra in boeotia shall sooner be razed , than the remembrance of the field there fought , forgotten . but howsoever these monuments may be razed or defaced by continuance of time , sure i am that the love which they shewed to their friends , even to the apparent danger of their owne lives , shall eternize their memory . pelopidas a noble grecian , skirmishing with the lacedemonians against the arcadians , untill such time as being hurt in seven places , hee fell downe at last for dead . then presently epaminondas , out of a princely resolution and noble affection to his distressed friend , stepping forth bestrid him , and fought to defend his body , he alone against many ; till being sore cut on his arme with a sword , and thrust into the brest with a pike , he was even ready to give over . but at that very instant , agesipolis king of the lacedemonians came with the other point of the battell in a happy houre , and saved both their lives when they were past all hope . here see apparent arguments of true love , mixed with a noble and heroick temper : for friends are to be tried in extremities , either in matters of state or life : in state , by releeving their wants ; in life , by engaging themselves to all extremes , rather than they will suffer their friend to perish . these are they who will latch the blow of affliction laid upon their friends , with the buckler of affection ; preferring death before their friends disgrace . marcus servilius a valiant roman , who had fought three and twenty combats of life and death in his owne person , and had alwayes slaine as many of his enemies as challenged him man to man ; when as the people of rome resisted paulus aemilius triumph , stood up and made an oration in his behalfe : in the midst whereof hee cast up his gowne , and shewed before them the infinite skars and cuts he had received upon his brest ; the sight of which so prevailed with the people , that they all agreed in one , and granted aemilius triumph . here observe the tender respect of one friend towards anothers honour : there is nothing unassayed , nothing unattempted , which may procure or further it . for this friendship or combination of minds , as there is nothing more precious , so there is nothing which doth comparably delight or solace the minde like unto it , being faithfully grounded . their discourse like some choice musicke delights our hearing ; their sight like some rare object contents our seeing ; their presence fully satisfies us in their touching ; their well-seasoned jests ( like some delicious banquet ) relish our tasting ; and their precepts ( like sweet flowers ) refresh our smelling . thus is every sense satisfied , by enjoying that which it loveth : for as senses wanting their proper objects , become uselesse ; so men , whether in prosperitie or adversitie , wanting friends to relie on , are wretched and helplesse : so as there is no greater wildernesse than to be without true friends . for without friendship , societie is but meeting , acquaintance a formall or ceremoniall greeting . wheras it is friendship , when a man can say to himselfe , * i love this man without respect of utilitie : for ( as i formerly noted ) those are no friends but hirelings , who professe friendship only to gaine by it . certainly , whosoever hath had the happinesse to enjoy a true & faithfull friend , to whom he might freely impart the secrets of his brest , or open the cabbinet of his counsels , he ( i say ) and only he hath had the experience of so rare a benefit daily redounding from the use of friendship : where two hearts are so individually united , as neither from other can well be severed . and as it is certaine , that in bodies inanimate , union strengthneth any naturall motion , and weakneth any violent motion ; so amongst men , friendship multiplieth joyes , and divideth griefs . it multiplies joyes ; for it makes that joy communicative , which before was single ; it divideth griefes ; for it shares in them , and so makes them lesse . now perfection of friendship , is but a speculation , if wee consider the many defects which are for most part subject to all worldly friendship : yea , and as the world increaseth in age , so it decreaseth most commonly in goodnesse : for in courts , are suits and actions of law ; in cities , tricks and devices to circumvent ; in the country , ingrossing and regrating , of purpose to oppresse . it is rare to see a faithfull damon or a pythias ; a pylades or orestes ; a bitias or a pandarus ; a nisus or euryalus . and what may be the cause of this , but that the love of every one is so great to himselfe , as he can finde no corner in his heart to lodge his friend in ? in briefe , none can gaine friends , and make a saving bargaine of it , for now it is a rule commonly received ; he that to all will here be gratefull thought , must give , accept , demand , much , little , nought . so as it may seeme , it is not given to man to love and to be wise ; because the lover is ever blinded with affection towards his beloved ; so as , he dis-esteemes honour , profit , yea life it selfe , so hee may gratifie his beloved . but my opinion is quite contrary ; for i hold this as a firme and undoubted maxime ; that he who is not given to love , cannot be wise . for is he wise , that reposeth such trust in his owne strength , as if he stood in no need of friends ? is he wise , who dependeth so much on his owne advice , as if all wit and wisdome were treasured in his braine ? is he wise , who being sicke , would not be visited ; poore , and would not be succoured ; afflicted , and would not be comforted ; throwne downe , and would not be raised ? surely in the same case is he , who sleights the purchace of a friend , preferring his owne profit before so inestimable a prize . there is none , whether he be valiant , or a profest coward , but may stand in need of a friend in a corner . for be hee valiant , hee stands in need of a friend to second him ; if a coward , he needs one to support him : therefore , whosoever wanteth fortitude , whether it be in minde or bodie , let him embrace friendship ; for if his weaknesse proceed from the minde , hee shall finde a choice receit in the breast of his friend , to strengthen and corroborate him , so as griefe may assaile or assault him , but it cannot dismay or amate him . againe , if his weaknesse proceed from the bodie , that weaknesse is supplied by the strength of his friend , who will be an eye to direct him , and a foot to sustaine him . telephus , when he could finde none amongst his friends to cure his wound , permitted his enemie to doe it : and he who purposed to kill prometheus the thessalian , opened his impostume with his sword . if such effects have proceeded from enmitie , what rare and incredible effects may be imagined to take their beginning from amitie ? than which , as nothing is stricter in respect of the bond , so nothing is more continuate in respect of the time : being so firme , as not to be dissolved ; so strict , as not to be anulled ; so lasting , as never to be ended . neither is this benefit , derived from friend to friend , onely restrained to matters of action or imployment , but extendeth it selfe to exercises of pleasure and recreation . for tell me , what delight can any one reape in his pleasure , wanting a friend to partake with him in his pleasure ? takes he delight in hunting ? let him choose acquaintance that may suit him in it : not onely a hunter , but one whose conceit ( if occasion serve ) can reach further ; such an one i would have him as could make an embleme of the forest where hee raungeth , compose a sonnet on the objects which he seeth , and fit himselfe for ought hee undertaketh . of which ranke , was that merry epigrammatist , ( as it may be imagined ) who being taxed for wearing a horne , and could not wind it , made this replie ; my friend did tax me seriously one morne , that i should weare , yet could not wind , the horne ; and i repli'd , that he for truth should finde it , many did weare the horne that nere could wind it : hows'ere of all , that man may weare it best , who makes claime to it , as his ancient crest . to interveine conceits or some pleasant jests in our recreations , whether discursive or active , is no lesse delightfull than usefull : but these jests should be so seasoned , as they may neither taste of lightnesse , nor too much saltnesse . iests festive are oft-times offensive , they incline too much to levitie ; jests civill ( for into these two are all divided ) are better relishing , because mixed with more sobrietie and discretion . catullus answer to philippus the atturney , was no lesse wittie than bitter : for catullus and he being one day at high words together ; why barkest thou , quoth philippus ? because i see a theefe , answered catullus . he shewed himselfe a quick anatomist , who branched man into three parts , saying , that man had nothing but substance , soule , and bodie ; lawyers dispose of the substance , physitians of the bodie , and divines of the soule . present and pregnant was donato's answer to a young gentleman , who beholding a brave company of amorous ladies and gentlewomen , meeting donato comming towards rome , as one admiring their number and feature , said ; quot coelum stellas , tot habet tua roma puellas . by and by answered donato ; pascua quot haedos , tot habet tua roma-cinaedos . phaedro being asked , why in the collects , where christian bishops and pagans be prayed for , the cardinalls were not remembred ? answered , they were included in that prayer , oremus pro haereticis & schismaticis . well requited was that young scholler , who giving his master this evening salute : domine magister , deus det tibi bonum sero ; was answered by his master : et tibi malumcito . wittie , but shrewd was that answer of a disputant in my time to his moderator in posterior : who demanding of him what the cause should be , that he with whom he disputed , should have so great a head and so little wit , replied ; omne majus continet in se minus . a base minde was well displayed in that covetous man , who unwilling to sell his corne while it was at an high price , expecting ever when the market would rise higher ; when he saw it afterward fall , in despaire hanged himselfe upon a beame of his chamber ; which his man hearing , and making haste , cut the rope and preserved his life : afterwards , when he came to himselfe , hee would needs have his man to pay for the cord hee had cut . but i approve rather of such jests as are mixed with lesse extremes : pleasant was that answer of scipio nasica , who going to ennius house in rome , and asking for ennius ; ennius bade his maid tell him he was not within . so ennius on a time comming to scipio's house , and asking whether he was at home ? i am not at home , answered scipio : ennius wondering thereat ; doe i not know that voice ( quoth hee ) to be scipio's voice ? thou hast small civilitie in thee ( answered scipio ) that when i beleeved thy maid thou wert not at home , yet thou wilt not beleeve me . likewise to retort a jest , is an argument of a quicke wit ; as leo emperour of bizantium answered one , who being crook-backt , jested at his bleared eyes ; saying , thou reprochest mee with the defect of nature , and thou carriest nemesis upon thy shoulders . domitius reproaching crassus , that he wept for a lamprey ; crassus answered , but thou hast buried three wives without one teare . alexander asking a pyrate , that was taken and brought before him ; how he durst be so bold to infest the seas with his pyracie ? was answered with no lesse spirit , that hee played the pyrate but with one ship , but his majestie with a huge navie . which saying so pleased alexander , that hee pardoned him : reaping especiall delight in that similitude of action , by which was transported the current of the kings affection . other conceits there are more closely couched , covertly carried , and in silence uttered ; as that of bias , who , when an evill man asked him what goodnesse was ; answered nothing : and being demanded the cause of his silence ; i am silent ( quoth he ) because thou enquirest of that , which nothing concernes thee . the same bias sailing on a time with some naughtie men , by violence of a tempest , the ship wherein they were , became so shaken and tossed with waves , as these naughty men began to call upon the gods ; hold your peace ( said bias ) lest these gods you call upon understand that you be here . but lest by dwelling too long upon jests , i forget the series of my discourse , i will succinctly conclude this branch , with my judgement touching acquaintance in this kinde . as i would have gentlemen to make choice of their acquaintance by their sound , so i would not have them all sound : musicke doth well with ayres , but there is no musicke in that discourse which is all ayre . my meaning is , i would not have these acquaintance which they make choice of , all words or flashes of wit : for i seldome see any of these who are so verball , much materiall ; or these who are all wit , but through height of a selfe-conceit they fall to much weaknesse . for these many times preferre their conceit before the hearers appetite , and will not sticke to lose their friend rather than their jest , which in my opinion is meere madness : for he that values his jest above his friend , over-values his conceit , and had need of few jests , or great store of friends . i have knowne some wits turne wittalls ; by making themselves buffouns and stale jesters for all assemblies . which sort are fitter for gentlemen to make use of as occasion serves , than to entertaine them as bosome-acquaintance : for as the benefit which redounds to one from another in action , exercise , and recreation , is mutually imparted ; so is the danger no lesse incident one to another , where the ends or uses are perverted . thus farre have we proceeded in the discovery of those particular benefits which redound from discourse , advice , and action , by meanes of acquaintance : being the cement which so firmely joyneth minds together , as they may be encountred by extremes , but divided never . now for as much as the essentiall triall of acquaintance consists in matters of highest consequence , we are now to addresse our selves to such a choice , as our choice may admit no change . the precept of that ancient sage is worth remembring ; follow such friends as it may not shame thee to have chosen . certainly , there is no one argument to evince man of indiscretion , more holding than this ; that he makes no difference or distinction in the choice of his friends . in which respect , no man can bee too warie or circumspect , because herein for most part , consisteth his well-fare or undoing . it were meet therefore that a gentleman made choice of such for his friends or acquaintance , as are neither timists nor timonists , fawners nor frowners . for the first sort , they are for all seasons , and all weathers ; so as they may be fitly compared to the hedge-hogge , who hath two holes in his siedge , one toward the south , another toward the north. now when the southerne wind blowes , he stops up that hole , and turnes him northward ; when the northerne wind blowes , he stops up that hole likewise , and turnes him againe southward . such vrchins are all temporizers : they turne as the wind blowes , and sute themselves for euery occasion . these friends or acquaintance who follow not us but ours , will be seene in all liveries : princes have felt the inconveniencie of them , and inferiour states have not beene free from them : but the highest states generally are most subject to these retainers ; for princes by experience we have seene , abused most where most their trust hath beene . now there are two kinds of princes ( saith comines ) the one are so cautelous and suspitious , as they are scarce to bee endured : for they are almost come to that passe , as they thinke themselves ever deluded and circumvented . such was dionysius the tyrant of syracusa , who grew so suspicious , as he would not trust any barber to shave him , causing his owne daughters to learne to shave . others there bee , who are so farre from harbouring suspicion , as being of a dull and lumpish wit , they scarce understand what is commodious for them , and what not . such was domitian , who cared more for catching of flies , than retaining of friends : being so farre from preventing danger , as he never foresaw it , till he felt it . in these there is small constancy of mind ; for as they easily discontinue friendship , they as easily decline from hatred and embrace friendship . constantine the great , being a profest foe to all these timists , or temporizing sycophants , was wont to call them gnats and moths that pester a princes palace . so aspiring be their aymes , so base their meanes ; who like base beetles as they have begun , in every cowsheard nestle neere the sun. whence , as it may bee probably gathered , was that sentence derived , amici curiae , parasiti curiae ; fawning rather than friending , tendring onely love where they hope to receive gaine . these , as they have ianus front , for they carrie two faces under one hood , so have they simons heart , professing love , but practising hate : of which sort the ever-living homer thus concludeth ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . there 's nought on earth i more detest , than sugred breath in serpents brest . whence it was that the great spirited byron , who shewed more passion than resolution at his death , howsoever during all his time none was ever held for a more brave or noble souldier ; perceiving his trust ( as he collected ) betrayed by la fin , with whom he had conspired , and by whom his practice was disclosed , he confessed that la fin had bewitched him , exhorting his hoast to be warie of him , lest he should delude and circumvent him with his impostures . for certainly , as more expresly appeared , not onely at the time of his execution , but in all the passages of his practice , as he had reposed great trust in la fin , in the whole management of that businesse ; so having seene his trust weakned , and those many protestations of amity infringed , ( though in practices of that nature there can bee no true league of friendship ) it moved him no lesse to impatience , than the discovery of his treason . but these fawning friends or timists which wee have now in quest , as they are onely for the present time , so will they undertake many times the most enormous and indirect course to raise their hopes , that can bee devised . when the rash-aspiring catiline had promised to divulge those new tables , wherein were contained the proscription of the rich , magistracies , priest-hoods , rapines , and all other insolencies , which either the shocke of warre , or will of the conquerour gives way to ; hee had followers enow upon the instant to second him in his hatefull courses : being such as either his youth had made him acquainted with , or his dissolute course had consorted with : which unhappy followers made him doubtlesse , more violent in his attempts , and lesse considerate in his directions . how needfull then is it , to prevent the occasion of so maine an inconvenience ? how expedient is it to avoid the frequent or society of such , as will not sticke to bee assistants in mischiefe ? how consequent a thing is it , to weane ones selfe not onely from their familiarity and inward acquaintance , but even from so much as conversing with them or writing to them . themistocles was suspected to be knowne to pausanias treason , although most cleare of himselfe , because he wrote unto him . for as the nature of man is originally depraved , so by consorting with vicious men the arme of sinne becomes strengthened . the fuller ( as it is in the fable ) would by no meanes suffer the collier to dwell with him under one roofe , lest hee should soile what he had rinsed . which fable hath a morall relation to the course of our life , and the nature of such as wee usually consort with : for there is a traffique or commerce as well of manners as persons , of vertues and vices , as other commodities . the babylonian hath beene naturally said to be arrogant , the theban passionate , the iew envious , the tyrian covetous , the sidonian a rioter , the egyptian a sorcerer : neither did these nations keepe these vices to themselves , for they induced others likewise , to whom they had recourse and commerce , to be affected to the like : for the very egyptians had so bewitched caesar himselfe with their illusions , as hee gave great attention to them ; as alexander was delighted with the brachmanes . for vice is such an over-growing or wildespreading weed , as there is no soyle wherein it likes not , no kinde of nature ( of what temper soever ) it invades not , and invading surprizeth not . to the body , diseases are infectious , to the minde are vices no lesse obnoxious : for vices are the diseases of the minde , as infirmities breed distempers and diseases to the body . so as , whether wee observe the state of church or common-weale , we shall finde vices to bee of a nature no lesse spreading than diseases ; neither the state or symptome of the minde lesse endangered by the infusion of the one , than the body by the infection of the other . for as the state politicke is much weakned by the haunt of these vices , so is that mourning dove the church , many times afflicted to see herselfe torne with schismes and divisions : where as * waspes make honey-combes , so marcionists make churches . how needfull then is it to divide our selves from the consorts of vice , without entertaining the least occasion that might induce us to give consent to her followers ? augustus wore ever about him , for preservative against thunder , a seales skinne , which plinie writes checketh lightning ; as tiberius wore alwayes about his necke a wreath of laurell . but let us carrie about us that moli or herbe of grace , whose precious juyce may repell the spells of so inchanting a syren . for as the vnicornes horne being dipt in water , cleares and purifies it , so shall this soveraigne receit cure all those maladies , which originally proceed from the poyson of vice . the mind so long as it is evill affected , is miserably infected . for so many evills , so many devills , first tempting and tainting the soule with sinne , then tearing and tormenting her with the bitter sense of her guilt . saint basil saith , that passions rise up in a drunken man , like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side ; whatsoever that holy father saith of one vice , may be generally spoken of all : so as wee may truly conclude with that princely prophet ; they come about us like bees : though they have honey in their thighs , they have stings in their tailes , wounding our poore soules even unto death . requisite therefore is it to avoid the society of such whose lives are either touched or tainted with any especiall crime ; these are dangerous patternes to imitate , yea , dangerous to consort with ; for as the storke being taken in the company of the cranes , was to undergoe like punishment with them , although she had scarce ever consented to feed with them ; so be sure , if we accompany them , we shall have a share in their shame , though not in their sinne . auoid the acquaintance of these heires of shame , whose affected liberty hath brought them to become slaves to all sensuality , and sure ere long to inherit misery . give no care to the sycophant , whose sugred tongue and subtill traine are ever plotting your ruine ; hate the embraces of all insinuating sharkes , whose smoothnesse will worke on your weaknesse ; and follow the poets advice : avoid such friends as feigne and fawne on thee , like scylla's rocke within sicilian sea. so dangerous are these syrenian friends , that like the sicilian shelves , they menace shipwracke to the inconsiderate sailer . for these , as they professe love , and labour to purchase friends ; so their practices are but how to deceive and entrap those to whom they professe love . whence it is that salomon saith , a man that flattereth his neighbour , spreadeth a net for his steps . that is , he that giveth eare to the flatterer , is in danger , as the bird is before the fowler . hee whistleth merrily , spreadeth his nets cunningly , and hunteth after his prey greedily . and let this suffice to bee spoken for the timist , who professeth observance to his friend onely for his owne end . now gentlemen , as i would not have you to entertaine time with fawnes , so neither with frownes . the former , as they were too light , so the latter are too heavy . the one too supple , the other too surlie . for these timonists ( for we have done with our timists ) as cicero said of galba's leaden and lumpish body , his wit had an ill lodging , are of too sullen and earthy a constitution . it is never faire weather with them , for they are ever louring , bearing a calender of ill weather in their brow . these for the most part are male-contents , and affect nothing lesse than what is generally pleasing : appearing in the world naturalized demophons whose humour was to sweat still in the shadow , and snake in the sunne . so as , howsoever they seeme seated in another clime , for disposition they are like the antipodes unto us , opposing themselves directly against us in all our courses . they are of democritus mind , who said , that the truth of things lay hid in certaine deepe mines or caves ; and what are these but their owne braines ? for they imagine , there can be no truth , but what they professe . they proclaime defiance to the world , saying ; thou miserably deluded world , thou embracest pleasure , wee restraine it . thou for pleasure doest all things , wee nothing . now who would not imagine these stoickes to be absolute men ? such as are rare to see on earth , in respect of their austeritie of life , and singular command over their affections ? such as are divided ( as it were ) from the thought of any earthly businesse , having their mindes sphered in a higher orbe ? such as are so farre from intermedling in the world , as they dis-value him that intends himselfe to negotiate in the world ? such , as when they see a man given to pleasure , or some moderate recreation , whereby he may be the better enabled for other imployments , sleight him as a spender of time , and one unfit for the societie of men . such , as say unto laughter , thou art mad ; and unto joy , what meanest thou ? such as take up the words of that grave censor in the poet ; tak'st thou delight to trace those pathes , where worldlings walked have , which seldome doe refresh the minde , but often doe deceive ? yet behold , how many times these mens severity comes short of sinceritie ! they will lay heavie burdens on others shoulders , which they will be loth to touch with the tip of their finger . the taskes which they impose on others are insupportable , the pressures they lay on themselves very easie and tolerable . of this ranke was aglataidas , of whom that noble and faithfull historian comines writeth , saying ; while he served in the campe he was of a most harsh and austere condition , doing many things perversly , and desiring rather to be feared than loved . such was this timon , from whose name wee entitle these frowning friends , who can hardly be true friends to any , being so opposite or repugnant to all , as they can scarcely hold concurrence with any . neither was this timon ( as plutarch reporteth of him ) only harsh and uncivill towards men , but towards women also : so as going forth one day into his orchard , and finding a woman hanging upon a wilde fig-tree : o god ( quoth he ) that all trees brought forth such fruit ! vnfit therefore was this timon for the acquaintance of man , who profest himselfe so mortall and irreconciliable an enemie to the sociablest and entirest acquaintance of man. so as , these timonists are to be cashiered for two reasons ; first , for their owne harsh and rough condition ; secondly , for the unjust grounds of their opinion , which dissents so far from societie , as it disallowes of marriage , the ordinary meanes appointed to preserve societie . so as , leaving them and their opinion , as alreadie evinced , wee will descend to make choice of your neerest acquaintance , ( i meane ) the choice of your wife ; the first day of which solemnitie promiseth either a succeeding iubile , or a continued scene of sorrow , where nought is sung but dolefull lachrymae . it was pleasantly spoken of him who said ; wives are young mens mistresses ; companions for middle age ; and old-mens nurses . the first sort take as much content in wearing their mistresse favour , as winning it ; the second sort in winning rather than wearing it ; the third neither in wearing nor winning it , but like children , to be cherished and cockered by it . the second sort are we only to speake of , where wives are to be made companions , and such entire ones , as they are bone of your bone , and flesh of your flesh . in the choice whereof , we will propose such necessary cautions , as shall be no lesse usefull to your selves , if rightly observed , than motives of comfort , if duly and exactly considered . he was reputed one of the wise men , that made answer to the question ; when a man should marry ? a young man not yet , an elder man not at all . of which opinion was arminius that ruler of carthage , whose harsh conceit of mariage proceeding either from personall disabilitie , or some experience of womans levitie , deserves small approbation . for had it beene arminius fortune to have matched with arminia , hee would doubtlesse , rather have fallen into admiration of so sacred a rite , than into distaste of it . for this noble lady , being bidden to king cyrus wedding , went thither with her husband : at night when they were returned home , her husband asked of her , how shee liked the bridegroome , whether shee thought him to be a faire and beautifull prince or no ? truth ( sayes she ) i know not : for all the while i was forth , i cast mine eyes upon none other , but upon thy selfe . or had calanus prevented hiero of his choice , he would have fallen from his stoicall dreame to a nuptiall song ; for one of hiero's enemies reproching him with a stinking breath , hee went home and questioned his wife why shee told him not thereof ; but what answer gave this continent ladie ? surely ( said she ) i thought all men had the same savour . or had timon attained the happinesse to joyne hands with theogena , wife to agathocles , he had not inveighed so much against the state of marriage ; for this renowned lady shewed admirable constancie in her husbands greatest misery , shewing her selfe most his owne , when hee was relinquis●t and forsaken of his owne , saying , that shee was not given him to be a sharer only in his prosperitie , but in what fortune soever should befall him . or had zenocrates enjoyed zenobia , hee would no lesse have admired his fortune , than beshrewed himselfe for depriving himselfe so long of so sweet a companion . for this princely ladie , after the death of odonatus ( though a barbarian queene ) yet by her reading of both roman and greeke histories , so managed the state after the decease of her husband , as shee retained those fierce and intractable people in her obedience : being a woman no lesse absolute for learning , than discreet governing : for she abridged the alexandrian , and all the orientall histories , ( a taske of no lesse difficultie than utilitie ) whereby she attained the highest pitch of wisdome and authoritie . or had aristippus beene so happie as linked himselfe with artemisia , he would have preferred so kinde and constant a yoke-fellow before all exteriour contemplations : for this chaste and choice lady , after the death of her beloved mausolus , thought it not sufficient to erect a glorious monument in his memory , but to enshrine him in her owne bodie , by drinking his ashes , and interring him in herselfe . many such eminent women may wee reade of in histories both divine and humane , whose vertues have equalled , if not surpassed most men . so as , howsoever it was the milesian thales his saying , that he had cause to give fortune thankes for three things especially ; first , for that he was a man , and not a beast ; secondly , that he was a man , and not a woman ; thirdly , that he was a greeke borne , and not a barbarian : women there be whos 's more noble endowments merit due admiration , because as in their sex weaker and inferiour , so in the gifts of the minde richer and superiour . but now to our choice : for it is to be received as alreadie granted , being by the authoritie of an apostle confirmed , that mariage is honourable among all : and every honourable thing is more eligible than that which is not honourable . so as he that shunneth mariage , and avoideth societie , is to be esteemed a foe to humanitie , or more than a man ; as he whom homer reprehendeth , saying : that he was tribe-lesse , law-lesse , and houselesse . i could wish every young gentleman to make that choice of his mistresse , which seneca would have one observe in the choice of a master ; choose him for thy master ( saith he ) whom thou mayest more admire , seeing him , than hearing him . neither altogether , as egnatius in catullus , is brought out shewing the whitenesse of his teeth : for all outward perfections , are but as fuell to feed desire , without that inward faire , which onely maketh woman worthy loving . for what is a beautifull complexion , being an exteriour good ; or that which euryclea his nurse praised , when she washed the feet of vlysses , namely , gentle speech , and tender flesh , wanting those inward graces , which truly adorne and beautifie women ? so as it is much better to follow his direction in the choice of a wife , who said , that they were to be chosen a modestiá non formâ ; which modestie cannot admit of this ages vanitie , where there nothing is lesse affected than what is comely . for , b these garish fashions agree well with none but prostitutes and shamelesse women . c neither can that face be a good one , which stands in need of these helpes . for d what madnesse is it to change the forme of nature , and seeke beautie from a picture ? e which picture is vices posture , and the ages imposture . f neither doe these affected trumperies , nor exquisite vanities become a christian. g for what is more vaine , than dying of the haire , painting of the face , laying out of breasts ? h doe not say that these can have shamefast mindes , who have such wandring and immodest eyes . i for the habit of the minde is to be discerned by the carriage : so as even in motion , gesture , and pace , is modestie to be observed . how miserable then is the state of these phantasticke idols ▪ who can endure no fashion that is comely , because it would not be observed ? how base is her shape , which must borrow complexion from the shop ? k how can shee weepe for her sinnes ( saith s. hierome ) when her teares will make furrowes in her face ? with what confidence doth she lift up her countenance to heaven , which her maker acknowledges not ? l i would , i poore wretch ( saith tertullian ) might see in that day of christian exaltation , whether with cerusse , and vermillion , and saffron , and those tyres and toyes upon your head , you are to rise againe ! which if they doe , they shall certainly witnesse against them , m to receive the reward of their painting in a lake of tormenting . n for these are they who lay hands upon god , correcting with a hand of contempt the workmanship of god. these never carry a box of ointment to bestow on the members of christ , but a o box of complexion they have in readinesse to bestow on a cheeke . which sort of wantons ( for how should i otherwise terme them ) are well displayed by one in their colours after this manner ; p shee surely keepes her fault of sex and nation , and best alloweth still the last translation : much good time lost , shee rests her faces debter , sh 'as made it worse , striving to make it better . this introduced ulcer , which is now esteemed no sore , because custome hath taken away the sense of a sore , how much it was abhorred formerly , may appeare by that command or constitution purposely exhibited to restrain it . q doe not paint thy face which god hath made . but if our women would but consider how hatefull these abuses are in the sight of the almightie , yea , how much they were loathed even of all honest women in former ages , they would distaste them , sure i am , farre more than they affect them . for if we will credit saint r hierome , writing to marcella , who saith ; that those women were matter of scandall to christian eyes , which painted their faces and eyes with vermillion , and such like adulterate complexions . yea he writes , that maximilla montanus his prophetesse , a woman-devill , by command from him whom shee served , did use to paint . so festus pompeius saith , that common and base whores , called schoenicolae , used dawbing of themselves , though with the vilest stuffe . so did the druids amongst the romans , expresly shadowed by the poet ; s preserve what nature gave you , nought's more base than belgian colour on a roman face . t so did our ancient britaines , but not to make their faces more amiable , but to appeare more terrible to the enemie . thus much , gentlemen , i thought good to write , before you make your choice , that you may see who are worth loving before you make your choice . u there is one flower to be loved of women , a good red , which is shamefastnesse ; here make your choice , and you shall finde farre more content in a native than artificiall blush . for as diogenes said to one that had anointed his haire ; x take heed that thy smelling head bring thee not an ill-smelling life ; so beware lest these perfumed ones become not polluted ones . for whosoever shall use them , i cannot choose but suspect them ▪ howsoever i have read of some that maintained the use of painting , grounded upon these ensuing respects ; y such a cause there may be ( saith one ) that women may use painting , and without sinne : as for example , if it be done of purpose to cover any blemish or deformitie . likewise , if the husband command that his wife should doe it , to the end that among other women shee might appeare more amiable . which opinion seemes likewise confirmed by another , who affirmes , z that to receive more beautie by attire or painting , though it be a counterfeit worke , yet it is no mortall sin . so as platina writeth , that paulus secundus , bishop of rome , used to paint himselfe . whom if diogenes had seene , he would doubtlesse have said to him , as hee once said to a youth too curiously and effeminately drest : if thou goest to men , all this is but in vaine ; if unto women , it is wicked . wicked surely , it cannot choose , being ( as it were ) a reproving or reforming of the almightie , whose workmanship is so absolute , as it admits of no correction . take heed therfore that you be not taken with one of these idols , as pigmalion was with his image ; but so direct your affections , as she may be worthy your embrace , whom you shall choose . which that you may the better effect , follow the sages advice in your choice : match with your equall . if not in fortunes , for so both may prove beggers , at least in descent : so will she the better content her selfe with your estate , and conforme her the better to your meanes . for i have seldome seene any difference greater , arising from marriage , than imparitie of birth or descent , where the wife will not sticke to twit her husband with her parentage , and brave him with repetition of her descent . likewise , as i would not have you to entertaine so maine a businesse without mature advice , so i would not have you wholly rely upon a friends counsell ; but as you are to have the greatest oare in the boat , so to make your selfe your owne carver : for he that is enforced to his choice , makes a dangerous bargaine . wherefore ground your choice on love , so shall you not choose but like ; making this your conclusion ; to her in hymens bands i 'le nere be tide , whom love hath not espous'd and made my bride . for what miseries have ensued on enforced mariages , there is no age but may record : where rites enforced , made the hands no sooner joyned , than their minds divorced , bidding adue to content , even at that instant when those unhappie rites were solemnized . the next observance in making your choice , is matter of portion ; a businesse not altogether to be neglected ; for if she be a good wife , a good portion makes her no worse : and if an ill one , she had need of a portion to make her better . for he hath a hard bargaine that hath neither portion in a wife , nor out of a wife . we would account him a weake and simple man , that would enter bond without either consideration or securitie to keepe him harmelesse . you are sure to be bound , be not so farre from consideration , as have nothing to shew for your selfe for your own security . i can commend his wit , who having made choice of a proportion , moving enough to gaine affection , was not content so , but he must know further touching her portion ; that as her proportion procured love , so her portion might enable him how to live : like a quicke epigrammatist he proceedeth thus ; i got a portion and proportion too , one got , the other i desir'd to know , which knowne , though at that season i was free , a thousand pound cost me my libertie . o foole ( quoth my alexis ) to be bound to thraldomes yoke , to gaine a thousand pound ! content thee friend ( said i ) for wor'st thou what , i have beene bound for a lesse summe than that , yet nere was bankrupt , but if so i doubt to lose by th'bargaine , i will banke her out . it is a true saying , something hath some favour ; whereas he that neither gets good wife nor good portion , will make but a hard saver . for he that wants a wife to cherish him , had need of some money to cheere him . having now made choice of your wife , being so well disposed ( as it is to be intended , ) she should not be much restrained : for shee hath alreadie resolved to be no gadder , but in resemblance of the snaile , a good house-keeper . the grecians accustomed to burne , before the doore of the new married , the axletree of that coach , wherein shee was brought to her husbands house , letting her to understand , that she was ever after to dwell there . which custome shee approveth , having made her family her common-weale , where she addresseth her selfe to governe without intermedling in others affaires . neither is she only to be freed from restraint of liberty in going abroad , ( for her occasions call her , or else she could be contented to be housed for ever : ) but in her desire of apparell , or any thing else that shee affecteth . for wheresoever christ is , there is a shamefastnesse ; like as wheresoever antichrist is , there is b shamelesnesse . and this chosen vessell well understands that all garish and gorgeous attire , is the attire of sinne , which shee will not so much as partake with , having learned how that modestie is the only ornament which beseemes a matron . wherefore , you should much wrong your choice to restraine her from the use of any pleasure which she affecteth : for so well disposed is she , as shee affecteth no other pleasure than to converse with vertue , which she holdeth at a higher rate than to be purchased with a masse of treasure . but admit it were your fortune to bestow your selfe on one , whose licentious affection might second faustina's , whose pride sempronia's , and whose shrewd tongue zantippe's : you must make a vertue of a necessitie , and so learne to inure you to patience , as you may be able by continuall exercise to encounter and subdue the violentest passions . how wisely did aurelius cover his faustina's shame , labouring to reclaime by mildnesse , when he could not prevaile by bitternesse ? how discreetly was sempronia's proud humour curbed , and with as little impatience as might be reproved ? how resolutely did socrates forbeare his wife zantippe , though a froward woman , because he thought he might better and with more patience converse with others ? for marriage is no such merchandize , as to promise returne with advantage to all factors . there is a ceremoniall custome used by the duke of venice upon the ascension day , to goe in a vessell called the bucentor , made galley-wise , with other nobles a mile or two into the sea : casting a ring into it , ( by which ceremonie they wed the sea ) that it may never leave the citie upon drie land . certainly , whosoever he be that marrieth a wife , empledging his faith unto her by a ring , must not thinke that he hath brought his ship to a perpetuall harbour , but rather that he is now putting off from land , and entring the maine ocean , where he is to encounter with many violent blasts , contrary winds , surging waves , ebs and flowes , which will not end till his journey end . it were wisdome therefore to beare what we may not avoid : considering , that as the marriage state is subject to many occurrences , so it is endowed with sundry excellent privileges , as the gravitie of the state requireth : as in rome , the lex iulia gave precedencie to him who had most children ; and in florence at this day , hee that is father of five children , straight-way upon the birth of the fifth , is exempted from all imposts , subsidies , and lones . also here in england , a married man ( out of a tender respect to his posterity ) is not so soone prest into the wars as single-men or batchelors . wherefore , as the state is more honoured , so is more sobrietie and government in it required ; bearing your selves patiently without bitternesse , and forbearing your wives for their sexes weaknesse . having thus farre discoursed of acquaintance both at bed and boord ; it were not amisse , if we set downe some especiall directions , which might better instruct you in the choice of them ; which , as protogenes seeing but a little line drawne in a table , knew straight-waies it was apelles doing , whom hee had never seene ; shall upon first sight resolve you , that those friends , or acquaintance , to which these instructions shall direct you , are worthy loving and knowing . there is no one note more infallible of true friendship , than to expresse a faithfulnesse in misery : which faithfulnesse is ever found in these noble and generous dispositions , who can say with chylo , that in all their life-time they were never guiltie of ingratitude . so as nobilitie and affabilitie hold for most part concurrencie : whence the poet ; a disposition towardly and good , implyes a generous and a noble blood . these keepe continuall records of courtesies received ; with a catalogue of such friends as have at their hands worthily deserved . it is reported of henry the fifth , that he never promised any thing , but he registred and set it downe with his owne hand . such noble sparkes are these , who , as they receive acceptably , so they render backe bountifully , making no other benefit of amitie , than as of a mutuall or reciprocall courtesie . neither is it to be wondered at , that i should here make choice of descent or birth , as an especiall or infallible note of true and faithfull amitie : for there is a naturall straine in all creatures , which they take from the parents that bred them ; strong men from strong their native strength doe gather , both bull and horse take spirit from their father . it is a common saying amongst us , that a gentleman will doe like a gentleman ; he scornes to doe unlike himselfe , for his word is his gage , and his promise such a tye as his reputation will not suffer him to dispence with . men of this ranke , as they are readie to beare an equall share in their friends misery , so are they resolved with a spirit undanted , ( if such be their chance ) in their own persons to sustaine misery ; for they esteeme no man so unhappie , as he that cannot beare unhappinesse . in sicilia there is a fountaine called fons solis , out of which at mid-day , when the sunne is neerest , floweth cold water ; at mid-night when the sunne is farthest off , floweth hot water . such fountaines are these firme friends , who , when the sunne shineth hottest upon you , with the raies of prosperitie , will yeeld you cold water , no great comfort or succour , because you need it not : but when the sunne is farthest off , and the darkest clouds which fortune can contract , sit heaviest on you , then they send forth hot water ; they weepe with you , there is hot water ; they suffer with you , there is hot water ; they cheere you drooping , comfort you sorrowing , support you languishing , and in your extremest fortunes are ever sharing . these crie with theophrastus , what care we if this friend be rich , that friend poore , we are the same to either ? make choice therefore of these well bred ones , for though some degenerate , most of them hold . whereas , contrariwise , these who are of a base dunghill descent , it is seldome seene but they have some base and unworthy condition ; being generally all for the time , but little for trust , or as tops which alwayes run round , and never goe forward , unlesse they be whipt . such a neuter among the romans was tully , who could not resolve , whether he should take caesars part or pompeyes part . among the grecians was tydides , who could not determine whether he should joyne himselfe with achilles or hector ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . among the persians was nabarzanes , who seeing his masters fortunes decline , laboured to joyne himselfe to him whose fortunes were in rising . such were tiberius friends , who shrunke from him , hearing with patience , tiberium in tiberim . and such were our northerne borderers , who have beene alwayes uncertaine friends in extremities , and assured enemies upon advantage . of which it may be said , as was spoken of the philosophers cloake , pallium video , philosophum non video : i see the cover of a friend , but no friend . for as nothing is more hatefull than a doubtfull and uncertaine man , who now draweth his foot backe , and now putteth it forward ; so there is nothing more distastefull to any man , than these faire protesting friends , whose hollow and undermining hearts make a shew of faire weather abroad , when there is a tempest at home , comming towards you with their feet , but going from you with their hearts . in briefe , they are danaus tubs , or running sieves that can hold no water ; leave them therefore to themselves , if you desire in safety to enjoy your selves . now , to the end i may acquaint you likewise with the rest of such motives to love , as are powerfully working in the affection of the minde ; as we have touched the first motive or inducement to love , to wit , parentage or descent , which cannot so farre degenerate from it selfe , but it must of necessity shew it selfe : so it attracts other motives of love unto it , as benevolence in rewarding ; excellencie or admiration proceeding from the fame of such redoubted hero's , as have their names charactred and ingraven in leaves of brasse , to preserve their memorie : as salomon for his wisdome , whom , no doubt , nicaula queen of saba had a desire to see & be known to , through report of his wisdome ; so as her long journey seemed short , having understood that to be true with her owne eare , which shee had only heard of before by report . how much likewise was david affected for his valour , in discomfiting the uncircumcised philistin ? so was alexander , whose report brought the amazon thalestris from her owne countrey , of purpose to be knowne to so invincible a spirit . so hercules , achilles , dardanus , diomedes , scipio , hannibal , constantine , &c. whose exploits purchased them love to such as were never acquainted with their persons . pardoning likewise of injuries , is an excellent motive of love. when chylo's brother was angry that himselfe was not made ephorus as well as he : o ( quoth he ) i know how to suffer injuries , so doest not thou ! though diogenes the cynick answered uncivilly to alexander , when he came to his poore mansion in synope , his philosophers barrell , yet hee replied unto his satyricall speech with no indignation ; but said to such of his attendants , as derided the boarish and exoticke speech of diogenes , if i were not alexander , i would wish to be diogenes . the like instance may be confirmed by holy writ : where miriam , for murmuring against moses , was stricken with a lothsome leprosie : he could not suffer this condigne punishment to be inflicted on her , but demanded of god that hee would cure her . another motive to love , is hatred , where an ill occasion procureth among enemies a reconciliation . herod and pilat enemies before , were reconciled in combining their powers together against christ. mastives , if set together , will fight till death , but in the presence of a bull will joyne together . sometimes mutuall affliction procureth mutuall affection . such resorted to david , as were persecuted by saul , being such as were amaro animo . where sauls enmitie brought david to a triall of hushai's faithfull amitie ; where hee found the words of ecclesiasticus to be true , a faithfull friend is a strong defence ; and hee that findeth such a one , findeth a treasure . for when wee are in the greatest straights , such an one sheweth the most strength : so as the apostles words may be here verified , strength is made perfect in weaknesse . where one afflicted friend supporteth another , by joyning their strengths together . another motive there is , proceeding from some especiall delivery from danger : for who will not esteeme him for a friend , who will expose himselfe to danger , to deliver his friend ? iudith entred bethulia with holofernes head , and by that meanes preserved her countrey from ruine and desolation . esther procured the death of haman , repealed those severe and cruell lawes enacted , proclaimed , and even ready to be executed by hamans suggestion , in the kingdome of the medes and persians ; whereby she purchased eternall honour , love and memory in her countrey . the same love gained moses for delivering the israelites from the thraldome of aegypt . the like may be said of ioshua , samson , maccabeus , and many others frequent in holy writ . the romans so highly honoured and affected such as protected their countrey , and defended her libertie , as they bestowed no lesse style on them than patres patriae . another motive there is , drawing one enemie to love another , induced thereto in respect of compassion , or some other princely vertue which he seeth in him . when saul understood that david might have taken away his life , and would not , levavit vocem & flevit : his threats were changed into teares , and his passion into a teare-swolne admiration , to see his foe so full of compassion . we are induced likewise to love them that tell and confesse sincerely their offences ; for an ingenuous acknowledgment of what is done , moves us to commiserate his case by whom it is done , yea quencheth all hate , as if a small sparke were drenched in the sea. likewise in the toleration of wrongs , wee are enforced to love him who suffereth them , and having power to revenge , will not out of the noblenesse of his spirit , doe what he may . to conclude , bountie is a motive to love ; for giving gifts gathereth friends : which bountie is most worthy acceptance , when done with cheerefulnesse . hilarem datorem diligit deus . thus have we traced over such motives as generally induce or procure love , friendship , or acquaintance ; wherein observe the lesson of the sonne of sirach : depart from thine enemies , and beware of thy friends : for some man is a friend for his owne occasion , and will not abide in the day of thy trouble . now if you would understand , how a man may know a friend , you shall find him described , and by certaine infallible markes discovered in the twelfth chapter of the same booke . but alwayes , beware ( saith he ) of deceitfull friends , lest feeling the bitternesse of them , you finde the saying of the prophet true : all the men of thy confederacie , have driven thee to the borders : the men that were at peace with thee , have deceived thee , and prevailed against thee : they that eat thy bread , have laid a wound under thee : there is none understanding in him . make choice then of him for your acquaintance , whom you may worthily esteeme of as a second-selfe : so may you communicate your counsells freely , acquaint him with your griefes friendly , and share in comforts and afflictions fully . thus much for the choice of acquaintance ; wherein i have the rather enlarged my discourse , because i know that as there is nothing more usefull to direction or instruction , than where good ones are elected ; so there is nothing more hurtfull in the maine matter of discipline or conversation , than where ill ones are affected and frequented . many and singular were the commendations attributed to augustus , amongst which none more absolute than this : as none was more slow in entertaining , so none more firme of constant in retaining ; which agrees well with that of the sonne of sirach : if thou gettest a friend , prove him first , and be not hastie to credit him . but having found him , we are to value him above great treasures : the reason is annexed : a faithfull friend is a strong defence , and hee that findeth such a one , findeth a treasure . this adviseth every one to be no lesse wary in his choice , than constant in the approvement of his choice ; so as it rests now , that wee presse this point by reasons and authorities , illustrating by the one , and confirming by the other , how consequent a thing it is to shew our selves constant in the choice of our acquaintance . there is no one thing more dangerous to the state of man , or more infallibly proving fatall , than lightnesse in entertaining many friends , and no lesse lightly cashiering those who are entertained . which errour i have observed to have borne principall sway in our new-advanced heires , whose onely ambition it is to be seene numerously attended , phantastically attired , and in the height of their absurdities humoured . these are they , who make choice of acquaintance , only by outward habit , or which is worse , by roisting or russian behaviour : with whom that false armory of yellow bands , nittie lockes , and braving mouchato's have ever had choice acceptance . and herein , observe the misery of these depraved ones ; who having made choice of these mis-spenders of time , and abusers of good gifts , they will more constantly adhere to them , than with better affected consorts . oh that young gentlemen would but take heed from falling unwarily upon these shelves , who make shipwracke of their fortunes ( the remaines of their fathers providence ; ) yea not only of their outward state , which were well to be prevented , lest misery or basenesse over-take them ; but even of their good names , those precious odours which sweeten and relish the pilgrimage of man ! for what more hatefull than to consort with these companions of death , whose honour consists meerely in protests of reputation , and whose onely military garbe is to tosse a pipe is stead of a pike , and to flie to their tinderbox to give charge to their smoakie ordnance , to blow up the shallow-laid foundation of that shaken fortresse of their decayed braine ? these hot-liverd salamanders are not for your company ( gentlemen ) nor worthy your acquaintance ; for of all companions , those are the worthiest acceptance , who are so humble-minded and well affected , as they consort with others purposely to be bettered by them ; or being knowing men , by their instructions to better them . that course which the ancient vestalls observed , such usefull companions as these have ever seconded . they first learned what to doe ; secondly , they did what they had learned ; thirdly , they instructed others to doe as they had learned . such as these were good companions to pray with , to play with , to converse or commerce with . first , they are good to pray with ; for such as these only were they who assembled together in one place , imploying their time religiously in prayers , supplications , and giving of thankes : and honouring him , whom all powers and principalities doe honour with divine melodie : which was expressed not so much with the noise of the mouth , as with the joyfull note of the heart , nor with the sound of the lips , as with the soule-solacing motion of the spirit , nor with the consonance of the voice , as with the concordance of the will : for , as the precious stone diacletes , though it have many rare and excellent soveraignties in it , yet it loseth them all , if it be put in a dead mans mouth : so prayer , which is the onely pearle and jewell of a christian , though it have many rare and exquisite vertues in it , yet it loseth them every one , if it be put into a dead-mans mouth , or into a mans heart either , that is dead in sinne , and doth not knocke with a pure hand . so many rare presidents have former times afforded , all most inimitable in this kinde , as to make repetition of them , would crave an ample volume ; we will therefore only touch some speciall ones , whose devotion hath deserved a reverence in us towards them , and an imitation in us after them . nazianzen in his epitaph for his sister gorgonia , writeth , that shee was so given to prayer , that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth , and to grow to the very ground , by reason of incessancie or continuance in prayer ; so wholly was this saint of god dedicated to devotion . gregory in his dialogues writeth , that his aunt trasilla being dead , was found to have her elbowes as hard as horne ; which hardnesse shee got by leaning to a deske , at which shee used to pray ; so continued was the devotion of a zealous professour . eusebius in his history writeth , that iames the brother of our lord , had knees as hard as camels knees , benummed and bereaved of all sense and feeling , by reason of continuall kneeling in prayer ; so sweet was this taske , undertaken for gods honor , where practice made that an exercise or solace , which the sensual man maketh a toile or anguish . hierom in the life of paul the eremite writeth , that he was found dead , kneeling upon his knees , holding up his hands , lifting up his eyes : * so that the very dead corps seemed yet to live , and by a kinde of zealous and religious gesture to pray still unto god. so transported or rather intraunced was the spirit of this lovely dove , as even in death he expressed the practice of his life . these followed augustines rule in their forme of prayer : seeke ( saith he ) what you seeke , but seeke not where you seeke . seeke christ , that 's a good what . seeke what you seeke ; but seeke him not in bed , that is an ill where . but seeke not where you seeke : moses found christ not in a soft bed , but in a bramble bush . for as we cannot goe to heaven on beds of downe , no more can those devotions pierce heaven which are made on beds of downe . albeit , every place is good , for as no place is freed from occasion of sin , so no place should be free from prayer , which breaketh downe the partition-wall of our sinne . but certainly those downie prayers taste too much of the flesh , to relish well of the spirit ; for as he is a delicate master , who , when his belly is full , disputeth of fasting ; so he is a sensuall prayer , who in his bed only , addresseth himselfe to devotion . neither are these only good companions to pray with , but also to play with ; i meane to recreate and refresh our mindes with , when at any time pressed or surcharged either with cares of this world , or in our discontinuance from more worthy and glorious meditations of the world to come : for as in the former we are usually plunged , so by the latter wee are commonly enfeebled , at least wearied , if by some recreations , to entertaine and allay the tediousnesse of more wearie houres , we be not refreshed and solaced . now in our choice of acquaintance , as like requireth like , so are we to sort our selves to an equality both in degree and condition . when some of alexanders companions demanded of him , if he would runne a race with them ; willingly , ( said he ) if there were kings to runne withall . for this parity breeds affection , and an equalitie of minds in any recreation : while neither respect to an inferiour ranke begets contempt , nor an eye to superiority begetteth feare . besides , as there is an equality of degree , so is there an equalitie of mind concurring with that degree . there is no pleasure affected by one , which is not entertained with free approbation by another : for in all their jestings , sportings , and delightfull meetings , they are provided of a disposition , equally tempered to give a jest , and take a jest : having ever in mind that common english proverbe , play with me , but hurt me not ; jest with me , but shame me not . for their sports , as they are harmelesse without guile , so their conceits are pleasant without gall . there is neither saltnesse in the one , nor harshnesse in the other . neither doe these make sport or pastime a vocation , as if they were borne to nothing else than play : for these delights of theirs , which are ever moderate , and therefore truly seasoned , they make use of , as physitians of sugar-plates , which they minister to their patients , to take away the taste of a more bitter potion . it is worth observing , to note the excellent use which these men make of recreation . they can use it with such temperance , as they can command the pleasure which they use , and not be commanded by it . their only pleasure is to contemne pleasure , yea even to dis-esteeme it in their height of pleasure : neither , because pleasure delighteth , doth it please them , but because it pleaseth , it doth delight them . it is the excellent'st office of some mens vertue to perswade the use of pleasure , recounting at their table creatures of all sorts , with which by how much more they are filled , by so much more their appetites remaine unsatisfied . briefly , whereas their discretion hath subjected appetite to reason , in gaming they play without desire of g●ining ; in recreations of the body , their aime is to refresh and renue nature , without any desire of mastery ; in their solemne feasts , they feed without sursetting ; in their may-games , they are merry without exceeding ; in their flashes or encounters of wit , they are pregnant , present , and pleasant without offending . those are most fruitfull and fertile in rendering fruit ( saith the philosopher ) which partake most of cold and moist : which position intendeth the conceptive part ; but my assertion reacheth further ; for i conclude , such as these being equally tempered , to be most copious in the principall workes or faculties of the understanding , being three ; first to discourse ▪ second to distinguish , third to choose . for the first whereof , it resteth that we now proceed in proofe , concluding ; these not to be only the best companions to pray or play with ( as wee have formerly proved ) but to converse , or commerce with , as we shall hereafter make manifest . megabizes esteemed alexander as a prince , whiles he stood in his schoole and said nothing ; but when he began to talke of things which he knew not , he said unto him , that even his little children would laugh him to scorne . this speech of megabizes proceeded ( as may be imagined ) from some words uttered , or reasons alleaged by alexander , which relished little of philosophie , being a studie to which a souldier is for most part a stranger . but these men , whom we now have in hand , and whom we have made choice of , as fit companions to converse and commerce with , are men of such singular discretion , as they wil preferre silence before discovery of their ignorance . these know for what end or purpose the bars and gates of the lips and teeth ( like a double ward ) were ordained to limit or restraine the tongue . these observe , how man hath two eyes to see with , two nosthrills to breathe with , two hands to labour with , two feet to walke with , but one tongue to talk with ; implying , that one tongue requires as much government as any two members of all the body . neither only is their speech wisely silenced , but when delivered , discreetly seasoned . seasoned with mildnesse and affabilitie , without the least expression of roughnesse or austeritie . where two meeke men meet together , their conference ( saith bernard ) is sweet and profitable ; where one man is meeke , it is profitable ; where neither , it proves pernicious . neither in mildnesse and affabilitie onely , but in the highest pitch of wisdome , is their discourse seated . whence it was ( as i have heretofore noted ) that aristotle debating of the convenience and proprietie of discourse before alexander ; maintained , that none were to bee admitted to speake , but either those that managed his warres , or his philosophers which governed his house . which wisdome of discourse hath beene formerly so much affected , as plutarch reporteth that plato came forth of asia into cilicia , for no other cause but onely to see his deare friend phocion the philosopher , and to converse with him . this caused nica●la ▪ the queene of saba , to travell from her owne country to iudea , to heare the wisdome of salomon : yea , peruse those athenian nights in gellius , how and in what excellent manner , with what varietie of discourse , propriety of conference , strength of arguments those winter-nights were bestowed , and you shall finde there fit companions for schollers , souldiers , and all generous professours . neither are they consorts only fit to converse with , but to commerce with also ; for these are no bankrupt merchants , or desperate factors , who use to dispence with conscience and credit , rather than in a conscionable sort discharge their credit . so as , how soever the sonne of sirach may seeme to conclude , there be two things , which me thinke to be hard and perillous ; a merchant cannot lightly keepe him from wrong , and a victualler is not without sinne . so well and equally are the ships of these good merchants ballased , as rather than they will make shipwracke of a good conscience , or runne their reputation upon the shelfe of disgrace , they will suffer the worst of extremes . these are none of those , who make sale of deceitfull commodities , to enrich their seldom thriving progenie with impostures . these are none of those trifling mountebankes , who draw on customers with faire protests , and shew strange experiments upon their sophisticated oyles , to delude the ignorant . these are none of our inconsiderate factors , who make exchange of english money with indian trifles , enriching forraine countries with our treasures , and fooling our own with their feathers . these are none of our sea-sharkes , who under pretence of merchandize , exercise piracie ; bearing the world in hand that they befriend us , when they practise all hostilitie against us . these are none of our dangerous spies , who pretending they come to trade or commerce with us , arrive purposely to note what strength is amongst us . no , these are factors of better temper and more honestie , hating deceit , though that might enrich them ; scorning the mountebankes trade , though that might draw customers to them ; discarding all inconsiderate factors , who give money for feathers , though in fooling others , they might gaine by them ; cashiering all sea-sharkes , who by piraticall practices , use to support them ; excluding all dangerous spies , who to discover others weaknes , purposely embark them . in briefe , would you have their character ? they can discourse of novelties without affectation , impart their minds freely without dissimulation , valuing no losse so great , as the hazard of their reputation . these are those friends which deserve your choice and acceptance ; these are they , who , as upon good grounds you have made choice of , so should you bee constant in your choice . for you are not to be so light in the choice of your acquaintance , as in the choice of your fashion ; where every giddie head sorts himselfe to what is newest , not what is neatest ; for so should you be ever choosing , and farre from constancie in choosing . rather having got a friend and proved him , first in matters of small weight , and afterwards in affaires of greater consequence ; labour by all meanes to retaine him , for you have found a treasure : forsake not this old friend , for the new is not comparable unto him . you have got a friend , proved and tried him to be no ambitious man , for ambition is fearfull , and for the least crosse of fortune will forsake true friendship . you have got a friend , proved and tried him to be no covetous man , for covetousnesse selleth fellowship , faith and honesty ; to conclude , you have got a friend , who will not by glozing deceive you ; by ayming at his owne private ends , entrap you ; by hunting after popular praise , disvalue you ; or by consorting wich politicke heads , endanger you . keepe him then , and be constant in your choice , holding him so firmely knit unto you , as if hee were individually united to your selfe ; for a friend , ( provided that he be such an one as we have charactred him ) is a second-selfe , and therefore as impossible to be divided from you , as you from your selfe . and may this suffice to be spoken touching constancie in the choice of acquaintance , wherein as we ought to be circumspect in our choice , so ought we to be constant , having had proofe of the faithfulnesse of our choice . there is nothing which argues more indiscretion , than an aptnesse of discovering our selves ; so as , we are advised in getting a friend , to prove him first , and not to be hasty to credit him . for albeit , the precept may seem generall , the secrets of our friend we may not discover ; which is confirmed by the sonne of s●rach , who so discovereth secrets , loseth his credit , and findeth no friend after his will. yet , how many are there , who either through unfaithfulnesse , as they will not , have brought their friends to extremest hazard ? yea , not onely our common friends , but even those who sleep in our owne bosome ; as dalilah plaid with samson , either simply or subtilly will discover our secret'st counsells to our enemie : so as , we may take up the complaint of samson , which he made in the discovery of his riddle : if he had not plowed with our heifer , he had not found out our riddle . had not that woman by the river of sorek , that subtill dalilah , betrayed his trust , how invincible had samson remained , no lesse powerfull to his friends , than fearfull to his enemies ? whence we may gather , how dangerous it is to discover the secrets of our heart , even to those to whom we have engaged our heart : for wee ought not to give our friend power over us . this is seconded by a divine precept : give not thy son and wife , thy brother and friend , power over thee while thou livest ; and give not away thy substance to another , les● it repent thee , and thou intreat for the same againe . whence wee are advised to a two-fold reservancie ; first in concealing our secrets ; secondly , in retaining our substance . for the first , he explaines himselfe more fully in the ensuing verse ; as long as thou livest , and hast breath , give not thy selfe over to any person . for the second , he gives a reason in the end of the former verse ; give not away thy substance to another , lest it repent thee , and thou intreat for the same againe . of which two parts , and the reservancie which we are to observe in either , my purpose is briefly and plainly to intreat ; and first of the first , to wit , reservancie of secrets , wherein i will be as briefe as the qualitie of the subject will suffer me . it is said of geese , that , when at the change of seasons , they passe from cilicia , over the mountaine taurus , which abounds with eagles ; they carry stones in their bills , for feare their crie should discover them to their enemies . reason should teach us that , which nature hath instructed them , lest by diverting from the rule of reason , we become inferiour to them , who never had the use of reason . for there is nothing which detracts more from the glory of man , than by too prodigall a discovery of himselfe , to lay himselfe open to the trust of another : so as it may be positively averred , there is nothing that betrayeth a man so much to ruine , as his owne credulitie . dionysius gave straight commandement , the head of brias , one of the gentlemen of his chamber , should be cut off , for telling plato , who had demanded of him what the tyrant did , that he had stripped himselfe by reason of the heat , and was painting in a table . so tender were princes of the discovery of their actions , even in affaires of indifferencie . let us imitate therefore that grecian of former times , who being told that his breath did smell , answered , it was by reason of the many secrets , which had a long while laine rotting , and put●ifying within him . let our bosome ( the recluse of secrets ) be like the lions den in the apologue ; towards the mouth whereof , the prints and prickings of sundry sorts of beasts , might easily be discerned , sed nulla retrorsum , but from thence none at all . let us alwayes talke with harpocrates , at the signe of the finger on the mouth ; and learne of anacharsis , that the tongue hath need of more strong restraint than nature . let us not be too curious , with them of bethshemesh , in the search of other mens secrets , nor yet too carelesse with hezekiah , in the discovery of our own . morality giveth us a prohibition for the one , and a precept for the other ; seeke not to know that secrecie thy friend reserved hath , but keepe what 's tender'd to thy trust , though drunke with wine and wrath . and indeed it is a prophanation of dutie to publish any thing we should not ; and too much insinuation to winde our selves in the privacie of others secrets , which make knowne we ought not . those things therefore , which are to be concealed , let us conceale them , vt curia martis athenis , as close as either silence or darknesse will afford us meanes to keepe them , both from eye and eare : for the better effecting whereof , there is necessarily required in every one a wise distrust , and slownesse of beleefe , wherewith the brest must so equally be ballanced , that he may steddily run on , without suffering shipwracke in such a doubtfull and dangerous course . it hath beene ever held a singular argument of policie , to have an open face , but a shut heart ; to give entertainment with a free and affable countenance , but with a wise and discreet reservancie of our counsells , to prevent the occasion of giving our friend power over us . yea , but it may be objected , it may sometimes fall out , that a friend cannot performe the office of a friend , but by discovering the secret purpose or practice of another : for how could faithfull ionathan advertise david of sauls wicked purpose against him , but by discovering what saul in secret had imparted to him ? how could he ( i say ) have advertised david of his fathers fury , by shooting three arrowes , but by discovering what his father had secretly intended against him ? to which objection it may be thus answered ; that , as amongst evill men there can be no true friendship continued , so neither are the secrets of such men , tending ever to mischiefe and effusion of innocent bloud , to be concealed , but by all meanes should be discovered , that such tragicall issues might be prevented . yea , but it may be againe objected , that admit this were so , may wee not impart our griefes to a friend , or communicate our counsells to one , whom we have made triall of to be trustie and faithfull ? to which i answer , that wee may , but with this provision , that we never unrip our bosome so farre , as to give our friend power over us , in matters which may either concerne life , state , or name . for though your experience of the trust of such a friend hath beene long , and those affaires wherein you have imployed him , of serious consequence : we have knowne many comicall beginnings , have a tragicall catastrophe ; many promising mornings turne to duskie afternoones ; many faire glozing friends recoile ( like the bat in the fable ) and become either neuters , or profest enemies . so as , it was wisely answered by that learned sage to one who demanded of him , what hee thought to be the hardest thing in the world ; to keepe counsell , quoth he . we say , it is good sleeping in a whole skin ; but how can our sleepes be quiet , our rest from terrours freed , when wee have lost our libertie by committing our secrets to others trust ? yea , but friendship , being one soule ruling two hearts , or one heart dwelling in two bodies , loseth her prerogative , if excluded from partaking in her friends griefes or comforts : for would you thinke it well , that your friend should finde you sad , and so leave you ; sick , without ministring any comfort to you ; or poore , without releeving you ? surely , you could not chuse but thinke such an one commeth to jest , rather than to visit or comfort you . now , how should he comfort you , who is wholly ignorant of the cause of your discomfort ; or how minister any receits to you , when he knowes not what distempers you ; or how releeve you , when he knowes not of any povertie that hath befallen you ? whereto i answer , that these are not to be numbred among those secrets which wee hold unfitting to bee imparted or discovered , by one friend to another ; for the discovery of these may profit , but cannot prejudice us . whereas , the disclosing of such secrets as concerne our name , may afterwards brand us with infamie ; or such as concerne our state , may bring us to povertie ; or such as concerne our life , may weave our unhappie webbe in a fearfull tragedy . therefore it is good counsell , not to give our friend power over us , but with a circumspect eye to take heed whom we entertaine as a friend ; and of what nature those secrets are , which we impart to that friend . when that unhappie emperour commodus had communicated his secret'st thoughts to martia , his best affected concubine ; and withall , how his purpose was , before many dayes were ended , to dispatch laetus and electus , two of his senators : shee perceiving how the world went , and that the emperour was no lesse inconstant in his love , than illimited in his lust , discovered to the senators what the prince had intended against them ; which to prevent , with one consent they resolved to dispatch the emperour , and so rid them of all occasion of feare . farre more hatefull was that act of bessus and nabarzanes , in discovering the counsels of their unfortunate prince darius ; which discovery , though it deposed their prince of crowne , and deprived him of life , rewarded those disloyall traytors with a deserved end . should we but take a view of the doublenesse and deceitfulnesse of friends , whose only aymes are , for most part , to take advantage of our opennesse , wee should find , though there be some hushaies , or faithfull friends , so there be some false brethren , who secretly ( under pretence of amitie ) will labour to undermine us . for if we be great , we shall have some to ply our veine , soothing us with the height of our place , the eminence of our state , our easie accesse to a higher step , if we will take hold of occasion ; and with these are young-men , whose unripened judgements never attained to the discovery of persons , chiefly pleased , and to these are their secret'st thoughts ever imparted ; on these are they wholly planted , and in these is their principall trust reposed : yet loe , they trust in broken staves of reed , on which if they leane , they will goe thorow their hand and pierce it . againe , are we rising to greatnesse , and in the first spring of promotion ? we shall find these chattering swallowes ever flying about us , pretending friendship and secrecie in our counsels ; but misery attends us , if we entertaine them . to be briefe , are we rich ? if we have discovered any secret to them , which may prejudice us being revealed , wee shall be sure to have that secret vented , if our hollow coun●ellour be not rewarded . are we poore ? though our state need not feare undoing , our secrets must be discovered , if the meanest may be gratified by the discovery . thus no ranke may be exempted , no degree freed from prejudice , where counsels are disclosed . indeed sometimes it happeneth , that a friend discovers the secrets of a friend ; because , out of the justnesse of himselfe , and the integritie of his owne conscience , which no respect will suffer him to violate , hee cannot endure the sinister or indirect practice of his friend , and therefore discovers it to give meanes of prevention to the innocent . which may be instanced in the ●●ount of melin his confession , who lying upon his death-bed here in england , disclosed the purpose of king lewis his master , to the chiefe peeres and barons of the realme ; who considering the inevitable danger into which they were falling , by giving free entrie to the french king , wisely in time ( and but in time ) expulsed him , receiving their unhappie deposed king , to avoid an ensuing mischiefe . now the occasion of this discovery , though it be divers wayes conjectured , yet the probablest in my opinion is , to refer it to the compassion which count melin had of the english nation , whose state had beene , to the judgement of all men , grievously shaken , had lewis , as he was already arrived , beene peaceably possessed of the same . now to conclude this point , i hold that english proverbe worthie our remembrance , in affaires of secrecie : one may keepe counsell , but two cannot : implying , that it is the safest and surest course to be a mans owne secretary , so shall ●e not give his friend power over him , but sleepe quietly without feare of discovery , having none but his owne brest to betray him to his enemie . the second thing , which , as we formerly noted , requireth a reservancie in us towards our acquaintance , is a respect to our substance ; which should neither be lashed out lavishly , nor hoorded up niggardly . and herein i have observed a great vanitie in young gentlemen , who are no sooner mounted in their fathers saddle , or made heires of his providence , than upon purchase of acquaintance , ( which a young master cannot want ) he begins to squander his revenues upon gifts , to feed his thirstie followers : but see the issue of these bountifull novices , they change their acres into peeces , and so peece-meale divide them , till they fall all into peeces , and have not one peece to cover them . so as , it is true which the poet hath observed ; the prodigall and foole gives what he scornes and hates , and with his state makes other men to glory in their states . wherefore the lesson is good , and well deserveth our observation , which is given to us by the son of sirach : that not only to our friends , acquaintance , or the like , but even to our children , whose naturall respect to their parents , should binde them to be gratefull , we should not be too forward in distributing our substance , concluding thus : for better it is that thy children should pray unto thee , than that thou shouldest looke up to the hands of thy children . if we be advised to use this reservancie to our owne , even those whose naturall affection will enforce bountie at the parents hand , much more to our acquaintance , whose pretended semblances , or outward protestations many times tend rather by fawning to feed on us , than by true profession of friendship to bestead us . oh gentlemen , how many through too easie a hold have exposed themselves , as a prey to the avaritious desires of their followers ; where many times it falleth out , that the servant is able to purchase his master , having enriched himselfe by feeding his humour ! yet see the unthankfulnesse of many of these ; having made them a garment of their masters shreads , and raised themselves to a great estate by his prodigalitie , they can learne to put on a scornefull countenance towards their landlesse master , entertaine him with contempt , forget his bountie , and ascribe all to their owne thriving providence , which proceeded meerely from his profusenesse . so well can these thriving timists , who raise their fortunes from their masters ruines , shape themselves to all times , that they may profit by all meanes . there are acquaintance likewise , whose aimes as they extend only to themselves , so they will use any indirect course , how irregular soever , to bring their purpose about . and of these , we had a late example , even in our owne countrey , and within the walls of this flourishing citie : which example , that it might remaine to the memory of succeeding times , for the benefit whereof , as well as of these present , our labours should be addressed , i thought good here to set downe . there was a young gentleman , whose profuser course having consumed much of his meanes , was enforced , upon some present extremities urging him , to make a morgage of a peece of land , which peece was the very last which he had left him : the money being lent and spent , and now the un-foreseene day of payment approaching , the young gentleman driven to an exigent , made recourse by chance , to an ancient acquaintance of his , by trade a chandler , who was a monied man , and could finde a friend in a corner , who upon a commodious bargaine would at any time bestead him of a good summe . hee , the chandler i meane , noting what benefit the morgage of the young gentlemans land might be unto him , if he redeemed his estate , which now lay a bleeding , and tooke the morgage into his owne hand , concluded with the gentleman , and releeved his present wants , proposing a certaine day for redemption of the said morgage : which was kindly accepted of by the gentleman , little thinking how he fell from the fire into the flame , and by avoiding charybdis , had fallen into scylla . the time now drew neere , which was limitted the gentleman to redeeme the premises : whence a double care or feare ensued ; a feare and provident care in the gentleman of procuring money to redeeme it ; a feare in the chandler , lest it should be redeemed , and so the hopes he had of so beneficiall a bargaine frustrated . which to prevent , ( marke the impiety of the age even in this one example ) the chandler against the day limitted and prefixed , repaires to a consort of opportunate agents for his purpose ; assacinates fleshed in all mischiefe , and ready to embrace any motion , or engage themselves in any action , which might minister fuell to their riot . and these he acquaints ( as it seemes their acquaintance was ancient ) how he knew of a rich bootie for them , if they had hearts to attempt , and resolutions to effect , what their present wants enforced them to attempt . they desirous to heare of that booty , promising him reward if their purpose came to effect , pressed him ( as little pressing needed to such a base instrument ) that he would discover , where this bootie might be purchased . he imparted his minde freely , and told them that such a gentleman ( being the same who had made a morgage of his land unto him ) was to come provided of a great summe of money , upon such a day , and by such a place , as gave opportunitie for the attempt , which they might easily obtaine , having none but himselfe and his man to resist them . they , at the first seemed jealous of him , imagining it was some fetch meerely to intrap and circumvent them ; but being more confident upon his protestations , that his purpose was to benefit them , not to betray them ; they generally consented to this plot , provided that they might have his company , not onely to direct them , but share and partake with them : whereto the chandler condescended , choosing rather to be an assistant in the practice , than prevented of his purpose . to be short , vizards and disguises were provided , and all things fitted , that such an attempt might be furthered : where , by direction of their leader , they tooke their stand , where the unfortunate gentleman was to passe ; who , within some few houres after , came according to their expectance , provided of a summe purposely to redeeme his estate ( the last remainder of his fortunes ) out of the hands of the chandler . but he is intercepted and bid stand , whose present occasions admit no stay : and in briefe , stripped of all his money , and bound , he and his man , and throwne into a gravell-pit , where wee leave them : and returne to this perfidious chandler , who expecting to be a sharer as well in the stake , as in the forfeiture of his estate , is by his wittie copesmates used after another sort than hee looked for ; being bound hand and foot , and throwne into a ditch adjoyning ; where he remained , till a shepherds boy having occasion to come that way , hearing one pitiously mourning , drew neere to the place where hee heard the voice ; but seeing onelye there bound in an ugly vizard , and disguised after an uncoth manner , as one afraid , he run from him , albeit the chandler humbly intreated him , to lend his helping hand to loose him . the noise which the chandler made , desiring aid from the shepherd , and the shepherd denying aid to the chandler , was now come to the care of the afflicted gentleman , and his man : wherefore they sent out their complaint , as men pitifully distressed ; which the shepherd hearing , came forth with to the place where they lay bound , and seeing the gentleman , and his man , lent them his helping hand , and delivered them from their bonds : directing them withall , to the pit where the chandler his treacherous acquaintance lay , whom hee knew by his disguise to be one of those , who had taken his money from him : but having pulled off his vizard , and perceived him to be none but the chandler , his professed friend ▪ you may imagine what diversitie of perplexed thoughts encountred him ; but suspecting the worst , which after proved the truest , hee caused him to be brought before a iustice , where he was examined touching the premises , which , to his shame hee confessed , discovering himselfe to be both actour and authour of that perfidious complot . for which , being committed , and legally tried , he was adjudged according to his desert , to receive the condigne punishment of death . whose goods being confiscate , our late prince of renowned memory , out of his royall compassion to the gentlemans estate , allotted so much in his princely bounty , as redeemed his engaged lands , repossessing him thereof to his great joy , and an example to succeeding ages , not to repose too much confidence in the profession of acquaintance . many examples of like sort ( though this may seeme imparallel ) might be here produced , but i cannot insist upon this point . what hath beene herein discoursed , principally tendeth to this end and purpose , to deterre young gentlemen from discovering themselves too openly to these glozing and temporizing acquaintance , whose onely ayme is to benefit themselves by their weaknesse , and make their prodigality the only foundation of their providence . whence it is , that many times they become enrichers of their retinue , but beggerers of their posterity . and which is of all others most miserable , those , whose sponges they were , and had squeased them of all their fortunes , will contemptuously demeane themselves towards them , and unthankfully sleight them , who by impoverishing their owne meanes , have enriched them ; whose natures in the person of one especiall ungratefull man , are to life expressed by the poet ; ragg'd rockes him bred , brute beasts him fed , no thankefulnesse can enter his seared brest , or sealed chest , which is of flintie temper . and let this suffice to be spoken of reservancie towards acquaintance , both in respect of our secrecie of counsell ; lest by discovering our selves either upon confidence of anothers trust , or transported with passion , ( the end whereof is the beginning of repentance ) wee give out friend power over us , and so by too credulous trust bewray our owne weaknesse : or in respect of our substance ; by a prodigall bountie to our friends and followers , without respect had of our meanes , and so make our followers our masters . so as , it is right wholesome counsell , which that wise sonne of sirach gave , and which wee formerly alleaged , but cannot be too often renewed ; give not away thy substance to another , lest it repent thee , and thou intreat for the same againe : concluding with this excellent precept ; be not excessive toward any , and without discretion doe nothing . now excuse me , gentlemen , if i have insisted longer on these two points , than the qualitie of the subject we have in hand , might seeme to require : for i am not ignorant how many of your ranke have unfortunately fallen on these two dangerous shelves , either , i meane , by too open a discovery of themselves , or by too prodigall a hand in giving , what they may afterwards stand in need of to releeve themselves . but of these we shall have occasion to speake more amply in our discourse of moderation ; meane time , let this lesson be ever imprinted in the tablet of your memory : impart your minde , but not your secrets ; give where you see desert , but with such reservance , as it may neither repent you to have given , having extended your bountie to such as are thankfull ; nor grieve you to have discovered your selves , having imparted your minde to such as are faithfull . it is a maxime in philosophie : whatsoever is , it is for some end : so as all our counsels , and consultations , businesses and negotiations , have ever an eye or ayme to some speciall end , to which they are properly directed . for as we see in elementary bodies , every one by naturall motion tendeth to their owne proper center , as light bodies upward , heavie ones downward , being places wherein they are properly said to rest or repose : even so in arts and sciences , or the proper objects to which they are directed , and wherein they are peculiarly said to be conversant , there is ever a certaine end proposed , to which , and in which their aymes are limited or confined . whence it is , that excellent morall saith , that every task , labour or imployment must have reference and respect to some end : which the poet confirmeth , saying ; all things which are , must have a proper end , to which by course of nature , they doe tend . so as in my opinion , there is nothing which proceeds in a course more contrary to nature , than suits of law , whose object is end without end ; consuming time and substance in frivolous delayes , and multiplicitie of orders , which like hydra's heads , by lopping off or annulling one , gives way to decreeing of another . now to enter into discourse of the absolute end of acquaintance , we are as well to reprove the indirect ends , which some make of it , as approve of those good and absolute ends for which it was ordained . wherefore to come unto the point , we are to understand that acquaintance is nothing else but a familiar friendship , or friendly familiaritie , which we have one with another . now there is nothing which doth comparably delight the minde , like a faithfull friendship ; being , as the stagyrian philosopher well defineth it ; one soule which ruleth two hearts , and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies . so as , of all possessions friendship is most precious , where we are to make no other estimate of our friends life , than of our owne glory : a friend being nothing else than a second selfe , and therefore as individuate as man from himselfe . how much then is this sweet union or communion of mindes abused , when friendship is only made a stale of , professing love and familiaritie only for our owne ends ? and where shall we come , where this abuse of friendship and sociable acquaintance is not practised ? in the court we shall finde smooth and sweet-sented friends , who make friendship a complement , and vow themselves ours in protests , congies , and salutes : but whereto tend they , but to winde us in , and so become engaged for them ? for it stands with reason , thinke they , as wee are familiar with them in complements of courtesie , so they should be familiar with vs in the mercers booke . too precious are these mens acquaintance , and too heavie their engagements ; let us therefore turne from them , and travell towards the citie . and what shall we finde there , but many dangerous and subtill friends , who like politique tradesmen , having heard of our estates , and how we are come to yeares to dispose of them , will professe themselves to be our countrey-men , in which respect wee cannot chuse , but make bold with them and their commodities rather than any stranger ? yet it is strange to see how strangely and unconscionably they will use us , making ever their commodities vendible with protestations , and binding them upon us with termes of courtesie . we must then needs conclude , that these men tender friendship but onely for their owne ends . we are therefore to seeke further , and descend to the countrey , where wee are likest to finde them . yet see , the generall infection of this age ! we shall finde there , even where simplicitie and plaine dealing used ever to keepe home , great monied men , who to enrich their seldome-prospering heirs , will offer us any courtesie , and to shew they love us , they will lend us , to support our state , and maintaine our riot : but observe their aymes ; in feeding us , they feed on us ; in succouring us , they soake us ; for having made a prey of us , they leave us . likewise , wee shall finde there , many summer-swallowes , and finde that sentence in them verified ; though one swallow make no summer , yet one mans summer makes many swallowes . where then shall we finde them ? surely in all these places which we have traced : for in the court , we shall finde friends no lesse compleat than complementall ; in the citie , friends no lesse trustie than substantiall ; and in the countrey , friends no lesse faithfull than reall . notwithstanding , we are taught to beware of our friends ; and the reason is this , for that some man 〈◊〉 a friend for his owne occasion , and will not abide in the day of trouble . having now made choice of such friends and acquaintance , as may seeme to deserve both our knowledge and acceptance , wee are to respect the ayme or end to which all friendship and acquaintance may truly and properly be referred . which ( as we formerly observed ) is not onely matter of gaine or worldly profit , as these brokers and sellers of amitie esteeme it : for , as much friendship may be found in cheape amongst the huxters , or in smith-field with the horse-coupers , as these professe . but rather , how we may benefit the inward man by a friendly conversation one with another . for which cause ( as we have else-where noted ) came plato forth of asia into cilicia to see and converse with his deare friend phocion , nicaula the rich saban queene , to visit salomon ; brutus the sincere roman , to converse with vtican . these , though pagans , so highly valued knowledge , as their ayme was to entertaine friendship with knowing-men , purposely to increase , at least preserve their knowledge . for learning , which is the producer of knowledge , hath ever had such exquisite and admirable effects , as it hath gained due and deserved esteeme , not only in respect of opinion , but title and honourable approbation . so as , nathan citraeus writeth , that in prage , an vniversity of bohemia , where iohn hus , and hierom of prag● professed , that , they that have continued professours for the space of twentie yeers together , are created earles and dukes both together . and therefore their style is to be called illustres , whereas they which are singly and simply but only either earles or dukes , are called spectabiles . neither maketh it any matter that they have no revenewes , to maintaine earledomes or dukedomes : for they have the title notwithstanding , even as suffragans have of bishops . this esteeme of learning was no lesse effectually expressed by one , who encountring with a scholler , who through necessity was enforced to turne begger , cryed out ; a scholler and a begger too ! the age is blinde doth plainly show . yet how contemptible riches ( that worldlings idoll ) hath ever beene to these , whose conceits were not engaged to pelfe , nor their affections to desire of having , may appeare by the admirable contempt of divers pagans towards riches , preferring a voluntarie povertie before all worldly possessions . this might be instanced in anacharsis , who refused the treasure sent him by croesus ; in anacreontes , who refused the treasure sent him by polycrates ; and albionus , who refused the treasure sent him by antigonus . the like indifferencie towards riches , appeared in the admirable and inimitable patience of zeno , who hearing all his substance to be drowned by shipwracke upon the sea ; fortune ( quoth he ) bids me to addresse my selfe to philosophie more speedily . the like in mimus , who threw his goods into the sea , saying ; packe hence yee evills , for yee were hinderances to me in my pursuit after better goods ; it is better for me to drowne you , than be drowned by you . whence it was that demetrius was wont to say , that nothing could be more vnhappie than that man , to whom no adversitie ever happened : for that opinion , even amongst the ethnicks hath been generally held for most authentick , that nothing can be truly said to be good or evill , but a good or evill minde . now whereas we have sufficiently proved , that no true friendship can be but only amongst good men , ( i meane morally or civilly good ) and that ayme in the profession of friendship or acquaintance , is either to better them , or be bettered by them : wee are in like sort to make this our ayme or supreme end , that having made choice of such whose eminent parts deserve our respect and acceptance , wee are to imploy our time in conversing and conferring with them , the better to enable us in imployments publike or private . neither is this only the absolute ayme or end of friendship , for so we should inferre that our acception or intertainment of friends had reference only to our owne private ends , without relation to him with whom wee have entred the lists of acquaintance . we are therefore to have an eye to these especiall offices of friendship , being such as deserve our observation and imitation , if so be wee deserve the name or title of friends . first is , if wee see our friend doubtfull or unresolved , to advise him ; if afflicted , to comfort him ; if sicke or restrained , to visit him ; if weake in estate or impoverished , to releeve him ; if injured , to labour by all meanes to right him ; and in all things to be helpfull to him , supplying his necessitie by apparent testimonies of our approved amitie . it is reported , that on a time , duke godwin bringing up a service to edward the confessors table , he chanced to slip with one of his feet , but to recover himselfe with the other ; whereupon presently he used these words in the kings hearing ; one brother supports another . o ( quoth the king ) so might i have said too , if godwin had not beene ! meaning , that he was the cause of his brothers death , whose life was a staffe to his state , but his fall a weakning to his feet . certainly , every faithfull friend should be as a brother , or as in a naturall body one member ministers aid and succour to another ; where the head cannot say to the foot , i have no need of thee , nor the foot to the hand , but every one in their distinct and mutuall offices are ready to execute their severall duties : so , i say , should friends and acquaintance be one to another ; not in preying or feeding one upon another , as if all were fish that came to net , for this were to make no difference or distinction betwixt friend or foe , but for some intendment of private benefit to dissolve the strict bond of friendship . whereas a friend , being indeed a mans second selfe , or rather an individuate companion to himselfe , ( for there is one soule which ruleth two hearts , and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies ) should be valued above the rate of any outward good , being such a happinesse , as he giveth a relish to the dayes of our pilgrimage , which otherwise would seeme like a wildernesse : for the world , as it is both to be loved and hated ; loved , as it is the worke of the creator ; hated , as the instrument of temptation unto sinne ; ministers some few houres of delight to the weary pilgrim , by the company and socie●ie of friends , recou●se and concourse of acquaintance , without which comfort , how tedious and grievous would these few yeeres of our desolate pilgrimage appeare ? how highly then are wee to value the possession of a good friend , who partakes with us in our comforts and discomforts , in the frownes and fawnes of fortune , shewing himselfe the same both in our weale and woe ? it is written of sylla , that never any did more good to his friends , or more harme to his enemies . which princely courtesie to his friends could not chuse but increase them , howsoever his extreme courses towards his enemies might seeme rather to inrage than appease them . for as remembrance of benefits argues a noble nature , so forgetting of injuries ( having in the meane time power to revenge ) implies a bravely resolved temper . whence it was , that themistocles , when symmachus told him , hee would teach him the art of memory , answered , hee had rather learne the art of forgetfulnesse ; saying , hee could remember enough , but many things he could not forget , which were necessary to be forgotten . as the over-weening conceit of himselfe , indignities done him by his foes , opposition in the quest of honour , and the like ; all which a great minde could hardly brooke , being so illimited as he can admit of no corrivall in his pursuit of honour . but to descend to the greatest benefit which proceeds from friendship , commerce and acquaintance : we shall finde how miserable the state and condition of this flourishing iland had beene , whose halcyon dayes have attained that prerogative of peace , which most parts of christendome are at this day deprived of ; had not the friendly compassion , and devout zeale of sundry learned and faithfull instruments of christ , delivered her from that palpable blindnesse and heathenish idolatrie under which she was long detained captive . * s. ierome in the end of his dialogue against the pelagians writeth thus : vntill the very comming of christ , ( sayes he ) the province of britaine , which hath beene oftentimes governed by tyrants , and the scottish people , and all the nations round about the ocean sea , were utterly ignorant of moses and the prophets . so that then , by the testimonie of s. ierome , all our religion was superstition , all our church-service was idolatrie , all our priests were painims , all our gods were idols . and to appropriate to every nation their peculiar god , there was then in scotland the temple of mars ; in cornwall the temple of mercurie ; in bangor in wales , the temple of minerva ; in b malden in essex , the temple of c victoria ; in bath , the temple of apollo ; in leycester , the temple of ianus ; in yorke , where peters is now , the temple of d bellona ; in london , where pauls is now , the temple of e diana . therefore it is very likely , that they esteemed as highly then of the goddesse diana in london , as they did in ephesus ; and that as they cried there , great is diana of the ephesians , so they cried here , being deluded with the same spirit , great is diana of the londoners . even no more than . yeeres before the incarnation of christ , when iulius caesar came out of france into england , so absurd , senselesse and stupid were the people of this land , that instead of the true and ever-living lord , they served these heathenish and abominable idols , mars , mercurie , minerva , victoria , apollo , ianus , bellona , diana , and such like . and not long after , to wit , anno christi . king lucius being first christened himselfe , forthwith established religion in this whole kingdome . but thankes , thankes be to god , in the time of the new testament , three and fifty yeeres after the incarnation of christ , when ioseph of arimathea came out of france into england , many in this realme of blinde and ignorant pagans , became very zealous and sincere christians . for saint philip the apostle , after he had preached the gospell throughout all france , at length sent ioseph of arimathea hither into england : who , when he had converted very many to the faith , died in this land , and he that buried the body of christ , was buried in f glastenbury himselfe . also simon zelotes , another apostle , after he had preached the gospel thorowout all mauritania , at length came over into england : who , when he had declared likewise to us the doctrine of christ crucified , was in the end crucified himselfe , and buried here in g britaine . about this time h aristobulus , one of the seventie disciples , whom saint paul mentioneth in his epistle to the romans , was a reverend and renowned bishop in this land. also claudia a noble english ladie , whom saint paul mentioneth in his second epistle to timothy , was here amongst us a famous professour of the faith . since which time , though the civill state hath beene often turned up-side downe by the romans , by the saxons , by the danes , by the normans , yet the gospell of christ hath never utterly failed or beene taken from us . this the holy fathers of the church , which have lived in the ages next ensuing , doe declare . tertullian , who lived anno . writeth thus ; i all the coasts of spaine , and divers parts of france , and many places of britaine , which the romans could never subdue with their sword , christ hath subdued with his word . origen , who lived anno . writeth thus ; k did the i le of britaine before the comming of christ , ever acknowledge the faith of one god ? no ; but yet now , all that countrey singeth joyfully unto the lord. constantine the great , the glory of all the emperours , borne here in england , and of english bloud , who lived anno . writeth in an epistle thus ; l whatsoever custome is of force in all the churches of aegypt , spaine , france , and britaine , looke that the same be like wise ratified among you . saint chrysostome , who lived an. . writeth thus ; m in all places wheresoever you goe into any church , whether it be of the moores , or of the persians , or even of the very iles of britaine , you may heare iohn baptist preaching . saint ierome , who lived anno . writeth thus ; n the french-men , the english-men , they of africa , they of persia , and all barbarous nations worship one christ , and observe one rule of religion . theodoret , who lived anno . writeth thus ; o the blessed apostles have induced english-men , the danes , the saxons , in one word , all people and countries , to embrace the doctrine of christ. gregory the great , who lived an. . writeth thus ; p who can sufficiently expresse , how glad all the faithfull are , for that the english-men have forsaken the darknesse of their errours , and have againe received the light of the gospell ? beda , who lived anno . writeth thus ; q england at this present is inhabited by english-men , britaines , scots , picts , and romans , all which though they speake severall tongues , yet they professe but one faith . thus you see , how the gospell of christ , having beene first planted in this land , by ioseph of arimathea , and simon zelotes ( in whose time aristobulus and claudia , and not long after king lucius also lived ) hath ever since continued amongst us ; as testifieth tertullian , origen , constantine the great , athanasius , chrysostome , ierome , theodoret , gregory , beda , and many more , which might here have beene alleaged . now , how singular and exquisite a benefit have our progenitours received , by meanes of these faithfu●l professours of the gospell , and first planters of the christian faith here in this iland ? what a miserable famine of the word had the people of this land sustained , if these faithfull friends and sincere witnesses of the truth , had not loosed from the shore , and embarked themselves in danger , to deliver them from the danger of soules shipwracke ? in which danger , we likewise had beene sharers , had not this so rich a fraught , so inestimable a prize rescued us from danger , and directed our feet in the way of peace . the story of theseus includes an excellent morall ; whose love to his deare friend perithous , the poet labouring to expresse , shewes how he went downe to hell , of purpose to deliver his friend from the thraldom of pluto , under whom he remained captive . which without offence or derogation , may properly seeme to allude , ( next to that inimitable mirrour of divine amitie ) to these noble and heavenly warriours , who descended ( as it were ) even to the jawes of hell , encountring with the insolent affronts of many barbarous assassinates , readie to practise all hostilitie upon them . yet see their undanted spirits ! their godly care inflamed with the zeale of devotion , and their love to the members of christ , kindled with the coale of brotherly compassion , made them as readie to endure , as those hellish fiends and furies , the enemies of the truth , were ready to inflict ; choosing rather to perish in the bodie , than to suffer the poorest soule , bought with so high a price , to be deprived of the hope of glory . these were good and kinde friends , being such as would not sticke to lay downe their lives for their friends ; suffering all things with patience and puissance of minde , to free their distressed brethren from the servile yoke of hellish slavery , and bring them by meanes of gods spirit , by which they were directed , to the knowledge of the all-seeing veritie . such as these professe not friendship under pretences or glozing semblances , making their heart a stranger to their tongue , or walking invisible , as if they had found the stone in the lapwings nest ; but as they are , so they appeare , affecting nothing but what is sincerely good , and by the best approved . their absolute ayme or end of friendship is to improve , reprove , correct , reforme , and conforme the whole image of that man with whom they converse , to his similitude whom all men represent . if at any time they enter into discourse , it ever tends to fruitfull instruction ; if at any time they enter into serious meditation of the world , their meditation is not how to purchase estate , or fish after honour , or build a foundation on oppression , to enrich their posteritie with the fruits of their injurious dealing . no , they have the testimony of a good conscience within them , which testifies for them , should the world and all her complices bandie against them . wherefore , admit they should be put to all extremities , and suffer all the indignities which envie or malice could dart upon them , the weight of every injury is to be measured by the sense or feeling of the sufferer ; for the apprehension of the sufferer makes the injury offered , great or little ; if he conceit it small or no injury , howsoever others esteeme it , the burden of the wrong is light , and therefore more easily sleights it . now gentlemen , we have traced over the whole progresse of acquaintance , wherein if haply it be thought , that we have sojourned too long , my answer is ; that in passages of greatest danger , there is required more circumspection , than rashly to goe on without due deliberation . and what occurrent in all the passage or pilgrimage of man , is beset with more danger than the choice of acquaintance ; especially to you gentlemen , whose meanes is the adamant of acquaintance ? wee have therefore insisted the longer upon this subject , that you may be the lesse subject to such , who will winde them in with you , of purpose to feed and prey on you . to cure which maladie , no receit more soveraigne , than to imprint in your memory that golden rule or princely precept , recommended by that pious and puissant saint lewis to his sonne philip , in these words : have especiall care that those men , whose acquaintance and familiaritie you shall use , be honest and sincere , whether they be religious or secular ; with whom you may converse friendly , and communicate your counsells freely ; but by all means avoid the company of naughtie and wicked men : whose societie ever tends to inordinate respects . take these cautions therefore as the last , but not least worthy your observation . be not too rash in the choice of your acquaintance , for that shewes weaknesse ; nor inconstant to those you have chosen , for that argues lightnesse ; nor too forward in the discovery of your counsells , for so you might be taxed of too much opennesse ; ever ayming at that absolute end of acquaintance , to profit more and more in the practice of goodnesse . so shall god bee your guide , good men your friends , and your country where you had education , receive much glory from your life and conversation . the english gentleman . argument . moderation defined ; no vertue can subsist without it ; wherein it is to be used ; wherein to be limited ; of the accomplished end which attends it . moderation . in the whole progresse of mans life , which is nothing else , but a medley of desires and fears ; we shall finde , that there is no one vertue which doth better adorne or beautifie man , than temperance or moderation ; which indeed is given as an especiall attribute to man , purposely to distinguish him from brute beasts , whose onely delight is injoying the benefit of sense , without any further ayme . this moderation therefore , being a note of distinction betwixt man and beast , let us draw neere to the knowledge of this so exquisite a vertue ; which , that we may the better attain , let us first see how she is defined : because every instruction grounded upon reason touching any subject , ought to proceed from a definition , that wee may the better understand what that is , whereof we dispute . moderation is a subduer of our desires to the obedience of reason , and a temperate conformer of all our affections , freeing them from the too much subjection either of desires or feares . first , it causeth our desires to be subject to the obedience of reason , pulling us alwayes by the sleeve , and remembring us how we are men and partakers of reason , and therefore ought not to subject our desires to the captivitie of sense , as brute beasts which have no reason . secondly , it is a conformer of all our affections , freeing them from all unworthy subjection , either in respect of our desires or feares : of our desires , as having learned in all things to be contented , whether that portion wherewith god hath blessed us , be little or great : of our feares , as suffering no worldly thing to be so neerely endeered to us , as to feare the losing of it , which we so dearely tender . for the first , it is an excellent saying of a sage morall , there is no difference betweene having , and not desiring ; for he that desires nothing , enjoyes more than hee that possesseth the whole world ; for his desires are satisfied , which the worldling can never bee , so long as his thoughts and desires are to the objects of earth engaged : so as , the difference betwixt the poore wanting , and rich not using , is by these two expressed , the one carendo , the other , non fruendo : whereas , if the poore having little , desire no more than that little which they have , they become rich in desire , and enjoy by desiring little , more above estimate than the dunghill wretch ( whose eyes cannot enjoy themselves for coveting ) will ever be master off . for as men sicke of an atrophy , eat much , but thrive not ; so these , though they devoure widowes houses , feed upon the fat of the land , lay land unto land , and hoord up treasure to enrich a progenie of rioters , yet these seldome thrive with the fat of their oppressions , but make oft-times as fearfull ends , as their beginnings were calme and prosperous . it is a singular blessing , which the poet attributes to one , who was not only rich , but could enjoy that he had freely ; god gave thee wealth , and power to use it too , which these earth-wormes of ours can never doe . neither only in matters of desire , are we to entertaine the choice companie of moderation , but in our feares , where we many times feare to forgoe , what we already with much content enjoy . so as , the former direct their ayme to what they have not ; but the latter stand surprized with feare , left they should leese what they alreadie have : the former argues an avaritious minde , who can never confine his desires to what it hath ; the latter a worldly besotted affection , that can never finde heart to forgoe what it already enjoyes . a philosopher perceiving dionysius to sit merrily in the theater , after hee was expulsed his realme , condemned the people who banished him : certainly , this prince shewed an admirable moderation , both in respect of his desires and feares ; first , in his desires , extending not his thoughts above that low verge whereto his tyranny had forced him ; nor fearing any succeeding losse , being above the reach of greater misery . this moderation appeared in furius camillus , whom neither honour could too much transport , nor disgrace cast downe ; bearing the former with no lesse temperance , than he did the latter with patience ; & esteeming it his only conquest , to conquer passion in the height of affliction . it is likewise a great argument of moderation , when in extremity , we stand prepared to encounter with the worst of danger , passing al inducements to feare , with a minde no lesse resolute than cheerefull , saluting affliction with a smile , and entertaining surmises of danger with a jest . this did cr●ssu● , who being willed by the arabian guides to make haste before the moone was past scorpio ; but i ( said he ) feare more sagittarie , meaning the archers of persia. there is nothing which expresseth more true worth in any man , than his constancie and courage in the encounters of this life ; imitating , in this respect , vespasian , who upon the instant of his dissolution , when death had summoned him to make present surrender , by paying his debt to nature , of that short lease of life , which with many an unquiet houre hee had traced , standing up upon his feet , used these words ; it became an emperour to take his leave of earth standing : implying , that the extremities which either nature or fortune could inflict upon him , could not so much deject him , or by their assaults enforce him to doe ought unworthy himselfe . whence we are taught ( and well may this lesson deserve our observation ) to entertaine this life with patience , expecting death with a desired assurances for there is no better meanes to moderate the passions of desire and feare , than to enter into meditation of the world ; and withall to consider , how there is nothing of that esteeme in the world , that may seeme worthy our desire , coveting to have it , or worthy our feare , inwardly doubting to lose it . this serious consideration will be of force to move the greatest worldling to a moderation of his desires , subjecting them to the obedience of reason . whereas , if he should give reines to his owne avarice , ericthous bowels could not containe more in proportion , than his in an illimited desire and affection : for the world , being like a city without a wall , a house without a doore , a ship without helme , a pot without a cover , and a horse without a bridle ; hath brought out people equally consorting with her in nature and temper ; of unbridled and uncorrigible dispositions , naturally affected to all sensuall libertie , preferring one minutes pleasure or profit , before an eternitie of succeeding pleasures and profits , reserved for those onely whose lives are imployed in promoting their makers glory , being wholly addressed to please him ; and whose deaths , like the choicest odours , send out a sweet smell , the perfume of a good and vertuous life , sending out a voice , even in their last period to praise him . what admirable moderation divers ancient princes have shewne , especially in their contempt to the glory and pompe of this life , histories can afford sufficient examples ; but to omit forraigne instances , my purpose is to insert here one of our owne , which , by how much more neere us , by so much deeper impression should it inforce in us . canutus , that was absolute king almost of five kingdomes , somewhat before the conquest , upon a time in his progresse riding neere the thames , light and sate downe before the shore : then , as it were to trie a conclusion , he commanded the water being now-ready to arise againe and to ●low , not to come any neerer him . but the water keeping his naturall course , came up still higher and higher , till it began to wet him . whereupon to his nobles , which were about him , yee call mee ( sayes he ) your king and master , and so indeed i am ; and yet loe yee , i cannot command so much as this little streame ; but doe what i can , that will doe still as it lift . whereupon presently hee posted to westminster , and resigned his crowne to the crucifix there ; neither could he ever after this be perswaded to weare it any more . the like indifferencie to all princely honours , shewed those memorable saxons , kingulfus , iva , ceodulphus , eadbertus , ethelredus , keredus , offa , s●bbi , sigeberius . charles the fifth emperour of germanie , gave up his empire into the hands of the princes electors , and withdrew himselfe in the yeere . into a monasterie . the like of late yeeres did his sonne king philip of spaine . neither need wee to exemplifie this subject , touching contempt of the world , only in such as the glorious light of the gospell had shone upon , but such whose times of darknesse had never attained to so blessed a sun-shine : as may be instanced in dioclesian , who voluntarily relinquished the flourishingest empire in the world . yea , to adde one example more , even amongst those , whose best religion is policie , and whose onely aimes are to inlarge their owne soveraigntie . amurah the second , emperour of the turks , after he had gotten infinite victories , became a monke of the straightest order amongst them , in the yeere of our lord . all which may seeme to confirme what seleuchus being king was wont to say , that if a man knew with what cares a diadem was clogged , he would not take it up , though it lay in the street . so as , when the romans had despoiled antiochus of all asia , he gave them great thanks , saying , they had rid him of many insupportable cares . now , as wee have defined this vertue to be a subduer of our desires to the obedience of reason , and a temperate conformer of all our affections ; so are wee to direct our eye to the conclusion , to wit , a freer of the affections from the too much subjection either of desires or feares . so as , wee are here to observe , that he is the man whom our definition only aimes at , whose well-tempered brest is neither transported with a desire of enjoying what it hath not , nor surprized with a feare of losing what it now enjoyes . having so much as may content him , the losse whereof should he sustaine , could nere deject him . such an one the tragick poet entitleth a prince , as one too worthy to be numbred among the inferiour ranke : who feares , desires , and stifling cares suppresse , are kings at least , they can be nothing lesse . for these are they who have absolute soveraigntie over their passions , and in prosperitie scorne as much to be proud , as in adversitie to shew themselves base . yea , they will rather entertaine the extremest encounters that miserie can lay upon them , than lose the least of that libertie of minde , with which their noble temper hath endued them . in briefe , those only who dis-value sublunary things , esteeming them as they are , onely to minister to our necessitie , and not to reare them , as blinde worldlings use , in the tabernacle of their heart to commit idolatrie , keepe consort with this definition ; for the golden meane , as it is only approved by them , so in a princely moderation of their affections , they are ever readiest to enter lists with their owne passions , that if any either exceed or come short of this meane , they may so square and hammer it till it be reduced to a proposed meane . and let this suffice , for the definition : wee will now descend to the second branch , wherein wee intend to shew , that no vertue can subsist without moderation , being indeed the temper which allayeth and aptly disposeth all our actions , making them equally seasoned , which otherwise would become violent and immoderate . as moderation is a subduer of every inordinate or indisposed affection , so is it a seasoner or temperer of all our actions , making them seeme worthy the title of vertuous , which without this temper would appeare vicious . for without this moderation , he that is liberall should incurre the name of prodigall , the frugall the name of miserable , the resolute be termed dissolute , the morall civill man a coward , the wise stoicall , the regular meerely formall , the just rigorous , the mercifull remisse . so defective is the structure of all vertues , wanting the sweet temper of moderation to season them . neither proceedeth this from the malevolent or uncharitable censures of men , as former times have beene too apt to traduce or mis-interpret their best deservings , by aspersing some unworthy blemish upon their demerits . as in rome , if the pisoes be frugall , they are censured parcimonious ; if the metelli religious , they are taxed superstitious ; if the appii popular , they are termed ambitious ; if the manlii austere , they are stiled tyrannous ; if the lelii wise , they are curious ; the publicolae aspiring , if courteous : but meerely upon the want or deficiencie of such actions , which are not tempered with moderation . for to give instance in each kinde ; how nobly and invincibly did alexander the great beare himselfe in all exploits ? how much feared abroad , and how much loved at home ? how af●able to his friends , and how terrible to his foes ? yet how much were all his actions of valour and matchlesse resolution darkned through want of moderation , being so excessively given to passion in his drinke , as his nearest and dearest friends could not be secure from his fury ? for howsoever those acts and exploits of his against darius , yea against all opponents , expressed the noblenesse of his person , with the continued attendance of succeeding fortune ; yet the death of cly●us and depopulation of persepolis , detracted as much from his glorie , as ever his conquests gained him glory . likewise , how just and sincere was agesilaus held in all matters of justice ? how free from this ages staine , corruption ? how farre from personall respect , or to be over-awed by the offenders greatnesse ? so as , like the worlds generall ( of whom wee even now made mention , and ) of whom plutarch reports , that hee used to shut the one eare with his hand , when he heard any accuser in criminall causes , thereby ( as he said ) reserving aud●ence for the defendant ; semblably did this renowmed patron and patterne of unblemished iustice : yet how greatly did he eclipse those more glorious lights which shone in him , for want of moderating his affection towards his children ? so as his riding upon a cockhorse did no lesse argue his weaknesse , than his sinceritie in matters of iustice witnessed his uprightnesse . lastly , how profoundly wise was the lacedemonian chilo held to be , being numbred among the seven sages of greece , and elected ephorus , a place of especiall honour and esteeme ? how exquisite his sentences ? how quick and pregnant his answers ? how solid his reasons ? how absolute in all his proceedings ? yet behold , for want of moderation of his passions , how childishly hee gave way to excesse of joy , whereby he was inforced to pay his debt to nature . whence we may easily collect , that no vertue , how cardinall soever , can subsist without the assistance of moderation , being that lesbian rule which directs the modell , and makes it truly accomplishd . all vertues ( saith one ) doe make a common-wealth happy and peaceable : but temperance alone is the sustainer of civill quietnesse ; for it taketh care that the realme be not corrupted with riot and wanton delights , whereby divers states have beene cast away . or to descend more particularly to those divine effects which this vertue produceth , it hindreth dishonest actions , restraineth pleasures within certaine bounds , and which maketh men to differ from bruit beasts . moreover , this is that herbe , which mercury gave to vlysses , lest he should taste of the inchanters cup , and so with his fellowes be transformed into a hog , wallowing in the mire of all sensuall delights . so as , whosoever is endued with this vertue , stands fortified against all assailants ; those eye-sores ( for so plutarch calls them ) i meane those attractive objects of lust cannot surprize him : nor those worldly tumours ( for so eucherius stiles them ) i meane worldly honours , intrap him . nor those roabes or rags of shame , the gorgeous attire of sinne , ( which hierome calls antichrists veile ) delude him . nor those theeves of time , ( for so the orator is pleased to call them ) i meane friends and acquaintance , over-joy him . in briefe , as the vnicornes horne being dipt in water , cleeres and purifies it ; so there is no poison either arising from the tempting object of beautie , from the ambitious aspiring to honour , from the attire of sinne or cover of shame , or from those sweet time-beguilers our acquaintance , which is not frustrated by this choice and soveraigne receit of temperance . so as this is that vertue , which ( though in generall it deserve to be affected of all ) great men ought specially to embrace , that by their example the common sort might become temperate : for this is the reason why so many now adayes live riotously like beasts , namely , because they see noblemen and magistrates that governe the common-wealth , to leade their lives wantonly , as sardanapalus did . whence it was , that the poet so seriously concluded ; great is the crime , it cannot chuse , if he be great that doth it use . for as wee see in colours , there is none which discovers any soile or blemish so much as white ; or as wee have observed in the eclipse of the sunne , that it drawes more eyes to view it , than the darkning of any inferiour light ; so amongst the children of men , though sinne be sinne in every one , yet more noted , and in that more exemplar , in these high peering cedars , i meane our peeres and nobles , than in these lower shrubs , whose humble condition frees them from like publike observance . how necessary is it then for you , gentlemen , whose birth hath ennobled you , whose breeding hath enabled you , and whose more generous spirits have emboldned you , to undertake assayes for the glory and benefit of your countrey , the better to expresse your love & allegeance to your prince : to become affecters and practicers of so singular a vertue , that your lives might be patternes of moderation unto others , seeing more eyes are fixt upon you than on inferiours ? you are the molds wherein meaner men are casten ; labour then by your example to stampe impressions of vertue in others , but principally temperance , seeing no vertue can subsist without it . it is dangerous ( saith austine ) when prodigalitie and riot sway a scepter ; neither only is it dangerous for the person , whose illimited affections , of a prince make him a vassall ; but for the whole body of the state , training it to all impietie by his evill example . the laconians , by meanes of wise and temperate princes , became admired for their moderation and continence : insomuch as their spare diet , their home-spun raiment , and their generall hate to all excesse , made them no lesse honoured at home , than feared abroad . whereas contrariwise , the s●donians by following the riotous examples of some of their licentious princes , fell into all excessive gluttony . so powerfull and perswasive were the lives of princes , to inforce impressions of goodnesse or badnesse in the imitation of their subjects . but to take a review of those maine assailants of temperance , lust , ambition , gorgeousnesse in apparell , luscious fare , company-keeping , and the like , wee shall finde , that where this temperance is , albeit these objects even in their height should encounter him , the bait will be long laid ere it can take him . for to run over all these , and illustrate them with proper instances , wee shall plainly shew , that where a divine power is ready to assist , and man no lesse ready , upon temptations approaching , to resist , all these motives can take no place . what admirable continencie shewed alexander in the conquest of his affections , sparing darius wife and his three daughters ? how greatly did this worlds monarch enlarge his glory by this onely conquest ? yet to reflect upon those objects of beauty , wee shall finde , if records be true which write of them , that for beauty they were incomparably gracious , and for state the choicest dames of persia. the like wee reade of scipio , who being a young man of foure and twenty yeeres of age , of strong constitution , and promising personage , in the taking of a city in spaine , repressed his flames of lust , albeit a beautifull maid was brought him ; restoring her to a young man called allutius , to whom she was espoused , with a great reward . but incredible is the report of zenocrates continencie , who lying all night with lais , though she used all the provocations and enticements she could devise , yet he remained immoveable to her voluptuous inducements . and to close this illustration with an heroicke instance ; cleopatra in the last tragicke scene of her disasters , kneeling at the feet of caesar , laid baits for his eyes ; but in vaine ; her beauties were beneath that princes chastitie . neither are histories ( those precious treasuries of time ) lesse plentifull in instances of moderation touching motives of ambition . when all the worthy romans ( i meane such whose demerits had gained them an eminent esteeme with their country ) had a desire to preserve their memories by erection of their statues , cato would not ; and being demanded the cause , answered ; if i might chuse . i would rather have it asked why cato hath no statues erected for him , than why they are erected for him . implying , that vertue , which is the most continued shrine , and as that sage morall saith ▪ maketh man a god , had more power to eternize him , than all materiall monuments , which , as they are subject to corruption , so shall their names be ; which are engraven on them . from their contempt shewne to these sumptuous covers of corruption , iunius and blaesus , by the testimonie of tacitus , received no lesse glorie ; whose statues , because they were not engraven in stone , appeared more conspicuous to the eye of the state. no lesse moderation of his desires shewed agesilaus , that princely patterne of iustice , who , when the aegyptians came forth of purpose to adore him , for those numerous and glorious victories which he had atchieved , couched himselfe close upon the grasse , without least shew or semblance of majesty , expressing the humility of his thoughts , by the lownesse of his seat . but of all others , there is no one example , to instance a true moderatour of ambition , like that noble and victorious champion , godfrey du boloigne , whose valour so bravely employed in expulsing the turkes and freeing ierusalem , that citie of the great king , from miserable slavery , had gained him so deserved a name , as it was thought fit his honourable service should be rewarded with a golden diadem ; but how answered this glorious champion ? farre be it from me ( quoth he ) to suffer the servants head to be with a crowne of gold paled , where the masters head was with a crowne of thornes pierced . to produce likewise instances in such whose moderation in attire , manifested their contempt to these covers of shame , we shall finde licurgus , phocion , pelopidas , with many others , such profest foes to gorgeous apparell , as they alwayes retained their ancient country weare with such plainenesse , as they expressed what they were , by the garments they wore . for a mans garment ( saith the son of sirach ) and his excessive laughter , and his going , declare what person he is . insomuch as augustus caesar bore alwayes hatred to gorgeous and sumptuous apparell , terming it the blazer and bruiter of our pride , the nests to hatch the lascivious brood of lechery . in like manner , to descend to all those assailants of temperance , we shall finde many excellent subduers of their owne affections , using an admirable kinde of restraint or moderation in their fare . the number of guests amongst the romans in any solemne feast privately observed , was not great ; seldome times exceeding nine : whence aulus gellius saith , that the number of guests should beginne with the graces , and end with the muses ; that is , they must not be fewer than three , nor more than nine . which use was occasion of that adage , septem convivium , novem convitium faciunt ; seven make a banquet , nine a riot . albeit that luxurious emperour heliogabalus seemeth to have been delighted with the number of eight , whence he invited to supper , to make his feast more singular , eight bald ones , eight blinde ones , eight gouty ones , eight deafe ones , eight hoarse ones , eight very blacke ones , eight very long ones , eight very fat ones , and eight hooke-nosed ones , being delighted with that greeke proverbe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : whose ape , it seemes , that late conceited academicke was , who invited the blinde , lame , and deformed to a supper , for whom he had provided fowles , as different to their pallat by nature , as they were to others in feature ; furnishing his feast with owles , cuckowes , staniels , and popinjayes , to make himselfe infamously famous for his invention . but to proceed with these ethnicke instances of moderation ; democritus preserved his life without any other sustenance , save only the smell of hot bread , for the space of nine dayes : which abstinence or restraint was not injoyned him , for neither his owne estate , nor any superiour commanding power , had enforced him to that misery ; but purposely to prepare himselfe for celebrating with more solemnitie the feasts which were kept in honour of ceres , called commonly ( as i take it ) buthysia ; resembling in greatnesse of celebrity , and magnificence of state , that huge sacrifice called hecatombe . pythagoras likewise was of that wonderful moderation in his fare , and that through no infirmity of nature , in that he could not , but through an incessant desire to his studies ; with a vehement affection to the preservation or propagation rather of all living creatures ; as he would desire two things of god , if the possibility thereof could stand with the conservation of humane societie ; that he might not speake , that he might not eat : by the one to prevent offence in discourse , by the other avoid surfet by excesse . so as , hee commanded his schollers even in unreasonable things , as birds , beasts , fishes , &c. to abstaine from crueltie ; entreating both fowlers and fishers to let goe the fowle and fish they had caught , or at least redeeme them with money , and let them goe . but too immoderate was this care , and too foolish this pitie ; for creatures were ordained for the use and service of man ; he then that neglecteth the use , neglecteth likewise the ordinance . but in subjects of moderation , none more absolute , than where nature is urged by necessitie to crave releefe , and occasion is ministred , yet the desire restrained : as in extremitie of thirst , when nature requiteth drinke , which according to the philosophers axiom , is the very last refuge of nature , either through compassion or manly moderation her desire is restrained . this did alexander , who out of a princely moderation or noble compassion , when he was almost consumed with drought , having a head-peece full of water presented unto him , would not drink himselfe , but offered it to his souldiers . much to be admired was this act of moderation , and a motive of generall affection ; that a prince urged by the extremest effects of thirst , and having occasion and meanes to satisfie the request of nature , yet moved with compassion towards his fellow-souldiers ( for so used he to terme them ) hee chused rather to want himselfe , than to be a wanting in any compassionate office to their necessitie . certainly this act deserveth so much the more to be commended , by how much the extremitie was greater which he suffered . darius , when in his flight he dranke muddy and stinking water , said , that he never dranke a sweeter draught . which implyes , what torment he indures who feeles the extremitie of thirst . the last assailant of temperance ( as we formerly observed ) was company-keeping ; which indeed is such a stealer of time , or béguiler of tedious houres , as it makes passing of time a meere pastime . yet observe , what diligent care hath beene had , by making choice of such ( as i have else-where noted ) whose society might better them . peruse those athenian nights in gellius , and you shall finde how fruitfully those nights were employed , how delightfully passed : making discourse of philosophie , that well-consorting melodie , which gave generall content to all the company . besides , it is worth our observation , to take a view of the speciall care divers ancients have had of the company they consorted with : having such in as great distaste that were evill , as they bore all due reverence to such as were good . we reade how the prienean bias , having occasion to saile on a time with some ill-disposed men , by reason of a violent tempest , the ship wherein they sailed was so shaken , as these wicked men , moved rather by feare than devotion , begun to call upon their gods ; which bias hearing , hold your peace ( quoth he ) lest the gods you call upon understand that you be here ; covertly taxing their impiety , and shewing that their prayers would be little acceptable to the gods . but an example much more divine , and so much more deserving our imitation , may be here commended to us in the person of the blessed evangelist s. iohn , who would not come within the bath where the hereticke corinthus was , so much did he hate the fellowship of him , who , to use augustines words , was no fan for the lords floore . thus have we runne over those mainest and mightiest assailants of temperance ; now let us , as wee have illustrated each of them with proper instances of moderation , annex some reasons why these assailants of temperance ought to be restrained : and first for the first . lust , the sensuall mans sin , is said to be a friend , which brings man in acquaintance with the devill , as ebrietie is an enemie to the knowledge of god. besides , it is a vice detestable both to the brute beast and barbarian ; it withdrawes the minde of the creature from meditation of his creator ; makes man commit sinne even with greedinesse ; makes the image of god companion for a harlot ; makes him who should be the temple of the holy ghost , a cage of uncleane birds ; prostitutes the glory of the soule to the pleasure of sinne ; and prefers a sensuall delight before the obedience of reason . hee sells his birth-right for lesse than a messe of pottage , exposing his soule to the trafficke of shame . hee va●ues a minutes joy above all future delight ; yea , rather than lose his present content , he will suffer an eternitie of torment . this bleere-eyed lover is so blinded with affection towards his beloved , that he will rather lose his owne soule , than lose that which he affecteth . thus you see the lustfull man uncased , his blindnesse discovered , his sundry weaknesses displayed , and the heavie effects which from hence are derived : good reason then have you to restraine an affection so over-spreading , a motion so mortally wounded , a contagion so generally killing . take into your consideration the shortnesse of the pleasure , being but a moment ; the vengeance or punishment due to that pleasure , being eternall . what wise man , having neerely served his apprentiship , will for a minutes pleasure forfeit his indenture , and lose his freedome for ever ? we should hold him destitute of common sense , who having a princesse offered him , will foolishly lose her for embraces of an harlot . if you will keep your selves unspotted till the day of his comming , you shall be espoused to a princely bridegroome , and receive palmes in your hands at his comming . goe not in by the wayes of the strange woman , but keepe your beds undefiled , knowing the state which you have undertaken to be honourable before god and man. for i in no case will limit you to a monasticke or regular restraint , but approve of both estates , i meane both the single and married life , being undertaken in the feare of god , worthy the acceptance of every faithfull christian . for the virgins estate , as it drawes neerer to angelicall perfection , so the married to the preservation of humane society or propagation . so as saint augustinemight seeme rather to be traduced , than truely alleged for this place , virgins doe more than lawfull , as adulterers lesse : for my conceit shall ever be freed , from imagining so divine a father to approve of such an errour : for both estates are commended ; the one good , the other better ; both which titles , as they are by the apostle on these two estates conferred , so are they by us to be reverently esteemed . briefly , restraine all immoderate desires of the flesh , which fight against the spirit , so shall you finde that inward tranquillitie which obedience to your lusts shall never bring you . ambition , the second assailant of temperance , is such an high-mounting bird , as shee useth to build her nest ever in the tallest cedars , hatching her aëries in the highest spires , to expresse her unbounded aymes . this passion or distraction rather , of all others , brings man soonest to a forgetfulnesse of himselfe : ever aspiring , but never obtaining ; ever sailing in a tempestuous sea , attended by many hostile and piraticall adherents , whose aymes are to intercept all peaceable passengers , filling the whole state full of mutinies and combustions . pindarus describes him to be such an one , who strives to touch the clouds , and cope with iove himselfe , but his aymes draw him on to speedie ruine . what reason then is there , to foster or cocker such a profest foe to publike and private peace ? who is he , having understanding , will receive into his barge , where he is , a quarrellous turbulent fellow , who in desperate fury will not sticke to over-whelme the vessell , both of himselfe , and the rest that consort him ? who is he , that will engage him in perill , when he may in safety enjoy himselfe , and be free from danger ? who is he , that will desire to climbe , when hee knowes there is no meanes to save him from falling , being got up ? surely the ambitious man is ever environed with perill , yet such is his folly , he will rather chuse to incurre danger , than lose the present opportunitie of acquiring honour . besides , they whom this unbounded passion hath once surprized , are so much distempered , as of sleepe they are quite deprived ; which disquiet proceeds either from emulation towards others , or an ambitious desire of advancement in themselves . for the first , themistocles was wont to say , that miltiades victory in marathon , bereaved him of his sleepe . for the latter , sylla could never take rest , till by the terrour of his legions , hee had obtained the law valeria to be made , whereby hee was created dictator for eightie yeares ; as caesar the law servia , by which he was made perpetuall dictator . albeit , having obtained what they desired , and arrived at the port whereto their course was directed , they found an empire to be a monstrous and untamed beast , wounding them with many thornie cares , which deprived them of all seasonable rest . doe you then love to be at peace , to enjoy perfect liberty , to be divided from all occasions of disquiet ? restraine those icarian thoughts , whose soaring wings are ever laved in the depth of ruine . confine your thoughts within an equall limit ; and let not your projectments be above hope of effecting . those braving builders of babel , aymed at too high a story to bring their worke to perfection . let the foundation be built on firme ground , and the building will prosper better . for howsoever , faire pretences may for a time appeare in the habit of truth ; daubing up a rotten inside with a specious out-side : he that sitteth in the heavens and searcheth the hearts and reines , shal have them in derision , breaking them in peeces like a potters vessell . restraine then this fury or frenzie of the minde , and with timely moderation so bound in and confine your affections , as no aspiring thought may enter that place , which is reserved for a higher place : so shall you enjoy more absolute content in restraining , than enlarging your thoughts to the motives of ambition . gorgeous attire , being the third assailant , moving man to glory in his shame , and gallant it in his sinne , is to be especially restrained , because it makes us dote upon a vessell of corruption , strutting upon earth , as if we had our eternall mansion on earth . what great folly is it to preferre the case before the instrument , or to bestow more cost upon the signe than on the inne ? me thinkes the bitter remembrance of the first necessity of cloaths , should make men more indifferent for them : if man had never sinned , his shame had never needed to have beene covered . for sinne was the cause of adams shame , and his shame the cause he fled unto the shade , which affoorded him fig-leaves to cover his nakednesse . what vanity then , yea , what impudence to glory in these covers of shame ? would any one , having committed some capitall offence against his prince , for which he is after pardoned , but on condition hee shall weare a halter about his neck , become proud of his halter , and esteeme it an especiall badge of honour ? we are all in the selfe-same case ; we have committed high treason against the king of heaven , yet are we received to mercy , bearing about us those memorialls of our shamefull fall or defection from our king ; which should in all reason rather move us to be ashamed of our selves , than to prize our selves higher for these ornaments of shame . sure i am , as hee is a fond man that values the worth of hi● horse , by his sumptuous saddle or studded bridle ; so h● is most foolish , who estimate a man by his garment ▪ yet see the misery of this age ! the cover of shame is become the only luster to beautifie him : but be not yee so deluded ; prize the ornaments of the minde for the choicest and chiefest beauty : farre be it from you to glorie in this attire of sinne , these rags of shame , these worme-workes , which withdraw your eyes from contemplating that supreme bountie and beauty , purposely to fix them upon the base objects of earth , which detract much from the glory of a reasonable soule . the swan prides not her selfe in her blacke-feet ; no more should you in these covers of your transgression , which , whensoever ye looke on , may put you in minde of your first pollution . no reason then to affect these , which had man never sinned , he had never needed , being before clothed with innocencie as with a garment , and with primitive puritie , as with a rayment . whence it appeares , that many glory in the rags of shame , while they glory in these roabes of sinne : now who , endued with reason , would pride him in that which augments his shame , or esteeme that a grace which asperseth reproach on him ? nicetas saith plainly ; no punishment so grievous as shame . and nazianzen yet more expresly ; better were a man die right out , than still live in reproach and shame . ajax being readie to dispatch himselfe , used these as his last words ; no griefe doth so cut the heart of a generous and magnanimous man , as shame and reproach . for a man to live or die , is naturall ; but for a man to live in shame and contempt , and to be made a laughing ●●ocke of his enemies , is such a matter , as no well bred and noble minded man that hath any courage or stomacke in him , can ever digest it . delight not then in your shame , but in a decent and seemely manner affect that habit most , which becommeth most ; restraining that profusenesse , which the vanity of this age so much exceeds in ; and assuming to your selves that attire which gives best grace to modesty , and hath neerest correspondence with gentilitie . neither is luscious fare to be lesse avoided , or with lesse strictnesse restrained . many reasons whereof might be here produced , but wee will cull out the chiefest , to weane our generous vitellians from their excessive surfets . first , daintie dishes are foments to wanton affections , begetting in the soule an unaptnesse to all spirituall exercises : for this is a generall rule , that the body being strengthned , the soule becomes weakned : for fasting is a preparative to devotion , but riot the grand-master of distraction . looke how it is in the health of the body , and so it is in the state of the soule : if a man have a good appetite , and a stomacke to his meat , it is a signe he is well in health ; in like sort , if a man be content to follow christ for the loaves to fill his belly , and care not for the food of his soule , questionlesse all is not well betweene god and him ; but if he have a longing and an hungring desire of the word , then indeed his heart is upright in the sight of god. for as saint augustine noteth well ; if the word of god be taken by us , it will take us . but what meanes may be used to procure this longing and hungring desire in us ? not luscious or curious fare ; for that will move us rather to all inordinate motions , than the exercise of devotion : no , it is fasting that makes the soule to be feasting ; it is macerating of the flesh , that fattens the spirit . for it is sumptuous fare , that is the soules snare : sagina corporis , sagena cordis : it is the net which intangles the heart of man , drawing her from the love of her best beloved spouse , to dote on the adulterate embraces of sensuall beautie . neither is it fare , but delight in fare ; not simply the meat , but the desire or liquorish appetite , which produceth those odious effects : as for example , when the loose affected man maketh choice or election of such meats , purposely to beget in him an abilitie , as well as desire , to his sensuall pleasures . whence a learned father most divinely concludeth : i feare not ( saith hee ) the uncleannesse of meats in respect of their difference , but uncleannesse of desire in respect of concupiscence . neither doth the kinde or difference of the meat ( saith another ) pollute so much , as the act of disobedience , eating that which is inhibited . now to propose a rule of direction , not any one surer or safer can be set downe , than what an ancient father hath alreadie proposed . we nourish our bodies ( saith he ) lest by being too much weakned , they faile us ; and we weaken them by abstinence , lest by too much feeding them , they presse us . so then , temper your desires , that neither too much restraint may enfeeble them , nor excesse surcharge them . for as the body being weakned , the soule becomes strengthned ; so where the body becomes too much enfeebled , the performance of spirituall exercises is disabled . but in all things , take heed of pampering a disobedient servant ; hee sleeps in your bosome , that imagines mischiefe against you . who , the more he is fostered , the more is your danger furthered ; the more he is cockered , the more is your heat of devotion cooled ; chastise then this domesticke enemie in time , for he participates of the nature of a serpent , who spreads most his poison , where he receives harbouring . now as the philosophers observe of the hart , that being pursued by dogs in hunting , by reason of heat , and losse of breath , being tired with the chase , he hasteneth to the rivers ; or wearied in fight with a serpent , or stung , or wounded by him , while the serpent resteth on the ground , he seeketh to some cold fountaine , whereby the infection of the venome received , may be abated , and his former vigour restored . even so , such as are wounded , and strucken of the old serpent , must have recourse to christ , that fountaine of living waters , that all sensuall desires arising from excessive delight in delicious fare , may be the better allayed . neither only is restraint to be used in the choice , and change of meats , but in the excessive use of drinkes . the reasons are two ; the one is , it is an enemie to the knowledge of god ; the other is this , it is held to be an enfeebler or impairer of the memorative parts ; for you shall ever note that deepe drinkers have but shallow memories . their common saying is , let us drowne care in healths : which drowning of care makes them so forgetfull of themselves , as carried away with a brutish appetite , they only intend their present delight , without reflexion to what is past , or due preparation to what may succeed . o restraine then this mighty assailant of temperance ! be ever your selves , but principally stand upon your guard , when occasion of company shall induce you ; being the last we are to speake of . this company-keeping , how much it hath depraved the hopefullest and towardliest wits , daily experience can witnesse . for many wee see civilly affected , and temperately disposed of themselves , not subject to those violent or brain-sick passions , which the fumes of drink beget , till out of a too pliable disposition they enter the lists of good-fellowship ( as they commonly terme it ) and so become estranged from their owne nature , to partake with zanies in their distempered humour . so as in time , by consorting with evill men , they become exposed to all immoderate affections , such is the strength of custome . whence it is , that saint basil saith , passions rise up in a drunken man ( note the violence of this distemper ) like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side . now you shall see him compassionately passionate , resolving his humour into teares ; anon like a phrenticke man , exercising himselfe in blowes ; presently , as if a calmer or more peaceable humour had seazed on him , he expresseth his loving nature in congies and kisses . so different are the affections which this valiant mault-worme is subject to ; yet howsoever , out of a desperate bravado he binde it with oathes , that he will stand to his tackling , he is scarce to be credited , for hee can stand on no ground . but to annex some reasons which may effectually disswade every generous-affected spirit from consorting with such * sociats as are a blemish to a gentleman ; imagine with your selves , how mortally dangerous it is to enter an infected house ; how fearfull would any one be of the state of his body , if hee should have one in his company who had the carbuncle or plague-sore running vpon him ? how much would he condemne his owne rashnesse to entertaine any such in his companie ; and with what respect or cautelous advice would he prepare to expell the poison of that infection , at least to prevent the occasion ? no cost might be spared , no care intermitted , that some soveraigne receit might bee procured , whereby the apparent danger , into which his inconsiderate rashnesse had brought him , might be removed . now if our bodies , being but the covers of more curious and exquisite instruments , be so especially tendred , with what respect ought wee to provide for the safetie or securitie of our soules ? the ground of a disease is to mix the sound with the sicke : now the soules disease is sinne , wherewith she laboureth more painfully than the body can doe , being annoyed with any infirmitie . those that are sicke , are vicious men , whose disease though it bee insensible , and in that lesse curable , it breakes out into loathsome ulcers , which staine the pristine beautie of the soule . now as wee serve so many vices , wee serve so many masters ; and so many masters , so many devils : each one having so many devils , as evils . which miserable servitude to prevent ( for no slaverie is baser than the service of sinne ) the best and soveraignest receit that may be applied or ministred to the soule-sicke patient , is the receit of aversion ; to turne aside from the wayes of the wicked , and to keepe no company with the transgressour : for this aversion from the companions of sinne , is a conversion to the god of sion . would you then have god turne to you ? turne you from your sinnes . would you be at one with your maker ? be ever divided from these sensuall mates , so shall you be made happie by the company of your maker . would you bee found at heart ? leave to confort with these of an uncircumcised heart , whose paths lead to perdition , and they that walke therein shall be the heires of shame . for howsoever these instruments of sinne ( as i have sometimes observed ) may make a shew of godlinesse , or pretend , meerely under colour to give a varnish to their vicious lives , a semblance of goodnesse , yet it is but meere painting they deale with ; they deny the power thereof in their life and conversation . a ridiculous actor in the citie of smyrna , pronouncing , o coelum ! o heaven ! pointed with his finger toward the ground : which , when polemo the chiefest man in the place saw , hee could abide to stay no longer , but went from the company in a chafe , saying ; this foole hath made a solecisme with his hand : he hath spoken false latine with his hand . such ridiculous actors are these time-spenders ; they pronounce heaven with their mouth , but point at earth with their lives ; like wise polemoes therefore stay no longer with them , if at any time you have consorted with them : for their practice is only to gull the world , and with smooth pretences delude their unhappy consorts . their profession is how to play the hypocrite-christian , but being unmasked , their odious phisnomies are quickly discovered . make use therefore of your experience , and with all temperance so counterpoize the weight of your passions , as none of these assailants ( though their incursions be never so violent ) may ever surprize the glorious fortresse of your minde . which the better to effect , let lust be counterpoized by continence ; ambition by humblenesse ; gorgeous apparell by comelinesse ; luscious fare by abstinence ; and company-keeping by that sweet seasoner of all vertues , temperance . thus you have heard , how , as without salt there can be no seasoning , no warre without discipline , no tillage without manuring , no estate without mannaging , no building without a foundation ; so no vertue can subsist without moderation . as wee have hitherto expressed the dignitie or sufficiencie of this vertue , in that it giveth subsistence to all other vertues : so are wee now to intreat of the amplenesse of it , proposing such subjects wherein it is principally said to be conversant . now , though there be no humane action which is not subject to many defects , being not throughly seasoned by this exquisite vertue , yet the use thereof may be reduced to these two , as proper subjects wherein it is to be exercised ; expence of coine , and expence of time : for without moderation in the one , wee should be prodigall of our substance ; without moderation in the other , wee should grow too profuse in the expence of that , which is more precious than any earthly substance . now touching worldly substance , as wee are to be indifferent for the losse or possession of it , so ought wee to be carefull in the use or dispensation of it . as it is not to be admired when wee possesse it , no more is it to be altogether disesteemed , because wee stand in need of the use of it . if money be so much to be contemned , ( saith an ancient father ) expresse thy bountie , shew thy humanitie , bestow it upon the poore : so may this , which of necessitie thou must lose , releeve many , which otherwise might perish by hunger , thirst , or nakednesse . thus to bestow it , were not prodigally to spend it , but to lay it up in a safer treasurie , even in christs almes-box , to the disbursers great advantage . yea , but you will object , you have other meanes to imploy it in ; you have a familie to support , a posteritie to provide for , a state to maintaine , and pleasures suiting with your ranke and qualitie to uphold ; i grant it ; and you doe well in having a care to your familie , for he is worse than an infidell that wants this care . it is commendable likewise in you to have an eye to your posteritie , for nature requires this at your hand . to maintaine likewise your state , and to continue your pleasures suiting with men of your ranke ; i allow it . but where , or in what sort must this be done ? for the place where , surely none fitter than your owne countrey where you were bred ; setting up there your rest , where you received your birth . let your countrey ( i say ) enjoy you , who bred you , shewing there your hospitalitie , where god hath placed you , and with sufficient meanes blessed you . i doe not approve of these , who flie from their countrey , as if they were ashamed of her , or had committed something unworthy of her . how blame-worthy then are these court-comets , whose only delight is to admire themselves ? these , no sooner have their bed-rid fathers betaken themselves to their last home , and removed from their crazie couch , but they are ready to sell a mannor for a coach. they will not take it as their fathers tooke it : their countrey houses must be barred up , lest the poore passenger should expect what is impossible to finde , releefe to his want , or a supply to his necessitie . no , the cage is opened , and all the birds are fled ; not one crum of comfort remaining to succour a distressed poore one . hospitalitie , which was once a relique of gentrie , and a knowne cognizance to all ancient houses , hath lost her title , meerely through discontinuance : and great houses , which were at first founded to releeve the poore , and such needfull passengers as travelled by them , are now of no use but only as way-marks to direct them . but whither are these great ones gone ? to the court ; there to spend in boundlesse and immoderate riot , what their provident ancestors had so long preserved , and at whose doores so many needy soules have beene comfortably releeved . yet see the miserie of many of these rioters ! though they consume their meanes , yet is the port they live at meane : for they have abridged their familie , reduced their attendants to a small number , and ( unnecessary expences set aside ) drawne themselves to within as narrow a compasse as possibly they may . for to take a view of those which are in ordinary roule , you shall finde none but a page , a coachman , a lackey , and perchance a cooke , if the vailes of the house will maintaine one , or they be not in fee with some city cooke , whom they usually repaire to , at best betrust , and so run on score quarterly . now if you aske mee , how their meanes should be consumed , when they live at so low commons ; my answer is , the lesse they bestow on their caterer , the more they bestow on their taylor . they cut it out of the whole cloth , and divide their acres peece-meale into shreds . where their phantasticke light-ones resort oftner to the house of the body-maker than the soule-maker : affecting nothing more than what may make them most noted . but observe the issue of these courses , gentlemen ; when they have maintained their riot with much expence , and engaged their meanes to these great monied men , whose iubile it is to entertaine acquaintance with one of these greene wits , they run upon the shelfe of ruine , and make their posteritie the heires of want . which having incurred , what distracted and divided sleepes , what distempered thoughts , what hourely afflictions may wee imagine them to be subject to ? for what engagement worse than debt , when every shadow resembles a sergeant , every familiar touch or stroke of a friend , an arrest of an officer ? augustus caesar , hearing of them talke in his court , what a huge summe of money a certaine knight in rome owed at his death , and that all his goods were to be sold , to make payment of his debts , commanded the master of his wardrobe to buy for him that bed , wherein this knight used to lie : for , sayes hee , if i cannot sleepe soundly in that bed wherein hee could sleepe , that owed so much , then surely i shall sleepe in none . surely , there is no affliction greater to a noble spirit , whose thoughts cannot endure engagement , than to be subject to the extremitie of an unconscionable creditor , who usually makes advantages his revenues , and forfeitures the inhauncers of his fortunes . neither is this respect to bee had only in the disposing of your selves in court or citie , but likewise in the countrey : for though it be best spent , which is bestowed in hospitalitie , and in releeving those hungry soules , whose expresse images require your charitie ; yet are you to consider how charitie begins with it selfe : so as , howsoever you are bound to releeve and support those , whose present wants exact so much at your hands , yet ever with reservancie of a competent or convenient providence , so to sustaine the want of others , as not to procure want to your selves by sustaining others . but this needs little pressing : for experience shewes , that very small instruction will suffice any one to be provident enough in their bounty or exhibition to the poore . let us therefore divert the current of our subject , and addresse our exhortation to you ; purposely moving you to a moderation of your expence in your pleasures , or those more easie vanities of this life . as profit and pleasure make the sweetest musicke , so there is no pleasure , how incomparably delightfull soever for the present , but it affords much bitternesse , having no respect to providence . now , as all vertues may be comprized under the name of frugalitie , provided that wee understand it to be of that absolute power and command , that neither excesse nor diminution beare any sway in it , it appeareth that without this frugall moderation no state can be well mannaged , no estate rightly husbanded ; so as , whether you have an eye to pleasure or profit , this frugalitie or equally tempered providence must be soveraignesse in both . for first , there is no pleasure which hath not respect to vertue : how then may that properly be termed a pleasure , which hath no relation to frugalitie , under which name all vertues may seeme to be comprized ? likewise , there is no profit which is not joyned with honestie ; how then may that properly be termed a profit , which hath no respect to honest providence , upon which all profits are truly grounded ? the best course then that you can follow , either in your choice of pleasures , or pursuit of profit , is ever to examine whether that pleasure which you affect , have respect to vertue , or that profit which you have in pursuit , be firmly grounded on honest providence : so shall neither pleasure so much inthrall you , as to engage your fortunes to her , nor profit so entangle you , as to neglect conscience for the love you beare her . surely , there is nought more dangerous to young gentlemen , whose unriper yeeres have not sufficiently instructed them in the follies of vanitie , than to give reines to their desires , and so become bondslaves to pleasure . for those that will deny their eyes nothing that they can desire , nor resist their owne wills in ought that they affect , be they endued with never so much wisdome , it becomes foolishnesse , being blinded with their owne delights . they then onely , whose native temperance hath prepared them , or continuall wrastling with the infirmities of nature hath inured them , have attained this degree of perfection ; not only ( i say ) to use moderation in their expence , but in their restraint of every pleasure ; labouring to become commanders of themselves in the desires and affections of this life : which of all others make men the absolutest conquerours . for man , whose naturall pravitie , drawne from the corruption of his first parents , is ever working in him new motions of disobedience , layeth continuall siege and batterie to the fortresse of the soule , suggesting to her motives of pleasure and delight , which the carnall man will easily condescend to , because he favoureth not the things of the spirit . yea , how many doe wee see , who begin in the spirit , but end in the flesh , making their end farre worse than their beginning ? how necessary then is this moderation , to curbe or checke such inordinate motion as arise in us , by reason of our naturall infirmitie and weaknesse ? neither doe i so much insist upon the moderation of your expences , as if coine were of that esteeme , as it only deserved respect . for if riches increase , wee are not to set our hearts upon them ; but rather to shew our indifferencie towards them in our free and liberall use of them . for he who gave gifts before he gave time , creating all things for our use in the world , before he brought us into the world , without the use or ministerie of these could preserve and support us , whom he hath appointed as governours or rulers over all these : for hee who created all things without meanes , can likewise preserve those things which hee hath created without meanes . yea , though hee hath given us the fruits of the earth to feed us , the fells of beasts to cloath us , yea , workes out of the bowels of wormes to beautifie us ; yet is he tied no more to these exteriour meanes , than hee was before , creating all things without meanes . no king is necessarily tied , that onely pure bullion should be current among his subjects , for if occasion serve , hee may stampe lether , brasse , or any other metall , which being authorized by his image or superscription , is not to be denied within his dominions . much more he , who contains the world in his fist , restraines not his power to any outward meanes ; working sometimes with meanes , sometimes without meanes , sometimes against meanes , sometimes above meanes . with meanes , as when he fed those which followed him into the wildernesse with bread ; above meanes , when he fed so much people with so little bread ; without meanes , when he himselfe fasted so long without bread ; against meanes , when he caused the very ravens to bring his prophet bread . no , this exhortation rather tendeth to move you to rely on gods providence , yet withall not to abuse those creatures which he hath bestowed on you , but to use them with temperance , sobrietie , and moderation : for what is it to abound in all riches , surfet in pleasures , enjoy the treasures of the whole earth , yea to want nothing that either the eye can desire , or the heart affect ? surely nothing ; alexander , the monarch of the world , had all other things save onely a sepulcher to bury him in , when he was dead ; he never thought of that : for alas , when corruption shall receive what mortality renders , and man after so many dayes passed over in delights , shall make his bed in the darke , those perfunctory pleasures which he so much affected , those temporary blessings which he enjoyed , shall be as if they had not beene . so moderate therefore your expences in the use or dispensation of your earthly mammon , that it may appeare , your hearts are where your treasure is , and your treasure where your heavenly master is : for what is this world , but a list environed with fearfull combats ? so as the world is more to be feared when it smileth , than when it frowneth , and more to be taken heed of , when it allures us to love it , than when it moves or induceth us to contemne it . howsoever , they who embrace the world , are like unto them , who are drowned in waters ; for their minds are so drenched in the depth of worldly affections , and so entangled by the reeds and oaze of earthly vanities , as they are divided from the sailers starre , and the haven of the ship-wrackt soule , being miserably forced to grope in darknesse , without a light to direct them ; and to remaine wofully shelfed , being farre from sight of haven to receive them . and let this suffice to have beene spoken touching moderation in your expence of coine ; i meane , your frugall dispensation of such estates , as god hath blessed you withall ; ever remembring that you must give account of your talent ; not only ( i say ) of your talent of knowledge , but of that talent of substance , whereof in this life you were possessed . and so i descend to your expence of time , that precious treasure which is incomparably to be valued above all that wee enjoy , because it affords a respit of using or employing , whatsoever we enjoy . time is so absolute and soveraigne a regent , as he is all-commanding , but not to be countermanded ; whence we commonly say , that time and tide stayeth for no man. there is nothing undertaken by man , which can be effected without the attendance and gracefull assistance of time. neither can experience be gained , nor truth , the daughter of time discovered , nor the issue of any mans expectance attained , nor any thing worthy observance produced , unlesse time further it . there is nothing of consequence , that can be done at an instant : great taskes require long time ; neither can wee limit time , but time will limit us : whence it appeares , that nothing can be intended , much lesse effected , unlesse time assist and second it . time being thus precious , we must of necessity value it above any inferiour substance , seeing without the company of time , wee are wholly deprived of the use of our substance . whence it was that a friend of mine caused these two verses to be set directly before his table of accounts ; if coines expence be such , pray then divine how rare and precious is th' expence of time. now there be three sorts of persons , with whom i am to encounter by way of admonishment , for their abuse or carelesse expence of time ; the ambitious , voluptuous , and miserable covetous person . for the first , he trifles away time , in the pursuit of impossibilities , spending his meanes , and misspending time , in hope of a day ; which day he seldome or never sees , for his time is a bridged before it come : so as the date of his death anticipates the day of his hopes . now to point out the place of his abode , hee is ever to be found in the eminentest places , for obscuritie fits not his humour , whose only aymes are to acquire honour . hee is so farre from moderating his humour , as he is humorously conceited of his worth , and thinkes whatsoever the parasite saies in his commendations , to be no lesse than what he in his owne proper person deserves , for his contemplations , they are ever mounting , yet seldom so high mounting as heaven , for his thoughts are directed to another sphere . he is prodigall in his feasts , solicitous in the pursuit of friends , impatient in the quest of rivalls , and importunate in the dispatch of his affaires : and though it be a greater reproach to lose what is got , than not at all to get ; yet his ayme is to get , though he fore-see his losse before he get : and though the least libertie be apportioned to the greatest fortune , yet in his highest fortunes will he use the greatest libertie : the reason is , hee conceits himselfe to walke in a cloud , where no popular eye can reach him . he is unmeasurably opinionate , and admires his owne knowledge , wherein he discovers his owne folly : for as he that seekes to be more wise than he can be , shall be found to be lesse wise than hee should be ; so he who conceits himselfe more wise than he is , displayes himselfe to the world what he is . so as it seemes , hee differs in opinion from the poet , who holds this as a maxime : he 's solely wise , who is not selfely wise , but humble in the judgement of his eyes . now his daily tasks may be aptly compared to domitians sports , who spent the whole day in catching flies . for those many projects which he hath devised , those impossible aymes he hath contrived , those ayrie turrets he hath reared , fall in the end to nothing ; and like those misty conclusions of the deluded alchymist , bewray the folly of him that formed them . and as domitian grew ashamed of his owne impieties , exiling all arts , lest the knowledge of them should bring him to a discovery of himselfe : so the ambitious man whose aymes are as boundlesse , as his purposes fruitlesse , when his eyes begin to be unsealed , and those scales of ambition , which hindred his sight , removed , he will then ( if then be not too late ) acknowledge his shame , and ingenuously confesse that his unbounded aimes deserved no better guerdon ; for had his actions beene sincere , they had made him more secure . likewise for the voluptuous man , whose belly is his god , and sensualitie his delight , let me speak thus much : as his care extends but only to the day , slaving himselfe to the pleasures of sinne , and preferring the huskes of vanity , before the soule-solacing cates of eternitie : so shall his misery appeare greater , when deprived of those delights , wherein his sole felicity consisted . this fleshly libertine mis-imployeth time in two respects ; first , in respect of himselfe ; secondly , in respect of those good creatures which were ordained for the use or service of himselfe . in himselfe , by exposing so glorious an image to the subjection of sense , and mis-applying those gifts which he hath received , being diverted from those good offices , for which they were bestowed . in gods good creatures , by converting them to abuse , which were only ordained for use , and turning them to wantonnesse , which were created for health and releefe of weaknesse . this is he , who makes life a merriment , his pilgrimage a pastime , each yeare his iubile . this is he , who turnes fasting into feasting , praying into playing , almes-deeds into all mis-deeds . this is he , whose sole delight is in dainty feeding , to cause inordinate motions to be stirring , without least respect at all of his soules starving . this is he , whose dishes are the poore mans curses , and whose gate is the beggers iaile , where they are barred from least crumme of comfort . this is he , who stalkes and struts in the street ; sends forth his eye to bring him in a booty of lust , or acquaint him with some new fashion , or delight him with some vaine shew . this is he , who sends forth his eare , to convey unto him some choice melody to intraunce him ; his taste , with some luscious viands to provoke him ; his smell , with some rare perfumes to cheere him ; his touch , with soft cloathing , or whatsoever may more effeminately move him . but where to shall these outward delights availe him , when the cold earth shall e●tertaine him ; when he shall be divided from them , and they from him ? when belshazzar beheld the hand upon the wall , he was put quite out of his humour of jollity ; his cheerefulnesse was turned into pensivenesse , his mirth into mourning , his solace into sorrowing . even so shall it fare with the voluptuous man , whose delight was only on earth ; when that fearfull and ungratefull summons shall peremptorily injoine him to bid a due ( a long a due ) to those sensuall consorts which accompanied him , those inordinate meetings which so much delighted him , yea , all those licentious pleasures which so inchained him ; hee will exclaime ( but in vaine shall be those exclamations ) and curse the occasions of his mis-spent time. o what a hard taske would he endure , to redeeme what his security hath lost ? what extremities would he suffer , what difficulties undergoe ? how great and exceeding things would he promise ? in what bonds of firme devotion would he stand engaged ? surely there is nothing that either flesh could sustaine , or mortality suffer , which he would not most willingly indure , to deliver his endangered soule from eternall torments . lastly , for the miserable covetous wretch , who makes great use of his coine , but small use of his time , treasuring up vengeance against the day of wrath ; how carefull is he in making his barnes larger , in filling his chests fuller , in inhauncing his rents higher ; but how respectlesse of that supreme good , wherein all happinesse consisteth ? see , how menedemus-like , he is ever digging and delving to raise a fortune for his seldome thriving posterity . thus lives he , to become an eternall affliction to himselfe ; in whose person the poet very properly expressed a misers nature after this manner ; thus doe i digge , thus doe i delve ●'enrich my state thereby , yet th'poorest slave of all i have , enjoyes as much as i. this was one of those vanities which the wisest of princes observed , as incident to the children of men , that many gathered , yet knew not for whom they gathered , having likewise no power to use what god had in his mercy bestowed . now to give this miserable caitiffe his due character : he is his owne executioner , being good to none , but worst to himselfe . his eye is so fixed on earth , as he finds no time to erect it to heaven . hee employes so much time in getting and gathering goods , as he reserves no time for doing good . he little observes how all earthly things are sweeter in the ambition , than in the fruition , in the affection , than possession . nor how the circular world cannot fill the triangular heart , no more than a circle can fill a triangle ; where still there will be some empty corners . he runs on still in desire , labouring of a disease incurable , till death cure him . he encreaseth his cares with his substance , and the more hee addes to his estate , the more hee detracts from his content . the poore hee hath alwayes with him , for hee makes all poore that deale with him . in briefe , hee is of all others most miserable , because in his riches hee hath all his consolation : which , like the aegyptian reed , will faile him in his confidence , leaving him bare and naked to the testimony of a guilty conscience . for how secure was the rich-man ( as he thought ) when he invited his wretched soule to take her rest , having much goods laid up for many yeares ; but this selfe-securitie was the occasion of his succeeding misery , for that night was his soule to be taken from him . it is a true saying , that the devill requires nothing of man but securitie , for that gives him opportunity of practising his undoing . now , how bitter is the remembrance of death , much more the unwelcome approach of death to this miserable covetous man , who hath all his peace in his substance ? for if nothing be so terrible as death , ( as aristotle writeth : ) which antiochus feeling sensibly in himselfe , crieth out thus ; oh into what adversitie am i come , and into what flo●ds of misery am i now fallen ? he addeth the reason anon after ; for i must die with great sorrow in a strange land. surely then , to the miserable worldling , who hath made a covenant with sin , and a league with transgression , must the approach of death seeme terrible , being to be divided from the staffe of his confidence , from thence to descend without least hope of comfort to the land of forgetfulnesse : for , as it cannot possibly be , that he should die ill , who hath lived well ; so it cannot be , that he who hath lived ill , should die well : for as the scorpion hath in her the remedie of her owne poison , a receit for her owne infection ; so the evill man carrieth alwayes with him the punishment of his owne wickednesse , the which doth never leave ( so incessant is the torment of a guiltie conscience ) to wound and afflict his minde , both sleeping and waking ; so as , to what place soever he betake him , he cannot so privately retire , but feare and horror will awake him ; nor sly so fast , though hee should take the wings of the morning , but fury and vengeance will over-take him . having thus far proceeded in the treating of such subjects , wherin temperance is required , and of such assailants , by whom shee is usually encountred and impugned : it rests now , that i impart my advice briefly touching temperance or moderation of the passions of the minde , whereof ( omitting the rest , as having else-where discoursed of them ) i will only , and that briefly , insist of these two , the passions of ioy and sorrow . this passion ( to insist on ioy first ) requires direction , to order our desires aright in the matter of ioy. every man loves a glad heart ; and wisheth ioy , as the fruit of his labours ; but therein many mistake . first , one rejoyceth in his substance , he hath gotten much . secondly , another rejoyceth in his promotion . thirdly , another doateth upon that mad mirth which salomon speaks of . fourthly , another rejoyceth in a table richly deckt , an over-flowing cup , a faring deliciously every day . fifthly , another rejoyceth at the destruction of him , whom he hates . sixthly , another rejoyceth in sinne , and wickednesse . it is a pastime to a foole to doe wickedly . it is the drunkards joy to be at the cup early , and to sit till the wine hath enflamed them . the twi-light glads the heart of the adulterer . the oppressour danceth upon the threshold of him that is oppressed . ismael geereth at isaac . holy iob was as a tabret to the godlesse ones ; and the drunkards made songs on david . but this is not that ioy which is required , because the foundation of this ioy is grounded on sinne : wherefore we are to finde a ioy more pure , more permanent : for the ioy of the wicked is short , but the ioy of the righteous shall endure for ever . this ioy which we are to seeke , and whereon we are to ground our sole content , is no carnall but a spirituall ioy : the ioy of our hearts , the divine melody of our soules , concluding with the blessed apostle ; god forbid that we should rejoyce in any thing , but in the crosse of christ , and him crucified : for in this did all the saints and servants of god joy , disvaluing all other joy , as unworthy the entertainment of the soule . wee are to rejoyce likewise , forasmuch as god hath called us not to uncleannesse , but unto holinesse . wee are to rejoyce in the testimonie of a good conscience , being that continuall feast which refresheth every faithfull guest . wee are to rejoyce in our brothers aversion from sinne , and conversion to god ; in his prosperitie and successe in his affaires of state . but above all things wee are so to moderate our joy in the whole progresse of our life , that our joy may the more abound in him , who is the crowne of our hope after this life . the like directions are required in our moderation of sorrow : for there is a sorrow unto death ; which to prevent , understand this by the way , that not so much the passion , as the occasion enforcing the passion , is to be taken heed of . sorrow wee may , but not as ammon did , till he had defloured thamar , for that was the sorrow of licentiousnesse : sorrow wee may , but not as ahab did , till he had got naboths vineyard , for that was the sorrow of covetousnesse : sorrow wee may , but not as iosephs brethren did , grieving that their father should love him more than them , for that was the sorrow of maliciousnesse : sorrow wee may , but not as ionah did , grieving that the ninivites were not destroyed , for that was the sorrow of unmercifulnesse . lastly , sorrow wee may , but not as the * gergesenes did , grieving for the losse of their swine , for that was the sorrow of worldlinesse . these sorrowes are not so much to be moderated as wholly abolished , because they are grounded on sin : but there is a religious and godly sorrow , which , though it afflict the body , it refresheth the spirit ; though it fill the heart with heavinesse , it crowneth the soule with happinesse . and this is not a sorrow unto sinne , but a sorrow for sinne ; not a sorrow unto death , but a sorrow to cure the wound of death . by how much any one ( saith a good father ) is holier , by so much in praier are his teates plentifuller . here sounds the surdon of religious sorrow , the awaker of devotion , the begetter of spirituall compunction , and the sealer of heavenly consolation ; being the way to those that begin ; truth to those that profit , and life to them that are perfect . but alas , the naturall man ( saith the apostle ) perceiveth not the things of the spirit of god ; for they are foolishnesse unto him , neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned . it is true ; and this should move us to more fervour of devotion , beseeching the divine assistance to minister strength to our weaknesse , that what is wanting in the flesh , may be supplied by the spirit : yea daily to set our houre-glasse beside us , and observe those precious graines ( the minute treasures of time ) how swiftly they run thorow the cruet , whereof not one must fall un-numbred : for as a haire of the head shall not perish , no more shall the least moment of time . now how healthfull were it ( though the carnall man distaste it ) to vie teares with graines of sand , that our sinnes , being as the sands of the sea-shore , that is , numberlesse , might be bound up and throwne into the deepe sea of eternall forgetfulnesse : so as they may neither rise up in this life to shame us , nor in the world to come to condemne us . surely , if you would know those blessed fruits which true penitent sorrow produceth , you shall finde , that he who sowes in teares , shall reape in joy : neither can any one goe to heaven with drie eyes . may your teares be so shed on earth , that they may be bottled in heaven ; so shall you bring your sheaves with you , and like fine flower , being boulted from the bran of corruption , receive your portion in the land of the living . and may this sacrifice of teares which you offer up unto him , whose eyes are upon all the wayes of the children of men , minister like comfort to your soules , as they have done to many faithfull members of christs church . and let this suffice to have beene spoken of such subjects , wherein moderation is to be used : for to speake of moderation of sorrow for sinne , i hold it little necessary , seeing most men ( so insensible are they of their inward wounds ) come rather short of that sorrow which is required , than exceed in any sort the measure that is prescribed . as moderation in all the precedent subjects is to be used , so in all and every of them is it to be limited ; for to be so stoically affected ( as we have formerly noted ) as not to entertaine so much as modest mirth , or approve of the temperate and moderate use of those things , which were at first ordained for the use and service of man , digresseth as farre from the rule of moderation in restraint , as the profusely minded libertine doth in excesse . how hard a thing is it then to observe with indifferencie an equall or direct course herein , when either by leaping short or over , wee are subject to error ? so saith blessed cranmer ; some lose their game by short shooting , some by over shooting : some walke too much on the left hand , some too much on the right hand . now to propose what forme of direction is best to be observed herein ; wee will take a view of those subjects , whereof wee formerly treated , and set downe in each of them what moderation is to be used . all waters are derived from three wayes or currents : springing either by fountaines and spring-heads , from the bowels of the earth inwardly drained ; by rivers and conduits from those fountaines derived ; or haile and snow from the earth extracted , where some ascend , some descend : so passions are three wayes moved in our bodies ; by humours arising out of our bodies ; by externall senses , and the secret passage of sensuall objects ; or by the descent or commandement of reason . now to insist on the motion or effect of each passion wee shall not greatly need , having sufficiently touched them in our former discourse ; wee will therefore upon a review of those severall subjects , lust , ambition , gorgeous apparell , luscious fare , company-keeping , &c. reduce them and the occasion of them to those three troubled springs , from whence miserable man , by meanes of the immoderate appetite of sense , sucks the banefull poison of sinne ; the concupiscence of the flesh , the concupiscence of the eyes , and the pride of life : for whatsoever is in the world ( as a good father noteth , and as the blessed apostle himselfe affirmeth ) is one of these . as first , whatsoever suiteth or sorteth with the desire or delicacie of the flesh , ministers fuell or matter to feed the concupiscence thereof . now this fleshly libertine takes no delight in the spirit , but in the flesh ; he loves to be cloathed in purple and fare deliciously every day ; he loves to keepe company with those consorts of ruine and miserie , who drinke till they be inflamed , and delight themselves in the pleasures of sinne . secondly , whatsoever relisheth of vanitie , ministers him objects of content , to feed the unsatiate concupiscence of his eyes : which eyes , like dinah , stray from him , fixing themselves upon some vaine object , which suits ever best with his choice , who owes them , and so conveyes some present but perfunctorie delight unto him . as if he be covetous , they shew him naboths vineyard ; if wanton , a beauteous bersheba , or the sandals of iudith , which ravished the eyes of holophernes ; if dainty-toothd , iacobs red pottage ; if proud , the silkes of tyre ; in briefe , they fit every one with an object according to his condition . lastly , whatsoever may minister content to the proud and high-minded man , who walkes upon his turrets , saying , is not this great babel which i have builded ? is suggested to him ; putting him in minde of hamans honour , but never of hamans ladder ; telling him of balthazar 's birth-day , whereon he feasted royally , but never of his last day , whereon he died fearfully ; shewing him herods garment which shone as the sunne , and of his applause , the voice of god and not of man ; but never of the eclipse of that sunne , when he became so loathsome , as his smell could be endured by no man. now to propose our rules of limitation in the moderation of these : as wee are commanded to subdue the flesh with those inordinate affections , which arise from the infirmitie thereof ; so are wee not injoyned to kill the flesh , for so should wee disgresse from the rule of humanitie : for no man hateth his owne flesh , but loveth and cherisheth it . no ; our righteousnesse in this life , which may be rather said to consist in the remission of sinnes , than perfection of vertues , as it is to be furthered by all ordinary and direct meanes , so are wee not to transgresse that law , line , or limit , which is prescribed . wee must not cut off our members with a knife , but our carnall affections with a holy and a mortified life . whence it is , that origen was justly punished by using too little diligence where there was great need , because he used too great diligence where there was little need . for , gelding himselfe , he prevented himselfe of a greater conquest : for there is no mastery to get the mastery of sinne through disabilitie . for as he that surceaseth but then from sinne , when he can sinne no more , forsaketh not his sinnes , but his sinnes forsake him ; so hee who disableth himselfe for committing sinne , lest his abilitie should draw him to sinne , disableth not his sinnes , but his sinnes disable him : for howsoever he hath disabled the act of sinne , he hath not supprest the occasion , which resteth not so much in the act , as in the desire to sinne . no lesse worthy was democritus errour of reproving , who was blinded before he was blinde : for a christian need not put out his eyes for feare of seeing a woman ; since howsoever his bodily eye see , yet still his heart is blinde against all unlawful desires . the princely prophet saith indeed , lord turne away my eyes from vanitie ; but this turning doth not so much imply the looke of the eye , as the lust or assent of the heart . neither is it so requisite to make a covenant with our eyes that they shall not looke upon a woman , as to make a covenant with our hearts that they may never lust after a woman . in like sort , if any intemperate or immoderate desire to luscious fare or delicious drink should surprize us , whose subtill fumes unrivet each joynt of the memory , and loosen the cement which held it fast ; ( for you shall ever note , as i said before , that deepe drinkers have but shallow memories : ) wee are so to prevent the abuse , that wee contemne not the moderate and healthfull use of them . for as to use them in excesse is to abuse them , so not to use them at all is to contemne or neglect gods providence in them . wee must not say with the epicure , let us eat and drinke , for to morrow wee shall die ; but rather let us eat and drinke , as if to morrow we should die ; remembring that strict account which every one must give of the use or abuse of gods creatures : for it is not the use , but abuse which produceth sinne . so as thracius , whom i formerly touched , and of whom aulus gellius writeth , covertly glancing at his folly , was for any thing that i can see , even at that time most of all drunken , when he cut downe all his vines , lest he should be drunken . likewise in the quest or pursuit of honour , as it is ambition to hunt after it , undeserved ; so it is the most apparent testimonie of true and approved vertue , to obtaine it undesired . for this reluctancie to receiving of honour , can never be without some mixture of pride : for they would have the world to observe , how well they deserve it ; and againe , their humilitie ( which is seldome in these without some tincture of vaine-glory ) in that they so little desire it . so as , these popular and firie spirits , whose only aimes are to dignifie themselves , deserve no sharper curbe for over-valuing themselves , than these , who pride themselves in their humilitie , deserve for counterfeiting a kinde of debasing or dis-valuing of themselves to the eye of the world . whence i might take occasion to speake of those precise schismaticks , who cannot endure any precedencie or prioritie of place to be in the church , but an equalitie of presbyterie ; but i will leave them to a sharper censure , till they be throughly cured of their distemper . now for the second motive to sinne , which is the concupiscence of the eye ; as it is so to be moderated that it stray not , so should it be so directed that it sleepe not ; sleepe not , i say , in the survey of that , for which it was created . the eye strayeth , when it coveteth what it should not ; it sleepeth , when it retireth from what it should : it strayeth , when it lusteth after a strange woman ▪ it sleepeth , when it readeth not the law of god , to reclaime it from lusting after a strange woman : it strayeth , when it lusts after naboths vineyard ; it sleepeth , when it lookes not after gods vineyard . neither is the eye so to be limited , as if contemplation were only intended ; for as it is not sufficient to pray , unlesse wee practise as well as pray ; so is it not sufficient to looke upon the law , unlesse wee live after the law on which wee looke . wee reade that abraham buried sarah in the cave of ma●pelah , that is , in a double sepulchre . he that burieth his minde in knowledge only , without any care of practice , he buries sarah in a single sepulchre : but he that buries his minde , as well in the practice and feeling of religion , ( which is all in all ) as in the knowledge and understanding of it , he buries sarah in a double sepulchre : and so must all wee doe which are the true children of abraham : for then with abraham burying our spirit in a double sepulchre , wee shall with elizeus have a double spirit ; a spirit that as well doth , as teacheth . otherwise , wee are but tinkling cymbals , making only a sound of religion , without any sound or sincere profession : being ( as that honey-tongu'd father saith ) in body inward , but in heart outward . now the eye , as it is the tenderest and subtilest organ of all others , so should the object on which it is fixed , be the purest and clearest of all others . the eagle accounts those of her young ones bastards , which cannot fix their eyes upon the sunne , and with equall reflexion ( as it were ) reverberate the beaming vigour or splendour thereof : which should be the embleme of divine contemplation ; teaching us , that howsoever wee have our feet on earth , wee are to have our eyes in heaven : not by prying too saucily into the sealed arke of gods inscrutable will , but by meditating ever of him , so to rest in him , that after earth wee may for ever rest with him . it is observed by profest oculists , that whereas all creatures have but foure muscles to turne their eyes round about , man hath a fift to pull his eyes up to heaven . how farre divert they then their eyes from the contemplation of that object , for which they were created , who cannot see their neighbours ground but they must cover it , nor his beast but they desire it , nor any thing which likes them , but with a greedy eye they heart-eat it ? so large is the extent or circuit of their heart to earthly things , as they can see nothing but they instantly desire ; so strait is the circumference of their heart to heavenly things , they set no minde on them , as if altogether unworthy their desire . so as i cannot more aptly compare these idolizing worldlings to any thing , than to the bird ibis , which is of that filthy nature , as she receives those excrements in at her mouth , which she had purged before from her guts . neither doe they resemble this bird only in respect of their bestiall or insatiate receit , but also in the unbounded extent of their heart . oris apollo writeth , that the egyptians when they would describe the heart , paint that bird which they call ibis ; because they thinke that no creature , for proportion of the body , hath so great a heart as the ibis hath . neither hath our worldly ibis a lesse heart to the filthy desires of the world , being of necessity forced to leave the world , before he can leave desiring the things of this world : for their satan-like , come from compassing the whole earth , esteeming no joy to the worldling , like much enjoying : yet am i not so rigorously affected , or from feeling of humanity so farre estranged , as with democritus , to move you to pull out your eyes , that the occasion of temptation might be removed , by being of your eyes , those motives to temptation , wholly deprived . nor with that inamored italian , to wish you to fix your eyes upon the beames of the sunne , till they were ●eared , that the sight of your mistresse might not move your disquiet . no ; enjoy your eyes , and make them directers to guide you , not as blinde or deceitfull guides to entrap you ; use the object of this sense , but weane it from assenting to concupiscence ; concluding ever with that good remembrance , may that object be from our eyes removed , which makes us from our deare lord divided . now for the last motive , which is the pride of life ; it was lucifers sinne , and therefore should be each true christians scorne . for this sinne ( saith an ancient and learned father ) are the children of the kingdome throwne into utter darknesse : and whence commeth this , but because they ascend up unto that mountaine , unto which the first angell ascended , and as a devill descended ? hee who entertaineth this motive , is an ambitious man , who ( as one rightly observeth ) may be well and fitly similized with the chameleon , who hath nothing in his body but lungs ; so the badge of the ambitious is to be windy and boisterous : whereas , if hee would measure all his undertakings , rather by the dignity of the thing , than the ambition of his minde , he should finde as much content as now he finds disquiet . it was the rule of a wise statesman , and well deserves it the observance of every private person , but especially of such who sit neere the sterne of state ; not to suffer any ambitious heat transport him , but to measure a●l things according to their dignity and worth : and withall , rather to refer the opinion of themselves and their actions to the censure of others , and freely put themselves to be weighed in the judicious scale or ballance of others , than to be approvers of themselves without the suffrage of others : for certainely , as there is no humour more predominant than ambition , nor apter to make man forgetfull of himselfe ; so he who is of a haughty and proud disposition * dis-values all others , purposely to prize his owne deserts at an higher estimate . i remember with what character that proud english cardinall was decoloured , who bare so great stroake in this kingdome , as it was in his power to shake the foundation of monasteries , and from their ruines to raise his owne structures ; that hee was so puffed up with ambition , as hee preferred the humour of his person , before the discharge of his profession . surely that sentence was verified in him , promotion declares what men bee ; for never was his nature throughly discovered , nor his inside displayed , till his out-side was with the cardinalls pall graced . how necessary is it then for man , being more subject to pride himselfe in his height , than with patience to receive a fall , to learne how to moderate his acception of honour , before he come to honour ? for i doe not so limit him , as if he should not at all receive it , but rather how hee should demeane himselfe having received it . neither in ambition only , but in that attire of ●in , gorgeous apparell , is the like limitation to be used : for herein are we to observe such decencie , as neither the contempt thereof may tax us of irregular carelesnesse , nor affectation therof evince us of too singular nicenesse : for the former , as it implies a carelesse indifferencie , so the latter argues an effeminate delicacy : for god hateth no lesse in man this sloth and sluttishnesse , than he hateth too much neatnesse and nicenesse . yea , i have oft-times observed no lesse pride shrouded under a thred-bare cloake , than under a more sumptuous coat . so as , antisthenes went not farre a wrong , who seeing socrates shew his torne cloake , shewing an hole thereof unto the people ; loe , quoth he , thorow this i see socrates vanitie . it is not the hood which makes the monke , nor the cloake which makes the philosopher ; but the disposition of the minde , which makes him a true or false professour . it is good therefore , in the use of these things to observe the end for which they were ordained ; now apparell was not ordained to pride us in it , but to be kept warme by it . peter martyr sheweth , that clothing doth keepe the body warme two wayes : by keeping in the naturall heat of the body ; and by keeping out the accidentall cold of the ayre . this then being ordained for necessity , is not be used for vain-glory : for howsoever ( to such excesse of vanity is this age growne ) that fashion is esteemed neatest , which is newest ; discretion will informe you better , and tell you that fashion is of all other the choicest , which is the comliest . but that these three maine motives to temptation , and profest assailants of moderation , i meane , concupiscence of the flesh , concupiscence of the eyes , and pride of life may be the better resisted , incessant prayer is to be used . for prayer is gods honour , mans armour , and the devils terror ; it is gods oblation , mans munition , and the devils expulsion . by prayer are those treasures digged , which faith in the gospell beholdeth . as it is then gods sacrifice , let it be mans exercise , that it may defeat the devils malice : saying with blessed augustine ; behold , o lord my god , the whole world is full of the snares of concupiscence , which they have prepared for my feet , and who shal escape them ? truly he , from whom thou shalt take away the pride of his eyes , that the concupiscence of his eyes may not seaze on him ; and from whom thou shalt take away the concupiscence of the flesh , that the concupiscence of the flesh may not surprize him ; and from whom thou shalt take away an irreverent and unbridled minde , that the pride of life may not craftily deceive him . o happie hee , to whom thou shalt doe this , surely hee shall passe his dayes in safety ! thus farre have i proceeded in discourse touching both manner and matter , how and wherein moderation is to be limited . where , in the pursuit of honour , as i would have you no canius , too stoically to contemne it ; so no cassius , too tenderly to affect it : likewise in the pursuit of wealth , as i would have you no mimus , too scornefully to hate it ; so no midas , too slavishly to hugge it : likewise in the pursuit of fancie , as i would have you no arminius , too severely to loath it ; so no arsenius , too dearely to love it : likewise in fare , as i would have you no pythagoras , too rigorously to abstaine it ; so no diagoras , too riotously to epicure it : likewise in apparell , as i would have you no diogenes , too carelesly to use it ; so no demosthenes , too curiously to chuse it : lastly , in pleasure , as i would have you no philopomenes , too strictly to despise it ; so no philoxenus , too highly to prize it . for origen himselfe eunuching , democritus his eyes blinding , crates his money drowning , and thracius his vines destroying , no lesse offended ( as wee have before observed ) in exceeding the limit by nature proposed , than the libertines of their time , came short of that rule which moderation had prescribed . but drawing neere shore , i am now to descend to the last branch of this observation , treating of the accomplished end which attends moderation . as there is no art or science which hath not some especiall end , to which it is properly directed ; so is there no vertue which workes or actuates not for some end ; in the acquisition whereof it is fully satisfied . now touching this end , whereto all vertues were and are properly directed ; both heathen and divine philosophers with one consent have concluded it to be that summary or s●preme good , than which nothing could be better in respect of the fulnesse , higher in respect of the worthinesse , or safer in respect of the securenesse . but how different in opinion the ancient philosophers have beene touching this summary or supreme good , what it should be , or wherein it might be properly said to consist ; there is none having beene conversant in their ethicks , but he sufficiently knowes it . so as varro reporteth , that these ancient philosophers have held and maintained two hundred threescore and eight severall opinions concerning felicitie . where some placed their summary good in honours or preferments , others in pleasures or delights , but few in that true or accomplished felicitie ▪ the testimony of a good conscience , which only makes man happie ; and without which , enjoying all , he enjoyes nothing : for were this felicity or accomplished end , to which all vertues are properly directed , to be found on earth , then were the hopes of many good and vertuous men frustrated , whose thoughts are so farre above the foundation of earth , or all those perfunctory delights , which this low theater can afford ; as they have esteemed such men of all others most miserable upon earth , whose thoughts were not erected above earth , but sla●ed to the desires of this life ; as if their hopes extended no further . no ; in vaine were those many sighings and groanings in the spirit , those incessant labours and watchings , which the faithfull so willingly undergo , if there were no happinesse save onely in enjoying the delights of this life ; the fruition whereof , as they tender no true sweetnesse , so are they ever attended by sharpe repentance . for howbeit , every one be reputed worthy , if he be wealthy , and nought if he be needy ; yet when sinne , having three punishments , feare , shame , and guilt ; feare of judgement , shame of men , and guilt of conscience : shall convent and convict him , he shall finde that riches cannot deliver in the day of wrath . so as howsoever the sin seeme sweet , the sting of sin shall wound his heart : for the bread of deceit is sweet to a man , but his mouth shall be filled with gravell . likewise the high-minded man , whose heart hath beene only set on titles of honour , howsoever he seem'd raised or reared above the pitch of common earth , disdaining these poore wormelings , who had the selfe-same maker , though inferiour to this high cedar in honour ; when he shall be forced to call corruption his mother , and wormes his brethren and sisters ; when hee must leave that high babel , which his pride erected ; those worldly swelling tumours , his slippery honours , which hee once enjoyed ; those sycophants , the followers of greatnesse , which he so much affected ; yea , the world it selfe , where all his imaginary glory was stored ; he shall then finde goodnesse to be farre better than greatnesse , and worldly dignitie to adde fuell to those violls , which he hath worthily incured . likewise the voluptuous man , as hee hath enjoyed the pleasures of sinne for a season , sported him in his beds of ivory , feasted royally , fated deliciously , and fed all his miserable senses with a loathed satiety , he shall feele that the pleasure of sinne was finall , but the punishment due to sinne eternall ; he shall feele a worme ever gnawing , never ending ; fiery teares ever streaming , never stinting ; griefe ever griping , never ceasing ; death ever living , never dying : yea , that worme which gnaweth and dieth not , that fire which burneth and quencheth not , that death which rageth and endeth not . but if punishments will not deterre us , at least le● rewards allure us . the faithfull cry ever for the approach of gods judgement ; the reward of immortality , which , with assurance in gods mercies , and his sonnes passion , they undoubtedly hope to obtaine ; with vehemencie of spirit inviting their mediatour ; come lord iesus , come quickly . such is the confidence or spirituall assurance which every faithfull soule hath in him , to whose expresse image as they were formed , so in all obedience are they conformed ; that the promises of the gospell might be on them conferred and confirmed . such as these care not so much ●or possessing ought in the world , as they take care to lay a good foundation against the day of triall , which may stand firme against the fury of all temptation . these see nothing in the world worthy their feare . a this only ( say they ) is a fearfull thing , to feare any thing more than god. these see nought in the world worthy either their b desire or feare ; and their reason is this , c there is nothing able to move that man to fear in all the world , who hath god for his guardian in the world . neither is it possible that he should feare the losse of anything in the world , who cannot see any thing worthy having in the world . so equally affected are these towards the world , as there is nothing in all the world , that may any way divide their affection from him , who made the world . therefore may we well conclude touching these , that their light shall never goe out : for these walke not in darknesse , nor in the shadow of death , as those to whom the light hath not as yet appeared : for the light hath appeared in darknesse , giving light all the night long to all these faithfull beleevers , during their abode in these houses of clay . now to expresse the nature of that light , though it farre exceed all humane apprehension , much more all expression : clemens understandeth by that light , which the wise-woman , to wit , christs spouse , kept by meanes of her candle which gave light all the night long , the heart , and he calleth the meditations of holy men , candles that never goe out . saint augustine writeth , among the pagans in the temple of venus , there was a candle which was called inextinguishable : whether this be or no of venus temple , wee leave it to the credit of antiquity , only augustines report we have for it ; but without doubt in every faithfull hearer and keeper of the word , who is the temple of the holy ghost , there is a candle or light that never goes out . whence it appeares , that the heart of every faithfull soule is that light which ever shineth , and his faith that virgin oile which ever feedeth , and his conscience that comfortable witnesse which assureth , and his devoted zeale to gods house , that seale which confirmeth him to be one of gods chosen , because a living faith worketh in him , which assures him of life , howsoever his outward man , the temple of his body , become subject to death . excellently saith saint augustine : whence comes it that the soule dieth ? because faith is not in it . whence that the bodie dieth ? because a soule is not in it . therefore the soule of thy soule is faith . but forasmuch as nothing is so carefully to bee sought for , nor so earnestly to bee wrought for , as purity or uprightnesse of the heart : for seeing there is no action , no studie , which hath not his certaine scope , end , or period ; yea , no art , but laboureth by some certaine meanes or exercises to attaine some certaine proposed end ; ( which end surely is to the soule at first proposed , but the last which is obtained : ) how much more ought there to be some end proposed to our studies , as well in the exercises of our bodies ; as in the readings , meditations , and mortifications of our mindes ( passing over corporall and externall labours ) for which end those studies or exercises were at first undertaken ? for let us thinke with our selves , if we knew not , or in mind before conceived not , whither or to what especiall place we were to run , were it not a vaine taske for us , undertake to run ? even so to every action are wee to propose his certaine end : which being once attained , wee shall need no further striving towards it , being at rest in our selves by attaining it . and like end are wee to propose to our selves in the exercise of moderation , making it a subduer of all things which fight against the spirit , which may be properly reduced to the practising of these foure ; overcomming of anger by the spirit of patience ; wantonnesse by the spirit of continence ; pride by the spirit of humilitie ; and in all things unto him whose image wee partake , so neerely conformed , that like good proficients wee may truly say with the blessed apostle , wee have in all things learned to be contented . for the first , to wit , anger , as there is no passion which makes man more forgetfull of himselfe ; so to subdue it , makes man an absolute enjoyer of himselfe . athenodorus a wise philosopher , departing from augustus caesar , and bidding him farewell , left this lesson with him , most worthy to be imprinted in an emperours brest ; that when he was angry , he should repeat the foure and twenty greeke letters . which lesson received caesar as a most precious jewell , making such use thereof , as he shewed himselfe no lesse a prince in the conquest of this passion , than in his magnificence of state , and majestie of person . no lesse praise-worthy was that excellent soveraigntie which architas had over this violent and commanding passion , ( as we have formerly observed ) who finding his servants loytering in the field , or committing some other fault worthy reproofe , like a worthy master , thought it fit first to over-master himselfe , before he would shew the authoritie of a master to his servants : wherefore perceiving himselfe to be greatly moved at their neglect , as a wise moderator of his passion , hee would not beat them in his ire , but said ; happy are yea , that i am angry with you . in briefe , because my purpose is only to touch these rather than treat of them , having so amply discoursed of some of them formerly ; as the sunne is not to goe downe upon our wrath ; so in remembrance of that sunne of righteousnesse , let us bury all wrath : so shall wee be freed from the viols of wrath , and appeare blamelesse in the day of wrath . for in peace shall wee descend to our graves without sighing , if in peace wee be angry without sinning . secondly , wantonnesse , being so familiar a darling with the flesh , is ever waging warre with the spirit ; she comes with powdred haire , painted cheeke , straying eyes , mincing and measuring her pace , tinkling with her feet , and using all immodestie to lure the unwarie youth to all sensualitie . these light professors ( as s. ierome to marcella saith ) are matter of scandall to christian eyes ; those eye-sores which wound the inward man with the sting of anguish . now what receit better or more soveraigne to cure this maladie , than to take away the cause which begets this infirmitie ? and what may wee suppose the cause to be , but the complace●cie of the flesh ? when wee labour to satisfie our desires , and give easie reines to our affections . for the flesh while she is obedient , becomes a servant to the soule : shee governeth , the other is governed : this commandeth , that is commanded : but having once begun to usurpe , she will scarcely ever become a faithfull and loyall subject . what necessitie then is there injoyned us to stand upon our guard , when wee have a tarpeia within our gates , ready to betray us to our professed enemy ? with what continuall and incessant labour ought wee to imploy our selves , that this untamed iebusite might be so tired and wearied , that all inordinate motions might be extinguished , which by sloth and want of imployment are ever cherished ? let us then embrace continence , and by power of so good a spirit dispossesse the bad . let us not entertaine those dangerous motives to sinne , which like a snake in the bosome , will wound us to death . and what be those motives ? wanton thoughts , and wanton words , which corrupt mens manners with wicked works . it is a sure note , and worthy observance ; whensoever any thought is suggested to you , which tasteth of evill , make the doore of your heart fast , lest you give actuall possession to the devill . wanton words likewise are dangerous motives to incontinence ; the habit whereof being once attained , will hardly be relinquished . so as speech , which democritus calls the image of life , being exercised in scurrilitie , seemes to deface that image , by laying on it the darke and sable colour of death . for as muddy water is an argument that the fountaine is troubled ; so filthy words are witnesses that the heart is corrupted . a good tree brings forth good fruit , a pure spring cleare water , and an uncorrupt heart words tending to the edification of the hearer . now he , who useth his tongue to filthy communication , incurres a threefold offence : first , in dishonouring god ; secondly , in sinning against his owne soule ; thirdly , in ministring matter of scandall or offence to his brother . how necessary is it then , to keepe a watch upon our mouth , and a gate of circumstance unto our lips , that wee offend not with our tongue ; which like the poisonous adder , stings even unto death , wounding the soule with an incurable dart ? neither doe i , speaking of wantonnesse , onely restraine my discourse to incontinence , but to whatsoever else may properly tend to the complacencie or indulgence of the flesh ; as to tender obedience to her in the desire of luscious and lascivious meats , or the like ; including all such as turne the grace of god to wantonnesse , making a profession of faith , but denying the power thereof in their life and conversation . thirdly , pride , that luciferian sinne , whose airie thoughts are ever mounting , must be subdued by the spirit of humilitie . wee would hold it to be no faithfull part of a subject , to make choice of no liverie but his , who is a profest foe to his soveraigne . and what i pray you , doe wee , when wee attire our selves in the habiliments of pride ; not only outwardly in gorgeous apparell , choicest perfumes , and powdred locks , but likewise inwardly , in putting on the spirit of pride , attended by scornfull respects , disdainfull eyes , and haughtie lookes ? can wee be truly termed subjects ? may wee , wearing the devils crest , partake of the seamlesse coat of christ ? may wee expect a crowne after death , that oppose him who wore a thorny crowne , to crowne us after death ? no ; as the souldier is known by his colours , the servant by his cognizance , the sheepe by his marke , and coine by the stampe ; so shall wee be knowne by our colours if wee be christs souldiers , by our crest or cognizance if his followers , by our marke if his sheepe and lambkins , by our stampe or superscription if his coine or starling . o know , by how much wee are the humbler , by so much to our beloved are wee the liker ! let us resemble him then in all humilitie , that afterwards wee may reigne with him in glory . lastly , that wee may become conformable unto him , whose image wee have received , wee are to learne of the blessed apostle , in all things to be contented . content ( saith the proverbe ) is worth a crowne , but many crownes come farre short of this content . now to propose a rule how this content may be acquired , were a lesson well worthy our learning : which i could wish might be as soone learned as proposed : for content , briefly , consists in these two ; to be free from desiring what wee have not , to be free from fearing to lose what wee already have . now hee , who seeth nothing in the world worthy desiring , cannot chuse but be free from feare of losing , being so indifferent touching the world , or whatsoever else he hath in enjoying . for he that neither hath , nor so●th ought in the world which hee esteemes worthy his love , enjoyeth nought but hee can willingly be content to leave ; for no man feareth the losse of that which he doth not love . but to draw neerer a point : these two passions or affections of desire and feare ; desire of having more than wee have , feare of losing what wee already have , may be properly said to have a threefold respect ; to the goods or endowments of the minde , of the body , and of fortune . for the first , plato in his tymaeo saith ; if a man lose his eyes , or feet , or hands , or wealth , wee may say of such an one , he loseth something ; but he who loseth his heart and reason , loseth all . for in the wombe of our mother , the first thing which is ingendred or participates forme , is the heart , and the last which dieth is the same heart . so as properly it may be called reasons treasurie or store-house , where those divine graces are seated , which conferre the best beauty to man , giving him a note of distinction from other creatures , the more to dignifie man. for howsoever all creatures have hearts , yet only to man is given an understanding heart . other creatures have hearts indeed sensible of present paine , but they cannot recall to minde what is past , or probably collect by what is past , the seasons of times , or issues of affaires likely to ensue . in the heart of man , there is the reasonable power , with which he governeth himselfe ; the irascible power , with which he defendeth himselfe ; and concupiscible , by which he provideth for things necessary to releeve himselfe . now admit wee were deprived of that principall blessing , the intellectuall part , so as like raving and raging orestes , wee were forced to take many blinde by-paths , wanting the means of direction by reason of our woful distraction , and crying out with octavia in seneca ; o , to the spirits below that i were sent , for death were easie to this punishment ! admit , i say , all this ; yet is the afflicted soule to be content , abiding gods good leisure , who as hee doth wound , so he can cure ; and as he opened old tobiths eyes , so can he , when hee pleaseth , where hee pleaseth , and as he pleaseth , open the bleered eyes of understanding ; so with a patient expectance of gods mercy , and christian resolution to endure all assaults with constancie , as he recommendeth himselfe to god , so shall he finde comfort in him , in whom he hath trusted , and receive understanding more cleare and perfect than before he enjoyed . or admit one should have his memorative part so much enfeebled , as with corvinus messala hee should forget his owne name ; yet the lord , who numbreth the starres , and knoweth them all by their names , will not forget him , though he hath forgot himselfe , having him as a signet upon his finger , ever in his remembrance . for what shall it availe , if thou have memory beyond cyrus , who could call every souldier in his army by his name , when it shall appeare thou hast forgot thy selfe , and exercised that facultie rather in remembring injuries , than recalling to minde those insupportable injuries which thou hast done unto god ? nay more ; of all faculties in man , memory is the weakest , first waxeth old , and decayes sooner than strength or beauty . and what shall it profit thee , once to have excelled in that facultie , when the privation thereof addes to thy misery ? nothing , nothing : wherefore , as every good and perfect gift commeth from above , where there is neither change nor shadow of change , so as god taketh away nothing but what he hath given , let every one in the losse of this or that facultie , referre himselfe with patience to his sacred majestie , who in his change from earth will crowne him with mercy . secondly , for the goods or blessings of the body , as strength , beautie , agilitie , &c. admit thou wert blinde with appius , lame with agesilaus , tongue-tied with samius , dwarfish with ivius , deformed with thersites ; though blinde , thou hast eyes to looke with , and that upward ; though lame , thou hast legges to walke with , and that homeward ; though tongue-tied , thou hast a tongue to speake , and that to godward ; though dwarfish , thou hast a proportion given thee , ayming heavenward ; and though deformed , thou hast a glorious feature , and not bruitish to looke downward . for not so much by the motion of the body , and her outwardly working faculties , as by the devotion of the heart , and those inwardly moving graces , are wee to come to god. againe , admit thou wert so mortally sicke , as even now drawing neere shore , there were no remedy but thou must of necessitie bid a long a due to thy friends , thy honours , riches , and whatsoever else are deare or neere unto thee : yet for all this , why shouldst not thou remaine contented ? art thou here as a countryman , or a pilgrim ? no countryman sure , for then shouldst thou make earth thy country , and inhabit here as an abiding city . and if a pilgrim , who would grieve to be going homeward ? there is no life but by death , no habitation but by dissolution . he then that feareth death , feareth him that bringeth glad tidings of life . therefore to esteeme life above the price , or feare death beyond the rate , are alike evill : for he that values life to be of more esteeme than a pilgrimage , is in danger of making shipwracke of the hope of a better inheritance ; and he that feareth death as his protest enemy , may thanke none for his feare but his securitie . certainly , there is no greater argument of folly , than to shew immoderate sorrow either for thy own death , or death of another : for it is no wisdome to grieve for that which thou canst not possibly prevent , but to labour in time rather to prevent what may give thee occasion to grieve . for say , is thy friend dead ? i confesse it were a great losse , if he were lost ; but lost he is not , though thou be left ; gone he is before thee , not gone from thee ; divided only , not exiled from thee . a princesse wee had of sacred memory , who looking one day from her palace , might see one shew immoderate signes or appearances of sorrow , so as she , moved with princely compassion , sent downe presently one of her pensioners to inquire who it was that so much sorrowed , and withall to minister him all meanes of comfort ; who finding this sorrowfull mourner to be a counsellor of state , who sorrowed for the death of his daughter ; returned directly to his soveraigne , and acquainted her therewith . o ( quoth she ) who would thinke that a wise man and a counsellor of our state could so forget himselfe , as to shew himselfe a childe for the death of his childe ! and surely , whosoever shall but duly consider mans frailtie with deaths necessitie , cannot chuse but wonder why any one should be so wholly destitute of understanding , to lament the death of any one , since to die is as necessary and common as to be borne to every one . but perchance it may be by some objected , that the departure of their friend is not so much lamented , for that is of necessitie , and therefore exacts no teares of sorrow , being , if spent , as fruitlesse as the doome reverselesse ; but their sudden or inopinate departure . whereto i answer , that no death is sudden to him that dies well : for sudden death hath properly a respect rather to the life , how it was passed or disposed , than to death , how short his summons were , or how quickly clozed . io. mathes . preaching upon the raising up of the womans sonne of naim by christ , within three houres afterward died himselfe : the like is written of luther , and many others . as one was choaked with a flie , another with a haire , a third pushing his foot against the tressall , another against the threshold falls downe dead : so many kinde of wayes are chalked out for man , to draw towards his last home , and weane him from the love of earth . those whom god loves , saith menander , die young : yea , those whom hee esteemeth highest , hee takes from hence the soonest : and that for two causes ; the one is to free them the sooner from the wretchednesse of earth ; the other to crowne them the sooner with happinesse in heaven : for what gaine wee by a long life , or what profit reape wee by a tedious pilgrimage , but that wee partly see , partly suffer , partly commit more evils ? priamus say more dayes and shed more teares than troilus . let us hence then learne so to measure our sorrow for ought that may or shall befall us , in respect of the bodie , that after her returne to earth , it may be gloriously re-united to the soule , to make an absolute consort in heaven . thirdly , and lastly , for the goods or blessings of fortune ; they are not to command us , but to be commanded by us ; not to be served by us , but to serve us . and because hee onely in the affaires of this life is the wealthiest , who in the desires of this life is the neediest ; and he the richest on earth , who sees little worth desiring on earth : we are so to moderate our desires ( as i have formerly touched ) in respect of those things we have not , that wee may labour to over-master our desires , in thirsting after more than we already have ; likewise so to temper and qualifie our affections in respect of those things we have , as to shew no immoderate sorrow for the losse of those we have , but to be equally minded , as well in the fruition of those wee have , as privation of those we have not . for of all others , there is no sorrow baser nor unworthier , than that which is grounded on the losse of oxe , or cow , or such inferiour subjects . neither incurre they any lesse opinion of folly , who carried away with the love of their horse , hound , or some such creature , use for some prize or conquest got , to reare in their memory some obeliske , or monument graced with a beauteous inscription , to preserve their fame , because ( poore beasts ) they have nothing to preserve themselves : for howsoever this act seeme to have some correspondence with gratitude , labouring only to grace them who have graced us , rearing a stone to perpetuate their fame , who memoriz'd our name by speed of foot ; yet is it grosse and so palpable to those , whose discretion is a moulder of all their actions , as they account it an act , worthier the observation of an heathen than a christian. cimon buried his mares , bestowing upon them specious tombs , when they had purchased credit in the swift races of the olympiads . xan●ippus bewailed his dogs death , which had followed his master from calamina . alexander erected a citie in the honour of bucephalus , having beene long defended by him in many dangerous battels . and the asse may well among the heathen be adorned with lillies , violets and garlands , when their goddesse vesta by an asses bray , avoided the rape of priapus . but howsoever these actions among pagans might carry some colour of thankfulnesse , rewarding them , by whose speed , fury , agilitie , or some other meanes , they have beene as well preserved as honoured : yet with christians , whose eyes are so clearely opened , and by the light divine so purely illumined , would these seeme acts of prophanenesse , ascribing honour to the creature , to whom none is due , and not to the creator , to whom all honour is solely and properly due . in briefe , let us so esteeme of all ●he goods and gifts of fortune , as of vtensils , fit for our use and service , but of the supreme good , as our chiefest so●ace : for he who subjected all things to the feet of man , that man might be wholly subject unto him , and that man might be wholly his , he gave man dominion over all those workes of his : so he created all outward things for the bodie , the bodie for the soule , but the soule for him ; that shee might only intend him , and only love him , possessing him for solace , but inferiour things for service . thus farre , gentlemen , hath this present discourse inlarged it selfe , to expresse the rare and incomparable effects , which naturally arise from the due practice of moderation , being indeed a vertue so necessary , and well deserving the acquaintance of a gentleman , ( who is to be imagined as one new come to his lands , and therefore stands in great need of so discreet an attendant ) as there is no one vertue better sorting his ranke , not only in matters of preferment , profit , or the like ; but in matters of reputation or personall ingagement , where his very name or credit is brought to the tesh . looke not then with the eye of scorne on such a follower : but take these instructions with you for a fare-well . doth ambition buzze in your eare motions of honour ? this faithfull attendant , moderation , will disswade you from giving way to these suggestions , and tell you , ambition is the high road which leads to ruine , but humilitie is the gate which opens unto glory . doth covetousnesse whisper to you matters of profit ? here is one will tell you , the greatest wealth in the world , is to want the desires of the world . doth wantonnesse suggest to you motives of delight ? here is that herbe of grace , which will save you from being wounded , and salve you already wounded . in briefe , both your expence of time and coine , shall bee so equally disposed , as you shall never need to redeeme time , because you never prodigally lost it ; nor repent your fruitlesse expence of coine , because you never profusely spent it . thus if you live , you cannot chuse but live for ever : for ever , in respect of those choice vertues which attend you : for ever , in respect of your good example , moving others to imitate you . and for ever , in respect of that succeeding glory which shall crowne you . the english gentleman . argument . of perfection ; contemplative and active ; the active preferred ; wherein it consisteth ; of the absolute or supreme end whereto it aspireth , and wherein it resteth . perfection . we are now to treat of a subject , which , while we are here on earth , is farre easier to discourse of , than to finde ; for perfection is not absolute in this life , but graduall . so as , howsoever we may terme one perfect or complete in respect of some especial qualities , wherewith he is endued ; yet , if we come to the true ground of perfection , we shall finde it farre above the sphere of mortality to ascend to : for man , miserable man , what is he , or of himselfe what can he , to make him absolutely perfect ? exceed can he in nothing but sinne , which is such a naturall imperfection , as it wholly detracts from his primitive perfection . time was indeed , when man knew no sinne , and in that ignorance from sin consisted his perfection . but no sooner was that banefull apple tasted , than in the knowledge of sinne he became a professant . wee are therefore to discourse of such perfection , as wee commonly in opinion hold for absolute , though in very deed it appeare only respective and definite ; for to treat of that perfection which is transcendent or indefinite , were to sound the sea , or weigh the mountaines , so far it exceedeth the conceit of man : yea , i say , to taske humane apprehension to the discussion of that soveraigne or supreme perfection , were as unequally matched , as ever were earth and heaven , strength and weaknesse , or the great behemoth , and the silliest worme that creepeth in the chinkes of the earth . let us addresse our selves then to this taske , and make this our ground , that as no man is simply good but god ; so no man is absolutely perfect till hee be individually united to god ; which on earth is not granted , but promised ; not effected , but expected ; not obtained , but with confidence desired , when these few , but evill dayes of our pilgrimage shall be expired : yet is there a graduall perfection , which in some degree or measure wee may attaine , becomming conformable unto him , whose image we have received , and by whom we have so many singular graces and prerogatives on us conferred . and this perfection is to be procured by assistance of gods spirit , and a desire in man to second that assistance by an assiduall endevour . which devout and godly endevour , that it might be the better furthered , and his glory , by whose grace we are assisted , the more advanced ; needfull it were to reduce to our memory , daily and hourely these two maine considerations . first , those three profest enemies that infatigably assaile us , which should make us more watchfull . secondly , that faithfull friend , who so couragiously fights for us , which should make us more thankfull : for our enemies , as they are some of them domestick , so are they more dangerous ; for no foe more perillous than a bosome foe . besides , they are such pleasing enemies , as they cheere us , when they kill us ; sting us , when they smile on us . and what is the instrument they worke on , but the soule ? and what the time limited them to work in , but our life ? which humours do swel up , sorrows bring downe , heats dry , aire infect , meat puffe up , fasting macerate , jests dissolve , sadnesse consume , care straitneth , security deludeth , youth extolleth , wealth transporteth , poverty dejecteth , old-age crooketh , infirmity breaketh , griefe depresseth , the devill deceiveth , the world flattereth , the flesh is delighted , the soule blinded , and the whole man perplexed . how should wee now oppose our selves to such furious and perfidious enemies ? or what armour are we to provide for the better resisting of such powerfull and watchfull assailants ? certainly , no other provision need we , than what already is laid up in store for us , to arme and defend us , and what those blessed saints and servants of christ have formerly used , leaving their owne vertuous lives as patternes unto us . their armour was fasting , prayer , and workes of devotion ; by the first , they made themselves fit to pray ; in the second , they addressed themselves to pray as they ought ; in the third , they performed those holy duties , which every christian of necessity ought to performe . and first , for fasting , it is a great worke , and a christ●●●worke ; producing such excellent effects , as it subjects the flesh to the obedience of the spirit ; making her , of a commander , a subject , of one who tooke upon her an usurped authority , to humble herselfe to the soules soveraignty . likewise prayer , how powerfull it hath beene in all places , might be instanced in sundry places of holy scripture . in the a desart , where temptation is the readiest ; in the b temple , where the devill is oft-times busiest ; on the c sea , where the flouds of perils are the neerest ; in d peace , where security makes men forgetfull'st ; and in e warre , where imminent danger makes men fearfull'st : yea , whether it be with daniel in the f denne ; or manasses in the g dungeon ; whether it be with holy david in the h palace ; or heavenly ieremie in the i prison : the power and efficacie of prayer , sacrificed by a devout and zealous beleever , cannot chuse but be as the first and second raine , fructifying the happy soile of every faithfull soule , to her present comfort here , and hope of future glory else-where . thirdly , workes of devotion , being the fruits or effects of a spirituall conversation ; as ministring to the necessitie of the saints , wherein we have such plenty of examples , both in divine and humane writ , as their godly charitie , or zealous bounty might worthily move us to imitate such blessed patternes in actions of like devotion . for such were they , as they were both liberall , and joyed in their liberality , every one contributing so much as he thought fit , or pleased him to bestow . and whatsoever was so collected , to the charge or trust of the governour , or disposer of the stocke of the poore , was forth with committed . here was that poore-mans box , or indeed christs box , wherein the charity of the faithfull was treasured . neither did these holy saints or servants of god , in their almes eye so much the quality of the person , as his image whom he did represent . and herein they nourished not a sinner , but a righteous begger , because they loved not his sinne , but his natur● . 〈◊〉 now , because wee are to treat of perfection , in each of these we are to observe such cautions , as may make the worke perfect without blemish , and pure from the mixture of flesh . as first , in that godly practice of fasting , to observe such mediocritie , as neither desire to be knowne by blubbered eyes , hanging downe the head , nor any such externall passion may tax us to be of those pharisees , whose devotion had relation rather to the observance of man , than the service of god ; neither so to macerate the body , as to disable it for performing any office which may tend to the propagation of the glory of the highest . for the first institution of fasts , as it was purposely to subdue the inordinate motions of the flesh , and subject it to the obedience and observance of the spirit ; so divers times were by the ancient fathers and councels thought fitting to be kept in holy abstinence , of purpose to remove from them the wrath of god , inflicted on them by the sword , pestilence , famine , or some other such like plague . s. gregory instituted certaine publike fasts , resembling the rogation weeke , with such like solemne processions against the plague and pestilence , as this rogation weeke was first ordained by another holy bishop to that end . as for the ember dayes , they were so called of our ancient forefathers in this countrey , because on those fasting dayes men ate bread baked under embers or ashes . but to propose a certaine rule or forme of direction , there is none surer or safer , than that which we formerly proposed ; so to nourish our bodies , that they be not too much weakned , by which means more divine offices might be hindred ; and againe , so to weaken our bodies , that they be not too much pampered ; by which meanes our spirituall fervour might be cooled . for too delicate is that master , who , when his belly is crammed , would have his mind with devotion crowned . secondly , for prayer , as it is to be numbred among the greatest works of charitie , so of all others it should be freest from hypocrisie : for it is not the sound of the mouth , but the soundnesse of the heart , which makes this oblation so effectually powerfull , and to him that prayeth , so powerfully fruitfull . it is not beating of the brest with the fist , but inward compunction of the heart , flying with the wing of faith , that pierceth heaven . for neither could trasilla's devotion , whereof gregory relates , have beene so powerfull , nor gorgonias supplication , whereof nazianzen reports , so fruitfull ; nor iames the brother of our lord his invocation , whereof eusebius records , so faithfull ; nor paul the eremites daily oblation , whereof ierome recounts , so effectuall ; if pronunciation of the mouth , without affection of the heart ; beating of the brest , without devotion of minde ; dejection of face , without erection of faith , had accompanied their prayer . for it is not hanging downe the head like a bulrush , which argues contrition , but a passionate affection of the heart which mounts up to the throne of grace , till it purchase remission . thirdly , for almes-deeds and other works of devotion , being the fruits or effects of faith , as they are sweet odours , and shall not lose their reward , being duly practised ; so wee must take these three cautions by the way , lest such sweet fruits be corrupted . the first is , to give our owne , and not anothers , for that were robbery : the second is , to give to the poore , and not to the rich in hope of commoditie : the third is , to give in mercy or fellow-feeling of others wants , and not for vaine-glory . for howsoever the poore need not care for any of these respects , because he is rewarded ; yet the giver is to care , because his reward should hereby become frustrated . certainly , there is nothing which relisheth better to the palate of our maker , than ministring releefe to the needy begger , who is gods begger , as a holy father calls him , and therefore should be releeved for his cause that sent him . those goats set on the left hand doe affright mee , not because they were robbers , but because they were no feeders ; saith nazianzen : therefore are wee willed to feed the hunger-starved soule , lest want should famish him ; for if wee suffer him to die for food , wee , and none but wee did famish him . thus if we observe aright the zealous and religious practice of those blessed patternes , who have gone before us , and have left their memorable lives as examples to be imitated by us , wee shall in some measure attaine to that perfection , whereof we now discourse ; labouring so to moderate our affections herein , as neither vaine-glory , nor any other fleshly respect may interpose it selfe in actions of such maine and serious consequence . for albeit , as i formerly noted , no man may come to that absolute perfection , either in matters of knowledge , or practice of life , as if nothing could be further attained , but that the very highest pitch of perfection were acquired ; yet are there degrees which in some measure may be attained , if those vertues which conduce to this perfection be duly practised . for , it is not professing of vertue , but practising ; neither practising of one , but all , which gives life to this perfection . for he whom wee sincerely perfect call , excells not in one vertue , but in all . which perfection farre exceeds all others , derived from some exquisite knowledge in arts or sciences ; for these , how absolute soever they be , come farre short of that perfection which longer time and experience might bring them to . alcibiades is reported to have beene so skilfull in all arts and exercises , that he won the prize in what enterprize soever he tooke in hand ; which was no small glory , when in the olympian or istmian games he no sooner appeared , than those who were to contend with him , were forth with dismayed : yet came this perfection short of that whereof wee now discourse . for it may be probably gathered , that , albeit hee was the activest in his time on istmus , yet all the activest youths , of greece were not on istmus , or if they were , yet the whole world had youths more active , and in all parts more absolute than there were in greece . for to seeke perfection on earth , either in respect of minde or body , either in abilitie of the one , or excellencie of the other , were - in aethere quaererenidum ; he only being most perfect , who acknowledgeth himselfe to be most imperfect . cicero brings in m. antony , saying , that there be many follow , and yet come not to the perfection . which hee might have instanced the best in himselfe : for who , for discipline more exquisite , for attempts in his owne person more valiant , for ripenesse of wit more pregnant , or for tongue more powerfully perswasive than m. antony ? yet to observe how much those more excellent parts were disabled , that light of understanding darkned , that pregnancie of wit rebated , that perswasive orator by a wanton oratresse seduced ; yea , even that mirror of men blemished , might move us freely and ingenuously to acknowledge , as there is nothing more variable than man in respect of his condition , so nothing more prone to evill in respect of his naturall corruption . so as , howsoever hee may seeme in some sort perfect , either in moderating his affections with patience , or subduing his desires with reason , yet there is ever some one defect or other that darkens those perfections . wherefore as marius bombasted his stockins to give a better proportion to his small legs ; if any one would have his good parts set out , hee had need to weare some counterfet disguise to cover his wants , and so gall the world , as iuno deceived ixion with a cloud . truth is , that the worthiest men have beene stained with some notable crime . caesar , though he 〈◊〉 mo●derate , yet was he incontinent : alexander , though continent , yet was he immoderate : sylla , though valiant , yet was he violent : galba , though eminent , yet was he insolent : lucullus generous , yet delicious ; marcellus glorious , yet ambitious ; architas patient , yet avaritious ; archias pregnant , yet lascivious . so as homers understanding , platoes wit , diogenes phrase , aeschines art of oratorie , and ciceroes tongue , could not assume to themselves such perfection , as to free them from other blemishes , which detracted as much from their worth , as these perfections added to their glory . for howsoever that saying of solon may seeme authenticke ; all things among men are sound and perfect ; it is to be understood , that he meant of dealings or commerce among good men , whose word is their bond , and whose profession is to deale uprightly with all men . all things among such men are sound and perfect , for no commoditie can move them to infringe their faith , or falsifie their word for any advantage . but it may be objected , if none can be perfect , whence is it that wee reade , wee ought to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect ? or how is it that paul exhorteth us to perfection ? or how may wee be presented every man perfect in christ iesus ? surely not of us , nor of our selves , but through him who became righteousnesse , and all perfection for us , that he might perfect that in us , which was farre from us , without his especiall grace working or operating in us . yet are we to labour and strive hard towards the marke that is set before us , not ceasing till wee become conformable unto him , and be made perfect in him . but become conformable unto him wee cannot , unlesse wee take delight in contemplating him , to whom our desire is to be conformed . wee will therefore descend to the second branch proposed , to wit , the contemplative part of perfection , wherein wee shall easily finde what divi●e comfort is ministred to the minde , in contemplating him , who distinguished man from the rest of his creatures , by a reasonable minde . it was the saying of a heathen , if god tooke delight in any felicitie , it was in contemplation . to the free use whereof , even those which are ( as hortensius called l. torquatus ) unlearned , rude and ignorant , may be admitted . for howsoever some have beene pleased to terme the images of saints , lay-mens bookes ; sure i am , whosoever he be , be he never so simple or ignorant , that contemplateth god in his creatures , shall finde sufficient matter , in that voluminous booke of his creation , to move him to admire the workmanship of his maker . for the heavens are his , the earth also is his ; and he hath laid the foundation of the world , and all that therein is . so as , even from the cedar of lebanon to the grasse upon the wall , hath he shewne his power and his might to the ends of the world . now to the end this contemplation might not be hindred by any worldly objects , wee are to with-draw our eye from the creature , and fix it wholly upon our creator . for how can any one behold the glory of heaven , when his eyes are poring upon earth ; or how should hee , whose affections are planted upon his gold , erect his thoughts to the contemplation of god ? so as we must not only leave whatsoever wee love on earth , but even leave our selves till wee become wholly weaned from earth ; so shall our affections be in heaven , though our temporary plantation be on earth . for what are these ostrich-winged worldlings , who never flie up , stooping to every lure that either honour , profit , or preferment cast out , but base haggards , who lie downe and dare not give wing for feare of weathering ? whereas these high fliers , whose aimes are above earth , are ever meditating of earths frailtie and heavens felicitie . these consider how the solace of the captive is one , and the joy of the freeman another . these consider , how that hee who fighs not while he is a pilgrim , shall not rejoyce when he is a citizen . these consider , that it is an evident signe that such an one hates his countrey , who holds himselfe to be in good state while hee lives a pilgrim . these will not preferre the husks of vanitie before those inestimable treasures of glory . these , and only these , value earth as it should be valued , desiring rather to leave earth , than set their love on ought upon earth . neither can death take any thing from him going out of the world , who sets his love on nothing in the world . whereas it is much otherwise with them , whose eyes are accustomed to darknesse ; for they cannot behold the beames of that supreme veritie : neither can they judge any thing of the light , whose habitation is in darknesse : they see darknesse , they love darknesse , they approve of darknesse , and going from darknesse to darknesse , they know not whither they fall . such was demas , who forsooke his faith , and embraced this present world . such was simon magus , who bewitched the people with sorceries , to gaine himselfe esteeme in the world . such was demetrius the silver-smith , who brought great gaines unto the crafts-men , and mightily enriched himselfe in the world . and in a word , such are all those whose eyes are sealed to heavenly contemplations , but opened to the objects of earth , prizing nothing else worthy either viewing or loving . it is rare and wonderfull to observe what admirable contemplations the heathen philosophers enjoyed , though not so much as partakers of the least glimpse of that glorious light which is to us revealed ! how deeply searching in the influence of planets , how studious after the knowledge of herbs , plants , vertue of stones , which inforced in them no lesse admiration , than delight in so sweet a contemplation ? now if the heathens , who had no knowledge of god , but only a glimmering light of nature , being not so much ( i say ) as the least beamling in comparison of that glorious light which we enjoy , conceived such sweetnesse in the search of causes and events , preferring their contemplation before the possession of earth , or all that fraile earth c●uld promise ; what surpassing comfort or ineffable sweetnesse are wee to conceive in the contemplation of god , the one and only practice whereof maketh man blessed , although in outward things he were the poorest and needfullest in the world ? the blessed saints and faithfull servants of god have beene so ravished with this sweetnesse , as they were drunke with joy in contemplation of the highest . for either honour or preferment , they were so indifferent , as they rejected it ; and for riches so equally contented , as they dis-valued it , selling their possessions , and laying the money at the apostles feet . yea peter , to instance one for all , no sooner tasted this sweetnesse , than forgetfull of all inferiour things , he cried out as one spiritually drunke , saying ; lord , it is good for us to be here ; let us make us here three tabernacles , let us stay here , let us contemplate thee , because wee need nothing else but thee : it sufficeth us , lord , to see thee , it sufficeth us , i say , to be filled with such sweetnesse as commeth from thee . one onely drop of sweetnesse he tasted , and he loathed all other sweetnesse . what may wee imagine would he have said , if he had tasted the multitude of the sweetnesse of his divinitie , which he hath laid up in store for those that feare him ? surely , the contemplative man , whose affections are estranged from earth , and seated in heaven , makes use of whatsoever he seeth on earth , as directions to guide him in his progresse to heaven . his eyes are not like the ambitious mans , whose eye-sore is only to see others great , and himselfe unadvanced : nor like the covetous mans , whose eyes ( tarpeia-like ) betray his soule , seeing nothing precious or prosperous which he wisheth not : nor like the voluptuous mans , whose sealed eyes are blinde to the objects of vertue , but unsealed to the objects of vanitie , seeing nothing sensually moving which he affects not : nor like the vain-glorious ma●s , who practiseth seldome what is good or honest for the love of goodnesse , but to bee praised and observed . whereas , the true contemplative man loves vertue for vertues sake , concluding divinely with the poet ; this amongst good men hath beene ever knowne , vertue rewards herselfe , herselfe's her crowne . and for these light objects of vanity , he as much loaths them , as the voluptuous man loves them ; and for coveting , he is so farre from desiring more than he hath , as he is indifferent either for injoying or forgoing what he already hath ; and for aspiring , he holds it the best ambition of any creature , to promote the glory of his maker . he is ever descanting on this divine ditty ; o how glorious things are spoken of thee , o thou city of god! for his thoughts are sphered above earth , and lodged in the contemplation of heaven . and if so be , that he chance to fix his eye upon earth , it is , as i said before , to direct his feet , and erect his faith to the contemplation of heaven . for by consideration had to these temporall goods ( to use the words of a devout father ) hee gathereth the greatnesse of the heavenly councell : comprehending by these little ones , those great ones ; by these visible , those invisible ones : for if the lord shew or rather showre so great and innumerable benefits from heaven , and from the aire , from the land and sea , light and darknesse , heat and shadow , dew and raine , winds and showres , birds and fishes , and multiplicity of herbs and plants of the earth , and the ministry of all creatures successively in their seasons ministring to us , to allay our loathing , and beget in us towards our maker , an incessant longing , and all this for an ignoble and corruptible body ; what , how great , and innumerable shall those good things be , which he hath prepared for them that love him , in that heavenly countrey , where we shall see him face to face ? if he doe such things for us in this prison , what will ●ee doe for us in that palace ? great and innumerable are thy workes o lord , king of heaven ! for seeing , all these are very good and delectable , which hee hath equally bestowed upon both good and evill : how great shall those be which he hath laid up only for the good ? if so divers and innumerable be the gifts , which he bestoweth both upon friends and foes ; how sweet and delectable shall those be , which he will only bestow upon his friends ? if such comforts in this day of teares and anguish , what will he conferre on us in that day of nuptiall solace ? if a prison containe such delights , what , i pray you , shall our countrey containe ? no eye ( o lord ) without thee , hath seene those things which thou hast prepared for them that love thee : for according to the great multitude of thy magnificence , there is also a multitude of thy sweetnesse , which thou hast hid for them that feare thee : for great thou art , o lord our god , and unmeasurable neither is there end of thy greatnesse , nor number of thy wisdome , nor measure of thy mercy , neither is there end , nor number , nor measure of thy bountie : but as thou art great , so be thy gifts great : because thou thy selfe art the reward and gift of thy faithfull warriours . thus is the spiritually contemplative man ever employed , thus are his affections planted , thus his desires seated , caring so little for earth , as he is dead to earth long before hee returne to earth ; drawing daily neerer heaven , having his desire only there , long before he come there . now to instance some , whose profession was meerely contemplative , having retired or sequestred themselves from the society of this world , we might illustrate this subject with many excellent patternes in this kinde , as those especially who strictly professed a monasticke life , becomming severe enemies to their owne flesh , and estranging themselves from conversing witt●man . which kinde of discipline , as it was in respect of humanity too unsociable , so in respect of themselves , doubtlesse , sweet and delightfull ; being so intraunced with divine contemplation , as they forgot earth and all earthly affections . of this sort , you shall reade sundry examples ; whereof one more memorable than the rest might be instanced in him , who reading that sentence of holy scripture , goe and sell all that thou hast , presently imagining it to be meant by him , did so . the like contempt towards the world , might be instanced in holy ierome , paulinus that good bishop of nola , and many others , upon which i would be loth to insist , for brevity sake . neither certainly can they , whose thoughts are erected above the centre of earth , having their hearts planted where their treasure is placed , deigne to fix their eye upon ought in the world , because they see nothing worthy affecting in the world : for they thinke godlinesse is a great gaine , if a man be content with that he hath . they doe good , being rich in good workes , and ready to distribute , and communicate ; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come , that they may obtaine eternall life . yea , they have not only learned in whatsoever state they are , therewith to be content , but wholly to relinquish both selfe and state to advance the glory of god. but it may be now well objected , that these men whereof we now treat , are fitter for a cell than a court , and therefore too regular masters , to have young gentlemen for their schollers : for how should these , whose education hath beene liberty , conversation publike society , and who hold good fellowship an appendice to gentry , betake themselves to such strictnesse , as to be deprived of common aire , live remote from all company , passing the remainder of their dayes in a wildernesse , as if they had committed some egregious fact that deserved such severe penance ? mistake me not , my meaning is much otherwise : for as i would not have gentlemen libertines , so i would not have them hermits ; for the first , as they are too prodigally secular , so the latter are too severely regular . neither am i ignorant how a * cloister may be no lesse shelter unto error , than a more publike place of delight or pleasure . but my discourse touching this contemplative perfection , was purposely to draw the curtaine from before the picture , and to shew to their eye that faire idaea , or feature which hath beene so long shadowed ; i meane the faire and beautifull structure of the inward man , which so long as it is darkened with these bleere-eyed leahs , these objects of vanity , cannot enjoy it selfe , but peece-meale , as it were , divided from it selfe , seemes wholly deprived of life , for a heart divided cannot live . and what are these objects of vanity , whereon the eye of your contemplation is usually fixed , but those soule-soiling sores of this land , pride and voluptuousnesse ? with what greedinesse will a young gallants eye gaze upon some new or phantasticke fashion , wishing ( o vaine wish ! ) that he had but the braines to have invented such a fashion , whereby he might have given occasion to others of imitation and admiration ? with what insatiablenesse , will he fix his eye upon some light affected curtezan , whose raiment is her onely ornament , and whose chiefest glory is to set at sale her adulterate beauty ? no street , no corner but gives him objects which drawes his eye from that choicest object , whereon his whole delight should be seated : no place so obscure , wherein his contemplative part is not on the view of forbidden objects greedily fixed . how requisite then were it for you , young gentlemen , whose aymes are more noble than to subject them to these unworthy ends , to take a view sometimes of such absolute patternes of contemplative perfection , as have excelled in this kinde ? but because a three-fold cord is hardly broken , i will recommend unto your consideration a three-fold meditation , the daily use and exercise whereof may bring you to a more serious view of your owne particular estate . first is , the worthinesse of the soule ; secondly , the unworthines of earth ; thirdly , thankefulnes unto god , who made man the worthiest creature upon earth . for the first : what is she , and in glory how surpassing is she ( to use the selfe-same words which an holy father useth ) being so strong , so weake , so small , so great , searching the secrets of god , and contemplating those things which are of god , and with her piercing wit is knowne to have attained the skill of many arts for humane profit and advantage ? what is shee , i say , who knoweth so much in other things , and to what end they were made , yet is wholly ignorant how herselfe was made ? a princesse surely ; for as a queene in her throne , so is the soule in the body ; being the life of the body , as god is the life of the soule ; being of such dignity , as no good , but the supreme good , may suffice it ; of such liberty , as no inferiour thing may restraine it . how then is the soule of such worthinesse , as no exteriour good may suffice it , nor no inferiour thing restraine it ? how comes it then , that it stoopes to the lure of vanity , as one forgetfull of her owne glory ? how comes it then to be so fledged in the * bird-lime of inferiour delights , as nothing tasteth so well to her palate , as the delights of earth ? surely , either she derogates much from what she is , or there is more worthinesse on earth , than wee hold there is . having then taken a short view of the dignity or worthinesse of the soule ; let us reflect a little upon the unworthinesse of earth , and see if we can finde her worthy the entertainment of so glorious a princesse . earth , as it is an heavie element , and inclineth naturally downward , so it keeps the earthly minded moule from looking upward . there is nothing in it which may satisfie the desire of the outward senses , much lesse of the inward . for neither is the eye satisfied with seeing , be the object never so pleasing , nor the eare with hearing , be the accent never so moving , nor the pallat with tasting , be the cates never so relishing , nor the nose with smelling , be the confection never so perfuming , nor the hand with touching , be the subject never so affecting . and for those sugred pills of pleasure , though sweet , how short are they in continuance , and how bitter , being ever attended on by repentance ? and for honours , those snow-balls of greatnesse , how intricate the wayes by which they are attained , and how sandie the foundation wheron they are grounded ? how unworthy then is earth to give entertainment to so princely a guest , having nothing to bid her welcome withall , but the refuse and rubbish of uncleannesse , the garnish or varnish of lightnesse ? for admit this guest were hungrie , what provision had earth to feed her with , but the huskes of vanity ? if thirstie , what to refresh her with , but with worme-wood of folly ? if naked , what to cloath her with , but the cover of mortality ? if imprisoned , how to visit her , but with fetters of captivity ? or if sicke , how to comfort her , but with additions of misery ? since then , the worthinesse of the soule is such , as earth is too unworthy to entertaine her , expedient it were that she had recourse to him that made her , and with all thankefulnesse tender herselfe unto him , who so highly graced her . let man therefore in the uprightnesse of a pure and sincere soule weaned from earth , and by contemplation already sainted in heaven , say ; what shall i render unto thee , o my god , for so great benefits of thy mercy ? what praises , or what thanksgiving ? for if the knowledge and power of the blessed angels were presen● with me to assist mee , yet were i not able to render ought worthy of so great piety and goodnesse , as i have received from thee : yea surely , if all my members were turned into tongues to render due praise unto thee , in no case would my smalnesse suffice to praise thee , for thy inestimable charitie which thou hast shewne to me unworthy one , for thy onely love and goodnesse sake , exceedeth all knowledge . neither is it meet that the remembrance of a benefit should be limitted by day or date ; but as the benefits we receive are daily , so should our thankfulnes be expressed daily , lest by being unthankfull , god take his benefits from us , and bestow them on such as will be thankfull . and let this suffice for the contemplative part of perfection ; descending briefly to that part , which makes the contemplative truly perfect by action . we are now to treat of that , which is easier to discourse of than to finde : for men naturally have a desire to know all things , but to doe nothing ; so easie is the contemplative in respect of the active , so hard the practicke in respect of the speculative . how many shall we observe daily , propounding sundry excellent observations , divine instructions , and christian-like conclusions touching contempt of the world , wherein this active perfection principally consisteth , yet how farre short come they in their owne example : so easie it is to propound matter of instruction to others , so hard to exemplifie that instruction in themselves ? this may be instanced in that ruler in the gospell , who avouched his integritie and perfection , concluding , that hee had kept all those commandements which christ recounted to him , from his youth up : yet when christ said unto him , sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poore , and thou shalt have treasure in heaven , and come follow me : we reade , he was very sorrowfull ; for he was very rich . so miserable and inextricable is the worldlings thraldome , when neither the incertainty of this life , nor those certaine promises made unto him , in hope of a better life , can weane him from the blinde affection of earth . necessary therefore it is , that he , who desires to attaine this active perfection , unto which all good men labour , moderate his desires towards such things as hee hath not , and addresse himselfe to an indifferencie of losing those things which hee already hath : for he , whose desires are extended to more than hee enjoyes , or who too exceedingly admires what hee now enjoyes , can never attaine that high degree of active perfection . the reason is , no man whose content is seated on these externall flourishes of vanity , can direct his contemplation , or erect the eye of his affection to that eternall sunne of verity , whom to enjoy , is to enjoy all true perfection ; and of whom to be deprived , is to taste the bitternesse of deepest affliction . now , how are we to enjoy him ? not by knowledge only , or contemplation ; but by seconding or making good our knowledge by action : for we know , that there is a woe denounced on him , who knoweth the will of his father and doth it not ; when neither his knowledge can plead ignorance , nor want of understanding in the law of god , simplicity or blindnesse . wee are therefore not only to know , but doe ; know , lest ignorance should misguide us ; doe , lest our knowledge should accuse us . behovefull therefore were it for us to observe that excellent precept of holy ierome : so live ( saith hee ) that none may have just cause to speake ill of you . now , there is nothing which may procure this good report sooner , than labouring to avoid all meanes of scandall ; as consorting with vitious men , whose noted lives bring such in question as accompany them . this was the cause ( as i formerly noted ) why saint iohn would not stay in the bath wih the hereticke corinthus . o how many , and with much griefe i speake it , have we knowne in this little iland , well descended , with choicest gifts of nature accomplished , of their owne disposition well affected , who by consorting with inordinate men have given reines to libertie , and blasted those faire hopes , which their friends and country had planted on them ! how requisite then is it , for every one whose thoughts ayme at perfection , to consort with such as may better him , and not deprave him ; informe him , and not corrupt him ? for if there be a kinde of resemblance betwixt the diseases of the body , and the vices or enormities of the minde ; what especiall care are we to take , lest by keeping company with those who are already depraved , wee become likewise infected ? men would be loth to enter any house that is suspected only to be infected ; which if at unawares they have at any time entred , they presently make recourse to the apothecary to receive some soveraigne receit to expell it . and if men be so afraid lest this house , the bodie , which like a shaken building menaceth ruine daily , should perish , what great respect ought to be had to the soule , which is the guest of the body ? shall corruption be so attended and tendred , and the precious image of incorruption lessened and neglected ? god forbid ; specious or gorgeous sepulchres are not so to be trimmed , that the cost bestowed on them should cause the divine part to be wholly contemned . to remove which contempt ( if any 〈◊〉 there be ) i will recommend to your devoutest meditation these two particulars . first , who it was that made us : secondly , for what end he made us : to which two briefly , we intend to referre the series of this present discourse . for the first , we are to know that no man is his owne maker : it is he that made us , who made all things for us , that they might minister unto us and to our necessity , ordaining these for our service , and himselfe for our solace . he it is who hath subjected all things to the feet of man , that man might wholly become subject unto him : yea , and that man might become wholly his , he gave man absolute dominion over all those workes of his ; creating all outward things for the body , the body for the soule , and the soule for himselfe . and to what end ? even to this end , that man might only intend him , onely love him , possessing him to his solace , but inferiour things to his service . now , to dilate a little upon this great worke of our creation , we may collect from sacred scripture a foure-fold creation or generation . the first in adam , who came neither of man nor woman ; the second in eue , who came of man without woman ; the third in christ , who came not of man but woman : the fourth in us , who came both of man and woman . for the first , as he had from earth his creation , so it shewed the weaknesse of his composition , the vilenesse of his condition , with the certainty of his dissolution . for the second , as she had from man her forming , so it figured their firmenesse of union , inseparable communion , and inviolable affection . for the third , as he came only of woman , so he promised by the seed of the woman , to bruise the serpents head , who had deceived woman , and restore man to the state of grace , from which he had fallen by meanes of a woman . for the fourth , as we came both from man and woman , so we bring with us into the world that originall sinne , which we derive both from man and woman , the sting whereof cannot be rebated , but only through 〈◊〉 , who became man borne of a woman . but in this great worke of our creation , we are not to observe so much the matter , as quality and nature of our creation . for the matter of our creation , or that whereof we be composed , what is it but vile earth , slime and corruption ? so as , howsoever we appeare beautifull , specious and amiable in the sight of man , whose eye is fixed on the externall part , yet when the oile of our lampe is consumed , and wee to dust and ashes reduced , we shall deserve no better inscription than this ; behold a specious and pretious shrine covering a stinking corps ! wherefore ought wee to observe the internall part , and the especiall glory wee receive by it : for hereby are we distinguished in the quality of our creation , from all other creatures , who governe their actions by sense onely , and not by reason . hence it was that , that divine philosopher gave god thankes for three especiall bounties conferred on him : first was , for that god had created him a reasonable creature , and no brute beast ; secondly , for creating him a man , and no woman ; thirdly , for that he was a grecian , and no barbarian . this it was which moved that blessed and learned father saint augustine to breake out into this passionate rapsodie of spirit . thy hand could ( o lord ) have created me a stone , or a bird , or a serpent , or some brute beast : and this it knew , but it would not for thy goodnesse sake . this it was which forced from that devout and zealous father this emphaticall discourse or intercourse rather with god ; who upon a time walking in his garden , and beholding a little worme creeping and crawling upon the ground , presently used these words ; deare lord , thou might'st have made me like this worme , a crawling despicable creature , but thou would'st not , and it was thy mercy that thou would'st not ; o , as thou has● ennobled me with the image of thy selfe , make me conformable to thy self , that of a worm i may become an angel ; of a vassall of sin ▪ a vessell of sion , of a shell of corruption , a star of glory in thy heavenly mansion . and in truth , there is nothing which may move us to a more serious consideration of gods gracious affection towards us , than the very image which we carry about us : preferring us not only before all the rest of his creatures in soveraignty and dominion , but also in an amiable similitude , feature , and proportion ; whereby we become not only equall , but even superiour unto angells , because man was god , and god man , and no angell . to whom are wee then to make recourse to , as the author of our creation , save god , whose hand hath made and fashioned us , whose grace hath ever since directed and prevented us , and whose continued love ( for whom he loveth , he loveth unto the end ) hath ever extended it selfe in ample manner towards us ? how frivolous then and ridiculous were their opinions , who ascribed the creation of all things to the elements , as anaximenes to the piercing aire ; hippeas to the fleeting water ; zeno to the purifying fire ; zenophanes to the lumpish earth ? how miserably were these blinded , and how notably evinced by that learned father , who speaking in the persons of all these elements , and of all other his good creatures , proceedeth in this sort ? i tooke my compasse , ( saith he , speaking to god ) in the survey of all things , seeking thee , and for all things relinquishing my selfe . i asked the earth if it were my god , and it said unto me that it was not , and all things in it confessed the same . i asked the sea , and the depths , and the creeping things in them , and they answered , we are not thy god , seeke him above us . i asked the breathing aire , and the whole aire , with all the inhabitants thereof made answer : anaximenes is deceived , i am not thy god. i asked the heaven , sun , moone and stars : neither are wee thy god , answered they . and i spake to all these who stand about the gates of my flesh , tell me what you know concerning my god , tell mee something of him : and they cryed out with a great voice , he made us . then i asked the whole frame and fabricke of this world , tell me if thou be my god ? and it answered with a strong voyce , i am not , said it , but by him i am , whom thou seekest in mee , hee it was that made mee , seeke him above me , who governeth me , who made me . the interrogation of the creatures is the profound consideration of them , and their answer the witnesse they beare of god , because all things cry , god hath made us : for as the apostle saith , the invisible things of god are visibly to be understood by those things which are made , by the creatures of the world . thus wee understand the author of our creation , of whom seriously to meditate , and with due reverence to contemplate , is to die to all earthly cogitations , which delude the sinne-belulled soule with extravagancies . and let this suffice for the first memoriall or consideration , to wit , who it was that made us ; we are now to descend to the second particular , which is , for what end he made us . he who rested not till he had composed and disposed in an absolute order of this vniverse , proposed us an example that we should imitate : so long as we are pilgrims here on earth ; so long as we are sojourners in this world , wee may not enjoy our spirituall sabbath ; wee may stay a little and breath under the crosse , after the example of our best master , but rest wee may not . for what end then did he make us ? that we might live such lives as may please him , and die such deaths as may praise him ; lives blamelesse and unreproveable ; lives sanctified throughout , pure without blemish , fruitfull in example , plentifull in all holy duties , and exercised in the workes of charitie , that he who begetteth in us both the will and the worke , may present us blamelesse at his comming . now , that our lives may become acceptable unto him , to whose glory they ought to be directed , we are in this taberna●le of clay to addresse our selves to those studies , exercises and labours , which may benefit the church or common-weale , ministring matter unto others of imitation , to our soules of consolation , and in both to gods name of glorification : wherein appeareth a maine difference betwixt the contemplative and active part : for sufficient it is not to know , acknowledge and confesse the divine majesty ; to dispute or reason upon high points touching the blessed trinitie ; to be rapt up to the third heaven ( as it were ) by the wings of contemplation ; but to addresse our selves to an actuall performance of such offices and peculiar duties , as we are expresly injoyned by the divine law of god. our lord in the gospell , when the woman said , blessed is the wombe that bare thee , and the brests that gave thee sucke : answered , yea , rather blessed are they that heare the word of god , and keepe it . and when one of the iewes told him that his mother and brethren stood without , desiring to speake with him ; he answered , and said unto him , that told him , who is my mother ? and who are my brethren ? and stretching forth his hand toward his disciples , he said , behold my mother and my brethren : for whosoever shall doe the will of my father which is in heaven , the same is my brother , and sister , and mother . it is not knowledge then , but practice which presents us blamelesse before god. therefore are we exhorted to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling . not to idle out our time in the market-place , as such who make their life a repose or cessation from all labours , studies , or vertuous intendments . of which sort those are , ( and too many of those there are ) who advanced to great fortunes by their provident ancestors , imagine it a taske worthy men of their places , to passe their time in pastime , and imploy their dayes in an infinite consumption of mis-spent houres , for which they must be accomptants in that great assize , where neither greatnesse shall be a subt●●●●g to guiltinesse , nor their descent plead privilege for those many houres they have mis-spent . o how can they answer for so many vaine and fruitlesse pleasures , which they have enjoyed , and with all greedinesse embraced in this life ? many they shall have to witnesse against them , none to answer for them : for their stoves , summer arbours , refectories , and all other places wherein they enjoyed the height of delight , shall be produced against them , to tax them of sensuall living , and witnesse against them their small care of observing the end for which they were made . o gentlemen , you whose hopes are promising , your more excellent endowments assuring , and your selves as patternes unto others appearing , know , that this perfection whereof we now intreat , is not acquired by idling or sensuall delighting of your selves in carnall pleasures , which darken and eclypse the glory or lustre of the soule , but in labouring to mortifie the desires of the flesh , which is ever levying and levelling her forces against the spirit ! now this mortification can never be attained by obeying , but resisting and impugning the desires of the flesh . wherefore , the onely meanes to bring the flesh to perfect subjection , is to crosse her in those delights which shee most affecteth . doth she delight in sleepe and rest ? keepe her waking ; takes she content in meats and drinkes ? keepe her craving ; takes she solace in company ? use her to privacie and retiring ; takes shee liking to ease ? inure her to labouring : briefly , in whatsoever shee is delighted , let her be alwayes thwarted ; so shall you enjoy the most rest , when she enjoyes the least . hence it was that saint ierome , that excellent patterne of holy discipline , counselleth the holy virgin demetrias , to eschew idlenesse : exhorting her withall , that having done her prayers , shee should take in hand wooll and weaving , after the commendable example of dorcas , that by such change or variety of workes , the day might seeme lesse tedious , and the assaults of satan lesse grievous . neither did this divine father advise her to worke , because she was in poverty , or by this meanes to sustaine her family ; for she was one of the most noble and eminent women in rome , and richest ; wherefore her want was not the cause which pressed him to this exhortation , but this rather , that by this occasion of exercising herselfe in these laudable and decent labour , she should thinke of nothing , but such as properly pertained unto the service of god : which place he concludeth in this manner . i speake generally , no rayment , ornament , or habit whatsoever shall seeme precious in christs sight ; but that which thou makest thy selfe , either for thine owne peculiar use , or example of other virgins , or to give unto thy grand-mother , or thy mother , no , though thou distribute all thy goods unto the poore . see how expresly this noble woman was injoyned to her taske , that by intending herselfe to labour , shee might give lesse way unto errour . certainly , as mans extremity is gods opportunity , so the devils opportunity is mans security : we are then principally to take heed lest we give way to the incursion of satan , by our security of life and conversation . and what is it that begetteth this security , but idlenesse , which may be termed , and not improperly , the soules lethargie ? for nothing can be more opposite to this actuall perfection , than restor vacancy ; we say , vertue consisteth in action ; how then may we be said to be favourers , followers , or furtherers of vertue , when wee surcease from action , which is the life , light , and subsistence of vertue ? wherfore , as it is little to reade or gather , but to understand and to reduce to forme what we reade , gather or understand ; for this is the ornament of art , the argument of labour : so it is little or to no purpose , that wee know , conceive or apprehend , unlesse we make a fruitfull use of that knowledge by serious practice , to the benefit of our selves and others . i have knowne divers physitians , some whereof were of great practice , but small reading ; others of great reading , but small practice ; and i have heard sundry men of sufficient judgement confidently averre , that in cases of necessity they had rather hazard their lives in the hand of the practicke than theoricke : and their reason was this ; though the practick had not exercised himselfe in the perusall of bookes , he had gained him experience in the practice of cures ; and that the body of his patient was the onely booke within his element . to which assertion i will neither assent , nor wholly dissent ; for as he that practiseth before he know , may sooner kill than cure ; so he who knoweth , and seldome or never practiseth , must of necessity , to get him experience , kill before he cure . but sure i am , that many ignorant lay-men , whose knowledge was little more than what nature bestowed on them , by means of regular discipline , and powerfull subduing of their owne affections , have become absolute men ; being such as reached to as high a pitch of actuall perfection , as ever the learned'st or profoundest man in the world attained : for it is neither knowledge nor place , but the free gift of gods grace , which enableth the spirituall man to this perfection . now , forasmuch as not to goe forward , is to goe backward ; and that there be two solstices in the suns motion , but none in times revolution , or in a christians progression : the only meanes to attaine this actuall perfection , at least some small measure or degree therein , is every night to haue our ephemerides about with us , examining our selves what we have done that day ; how far we have profited , wherein benefited our spirituall knowledge . againe , wherein have we reformed our life , or expressed our love to christ by communicating to the necessitie of his saints . by which means , we shall in short time observe what remaines unreformed ; esteeming it the sweetest life , every day to better our life . but principally , are we to looke to our affections which rise and rage in us ; and like the snake in the fable , pester and disturbe the inner house of man : for these are they , which ( as saint basil saith ) rise up in a drunken man ( drunke i meane with all spirituall fornication ) like a swarme of bees buzzing on every side . when the affections of men are troubled , they change them like circes cups , from men to beasts . neither is it so ill to be a beast , as for man to live like a beast . o then , let us have an eye to our affections ; let them be planted , where they may be duly seasoned ! earth makes them distastefull ; let them be fixed then in heaven , the only thought whereof will cause them to be delightfull . and to conclude this branch ; it will not be amisse for us , to counterpoize our affections ( if wee finde them at any time irregular ) with weights of contrary nature ; as if we finde our selves naturally affected to pride ( that luciferian sinne ) to counterpoise it with motives of humilitie ; as the vilenesse of our condition , basenesse of our composition , and weaknesse of our constitution : or naturally inclined to covetousnesse ( that mammons sin ) to give , though the gift afflict vs , liberally , that our forced bounty may in time weane us from our in-bred misery : if of grating oppression , or grinding extortion ( that ahabs sin ) let us make restitution with good zacheus , and though we cannot doe it so frankly as he did , yet let us doe it as freely as we may ; that our restitution may in some sort answer for our former oppression : if of excesse in fare and gluttony ( that dives sinne ) let us so moderate our delight in feeding , that our delight may be to sustaine nature , and not oppresse her with exceeding : if of lust or sensuality ( that ammons sinne ) where that sin may abound , the sense is obey'd , let us subject all our delights to the government of reason , and reason to the soveraignty of grace , that the flesh may be resisted in what it most affecteth , and in that seconded , wherein it least delighteth : if of envie , ( that serpentin● sinne ) let us entertaine brotherly love , for envie can beare no sway where love raigneth : if of wrath ( that cains sin ) embrace patience ; so shall fury be suppressed , where patience is lodged : if of sloth , ( the sluggards sinne ) let us inure our selves to some exercise that may most delight us , so in time wee may become exercised in taskes of greater difficultie : being first from sloth weaned , afterwards to greater labours inured . thus to fight were to vanquish ; thus to enter lists , were to reape spirituall solace ; for through him should we triumph , who sees us fighting , cheeres us failing , and crownes us conquering . and this shall suffice to have been spoken of the active part of perfection , purposing according to our former method , to compare the contemplative and active together ; the parts or properties of both which being duly examined , it shall more plainly appeare how the active is to be preferred . it is a barren faith , we say , that is not attended on by good workes ; and no lesse fruitlesse is that knowledge which is exercised only in contemplation , and never in action . we are therefore with elizeus to have a double spirit ; a spirit that as well doeth , as teacheth ; not only a profering of words , but also an offering of works . so as , it is not breathing or moving , or talking , which argue a spirituall life ; but abounding plentifully in all holy duties , expressing those effectuall and powerfull fruits of a living faith by workes of charity and obedience , which may any way tend to the glorifying of god , edifying our neighbour , or conforming our selves to him , whose image we beare . now , as there is no confort comparable to the testimony of a good conscience , being that inseparable companion which shall attend us to glory or confusion 〈◊〉 there is no punishment , torment or affliction so grievous as shame ; which deriveth the cause , ground , and beginning , either from doing that which we ought not , or from not doing that which we ought : as the comfort we reape from the testimony of a good conscience , deriveth properly the primary cause and effect from doing that which we ought , and abstaining from doing that which wee ought not . and what be those works which are principally commended unto us , but works of charitie and devotion ? for to our owne soules ( saith a devout father ) shall we be right acceptable and gratefull , if we compassionate the estate of our poore brother , by being mercifull : yea , there is nothing that commendeth more a christian man , or argueth a christian-like affected minde , than to shew compassion to those that are afflicted . for in this there is a resemblance betwixt the creature and creator , loving , as he himselfe loved ; shewing compassion , as hee shewed . o let me commend this so commendable and generous a quality , to your admittance , gentlemen ! for beleeve mee , there is no one property that shall better accomplish you , no armory that may more truly deblazon you : for it is a badge of gentry to shew compassion towards misery . what profit shall you reape , if having only superficially read some treatise tending to the comfort of such as are either in body afflicted , or in minde perplexed , or in both distressed ; if you apply not these directions of comfort to them thus miserably dejected ? what reward , i say , shall you receive , upon the account by you given , of the sicke which you have visited ; when having knowne how to comfort men in their affliction , you have not ministred the least comfort to them in their visitation ? or when you shall be demanded , where are the hungrie which you have refreshed , the thirstie whose thirst you have quenched , the naked whom you have cloathed , the miserable oppressed soule whose case you have not 〈◊〉 pitied but redressed ? and you shall answer , how you did indeed visit them , but minister small comfort unto them ; you knew them to be oppressed , and the way to redresse them , but other occasions detained you , as you could not releeve them : nay rather , have you not added worme-wood to their affliction ? have you not surfetted in their suffering , fatned your selves in their famishing , and raised your states by their ruine ? were not your tables stored , when they were starved ; did not you feast , when they fasted ; did it not affect you to see them afflicted ? if at any time you felt this in your selves , let the dolefull remembrance thereof produce torrents of teares from your distreaming eyes ; supply your manifold misdeeds with many almes-deeds ; your transgressions with compassions ; your oppression with foure-fold restitution ; that your sin may no more be had in remembrance : yea , let me use that exhortation to you , which a learned father used upon like occasion ; let charitie smite your bowels ; see not the image of your redeemer disgraced , but forth with labour to right him ; see him not oppressed , but to your power redresse him ; see him not starve , if you have bread to releeve him ; or thirsty , if you have drinke to refresh him ; or naked , if you have a garment to cloath him ; or in any sort distressed , if you have meanes to succour him . oh consume not that on prodigality , which might procure the prayers of many poore soules for you ! their prayers are your praises ; their morning and evening sacrifice , way-marks to direct you unto paradise : take heed then you offend none of these little ones , but cheere them ; be not as thornes in their eyes , or prickes in their sides , but minister all necessary comfort unto them . now , if this appeare a matter of difficultie , pretending that the supportance of your state exacts so much of you , as you can reserve nothing to exhibite upon these workes of charity ; heare me whosoever thou 〈◊〉 makest this objection : be provoked , o christian , be provoked by the widow of sarepta to this encounter ! encounter i call it , because the flesh suggests sundry occasions to avert thee from it . that charitable widow , though shee had but a little meale , shee imparted of that little to a prophet ; though shee had but a little oile , yet shee freely bestowed it to refresh a prophet . the woman of samaria , when iesus said unto her , give me to drinke , answered ; how is it that thou being a iew , askest drinke of me , which am a woman of samaria ? sundrie such like answers will flesh and bloud make , to dispence with workes of charitie : or like the answer of churlish nabal ; who is david , and who is the sonne of iesse ? there be many servants now adayes , that breake away every man from his master : shall i then take my bread and my water , and my flesh which i have killed for my shearers , and give it unto men , whom i know not whence they be ? o let not these objections divert the current of thy compassion ! eye not so much his countrey , whether neighbour-borne , or a stranger , as his countenance , the expresse image of thy saviour . but to descend to some reasons , why the active part of perfection is to be preferred before the contemplative ; this amongst others is the most effectuall and impregnable . in that great day of account , when the sealed booke of our secretest sinnes shall be unsealed , our privatest actions discovered , our closest and subtillest practices displayed , and the whole inside of man uncased ; it shall not be demanded of us , what knew we , but what did we . fitting therefore it were to prefer action before knowledge in this life , being so infallibly to be preferred after this life . howbeit , greater is their shame , and sharper ( doubtlesse ) shall be their censure , whose education in all arts divine and humane hath enabled them for discourse , fitted or accommodated them for managements publike or private ; yet they , giving reines to liberty , invert their knowledge to depraved ends , either making no use of such noble and exquisite indowments , or which is worse , imploying them to the satisfaction of their owne illimited desires . o happy had these beene , if they had never knowne the excellence of learning , for ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted ! yea but , will some object , i cannot see how any one should observe a law before they know it ; wherefore , as i thinke , knowledge is to be preferred , because by knowledge is action directed . it is true indeed , knowledge directs and instructs , for otherwise we should grope in darknesse ; neither doe i exclude all knowledge , but admit so much as may instruct man sufficiently in matters of faith ; put him in remembrance of heaven , whose joyes are ineffable ; of hell , whose pains are intollerable ; of the last judgement , whose sentence is irrevocable . so as i exclude only this grosse ignorance , or blinde paganisme , for to these is the way to heaven closed , because they are divided from that light , without which the celestial way cannot be discerned . wheras then i have so much insisted heretofore upon the contemplative part of perfection ; my ayme was to shew how those , who continued in a contemplative and solitary life , sequestring themselves from the cares and company of this world , doubtlesly conceived ineffable comfort in that sweet retirement : yet in regard they lived not in the world , the world was not bettered by their example . but in this active perfection , where the active part no lesse than contemplative is required , we intend those who doe not only know , but doe ▪ and in the actions of this life , use to make their lights so shine before men , that they may see their good workes . yea but , it may be againe objected , all sinnes be properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and beare the name of ignorance ; how then may wee exclude any knowledge ? every sinne indeed implyes an ignorance of the creature towards the creator ; which ignoran●● imports rather a forgetfulnesse . for admit a man should steale , commit perjury , or any such act contrary to the expresse will and commandement of god ; it were to be imagined , that this breach or transgression of the divine law , proceeded not of ignorance : for he could not chuse but know , that consent to any of these incurred the breach of his law : but rather it may be said , he had not god before his eyes , but out of a wilfull forgetfulnesse , violated the ordinances of god. but to conclude this branch in a word , the active is to be preferred before the contemplative , for two respects ; the first whereof hath relation to our selves ; the second to others . to our selves ; having account to make for the actions of our life ; how we have imployed or bestowed those talents which he hath lent us ; what use , profit , or benefit we have made of them ; in what spirituall affaires have we beene exercised , in what holy duties trained ! have we not preferred private profit before the testimony of a good conscience ? have we not laboured to inhaunce our means by sinister and indirect courses ? have wee not withdrawne our hand from releeving our needfull brother , or defrauded the labourer of his wages ? have wee not consorted with the evill doer , and encouraged him in his sinne ? have we not hindred some pious worke tending to the honour of god , and imitable for example of others ? have we propagated the gospel , comforted sion when shee mourned , repaired those breaches which were in her , and received those in peace which blessed her ? have we only sought the kingdome of god , and the righteousnesse thereof ; esteemed godlinesse to be great riches ; left our selves and all , to be followers of him who gave us dominion over all ? if we have done this , as we are here in the alpha of grace , we shall be there in the omega of glory : here initiate , there consummate ; but having knowne the will of our father , and done it not ; read principles or instructions of a good life , and observ'd them not ; conversant in deepe mysteries , and applied them not ; studied in all arts and sciences , and practised them not ; how miserable is our knowledge , pronouncing on us a heavier judgement ! wherefore in respect of our selves , whether our knowledge be great or little , if our conversation be not in heaven , though our habitation , during our pilgrimage , be on earth ; our knowledge is but as a tinckling cymball , and shall smally availe us before the high tribunall . for knew we the power and vertue of all creatures , of all plants and vegetive bodies , from the cedar of lebanon , to the hyssop upon the wall , yet were this knowledge fruitlesse , being not seconded by a life conformable to that knowledge . § . secondly , in respect of others ; action is the life of man , and example the direction of his life . how much then doe such men prejudice those who live in the world , that betake themselves to a private or retired life , estranged from humane societie , and ending their dayes in some solitary cave , as men divided from the world ! for howsoever their manner of life be religious , their discipline strict and rigorous , and in their devotion fervent and zealous ; yet they deprive others of the benefit , which they might reape by their example . wherefore most safe and sure it is ( to use the words of a judicious author ) for those who have a desire to take upon them a solitary life , to retire and withdraw their affections before they withdraw their bodies from the world , and to force the world to flie from their minde , before they flie the world ; lest going out of the world , they carry about with them the world . for as he may live ill , who liveth apart from the societie of men ; even so , though they flie not into the wildernesse , yet may they flie the world , and amidst the crowd of people live solitary by an inward contemplation of the supernall glory ; and in midst of a clamorous court conferre with themselves , and converse with god : in the meane time , whatsoever they know or can doe , that may any way tend to the common good , benefit or utilitie of humane societie , to effect it accordingly , and not bury that talent in the ground , which they have received from above ; which rule they are to observe after the example of the most holy and excellent men of both orders , ecclesiasticall ( i say ) and secular . thus farre have wee proceeded in the examination or discussion of these two especiall parts of perfection , contemplative and active ; wherein by manifest and infallible arguments wee have proved , how the active part is to be preferred , both in respect of our selves and others ; because a life well acted shall minister most comfort to our selves , besides that light of example which it yeelds unto others . now as the active is preferred , it resteth that wee shew you wherein this active part of perfection consisteth ; which discovered , that whereof wee treat , and would gladly finde , may be the sooner attained . there is no building , which , as it relies on a foundation , consists not of some materiall composition ; no body but it consists of nerves , arteries or sinewes , which cement the lineaments together ; no confection which consists not of some simples , for otherwise it were not mixed , but simple and uncompounded . the like may be said of this choice and exquisite confection , this active part ( i meane ) of perfection . for as all rivers tend to the sea , to make one ocean ; all creatures to make one vniverse ; so all vertues aime at perfection , which once attained , they surcease from action . now in this discourse of active perfection , the period of man , wee doe not meane of that absolute perfection or accomplishment , which admitteth no blemish or imperfection : for wee are to seeke that above us , not below us ; for our righteousnesse , justice , and perfection is such in this life , as it rather consisteth in the remission of sinnes , than perfection of vertues . yea we sinne daily ; so as properly wee can attribute nothing to our owne strength but weaknesse , to our owne abilitie but infirmnesse , to our resolves but uncertainnesse , to our wills but untowardnesse , to our affections but depravednesse , nor to the whole progresse of our lives but actuall disobedience . but rather ( i say ) wee meane of that christian perfection , which every one in this tabernacle of clay is to labour for ; that wee may become perfect through him , who became weake that wee might be strengthned , hungry that wee might be nourished , thirsty that wee might be refreshed , disgraced that wee might be honoured ; yea , who became all unto all , that by all meanes he might gaine some . but wherein may this actuall perfection be properly said to consist ? in mortification ; which like the swift gliding torrent of hydaspes , divides or dilates it selfe to two channels ; action , and affection : action in expressing it ; affection in desiring to expresse it action in suffering ; affection in desire of suffering . the one actuating no lesse in will , than the other in worke . where the action being more exemplar , and in that more fruitfull , gives precedencie to affection , which concurres with the act to make the worke more graciously powerfull . for , where a worke of mortification is performed , and a heartie desire or affection to that worke is not adjoyned , that action may be properly said to be enforced , rather than out of a free or willing disposition accepted . now this two-fold mortification extends it selfe properly to these three subjects ; life , name , goods . life , which even humanitie tendreth ; name , which a good man before the sweetest odours preferreth ; goods , on which the worldling , as on the supreme good , relieth . for the first , many excellent and memorable examples of sundry devout and constant servants of christ iesus , are in every place frequent and obvious ; who for the confirmation of their faith , and the testimonie of a good conscience , joyfully and cheerefully laid downe their lives , esteeming it an especiall glory to be thought worthy to suffer for him , who with all constancie suffered , to become an example of patience to them : which were easie to illustrate by the sufferings of many eminent and glorious martyrs . prudentius writeth , that when asclepiades commanded the tormentors to strike romanus on the mouth , the meeke martyr answered ; i thanke thee , o captaine , that thou hast opened unto me many mouthes , whereby i may preach my lord and saviour : tot ●ece laudant ora , quot sunt vulnera : looke how many wounds i have , so many mo●thes i have to praise and laud the lord. ignatius words were these , to witnesse his constancie at the time of his suffering : frumentum sum christi , & per dentes bes●earum molor , ut mundus panis dei inveniar . i am christs corne , and must be grownd by the teeth of wilde beasts , that i may become pure manchet for the lord. it is reported that blessed laurence , being laid upon the grediron , used these words to his tormentors : turne and cut , it is enough . saint andrew , when he went to be crucified , was so rapt with joy , as hee rejoyced unmeasurably in that blessed resemblance of his masters death . blessed bartholomew willingly lost his skin for his sake , who had his skinne scourged , that hee might be solaced . iohn dranke a cup of po●son , to pledge his master in a cup of affliction . thus laurences gridiron , andrewes crosse , bartholomews skin , iohns cup , expressed their mortification , by a willing surrender of their life , for his sake , who was the lord of life : yea , should we survey those strange invented torments , during the bloudy issue of the ten persecutions , which were contrived by those inhumane assacinates , whose hands were deepe-died in the bloud of the saints , wee should no lesse admire the constancie of the persecuted suffering , than the cruelty of the persecutors inflicting : what rackes , hookes , harrowes , tongs , forkes , stakes were purposely provided to torment the constant and resolute professours of the truth , wearying the tormentors rather with tormenting , than abating any part of their constancie in the height and heat of their tormenting : yea , they were solaced in the time when they suffered ; esteeming * death to be such a passage , as might give them convoy to a more glorious heritage . neither did these blessed professors of the faith , receive comfort by the eye of their meditation firmely fixed on heaven , but by the compassion and princely commiseration of divers eminent and victorious emperours bearing soveraignty then on earth . constantine the great used to kisse the eye of paphnutius , which was bored out in m●●ciminus time . the like noble and princely compassion we reade to have beene shewed by titus , trajan , theodosius , and many other princes graciously affected towards the poore afflicted and persecuted christians : yea , god moved the hearts of those , who naturally are most remorselesse or obdurate , in commiserating the estate of his afflicted . which may appeare by the iaylor in the acts , who washed saint pauls stripes and wounds . o how comfortable were these passions or passages of affliction ; these tortures or torments , the trophies of their persecution ▪ the blessed memoriall whereof shall extend the date of time , receiving a crowne of him , who is the length of dayes . so , as king alexanders stagges were knowne an hundred yeares together by those golden collars , which by the kings commandement were put about their neckes ; or as king arthurs bodie being taken up somewhat more than six hundred yeares after his death , was knowne to be his by nothing so much , as by the prints of ten severall wounds which appeared in his skull ; so these glorious stampes of their passion , shall appeare as trophies to them in the day of exaltation ; because , as they lost their lives for the testimony of the gospell , they shall finde them recorded in the booke of life , receiving the crowne of consolation , for the deep draught which they tooke of the cup of affliction . and reason there is , we should disvalue our l●ves for the profession of our faith , since forlorne and miserable is his life , that is without faith . for if the heathen , whose future hopes were fixed on posterity , and not so much as the least knowledge of eternity , dis-esteemed their lives to gaine them renowne , or propagate their countries glory ; much more cause have we to subject our lives to the censure of death , having hope after death to live in glory . it is reported ; that the body of cadwallo , an antient king of the britains , being embalmed and dressed with sweet confections , was put into a brazen image , and set upon a brazen horse over ludgate , for a terror to the saxons : and zisca , the valiant captaine of the bohemians , commanded that after his decease his skin should be flayed from his bodie , to make a drum , which they should use in their battels , affirming that as soone as the hurgarians ▪ or any other enemies , should heare the sound of that drum , they would not abide but take their flight . this moved scipio to appoint his sepulcher to be so placed , as his image standing upon it , might looke directly towards africa , that being dead , he might still be a terrour to the carthaginians . if respect of pagans to their country , or an eye to popular glory did so inflame them , as their countries love exceeded their love of life , surviving in their death , and leaving monuments of their affection after death : how lightly are we to value the glory of this life , if the losse thereof may advance our fathers glory ; or ought tending to the conservation of this life , being assured by him , whose promises faile not , by such a small losse , to gaine eternity ? now , as it is not the death , but the cause of the death , which makes the martyr ; we are to know , that to die in the maintenance of any heretical opinion is pseudo-martyrdom : for howsoever those arrians , manichees and pelagians ; those macedonians , eutichees and nestorians ; yea , generally all hereticks were constant and resolute enough in seconding and maintaining their erroneous opinions : yet forasmuch as the cause , for which they contended , was heresie , tend it might to their confusion , but never to their glory : for as honey-combes ( saith learned tertullian ) are by waspes composed , so are churches by the marcionists ( and consequently by all heretickes ) disposed : in whose synodals or conventicles , many thousands are perverted , none converted , or to the church of christ faithfully espoused . whereas truth , which may be pressed , but not oppressed , assailed , but never soiled , like the greene bay-tree in the midst of hoarie winter , or a fresh spring in the sandy desart , appeares most glorious , when her adversaries are most malicious ; bearing ever a countenance most cheerefull , when her assailants are most dreadfull . neither only in this glorious act of martyrdome , but in all inferiour workes , the affection of the minde , as well as the action of the man , is to be considered : for god himselfe , who hath an eye rather to the intention than action , will not approve of a good worke done , unlesse it be well done . as for example ; when the pharisie fasted , prayed , gave almes , and payed tithe of all that he possessed , he did good works , but he did not those good workes well : the reason was , he exalted himselfe in his workes , without attributing praise unto him , who is the beginner and perfecter of every good worke : for his fas●s were hypocriticall and not of devotion , his prayers ineffectuall , because they sounded of ostentation , his almes unacceptable , because exhibited only for obseruation , and his 〈◊〉 abominable , being given to celour his secret oppression : for which cause did our 〈◊〉 pronounce a woe upon them , saying , woe unto you pharisies ; for 〈◊〉 tithe mint and rue , and all manner of herbes , and passe 〈◊〉 ●●dgement and the love of god : these ought yee to have done , and not to leave the other vndone . whence it appears , that the worke it selfe was approved , but the manner of doing it reproved ; for that they preferred the tithing of 〈◊〉 and rue before the judgement and love of god ; yea , so they preferred it , as the one was performed , while the other of more serious and consequent importance was omitted . whence we are cautioned , that in our workes of mortification , we doe nothing for any sinister or by-respect ; but only for the glory of god , to whom , as all our actions are properly directed , so are they to have relation onely unto him , if we desire to have them accepted . is it so , that this actuall perfection is to be acquired by mortification , wherein is required not only the action but affection ? and that we are even to lay downe our lives , if the cause so require , to promote the glory of our maker ? tell me then , gentlemen , how farre have yee proceeded in this spirituall progresse ? have yee unfainedly desired to further the honour of god , repaire the ruines of sion , and engage your owne lives for the testimony of a good conscience ? have ye fought the lords battell , and opposed your selves against the enemies of the truth ? have yee shut the doore of your chamber , the doore of your inner parlour , i meane your heart , from the entrance of all earthly affections , sensuall cogitations , and expressed true arguments of mortification , the sooner to attaine this high degree of christian perfection ? have yee made a covenant with your eyes not to looke after the strange woman , a covenant ( i meane ) with your hearts never to lust after her ? have ye weaned your itching and bewitching humours , from affecting forraine and out-landish fashions , which howsoever they be to fashion conformed , they make man of all others most deformed ? have ye done with your reere-suppers , midnight revels , curtaine pleasures , and courting of pictures ? have yee left frequenting court-maskes , tilt-triumphs and enterludes ; boasting of young ladies favours , glorying more in the purchase of a glove , than a captaine in the surprizall of a fort ? have yee cashiered all those companions of death , those seducing consorts of misery , and betaken your selves to the acquaintance of good men , conceiving a setled joy in their society ? o then thrice happy you ! for having honoured god , he will honour you ; having repaired the ruines of sion , he will place you in his heavenly sion ; or engaged your lives for the testimony of a good conscience , hee will invite you to that continuall feast of a peaceable conscience ; or fought the lords battell , hee will say you have fought a good fight , crowning you after your victory on earth , with glory in heaven ; or shut the doore of your chamber , and kept the roome cleane and sweet for your maker , he will come in and sup with you , that you may rejoyce together ; or made a covenant with your eyes not to look after the strange woman , with those eyes yee shall hehold him , who put enmitie between the serpent and the woman ; or weaned your itching and bewitching humours from affecting out-landish fashions , madding after phantasticke habits ( for * stuffe it skils not , whether silken or woollen , so the fashion be civill and not wanton ) you shal be cloathed in long white roabes , and follow the lambe wheresoever he goeth ; or done with your mid-night revels , and court pleasures , you shall be filled with the pleasures of the lords house , and abide in his courts for ever ; or left frequenting maskes , tilt-triumphs and enterludes , the glorious spectacles of vanity , you shall be admitted to those angelicall triumphs , singing heavenly hymnes to the god of glory ; or cashier'd those companions of death ▪ whose end is misery , you shall have the saints for your companions , and share with them in the covenant of mercy . doe yee not hence observe what inestimable comforts are reserved for those who are truly mortified ? mortified , i say , in respect of your contempt to the world , which is expressed by ceasing to love it , before you leave it . who would not then disvalue this life , and all those bitter sweets , which this fraile life affordeth , to possesse those incomparable sweets which every faithfull soule enjoyeth ? yea , but our silken worldling , or delicate wormeling will object ; this discipline is too strict for flesh and bloud to follow . who can endure to yeeld his head to the blocke , or his body to the faggot , when the very sight of death in another , ministers to the beholder motives of terror ? surely , this is nothing , to him that duely considereth , how hee that loseth his life shall save it , but he that saveth his life shall lose it . what is a minutes anguish to an eternity of solace ? wee can endure the launcing or searing of a putrified member , and this endures as long as our time of wrastling with our dissolution , which brings us to our saviour : nor skils it much , what kinde of death wee die , seeing no kinde of death can hurt the righteous , be the terrors and torments of death never so numerous . the way then to contemne death , is to expect it , and so to prepare our selves for it , as if we were this very houre to encounter it ; resolving never to goe with that conscience to our bed , with which we durst not goe to our grave ; being so uncertaine whether before the next morne wee shall be taken out of our bed , and shrouded for our grave . and this shall suffice touching our mortification or contempt of life , if with such a sacrifice wee may be thought worthy to honour him , who gave us life . we are now to speake of mortification in respect of name or report ; wherein , you are to understand , that this is two-fold : first , in turning our eares from such as praise us ; secondly , in hearing with patience such as revile us . for the first , it is and hath beene ever the condition of sober and discreet men to avert their eare from their owne praises ; at least with a modest passing over such vertues as were commendable in them : which modesty appeared in alphonsus prince of aragons answer to an orator , who having repeated a long panegyricall oration in his praise , replied , if that thou hast said consent with truth , i thanke god for it ; if not , i pray god grant me grace that i may doe it . others likewise we reade of , who could not with patience endure their persons or actions to be praised above truth : this princely passion appeared in alexander , who hearing aristobulus , a famous greek historian , read his writings purposely penned upon the memorable acts he had atchieved , wherein he commended him farre above truth : being mightily incensed therewith , threw the booke into the river , as he was sailing over hydaspes , saying withall , he was almost moved to send aristobulus after . neither indeed will any wise man endure to heare himselfe praised above truth , seeing , no lesse aspersion may be laid on his person by being too highly praised , than if he were discommended : for should we praise one for his bountie , who is publikely knowne to the world to be par●●monious ; or for his humility , who is naturally ambitious ; or for his continencie , who is licentious ; our praises would not tend so much to his honour , as to the display of his nature : yea , even he himselfe , guilty in himselfe , would tax us , knowing that he the least of all others deserved these praises from us . it is flattery ( saith one ) to praise in absence ; that is , when either the vertue is absent , or the occasion is absent . but in the report of our owne praise , admit wee should deserve it ; the safest course is to withdraw our eare from hearing it , lest vain-glory transport us upon hearing of those praises which are spoken of us : for if our aymes be only to purchase popular esteeme , preferring the praise of men , before the praise of god , or the testimony of a good conscience ; as our aymes were perverted , so shall we be rewarded . now there is no better means to abate or extenuate this desire of praise in us , than duly to consider whose gifts they be , that deserve this praise in us : for were they our owne , we might more properly be praised for them ; but they are gods , and not ours , therefore is the praise to be ascribed unto god , and not unto us . for hee that would be praised for gods gift , and seeketh not gods glory , but his owne in that gift , though he be praised by men for gods gift , yet is he dispraised by god , for not seeking gods glory , but his owne for this gift : and he who is praised by men , god dispraising , shall not be defended by men , god judging , nor be delivered , god condemning . whereas , hee that loveth god , will chuse rather to be deprived of all future glory , than detract by any meanes from god the author of all glory . let us then so avert our eare from selfe-praise , or ought else that may beget in us vain-glory or ostentation , that we may become like unto him , who dis-esteemed all worldly praise from the houre of his birth to the houre of his passion . secondly , wee are to heare with patience such as revile us : and reason good ; for observing this , a blessing is pronounced on us : blessed are ye● ( saith the lord of all blessing ) when men shall revile you , and persecute you , and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake : rejoyce , and be exceeding glad ; for great is your reward in heaven : for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you . yea , not only the prophets , but even him , of whom all the prophets bare witnesse ; yet became he as one that did not heare , having no rebukes in his mouth . when hee was tempted in the wildernesse , the scripture was his armour of resistance ; when he was reviled on the crosse , hee prayed for his enemies , to expresse his heavenly patience . now , if the sonne of god was in the desart tempted , what hermit can expect to be from temptation freed ? if the master be reviled , how may the servant looke to be intreated ? for howsoever some , or indeed most of the antient fathers , doubt whether the devill did know that christ was god or no ; touching that parcell of scripture , wherein christ was tempted in the defart ; yet may it appeare probable by inference from the text it selfe , that after iesus had said unto him , it is written thou shalt not tempt the lord thy god ; the devill tooke him up into an exceeding high mountaine , and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world , and the glory of them ; saying , all these things will i give thee , if thou wilt fall downe and worship me . whence i collect , that after christ had told him that hee was god , he continued his temptation ; which was an argument to evince him of palpable ignorance ; or of distrust to christs speech , which argued his diffidence : but our purpose is not too curiously to insist upon these subtill digressions ; it sufficiently appeareth , that christ who ought to be every faithfull christians patterne , was reviled , yet opened not hee his mouth ; but with sweet silence and amiable patience offered his prayers unto his father for them , who maliciously offered him upon the crosse ; leaving us an example of admiration and imitation , that following him and suffering with him , we might likewise reigne and remaine with him : yea , but will our spritely-stately gallant object ; can any man , who knowes the value of reputation , with patience suffer publike disgrace ? is there any punishment so grievous as shame ? yea , were it not better for a man who is eminent in the eye of the world , to die right out , than still live in reproach and shame ? for a man to live or die , is naturall ; he performeth but that taske to which all mortality is injoyned ; but for a man to live in shame and contempt , and be made a spectacle of disgrace to the world , an apparent touch or taint to his friends , a laughing stock of his enemies , is such a matter , as no well-bred and noble minded man , that hath any courage or stomack in him , or tenders his esteeme , can ever digest it . true it is , that flesh and bloud will suggest many such objections ; and if there were nothing to be valued so much as worldly esteeme , or popular grace , which relyeth on opinion , as soone lost as got , there were some reason to stand so punctually upon termes of reputation ; but the eye of a christian ought to extend it selfe to an higher object . we are exhorted to heape coales on our enemies heads ▪ to render good for evill ; and to be revenged on them by well doing . diogenes being asked how one should be revenged of his enemie , answered , by being a vertuous and honest man. what matter then though all the world revile us , having a sincere and unblemished conscience within us , to witnesse for us ? socrates in his ecclesiasticall history writeth , that athanasius being accused by one iannes , to have killed arsenius , and after to have cut off his hand , that hee might use it to magicke and forcerie , cleared himselfe notably of this slender : having by good hap found out arsenius , who lay hid for the nonce , he brought him before the councell of tyrus , whereto he was convented , and there he asked his accuser , whether he ever knew arsenius or no ? he answered , yes : then athanasius called him forth , with his hands covered under his cloake , and turning up the one side of his cloake , shewed him the one of his hands ; and when most men surmised , that the other hand at leastwise was cut off ▪ athanasius without any more adoe , casteth up the other side of his cloake , and sheweth the second hand , saying , you see arsenius hath two hands , now let mine accuser shew you the place where the third hand was cut off . whence two remarkable considerations are recommended unto us : malicious subornation in the accuser ; gracious moderation in the accused . for the former , let the speech of a heathen man for ever be printed in your hearts ; who when his friend came unto him , and desired him to take a false oath in a cau●e of his , made answer : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . you must ( saith he ) beare with mee , there are many friends to be gotten if i lose you ; but if by forswearing my selfe i lose the favour of god , i cannot get another , there is but one god. for the latter as soft words pacific wrath , so by a pleasant conceit he cooled all wrath ; fleighting so much the aspersion of his accuser , as even of his enemies hee gain'd him honour . to instance which moderation or patience , even in sundry heathen men , towards such as aspersed disgrace upon them , were it not that i feare enlarging of this branch too much , i might produce many heroicke and princely examples , as vespasian , his sonne titus , marcellus , demetrius ; yea , the stiffe and rough-hew'd hercules , who cared not a flie for back-biting termes . but i am to use a word or two unto you , gentlemen , by quest of inquiry how you are found affected herein , and so descend to the third and last branch arising from this subject . have yee not delighted in hearing your owne praise , but reproved such as praised you , or turned your care from their applause , le●t it should transport you ? have yee distributed to the poore , without looking who saw you ? have yee fasted without hanging downe your head , to cause men observe you ? have ye prayed with zeale , fixing your eye only on god , that he would look on you ? have ye performed the workes of charity , and that for conscience sake , and not for vain-glory ? have ye not too pharisaically prided your selves in your own integrity ? have ye ascribed to your selves shame , and to god the glory ? have yee heartily wished rather to be deprived of all hope of glory , than by your meanes to detract in any wife from gods glory ? o then happy and blessed are you ! for having turned your eares from the applause of men , you shal receive applause from angels ; or having distributed to the poore without looking who saw you , you shall be plenteously rewarded by him , whose eyes are ever upon you ; or fasted without hanging downe your heads , to cause men observe you , you shall feast with him , who will erect your heads , and with glory crowne you ; or performed works of charity for conscience sake , and not for vain-glory , your workes shall goe before you , and be accounted for righteous through him who shall cloath you with glory ; or not too pharisaically prided your selves in your owne integrity , you shall become justified with the publican , and admitted to honour by humility ; or ascribed to your selves shame , and to god the glory , god shall wipe off your shame , and bring you to the full fruition of his glory ; or heartily wished to bee deprived of all hope of glory , rather than by your meanes to detract in any wise from gods glory ; your desire of advancing gods glory , shall after your passage from this vale of misery , estate you in the inheritance of glory . againe ; have ye heard with patience such as revile you ? have ye answered them as he did , who being accused by his enemie of one sinne , accused him likewise of ignorance , saying , thou accusest mee of one , when i am guiltie of a thousand ? have ye not stood upon termes of reputation , but with patience suffered all disgraces ? have ye overcome your enemie with mildnesse ? taken revenge on him by your vertue and goodnesse ? fortified your selves against all calumnie , with the spirit of patience ? o then right blessed are you ! for having heard with patience such as revile you , an eternall blessing is pronounced on you ; or having beene as ready to condemne your selves , as others to accuse you , your purged conscience shall freely acquit you ; or not stood on termes of reputation when men disgrac'd you , you shall be graced in heaven , where no disgrace shall touch you ; or overcome your enemy with mildnesse , the milde lambe shall crowne you with happinesse ; or taken revenge on him by your vertue and goodnesse , you shall be refreshed with the fountaine of sweetnesse ; or fortified your selves against all calumnie with the spirit of patience , with palmes in your hands shall yee sing with joyfulnesse . gather , o gather hence with ineffable solace is conferred on the patient ! whatsoever hee suffer here , shall in superabundant measure be recompenced else-where . but it may be objected , that some aspersions are not to be borne with : for those scandals which are laid upō our persons , where our faith is not taxed or touched , may be more easily endured ; but where these are struck at , they are not to be suffered . to confirme which , we reade how peter and iohn having by prayer and imposition of hands , given the holy ghost , and simon the sorcerer saw that through laying on of the apostles hands , the holy ghost was given , he offered them money , saying , give mee also this power , that on whomsoever i lay hands , he may receive the holy ghost . but peter incensed herewith , said unto him , thy money perish with thee , because thou hast thought that the gift of god may be purchased with money . whence it appeareth , that out of a holy zeale , one may shew passion towards such as detract from the honour of god , or asperse a blemish upon his servants in the worke of their ministerie . the like wee reade of paul , that glorious vessell of election , conceiving much indignation against one , who had withstood the word ; saying , alexander the copper-smith did mee much evill , the lord reward him according to his workes . the reason is inclusively annexed ; of whom be thou ware also , for he hath greatly withstood our words . the like spirit of zeale might iames and iohn be said to be of , who when they saw that the samaritanes would not receive christ , said ; lord wilt thou that wee command fire to come downe from heaven , and consume them , even as elias did ? but how this passion of theirs was approved , may appeare by the ensuing verse ; but he turned and rebuked them , and said , yee know not what manner of spirit yee are of . now to cleare this objection , there is no patterne which wee ought sooner to imitate than christ himselfe , who is the master of truth and directeth us in all truth ; who as hee was most blamelesse of all others , for in his mouth was never guile found , yet was he in his owne person more blamed , in his doctrine more reproved , in his miracles more injured than all others : for one while he is accused to have a devill ; anon , that he casteth out devils through the prince of the devils ; anon , that he is a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber , a friend of publicans and sinners . yet what answer vouchsafed he unto all these save only this , wisdome is justified of her children ? now i know there are differences of scandals or aspersions , where some leave deeper impression than others doe : for as the name is more precious than any earthly substance , so it receiveth the deepest staine , when the estimation of our faith is questioned , being the very maine foundation whereon all religion is grounded , and the perfection of that building which makes a christian rightly accomplishd . saint basil could shew himselfe calme enough in his conference with the emperour , till a cooke came in , and saucily told him , he did not well to stand so precisely upon such small matters , but rather to yeeld to his master the emperour in a word or two : for what were those divine affaires whereon hee so much insisted , but such as with indifferencie might be dispensed ? but what answered this reverend father ? yea sir cooke ( quoth he ) it is your part to tend your pottage , and not to boile and chop up divine matters , which , as they little trouble you , so in weight and consequence are farre above you . and then with great gravitie turning to the emperour , said , that those that were conversant in divine matters , which were principally to be intended , would with conscience rather suffer death , than suffer one jot of holy ▪ scripture , much lesse an article of faith to be altere● or corrupted . another holy man , though most innocent , could endure to be accounted a whoremaster , an uncleane person , and the like ; but when one called him an heretike , he could beare no longer : so neere be wee touched , when our faith is questioned . but as we have a noble and glorious patterne , who shewed himselfe a conquerour in his suffering , let us wrastle with flesh and bloud , that suffering all things for him and with him , wee may after our conquest joy in him and with him . and let this be sufficient to have beene spoken of mortification in respect of our name or esteeme in the world , labouring daily to dis-value and huminate our selves while wee are in the world . if it be no great thing to leave our substance , but our selves ; let us at least leave our substance , that wee may the better enjoy our selves . it was the wise exhortation of the wisest of princes ; honour the lord with thy substance , and with the first fruits of all thy increase : annexing a promise to this precept ; so shall thy barnes be filled with plenty , and thy presse shall burst out with new wine . but forasmuch as many things are required to the mortification of this earthly mammon , wee will reduce them to two especiall heads , the better to retaine in memory this meanes of mortification : . to consider from whom we have received these worldly blessings : . how to dispose of them , lest they become cursings of blessings . for the first , wee are positively to set downe , that every good gift and every perfect gift commeth from above ; the beasts that graze on a thousand hills are his ; the treasures of the earth are his : for from whom should wee thinke are they derived to us , but from him by whom they were created for us ? he who never had it , how can he give it ? but he who hath all , guides all , governes all , and is all in all , is sole-sufficient for all . he it i● then that maketh rich and maketh poore , exalteth and humbleth , sendeth forth his waters out of their treasuries , and all things are drowned , shutteth them in their treasuries , and all things are dried . hee it is that maketh the fruitfull barren , and the barren fruitfull . in stead of the thorne shall come up the firre tree , and in stead of the brier shall come up the mirtle tree , and it shall be to the lord for a name , for an everlasting signe that shall not be cut off . he it is that made heaven and earth and all things , replenished heaven and earth with all things , giving man dominion over all things , that man might be subject unto him who made all things . now as he gave them to man , so are they to be disposed of by man , to his glory who made man. and how is that ? not in laying land unto land with the oppressour ; nor in repairing to the house of the strange woman with the adulterer ; nor consuming your substance in excesse with the rioter ; nor hoording up vengeance against the day of wrath with the miser ; nor grinding the face of the poore with the extortioner : but rather distributing freely of that which you have , and communicating to the necessitie of the saints : so shall you make to your selves friends of your unrighteous mammon , and shall be fed with manna in the courts of sion . gainfull is the use of that money , which is put out to the workes of charitie : which be it more or lesse , cannot but be exceeding great , being given with devotion , and the worke attended by singlenesse of heart and sinceritie of affection ; for where a sincere will is not joyned with the worke , the worke cannot be effectuall to the doer , howsoever it may seeme fruitfull to the beholder . ac which sort of men , who erect sumptuous works rather for popularitie and affectation , than pietie or sincere affection , the poet pleasantly glanceth ; these statues reare in publike wayes , as trophies of their love , which , as they heare , in passengers will admiration move , and gaine a fame unto their name , which may survive in them : but trust mee , sirs , these works of theirs shew them vaine-glorious men . which works , howsoever usefull unto others , were better undone than done in respect of themselves : for to glory in our works , doth not only derogate from our works , but denounce upon us greater damnation , ascribing to our selves what duly , properly , and solely ought to be attributed to the glory of god. but to draw neerer the point wee have in hand ; there is nothing that weaneth our minds more from the meditation of god and mortification to the world , than our earthly affections , which beare such sway over us , as they will not suffer those divine motions or meditations to take root in us . this is excellently shadowed in that parable of the great supper , where many guests were invited , but all with one consent began to make their excuse : the first he had bought a peece of ground , and he must needs goe see it : the second had bought five yoke of oxen , and he must goe prove them : and another had maried a wife , and therefore he could not come . these , though the fatlings be provided , the choicest dainties prepared , wherewith their hunger-starved soules might be refreshed , cannot come ; the world must detaine them , their earthly respects inchaine them , their sensuall delights restraine them : they cannot come , though often invited , nor re●ort to this great supper , though all things be provided . these seldome or never take into their more serious consideration the state of the blessed in heaven , or the state of the damned in hell. neither can the joyes of the one allure them , or the paines of the other deterre them . these will dispense with the word for the profit of the world , and enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season , deferring repentance till it be past season . saint chrysostome relateth how paulus samosetanus that arch-heretike , for the love of a woman forsooke his faith . saint augustine relateth divers , who denied the torments of hell to have eternitie , thereby to flatter their affections with a pretended assurance of impunitie . saint gregory imputeth it to avarice and covetousnesse , that many forsake their faith . these follow not the example of sundry devout men , the memory whereof is recommended unto us in holy writ ; who being possessors of lands , or houses , sold them , and brought the prices of the things that were sold , and laid them downe at the apostles feet : and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need . the like contempt , in respect of earthly substance , wee reade to have been in many noble and equally affected pagans , as crates , bisias , zeno , bias , anacreon , anacharses ; who , though they had scarce the least glimpse of an eternitie , yet they dis-valued the substance of earth as the subject of vanitie . but i must now draw in my sailes , and take a view of your dispositions ( gentlemen ) how you stand herein affected ; that seeking what i expect to finde , i may no lesse glory in your aversion from earth , than if you were ascending iacobs ladder , to have your names enrolled in the kingdome of heaven . have yee honoured the lord with your substance , and tendered him the first fruits of his bounty ? have yee acknowledged every good thing to come from him , as from the fountaine of mercy ? have yee subjected your selves unto him , as he hath subjected all things to your soveraigntie ? have yee disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory ? have yee beene oppressors , and with good zacheus made fourefold restitution ? have yee not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution ? have yee not hoorded up vengeance against the day of affliction ? have yee not grinded and grated the face of the poore with extortion ? have yee distributed freely , and communicated to the saints necessitie ? have yee made you friends of your unrighteous mammon , and so made your selves way to the heavenly sion ? have yee done these works of compassion with singlenesse of heart , and without affectation ? have yee beene by no earthly respect detained from comming to that great lords supper , to which you were invited ? o then in a happy state are you ! for having honoured the lord , he will fill your barnes with plenty ; or having acknowledged all good things to be derived from his mercy , he will give you a fuller taste of his bounty ; or subjected your selves to his obedience , hee will cause every creature to doe you service ; or disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory , he will exhibit his good gifts unto you more fully ; or beene oppressors , and made restitution , you shall with zacheus become vessels of election ; or not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution , you shall be safe from the doome of confusion ; or not grinded the face of the poore with extortion , the poore shall beare record of your compassion ; or distributed freely to the saints necessitie , he that seeth in secret shall reward you openly ; or made you friends of your unrighteous mammon , manna shall be your food in the heavenly sion ; or done these works singly , and without vaine-glory , you shall be cloathed with the garment of mercy ; or not detained by the world from going to that great lords supper , yee shall be graciously admitted and exalted to honour . thus to dispose of the substance of the world , is to despise the world : preferring one meditation of the pleasures and treasures of heaven , before the possession of the whole earth ; and esteeming it farre better to be one day in the house of the lord , than to be conversant in the palaces of princes . o then , yee whose generous descents and mighty estates promise comfort to the afflicted , releefe to the distressed , and an hospitable receit to all such as repaire to you for succour or comfort ; minister to the necessitie of the saints , be liberall and open handed to the poore , having opportunitie , doe good unto all men , especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith , be exercised in the works of the spirit and not of the flesh , so shall yee build upon a sure foundation , and in the inheritance of gods saints receive a mansion . turne not ( i say ) you eare from the cry of any poore man , lest his cry be heard , and procure vengeance to be powred on your head . pitty the moanes of the afflicted , wipe off the teares of the distressed , comfort those that mourn in sion . the ordinary forme of begging in italy is , doe good for your owne sakes . doe good for your owne sakes , for your owne selves , for your owne soules . no a sacrifice to god more gratefull , to your selves more usefull , or to your owne soules more fruitfull , than to be zealous in all holy duties , and compassionate to the needfull : b for he that in himselfe burnes not in devotion , can never inflame another with the zeale of devotion : c neither can any one shine , unlesse before hee burne ; shine in the works of compassion , unlesse he burne before with the zeale of a devout affection . so as many though they be d lights in respect of their ministerie or office , yet are they snuffs in respect of their use , effect or service . exhibit therefore freely of those good gifts and bounties which god hath bestowed on you , and shew your liberalitie now in the opportunate time ; for as there is a time when none can worke , so there is a time when none can give : give it then in your life time , that you may expresse your charitie with your owne hand , and not by way of legacie : for many make good wills , which i much feare mee proceed not of good will , being rather by the sentence of mortalitie inforced , than of their owne charitable disposition affected , to leave to the poore afflicted of the world , which they so exceedingly loved , while they sojourned here in the world . and what shall these bountifull legacies availe them , these charitable wills profit them , when they shal make their beds in the darke , and enter parlie with their owne consciences , whether this coacted charitie of theirs proceeded from compassion or compulsion , leaving what they could no longer enjoy , and giving that which was not in their power to give ? surely , no more benefit shall this inforced charitie conferre on them , than if they had sowne the sand : for fruitlesse is that worke which deriveth not her ground from a pure intention or sanctified will. in the easterne countries , they put coine in the dead mans hand , to provide for him after his departure hence . the like provision carry these along with them to their graves , who deferre giving , till they cannot give , making their executors their almoners , who many times defeat the poore , or number themselves in beadroll of the poore ; whereby they gull the deceased , enriching their owne coffers with the poore mans box . o gentlemen , you whose corps are followed with many mourners , and oft-times inward rejoycers ; send out those sweet odours of a good and devout life before you ; dispense and dispose faithfully , in whatsoever the lord above others hath enriched you ; deferre not your charity to your death , lest you be prevented of your charity by death ; bethinke your selves how you would be provided if that great master of accounts were this houre to call you before him , and make your reckoning with him ; would you not be glad , if your conscience told you , how you had beene faithfull disposers or imployers of those talents which were delivered to you ? would not your hearts rejoyce within you to have such a testimony , as the witnesse of an undefiled or spotlesse conscience within you ? would it not intraunce you with an exceeding joy , to heare that happy and heavenly approbation , well done , good and faithfull servants , you have beene faithfull over a few things , i will make you rulers over many things : enter yee into the joy of your lord ? if this could not choose but joy you , so dispose of your earthly mammon , that you may be partakers of this surpassing joy in the courts of sion . and so i descend to the last branch of this last observation , expressing that object of ineffable consolation , whereto this active perfection aspireth , and that spirituall repose of heavenly solace and refection , wherein it solely and properly resteth . man is borne unto trouble , as the sparkes fly upward , being here a sojourner in the inne of this world ; and drawing every day neerer and neerer the end of his pilgrimage ; where mans life is the travellers embleme ; his forme of living , the very mirrour of his sojourning ; his home returning , the type or figure of his dissolving . in which progresse or journall of man , by how much more the sun-diall of his life proceedeth , by so much neerer the night-shade of death approacheth . yet , behold the misery of man ! his desires are daily to disquiet and disturbe himselfe : for shew me that man howsoever affected , or in what degree soever placed , whose desires are so firmely fixed , as his minde is not troubled in the pursuit of that whereto his aymes are directed . for to begin with the highest , because his thoughts are ever aspiring'st ; doth the ambitious man ayme at honour or preferment ? behold , hee purposeth with himselfe to gaine or attain such a place under his prince , not so much for his owne ends ( as he pretendeth ) but to be usefull to his friends , and behovefull to his countrey ; but since that houre , hee entertained the first infant thoughts of ambition , he hath felt sufficiently the danger of that infection : reaping no other fruits but distractions , in respect of competitours , or want of enjoying himselfe , being pestred by multitudes of sutors . or is he covetous ? there is nothing which hee eyes or beholds upon this , vniverse , tending to profit , or promising hope of profit , which he presently conveyes not to his heart , coveting whatsoever he sees , and seeing nothing that he doth not covet : he tumbles and tosses , and will not suffer his eyes to slumber , but like miserable menedemus in terence , or greedy gripus in plautus , hee afflicts and torments himselfe , making his owne desires his owne disquiets . or is he voluptuous ? his fond affection procures in him this phrensie or distraction : he goes to the house of the strange woman , gives eare to her incantation , sports with ismael , lusts after her beauty in his heart : and is taken with her eye-lids ; yet see how sensuality brings him to misery ! by meanes of this whorish woman , he is brought to a peece of bread : and the adulteresse will hunt after his precious life : but to passe over these , and take a view of such whose course of life seemes better disposed , than to converse with the world , either by ambitiously aspiring to honour , the great mans darling ; or by too eager a pursuit after riches , the worldlings mammon ; or by too hot a quest after pleasure , the wantons minion . for to reflect a little upon the aymes of such who affect contemplation , and every day better their knowledge in the serious or exquisite search of the natures , vertues , or operations of all creatures ; we shall finde , to use the words of salomon , that even in these there is vanity and affliction of spirit : for howsoever , wisdome raines downe skill and knowledge of understanding , exalting them to honour that hold her fast ; yet salomons conclusion after the search of wisdom and folly , is definitively this ; in much wisdome is much griefe : and he that increaseth knowledge , increaseth sorrow . for should man labour to engrosse all learning , knowledge and wisdome , his labour were but vaine , and his search fruitlesse ; seeing he , whose understanding was deepest , conceit quickest , and wisdome greatest of all them that were before him in ierusalem , hath thus concluded : all this i have proved by wisdome ; i said , i would be wise , but it was farre from me . adding the reason hereof ; that which is farre off , and exceeding deepe , who can finde it out ? for be our search never so curious , or desire covetous in the pursuit of knowledge , we shall finde by daily experience our owne weaknesse : where though our wills be strengthned , our abilities are weakned , being ever more hopefull in our undertakings , than powerfull in our performance ; yea , it is a propertie inherent to us , and naturally ingraffed in us , to have an itching desire of knowing all things , but of doing nothing : yet neither in knowledge nor action may we satisfie our desire or affection : vaine and endlesse therefore is our search in the former , as weake and fruitlesse is our pursuit of the latter . there is no end of writing many bookes , no end of reading many books , no end of storing our libraries with many bookes : for under the cover of these , much covetousnesse oft-times lurketh . these are not of that inestimable price , ( though they containe much spirituall comfort ) as may fully store or enrich the heart ; fully replenish or satisfie the heart ; fully settle or establish the heart : for where the desires of the heart are not fulfilled ; how can she hold her selfe su●ficiently enriched ? or where her desires are not accomplished ; how may she rest satisfied ? or being not there seated , where her desires are setled ; how can she be quieted ? hence it is , that a devout father compares his heart unto a mill ; for as a mill ( saith he ) swiftly wheeleth and turneth about , and refuseth nothing , but whatsoever is put upon it , it grindeth : but if nothing be put upon it , it consumes it selfe : so is my unstable heart alwayes in motion , and never resteth : but whether i sleepe or wake , it dreameth and thinketh of whatsoever it encountreth . can then neither honour , nor wealth , nor pleasure satisfie this unconfined heart ? can neither honours surprize her , wealth enjoy her , nor pleasure intraunce her ? no ; these are vanity , and lighter than vanity , receiving their true colour from the poet , who bestoweth on them this portraiture ; wealth is a wave , honour a bait of death , catching at which wee 'r catcht and choak't therewith . for tell me , is not the ambitious man as fearfull to incurre disgrace , after he is received to his princes favour , as he was jealous of a competitor before he got into favour ? againe , is not the miserable rich man , who reposeth all comfort in his substance , all his consolation in his riches , as fearefull to lose what hee already enjoyes , as hee was doubtfull of prevention in what hee now enjoyes ? or is not the voluptuous carnal man , whose only delight is daliance with his perfidious dalilah , stinged with as much griefe after his desires are satisfied , as he was stirred with delight before his pleasures were effected ? or is not the contemplative man , whose aimes being higher , should tender him content in fuller measure , afflicted in minde , when hee findes himselfe come short in knowledge of what he expected , and reads every day something which hee never before observed ? what content then in these flourishing may-buds of vanity , which in repentance and affliction of spirit , doe only shew their constancie ? so as one well observeth , if man should not be afflicted by god , yet should he be afflicted by himselfe ; consuming himselfe with his owne envie , rancour , and other distempered affections , which have more fury and torment attending on them , than the evill it selfe which procureth them . yet behold the wretched condition of unhappie man ▪ though neither honour be permanent , nor from perill freed , nor riches prevalent to make him after death the better friended ; nor pleasures so excellent , as to free him from affliction when they are ended : yet are they for most part preferred before those heavenly honours which are ever permanent , and never altering ; before those incorruptible riches , which inrich the soule after death without decreasing ; and before those ineffable pleasures , where neither desire breeds longing , nor satiety lothing . so as , i cannot more fitly compare the actions of these sensuall affected men , than with that childish act o● the emperour honorius , who taking especiall delight in a hen called roma : upon a time understanding , by report of such as told him , that roma was lost , he exceedingly lamented : whereupon some of his familiar friends , and such as were neere him , noting his errour ; it is not your hen that is lost , but your citie roma , that is taken by alaricus king of the gothes . wherewith comming a little to himselfe , he seemed to beare with much more pa●ience the surprize of the one , than the losse of the other . o childish simplicity ! you say well ; yet the like is in us . we cannot endure that any one should steale from us our silver ; yet either honour , riches , or pleasure may have free leave to steale away our heart . we would by no meanes be defrauded of our treasure ; yet it troubles us little to be depraved with errour . we avoid the poisons of the body , but not of the minde ; intending more the diet of the body , than the discipline of the minde . since then , in these externall desires , this actuall perfection , whereof we have formerly treated , may receive no true rest or repose ; for to those it only aspireth , wherin it resteth : wee must search higher for this place of peace , this repose of rest , this heavenly harbour of divine comfort : we are to seeke it then while we are here upon earth , yet not on earth : would you know , what this soveraigne or absolute end is , wherein this actuall perfection solely resteth , wherein the heart only glorieth , and to the receiver , long life , with comfort in abundance amply promiseth ? hearken to the words of iesus the sonne of sirach : it is a great glory to follow the lord , and to be received of him is long life : nor skils it much , how worldlings esteeme of us ; for , perhaps , they will judge it folly to see us become weaned from delights or pleasures of the world ; to see us embrace a rigorous or austere course of life ; to dis-esteem the pompe and port of this present world . this ( i say ) they will account foolishnesse ; but blessed are they who deserve to be of that number , which the world accounts for fooles , god for wise men . but miserable is the state of these forlorne worldlings , whose chiefest aime is to circumvent or intrap their brethren , making their highest aymes their owne ends , and accounting bread eaten in secret to be the savourest , and stolne waters the sweetest : for these never drinke of their own cisterne , or feed of the flesh of their owne fold ; but partake in the spoile of others , yet wipe their mouths as if they were innocent : but behold this haman-policy shall make them spectacles of finall misery ; wishing many times they had been lesse wise in the opinion of the world , so they had relished of that divine wisdome , which makes-man truly happy in another world ; even that wisdome ( i say ) who hath built an everlasting foundation with men , and shall continue with their seed : neither can this divine wisdome chuse but be fruitfull , standing on so firme a root ; or the branches dry , receiving life and heat from so faire a root . now to describe the beauty of her branches springing from so firme a root ; with the solidity of her root diffusing pith to her branches : the root of wisdome ( saith the wise son of sirach ) is to feare the lord , and the branches thereof are long life . this feare , where it takes root , suffers no worldly feare to take place . many worldlings become wretched , only through feare lest they should be wretched ; and many die , only through feare lest they should die : but with these , who are grounded in the feare of the lord , they neither feare death , being assured that it imposeth an end to their misery ; nor the miseries of this present life , being ever affied on the trust of gods mercie . how constantly , zealously , and gloriously many devout men have died , and upon the very instant of their dissolution expostulated with their owne soules , reproving in themselves their unwillingnesse to die , may appeare by the examples of such , whose lives as they were to god right pleasing , so were their soules no lesse precious in their departing : upon some whereof , though i have formerly insisted , yet in respect that such memorable patte●nes of sanctity cannot be too often represented , i thought good purposely ( as usually i have done in all the series of this present discourse , where any remarkable thing was related , to have it in divers places repeated ) to exemplifie this noble resolution or contempt of death , in the proofe and practice of some one or two blessed saints and servants of god. ierome writeth of hilarion , that being ready to give up the ghost , he said thus to his soule ; goe forth my soule , why fearest thou ? goe forth , why tremblest thou ? thou hast served christ almost those threescore and ten yeares , and doest thou now feare death ? saint ambrose when he was readie to die , speaking to stillico and others about his bed ; i have not lived so among you ( saith he ) that i am ashamed to live longer to please god : and yet againe i am not afraid to die , because we have a good lord. the reverend bede , whom wee may more easily admire , than sufficiently praise for his profound learning , in a most barbarous age , when all good literature was in contempt , being in the pangs of death , said to the standers by ; i have so lived among you , that i am not ashamed of my life , neither feare i to die , because i have a most gracious redeemer . he yeelded up his life with this prayer for the church ; o king of glory , lord of hostes , which hast triumphantly ascended into heaven , leave us not fatherlesse , but send the promised spirit of thy truth amongst us . these last funerall teares , or dying mens hymnes , i have the rather renued to your memory , that they might have the longer impression , being uttered by dying men , at the point of their dissolution . and i know right well ( for experience hath informed me sufficiently therein ) that the words of dying men are precious even to strangers ; but when the voice of one we love , and with whom we did familiarly live , calls to us from the death-bed , o what a conflict doe his words raise ! how strongly doe griefe and affection strive to inclose them ! knowing that in a short space , that tongue , the organs whereof yet speak , and move attention by their friendly accents , was to be eternally tied up in silence ; nor should the sound of his words salute our eares any more : and certainly , the resolution of a devout dying man , being upon the point of his dissolution , cannot but be an especiall motive to the hearer , of mortification . which was one cause , even among the heathens , of erecting statues , obelisks , or monuments upon the dead ; that eying the sepulchres of such noble and heroick men , as had their honour laid in the dust , they might likewise understand , that neither resolution of spirit , nor puissance of body could free them from the common verdict of mortalitie : which begot in many of them a wonderfull contempt of the world . albeit , it is to be understood , that christians doe contemne this world much otherwise than pagans : for ambition is a guide to these , but the love of god unto them . diogenes trod upon platoes pride with much greater selfe-pride : but the christian with patience and humilitie surmounteth and subdueth all worldly pride ; being of nothing so carefull , as lest he should taste the lotium of earthly delights , and so become forgetfull with vlysses companions of his native countrey . meane time he sojournes in the world , not as a citizen , but as a guest , yea as an exile . but to returne to our present discourse now in hand ; in this quest after that soveraigne or supreme end , whereto all actuall perfection aspireth , and wherein it resteth , wee are to consider three things : . what is to be sought ; . where it is to be sought ; . when it is to be sought . for the first , wee are to understand that wee are to seeke only for that , the acquisition whereof is no sooner attained , than the minde , whose flight is above the pitch of frailtie , is fully satisfied . now that is a blessed life , when what is best , is affected and enjoyed : for there can be no true rest to the minde in desiring , but partaking what she desireth . what is it then that wee seeke ? to drinke of the water of life ; where our thirst may be so satisfied , as it never be renued ; our desires so fulfilled , as never higher or further extended . he that hath once tasted of the fountaine named clitorius fons , ( and choice is the taste of such a fountaine ) will never drinke any wine ; no wine mixed with the dr●gs of vanitie , no wine drawne from the lees of vaine-glory : the reason is , hee reserves his taste for that new wine , which hee is to drinke in his fathers kingdome . and what kingdome ? the kingdome of heaven ; a kingdome most happy , a kingdome wanting death , and without end ; enjoying a life that admits no end . and what life ? a life vitall , a life ●empiternall , and sempiternally joyfull . and what joy ? a joy without sorrowing , rest without labouring , dignitie without trembling , wealth without losing , health without languishing , abundance without failing , life without dying , perpetuitie without corrupting , blessednesse without afflicting , where the sight and vision of god is seene face to face . and what god ? god the sole-sufficient , summary , supreme good : that good which wee require alone ; that god who is good alone . and what good ? the trinitie of the divine persons is this summary good , which is seene with purest mindes . the heart triangle-wise resembleth the image of the blessed trinitie ; which can no more by the circumference of the world be confined , than a triangle by a circle is to be filled . so as the circular world cannot fill the triangular heart , no more than a circle can fill a triangle ; still there will be some empty corners : it sayes , so long as it is fixed on the world , sheol , it is never enough : but fixed on her maker , her only mover , on her sweet redeemer , her dearest lover , she chants out cheerefully this hymne of comfort ; there is no condemnation to them which are in christ iesus . she then may rest in peace . and what peace ? a peace which passeth all understanding . shee then may embrace her love. and what love ? a love constantly loving . she then may enjoy life . and what life ? a life eternally living . she then may receive a crowne . and what crowne ? a crowne gloriously shining . this crowne ( saith s. peter ) is undefiled ▪ which never fadeth away . the greeke words which s. peter useth , are latine words also ; and they are not only appellatives , being the epithetes of this crowne , but also propers ; the one proper name of a stone , the other of a flower : for isidore writeth , there is a precious stone called amiantus , which , though it be never so much soiled , yet it can never at all be blemished ; and being cast into the fire , it is taken out still more bright and cleane . also clemens writeth , that there is a flower called amarantus , which being a long time hung up in the house , yet still is fresh and greene . to both which , the stone and the flower , the apostle , as may be probably gathered , alludeth in this place . here then you see , what you are to seeke . for are your desires unsatisfied ? here is that which may fulfill them . are your soules thirstie ? here is the well of life to refresh them . would you be kings ? here is a kingdome provided for you . would you enjoy a long life ? a long life shall crowne you , and length of dayes attend you . would you have all goodnesse to enrich you ? enjoying god , all good things shall be given you . would you have salvation to come unto your house and secure you ? rest you in christ iesus , and no condemnation shall draw neere you . would you have your consciences speake peace unto you ? the god of peace will throughout establish you . would you have your constant'st love ever attend you ? he who gave himselfe for you , will never leave you . would you have him live ever with you ? leave loving of the world , so shall he live ever with you and in you . would you have a crowne conferred on you ? a crowne of glory shall empale you . seeke then this one good wherein consisteth all goodnesse , and it sufficeth . seeke this soveraigne or summary good , from whence commeth every good , and it sufficeth . for he is the life by which wee live , the hope to which wee cleave , and the glory which wee desire to obtaine . for if dead , he can revive us ; if hopelesse and helplesse , he can succour us ; if in disgrace , he can exalt us . him then only are we to seeke , who , when we were lost , did seeke us ; and being found , did bring us to his sheepe-fold . and so i descend from what wee are to seeke , to where wee are to seeke , that seeking him where he may be found , wee may at last finde him whom wee so long have sought . for the second , wee are to seeke it while wee are on earth , but not upon earth , for earth cannot containe it . it is the philosophers axiom , that which is finite may not comprehend that which is infinite . now that supreme or soveraigne end ▪ to which this actuall perfection is directed , whereto it aspireth , and wherein it resteth , is by nature infinite : ena without end , beginning and end , imposing to every creature a certaine , definite or determinate end . the sole solace of the soule , being onely able to fill or satisfie the soule , without which all things in heaven or under heaven , joyned and conferred together , cannot suffice the soule . so boundlesse her extent , so infinite the object of her content . how should earth then containe it , or to what end should wee on earth seeke it ? seeing , whatsoever containeth , must of necessitie be greater than that which is contained . but earth being a masse of corruption , how should it confine or circumscribe incorruption ? seeing nothing but immortalitie can cloath the soule with glory , it is not the rubbish or refuse of earth that may adde to her beautie . besides , the soule while it sojournes here in this earthly mansion , she remaines as a captive inclosed in prison . what delights then can be pleasing , what delicates relishing to the palat of this prisoner ? she is an exile here on earth : what societie then can be cheerefull to one so carefull of returning to her countrey ? if captives restrained of their libertie , exiles estranged from their countrey , can take no true content either in their bondage , be it never so attempred ; nor in their exile , be they never so attended ; how should the soule apprehend the least joy , during her abode on earth ? where the treasure is , there is the heart : her treasure is above , how can her heart be here below ? mortalitie cannot suit with immortalitie , no more can earth with the soule . whereto then be the motions of our soule directed ? to him that gave it ; no inferiour creature may suffice her , no earthly object satisfie her , nothing subject to sense fulfill her . in heaven are those heavenly objects , wherewith her eye rests satisfied ; in heaven are those melodious accents , wherewith her eare rests solaced ; in heaven those choicest odours , wherewith her smell is cherished ; in heaven those tastfull'st dainties , wherewith her soule is nourished ; in heaven those glorious creatures , wherewith herselfe is numbred . what difference then betwixt the satietie and saturitie of heaven , and the penurie and povertie of earth ? here all things are full of labour , man cannot utter it : the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the eare filled with hearing : whereas in heaven there is length of dayes , and fulnesse of joy without ending . and wherein consists this fulnesse ? even in the sweet and comfortable sight of god. but who hath seene god at any time ? to this , blessed austine answers excellently . albeit ( saith he ) that summary and incommutable essence , that true light , that indeficient light , that light of angels , can be seene by none in this life , being reserved for a reward to the saints only in the heavenly glory ; yet to beleeve , and understand , and feele , and ardently desire it , is in some sort to see and possesse it . now , if wee will beleeve it , though our feet be on earth , our faith must be in heaven : or understand it , wee must so live on earth , as if our conversation were in heaven : or feele it , wee must have so little feeling of the delights of this life , as our delight may be wholly in heaven : or desire it , wee must hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , to direct us in the way which leadeth to heaven . it cannot be ( saith a devout holy man ) that any one should die ill , who hath lived well . wee are then to labour by a zealous , religious , and sincere life , to present our selves blamelesse before the lord at his comming . o if wee knew ( and grosse is our ignorance if we know it not ) that whatsoever is sought besides god , possesseth the minde , but satisfies it not ! wee would have recourse to him , by whom our minds might be as well satisfied as possessed . but great is our miserie , and miserable our stupiditie , who , when wee may gaine heaven with lesse paines than hell , will not draw our foot backe from hell , nor step one foot forward towards the kingdome of heaven . yea , when wee know , that it pleaseth the devill no lesse when wee sinne , than it pleaseth god to heare us sigh for sinne ; yet will wee rather please the devill by committing sinne , than please god by sending out one penitent sigh for our sinne . for behold what dangers will men expose themselves unto , by sea and land , to increase their substance ! againe , for satisfaction of their pleasures , what tasks will they undertake , no lesse painfull than full of perill ! a little expectance of penitentiall pleasure can make the voluptuous man watch all the night long , when one houre of the night to pray in would seeme too too long . early and late to inrich his carelesse heire , will the miserable wretch addresse himselfe to all slavish labour , without once remembring either early or late to give thanks to his maker . without repose or repast will the restlesse ambitious sparke , whose aimes are only to be worldly great , taske himselfe to all difficulties to gaine honour , when even that which so eagerly he seekes for , oft times brings ruine to the owner . here then you see where you are to seeke ; not on earth , for there is nought but corruption ; but in heaven , where you may be cloathed with incorruption : not on earth , for there you are exiles ; but in heaven , where you may be enrolled and infranchised citizens : not on earth the grate of miserie ; but in heaven the goale of glory . in briefe , would you have your hearts lodged , where your treasures are locked ; all your senses seated , where they may be fully sated ? your eye with delightfull'st objects satisfied , your eare with melodious accents solaced , your smell with choicest odours cherished , your taste with chiefest dainties relished , your selves , your soules amongst those glorious creatures registred ? fix the desires of your heart on him , who can only satisfie your heart ; set your eye on him , whose eye is ever upon you , and in due time will direct you to him ; intend your eare to his law , which can best informe you , and with divinest melodie cheere you ; follow him in the smell of his sweet oyntments , and hee will comfort you in your afflictions ; taste how sweet hee is in mercy , and you shall taste sweetnesse in the depth of your miserie ; become heavenly men , so of terrestriall angels you shall be made angels in heaven ; where by the spirituall union of your soules , you shall be united unto him who first gave you soules . and so i come to the third and last ; when wee are to seeke , lest seeking out of time , wee be excluded from finding what wee seeke , for want of seeking in due time . if words spoken in season be like apples of gold with pictures of silver ; sure i am , that our actions being seasonably formed or disposed , cannot but adde to our soules much beautie and lustre . to every thing there is a season , and a time to every purpose under the heaven : which season neglected , the benefit accruing to the worke is likewise abridged . there is a time to sow , and a time to reape ; and sow wee must before wee reape : sow in tears , before wee reape in joy . seeke wee must before wee finde ; for unlesse wee seeke him while he may be found , seeke may wee long ere wee have him found . after the time of our dissolution from earth , there is no time admitted for repentance to bring us to heaven . hoc momentum est de quo pendet aeternitas . either now or never ; and if now , thrice happy ever . which is illustrated to us by divers similitudes , examples , and parables in the holy scripture : as in esaus birth-right , which ( once sold ) could not be regained by many teares ; and in the parable of dives and lazarus , where abraham answered dives , after he had beseeched him to send lazarus , that he might dip the tip of his finger in water , and coole his tongue ; sonne , remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things , and likewise lazarus evill things : but now he is comforted , and thou art tormented . and in the parable of the ten virgins , where the five foolish virgins tooke their lamps , and tooke no oyle with them ; but the wise tooke oyle in their vessels with their lamps ; and when the bridegroome came , those that were ready , went in with him , and were received : but those foolish ones , who were unprovided , though they came afterwards crying , lord , lord , open unto us , could not be admitted . for know , deare christian , and apply it to thy heart , ( for knowledge without use , application , or practice , is a fruitlesse and soule-beguiling knowledge ; ) that hee who promiseth forgivenesse to thee repenting , hath not promised thee to morrow to repent in . why therefore deferrest thou till to morrow , when thou little knowest but thou maist die before to morrow ? this day , this houre is the opportunate season ; take hold of it then , lest thou repent thee , when it is past season . man hath no inte est in time , save this very instant , which hee may properly terme his : let him then so imploy this instant of time , as hee may be heire of eternitie , which exceeds the limit of time . let us worke now while it is day , for the night commeth when no man can worke . why therefore stand wee idling ? why delay wee our conversion ? why cry wee with the sluggard , yet a little , and then a little , and no end of that little ? why to morrow , and to morrow , and no end of to morrow , being as neere our conversion to day as to morrow ? why not to day as well as to morrow , seeing every day bringeth with it her affliction , both to day and to morrow ? meet it is then for us , to make recourse to the throne of mercy in the day of mercie , and before the evill day come , lest wee be taken , as he who beat his fellow servants , when the great master of the houshold shall come . o earth , earth , earth , heare the word of the lord ! earth by creation , earth by condition , earth by corruption . remember now thy creator in the dayes of thy youth , while the evill dayes come not , nor the yeares draw nigh , when thou shalt say , i have no pleasure in them . while the sun , or the light , or the moone , or the stars that be not darkened , nor the clouds returne after the raine . in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble , and the strong men shall bow themselves , and the grinders cease , because they are few , and those that looke out of the windowes be darkened : and the doores shall be shut in the streets , when the sound of the grinding is low , and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird , and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low . also when they shall be afraid of that which is high , and fears shall be in the way , and the almond tree shall flourish , and the grashopper shall be a burden , and desire shall faile : because man goeth to his long home , and the mourners goe about the streets . or ever the silver coard be loosed , or the golden bowle be broken , or the pitcher be broken at the fountaine , or the wheele broken at the cisterne . then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was , and the spirit shall returne unto god who gave it . hence then are we warned not to deferre time , lest wee neglect the opportunate time , the time of grace ; which neglected , miserable shall we be , when from hence dissolved . yea , but will some object ; true repentance is never too late : which is most true ; but againe i answer , that late repentance is seldome true . repent then while yee have time ; for as in hell there is no redemption , so after death there is no time admitted for repentance . o remember that a wounded conscience none can heale ; so that , like as the scorpion hath in her the remedy of her owne poison ; so the evill man carrieth alwayes with him , the punishment of his owne wickednesse , the which doth never leave to torment and afflict his minde both sleeping and waking . so as , the wicked man is oft-times forced to speake unto his conscience , as ahab said to eliah , hast thou found me , o mine enemie ? now there is no better meanes to make peace with our consciences , than to set god continually before our eyes , that his spirit may witnesse to our spirits , that we are the children of grace . wherein many offend daily , who promise to themselves security , either by sinning subtilly or secretly . subtilly , as in dazling or deluding the eyes of the world with pretended sanctity , and concluding with the poet ; that i may just and holy seeme , and so the world deceive , and with a cloud my cunning shroud , is all that i doe crave . but such hypocrites will god judge , and redouble the viols of his wrath upon their double sinne . secretly , when man in the foolishnesse of his heart committeth some secret sin , and saith , who seeth him ? there is none looking thorow the chinke to see mee , none that can heare me , but simple fooles : how much are these deceived ? is there any darknesse so thicke and pal●able , that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the piercing eye of heaven cannot spie thee thorow it ? o if thou hope by sinning secretly , to sin securely , thou shalt be forced to say unto thy god , as ahab said unto elijah , hast thou found mee , o mine enemie ? nay , o god , terrible and dreadfull thou hast found me . and then let me aske thee in the same termes that the young gallant in erasmus asked his wanton mistresse ; art thou not ashamed to doe that in the sight of god and witnesse of holy angels , which thou art ashamed to doe in the sight of men ? art thou so afraid of disgrace with men , and little carest whether thou be or no in the state of grace with god ? art thou more jealous of the eyes of men , who have but power only to asperse a blemish on thy name , or inflict a temporall punishment on thy person , than of his , who hath power to throw both thy soule and body into the burning lake of perdition ? it was a pretty saying of epicurus in seneca ; whereto are offences safe , if they cannot be secure ? or what availes it guiltie men to finde a place to lye hid in , when they have no confidence in the place where they lye hid in ? excellent therefore was the counsell of zealous bernard , and sententious seneca , that wee should alwayes , as in a mirrour , represent unto our eyes the example of some good man , and so to live as if he did alwayes see us , alwayes behold us : for wee , who know that the eyes of god are upon all the wayes of men , and that no place so remote , no place so desart or desolat● , as may divide us from his all-seeing presence , ought to be in all our workes so provident and circumspect , as if god were present before our eyes , as in truth he is . and therefore prudentius in one of his hymnes give this memorandum ; thinke with thy selfe , if thou from sin would free thee , be 't day or night , that god doth ever see thee . o then let us fix our thoughts upon god here on earth , that we may gloriously fix our eyes upon him in heaven ! let us so meditate of him here on earth , that wee may contemplate him there in heaven ! so repent us to have dishonoured him here on earth , that wee may be honoured by him in heaven ! let us become humble petitioners unto him , and prostrate our selves before his foot-stoole : of whom if we begge life , his hand is not so short●ed , as it will not save ; his eare so closely stopped , as it will not heare : it is reported , that when a poore man came to dionysius the tyrant , and preferred his petition unto him standing ; the imperious tyrant would not give eare unto him ; whereupon this poore petitioner to move him to more compassion , fell downe prostrate at his feet , and with much importunity obtained his suit : after all this , being demanded by one why he did so ; i perceived ( quoth he ) dionysius to have his eares in his feet , wherefore i was out of hope to be heard till i fell before his feet . but god , who intendeth rather the devotion of the heart , than the motion of the hand , or prostration of the bodie , will heare us , if wee aske faithfully , and open unto us , if wee knocke constantly , and having fought a good fight , crowne us victoriously . thus you have heard what we are to seeke , where we are to seeke , and when we are to seeke . what ; a kingdome , not of earth , but of heaven . where ; not on earth , nor in earth , but in heaven . when ; while we are here on earth , that after earth we may reigne in heaven . what ; a garden inclosed , a spring shut up , a fountaine sealed . what ; a crowne of righteousnesse , a precious pearle , a hid treasure . what ; wisdome , health , wealth , beautie , libertie , and all through him who is all in all . aristippus was wont to say , that he would goe to socrates for wit , but to dionysius for money : whereas this we seeke , and seeking , hope to enjoy , confers upon us the rich treasures of wisdome , and abundance of riches for evermore . for , first seeke we the kingdome of heaven , and the righteousnesse thereof , and all things else shall be ministred unto us . secondly , where wee are to seeke . where ; in heaven , the house of god , the citie of the great king , the inheritance of the just , the portion of the faithfull , the glory of sion . where ; not without us , but within us ; for the kingdome of god is within us . so as i may say to every faithfull soule , intus habes quod quaeris ; that is within thee , which is sought of thee . it is god thou seekest , and him thou possessest ; thy heart longeth after him , and right sure thou art of him , for his delight is to be with those that love him . lastly , when ; on earth : when ; in this life : when ; while we are in health ; while we are in those tabernacles of clay ; while we carry about us these earthen vessels ; while we are cloathed with flesh ; before the evill day come ; or the night approach ; or the shadow of death encompasse us ; now in the opportunate time ; the time of grace ; the time of redemption ; the appointed time while our peace may be made : not to deferre from youth to age , lest wee be prevented by death before we come to age ; but so to live every day , as if we were to die every day , that at last we may live with him who is the length of dayes . what remaineth then , but that wee conclude the whole series or progresse of this discourse with an exhortation to counsell you , an instruction to caution you , closing both in one conclusion to perswade you to put in daily practice , what already hath beene tendred to you . now , gentlemen , that i may take a friendly farewell of you ; i am to exhort you to a course vertuous , which among good men is ever held most generous . let not , o let not the pleasures of sinne for a season , withdraw your mindes from that exceeding great weight of glory kept in store for the faithfull , after their passage from this vale of misery ! often call to minde the riches of that kingdome after which you seeke : those fresh pasture● , fragrant medows , and redolent fields diapred and embrodered with sweetest and choicest flowers : those blessed citizens , heavenly saints and servants of god , who served him here on earth faithfully , and now raigne with him triumphantly . let your hearts be enditers of a good matter , and your voices viols to this heavenly measure . o how glorious things are spoken of thee , thou citie of god ▪ as the habitation of all that rejoyce is in thee ! thou art founded on the exaltation of the whole earth . there is in thee neither old-age , nor the miserie of old-age . there is in thee neither maime , nor lame , nor crooked , nor deformed , seeing all attaine to the perfect man , to that measure of age , or fulnesse of christ. who would not become humble petitioner before the throne of grace , to be made partaker of such an exceeding weight of glory ? secondly , to instruct you where this crowne of righteousnesse is to be sought ; it is to be sought in the house of god , in the temple of the lord , in the sanctuary of the most high. o doe not hold it any derogation to you , to be servants , yea , servants of the lowest ranke , even doore-keepers in the house of the lord ! constantine the great gloried more in being a member of the church , than the head of an empire . o then , let it be your greatest glory to advance his glory , who wil make you vessels of glory ! but know , that to obey the delights of the flesh , to divide your portion among harlots , to drinke till the wine grow red , to make your life a continued revell , is not the way to obtaine this crowne . tribulation must goe before consolation ; you must clime up to the crosse , before you receive this crowne . the israelites were to passe thorow a desart , before they came to canaan . this desart is the world , canaan heaven . o who would not be here afflicted , that he may be there comforted ! who would not be here crossed , that he may be there crowned ! who would not with patience passe thorow this desart , onely in hope to come to canaan ! canaan the inheritance of the just ; canaan the lot of the righteous ; canaan , a fat land flowing with milke and honey , canaan , an habitation of the most holy ; canaan , a place promised to abraham ; canaan , the bosome of father abraham , even heaven ; but not the heaven of heaven , to which even the earth itselfe is the very empyraean heaven , for this is heaven of heaven to the lord : because knowne to none but to the lord. thirdly , and lastly , that i may conclude , and concluding perswade you ; neglect not this opportunate time of grace that is now offered you . i know well , that gentlemen of your ●anke cannot want such wittie consorts , as will labour by their pleasant conceits to remove from you the remembrance of the evill day : but esteeme not those conceits for good , which strive to estrange from your conceit the chiefest good . let it be your task every day , to provide your selves against the evill day ; so shall not the evill day , when it commeth , affright you , nor the terrours of death prevaile against you , nor the last summ●ns perplex you , nor the burning lake consume you . o what sharpe , extreme , and insuperable taskes would those wofull tormented soules take upon them , if they might be freed but one houre from those horrours which they ●ee , those tortures which they feele ! o then , while time is granted you , omit no time , neglect no opportunitie ! be instant in season and out of season , holding on in the race which is set before you , and persevering in every good worke even unto the end ; because they that continue unto the end , shall be saved . what is this life but a minute , and lesse than a minute , in respect of eternity ? yet if this minute be well imployed , it will bring you to the fruition of eternitie . short and momentanie are the afflictions of this life ; yet supported with patience , and subdued with long sufferance , they crowne the ●ufferer with glory endlesse . short likewise are the pleasures of this life , which as they are of short continuance , so bring they forth no other fruit than the bitter pils of repentance : whereas in heaven there are pleasures for evermore ; comforts for evermore ; joyes for evermore : no carnall , but cordiall joy ; no laughter of the body , but of the heart ; for though the righteous sorrow , their sorrow ends when they end , but joy shall come upon them without end . o meditate of these in your beds , and in your fields ; when you are journeying on the way , and when you are sojourning in your houses : where compare your court-dalliance with these pleasures , and you shall find all your rioting , triumphs and revelling , to be rather occasions of sorrowing than solacing , mourning than rejoycing ! bathe you in your stoues , or repose you in your arbours ; these cannot allay the least pang of an afflicted conscience . o then so live every day , as you may die to sinne every day : that as you are ennobled by your descent on earth , you may be ennobled in heaven , after your descent to earth . laus deo. totum hoc ut à te venit , totum ad te redeat . a gentleman is a man of himselfe , without the addition of either taylor , millener , seamster or haberdasher . actions of goodnesse he holds his supreme happinesse : the fate of a younger brother cannot depresse his thoughts below his elder . he scornes basenesse more than want ; and holds noblenesse his sole worth . a crest displayes his house , but his owne actions expresse himselfe . hee scornes pride , as a derogation to gentry ; and walkes with so pure a soule , as he makes uprightnesse the honour of his familie . he wonders at a profuse foole , that he should spend when honest frugalitie bids him spare ; and no lesse at a miserable crone , who spares when reputation bids him spend . though heire of no great fortunes , yet his extensive hand will not shew it . hee shapes his coat to his cloth ; and scornes as much to be beholden , as to be a gally-slave . he hath beene youthfull , but his maturer experience hath so ripened him , as he hates to become either gull or cheat. his disposition is so generous , as others happinesse cannot make him repine , nor any occurrent save sinne make him repent . he admires nothing more than a constant spirit , derides nothing more than a recreant condition , embraceth nothing with more intimacie , than a prepared resolution . amongst men he hates no lesse to be uncivill , than in his feare to god-ward to be servile . education hee holds a second nature ; which ( such innate seeds of goodnesse are sowne in him ) ever improves him , seldome or never depraves him . learning hee holds not only an additament , but ornament to gentry . no complement gives more accomplishment . he intends more the tillage of his minde , than his ground ; yet suffers not that to grow wilde neither . he walkes not in the clouds to his friend , but to a stranger . he eyes the court with a vertuous and noble contemplation ; and dis-values him most , whose sense consists in sent . hee viewes the city , with a princely command of his affections . no object can with-draw him from himselfe ; or so distract his desires , as to covet ought unworthily ; or so intraunce his thoughts , as to admire ought servilely . he lives in the countrey without thought of oppression ; makes every evening his dayes ephemeris . if his neighbours field flourish , he doth not envy it ; if it lie fit for him , he scornes to covet it . there is not that place he sees , nor that pleasure he enjoyes , whereof he makes not some singular use to his owne good and gods glory . vocation hee admits of , walking in it with so generous and religious a care , as hee makes pietie his practice , acts of charitie his exercise , and the benefit of others his sole solace . hee understands that neither health commeth from the clouds without seeking , nor wealth from the clods without digging . he recommends himselfe therefore in the morning to gods protection and favour , that all the day long hee may more prosperously succeed in his labour . he holds idlenesse to be the very moth of mans time ; day by day therefore hath he his taske imposed , that the poison of idlenesse may be better avoided . he holds , as gods opportunitie is mans extremitie ; so mans securitie is the devils opportunitie . hoping therefore he feares , fearing he takes heed , and taking heed he becomes safe . hospitalitie he holds a relique of gentry : he harbours no passion but compassion . he grieves no lesse at anothers losse than his owne ; nor joyes lesse in anothers successe than his owne peculiar . recreation he useth to refresh him , but not surprize him . delights cannot divert him from a more serious occasion ; neither can any houre-beguiling pastime divide him from an higher contemplation . for honest pleasures , he is neither so stoicall as wholly to contemne them , nor so epicureall as too sensually to affect them . there is no delight on mountaine , vale , coppice , or river , whereof he makes not an usefull and contemplative pleasure . recreation he admits , not to satisfie his sense , but solace himselfe . hee fixeth his minde on some other subject , when any pleasure begins too strongly to worke upon him : he would take it , but not be taken by it . hee attempers his attractivest pastimes with a little alloes , to weane him all the sooner from their sweetnesse . he scornes that a moment of content should deprive him of an eternitie of comfort . he corrects therefore his humour , in the desire of pleasure , that he may come off with more honour . acquaintance he entertaines with feare , but retaines with fervour . he consorts with none , but where he presumes he may either better them , or be bettered by them . vertue is the sole motive of his choice : hee conceives how no true amitie , nor constant societie can ever be amongst evill men . he holds it a blemish to the repute of a gentleman ; and an aspersion to his discretion , to make choice of those for his associates , who make no more account of time , than how to passe it over . conference he affects ; and those hee admits only into the list of his discourse , whom he findes more reall than verball , more solid than complementall . he will try him before he rely on him : but having found him touch , they touch his honour , that impeach him . moderation in his desires , cares , feares , or in what this theatre of earth may afford , he expresseth so nobly , as neither love of whatsoever he enjoyes can so enthrall him , nor the losse of what he loves can any way appall him . a true and generous moderation of his affections , hath begot in him an absolute command and conquest of himselfe . he smiles , yet compassionately grieves , at the immoderation of poore worldlings in their cares and griefes ; at the indiscretion of ambitious and voluptuous flies in their desires and feares . perfection hee aspires to ; for no lower mound can confine him , no inferiour bound impale him . vertue is the staire that raiseth to height of this story . his ascent is by degrees ; making humilitie his directresse , lest he should faile or fall in his progresse . his wings are holy desires ; his feet heavenly motions . he holds it the sweetest life to be every day better , till length of dayes re-unite him to his redeemer . hee hath plaid his part on this stage of earth with honour ; and now in his exit makes heaven his harbour . finis . embleme . with a climacterick yeere this worke began , which is exprest when sev'ns & nines doe meet , held fatall to this short-spun threed of man ; and with same number ends the finall sheet of these observances , whereof i treat : threescore and three is held the dangerous yeere , and just so many sheets shall you finde here ; but not a leafe to give a life to feare . vpon the errata . howsoever some no lesse justly than confidently might ●vouch , quod plura non dantur vulnera mi●●ti●n praelio , ●uam authori in prelo ; yet must i ingeniously wipe off this aspersion from my judicious friend and artist , an ornament to his profession . whose s●dulous care towards me and others , hath already gain'd him a deserved esteeme and approvement of all authors . truth is , gentlemen , when you encounter with any erro●s ( as they are individuates to all labours ) you are to impute the e●●or to the absence of the author . whose affaires in the countrey tooke him from cares of the city : or to explaine himselfe more fully , that he may come off fairely ; and possesse him of your opinion more freely ; he was call'd away from laurence iury , by the impannel of a northerne iury , and pressed to attendance by an old bayliffe of the country , when his occasion lay for the presse in the old bayly neere the city . in a word , had not a nisi prius interposed , these errors by a quest of in juiry had beene prevented . it is your generous candor to recti●ie him with your pennes , who solely for your sakes undertooke this paines . errata . vtilitas erroris , humilitas authoris . pag . lin . . for harparates read harpocrates . p. . l. . for stanes r. staines . p. . this marginall distich omitted ; " est venus in vinis , vinis venus illita venis ; " sint procul à mensis vina venusque meis . p. . l. . for as r. is . p. . l. . for comine r. commes p. . l . for stare r. seaze . p . marg . for utilitas r. utilitatis . p. . l. . a branch of vocation undistinguished . p. . l. . for enndagred r. endangered . p. . l. . for hawke r. hanke , * which inverts sense . p. . l. . for enevors r. endevours . p. . l. . for smimming r. swimming . p. . l. . for thrust r. t●ussd . p. . l . * a branch of acquaintance undistinguished . p. . l. . * another undistinguished . p. . l. . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. ib. num . for . r. . p. . l. . for wounded r. wounding . p. . l. . for . r. . p. . l. . for estimate r. estimates . p. . marg for charibdis r. charybdis . p. . marg . for felicie r. felicitie . p . l. . for say r. saw . p. . l. . for lesse r. ishai . p. . marg . for percepit r. praecepit . ¶ sundry marginall notes you shall finde obscured , which by your candor may be cleared . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e mancipia paueae lectionis cum sint . ☞ for my dedication , instead of all unnecessary excuses of presumption , i wil cloze briefly with this constant resolution : though to your title there be honovr due , it is your selfe that makes mee honovr you . notes for div a -e observat. . the dangers that attend on youth . vnum est inslar belluae humiliari , aliud est belluinos inores imitari . * vicina l●psibus adolesc . ●●a . hieron . omnia in hat aetole juvenescunt vitia . euseb. lib . . si ingratum dix●ris , omnia dixeri● . min. publianus . quisimus , quinam ●●●mus , in ephebio constitu●um est . diog. cyn. lectum non citius relinquens , quàm in deum delinquens : n●n citius surgens , quàm insurgens . the vanitie of youth displ●yed in foure distinct subjects . gate . audacia pro 〈◊〉 habetur . salust . in bell. cati● . dan. . . . . seneca . looke . plutarch . in vit . syll. august . gregor . de tranq . an . quo altior in divitiis , eo cop●ostor in vitiis . ber. de inter . dom. m●●am . . speech . sine loq ●●la non potest sla●e societas . ar●st . aug. de magist. psal. . . prou. . . in vit . phoc. in lib. desecr . secret . two reasons why young men were not admitted to deliver their opinions in publike assemblies . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pic. m●rand in epist. ad h●r●ol . neque locus , neque amious quisquā teget , quem arma non texerint . salust . in bell. iugurth . ferociam animi , quam habebat vivus , in vultu retinust catilina salust . in conjur . ca●il . salust . law , logicke , and the sw●tzers may be hired to fight for any one . blos . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . basil. virtus maxima , in mole minima . eccles. . , . habit . in vit . solon . hor●t . epist. l. . ep. . * vt in exequiis epu●sque celebrandis n●mioque apparatu corporis , omnis inutilis sumptus prohibeatur . plutarch . in vit . alcibiad . socrates . mihi mirabile fit quòd non enecentur , cum tantum onus bajulent . clem. alex. . paedag. hieron . ad fur. de vid. serm. tom. . aug. de christ. fide . tertull. de hab . mul. cap. . tim. . , . pet. . . — prima est haec ul●io , quod se iudice , ne●o nocens absolvitur . iuv. sat. . august . in enar . sup . . psal. bernard . de interdomo . cap. . an● sol●loq . cap. sen. 〈◊〉 lucil. tuscul. quaest . lib. . aug. sup ps●● . prov. . . prov. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . archi● . ta●ent . prov. . . aug. ser. . nazian . contra ●uli res immudice comptas . hieron . de exitu lea. lacrt. lib. . lacrt. ibid. iames ● ▪ . . seneca . act. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aug. three violent passions incident to youth . lvst . two reasons why youth is ●aturally subject to this ill●mited passion . an especiall motive tending to the increase of this passion . venus in vinis . nunquam e●o ebr●um pu●●bo cas●um . hi●ron . plato . plutarch . macrob. q. curt. lib. . * irene . what rare effect the precepts of morall ph●losophie wrought in heathen men . ●tiam seris ac b●b●●● 〈…〉 . ambr●s lib. . d●●●rah●m . vid. a●l. gell. i● n●ct . att●●s . seneca . — rara est concordia forma , a●que pudicitiae . iuven. sat. . numb . . . ambition nullus enim magnisc●●eris labor — i●● en . sal. . tusc. l. quaest. lib. q●art . — tolluntur in altum , vt lapsu gr●vi●reruam — hen. the fourth whose name deserves to be enrouled among the ancient worthies . aristot. chrysost. in corinth . quantumcunque le dejeceris , humilior non eris christo. hieron . plutarch . semper hia● , semper tenuem qua v●s●●tur auram reciprecavit chamaeleon . et ● utat faciem vari●s sumitque colores , praeter rubrum & candidum . alciat . nil tam metuens , quàm ne dubi●a●e aliqu● de re videretur . petrarch . de remed . utrius fort . revenge . appian . alexan. homer . in iliad . & polybius apud cu●i nem , lib. . facili redimunt qui sanguine famam . martial . epigr. — impium est mortis statum praeripere tempus . galeatilepores . pet. mart. the proper 〈…〉 . homer . in odyss . seneca ad galion . de remed . fortuit . quicquid à vobis minor extimiscet major hoc vobis dominus minatur . horat. king. . , . horat. l. . epist. . basil. homil. de ira. greg. moral . l. . cap. . ephes. . . rom. . . iam. . . is●ay . . 〈◊〉 . . . . n●mb . . . iam ● . prov . co● . . . p●o● . . ec●l●s . , . prov. . . . ephes. . . physicke prescribed , and ●e●ceits applied to cure these maladies in youth . . in lib. de leg . luke . . what employments deserve entertainment from a gentleman . blos . chrysost. lib. de ●rand . deo. luke . . rom. . , . ephes. . , . col. . , . psal. . . eccles. . . notes for div a -e observat. . the diversitie of d●spositions . exeunti intro , ●n . ranti exeo . vid. laert. a probable judgement of ou● dispositions , drawne from the delights we affect , or company we frequent . salist . passion the best discoverer of our disposition . discovery of disp●sitions in distempers . non habet ulterius quod nostris potibus addat posteritas — habebitur aliquando ebrietati honor , & plurimum meri cep●sse , virtus erit . sen. non invenit crimen , etiam viri ●ortis accipit nomen , tantò nequior , quantò sub p●culo invict●or . aug. de verb. apost . ser. . promotion held ever mans best anatomy lecture . thom. in . quaest . . a. . optanda ea est amissio honoris , quae facit nos humiliores . nihil 〈◊〉 e●●quam bene ●●se●are . diodes . dict . l. phi. l. . ● . . the disposition is not to be forced . objection . sancti iuvenes , satanici senes . hieron . cont . lucif . resolution . * vt 〈…〉 ingentia , 〈◊〉 exigu● 〈◊〉 na●●ūtar ingenia . qu 〈…〉 , ut cum primis floribus arborum ; hie●●● citius ac celerius , illi autem faeli cius ac uberius gemmare solent & germinaere . suet. tran . in vit . ner. stupent in titulis & imaginibus . be●e e● cui deus obtul●t pa●●a quod satis est , manu hor. od l. . c. . eccles . . nuga & acl●rium . quanto magis capi● , tanto magis cupit . quanto magis cupit , tanto minus sapit . * plutarch . in moral . horat. l. . epist. . what disposition is most generous . mildnesse . ☞ plutarch . in vit . pomp. ioseph . in hist. iud. in vit . marcell . com●n . matth. . . dan. . . king. . , . deut. . . bede . nec leges metuunt , sed cedit viribus aequum , maestaque victrici jura sub ense jacent . omnia adversa exercitationes p●tat . seneca . cyprian . munificence . amici , perdidimus diem . sext. aurel. iustin. cujus domus quosi quaedam munificentiae , officina creder●tur . val. max. lib. . pa●cos ●eavit aul● , plures perdidit : sed & hos quoque ipsos , quos ●eavit , perdidit . farn. in emblem . amos . . amos . . . . nihil liberale , quod non idem est justum . cic. calvin . instit. lib. . cap. . fortitude . maldon . in . matt. cap . arist. lib. . de hist. animal . c. & lib. . de part . anim . cap. . fortis non est qui in arenam descendendo , dimicar● audet , sed qui nocendi causam secum discu●t , priusquam audet . machab. . the proper aime or end whereto the actions of true resolution are directed . cicero . in lups . treatise of charitie . cic. . lib. tus. quaest . the prudent observation of cortugal , one of the turkish princes , in his oration perswasive to his lord to besiege rhod●s , was this . christianus occasus discordus intestinis corroboratur . sitting * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes for div a -e observat. . what education is . knowledge . vt cogn●s●am te ; ut cognoscam me● bern. knowledge of god. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . luke . . knowledge of mans selfe . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . multum semper discens , senesco . socrat. panorm . de reb . ●est . a●phon . lib . socrat. quomodo pros●cis , sij●m tibi sufficis ? bern. aug. in soliloq . cap. . bernard . medit. cap. . plutarch . in lib. de virtut . am●r . m●tus anima ( saith s. aug. ) quo● grae● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant . ex latinis quidam ( ut cic. . tuscul. ) perturbation●s dixerunt , alii affectiones , alii affectuo , alii expressas p●ssiones vocaverunt . d●mascen define●h other affections of the minde . motio ●e●sualis appe●i●ivae virtutis , ob boni vel ma●i imaginationem . lib. . de fi● . or●●●dox . cap. . zeno ap cic. in . tuscul. ita definit : perturbatiose● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avers● recta ratione contra natura●a 〈◊〉 commotio . l● vit . ans●lmi . * vt à christo accepi●u●s benefici●l●● , praes●●mus christiani offium , 〈…〉 christi 〈…〉 in humilitatis specul●●m , 〈…〉 enim exemplam , 〈…〉 te dejeceris , 〈…〉 . 〈◊〉 . ● . a right profi●able exhortation to all such as are drawne away by strange doctrine . sacerdot●s nominamu● , nonsumus . greg. humilium sumus doctores , supe●b●ae du●cs . ibid. ne●o ta● impius est , quem haere●●cus impietate non vincat . s. hieron . lib . in esa●m . si enim haeretici sunt , christia●●ti esse non possunt . tertul. de praescript . c●p . . cyprian de vnitate . et hi●●on . c●●tra luciferianos . discourse . laert. lib. . two especiall errors in●●dent to subjects of discourse ; affe●tation . imitation : whereof gentlemen are seriously caut●●ned . affectation s●b●s●r● . imitation . vincent : de vit . spirit . ibid. c●cero . pic mirand . ad her● ▪ ol . life of the speaker . iam. . . truth of the subject . * equites asians . iuvem . sobrietie of speech . gell. in noct. attic. immoderate passion , in arguments of discourse and reasoning , to be avoided . ☞ plutarch . in vit . phoc. ☞ two powerfull motives of perswasion ; vibemencie of passion ; and instancie of ●●monstration . est ●n●m fi●eli ●●ta fil u●o merces . ho● . car●d od . silentio culpa crescit . i●dor . neque imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare , neque sacerdotale quod senti●t , non ●cere . ambros. epist. . greg. ezech. . . cor. . . ludev . viv. instruct . christ . mul. ad●oque ut errorem cum lacte nutrici● sugunt . ci● . vb●ra la●●● & luc●● , alent vo● milit●● supremi ducis . action . ☜ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cic. s●n. de tranq . anim . ☞ appian . alexan the admirable effects of education . educatio & doctrina efficiunt mores . seneca . without learning hercules becomes a tyrant , darius insolent , achilles inordinate . pars divina in homine mersa . sen. lips. phavorinus . vid. tit. liv. luc. flor. plut. in vit . rom. among wolves was his education , by vultures his inauguration . hipastores pecorum , magis quam reges g●n●ium . xenophon . in cyropaedia . quint. curt. plutarch . in vit . alex. hominis enim sal●● nullo beneficio pensa●ur . seneca . ☞ tusc. quest . lib. quart . ☞ stilpho . alcib●ades . affrican . marc●llus . how a gentleman may be best enabled by education . * for aristotle , howsoever termed his master , is thought to have flourished when hee came to riper yeeres . vid ep. alexan ad arist. conscriptam , de sit . & stat . ind. three things moved tiberius to send drusus into illyricum : ●he first was , senescere militiae : the second , s●u diae exercitus parare : the third , simul juvenem urb●no luxu lascivient●m melin●in castris haberi reabatur tiberius . tacit. militis ira non lyra , sed t●ba so nat . ●ne● telis est nota chelys . cic. in bruto . isocrates . sext. philosophus . eunius . plutarch . in vit . marcell . habet ornatum satu illo majorē ; habet aliud spectaculum , ad illud specta●ulum te compone . quod e●go ●ibi est spectaculum ? coelum , angelorum inuum●ra multitudo . chrysost. hom . . in epist. . ad hebraeos . notes for div a -e observat. . gen. . . gen . . a qui luxuriant in verinium operibus . chrysost. tom . hom . . in g●xes . fe●untur quidam ex india vermiculi , hujusmodi facere vestes . idem tom . . hom . . in ad timoth. b imus in viscera terr● , & in sede maniaem op●s quaerimus ; c●usque pen. tr●t luxuria pl●n hi●t natural . lib . c quid me●●-rem pre●ios●rum aeromatum , quae ex india , ex arabi● , & ex perside convehuntur . sunt siuv , unguen●a pre tio●a , quae no● ex arabia , vel ex perside , sed ex ipso convihunt●r coelo , quae emuntur , non aura , sed fide non ficta . ch●ysost c. . tom . . hom . . in ad tim. august . tom . , serm. 〈◊〉 temp. d animaltum que v●nto feruntur , delitiae . clem. alex. pad l●b . . cap. . e et sua v●s●●menta & veste●st● agulas sassumigant , & aspergunt : atque adeo ut ipsas propemodum matulas . clemens alex. paed. lib. . cap. . f vermium texturae . chrysost. tor . . hom . . in genes . g maximi antem pret●i margarita mulierum conclave invasit : ca aut●m nascitur in quodom ostre● . cle. alex. paed●g . lib. . cap. . h quae pecca●oremfactum convincerent . aug. l. . de g●ne● . edli er . & cap. . i dico ergoho●inem , non al a de caisa opus habere vestimentis . qu●m ut teg it ●● corpus , ad maxima frigora & vehementes aestus propul andos : h●c est vestus s●●pus . clem. d. ex . paedag. lib. . cap. . verbera ventorum vitare imbrisque●o●ct●s . lueret . lib. . k libel de imag. horat. l. . epist. . ornamentum est qu●d ornat : ernat autem quod honestiorem mulierem facit . plutari . in praecept . connubial . hoc ipsum , quod vos non ornatis ornatus est . ambros . lib. . de virg. ambros. tom . . lib. . offic. c. . phil. . , the necessitie of a vocation . ezech. . prov. . . . ecclus. . . . thes. . , . . tim. . cor. . health commeth not from the clouds without seeking , nor wealth from the clods without digging . vocation a peculiar labour or function , particularly allotted to say one person . * aliis micens , consumor . a●l. gell. in noct a●t c. adde quod ingenium lon●a ●a●igine lasum t●rpet , & est multo , quàm fuit ante , minus . vi●a quanto magis proced●● , tanto propues ad mortem accedit . aug. solil●● . c. . sam . . ester . . king. . . dan. . . sam. . . king. . ibid. . luke ●● . gen . act. . . cor. . . ec●les . hi●t . deut. . . xista potius quàm zenodech●a , regia potius palatia , qu●m tecta in panperum solatia , erigent . three necessary considerations touching the conveniencie of a vocation . a divine consideration . a civill consideration . amore dei amor vicini giga●tur ; amore vicini amor dei nutritur . o●atio inter maxima charitatis opera nume●and● est . the effect of prayer confirmed . exod. . . a peculiar consideration . ☜ vid. salust . in bell . iug. nec enim libertas tutior ulla est , quam domino servire tuo . prima est . libertas carere criminibus . aug. ☜ a damnum potius quam turpe lucrum eligendum est . la●rtius . b omnes complectuntur ar●es ex quibus lucrum consiqui poterin● . plat. de leg . lucri b●nus odor ex re qualibet . invenal c lucrum sine dan no alterius fieri . non potest . sen. lip st . d cum aliqua species ●tilitas objecta est , nos comoveri necesse est . cic. de offic . . omnes appetinius utilitatem , & ad e●m rapunur . ibid. e lucrum facit homines deteriores . polit. . nisil●crum esset , nemo ficisset improbus . f nam tale turpe lucrum accusatio nature est . apud stobaeum . g pecuniae st●dium , fidem , probitatem , ceteras . que bonas artes subvertit . horat. h voluntas fingendi , & mentiendi est eorum qui opes appetunt , & lu●rum desiderant . lact. desalsa relig . i cl●rus ubique fuit , fortis , sapiens , etiam rex , & quicquid volet . herat. si fortuna volet , fies de●betore consul ; sivo ' et haec eadem , fies de consule●betor . iuvenal . sat. . k virtus nihil quod extra se est quaerit . pontan . lib. . de prud. l nulla potest esse virtus nisi gratuita . cic. in tusc. m domat omnia virtus . salust . quicquid homines arant , navigant , aedificant , virtuti omnia parent . ibid. n virtuti fortuna cedit . plaut o nihileripit fortuna , nisi quod ipsa dedit . sen. de tranq . an . p virtute qui praediti sunt , sol . sunt divites . cicero . deut. . . pauperes eligit deus ad haeredi tatem regni caelest●s . cor. . luk. . . . o mors , quam amara est memorta tuae , hom●ni habenti pacem in substantus suis ! non sol 〈◊〉 virtus , s●detian s●ma , d●cus , divina humanaque ●ul●bris diviti●s parent . horat. l. . sat. . we are to resist vices , by practising and doing acts of ●he contrarie vertues . no man exempted frō a vocation . non vestrae magis irae , quàm famae consulatis . caes. inorat . pro cat. de liber●ate vindicanda . vide salust . in maxima fortuna , minima licentia est . salust . - bene paupertas humilt tecto contenta late● , quatiunt al●as saepe procellae , aut evertu fortuna ●om●s . senec. in agam. quicquid excelsum est , cadat . in octav. invident honori meo● ergoinvid●ant labori , & innocintiae , periculis etiam miris , quoniam per haec illum cepi . salust . in b●ll . lug . ☞ cic. in lib. de leg . agendo , audendoque res romana crevit . salust . l. flor. l. . c. . gen. . . in iis linguis quas non in●●lligimus , surdi sumu● . tusc. lib. . hoc nempe ●b homine exigitur , ut prosit huminibus si sieri potest , muli● ; siminùs , paucis ; siminùs , proximis ; siminùs , sibi . seneca de vitá b●atá . a resemblance betwixt the offices in the bodie of a state , and a body naturall . oculus ad coeium , manus ad clavam . experimenta per mories agunt . hippocrat . faces , fauces , & faeces insulae . nunc ( vt hieron . ad paul. conqueritur ) scripturarum interpretationem passim sibi vendicant omnes , hanc garrula ann● , hanc d●lirus senex , hanc sophista verbosus , hanc universi praesumunt , lacecerant , docent antequam discant . see the first rising of all novellisme and innovated doctrine , how and upon what weak grounds planted , and how strangely by the bellows of singularity increased . exod. . . west . . west . . . ed. . . ed. . . h. . . h. . . h. . & . el. mala fama bene parta d●iectat . sen. nam vivos interdum fortuna , saepe invidia fatigat : ubi anima naturae cessis , demptis obirectatoribus , ipsa se virtus magi● magisque extollit . salust . hominas inertissimi quorum omnis vis virtusque in lingua sita est . salust . in . orat . virtus per s● amora atque aspera est . ad virtutem una atque ardua via est . ibid. vocation in generall . ☞ ezek. . . sam. . . prov. . . ierem. . . zeph. . . mic. . . ion. . . hin● alii aliis artibus incumbunt ; hi●n mari navigantes , bi in monte pas●en●es & pastinantes , &c. visne procedere in thessaham ? artem disces bortulanam ; visne in barbariam ? artem experieris eq●●strem . sam. . . sam. . . gen. . . gen. . . gen. . . gen. . . grammar . logicke . sera cognitionis , quae à cla●e artu re●eratur . arist. in poster . 〈◊〉 melch. can. 〈…〉 rhetorick . eras. l. . apotheg . quint. curt. - sivis me flere , dolend●● est primū ipsi tibi , tunc tua 〈◊〉 infortaenia laedunt . horat . de art . p●●t . cic. l. . de orat. * maro both a port and 〈…〉 ; ●ho with i●orat●s for l●cke 〈◊〉 good voice oth●●wise called the father of eloquence never pleaded ●ublikely : he●●ore was it laid of his orations , that if maro penned thē , and cicero pro●ounced them , nothing could be more exquisite . mathematicks . libenter ign ro quod m●●●ne deus nol●●t . caelera quidem nescio , hoc autem scio , quòd dii oderi●● curiosos . euclid . compescat igitur se humana temeritas , & id q●od n●n est , non quaerat , ne illud quod est non in 〈◊〉 . maxim. serm. . geometrie . vid plut. in vit . marc●ll . l. flor. l. . c. . physick . vid app. alex. l. flor l. . c. . hippocrates . musicke . vt lyram vel citharam percutiat , &c. sam. . . musicke hath a different working , melodie , mirth and melancholy . king. . . exod. . . iudith . . iudg. . . aug. confess . lib. . cap. . qui tam medico fle●u voci● faci●bat sona●e lectorem psalm● , ut pronuntianti vicinior esset quam can●nti . ibid. the vocation of a gentleman in particular . quae ret●osunt oblivisci , & ad ea quae ante sunt apostolum sequi . epist. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . dial. . exod. . . gen. . . psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mark . . cor. . . luke . . . the vocation of a gentleman hath relation to emploiment publike or private . objections framed against byron , for his treatie with forraine states . credulitie in two respects dangerous to persons imployed in affaires of state. credulitie in beleeving the relations of others . credulity in imparting his thoughts to the secrecie of others . for cabinet counsell this may be their motto ; plenu● sum rimarum . vt t●●●au●us ●e●ositu● . le●oris ventri 〈◊〉 vento vulgi , 〈…〉 . resolution in suffering neither price to draw him , nor power to over-awe him . excitamur ad meliora magnitudine rerum . sal●●● . herodotus lib. . 〈◊〉 . vid. hotmaen de legat. legatus ipsa● re●pub . 〈◊〉 suam attulsse ●idetur . advi●tutem laudis ●ue haben●as naturam , ine doctri●a , quam doctr●n●m ●ine n●tura valu●sse . 〈◊〉 . disobedience punished in attempts most successive . virgi●●aedi●●ssit quibus 〈…〉 plut. in a●o●●e● . how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in publike affaires . cyprian . mach. . ☜ magne , non be ne . aug. zieglerus l. de illustribus viris germaniae . c. . in turc . histor. probe definitur à stoicu fortitud● , cum ●am virtutem dicunt esse propugnante pro aequit●● . cic. salmacida spoli● sine sanguine & sudore . si. lib. . ☜ plut. in vit . iul. cas. ioseph in bell . iud. ●lementiam tamen imperatoris pro●ne●tia duceban● . lb. dulce & decorū est pro patria 〈◊〉 hor. li. . od . . poeni foed fragi . cic. in offic . nulla sancta societas , nec fides regni . philip ● . a glorious enterprize recommended to the undertaking of all generous spirits . totum adimit , quo ingrata refulget . coping with the persian sap●r in titular insolence , who caused himself to bee stiled , re. r●gum , frater solu & 〈◊〉 , particep● syderum . non debet timere hostem fortē , qui dominum habet fortiorem . esa. . . psal. ● . . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in private affaires . — sic crimine nota crumentaest . quid non speremus , si numm●s possideam● ? omnia nummus habet , quod vult , facit , addit , & aufert . this may be observed in suits of law , as well as private affaires of iustice. a deut. . . b deut. . . c sam. . . d ierem . . e gen. . f deut. . . g e●d● . . ● . rom . ● psal. . . h act ● . i pro● . . . k e●clus . . , , . act. . . tim● . , . l . . to . m sam. . n iob . . amos . . purpuram negis quam deum ●o kn●es . iudges . . two perillous shelfes which ind●nger iustice . sicut absynthia per sep●llunt morbo● , melle tamen ill●●iuntur , ut puerorum a●as improvida ludificetur . pic. mi●and . ad hermol . mark. . . a exod. . . b exod. . . c sam. . . d deut. . . e kings . . f exod. . ● . g cor. . . . h deut. . . . . heb. . . i exod. . , . num. . . ☜ melius est quod periat unus , quam unitas . qui malis parcit , bonis nocet . luxuriantes amputantur surculi , ut genuini coalescant ●ami . in putatiore sarmen●a sterilia recid●ntur : ut ea quae praevalent uberius fructum serant . greg. in mor. exposit. in iob. ☞ malle se in●er i●imicos , quam amicos ●udicare dicebat . laert. in vit . bia● . habeo in me , quod testetur p●o●●e . ☜ omni●●iorum vita testimonium ●edd●t deo. cypr. de duplo martyrio , initio . proh pudor , secundum fortunam as●imatur persona , quum potius secundum personam aestimada sit fortuna : ●am bonus reputatur quam dives , tam malus quam pau●er ; cum potius tam div●s sit reputandus quam bonus , tam pauper quam malus . de contem . mund . l. . c. . how a gentleman is to demeane himselfe in his owne family . tim. . . aug. ephes. . . adul● . ephes. . ad . domus , ( inquit aristoteles ) est quasi parva civitas , & civitas quasi magna domus . every family a private common-wealth . gen. . . deut. . . prov. . , . prov. . ● , . luke . . gen. . ● . sam. . . exod. . . nec sord●●è custod at , nec prodige spargat . salust . ephes. . . * circa domesticos ●●veritatem . med. cap. . deut. . . cor. . . tim. . . how highly to be condemned was that act of vedius pollio , who tyrannized so much over his servants , that he caused one to be cast into a fish-pond for breaking a glasse . iuvenes amárunt , ●●nes oderunt . alauda crist●m h●bet . proverb tim. . . domun● suam coer●er● plerisqu● haud minus arduum est , quam provinciam regere . tacit. gen. . . gen. . . gen. . . . . luke . . prov. . . . ☜ hydroptem habent conscientiā . aug. quanto magis bibunt , tanto magis ●uiunt . quanto magis capiunt , tanto magis cupiunt . quorum sitis neque copia , neque inopia minuitur . salust . vera inopia cupiditatum copia . how a gentleman is to imploy himselfe in spirituall affaires within his familie . gen. . . chron. . deut. . . . . verse . consisting upon a precept and a promise . ostendit exemplo quod promisit in praemio . aug. ruth . , . nimium est negotii continere eos quibus praesit , nisi te ●ps● contineas . anima mea quid fec●sti hodie ? &c. quod mal●● h●die 〈…〉 , lib. . veni ad judicium . hieron . paratum est cor●m●um . ibid. nulla dies sine linea . esay . . choeneci ne insideas . thess. ● . . iohn . . luke . . vlterius . luke . . nunquam ei prae●sse fami●iae , quae parum studi●sa est divina gloriae . philip. . . notes for div a -e observat. . the difference of recreations . v●d . strab. vid. plut. aul. g●ll. in noct . att. laert. in vit . chyl . l flor. lib. . c. . baleares narrat , à qua gente balistas nomen dux●sse , verisi . mil● est , jaculandi arte omnium facile principes esse . luculliani horti . vid. plut. in vit . a cynosargu● , locus in quo palestritae exercebantur ; cerostr●tum , in quo eorum corpora ungebantur . b circus , quia aculeatis spiculis circunclusus . vid. varro de antiq . rom. c haec quae difficilis turget paganica pl●ma , folle minus luxa est , & ●inus arcta p●lá . mar●ial lib. . . d fortissima adversus mortem & dolorem disciplina . vid. plut. in apotheg . & in vit . socr. plat. in repub. vid. plut. in vit . lycurg . ☜ nazian . contra ●ulieres immod●ce comptas . nescit equo rudis haere●e ingenuus puer , v●narique imet ludere do●lior , seu graeco jubeas trocho , seu malis vetita legibus alea. hor. od. . . consule victori . in vit . imperator . stud●sus al●a lusor . ibid. sue● . in aug. * vocatu● numeravit cal●ul●s , & sodal● suo ; vide●●nquit ) ●e post mortem meam mentiaris te vicisse . tum aun●●ns cen●urion● : te●u ( inquit ) eris , uno me antecedere . sen. de tranq . anim . of the moderate and immoderate use of recreation . pic. mirand . in epist. ad hermol . the benefits redounding from moderate recreation . s●n de tranq . anim . nullum magnum i●ge●●um s●ne m●●tura dementia su●● . ibid. horat. l. . ep . . cellae & habitatio cognatae sunt . ●er . de vit . solitar . non calatham iuno , non arcum sen per apollo tendit , amant re●●iem corpora ●essa suam . sueton. tranq . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . avari●i● bellua ●e●a , 〈◊〉 , m●ol●anda est . salust . domi-porta , lamax ; qu●a ●●limum serpendo rel●nq●it . vid al●iat . in embl●m . aelian in nat . hist. * rev. . ● . the inconveniences arising from immoderate recreation . immoderatione rela●antur artus , imminuuntur ●i●s : moderatione religantur ar●us , reparantur vires . laert. in vit . chyl . num. . . eccles. . . amos . . . . in the yeere of iubile all captives were delivered , all slaves enfranchised , al debts discharged . sen. de tranq . a●●m . pl●t . in apotheg . elian in vari● hist. l. ca. . dies ●●●tos nolite inhonorare ( inquit ignatius ) ●u●d tamen agū : isti , qui licentt●s ●●ulando crapule ●ndulge●● , 〈◊〉 calices ●●nriendo ebrictatem fove●t ? mel●●s est quod 〈◊〉 de f●●erent . quam 〈◊〉 de salt● e●● . aug sup . ps. ● . mark. . homer . in odyss . horat in epist. l●ert . in vit . cleob. vid. quint curt. lib. . armatis , divum nullus pudor . sil. ital. ☞ plato . plutarch . macrob. ☜ tim. . . modico vi●o utere . ecclesia mater est , noverca non est ; libertas datur ad necessitatem , modo ●●●ibeatur ad vanitatem . a ita evenit , ut cum aliqu●d ubi non oport●t adhib●tur , illic ubi oportet negligatur . te●tul . l●b . de paeniten . in●tio . b in apolog. c. . dem●critus e●caca●do s●ips●●●n●ontinentiam emendatione profitetur . at christianus solvis oc●lis faeminam videt , a●imo adve●su ▪ libidines cacus est . c ego mergam vos , ne ipse merga● à v●bis . d noctium attic. l. . c. . homo miser vites suas sibi omnes de●runcat . quo major , eò ●●●●ior ; id●ue e●e●p●o perfice , 〈…〉 etiam ●e●●●●●endi exc●pla trib●as . prov. . , . observations of admirab●e continencie , instanced in beasts and birds . vt er●ontur à muliere 〈◊〉 , &c. ibid. ve●s . . the publication of secular 〈◊〉 used by the heathen , was cried in these words : conv●nite ●d ludos spectandos , quo , neque spectavit quisquam , nec spectaturus est . suet. in claudio , cap. . po● . virg. de invent . lib. ● . cap. . o●id . trist. l●b . . object . . primum quod urgent illi histri●mast : desumptum este deutr. . de cultu mul●●br● , an pueris licu●● e●m assum●r● ; earumque mores assimila●● ? v●i bez● omnes acquiescunt theologi . object . . obiectio de sacra scriptura sumpta & petita . quam-plurima in publicis theatris sunt sp●ctanda , ad regendos mores , dirigendos motus , corrigendos animi metus , admodum ●●i●●a . object . . vt metus humilitatem , sic nimia laeticia gestit levitatem . cic. eccles. . . object . . tertul. lib. de patient . theophylact. chrysostom . gregorie . object . . de deo loqui etiam vera periculosissimum est . a●nob . object . . in com●d . de th●ide . * anticyra insula est o●tae monii thessalio opposita , ubi helleborus crevisse dicitur . cor. . . object . . aut vi● . ul●m aut vehiculum . de civit . dei. l. . c. . theatra idolatri●is is de●um sacris esse turp●ora , &c. august●nus latinorum patr●●● augustus . de ciuit . dei. l. . c. . * nun● sum designatus aedilis , babeo rationem quòd a populo accep●ri● , mihi ludos sanctissimos maxima●um ceremonia cereri liberoque 〈◊〉 cic. in ver. quintilianus hypocritam hist●ionem appellat . qui mores , motus , gestus , incessus , voces , vultus , depo●ure & dediscere ( quorum personas agunt ) nulla modo possunt . elizabetha orbis phaebe , inter mulieres syb●lla , inter reginas saba . homerus sophocles heroicus , sophocles homerus trogicus . had ovid supplied cherilus place , he might by this meanes have inriched his fortunes above the condition of a poet. sedeo inter suspiria & lachrymas . ●ego la●do ruris amoeni rivo● , & mus●o circumlita sa●a , nemusque . hor. . epist. . carmin● se●essum scribentis & otta quaerunt . frustra po●tas sores campos sui p●pulit . sen. de tranq . anim . macrob. in so●n . scipionis . ad reprebendenda abena ●acta atque dicta ardes omnia animus . solust . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eupolis atque cratinus , aristophanesque poetae . horat. serm. li. . sat. . saepius me eupolis in theatro demersisti , semel te in mari demergam . * ignotum tragicae genus invenisse camenae dicitur , et plaustris vexisse poemata thespis , quae cancre●t agerentque peruncti ●aecibus ora . horat. in art . poet . cum fame cruciantur christi pauperes , effusis largitatibus nutriunt histriones . greg. barthol . merula . in ovid. ●e a●● . amand . l. . * can●● , canalicula seu ch●us , a●ua romanos ●actus erat omn●●um maxime inauspicatus , hercules , venus seu basilicus , omnium benignissimus . vid. laps . antiq . lect . lib. . c. . turn . adu . lib. . cap. . in tessera●io lada , mydas ●actus erat f●● t●●at●ssimus . demp●t . antiq . rom. lib. . cap. . * in a treatise entituled ; the hunts-mans raunge . velletque videre , non etiam sentire . actaeon apud ovid. quos montes ascendent , quas palades transibunt , quas vepres sentesque sine sensu percur●ent , modo unum lepusculum tanto sudore capiant ? horat. optat aprum , aut fulvum descendere monte leonem . virg. — ut o●●m gargil●us , qui mone plagas , venabula , servos dis●ertum transi●e●orum , populumque jub●bat : vnu● ut è multis ( populo spectante ) referret emp●um mulus ●p●um . horat. epist . lib . . plato . vid. sueton. tranquill. greg. in moral . exposit . in iob. the romans , as 〈…〉 accounted all prodigalls mad-men . cic. de offic. horae non auri dispendium defleo . of recreations best sorting with the qualitie of a gentleman . ☜ t●scul . lib. . ☜ qui●t . curt. ● . . ☞ he● quantum potuit terrae pelagiq●e parari , ho● qu●m civiles hauserunt sanguine dextra ! a ephes. . . b rom. . . prov. . , ● . c pro. . . . d prov. . . . lucan . the saying of adherbal , bomilcars sonne ; vincere scis hannibal , sed uti victoria nescis . l. flor. l. . c. . resembling clement the fourth , who had a pregnant wit for projecting , unfortunate for atchieving . object . sol. vid. homer . in iliad . plin. in nat. ●ist . knowledges are as the pyramides , whereof historie is the basis. de orat. . lib. whence cicero moved luccius to record his acts in his writings . annot. in tacit. de quo verè dici potest , ut inclytus ille l●psius de gui●cia●dino testatus est ; " prudens peritusque s●rip or , & qui tales lectores suos facit . * in the survey of histories ; which might be rightly entitled , the muses wardrobe , or the noble-mans lecture ; dilating on the various delights of historie , the best accomplisher of true gentilitie . historic●m nobilem & verum . aug. de civit. dei , . l. graecorum thucyd●dem & herodotum , latinorum salustium & t. livium facilè principes esse judicamus . l●●r . v●ll . in pr●oem . thucyd. * plinius iunior wished hee might be mentioned in the histories of cornel. tacitus , because he did foresee then succeeding memory . * non solum onim● , sed etiam 〈…〉 cic. * ☜ a cicero said of galba's leaden and lumpish body : his wit had an ill lodging . b who would have majestie preserved , virtute non cultu . ma●r●b . lib. . saturnalium c. dion . l. . a●pianus alex. plut. in vit . pomp. iustin. quint. curt. v●d . polydor. fab. stow. & al. appian . alex. i. flor. l. . c. . quint. curt. l . the miserable ends of such as committed sacrilege in their time . virg. aeneid . l. . lactant. de o●●g . error . cap. . valer. max. vid. chron. what good morall men have flourished in evill times . plut. initio apotheg . regum . iustin. lib. . in fine . non dolenda solum sed periculosa etiam res est , cum ingratis babere negatium . senec. appian . alexand. o ingrata patria , ne ossa quidem ! valer. max. quint. curt. l. . plut. in apotheg . q●anti dux , tant●●x●rcitus . l. flor. l. . c. . pecoribus fa●igatis quoque ve●o●●or domun gradus est . sen. de ●●anquill . anim . lib. . cap as in the reign of king iohn . an. dom. . having crossed the seas to ierusalem . ideredo non s●it hominum , sed cons●ien●●a scelerum . polydor. virgil. how a gentleman is to bestow himselfe in recreation . ☞ desunctum asserunt immod●●a laetitia & senii imbecillitate , &c. laert. in vit . chyl . suet. in nerone . plut. in vi● . sext. a●●d . herodian . virtu● atqu● sapientia maj r●n illis fuit , qui ex parvis opious tantum emperiū secere , quam in nobis , qu● ea b●ne parta vi● retinemus . salust . maius d●decus est pa●ta a●●ttere , qua ● non omninò pa●avisse . peculatus ●rarii fastus est . ibid. assuetis nulla fit passio . 〈◊〉 . suet. in tiber. from this inordinate desire , spring two maine branches ; cupi●itas acquire●di ; avid●●as retine●di : eagernesse of gaining ; greedinesse of retaining . blos . omnium notarum peccatores ; et nulli ●ein●si poenitentiae ●a●i . tertul. ac poe●t● . in fine . quicquid repre●endendum non 〈◊〉 d●m est . sen. de bene● . l. cap. . davide● s●lta● ▪ ●em . 〈◊〉 stupeo quàm p●gnantem . mora. l. . c. . sam. ● . . chro. . . l●dam ( inquit ) ut illud . xi . bonus ●udus quo m●ho● iras●itur , & deus del●ctatur . greg. mag. chrysost. in gen. tom. . tom. . cap. . notes for div a -e observat. . of the use of acquaintance . cu● . dentatus apud senecam de tranq . anim . mark. . . act. . . prov. . . deut. . , . ☞ a bern. de vita solitaria . b honores mundi , tumores mundi . eucher . epist. par●ne de contempt . mundi . c omnis seculi honor , di●boli est negotium . hil. can . . in matth. quaeremus unum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona & sufficit . aug. med. * greg. diligenti deum sufficit ei placere q●em diligit , quia nulla major expetenda est remuneratio quàm ipsa d●ectio . ●eo magnus . serm. . dejejunio . mat. . . . psal. . . tim. , iob . . bernard . in lib. de consid . ad eugen . in codem l●b c. peri●lita●ur castitas in delaiis , humi●●tas in divit●●s , pietas in negotio , veritas in ●●ultiloquio , charitas in hoc nequam saeculo . 〈◊〉 . gen. . . ☞ afranius . of the benefit we reape by acquaintance in matters of discourse . ☞ amor ● praesente g●nd●t , absente dolet . bern. sup . cant. nil interest habere ostium apertum , vultum clausum . cicero . no rush without mire , no corrupt heart without sinne . plin. in nat. hist. iob. . . ☞ of the choice of acquaintance in matters of advice . iob . . laert. in vit . per●and . omnia proten pore , ni●il pro veritate . optatus l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ecclus. . . * whose wood is sweetest , shade coolest , and coale hottest . fabiolae maus . . lat●at , hac uno s●●w . s●n. in troad . in tiberius time . pro. . , . laert. in vit . biant . suet. in august . tusc. lib. . of the benefit properly derived from one friend to another in every peculiar action plutarch . in pelopida , initio . plutarch in paulo aemilio , fine . nihil lam aeque ●●l●cta●●ri● an●num quam am●●itia side is . sen. in tranq . anim . vt flores qui odore delict●nt . ibid. * the expressive character of a reall friend . nam in soro sunt lites & ●c●●ones mol●●stae posidip . dict . si quis in hoe mundo cunctis vult gratus haberi , det , cap●al , quaerat , plur●ma , pauca , nihil . plato . the benefits which redound from the mutuall union or communion of friends in the exercise of pleasure . ioci non s●nt nimusalsi , multo minus insulsi ; illi enim multum officiuni ; isti , nisi per cachinnum , parum p●oficiunt . vanitati prosrie festivitas cedit . cic. de orat . lib. . as many stars 〈◊〉 in the heavens bee , so many maids ha's rome to welcome thee . as many kids as on the downes we see , so many prostitutes in rome there bee . scipio nasica . a tergo nemesis . lacrt. in vil . biant . a rule of infallible direction , touching ●h●●ce of acquaintance . quisquis plus justo non sapit , ille sapit . martial . l. . those jests are best seasoned , that are least saked . of the choice or judicious approvement of acquaintance , in affaires of highest consequence . a●icos sequere , quos non ●ud●at ●legisse . bias. neither timist nor timonist are within the lists of acquaintance to be entertained . the timist or time-observer displayed and displaced . nec 〈…〉 sext. aurel. in constant. these timists have resemblance to those applauding parasi●es , by whom antiochus was at one time saluted both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a glorious prince , and a furious tyrant . tam gravis ille mihi nigri quàm limina ditis , ore aliud qui fert , aliud suo pect●re condit . homer . lib. . ☞ cum catilina polliceri novas tabulas , proscriptiones divitum , magistratus , sacerdotia , rapinas , ali● omnia quae bellum atque libido victorum fert . salust . plures homines pudore magis quam bona voluntate prohibitis abstinent . esse inter nocentes 〈…〉 est . cyprian . epist. . ca●panus . ☞ ☞ peccatum semper pregnans , 〈◊〉 ex alio gig●●t . vitia m●bi sant an . mi. sen. v●tia ad vi●inos serpunt & con●acta no●ent . ib. * quae male ●●ssi●●tur , mis●r● insicitur . q●●t vit●a , tot d●moni● . tot daemo●ia , quo● 〈…〉 . si inrecentes 〈…〉 praemia . salust . gratia quae coeat fict●●ale-s●rta sodalis est velut in siculo scylla cavenda mari . pub faust. andrel . pro. . . the timonist . or time detracter discovered and discarded . ☞ ar●st . hist. ani●n . nosque ubi 〈…〉 oriens 〈…〉 rubens 〈◊〉 ●umina 〈◊〉 . tu voluptatem complecteris , nos compescirrus . tu omnia voluptatis causa facis , nos nihil . sen. de malis accidentibus bonis . lib. . neu tihi pulchra patent caeci vestigia mundi , ●allere quae citi● quam renovare solent ? plutarch . what directions are to be observed in the choice of a wife . gen. . . the harsh and heremiticall conceit of the carthaginian arminius , touching mariage . se non prosperae tantum , sed ●mn● fortunae inssesocietatem . — vix ulla perennior u●na est vel tibi grata magis , proprio quam corp●re bustum condere . — und requiescit in urna . ovid. met. lib. . hebr. . . arist. lib. . polit . cap. . eam ●ligas mag●●●●● , quem magis admire is 〈◊〉 ●ideas , qu●m cum anci●● . s●neca . egnatius quod candidos habet dentes re●id●t usquequaque , seu aed rei ventum est subsellium . vid. catull. in lib. e●eg . a epictet . enchirid . b cypr. de discip●ina & habitu virg . ☜ c petr. mart. in reg. . . d cyprian . e a●b● . hexam . lib. . cap. . f hieron . g iunius . h aug. de christ. fide . i ambros. lib. . de offic . cap. . k hier. ad furiam de vid. ser. tom. . l tertul. de hab . mal. cap. . m scult . n cyprian . in lib. de hab . virg . o vict. ad salmonem . p tho. hudson . q clemens alex. const . apost . l. . cap. . r hier. de exitu leae . s vict. ad salmonem . t caesar. in comment . u nazian . contra multeres immodice c●mptas . x laert. lib. . optimisunt odores qui adorant m●●s , al●te● no● sunt flores sed faetores . y lessius dej●sti . 〈◊〉 & jure . lib. . cap. fol. . z pet. al●gora in compend o manu●l . navar. c ▪ numb . . f●l . . laert. in vit . c●e●b . portion and proportion . a vbi deus est , ibi p●dicitia . h●●●en . ad furiam de vid. serm. tom. . b velamen istud an●i●hristi . ibid. cal. rhod. lib. . cap. . privileges of marriage . plin. l. . c. . laert. in vit . chyl . fortes creantur fortibus & bonis : est in juvencis , est in equis patrum virtus — horat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . insel cem dicebat bias qui ferre nequiret inselicita●em . ●aert . pomp. 〈◊〉 l. . quorsum alter dives , alter pauper ? theophrast . nil habet infelix paupertas darius in se , quam quod ridiculos homines facit — iuven. sat. . quem sugiam scio , quem sequar nescio . homer . iliad . . nihil turpius dubio & incerto , pedem monò reserente , modò produc●nte . sen. epist. . sundry inducing motives to love recounted . parentage . benevolence . fame . pardoning of injuries . numb . . . . concurrencie in hatred . compassion in affliction . king. . . sam. . . ecclus. . . virtus in infirmitate perficitur . cor. . . delivery from danger . judith . . esther . . exod. . . joshua . . judg. . . maccab. . v●d . eccl. à cap . ad . expression of vertue . k●ng . . . acknowledgement of injuries . a position of aristot. rhet. . cap. . vt tenuissima scintilla quae in oceanum demittitur . chrysost. in hom . ad pop. suffering of injuries . bountie , or munificense . cor. . . ecclus. . . . ecclus. . , . ibid. cap. . . . obad. . arist. eth. lib. . of constancie in the choice of acquaintance . ecclus. . . . . a●ârunt solem ardentem , oderunt arguentem . vt ab iis meliores fiant , aut eos quibuscum versantur , meliores faciant . inter vestales hoc celebre fu●t , primò discunt quid agant , pof●ea agunt quod discunt , tertio alios d●cent quod discant & agant . non est strepitus oris , sed jubilus cordis , non sonus labiorum , sed mo●us gaudior●● , con . ordia voluntatum non cons● nantia vocum ; parum enim pro. lest sola voce cantare sine cordis intentione . bern. * etiam cadaver mortui officioso gestu precabatur . quaerite quod quaritis , sed non ubi quaritis . august . delicatus magister est , qui pleno ventre dispatat de ●●junio . hieron . qui saturest pleno lauda● jejuni● ventre . ecclus. . . quint. curt. l. . amicitiae ut pares quaerunt itae & faciunt . vt cuique est atas , ita quemque facetus adopta . hor. l. . epist. . suaves omnes siunt sales inter socios & sodalci . quae demen●ia est potius trabis quàm sequi ? seneca . nec quia delectat , placet ; sed quia placet , delectat . ibid. engregium apud vos virtutis officium ●●●●ptates persuadere : super mensam recognoscentes omnia gentium animalia : & quò magis implentur , eò magis inexplebiles . ibid. three faculties of the understanding . these observe that maxime ; he that knoweth how to speake well , knoweth also when he must hold his peace . these thinke an houre before they speake , and a day before they promise . ☜ in lib. de se●re● . s●cret●r . ☜ eccl. . , talis substantia non est stabilis , aut ipsis inventibus est peritura , aut à ma●is haeredibus est dissipanda . chrysost. in mat. ecclus. . . aristot. l. . eth. of reservancie towards acquaintance . eccles. . . chap . . to . iudg. . . chap. . . eccles. . . verse . secrecie . aditum nocendi perfido praestat sides . sen. in ocdip . ☜ sam . . king. . . arcanum neque t● s●rulaberis ullius 〈◊〉 ; comm●ss●m● nelegis , & 〈◊〉 tortus & ●ra . h●r . frontem a●eriat , mentem legat . ci● . sam. . . . quid difficile ? arcana ( inquit ) retice●e , & ocium recte disponere . laert. in vit . chyl . ☜ aristot. ☜ seneca . sext. aurel. in vit . commodi . sam. . . king. . . ☜ stow annal. in vit . iohan. reservancie in respect of our substance . sal●st . prodigus & stu●tus donat quae spernit , & odit . horat. l. . ep . . ecclus. . nascitur escopulu , nutritus lacte serino , et dicam silices pectus habere suum . ovid. ecclus. . . . of the absolute end of acquaintance . omni● labor alisquò reseratur , aliquò respiciat , sen. de tranq . anim . cornel. gall. seneca . ☜ aristot. laert. in vit . biant . ecclus. . . . ☜ in it●nera●io . pag. . scolasti●us & mendi●u● ; ● s●●ulacea●a ! nonne alterius seculi 〈◊〉 est transire per terram auri sine auro ? bern. de consid. lib . zeno noster cum omnis su● audiret submersa , jubet ( inqui● ) ●e fortuna expeditiùs philosophari . sen. de tranq . anim . morgam vos ne mergar à vobis . magnum est malum non posse ferre malum . sen. sen. de mal . accident . bonis . lib. . especiall offices wherein friendship and acquaintance should be exercised . ☜ arist. maxima f●lici●as hujus mundi consistit in amicis . boe● . de consol . phil. nemo me amicus ben●sicen●ia , nemo inferend● injuria ●imicus superavit . plut. in vit . syll. posse & nolle , nobile . ☞ * vsque ad adventum christi , brita●nia fertilis provincia tyrannorum , & scoticae gentes , omnesque usque ad ocean●m per circuitum barbarae nationes , moysen prophetasque ignorabant . b stow annal. in vita morgani . c camdeni britan . in essexia . d stow annal. in vita bladud & leyre regum , & severi imperatoris . e iuellus in tractat . de sacris scripturis . pag. . act . . templum christi ●n te● plum iov●s , mariae in veneris diceres ●onversa . d aeg●●●ius . f gildas ▪ l●b de victoria a●tchi a● . g nicephorus l. . cap . h d●rotheus in synopsi . cap. . rom . . tim. . . the flourishing state of the church , amidst many hoarie winters of innovation . i advers . iudae . cap. . h●spaniarum omnes termini , & galliarum diversae nationes , & britanna um i●accessa romanis l●ca christo vero subdita . k hom. . in ezek . qu●ndoterra britanniae ant● adventum christi●n univ● dei cons ●sit relig●onem ? nunc vero uni●●●sa terra cum leticia clamat ad dominum . l socrat. l. . c. . m hom. . in cor. n epist. ad ev●grium . anno . columbanus in anglio , palladius in scoli● , patritius in hibernia s●o●uit . o advers . grae. lib. . p epist. lib. . cap. . q hist. lib. . c. . vide praeter caeteros n●cn inu● melyti nominis , vitam b●rnard● . lil . cap. . & . bernard . de considerat . lib . si mi●cere licet figmentis sacra pr●fa●is . in upupae nido lapis est diversi coloris , qui tam occultae est virtutis ut gerentem p●ane invisibilem ●od let . albert. mag. basil. omnis injuria in sensu patientis . gravis est miseria iniquè fere●ti , suavis au●em est divino amore serv●●t● . praecept . vid. gaguin . lib. . hist. franc. sur. tom. . notes for div a -e observat. . moderation defined . omnis quae à ratione suscipitur de al qua re institutio , debet a definitione p●oficisci , ut intellig●tur quid sit id , de quo disputetur . cic. offic . lib. . nihil interest an habeas , an non concupiscas . sen. ☞ dii tibi divitias dederant , artemque fruendi . hor. epist. lib. . ☜ plutarch . in vit . camill. 〈◊〉 . alex. plutarch . in vit . v●spas . habere vitam in patientia , ● ortem in des●d●rio . sen. ☞ caberes christi , quid gaudes ? quia sucius es pecorum ? aug. mihi credite , mori mallem quàm imperare . oth● . curia curis stringitur , diadema spinis cingitur . aphorism . sen. in thiost . no vertue can subsist without it . ☞ quint. ●urt . plutarch . in vit . ages . plutarch . in alexandio . plut. in apo●heg . eras. in apotheg . ludens par impar , equita●sque in arundine longa . agis rex lacedemon . ☜ la●rt . in chilo . what excellent fruits are derived from temperance . homer . lib. . odyss . oculidolores . plut. in vit . alex. ☜ honores mundi , tumores mundi . eucher . ●pist . paraen . de contempt . mundi . velamen istud antich●●sti . hieron . ad furi●m de vid. serm. tom. . amici sures temporu . cic. arist. lib. . ethic. cap. . accepit luxuries sceptrum ; quid sperandum est praeter nauf●agium ? august . plut. in apoth . car● & mundus plenisunt sp●nis : conversari in his & non laedi , divinae potentiae est , & non virtutis humanae . bern. ☜ quint. curt. li. . cùm de virtutibus agitur , nulla excellent●or ●ernitur quam illa , quae in cast●s ad●lescentibus invenitur . salust . in iug. vid. plutarch . in apotheg . q. curt. lib . cap. . mallem quaeri cur statua m●hi nulla posita ●it , quàm cur sit . cato . seneca . praefulgebant iunius & blaes●●● , eo ipso , quòd effigies ●orum non visebantur . tacitus . plut. in vit . legitur in gestis romanorum , quod ille qui primi●ùs inter eos vestem purpuream induit , a fulgure percussus est , & sic interut . faces faecesque superbiae , s●●ton aul. gell. noct . atti. l. . c. . alex. gen. dier . lib. . cap. . stuckius de convi . lib. . cap. . ☜ haec duo à deo , mudò cum conservatione naturae stare ●oterint , unici postulabat ; ut a loquendo & edendo perpetuò abstineat . vltimum r ▪ ●ugium natur● , est potus . axioma . ☞ gellan nect . attic . aug. de academ . ☞ laert. in vit . b●ant . ☞ august . lib. . de bapt. cont . don. cap. . ebrietas in●mica est cogni●oni dei ; cupiditas 〈◊〉 necessitudim diabolt . ambrey . lib. . de abraham . quil●xuriatur vivero mortuus est . hier. bona est cas●itas conj●g●l● ▪ mel●or continentit vidualis , optima perfectio vi●ginalis . beda . qui non nuhent & ●xor●s non ducunt , sicut adgeli in terra sunt . ambros. supergreditur virginitas conditionem humanae naturae , per quam homo angel●s assimilatur . ibid. virginitas si lab●tur , nulla poenilentia reparatur adintegritatem . isid. de sum. bon. a●denter loquor , cum omnia possit deus suscitare , tamen non potest virginem post rian●m . valet quidem de poena ●●●●rare , sed non valet ●o ronare corruptam . hier. ☜ velea , or velleia . alphons . in lib. de haeres . in verb. tyrannis . s●to lib. . de lust . & lure . quaest . . artic . . si tanta humilitate se deprimit divina majestas , superbire in quo andet & praesumit humana infirmitos ? aug. de const●ctu viciorum . ☞ mihi m●●abile sit quod non enecentur , cum tancum onus bajalent . clem. alexand. . paedag. o nobilem magis quam foelicem pannum ! stob. ser. . sen. epist. . visus jam est vestis non tegumenti . clem. alex. paedag . lib. . cap. . chrysost. tom. . hom. vivere & mori naturae functio : indi●●io esse proprio duc●●ur . ambros. ep . . venter vitae charibdis . diog. apud laert. chrysost. hom. . in gen. impossibile est hic implere ventrem & ibi mentem . hier. in epist. si sermo meus caperetur , caperet : nam si● est sermo dei , & sic esse debet fidelibus , sicut pisci hamus ; tum capit qu●ndo capitur , nec sit captis injuris ; ad salutem enim , non ad perniciem capiuntur . aug tract . . in iohan. aug. in l. confess . blos . collyr . haret . gregor . in mor. exposit . in iob. qui per annos plurimos tecum familiariter vixit , ad m●nsam tuam sedit , cibum de manu tua sumpsit , in sinu tuo dormivit : cum v●luit , tecum colloquium habuit , lic j●re haer●ditario servus tuus est . bernard . aristot. de historia animalium . lib. . cap . lucretius lib . oppianus lib. . de venatione . ☞ ebriosus consundit naturam , amittit gratiam , perdit gloria●● , incurrit damna●●onem aeternam . ambros. lib. de paenut . dum absorbent ●inum absorbentar à vino . vt cautes , evitemus cali●es , ni in ore na●seam , in mente nausragium sentiamus . pestis non saevius grassatur in urb● , quam ebrieta● in corde . ☞ bosil . * amongst which consorts of death , if at any time it bee your fortune to encounter with these civill city-foists , whose cheats are their chequer , timely discard them , lest untimely experience make you distate them . run with the ro● unto the rose ; the roe must win , the rooke must lose : for northern rookes are little worth compar'd with those the south brings forth . senec. de tranq . anim . bernard . august . emissinus . stultum est servire diabolo offenso , quinullo placatur obsequio . greg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ☞ wherein moderation is to be used . aurum horamque petunt , petendo perdunt , perdendo periunt . expence of coine . tertull. instit . lib. . cap. . this is excellently secōded by a princely pen , in a pithy poem directed to all persons of ranke or qualitie to leave the court , and returne into their own country . relata ad se magnitudine aeris alicujus , quam quidam eques romanus dum vixit cclav ▪ rat , culcieram emi cubicularem sibi jussit : & praeceptum mirantibus hanc ratione redd●dit ; habenda est ad somnum culcitra , in qua ille cum tanium d●beret , dormire pot●●it . macrob. saturn . l. . c. . frugall men being rightly stiled , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tusc. l. . dona prius quàm tempora dedit . datur etiam vermibus nere●e viscer●bus , acuratiorem cultum praebere hominibus . vid. pet. mart. quò cumuli gazae , si desin● ossibus urrae ? ensdem penates habu●t & regi●m , & rogum , & sepulchrum . valer. max. de tull. hostil . ambros. aug. epist. . bernard . de adventu s●rm . . aug●st . in m●d. ca● . . expence of time . eucherius . nil preciosius tempore , & heu nil hodie eo vilius invenitur : transeunt di●ssalutis & nemo cogital . bern. majus dedecus est , par●a amittere , quàm non omninò paravisse . salust . martial . lib. . sext a●●el . in domit. ne quid us●uam honesti occu●●●●l 〈◊〉 . vid. tacit. quàm quisque pess●me fici● , ●am maxime t●t●s est . salust . cujus cupediae ●er ula mediae , cujus januae ca●cera mendici . dan. . . pet. dam. de hora mortis . sic mihi divitias , samuli patie●dolahores , nec minor est domino servus in aresu● . eccles. . v●inam invidi oculos haberent in ●mnibus locis , ut de omnibus soelicitatibus torquerentur : nam quanta sunt foelicium gaudia , tanti invidorum sunt gemitus . seneca . luke . . . mac. . . . fiori non potest ut male muriatur , qui bene vix●rit . bl●s . encli●id . pirvul . auth●r . moderation of the passions of the minde reduced to two subjects . ioy. iob . . he●●er . eccles. . . dan. . , , , &c. iob . . prov . . esay . . iob . . zeph . gen. . . iob . . psal. . . g●l . . . thess. . . sorrow . sam. . . king. . . gen. . . ionah . . * or , gederans . ioseph . li. . . matth. . . quo quisque sanctior , co ejus in orando fletus uberior . aug. via est incipientibus : veritas est proficientibus : & vita perfectis . tho. à campis in soliloq . animae . cap. . cor. . . bernard . ☜ wh●rin moderation is to be limited . aug. soliloq . cap. . iohn . . cōcupiscence of the flesh . gen. . . king. . . sam. . . iudith . . gen. . . dan. . . esther . . dan. . . dan. ● . . acts . . qui modò immortalu vocabar , &c. euseb. ephes . . august ▪ de civil . dei , l. . c. . ☜ tertul lib. de poenilen , initio . quem de stumine gallo , qu● per phrygiam labitur , propinasse ar●itremur ; de q●o quicunque bibit , tautepere insanire solet , ut seipsum illicò castraturus est . pump . laetus de sacerd . blos . tertul. in apolog . c. . psal. . . ☞ ☞ noctium atticarum li. . c. . cōcupiscence of the eye . gen. . . king . . cor. . . corpore interius , sed corde exterius . bernard . med. cap. . ☞ columella lib. . cap. . foetorem quem ab ibis p●i●s emisissel , ob ore denuo recipit . pl●n . in na● ▪ bist . aelian . gerson . ariost● . erga mundum hab●amus oculum re●ortum . pride of life . august . soliloq . cap. ● . omnia metiri malim dignitate quam ambitione . pl●n . in epist. * judging of anothe● consisteth in these three points : first , when a man doth well , to say he doth evill . secondly , whē a man doth evill , to say that man doth worse . thirdly , when a thing is doubtfull , to take it in the worser part . vid. annal. stow. laert. in vit . pittaci . ☜ pallium video , philosophum non video . ☜ comment in regum cap. . chrysost. lib. de orand● des. august . soliloq . cap. ● . of the accomplished end which attends moderation . lib. de philosophi● apud aug. de civitate dei. lib. . cap. . the difference betwixt the ethnick and christian ethick , in the opinion of felici●ie . prov. . . august . bernard . revel . . . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . b qui nil habe● in m●ndo quod appetat , nihil est quod de mundo per timescal . cyprian . c quis ei deseculo metus est , cui in seculo deus tutor est ? ibid. de hac die lux pr●ficit , sed nox deficit . aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellat clemens . august . de civil . det. lib. . cap. . tract . . in iob. vnde mors in anima ? quia non est fides . vnde● ors in co●po●e ? quia non est anima . ergo animae tuae anima est fides . vid. lansparg . in pharetra divini amoris . anger . this might be instanced in our late fleet●street tumult . ☜ plutarc . in apotheg . roman . ☜ cic. tusc. lib. . ir● mort●lium debet esse mortalis . lactant. wantonnesse . ☞ august . ☜ pride . august . wherein true content properly consisteth . the goods of the minde . plato in tymaeo . pri●ùm eritur , pos●remum moritur . quis me s●ygias mittet ad umb●as ? morijuvabit , poena nam gravior nece est . sen. in octav. messala corvin . the goods of the body . plut. in vit . aut. gel. noct. attie● . c. . sutton . tra●● . homer . in odys. certum est quod morieris , incertū est quando , quomod● , aut ubi ; quoniam ●bique te mors expectat , tu quoque si sapiens sueris , ubique eam expect . bis . bern. in med. . excutit redeuntem natura , ut intrantem . sen. v●●● introitus , innumeri exitus . menander . nazian . in suneb. orat . pro casario . the goods of fortune . aug. soliloq . cap. . ☜ notes for div a -e observat. . two considerations of maine consequence . bern. mod. . august . manual . cap. . the christians complete armour . augustin . sicut nullus locus vacat à peccando , ita nullus locus vacet à precando . a matth. . . . b luke . . c marke . d thess. . . e exo. . . f dan. . . g paralip . . h sam. . i ierem. . . qui copiosiores sunt , & volunt pro arbitrio quisq●e suo quod visum est contribuuill , & quod ita colligitur apud praepositum deponitur , &c. iust. mart. apol. . non peccatorem , sea j●stum panperem nu●rit , quia in illo non culpam , sed naturam diligit , &c. greg. mag. the fruit of fasting . vid. cyprian . serm . de jejuni● tom . . basil. de jeju● . homil . . tertul. lib. de jijun . origen . hom . . in levit. vid. bedem ; qu● viro verè venerabil● ( tes●im●nio polydori ) nihil fuit castiu● , nihil melius , nihil verius , &c. polydor . lib. . greg. in mor. expos. in iob. ☜ hieron . the power of prayer . in dei auribus d●siderium vehemens clamor magnus est ; remissa inten●io , vox submissa . bernard . greg. in dialog . nazian . in epitaph . gorgon . sororis ejus . euseb. in hist. hieron . in vit . paul. er●mit . vid dict. andr. in tortura tort. greg. nazian . ☜ cicero . lib. de orat. plut. in vit . cicer. . lib. tuscul. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solonis dict . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 physic. matth. . . heb. . . cor. . . coloss. . . of the contemplative part . psal. . . august . lanspurg . aug. soliloq . cap. . tim. . . acts . . acts . . ignoravi , quod ●an s●●vis , o bone iesu , esse● tuus emp●e●us , tam b●nestus at●actus tuus , tam debciosus convictus tuus . bonave●● . august . soliloq . cap. . n●● invenio quid licentius appellandum ex●●limenus coelum ●●eli domino , quam contemplantem &c. aug. m●● c. . august . soliloq . cap. . veni●● ad 〈…〉 perfectio est . caesar arelat●nsis . hom . . p. . aug. in ●●tract . de anton. e●cmita hoc ●ef●rt , q●em . damas●●n : pri●um monasticae vitae professorem vocat . vid. histor. barla●m . vid. paul● diaconum . tim. . . , . philip. . . ☞ * magis resistit ignis fe●ro quàm ligro , sed cum ignis vincat utrunque , intensior est calor in ferro quam in ligno . stoll . de contempt . m●nd . quod tentationi quorundam sanctorum assimilari potest : acriùs tentationi resistunt , susceptam tamen aliiùs retinent . a three-fold meditation of necessary consequence . aug. med. c. . vita corporis anima , vita animae deus . august . manual . cap. . * viscus est amor possessionis , affectus cognatio●● , cupidi●a h●noris , & 〈◊〉 voluptas . bern. med. . aug. med. c. . non est aequum tempore & die memoriam benefi●it definir● . cicero . of the active part. omnia volumus scire , nihil agere . gasper . in hippolit . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gell. noct. att●● lib. . cap. . luke . . . . multi miscrisunt magis habendo quod amant quàm carendo . amando enim res noxias , niseri habendo sunt miseriores . aug. sic vivite , ut nemo de vobis male loqui absque mendacio possit . hieron . epist. ad coelum de instit . matris . ☞ ☜ morbianimi sunt vitia . ☜ petrarch . two especiall memorialls recommended to our devoutest meditation . . the author of our creation . . the end of our creation . august . soliloq . cap. . ecce pulchrū ac p●●tiosis lapide patre ●ad●ver tegentem ! gasp. in he●aclit . ☜ plato . aug. soliloq . c. . ☜ in vit. anselm . aug. soliloq . c . aug. soliloq . c. rom. . . the end of our creation . luke . . . math. . . . . . vid. aegid in hunc locum . ●●ria quart. & quint. hebd . prim. nec prederunt hic divitiae divitibus , nec parentes filiis , nec angeli ipsi proderunt . chrysost. ille ind●x nec gratia p●evenitur , nec misericordia iam fectitur , nec pecunis corrumpitur , nec satisfactione v●l poena mitigabitur . august . singular precepts of mortification . hieron . ad demet . act. . . ibid. prope finem . ☞ idlenesse begetteth securitie , properly termed the soules lethargie . parum est legere , aut colligere ; sed intelligere , & in formam redigere , hoc artis , hoc laboris est . casman . vid. histor. barlaam . aug. in retract . bernard . a christians ephemerides . ☜ basil. plutarch . in moral . revel . . . coloss. . . king. . luke . luke . . ● sam. . . gen . . & . gen. . prov. . . the active part preferred . agapetus . ☜ bern. de interdomo . c. . n●cetas . u. nazianzen . ambros. epist. . anime tuae gratum feceris si misericors fu●ris . bern. de m●do bene vivendi . nil magis commendat christianum animū &c. ambros. . tim. pag. . tract . . in ioh. dives factus est propter pauperem , & pauper propter divitem ; pauperit est rogare , divitis erogare . august . he preacheth best , qui dicit non lingud sed vitâ . aug. s●r . . de verb dom. charitas viscera tua percutiat . august . vt à christo accepimus beneficium , praestemus christiani officium , praebendo membris christi hospitium . provocaris christiane , provocaris a vidua in certa●en august . king. . iohn . . sam . . eo d●e in qu● ratio reddetur , quid fecimus , non quid novimus , quaeretur . object . sol. luke . . . object . sol. the active preferred before the contemplative for two respects . g●spar . in heraclit . cap. . mundum ex animo priùs fugare , quàm mundum sugere . nec divinitùs acceptum talentum●n terram defodere . ibid. wherein the active part of perfection consisteth . ☞ aug. de civit. dei l. . c. . active perfection consisteth in mortification of action and affection . mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect , to these three distinct subjects . . life . . name . . goods . mortification in our disesteeme of life . iren. advers . haeres . lib. . . . ☞ euseb. in eccles. hist. ruffinus lib. hist. cap . * 〈◊〉 multis the●a est , mihi litera foelix . si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soi bit , scribit & ill . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. . plin. lib. . c. . aug. tract . . i● iohan. hollinshed . ☞ cyprian . contrariisunt illis sactiosi ●aeretici , quorum conscientia usque adiò sunt amplae , ut in illis civitatem decem millium civium aedificare possis , quemadm●dum quidam magnum alexandrū depinxit . aegid . in thess. . tertul. . l. cont . marcionist . ☜ in omnibus quae agimus , finem intentionis , magis quàm actum operationis intendit . august . soliloq . cap. . luke . . luke . . * parùm res●rt , vesti● tua an s●ricea an cilicea , modò pudica sit , non meretricia . lanspurg . in pha●etra divini amoris . ibid. scire debes , quòd quamvis de mor●e meditari sit horribile , de statu finalis judicii cogitare , ut aestimo , non minus est sormidabile : quia nullus tunc polerit fall●re sapientiam , flectere just tiam , inclinare clementia● , declinare ultionis & justae retributionis sententiam . bern. mortification in our dis-respect of fame or report . mortification in averting our eare from our ●wne praise . ☞ pha●●orin . lib. . de rebu● gest . a●b●ns . ealaus , d. augustini judicio , unicè approbanda est , quando nec laudantem adulatio movet , nec laudatum tentat elatio . aug. soliloq . c. mortification in suffering aspersions laid on our good name . matth. . , . quod si ipse dei filius à diabolo in eremo tentatus fuit ; qu● eremita●um idem non expectet ? g●sper . in h●ra●lit● . vid. aegidium in hunc locum . matth , . . tota vita christi in terris quae per hominem gessit , disciplina morum fuit omnia bona mundi christus contempsit , quae contemnenda docuit : & omnia mala sustinnit , quae sustinenda percepit ; ut in illis non quaereretur faelicitas , neque in istis timeretur infaelicitas . aug. dever . rel . ☜ ambros. epist. . the commendation shall ever live which a●b●ose giveth to theodosius the emperour ; beneficium se p●tabat accepisse august 〈◊〉 o●iae theodosius , quoti●s rogabatur ignoscere . optabatur in co , quod timebatur in aliis , ut irasceretur . de ob●t . theo. ☞ cha●o● nec lethis caeca charybdis saedoru● sacras sorde charites . s●crat . in eccles. hist. lib. . cap. . the arrians scandalized the great athanasius . plutarch . in vit . act. . , , . . tim. . . . luke . . . iohn . . matt. . . matt. . . act. . . scandalum pharisaeorum . scandalum pasillorum . scandalum activum . scandalum passivum . ☞ mortification in our cōtempt of all worldly substance . prov. . . . two remarkable considerations : first , by whom these blessings are conferred on us ; secondly , how they are to be disposed by us . non dabit quod non habet . aug. isa. . . isa. . . luke . . signa viis reparant , ut nomina nota relinquant , ma●more quae sculpto romen manis bab●nt . luke . , , &c. poenitentia dol●rum , non rem●ssionis ●e●catorum . chrysos● ho● . . in iohan. aug lib. . de ci 〈◊〉 . dei , c●p . greg. l●b . me●a● . cap. . act. . , . an accurate repetition and connexion of the precedent meditations . gal. . . a nullum deo grati 〈◊〉 sacrificium , quàm zelus 〈◊〉 . greg. in hom . . sup . ezech. b nam qui non ardet , non accendit . bernard . c nec lucere potest , nisi prius ardeat . aquin. in . iohan. d lucerna quoad officium , extinctae quoad effectum . ibid. quod emittitur voluntarium est : quod amittitur necessarium . ambros. qui à die in d●em deserunt , donec parcae cuncta auserunt . non memini me legisse mala morte mortuum , qui liben●èr opera 〈◊〉 exercuit . hieron . in epist. ad nepotianum . quàm immensa est laetitia de recordatione transacta virtutu ! &c. bern. in fest . omnium sanctorum . serm . . iob . . the absolute or supreme end whereto this actuall perfection aspireth , and wherein it solely resteth . chrysost. aug. soliloq . c. . t●rent . in heauron . plan. in rudente . prov. . . ecclus. . . eccles. . . . . . . ☜ scire omnia volumus , nihil agere . gasper . in herac. cap. . sub quorum velamine , frequenter magna avaritia comperitur . vincent . de vit . spirit . cap. . sive dormiam sive vigil●m , somniat : & cogitat quicquid ei occurrit . bern. med. cap. . in 〈◊〉 honorem 〈◊〉 ne praeveniatur , in possidendo valdè si●et ne privetur . cui tam d●●st quod habet , quàm quod non hab●t . adeptae voluptatis coronidem si quares , poenitentiam invenies . cum se cuncta novisse putat , plura se ignorasse quàm didicisse , indies sentit . si à deo non affligotur homo , seipsum effliget . in herac. cap. . i●a de humano arbitratu pensitatur divinita● , nisi deus homini placuerit , deus non erit . tertul in apol. cap. . ibid. cap. . vid. vit . honor. c●rporis vitamus venena non animi . ibid. in herac. quis vicinus malus , quis latro , quis insidiator tibi tollit deum ? et potest tibi sollere totum quod possides corpore , non libi tollit eum quem possides corde . aug. ecclus. . . beati qui ex eorum numero esse merentur , quos mundus pro stultis , deus pro sapientibus habet . bl●s . euchirid . parvul . 〈◊〉 . esther . , . ecclus. . . . multi miseri sunt metu , ne miseri fiant : multi meri metuentes , moriuntur . gasp. in herac. ☜ the reason of his frequent repetition of sundry sentences , similitudes , and other memorable discoveries thorowout this book . hier. in vit . ●jus . pontius in sine vitae ejus . in vit . bedae . sepulchra enim non tam mortuo rum quàm viv●ntium memoriae condita sunt . ambitio his dux ; ●llis , amor dei. gasp. in epist. ante hera●lit . what wee are to seeke . vitruvius , l. . c. . august . manual . cap. . ibid. cap. . luke . . trinita● divinarum pers●narum est summum bonum , quod purga●issimis mentibus cernitur . aug. . de trin. cap. . ☞ rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . isidorus e●ymol . l. . c. . august . manual . cap. . ibid. . aliud noli petere , uni sus●●ce , quia una tibi sufficiet . aug. in psal. . where we are to seeke . aug. med. c. . eccles. . . aug. med. c. . sipes i● terris , sp●● s●t in coelis . ☞ blos . enchirid. pa●vul . autb . ibid. minore negotio nobu coelum comparare possumus , qu●agrave ; m infernum . ibid. hilar. ●nar . in p. . bernard . when wee are to seeke . eccles. . . gen. . . luke . . . matt. . . . . . . d●us 〈…〉 promisin●●● 〈…〉 prom●sit . aug. matth. . . august . ierem. . . eccles. . à vers . . ad . gen. . . a●g●st . poenitent●● poe●ae ; non paena poe●ntenti● . ☞ king . da mibi 〈◊〉 , da ●●stum , sanctan● videri , noctem p●ccatis & fraudi●us obji●e nubem . n●llus est ●n ri●●a , nullaes qu● me e●aud●at . eras. dial. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 deus omnia vina●x . king. . . annon pudet id fac●re in conspectu dei , ac te●●ibus sanctus angelis , quod p●des facere in consp●ctu hom●●um ? quid si tuta possint essescelera , si secura esse non possunt ? vel quid prod●st nocentibus habuisse latendi facultatem , cum latendi fiduciam non habent ? sen. epist. . bernard . de vita solitaria . sen. epist. . august . man. cap. . quicquidages mundo fur●ì●ve pa●amve memento , inspectatorem semper adesse deum . prudentius hymnorum . l . cont . symmach . august . solil●q . cap. . ☞ aures babet in pedibus . ari●lippus . cant. . . tim. . . matth. . . matth. . . cor. . . cor. . . matth. . . isay . matth. . . numb . . . rom. . . sam. . . . luke . . qui amat destderare , desideret amare . bern. de amore dei. cap. . vid. greg. mor. lib. . cap. . a pithy exhortation . aug. man. c. . a powerfull instruction . majorem si●i gloriam con●erri existimabal , in seipsum e●●ibendo membrum ecclesiae , quàm caput imperii . vid. euseb. exod. . . exod. . . gen. . . luke . . august . soliloq . cap. . a perswasive conclusion . ☜ matth. . . hebr. . ● . prov. . greg. in moral . exposit. in iob. blos . euchirid . parvul . auth . euphuia, or the acts, and characters of a good nature. written by tho. tanner g.j.e. tanner, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) euphuia, or the acts, and characters of a good nature. written by tho. tanner g.j.e. tanner, thomas, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for john crook, at the sign of the ship in st. pauls church-yard, london : . reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . human behavior -- miscellanea -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion euphuia , or the acts , and characters of a good nature . written by tho. tanner g.j.e. nemo repenté fit turpissimus . london , printed for john crook , at the sign of the ship in st. pauls church-yard , . reader . having well considered of my friends , and acquaintance ; i find that this piece ( such as it is ) being writ by no one patern , can deserve no other patron , then its own subject ; the common good nature . neither was it without some reluctancy , e're i could be brought to acknowledge it my self ; being vanquished ( at last ) in this : that it was the more shame ( of the two ) to seem to disown it . as if i might not appear in publick as confidently as another ? or were afraid to justifie the contents of it : since to write for simple vertue ( not pretending much to wit , or learning ) is but mean , and out of fashion ? or , in fine , as if i would have it thought ; that it is not worthy of my cognisance for want of accomplishment both of style and method ( having done it , indeed , in a transitory state , as some of my friends know ; and examined my references since ? ) but as it is come to this pass , it was at first in my liberty to write what i pleased ( below the ambition of perpetuity ) and to communicate with my friends , and it was in theirs afterwards to commend it : and in the stationers ( from them ) to run the risque of its popularity . and now , it is in yours to censure , as you think meet , which i know the common forms of apology neither can restrain , nor qualify . nor can i be excused on pretense of necessity ; if that , of meer idleness in the making , and easiness in the parting with it , will not serve . only , if you purpose to proceed , i am to meet you with this anticipation . that i do not account moral vertues to subside , or be determined in the acts of a good nature , ( that flow , as it were , ex tempore , and ever bear themselves in the same posture ) but i suppose them to be vertuous ; even without , and beyond intention : not disparageable with imperfection in their kind , or distinguishable from the matter or form of higher vertues : but rather to be such fundamental rudiments , without which no vertue can be grounded , or improved : such seeds of excellency as cannot be acquired by art of industry : and native worth in some that is inimitable unto others . if moral vertue had been my argument , i should have founded it in rule , and reason , and will , and the use of fortune . a thing so considerable in it , that for that cause , of all the lives that have been written , rarely can a man find an apt example for his imitation . or in all the comments , apposite words and cases to apply to his occasion : so that oftentimes the learned and well-principled , when they come to practise , act like other men , and are exceeded by ( meerly ) prompter spirits . besides , that through necessity a man can hardly arrive to acts of generosity , or come off with splendor : which in some sort of vertue is plainly requisite . but in this subject , all magnificent pens have gloried : mine has only travel'd in the accedence of morality . and when i found some wit ; that attireth all vice in the dress of nature ; some politiques , that make interest more intrinsecal , then the common notions , and some authority , slighting all actions not intended , and squared to a prescript rule : i thought somewhat was ( of right ) to be asserted from them , and not to let their natural endowments deprive all other of their moral . wherein ( if i may be serious ) i undertake the cause of all ages , and of all particulars , since the same that seem to traduce this simple nature ; in effect , do seek it most exquisitely in their wives , and friends , and children . and so i pass , gentle reader , into your power ; as a person bound by my own principles to be void of interest , and ambition . though i know i must be judged , like those that have written de contemnendâ gloriâ . but what i cannot possibly avoid in a matter of no greater moment , i may readily embrace , and retire notwithstanding safe in obscurity . euphuia , &c. § . . as the skilful herbalists , when they go on simpling , do not make choice of curious gardens , for the boundaries of their search , but rather choose to traverse the wide world , to find the variety of natures sprinkling . so if we seek for strippes , and springs of goodly dispositions , we must not be confined to noble cultures ; but every field , and grove ( with the wilds , and wasts of the hundred ) may afford as well as they , somewhat worthy of our transplanting , or collecting ▪ for , as marius pleadeth , in excusing the obscurity of his birth , that nature is but one , and common unto all , so it is here . and wherever it is found in greater force , or better temper , there it is the more generous . why should we stand gazing at the steps and nods of princes , if not to lead us into error , and admiration ? 't is art , whatsoever we observe , nature affordeth nothing else but motion . or why should we only wander in the common , to regard the rude and undisciplin'd ? nature is restrained there from play ( wherein she would affect to shew her gayety ) through ignorance , and want of conversation . or if we still hold our judgments unprejudicated , why should we not compare them with the mean ; while we often see the high born and bred to have but weak and passive spirits , and some that sprout up among the stubs , to culminate with the cedars , and to gather as they grow , the flower of all accomplishments ? but we are not to travel in extremities . we may find the characters of beauty and perfection in a pastoral , as well as in a tragaedy . and therefore we will take all indifferently in our observation : though the great are our only instances , and the mean , when they are produced , are not known . what should we stand to dispute , whether vertue be more from nature , or from discipline , since that would only be to argue in the figure of the word ? we take it not for strength natural , which is equally applicable to good , or evil ; or for any act according to election , which may be only from the dictate of our reason , and besides our inclination ; but we take it for a rectitude of moral dispositions , from whence we account a person good , and well-conditioned , who is so endowed . education may teach us good manners , as they are in fashion ; but it doth not weaken malice , but rather helps it to be more artificial . study may amend the principles , restrain the progress of a vice , correct the tenor of our life : but it cannot render any one so gracious , or so acceptable , as a good nature untutored . in fine , the force of fortune hath no little influence upon our tempers to disguise us from our selves and others . wherefore in enquiring after good nature , we may sooner find our game among the humanists , then among the school-men ; and put her up with a pack of descriptions , than take her in the chace ( as it were ) with one courser , by a single definition . but the huntsman ( first ) must appoint the grounds to us . and they are thus ample . . that nature hath not been so much restrained unto any man , as to allow him no good qualities . a fool may be kind and charitable . a slave obsequious and loving to his master . a deformed man ingenious . thersites did not want somewhat in him , to recommend him to some mans phancy , that could distinguish . neither aesop , nor the priest , whom the queen descended to salute , as he lay in sleeping . nay , we see ( sometimes ) an ill-favour'd lout ( as he seems to others eyes ) to be graced with the bed , and favour of a beauteous lady , whom likelier persons have sought ; and have been repulsed . not to speak of the most vicious , whose evil parts may be but the corruptions of their excellent endowments misemployed : the most contemptible have somewhat in them to bear them up against neglect . a curr ( that is unprofitable ) hath exquisite wayes of fawning , and insinuating with his master , to save his skin , or fill his belly ; so that he may fare better than the talbot . as we likewise see an empty droll better feasted , then a grave philosopher , but they are not so much to be envyed for what they have , as to be pityed for what they want . . that nature hath not given all good parts to any one man. [ onc ne furent a tous toutes graces don nées . ] for if she had ; her prodigality upon that one , would cause that all the rest , that she hath bestowed on others , should be in vain . he , while he were as a god amongst men , would be insupportable in the world ; while all accumulation of honours and regards were devolv'd on him , a general ebbe would leave the other fishes to perish on the dry shoar : and this leviathan would scarce be covered in the middle of the waters . but she hath rather so provided , that somewhat there should be in one to recompence the defect of another : and somewhat elsewhere to counter-balance men that are excellent , that the world might not be too narrow to contain them . . that a crooked , maimed , or infirm body are to be allowed for their imperfections , in so many grains extraordinary , whatsoever vertue you require in them . for whatever noble instincts may be in them , the soul cannot act without its organs ; but when it is about to issue , it is distorted . they cannot choose but be affected , as they ●el within themselves ; when they are about to shew their courtesy , somewhat indiscernable may pain and incommode them ; as an aking tooth may interrupt one ( if it be no more ) in the midst of his discourse ; and then if you wonder to see the debonnaire on a suddain to become tachy and unsociable , while he perceives , and strives to correct it , he may falter upon some other passion , or disease , and make it worse by his endeavour of amending . to these , it may be some fair quality may want a seat of action , or the faculty be sunk in the rubbish , and ruine of a member . . that there are divers other affections of the body , that 〈◊〉 an influence upon the soul. a ean one preyeth on the sweet and oyly humours , and so consumes the fewel of its own contentment . a little body is soon agitated , as if the spirits wanted room to expatiate , and 't is receiv'd ( almost ) among the vulgar , that little heads are testy . but if there be excess of dimensions , it makes the whole unactive , and the parts unwieldy . besides , though you see nothing but a body well-disposed , the parts within may be inordinate . the veins and arteries may be strait , and subject to obstructions ; so that transpiration is not free , nor the course of the bloud and spirits open to the extremities of the body , whereby it cannot feel its self in an ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or ) good estate , and habit of complexion . neither is it possible for some to obtain so good a temper , who are born with evi humours ; as we bring with us for the most part , some familiar maladies ( like evil geniuses ) attending on us all our life , either thin and fluid humors , or gross and tough , or fair and fiery spirits , or sharp and subtle as if they were the rennet of cold and melancholy . . lastly , that therefore the agreement of body , and mind must be considered , and then the field may be discreetly beaten for our prise . there is a kind of physiognomy , that discovers a good nature , wherein any ordinary man may have some insight . the beggar spyeth where to be importunate . the cheat where to follow . the hector where to brave , or to beware . 〈◊〉 courtier where to allure : but some aspects there are agreeable unto every one liking , where none conceiveth a suddain prejudice ; or hateth at the first sight , or envyeth their good estate , or affecteth to do them any hurt for their owe sakes , but findeth that humanity in them , which all the world respecteth . such is that ( most part ) that presenteth a clear and even skin , a ruddy countenance , a constitution full and sound , that is neither apt to thrive not abate , and a mine of air and behaviour , neither flow , nor vehement , but strong and sweet , and such as sheweth a promptness to intension , and remission , as occasion serveth . a body free from uneven parts , especially uneven eye-brows , prominent lips , or an eminent ( romane ) nose . if any other parts be unequal , one cannot therefore exclude that party from having any good parts within him : but we cannot lightly take him for the copy of our character . but there is nothing more regardable than the habit of the eyes : which if they bear that full and steddy look , that importeth confidence , and admit those repercussions that enkindle bashfulness , and emit those casts and glances , that are significant of gentle passions , they do undoubtedly evince the tokens of a likely person . § . ii. but to leave it unto women to be pleased in the outside of a man , and to allow them ( what they affect in this case ) to be the competenter judges . let us pass to the habits of the mind : and then ( to be sure ) whatsoever we discover to be good in one , is good in another , and indifferent to both our sexes . i take it once for granted , that a good nature enjoyes a constant sweetness within it self , while it is endued abundantly with a free course of blood and spirits , circling in its breast ; and filling it with love of life both in it self and others : and delighting most in interchanging of vivacity . . and first , that it doth not owe its cheerfulness to any foreign cause , but only to its native vigour , and source of anhelation . and whom doth it not revive to see alacrity in another without apparent cause ? especially , when there is no insolence , or affected motion to be discovered . who would not wish and earn for such an acquaintance , and think himself happy to have a part in one , that is ( indeed ) happy of himself ? to see his action , observe his countenance , note the harmony of his heart , and tongue ; and hear the melody of his speech , and tone ; while every acent is a strain of birds , or angels ? and yet the cause is not so abstruse , the ebullition of fresh and airy spirits gently moves the bloud , and excites the sweeter humours of the body , such * as love and joy flow upon , and yeild no place to a syncope , or intercision of the soul , such as grief and sorrow do inflict by the sharper humours that they prepare , and empty from the gall , and other vessels ordain'd to sever them , besides , that innocency is a constant guard upon the blandishments of the mind , and affords security to all the thoughts to play with their simplicity . for bitter passions seldom come , till we begin to trade with fortune , and * taint our apprehensions with things preter-natural . not as if a good nature were beyond the reach of fortune ( for the fair are commonly said to be unfortunate ) a brother , or a lover may be snatch't away ; or his time may travel over barren ground , and make wast in his progress . but abstinence and contentment are not difficult to a mind not debauch't with luxury , since nature is contented with a little , and it is more natural to such a temper to take delight in the good that is present , then to wreek for that which is absent ( peradventure ) more than wanting , but its power were not to be seen were there nothing to oppress it . [ marcet sine adversario virtus . ] the breathing of a spring will bear a light thing above the water ; if it be stifled with earth and rubbish , in time 't will wear them quite away , or else it will rise again in another cistern of its own inventing . the palm-tree shooteth up with the more vigour having weights hang'd upon it . and the pressed camomill yields with a modest fragrancy , but as soon as the chastening roller is gone beyond it , it rears itself again to court the air and dew that cherish it , so a * good nature is not toiled with adversity or changed without subversion . but so it liveth with its self . . next , let us see how it delights it self in the life of others , which we may take some pleasure to observe in the vanity of little children . whereas you may observe some ( as soon as they can express the primer copy of their reasons ) to be craving many things , making little difference of the hand , or the party , so they be but gratified : because their delight is more in divers toyes than in their play-fellows ▪ or in their dayly servants that attend to humour them : you shall note some other better natured , that take no joy but in their companions , that will not eat , nor drink , nor ( by their good will ) sleep without them . that will not be pleas'd with any thing when they rise again , without restoring them to their wonted pastime , and their known associates . the same rejoyce in getting more acquaintance and making more friends to play with them : but yet they will not endure to be with strangers without the company of some they know , because they distinguish of whom they know , and of whom they love ; not through averseness unto any , but only of imbecility , when they find themselves denuded of their proper aids and relyances . for , the same nature , with the benefit of experience , leads them on to an universal humanity . and it seems that humane nature is rather to be learned by observing the respective characters of growing years , then by forming notions out of their maturest actions ; which it is most likely , are accommodated unto fortune , or necessity . neither is it wonder , if these have still impell'd mankind to an uniform mode , or way of contending about the partition of conveniences among men , but it would be wonder , to see a child by nature so pugnacious , that without any provocation , it should still be fighting . i am more inclinable to think with sir p. sidney , that man is a good natur'd creature till he is injured . neither do i think , that every man could wish a great destruction , that he himself might come to desolate possessions . but of this only en passant : i dare not enter into an argument , at the porch of which , stat magni nominis umbra . § . iii. to proceed from these two principles ( that i suppose ) i infer as necessary consequents . . that a good nature is void of pride and ambition , . void of interest and design . . while it readily cleaves to what it likes , more or less as it finds agreeableness ; it is not averse to any other , much less is it apt to hate any , seeing somewhat good in every one ; so that though it do decline some qualities that are in persons , and some persons for those qualities , yet it doth not hate them or despise them : whereas all pride is founded in a secret malice . the degrees of pride are two . the first , self-conceitedness , whereby one esteems himself better then another . the second is ambition , whereby one seeks in act to put a distance , or to make a difference betwixt himself , and those that he despiseth , which do both necessarily induce hatred ; inasmuch as the proud conceiveth , that those whom he despiseth would oppose him , and arrogate as much unto themselves , as he doth to himself ( if it lay in their power ) and therefore he doth either in act , or intention seek to depress them . now as generous wines , when they retract their spirits to the center of the vessel , do become eager in the extremities : so it happens to men of spirit , when they retire into themselves by self-conceitedness , they become unsociable in other parts , and are only pleasant to their intimates , being such as serve to elate them more ; while they vainly nourish a caprice of grandeur with restraint of generosity . but if their humour carry them abroad , to make it self observed , it brings a restraint upon the publick , imposeth upon others , abridgeth liberty , raiseth expectation , and meeteth ( at the last ) with such contempt and hatred from other men , as they themselves have fostered . or if fortune favour their ambition , and bring the world about to their bent , so far as they have to do in it ; yet it cannot blot out the indelible characters of their usurpation , or the tokens that they must leave behind of their injustice . if caesar were the tamer of the world , he was the overthrower of his countrey . and so ( before ) was marius : so was sylla : nor was more to have been suspected from l. catiline . but the like success doth not happen to one of a thousand , not in meaner enterprises . and what ( at length ) is sought by attempting ? when pyrrhus , king of epire , prepared to pass into italy , cyneas , a councellor in esteem with him , demands to what end he made that great preparation ? said he , to make my self master of italy . and what , replies cyneas , after that ? i will pass , saith he into gaule ▪ and into spain . and what farther ? i will go to conquer africk , and at last , when i have brought the world into my subjection , i will live at ease , and take my content . and i pray sir , rejoyneth cyneas , why may you not so do , at this present , and save your self the hazards and the travels ? it is the treating of designs that removeth present happiness , making us to go out of our selves , and not to rest in what we are , which the truly * happy only do , as the only means of their happiness . a good nature is indifferently born to all mankind , and to all estates , and can never want either complacency in the first , or contentment in the later . it exacteth conversation to the utmost of its fortune , and excepts against none : for it hath no picque to make it eager against any . it esteemeth no better of its own person or endowments , or fortunes then anothers . the beautiful despiseth not the crooked , the strong doth not violate the weak , nor the witty abuse the simple , the rich and honorable do not scorn the company of the mean : nor an high mind grasp at other acquisitions , than what ly open to its own right , and title . for of these things that are injoyed in common , it reputeth : that as good are they that want them , as they that have them ; and as happy they that are without them . the prince , and the subject have the same bread and wine ; the same fish and fowl ; the same cloth and silk ; the same commodities , and refreshments ( in reality ) in common to them ; the rest is but imagination , the king thinks the private man more happy , and the private man thinks the king : but they both know their incommodities apart , & that no one man hath any reason to contemn another . nor is it the least restraint from pride of a free and ingenuous spirit , the magnanimity that it has within it self . for as he doth not undervalue , so neither doth he prefer any other before himself , whom he values only by his own right intentions acquiescing in what he is , and not affecting to be any thing , that is another . he neither covets to detract , nor to depend , nor to have any others otherwise affected towards him , then he is towards them . for he is as continent in himself , and holds himself as happy , as him that he sees to be more wise , or more strong , or more allied , or befriended then himself . he cannot therefore be discomposed with envy , or emulation , which are the tormentors of a proud spirit . for envy is a sharp humour , that mantles the face with wrinkles , and fennowes the complexion , while it seeks no less to procure the dissolution of the subject , then of the object : whereas a good temper loves & values the worth that is in another , respects his quality , covets to support it , and desires to communicate with it in the common benefits of vicinity . emulation is more hainous , raising a sedition in the common-wealth of vertue , and turning the fairest machines of wit and courage against the seat of aequanimity : for it propagates envy , scatters the contagion into many hearts , and seeks to turn the balance to the contingency of force and violence , no matter what succeedeth , so that which stands in the way of its undue aspiring be demolished . such furious spirits do not only molest the world with their actions ; but bear a sway in civil companies by their passions , till they are out of breath : and then those clear and even carriages , that were wont to oblige and conquer men ( more manfully ) will be ready to evince them . but some one may be instant with me here . if it be to debase my self , being noble , to be good natured , is it not better to be proud ? if it be to stay my advancement , being capable of obtaining it , is it not better to be ambitious ? if it do not admit of politick , and martial vertues , whereby the world is governed , were it not better to unlearn it , then to study to be deceived with a vain name : since assuredly , whatsoever makes men excellent cannot be a vice , howsoever it is termed , and whatsoever doth restrain them cannot be of vertue , howsoever it is styled ? be it so , i do not suppose , that all heroick actions are the acts of good nature : but only , that a good nature is the aptest subject of all magnanimons vertues , and a kind of stock and fewel to them ; but not to their contraries . if a man be noble , it prompts and supplies him with an high and generous mind , far above the vulgar ; but it faileth him in elation , or vain glory , or impotent domineering ; which only make men great in their own conceits , and less in other mens . if he tend to advancement , the same incenseth him by all the means that are fair and vertuous ; for it is but sloth and degeneration not to seek to mend his fortune , but to ambition his preferment with servility , or fraud , or cunning , his nature starts back with abhorrency , and reclaims him ( interdum in praesens tempus plus profici dolo , quam virtute ) that craft , though it seem to profit , finds a great abatement at the foot of the account , if it do not bring us back to begin again , or bring us into great intanglements ; for by one miscarriage more hath been lost , then accrued by many acts of vertue . the like in politick and military devoirs , it boils under publick spirits , and makes the love of ones countrey like the love of immortality : but it fails , if we begin to affect the tyranny , to subvert the liberty , to enslave the people , or exterminate the nobility . only here it strikes and suffers violence . happy was the roman common-wealth , while it had camillus , cincinnatus , and such other modest and invincible spirits upon all emergences to deliver it ; and immediately to deliver up their supream authority . but after one ill exmaple ( as tacitus speaks in another case of the military election of an emperour ) when the mystery of usurping was discovered , and the power of the senate found to be waved by c. marius , a person of base original , and a barbarous mind , it was not possible to restore , or support it from farther lapses . . good nature is void of interest , and design , can'st thou love for love , and make that the reward ? as the roundest mouthed of our comaedians has plac'd the words for me . but there is an end of all things and an action , or affection cannot be the end of itself : for it must be needs to obtain the fruition of somewhat beyond itself . how can this be ? yet to love for anothers love may import some valuable consideration , for it cannot want effects and services : but to love and delight in the acts thereof , when one knows the object to be insolvent , or ingrateful , is not this a paradox of good nature ? but what ? can the sun forbear to shine , because it raiseth stench from the dunghil ? or the spring to flow , because the stream is dam'd ? or the earth to yield its fruit , because the husbandman permits it to rot upon the ground ? to have a'kind and liberal disposition is so natural to a gentle breast , that it cannot be abstracted , or in sense , or reason . and that , although there be , that pay them with their own coin , receiving all as freely as it comes , as if the good nature only did it to ease it self , and were obliged to its percipients . but such a nature soon becomes master of its second acts , and is not therefore foolish , because it is simple . though it take a pleasure in its first acts , or emanations , yet it can improve it in its second , without any foreign interest . he knows his goodness does as much consist in the object , as the subject , and that it cannot be compleat if the object be not capable , that is , if it be ungrateful . for it doth not derogate from goodness to delight in the proper consequents of its acts , as in love and commendation : but rather , that it self is argument to commend it , for contemners of * same are commonly despisers of vertue . to strew ones bounty , as a way to lucre , or a step to ambition , these indeed are the trains of the masquers , which the nobler spirits value with that contempt , that it deserveth : but if veniality be professed , and it be in an honest candidation , we may then come in , not upon the score of good nature , but of liberality and magnificence , which are but superstructions . to advance yet a little farther , the most discreet and prudent acts of a free spirit may be ill requited , and yet it is not so weak as to repent them . as if one should argue , i have found benefit by the free-heartedness of such a person , and yet , i have no particular obligation to him : for he did not intend particular kindness unto me . what do we think ? would it be a plausible compliment coming from the open house of a noble person , to tell him , you had made your self welcome , and to bid him thank himself ? or being beset with theeves or ruffians , and by some liberal hand rescued , to take your congee , and bid him thank his own generosity : he would have done no less for any other . indeed , those offices , that humanity doth exact , i am bound to do to the ungrateful ; but in others , reason will not justifie a profusion ; howsoever a good nature is never discouraged , or diverted by disappointments . § . iv. hitherto in generals ; by the clearing of which it remains , that a good nature is most amicable : under which , i entend to order all the subordinate affections of my subject , comprising amity and humanity . and first , i find amity devided to my hand by an excellent * writer into four kinds . viz. natural , conjugal , social , and hospital : which are apt to comprise the sum of my discourse on the first head , though otherwise one might be styled so , more aptly than the rest . . natural affection descends upon children like weights from a pulley , with invincible springs of revolution , ever labouring to advance them , and never resting in any measure of benevolence . all its benefits are solid , all its passions are unfeigned , all its actions to the utmost . what bounds or limits can circumscribe a thing that is indefinite , according to the goodness of the relatives ? if we consider it at divers seasons ; hope , and longing earnes towards their tender years , expectation looks wistfully towards their growing , endeavours alwayes ready to promote their well doing . joy in their prosperity . anxiety in their doubtful state . sollicitude for their recovery , and grief for their miscarriages ▪ and none of these indifferent . what delight may be conceived in their presence can only be estimated by the grief of parting , and tediousness of absence , and exultancy at their return . the roman dames have dyed in embraces on their sons necks , returned from the fatal jour● of cannae and thrasymenus . and the graecian matrons for joy of their sons victories in a pythian or olympian game . if these affections be not strong , the parent is unnatural , i. e. as vitious in this kind as can be : for he cannot do more ▪ he cannot hate his issue : no man ever hated his own flesh . yet this affection worketh diversly , according to the quality of the breasts wherein it is somented , whereby we may see , what tyranny opinion may sometimes exercise over nature . brutus the first of the roman consuls , was accounted no ill man. yet when his sons were convicted of conspiracy against the common-wealth , he sate over them ( as his place required ) and when all the eyes of the people were bent upon him , to see how he would behave himself , he commanded them to be executed , [ eminente animo patrio inter publicae paene ministerium ] his publick spirit overbare his private . he was able to keep his countenance unaltered . and this was commended in him , not as inhumane , but as somewhat more then humane . but when torquains manlius put his son to death for a prosperous fight without authority , the youth of rome disdained his triumph , and hated to go out to meet him , styling thenceforward severe commands manliana imperia . yet he had publick reason , and is not yet acquitted to posterity . for the laws of nature seem to be greater then any laws of discipline ; nay , then the laws of the common-wealth . it is not exacted in our law for a wife , or a son to impeach a husband or a father : nor are condemned if they be receivers of his stollen goods , because they could not do less than obey his command , and conceal his trespass , which the law doth not imagine that a wife , or a son ought to judge , 〈◊〉 to suspect ; although ( indeed ) it be evident that they know it . but the temper of zaleucus is most admired , who having made a law to exoculate those , that were taken in adultery , and his son being first taken he put out one of his sons eyes , and another of his own . so at once appearing a most indulgent father , and an upright judge ; which i shall rather leave for a subject of declamation , then examine here . . such is love descending : the retribution is not expected to be so ample . persolui gratia non protest , nes malo patri . the filial is rather duty , though such as implyeth love and honour . it is insinuated to us from the first stretchings of our arms and hands for succour , with the first stammerings of our tongues , and earliest exertions of our reasons . sence and experience trill it down gently to the bottoms of our hearts ▪ and custom and education combine with nature to augment and cherish it . though we suffer many things in our childishness which we take in evil part ; yet flesh and bloud is a faithful monitor to reduce us to submission ; and that indelible obligation to refresh our obedience . in the midst of a disgust , the misadventure of a parent will bring the child into concern , and every ligament of its heart will ake at his jeopardy ; for every nerve in its body is a cord of affection , that binds to him that gave them . when craesus's son , who was born tongue-tyed , saw his father like to be smitte●● a battel , he cryed save the king , and dyed by ●…at endeavour . but if there be a true aversion , from thence a real longing for the fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ut sit divus , modo non sit vivus ▪ there is no apology , no reason , no vertue to excuse it . 't is incompatible with the temper of a good nature , when the daughter of servius tullius , being married to a tarquin , conspired with her husband the death of the king her father through ambition of the kingdom , she made her chareteere to drive over his dead body as he lay slain in the streets , to the utter detestation of mankind ; but with such a sort of wickedness , as is yet untermed by any name . for if solon thought fit to make no law against parricide , because it had never been committed , least he should seem to admonish of a crime unheard of , rather than to prohibit it : how could such a fact as hers , ( an instance once for ever ) be known or branded by any common appellation ? she is an example without parallel . but should we go about to enumerate others on the contrary , we might be infinite . only that same manlius , who was so severe a father , deserves to be commended as a son. for whereas his father was accused by the tribunes of the people ( among other things ) for ignoble and unworthy breeding of himself , he came to m. pomponius , the chief prosecutor , and entring with him , as it were for farther information , into his appartment , he there obliged him , seting his ponyard to his breast , to dismiss the whole appeal , which when it came to light procured him honor and advancement . . fratrum quoque gratiarara est . 't is observed that brothers seldom do agree ; whether through too much familiarity , which engenders contempt ; or too much competition , while they account themselves by nature equal , by favour prejudiced , or by law and custom impeached of their native priviledges , interfering with one another . they are ost in brigues and skirmishes , and as oft in reconcilements , and recrudities . their fallings out are but means of their holding still together , and when they seem to be at the greatest distance , they fall into an easy coalition against a stranger , that seeks the wrong of either . acquaintance from the cradle , similitude derived from their parents , sympathy of affections , frequent broiles , and passions do the more cement them ▪ and though the wealth of one be the impoverishing of another , yet the cause is foreign ; and the stronger hath a natural respect for the weaker , and the weaker a natural dependance upon the stronger : which is more near , than remote acquired aids , and less offensive ( because more secret , and more due ) to the sense of honor , and reputation . so that brotherly love answers many obligations , that are to be understood , and never to be exprest ▪ and wherever any amity is comprehensive of more respects , it may multiply unto infinite : especially where the ground of it is so pure , and unquestionable . which hath moved the most intimate of friends to adopt this appellation , as the most significant of perfect amity . cato the younger , who could find in his heart to let his friend munatius , coming kindly to see him in his province of cyprus * to part from him disobliged , and take no notice of it ; neither was so ready afterwards to make him satisfaction : was so fond of his brother caepio , that for , years he neither sup't , nor walk't abroad without him , he followed him into the camp , he left his charge to visit him in another countrey , being sick , and finding him deceased , lamented over him in such manner , as was not accounted seemly in a valiant , or a wise man ( such as he was reputed ) and being ever counted parsimonious to it , spent the value of eight talents upon his monument . so much may be in brotherhood , when ingenuous minds are brought up both together . nor ( peradventure ) whatsoever is conceited , can any other friends depending upon will or fancy be any more , than an imitation of it , even as art imitates nature , or the shadow represents the life , for secondary acts can but tend to make an union like the first . what can we do for a friend more , than to make him as our self , to adopt him into our bloud , and account him as con-native to us ? . the love of a brother to a sister is so pure and innocent by nature , as if it took no notice of any difference of sexes : save only as a brother respects the tenderness of a sister , and a sister honours the worth and valour of a brother , and is most passionate in his concerns and services . q. margaret de valois hath written her memoirs ( almost ) on purpose to shew what affection she bore the person , and the interests of her brother the duke of alençon ( the name that was so gracious to our q elizabeth , ) and what persecutions it did occasion her . so that this sex may have a pure amity towards men , and are most unjustly bespattered anent their fairest offices . their civility , their secrecy , their pity , their sedulity , their pretty arts of covering , and dissembling ( which are unsearchable ) when they seek to do a kindness , are traduced and prophaned . the abuse of them is the more hainous , especially where there should not be any shadow of suspition , as among relations . incest is as murther , or as treason , a thing abhorrent unto nature , which many brutes decline , and will rather wast their solitude ▪ and to bring dishonor on a kinswoman is conspiracy against the whole bloud , an act of malice greater than of lust ▪ for the fences that are between relations are but weak and moveable , being their distinct estates are apt to be coincident into one family . hence an uncle is collateral to a father , a cosin-german to a brother , and the more remote are but supplemental to defects that may happen . the distinct and distant mansions of a worthy kindred are like city and countrey-houses to one another where they have confidence & community and are mutual stayes , and pledges against vicissitudes and turns of fortune . they are friends which nature gives , which use confirms , which are made perfect at the first fight , if relation be but mentioned . cosins do as frequently resemble one another as brothers uterines , they have somewhat in them gentilitial to the family . their lineaments , features , aires , graces , manners , some or other , more or less do symbolize together , and call ( as it were ) upon one another to be mutually ingratiated . yet there are , that flight these bonds as complemental and unnecessary ▪ that hate an obligation coming on them without election , that prefer any other of their own acquist ; that think themselves to be born at liberty , and not to be contracted but by their own choice and pleasure . this i hear , but take it to be most ungrateful , and unworthy of a noble spirit , if in what it vindicates to its own will , it derogates from nature , whose bond is indispensable . neither can i judge that person capable of a chosen friendship , who is but a formal and perfunctory courtier of his consanguinity , or allyances . § . v. of the next sort of amity , me-seemes there may be some doubt ; whether the heroick love ( which being in order to it , we will therefore consider under the same head ) be not greater then the conjugal ▪ for so it seems by all the fables of the poets , which have raised this to admiration by variety of examples ; while the poor penelope would have been but a solitary instance of conjugal affection : if the vertuous sir p. sidney ( sensible of that defect ) had not once supplyed us with the story of argalus and parthenia . and it seems in nature that nothing can be greater then this heroick flame , for it is the first product of the excellency of strength both of soul and body . when the blood is warm , the spirits light and airy , the humours soft and oyly ; when the phancy is luculent , and most affected with the object of its brightness , the reason ever agitated , and the memory most tenacious of impressions . then the valiant youth is urg'd by nature to the uttermost , knowing that youth is fleeting ; and once illuded , conceiveth flames no more . wherefore here the incenseth him , here the glories in his humbleness , no less then in his bravery , here she triumphs in variety of affections . the mind is restless in devising how to take , oblige , and compass ; and the body as its instrument , must acknowledge no weariness , shrink at no danger , omit no watching ▪ but hold it self still in the brightest armour , as if it were to revel in the midst of a battel . the eyes are scattered like wandring spirits : the colour comes and goes in longing , blushing , and aspiring : the lips tremble , and the hands that took the boldness , shake in the handling of the arms of love . the lover strait becomes a prisoner to a labyrinth , where he counts his bondage the sweetest liberty , and to tread the maze more desireable , then to find the clue . if desire only ( as des cartes apprehendeth ) do comprise horror and agreement . one of a sudden apprehension of miscarrying , the other in a settled representation of enjoying somewhat most agreeable . if doubts and fears be a tendency towards despair ( the wretched sciatica of the soul ) if hope it self be but an unquiet inmate in a lovers breast , a vehement incendiary ▪ and grief do but dismally extinguish those flames . judge whether this love be not made of strong ingredients , more than any other . while desire ruleth , the good is absent . absence of the object pines the faculty . if hope relieve , fear assayleth , delay tormenteth , disappointment driveth unto madness ; longing stayeth and reduceth ▪ the sweetness of imagination dandleth and demulceth the eager spirits ; until that air be vented in a sigh and grief succeed to resuscitate the malignant humors . such storms are frequent in a lovers breast , such change of weather , such force of constellations , what can there be in any other love , that is not here ? can we but laugh to hear a debauched gallant ( at last ) to sleight all woman-kind , to mock at love as folly , and in experience ; and to make only men to be objects to one another ? as if a fond fancy of some society , or a proud conceit of worth and merit ; or in fine , a sence of obligation ( which by bringing the obliged person into bondage through the tyranny of gratitude , doth commonly undermine its own empire with a faction of liberty , since he that thinks himself more obliged to another , then he can readily requite , begins to hate him that hath a mortgage in him , and to have a secret aversation to his person ) could be more available then nature ▪ procurement , which is a vertuous desire of conjunction between our sexes : whilest in all motions , the natural are more strong then the moral , and this then any other natural : a resolute , or a valiant man cannot be by reason , if he have it not in the firmness of his mold or constitution ; so as the soul is knit to the body , it is able to act in it , or above it , or without it . if it be weakly joyned , it will be apt to serve . if strongly , it will make it suffer hunger or thirst , or heat or cold , or cast it headlong upon danger to attain its more heroick ends ; and this of love , as its principal ; but heroick love cannot be but in a young and lively spirit chast and inviolable . and then , we may boldly say , that there cannot be such affection between two parties of the same , sex , as between a pair of lovers ; because other love doth only tend to bring conveniences together ; but this to propagate its like ( the forciblest impulse and chief design of nature ) to make two inclined relations compleat in union : in a word , to joyn bodies , as well as soules , and only so to make not as if it were another self , but a real and entire combination of two in one . if therefore one man can love another , more then a woman ; either he that loves is no man , or he that is beloved is an hermophrodite , or somewhat more inhumane . but as this love ( which we value by its energy in innocence and chastity ) has as its noblest end , the butt of wedlock : so gold itself may be dear bought , and a thing highly prised may sink of value fruition . who would undergoe what is necessary in love , or honour , if he knew the vanity of his ends ? or serve an apprentiship , if he knew that that should be the best of his time ? suffer so much in amorous wooing , and in the remedy be worser ganched then in the malady ? for in marriage , how early is society , how ready is neglect , how soon are other ends regarded , and the nimia of love as much studied to be unlearned , as ever conn'd before ? the servant practiseth now to become a master of his wife , a father of his children , a prince , or a principal man in his country , honour , wealth , and providence do cut off all the superfluity of affection ; and leave little else but law to bind wedlock . whereas the heroick love is ever longing , never satisfied , one desire answered or attained multiplies a thousand : ever ardent and over-valuing , never sleighting , or remiss : ever humble and obsequious , never haughty or imperious : ever single , and solitary in its end and object : never interessed or employed in any other , but what may serve it . in a word , lives not in itself , but in its love . much more of it might be said , but its laws i once obey'd . therefore say no more at first . . on the other side . there is no faith in married men : some applauding it through sensuality , others weary of it for want of vertuous usage , others seeming to contemn it , because they have attained ; who were they widowed should indeed be close mourners , and never rest till they had repaired it . if it be the reward of noble services , the best of all possessions , the end and rest of all turmoiled passions : we may rather blame the vanity of the world , that can never answer expectation ; then to blast those flowers that are ready to bud , and teem with the choicest fruits of life . how incongruous is it to imagine that the thirst should be sweeter then the wine , the hunger then the choicest fare ? can heroick love , as it is accompanied with so many pangs and convulsions , be its own reward ? is there any pleasure in doubts and fears ? is it better to be in the storm than in the bay , or to sail in a troubled sea , only that one may sail , than to gain the port of enjoyment ? let it be the paradise of a fool to be ever in contemplation , the feast of a miser to look on precious viands unassayed , or the punishment of a woman-hater to be tantalized with female objects . the noble conqueror in the midst of fruition shall find his love to beget love infinitely , new delights to germinate in every change of intercourse , & desires to issue without pain out of pregnant satisfactions , while the gathering of one crop is but to prepare the ground for another . one kindness draweth another , one endearment claspeth with another , one heart combineth with another : while the bounty of goodwil , the facility of flowing spirits , the cession of gentle complacency , the undecaying youth of soul afford contentment to extremity of old age . those souls are now compleated in their union , which a part would have been like separate souls expecting the resurrection : their joyes are conjoyned to make each other happy : they live each of them a double life , while a single liveth but by halves . they live each of them as much again as they did before . before they knew not what it was to live . children succeed to augment and to perpetuate these felicities , house and ornaments , and ( erewhile ) neglected furniture press to pay their contributions , and all inferiour states to veil to this their paramount . besides , whatever was in heroick love , or is in any other friendship is here more compleatly . such benevolence in either breast , as meeteth all evils to anticipate them from the other : such a well-wishing to one another , as is purely for one anothers sake ; though pleasure or advantage be removed , and sickness , poverty , or disgrace come instead thereof : such impatience of absence , as testifieth what the dolor of loss would be : such grief of loosing as can only shew how exquisitly a loving heart may be pained with compunction , how intolerable , how inexpressible this resentment is . in brief , such constancy of obliging , such transcendency in vigour , such inalterable honor and esteem : such vindication : such condescension : such harmony and symbolizing of joyes and griefs , that are able to make a palace of a cottage , and turn the darkest night of adversity into a ballet till the morning . and these undoubtedly are in wedlock they effects of a good nature , but if the same that mock at love abandon such marriages ( as we haue magnified ) to the idolizing of their paisans : it is because ( no doubt ) by thinking to be exquisite in the objects of their pleasures , they have misplaced the true object of their felicity , which is in one and not in many . lust will incommode itself sundry wayes , and vitiate all those purest jewels that seem to be left in another place , and at a distance from it . who reproaches another behind his back , thinketh that other ( who thinketh nothing ) doth the like by him , and when he meets him , shuns him to the others admiration , and ( at last ) brings insensibly upon himself , and beyond intention , what at first he suspected . so he that wrongs his marriage-bed makes himself jealous at the first without a cause , and at last not without reason . howsoever it will with-draw affection ( which is the true bond of happiness , and not any sensual fruition ) and then he shall at once dissolve all the ligaments of his house , the contignation of his family , for as he stands affected to the tree , he will stand to the branches , and the children reciprocally to them both luxury will not flow in without other violations . but who think to retain the vice , and to provide against the inconveniencies will hardly scape others , that they foresaw not . although what arguments to such as can collude with vertue ? their prudence cannot be upheld long , as it is disjoyned from that connexion : nor misfortunes be declined . non potest jucundè vivo , nisi cum virtute vivatur . but shall we dare to oppose the maxims of our grandsirs ? that persons are equal , fortunes only do incline , that marriage is only for conveniency , love will follow , where 't is well provided : that a beauty is no attractive , or vertue any motive to a wise-man . that the fondnesses of youth are to be broken otherwayes , that wealth and honour may be espoused at the last , and a potent family rather then a most accomplisht person ? italian contracts ! where the son seeth not the daughter , which the gente honorate have adjusted for him , till the wedding-day : as many of our heirs here until conveighances and settlements be ready for the sealing . if these be occasion of like accord to follow , indeed there is need of caution in the contract , but whether a good nature can suffice to all adventures , i must rather crave time for experience , than undertake to argue here . § . vi. while we treat only of the amicable bent of a good nature , with the acts and characters thereof , though we may intrench somewhat upon the topick of friendship , yet we are not bound to follow the extent of that vertue ( if i may so call it ) or systan rather of many singular excellencies , but only to trace the rudiments of social amity in an incorrupted nature : a sociable nature i take to be most humane , and apt to amity , and the more amicable , the more sociable . therefore first , let us take some notice wherein it seems to suffer violence or restraint . . in altitudes , or acts of bravery : which extend the habit either of the mind , or of the object , when it is discerned , we discover a ridiculous pusillanimity ; one makeing ombrage of a petty office with much estate , another prodigal of officiousness about nothing . we despise a little spirit in attempting a great matter , which we call offering at a thing ; and an ostentator of magnanimity in a thing mean and ordinary . who would not laugh at a spanish smith , coming with his long cloak and sword ( to be put off , and laid aside in order ) to shooe an horse ? or a mountebank descending from his coach , or litter to draw a tooth upon the stage ? so in morals , to do any little acts of kindness with a flourish and vapour , shewes that there is not much goodness to be expected there ; but that it is intended , a little should go far , and be more requited , then deserveth . when we see another as busy as a nurse to please a child , ( when she gives it porcelain , or venice-glasses to break for its pleasure ) to obtain a little breath of favour . do we not think strange of his profusion ? if real kindnesses be squandred away , without respect of times , or persons , only that abundance of good will may be noted ; those-uneven stretches will render nature low at another time , when it should rise up to be adequate to occasion : whereas she delights to keep an even course of bounty , and not to strain but for some advantage to herself , in the same individual , or another . . in indifferency , and remissness nature is no less restrained , whether it be in sluggish flat demeanures , which are accounted good only because they are thought to have no hurt in them ; or in servile complyance , which seemeth to be so loving , as if it loved all ( and so it doth alike ) and hated none . it contradicteth not , nor admonisheth , nor disliketh . only to keep its own quiet , set a compa●● quite contrary , and it is not altered : but as this may admit of some cunning , as well as the complaisance of some courtiers , we shall waive it , as not intending to speak of things artificial . our good nature towards its proper objects is rational without studying , free without impulse , and keen and active of its own vigour . § . § . i. the first respect wherein we shall consider it , is in its love of company , whether ordinary or adventitious . . with its confidents it is an hearts ease to communicate ; the only pleasure of the soul being in diffusion , and the only grief to be pent up in solitude , and in silence . retirement is an extinguisher to its flames , and obscurity gives it night without either sleep or rest . hence philosophers have professed to an excellent art of contemplation , to make the soul converse with it self , as with another , that a man might be nunquam minus sola , quàm cùm maximè sola , as the emperor and philosopher professed of himself . and as divines teach us of communion with the blessed trinity to recompence the want of external communications , knowing that a mans mind will ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) feed upon his heart , & prey upon his spirits , if it have not some object , wherewithall to entertain its spirituall appetite . nor is it an easy death to be thus stifled ; but 't is sensibly the sweetest life to impart our alacrity unto others , that can requite it : to tosse the ball of free discourse to them , that can take it on the racket and return it 〈◊〉 brea● a jest where it may be sure to be well retorted . this is to revive while we droop , to grow while we wast , and to thrive while we play . to live our own lives and a part of theirs ; to enjoy our own joyes multiplied with reflections , and enjoy others by inter-changing : to receive innumerable quantity of spirits out of others breasts , and to dis-spirit none , but to live one life of sense , another life of reason , and another life in the common light of our acquaintance . . which makes the same disposition as covetous to ampliate this same number out of every incident conversation . as it is an indecency to intrude into strange company without occasion for fear of interfering in any businesses , or interpealing privacy : so it is an inhumanity to have an aversation , or a niceness of accosting , for i may disturb their apprehensions with somewhat that is amiss in them , or me : either weakness through disuse , or a certain pride in prejudging of the company . what hath hesitancy or suspition to do amongst the freer spirits ? or curiosity of knowing before we venture ? since there are as many forms of receding without offence , as there are of fair access , and the same rule of civility subservient to them both . though women have not all the latitude that men may use , yet hardly any but children are restrained for want of discretion . nay , a greater pleasure is conceived ( oftentimes ) in the company of strangers , then of our familiars , either through variety , or exciting of the spirits to accommodate our selves unto them , to gain their good opinion , or to learn by them . therefore are men brought up abroad in schooles , or courts , or camps , or foreign countreys , that they may gain an universal humanity : which is to enlarge their capacity , and advance the common rudiments of good nature , but our discourse is not of such as are highly accomplished , or utterly rude of breeding . in the first , nature not being so discernible by reason of its alloy ; nor in the second , because it lies invelopped in the ore. wherefore a good disposition will meet those ends with as bounteous an humor , as its measure of natural , or acquired good parts can afford it ; and avoid all impediments that encumber , or with hold it . which is not done by strained endeavour . the presence of what we love , will move alacrity in us , and in them from whose presence we conceive it . whereas a desultory humor , or exultancy brought from abroad into an unconcerned company moves disdain . 't is fit we should be modest in conversation , and not come puffed up with our own hopes or fortunes ( which a mind well-govern'd would conceal ) despising others , but applying our selves to accommodation : first by civility , which is prompt and ready to such a temper , that esteemeth none inferiour to it self , and is ready to justifie and assert to another all the honour that it finds in him ( which we have shew'd before of our good nature , as 't is void of pride , and then by courtesie ; which is no less natural unto him , who also esteems himself equal ( in the rectitude of his mind ) unto the best , and noblest . by which means silence soon is broken , and complacency loosed , whether it be in serious argument , or in pleasant entertainment . once most sure it is , that nothing agrees less then taciturnity . should we be studying to be wise , when we should use our wisdom ? should we be studying to excell , where if we did excell , ' t were ' fit we should suspend the use , to make our selves equal ? are we afraid to expose our selves ? what account , what state do we make of our precious selves , while we make so little of our company ? do we affect to be honoured , and not to be beloved ? or do we think , that to give occasion of suspicion by a sullen silence , will be the best way to procure it ? though cato was a wise man repleat with solid vertue : yet for this reason he became oftentimes unacceptable ; and once in particular , when he came to visit pompey , that noble captain did him all honor double , that he might be the more soon , and fairly rid of that severity , which as great as he was , he feared and hated while he complemented . deprive us of loquacity , and it is no matter what government we live under , a tyranny is a good as a royal monarchy . 't is no matter what minds we wear about us . ignorance is as good as wit. who will carry gold in his pocket , if it be a shame to shew it ? i admire not ( just at this point ) that the ancient philosophers complain of contempt , while i remember what masters they were of this cynical dogma of taciturnity , an intollerable thing amongst men . i had rather hear a fool prate , or a dog bark , then see a barbed master sit silent . but if the argument be serious , the soft composure of minds , and expressions ( that follow ) of mutual apprehensions have a singular power to attract , and oblige acquaintance . a thing , which the vertuous epaminondas valued so highly . that he thought the day lost , if he went in publick and did not gain a new friend . besides , that the thing bears a singular pleasure , and satisfaction in it self , inasmuch as the soul sees it self by the light of those collisions ; which else would not know how to guess at the notions , that it has of it self , or the things without it . such company is a mirror to ourselves , whereby we know , when we want trimming , and wherein we want accomplishing . or if the entertainment of our time and coversation be only to refresh , and divert one another , the most homilitical of all vertues is facetiousness , which has a way to gain ones heart , to delight ones eye and ear , to quippe without distast , to insinuate with sweetness , and to make the droll most beloved and desired , for it is ( indeed ) a most gentile quality , and such as princes have found , whereby to remit their majesty for their use and pleasure , and to resume it without any observation . but satyrical wit hath too much malice in it , and can hardly be ingenuous without aspersion ; or fail to touch some person more picquantly then another , which is contrary to the humour of our good nature , that avoideth all impediments of fruition in society . . and first , in avoideth melancholy , as it is a minding considering of our selves , more then others : and instead of rendring us able to contribute delight to the company doth rather call them to succour , and relieve us , and is apt to make us the subject of their notice . and what can they note in it but imbecility and want of spirits ? or sloth and want of resolution ? for a good man will bear ( at least ) his own infirmities , as much as can be , that he may be ready to aid another , if need require . or if they be such as he cannor cover , or dissemble , he will not come abroad with them . affectûs uti corporis vulner a sunt celanda . when the gracious pyrocles was most frankly entertained at the house of honest kalander , while they were at table , a letter comes to him , that his son clitophon was taken prisoner ( if it were no worse ) by the savage helots . when he riseth from the table , and is two or three dayes sequestred in his chamber with rending pangs and dolors for his only son : his guest could learn nothing , not from his servants of the cause of so much absence . and this you 'l say was noble , but it might be easily done in lesser cases . . secondly it avoideth anger , and exception . though homer introduce his gods and heroes brawling in their feasts and publick councels ; and the antient romans , as appeareth in their orators and historians ( though i never read of any duels among them upon these occasions ) were wont to applaud themselves , and reproach their adversaries both in their comitia and their senate ; yet our modern manners seem utterly to disallow it . the italian will continue his fair carriage , while he has retained bravo's to revenge his conceived malice . the french after some short broüilleric will recollect his jollity , and send a challenge to your lodging . the spaniard will call you no worse then senor at the rapiers drawing . so much we must approve , as carries the shadow of vertue along with it , and saves embroilments in civil conversation . for the rest , a good nature is not subject to exception , is not lightly impelled unto anger ; but easily reduced unto satisfaction , and is never transported to revenge . . not exceptious , for the causes of that are incompatible unto this . it is not of a saint and wearish temper , having a sound mind in a sound body : the one of which ( however ) is able to correct some imbecillity in the other . it hath never been out of love , or use of conversation , whereby what liberty it hath wont to take to it self , it hath still allowed to another . ingenious persons have a power over one another without usurpation . it is not shady or retired , fancying it self to be unintelligible , and grieving when it is discovered : for it desireth nothing more then to be rightly understood , and if it find otherwise , is glad of an occasion to vindicate itself without alteration . it hath no prejudice against any person or profession , or condition : neither thinks itself to ly so much at open guard , as to be obnoxious to every pass of wit , or censure ; or is so tender as to be lightly hurt by them . and to blow away a little dust , or to put by a ruder chocque in play , or exercise is but a sport of candour . in a word , being void of pride , it is not pricked about punctilioes , that such an one saluted another , and passed him by . that another observed not his right of precedency . that a third descanted upon his words . or that the company did not treat him with such respects , or caresses , as he might have expected from them , for he is more magnanimous : and knows there can be no violence upon mens minds , but that in their own free actions they ought to do according to their discretions , though it be to do amiss : since the strictness of equity is hard to be had even from law , and honor : & we do not live ( as tully saies ) among men absolute , but such as are ( tanquā simulachra virtutum ) moving statues or apparitions of vertues . . not lightly impelled unto anger . because it valueth not it self higher then another ; nor preferreth its own apprehension . opiniastreté is commonly the boutefeu of anger both in those that are lightly angry , and lightly pacified , if they be humoured ; and in those that are slow to anger : but tenacious , and almost implacable . which latter is tyrannical in some natures : but with some difference has been observed in persons of highest vertue . m. livius salinator , after he had borne the consulat , was brought to judgement by the tribunes of the people , and unjustly cast and censured , which he took so hainously , that he absented himself from the city , and all publick meetings . eight years after , the consuls bring him back to rome , but he came in old cloathes , hair and beard neglected , importing in his habit , and countenance a signal memory of his disgrace . the censors compel him to be shaved , and to lay aside his obsolete weeds , and come into the senate : where he sate long without a word speaking , till the cause of one of his kinsmen forced him to arise : and therby mov'd the senate , and all the roman people with consideration of the indignity wherewithal they had disobliged such a man , whose head & hand they had so long wanted , while annibal had been at their gates , and a sdrubal was now entred with another army , no less formidable then the other . they unanimously choose him consul : only he himself stands our accusing the levity of the city in choosing him , that was not yet acquitted of their condemnation . after much submission and entreaty of the common-wealth he is contented to hold , and to be reconciled first to his collegue cl. nero ( with whom before he had had contention ) but not without great difficulty , because he thought the iniquity of his fortune did not set him on even terms in the action . then to go out and archieve his province , which was to meet asdrubal , while his collegue went to oppose annibal and to impeach their conjuction . but as he was about to go , when fabius cunctator advised with him , how he would wage that war : he answered , that as soon as ever he should see his enemy , he would engage him . but why in such haste replied fabius . aut ex hoste , egregiam gloriam , inquit , aut ex civibus victis gaudium , meritum certò , eisi non honestum capiam . notwithstanding he acted in entire correspendency with his collegue , and they returned both in triumph . but when afterwards this magistracy was expired , aed they were both chosen censors . nero who before was the more placable , discovered now his malignity rather was the greater ; for he degraded livius his collegue , because he had been condemned by the people , and in revenge , livius did the same to him for false testimony , and reconcilement : and withal left all the tribes ( but one which had no part in his censure ) in arriere , because they had condemned him unjustly , and after made him consul , and censor , itaque ibi foedum certamen inquinandi famam alterius cum suae famae damno factum est . on the other side , when there had been most publick , sharp , and inveterate enmities & competitions between m. aemylius lepidus , and m. fulvius nobilior ; when they were both chosen censors , and reconciled by authority of senate and people , they continued so unanimous in it , that although their actions were divers between themselves , and disagreeable to the liking of the people , they could not afterwards be dis-jointed ; though the people would have been as glad to have made them appease one another , as ever they were to have reconciled them . these great persons who have much reasons and reality in them , are the more excusable if they do not remit of the heigth of their spirits , without as good reason to return to a good will , as they had to turn from it . and yet many times their mistake obstinacy may be such , as may render the task very difficult to give them satisfaction . the misprision of madam de bar , the only sister of henry le grand , about the duke of sully's traversing of her marriage with the comte of soissons proved dangerous , and a long time unpracticable unto that favourite of the king her brother , to recover her good graces . and the cardinal of richelieu pin'd and languished , and yet failed in his endeavour of appeasing the displeasure of the q. mother of france , who had raised him , and afterwards in hatred of him retired , and dyed at cologue . there were great interests compounded in these passions , and the persons great ; if therefore they were bound to make account of themselves , and peradventure did exceed in it , in the same act making too little of these others whom before they had honoured . what wonder if the indignation bare high , and their own tempers suffer'd violence ? in simple nature , it not just to make our selves the standard of another mans worth , or his approving of himself to our judgements and apprehensions to be the exact quadrat of the rectitude of his actions , or as he pleaseth or displeaseth us , so to set him by , or to set by him : for we may value our selves as we are valued by others , but we may not value others as they value us , to respect them just to that degree and no otherwise : although it be ( in effect ) the more frequent use and practise . besides the same impulsives that are ordinary are not a good nature . for what is a sense of incivility , or contempt to one that is void of pride ? or how weak to one that is so full of goodness , that he rather accounteth the same to have been but a negligence or omission , or inadvertency ? or in fine , how null and void to one , that doth not more take upon him to be judge of the action , then the party obnoxious , whom he presumeth to have judged outherwise ? . wherefore it is easie to be pacified , having such arguments ready ; and being apt to coin more such out of the same mint , for it cannot retain its anger without pain , though it have not had satisfaction it cannot so highly resent opposition , since it knowes none escape it . it cannot stick precisely to its own rules or apprehensions , knowing that other men have others , either in the general , or as to their particulars , no less convenient . it knows that no man serves to all turns , but to be used as far as he is proper , more not to be expected from him . that allowance is to be given to mens defects , and to some mens wilful humors , which are not any just cause of anger , although impertinent , or troublesome . it hateth the acts as rude , and the effects of anger it dreads as brutish , sometimes it cannot but remit its anger to occasion , if the person be removed , or the like accident not probable to fall again in the same manner . in effect , it considers , that all men cannot be obliged by it self that hath its common failings , and restraints of fortune : and therefore having not expected overmuch , it hath not been much disappointed , nor cannot be much angry . in a word , it will do any thing to satisfy , or be satisfied , rather than to quarter such a souldier long , as yields no quiet where he is billeted , but drinks up all the oyl and wine of cheerfulness . but i shall either tautologize , or anticipate ; for i shall come again to border upon this argument hereafter . yet it remaineth . that the best disposition may be moved to a just anger , being quick and sensible as any other , and the more rational by the better temper . anger is a power given by nature ( not a vice in it self ) to repel evils , or obstacles of good ; and the exerting of its acts doth more discover what a man really is , then any other passion . never any man was so innocent to whom some cause of anger has not been administred : whose just and reasonable designs have not been opposed , whose person hath not been affronted , whose rights have not been usurped , whose name hath not been maliciously traduced . it is but reason that these move anger , until the cause of anger be removed : our rights be vindicated , our obstacles be removed , our opposites give way , and those that abused us be brought to a sense and acknowledgement . . but , what difference is there in this act and passion in a good man and a wicked ? where malice is , the first beginning moves towards revenge , and knows no moderation in its progress , it intends to do as much mischief as it can for the time , with more respect to the anger , then the cause of it ; and it commonly does so agitate , and discompose the countenance , and the violent motions of the body , as renders it ungrateful and odious to spectators , even unconcerned . whereas a generous anger is becoming to many persons , such is the incension , while it is opposed , such is the remission , when way is made to it . such is the motion of mind and body , as sheweth force and not violence . such is the progress , that if brave carriage will reduce the party , that is obnoxious to it , the passion strait is in suspense , if not , yet it is not transported beyond satisfaction ; to bring as much more wrong ( by way of revenge , and beyond the talion ) on the subject of its displeasure . so can it rise , and fall with a grace , and resume its equal temper without any straining . and where there is such a just anger , and a government , and temper of reason in the prosecution , it moves every one to be affected with the wrong , to respect the person that seeks his own righting , and not to hinder . but against revenge all the world is opposite , when it does discover the intention . for ( indeed ) there is no revenge just , but in hostility : and there it may be acted beyond the law of nations too ; in private revenges , only pride and malice do exulcerate the kidneyes and inflame the heart . what would we have for a word misplaced ? an opprobrium ? or a slander ? who shall judge of it ? will revenge let the cause go out of its own hand ? will it suffer it to be extenuated , or argued ? that indeed were against it self : but to be aggravated , to make an odium , to move the great coloss of honor ( like the mighty shade that haunted brutus to philippi , that fatal day to him ) with the conjuration of arbitrary punishment . this it acts and executes within it self and by that means never wants depending causes . for a suit sometime commenced in the court of revenge , upon a sleight occasion , is transmitted to the sons and nephews to be finished . neither are they small matters , that revenge dealeth in ; while it can look on bloud spilt without horror , on ruin brought upon its adversary with delight and glory , and on his loss with the more content by how much it is the greater , and the provocation given to the procurer less . for in this , revenge doth magnify its own patron , making it equal to offend a proud man and a prince . but i dare not enter farther into this argument , least i be questioned into a duel , which is a thing now in fashion , and which i do not intend to answer at the present . § . § . ii. to come to particular affections in respect of friendship , so far as they are coincident with a good nature , it may seem , that there three sorts , to which we cannot deny this appellation , depending all , more or less , upon our proper choice , and will. our common , our concerned , and our dearest friends ; which may pass out of one sort into the other without any fault or violation . for a common friend may prove beneficial , and a faithful friend to our concerns may prove dear . and a dear friend may stand in every particular consideraton of friendship . the observing of which distinction may serve to expedite us in some questions , and save us in the mention of some others . . and first of common friendship there is difference of degrees . some are our acquaintance that salute us , and some come into our company , as occasion serveth ; others our familiars and confidents that usually converse with us . others our obliging friends , that inervisit us , entertain us , and study to procure all mutual offices of kindness to us . how low might we descend in division and subdivision of these orders , if we might be as curious in the learning , as we ought to be in the life and practice of it ? for of our ordinary acquaintance , some are fleight and perfunctory ; others ceremonious , that regard our quality rather then our persons ; others truly honourers and lovers of us , as far as it happens to them to express it ; some are accomplished with vertues , some are superficial . towards all a generous spirit hath a large and open heart full of love unfeigned , as the merit of things and persons calls it out , you shall see a fresh alacrity rise in the meeting of every of them , more or less , according to the secret classis , wherein they are disposed in his mind ( neither is that classis made fraudulently , or corruptly , but according to the true knowledge , or genuine apprehension that he hath conceived upon the measure of his acquaintance . ) you shall see what pleasure he conceives in parleying with any of them , what delight in making , and receiving of addresses , what light in his countenance when he congratulates , what shadow when he condoles , what naturalness in his comportment , you cannot doubt of his reality . neither , that it ought so to be among good men , since all do dissemble the like behaviour , as the most effectual and commendable amongst men , and when we come to look into it , none of these can be neglected . on the sleightest may depend our fame and reputation , whereby we live in the common light , like cameleons on the air . to the ceremonious we are beholden , that they think us worthy of that quality that we obtain , and would not envy our advancement . though alexander could distinguish , and note the persons , that loved him , and that loved the king. yet he did not therefore hate them , or think them enemies . the vertuous command , regard , and honour , and nothing is so superficial , but it may serve for ornament , if it be well disposed of . in those that truly love and honour us , we have a seminary of succeeding confidents , and a scope to exercise all obliging vertues , and fashion our times to pregressive motion . who are negligent of all degrees of friendship have neither learned how to live , nor how to go about it . the source of all pleasure and contentment ! the treasure of all seasons ! the communion of joyes ! the universal life ! i know the politiques that teach us so much caution , suspicion , secret malice , and dissembling , and i contemn it , as the greatest vanity and folly in the world , locked up in archives . wickedness as it were skrcen'd up in sanctuaries , or princely cabinets , yet gathered up from the dregs of people . odi prosanum vulgus & arceo . for our familiar and obliging friends , we will suppose them to be of spirit , and humour agreeable to our liking , for to build upon a crafty nature , is to build upon an hollow ground undiscovered , and to associate with persons that are humerous ( self-lovers ) is in vain , for they will leave their companion in the middle of the way without reason , and if any thing or person come to thwart them , they presently break into outrage , and hate incontinent what even now they seem'd to favour . it is enough to know these , and a kindness , only not to have to do with them , beyond the hour of the day , or the bon-jour . yet we must acknowledge a good friend may be found sometimes among the more morose natures . and among the more severe , where it happens ; that is , among those that have a temperament of good qualities to their seeming fowrness ( they may have excellent vertues to it ) none more noble . but let us enter into our discourse , and stick in the porch no longer , the acts of a good nature in these respects are divers . . it loves to satisfy its own propension , having agreeableness for its proper object . one may desire , but they cannot love for need . one may honor , but they cannot love for an opinion of worth . one may revere , and accommodate ones behaviour ; but one cannot love through the tyranny of duty or obligation . it is so free , that it cannot be constrained from without ; neither can the ultimate dictate ( as they say in the schools ) of the practical intellect it self command it . it is not a concession , or voluntary act meerly , ( though most voluntary ) but anemanation , nay , many excellent persons , known & acquainted , may not be the object of any great kindness to a good nature , for want of somewhat in them suitable to a gentle heart . for what does it signify to be valiant , learned , wise , it there be withal in the same person , an aversation or indisposition to that , that i delight in ? or if he be a stranger ? this love is nursed with jocundity , and playes where nature , or the use of fortune has prescrib'd it . what though the objects be not so accomplished as others ? yet they are our brothers , or our cosins , or our comerades , or our dayly visitants . or they are most loving to us , most joyous in our company , most apt to please us , and most concern'd to serve us in any kindness . what though they may have their faults , or miscarriages ? the love is to the person . i love him as i love my self . can i hate my self for my failings , or misfortunes , that happen to me as their punishments ? or can i but desire earnestly my own recovery , and better doing ? there is a sort of friendship ( if i may so call it ) or benevolence rather , grounded in a principle of vertue , which when it failes , the vertuous lover withdraws his affection , misses of his object , in the subject where it was before . but this is more divine , and philosophical , then to be sought purely in a good nature ; which having once conceived an affection ( upon liking ) to a person cannot choose but prosecute him with a good will , though he become vicious , even to the gallows or to the utmost of disgraces . whence it was never counted an unseemly thing to take notice of condemned persons , & to salute them , & to cheer them up , going to their executions . but a base thing to be ashamed of their chains , while they retain any sparks of those good qualities , that we once respected in them , or any . colour for their misfortunes . . it is born to go out of it self , and live among its friends , to be pleased in their satisfaction , and advanced in their emolument , and afford its private gustoes ( if it have any ) to their content , and pleasure . but i 'le let this rest a little longer . . it is not weak , or apt to be discouraged ; not of it self , for its love is from pure nature ( quea agit quando , & quantum potest ) it cannot mantle , or corrupt like a standing water : it is restless and never weary , but in every act refresheth its own vigour , and buddeth in new desires of fruition . and which is more . one friend cannot supply the defect of another ; for a good nature hath sympathy with them all , that make up its body politique of civil life ; uno avulso non difficit alter . but the pain and grief of loosing , or of missing any part shewes by how quick a nerve it is united to the lover . nor by fortune , which though possibly an occasion , never was a cause of love . and so , who loved not for need will not leave for need ; or cease for fear of loss ; who never sought gain by his love , or ever knew any other use of wealth but enjoyment , or any enjoyment like the pleasure of serving of his friends to the utmost . if he joy and grieve with them , will he do 't for nothing , or stay for asking ? or keep account of exchange of benefits or kindnesses , to do or return only so much as he has before hand ; or as he owes on interest , or in strict gratitude ? there is no account , where all is common . there is no incentive of love like adversity , 't was but pretense what ever flaggs , or droopes , while the relative friend is in being : or droopes not when he deceases . nor at last by any other impeachments or prohibitions : for bars and walls cannot sever true friends , and in this case ( if in any other ) nitimur in vetitum : we are the more invincible to attempt to succour , when we are inhibited : either raise the siege , or loose the battel . . it is hardly dissolved , though possibly it may , if he that was once familiar to us , do utterly neglect , or forget us ; or fall to shameful vices , and so precide the continuance of our correspondency ; or if he proove unnatural , or malitious , seeking as industriously to disoblige , as ever he did to oblige us . otherwise , how should enmities arise ? who never knew us do not hate us : nor is any disgust bitter , where the sweetness of mutual favour were not more ancient . we may instance in all manner of examples . when medea had left her countrey for the love of jason , and found her self despised , and forsaken , she could do nothing else but meditate on revenge , for ( as she argued with her nurse , ) a lofty mind cannot contain when scornful wrong it bears in vain . nullae sunt inimicitiae , nisi amoris , acerbae . when one octavius had layen with pontia posthumia at rome , and enflamed with enjoyment of her , did in vain sollicit her unto marriage , he slew her in revenge of that repulse . when caesar and pompey ( who had served one another in the highest concerns of honour ) the pledge of alliance failing , came to contention , nothing but the ruin of one , or other could determine it . when lewis ii. king of france came to quarrel with his protector the duke of burgony . when edward the iv. king of england with his restorer the earl of warwick and richard iii with his supporter the duke of buckingham , what means to compromise those differences but extremity ? we see the same in private friends , who once falling out run to duels ; the sooner by how much the amity between them was the greater . disdain on this part , blazeth suddenly , and incenseth . contempt inflameth , despight addeth oyl and brimstone to the fewel of discontent : so that nothing resteth , but a pointed most acumined revenge , because there seems to be no other reparation of dishonour ; love and favour ( howsoever generous ) are couditional to be understood : for they cannot consist if they be not mutual and reciprocal , who faileth once in such a point , he is not to fail again : there cannot be a reconcilement , unless you can make a man to be what he is not , or not to have done what he has done , which is impossible . pian piano ! fair and softly ! there is no such precipitancy incident to the case , if a good nature ( that is no coward ) might interecede in it . medea was not the best of women , and the poet rather brings her in speaking as a fury , then a saint . he could not have put those words in cornelia's mouth , when her husband anthony was in the arms of cleopatra ( not superiour unto her in wit or beauty ) and sought to withdraw her subsistence from her , and his own children with her . nor were lewis , or the crook-back equal princes : or the earl and duke of the better subjects . but when caesor had overthrown his enemy , he pitied his misfortunes , ingratiated his friends , restored his statue . when his head was brought to him , he turned away from seing it . when his ring was presented to him , he received it with tears ( being possibly the seale of many officious tables , that had past between them ) and shewed in all his actions , that he did not seek to destroy pompey , but to save caesar. in fine , what inward monster hurried on octavius ? a woman is the more beloved , that repelleth her lover with disdain , and the more sought , and the more honoured , if not by him , who had before debauched her . of a villany extroardinary , i need not undertake to give a reason . but if we examine such contentions , good nature may seem in the origine to have been depressed by passion , and suppressed afterwards . for , at the first , if a man thought modestly of himself , and honourably of his friend , he could not have been so soon transported , nor so violently . have we not seen a gentle spirit submit his passions ( for a time ) and his reason too to his friend , and accounted it no vileness ? and have we not presently seen the submitter to be the vanquisher , and accounted more noble ? either there was no cause of anger , or not of so much , as is conceived . what , if that which is taken for contempt ( as it often happens , being misinterpreted ) was intended for an office of friendship , and that ( it may be ) not indiscreetly neither , if the reason had been apprehended ? what if it were but an escape ? or a little start of passion ? but i grant it was an injury . goodness is a patient thing without the help of phlegm , and of it self will ventilate the heaving broiles within , without a trifling fann , or ombrella to allay them . it will make many good constructions , ere it will admit a bad one . or if it find ( at last ) so good cannot be made , as it wished , * it cannot bear malice through excess of its own goodness and respect to its friends , but it presupposed some excesses or defects in him from the first beginning , and resolved not to cast away a jewel for a flaw . besides it cannot stand upon punctilioes , but rather bow the decorum , for it suffers no otherwise from the injury of a friend , then it would do by some great wrong that it had done it self by neglect , or indiscretion . and who that hath wrought his own dishonour or diminution by his folly , will add the madness to it to stab himself ? and will he add to his boisterous passion the reputation of killing , or of seeking the life of his friend ? are not one and the same bowels common to them both ? to diminish the injury , and magnify other kindnesses opposed to it , this is friendly . to condescend , to remit de jure , to take a part of the blame upon himself , and to think of taking up , this were a way to give a day to reason , and resolution , and a certain expedient to redeem any lapse of reputation . but he hath done what he cannot undoe , and i have suffered what i cannot wipe off , but with his blood , or the licking of his tongue ? then you are both without my lists . to deprive his friend of his favour is the greatest punishment here . and one true friend is impatient of that displeasure from another ; and cannot live in quiet under it , though he suffer unjustly : he cannot but seek to be reconciled ; and if he can obtain it , will hardly ever need a second . these joynts well set grow firmer than before , and the cicatrice more callous against offences , then the brawne and muscles . to conclude . if our friend neglect us , it is but a lapse , and addresses renewed may revive it : if he fall to vice , he retaineth only our wishes , and endeavours to serve him another way , & to reclaim him . if he injure me , i may be angry to reduce him . if he be ingrateful , or malitious , i have no other way in nature but to punish him with aversation . it is against nature that i should seek his mischief , in whom a part of my self is lodged , in hope of a civil resurrection , or entombed in his unworthiness ; and there to ly sacred , and inviolable . if i am necessitated to wrong him in my own defence : so i may be , to cut off one limb to save my whole body . ii. while they strive for the glory of the price in a cornish hurling , they sometimes cover the ball in the midst of the press ; sometimes leave a single observator to go way with it to the gaole : so in this contention concerning the nobleness and use of friendship , while on one hand they admit no end , or fruit of friendship but it self : no pleasure , no profit , no private or publick business to forge , or nourish it ; on the other that all friendship is but an idle fancy , a meer notion without some solid interest , as the basis of it ; or only an abstracted consideration , no more to be found in nature , then materia prima in things sensible : they may leave the truth in the middle . which to find and bear from them , let us first consider of the later . i must confess it passeth among the fineness of the age , as a paradox of courtship ( and as if untutored spirits were only kind and loving ) to be civil among men : and more to some then others ; but indeed to have no friend , or friendship : as if it were but a meer fondness , a feminine or a childish vagariness , not to be admitted amongst the wise , or valiant part of men : to whom of all the rules delivered to us from antiquity , there is none that soundeth so authentick as that of chito . ita ama tanquam os urus , ita odi tanquam amaturus . so love as if you were about to hate , so hate as if you were about to love . for what account can be given of this chariness , or these endearments betwixt two , or a few persons ; but only to humour one anothers fancies , or to bolster up one another in self-conceitedness ; and so take them off from action or design , wherein he should be no friend , that stands in our way , though he were as a friend before ? there is a time in prudence to know , and to forget , to take acquaintance , and to pass by without notice . as our ends alter , and as we advance , we must leave those persons , and things behind us , that we cannot take along with us , it being not sufficient only ; but more then ample , if we have been just , or courteous , or beneficial to them for the time , wherein we had to do with them . all things slide , and nothing bide , is more true in this sence then then in the scepticks . and is it not a madness to go about to stop a current , or impale a river for a fish-pond : while every man is bent upon his own concerns to hold them back to be intent upon ours ; or our own which are equally fleeting , upon theirs ? to think to impropriate the use of any man , or immancipate our selves , while on both sides we are bound to covet liberty , and ampliate our scope of living , as much as possible ? besides , that change and variety in friends and friendship is no less acceptible , than in any other case : but far more commodious , since friends are to be used sparingly , some in one thing , some in another , and our needs are various , and our fortunes variable . persons too do vary from themselves : wherein a man hath served us at one time , he cannot or he lists not at another , what we loved in him , at another time is altered : and to pretend constancy to one , that is become another , is but forced : so that we had need to be cautious and versatile in this maneige , where we cannot depend upon any sure or certain points . when did caesar ( the most sufficient man ( per-adventure ) in all assayes that ever was ) though he loved many women fore slow an hours march for any of them ? though he entertain'd his friends and partizans at most prodigious charges , when did he ever stick at any of them that halted in their carriere ? though he were so liberal , he knew how to make more of them , then they had made of him . and who would willingly come off a looser with a flourish of friendship ? qui sibi amicus est , scito hunc amicum omnibus esse . aristides would acknowledge friendship unto no man , least by favour or disfavour he should be led into inconveniences . so little estate have some men made of that , which others idolize , who had rather be accounted atheists then indifferent friends . notwithstanding , we are not so easily to be put by . to covet and to seek a pretended amity for our own ends , and cease as they are served , to use , and leave a friend 's a beaten way ; yet beaten as it is , it leads astray . to seem to have a multitude of friends , and have none is to deceive our selves more then others , in the true solidity of our own concerns . he hath but light hold of another ( however he imagine ) whom he would oblige strongly for his purpose who is but lightly affected within himself . the pack is discerned , and the fraud as covertly returned ? as if the language of those feigned courtesies , colloguing passions , falsifying promises and apologies were not understood ! especially , when they are to court for advantage ( as it often happens ) the same that have been legerly dismist before , and have a sense of our ingratitude ! these are veiles only of pusillanimity , which in effect atchieve no great matter : a roman generosity will tread upon them . loyalty is essential to a good nature and business and commerce to express it . we cannot deny but mutual interests are a solid ground of friendly correspondency , be it more or less . some are only in more trivial matters , wherein whatsoever is given to civility , necessity , expediency doth noth derogate from fidelity , integrity , and a good mind . others are more neer and intimate to us . and is it not most natutural to us to love our dependencies , our beneficiaries , our faithful co-adjutours , our trustees and relyances ? and as we find the worth and value of them in reality , so to prize , affect , and endear them . that is , to add them to the number of our excellent friends , not according to the advantage only that we receive ( for we may love a friend more who is less useful ) but the mind where withal we are served . who but these know our secrets ? who but these relieve us in our straites ? who but these confirm us in our doubtful states ? and who but these have power to become our enemies if they prove unfaithful ? therefore who was sought only that he might be used , may be retained , that he may be endeared . a friendship may be refined from interest to vertue , but every one with whom we may have to do , may not be worth the while : for who will go about to extract gold out of lead or tinn , though he know it may be in it ? though good nature be not interessed in design yet it is in consequence : for advantage and and pleasure cannot be abstracted from benefits , and favours , and mutual aides and offices . and it is but an ill constitution that doth not thrive upon good diet , and convert it into good humours , which is but a perpetual seading of new and inexhausted gratifyings . wherefore , under favour , it is no part of imbecillity to be chary of our friends , to commute and symbolize in all manner of affections with them . nor is it any restraint to a large heart to have multiplicity , and retain a fresh affection to those , that have been contracted from his infancy , with the rest that he shall collect to his last end ; but rather this is one , and the only accomtling of his felicity to be a patron unto one , a companion unto another , a correspondent unto others that are absent , an allie to more , and an intimate yet to a few confidents . all with frankness and reality . this is no impeachment of just designs , but a sure promptuary of ready aides : no incumbrance in advancing , but a certain furtherance without seeking , no ensnaring of our fortune ; but a means to clear , and expedite it . let caesar be considered , and he never sleighted any of his true friends , never lost any that he could retain : nay , had so good a way of ingratiating himself with his souldiers , that hardly any of them ever did revolt from him . a captain belov'd like alexander , whole souldiers besieged him in his tent , ( their arms cast down ) with tears and groans three dayes together , till he was willing to come out , and be reconciled to them in the same postures . such is the power of goodness , where 't is mixt with greatness , whereas many triumphs of the rigid , and tenacious roman captains have been disgraced with the murmuring of their followers . and many battels only lost out of hatred , where there have before been such defects of gentleness . let us know then that a friendly nature is bold and confident , not more actively with its friend , then passively towards him . to spare him is to loose him , and disoblige him by the most unkindness ; spare your doubtful friends ; but use your certain ones , and the more you use them the more you have them ; only be sure you be certain , and most of all confident in your own vertue , & generosity ; which ( like providence ) produceth and maintaineth friendship with continuance of one perpetual action . iii. but to descend to the other part and consideration of dearest friendship , which ( having spoke alreay of heroick love ) we may now term heroick friendship , which i take to be the meeting and coincidence of two good natures , that resemble one another , in identity of souls & wills : whereof many times the likeness of outward features and complexions may be an indication , and a ready token of commencement ( where it happens ) at the first encounter of such an happy pair of lovers . so that this must be imagined to be somewhat rare , and extraordinary : it being not only hard to find such a second self : in whose bosom we may have equal confidence , as in our own : in whose help the same assurance , who can have the same delight in our affection , that he hath in loving of himself , and in our embraces the same satisfaction , that he hath in cherishing of his own soul and body , and who can be equally concerned in our welfare and his own , but also to find a first , who can love as much , as may deserve such requital . let every one try how he finds it in himself , how he feels his pulse beating towards it , or his heart panting to escape from him into another breast . * this noble affection fals not on vulgar , and common constitutions , but on such as are mark't for vertue ; he that can love his friend with this noble ardour , will in a competent degree affect all . i begin with this sentence , since it comes into my mind : that it is but ordinary for some men to have sometimes a pheere , or concubine , as mahomet the great ( who after sacrificed her with his own hand to his pride and tyranny ) that takes up all their time , and pleasure . others a privado , or only favourite , the solitary object of their fancy and delight , as our edward ii , was accounted to have in piers gaveston , which was reputed ( too ) an effeminate impotency , and enthralment of his mind . an affection springing out of weakness and insufficiency , and only tending to ease and pleasure : when a man is captivated with a man , as if he were enamoured of a woman ; while his time , his business , his honour is distracted : while a senseless humour is only gratified : and he that is beloved ( for the most part ) knoweth how to make other use of it , then his lover . a thing so fatal ( notwithstanding ) to that unhappy prince , that when sedition and rebellion had removed one he could not live without the raising of another in the person of the lord spencer , whom the other lords finding to draw all the kings heart one way ; they never left till they had ungraciously procured both their ruines . so we see in common instances , who are fond of one , neglect all others , which breeds contempt and hatred ; for who are despised , despise again : and who think they ought to have an interest in one that is transported , where they have it not , do envy the transporter , and cannot well refrain from some attempt upon him . in vices it is most common to have one seducer , who gains a power upon his ward . we must not therefore measure this affection by intension , much less by excess , or intemperance ; but by adaequation of the object , vertue of the persons , and regularity of the acts. let us therefore hear my lord of montaigne's report ( instead of many other ) of his singular amity with monsicur de la boitic , which indeed he hath propounded to us ( though of himself as a rare example . which he affirmeth to have been such , that certainly the like was not be read of ; and that amongst us men , there is no track of it to be found in use . that there needeth so much happiness of rencounter to raise such another , that it is much if fortune do afford the like once in three ages . they were first known to one another by report they sought one anothers acquaintance , they found it by chance at a feast , and became forthwith so taken , so known , and so obliged betwixt themselves , that presently nothing became so intimate , as the one to the other . that it was not one special consideration , nor two , nor three , nor four , nor a thousand . it was , he knew not what , quintessence of all , which having seised his whole will brought it to be plunged , and lost in his friends ; and his again in like manner with a pareil longing , and concurrence in his own : not reserving any thing that was proper to either of them : nothing that was his or mine . that such a friendship abolisheth all words of difference , benefit , obligation , acknowledgement , request , remerciment , or the like : all in effect being common between them ; their wills , thoughts , judgements , goods , wives , children , honour and life : and their agreement to be but one soul in two bodies . and such a friendship he affirms to be discussive at all other obligations , incompatible with any other friendship . though his life had been sweetly passed to the time of his writing , without any other great affliction , then the loss of his friend : yet if he compare the whole to those four years , wherein he enjoyed him , that all the rest was but smoak , or a dark , and a tedious night to him . in fine , that thereafter , he abandoned all pleasure , since his participant was gone , since all the comforts in the world did but redouble to him the regret of his loss , thus far that noble humanist , let us yet hear another refined spirit of our own nation . i confess ( saith he ) i do not observe that order , that the schools ordain our affections , to love our parents , wives , children , and then our friends : for excepting the injunctions of religion , i do not find in my self such a necessary and indissoluble sympathy to all those of my bloud . i hope i do not break the fifth commandment , if i conceive i may love my friend before the nearest of my bloud , even those to whom i owe the principles of life . i never yet cast a true affection on a woman , but i have loved my friend as i do vertue , my soul , my god. — there are wonders in true affection , it is a body of enigmaes , mysteries and riddles , wherein two so become one , as they both become two , i love my friend before my self , and yet methinks i do not love him enough ; some few moneths hence my multiplyed affection will make me believe i have not loved him at all ; when i am from him , i am dead till i be with him , when i am with him i am not satisfied , but would still be nearer him : united souls are not satisfied with embraces , but desire to be truly each other , which being impossible , their desires are infinite , and must proceed without a possibility of satisfaction . — if we can bring our affections to look beyond the body , and cast an eye upon the soul , we have found out the true object not only of friendship , but charity , &c. i am ashamed of transcribing , their sense and eloquence hath imported me : and yet i have maimed both by the culling : but 't is more to my purpose then mine own . what shall we say to all this ? if it were but wit , or generosity , pity to be wrack't or chopt with logick : but these are no ventets of smoak or chass . if there be such an amity , what shall i think of my self ? if not , what of these excellent persons , that have dilivered it ? we must suffer such souls to have suffered somewhat extraordinary . therefore i am still either querulous , or inquisitive . for what is that , that i should love in such an amity ? the person of my friend ? not for one special consideration , nor two , nor three , nor four , nor a thousand , but a quintessence of i know not what , that plungeth my will. will it not also plunge my reason , while agreableness to my fancy is all , that is in view ? while i seem to abstract from sense and pleasure , will not this ingulf me in unwary sensuality ? is it likeness ? how can i then love him before my self ? or how can i have a principle before my self , though it be to love my creator and redeemer ? is it the unity that is between us ? whether then do i love my self in him , or him in me ? whether more ? or how do i distinguish so , as to prefer that in will and reason , which in nature is the later ? besides souls have no union but of consent , they know no plunging , or confusion . therefore stil i am the rule and measure of my own affection , and the constant principle to it : my friend can be but a moral or objective informer to me . he cannot bound , or comprehend me ; much less can he circumscribe all my powers and my faculties ; though i may yield them to be determined at his pleasure . so that i am plunged indeed in this rhetorick , though i would be loth to spoil so fair an argument . but in what order shall we place this amitie ? the learned doctor prefers his countrey : but montaigne hesitates in a fine story . when tiberius gracchus was condemned of conspiracy : c. blosius , his principal friend suspected of intelligence with him , was convented before the consuls , who demanding of him , what he would do for gracchus ? answered , all things . and what if he had commanded you to burn our temples ? he would never have done it , replied blosius . but what if he had ? said he , i would have done it . whereupon my author . those which accuse this answer as seditious do not apprehend this mystery ; nor presuppose ( as it was in reality ) that blosius had the will of gracchus in his sleeve ; both by power and cognisance they were more friends then citisens ; more friends , then friends or enemies of their countrey , then friends of ambition and trouble : having perfectly committed themselves one to the other , they held perfectly the reins of one anothers inclination : and make them to guide this harness by vertue , and the conduct of reason ( as it is impossible to suppose it without ) the answer of blosius was as it should be . what do we think of this ? if the judgement of one lead him unto treason by vertue , and the conduct of reason , as he supposeth , must the others too ? again must we prefer our friend , or vertue ? if our friend , we are as before . if * vertue , our wives and children ( at the least ) have a preobligement on us . and vertue defends any intercession of a later act of choice , between the first , and the pledges of god and nature . some things are incommunicable of their own nature ; of all others friendship may have power . but it cannot by seising of my soul , procure , that i should not be perswaded as i judge , that i should not will what i think most meet . nay , external things , my prince and countrey bear away my allegiance , and the rights of my wife and children are inviolate against the necessities of my friend ( but not the hazarding of them if it ly in my power ) i can do no more but communicate with him in all i am and have , that is communicable . but methinks , my authors has improved this notion very curiously ; when he tells us , that such a friendship abolisheth all words of difference , benefit , obligation , request , or remerciement , &c. and so it seems to me in comparison ; that the dearest friends cannot be beholden the one to the other ; cannot exceed , or surpass one another : nor have any thing private , saving wherein privacy advantageth community . for if our thoughts and apprehensions were plainly one , now should there be place for advice and councel ? if our mutual endeavours did meet one another in the same actions ; how could their be accommodation ? if estates and interests were not distinct , how should one have to supply what the other wanted ? but such is the candour of benevolence , making no account , or difference of penury or abundance in one subject , so either be supplyed . or both alike miserable : wherefore a miserable man is not capable of this beatitude . now 't was ever agreed , that the friendship of dearness cannot extend unto many . my author seems to hold , not only that it cannot be beyond a duality , but that one failing the other never can repair it . though a man may renew his espousals , he must live a perpetual widower to his friend . indeed , we cannot put but one in the superlative degree , but a father of . children may have so natural an affection to them all , that he can hardly tell ( in all respects ) which to forego , if he were put to the necessity of his choice . and of a few friends , when one is present he may be as the dearest , when another comes he may be in balance . gold may weigh against gold , when the pieces & the scales are both even . and it is not probably want of high affections , that holds the common lover of more friends in this suspense ; but only want of partiality , acting by the goodness of his nature , and not calling reason to distinguish . of this unique amity , we are the less sollicitous , because it is not properly any part or consequent of a good nature , but only of some heroick vertue : if any such be in nature , whose effects are impossible ( to be truly each other ) and desires infinite ( to be satisfied with enjoyment ) whereas by nature , never any tendency was in vain . but by this , i am put upon examining , what kind of passions i have ever found within my own breast towards an high amity . in my childhood , i found the first allective of my affections was admiration . when i saw any of my play-fellows of a jovial , hardy , and complyant nature , fashion'd to his own pleasure , and others favour , i remember i were wont to have an unquiet fondness to be endeared to him : sometimes with more , sometimes with less success , until my passions , oft returning weary & disappointed , ( finding ( as i imagine ) spirits light and aiery to be made to favour , rather then affection ; and that friendship could not be without somewhat of the deep humour ) became timerous & sollicitous about the next objects that i assayled ; thinking that i wanted wit or spirit to go about to gain any one ; since i still seemed to my self to love more , then to have been beloved . therefore where i found my childish accoglienzaes answered , i thought my self beholden , and were ready to spoil all by being over-busy with my foolish kindnesses . but when i came to have learned some letters , i found to be of one form , of one exercise , and often one in fault together & one punishment , was a means of endearing me to one or other of my classis : and that indeed , there was some geniality in that affection , that was able to hold us great friends in the university . addicting my self to some study , i had a fit of great regret of the times past ( like the pang of doctor faustus , who desired of his familiar to see rosamond , that had been dead an years before ) i could not be satisfied for want of pictures to represent those brave men whom i read , and read of , thinking that they had left no commendation possible for posterity . nay at last , i could not be kind with my stars , because i were not born to know , and live in the constant sight of that most accomplish't and taking person the immortal sir p. sidney , under whose two pictures i have stood gazing at wilton-house , till shame has impell'd me to look on other things with little notice , and desire has brought me back again . in the ardour of my youth , those same vagary qualities , that keep women from being tame , and entice us , with we know not what graces ( as the birds in the air , render themselves amiable , as they fly in their party-coloured feathers , which being taken are despised ) allured me no otherwise in men ; suspecting still there was more in such persons , than i could discover , and holding me enamour'd to the objects of my suspicion , which touched me in things as well as persons . so that being ready to visit france , i expected to find as much difference as if they had had another heaven and earth , then we enjoy , and so i found my self in vain affected at the key of calais , there being a goodly high wall and magnificent towards the sea , and an indifferent town within it . since i came to years of discretion ( which i am feign to account by law , rather then by reason ) admiration ceased ; but not that opinion ; that there are some inimitable qualities and graces in certain persons which do necessarily draw my heart to a bien-veilance , and a passion of acquaintance , yet it seems to me , when i have made my addresses , that not what i like in them ; so much as what they like in me is my assured ground of friendship : but if i am sought unto by any , that has so mean a spirit , then what i like in them only ; or in their intention is my obligement : for i ask no more but rectitude ; other accomplishments i account matter of respect , but only this of true affection . and having found this but in divers breasts , i cannot complain of the falseness of the world ( as many do , which should rather reflect on the fallacy of their former judgements , & their oscitancy of conversation ) but rather of my own deficiencies , if i have not any one friendship high and absolute . nothing is more molestation to me , then to apprehend , that the meanest of my friends is unsatisfied in any thing of my behaviour ; that the best should not be highly drawen and allured with the postures and expressions of my affection . of reality i cannot doubt , feeling how effectual it is within myself ; but to noble strains and advancements every wit and spirit is not proper : only when stars meet they leap into conjunction , and accomplish their own orbe , and amuse the world with their light and splendour . in brief ( that i may not spoil my character with too much oftentation ) i account my friendship my repast , my entertainment , my diversion , my religion , and no fault to be so great as any act of pride , or ingratitude , that tendeth to dissolve it . i love with vertue , and i love for vertue ( to what degree soever i observe it ) yet i do not covet to monopolize any one unto my self , that he should love no other besides me , ( i do not think that i can deserve so much of any man ) nor am i myself willing to be sequestred . but i love to walk , and talk , and intermingle with all the world : taking such friendship for restraint , and no bounty , which shall go about to abridge me , or confine me : save only in respect of special acts , and services . i am contented to live only at the rate of a good nature , without attaining higher glory , or seeking of an amity in unity , and an unity in identity of soules , or of platonical ideaes : which every man that can be a friend , cannot understand ; or hardly any other , who is so perswaded ( as generally we are ) of creation , and production of things visible . § vii . when i would dispatch , i am incumbred ; i did not think there had been so much in hospitality . whoever receiveth me with a good look is presently become my host ; and a mans bounty is a much seen in his countenance , as at his table . sometimes an invitation obligeth more then an entertainment : commonly the lesser feasts are the more gracious ; and the meaner houses , and narrow entries afford the more receipt within . the fair city of siena hath an ancient wall , and a strait gate : but with his inscription ( that slack'd my weariness when i arrived there ) cor pandit tibi sena magis . thy heart siena's more , enlarged then thy door . and so it has reputation of the hospitablest town in italy . i know not whether receiveth the more content in it : he that affordeth a bounteous aspect , or he that accepts it : for it is no less hospitality to accept of kindness worthily , then to bestow it freely . a good nature is seen alike in both , what joy and promptness is there in the action ? what love and service in the addresses of mind and body ? it stands not upon its provision . let decency , or magnificence see to that : if it have it , it is ready to produce it : if not , it is not abashed , it absents not itself : it supplies , as much as may be , with good will : and it may be grieved , if things necessary be not in its power to procure . caesar in an house where he was honestly entertained , dipped his salad freely in corrupted oyl ( which by error was brought to the table ) rebuking his company for taking notice of it ; and eat of it yet more freely to rebuke them ; & save his host from having any apprehension of it . such a value did he put upon a small punctilio of civility , as some other might have reckon'd it ; but indeed it was no small matter in the reason , which touched so nearly on the coast of gratitude . and so i leave the rest of this vertue to liberality , and her associates . i know not but i may borrow somewhat from the next title , if i entreat here of charity , first , of that which receiveth strangers in , and next of that , that relieveth them without : whether it be humanity or hospitality : it is certainly , a character of good nature , which is more apt to condescend , then to aspire , and to yield to pity , then to rise to glory . the poor mariner driven in by tempest is not to be questioned for his pratique : nor an enemy ship-wrack't upon our coast to be treated as a prisoner of war. if it be in boistrous weather , a poor traveller is not sent to seek for a sign , where gentle people live : nor a man that commits a trespass by his own misfortune : especially when he seeks no more but succour , to be distrain'd , or roughly handled . i will dismiss this also with a pleasant story . in the dreadful massacre of paris , while the catholick swords reak't in vengeance , a poor huguenot , escaping his pursuers , came violently bouncing with hands and feet at the chamber door of the king of navarre ( at that time protector of the miserable party ) crying navarre , navarre . the king was gone forth : a lady of the bed-chamber , thinking he was returned in hast ( and knowing that mischief was abroad ) hastily ran to ope the door ; and let in a wounded gentleman pursued instantly by four souldiers . to save his life , he cast himself upon the queens bed : who for fear leaped out , and he after her , holding her alwayes by the middle , and using her as his buckler . she , poor lady knew not the man , or whether he came to mischief her , or whether the souldiers intended it to him , or to herself , but upon her out-cries : in came the captain of the guards , who chasing at the rudeness of the archers , he chased them out of that presence ; and granted the life of the poor gentleman that embraced the queen , to her discretion ; which was ( though she her self were a zealous catholick ) to lodge him in her own cabinet , till he were cured of his wounds was not this a noble act of bounty ? and yet could you but laugh , if you had seen that chast , though rude embraces of the queen ? . for the other part of tenderness , which we call charity ; it may admit of some dispute , whether a good nature do it for the love of the action , or of the good that is in it ; or only to gratifie its own humour , or the importunity of its own nature ? once again : our most ingenious doctor who has shew'd himself no superficial statist of his own , or our common humanity tells us thus . i give no alms to satisfy the hunger of my brother : but to fulfil and accomplish the will , and command of my god. i draw not my purse for his sake , that demands it ; but his that enjoyn'd it . i relieve no man upon the rhetorick of his miseries : nor to content mine own commiserating disposition ; for this is still but moral charity , and an act that oweth more to passion , then to reason . he that relieves another upon the bare suggestion , and bowels of pity , doth not this so much for his sake , as for his own . for by compassion we make others misery our own ; and so by relieving them we relieve our selves also . yet ( to do my noble friend , to whom i have a particular obligement the more right ) he had told us before . i have ever endeavoured to nourish the merciful disposition , and humane inclination i borrowed from my parents , and regulate it to the written , and prescribed laws of charity . yet am i apt to imagine , that a good nature acting only to satisfy the importunity of its own inclination , is more abundant in goodness , then acted by a rule , or precept ; unless it be a rule , that comes to it in effect , ( though not in form of words ) by its proper observation . we hang ( a good part of mankind ) wavering , and trembling in the balance , while on the one hand , we are prescribed a strict and rigid vertue , consisting in certain rules and dictates from which we may not vary without offence , and danger . on the other ; all kind of actions are presented to us so disguised with the same titles , that there is nothing left to be vice : neither any part of life to be serious , the mantle of wit , or love , or honor serves to palliate all , that were ugly in its proper colors , both to sense and reason . but if we cannot easily be exact with the first , or dissolute with the later , it were worth while to know this mystery : that to live by rule is but to hamper nature , to live in fear , and fall into superstition : but to live without it , ( as it is a glass or mirror , wherewithal to dress our natures ) is to steer our course without a compass : for excess and defect consist in curious points : and our own natures ( in the case ) are the first monitors , and the most intimate : and which employ our reasons to be exact about it . temperance , and abstinence are certain and prescribed vertues : yet there is no written rule that can keep us entire in the practice of them in particular cases : for the vertues are not in the objects that are indifferent : nor in the acts that are variable ( for that may be excess to me , which is temperance to another ; and the same act as to my self at one time may be an excess , which at another time was just ) but only in right reason , according unto nature ; as a wise man shall judge ( not another wise man ; but the same that is to be engaged in the action . ) to come to our purpose . to be moved with compassion upon the sight and sense of anothers misery is a token of good nature , which is a divine instinct within us , the original ( if i may say so with the favour of our divines ) of the second table . therefore to hear when the bowels of compassion call upon us , is to hear when god calls , and to execute his will , though we do not think of his command . whereas to give liberally , meerly on a sense of duty , if it may be called obedience , it cannot be called charity . and what avails it to give away . manors without charity ? indeed the fathers confessors are apt to teach their suppliants of absolution , that it is not charity to give from a motive within ones self ; but only out of love to god , and obedience to his commands ; whereby they have made themselves masters of mens charity : and have not been a little charitable to themselves . i suppose we have the same sense amongst many of our religion : since only rich and old take themselves to be bound to charity , and to see a young gallant drop an alms in the street were enough to make him question'd to be soft . i am ( almost ) of opinion , that who giveth of compassion ( when he doth not actually thing of god , or his command ) is the more charitable ; and not the less obedient : and shall be noted , and rewarded , though he forget , and take no notice of his own benefit . for ( as i conceive ) the samaritan , that took up the wounded jew did it not out of religion ( because they were as excommunicated persons to one another ) but only out of sense of humanity and compassion . and yet the saviour of the world commends that act , as true religion . if a beggar importune us , shame may move us , though there be no witness ; and whereof , was that sense given us ? if another do not give when he thinks he ought , fear impels him . and whether is it better to act out of fear , or out of shame ? notwithstanding , i am afraid of this argument , as intrenching too much upon divinity . i do not question , but it is a more excellent way of charity to give for the love of god , rather then for the love of our selves , and our own quiet or any man , and his relief : but i do not think in religion , that they can be dis-joyned , or distinguished . as to say , i give out of charity : not because i campassionate my brother ; but because i am so commanded : but i am commanded to have compassion ( if nature do not give it me ) and so to exhibit . i do not think , that to give out of good nature is so much as a moral vertue ; but a good disposition : that by reason may be directed to any height or perfection whatsover ; but without it , that neither will not reason can produce an act of charity . so that still to advance reason , or religion is not to derogate from the simplicity of nature : which when divines lay so low in corruption , and imbecillity , i suppose they mean in another sense , then i intend . § . viii . i reckon not much what entertainment i have made ; but i am now ready to serve up the disette with a few sprinklings yet remaining under the notion of humanity ; with its adjuncts and embellishments : knowing that the banquet is oftentimes more valuable , then the whole meal . . and first , it is the part of humanity to refrain all disgusts , to restrain all incommodities , and to aid against the incursion of any evils in our common life . therefore it doth not cherish in it self any private humour of diet , or repose , or singular mode of carriage to be allow'd , or yielded to it by any other : it affecteth not usurpation of precedences or accommodations ; but is contented with such part as time , and occasion , and the persons present do freely and readily afford to it : nor to fill any place with it self through vain glory , and self commendation ; or assume all the talk ; or take upon it self to censure persons , or judge of things ; nor admits of jeers , or abuses ; or suffers the dead , or the absent to be traduced ; or the simple to be too much disparaged . it questions not the merit or the quality , which any one pretends to ; though it discern an incomportment , it makes no semblance of it : it will not expose any one , unless it be to detect some malice : it helpeth good constructions , being tender of others fame , as it is of its own , and desireth to have others so : it taketh notice of distinctions , being a sign of rudeness to come a second time into the company of any noble person , and not to know who he is : it yieldeth honor to men of spirit , and of vertuous acquirements ( though modest ) and to their arrogance too sometimes . for in ben johnson's company , they say , that an absolute domination ruled with the pleasure of his subjects . further , though a good nature do avoid oftentation for its own part ; yet is it not impatient of anothers impertinence , or idle commendations of himself : but rather sollicitous and concern'd for him how he will come off : it is apt to bear a part of shame for him , if he be impudent : or with him , if he be sensible ( as it often happens ) when he doth not find that applause , that he expected . i know not how it happens to ingenious spirits , such as have real wit , and real courage to be bashful : when dunces and droans are confident : is it a vertue or a weakness in them ? only this we may observe ; as there is a laughter that sheweth no complacency , so there is a blushing that argues sometimes a conscious guilt and no goodness : sometimes a purpose of revenge . and how do you think does blushing become a blackmoor ? but where this passion doth express a sense or doubt ( thought it be but a misprision ) of any indecency , or unhandsome faltring , or miscarrying , i cannot say , it is it self a vertue , but a token of it : nor a weakness , but a kind of remission : such as is an ample satisfaction of it self for any small fault , and a tacit promise of amendment : for he that hath blushed for his mis-adventure ha's stopt all anger , and has his pardon without asking : which is some relief to such an one , as knows , that apologies are not to be made without reason ; neither are as other compliments , but intrench so much upon the quality , or discretion of the author . i should say more , that it is an excellent token when blushes do not put out of countenance ; for then a vertuous confidence is seen under it , which will soon recover and overcome it : and then , these foolish blushes do not misbecome , but add a singular grace and lustre to a young face ( especially ) and to the other sex ; for who sees a lady blush , and take it up handsomely , can hardly escape to be enamour'd . it is a sign of vertue , which is more alluring then the fairest skin and neatest features in the world . but still it is to be regarded how this suffusion is recollected ; for if the shamefulness proceed from ignorance or imbecillity , it rather paints then lightens ; if it happen to a sullen nature , it dejects and stains it ; they cannot presently resume their confidence , and reduce it with a glory , as our good nature can , and can do no otherwise . to restrain incommodities it behooves us also to bear our own infirmities and inconveniences , and ( as much as possibly ) to conceal them , that we may not disturb our friends or neighbours , or impede the alacrity of our company . sick persons do retire , and they that visit them come on purpose to condole and sympathize with them ; only they that have the plague love to spread their infection , and many that have the itch ; and of this latter sort are the querulous company , that are ever complaining or finding fault with one or other , being either old , or crazy , or prejudiced , or otherwise distempered . nescio an anticyram ratio illis destinet omnem . humanity requires us to take sometimes a part of others inconveniences upon our selves to alieviate them ; to personate another man ( sometimes ) to save a mischief that is coming towards him : to bear a part of anothers blame , when we are innocent , and to conceal his , to save anger , or divert punishment , for a good nature is averse to all punishment and inclin'd to all lenity . it was a speech taken well from nero , and promising a better reign , when a table was brought to him to be signed for the death of a malefactor , he took the style , saying of his own motion . o quàm mallem nescisse literas ! o how i had rather that i could not write ! and as tacitus has left the history , he became worst the soonest , that we ever read of any . nay , it is but humanity ( sometimes ) to run voluntarily into danger to prevent a greater or a publick jeopardy . and some one man has taken strangely upon himself . a soldier of the great caesar took a pile into his own body to cover his commander . curtius mounted and arm'd at all points leaped into a gulph to divert an ill omen . the two decii devoted their lives for two victories . tribune with . soldiers took a mortal station to redeem the rest of the army out of straits . we see , besides , when there is a fire , every unconcerned person will adventure himself to extinguish it , when violence is done to an innocent , every one will concern himself to rescue ; when a man is in danger of being drowned , a stranger will venture in to save him . so that humanity and good nature are not only in sleight and superficial points , but extend to realities . on the contrary an ill nature , though it be strong , or wealthy , or well accommodated cannot find in its heart to be helpful , or compassionate , or commucative with another ; but if it be in misery , it hateth all that are more happy , and wisheth it were but able to involve them in the same state with it self , medea ( the fairest copy that we have of an ill nature ) in the latine tragedian : and if thou perish , it delights to draw with it sicilian nights . or with its death to conjure the dissolution of the universe with the prayer of nero , let earth and fire when i must dy be mixt and temper'd with the skie . or as perseus , the last king of macedon , when he was taken captive by the romans ( trained from a sanctuary ) cursed those gods , that had not afforded him protection . which makes me think of what an admirable temper that ignoble vertue patience is compounded , while it is either not at all regarded , or noted only by superficial animadverters , as a mark of abjection , or a poor spirit ; it signifies an excellent aequanimity , an invincible fortitude , a certain prudence , and a singular piece and proportion of good humors , which neither taxeth fate , nor providence , nor repineth at seeming inequalities , while it sees its inferiors preferred , its fortunes dissipated , its merits undervalued , its friends disheartened ; while nothing in the world seems to favour it ; it is not curdled , or turned , but saves it self with salt , and reserves it self for the fresh water : what were all the arguments of philosophy concerning vanity , indifferency , metriopathy , if they had not this subject ? what were all valour , or hardiness , or skill of enterprizing , if there were not patience to endure incommodities , and expect the best seasons ? in fine , what end would there be of injuries , if there were not this good natur'd quality to bound , and determine them ? either to subside in oblivion , or a voluntary sequestration of revengeful thoughts ? when we read that wine , and women , and truth are strongest , why was not time thought upon , which conquers and preys on all things ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . yet patience bows the fangs of time , and brings about that victory by culling seasons out of it , which neither force nor fortune could complete at once , compatible but to a good nature and an high spirit , if it be not maliciously mistaken , a stupidity ( suppose ) or a rest after weariness , or a manicle of pure force and necessity are no more then brutish . lastly , as an aid against incursion of evil accidents humanity is never out of one office or an other , either to procure amities , or prevent enmities , or reconcile breaches , or to clear some mens reputations , or to cover some mens disgraces , or palliate others just designs that they may gain effect , it being most essential to a good nature to be loyal and trusty , and as secret as its discretion serves to be . it delights in speaking praises , and in relating any mans goods fortune , without any glance of envy or detraction : nay , it is not much concerned with the success of an enemy , or repineth at anothers gain obtained to its own prejudice , if not unjustly . for it seeks its own interest with a most indifferent industry in respect of passion ; though a most intense in respect of action , because it moves only in a streight line , and will rather waive it s own advantage , then interfere with another , that seeks it in the same way . in fine , a good nature is entirely so just , that a dog , or an horse , or an old tree fare the better for it . § § ii. it is the part of humanity to ampliate all favours , to extend all bounties , to share and not exempt it self from common lot and fortune . to begin with affability , which is an exhibiting of ones own person to ordinary use and accommodation , to confer and to converse among men without exception ; it hath ever been in such honor amongst all civil nations , and in such restraint amongst the barbarous , as argues it to be an excellent point of humanity , though nothing seem more natural and familiar . the life and institution of king cyrus was form'd to this kind of liberality , insomuch that if any of his friends were disjoyned from him at the table , he would not fall too , with any cheer , till he had sent somewhat of his own service to each of them . alexander was free and open to all his soldiers : mithridates could call whole regiments by their names ; and caesar was so conversant amongst his men , that every one was ambitious to be known to him , and by him to be call'd upon by name gave each man invincible resolution . m. antonius , who alone of all the emperors ( in the judgment of the historian ) did apply the study of philosophers not to terms of speech , or knowledge of opinions , but to use and practice in his life ; did demean himself so civilly and agreeably unto all men , that he gave his hand freely to all that came to him , and suffered not his guards to prohibit any one . on the other side the kings and emperors of the barbarous nations have used from ancient times hitherto , to keep themselves at a great distance from the people , rarely to be seen , never to be spoken to but by some few of their favourites . as at this day the russian , the mogul , and the grand seignior ; a thing that renders them as odious , as contemptible to our european manners ; which exact from our greatest persons ( one time or other ) the greatest affability . much more of meaner subjects to be easie of access , ready of speech , and speedy of dispatch . and to this it may seem that curtesie properly doth belong giving and receiving all kind of favour in comportment , wherein it is a shame to be vanquished , and a glory to contend in condescention . every complimenter knows this , but he turns his back and laughs , and this that is not seen makes the compliment ( as the vulgar count it ) the other is but obligation , and ought to be sincere . and it implies two things ; first , that a man does not esteem himself better then another ( saving his quality , if there be any diffrence . ) and secondly , that he is sensible of any favour , and does not take a kindness ( as i have heard the french to tax the humor of us english ) for an obligation , which also implies two things farther , first , that a courteous person gently weighs the tendency of a fair address ; and secondly , that he answers it with reality according to import . if it be an excuse , he takes it in good part , and is not difficult : if it be a tender , he receives it with remerciment : if it be a benefit , he shews what account he makes of it by his expressions of alacrity . and when the party is gone , the sense is doubted , by how much assentation is removed , and to acknowledge now is more free , for what else can a man justly glory in , but in that wherein he secretly rejoyceth ? gratitude in a generous heart is sweet , and most prolifique of good humours . it gurgleth with the heart-bloud out of one ventricle into another , till it be heated to perfection , and fit to engender more kindness , and what pleasure doth it multiply in that conceipt ? how doth it prefer to live in other breast , more then in its own ? and to perish that it may revive to a loving remembrance ? which is the reason why it is perpetual , and can never be disobliged ; boundless , and thinks it never has requited ; and insatiable in the covering of new exchanges . it is a part of courtesy too , to be ready to be acquainted , as well as accosted ; but there is a secret difficulty , which i have observed ordinary in this particular amongst the better spirits ; and that is , from whence in point of decency , or expediency an acquaintance should begin , if two persons be well disposed to it . one is loth to seek : the other loth to interpret such apparence , before it is exprest ( though possibly perceived ) least he should be overforward , or mistaken : for a free spirit cannot be like horace his tantum in seeking of acquaintance : he cannot impose himself , or demit of his own spirit , to be ingratiated with a stranger : but they do not observe while they affect to reserve to each other a particular point of grandeur , they stand off in punctilio's , which are petty feminine intrigues , and not magnanimous : whereas true greatness is preserved only by generosity . every man is open to another , when occasion brings them into presence : and every good intention justifies it self , if there be no interest to draw it into suspition . access and recess are free , and to fashion an occasion more particular out of a general , with a natural address ; addeth more grace to him that commenceth , then to him that secondeth an application ; and it should be considered ; that to enterprise was ever more noble , then to hold ones self passive , wherefore , where there is such a sense betwixt two , it becomes both to become discreet essayers , and not to affect the glory to be later : for it is the more humane to be confident , where a retreat is alwayes generous . it is another point of this good quality to be complaisant in company ; serious where they are so disposed ; free and merry when time serves : composed , when we are to conserve dignity . light and active , when we are to entertain , or to be diverted . the humour is not to be brought with us ; but to be taken up at the sight of the presence . such is the correspondency of discourse . not to bring in cato among poets , nor lucian among divines and tender consciences . nor a councel of war into a banqueting house , nor the privy councel into a ladies chamber , nor a subtle contract into the temple : but to shew our selves well affected and delighted with the ball that is in hand , or the argument that we find upon the carpet , and such must be the procedure to the persons , in whom we are to take content : and acknowledge their variety . if there be of the ( beaux esprits ) the refined wits among them , or of the ( cavaglien garbati è politi ) more accomplished gentlemen ; or a mixture of qualities and tempers ; humanity requires us to consort withall for the time , as far as our sufficiency conduceth , and forbiddeth not to delight more in what we find agreeable , and to make our own company out of any number , when it may be done without scism : for we may not break up a society , till it is for their own ease , or intercourse . but if ( perchance ) our fortune bring us into company , where the defects exceed the treat ; humanity will hardly allow ( unless by the way of wit ; which is either of little force , or apt to afford more matter to their peculancy ) least we seem to make our selves masters where we have no authority : much less to condemn like judges in full commission : but yet obligeth us to disprove without disgust , and to retire without passion , if occasion do not bind us . but if it do , a good countenance may be able to qualify the company , or to keep any thing that is unhandsome , or over-bold from fastning on it self . not , but that reproof may be sometimes very natural ; and sometimes necessary ; where it is like to do more good then hurt . especially , ones private friends humanity calls upon one to admonish : but not to entermeddle ( though with one particular ) where the ill qualities surpass the good . [ je trouve rude de juger celuy-la , en qui les mauvaises qualitez surpassem les bonnes . montaigne . l. . ch . . ] to pass from words to act ; we are bound in humanity to direct a stranger upon his request ; to reduce him , if we perceive him in an error , without asking : to assist him in attaining his desire , when we can do it without indecency , or impediment to ourselves : but we are bound to guard some decorum , even against civil offices : for a man may not offer his service to a vertuous lady , that is a stranger to him , when she wants a ready servant , though peradverture it would be a kindness to her , because it will bring a point of decency on both sides in question : but if there be any great need , it will not only excuse , but over-balance it to the side of high civility . so it does not befit a person of quality to aid a porter , though he be nearer then another ; but if it be to save the poor man from any great harm , he ought to consider himself also to be but a man. and the like instances we might deduce to other cases . therefore to proceed a little farther , when we fee another labouring about a business , that we can do without pains , it is a part of good nature to relieve and expedite him . some smaller inconveniences we are to take upon our selves for the greater commodity of another , and a little greater on our selves , if they be divers that shall perceive the benefit of our decession . why should i take up a great room by preoccupation , to straiten others , if i may do as well or ( almost ) as sweetly with a less ? why should i eat alone if i have to spare and others want ? nay , why should not i delight , or at least command my self ( sometimes ) to want for company ? alexander the great , when he was with a choice party of his horse in pursuit of darius , was like to perish with his men for want of water . at the last , some of his men brought a small quantity , whereof when he was about to drink , seeing how wistfully his gentlemen , that were about him look'd upon it , he return'd the water back , saying , he would not drink and they faint . and when they saw his continence and generosity ; they all cryed out , they were neither thirsty nor weary , nor wholely mortal , while they had such a king. in the sacred story king david would not drink of water that his champions brought him though his soul thirsted , because they had ventured their lives for it . and never was a king of israel so beloved as he . sir p. sidney , when he had recovered his mortal wound near zutphen , and thirsted by reason of the inslammation ; while he was setting the bottle to his mouth , espied a poor soldier , who had likewise took his last at the same break fast , looking gastly towards it . to whom the noble knight , my friend , saith he , thy necessity is yet the greater , and so made him drink first , and then pledg'd him . and what english man was ever so lamented at a funeral ? a good nature is not willing to exempt it self from its part of suffering , when it may , or can : but a noble nature will suffer voluntarily to excuse a weaker . which is yet more : humanity will offer violence to the stoutest soul breathing , when it self suffers , and cannot surmount the rage of destiny . marcellus , who was the most pugnacious , earnest captain of his age , when he saw the city of syracuse , which he had so long besieged sack't and burn't by his soldiers , while he could not help it , wept in grief , and indignation . and so did titus , called the delight of mankind , at the subversion of jerusalem , complaining of the jews rebellions that had constrained him . these were manly tears , that are able to affect men , more then all the art , or eloquence in the world : for they cannot happen without a great commotion ; nor come from a brave man without a vehement disturbing the spectators : yet when common nature suffers every man must be moved . if a man weep easily , he is soft and childish ; but if he can weep at his own discretion , i would not undertake to write his character . i think i have heard , that the fox and the crocodile can dissemble weeping , but they are both but dissembling . ingenuity can only press them from a noble heart through pity of some irreparable loss ; or grief of some indignity that deprives it of the honour and favour that it most esteems with a prince , or a parent , or some heroick lover . shall i add to these , that it is a part of the bounty of a good nature , that it delights in mens affections , and real inclinations ? that it thinks it not worth the while to live in this light , if there were not a mutual transmigration into one anothers breasts ? if it were not to raise our memories above the level , and to live upon the wings of favour after we are dead ? and as no appetite is given in vain , this makes it do acceptably , and avoid all things ingrateful . but however , it is its own reward at present , for what in this life is so sweet as favour ? if we are present with our friends , this only makes us feel the value of our enjoyments : if we are absent , or dejected , or fallen into disgrace : that they will vindicate and recommend us is our hope of recovery ▪ and when we dy , we feel ( almost ) within the coffin the wind and showers of sighs and tears , wherewith they follow us to our graves : from whence we may chance to answer them in a pale violet , or a lock of time , or ( it maybe ) in the sprig of a palm-tree , with this motto , depressa resurgo . § . § . iii. to conclude with some embellishments , which we consider as attractive qualities in a good nature . a person may be more beloved for a little vertue well managed , then for many great ones , which ( peradventure ) cannot be made to serve the ends of meaner qualities . there are excellent vertues , that are not properly the objects of our love , but rather of our honor and admiration , and so by consequent have not their attraction so much to sense as reason , for wisdom , and learning , and constancy , and severity , and courage , and resolution are only good bottoms : if they come to be nealed with an amiable temper , they may then affect with advantage , and gain more by their light , then they could have done by their heat . for commonly the fortune of mens fancies playeth more with superficial graces , and makes the plausible and compliant more happy then the valiant or the politick . as if it were more humane , and obliging to be versatile , facile , temporary , then stout , invincible , constant and immovable . though these be the more heroick vertues , which turn the world about in spite of meaner courages . for attraction , it is it self no vertue , but a splendor of liberty , that giveth grace and honor to every action ; it is a coruscation of many fair qualities in divers postures , as a diamond hath a lustre from divers points according to the polishing . here there issues a ray of wit , promising more in reserve , then an height or flight of spirit , not to be defined by any other ; here alacrity , there resumption ; here a lovingness , there a chastity , not to be attempted ; here a little courage ( and not too much , for a rampant lustiness doth not become , not a valiant man ; and among meticulous women , we prise not a virago ) there a deal of pity . here is bounty , there is modesty . in fine , that which is reserved , or seems to be , though it is not seen what , gaineth more , then that which is discovered . there is one sort of attraction that affecteth our superiors , and infallibly draws their favours and condescentions , which is more in the manner of submissions , then in the thing it self . where there is a sensibility of their pleasures , a resentment of their concerns , a convenance with the points of their honor and tenderness , and a promptness of address to usher up those tendencies ; they are taken with their servant , as if it were with their own familiar genius . there is another to raise the benevolence of our inferiors , which is in curtesie , modesty , reservation , and permission . and another of obliging equals , which depends upon their various inclinations . a liberty of address , a grace of motion , a roundness of recess , an alacrity in presence , and secret forms of transition affect all gentile spirits , and leave an admiration in the vulgar . to appear to be kind , and loving , and yet to be choice in bestowing of its favours maketh every one , that is not haughty , or stupid , to seek to render themselves worthy . to be free and pleasant , and as dextrous to take it up , and become what is requisite to deceive the expectation ; when it begins to be bold and thinks of discovering and mastering what before it admired , trains a lover into new mazes . expectation is to be answered , and not satisfied , suspition to be dissappointed . besides , there are several suits and modes of temper , which a rich spirit hath ever ready in its wardrope : the dress may be altered every day with a little cost or pains . who appeareth still in one habit of mind and humor is soon comprehended , and contemned , though he pretend plainess , it is taken for simplicity . what took at one time will not please at another . but a subtile spirit will soon find in company what is acceptable , and how to train and divert discourse before satiety ; while we give our selves freely , we should not nostri copiam facere , but from the best entertainment rise with an appetite , and part cleanly , that the next meeting may be more sweet . the rest i believe are inexplicable , but if they were to be discabined by art , they could not be translated , where nature were not a bounteous mistress . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e natura una , & communis est omnium : fortissimus verò quisquam generosissimus est . salust . ad nullum consurgit opus , cùm corpare languet . in vitium ducit culpae fuga si caret arte . * m. de la chambre . * sext empiricus . * buenco . raçon quebranta mala ventura . liv. . * ' ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , plotin . liv. l. . eld. broth. fletcher . * cav . biondi . donz. desterrada . * les essais de michel seigneur de montaigne . liv. l. . l. l. . cic. pro roscio ne non tam prohibere , quàm admonere videretur liv. l. . * plutarch . des pass . . . artic . . co. mont. vraniag . mr. howell . liv. . . l. . mem. de max. de bethunc . q. curtius . deuc è amore , quivi è fede . euripid. med. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * la forza de amore non risquanda al delisto . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. tuta frequensque via est , &c. * rel. med. p. . s. . scudery . de l' amitie ch . . l. . dr. browne loc . cit . ch. . l. . * cic. de amicit . sic definit . haec habui de amicitia quae dicerem . vos autem hortor , ut ita virtutem locetis , sine quâ amicitia esse non potest : ut ed excepta , nihil amicitia praeftabilius esse puretis . mem. de la reyne mar. l. spectatum admissi , &c. rel. med. l. . s. . sect. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trahere cum pereas , libet . sen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . xenoph herodian . l. . occurrit quidam notus mihi nomine tantum , &c. ser. ▪ sat. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. s. f. grevill ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes nemo recuset . precepts, or, directions for the well ordering and carriage of a mans life, through the whole course thereof: left by william, lord burghly, to his sonne, at his death, who was sometimes lord treasurer of this kingdome. also some other precepts and advertisements added, which sometimes was the iewell and delight of the right honourable lord and father to his country francis, earl of bedford, deceased. in two bookes certaine precepts burghley, william cecil, baron, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) precepts, or, directions for the well ordering and carriage of a mans life, through the whole course thereof: left by william, lord burghly, to his sonne, at his death, who was sometimes lord treasurer of this kingdome. also some other precepts and advertisements added, which sometimes was the iewell and delight of the right honourable lord and father to his country francis, earl of bedford, deceased. in two bookes certaine precepts burghley, william cecil, baron, - . augustine, saint, bishop of hippo, attributed name. cyprian, saint, bishop of carthage, attributed name. [ ], p., plate : port. printed [by thomas harper] for thomas iones, and are to be sold at his shop in the strand, neare yorke house, london : . an expanded version of: certaine precepts. printer's name from colophon. in two parts; pagination and register are continuous. "a glasse wherein those enormities and foule abuses may most evidently bee seen, which are the destruction and overthrow of every christian common-wealth", a translation of "de duodecim abusionum gradibus", sometimes attributed to st. augustine and to st. cyprian, has separate dated title page; reprinted from stc . . imperfect: tightly bound, with considerable loss of text; pp. - from folger shakespeare library copy filmed at end. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion cor vnvm via vna the right honorable sr william cecill knight , baron of burghley knight of the honorable order of the garter maister of her highnes ward 's and liueries one of the lords of her maiesties priuie counsell and lord high tresorer of england . precepts , or , directions for the well ordering and carriage of a mans life , through the whole course thereof : left by william , lord burghly , to his sonne , at his death , who was sometimes lord treasurer of this kingdome . also some other precepts and advertisements added , which sometimes was the iewell and delight of the right honourable lord and father to his country , francis , earle of bedford , deceased . in two bookes . london , printed for thomas iones , and are to be sold at his shop in the strand , neare yorke house , . to the right honourable , richard , lord buckhurst , eldest sonne and heire apparant to the right honourable , edward , earle of dorset , lord chamberlaine to her majesty , one of his majesties most honourable privy councell , and knight of the most noble order of the garter . my good lord : mvltiplicity of words begets multiplicity of errors : especially in those whose tongues were never polished by art. it is true , i have much learning , but that is in my shop , and it is as true that i am ignorant , having not the happinesse to bee bred a scholler . non cuiuis homini licet adire corinthum . this little booke ( my lord ) being formerly printed , hath received good entertainement : and now that it goes under your protection ▪ i doubt not , but it will be much more welcome . the cause of this dedication is to expresse part of my thankefulnesse for the goodnesse i have received from the noble earle your father , the right vertuous countesse your mother , and your honourable selfe , for which the height of my ambition is onely to be stiled your honours most humbly devoted to serve you tho. iones . the indvction . beloved sonne , the many religious and morall vertues inherent in your matchlesse mother , under the wings of whose prudent and godly government , your infancy hath beene trayned and guided up , together with your education , under so zealous and learned a tutor , put mee rather in assurance then hope ( as tullie sometime exacted from his sonne , from the onely hearing of cratippus his master ) that you are not ignorant of that summary bond , wherein you stand obliged to your creator and redeemer , which is onely able to make you happy , both here and hereafter , in life and death : in mentioning whereof , i meane not onely a bare and historicall knowledge , but with a reall and practicall use adjoyned , without which , though with a seemely assumption , you could expresse to the world in a former habite and living portrayture , all aristotles morall vertues , and walke that whole booke in life and action : yet are you but a vaine and wretched creature , the fairest out-side of the miserablest inside , that ever was concealed by toombe , or shadowing : and although i nothing doubt , your youth being guided , and your green vessell seasoned by such wholesome documents and instructions , derived from so all-sufficient teachers , that you are not unfurnished of such needfull helpes , as may be furtherers to your life and conversation : yet that i may the better retaine and expresse the zealous affection , beseeming a father to his sonne , or that you should be forced to derive your stay and advice , rather from the rule of strangers , then from him from whom you are produced , and brought forth . out of these fore-going considerations therefore , thinking it not unmeet , i have essayed from the affection of a father , to give you such good advertisements and rules for the fitting and squaring of your life , as are gayned rather by my long experience and observation , than by much reading or studie , being such ( in my hope ) with that good assistance , that shall season your youth like the deaw of age : to the end that you entring into this exorbitant and intangling world , may be the better furnished to avoid those harmelesse courses ; whereinto these dangerous times , and your experience may easily insnare you : and because i would not confound your memory , i have reduced them into tenne precepts , which if next to moses tables , you imprint in your minde , you shall reape the benefit , and i the end of my expectation and content . and thus they follow . the contents of this booke . precept . for choyce of your wives . the education of your children . for houshold provision , and the choyce of servants . how to intreat your kindred and allies . adviseth to keepe some great man to your friend : and how to complement him . how and when to undertake suits . advertiseth for suretiship . how to behave a mans selfe . how far to disclose a mans secrets . adviseth not to be scurrilous in conversation . an addition of some short precepts and sentences , not impertinent to the former . an addition of some fourefold short remembrances , which every man may experience daily in his life . a conference betweene a philosopher and a iustice . a handfull of short questions , with their resolutions . the genealogy of pride . burghley house from the gardens . precept . for the choice of your wives . first , when it shall please god to bring you to mans estate , making you capable of that calling , use great providence and circumspection , in choice of your wives , as the root from whence may spring most of your future good or evill : for it is in the choice of a wife , as in a project of warre , wherein to erre but once is to be undone for ever : and therefore be wel advised before you conclud● ought herein ; for though your errour may teach you wit , it is uncertain whether you shall ever find time to practise it : therefore the more securely to enter herein , first , well consider your estate , which , if in a true survey , you finde firme and setled , match neere home , and with deliberation : but if otherwise crazie and rented , then farre off , and with quicke expedition : be informed truly of their inclination , which that there may bee a more equall sympathy ; compare it with your owne , how they agree : for you must know , that every good woman makes not for every man a good wife , no otherwise then some one good dish digesteth with every stomack . after that , enquire diligently of her stocke and race , from whence shee sprung , and how her parents have been affected in their youth . let her not be poore , how generous so ever : for generosity without her support , is but a faire shell without her kernell , because a man can buy nothing in the market without money . and as it is the safest walking ever between two extremes , so chufe not a wife of such absolute perfection and beauty , that every carnall eye shall be speak you injury : neither so base and deformed , that breed contempt in others , and bring you to a loathed bed . make not choise of a dwarfe or a foole , for from the one you may beget a race of pigmeyes , as the other will be your daily griefe and vexation : for it will irke you so oft as you shall heare her talke , and you shall continually finde to your sorrow , that feele that crosse , that there is nothing so fulsome as a she-foole . touching the government of your house , let your hospitalitie be moderate , equall'd to the measure of your estate , rather bountifull then niggardly , yet not prodigall , nor over-costly , for though some who having otherwise consumed themselves with secret vices , have endevoured to colour their riots upon their vertue , yet in my observation , i have not heard nor knowne any man grow poor , by keeping an ordinary , decent , and thrifty table . banish drunkennesse out of your houses , and affect him not that is affected thereunto : for it is a vice that impaires health , consumes wealth , and transformes a man into a beast : a sinne of no single ranke , no ordinary station , that never walkes unattended with a train of misdemeanors at the heeles : besides for the credit thereof , to induce a man , i never heard other commendation ascribed to a drunkard , more then the wel-bearing of his drink , which is a commendation fitter for a brewers horse , or a dray-mans back , than either for gentle-men or serving-men ; for especially , the latter being taken tardy herein is thereby doubly divorced from himself ; for , being first sober , hee is not his own man , and being drunk , he falls short by two degrees . beware thou spend not above three of the parts of thy revenue , nor above one third part thereof in your house : for the other two parts will but defray extraordinaries , which will alwayes surmount your ordinaries by much : for otherwise you shall live like beggars in continuall wants , and the needy man can never live happily , nor contented , being broken and distracted with worldly cares : for then every least disaster makes him ready to morgage or sell : and that gentleman that sels an acre of land , looseth an ounce of credit : for gentilitie is nothing but ancient riches : so that if the foundation do sinke , the building must needs consequently fall . precept . for the education of your children . bring your children up in obedience and learning , yet without too much austerity , prayse them openly , reprehend them secretly : give them good countenance , and convenient maintenance , according to your ability : for otherwise your lives will seeme their bondage , and then as those are censured , that deferre all good to their end : so that portion you shall leave them , they may thanke death for , and not you . marry your daughters betimes , lest they marry themselves . suffer not your sonnes to passe the alpes : for they shall exchange for their forraine travell ( unlesse they go better fortified ) but others vices for their owne vertues , pride , blasphemy , and atheisme , for humilitie , reverence , and religion : and if by chance , out of a more wary industry , they attaine unto any broken languages , they will profit them no more , then to have one meat served in divers dishes . neither by my advise shall you train them up to warres : for hee that sets up his rest to live by that profession , in mine opinion , can hardly be an honest man , or a good christian ; for , every warre of it selfe is unjust , the good cause may make it lawfull : besides it is a science no longer in request then use : for souldiers in peace , are like chimneyes in summer , like dogges past hunting , or women , when their beauty is done . as a person of qualitie once noted to the like effect , in these verses following . friends , souldiers , women in their prime , are like to dogges in hunting time : occasion , warres , and beauty gone , friends , souldiers , women here are none . precept . for house-hold provision , and of the choice of servants . live not in the countrey without corne and cattell about you : for hee that must present his hand to his purse for every expence of houshold , shall as hardly keepe money therein , as it is for one to hold water in a sive . and for your provision , lay to buy it at the best hand , for there may be sometimes a penny saved , betweene buying at your need , or when the season most fitly may furnish you . be not willingly attended , or served by kinsmen or friends , which will seeme to be men , as it were intreated to stay : for such will expect much , and sted little , neither by such as are amorous : for their heads are commonly intoxicated . keepe rather too few , then one too many , feed them well , and pay them with the most , so may you lawfully demand service at their hands , and boldly exact it . precept . how to intreat your kindred and allyes . let your kindred and allyes bee welcome to your table : grace them with your countenance , and ever further them in all their honest actions , by word , liberality , or industry : for by that meanes you shall double the bond of nature : be a neighbour to their good , as well as to their bloud : by which reasonable deservings , you shall finde them so many advocates , to plead an apologie for you behind your backe , so many witnesses of your vertues , whensoever others shall seeke to deprave you : but shake off the glo-wormes , i meane , parasites and sycophants , who will feed and fawne on you , in the summer of your prosperity , bnt in any adverse storme , will shelter you no more , then a cloake of taffatay , or an arbour in winter . precept . adviseth to keepe some great man to your friend , and how to complement him . be sure you keepe some great man alwayes to your friend : yet trouble him not for trifles : complement him often , present him with many , yet small gifts , and of little charge . and if you have cause to bestow any great gratuity on him , then let it be no chest commoditie , or obscure thing : but such a one as may be daily in sight , the better to bee remembred : for otherwise you shall live but like a hop without a pole , or a vine without her elme , subject to injury and oppression , ready to be made a foot-ball , for every superiour insulting companion to spurn at . precept . how and when to undertake suits . vndertake no suit against a poore man , without receiving of great wrong , for therein you make him your competitor : besides that , it is held a base conquest , to triumph upon a weake adversary ; neither undertake law , against any man , before you be fully resolved you have the right on your side , which being once so ascertaind , then spare neither cost nor paines to accomplish it : for a cause or two being so close followed , and well accomplished , may after free you from suits a great part of your life . precept . advertiseth for suretiship . beware of suretiship for your best friend : for he that payeth another mans debts , goeth the way to leave other men to pay his , and seeketh his owne overthrow . therfore if he be such a one , that you cannot well say nay , chuse rather then , to lend that money from your selfe upon good bonds , though you borrow it : so many you pleasure your friend , and happily secure your selfe . in borrowing of money , be evermore precious of your word : for he that hath a care to keepe day of payment , is lord commander many times of another mans purse . precept . how to carry a mans selfe toward his superiours , and inferiours . toward your superiours be humble , yet generous ; with your equals familiar , yet respective ; towards your inferiours , shew much humility , with some familiarity , as to bow your body , stretch forth your hand , uncover your head , and such like popular complements : the first prepares way to advancement : the second will make you knowne for a man well bred : the third gaines a good report , which once gained , may easily be kept ; for high humilities are of such respect in the opinion of the multitude , as they are easilier won by unprofitable curtesies , than by churlish benefits : yet doe i not advise you , overmuch to affect or neglect popularity . precept . how farre to disclose a mans secrets . trust no man with your credit , or estate : for it is a meere folly for a man to inthrall himselfe further to his friend , than that he needs not feare him being his enemy . precept . be not scurrilous in conversation , nor stoicall in your wit ; for the one makes you unwelcome to all companies , as the other puls quarrels on your head , and makes you hated of your best friends . iests , when they doe savour of too much truth , leave a bitternesse in the mindes of those that are touched . and although i have already pointed at these inclusive ; yet i thinke it necessary to leave it to you as a caution , because i have seen many so prone to quippe and gird , as they had rather lose their friend than their jest : and if by chance their boyling braine yeeld a quaint scoffe , they will travell to be delivered of it , as a woman with childe : but i thinke those nimble apprehensions , are but the froth of the wits . an addition of some short precepts and sentences , not impertinent to the former . goe as thou wouldst be met , sit as thou wouldest be found , weare thy apparrell in a carelesse , yet a decent seeming : for affectednesse in any thing , is commendable in nothing ; and indeavour to be so farre from vaine-glory , that thou strive in any thing rather to be in substance without shew , then in shew without substance . strive not to inrich thy self by oppression , usury , or other unlawfull gaine : for , if a little evill gotten , shall not onely melt away it selfe like deaw against the sunne , but shall likewise consume with it selfe that which was more lawfull : how then shall it hast without stay , when all the whole lumpe is corrupted ? surely , ( if experience faile not ) with a swifter speed , than either by the prodigall hands of a third or second heire ; and for such a one that ungodly dies rich , well hee may have mournens to his grave ; but shall be sure to finde few comforters at his judgement . be industrious and studious in thy youth , knowing , that if by thy labour thou accomplish any thing that is good , the labour passeth , but the good remaineth to thy comfort , as if by the contrary for thy pleasure , thou shalt doe any thing that is evill , the pleasure passeth , but the evill remaineth to thy torment : and withall , because it is a lesse paine to be studious in thy youth , than a griefe to be ignorant in thy age . corrupt company is more infectious than corrupt ayre : therefore be advised in thy choise : for that text of thy selfe that could never so be expounded , thy companion shall as thy commentarie lay open to the world , and withall , because we see it by experience . that if those that are neither good nor evill , accompany with those that are good , they are transformed into their vertue . if those that are neither good , nor evill , consort with those that are evill , they are incorporated to their vice . if the good company with the good , both are made the better , if the evill with the evil , both the worse . for according to the proverbe , such as the company , such is the condition . whatsoever good purpose thou intendest at thy death , that doe in thy life : for so doing , it shall be more acceptable to god , and commendable to man : for he that gives when he cannot hold , is worthy of thankes when one cannot chuse : besides , in so doing , thou shalt see thy intent brought home to thy aime , and nere craze the conscience of executor or over-seer to pervert it thou deceased , to some sinister respect or private end . whatsoever thou shalt purpose , be silent in thy intentions , lest by the contrary thou be prevented and laughed to scorne . strive to subdue the affections of thine owne heart , which are oftentimes harder than to conquer a kingdome : and forbeare whatsoever is deare unto thy body , being any way prejudiciall unto thy soule . abuse not thy body in youth by surfet , riot , or any other distemper , through an over-weening ability of strength : for youth and nature passe over many infirmities that are growing till their age . live vertuously , that thou maiest dye patiently , for , who lives most honestly , will dye most willingly : and for thy longer daies , and better health upon earth , afflict not thy body with too much unnecessary physick ; but furnish thy minde in time of plenty , to lay up for it selfe and others in time of want : for surely that mans end shall be easie and happy , that death findes with a weake body , but a strong soule . nor be thou dismayed though thou groane under the hand of sicknesse , for as sometimes it purgeth the body from nocent humours : so doth it often times the soule from more dangerous security : and the rather with this thought , that by the physitians owne rule , and our too common experience , there is no perfect health in this world , but a neutrality between sicknesse and health , as no absolute pleasure is more , than to avoid paines , according as one thus writeth to the same purpose . there is no health , physitians say , that we at best enjoy , but a neutrality : and can there be worse sicknesse than to know , that we are never well , nor can be so ? the eyes are the instruments of lust : therefore make a covenant with them , that they betray not thy heart to vanitie . be ever diligent in some vocation : for continuall ease , as it is more dangerous , is more wearisome than labour , and it is no freedome to live licentiously , nor pleasure to live without some paine . indifferent superiority is the safest equality , as the sobrest speed is the wisest leisure . he is worthy to fall that tempts himselfe : and therefore shunne occasion of evill , and thou hast halfe overcome thine enemy . labour to keepe a good conscience to thy comforter : for he that is disfurnished therof , hath feare for his bed-fellow , care for his companion , and the sting of the guilt for his torment . in all thy attempts let honesty be thy ayme : for he that climbes by privy deceit , shall fall with open reproach : and forget not in thy youth to be mindefull of thy end : for though the old man cannot live long , yet the young-man may dye quickly . the waste of time is a deare expence , and he that seekes for meanes to passe it unprofitably , spurres a forward horse without reason , to the overthrow of his rider : for whosoever wasteth many years , and purchaseth little knowledge , may be said to have had a long time , but a short life . and whatsoever thou doest , doe it wisely , and forecast the end : for who thinkes before he doe , thrives before he thinke . use such affability and convenient complement , as common civilitie , and usuall curtesie requireth , without making thy selfe too deare to thy friend , or thy friend too cheap to thee . be stedfast in thy promise , and constant in a good resolution , and if at any time thou hast ingaged thy word , perform it , ( being lawfull ) though to thy losse : so shall thy promise be as forcible as anothers bond , thy word as another oath : for it is the man that gives credit to his oath , more than the oath to the man. aske confidently that thou requirest : for he that asketh doubtingly , teacheth the way to be denyed . make not law thy practise to injurie , or instrument to uphold thy spleene against any man without due occasion , lest in the end it prove to thee no greater refuge , than did the thicket of brambles to the flocke of sheepe , that driven from the plaine by tempest ranne thither for shelter , an● there lost their fleeces . though i thinke no day amisse to undertake any good enterprise , or businesse in hand ; yet have i observed some , and no meane clerks , very cautionarie , to forbeare these three mundayes in the yeare , which i leave to thine owne consideration , either to use or refuse , viz. the first munday in april , which day caine was born , and his brother abel slaine . the second munday in august , which day sodome and gomorrah were destroyed . last munday in december , which day iudas was born , that betrayed our saviour christ . an addition of some fourefold short remembrances which every man may experience daily , in his life time. vse foure things so much as you can , so shall you please both god and man. praying , reading , and hearing , and in good works labouring . vse foure things as little as you can , so shall you please both god and man. eating , drinking , sleeping , and to spend much time in trifling . there be foure causes ▪ for the which a man is borne into the world : and the first is chiefest of all . to serve god and his countrey , his parents & his friends . there be foure vertues , which we must strive to attain . that is , to be iust and constant , wise and temperate . there be foure vices which a man must earnestly shun and avoid . sloathfulnesse and carelesnesse , vaine curiosity , and nicenesse . there be foure things in this world earnestly desired , and never obtained . mirth , without mourning . health without sicknesse . travell without wearisomnesse , and all goodnesse without evill . there be foure things to be greatly desired , and earnestly followed . in behaviour , sobernesse , in promise , steadfastnesse , in conversation , meekenesse , and in love , contentednesse . there be foure things most needfull , and the same most harmefull . wit , and words , drinke , and company . there be foure things much worth , and little weighed , time , and health , truth , and quiet . there be three things saint austine was sorry he lived not to see . first , rome in her flourishing estate . secondly , to see christ in the flesh . thirdly , to heare saint paul preach . plato gave thankes to nature for foure things , and what were they ? that he was a man , and not a beast . that he was a man , and not a woman . that he was a grecian , and not a barbarian . that he lived during the time of socrates . there be foure things of the most , most desired , and unto many most dangerous . authority and ease , women , and delights . there be foure things greatly sought , dangerously gotten , fearefully enjoyed , and justly repented . unlawfull lust and lucre , immoderate wealth , and revenge . there are foure kinde of people ( according to david , ) that are most indebted unto god for their lives . those that have escaped from a dearth . prisoners their bonds . those which are preserved from a mortall sicknesse . sea-faring men , that are neither among the living nor the dead . there be foure thoughts , by the which a man may best reclaime his carelesse and dissolute life . by thinking , that if one must give account of every idle word , what exaction shall be required for his idle deeds ? that if those shall be condemned who have done no good , what shall become of those who have done nothing but evill ? that if those shall not be held guiltlesse , that have not given their owne goods , where shall they appeare , that have wrongfully taken others ? ▪ that if ignorance without zeale , shall not be pardoned , where shall knowledge with neglect be condemned ? there be five thoughts which should ever be in the minde of every good christian . first , to thinke of pleasure , to despise it . secondly , of death to expect it . thirdly , of judgement , to escape it . fourthly , of hell , to prevent it . fiftly , of heaven , to desire it . there be foure things very easie to doe oft , but very hard to doe well . to desire , to command , to counsell , and to judge . there be foure things better to give than to take . pardon , physicke , allowance , and rewards . there be soure as great evils in the world unpunished , as those that are punished . first , untemperatenesse : secondly , unshamefastnesse : thirdly , unfaithfulnes : fourthly , unthankfulnesse . there be foure things we cannot but set by , and yet can hardly be sure of . health , wealth , anothers love , and our owne life . there be foure things the poor man hath equall with the prince . health , sleep , thought , and lasting life . there be foure things we may be grieved with , but should not grudge at . the ordinance of god , the will of a prince , the sentence of a iudge , the finding of our faults . there be foure things which cannot well be demanded with reason , and therefore may be denied with honesty . a masters message , a lovers affection , a friends counsell , our owne thoughts . there be foure things good to use , but nought to need . law , physicke , our friends purse , and our owne patience . there be foure servants of the heart , that shew the disposition of their master . the eye , the tongue , the foot , and the hand . there be foure things best matched , but not oftnest married . gratiousnesse with greatnesse , discretion with learning , beautie with chastity , wit with vertue . there be foure sorts of people , that feare is never long from . the ambitious , the vicious , the covetous and the iealous . there be foure things the more you take , the more you leave . light of a candle , instruction of the learned , wit of the wise , and love of a friend . there be foure things , fit for all those that desire a quiet life . busily to finde no faults , contentiously to lay no wagers , disdainfully to make no comparisons , wickedly to maintaine no opinions . there bee foure mothers bring forth foure very bad daughters . truth , hatred ; prosperity , pride ; security , perill ; familiarity , contempt . there be foure ioyes to be desired , and the last is above all . secure quietnesse ; quiet ioyfulnesse ; ioyfull blessednesse , and blessed everlastingnesse . a conference betweene a philosopher , and a iustice . philosopher . vvhat goddesse art thou ? iust . iustice . philo. why lookest thou with so sterne a countenance ? iustice . because i know not how to be bowed with words , or moved with teares . phil. from whence descended ? iustice . from heaven . philosopher . what are thy parents ? iustice . faith and good conscience . philos . why hast thou one eare open , and another shut ? iustice . the one lies open to truth , and the other is shut to her enemy . philosopher . why bearest thou a sword in one hand , and a payre of ballances in the other ? iustice . with the one i mete out right , and with the other i punish her opposers . philos . why walkest thou alone ? iustice . because good company is scarce . philos . why art thou in so poore a habit ? iust . because he that covets to get much riches , can never be just . upon whose conference one inserted these verses . in old time iustice was portrayed blinde . to signifie her strict impartiall doome : and in her hand she held a scale , to finde by weight , which part did most remove the loome . she is blinde and deafe , yet feeles apace . her scale now weighes the fees , and not the case . a handfull of short questions , with their resolutions . question . vvhy are citizens commonly of lesse stature than other men ? ans . because they live most in the shade . q. whether the egge or bird was first ? a. the bird , for the first course of creatures were immediately from god without secondary causes . q. what waters of all others ascend highest ? a. the teares of the faithfull , which god gathers into his bottle . q. of all fishes in the sea which doe our naturalists observe the swiftest ? a. the dolphin , which swimmes faster than either bird or arrow flies ; which fish is most dangerous to marriners . q. what breakes the shell at the comming out of the chicken ? a. by the ordinary time of sitting upon , the shell becommeth very tender and brittle , so that the least stirring effecteth it : but the principall reason is , the defect of nourishment , which at the end of that time is wasted in the shell , which the chicken missing , exposeth her selfe to finde , and so breaketh it . as likewise the defect of nutriment is the naturall cause of all other births . q. christ bids us be wise as serpents , wherein consists their wisedome ? answ . . that in the spring , she casts off her old skinne , to invest her in a new . that she will defend her head above all things . that carrying poyson in her mouth , she ever puts it out before she drinke . that she stoppes her eares at the voyce of the charmer . q. what is that that is too hard for one to keepe : enough for two , and too much for three ? answ . secret. qu. to whom may a man best commit his secret ? answ . to a common lyar , for he , though he disclose it , shall not be beleeved . quest . what were the names of those two theeves that were crucified with christ ? ans . the scripture nominates them not : yet some writers give them these names : dismas and gesmas ; dismas , the happy : and gesmas the infortunate : and according to the poet : gesmas damnatur , dismas ad astra levatur . qu. how may a man drinke much wine , and strong drinkes , and not be drunke ? an. by eating before some bitter almonds , whose nature is to suppresse the strength thereof downewards . q. aristotle being demanded , what was the fruit to himselfe of al his study and philosophie ? ans . answered , to doe those things out of a naturall willingnesse , that others doe by compulsion . q. why cannot the heart of a man be filled , although he should enioy the whole world ? ans . because the whole globe of the world is round , and mans heart a triangle receptacle for the trinitie : for as one saith : cor camera omnipotentis regis . qu. by what meanes may a man best withdraw his affection where he loves , in spight of his hate , and cannot chuse ? ans . by striving to divide it with some other at the same time : for he that loves over-many , never loves over-much . qu. by what meanes may the coales of beauty be best quenched , that they burne not to unlawfull desire ? answ . by this highest contemplation , that if the picture be so amiable , needs must the patterne be most admirable : and if the lesser so please , how would the greater content ; which unlawfull pursuit of the one here , may justly exclude from the other hereafter . q. why is homo , a common name for all men ? an. because it is a synonyma to humus , the earth : the common matter all men are made of . q. whence is the derivation of cadaver , a dead carkasse ? ans . of caro data vermibus . qu. what three letters are those that make us both bondmen and free ? ans . they are eva , which inverted , are ave , the angels salutation . qu. what two letters are those that your infants first cry out upon ? an. they are e. and a. according to our note . clamabunt e. a. quotquot nascuntur ab eva. qu. whether the current or the stay of farthing tokens have beene more beneficiall or prejudiciall to the poore ? an. this question shall be answered by the blinde beggar of saint giles in the next edition . q. what strumpet of all other is the most common prostitute in the world ? ans . lingua , that common-whore : for she lies with all men . qu. what lady is that that may be kist , and handled , but not clipt ? ans . lady pecunia , by whose favour all these may be yours . the genealogy , off-spring , progeny , and kindred , the houshold , the family , the servants and retinue of pride , cum tota sequela sua , with all her trayne and followers . selfe-love , selfe-liking , self-pleasing , self-will , singularity . covetousnesse , unlawfull desire , concupiscence , inordinate lust , barbarous unlawfull getting . ambition , climbing aspiring affectation . hatred , malice , envy , disdaine , haughtinesse , contempt , scornefulnesse , scoffing , unkindenesse . in wrath , fury , madnesse , outrage , hastinesse , fretfulnesse , eagernesse , wildenesse . frowardnesse , wilfulnesse , waywardnesse , elvishnesse , impatience unrulinesse , untowardnesse , disobedience . statelinesse , lordlinesse , loftinesse , high lookes , surlinesse , sternesse , vengeance , revenge . cruelty , tyranny , domination , usurpation , oppression , wrong , injustice , iniquity , rashnesse . profanenesse , irreligion , atheisme , contempt of god , foolishnesse , disobedience . errour , heresie , superstition , schisme , sects , pharisaisme , puritanisme , idolatry . contention , discord , division , brawling , scolding , rayling . finis . a glasse wherein those enormities and foule abuses may most evidently be seen , which are the destruction and overthrow of every christian common-wealth . likewise the onely means how to prevent such dangers : by imitating the wholesome advertisements contained in this booke . which sometimes was the iewell and delight of the right honourable lord , and father to his country , francis , earle of bedford , deceased . london , printed for thomas iones , . the contents of this book sheweth those abuses which are the destruction of every christian common-wealth . a wise man without workes . an old man without devotion . a young man without obedience . a rich man without charity . a woman without shamefastnesse . a master or ruler without vertue . a christian man full of contention a poore man proud . a wicked and an unjust king. a negligent bishop . a people without discipline . a people without law . a glasse wherein those blemishes and abuses may be perfectly seene , which are the destruction and overthrow of every christian common-wealth . the first abuse . chap. . a wise man without works . among those severall maimes and blemishes in any estate whatsoever , the first that presenteth it selfe , is a wise man or a preacher without good workes : that is to say , such a one as doth not worke according to his teaching , and to the wisedome which he delivereth with his owne tongue . for the hearers doe despise the good and wholesome doctrine , if they perceive that the works of the preacher do differ from his teaching . and the authority of the preacher shall never be good , except ( by example of good life ) he fasten it in the heart of the hearer : especially when the preacher himselfe is fallen into the love of sin , and will not apply the wholsome salves of other preachers to his owne wounds . the lord therfore willing to instruct his disciples both in doctrine and good works , taught them how they should take heed thereunto , saying . if the salt be unsavory , wherein shall it be made savory ? that is to say , if the preacher be out of the way , and doe not as he ought to doe , what preacher shall bring him in againe ? and if the light that is within thee is become darkenesse , how great then shall the darkenesse be it selfe ? if the eye have lost the use and office of sight : what man can require that same service of the hand or foot , or any other member of the body ? therefore let preachers take heed , that they incur not a sharper vengeance , if they be the greater occasion to many that they doe perish . for salomon himselfe , while he did transgresse , and worke contrary to his great wisedome : was the cause , that by his salt onely , the kingdome of all the people of israell was divided . wherefore those persons to whom many things are committed , have the greater los●e if they bestow not that well , which they have received of their head and governour : and therefore he that hath the greater charge , shall make the greater answer and reckoning . for the servant which knoweth the will of his master and doth it not , shall suffer sharp scourges and bitter punishments . the second abuse . chap. . an old man without devotion and godly feare . the second stain and shamefull abuse , is an old man that hath no holinesse in him : but when the members and parts of his body be old and feeble , the lims of his minde , that is to say , of the inward man , are nothing the stronger . it is decent and comely , that old men should give themselves to more perfect holinesse and devotion , than other men , whom the flourishing time of this world hath not as yet forsaken . the example may be gathered in wood , that even as the tree is accounted naught and evill , which after it hath blossomed , bringeth forth no good fruit : so among men , he is a wicked and evill person , who when the flower of his youth is past , doth not in the old time of his body , bring forth ripe workes of good fruits . for what thing can be more ridiculous , than a mans minde not to endeavour to attaine strength and perfection , when all the parts of his body ( by age ) are come to defection and end ? when his eyes waxe dimme , his eares hard of hearing , his head bald , his cheeks withered through lacke of bloud : when he beginneth to want his teeth , to have his breath strong and earthly , his breast stuffed with phlegme , evermore troubled with the cough : and finally , when his legges doe faile under him as he goeth , by age , and swelling with diseases : the inward man that feeleth no age , being also pained with the selfe same diseases . and all these sicknesses and infirmities rehearsed , are signes and tokens before , that the house of this body shall shortly decay . what have we to doe then , while the end of this life draweth so fast on ? but that such as are old , should desire to covet nothing else , than how they might soonest obtaine the felicity of the life to come . for to young men , the end of their life is alway at hand and uncertaine , but unto old men it is more ripe and naturall , as also agreeable to their age . wherefore a man must take heed of two things , which never doe waxe old in his flesh , and doe draw the whole man unto sinne : that is to say , the heart and the tongue . for the hart is alway imagining of new thoughts , and the tongue is evermore swift in speaking whatsoever the heart doth imagine or thinke . let old men therfore beware , that these young members doe not bring the whole harmony of their bodies out of tune : causing the other parts of the body ( which doe shew gravity ) to be laughed to scorne . for every man ought to take heed , what becōmeth the age which he beareth , that he may doe those things which shall cause , that neither his life , age nor behaviour may be touched with despising . the third abuse ▪ chap. . a young man without obedience . here must we intreat on the third eye-sore : namely , if a young man be found without obedience , whereby the world is brought out of good order . for how doth he thinke to be reverenced when he commeth to age , that in his youth will shew no obedience or reverence to them which are old ? and therefore it is a common saying among old men , that he can never play the master well , who hath not one way or other declared himselfe serviceable and obedient to some other before . for the which cause , our lord iesus christ , in the time of his being upon the earth in his flesh , till the lawfull time and age of a teacher , that hee should teach : did serve and minister obediently to his parents . likewise then , as gravity , sadnesse and perfect godly manners , are looked for and beheld in old men , so to young men belongeth ( of right ) humble service , subjection and obedience . wherefore in those precepts and commandements of the law , which appertaine to the love of our neighbour , the first is the honour of father and mother , being commanded unto us : that although the carnall father be not alive , or is unworthy , yet you must to some other which is alive , shew obedience and give honour , till such time thou commest to an age , worthy to be honoured thy selfe . for this word father is taken foure manner of waies in the scripture , that is to say , by nature : by the nation or people : for counsell : and for age . of the naturall father , iacob speaketh to laban , saying . if the feare of my father isaack had not beene here , thou wouldest have taken all that i have . of the father of the people , it is said , when the lord spake to moses out of the bush . i am the god of thy fathers , the god of abraham , the god of isaack , the god of iacob . of the father for age and counsell , it is likewise written . aske the father , and he shall tell thee ; and the elders , and they shall shew unto thee . wherefore , if thy naturall father be dead , and so not worthy to be obeyed , if any other old man doe give thee good counsell , thou must shew the obedience of a young man unto him . for how shall hee be honoured in his old age , which refused to follow the good lessons of obedience , when he was a young man himselfe ? whatsoever a man doth labour , that shall he reape and gather . in like manner , all discipline ( at the first ) seemeth to be unpleasant and painefull : but afterward it shall give to them that have exercised themselves therein , the most pleasant and quiet fruit of right and justice . for like as there is no fruit found on that tree , which first did beare no blossoms : so in age , that man shall never have the due honour to age , who in his youth hath not first beene exercised with some discipline . and which way can discipline be without obedience ? it followeth then , that a young man without obedience , is a young man without discipline : for obedience is the mother of all discipline . it requireth great exercise : example and rule whereof , it hath taken by our lord iesu christ , who being obedient unto his father , yea to the death , and that to the death of the crosse , tooke upon him gladly ignominy and rebuke . the fourth abuse . chap. a rich man without charity . next ensueth the fourth argument of evill , which is a rich man destitute of almes deeds or charity : such a one as doth hide and lay up till the time to come , more than is sufficient for him , distributing nothing to the poore and needy , and so while he useth so great diligence , in keeping the goods gathered on the earth , he loseth the treasure which is everlasting of the heavenly country . whereto our lord iesus called the rich young man , who demanded of him the way to perfection , saying to him . if thou wilt be perfect , goe and sell all that thou hast , and give it to the poore , and come and follow me , and thou shalt haue treasure in heaven . which no man ever can have , except he comfort the poore . let not him therefore sleepe upon his riches , which may do good unto the poore , for although a rich man have gathered together great store of goods , yet can he not enjoy them all alone , in respect the nature of man is sustained with few and small things . then what greater folly can there be in the world , then for the excessive feeding and cloathing of one man , to lose all the pleasures of the kingdome of heaven , and so to purchase the everlasting paines of hell , without hope of any comfort or helpe ? that thing therefore which of necessity thou must once forsake , in hope to be rewarded againe everlastingly , doe thou distribute willingly and cheerfully . for all things which we behold with our eyes , are temporall , but those which we see not , are eternall and everlasting . for so long as we are temporall , things of like quality doe us service , but when we depart from this earthy abode , everlasting joy shall attend upon us , and felicity without limit or ending . what reason have we to love those things which we cannot alway have with us ? when we evidently behold , that the lands and substance of a rich man , doe declare him to be without wit and judgement , because he loveth those things with the desire of his whole heart , which never doe render him loue againe . for if a man love gold , silver , lands , dainty fare , fine meats , and bruit beasts , the naturall course of things doe teach us , that none of these can yeeld him love againe . what thing is then further from all reason , than to love that which cannot love thee again , and to neglect that , which giveth to thee all things with love ? for that cause , god commanded us to love , not the world , but our neighbour , sith that he can render love againe for love : which thing worldly goods cannot doe , it is well knowne . even so god commandeth us to love our enemy , that the same love may make him of our enemy , our friend . let every covetous rich man therefore , who would have everlasting riches , distribute ( while he is here ) to the poore and needy , those riches which are but temporall , and doe not continue for ever . for if a man will not sell that thing which he loveth , how can another man buy that thing which he coveteth ? and therefore the covetous men are called cursed of the most righteous iudge , because they which past by them , did not say unto them : the blessing of god be upon you , and wee doe blesse you in the name of god. therefore the covetous men are cursed and unhappy : who for transitory goods doe goe to everlasting damnation . but on the other side : blessed are the pittifull , for they shall finde mercy and pitty . happy is that man that is mercifull , for so much as god ( in this vertue ) doth not looke upon the substance and riches : but upon the affection and heart of man. the fift abuse . chap. . a woman without shamefastnesse . proceeding to the fift notorious kinde of abuse , i finde it to be a woman without modesty or shamefastnesse . for even as wisedome doth both get and keepe good manners in men , so in women , shamefastnesse doth bring forth , nourish and keepe , all honest and good works . shamefastnesse keepeth them chaste and pure , it plucketh in warie respect of life , it refraineth from strife and debate , it asswageth anger , it quencheth the desire of the flesh , it doth moderate the desire of the minde , it chastneth wantonnesse , it banisheth drunkennesse , it maketh few words , it bridleth the greedy desire of the gut , and utterly condemneth theft , what more ? it brideleth and tameth all vice , it nourisheth all vertues , and whatsoever is before god and man acceptable . a life which is unchast , is neither praised of men in this world , nor rewarded of god in the world to come . but the contrary , which is a chaste life , is well spoken of among men , and rejoyceth also in the hope of the blisse to come . it doth winne the love of men which are living and doe perceive it , and to them which come after , it leaueth a goodly example of imitation , being a pleasant and a godly memory . it delighteth alway in good manners , and agreeth unto them , evermore refreshing the soule with continuall reading and meditation of the holy scriptures . and besides this , it keepeth the examples of good which are gone , being alway acquainted and joyned in company with them that are perfect and honest . the exercise of shamefastnesse , consisteth in two things , that is to say , in the outward behaviour of the body , and the inward affection of the minde . in the body , by giving good examples before men , as the holy apostle saith : and in the minde , before god we do provide and beginne good works . for the shamefastnesse and chastity of the body is , not to covet other mens goods , and to flie all uncleannesse : not to eate and drinke but in time : not to be a gigler and a provoker of other men to laughter : no speaker and teller of false and vaine tales : to be soberly apparrelled , all things being set in comely order , according to godlinesse in all parts of the body , as well in the haire on the head , as in the rayment . not to company with the ungodly , neither to looke proudly or disdainfully upon any man , nor yet wantonly to cast up the eyes , to the evill provocation of other : not to goe nicely and tripping in the streete , having a pace like as it were a game or a play , to be seene , and to tempt other therewith . to be also inferiour unto no man in good workes , to be occasion to no man of reproch or shame , to blaspheme or slander no man : to hate none that is good , nor to scorne such as are old , not to meddle with those things which thou knowest not , nor to contend or strive with thy better : and finally , not to blab abroad all things that thou knowest . these things do make a man loved of his neighbour , and acceptable in the sight of god. the shamefastnesse and chastity of the soule , is to do those things which thou dost , more for the sight of god , than to be seene of men : to stay the desire of evill thoughts : to esteeme every man better than thy selfe : not to infect thy judgement with false doctrine : to agree with them that are of the catholique and universal faith : to cleave onely to god : to presume nothing of thy selfe , but to commit all thy doings to the helpe of god : to be alwaies humble in his sight : to offer to our lord iesus christ , the chastity of thy inward minde : never to make an end , or to cease from good workes during thy life : and with a strong heart to despise the present tribulations of thy minde : of things worldly , to love nothing but thy neighbour : to set and lay up the treasure of all thy love in heaven : and finally , to be assured , that for thy well doing , thou shalt not lose the reward in heaven . shamefastnesse is a goodly ornament of noble persons . it exalteth those which be humble , making them noble . it is the beauty of them that are feeble and weake : the prosperity of them which be sicke , the comfort of them that are in heavinesse , the increase of all beauty : the flowre of religion : the defence and buckler against sinne : a multiplier of good deeds : and to be short , it is the onely paramour and darling of god the creator of all . the sixt abuse . chap. . a master or a ruler without vertue . in this place followeth the sixt abuse : namely , a lord or master that is without vertue . for it profiteth nothing to have power and authority , or to rule , if the master have not in himselfe , the direct and orderly sway of vertue . but this vertue consisteth not so much in the externe and outward strength of the body , which is very requisite and necessary for such as are worldly rulers , as it is to be exercised in the inward strength , in good and vertuous manners . for often times a man doth lose the might and power to rule , through the negligence of the inward part : as it appeared by eli the priest , who while he punished not his children with the rigorous and strait rod of justice , when they did sinne : god , ( as one that would be revenged for their wickednesse upon him ) sharpely punished him , as one that consented to their naughtinesse . therefore it is necessary , that rulers have these three things in them , that is to say : terror to be feared , good governance , and love . for except the governour be feared and loved , his ordinance and rule cannot stand . therfore through his goodnesse and honest familiar conditions , let him procure to get the love of them which are under him , and also by just and discreet punishment . not that he would or should appear to revenge his owne quarrell or injurie : but that the transgression or breaking of the law of god , might be punished , and so to be had in feare . wherefore , while many persons doe depend and hang upon him , he himselfe must altogether depend and hang upon god , and cleave onely to him : who hath set him in that rule : who hath established him , and made him to be a stronger man , whereby to beare the burdens of many . for except a beame be laid fast and sure , upon a stronger thing which is able to beare it , all that is laid upon it shall fall downe : yea and it selfe also , through the very bignesse and weight of it selfe , shall fall to the ground with the burden thereof . so a prince or ruler , except he sticke fast to his maker , both he himselfe , and all that is with him doth quickly perish . there be some , who after they be set in authority , doe become better men , and doe cleave more neere to god , than they did before : and some are contrariwise thereby made the worse . for moses after he was made governour of the people , he had communication with god more familiarly than he had before . but saul the sonne of cis , after he was king , through his pride and disobedience , highly sinned and offended against god. king salomon , after he sate in the seate of his lord and father king david , god increased and made him rich with the gift of wisedome , to governe over innumerable people . and contrariwise , after that ieroboam the servant of salomon , had usurped part of the kingdome of the house of david , he turned tenne tribes of the people of israell , which were in the part of samaria , from the true and right worship of god , to the wicked and divellish worshiping of idols . by which examples , it is apparant and manifest , that some men when they doe come to dignity , doe grow more perfect and better : and some againe , through pride of their advancement and rising up , doe fall and waxe worse . by both the which is to be understood , that they which increase in goodnesse , doe it by the vertue and godly disposition of the minde , even by the onely help of god : and the other , that they doe fall by the weakenesse of the minde , through the negligence and small regard they have to vertue , which no man can have without the helpe of god. the man that hath many things under him , whereof he hath charge , and hath not the strength and vertue of the minde , is no way able to fulfill or performe what he should doe . for many things do bring with them many troubles and vexations . therefore let every man that is a ruler , procure first with all industry of his minde , that in all things he may be sure of the helpe of god. for if in his doings he have the lord and governour of all lords and governours to his helper , no man can set light or despise his ordinance and rule , because there is no power but of god. he lifteth up the poore and needy out of the very dunghill , and maketh him to sit with the princes of his people . likewise he casteth downe the mighty from their seate , exalting them which are meeke and lowly : that all the world might be obedient unto god , & his glory only exalted . the seventh abuse . chap. . a christian man full of brawling and contention . a most irkesome and pernicious thing is this seventh abuse , which now we have in hand : to wit , a christian man full of contention , who by faith and baptisme , being a partaker and a bearer of the name of christ , doth ( against the sayings and minde of christ ) delight in pleasures of the world , which are transitory , and doe daily fall away . because all manner of things for which a man doth strive , doe cause the same strife , either for the love that is borne to them , being a covetous desire for himselfe , or for the love of some other thing , which lyeth hid under an odious and hatefull matter . as for example , warre , although it be odious and an hatefull thing , yet is it holden and maintained on both sides with a bold and fierce courage , for the love and desire which men have to winne the victory , and for the purchasing of liberty . in like manner , many other things are desired and sought after , with contention , who may have them first before another : by no lesse hatefull and painefull labour , yea and feare , than the other which are got by most detestable warre . and therefore a man may perceive , there is no contention but for that which is loved , that is to say , for a loving and a friendly reward , which followeth to their minde after it is ended . whosoever therefore striveth for any manner of thing of this world , sheweth evidently and plainely , that he loveth this world . how then doth the holy ghost by the mouth of saint iohn , forbid that this world should be loved ? to whom he saith , love not the world , nor the things that be in the world . for the love of god , and the love of the word , cannot dwell together in one heart : even as the eyes of a man cannot behold the heaven above ; and the earth beneath , both at once with one looke . but let us search and see , whether there be in the world , any thing indeed that is to be loved , and what is the world which the speech of god forbiddeth us to love . we are not commanded to love the earth , nor the things which come out of the earth , but onely our neighbour , for whose sake all things are made . him thou art commanded to love : for all other things which doe perish and fade away , cannot goe up with us to heaven . but our neighbour is heyre ( as well as we ) of the kingdome which shall never fayle : and therefore we must love together one another heartily . for so much therefore as we shall not continue alway in the world , but shall fayle also with the world : we are commanded not to love the world , but our neighbour , because ( yea , being on earth ) he is a part and portion of the heavenly kingdome , although he be among these low elements , which makes him worthy to be loved of all such as are desirers of the heavenly blisse : forasmuch as in the high country , which is the kingdome of heaven , he shall be heyre with his brethren for ever . for this cause god doth forbid us to love this world : lest he which so loveth , be separated and made a stranger from the love of god. that thing then should not be striven for , which a man may not love , because a man bearing the name of christ , must see that he have also the selfe-same or like manners in him , that christ had . for no man can worthily be called a christian man , except he agree with christ in manner and good living . as touching christ , the prophet doth write of himselfe these words . behold the childe whom i have chosen , mine elect , my soule is well pleased in him : i will send my spirit upon him . he shall not strive , he shall not be an outcryer , nor extend his voyce in the street . behold , christ doth not strive or cry out : therefore if thou doe covet to be like him in manners , strive not , lest thou appeare to doe nothing , but abuse the name of christ in the church . for god commandeth them which follow him , saying . be not ye called masters , for there is but one your master , who is in heaven . and call ye no● father upon the earth , for ye have one father which is in heaven . for ye are altogether brethren : whom he commandeth to make common supplication , and prayer after this manner . o our father which art in heaven , hallowed be thy name , &c. he then contendeth and laboureth in vaine to have a father in earth , when he professeth , that both his country and father is in heaven , which country no man can possesse and enjoy , but he that refuseth to set all his care on this world , as one passing not for it . the eighth abuse . chap. . a poore man prowd . to behold a poore man prowd , may worthily in this place stand for the eighth abuse : because although he have nothing , yet is he puffed up with an high aspiring mind , which thing , even they that are rich men are forbidden to doe : that they should not be high minded . what thing is more foolish , than that he who through great poverty and extreame misery is brought low , and as it were to the very ground , because ( that in respect of that consideration ) hee might behave himselfe lowly : should in this meane estate bear a prowd heart against god ? for this fault , even they that were created in the high habitacle of heaven , were dejected and throwne down from thence . wherefore then will he be prowd and high minded here on earth , as though he were a man of exceeding great power : who ( before all other men ) should carry and behave himselfe both humble and lowly ? but that the poore people shall not beare their poverty heavily , with sorrowfulnesse and sadnesse of heart : let them heare what they shall receive of god , he saith . blessed are the poore in spirit , for theirs is the kingdome of heaven . for the mercifull iudge doth handle all things so indifferently , that to them to whom he hath not given the riches of this world , he giveth the kingdome of heaven , that hee may be a rich man in that glorious place , who on earthly things hath not set his care or delight . poore men therefore must take heed , lest while in poverty and need they passe over the pleasure and kingdome of this world : they should ( through the lacke of wisedome ) lose also the kingdome of heaven . for although by the order and dispensation of god , they doe live in earthly poverty , yet they may endeavour to be poor and meeke in spirit . for the kingdome of god is not promised to all poore men , without exception indifferently : but to them onely , in whom the humble and lowly meeknesse of the heart , doth accompany the want and lacke of outward riches . because an humble poore man , is called poore in spirit , who when he is outwardly poore and needy , doth not inwardly extoll himselfe with a proud heart , for the lowlinesse of the minde shall doe more to the attaining of the kingdome of heaven , then the temporall poverty and lacke of worldly riches . for meek and lowly men possessing riches , may be called poore in spirit : whereas those that are prowd , and yet have nothing , without doubt are dispossessed of the blessing , which is promised to the poore in spirit . of both these sorts , the holy scripture speaketh on this wise . some make themselves rich , although they have nothing , and some make themselves poore , albeit they have never so great riches . the rich man then being poore in spirit , is as a poore man notwithstanding all his riches : and the poore man that is prowd in heart , is as a rich man although hee be naked and poore . it followeth , that humblenesse of the minde , is a noble and glorious poverty , and the prowd stubbornenesse of the heart , a foolish kinde of riches . therefore poore men must have in minde what they are , and because they cannot obtain in worldly goods what they would have , let not their hearts be puffed up with pride , as though they had all that they cannot have . the ninth abuse . chap. . a wicked and an unjust king. now come we to a capitall abuse indeed : namely , an unjust or a wicked king or prince : for a king must not be wicked or unjust , but correct and punish the wicked , and in his owne person defend and maintaine the dignity of his name . for by the name of a king , is understood , that hee may rule well all his subjects which are under him . but how can he correct and rebuke other , who doth not amend his own manners , if they be wicked ? for in the righteousnesse and justice of a king , is his seat exalted : and in the fidelity and truth of a prince , is his governement and rule established and made strong . the righteousnesse and justice of a king , is to oppresse no man wrongfully by power : to judge and give sentence betweene man and man indifferently , without affection of any person : to defend strangers , orphane children , and widdowes : to see that robbery and theft raigne not in his realme : to punish straightly adulterous and fornicating persons : not to promote and exalt such as are wicked : to give no living to such as are unchaste persons , and makers of vicious pastimes , to destroy out of his land all that are wicked against god and their parents : to suffer no murtherer or man queller to live , much lesse such as doe kill either father or mother : to defend the church : to comfort the poore with deeds of charity : to take heed that his officers under him be just and good men : to have of his counsell , antient , wise , and sober men : to give no eare to sooth-sayers , witches , or enchanters : not to keepe anger in his stomacke : to defend his country justly and valiantly against adversaries : to put his whole trust and confidence for all things in god : not to be the prouder in heart , if things doe succeed after his minde , and to beare the contrary patiently : to keepe stedfastly the catholike or universall faith : not to suffer his children to doe wickedly : to bestow certaine houres daily in prayer , not to eate and drinke out of season . for woe be to that land , ( as the prophet saith ) whose king is a childe , and whose great men doe rise up early to eate and drinke . the keeping of these things , maketh a kingdome in this world to be prosperous , and afterward bringeth the king himselfe to a more excellent and royall kingdome . but hee that ruleth and governeth not his kingdome after this prescript , doth maintain , suffer and beare many evils , inconveniences , and adversities in his realme , whereinto it falleth for the lack of good rule . because oftentimes hereby , the peace and tranquillity of the people is broken , and the realme evill spoken of , the fruits of the ground are diminished , and the ground made bare , and finally , it causeth the people to be negligent in doing their duty . many and sundry sores doe infect a realme , and hindereth the prosperous weale thereof . the death and losse of friends and children , doe bring sadnesse and heavinesse unto mens hearts , for when enemies doe invade the countrey , they waste and impoverish the land on all sides , they slay up the cattell great and small . againe , troublesome weather and great windes , doe hinder the growth and increase of the ground : it maketh also the sea as troubled and unable to doe service , yea , often times blasts and lightnings wither the corne on the ground , and blossoms on the trees . but above all things , the unrighteousnesse of a king , doth make darke and clowdie the face of his whole realme : being the cause often times ( through his iniquity and wicked government ) that his nephewes , yea , nor his children after him , doe inherit the crowne of their father . the lord for the offence of salomon , diuided the kingdome of the house of israell , out of the hands of his children . behold what great goodnesse commeth of a righteous and good prince : there is none so blinde but they may see if they will. of him commeth the peace of the people , hee is the defence of his countrey , the safegard and liberty of his people , the strength of the whole nation , the remedy of all sorrowes , the joy of men , the temperatenesse of the weather , the stilnesse of the sea , the fruitfull increase of the earth , the helpe and comfort of the poore , the sure heritage of his children , and finally , to himselfe it is a certaine argument and hope , of eternall felicity to come . but yet let every king take this lesson with him , and marke it well : that as among men hee is set highest in his throne , so ( if he minister not justice ) hee shall be deepest in paine . for in this life , as many transgressors and offendors as he had under him , so many in the time to come shall he have above him , to his extreame sorrow and paine remedilesse . the tenth abuse . chap. . a negligent bishop . the tenth abuse , is a negligent bishop , which gapeth ambitiously to be honoured and reverenced as a bishop : but doth not the office , ministration and duty of a bishop in the sight of god , whole message he is commanded to doe . therefore let us first demand and enquire , what is meant by the name and vocable bishop , which is a greeke word , and is as much to say , as a man set in a high place , to looke farre off and round about him , as out of an high tower. but the cause why he is made a watch-man , and what is required at his hand , the lord himselfe doth open , when by the mouth of ezechiel the prophet , he teacheth a bishop the reason and cause of his office , speaking on this wise . thou sonne of man , i have made thee a watchman over the house of israel : wherefore when thou hast heard what words i do speake unto thee , thou shall shew them to the people , and tell them that i spake the words . when i shall say unto the wicked , thou shalt surely dye , and thou givest him not warning thereof , nor speakest to admonish the wicked of his evill way , and so to live : then shall the same ungodly man dye in his owne unrighteousnesse , but his bloud will i require at thy hand . neverthelesse , if thou give warning to the wicked , and hee yet turne not from his ungodlinesse , and from his wicked way , hee shall dye in his wickednesse , but thou hast delivered thy soule . it becommeth therefore a bishop , that is set to be a watch-man over all , to looke well upon offences , and when he knoweth them perfectly , then to cause them to be amended : if he can , with words and godly counsell , if he cannot , then after the rule of the gospell , to avoid them out of the fellowship and company of the godly , for the lord saith in the gospell . if thy brother doe offend against thee , rebuke him betweene thee and him : if hee will heare thee , thou hast wonne thy brother . if hee will not heare thee , take one or two with thee , that in the mouth of two or three , all words may be ratified . if hee will not heare them , tell the church . and if hee will not heare the church , take him as an ethnicke and a publican . after such an order must hee be driven out , which will not obey the bishop and teacher : and he that is thus expulsed , ought not to come in company either of teacher or bishop . for it is written of the priest in the law : let him not take a wife that is a whore , or polluted , nor put from her husband : for such an one is unholy unto his god. therefore he that doth joyne to him in company such a body , being excommunicated by a faithfull minister , without the consent of him : breaketh the law of holy priest-hood , which is an elect kinde of christian men . after this fashion must a bishop behave himselfe , over them to whom hee is a watchman : but what manner of man , he must be himselfe , the apostle saint paul sheweth in this wise . a bishop must be blamelesse , the husband of one wife , watching , sober , comely apparrelled , a lover and maintainer of hospitality , apt to teach . not given to over-much wine , no striker , not greedy of filthy lucre : but gentle , abhorring fighting , abhorring covetousnesse . one that ruleth well his owne house , having children in subjection with all gravity and cleanenesse of life . not a young scholler , lest he , being puffed up , fall into the snares of the divell . hee must also have a good report of them which are without , lest he fall into the rebuke and snare of the divell , that he may shew in worke , that thing which hee teacheth in doctrine . therefore let negligent bishops take heed ; for in the time of vengeance , the lord complaineth by the mouth of his prophet , saying ; my pastors have ground my people to powder , the sheepheards did not feed my flocke , but they did feed themselves . but rather let them whom the lord hath set over his family , procure to give them meate in due season : a measure of wheate , that is to say , pure and true doctrine , that when the lord commeth , they may deserve to have these comfortable words . my good and faithfull servant , because thou hast beene faithfull over a few , i shall set thee over many , enter into the joy of the lord. the eleventh abuse . chap. . a people without discipline . comming now to the eleventh blemish in this life , it is comprehended in these words : a people without discipline : who when they doe not practise obedience in their living to good and godly doctrine , doe choke themselves with the common snare of perdition . for they doe not escape the wrath of god , except they earnestly follow those things which they are taught . and therefore the psalmist saith to the people which will not receive discipline : apprehend and receive discipline , lest god be stirred to anger . discipline is a manner of teaching , which leadeth men to the amendment of evill and naughtie manners : it is also a keeping and following of the rules and lessons of our elders , whereof saint paul speaketh , saying : abide and continue in discipline , god offereth himselfe to you , as to his children . but if yee be out of discipline , whereof ye are made already partakers , then are yee advouterers , and not his children . they therefore which are gone from him , and be out of discipline , doe receive no inheritance of the kingdome of heaven : but if children doe receive and beare the correction of their fathers discipline , let them not despaire or doubt , but they shall receive in time to come , the inheritance of the father . of this discipline esay speaketh , saying : cease from doing wickedly , and learne to doe well . and the like sentence is found in the psalmist , who saith : decline from evill , and doe good . wherefore that man is very miserable and unhappy , which throweth from him discipline : for he is bolder than the souldiers which crucified christ , and did cut out his garment , for hee doth cut the discipline of christs church . and likewise as the coat doth cover all the body saving the head , even so is the whole church clad and defended with discipline , saving onely christ , who is the head of the church . and as that coat was whole without any seame , so is this discipline given to the church whole and sound . of this discipline , the lord when hee should ascend up to his father , after hee was risen from death , spake to his disciples , saying : abide yee here still in the citie of ierusalem , till yee bee clad from above with power . then the discipline of the church is the coat of christ , and hee which is not within this discipline , is out of the body of christ . let us not therefore cut that coate , but let us cast lots who shall have it : that is to say : let us breake nothing of the commandements of god , but every man whereunto hee is called , therein let him constantly abide with the lord. the twelfth abuse . chap. . a people without law. the last of this catalogue of abuses , is a people without law , who while they despise the sayings of god , and the ordinances of his lawes : doe runne thorow divers waies of errours , into the snare of transgression and breaking of the lawes . as concerning those wayes of errour , the prophet ( under the person of a transgressor ) doth lament and bewaile mankinde on this wise . we have erred ( saith he ) and gone astray like sheepe , every one after his own way . of these waies it is spoken in the booke of wisedome , by the mouth of salomon , saying : many wayes appeare good and strait unto men : but the last end of their wayes , bringeth them to death . and truely there are many wayes of perdition , when men doe not regard the kings high way , which is right and straight out , turning neither on the right hand nor on the left : the which way , our lord iesus christ ( who is the end of the law , to the justification of all that doe beleeve ) plainely sheweth us , saying . i am the way , the truth , and the life , no man commeth unto the father , but by mee . to which way he calleth all men without respect , saying : come unto me all yee that labour and are heavy laden , and i will refresh you . for there is no exception of persons before god , with whom there is neither iew nor greeke , man nor woman , bond nor free : but christ is all things in all , and all are one in christ iesu . for so much as christ is the end of the law , those which are without the law , are without christ : then the people that be without the law , are likewise without christ . it is a great abuse , that in the time of the gospell , any people should be without the law : for so much as the apostles were commanded to preach to all nations , and the thunder-claps of the gospell , were heard over all the parts of the earth , and the gentiles which sought not after righteousnesse , have received it . and finally , considering that they which were farre off , were made nigh in the bloud of christ , and they which sometime were not a people , are now made the people of god in christ : being now a glad time , and the day of salvation , the time of comfort 〈◊〉 ●he sight of the highest . and sith that every nation hath a witnesse of the resurrection , yea , sith the lord himselfe beareth witnesse thereunto , saying : behold , i am with you alway to the end of the world . therefore let not us be without christ in this transitorie life , lest christ be without us in the world to come . finis . london , printed by thomas harper , for thomas jones , . a way to prevent the indignation and judgments of god from coming on a kingdom, nation or family commended to the consciences of all concerned. fox, george, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a way to prevent the indignation and judgments of god from coming on a kingdom, nation or family commended to the consciences of all concerned. fox, george, - . sheet ([ ] p.) printed for john bringhurst, printer and stationer, at the sign of the book in grace-church-street, near cornhill, london : . signed at end: g.f., i.e. george fox. reproduction of the original in the friends' house library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a way to prevent the indignation and iudgments of god from coming on a kingdom , nation or family ; commended to the consciences of all concerned . first , all you vintners that sell wine , that keep taverns or such like houses ; and all you inn-keepers , and you that keep victualling-houses , ale-houses , strong-water-shops , &c. see that you never let any man or woman have any more wine , ale , strong drink , brandy or strong waters , or other strong liquors , than what is for their health and their good ; in that they may praise god for his good creatures . for every creature of god is good , and ought to be received with thanksgiving . but if you do give or let men or women have so much wine , brandy , strong liquors , strong beer or ale , till they be drunk or to make them drunk ; . you destroy the good creatures of god. . you destroy them , that have not power over their lusts , no more than a rat or a swine , who will drink till they are drunk . . you are a great cause of ruining them in their healths , purses and estates , ( their children and families ) in feeding of them in their lusts , by letting them have more than doth them good ; which also tends to bring god's iudgments upon you , to your own ruin and destruction . for many when they are full of wine , beer or strong liquors , then they will cry for musick , pipe and harp , and it may be their whores also : and so in this , you that suffer or allow such things , are nursers of debauchery and corrupters of them , and of your own families also . and also such men , when they are full of wine or strong liquors , and have destroyed the creatures , by taking more than doth them good , then they are got to that height that they are ready to quarrel and abuse , or kill or destroy one another ; & sometimes kill other people ( who do them no harm ) as they are walking or travelling in the streets or high-ways . for when they are overcome by strong liquors , then are they fit & do ly open to all manner of wickedness . and though you think by selling or letting people have wine or strong liquors more than doth them good , or is for their health , the more they drink , the more gain you think it brings you ; and the more you vend your goods , the more profit you get : ah poor sellers ! do not you think , that god with his all-seeing eye doth behold you and your actions ? and cannot the lord soon bring a blasting upon all your undertakings and such vngodly gain and profits , and whatsoever you have gained by your covetousness and from the lusts of others , through which they do destroy their estates , children & families ? will not this bring destruction upon you and your unrighteous gain , which you have gotten by feeding their lusts ? for that which feeds the destroying lusts , must needs be the destroyer ; and the profit of that will not be gain to you in the end . for are not you sensible , how many , after they have spent their estates or part of them , they will run into your debts for wine or strong liquors , yea , such as you let have more than did or doth them good ? and is not this the cause , that many break by trusting , and other ways as before mentioned ? trust should be with that which is trusty , which doth not wast or destroy ; and such god will bless . and therefore take heed of letting any man or woman have any more wine or strong liquors , than what is for their nourishment , health and good . see what a dreadful wo the lord pronounced against them , that rise up early in the morning , that they may follow strong drink , that continue until night , till wine inflame them : then they call for the harp and the viol , the tabret and the pipe , &c. but such regard not the work of the lord , neither consider the operation of his hands : a sad state ! wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine , and are men of strength to mingle strong drink . and therefore all are to shun such things ; all are to be sober , and to mind and fear god , that they may escape these woes : as you may see in isaiah , chap. . and therefore all vintners and such as sell wine , with ale-houses , inns and victualing-houses , who sell ale , brandy and strong liquors , never let any one have any more than doth them good , and is for their health ( as is said before ) so that all may eat and drink the good creatures of god to his praise and glory ; which drunkards and gluttons cannot , nor they who let them have the creatures of god in excess or immoderately , till they are drunk and surfeited , for such do feed themselves without the fear of god. secondly , let all who go under the name of christian families , train up their children in the fear of god , and keep themselves in the fear of god , that they may keep all their servants and families in the fear of god ; out of all loosness and wantonness and vanities and excess , and from all drunkenness , fornication , whoredom or vncleanness , and vnrighteousness , and all vngodlyness ; that they may keep out of all those things , that displease or dishonour the lord god. and do not nourish up the lust of the eye , nor the pride of life , nor the lust of the flesh ; for if you do , you nourish up that which is not of god the father . and therefore to shun all these evils , and to depart from them , and keeping in the fear of god ; this is the way to bring the blessing of god upon a land , kingdom , nation or family . g. f. god will destroy them which destroy the earth , revel . . . drunkenness makes a man worse than a beast , and makes a strong man weak , and a wise man a fool. this testimony and warning was and is owned and subscribed by ( many ) vintners and others , concerned in the trades and callings before mentioned , who were present at the reading of the manuscript . london , printed for john bringhurst , printer and stationer , at the sign of the book in grace-church-street , near cornhill , . the planter's speech to his neighbours & country-men of pennsylvania, east & west jersey and to all such as have transported themselves into new-colonies for the sake of a quiet retired life : to which is added the complaints of our supra-inferior inhabitants. tryon, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the planter's speech to his neighbours & country-men of pennsylvania, east & west jersey and to all such as have transported themselves into new-colonies for the sake of a quiet retired life : to which is added the complaints of our supra-inferior inhabitants. tryon, thomas, - . p. printed and sold by andrew sowle, london : . originally published as part of thomas tryon's the country-man's companion. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the planter's speech to his neighbours & country-men of pennsylvania , east & west-iersey , and to all such as have transported themselves into new-colonies for the sake of a quiet retired life . to which is added , the complaints of our supra-inferior-inhabitants . london : printed and sold by andrew sowle in shoreditch , . the planters speech to his neighbours & country-men in pennsylvania , east and west-iersey , &c. and to all such as have transported themselves into new-colonies for the sake of a quiet life . my dear friends & country-men ; though it may seem very impertinent and unnecessary to go about to repeat to you the occasions and motives that inclined you to abandon the land of your nativity , and those comfortable outward imployments and accommodations which most of you had there , and to adventure your selves to the hazards of a long voyage at sea , to come to this remote part of the world ; yet lest you should forget those inducements , as often it happens , that men by a slothful negligence or ignorance , after some tract of time , fall from their first love , and blindly hurrey themselves into the very same mischiefs which they intended to avoid , and build up again what they justly endeavoured to destroy , not foreseeing the future ill conveniences of their present ( supposed innocent ) actings ; i shall take leave briefly to mention some few of those weighty causes which i am confident originally sway'd your spirits to this transplantation , and those good ends , for the obtaining of which you chiefly removed hither . the motives of our retreating to these new habitations , i apprehend ( measuring your sentiments by my own ) to have been , st . the desires of a peaceable life , where we might worship god and obey his law with freedom , according to the dictates of the divine principle , unincumbred with the mouldy errors and fierce invasions of tradition , politick craft , covetous or ambitious cruelty , &c. dly . that we might here , as on a virgin elysian shore , commence or improve such an innocent course of life , as might unload us of those other outward cares , vexations and turmoils , which before we were always subject unto from the hands of self-designing and unreasonable men. dly . that as lot , by flying to little zoar , from the ungodly company of a more populous magnificent dwelling , we might avoid both being grieved with the sight and infections , as well as odious examples of horrid swearings , cursings , drunkenness , gluttony , vncleanness , and all kinds of debauchery continually committed with greediness ; and also escape the iudgments threatned to every land polluted with such abominations . thly . that as trees are transplanted from one soyl to another , to render them more thriving and better bearers , so we here in peace and secure retirement under the bountiful protection of god , and in the lap of the least adulterated nature , might every one the better improve his talent , and bring forth more plentious fruits to the glory of god , and publick wellfare of the whole creation . thly . and lastly , that in order hereunto , by our holy doctrine , and the practical teachings of our exemplary abstemious lives , transacted in all humility , sobriety , plainness , self-denial , virtue and honesty , we might gain upon those thousands of poor dark souls scattered round about us , ( and commonly , in way of contempt and reproach call'd , heathens ) and bring them not only to a state of civility , but real piety ; which effected , would turn to a more satisfying account , than if with the proud spaniards , we had gain'd the mines of potosi , and might make the ambitious hero's , whom the world admires , blush for their petty and shameful victories , which only tend to make their fellow-creatures slaves to those that are already the devil's vassals : whereas hereby we might release millions from the chains of satan , and not only teach them their rights as men , and their happiness when christians , but bring them from the power of darkness , into the marvellous light and the glorious liberty of the sons of the most high. these thoughts , these designs , my friends , were those that brought you hither ; and so far only as you pursue and accomplish them , you obtain the end of your journey . if these be neglected , tho' your ports and rivers were full of trading ships , your land never so populous , and loaden with the most vendable commodities , yet i would be bold to say , that your plantation were in a most unthriving condition ; that like men in a feaver , tumbling from one side of the bed to the other , you have shifted your dwelling , but not recovered your health , nor are one inch the nearer your proposed happiness in america , than in europe ; and have travelled some thousands of miles to as little purpose as the iesuites into iapan and china , or foolish pilgrims in their tedious vain journeys to compostella , loretto , or ierusalem . our business therefore here in this new land is not so much to build houses , and establish factories , and promote trades and manufactories , that may enrich our selves , ( though all these things in their due place are not to be neglected ) as to erect temples of holiness and righteousness , which god may delight in ; to lay such lasting frames and foundations of temperance and virtue as may support the superstructures of our future happiness , both in this and the other world. in order to these great and glorious ends , it will well become , nay , is the indispensible duty of all that are superiours amongst us , to make laws and imitate customs that may tend to innocency and an harmless life , so as to avoid and prevent all oppression and violence either to men or beasts ; by which we shall strengthen the principle of well-doing , and qualifie the fierce , bitter , envious , wrathful spirit , which ( as 't is said of fire and water in their extreams ) is a good servant , but a bad master . be pleased therefore to give me leave , ( or whether you are pleased , and will give leave , or no , i must , because 't is my duty , take it ) to nominate some particulars , which in my opinion will be convenient for us to observe , and may be as so many pillars to sustain our new-building , and prevent those deluges of evil , that otherwise will in time unavoidably break in upon us . i. since temperance is the sirmest establishment of a people , and most fits them for all the duties of a civil and religious life ; since strong and heady drinks are no way necessary to humane life , but rather their at first ( perhaps ) innocent and moderate use , is most apt to degenerate into excess , and the example of those that use them most sparingly , tends to encourage others to partake therein , who have not so much discretion as to use them properly , ( which indeed should be only in certain cases , as physick ) as is apparent in our neighbouring indians , whose wellfare we ought , in christian charity , to tender as much as our own , and not lay stumbling-blocks before them , whereby both our holy religion becomes scandaliz'd , as well as our future temporal safety endangered . i would humbly , and i hope may justly , piously and prudentially advise , that we should either wholly prohibit , or lay very large impositions on all sorts of brandy , rum , distill'd spirits and wine , so as to render the common use of them impracticable . for much better it is , that the merchants that deal only therein , and the distillers should lose their trade , and the vines for that use be neglected , than that we , and our posterity and neighbours should by such a temptation perish , and commit all kind of outrages and uncleanness in the use of them : for what if all such amongst us , either young or old , rich or poor , that are found to drink of them ( unless in case of sickness , and prescribed as physick ) were punished with servitude for a certain time , and the offence not to be bought off with money ; what would the publick , or any sober person be the worse for this ? hath not woful experience taught us the evil consequences of drinking such liquors in our own native country ? are not such practises the leading cards to all vitiousness ? they precipitate young men into all kinds of fury , madness and folly ; and besides weakening the already exhausted natural heat of the more ancient , they render gray hairs , ( which ought to be the ensigns of gravity and wisdom ) ridiculous and contemptible ; in women they destroy and corrupt the very radix of nature , and intail a great number of incurable diseases on posterity ; add to this , that they not only spend and impaire the outward substance most unnecessarily , but at the same time drown the mind , and debilitate all the intellectual faculties , and by extravagant expences render us uncapable to perform those offices of charity and beneficience , which we might otherwise , and ought , render to our poor neighbours , and the publick benefit of our country : in a word , these superfluities and needless things cannot be procured and used without hazard to our health and lives , and oppression to the whole creation , for all such things are dear , and hard to come by ; and when they are procured , the use of them proves of more dangerous consequence than the charge and trouble of getting them , so that when all is done , they only serve to tickle and please the sensual and depraved appetite of vain men , and to force nature out of her innocent way . the use of such superfluities is attended with many other evil circumstances , as first , it occasions men to let their farms or plantations dear , or makes them labour very hard ▪ or put their poor servants upon excessive toil , and put their own , both body and mind as it were on the rack , to procure such things as are necessary , and then not content therewith , they must exchange them away for that which stands them in no stead , viz. to sell their most pleasant and fragrant fruits , grains and seeds at a low and poor rate , that with the procede thereof they may buy brandy , rum , wine and the like at dear rates , as to give a bushel of brave wheat for half a gallon of brandy , or a gallon of rumbullion ; what comparison is there to be made between a twelve penny wheat loaf and a pint of brandy , rum or wine ? the first is the real preserver of nature , a durable sustantial food , most grateful to nature : the last serves only for a moments time to please the sensual appetite ; but its evil operations and effects stay behind , heats the blood , makes the veins glow with an unnatural heat ; destroys the edge of the appetite , renders the whole body uneasie , and fills the mind with an innumerable troop of wanton and vain imaginations , which seldom are raised , but ( as 't is said of evil spirits in magick ) they do some signal mischief , both to the body and mind . or ( to take notice by the way of other the like superfluities ) which is most useful and beneficial to humane nature , one ounce of nutmegs , cloves , mace , and the like , or or brave new-laid eggs ? ( which of all sorts of food are the compleatest , and being well ordered , afford the best of nourishment ) or which is indeed most serviceable . a pound of good butter or cheese , or on the other side , a pound of sugar , currants , raisins , and the like ? indeed these last are excellent fruits , but they will not grow in our country , nor under our elevation ; therefore not so proper for our bodies , every soil naturally bringing forth , by the merciful wisdom and providence of god , such vegetations as are most agreeable to the constitutions of the people of that place . besides , all forreign fruits and commodities are dear , and for the most part serve only to squander away estates , advance gluttony and procure diseases , and the frequent use of them does sow seeds of oppression , causing mankind to labour for that , which in truth he had much better have been without . has not this particular evil inclination unto , & hankering after strong liquors , and other the like superfluities , destroy'd the healths and estates of many thousands in these western indies , ( as ●hey are called ) of our country-men , viz. in iamaica , barbadoes and the leward islands , where they have and do make it a common practice to sell their excellent butter , eggs , fruits , and fragrant herbs , their hens , turkies , ducks , &c. to purchase rum , brandy , wine , and putrified stinking salt flesh and fish , which have destroy'd their healths , emptied their purses , and rendered them in every respect unhappy ? moreover , the disorders hence arising have put out the eye of their understanding , and debauch'd the natural faculty of distinguishing between good and evil , wholesom and harmful , pleasant and nauseous , and made them bruitish , sottish and ignorant , even like swine , to take pleasure in that mire wherein by custom they have long wallowed themselves . in particular , there is a pernicious sort of drink in great reputation and use amongst them , call'd , pvnch , which with your leave , i shall give you some account of , as to both its nature and operation , to the end we may expell and prevent , even in the bud , the growth of such evil customs and habits amongst us . this sort of beloved liquor is made of brandy or run , sugar , water , lime-iuice , and sometimes ginger or nutmegs : now here are four or five ingredients , all of as different natures as light is from darkness , and all great extreams in their kind , except only the water . st . rum and brandy are terrible hot , fierce , sulpherous spirits , void of all the good friendly balsamick vertues , and middle quality , which is the moderator and qualifier in each body , whilst it remains unviolated or entire ; but whensoever it shall happen that this benigne property is wounded or destroyed , either by undue preparations , or other accidents , then that thing becomes either of a fierce raging domineering wrathful operation , or else of a stinking rank nature , according to the nature original in each thing , as is plain in all balsamick liquors ; as canary for example , when once this aimable quality is destroy'd by the common way of distillation , then it becomes fierce , raging and unnatural ; and when the same is perisht in flesh , herbs or fruits , they become putrified , rank and stinking ; therefore in all sorts of foods and drinks there ought to be great care and diligence used , not to destroy this friendly quality or middle nature , which is in every thing the uniter and preserver ( as it were ) of soul and body , it being that which gives the most fragrant smell and pleasant taste to all drinks and foods , and is the true life , light and splendor of every thing in the annimal , vegetable and mineral kingdoms . and in what thing soever , be it annimal or vegetable , this friendly quality is either naturally impotent , or impaired by pernicious art , or other causalty , thenceforwards that thing is neither good for food nor drink , except the venoms of the martial and saturnine properties ( which then are altogether predominant ) be first corrected ; for if it be in animals , then such beasts are fierce , cruel , ravenous and unclean ; if in minerals , they are high poysons ; if in herbs or fruits , they are rank and fulsom , and also in some degree poysonous ; and all this by their natural constitution and quality : and the very same is to be understood when the essential virtues of things in themselves , most wholsome and pleasant , come to be hurt or destroy'd ; which being done in the preparation of rum , brandy , and all such sulpherous spirits , 't is evident how destructive the use thereof must be to nature . dly . limes are an immature fruit , wherein the martial and saturnine poysons are so powerful that the sun and elements have not had power to awaken the balsamick vertues , or bring the properties of nature into an equal operation , as it hath in other fruits . the iuice of limes therefore contain two siery qualities , viz. a saturnine churlish fire , which is of an hard coagulating nature in operation , like the raw cold saturnine airs of winter , which congeals the water , and hardens all things ; dly , a sharp keen martial property , of a sower harsh fretting nature and operation . and though in that drink called punch these extreams are some-what allay'd or moderated by the friendly ingredients , viz. water and sugar , which do not only render it pleasurable to the pallate , but also more tollerable to the stomach . nevertheless it must be granted that no extreams can be made altogether homogeneal by any artificial mixtures , or give nature such ample satisfaction as those things that are equal in their parts . for the first leave the stomach and desire always either craving and in want , or disordered . for when such improper compositions of mature and immature fruits and unwholsom liquors come into the body , nature's limbeck , the stomach , quickly separates them , as sometimes you may perceive after you have eaten or drank such things , by the sower belehes and keen sharp matter the stomach sends up into the mouth ; as when any shall eat pyes , tarts , or other food made of unripe fruits , tho' never so much sweetned to deceive the pallate , if one make a meal of them , he shall find those sower distasteful belchings , and also that they leave his stomach unsatisfied . the same may also be said even of ripe fruits , when too great a number are jumbl'd together of contrary natures . there are but few that are truly sensible of the many sore evils and dissatisfactions improper mixtures in diet brings upon the body and mind of man. but certainly , my friends and country-men , you cannot but be sensible how freely , how bountifully the creator hath given us all those things that are truly natural and necessary to support life ; and are they not familiar , and procured with little labour and less hazards , either to the body or mind ? but on the contrary , are not all these needless things hard to come by , so that oft-times the acquest of them tends to the ruin of the soul and body ? and yet when all 's done , the enjoyment of them gives neither satisfaction to the one nor health to the other , but makes our wants the greater ; for presently we shall want doctors and physick to repair those ruins which our own intemperances have made ; such improper meats and drinks being the original causes of those cruel belly-akes and griping pains in the bowels , feavers , fluxes and dropsical diseases , both here and in the west , as also in the east-indies , where our english inhabit , all according to the nature of each place , and as other circumstances of intemperances shall concur . but besides diseases , there are many other mischiefs that do attend all those places and countries that accustom to give themselves up to superfluity , and especially to the drinking of strong liquors ; for they deprave both superiors and inferiors , and are the nurses of perpetual crimes , confusions and disorders on both sides , rendering the first fierce , rash , tyrannical , and unfit for government ; and the latter , rude , bold , surly , inhumane , and more apt to contemn all authority than obey ▪ nor is this prohibition more fit and requisit in respect of our selves , than in regard of our neighbours ; so that if once we admit the common drinking of such heady intoxicating liquors , we may justly expect the same inconveniences to befall us as have done new-england . for the venom of such liquors , by our fatal example , will quickly spread it self amongst the indians , and so instead of making them better , or more humane and tractable , by our christian vertues and abstemious conversation , we shall make them tenfold worse , and teach them the grand sin of drunkenness , which is the in let , parent and nurse of the most monstrous enormities , as vncleanness , murders , &c. for all people who have not the true knowledge of god , and his divine principle , and the understanding of the hidden natures of things , are terrible greedy and desirous after such fierce wrathful liquors , as also after food wherein the blood is , it being the original of every life , which is the forbidden fruit , that man ought not to have eaten , nor awakened , there being scarce a more evident token of his depraved state , and that the fierce wrathful spirit does bear sway and carry the upper dominion in mens hearts , than their violent inclinations after blood , and fierce strong liquors , which two things have a simile to , and with each other , and the devilish nature and wrath is nourished by the use of them ; which is further manifested by all the savages of the desert , as the contrary appears in sheep , and all tame humane and tractable creatures , which therefore we call clean beasts . ii. another thing , my friends and country men , which i desire you to consider , is , the innumerable evils and cruel miseries man draws upon himself , and the whole creation , is the common use of war like destructive murthering weapons , and their appurtenances , viz. guns , swords , powder , bullets , shot , drums , and the like devilish instruments ; i may properly so call them , for no doubt the invention and use of them all did originally proceed from , and is still fomented by the fierce wrath ; for as they have been always used for destruction , so indeed they can have no other use , but onlv to awaken and encourage wrath and blood-shed ; therefore let not our streets ( the temples of peace , and tabernacles of love and innocence ) be encumbred with such mischievous tools ; let not our pure air be disturbed with their ungrateful noises , clashings , ratlings and bouncings , nor poluted with the sulpherous steams they send forth , as if so many devils had marcht through the skey , and left the stench of the infernal regions behind them . wherefore should we give wild indians , that do not know the use of these messengers of death , such a bad and fatal example , as to shew a new method how to kill one another , which no doubt in process of time they will improve so far as to make war upon us , and kill us with our own weapons , witness the evils that by this very means have attended our neighbours , and the like , we or our posterity may justly expect . besides , tell me , i pray , what affinity there is or can be imagined between a christian , and guns , swords , powder , shot , drums , and the frightful noise of armed troops marching on to man-slaughter , desolation and spoil ? does such imployment of wrath and blood , look any thing like the pure , peaceable , meek , innocent christian-life , which teaches to do unto all as we would be done unto ; and to love not only our friends and our neighbours , but also our enemies ; which assures us , that those that use the sword shall perish by the sword , that commands us , if we are smote on the left cheek , to turn the right , &c. can any thing be more opposite to all this , than swaggering in buff and armour , and boasting how many men we have kill'd in a day ? and though many of you do not use , nor perhaps intend these martial instruments for man-slaughter , but only to kill and destroy other inferiour creatures , and inhabitants of the elements ; yet i pray consider , why will you arm your selves , & provide thus to kill those innocent creatures ? does not bounteous mother earth furnish us with all sorts of food necessary for life ? wherefore then will you trouble your selves to kill those creatures who have a have a title by nature's charter to their lives as well as you ? shall not the groaning of those creatures call for vengeance ? and must not there be a retaliation ? can you think the noble race of man was made to be a tyrant over , and a scourge unto the inferior inhabitants of the world ? no sure , he was to treat and govern them in love and friendliness . but instead thereof , he is now become their deadly enemy . therefore though you will not sight with , and kill those of your own species , yet i must be bold to tell you , that these lesser violences ( as you may call them ) do proceed from the same root of wrath and bitterness , as the greater do ▪ there being but one grand fountain from whence all kinds of evil , violence , oppression and cruelty do proceed , whether it be towards our brother , man , or any other of our fellow-creatures . and though custom hath made the killing and oppressing of beasts , birds , &c. to be familiar , and consequently easie , and done without any remorse or bowels of pity , yet it is still from the dark root . 't is true , we read in scripture frequently of the killing both men and beasts ; and 't is true , the lord did give the nations liberty to kill and eat the flesh of inferior creatures ; but note , that this was not done until mankind had departed out of his holy law , and goverment of his divine principle , into his fierce wrath , out of which wrathful principle he permitted the killing and eating of flesh ; so the scripture saith , the wickedness of man had corrupted the earth , and then the lord said , my spirit shall no longer strive with man , threescore and ten years shall be the term of his life , &c. that is , man would not submit unto and be governed by his holy friendly principle of love and light ; therefore the lord in his fierce wrath ( which man had rather chosen to precipitate himself into ) shortned mans life , and gave him flesh to eat ; which sort of food had the nearest affinity to that wrathful spirit that had then gotten the government in man. but in paradise , that is , whilst man continued under the sweet conduct of the divine principle , his bill of fare , allowed by his creator in love , was only , every herb bearing seed , and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed , to you it shall be for meat , gen. . . thus far the children of israel in the wilderness , as long as they were obedient , god provided and fed them with angels food , pure and delicious manna ; but when they grew disobedient , and murmured , and nothing would serve them but flesh , god gave them flesh in his wrath , and quails in his displeasure , which fitted them for destruction . furthermore , though you will not kill those of your own kind , yet your children seeing and learning these preparations of oppression and violence , they may come to be of different opinions , and by degrees kill one another with their fathers guns and swords ; for we know not what sort of people will come after us , nor what spirit they may be of : therefore it will be highly convenient for us to prevent the growth of all fierceness , wrath and violence , even in the bud , by our laws and wholsome customs ; for there is no way or means that can or will so powerfully disarm the rage of men and other creaturs , as clemency and well-doing . has not the lord by his divine hand of providence brought us into a pleasant and fruitful country , that flows ( as one may say ) with milk and honey , that is , all things necessary for sustaining life and rendering it delightful , as far as nature desires , or innocency will admit ; why then should we by our intemperance make it flow with blood , oppression and violence ? will not a little labour cause the earth to bring forth a great number of brave fragrant herbs , fruits and grains , which will readily supply us with both dry and moist nourishment , and preserve our health and strength without the use of guns , swords , powder , shot , or the like engines and utensils of war , which have their original from the fierce wrath of god in nature , and let men pretend what they will of necessity , cannot be used , but only by the same spirit . wherefore should we christians , whose laws and the doctrines of our saviour engage us to live in love & unity , that we may be rendred capable to understand and enjoy that glorious liberty of the sons of god , which the whole creation groans to be deliver'd into ; why , i say , should we with wrathful weapons , and breathing death and destruction , terrifie , amaze and alarm not only one another , but also all the inhabitants of the four elements , meerly to gratifie our extravagant desires and wanton appetites , or furious passions , and all the while to suffer the friendly law and good principle of gods eternal love to languish , sigh and groan under the burthens of those intollerable evils ; in which state man often finds himself in great trouble and discontent , and wonders very much what may be the occasion thereof ; not considering the true cause , viz. that their hearts and souls do move in the fierce wrath , and that they do not do unto all as they would be done unto , nor live in innocency and concord with all creatures , which is the true christian doctrine . therefore to prevent all these troubles , dangers and annixities , it will become us to be wise and innocent in our laws and customs , that our youthful settlements may be a means to preserve us and our posterity , and then our childrens children will bless our souls , and we shall as naturally attract the sweet influences of the coelestials , and also the benovelent aspects of all creatues , as the load-stone doth iron ; for every like draws to its self its likeness ; for therein consists its highest ioy. iii. a third thing i would offer to your consideration , is , that you will not suffer it to become a custom , or to be lawful for any amongst you to wear any sort of garments or clothing , save only such , both woolen and linnen , as our own country does or may produce ; nor of any other colours , but such as the woods , seeds , earths and minerals of our own land affords ; by which we shall encourage , not only all ingenious people , but also our own commodities , and altogether discourage forreigners . also , let it be a custom amongst us for all our superiors or magistrates to wear white garments made of wool , which is not only more serviceable , but natural , whereby they will be good examples to the lower sort , who in such things always take their measures from those above them . besides , such clothings are easier procured , and custom has stronger chains to hold the multitude than the most severest laws ; and why should christians so much desire those martial and saturnine colours ? whereas white is truly natural , the emblem of innocence and temperance , which god and nature gives us without labour or trouble , it being convenient for us who have in some degree seperated our selves from the vanities of this world to chuse all such things as have the nearest affinity to simplicity , as well in cloathing , as in meats , drinks and exercises , by which we shall not only free our selves from unnecessary bonds , needless changes , vain fashions , burthensome inconveniences we have many years laboured under , but also teach our posterity this important truth , that the fewer things we need , the happier we are , and the more quiet we shall lead our lives ; superfluity and extravagant desires being the mother of all need , labour , pain , trouble and diseases . iv. we ought by all means to discountenance all babylonical letter-learn'd physitians , both for the soul or body ; and on the contrary to direct nnd teach every one to hearken unto their own genius and the voice of wisdom in themselves , which being minded , will teach every one the right cure far better than their mercinary prescriptions . it will be also very convenient that our superiors should accustom themselves to an higher degree of temperance and self-denial , which will have greater influence on the meaner sort ; and let them be diligent in labour and industry ; by which wholsom laws and customs it will become a shame either to be idle , or addicted to superfluities ; therefore let their meats , drinks , exercises and clothing be according to their age , and the necessities of nature , and no more ; whereby the young and simple ones will be kept from despising the children of the poor , and the poor from admiring and envying the rich ; which will put a perpetual stop to the carrier of pride and covetousness , since then all will enjoy the goods of the creatures , as it were , in equal portions . wherefore then should any strive , and sweat , and bustle so furiously to arrive at great riches , seeing that as they cannot be procured without such great care , labour , violence , oppression , not only to a mans own body and soul , but also to the whole creation ; so the enjoyment of them contributes nothing to our real happiness , but rather leads us into more snares and dangers than the hazards and turmoils of getting them did . the chief end men seem now to propose to themselves in the acquisition of vast riches , is , that they may eat of the best lambs , fowls , fishes , &c. and drink wine and strong drink to superfluity , and to live in idleness , and be clothed with soft and costly rayment ; that they may be admired by the multitude , and dwell in sumptuous houses , cramb'd with rich and glittering furniture , and such like vanities ; all which puff up the rich with a swelling conceit of their own worth , and causeth them in most nations to despise , and count the poor but as dogs in comparison of themselves : and on the other side , makes the poor secretly hate and curse the rich ; and hence usually proceed tumults , insurrections , and most of the publick miseries and desolations which happen amongst the sons of men : and what can be more fit and prudential , more necessary for the publick repose , as well as the happiness and content of all individuals , than that we should not only by our laws , but also in our examples and customs , cut off these roots of so many evils , by grubbing up all temptations to such superfluity and intemperance , and by so well cultivating our plantation , as to remove all the matter whence these mischiefs are generated . and then we and our children shall be free from those disquietudes which chiefly render mans life uncomfortable ; free from wasting laborious days and restless nights in a greedy pursuit after noxious vanities , and half killing our selves with cruel carking cares & excessive drudgeries ; free from sharking policies , vnmanly frauds and lewd endeavours to supplant or circumvent our neighbours ; all which proceed for the most part from an insatiate desire , either to gratifie a luxurious paunch or please a vain glorious itch , which will never be contented ; but makes it enjoyment of the greatest abundance , only a step to mount it self towards the grasping as some , yet higher extravagancies ; and if it could become master of all the novelties the four worlds afford , would yet with childish alexander be ready to sit down and cry for more bawbles and new play-things . v. let it be a law and custom amongst us , not only to abandon the use of all weapons of war , but also to avoid all attempts and beginnings of violence , as not to suffer any to use cruelty unto , or to hurrey and oppress any of the inferiour creatures . this may seem a small and light things , but really the consequences of it are very great ; for this will disarm the rage of our young people , and give their greener years a settled tincture or habit of love , compassion and concord . have you not often seen in our own country , little children , almost as soon as they are able to take up a stone or any other weapon into their hands , fling it at some bird , or other innocent creature , and to take delight in hanging , drowning or tormenting young cats or dogs , or any thing else that they can master ; which evil inclinations to violence proceed partly from their birth , as being begot from wrathful essences , and the like bad qualities predominating in their parents , and partly from imitation ; for the daily practice and examples they behold of cruelty and violence offered to all creatures by their fathers , stirs them up to do the like as far as their power ▪ will reach to do mischief . for this cause most boys whilst they are in tender years do delight in drums swords , and all weapons of violence , because they see their fathers and the elder sort of their sex do the same . but on the contrary , female children delight themselves in sewing of linnen , needle-work , playing with babies , making of banquets , imitating christenings , ( as they call them ) and the like , in imitation of their mothers , whom they see much concerned in such affairs . since therefore whatsoever you do , your youth will certainly endeavour to imitate ; and for that there is as well a possibility of awakening , strengthening and encouraging innocence , compassion , patience , concord , good will and harmless inclinations in all youth , by the practise and custom of well-doing , as there is of breeding and encouraging wrath and violence by evil practices and conversations : therefore it will be good to season your children's first years with customs tending to virtue and innocence ; in order to which , nothing will be more prevalent than good examples . vi. let it not be lawful for any amongst us to use scoffing , iesting or idle discourses , but let our conversation always relish of wisdom , humane or divine , and help to instruct each other in the true knowledge of god , nature , and our selves ; and let tale-bearers ( the fire-brands of society , and nurses of strife and dissention ) be punished with servitude ; nor let riches , chance of birth , gay clothes , nor any other thing be counted honourable amongst us , but only the true knowledge of god , nature , and our selves , and acting pursuant thereunto . vii . let us resolve to relinquish that mischievous custom of marrying for wealth ; & therefore let it be prohibited for any to give portions or dowries with his daughters ; by this we shall discourage the spirit of covetousness and idleness in our young men , and prevent their making use of base depraved counterfeit kindnesses , which are but meer complements , to bring their greedy desires to pass : nor ought the diseased and deformed , who are not sit for generation , or to answer the end for which marriage was instituted , be desirous to press into that state : also , all unequal matches , as young with the old , and old with the young ( which commonly proceed from lust in one of the parties , and covetousness in the other ) ought to be discouraged , and all such unnatural marriages branded with a note of infamy , and those persons to be accounted most miserable who commit such intemperances . ix . for the preventing of theft , let it be ordained , that if any person steal , he shall make four-fold satisfaction to the party injur'd , either by money or servitude . and if any wilfully commit man-slaughter , then let such perish by the same sword or weapon . and let all the fellons that give themselves to stealing be compelled , during all their time of servitude to wear a different garment from others during their whole lives , that all may know what they have done . and to hinder such bad practices in the root , let none be exempted from working , but only magistrates and tutors . x. it ought to be considered , understood and taught amongst us , that the fragrant herbs , fruits and grains were not only ordained by the lord for food in the beginning , but also that the same are still much to be preferred for their natural excellency , before and above the stock and radix thereof . for is not the corn to be preferred before the stalk it grows on for food ? and are not all sorts of fruits far more acceptable than the trees whence they proceed ? the very same is to be understood of all animals ; is not the milk of cows and sheep more pleasant to behold , and better food , being varied by the house-wives art , than the blood and flesh of such cattel ? there being as great a difference between the one and the other as there is between fire and light ; the fire being of a consuming fierce nature , but the light thereof is of a most delightful aimable principle or quality , and yet if there were no fire there could be no light , the fire being the radix of all light and loveliness . every particular creature and fruit , be it ever so mean and simple , is an image of , and does contain the true nature and property of the whole . the fruits and grains of all vegetables , as also the fruits of animals , send forth a pleasant odour , and are delightful to the sight and pallate , easie of concoction , affording nourishment of a clean firm substance ; but the stock or stalk , which is the father of the fruit , is of an astringent harsh sower bitter taste , and an unpleasant smell , not fit for food ; even so it is in animals . for this cause it will be highly convenient for us to put away from us all intemperance and superfluity , and to prefer the eating of fruits , grains and seeds , for fear we should be precipitated into the wrath before we are sensible of it , as many thousands are ; for mens strong inclinations to flesh and blood and to all beastiality , do too clearly manifest that they live in the power and operation of the fierce wrath and savage nature of the wild beasts of the desert . xi . the usual time of our labour need not exceed six hours in a natural day ; for if every one performs that duely according to the obligation which the lord hath laid upon men in general , without exception , & content themselves with innocent fruits , grains and seeds , and observe the rules of moderation and temperance , you may assure your selves , that six hours labour in a day will plentifully supply us with all things necessary for life , health or pleasure ; not that the rest of our time should be spent in idleness , much less wasted in vain gaming or riot , but imployed in meditating on the works of god and nature , innocent and useful conference , reading profitable books , refreshing our spirits with the sweet airs of musick , practising curious and beneficial arts , as planting , inoculating , grafting , studying the science of numbers , the use of the globes , the theory of navigation , and all the parts of the mathamaticks , for those whose genius leads them thereunto ; others to gain skill by experience in the knowledge of herbs , plants , and other vegetations , to distinguish them by their names , shape and virtues , take notice of their agreement with , or antipathy to each other ; and particularly to observe the signature of each ; for on every thing god has engraven certain mystick real characters , fully expressing its true nature and vertues to such as can obtain the skill to read that essential alphabet ; also reading of true and select histories , wherein by taking notice of the revolutions , confusions , slaughters and miseries men in all ages have brought upon themselves , by their lusts and pride , we may both learn to detest their ways which lead to those confusions , and be excited to a greater gratitude to god for his mercies to us , in planting us under more happy circumstances . xii . let sugar , spanish fruits , and all sorts of spices be sold only at one place in a town , and be used wholly in medicines , and not to mix with any sort of common food or drink ; for they are not only superfluous , but prejudicial to health so to be used . also , let our times of eating be about nine in the morning and five in the after-noon , for you will find that much more agreeable than a meal at mid-day , as commonly in use ; for the central heat or eye of the world being then in the meridian , hath great power to awaken the natural heat , and also to evaporate it , and therefore at that time , most people , especially in hot weather , do feel themselves more hot and indisposed than either in the morning or afternoon ; besides , all that would preserve their health , ought to fast a proper time between meals , that so the stomach and natural heat may the better concoct , and make a perfect seperation , whence is generated good blood , and brisk lively spirits ; besides , a long mornings-work or exercise , dulls and wastes the pure spirits , which renders nature not so capable to digest a full meal of meat and drinks ; and let this be a general rule amongst us , that nature be alwayes stronger than the meats and drinks , and not your food stronger than nature ; and then you will find your selves after such meals refreshed , and not dulled . and by observing these rules and practising temperance , you will prevent abundance of diseases , so that i need speak the less touching physick ; only shall recommend to your notice and publick use the following poultice , for the speedy and certatn cure of burns , scalded limbs , byles , fellons , or any the like sores , viz. wheat-flower , water and milk simpered over the sire till it be thick , and then add some sugar and make it sweet , & apply this to the part grieved or times a day , the oftner the better , and then anoint it with fresh butter to keep it subtle ; for all these ingredients do cast a friendly aspect to each other , and are of a balsamick nature , and therefore do soon raise up the dismay'd oyl or wounded spirits , by meliorating , and asswaging the awakned poysons in such hurts . perhaps some good houswife will be apt to contradict me , and say , that bread may do better than flower : but give me leave to tell her , that bread has passed through a strong fiery preparation , which has , as it were , broken the very heart of it ; besides , it does more or less retain those sulpherous vapours it received in the oven , which are very injurious ; also salt being generally mixed with it , makes it so much the worse , salt being of a sharp fretting nature , apt to incorporate with the venoms in such sores , and so advance and encrease them . what is said of bread is clearly manifested by this , viz. put what quantity you will of bread into water or milk , and it will not thicken nor become of so strong a substance as it will do with a small quantity of flower . for this cause milk and water thickned with flower , ( provided it be not thicker than milk-pottage , and do but just boyl up ) is one of the healthiest foods in the world for all ages , but especially for children and old people ; for it does not only administer wholsom nourishment , but naturally opens the passage of the stomach , and powerfully carries the windy matter downward , and causeth it to break away with ease . this sort of food is good for all women , but more particularly those that are troubled with fumes and windy vapours flying into the head ; nor doth it bind the body , as some ignorantly imagine , though sometimes it does prove beneficial in looseness and fluxes , but that does not proceed from its binding quality , but from its sweet friendly nature , by moderating those sharp keen poysons that are by some intemperance or accident awakened in the bowels . there are several other particulars which might be recommended to your observation and use ; but if you duely follow these , and continue to walk in the strait paths of nature , your eyes will be daily more and more enlightned , and you will come to see and discern in all things what is good , wholsom , safe , proper and natural , and the contrary , so as to chuse the one and refuse the other . there only remains now one objection to what i first proposed touching avoiding the use of weapons , viz. that if we shall do so , we shall presently become a prey , and be over-run by forreigners . to which i answer ; this objection is some-what like that of the iews of old , consulting whether or no they should put to death innocent iesus ; if we let this man alone , cry'd they , the romans will come upon us , and take away our place and nation . whereas on the quite contrary , for their wickedness in slaying the lord of life , god in his just judgment brought upon them the romans indeed , who destroy'd them with a desolation , such as no age can parallel ; so there is just reason to judge , that the direct contrary to your apprehensions will happen in this case ; for innocence is a better bullwark than force , and will more surely protests you than great guns and munition of war. and indeed what security is there in those things , since there is no nation , though never so well furnisht with or skill'd in the use of them , but one time or other is subdued and over-run by the greater violence of others ? whereas your harmless , innocent , just course of living will disarm the rage of your neighbour princes ; for nothing does so powerfully fortifie a nation or people as virtue and well-doing . for all wars are set on foot either for covetousness to make themselves masters of great treasure and spoil , or for ambition and vain glory , to boast of their victories , or for revenge of past injuries . now none of all these will have any place in relation to you . for first , you contenting your selves with what is necessary , will give no temptation to their covetousness ; nor can they derive any honour by vanquishing those that make no resistance ; nor pretend a quarrel for injuries received when you live at peace wih all the creation : which last , by a secret , yet powerful magnetism will again draw all things to a friendliness towards you . whence come wars and fightings , ( saith the apostle ) is it not from your lusts ? root out the latter , and you will be in no danger from the former : having once subdued our inward or home enemies there will be no fear of forreign forces , but all things shall work together for our good . besides , good and virtuous examples will work far more upon our neighbour indians than lip-preaching or external rites of religious worship ; for the first doth reach to the root , and touch the inwards of a man , the latter affect only the eye or ear ; so that nothing can effectually overcome the fierce wrath , both in man and without him , but only living in the power and operation of the pure innocent and friendly principle of god's love , whence all compassion and well-doing proceed , that being the true protector and defendor of our faith , and in which alone is perfect peace , wherein we shall find rest to our souls . but on the other side , intemperance and superfluity do enthral mankind , makes that their masters which was ordained to be their servants , and exposes them to continual dangers , troubles , turmoils , vexations and miseries . thus in true love to the wellfare of this our new plantation , and to you all , my friends and country-men , i have laid before you those things which i conceive tend to your peace , prosperity and happiness : and may the good spirit of light , love and innocence illuminate you to pursue and vigorously endeavour what may conduce to these most safe , honourable and desirable ends. chap. v. the complaints of the birds and fowls of heaven to their creator , for the oppressions and violences most nations on the earth do offer unto them , particularly the people called christians , lately settled in several provinces in america . though nature hath formed most of our kind for harmony , and endued us with ravishing notes , and the warbling airs of melody , yet we cannot but now for a while forget our pleasant singing , and in sorrowful tones sigh out our just complaints , from a deep sence of those oppressions and undeserv'd ill usage under which we groan . 't is not the severity of the season , nor the harshness of the weather , that so much afflicts us ; for to those inconveniences of the elements we patiently submit ; but 't is the treachery and tyranny that we endure from the hands of creatures that call themselves rational , and whom we never injured , but on the contrary have many ways obliged , that enforces us to remonstrate to all the creation the injustice of their dealings and our sufferings . cruel and heard-hearted man ! does this perfidiousness and tyranny of thine towards us inferior-graduated , yet innocent fellow creatures , look like thy first estate ? has not our creator made and ordained thee his governour and great vice-gerent over all the inhabitants of the lower universe , to rule them with meekness and equity ? and formed thee his image , viz. to live in and under the government of the divine and friendly principle of his love and holy light , but you have disobeyed the commands of our creator , and despised the voice of wisdom in your hearts , and through cruelty , violence and oppression not only to one another , but to all the host of heaven , have precipitated your selves into the fierce wrath of god and nature , whence have been invented all guns , powder , bullets , and other hellish engines of destruction , by which you do not only plague and torment and butcher one another , but all other innocent creatures , whom the great jehovah hath made for his honour and glory , and to sing forth his praise , by whose power and divine hand we are sustained ; for he bountifully gives us our daily bread without labour of body or perturbation of mind ; therefore in our way and according to our nature , we joyfully chaunt forth hellelujahs to his name , and rest satisfied with his good pleasure . but depraved man will not suffer us in peace or safety to go on with that imployment for which we were made , but declares himself our enemy , and causelesly proclaims war against us , and by force and fraud , open violence and secret stratagems endeavours , where-ever he can catch or surprize us , to deprive us of that life which god hath given us . and we are more especially astonish't to meet with these usages from those that call themselves christians , who of late years have found out and settled themselves in the regions and countries of america , where before their arrival we lived in a very great degree of freedom and security . but now by this new neighbour-hood of those from whose , profession we might promise our selves nothing but love and good will , our condition is much altered for the worse , our danger and destruction is daily encreased , and to kill and murder us is become an occupation and a trade , for which purpose these peaceable christians ( as they would be counted ) have brought with them all kinds of snares and engines of war and violence , which never had before been seen , nor their frightful hellish noises heard in our coasts . now how absurd is it for those who fly from violence in one place , to begin it themselves on the innocent in those places where they take shelter ? how much below the dignity of a man are those cruel and insidious practices ? how forreign from and contrary to the doctrin of that christianity which you profess , where 't is expresly declared , that whoever useth the sword shall perish by it : that is to say , he that by any kind of violence doth awaken the center of wrath in himself , shall be precipitated into it ; and therefore your most holy prophet , the first born of the sons of god , and in and by whom the world was made , saith , my kingdom is not of this world , for then would my servants fight . that is , my kingdom , and that state whereunto i bring my disciples , does not consist in wrath , violence or oppression , but in peace , innocency , love and universal good will , doing unto all as they would be done unto . and in pursuance of these injunctions and instructions from that adorable prince of peace , we have been informed , that divers christians in the primitive times , at the first arising of the day-star of gods eternal light and love , did deny themselves all the violent sports of esau and nimrod , and bore their testimony against all oppression and the use of those devilish engines of destruction : and many in their own country will not to this day be seen to practise any violent exercises , as hunting , hawking , shooting or laying of snares and traps to betray the guiltless inhabitants of the expanded firmament , but make it a main point of doctrine to disown fighting , and use of arms , and practices of violence , as being contrary to the divine principle ; and yet some of the same men coming into our indian territories for the sake of a good conscience , and that they might exercise their minds and liberties in peaceable well-doing , which the sword of wrath disquieted and hindered them from enjoying in their own country , did as lustily provide themselves with hellish engines of wrath , cruelty and bloodshed , as guns , swords , powder , &c. as if they had been marching into the fields of mars , rather than into a land of tranquility and repose . but tell us , o men ! we pray you tell us what injuries have we committed to forfeit ? what law have we broken , or what cause given you , whereby you can pretend a right to invade and violate our part , and natural rights , and to assault and destroy us , as if we were the agressors , and no better than thieves , robbers and murtherers , fit to be extirpated out of the creation ? sure we are , we have not made our selves more rich than our neigbours , nor endeavour'd to establish to our selves a tyranny over them : we have not taken away their priviledges , nor laid cities and countries waste : we are not guilty of burning of towns , nor deflowring of virgins , nor ravishing matrons , nor of slaying old men , or carrying away captive the young : we do not gather our selves into troops to destroy those of our own kind ; nor have we at any time plundered them , or haled them into loathsom prisons : nor are we offended with each other , because our feathers are not all of a length or of the same colour : we eat not to gluttony , nor drink to excess and ebriety , whilst some of our kind are half starved : others of larger bodies or higher fleight , do not squeeze and oppress the inferiors with hard labours , whilst themselves surfeit in riot and wantonness : we do not rob one another of natural rayment , nor grow proud with their ornaments : our foods and drinks are not the price of blood , nor do they smell of the violence and oppression of aegypt ; but our liquor is pure water , and our food is given us by the divine hand of providence : our love to each other is neither partial nor dissembled ; nor do we couple for money , honour , or any private base interest . consider therefore , o man ! our innocence , and thine own high birth , and sully not thy natural honour with an unjust pursuit to destroy us , but remember , that all the inventers of those engines of war and violence , which thou uses● against us , have brought them forth from the root of bitterness ; and know this , that none can use them but from the power of the same black principle . how unworthy the humane nature , and how unlike innocency is it , for thee , o man , that art made but a little lower than the angels , to hang a great iron sword by thy side , a huge budget of stinking sulphur and nitro and leaden pellets at thy girdle , and an heavy gun on thy shoulder , and thus loaden with violence within and without , to run through thick and thin , over pleasant plains and craggy mountains , playing at bo-peep behind trees , bushes and hedges , like a thief or trepan , taking all advantages to betray innocency , and unsuspectedly let fly the fierce thunderbolts of mars , and the poysons of saturn , to deprive us of our harmless lives , to the great amazement of all the peaceable inhabitants of heaven ▪ and when all is done , the summ total of thy exploit , and all the trophy and triumph of thy war-like expedition , is but this , that with the expence of much precious time , and enduring more extremity of toil , hunger and cold than perhaps thou wouldst have suffered to save the life of one of thy wanting brethren , thou hast treacherously kill'd a poor innocent bird , whose carkass perhaps will scarce yield thee a penny , whilst in the mean time and with half this pains , thou mightst at thy own needful and lawful occupation have gotten to the value of six pence or a shilling , and yet oft-times the time , charge and trouble of dressing this thy unjust prey , is double the value of it when it is dressed ; whereas one pint of milk of it self , or conveniently varied , would give thee a much more wholsom and nourishing meal . consider further , what an odd , dishonourable and beggarly baseness it seems to be in gentlemen and those of estates , who live and spend most part of their time in idle wantonness , gluttony and excess , and whensoever they have a mind to exercise themselves a little , and disperse the thick fumes of a late debauch , then out they must go abroad to offer violence to some of their fellow creatures ; and they that are content to hire lewd and obscene minstrils , to divert them at their revels , with a rude scraping on a parcel of cats-guts with their clumsey fingers , are so far from returning us any thanks for that most pure natural and ravishing musick that we continually afford them gratis , that on the contrary , with the blackest ingratitude they study our destruction : and this their malice they chiefly execute when it is frosty snowy and severe weather , when the sun , the fountain of light and comfort is retreated to the remotest tropick , when the earth is stript of fruits and grains , and lies bedrid and benumb'd under the bands of sullen saturn , and the heavens with-draw their sweet and friendly influences , then instead of relieving us in our extreamity , and preserving us from the rigors of the season , and of the elements , they take their opportunity to add to our miseries and dangers , and rather than fail to do us a mischief , punish themselves with wet and cold , lurking in private holes to circumvent and murder us ; and he is the bravest fellow that can kill most of us , which serves them to boast of amongst their drunken companions in their riotous feasts , when they make themselves merry at our being buried in their insatiate paunches . but why should we wonder at this violence and unnaturalness of depraved men , seeing that they do not scruple to do almost the same to those of their own species ? nay , we are informed , that in the more populous countries , where these killing christians live , when there happens a very hard cold frosty season , there can hardly any little innocent bird escape their bloody hands , but even the harmonious blackbirds , the sweet quavering throshes , and the high soaring lark ( who every morning sends up a sacrifice of melody in the suburbs of heaven , and whom all , not stupified into bruitality , are half ravisht to hear , such are their charming notes ) yet all promiscuously go to pot , and fall victims to this unparallel'd barbarity . and so far as we can perceive , we shall quickly be but in little better condition , if the trade of violence , killing and inhumanity be encouraged , as it has been hitherto ; for the europeans and christians are far more expert in the feats of arms , and these murthering mysteries than our former masters , the indians , whom the christians and others do in contempt call heathens , barbarians and savage wild people , which indeed is true , and in their barbarity they do as much mischief as they can ; but they had not where-with to destroy us in any considerable numbers , neither are they such cunning artists in the dark wrath and devilish practices of killing , nor did they attempt us but to satisfie their hunger ; whereas now they are encourag'd to make a trade of selling our bodies for brandy , rum and strong liquors , which the christians give them in exchange , though the same proves almost as great a mischief to the indians as to us , and in the end will prove of as fatal consequence to the christians themselves . for by selling the indians guns , powder , &c. they grow more expert in all kind of violence , and practise the same not only upon us , but oft-times on one another , and in time , no doubt will attempt the same on those who furnish them with these mortiferous tools , as by experience is found they have done in other places . besides , the christians bring them acquainted with the several sorts of pernicious intoxicating strong drinks , before mentioned , the use of which makes them mad , and tenfold more devilish and inhumane than they were before ; for the more savage , wild and bruitish any man is , both the more fond is he of such strong liquors , and the more mischievous effects have they upon him ; so that rather than they will be without those abominable drinks , after once they have tasted them , they will travel night & day with all pains and cunning imaginable , to hunt , kill and destroy us , and all other creatures , not so much ( now ) for food , as for the skins , feathers or carkasses to sell , that so they may be able there with to procure those baneful drinks ; whereas before the christians arrival they only were able to kill some few of us , and that too , as it were , for necessity , for food , and skins to cover them in the winter ; but since they hunt fish , and torment all the innocent inhabitants of the elements , so that they cannot have any rest or security ; for they will sell the choicest of their skins & furs to procure a little rum or brandy , or a gun , powder , shot , and the like , which only tend to their own destruction , as well as ours ; for as with the one they take away our sweet lives , so with the other they ruin their own healths , contract various diseases never before heard of amongst them ; and besides , put themselves to a world of needless slavery and toil to procure to themselves these mischiefs . and is it not a shame that it should be said , ( and too truly ) that where the christians come in new plantations , they instead of converting , have often debauched the old neighbouring indians and heathen-natives , and rendred many of them worse than they were before ? but still , tell us ( if thou canst ) o man ! wherefore dost thou thus degrade thy self to become a setter , a trepan , a snare , a plague and a torment to all the rest of the innocent inhabitants of the four worlds , wherein yet thou plaguest thy self more than any of them ? has not thy creator made thee in his own image , indued thee with divine and human wisdom , substituted thee governor and deputy-lievetenant over all , and bountifully enricht thee with a thousand priviledges and benefits , which we poor inferior graduates are denyed ? and hast not thou power to command , by understanding and art , the lower animals to serve and labour for thee , as to plough up and till the stubborn ground ( but rendered so by thy sin ) so that it becomes fruitful , and brings thee forth a great number of various sorts of gallant wholsom nurtritive seeds & grains , which being wisely ordered may make variety of curious food ? art thou not endued with strength and art to manure , cultivate and improve the earth , also by planting innumerable fruit-trees , which will afford not only good food , but likewise several sorts of delicate and refreshing drinks ? does not that brave creature the cow , pay thee tribute twice a day , by filling thy pails with nectar , which of it self is a sublime food , and being altered by care and art , makes several sorts of excellent dishes ? doth not the bounteous earth , out of her ever-teeming womb , by nature and the help of thy art , present thee with a vast number of various sorts of beautiful , fragrant and virtuous plants and herbs , proper both for food and physick ? in a word , has not our benificent and indulgent creator freely accomodated thee with the blessings of all the four worlds , which almost surpass in number the utmost reach of humane arithmetick ? has he not appointed the coelestials to distill continually their sweet influences upon thee ? dost thou not command the fine soft wool of that most innocent and useful creature , the sheep , to cover the self-contracted shame of thy nakedness , and keep thee from the injuries of the elements ? art not thou possest of all the stately woods and noble trees ( wherein we are content to spond our selves and build our nests ) but thou takest liberty to cut them down , not only to supply thee with fires , but also to furnish thee with many other conveniences , both of necessity and ornament , especially to build thee houses therewith to secure thy self from pinching frost , and violent rains , and offensive winds , and parching sun-shine ; and yet tho' we are thereby disseized of our antient freeholds and habitations , we have never been heard to murmur or repine , who yet enjoy not a thousandth part of these priviledges and felicities : we pretend not to command over any of our fellow creatures , nor have the use of fire , nor the benefit of houses ; we wear none but our own natural cloathings , and are continually exposed to all the injuries of the elements ; neither are we endued with arts and sciences , crafts and mysteries , whereby to make any advantages to our selves , so that we have nothing to trust to but only the divine hand of our creator ; when he gives us a breakfast , we know not where we shall have a dinner , nor what it will be ; so when we sup , we know nothing of what food , or where we shall eat on the morrow , but wholly rely upon our maker , who never faileth to comfort and feed us ; for a few , and simple mean things sufficiently serve our turns , and relieve our wants , and therefore we need not many ; our desires never wandring beyond the necessities of nature ; our food is innocent and our drink simple water , therefore we are not sick , but live our appoint time in perfect health . wherefore then , o man ! shouldst thou lie in wait to shorten our days , to disturb our repose and interrupt our harmony by the hellish noise of thy guns , arms , snares and stratagems ? or why dost thou teach thine off-spring , as soon as they are able to handle a stone , to fling it at us , as if we were your enemies ? are not those of our winged kind , that inhabit the most sweet and sublime element , the air , more noble than any of the inferior creatures , that grovel upon the earth , or hide themselves in the waters ? and do not all men delight to hear our melodious consorts and musical notes , filling the heavens and earth with our delightful songs , which we chaunt forth in honour and praise to our creator , being free from envy , strife & contention , from carking cares and vexations , all places being our home , and we go freely where we please , except when entangled in thy treacherous gins and devices , for which there is no pretence or provocation , nor the least colour of reason why thou shouldst envy our simple innocent life , seeing we cannot by our death contrib●te any thing to thy happiness , who ar● already so plentifully stored with the great and gallant priviledges and advantages before-mentioned . and , o! what a brave noble wise creature would man be , and what honour and glory might his government bring unto his creator , as well as comfort and happiness to himself and all his fellow-creatures , if he liv'd innocently , and did but as we poor creatures do , viz. answer that end for which he was made , and do as he would willingly be done unto . i have heard , that one of the cunningest of our kind , viz. a iack-daw , who ( like some pretended christians ) loves churches , more for conveniency and shelter than worship , having made a nest in the steeple , or some part of the house , where a number of them use to meet for performing their publick exercises of religious worship , and by means thereof , often hearing a great noise below , was prompted , by curiosity , to enquire the occasion thereof ; so listening attentively , he heard the men there met were a reading the commandments of god , where 't is said , thou shall do no murder : to which all the people answer'd , lord incline our hearts to keep this law. and afterwards they proceeded to read many good prayers to god to forgive them their trespasses & mis-deeds , all their violences and abuse of gods creatures , &c. which extreamly rejoyced the poor bird to hear ; so he returned to his fellows , and acquainted every bird that he met with in the airial plains , of these glad tidings , that man , their tormentor and vigilent enemy did now repent of the evil of his ways , and would now commit no more murders , nor acts of violence on the innocent . which was receiv'd with an universal acclamation of the volatile troops , and now with redoubl'd notes began to sing louder anthems of joy and gratitude for so great a blessing , which would give a general peace to the whole creation . but their mirth was but short-liv'd ; for the very next day this daw , with some others was abroad seeking for food , and there comes one of the same persons whom he had seen so devoutly praying in the church , and lying in ambush with a long gun cramb'd with brimstone and nitre and murthering pellets of load , as soon as he spy'd his opportunity , let flie at the harmless birds , and kill'd several of them upon the place , and wounded others ; those that escaped acquainted their fellows what they had seen and suffered , and bid them look to themselves , whatever fair words men might use ; for they say , and do not ; they pray god would incline their hearts not to commit any violence , and yet the profession , the very trade of killing is one of the most honourable callings amongst them in their esteem : they with their lips desire the lord would forgive them their oppressions and violences , and in their hearts resolve upon , and by their practices continue the same outrages . thus vain and depraved men , through their wanton and extravagant desires after those things which they need not , nay , which are much more prejudicial than profitable unto them , do draw upon themselves a deluge of calamities ; the more they have , the more they need ; for as their possessions and enjoyments are enlarged , so continually in proportion are their greedy desires augmented , like persons in a dropsie , coveting after more drink , because they have ingurg'd too much already ; and so through transgression and violence that noble rational creature , becomes the most miserable of all animals , who was made in the beginning not only the supream , but most happy , and wisest of all : and although we are daily subject to all his snares and violences , yet still we would not for a thousand worlds be in some mens condition ; for they have made themselves not only subject to a thousand miseries in this life , but more especially in the world to come , which has no end ; whereas both our joy and sorrow terminates with this life , and extends not beyond the short horizon of time : and though we do undergo great inconveniences , and often lose our dear lives sacrificed to irrational and ungodly violence , yet let him know , that he himself is and shall be thereby the greatest sufferer ; and therefore we advise him to be careful that he do not awaken the fierce jaws and ravenous mouth of the wrath , for fear he be thereby in the end swallowed up , and there be none to deliver him . canst thou , o man ! accuse us for breaking or transgressing gods pure law in nature ? are we guilty of cheating , lying or hearing false witness , of gluttony , drunkenness , or taking the adorable name of our creator in vain ? have we usurpt upon thy priviledges , taken away thy lands , or laid waste thy houses ? do we not abominate thy uncleannesses , and observe the proper times of our couplings ? are not our males tender and loving , and our females so chaste that they will not admit the greatest courtier amongst us to touch them out of their proper seasons ? are either of us ever jealous of each other ? where canst thou find amongst all the numerous inhabitants of the four worlds , so much abstinence , love , constancy and chastity as in our kind , our males taking the like care and industry as the most sober provident well disposed man does for the preservation and accomodation of his dear wife and tender children ; for during the time of our hatching and breeding up , they duly take pains to provide and bring home food for their females , whilst they sit , and also for their young ones after they are brought forth ; neither do they visit the nests of others , but keep close to their first chosen loves ; therefore anger , iealousie and contention ( those thorns which render most of your down-beds uneasie ) enter not into our unbounded habitations . we contend not , nor wrangle about our pedigrees , nor trouble our heads about noble birth and state ; neither have we any law-suits for rights , priviledges , lands or inheritances ; the whole expanded ante-court of heaven our creator has given in common amongst us , not limiting us by any land-marks ; the vast and spacious air is our natural city , whereof we are all born free ; nor have we forfeited our charter : the composition and elements of our bodies are more brisk , lightsom , agile and pleasant than any other creatures , as coming nearest to the coelestial quires than the heavy dull melancholly earth-creepers , or phlegmatick inhabitants of the ocean ; therefore we can remove many miles in a very few hours , and mount our selves to the lofty regions , and there behold the wonderful secrets of our creator in the generation of meteors , how soft vapours are cran'd up by the suns strong beams , and condens'd into clouds , and thence distill'd into showers ▪ to enable the earth to afford us nourishment ; how falling drops being intercepted in their way , congeal into flakes of snow ; and how hot exhalations imprison'd in surrounding vapours of a cold and contrary nature , force their passage with bright flashes and terrible noises , which you call lightning & thunder ; whilst in the mean time , whilst we survey near hand these wonders , our fallen prince [ man ] is confin'd to his earthly palaces , nuzling like swine in dung and dirt , or rather like moles , always moiling , yet always blind . this active life , joyn'd with our innocent simple diet , preserves us from being afflicted with diseases ; your agues are as unknown to us as their causes and cures are to your physitians ; we have no feavers , because we never burn with unnatural lusts , nor dropsies , because we never drown our faculties with over-charg'd bowls ; neither are our joynts crampt with the great pox , nor our skins deform'd with the small ; our young ones are not tortur'd with the evil or rickets , nor those of riper age with trembling palsies , putrifying scurvies , or any the like cruel diseases : so that rarely any of our kind dye unnatural deaths ( unless occasion'd by the treachery or violence of man ) but we are by the goodness of our creator blessed with health and long life , not subject to distempers , slavish labours , cares , or any other perturbations either of body or mind , because we still continue in the constant observation of that pure innocent law of god in nature , in which we were first created , and do still retain those natural gifts and self-preservations which we were endued with in the beginning ; for the lord made all creatures sound and healthful , and now if any are otherwise it is because they have forsaken gods pure law , and depraved themselves ; the most fatal instance whereof is man , who was in his creation adorn'd with wonderful gifts and graces , both divine and humane , and in every respect made more compleat than any other inhabitants of the material worlds ; but behold now how miserably is he degenerated and shut up in ignorance , folly and blindness , by his stepping out of that innocent law god had placed him in , and giving way first to the insinuation , and by degrees to the tyranny of the fierce violent wrathful poysonous spirit , which has not only captivated his soul to all evil , and exposed his body to innumerable diseases , but also enslaved all the vast multitudes of the four worlds ; for he being our angel and governour , therefore we partake in the sad consequences of his transgression and fall ; but none so much as himself , because none sinned , nor broke god's pure law but himself ; for not only those of our kind , but all others ( except men ) do still retain that truly noble and universal language which our creator endued us with in the beginning ; and though carried or voluntarily flying into remote climates , many hundred miles distant , can as intelligibly understand those of our own kind , as nearer home where we were bred ; but it is not so with our prince [ man ] for if he travels but four or five hundred miles , or shifts three or four degrees of latitude , he must have an interpreter , or else he can no more comprehend the language of those of his own species than he can do ours ; and yet what a clutter does he make about languages and scholarship , spending the prime part of his life ( which ought to be entirely imployed in the study of nature and wisdom ) in learning a few canting words , of the basis and true root whereof he knows nothing ; whereas we need no tyrannical schoolmaster to lash us into the knowledge of grammer , or teach us the use of letters , since we can by our natural tones communicate whatsoever is needful for the relief or preservation of each other , still varying that tone according to our necessities . do not therefore boast , o man ! nor grow proud of thy great knowledge and parts , nor usurp to thy self a license to oppress and domineer over both the weaker of thine own kind , and all other innocent inhabitants of air , earth and sea : from whence didst thou derive thy authority for killing thy inferiors , meerly because they are such , or for destroying their natural rights and priviledges ? is it not from thy fall ? has not transgression been the occasion thereof ? and is it not the effects of the fierce wrath , where every form hath its motion and operation in discord ; and hast not thou by adhearing thereunto , and being govern'd by the serpentine nature , attracted unto thy self a thousand evils and calamities ? for what inferior creature in the world is afflicted with so many diseases of body and perturbations of mind as thou art ? also , art not thou the most helpless and forlorn creature of the universe , and more subject than any of us to receive impressions from the injuries of the elements ? for art not thou beholding to the inferior graduates for thy cloathing , and a great part of thy food ? and art thou not continually assaulted with inward and outward enemies ? with perpetual plagues of suspitions , fears , jealousies and unsatisfied desires ? and dost not thou fear those of thy own kind more than all the fierce savages of the deserts ? what authority dost thou retain over the elements ? or what favour or kindness will they shew unto thee , more than to us poor inferiors ? when once they get the mastery , will not the water drown thee , the fire burn thee , and the earth swallow thee up ? nor hast thou any more command of the air ; how hast thou lost those spacious dominions the creator invested thee with in the beginning ? examine thy self , o thou two-leg'd unfeather'd unthinking thing ! what canst thou truly boast of now , according to thy common way of living , more than we ? a crane hath a longer swallow , and therefore 't is like takes more delight in receiving its food and drink ; and yet many of you make the pleasure of your throats your business , i may almost say , your godd : the eagle can vastly out-see you , the vultur out-smell you , every one of us hear more nimbly ; for chastity , our turtles vye with the very best of you ; for paternal affections towards their young , our pelican exceeds you , and for returning love towards helpless parents , our storks may shame you . dare any of your songsters , musick-masters , choristers or organ-players compare with the ravishing notes of a morning lark or an evening nightingale ? what more certain knowledge have you of the times , or the changing of seasons , or any the like secret operations of gods power in the internal & external nature ? are not thy astrological predictions generally false , and thy prognostications of the weather scarce so significant or certain as the chattering of our magpies , or the screaking of a peacock ? are not all thy methods of physick as fallible ? and dost thou not venture blindfold at these things , by guess and chance ? consider therefore , o man ! that thou art the unhappiest of all gods creatures , and that thou dost excel all others in cruelty ; for if thou hadst thy will , thou wouldst hardly leave one of our innocent kind alive to sing forth the praises of our creator , and to wellcome in the great eye of the world , and the delightful spring , at whose approach all things rejoyce , and chaunt forth hyms and praise to the creator , every thing according to its kind and nature ( man only excepted ) whose teeth are imbrew'd in blood , which will not be for his good , but hath thereby broken the holy commandments of his creator , as the scriptures of truth do testifie , i will , saith the lord , cut off that soul from the land of the living that defileth himself with blood. consider also , o man ! how unpleasing , dollerous and frightful would it be to thee in the pleasant moneths of march , april and may , when thou walkest in the delightful fields , if thou shouldst not hear the pleasant and refreshing charms of those of our kind , would thou not fear , say and think , that the creator was angry , and that some judgment was near at hand ? why then dost thou thus endeavour to bring all our joyful tones , notes , sounds and melodious harmonies into mourning and silence , and to root us from off the earth , and that we should have no beeing or habitation in the elements , which are as much our right by elohim's great charter as they are thine ▪ also , how monsterous , cruel , yea , and every way ridiculous doth man behave himself to all those of our kind ? for though many do not , cannot delight themselves with the best instrumental harmony those of their own species can make , yet all men love and delight in our pleasant tunes and harmonies ; and yet neither our innocency nor our ravishing notes will appease his fury towards us , but many of them in the hard and severe winter will rise betimes , and spare no pains to kill us , and on the other side , when spring comes , the very same men will rise as early to walk in the open fields , groves and meadows to hear our melodious songs and pleasant harmonies . oh! manifest unparallel'd contradiction and cruelty ! does this look like man in his innocent estate , who was made but little inferior to angels , and an associate with god himself , who endued him with both divine and human wisdom ? alas ! no. leave off then , o man ! for shame leave off thy pride , and thy vain glory , and boast no more of thy knowledge , and dominion , and authority ; for in truth thou art poor , and blind , and weak , and helpless , and miserably ignorant ; sink down therefore into humility , and cease from cruelty , first against those of thine own kind , and then thou mayst come to see and abhor the error of oppressing thy inferiors ; for this is the way to retreive thine honour and dignity , to bring back the golden age , and that innocent estate , which by oppression , cruelty and violence thou hast lost ; for mercy , innocence and well-doing are well-pleasing to our creator , and agreeable to the noble divine principle , and attract the sweet influence of the coelestials , so that the merciful , and the peace-makers and peace-preservers shall be filled with all good things ; for as man was created after the image of god , so in him are contained the true nature and properties of all elements ; and since god is both the maker and preserver of all creatures , there is no doubt but man ( his vice-gerent here below ) ought to imitate his soveraigne therein ; but instead thereof he sets himself to destroy not only those of his own kind , but also all other creatures ; so that through sin and vanity he is become a professed enemy to all the host of heaven . how many thousands of our innocent kind have been murthered by guns , traps , snares , & c ? and many thousands both of our males and females have lost their loving mates by the like stratagems , and no pity or compassion taken by man on our miserable sufferings , but rather they encourage each other to our destruction , and cry , hang th●se scurvey birds , shoot them , destroy them , they are good for nothing but to eat up our corn : as if god that created us had done it in vain , as if he intended us not a subsistance and food ? what right i pray , has man to all the corn in the world ? or why should he grumble and repine if we take a few grains to supply our necessities , whilst he squanders away such heaps upon his lusts ? wherein i fear he has so much besotted himself , and by continual practice is be come so harden'd , and has so powerfully irritated the dark wrath in himself , tha● all our remonstrances to him to move him to mercy and compassion , and to forbear polluting himself with the blood of the innocent , will be but in vain , and that we must still sigh and groan under his cruelty and tyranny , which at long-run will return seven fold upon his own guilty head. the b — ds supplication . oh , thou great and immortal creator ! cause of causes , fountain of beeing , god of nature , author , preserver and vpholder of this glorious vniverse , parent of angels and men , and all other animals inhabiting the vast deeps , or the spacious earth , or the unbounded air , thou hast given a well-beeing and self-preservation unto all thy creatures ; but man , whom thou hast made our lord , having cast off all affection towards us , disobeying thy holy commands , has plunged himself into the fountain of fierce wrath , and therefore above all things desires and delights in violence and killing ; for nothing will satisfie the hungery wrath but slaughter and blood , ( for every thing must be maintained by its likeness ) so that his rage is now grown so active , that we have no place that can secure us from his violence , but he continually pursues , seeking to take away our innocent lives . the ungrateful and ●errible noise of his guns drowns our sweet melody ; the whole air is infected with the stinking fumes of his murthering powder ; no place is free from his ambushes , nets , gins , pitfalls and snares , so that the sight of a man is become most dreadful and terrible unto us , whereby our lives being always in danger and fears , are made grievous unto us : every noise we hear we are afraid our fierce hunter is near ; and tho' we cry and make our mournful complaints , no mortals will hear us or take pity on us , but divert themselves with our death , and laugh and sport at our destruction . so that we have no friend , no patron on earth to help or commiserate our miserable estate , and rescue us from their treachery and cruelty ; none to fly unto but thee , o holy fountain of light & life , to whom we send our dolorous cries and mournful complaints ; for we proceeded from thee , and thou art the lord our maker ; preserve us , thy poor creatures in that natural liberty and safety wherein thou hast placed us ; restrain the hands of violence , inspire all that profess thy name with the spirit of meekness , tenderness , mercy and compassion both towards each other , and all thy creation , that their swords may be turned into pruning-hooks , their frightful guns into instruments of melody , and there may be no more fighting , wounding or killing in all thine holy mountain . amen . finis . advertisement . there is lately publish't by the author of the country-man's companion , a treatise entituled , the way to health , long life and happiness , or a discourse of temperance , and the particular nature of all things requisit for the life of man. wherein is contained , . a description of the four grand qualities , and how every man may know his own complexion , whether chollerick , sanguine , phlegmatick or melancholly , and what diseases they are most subject to ; also what food is most agreeable to persons of every constitution . . of the excellency of temperance , and the benefits of abstinence and sobriety . . a discourse of the several sorts of beast , and of their flesh in particular . . the proper and most natural way of preparing , viz. boyling , roasting , baking , stewing , frying and broyling of flesh and other food . . the seasons of the year in which most people are liable to diseases and mortality , and the reasons thereof , and what food is best to preserve health at that time ; shewing also the seasons of the year in which most sorts of flesh are unclean and aptest to contract diseases ; and what times men may eat flesh with least danger to their health . and of the nature of summer fruits . . of waters , ale , beer , and tobacco ; also of clothing , houses and beds , and what great benefits arise from moderation and temperance in those things . . of each particular trade , as shop-keepers , carpenters , joyners , sea-men , &c. . of herbs , fruits & grains , and the nature and operation of each . the mischief of variety of meats and drinks , and the inconveniences of improper mixtures ; and on the other side , what foods are fit to be compounded . of colours , and how , with seven perfect colours , to imitate and represent all the appearances and colours in the whole vniverse . . the reasons in nature why cities and great towns are subject to the pestilence and other diseases more than country-villages . . of infection or catching-diseases , and how they are transferred from one to another . . of women , their natures , complexions and intemperances , &c. . the cause of surfeits , and how to prevent them , and keep the body in health : the danger of drinking after superfluous meals . and what it is that chiefly breeds the scurvey in the blood. of suppers , and what sort of people may use them without prejudice to their health . . of windy diseases , the reasons thereof , and why english people , especially women , are so much troubled there-with . the evils of eating & drinking food too hot . and mischief of eating and drinking between meals . of fatness , and what sort of people are subject thereto , as also how to prevent it . . of bugs , and from what matter they do proceed , and how to prevent their generation . . the vermin-killer , being several easie sure receipts to destroy vermin . . a short discourse of the pain of the teeth , shewing from what cause it does chiefly proceed , and an experienced easie way to prevent it . . how to cure all cuts , wounds , bruises , &c. without salves , oyntments or plaisters . . of marriage , and the inconveniences of unequal matches , that they make no harmony , and the evil consequences that follow , more especially for young men. with several other most useful observations , too large here to be enumerated ; convenient for all that are lovers of health and strength to observe . to which is added , a treatise of most sorts of english herbs , either physical or fit for common use ; shewing , st , the apt times to gather them astrologically , when the planet that governs them is strong and well aspected , the same being there calculated for years : dly , how to preserve and keep them without losing their virtues ; and , dly , the best way of using them in posset-drinks , decoctions and cordials , so as not to destroy the pure spirituous of them . printed and sold by andrew sowle , at the crooked billet in holloway-lane , shoreditch . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e ☞ dying and dead mens living words published by da. lloyd. lloyd, david, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing l estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) dying and dead mens living words published by da. lloyd. lloyd, david, - . [ ], p. printed for john amery, london : . reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. spiritual life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - sara gothard text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion dying and dead mens living words . published by da. lloyd , m. a. and minister of the gospel at the charter-house , near london . luke . . , , . then he said , i pray thee therefore , father , th●●●ou wouldest send him to my fathers house . for i have five brethren , that he may testifie unto ●●em , lest they also come into this place of torment . abraham said unto him , they have moses and th●●rophets , let them hear them . and he said , nay , father abraham : but if one ●ent unto them from the dead , they will repent . london , printed for amery● at the black-boy over against saint cle●●●● church in the strand , . or , fair warnings to a careless world. shewing , that all sorts of men that have gone before us , into an eternal state , of all conditions , as emperours , kings , philosophers , states-men , &c. of all religions , as heathens , iews , mahometans , christians ; of all opinions among christians , and of all tempers under those opinions , whether strict and serious , or loose and debauched , in all ages of the world from the creation , have left this great observation behind them , that upon experience they have found● that what vain thoughts soever men may in the heat of their youth and lust , entertain of religion , they will sooner or later feel a testimony god hath given it in every mans breast , which will one day make them serious , either by the inexpressible fears , terrors and agonies of a troubled mind , or the unconceivable peace , comfort and joy of a good conscience . a small part whereof was printed . both at london and at yorke , ad obturandum os atheorum , ( to use the words of the reverend doctor digle , chaplain to the lord archbishop of york , in his earnest and particular recommendation of it to the press there ) to awaken us out of our prodigious atheisme and infidelity , a little before the late dreadful judgements , that made us feel the power of that god whom we wouldnot believe ; and the whole is now published upon a pious persons importunate request , that we may take example by others , to be serious in the matter of our eternal concernments , before we be made examples our selves . eccles. . . the words of the wise are as goads , and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies , which are given from one shepheard● fair warnings to a careless world . letter from the right hon iames earl of marleburgh , a little before his death in the battle at sea , on the coast of holland , . the right honourable sir hugh pollard , comptroler of his majesties houshold . sir , i believe the goodness of your nature , and the freindship you have alwayes born me , will re●●ive with kindness the last of●●e of your friend . i am in health enough of body , and ( through the mercy of god in jesus christ ) well disposed in mind . this i premise , that you may be satisfied that what i write proceeds not from any phantastick terrour of mind , but from a sober resolution of what concerns my self , and earnest desire to do you more good after my death , then mine example ( god of his mercy pardon the badness of it ) in my life-time may do you harm . i will not speak ought of the vanity of this world ; your own age and experience will save that labour : but there is a certain thing that goeth up and down the world , called religion , dressed and pretended phantastically , and to purposes bad enough , which yet by such evil dealing loseth not its being : the great goo● god hath not left it without ● witness , more or less , sooner o● later , in every mans bosome , t● direct us in the pursuit of it ; and for the avoiding of those inextricable disquisitions and entanglements our own frail reasons would perplex us withal , god in his infinite mercy hath given us his holy word ; in which as there are many things hard to be understood , so there is enough plain and easie , to quiet our minds , and direct us concerning our future being . i confess to god and you , i have been a great neglecter , and ( i fear ) despiser of it : ( god of his infinite mercy pardon me the dreadful fault . ) but when i retired my self from the noise and deceitful vanity of the world , i found no true comfort in any other resolution , then what i had from thence : i commend from the bottom of my heart the same to your ( i hope ) happy use . dear sir hugh , let us be more generous then to beleive we die as the beast that perish ; but with a christian , manly , brave resolution , look to what is eternal . i will not trouble you farther . the only great god , and holy god , father , son and holy ghost , direct you to an happie end of your life , and send us a joyful resurrection . so prays your true friend , marleburgh . old iames , neer the coast of holland . april . . i beseech you commend my love to all mine acquaintance ; particularly , i pray you that my cousin glascock may have a sight of this letter , and as many friends besides as you will , or any else that desire it . i pray grant this my request . this letter , though very weighty in the matter of it , very serious in the phrase and expression , yet is most observable fo● the time it was written in ; a few dayes before this honourable persons soul went we hope to be happy into another world , did he in this solemn manner of a will and testament , rather than a letter , leave his mind about the necessity of being religious in this : it was after he had made tryal of most of the great variety of opinions which were in this licentious age broached , and had experience of most of the vanities which have been in these loose times practised , that recollecting himself , and , as it becomes every rational man , ( who onely of all the creatures in the world hath therefore power to reflect ) communing with his own heart about his passed life which he knew was but a state of tryal in order to a future ; upon serious consideration ( or putting together of and dwelling upon rational thoughts , for want whereof the thousands that perish are cast away ) of the account he saw by the frame of things made for men , men must give to the first being that made them for them . . of the invisible things of god that were seen by the things that are made . . of an immortal soul he felt within him , and an eternal estate expected by him . . of the consent of nations , and the dictates of every mans own conscience attesting religion . . of the providence of god sealing it by miracles in the former ages , & owning it by extraordinary dispensations both of mercies and judgements in the latter ages of the world . . of the experience all men have of religion on their hearts in the comfort it affords in doing well , and the terrors it sends upon doing ill , together with the strange success it hath had by bare perswasion against the learning , the lusts , the laws , the customes , and interests of the world , and that in the hands of men that could doe no more for the propagation of it than live up to it ; and ( to shew they had no design ) in different countries , times , interests , professions , languages , and abilities , die for it . . of the wisdom of being serious and religious , considering there is no inconvenience in being so ( nay to be sober , temperate , just , loving , humble , faithful , which is to be religious , &c. are things that carry along with them a great deal of convenience ) in this world ; and a great necessity of being so , if here be , as no man is sure there is not , another world ; i say , upon serious considerations of this & the like nature , our noble lord looking through and beyond all that is in this world , and of all that makes up this frame and scene of things finding nothing likely to stay with him during his everlasting state but grace , virtue , & true goodness , came up to these noble thoughts , which ( as true goodness is communicative ) he thought the great interest of a careless world to know & ponder , the rather because all men arrive at these sentiments at last , why will they not brace them at first ? ah why will any rational man live in those things wherein no rational man dares dye ? if irreligious courses be bad , why do you , why doth any ingenious person rashly enter upon them ? if good , why do all men sooner or later soberly renounce them . what is the reason that men of understanding buy repentance so dear , when there is not a man who doth not in his latter yeares sadly reflect upon those things which in his younger dayes he so much pleased himself in ? no other can be imagined than this , that we embrace evil courses and neglect good by fancy , opinion , and lust , the worst judges of things for many yeares , the first whereof we loath , and the second we love at last , by experience the best ; and but that sin is folly , and doth infatuate as well as defile , would any thing indued with reason make that matter of pleasure , which every body for these years hath upon tryal [ the best ground of knowledge ] found matter of grief ? or that a matter of scorn , which all the world hath experirienced the only matter of comfort ? it s sad , that after eusebius his learned demonstrations , iustin martyrs stout and successeful apologies , tertullians pressing and close discourses , clemens alexandrinus his various learning , his scholar origens sweet and powerful reasonings , minutius and arnobius nervous 〈◊〉 acuté tractates ; & lactantius that christian cicero's flowing arguments , the school-mens convincing reasons , besides the satisfactory and useful labours of ludovicus vives , the lord du plessis , grotius , amyrald , ficinus , stilling fleet , &c. of the reasonableness of religion ; any should hazzard their reason , & interest so far as to make tryal whether is better , a religious or an irreligious life ; but it is much sadder that after a tryal of so many thousand years as have been since the creation , and every man ( that had the use of his reason ) either while he lived in the world , or when he departed from the world , leaving behind him this testimony , that nothing repented him but the evil he had committed , and nothing pleased him but the good he had done ( of the thousands whose death we have seen or heard , what one person , though never so much besotted , ever recommended a debauched life ( to those that stood about him ready to gather his last breath ) as desireable , nay earnestly as they loved him or themselves by his own sad example warned them not from it as mischievous ? what one man in the world repented of a good life , yea with teares for his own miscarriages did not with all the arguments imaginable exhort to it ? ) i say it is much sadder that after the experience of all men that went before us , any man should be able so far to suppress his reason as to fall into that snare and pit of licenciousness that all men before him warn him of : what advantage have we of living after others and observing in their history , that however they lived they died piously , if we become histories our selves and g●ve others occasion to say the same things of us that we did of our fore fathers ? all the miscarriages in arts and sciences , in war , peace , in laws and government , found by experience inconvenient , we have cast off , retaining only those of life and manners ? what is more an argument against or for any thing than experience ? and what experience can be in this world more than that of mens whole lives ? and what declaration can there be more solemn than that of dying men ; soules even almost separate , just freeing themselves from the burden of the body , and inlightned with the approaches of god. an holy desire of a religious death , is not the pang , the humor , the fancy , the fear of some men , but the serious wish of all ; many having lived wickedly , very few , in their senses died so . sect. . § . . for upon this occasion having recollected the ends of most men , of whom either the scripture of prophane history hath made mention , i find , besides the many scripture instances as . of adams being ashamed and affrighted with the guilt of sin , gen. . , . as soon as he had injoyed the pleasure of it , and leaving to his posterity , besides seven rules of a serious religion , this caution as the iews report it that no man would sin if he saw from the beginning to the end of things . cain who though he is said by the talmudist ( ruzzia ) to challenge his brother to the field upon this assertion , that there was no other world , and no everlasting reward to those that did well , or punishment to them that did ill , yet overcoming his brother he was overcome of that great truth of an everlasting state , owned by him , for fear of which he trembled , being ( as the most jolly sinners are ) all his life time in bondage for fear of death : he that stabbed half the world● at a blow could not command the dictates of conscience ( which make them who are without law a law to themselves ) so far as to kill the worm that shall never die . . lamech had no sooner committed the sin of cain ( whether upon cain's own person , or upon some other , cannot and need not be decided ) but he lived all his dayes under the fear of his punishment ; for gen. . , . lamech said to his wives ( when in all probability there were none he needed to fear but them and god ) adah and zillah , hear my voice ye wives of lamech , hearken to my speech , for i have slain a man to my wounding , and a young man to my hurt : if cain shall be avenged seven fold , truly lamech shall be avenged seveny times seavenfold . insomuch that men convinced by these instances of the power of a natural conscience began then , as it followeth in the text , to call on the name of the lord , verse . ( so i understand the word with iosephus archaio the best antiquary in this case . ) r. eliezer in maase-beresithe c. . cyril . orat ad iul. epiph. . against the targum of ionathan : the account given of idolatry by maimonid l. de cultu stellarum and proseld . . ad synt . de diis syris . and as appeares in the instances of enoch & noah , men who walked with god , and god took them . sect. . . and besides that sin sooner or later makes all men as well as david and heman have their soules sore vexed , become weary of their groaning , while all the night long they make their bed to swim , and water their couch with their teares , their eyes being consumed because of grief ; and they saying how long shall we take counsel in our soules , having sorrow in our hearts daily ; my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me , why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring ? remember not the sins of my youth : look upon my affliction , and my pain , and forgive all my sins . i had fainted unless i had beleived the goodness of the lord in the land of the living . my life is spent with greif and my years with sighing , my strength failed because of mine iniquity , and my bones are consumed ; when i kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long : for day and night thy hand lay heavy upon me ; i acknowledged my sin unto thee , and mine iniquity have i not hid : i said i will con●ess my transgressions to the lord. for this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee . be not ye as the horse and mule that have no understanding . many sor●ows shall be to the wicked . what man is he that desires life , and ●oveth many dayes that he may see good ? depart from evil and do good . thy arrows stick fast in me , thy ●and presseth me sore : neither is ●here any rest in my bones by reason of my sin . i have roared for the ve●y disquietness of my heart . when thou with rebukes doest chasten man for iniquity , thou makest his beauty to consume away . surely every man is vanity . my sin is ever before me : make me to hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce . a broken and a contrite heart , o lord , thou wilt not despise . there were they in great fear where no fear was . fearfullness and trembling are come upon me , and horror hath overwhelmed me ; and i said , o that i had wings like a dove , for then would i flee away and be at rest . mine eyes fai● while i wait upon my god. my soul refused to be comforted . ● remembred god and was troubled● i complained and my spirit was overwhelmed . my soul is full o● trouble , and my life draweth nig● to the grave . i am afflicted an● ready to die from my youth up● while i suffer thy terrors i am di●stracted . all men , i say , as well a● these in the psalms , out of which i made this collectio● , find first or last , that sin as it hath short pleasures , so it hath a long sting ; that though men seem not to be able to live without the commission of it , yet are they not able to live with the thoughts of it when committed : that as when they have done well , the pain is short , but the pleasure lasting , so when they have done ill , the pleasure is short , and the pain lasting . ( sin and sorrow are so tyed together by an adamantine chain ; and the temptation to evil tickleth not more than the re●lection upon it torments , when all ●he enjoyment being spent in the acting of sin , there is now nothing ●eft but naked sin and conscience . ) tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ ●ur tamen hos tu ●vasisse putes quos diri conscia ●acti ●ens habet attonitos & surdo verbere coedit ; ●●cultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum , ●oena autem vehemens & multo gravior illis . quas & caeditius gravis invenit , ●ut rhadamanthus , nocte dieque●●um ge●● are in pectore testem . not to discourse to men out of books , what they feel in their hearts , that the things they eagerly pursue , they shall sadly lament ; that evil it self , to a rational soul carryeth with it so much shame and horror , that as many poe●s , i●ven . &c. believed there were no furia , al●●tores , eumenides , or whatever names were given of old to those daughters of nemes●s or the results of mens thought● after sin , concerning the proceedings of the divine justice against it ) like the conscience of having done evil , so many wise men ( a● cicero ad pisonem ) thought there were none besides it , and that hel● is no other than conscience , where●fore iudas and others ventured in●to that to avoid this ; whose wor● that dyed not was more insupportable than the other fire that is not quenched . although this were enough to reclaim men from their frolicks , that they are sure they shall be sad , although there need not more be said to a man in his wits then this ; sir , a quiet mind is all the happiness , and a troubled one is all the misery of this world ; you cannot enjoy the pleasure , honour or profit you imagine follows your evils with a troubled mind , and yet no man ever followed those courses , without it : all the calamities you meet with in doing well , are eased much by the comforts of a good conscience , and the spirit of a good man bears his infirmities : but all the pleasures we have in doing ●ll , will have no relish or satisfaction , when we lye under the ●errours of a bad one , a wo●nded ●pirit who can bear ? but to shew ●hat a strict and a serious life is not the humour of some conceited and singular persons , but the opinion of all men , when they are most impartiall and serious . observe . the wisest men that have been in the world , & among them . . instances out of scripture . . the one nu. . , . the most knowing man in the east , balaa● the prophet , so much courted by balak the prince , reckoned the same in mesopotamia , that trismegistu● was in egypt , or zoroaster in persia● who against his own interest the● and his opinion , with that whol● countries at all times from th● high place wherein he was to de●fie all the religion that was the● in ●the world to please bala● owned it , though he displease● him , and he took up this pa●rable and said balak the kin● of m●ab hath brought me fro● 〈◊〉 out of the mountains of th● east , saying , curse me jacob , an● come defie israel : how shall i curse whom god hath not cursed ? or how shall i defie whom the lord hath not defied : for from the top of the rocks i see him ; who can count the dust of jacob , and the number of the fourth part of israel ? let me dye the death of the righteous , and my last end be like his . . the second kings . . ●o . the most knowing man in ●he world , solomon , to whom god gave wisdom and understanding ●xceeding much , and largeness of ●eart , even as the sand that is on ●he sea●shore . and solomons wis●om excelled the wisdom of all the ●hildren of the east-countrey , and ●ll the wisdom of egypt , for he was ●iser than all men ; than ethan the ●zrahite , and heman , and chal●ol , and darda the son of mahol , ●nd his fame was in all nations ●ound about , and he spake three thousand proverbs , and his songs were a thousand and five ; and he spake of the trees from the cedar trees that are in lebanon● even to the hysop that springeth ou● of the wall ; he spake also of fowle●● of beasts , of creeping things , and o● fi●hes . and there came of all pe●●ple of the earth to hear the wisdo● of solomon , from all the kings o● the earth which had heard of h●● wisdom . who being the most e●●perienced for enquiry , the mo●● wise for contrivance , the mo●● wealthy for compassing all the s●●tisfaction that can be had in t●● things of this world , after man● years sifting ( for saith he in eccl●● that his book of repentance , cha●● . vers . . i said in my heart , g● to now , i will prove thee wi● myrth , therefore injoy pleasur● therefore chap. . vers . . gave my heart to know wisdo● and to know madness and folly● ●hat there was in learning , ho●●our , pleasure , peace , plenty mag●ificent , entertainments , for●eign supplies , royal visits , noble ●onfederacies , variety and abun●ance of sumptuous provisions , & ●elicate dyet , stately ●difices , and rich vine●ards , orchards , fish-ponds , and ●oods , numerous attendants , vast ●reasures , of which he had the ●ost free , undisturbed , and una●ted enjoyment , for he saith , he ●●th-held not his heart from any ●●y : after several years , not only ●●●suall , but critical fruition , to ●●d out as he saith , that good ●●ich god hath given men under ●●e sun , after he had tortured na●●re to extract the most exquisite ●●irits , and pure quintescence , ●●ich the varieties of the crea●●●e , the all that is in the world , ●●e lust of the ●●esh , the lust of the ●●e , and the pride of life , at last pronounceth them all vanity , and vexation of spirit , and leaves thi● instruction behind , for late poste●rities , let us hear the conclusio● of the whole matter , fear god an● keep his commandements , fo● this is the whole duty of man ; fo● god will bring every work in● judgement , with every secret thin● whether it be good , or whether it evil , eccles. . , . is it n●● cheaper believing this , than 〈◊〉 loose a brave life , wherein a m●● cannot erre twice in the sad trya● and at last with tears and groa● own this conclusion ? ii. these following out such other records as we ha●● next the scripture ; waving the u●●certain cabala , and the fabul● talmud of the jews , who bring men seriously to confess at 〈◊〉 that it had been their interest be good at first . in the famo●● words of the wise son of sira●● 〈◊〉 man who profited in the jewish ●earning above his fellows , wisd. . ● , , , . we fools counted their ●●fe madness , and their end to be ●ithout honour ; how are they ●umbred among the children of ●od , and their lot among the ●aints ? we wearied our selves in the way of wickedness and destruction ? what hath pride profited us , or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us ; all these are past away as the shadow , and as a post that hasteth by , but the souls of the righteous are in the hand of god ; in the sight of the unwise they seem to dye ; and their departure is taken for misery , and their going from us to be utter destruction , but they are in peace : for though they be punished in the sight of men , yet is their hope full of immortality , and having been a little chasti●ed , they are greatly rewarded●●or god proved them and found them worthy of him self . i say these following exam●ples , we will take out of the●● histories , viz. . the phenician history 〈◊〉 sanconiathon , as it is translated b● philo-biblius , and quoted by po●phyry , where mast●● kircher out of ierub●a●● the priest of the god ia● , that iehovah , and other publick r●●cords and inscriptions , speaking 〈◊〉 the religious end of the wise m●● of those times , brings in two d●●●coursing to this effect . quest. is there another wo●● or state ? answ. i am willing there shou● not , but i am not sure there not . quest. why , are you willi●● there should not ? answ. because i have not liv● in this state , so well as to have hope to be happy in another . quest. what a madness was it in you when your reason dictated to ●ou , that there might be ●nother world , to live as if you had ●een sure there were none . answ. if men could look to their ●eginning or ending , they would ●ever fail in the middle . quest. then it is the safest way ●o be good . answ. it can do no harme , it ●ay do good . . the supposed egyptian writers , ●uch as , first , hermes trismegistus , ●ho in his old age is brought in ●ith a serious dialogue of religi●● , to make amende for the vain ●●eces of history he had writ in his ●outh , and among many other ●●ings , mantho pretends to , from 〈◊〉 inscriptions , this is very consi●●●●●le . . that there was some great reason , not yet well understood why men enjoyed their pleasure● with fear ; why most mens deat● is a repentance of life ; why n● man is contented in this life ; wh● men have infinite wishes , and wh●●ther those that dream when the● are asleep , shall not live when the● are dead . . the caldeans , such as zor●aster and the zabij , by the visibl● things that are seen , the sun , th● moon , the stars , ( which as ma●●monides speaks of them , we●● their books ) saw so much into t●● invisible things of god , his wi●●dom and power , that their o●● men , as kircher speaks somewher● durst not dye before they h●● been by sacrifices reconciled 〈◊〉 him by whom they lived . . and besides that tertullia● l. de . prescript . cont. h●r . i. mart● apol. ii● clem. alex. strom. . ●●f● prep . evan. . of old , and vossius de orig . idol . grotius de verit . christ. rel. bochart geog. sacra of late have taught us , that the fables of the greek heathenism , are but the depraved and corrupted truth of jewish religion ; there is not an eminent man among the grecians that dyes a heathen or an infidel , though he lived so . heraclides , ponticus , antisthenes , democritus , and his schollar pithagoras , a little before their deaths writ books , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about them that lived in the invisible state , which they profess they thought not of in their lives . . socrates , whom we set here now , as the oracle placed him formerly , by himself , reckoned therefore the wisest man of his time , because he brought phylosophy from the obscure and uncertain speculations of nature to useful conderations of vertue ; in all hi● discourses recommended goodness , as the trues● wisdom ; although he confesse● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that h● had no perfect knowledge of thos● who were in the invisible state yet among other great di●course he made between his condemna●tion and death , ( collected by plat● in his phaedone , that is , a discours● of the immortality of the soul , an● apology for socrates p. . edi●● franc. ) this was very consid●●rable , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. certainly saith he , death mu●● be one of these two , either a bein● utterly insensible , or a passag● into some other place . if th● first , then it is a pleasant rest , lik● an undisturb'd sleep ; but dying souls go into other h●●bitations as its certain they wi●● then i shall go from before the● judges to higher , and there co●●verse with orpheus , musaeus , hesiod , homer ; how often would i have died to see how they liv●● how pleasantly shall i dwell with palamedes and ajax equal in the injoyments of another world ; as we have been in the injuries of this● both happie in that we shall be everlastingly so . death differeth nothing from life ; and he may be sure to live well that lived iustly , approving himself not to giddy men , but to that one wise god who is truth ( his choice words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concluding his life with these expressions ( after he had been accused for being one who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too curi●usly enquire into the state of things above the heavens & ●elow the earth , and for bearing to the truth of one god ; ( for which iustin martyr and other● thought him ● christian before christ , and ● a partaker of our faith because he act●d according to his own reason ) it is time for me to goe and die , and you to live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is best , is known to god. . xenophon who in his life time did nothing without socrates advise was at his death of his opinion● for after several years spent in cyrus his court and camp and reflecting on the manly pleasures , as hunting , riding , &c. which he practised as well as writ of , he left this● memento among his friends , that in the midst of his delights he had this grief , that he doubted the●● was no place for these dive●tisements in the upper world , and that wise souls should begin● betimes those exercises which shall last ever , exercises pure and eternal as spirits , words to be as much esteemed by us as his cyropaedia was by scipio affricanus ; the graces as appears by these sentences dwelling in his mouth as they said the muses did . . eschines a fluent and stately orator ( quint. inst. . c. . ) being questioned for dispersing socrates his books , made socrates his answer , that he was not afraid to dye for scattering instructions among men to teach them to live , being ashamed of nothing more than that he advised socrates to fly , when no man should be afraid to dye but he that might be ashamed to live ; adding that life was a thing which none almost understood but those that were ready ●o leave it . . thales the first of the seven wise men , before whom none taught ●he motions of the heavens so clearly , saith eudemus , and none proved the immortality of the soul so evidently , saith chaerilus though he shewed by his foresight of a dear year , and the provision he brought in against it , that a philosopher might be rich ; yet he convinced men by his foresight of another world , that they need not , blessing god that he was a knowing grecian , not an ignorant barbarian , and a rational man , not a beast ; he professed at his death that he had studied all his life for the ancientest thing in the world , and he found it was god ; what was the most lasting thing about him , and it was his soul ? what wa● best , and he found it was tha● which was eternal ; what was hardest , and he found it was to know himself ; what was wisest , he found it was time ; and as the epitaph saith of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the stars which for age he could not see on the earth , he was taken up nearer to see them in heaven . . solon having done the greatest services to , and received the greatest injuries from his native country , said that man had the hardest measure of any creature , if he lived but three-score ; & admonished craesus swimming in the greatest affluence of enjoyments and pleasures imagi●able , that he should not be happy ●ill he ceased to be , who esteemed ●is words as little as he under●●ood them , till deprived of all ●hings , but his reason● and conside●ation , he cryed , o solon , solon , thou ●●rt in the right . . chilon trusted in the sixty fifth olympiad with the extraordinary power of ephorus , or lord high constable in sparta , and so jovial a man , that i think he dyed with excessive joy , being asked what the difference was between the learned , and the unlearned , at last ? answered ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) good hope , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. he being of opinion that a fore-sight of things to come , was all a mans vertue for the present ; and that an honest loss was to be preferred before a dishonest gain , for this reason , because the sadness that followeth the first , is but for once ; but that which followeth the other perpetual : to which i may add pittacus his sentence much used by him , who being demanded what was the best thing in the world , replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● to perform well a man● present duty ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , know thy opportunity , being his apoththegm . . bias , ( who going with some wicked men that prayed in a storm , intreated them to be silent least the gods should hear them ; and being asked by one of them , what that piety he talked of meant , he held his peace , saying , it was to no purpose to speak to a man of those things that he never purposed to practise ) bequeathed this instruction to those tha● survived him ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) that we should measure life , so as ●f we were to live a very little , ●nd a very great while ; from which principle his friend clebu●●s on his death bed inferred this ●onclusion , that those ●●en only lived to any ●urpose , who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. overcome ●leasure , make vertue ●●mil●ar , and vice a stranger ; the great rule of life , being as he● said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the great work of it medi●ation , according to that of hi● contemporary p●riander ( who hated pleasures which were not immortal ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , meditation is all . . anacharsis the ●e●thian to de●er young men from tasting pleasures , by the ill effects of them he felt , when old , left this saying behind him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. that the vin● bore three branches , or clusters● on the first● whereof grew pleasure , on the second sottishness , on the third sadness : yea pherecides himself , otherwise no very seriou● man , hearing one saying , that he had lived well , answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i wish you may dye well ; an● being asked , why he said so , be ca●●●e , returned he , we live to dy● and dye to live. . those ionick philosophers the hearers of thales ( who as diod. sic . l. . affirmeth , went into aegypt and the other knowing parts of the world , to be acquainted with all the learning and laws then in being , conveighed by a genuine cabbala and tradition from the founders of mankind ) among other useful considerations that they had at the close of their lives ( when as ar aeus affirmeth in hie ron● mercurialis his variae lectiones , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. those that are sick at heart have their senses more quick , their thoughts more free , their minds more enlightned , their hearts more pure , their reason better settled , their imaginations more divine ) these were most remarkable . anaxi●anders saying on his death bed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that infinity he found , after much study , was the beginn●ng of all things , and thence concluding it must be the end , wishing when he had studied the sphere much , that he might dwell in it , and comforting himself when he saw time passing away on the dyall he made ( for he was thought the first inventor of dialls ) that he was born for eternity . . his scholar anaximenes being asked how he could study confin'd to a prison and expecting death , answered that his soul was not confined , having as large a walk as the heavens he studied , nor frighted , having as great a hope as immortality which he looked for . . his hearer anaxagoras ( as i have it from simplic : his comment upon aristotle , cicero's tuscalan● . et nat. deor. ) who firs● ( to use aristotles words l. ● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) observed tha● there was an eternal mind movin● the material world , whence h● himself was called mind , being seriously expostulated with for retyring as he did a little before his death , and neglecting the care of his country rejoyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i have now the greatest care of all of my country , pointing at heaven , of which he said to one that was sorry he must dye in a forraign country , you may go from any place to heaven ; and being demanded when he was dying , what he was born for , he answered , to contemplate the sun , the moon , and heaven while i live , and to dwell ●here when i am dead ; at the thoughts of which he was so raised that when he was informed in one hour ●hat he himself was condemned ●nd his ●on dead , he said no more him , . that nature had con●emned his judges . . and that 〈◊〉 knew when he begot his son that he had begotten one that should dye . and when he was to dye he required of the citizens ( who desired to know what he would have them do for him ) that the boyes should play every year on the day of his death . . the droll & great actor aristippus , who for his flattery & luxury was called the kings dog , being asked before his death what wa● the difference between ; a philosopher , and another man , answered , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. though ther were no laws , we should live a● we do ; and another tim● he said it was a brave thing to use no pleasures at all , but to overcome them : as when in a discourse about socrates his way o● dying , he said that that man dye● as he desired ; and that it woul● never be well in the world unti●●oys learned those things whic● they were to use when men , an● men learned those things which they were to practise when happy , in the attainment of the end of good men , which he said was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. ( if i understand him right , though with the help of cicero's translation . tusc. quaest . l. . ) a sweet motion towards an immutable fruition . nay mad theod. himself , wh● writ no contemptible books , if we may believe the above cited author , against the gods , and a while believed himself a god , yet at last comes to this conclusion , viz. that the end of good men was joy , & of bad men sorrow , the first the effect of prudence , and the other of folly . and that most solid man euclid . of megara , who reduced phyloso●hy from loose discourses , to ●lose and cohaerent reasonings , ●itched after much enquiry up●n this conclusion , which is to be ●een in tully arcad. quest. l. . that there was but one good , which some called prudence , others mind , others ●od ; see ramus his pref. to schol. math● g. neander geog. p. . blan● disert . de nat. math. sa●il . lect. . eucl. not to mention a discourse to the same purpose which may be seen at large in his contemporary cebes , to whom of th● socratiques i shall adde onely menedemus , who being told on hi● death bed that he was a happ● man that attained to what h● design'd , answered , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was happi● who desired not more than he ough● which puts me in mind of an o●servation ( much to our purpos●● which those which will hard●● beleive should seriously conside● gathered by dr. m. cas●ab . en● p. . out of the author of t●● history of the counsel of tre●● solenne in confinio mortir positis ● humanas ex ignota quadam & sup●● naturali causâ fastidere , that it is an usual thing for men however ensnared in the world all their lives , at their deaths to loath the things of it , from an unknown and supernatural cause , meaning no doubt depth of prudence and height of religion . . the founder of the academy plato , who was surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , though the accutest and smoothest writer of his time himself ( quint. inst . orat . l. . c. . ) yet when sick was more taken with this plain verse of epicharmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the gods alwayes were , and alwayes will be , their being never beginning and never ceasing , than with all his own composition ; of all which , he ●poke of none with ●ver after , th●● he could not get 〈…〉 ●ho●ght ( that he should 〈…〉 a beast , and wa● 〈…〉 ●e should have 〈…〉 longer to live a man ) 〈◊〉 of his mind ; wherefore crate● 〈◊〉 away all his estate that he 〈…〉 philosopher , and make 〈…〉 use of his life , which 〈◊〉 said was no other than a contemplation of death : and cranto● ga●e himself so much to the stu●dy● of good and evil with thei● co●sequence , that his book of tha● subiect bequeathed by him t● po●●erity , is by cicero and panaeti●us● master or friend to tubero●●●lled ●●●lled non magnus , at aureolus 〈◊〉 ●ui ad verbum , ediscendus . a●●●e reading of which carneade ( who disputed many years again●● the motion of good and evil and che●ilaus , ( who prote●ted h● knew for many yeares nothin● that was good , but what w●● pleasant ; and nothing that was evil , but what was unpleasant ) both durst not die sober without a great draught of wine , because they said no voluptuous man could goe in his wits to an invisible state . and to mention no more platonists : ●ion , a cynech indeed rather than an academick . ●aid , that the torments of evil men in the other life were greater than any man imagined in ●his , and though he had defied ●he gods a while , deriding ●heir worshippers and never ●ouchsafing to look into their temples , yet when he fell sick he ●ormented his body with exquisite ●enance , as thorns , thonges , &c , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●hat he might repent of what ●e had done against the gods , ●hose altars he filled , when dy●g , with sacrifices , and their eares with petitions and confessions ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) laerti●● feared in vain● then wise when he was just r●●dy to say . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good morrow p●utus . . aristotle , when he came to the end of his walk and life , ( however he was for the eternity of the world , thinking it inconceivable that things should be any otherwise than they are ; and that there can be no production but in a ordinary way of ou● generation , measuring the origin● of the world by the present stat● of it ) thought god was a separate● being , the cause o● all motion , himse●● one● immoveable an● therfore onely eternal , that ther● was a providence which craca●●thorp proves at the sam● time that the book mundo is his , and with ● that reason which he reduced into the exactest method and rules of any man , he could not pitch upon a greater comfort in a dying hour , than that of ens entium● mei miserere , thou being of beings , have mercy upon me . yea ocellus lucanus himself ( to whose book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , aristotle was so much beholding , though he acknowledges not by whom he profited , ) saith that though he could not see how the world had a beginning , yet could not he dye without fear and reverence of one by whom all things had a beginning . . his schollar theoph●a stus , in laertius , having bewailed the expence of time , gave this reason for it , viz. that we are so foolishly senual , that we begin not to live , untill we begin to dye . cicero , who called him alwayes his delight , in his tusc. quest . l. . saith , that theophrastus dying complained of nature , that it gave long life to creatures whom it little concerned to be long-lived , and so short a life to men , who are so much concerned , weeping that he no sooner saw this by much study and experience , but he must dye , saying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the vanity of life was more than the profit of it ; i have no time to consider what i do●● ●● speaking to those that were about him at his death ) you have — which words , stuck so close to hi● schollar and successor strato● that he studied himself to a skel●●ton about the nature o● spirits , the glory ●● heaven , the chief goo● and the blessed life , which be●cause he could not comprehen● he desired it should comprehend him . cic. in lucullus plut. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euseb. in chron. ) and to his successor lycon , who said on his death bed , that it was the most foolish thing in the world to repent , and wish for , as most men do , that time which cannot be recalled ; to whom i may adde out of cael. rhodiginus , l. . c. . demetrius , who said , that when he was a child at home , he reverenced his parents ; when a man abroad , the people and the magistrates ; and when an old man and retired , himself : which advise being followed by heraclide● , when he felt himself sick put him upon writing his books of the heavens , of those who are in hell , of temperance , piety , and the chief good . . among the cynicks , . antisthc●e● , who though in jest ●he bid the man who was discoursing of the happy 〈◊〉 of then in another● world , dye him●elf , yet afterward he used to assert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had rather be punished● with madnes● than enjoy pleasure , adding , when sick , this ●●●●ence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that those who would be hereafter immortal , must be here godly and just . . diogenes grounded all his cynical and an●tere re●gards of this world up●on this pleasant con●templation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. that all thing● were the gods ; an● that wise●men we● the gods friends , and therefor● that all things belonged to wi●● and good men , whom he though the image of the gods. to a ma● on a sick ●ed complaining th● life was a sad thing , he answered , yes a bad one is so , because it is but a tampering of the body , when it should be the exercise of the mind , which he inculcated so much to his auditors , that his disciple monimus counterfeited himself mad , that he might be at liberty from his master , to study truth and vertue ( abhorring luxury and drunkenness , as madness indeed . ) with crates , who comforted a mocked but good man with these words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. those that make themselves so merry with thee , thou shalt see one day sadly calling thee , the blessed man for thy vertue , and themselves wretched for their sloath , thou being one of those good men who want few things , because they are like the gods that want nothing● indeed religion had such a power over these cynicks , that one of them by name menedemus , as laertius calleth him , and menippus as snid●s ( in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) out of a zeal against the looseness of his time , walked up and down in the habit of a fury , declaring himself a spectator of mens exorbitances on earth , sent on purpose to be a witness against them in hell . . the stoicks among whom zeno was looked upon as the chieftain , came after a world of reasonings ( which you will find in ●ully , seneca , autoninus , lipsi●s , ●lutarch , de com . notion . ad stoicos de placitis phil. epictetus , hiero●le● ) and subtlety ( which you may observe in diog. laertius his zeno , l. . p. . & ed. rom. ) to these great conclusions , . that the great end of ma● was to have the pleasure of living according to right reason , th● daughter of jove , the great mode●rator of all things , to whose will it is good mens pleasure and all mens necessity to submit . . that vertue is the regulating of passions and affections , by reason : for indeed i think the stoicks did no more aim at the destruction of natural affections , by their discourses of apathy , than saint paul , by his exhortation , to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lust , both aiming at the reducing of the disorder , and the raising of the nature of our faculties , that the wisdom of vertue should so compose and consolidate the mind , and settle it in such stability and resolution , that it should not at all be bended from the right , by any sensitive perturbations or impul●ions . . that the consequence of goodness , was calmness and serenity ; and of evil , fear , bondage , grief , stupidity . . that that was only good , which was honest , desirable for it self , satisfactory , and lasting . ● . that nothing base was truly pleasant . . that all disorders of the soul proceed from misapprehensions of the understanding , and con●inue by disturbing and clouding ●●●son , which they say is in them , 〈◊〉 of god , whom it represent●● , they say , so as he is wicked , 〈◊〉 dares displease him , and he a mad man that dares doubt of him● . that the good man is free and happy in the worst condition , and the bad a slave in the best ; vertue being sufficient in it self to render happy , and vice so to make men miserable , and that all things are unalterably ordered by the eternal mind : in testimony whereof a man need only goe over the several titles of chrysippus his sober and good books mentioned by laertius in his ninth book , which i will not transcribe , ne chrysippi , sarinia compilâsse videar , being contented with that of horace concerning homer and himself , quid sit pulchrum , quid turpe , quid utile , quid non plenius & melius chrysippo aut grantore dicit . . pythagoras , ( who traveld into egypt for learning ; and if we beleive origen . clem. of alex. porph. and others to be seen in seldons book de jur . nat. el. gentium apud hebraeos . l. . c. . converse with the iews in chaldea , yea , and if we listen to vossius , c. . § . . de sectis philosoph . with elisha●●n ●●n : mount carmel . ) summed up ●is observation into this con●lusion . . that there were two principles of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. an active and a forming principle , which is the mind or god by all to be worshipped . . the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the passive principle , which was not to be regarded . . that he himself came from the infernal mansions some yeares past , and must return ( see horace carm. l. ● . od . de architâ tarenti●o . . that he had found one to be the beginning and end o● all things , which he said were man aged by fate as men we●● by providence . . that ther● should be a separation of souls , their pure immortal souls being carried up to the highest feat● and the impure to the lowest i● the world , never t● approach the other , al●wayes to be tormented with furies and chains , among themselves ; and and plutarch brings in pythagoras asserting the immortality of the soul , and giving this quaint reason for it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it must return to the soul of the world as to first and most perfect of its kind . . that the greatest good or evil amongst men , was opinion or perswasion . empedo cles one of his followers , hearing a discourse of the immortality of the soul , ●n his old age threw himself into ●he flames of aetna to injoy it . s●idas in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ep . de 〈◊〉 poet . ) . when heraclitus●●d ●●d all his lifetime wept ●t the folly of makind , he was at last asked this question , wherein consisted true wisdom ? to which he gave this answer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was the only wisdom in the world to know that mind that governed all things and ( to use his friend xenophon's wordes , laer. p. . . ) is all eye , and all ear , all things at once , omniscient , omnipotent and eternal ; and as melissus thought ( in simplic . his comment on the first of aristotl●● physick ) not to be rashly spoken of , because not fully known . . and when democritus had all his life time laughed at the folly of mankind , he at last stated the happiness of man , to lye in th● se●enity of the mind ; and bein● to dye , he prolonged his life b● many applications for three days that he might live to pay h●● d●●votion to the great goddess , an● depart upon her solemnity : ye● when he and epicurus loathing the absurd notions men had by poetry , &c. entertained of the heathen gods , ( for they with dyonisius , diagoras , theodorus , and others , then called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 atheists , got that name rather by jeering the ridiculous polutheism of those times than by denying that religion which is supported by the consent of all times ) set their philosophical wits on work to salve the appearances of nature , without the true god , by asserting the beginning of the world , from a lucky conflu●nce of infinite little particles , called atomes , and that so confidently that lucretius , who put those atomes into the best order , and ●●n●est poem of any i know , in hi● shrew'd book de natur a rerum ( but be it remembred , that that great and witty epicurean lived and dyed a mad man , ( and i think with mirandula , there is no aheist in the world in his wits ) ge●eh . chron. l. . pet. crinit . de poeti● latinis , l. . c. . ) affirms epicu●rus to be the first gyant that tollere contrà est oculos ausus , tha● d●rst encounter , and did overthrow that notion of the gods , that had for so many years opp●●ssed , a●d kept under the free t●oughts of men ; yet catta in cic. d●●●t . deorum l. . c. . report that they were so far from gainin● their beloved ease , pleasure , & th● carnal security of the beast whic● perisheth● that never was a school b●y more afraid of a r●d than on● of them , epicurus by name was o● the thoughts of a god and deat● ●●c quenquam vidi , ( they are c●tta●●ords ●ords ) ●ui magis ea quae ti●en●●●sse ●egaret , timeret , mort●● di● & deos . so hard it is ( saith maste● s●illing fleet upon these words , e●●cellently , as he doth in all his di●●course● ( whose life god long pr●●serve for the good and service of his church ) for an epicurean , even after he hath prostituted his conscience , to silence , it but ( whatever there be in the air ) there is an elastical power in the conscience , that will bear its self up notwithstanding the weight that is laid upon it . yea epicurus his followers confess that it is to no purpose to endeavour the ●ooting out wholly of the beleif of ● deity out of the world , because of the unanimous co●sent of the world in it ; and there he admits ●his as a principle quod in omni●● animis deorum notionem im●resset ipsa natura , that nature ●ts self had stamped an idea upon ●h● minds of men , and that up●n this ground , cum enim non in●tituto aliquo , aut more , aut lege ●it opino constituta , manet atque●na omnium consensio , intelligi ●ecesse est deos esse , quoniam insitas eorum● vel potuis in nata● cogitationes habemus ; de quo au●em omnium natura consentit id verum esse necesse est ; i. e. ( the● are an epic●reans own words ) since the belief of a deity neithe● rose from custome , nor was enacted by law , yet is unanimously assented to by all mankind , i● necessarily followeth , that there must be a deity , because the ide● of it is so natural to us , that thoug● it be very troublesome to man● men , yet could it be laid aside b● none as it might , if there had be● no god. for as the stoicks urg● very well , if there were no go● considering the wishes of som● and the abilities of others , 〈◊〉 overthrow such a false notio● non tam stabilis opinio permaner● nec confirmaretur diuturnita● temporis , nec una cum seculis aet a●●bu●que hominum inveterare potuiss●●●●e . nat. deor . l. . vid. gass●● tom. . l. . . although protagoras the sceptick begins his book of the gods in this doubtful manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. as for the gods , i know not whether they be or be not ; yet he and pyrrhon the master of the scepticks being asked why they walked alone so much ? answered , that it was to meditate how they might be good ; and being urged again , what necessity there was of being good , since it was not certain ●hat there was a god ? they used ●o reply , it cannot be certain ●here is not , and it being an even ●ay between the serious and good , ●nd the vain and bad man , that ●here is a god , though upon wo●ull odds , the good man hazzard●ng only the loss of his lusts ( which ●t is his interest to be without ) or ●t furthest , some little advantage , ●eing in this world at more rest ●nd inward serenity , more healthfull , re●pected , befriended , secure and free ; and in the other , if there be not a god , as happy as the bad● but if there be , infinitely as much happier , as an unspeak●able and eternal blessedness is beyond extream and endles● torments . so that ( as an excellent perso● saith ) if the arguments for an● against a god were equal , and 〈◊〉 were an even question whethe● there were one or not ; yet th● hazzard and danger is so infinite●ly unequal , that in point of pru●dence every man is bound to stic● to the safest side of the questio●●nd make that his hypothesis 〈◊〉 to live by . for he that acts wis●●ly , and is a thorowly-prude● man , will be provided in omne●●●●●tum , and will take care to s●●cure the main chance , whatev●● happeneth : but the atheist , in case things should fall out contrary to his belief and expectation , he hath made no provision in this case . if , contrary to his confidence , it should prove in the issue that there is a god , the man is lost and undone for ever . if the atheist , when he dyeth , finds that his soul hath only quitted its lodging , and remains after the body ; ●hat a sad surprise will it be , to find ●imself among a world of spirits ●ntred on an everlasting and an ●nchangeable state ! yea , pyrrhon himself would ●ften repeat that of euripides , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. who knoweth ●ut to dye is to live , and to live ●s to dye ? and therefore epicurus●imself ●imself in his letter to meneceus , ●aith , he observeth him a fool who ●s vain at death , wherein because of ●he consequence ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ●aith he ) there is no jesting , it being 〈◊〉 infinite concernment to be serious ; in fine , it appears from 〈◊〉 , berg●●ius , theol●gen●ium●●●ym . de s●bud . theol. nat● 〈◊〉 , e●gusb . perenni . philos. and others , that all the learned men in the world found , as ci●● d● nat. deor . l. . et de leg . . that th●● notion of god and religion i● the first notion that is engraven in● and the last that is defaced out o● the minds of men ; and that , tak● away the being and providence 〈◊〉 god● out of the world , you take ●●way all reason , faith , vertue , peac● y●a & humane society ; yea all men though never so barbarous an● 〈◊〉 , have been religious ; an● though they had neither art● nor laws , nor letters , yet h●● gods. see benzon hist. de● occi● indi a acostas , both eman. an● ioseph hist. no● . orbis chr. aco●● ep● de reb. ind. so authentic● tu●● quest : is that of tully , nulla ge●● tam barbara , nemo omnium est tam immanis , cujus mentem non imbuerit deorum opinio , multi de dijs pravà sentiunt , id enim vitioso more effici solet omnes tamen esse vim & naturam divinam arbitrantur . nec vero id collocutio hominum aut consensus efficit , non institutis opinio est con●irmata , non logibus ; omni autem re consens●o omnium gentium lex naturae pu●anda est ; and elsewhere , gentes licet qualem deum haberent ignorant , tamen habendum sciunt . there is no nation so barbarous , that hath not some sense of a deity , many have odd imaginations of ●he diety from ill habits , but all ●ind there is a divine power , by ●ure reason , &c. thinking it un●easonable , as the same heathen ●oeth on , that all m●n should be●ieve there is a mind and reason ●n themselves , and none in the ●orld , and that there should be such a glorious order of things , and none to be reverenced for it ; see iust. in serm . ad gent. quoting orpheus , the sybils , sophocles , hom. &c. to this very purpose . so that we see there was never any man , that to enjoy his pleasures stifled his religion , but at last after thoughts of religion , stifled his pleasures , this being one argument of the divinity of the soul which is another argument of the being of god , that it can and doth correct sooner or later , loose mens imaginations concerning this world , and the next ; and that reason doth at last form apprehen●ions of things quite different from those conveighed at first by sense . but how can any man live securely upon the principles of atheism● when those commonly thought athiests , as heraclides , ponticus , antisthenes , democritus , protagoras , &c. have written books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of those in the invisible state ; nay the punishments which wicked men must look for in another world , though never so secure , and the rewards good men may expect , though never so much discouraged , were so inwoven into the first thoughts of men , and looked upon as of so great concernment to common life , and society , that the jews who have kept the tradition of religion the best of ●ny , doe say that heaven and hell were one of the seaven things created before the world. see talmud . tract . nedarim . & pesae●him & pirt. r. eleas . c. . chalde-paraph . in gen. . and the knowledge of the eternal in the other world was of so much ●onsequence that eris and pam●hylus , are by plato rep. antillus , and timarchus thespesius by plutarch de sera dei vindicta , aristaeus in herodotus in melpomene . the woman in heraclides his noble book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as pliny calleth it , hist. nat. . c. . all grave authors , not to mention instances of the like nature in their poets , orpheus , whom homer , plato , as little as he loved them , called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) are brought in coming from the dead to declare their state there , which they would not beleive while they were living ; it seems as most men when dying endeavour● so all , when dead , would return if they might to perswade those to be religious that are alive . and the words of the rich man in the th of st. luke ( i pray thee therefore that thou would send him to my fathers house , for i have five brethren , that he may testifie unto them , and they come not to this condemnation , ) are not the words of any one man , but the words of all men in the eternal state , who could wish men did beleive what they feel , which if they had beleived they had not felt , and that when they are gathered to their fathers , they are gathered to a future state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as procopius interprets that phrase , mundum animarum , the world of soules , as the iews ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) nay where religion hath been much corrupted people have been affraid to speak or doe any unhansom thing near the dead before they were buried , because they thought their souls fluttred about the bodies till they were laid in their graves , and would tell all they saw or heard as soon as they came into the invisible state , ( bar. nachomi in beresheth . rabb . c. . talm. sandedrin c. . & misdrain . de anim . nadab , abihu , naboth homer● il. a late learned man of our own observing a new notion of she● in maimonides , d. dub. l● . ( of which he saith we had ha● a greater account , if learning ha● not lost . excellent jewi● books at cremona and othe● parts of italy ) hath this remar●●able passage out of r. sam. eb●● tibbor , an old man dying said 〈◊〉 those about him , that he had be●● asleep all his life , and that he w●● now awake , and there was 〈◊〉 sloath , ease and folly , but in th● world ; whose words the auth●● concludeth in these words , ● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. but ● you throughly weigh these thing and what did he see when awaked ? even an eternal state , of which hippocrates saith , dedi●eta that which the common people think is born , comes only out of the invisible state [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they are his words ] and what they think is dead , goeth only into that state whence they came , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the eternal circle of things returning to one as they came from one , as musaeus writes : the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of pythagoras , and the rota in aeternum ●ircum-voluta in r. ionas his porta poenit . fol. . nay that great man among the heathens , whom hierocles makes a paralel to christ among the christians , apollonius tyaneus perswaded valerian in a letter to him ( to be seen in cujacius his pretended latine version ) that the dead were not to be lamented , for they exchanged not company but place , ( plato calleth death somewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) by going to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first being , whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the god to be feared by all . clemens strom. . p. . brings in an old man out of pindar , giving this reason of his cheerful death , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c ) happy is he who having seen the common course of this upper world , goeth into the lower● where he may understand the en● of life , and see the beginning o● it . another sick man is mentione● by salmasius , somewhere , wh● could not quietly dye till he un●derstood what the meaning w●● of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in homer , d●●mus & porta lethi , the house an● gate of hell , in lucretius , virg● and ennius ; and that some know●ing men of that time being b● answered him , that he could no● know it , because he had not pu●●ged his soul , this being one of th● misteries that were not to be u●●derstood by the ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) men that had not made it their business to purge their souls , ( vid. casaub. excerp . ex codice caesar ) the pure among the jews and greeks understanding the two everlasting seats of the vertuous and the vitious , r. eliaz . in pirk. c. . gaulman not . ad vit . mosis ) the one north , and the other south , where the souls of good men , after three tryals , being freed from all their bonds , leap for joy , and are carried on high . diodorus siculus placeth the judgement of the unjust , and the enjoyment of the just in the invisible state , whereof rabban iochanan ben. saccai in gemar , berachoth , fol. . . as he was a dying , said , he had before his eyes two ways , the one leading to paradise , and the other to hell : the last of which places is represented by all the world , as full of tortures , furies , [ called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in plut. de defect . orac. see the same notions in the talmud or heap of disputations , like those of our school-men upon the jewish law , tract . rosh . hashannah , c. . fol. . p. . see maymon , well skilled in both talmuds in cap. . sanderim . see r. abdias , spharnus the great physitian in or hashem . p. . nobly describing the bliss of good men after death . ] the book of moses his life fol. ● p. . brings in god encouraging moses to dye , by the same description of heaven , and the everlasting happiness of good men in it , tha● pindar hath in the . ode of hi● olympiads concerning the blessed and that is the same with sain● iohn , revel . . . , . ult . ● and moses chiding his soul fo● its delay in going into the societ● of cherubims and seraphims u●●der the throne of the divine m●●jesty of which ioseph ben perat r. mekir in aukath rochel , r. ephodi . in d. dub. c. . r. shem. tobh . eben . esdra . r. d. kimchi , that king of gram , & deadly enemy of christianity in psal. . r , sal . ben. gabirol , the famous jewish poet in kether malcuth , whose words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the seating of just souls under the throne of glory in the bundle of life , with a state of perfection is the futurum aevum , the future state into which r. ionah ben . levi in his tikune sockar fol. . col. . et . . affirmeth that most of the rabbies said , they were to go when dying , as do most of the talmudists as we may find in constant l. emperour , who made a key to them ; yea , and mahomet himself in his alcoran , that oglio iudaisme , groecism and neorianism , surat . ver . . as in his dialogue with sinan discourseth of a blessed state of good men begun in the inward pleasures of good men here , and perfected in their everlasting pleasures hereafter . it is a great argument to all men to live as if they believed a future state , that these men who had so little knowledge of it , by reason of their corrupt reason , as to describe it foolishly , yet had so much knowledge of it by natural reason , as to own it , and that so far as to believe tha● all the poetical descriptions of paradise , and elizium , in the hebrew and arabian authors in the greek and latine poets are allegories of a more spiritual state , and so the persian ali , and his faction understands mahomet ; and divine plat● in many places understands the hellenists expressing ( in phaedro ) the feast of the soul in contemplating the first and real being , as divinely as the jews do , the happiness of it in the beholding the shecinah , or the light of the countenance of the king of life , or the christians in the beatifick vision : and concluding that all good men have a share in that as confidently as the jews affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that every israelite hath a part in the world to come ; all men with socrates expect a future judgment , the good for a happy sentence , the unjust , the insancibles , the encorrigible for an unhappy one to be ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to unjust men everlasting monuments and examples , that common sentence of the rabbines being the common sence of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & ● . there is no place after death for repentance : so much there was of the sense of religion upon these men , otherwise ignorant enough , that a learned arabian , when dying considering the contradiction of the practises of men in this worl● with the notion all me have of another world , breath'd out his ●oul in this wish , sit anima mea cum philosophis , be my soul with the philosophers : the same man being pleased much with the aegyptian hierogliphyck of the soul which was a pyramis and the correspondence thus , as a pyramis ( if it be turned about its axis , the axis continuing still the same is geometricall● transformed into a new soli● cone . so mortality having gone it its rounds , as it were i● this circle of time , u●●on the immoveable ce●●ter of the soul shall become ● new body and unite again . in a discourse concerning th● resurrection had before iuli●● caesar the emperour , at which 〈◊〉 gamaliel was present , cleopat●● the queen asked r. meir a●● said , we know that they that lye down shall live because it is written , and they shall spring out of the city like the herb of the ground , but when they stand up from the dead shall they rise up naked or cloathed ? he said unto her , valmechonier ( i. e. argumentum a minori ad majus , aut e contra ) from the wheat ; the wheat is buried naked , and yet riseth up very well clad , how much more the just men who are buried in their cloaths ; caesar said to r. gamaliel , &c. talm. in sanded . c. . fol. . . apud . greg. nat. p. . i will conclude this part with a remarkable saying of an arabicke commentator upon the turkish alcoran ; he that desires to escape hell fire and go to paradise , let him beleive in god , and the day of judgement , and doe to every man as he would be done by ; what saith the careless and debauched man to this ? doth he think to be without those thoughts that all mankind hath ? if he thinks he shall be possessed with them as men are , when dying , will it not be a torment to him that he thought not of them sooner ? and that he can only think of them then when it is too late : i● there greater torment in th● world then for a man on hi● death bed to be racked wit● the consideration of his eterna● state , and to reflect how often h● was told it would come to that and that all men sooner or lat● have those thoughts ; how poss●●ble , yea how easie it had been t● prevent them , how serious● god and men warned them 〈◊〉 them . good god! that men w●●● not embrace religion , when the● see they cannot avoid it ; th● men will not come under the yoke of it , when all men doe so , or else at last come u●der the torments of it : what think you ? will you stifle religious reflections then as you doe now , you cannot doe it , because your fond imaginations and conceits , your foolish hopes , all that ill grounded peace within , all your carnal mirths and recreations , all your sensual delights and contentment which assisted in the diverting of these thoughts will fail you , and you will be left alone to dwell with your pain and conscience . sect. . you see the wisest in all ages at their death , when they were freest from design , owning that religion which they did not consider as they ought in their lives and they were too many , and too wise to be imposed upon ; see the greatest doing the like , though too great to be otherwise over● awed or frighted . . nimrod the founder of the ass●●rian monarchy , who from his do●minion overbeasts whereof he wa● a mighty hunter , advan●ced the first to a govern●ment over men ( abar●●nel in par . noach ; ) acknowledg●ed in his later dayes gods powe● over him as great as his over h●● subjects , wherefore he institute the worship of the sun and sta●● the greatest instruments of go● government , ( and many are ●● opinion that the he● thens worshipped n● the creature , but g● appearing in them in ● verse wayes of admi●nistrations , but the same lo● working all and in all ) and wh● carried away by spirits at his death , as annius in his berosus relates the story , he cried out , oh! one year more● oh one year more , before i must goe into the place from whence i shall not return . what you are born to doe , doe while you live ; as who should say with solomon , whatever thine hand findeth thee to doe , doe it with all thy might , for there is no knowledge nor understanding in the grave whit her thou art going . . ninus the next from nimrod save belus , the time , place , manner of whose death is uncertain , hath this history ( in colophonius in phoenix in atheneus his twelfth book ) viz. ninus the great emperor who never saw the stars , nor desired it , worshipped neither sun , moon , nor stars , never spoke to his people , nor reckoned them strong in eating and drinking , and skilfull in mingling wines , yet when dead left this testimony among all men , viz. looking o● this tombe , hear where ninus is whether thou art an assyrian , ● mede , or an indian , i speak to thee no frivolous or vain matters formerly i was ninus , and lived a● thou dost , i am now no more tha● a piece of earth ; all the meat tha● i have like a glutton eaten , all th● pleasures that i like a beast e●● joyed , all the handsome women that i so notoriously entertaine● all the riches and glory that i● proudly possessed my self ● failed , and when i went into th● invisible state , i had neith●● gold , nor horse , nor chario● i that wore the rich crown of f●●ver , am now poor dust . nay , there is a tradition ● mong the jews , ( in the bo●● maase toral . quoted by muns●●● upon genesis ) that abraham being brought before amraphel king of assyria , for burning his father terahs idols , though but three years old , discoursed before the tyrant concerning the creator of heaven and earth ; am●aphel proudly replyed , ●hat it was he that made ●he heaven and the ●ost of heaven ; if so , said abraham , ●ay thou to thy sun , that he should ●●se in the west , and set in the ●ast , and i will believe thee : am●aphel being exasperated with the ●hilds boldness and discretion , ●ommandeth that he should be ●ast into the fire , out of which god ●elivering the child ( whence the ●ord is said to bring him from vr●● the chaldees ) convinced the ●an , so far as to make him worship ●od in the fire . sardanapalus , that prodigy of ●●faeminacy , as wanton as cicero observed his name is , who ( as iustin writes ) did nothing like a man but that he died as he did ; yet had a tomb at anchialus , which with tarsus he built in one day , upon which he ordered this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eat , drink , play● &c. all is not worth this ; his statue being drawn ●illiping the world. phul. in herodotus his euterp● hearing that the oracle should pronounce against him that he should live but six years and dye the seaventh , the king hearing this , commanded that certain lamps should be made for the night time , which he intended to spend in jovialty whilest other ●lept , that so he might delude the oracle , and live twice the lon●ger by taking so much more no●tice of his day , but when he w●● called to dye , oh said he if ● had thought i had thus dye● i had not so lived . . senacherib going forth with his army against egypt , it came to pass one night that a plague of mice came upon him and disarmed his souldiers by devouring their harnesse of leather , in memory whereof there was erected a statue like this prince in stone , holding a mouse in his hand with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. who ere beholdeth me let him learn to be religious . how nebuchadnezzar was taken down from the pride of a great king to the despicable condition of a poor beast till he ●ift up his eyes unto heaven and his understanding returned unto ●im , and he blessed the most high , and praised , and honoured him ●hat liveth for ever , whose dominion is an everlasting dominion , and his kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting , ●hat is till he acknowledged the most high to have ruled in the kingdoms of men ; is worthy all mens most serious consideration , as it is set down in dan. . compared with the fragments of berosus in iosephus . affricanus , eusebius , scaliger , and rabba● as is the sad instance of belshazzar , the last assyrian monarch being greatly troubled , his countenance changed in him , his lord● astonied , his thoughts perplexed , so that the joynts of his loyns wen● loosed , and his knees smote on● against another amidst the mos● joviall entertainments of his mos● solemn feastivals called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the caldee decree upon the wall , mene , tekel , perez god hath numbred th● kingdom , and finished it thou art weighed in the ballanc● and found wanting ; thy kingdo● is divided and given to the m●●des and persians . in the sam● night was belshazzar king of the chaldeans slain , dan. . compared with scaligers notes upon the greek fragments . . cyrus the persian left this ●emento behind him to all mankind ( plutarch : paral ●edti . par. ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. whosoever thou art man , and whencesoever thou comest ( for i know ●hou wilt come to the same condition that i am in ) i am cyrus , ●ho brought the empire to the ●ersian , do not i be●eech thee en●ie me this little peice of ground ●hich covereth my body . . alexander the founder of ●he grecian monarchy , though ●e allowed himself all the exces●es that a man was capable of , ●pon an imagination that he was god , yet after he had had expe●●ence of all things in the world , ●●d his master aristotle had by his command studied the ground and bottome of all things in nature , plutarch and curtius both testifie of him , that in his latter dayes he called the gymnosophists to resolve him whether the dead or the living were most : how a man might become a god : how a man might live s●● as to dye well . and at last wa● so possessed with the sence of re●ligion , as to lye under so much trouble and disturbance of spi●rit , as to look upon every littl● matter as portentous and ominou● and to fill his palace with sacri●ficers , expiators , and diviner● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. so dreadf●● a thing ( saith plutarch● is unbeleif and contemp● of the gods , which sooner o● later filleth all mens minds ( as 〈◊〉 did alexanders , who thereby a●●knowledged one greater then hi●●self ) with fears and terrors . . iulius caesar conquered the roman empire , but not his own conscience which troubled him with dreams and terrified him with visions , putting him upon sacrificing , divining , and consulting all sorts of priests and augures , though he found com●●●g from none , insomuch that a ●●●le before he died he was as ●●artless as the ominous sacrifice 〈◊〉 that he offered , professing to ●●s friends , that since he had made 〈◊〉 end of the wars abroad , he ●●d no peace at home , for having ●●spised as well all the gods particularly in his expedition ●●inst iuba , ) as all men , although 〈◊〉 religious ●●●s were not 〈◊〉 great as his ●●●the rer bru●●●● in whose 〈◊〉 caesars blood cried so 〈◊〉 that he could not sleep for the noise he thought he h●ard at his doors , and an apparition he thought he saw in his chamber , which told him it was his evil genius , which he should see at philippi , where he no sooner saw it , than in the career of his victory he drooped , & retired to fall upon his own sword , that he migh● not fall by the enemies ; as in o●● own chronicles , the young chi●●dren of edward the fourth , who● he is reported to have murthere● troubled richard the third ov●● night more then henry the ●●venths army did the next da● for he started ever and anon in h●● sleep , crying out take away the●● children from me . religion c●● torment those whom it cannot ●● claim . . it were worth our while 〈◊〉 consider ; why , so wise and gre●● a prince as philip of macedon 〈◊〉 one every morning to call up●● him to remember that he was a man ; why he was so afraid to be charmed with the sweets of life , as to be roused every day from sleep with the news of death ; and why so puissant an emperour as saladine would have these words proclaimed to his army , and communicated to posterity , viz. great ●●ladine , magnificent conqueror 〈◊〉 as●a , and monarch of the whole ●ast , carries away nothing with ●im to the grave , for fruit of his ●ictories , but onely a shirt which ●overeth the mould of his body , ●nd even this rag of linnen too ●ortune giveth him onely to give ●he worms : fui , & nihil amplius , ● have been , and that is all . to see the emperour adrian●elebrating ●elebrating his own funerals , and ●●rrying before him his coffin in ●riumph , when he lived ; and ●hen he was a dying , to hear him ●y , animula , vagula , blandula , &c. ah poor soul , whither wilt thou goe ? is an argument to all sobe● men , that though riches , honour , and pleasures possess the imagination , yet religion dwells in ou●●●ason ; those things staying with us only , during the age of phansie and this lasting , during the tim● of our being ; a consideration tha● may bring all men of gueva●● mind , that the m●●● courtly and ple●●sant lives are pu●●lick pennances , a●● that a serious life is the only ple●●sure . . nero having run up a●● down to all the pleasures in t●● world , to divert and suppress a●● thoughts of the deity , found impossible , the apprehensions god , in the midst of theaters , fea●● and sports , stinging his heart ; if 〈◊〉 slept on roses , or down , the de●● men he had killed troubled hi● he scosfed at religion , and feared : one while he despised sacred things , and at another time they made him tremble with horror , in vain seeking all ways imaginable for expiation , his soul being torn with exquisite torments ; wilde as a stung beast a great while , and at last sottish as a tame one , beseeching the senate to have so much ●ercy on him as to kill him , to ●ave him the labour and horror of doing it himself ; who had not a more tormenting thought than this , that he was an athiest , notwithstanding the warning given him by the burning of diagoras , the lice of pherecides , the dogs of lucian , the thunderstruck olympius , and the fearful death of others that led atheistial lives ; ( vid. dion . prusaeus orat. ) . tiberius caesar in tacitus had his sins so turned into punishments , that he thought nothing would confirm men more in vertue than to see wicked mens breasts opened with their inward wounds and gashes , where their minds are tormented with guilt , lust , and evil thoughts , as much as the body is vexed with stripes ; neither the greatness of his fortune , nor the pleasure of his diversions and solitudes , being able to remove the punishment● he carryed about him , insomuch that he doth profess his anguish to the senate in these words ; qui● vobis scribam patres cons●ripti , a●● quomodo scribam , aut quid omnin● non scribam hoc tempore● dij deaeque pejus perdant● quam quotidie me perire sentio . an● dion cassius in tib. doth profes● to the world his acknowlegment o● the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. th● first , and great god , that made an● governeth all things . . otho having killed galba could not kill his ghost , whic● though in vain , by all wayes of expiation attoned , gave his conscience as great a wound as he had done his body ; so that in his distress he came to that serious conclusion , which livy , l. . saith all men come to in distress , prose quisque deos esse , & non negligere humana fremunt , every man then believes a god ; whence that smart saying of saint cyprian [ haec est summa delicti ] &c. this is the highest , both folly and impiety , not to have those lawful sentiments of a god , which a man cannot be without . . neque enim post id iugurtha , &c. neither had iugurtha [ writes salust . of him ] after his many villanies a quiet day or night , nor could he trust any place , time , or man , fearing both friends and foes , looking about , and pale , at every noise , tumbling from one room to another , several times in the night , in a way unseemly for a prince ; and so mad with fears , as sometimes to get up in his sleep in arms , disturbing the whole house : whence the author concludeth that there is a god within men , who seeth and heareth all that they do : and i may infer with an●●●pol ●pol . . mae ipsius testimonio probamus deum quae licet corporis car●ere pressa , &c. we may see and feel a god in our souls , which ●hough kept close in the prison of the body , though depraved by il● principles , though weakened by lusts and concupiscence , though enslaved to false gods ; yet whe● it awakes and recovers , as out o● a drunkenness , a sleep , or sickness , it owns , fears , and appeale● to a god , and repenting look● up to the heaven , from whence i● came . . iulian the apostate ( o● whom crakanthorpe de provid . ●●ej hath this character , quo tetrius , magisque deo simul , & hominibus exosum animal orbis vix vidit . ) yet gave this testimony towards the latter end of his life to religion in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. we all by nature without any instruction have ingraven in us strong perswasions of a divine being , to whom we must look up ; and i believe , saith he , that our minds are to god , as our eyes are to light ; and at his death to christian religion , in particular when having two plots for the honour of his government , & idols , the rooting out of the galileans ( so he called the christians ) & the subduing of the persians , he was prevented in the former by being overthrown in the latter ; and being shot or thrust in the belly , he threw up his blood towards heaven , saying , ●icisti galilee , thou hast overcome . o galilean , meaning christ ita simul et victoriam fassus est , & blasphemiam evomuit ( see naz. or . . in iulian ) socrates sezom : theodoret in iul. collected in pez . mellific . histor p. . p. . indeed st. basil gave the right reason why he and all other apostates slight religion , even because they understand it not . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i read , i understood , i condemned , said iulian ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thou hast read but not understood ; for if thou hadst understood , thou hadst not condemned , said basil. . seneca , a man of great parts prudence and experience , after a serious study of all the philosophy then the world , was almost a christian in his severe reproofs of vice , and excellent discourses of vertue , ( lips●●s epist. ad paul. quintum . ) and a saint as ierome ( de script . eccles . ) reckoneth him for his supposed epistle to st paul , and st. pauls to him , to be read saith mr gataker in his preloquium to antonius by those that study divinity , as well as those that study other in learning . and came to this excellent temper by this consideration in hi● reduced yeares ( which is to be seen in his excellent preface to his natural questions ) o quam contemptares est homo , nisi supra ●umana se erex erit , what a pittiful thing is man , were it not that his soul soared above these earthly things . yea , and when he was somewhat dubious as to the future condition of the soul , yet he could tell his dear lucilius with what pleasure he could think of it : and at last that he was setled in his opinion of an eternal state with this thought , & hoc habet argumentum divinitatis suae , quod illam divina delectant , nec ut alienis interest sed ut suis ; the soul had that mark of divinity in it , that it was most pleased with divine speculations , and conver●ed with them as with matters that did neerly concern it ; and when it had on●e viewed the dimensions of the heavens contemnit domicilii prioris augustias , it was ashamed of the cottage it dwelt in ; nay were it not for these contemplations , non fuerat operae pretium nas●i , it had not been worth while for the soul to have been in the body , and as he goeth on in detrahe ●o● maestimabile bonum , non est vi●a tanti ut sudem aut aestuem . whence come such amazing fears , such dreadful apprehensions , such sinking thoughts of their future condition , in minds that would fain ease themselves by beleiving that death would put a period both to soul and body ? whence on the other side comes such incouraging hopes , such confident expectations , such comfortable prepossessions of their future state in the souls of good men , when their bodies are nearest to the grave , an dubium est habitare deum sub pectore nostro , an caelumque redire animas , coeloque venire . and while the soul is here in its cage it is continually fluttering up and down , and delighteth to look out now at this part , and then at another , to take a view by degrees of the whole universe , as manilius , seneca's contemporary , expresseth ●t , quid mirum noscere mundum , ●i possunt homines quibus est & mun●us in ips●s . to these notions of ●he future state it was , that caesar owed that his opinion of death , that it was better to dye once than to lose his life in continual expectations : being troubled with that unhappiness of men , mentioned in atheneus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that he had done his work as if it had been his play ; and his play as if it had been his work . . aug. cesar consulting the oracle about his successor , received thi● answer ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) an hebrew child hath bid me leave these shrin , which oracle augustus having received , erected an altar with this inscription , ara primogeniti dei , the altar of the first born of god : and when tiberius by pilates letters , qui pr●● conscientia christanus himself heard of the wonderful death of chris● ( at which there was a voice hear● saying , that the great god pa●● is dead , and at the ecclipse it wa● said , that either nature was dead , or the god of n●ture ) and his more wonderful resurrection he would have had him made a god. ( see phlegon . de temp . in orig . cont . celsum . l. . fol. . pliny l. . c. . . that deity which tiberius owned he feared , securing his head with laurel against the thunderer ; and running to his grave , as ca●igula did afterwards under his ●ed , for fear of a god. that god which the great scipio had at last ●uch a reverence for , that before ●e went about any business into ●he senate he went to prayers in●o the capitol , looking for no good success from the counsells ●nd indeavours of men , without ●he blessing of god , who he ●hought made , and was sure ●overned the world ; and indeed ●here was no man ever went ●eriously about any great matter but at last he was glad to take in the assistance of a god , as numa consult with egeria , zamolcus the thracia● with aegis , lucurgus , solon & min● with iove , mahomet with the angel gabriel , gods messenger , ca●ligula with castor and pol●ux . . and as we have made ● clear , that all men have near thei● latter end a sence of religion so plutarch in his book of liv● concludes most of his hero● histories with discourse of relig●●on , how divine doth he treat ● immortality , an● the happiness of a future stat● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. whe● the body lyeth under pale deat● the soul remains carrying upon the image of eternity , for that is t●● only thing that came from the god & must return thither , not with , b● without the body altogether pu● and spiritual , nothing followin● it but vertues , which place it among the heroes and the gods. how rationally doth he discourse of the divine nature , and the being of a god , towards the close of pericles his life ? how seriously doth he bring in fabius maximus that great commander in the emminent danger of the common-wealth , not training his men , but ●●rching in the sybills books , and ●●lling his countrey-men that they ●ere overthrown , not by the ●eakness or rashness of the souldiers , but by their neglect and contempt of the gods , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , beginning his great enterprize for the saving of ●is country bravely , with the ●ervice of the gods ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ●s plutarch goeth on p. . not ●esigning to ensnare mens minds with superstition , but to confirm ●heir valour with piety , and to ease their fears with the hope of divine assistance , raising the desponding peoples minds by religion to better hopes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it was a common principle amongst them , that the gods gave success to vertue , and prudence : upon which fabius advised them , not to fear their enemies , but to worship the gods ; and speakin● of his successes , he hath thes● words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but these you must ascribe t● the goodness of the gods : it wa● the same man , who when he wa● asked what he should do with th● gods of tarentum , answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us leave to the tarentines th● gods that are angry with them . how easily doth the same a●●ther dispute of the influence go● hath upon the will of man by ve●●tue , and on the frame of nature b● miracles and prodigies , in coriolanus , camillus , and dion : how gravely doth he assert in marius , that the neglecting of the study of true wisdom will revenge it self , the despisers of it [ as he saith ] not being able to do well in their greatest prosperity , and the lovers of it not doing ill in their lowest adversities . how seriously doth themistocles promise the persian king ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to honour the ●ing , and to worship the god that ●reserveth all things . how de●outly doth camillus , p. . ap●eal to the gods as judges of ●ight , and wrong , confessing ●fter all his great exploits , that ●e owed his greatness , not to his ●wn actions , but the gods favour , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] ●ho was upon all occasions pre●●t with him by many and great ●●nifestations of himself , of which plutarch hath this grave discourse , to believe these manifestations or disbelieve them is a matter of great uncertainty , som● by too easy a faith falling to superstition , and vanity , others by too obstinate an unbelief into ● neglect of the gods , and loosnes● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wa●●ness , and a mean are best . ho● resolvedly doth cato minor , wh●● he would not yield to caesar , ●● whom the world submitte● choosing rather that caesar shou●● envie his death , than save h●● life ; ) first read over plato discourse of the soul , which w●● found over his beds head , an● then he dispatched himself wi●● assurance of enjoying what h●● read : as empedocles having p●●●●sed a discourse of the etern●● state of souls , threw himself in● aetna , and pliny into ves●vius t●● emblem● if not the real s●at ●hat state . and there was nothing made artaxarxes so afraid of death when the assassines broke ●nto his chamber , as the uncertain●y of his state after he was dead , ●he reason why he wept when he ●ooked upon his vast army to ●onsider that of men there ●ould not in sixty yeares be two ●en in the land of the living . ●he vanity , indeed and shortness ●● life was so much upon augustus ●●sars spirit , that when he was ●●ying he spoke to his friends ●bout him to clap their ●●nds , intimating to them that ●●s life was only a short stage , and ●● dying a going off from it . of ●is , titus vespasian , the delight of ●ankind , that dismissed from him ●●ne sad , was so sensible , that if ●● remembred at night that he ●●d done no good that day , he ●●ould cry out perdidi●●●ends ●●ends , i have lost a day . and that prince was so sensible of a deity in the government of the world , that when crowns were sent him upon his conquest of ierusalem , he refused them , saying that he did it not himself , but god to shew his wrath upon the child●en of disobedience ( if i ma● so translate pezel . p. . ) made u● of him as an instrument and th● rod of his anger . and so serio●● was he and nerva upon the thoughts , that apollonius thyan●us in phylostratus saith , neither ● them was ever seen to smile ● play . and trajan entring upo● his government said , i enter int● this palace in the same temp● that i wish i were of when i g● out of it . these persons no dou● finding the vanity of the wor● as● feelingly as septimus sever● did , who left this testimony of ●● life● i have been all things , and profiteth me nothing . and alexander severus allowed christianity out of love to that one precept , do not that to another which thou wouldst not have done to thy self , a precept , upon consideration of the excellency of it , he had engraven on his plate , and roomes , and proclaimed at the punishment of all malefactors . and indeed religion was so amiable in the eyes of most of the greatest men ●n the world , that charles the ●reat said of it as another em●erour had done before him , that ●e gloried more in being a son of ●he church , then in being an em●erour of rome ; and when an affrican king ready to be bap●●zed in his house , saw twelve christian beggars , and asked ●hose servants they were , was ●ld they were christs , thereupon ●●fused baptism , because the ser●ants of christ were so poor , the emperour replied , that if he went to prayer three times a day as he did he would ●ind such inward excellencies in religion as would recompence all the outward inconveniences that might attend it . dan. heinsius , a master ( as seld●n expresseth it , tam severiorum quam amoeniorum literarum , history-professor at leyden , secretary and bibliothecary of the same university , and appointed notary of the synod of dort , said at last , alas , as to humane learning , i may use solomon's expressions , that which is crooked cannot be made strait . methinks ( saith hensius , and master baxter out of him ) i could bid the world farewel , and immure my self among my books , and look forth no more , ( were it a lawful course ) but shut the doors upon me , and ( as in the lap of eternity ) among those divine souls employ my self with sweet content , and pitty the rich and great ones that know not this happiness . sure then it is a high delight indeed , which in the true lap of eternity is enjoyed ! cardinal mazarine , having made religion wholly subservient to the secular interest , amassed to his own interest and person all ●he treasure and intere●t of eu●ope , and managed the crown of ●rance for several years together ; ●iscoursed one day with a sorbon doctor concerning the immortali●y of the soul , and a mans eternal ●state ; and then wept , repeating ●hat emperours saying , animula ●agula blandula , quae abibis in lo●● ? o my poor soul , whither mil●●hou goe ? immediately calling for ●●s confessor , and requiring him 〈◊〉 deal freely with him , and vow●●g ten hours of the day for devotion , seven for rest , four for repasts , and but three for business : saying one day to the queen-mother , madam , your favours undid me : were i to live again , i would be a capuchin rather then a courtier . cardinal richlie● , after he had given law to all europe many years together , confessed to p. du moulin , that being forced upon many irregularities in his life●time by that which they cal reason of state , he could not tell how to satisfie his conscience for several thing● and therefore had many tempta●tions to doubt and disbeleive 〈◊〉 god , another world , and th● immortality of the soul ; and b● that distrust , to releive his akin● heart : but in vain ; so strong ( h● said ) was the notion of god o● his soul , so clear the impressio● of him upon the frame of th● world , so unanimous the conse●● of mankind , so powerful the convictions of his conscience , that he could not but taste the power of the world to come ; and so live as one that must die , and so die as one that must live for ever . and being asked one day why he was so sad : he answered , monsieur , monsieur , the soul is a serious thing ; it must be either sad here for moment , or be sad for ever . sir christopher hatton , a little before his death , advised his relations to be serious in the search after the will of god in the holy word : for ( said he ) it is deservedly accounted a piece of excellent knowledge , to understand the law of the land , and the customs of a mans country ; how much more to know the statutes of heaven , and the laws of eternity , those immutable and eternal laws of justice and righteousness ! to know the will and pleasure of the great monarch and universal king of the world ! i have seen an end of all perfection ; bu● thy commandments , o god , are exceeding broad . whatever other knowledge a man may be endued withal , could he by a vast and imperious mind● and a heart as large as the san● upon the sea-shoar , command ●l● the knowledge of art and nature● of words and things ; could h● attain a mastery in all languages and sound the depth of all art and sciences ; could he discours● the interest of all states , the intrigues of all courts , the rea●son of all civil laws and constitu●tions , and give an account of a● histories ; and yet not know t●● author of his being , and the pr●●server of his life , his soveraig● and his judge ; his surest refug● in trouble ; his best friend , 〈◊〉 worst enemy ; the support of h●● life , and the hope of his death ; his future happiness , and his portion for ever ; he doth but sapienter descendere in infernum , with a great deal of wisdom go down to hell. francis iunius , * a gentile and an ingenious person , who hath written his own life , as he was reading tully de legibus , fell into a perswasion nihil curare deum , nec sui , nec alieni ; till in a tumult in lyons , the the lord wonderfully delivered him from imminent death , so that he was compelled to acknowledg a divine providence therein : and his father hearing the dangerous ways that his son was mis-led into , sent for him home , where he carefully and holily instructed him , and caused him to read over the new testament ; of which himself writ thus : novum testamentumaperio , ex . hibet se mihi adspicienti primo augustissimum illud caput , in principio erat verbum , &c. when i opened the new testament , i first lighted upon iohn's first chapter , in th● beginning was the word , &c. 〈◊〉 read part of the chapter , and wa● suddenly convinced that the divinity of the argument , and th● majesty and authority of th● writing , did exceedingly exce● all the eloquence of human● writings : my body trembled , m● mind was astonished , and was s● affected all that day , that i kne● not where and what i was . th● wast mindful of me , o my god , a●●cording to the multitude of t●● mercies ; and calledst home thy lost sheep into thy fold . and as iustin martyr of old , so he of late professed , that the power of godliness in a plain simple christian wrought so upon him , that he could not but take up a strict and a serious life . the earl of leicester , in queen elizabeths days , though allowing himself in some things very inconsistent with religion , came at ●ast to this resolution ; that man differed not from beasts so much ●n reason , as in religion : and that religion was the highest reason ; nothing being more rational , than ●or the supream truth to be be●ieved , the highest good to be em●raced , the first cause and almighty maker of all things to be ●wned and feared ; and for those who were made by god , and live ●holly upon him , to improve al for ●im , & live wholly to him : agree●ble to the apostle , give up your souls and bodies unto him , whieh is your reasonable service . galeacius caracciolus , marques● of vico , a noble personage of ● great estate , powerful relations● both in the emperours● and in the popes court the latter of which wa● his near relation ; notwithstanding the grea● overtures of his master , pathetick lette● of his uncle , bitte● cryes and tears of hi● parents , his wife and childre● the loss both of his honou● and estate , forsook his country and all that was dear to him , t● come to geneva , and embrace● reproached , despised and perse●cuted truth , with moses , to who● he is compared , choosing ●ather ● suffer afflicti●n with the people 〈◊〉 god , than to enjoy the pleasur● of sin for a s●as●n ; esteeming th● reproach of christ , greater riches than the treasures of the world , because he had a respect to the recompence of reward , and endured as seeing him who is invisibe : where he used to say , that he would not look upon himself as worthy to see the face of god , if he prefered not one hours communion with christ , before all the riches , and pleasures of the world . — ( saith a great man speaking of this marquess ) non celandum est hominem primariâ familiâ natum , honore & opibus florentem , nobilissimâ & castissimâ ●uxore , numerosa prole , domestica quiete & concordia totoque vitae statu beatum , ultro ut in christi castra migraret patria cessisse : ●ditionem fertilem , & am●nam lautum patrimonium , commoda● non minus , quam voluptuosam habitationem neglexisse splendorem domesticum , patre , conjuge , liberis , cognatis ex affinibus sese privasse , &c. galen , ( who should have been mentioned before ) in his excellent book de usu partium , which gassendus supposeth he writ with a kind of enthusiasm upon him ( adeo totum opus videtur conscriptum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) and so that [ to use the words of a learned man ] all those seventeen books of his upon that subject , are a kind of ● psalm in phylosophy , or a perpetual hymn upon the praise of the great creator , a just commentary upon those words of the psalmist● psal. . . i am fearfully , an● wonderfully made : marvellous ar● thy works , and that my soul knoweth right well . i say , galen observing the beautiful and useful contexture o● mans body , which lactantius calls commentum mirabile , could not choose but break out into the praise of him that made it , handling this argument for the divine providence & wisdom , in ordering the several parts of animals , and adapting them to their several uses against epicurus then , with as much zeal & exactness as any christian can do now against atheists ; so that , that whole book contains in it a most full and pregnant demonstration of a deity , which every man carryeth about him , in the ●rame of his body , on which ac●ount men need not goe out of ●hemselves to find proof of a deity , ●hether they consider their minds ●r their bodys , those domesticos ●stes , of which all men that have ●●nsidered them , have said as heraclitus said in another case , etiam hû dii sunt . this instance makes good a● learned mans observation , that however men may for a time offer violence to their reason , and conscience , subduing their understanding to their wills and appetites ; yet when these facultie● get but a little liberty to examine themselves , or view the world ; or are alarumed with thunder , earth●quake , or violent sickness , the● feel a sense of a deity brough● back upon them , with greate● force and power than before the● shook it off with . these and som● other considerations of this natu●● wrought upon funcius the learne● chronologer , that reflecting upo● his deserting the calling of a d●●vine to advance to the honour 〈◊〉 a privi-counsellor , he left th● warning to posterity . disce mei exemplo mandato m● nere fungi , & fuge ceu pestem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which you may understand by the admonition , iustus ionas , son of a divine of that name , bequeathed next year to all that came after him : quid juvat inn●meros scire atque evolvere casus , si facienda fugis , si fugienda facis . . sir philip sidney ( a subject indeed of england , but they say chosen king of poland , whom the queen of england called her philip , the prince of orange his master , whose friendship the lord brooks was so proud of , that he would have it to be part of his epitaph , here lyeth sir philip sid●eys friend ; whose death was la●ented in verse by the then ●ings of france , and scotland , and ●he two universities of england , ●epented so much at his death , of ●hat innocent vanity of his life , his ●rcadia , that to prevent the unlawful kindling of heats in others , he would have committed it to the flames himself ; and left this farewel among his friends , love my memory , cherish my friends , their faith to me may assure you that they are honest , but above all , govern your will and affections by the will and word of your creator ; in me behold the end of this world and all its vanities . . the late famous frenc● philosopher , de cartes ( who shoul● have been thought on sooner ) though no atheist , because s● zealously asserting the existenc● of god , and the immortality o● the soul , yet because he is muc● in vogue with men atheisticall disposed , as if his hypothe●●● ascribing so much to the power o● matter , served theirs that thin● there is nothing left to do for th● providence of a god ; and as he thought he could clear up the account of the worlds beginning without a god ; is a great evidence of the power of religion , when after his long * discourse of the power and notion of matter , this great improver , and discoverer of the mechanical power of matter doth ingeniously confess the necessity , not only of gods giving motion in order to the orgine of ●he universe but of his conserving motion in it , for the uphold●ng of it : considero materiam ( they are his own words in his ●nswer to the third letter of h. m. p. ) sibi libere permissam , & nullum aliunde impulsum susci●ientem , ut plane quiescentem , illa autem impellitur a deo , tantunde● motus sive translationis in ea co●●servante quantuw ab initio posui●● and therefore it s no wonder tha● it is reported of one of the greates● unbelievers now among us ; tha● he trembleth at the thought o● death , because though in an h●●mour , he speaks strangely 〈◊〉 god , yet in his study , a●● thoughts , he cannot but tremb●● before him ; and whatever his pe●●vishness hath spoken of the ete●●● spirit , his phylosophy owns , a●● fears him , without whom he m●● wrangle , but he cannot sleep ; ye●● he that talketh so peremptory ● of the great god in public● looketh not so in private : the● may be some atheists in comp●pany , but there is none alone ; a●certainly he would not be so ● fraid in the night to put out t●● light on the beds head , but that confesseth it impossible to ext●●guish the candle of the lord in his bosome , for we may say of those that are commonly called athiests , as plato [ de rep . l. . ] doth of ty●ants [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] &c. if any ●erson could but see ●hroughly into their souls , he should find ●hem all their lives ●ull of fear , grief and torments ; ●ectus inust●e deformant maculae ●it●isque inolevit imago . and i do not wonder at it since ●trabo reckoneth this among the ●pophthegms of the indians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there are judgements in ●he invisible state , and that the ●rachmans esteemed ●his life , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ut the state of a new ●orn infant , and death ●as a new birth , to a ●etter and a more ●●essed life to them ●●at followed wisdom ; whereof the gaules , and the brittains were in c●esars time so confident , that he saith , [ de bel . gal. ] that the reason why they fought so obstinately was because they were taught by the druids not to fea● death , because they knew it wa● but passage to a better life , th● soul in their opinion not perishing● but passing from one to another ● which lucan hath expressed in hi● ranting way , thus longae , canitis● cognita , vitae mors media est , cer●● populi quos despicitarctos faelices er●rore suo , quos illetimorum maxim● haud urget lethi metus , inde ru●● di , in ferrum , mens prona viri●● animoeque capaces mortis , & ig●●vum est rediturae parcere vitae . gregentius arch-bishop of t●●phra , in the kingdom of the ho●●rites , in the empire of aethiopi● many hundred years agoe , up● the request of the godly king that place , undertook a disputa●●●on with the jews about the truth of christian religion , ( the dispu●ation is at large printed out of an ●ncient m. s. procured by abbat noall , his christian majesties envoy to constantinople , and the east : in the first volume of the bibliotheca patrum , p. . pub●ished at paris , . ) lent being over , and the jews ●omming to give an account of ●hemselves before the king , and ●ll the nobility of the kingdom . ●oly gregentius the arch-bishop ●ndertook for the christians , and ●erbanus a learned man in the ●ewish laws and prophets under●ook for the jews in a solemn ●isputation before the most ●●lemn assembly in the world , ●●veral dayes until herbanus be●●●g astonished to hear so many pla●●s of the law and prophets al●●dged for christ , was so ingeni●s as to confess , that since mos●s came from god , the iews should hear him ; and since christ came from god the christians should hear him , and to offer , that if chris● were come already as he believed he was to come in person , and end the controversie with mankind an offer which all the jews asse●●ted to , with a loud voyce to god● the king and the archbishop say●ing , shew us christ , and we wi●● believe in him , whereupon th● archbishop leaving the assembl● went aside to pray , and as th● king and the assembly said ame● to the close of his prayers , ther w● an earthquake about them ; an● in the east , the heaven opene with a great brightness abo●● them , from whence the lo●● jesus appears in glory befo●● them : and after each side wa● little recovered of its extasies , t● the one of joy , the other of fe● bespeaks them thus , with a io● voyce upon the prayer of the archbishop and the faithful ; i ●ppear before your eyes , who was ●●●cifyed by your fathers ; at ●hich voyce the astonished jews ●ere struck blind , and upon en●●uiry , finding that the christians ●ere not so , herbanus being led ●the archbishop , desired that he ●ould pray christ to open their ●●es , as he had shut them , and ●●ey would believe when they 〈◊〉 that he could do good as well ●evil ; adding that if he did 〈◊〉 , he should answer it in the 〈◊〉 of judgement . the archbishop answered , that ●●on condition they would be ●●ptized , they should receive ●●eir sight : what if we should baptized and continue blind 〈◊〉 herbanus ; let one of you be ●●ptized , answered the arch●●●hop ; they consented , and the man no sooner had his head sprinkled , but he had his eyes opened , and cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , christ is true god , and i believe in him , whereupon all the rest were christened , to the number of . men● moses appearing likewise to herbanus , for whom the king stood who made him a senator , in ● vision , submitting himself 〈◊〉 christ , in whose religion th●● whole country was instructed becomming as strict christian● ( after many days praying for pa●●don ) as they had been obstinat● jews . sophronius bishop of ierusale● delivereth the fo●●lowing history , as most certain and i●●fallible truth to p●●sterity . that leontius apiamens● a most faithful and religious man that lived many years at cyrene , assured them that synesius ( who of a philosopher became a bishop ) found at cyrene one evagrius a philosopher , who had been his old acquaintance , fellow-student , and intimate friend , but ●n obstinate heathen , with whom ●ynesius was earnest , but in vain , to become a christian , following with arguments for christian reli●ion so close , that the heathen , ●hough he persisted a great while ●n discourses to this purpose ; that to him it seemed but a meer fable and deceit , that the christian religion teacheth men , that this world shall have an end , and that all men shall rise again in these bodies , and their flesh be made immortal , and incorruptible , and that they shall so live for ever , and shall receive the reward of all that they have done in the body ; and that he that hath pitty on the poor , lendeth to the lord , and he that giveth to the poor and needy shall have treasure in heaven , and shall receive an hundred fold from christ , together with eternal life . yet being convinced by synesi●● his close arguments , that they wer● certain truths he and his famil● was baptized , and not long afte● brought synesius three hundre● pounds in gold , to be distribute among the poor , upon conditio● he would give him a bill under h●● hand that christ should repay hi● in another world , which he did not long after , evagrius being ne● death , ordered his sons ●● his burial to put synesius his b● in his hand ; they did so , and t●● third day after , the philosoph● seemed to appear to synesius the night , and say unto him [ co●● to my sepulchre where i lye , and take thy bill , for i have received the debt , and am satisfyed : which for thy assurance i have written with my own hand ] whereat the bishop informed his sons what he had seen , when he knew not what they had done , who going with him to the grave , found this bill ●n the dead mans hand , thus sub●cribed [ ego evagrius philosophus &c. i. e. i evagrius the philoso●her , to the most holy lord bishop ●ynesius greeting : i have received ●he debt which in this paper is written with thy hand , i am satis●yed , & have no action against thee or the gold which i gave thee , ●nd by thee to christ our saviour ] ●hey that saw the thing admired , ●●d glorified god that gave such ●onderful evidences of his pro●ises to his servants : and saith ●●ontius , this bill subscribed thus 〈◊〉 philosopher is kept at cyrene most carefully in the church to this day , to be seen of as many as desire it , though ( to use master baxters words , who recites this very passage before his book of crucifying the world ) we have a sure word of promise sufficient for us to build our hopes on ; yet i thought not it wholly improfitable , to cite this one history● from so credible antiquity , that the works of god may be had i● remembrance . king charles the firs● had that sense of reli●gion upon his spirit , 〈◊〉 that the one act of passing the 〈◊〉 for the earl of strafford's deat● and the other to the prejudice of the churches of england and scotland , troubled him as long as he lived , and brought him not only to vow as he did before the most reverend father in god g. lord archbishop of canterbur● , to do penance for them ; but also to a resolution never to allow the least thing , though it was but the little assemblies catechism , against his conscience . and when it was ●old him his death was resolved ●on , he said , i have done what i ●ould to save my life , without losing ●y soul , and sinning against my ●onscience . gods will be done . sir walter rawleigh , ●t the meeting usually ●eld with the virtuosi in the tower , discoursing of happiness , urged , that it was not only a freedom from diseases and pains of the body , but from anxiety and vexation of spirit ; not only ●o enjoy the pleasures of sense , but peace of conscience , and inward tranquility ; to be so , not for 〈◊〉 little while , but as long as may be and , if it be possible , for ever● and this happiness , so suitable f●● the immortality of our souls , an● the eternal state we must live i● is only to be met with in reli●gion . master howard , afterwards th● learned earl of northampton , b●●ing troubled with atheistical sug●gestions , put them all off this wa● viz. if i could give any accou●● how my self , or any thing else , h● a being without god ; how the● came so uniform and so constan● cansent of mankind , of all ag●● tempers and educations , ( otherwi●● differing so much in their apprehensions ) about the being of god , the immortality of the soul , and religion ; in which they could not likely either deceive so many , or being so many , could not be deceived ; i could be an atheist . and when it was urged that religion was a state policy to keep men in awe ; ●he replied , that he would believe ●t , but that the greatest politici●●s have sooner or later felt the ●ower of religion in the grievous ashes of their consciences , and dreadfulness of their apprehension ●bout that state wherein they must live for ever . bishop vsher , that most learned ●nd knowing prelate , after his in●efatigable pains as a christian , a●●cholar , a prelate , and a preacher●●●ent out of the world with this ●rayer , lord , forgive me my sins ●f omission ; and desired to die as master perkins did , imploring the mercy and favour of god. sir iohn mason , privy councellor to king henry the eighth , and king edward the sixth , whom some make secretary of state , setting him a little too high ; others master of the requests● placing him as much too low , upon his death-bed called for hi● clerk and steward , and delivered himself to them to this purpose : ● have seen five princes , and bee● privy-councellor to four ; i have seen the most remarkable ob●servables in forreign parts , an● been present at most state-tran●●actions for thirty years together and i have learned this after 〈◊〉 many years experience , that se●●ousness is the greatest wisdo● temperance the best physick , ● good conscience is the best 〈◊〉 state ; and were i to live again , would change the court for cloyster , my privy cousellers bustles for an hermits retirement , and the whole life i lived in the palace , for one hours enjoyment of god in the chappel : all things else forsake me , besides my god , my duty , and my prayer . sir henry wotton , after his many years study , with great proficiency and applause at the university ; his neer relation to the great favorite robert earl of essex , his ●ntimacy with the duke of tus●any , and iames the sixth king of scotland , his embassies to holland , germany , and venice ; desired to re●ire , with this motto , tandem didi●it animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo ; being very ambitious of of the provostship of eaton , that ●e might there enjoy his beloved study and devotion , saying often , ●hat the day he put his surplice on , was the happiest day of his ●ife : that being the utmost happiness a man could attain to ( he said ) to be at leisure to be , and to do good ; never reflecting on his former years , but with tears he would say , how much time have i to repent of ! and how little to do i● in ! charles the fifth , emperour of germany , king of spain , and lor● of the netherlands , after three and twenty pitcht fields , six triumphs , four kingdom● won , and eight principalities added to hi● dominions , fourtee● wars managed , resigned all these , retired to his devotion in a mo●nastery , had his ow● funeral celebrated be●fore his face ; and left this testimony of christian religion , that the sincere profession of it had in it sweets and joys that courts were strangers to . sir francis walsingham , toward the latter end of his life grew very melancholy , and writ to the lord chancellor burleigh to this purpose : we have lived enough to our countrey , to our fortunes , and to our soveraign : it is high time we began to live to our selves , and to our god. in the multitude of affairs that passed thorow our hands , there must be some miscarriages , for which a whole kingdom cannot make our peace . whereupon some court-humo●i●ts being sent to divert sir fran●is , ah , said he , while we laugh , all ●hings are serious round about us : god is serious , when he preserveth ●s , and hath patience towards us ; christ is serious , when he di●th for us ; the holy ghost is serious , when he striveth with us ; the holy scripture is serious , when it is read before us ; sacraments are serious , when they are administerd to us ; the whole creation is serious , in serving god and us : they are serious in hell and heaven ; and shall a man who hath one foot in his grav● jest and laugh ? don lewis de haro , after he had lived a great while the grand favourite and states man of spain , but with too little regard of religion , growing melancholy , was taken up by a wit of spain for being priest-ridden , and troubling his head with those notions of the immortality of the soul , and the state of the other world ; he answered him with tertullian'● words , quaedam & natura not● sunt , ut mortalitas animoe pene● plures , ut deus noster penes omnes● vtar ergo & sententia platoni● alicujus pronunciantis , omnis anima est immortalis . vtar & conscientia populi contestantis deum deorum . vtar & reliquis communibus sensibus , qui deum judicem praedicant [ deus videt ] & deo commendo , at cum aiunt [ mortuum quod mortuum ] & [ vive dum vivis ] & post mortem omnia finiun●ur , etiam i●sa tunc meminero & cor vulgi cinerem à deo deputatum , & ipsam sapientian seculi stultiti●m pronunciatam . tunc si & haereticus ad vulgi vitia , vel seculi ingenia confugerit , discede dicam , ab ethnico , haereti●e . philip the third of spain lying on his death bed the last of march. . sent thrice at midnight for florentius his confessor and court-preacher , who with the provincial of castile discoursed to ●im of approaching death , ex●orting him to submit to gods ●ill so gravely that majesty its self could not choose but weep● and after some intermission from his tears , and thanks for his wholesome admonition , the king spake to him , thus , do you not remember that in your sermon on ash-wednesday , you said that one of your auditors might dye that lent that toucheth me , and loe now my fatal hour is at hand ; but shall i obtain eternal felicity ? at which words great grief and trouble of mind seising the poor prince , he said to the confessor , you have not hit upon the right way of healing , is there no other remedy ; which words when the confessor understood of his body , the king subjoyne● ah! ah! i am not sollicitious o● my body , and my temporary disease , but of my soul ; and the confessor sadly answered , i have done what i could , i must commit the rest to gods providence . upon this occasion florentius discourseth at large of gods mercy , remembring his majesty what he had done for the honour and worship of that god : to which the king replied , ah , how happy were i , had i spent these twenty three years that i held my kingdom in a retirement ; and the confessor rejoyned , that it would be very acceptable to god , if he would lay his kingdom , his majesty , his life , and his salvation at the feet of his crucified saviour jesus christ , and submit himself ●o his will : willingly , willingly , ●aid the heart-sick king , will i do ●his , and from this moment , do i ●ay all that god gave me , my do●inions , power and my life at ●he feet of jesus christ my savi●ur , who was crucified for me , ●hose image he then kissed with ●ingular affection , sayi●g , moreover to florentius ( and it was some of the last words he spake ) now really you have suggested to me very great comfort . count g●ndamar , was as great a wit and states-man as ever europe knew , and took as much liberty in point of religion ; till declining in years , he would say , as they say of anselm , i fear nothing in the world more then sin : often professing , that if he saw corporally the horrour of sin on the one hand , and the pains of hell on the other , and must necessarily be plunged into the one , he would chuse hell rather than sin ; yea● that what liberty soever he ha● taken , he had rather be torn in pieces by wild horses , than wittingly and willingly commit an● sin. should we now turn over the lives of the fathers , and the saints in all ages , we shall find that they had so much comfort from religion since they professed it , [ for he that believeth hath the witness in himself ] that they can joyn with saint polycarp . who when perswaded to swear by the ●ortune of caesar , and blaspheme or renounce his saviour , said , fourscore and six years have i served christ ; i have found him 〈◊〉 good master , neither hath he ever offended me in any thing : i have lived by him , i will live to him . salm●sius , that excellent french scholar , whom the learned men of his time never mention without su●h expressions as these , vir nunquam sat is laudatus , nec temere sine laude nominandus , gu● . riv. pref. ad vindic. evang. ●otius reipub. literariae decus , went out of this world with these words in his mouth , oh i have lost a world of time ! time , that most precious thing in the world , whereof had i but one year longer , it should be spent in davids psalms , and paul's epistles : oh sirs ! ( said he to those about him ) mind the world less , and god more ; all the learning in the world without piety , and the true fear of god , is nothing ●●rth : the fear of the lord , that is ●●sdom ; and to depart from evil , that is vnderstanding . grotius , the greatest schola● that this age boasted of after so many embassies well performed abroad , and as many transaction● well managed at home ; after a● exact survey of all the hebrew , greek and latine learning ; afte● so many elaborat● discourses in divinity , and other part● of learning ; concluded his life wit● ●his protestation , that he would give all his learning and honour ●or the plain integrity and harm●ess innocence of iean vrick , who was a devout poor man , that spent ●ight hours of his time in prayer , ●●ght in labour , and but eight in ●leep , and other necessaries : and ●his complaint to another that ad●●red his astonishing industry ; ah! vitam perdidi , operose nihil agendo ! and this direction to a third , that desired him in his great wisdom and learning , in brief to shew him what to do , vi be serious . the earl of strafford , o trust not i● man that shall die , nor in the son of ma● that shall be made a● grass . there is no confidence in princes : the onl● thing that stands by a man , is the blood of christ , and the testimony of a good conscience . doctor donne , a person of a great parts and spirit as any thi● nation ever beheld , being upo● his death-bed taking his solem● farewel of his most considerabl● friends , lef this with them : i re●pent of all my life , but that part 〈◊〉 it i spent in communion with go● and doing good . that person in dying hour shall wish hi●self not man , that hath not been a good ch●●stian . sir spencer compton , brother to ●he right honourable the earl of northampton , calling to him such reverend persons as bishop mor●ey , and doctor earles , when he was on his death-bed at bruges , he ●aised himself upon his pillow , ●nd held out his arms as if he were to embrace one , saying , o my ●esus ! intimating the comforts ●hat then flowed in from the holy ●esus into his soul. after which ●oly ecstasie , composing himself ●o a calm and serious discourse , ●e said to the standers by , o be ●ood ; o keep close to the principles ●f christian religion ; for that ●ill bring peace at the l●st . edward peito esqire , ●fter he had told his ●hysitians that god had ●ent him his summons , it ●as his expression , tha● al the sins of his former life did even kick him in the face ; and that if we do well , now he saw the evil attendiug well-doing was short , but th● good eternal ; if we do ill , th● pleasures of doing ill pass away and the pain remaineth ; his chie● charge about his children , bein● that they should have a religio●● education , that they might hav● god for their portion , as well 〈◊〉 his estate . an excellent person havi●● writ exquisitely for christian r●●ligion , hath this discourse of t●● nature of it , viz. doth now th● conquest of passions , forgiving 〈◊〉 injuries , doing good , self-deni●● humility , patience under crosse which are the real expressions 〈◊〉 piety , speak nothing more no●● and generous then a luxurio●● malicious , proud , and impati●● spirit ? is there nothing more b●● coming and agreeable to the so● of man in exemplary piety , and a holy well-ordered conversation , then in the lightness and vanity ( not to ●ay rudeness and debau●hery ) of those whom the world accounts the greatest gallants ? is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness , ●●andour , and ingenuity of a truly christian temper and disposition , ●hen in the revengeful , implacable spirit of such , whose honour lives ●nd is fed by the blood of their ●nemies ? is it not more truly ho●ourable and glorious , to serve ●hat god who commandeth the world , then to be a slave to those ●assions and lusts which put men ●pon contiuual hard service , and ●orment them for it when they ●ave done it ? were there no●hing else to commend religion ●o the minds of men , besides that ●ranquillity and calmness of spirit , ●hat serene and peaceable temper which follows a good conscience , wheresoever it dwells , it were enough to make men welcome that guest which brings such good entertainment with it . whereas the amazements , horrours and anxieties of mind , which at one time or other haunt such who prostitute their consciences to a violation of the laws of god , an● the rules of rectified reason , ma● be enough to perswade any rational person , that impiety is th● greatest folly , and irreligion mad●ness . sir thomas smith , after he ha● many years served queen eliz●beth as secretary of state , an● done many good services to th● kingdom , particularly to the se●ling of the corn-rate for the u●●●versities , dis●harged all affairs a● attendants a quarter of a year b●●fore he dyed , sent to his singul● good friends , the bishops of wi●chester and worc. intreating them to draw him out of the word of god the plainest and exactest way 〈◊〉 making his peace with god , and living godly in this present world ; ●dding , that it was great pitty men knew not to what end they were born into this world , until they were ready to go out of 〈◊〉 . my lord bacon would say , towards the ●●tter end of his life , ●hat a little smattering ●● philosophy would ●●ad a man to atheism , ●●t a through insight ●●to it will lead a man ●●ck again to a first ●●use ; and that the first ●●inciple of right rea●●n , is religion ; in reference to which , it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely : for i● the opinion of another world be not true , yet the ●weet●st life in this world is piety , vertue and honesty ; if it be , there are none so miserable as the loose , the carnal and profane persons , who lived a dishonourable and a bas● life in this world , and were lik● to fall to a most wofull state in th● next . prince henry's l●● words . o christ , th● art my redeemer , an● i know that thou h●● redeemed me : i who● depend upon thy p●●●vidence and merc●● from the very bott●● of my heart i comme my soul into thy ha●● a person of qua● waiti●g on the prince in his sickness , who had been his constant companion at tennis , and asking ●im , how he did , was answered , ●h tom ! i in vain wish for that time , i last with thee and others , in ●ain recr●ation . now my soul be glad , for at ●l the parts of this prison the ●ord hath set his aid to loose ●●ee ; head , feet , milt and liver ●re failing : arise therefore , and ●ake off thy fetters , mount from ●●y body , and go thy way . the earl of arundel , ●●ing on his death●●d , said , my flesh and 〈◊〉 heart faileth ; and 〈◊〉 ghostly father ad●●d the next words , ●●at● god was the strength of his ●●rt , and his portion for ever ; 〈◊〉 would never fail him : he an●●ering , ●ll the world ●ath failed● 〈◊〉 will ●ever failu●e . master seldon , who had comprehended all the learning and knowledge that is either among the jews , heathens ; nor christians ; & suspected by many of too little a regard to religion : one after●noon before he dye● sent for bishop vsher and doctor langbar●● and discoursed to the● to this purpose : t●●● he had surveyed mo●● part of the learn●●● that was among the 〈◊〉 of men ; that he 〈◊〉 his study full o● boo● and papers of most subjects in 〈◊〉 world ; yet that at that time ● could not recollect any passa●● o●● of those infinite books a●● manuscripts he was master wherein he could rest his so●● save of the holy scriptures ; wherein the most remarkable passage that lay most upon his spirit , was tit. . , , , , . for the grace of god that bringeth salvation , hath appeared to all men ; teaching us , that de●●ing ungodliness and worldly lust , ●e should live soberly , and righte●●sly and godly , in this present ●orld ; looking for that blessed ●●pe , and glorious appearing of the ●reat god , and our saviour iesus ●hrist ; who gave himself for us , ●●at he might redeem us from all ●●iquity , and purifie unto himself ●peculiar people , zealous of good ●orks : these things speak , and ●xhort and rebuke with all autho●●ty . sir thomas coventry , once hear●●g some gallants jesting with ●eligion , said , that there was no ●reater argument of a foolish and ●●considerate person , than profanely to droll at religion . it 's a sign he hath no regard of himself , and that he is not touched with a sense of his own interest , who playeth with life and death , and makes nothing of his soul. to examine severely , and debate seriously the principles of religion , is a thing worthy of a wise man : whoso●●ver turn● religion into railler●● and abuseth it with two or three ●old jests , rendreth not religio● but himself ridiculous , in the opinion of all considerate men , ●ecause he sports with his o●●●●fe , for a good man saith , if the principles of religion were doubtful , yet they concern us 〈◊〉 neerly , that we ought to be serious in the examination o● them . i shall never forget a traditio● of the jews related by masi●● upon ioshua , viz. that noah i●●he universal deluge , instead o● gold , silver , and all sorts of treasure carryed the bones of adam into the ark , and distributing them among his sons , said , take ●hildren , behold the most pre●ious inheritance your father ●an leave you ; you shall share ●ands and seas of god shall ap●oint , but suffer not your selves to ●e intangled in these vanities , my ●hildren all glideth away here ●elow , and there is nothing which ●ernally subsisteth ; learn this ●esson from these dumb doctors , ●he reliques of your grandfather , ●hich will serve you for a refuge ●n your adversities , a bridle in ●our prosperity , and a mirrour at ●ll times ; provide for your souls . ●he opinion of whose immortali●y you will find got every where , ●here you sind men , so true is that ●f plotinus , that never was there a man of understanding that strove not for the immortality of the soul , animam inde venire unde rerum omnium authorem parentem , spiritum ducimus . quint. that which we call death being in max. tyrius , but the beginning of immortality : therefore philostratus mentioneth a young man much troubled about the state of souls in the other life , to whom apollonius appeared , assuring him [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] that it was immortal , and bidding him not be troubled at it , since it was the divine providence it should be so : nay , phlegon a heathen hath written of a maid in trayls of phrygia , philenion by name , who burned both with lust and a feavour to death , appeared to her father and mother , to tell them if they took not that course of life the gods designed men for , and which they are to blame they did not instruct her in , they would find another state they little thought of where there was grief , and no re●medy : and he addeth moreover that he sent this history , whereof he was an eye witness , by a particular messenger to the emperour adrian . curopalates relateth how the excellent painter methodius , drawing the last day heaven black , the earth on fire , the sea in bloud , the throne of god environed with angels in the clouds , wrought upon bogoris the barbarous king of bulgaria , so as that in a short ●ime he yielded himself to god by a happy conversion , for he dreaming on the whole proceedings of that day , among other things saw the sins he had made so light of , bespeaking him thus : i am the pleasure thou hast obeyed , i am the ambition whose slave thou wast , i am the avarice which was the aim of all thy actions ; behold so many sins , which are thy children , thou begatst them , thou ●ovedst them so much as to prefer them before thy saviour . these con●iderations made weeping heraclitus wipe his eyes , and look cheerfully , saying , that his eyes were never dry till he had settled his thoughts about his eternal state , and had a dry soul , not steeped in lust , capable of the notions of immortality , the only support of bellisarius , when having been the thunderbolt of war , made the east , west and south to tremble , the mighty powers of the earth crawling in dust before him ; he that drew the whole world in throngs after him was forsaken , and walked through the streets of constantinople with two or three servants , as a man that had out-lived his funerals , to serve as a spectacle of pity , at last loosing his eyes , and crying in the streets dateabolum bellisario . this example , and others , of the sad uncertainty of humane affairs , and the necessity of yielding to religious thoughts , sooner or later , made charlemain at the coronation of his son , utter these serious words ; my dear son , it is to day that i die in the empires of the world , and that heaven makes me born again in your person , if you will raign happy , fear god , who is the force of empires , and soveraign father of all dominions , keep his commandements , and cause them to be observed with unviolable fidelity , serve first of all for an example to all the world , a●d lead before god and man a life irreproachable . what steph. gardiner said of justification by faith , a branch of our religion , is true of all of it , viz. that though it be not looked upon as a good breakfast for men to live up to in the heat of their youth , yet is it a good supper for men to live upon in their reduced years . the persian messenger in aeschiles the tragedian , could not but observe the worth of piety , in time of extremity : when the grecian forces hotly pursued us [ said he ] and we must venture over the great wat●r strymon , frozen then , but beginning to thaw , when a hundred to one we had all dyed for it , with mine eyes i saw many of those gallants , whom i heard before so boldly maintain there was no god , every one upon their knees , with eyes and hands lifted up , begging hard for help and mercy , and entreating that the ice might hold till they got over . those gallants [ saith a good man in the application of this story ] who now proscribe godliness out of their hearts and houses [ as if it were only an humour taken up by some precise person ] and galba like , scorn at them who fe●r and think of death , when they themselves come to enter the lists with the king of terrors , and perceive in earnest , that away they must into another world , and be saved or tormented in flames for ever , as they have walked after the flesh , or after the spirit , here without question they will say as dying theophilus did of devout arsenius , thou art blessed o arsenius , who hadst alwayes this hour before thine eyes ; or as the young gallant , that visited st. ambrose lying on his death bed , and said to his comrade , o ●hat i might live with thee , and dye with saint ambrose : and it is observed among the papists , that many cardinals , and other gre●t ●nes , who would think their ●owle , and religious habit ill ●●came them in their health , yet ●●e very ambitious to dye , and be ●uried in them , as commonly they ●re . they who live wickedly and loosly , yet like a religious habit very well , when they goe into another world . cardinal woolsey , one of the greatest ministers of state that ever was , who gave law for many years to england , and for some to all europe , poured forth his soul in those sad words [ a sufficient argument that politicians know nothing of that secret whispered up and down , that religion is a meer court-cheat , an arcanum imperij , a secret of government ] had i been as diligent to serve my god , as i have been to please my king , he would not have forsaken me now in my gray haires . it s an observation common and useful , that as there is no ma● of quality hardly goeth out of th● world now , without the instructi●on , prayers , and ministry of a chap●lain ; however they have lived i● it owning the comforts of religion● though they disowned the practise of it . so there is no king or states-man , from the beginning of our history to h. . times , that left not legacies more or less to pray for his soul , though it might be said of some of them , as the tart historian saith , they never prayed heartily for it themselves ; ●hose masses that they laughed at , ●hen living , they craved and ●ayed dearly for , when dying . about the year . francis ●pira saith this of himself , i was ●xcessively covetous of moneys , ●nd accordingly i applied my self 〈◊〉 get by injustice , corrupting ●●dgement , deceit , ●●●enting tricks to ●lude justice ; good ●●ses i either de●●●ded deceitfully , or sold them 〈◊〉 the adversaries per●idiously : 〈◊〉 causes i maintained with all my ●●●ht , i willingly opposed the known truth and trust committed to me , i either betrayed or preverted . and for the inordinate love of the things of this world , i wofully wounded my conscience by an infamous abjuration of the blessed truth , which i formerly professed upon the serious consideration of what i had done in cold bloud , acknowledging my self utterly undone , and for ever : this poor man became a spectacle of such spiritual misery , and woe to the whole world , that there is not any thing left unto the memory of man , more remarkable , his spirit suddenly smitten with the dreadfu● sense of divine wrath for his a●postacy , and split in pieces , as i● were by so grievous a bruise , fainted fearfully , failed him quite , and fell a sunder in his breast like drop● of water , hear some ruful expressions of his desperate state from his own mouth . o that i were gone from hence , that some body would let out this weary soul ! i tell you ●here was never such a monster as i am ; never was man alive , a spectacle of such exceeding misery ; i now feel gods heavy wrath , that burneth like the torments of hell within me , and afflicts my soul with pains unutterable . verily desperation ●s hell it self , — the gnawing ●orms of unquenchable fire , hor●our , confusion , and which is worst ●f all , desperation it self continu●lly tortureth me . and now i ●ount my present state worse than 〈◊〉 my soul separated from my ●ody , were with iudas ; the truth 〈◊〉 never had mortal man such ex●erience of gods anger , and ●●tred against him ; as i have , the ●amned in hell , i think endure not ●●e like misery ; if i could conceive but the least spark of hope in my heart of a better state hereafter i would not refuse to endure the most heavy wrath of the great god , ye● , for . years , so that at length i might get out of misery . — o that god would let loose his hand from me , and that it were with me now as in times past ; i would scorn the threats of the most cruel tyrants , bear torments with most invincible resolution , and glory in the outward profession of christ , till i were choaked with the flame , and my body turned into ashes . gribaldus addeth in the forecited letter , that being sound in his mind , and memory ; he woul● in sober-sadness , wish that he we●● either in cain● or iudas his cas● the worm had so eaten into hi● conscience , and the fire into hi● soul. . long before this ( though remembred it not till now ) viz. ●bout the year . diverse of ●he best of the city of lyons , ●alking and walking in a certain ●lace after their old accustomed ●anner , especially in the summer ●●e , conferred together upon ●atters ; among whom it chanced ●e ( the rest looking on ) to fall ●own by sudden death , waldus●●e ●●e father of the waldenses , a ●●●h man of that city , being one ●● them , and beholding the matter ●●re earnestly than the other , and ●●●●ified with so heavy an exam●●e , gods holy spirit working ●●●hall , was strucken with a deep ●●d inward repentance , where●●on followed a new alteration ●●●h a carefull study to reform his ●●●mer life ; he admonished others ●o to repent , and ministred large ●●es of his goods to such as ●●ded ; many people therefore ●●ly resorting to him , and he seeing them ready and diligent to learn , he began to give out to them certain rudiments of the scripture , which he translated himself into the french tongue . . and fourscore years before this [ viz. ] about the year . there was at paris a funeral of a grave doctor , at the interring of whom , when the priest came to the then used form mihi● or , answer me , the corps sate up●right in the beer , and to the a●mazement of all that were there cry'd out sum● at the just tribunal of go● i am accused , lying immediatel● down in its first posture ; the asto●nished company deferring the b●●rial to see the issue of this stran●● accident , till next day , a vast mu●●titude gather together from a● parts of the city , to consumma●● these strangly interrupted obs● quie● , when at the same words th● disturbed body riseth again , and with the like hideous noise , cryed out iusto dei judicio judicatus sum , by the just judgement of god i am judged ; whereupon the solemnity was deferred a day longer , when the whole city thronging to the strange burial , in the presence of them all , at the reciting of the same words , he rose up the third time , and cryed iusto dei judicio ●ondemnatus sum , by the just ●udgement of god i am condem●ed ; whereat , as the whole mul●itude was sadly affrighted , so ●runo was seriously affected , insomuch that being then an eminent ●octor in the same university , he ●●lled his schollers together , and ●●ld them that as they had for●erly heard , so they now saw that ●he judgements of the lord are ●●searchable , and his ways past ●●●ding out ; for said he , this person ●hom we honoured , for the strictness of his life , the vertues and discretion of his converse , cryeth now that he is damned by the jus● judgement of god. just are al●wayes the judgements of god though sometime hidden ( i a● saith the poor man damned b● the just judgement of god ) ● dreadful speech , which i woul● to god alwayes sounded in o●● ears , till it get into our heart● that since we cannot by an● meanes avoid judgement , a●● the wrath to come , we may wi●● fear prepare for it , and in t●● our day seek the things that b●●long to our peace : let us co●●sider my brethren ( goeth 〈◊〉 good man on ) i beseech you w●●● profit hath this poor wretch● 〈◊〉 hell , of all his light and kno●●ledge , now he is for ever in da●●●ness ? what advantage of all 〈◊〉 estate , when he hath not a 〈◊〉 of water to cool his tongue● what of honours and delights , now he must undergoe as many torments , as formerly he enjoyed pleasures ? we have seen his body thrown without honour into a dunghill ; and we may imagine his soul to be thrown without mercy into hell , to suffer with the damned , the gnawing of the worm that shall never dye , and the scorching flame , that shall be extinguished , where there is burning unimaginable , a stink intollerable , and grief interminable , where men may seek death , and shall not find it ; death being there immortal , and feeding on the miserable , not that they might have the great mercy of dying , but suffer the extream punishment of living . what shall we do ? whose advise shall we ●etake our selves to ? for all we ●ike sheep have gone astray , every one hath turned to his own way ; there is none that doth good , no not one ; we have all sinned , and done amiss , we are all the children of wrath , and deserving the same condemnation unless the mercy of christ deliver us . what shall we do , shal● we not all likewise perish ? i● god spared not this man , nor th● angels that sinned , nor the natu●ral branches that were cut off how shall he spare us ? and ye● do we think that his hand 〈◊〉 shortned , that it cannot save ? 〈◊〉 that he will shut up his lovin● kindness in displeasure ? wh●● shall we do ? oh my brethren 〈◊〉 so intangled , so difficult , and 〈◊〉 w●ighty a matter , let us not 〈◊〉 in our own strength , let us 〈◊〉 counsel , not of the iews , 〈◊〉 trust to be justified in the la●● nor of the phylosophers , who ●●●ly o● th●ir own vertues , no● 〈◊〉 the wi●emen of this world , i● 〈◊〉 savour not the things of god , but of those that fear the lord , and walk in his wayes : let us ●ear the great propitiation for ●●ur sins , the lord jesus , who saith ( as the forerunner iohn baptist , than whom there was not greater born of a woman , did before him ( repent ye , for the kingdom of heaven is at hand : ) bring forth fruit worthy of re●entance : if ye repent not , ye ●hall all likewise perish . let us ●ear saint peter p●eaching ear●estly that men should repent , ●hat there sins may be blotted ●ut ; and when his hearers were ●ricked at the heart , and asked ●hat they should do to be saved , ●e repeats that exhortation , re●ent . repentance brethren ( so ●runo goeth on ) is the only ●lank left us , after shipwrack ; 〈◊〉 us turn to ●●e lord , and he will have mercy upon us ; for he des●reth not the death of a sin●e● but that he may return from 〈◊〉 sin and live ; neither le●●●s de●●●●● for he that pro●i●eth pa●●●●● upon repentance , promi●eth 〈◊〉 so much time as we promise o●● selves to repent ; there are tho●●sands● whose ca●e is like theirs 〈◊〉 the proverbs , to whom god speak●●●● i have called , and ye would 〈◊〉 answer , i have stretched ●o●● my hands , and ye have refuse●● ye have despised all my co●● se●s , and set a● naugh●● all 〈◊〉 reproofes . i will also laugh 〈◊〉 yo●● calamity , and moc●●●ll your fear cometh , when your 〈◊〉 as desolation , and you● des●●● on cometh a● a whi●le wil●● when distress and anguish ●●●meth upon you , then shall 〈◊〉 call , but i will not answer● 〈◊〉 shall seek me early , and shall 〈◊〉 find me . the lo●d now call●● us , for this voyce is not for 〈◊〉 ●●ke that is dead , and past repen●●●nce , but ours who live , and ●hom the patience and long-●●ffering of god leads to repen●●●nce ] let us not delay from ●ay to day to answer him , for we ●now not at what hour the lord ●ay come . at these words one of the ●cholars landvinus by name , a ●●scan of luca , in the name of 〈◊〉 rest , declared they were all ●●●vinced of the truth of what 〈◊〉 said , but added with●● , that the whole world ●eth in wickedness , and it was al●ost impossible to be seriously re●●gious amidst so many strifes and ●●tentions , so many tumults and ●mmotions , so much malice and ●●vy , so much fraud and in●●stice , so much lying , blasphe●●●g and swearing , so much ●●●ptation and vanity , so much ●emperance and debaucheries . a good man must separate himself● to intermedle with tru● wisdom , take the wings of a dov●● and fly and be at rest , and with ●●noch and noah walk with god and therefore said he , brethren● let us pray to god to direct us ●● a retired place , where we may li●● with him ; upon this two othe● advised that they should goe , an● consult with the holy and re●●●●end bishop of gratianople , sa●●● hugh about withdrawing th●●●selves into a desert , & settle the●●selves there a peculiar peopl● zealous of good works● sa●●● hugh , adviseth them to goe 〈◊〉 live in the cold and dreadful ●●●sert of carthusell in daulph●● where they went and settled sev●●● in number , anno . in 〈◊〉 strictest way of religion in 〈◊〉 world , eating no flesh living 〈◊〉 ●ouples , labouring with the hands , watching , praying , and ●●●●er meeting together but on sundays , the original of ninety three ●arthusian monasteries ( where of ●he charter-house was one ) since in ●he world . to shut up this collection , master ●eorg herbert , and master nicholas ●●rrar , as dear each to other as ●oth were to god , and good men , ●entlemen well known to most ●ersons of quality in the nation . ●he latter of them a gentleman ●f a good estate , extraordinary ●●res , excellent education , and of ● happy temper ; after many ●●ars travels , experience , and read●●g● being master of most ancient ●nd modern histories , and of ●● moderne languages , when ●●pable of most employments that ●●come an accomplished gentle●an in court and countrey , re●●red to his house at little gidding● huntingtonshire , where with a ●umerous family of his relations , he dedicated himself to his dyin● day to a very strict way of servin● god in holy and excellent co●●ferences , managed by the me●●bers , by turns in devout pray●● publickly at the set hours in t●● chappel , and privately in the ●●●nonical hours day and night in t●● house , in an orderly and profitab●● course of reading the scriptu●● with useful comments and ●●●courses upon them : in receiv●●● the pious visits of most good m●● and women in that and other par● of the nation , in relieving t●● aged poor , relieving and instru●●●ing the young , in pious need●●● works by his faeminine relation● and choice pen-works by hims●●● of whom a reverend person ●● hoped is likely to give a good a●●count shortly as of a great pattern● of self-denying ; yet having a dis●creet zeal and piety to a backslid●ing world . the first ●n younger brother ●o an ancien● family , [ his elder brother was the learned lord her●ert of ●herbury . ] and the earls of pemb●oke and montgomery , the 〈◊〉 lord high-s●eward , the other ●ord chamberlaine of the kings ●his near relations ] fellow of tri●ity colledge in cambridge , ora●or of that university , a great ●●holar , and a high wit , known in the university by his rich fancy ●pon prince henries funeral , and at court by his gallant oration upon prince charles his return , yet quitting both his de●erts and opportunities that he had for worldly preferments , he betook himself to the temple , and san●tuary of god , choosing rather to serve at gods altar , than to seek the honour of state employments : to testifie his independency upon all others , and to quicken his diligence in christs service , he used in his ordinary speech , when he made mention of the blessed name of our lord and saviour jesus christ , to adde my master : next god he loved that which god hath magnified above all things , his word , so as he hath been heard to make solemn protestation ( as luther used to do ) that he would not part with one leaf thereof for the whole world , if it were offered him in exchange ; but hear the good man in his own good wo●ds . the pearl , math. . i know the ways of learning , both the head and pipes that feed the press , and make it run , what reason hath from nature borrowed , or of it's self like a good hous●wife spun . in laws and policy , what the stars conspire , what willing nature speaks , what forced by fire , both the old discoveries , and the new found seas , the stock and surplus , cause , and history ; all these stand open , or i have the keyes . yet i love thee . i know the wayes of honour , what maintains the quick returns of courtesie , and wit , invies of favours , whether party gains , when glory swells the heart , and woundeth it . to all expressions , both of hand and eye , which on the world a true loves knot may tye ; and bear the bundle , whereso'ere it goes , how many drams of spirit there must be to sell my life unto my friends , and foes . yet i love thee . i know the wayes of pleasure , the sweet streams , the lullings , and the rellishes of it , the propositions of hot blood and brain , what mirth , and musick means , what love and wit. have done these twenty hundred years and more , i know the projects of unbridled store . my stuff is flesh , not brass , my senses live , and grumble oft , that they have more in me , than he that curbes them , being but one to free . yet i love thee . i know all these , and have them in my hand , therefore not sealed , but with open eyes , i ●lie to thee , and fully understand , both the main sale , and the commodities , and at what rate and price i have thy love , with all the circumstances that may move . yet through the labirinth , not my grovling wit , but thy silk twist , let down from heaven to me , did both conduct , and teach me , how by it to climbe to thee . we will conclude with master herberts motto , with which he used to conclude all things that might seem to make any thing for his own honour . less than the least of gods mercies . and his saying was , when he heard any of his own good works mentioned ; ah it is a good work if it be washed in the bloud of christ. reader , vvhen you have read thus far , i must intreat you to do as i did when i had writ so , and that is to consider , ( the reason why religion so excellent in its self , and so exquisitely set forth in the discourses of learned men in all ages , hath so little influence on the minds , and manners of men , is because men do not think as well as read ; do not by meditation , let● those great things sink into the heart , to warm the affections into holy resolutions , which float in the brain to perplex the head with ineffectual notions . inconsideration undoeth the world , consideration must recover it ) consider all these serious sayings , spoken not an random , but upon experience , and that not of any small time ( for here every man speaks upon the experience of his whole life at the close of it ) and these speeches not of anyone party or sect , or of any one age , but of all men , of all perswasions , and of all times ; spoken when they were so disintere●●ed and disingaged from the world , as neither to be deceived or abused by any , the most fair , and promising ; nor to deceive , upon any the most profitable and gainful consideration in the world ; i say , take time to reflect seriously on all these warnings of dying men ( and they , many of them , the greatest , the most learned , and wisest in the world ) and adde to them many more , that in the lives , and deaths of worthy men , you have met with in your ●eading , but especially remember the last words of all your friend● and acquaintance , about whose beds you have stood in a dying hour , when the physician taking his leave of them , intreated them to send for the divine , to whom with sad hearts and weeping eyes they confessed the folly of their former courses , begging his comfort and his prayers ; and when the good man examining them about their repentance , told them that they should try the sincerity of their contrition for what was past , by the resolutions they had to live well if it pleased god to give them any longer time , or if it were possible to live over their lives again , the pall and sick men answered , ah , if we had an hundred lives we would live them at another rate than we have done : remember when the good discourse on both sides was over , how the children , friends or relations came about the bed , to take their last farewell , and how the dying person hardly now able to speak , yet gathered all their spirits to leave with their posterity , their blessing , with these serious words , serve and fear god ; and if the companions of their now repented sins came to them , recollect how sadly they warned them against their former courses , beseeching them as they loved them , to take example by them : and speech failing them at last , how their hands and eyes were fixed upon that heaven ●nd god which we think not of . remember and consider that i● is but a little while , and you must be in the same condition , and entertain the same thoughts , for you are as sure to dye as they did , as you ●ive as they wish they had not ; and shew your selves men in a manly and rational resol●●ion ●o live in no other course than that you dare dye in : to lead betimes that life , which you see all men wish they had led : let none of those temptations have power to beguile you to the commission of those evils , which will have no rellish in the evil day , when they should comfort you under the guilt of them . remem●er the end , other mens which you have seen , and your own which you expect , and you will not do amiss . the lord capel of blessed memory told his son r. h. the earl of essex , upon the day of his death , that he would leave him a legacy out of davids psalms , lord , lead me into a plain path : for boy ( said he ) i would have you a plain honest man , to which i may adde that excellent saying of the same noble lord , the th of his choice daily observations , divine and morall , viz. the wisdom of those young men is most excellent , who by providence and discourse of reason , do so order their affairs , that they ●tay not till necessity or experience force them to use that o●der , which wise foresight would much sooner have taken . i will close these living sayings of dying men , with the remarkable expressions of a reverend person● consideration of our wayes is a matter of so exceeding great use , that scarce any thing undoeth mankind more than the neglect of it . o that i might prevai● with you to a conscientious practise of it . i have heard of ● gentleman that upon his death bed , laid this one comman● upon this wilde son , and engaged him to the performance of it by a solemn promise ; that he should every day of his life , be half an hour alone ; which this young man constantly observing , and spending his half-hours retirement ( at first ) in any kind of vain thoughts ; at last he began to ponder with himself , why his father should enjoyn him this penance ; and the spirit of god suggesting to him , that his intent therein could be no other , but to bring him to consider of his ways , and whether they tended , and what would become of him hereafter , if he went on : it pleased the lord so to set those thoughts home upon his heart , that he became a new man. which one instance may teach us how advantagious a duty , serious consideration is , and how much it doth concern men to retire frequently from the cares , and ●usinesses of this life , and examine how the case stands between god , and their souls . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e dr. t. th. notes for div a -e there is a book talkt of amongst the iews called poenitentia adami . king . . . hist. phaen. p. . rememb . the end , and thou shalt never do amiss . ecclus. diog. laert . p. . ed. rom. zan. plutarch . apol. . p. . clem. alex. strom. . ●az de patre orat . . plut. apol . soc. . gen. bib. p. . caus. de ●l . l. ● . c. . deg. where me●h . leg. hist. pho. bibl. p. . dio● . la●● . p. c. plut. apoth . athen deip . . agel . . hesych . voce● perian . ex● her● pont. l. de . prince . plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● ●●me● he● . subse● . diog. la●r . . idem . ibid. athen. . c. . . . vid. plat. timaeu . plut. l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aug. . ● . d. c. . c●rsigon . de temp . ather . xen. l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pha vor . l. . comment . plato died crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . athen. l. . c. . elian l. ● va . hist. c. . ●l . ● curt. l. ● 〈◊〉 phy. l. . providen●iā e●a●● . ep . l● . ep . mono ludov vives de caus. corr●pt . vid. arist. dorj . evesta . p. , suidas in voci theophrastus , athen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. causab . in theoph. char proleg . dequil● accu●i●●me scriptsit . videt athens l. . c. . . vid. i har . var. his● . . c. . laertius . vid. vocebus ●●●●●sthenes , 〈…〉 et●●●ian var● hist. ● . . c. 〈◊〉 diogenes 〈…〉 . l. . 〈◊〉 . ● &c. ●uid . in vo● . ●estrot lumb . to l. . dist . . aq. p. . q. . art . . lad l. . c. . aul. c. l. . c. . cic. tu● . . l. . sen. ep . . de . ●ra● l. . c. cic. de ●in . l. . aq. . de q. . art. . . clem. alex. padag . . l●ert . zeno l. . vi● . phi●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. jamb . sect. pyth. comment . s●mp . ut et . ●●rianin epict . ●alch . vit . pythag. aldro●●●d●● . de lib. d. laert. la●r . . p. . herod . tha● . c. . plin. l. . c. . l. . l. . c . arsen. in po . aphth . hier. apol. ad rus. herod . euberpe gregor . gyrald . de pythas . simb . hier . in quest . ad hebidiam . a. gell. l. . c. . luc. dial. plut. de placitis . plut. suidas plin. c. . vid. sta. ● el. & sont . gr. el. lat. luer . . and . dr. till●s●on , &c. a man born to adde perspicuity to the strength of religion . use . chron. con . possev . bibl. val. max. l. p. . massom . scip. vid. euseb . pepar . evang . l. . c. c. . . hesich . de philos . see virgil. aenead . . the words sheol and hades have ●ignified an invsible state since they were wordes , broughton dr. i. w. hym. . plot. enn. . l. . see mr. joas grey . ser. de res . see came hist. med●r c. . sym , groular . hist. mem . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epith. vid. lyis . dissert . . a●g . c. d. c. . ●rw . rawl . hist. world. b. . vid. . euseb. chron . & scal. isa. . see gregory . assimon . . . amra . phel . quasi dixsit descende . herodotus . as in athen . vid. alex. vid. alex. the romans believed a providence ; in that caesars murderers fell upon those very weapons they killed him with . who was both a courtier , and a recluse . ann . suet tiber. c. . de van . idol . tacit. l. . ab●●t ut epis● . olas illas legitimas . put●tis . lyl greg. cyr. de poel . hist. dial . l. . vid. scrivel . annot. in martiall . miraris homines ad deos ●ire deus in hominem venit . nulla fine deomens bona sen. ep . . p. . holling p● . vit. rom. ulj in p. . ed. par. p. . . ● . suet. * hi● ( speaking of a country m●ns-house , into whi●h he retired by chance for food . ) ( o sapientiam dei admirabilem ) ( saith he ) optimam scholam christianitatis dominus mihi paraverat , sic effecit deus admirabilite● ut bonus rustic●s sanctissimum ●●lum quem habebat operante domino mihi quasi instillaret . ego verò malus christianus , si quidem christianus ei scientiâ prelucerem eâdem horà suam gratiam in utroque explicavit , & ostendit deus , a me scientiam rustico , ab illo ze●i se mina quaedam ingenerans . see his life writ first in italian , then in latin● by beza , and in english by crashaw , and calv. ded. ep . com . in ad cor. valdeso , the author of a good book of considrations is an instance o● the same nature , leaving the emperours service , for the stricter profession of religion ; ●he particulars i have not now by me lact. de opis . dej● ex ipsis membrorum officiis & ufibus partium singularum quantâ●vi providentiae quisque factus sit intelligere nobis licet . see arist. de partibus animal . se my lord brooks his book . * de prin●ip . p. . art . . . nay doctor ●●rvy having searched accurately into the na●●re of generation concludes upon a creation , ●ecause none ever found any thing , either ele●ents or particles before , and separate from bo●●es , which might make them , therefore god ●ade them . vid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hom. virg. sen. luc. statis . strabo , l. . herod . euterp . de aegyptis quibus est de infernis . persausio taci . prophyr● l. . de edendis anim . prat. spirit c. . re●er . bar. an. . whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 argueth him so possessed with a serious religion , that he there hazards all for 〈◊〉 squares his interest by it , raiseth all his prin●●●ples of government upon it , adviseth his s●● to be serious in it , comforteth himself under ● the calamities that befell him and his peop●● with considerations taken from it , framed 〈◊〉 soul into the power of it , at last sealed it as 〈◊〉 first king that dyed a martyr for it . see the excellent preface to his history of the ●orld , wherein he doth from great instances of ●●e providence of god , finding out the sins of ●●e greatest men , kings of france , spain and eng●●nd , conclude what fear and reverence of god ●●ould be upon the hearts of all men . having held a private conference awhile with his brothers ambassador , he took the candle to light him down , which the ambas●ador endeavoring to hinder by taking the candle into his own hand the emperour refused , saying , sir remember that you saw charles the fifth , who hath been attended by 〈◊〉 many armies , and waited on by so many lor● and gentlemen , now hath not a servant at ha●● in his cha●ber to wait upon him . pezel . mellit . his●or . . anno . synch . hispan . and after an unanswerable trearise of the truth of christian religion . this great man coming over as i take it from sweden , or returning thither , after he had been ambassador ●or that crown in france , where his wife by his direction ioyned in communion with the english church , lay by his own distem●er , and the violence of a storm he met with in his passage on his death bed , where sending for ●he minister of the place , i think he desired him to perform the last office for him , professing himself the poor publican , and saying he had nothing to trust to but the mercy of god in christ , and wishing that all the world saw as much reason for religion as he did . see his life in the dutch eicones , illustrum virorum , the athenae , batavicâ elogia , doctor hamonds defences of gro●ius and the particular manner of his death , in doctor merick casaubons little tract , the verborum usu : see gro●us his epist. he charged his heir upon his blessing to have nothing to do with the patrimony of the church . see the reverend dr. po●ces sermon at his funeral . see my lord bacons confession of ●aith , and his devotion printed in ● little book about twelve years agoe , wherein he doth very seriously prosess that after all hi● studies and inquisitions , he durst not ●●e with any other 〈◊〉 th●n those religion taught , as it is pro●●● among the c●ris●ians . prince h●nry used to s●y that he knew no sport worth an oath , and with judge nich●l● , that he knew not what they called puritan preaching , but he loved that preaching that went next his heart , and sp●ke [ as 〈…〉 to say of dr. preston ] as if they knew the 〈◊〉 god● from a gentlemans mouth at whose house he lodged in italy . from doctor vshers mouth ●hom he de●●red to preach at his fun●ral , and to give him the sacrament , at the celebration whereof a great scholer , as it is commonly re●orted , coming in stared , ●●ying , i thought selden had more learning , judg●ment and s●i●●t than● to 〈◊〉 to ob●●lete formes . history of spira , in latine and english. gribaldus epist. de tremendo , divin . jud . exemplo . dr. m. d. e. notes for div a -e and in the preface to h●● book ●alled knowledge and ●●●●tise . a discourse on the memory of that rare and truely virtuous person sir robert fletcher of saltoun who died the of january last, in the thirty ninth year of his age / written by a gentleman of his acquaintance. burnet, gilbert, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse on the memory of that rare and truely virtuous person sir robert fletcher of saltoun who died the of january last, in the thirty ninth year of his age / written by a gentleman of his acquaintance. burnet, gilbert, - . [ ], p. printed by a society of stationers ..., edinburgh : . running title: on the memory of sir robert fletcher. attributed to burnet by wing and nuc pre- imprints. imperfect: print show-through, with slight loss of print. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fletcher, robert, -- sir, d. -- influence. conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse on the memory of that rare and truely virtuous person sir robert fletcher of saltoun : who died the . of ianuary last , in the thirty ninth year of his age. written by a gentleman of his acquaintance . sam. . . know ye not there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in israel . edinbvrgh , printed by a society of stationers , anno dom. . to the reader . svch is the force and tyranny of custome , that somewhat must be prefixed to the following discourse . the occasion was told in the preceeding page : at which time love and regrate , were bringing to the authors remembrance , many instances of that excellent one his worth and virtue . he feared least in that croud , many precious reliques of his dear friend might be lost . he thought therefore , that to digest them into a regular composure , would be the surest course to preserve them . in which attempt , he had also an eye at the satisfaction of some others , but did intend nothing lesse than the presse . else may be he would have been more backward in it . it was in hast he wrote it : and you have it here with the same defects , which at first dropt with it from the authors pen : for neither his leisure , nor his humour , could well allow him a serious review of it . only some amendments were made by the pen of another : yea , he could heartily wish , it had been guilty of greater errours and faults ; that so , both it and he might have been excused from this pennance , which the importunities of others , to whom neither the design nor discourse was unpleasing , hath enjoyned . if the vndertaking be thought unusual , all the answer intended for that is , the person was extraordinary . some will , may be , say too much is said of him. well! but others think there is too little. and i know , with great truth , more might have been said . some will call it too flaunting , others , too flat : the author knows of a sanctuary from all censures , that is , a carelesse indifferency . may be it will find favourable reception with some , if it be not more vnfortunate in print , than it was in writ . sure it will not be unwelcome to those to whom that rare person was not vnknown . for as in the absence of the sun , these rayes which are reflected , though from the uneven and spotted surface of the moon , are not ungratefull : so that shining soul being now gone from our horizon , this representation of him , although the rude essay of an unpolisht hand , will not be disdained , except in spight that so good a them should be ill managed . the author will detain you no longer : but leaves the discourse to your perusal , and himself to your charity , and so bids you farewell . a discourse on the memory of that rare and truely virtuous person sir robert fletcher of saltoun . as a river when cut in many streams , loseth in strength though it abound in chanels : so mankinde becoming fruitful , hath multiplied , by those many productions & diffusions of humanity ; mean while the vigour of the rational soul , hath suffered great decaies , and by a daily and lasting degeneracy is mouldred almost to nothing . so that however the face of the whole earth , be covered by swarmes of men ; yet most of them are of that temper , that nought but their shape doth entitle them such . their spirits are so emasculate , their strength and vigour so effoeted : that save a skelete , nothing of a man shall be found amongst whole droves of mortals . yet in this rable , there are some erected souls , who like saul amongst the people , are from the shoulders upward higher than the rest. shall one of these engage in the search of more of his kind , long will he weary himself with fruitlesse labour , ere he espy a person truely virtuous : but if he discover any such , suddenly that sight will snatch him to admiration , and anon fix him to attention . with what pleasure will he consider all the treats of these wel-featured souls ? whos 's beautified looks will quickly conquer the hearts of all true judges thereof . hence followeth such an union of noble minds , that no force nor craft can unty the knot , which their entangled affections cooperating have sublimated beyond the bond of ordinary friendship , into that of indissoluble love . whence flow the truest joyes that frail mortality is capable of . but while this pair of souls ( or rather one enlivning two bodies ) does grasp one another in the closest embraces , and with a disdainfull smile laughs at misfortoun , as not within its reach : like a ship carried by the prosperous gales of a favourable wind , through smoothed waves to the desired harbour . lo , of a sudden the sturdy blasts of boisterous storms , together with the swelling billows of an inraged sea , will force those , whose hopes had set them beyond danger , to their long home amidst the waters . thus divine providence , not allowing us repose while here below , having reserved our happinesse for another state , when nothing can undoe that entangled knot ; in a trice , deaths dividing sword is sent to cut it : the halfed soul finding it self fallen from its rest and felicity , into a gulf of misery , will fill heaven and earth with the doleful resentments of its desolation and woe . being now , by a sad arrest , widowed of him , whose charming conversation hath so oft relieved and refreshed us , by the delights of many a pleasant hour : it is but just we pay to his memory , the tribute of a tear , and besprinkle his hearse with such fragrant flowers , as may make others relish that wherewith vve have been much glutted yet vvithout hazard of loathing . descend we then into a charnel-house and in this mournfull vault may we see the ruines of a noble fabrick , which the hands of the great architect had reared up : but novv the soul is dislodged , the house unfurnisht , and the structure fallen to the ground . if to a searching eye , there appeared in him , an unsampled glory , even while he was in his travelling cloaths ; sure now , vvhen apparelled with the garments of salvation , he shines with a lustre bright and orient . while he sojourned here on earth vvith us , he knew his soul was sequestred for heavens service : and hating sacrilege too much , he would not invade gods propriety , nor bestow it on prophane uses ; but payed his love and obedience in a constant annuity to him whose right it was . and having the stock , his soul , ever in his hands to yeeld up when demanded , the terme is now come and the sum payed , which was so vast that it hath impoverish'd us all , even to the point of being bankrupt ; for , there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in israel . a sublime mind joyned with a noble extraction doth justly entitle one great : begin we then with the latter of the two . if we consult the lyon of the tribe of iudah , he will tell us that in true heraldry the noblest descent is heavens pedegree ; each of whose off-spring resembleth the children of a king. titles of honour among men are but a mean peice of pageantry : the blason of whose coats in solomons stile , is , vanity of vanity , all is vanity ; being a borrowed light , as that of the moon , which when it shineth most brightly , doth most discover its conspicuous spots . can the glory of an ancestour , ascribed him many times for an action in it self not justifiable , and eclipsed rather than decored by the intervention of many degenerating descents , add ought of real worth to any ? whence doth the root of earthly honour spring , but from earth ? what though the pretenders to nobility could ascend in their genealogies to adam ? sure , there would they terminate , even in red earth . but to be the son of god is an original so noble and sublimely divine , that the desire of being accounted such , did make the heathens so to begod themselves , that could they but derive their descent from a god they were content to do it by histories , that not only degraded them from the dignity of being such , but immersed them into a gulf of eternal infamy and imprinted on their memories such characters of disgrace , as , in succeeding ages could never be defaced . in what a goatish shape do the fables represent their ador'd iupiter ? did not the grecian conquerour conquer his reason by his pride , in conceiting himself the son of iupiter hammon ? but christianity hath taught us that as all souls are first the breathing of the divine spirit , so by the power of that same eternall spirit vve are born again , not of corruptible seed , but of incorruptible by the word of god , which liveth and abideth for ever . the spirit of this iust man now made perfect , would stoop to no meaner state : but by a raised and noble ambition , did choose for his branch , him that growes out of the roots of iesse . which , as it taught him such a contempt of that which the world calls honour , as being but a gilded ratle for children to play with ; so it scarce permitted him to bestow on the worlds greatnesse , so much as a reverent thought . yea , it was to him a pennance , and that none of the least , to converse with those , to whose state and rank civility commanded respect to be payed , when a virtuous and rational soul did find nothing in their persons that merited esteem . this he often complained off , as one of the great toiles of his life , to find discourse and entertainment suitable to the mis-shapen and bedwarfed souls of our gentry . who like vmbrelloes of true worth swarme every where , and bate fouling , gaming and the pedling affairs of the world , understand nothing either of their maker , or of his works . but how pleased was he in the conversing with and cherishing , of such as carried heavens liveray , and were begotten to the image of god : those excellent ones were they , in whom was all his delight , how mean soever their condition in the world had been . in such company time did seem to fly , howbeit at other occasions it seemed to craul like a snail . with them midnight was past , ere he would believe it to be late . with others the first approaches of darknesse were taken for night . with those he complained of night , as the interrupter of his quiet ; willing rather to deny his body rest than his mind repose . with these he waited for the shadows of the evening ; even more than the watchman doth for the dawning of the day . and therefore it is but just we conclude , that , there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in israel . there is no grosser soloecism , than an ignoble prince : to be the degenerous brat of an illustrious parent , is as great a reproach as the foulest mouth can devise . a low and mean soul , set in a high rank , is , as an ape upon a pole. yea , as a small imperfection , in an , otherwise rare and well-featured beauty , will be espied by all ; when the same , if not a greater defect would in an ordinary face passe unregarded : and the stumblings of princes will be marked in history , when the falls of their subjects will be ingulfed in oblivion : so , when a soul , by the dispensation of god , comes to be exalted into a higher region , how unseemly will it be for such a one to trip ? especially considering that thereby , the wicked get occasion to blaspheme the name of god , and load virtue with obloquy ; and the sincere and tender hearted christian is much scandalized . nor is it only vnbecoming but questionlesse perilsome , seeing the iealous god by his all-seeing eye observes well the motions of his own , and accounts those errours , which by a holy connivance , he may wink at in others , in them , crimes deserving chastisement . the true grandieur of a soul then , is the emerging thereof from the sink and kennel of passion , interest and self-love , and the fixing of it on god and divine objects . passion is a feaver in the soul , which having agitate the vigour of the minde into fainting heats , maketh the thoughts , the pulses of the soul , move quick , high , and unequally : for reason being dethroned , every paultry passion in its tour will usurp the chair , and according to its imperious humour , make that faculty lacquey up and down , which , in the strictest iustice deserveth the precedency : thus folly is set in great dignity , and , servants are on horses when princes walk as servants . reason is the supream power of a man , on which , in legible characters is engraven the image of god. and although it be crusted over with a grosse and foeculent film on which is stamped the visage of the foul fiend of darknesse ; yet is it much like that of the artist , who imbossed his masters name with plaister ; but had underneath , engraven his own in stone : knowing that age and tempests would wear of the one , whereas t' other would weather out all periods of time. for after the dew of heaven hath washed of that superscription of satan , then will the goodly and glorious image of god , conspicuously appear in a purified reason . in regard that , as that skilfull statuary did engrave his name in pallas shield , with so deep a stroak , as could not be defaced while the whole statue were undone : so god did imprint so lively treates of the divine nature on the soul of man , as the remaines thereof are yet to be seen even in the greatest monsters of mankinde , which the earth doth bear . but man since that first fall is so unplum'd and so robt of that gayety , which at first did adorn him , that all his faculties are become soft and languide . a company of passions , like so many birds of prey , having divided the dominion of the soul among themselves . reasons first work then , is to vindicate her liberty from the tyranny of these insulting slaves . and even lame nature in the unhallowed heathens hath made strange attempts for the re-enthroning reason and regaining that undisturbed tranquillity of minde , which man was once in possession of : but alas ! man though mounted on his tiptoes , will not reach this fruit of the tree of life , it hangs too high for him ; and it is iacobs ladder only by which we must essay to climb up to heaven . our heros was behind few mortals in this atchievment . did we not see an unclouded sweetnesse and serenity so possesse his looks , that easily we might conclude , how little his thoughts were disturbed ? for being ever the same , the elevations of joy did not transport him , neither could the depressions of sorrow crush him . hymens pleasures had not so mastered his soul , as to make him neglect the duty he owed his god. neither did the death of his deservedly beloved children , imbarasse his spirit . those who by injuring him intended his disturbance , missed of their design ; for he knew that no man could wrong him , and that malice and revenge only bricole on the doer , without prejudging the party against whom they are directed . for then only doth one suffer when he permits himself into a passion ; and wrongs done us in this world , are rather the occasions than the causes of our misfortune : which he was so fully perswaded of , that , if at any time passion peeped , it did but give opportunity for the exercise of reason in the quelling so strong an enemy . he wisely considered the tongue to be that whose intemperate speeches do give rise , growth and continuance to passion : it being the rudder , which , when dexterously managed , holds us in an even and steady course : but if let loose makes us fluctuate and move at randome . his thrift of discourse was great , but his sparingnesse in censuring , rebuking , reproaching , and detracting was such , as perhaps in all his life , he was never accus'd by any ; yea , i believe , scarce by himself ( the most severe critick upon his ovvn actions ) of this fault . so studious was he to evite every occasion of affronting his reason . so that justly we may say there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in israel . well! we have considered reasons , first triumph over passion : its next conquest is the trading on the cares and concernments of this life . our bodies are the case which contains the jewel . the shrine for that stem of divinity . so the cares and concernments of the body must never come in consideration but as vassals to our souls . but now this order is inverted . are not mens bodies become the prisons , if not , the tombs of their souls . the caring for the one is accounted a debt , but thinking on the other , is thought an act of charity and benevolence . how many impoverished souls are lodged in bodies , whose cabinets are well stored with riches ? many a plump body is the receptacle of an hunger-starved mind . me thinks they resemble egypts temples , whose outside had a tearing show : but when admitted to the interiour recesses of that idol-house , with the wan light of an half extinguish'd torch , they could discern an ape . so what a sight should it be , if we could unfold the plicatures of the garments wherein many souls are invelopt ? within these cloutes vvould vve see pitifull brates : on whom if one look , he will be at a losse , whither he shall have , pity , contemn or account them unworthy of all his thoughts . is it possible that so sublime a being as the soul of man , made and shaped for high things , can be drencht in the dirt of sensuality and luxury , or grovel on this earth ? far different from this are the apprehensions of a transformed spirit , which laboureth to forget its being detained in a body , when it finds it self hailed to and depressed in earthly imployments , doth with sorrrow and pity regrate the distance it is at , from the object of its ioy and desire : the smart of which the body will feel in severe mortifications ; being denied the wanton jolleties and unnecessary flatterings which are craved by a luxurient temper . yea the formerly bewitching pleasures , become more bitter than gall and wormwood . and even life it self , the preservation whereof carrieth away the supremacy of our affections and desire , doth prove a burden , since it detaineth from that which the purified soul so vehemently longeth for . and while the pilgrimage continueth , what time they bestow on humane affaires , is rather complying with the providence of god ( who ordereth every one to their post and several imployments in this world ) than out of any pleasure they have in it , or any desire of self-satisfaction . and when their occasions and hours of divine employment do avocate them , they quickly disingage themselves , and their craving appetites ( unsatisfied with every thing beneath god ) will with an unexpressible satisfaction , suck in those comforts that are sweeter to them than the honey or the honey comb . with how little flattery , what i have been saying , may be ascribed to him , who now enjoyeth what he much desired , his freedome from covetousnesse , did discover it self in the pain he was at when crouding affairs did invade many portions of his time : careful was he to rid himself of that load . and though he was dexterous enough , so to order his affairs , as to throw away nothing vnnecessarily , which may be occasioned mistakes in some , yet these to whom his soul was known could well discern it flowed from no sordid ground . and his frank and large charity did fully discover of what mettal he was . yea a resolution of his ( which his modesty keeped unknown to all , save those who shared in the secreter motions of his soul ) never to have encreased his estate , but to offer what improvements he could make of it to god , by relieving the necessities and wants of the poor and needy : such a design , i say , to those who knew what a plentiful fortune he enjoyed , and what children he had , will make them believe , that he counted the things of this world but dung. little did they know of him , who know not how regardlesse he was of his body . he was notar for his temperance , sparing in the enjoyments of his lawful pleasures . neither could the weaknesse of his body , extort from him care and tendernesse , but rather draw from him pity and contempt . the society of drunkards he hated and shunned , as much as a toad . yea so little force had all the enjoyments of this life ( although even of these god had bestowed on him a large share ) on his spirit , that he was ever desiring to be rid of them all , and to be where no affair could avocate him from that he so much desired : that being uncloathed of his vile body , he should be fred from grosse and material conceptions of spiritual things ; from the tribute he owed his body , and from the trouble he was at with businesse : but most of all , from the dregs of corrupted nature which pinch the soul and make it long to be with christ. some dayes ere he died , being desired not to wrong himself with the apprehensions of death , his answer was : that having exercised himself so long with the thoughts of it , he did not apprehend it with fear as an enemy : and therefore with joy did he receive the approaches of it . it was the last morning of his life that he said ( even in the midst of high and furious raving , occasioned by a feaver of which he died ) o my most adorable and glorious lord god , to thee i come , and with thee shall i be for ever . who can then blame me when i say , there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in israel ? reason , having made a foul fray among the passions , and trampled the body underfoot , it carrieth on its conquests , and at length combates it self , and beats down any good opinion it is tempted to have of its self . it fares with many , as with those vapours , which , being by the suns active beams agitated into a subtile thinnesse , mount up ; but because they had not layed down their earthinesse , reach no further than the regions of the air : where , after being toss'd too and again , they fall down in big drops , more grosse than when caught up . so the souls of some , by the forcible impressions of some heats are caught up from worldly , carnal , yea and passionate courses : but there being no true renovation of heart , they mount no higher than the aery regions of vanity . self-love being the root of their actions , though they may appear specious , being set of with canting and dissimulation ; yet , their depth being sounded , prove in effect nothing but profound venerations , payed to the shrines of their adored selves . this is the last battery of the enemy of our salvation . other engines failing , he insinuats himself into the more retired corners of the soul , and by this deadly venome , he poisons and leavens the whole soul , making it forget that dependance upon god by which it lives ; and cease to praise that unbounded goodnesse , to whom it owes more , than seraphims can expresse . as also the active vigour of the soul in every duty of religion , growes remiss , when it conceits it self victorious over all its enemies . this is the tympany of the mind which often , if not ever , proves deadly and irrecoverable . but true greatnesse , will quickly evacuate the mind of all those tumours , by representing as well the frailties of its nature , as , the miseries of its depraved state. the one , by remembring it is a creature started out of nothing by the omnipotent power of its adored maker : the other , by discovering how weak and effeminate our souls are become : how short sighted and dim our vnderstandings : how lame and unactive our wills. how furious and undaunted , our passions . as also by reflecting on the great and frequent errours of our life , and our ever recurring imperfections . it is by the like considerations , that man comes to be undeceived , and doth perswade himself that he is an empty nothing , and so delights in self-degrading thoughts , and , with s. paul , doth glory in his infirmities , that the power of christ may rest upon him . it is now time to apply what hath been said to him who hath finished his course and hath obtained the crown . but i suppose all , to whom he was not wholly unknown , could spare me the labour . it were indeed a puzling question , whither his worth or his humility was greatest . he took more pains to conceal what he really had , than , may be the proudest do to set of what they have not at all . his shunning all occasions of any publick appearance , and his great silence and sparingnesse of discourse ( which were too well known to insist on , yea it were a difficult work to instance , unlesse there were produced a catalogue of all the actions of his life ) were pregnant proofs of what hath been said . neither did this nonpareiled modesty , flow from either natural retirednesse of temper , or the contempt of others , which makes some retreat from the societies of men ; accounting it below them to converse with persons , beyond whom self-conceit hath far advanced them . no , on no such ground he withdrew himself from the too much beaten road of conversation : but he did so distrust himself , as to be ever regrating those imperfections ( judged to be in him by none but himself ) he found depressing his spirit . he talked much of his want of memory : yet was he well known both in greek and hebrew , in the latter especially . neither was he a stranger to the other oriental tongues ; not to mention his perfection in the latine & several europaean languages . language being a heap of words , connected by no string of method , ( people being taught to speak , by custome and not by philosophy ) there is nothing that more racks and overcharges the memory . a memory then so well twisted , as to be able to retain singled words , cannot be thought so treacherous , as to let slip connected things , when commanded to such an imployment by inclination . truth was , he was ready enough to forget any pedling affair : but the impression such stuffe could make on a mind so much alienated from the world , was so overly ; that no wonder it was not lasting . should we also take his own testimony of himself , we should believe his mind was shallow and purblind . but a whiles conversation would have forced any to change their opinion . he was deeply skill'd in the mathematicks , thogh he was well advanced in years before he began that study : and his distracting affairs , did never allow him that time , which an exactness in those sciences doth require . notwithstanding he was well seen in most of them . it was the science , and not the art in them , most pleased him . his dexterity in unridling the most knotty theorems and problems was singular . his patience was unwearied . so that i stick not to say , that had his conveniency permitted him that study , as much as his genius and inclination would have led him to it , he had been inferiour to few of his age. which , many of his papers would make no hard labour to prove . he gave himself also much to philosophicall studies , but could never satisfie himself with that empty scelet of aristotles philosophy . which being by the trifling way of logick , digested into some order , hath imposed so long upon the world , and hath abused them into an opinion of their own great knowledge , when notwithstanding , they could never extricate one difficulty in all nature : and yet they would bear the world in hand , that wisdome shall die with them , but was well pleased , with the late ingenious attempts to unmask nature . and as the rational subtility of these designs delighted him , so he was much pleased with the ingenious candor of these mechanical philosophers , and expected great things , from the honourable and truely royal society of the virtuosi in england . for he believed that design , to be the strongest attempt the world had seen , to rescue it from ignorance and vncertainty . he was also a great friend of chimistry , and being no stranger to it , was purposed to have applied himself seriously thereto : hoping by vulcans key to have disclosed nature . he had also studied mechanism , and all such things as might improve a society . but the more he knew , the more he was perswaded of the defects of humane knowledge . neither was he like these globes , wherein the author , rather than acknowledge his ignorance , will fill up these wast and unknown spaces , with lands designed and marked only in his conceit : but he choosed rather , to mantle over that which he knew , by a shadow ; than , to pretend to that which he had not . in fine rare was it to see so much worth vailed under so much humility . which keeped him so from the knowledge of others , but most of all from himself . yet as the sun beams when stopped in their even course , and refracted in a cloud , do appear in that rare contexture of light and shadow the rainbow : so the vail of humility , though , it a little interrupted , yet , it had not the force to keep up the glancing light of that shining soul , but rather , as a shadowed picture , appeared he with advantage . and as the rare endewments of his mind , did not intoxicate him ; so the virtues of his soul , however valued by others , were ever counted few and mean by himself . for he had perfection in his eye . his aimes & designs stooping no lower . whence the recurring defects of the daily imperfections which annoyed him in his pilgrimage , represented alwayes himself , in the blackest shape disdain could set him in . and there was nothing more grating to his ears , than his own praises . is there not then a prince and a great man fallen this day in israel ? the soul of man being by the power of the divine spirit rescued from the bondage of corruption , is brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of god. for these staining tinctures of passion , lust and pride are not done of , that he should continue as a whited wall or a fleece of wool. nor are these divels only cast out , that the house be empty sweeped and garnished : no , we need not fear so great preparations shall end in nothing . we are uncloathed of our filthy garments , in lieu whereof we receive change of raiment : and the treats of the image of god are drawn on the soul. thus the mind is transform'd , by that participation of the divine nature , whereby it is united and knit unto god , with that bond of perfection , love : which having consum'd , all that fewel of lust and vanity which had so long smothered the divine life , but becoming victorious , it inflameth the whole pile , and offereth it up in one burnt-offering to god : and the soul being agitated by the love of god , shed abroad in it , as by an active principle of life , is ever in its desires and meditations mounting thither , where it hopes to be for ever . our saviour compared this establishment of the minde on god to hungering and thirsting : which is not caused by reason but by life . thus the supream exaltation of the soul , is in being so fixed on god , that we need not be jogged up to it by arguments : but , by a natural and unforced emanation of spirit , to be ever breathing after , and panting for communion with god. this is to have our fellowship with the father , and with the son. to place our whole affiance and confidence on god , who through the mediation of his son , is become our mercifull and gracious father . to bestow on him the supremacy of our love and affections ; and by uncessant motions to be springing towards him. thus the soul , maugre the load of its body , that separateth it so far from heaven , will not be delayed of its glory , untill vnbodied ; but will be snatching the summer-fruits even before harvest come . which , though they be not ripened , to the delectableness of angels-food ; yet , that antepast of glory will yeeld the mind , such sweet solaces and pleasures , so sublime and highly divine , as will beget a loathing of the most unmixed delights earth can afford . for that original sin , that they be of the earth , will sufficiently discredite them . the soul having now found an object , that will both deserve and attract its more fixed thoughts , with what silent admiration will it be considering these divine adorable excellencies , wherewith the glorious lord god is cloathed , as with a garment ? which will sometimes choak them , to a stillnesse next to ecstasie ; and at other times will burst forth in halelujahs and thanksgivings . could we trace the steps and sacred soliloquies of a devout spirit , in those blessed retreats it makes , from the loud disturbances of the world into the presence of him , who is its hiding place , and strong habitation whereunto it will continually resort : we should see it with delight sum up , all the passages of the power , providence and goodnesse of god : whereby it rouseth it self and all that is in it , to blesse his holy name , and to forget none of his benefits . and , if the world offer it self to its view , it will quickly say with s. paul , these things that before were gain to me , are now become losse through christ. yea , doubtless , i count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of iesus christ my lord. yea , i will account them but dung that i may win christ. thus are the meditations of god , sweet unto it : neither is this only the holy-dayes imployment of the soul. for god doth not come to a soul , as a way-faring man to tarry for a night ; but he dwelleth and abideth in it . the soul is acted , moved and directed by him , in all its goings . and when its station , to which god hath commanded it in the world , calls it from these immediate adorations , it resolves quickly to return again , and leaves the heart with god in pawn . so that however it may be busied , yet all passionate fervour is blunted and quenched . and it is so exactly regulated , by the divine will , into which its own is changed , that it cares , desires , joyes and sorrows for nothing earthly : but all the methods and steps of the divine providence , are by it judged to be , both wise , good and just : as flowing from an unerring skill , an unchanged goodnesse , and a spotlesse iustice. therefore in patience doth it possesse it self , and , with an unreserved submission , equally welcomes as well the ebbings , as the flowings of earthly satisfactions . as being none of them of a nature , capable of promoting or retarding , that happinesse it expects and desires from god alone . thus with open face as in a glasse , beholding the glory of the lord , we are changed into the same image from glory to glory , as by the spirit of the lord. the order of this discourse doth call for the applying , what hath been spoken to the glorified saint that hath now left us . in doing whereof , several instances must be disclosed , which in his life were unknown to all , save to , his other self , his friends . his soul was even fraughted , with adoring and magnifying thoughts of his maker . his frequent and fervent entertaining himself with divine meditations , did let us all know wherein he placed his happinesse . every day , many hours of his time , were spent in the outer court of heaven , in those approaches to god. no company was so bewitching , as to make him forget him , who had inhanced all his desires and delights . but when the entertainment of friends , did seem to hinder him from that imployment : yet still he either found or made a shift to excuse himself for a while , that he might converse with his god : which an ingenious modesty did so contrive , that it was not so much as suspected , to be done upon design . yea when he was so pressed , that he could get no time in the day stollen , he made it up in the night . often he used to be eight hours a day in the immediate service of god : beside his diligent observance of the lords day , which was indeed singular . he used a constant method in reading scripture , wherein he was much conversant . neither did the translation satisfie him , but he searched the original carefully : for he could quot , the new testament and psalter , as easily , in the first language , as most can do in their mothers tongue . in his daily reading , he did still choose some place , which he fixed in his mind . to the consideration whereof , he recollected his thoughts , all that day when ever he found himself at leisure . which he used to say , was his sanctuary whither he retreated , from the persecution of idle thoughts . many such methods used he to wing up his soul to the work of cherubims , ever to behold the face of his heavenly father . yea a radiant splendor which possessed his looks , when he returned from his closet , could make us , easily discern , what joyfull and pleasant work he had been about . he used often , to separate whole dayes , for the worship of god , wherein he denied himself any other refreshment , save what was ministred to his soul. he performed himself , the duties of his family constantly at two returns each day : where you might have heard both reading , singing and prayer , and that with such a true and unaffected devotion , as discovered how little formality may be in the observance of forms . the first arrest of that fatall sicknesse , had exhausted the active vigour of his spirit so far , that the keennesse and fervour of his soul was somewhat blunted , which drew him into sadnesse , judged melancholy by beholders ; for he complained , that then when these attaques of god , did alarum him up to a greater diligence , he was become more languid and tepid : this trouble was but of short continuance , for he found the union of his soul to his god , as close as ever , though a mistuned body , could not bear up in a concord with it . the last lords day of his life , was he diligent in the search of his heart , and earnest in wrestling with god : the issue whereof was , a quiet and composed mind . which was , apparant , in the cheerfulnesse of his spirit , which was greater that night , than it had been all the while of his sicknesse . two dayes after , he was seized with a spotted feaver , or rather , his sicknesse did evidently discover it self to be such . which having in a sudden disturbed his fancy , what , after that , came from him like himself , was rather curt ( though raised and divine ) contemplation , than any fixed and well ordered conceptions . often did he pray , often did he speak of the glory of his god , and of his redeemer : yea never mentioned he either , but his soul seemed to go out with fervour . the last night of his life , five times , did he direct his desires to god , in the words of the lords prayer . about the morning , his raving seemed to have taken leave of him : for about a quarter of an hour , did he , with great seriousnesse , and in well fitted words , call upon the lord and invocate his aid . neither did he forget his soveraign , the church , his nation or his family . he had no sooner ended , when the fury of his distemper , as if it had given him truce , only for that blessed work , did again invade him . it was a few hours after that ( for he scarce spoke any more ) that the cords of his tabernacle , begun to be slackened : and before we were awar , he gave up the ghost and fell asleep , passing into glory . is there not then , a great man fallen this day in israel ? having thus viewed the greatnesse of that soul , wherein i do protest , no hyperbole hath been used ; neither hath ought been said but what i certainly knew to be true , those who are little acquainted with true worth , and who imagine there is no such thing in the world ( but that it is a chimaera , contrived to amuse and overaw the sons of adam ) will , may be , look on what hath been said , as a flaunting story . but it will gain credit with such , as are , neither strangers to virtue , nor to him. what was seen of him was so fair and alluring , that every one will not stick to believe , the vnseen and hidden parts of him must be the most glorious : all will believe the closet of a palace to exceed the glory of the walls . but it is a sad conclusion , to say , there is a great man fall'n , i shall rather invert the words , there is a great man rais'd up . the soul and body are wreathed into unity by such a congruity of life , that forgetting the difference of their natures , they come to be so linked , in the embraces one of another , as to move joyntly in all their operations . whence followeth such an eccho of the one , to all the affections of the other , that they both gain or losse , according as their yoak-fellow is pleased or prejudged . which being a riddle too hard for the crazed vnderstanding of man , whose sight hath not yet reached the inside of beings , their natures ; some take a compendious way to extricate themselves , by saying , it is but agitated and subtile matter that keeps us in life . how well this may be applied to such agents as are devoid of ratiocination , and to the plantall and animal actions of a man , i am not now to examine . but that cogitation can be an effect of matter , even when it acts on immaterial objects and in self-reflexions , will be found a greater difficulty , than that they intended to shun . and sure in the conception of a cogitating being there is no greater absurdity , than in that of an extended one. after the soul hath lodged in the body , that space of pilgrimage and probation , appointed it by god ; then the time of its dissolution draweth nigh . when it is to be unfettered , then , through the dark shades of death must we passe to immortality . and though there be nothing more dreadfull , to them whose leud and atheistical life , doth fill them with just apprehensions of approaching miseries ; yet the lord god , who can out of the eater bring forth meat , and out of the strong give honey , hath ordered that to be the fore-runner of a blisse , so far elevate beyond the mean and lo apprehensions , we frail mortals can conceive , that the most fluent eloquence , can do it no right . may we but imagine , what an amazement a holy soul will be struck in , when it finds it self , of a suddain freed from , the depressions of a grosse and terrestrial body , the allurements of a debauched mind , the entisements of a foolish world , the contagion of evil company , the stings of sicknesse and pain , and from an unactive tepidity of mind in the service and converse with god. and in stead of all this , it enters heaven , where it is received and welcomed by innumerable companies of angels and spirits of iust men made perfect ; and is by them led into the presence of that king of saints , who is glorious in holinesse , whose majestick greatness , being then clearly discovered by the purified soul , will occasion the greatest transports of ioy , the rational nature is capable of . for , we shall then see , with the evidence of sense , the brightnesse of the fathers glory , the only begotten son of god , whom , while on earth , we behold in the obscurity of faith. believe me , this glory were too dazling a sight to us while we are in the body . moses , when he saw but the outside of the divine glory , yet such a brightnesse , from that passing view , was imprinted in his looks , that he must needs vail himself : what eye could then behold an vnvailed god ? and if a passing sight of that exalted prince , did so swallow up the spirit of the apostle of the gentiles , what could resist the ecstasies and ruptures , a fixed looking on the sun of righteousnesse would occasion ? if the one made s. paul forget his body , t'other would have made him abandon it . but in glory , those ravishing objects shall not consternate the beholders into a languishing faintnesse , but , being transformed , it will rouse them into a vigorous activity and sprightfulnesse of blessing , adoring , loving and rejoycing in their maker , that fountain of life . and this by no short or passing returns , but by a constant efflux of soul. so the creature is wholly swallowed up of , and overwhelmed by the vision of its creator . now into the number of that coelestial quire is received the soul of him , who , while on earth , having seen the glory of that land which is a far of and tasting some of the grapes of canaan , did run his race with joy and pressed forward toward the mark , even the prize of the high calling of god in iesus christ. and having now finish'd his course , he hath entered into his masters joy , and and hath received , that crown of righteousnesse , which is incorruptible and fadeth not away . now , being uncloathed of all dulnesse and frailty , doth his soul as an unsullied mirrour , yeeld a bright reflexion of that uncreated light , with whose beams he is irradiated : and , in that purest light of divine illumination , doth he see light , seeing him that is invisible . if an vnknown saviour did by a secret influence , warm the hearts of the two disciples , while he talked with them ; sure then the hearts of this disciple , is now inflamed with love and zeal , while he closely embraceth and immediately converseth with an vnmasked redeemer ▪ o how much doth he rejoyce and blesse himself in the possession of that glory : the meanest degree whereof he preferreth to the empire of the world. what hallelujahs is he now singing ? with what delight doth he keep his part in those heavenly anthems ? with what pleasure feels he himself beyond the assaults of corruption ? how doth it rejoyce him , that he needs no further incentive of the love of god , and that no cloud doth disturb or darken the excellent and magnificent glory ; no drowsinesse of mind doth steal him into sleep ? for there is no night above : but day and night do they see the face of god. know ye not then there is a great man raised up this day in the new ierusalem ? it followeth to be considered , where hath this great man fallen . even in scotland our israel : a nation of which it may well be doubted , whither its mercies or ingratitude be greatest . and though at some time it might have compared with any round about , being barren in nothing but the soil ; but now indeed the case is altered . to instance it in one thing . it not the power of godliness , whose effects should be , a reformation of our spirits into a likeness and conformity with our glorious master and redeemer , turned into formes and words ? with what violence and eagernesse , may we daily see inconsiderable and controverted opinions , pressed and advanced ? what severe censurings , bitter reproaches and scurrilous invectives , are we daily forced to hear ? and we are become so keen on such stuff , that the great and indispensable precepts of the law of jesus , holinesse , charity and obedience are counted but mean and sorry doctrines . what triumphs are made upon the failings and errours of those that differ in opinion , though such had no truth in them , and are but the forgeries of gall and despite ? and how well pleased are we , when we get the inglorious advantage of crushing and ruining these , whom blind zeal , tinctured with malice , and revenge makes us account our enemies ? thus for all our canting , if one should give a judgment of us by our lives and conversations , he should not miss of calling us christned heathens . we are called christians , and professe our selves to be such , and do wisely in so doing ; for there is nothing that would make any suspect us guilty of religion , save our outside . are we not covetous , proud , passionate and self-conceited ? thus have we flatly contradicted the great design of the gospel . which doctrine was proclaimed to the world by the wisedome of god , not to disturb our heads , with harsh and unprofitable questions ; but to prick our hearts with a sorrow and hatred of sin. not to make us talk big , but to live sublimely and to become like unto his glorious self . yea , how degenerate by such work are we become , and what loathing this hath begot of the great truths of religion in the hearts of our supernumerary gentry , i should rather mask with a silent sorrow , than with a brisk forwardnesse , discover the nakedness of my parent , my countrey . but their detestable and impious lives , their irreligious and blasphemous scoffing at piety and holinesse , and their daily falling off to the superstitions and idolatry of the church of rome , do give too evident a testimony what kind of cattel they are . neither hath this contagion only corrupted the morals of this people , but their very spirits are become mean and sordid . and how receptive their vitiated minds are , of the worst impressions may appear from the great footing that french contagion of atheism ( more to be abominated even then the sicknesse which goeth under that name ) hath among us . the furious wits of some rampant hectors , who having immersed themselves into all brutalism , and apostatized from that god-like nature , conceive the deepest hatred against the adored deity ; and with a monstruous arrogance proclaim an open feud against god and religion . and if they can with blustring and sophistry elude those arguments , where with some , lesse experienced with their cursed arts , do assail them , and with a wide-mouthed impudence run down the modester : thence do they conceit themselves , the only sons of wisdom ; of whom , i dare boldly pronounce , that in themselves we have the greatest instance of their so eagerly contended for principle , that a man hath no real preheminence over , or difference from brutes . which if now they so much desire , what wil their wishes be when , with their master leviathan , they shall be shut up in that lake of fire and brimstone . their triumph is , that no argument can reach them ; for , they deny the certainty of all those principles whence any argument can be drawn : and yet in the maintaining their own hypotheses , how many absurdities are they driven to suppose ? which could never have captivated any mans reason , but his who hath consented to that slavery , and resolves , to believe any thing but religion . further , if all things be uncertain ; then , that there is no god , must be so likewise ; and as their principles yeeld to this , so they could never pretend to any positive argument for this monstruous tenet . if it followeth then , that for ought they know , there may be a god , it will be easie for every one to collect hence , whether atheism or religion be the safer course . how much these hellish doctrines begin to be received among us , is too notar , the daring boldnesse of those blaspheming rascals , telleth us , they fear man no more than they do god. this great person that is now fallen , although , he needed no such foil to set off his glory ; yet it cannot choose , but make him the more considerable , and his fall the more lamentable . how much the degeneracy of this nation grieved him hath been touched already . great was his indignation against that divellish crew of atheists : that one should thought so calm a mind , could not be stirred to so much spight . much was he incensed against some pretenders to the mathematicks , who ranked themselves under leviathans banner : for he believed that from these sciences , more then one or two arguments could be brought for the principles of religion . in fine , he judged the greatest right could be done to reason , was the belief of christianity , which is in all things so proportioned to our faculties , that the very proposing of them will gain credit , from any unstained mind , which is freed from the polluting tinctures of lust and passion , and , converseth much with its own faculties , in still and serious reflections upon it self . his spirit was too large to shrink into the narrow orb of a party or interest . no , his charity taught him to dispise none of his brethren . for though he believed his conscience to be his own rule , which he carefully and diligently observed and followed , yet he judged it an impudent peice of antichristian arrogance , to assume authority over the consciences of others , and to dictate to them . in fine , he judged none of our debates , to be about matters essential to religion : but found himself oblieged to all love and kindnesse for those , that lived holily and whose souls had taken on that light and easie yoak of iesus , and had stouped to his government , however they might disagree about the outside and model of church-polity . and howbeit he was of opinion , that , episcopal government moderating over but regulated by presbyters , might have as strong a plea for the chair as any other form ; yet he judged forms , to be but forms , which , of their own nature , are neither so good as to make men good ; nor so evil , as to make men evil : but would prove succesfull according to their skilful management : or vuneffectual by the furious overdryving of these , to whose care that work was trusted . by this description , the truth whereof was so fully known to all perswasions ( yea the last morning of his life , did he cordially pray that the lord would heal our breaches , and poure out the spirit of love and meeknesse on this divided and furious people , and fell out in a noble panegyrick on the power and exaltedness of the great truths of our religion ; and concluded , that god who had not denied us the knowledge of his son , would never have envied us a clear discovery of these opinions , had they been necessary for his church . ) hence we must conclude , that now his advantage , is our great and unspeakable losse : for he was one of a thousand , a burning and a shining light , blamelesse and harmlesse as a son of god , in midst of a crooked and perverse generation . o scotland ! doth none of you lay it to heart , that this righteous and mercifull man is taken away : and who knows , but it is from the evil to come . hath not the loud cry of the iudgements of god awakened you ? and doth not the musick of his mercies charm you ? hath not the preaching of his word converted you , nor the life of his servants , wrought upon you ? yet let the death of his saints allarum you . know ! that the lord god is angry : and that the cry of your abominations is going up to heaven : and a cousumption from the lord , is come out upon you . the power and vitals of religion are daily decaying , and the true seekers of god are melting away as snow before the sun. they are the pillars of the earth , and it is for their sakes , that the end of time is not already come . justly may we then fear , that the lord shall be gathering in those excellent ones to himself , and so his fury shall run out upon us without a stop . therefore let me excite you to notice this great losse . and so i say to you , know you not that there is a great man fallen this day in israel . here is offered to our consideration , what kind of notice the death of such a great person doth call for . which that we may the better understand , i shall remove that great errour of many , who think the violent touches of a passionate sorrow to be a debt they owe the memory of their deceas'd friends : wherein they so obstinately harden themselves , that their wit and spirit is put to task to defend and justifie these daily affronts they receive . and if the force of reason or length of time be rescuing them from that vassalage , then their vitiated minds become incensed against themselves : and they wil challenge their hearts of insensibility and forgetfulnesse . shall we then see how iust their sorrow is . will we step into a gallery of heathens , there shall the stoicks teach us wisdom . from them may we learn to look upon nothing without us , as our own ; but count them of a lower nature , and to have nothing in them , that can render us truely happy , but to be so fluctuating that when we think our selves most secured in the possession of them , we are to remember , they may be removed from vs : and so we are to preserve our minds from the bondage of passion and fondnesse on ought that is earthly . for an opinion of excellency in any thing , and the apprehension of that to be ours , doth make the losse of it unsupportable . they will also teach us never to be troubled , for that we cannot help ; for they believed all things to be governed by a fate , which was inevitable : they therefore judged it irrational , to be busied in a fruitlesse labour , since that nor tears nor sorrow can recall the life that is gone . thus vnchristned reason taught these philosophers to argue . and sure if they lived as they talked , they shall rise in judgement against many called christians , who see a clearer light , and yet walk in greater darknesse and disorder . it is no disgrace neither to our religion , nor to the grace of god , to magnifie the morality and worth of the heathens . methinks it saith and that strongly for the honour of it , to find , among the rubbish of ruined nature , still remaining , some impressions of virtue . but if we attempt a comparison betwixt that sacred doctrine delivered in the bible and the writings of the more moralized heathens , you may as justly compare a fish eye to a pearl , or a diamond to a peece of christal : natures light being as the first dawning ▪ of the morning , pleasing to one wearied with the blacknesse of night , which may well delight the eye with its beauty , but will hardly guide the traveller on his way . but the divine light , like the noon beams , which clearly discovers all things here below , and maketh us easily discern every object save it self , not for any dimness in its self , but an excessive brightness . so after one hath been vexed , with looking on the darknesse of heathenish idolatry , and finds in greece something of a higher strain , he cannot choose but be somewhat satisfied : but will find himself little furthered . their doctrine being able excellently to inform , how he is to be unhinged , but prescribing no foundation to fix on , nor furnishing any helps towards such an atchievment . this is peculiar to the glory of the latter house , whose radiant splendour doth discover to us , all the instances of our duty , and fills our hearts with true understanding , for the perfect knowledge of every thing in our course . only he whose glory it is to be incomprehensible , cannot be found out to perfection . the truth whereof shall be now applied , to the affair in hand . religion then teacheth us , that in this life , we are but pilgrims , and aiming at ▪ but not attaining , happinesse : and that the very essence of all earthly enjoyments , is to be transitory . for we have no lease of life , nor of the comforts thereof . there is a wildernesse betwixt and canaan , in which we must sojourn . we must not then fret , although we have no water at every station : but with all cheerfulness , ought we to follow every remove of divine guidance ; for here we live in hope , and expect that after we have walked through the valley of baca , we shall appear before the lord in sion , in that rest that remaineth for the people of god. being thus in the gospel assur'd of that approaching glory , how irrational is it , to reckon upon our present troubles , which last but for a moment . no traveller will deeply resent the losse of company he encountered on the way , much lesse if he be assur'd to find them at home before him : why should the death of an excellent person be accounted a losse , when we know the separation shall last but a few hours , compared with the boundlesse length of that eternal fellowship wherein we shall enjoy one another . further the gospel tells us , that , all things here below are managed by the exactest skill , and a well ballanced providence . the most despicable of creatures , are no forgot by him , much lesse , the masterpeece of his work , man , in the greatest ▪ concernment thereof , life . the hairs of our head are numbered , much more the years of our life , the end whereof never approacheth but in the fittest and best chosen time . for we are not exposed , to the uncertain chances of accidents , nor folded under the fatality of stoicks , or the influence and aspects of stars ; but led by an unerring wisedome that doth all things in number , weight and measure . it is then but a well set off blasphemy against the wisdom of god , to be offended with his government of the world. again christianity informs us well what death is : that it is no extinction of the soul , nor doth it carry us to still and dark caverns , where , in an unactive drowsinesse , we shall sleep over our time ; much lesse to any violent , though temporal pains , as some dream : but the instant of a christians dissolution is the time he shall be invested with all glory and dignity and possess'd of all blesse and happinesse . how strong a curb must this be to any believers sorrow , when , without being criminal in a secret envying their deceas'd friends glory , they dare not regrate his death . for all their complaints do carry in their bosome , so many wishes that the ground of their trouble had not been : and self-interest and satisfaction ; is preferred to the unspeakable advantage of him that is dead . even true friendship would command one to say , since my happinesse cannot come at any other rate than my friends being detained from his , which is a good degree of misery , with all contentednesse of mind shall my losse redeem my friends gain . further there be comforts and delights of the mind of a higher nature than those of the sense and fortune , which can never be shaken , by any thing without us : these true delights , which a well grounded assurance of the love of god doth bring into the mind , are so far beyond all the world can promise , much more give , that , when weighed in a true ballance , they prove lighter than vanity . the lord god out of his love to man , doth use all means , leaving none unessayed , that he may obtain the mastery of the soul : when earthly satisfactions do carry on this design , they are allowed us : but if they prove retardments , the same reason doth call for their removal . an absolute belief of the fulnesse of the love of god , who maketh all things work together for good to them that love him , will secure the peace of the soul so entirely , that none of all the batterings of passion will brangle it . and it is by these scorchings of affliction that god draws in many to dwell under the shadow of his wings , where they are in safety ; whereby they come more actively to attempt , and carry on a triumph over all the entanglments of sense and passion . thus the foundation of our joys and hopes ( the love of god in christ ) remains unmoved , however the outside of our condition , which is but our exteriour happinesse , may be subject to change. it is by these considerations ( of the truth whereof , by the interiour operation of the spirit of god , we are perswaded ) that the faith and fear of god , doth guard our minds and preserve them in perfect peace : so that we are not afraid of evil tydings , every one whereof , carrieth that strength and evidence with it , that to it quickly the assent of the mind is gained . and although the fetters of nature and passion , not being wholly , while in the body , broke off , they will as a hurrican , master for a while the whole powers of the soul. yet that fury being over , in cold blood do they begin to condemn themselves , and to amass those comforts of the gospel , by the force whereof and the assistance of heaven , they at length become proof to all the assaults of their enemies . hither to have we seen , that a raging sorrow , is not the debt we owe to the memory of the dead . neither did david ( whose practise upon the removal of his beloved childe , doth clearly discover his temper , upon the like occasions ) intend any such thing when he saith , know ye not that there is a great man fallen this day in israel . neither is a sullen negligence of the providence of god , the stilnesse virtue requires . betwixt these two doth the writer to the hebrews direct , our course . for he wrote , my son , despise not thou the chastning of the lord , nor faint when thou art corrected of him. when therefore the fall of a great person doth allarum us , we should diligently heed and observe the voice of it . we should hear our selves thereby called to an elevation of soul beyond all earthly enjoyments , and to consider how little our hearts should be fixed on such things . may be that love hath made us forget our work , and the lord by snatching it from us doth court our kindnesse ; yea , forceth us to it , by the retiring us , from the bewitching enchantments of sublunary contentments ; that so being beaten of the other objects of desire , he may be unrivall'd in the possession of our heart . the least slip of adulterous love , will be accounted unpardonable and quench all the others kindnesse , or rather inflame it into a fury and revenge . thus the jealous eye of god , if it find us gadd a whoring after strange loves , and give the highest of our love to the creature , then an incensed creator removing his rival , doth loudly call us back to the duties of our wedlock . and further , then must we also have a just value of the worth and virtue of him who is fallen , by numbering up his severall excellencies which will never shine so bright as then. while the person is alive , his present worth doth so choak us with joy and complacency that scarce have we leisure to run over the foregoing instances of his life : which when he is gone ; being summed together in our remembrance , and endeared to us , by the privation of our equally beloved and admired friend , cannot but highly encrease our esteem of him , that so when dead he may live in our memories : as that queen , who , thinking no tomb worthy of her deceased king and husband , did drink over over his ashes , and so buried him in her own bowels . and sure those impressions of love and affection , which are outlived by the person or worn off by separation or distance , either , were never real , or , at most , skindeep . for the character of true friendship is indelible . a bacchick fury , or flouds of tears , or languishing fits do well prove the strength of passion ; but only a lasting esteem demonstrateth the reality of love. neither ought such resentments to be expressed only with sad face and doleful voice , but chiefly by proposing such a rare person , as an example both for our own and others imitation . the sun is in the firmament , not to be gazed at , but to guide : and beacons are lighted not for show but service . many run his fate , who looking to the stars did not mind his way , but fell into a ditch . so their diligent attention to the virtues of another , is so far from provoking them to endeavour a resemblance of them , that it proveth but a scandal , while that remembrance galls them , either fretting them into agonies of grief and sorrow , or benumming them into idle heavinesse . thus as the brazen serpent , proposed for a cure , became an occasion of idolatry ; so an exalted soul lifted up to glory , being set forth to draw us after it , doth indeed prevail over many to draw them away , not to , but from their duty . so corrupt man can suck poyson from the sweetest flowr . it is now time to bring what is set down in general to our occasion . let not then the death of this great person , choak our hearts with that pusillanimous and sordid passion of sorrow . he is not dead , but is asleep : neither hath death triumphed over him , but he hath obtained the victory . what , though in the heat of the combat he hath thrown his cloaths from him , and striped himself of such burdensome apparel , which yet will be rescued from the jawes of death , in the last scene of his triumph , the morning of the resurrection . then shall he shine as the brightnesse of the firmament . let us not therefore envy his glory , but rather congratulate his happinesse . neither should the apprehension of our misery in his being torn from us possess our souls with an uncomforted melancholy . the fellowship of our saviour , the supreamest of all earthly comforts , was , when removed , made up to their advantage that were blessed with that ▪ mission of the holy ghost . upon which consideration , did our saviour say , it is expedient for you that i go away . so ought we believe that no satisfaction on earth is so great , but can be exceeded by these inward ioyes , which the gracious lord god will bestow on us , in that measure that is most fit and expedient for us . labour we therefore seriously a subjection of mind , to the good , acceptable and perfect will of god. let his memory also be dear and precious to us , and we stirred up to active attempts after those virtues he possessed . was he meek , humble , temperate , charitable , patient , pious and devout : let us not onely flauntingly talk of those excellent graces , but silently study the practice of them . let the impious and impudently wicked be ashamed , and be you remembered by the death of this great man , that you must all once die , and after that come to iudgement . me thinks this thought should start you and stop your carreer , lest you drive into these unquenchable flames ere you be aware . learn you that are satisfied with the praise of being no ill men , from the example of this great one , not to halt betwixt two gods. you must either love god or mammon . it was said by him , that spoke never amisse , he that is not with me is against me . be therefore holy , as your god is holy : and be ye followers of this blessed disciple , as he was a follower of christ. you also that are entered into the school of christ , be not as babes , ever learning , and never coming to the knowledge of the truth : but go on to perfection . be not cripled with , or detained under , the pedagogy of forms ; but imitate this great man , by tasting and feeling the power of the divine life , transforming and uniting your souls unto god. and love one another , and let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory. learn that wisdom that is from above , which is first pure , then peaceable , gentle and easie to be entreated , full of mercy and good fruits , without partiality and without hypocrisie . and for these whose souls have not overly tasted of the waters of life , but are vigurously wrought upon by the mighty power thereof , seeing this great soul with that cloud of witnesses that are passed into glory , they will be animated to run with patience , that race , that is set before them . forasmuch then as your labour is not in vain in the lord , be ye stedfast , unmoveable , alwayes abounding in the work of the lord. it is now time to conclude , for i doubt not but upon such a speaking occurrent as this , every one will be ready to supply themselves , with such fit and suitable considerations , as may most conduce toward that end we all ought to aim at . so that i shall need to say no more , but know ye not , that there is a great man fallen this day in israel . finis . of christian prudence, or, religious wisdom not degenerating into irreligious craftiness in trying times kettlewell, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing k estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) of christian prudence, or, religious wisdom not degenerating into irreligious craftiness in trying times kettlewell, john, - . [ ], p. printed for jo. hindmarsh, london : . attributed by wing to j. kettlewell. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- anglican authors. conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion of christian prudence , or religious wisdom ; not degenerating into irreligious craftiness , in trying times . london , printed for jo. hindmarsh , at the golden ball , over against the royal exchange in cornhil . . the contents . chap. i. christian prudence seen in chusing right ends. its ends are : . in every particular to do our duty . . in every point , to make us see what is our duty . both these are contrary in fleshly wisdom . . it is alike for taking care of both tables . and as ready to suffer for any point of morality and justice , as for purity of worship , and orthodoxy of faith. chap. ii. other ends of christian prudence . . a fourth end is , as to perform the duties , so to promote the honour of religion . of honouring it externally in our carriage . of confession . of not changing doctrines , as we change interests . nor being glad of any temporal advantage by ill things . chap. iii. christian prudence , for pleasing god and a good conscience . against popularity . a fifth end is to please god. this will take us of● from popularity . and to please our own good conscience . of the contrary ways of worldly wisdom . greatness of numbers should not draw to an● ill thing , nor want of number drive from a good one . chap. iv. of not doing evil , that good may come . this not justifiable , by pretence of serviceableness , to god. to the publick . to our selves . as accomplishing by these ways some approved predictions . chap. v. of the plea of necessity , providence , or prophecies , for doing ill . spiritual prudence allows not of setting aside any duty . . on plea of necessity . . nor justifies it , by plea of providence . . nor by plea of prophecy . chap. vi. sect . i. of christian simplicity and sincerity . and of not deceiving by actions . simplicity sometimes notes unwariness , which is no virtue . the difference between the wariness of the virtuously simple , and of the fleshly wise . virtuous simplicity implies , . veracity , in opposition to falshood and lyes . against telling a lye in words . or in actions . of profession by observance of instituted days for religious purposes . of breach of simplicity herein , and in other actions , and by the libellatici in the primitive church . . a double tongue . a double practice . . openness , opposite to concealment and close reserves , and plainness , opposite to misleading dress . . harmlesness , opposite to dolus malus . the ground of this simplicity , preservation of equality . in what things especially to be shewn , and by whom . of the contrary method of worldly wisdom . chap. vi. sect . ii. of christian simplicity and sincerity . a second thing implied in simplicity , is singleness , opposite to double dealing . against a double mind , and heart . chap. vii . of not discharging relative duties , for ends of religion , or of our own ease . no discharge of relative duties when they grow burdensom , for ends of religion , or of our own ease . no such discharge towards relatives of different religions . or that perform not their part towards us . instead of putting by , 't is wont to accomplish fears . this proved from remarkable instances , and rules of scripture . a rule to prevent being intangled therein . chap. viii . of the imprudence of pursuing our ends by unlawful means . the prudence , as well as religion , of not betaking our selves to unlawful means . chap. ix . of partaking in the sins of others . he partakes in an unlawful thing : . that orders and commands it . . who , when in place and station for it , doth not duly shew himself to stop and prevent it . thus magistrates , and parents partake . and ministers , when they fail to warn against a sin , or mislead people therein , or teach it by corrupt doctrine , or inventing salvo's for sin. instances of these among the jews . the great guilt , and sad consequences hereof . . who under another , ministers in an unlawful business . . who as an equal helps it forward . several ways of doing this . . or , who approves it afterwards ; which set off in sundry particulars . . who caused others to sin , or gave scandal by ill example . chap. x. of relyance on providence , and the benefit religion makes by outward sufferings . a third rule of christian prudence about means , is in compassing effects , to look more at providence , than at humane appearances . a fourth , is to see how well it may compass the ends of christianity , by sufferings . christianity is a passive religion , and christians are to have passive spirits . some rules to ingenerate passive spirits . chap. xi . of spiritual prudence chusing seasons , and tempering to circumstances . . it is for taking the most advantageous seasons in its prusuit . three rules to prevent setting aside any duties as out of season , in compliance with carnal wisdom . . it is for tempering what we do to circumstances . three rules to prevent such tempering thereof , as would impair , or give it up , for our external quiet . . of flight in persecutions . of flight of pastors . some rules to keep off from doing harm to our duty , in caution to avoid harm to our selves . chap. xii . of caution in preventing harm by any duties . and of flight in persecutions . . it is for shewing caution to prevent ill consequences . of staying for a call , in persecuted duties . chap. xiii . of spiritual prudence in worldly matters , or as over-ruling all other inferior prudence about things of this life . and of solicitude . the rules of religion , are the truest wisdom for the ends of this life . when worldly wisdom thwarts these rules in pursuit of any ends of this life , it over-rules it in such motions . thus , when it is apt to transgress about ends , or about means . some rules for this . the point of solicitude stated . of fleshly wisdom , are all so many branches of jesuits morals , which are not to be taken up to drive out popist superstitions . chap. xiv . a recommendation of christian prudence . the prudence and simplicity hitherto described , recommended from st. paul's practice , cor. . . the contrary rules . errata . pag. . lin . . dele the figure . p. . l. . for equal read equally , p. . l. . purly r. purely , p. . l. . drive r. drove , p. . l. . necessity r. necessity , p. . ch. . after the title dele the first five lines , and begin the chapter fifthly and lastly , p. . l. . p. . l. . fool r. foot , p. . l. . dele take , p. . l. . in justice r. injustice , p. . l. . r. st. peter , p. . ● . far r. for . of godly wisdom ; or , religious prudence , not degenerating into irreligious craftiness , in trying times . mankind were formed , and placed by god in this world , but design'd for another . and the condition and employment of our life here , is to be a passage through this world , in pursuit of , and preparation for a better . and whilst we are duly careful for the next , and omit nothing that is to bring us to the end of our stage ; we may wisely provide for this too , and contrive for our quietness and convenience by the way . the way to the other world , of true and perfect joys , are all the duties and directions of religion : which are those paths the wisdom of god sees necessary to perfect and spiritualize our natures , and which the goodness of god has prescribed to lead us to himself , and to the regions of eternal life . whatsoever god in his holy gospel , calls us to profess , or practise ; that is the way to the world above . and if we hope to arrive safe there , and attain the glory and blessedness thereof ; whatever hardships occur , or accidents befal us therein , we must never go out of the way . when , upon any consideration , we turn out thence , all our steps are wrong ; and will never be right , till we return into it again . the way to make the most of this world , and secure to our selves the greatest ease , advantage , and injoyment in our passage ; are the rules of humane prudence and worldly wisdom . and , as we are call'd upon , to hold on constantly in the former , by the more still voice of conscience , and the laws of god : so are we reminded , to make use of these later , as occasion serves , by the more importunate cravings of our sensual nature and necessities , and the more loud voice of flesh and blood. now , as our fleshy nature and necessities require : so doth religion allow us to serve our selves of these rules of humane prudence , so long as we keep within a due compass . that is , whilst we betake our selves only to such ways of external quiet and injoyment in this world , as go not out of any way of religion , or path of happiness , leading to another world. whilst the rule of wisdom , is only such , as affords ease , or comfort in our passage ; but doth not carry us out of our way , or stop our progress . when be sent out his disciples , as sheep in the midst of wolves , be wise , says our lord to them , as serpents , so long as they took care first to keep as innocent , or simple and plain-carriaged , as doves , mat. . . but fleshly nature , is glad of any way that affords ease here , however it hinders , or misleads us , from the paths of those greater joys , which we should all seek to secure , and prepare for hereafter . it runs to them , and that with greediness : so that , when any duty of religion gainsays it , and calls another way ; there is a tryal of our love and affection for the two worlds . when any way of righteousness , for instance , becomes burden'd with the cross , and a way of worldly and unrighteous wisdom can avoid it , or , it may be , lead to be , not only safe and easie here , but seemingly happy and prosperous : then doth god make a tryal , whether religion , or flesh and blood , have most force ; whether this , or the next world , are of greatest weight with us . worldly reproaches and persecutions upon a duty , are the true test of its worthy and faithful votaries , and discover who they are that set it above this world. and god is careful in the course of providence , still to annex worldly sufferings to some duties of religion or other , to separate the impure dross from the pure gold ; the light chaff that a storm of persecution can drive away from the solid wheat ; and , as a touch-stone , to make manifest , who are those truly worthy and sincere minds , that will love and steadily practise any duty , when left to it self , and stript of all external bait of worldly inducement . there must be heresies , saith st. paul , which , as they increase , grow still into factions and persecutions against the orthodox , that they who are approved , may be made manifest , cor. . . to be ready to approve our selves to him in such tryals , it highly concerns us all , to understand clearly what are the ways of fleshly wisdom , that , at such times , we may take more care to keep back from them . there is the more need to be clear in this before-hand , because the time of determining , and practising , is not the fittest for deliberating upon it . for flesh and blood , starts first , and calls loudest on such occasions . it presents variety of these ways to our minds . and tho the ways are wrong , yet through the biass of fleshly inclinations , our minds are leaning , and very willing to believe them right . the generality of mankind are prone to see , and assent on that side , which appears most safe , and consistent with this present world. they are apt to bid a hearty welcome , and listen to any one that speaks for that way , and are easily convinced by him : being willing to be deceived ; and 't is well if not active to deceive themselves , into such a persuasion . and when flesh and blood are like to be so busie and powerful on such occasions , to recommend such ways of worldly prudence ; it is very necessary our minds and consciences should not be without their armour , but have clear convictions of their folly and unlawfulness , to oppose against them . to afford some help in this point , to such sincere tempers , as would be thankful to be shew'd a losing truth , and glad to approve themselves to god on such occasions : i shall offer something , tho imperfect , to set off the way of true wisdom , and to shew what are the limitations of religious prudence , and what the contrary liberties of fleshly wisdom , or worldly craftiness . that so , they may not err for want of information , when , in course of providence , they are brought on such tryals . chap. i. of the nature of christian prudence , and how seen in chusing right ends. wisdom , or prudence at large , is being wise for our selves ; or seeing , and following , what reason sets off as best for us . it is reason contemplating , not the mere truth of things , which is science : but their goodness and desirableness , or what are best for us to seek , or practise . and about this practice , it considers not only how to do things skilfully , which is the consideration of arts : but how to do them profitably , respecting either their future accountableness for rewards or punishments , or implying moral good or ill , and being directed by , or promotive of any virtues ; or their worldly usefulness and advantage , to the end we are driving on , or have to serve in this life . it notes reason , not only contemplating these things , but influencing and effecting them . for prudence speaks the commendableness of several powers . it carries with it the virtue of our wills , as well as of our understandings ; and besides the skill to see what is good for us , includes also such influence over our other powers , as makes them follow it , and take up therewith . a man may be a knowing man , that acts against the true dictates of his own reason . but he only is a truly wise , and prudent person , who follows , and is guided by them . and accordingly the wicked , tho otherwise of never so much knowledge , are call'd fools , in solomon's proverbs , and other scriptures . thus is true wisdom or prudence the same , as reason well applied to practice ; or reason directing , and influencing us , unto what is profitable , and best for us in any case . now this takes in the greatest variety of matters , even all the managements and concerns of this life . and according to the difference of these , it comes under different denominations . when it directs to most utility , in managing the common course of our own lives , and the ordinary affairs and accidents thereof , 't is common prudence . when , to what is most reasonable , and equal , to be exacted mutually , or allow'd , in the course of negotiation or worldly intercourse , upon any dealings , or differences ; 't is the prudence of negotiators , or men of business . when , to what is most decent and conversible in our carriage , to befit our own condition and circumstances , and to keep up fair respect , favour , and society with , and procure the same from others ; 't is the prudence of conversation . when 't is shewn , in the government and conduct of other men : if it directs to what is best , and the way to compass it in war , 't is military prudence ; if , to what makes most for common safety , order , and benefit , in the conduct of a family , 't is domestick or oeconomical ; if , of a state , 't is civil or political prudence . but in matters of religion , which , as they are to have some separate times , so are also to run through , direct , and influence , all the other actions and affairs of this life : when it shews us what are the ways of salvation , and how we may compass , and go on in them ; 't is moral , religious , spiritual prudence . by the other sorts , we may pass for worldly wise , but this is to be wise to salvation . now for the better understanding of true religious wisdom , or christian prudence , i shall reduce what i have to say upon it , to these heads . christian prudence lies , . in seeing , and following , right ends of religion ; and pursuing them only by fit , and christian ways . . in taking for these , the most advantageous seasons , in tempering them to circumstances , and shewing caution to prevent harm thereby , or ill consequences . . as for all other inferiour , and worldly prudence about things of this life , in so ordering the ends , and over-ruling the ways thereof , as to keep them subservient to religion , or as best becomes christians . . christian prudence lies , in seeing , and following right ends of religion ; and pursuing them only by fit , and christian ways . . it is to see , and set out to us right ends. the first sign of wisdom or prudence , is the choice of wise and fitting ends. and the first care of christian prudence , is always to propose such ends , as are becoming christians . it is to propose such ends , that we may aim at them : and to make us see , and understand those ends ; that we may perceive and know , what we are to aim at . these ends , are the glory of god , or what will bring in most honour to him . the perfection and advancement of our own natures , or what will make us most like to god , and afford us the fullest and truest injoyment of him , and of our selves , and of any thing else that is beatifying . the good and happiness of others , or what makes most for common good , and the real benefit and advancement of our brethren . now all these ends are best served by doing of our duty . we are in the best way of glorifying god , and perfecting our selves , and benefitting our neighbours , whilst we are in the way of holy obedience . and therefore to aim at these ends , is in other words nothing else , but to aim to observe the rules , and seek the honour of our religion , and to do our duty in all points . so far as concerns the end then , which it prescribes , christian prudence is , . in the first place , to propose in every point to do our duty . true wisdom , it places in an entire obedience . and accordingly all wickedness is call'd folly , and wicked men fools , in the holy scriptures . we must never know any wisdom , in doing unrighteously ; nor set up for prudence , by any breach of god's commandments . all the rules of duty , are the most pure and perfect wisdom . they are the wisdom of god : and who can think to shew himself wise , by pretending to correct god's rules , or running counter unto them . when any breach of duty makes shew of being prudent , 't is a mere show : it is only a false light , that may misguide any out of the real way of happiness , but lead none into it . let it promise what it will , 't is all fiction and flattery , and if we will trust god before it , we must ever esteem such a breach , when offer'd or suggested to us , only to have put on the mask of wisdom , but under that and in truth to be mere folly . . next , in every point , to direct and make us see what is our duty , that so we may understand whether we do it or no. this must go through all particular duties , and tell us what things are aimed at , and what offices are required of us , by each . what they ought to do , for instance , who would approve themselves to be resign'd to god , to love or trust him , to be patient or devout towards him : to be meek , humble , sober , and mortified to this world : to be true , and just , peaceable , and charitable , among their brethren . 't is the part of christian wisdom , to teach us what we must propose to our selves , that we may discharge any of these , or any other duties . to shew what are the instances and expressions of all particular virtues , which should be the mark and aim of all their professors and undertakers . prudence is the directing virtue ; 't is eyes to all the rest : all virtue observing , as * aristotle says , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as a prudent man shall define . true and sincere prudence , † saith s. basil , lies in the knowlege of those things , which are to be done , or which are not to be done . whereto , whosoever adheres , will never desist from the actions of virtue , or be left in the destruction of wickedness . and being to direct the practice of each virtue , it must imply the skill , to see wherein the practice thereof lies : what is to be done in any , that we may deserve the name of just , humble , sober , &c. and what , in every case , or on any occasion , is to be the work of such a person . now this is an admirable and most excellent part of spiritual prudence , to know what is to be done in any duty , as we are called to discharge it by god's providence . and 't is great shame a professor of any virtue , should not be able to say wherein the discharge of it lies , when he comes to need , and is called out to make use thereof . this has all the reproach of being ignorant of what a man doth profess , and of being to seek in his own business ; as if an artist were ignorant , and knows not , when he comes to set to it , what he has to do in the way of his own art ; which in the estimate of all persons , is one of the most censureable and shameful sorts of ignorance . yea , 't is extreme and desperate folly , considering , that as he is here called upon to practise each of these duties ; so must he hereafter , to answer and be tryed by them . now christian prudence is to prevent this , by storing up clear notions of every duty , and of the offices thereof , against such time as we shall have a call and opportunity to discharge them . the wisdom of the prudent , says solomon , is to understand his way , i. e. to know what he ought to do on all occasions . prov. . . and this the scripture expresses , by having our senses exercised , to discern both good and evil , heb. . . and calls for , as a necessary preparative to our walking accurately or exactly . the walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumspectly or accurately , which s. paul requires , eph. . . he tells them is to walk as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not as fools , but as wise or prudent * . wherefore , adds he , be ye not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imprudent or unwise , but understanding what the will of the lord is : since if they did not understand it , they were not like to be very exact in keeping it . v. . now opposite , in this matter , to both these , is the way of fleshly or worldly wisdom . for , . instead of proposing in every point , above all things to do our duty : it aims and proposes in the first place , to secure our external quiet , to serve our worldly peace , prosperity , or temporal interests . it seeks not in all things what is virtuous , but what is safe . and being for worldly safety , it never seeks to do what 't is like to suffer by . it s eye is first , for keeping or encreasing these worldly emoluments and enjoyments for our selves , our friends , or families , for the church or state. it may fix upon religion as well as the things of this life , and carry us out for the church , as well as for the common-wealth . but then what it aims at , or seeks in rhe first place to secure in these , is not the inward excellence , but the outward appendages ; not their integral parts , and spiritual substance , but their worldly accoutrements and advantages . if religion is taken in among the good things of this world , and stands guarded and enriched by secular laws and privileges , riches and honors : worldly wisdom will be carried out as far to secure these worldly appendages , when they are about religion , as when they are about any thing else . but as for the proper and essential parts of religion it self , which lies in doing our duty in every thing , or in the integrity of faith and good life ; the wisdom of this world sets them only in the second place . it may shew fair respect , and carry decently towards them , even where it will give it self no trouble about them : as we see several that have no serious value for religion , will yet be civil to it in point of good breeding , and as sensible of the need there is , however 't is neglected by them , that it should be kept up in the esteem , yea , and practice too , of other men. nay , worldly wisdom , when it rightly understands it self , will aim at it in most cases ; as serving its own wise purposes beyond any thing else : true virtue being , for the most part , best fitted , and conducing to the happiness and enjoyment of both worlds . but where it thus b●ars the best good will to the inward and essential ingredients of religion ; it is only whilst they are subservient or consistent with its own worldly designs , being ready to thr●w them aside , when once they oppose it . on such competitions , the carnal mind is not subject to the law of god , neither indeed can be , rom. . . it considers then , not their intrinsick goodness and excellence , but their expedience ; and will give them up for what it accounts higher ends , or dearer interests . on such occasions , its questions are not , what will become of this duty ; or another , of innocence and a clear conscience ; but what will become of our estates , our liberties , our outward peace , powers , honors , privileges , or other enjoyments of this life , by such , or such a course , when 't is deliberated on . . instead of seeing in every case , what is our duty ; worldly wisdom is for continuing ignorant of , and not seeing a losing duty . it cares not for the knowledge of troublesom or afflicted truths . it is ready to look upon , and let in such as consist with worldly ease and interests ; but afraid to understand , because 't is loth to practice others ; conviction of a duty , serving only to encrease the guilt , and disturb the quiet of those who will not practise it . hence comes that sleightful saying of fleshly wisdom in these cases , of leaving every man to his own persuasion , and not censuring any much , if he act therein according to his own conscience . they represent such cases , as if it mattered not much , which side a man takes , and there were no important difference in the things themselves , but only in the different opinions and belief of men about them . so that , let a man but have a persuasion of that side , which is most easie and favourable to worldly interest , as men are ready enough to have in trying cases if that will do , and nothing else will greatly harm him in these matters . hence comes also , that backwardness of conversing and discoursing with those of the other opinion , who are both ready to practise , and able to plead for a duty , when 't is oppressed , and has the cross upon it . 't is a rule of fleshly wisdom at such times , to look on such as dangerous persons , whose company is not safe . their discourses , such men imagine , can only serve to make them more uneasie in the way they have a mind to go . they will start scruples to dissatisfie and unsettle a mind that had no such doubts before , but had easily satisfied and settled it self upon the saving side . or , if they come in the way of such discourses , especially when fit to do right to truth , by setting it off to advantage , they receive them against their wills , and meet them , not with a religious desire , but worldly fear . they are not thankful for the offer of a saving truth , but sorry for , and troubled at it ; and ready to say to the messengers thereof , as ahab did to the prophet , who still called upon them to hear what they had no will to understand , that he was his enemy , and the troubler of israel , kings . . and ch. . . when they se● worldly safeties above religious innocence ; they fear , and hate the light , as our saviour * says , which reproves the secure ways they desire to take . minding not to follow it , they use care not to be hamper'd and troubled with it , and , as the scripture speaks , will not have the knowledg of his ways , job . . hence , lastly , when they allow themselves to enquire and examin the truth , comes that hastiness and partiality , in taking any thing for sufficient proof , that makes for the safe side . any serviceable , but ill grounded presumptions about words or things , shall hastily be taken up and pass for truths , which a little deliberation and enquiry would shew to be falshoods . former tenets and opinions , which usually are so very tedious and difficult to be extirpated , shall be laid aside upon much less argument and offer of proof , than that whereby they had before been maintained . yea , the very same things shall be offered as good arguments , which , when offered by others , had been cast out and confuted as false ones . variety of topicks shall be started , to make up in number what they lack in weight : and tho all are so uncertain , that they who use them , keep themselves upon the reserve , and are afraid to stand or fall by any one alone ; yet they shall conclude , that some or other of them is right , and sufficient to prove what they draw from it . which i think , is not the way of seeking truth , but serving interest . 't is to resolve upon the conclusion , before one sees the reason which can make it good : worldly wisdom says , this must be held ; and then , if one topick that is pressed for proof , cannot make it out , another must . yea , confessedly weak and false arguments , shall pass for evidence ; and great names , or numbers , when they fall on this side , fleshly wisdom will call , in its own case , a proof of right . tho , looking abroad every where else in the world , where store of opinions about other matters have these same supports , and yet are condemned by our selves ; at the same time in our neighbors case , it shall be ready to declare , that names and number● are no sure argument of truth , but too commonly the false colour , and fair show of errour . these , and such like , are the effects of that affected ignorance , which worldly wisdom would be held in of any duties , which it is like to lose by . and this is quite opposite to spiritual prudence , and must never be yielded to by any that would make sure their eternal concerns , or pass for truly religious , honest , virtuous dispositions . in matters of salvation , the best and truest security , is being in the right way . and i know no relief for any man in the wrong , but a sincere willingness to see and follow the right , when the providence of god shall lay it sufficiently before him . which gives no relief at all to those , who for want of love to a saving truth , especially when persecuted , and through too much love of this world , are afraid to come in the way thereof , and unwilling to let it in . . it is not enough for one that seeks to approve himself a good man , that he follow that duty which he sees ; but he must also take care to see every thing , which is his duty , that he may follow it . the knowledge of our duty must not sure be ranked among indifferent things ; for faith , as well as obedience , makes up the gospel-terms . to believe and know what christianity makes necessary to be known , is as requisite as to do , what it makes necessary to be done. nay , to know those things , which are necessary to be done , is as necessary as to do them ; since we cannot do them , till we know them . indeed , if the ptovidence of god affords not an honest mind the opportunity of such knowledge , he will graciously connive , both at the want of knowledge , and practice . but if we have no mind to know , what we might know , we shall suffer , both for the want of practice , and knowledge . 't is plainly there , a want of virtue in the heart , that causes a want of understanding in the head : such evil doers , as our lord says , love darkness , and hate the light , and will not come to it , lest their deeds should be reproved , joh. . , . an honest mind must never be unwilling , or afraid to see its duty , no , not where 't is most costly . it must have a love for it , when 't is persecuted , as well as when 't is applauded , when , in the eye of the world , it is a losing , as well as when it is a gaining virtue . they must receive the love of the truth , that they may receive the belief thereof , and to keep off , as st. paul says , from being of their number , that perish in their unrighteousness , by believing lyes , because they received not the love of the truth , that they might be saved thereby , thess. . , , . this love will not only make them to listen to it , but to be inquisitive after it , where sufficient instruction is not voluntarily offer'd ; and thankfully to see , and receive the will of god , whether it be with their worldly interest and fleshly inclination , or against them . and this is true docility , and teachableness of temper , which is what the scripture calls * the ear to hear , or the necessary preparative profitably to hear a religious , or moral lecture . 't is necessary to faith , especially of those truths , or laws of god , which are more unsavoury , and uneasie to flesh and blood . and being such a previous requisite of faith , and implied in it , 't is sometimes in scripture expressed thereby . pray that i may be delivered from unreasonable men , says st. paul , for all men have not faith , thess. . . noting those , who receive , or reject what is tender'd , only by humour , or inclination of flesh and blood , not by reason , as men void of faith , i. e. of a teachable temper and disposition . . thirdly , christian prudence , is alike for taking care of both tables ; or for discharging faithfully , as all the duties of piety , so equall all others of justice and morality . since both are equally parts of god's will , they are equally a matter of its care : and its constant aim and study is , how it may inviolably observe both , and transgress neither , but never to set one against the other . both tables it receives , as coming from one authority , and claiming one obedience . well knowing , that he that said , thou shalt not worship an idol , said also , thou shalt not kill , or steal . and if thou keep free from idolatry , yet if thou kill , as st. james argues in this case , thou art become a transgressor of the law , jam. . . there is no transgressing of one , to save another : nay , there is no breaking of one , to save all . for whosoever shall keep the whole law besides , saith the same apostle , and yet offend in one point , he is guilty of all , v. . and if for breaking that one , he will be punish'd as if he had broke all : there cannot be any room left , to think of breaking one , tho it were upon pretence to save all . which i call a pretence , because , indeed , it is a mere pretence . for the commandments never oppose one another , and we can never reasonably pretend to break the latter , that we may keep the former : since , if we please , we may at all times keep both , and as we never can have any authority , so neither can we be under any necessity of breaking either . the effect and consequence i shall observe from hence , is , . first , that we never oppose the first , to the second table . as the pharisees , who , to keep the third commandment , taught men to break the fifth : not suffering a man to do any thing for his father and mother , after once he had said , it is corban , that is , a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me , or , i interdict , what i have , by the vow corban , from ever being helpful unto thee ; a form , among the jews , of forswearing to help others . which , instead of being an approved way , of keeping first table-duties , our lord charges , as setting up the commandments of men for doctrines , and making void god's law through their traditions , mat. . , , . mar. . . we must not suffer our selves to be carried on , to break the fifth , sixth , eighth , ninth , tenth commandments ; i. e. to throw off duty to our parents , natural or civil , or any obligation of morality , of justice , truth , or gratitude towards men , for the honour and glory of god , or for , either the new setting up and erection , or the continuance and preservation , of a more orthodox , pure , and spiritual way of worship and devotion . it is too common among the worldly wise , to consent to several violations of morality , for the preservation , as they say , of god's church , or advancement of his glory . meaning thereby , the glory and preservation of a true and orthodox profession of faith , and of a pure and gospel-worship . and the glory sought thereby for these , is to make them externally glorious ; to seat them in worldly sway , power , or priviledge , that men may own the confessions , and pay the worship , with external ease and encouragement to themselves , or without persecutions . but is not god to be glorified and obeyed in his other precepts , as well as in these confessions of faith , and pure devotions ? and is it a way to glorifie him in one point , by disgracing him in others ? will he receive so much glory and service , by the orthodoxy , as disservice and dishonour , by the immorality ? is not god glorious in his moral attributes , of justice , faithfulness , and the like , as well , as in the unity , and spirituality of his nature ? and is it not as necessary for those , that would duly glorifie him , to copy out and display his glory , in these moral excellencies , as to own and declare it in the other ? nay , is he not particularly careful , to call us to an imitation and transcript of his glory in these : to be merciful , as he is merciful , luc. . . and holy , as he who hath call●d us is holy , and that in all manner of conversation , pet. . , ? and to tell us , that to be created after his image , the new man must put away lying , and other immoralities , and be formed in righteousness and true holiness , eph. . , , &c. and must not the church be preserved , in true ways of justice , and moral duties , as well as of worship , and confessions of faith ? ought it not to be as much concerned , for good practice , as for good prayers ; and will it not get as much , by good life , as by being orthodox ? nay , can immoral men be saved in any religion ; or will a good worship recommend any to god in evil-doing ; or shall they enter into the kingdom of heaven , that call christ lord , lord , but do not obey him ? there is no way of glorifying god , but by being intire in our duty , and performing all that he prescribes us . nor of advancing his church , but by advancing the practice of all those duties , which are to recommend , to save , and signalize his church . we may confess the true faith , and practise a pure and spiritual worship , in keeping all the other commandments , and without the breach of any ; yea , and that in persecutions , if we please , and dare run hazards . and so may all other persons , if they have the heart to do like us . and 't is not for us to transgress any of them , only as a way to remove hard tryals from them , or from our selves . which is not to glorifie god , or our duty , or advance his church ; but to discredit and disserve both , for our own carnal ease and advantage . . secondly , that a true christian be ready to suffer , for any point of morality and justice , as well as for any point of orthodoxy in faith , or purity in divine worship . for upon which soever of these they suffer , the cause is religious , and they are alike confessors . the duties of the first table , indeed , have god , not only for their author , but likewise for their object ; and so are more particularly stiled piety , or duties towards god , on that account . as are likewise some duties injoined in the second table , viz. those of the fifth commandment , towards parents and magistrates , who are in god's place , and , on that account , are sometimes in scripture call'd gods : thou shalt not revile the gods , saith the law , meaning thereby the rulers , exod. . . and thus st. paul calls it * shewing piety at home , when children relieve and requite their parents , tim. . . and the undutiful , are stiled † ●ons of belial , and impious ; and disloyalty , impiety , or secundum sacrilegium , a second sacriledge , as * tertullian's phrase is . but all other duties are injoined by god , and performed for his sake , and are as truly parts of religion , and he accordingly stands upon them , as those , which are more immediately referr'd to god himself . for religion lies in keeping of the laws of god at large , or in all the duties of justice and morality , as well as in the duties and acts of piety . the grace of god , which bringeth salvation , that is , the christian religion , consists in living soberly , and righteously , no less than in living godly in this present world , according to st. paul's distribution of duties , tit. . , . and pure and undefiled religion , st. james describes by the moral acts , of visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and keeping ones self unspotted from the world , jam. . . and the kingdom of god , or the religion of christ , the apostle makes to consist in righteousness , and peace , those second-table and moral duties , as well as in joy in the holy ghost , rom. . . so that to suffer for any second table-duties , is to suffer for god's sake , since god injoins them . and to suffer for religion , since religion implies them . tho they do not so immediately respect god , yet are they as much required by religion , and as truly parts thereof , as those that do . now it is suffering for religion , that makes men confessors and martyrs . and this they do , who suffer for the moral parts thereof . what the gospel declares blessed , is being persecuted for righteousness sake . blessed are they , which are persecuted for righteousness sake , mat. . . and if ye suffer for righteousness sake , happy are ye , pet. . . and there is as true , and acceptable righteousness , in moral duties , as in any confessions of orthodoxy , or purity of worship and devotions . the confession , which christ requires of us , is to confess him and his words , luk. . . and the martyrs in the revelations , are expressed by suffering for the testimony of jesus , and for the word of god , rev. . . and we have as good word , and command for these , as we have for any others . the sufferers he respects , are those that suffer for his name , mat. . . but all the duties required by his gospel , are call'd by his name . and all the acts of morality , which stood before on natural obligation , now , since he has injoined them , and his spirit helps us to perform them , being practised out of christian principles , and through the grace of christ , are all become christian. and the losses he recompenses , are losses for his sake ; he that loses his life for my sake , shall find it , mat. . . or , as 't is in st. mark , for his sake , and the gospels , mark . . and is it not purley for his sake , and in regard to him , that we perform any second table-duties , when we are sure to lose by them ? and are not those losses for the sake of the gospel , which are purely out of conscience to gospel-injunctions ? thus are all the comforts and encouragements , the approbation and acceptance of gospel-sufferers , common and alike to both tables . and he is as true a confessor , that , in peril of suffering , gives his testimony against any acts of unrighteousness and immorality ; as he that doth the same , against any false articles of faith , or acts of false worship and idolatry . i know among good things , there is a difference in degrees . and especially he that suffers , for owning jesus to be the christ , suffers for the whole of the gospel , which is more than some particular duties thereof , whether relating to faith , worship , or moral practice . but sufferings for any , are all of the same kind and quality ; they are alike religious , and the sufferers alike christ's martyrs and confessors . and suitable , is the received judgment concerning sufferers , in these cases . john the baptist was one of god's blessed martyrs , tho the cause he suffer'd for , was that of the seventh commandment , or declaring against an unlawful and incestuous marriage , mat. . , , , . the persecuted prophets were brave and noble confessors among the jews . tho what they suffered for , and sought to revive , was not always , or only , a right worship ; but the duties of morality and justice , in declaring freely and undauntedly , not only against idols , or calves , and groves and high places ; but against falshood , and rapine , and violence , and perversions of justice , and other grievous immoralities , wherewith the jewish state was over-run , in those degenerate and corrupt times . thus , the holy * women and virgins , were ranked in the list of confessors and martyrs , who would dye , or disfigure themselves , rather than yield their bodies to the lusts of tyrants and persecutors . and st. dionysius of alexandria † tells novatus , it would be as glorious a martyrdom , nay , in my judgment , says he , a greater , for a man to suffer death to prevent schisms , and the rending and tearing of the church among themselves : as to suffer the same for profession of christianity , at the hands of persecutors . so long as we are suffering for any duty of our holy religion , be it of piety , or of justice and morality , the difference , as to this , is not much . to make a martyr , or confessor , it matters not for which table 't is , so long as it is for either . and accordingly , to be beheaded for the word of god , which extends alike to both , is the character of the martyrs , rev. . . now contrary to this , is the visible sense and carriage of too many persons . for many , alas ! even of those , who are free to expose themselves , and to suffer in testifying against false worship and idolatry : seem much more indifferent and unconcern'd , about suffering or standing out , and declaring against unrighteousness and immorality . by religion , they are wont to mean chiefly confession of articles , and purity of worship . and to rate that , to be suffering for religion , when they suffer for them : or that to be acting for the glory of god , and the good of religion ; when this acting is to serve them , nay , when 't is only to serve and secure those worldly interests and priviledges , which are tacked to them . and tho , in performance of this service , they take a greater liberty , and make bold with moral duties , only that they may secure such external freedom and encouragement , for such pure worship and confessions . as if that god , who has commanded one , had not commanded the other as much . or , as if we could oblige him , by breaking some of his commands , to save others . yea , when there is no need of , or help by any such breach , to save any , but all the intent and use thereof , is only to save our selves . which , tho it be right , and reasonable , in the eye of the worldly wise ; is not sure the way to be wise for god , or for his glory , so far as that is made to lie in our duty ; nor must ever pass for that wisdom , which comes by christ jesus . chap. ii. other ends of christian prudence ▪ a fourth end proposed by christian prudence , is , as to discharge the duties , so to serve , and promote the honour of religion . to be wise for god , is to be wise for religion , which is the only acceptable , and effectual way , of serving and honouring him . and to contrive wisely for religion , must always study and seek the honour of religion . for , proportionably to the honour and esteem the world has for it , is like to be their acceptance , and observance thereof . spiritual prudence therefore , must ever take this care of religion , by acting so in all things where it is concern'd , as may set it up highest in mens opinion , and gain it the most cordial respect , and greatest reverence from them . they must consider in these matters , what serves best , to convince men of the truth and sincerity , to manifest the power and efficacy , to set out the worth and excellency thereof . and never take up with any ways , how promising soever on other accounts , that would afford considerate men a ground in reason , to suspect religion , as if it were a fictitious thing ; and the profession thereof , as if it were hypocrisie . or to fansie all its magnified power , to be real weakness , and unable to carry men on , to the practice of what before they did profess , when , in any trying case , they are brought to the push . such reflections bring religion under the greatest dishonour and disadvantage . and therefore whosoever would act prudently for it , must have an especial eye to avoid any thing , that would make religion evil spoken of . for this , god was highly offended with the jews , that through them , the name of god was blasphemed among the gentiles , rom. . . and for this , the apostle had great indignation against some false christians , that through them the way of truth was evil spoken of , pet. . . and to prevent any thing of this among christians , are those commands of god , of walking worthy of the gospel , eph. . . phil. . . so as becometh saints , eph. . . of adorning the doctrine of god our saviour in all things , tit. . . of walking worthy of god , and those high priviledges of his kingdom and glory , thess. . . and worthy of the lord , col. . . thus , would christ have it the care of all his followers , not meanly and sneakingly to serve religion , but affectionately to espouse , and industriously to answer and adorn , to magnifie and do it honour in the eyes of men . to approve , in every thing , its verity and sincerity ; to demonstrate its efficacy ; to maintain its dignity ; and manifest its worth and excellency before them . whatever it receives at the hands of other men , yet thus must wisdom or religion be justified , i. e. declared just , and made victorious and triumphant , by her own children , mat. . . a prudent christian , is to provide for good report , phil. . . for things honest in the sight of all men , cor. . . and from this i note , that the aim of religious prudence , ( contrary to what too oft appears in fleshly wisdom ) is to own , and do honour to any duties : . not only internally in our minds , but externally in our outward carriage . that must be made visible before others , which doth honour to it before others . and this is what every duty of religion , or every necessary point of christian faith and practice , claims at our hands . we owe it an external as well an internal service , and must not only pay our acknowledgments to it inwardly and invisibly in our own minds , but , as we are call'd thereto , visibly and apparently before others . provide for honest things , says st. paul , not only in the sight of the lord , who sees what is inward or in the heart , but also in the sight of men , who see it not , till externally owned , and exposed to view in conversation , cor. . . we must offer up , and present to god , our bodies and bodily appearances , as well as our souls and their invisible motions , for a living , holy , and acceptable sacrifice , rom. . . glorifying god both with souls and bodies , which are both his , cor. . . whatever ye do , let all be done to the glory of god , cor. . . and by making our good things visible , he is most glorified . we please him by internals , which are secret , and which will do him glory at the last , when they come to be openly exposed . but what glory do they to him at present , if they are not externally manifest . gloria multorum indiciis constat , says * seneca . est consentiens laus bonorum , incorrupta vox bene judicantium de excellenti virtute , says † cicero . so , what doth glorifie , must be notified to many . and this appearing externally honourable , or glorious in the eyes of men , is what god stands much upon ; having many times forborn , what otherwise he had resolved to do , lest his name should be polluted before the heathen , among whom they were , and in whose sight he had made himself known unto them , ezek. . , , . some virtues , indeed , are not so observable by men : being more purely spiritual in their natures , and less publick in their use and exercise . and others , that fall more under view , good men will seek to keep as private as they can , to preserve the greater purity of intention , and prevent all by-ends of worldly interest , or ostentation ; as our saviour directs , about private devotion , alms , and fasting , mat. . , , . but what duties are publick , he expects we should practise publickly ; and , whensoever we have a call , to profess , or perform them before others , that we should externally shew them forth , and not smother any . they must then , not only burn within us , but shine out to others . among ill men , and in a crooked generation , we must shine as lights to guide them , phil. . . our inward wisdom , must be shown forth in our works and good conversation , jam. . . our light must shine before men , that they may glorifie our father which is in heaven , mat. . . we must be blameless , and harmless , as the sons of god , without rebuke , not only before god , but likewise before them , phil. . . as zachariah and elizabeth , walked in all the ordinances of the lord , blameless , or not to be taxed by the world , for any apparent breaches , luk. . . on all such occasions , not content with an inward , they are careful to manifest an outward holiness : not neglecting any duties , or appearing like those , who either transgress , or omit a virtue , when they are call'd to an open discharge thereof . and this external owning of every part of religion , especially when we are brought in danger for it , which is the great temptation to conceal or dissemble it , is the virtue of confession . this christ himself did before pilate , before whom , as st. paul says , he witnessed a good confession , tim. . . and this he expects from all his followers . he that confesseth me before men , him will i also confess before my father which is in heaven . but whosoever shall deny me before men , him will i also deny before my father which is in heaven , mat. . , . the faith of the heart , says the * comment of an ancient and learned author upon this place , will no more avail , without the confession of the mouth , than the confession of the mouth will , without the faith of the heart . and if it must be enough for christ that we know him , tho we confess him not before men : therefore it must be enough for us , that he knows us , tho at the last he confess us not before men . 't is not sufficient for any , to say , i with-hold the truth in my heart , and in the mean while disown it before the world. and therefore he says not , he that confesseth me in his heart , but he that confesseth me before men . this confession or denial of him , is the confession , or denial , of any point of faith or practice , or part of his doctrine . whosoever shall be ashamed of me , and of my words , says he in another place , mar. . . luc. . . 't is not enough in heart inwardly to receive these , unless , on just occasion , we are ready openly to profess them . for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness , and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation , rom. . . this confession is made , one way by words ; as st. paul speaks of confession with the mouth unto salvation . and another way , by actions : for a man may deny a duty in deed , as well as in word , as the scripture speaks of those , who profess god in words , but in works deny him , tit. . . and a duty is thus denyed in deed , when , 〈◊〉 any just and publick call to practice it , we 〈◊〉 and dissemble it . 't is not enough in this case , 〈◊〉 pretend we adhere to it in our minds , unless 〈◊〉 shew our selves to be among its adherents , by 〈◊〉 practice . our deeds , as well as our words , 〈◊〉 among the necessary acknowledgments . 〈◊〉 every one that saith unto me , lord , lord , shall ente● into the kingdom of heaven , but he that doth 〈◊〉 will of my father which is in heaven , mat. . , ● the manifestation of the principle , must be by 〈◊〉 effects ; and of the tree , by its fruits , for every tre● is known by its own fruits , luk. . . when 〈◊〉 question arises , or a test comes , to try and dis●cover the true adherents to any duty ; 't is 〈◊〉 the heart which is unseen , but the visible pra●ctice which must determin it . shew me thy fait● by thy works : it being our works that must de●clare what our fixt belief or opinion about it 〈◊〉 jam. . . to neglect it , or conceal our adhe●rence to it out of shame thereof , christ account a denying it . he that shall be ashamed of my word of him will i be ashamed , luk. . . and s. paul speaking of his sufferings for the gospel , oppose● our practice of a suffering duty , when we ar● called to suffer for him , to our denying him : if 〈◊〉 suffer , we shall reign with him , if we deny him , 〈◊〉 also will deny us , tim. . . when men come to search after the retainers to any duties , they cannot judge by what is invisible , but only by what externally appears : so that he , who doth not practise when called to it , in human account is esteemed to disclaim it . but 't is much more denied in deed , if , when put to the tryal , they do not only neglect to practise it , but deliberately practise what is directly opposite and inconsistent with it . if any christian , when called to the test , would burn incense on the heathen altars , and sacrifice to their gods ; he did really , and was esteemed thereby , to disown his christianity , and to deny christ and his words , as if he had renounced them with his lips. now , opposite to this way , of honouring all the duties of religion , by verbal and real confessions , and external appearances , is the way of worldly wisdom . it is for such ways of owning them , as suits best with the ends and conveniences of this world. it will outwardly practise and profess fashionable duties , such as are in vogue , and the world honors and speaks well of . but as for those that are publickly decry'd , or bear against the wicked customs received , or the ends and projects pursued and driven on in this world , which expose to the censure thereof ; it is not for manifesting , but concealing them . it is for owning there , only in the mind , which can give the world no offence , because the mind is not under this worlds notice ; or , for owning and practising in private or out of sight : as nicodemus did at first , who came to our savior by night , joh. . . and those many of the chief rulers , who , tho they believed on him , did not confess him , because of the pharisees , loving the praise of men more than the praise of god , john . , . not that worldly wisdom is for heart duties ; being no more for inward than for outward holiness , further than it agre●s , or makes for worldly ease and interests . nay , indeed , being less for that , because 't is harder to perform , and more uncouth and opposite to flesh and blood. but what duties it can conform to and comply withal , it is for keeping up in the heart , not exposing in open practice , when that is like to give the world offence , or cause hard names and censures . or , what it cannot comply with , it is for counterfeiting and pretending to serve in heart , which lying out of sight , is more easie to be pretended , and not so easie to be detected and disproved . . this external owning of religious prudence , is not only in times of peace , but of persecutions . it is confessing it under impendent sufferings , as often as we are called either to profess or practise an oppressed duty before others . to confess it then , is truly to do honor to religion . it shews it true and unfeigned , and that the pretenders to it believe themselves in what they say of it , when they are ready to venture all thereupon : in suffering for religion , they give testimony to it ; it proves it strong and powerful , admirable in motives , and mighty in effects , able to set men above this world , to outstand the hardest tryal , and conquer all the world counts terrible . 't is to honor it , when the world explodes it , and seek to cast all the disgrace they can upon it : to own it , when it s own followers are ready to fall off and desert it . the days of suffering for righteousness , are worst times for flesh and blood ; but the best and most advantageous for serving religion , and doing honour unto god. when you suffer as christians , says st. peter , and are reproached for the name of christ , on your part he is glorified , pet. . , . so that in the eye of spiritual prudence , whose aim is to be wise for religion , and to see what serves it , not what serves our selves ; these times of persecution , instead of exempting from such confessions , are their most proper seasons . accordingly , this confession of any duties , is particularly required of us , and call'd for at such times . we are to be blameless , unrebukeable , as the sons of god , in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation , phil. . . be not ashamed of me , and of my words , says our saviour , in this adulterous and sinful generation , which was wholly bent on persecution , mar. . . when he calls for confession of him before men , mat. . . he puts the hardest cases , and confronts the doing of our duty with the dearest worldly interests : and there bars all opposite influence and interposition of fear of men , that would hinder confession ; and strikes it down with the greater and more powerful fear of god , which will hinder denying . fear not them which kill the body , but are not able to kill the soul : but rather fear him , who is able to destroy , both soul , and body , in hell , v. . he allows us not to be stopt of confession , by regard to father or mother , son or daughter : he that loves father , or mother , more than me , is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son , or daughter , more than me , is not worthy of me , v. . nay , nor in regard to our own lives : he that finds his life , viz. out of the way of confessing me and my wo●ds , shall lose it : and he that loseth his life for my sake , or for mine and the gospel's , as st. mark , shall find it , v. . the cross on any duties , must be no discouragement : the cross must be taken up with the duty , and not the duty let alone , or rejected for the crosses sake : he that doth not take his cross , and follow after me , is not worthy of me , v. . nay , at some times , he must take it up daily , and follow me , luc. . . and if then , when he must bear his cross , tho it be in neglect of his dearest relations , yea of his own life , he doth not for all that keep on in my way , and come after me ; he cannot be my disciple , luc. . , . thus strict is our blessed lord , in calling for this christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or harmless constancy & free owning of him and his laws , even when beset with the greatest worldly perils . very frightful were these perils , in the apostles days , which drive many from this way of couragious confessors , to shifts of deserting cowardice : tempting them sometimes to conceal themselves , and to forsake the publick assemblies , against both which st. paul absolutely declares , rom. . , . & heb. . , ; and sometimes to fall quite off from the way of christ , to that of their persecutors . and what now , doth he that sits upon the throne , say to such persons ? as he that continueth constant , or overcomes , shall inherit all things : so the fearful , or cowardly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the unbelievers , or false and unfaithful , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; i. e. the timorous & mistrustful deserters , who fell in their tryals for want of faith and pati●nce , formerly held the glory of saints , tho now made the scoff and derision of prophane spirits ; these , says he , together with murderers , and whore-mongers , and idolaters , & all lyars , shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone , which is the second death , rev. . , . among all reprobates , yea , before all , he first places these cowardly deserters for their share , in this lake of fire and brimstone , says * tertullian . the foundation of this confessorian constancy and freeness , is † love to christ , and to his laws and doctrines ▪ for , when love is perfect , as st. john says , it casts out fear , which , in time of danger , is the parent of all revolting tergiversations , or hypocritical and unlawful compliances . and herein , adds he , is our love made perfect , that we may have boldness , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this freeness and fearlesness in confession , which it is the perfection of love to inspire us with , in the day of judgment , or when brought before any tribunal for the cause of christ : because , as he is , so are we in this world , viz. in a persecuted state , wherein we are to shew this constancy and courage , as he did , joh. · , . and the cure of cowardice , or the spirit of fear , st. paul notes is by the spirit of love , which is the spirit of power , tim. . . and therefore the spirit writing to the church of ephesus , which was , it seems , in danger of falling into the practices of the temporizing gnosticks , when he calls them ‖ back to their former courage and constancy in tryals , bids them return to their first love , rev. . . this love to christ , and the ways of godliness , when , in a great many , it is strong enough for times of peace ; is apt to be much shaken , and impaired , in their hearts , in times of tryal and persecutions . because iniquity , i. e. of persecutors , as the context shews , shall abound , love of many , says our saviour , shall wax cold , mat. . . and as it decays , so will the confessorian constancy and courage , which is shewn by virtue thereof , and timorous haltings , compliances , and revolts , will still succeed in its place . but he that shall endure unto the end , or whose love and constancy at such times shall both hold out , the same shall be saved , v. . but now , quite contrary to this , is the way of worldly prudence , which is never for professing persecuted truths , or practising persecuted duties . it s care is , not how to confess , but how to conceal , or dissemble its sentiments , at such times . instead of looking then to the duty , it looks to it self : and considers , not what is good , but what is safe . distressed virtue , at the best , it neglects , or disclaims in open view : which it thinks to make up , by approving , or practising it in private . it divides it self , between god , and the world , and seeks to content him by a secret , or invisible observance ; and to content it too , by open and visible neglects , or violations , of oppressed religion and righteousness , on such tryals . but now , instead of conscionable lawful prudence , this is nothing but wicked subtilty , and mere carnal , or satanical suggestions . for to persuade , on any trying call , not to shew forth an incumbred and afflicted duty , but to let it alone , is the voice of flesh and blood , not of religion ; it never comes from god , but from satan . so christ told peter , when he counselled him to fly the obedience of the cross , and , instead of that costly way of doing the will of god , to look more to himself . get thee behind me , satan , saith he , thou art an offence unto me ; for thou savourest not the things that be of god , but the things that be of men , or mere carnal humane wisdom , mat. . , . and thereupon , he immediately repeats this precept to his disciples , telling them , if any man will come after me , he must not hearken to peter's advice , to stand still , or step out of the way , when the cross is laid upon any duty ; but take up his cross , and follow me . and follow me , i. e. going on still , under the burden of the cross , in the duty whereto i call : and going on also therein after my example , as you see , notwithstanding the cross now in my way , i do , v. . it is a deceitful shuffling on both sides , playing fast and loose , or halting between two opinions : as those of israel did , who , in their hearts , stood right for god ; but yet , to please ahab and jezabel , and for fear of the times , externally complied in the worship of baal , and went to his sacrifices . whom elijah the prophet reproved , saying , how long halt ye between two opinions ? if the lord be god , follow him ; but if baal , then follow him , king. , . if it were enough , thus to serve one invisibly in our hearts , whilst we visibly serve the other in external appearance , there would be no necessity of what our lord declared , that no man can serve two masters , mat. . . it is , at best , but to affect the duty , whilst we plainly fly all the scandal , and offence thereof . which , if it be a lawful prudence , there is no ingagement to preach up persecuted truths against persecuting errours , as st. paul thought there was for all the cross that lay upon it , when he preached down circumcision so zealously set up by the jews , gal. . . there will be an end of the scandal of the cross , which , when tack'd to any duty , will be no longer a scandal , or an occasion of sin , if we may lawfully pass it by , and let the duty it is laid upon alone , without sin. especially , taking up the cross , when placed in the way of confession , could never be the condition of worthiness in christ's disciples , as our lord declares it is , mat. . , . and afterwards , in opposition to peter's advice of ways to prevent it , by forbearing the duties burden'd with it , which he imputes , as i noted , to carnal wisdom , and the suggestion of satan , mat. . , . men may bear the cross , when it comes upon them by necessity , and they cannot help it . but then only they take it up , when they might let it alone if they would , viz. by forbearing , or avoiding the duty , whereto it comes annexed . and if they may be worthy disciples , in shunning it , it can be no condition of their worthiness , to take it up . lastly , were it no point of duty and religion , for which they were sure to be finally rewarded , this taking up a duty with the cross upon it , could have nothing inviting here , for them to glory and triumph in it . and yet this , our saviour , and his blessed apostles , direct all good christians to do at such times . if ye be reproached for the name of christ , or for righteousness sake , as ch. . . happy are you , for the spirit of glory rests upon you , pet. . . if any man s●ffer as a christian , let him glorifie god on that behalf , v. . . in these confessions , it is another part of spiritual prudence , not to stay till we are under an absolute necessity , or force , but to confess with freeness . i do not say , this is absolutely necessary in all cases . and when there is utmost peril , the torture extreme , and confession capital ; the case is pitiable , and to wait , in case of several truths or duties , for proof from prosecutors , seems more excusable . but this is only connivence , and condescension to humane weakness : and to be free in owning any necessary articles ▪ or part of virtue and godliness , on a just call thereto , openly preferring it to our own lives , is the praise of confessors , and most excellent and rewardable in it self . * being judicially asked , he voluntarily confesses it ; being condemn'd , he gives thanks for it , says tertullian of the primitive confessors . this again , is for the honour of duty and religion , that its followers are not driven by nenessity , but led to own it by affection . 't is not for its reputation , that its own servants would do no more for it , than they needs must ; nor appear in its cause , so long as they can lie hid . this argues it to be little beloved by its own retainers ; and that the acknowledgments it has from them at such trying times , is out of fear , which needs to be driven ; not from love , much less from zeal , which would shew forth , not only a free , but forward motion . men may serve the duty , when they shew not their adherence , till they are necessitated to it ; but to honour it , they must move of themselves , and be prompt and forward to profess it . and this freeness , as it is requisite to the honour of any part of duty , or religion : so , i think , is implied in the nature of confession . conviction , indeed , may be a forced thing , and we are at liberty there to plead not-guilty , and not own the charge , till it is judicially proved upon us . and this may be taken by all malefactors , in what they are ashamed of , and acknowledge to be ill things . but confession , is to be our own , and the praise of it lies in being a voluntary and free thing : and of our selves we are to profess and own there , on any just call , when , in way of publick tryal , or private usefulness , we are put to the question . and this is the way in any duties , which we profess to glory and triumph in . when we stay to have it proved upon us , as if it were a thing we would not own , but are ashamed of , we are convicted as criminals . or , if we come in as confessors there , it is , as having before voluntarily and freely chosen , to be or do what we plainly saw would bring us into danger : we are confessors , only in respect of what we practised or professed under terrifying prospects before , not in respect of our present answer . but when we are ready to own it our selves , and to glory in what they accuse , that is a further degree , and then we answer as confessors . and this freedom and promptness , to own and profess such persecuted truths or duties , was most eminently seen , and honourably discharged , as i noted from tertullian ; yea , sometimes to excess , in the primitive liberty or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the ancient confessors . the zeal of numbers , carrying them , under the greatest hazards , and amidst the most terrifying examples , to profess before they were accused , and p●blish in open court their own faith , whilst they saw their brethren tryed and condemned for it , as we learn abundantly from the story of those times . . i shall add in the last place , that 't is for the honour of religion in these confessions , that they be divested of too scrupulous , and nice a care , of our worldly interests . i do not condemn all prudent care of confessors , for securing their worldly concerns , when their duty is first secured , and they are not wanting , either by word or deed , to assert and honour it , as they are call'd to it . when they have taken care to save religion , and a good conscience first , they may be allowed a just and reasonable care for saving what they have in this world , next : it being reasonable , that they should save what they well can , when 't is against reason and religion too , that they should lose any thing . and thus the apostles and primitive christians about jerusalem , when they saw the storm coming on , sold their lands and private properties , putting the prices into the hands of the church , in preparation for the approaching wants and confiscations , acts . , &c. but i think they are most honourable to religion , when they are not most solicitous at such times , nor exact in all arts and methods , of indemnifying themselves . such confessions are a tryal of the spirituality of our minds , how able they are to contemn this world , and how far they are set above it , and how strong their faith and trust in god is . and we acquit our selves best , in manifesting this , when we only shew a moderate care , and take the plainest and most reputabl● ways of saving : when we are not scrupulously exact in things , or immoderately solicitous , 〈◊〉 stretch to the utmost lengths we dare in any indemnifying arts , which may fully this profession and proof of spirituality , by a suspicion of earthly-mindedness ; and of faith in god's providence ▪ by signs of immoderate care for our selves . o●● sufferings , as well as our service , is honourable and useful to god and religion , at such times ▪ a prophane and atheistical world , and an exploded duty , need a suffering testimony . and when we may exalt , and advance our duty by our losses , as well as by our practice and professions , godly wisdom , looks more to serve god and goodness , than to secure our selves ; bidding such loss of goods welcome , and taking it joyfully , as the manner was of the primitive † saints . and tho it will not rashly and unnecessarily , without a call , throw its worldly things away : yet , when 't is call'd thereto , it will not be over-careful , or scrupulously inquisitive how to keep them . now all this is contrary , in the aim of worldly wisdom . it s great end , is to be free and forward in getting , but forced in losing worldly things ; to move of it self in any way of compassing , but to move no faster than 't is driven , in any way of parting with them . it will readily neglect any thing that will occasion present damage ; but it knows not how to omit what promises any removal or abatement of it . worldly wisdom is wise for worldly goods , but wise ●gainst worldly evils : and never free to serve 〈◊〉 spirit against the flesh , to seek the honour ●f religion by worldly disgrace , or to advance ●nd inrich it by its own loss and impoverish●ent . . in pursuit of this end of the honour of re●igion , it is another rule of spiritual prudence , ●ot to change our doctrines , as we change our inte●ests , or to do alike our selves , to what we have ●●udly condemn'd in others . to maintain , for in●●ance . the indefeasible power of princes , whilst ●hey are of our religion ; but of the people , ●hen princes are of a contrary religion . to ●reach up toleration , and temper , and liberty ●f conscience , whilst we are under , and kept ●own ; but as mere hot-spurs , to decry all tem●er , and screw up all to our apprehension , shew●ng no tenderness to other mens conscienc●s , ●hen we are in place to lord it over them . to call any thing a publick grievance in government , while our rulers do it ; but to pretend , ●nd plead necessity for it , when the power is got into our own hand . for a jew , to condemn a heathen , that he robs god of his due honour , by worship of idols : and yet not condemn his own robbery , in committing s●criledge , rom. . . for christians to cry out of the jews , for distinguishing away the commandments , and making void , as our lord * says and shews they did in several instances , the law of god through their traditions and expositions : and yet , to justifie and cry up themselves , whilst , to all appearance , they seem to take the same liberties , and are doing the same things . for any protestants , to condemn the papists , fo● deposing heretical princes ; and yet to be for d●●throning their own , for his zeal in a false re●ligion : to accuse them , for holding it lawful 〈◊〉 do evil that good may come ; and yet be ready 〈◊〉 do the same themselves , when they think it ne●cessary for the church , or nation : to blam● their liberties , in any breach of faith , justice , 〈◊〉 charity towards hereticks , and yet take libe●●ty , neither to keep promise , nor do justice , no● shew common charity and humanity , to me● of those opinions , which are most displeasing 〈◊〉 themselves : to upbraid them , lastly , for think●ing to excuse their false appearances in word , 〈◊〉 practice , when that may save the things of thi● world , by aequivocations , and mental reservations , i. e. inward reserves of intention , and limitations in their own minds , tho in their practice they shew none , but appear the same as others ; and yet , when they are brought in streights for their consciences , to use like deceitful artifices , and take the same liberties to bring themselves off . this is saying and gainsaying , as it serves our turns , and doing what we condemn in others ; or , what is so like it , that the by-standers are not able to distinguish it : and making the same thing a vice , when used in our neighbours case ; but a virtue , when used in our own . but now this change of doctrines , as we change interests , or doing the very same , or like to what we condemn , is apt mightily to reflect upon the honour of religion . as if its principles stood not upon intrinsick truth , but external usefulness ; as if we held things true , while we gain by them , and they make for us ; but begun to hold them false , confessing our eyes are open , and that we see the error of them , when once we are brought to lose thereby , and they make against us . this is , as if gain were godliness ; and seems , as if what in these tenets we seek to set up , were not the honour of god , but the interest of this world ; not truth , but our selves . which reflections are such , that religion cannot fall under a sorer disgrace , or a more hurtful prejudice . and therefore spiritual prudence , which professes to be wise for it , is especially careful , to prevent such turns of doctrine and practice , according to the turn of worldly interests , which would give men ground or occasion , to pass such reflections on it . 't is true , good and wise men , may change their opinions . and as they grow older , mortal and fallible understandings , may be allowed to grow wiser . and when we discover errors , we must not after that obstinately adhere to them , because we have formerly believed , and professed them . constancy in former opinions , must not be obstinacy in former errors : and when we discover a new truth , we must not deny it , because we condemned it before ; but be glad to profess it , now we see it , and sorry we saw it no sooner . nay , if it happen to make for our interest , we are , for all that , to receive and profess it . for truth is truth , and will challenge both our belief and profession , whether it make for us , or against us . our interest must not make us take falshood for truth ; but withal , it must not hinder us from owning , and embracing truth it self for truth . it would be a strange return to a profitable and advantageou● truth , to be foes to it , because it is a friend to us ; and therefore to deny it , because we are like to be the better by it . so that if it is a real truth we profess now , good and wise men must profes● it , tho they gain by it , and tho it be contrary to what they professed formerly . and 't is no scandal to religion , but the command and credi● thereof , to have men thus exchange their error● for truth ; or that , which was not religion , nor honourable to it , for that which really is . but then this change must be made upon manifest appearance , and sufficient evidence of truth . 't is justifiable , and honourable , when 't is an exchange for truth , not for interest . and therefore that which justifies it , must be the evidence of truth , being got by the exchange . 't is the suspicion of interest , that occasions all the dishonourable reflections , and the demonstration of truth must clear them . and therefore on such changes , the discoverers of the new truths , must discover new reasons , and produce better proofs for them , than they had for their old errors . they must bring new arguments , which , whilst they were of a contrary belief , were not urged to themselves . or , carry the old ones further , than they had met them improved by others , and shew the weakness of those answers , they were wont to give to them ; or of the arguments they used to offer against that side , which they now take . and this , they are the more obliged to do , with clearness of argument and reason , in apparently advantageous changes ; because , in the constant sense and experience of the wise world , interest is not held the best inlightner of our minds . it s power is not so much to make us knowing , as willing ; not so fit to carry our understandings before our wills , as to make our wills out-run our understandings : and in the constant experience of the world , both formerly , and at this day , is much more successful in making the minds of men to miss of truth , than in carrying them to find it . wise care therefore , for the honour of god and religion , or spiritual prudence , requires that we should not change our doctrines on an apparent change of interest , unless we make out before men , as plain an appearance of truth in the exchange , as there is of interest , that we may not seem to hold it true , because it is for our interest , or to be led more by interest , than we are by truth . and therefore , when once good men see their errors , it highly concerns both themselves and religion , instantly to renounce them , not for advantage , but for the truths sake . and not stay , till the course of this world turns , and they may hope to get as much by disclaiming , as before they had by professing them . for otherwise , the world will be but too apt to judge them , not religious and conscientious , but secular and self-ended penitents ; who will never see , and repent of their errors and evil-doings , whilst they bring them in present advantage . or , whom reasons of truth and duty , could never bring to repentance , till reasons of fleshly interest struck in therewith ; but who can readily repent of any ways , as soon as once they turn to loss , and they are evidently call'd to suffer for them . and , on the other hand , we must be wary how we censure others , when we see them change from their former judgments , and stay to hea● their reasons , before we presume to tax their sincerity in the exchange . when the interest is apparent , the by-standers have an appearance of interest at first sight ; but have not the appearances for truth , till the person that made the change , has opportunity to make known to them , how the new truth appear'd to him . this , indeed , is a temptation , to those that take up with what comes next , and are confident of the evidence of their own , and the little appearance on the other side , to be too often hasty , and hard in their censures . but one man must not be ras● to judge of the appearances of truth to another , but wait to hear them from himself . and after 〈◊〉 has heard them , not presently conclude , a way could not thereby appear true to him , because , on the same evidence , it doth not , nor really ought to appear so to himself . that the thing is not true , he may safely say , not that the other could not think it so . for all mens judgments are not equally wrought upon by the same things ; and that may seem good proof to some , which doth not so to others . so that , as to the censure of particular persons , especially whilst they keep true to their new principles , not still , as necessity calls , out-running their own pretences ; it is good and safe ordinarily , to be slow in passing our judgments , and leave them to their own judge , who sees their hearts , and to whom each of them stands or falls . but in general , when the arguments of truth are not as apparent , as those of interest in the change ; and the parties , by all their study , could never see the truth pretended , whilst they were like to lose by it ; but see it clearly , yea , and that , perhaps , without much study , when once it makes for their profit : the world is very suspicious , that 't is interest , more than evidence , which opens their eyes , and a great scandal comes upon religion by such changes . such men are wont to preach up , say the world , what stands them in stead : not what they themselves really believe , and think . all colour whereof , st paul was careful to remove from himself , when his calumniators suggested this of him to the corinthians . for , having professed his simplicity , and godly sincerity , without fleshly wisdom , more abundantly towards them : we write no other things unto you , saith he , than what you read or acknowledge , and i trust you shall acknowledge , even to the end , cor. . , . that is , as theodoret comments , we do not preach one thing to you , and think another , as some endeavour to calumniate * us . for what i taught when present , i write now being absent , and hope i shall always be found preaching and saying the same to the end . but now opposite to this , is the way of worldly wisdom . it is still for seeing truth , in that which is advantageous and convenient for it . and willing to be beat out of any duty or doctrine , when it comes to lose by it . it first considers , the gain , and convenience , of a case . when it sees what makes most for that , it resolves that side is to be held , and then casts about , to find a reason or pretence for it . and any thing is a good reason for a way to those , who before-hand are resolved to take it . it blames or commends , condemns or justifies , as a corrupt party , not as a● equal judge . self-love steers all its determinations . and following all its windings , it is neve● true to the reality of the thing , but to its ow● concern therein . which , being differently affect●ed by any ways , at different times , it accordingly either applauds , or decryes them , and has one judgment of them , when they are in our ow● case ; and another , when they are in our neighbours : contrary to all good reason , and tru● wisdom , which , if it come from above , is witho●● partiality , and without hypocrisie , as st. james say ch. . . which therefore , if obeyed and followed , would make us , as true and constant to 〈◊〉 good things ; so true and constant to our selves , in loving , and commending them . never to blame that in one , which we cry up in another . never to acquit that in our selves , which we accuse in ou● neighbours . and when we advance any tenets as true ; or any things as just , as reasonable , as religious ; always to allow as much truth to the tenets , and as much justice , reason , and religion to the things , when they happen to serve our brethrens purpose , as we claimed to them before , when they served our selves . . a fifth rule of christian prudence for this purpose , is not to be glad of any temporal advantage by ill things , and , whilst we reap the profit , to be content with the wickedness . by the ill done , religion suffers : tho what is so ill and dishonourable for religion , happen to be useful for our interest in this world , and make us gainers . and if we can be content for our own gain , to have it damnified , it shews we are not so much for it , as for our selves ; but are free to have it truck'd away , and given up for our own advantage . spiritual prudence therefore , which proposes the honour and interest of god and religion , in the first place , and sets 〈◊〉 before our selves ; will not be bribed by any thing to inrich our selves by their loss , or glory in their disgrace , or be pleased in what is to their prejudice . indeed , if a good thing is done , tho with an ill mind , he that is wise for god and religion , may rejoyce in it . as st paul did , and declared ●e would do , that christ was preach'd ; tho they who preach'd him , did it not so much sincerely , to promote the gospel ; as factiously , out of envy and ill will , to make themselves seem more considerable than he at philippi , or to spight the apostle , phil. . , , 't is the thing that is done , which in the eyes of men , doth honour , or dishonor to religion . so that if a good thing is done , that doth good to religion , and may cause joy to the friends and well-wishers of religion : tho , if it be done with an evil mind , it be ill for him that doth it , and so may cause sorrow in behalf of the person . but , when an ill thing is done , that wounds religion it self ; and no man , who sets a just price upon religion , can think any worldly gain , a sufficient recompence for that . and therefore a projector for religion , or one who is spiritually wise , can never , for any worldly expedience , be content with ill things , or seem glad of any wickedness . like to this , is another point of christian pru●dence , not to be all zeal in matter of our own right● but all indifference and lukewarmness , in the brea● of god's rights . nay , it may be , not only conten● they should be broke by others ; but to break his o●● selves , in the asserting of our own rights . now 〈◊〉 is highly dishonourable to god and religio● this different sense , of what concerns him an● us , shews what things we are the most tender 〈◊〉 the quickness , and the vehemence of our mot●●ons , in our own , and the coldness , and slowne● of them , in his case ; speaks plainly , how little 〈◊〉 value him , and how much we value our selve● and therefore christian prudence , whose 〈◊〉 aim is to do honour to god and religion , 〈◊〉 make us more tender of his rights than ours , an● more careful of what makes for him , than of wh●● makes for our selves . as moses , who was so em●●nently patient , and hard to be provoked in 〈◊〉 own case : yet , when he saw the dishonour 〈◊〉 god in the golden calf , was so far moved ther● with , that in a transport of zeal he brake the t●●bles , for which he had waited fasting in the 〈◊〉 mount for forty days , deut. . , , . but now these are quite otherwise in the 〈◊〉 of worldly prudence . worldly things stand high●est in the accounts of worldly wise ; and therefor● they are more affected with what touches them than with any thing else . to smite them there , 〈◊〉 to wound them in their most sensible parts , o● touch the very apple of their eyes ; it gives th● quickest sense , and creates the highest passion i● them . but what doth preserve these , preserve● what they esteem of most worth ; and so may recompense and over-balance any other losses . tho religion suffer in some point , they are not so sensible of that . and so long as they have no hand in making it suffer , they can be well enough content to see it , and leave others to be sorry for their wickedness , who bring ill to it . and if its loss makes for their temporal profit and advantage , they think they are very well paid for it , and can be glad thereof . self-love sways fleshly prudence . and that always finds it self in our own advantage , and takes that to rejoyce in for its share ; leaving others to look to themselves , as it doth , and to mourn for the prejudice it doth them , or for the ill they have done therein . chap. iii. christian prudence for pleasing god , and a good conscience . and against popularity . a fifth end is , to please god. this will take us off from popularity . and to please our own good conscience . of the contrary ways of worldly wisdom . greatness of numbers should not draw to any thing , nor want of number drive from a good one. . fifthly and lastly , a fifth end , which religious prudence proposes to it self , is to please god , and a good conscience , by doing things in themselves good and virtuous . religion is not for shows , but realities : and god is for truth , not appearances . and therefore spiritual prudence , which aims to be wise for religion , and for god , is for securing those solid and substantial goods , or those things good in themselves , which religion prescribes , and god approves : not what passes for good in the mistake of the world , or in mens diseased apprehensions . these good things it doth , that it may please god. his will is the cause and rule of duty , and goodness ; and his approbation is the recompenc● thereof . to do what is good , for other ends and considerations , may be fleshly design , or human discretion ; but to do it , that we may thereby please god , is religion and spiritual wisdom . the great aim religious men have in all these things , is that god accept them . and they have enough , when he accepts a service , tho here it meets with nothing but persecutions , instead of recompences . to be able to keep up with this , and think pleasing god enough , whoever else be displeased at us , is to act like our fore-runners in the faith , who did all things to be accepted with him , cor. . . to be praised and commended by him , or have him approve them , cor. . . rom. . . to have our eye single , or that purity and sincerity of intentions , which must make the whole body full of light , or carry us to a discharge of duty in the whole compass of conversation , as our saviour says , mat. . . this thinking is enough for our practice thereof , that any way will please god , tho 't is most displeasing , and utterly decryed by men : will take us from popularity , or steering our selves by publick fame , and the applause of men . and this is absolutely necessary , and one of the things to be first laid , in the way of religious wisdom . he that enters in that way , must fix this as a rule , not to do what men will commend , but what really deserves to be commended . to please them , that will be pleased with their duty , and with his doing of his duty ; but to please god , and a good conscience , tho for that all the world should be displeased with him . had men stood in the state of innocence , we might safely have governed our selves by their pleasure and applause , because then they would only have applauded good things . but since all are faln from that , as the world now is , they are generally most pleas'd with what most offends god , and cry up ill ones . they commend things , not for intrinsick worth and goodness , but for their usefulness and expedience , in serving ends and purposes . or , for their suitableness , not to pure reason and innocence , but to impure and corrupt nature , and fleshly appetite . so that , as the case now stands , if we will have their applause , we must ordinarily want the applause of god , and of a good conscience . this being the state of all times , always rendred popularity , or a resolution to do or omit , what would prevent offence , and please the people , inconsistent with duty and true goodness . how can ye believe , says our savior , and 't is the same case with all other discountenanced and exploded duties , who receive honour one of another , and seek not the honour , which comes from god only , joh. . . the chief rulers , even when convinced in their consciences , would not confess christ , because they loved the praise of men , more than the praise of god , joh. . , . and , if i yet pleased men , saith st. paul , i should not be the servant of christ , gal. . . he that will be good therefore , and truly wise for god , must arm against censure , and be content , as christ , and his apostles , and the best men in all times were , to hear himself call'd by hard names , and pass through good and ill report , cor. . . nay , in trying times , especially if his statio● is any ways publick , it is scarce possible to avoid it ; but in seeking to shun , he would , tho in a 〈◊〉 measure , run upon it . for whilst , for striking i● with the crowd , he is cryed up by those , who ar● in the wrong : he must expect t● be cryed dow● by those who are in the right ; whose applause tho it makes less noise , yet ought to be of mo●● moment . we must not be dismay'd then , becaus● the world is against a thing ; but because there 〈◊〉 just reason for it to be so . we must not begin 〈◊〉 because it is commended : nor give over a dut● or good thing , because it is decryed . we mus● resolve to look , what pleases god , not what 〈◊〉 please the multitude : and then we are wise fo● god , not foolish for the company of simpl● men , and like to do what we ought to do . next to this of pleasing god , is pleasing the●● own good conscience . and this is subordinate to th● former , and a consequent thereof ; since we ca● never in conscience be pleased with our selves but when we think god is pleased with us . th●● is a most wise end , and of mighty importance , 〈◊〉 be satisfied with our selves . without this , we ca● have no happiness . if we are discontented 〈◊〉 our minds , whatever is without us , can neve● please us . nothing makes us happy , further tha● we are pleas'd with it : and we can have no tru● relish of pleasure in other things , whilst we 〈◊〉 uneasie and displeased with our selves . better all the world should be angry with us , than god and our own conscience . so that the wisdom , which would secure the power and honour , and afford us the comfort and pleasure of religion , must always propose to it self the doing what will please god , and thereby our own consciences . and whether or no we have done , what we know is pleasing to him , spiritual prudence sends us to learn , not from others , but from within our selves . this is our rejoycing , says s. paul , the testimony of our conscience , that in simplicity and godly sincerity , not with fleshly wisdom , but the grace of god , we have had our conversation in the world , cor. . . and this is the great happiness of all upright walkers , that all their comforts are from a witness within themselves . if our own heart condemn us not , then have we confidence towards god , john . . our own heart , is near us : so that at any time , when we please , we may ask it the question . it is privy to all our actings : so that whensoever we enquire , it can answer us . and we are as privy to its answers : so that we need not go to learn of any , what return is made to us . such is the advantage , of having this to learn , from the testimony of our own hearts and consciences . and to their testimony , god , and spiritual wisdom , send us in this case . for , when the question is about our own actings , the things of a man , as the scripture says , are best known to the spirit of the man himself , cor. . . tho we do not know so much of others : yet , under god , we are all able to tell the most of our selves , and no one else can say so much as our own bosoms . so that we must not fetch our rejoycing from the censures and commendations of others ; nor be chearful or dejected , according as they surmise or think of us : but according as we know , by our own selves . it may be they are rash and unjust in their censures , and judge us unheard ; as , indeed , they are oft aptest to condemn us , who know least of us . but if all the while , our own conscience can testifie 't is otherwise ; we may say with s. paul , 't is a very small thing with me , that i should be judged of you , or of mans judgment , cor. . . if all the world speaks well , what is that , if we are accused in our own consciences ? and if we are acquitted there , that is worth ten thousand witnesses , and what signifie all their accusations ? let us take care therefore to live so , as that we may be well reported of in our own breasts ; and we need not look out for comforts , from the opinions and reports of others . to know what is in us , for our joy or sorrow , we must not take our account from strangers , we are best known to our own selves . but now , quite contrary to all this , is the way of fleshly wisdom . it s care and aim is , not how to please god , but how to come off among men . it is more concerned , for what is like to anger and offend them , than for what will offend him . as the chief rulers , who , believing in christ , knew to own him was most pleasing to god : but yet did not confess him , lest they should be put out of the synagogue , jo. . . it is for suiting its carriage , not to the reality of things , but to their diseased opinions . it s maxim , is not to side with the truth , but to swim with the stream . it is for doing what is in vogue , and seeming to approve what is by most applauded , whether it be good or bad . it will assert an ill cause , when the multitude are for it ; and desert a good cause , when 't is generally decryed . it will renounce any duty , or virtue , when 't is exploded : strike in with the oppressors of much envyed and hated persons , when they are trampled under foot ; tho it happens to know they are innocent , or knows not that they are in fault , or however faulty they are in other things , tho it believes they are greatly wronged in the present case , and suffer against justice ; it will always run along with all the violences of the time : and that , as seeking , not what is really good , but what other men think and call so ; not , as studying to please god , but to live at quiet , and please the world , steering all its course , not by truth and virtue , which are a certain fix'd thing , always one and the same ; but by the uncertain blast of popularity , or vulgar opinion . agreeable to this , we may observe it is the rule of worldly wise men , to stand for virtue and duty , not when it has few friends , and they must practise it alone ; but when they have company enough , to back and stand by them . they are for truth and goodness , when they have the strongest parties , and the cry of a crowd , to approve and justifie them in that cause : but not when the cry goes against them , and they see no numbers to joyn with . so that 't is not spiritual truth and goodness , but worldly strength and number , which is highest in their opinion , and takes most with them . we may likewise observe , from the same influence and interposition of fleshly wisdom , even among well-disposed men , the great difference between suffering duties , when cryed up , and the sa●● when decryed by the multitude . men find it much easier , to suffer for a good thing , when the shout of the people is for them ; but very hard , when it runs all against them . nay , there is a terror in the clamor of rabbles , which frights many , tha● dare even stand the face of regular justice . fleshly wisdom , looks out still for some visible support , and a fleshly arm ; which when it cannot have from authority , and the higher powers , it would fain have from the number of partakers ▪ where it has inclination , it needs moreover to b● heartened , and commended in a good thing . it is not mortifyed enough , to the countenance and cry of men : looking too much without it self to their applauses ; and too little within , to the commendations of god and a good conscience ▪ whereas , by all the rules of god , and true wisdom , if a way is bad , no authority of numbers , or press of the multitude , must bear us along with it . thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil , saith the law , exod. . . if sinners entice thee , whether more or fewer , whether a sinful man or a sinful nation , consent thou not , saith wisdom , prov. . . when ill men list themselves in numbers , and combine in errors or ill things , they are ungodly conspiracies ; and all that love god , or themselves , must take care not to be drawn in , or go along with them . say not ye a confederacy to all them , to whom this people shall say a confederacy ; neither fear ye their fear , nor be afraid . sanctifie the lord of hosts himself , and let him be your fear , is. . , . thus , must not we run in with their wrong opinion , or fear what affrights them ; but instead thereof , what will offend him . when the world is bent upon ill things , as it ordinarily is , good christians must not think it will excuse them , to say they were born away in the same with the torrent . but they must remember , that in their baptism , they renounced the world ; that christ , tho he found his followers in the world , yet has called or chosen them out of , or from among the world , john . . and that they must not be conformed to this world , but transformed into a quite different stamp , by the renewal of their mind , rom. . . and on the contrary , if a way or thing is truly virtuous and good , no smallness of numbers on its side , or scarcity of adherents , can warrant us to forsake it . our owning it at such times , instead of being excused , is more highly requisite , and most of all needed . for then , under all the attaques of its enemies , it is to be supported by its followers , and can worst dispense with their service . it is then in want of adherents , and so can least of all spare us . it is then like to be left destitute , and without help in its greatest need : which , instead of releasing any , must incite every one , who would approve himself its true friend , a friend being born for adversity , instead of flinching from , to appear for it , and put to his helping hand . and accordingly the best persons , have not cowardly slunk away , but couragiously stuck to god and their duty , when they had the least company , and were left to own and stand to it by themselves . when jesus christ , that absolute patron and advocate for virtue , appeared in the world : he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sign spoken against , luc. . . when the apostles after him , came to embarque in its cause and interest , they were a sect every where decryed , acts . . the whole world in a manner stood at gaze , and they were made a gazing-stock to the world , by reproache● and afflictions , heb. . . being made a spectacle , or * theatrical show , to the world , to angels , and to men , cor. . . confessing the truth bravely and undauntedly , as did all the primitive saints , under all the discouraging crys and persecutions , of popular † tumults and uproars , as well as of courts and judicatures . noah was a pattern , and preacher of righteousness to the old world , when the whole earth had corrupted themselves , with one voice decrying his virtue , and deriding his preaching and provision of the ark , and were full ripe for ruin by the flood , gen. . . pet. . . elias , was true to god and religion , and jealous for them , when he had none visibly to side with him , and take his part , all the prophets , as he complains to god , being slain with the sword ; and i , even i only am left , and they seek my life to take it away , kings . . jeremy asserted the truth , and way of god , when he alone was to be a defenced city , and a brazen wall , against the whole land , jerem. . . when he was a derision to all his people , and their song all the day , lam. . . in the great article , of the divinity of our lord , s. athanasius was almost left by himself , and there was , as it was said , athanasius contra mundum , or athanasius on one side , and the whole world on the other . and to those who then objected the † paucity of its numbers , and measured the authority of a doctrine by the multitude of applauders ; he suggests , that christ chose twelve apostles , and armed these twelve , who were all simple , illiterate , and poor men , with truth against the whole world , who , tho so many more in number , were yet all in the wrong . and these twelve , were not to follow ten thousand : but the ten thousand were to compose themselves to the way and belief of these twelve . who , as he goes on , when st. stephen stood alone , derided by all , and stoned to death , would not rather have been on the side of this single oppressed man , than of the numerous and persecuting vulgar ? or , on phineas 's , who went out alone for god among the jews ? or , on noah 's , to have been saved with those few souls in the ark , when the universal world were destroyed by a deluge ? 't is good , 't is good , for a just man , tho he be but one , and stands alone , to shew a confessorian liberty , and profess the truth boldly and freely , and this way to break the power of error and wickedness , tho standing on the united votes , and concurrent agreement and approbation of the multitude . and as for the weight of numbers , a multitude without demonstration , proceeding only by will , is fit to imprint fear , not to persuade belief . tho some multitudes i also reverence , viz. that which corrects fatherlike , and gives demonstration , and keeps to the old way , not rejoycing in innovation . not that multitude , which is hired by gifts and flatteries , or hurryed aside by ignorance and unskilfulness , or which is lapsed by fear and terror , or that prefers a momentany enjoyment of sin to eternal life , * says that good father , to those who took the judgment of the multitude , for 〈◊〉 proof and evidence of truth . thus has it been the care of good men in all times , and must be ours when god shall call us to the tryal , if we will be their true followers , to stick firmly to their duty , whether with , or without company . they were resolved to adhere to it , tho all the world did desert it . they had determined beforehand , to sacrifice every other interest to that , and to stand or fall with it . and therefore , wheresoever it called , they readily followed : not considering , whether it were with the cry , or against it ; whether any body else went along to back them , or all stay'd behind . wha● the poet said , in the character of the good and upright man ; that † neither the madness and heat of the rabble , calling for an ill thing ; nor the face of ● tyrant menacing and commanding it , can shake 〈◊〉 virtuous stedfastness : is a pitch , that , whilst other● content themselves to talk of , they still made visible in their practice . i add in the last place , concerning all the forecited ends of christian prudence , that tho , being flesh as well as spirit , we are allowed to have other lower ends : yet is it one of its rules , when we cannot serve both , to give up the inferior , to serve the main end. it will part with our worldly goods and convenience , to preserve all the foresaid ends of duty and innocence , of the honour of religion , and a good conscience ; and forego any good of our bodies for the greater good of our souls . this is implyed , when this prudence is recommended and required by our lord , under the name of the wisdom of the serpent , mat. . . for his chiefest care , as has been commonly noted , is to save his head. and as the serpent , says s. * chrysostom , upon the place , gives away all first , tho it be his body it self to be cut in pieces , that he may thereby preserve his head safe : in like manner , says our lord , be thou ready to surrender up all things , tho all thy possessions , tho thy body , yea , tho thy life it self , to preserve thy faith. for that is the head , and root of all . and so long as that is kept , tho thou losest all the rest , yet shalt thou recover all again with greater magnificence at last . — requiring thee , to shew the wisdom of the serpent , ●e warns thee not to lose what is of most account , and when a blow doth come , never to receive it in a principal , or most vital part. and this is a rule of worldly wisdom too , to give up what is of less account , for the preservation of what is of more . but its fault here is , to subject spiritual to temporal ends , as may be seen in all the preceding instances thereof , which , in all right and reason , ought to be set above them . chap. iv. of not doing evil , that good may come . as christian prudence , is in the first place to fix the mark whereat we are to aim , and to see , and set out to us , right ends : so is it . secondly , to pursue those ends , only by fit and christian ways . prudence , is most taken up in choice of means ; appearing either in sagacity and acuteness , by discerning them instantly ; or in counsel , when it discovers them by thought and study . and opposite to this , is imprudence , which has no due understanding or consideration , about ways and methods ; and doth not either see , or stick to those means which are fittest for the ends it aims at . sometimes it misses them , through inordinate haste , not staying to take counsel , or deliberate which course is best . as it happens , when men are push'd on rashly by their own will or passion ; not taking time and pains , first to reflect with themselves , and call to mind former experience and past success of the same course , or view present things and circumstances , or consider what may be the effects and consequences , or reason and compare one thing with another , or , where there is need thereof , shew docility and regard to other mens skill , hearkening to a good and wise adviser : these , and such like , are the orderly and intermediate steps , whereby the mind should proceed from proposal of a thing to pursuit thereof , and guide it self as need requires , in consulting about the fitness of ways and methods . and , when without such orderly process , in a case that needs it ; it fixes on a wrong way in haste , at the impulse of its own will or humor , or of some external impellent , without having taken counsel about it : this uncounsell'd choice , or inordinate haste in fixing , is call'd precipitancy . and this , where it is not only a blind festination , but bears with it a plain contempt of known laws and rules , which should have kept it in , or such an headstrong motion , as is a clear effect of pride and presumption ; is call'd temerity . at other times , when it stays to consult about them , imprudence misses the right way and means , by not viewing sufficiently , but contemning or neglecting the circumstances of things ; especially those that are necessary to form a right judgment of them : which act of imprudence , is called inconsiderateness . or , lastly , when it has done all in point of deliberation , a third act of imprudence about the means , is not to stick to what has been once resolved upon , or be stedfast in right purposes ; which is inconstancy . precipitancy , is a fault and defect in consultation ; inconsiderateness in judging , and inconstancy in point of persisting , or sticking to what had been well fixed or judged before . now , as prudence is thus taken up in choice and use of means , so is christian prudence in the choice and use of such only , as are fit for christians . as prudence , it must direct to fitting means . and as christian , to such as are agreeable to the holy religion and laws of christ jesus . one part of this , and that of great wideness and importance , is to see what ways and means are fittest for the attainment or encrease of all particular virtues . all duties have their proper means , which make way for their performance , and hindrances , that do obstruct it . and 't is the part of prudence , in one that would be wise to do his duty , to discern and direct what these means are , in the case of each ; that seeking them always in wise and right ways , he may labor after them with the more success . to shew what these are , through all particular virtues , what means are best accommodate to their several natures , or to our needs and temptations in the exercise or discharge thereof , is besides my prese●● purpose , and may be learned , as occasion require● from those good books , where the duties themselves are practically and particularly treated of . but , besides this seeing what means are fitte●● for the discharge of any duties : another part o● prudence is , to see , in such discharge , what way● are fittest for its or our own outward encouragement ; or that we may do it with most ease , convenience , and safety to our selves . this prudence looks at , in all our ways ; whether the discharge of duty , or any others that are free , and left to our selves . and this prudence christianity must moderate , that our care for our safety neve● carry us against , or make us careless of our duty . and upon both these , viz. the ways of securing both religion and our selves , i shall observe severa● limitations , which , in regard to the nature and rules of christianity , spiritual prudence lays on us , whilst a latitude is given therein by fleshly wisdom , and taken by the worldly wise. . in the first place then , i observe of spiritual wisdom , that it is never for doing evil , that good may come . this good is any fleshly convenience or benefit of this world , that concerns us , either as men or christians . and this , whose worldly convenience soever it serves , whether our own or our friends and relations ; whether of few or many ; private or publick ; of religion or civil government ; church or state. these things are the main care of the wisdom of the flesh ; and the great mark which the prudence of this world drives at . and spiritual prudence allows the seeking thereof , so long as it is without sin ; but it gives no leave to do ill , i. e. to omit any duty , or transgress any commandment for them . i speak of commandments , that require things of a natural or moral obligation . in mere positives , as circumcision , shew-bread , and the sabbatick-r●st ; god sometimes allows more liberty , in case of necessity or great convenience : as the omission of circumcision ▪ was conniv'd at for the extream burdensomness thereof , whilst they were in a travelling state in the wilderness . but natural or moral obligations , are not to give way to any outward convenience . in case of these , spiritual prudence is not for doing a spiritual ill , for any worldly good : it will rather suffer any ill , than do it . it gets by the ill it suffers , if it can suffer with patience and innocence . but it always loses by the ill it doth . tho it get a worldly convenience , it parts with what is incomparably better , its integrity , and a good conscience . it will never yield to commit a sin , no not for the worldly convenience of the things of god and religion ; not owning that corrupt and ungodly maxim , of breaking religion to preserve religion . be wise as serpents , but simple and innocent as doves , saith our saviour , mat. . . that is , says an * old and learned comment , to speak in a word , be wise as serpents , that you may understand , and shun what is ill : but be simple as doves , that you may not do any thing that is ill . it may seem needless , perhaps , to prove this to be a rule and precept of true spiritual wisdom to christians ; or , indeed , to any persons of natural honesty , and good moral tempers . but yet we see by sad experience , when they are brought to the pinch , and cannot have the good they seek without doi●g ill for it : that not only christians , but christians of all persuasions , are ready to think and profess 't is otherwise . this is the general effect of the vvisdom of the flesh , and in their necessities , offers it self , and too oft , god knows , with over-much success to all that have fleshly natures , and is not confin'd to any sects or parties . they that will blame it when they do not need it , and cry out of it in others , are ready , alass ! most shamefully many times to justifie it in their need , and practise by it themselves . but when they do thus , it is only at the incitation of fleshly wisdom ; of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or craftiness that makes use of any thing which will help on a design , and which the scripture notes and taxes in vvorldly wise men , eph. . . cor. . . but is what religion and christian prudence , which contrives more for god and goodness , than for vvorldly convenience , will never allow of . this doing a spirituall ill , that a worldly good or convenience may come thereby , is not to be justified , . first , by any pretence of serviceableness , or ends of piety towards god. vve must never sin for him , or transgress his laws to please , or do him service . he has no need of our sins ; for 't is only human impotence , which has no place in him , that is the parent of , and puts upon all unlawful expedients . and he will never accept or be served by them . for our service is not so much to do him good , who being all fullness , and perfectly happy in himself , stands in no need of any thing from us : as to shew our obedience . and if the acceptance of all our services , lies in our obedience ; we cannot think he will ever count himself served , by seeing his laws broken , and himself therein disobey'd . when saul spared the fat things , the best of the sheep , and oxen of the amalekites : it was , indeed , a breach of duty , god having expresly commanded him to destroy all , and spare none ; but it was upon a pretence of piety . they were spared , as he pleads for himself , only for a sacrifice , which he thought was more for god's glory and service , sam. , . but what says god to saul's committing this ill to do good to him , or sinning for his glory and interest ? hath the lord as great delight in sacrifice and burnt-offerings , as in obeying the voice of the lord ? behold , to obey is better than sacrifice , i. e. than to yield to an act of disobedience , that we may have a sacrifice , and to hearken , than the fat of rams , v. . when well-meaning uzzah , put forth his hand to the ark of god , and took hold of it to bear it up , when the oxen shook it , and it tottered in the cart : he did ill , 't is true , for he touch'd it with a forbidden hand ; god having order'd , on any carriage of the sanctuary , and of the ark , that no unhallowed hand of those that bare it , should touch any holy thing , lest they dye , num. . , . but this ill thing he did , in an apparent danger , and with a most visible appearance of good to come to the things of god thereby . what , might uzzah think , may not i , especially in a seeming little thing , transgress one precept , when there is an apparent necessity for it , to save even the ark of god , that glory and strength of israel , as ‖ 't is called , or to keep and preserve a church already tottering , from tumbling to the ground ? but how doth god receive this unlawful , indeed , but well meant course , of committing a seemingly little sin to save the things of his own house , which he himself had made of highest dignity and importance ? the anger of the lord was kindled against uzzah , and god smote him there for his errour , and there he dyed by the ark of god , sam. . , . if god would accept of wickedness for any ends , certainly it must be for his own glory , which is worth all the world besides ; and which has some plea of compensating him for the disobedience , and making him a gainer by the exchange . and if he would allow of any sin for his glory ; one would think it should be an officious lye : when his servants and well-wishers , think , and stretch beyond the truth , or traduce the opposite parties , especially where they have some plausible colour in pressing consequences , merely because they think his honour needs it , and they know not how they can otherwise well defend his cause . but yet god will not accept of any service , by any such sin , or breach of duty , as this . for , what says the scripture , to job's friends ? will ye speak wickedly for god , and talk deceitfully for him ? will ye accept his person in judging , as you do between him and me , when he requires in judgment to accept no person ? job . , . but now , all the unrighteousness , or ill they did against job , was only thereby to clear god's honour and justice in job's sufferings . they were forgers of lyes against the innocent , as he tells them , v. . but all with a design to justifie the proceedings of god. eliphaz accuses him , that he had plowed iniquity , and sowed wickedness , and now reaped the same , job . . but this was , to make god juster than job , in his sufferings , v. . , . bildad tells him , that his children were wicked , and he himself an hypocrite , ch. . , , . but this he said , lest else in his case , god should appear to pervert justice and judgment , v. . zophar charges him , that he had been wicked , and that iniquity was still in his tabernacles , ch. . . , . but the design hereof , was to justifie god's dealings , and to shew he exacted of him less , than job's iniquity deserved , v. . all these ill things , which job's friends did , were well meant : their hard judgments against job , were only the effect of their respecting the person of god , and taking his part. this is job's own construction of them : will ye , says he , accept his person ? ch. . . their unjust surmises and accusations , were only pious falshoods ; god's proceedings needing them , as they conceived . and yet for all the ill was done with so pious an intention , will ye speak wickedly for god , and talk deceitfully for him ? was a report unanswerable , when job objected it against them , ch. . . god will never allow his servants to go out of his own way , tho it be on pretence to serve himself . he will never think , and we must never say , he is glorified , when he is disobeyed ; or that he can ever get any glory , by our transgressing of our duty . we glorifie his power and sovereignty , when we obey it ; his wisdom , when we follow it ; and religion , when we keep and practise the rules thereof . we glorifie him , as i formerly observed , by shewing forth his glorious attributes , and expressing them in our selves . whereas all sin , is never the expression , but always the defacement of his image ; and therefore his glory can only be sought , as 't is only compassed , by obedience . . nor is it to be justified , by any pretence to serve the publick . however the good of the publick , is of more account , than any private good : yet is it of less , than the honour and interest of almighty god. and therefore , if we may not be allow'd to sin , to serve god ; we can never be allow'd to do more for the service of any other master , or sin to serve the publick . this , indeed , is a specious cover for unlawful expedients , and nothing is more ordinarily pretended by those that use them , for their own defence . for this is the way to make all people parties , to stop their mouths from branding it with just censures , nay , to bribe their favour and approbation of the expedient , to perswade the publick it is made use of only for their sakes . but this will never pass , before an impartial and most just god ; however it may stop the mouths , of partial , and corrupt men . this pretence the jews had , in the murder committed upon our blessed saviour . if we let this man alone , say the pharisees at their council held about him , all men will run after him , and the romans will come , and take away both our place and nation , joh. . . 't is expedient , said the high priest caiphas , for us , that one man should dye for the people , and that the whole nation perish not , v. . but yet for all this pretence , and warranty of publick expedience , this was a murder acted by most wicked hands , acts . . the publick must be sought under god , not set up against him ; and it , as well as private persons , must rule it self by ways of righteousness , not by ways of mere expedience . indeed , nothing is so true , and serviceable an expedient for the publick , as an intire practice of religion , or performance of duty and pleasing god. this is the best bottom , and firmest security , of common good , or publick interest . 't is not thought so , i confess , by worldly men , who look only at sensible and present things . but it will appear so to all raised and spiritual minds , who know god has the most to do , or the greatest hand in bringing any events about , and rely on providence . for to be sure , they that rest on providence , more than on humane provisions and appearances , will never think they can serve the publick interest by disobedience . fiat justitia , ruat coelum , is their maxim. to do their duty , is their care : to govern the world , and see this do no hurt , is god's . and when they have done their duty , which is their part ; they can chearfully trust , and rely on him , for events . . nor by any pretence , to serve our friends or relations ; nay , or to serve our selves , or our own lives . if an unlawful expedient may not be taken to serve god , to be sure it may not be taken to serve us : for his interest is infinitely of more account than ours ; and he is not so like to dispense with the breach of any of his own laws , for us , as for himself . if it may not be done for the publick , sure it must not for any private account : for the publick good contains that of private persons , and is worth more to god , than any private is . indeed , if self-love may be judge , we might soonest take these liberties in our own case , and stretch furthest to serve our selves . but self-love and religion , are two things : and as the great rule of that , is self-pleasing ; so the fundamental principle of this , is denying of our selves . 't is always without exception , for denying of our sins , and not doing the least ill , to get out of the greatest distress . tho my soul is continually in my hand , says the psalmist , yet do i not forget th● law. * the wicked have laid a snare for me : 〈◊〉 i erred not from thy precepts , psal. . , ● they had almost consumed me upon earth , but i forsook not thy precepts , v. . when there is no way to escape the cross , but a sin ; religion is for taking up the cross , not for escaping it . tho we may love our selves , and love our friends , and seek what is pleasing both to them and us : ye● must that be under god , not against him ; and we must prefer our duty , and pleasing him , before both . if any man love father , or mother , or any thing else , yea his own life above me , says our saviour , he is not worthy of me , mat. . . luk. . . and when st. peter in this way of selfish expedience , out of pure humane love and friendship , fell to dissuade christ , from that last and hardest part of obedience , in his sufferings ; get thee behind me , satan , says he to him , mat. . , . such counsels never come from god , nor are accepted with him ; but always have satan and selfish natures at the bottom , and are pleasing to them alone . thus , upon no pretence of good to come , may we ever break a commandment , or venture on an evil action . expediency or serviceableness , tho to the best purposes , will never hallow an unholy , or justifie an unlawful thing . when we are proposing any good , we must take a good way to it : good ends must be compassed by good means and methods . to make a good action , we must not only do what is good , but do it with a good design . for bonum , as the rule says , est ex integra causa , taking in the goodness , both of the act , and of the intention . but to render , what we do , an ill action ; 't is enough if we either do an ill thing , tho with the best design ; or a good thing , if we do it with an ill one . for malum , as the rule of morals says , est ex quolibet defectu , and will come in , either by the illness of the thing , or by the illness of the intention . an ill thing , is still an ill thing , tho men do it with the best intention : and the actors are punishable in religion , for the illness of the action ; not justifiable , for the goodness of the intention . some , indeed , once laid this to st. paul's charge , as if he taught them to do ill with a good intention , or to do evil that good may come , rom. . . but this , says the apostle , was a slanderous report ; and the doctrine , was a doctrine for loose libertines , not for holy christians , such as he did by no means own , but abhor and throw out with indignation . some slanderously report that we say , let us do evil that good may come , whose damnation is just , rom. . . 〈◊〉 god hath commanded no man to do wickedly : so , be the pretence what it will , neither hath he , as the wise son of sirach says , given any man licence to sin , ecclus. . . chap. v. of the plea of necessity , providence , or prophecies , for doing ill . having said thus much , to shew in general ▪ how inviolable a rule of christian wisdom this is , not to do evil that good may come . i shal● from hence observe the vanity of some palliations , whereby men fruitlesly endeavour to blanch over the deformity of this practice , such as the plea of necessity , providence , or prophecies . and after that , to tax and set off some of the most considerable instances of doing ill , wherein tha● fleshly-wise are wont to think they may bes● take liberty , in pursuit of any good ends. first , spiritual prudence will never allow us to set aside any duty on pretence of necessity . it will never yield , that we offend against god or man ; that in any thing we be false , undutiful , or unjust ; that we dishonour our parents , break our oaths , promises and ingagements , covet other mens goods , take what is not right , or with-hold what is ; or break any one or more of god's commandments , on the plea of necessity , or saying , it was necessary for us so to do . this , god knows , is too much set up in the world. and when unjustifiable ways are taken , and things practised , which the very actors are ready to own as otherwise ill done ; yet is this thought a sufficient reason why they should be done , because they were necessary , and they could not do without them . but what were they necessary for ? to please god , or to fulfil any rule of his , or precept of religion ? no , sure , they are not necessary to these ends , but necessarily overthrow them . but they were unnecessary , for saving the things of this world ; to keep what is ill got , or maintain what is ill done . but now these are not religious , but self-ends ; not for the other world , but for this . and these ways of supplying its necessities , are not spiritual , but carnal ; not religious , but worldly prudence . and if we give way to break god's precepts , for worldly necessities : this is not to shew religion , but self-love ; not to set up god , but our selves . we are not to commit any sin , as i have shewn , when that seems the most necessary , to procure the best , and most desirable goods , either to god , the publick , or our selves . and if we might sin , rather than suffer , and take liberty to set aside any religious duties , to supply the call of worldly necessities ; what work would this make with the commandments ? and how are any of them a duty , longer than they stand with our convenience ? what becomes of patience , which is for dutifully bearing hardships , not for removing them by undutifulness ? what becomes of the religion of taking up the cross , and of suffering for righteousness ? we may bear the cross , as i formerly observed , when we cannot help it ; but then properly we take it up , when a sin might avoid it . and it may be our misfortune sometimes , to suffer for righteousness ; as having no way in righteous , more than in unrighteous courses , always to avoid sufferings . but it cannot be our duty to suffer for righteousness , if without breach of duty , we may leave off to be righteous , to save sufferings . at this rate , of forsaking the commandment to stick to the world , or when a worldly necessity drives him to it ; contrary to what our blessed lord , and his apostles taught , a man may serve both god and mammon , mat. . . be a friend of the world , and not an enemy of god , jam. . . they that are in the flesh , this way may please god. and if the carnal mind cannot become subject to the law of god , as st. paul says it cannot , the law of god will by this rule become subject to it , rom. . , . in summ , there would be no necessity of being transformed from this world , as st. paul requires ; but a liberty of being conformed unto it , which he forbids , rom. . . nor any need of denying our selves , as christ urges , if we would be his disciples , luk. . . so that this plea , of worldly necessity setting aside our duty in any case , is a principle purely of this world , but not at all of almighty god. it overthrows , as all the rules , so all the design of religion , and the grounds of good practice . it can come into the thoughts only of worldly-wise , not of truly religious persons , who never urged a temporal necessity against a spiritual duty , being not men of this world , but of a better . there can never be any necessity of sinning to him that dare suffer . and he , who is resolved against suffering , may think himself a worldly-wise man ; but god will account him no good christian. but this now is otherwise , in the wisdom of this world. necessity , it thinks a reason , not to be argued or disputed . and what it calls necessary , is what is necessary to one , who is resolved to keep this world ; not to one , who can part with it . what is necessary , not to one that would set god and religion above the world , but that sets the world uppermost , and so makes a god of it . if it talk of any thing , being necessary for the interest of god and religion : it means only , for the worldly things about them . it looks not , what is necessary to keep innocence ; for other things it accounts more necessary than that : but what is necessary for carnal worldly convenience . it is more for things necessary to present safety , than for those which are necessary to good hopes of eternity . and to make men safe here , by affording visible humane securities ; not by ingaging the protection of god , and the guard of an unseen providence . . secondly , spiritual prudence , will never allow us to justifie any breach of duty , by the plea of providence . this is the way of worldly-wise men , who are ready to catch at any thing , as a good argument of a way 's being approved by god , and pleasing to him , if it profits them . if god give success , when they use unlawful ways and expedients ; especially , if in bringing that success about , there are any surprising or remarkable circumstances : they cry up the hand of god , and think his prospering it so signally , is his approbation . god himself here , say they , is willing to become a party , and such success is his testimony . but spiritual wisdom teaches us to take the morality of actions , and the goodness or illness of things , from laws , not from providence . it is the laws of god , in nature or scripture , that must teach us our duty , and tell us what will please god , or what will offend him . sin , is the transgression of a law , as st. * john says ; and obedience is the keeping of them . and these laws are publish'd in the nature of things , and the word of god ; which are a plain , and sure promulgation of them . but as for providence , its design is not to be a publisher of precepts . god's providence is not an act of his legislation , but of judicature and execution . it s part is not first to shew and promulge laws ; but , supposing those promulged before , to supervise the carriage of those , they were promulged to , and execute their sanctions ; or , to recompense actions by suitable events , according as they have either transgressed , or kept them . the judgments of god , according to his will before promulged , we may read in the events and issues of providence . but what his will is , the observance or breach whereof providence thus rewards or punishes , we must read in the moral nature of things , and the holy scriptures . 't is a bad use therefore of providence , to make it take off our eyes from the morality of things , and the plain voice of laws : and look for what is pleasing to god , and according to his will , only in the events of actions . which is like leaving the clear light of the sun , to go to read by that of a glow-worm . 't is to go read our duty , where it was not intended to be writ ; and neglect , or over-look the perusal of that , where it is writ . and 't is worse , when we see both , to make providence carry against plain laws , and the moral nature of things : which is to turn the signification of providence , not only against the laws , but against it self . for the use of providence , is to be a government according to those laws , and the morality of things . it is to be a maintainer of them , by just retribution : and so is only to back and strengthen , but never to oppose them . and therefore providence must never be urged , in favour of an ill and unlawful thing . for since its right use , is to be a retribution of laws , and to reward dutifulness : all its right signification , and all our right remarks thereupon , must be only for encouragement to keep our duty , but not to transgress it . it must never be pressed against laws , but always for them : and must only draw us to trust , and depend upon god , in a good thing ; but never in an ill one , which nature , or the holy scriptures have forbidden . indeed , as providence is the administration of god's judicature here on earth ; and he permits , or disposes of events of things or actions , in way of government and justice : there is a signification , of his liking , or disliking , in these disposals . but 't is hard and unsure , to fix this on persons and actions ; to say , from these issues of providence alone , who , or what , he is pleased or displeased withal . for in the same issues and events , providence is concerned with a number of persons , of the most contrary qualifications : they are fatal to one , and favourable to another . but yet since therein he has an eye at both ; from the event alone , we cannot say , which god likes , and which he dislikes ; whether the success , is to reward the actors righteousness , or to punish the sufferers wickedness . nay , oft-times in the justice of providence , god makes some sinners the executioners of others , and punishes one by anothers offences , making them grind each other to pieces . so that here , on which side soever the shew of favor or success falls , it doth not signifie , that god is pleased with either . he will speed one , to punish another , when he is offended with both . the assyrians success , was only as the rod of god's anger , to scourge the wicked nations . which once done , he and his ways , being no more pleasing to god than the others were , he was to be broken himself , and fall under like judgments . is. . , , , &c. the wicked , who in their course of wickedness , are far from being pleasing to him , yet , says the psalmist , are a sword of thine , and so long find success therein : psal. . . yea , as the thriving of some , is not always to shew favor : so the sufferings of others , in events of providence , is not always to shew displeasure . for many times their sufferings are not designed to punish the sufferers , but only to try their patience , and refine and manifest their virtues , and rowze a sluggish world with the sight of brave examples . such was the meaning of david's sufferings and persecutions under saul . such was the signification of providence , in the sufferings of job , of the holy prophets , of our blessed lord and his apostles , and of all the noble and heroick spirits , the martyrs and confessors , of all ages ; whose sufferings came not from providence in a penal way , but as a privilege . nay , sometimes , as in an useful , especially in a publick person , they suffer so much , not altogether to prove or punish themselves , as to perplex others , and punish the people thereby . for the sins and transgressions of a people , many are the changes of princes , says solomon , prov. . . as , on the contrary , others success , is oft-times only to complete the time of their respit , before they are dragged to punishment ; or to allow them their full measure of good things , ( which , as our * saviour intimates , are more liberally proportioned out to them in this life , because they are to have none in the next , ) till they have filled up the measu●e of their sins , and so are ripe for the judgment of providence . so that as it is no signification of god's dislike , that one suffers by providence : for what son or beloved is it , the father chasteneth not ? saith the apostle , heb. . . so neither is it of his liking and favor , that another succeeds by it , there being , as to this , one event , as the wise man says , both to the righteous and the wicked , eccles. . . i add , lastly , that what favor or disfavor , the event of providence , in way of human appearance , carries with it , is not to be soon determined , till the whole train is seen , ( the upshot whereof may , and often doth , lie very remote , ) and till it appears which party is most prosperous and successful in the end. the greatest present unsuccessfulness , is most ordinarily made use of by providence , as a step to much more valuable future successes . it s method is , to bring light out of darkness , and to compass final successes , by intermediate disappointments . and who then can say assuredly , that providence is for one , or against another , till they have run out the whole length of the chain of effects , and the end appears . and this oft lies very far off , much further , it may be , than we are like to live to see what it will prove . and till this is seen , all judging of the favor or disfavor of providence , from what events went before , is most uncertain ; not right judgment , but self-flattery and delusion : whereof each party serves , and wherewithal it pleases it self , according as its turn comes , in the ebbs and flows , and various vicissitudes , of the intermediate successes . thus , upon all these accounts , to name no more , tho there is a real liking or disliking , in the events of providence , which is known to , and design'd by god himself : yet , is the application of this , to things or persons , so much all uncertainties , and the favor or disfavor of issues , so promiscuous , as appears to us , that from the events of providence alone , we cannot learn whom he loves or whom he hates , what is pleasing or displeasing to him . no man , as solomon says in this case , can know either love or hatred , good or evil , by all that is before him , eccl. . . to learn this from providence , besides the visible events , we must weigh the merit of actions , from laws ; and stay the final end of successes , which are the recompence of them . and when those are seen , but not before , from the qualities of persons and attempts , we must read , whether any success , were for a just encouragement of the actors righteousness , or punishment of the sufferers wickedness ; whether it is for proof and trial , or for recompence . always making the voice of providence , to assert and establish the moral nature of things , and the laws and duties revealed in scripture ; but never in any wise , to deny , or gainsay them . and therefore the signification of providence , is not to teach those that are ignorant of their duty , or of good and ill : but only those that already understand it . it is no expositor of the will of god , to those who know it not ; but only an encourager of its observance , to those who know what it is . hence men ought never to cry up the hand of god , or call in providence , to prove the goodness of any actions ; but only to press those , which were proved before . it is not to instruct men , what is their duty ; but to carry them on , to the observance of those duties , wherein they are otherwise already instructed . hence also , we must not think it enough in any attempts , to say we follow providence , and go as god makes way for us . we are to follow laws , not opportunities . for providence affords us opportunities to break laws , as well as to keep them . power , and opportunity , are among the necessary causes of all that is done. and providence puts things in mens power ; and gives them opportunity to do them . but opportunities for ill things , are not warranties , but only trials and temptations . all ill men follow providence , when they accomplish ill things , which they could not do without providence gave opportunities ; and when good men , whom they are pursuing for ill ends , fal● into their hands . if any therefore are ignorant what their duty is , and trust to learn it from the issues of providence● taking any way for the will and command o● god , when they see the hand of god , or some remarkable success attending it ; this will lead them into infinite delusions . it will carry them to justifie the most wicked actions , recorded in scripture , or in daily experience , infinite numbers whereof in all times and places , god for wise ends permits , or speeds , and prospers ; and tha● against the most beloved persons , not excepting his own son , or the holy church . besides , as it is made to justifie the urgers of it , in their wa● to day ; it may be , and ordinarily is , as well made to shame and condemn them to morrow : successes usually running , as at one time remarkably for , so at another time , as remarkably against them . it is no rule for the wise and well instructed , who never take it for a rule of duty , but always bring it to the rule , and expound the liking or disliking of god therein , by their known duty . it is only a rule for the ignorant to take up , and those , as it finds , so it will leave ignorant of their duty : nay , which is worse , it will mislead them , as i say , into the greatest errors and violations thereof , carrying them into sin , and shame enough too , before they have done. it is a way for men , that know , or may know , they are doing ill , to flatter themselves , or abuse others , with faint , but false colors , of god's acceptance . and this may pass among the worldly wise , who seek to be in ease and credit in their worldly injoyments . 't is a part of worldly prudence , so to expound these events of providence , not as may best serve their duty , but their worldly ends. but he who would be spiritually wise , or wise for his duty , must always fetch it from the laws of god , which are the rule of duty . and never make providence , which is to serve as the motive and encouragement of dutifulness ; to serve as a plea to justifie the breach thereof . thirdly , to this plea of providence , for justifying of ill actions , i shall annex another not unlike , viz. that of prophecy . when men think themselves authorised to do an unlawful and forbidden thing , by fancying it the accomplishment of some prediction , which god will applaud , and take pleasure in . i tax not here all application of scripture-prophecies , in the revelations , or other books . albeit those prophecies being made concerning the future state of christ's church , which reaches out both to such a length of time , and latitude of places , must needs be very difficult , and generally unsure , especially before the final events have brought a full light to them , to apply to particular times and countries . and therefore it becomes men not to be too positive and peremptory , but to shew modesty therein , which , a little time makes the most confident interpreters and their admirers , for the most part , to see , had been their best security , and truest wisdom . but what i now blame , is the like use of antecedent prophecies , as was before of subsequent providences and events , viz. to take off mens eyes and attention , from the morality of actions ; and instead thereof , to presume god's approbation of them , from their fansied fulfilling what the scripture justifies and speaks well of , in some predictions . 't is of mighty use to men , in any great and daring attempt , to have their followers , and others , think there is destiny in their behalf ; that they are only accomplishing , what god has long before designed they should , and doing his business . this renders them , both most violent in their motions , and incurable , either by any admonitions , or even almost by any unsuccessfulness and discouragements ; thinking themselves all the while god's chosen instruments for effecting what they have in hand , and sure of success , as having his immutable decrees , and predictions , on their side . and the serviceableness of such a belief , to their wo●l●ly projects and undertakings , tempts , as sometimes mistaken zealots or enthusiasts ; so , at others , designing men , to clap a prophecy , especially a scripture one , to what they are driving on , tho really it be a most unjust thing . well knowing , if once it be received , that god has foretold their success ; that by all persons of a strong faith , ( as persons of most devotion will most endeavour to be , ) their work will be esteemed as sure , as if it were already done. the law of god , and the voice of nature , pronounce most plainly and loudly , thou shalt not forswear thy self , or falsifie thine oaths ; honor thy father and mother , i. e. thy civil as well as natural parents : thou shalt not kill : thou shalt not steal : thou shalt not bear false witness : thou shalt not covet thy neighbors goods . but , when men have been running headlong , and to the greatest extremities , in the breach of all these moral duties , as they were by name in our late distractions and civil wars , in : they have fancied themselves , and been cryed up by others , as authorised to all this , by a confident exposition and application of prophecies , or , as the accomplishers of predictions . particularly , † that of the two witnesses , in the revelalations , who were to shut the heaven that it should not rain , i. e. say they , to restrain the highest powers in church and state , from their wonted influence : and to turn the waters into blood , or , as they explain it , a still nation into war and bloodshed , rev. . . which , by making it a prediction of what should fall out at that time in great britain , they turn'd into a call and justification , of all that horrible violence , injustice , perfidiousness , and utter breach of moral precepts , which the parliament and their adherents , were most wickedly and ungodly driving on against the king and church . here , by settin● aside the morality of actions , and fetching th● approbation of god from fanciful approbatio● of prophecy , they made themselves god's chos●● witnesses , spoken of in the revelations ; not whil● they are testifying for him as martyrs , by the●● own blood and sufferings ; or with faith , an● patience , which is the voice of his precep●● but whilst they are doing it , as rebels ; 〈◊〉 arming against their lawful sovereigns , 〈◊〉 are god's vicegerents ; and running on 〈◊〉 murders , and robberies , committed after 〈◊〉 liberties of war , without any lawful commi●●sion and warranty , upon the persons and e●states , both of their prince and fellow subjects which are all out of the way of morality , an● expresly against all those precepts . and this is leaving off to be guided by laws which are plain , and certain rules ; for prophe●cies , which designing projectors , and heate fanciful enthusiasts , will accommodate as the● please . it is running boldly against gospel-du●ties , and the practice of obedien●● and holines● on pretence we are ministring under the spiri● of prophecy , and serving predictions . as if tha● same spirit , which is the spirit of prophecy , wer● not also the spirit of obedience . or had not dicta●ted , all our moral and gospel duties ; as well 〈◊〉 gospel predictions . or , as if he wanted power , or care , to preserve one , without destroying 〈◊〉 the other ; and would not verifie all his own predictions , without help of our sins ; nor could remain true , if we remain innocent . it is not a thing incident , to any sober and obedient christians : but either to designing and hypocritical impostors , or vain and wicked enthusiasts . their vanity soon appears in the events , when they an●wer not their bold , and confident prenuncia●ions . and their wickedness , in that they not only run headlong under this cover , into immoralities , and wicked courses : but profane and ●●use the holy scriptures to patronize ungodliness , press and wrest prophecies to countenance breach of precepts , urge the authority of god against himself , and intitle him to their abominations . and , indeed , a man must needs be far forsaken of god , as he always is , that is fallen from moral honesty and an obedient temper , before he can overlook the plainest moral duties , and boldly transgress them on such fancies . chap. vi. sect . i. of christian simplicity and sincerity . and of not deceiving by actions . from these pleas , to palliate doing ill , i come now to tax some main and most considerable instances thereof ; particularly the use of insincere arts , and throwing off of relative duties , to serve publick or private good , wherein great liberty is taken , and pleaded for , by the worldly wise. . first , christian prudence is never for serving ends by deceit , but is against all use of falshood and insincerity . deceit , is the great art of worldly wisdom . it has recourse to tricks , when it cannot compass its aim by truth and openness , and serves it self of men , by imposture and delusion . the folly of fools , says the wise man , ( so he calls worldly wisdom , which is mere folly in the account of god and religion , ) is deceit , i. e. it lies all in cheating and deceiving , what it cannot bring about fairly , seeking to accomplish by arts of falshood and circumvention , prov. . . their counsels , says he again , are deceit , prov. . : * the wisdom of this world , saith s. gregory , is to cover and conceal their hearts by subtle sleights and devices , to draw a veil before their meanings by dark or deceitful expressions , to mak● falshoods appear as if they were truths , and truth● pass for falshoods . the general aim of worldly wisdom , indeed , is to compass its end by any means . and where it has power and confidence enough , it will not stay perhaps , to go about and use deceit , but serve it self by open violence . but in most cases , it needs to serve its ends , by keeping them undiscerned . or , when it doth serve ill ends , it would also save its credit , by not being thought to serve them ▪ which is by deceit . so that deceit , is its great , and usual instrument . but , contrary to this , simplicity and plain-dealing , are the great duty , and inviolable care , of christian wisdom . we have renounced the hidde● things of dishonesty , saith s. paul , not walking i● craftiness , cor. . . there is scarce any thing that makes us degenerate so far from spiritual nobleness , as fraud and deceit : and nothing doth more hurt in the church , than versute simulation , saith s. † chrysostom . simplicity is what christ requires of us , at the most pressing seasons , when we are put most to our wits , and driven to use any arts or double dealings , to save our selves . behold , says he , to his disciples , i send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves : be ye therefore wise as serpents , but innocent as doves , mat. . . the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies simplicity , as well as innocency . so 't is rendered rom. . . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are translated , wise concerning good , and simple concerning evil. and accordingly , in some manuscripts , our saviours words are read , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , most simple 〈◊〉 are the doves . if any thing could excuse the subtilty of foxes , their doublings and deceitful turnings ; it would be the pressing necessity of such times , when all their fallacious arts are only evasions , and they betake themselves to ways of delusion , and of begetting a wrong belief or expectation in others , only to save themselves . yet even then , will not christ allow his followers , to use any more of the serpentine subtilty , than what consists with the doves simplicity . and accordingly s. paul , when he speaks of his being pressed in asia out of measure , above strength ; when they had the sentence of death , and no hope in themselves : yet professes for all this , that he had held his conversation in the world , not with fleshly wisdom ; but in simplicity and godly sincerity , and by the grace of god , cor. . , , . and it was amidst all the great tryals and perils , he run through in the discharge of his ministry , under which , says he , we faint not , that , instead of ever having recourse to , he declares , as i noted , how he had renounced the hidden things of dishonestty or * shame , never privately betaking himself to that , which he should be ashamed to have known abroad ; not walking in craftiness , nor handling the word of god deceitfully , cor. ▪ , . in such tryals , faith in god , and trust in providence , made all that up to them , which crafty shifts do to carnal politicians , who can ground no hope , but in humane appearances . they would never part from their simplicity , for carnal security . whilst they were in this , or any other discharge of duty , which is god's way , they knew they were in god's hand : and so long , they were not afraid of whatsoever could befal them . in the acceptation of the world , simplicity has one sense , wherein it is no virtue , viz. as it signifies unwariness . a simple man , in the common way of speaking , is the same as an unwise , or unwary man , that doth not see before , or look about him . and this is no commendation of goodness , but impeachment of discretion : it shews no person to have a better heart , but only a weaker understanding . it argues nothing , but that a man either wants understanding , or neglects the use thereof , when he needs to shew it ; which is no ornament in the eyes of god , more than 't is in the eyes of men . and instead of calling us to simplicity in this sense , true spiritual wisdom calls it ; how long , ye simple ones , will ye love simplicity , and ye fools hate knowledge ? turn ye at my reproof , says wisdom , prov. . , . but the simplicity , which is a virtue , and which christian wisdom injoyns , is only veracity and plainness , in what it shews to others , not improvidence , or unwariness , in what it either doth to , or expects from them . it doth not think every person it has to do withal , means honestly , because it means so it self ; nor , by heedless security , or short-sightedness , doth expose it self without any guards against dangers , or dishonest actions . the virtuously simple , are provident and wary , as well as the worldly crafty ; but with this difference . the caution of the virtuously simple , is first against sin , and next to that against suffering . it is more concern'd , how to keep true and innocent , than how to keep safe and quiet . in seeking , either to obtain good , or shun loss , its eye and care is in the first place , to do nothing that will offend god , or is of ill report and dishonourable to religion : nor that will delude the opinion , or abuse the faith and expectation of men . and when this consistency with religion and a good conscience , is taken care for , but not before , it is as wise and watchful to remove , or avoid all worldly evil , as it can . it seeks out the subtility and wisdom of the serpent , when , according to our lord's rule , it has first secured the innocency of the dove . it first considers of the lawfulness , of the way it is about to take : and then is moved by the expedience , or usefulness thereof ; but never admits of the least thought , of doing it self or others good , by the breach of any commandment . but contrariwise , the caution of the crafty , or of the wisdom of the flesh , is either all , or at least , in the first place , against suffering ; and none at all , or only in the next place , against sin. the caution of this world , is for the ends , and things of this world. to save our worldly interests , or serve our fleshly ease and appetites ; is that , which it would have first done . and that , if it can , by ways of innocence , truth , and openness ; but yet so , as to take up with unlawful means , with arts of falsehood , or things of ill report , rather than it should be left undone . and this , where it bears the most good will for religion ; but too often the caution of fleshly wisdom or worldly craft , is all against persecution , loss , or suffering ; but none at all against sin. so that in any case , it only considers what is fit to be done for interest in this world. and if any means serve the flesh , and be desirable upon that account ; it little troubles or concerns it self , whether it savour of veracity or deceit , whether in the account of conscience and religion , it be good or bad . now this virtuous simplicity , is an undisguised and invariable tenour , of truth and innocence . it excludes all doing hurt , and is especially opposite to all the ways and methods of deceit . it speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as † nazianzen marks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or simplicity of his father , i. e. undisguisedness of soul , and unfallaciousness of manners or conversation . whatever it seems , it is ; and it never is , what will vex or harm others . it is ●eracity , without lyes ; singleness , without double-dealings , or corrupt mixtures ; openness , without studied concealment , and close reserves , of what it is call'd to profess ; plainness , without amusing or misleading dress , of what it professes ; and harmlesness , without doing any wrong , or hurt to others . such an uniform veracity and undeceitfulness , both of mind and carriage , is that simplicity , which christian prudence requires of us . and which god calls for , when he bids us to throw out all deceit , mar. . . to lay aside all guile and hypocrisies , pet. . . to be no deceitful workers , cor. ● . . and declares him only to be fit to stay in god's tabernacle , and dwell in his holy hill , who speaketh the truth in his heart ; or , whose words never go against the thoughts and intents of his heart , but always express and bear out what is there , psal. . , . . the first thing implied in virtuous simplicity , which christian prudence injoyns , is veracity , in opposition to falshood and lyes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hesychius explains by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · being sincere , by being true or veracious . simplicity bottoms all on truth , which it never tempers or brews together , or daubs over with falshood . he that is for simplicity in truth , must needs abhor lyes , never speaking contrary to what he thinks , ( which , sure , is not to speak the truth in his heart , as god requires ; ) nor giving in a false testimony of persons , or relation of things . . this will exclude all spontaneous use of false speeches , when of themselves men are ready to frame , or tell lyes , for ends. contrary to the rule of spiritual wisdom , which every where most plainly forbids lying , and says , lye not one to another , brethren , seeing ye have put off the old man , col. . . and tells us of the lake of fire , for those that love , and make lyes , rev. . , . and also all speaking lyes , out of fear or compliance ; when , for escaping rebuke , or soothing men , any persons expresly assent to things against their own judgments , or say and unsay in different companies . thus , to the deacons , who , going about from house to house , were like to be under the temptation to say and unsay , or speak different things , as might best suit with different companies ; st. paul gives it as a particular charge , not to be double-tongued , tim. . . n●t double-tongued , that is , says * theophylact , 〈◊〉 thinking one thing , and saying another , or saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one thing to one , and another thing to another . and to the ephesians , that putting away lying , they speak every man truth with his neighbour , as being members one of another : forbidding lyes , not only in direct assertions , but in soothing and dissimulation ; against those , as grotius observes , who , to curry favour with jews or gentiles , were apt to speak contrary to what they thought , eph. . . 't is not for such virtuously simple persons , to speak lyes in officiousness , or with intent to hurt none , but to do others a kindness . for ill is not to be done , that good may come of it ; and therefore to do others a kindness , they may no more break this , than they may any other precept . the rule of kindness to our neighbour , is to love him as our selves ; but tell a lye we dare not , for the sake of our own advantage , and so not for his . nay , we must not tell a lye , in hopes to do good thereby to religion , or for the sake of god himself . this really was the case of job's friends . they were forgers of lyes against him , job . . but all those were officious lyes , or out of their officiousness , as i before noted , to god himself . and yet job's was a just reproof against them , will ye speak wickedly for god , and deceitfully for him ? v. . veracity , or speaking truth , we must carefully practise , not only for its us●fulness , or doing kindness , but for the truth 's sake . we must bear a conscientious regard to it , as it bears the image of god , wherein we were at first formed , and whereto we are renewed in christ. put on the new man , says the apostle , which , after god , is created in true holiness , or † the holiness of truth . wherefore putting away lying , speak every man truth , &c. eph. . , . god is the god of truth , and of veracity or true speaking . and the devil , god's grand enemy , is particularly noted , as the father of lyes , and a spirit of falshood . and , as the authors and heads themselves are : so are their children distinguish'd by the same . they that love , and speak truth ; are children of the god of truth ; as they that love , and utter lyes , are children of the father of lyes . for his children they are , as our saviour told the jews , whose works and lusts they do . and he abode not in the truth from the beginning , because there is no truth in him . when he speaks a lye , he speaks it of his own ; for he is a lyar , and the father of it , joh. . , . veracity then , or speaking truth , is what we are bound to , not only as beneficial to our neighbours ; but as resembling god , or bearing his image , and being a divine perfection . and accordingly , this is the injunction of the scriptures , not to lye one to another , whatever be the pretence ; to speak , as the psalmist says , that truth which is in our heart , not that falshood which makes for our brother's convenience . to put away all guile , and hypocrisies ; which admits not of retaining any to serve turns , as st. peter says , pet. . . some , indeed , have fetch'd a plea for officious lyes , from the case of the egyptian midwives ; or the practice of david in his distress , when he fled from saul ; or other scripture-instances . but the practice of a good man , is no argument a thing is well done , if it be visibly against the rule of well-doing . no , not tho it have encouragement from god ; as in the case of the midwives , whose houses god built , for their sparing the israelitish infants . for in such mixt actions , a gracious god is prone to reward the good , which is predominant ; and over-look the ill , which is compassionably interwoven with it : as he did with the midwives , if they spoke falsly , recompensing their charity , not their officious falseness . not to dispute , whether what they said was really false or no , as may be justly questioned in some instances usually alledged in this case , particularly the midwives answer to pharaoh . . but besides this instance of veracity , or not lying in words : there is also another part of it , which christian simplicity takes care of too , and that is , not to tell a lye , or deceive in actions . there is a signification in several actions , as well as there is in words and expressions . some , 't is true , are more arbitrary and unsetled in their meanings , and may signifie as men please . but others , are of more fixed and stated significations . i mean not only as natural signs and indications , of our approbation , or dislike , or other inward sentiments . but there is also as good authority of law , or institution , or common and received use and custom , to settle the signification of some actions , as there is for words themselves . and accordingly , in all reasonable apprehension , men are as much understood , to have professed or declared things by some actions , and in all courts shall stand as firmly bound by them , as if they had utter'd the same things with their mouths . and being there is equally a setled signification in actions : there is also room for our being true or false , for affirming or denying in them , as well as there is in words themselves . thus the scripture mentions those , who deny god in their works , tit. . . and if my mouth hath kissed my hand ( the known and received profession of worship ) to the sun , or moon , saith job , i should therein have denied the god that is above . yea , says he , it had been an iniquity to be punished by the judge : or as good a declaration of his being an idolater , whereof the judges then took cognizance , as if he had professed so with his lips , job . . , . thus they thought , and believed in the primitive church : teaching , that men might confess or deny , with other faculties , as well as with their tongues ; by complying in actions , as well as by verbal declarations . if , * says the ancient and learned author of the commentary on st. matthew , whom , for his skill in expounding scripture , erasmus , in his preface to the reader , equals to st. chrysostom himself . if any one , says he , shall say unto thee , thou shalt not eat of things offer'd to the idol , but only view and behold the idols , how beautiful they are . if thou lookest upon them on such a provocation , thou hast denied christ with thine eyes . not that 't is any thing , to look on an idol ; but herein is the sin , to look on such an invitation . and if thou shalt refuse to look , by such refusal thou confessest christ. therefore it is written , turn away thine eyes , lest they behold vanity , psal. . but if he shall say to thee , i ask not that thou shouldst look upon the idol ; only listen and give ear , how that gentile blasphemes christ , that he may glorifie his own gods : if thou standest to hearken , with thine ears thou hast denied christ. if he shall say to thee , i seek not to have thee hear christ blasphemed : but lo ! how they are offering incense to the gods ; only stand , and receive the odour of that incense : if thou comest near , and smellest it , by thy smell thou hast offended christ. again , if he says to thee , do not chew the flesh with thy teeth , but only seem as if thou didst , and feig● thy self to eat of the sacrifice : if thou shalt feign a taste , tho thou dost not taste it ; by thy taste , thou hast that way denied christ. but if thou wilt not feign , thou hast therein confessed him : as eleazar , who by eating flesh that was really of his own provision , would not fallaciously make , as if he had eaten that of the sacrifice commanded by the king , macch. . if he shall say to thee , i would not have thee feign thy self to eat of the sacrifice , but only tou●h the idol with thine hand , or hold an 〈…〉 if thou touchest , or handlest it , by thy touch thou hast denied christ ; but if thou refusest , by thy touch thou hast confessed him , as it is written , if there be any iniquity in my hands . for all the faculties and members , either of thy soul or body , god hath created , not only with an eye to thee for use , but also to himself for his own glory . and since men may thus affirm or deny in their actions , as well as in their expressions ; they may be alike true or false , shew veracity or lying , in both . we may do a lye , as well as tell a lye ; and deceive by working , no less than by speaking : as the scripture * tells us , of working deceit , psal. . . and of deceitful workers , cor. . . calling those false apostles . so , who , as † chrysostom notes , assuming only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the person and outward appearance of truth , thus acting a part , served the purposes of errour , all their fair shews , being only acting a part to deceive men . and as this is true of facts , so likewise of non-facts or omissions , in things , which we are bound to do and profess . the not doing these , as i formerly noted , when we are called to them , signifies our being ashamed of them , or denying them ; as the same would be signified by our expression . confession of a duty , may be by our practice , as truly as by our words ; and denial thereof may be by the same . and therefore if we refuse to do it , when god gives us a just call thereto ; in our visible practice we disown , tho it may be , at the same time , inwardly in our hearts , we joyfully embrace it . now christian simplicity , will not allow us to falsifie any of these ways . as we may not lye , concerning any of the articles of faith : so neither concerning any of the duties , or laws of practice . and as it is against the duty , of speaking the truth in our heart , to speak against what we inwardly believe of them , in words : so likewise , to do against it , in actions . truth must be kept in doing , as well as in speaking : the same sincerity shewn in the use of either sign ; since both are of fixed , and instituted signification . among significant actions , there is more particularly a signification in the observance of days , which are known and plain professions of what is aimed at in such observations . to observe a day of thanksgiving , for instance , for any event ; is to profess that we are glad of that event , and thankful to god for it . to observe a day of fasting : if it be impetratory , or for obtaining something future ; is a profession , that we are desirous of that future thing , and would ingage god to bring it about : or , if it be chiefly penitentiary ▪ and for bewailing something past ; that we are sorry for it , and seek to appease his wrath provoked thereby . now , if men would deal with the simplicity of christians in these observances , unless in heart they are inwardly affected ; as the keeping of these days testifies , and rejoyce or desire , as such observance professes ; they should not joyn , or go along in the keeping of them . for the signification of these , is most express . it is instituted and fixed upon them , by laws and edicts . the same authority , that calls men to meet together at these times , appoints the signification , and tells them the reason why . here then is an instituted signification in these assemblies , that has authority and law to stand upon . and whatever men inwardly intend , this is externally professed , by their resorting to , and joyning therein . and accordingly , by such resort , or refusal of it ; they are understood to testifie and declare their concurrence , or standing off , from what is thereby signified or professed , in the account , both of their rulers , and of all others . they rate the neglecters , not as prophane or irreligious , but as disaffected persons . these assemblies are a test , not of religion and devotion , but of parties and times . so refusal speaks dissent from the signification appointed ; as assembling doth approbation and concurrence therewith . and all people are ready to say , such a person is for the design and signification thereby carried on , because he kept the day , and met at the assembly held thereupon : now the authority of laws or edicts , and custom or received use , are among the chief things , that fix and settle significations . and since they fix such meanings in these days and assemblies : the observance , or refusal thereof in us , are in the nature of professions , either as affirmations or denials . and , according as they declare , either that truth , which is in our heart , or what is contrary to it ; our profession thereby , is either true or false . if we meet at the assembly , which is to use the sign , and , at the same time , have inwardly no such meaning : this is to signifie and profess , what we do not mean ; which is not sincerity , but dissimulation . we profess to desire what is sought in the institution of the day , by our outward act , when in heart we do not desire it ; or to be glad of an event , when really , perhaps , we are sorry for it : which is only to put on a false person , and act a part ; to be an out-side complier , but a real hypocrite . this profession , by outward observance of such days and assemblies , of what is contrary , to our heart and inward sentiments ; . is contrary to the owning of duties , which go● requires ; or to the part of confessors . if a thing is against any rule of religion , it is against religion to desire it . and if it is against religion to desire a thing , it is a duty of religion ▪ not to desire it . and if it is our duty not to desire it , we are bound not to smother and conceal , but profess that duty , when called thereto ▪ now when an ill thing , or breach of duty , 〈◊〉 upon us , our confession is testifying against the illness ; either in words , or in practice , by ou● refusal thereof . we betray the cause of dut● in going along , which is to transgress it in visible appearance , and seem to the world , as if we disbelieve , or have thrown it off ; but we assert it ▪ by our refusing . qui fallaces in excusatione pra●stigias quaerit , negavit . he that seeks to bring himself off , by a fallacious sleight or jugling trick , and by seeming to comply with the persecutors when he di● not , therein has denied christ , say the * clergy of the church of rome , speaking of the necessity of confessing him . when the meaning of any days or assemblies therefore , is to profess desires , o● affections , against any part of duties , or religion : if we could act like carnal complyers , we shall visibly practise as others do , and seem to desire where we do not . but if we would discharge the part , both of sincere christians , and of right and acceptable confessors , we shall own the unlawfulness of the thing , and give our testimony against it , by openly refusing . we shall not pretend to do , or make other men think we do , what in conscience we dare not do : but dare to practise and profess , what our duty and conscience is . . it is judged insincere by our selves , in the like observance of days , or meetings on such occasions . the festival of christmas , and easter , for instance , are appointed as professions of joy , for the birth and resurrection of christ. and would not the common sense of mankind say , he did greatly prevaricate , who would come to observe either of these , and yet did not believe it ? the thirtieth of january , is a profession of shame and sorrow , for the murder of our late martyred sovereign . and should we not call it hypocrisie , for any person to appear there , who did not in heart condemn , but justifie that murder , and think it well done ? the fifth of november , is a profession of gladness , for the discovery of the powder treason . and would not he dissemble notably , in appearing at that days assembly , who is inwardly sorry for the miscarriage of it , and heartily wishes that plot had gone on ? take it in any case then , where we have no temptation to mislead , or particular concern to byass us : and this complyance in outward observance , where the signification is contrary to our inward sentiments , is dissimulation and hypocrisie , our selves being judges . and how can we hope to clear our sincerity and simplicity therein , before any just and indifferent judge , when , mak● us but once indifferent , and no longer parties , and we are all ready to condemn the falsenes● of it our selves . . it was so judged and esteemed , in the primi●tive church ; as appears by their dealing with the observers of jewish or gentile fasts , or festivals ▪ those days , were of fixed and received signifi●cations . and the observance of those times ▪ was a known profession , of what was signifie● by them . and therefore when any christian ▪ who had nothing of the jewish or gentile ap●prehensions , did externally joyn , as several did ▪ in their observation ; they could only publi●● their own hypocrisie therein . the only way they had , to bring themselves off from being a●postates , was to say they still retained their own faith ; and , tho they might use the jewish 〈◊〉 gentile sign , together with them , yet , they ha● nothing of their meaning and intention . which is no better , than to say in other words , that whilst they believed one thing , they professed a●nother . and accordingly , such persons were censured , for their scandalous and dissembling compliances , by the * apostolical canons ; as they were also , by the council of † laodicea afterwards . for further proof hereof , and also to set off by more instances , this part of simplicity , of 〈◊〉 deceiving by actions ; i observe that , . it was rejected , as deceitful and dishonest carriage , by the pious and good people among the jews . when old eleazar was required , on pain of death , to eat of unlawful meats : his old acquaintance , that had the charge of that wicked feast , took him aside , and besought him , to bring flesh of his own provision , such as was lawful for him to use ; and make , as if he did eat of the flesh , taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king. but what says the good old man , to this deceitful way of escaping , or seeming to do in outward shew and pretence , what he durst not , and would not do , in reality and truth ? it ●●cometh not our age , saith he , in any wise to disse●ble , whereby many young persons might think , that eleazar , being fourscore years old and ten , were n●w gone to a strange religion . and so they , through mine hypocrisie , and desire to live a little time , should be deceived by me . whereby , tho for the present , i should get a little respite with men : yet should i not escape the hand of the almighty , neither alive nor dead , macch. . , , , , . and of the same judgment , were the fathers in the * council of ancyra , held before the first council of nice , who in the seventh canon , punish those , that go to the heathen idolatrous feasts , in the usual and appointed places ; thinking to clear themselves , by carrying along with them their own food , and ther● eating thereof only , not of the other which is polluted . . it was condemned so in like cases , in the holy scriptures . to withdraw from the tables of heathens , was a thing of settled and received signification among the jews ; professing their abh●rrence , or belief of the unlawfulness of such intercourse . now , s. peter had no such belief , knowing that in christianity , god had made jews and gentiles both one : and therefore , when jews were away , as at antioch , he could go in to gentiles , and eat with them . before certain zealous jews of jerusalem , came from james , saith s. paul , he did eat with the gentiles , gal. . . but when the jews were come , he , that had not their apprehension or sentiments , would joyn in this external profession thereof ; and withdrew himself , as they did , in complyance , and for fear of offending them . when they were come , he withdrew , and separated himself , as the jews did , fearing them which were of the circumcision . here was an usage of the sign of abhorrence , together with , and before them . but by one , that did not abhor a gentile table , as this withdrawing signified , in common jewish construction , and in the opinion of those that withdrew with him . and what now , says s. paul , to this action ? he declares , that he was to be blamed for it , vers. ▪ that it was not upright walking , vers. . that it was dissimulation , the other jews , says he , dissembled with him ; yea , barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation , vers. . the feasting on sacrifices in gentile temples , was of received and settled signification in those days , and externally professed the worship of those idols . but when refusal grew dangerous , several , whose heart did not go along in the worship , yet complied , for worldly safety , in this outward profession , and met at the feast . these persons , in their minds , thought ‖ an idol nothing : and when they came to feast in the idols-temple , their heart was only to feast , not to worship ; so they were not worshipers in heart and intention . but yet , joyning in this known profession of worship , they would be judged by their visible professions , not invisible intentions , and condemned as worshipers . for they that are present , and joyn in these feasts , saith the apostle , have fellowship with idols , cor. . , . . and lastly , these false appearances , and deceitful seeming to do like others in an ill thing , when in a dangerous time , that seems necessary to save our selves ; was particularly declared against , in the condemnation of the libellatici . against whose insincere arts , the good fathers , and holy bishops , shewed so much honest zeal and christian simplicity , at rome , carthage , and other places , in the primitive times . what the persecutors required of the poor christians , was to curse christ , and sacrifice to idols . this , tho they could not bring themselves to do in reality ; yet several , that were over-timorous , fell to make appearance , as if they had done it , when in truth they had not , by deceitful shifts and artifices . that passing commonly for such as had sacrificed ; they might , if prisoners , get a present release , and stop the vulgar from informing against them , and bringing them into further troubles . and this was , per nefarios libellos , by libels , certificates , or tickets , granted by the magistrate for that purpose . some , tho they would not go and sacrifice openly , and in sight of the heathens ; would subscribe a profession , that they were worshipers of mars , jupiter , or other heathen deities ; and offer , or send it themselves to the magistrate , thereby to obtain his discharge . and these , † say the clergy of rome , in their epistle to s. cyprian , a●● as guilty , and to be censured as severely , as if they had indeed gone to the wicked altars ; because , tho falsly , they professed and testified , that they did go thither . others , a little more tender , would not begin these libels , and promote them themselves : but yet they would be willing to accept the benefit thereof , if sent in to them , either by the favor of the magistrate , or procurement of their friends . and these also they condemn , having writ , as they ‖ tell cyprian , against those also , that accepta fecissent , that is , as * rigaltius notes , had accepted of such false libels , when sent in to them . by which acceptance , adds he , they did ratifie what was contained therein . which was , that on such a day , such an one went into the capitol , and burnt incense to jupiter . some of these , were concerned so far , as to give order for procuring these certificates and discharges : sending in sometimes , a gentile friend , or servant , to sacrifice , and ejure christ in their place . which being accepted , by an indulgent , or corrupted magistrate ; they got a certificate , or libel , from him in the others name , to protect him against informers , or if in custody , to procure his release . but concerning these , † he is not free from the guilt , say they , that ordered the evil thing to be committed . * tho he was not present in person , when his friend subscribed for him ; yet was his ordering that subscription , tantamount to his presence at it . when the other did it for him , saith ‖ s. cyprian , he did therein profess to do it himself . that libel is a profession of a denyer ; it is a christians testimony , that he renounces his christianity . others stuck at this procurement . but yet , if either the forwardness of a friend , by sacrificing for them , as i have hinted ; or the favor of a feed and corrupted magistrate , would procure them such a libel and certificate , without their knowledge , or intermedling in it ; they would consent to take the benefit thereof , and to have it publickly read , and pleaded for their discharge in court. but to these , says the forecited epistle , † neither is he free from the crime , tho himself did not commit it , if he consent for his own benefit , to have it pleaded in his name , and publickly read in court. thus early , did the christians fears and necessities , put them upon feigned shews , and insincere compliances , with ill things ; making a false shew of doing , what really they neither did , nor durst do . and thus were their hypocritical appearances , and ungodly evasions , rebuked and censured by the holy zeal , and downright honesty and simplicity , of the primitive fathers . to appear to the world , as obeying an unlawful edict , was equally scandalous to religion in the eyes of men , as if really they had been obedient to it . and therefore they rated such external seemers and appearers , as real observers . ‖ he that would seem , say they , to have satisfied any edict , that injoyns a thing against religion ; in that very thing pays obedience to it , that he studies to be thought obedient . when called to own a truth , by openly refusing what we hold a sin to practise : * qui fallaces in excusatione praestigias quaerit , negavit : he that seeks to make the imposer believe he doth what is required , and falls to fallacious tricks , and cozening compliances in excuse , denies his duty , as if he had done what he required him , was their judgment , as i noted before . and this must hold alike , in all duties . for if any thing is a real wickedness ; greater , or less , alters the case betwixt it and any other , only as to degrees . but , if such false seemings , are really partaking in ill and hypocritical shews , as appears from the preceding instances ; we may no more partake , or act an hypocritical part , in a less , than we may in a greater wickedness . by all which , i think it sufficiently appears , that all we can expect , in such external observances of significant days , or other things , is to pass for hypocrites and dissemblers with god and men , if we say we do not mean what such meeting doth , and as we thereby profess . or , to be taken to do the thing , which we in heart condemn , from our having done that , which is the outward profession of it . we do in moral estimate , what we do visibly , and what we would be thought to do. so that how little soever the heart goes along therewith ; if we appear among the practisers of an ill thing , and do as they , who are for it in outward profession and observance ; we shall be censured among them , and being found in their way , must expect to share in their condemnation . i know 't is said by some , when they do not answer the signification of these assemblies , that they join only at the innocent parts of the service there performed , and pass over what comports not with their consciences . which palliation , and excuse , for what is wrong ; makes many innocent and well meaning minds , who would neglect no opportunity of serving god , to resort thither , for the sake of all that is good and right in the service , on such occasions . but they consider not , that the things they are afraid to promote , or joyn in , are signified and declared , by the very meeting ; and not only by some particular prayers , which are put up there . and in coming to such an assembly , they profess to have what it means , by their appearance , as well as by some passages in the prayers . the edict that calls them thither , fixes a signification , and tells them for what purpose . and their coming upon that summons , is a profession of setting on that purpose . thus it would be thought in any case , where men are invited and called in by their friends , to seek a blessing from god , on some conspiracies , or hazardous undertakings . tho then , there would be some good confessions of sin , and other ordinary devotions , to fit them for more prevalence , and to accompany those prayers which are more special for the design● yet must all , who appear there on such an in●●mation , expect to be judged , both by god an● men , as parties with them therein . and thus ' ti● , as i have observed , in all the foregoing instances : there is a signification and profession , in the very act or observance it self . and this , i think , makes the case of joyning in these assemblies , different , as to this point , viz. of professing contrary to our sentiments ; from that of our joyning in the daily service of the church , tho that happen to have some passages which we cannot in conscience joyn with , if those passages are otherwise tolerable , on account of their unlawfulness . for the intent , and signification of our meeting in the daily devotions , is not to profess a determinate approbation and concurrence in these scrupled passages ; but for devotion at large· we come to them , to do god honor and service , and to seek supplies for all our own , and others necessities . so that our presence there , is to concur in the religion of the day , or devotion in the just latitude thereof . and it cannot be gathered , merely from our being there , or presence alone , that we are for these scrupled passages ; since , were we against them , we might still be there for so many other purposes : but from some other external sign , or saying amen to them still as they come . 〈…〉 as for these other assemblies , the thing 〈…〉 is signified , not only by some particula●●●ssages in the form , but by the whole meeting . and accordingly , our concurrence therein is professed , not only by our saying amen at such passages , but by our appearance at the meeting . the day it self is instituted for that d●sign : it is the next or ultimate end of all that is then done , which , first or last , is for speeding , and carrying of it on . indeed , it highly concerns men , to look to the matter and end of their prayers ; that they be for good things , and to set on none , but good designs . to pray for ill ones , is to make our selves parties to them , and to partake in guilt and punishment , with the actors themselves . if any come , that brings not this doctrine , bid him not god speed , saith st. john ; for he that biddeth him god speed , is partaker of his evil deeds , joh. . . where we cannot with a safe conscience assist , we cannot pray ; for success is more from providence , than from humane means ; and therefore prayers are among the highest and most valuable assistances . to lend prayers to ill things , is not only to assist and partake in the ill ; but to prophane and pollute those most sacred things , our prayers themselves , and turn them into the rankest abominations . for any ill , or forbidden thing , is never so abominable to god and all good men , as when it is not only against god , but offer'd to him . when it creeps into our very prayers , and stains and pollutes them , which should be pure , as the god they are offer'd to , and purge away all our other pollutions . which is , as much as in us lyes , not only to disobey and provoke , but to rifle god's own holiness , to tempt him to our sins , to try if we can make him a party to our wickedness , and draw him in to be as deep in any unjust , ungodly , or otherwise forbidden thing , as our selves ; than which it is not easie to conceive , what can be a greater abomination . prayers , are among the plainest and greatest expressions of piety , when put up for good things ; but , when pressed to procure , or speed on ill ones , they become themselves a grand impiety , the vilest prostitution of the most sacred things , and so many horrible prophanations . but the effect of all this , must only be to make men consider well , the lawfulness of the things , or ends , they set on by their prayers , their fastings , or thanksgivings . if they are appointed only for what is good , they are an excellent means of success , as well as ministery of religion . but if in any case , men see they are pressed to ill purposes ; there they must not pretend to comply with , or meet at them . the very meeting , for what they cannot pray , or assist in , is but in the presence , and house of god , to mock both him and their brethren ; and shews not so much of devotion , as of sinful fear , hypocrisie , or dissimulation . thus , is it the care of true christian simplicity , not to decieve , or tell a lye in actions , more than by false speeches and expressions . it will neither falsifie in words , nor practice . it is not for declaring and professing that in deeds , which we never think of in our hearts : being equally against that , whether it be word or action , which is equally deluding . deceit is the thing , which it seeks to shun : as st. paul intimates , when he opposes , speaking the word of god , as of sincerity ; to corrupting , or , as 't is in the margin , dealing with it deceitfully , cor. . . and , as s. * chrysostom notes , when he explains , not in worldly wisdom , that is there opposed to simplicity and godly sincerity , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. not deceitfully . chrysost. in cor. . . and deceit , may be brought about as effectually by carriage , as by words and expressions , which therefore simplicity takes care to prevent in both . i add , lastly , upon this point , as it will not stoop , either by word or deed , to utter lyes it self : so , neither will it make use of others falshoods , or have the like done by them , for its advantage . under the sharp tryals , and pressing necessities of the primitive persecutions , the libellatici had got a trick , as i observed , by bribing and corrupting the officers of courts , to buy certificates , of their having done sacrifice to idols , when , in truth , they had not . this was a very false and wicked artifice , against the practice of truth , and the spirit of confessors , shewing too little care of the honour of god , and religion , or of their brethrens souls , and too much of their own dangers . and accordingly , as i have shewn , fell under the just censures of the church , in the primitive times . chap. vi. sect . ii. of christian simplicity and sincerity . . a second thing , implied in that christi●● simplicity , which spiritual prudence injoyns , is singleness , without double dealings . this is one thing , which the scripture notes by simplicity . servants , says st. paul , obey in all thing● your masters in the flesh ; not with eye-service , a men-pleasers ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in simplicity of heart ▪ i. e. as our translation renders it , in singleness of heart ; not having one heart or mind to you● work , whilst their eye is over you , and another when 't is off you , col. . . and accordingly , craftiness or worldly wisdom , which is opposite to simplicity , and made so by st. paul , cor. . . is sometimes set off by duplicity . haec eadem duplicitas , this same duplicity , says st. † gregory the great , speaking of the wisdom of this world , which he makes the opposite to the simplicity of the just , job . . and non versantes in astutia● not walking in craftiness , cor. . . st. * chrysostom explains by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. being free from all duplicity , and really being such as we seem to be . truth is but one , and always the same ; but falshood is various and multiform . and as there is this singleness in truth it self : so should there always be , in the exhibitions or appearances , which we make thereof . our inward thoughts , and outward appearance , betwixt which moral truth lies , must bear its picture and character , 〈◊〉 having but one stamp , or being all of a piece . ●nd this , simplicity secures ; preventing any ●iscrepancy between our minds and expressions , 〈◊〉 our having two faces , more than truth it self 〈◊〉 . it allows us not to have one thing in our ●wn breasts , and to make shew of another to ●ur neighbour . to give out this for true at one ●ime ; and , as that happens to serve our turn , 〈◊〉 contrary to be as true at another . this is ●ot to be the same man within and without ; 't is ●ot to be one and the same to morrow , which it was to day ; but is the sustaining of a twofold person . whereas singleness excludes all duplicity ; it can be but one . and accordingly simplicity , which lies in maintenance of such singleness , must be and shew but one thing , and always say and seem the same . in the question of true or false , good or evil , it must not be va●ious , according to difference of times and places ; and favour or dislike , desire or fear , help or obstruct the same thing , as a truth or ●rrour , vice or virtue , as it differently serves , ●r hinders our convenience . this is not to ●hew simplicity to be and appear one , and always the same , or of a single heart . but is plain●y to act a double part ; yea , perhaps , innumerable parts , such a man being like to change his part , as oft as there is occasion for it . this singleness is much the same with unmix●dness or purity , which is another thing the scripture means by simplicity . thus st. paul warning the corinthians against the false apostles , expresses his fear , lest by them their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in christ , co●● . . the corruption endeavour'd by the fals● apostles , was the bringing into christianity f●●reign tenets , some philosophical and heathenis● some jewish opinions . and so , to preserve 〈◊〉 simplicity that is in christ , against this ; is to pre●serve the purity and unmixedness of the g●●nuine christian doctrines . and this the apo●stle did , that having espoused them to him , as 〈◊〉 husband , he might be able to present them a chast virgin to christ , v. . he had espoused the● to him , to learn of him alone , as their sole m●●ster . and this espousal , as a chast bride , the● would keep inviolate , in admitting of no opp●●site doctrines from a foreign hand , or going 〈◊〉 learn of any other . thus also , when he bids 〈◊〉 that giveth , to do it with simplicity , i. e. with pur● and unmixt intention , merely for charity , 〈◊〉 for self-ends or vain-glory , rom. . . 〈◊〉 aliorum captans gloriam , sed ejus qui indiget 〈◊〉 subveniens . not doing it to win glory , but to reliev● his poor brothers necessity , as † theodoret comment● thus also is that of our saviour , if thine eye 〈◊〉 single or simple , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thy whole body shall be full 〈◊〉 light : by the singleness of the eye , which guide and directs us , noting the purity of conscienc● and intentions , not mixed or corrupted by im●pure affections , mat. . . luk. . . an● st. peter's * sincere milk of the word , is the sam● unadulterate , or not having any thing else mix● with it , pet. . . agreeable to this , is st. b●●sil's explication , who to the question , what 〈◊〉 sincere ? answers , ‖ i account that to be sincere which is unmixt , and perfectly purified from all that is contrary to it . and that of guidas , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or † sincere , is that which is pure , and unmixt with any other . and theophylact , who on phil. . . expounds , that ye may be sincere * , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. or , that ye may receive no spurious tenet under the pretext of charity . and this also is another part of simplicity , to be pure from all adulteration , or mixture of the contrary . 't is an expression of the singleness thereof , not to have one end in truth , but another in appearance ; and not to pretend much concern in a thing to serve others , when really it is most to gratifie and serve our selves . and so 't is too , to preserve our thoughts and affections clean , and not to suffer them to be undermined , or corrupted , by their contraries . not to have our love of god , for instance , adulterated by the intermixture of worldly love , which , in any competition , will secretly draw us from his service for this world's sake . nor our fear of him , twisted with our fear of men ; or our love of our neighbour , with love of our selves , and seeking thereby our own self-ends ; or , our designs of good actions , with designs of vanity and applause ; or our pursuits of publick good , with the pursuit of private passions ; or our pretences for religion , with intentions for our selves . under this mixture , of such opposite passions and intentions , we are not single , and all of a piece . and which is worse , that fair side , which is uppermost , and openly given out , is weakest : and the contrary , which is mingled therewith , and lurks under it , when it comes to the tryal , is like to prevail over it . this is ha●ving , as one thing which appears , so another which appears not : and so , not being single 〈◊〉 what it shews , but divided or twofold . now , as for this singleness , or unmixednes● of simplicity , it excludes our being of a doubl● heart or mind , of a double tongue , or of a doubl● practice . . first , it excludes our being of a double mind , or heart . it allows not of a double mind , or of a duplicity of thought , or intention . we must not profess 〈◊〉 seem , for instance , to think what we do no● think ; or to believe a thing , whilst we see no reason to believe it , or much cause to believe otherwise ; or not to see what is made plain to us , because it makes against us ; or to be ignorant of what we very well know , because w● have no mind to acquit our selves , or act according to our knowledge . we must not put 〈◊〉 an appearance of conscience for , or against any way , when it has no hold upon our consciences , and our zeal , either for or against it , is no● really on account of conscience , but of 〈◊〉 and mere humane affections ; or pretend we scruple a disgustful thing , only when we hav● no mind to do it ; or are satisfied in conscience of a profitable or pleasing one , tho we cannot act it without regret , and till frequent , curbing has made it silent , without our conscience flying in our faces . we must not give out intentions , of what we never design ; or pretend one thing , whilst we intend another ; seem to be acted by z●al for god , or religion , when 't is all , 〈◊〉 most , for sensual passion , or secular design ; 〈◊〉 for the publick , when 't is for some private end ; or for the love of goodness , when 't is for the sake of vanity , or the love of applause ; or for fear of god , when 't is only for fear of suf●●ring ; or to serve our neighbour , when 't is on●y to serve our selves of him . these , and such 〈◊〉 , are not to preserve a simplicity , or singleness , of thoughts and intentions ; but to have them of two sorts , one within , and another without us . to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or of two souls , as st. james ●●eaks , jam. . . who calls upon such double-minded , to purifie their hearts , or to change those corrupt mixtures , for purity and singleness of thoughts and intentions , ch. . . and is contrary to that purity of intention , our saviour and st. paul require , when they injoyn us , to have 〈◊〉 eye or intention single , and to give with simplicity , i. e. a design , not of vain-glory , but of charity , as i noted before . yea , it forbids , as being thus of two forms , or double in our thoughts and intentions of any ●hing , at the same time : so , of appearing double ●nd divided , in our thoughts and intentions , ●bout true or false , good and evil , if taken at different times . for truth and virtue , are unchangeable things , and the same at all times . what they are to day , they will be to morrow , and every day ; and not chop and change , as our humor , interest , or convenience doth . to preserve this singleness then , we must add constancy to truth , and be the same for it , at all times and places . wo be to the sinner , says the son of sirach , threatning the impatient and unbelieving temporizers , that go two ways , ecclus● . . if we see a thing to be true , when 〈◊〉 makes for us ; we must see it as true , when 〈◊〉 comes to make against us . if it is matter of conscience , when it advances ; it must be matter o● conscience still , when it afflicts or depresses us ▪ if it was not plain , whilst we lost by it ; it mu●● not presently become plain , when we are to profit by it : if it were not to be seen , whilst it served others ; it must not be more manifest , and discernable to our sight , when it comes to serve our selves . if it be our intention to serve god ; we must intend to serve him , when we are called to suffer for him , as well as when to reign by him . if to stick to the rules of an holy religion , and to be the lovers and followers of any virtue ; then , when it is a losing , and persecuted , as well as when it is a getting virtue ▪ when 't is vulgarly decryed , as well as when it i● applauded and cryed up . if to be just and charitable to our brethren : then , when we have , 〈◊〉 well as when we want the opportunity , of shewing forth our justice and charity ; when thereby we only serve them , as well as when we serve our own ends by serving theirs ; when the worl● knows not , as well as when it knows what we do , and when it can only serve the purposes 〈◊〉 cha●ity and justice , as well as when , together with them , it serves also the end of credit and popular applause . this constancy , in the same true thoughts , and good purposes , is necessary to maintain and keep up this singleness of our minds , not only at some one , but at different times , and under the several changes and turns of worldly temptation and convenience . without this , when our mind is single at any time , and in the right , it would not be stable and stedfast therein ; but on any change , of humor , or advantage , put on a different form , and appear quite another thing . which is to have two minds , or two consciences , beliefs , and intentions ; suited to two different times . and this inconstancy and instability , st. james particularly taxes in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or double souled persons . a double minded man , saith he , is unstable in all his ways , jam. . . again , this singleness allows not , as of a double mind , against duplicity of thought and intention : so neither of a double heart , against duplicity of will and affection . it never seems to be pleased , with what is displeasing to it ; or to have a good will to a thing , when it bears an ill will against it ; or to go willingly and by choice in a business , where it goes against its will , and merely in submission . it doth not appear to love what it really hates ; or to admire what inwardly it slights and contemns : to be thankful or glad of that , which truly gives it sorrow , and is a trouble to it ; or to be sorry , and afflict it self for a thing , when really it rejoyceth at it : to desire , or pray for any event , when its heart is averse thereto , and flyes from it ; or to hope for any issue , which within it self it fears ; or to fear any , which in very deed it covets . it is no part or proof of this singleness , to pretend we have given up our wills to god's , when we will not rest under his will in any unpleasing case , but make our own wills take place of his ; or our heart to god and religion , when 't is not so much to him , as to this world , nor is tyed so fast to the duties of religion , as to the worldly conveniences and advantages about religion . or to pretend , that we love god above this world , when our hearts are ready to sin against god , to save the things of this world ; or that our chief care and concern , is for the joys of heaven , when we are ready to go out of any way that leads thither , to keep what we have here on earth ; or that our heart is in the first place to keep innocence , when it will chuse rather to sin than suffer , and is not so much for keeping innocent , as keeping safe . and these , and such like , shew not a single , but a double heart . one , in pretence and appearance , and another in reality and truth ; one , that is for god and a good thing , and another that can be as much against them : which are quite opposite to simplicity , and singleness of heart . or , if our heart is truly affected to good and ill , as it shews , and but one way at once ; yet would it be a double heart still , if it is not constant in these affections whilst there is the same cause , but double and divided , now one way , and anon another , if taken at different times . as it is , when we love any virtuous ways or things , whilst they serve our turn , and grow averse to them , as soon as that turn is served : set much by them , whilst they suit our ends , but are set as much against them , when once they begin to oppose them . in a word , seem pleased or offended , love or hate , hope or fear , slight or admire , desire or turn away from the same things ; being now all for them , and then all against them , according as they suit our uncertain turns , or interests . when we do thus by any truths , or virtues , we have not one single affection , for the ways we would be thought to approve ; but are sometimes on , and sometimes off . our hearts are not at unity with themselves , nor true and constant to their own motions : so that no hold is to be taken of us , and men know not where they will have , and where they will miss of our hearts . and this is not to shew simplicity , but double heartedness . an heart , as to love , so to hate the same thing , at different times : that goes not all one way , but on different turns , not of the things , but of our own convenience and affairs , is contrarily affected towards them . an heart in shew , that is set on the goodness , or truth , of the things themselves ; but in reality , on our own interests , under that cover , and serving of our selves by them . which plainly is harboring of a double heart : and betrays us unavoidably into the going two ways , threatned by the son of sirach ; and into that instability , which st. james condemns in the double-minded . like as also the scripture says of the men of zebulun , who came over to david without any hankering after , or reserves for the house of saul : that they were not of a double heart , chron. . . or , as 't is expressed v. . that they came to him to hebron , with a perfect heart . and this duplicity , or division of heart in any duties , is opposite to that integrity of heart , which god requires in his service . telling us , that in the way of his commandments , we must love and serve him with all our heart , deut. . . mar. . . and walk before him with a perfect heart , king. . . isa. . . . secondly , this singleness of simplicity , excludes our being of a double tongue , against duplicity of talk and expression . neither at any time used we flattering words , courting your favour by speaking pleasing things , more agreeable to your humor , or necessities , than to our own sentiments , says st. paul , setting off his own simplicity and sincere dealing among the thessalonians , thess . . it is not for speaking one thing to a mans face , and another behind his back ; for talking one way in publick , and the quite contrary in private , or among those who are of the same judgment ; for talking still as the company doth , owning all as right , and assenting to quite contrary discourses , as it falls in company contrarily affected in the matters discoursed of . it doth not speak differently of the same things , only as that differently happens best to suit our purposes , as if there were nothing in the celebrated names , of true and false , good and ill ; but our convenience . it doth not commend a thing , for instance , when we are about to sell , and disparage it when we come to buy it ; or cry up a thing as a virtue , when it serves our selves , and condemn it as a vice , when it serves others ; or give out the same thing , as mere necessity , if done by us when we are over others , which we accused as malicious infringement and intolerable usurpation , when others did it whilst over us . it will not magnifie moderation , when we are down , and stand in need thereof ; and speak against it as loathsom lukewarmness , or treacherous neutrality , when we get up , and are in place to shew it . nor condemn justly all bloody , persecuting , injurious , and despoiling zeal in papists ; and yet not condemn , but justifie our selves , when we feel our spirits fermenting with the same bitterness . this , and such like , is to have two tongues : one in our own case , and another in our neighbours . one , behind a mans back , and another before his face . one , in this company , and another in that , as may best please each . which is the double tongue , against which , as i noted , st. paul cautions the deacons : who , especially if of complying natures , would be in danger to say one thing to one , and another thing to another , to please the different affections of those they talked withal , when employ'd , as they often were , to go from house to house , tim. . . and is also the flattering lip in the psalmist , which , saying that to ones face which the heart never thinks , and which it would be ready to gainsay in the next convenient place , he calls speaking with a double heart , psal. . . it is to have one tongue to the world , for fear , to avoid persecutions , as the gnosticks had ; and another in truth , and privately towards god , or where they might profess their sentiments in religion , without hazard . which double dealing of theirs , st. james may not unlikely refer to , when he says , a double minded man is unstable in all his ways , jam. . . to this of a double tongue , i shall also refer , as speaking thus differently in different speeches ; so likewise all double meaning , or speaking doubtfully and deceitfully , in the same speech . such are , all speaking with mental reservations , when we only utter part of our meaning in words , and secretly reserve the other part still unuttered in our minds : which part of the speech reserved in our minds , if added to what is expressed in words , would make it quite a different thing , to what it sounds . and use of aequivocations , which design to delude by a double sense of some words : or of ambiguities , i. e. like double meaning , by the doubtful and uncertain construction of whole sentences , which , without any violence to rules of grammar , may be expounded quite different ways . and , lastly , all craftiness , and ways of trepaning in discourses ; either by talking in the clouds , and casting a mist of words , to make a thing unintelligibly obscure and dark , when we are afraid lest another should see and understand it . or , by contrived circumlocution and round of words , laying trains by degrees , to draw those we talk withal imperceptibly into wrong apprehensions . for men use to go about , when they tell a lye , and yet would be thought to speak a truth . they stand off at a distance from the point , and are not for answering plainly , and directly to it . they break the falshood to pieces , and cast a multitude of words , that in the crowd something wrong may get in among others that are right , without being seen or suspected . so that what they could not put off by whole-sale , they retail out among other ware , and vent by piece-meal , without being discover'd by the abused parties . nay , perhaps , by these arts , they have ●ozen'd themselves first , and then their neighbours . they may have hid , or lost the falshood by this means , and not know well in what part of the discourse to find it themselves . and thus , the lye broken to pieces , and slurr'd off , is easily swallow'd , and goes down without regret ; which , had they utter'd it plainly , would have almost choaked them , and bore too hard upon their consciences . now all these ways , of mental reservations , aequivocations , ambiguities , and crafty speeches and discourses ; are using a double tongue . their end is to abuse the apprehensions and belief of men , by a deceitful sign ; against the faith of society , and the end of all discourse and conversation . for words , are the instrument of faith and confidence ; and therefore should be so used , as they may be relied on . but what st. james taxes in the double-mind , is equally true of this double tongue : as that is so unstable in all its ways , so is this in all its meanings , that they are not to be built upon , jam. . . they are the instruments of hypocrisie , or of mens dissembling their own thoughts ; and of guile , or of their beguiling and abusing other mens : and we are to lay aside all guiles , and hypocrisies , pet. . . to be , as our lord testified nathanael was , such true israelites , in whom is no guile , joh. . . or , as he himself was , of whom it was said , that no guile was found in his mouth , pet. . . the use they serve , and the end they propose , is not to inform , but to deceive others : so they are the ways and expressions , not of a true , but of a deceitful tongue . they carry with them , not a single , but a double meaning : and so bear in them all the force and effect of a double tongue , which speaks twice , and two contrary things , at one time . . thirdly , this singleness of simplicity , excludes a double practice , against duplicity in life and carriage . it will not allow us to be open saints , and secret sinners ; to practise one thing before god , and another before the world ; to be one thing at church , and another in our own closets . it will not permit us to worship god , and to worship baal ; to comply still with the worship of the place , tho in things of direct repugnance betwixt themselves , going one day , with the gnosticks , to the jewish synagogues , and the next to the heathen temples , and the third to the christian churches . or , to be for a man in the crowd , and against him in a trusty company ; to profess we are for one , and yet act against him ; or wish and act for him , when in private , or left to our selves , and yet turn over from him in the eye of the world , and renounce him in profession ; to appear among those , that meet to pray for a thing at church , which we cannot pray for , but , it may be , pray against when we are by our selves ; to go among the rejoycers in publick , for what we mourn in private ; or among those that afflict themselves , and mourn abroad , for what we rejoyce at home . it will not be for the practice of duty in the sun-shine , and against it in persecution , as the gnosticks , who , as st. james says , were unstable in their ways , sticking to christian assemblies in opportunities of peace , and turning to those of jews or gentiles in fear of persecutions : denying thus , as the * apostle says , the lord that bought them , when they could not otherwise save themselves , tho confessing him at other times . it doth not use , when a virtue is cryed up , to be at the top of those who stickle for it ; but when cryed down , to hide its head among those that do not know it . to encourage and run up a way , whilst it serves our selves ; but to brow-beat and run it down , when it disserves us , or serves others . to set off the obligation of duty to superiors , whilst they go our way , and are for us ; but to be silent of them , or shake off duty , when they go contrary : as if the duties were not to go along with the relations , but with our interests and fleshly purposes . to be all kindness , whilst we get by men , or use them for our own ends : but to cast them off , and set nothing by them , when we have served our selves of them . by all these , and such like ways , instead of leading a life uniform , and all of a piece : we have two lives , or a life infinitely multiform and various , according to all the variety , and turns of convenience . having one life in time of peace , and another in time of persecution : one , when we come to get by a duty ; another , when we are call'd to lose by it : one duty towards a man , whilst he pleases ; but another , when he begins to displease us : one , at home ; and another , abroad : one , when the vogue is for a way ; and another , when 't is against it : one , whilst we have some turns to serve ; and another , when those turns are served . now this is not to lead single lives , but double , or treble ; nay , to change as oft , as humour , accident , ends , or convenience doth . 't is to be true , and constant , indeed , to our own humour , or interests ; but to nothing else . it is not to be true , to our own professions and pretences , to make our lives true to themselves , or one part of them true to another . and as the scripture calls them , lying and deceitful talkers , who speak corde & corde , with an heart and an heart , as the hebrew phrase is : so are they equally lying and deceitful workers , who live vita & vita , with a life and a life , i. e. are double livers . it is quite contrary to simplicity ; eye-service , or having one practice whilst the master's eye is over them , and another when it is off them , being directly contrary to service with singleness of heart , as st. paul notes in the case of servants , eph. . , . 't is no shew of single , but of double dealing : the instability in all his ways , or this change and mutability of life and practice , being the mark st. james gives , of a double-minded man , jam. . . 't is to expose our selves to the woes , which belong to the sinner that goes two ways , as the son of sirach says , ecclus. . . and therefore this duplicity of life and manners , must never find place in the simplicity of christians . but is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or that wicked versatility of manners , and dex●erity in accomodating it self to all turns , whereby the great st. † basil sets off that evil sort of prudence , which is most quick at espying what is for its worldly profit , and serves its ends upon the simple and well-meaning by deceit . . a third thing implied in christian simplicity , is openness in what it declares , or ought to profess , without concealments , or close reserves . this is another thing , which the scripture understands by , and calls for in , this virtuous simplicity . thus , st. paul opposes the manifestation of the truth , to handling of the word of god deceitfully , cor. . . by manifestation of the truth , i● meant setting it forth with openness , which would not suffer it any longer to lie hid , but make it manifest and apparent , to those he had to deal with . yea , such openness , as would c●●mend them to every mans conscience in the sight of god , i. e. such as every man must needs know was sufficient in his own conscience , which , altho for ends they may sometimes deny in this world , yet their conscience must needs own and give testimony to , when they come to be posed before god. thus , when st. paul alledges the testimony of his conscience , for his having lived in simplicity and godly sincerity , cor. . . st. chrysostom on the place explains it , * by living with all liberty , and having nothing cover'd or ●●umbrated . in simplicity , i. e. without any hypocrisie , or cover , says † photius . thus , one thing , in the description of the simplicity of the just given by st. ‖ gregory the great , is sensum verbis aperire , to make its speech or expression lay open its meaning . according to all which , cicero says homo simplex & apertus , and aperta simplexque mens ▪ setting off simplicity by openness . and hesychius explains , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest or open , as well as by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undeceitful . by this openness , we must not understand , an obligation to tell all a man knows , and to keep nothing secret . we must not disclose other mens secrets , when they are intrusted with us . and no good christian will inform against a good man , or discover what he knows of him , to his unrighteous persecutors . nay , he will not tell all he knows , or publish the vices of ill men , when it serves no end , either of their own emendation , or giving others warning of them , but only to work their shame and prejudice . we are not to proclaim all the good we know by our selves , which would be vanity and ostentation . nay , nor all the ill , as our faults or imperfections ; which would be the way in time , to be regardless of censure , and throw off all shame : and then , as the scripture says , we should only declare , or publish our sin like sodom , isa. . . we are not to make every one acquainted with our business , or to divulge our own projects and designs , thereby to give them the trouble of our cares , or to provoke malevolent censures and oppositions , but only as we are led thereto , in way of friendship and confidence , or to seek advice , or for information of those we are concern'd with , or other like reasonable and prudent inducements . in these , and a number of other like cases , 't is not the part , either of a good or wise man , to be open and divulge all he knows ; but to hide many things , and keep them secret . 't is a fool , says the wise son of sirach , that travails with a word , as a woman doth with a child , till it be brought forth . whereas wise men , are for letting many things dye with them , never fearing , as the other doth , lest a word pent up in their b●easts , should burst them , ecclus. . , , . as it is a vertue , to shew openness of some things : so it is a vertue , to shew taciturnity of others . there is a time to keep silence , as well 〈◊〉 a time to speak , saith the preacher , eccles. . . indeed , it is a part of great goodness , and prudence , to know when to be silent , as well as when to speak ; and to know , not only what can be said , but also what may better be omitted and left unsaid , in all cases . so that to be open in every thing a man knows , and able to hold nothing ; is not the openness of simplicity here mention'd , which is a virtuous disposition . but this is , in what a man is bound and ought to profess , there to be open . or , where a man pretends or undertakes to inform others , and open his own thoughts , there to deal openly and frankly with them . where we either voluntarily undertake to declare our minds , or have a just call , and ought to profess them : he that would lay claim to this virtue , must not hide his opinions or practice , his desires or espousals , but appear what he is . he must not use subtilty in putting off , or concealing his inward sentiments , especially under any opposite shews ; but openness in professing them . truth is naked , and not afraid to appear so . it shuns not to come into the light , when call'd to it : it seeks not then to hide it self , but is free to own it self . as it always is , what it seems ; so is it ready to seem , what it is . and such in all points , which we pretend to declare , or ought to profess , should we be too . near akin to this of openness , is plainness , opposite to amusing , or misleading dress , of what i● professes . it sets off truth , as it is in it self , not daubing it over with made colours . it seeks not to huddle it up in intricacies , which would not lay it open , but hide it from mens understandings . it doth not put things , or actions , into any delusive , or fallacious attire ; which would serve only to make men misapprehend , and take them for other , than they are . it doth not amplifie things , to make them be thought larger ; nor aggravate , which is to make them seem faultier ; nor palliate , which would have them appear more soft and innocent ; nor any way disguise , which is to make them shew other than they are in reality . for all these , and such like , are not ways of truth , but of deception . they do not imprint on men , our own apprehensions of things , but mistakes of them . they are not for making that plain to them , which we think ; but that seem to them , which we think not ; contrary to that singleness , whereof i have already treated . whereas simplicity , is for being the same , as has been observed , both within , and without ; in inward sentiments , and in outward manifestations . it seeks to be taken , only for what it is ; and so never hides its own shape when call'd to make 〈◊〉 thereof ; or assumes a borrowed one , in 〈◊〉 it would better become it . fourthly and lastly , a fourth thing imply●● in christian simplicity , and prescribed by spi●●●ual prudence , is harmlesness , or innocence , 〈◊〉 to all intending , or effecting wrong , or 〈◊〉 to any person . of all other sorts of 〈◊〉 , it is most opposite to dolus malus , or that ●●●ch works evil to other men . it is a simpli●●●y in good , without any mixture of evil in 〈◊〉 ▪ it leaves us a liberty , in fitting ways to def●●d our selves ; and , whilst it is without sin , ● prejudice to religion , to use all wise methods of caution and wariness . but it takes from us o●●●nsive weapons , as anger , envy , peevish●●●● ▪ revenge , vexatiousness , all violence and i●●ustice . it casts out all hurtful , and injurious ●●ssions , and practices : and that at such times , 〈◊〉 we are most tempted , and provoked to them . for , when you are betrayed by friends , persecuted by enemies , and hated by all , says our lord , mat. . , , , . when you are sent out , as l●mbs in the midst of ravenous wolves , adds he , p●ssing this lesson of prudent simplicity , then be ye as innocent as doves , a creature usually said to be without gall or bitterness , to put it upon working or returning mischief , v. . he commands thee , to use the simplicity of the dove , says st. * chrysostom upon the place , to restrain thee from seeking revenge when injured , or drawing those that lay wait for thee , to punishment . for all thy prudence will stand thee in no stead , unless this simplicity be added to it . be ye as simple as doves , to pardon injuries , † says another ancient comment ; be as serpents , to avoid apprehension ; but as doves , not to bite when once ye are apprehended . and the same , as both chrysostom and he note , is signified by their being sent out , among these wolves , as sheep ; thereby requiring of them a● such times , as they say , ovium mansuetudinem , the mildness of those most patient creatures . thus , when st. paul bids servants to obey with simplicity , or singleness of heart , eph. . . col. . ● . theodoret takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , making simplicity opposite to malignity and improbity . and st. chrysostom expounds the simplicity and godly sincerity , cor. . . among other things , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or a will void of all mischievousness and malignity . simplicity , is to be a patient virtue , and to imply , as the patience of persevering ; so likewise the patience of suffering . it looks more at the duty , than the danger , and is ready to take up the cross , and bear it after christ , when call'd thereto . it notes fixedness in truth and goodness , and must be accompanied with fortitude or fearlesness of dangers , making faith or trust in god , its support , when it has nothing visible to trust to in this world. as st. paul did , still holding on his simplicity , when he had the sentence of death in himself , and could have no trust or hope of deliverance in himself , but in god who raiseth up the dead , cor. . , , , . such is the virtue of true christian simplicity , noting veracity , without doing , or speaking lyes ; singleness , without all counterfeit shews 〈◊〉 double dealings ; openness , without studied concealment ; and plainness , without artificial 〈◊〉 misleading dress , of what we undertake to declare , or ought to profess ; and harmlesness or innocence , patiently suffering , and persevering●y sustaining , what it receives from them , but not doing , or returning , the least wrong or ●●olence to any person . and all this is agree●●le to s. chrysostom's description of it , who explaining those words of st. paul , in godly sincerity , cor. . . sets it off thus . ‖ we have 〈◊〉 nothing fraudulent , nothing by hypocrisie , or s●●●●lation , or flattery or assentation , nothing by treachery , or imposture , or other such like . but in all liberty , in simplicity , in verity , in a heart pure and free from all mischievousness and malignity , in a 〈◊〉 void of all deceit , having nothing cover'd up a shadowed over , nothing craftily varnish'd or rotten at heart under a fair and promising outside . thus , is simplicity , such plain and downright honesty , as begets no wrong belief of , or expectation from us ; nor fails those , which it doth beget . that , as it doth not speak any false thing ; so neither will it speak , nor act , any delusive thing ; that makes no deceitful reserves , nor seeks shifts or evasions , nor affects to hide what it ought to make manifest , or disguise what it doth set off . if this vertue governs any man , he will put on no appearances of what he is not , nor make a shew of what he doth not intend , nor seem to say or do what he doth not mean , nor willingly deceive by a dark , or doubtful , or delusive sign ; nor seek to have any the worse by him , or mistaken in him , or to expect other , than what they are like to find from him . and this simplicity , st. paul calls godly sincerity , or † the sincerity of god , cor. . . that is , such a simplicity , as will pass for sincerity , in the sight of god. and such a simplicity , 〈◊〉 is like the simplicity of god himself : who is most true , without the least falshood , in word or deed ; single , without doubling and cra●ty winding ; open , without artificial reserve● , shifts , or evasions ; plain , without disguise ; harmless , in all he doth or says ; without the least breach , of down-right honesty , innocence , and truth , in every word and action . such is the simplicity of god himself . and , when we take care , to shew forth ours in the same ways ; our simplicity is like god's , and bea● his image . and as the scripture calls upon us , ‖ to be holy , as god is holy ; and * to be merciful , as our heavenly father is merciful : so is this way of simplicity , to be sincere as god himself is sincere , which may very well , on that account , be stiled the sincerity of god. the ground and reason of this simplicity , is the preservation of equality . to do as we would be done by , which , as our † saviour says , is the law and the prophets , is the first rule of justice , and settles this equality between all persons . this is to love our neighbours as our ●●lves , to let them stand on the same bottom , ●nd allow them , as being on the same level , in all intercourse and dealing , to expect the ●●ke from us , as we do from them . and this neigbour , is every man , wise or foolish , credu●ou● or suspicious , rash or wary , rich or poor , who must all stand upon the same level as to 〈◊〉 matter . now , since all communication and inter●●urse , lies in signifying our minds to one another , by words or action : in regard there must be 〈◊〉 equality kept up , in the mutual communi●●●ion of minds ; there is need of this virtue 〈◊〉 simplicity , which will do it equally to all ●ersons . faith , is the foundation of all society , and communication . and in this , there ●ust be equality , in the ground it goes upon ; every man having the same ground to 〈◊〉 another , that another has to believe 〈◊〉 . and this can be nothing , but simplicity 〈◊〉 plain-dealing , which will equally secure 〈◊〉 faith , of wise and unwise , subtle and simple , quick and slow apprehensions . this simplicity , is fit to inform all understandings . but if we go off from this , instead of informing mens minds and belief , we shall abuse them . or , if the subtile and wary , by suspense , preserve themselves from being deceived ; we shall abuse , and deceive others . 't is only plain dealing , that can secure any , and give the same security to all , that where all have an equal right , they may also have an equal benefit . so that in communication , we must use the same plainness towards every man , the young and old , the unversed and experienced , the weak and strong : seeking what is equal towards every one , and what is private and unequal towards none ; if we would keep to the rule of justice , and do equity , which speaks the observation of equality , to all those we deal or converse with . this is implyed in s. paul's reason for speaking the truth every man with his neighbour , because we are members one of another , eph. . . for , tho the members be greater , or less than another , in point of perception , importance and honor : yet , a more intelligent and discerning member , doth not take liberty to deceive , and impose upon a less discerning , more than the other doth of imposing upon it ; but they are all equal and alike , in true and plain-dealing with each other . the eye , as s. ‖ chrysostom notes upon those words , as also * theodorit , and † theophylact , when it sees some ill a coming , doth not deceive the foot , but gives true warning , that it may compose it self to flight . and if the foot , by feeling , finds it is g●t on unsure ground , it makes true discovery , tho the eye saw it not . when the smell has perceived the quality of any food , it doth not belye it to the palate . and when the tongue has discovered a taste , it doth not misrepresent it to the stomach . and so all the other members , are as careful , to represent things right to their fellow-members , as their fellows are , to do the same to them . and one never seeks to deceive another , because , being mutually members , they must needs have joint interests ; and when one deceives , or hurts another , it is damnum commune , a common damage , 〈◊〉 theodorit says ; and therein it damnifies and 〈◊〉 it self . so that the rash and the wary , the 〈◊〉 and the foolish , being equally members ; 〈◊〉 must no more impose upon that , than the 〈◊〉 eye doth upon the unseeing fool. and , 〈◊〉 their communication , the wise must be as far , 〈◊〉 seeking to deceive the unwary ; as the un●ary are , from seeking to deceive them . this simplicity , should be observed in all communications . especially among christians , ●●ose credit should be so good , that their word 〈◊〉 never be questioned , but yea and nay , be 〈◊〉 ●hat need to pass among them , as our saviour 〈◊〉 : their word always carrying their meaning , 〈◊〉 their yea , being yea : and their nay , nay ; or 〈◊〉 always doing as they say , which would make 〈◊〉 need of swearing in their communication , matt. ●● . and were this simplicity practised accord●●●ly , none would ever need to question them ; ●●cause none would ever be deceived by them . ●●th would be secured by their saying , and their word might be safely built on . in their plain words , men would have their sense , and should 〈◊〉 sure of suitable performance . but especially it should be observed in promises , which make more dependence , and are a higher bond of faith. and most of all in oaths , which appeal , for the conformity betwixt our thoughts and expressions , to the god of truth and simplicity it self . no man should have his faith abused , or be deceived by us in any communication ; but least of all in these . thus god's promise , and his oath , s. paul calls two immutable things , by which it is impossible for god to lye , i. e. to abuse and delude faith , or to beget a wrong b●●lief , or expectation , in any , heb. . . and it should be observed in these communi●cations , by all persons , especially by men sac●●● in their functions , as bishops , and priests , who 〈◊〉 as the † mouth of god , and god's ambassador●● ▪ and magistrates , who act in god's place , and are also , as the scripture says , * god's ministers . and especially , in things of power and authority , as laws and edicts . there ought to be the greatest simplicity and plain-dealing , in the words and ways of ministers , and magistrates ; who would not only , as others , abuse the faith of their brethren , but desecrate their station , and dishonor that god of simplicity and truth , in whose place they stand , by deceitful and delusive dealing . there ought also to be the same , in the expressions of publick laws ; which must always be meant and expounded , with ingenuity and plainness . for laws , are the patrons , and the guard of faith and innocence : and so must be patterns of what they patronize , by their own sincerity and fairness . they must never teach us how to cozen , or insnare others . they must never lie in quirks and evasive senses ; which deceitfulness of the laws themselves , will ungird and prostitute them , and only teach people how to cheat in their obedience . it will cut off the simplicity of obedience , and call subjects only to the invention of subtleties , to out-wit laws , instead of observing them . for laws are not kept , but cozen'd and abused , by evasive glosses . 〈◊〉 that this simplicity , as it must be most in ●●●mises , chiefly when backed by solemn oaths : 〈◊〉 more especially , when these are made by 〈◊〉 or magistrates , who are sacred persons : 〈◊〉 most especially , when they are made also in ●●●dience to laws , and in words prescribed by 〈◊〉 ●aws themselves . 〈◊〉 now , contrary to all these ways and 〈◊〉 of simplicity , is the way of worldly 〈◊〉 . it may sometimes be for taking things 〈◊〉 , and by bare-faced violence , where it 〈◊〉 ●ower enough . but it s ordinary method , is ●●●ctise more covertly , and its great instru●●●● is craft and deceit . when there is need 〈◊〉 , it is not apt to stick at forging a 〈◊〉 lye , and unpalliable falshood , to bring its 〈◊〉 about . but where it practises with more 〈◊〉 facedness , it will deceive as effectually , by 〈◊〉 but deceitful truths , which are only 〈◊〉 truths , but real falshoods . sometimes , 〈◊〉 the end it may be mistaken , it will hide it self 〈◊〉 mist of words . at others , it will play upon 〈◊〉 faith of men , by ambiguities of words and ●●●●ences , expecting they will bite at one mean●●●● whilst it reserves another to it self . or , if 〈◊〉 doth not fall upon them to deceive directly ; i● will lead them about craftily , by a circle of words or circumlocutions , intermixing secretly 〈◊〉 and false , and laying snares , till it has got them within the compass of deceit at last . it will be open , in so much as shall serve its turn ; and artificially conceal what makes against it . it represents things , not as they are in themselves , but in such dress as best suits its own purpose amplifying , or detracting , palliating , or disgui●sing , not so as sets off its own thoughts , but 〈◊〉 convenience . or , if it is so nice , as to boggle at the abuse of words ; it will more easily swallow a like juggle , and deceit in actions . it will give the outward appearances , without inward realities ; seem to be , what it is not ; and not to be , what it is : do in all things like those that profess what it thinks not ; or that denies , what it really believes . the outward shews , of its belief or expectations , mind and judgment● of its desires or affections , what pleases or dislik●● it : are not the true draught of its inward sentiments , but only of its outward interests . it pretends what it gets by , not what it really is , or believes : and seeks it self , not what it shews ; in all its pretences . its appearances , are hypocrisie ; its secret end , still self-design ; its method , not truth , but delusion ; not harmlesness to others , but preventing , tho by any loss of theirs , all harm , dissatisfaction , or disappointment to it self . so that , instead of being true and single , plain and open , innocent and undesigning : a worldly wise man , is all lyes and falshood , trick and deceit , full of turnings and windings , shifts and evasions , mists and false colors , meer shews and pretences ; pretending and appearing one thing , but being and intending another ; and never true to what he seems , further than that happens to run true , to his own self-ends and carnal convenience . he is not fixt , to any just and ●●nest principles ; but is for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 for accommodating his manners , to serve turns , 〈◊〉 for being quick-sighted at serving his own ad●●●tage by deceit , as i noted from s. basil. by 〈◊〉 which deceitful shews , and false seemings , 〈◊〉 the injury to truth , he violates charity 〈◊〉 justice ; oftentimes drawing men in thereby , 〈◊〉 their prejudice . and abuses confidence , 〈◊〉 , to an ingenuous spirit , should lay on one 〈◊〉 highest obligation , working their harm , by 〈◊〉 very faith and trust , they repose in him . 〈◊〉 for the most part highly abuses good things 〈◊〉 ; and that virtuous forwardness well meaning 〈◊〉 have to promote them , whilst , under a false 〈◊〉 and shew thereof , he steals away their ●●ncurrence , to his own unlawful purposes , or 〈◊〉 self-designs . chap vii . of not discharging relative duties , for ends of religion , or of our own ease . the other instance which i mentioned , of doing ill to bring about some good desired , in throwing off relative duties . and this is another care of spiritual prudence , viz. in the second place , that in any relations , when 〈◊〉 grow burdensome to us , for ends , either of religi●●● or of our own ease , it doth not admit of any discharge of relative duties . god , both in nature and scripture , has required us , as to be just to all men ; so to be grateful to our benefactors , and dutiful to our superiors , to honor , obey , and keep subject , to our parents , our princes , and other powers , whom he has placed over us . . and these duties and returns , he calls for towards them , whatever their religion be , whether true or false . be they christians or heathens , jews or mahometans , true worshipers or idolaters ; children must honor and obey , support and succor their parents , and wives their husbands , and servants their masters , and subjects their sovereigns . these are among those things , which nature it self has writ in all mens hearts , and wherein , as s. paul says , they that 〈◊〉 not the written law , are a law unto themselves , their own consciences bearing witness to them , without the need of any further revelation , 〈◊〉 their thoughts accusing or excusing them , according as they have kept or transgressed them : rom. ● , . so that if the relatives were all 〈◊〉 yet their natural conscience , without the 〈◊〉 of scripture , would teach one to call for at this duty , and another to shew and pay it ; 〈◊〉 accuse them , if they did it not . accordingly , when the apostles went out to 〈◊〉 among heathens , and to proselyte those , 〈◊〉 relations were worshipers of false gods , 〈◊〉 set up unclean spirits , or devils , for gods : 〈◊〉 do not in the least exempt them from any ●●lative duties towards such idolaters ; but 〈◊〉 a greater heartiness and conscientiousness , 〈◊〉 the due discharge thereof . children obey your 〈◊〉 in all things , as what is well-pleasing to the 〈◊〉 , saith s. paul , col. . . and servants , 〈◊〉 in all things your masters according to the flesh , 〈◊〉 all things in singleness of heart , as to the 〈◊〉 , as serving therein the lord christ : vers. . 〈◊〉 . wives , be in subjection to your own 〈◊〉 , says s. peter , yea , to those that obey not the word , but are to be won by the wives good conversation , without the word , pet. . . honor the king , says he again , and * submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lord's sake , whether to the king as supreme , or unto governors , as sent by him ; c. . , , . ye must needs be subject , yea , every soul , not only for wrath , but conscience sake , says s. paul , rom. . , . whenas , at this time , as is notorious , kings and soverei●● powers were heathens . thus careful were they , not to seem in the least to set men free , from any relative duties and obligations , towards their heathen and idolatrous relations . and this with the more exactness , to cut off from the heathen world , ( who knew well enough the dueness and necessity of these things , and the guilt of the contrary , without the preaching of the apostles , ) all color for aspersing christianity , as overthrowing justi●● and morality ; as pulling up foundations of nature , and setting persons loose , from the obligations of their several relations . which would have been the greatest scandal that could ha●● been fixed upon religion ; and have made it to turn the moral and natural obligation , as well as the heathen superstition of the world , upside down . teach wives , to be obedient to their own husbands , and to take care of their children , that the word of god be not blasphemed . and servants , to be obedient , shewing all good fidelity , that they may adorn the doctrine of god our saviour , in al● things , says s. paul , tit. . , , , . submit 〈◊〉 every ordinance of man , says s. peter , for so is the will of god , that with well doing , ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. pet. . , . again , . he calls for these relative duties , and performances towards men of all religions , whatever their performance , on their part , be towards us . we must be dutiful children to hard , improvident , or careless parents ; and faithful servants , to 〈◊〉 and unequal masters ; and obedient 〈◊〉 ▪ to bad husbands ; and good , and true 〈◊〉 , to ill administring and unrighteous 〈◊〉 . ●●●vants , be subject with all fear , not only to the 〈◊〉 and gentle , but also to the froward , saith s. pe●●● not only whilst you receive right , but when , 〈◊〉 good conscience towards god , you suffer wrong●● at their hands : pet. . , . 〈◊〉 pontius pilate was far from discharging the 〈◊〉 of a good governor to our blessed saviour , † 〈◊〉 his blood only to satisfie the peoples cla●●s , against the conviction of his own conscience . 〈◊〉 yet our lord took care , to approve himself a 〈◊〉 subject towards him , ( as he had done be●●● towards the chief priests , * forbidding his ser●●●● to use the sword against them in his own 〈◊〉 , ) owning even at that time , his power 〈◊〉 from above , jo. . . ananias the high priest , did not sure perform 〈◊〉 his part , when , sitting to judge paul by law , commanded him to be smitten contrary to the law , 〈◊〉 ▪ . , . but yet , even under this grievance , 〈◊〉 ●aul confesses he ought him all the same duty , 〈◊〉 he should have owed to a more just judge , ●●d begs pardon for having forgot himself , and not spoken so reverently towards him upon that occasion , as the law required towards the ruler of the people , vers. . saul , unquestionably was guilty of male-administration in an high degree , and far from discharging towards david , his duty of protection : yea , moreover , he was reprobated by god , or rejected from being king , sam. . . but yet , for all that , david was still bound in conscience , to perform his duty of subjection towards this unrighteous sovereign . as he did , when he had the highest temptation , and the most providential opportunities , to rid himself of him ; owning him even then for the lord● anointed , and saying , who can lift up a hand against him , and be guiltless ? sam. . , . & ch. . . lastly , no man will say the emperors and rulers in the apostles days , performed the part of good governors ; persecuting the true religion , instead of protecting it ; preying upon the remains of roman liberties ; instead of preserving them ; and ruling by blood , injustice , and oppression , instead of just and regular administration . but yet , towards these non-performers , and notorious violaters of princes duties , the apostles injoyn all the subjects of the empire , most punctually and conscientiously to discharge their duties : putting them in mind , to be subject to principalities , and to obey magistrates , tit. . . not only for wrath , but conscience , rom. . . as the will of god , and for the lord's sake , pet. . , . all which , god strictly exacted , and good men in all times most conscientiously performed , not daring to shake off subjection , and rise up against god's vice-gerents , when they proved the most unjust invaders of religion and rights , as they who list , may see * proved at large . in all these relations , each side must look to what concerns themselves . their duties are mutual , but not conditional : so that we may not break with them , tho they break with us . the breach of their part , is ill in them . and therefore , since what is ill in one , cannot be good in another , the breach of ours , must needs be answerably ill in us too . so that not to go along with them in an ill thing , or be condemned for company ; we must every one take care 〈◊〉 discharge our own duty , whether our relatives make due return of duty , and discharge theirs towards us , or no. indeed , all the laws of the second table , or the duties of justice , are absolute in obligation , without regard , either to the religion , or to the good performances , and moral qualities of men. we must speak truth , and keep faith and promises , especially when confirm'd by solemn oaths , and deal justly , and , where we have received favours , remember them gratefully , especially in their need , and return them as we can , even towards the worst persons , to men of the worst carriage , and of the worst religions , hereticks or infidels . the jews , ●ere for streightning the exercise of justice , gratitude , and kindness , not extending it to men of an opposite and hated religion , but confining the neighbour mention'd in the law , to a fellow jew , or one of their own nation and religion . but to cure this , our lord instructs them , in the parable of the man falling among thieves , that the jews must be neighbours , even to the samaritans ; bidding him that asked , who is my neighbour ? after he had related , how neighbourly the samaritan dealt by the jew in distress , go , and do thou likewise , luk. . , , & . honour thy father and mother , thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not commit adultery , thou shalt not steal , thou shalt not covet , thou shalt not bear false witness ; are commandments , that oblige equally towards all persons . we are no more at liberty , to break any of them , towards a pagan , than towards a christian ; a papist , than a proetstant ; an ill and unjust , than towards a good and righteous man. more particularly kind , we ought to be to the houshold of faith , and those of our own way . but just , and true , and grateful , is what in common we are bound to be to all . all this , is plainly owned , and implied in that maxim , which is confessed by all sober persons , and expresly denied by none , but some wild enthusiasts , viz. that worldly dominion is not founded in grace . indeed , grace confers titles , and has its claims ; but those are in another life , where all possessions will be measured out , according to the degrees of m●ns graces , and religious performances . but here , without any regard to the graciousness of their hearts or carriage , this world's properties are all to pass among men , according to humane rights and titles . no man can make out , that he has right to anothers power or property , by pleading that his faith is more orthodox , or his life more just and holy ; i. e. that he is more gracious . nor that the legal owner has forfeited his right to them , by his apostasie from truth , or holiness , or turning graceless . the truth is , the world needs nothing more to make them sensible of the iniquity of this , than to bring it home to their own case . for if one man may turn another out of his legal power and property , on pretence he has not the grace to keep in the right way to the other world , nor to use and employ them well for the good of this ; what change would this make among proprietors , and how would it dispossess the greatest part of the inhabitants of the earth ? yea , particularly of those , who are most uneasie , and cast the most envious and malignant eye , at the power and property of others . so that it would quite throw out this pretence , of discharging our selves of relative duties , or disseising relatives of their legal rights and claims , because of heresie , non-performance , &c. i. e. of ungraciousness : if men would but allow their relatives and rulers common justice , ( who , if any , ●ure should have preference , ) and do by them , as they would be willing to be dealt by themselves . honour thy father and mother ; and , thou shalt not steal , are precepts universal : securing the powers and properties of the graceless , as much as of the gracious . just therefore we must be to power and property , wheresoever we meet it lodged by law , whether in the good or bad . and thus just we shall be to the worst and most ungracious relatives , if we will allow them the common benefit of god's laws , as made for their protection as well as ours ; and grant them , to whom we owe , not only justice , but reverence , what in common right and equality , we all claim for our selves . from all this i observe , when men stand in relation to any person , we must distinguish what they do in discharge of duty to him , as a relation ; and what in favour of his ways , and religion . it is either a great weakness , or a great wickedness in men , to suspect all those that are for shewing inviolate duty to a popish king , as being favourers of the popish religion ; and for paying all that is due to a king , when he breaks the laws , as if they affected , and were for setting up a power arbitrary and lawless . as if there could be no duty , to his power and person , without inclination to his way and religion . what would these persons have said to st. paul , and the holy apostles , had they lived in those days ? would they have accused them , as secret friends to heathenism , and as having heathen gods , as now they are wont to say of others , that they have a pope in their bellies , because they preach'd up a strict and inviolate subjection to the emperors , and other powers , for all they were heathens ? or , that they were enemies , and betrayers of the roman liberties , and for making the empire more absolute than it was , because those emperors were for grasping at the small remains of liberty , and for being more and more lawless ? their duty , as i have shewn , they must perform to them , and do all that is just to such an one , both as a man , and a king , in duty to his person , and relation . tho at the same time , they bear the most unmoveable averseness and opposition , standing out to the last , in such ways , as their duty to god and him allows them to make use of , against his way and religious persuasion . 't is only in conscience of what he is , not in good liking or approbation of what he doth , that they pay these things to such a person . i note also , that in speaking of these duties , even in the case of such persons , we must not talk , as if we performed them , not from principles of conscience , but only from humane inducements . 't is the way of too many , god knows , to discourse in these things , as if the hank these duties have on us , towards such unpleasing relatives , were not on our conscience , but on our convenience . their care , and good carriage , they will allow , as a reason of our duty and observance ; but their faults and failures , as a reason also , to justifie ours . they insist upon reasons of ingenuity in this case , and ask , how one could expect more , that perform'd no more , or dealt no better ? and look on the ripping up their rulers non-performance , as a reason to vindicate their own . all which is , as if god had required nothing in the relation , but all we owed , were to the carriage of the person . 't is to act only by principles of interest , or at best of ingenuity ; but not out of principle of conscience , which is the same when they go wrong and when they go right , or not from any regard to god , or sense of duty at all . chap. viii . of the imprudence of pursuing our ends by unlawful means . having said thus much of this first rule of spiritual wisdom , viz. not doing evil , that good may come , or not making use of any unlawful ways , for the compassing our ends , or desires : besides what i have hitherto said of the religion , i will now add a little , in the last place , of the wisdom of this course , and shew how prudent it is , never to take up with any sin , in pursuit the most desired design . prudent i mean , not only for the next world ; but for the accomplishment of our designs here in this . if worldly men would really be wise for worldly things , and take the way that is best here at present : they must not sin against god , to bring their ends about ; which , however promising it may seem to them , is not really the way to make , but to mar them . the reason of this is , because the compassing of any effects , depends more upon god and his providence , than on any humane means . the best and likeliest preparations , can never bring them about , when he goes not along with them : and the lowest and most unlikely , are sure to do it , when he doth . now the way to have god with us , is by trusting him , and keeping in his ways . if we dare rely on providence , and trust god , he will not fail those that trust him , but take the tenderest care of them , and shew himself remarkably , in preserving and speeding their matters on . i mean those matters , which , in consistence with the designs of his providence , he sees fit to take effect : and no means , or methods , can bring about any things else . as there is no friend , or deliverer , like god ; and no comfort , like hope in him : so is there no way to make an interest with him , like confiding in , and depending on him . thou wilt keep him in perfect peace , whose mind is staid on thee , because he trusteth in thee , saith the prophet , isa. . . but to mistrust god , is the way to disoblige and lose him , and , together with him , our own prosperity and success too . as the jews , who would not believe the lord their god , and trust him , when he gave them his word to bring them into the land of canaan , deut. . . are put out of all hopes of coming thither , and bid to turn , and take their journey into the wilderness ; and told , even in the height of their warlike preparation , when they had girded on every man his weapons , that if they would go up now , and fight , it should be at their own peril , for he the lord was not among them . and accordingly , they were chased and destroyed , as many as did presumptuously attempt it , v. , , , , . thus it also fared with the lord , that in the great famine at samaria , would not believe the sudden plenty , which god promised , and foretold by his servant elisha : thou shalt see it with thine eyes , said god to him , but thou shalt not eat thereof , king. . . which accordingly fell out , v. , . and with king asa , who , on baasha's coming up against him , relyed not on the lord , but on the syrians ; and , in his disease , sought not to the lord , but to the physicians : herein thou hast done foolishly , saith the prophet , therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars , chron. . , , , , . and this trust , must be by keeping in his own ways : which , when they seem to have the least of visible probabilities , have the most of providence ; and so , to those that ascribe most to providence , must needs appear the surest way to success . wait on the lord , and keep his way , and he shalt exalt thee to inherit the land , saith the psalmist , psal. . . tho in this keeping to god's ways , we should have no visible preparations to trust to : yet is providence , the ground of our confidence , full of invisible ones ; which do abundantly more assure deliverance , or success , than any others ; and which are discernable to the eye of faith , tho not to an eye of flesh. thus , when the city was compassed with horses , and chariots , and a mighty host of syrians , sent by the king of syria to take elisha : tho he had no visible guard to resist these forces , yet had he a wall of fire of providence , the mountain , where he was , being full of horses , and chariots of fire , or guards of angels , round about elisha . so that when humane eyes , could see none to preserve him ; yet could he say to his servant , fear them not , for they that be with us , are more than they that be with them , king. . , , , . and when the great lord in jehoram's court , thought the plenty prophesied to be in samaria the next day , to be impossible , and that , unless god should make windows in heaven on purpose , it could never be brought to pass : the end shew'd , that god can infinitely out wit us , and absolutely surprise us with issues ; and that , when there seems no way to us , providence has always enow , that never enter'd into our thoughts . as the event in that case made appear , god raising the seige in haste , by filling the syrians with fear of mighty succours come to the king of israel , on their hearing in the night a noise of horses , and chariots , and of a great host , king. . , , . but if , when there is no visible appearance of succeeding , or being safe otherwise , to save our selves we step out of god's ways , and , instead of what is lawful , betake our selves to what seems expedient and serviceable : in leaving the way of i●●●cence , we are like also , when we least suspect it , to lose the way of success , and when we desert god , god and providence will desert us . order thy way ●ight , and trust in him , says the wise son of sirach : 〈◊〉 go not aside , lest ye fail , ecclus. . , . we shall not only this way be unrelieved by the blessing and assistance ; but broken and opposed , most commonly , by the just judgment of providence , setting it self against us . for he disappointeth the devices of the crafty , so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise . he taketh the wise in their own craftiness , making their methods bring about what they studied to avoid , and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong . they meet with darkness in the day time , and grope in the noon day , as in the night , job . , , . god loves to defeat such unlawful , and irreligious expedients ; and to turn wicked policy and ungodly wisdom , into foolishness . to make it hinder , and obstruct that very good , it was made use of to acquire ; and to bring on us that very evil or trouble , which thereby we seek to remove . who , says the prophet , among us , shall 〈◊〉 able to dwell with the devouring fire kindled by the king of assyria , call'd everlasting burnings , in regard they could see no likelihood of any end of his devastations ? he shall , answers he , that walks righteously , and speaketh uprightly ; that despiseth the gain of oppressions , or handling of bribes , and stops his ears from hearing of blood , or bloody counsellors , and shuts his eyes from seeing evil . by this religious stiffness , and standing off from the course of wickedness in those evil times , instead of being more exposed to them , as you fa●sie , he shall be preserved ; as safe as he , who 〈◊〉 set on high , and whose place of defence is the mu●●nition of rocks , or a strong tower situate on 〈◊〉 accessible rocks , where is neither want of bre●● nor water , and so no danger of being reduced , through want of provisions , to surrender . but as for the sinners in sion , or those , says * grotius , that , against their own consciences , were for changing their principles and religion , to procure favour from the conquering assyrian ; they are afraid , and fearfulness hath surprised these hypocrites , the accomplishment of their fears , instead of the removal of them , being all they should get by their apostasie and ungodly dissimulation , isa. . , , . thus we find it has usually been , with the resorters to forbidden and unlawful ways , in constant experience . their fansied remedy , has proved their real snare , and what they took to cure a fear , god ordinarily turned to accomplish it . thus at babel , the presumption and pride of men , in building of a lofty tower , to make them ● name , and to prevent their dispersion , gen. . . 〈◊〉 turns into a blot upon their name , and 〈◊〉 the very means of scattering them , v. , , . the brethren of joseph , to prevent the verifying 〈◊〉 dreams , viz. that they , who were his elder●●●bers , should come at last to worship him , and 〈◊〉 their obeisance : most wickedly sold him for 〈◊〉 - slave to the midianite merchants , who brought 〈◊〉 to the egyptians , gen. . , , , . but 〈◊〉 unnatural and ungodly expedient , of pre●●●ing these submissions ; god over-rules for ●very method of bringing them about . when 〈◊〉 came , in time , and course of providence , 〈◊〉 the corn of egypt ; and joseph , to be 〈◊〉 of the land , and in sole power to dispose 〈◊〉 ; and these same brethren came , and 〈◊〉 themselves before him , with their faces to 〈◊〉 earth , gen. . , . & ch. . . ledekiah , and the jews , when , being brought 〈◊〉 subjection to the king of babylon , they had all ●●bmitted , made a covenant , and taken an oath to 〈◊〉 : repenting afterwards of their subjection , ●●spire to rebel , and break that oath , which 〈◊〉 prince and people had taken , in hopes the 〈◊〉 of egypt would stand by them , ezek. . , , , . but these wicked ways , of rebellion and perjury , for the recovering invaded liberty : instead of removing , as they promised themselves , god declares should both increase , and fix their slavery , and misery , v. . ad . like as , the rebelling for laws and liberties , against our martyred sovereign ; turned , by god's just judgment , to such an overthrow of laws , and loss of liberty , and introduction of extreme servitude , as , since they had the charters of laws and libe●●ties , had not before been brought upon this peo●ple . the succeeding jews , some hundreds of year● afterwards , resolved , by bloody and wicked hand● to cut off christ , for fear , should they let him alo●● and go on to be generally taken for christ 〈◊〉 king ; that the romans , jealous thereby of their dejection , would come , and take away their plac● and nation , joh. . . and , 't is expedient , said caiaphas , that one man dye , rather than that 〈◊〉 whole nation should perish , v. . but this horrible way or expedient , of preserving the nation , and keeping out the romans ; god turns into the way of destroying their nation , and calling of the romans in . for the terrible coming of the roman armies , first under vespasian , and after under his son titus ; was a † verification of the coming of christ , foretold , mat. . . and in that miserable destruction , or taking away of their city and nation , the emperors owned the vengeance to be god's . the hand of god is plainly with us ; and the famine , mutual seditions , unexpected fall of walls on their side without help of our engines , are so many marks of the wrath of god upon them , says ‖ titus to his soldiers . it was plainly god , that helped us when we fought . it was god , that drew the jews from these strong-holds ; was again * his exclamation , when he took the city , and saw those towers , from which no force could have driven them , deserted by the jews . the quarrel , they acknowledged to be god's ; and themselves , only his instruments ; ( as attila the hunn afterwards stiled himself flagellum dei , god's scourge on the degenerate christians : ) and thereupon would 〈◊〉 of them be called judaicus , as * dio notes , 〈◊〉 refused the honor of a triumph , for the victory 〈◊〉 overthrow of the jews . the soldiers burnt the 〈◊〉 , tho against the desire , and edict of 〈◊〉 as moved by a divine impulse , ‡ says jose●● . and when the balistae , the shooting engines , 〈◊〉 the beginning of the siege were brought up , 〈◊〉 played upon them : filius venit , or the son 〈◊〉 , was by an over-ruling providence , the 〈◊〉 of warning , as ‖ he reports , or the common ●●●tification given by their watch-men to the jews , 〈…〉 as the engines played . so answering our 〈◊〉 christ's expression , who had usually 〈◊〉 them with this desolation , under the 〈◊〉 of ‡ his coming , or of * the coming of the 〈◊〉 man. which was thus verified upon these 〈◊〉 , who now found , when it was too late to 〈◊〉 it , how the cry and quarrel of that blood , 〈◊〉 brought in these over-powering romans , 〈◊〉 their predecessors , yea , many among their 〈◊〉 selves still living , had shed to keep them out . in like sort , as our ancestors , by rebelling 〈◊〉 that excellent prince , charles i. to keep out 〈◊〉 , have brought upon us their posterity , all 〈◊〉 late fears of popery , and those terrifying attempts it so lately has , or still may make upon 〈◊〉 the cutting off that most pious and orthodox prince , who would have carefully principled all his children in the belief of protestants ; and driving out the royal issue into popish countries , exposed with utmost advantage to be practised upon by popish relations and instructors ; being the visible cause of the king's mispersuasion , and turn'd by a just god , instead of yielding relie● to be a direct and apparent cause and acco●●plisher of those fears and sorrows . to prevent the increase , and propagation 〈◊〉 christianity afterwards , the jews raised a 〈◊〉 persecution against the church , which was at jerus●●lem , and scattered it abroad , act. . . but god turn this scattering , and dispersing of the member● which they had recourse to , for the overthrow and abolition ; into a farther dissemination 〈◊〉 the faith. which they , who were thus disperse● abroad , took along with them , and disperse● preaching the word every where , as they came : 〈◊〉 the gnosticks , in the days of persecution struck in , and externally complyed , both 〈◊〉 jews and gentiles , hoping thereby to save th●●selves . with the jews , they went along 〈◊〉 wickedly , in observing their rites , and in persecuting and compelling the orthodox christians to observ● them : only to ‖ get favor with them , by seeming zealous for judaism , and left , as s. paul † says , they should suffer persecution from them for the cross of christ. and with the gentiles they went to idol-feasts and sacrifices : those whom s. paul dispute● against for feasting in idol-temples , cor. . ( a● also c. . , . ) being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as they loved to call themselves , or the great boasters of , and pretenders to knowledge ; as the apostle sufficiently intimates , v. , , , . and it being one of the doctrines of their followers , as * eusebius testifies from agrippa castor , that they might lawfully eat of idol-sacrifices , and forswear the faith in time of persecution . but these abominable compliances , which they took up , as the way to save their lives : god , in 〈◊〉 providence , makes the cause of their 〈◊〉 of their lives . whilst all the upright or●●●dox , by the oracle and admonition of god to 〈◊〉 holy men , all with one consent timely left the 〈◊〉 before it was begirt , as ‡ eusebius relates , and 〈◊〉 themselves at pella , a city ‖ of decapolis 〈◊〉 jordan , and a more secure place : these wick●●●emporizers , persisting in their former com●●●ces , and coming to their last passover , as 〈◊〉 did , were there shut up together with them titus , and perished with the jews : in which , 〈◊〉 lord verified his own rule in this case : 〈◊〉 will save his life , i. e. by sinful complyan●● as these men did with jews or gentiles , in 〈◊〉 and persecutions , shall lose it . as on the 〈◊〉 , whosoever will lose his life , or run the 〈◊〉 of losing it , when there is nothing but a 〈◊〉 whereby to escape , for my sake , the same 〈◊〉 find or † save it , matth. . . and to which 〈◊〉 peter also may seem to have reference , when , 〈◊〉 his second epistle , writ very near this final over●●●●w of their city and nation , he tells the chri●●●●ns laboring under persecution , which the jews ●●●dently set on , that the lord knows how to deli●●● the godly , or those who in all their dangers 〈◊〉 to their duty and trust in providence , out of temptations ; and to reserve the unjust , or those , who by wicked shifts seek to escape , unto the day of judgment to be punished . as it signally happened with these gnosticks , when the day of the lord , as the scripture often calls it , came on the jews ; or by god's just judgment they were all destroyed , pet. . . indeed this preservation of themselves in that common overthrow , by not craftily deserting , but honestly adhering to their duty , is what * christ promised ; and what , as it drew on , the ‡ apostle spressed for their encouragement ; and what the poor persecuted christians ‖ believed , and waited for . and accordingly , when the time did come , which in mat. . was presignified , the providence of god did most watchfully and wonderfully accomplish , and bring it about . when the abomination of desolation , i. e. the roman armies , which make all desolate , called abominable , because of their heathen and idolatrous worship , stands in or about the holy place , viz. the city jerusalem : or , as it is in s. luke , when jerusalem is compassed about with armies , as it was by cestius gallus : then know , says our lord , that the destruction thereof is nigh , and let them which be in judea flee to the mountains , or out of it , to some quiet and secure place , matt. . , . luke . , . the siege of cestius gave the alarm , according to this prediction . and when he , without any visible cause , both unexpectedly , and most unaccountably and unwisely , as ‖ josephus notes , raised the siege ; that gave the upright christians liberty and opportunity , before its being begirt again , to draw themselves off ; and the oracle of god to some holy men , made them all with one consent to embrace it . so that when titus at last came before it , at the time of the passover , when all the jews and judaizers from all places were come up to the feast ; there were only unbelieving jews , and hypocritical judaizing christians , to be shut up for the slaughter . all the upright orthodox , having , by the care of a gracious and an indulgent god , made their escape before . in sum , this way of preserving those , by unforeseen providences , who would not seek , when there was no other visible means , to preserve themselves by sin ; and of disappointing those , who , in distrust of providence , make unlawful ways their refuge , causing the wicked remedies of their fear , to prove the fatal accomplishers thereof ; has still been god's course . look at the generations of old , and see , says the son of sirach , did ever any trust in the lord , and was confounded ? or did any abide in his fear , and was forsaken , or god leave those , that had not first left him ? ecclus. . . and , on the other hand , the fear of the wicked , says solomon , or of him that betakes himself to wicked ways , to keep off what he fears , shall come upon him , prov. . . this , i grant , it doth not always , in the issue of things here ; there being no rule in these matters , viz. the orderings of providence , but admits of some exceptions , and wherein , for wise reasons , god may alter and change sometimes . but thus it is in ordinary course ; and 't is not rare and extraordinary contingencies , but the ordinary course of events , that must ground our hopes , and guide our expectations of them . it usually happens so ; and is so common , that 't is drawn into a rule by the spirit of god , and the carefullest observers of providence . particularly by solomon , in several places , who tells us , that he only , who walketh uprightly , walketh surely : but that he , who perverteth his way , shall be known , prov. . . that whilst the integrity of the upright , guides , and delivers them , perversness destroys the transgressors ; and the wicked , instead of standing thereby , shall fall by his own wickedness ; being not extricated , as they hoped , but taken and insnared in their own naughtiness , prov. . , , . that whilst righteousness , tho' it may seem to endanger , and expose , yet really keepeth him that is upright in the way : wickedness , on the contrary , for all it may seem to uphold , overthrows the sinner , c. . . his own wickedness shall take the wicked himself , and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins , c. . . the great pretence , for mens stretching to such unlawful expedients , is many times the preservation of their children or families , of religion and the church , or other publick ends. and the method of providence is to make them fools in their ungodly expedients , causing them to fall by their wickedness , and , at the same time , in his own way , often securing those innocent persons , or holy things , they were afraid , and sin'd for . thus it was in the case of the israelites , when god would have had them go into the land of canaan ; they would not go , or trust to his power to carry them on , but were for turning back again , for fear , as of themselves , so least their little ones should become a prey to the inhabitants , who were people of very big bodies , and lived in towns of extraordinary strength , deut. . , . . . for this , by travels in the wilderness , god consumed all these men , that thus sinfully revolted in hopes of preservation , v. . . but as for their little ones , for whose sakes they sin'd , lest they should become a prey to the canaanites , and which in that day , having no knowledge between good and evil , could not partake of their fathers offences , he declared he would , and so accordingly he did , bring them in , and gave it to them for a possession , v. . thus is all use of wicked means , and unlawful expedients , as a most wicked , so a most foolish course . since there is more done towards success , by providence , than by visible preparations ; there must needs be more security thereof , by faith in god , in ways of innocency , than by any promising ways of sinning , for expediency . to offer up our sins , as actors under his providence , is not sure the likely way to success , if providence must give success . god i● never like to bless what is sought by such instruments , they are enough with him , to mar any design , which they meddle in . so that if we would , not only keep a good conscience , or be wise for the next world ; but prosper and speed in any designs in this world , either for god , or religion , the church , or kingdom , for our selves , or our friends , we should never seek to succeed by the least sin. we must never make lyes our refuge , or falsifie by word or practice ; nor make our selves better , or others , even our enemies , worse than they are . we must forge no false reasons , nor brand any with unjust names , or load them with slanders . nor in any wise break faith , or pervert justice , or oppress by violence , no not even those who sought to oppress us ; or get by evil arts , or wickedly keep what we have once unrighteously got ; or break any other commandment or law of god , when such breach may be suggested , or seem to lie in our way , as an useful expedient . whatever our designs are , there is no such security of success , as a good providence , nor any way , to make so sure of this , as by trusting god , and keeping in his ways : this is a wiser , and a more likely course , even where it happens to have less of humane appearance , than any others , by ways of wickedness . where the expediency , shall not so much set on , as the wickedness thereof , by ingaging providence against us , shall backen and defeat our purposes . having thus largely discoursed upon this branch of spiritual prudence , viz. against pursuing our ends , though never so fair and promising in themselves , by wicked and unlawful means : for a conclusion thereof , i shall only add one caution , to keep men from plunging themselves therein , the rather , for that in this point , all men are so like to be put on tryals , and meet with temptations to transgress . that rule is , especially in great and concerning duties , to beware of beginning a breach in their integrity , and stop at the first entrance . when once a man gives way , by any considerable act , to transgress the bounds , and make any advance in such a business : 't is neither for him , nor for any one else , to say where he shall stop . by corruptly yielding to do one such ungodly , or unjust thing , he is in the ready way to do another . from coming in to do what is bad , he steps into the next disposition , to do what is worse ; 'till it come to that pass , that there is no other stint or measure to his compliances , but his temptations . david at first , thought only to enjoy bathsheba . but having given way to go so far , he was willing , when a new necessity call'd , to hearken at that time as he had done before , till , from committing adultery , he was got in to commit murder : st. peter thought at first , only to dissemble , and conceal his relation to christ. but when his own curiosity , and carnal considerations , had carried him on to that ; the justice of god left him to satan , and his own heart , and opportunities of temptation which he himself had ●ought , to be carried beyond it ; not giving over , ●till he had been brought , first to deny , and then , with bitter execrations , to forswear his master . thus , when they would tempt god , by ingaging themselves in a wicked thing , have the very best men been given up , to go on from bad to worse , till they stuck at no way of serving the new necessities of their own creating . indeed , he that for his interest , will either corrupt or force his own conscience , and yield to do one very ungodly or injurious thing ; is very like , if the same interest require it , to go as far in doing of another . nay , he is in much greater probability and preparation to do the latter , than he was to do the former . for the best guard against these breaches , is the virgin niceness , and first modesties and reluctances of conscience : which being once violently rifled , or thrown out , the tempting offer , or sinful necessity , the next time meets with much less opposition . conscience , that cry'd out loudly against it at the first , perhaps now , after much pains to corrupt it , is made blind , and sees no evil in it . or however , having been once forcibly master'd and over-power'd , what was before a loud cry , will afterwards dwindle into more silent and soft grumblings , till god , either in mercy or judgment , is pleased to rouze and awaken it . and the spirit of god , having suffered violence , and been quite worsted in a long conflict , withdraws himself , and goes off from them : beeing grieved , as st. paul says , eph. . . or lost and taken away , as david complains , psal. . , . by mens committing , or persisting , in any great wickedness . and as he draws off , the busie and watchful adversary comes on , and increases his power over them ; especially , when they give up duty and a good conscience , for worldly gain , which makes god relinquish them , and leave them to the god of this world , which they thus shamefully prefer before him . as it happen'd to judas , luk. . , , . and ananias , act. . . and as he tryed to have compassed in our lord himself , endeavouring by his bait of the kingdoms of this world , and the glory of them , or his preferring wealth and power before his maker , to have got him out of god's protection , mat. . , . and when by this means the regret of a man 's own conscience is almost gone , and the spirit of god is daily departing from him , and an evil spirit coming in its room ; he must needs be in worse condition , and more incapable than he was at first , to maintain his station . besides , in wicked things , the more a man yields and complies , the more he needs to do so . new steps and transgressions , bring with them new necessities , and one ill act is a snare and argument to another . when once they have begun , and are got in , they dare not look back , but are to apt to think they must go on , and do any thing further , that comes under the notion and appearance of being necessary ; sometimes to hide , as in david ; or to indemnifie , or , perhaps , to maintain and justifie , what has been once ill done . having lost the true balast of integrity and innocence , they float now , as the gale of outward necessity , and convenience drives . not to mention , lastly , that many times one great breach , especially repeated ●reaches , too commonly ( god knows , ) tempt men to cast off all thoughts of repentance , and to take desperate counsels . thinking with themselves , that whatever they are put upon next , it can be no worse with them , than it is already . and resolving thenceforward , not to be scrupulous about right and wrong , nor stick at any thing , which comes upon them in the way they are ingaged in ; and that they will not forgoe the purchase and profit of the guilt already contracted , for want of contracting a little more . if any person then is sincerely desirous to secure integrity , and a clear conscience ; by all means let him keep his hands free from the first , of all impious , or unrighteous actions , or undertakings . to keep at a distance , and be no ways intangled , or ingaged therein , is one of his best guards and securities . there is a strange fascination and intanglement in several sins , and they make men so forsaken of god , and subject to the devil to † b● led captive by him at his will , that they , who are once ingaged therein , seldom recover themselves . thus , of accompanying with the adulteress or lewd woman , solomon observes , that none , that go in unto her , return again , prov. . . and of rebellion , samuel says , that 't is like the sin of witchcraft : true in this sense , among others , that 't is a bewitching evil , and commonly keeps those close whom it has once got in , like an inchanted circle , sam. . . and so it may be said of other sins , that they intangle like snares , and detain like charms and enchantments . if once a man is got in at all , a very wicked and unrighteous affair is like a whirle-pool , which will keep those it has once caught within its sphere , and still draw them in more and more . but , if he has already stept aside , and fallen therein : the next care must be , to cherish , and make the most of his relentings , if he has any ; or , to repent of his wickedness without delay , and turn back again . or , if his fall was first occasion'd , and still continued , by an error and mistake in judgment , and he unlawfully ingaged therein , as thinking it without blame , thro' misperswasion ; tho' he is not so happy , as to secure the innocence and integrity of his actions , let him however make out , and shew forth the sincerity of his good intention ; and not go further in an ill thing , than his own principle and misperswasion , which is all he has to offer in excuse , or pretend in justification , can warrant him . 't is a plain sign of hypocrisie , and argues a want of sincere and honest disposition , if , upon new turns of necessities , men shall still start 〈◊〉 pretences . if they let go that , which they gave 〈◊〉 as their ground , and professed to proceed 〈◊〉 before ; and seek out a fitter , when , on 〈◊〉 new tryal and emergence , the former ●●ister proves not broad enough to cover the present sore . this is not to bring mens actions 〈◊〉 their principles , as all must do , that would ●ake any pretence to virtue and justice . but , 〈◊〉 need is , still to study new principles , to justifie their present actions , and serve their present necessities . whereof interest and fleshly convenience , is the real cause ; and principles of honesty and conscience ▪ with such 〈◊〉 , are only the assumed shews , and false colours . chap. ix . of partaking in the sins of others . . a second rule , which i shall note under this branch of spiritual prudence , about means and methods , is , that as it doth not allow ●s to commit any sins our selves , for the gaining of our ends , so neither to partake in the sins of others . there is a partnership and society in sin , and several men may bear their part , and have a share in the same evil action . one , as executing ; another , as ordering and directing , perswading or enticing to it ; a third , by ministring helps and succours ; a fourth , by approving or commending afterwards , by justification and defence thereof . all these , some as principles , some as accessaries , have a hand in the sin , and are accountable for the same , both before god and men. now spiritual wisdom , knowing how offensive it is to god in all its complices , and how fatal both to the actors and partakers , is not for going shares in any wickedness . it is ready to partake in the ill that is suffer'd , which shews charity and compassion ; but never in the ill that is acted by other men. the good they do , it would be glad , by any help or encouragement before , or approbation and espousal after , in some sort to make its own . but as for the evil , in regard both to god , and our selves , it can have no more to do with it , than to declare against it , or to pity and admonish him that doth it . have no fellowship with them , says the apostle , or no † joint share and communication , in the works of darkness , but rather reprove them , eph. . . and as for those things , that call down the wrath of god , be not ye partakers of them , v. , . and like to this , is st. john's warning to the elect lady and her children , against the bringers of damnable doctrines , when they meet them on such errands , not so much as by a salutation or encouraging countenance , to be partaker of his evil deeds , jo. . . and that of st. paul to timothy , to keep himself pure , and not to be partaker of other mens sins , tim. . . come out of her my people , saith god to his church for this ●●●pose , that ye be not partakers of her sins , and re●●●ve not of her plagues , rev. . . ●ut in the rules of worldly wisdom , this is ●●●erwise . for tho' it has no kindness , or 〈◊〉 to the sin ; yet 't is prudence in its ac●●●nt , either in reality , or appearance , to take 〈◊〉 with the times : and so , if any way of ●●●kedness comes back'd , and driven on by au●●●rity , or the heat and fury of the populace , 〈◊〉 men will take their part therein , as ungodly ●emporizers . or , if the wickedness comes 〈◊〉 them , drest up in self-interest , and secular ●●vantage ; tho' they would not take part with 〈◊〉 sin , yet they are for taking part of the 〈◊〉 and so countenance , encourage , or assist the 〈◊〉 , for the sake of that , thinking in the mean 〈◊〉 , whilst they come in thus for the profits , 〈◊〉 ●ay the guilt at other mens doors , and leave 〈◊〉 be answer'd for by the principals and 〈◊〉 themselves . thus , instead of getting out 〈◊〉 the way , and keeping off from any ungodly , 〈◊〉 unrighteous course , as religion we see re●●●res , their study is , to come as near to it , as 〈◊〉 can . and , tho' they cannot swallow it in 〈◊〉 gross , and openly and directly act therein ; 〈◊〉 , to fetch a compass , and give it all the by-fa●●●rs , and secret stroakings that come in their way , by covert participation . 't is not without grief of heart , and true christian compassion , that i have observed , how many of the more hopeful and well disposed minds , have split upon this rock , and , as i think , criminally partook in those things , which themselves have freely condemned ; salving all in the mean while , to their own consciencies , because they kept their hands free from being the direct and principal actors . but if what they did , made them accessaries and partakers , and the partakers are involved in guilt and punishment , with the principals and actors , in any irreligious and unrighteous business , what are they the better for this ? if thereby they burden their own souls , and make them answerable and punishable for the offence ; 't is but cold comfort , if the punishment doth come at all , to distinguish upon what account it comes : whether , for our having done the thing our selves ; or , for making our selves parties with them that did it , when done by others . i think it would be an acceptable service to god , and true charity to all persons at any time concern'd herein , to awaken their consciences in this point , by setting down the chief and most usual ways , of partaking in those sins , whereof others are the main actors . and this i shall endeavour to do for them , that being aware thereof , neither the bait and prospect of worldly advantages , nor temporizing and obsequiousness to any command of princes , or popular heat and vulgar cries for an ill thing , may ever carry them to share in other mens guilt , and partake in what , not only the law of god , but their own consciences do condemn . besides the immediate actors , who perform the execution thereof , these following are all partakers in any impious or unrighteous thing , against either god or men , and share the guilt among them . ● . first , he shares in the guilt , qui jubet , that 〈◊〉 and commands it ; which is the guilt of 〈◊〉 , as of a magistrate , master , or parent . 〈◊〉 commanders of an evil thing , are not only 〈◊〉 , but authors of the wickedness they 〈◊〉 . not only their own motion lies at their 〈◊〉 , as proceeding from the naughtiness of 〈◊〉 own hearts , but also the wickedness of 〈◊〉 . for their subjects , move not of them●●lves ; nay , if they make conscience of what 〈◊〉 do , they must first force both their inclina●●●ns , and their consciences : but only in dread 〈◊〉 their power and command , or meerly in o●●dience . and therefore to them doth the 〈◊〉 of god more eminently , and especially 〈◊〉 such actions . as , the † slaying of the 〈◊〉 , to saul , who commanded others to do 〈◊〉 . and the murther of vriah , to † david ; and 〈◊〉 naboth , to † ahab and jezabel : because , by 〈◊〉 letters , they had required and given order 〈◊〉 them . but this guilt of superiors , is then most ●●●eing and consummate , when shewn , not only in personal mandates ; but in establishing wick●● constitutions , or publickly decreeing , and ●●quiring from all their subjects , any impious , unrighteous , or otherwise unlawful things ; so propagating ungodliness , and breach of all good conscience , among all their subjects , that have not the piety , or spirit , to stand out against their sinful injunctions . wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees , says god , is. . . upon them lies , not only the load of their own personal guilts ; but also the guilt of all their subjects , in such actions : whose criminal compliance and obsequiousness , though it fall upon themselves , yet doth not rest there , but rebound● back from each to their unrighteous rulers , since it was only in regard to them , and in 〈◊〉 of their power and displeasure , that they became guilty . so that in them , who were at the head of the wicked act , and would force all the rest , yea , though against their own mind and conscience , to transgress therein , doth the guilt of each offender concenter and unite . as the guilt of all israel , in following jeroboam's calves , and vnrighteous worship , did 〈◊〉 † him , who , as the scripture says , † made israel to sin thereby , and set up , and by law enforced that impious and idolatrous worship . so that in truth , the greater the numbers are that comply with such decrees , and perform their unconscionable and unlawful injunctions ; the more have such imposers of wickedness , to throw guilt upon their heads , and to heap up vengeance for them , and their posterities . and their only true and real friends , though here they are persecuted as their worst enemies , are they that honestly and religiously stand out , and stick true and firm to the truths or laws of god , against them . for , whilst all others , against the great day of audit , are placing new debts to their score , and inflaming the final reckoning ; these spare them . and , by preserving their own uprightness , hinder more guilt and condemnation from being set to their account , who , without any addition from them , are like , god knows , from 〈◊〉 compliances of others , their seeming friends ●●erein , but real destroyers , to have infinitely ●●re than ever they will be able to bear , or ●●count for . . secondly , he pertakes in the guilt , qui non ●●hibet ; who , when he is in place and station for 〈◊〉 doth not duely shew himself , to stop and pre●●●t it . . sometimes , men have the power in their 〈◊〉 hands , as eli had , both as a magistrate and 〈◊〉 , over his sons , either to cure and re●●ess , or exemplarily to punish their shameful ●●ings . and if they neglect to use this power , 〈◊〉 . restraint or punishment , they partake in their sins , which such impunity has encouraged . thus god † charges eli with his son's wickedness ; and punishes him for it , as well as them . and tells the magistrates , that any ways connive 〈◊〉 him that gives his seed to moloch , and do not 〈◊〉 him ; that he will set his face , not only against that man , but against his family , or the people of his place ; the word family sometimes , ( as jer. . . mich. . . ) signifying the s●me as people , the people of a place antiently ●●ing reckon'd to some one family , as if they h●d all sprung from it , as gen. . , , , , &c. contra auxiliatores , vel obfirmatores ejus , as 't is render'd in the chaldee paraphrase ; i. e. against themselves , who by not punishing , may be said to confirm the ungodly in his impiety , as grotius there notes : and all that go a whoring after , or , as the septuagint , † consent to him , as , by conniving and not punishing , they were interpreted to do , lev. . , . and st. paul blames the pastors at corinth , as coming in for a share of guilt with the incestuous person , because they had not mourned to have him taken away , i. e. proceeded to excommunication , which , in those days , used to be with mourning and lamentation , as at funerals , cor. . , . . such also was the case of gallio the deputy of achaia , who , when he sat to keep the peace , and do justice , suffer'd softhenes to be beaten even before the judgment seat , by a popular outrage , and cared for none of those things , as the text says , acts . . . when rulers can look on , and see ill things done , without exerting the power they are intrusted with , to curb and restrain them ; or , give liberty and connivance , as gallio did , nay , perhaps , encouragement to rabbles , to act their outrage and unjust violence , either for punishing , or curbing those they would willingly see brought down : by not giving check to these wickednesses , they make them their own , and become answerable to god for them . . sometimes , as when 't is lodged in a certain number or body of men ; they are only sharers in power , and to act in concurrence with others , by common consent and opinion . and each one partakes here in any unlawful thing that passes among them , unless he openly interpose and protest against it , or visibly manifest his dissent from it . for what is decreed , or done at such meetings , is all by their authority , and in all their names . and when the debate comes , whether any particular thing shall pass as their act or no , they sit there to speak their minds . and if they gainsay it not , it goes as if it were their mind ; and by such silence it comes to ●ffect , and they give as much authority thereto , as if they had expresly consented . if an unrighteous thing is proposed , and waits for their consent ; if they suffer it to pass on without their denyal , it appears they were either for promoting , or permitting it . they did not prohibit it when they could , and when they were put thereupon . and qui non prohibet , quando po●●st , ac debet , jubet , says the rule : by not prohibiting , they authorised ; their not gainsaying , in moral estimate , is consenting to it . they are 〈◊〉 to do there , what they do visibly . and if then they do not visibly disclaim , and cast out such an unlawful thing ; they visibly approve , or give way to it . † he that is not against us , is on 〈◊〉 part , holds true in this case . that is , when a thing is sought to be carryed by any helps , by this saying , he is got over to its side , who , when he might , will not hinder or oppose it . accordingly , when any such thing passes , the construction is , as having every ones consent , if 〈◊〉 gainsays it . thus it is said , of the company , or college and council of priests , whose share was so great in the jewish judicatories , that they murder'd with one shoulder or consent : because , if any of them had any dislike , or inclinations to justice in any persons case , he kept them to himself , and , for ends , gave way to what injustice the rest decreed , not openly dissenting from it , hos. . . and therefore joseph of arimathea , that good and just counsellor , as the scripture stiles him , when he was against the judgment of the rest of the council , in the cause of christ , shewed them he did not partake therein , by his open dissent from it . he had not consented to the council and deed of them , saith st. luke , but had given his opinion and voice against it : openly owning afterwards the innocence of that just person , and going in to beg the body of pilate , luk. . , , . 't is not then for men in such stations , thro timorousness , or politick considerations , to conceal themselves , when unrighteous , or unconscionable things , are going on . their connivance and permission , who are in place and under obligation of prohibiting , brings guilt upon them : and , by not forbidding and opposing , they partake in the evils which are done . . sometimes again , tho they are in no place of power , to coerce and restrain ; yet they are in place of teachers and monitors , to admonish and give warning . this is the case of ministers , who from this are styled watch-men , ezek. . . and c. . . watching for your souls , as they that must give an account , as st. paul speaks , heb. . . their care , and calling , is to keep out sin , or to reform it : so if others sin , thro' their neglect , or fault , they are more especially accountable for it . they are more particularly guilty of the sins of those committed to them , when their people either fall into any impious , or unrighteous way , or thing , or continue therein : . first , for want of their giving them warning . thou shalt hear the word at my mouth , and warn 〈◊〉 from me , says god to the watchman , ezek. . . and c. . . they must not take the word of their preaching , from any appearance of humane advantages , or serviceableness of any way to secular purposes ; from its being set on by the arm of authority , the heat of people , and cry of the times ; which is not to hear it from god's mouth , but from carnal suggestions . but if it is a breach of the mind or will of god ; however desirable that way may seem on those worldly accounts , as his ministers , they must speak his word , not the world 's , and in his name declare against it . and if any perish at such times , for want of their giving warning , god declares he will exact his blood at their hands . when i lay a stumbling block , or opportunity and temptation to fall from any righteous way , before a righteous man ; if he turn from his righteousness , and commit iniquity , because thou hast not given him warning , his blood will i require at thy hand , ezek. . . or , when a wicked man , that is already plunged in sin and death , continues therein , for that thou blowest not the trumpet , and givest him not warning , nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way , to save his life : his blood will i require at thine hand , v. . and c. . . . the ministers work is to save souls alive , by the ministry of the word . and if any souls dye , for want of the word ; their death is owing to a want in his ministration : and he is guilty of the blood of souls , by not speaking the word , or being silent . his giving warning , is necessary , as god says in ezekiel , as to save his peoples , so to deliver his own soul , c. . . and c. . . and st. paul says , they must keep back nothing that is profitable for them , acts . . but declare to them the whole counsel of god , that they may be pure from the blood of all men , v. , . but of all other times , it is not for them to hold their tongues , when danger and temptation comes . then their flocks need most of all to have , and take warning ; and therefore then are they more especially bound to give it . when those ways of death are recommended to them , the word is most necessary to keep them alive ; and therefore then especially the ministers thereof are to administer it . when the watchmen seeth the sword a coming , then is he at his peril , saith god , to blow the trumpet , and warn the people of it , ezek. . . when he seeth the wolf coming , i. e. any terror or wolfish cruelty , to force on an ill thing ; then is his time to call out to the sheep , and by the greater fears of religion , to guard them the best he can against it , as we learn from our lord , jo. . , . . secondly , through their misleading them , if they do not only fail to warn them from an ill way , but go before them therein . the shepherd is to lead out his sheep , and go before them ; and they are to follow him , as our lord says , joh. . . and their going wrong must therefore be more especially chargeable on him that leads them wrong ; the st●aying of the flocks , imputed to the straying of the guides . especially , when they lead them wrong , in the ministries of their function and in the very house of god send up from themselves , and their congregations , such an offering , as , instead of ho●ouring god , shall prophane him . this god mightily resented among the jews . both prophet and priest are prophane , yea , in my house have i found their wickedness , saith the lord. therefore th●s saith the lord , concerning the prophets , behold , i will feed them with wormwood , and make them drink the water of gall : for from the prophets of jerusalem is prophaneness gone forth into all the land , jer. . . . these ways , if their people follow , and are led by them , turn even their piety into prophaneness . or , if they see through them , and discern the pollution , it makes the lord's people to transgress , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the septuagint render it , i. e. it makes them refrain or forbear god's service ; yea , to abhor the offering of the lord , which god took so heinously at ely's sons , and sets down as a special aggravation of their wickedness , sam. . . . and thus it is , when the ministers of god shall go before the people , in an idolatrous or superstitious worship . or in prostituting and prophaning of prayers and praises , to immoral uses , ( immorality and injustice being as certainly abominable to god in worship , as superstition is ; ) applying all the solemnities of prayer and thanksgiving , to the countenancing and carrying on of wicked and unrighteous things . as the jews , who , whilst they were going on in the greatest immoralities , as theft , murder , perjury , &c. would in the midst thereof recommend themselves and their ways to god , in his own house , ( so prophaning the most sacred services of religion , to credit and set off their wickedness , ) and say , we are deliver'd to do , or , as the syriack , deliver us , o lord , whilst we are doing all these abominations . by which prophane usage , his house , as he says , was become a den of robbers , or a place to protect , to shew forth , and carry on injustice , in their eyes , jer. . , , . or , when they go before them , in horribly perverting the solemnities of repentance , their fastings and humiliations , not to cure , but to carry on their unrighteousness . as the lord complained of the jews , who fasted for unjust strife and debate , and to smite , not in a righteous cause , but with the fist of wickedness : not with intent to let the oppressed go free , and to break every yoak , ( or depraved judgment and sentence , as the chaldee ; ) nor to loose the bands of wickedness , i. e. tied on by the congregation of wicked judges , in fraud of the innocent , as from the chaldee grotius notes ; but to bind those bands still faster on , isa. . . . or , lastly , when they shall lead them on in gross hypocrisie and dissimulation , uttering those desires or affections to god in words , which they neither have themselv●s , nor would have others to have , in their hearts : which may come under the sending forth hypocrisie through the land , or gross dissimulation and plain mockery of god , that , according to the rendring of the margin , is so severely threatned , jer. . . when the ministers of god , who , in prayers and devotions , are the mouths of the people , shall by these , or any other ways , put ill things into their mouths , and lead them on , not in a pure , but in a polluted and prophane service ; or otherwise , in any wicked , or unrighteous thing : t●ey are accountable for their followers , as well as for themselves ; and must expect to share in their peoples unrighteousness or impiety , as well as to bear the burthen of their own . . thirdly , through false doctrine , when they teach them to † take darkness for light , preach peace where they should denounce judgements : and so , either at first seduce , or afterwards s●rengthen and confirm them in any ungodly , or unrighteous thing . this is like to be the consequence of the former . for , if once the guides go before the people in an unlawful thing , their practice will be headed by a doctrine , to call in others , and to justifie and bear out both what their people and themselves have done . and thus to teach men to sin , is to be guilty of their sins with a witness . he that shall break the least of these commandments , and shall teach men so ; shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven , mat. . . and thus it is , when the ministers of christ instruct and hearten on their followers , to do any thing contrary to right and justice , to christian simplicity , truth , and faithfulness , to their promises or oaths , to the duties they owe god , or god's vicegerents , or to any commandment , respecting either god , our neighbour , or our selves . this teaching others to go against the obligation of any of god's laws , is commonly by distinguishing away a duty , so to shorten and abridge it , that it shall not reach us . or to blanch and varnish over our own actions with palliations , or fair pleas and pretences of excuse ; that they may not be thought to oppose , or infringe it . this pains , in making such fig. leave covers for moral nakedness , and starting plausible palliations for foul practices , god taxes as daubing in the false prophets . one , that is the people , built a wall , says he , viz. of ill manners : and loe ! others , i. e. the false prophets whom he there accuses , daubed it with untempered mortar , i. e. palliated or blanch'd it over with fair colours and pretences , that thro these , as grotius notes , men might not see the filthiness of their vices , ezek. . . such was their pretence , who bore the jews in hand , that the securing of religion , or of gods temple and service , would defend and warrant them in any acts of immorality and unrighteousness . the temple of the lord , the temple of the lord , was what they had to oppose , as a sufficient defensative , against all denunciations of judgments , for perversion of justice ; and which therefore god tells them were lying words , and would fail those that relyed on them , jer. . . . and when there was nothing but bribery and corruption , the heads judging for reward , and the priests teaching for hire , and the prophets divining for money : yet would they say , none evil can come upon us , and that leaning on the lord , because the lord is amongst us , mich. . . and this grotius conceives was the salvo of those false prophets of jerusalem , who so strengthened the hands of evil-doers , that none returned from his wickedness ; viz. as he explains it , by flattering them in their vices , and promising things prosperous , because of the temple , and the house of david , jer. . . these salvos and palliations , they wo●ld still start anew , as , in the way they were i●gaged in , any came to need them , and fit them to every ones case . which god , in ezekiel , calls making kerchifs , or vales , for every stature , i. e. as he comments , fair pretences to cover the sins both of great and small , ezek. . . and these base flatteries , to please and bolster up sinners , st. paul absolutely disclaims thro' the whole course of his ministry . neither at any time used we flattering words , courting favour by speaking pleasing things , or suiting our preaching and doctrines to the humours or necessities of men , like the temporizing gnosticks , thess. . . these palliations and pretences they would still change , as put to it by new necessities . or , go off from one , when it was sore pressed , or seem'd more weak , to another that could promise to help them better out , and was thought able to bear up that wicked or unrighteous act which they sought to defend by it . and accordingly , of the false prophets , the spirit of god observes , that they caused his people to err , as by their lyes , so by their lightness . still shifting principles and pretences , as serving turns and necessities did inforce ; thinking and saying , now this thing , and anon that , very unconstantly , as vatablus explains it , jer. . . and by such salvos and deceitful pretences , shifted as oft as their necessities or new tryals would require it , they bolstred up sinners in their sins , and made their consciences be at ease in the way of their unrighteousness . this god stiles , sewing pillows under the elbows , it being a way to make take their sins soft and easie , whereupon to settle and rest themselves ; and for which he denounces woe against the false prophetesses , ezek. . . or , at other times , speaking peace to them , to whom no peace , but terror and indignation doth belong . as the false prophets did , against whom god declares , that his hand should be upon them ; and that they should not be in the assembly of his people , or place of teaching any more ; nor their names stand in the roll of israel ; nor they ever return into their country again , as others should at the end of the captivity : because , even because , they have seduced my people , † saying peace , and there was no peace , ezek. . , . now , when the ministers of christ , and guides of souls , shall not only by neglect of warning , contribute to the peoples sin ; but shall come , moreover , themselves at any time to lead them on by example and doctrine , and speak peace to them therein ; it makes a deplorable state , and must needs make a sad reckoning . for , . this must needs draw the people by troops into unrighteous ways ; and prevent their return from them . especially , if it happen that they have a great appearance of present ease and interest in this world , to draw them on : as well as the authority and doctrine of their guides , to justifie them therein . so that by this means they will be answerable for the sinning , and sinful persisting of their people and followers ; which will lye not only at the peoples , but also at their teachers doors . thus god charges those prophets , who , by starting salvos for unri●hteous actions , or † dawbing for sinners , or † ●●wing pillows , had made them hope for life in those ways ; that they had strengthned the hands of the wicked , that he should not return from his wicked way , ezek. . . and this again he lays to the charge of the prophets of jerusalem , that by their lyes and adulteries , or adulterations and ●alsifications of their duty in these points , by ●●ch salvos , they had strengthned the hands of evil-doers , that none doth return from his wickedness . which he cries out of as an horrible thing , and for which he says , they are all of them as abominable to him as sodom , jer. . . whereas , had they in the day of tryal stood firm , and had caused his people to hear his words ; then they 〈◊〉 have turned them from their evil way , and from the evil of their doings , v. . ● . and by drawing them into sin , and detaining them therein , it throws them into death and destruction , which lays their blood , as the scripture says , at the watchmens doors . for whether it be with , or without warning , that the people come into the ways of death ; 't is death still , which is at the end thereof . the same wicked man shall dye in his iniquity , though thou givest no warning , saith god , ezek. . . he shall dye in his sin , v. . and c. . . though the false prophets deceived them , as jeremiah † suggested to god in their excuse ; yet shall the people fall into ruine , and i will pour their wickedness upon them , jer. . . when the blind are led by the blind , saith our saviour , or a blind people by blind guides , both shall fall into the ditch , mat. . . the people at such times are generally misled by false guides , because they wish for such , and will hear no others . the providence of god leaves the● not utterly destitute of faithful monitors , but they turn a deaf ear to them . they are bent upon wicked and unrighteous ways , and love to be flatter'd and bolster'd up therein : yea , too oft , god knows , are ready to bite and devour any that shall freely and faithfully reprehend them . and this makes their guides to lean to flattering doctrines ; to do , and say , what will please , not what should profit . so that here is a circle in sin : they first lead , or drive their guides , and then are led by them . and if they will be thus misled into destructive courses , it is at their own peril . they are misled into death , as well as into dangers : their being misled will burthen and condemn their leaders ; but will not clear and excuse themselves . . it casts , as the people , so the guides and ministers themselves , into daily and new trains of sin . the way of virtue and uprightness is uniform , and always the same : but there is nothing , but variety without end , in folly and wandering . when once men give way to make false steps ; after they have made one , they will soon be call'd upon to make another , and never know when to give over . it is in ill ways , as it is in ill reasonings , there is a nearness and connexion among them : and once grant one wicked method , which is a moral absurdity , and , according to the rule , dato uno absurdo infinita sequentur , infinite more will follow it . thus god tells the false prophets , who strengthned the 〈◊〉 of the evil doers , by their unrighteous shifts 〈◊〉 salvos , that , having got thus upon an ill ●●●tom , and in unrighteous ways , their way should 〈◊〉 unto them as slippery ways , wherein they would 〈◊〉 be able to hold their feet ; and that also in 〈◊〉 darkness , where they would not have light e●ough to see where they might make the ●●●est step ; and after all , that in this way they 〈◊〉 be driven on . and numerous must their ●●lls be , who are posted on from thing to thing , 〈◊〉 all in a way where they have no light , and most unsure footing , jer. . . . it also intraps , and punishes them in these sins . by taking these false ways , they do not usually escape , but meet their fears ; and , 〈◊〉 of getting from , run into troubles and calamities . their false ways , and flattering hopes , and talk of deliverance from threatned evils , god turns into real overthrow by them . thus , of those prophets , that would promise deliverance by their own false ways , and fancied grounds , 〈◊〉 a people that did not put away , but hold fast their unrighteousness , and perversions of justice , and say the sword and famine shall not be in this land ; by sword , and famine , shall those prophets be consumed , saith god , jer. . . and to those false prophets , whose study lay in excusing and blanching over sins , by unsound pretences and palliations , or daubing the wall with untemper'd mortar , as 't is call'd in ezekiel , god declares , that the wall shall fall , and that they shall be consumed in the midst thereof , ezek. . . their ways are slippery , and dark ways , as we heard from the prophet jeremy , and when driven on , they shall fall therein , and have evil brought upon them , jer. . . . it will bring them to shame , at the discovery of the rottenness , and unsoundness of their principles . their daubing is liken'd to untemper'd mortar , which , for want of straw , or good tempering , cannot stick long together . it will first or last be broke to pieces by god , who sets himself against it , to disgrace and overthrow it . though it strengthen it self never so much , in names and numbers ; and though men should still fall off , and the way of righteousness be forsaken of all its friends , and greatest visible supporters : yet will god never desert that way , though man doth ; and when some forsake it , he will not want an instrument , but raise up others to defend it . no combinations of men shall ever make falshood to be truth , or wrong to be right . nor , as he told the jewish daubers , will he allow them long to appear so , before he wash off the paint , and break down the wall , and discover the foundation of it . say unto them that daub it with untemper'd mortar , saith he , that it shall fall : there shall be an overflowing shower , to wash it away , and hail stones shall beat it down , and a stormy wind shall rent it , ezek. . . i will rent it with a stormy wind , in my fury , saith he again , v. . i will break down the wall that ye have daubed , v. . i will accomplish my fúry upon the wall , and upon them that daubed it with untemper'd mortar . to wit , the prophets of israel , who thus plaster'd over a wall of wicked ways , with a daubing of untemper'd , or unsound salvos and pretences , v. , . repeating it thus often , as † calvin notes , because the people were so strangely bewitched 〈◊〉 these fair covers and palliations . these principles , as he continues to add , shall be lost and buried : i will say unto you , the wall is no more , 〈◊〉 they that daubed it , v. . they shall be ●●id so bare , so openly detected , and universally condemned , as to turn into a reproach and by-word . when the wall is fallen , shall it 〈◊〉 be said unto you , where is the daubing wherewith 〈◊〉 have daubed it ? v. . . lastly , to compleat the sad consequences of such falls , in the guides of souls , as they are thus full of guilt , so are they , on the other side , of all others the most empty of hopes , and appearances of cure . the ministers of christ are the reformers of manners ; like the 〈◊〉 , as our * lord compares them , saying , ye are the salt of the earth , which is to season all other things , and keep out putrefaction and rottenness . if the people sin then , the guides are set to season and amend them . but when the guides themselves are fallen , to lead others on , and teach them unrighteous ways ; what so likely means is there left , for their new seasoning , and reformation ? if the salt have lost its savour , wherewith shall it be salted ? it is thenceforth good for nothing , there being no use for insipid salt , but is to be cast out , and trodden under foot of men , was the saying of our lord , mat. . . have salt in your selves , therefore , is well added in st. mark , since , when the savour is once lost , it is so hard to restore it , mar. . . by these things it may appear , how the guides of souls , who are in place of warning and instructing , and magistrates , or men in power , who are in authority of punishing or restraining , may partake of other mens sins , by not prohibiting . . thirdly , he partakes in the guilt , qui ministrat , that acts in subordination under an higher power , or ministers in an unlawful business . the roman law was more favourable to persons under command , imputing the action , not to the inferior , who was but as the instrument , but to the superior , who required , and was the author of it . to that purpose are these rules of law. velle non creditur , qui obsequitur imperio patris , vel domini . * reg. juris . ex vlpiano . is damnum dat , qui jubet dare ; ejus vero nulla culpa est , cui parere necesse sit . † reg. jur. . è paulo . particularly as to servants , they were so much under their masters power and command , as not to be accounted a separate head in law , nor was an action to be commenced either by them , or against them . cum servo nulla actio est . * reg. jur. . è gaio . ad ca , quae non habent atrocitatem facinoris , vel sceleris , ignoscitur servis , si vel dominis , vel his qui vice dominorum sunt , ( veluti tutoribus , ) obtemperaverint . † reg. . ex vlpiano . but as to the account of conscience and religion , christ tells his followers , that they must be no mans servant in a forbidden thing . for he that is call'd , being another man's servant , is call'd to be the lord 's free man , and must be at liberty to serve him . being bought with a price , they must not be the servants of men , cor. . , . among those that are baptised into christ , there is no difference of bond or free , but the same rule of living , and way to heaven for both , gal. . , . col. . , . so that the pretence of being under authority , and acting in subordination , must never carry any christian against any of his lord's precepts . if it is an unlawful thing , as a christian , or as christ's servant , he cannot minister therein . and if , notwithstanding the voice of his heavenly lord to the contrary , in regard to an earthly lord , he will yield to minister and act in it : he dips his hands in the guilt thereof , and is answerable for it . wo to them , saith god , not only that decree unrighteous decrees , as judges and rulers ; but also to them , that write grievousness , or , as the margin , to the writers that write grievousness , i. e. the scribes , that write down and promulge what in justice the other have prescribed , isa. . . thus the captains of fifties and their companies , who would go upon the impious errand , of apprehending the lords prophet , were guilty , and punished accordingly , as well as he that sent them , king. . , , , . and one thing among others of higher nature , whereby the scripture expresses judas's partaking with the jews in that wickedness , is his being guide to them that took jesus , act. . . accordingly , the apostolical † canons punish christians , for performing ministerial services , as carrying oyl , and lighting the lamps in the gentile temples , or jewish synagogues . and on the invasion of the goths , and other barbarians , who fill'd those parts of the empire with spoils and murders , the canons of st. gregory thaumaturgus , ( confirmed by the . gen. council in trullo , can. . ) censure those christians , who , tho under their power as their captives taken by them before , would yield to come along with the barbarians in these incursions , to † shew them the ways , or houses , which the others were ignorant of . . fourthly , he is a sharer in the guilt , qui adjuvat , who not only ministers under another , as an inferior , whereof before ; but , as an equal or complice , helps it forward . he that will freely furnish out necessaries , or do his part to bring it about , or any way help another to sin , therein sins with him . thus it is , when they will put their forces , or furniture , to his , as to a common stock , by a joynt supply to accomplish and bring it about . cast in thy lo● with us , let us all have one purse : was the voice of those that invited others to come in for a share in their wickedness , prov. . . when they are to be partakers in , and have a dividend of the profit . the receiver , as we use to say , is as bad as the thief . and when thou sawest a thief , thou consentedst with him ; or , by accepting a proffer'd share of his gettings , camest in to be a consenter , or complice in his wickedness , ps. . . when they are partners with them , in their counsels , cares , and studies , to bring their wickedness to effect . thus in the psalmist it follows , and hast been partaker with the adulterers , one intrusted with their counsels , and laying thy head together with theirs , for the accomplishment of their lusts. this is being of their club , and coming in to the confederacy and counsel of the wicked : which is the way , not only to partake in the ill they do ; but to lose all remains of virtue and goodness , and come to be as bad as they . if designers of ill , shall form themselves in bodies , and meet to consult , and carry on their ungodly , and unrighteous ways ; it is high time , for all that would keep innocent , to stand off , and look to themselves . the warning of jacob , is the best advice that can be given in this case . o! my soul , come not thou into their secret , and unto their assembly , mine honour be not thou united , gen. . . such complices may have their several posts in acting ; but , being all privy to the thing , and acting in their respective stations to help it on , they are all as one man in the sin. paul was a principal in the death of stephen , tho his part was not to throw a stone , but to keep the rayment of those that slew him , act. . . being all ingaged in the same cause , tho some may have a different task therein ; as his part is , that goeth down to the battel , so shall his part be that tarryeth by the stuff , saith david , they shall part alike , sam. . . and agreeable to this , is the . canon of st. basil ad amphilochium , decreeing equal punishment , to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , those that are conscious or complices ; as to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the actors and effectors of any wickedness . when they perswade to it : for to perswade an ill thing , is to bear a part in it . as eve did adam , to eat of the forbidden fruit ; who was taxed , not only for her own , but for his sin , and for being first in the transgression , gen. . , . and tim. . . . and as jezabel was , for the wickedness of ahab , because she stirred him up to it , king. . . and if , by importunities , they urge and weary those to do a wicked or unjust thing , who are timorous , or backward and unwilling to do it of themselves : they shew more malice , and come in to partake higher , and be deeper in guilt , than the very actors . so our saviour speaks , in the case between the jews , and pilate : they urging and importuning him to crucifie our lord , against his own desire and judgment . he that delivered me unto thee , saith he , hath the greater sin , jo. . . and so 't is in the unjust clamours of the populace , ( whether greater or lesser vulgar ) when , at any time , they seek to terrifie and overawe magistrates and judges , and , under the name of demanding justice , call for the greatest iniquity , and unjust violence : which brings all the innocent blood , that is thereby shed , upon their own heads . when they furnish out provisions for it : as still to set on strong drink before those , who , as they plainly see , design to be intemperate ; or , lend a sword to one whom they perceive intending to commit murder therewith ; or , bring a man a burning coal wherewith to fire the temple ; or willingly to furnish out , and equip a person any other ways , for a wicked and unrighteous business . this administring of furniture and provision , for an unlawful act , is to partake in it . for those are a necessary help , without which the actor , as wanting matter to sin withal , would not be able to fulfil his lust ; and so will readily own himself beholding to them for it . † make no provision for the flesh , to fulfil the lusts thereof , is a rule to keep clear of sin , either in our selves , or others . the law requiring us to love our neighbour , as we do our selves ; and no more to set on sin , or help out an unlawful deed , in their case , than in our own . when they express good wishes , and pray for success to it . for , since events depend most on providence , prayers to god are among the highest assistances : and a man cannot shew a more real concern and espousal of any act , than by endeavouring the best he can to engage god for it . he that bids him god speed , is partaker of his evil deeds , says st. john , jo. . when they go out lovingly to meet and welcome them , or friendly harbour and receive those in their houses , who are going upon ungodly , or unrighteous errands . this shews their heart goes along , and that they are ready to further , as it falls in their way , and take part with them . thus , jehonadab's heart being right with jehu's , is set off by his coming to meet him , king. . . and , receive not the bringer of false doctrine into your houses , saith st. john , when he cautions against partaking in his evil deeds , jo. . . and thus , on the canon of st. basil , equallizing the complices or conscious , to the actors of a wicked business , † balsamon notes , that he , who hides and harbours a thief , is a thief in the account of the civil law. and those , who were studious to conceal and shelter the man who had offer'd his seed to moloch , or to hide their eyes from discovering him , the law taxes as going a whoring after him , or , as the septuagint , † consenting and thinking the same with him , lev. . , . . fifthly , he partakes in the guilt , qui approbat , that is pleased with an ill thing , or applauds and defends it , or him that doth it . for this shews such a mans heart is a party , tho his hand was not : and that he wants only opportunity , and temptation to do the like . and by approving afterwards , he confirms him that did the deed ; and encourages him to persist therein , or to go on . nay , such come in oftentimes , not only as partakers ; but , by way of aggravation , as being worse than the principals and actors : these ingaging themselves therein without the others temptations , which may plead some infirmity ; and that argues them to have more malice , and to be more fully bent on the wickedness . so , in the rank of sinners , these are set higher by st. paul : not only do the same , but have pleasure in those that do them , ro. . . such are he that inwardly delights , and takes complacence in a wicked , or unrighteous act : which is to take part thereof , in will and affection . and this is one thing , whereby the scripture expresses saul's partaking in st. stephen's murder . and saul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , approving and well pleased with it , or consenting to his death , act. . . it is what the apostle so severely censures in the romans , that what ill they did not act themselves , they were glad of , and had complacence in , when they saw , or heard it done by others . not only do the same , but take pleasure in those that do them , ro. . . quid refert , says † cicero , ●rum voluerim fieri , an gaudeam factum ? 't is the same thing , whether a man wills before to have a thing done , or rejoyces in it when it is done . the will in both is the same : and if he did not will it before the fact , that was only , as not being informed thereof , or asked the question . he that praises it . † he is as guilty that applauds , as he that perswades to it , says cicero . nay he comes in deeper than a meer actor , and turns factor for it . for to praise , is both to justifie , and take part with him that did it ; and to recommend , and take part before hand with any other that shall do it . it sets off the wickedness , not only as an innocent , but as a worthy and honourable thing : so to make the offender , instead of turning penitent , to grow proud thereof ; and to draw in others , ( men beng naturally covetous of honour , ) to do the same . and he , that looking on one side , will praise the evil , looking on the other , will be as ready to vilifie , and expose the contrary good. so that such commenders , and extollers of unlawful acts , in the degrees of guilt , may bid fair for the top of david's scale , viz. to sit down in the seat of the scornful , ps. . . and thus a commender partakes , not only when he signalizes himself , and is particular in praises , but if he strikes in with the common cry , and bears a part in the popular voice , when it is unjustly loud , to cry up ill , or to cry down any virtuous and good things . had we been in the days of our fathers , say the scribes and pharisees , we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets , viz. by joyning in the general cry and clamours for their blood , or applauses of those that shed it , mat. . . and st. paul gives it as one instance of his partaking in the death of the saints , that , when they were put to death , he concurred in the popular acclamations , and bore his part in the common cry , or gave his voice against them , act. . . thus easily and unwarily may rash , or timorous and complying persons , in hot and violent times , plunge themselves in guilt , by applauding as the number doth , and speaking well , as others about them do , of any impious or unjust ways or acts , which those times shall happen to be fond of . next to him that thus praises and extols , i add him that justifies and defends it . such men will maintain it , if not as meriting praises , yet , however , as innocent and blameless . to become thus a pleader and advocate for any wicked or unjust act , is highly to take the part thereof . it has many partakers , on account of good will and inferiour assistance , among those that cannot pretend to be the patrons and defenders of it . he that will undertake to defend , is no whit inferior to him that commits a fault ; nay , in great respects beyond him . in as much , as he that commits it may be carried on against his mind , by temptation , and infirmity of passion : but he that defends it , is for it in mind and judgment . next to this , he partakes , who , though he doth not come openly and fully to defend , yet ●isibly countenances and approves it ; so far as he joyns his will and carriage , his opinion and suffrage to the offenders , so far he partakes in the offence . every expression of approbation , in proportion to its degree , puts him into the evil-doer's cause , and makes it his own . now , such countenance and approbation it is , when they are kind and friendly , as i noted , in saluting , entertaining , or going out to meet him , as he goes about the evil thing . do not salute , or bid him god speed , nor receive him into your houses , that ye partake not with the bringer of false doctrine , was the rule given by st. john. when they look on in the act , without any shew of horror or dislike , and as men pleased and delighted with it . this is to shew favour to an ill thing , which is to partake with it . accordingly , st. paul gives this as one instance of his being a party to the death of st. stephen , that he was standing by , or looking on with liking , as one consenting to them , act. . . and therefore he directs us , when we are present thereat , to manifest dislike , or reprove them in a work of darkness , that we may have no fellowship with it , eph. . . and thus the fathers taught the christians , about communicating with the sins of the heathen shows or spectacles . we think it no great difference , says * athenagoras , whether a man be a pleased spectator , or an author of the murther . whilst willingly , and with approbation they behold them , they act over all the things that are done , by seeing , and assenting to them , says st. † salvian . when they would put on the outward dress , and appear like him that doth it . this is in appearance to partake with the sin , though in heart they are against it . and accordingly , to the world they appear as actors therein , and are reputed as parties to it . they go halting indeed , and it may be are not what they seem . but though they do not admit the whole , they take part therein : the outward shew and form , though not the inward sentiment and approbation . this it to do what elihu justly reprehended , but unjustly fasten'd upon job , to go in company with the workers of iniquity , and walk with wicked men : or to borrow their shape , and say and do , shew and seem , as if a man were one of them , job . . thus did the judaizing gnosticks , who , to avoid persecution , said they were jews , and seemed zealous for moses ; but inwardly were not , nor kept the law , ( as st. * paul also notes , ) rev. . . thus also , as i formerly observed , were the libellatici of the primitive church ; who , though in truth they had done no such thing , yet sought to be numbred , and pass among those that had done sacrifice to idols . but besides , the insincerity hereof , which i have shew'd above , this is plainly to take part with those ungodly ways , giving them the visible part and appearance , whilst the invisible is reserved to god. it is halting between two opinions , as if god , who in point of worship declares himself a jealous god , would in that worship admit error and wickedness to go halves with him , and be his partners , carrying away the outward , whilst he doth the inward service . lastly , he shares in the guilt , who , though he d●th not inwardly approve , nor praise it to oth●rs , yet deceitfully complements the actor of an i●pious or unrighteous thing , and flatteringly ●●●lauds it to himself . this carries with it the guilt of praising an evil thing , which it doth to the guilty person , and aggravates it with falshood and dissimulation , speaking therein contrary to their own opinion . it flatters the offender in his evil way , which is to harden him in his sin , and bar all thoughts of repentance or restitution , and make him not only ready , but ambitious to repeat the same again upon the next temptation . and this is to partake in one sin , and to prepare him for more , laying before him new snares , both of sin and danger . a man that flatters his neighbour , spreads a net for his feet , saith solomon , prov. . . a flattering mouth , says he again , worketh ruine , prov. . . so that such a caressing and extolling fatterer comes in , and partakes , as a cause , both of his sin and fall. . to all these ways of partaking in the sins of others , may be added , lastly , the contributing thereto , by the scandal of our falls , or ill ex●●ples . all ill examples are but too powerful in promoting ill things . good examples are not so successful in kindling virtue , as bad ones are in propagating vice. the main reason is , because wickedness is more agreeable to corrupt nature and inclination ; and virtue and holiness are cross to it . an ill example leads them to follow nature , but a good one to over-rule and subdue it . so they readily follow one , because it calls them only to please themselves , and are more hardly wrought on by the other , as calling them to self-denials . which is the true cause , why the devil and his servants have so many more followers in this world , than god and his saints : he and his instruments inviting them still to ways that pursue their fleshly lusts and passions , but the other to curb and restrain them . now the state of mankind being thus , and corrupt nature like tinder , most ill examples , that are all as so many sparks of fire , will be apt to catch one or other . but then they are most unhappily influential , when ill things are committed by parents and magistrates , or by men in power and authority over others . for then , besides their conduciveness to ends and inclinations on other accounts , they are taken up , as the way to have an air of greatness , or to gain favour , and recommend themselves ; or to be like those whom nature has made dear , or honour great and glorious in our eyes . or , when they are acted by persons of note and eminence , for wisdom and goodness . for then they come , as having lost their illness , on a presumption no ill could come from such actors . nay , if they are pillars of truth and piety , in deference to their judgments , numbers of good minds are apt to distrust their own , and call in question even the plain voice of conscience , and the clear sense of good and evil , right , and wrong . so that such mens falls , never go alone , but strengthen the wicked in their evil way , and shock the strong in the way of truth , and turn the weak out thereof : yea , they put a reproach into ●he mouths of its adversaries , and make the way of truth and righteousness to be evil spoken of . all which , to their own , adds the sins or falls of many others . and this must accumulate guilt , and inflame reckonings . he that by his sin , draws others , not only to sin after him , but to blaspheme , must needs precipitate others as well as himself into destruction ; and so will be guilty , and answerable for as many as he has drawn into guilt with him , says salvian . thus , by all these fore-mentioned ways , to omit others , may men make themselves guilty of others sins . though they are not actors in an impious or unrighteous thing , yet if they enjoyn it ; or , being in power , do not use their power to prevent and punish it ; or , in things that go by consent , if they do not expresly refuse their consent when 't is asked ; or , if ministers , if they neglect to warn against it , or mislead their people , and go before them therein , or invent salvo's , and unsound palliations , to defend and ●olster them up in the same . if , when in service or subordinate office , they minister in an unlawful business , or help it forward , as complices in studies or counsels , as persuading to it , or furnishing out provisions for it , or praying for the success thereof . if they approve of it when 't is acted , being inwardly delighted therewith , or appearing to praise it , or defend it , or visibly to countenance the actors going about it , or stand by , and look on with delight whilst 't is a doing . or if , when really they dislike the fact , they yet appear to the world like one that doth it , or deceitfully complement and flatte● the wicked actors thereof . or , lastly , if by the scandal of their ill examples , they draw others into guilt , as well as themselves . by all these ways may men , that act not the guilty and unrighteous things themselves , draw other mens guilt upon their own heads . and 't is the part of spiritual prudence , when they keep out from the execution of any wickedness , in the direct act : to take care , moreover , that it do not reach them in the rebound , and that they do not , by any of the foresaid ways , partake in their crime , who are engaged therein . chap. x. of reliance on providence , and of the benefit religion makes by outward sufferings . from what i have before said , of the folly , as well as wickedness of the first rule of worldly prudence about means and method , viz. doing evil that good may come . i shall proceed now briefly , to note further on that point . dly . a third rule of spiritual wisdom in pursuit of its ends , and that is faith in providence , or , in compassing any effects , to look more to providence , than to humane appearances . the great virtue and excellence of religion , as well 〈◊〉 the most general and constant exercise and ●●ployment of the life of man , is faith in god. this faith , is a faith in providence , so 〈◊〉 as concerns us in all the things of this life . our faith also respects futurities , and what god 〈◊〉 promised beyond this world , in another life . but all that god doth accomplish , and 〈◊〉 government thereof in this world , is the administration of providence . and all our regard to god in earthly affairs , seeing his ●●nd in them , and expecting from him their desired issues , is the faith in providence . this is that which spiritualizes this world , and turns all things that affect us here , into religion . and this therefore is the life of all truly good and religious men. through the whole course of this world , they walk in faith : and this faith is in gods providence , which they ever look up to , and rely or build most on , in all things . contrary to the way of the world , who , as though they walked without god in it , look not in every thing to the living creatures , i. e. angels represented in that vision , with the face of living creatures , standing by the wheels , or course of worldly things , to govern their motions , as ezekiel says , c. . , . , , . and c. . . , . or to the over-ruling influence of invisible providence , managed by the ministry of angels , which has the leading hand , and gives the last and ruling stroak to all that happens . but only to what is visible before their eyes , or to humane preparations and appearances . and expecting more from providence , than from worldly appearances , they never seek to compass any ends , as i have shew'd , by unlawful ways , which will lose them more in the help of providence , than it will get in that of humane preparations . nor despair of his protection , or promised success , in gods own ways . nay their trust in providence here , they account as one of the best means , being that which will most ingage providence . the lord will help them , and save them from the wicked , that are always plotting to destroy them , because they put their trust in him , saith the psalmist , ps. . . they trust it to the last , when there is nothing visible to back it , nor any thing else to trust to . when , on the burning of ziklag , the people with david spake of stoning him , and he was greatly distressed , then did david encourage himself in the lord his god , sam. . . . our bones are scattered at the graves mouth , as chips are when one cutteth or cleaveth wood upon the earth , says he on another occasion , but mine eyes are unto thee , o lord , in thee is my trust , to keep me from the snares laid for me , ps. . , , . when my soul fainted within me , at what time he was in the whale's belly , i remembred the lord , saith jonah , jon. . . we were pressed above measure , and had the sentence of death in our selves , says the apostle , that we should not trust in our selves , but in god who raiseth the dead ▪ who delivered us , and doth deliver , cor. . , , . this proves the sincerity of our trust in god , when we have no reserves of humane grounds . it shews the commendableness , and degrees thereof , when we dare throw our selves wholly on god's care and kindness . and this is that , whereby good men signalise themselves . they are abrahams children , by being followers of abrahams faith , gal. . . ●t is their best armor and defence , which they ●●ver put off , even in the hottest persecutions . 〈◊〉 here , saith st. john , after the seemingly most helpless states , and hardest tryals , is the patience and faith of the saints , rev. . . and we are to be followers of them ; who , thro faith , and patience , inherit the promises , heb. . . but contrary to this , is the way of worldly wisdom . when it has little , or no humane prep●●ations , or worldly appearances , it is , as if it had nothing to depend upon ; and gives any things up , even those which god has promised , and for which he is most concern'd , as desperate . what would have become , say worldly men , of us , or of our holy religion , if this and that unlawful course had not been taken ? what would have become of them ? had they kept to their duty , when they went beyond it , that would have become of religion , or of any good thing , which god pleases . and after all their breach of duty to preserve them ▪ that must still become of them , which god pleases . so this , in case of unlawful expedients , can only be the saying of those , who have no eye at providence in these matters : or that do not rely on god , or put their trust in him , but in visible preparations and appearances . when they enquire , what would become ? and ask about events , i would ask them again , whether events are our business , or gods ? and if they are under his care , it is only to distrust god , and to ask him what will become of his charge , not us what will become of ours ? as if he were not able to do his own business , whithout the help of our sins : or to bring to pass , what concerns him in his ways , without our breaking what is commanded , and concerns us , both in his way and ours . a fourth and last rule , which i shall note of christian prudence , about the means ; whereby its ends are to be attained , is , the vsefulness of sufferings , or seeing how it may highly compass the ends of christianity , by persecutions . this , indeed , is a paradox to this world , who cannot think of growing richer by their losses ; or that the sufferings of men can ever be brought into the account of their successes and advantages . but this is a very certain and great truth in religion , which serves its ends by suffering , as well as by thriving , and looks upon persecutions with other eyes than this world doth . spiritual prudence , that is wise for the advancement of our duty , and the improvement of our spirits , sees many singular advantages , which persecution affords for these . so that it never thinks it self out of its way , but in the high and beaten road to what it aims at , when it is call'd to suffer . it is out of the way of worldly peace and injoyments ; ( and those are the things which persecution takes from us : ) but in a very good way of practising a number of most acceptable and honourable duties , and making spiritual improvements . for , . persecutions are the best , and truest proof , of the sincerity of our affection to religion , or of our love to christ. it shews plainly , that we set 〈◊〉 above this world , and are thereby , as he s●ys , worthy of him , when we are ready to part with any thing of this world , for his sake . and therefore persecutions are call'd tryals of our faith in the scriptures . nay , the fiery tryal , which will separate the pure mettal from the dross , and prove sound and right christians , ●s it proves pure and right mettals , such another way of trying christs faithful servants , as 〈◊〉 is of trying silver , or gold it self . and ●his , tho to a worldly mind , as depriving it of worldly injoyments , it appears a heavy af●●ction : to a christian spirit , is of great account . for what so valuable to it , as to prove 〈◊〉 self one of christs faithful servants , the approbation whereof it sets more by , than by all that is dear , and desireable to it in this ●ife ? what so pleasing to a soul bent on heaven , as to have given such a clear proof of its preferring heaven before earth ; of its being so set on things above , as , for their sakes , to overlook and despise all beneath ; of its having suffered with christ , which the apostle gives as a pledge to all good souls , that they shall reign with him ? . it calls us to the exercise of many duties of religion , yea , such as are the very height and perfection thereof , which we have no such opportunity to exercise at a quiet time . for now , when suffering comes , we are put upon shewing , how far we are set above the world , and how able to contemn it , being call'd to part therewith : yea we are much prepared thereby , and disposed so to do , nothing being more effectual to cure our fondness for this world , than worldly sufferings . we are call'd to manifest , how heavenly-minded we are , when our minds have nothing but heaven to influence and bear them up , and to carry them to quit what is most dear to them here on earth . how resign'd to the will of god ; when that will of his is so hard to flesh and blood : how patient , when we have heavy sufferings to try our patience . how strong our faith is of unseen things ; when in assurance thereof , we must forego all we see here : or , of gods grace , and present assistances , when , in expectation of them , we are going out to encounter the greatest tryals and difficulties . how we can take up the cross , and bear it after christ ; when the cross is laid in our way , and we are call'd out to suffer for christ , or for righteousness sake . and lastly , how under all this , we can heartily thank god , and forgive and love our enemies , and pray for our persecutors , even whilst they are exasperating our spirits , by all the provoking arts of spiteful and injurious usage . not to mention , how , instead of rebating , it is found to add spirit to good mens pious resolution , and a stedfastness and complacency therein . and , ind●ed , brave minds , are not in so much danger of being threaten'd and forced , as flatter'd and caress'd out of their integrity ; suffering that shipwrack of a good conscience , many times , by the smiles , which they never could be made to do by the frowns of princes . now , contempt of the world , and heavenly mindedness , and faith , and patience , and taking up the cross , and loving and forgiving enemies , and cruel persecutors , and such religious bravery and gallantry of spirit in god's cause , as no menaces and inflictions can shake , much less vanquish , are among the most raised , and elevated virtues , in all our religion . and therefore spiritual prudence , which rates the beneficialness of things , as they promote the greatest virtues , or carry them on to the greatest improvements , must needs see , and acknowledge , how directly and advantagiously it is pursuing its own ends , tho it be quite out of the way of worldly ends , when it is called out to do honour to god and religion , and to advance it self , by the exercise of these , and many other noble virtues , in persecution . . it calls us to do benefit to others by our sufferings . for our sufferings for christ , and in a christian manner ; or with a truly christian spirit , in the manifestation of the virtues before mentioned , will help their faith. it will beget faith in some , and confirm it in others , there being a witness or testimony in the blood , and an evidence in the sufferings of martyrs and confessors , to make proselytes , as the scripture declares , and they experienced in the primitive church . it will also help their practice . for the sight of such sufferings in us , will call them with great power and force , to perseverance in their duty , when it comes under tryals ; it will awaken those that are lapsed , and help to stop those that are wavering , and about to fall from it , and confirm and settle others in what they have received , and embolden them in professing of it , animating them to a like suffering for it , as they see we do. many of the brethren in the lord waxing confident , by example of my constancy in bonds , says st. paul , are thereby become much more bold , to speak the word without fear , phil. . . it makes one known to another : and in time of distress , it is a great heartning and encouragement , to see the number with us ; as well as a good confirmation of our judgment , and guide of our practice , to see the same truths resolutely owned by others , especially by some , whom we have cause to esteem better , and wiser , than our selves . and accordingly , st. paul calls us to shew stedfastness at such times , for these purposes . let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering , and not forsake the assembling of our selves together , says he to the hebrews , in persecuting times , considering one another , to provoke unto love , and to good works , heb. . , , . if we be afflicted , and the sufferings of christ abound in us , says he to the corinthians , it is for your consolation , and salvation , which is effectual among you in the enduring of the same sufferings , which we also suffer , cor. . , . this free and stedfast practice of suffering duties , and resolute suffering for them before others , is the way to call upon and exhort them to edifie and build them up in the like practice , according to the rule of scripture , which requires us † to edifie 〈◊〉 another . whereas , on the contrary , our denying those duties , or shrinking from the sufferings threatned in persecutions , especialy in persons of reputation and influence , is apt to give mighty s●andal , or occasion of falling . it shocks the strong , and turns the weak out of the way , which otherwise they are inclined to walk in ; and has a mighty effect on most , who are glad of the pretence of having such examples to follow , and of any colourable ground to go that way . it encourages those that have err'd , and pricks others forward , and hardens those that are resolved , weakning the hearts of those that stick to their duty , and heartning those that revolt from it , and strengthning the hands of the wicked , and of the persecutors thereof , against which god makes such complaint , ezek. . . so that the way of christian and resolute suffering in persecutions , is a most charitable , and edifying course . it doth honour to virtue and religion , as i formerly noted , when they are most exploded , and when they are sorest prest , and have fewest to stand by them . it recals some deserters , and establishes other wavering professors , and animates and strengthens all its followers , even at that time , when it has the most need of them . and all this , though it be out of the world , is in the way of religion , it never goes on more prosperously with its ends , then at such times . . and being on all these accounts , the way to improve and perfect our virtue : it must answerably be the way to heighten & consummate our reward . there are great and glorious prerogatives , in the recompence of martyrs and confessors . st. john † notes an extraordinary preference , and priviledge of highest value , to those , who were beheaded for the witness of jesus , and for the word of god ; ( beheading , being the * usual death of martyrs in those days , the more cruel ways of killing , and exquisiteness of torture , not being commonly used upon them 'till afterwards : ) and had not worshipped the beast , nor his image , nor had received his mark upon their hands , or foreheads , i. e. had stood out couragiously under the sorest tryals , as brave confessors against all contrary and unchristian practices . be the tryals never so great , for christ's , or for righteousness sake , i reckon , saith st. paul , that the sufferings of this present time , are not worthy to be compared with the glory , that shall be revealed in us , rom. . . the more we endure for , the more we shall receive from him . † majora certamina , majora sequuntur praemia ▪ the harder the sufferings , the higher the recompences , says tertullian . these sufferings for christ , are call'd the remains , or what is behind of the sufferings of christ , col. . . and the marks of the lord jesus , gal. . . and the more conformable his servants are , to the likeness of his sufferings ; the more in proportion , shall they be conformed to the likeness of his glories . answerable to our suffering , shall be our reigning with him , tim. . if so be that we suffer with him , we shall be also glorified together , rom. . . the surplusage of their glory and bliss , shall be so much the earlier , and greater than the bliss of others ; as to render these sufferings , the most valuable blessings to all truly good men , and a cause of highest joy and thankfulness . rejoyce then , and leap for joy ; rejoyce , and be exceeding glad , says our saviour , for great is your reward in heaven , luk. . , . mat. . . rejoyce , in as much as ye are made partakers of christs sufferings , says st. peter , that when his glory shall be revealed , ye may partake answerably in that too , and be glad also with exceeding joy , pet. . . such as these are the benefits , which virtue and religion have , by persecutions . and accordingly , such is the estimate , which christian prudence makes of them . it dreads them not , ●s hindrances ; but when call'd by god thereto , looks upon them with a willing and chearful eye , as fitting means to set on , and most proper and advantageous to bring about its own purposes . and the reasons why , at such times men are so much against suffering , is because they look not upon them with spiritual , but with carnal worldly eyes . i do not seek by this , to make men fond of sufferings , or put themselves upon them before they need to suffer , without waiting gods leisure . such rash and hasty zeal there was , which produced ill effects in some confessors of the primitive church ; and which thereupon it ceased to countenance , and fell canonically to censure and repress , forbidding men to run to suffer before god call'd them , or to give the judges unnecessary provocation . but when god sends sufferings , as he doth , when there is no keeping of it off , without acting against the rules , interest , or honour of religion : i say their master and mine is not for having us afraid to suffer ; or capable of being forced out of our principles , or duty , to avoid it . nay , he would be glad to see us willing , and chearful under the approach , as well as constant and resolute under the pressure thereof : looking on persecutions , as what will do no final hurt , but do both him , and our selves the most , and best service . for on this point i would have it observed , that christianity is a passive religion , or a doctrine of the cross. it is a profession to expect , and to bear sufferings . it s author was a crucified saviour . he was a man of sorrows , and a most absolute pattern of patience . and the sharp tryals thereof , though they begun in the head , were not to end there , but to descend down to the members , whom god , in such measure as he sees fit , fore-ordains or praedestinates to be conformed ▪ to the image of his son , viz. in the conformity of suffering , which is the argument there treated of , rom. . . a share of these , is left for his church , and followers ; which st. paul calls the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the remainders or what is behind of the sufferings of christ , col. . . accordingly he * foretels sorrows for his disciples , and calls them to bear , and prepare for them . passive times are what he presignifies us ; and passive duties which we are to discharge under them , make up a considerable part of his precepts . if any man will come after 〈◊〉 , says he , he must deny himself , and take up his cross , and follow me , mat. . . through many tribulations , says his apostles , we must enter into the kingdom of god , act. . . yea , all that will live godly in christ jesus , shall suffer persecution , saith st. paul , tim. . . so that sufferings and persecutions must never seem strange things among christians . indeed , sometimes through the goodness and indulgence of god , we have a long enjoyment of quiet and encouraging times ; and so actual sufferings are greater strangers to us . but it never is a stranger to our profession and principles , being one of religion's chief businesses . and the b●st souls , and most religious men are gone to heaven that way , bearing the cross , before they g●t the crown , and suffering for christ e're they were taken to reign with him . so went the antient prophets , and worthies , some stopp●ng the mouths of lyons , others quenching the violence of fire ; some having tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings , yea , moreover , of bonds and imprisonments ; others , wandering about in sheep skins and goat skins , being destitute , afflicted , tormented ; some being stoned , others sawn asunder , others slain with the sword ; others , tortured , and not accepting deliverance , when proffer'd them upon their apostacy , that they might obtain a better resurrection , as st. paul says , heb. . , , , , . so went also , not only our blessed lord himself ; but his apostles , and the best souls and saints of the suffering ages ; who are set off as much by their patience , as by any thing else . i john your brother and companion in tribulation , and in the kingdom and patience of jesus christ , says st. john to the seven churches , rev. . . and as they followed christ , so must we be ready upon occasion to follow them ; our calling being , as st. paul notes , to be followers of them , who through faith and patience , inherit the promises , heb. . . and professing thus a passive religion , we should all have passive spirits . the spirit of suffering or patience , is one of our most necessary qualifications . the gospel , which we profess , is call'd , as sometimes the word of faith ; so , at others , the word of patience . thou hast kept the word of my patience , saith christ to the angel of the church of philadelphia , rev. . . and accordingly , the professors of this gospel , must be signaliz'd , and remarkably eminent , as for the spirit of faith , so for the spirit of patience . your companion , saith st. john of himself , in the patience of jesus , rev. . . and we are followers of those , who got the promises through faith and patience , as st. paul says . and here , says the spirit , calling on every one that has an ear to attend , is the patience and faith of the saints , rev. . , . the scars on his body , which were the tryals of his patience , st. paul calls the marks of the lord jesus , gal. . . and the miseries and dangers he every where underwent for him , he terms , bearing about in his body the dying of the lord jesus , cor. . . so that sufferings for righteousness , are the livery and badge , which must be wore by his retainers . for ingenerating this , i shall briefly note some 〈◊〉 of spiritual prudence . . the first is , for christians to be above this world. there is no expectation , that any man should suffer much for christ , 'till this foundation is first laid . a man tied to this world , will not give up worldly interests for a good conscience : but , will either violently burst ●●●ough all the ties and remonstrances of conscience ; or , artificially blind the eyes , and corr●pt the sence thereof , and by studied salvo's , and nice distinctions , impose upon himself , 'till he has brought over his conscience to his worldly convenience . whosoever will be a friend of the world , in such cases as the script●re says , must needs be the enemy of god , jam. . . you cannot serve both god and mammon , saith our saviour , mat. . . if we will be his disciples , he tells us , we must be ready to leave houses and lands , fathers and mothers , luk. . . mar. . . till our hearts sit loose to them , they are not like in tryals to stick fast to him . these seem hard sayings , but they should not seem strange among christians , who have renouced the world at their baptism , when they were first listed under jesus christ , and profess to be men of another world , not of this . the sayings are most reasonable in themselves , and easie to such disposed hearers , and fall hard only on worldly minds , who have a stronger impression of seen than of unseen things ; and are more influenced by present advantages , than by the hopes of religion , and faith of eternal happiness . . subservient to this , is another rule , of mortifying , and not pleasing our appetites . worldly losses , are like to fall hard on those , who seek to live in ease and pleasure , and study worldly enjoyments . to accustom and indulge our selves in these , doth mightily corrupt the mind , and ties it down to worldly things . so that a voluptuous and luxurious age , and a course of ease and fulness is not like to furnish out many confessors . and therefore religion , that calls us to suffer , disposes us thereto by mortifications , and bringing down the body , and self-denials , not self-pleasings . if we would prepare our selves for good souldiers of jesus christ , in trying days , it must be , as st. paul tells timothy , by enduring hardness , tim. . . he that striveth , as the apostle says in reference to the heathen games , is temperate in all things ; such persons always preparing themselves , by a prescribed course of strict labours and abstinence , both from wine and pleasures . for which purpose , adds he , i my self keep under my body , and bring it into subjection , cor. . . . and accordingly , this was the method of the holy martyrs , in the days of persecution , to prepare themselves for sufferings , not by self-satisfactions , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by congruous exercise of stricter abstinence , or by austerities , and afflicting of the flesh , as † eusebius says of young apphian . this course of abstinences and self-denyals , will give us power over our selves , when we cannot have it over outward things : and then our satisfactions , do not stand to their courtesie . we ●ffect , not to have what we like , but always to ●●ke what we have , and what god is pleased to allot , which is the true christian spirit . and he who is of that mind , is both secure against discontent , and above the reach and power of this world . . as a further help , after we have thus pared 〈◊〉 the pleasures , it will be a serviceable piece of wisdom to this purpose , by a virtuous frugality and ●●ovidence , to prevent straits and necessities of 〈◊〉 world . worldly losses , can never seize us 〈◊〉 more disadvantage , than when we have before ●●warily run our selves into worldly necessities , ●hich render us , as the more unprovided to ●ear , so the more loath to fall under them . and therefore it is , as a great point of wisdom at all 〈◊〉 , so especially a preparation for sufferings , ●or all good christians carefully to live within the compass of their fortunes . not to spend ●pon hopes and expectancies , or live upon things before they come to possess them , or to live to ●he utmost of their incomes , which will be the ready way to go beyond them , or , by any extra●●gance and superfluous expences , throw themselves into debts and worldly difficulties : which ●ust needs make the voice of worldly losses , of p●rting with lands , or livelyhoods , more unwelcome , and a greater tryal , even to an honest and well disposed mind . these suffering spirits thus prepared , are now , god knows , much out of vogue amongst us . christians were once most eminent , and distinguishable by passive virtues , and as a suffering generation . but now , a soft and delicate spirit is come in place thereof , and the generality had rather sin than suffer , and instead of chearfully taking up the cross , and bearing it themselves ; are for any way that will transfer it , and lay it with triumph upon their persecutors ; and are all for being known , not as a suffering , but as a secular thriving sort of men. this is a sad case , and lamentable consequences it produces . for this want of passive spirits , and abhorrence of the cross , is the root of all the ill , and the true cause of all the foregoing wicked devices , and ungodly rules of the wisdom of the flesh ; and that , which in trying times , makes our carriage , so unlike that of our saviour christ , and the primitive christians . but as the power of christianity revives , this suffering spirit will be retrieved among christians . and they , that profess a doctrine of the cross , will have spirits to bear and take up crosses , whensoever they lye in the way of religion , or a righteous cause . but now most opposite to this , is the wisdom of this world . to be wise for this world , is to be so wise , as to keep it . and not to suffer the loss of the good things thereof , so long as any compliance can avoid losing . the wisdom of the flesh , can believe no good in fleshly sufferings , but only in fleshly injoyments . and therefore on any occasion , it is ready to give up a good conscience , for carnal ease ; to comply in what is required , tho' very unrighteous , to save it self ; and to break any duty , even what it holds fastest , and has professed highest , rather than , 〈◊〉 the phrase of some at such times is , to be undone for it . chap. xi . of spiritual prudence , chusing seasons , and tempering to circumstances . having hitherto insisted on christian prudence , as it lies in seeing and following right ends of religion , and pursuing them , only by fit and christian ways : i proceed now to shew i● the . place another part of this prudence in the execution hereof , viz. in taking for these pursuits , the most advantageous seasons , in tempering them to circumstances , and in shewing caution to prevent harm thereby , or ill consequences : all these parts of care about right executions , as well as the former about right ends and ways , are likewise necessary requisites of prudence , which is not only for doing a good thing , but for doing it well and wisely . and christianity is for ruling this part of prudence by the laws of christ , and lays on us sundry restraints , which , in this matter , are easily and ordinarily broke through , by the worldly wise . . first , in the execution of our purposes , by the ways aforesaid , christian prudence is for taking the most advantageous seasons . to every thing , and to every purpose , as the wise man says , there is a season , eccles. . . and every thing is both most easie to effect , and most beneficial and beautiful when it is effected , in its season . he hath made every thing beautiful in its time , eccles. . . and a word fitly spoken , or in its season , is like apples of gold in pictures of silver , says solomon , prov. . . 't is the work of prudence to see these seasons , or to discern opportunities , and take them . a fool still slips his opportunities , and sees them not : but a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment , eccles. . . his eyes , says he again , are in his head , to look before him , and round about , or to espy both what to do , and when , eccles. . . and this is one part of that circumspection , or walking circumspectly , which the scripture calls upon us to use , that we may appear to act , not as fools , but as wise , eph. . . for that circumspection , or looking about us , is , as for the most commodious ways , so for the fittest times and best opportunities , of performing actions , or bringing about any business . and as the prudence of worldly men is shewn in taking their best opportunities , for the things of this life : so must the prudence of christians be shewn in a commodious timing , and watching the most advantageous seasons , for what they do in care of their souls , and in service or honour of christ jesus . but here care must be taken , in determining what are good seasons for religious actions , either professions of some points of faith , or practice of some duties . of this there is the more danger , because religion says one thing , and flesh and blood another , in this matter . so that when spiritual prudence , that minds religion , says one time is a good season , for such a profession or practice : worldly prudence , that minds outward ease , will often ●ry , they are most unseasonable . but christian prudence must not take its seasons , from the serviceableness of any duty to worldly purposes , but to its own ends. to prevent our setting aside any duties as out of season , at the suggestion of carnal wisdom , when , indeed , we have an obliging call and season to discharge them , i shall note these things following . . first , in determining the seasonableness or unseasonableness , of professing any necessary truths of christ , or practising any christian duties ; we must not say , there is no season for such practice or profession , when there is hazard in them . this , indeed , is the way of worldly wisdom , which thinks suffering in this world to be seasonable at no time , and so accounts persecuted suffering duties , to be ever out of season . to call for the fruits of righteousness or morality , when 't is loss of power , or place , of goods , or , it may be , of life it self , to produce them ; it looks upon , as a most unreasonable , and unskilful miss-timing of things . as bad , as to come to the trees to gather fruit in the spring , e're 't is put forth ; or in the depth of winter , when both fruit and leaves are fallen off long before . the only season it owns of doing them , is when it is like to do it self no worldly hurt thereby : but when they bring suffering , it cries out , this is no time to talk of them . but this is to rate the seasons for spiritual duties , not by ends of virtue and religion , or the advancement and honour thereof , which are spiritual considerations : but only by present interest and security , which are worldly motives , and lye ever closest to a worldly mind . it is to make the duties of our religion , not to be duties at all times . as if the truths thereof were not to be professed , or the laws practised , when we are call'd to suffer ; but only when in worldly account we are like to get , or , at least , to save by them . but these men never consider , that christianity , as i observed before , is a doctrine of the cross , or a suffering religion ; all the truths whereof were published , and its duties prescribed , not for a thriving , but for a suffering time . instead of excepting them , it was calculated for days of persecution : since in such it enter'd and begun , in such it got footing , and daily maintained and enlarged what it had got among men . all its duties look for their reward in another world ; and so must be duly observed , when they draw after them the greatest dangers , or losses in this world . persecution , tho' 't is no good season for getting , or keeping any worldly goods , by discharge of duties : yet is as good as any , nay , better than others , for getting heaven thereby . though 't is no season , to serve flesh and blood ; 't is the properest season , to serve truth and virtue ; which are then most especially to be defended by us , when others attack them ; and to be own'd by their stedfast friends , when their enemies explode , and their own dependants are ready to desert them . and these being the ends of spiritual prudence , instead of esteeming persecutions , which conduce so much thereto , as unseasonable for christian duties , it accounts them , as i have before shewn , the most obliging and advantageous seasons . . secondly , we must not say there is no season for christian duties , when there is no worldly appearance , of doing good by discharging them . this is usually taken up by worldly wisdom , when any necessary truth , or virtue , is born down with a torrent . they say it is in vain , for the servants and professors thereof , to practise or appear for it ; which would be only to oppose their single selves against an host , and to endeavor by their own strength to stem a tide , when the course thereof is most violent , and drives away all before it . this , they think , is only to destroy themselves , without doing their duty any good : which , however it may be pitiable as well intended , yet , say they , is not commendable , as being a service altogether miss-timed , and most imprudent . but here men should consider , that their obligation to profess the necessary truths , or perform the laws of god , as they are call'd to them , is not only for their serviceableness , as an expedient , but for their own sakes . in free and discretionary things , indeed , men are to look to the usefulness , and to go according to the probability of doing good therewith . but in the necessary truths , and laws of christianity , which are bounden duty towards god : there duty its self is their end , and they have enough to ingage them to any act , without looking further , if they do their duty therein . they are not left here to prudence , or to do it or let it alone , as they see cause : but are bound in conscience to do the thing , and if thereby they are like to do no more , yet is the keeping of the commandment it self , or the doing of their duty , a sufficient purpose . besides , when men are doing their duty , though there is little appearance of any effect on others : yet , will it be like to do more good among them , than they are apt to think , or are aware off . for when they have discharged their part , by doing of their duty ; god will manage it as to events , and make it turn to more use , for the ends of religion an● hi● own glory , than they ever dreamed of . it is then out of their hands and care , and in the hands of providence ; which will thereby stop some from being ill ; and others that are ill already , from going on without check and remorse , and growing worse . truth and goodness , though ordinarily driven out thence by prejudice , interest , and vile affections ; are most natural and near akin to all our souls , and so have a secret hank upon us , and a hidden friend that lurks in all our bosoms . and this , the providence and spirit of god strikes upon , by our profession or practice thereof before their eyes , operating thereby , on some at this time , and on others at that ; on some more , on others less ; according to his own good pleasure , and their predispositions . so working much good , and many blessed effects , that pass betwixt himself and them , whilst we are insensible of any , and think of nothing less . our free practice and profession , at such times as he requires and calls for them , but worldly men say we shall do no good with them , he uses to encourage and strengthen the hands of the strong , to establish the wavering , to call back the stray'd sheep , and to lift up those that fall , to work remorse in its deserters , and fear and faintness in its persecutors : to retrieve a truth , or duty , when to humane eyes 't is almost lost ; and to beget anew a respect and reverence for it , when it was all in disgrace , and seemingly quite exploded . the practice of a right good thing , tho' but by a very few , will quickly draw in more . † though only ten among us should appear for doing a duty , says st. chrysostom , yet would these ten quickly be made twenty , those twenty fifty , that fifty an hundred , that hundred a thousand , and that thousand the whole city . and as by lighting up of ten candles , a man may easily fill all the whole house with light : so also in spiritual good deeds , if only ten of us do our duty , we shall kindle one intire flame through the city , yielding light to them , and bringing security to us . for the nature of flame it self , when fallen on combustible matter , is not so sure to kindle still , and seize the wood that lies next to it ; as the zeal of virtue fallen into a few souls , is , by going on , and still inflaming more , to fill the whole city . thus doth god , when we put it into his conduct , do great good , and accomplish great effects , by our discharge of our duty , when we thought nothing could be hoped from thence . thus in all times he has done , and daily still doth , and will do in the world : the experience of all ages , and the successfulness of generous and brave asserters , of seemingly destitute and unfriended virtue , frequently witnessing on that side . and in confidence of this , or however , if that should fail , in discharge of their own good conscience , good men in all times have been careful still to confess the truths of god , and do their own duty , when there were the fewest that seemed capable of being thereby wrought upon , and they had none to stand by them ; but strove altogether against the stream , having the whole world to oppose them . as , noah wrought righteousness , elias was zealous for the true god , jeremy was an asserter of his mind and precepts , and many other holy men and prophets , yea , our blessed lord and his apostles , were the undaunted preachers and practisers of decryed godliness , in the most degenerate , deriding , and persecuting ages , when they seem'd to have the fewest prepared hearers or spectators , all many times appearing ready to contradict , and few , or sometimes none , to stand by and back them , as i formerly noted . . thirdly , we must not say christian duties are unseasonable , when they do not suit with some designs carrying on , or are against some seeming and much desired good , of church or state. this is the way of worldly wisdom , which , when any truths or duties hinder some worldly good they are pursuing , for religion , or the kingdom ; bids the professors thereof , to ●eep their practice and professions of them , for some fitter time . if these are truths and duties , say they at such times , let them give way to publick good , and the advancement of true religion , which are of more importance . and let those that believe them , take care , whilst they embrace these , to approve themselves withall , as good members of the publick , whereof they all receive the benefit , by seeking and setting on , not retarding or obstructing the good of church , or common-wealth . you may shew your care of them , will they suggest , when it will be as a good , so a wise and prudent care , and hinder no greater thing . but never bring them in play now , to stop the great , and much and generally wish'd for good , that is going on . for this is a critical time for it , and if this opportunity is over-pass'd , the like may never return again . but are not we all disciples of christ , and professors of religion , as well as members of a settled church , and kingdom ? and must we not first take care , to acquit our selves as good christians ; before we seek how to shew our selves good statesmen , and politicians ? is it not our profession , to be more for another world , than for this ? and may such professors go out of the way of being happy there ; when that serves to make themselves more happy here ? a good christian must never be wanting to his own duty , or go beyond it , to do good to any , nay , to a whole nation . and so must never think of setting aside the season for discharging his duty , for a season of serving of the church or nation . he must never slip the season of shewing himself good ; for a season of making himself or others secularly fortunate : or the season of practsing and professing as the servant of christ ; for the season of serving any interest or condition , though never so great and publick in this world. there is no doing evil that good may come ; good publick , or good private , as i have shewed before . besides , 't is not for a good man to think of doing good to a church or nation , by evil-doing . the greatest good to them in his opinion , is to engage god for them . and that must be , by keeping his commandments , and practising and professing them , as we have opportunity . but never breaking them , or setting them aside , to make use of some worldly opportunity . if we would do good to church or state , to do this wisely , we must do it under god , not by setting up against him . so we must not throw out his service , as an unseasonable thing ; when an opportunity is offer'd us to serve the publick , by refusing to serve him when he calls . the thoughts of doing good , i. e. temporal good , or that of outward settlement to the publick : if by breach of duty , or omission thereof when call'd by him to discharge it , is a temptation . and the doing it that way , is endeavouring to be wise against god , and setting up policy against religion ; which , if god must give succ●ss , is not like to speed , or in the event to procure good to them . near a kin to this , is thinking it no season , to condemn and fault things , as we did whilst they served others , when they come to serve our selves . this is the way of this world , if not to commend , yet to connive at any error or wickedness , whilst it gets by it . it is pleased , if not with the wickedness , yet with the advantage ; and had rather bear the sin for the profits , than want and condemn the profit for the sins sake . so it will not open its mouth against errors , whilst 't is getting ; or against sins , and breach of duty , whilst 't is served by them : being not so much offended with their falsness , or wickedness ; as pleased with their usefulness , or convenience . though most loud at others , it is silent then ; and would have others too to be silent , and not cry out against them at such ●imes . and this is meer wisdom of this world , or being wise for worldly things ; which lies in getting , or taking worldly advantages , however they come by them , and can brook what religion most abhors , whilst it brings in what flesh and blood best approves . which plainly shews , that a man has not so much of religion , as of this world , and self-design ; nor is acted so much by conscience , as convenience . thus must we be careful , that the pretence of unseasonableness , do not carry us to smother our belief of any truth , or our practice of any duty , when god calls us to shew them forth ; on any pretence of hazard to our selves , of unprofitableness to religion , or our neighbours , or of their being a hindrance to any good , that doth come in to our selves , or is sought to be brought about for the church or state. the truth is , in points of direct and express duty , the part of prudence lies more in sight and discerning , than in choice of seasons . in matters that are not of direct and determinate obligation , there is more room for discretion in the timing of them , and in resolving both whether and when to do them . for free things , which are not determined by the law of god ; or , that are not directly injoyn'd , but may indirectly , some more , and some less , be serviceable to , and promotive of that which is ; or that are free , and undetermined expressions and instances of general laws : such free things , i say , and free-will offerings , are most properly matter of prudence , being left to prudence , and not determinately bound on conscience . and in these , there is a proper choice of seasons , which men may embrace or let slip , either doing that thing or another , now or at another time , as they see cause . but in things expresly required by god , and points of direct duty , there is not the like choice of seasons , or room for discretion . for , whensoever god calls us to them , and they are put upon us , either by the authority of superiors , or by any occasion with our neighbours , or other just call of providence , giving us opportunity for them ; or , perhaps , laying us under a necessity , either of professing or dissembling them , or practising them , or what is repugnant to them : we are then under a necessity and obligation of discharging , and have no liberty to let them alone . for matters of express duty , we are bound to perform , as oft as god calls us to perform them . whensoever he calls , we have no power to refuse . and this call is by his providence , as that brings us under opportunities , and puts us upon practising , or declaring our selves . and , what time providence shall allot and fix on for these , is at god's choice , not at ours . he is free , when he sees best , to give the calls : but when once he doth , we are under his command , and never free to set them aside , or refuse obedience . so our part , is only a duty and necessity , to see and embrace the seasons he chuses : and god's part is , to have the liberty and discretionary power to chuse them . and therefore the wisdom and prudence to be shewn in choice of these seasons , is god's wisdom , and not ours . his providence takes care of that ; and 't is a wise providence , that never calls us to the profession of necessary truths , or practice of necessary duties , but at wise and fitting seasons , which best fit his purposes , though they least fit ours . so that whensoever he calls us to them , we are eased of that care , of deliberating about the seasonableness of them . in free things , we are left to chuse the seasons our selves , and may let go a worse , in hopes of a better . but in necessary and bounden duties , god's call must always be our season , and we are only to discern and take it , not left to chuse and deliberate upon it , god having already made that choice to our hands . . secondly , in execution of our purposes , christian prudence is for tempering what we do to circumstances , i. e. for considering place , and persons , and instruments , and manner of acting , and the like , and so to suit all , as may best serve our design , and set off the thing done , so as may give us most help and advantage from all , and least hurt or hindrance from any of them . this attention to circumstances , is that circumspection which is so much spoken of , and is implyed in prudence : which st. paul calls for , when he exhorts the ephesians to walk not as fools , but as wise , as i noted before , eph. . . walk in wisdom , says he again to the colossians , towards them that are without ; calling them to such prudence in their carriage towards , and before such as consider'd the principles and dispositions of those they conversed with , col. . . let your speech , says he in that place , be with grace , and seasoned with salt , i. e. savoury and prudent , and so seasoned and temper'd on every occasion , as if most fit ; that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man , or to give each such an answer as may be proper for him , and the occasion , v. . this tempering what we do to circumstances , and distinguishing of persons and places , and the like ; is a great point of prudence . and christians in their way , must take care , as they are able , to adorn themselves therewith , as well as others . endeavouring , when they do their duty , to temper themselves so towards all , neglecting or despising none , that the good they do may be best received , and win most upon the minds of men , and give the least offence to them . and when they do any things more free and discretionary , for the honour or interest of virtue or religion , or for any other good design : that they so moderate and order the things they press , as will be best bore by persons and places , as may get them most or best friends , or fewest and faintest opposers ; as may afford most ease and success to them in compassing their designs , and most fruit and effect both to themselves , and the good designs they carried on , when they have compassed them . there is place for this wise tempering themselves to circumstances , not only in these free things , which are matters of prudence ; but also in doing their bounden duty , which is matter of conscience . not so tempering themselves to places or persons , ends , or instruments , as to let their duty alone , when the meer doing thereof will distemper and disturb them . but tempering themselves in all that is extrinsecal about it , and in the manner of doing it ; that bating what the duty it self doth , which ought to be done , nothing annexed to it , or in the manner of doing it , shall give them any unnecessary provocation . it need not be done , for instance , with bitterness , and fierceness of spirit , when a milder way , and being more gently and compassionably offer'd , would be like to be more easily welcomed , and take more effect . it need not come with accusations , and invectives against others ; when it would be more heeded , and operate higher , in the way of opening our own consciences . it need not come tacked to any other things which are more displeasing ; when it may enter better by it self alone . in these , and the like matters , not our duty , which we cannot mince or alter , but our selves , and our manner of expressing it , which we may alter to circumstances ; is much for the advantage , both of it , and of our selves . and is no more but that caution which christ call'd his disciples to , when , in their free profession of persecuted duties , he bid them withal beware of men. and when they were sent forth , as sheep among wolves : though they should undauntedly deliver the message they were charged with , yet to be as harmless as doves ; which , besides what their duty it self did , would give those wolves no unnecessary provocations , mat. . , . but if worldly wisdom comes to temper the doing of our duty to places and persons ; it will so temper it , as at any time to give it up , for our external quiet . it will take so much as will go down , and throw aside the rest : and answer all by saying , the times or affairs , the places or persons would not bear it . to prevent such tempering of duty to circumstances therefore , for our own quiet , as would be an impairing , or breach of duty ; i shall give these following cautions in this point . . this tempering of our selves to circumstances , in the doing of our duty , is never by omitting any duty , as i said , when god calls for it ; but only by tempering our own manner of performance , so as best suits the present circumstance , and may give the least offence . the christians , for instance , would temper their devotions to the circumstances of persecuted men in the first ages : by not letting those devotions fall , but by praying , and communicating in the night , in the desart , in close meetings , when they could not with safety do it openly and in publick , for fear of the jews and heathens . they temper'd themselves at jerusalem to a time of distress and confiscations , for the profession of christianity ; not by concealing , or denying their sect and profession ; but by * selling their lands and houses , and putting it into a common stock : that so , when their own estates were seized on for owning the christian name , the church might have wherewithal to relieve them . st. paul , and the other apostles , were sent out to preach the gospel , to a prepossessed , incensed , and spiteful world , as so many sheep in the midst of wolves , as our lord says . and they temper'd themselves to these men , and times ; not by letting fall their preaching , or keeping back any part of the counsel of god ; not that of the cross of christ , which gave the most offence , being † to the jews a stumbling block , and to the gentiles foolishness ; nor any just reproof of idolatry and superstition , so irksom to the heathen ; nor any of the elevated duties of morality and godliness , which were so very disgusting to the lusts of men , or the like . but by delivering these things in fairness and tenderness , without giving any more offence , than would unavoidably be taken at the things themselves : becoming all things to all men , as st. paul says , that they might by all means gain some , cor. . . the exercise of discipline , indeed , was more a matter of prudence and discretion . and therefore in rules thereof , they would temper to the state of the church , sometimes pressing , and sometimes suspending , now executing , and then omitting them , as the place and time would bear , and as might best suit the circumstances of those they had to do with . but in matters of duty , which are not at the liberty of discretion , but under necessary obligation ; they never temper'd that to any persons , place , or other circumstances , by omitting it . they never smother'd it , when call'd to profess it ; nor omitted it , or did the contrary , when call'd to the performance thereof . their prudence in tempering themselves to circumstances in points of duty , was by tempering themselves thereto , whilst they did their duty , never whilst they let it alone , or acted contrary . theirs was a godly prudence , or a wisdom twisted evermore with virtue and circumspection , never separate from innocence . when they put on the subtilty and circumspection of serpents ; they put on withal , according to our saviour's order , the innnocence of doves ; or look'd about them , to take care for their duty , before they look'd about to take care for themselves . not as the worldly-wise , who will temper away their duty , to compound for their outward peace and enjoyments . though it be at other times , it is not to be done , say they , in our circumstances . that is , if it is like to lose our friends , or give opportunity to our enemies to pull us down , and set up themselves ; if it suits not with the minds of men , or the state of affairs ; with the seeming safety of mens persons , of religion , laws , or liberties . such circumstances , it makes a ground to set aside duties , not only to temper us in the discharge thereof . instead of tempering the full discharge of duty with prudence , it thinks it prudence then to throw it quite off , and allow it no observance , or discharge at all . . this tempering to circumstances , must not be by abating of moral duties , to compliance with worldly necessities and convenience . this is the way of the worldly-wise , where they do not throw off all , to pare away part of the obligation ; and to perform no more , than in their present circumstances may be tolerably suitable , and the flesh will consent to . they will urge the circumstance of the person . another man , say they , might discharge the duty more fully in this case . but as for me , men must consider my relation , how i am joyn'd in affinity or blood ; my obligations , how great favours i have received ; or the necessity of my condition , and my dependance for support or interest , on those who are warm and zealous for another way . so that it is not to be expected from me , that i should keep so fully and invariably to the duty , as another person of more easie and agreeing relations , obligations and dependance may do . and the circumstance of the place . were i in a place , says a mind that retains too much of this world , where this or that duty would go down , where the due discharge of it would be like to be quietly received , or where the minds of men were any ways impressible , to give some appearance of its doing good upon them , much more fidelity might be shewn therein . but i live where the spirits of men are in a ferment , where the duty is generally decryed , or bitterly persecuted , and the practice thereof , instead of procuring any religious regard from the beholders , provokes only their outrage against the practisers thereof . so i am forced to sail as near the wind as i can , that i may not endeavour both against wind and stream . i omit what will not be endured , and practise what will ; and this meerly to content the people , as forced on by the press of a crowd , one man being unable to withstand a whole multitude . and the circumstance of the instruments or auxiliaries . though they would discharge the duty fully , were they left to themselves ; yet , now they are upon designs , and must consider , not only what will pass with themselves , but with their complices . they must keep in with their humane succors , and therefore they must abate of their religious duties , lest standing too stifly and inflexibly for them , they disoblige and lose their patrons , or auxiliaries . it is well , say they , if by a man so linked in , some part can be performed , whilst some part is abated . some part must be yielded , to gratifie their interests , or their principles ; some to keep those of wrong , and some to keep the loose and immoral , or those of no religion . and the circumstance of the end. they would , as please god in the duty , so profit his church thereby . and a duty happens at some time , not to suit the interest of their party in religion . if they will abate , or infringe it ; they may set up , or keep up themselves : but if still they will faithfully discharge it as they ought ; in all appearance they must become subject , and truckle under others . to deduct something in the present circumstance , is most safe , or serviceable , for that party of christians they espouse , which they call god's church . and in this strait , they think they should not be censured , if they practise so much as is serviceable , and lay the rest aside . and the circumstance of the time admitting no season for the full practice of any duties , or profession of any truths , when there is hazard in them , or no probability of doing good by them , or they are like to be impeditive of some designed good , or much desired settlement , to church or state , of which i spoke before . thus is worldly wisdom for making bold with its duty , to save its worldly concerns ; and for tempering duty to the present circumstances , by abating it , and by parting with so much thereof when it retains the rest , as , all its circumstances consider'd , shall make it draw least inconvenience after it from any of them . which is nothing else , but setting up this world , above almighty god , and our own convenience , above his ways . whereby , however we may promise our selves to pass for worldly wise ; we shall be sure to appear ill christians , as i think is clear enough from the foregoing chapters . i speak not this , of abating in discharge of our duty thus to circumstances , where circumstances really make abatements . i know there is not so much due from us in some circumstances , as there is in others . for some circumstances are incapacities ; and these abate , so far , and so long , as they incapacitate . impossibilium , says the moral rule , nulla est obligatio , no man is tied to impossibilities . and therefore , where we owe never so much duty , we are not bound to an actual exercise and discharge thereof , whilst we are not in capacity . so far , as it is providentially out of our power , and so long as it is so , our actual discharge thereof is under a suspension : 'till by degrees it come to be in our power again , which always brings back with it a like gradual return of our obligation . but i speak of their tempering their duty in these abatements , to circumstances of worldly convenience , where there is the same state and foundation of their religious obligations , as at other times . we must not abate our duties , whose ground and obligation is still the same , and which we have power and opportunity to practise , if we dare run hazards , and sustain inconveniences and losses for them ; to temper them to the external ease and convenience of place , or persons , or other present circumstances . which , in this tempering , is not to respect the obligation of circumstances , but only the fleshly ease , convenience , and advantage of them . . this tempering to circumstances , must lie only in our not unnecessarily provoking men , whilst we do no ill our selves : not in our carrying on the unreasonable or ungodly wills of others . it is ●ne thing to temper our selves to the necessities of things ; another , to the lusts or vices of persons ; one thing to suit their innocent wants , or ways ; another to set on their wickedness . this is † to have fellowship with the works of darkness , to * partake of other mens sins , and sin along with them for company . so that we must never talk of tempering our selves to circumstances , by putting our selves into other mens ill circumstance , or by complying in any ungodly or ill things . if ill things then are driven on , by the violence and press of people , or the power of rulers : if all seem to conspire together , and combine to oppress an innocent person , or to explode an excellent and good thing , to pull down what is right , and set up what is wrong , to seek safety by what is sinful , or publick good , either of church or state , by doing evil : it must not be thought any part of our prudence to temper our selves to their ungodly wills by compliance , by striking in and countenancing , by being , or seeming to be for them , by crying up , or carrying on , or going along therewith . if we would seek to be truly good , rather than falsly to appear wise ; religion is not for such ebbs and flows , for being fast and loose with virtuous or vicious things , as the motion of the mobile , or course and humor of the time is . it is firm and staunch , and always true to god , and to it self ; not to be used or laid aside as men please , and made to bend in all the turns and flexures of their humors , or vices . chap xii . of caution in preventing harm by any duties . and of flight in persecutions . . thirdly and lastly , in execution of our purposes , spiritual prudence is for shewing caution , to prevent harm thereby , or ill consequences . this is a great part of prudence , to shew providence , or foresee things before they are come to pass , and , as far as depends on us , to prepare against , or put by the ill , and make the most of the good that is in them . a prudent man foreseeth the evil , says solomon , and hideth himself , or withdraws from it : but the simple , without fore-sight , pass on to meet it , and are punish'd , prov. . . it consists much in caution and wariness , looking about how it may best escape or remove impediments , and avoid hurtful and ill consequences , which is the great proof of prudence among men : the wise aiming at it , and the generality estimating the prudence of any counsel or management , by the absence of ill events , and the prosperity or successfulness thereof . now this caution our lord calls for also from his servants , as what must shew them to be religiously prudent , or spiritually wise. beware of men , said he to his disciples , when he sent them out to discharge their duty in the midst of dangers , or as sheep in the midst of wolves , and bid them , for their guard against them , to put on the serpent's prudence , as well as the dove's innocence , mat. . , . and their circumspection , whereby st. paul exhorts the ephesians to approve themselves , not as fools , but as wise. he sets off by this caution or wariness , in preventing whilst they could , without being false to their duty , such harm and ill consequences to themselves . redeeming the time , says he , i. e. says † tertullian , gaining your selves a safe conduct , or free passage , by the wisdom of your conversation . or , securing your selves whilst you may , and gaining as much respite as you can ; which is call'd in * daniel gaining , or , as the margin from the chaldee , and as junius and tremellius render it , buying or redeeming the time ; because the days are evil. so that without such caution , you cannot enjoy , or hold the time long , eph. . , . and on the contrary , the improvident man in the gospel , for his having no prospect of casualties , or preparation for them , is call'd the † imprudent or unwise man. thou fool , says god to him , this night shall thy soul be taken from thee , luc. . . two ways i shall note of shewing this caution , to prevent harm to our selves , by suffering , or persecuted duties . . first , without a call , not to put our selves upon what brings danger . we must not throw our selves upon temptations , since we are taught to pray daily , that god would not lead us into them . to go rashly , and put our selves upon them , especially in a great tryal , looks like tempting god , and pr●suming too much upon our ow● strength , wherein they who are most confident , are oft-times most shamefully worsted ; as peter , that was confident he should own christ beyond all the disciples , was the man , who of all others did most shamefully desert and deny him , mat. . . . and as quintus the phrygian , who , as the church of smyrna * note , rashly offering himself with some others , and standing forth uncall'd before the tribunal , fell or denied christ in the tryal . giving , say they , an illustrious document to all , not rashly and unnecessarily to throw themselves upon dangers , without any just regard to their own weakness and infirmities . 't is not for us to run into sufferings for righteousness , before we are sent ; but patiently to wait god's time . for as our suffering is only in obedience and conscience towards god , so should we stay for it 'till it pleases god , and 'till his providence calls us thereto . whom he called , saith st. paul , speaking of our sufferings for righteousness in conformity to christ , them he also justified , or made victorious in them , rom. . , . and hereunto are ye called , saith st. peter , treating of acceptable suffering for well-doing , pet. . , , . so that in suffering for god , the most acceptable discharge of duty , and surest hope of victory , is when we are call'd to it . we must not run at any time , or chuse our own time , but allow god , in course of providence , to summon us out , and to appoint us the season , as of acting , so of suffering for him . and this season , in scripture is call'd our hour , which christ himself would not preoccupate , not exposing , but withdrawing himself , before his hour was come , joh. . . and . . but when once it was come , readily o●fering and resigning himself to bear what was appointed for him , joh. . . and c. . , . some , indeed , among the primitive christians , out of an immoderate zeal of martyrdom , were hasty to fetch down sufferings , where they c●me not fast enough of themselves . they stept out to do a persecuted duty , when they were not put upon it , nor had any call of god thereto ; and would not stay to expect their enemies rage ; but rashly run out to challenge and provoke it . this forwardness , after they had seen some sad miscarriages and shameful effects thereby , was discountenanced , and restrained by the primitive church . st. cyprian's last charge to his flock , a little before his martyrdom , being † that none of them should voluntarily offer themselves to their heathen persecutors , because , what our lord is for having us to do , is to confess when we are asked , not to profess unasked . and the church of smyrna , condemning it in † their epistle ; and the council of eliberis decreeing in the canon , that , if in their zeal against idolatry , and haste of martyrdom , any shall break the heathen idols , and be slain for their pains , there being no direction for this in the gospels , nor any such thing ever done by the apostles , they shall not be received into the number of martyrs . † st. chrysostom's advice contains , i think , the true method of christian prudence , in this case . let us pray to ged , says he , that we enter not into temptation : but being brought thereinto , let us generously undergo it . for that is the part of temperate men not to cast themselves upon dangers ; this , of brave spirits and philosophers . let us therefore , neither throw our selves upon them rashly and simply , which only shews boldness : nor draw back when driven into them , or when call'd out by the nature and circumstances of things , for that is timorousness . when we are called to preach a persecuted truth , let us not refuse : but when there is no call , from any cause at all , or profit , or necessity according to godliness ; let us not run of our selves , for that is ostentation , and superfluous boasting . — as a generous souldier , be continually in arms , be prudent , be vigilant , and always expect the enemy : but go not to create thy self enemies ; for that is not the part of a souldier , but of one that is seditious . but if the trumpet of religion calls , go out forthwith , and set lightly even by life it self , and with great promptitude descend to the conflict , &c. these things i say , out of a desire to have you keep the laws of christ , who commands us to pray that we be not led into temptation , and commands us too , to take up our cross and follow him : for these two are not contrary one to another , but very well agree together . on this point i shall further add , when , with the freedom of confessors , we speak for persecuted truths , or laws with others , that another allowance of christian prudence is , not to profess this promiscuously to all persons ; nor , after we have sufficiently declared our selves , by importunities of unprofitable discourse , still to incite an unpersuadable , and virulent disputer's rage against us . some men , are not impressible by reason , or by any rules of sober virtue and goodness ; but possess'd by profaneness , or utterly over-run with madness and rage of faction . they are ready to afford , i say not only a deaf ear , but a scurrilous and prophane tongue , a treacherous snare , or a spiteful hand , to any offers or arguments on persecuted duties , that shall be made to them . now to lay such truths , or laws of god , before these men ; is not to promote , but to prostitute them . and therefore here the rule of our lord takes place , not to cast pearls before swine , i. e. the precious truths of god , before those stupid sinners , that have no sense of them ; but , instead of reverently taking of them up , will rudely bespatter , and trample them under foot. nor to throw holy things before dogs , i. e. before those , who , instead of worthily entertaining , will spitefully snarl and bark against them , and be ready to tear and rent those , that hand them to them , mat. . . and thus the holy confessors , though ready to give an answer , as † st. peter required , to any one that asked a reason of the hope that was in them : yet did not hold themselves obliged to give this account to one that asked , only that he might scoff , or blaspheme , or treacherously betray or trepan ; but to such as asked soberly , or with a desire of learning . giving , either no answer to others : as christ would not to herod , who only for his curiosity and pastime , question'd with him , luke , . , . nor to the high priest , who when they had not matter enough from his accusers , urged him to speak to what they had said against him ; not for information , they being resolv'd , as christ † told them , not to believe him , nor to let him go , but that he might lay hold of something more sufficient to condemn him , from himself , mat. . , , . or else , giving like answer , as * pothinus of lyons did to the president , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if thou art worthy , thou shalt know , when he scoffingly and abusively asked , who is the god of the christians . . secondly , when , on gods call , we have done our duty , and are thereby brought into dangers , it allows us to save our persons , whilst we innocently may , by concealment , or escape , and flight in persecutions . when they persecute you in one city , flee to another , flight and concealment in extream perils , being what christ himself allows , mat. . this has been the way in all times , as petrus alexandrinus , that blessed martyr , discourses , in his † canonical epistle , taken * afterwards into the code of the vniversal church ; and as † st. athanasius , after him , has demonstrated more fully , viz. for good men , in cruel persecutions , by flight , or concealment , to save themselves , till some necessary discharge of duty , or course of providence , deliver'd them up for suffering into their persecutors hands . thus as athanasius observes , * jacob fled from esau. and † moses , on slaying the egyptian , into the land of midian from pharaoh . and * david from saul , when he sent to slay him . thus also elijah absconded , and † hid himself for fear of ahab ; and fled for his life from jezabel . and 〈◊〉 sons of the prophets , in jezabel's persecution , were † hid , and fed by fifties in a cave , by good obadiah . * and thus the disciples likewise assembled in private , or held night-meetings , and shut the doors for fear of the jews . and paul , at damascus , was † let down by the wall in a basket by night , to escape those that watched the gaetes day and night to kill him . yea , our blessed lord himself , who granted this liberty to his disciples , when persecuted in one city , of fleeing 〈◊〉 another , upon occasion made use thereof . when the jews at jerusalem sought to take him , 〈◊〉 escaped out of their hands , and went away again beyond jordan , and there abode , that being a more quiet and secure place , joh. . , . and 〈◊〉 another time , when he was not safe in judea , 〈◊〉 walked in galilee , and would not walk in jury , b●cause the jews sought to kill him , joh. . . and again , when , on the raising of lazarus , the jews took counsel together to put him to death , he walked no more openly among them , but went thence into a countrey near to the wilderness , and there continued with his disciples , joh. . , . the reason of his flying , as athanasius * notes , was because his hour was not yet come . and this is given as the reason , why , when they sought to take him , they could not do it , and no man laid hands on him , † because his hour was not yet come , joh. . . till then , he took the liberty which he has allowed us , and prudently absconded , when sought after to his hurt , and made his escape as we are wont to do. but that hour being once come , as he declared it was , joh. . . instead of absconding any more , he went out to them , saying whom seek ye ? and telling them , i am he , joh. . , . he neither suffer'd himself , as athanasius * observes , to be taken before his time , nor endeavour'd to hide himself from them , when once his time was come . for each man , as that † father says , there is a prefix'd time . as there is for spring and autumn , summer , and winter ; so there is a stated and appointed time for life and death . and to this the scriptures refer , when they speak of taking men away in the midst of their days , ps. . . of dying before their time , ec●l . . . and of coming to the grave in a full age , as a shock of corn comes in in its season , job . . now , what time was appointed for him , † saith he , our saviour christ knew : and accordingly , though he withdrew at all times before ; at that time he offer'd himself to the officers sent to take him . but as for our time , as he adds , we know not what time god has appointed us , till it appears by the order of events , and the course of providence . behold i am old , and know not the day of my death , said the patriarch isaac , gen. . . and therefore the way of god's saints , when men laid wait for them , was not , as he * goes on , to obtrude themselves upon their persecutors , as not knowing the time appointed them by the divine providence . but their time being in god's hand they expected the finishing and course thereof . wandering about in the mean season , or hiding themselves in caves of the earth , 'till the determined time of their death came , or till god , who is the determiner of their times , would manifest it to them , either preventing , and disappointing their persecutors , or delivering them into their hands , as seemed most fit and seasonable to him . this caution , and flight in persecution , as he * adds , was not to be called cowardise ; but was an exercise of their fortitude , and patience . for in their flight , they did not nourish and indulge fears of death , but fortified their minds against it . they shew'd fortitude and tolerance , and gave a proof of passive valour , which is best seen , not in being suddenly cut off , but in tedious sorrows , which so highly enobled jobe 's patience . their care was , 〈◊〉 he pleads , neither to fear the time of death , when it was present ; nor to anticipate that time ●hich god's providence had decreed for it , or ●esist the divine dispensation , whereto they knew ●ssuredl● they were reserved : that so , they might not ●e 〈◊〉 , as being , by their own rash actings , the ●●use of their own fall. 〈◊〉 was it without fruit , either to themselves , or the church of god. their flight , saith * he , was not idle , in as much as they preached the truth when they fled , and never forgot to seek the profit of others , under all the hardships which they sustain'd themselves when flying they hid themselves , they were , by god's dispensation , only reserved this way , as physicians , for the wants and use of those that stood in need of them . in sum , the rule of christian prudence for us all , as * he observes , when we are sought for in persecutions , is not to be rash and precipitate in tempting god , but to fly , and hide our selves , and wait till the appointed time of our death comes ; or , till our great judge shall allot that for us , which seems best to himself . but when he allows us this liberty , he would have us to stand alwaies ready and prepared in our minds , when either our appointed time calls us , or we are taken up and apprehended by our persecutors , to stand and strive for religion and the church , even unto death . and thus the martyrs did in persecutions . whilst they lay hid in dens and secret places , they confirm'd and fortified their own minds : and when discovered and apprehended , they bravely suffer'd at the stake . but if some of them voluntarily surrendred themselves to their persecutors , they were not carried on to this , as he adds , by inconsiderate zeal or rashness : but professed every where , and before all , that this promptitude and free oblation of themselves , proceeded from the holy ghost . thus is there place , by the permissions of religion , for the servants of christ , to sa●● themselves by flight in persecutions . and this , for pastors as well as people , ●hen the persecutions of the pastors is personal . for then , to save themselves , they may depart from the churches they conducted , or from the followers they had gathered : as st. peter did * , upon herod's design against him , from jerusalem ; and st. † paul , when laid wait for there , from damascus ; and jesus himself , from jerusalem , or jury , or other places , as designs were laid for his life by the jews . yea , tho' by this flight of theirs , some innocent men , as petrus alexandrinus * observes , be accidentally brought in trouble , and suffer for their sakes . as † gaius and aristarchus were , as he notes , for st. paul ; the * guard of souldiers for st. peter ; the † innocent infants for our saviour christ ; and zacharias the father , for john the baptist , when his mother elizabeth fled with him from herod : all of them unblamed , notwithstanding , on the account of their flight , such things followed . but when the persecution is common , of the ●locks as well as of the shepherds ; and whilst the flock it self stays , and is like to be left destitute and unprovided , or much scandalized and dispirited by their departure : there it seems as if the pastors had not the same allowance . for when dangers are common , to the people as well as to the priests ; the leaders themselves should by no means be among the foremost in fears , and backwardest in tryals . they that in times of peace have been the preachers of faith and fortitude , of resolution and constancy ; when trouble comes , should be the first patterns and examples thereof among their flocks , and take especial care , lest by the hastiness of their flight , and excess of fear , they disgrace their former sermons , and fall under that smart censure , which * tertullian past on several pastors in his days , viz. that in pace leones , in praelio cervos , i. e. out of dangers , they were as bold as lyons , but in danger , as timerous as harts , and , like them , all for trusting to their heels . the pastors stand charged , not only with the care of their own bodies and worldly interests , which the permission of flight secures ; but with the charge of the church , being most solemnly intrusted with the care thereof , and watching for their souls , as they that must give account , as st. * paul says . and therefore at such times , it behoves them to consider , not only how their flight would serve their own temporal or private wants : but also how it would comport with their publick trust and office , and suit with their charges spiritual necessities . whether it be like to leave them quite destitute , without necessary helps or instructions , or hope and expectation of spiritual ministrations . whether it is like to trouble the spirits , and weaken and faint the hearts of their people ; and turn those out of the way , whom the presence , direction , and exhortation of a spiritual guide would have kept firm and constant therein ; encouraging them to yield to a persecutor's threatnings , when they see they are so formidable , as to shake the very pillars of the church , and make the leaders shift for themselves . and accordingly our saviour , though , when the pastors are specially persecuted , he gives liberty of flying ; yet , in a common persecution , when the wolf , i. e. a wolfish persecutor comes to snatch and scatter the sheep , as well as the shepherds ; he tells us , to flee for himself , and leave the flock without any guard or provision , is the mark , not of a good shepherd , but of an hireling . the good shepherd , saith he , when the wolf cometh , is not so careful for himself , as for his charge , and giveth or * staketh down his life for the sheep , i. e. is ready to expose and hazard it for their sake , joh. , . the good shepherd he distinguishes , not only from thieves and robbers , who seize those flocks which are not their own : as all those false messiah's were , who came to impose themselves upon the fold before him , v. . but also from all mercenaries , who , though * entring in by the door , i. e. by himself , or under him the true lord and pastor ; yet look to his sheep only with an hirelings indifference , and not with a true pastoral spirit and affection . instead of watching them , with his life in his hand , as the true shepherd doth : he that is an hireling , whose own the sheep are not , i. e. who looks to them , not with an owners care and heartiness , but only for his pay ; when he seeth the wolf coming , he leaveth the sheep , and fleeth to save himself . the hireling fleeth , because he is an hireling , and careth not for the sheep , but for his own safety , v. , . the note of the hireling , is the want of care for the sheep in time of danger , or of pastoral affection . as st. paul also intimates , when he laments the want of the pastoral spirit , and sets it off , by having ●one by him like-minded to timothy that good shepherd , who would naturally care for their spiritual state , and by finding all to seek their own , not the things which are jesus christs , phil. . , . and this disposition , as our lord notes , the pastors shew , when in times of danger , they leave their flocks destitute and unprovided , scandalised or dispirited ; and , instead of standing at the peril of their lives by their charge , flee away and shift for themselves . indeed , if when some go , who are more particularly obnoxious to a persecutors fury , others are still left to supply the needs of the saints ; these servants of god have more plea to withdraw themselves : as st. polycarp did at the importunity of the brethren , as the * church of smyrna write , when he was sought for by name . and as athanasius did , when persecuted by syrianus . who yet , in that barbarous outrage , which drave him away ▪ was * resolved to be one of the last in the church , and see how the flock escaped the hands of the rude and merciless souldiers , before he would attempt to escape himself . or , if they are like at one time , to be taken off more privately , or before strangers , they may think fit by flight to escape that storm , that , with the more advantage to god and the church , they may offer themselves before their own people ; there , by their own practice , more effectually confirming those exhortations to martyrdom , which they had formerly made among them . and thus st. cyprian , in the * last epistle he wrote to them , tells his church , that when officers were coming to fetch him to suffer at vtica , he had withdrawn , and waited in his recess , 'till he should hear the proconsul was returned to carthage : intending then to return to his own house , that he might suffer before their eyes . this liberty i grant is indulged us , not only for god's sake , and the churches , as st. cyprian used it in this last instance ; but also for our own . we are allowed to fly , not only in way of well husbanding the opportunities for serving god , and our brethren ; at st * clement of alexandria leaves a mind , that neither seeks nor fears death , to determine this point by the glory of god , and the benefit of mankind : but also in mercy to humane weakness . but this permission to humane weakness , is in subordination to the glory of god , and the good of the church . so that when the pastors cannot withdraw themselves , without dishonouring god and religion , scandalising their flocks , or leaving them de●●itute : they are not to flye , but to abide by the dangers , though at the peril of their lives . but this caution of spiritual prudence , lying in preventing worldly harm and consequences ; worldly wisdom is forward to extend too far , and turn into a doing harm to our duty , to keep off harm from our selves . to keep out harm and ill consequences , as far as we can , so long as we keep not out any duty , or part of duty , together with them ; is what god allows , and what prudence guided by the spirit is to take care of . accordingly , it doth not run into a duty of outward harm , as i say , before it has a call : and when , by a faithful discharge of duty , suffering is drawn on ; by flight , or concealment , it may save it self from it if it can . but worldly prudence is for providing against the harm , though it be by making no provision at all for the duty ; being always ready , rather to omit the doing what is good , than to suffer what is evil. to prevent this , we must take along with us these rules , in all our deliberations about these matters . . that caution is never good , which drops , or violates a duty . the caution of a christian is only to beware against harm , whilst he doth his duty ; never to beware of doing his duty , lest he suffer harm thereby . religion owns no hurt like the hurt of sin : and so prescribes no caution against any thing , so much as against evil-doing . the breach of duty is never to be taken up as an expedient ; but the performance of it must always be our first and chief end. do that when we are called , and do nothing against it ; and then be as cautious of any hurt that is like to come thereby , as we can . but this must never be neglected , or let fall , that a worldly good or convenience may be secured . tho' this is so much the way of worldly prudence , viz to be wise and wary against worldly harm , by the omission of any duty which is like to draw it upon us , that , when men have a call to discharge a duty , 't is really thought by many somewhat a suspicious thing , to hear them ask after the prudence of it ; that being , god knows , much oftner the method of those , who are seeking and have a mind prudently to omit , than of those who have a mind prudently to practise it . . we must never shew more care and caution , to prevent ill consequences to our worldly interests , than to prevent ill consequences to our spiritual interests . the interest and honour of religion and virtue , of truth and righteousness , is to be above any worldly interest , in a christan's thoughts . and therefore in looking about to descry consequences , his eye should soonest fix upon , and his care and wariness provide for those consequences in any way , which are like thereby to befall these . it will consider , and see in the first place , when a course is proposed , whether virtue and religion are like to get or lose by it ; whether it will bring any truth of god , or duty of godliness , under good or ill report : whether it will lay hindrances and incumbrances in its way , or afford encouragements ; whether it will stagger , or confirm others in the belief ; seduce them from , or invite them to the practice of truth and holiness . the consequences to duty and religion are far beyond any consequences of this life : and all truly religious men , as they ought , so they will set much more by them . and 't is a plain evidence any persons are men of this world , and worldly wise , when they are more watchful and sollicitous against temporal , than spiritual consequences ; and can take up with any dammages brought to truth and godliness , when they are necessary to keep off worldly dammage from themselves . what will be the effect and consequence thereof , to the outward ease and enjoyments , liberties or priviledges , security or advancement , of our selves or families , church or state , says the carnal man. but what will be the consequence of it , to duty and religion ; not to make them secularly great , but to shew them spiritually good ; not to hold them in external power and possessions , but to give or keep their hold upon mens hearts and consciences , by confirming all in the belief of the reality and sincerity of the efficacy and excellency thereof : this is the religious or spiritually wise man's question . chap. xiii . of spiritual prudence in worldly matters , or as over-ruling all other inferiour prudence , about things of this life . and of sollicitude . the third , and last thing proposed at first , to set off the nature and offices of spiritual prudence , is to shew its part in worldly matters ; or how , after its having been thus wise as is declared , for the things of religion it self ; as for all other inferiour and worldly prudence in things of this life ; it so orders the ends , and over-rules the ways thereof , as to keep them subservient to religion , or as best becomes christians . worldly prudence , is to be wise for the ends of this world. as , to preserve our lives here , and the comforts and enjoyments thereof , our properties , power , external quiet . to secure , or augment these , or other earthly good things , to our selves , our friends and families , to the church or state. all these are worldly ends. and to be wise for them , is worldly prudence . and this we have all need of here , because we are members of this world , needing worldly things , and being twisted in worldly relations , good men and good christians , as well as others . but though we live in this world , we aim at a better world. we are kept alive by worldly things , but we live for better , even for heavenly things , which religion shews , and which the ways thereof will procure for us . so that the wisdom of religion must limit and over-rule us in all the acts of wisdom and prudence we shew , about the lesser and inferiour things of this life . the flesh must be subject to the spirit , and the wisdom of this world , to the wisdom of the next . now , concerning this over-ruling influence of spiritual wisdom , in all inferiour and worldly deliberation , i shall note these two things . . first , that the rules of religion are the truest wisdom , as for the next , so even for the ends of this world. they are really the most prudent ways , and best chosen , for all the great and desirable purposes of this life . so that had god left them free , and said nothing of them ; their own usefulness would have recommended them to every discreet man , and true worldly wisdom would have said the same , that duty and religion now says of them . no other fancied ways , and least of all their contraries , could so well have served the true ends of living here as these do . other ways perhaps may seem more serviceable , and fit to be taken up for these ends , at some one particular turn . but none of them are so fit and conducive , if taken into constant course , and made a general rule of living . and men are made to live by rules , and their happiness to be sought by rules : without which , there would be nothing but utmost uncertainty and confusion , which would spoil all happiness , and prove the greatest misery here on earth . they are made to desire , and to seek what is best for the ends of life , not only in some one , or few actions , but in the tenor of life ; not only what will happen to promote them on some accidental turns ; but what is fit to do so ordinarily , and at all times , though by chance , on some particular turns , it may admit of an exception . and this general and constant service , must be by rules , which are general things ; and made to direct , not only as occasion serves , but ( that all other men may know where to have us , and we know where to be our selves , without which , as i say , there would be nothing but jealousie and confusion instead of happiness , ) for directors in ordinary and constant course , or at all times . now , as for rules of wisdom , for attaining the true ends of life , there are none better , than those prescribed by our holy religion . god having adopted our real interest into our duty , and made those things , whereby wisdom would direct all men to serve themselves here , the way of serving him , and securing to themselves the joys of heaven hereafter . what rules , for instance , are better in conversation , than to give no offence , neither injuring , nor despising , and less disdaining any . than by being gentle , and easie of access , and courteous ; a way of gaining much , that will cost us little . than by having a care of censure , not being apt to tax what we do not know , or to condemn others . and of all backbiting , or accusations , and ripping up , either the real or fancied faults of absent persons ; yea , in places and companies , abounding in censure , by being ●ary , even how we bring up the names of the absent , who are not there to speak for themselves , lest it afford matter to the malignity of evil tongues , and make them evil spoken of . than by not expecting much from others , not being soon angry or exceptions ; which will prevent our having difference with others , and , under any carriage of theirs , keep us easy within our selves : and however affronting or provoking their carriage be , we do not thereby lose much , if it doth not rob us of the tranquility and enjoyment of our own spirits . by all these ways , and sundry others which religion prescribes , we take the wisest care to converse with others , with the most advantage , and the least hurt and trouble to our selves . what rules again , are better in dealing , than to be true and just , which are the way to be trusted . to be industrious and careful in our business , to do always as we are willing to be done by , to be reasonable in our demands , moderate in our gettings , fair in all our trading and transactions ; which will most effectually retain those that try , and draw in others to deal with us , when they are neither like to be neglected or deceived , and over-reach'd in their business . to do all that is right , and with a willing mind , that discovers no uneasiness in being shew'd it , or backwardness in performing thereof . to offer nothing that is wrong , yea , when others offer it , not to return it ; not maliciously remembring , and studiously recompensing , but forgiving injuries , which is absolutely , as the most christian , so the wisest course , and most for the ends and enjoyment of this life . for it costs us abundance more labour and vexatious thought to revenge an injury , than it need do to put it up . to forgive it , is only to bear the disquietude that is past ; but to revenge it , is to throw away a great deal more of our quiet after it , and to add to our former sore , by a new , and , in probability , much greater heap of fresh toil and danger . what rules are so wise , for the enjoyment of our selves , of health of body , and ease of mind in this life , as sobriety and temperance , and chast and due regulation of fleshly pleasures , and moderation in all things . as bringing our minds in every thing to our conditions , no● affecting still to have what suits our fleshly likings , but to like what god is pleased to send us . as mortification , and due subjection of bodily appetites , instead of pampering of them ; as sitting loose to this world , instead of being worldly minded , and fond thereof . as living upon providence , and trusting to god more than to our selves , or to any humane provisions ; and being resigned to his will , or contented and desirous , rather that he should do his own will , ( as we profess in our daily prayers , ) than that he should do ours . than all which , what can better prepare us to receive all the vicissitudes of this life ; to give us least trouble from the ill , or afford us most comfort , contentment , unwearying and true enjoyment from the good things thereof . what rules , lastly , could conduce so much to settle happiness , as in neighbourhoods , so in families , greater societies , and all relations ; as the due discharge of all those duties which religion prescribes in those relations . by parents being careful to educate their children well , and to provide for them , keeping them under an wholesom government , but kind , and without ●nnecessary provocation : and by childrens being full of respect in all things , and obedient to them again . by wives being subject , in all things innocent , to their husbands : and husbands being kind and condescensive to their wives , as to their own flesh. by masters governing with equity , and forbearing threatning : and servants not answering again , but shewing heartiness in what service they perform , and doing it with diligence , and all fidelity . by princes being wise , and watchful for the publick good , and ruling all in the fear of god , with clemency and justice : and subjects , on the other hand , ever honouring their rulers , as the ministers and vicegerents of god , obeying their commands , where conscionably they may ; and keeping in their subjection , not throwing it off , and forcibly resisting , where they cannot obey . such as these are the rules of religion , both towards our selves , and towards others . and better cannot be given for attaining the wise ends of life , and for ordering our selves , as the best studied prudence would have us , in conversation or business , by our selves , or with others , and in all relations . so that every religious good man , whilst he keeps to the ways of duty and religion , follows the wisest courses , and the best rules of prudence for this life . yea , though he should not be among those that pass for the wise , but the weak and simple understandings ; though he should not see their conduciveness for these ends , nor follow them for the worldly wisdom , but only for the religion of them . though he has not the skill and apprehension to see and judge of secular prudence : yet , whilst he keeps to the rule of his duty , he has always this , which is the best proof of prudence , ever to be found in the most prudent , and secular wise ways . having the grace of being good and honest , he cannot miss of doing what the best understandings must needs say is most prudent and discreet . the wisdom of god guides him , where , if left to himself , he could not , like better understandings , shew much wisdom of his own . and following what god has prescribed , he is sure to act wisely , though he is not able to say much to others , to shew them the wisdom and conduciveness of his own actings . the ways of duty , wherein he walks , are chosen of god , and are the ways of gods prudence , for serving the wise ends of life . and the most prudent persons had better follow him , than their own understandings ; they can never find such another director , nor make any other choice of ways , so wise and prudent for themselves . but besides these ways of duty , for compassing the ends of life , which are ways of god's chusing : worldly wisdom has a great many more of its own , which god has left free , and whereof he has said nothing . the worldly ends of life themselves , are rather our liberty than duty , more god's permission than injunction . and in pursuing them , besides the duties of religion , whereby we set them on whilst we are serving him : there are multitudes of other ways , wherein worldly wisdom has its latitude , and that a very wide compass . and in this field of worldly prudence , when it proposes its ends , and pursues them by its own methods , this is . secondly , the other thing i would note of spiritual prudence , that when worldly wisdom sets up ends , or thinks to serve it self by ways prejudicial to godliness , it over-rules it in all such motions . sometimes worldly prudence , is for setting up ill things for ends. it proposes how to serve vices , or vanities ; how to compass ends of ambition , or covetousness , lust , or revenge , vain-glory , or intemperance . it aims at the accomplishing , or serving of a sin ; which is no end of life of god's making , nor any part of his creation ; but begot between satan and our selves , and meerly of his and our production . and spiritual wisdom , quite throws out such ends ; which being the stain and reproach , the misery and destruction of life , must never be turned into the aim thereof . as it doth also , all setting up the real advantages , and useful things of this world , for last and main ends. not seeking at all to serve god , or shew forth any virtue thereby , which is to turn them into an opportunity and matter of religion : but only to satisfie our fleshly appetites , and enjoy our selves therein . again , in seeking the good things of this life , worldly prudence is apt to transgress in means and methods . and the prudence of religion is , as to prevent its setting up undue ends ; so to keep out any thing ill , or vndue , in the way or course it takes : over-ruling it in these , not as agrees most with worldly minds , but as best becomes christians . particularly i shall observe , . first , in pursuing any worldly ends , it keeps it from serving it self , by doing any forbidden and vnlawful things . and besides all that has been hitherto discoursed to this purpose , with a more especial eye to ends of duty and religion ; i shall here set this off briefly , in some most obvious instances , in the course of secular affairs . in competition , the way of worldly wisdom , is for doing any thing that will overcome . it will use any means , and take all as lawful , that seems fit to strengthen themselves , or weaken their adversaries . it will blacken a competitor by calumnies , whisper and suggest fears about him , tell any stories it has heard before they are examined , if not such as it self has maliciously invented , misrepresent what might be innocent and well meant , pervert their words or deeds , though harmless in themselves , to very hurtful and evil purposes , as david complains his adversaries did by him , saying , every day they wrest my words , ps. . . yea , sometimes in the midst of these undermining arts , speak fair to his face , and cover treachery under compliment and kind expressions , as the same holy david complains his enemy did , while his mouth was smoother than butter , having war in his heart : and his words , when softer than oyl , yet being drawn swords , ps. . . in sum , their end in competition , is victory ; and to do any thing that will overcome , is the rule in worldly practice , though in reason and religion it should be otherwise . but now spiritual wisdom , in pursuing any worldly ends against opponents , will keep us from using any ways , either false , or mischievous . indeed , as prudence , it will watch times , and pick advantages for it self : a wise mans heart , as solomon says , discerning both time and judgment , eccl. . . but as christian , it will do nothing injurious to them for advantage . it may take what lies as free for it , as for others , and at the most advantageous times . but it will shew nothing uncandid , utter nothing false , offer nothing injurious , or what it is not willing to receive it self . nay , when we receive such usage from an adversary , it will not allow us to return it on him , not being for returning evil for evil , but for overcoming evil with good , ro. . , . as it is for having every man approve himself the truest friend ; so also the fairest , and justest antagonist and competitor , in the world . again , in gaining interest , and the favour of men , worldly wisdom is for doing any thing that will please , and procure help from those it has to deal with . without interest , designs and business , will not easily go on . and this needed interest , often lies among ill men , with whom no interest is to be made unless you please them . and , peradventure , they are not to be pleased , but by ingaging with them in wicked factions , against religion , or some much decryed and exploded duties , or truths thereof ; or , against the known laws , priviledges , or , constitutions , either of church or state ; or by going along in immoral practices , without making any difference , more than they do , of good or bad. they are men given up to base ends , or that seek and set on better , by base and wicked methods . and if we expect they should serve our ends , we must first serve theirs , and drink , or swear , or commit other lewdness , in compliance with their wicked humours , or ungodly and vicious ends or interests . and these fleshly wisdom is for taking up when they lye in its way , rather than go without their favour and assistance . but now true christian prudence , will never allow us , either to dishonour god , or injure our brethren , or abuse our selves , to please men. it is for seeking the favour of the potent , and the esteem of all , by courteous obliging carriage , and by worthy actions : but never by base arts and compliances . it is not for losing god , by doing any thing that is ill , to please and gain them . it calls upon us to do our duty , and nothing contrary thereto , whether thereby we keep , or lose humane helps and succours ; whether all men cry us up therefore , or decry us . when we seek to have our way established , or take effect , ponder the path of thy feet , says this wisdom , i. e. the means we use or course we take , and turn not to the right hand , or to the left , prov. . , . again , in raising families or fortunes , growing rich or great ; fleshly prudence , is not to apt to keep within the bounds , of right and justice . when getting is the end , it will over-reach the ignorant , that want skill to deal with it ; and oppress the poor and fatherless , that are too weak to withstand it . in bargaining or commerce , it will prey upon other mens necessities , vent false or faulty wares , set exacting prices , start feigned claims , use any falshood or unfaithfulness , strictness and rigour , wrong and violence , to inrich it self . making haste to be rich , it is not like to be innocent : for they that will be rich , fall into temptation and a snare , and into many foolish and hurtful lusts , as st. paul says , tim. . . but now spiritual wisdom , is not for being hired to an ill , or dishonest action , by any gain . unlawful gains , it reckons among the greatest losses , as giving away a good conscience , and a blessed eternity , for some empty and perishing riches . what is any man the better , though he should gain the whole world , and lose his own soul , saith our saviour ? mat. . . what is ill and unjustly got , it esteems not as a blessing , but a curse to families . the gettings , will not so truly inrich ; as the injustice , in time , will load and impoverish , calling still for a just retribution , and vindictive stroke of providence . and therefore such , are not to pass for durable riches , being not so like to raise and build up , as to consume an estate , and , like a secret canker , to eat it out . such as these , are wont to be the methods of worldly wisdom , in compassing estates , carrying on of business , prevailing in competitions , and the like : and in all the hypocritical and insincere , the ungodly and unrighteous methods , whereof it uses to serve it self when occasion requires , which i have already spoke of in the preceding chapters . and such as these are the restraints , which spiritual wisdom lays on all good christians therein . it permits not , to look for expediency in any sin , or to serve themselves in any necessity , or on any occasion , by evil-doing . the thoughts of the righteous are right , says the wise man , i. e. his righteous ends , are alwaies pursued and managed by right ways : but the counsels of the wicked are deceit , i. e. he seeks to compass his ends , by wicked and deceitful doings , prov. . . and this restraint it lays upon us , to keep only in good ways , not only as christian , but as prudence too . for in reality , this keeping upright , or only to good ways , in pursuing all the main ends or good things of this life ; is the way to speed most , and to find the best success in that pursuit . and the giving our selves a liberty , of betaking to ill ones , as occasion serves , is much more like to miss of it . in an uncertain world , that is all vicissitudes and contingencies , there is no way of pursuing these ends , that is certain , and never fails of success ; but all may miss sometimes . but this upright walking , will miss much less , neither so frequently , nor so widely , as perverting of our ways , when our need requires . so honesty is the best policy ; and this never stepping aside to an unlawful expedient , is absolutely the wisest , and the likeliest course , which , in pursuing these ends , a prudent man can take . for doth not all driving trades , and management of business , and carrying on of projects and designs , lye in dealing with others ? and is not all dealing , where men dare trust , and can confide ? and doth not all trust and confidence depend on uprightness ? no man is willing to be deceived , or cozen'd , wrong'd or outwitted . and therefore if they suspect any to be a crafty person , men are loath to deal with him . or , in dealing , being still suspicious of design , they are slow and difficult to grant him any reasonable thing , whereof they would make no scruple to another person . if they find a man to be a man of tricks ; having had to do with him once , they will be wary , how they come to have to do with him a second time . dishonesty , and unlawful ways , may serve a mans turn in some one act. but it will disserve him in an hundred for that one , in those that are to follow , and is mere folly if we look forward : incapacitating him for being trusted , and rendring him , it may be , the more unfit to carry on any bargain or business , all his life afterwards . for a man that lives by trade or business , is not only for doing this one day , but many days . not for living by one customer , or dealer , and for having all his end on him at once : but for so using him once , as that he may hope to have him often ; for so dealing by that one , as may encourage and draw in many more to deal with him . and this wisdom or providence , that looks forward , a man quite contradicts , that uses any dishonesty , or unlawful means , to serve a turn at present . tricks , for a while , may lye hid ; and so long , they stand a worldly mind in some stead , to the ends of this world : but this uses not to be long , and sooner or later , they are for the most part discovered . a lying tongue is but for a moment , prov. . . he that walks uprightly , walks surely , says solomon : but he that perverteth his ways , or hath recourse to dishonest and unlawful methods , shall be known , i. e. a little time will discover him , prov. . . and when once discover'd , his way is hated , and he is not trusted . and then , by catching unlawfully at a little gain , or success , in one act ; he loses all , that he lawfully might have had , in all the scores of opportunities , which , keeping in honest ways would have brought him , of getting , or succeeding , in the like matters afterwards . besides , by the just providence of god , this way of serving our worldly ends by vnlawful methods , is wont to be defeated . the ill means , used to divert an evil , he over-rules to bring and pull it down upon them : as the killing of christ , to bringing in the romans , the compliances of the gnosticks , to involve them in destruction with the jews ; the sale of joseph , to bring his proud and wicked brethren to pay him homage : though all these , as i formerly noted , were intended , and wickedly resorted to by the actors , for quite contrary purposes . when , to compass an end , men flye to an evil and forbidden thing ; that sets god and providence against them . and they are like to have but little cause to boast of their gettings or success , whilst he sets himself to blast all they project , and to undo what they are unrighteously a doing . . secondly , in course of converse or business , spiritual prudence keeps the wisdom of this world , from letting fall , or being wanting in any duties . it drops none , as i said above , to save it self from persecutions : much less should it omit them , to suit it self to turns and companies . this men are very apt to do , in the usual method of this world. they are called in worldly companies , and in the course of worldly business , to express their regard for many duties . it may be the name of god is blasphemed , or some truth of his run down , or some virtue dishonoured , and we stand by and hear it . or , some innocent and good men , good ways , or good things , are loaded with reproach and accusations , which we know to be false . or , intemperance is carried on , with an expectation of our presence , or concurrence therein ; or the like . now here the suggestion of worldly wisdom , is out of bashfulness to keep silence , and not to shew uneasiness at the reproach of god , or goodness , or good men , for fear of displeasing , and giving offence : and to countenance intemperance , or , it may be , in part at least , to share therein , rather than break company , or incur the censure of being rude , morose , unsociable , or the like . but spiritual wisdom , sets the honour of god , and the owning of virtue , and the assertion of truth , of the goodness of things , or of the innocence of persons , at an higher rate than these worldly considerations . and therefore it will not be wanting , to manifest and shew forth the honour it has for god , the justice it bears to men , the conscionable regard it has for every virtue , and the conscientious fear it has of every sin , when it is call'd to manifest its like , or dislike , its concurrence , or dissent , on any just occasion . not being for suffering sin upon , much less countenancing it in our brother , lev. . . and requiring us , to have no fellowship with the works of darkness , but rather to reprove them where we meet them , as st. paul says , eph. . . so to bear out christ's truths and laws , and to bear up his name , not only in secret , but in life and conversation . the better to discharge and facilitate this , i think it would be an excellent rule of spiritual prudence , for all true christians , to make open and ordinary professions of strict virtue . not falsly giving out , what virtue we have not . nor , affectedly bringing into company what we have , when we need not . but , on the other hand , not being ashamed or afraid to profess what we really are , and all that strictness , which it becomes christians to have , or they ought to practise , when there is occasion for us to shew our selves . it would be very fit , i think , for all christians , to appear to have , and to keep about them the same sense of things in conversation ; which they appear to have at church . professing still , to like and approve here , what they pretend to like and approve there . and shewing their godly fear , and dislike of the same things , when they meet them proposed , or practised before men ; as they did , when they heard them discoursed of , and represented before god. and for all ministers , to appear visibly to think , and to say the same of all matters in company , as they do in their pulpits : shewing the same sentiments of things , in liking , or disliking , allowing or rebuking them ; and giving them the same reception , when they meet them in practice , as they did whilst far off , and whilst warning against them in discourses . and the benefit of this to all would be , that few or none would expect any unchristian compliance or entertainment from them ; or , where there is any thing of breeding and civility , offer any thing unchristian in their company . in respect of some of the more modish and fashionable vices of the world , which are the way of reception in a place , and expect more compliance ; as shewing hospitality , for instance , by furnishing out a table for intemperance : these strict professions of the contrary virtue , may perhaps seem harder , and would incur more censure at the first . but that makes but a few days talk . and when once a man's virtuous profession and resolution is known and got abroad , and some few have had tryal of it : that talk is at an end . and then his virtue , in talking and acting so at common times , what they themselves are ready to do in their best thoughts , and most serious discourses , will be honour'd : and his non-compliance with their breach in their practice , of what they profess in their wisest seasons , will be no longer censured by them . and when once men have this opinion of his virtue , he will be out of the way of temptation ; and they will never come to him , when they seek , or expect to be otherwise received , than agrees with his known practice and profession . . thirdly , in pursuing any worldly ends , spiritual prudence will keep a man from being sollicitous about events , in the way he takes . sollicitude is an anxious and mistrustful fear , and care , of speeding in these worldly pursuits , or of attaining what we seek for . when we are in pursuit of any of these ends , there is a care and studiousness of compassing it . and this carefulness is the greater , where men are under a fear of failing therein . which fear is wont to be most , where the things are over-valued ; an over-estimate making one jealous without cause , and apt to fear for a thing , where no ground of fear is : or , where they want faith , and mistrust the providence of god. all which are too usual in the way of worldly wise men . who , making worldly things , not so much a means in their passage , as a main end , so placing too much in them ; and not attending to providence , or the promises of god , which are invisible things , for the preservation thereof , but only to what is before their eyes : are apt to be full of very superfluous fears , and anxious and distrustful cares , about these temporalities , which they so immoderately and unduly prize . but now spiritual wisdom takes care to prevent this . not that it is against all provision before hand , or all care for futurity in worldly matters . go to the ant thou sluggard , says wisdom it self , about providence , and seasonable cares and preparations for futurity , consider her ways , and be wise , prov. . , , . and the apostles at jerusalem , and other christians , under the appearance of eminent and approaching want , and great distress , were providently careful to provide for it the best they could , by selling what houses and lands they had , and putting the prices into a common stock , act. . , . yea , in the family and retinue of christ himself , there was a provident care , and judas bore a common purse or bag , which was for having something still before-hand , joh. . . and c. . . about these things † labour and care is to be exercised , and only sollicitude to be removed , as st. jerom notes , i. e. such care as disquiets the mind . but the provident fear and care , or well-order'd sollicitude about these temporal things or ends of this life , which godly wisdom allows , is to be a care and providence under these following limitations . . first , it is not to be for these temporal things in life , as for the ends of life it self . we are not made for this world , nor enjoy it as inhabitants , that set up their rest therein , as in their proper place . but we are made and design'd for a better , and only pass through this as strangers and pilgrims , in search of a city above in the highest heavens , as the † scripture says . and therefore these worldly things we must not stop in , as if , like as they are made for us , so we were made for them . our care for them , is not to be as for the ends of life , which we must only seek to please our selves in , or enjoy : but as for adminiculis vitae , for the means and helps thereof , which we must use , in order to better and higher enjoyments . they are to be cared for , only as things necessary , or useful to us in our passage . or , as subservient to us in seeking better things ; or , in exercising those virtues , and setting forth those religious duties , which are the true and real ends of life . . it is not to be a care and studiousness for superfluities , but for the true and reasonable necessities , and conveniences of life . superfluities are not necessary to real wants and conveniencies ; but only to the phantastick wants and conveniencies of vicious , vain , or diseased minds and imaginations . and spiritual prudence is not for pampering and gratifying , but for curing an unsound and distemper'd fancy and apprehension . it neglects not to provide for real conveniencies , but it seeks not to supply the wants of vices , or distempers of men's souls , or makes no provision for the flesh , as st. paul says , to fulfil the lusts thereof , rom. . . where god has provided men with plenty and surplusage , either by his blessing on their own endeavours , or by the care of ancestors , they are eased of the great temptation to sollicitousness , and are the more inexcusable if they offend therein , for more and more superfluities . but where he has allotted less , and prospect of want m●y put men upon more impatient an uneasie cares ; there spiritual prudence is for having its care and sollicitude spent on conveniencies , not superfluities ; and on real conveniencies , not imaginary and phantastick ones , which are infinite , and never to be satisfied . feed me with food convenient for me , demensi mei , that is , commensurate to my circumstance and condition in the world , was wise agur's wish , prov. . . and give us † this day , or * day by day , our daily bread , says the lord's prayer . bounding our sollicitude and cares with what is really sufficient , and enough for us ; or with bread , i. e. convenient sustenance and support , which excludes greediness . and claiming holy acquiescence and content , if it be but for this day , or from day to day , in daily dependance upon providence , which excludes diffidence . and so to be maintained for all the days of our lives ; at the end whereof , we can carry away nothing , but good works and a good conscience , not any worldly things . . 't is not a study and care for these necessaries and conveniences , that is superfluous , i. e. more than needs ; or a shewing more sollicitude , when they would be as well secured , and served , by less . we have employment enough for our care on higher things , which call for all the care that we can spare ; and so have little cause to lavish it out , and throw it away unnecessarily , on lesser matters . some care for them is necessary , god having so order'd things to incite industry , that we cannot compass what we need without our own care. but when we do take care for them , that should be a just and proportion'd care : not an unnecessary care , where the superfluity doth the end we seek no good , but only troubles our selves , and leaves us the less care , in store and reserve for better things . it must not be immoderate , or more than suits ; either , . with the true weight and worth , the dangers or hazards of these things . the worldly things we seek , are of a very mixed and limited goodness . and we may easily bestow more care and pains in pursuit of any of them , than it will answer . they are likewise many times more easily attainable , and not liable to any great hazard . or , when there is more uncertainty in any pursuit ; yet , if we cannot have one thing , the world has variety , and we may have another as good , that will serve as well . or , if we have it not at one time , let us but wait , and we may have it at another : and , perhaps , when that time comes , it will appear to be a better . so that we may easily spend more care upon them , than they will require . and having so much use of it : spiritual prudence is for having us to be good husbands of our care : not spending more upon any worldly thing , than the worth of the thing will bear , and , if it were got thereby , we should be well paid for ; nor laying out more thereon , than the difficulty of the thing it self , or the hazards incident to it , do require . . or , more than suits with our other greater and higher cares . we must be careful in such sort for any ends of this life , as that we neglect not all due care for the things of the life beyond this . so that our care for any worldly thing , must not be such , as takes up our mind too much . not such , for instance , as leaves it not time and care enough to spare for spiritual improvements , and for attaining all the virtues of religion , and for watching against all the temptations of the world , and for any opportunities and ways of doing the good we have been taught , or of avoiding the evil , whereof we have been fore-warn'd : all which , is s●ch a care of this life , as choaks the word , as our saviour says , mat. . . nor such , as obtrudes it self at an aliene , or unseasonable time : calling us to mind our worldly care , when we have a contrary call , to mind god or religion , some work of piety , or charity , or , when we are present at , and our minds should be attending to , and spending all their care upon some spiritual functions , as prayers , or other divine offices ; or , in any other call and season , for like good and religious things . the care of this world , must yield to the care of religion : it must not justle out god and our duty , but give way to them . so that it is always immoderate and ill govern'd , when it is not made to comport with them . . or , with the enjoyment of our own minds . when care grows great , it is very disquieting , and a vexatious burthensom thing . and most of those worldly things which men pursue , tho' they are valuable when they come cheaper , and are got more quietly : yet , however they may flatter themselves with fancies before , when they come to try them , they do not ordinarily find that satisfaction therein , which will compensate for the loss of ease and tranquility of mind . that care is immoderate , and gives away more than it is like to get , which robs us of our internal ease , and self enjoyment . for it is a much more valuable thing to enjoy what is within , than what is without us ; and to enjoy our selves and our own minds , than those worldly things we are in pursuit of . that care is to be removed , which is vexatio●s and disquieting to the mind ; what our lord has forbid , not being all labour and care , but only sollicitude , as st. jerom says . . particularly it excludes all such care , as disquiets it by distracting fears , and anxiety about events , or all anxious cares with mistrust of providence . for , a competency of worldly things , tho' we have no surplusage ; and always such success in any pursuit , as is good and fit for us ; is what we have secured by * promises , and the providence of god. and all our solicitude for these things , must only be a care , with faith in god , and reliance on providence ; never an anxiou● fear , with want of faith , or distrust thereof . which distrust of god , and about things men are eagerly desirous of ; must needs fill worldly minds , indeed , with anxiety and distractions . for their great desires will put them upon great cares ▪ and their want of faith , ●●●ving no sure anchor of hope in god , the 〈◊〉 fix'd stay to hold to , will fill them with 〈◊〉 . so that they are still wavering in ebbs 〈◊〉 flows , hopes and fears , and are of anxious a●d distracted spirits . but now this anxious and mistrustful solicitude , is what spiritual wisdom by no means allows . we are not to give way to it , though we have bread b●t from day to day , which calls us to a constant dependance on god for what we shall eat ●ext , as i observed before from the lord's prayer . nor in dangers , either private or publick , to church or state ; though our preservation or deliverance is but from day to day , without any comfortable prospect of continuance , and we are held there in like constant dependance . our care indeed is necessary , for attaining of worldly good things , and putting by worldly evils ; god having left those good attainments for an employment of industry , and not conferring them upon us by himself alone , or making them fall on every man's head by miracles , but by our own concurrence . and these , depending in good part upon us , must be a matter of our care , employing our care , as well as his providence . but as they depend on us , they depend on him too . and as we are to have them by our cares , so must we have them under , and from his providence . and therefore , when we are careful to get them , we must at the same time look up to him , and trust he will give them , or s●ch other good in lieu thereof , as he sees most fitting for us . faith in providence , especially where also we have god's express promises withall , must always both support our cares , and speed or give success to them . so that wh●●soever we care , and are solicitous for any earthly things , it must always be under god , not excluding him : and with faith in providence and gods promises , not with anxious and distracting fears , and mistrust thereof . which anxious and mistrustful solicitude about food or raiment , that is , the good things of this world , our saviour warns against , mat. . for the care there spoken of , is a mistrustful , painful care ; that solicitude being taxed , as shewing little faith , v. . or being of doubtful mind , and hanging in careful suspence , as st. luke explains it , luke . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , be not anxiously and mistrustfully solicitous , says our lord , or take no thought for your life , or the things of this world to support life , what ye shall eat , or drink ; or for the body , what ye shall put on , mat. . , . which solicitous mistrust he seeks to remove and exclude , by the assurance of god's care over us . reproving it , from the greater instances of his care , which all of us have received already : is not the life more than meat , and the body more than raiment ? and is he like to with-hold this , who gave that ? v. . and from what care all other creatures do receive : are not the fowls of the air , that have none of our provisions , neither sow , nor reap , nor gather into barns , yet taken care for by him all the year , and fed ? and are not the very lillies , that neither toyl , nor spin , clad ? and are not ye much better than they ? or can he overlook you , whilst he takes care of them ? v. . . from 〈◊〉 care providence has , even of the minutest ●●●ters belonging to us , the hairs of our head , 〈◊〉 † he says elsewhere , being all numbered . from god's knowledge of all our needs , and a pro●●se and assurance , that as he knows , so he will take care of all their wants , that take care of ●●●ir own duty , and of his righteousness . your heavenly father knows ye have need of all these things . but seek ye first the kingdom of god , and 〈◊〉 righteousness , and all these things shall be 〈◊〉 unto you , v. , . and , to name no ●ore , lastly , from the unprofitableness of such ●●xious and mistrustful cares , which , in most c●ses , serve not at all to set on our own wishes , but only to torment and disquiet our selves . which of you , by such taking thought , can add 〈◊〉 cubit unto his stature ? v. . . lastly , t is not a solicitude or carefulness ●●fore the time , or a preoccupation of cares , ●●restalling and anticipating them before the time comes . spiritual prudence , in caring for worldly matters , is not for tormenting it self with fears of what may never happen ; or with troublesom cares of things that are far off . 〈◊〉 is not solicitous about reaping , whilst 't is only seed time ; or , what opportunity and season they shall have to sow again , when they are now but in the time of reaping ; or how the markets will go , and what the sale thereof will be at the time of selling , when the grane is yet in the field , and not got into the barn. this is to trouble our selves with cares , before the time of caring ; to be soliciti in crastinum , or take thought for to morrow , which is our saviour's expression in this prohibition . not letting the thing alone , that is to come to morrow , to be cared for to morrow : when it will be no better cared for now , than it will be then ; and when this days care , is only to add the care of one day more , not to prevent any that must come after ; an early trouble , and before we need , for what we cannot shun ; and a painful anticipation of a distant care , which , at its own time , must be cared for , and repeated over again . which our lord respects , when he says , take no thought for the morrow ; for the morrow ▪ shall take thought for the things of it self : sufficient to the day , is the evil thereof , mat. . . sufficient to the day is the evil thereof , i. e. sufficient to this day , is the affliction of the care and solicitude that is present , and which it brings along with it : and we shall have enough to do , in bearing the care and solicitude of any future and remote burthen , when it s own time is come , and it is made present . such is the carefulness and solicitude for worldly things , which christ forbids , and christian prudence is for banishing out of the hearts of christians , when they are in the way of compassing any worldly ends. a due care it allows , that is not disquieting or vexatious , mistrustful of god , or neglectful of better things . but it permits not such care of them , as sets them up for ends , not only for means and instruments ; as is laid out for superfluities , not for real wants and conveniencies ; such as is a superfluous care , more than needs for our purpose ; an immoderate and ill-govern'd care , more than the things will answer , as well as more than the attaining of them would require ; s●ch as defrauds better things , and consists not with our greater or higher cares ; as burthens and disquiets our minds , as distrusts god , and providence , and turns into anxiety and distracting thoughts ; or , lastly , such as preoccupates distant evils , and torments it self before hand with futurities , which it cannot help , yea , perhaps , with tryals or maladies it shall never feel , and is not content to defer a troublesom care for a thing , 'till the time of caring for it come . all these ways of being solicitous , besides the resort to unlawful means , so much insisted on above , are the solicitude of worldly minds , who fix in worldly things , and weigh them in a worldly estimate , and seek them only by worldly succors . not of the spiritually wise , who seek them only as serviceable to higher and better ends , or in subordination to god , and subservency to religion ; over-ruling all the suggestions of fleshly wisdom in these points , so as may best serve it self , and as may make us do what most becomes christians . and this is the last office of christian prudence , which i proposed to treat of , viz. to govern in worldly affairs ; or , in all the ways forementioned , so to furnish out inferior and worldly prudence about things of this life , in some points , and to over-rule it in others , keeping it from serving it self by any forbidden ways , by letting fall , or being wanting to any duties , and from being anxious and sollicitous about the attainment of what it pursues ; as may best suit with the spirit and precepts of christianity , and become the servants and followers of christ jesus . and thus at length , it may , at least in part , appear , what true christian prudence is ; how it lies in seeing and following right ends of religion , and pursuing them only by fit and christian ways ; in taking for the execution thereof , the most advantageous seasons , in tempering them to circumstances , and shewing caution to prevent harm thereby , or ill consequences ; and , as for all other inferior prudence in things of this life , in so ordering the ends , and over-ruling the ways thereof , as may keep them most subservient to religion , and as may best become christians . and how contrary the way of worldly wisdom , or fleshly craftiness , is to all this , in all the foresaid particulars . chap. xiv . a recommendation of christian prudence . and now , in conclusion , for a further explanation of , as well as for a motive to that christian prudence , which i have endeavoured to recommend , and set off in the preceding chapters ; i shall briefly observe , how we are taught all this , both to keep to one way , and to shun the other , in st. paul's practice . for this is the account which that blessed apostle gives of himself . our rejoying is this , the testimony of our conscience , that in simplicity , and godly sincerity , not with fleshly wisdom , but by the grace of god , we have had our conversation in the world , cor. . . he disclaims having had any conversation by fleshly wisdom ; i. e. by having suited his conversation to fleshly ends , or governing himself by fleshly methods . wisdom is seen in proposing of ends , and in choice of means . and fleshly wisdom is such as is fittest for fleshly purposes ; pursuing fleshly ends by fleshly courses , especially by deceit and craftiness . † by fleshly wisdom , he here means , not eloquence , but wickedness , and craftiness , says theodorit . and to pursue all things , to deal and converse with all persons of this world by fleshly wisdom , is to serve the ends , or appetites of our flesh by them : to take up at every turn with such things as are easiest to flesh and blood , or make most for it ; and to compass them , as need is , by any method , especially by craft and deceit . so that then men converse by fleshly wisdom , when they govern their conversations by fleshly considerations , and worldly maxims , and comp●ss their ends by unlawful and deceitful ways , and steer their course in every thing they do , or meet withall in this world , as may give them most and best enjoyment of worldly things . and this , all they count wise , who are fixt to this world , and look no further . but this , the blessed apostle tell us , was not his measure : not by fleshly wisdom . but by the grace of god. that is , b● religion , or the rules of the gospel : which is called the grace of god , as containing his graci●●●●●●lings and intentions towards us , and a● both declaring to us what we should do , and offering us grace whereby to do it . the grace of god bringing salvation , teaches us , &c. saith st. paul , i. e. the gospel doth , tit. . . so that his conversation he ordered all along , not a● might get him , or keep him most ease and interest in this world : but as might best secure his innocence in every thing , and the rules of religion . his chief care was , at all times , and in every action , to do his duty , to keep the orders , and serve the honour of christianity . all his study and deliberation , was as a man of another world , not of this ; as one that sought to save his soul , not to pamper his body ; what way he might be most innocent and holy , not what would make him a more wealthy , worldly easie , or happy person . if a way , or thing , was never so cross to his worldly interests , and to the cravings of the flesh ; to discharge his duty , and keep a good conscience , he would take , or do it . and in any thing , if a duty was called for by the gospel , or the grace of god , for any considerations of this world , he would not forego it . not in fleshly wisdom , but in simplicity , and godly sincerity ( which i have before explained at large , ) and by the grace of god , or rules of the gospel , i have had my conversation in the world. lastly , i shall note the comfort and satisfaction he found in all this . this is our rejoycing , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , our glory and triumph , the testimony of our conscience , &c. such a cause of rejoycing , his conversing in all things without fleshly wisdom , and by the grace of god , proved to him most fully afterwards . but whilst he was practising this rule , though he had plenty of inward comforts and satisfaction , yet he found outward trouble enough therein . as he had no regard for this world , or for the rules of fleshly wisdom : so had this world no more favour or regard for him . all this time , whilst he held on in the way of simplicity , and of the grace of god ; he run through as much rage , and rudeness , and persecutions of the world , as any man. this , indeed , was one thing he was still sure of , and the great exercise of his life in every place . so the holy ghost , as he says , witnessed to him , that in every city , bonds and afflictions abode or waited for him , act. . . nay , these he met with , in the highest degrees , conflicting , not only with the malice , but with the downrigh● rage and madness of the people . they were ready to tread him down , like dirt under their feet ; and valued him no more than the sweepings of the streets : we are , saith he , as the filth of the world , and as the off-scouring of all things , unto this day , cor. . . here , had he need enough to betake himself from simplicity , and the strict rules of the gospel or grace of god , to fleshly wisdom , could any thing on earth have driven him thereto . and he met with outward trouble , and sorrow enough , for his conscientious and religious stiffness , that he would not . and yet after all this , he doth not in the least repent of all his sufferings ; nay , were they all to be suffer'd over again , or as many more set before him , he is as ready as ever he was , to hold on still in the same course . he looks upon those sufferings in this way , with other eyes , than common spectators do ; rating them as favours , and the truest matter of glorying and joy. his case , all this while , seemed most miserable to others ; but they saw only the outside , and viewed it at a distance ; whereas , in truth , it was all the time happy to himself . the pains of his sufferings were soon gone ; but the peace and joy thereof were lasting . whilst the pains and troubles were most pressing upon him , he had still a stream of inward joys and consolations coming in , that did refresh and support him under them : god comforting him , as he says , in all his tribulations , and still as the sufferings of christ abounded in him ; so his consolations also , in proportion abounding by christ , cor. . , , but though these joys came with his sorrows , yet they did not vanish with them , but staid and stuck by him afterwards , for a full and abundant compensation . and this is the comfort of all truly religious and upright sufferers ; as this holy apostle was , they are best pleased with themselves , when others are most displeased with them . though they have not the joys of this world , yet they have joy in it : joy , whilst they lose the good things thereof , yea , therefore joy because they lose them , and still a greater measure of joys , the greater their loss is ; if it be for discharging a good conscience towards god , or for keeping the rules of righteousness , and the service of jesus . and they have a clear prospect of most ineffable and lasting joys , so soon as ever the scene shall change , and they shall be taken and removed from hence . come thou good and faithful servant , enter thou into the joy of thy lord , mat. . . but we live in a time , when , to the greatest numbers , popery , that is indeed a very corrupt religion , seems more formidable than any other thing . and to call a way popish , sounds worse in the ears of the populace , than to say it is unchristian . and therefore , to conclude this subject , i shall note in the last place , how all the foresaid methods of the worldly wise , which i have taxed before , are no better than popish corruptions . there are popish morals , as well as popish superstitions and idolatries . the depravations of good practice , and of moral honesty and justice , by a number of their casuists , have been as scandalous , and will prove as fatal to those souls who are deluded by them , as their depravations in matters of faith and devotion . and the forecited rules of the worldly wise , are among those very ways , whereby too many papists have corrupted christian morals . nay , they are the morals of jesuits , who are the worst of papists , and whose scandalous accommodations of christ's rules and precepts , to comply with fleshly passions and interests , suiting religion to self-ends , and basely bending moral duties to serve corrupt turns and worldly necessities , are condemned in these , and such other points , by the sober papists themselves . and this i the rather note , because i see so many reverend and worthy persons , who seem the strictest and truest examples of moral integrity among us , and stand out against all these unlawful compliances and insincerities of the fleshly wise , appearing as the patterns and confessors for honesty and morality , in a day of general temptation and defection , are yet , among other marks of common hatred and scorn , branded with the name of papists , ( notwithstanding all the opposition they made to popery , and some of them most eminently , when the day of tryal was , ) for these their brave and truly christian oppositions of popish morals . yea , and that by those , who , content with a zeal against popish . errors in faith , and superstitious devotions , in the midst of all their heat against them , are running into the worst parts of their morality , sucking in the rankest poyson of jesuitish honesty unawares . for , as to the points before mentioned , such as these are the jesuits principles ; all taught by some or other , ( for god forbid i should charge all therewith , ) in that order . they are for doing evil that good may come . this is the meaning of that grand salvo ▪ so much magnified , and made use of among them , viz. the right direction of the intention , which affords them such wonderful help in an unlawful thing . thus they clear men of the worst crimes ; as simony , false witness , thefts , duels , and murther it self . plead but necessity , and say there is need of it , for religion , or the church , or their society , for the publick , or a man 's own private good , to preserve his life , estate or reputation : and then the breach of the precept they make to be without guilt , if therein a man ●oth but direct his intention aright ; permitting the evil of the action , if the actor doth but take care to purifie his intention . they are notorious , for giving a discharge of relative duties , particularly towards princes , when those duties grow burthensom or vnsafe , under impious , or oppressive rulers . for , of all others , they are the men that are foremost , ( leading others , ) and fullest in asserting , the deposition and dethroning of kings ; the absolution and discharge of subjects , from the obligation of their natural allegiance ; and the lawfulness of rising in arms , against heretical , or tyrannical princes . there is scarce any one thing , wherewith for so many years last past , not only this order of 〈◊〉 but the church of rome , have been more ●earnedly charged , and more shamefully silent'd . yea , 't is the test of popery by our laws ; the legal conviction of papists , being by the tender of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy , which were made to secure and defend our princes , against the poison of these tenets . they are infamous , for all arts of insincerity , and fallaciousness . having been the pest of humane society , by their doctrines of equivocation , or using of doubtful words and ambiguous speeches , which the parties concern'd shall take otherwise than they mean them . and of mental reservation , reserving in their own minds , some hidden and unexpressed clauses , in their declarations ; or secret and unexpected conditions , in their promises : so to make their speech , a truth to themselves , though it be a lye to others . of getting , and compassing their ends , by deceitful suggestions ; or setting out so much truth as to serve the turn , and craftily hiding what would hinder it . and , instead of that plainness and simplicity , which is prescribed by religion , studiously assuming all counterfeit shapes , and inventing and propagating all those fallacious ways , or liberties of dissembling , which the father of lyes can suggest to their hearts , whereby to overthrow the faith of men. whilst they reserve their minds , or inward service for god ; they are for giving the external service , or outward appearance , to any wickedness expected from them . thus , as the author of the provincial letters † observe● 〈◊〉 they allow'd the chinese , to worship a chines● 〈◊〉 , if they were careful to hide under their cloaths an image of jesus christ , to which , by a mental reserve , they were to pay those publick adorations , which , in visible appearance , the idol receiv'd . they are for tempering their duty , to circumstances of outward convenience , doing so much , as they safely may , without worldly loss or disadvantage . contenting themselves , as † they did in the indies , to preach up a glorified jesus , to those that would not hear of a crucified jesus . and abating the duties of religion , till they have brought them down to the pitch and proportion , the wants and worldly necessities of those that consult them . they are for changing doctrines , as they change turns and interests . not only in different turns , of their own , or their societies affairs , but of their disciples . having one resolution for one man , and at one time , and a contrary at another . by this looseness , taking in all comers , and fitting and reconciling all times and persons to their own ends. they are for holding , and maintaining , what is once ill got . and make unjust possession , a just title to it . and order easie amends and restitutions , for wrongful and evil-deeds ; no more than can consist with the offenders own credit and convenience . they have invented salvo's , whereby men may keep innocent , and yet act in an vnlawful business ; and minister , and help other men to sin , without sinning themselves . they vacate , at their pleasure , and put by the laws of morality , as they lye in their way ; rendring them insignificant , and of little or no force or obligation . either by interpretation of terms , or so expounding the terms used in prohibiting any sins , as shall exempt all , or almost all their own transgressions from coming under them . or , by allowing the thing , not under the name whereby it stands forbidden , but the very same thing in another form : like to what they resolved in the case of vsury , permitting it , not under the name of vsury , but of the contract mohatra , i. e. selling any person , that wants money , any commodities on trust , at a great rate ; and he presently selling them again for ready money to the same person , at so much less as the use would come to . or , by nice and vain distinctions , eluding all the force of a duty , by limiting it to some such bounds , or making it to bind only for such reasons , as they will be in little need to transgress : or running it into such thin , and subtile notions , till they have lost both it and themselves . or , by the plea of favourable circumstances , which in carnal estimate call for ease and indulgence ; and which they are most liberal in granting at god's cost , to save themselves . or , by shifting of intentions , confining the malignity thereof , to doing it for certain ends , which they can easily evade , by proposing other ends therein to themselves . the main study , and boasted subtilty of their casuistry , lies not in explaining , but in defeating moral duties , in spreading plasters for all sores , and inventing salvo's for sins . and , instead of instructions and inforcements , how to keep ; venting among their disciples , palliations and devices , to shew them how , without sin , they may break god's commandments . in sum , not to lengthen out this point by any more particulars , they are extreamly tender of fleshly wants and necessities . but this , as they that are for more flesh , than spirit ; shewing no tenderness far god , but making as bold as may be , with religion and its duties . theirs is an accommodating and complying theology ; and their great care is not to bear , but to avoid and shift off the cross , and temper and bring down the strictnesses and severities of christ , to the pitch and measure of a fleshly mind . and this wicked policy , or suiting the rules of morality and holiness , to carnal ends and inclinations , they call religious wisdom , or being wise to retain or multiply the followers , to serve the ends and interest of the lord jesus . it would be too long , to annex particular sayings and proofs , of all these , and other such like opinions , and maxims of fleshly wisdom , advanced by some or other of these carnal politi●ians . they who list may see enough from their own authors ; or , without giving themselves trouble to look further for them , in the mystery of jesuitism or † provincial letters ; and in the several extracts of propositions from the jesuits writings in the additionals . thus are the foresaid rules and worldly maxims , declared against in the preceding chapters , no better than jesuits principles ; which secular reason , and carnal interests , and self-ends , are ready enough to suggest to fleshly natures of all sects and parties : but which they , above all others , have cultivated to perfection . so that , as these rules of fleshly wisdom take place , and come in use , the jesuit creeps in , and revives amongst us . and if jesuits morals must come in to drive out popish superstitions and idolatries , as much , and as bad popery , will come in at the back door , as goes out at the fore-door , and there will be no deliverance from popery that way to boast of . i have an hearty aversion to popery ; whilst i pity their persons , and am , i thank god , ready to perform all that is just , and charitable to them ; at the same time mightily condemning their persuasion , as a most corrupt religion . accordingly , i think it a mighty preservation , to be kept by god's grace and good providence , from those most dangerous and mischievous errors ; or , from all violent temptations to them . but i confess , i am for keeping out popery , or any other ill religion , only by orthodox tenets , and true christian practices . which , god be thanked , whatever it is of too many of its members , is the way of this church , in all her authentick doctrines and offices ; that set as much by good life , as by orthodox belief , and are not more for professing truth , than for practising a strict and inviolable morality and holiness : as all her children , and sons , must be too , who will not revolt , or break off from her principles . and i think it a most lamentable unhappiness , for men in their zeal against so blame-worthy a religion , to run headlong into some of its most heinous vices ; and even when they are opposing it , with the greatest seeming fierceness , from sound and intire protestants , to become in truth part-boyl'd romanists , or drive out popish superstitions , by the use and help of jesuitish immoralities . which really is done , as i have shewn , as often as the fore-condemn'd rules of fleshly wisdom , and others like unto them , do find place amongst us . finis . a catalogue of books printed for jo. hindmarsh . parey's surgery . davela's history of the civil-wars of france . evelin's sylva . saunderson's sermons . bishop brownrigg's sermons . snape's anatomy of an horse . dr. rawleigh's sermons . dr. outram's sermons . mackenzie against stilling fleet . discourse of primogeniture . practical rule of christian piety . l'estrange's tully's offices . doctors physician , or dialogues concerning health . the whole art of converse . arbitrary government display'd . hudibras ; fourth part. alamode phlebotomy , or a discourse of blood-letting . eutropuis in english , or a breviary of the r. history . chalmer's spelling-book . behn's miscellany poems . the whole duty of man in french. the works of mr. john oldham . tate's miscellany poems . maimburg's prerogative of the church of rome . the history of count zozimus . discourse of monarchy . the french bible . the testament in french. titus andronicus . majestas intemerate . dr. pelling's apostate protestant . dr. curtis's sermon . dr. allestree's sermon . sheridon's case . gouges principles . spirit of meekness . stafford's tryal . the history of passive obedience compleat , parts . the case of the afflicted scotch clergy . history of the scotch persecution . don sebastian . modern policy . rebels catechism , writ by doctor heylin . scotch memorial . proteus ecclesiasticus . answer to obedience and submission to the present government , demonstrated from bishop overall . perjur'd phanatick . essay on pride . dr. talbor of agues . venice preserv'd , a tragedy . elliot against oates . the history of edward the third , a tragedy . the mistake ; or false reports . a play. slainees sermon . hindmarsh's sermon . hool's vocabulary . erasmus colloquies . s. ingratitude of a commonwealth . aristella . castalio's latine testament . city politicks . plays . sir courtly nice . plays . banditti . plays . dame dobson . plays . the poets complaint of his muse , by mr. otway . seneca's morals . martin's letters . disappointment , or , the mother in fashion , a play. rolls's loyalty and peace . hesketh's sermon . robert's sermon . loyal satyrist . vindication of the church of england . pelling's good old way . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * ad nicom . l. . c. . † de prospera & adversa fortuna , & de prudentia , conc. . tom. . p. . * the wise servant made ruler , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is the same as prudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mat. . . as the wise as serpents , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mat. . . and wise virgins , mat. . . * joh. . . * mat. . , . &c. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 † sam. . . * apol. c. . * euseb. hist. eccles . l. . c. . p. , . † ap. euseb . hist. eccl. l. . c. . * ep. . † tusc. quaest. l. . sub initio . * comment . authoris incerti in matt. inter opera chrysost ▪ ch. . . * inter omnes reprobos , imò ante omnes ; timidis autem , inquit , &c. tert. scorp . c. . † the spirit of the martyrs was not broken or dismay'd by all the terrors of the tormentors . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because their love was perf●ct , and had cast out fear , says phileas the martyr in his epistle to his church , ap . euseb. l. . c. . ‖ vid. hammond . annot . in l●c . * interrogatus , vel ultrò confitetur ; damnatus , gratias agit , tert. apol. c. . † heb. . . * mat. . &c. . * quid enim vos praesens docui , ea & absens mitto , & in omne quod deinceps secuturum est temp● me praed caturum spero . theod. in loc . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † cor. . . † non dubitandum est paucos episcopos essepretiosos de merito confessionis & inviolabilisfidei ▪ multos verò nullificari merito haereseos vel praevaricationis , quia in causa veri , maxime in causa religionis & sacrae fidei , non numerus numerocomparandus est , sed pura illa apostolica fides , probata exiliis , probata cruciat●bꝰ , licet unius , multorum insidelitatibu● praeponenda est . faustin . & marcell . in lib. precum , p. . * tom. op . p. , . † non ardor civium prava jubentium , non vultus instantis tyrannimente quatit folida . horat. carm. l. . od. . * homil. in mat. * incerti authoris in mat. ap . chrys●st . v. , . ‖ psal. . . & . . * see psal. . , , , . & psal. . . * joh. . . * luc. . . † see contin . of friendly debate , p. . to . * sapientia hujus mundi est cor machinationibus tegere , sensum verbis velare , quae falsa sunt vera ostendere , quae vera sunt falsa demonstrare . gregor . magn. l. . c. . expos. moral . in job , upon deridetur justi simplicitas , job . . † on diaconi non bilingues , tim. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ † orat. . tom. . p. . & p. . * in loc . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . or , as in some readings , as carcell . lect. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in holin●ss and truth . * in mat. hom. . in c. . v. , . quicunque me confessus fuerit , &c. ap . chrysostom . * job . . isa. . . † in loc . ed. sav. p. . * ap. cypr. ep. . * can. . & can. . † can. , , . * concil . ancyr . can. . & zo● . in can. ‖ c. . v. . a● . . . ep. cleri rom. ap . cyp. ep . † - quo non minus , quam si ad nefarias aras accessissent ▪ hoc ipso quod ipsum contestati fuerant , tenerentur , ap . cyp. ep. . ed. ox. ‖ ibid. * annot. in loc . † non est immunis à scelere , qui ut fieret imperavit . ib. * licet praesentes cum fierent non affuissent , cùm praesentiam suam utique ut sic scriberetur mandando fecissent . ib. ep. . ‖ — fecisse se dixit , quicquid alius faciendo commisit — et illa professio denegantis ; constellatio christiani , quod fuerat , abnuentis . cyp. de lapsis , p. . ed. ox. † n●c est alienus à crimin● , cujus consensu , licet non à ●e admissum crimen , tamen publicè legitur . ap . cyp. ep. . ‖ qui vult videri propositis adversus evangelium , vel edictis ▪ 〈◊〉 legibus satisfeciss● , hoc ipso jam paruit , quod videri paruisse se voluit . ib. * ibid. * hom. . in ep. ad cor. p. . ed. savil. † exp●s . mor. l. . c. . in cap. . job . * in loc . homil. . in cor. p. . ed. savil. † in loc . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 basil. in reg. brev. interrog . . p. . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * theoph. p. . * pet. . . † concione . de prospera & adversa fortuna . et de prudentia . tom. . p. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . homil. . in cor. p. . ed. savil. oecumen . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in loc . ap . p. . ‖ lib. . c. . expos. moral . in job , c. . * homil. . in mat. † incerti authoris ap . chrysostom . in mat. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrysost. in loc . homil. . in ep. ad cor. p. . ed. savil. † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ‖ pet. . . * luk. . . † mat. . ●● ‖ in loc . hom. . in ephes. * in loc . † in loc . † cor. . . * rom. . . * tit. . . † joh. ▪ , , , . * jo. ● ▪ . luc. . , , ● . * in a discourse intitled , christianity a doctrine of the cross under unrighteous rulers . or , passive obedience under invasion of legal rights and liberties . * in loc . † vid. dr. hammond in loc . ‖ ap. joseph . de bello . l . c. . * ib. c. . * dio xyphylin . in vespas . ‡ l. . e. . &c. . ‖ ib. l. . c. . ‡ matt. , . * matt. . , . ‖ gal. . . † gal. . . * e●cl . hist. l. . ● . . ‡ hist. l. . c. . ‖ vid. dr. lightfoot . chorag . dec. in s. mar. c. . sect. . † matt. . . * mat. · , . ‡ heb. . . thess. . . ‖ pet. . . ‖ de bello , l. . c. . † tim. . . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † sam. . , . † sam. . . &c. . . † king. . , , . & v. , , . † king. . , . &c. . , . † king. . . & king. . . † sam. . , . &c. . . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † mar. . . † isa. . . † jer. . . † v. . † v. . † v. . † ad v. . * mat. . . * ad calcem just. instir . p. . † ib. p. . * ib. p. . † ib. p. † can. . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 st. greg. thaumat . can. . † ro. . . † ad can. . s. basil . ad amphiloch . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † philip. . † quid interest inter suasorem facti , & probatorem . cic. ib. * legat. pro christ. p. . † de gubernat . dei , l. . p. . ed. ox. * gal . , . g l. † rom. . . and cor. . . † rev. . , . * nunc à praeside mauritaniae , vexatur hoc nomen , sed gladio tenus , sicut & à primordio mandatum est animadverti in hujusmodi . tertul. ad scap. c. . † tert. ad scap. c. . * mat. . , , , . , , . & joh. . † de mart. palaest . c. . p. . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. chrys. orat. . statuarum . . quod utilissit principum timor . ed. av . tom. . p. . * act. . , . & c. . , . † cor. . . † eph. . * eph. . . tim. . joh. . † sapientia conversationis lucrari nos vult commeatum . tert. de fuga in pe●sec . c . p. op . . * dan. . . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * ap. euseb. hist eccl. l. . c. . † ne quisquam ultrò se gentilibus offerat , nos confiteri magis voluit , quam profiteri , cyp. ep. . † ap. vales. annot. in euseb. hist. l. . c. . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. chrysost. homil. . quod non oportet conturbari cum videamus bonos in adversis , &c. tom. . ed. sav. p. . † pet. . . † luk. . , . * euseb. hist. l. . c. . † can. . & . * concil . trull . cap. . † apol. . de fug● sua p. . tom. ● . op . * gen. . . † exod. . . * sam. . ▪ . † king. . . and c. . . . † king. . . * joh. . . acts . . † act. . , . * ib. p. . † jo. . . * ib. p. . † ib. p. . † ib. p. * ib. p. . * ib. p. ▪ * ib. p. , . * p. . . * act. . . † act. . , . * can. . † act. . , , . * act. . . † mat. . . * de coron . mil. c. . * heb. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * v. . · * ap. euseb hist. eccl. l. . c. . * vid. apol. pro fuga . * ep. . * strom. . & . † labor est exercendus sollicitudo tollenda . jerom. tom. . comment . ad c. . mat. on nollite sollicite esse . v. . † pet. . . heb. . † mat. . . * luke . * rom. . . heb. . . mat. . . † mat. . . † carnalem sapientiam hic dicit , non eloquentiam , sed malitiam & calliditatem . theod. in loc . † p. . † ib. † vid. letter , , , , , , . &c. natures picture drawn by fancies pencil to the life being several feigned stories, comical, tragical, tragi-comical, poetical, romanicical, philosophical, historical, and moral : some in verse, some in prose, some mixt, and some by dialogues / written by ... the duchess of newcastle. newcastle, margaret cavendish, duchess of, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing n estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) natures picture drawn by fancies pencil to the life being several feigned stories, comical, tragical, tragi-comical, poetical, romanicical, philosophical, historical, and moral : some in verse, some in prose, some mixt, and some by dialogues / written by ... the duchess of newcastle. newcastle, margaret cavendish, duchess of, ?- . the second edition. [ ], p., leaf of plates. printed by a. maxwell, london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. mind and body. knowledge, theory of. judgment. virtue. good and evil. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - apex covantage rekeyed and resubmitted - allison liefer sampled and proofread - allison liefer text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion here on this figure cast a glance , but so as if it were by chance , your eyes not fixt , they must not stay , since this like shadowes to the day it only represent's ; for still , her beuty 's found beyond the skill of the best paynter , to imbrace , those lovely lines within her face , view her soul's picture , judgment , witt , then read those lines which shee hath writt , by phancy's pencill drawne alone which peece but shee , can justly owne . natures picture drawn by fancies pencil to the life . being several feigned stories , comical , tragical , tragi-comical , poetical , romancical , philosophical , historical , and moral : some in verse , some in prose ; some mixt , and some by dialogues . written by the thrice noble , illustrious , and most excellent princess , the duchess of newcastle . the second edition . london , printed by a. maxwell , in the year . the duke of new castle upon all the works of his duchess . you , various readers , various judgments give ; and think , books are condemn'd , or ought to live , according to your censures , bad or good , before you read them , or they 're understood : laying aspersions with a jeering brand . but read these first ; and , if you understand what 's to be lik'd , you 'l like what here is writ ; else you will forfeit your judgment and wit. for your own sakes , dislike not these books then , have mercy on your selves , you censuring men : for when you 're dead , with all your envious looks , these writings will out-live all other books . o , but a woman writes them ! she does strive t' intrench too much on man's prerogative . then that 's the crime , that her fame pulls yours down . if you be scholars , she 's too of the gown ; therefore be civil to her : think it fit she should not be condemn'd cause she 's a wit. if you be soldiers , ladies you 'l defend , and your sheath'd arguments , when drawn , will end the small male-gossipings . but , gallants , pray be not ye factious , though your mistris say , the books are naught ; but do you talk with those , of ribbans , point de gen's , and curious clothes , their better reading ; and let books alone : but these i will compare to every one that here doth follow . nay , old homer writ not clearer fancies , nor with clearer wit : and that philosophy she doth dispense , is beyond aristotle's hard non-sense . her observations of diseases new , hippocrates the grecian never knew . as eloquent she is as cicero , and sweeter flowers of rhet'rick here do grow . her lofty high descriptions do shame still the swell'd lines of th' imitator virgil. as good odes too as horace : nay , i can compate her dialogues to rare lucian . lucan , the battel of thy civil-war is lost ; this lady doth exceed thee far . more fame , by morals , she , than plutarch , gains . as useful fables she , as aesop , feigns . and as good language as e're terence writ . thy comedies , poor plautus , have less wit. her rare epistles all epistles sully , even the too-familiar of vain tully . and as wise sentences she still doth say , as marcus aurelius , or seneca . verses as smooth and sweet as ovid writ : and may compare with sweet tibullus wit. what takes the soul more than a gentle vain , that charms the charming orpheus with its strain ? if all these wits were prais'd for several ways , what deserves this that hath them all ? what praise ? the preface . the design of these my feigned stories , is , to present virtue to your view , the muses leading her , and the graces attending on her : to defend innocence , help the distressed , lament the unfortunate , and shew that vice is seldom crown'd with good success . i have described in this work many sorts of passions , humours , behaviours , actions , accidents , governments , laws , customs , peace , warrs , climates , arts and sciences ; but have not painted them all alike , some being done with oily-colours of poetry , others with water-colours of prose : some upon dark grounds of tragedy , and others upon light grounds of comedy . nor are those descriptions so lively exprest by my pen , as sir anthony vandike's pictures by his pencil , being rather form'd by fancy , than copied from the true originals of immediate action ; for i have not read much of history to inform my self of what was done in former times , where i might unhappily have found , to my grief , that some of my sex have out-done all the glory i can aim at , or hope to attain to . that my ambition of extraordinary fame , is restless , and not ordinary , i cannot deny : and since all heroick actions , publick employments , as well civil as military , and eloquent pleadings , are deni'd my sex in this age , i may be excused for writing so much ; for that is the reason i have run , more busily than industriously , upon every subject i can think of . though some of these stories be romancical , i would not be thought to delight in romances , having never read a whole one in my life ; and if i did believe that these tales should neither benefit the life , nor please the mind , more than what i have read in them , did either instruct or satisfie me ; or that they could create amorous thoughts in idle brains , as romances do , i would never suffer them to be printed , and would make blots instead of letters . but partiality perswades me otherwise ; and i hope , that this work will rather quench passion , than enflame it ; will beget chast thoughts , nourish the love of virtue , kindle human pity , warm charity , encrease civility , strengthen fainting patience , encourage noble industry , crown merit , and instruct life : will damn vices , kill follies , prevent errors , forewarn youth , and arm the mind against misfortunes ; and in a word , will admonish , direct , and perswade to that which is best in all kinds , wherein i have my wishes and reward . i have not dress'd these discourses with constraint fashions , which are hard words , set-phrases , and bombast sentences : but though it be done carelesly , yet not loosly ; and when i use any forreign words , do not , i beseech you , attribute it to affectation , or to the vanity of being thought skilful in those languages from whence they are taken : for i have never learn'd any , besides my mother-tongue , which is ( at this time ) extreamly enrich'd with the wise and lawful plunder of others ; and is like mithridate and cordial-waters , which are much the better for being compounded of the choicest ingredients . for method , i do neither understand perfectly what it is ; nor , if i should , have i the patience to be ty'd to its exact rules , which in my opinion fetters nature more often than it helps it by its pretended order . and therefore do not expect in this book any artificial contrivances , and be contented to find my expressions clear , natural , and very intelligible , without the least art in the world. if i cannot be so happy to deserve your commendations , let me deserve your censure ; which cannot be ( in relation to you ) till you have read the whole work ; and chiefly , the stories of the anchoret , and of the experienced traveller ; and then ( i hope ) the prejudices you may have against an unlearned woman , will be taken off . as i was writing , by a little fire , these feigned histories ; i did desire to see my native countrey , native friends , that lov'd me well , and had no other ends than harmless mirth to pass away dull time , with telling tales either in prose or rime . but though desire did then like a wind blow the sails of wishes on love's ship to go ; yet banishment to my dear lord , was then a dangerous rock , made of hard-hearted men . and hearing of such dangers in my way , i was content in antwerp for to stay ; and in the circle of my brain to raise the figures of my friends crowned with praise : these figures plac'd in company together , all setting by a fire in cold weather ; the fire was of fancy , which i made within the glandule of a chimney laid : my lord and i amongst our friedns was set in the midst of them that were thither met . but afterwards perceiving i could make as many figures as my thoughts could take . then i invited all the learned men , and best of poets that the age had then : the poorest guess , though they no birth inherit , to entertain according to their merit . thus was my mind as busie as a bee , to entertain this noble company . then my imaginations a large room built , furnish'd most curiously , and richly gilt : i hired all the arts for to provide choice of provisions , and pastime beside . the wit i had unto the muses sent , with love's request , which humbly did present my mind's desire ; which was , without delay , to come and help to pass the time away . wit travell'd far , and search'd them all about , at last in nature's court wit found them out . then first to nature , wit did bow down low ; to wit , dame nature did her favours show ; and , with a pleasing-smile , she bid him say , whether be came to fetch her maids away . wit answered , yes . then nature bid them take the helicon water , and with it make the company all poets . which they did , although they were but pictures in my head ; their real persons at great distance were : but on my thoughts that did their figures bear , the marvellous waters could not work well , which is the cause no better tales i tell ; but hope those friends my fancy do present , vvill take it well , and for a good intent : for i did trouble much my poor weak brain , this worthy company to entertain . margaret newcastle . several feigned stories in verse . the first book . readers , my works do not seem ( in my mind ) so bad as you make them , if faults you find : for if you find much fault , you would not spare your ridgid censures , but their faults declare . for i perceive the world is evil bent , judging the worst of that which was well meant . when they a word to wantonness can wrest , they 'l be well-pleas'd , and often at it jest : when every foolish tongue with words can play , and turn good sense , with words , an evil way . but at my writings let them do their worst , and for their pains with ignorance be curst . in vvinter cold , a company was met , both men and vvomen by the fire were set ; at last they did agree ( to pass the time ) that every one should tell a tale in ryme . the vvomen said , vve no true measures know ; nor do our rhymes in even numbers go . why , said the men , all women's tongues are free to speak both out of time , and follishly . and , drawing lots , the chance fell on a man , who having spit and blown his nose , began : of the mournful widow . i travelling , it was my chance to spy a little house , which to a tomb stood nigh . my curiosity made me inquire vvho dwelt therein : to further my desire , i knocked at the door ; at last came one which told me , 't was a lady liv'd alone . i pray'd that i the lady might but see : she told me , she did shun all company . by her discourse , the lady had been wife , but being a widow , liv'd a lonesome life . i told her , i did travel all about , only to find a constant woman out . she answer'd , if the world had any where a constant woman , surely she dwelt there . i waited there , in hope my fortune might at length direct me to this lady's sight : and lying underneath a tomb at night , at curfue-time , this lady with a light came forth out of the house all cloth'd in white , and to the tomb her walk she bended right ; with a majestick-grace she walk'd along , she seem'd to be both beautiful and young ; and when she came , she kneeled down to pray , and thus unto her self did softly say . give leave , you gods , this loss for to lament ; give my soul leave to seek which way his went : o let my spirits with his run a race , not to out-go , but to get next in place : amongst the sons of men raise up his fame , let not foul envy canker-fret the same : and whilst , great gods , i in the world do live , grant i may honour to my husband give : o grant that all fond love away may flye , but let my heart amongst his ashes lye . here do i sacrifice each vainer dress , and idle words , which my youth did express . here , dear , i cancel all self-love , and make a bond , thy loving memory to take , and in my soul always adore the same ; my thoughts shall build up altars to thy name : thy image in my heart shall fixed be : my tears from thence shall copies take of thee , and on my cheeks those tears as pictures plac't , or , like thy carved statue , ne're shall waste . thy praise my words ( though air ) shall print so deep , by repetition shall for ever keep . with that , tears from her eyes in show'rs did flow : then i rose up , to her my self did show . she seemed not to be mov'd at my sight , because her grief was far above her fright . said i , weep , weep no more , thou beauteous saint , nor over these dull ashes make complaint ; they feel not thy warm tears , which liquid flow ; nor thy deep sighs , which from thy heart do go : they hear thee not , nor thank thee for thy love ; nor yet his soul , that 's with the god's above . take comfort , saint , since life will not return ; and bury not thy joys within this urn. she answered . i have no joys , in him they did reside ; they fled away when as his body dy'd : not that my love unto his shape was ty'd , but to his virtues , which did in him ' bide . he had a generosity beyond all merit , a noble fortitude possest his spirit ; foreseeing-prudence , which his life did guide ; and temperate thoughts did in his soul abide : his speech was sweet and gentle to the eat ; delight sate close , as listning for to hear his counsel wise , and all his actions good : his truth and honesty as judges stood for to direct and give his actions law : his piety to gods was full of awe . wherefore return , your counsels are in vain ; for i must grieve whilst i'n the world remain : for i have sacrific'd all my delight upon my noble husband 's grave , and slight all vanities , which women young do prize , though they entangle them , as webs do flies . lady , said i , you being young and fair , by pleasures to the world invited are : bury not all your youth and beauty here , which like the sun may to all eyes appear . o sir , said she , the sun that gave me light , death hath eclips'd , and taken from my sight . in melancholy shades my soul doth lie , and grieves my body which will not yet die . my spirits long to wander in the air , hoping to find its loving partner there . though fates my life have power to prolong , yet they have none my constant mind to wrong . but when i did perceive no rhetorick could perswade her to take comfort , grieve she would ; then taking my leave for to go away , with adoration thus to her did say : farewell thou angel of a heavenly breed , for sure thou com'st not from a mortal seed , thou art so constant unto virtue fair , which very few of either sexes are . and after a short time i heard she dy'd ; her tomb was built close by her husband's side . after the man , a woman did begin to tell her tale ; and thus she entred in . a description of diverted grief . a man had once a young and handsom wife , whose virtue was unspotted all her life . her words were smooth , which from her tongue did slide ; all her discourse was wittily appli'd . her actions modest , her behaviour so , as when she mov'd , the graces seem'd to go . whatever ill she chanc'd to see or hear , yet still her thoughts as pure as angels were . her husband 's love seem'd such , as no delight nor joy could take him out of his wife's sight . it chanc'd this virtuous wife fell sick to death , and to her husband spake with dying-breath : farewell my dearest husband , dye i must , yet do not you forget me in the dust ; because my soul would grieve if it should see another in my room , your love to be : my ghost would mourn , lament ; that never dyes , though bodies do ; pure loves eternalize . you gods , said he , that order death and life , o strike me dead , unless you spare my wife . if your decree be fix'd , nor alter can , but she must dye , ( o miserable man ! ) here do i vow ( great gods all witness be ) , that i will have no other wife but thee : no friendship will i make , converse with none ; but live an anchoret my self alone . thy spirits sweet , my thoughts shall entertain ; and in my mind thy memory remain . farewell , said she , for now my soul 's at peace , and all the blessings of the gods encrease upon thy soul ; but i pray do not give away that love i had whilst i did live . turning her head , as if to sleep she lay , in a soft sigh her spirits flew away . vvhen she was dead , great mourning he did make , vvould neither eat , nor drink , nor rest could take ; kissing her cold pale lips , her cheeks , each eye ; cursing his fate he lives , and cannot dye : tears fell so fast , as if his sorrows meant , to lay her in a watry monument . but when her corps upon the hearse was laid , no tongue can tell what mournful cries he made . thus did he pass his time , a week or two , in sad commplaints , and melancholy wo ; at last he was perswaded for to take some air abroad , ev'n for his own healths sake . but first , unto the grave he went to pray , kissing that earth wherein her body lay . after a month or two , his grief to ease , some recreations sought himself to please ; and calling for his horses , and his hounds , he went to hunt upon the champian grounds : his thoughts by these pastimes diverted are , pass'd by the grave , and never dropt a tear. at last he chanc'd a company to meet of virgins young , and fresh as flowers sweet ; their cloathing fine , their humours pleasant , gay , and with each other they did sport and play , giving his eyes a liberty to view ; vvith interchanging looks , in love he grew . one maid amongst the rest , most fair and young , vvho had a ready wit , and pleasant tongue , he courtship made , to her he did address , cast off his mourning , love for to express . rich clothes he made , and wondrous fine they were ; he barb'd , and curl'd , and powder'd sweet his hair : rich gifts unto his mistress did present , and every day to visit her he went. they like each other well , they both agree , that in all haste they straight must married be . to church they went , for joy the bells did ring : when married were , he home the bride did bring . but when he married was some half a year , he curtain-lectures from his vvife did hear : for whatsoe're he did , she did with spight and scorn dislike , and all his kindness slight : cross every word , she would , that he did say ; seem'd very sick , complaining every day , unless she went abroad ; then she would be in humour good , in other company . then he would sigh , and call into his mind . his dear dead wife that was so wondrous kind . he jealous grew , and was so discontent , ( and of his later marriage did repent ) with melancholy thoughts fell sick and dy'd ; his vvife soon after was another's bride . vvhen she had done , the men aloud did cry ; said she had quit her tale most spitefully . another man , to answer what she told , began to tell , and did his tale unfold . the feminine description . a man a walking , did a lady spy ; to her he went : and when he came hard by , fair lady , said he , why walk you alone ? because ( said she ) my thoughts are then my own : for in a company my thoughts do throng , and follow every foolish babling tongue . your thoughts , said he , 't were boldnessfor to ask . to tell , said she , it were too great a task : but yet to satisfie your mind , said she , i 'le tell you how our thoughts run commonly : sometimes they mount up to the heavens high , then straight fall down , and on the earth will lye ; then circling run to compass all they may , and then sometimes they all in heaps do stay . at other times they run from place to place , as if they had each other in a chace . sometimes they run as phansie doth them guide , and then they swim as in a flowing-tide : but if the mind be discontent , they flow against the tide , their motion 's dull and slow . said he , i travel now to satisfie my mind , whether i can a constant vvoman find . o sir , said she , it 's labour without end , vve cannot constant be to any friend : vve seem to love to death , but 't is not so , because our passions still move to and fro : they are not fix'd , but do run all about ; every new object thrusts the former out . yet we are fond , and for a time so kind , as nothing in the world should change our mind : but if misfortune come , we weary grow ; then former fondness we away straight throw : although the object alter not , yet may time alter our fond minds another way . we love , and like , and hate , and cry , vvithout a cause , or reason why . wherefore go back , for you shall never find any vvoman to have a constant mind : the best that is , shall hold but for a time , wav'ring like wind , which women hold no crime . a woman said , this tale i will requite , to vindicate our sex which you did slight . a man in love was with a lady fair , and for her sake would curl , perfume his hair. professions thousands unto her did make , and swore for her a pilgrimage would take . i swear , said he , truth shall for me be bound , constant to be , whilst life in me is found . with all his rivals he would quarrels make ; in duels fought he often for her sake . it chanc'd this lady sick was , like to dye of the small pox , beauty's great enemy . when she was well , her beauty decay'd quite , he did forsake her , and her friendship slight ; excuses made , her did not often see , then asked leave a traveller to be . and thus , poor lady , when her beauty 's gone , without her lover she may sit alone . then was the third man's turn , his tale to tell , which to his company he fitted well . a description of constancy . there was a noble man that had a vvife young , fair , and virtuous ; yet of so short life , that after she had married been a year , a daughter 's born , which daughter cost her deer ; no sooner born , the mother laid in bed , before her lord could come , his vvife was dead ; where , at the sight , he did not tear his hair , nor beat his breast , nor sigh , nor shed a tear ; nor buried her in state , as many do , and with that funeral-charge a new wife wo : but silently he laid her in a tomb , where , by her side , he meant to have a room : for by no other side he meant to lye , in life and death to keep her company . the whilst he of his daughter care did take , and fond he was ev'n for his dear vvife's sake : but grief upon his spirits had got hold , consum'd him more than age , that makes men old . his flesh did waste , his manly strength grew weak ; his face grew pale , and faintly did he speak : as most that in a deep consumption are , where hectick-fevers do with life make warr : and though he joy'd he had not long to live , yet for to leave his daughter young , did grieve ; for he no kindred had to take a care of his young child , and strangers he did fear they would neglect their charge , not see her bred according to her birth , when he was dead ; or rob her of her wealth , or else would sell her to a husband might not use her well : or else ( by servants brib'd ) might her betray with some mean man , and so to run away . these cares of his , his mind did much torment , and her ill fortune to his thoughts present . at last he did conclude , if any be true , just , and full of generosity , they 're such as are like to the gods on high , as powerful princes , and dread majesty . the soveraign was dead , but left to reign his widowed-queen , whose prudence did maintain the government , though forreign warrs she had , which was a charge , and oft-times made her sad . this noble-man sent to the queen to crave , that she upon his child would pity have , to take her to the court , there to be bred , that none might wrong her after he was dead . the queen most willingly his suit did sign , and so in peace his soul he did resign . this lady soon did to the court repair , where she was bred with tender love and care ; and youth , that 's bred in courts , may wisest be , because they more do hear , and more do see than other children that are bred obscure , because the senses are best tutors sure . but nature in this maid had done her part , and in her frame had shew'd her curious art ; compos'd her every way , body and mind , of best extracts that were to form mankind : all which she gave to time for to distill , and of the subtil'st spirits the soul to fill ; as reason , wit , and judgment ; and to take the solid'st part the body for to make . for though that nature all her works shapes out , yet time doth give strength , length , and breadth about . and as her person grew in stature tall , and that her beauty did encrease withall ; so did affection in her heart grow high , which there was planted in her infancy . there was a subject , prince within the land , although but young , the army did command : he being chose for birth , wealth , valour , wit , and prudence , for to lead and martial it ; the whilst his father did the queen assist to manage state-affairs , as knowing best the kingdom 's constitutions , natures bad of common-people , who are sometimes mad , and wildly in distempers , ruins bring ; for most rebellions from the commons spring . but he so just and loyally did serve his queen and countrey , as he did preserve himself within her favour , and her love , as great respect , and honour'd praise did prove ; and in the warrs his son such fame did get , that in fame's chariot he triumphant set . for he was valiant , and of nature free , courteous , and full of generosity : his vvit was quick , yet so as to delight , not for to cross , or in disputes to fight : for gallant sword-men that do fight in warr , do never use with tongues to brawl and jarr . he was exact in body and in mind , for no defects in either could you find . the queen , that had a neece both young and fair , did strive to match her to this prince , and heir of all his father's vvealth , who had such store , as all the nobles else did seem but poor : and the young princess lik'd so well the choice , that thoughts of marrying him did her rejoice : and through her eyes such messages love sent , on smiling-rays and posting-glances went. the other lady did hear the report , for every one did talk of it in court : besides , she saw his person still attend upon the princess , and did presents send : and every day to visit her did go , as being commanded by his father so . at which she sad and melancholy grew ; yet her disease not thorowly she knew . like as a plant , that from the earth doth spring , sprouts high , before a full-blown flower it bring . so did her love in bud obscurely lye , not any one as yet did it descry : nor did the prince the least affection find , she being reserv'd in action , and in mind . sober she was , and of a bashful look , of but few words ; yet she good notice took , and much observ'd , for love hath a quick eye , and often by her countenance doth spy the hidden thoughts , that the tongue dare not tell : for in the mind obscurity doth dwell . but yet she did espy something lay cross to his desires , but guess'd not what it was ; but griev'd that any thing should him displease : for those that love , do wish their lov'd much ease : nay , so much ease , they torments would endure , if these , for those they love , might good procure . but she grew restless , and her thoughts did run about him , as about the vvorld , the sun : for he was her sole vvorld , and wish'd her love had influence , as planets from above , to order his affections , and to bring from several causes , one effect to spring ; and the effect , that he might love her so , as love her best , or at least he might know how well she lov'd him ; for she wish'd no more than love for love , as saints which do adore the gods in heaven , whose love is wholly pure , and nothing can of drossy flesh endure . at last she and her thoughts in councel sate , what was best to be done , or this , or that : they all agree , that she her love should own , since innocent and pure , and make it known by her epistles , and her pen to write what her pure heart did dictate and indite : no forfeit of her modesty , because she had no ends , but only virtuous laws . then took she pen and paper , and her wit did tell her love the truth ; and thus she writ : sir , you may wonder much that i do send this letter , which by love doth recommend it self and suit unto your judging-ear , and that it was not stopt by bashful fear : but let me tell you , this pure love of mine is built on virtue , not on base design . it hath no dross , nor proudly doth aspire ; a flame inkindled by immac'late fire , which i to th' altar of your merits bring , from whence the flame to heaven high may spring . your glorious fame within my heart , though young , did plant a slip of honour , from whence sprung pure love , and chast desires ; for i do crave , only within your heart a place to have . i do not plead , hoping to be your wife , nor 'twixt you and your mistress to breed strife ; or wish i that her love you should forsake , or unto me a courtly friendship make : but only , when i 'm dead , you would inshrine within your memory , this love of mine ; which love to all the world i may proclame without a blush , or check , or spotted-fame : 't is not your person i do so admire , nor yet your wealth or titles i desire : but your heroick soul , and generous mind , your affability and nature kind ; your honest heart , where justice still doth raign ; your prudent thoughts , and a well-temper'd brain ; your helping hand , and your industrious life , not to make broils , but to decide all strife ; and to advance all those are in distress , to help the weak , and those are powerless ; for which my heart and life to love is bound , and every thought of you with honour crown'd . these are not feigning lines that here i write , but truths as clear and pure as heaven's light. nor is it impudence to let you know , love of your virtues in my soul doth grow . her love thus innocent she did enroll , which was the pure platonick of her soul : though in black characters the envious may call the sense clear , as is the morning's day ; and every word appear unto the sight , to make her smoother paper yet more white . thus she infolded honour , and more truth , than ever yet was known in female-youth . blush-colour'd silk her letter then did bind , for to express how modest was her mind : and virgins wax did close it with her seal : yet did that letter all her love reveal . then to her nurse's husband she did trust these loving lines , knowing him faithful , just to all her family ; he obey'd her will , and would have done , no doubt , though 't had been ill : for his obedience never ask'd the cause ; nor was he casuist in divine laws , but faithful and most trusty : so was sent with this most sacred letter ; then he went. in the mean time that she her letter sent , the prince to her a letter did present by a servant , in whom he put much trust , as finding him both dextrous , prudent , just in all employments ; he this letter brought , which'mongst this lady's thoughts much wonder wrought ; even so much , as she could not believe , but thought he did mistake , and did conceive she was the princess . whereupon , said she , i doubt this letter was not writ to me . but he confirm'd , to her that it was writ . she to her closet went , and open'd it : with trembling hands the vvaxen seal she broke , and what he writ , with a faint voice thus spoke : fairest of all your sex , for so you are unto all others ; as a blazing-starr , vvhich shews it self , and to the vvorld appears as a great vvonder once in many years ; and never comes , but doth portend on earth either the fall of princes , or their birth . o let your influence only at me aim , not for to work my overthrow , or fame ; but love , to make me happy all my life ; then yeeld your self to be my virtuous vvife . but if you ( this request ) to me deny , the gods , i hope , will grant me soon to dye . she , when she this had read , was in a maze , and senslesly did on the letter gaze ; by which her spirits discomposed were , in quarrelling-disputes , 'twixt hope and fear . at last hope got the better , then did they triumph with joy , and in her heart did play . for when the spirits mutually agree , both in the eyes and heart they dancing be . then to the gentleman that came , she went , and told him civilly that she had sent unto the prince , and that she could not fit so well an answer to return as yet . the prince as melancholy sate alone , but all the while his mistress thought upon : staid for the messenger's return ; for he , till answer came , refus'd all company . at last one of his pages to him ran , to tell him , without was an ancient man that would not be deny'd , for speak he must unto the prince , or else must break his trust he was in charge with ; and rather than so , would venture life , before he back would go , and not his message to the prince to tell . whereat the prince , liking his courage well , sent for him , who came with humility , the letter gave upon his bended knee . the prince the letter read , and pleased so , as by his smiling-countenance did show ; which made all cloudy thoughts disperse , & clears his mind , as in dark days when sun appears . sure , said the prince , the gods our loves decree , and in our unions they do all agree : they joyn our hearts in one , our souls so mix , as if eternally in heaven would fix . then soon he ( all delays for to prevent ) another letter writ ; which to her sent in answer of her own ; this letter gave unto her foster-nurse , who was as grave as old bald father time , of courage stout , a rustick plainness , and not eas'ly out of countenance ; trusty to be employ'd , and in her lady's service would have dy'd . the prince commended her fidelity , and pleas'd he was at her blunt quality : but with the letter quickly did return , ( for she , though old , yet every step did run ) and then the letter which the prince had sent , she to her lady did in mirth present ; who then the letter broke with joyful speed , and to her foster-nurse she did it read : sweetest , you have exprest your love to me with so much plainness and sincerity ; and yet your stile severely have you writ , and rul'd your lines with a commanding-wit : heroick flourishes your pen doth draw , or executes as in a martial-law . then solemnly doth march in mourning-trail , and melancholy words all hopes do vail . as golden dust on written lines strewn were , your written lines seem sprinkled with a tear ; as by the heat of passion spread about , for fear that cruelty should blot it out . but let me tell you , that my love is such , as never lover loved half so much , and with so fervent zeal , and purest flame , nay , something above love , that wants a name for to express it ; like to gods on high : for , who can comprehend a deity ? and though i honour all your sex , yet my having another mistress , i deny , besides your self ; and though i do obey to visit the fair princess , nothing say concerning love , nor yet professions make , as common lovers , promise for her sake wonders ; and yet my life to her will give to do her service : but whilst i do live , my heart and soul is yours ; and when i dye , still will my soul keep yours in company : though by honour my active life is bound unto your sex , you only will be found within my heart , and only love to be , from whence my brain doth copies take of thee : on which my soul doth view with much delight , because the soul sees not with vulgar sight : for souls do see , not as the senses do , but as transparent glass , the minds quite through : or rather as the gods see all that 's past , present , or what 's to come , or the world vast ; or what can be , all unto them is known ; and so are souls to one another shown : and if our souls do equally agree , our thoughts and passions to each known will be . but after this letter , they both did get an opportunity , by which they met : no complemental-wooing they did use ; true love all flattering words it doth refuse . but they agreed , and both did think it fit , their love to hide , not to discover it . at last the queen and father did agree , the prince and princess straight should married be ; ne're made a question , for they doubted not but youth and beauty had each other shot with amorous loves . but when the prince made known , how that his heart was now none of his own ; his father seem'd , with trouble , discontent : but the enraged queen , with malice bent , did strive all ways she could for to disgrace the sweet young lady , oft disprais'd her face , her person , dress , behaviour , and her wit ; and for to match with such a prince , not fit . the prince's love so firm , no words could break ; impatiently did hear , but little speak . but the princess heard the prince to be a lover to another ; then did she tear , rail , and rave , as if she frantick were ; and of her rival , words she would not spare . one day a company of nobles met , and in a room they were together set ; the prince and his fair mistress she did spy , and often at them cast a spightful eye . at last her malice set a-work her tongue , and at the prince she evil words out flung , which he receiv'd with a submissive face , turning those scorns as favours of her grace . but when she had with scorns his patience try'd , she ( for to vent her spleen ) in passion cry'd . some of the company there jesting by the other lady , ask'd if she would cry : she answer made , she had not the like cause ; nor had she broke the modest civil laws : but if her passion had misled her tongue , she would have wept to water , or else flung her self to dust , for want of moisture dye , unless her life could issue through her eye . but when the prince perceiv'd such storms to rise , and showring tears to fall from beauteous eyes , he did absent himself , and shun'd to be a trouble to the princess company . but when the queen had try'd all means she could to alter his affections , nothing would ; she then their marriage strove for to prevent , and to the army she the prince soon sent ; then order gave , not to return again , but with the army there for to remain . he to his mistress went , his leave to take , perswading her a journey she would make unto the army , and there to agree , when they should meet , & straight-way married be . at last she did resolve to leave the court , and privately with great speed to transport her person to the prince where he was gone , for ne're till then she found her self alone . when the army began for to retire to winter-quarters , he did there desire his mistress company , and then did write to those he had entrusted , how they might convey her safely : but by some mistake , the queen had means this his letter to take ; which when she read , all in a rage she grew , and then his letter into the fire she threw . which when sh' had told her neece , they both did strive , and both in council sate , for to contrive to hinder her wish'd-meeting ; wherefore they did think it best , the lady to convey unto some private place , and then give out that she was dead , which soon was spread about , and every one in censuring spent some breath , and most did judg she dy'd a violent death . but the queen's anger only would destroy their loves , because her neece then should enjoy the prince , on whom her heart in love was set , and us'd all means she could , his love to get . but though at first they thought the prince might mourn ; yet when his grief had been by time out-worn , he then might take the princess for his wife , concealing the young lady all her life . and though they did not murther her , yet they did strive to grieve and cross her every way : wherefore they did agree that some should tell her , that the prince in battel fell . the report of her death spread far and near ; and at last came unto the prince his ear : the news struck him so hard , as it did make his strength grow weak , and all his limbs to shake . but when his strength return'd , his mind sad grew , and from all company himself withdrew : no orders he would give , but left the care of all the army to an officer : and from th' army , without the queen's consent , he did return , and to his father went , and told him , he all worldly things did wave , had buri'd them all in his mistress grave , and the remainder of his days would spend in holy devotion , his prayers would send unto the gods ; and my dear saint , said he , will be a mediator there for me : his father did disswade him all he could , but all in vain , a hermit be he would . instead of palaces , he chose a cell , left courts and camps , did solitary dwell : instead of clothes that rich and costly were , he wore a garment made of camel's hair . instead of arms , a hermit's habit took ; and for a sword , he us'd a prayer-book : instead of treading measures in a dance , and wanton eyes that oft would side-ways glance ; his knees upon hard stone did bowing bend , and his sad eyes unto the earth descend : instead of flattering words to tempt maids fair , no words did speak but what were us'd in prayer . all wild & wandring thoughts were now compos'd , and the dead object of his mistress clos'd , like multitudes that gather in a ring , to view some curious or some wondrous thing : or like a devout congregation met , will strive about the altar near to set : so did his thoughts near her idea get , which , as a goddess , in his soul did set : then he an altar built of marble white , and waxen tapers round about did light : her picture on this altar plac'd was high , there to be seen with an up-lifted eye . she was his saint , and he there every day did offer tears and sighs , to her did pray , and her implore , she would the gods request to take his soul , his body lay to rest . in th' mean time his mistress's made believe that he was kill'd , for which she much did grieve : for when she at the first the news did hear , her face turn'd pale , like death it did appear : then gently sinking , she fell to the ground ; grief seiz'd her heart , and put her in a swound : at last , life got the better , and then wept , and wisht to heaven , that she in death had slept . but melancholy her whole soul possest , and of all pleasing thoughts it self divest : all objects shuns , that pleasing were , and fair ; and all such sounds as were of a leight air : the splendrous light and glorious sun shut out , and all her chamber hung with black about : no other light but blinking lamps would have : some earth and turf therein , like to a grave , the which she often view'd , or sate close by , imagining the prince therein did lye ; and on that grave , her tears , like show'rs of rain , keep fresh the turf , on the green grass remain as pearled dew before the sun doth rise ; or as refreshing show'rs from cloudy skies : and often this supposed grave doth dress with such significant flow'rs as did express his virtues , and his dispositions sweet , more than those flowers when in posies meet : his various virtues , known to all so well more fragrant than those flowers were for smell . but first , she set a lawrel-garland green , to shew that he a victor once had been ; and in the midst a copious branch did place , for to express he dyed in the chace of his fierce enemies ; his courage was so true , that , after a long fight , away they flew . thus melancholy past her time away , besides sad solemn musick ' twice a day : for ev'ry sense with melancholy fill'd , and always dropping-tears from thence distill'd , with which her melancholy soul did feed , and melancholy thoughts her mind did breed : then on the ground her head aside-ways hung , would lye along whilst these sad songs were sung . a song . titan , i banish all thy joys of light , turning thy glorious rays , to darker night ; clothing my chamber with sad black , each part , thus suitable unto my mournful heart : only a dimn wax taper there shall wait on me , to shew my sad unhappy fate . with mournful thoughts my head shall furnisht be , and all my breath sad sighs , for love of thee : my groans to sadder notes be set with skill , and sung in tears , and melancholy still . languishing-musick to fill up each voice with palsied trembling strings , is all my choice . a song . since he is gone , oh then salt tears , drown both mine eyes , and stop mine ears with grief ; my grief it is so much , it locks my smell up , taste , and touch. in me remains but little breath , which quickly take away , oh death . a song . why should i live ? but who doth know the way to him , or where to go ? death's ignorant , the dead they have no sense of grief , when in the grave . forgetful and unthankful death , hast thou no love , when gone's our breath ? no gratitude , but there dost lye , in dark oblivion for to dye ? no sense of love , or honour , there : then death i prethee me forbear : thousands of years in sorrow i would live in grief , and never dye . a song . my bed of sorrow 's made , since no relief ; and all my pillows shall be stuff'd with grief , my winding-sheets are those whereon i lye , my curtains drawn with sad melancholy . watching shall be my food , weeping my drink , sighing my breath , and groaning what i think : trembling and shaking , all my exercise ; disquiet and disorder'd thoughts now rise . wringing of hands , with folded arms lamenting , is all the joy is left me of contenting : for he is gone that was my joy , my life ; i 'm left his widow , who ne'er was his wife . but all the while , the queen was angry bent against the prince , because away he went , and left the army without a general ; for which she rebel , traytor , him did call : but she another general did make , which of the army all the charge did take : yet his success in warrs proved but bad , for afterward the queen great losses had . and all the soldiers they were discontent : whereat the queen another general sent ; but he no better fortune there could meet , the enemy did force him to retreat ; then did the enemy so pow'rful grow , the forces of the queen they overthrow in every fight and skirmish which they had ; for which the queen and kingdom did grow sad . at last the queen the prince did flatter , and entreated him again for to command : but he deny'd the queen , would not obey ; said , earthly power to gods they must give way . at last she sent him word she would not spare his life , and therefore bid him to prepare himself for death , for dye he should for disobedience , and revenge she would have on him : then his father to him went for to perswade him , and there did present show'rs of tears , which sadly pouring fell upon his only son , his grief to tell . he round about his neck one arm did wind , the other arm embrac'd his body kind : his cheeks his son did joyn to his , and often he his lips did kiss : o pity me , my son , and thy life spare , thou art my only child , and only heir . th' art my sole joy , in thee i pleasure take , and wish to live but only for thy sake . the prince , his father answer'd ; and said he , i am not worth those tears you shed for me . but why do you thus weep , and thus lament , for my death now ? when to the warrs i went , you did encourage me to fight in field for victory , or else my life to yeeld : i willingly obey'd , and joy'd to find my father's sympathy unto my mind . besides , it shew'd a greater love to me , than parents self-lov'd fondness us'd to be ; for to prefer my honour , and my fame , before the perpetu'ty of your name : and as you priz'd my honour and renown , so i a heavenly , not an earthly crown : and give me leave the better choice to make , to quit all troubles , and sweet peace to take : i ne'er more willing , nor more fit can dye , for heaven , and the gods pure company : for had i dy'd in warrs , my soul had been stained with blood , and spotted o're with sin. but now , my mistress is a saint , in heaven hath intercession made , my sins forgiven . and since she 's gone , all joys with her are fled , and i shall never happy be , till dead : she was my soul's delight , in her i view'd the pure and celestial beatitude . but were i sure the soul that never dyes , should never meet , nor bodies never rise by resurrection ; yet sure those are blest that pass this life , and in the grave do rest . then said the duke ( his father ) to his son , what ever comes , son , heaven's will be done ; but since you are resolv'd , and needs will dye , i in the grave will keep you company . the young prince said , i cannot you disswade , since none are happy but those death hath made . the day of execution drawing nigh of the young prince , his father too would dye . then the young prince askt leave , and leave he had , that he like to a soldier might be clad : when he was brought to dye , and on that day death he did meet in soldierly array : instead of mourning-garments , he had on a suit of buff , embroidered thick upon ; and a rich scarf that was of watchet-dye , set thick with pearls ; instead of strings to tye it close together , were rich diamonds , so as like a ring or garter it did show , of but one entire diamond ; this did bind the scarf so firm as an united mind : a scarlet coat embroidered thick with gold ; and hangers like to it , his sword did hold ; and in his hat a plume of feathers were , in falling-folds , which hung below his hair. he being thus accouter'd , death to meet in gallantry , yet gently , friendly , sweet : he would embrace it , and so gladly yeeld , yet would he dye as soldiers in the field : for gallant valiant men do court death so , as amorous courtly men a wooing go . his father all in mourning-garments clad , not griev'd to dye , but for his son was sad : millions of people throng'd about to see this gallant mourning prince's tragedy . but in the time these preparations were , the queen sent to th' young lady to prepare her self to dye : when she the news did hear , joy in her countenance did then appear : then she her self did dress like to a bride , and in a rich and gilded coach did ride : thus triumphing as on her wedding-day , to meet her bridegroom death ; but in the way the people all did weep that she should dye , and youth and beauty in death's arms should lye . but she did smile , her countenance was glad , and in her eyes such lively spirits had , as the quick-darting rays the sun out-shin'd , and all she look'd on , for a time were blind . but when the queen and nobles all were set , and the condemned on the scaffold met : where when the lovers they each other spy'd , their eye-strings seem'd as if together ty'd : so firmly they were fix'd , and did so gaze , and with each other struck in such a maze , as if with wonder they were turn'd to stone , and that their feet unto the ground were grown ; they could not stir ; but at the last mov'd he in a slow pace , amazed , went to see that heav'nly object ; for , thought he , it may an angel be , my soul to take away . her limbs did shake , like shiv'ring agues cold , for fear upon her spirits had got hold , when she did see him move ; for she had thought he was a statue , and by carvers wrought , and by the queen's command was thither brought . when he came near , he kneeled down to pray , and thus unto her sofrly he did say : my sense my spirits surprise , thy spirit my mind ; and great disturbance in my thoughts i find : my reason's misty , understanding blind ; tell me whether thou art of mortal kind . said she , that question i would ask of you , for i do doubt my senses are not true intelligencers ; are you the prince i see ? or are you a spirit that thus speaks to me ? with that , the queen did come , their doubts to clear ; it was my plot , said she , to bring you here : and why i crost your loves , i will forbear to tell you now , but afterwards declare . then did she cause a priest to join their hands , which he devoutly ty'd in wedlock-bands . then did the queen unto her nobles say , that she a debt to gratitude must pay : and to the prince's father straight she went ; here , sir , said she , i do my self present to be your wife ; for by your counsel i have rul'd and reign'd in great felicity . he , kneeling , kist her hand ; and both agree , that in few days the wedding kept should be . such joys of acclamation loud , of wonder , echo'd the air , louder than is jove's thunder . her princely neece so noble was , that then for joy she modestly threw up her fan ; since to a high-born prince she well knew she in glorions nuptials soon should joined be . the marriage-song . were all the joys that ever yet were known ; were all those joys met , and put into one , they 'd be , than these two lovers joys , far less ; our lovers height of joys , none can express : they 've made another cupid , i am told , and buri'd the blind boy that was so old . hymen is proud , since laurel crowns his brow , he never made his triumphs until now . the marriage-song for the old duke and the old queen's marriage . now the old cupid he is fled unto the queen ; she to her bed brought the old duke ; so ends all harms in love's embraces , in their arms. this elder wedlock , more than ripe , was of the younger but a type : what wants of cupid , hymen's cup , ceres and bacchus make it up . a marriage-song of the queen's neece . see the old queen's beloved neece , for beauty , favour , such a piece as love could feign , not hope to see ; just such a miracle was she . she doth congratulate , and 's eas'd to see these noble lovers pleas'd above repining : the fates since are just , and gave her a brave prince . a song . hymen triumph in joy , since overcom'd love's boy : each age , each sex and place , the wedlock-laws embrace , the looser sort can bind , monarch of what 's mankind . all things do fall so pat in this triumvirat , which now in wedlock mix ; now three , though once were six . a lady said , such constant love was dead , and all fidelity to heaven fled . another lady said , she fain would know , when marri'd , if they did continue so . o , said a man , such love ( as this was ) sure doth never in a married pair endure : but lovers cross'd , use not to end so well : which , for to shew , a tale i mean to tell . the description of the violence of love. there was a lady , virtuous , young , and fair , unto her father only child and heir : in her behaviour modest , sweet , and civil ; so innocent , knew only good from evil : yet in her garb had a majestick grace , and affable and pleasant was her face . another gentleman ( whose house did stand hard by her father's , and was rich in land ) he had a son whom beauty did adorn , as some might think , of venus he was born : his spirit noble , generous , and great ; by nature valiant , dispositions sweet : his wit ingenious , and his breeding such , that his sci'nces did not pedantry t'uch . this noble gentleman in love did fall with this fair lady , who was pleas'd withall : he courted her , his service did address ; his love by words and letters did express . though she seem'd coy , his love she did not slight , but civil answers did in letters write . at last so well acquainted they did grow , that but one heart each other's thoughts did know . mean time their parents did their love's descry , and sought all ways to break that unity : forbad each other's company frequent ; did all they could love's meetings to prevent . but love regards not parents , nor their threats ; for love , the more 't is barr'd , more strength begets . thus being cross'd , by stealth they both did meet , and privacy did make their love more sweet ; although their fears did oft affright their mind , lest that their parents should their walks out-find . then in the kingdom did rebellion spring , most of the commons fought against their king : and all the gentry that then loyal were , did to the standard of the king repair . amongst the rest , this noble youth was one ; love bade him stay , but honour spurr'd him on : when he declar'd his mind , her heart it rent ; rivers of tears out of her eyes grief sent ; and every tear , like bullets , pierc'd his breast , scatter'd his thoughts , and did his mind molest . silent long time they stood , at last spake he , why doth my love with tears so torture me ? why do you blame my eyes , said she , to weep , since they perceive you faith nor promise keep ? for , did you love but half so true as i , rather than part , you 'ld chuse to stay and dye : but you excuses make , and take delight , like cruel thieves , to rob and spoil by night . now you have stole my heart , away you run , and leave a silly virgin quite undone . if i stay from the warrs , what will men say ? they 'l say , i make excuse to be away : by this reproach , a coward i am thought ; and my disgrace will make you seem in fault , to set your love upon a man so base ; bring infamy to us , and to our race . to sacrifice my life for your content , i would not spare ; but ( dear ) in this consent , 't is for your sake honour i strive to win , that i some merit to your worth may bring . she. if you will go , let me not stay behind , but take such fortune with you as i find : i 'le be your page , attend you in the field ; when you are weary , i will hold your shield . he. dear love , that must not be ; for women are of tender bodies , and minds full of fear : besides , my mind so full of care will be , for fear a bullet should once light on thee , that i shall never fight , but strengthless grow , through feeble limbs be subject to my foe . when thou art safe , my spirits high shall raise , striving to get a victory of praise . with sad laments these lovers did depart ; absence , as arrows sharp , doth wound each heart : she spends her time , to heaven-high doth pray , that gods would bless , and safe conduct his way . the whilst he fights , and fortune's favour had , fame brings this honour to his mistress sad : all cavaliers that in the army were , there was not one could with this youth compare : by love his spirits all were set on fire , love gave him courage , made his foes retire . but , o ambitious lovers , how they run without all guidance , like apollo's son * , run out of moderation's line ; so he did through the thickest of the army flee singly alone , amongst the squadrons deep fighting , sent many one with death to sleep . but numbers , with united strength , at last , this noble gallant man from horse did cast : his body all so thick of wounds was set , safety , it seems , in fight he did forget , but not his love , who in his mind still lyes ; he wish'd her there , to close his dying-eyes . soul , said he , if thou wandrest in the air , thy service to my mistress by thy care : attend her close , with her soul friendship make , then she perchance no other love may take . but if thou sink down to the shades below , and ( being a lover ) to elyzium go ; perchance my mistress soul you there may meet , so walk and talk in love's discourses sweet : but if thou art like to a light put out , thy motion 's ceas'd , then all 's forgot no doubt . with that a sigh , which from his heart did rise , did mount his soul up to the airy skies . the whilst his mistress being sad with care ; her knees were worn , imploring gods with prayer . a drowsie sleep did all her senses close , but in her dreams fancy her lover shows with all his wounds ; which made her loud to cry , help , help , you gods , said she , that dwell on high . these fearful dreams her senses all did wake ; in a cold sweat , with fear , each limb did shake . then came a messenger as pale as death , with panting sides , swoln eyes , and shortned breath ; and by his looks , his sadder tale did tell ; which when she saw , straight in a swoun she fell : at last her stifled spirits had recourse unto their usual place , but of less force : then lifting up her eyes , her tongue gave way , and thus unto the gods did mourning say : why do we pray , and offer to high heaven , since what we ask , is seldom to us given ? if their decrees are fix'd , what need we pray ? nothing can alter fates , nor cross their way . if they leave all to chance , who can apply ? for every chance is then a deity . but if a power they keep to work at will , it shews them cruel to torment us still . when we are made , in pain we always live ; sick bodies , grieved minds , to us they give : with motions which run cross , compos'd we are , which makes our reason and our sense to jar . when they are weary to torment us , must we then return , and so dissolve to dust ? but if i have my fate in my own power , i will not breathe , nor live another hour : then with the gods i shall not be at strife , if my decree can take away my life . then on her feeble legs she straight did stand , and took a pistol charg'd in either hand : here , dear , ( said she ) i give my heart to thee , and by my death , divulg'd our loves shall be ; then constant lovers , mourners be ; when dead , they 'l strew our graves , which is our marriage-bed : upon our hearse a weeping-poplar set , whose moistning-drops our death's-dri'd cheeks may wet . two cypress garlands at our head shall stand , that were made up by some fair virgin 's hand : and on our cold pale corps such flowers strow , as hang their heads for grief , and downward grow . then shall they lay us deep in quiet grave , wherein our bones long rest and peace may have . let no friends marble-tombs erect upon our graves , but set young mirtle-trees thereon : those may in time a shady grove become , fit for sad lovers walks , whose thoughts are dumb : for melancholy love seeks place obscure , no noise nor company it can endure : and when to ground they cast a dull sad eye , perhaps they 'l think on us who therein lye : thus , though w' are dead , our memory remains ; and , like a ghost , may walk in moving-brains ; and in each head love's altars for us build , to sacrifice some sighs , or tears distill'd . then to her heart the pistol set , she shot a bullet in , and so her grief forgot . fame with her trumpet blew in every ear ; the sound of this great act spread every where : lovers from all parts came , by the report ; unto her urn , as pilgrims did resort : there offer'd praises of her constancy , and vow'd the like unto love's deity . a woman said , that tale exprest love well , and shew'd , that constancy in death did dwell . friendship , they say , a thing is so sublime , that with the gods there 's nothing more divine . with wonder lovers , having but one will , their two bodies one soul doth govern still : and though they be always dis-joined much , yet all their senses equally do t'uch : for , what doth strike the eye , or other part , begets in all like pleasure , or like smart . so though in substance , form divided be , yet soul and senses , join'd in one , agree . a man that to the lady plac'd was nigh , said , he would tell another tragedy . humanity , despair , and jealousie , express'd in three persons . walking along , close by a river's side , the waters smooth ran with a flowing-tide : the sun thereon did dart such shining-light , as made it than a diamond-chain more bright . the purling-streams invited me to swim , pull'd my clothes off , then enter'd every limb. but envious cold , alas , did me oppress , and darting-arrows sharp me backwards press . the river to embrace me , made great haste , her moist soft arms incircled round my waste . streams coming fast , strove there to force me stay , but that my arms did make my body way . my hands did strike the soft smooth waters face , as flatt'ring them to give my body place . but when i found them apt higher to rise , striving to stop my breath , and blind my eyes ; then did i spread my arms , and circles make , and the united-streams asunder brake : my legs did kick away those waters clear , to keep them back , lest they should croud too near : and as i broke those streams , they run away , yet fresh suppli'd their place , to make me stay : long did i struggle , and my strength did try , at last got hold upon a bank near by ; on whose side was a hill where trees were plac'd , which on the waters did a shadow cast : thither i went ; and when i came close by , i saw a woman there a weeping lye ; vvhich seeing , i began to slack my pace : straight did my eyes view there a lovely face under a tree ; close by the root she sate , vvhich with her tears as falling-show'rs she wet : at last she spake , and humbly thus did pray , you gods , said she , my life soon take away : no slander on my innocency throw , let my pure soul into elyzium go : if i drown here within this watry lake , o let my tears a murmuring river make : give it both voice and vvords , my grief to tell ; my innocence , and why therein i fell . then straight she rose , the river leapt she in , vvhich when i saw , i after her did swim : my hands , as oars , did well my body row , though panting-breath made waters rough to grow ; yet was my breast a keel for to divide , and by that help my body swift did glide : my eyes the needle to direct the way , vvhich from the north of grief did not estray ; she , as the load-stone , drew me to her aid , though storms within did make my mind afraid . her garments loose did on the waters flow , which were puft up like sails when winds do blow . i catch'd thereat , to draw her to the brink ; but when i went to pull , she down did sink : yet did not i my hold thereof let go , but drew her to the shore with much ado ; i panting with short breath , as out of wind , my spirits spent , my eyes were dimly blind ; my strength so weak , forc'd me to lye down straight , did fill , because , alas , my life was over-fraight . vvhen life got strength , my mind with thoughts then to the lady us'd all art and skill ; bowing her forwardsth ' waters to let out , vvhich from her nose & mouth gusht like a spout : at last her breath ( before restrain'd ) out-broke , and thus to me she passionately spoke : o who are you that do my soul molest , not giving leave in death to take my rest ? is there no peace in nature to be found ? must misery and fear attend us round ? o gods , said she , here grant me my desire ; here end my life , and let my breath expire . i answered . thus you with nature set your self at odds ; and by this wish you do displease the gods : by violence you cut off their decree , no violence in nature ought to be . but what makes you thus strive for to destroy that life which god did give you to enjoy ? she answered , o sir if you did know the torments i do feel ; my soul is rackt upon ill fortune's wheel : my innocency by aspersion whipt , and my pure chastity of fame is stript : my love 's neglected and forsaken quite , banisht from that my soul took most delight . my heart was plac'd upon a valiant man , who in the warrs much honour bravely wan . his actions all by wisdom placed were , and his discourse delighted every ear : his bounty , like the sun , gave life and light to those whom misery had eclipsed quite . this man my person seem'd for to admire ; my love before the world he did desire : told me , the gods might sooner heaven leave , than he forsake my love , or truth deceive . but o vile jealousie , a lover's devil ! tormenting thoughts with suspitions evil ; frighting the mind with false imaginations , burying all joys in deepest contemplations : long lay it smuther'd , but at last out-broke vvith hate ; in rage and spleen base words it spoke . slander and infamy in circles round , my innocent youth with sharpest tongues do wound : but his inconstancy did wound me more than slander , spite , or malice did before : for he another married , and left me clouded in dark disgrace , black infamy . vvith that she fetch'd a sigh ; heav'n bless , said she , this cruel unkind man , who e're he be . i faint , death digs my grave , o lay me in this watry monument ; then may the spring in murmures soft , with blubbering words relate , and dropping weep at my ill fortune's fate . then on a groan her soul with wings did flie up to the heavens , and the gods on high : vvhich when i saw , my eyes with grief did flow , although her soul i thought to heaven did go . and musing long , at last i chanc'd to see a gentleman which handsome seem'd to be . he coming near , ask'd me who there did lie ? i said , 't was one for love and grief did die . hearing my words , he started back , brows bent , vvith trembling legs he to the body went ; vvhich when he view'd , his blood fell from his face , his eyes were fix'd , and standing in one place . at last kneel'd down , and thus did say , no hope is left , life 's fled away . thou wandring soul , where e're thou art , hear my confession from my heart : i lov'd thee better far than life , thought to be happy in a vvife : but o suspition , that false thief , seiz'd on my thoughts , ruling as chief . suspition , malice , spight , commanded still , to carry false reports thy ears to fill . my jealousie did strive thee to torment , and glad to hear when thou wast discontent : i strove always my love for to disguise ; ' t was . said i married was , when all were lies . but jealousie begets all actions base , and in the court of honour hath no place . forgive me , soul , where ever thou dost rest , for , of all vvomen , i did love thee best . here i do offer up my life to thee , both dead , we in one grave may buried be . swifter than lightning , straight his sword he drew , upon the point himself he desperate threw ; and to his panting breast made such dispatch , that i no help could bring , on hold could catch : turning his pale and ghastly eyes to me , mix both our ashes in one urn , said he . with that he fell close by his mistress side , embrac'd , and kist , and groan'd , and there he dy'd : which when i saw , i drest , my clothes put on , to celebrate their funeral-rites alone : first , i did lay a heap of cypress dry , with striking flints i made a fire thereby , laid both their bodies thereupon to burn , which in short time did into ashes turn : and being mixt , i took them thence away , and digg'd a grave those ashes in to lay : then did i gather cockle-shells , though small , with art i strove to build a tomb withall ; placing some on , others in even lays , others join'd close , till i a tomb did raise . and afterwards i planted myrtle green , where turtle-doves are daily building seen : and there young nightingals come every spring ; to celebrate their fames , do sit and sing . a merry lass , amongst the rest , began her tale , and thus exprest : a master was in love with his fair maid , but of his scolding wife was sore afraid : for she in every place would watch and pry , and peep through every key-hole to espy ; and if she found them out , aloud would call , and cry she was undone , her maid had all her husband's love , for she had none sh' was sure ; wherefore this life she never would endure : but he did woo his maid still by his eye ; she , apprehensive , understood thereby ; and oft would find some work to come in place , because her master should behold her face ; excuses make , that business she had great , ( her business was , her master for to meet ) . with pretty smiles she trips it by , and on him casts a kind-coy eye : to all the house besides , would seem demure , oft singing psalms , as if she were right pure ; repeating scripture , sigh , turn up her eyes , as if her soul straight flew unto the skies , and that her body were as chast cold ice , and she were only fit for paradice : though her words were precise , her thoughts were not ; she , with her master , scripture quite forgot : she then a goddess was , prayed unto ; her master did , as priests , with offering woo : her mistress , like to juno , fret and frown'd , when that her husband and her maid she found ; and in the clouds of night would seek about , sometimes she mist them , sometimes found them out : but when she did , lord , what a noise was there ! how jove and she did thunder in the air ! she with an ishmael big away was sent ; like unto hagar , out of doors she went ; where he , like abraham good , a bottle ty'd , and gave her means for the child to provide : whereat her mistress angry was , and cry'd ; and wisht her maid ( like ishma'l ) might have dy'd . another man , amongst the rest , said , they their tales bad well exprest . but they that study much , and seldom speak , for want of use of words , are far to seek : their tongue is like a rusty key grown rough , which hardly turns , so do their words come forth : or like an instrument that lies unstrung , till it be tun'd , cannot be plaid upon : for custom makes the tongue both smooth & quick , and moving oft , no words thereon will stick ; like to a flowing-tide , makes its own way , runs smooth or clear , without a stop or stay : that makes a lawyer plead well at the barr , because he talks there four parts of the year : that makes divines in pulpits well to preach , because so often they the people teach : but those that use to contemplate alone , may have fine thoughts , good words t' express , they none : good language they express in black and white , although they speak it not , yet well they write : much thoughts keep back the words from running out ; the tongue 's ti'd up , the sluce is stopt no doubt : for fancy's quick , and flies such several ways , for to be drest in words it seldom stays . fancy is like an eele , so slippery glides , before the tongue takes hold , away it slides . thus he that seldom speaks , is like to those that travelling , their mother-tongues do lose . now , says a lady that was sitting by , pray let your rusty tongue with silence lye , and listen to the tale that i shall tell ; mark the misfortunes that to them befell . a description of love and courage . a gentleman was riding all about , as in a progress , he chanc'd to spy out : ( growing upon a rising-hill ) a wood , in midst whereof a little house there stood : it was but small , yet was it wondrous fine , as if 't were builded for the muses nine : the platform was so well contriv'd , that there was ne're a piece of ground lay waste or spare . this house was built of pure rich marble-stone , and marble-pillars wholly stood upon ; so smooth 't was polish'd , as like glass it show'd , which gave reflection to the wood there grow'd . those trees upon the walls , seem'd painted green , yet every leaf thereon was shaking seen : the roofs therein were arch'd with artful skill , which over-head hung like a hanging-hill ; and there a man himself might entertain with his own words , rebounding back again . the doors to every room were very wide , and men , like statues , carv'd on either side ; and in such lively postures made they were , they seem'd like guards or porters waiting there . the winding-stairs rising without account of any steps , up to the top did mount : it on the head a cap of lead did wear , like to a cardinal's cap , 't was made four-square ; but flat it was ; close to the crown did lye , from cold and heat it kept it warm and dry : and in the midst , a tower plac'd on high , like to ulysses monster , with one eye : but standing there , did view through windows out , on every side , fine prospects all about . when that his eyes were satisfi'd with sight , and that his mind was fill'd with such delight , he did descend back by another way , chance was his only guide , which did convey him to a gallery both large and long , where pictures , by apelles drawn , there hung , and at the end , a door half ope , half shut , where , in a chamber , did a lady sit . to him so beautiful she did appear , she seem'd an angel , not a mortal here : cloth'd all in white she was , and from her head her hair hung down , and on her shoulders spread ; and in a chair she sate , a table by , leaning theron , her head did side-ways lye upon her hand , the palm a pillow made , on which , being soft , her rosie cheeks she laid ; and from her eyes the tears in show'rs did fall upon her breast , sparkling like diamonds all : at last she fetch'd a sigh , heart break , said she ; gods take my life , or give me liberty : when those words were exprest , she was constrain'd ; he courage took on what she there complain'd , and boldly entring in , she seem'd afraid ; he kneeling down , askt pardon , and thus said : celestial creature , do not think me rude , or want of breeding made me thus intrude ; but fortune me unto this house did bring , whereby a curiosity did spring from my desires this house to view throughout , seeing such shady groves to grow about : and when i came near to the gate , not one was there to ask or make opposition : the house seem'd empty , not a creature stirring , but every room i entred , still admiring the architect and structure of each part ; those that design'd , were skilful in that art. vvandring about , at last , chance favouring me , hath brought me to this place , where i do see abeauty far beyond all art , or any that nature heretofore hath made , though many of all the sex creates she sweet and fair , yet never any of your sex so rare : this made me stand and gaze , amaz'd to see what wondrous glorious things in nature be . but when i heard your words for to express some grief of heart , and wisht for a redress , my soul flew to your service , here i vow to heaven high , my life to give to you ; not only give my life , but for your sake suffer all pains nature or hell can make : nor are my proffers for a base self-end , i 'm to your sex a servant and a friend : pure is my zeal , and my flame being clear , chuse me your champion , and adopt me here . if i cannot your enemy destroy , i 'le do my best , no rest i will enjoy ; because my fortune , life , and industry , i 'le sacrifaice unto thy liberty . when that the lady heard him speak so free , and with such passion , and so honestly : i do accept your favour , sir , said she , for no condition can be worse to me than this i now do live in ; nor can i my honour hazzard in worse company : vvherefore , to your protection i resign ; heaven , o heaven , prosper this design . but how will you dispose of me ? pray tell . i will , said he , convey you to a cell which is hard by ; and there will counsel take what way is best to make a clear escape : with that , his riding-coat which he did wear , he pull'd straight off , which she put on ; her hair she ty'd up short , and covered close her face , and in this posture stole out of that place . an old ill-natur'd bawd that did wait on her , being then asleep , did never think upon her . but when sleep fled , awak'd , she up did rise , sitting upon her bed , rubbing her eyes that were seal'd up with matter and with rheum ; when that was done , she went into the room vvherein the lady us'd , alone to be : straight missing her , cry'd out most piteously , calling the servants to search all about ; but they unto a vvake were all gone out . the peasant's ball is that we call a vvake , vvhen men & maids do dance , and love do make ; and she that danceth best , is crown'd as queen , vvith garlands made of flow'rs , & laurel green : those men that dance the best , have ribbans ti'd by every maid that hopes to be a bride . youth loves these kind of sports , and to a fayre , 't will venture life , rather than not be there . which made the servants all , although not many , to be abroad , and leave the house for any to enter in , which caused this escape , and to the owner brought so much mishap . a lord came galloping as from his palace , with pleasing thoughts , thinking alone to solace himself with his fair mistress , who admired her beauty more than heaven , and desired her favour more than jove's ; her angry words did wound him more than could the sharpest swords . her frowns would torture him as on a rack , muffling his spirits in melancholy black : but if she chanc'd to smile , his joys did rise much higher than the sun that lights the skies . but riding on , the castle coming nigh , the vvoman running 'bout he did descry : his heart misgave him , with doubts he alighted , asking the reason she was so affrighted : she shak'd so much , no answer could she make ; he , being impatient , unto her thus spake : devil , said he , what is my mistress dead , or sick , or stole away ? or is she fled ? she kneeling down , cry'd out , o she is gone , and i left to your mercy all-alone . with that he tore his hair , his breast did beat , and all his body in a cold damp sweat ; which made his nerves to slack , his pulse beat slow , his strength to fail , so weak he could not go , but fell upon the ground , seeming as dead , until his man did bear him to a bed : for he did only with him one man bring , vvho prov'd himself trusty in every thing : but when his diffus'd spirits he did compose , into a deep sad melancholy he grows ; could neither eat , nor drink , nor take his rest , his thoughts and passions being so opprest . at last this lady and her noble guide , got to a place secure , yet forc'd to hide her self a time , till such friends could make that would protect vertue for vertue 's sake ; because her loving foe was great in power , which might a friendless innocent devour . this noble gentleman desir'd to know from what misfortunes her restraint did grow . willing she was to tell the gentleman the story of her life , and thus began : after my birth , my mother soon did dye , unto my father leaving a son and i : my father nor my brother liv'd not long , then was i left alone ; and being young , my aunt did take the charge to see me bred , to manage my estate ; my brother dead , i was the only child and heir ; but she was married to a lord of high degree , who had a son , and that son had a vvife , they disagreed , led an unhappy life . vvhen i was grown to sixteen years of age , my aunt did dye , her husband did engage to take the charge , and see me well bestow'd , and by his tender care great love he show'd . but such was my misfortune , o sad fate ! he dy'd , and left me to his son's vvife's hate ; because this younger lord grew much in love , vvhich when his vvife by circumstance did prove , she sought all means she could to murther me ; yet she would have it done with privacy : the whilst her amorous lord fresh courtships made , vvith his best rhetorick , for to perswade my honest youth to yeeld to his desire , my beauty having set his heart on fire : at last , considering with my self , that i having a plentiful estate whereby i might live honourable , safe , and free , not subject to be betray'd to slavery ; then to the lady and the lord i went , as a respect i told them my intent . the lady my design she well approv'd ; he nothing said , but seem'd with passion mov'd . but afterwards , when i my leave did take , he did rejoice , as if 't were for my sake ; and so it was , but not unto my good , for he with treachery my ways withstood ; for as i travell'd , he beset me round , and forc'd me from my servants , which he found to be not many ; when he had great store for to assault , but my defence was poor . yet were they all disguis'd , no face was shown , ( such unjust acts desire to be unknown ) . vvhen i was in their power , help , help , said i , you gods above , and hear a vvretch's cry : but no assistance from heav'n did i find , all seem'd as cruel as the mad mankind . then he unto the castle me convey'd ; the lord , himself discovering , thus said : cruellest of thy sex , since no remorse can soften thy hard heart , i 'le use my force ; unless your heart doth burn with equal fire , or condescend to what i shall desire . i for my own defence , 'gainst this abuse , soft flattering words was forced for to use ; gently entreating his patience , that i a time might have my heavy heart to try ; that by perswasions it might entertain not only love , but return love again . he seem'd well-pleas'd , his temper calm did grow , vvhich by his smiling-countenance he did show : he said , if in your favour i may live , a greater blessing heaven cannot give . then to a vvoman old he gave the charge for to attend , but not for to enlarge my liberty ; with rules my life did bind ; nothing was free , but thoughts within my mind . thus did i live some half a year , and more , and all this while the gods on high implore ; for still he woo'd , and still i did deny ; at last h'impatient grew , and swore that i deluded him , and that no longer would he be denied , but yeeld to him i should . with much entreaty i pacifi'd his mind with words and countenance that seemed kind ; but prayers to heav'n more earnestly i sent with tears and sighs , that they would still prevent , by their great power , his evil design , or take away this loathed life of mine : although at first they seem'd to be all deaf , yet now at last they sent me some relief . the whilst the champion knight , with his fair prize , was struck with love by her quick-darting eyes ; yet mov'd they so as modesty did guide , not turning wantonly , or leer'd aside : nor did they stern or proudly pierce , but gentle , soft , with sweet commerce : and when those eyes were fill'd with watry streams , seem'd like a brook gilded with the sun-beams ; at last perswading-love prevail'd so far , as to present his suit unto her care : fair maid , i love thee , and my love so pure , that no corrupted thoughts it can endure : my love is honest , my request is just ; for one man's fault , do not all men mistrust . i am a batchelor , and you a maid , for which we lawfully may love , he said : wherefore , dear saint , cast not my suit aside ; chuse me your husband , and be you my bride . i am a gentleman , and have been bred as to my quality ; my father dead , me his possessions left , which are not small , nor yet so great to make me vain withall . my life is yet with an unspotted fame ; nor so obscure , not to be known by name ; amongst the best and most within this land , favours receiv'd , yet none like your command . she stood a time , as in a musing-thought , at last she spake , sir , said she , you have brought my honour out of danger , and civilly have entertain'd me with your company ; for which i owe my life , much more my love ; should i refuse , i should ungrateful prove . 't is not for wealth that i would marry to , nor outward honours that my love can woo : but it is virtue , and a heroick mind , a disposition sweet , noble , and kind ; and such a one i judg you for to be , wherefore i 'le not refuse , if you chuse me . when they were thus agreed , they did repair unto his house , and went to marry there : the whilst the lord , the kingdom all about , he privately had sent to search her out . at last news came , with whom , and where she dwelt ; with that much grief within his heart he felt , that any man should have her in his power ; he , like a devil , could his soul devour . but when he heard the messenger to say , there 's preparation gainst her wedding-day ; he grew outragious , cursed heaven and earth , the marriage of his parents , and his birth : at last he did resolve , what e're befell , that he would have her , though he sank to hell. when he had got a company together , such as he fed , that would go any whither ; no act they would refuse , that he desired , obey'd most desperately what he required . unto his house they went in a disguise , intending then the lady to surprise : but be'ng upon her wedding-day , were there a company of guests that merry were ; this lord desir'd to part them , if he might , 'cause lye together they should not that night . so in they went : the servants all did think them maskerades , and made them all to drink : but when they went into an inward room where all were dancing , bride and the bridegroom ; the bride acquainted with that maskard-sight , she ran away as in an extream fright : the bridegroom soon imagin'd what they were , and , though unarm'd , his courage knew no fear . their swords they drew , aim'd only at his life ; that done , they thought to get away his wife : his hat and cloak , arms of defence did make ; the tongs , for to assault , he up did take : the women scriecht , murther , murther , cry'd out ; the men flung all the chairs and stools about , with which they did resist , and did oppose , for some short time , the fury of his foes . it chanc'd a sword out of a hand did fall ; the bridegroom straight took 't up & fought withall ; so well did manage it , and with such skill , he many of his enemies did kill : yet he was wounded sore , and out of breath ; but heat of courage kept out dull cold death . at last his friends got arms to take his part , vvho did th' oppression of his foes divert . the vizzard of the lord fell off at length ; vvhich when the bridegroom saw , with vigorous strength , he ran upon him with such force , that he struck many down , to make his passage free . the trembling bride was almost dead with fear , yet for her husband had a listening ear . at last the noise of murther did arrive : o is he dead , said she , and i alive ! with that she run with all her power and might , into the room , her husband then in fight with her great enemy ; and where they stood , the ground was like a foaming sea of blood ; wounded they were , yet was each other's heart so hot with passion , that they felt no smart . the bride did pass and re-pass by their swords , as quick as flashing lightning , and her words cryed out , desist , desist , and let me dye , it is decreed by the great gods on high , which nothing can prevent ; then let my fall be an atonement to make friends withall . but death and courage being long at strife about her husband's honour and his life , they both did fall , and on the ground did lye ; but honoured courage receiv'd fame thereby . when death had turned out his life , it went into his fame , and built a monument . the bride , when that she saw her husband faint , she weeping mourn'd , and made a sad complaint : o gods , said she , grant me but this request , that i may dye here on my husband's breast . with that she fell , and on his lips did lye , suckt out each other's breath , and so did dye . when that the lover saw her soul was fled , and that her body was cold , pale , and dead ; then he impatient grew his life to hold , with desperate fury then both fierce and bold , he gave himself a mortal wound , and so fell to the ground , and sick did grow . then did he speak to all the company , i do entreat you all for charity , to lay me by my mistress in a grave , that my free soul may rest and quiet have : with that a voice heard in the air to say , my noble friends , you ought to disobey his dying-words ; for if you do not so , from our dead ashes jealousie will grow : but howsoe're , their friends did so agree , that they did put them in a grave all three : and ever since fierce jealousie doth rage throughout the world , and shall from age to age . a batchelor that spightful was , and old , unto the company his tale he told . women care not , nor seek for noble praise ; all their delight runs to romantick ways ; to be in love , and be belov'd agen ; and to be fought-for by the youngest men , not for their vertue , but their beauty fair , intangling men within their amorous snare , and turning up their eyes , not for to pray , unless it be to see their love that day : with whining voice , and foolish words implore the gods ; for what ? unless to hold the dore . and what is their desire , if i should guess , i straight should judg it tends to wantonness : perchance they 'l say , it is for conversation ; but those conversations bring temptation . what youth 's in love with age , where wisdom dwells , that all the follies of wild youth still tells ? but youth will shun grave age's company , and from them flye as from an enemy . say they , their wit is all decay'd and gone ; and , that their wit is out of fashion grown : say , they are peevish , froward , and displeas'd , and full of pain , and weak , and oft diseas'd . but that is fond excuse to plead for youth : for age is valiant , prudent , full of truth : and sickness often on the young takes hold , making them feeble , weak , before they 're old . if women love , let it be for the sake of noble virtue , and the wiser take ; else virtue is depress'd , forsaken quite , for she allows no revellers of night . this sex doth strive by all the art they can , to draw away each other's courtly-man . and all the allurements that they can devise , they put in execution for the prise . their eyes are quick , and sparkling like the sun , yet always after mankind do they run : their words are smooth , their faces in smiles drest ; their heart is by their countenance exprest : but in their older age they spightful grow , and then they scorns upon their youngers throw ; industrious are , a false report to make : lord ! lord ! what poor employments women take to carry tales on tongues . from ear to ear , vvhich faster run than dromedaries far : in heat , with speed and haste they run about from house to house , to find their comrades out : and when they meet , so earnest they are bent , as if the fate 's decrees they could prevent : the best is rubbish ; they their minds do load with several dresses , and what is the mode : but if they spightful are , they straight defame those that most virtue have , or honoured name ; or else about their carriage they find fault , and say their dancing-masters were stark naught . but for their several dressings , thus will say , how strangely such a one was drest to day ! and if a lady dress , or chance to wear a gown to please her self , or curl her hair , if not according as the fashion runs , lord , how it sets a-work their eyes and tongues ! straight she 's fantastical , they all do cry , yet they will imitate her presently ; and for what they did laugh at her in scorn , vvith it think good themselves for to adorn . thus each of them doth into other pry , not for to mend , but to find fault thereby . vvith that the vvomen rose , and angry were , and said , they would not stay such tales to hear . but all the men upon their knees did fall , begging his pardon , and their stay withall . and women's natures being easie , free , did soon consent to keep them company . the tale to tell , unto a woman's turn befell : and when their rusling twatling silks did cease , their creaking chairs , and whisperings held their peace ; the lady did a tragick tale unfold , forcing their eyes to weep , whilst she it told . the description of the fondness of parents , and the credulity of youth . a gentleman had liv'd long , and was old , a wife he had , which fifty years had told : their love was such , as time could not decay ; devout they were , and to the gods did pray : yet children they had none to bless their life ; she happy in a husband , h'in a wife . but nature , in the world her power to show , from an old stock caus'd a young branch to grow : at length this aged dame a daughter bore , got by her husband when threescore , and more . they are so joy'd , they nature's bounty praise , and thank the gods that did the issue raise . they were so fond , that none this child must t'uch , only themselves ; their pains they thought not much . she gave it suck , and dress'd it on her lap , the whilst he warm'd the clouts , then cool'd the pap. they , when it slept , did by the child abide , both sitting near the cradle on each side . but when it cry'd , he danc'd it on his arm , the whilst she sung , its passion for to charm . thus did they strive to please it all they could , and for its good yeeld up their lives they would . vvith pains and care they nurs'd their daughter well , and with her years her beauty did excel . but when she came to sixteen years of age , her youth and life by love she did engage unto a gentleman that liv'd hard-by close to her father's house , who seem'd to dye if he enjoy'd her not ; yet did he dread his father's curse to light upon his head ; his father to his passion being cruel , although he was his only son and jewel ; charging , upon his blessing , not to marry this fairest maid ; nor servants for to carry letters or tokens , messages by stealth ; despising her , because of no great vvealth : yet she was nobly born , not very poor , but had not vvealth to equal his great store . but he did woo his love in secret guise , courting her privately for fear of spies . he strove to win her unto his embraces ; muffle the faults he would , and the disgraces . said he , why may not we our senses all delight ? our senses and our souls heaven unite that we call honour , only man creates , for it was never destin'd by the fates . it is a word nature ne're taught us , nay it is a precept she forbids t' obey . then follow nature , for that follows god , and not the arts of men , they 're vain and odd . let every sense lye steep , not drown'd , in pleasure : let us keep up their height in balanc'd measure . first , let our eyes all beauteous objects view ; our ears all sounds , which notes and times keep true . then scent all odours to refresh the brain ; with tastes delicious palates entertain . touch things most pleasing , that all parts may feel expansion of the soul , from head to heel : thus we shall use what nature to us gave ; for by restraint , in life we dig our grave : and in the grave our senses useless lye ; just so is life , if pleasures we deny . thus heav'n , that gave us sense , may take it ill , if we refuse what 's offered to us still : then let our sense and souls take all delight , not to surfeit , but feed each appetite . come pleasure , circle me within thy arms , inchant my soul with thy delightful charms . said she , it is not always in our power to feed , delight , nor pleasure to devour . man no free power hath of any thing ; only himself can to destruction bring : can kill his body , and his soul can damn , although he cannot alienate the same ; nor can he make them always to remain , nor turn them to what they were first again . thus can we cross and vex our selves with pain , but being sick , cannot be well again : we can disturb great nature's work at will ; but to restore and make , is past our skill . but he did plead so hard , such vows did make , such large professions , and such oaths did take , that he would constant be , and that his bride he would her make , when that his father dy'd : she , young and innocent , knew no deceits , nor thought that words and vows were us'd as baits . so yeelded she to all he did desire , thinking his vows as much as laws require . but they so oft did meet , till it befell , she sick did grow , her body big did swell ; which she took care to hide , and would not be , as she was wont , in other company : but to her parents she would often cry , and said she swell'd so , with a tympany . they did believe her , and did make great moan , their only child was now so sickly grown . his father old , the marriage to prevent , now , in all haste , his son to travel sent ; gave him no time nor warning to be gone ; nor , till he saw him ship'd , left him alone . but he , to ease his mistress of her fear , for to return , he only now took care . but she no sooner heard that he was gone , but in her chamber lock'd her self alone ; complain'd against her destiny and fate , and all her love to him was turn'd to hate . you gods , said she , my fault 's no wilful sin ; for i did think his vows had marriage been : but by his stealth , so privately to leave me , i find my crime , and that he did deceive me : for which , said she , you gods torment him more than ever any man on earth before . with that she rose , about her neck she flung a silken string , and in that string she hung . her parents to her chamber did repair , calling her forth to take the fresh sweet air ; supposing it might do her health some good ; and at her chamber door long time they stood : but when they call'd , and knock'd , no answer made , she being sick , they ' gan to be afraid : their limbs did shake with age , nerves being slack't , those nervous strings with fear were now contract : at last , though much a-do they had to speak , they servants call'd to open , or to break the lock : no sooner done , but with great fear they entred in ; and after they were there , the horrid sight no sooner struck their eyes , but it congeal'd their hearts , and straight both dyes . the fame of their sad fates all round was spread , the lover heard his mistress then was dead ; his clothes , his hair he tore , his breast did beat , his spirits issu'd out in a cold sweat. said he , o cursed death come kill me quick , and in my heart thy spear or arrow stick ; because my love in thy cold arms doth lye , i now desire , nay , am resolv'd to dye . but o! love is a powerless god ; in vain he strives with 's flame to melt death's icy chain : for though with love my heart so hot doth burn , yet cannot melt , i fear death's icy urn. then he all in a rage to the earth fell , and there invoking up the devils of hell , saith he , ye powerful terrors me assist , for to command or force death when i list , that by your help and pow'r my love may rise from the dark vault or grave wherein she lies ; or else by death's cold hand alone , convert me into marble-stone . then running , as distracted , in and out , by fancies , visions strange saw all about : and crying loud , my mistress , she is there ; he seem'd to catch , but grasp'd nought else but air : see , see her ghost , how it doth slide away , her soul is pure , and shines as glorious day . but my foul soul , which is as black as night , doth shadows cast upon the soul that 's bright ; which makes her walk as in a gloomy shade , like shadows which the silver moon hath made . hark how my love sings sweetly in the skye , her soul is mounted up to heavens high , and there it shall be made a deity , and i a devil in hell tormented lye . his spirit being spent , fell to the ground ; and lying there a while , as in a swound , at last he rose , and with a sober pace he bent his steps , as to her burying-place ; and with his cloak he muffled him about , his hatpull'd o're his brows , his eyes look't out to guide his way ; but far he had not gone , that straight he saw the funerals coming on : three hearses all were born , as on a breast , black cover'd two , with white the third was drest : a silver crown upon that hearse did stand , and myrtle-boughs young virgins bore in hand : the graver sort did cypress-branches bear , the mournful parents death for to declare . with solemn musick to the grave them brought ; with tears in-urn'd their ashes in a vault : but he , before the people did return , did make great haste to get close to the urn ; his hat pulls off , then bows , le ts loose his cloak ; with dropping eyes , & countenance sad , thus spoke : you charitable friends , whoe're you be , to see the dead thus buri'd solemnly ; the like to me your favour i do crave , stay all , and see me buri'd in this grave . giving himself a private wound , there fell into the grave ; and dying , there did tell of his sad love ; but now , said he , our souls nor bodies ne're shall parted be . with that he sighs , and breathing out his last , about his mistress corps his arms he cast . the urn seal'd up , his friends a tomb did build ; famous it was , such love therein it held . most parents do rejoyce , and offerings bring of thankful hearts , or pray'rs for their off-spring . these thought their age was blest ; but they were blind with ignorance , and great affections kind , more than with age ; but who knows destiny ? or thinks that joy can prove a misery ? some parents love their wealth more than their breeds , hoording up more than love or nature needs : and rather than poor virtue they will take , by crossing love , childless themselves will make . a sober man , who had a thinking-brain , of vice and vanity did thus complain : 't is strange to see the follies of mankind , how they for useless things do vex their mind : for what superfluous is , serves them for nought ; and more than necessary is a fault : yet man is not content with a just measure , unless he surfeits with delight and pleasure ; as if true pleasure only liv'd in pain , for in excess pain only doth remain : riches bring care to keep , trouble to spend ; beggars and borrowers have ne're a friend : and hospitality is oft diseased , and seldom any of their guests are pleased : in feasts , much company disturbs the rest , and with much noise it doth the life molest . much wine and women makes the body sick ; and doting-lovers they grow lunatick . playing at cards and dice , men bankrupts grow , and with the dice away their time they throw , their manly strength , their reason , and their wit , which might in warrs be spent , or letters writ . all generosity seems buried here ; gamesters seem covetous , as doth appear : but when they spend , most prodigally wast , as if their treasures were the indies vast , or else their purse an endless myne of gold ; but they 'l soon find it doth a bottom hold . titles of honour , offices of state , bring trouble , envy , and malicious hate . ceremony restrains our freedom , and state-offices commands , men tott'ring stand . and vanities inchanters of the mind , that muffle reason , and the judgment blind ; do lead the life in strange fantastick ways , to seek that pleasure which doth live in praise . praise is no real thing , an empty name , only a sound which we do call a fame ; yet for this sound men always are at strife , do spend their fortunes , and do hazzard life : they give their thoughts no rest , but hunt about , and never leave until the life goes out . that man that seeks in life for more than health , for rest and peace within his commonwealth , ( which is his family ) sure is not wise , and know not where true happiness still lies . nor doth he guess that temperance doth give the truest pleasure , makes it longest live . you gods , said he , give me a temperate mind , an humble cottage , a chast wife and kind , to keep me company , to bear a part of all the joys or sorrows of my heart ; and let our labours , recreations be , to pass our time , and not a misery . banish all cares , you gods , let them not lye as heavy burthens ; and when we must dye , let 's leave the world , as in a quiet sleep ; draw gently out our souls , our ashes keep safely in urns ; not separate our dust , or mix us so , if transmigrate we must , that in one body we may still remain ; when that 's dissolved , make us up new again . a lady said , she his discourse would fit ; a story tell that should his humour hit . there was a man and woman married were , they liv'd just so as should a married pair ; though their bodies divided were in twain , their souls agreed , as one they did remain : they did so mutually agree in all , this man and wife we only one may call . they were not rich , nor were they very poor ; not pinch'd with want , nor troubled with great store . they did not labour for the bread they eat , nor had they various or delicious meat ; nor many servants had to vex their mind , only one maid that faithful was , and kind ; whose vvork was just so much as to employ her so , as idleness might not her annoy . thus decently and cleanly did they live , and something had for charity to give . her pastime was to spin in winter cold , the whilst he read , and to her stories told : and in the pleasant spring , fresh air to take , to neighbouring-villages short journeys make . in summer-evenings they the fields did round , or sit on flow'ry-banks upon the ground : and so , in autumn they their walks did keep , to see men gather grapes , or sheer their sheep . nor did they miss jove's temple , once a day , both kneeling down unto the gods to pray for gracious mercy , their poor souls to save , a healthful life , an easie death to have . thus did they live full forty years , and more ; at last death comes , and knocketh at the dore , and with his dart he struck the man full sick , for which the wife was almost lunatick : but she with care did watch , great pains did take ; broths , julips , jellies , she with skill did make . she most industrious was his pains to ease , studying always his humour for to please : for oft the sick are peevish , froward , cross , and with their pains do tumble , groan , and toss , on their sad couches ; quietly he lay , and softly to himself to heaven did pray . yet was he melancholy at the heart , for nothing else , but from his vvife to part . but when she did perceive his life decay , close by his side , upon a bed she lay , embrac'd and kist him oft , until his breath and soul did part , drawn forth by powerful death : art gone , said she ? then i will follow straight ; for why , my soul upon thy soul shall wait . then turn'd her self upon the other side , in breathing-sighs and show'ring-tears she dy'd . a single-life best . a man said , he liv'd a most happy life , because he was not ty'd unto a wife : said he , marriage at best obstructs the mind . with too much love , or wives that are unkind . besides , a man is still ty'd by the heel , unto the cradle , bed , table , and wheel ; and cannot stir , but , like a bird in string , may hop a space , but cannot use his wing . but those who 're free , and not to wedlock bound , they have the liberty the world to round ; and in their thoughts much heav'nly peace doth dwell , when marriage makes their thoughts like pains of hell. and when they die , no care doth grieve their mind , for any thing that they shall leave behind . a lady said , if women had but wit , men neither wives nor mistresses should get : no cause should have to murmure and complain , if women their kind freedom would restrain . but marriage is to women far more worse than 't is to men , and proves the greater curse : and i , said she , for proof , a tale will tell , what to a virtuous married wife befell . there once a lord and lady married were , and for sev'n years did live a happy pair : he seem ; d to love his wife , as well he might , for she was modest , virtuous , fair , and bright ; a disposition suitable and kind ; no more obedience man in vvife could find : she did esteem him so , and priz'd him such , of merit , she thought no man had so much ; and lov'd him more than life lov'd perfect health , or princes for to rule a commonwealth . but such the natures of most husbands be , that they love change , and seek variety ; or else like fools or children , eas'ly caught with pleasing looks , or flatt'ring tongues are brought from virtues side , in wicked ways to run , and seldom back with virtue do return . but misery may drive them back again , or else with vices they do still remain . it chanc'd this lord a lady fair did meet , her countenance was pleasing , speech was sweet ; and from her eyes such wanton glances went , as from her heart love-messages had sent ; whereby this lord was catch'd in cupid's snare , how to address , he only now takes care . but he straight had access , and courtships makes , the lady in his courtships pleasure takes ; and pride she takes , that she could so allure a husband from a wife , that was so pure as heaven's light , and had the praise and fame of being the most fair and virtuous dame. at last this lady by her wanton charms , inchanted had this lord , till in his arms he might embrace her in an amorous way , his thoughts were restless , working night and day to compass his designs ; nor did he care to lose his wife's affection , but did fear his mistress to desplease ; and as her slave , obey'd her will in all that she would have . but she was subtil , and of nature bad ; a crafty wit , in making quarrels , had : for which she seemed to be coy and nice , and sets her beauty at so great a price , that she would never yeeld unless that he from his chast wife would soon divorced be : straight he , to please her , from his wife did part , for which his vvife was grieved at the heart , and sought her self obscurely for to hide , and in a solitary house did ' bide , as if she had a grievous criminal been , or causer was of his adulterous sin ; and for a penance , she did strictly live ; but she was chast , and no offence did give : yet she in sorrow liv'd , no rest could find , sad melancholy thoughts mov'd in her mind : most of her time in prayers she did spend , which as sweet incense did to heav'ns ascend ; did often for her husband mercy crave , that they would pardon all his faults , and save him from destruction , and that they would give him happy days as long as he should live . but after he his mistress had enjoy'd , and that his amorous appetite was cloy'd ; then on his virtuous wife his thoughts did run , the later lady he did strive to shun : for often they did quarrel and fall out ; he gladly would be rid of her , no doubt . at last he was resolv'd his vvife to see , and to be friends , if that she would agree . but when he saw his vvife , his heart did ake , as being guilty , all his limbs did shake : the terror of his conscience did present to him her wrongs , but yet to her he went. she being set near to a fountain low , her tears did make the stream to overflow . thither he came , and on the earth did kneel , but in his soul such passions did he feel of shame , fear , sorrow , as he could not speak : at last his passion through his lips did break , begging her pardon , and great vows did make of reformation , and that for her sake he would all pain or punishment endure , and that no husband should to wife be truer . which when she heard , she sighing , did reply , you come too late , my destiny is over-fraught , my bark of life with grief is over-fraught , and ready is to sink with its own weight : for show'rs of tears , and stormy sighs do blow me to the ports of death , and shades below . he being affrighted at the word she spake , in haste he rose , her in his arms did take : wherewith she pleas'd , and smiling , turn'd her eye upon his face , so in his arms did dye . and being dead , he laid her on the ground ; he in the fountain , and her tears , was drown'd . impatiently in a high discontent there dy'd , so had a watry monument . another lady said , such men i hate that wrong their wives , and then repent too late . but all adulterers i wish might have a violent death , and an untimely grave . the next man's turn to speak was one that in the warrs was bred ; and thus be did begin : a description of natural affection . there were two potent princes , whose great fames for actions in the warrs got mighty names . it chanc'd these potent princes both did greet , and were resolv'd in open warrs to meet , their courages to try , their strengths and pow'r , their prudent conducts , or their fatal hour . in short , these armies meet , a battel fight , vvhere one side beaten was by fortune's spight . the battel won , that army routed , ran , and for to save his life , strove every man , and their artillery they left behind , each for himself a shelter hop'd to find . vvhen from pursuit the victors did come back , the solidiers for to plunder were not slack : and every tent they search'd , and sought about to see if they some treasure could find out . to th'prince's tent did some commanders go , vvhere they did find an object of much wo. that prince being dead , upon the ground was laid , and by him sate a fair and sweet young maid : her beauty was so splendrous , and so bright , through clouds of grief , it shone like heavens light . vvhich the commanders saw , then straight did go to let their general of this beauty know . vvho when he came , amazed was in mind , such beauty for to see , and grief to find . for this fair princess by her father set , her eyes being fixt , her tears his cheeks did wet ; she leaning o're his head , her eyes down bend , from whence her tears upon his face descend . upon his mouth such deep-fetch'd sighs did breathe , as if therein her soul she would bequeathe ; for which this general did her admire , her tears quench'd not , but kindle did love's fire . with that he did command the solidiers there , the dead to take , the body up to bear . but then she spake : for pity have remorse , remove not from me my dead father's corpse : for had not fortune ( which he never trust with any business , but what needs he must ) conspir'd with death to work his overthrow , his wisdom crossing her , she grew his foe . but all her spight could never do him harm , for he with prudence still himself did arm : but when that death assisted her design , she struck him dead when battels were to join ; his solidiers forc'd to fight , when that their mind was press'd with grief , which fast th' spirits did bind ; it was his death that made him lose the day , and made you victors that now wear the bay. but look , said she , his hands now strengthless lye , in fight which made his enemies to flye : his eyes , now shut by death , in life gave light unto his soldiers , in the warrs to fight . his tongue , that silenc'd is by death's cold hand , in life mov'd wisely , and could well command : it knowledg gave to those that little knew , and did instruct what was the best to do . his heart lyes still , no motion doth remain : ceas'd are the thoughts in his well-temper'd brain ; where in his heart all virtues did abide , and in his brain strong reason did reside : but all is vanquish'd now , and life doth seem no better than a shadow , or a dream . 't is strange in nature to observe and see the unproportion'd links in destinie . for man's the wisest creature nature makes , and best extracts to form his figure takes ; and yet so short a life to him she gives , he 's almost dead before he knows he lives : yet she from man receives the greatest praise , he doth admire all her curious ways : with wonder he her sev'ral vvorks doth see , and studies all her laws , and each decree ; doth travel sev'ral ways within his mind , his thoughts are restless , her effects to find . but in his travels death cuts him off short , and leads him into dark oblivion's court. thus nature is unjust , heaven unkind , which strikes the best , the worst do favour find . my father's merits might have challeng'd still a longer life , had it been heavens will. but he is dead , and i am left behind , which is a torture to my troubled mind . if soldiers pity have , grant my desire , here strike me dead , and let my breath expire . said the victorious prince : heaven forbid ! all horrid acts we shun ; for in the field the purest honour 's won : we stake our lives for lives , and justly play a game of honour on a fighting-day . perchance some cheats may be among the rout , but if they 're found , the noblest throw them out . but since you cannot alter destiny , nor none that live , but have some misery ; raise up your spirits , unto heaven submit , and do not here in grief and sorrow sit . your father was a soldier of great fame , his valiant deeds did get an honoured name : and for his sake judg us , which soldiers be , to have human'ty , and civility . your father he shall safely be convey'd , that he may be by his ancestors laid . but you must stay , yet not as prisoner ; you shall command and rule our peace and war. she answered not in words , her tears did plead , that she with her dead father might be freed : but her clear advocates could not obtain their humble suit , but there she must remain with the victorious prince ; but he deny'd , as victor , in a triumph for to ride : for though the battel i have won , he said , yet i am prisoner to this beauteous maid . she is the conqueress , therefore 't is fit i walk as prisoner , she triumphant sit . then all with great respects to her did bow ; so doth the prince , and plead , protest , and vow , to be her servant , and to yeeld his life to death's sad strokes , unless she 'ld be his wife . but she still weeps , his suit no favour gains ; of fates and destiny she still complains . why , said the prince , should you my suit deny , since i was not your father's enemy ? soldiers are friends , though they each blood do spill , 't is not for spight , nor any malice ill ; but honour to maintain , and power to get , and that they may in fame's house higher set : for those of greatest pow'r , to gods draw near ; for nought but pow'r makes men like gods appear . but had i kill'd your father in the field , unto my suit in justice you might yeeld . but i was not the cause your father dy'd , for victory doth still with him abide : and though that death stid strike him to the heart , yet his great name and fame will never part . men will suppose the loss is loss of life , and had he liv'd , there would be greater strife between our armies ; but if you 'l be mine , our kingdoms in a friendly peace shall join . then she began to listen , and give ear ; she of her countrey in distress took care : and in short time they were both man and wife ; long did they live , and had a happy life . the next , a virgin 's turn her tale to tell ; her youth and modesty did fit it well . the surprisal of death . a company of virgins young did meet , their pastime was , to gather flowers sweet : they white straw-hats upon their heads did wear , and falling-feathers , which wav'd with the air , fanning their faces , like a zephyrus wind , shadowing the sun , that strove their eyes to blind ; and in their hands they each a basket held , which baskets they with fruits or flowers fill'd : but one amongst the rest such beauty had , that venus for to change might well be glad . her shape exact , her skin was smooth and fair ; her teeth white , even set , a long curl'd hair : her nature modest , her behaviour so , as when she mov'd , the graces seem'd to go . her wit was quick , and pleasing to the ear , that all who heard her speak , straight lovers were . but yet her words such chast love did create , that all impurity they did abate . and every heart or head where wild thoughts live , she did convert , and wise instructions give : for her discourse such heavenly seeds did sow , that where she strew'd , there virtues up did grow . these virgins all were in a garden set , and each did strive the finest flowers to get . but this fair lady on a bank did lye of most choice flowers , which did court her eye ; and every one did bend their heads full low , bowing their stalks , which from the roots did grow ; and when her hands did touch their tender leaves , each seem'd to kiss , and to her fingers cleaves . but she , as if in nature 't were a crime , vvas loath to crop their stalks in their full prime ; but with her face close to those flowers lay , that through her nostrils those sweets might find way ; not for to rob them , for her head was full of flow'ry phansies , which her wit did pull , and posies made , the world for to present vvith a more lasting and a sweeter sent. but as she lay upon this pleasant bank , for which those flowers did great nature thank ; death envious grew she such delight did take , and with his dart a deadly wound did make : a sudden cold did seize her every limb , with which her pulse beat slow , and eyes grew dim . some that sate by , observ'd her pale to be , but thought it some false light ; yet went to see : and when they came , she turn'd her eyes aside , spread forth her arms , then stretch'd , and sigh'd , and dy'd . the frighted virgins ran with panting-breath , to tell the sadder story of her death : the whilst the flowers to her rescue bend , and all their med'cinable virtues send : but all in vain , their power 's too weak ; each head then droop'd , seeing they could not help the dead . their fresher colours did no longer stay , but faded straight , and wither'd all away . for tears , they dropp'd their leaves , and thought it meet to strew her with them , as a winding-sheet . the airy choristers hover'd above , and sung her last sad funeral-song of love. the earth grew proud , now having so much honour , that odoriferous corpse lying upon her . when that pure virgin 's stuff dissolv'd in dew , was the first cause new births of flowers grew , and added sweets to those it did renew . the grosser parts the curious soon did take , of it transparent purslain they did make : her purer dust they keep for to refine best poets verse , and gild every line ; and all poetick flames she did inspire : so her name lives in that eternal fire . a mock-tale of his grace the duke of newcastle . cupid love-birding went , his arrow laid , aiming to hit a young fresh countrey-maid : being pur-blind , his arrow it did glance , and hit an old-old woman there by chance . she presently with love sighs shorter breath , groan'd so , as all the neighbours thought her death . little she had of feeling , nor no ground to guess where cupid us'd to make the wound . a long forgetfulness there was , no doubt , of what was love , and all those thoughts worn out . at last , love rub'd her mem'ry up , and then she thought some threescore years ago , and ten , was wounded so ; but then was in her prime ; the surgeon cured her , was father time ; but he 's not skilful for love's wounds ; all those , though they seem cured , yet they 'l never close , but break out still again ; not winter's cold will freeze them up , nor age , though ne're so old . she , with laborious hands , and idle breech , us'd to weed gardens , and for her grown rich ; some twenty pounds she 'd got , which she did hide for her great , great , great grandchild , when a bride . o powerful love ! to see thy fatal curse , now to forget her noble race and purse ; enquires out the best taylors in the town , to make her wastcoats , petticoats , and gown : new shooes of shoo-maker she did bespeak , and bids him put three-penny-worth of creak into the soles , that dew when them it fills , like hero's buskins , chirrup through the bills . hunts pedlars out , and buys fresh ribbans blew , to shew that she is turn'd a lover true . and now those hands , not white as venus doves , not to preserve , but hide with dog-skin gloves . takes keener nettles up , that by her stood , to rub her skin and cheeks , but found no blood. no dangling tresses there could any find ; sister to time , no locks before , behind . yet smooth she was not , as the billiard-ball ; but bald as it all over , you might call . when met her love , he thought she smil'd to grace her self , when 't was but wrinkles in her face . and all love's arts she try'd , and oft she met him , this lusty young and labouring-man , to get him . his poverty with her purse join'd their hands , and so did enter in the marriage-bands . but to describe their sumptuous marriage feast , their richer clothes , and every honour'd guest ; their melting love-songs , softer musick 's t'uch , are not to be express'd , not half so much as you may now imagine ; all my skill , and fainter muse , too weak ; nay , virgil's quill , with that description , it would blunter grow ; and homer's too , with all his furies ; so they blush'd for shame , when saw this lovely bride put them all down ; thus triumphs she in pride . now after supper , when they were both fed , your thoughts must go along with them to bed : there being laid , he mounted now love's throne ; she sigh'd with love , then fetch'd a deeper groan : and so expir'd there in height of pleasure , and left him to enjoy her long-got treasure . nay , so belov'd she was , that now lies low , that all the women wish'd for to dye so . then came a lady young , that had not been in that society ; and coming in , they told her , she a tale must pay , or , as a bankrupt , she must go away . truly , said she , i am not rich in wit , nor do i know what tales your humours fit . yet in my young and budding muse , will draw the seasons of the year , like ' prentice-painters , which do use the same to make their skill appear . but nature is the hand to guide the pencil of the brain , and place the shadows so , that they may hide all the defects , or giv 't a grace . phansie draws pictures in the brain , not subject to the outward sense ; they are imaginations vain , yet are they the life's quintessence . for when life 's gone , yet they will live , and to the life a fame will give . the tale of the four seasons of the year . the spring is dress'd in buds & blossoms sweet , and grass-green socks she draws upon her feet . of freshest air a garment she cuts out , with painted tulips fringed round about , and lines it all within with violets blew , and yellow primrose of the palest hew : then wears an apron made of lillies white , and lac'd about it is with rays of light. cuffs of narcissus her fair hands do tye , pinn'd close with stings of bees which buzzing flye to gather honey-dew which thereto cleaves , and leave their stings when they do prick the leaves . ribbons of pinks and gilliflowers makes ; roses both white and red , for knots she takes . when she 's thus dress'd , the birds in love do fall , and chirping , then , do to each other call to sing , and hop , and merry make , and joy'd they are all for the spring 's sake . but of all birds , the nightingal delights to sing the spring to bed in warmer nights ; because the spring at night draws in her head into the earth , for that she makes her bed ; and in the morning , when asleep she lies , the nightingal doth sing to make her rise ; and calls the sun to open her fair eyes , who gallops fast , that he might her surprise . but when the spring is past her virgin 's prime , and married is to old bald-father time ; the nightingal , for grief , doth cease to sing , and silent is till comes another spring . the summer 's cloth'd in glorious sun-shine bright , and with a trailing-veil of long-day-light : some dust , as powder , on her hair doth place , and with the morning's dew doth wash her face . a zephyrus-wind she for a fan doth spread , to cool her cheeks , which are hot-burning-red ; and with that heat so thirsty she doth grow , as she drinks all the fresh sweet springs that flow . then in a thundring-chariot she doth ride , for to astonish mortals with her pride : before her chariot flashing-lightning flyes , a fluid fire that spreads about the skyes . as princes great , that in dry ways do travel , have water thrown t' allay the dust and gravel . this fire allays , cleanses all vapours gross , lest , rising , they should stop the thunder's force : and when she from her chariot doth alight , then is she waited on by sun-beams bright : or else the rays that from the moon do spread , as waxen tapers , light her to her bed , and with refreshing-sleeps a while doth rest ; there sweet air breathing from her panting breast . yet summer's proud , ambitious , high , and hot , and full of action , idle she is not : chol'rick she is , and oft doth quarrels make ; but yet sometimes she doth her pleasure take : at high-noon with the butter-flyes doth play , in th' evening with the bats doth dance the hay : or at the setting of the sun doth flye with swallows swift , to keep them company . but if she 's cross'd , she straight malicious grows , and in a fury plagues on men she throws , or other sickness , and makes beasts to dye , and cause the marrow in the bones to fry . but creatures that with long time are grown old , or such as are of constitution cold , she nourishes , and life she doth restore , in flyes , bats , swallows , many creatures more : for some do say , these birds in winter dye , and in summer revive again to flye . of all the four seasons of the year , this season doth most full and fat appear . her blood is hot , and flowing as full tide , she 's only fit to be apollo's bride : but she , as all young ladies , in their prime , doth fade and wither with old father time ; and all their beauty , which they much admire , doth vanish soon , and quickly doth expire . just so the summer dries , withers away ; no powerful art can make sweet beauty stay . the autumn , though she 's in her fading years , and sober , yet she pleasantly appears : her garments are not deck'd with flowers gay , nor are they green , like to the month of may , but of the colour are of dapple deer , or hares , that to a sandy ground appear : yet she is rich , with plenty doth abound , all the encrease of earth is with her found : most creatures , nourishment to them doth give , and by her bounty , men , beasts , birds , do live ; besides , the grieved heart with joy doth fill , when from the plump grapes wine she doth distill ; and gathers fruits , which lasting are , and sound , her brows about with sheaves of corn are crown'd , in those are seeds , whereof man makes some bread , with which the poor and rich are nourished . yet 't is not bounty can hinder nature's course , for constantly she change in one source : for though the matter may be still the same , yet she doth change the figure and the frame : and though in principles she constant be , and keeps to certain rules , which well agree to a wise government ; yet doth not stay , but as one comes , another glides away : so doth the autumn leave our hemisphere to winter cold , at which trees shake for fear , and in that passion all their leaves do shed , and all their sap back to the root is fled : like to the blood , which from the face doth run , to keep the heart , lest death should seize thereon . then comes the winter , with a lowring brow , no pleasant recreations doth allow : her skin is wrinkled , and her blood is cold ; her flesh is numb , her hands can nothing hold : her face is swarthy , and her eyes are red ; her lips are blew , with palsie shakes her head ; she often coughs , and 's very rheumatick , her nose doth drop , and often doth she spit ; her humour 's melancholy , as cold and dry , yet often she in show'ring rain doth cry , and blustring storms , as in a passion sent , which on the earth , and on the water vent ; as rheums congeal to flegm , the waters so , by thickning cold , congeal to ice , hail , snow , which she spits forth ; upon the earth they lye in lumps and heaps , which makes the plants to dye : she 's poor and barren , little hath to give , for in this season all things hardly live : but often those who 're at the worst estate , by change of times do grow more fortunate : so when the winter 's past , then comes the spring , and plenty doth restore to every thing . a poet in the company said to his lady : your fingers are minerva's loom , with which your sense in letters weave , no knots or snarls you leave ; work fancy's thread in golden numbers rich . your breasts are helicon , which poets fits : for though they do not drink , if thereon they do think , their brains are fill'd with high and sparkling wits . your tongue 's parnassus hill , on high it stands ; her muses sit and sing , or dance in fayrie's ring , crown'd with your rosie lips , and sweet garlands . your eyes diana's arrows ; and no doubt your arched brow her bow , like ebony black doth show , from whence sweet gentle modesty shoots out . your hairs are fatal threads , lovers hang by ; your brain is vulcan's net , fine fancies for to get , which , like to winged birds , aspiring flye . the next , a man of scholarship profest , he in his turn this tale told to the rest . an expression of the doubts and curiosity of man's mind . there was a man which much desir'd to know , when he was dead , whither his soul should go ; whether to heaven high , or down to hell , or the elyzium fields , where lovers dwell ; or whether in the air to flie about ; or whether it , like to a light , goes out . at last the thoughts , the servants to the mind , which dwell in contemplation , to find the truth ; they said , no pains that they would spare to travel every where , and thus prepare : each thought did clothe it self with language fit , for to enquire , and to dispute for it : and reason they did take to be their guide , then straight unto a colledg they did ride ; where scholars dwell , and learned books are read , the living works of the most wise , who 're dead . there they enquired , the truth for to know , and every one was ready for to show ; though every sev'ral work , and sev'ral head , and sev'ral tongue , a sev'ral path still lead ; where the thoughts were scattering several ways , some tedious long , others like short essays . but reason , which they took to be their guide , with rest and silence quietly did ' bide , till their return , who ragged and all torn , came back as naked as when they were born : for in their travels hard disputes had past , yet all were forc'd for to return at last . but when reason saw their poor condition , naked of sense , their words , and expedition , and expectation too , and seeming sad , ( but some were frantick , and despairing , mad . ) she told them , they might wander all about , but she did fear the truth would ne're find out . which when they heard , with rage they angry grew , and straight from reason they themselves withdrew . then all agreed they to the court would go , in hopes the courtiers then the truth might know : the courtiers laugh'd , and said they could not tell ; they thought the soul in sensual pleasures dwell , and that it had no other heaven or hell ; the soul they slight , but wish the body well . this answer made the thoughts not long to stay among the courtiers , but soon went their way . then to the army straight they did repair , hoping the truth of souls they should find there ; and of the chief commander they enquire , who willing was to answer their desire . they said for certain , that all souls did dye , but those that liv'd in fame or infamy . those that infamous were , without all doubt were damn'd , and from reproach should ne'r get out : but such whose fame their noble deeds did raise , their souls were blest with an eternal praise ; and those that dy'd , and never mention'd were , they thought their souls breath'd out to nought but air. with that the thoughts were very much perplext , then did resolve the chymists should be next which they would ask : so unto them they go to be resolv'd , if they of souls did know . they said unto the thoughts , when bodies dye , souls are th' elixir , and pure chymistry : for gold , said they , can never wasted be , nor can it alter from its purity . eternal 't is , and shall for ever last , and as pure gold , so souls do never wast . souls are the essence , and pure spirits of gold , which never change , but shall for ever hold : and as fire doth the pure from dross divide , so souls in death are cleans'd and purifi'd from grosser parts of body ; and no doubt the soul , as spirits , death exhaleth out : it is the essence of great nature's store ; all matter hath this essence , less or more . after the thoughts had mused long , in fine , said they , we think the soul is more divine , than from a metal'd earth for to proceed ; well known it is , all metals earth doth breed : and though of purest earth the true gold be , being refin'd by heat to that degree of pureness , by which it long doth last , yet may long time and labour make it wast , to shew 't is not eternal ; and perchance some slight experience may that work advance , which man hath not yet found ; but time , said they , may chymists teach ; and so they went away . but travelling about , they weary grew ; to rest a while , they for a time withdrew the search of truth , into a cottage went , where liv'd an aged cottage , well content , a man and wife , which pious were , and old ; to them the thoughts their tedious journeys told , and what they went to seek , the truth to find concerning souls , to tell unto the mind : for we desire , said they , the truth to know , from whence the soul proceeds , or where 't will go , when parted from the body . the old man said , of such employment he should be afraid , lest nature or the gods should angry be for his presumption and curiosity . if it be nature's work , there is no doubt but it doth transmigrate all things about : and who can follow nature's steps and pace , and all the subtil ways that she doth trace ? her various forms , which curious motion makes ; or what ingredients for those forms she takes ? who knows , said he , the cause of any thing , or what the matter is whence all doth spring ? or who at first did matter make to move so wisely , and in order , none can prove ; nor the decrease , nor destinies can find , vvhich are the laws that every thing do bind . but who can tell that nature is not vvife to mighty jove ? and he begets the life of every creature which she breeds , and brings forth several forms ; each figure from her springs . thus souls and bodies joined in one gin , though bodies mortal be , the soul 's divine , as being first begot by jove , and so the purest part of life 's the soul , we know ; for th' animated part from jove proceeds , the grosser part from nature self she breeds . and what 's more animated than mankind , unless his soul , which is of higher kind ? thus ev'ry creature to jove and nature are , as sons and daughters , and their off-spring fair . and as their parents of them do take care ; so they , as children , ought not for to fear how they dispose of them , but to submit obediently to all that they think fit ; not to dispute on idle questions still , but shew obedience to their maker's will. man asketh blessing of his father jove , and jove doth seem mankind the best to love . and nature she her blessing doth bestow ; when she gives health , makes plenty for to flow . the blessings which jove gives unto mankind , are peaceful thoughts , and a still quiet mind : and jove is pleas'd , when that we serve his vvife ( our mother nature ) with a virtuous life : for moral virtues are the ground whereon all jove's commands and laws are built upon . thoughts trouble not your selves , said he , which way the soul shall go to jove , and nature pay : for temperance , wherein the life is blest , that temperance doth please the life the best . intemperance doth torture life with pain ; and what 's superfluous , to us is vain . therefore return , and temper well the mind , for you the truth of souls shall never find . at last came reason , which had been their guide , and brought them faith ; in her they did confide . taking their leave , away with faith they ride , and faith e're since doth with the mind reside . a lady which all vanities had left , since she of youth and beauty was bereft : she said , that pride in youth was a great sin ; of which a tale did tell , thus entring in : a description of the fall of foolish and self-conceited pride . there was a lady rich , that sate in state , and round about her did her servants wait : where every tongue did walk still in their turn , but in the ways of flattery they run . you are , said one , the finest drest to day ; a heavenly creature , did another say : your skin is purer far , than lillies white , and yet is clear and glassy as the light : and from your eyes such splendrous rays do spread , that they seem like a glory round your head : your wit is such , 't is supernatural ; and all that hear you speak , straight lovers fall : the sound but of your voice , charms every ear , and when you speak , your breath perfumes the air . thus by these flatteries most proud she grew , and scornful looks on every object threw : all men she scorn'd that did to her address ; and laugh'd at all did love to her profess . her senses for to please , she was so nice , that nothing serv'd but what was of great price . thus did she live in lux'ry , pride , and ease , and all her thoughts were still her self to please . she never pray'd unto the gods on high , for she did think her self a deity ; that all mankind was made her to admire , and ought her favours most for to desire : that every knee that bow'd not to her low , or whose demeanors did not reverence show . she thought them beasts that did not merit know , or that her frowns should work their overthrow . her smiles and frowns she thought such power had , as destiny , to work both good and bad . at last the gods , that always have an eye upon the earth , who all things do descry amongst poor mortals , they this lady spy'd , whose heart was swell'd , and thoughts were big with pride , begot by pluto's wealth , and nature's paint , bred in the soul , which makes it sick and faint . but pride is nurs'd still by the senses five , vvhat from each sense it sucks , it keeps alive . but if no nourishment it gets from those , as touch , taste , sound , sweet pleasant scent orshows . it faints and pines a way as starv'd , so dyes , and in a grave of melancholy lyes . but , as i said , when gods poor mortals view'd , they for their sins , with punishment pursu'd . then with this lady they did first begin , many ill accidents at her they fling : first , they did set her house and goods on fire , where her rich furniture did soon expire : then envy sought all ways to pull her down , and tax'd her land as due unto the crown ; and in that suit great sums of money vast lawyers ingross'd , which made those sums to wast . and when those lawyers got all that she had , they cast her suit , as if her cause was bad : by which her lands she lost ; then only left her rich with beauty , but of lands bereft : in which she pleasure took , although but poor of fortune's goods , of nature's giftssh ' had store . but when the gods did see her still content , at last they to her body sickness sent . she patient was , her beauty still did last : but when that they their judgment on that cast , making a grave to bury beauty in , which beauty once did tempt the saints to sin : because her face so full of pock-holes were , that none could judg that beauty once dwelt there . then did she sit and weep , turn'd day to night , asham'd she was to shew her face the light . time , an ingraver , cuts the seal of truth ; and , as a painter , draws both age and youth : his colours , mix'd with oyl of health , lays on ; the plump smooth youth he pencils thereupon : shadows of age he placeth with much skill , making the hollow places darkest still . but time is slow , and leisure he doth take , no price will hasten him his works to make ; but accidental chance , who oft doth jarr with aged time , and then some works doth marr . but when her wealth was gon , and state was down , then did her friends and servants on her frown ; so far now from professing slavery , as they did use her most uncivilly ; would rail against her , spightful words throw out ; or had she been but guilty , would ( no doubt ) betray her life : such natures have mankind , that those in misery no friends can find : for fortune's favours only friendships make . but few are friends only for virtue 's sake ; in fortune's frowns man will not only be a neuter , but a deadly enemy : nay , ev'n a devil to torment the mind , if he no mischief ' gainst the body find . but after she had mourn'd three hundred days , consid'ring nature's , fortune's various ways ; she did repent , weeping for what was past , imploring gods to pity her at last . good gods ! forgive my vanity and pride , let not my soul with sinful spots be dy'd ; let your great mercies scour those spots off clean , that by your justice no spots may be seen . consider , lord , the works that nature makes , the matter , motion , and the form she takes ; the grounds and principles on which she builds ; the life and death in all things she distills , is various still ; in what she doth compose , nothing but wild inconstancy she shows . nor is it only the substantial part that is compos'd thus by her curious art : but what we call immortal , as the soul , doth various passions appetites controul . and as all bodies that are young , want strength , and wait for time to give them breadth and length ; so doth the soul want understanding too , and knows not what is best to think or do : wherefore , great jove , i never shall despair of thy sweet mercy , nor yet devils fear . to punish ignorance , youth rash ways runs , which age by long-experienc'd knowledg shuns : but age oft time 's as faulty , as youths be corrupted with bad principles : we see that length of time and custom makes them shew as if in man they naturally grew . but to conclude , the time she had to live , she heartily unto the gods did give : though young , into a nunnery she went , her vows unto the gods she did present : her days not being long , she soon there dy'd , and now her soul with angels doth reside : for with her penance , tears , and contrite spirit , she wash'd away her sins , and heav'n did merit . the next tale when you read , it will discover the fortunate or the unfortunate lover . a mock-tale of the lord duke of newcastle , which his grace was pleased to say , out of his great civility , that it would serve for shadows to set off the rest ; he loving truth so well , that he was never good at telling tales . a young and lusty cheshire-lad did move in venus sphere , and was so fill'd with love when first he saw a lovely lass at chester , whose badg of christianity was hester . so beautiful and fair she did appear , fresh as the welcome spring to the new year ; and odoriferous as flower 's birth ; as fair as new-born lillies from the earth . this set the young man's heart in love's flame fire , struck dumb in love , turn'd all now to admire . at last love found a tongue , which did not fail to burst out violently , and thus to rail ; cursing now partial nature , that did give more beauty to her than elsewhere doth live . bankrupt in beauty , since her store is gone , mankind condemn'd to foul ones now , or none . was nature lavish ? or else made the thest upon her self , since she hath nothing left of what is handsom ? so i now do find , he enjoys thee , enjoys all womankind : for beauty , favour , and what 's height of pleasure , since thou art nature's store-house , & her treasure . o love me then , since all my hopes are crost ; if i enjoy you not , i 'm wholly lost . for what i can call happiness ; nay worse , my life then to me 's but a fatal curse : but if you yeeld , i 'le bless dame nature's gift , and bounty to you , since 't was all her drist to make her master-piece in you , and vex the envious females , angring all your sex : and if her bounty to you , you give me , i shall be deifi'd in love by thee . here on my knees i beg thy love thus low ; until i have it , my knees here shall grow : therefore be kind . she answer'd with sweet eyes , which spoke , not speaking , for to bid him rise : and then discours'd with modest blushes , so as that did tell him all her heart did know . trembling and shaking with love's palsi'd tung , with broken sighs , and half words it was strung ; love's comma's , full-points , and parenthesis , and this love's rhetorick , oratory is . with love's pale-difficulty then afraid , she softly said , o i 'm a tender maid , and never heard such language ! you 'l deceive me ; and now i wish , i could wish you would leave me . why d' ye inchant a silly maid ? alas , i never saw such beauty in my glass , and yet i 've heard of flatt'ring glasses too ; but nothing flatters like you men that woo : your tongue 's love's conjuration , without doubt ; circles me here in love , cannot get out , by your love 's magick whispering . then did yield , and said , you 've conquer'd , and have won the field . such joy between them , such new passions rais'd , which made the god of love himself amaz'd ; since by no tongue or pen can be exprest ; cupid and hymen ne're hop'd such a feast . but see the fate of business , which doth move so cross , for business hath no sense of love. o thou dull bus'ness ! yet some states-men pry into love's secrets with a glancing eye . but here our lover was arraign'd to stand condemn'd to bus'ness , that in ireland necessity doth urge him : that word part , so cruel was , it struck each other's heart , which inwardly did bleed with sorrow's grief , since nothing now but hopes were their relief . sadly he goes aboard , love fills his sails , and cupid with his wings fanns gentle gales to waft him over ; he thus thought to please his wounded lover o're those rocky seas ; love would not leave him : nor was he content , unless this dangerous passage with him went. in the mean time , his mistress did commit her self to sorrow , and with her to sit as her close prisoner , this was all her end , and grieved more than widows do pretend . safely is landed now our lover o're , and cupid with him , on the irish shore . love is so various , which some lovers see ; now love an irish cupid's turn'd to be : and takes all memory thus from our lover , of his first mistress , and doth now discover love's new plantation in the irish pale , in love's rich island there , which doth not fail to take our lover , and inflame him more under an irish mantle , than what 's store of gowns of cloth of gold. curls , painted art , cheats love , when simple nature wounds love's heart . this change of love is blown so up and down , by fame's loud trumpet , through all chester town : the women gossip'd it , and could not hold till to his former mistress they it told . this was the first time that she smil'd to see impossible reports of him to be : they might as well say , phoebus gives no light , or starrs to fall , or make a day of night , as he inconstant was : yet love doth doubt , not doubting , yet enquires all about , and sets her love-spies to enquire a-new : but those reports each minute stronger grew : so she resolv'd her self to know the truth , and was disguis'd in clothes now like a youth , and went in cavalier : the gentle wind did favour her , and landed to her mind . the port was dublin , and could not forbear to make enquiries for her love , and there she found him at an inn. he then began to take such liking to his countrey-man , all his discourse enquiring for his ends , to know the welfare of his english friends : which she so fully satisfied , as he was now enamour'd of her company ; and was so fond , in her took such delight , as supp'd , and lay together too that night . never suspecting her , his mistress , then blindly went on , and took her for a man ; so full of love and friendship , could not hold , but to her all his irish love he told , desiring her to go along and see this miracle of beauty , which was she ; and so she did . her love turn'd now disdain , to see his falshood , and no love remain : so base , unworthy , and unconstant too , as now began to think what she should do . she quench'd her passion , which is wise and better than love's complaints : so writ to him a letter of her whole voyage , and love's constant hist'ry , all her designs , disguises in love's myst'ry ; and left this letter in the window : so three or four days it was 'fore he did know , or found it out . in the mean time she 's gone , and shipp'd for england , leaving him alone . when found her letter was , such passions grew stronger upon him than e're lover knew ; resolv'd the foaming billows to embrace , those liquid steps of hers he meant to trace , and lay himself in pickled tears of love , now at her feet , to see what that would move : but all in vain , he thought too long had tarri'd , when landed , found the same day she was marri'd : fell in such extasies , cursing his fate , the ship and winds , that made him come so late . with love's new hopes , his sails he fill'd , and then invok'd god neptune to go back again : and all the passage as he went along , challeng'd the mermaids in a loving song ; with love's assurances so over-joy'd , as now his loving heart was not annoy'd , but fill'd with pleasure , and with all delight , thinking t' embrace his irish love that night . no sooner landed so — he thought to woo his mistress , but he found her marri'd too . cursing the starrs of his nativity , thus short of wedlock at both ends to be ; made him grow desperate ; and , as they say , then in despair he made himself away upon a wench , and some swear without doubt , that there he knock'd the brains of 's cupid out ; so murther'd love , and there he did enroul each one a fool , with a platonick soul : and so despis'd and scorn'd the old god hymen , that with so easie words so long did tye men , to make them galley-slaves in marriage , so ti'd in his chains , condemn'd for life to row in wedlock's galley — give me freedom then , thy godhead i invoke , whilst foolish men to love and hymen's prisons there do sit , justly committed for their want of wit : for he 's a fool that 's ti'd when might be free : and thus he rav'd and talk'd non-sense you see , as he that writ this story , you may mend it ; so for his sake , and yours , and mine , i 'le end it . a lady said , his tale of love did tell ; she with a tale of death would fit it well : for death , said she , unties the lover's knot , when deadly arrows from his bow are shot . a lady on her death-bed panting lay , she call'd her friends , and thus to them did say : farewel my dearest friends , for i must go unto a place which you nor i yet know : may be my sp'rit will wander in the shade of glimmering light , which is by moon-shine made : or in my tomb in peace may lye asleep , so long as ashes in my urn do keep . or else my soul , like birds , may have its wings , or like to herc'les flyes that want their stings . but howsoever , friends , grieve not , nor cry , for fear my soul should be disturb'd thereby : clothe not your selves with melancholy black ; call not your grief unto remembrance back : but let your joys a resurrection have , call'd forth by comfort from the sorrowful grave . let not delight intombed lye in the sad heart , or weeping eye : let not pale grief my soul affright , shrouded in melanch'ly's dark night : but death , said she , i fear him not ; so turn'd her head , and death her shot . then on a cypress hearse was laid forth dead ; as scorning death , aside was turn'd her head : by cruel death her arms were careless flung ; her hands over the sides as strengthless hung : her eyes were clos'd , as if she lay asleep ; though she was pale , her face did sweetness keep . her elogie was thus : tears rain a-pace , and so a river make , to drown all grief within a watry lake . make seas of tears , for wind of sighs to blow salt billows up , the eyes to overflow : let ships of patience traffick on the main , to bring in comfort to sad hearts again . the next turn , a man ; and he thus began : the silk-worm and the spider houses make , all their materials from their bowels take ; they cut no timber down , nor carve they stone ; nor buy they ground to build their houses on : yet they are curious , built with art and care , like lovers , who build castles in the air , which ev'ry puff of wind is apt to break , as imaginations , when reason's weak . they said , his tale was short , he answer made , i 'le piece it out . and thus he said : the silk-worm digs her grave as she doth spin , and makes her winding-sheet to lap her in : and from her bowels takes a heap of silk , which on her body as a tomb is built : out of her ashes do her young ones rise ; having bequeath'd her life to them , she dyes . they only take that life to spin a death ; for as they wind up silk , they wind out breath . thus , rather than do nought , or idle be , they 'l work , and spin out life's small thread we see . when all their work is done , ready to dye , their wings are grown , for life away to flye . the silk-worm is first a small seed ; then turneth into a worm ; at last grows to have wings like a flye , but lives not to make use of them . as soon as she is big enough , she spins a ball of silk all about her self ; wherein , being grown to be a fly , she makes a hole to come out , to leave seed for the generation of her young ones : after which she immediately dyes . the women said , the men made quick dispatch in telling tales , like dogs that bones do snatch . but howsoe're , a woman did begin to tell a tale , and thus she entred in . a description of the passion of love misplaced . a lady on the ground a mourning lay , complaining to the gods , and thus did say : you gods , said she , why do you me torment ? why give you life , without the mind's content ? why do you passions in a mind create , then leave it all to destiny and fate ? with knot and snarls they spin the thread of life , then weave it cross , and make a web of strife . come death , though fates are cross , yet thou' rt a friend , and in the grave dost peace & quiet send . it chanc'd a gentleman that way came by , and seeing there a weeping beauty lye ; alas , dear lady , why do you so weep , unless your tears you mean the gods shall keep ? jove will present those tears to juno fair , for pendants , and for neck-laces to wear : and so present that breath to juno fair , that she may always move in perfum'd air . forbear , forbear , make not the world so poor ; send not such riches , for the gods have store . i 'm one , said she , to whom fortune's a foe , crossing my love , working my overthrow : a man which to narcissus might compare : for youth and beauty , and the graces fair , do him adorn ; on him my love is plac'd : but his neglect doth make my life to wast . my soul doth mourn , my thoughts no rest can take ; he , by his scorn , doth me unhappy make . with that she cry'd , o death , said she , come quick , and in my heart thy leaden arrow stick . take comfort , lady , grieve and weep no more , for nature handsome men hath more in store : besides , dear lady , beauty will decay , and with that beauty love will flee away . if you take time , this heat of love will wast , because 't is only on a beauty plac'd . but if your love did from his virtue spring , you might have lov'd , though not so fond have been . the love of virtue is , for to admire the soul , and not the body to desire : that 's a gross love , which only dull beasts use ; but noble man to love the soul will chuse : because the soul is like a deity , therein pure love will live eternally . o sir , but nature hath the soul so fix'd unto the body , and such passions mix'd , that nothing can divide or dis-unite , unless that death will separate them quite : for when the senses in delights agree , they bind the soul , make it a slave to be . he answered , if that the soul in man should give consent in every thing the senses to content , no peace , but war amongst mankind would be , and desolation would have victory : no man could tell or challenge what 's his own ; he would be master that is strongest grown . lady , love virtue , and let beauty dye , and in the grave of ruins let it lye . with that she rose , and with great joy , said she , farewell , fond love , and foolish vanity . the men condemn'd the tale , because ( said they ) none but a fool would preach so , wise men pray . but ladies hear me , did another say . to love but one , is a great fault , for nature otherwise is taught : she caus'd varieties for us to taste , and other appetites in us she plac'd ; and caus'd dislike in us to rise , to surfeit when we gormandise ; for of one dish we glut our palat , although it be but of a salat . when solomon the wise did try of all things underneath the sky ; although he found it vanitie , yet by it nature made us free : for by the change her works do live by several forms that she doth give : so that inconstancy is nature's play ; and we , her various works , must her obey . a woman said , that men were foolish lovers , and whining passions love oft discovers : they 're full of thoughts , said she , yet never pleas'd , always complaining , and yet never eas'd : they 'l sigh , they mourn , they groan , they make great moan , they 'l sit cross-legg'd , with folded arms alone . sometimes their dress is careless , with despair , with hopes rais'd up , 't is costly , rich , and rare , setting their looks and faces in a frame ; their garb's affected by their mistress name , flattering their loves , forswearing ; then each boasts what valiant deedsh ' has done in forreign coasts ; through what great dangers his adventures run ; such acts as hercules had never done : that every one that hears , doth fear his name ; and every tongue that speaks , sounds forth his fame . and thus their tongues extravagantly move , caus'd by vain-glorious , foolish , amorous love , which only those of his own sex approve . but when their rallery was past , the tale upon a man was cast : then crying peace to all that talking were , they were bid hold their tongues , and lend an ear. the man , more than the rest , was somewhat old ; they said to him , your tale you have not told : alas , said he , my memory is bad , and i have none so good as you have had . he , musing a short time , thus did begin ; i hope , said he , my tale may credit win . a description of civil-warrs . a kingdom which long time had liv'd in peace , her people rich with plenty , fat with ease ; with pride were haughty grown ; pride envy bred ; from envy factions grew : then mischief spread ; and libels every where were strew'd about , which after into civil-warr broke out . some for the commons fought , some for the king , and great disorder was in ev'ry thing : battels were won and lost on either side ; where fortune ebb'd and flow'd , like to a tide . at last the commons won ; and then astride fierce tyranny on noble necks did ride : all monuments pull'd down , that stood long time ; and ornaments were then thought a great crime . no law was pleaded but the martial law ; the sword did rule , and keep them all in aw . no prayers offer'd to the gods on high ; all ceremony in the dust did lye : nothing was done in order , truth , and right : nought govern'd then , but malice , spleen , & spight . but mark how justly gods do punish men , to make them humble , and to bow to them . though they had plenty , and thereof did eat , they relish'd not that good and savoury meat ; because their conscience did them so torment , for all their plenty they were discontent : they took no rest , cares so oppress'd their mind , no joy nor comfort in the world could find . when drowsie sleep upon their eyes did set , then fearful visions in their dreams they met : in life no pleasure take , yet fear to dye ; no mercy can they hope from gods on high . o serve the gods , and then the mind will be always in peace and sweet tranquillity . a woman said , a tale i mean to tell , that in those warrs unto a cross befell . an ancient cross liv'd in our father's time , with as much fame as did the worthies nine : no harm it did , or injury to none , but dwelt in peace , and quietly alone : on times or government did not complain , but stood stone-still , not stirr'd in no king's reign . both winter's snow , and summer's scorching sun , it did endure , and urin'd was upon . yet peaceful nature , nor yet humble mind , shall not avoid rude ignorance that 's blind : that superstitiously beats down all things which smell but of antiquity , or springs from noble deeds ; nor love , nor take delight in laws or justice , hating truth and right : but innovations love , for that seems fine ; and what is new , adore they as divine : that makes them so neglect the gods above , for time doth waste both their respect and love . and so this cross , poor cross , all in a rage they pull'd down quite , the fault was only age. had it been gilded gloriously and brave , they vanity for an excuse might have : but it was poor , its mortar all off worn , which time had eaten , as when dogs have torn the flesh from bones of hares , or harmless sheep ; or like to skeletons , that scholars keep . if they had pious been , it might have stood , to mollifie the minds of men to good . but they were wicked , hating every thing that by example might to goodness bring . then down they pull'd it , leaving not one stone upon another , for it to be known to after-ages ; for the ground lies bare , and none can know that once the cross stood there . then said a man , i can this tale well fit , for i a tale can tell that 's like to it . in old times , when devotion false did reign , a church was built , although to use prophane , was consecrated as diana's right , who was their goddess of the moon-shine bright . but afterwards , when truth with zeal did flame , it christned was , and bore jove's mighty name , and dedicated to the sun above , then married was , became his spouse and love. long did she live in duty , peace , and zeal , became an honour to the commonweal ; was curiously adorn'd within , without , the quoire all hung with hangings rich about ; with marble tombs and statues carv'd and cut , wherein the bodies of good saints were put . there polish'd pillars long the iles did stand , and arched roofs built by a skilful hand ; with painted windows plac'd on either side : at every end were gates , large , open , wide : and all the inside was most bravely gilt , as all the outside with free-stone were built : there choristers did sing each several note , and organs loud did answer ev'ry throat : and priests there taught men how to pray and live , rewards and punishments which jove did give . but mark , this temple was destroy'd by sin , since they did leave to worship jove therein , because this church profan'd by sinful men , was made a stable , and for thieves a den. no surer mark of wrath when gods do frown , then to give leave to pull their temples down . a lady said , these vvarrs her soul did shake , and the remembrance made her heart to ake . my brother then was murther'd in cold-blood , incircled round with enemies he stood ; where he , like to a fixed starr shin'd bright ; they like to black and pitchy clouds of night : he like the sun , his courage like that heat ; their envy , like bad vapours , strove to beat . his light of honour out ; but pow'rful fame did throw their spight back on their heads with shame . and though they struck his body , not his mind , ( for that in death through all their malice shin'd . ) he valiant was , his spirits knew no fear , they never chill'd when they in battel were ; and strove to give more blows than safety sought : his limbs most vigour had , when most he fought . he spoke not loud , nor sung , his fear to hide ; with silence march'd , and quietly did ride , viewing the armies with a watchful eye ; and careful was , advantages to spye . if that his soldiers chanc'd to run away , he ran not after them to make them stay , as some commanders , which will call and run after the soldiers , when the flight's begun : but when once gone , seldom return again , but with their soldiers they will safe remain . but he amongst his foes , like earth , was fix'd ; or , like to fire , himself was intermix'd ; and their great solid bodies did divide , pulling their fabrick down on either side ; until his mercy did for favour pray unto his courage , so to run away . he made them know he was a soldier good , train'd up in warrs , which art he understood : besides , his genius was prompt thereunto ; wit , skill , invention , knew what best to do : which made the foe more fierce his life to take , for fear that he their ruin soon would make . for they , so soon as he was in their pow'r , like greedy vulturs , did his life devour . he stood their rage , his courage knew no fear ; nor on grim death with terror did he stare ; but did embrace her with a generous mind , vvith noble thoughts , and kisses that were kind . vollies of shot did all his body tear ; vvhere his blood 's spilt , the earth no grass will abear . as if , for to revenge his death , the earth vvas curs'd with barrenness ev'n from her birth . and though his body in the grave doth lye , his fame doth live , and will eternally . his soul 's immortal , and so is his fame ; his soul in heav'n doth live , and here his name . the next time had a man his turn to speak ; who said , that civil-warrs made rich men break . populous kingdoms , that do flourish well in peace and plenty , then to ruin fell . when i , with grief , unto remembrance bring the blessed time men liv'd with a goodking ; to think at first how happy such do raign , and in what peace such kingdoms do remain ; vvhere magistrates do sit in justice throne , few crimes committed , punishments scarce known ; the nobles liv'd in state and high degree , all happy , even to the peasantry : where easie laws , no tax to make them poor , all live plenty , full is every store : they customs have to recreate the mind , not barbarous , but civil , gentle , kind : and those where chance and fortune bad do fall , have means straight given to be kept withall : their lands are fertil , and their barns are full , orchards thick planted , from whence fruit to pull : of cattel store feeding in meadows green , where crystal brooks run every field between ; with cowslips growing , which makes butter yellow ; and fatted beasts , two inches thick with tallow : and many parks for fallow deer to run , shadow'd with woods , to keep them from the sun : and in such kingdoms , beasts , fowls , fish , are store ; those that industrious are , can ne're be poor . but o sad fate and fortune , if it chance the sword of civil-warr for to advance ; as when rebellions , like a watry flood , o'reflows a monarchy ; in royal blood builds aristocracy with cruel hands , on unjust grounds of tyranny it stands . then into wicked states such kingdoms go , where virtue 's beaten out , no truth they know : and all religion flies away for fear , and atheism is preached every where . their magistrates by bribes do govern all , no suit is heard but what injustice call : for covetousness and malice pleads at barr against poor honesty , with whom they jarr : calamity doth find no pity ; for all pity 's buri'd in a civil-warr . a lady's turn was next , which told this tale perplext : she said , i over sea to lapland went , my husband being then in banishment : his estate gone , and being very poor , i thought some means compassion might restore : but when i ask'd , no pity could i find ; hard were their hearts , and cruel every mind . fye , saith a man , you do all orders break , so long on melancholy themes you speak . the prologue to the beggars marriage . i 've serv'd two ' prentiships , and now am made free of the beggars company to trade : my stock , in secret to your ear i speak , is such , as i am sure i shall not break . let boreas burst his cheeks , and the sea rore , the beggars bark can ne're be tumbled o're . what fitter subject for my muse can be , than make descriptions of our company ? the beggar 's theme too well my fortunes fit , my begg'rly fancy too , and so my wit. the duke of newcastle's description of the beggars marriage . while'om , there was a ragged beggar old , who in his time full fourscore winters told ; his head all frozen , beard long , white as snow , with a staff's prop , for else he could not go : with bleared eyes , all parched , dry , and cold ; with shaking-palsie , little could he hold : his clothes so tatter'd , for they were so worn , older than he , in many pieces torn : the subtill'st brain , and prying'st eye , those seen , both could not guess what stuff they 'd ever been . on 's cloak more several patches there did stick , than labour'd algebra's arithmetick could once tell how to number ; and was fuller , than was the rainbow , of each various colour , but not so fresh ; so faded when th'were seen , that none could guess which red , which blew , which green . his turf-house lean'd to an old stump of oak ; a hole at top there for to void the smoak of stollen scatter'd boughs ; could not be fed but by his daily begging daily bread . there on his little bench i 'le leave him , then within a while i 'le speak of him again . a wither'd beggar-woman , little sundred from him , who all the town said , was a hundred : toothless she was , nay more , worn all her gums , and all her fingers too were worn to thumbs : wrinkles , deep graves to bury all delight ; eyes now sunk holes , little she had of sight , little could speak , as little sense could tell ; seldom she heard , sometimes the great towns-bell : a long forgetfulness her legs had seiz'd ; for many years her crutches them had eas'd : clothes , thousand rags torn with the wind & weather , her huswifry long since had sew'd together . no livelihood , but charity grown cold as she was , this more than her years made old . in a hot summer's day , they out did creep , enliven'd just like flyes , for else they sleep ; creeping , at last each one to other get , lousing each other , kindly thus they met : apollo's master-piece shining , did aim to light dead ashes sparks , not make a flame to stir up nature in them , now so cold , and whether cupid dwelt in them who 're old : now heat and kindness made him try to kiss her ; her palsi'd head so shak'd , he still did miss her : he thought it modesty ; she ' gainst her will , striving to please him , could not hold it still : she mumbl'd , but he could not understand her : he cry'd , sweet hero , i 'le be thy leander : she said , before we met , cold as a stone is , i was ; but now am venus , thou adonis . such heights of passion's-love utter'd these two , as youngest lovers , when they 'gin to woo : for cupid , reign o're mankind still will have ; he governs from the cradle to the grave . their virtue 's such , they would not sin , nor tarry , so heated , vow'd a contract , then to marry . this marriage now divulg'd was every where to neighbour beggars , beggars far and near ; the day appointed , and the marriage set , the lame , the blind , the deaf , they all were met : such throngs of beggars , women , children , seen , muster'd all on the town 's fair grassy-green : the bridegroom 's led between two lame men , so , because our bridegroom fast he could not go . the bride was led by blind-men ; him behind , because you know that love is always blind . the hedg-priest then was call'd for , did him bring , marri'd them both with an old curtain-ring : no father there was found , or could be ever ; she was so old , that there was none to give her . with acclamations now of louder joy , pray'd hymen priapus to send a boy , to shew a miracle ; in vows most deep the parish swore their children all to keep . then tom-a-bedlam wound his horn , at best ; their trumpet now , to bring away the feast ; pick'd marrow-bones they had found in the street , carrots kick'd out of kennels with their feet ; crusts gather'd up , for bisket , 't was so dri'd , alms-tubs olio podridoes had beside : many such dishes had , but it would cumber any to name them ; more than i can number . then came the banquet ( that must never fail ) which the town gave , that 's white-bread , & strong ale. each was so tipsie , that they could not go , and yet would dance , and cry'd for musick ho ; gridirons and tongs , with keys , they play'd on too , and blind-men sung to them , as use to do : some whistled then , and hollow sticks did sound , and thus melodiously they play'd a round : lamemen , lame women , mingled , said , advance ; and so , all limping , jovially did dance : the deaf-men too , for they could not forbear when they saw this , although they did not hear , which was their happiness . now to his house the bridegroom brought the bride , each drunk as mouse . no room for any but them two , they saw , so laid them both in bed of good fresh straw . then took their leave , put out their rushen-light ; but they themselves did revel all the night . the bridegroom ruffles now , kiss'd , and said , friend ; but when he kiss'd , thought 't was at t'other end , and cry'd her mercy , said he could not look , it was so dark , and thought he had mistook . no , said the bride most sweetly , you are right , as if our taper here was shining bright . now love's hesperides would touch the same , that place , o place ! which place no tongue should name . she , gentle dame , with roving hand , indeed , instead of crutches , found a broken reed . they both , now fill'd with ale , brains in 't did steep ; so , arm in arm , our lovers fell asleep . so for the will , though nothing else indeed , to love the beggars built a pyramid . a tale of his grace the duke of newcastle , called , the philosopher's complaint . i through a cranny there did spy , a grave philosopher all sad , with a dim taper burning by , his study was in mourning clad . he sigh'd , and did lament his state , cursing dame nature , for 't was she , that did allot him such a fate , to make him of mankind to be . all other animals , their mold of thousand passions makes them free , since they 're not subject unto gold , which doth corrupt mankind we see . the busie merchant plows the main , the pleading-lawyer for his fee ; pious divines for lawful gain , mechanicks all still coz'ners be . with plow-shares , farmers wound the earth , look to their cattel , swine , and sheep , to multiply their seed , corn's birth , and all for money , which they keep . the sun-burnt dame prevents the day , ( as her laborious bees for honey ) doth milk her kine , and spins away her fatal thread of life for money . mankind doth on god pluto call , to serve him still , is all their pleasure : love here doth little , money all ; for of this world it is the measure . beasts do despise this orient mettle ; each freely grazing fills his maw : after love's procreating , settle to softer sleep , wise nature's law. they 're not litigious , but are mute ; false propositions never make : nor of unknown things do dispute ; follies , for wise things do not take . or flow'ry rhet'rick to deceive ; nor logick to enforce the wrong : or tedious history to weave , troubling the hearers all along . nor study the enamell'd sky , thinking they 're govern'd by each starr ; but scorn man's false astrology , and think themselves just as they are . their pride not being so supream , celestial bodies moving thus , poor mortals each awaking dream , to think those lights were made for us . nor are they troubled where they run ; what the sun's matter it might be ; whether the earth moves , or the sun , and yet they know as well as we . nor do they with grave troubled looks , by studious learning for to stay , or multiplicity of books , to put them out of truth 's right way . for policies , beasts never weave , or subt'ler traps do ever lay , with false dissembling , which deceive , their kind to ruin , or betray . no hot ambitions in them are ; trumpets are silent , drums do cease : no troublers in their kind in warr , for to destroy , but all for peace . the stranger valu'd jemms that dress our beauteous ladies like the day , a parrot's feathers are no less ; and gossips too as well as they . man's ever troubled 'bout his fame , for glory and ambition hot : when beasts are constantly the same ; in them those follies enter not : nor hope of worlds to come , that 's higher , with several sects divisions make ; or fear an everlasting fire , but quiet sleep , and so awake . man still with thoughts himself torments , various desires , what shall be ; and in his life hath small contents : beasts pleas'd with what they have , not we . repining man , for what is past , hating the present what they see , frighted with what 's to come at last : beasts pleas'd with what is , and must be . ease man doth hate , and business store ; a burthen to himself he is : weary of time , yet wishes more : beasts all these vanities they miss . self-loving man so proud a durt , vain 'bove all things , when understood ; studies always himself to hurt : when beasts are wise to their own good . man makes himself a troubled way , runs into several dangers still , vvhen in those thoughts beasts never stray , but do avoid them with their will. man's troubled head and brain still swelling beyond the power of senses five , not capable of those things telling : beasts beyond senses do not strive . nature's just measure , senses are , and no impossibles desire : beasts seek not after things that 's far , or toys or baubles still admire . beasts slander not , or falshoods raise , but full of truth , as nature taught ; and wisely shun dissembling ways , follow dame nature as they ought . nor to false gods do sacrifice , or promise vows to break them ; no : no doctrine to delude with lyes , or worship gods they do not know . nor envy any that do rise , or joyful seem at those that fall ; or crooked ways 'gainst others tries ; but love their kind , themselves , and all . hard labour suffer when they must ; when over-aw'd , they wisely bend ; only in patience then they trust , as misery's and affliction 's friend . they seek not after beauty's blaze , to tempt their appetite when dull ; but drink the stream that tempests raise , and grumble not when they are full . they take no physick to destroy that health which nature to them gave : nor rul'd by tyrants laws , annoy , yet happy seem with what they have . with cares men break their sweet repose , like wheels that wear with turning round : beasts quiet thoughts their eye-lids close , and in soft sleep all cares they drown'd . no rattles , fairings , ribbons , strings , fiddles , pipes , minstrelses , them move , or bugle bracelets , or fine rings , and without cupid maketh love. o happy beasts ! that spend the day in pleasure with their nearest kin , and all is lawful in their way , and live and dye without a sin . their conscience ne're troubled is ; we made so , yet forbid it too : for nature here is not amiss , we strive 'gainst what w' are made to do . beasts need not language , they despise unuseful things , all men's delight : those marks which language from doth rise , if pleas'd with them , discourse they might . and out of words they argue not , but reason out of things they do : when we vain gossipings have got , they quiet silent lives have too . complain'd of scholars , that they sought with envious watching , and with spight , to leave the good to find a fault in any author that doth write . o vain philosophy ! their laws with hard words still for matter brings , which nothing is , nor knows the cause of any thing ; unuseful things . why are our learned then so proud , thinking to bring us to their bow ? and ignorance , wisdom allow'd , and know not that they do not know ? motion's cessation is the end of animals , both beasts and men ; the longest lives to that do tend , and to death's palace , his dark den. or that beasts breath doth downwards go , and that men's souls do upward rise ; no post from that world comes you know : it puzzled solomon the wise. thus he complain'd , and was annoy'd , our grave philosopher for 's birth , that he was made to be destroy'd , or turn'd to sad or colder earth . i piti'd him , and his sad case , wishing our vicar him to teach ; for to infuse a saving-grace , by his tongue 's rhet'rick for to preach . several feigned stories in prose the second book . the strict associate . there was a gentleman came to a lady with a message from his lord , which was to tell her , his lord would come to visit her . sir , said she , is your lord a poet ? no , lady , said he . then he hath no divine soul , said she . is he a philosopher ? no , madam , said he . then , said she , he hath no rational soul. is he an historian ? neither , said he . then , said she , he hath no learned soul. is he an ancient man ? no , lady , said he . then he hath no experienced soul , said she . is he an orator ? no , lady , said he . then he hath no eloquent soul , said she . and if he hath neither poetical wit , philosophical wisdom , studious learning , experienced knowledg , nor eloquent language , he cannot be conversable ; and if he be not conversable , his visit can neither be profitable nor pleasant , but troublesome and tedious ; therefore i do entreat your lord that he will spare his pains , and mine , in giving me a visit. but , said the man , though my lord is neither a poet , a philosopher , an historian , an orator , nor aged ; yet he is a young beautiful man , which is more acceptable to a fair lady . sir , said she , youth and beauty appears worse in men , than age and deformity in women ; wherefore , if it were in my power , i would make a law , that all young men should be kept to their studies so long as their effeminate beauty doth last ; and old women should be put into cloysters when their youth and beauty is past : but i must confess , that the custom of the world is otherwise ; for old women and young men appear most to publik view in the world ; when young vvomen and aged men often retire from it . the judgment . there were two gentlemen that had travelled both into england and france ; and meeting another gentleman , he asked one of them , which he liked best , england or france ? who said , he liked both well where they were alike worthy ; and disliked them both in things that were not worthy of praise . then he said to the second gentleman , and which like you best ? vvhich do you mean , answer'd he ? the countreys or kingdoms ? vvhy , what difference is there betwixt saying a countrey and a kingdom , was reply'd to him ? great difference , said he : for , to say a countrey , is but such a circumference of earth ; and to say a kingdom , is to say such a countrey manured , inhabited , or rather populated with men that dwell in cities , towns , and villages , that are governed by laws either natural or artificial . well , which kingdom do you like best , then ? truly , said he , i cannot give a good judgment unless i had travelled through every part in both kingdoms , and had taken strict surveys of their forts , havens , woods , plains , hills , dales , meadows , pastures , arrable ; also of their architectures , as cities , towns , villages , palaces , churches , theaters ; of their laws , customs , and ceremonies ; of their commodities , trafficks , and transportations ; of their climates and situations ; and of the several humours of the several people in each kingdom : which will not only require a solid judgment , and a clear understanding , but a long life to judg of it all . but , said the other , judg of as much as you have seen . to judg of parts ( answered he ) , is not to judg of the whole : but to judg of as much as i have seen , i will compare them , or similize the parts of those two kingdoms , to two ladies , whose faces i have only seen , their bodies and constitutions being unknown ; the one that a larger and fairer forehead than the other , and a more sanguine complexion ; the other hath better eyes , eye-brows , and mouth . so france is a broader and plainer countrey , and the climate is more clear , and somewhat hotter than england ; and england hath better sea-ports , heavens , and navigable rivers , than france hath ; also , the one hath a more haughty look than the other ; and the other a more pleasing and modest countenance . so france appears more majestical , and england more amiable . the vulgar fights . a young gentleman , of a good natural wit , had a desire to travel : but first , he would visit every province in his own countrey , before he went into forreign kingdoms ; preferring the knowledg of his own native soil , before those wherein he was neither born , nor meant to dwell . so he went to the chief metropolitan city , where he did intend to stay some time , that he might inform himself best of the several trades , trafficks , imposts , laws , customs , offices , and the like . when he was come to it , he sent his man to seek him out some lodgings in some private house , because inns are both troublesome , and more chargeable . his man had not gone far , but he saw a bill over a trades-man's door , to let passengers know there were lodgings to be lett. the mistress sitting at the door , he asked her if he might see the lodgings that were to be lett ? she answered , no ; she would first see them that were to take them : who is it that would take them , said she ? my master , said he . hath he a wife , said she ? why ask you that , said he ? because ( said she ) i will not lett my lodgings to any man that brings a wife : for , women to women are troublesome guests ; whenas men are very acceptable : and i thank the gods ( said she ) i am not so poor as i care for the profit , but for company and conversation : for , to have no other company but my husband , is very dull and melancholy . the man said , my master hath no wife . is he a young man , said she ? yes , said he . is he a handsome man , said she ? yes , said he . then , said she , my lodging is at his service . at what rate are they , said the man ? she said , your master and i shall not fall out about the price . so he returned to his master , and told him , he had found not only lodgings , but ( as he thought ) a fair bed-fellow for him ; for the mistress would make no bargain but with himself . so thither he went , where he found all things accommodated for his use ; and his landlady , who was a handsome woman , and her husband a plain man , bid him very welcome ; then taking their leave , left him to himself : after which , the good man seldom troubled him ; but the wife was so officious , as he seldom mist of her company ; and so wondrous kind as might be , making him whitewine-caudles for his break-fast , and giving him very oftern collations : besides , if he stay'd out , she would send her husband to bed , and wait for his coming home : for which kindness he would return her courtly civilities . he went often abroad to view the city , and to see the course of the people , and the several passages that happen in such places : and one day , as he went through a large street , a coach-man and carman man fell out for out for the right side of the way ; the carman said he was loaded , and therefore would not give way ; the coach-man said , it was not fit for a coach to give way to a cart , and therefore he should give way : so after words , follow'd blows ; and their whips were their mettle-blades , wherewith they fought and lashed one another soundly . the gentleman , seeing them lashing one another so cruelly , spake to his man to part the fray. in troth , master , said the man , if i shall go about to part all foolish frays , or but one in a city , i may chance to go home with a broken pate , and get no reputation for the loss of my blood . thence they went to the market place , and there were two women which had fallen out about their merchandize , and their fight was much fiercer than the coach-man and carters , and their words more offensive , and their nails more wounding than whips , insomuch as they had scratched each other so , that the blood trickled down their faces : whereupon the gentleman , being of a pitiful nature , commanded his man to part them : the man said , i will adventure on the feminine sex , for i believe i can pacifie them , at least make my party good : so he went and spoke to them to forbear each other ; but their ears were stopt with the sound of their scolding ; and when he went to part them , it did so enrage their fury , as they left fighting with each other , and fell upon him ; who , to help himself , was forced to fight with them both : at last it grew to be a very hot battel ; first off went his hat , then down fell his cloak ; he thrust them from him , they prest upon him ; he cuft them , they laid on blows on him ; they tore his band , he tore their kerchers ; they pull'd his hair , he pull'd their petticoats ; they scratch'd his face , he beat their fingers ; he kick'd them , they spurned him : at last , with strugling , they all three fell into the kennel ; and so close they fought , as those three bodies seemed but one body , that moved as a whale on a shallow shore , which wants water to swim ; even so they lay waving and rolling in the kennel : in this time a number of people were gathered about them to see them fight , ( for it is the nature of common people to look on combats , but part none ; to make frays , but not friends ) who enrag'd them the more , and enflam'd their angers with their shooting-noises : but the gentleman , that was concerned for his man , desired the people to part them ; who cryed out , let them fight , let them fight ; and they that had so much good nature as to offer to pull them asunder , were hindered by the rest . at last the constable came , and did cause them all three to be put into the stocks ; the man was placed betwixt the two women , which made him almost deaf of both his ears ; for though their legs were fast , their tongues were loose ; with which they rung him such a scolding-peal , as made his head dizzy ; whereas he , without speaking one word , sate in a most lamentable posture , with his clothes all rent and torn , his face all scratch'd and bloody , and that hair they left on his head , all ruffled , and standing an end , as if he were affrighted : but at last his master , by bribing the constable , got his man out of the stocks , and gave the constable so much more to keep the women shackled a longer time ; who , when they saw the man let loose , and they still fast , were stark mad . the man was so dogged , that he would not speak to his master , because it was by his command he came into that womanish quarrel . his master , to pacifie him , and to reward him for his obedience , gave him new clothes , and all things suitable , and money , to be friends again . but though the money did qualifie his passion , yet he was wonderful angry for the disgrace ( as he thought it ) to be beaten by women , and prayed his master to give him leave to depart from him , that he might retire to some meaner man's service , where he might hide his dishonour . his master told him , he thought he never had much honour to lose ; neither would any trouble their thoughts , and burthen their memory , with such foolish quarrels : but howsoever ( said his master ) if you be a man of honour , as you imagine your self , you should glory in this combat ; for honourable and gallant men will not refuse to grasp with women , and take it as an honour to receive blows from them ; a rent band is their victory , and a scratcht face their trophy , and their scolding speech is their chariot , wherein they ride in triumph . heaven ( said the man ) deliver me from that honour ; for i had rather grasp a fury of hell , than an angry woman ! so home they went ; and when they came to their lodging , they found the man and his wife together by the ears ; the man cursing , the wife scolding , and the wares in their shop flung about ; for they had hurled all they could lay hold on , at each other's head : both master and man stood at the door , not daring to enter the house , for fear they should partake of the quarrel . at last said the man to his master , sir , now you may have those honourable victories , trophies , and triumphs , you spake of , if you will endeavour to part them . his master answered , that one man was enough for one woman , and two would be too much . the man said , i found two women too much for one man , and i dare lay a wager our landlady will be too hard for our landlord . he had no sooner spoke , but the wife had broke her husband's head with a measure that lay by ; which as soon as she had done , she run into the kitchin , and shut the door to secure her self , making it her castle of defence ; where her husband followed with threatning-language , then bounced and beat against the door to break it open ; but she had not only barred and lock'd it , but set all the pots , pans , and spits against it , as a barricado to make it strong . at last the gentleman went to his landlord , and perswaded him to be friends with his wife . at first he would not hear him ; but at last , when he found he could not get in , and that his fury was wasted with the many assaults against the door , he was contented to have a parley : then there was a truce agreed upon for two hours ; in which time the gentleman managed the quarrel so well , as he made them friends ; the wife being contented to be friends with her husband for the gentleman's sake , and the husband for quiet 's sake . the man was also contented to stay with his master , when he saw he was not the only man that was beaten by women , but triumphed that the landlord was beaten by one , when he had two against him . the tobacconist . there were two maids talking of husbands , which is for the most part the theam of their discourse , and the subject of their thoughts . the one said , i would not marry a man that takes tobacco , for any thing . then said the other , it is likely you will have a fool for your husband ; for tobacco is able to make a fool a wise man : and though it doth not always work wise effects , by reason some fools are beyond all improvement ; yet it never fails , where any improvement is to be made . why , said the first , what wise effects does it work ? the second said , it composes the mind , it busies the thoughts , represents several objects to the mind's view , settles and stays the senses , clears the understanding , strengthens the judgment , spies out errors , evaporates follies , heats ambition , comforts sorrow , abates passions , excites to noble actions , digests conceptions , enlarges knowledg , elevates imaginations , creates fancies , quickens wit , and makes reason pleader , and truth judg , in all disputes or controversies betwixt right and wrong . the first said , it makes the breath stink . you mistake , said the second , it will make a stinking breath sweet . it is a beastly smell , said the first . said the second , civet is a beastly smell , and that you will thrust your nose to , although it be an excrement ; and , for any thing we know , so is ambergreece ; when tobacco is a sweet and pleasant , wholsome and medicinable herb. the school-quarrels , or scholars-battels . a man travelling , and being very weary , seeing a large house , a-lighted , and went to the gates , which he found open for any to pass without opposition : entring in , he came into a large paved court ; and walking about it , he heard a noise as of a great wind , which made him look up towards the clouds ; and seeing the air not much agitated , he wondred at it : at last he looked in at a door that was open , but there was such a mist , that he could see no further than the entrance ; yet going in , he perceived a long gallery , wherein were books placed in long rows , and men in old tatter'd gowns reading them , and turning their leaves ; which shewed him his error to think he heard a wind , for it was the shuffling of the leaves of the numerous books that were turned over by those many men . but desiring to instruct himself of their several studies , he went softly to observe them . the first man he took notice of , was one that ( as he read ) did beat his hands upon the desk whereon his book lay ; and looking over his shoulder , he perceived he was studying the laws , and acted , against he pleaded at the barr. then he went to the next , who was counting on his fingers , and looking in his book ; by which he saw he was studying arithmetick . a third was with a celestial globe , and a pair of compasses , very busie studying of astronomy , measuring of the planets , and their distance . the fourth was with a terrestrial globe before his book ; and one while he would read , then view the globe , and then read again , studying geography . on the other side he saw one very serious in his study , and he was reading moral philosophy . another he saw reading , who would often lay his hand upon his breast , and cast up the black of his eyes , and he was studying theology . then there were others who as they read , would often scratch their heads , and they were natural philosophers . but one amongst the rest looked very merrily , and he was studying the old poets . likewise there were very many more , as , historians , grammarians , logicians , geometricians , physicians , and the like . at last a little bell rung , whereupon they all left off their studying , and began to walk about , discoursing to each other of their several studies . so the grammarians and the logicians began to dispute , one for the words , or rather for the letters ; the other for the sense , subject , and matter of discourse ; the one troubling himself with derivations , the other about quantities and qualities . then fell into dispute two divines , about the controversies of theology : but they grew so hot with zeal , that their discourse flamed up high , and their fiery words flew above all respects or civility , calling one another heretick , and beelzebub , and the whore of babylon , and the like terms , that the rest of the scholars had much ado to appease them . but amongst the rest , there were two historians , the one a grecian , the other a roman ; who talking of caesar and alexander , the roman historian said , there was no comparison between those two worthies : for , said he , alexander was only a darling of fortune , whose favour gave him a free passage without opposition , and had no occasion to shew his courage , skill , conduct , or industry ; and , said he , fools , cowards , and slothful persons , have had good fortune sometimes . at this discourse the grecian grew very angry , saying , that alexander was born from a warrier , and bred a soldier , and was a valiant , wise commander ; and that caesar was only a man of fortune , traiterous , desperate ; and whatsoever he got , was all by chance . in this dispute , one defending alexander , the other caesar , they fell from words to blows ; and , like two school boys , to cuffs they went ; and such notable thumping-blows they gave each other , that either had a bloody-nose ; whereupon the rest of the scholars began to side in factions , some taking one part , some another , that at last they were all together by the ears ; and so fierce in fight they were , that the drums and the trumpets of their several clamours , arrived to the master of the colledg's hearing ; at which noise he went running up to inform himself of the cause : but when he came , his questions could not be heard , nor his commands obeyed ; for all the scholars were divided so equally , as if it had been a pitched-battel : for all the scepticks were against the mathematicians , the natural philosophers against the divines , the severe moralists against the poets ; and in the like opposition were all the rest : but at last they grew out of all order , and there became such a confusion , that they cared not whom they did strike , so they did fight , although 't were their own parties : whereupon the master of the colledg hollow'd so loud , and bestirr'd himself so prudently , that he appeased them ; and after their fury was quenched , at least abated , they began to consider , and finding their quarrels needless , they were ashamed ; and feeling their received blows painful , they did repent . but howsoever , it was a strange sight to behold them , some having black and blew eyes , others swelled foreheads , like camels backs , others scratched faces ; some blowing blood out of their nostrils , others spitting blood out of their mouths , and some their teeth also ; and all the hair both of their heads and beards , was in a ruffled and affrighted posture , and the poor library was , like a ship after a storm at sea , in great disorder ; for there was strewed about pieces of papers rent from books , and old patches of cloth and stuff torn from gowns , slippers kick'd from their feet , caps flown from their heads , handfuls of hairs pulled from their crowns , and pens and ink sans nombre . the man that came by chance , was crept into a hole , and was in such an agony and fear to see this distraction , that he had not power to come forth : but at last , when they were all gone out of the library to supper , or prayers , he took courage , and came out of the corner , stealing forth the same way he came in : and being clearly got from the colledg , full glad he was , and then began to call into his mind their quarrels ; which when he had considered , well ( said he to himself ) , if there be no more tranquillity and order amongst scholars , i will keep the company of my merry , harmless , and ignorant neighbours ; and so returned home . the observer . a gentleman desirous to travel to see the varieties of several countreys and governments , at last he arrived in a kingdom , where he went to the chief city , and there wandring about , came to the king's palace ; and though there was a guard , yet there was a porter sitting at the outward gate of the palace , to whom he went and said to him , i am a stranger that travel to see several kingdoms and courts , and have heard great praises and fame of your king for his peaceable and wise government ; wherefore i desire you would please to assist me , if you can , to see the king. so putting two or three pieces of gold into his hand , that the porter might as well feel his bounty , as hear his desire , to help to make his passage free ; the porter making legs without thanks ( for bribes have only civil congies ) , he told him there was a gentleman at court that was his very good friend , and that he used to come and go through the gates late at night , and early in the morning ( which he need not have told , but he thought he should have as much knowledg for his money as he could give ) ; but , said he , i will try if i can find this gentleman , my good friend , and he will shew you the king for my sake . no sooner had he spoke , but the gentleman came by ; who , at the porter's entreaty , conducts this stranger to the sight of the king and queen ( for courtiers will oblige one another for interest sake , although they have neither kindness , nor civility , where they cannot have ends or designs ) : he guided this gentleman through a great court-yard , wherein were many walking and talking , like merchants in an exchange , or as a court of judicature ; and so up a pair of stairs into a large room , where was a guard of soldiers with halberts , which were more for shew than safety ; for the halberts lay by , and great jacks of beer and wine were in their hands , and some at their mouths , drinking to one another : by their strong large stature , and swell'd bulk , they seemed as if they did use to eat to the proportion of their drinking . from thence he was guided into a long-gallery , at the end of which was the presence , where were many young gallants , and fair ladies , the young men courting their fair mistresses , in repeating of love-verses and sonnets , some dancing , others singing , some congie-ing , some complementing , and thus diverting themselves in pleasant pastimes . thence he was guided into the privy-chamber , where the king and queen were set , with many of their nobles about them , discoursing of plays masques , balls , huntings , progresses , and the like , after he had been there a little while , the king and queen rose to go to supper , and the gentleman invited the stranger to sup at the waiters table ; which offer he civilly received . when he was there , he found good store of company full of discourse ; and amongst much talk , they complained of their long peace , saying , that peace was good for nothing but to breed laziness ; and that the youth of the kingdom were degenerated , and become effeminate : concluding , that there ought to be a warr , were it for no other reason , but to exercise their youth in arms , which would breed courage , and inflame their spirits to action . but after supper , the stranger was guided into the presence again , where there was a great company of lords and ladies waiting for the king and queen's coming forth , which gave the stranger some time for observation . it was his chance to stand by a lord that had many of his friends , or rather flatterers , about him , speaking to him of another lord at the other side of the room , who stood also with his friends or flatterers ; he said to his company , do you think that lord worthy of those favours the king throws on him , having neither merit nor worth to deserve them ; when men of noble qualities , and great deserts , are neither regarded nor rewarded ? gentlemen , said he , this must not be ; for we are born free subjects to the king , not slaves to his favourite , who makes our estates the exchequer to supply his vanities by the way of large taxes , which is not to be suffered : for , though the king commands by his advice , yet he receives the sums . the stranger ( that had but a little time to stay ) removed from that side to the other , where the other lord was talking to his faction , and said , do you see that formal lord , who loves and affects popularity , and would be the absolute man in the kingdom , to rule and govern all ? let me tell you gentlemen , said he , he is a dangerous man , whom the king should be ware of : but alas , said he , the king is so facil , that whosoever comes with a clear brow , and a smooth tongue , he believes all he says is truth . besides , he is so cockered up with a long peace , that he cannot believe any body dares be traitors . and thus he lives in secure credulity , and is so timorous , that he dares not displease any one : for , those that are against him , he preferrs ; and those that are faithful to him , he cares not for , and rejects them . from that company , the stranger removed to the women's side ; where was a lady , wity others by her ; who said to one of them , prithee look on yonder lady , how she is painted and curled , to allure the youth of the court ; but ifaith , said she , it will not do ; for if one comes near , she is as withered and dry as a leaf in autumn . so he ( desiring to hear all parts ) removed to the other lady , where she said to some others , do you see , said she , the wit of the court ( meaning the other lady that was opposite ) ? ifaith ( said she ) if i were her , i would rather conceal my wit , than discover my pratling : she is so full of talk , that she will suffer none to speak but her self . every lady of each company , flung spightful words upon each other's back : but the musick beginning to play , they all flock'd together , and did all embrace , kiss , profess , and protest such affections , and vowed such friendships , that neither their lives nor fortunes should be wanting in one another's service : which the stranger hearing , went out of the court as fast as he could , for fear of the court's infection . and when he came to the gate , the porter ( to whom he first spoke ) ask'd him , why he went away so soon ? for , said he , the company seldom parts until one or two of the clock in the morning , nay , said he , some not all the night long , if their mistresses favour them , or at least take some pity of them . the stranger said , he had seen so much , that it did fright him : what , said the porter , some devils in the play , or in the masque ? yes , said the gentleman , they could change into as many shapes as they would . that is only in their clothes , answered the porter . no , said the stranger , it was in their tongues and faces : and so god give you good-night . the discreet virgin. there was a grave matron who came to visit a young virgin ; whom she ask'd , why she did not marry , since she was of marriageable years ? truly , said she , i am best pleased with a single life . what ( answered the matron ) , will you lead apes in hell ? the young lady said , it was better to lead apes in hell , than live like devils on earth : for , said she , i have heard , that a married couple seldom or never agree ; the husband roars in his drink , and the wife scolds in her choler ; the servants quarrel , the children cry , and all is in more disorder than 't is thought hell is , and a more confused noise . the matron said , such are only the meaner sort of people ; but the noble and rich men and their wives live otherwise : for the better sort ( the noble and rich ) when they are drunk , are carried straight to bed , and laid to sleep ; and their wives dance until their husbands are sober . the lady said , if they dance until their husbands be sober , they will dance until they be weary . so they do , replied the matron . why , said the lady , the husbands are , for the most part , always drunk . and the other answered , and the ladies are , for the most part , continually dancing . but , by your favour , said the matron , men are not so often , nor so constantly drunk , as you report them . the young lady answered , you shall be judg if i slander them : they drink drunk at dinner ; and before they are throughly sober , they go to supper , and they drink so , as they go drunk to bed ; and in the morning they will have their refreshing-draughts : but , said she , i perceive you think none are drunk but those that drink in tavern ; but they , let me tell you , are sober men to home drunkards ; and taverns are quiet orderly houses , to great , noble , and rich men's houses : for palaces are oft-times but hospitable taverns , inns , and bawdy-houses , only their guests pay nothing for their fare : but when they are gaming-houses , then they pay the box sometimes to their grief . fie , lady , fie , said the matron , why do you abuse noble persons ? i do not abuse them , answered she , they abuse themselves . we will leave off this discourse , said the matron , and talk of husbands . we have talk'd ( said the young lady ) of husbands already : besides , the theme is so bad , that the discourse of them cannot be good . i am come ( said the matron ) to offer you a husband . she replied , she was offered husbands enough , but there were none worth the taking : for , said she , men in this age are far worse than women , and more ridiculous in their behaviours , discourses , dressings , vanities , and idleness : as for their humours , said she , they are either apish , constrained , or rude : if they be apish , they put themselves into a hundred several postures in an hour ; and so full of apish actions , as scratching their heads , combing their perwicks , or gogling their hats , with jogging their heads , one while backwards to the noddle of their heads , and then forwards , to their brows ; or fumbling with their buttons , band-strings , or boot-hose ; or pulling their cloaks one while upon one shoulder , and then on another , and then back again ; or else pull their cloak with one hand , and hold it fast with the other ( this pulling-motion being a mode-motion ) : but those that are very much in the mode , lay it about their waste , all in a crumple , like a scarf ; or else ( like male-contents ) muffle themselves therein . as for their behaviour , those that are fantastical , their bodies are in a perpetual motion , winding , or turning , or wreathing about or dancing affectedly , singing fa , fa , la ; or whistling , like a carter ; or lye careless upon the ground , kicking back with their heels ; or with the end of their feet lye kicking the ground . but when they affect a careless behaviour , as thinking it dignifies them ( as all those that have been meanly born or bred , and have had some advancement either by riches , offices , royal favours , or by fortune ) then they will sit lolling upon their breech , or lean on their elbows , gaping or stretching themselves , or else laying the ankle of one leg upon the knee of the other , heaving their feet up towards the nostrils of their company , especially when ladies are by . methinks ( said the matron ) that is an ill behaviour , to thrust their feet towards a fair lady's nose . they do so , answered she : also , they have a restless mode , to stand up one minute , the next sit down ; dividing the time of visiting , in neither going , nor staying , but between both : for they neither quietly stay , nor civilly take their leave : and in winter , where there is fire , as soon as they come into a room , they straight go the fire , and there turn their backs to warm their breeches , with their hands turned back upon them : but if it be in summer , then they lean their breech upon the chimney-side , or against a wall , standing cross-legg'd ; or else they stand bowing over a chair's back , or set their stomacks against the edg of a table , and lay the upper part of the body upon it ; and sometimes they rest their elbows thereon , and hold up their chins with the palm of their hands , or wrist ; and in all these actions their tongues run with nonsense . but the rudest behaviour is , to pull out the ladies fanns or muffs out of their hands , to fling their cloaks or coats on their beds , couches , or tables ; or to lye rudely upon their beds or couches ; or to come unawares and kiss their necks , or embrace their waste ; and twenty such like tricks , which no woman of honour can like , but will be very angry : yet they know not how to be revenged , unless they engage their nearest friends , fathers , brothers , uncles , or husbands , in a quarrel ; for they cannot fight with men themselves , their strength being too weak , although their will is good . the discourses of the most part of them , are , swearing , bragging , ranting , rallery , railing , or lascivious : and in their dressings and fashions they are more fantastical , various , and unconstant , than women : for , they change their blocks for their hats ( although they cannot their block-heads ) forty times oftner than women change the shapes of their bags or hoods for their heads , and mens bands , cuffs , and boot-hose-tops , are changed into more several shapes , than women's gorgets , handkerchiefs , or any linnen they wear : and for their doublets , breeches , cloaks , coats , and cassocks , they change their fashions oftner than the winds change their corners : whereas women will keep to the fashion of their gowns , petticoats , and wastcoats , two or three years before they alter their shapes . neither do men change for convenience , grace , or behaviour ; but out of a fantastical vanity . and are not men more perfumed , curled , and powdred , than vvomen ? and have they not greater quantities of ribbons of several colours ti'd and set upon their hats , clothes , gloves , boots , shooes , and belts , than vvomen on their heads and gowns ? have not men richer and more gaye clothes than women have ? and where women make clothes once , men make clothes three times ; yet men exclaim against the vanities of women , when they are a hundred times vainer , and are more unnecessarily expensive than women are : women may be allowed by the severest judgments , to be a little vain , as being women ; when it ought to be condemned in men as an effeminacy , which is a great vice. the last is their idleness : for , do not men spend their time far more idly ( not to say wickedly ) than women ? do not men run visiting from house to house , for no other purpose but to twattle , spending their time in idle and fruitless discourse ? do not men meet every day in taverns and ordinaries , to sit and gossip over a cup of wine ? when women are condemned for gossiping once in a quarter of a year , at a labour , or a christning , or at the up-sitting of a child-bed woman . and do not men run and hunt about for news , and then meet to gossip on it with their censuring-verdicts ? besides , they are so greedy of twattle , that rather than want idle matter to prate of , they will invent news , and then falsly report it ; and such are accounted wits that can make the most probable lyes , which they call gulling . have not men also more foolish quarrels than vvomen have ? are not men more apt to take exceptions at each other , than women are ? will not men dissemble , lye , and flatter with each other , more than women do ? will not men rail and back-bite each other , more than vvomen will ? are not men more spightful , envious , and malicious at each other , than vvomen ? vvill not men imitate each other 's fantastical garb , dress , and the like , more than vvomen ? vvill not men ride from place to place , to no purpose , more than women ? and do not men take more delight in idle pastimes , and foolish sports , than vvomen ? and in all this time of their visiting , club , gossipping , news-travelling , news-venting , news-making , vain-spending , mode-fashioning , foolish-quarrelling , and unprofitable-journeying , what advantage do they bring to the commonwealth , or honour to their posterity , or profit to themselves ? none at all ; but they are like flyes bred out of a dunghill , buzzing idly about , and then dye : when vvomen are like industrious ants , and prudent bees , always employed to the benefit of their families . therefore unless i can have a husband that is so wise that he can entertain himself with his own thoughts , to dwell quietly in his own house , governing prudently his own family ; also , to behave himself civilly , to speak rationally , to accoutre himself manfully , to defend himself , and maintain his honour valiantly ; to do nobly , to judg charitably , to live honestly , to temper his appetites , rule his passions , and be very industrious ; i will never marry : for it is not only a good husband , but a vvise man , that makes a vvoman happy in marriage . of three travellers . there were three travellers that enquired of each other about their travels ; and after they had recounted their tedious journeys , dangerous passages , and their many inconveniences ; they discoursed of the climates of each countrey they had been in , their scituations , commodities , trade , and traffick ; the customs , fashions , and humours of the people , the laws and government of their princes , the peace and vvarrs of neighbour-nations ; at last they became to question one another , vvho had seen the greatest vvonders in their travels ? said one , i have seen the greatest vvonder : for i have seen a mean man become an emperor . pish , said the second , that is nothing ; for i have seen a mean fellow , without merit , a powerful emperor's bosome-friend , and chief ruler : for , though the power of fortune can enthrone slaves , and unthrone kings ; yet fortune hath no power over the souls of kings : for , although fortune hath power over the body , she hath none over the mind . vvhy , said the third , that is no more vvonder for nature to put a subject's soul ( fill'd with mean thoughts ) into an emperor's body , than for fortune to set an emperor's crown on a slave's head. but i can tell you , said he , a vvonder indeed , which is , that where i travelled , there was an emperor , the wisest man in the world . that is no wonder , answered the other ; for all great monarchs and emperors ought to be the wisest , because they rule all others . but though they ought to be so , said the other yet they are not always so : for , were not many of the roman emperors called , the foolish emperors ? and when there are so few wise men in the world , that there is scarce a wise man to be found in an age , it is a vvonder when vvisdom lights in the right line , i mean in a royal line . no , answered the third , it is no wonder ; for the gods take a particular care to endue a royal head with understanding , and a royal heart with justice : for , hereditary royalty is sacred , since the gods annoint those lines to that dignity . but those that have not a right by inheritance , the gods take no care of ; nay , many times the gods punish with plagues , and other miseries , those people that make a king of their own chusing , and justly ; since kings are god's vicegerents , or deputies on earth : for , as the gods are chief in heaven , and rule the works of nature as they will ; so kings are chief on earth , and rule the rest of mankind as they please . but , said the other ; if they rule not well , they are to give an account . yes , answered the other ; but not unto those men they rule , but to the gods that placed them . in their thrones . the loving-cuckold . there was a gentleman that had married a wife , beautiful , modest , chast , and of a mild and sweet disposition ; and after he had been married some time , he began to neglect her , and make courtship to other women : which she perceiving , grew very melancholy ; and sitting one day very pensive alone , in comes one of her husband's acquaintance to see him , whom this lady told , her husband was abroad . he said , i have been to visit him many times , and still he is gone abroad . she said , my husband finds better company abroad than he hath at home , or at least thinks so , which makes him go so often forth . so he , discoursing with the lady , told her , he thought she was of a very melancholy disposition . she said , she was not naturally so , but what her misfortunes caused . he said , can fortune be cruel to a beautiful lady ? 't is a sign , said she , i am not beautiful , that she would match me to an unkind husband . he said , to my thinking it is as impossible for your husband to be unkind , as for fortune to be cruel . she said , you shall be judg whether he be not so : for first , said she , i have been an obedient wife , observed his humours , and obeyed his will in every thing . next , i have been a thrifty , cleanly , patient , and chast wife . thirdly , i brought him a great portion . and lastly , my neighbours say , i am handsome ; and yet my husband doth neglect me , and despise me , making courtships to other women , and sometimes ( to vex me the more ) before my face . he said , your husband is not worthy of you : therefore , if i may advise you , i would cast aside the affection i had placed upon him , and bestow it upon a person that will worship you with an idolatrous zeal ; and if you please to bestow it on me , i will offer my heart on the altar of your favours , and sacrifice my services thereupon ; and my love shall be as the vestal fire , that never goeth out , but perpetually burns with a religious flame . thus speaking and pleading , he made courtship to her ; which she at first did not receive : but he having opportunity , by reason her husband was much from home , and using importunity , at last corrupted her ; and she , making a friendship with this gentleman , began to neglect her husband as much as he had done her : which he perceiving , began to pull in the bridle of his loose carriage ; and finding that his acquaintant was her courtly admirer , he began to woo her a-new to gain her from him ; but it would not be : for she became from a meek , modest , obedient , and thrifty wife , to be a ranting , flanting , bold , and imperious one . but her husband grew so fond of her , that he sought all the ways he could to please her ; and was the most observant creature to her , that might be ; striving to please her in all things or ways he could devise ; insomuch , as observing she was never pleased but when she had gallants to court her , he would invite gentlemen to his house , and make entertainments for them ; and those she seemed most to favour , he would make his dear friends ; and would often be absent , to give them opportunities to be with his wife alone ; hoping to get a favourable look , or a kiss , for his good services , which she would craftily give him to encourage him . but the other gentleman that made the first addresses to her , being a married-man , his wife hearing her husband was so great a lover of that lady , and that that lady's husband was reformed from his incontinent life , and was become a doting fond wittal , loving and admiring her for being courted and made love to ; esteeming that most , which others seemed to like best ; she began to imitate her : which her husband perceiving , gave her warning not to do so ; which she would not take , but entertained those that would address themselves to her : whereupon her husband threatned her ; but she was at last so delighted with variety , that she regarded not his threats : whereupon he used her cruelly ; but nothing would reclaim her ; only she would make more secret meetings , wherewith she was the better pleased ; for secret meetings , as i have heard , give an edg to adultery ; and it is the nature of mankind to be most delighted with that which is most unlawful . but her husband , finding no reformation could be made , he parted with her , because he thought it a greater dishonour to be a wittal than a cuckold , although he was very much troubled to be either : for , though he was willing to make a cuckold , yet he was not willing to be one himself . thus you may see the different natures of men. the converts in marriage . there were four young gentlewomen , whose fathers were near neighbours ; whereupon there grew an acquaintance , and so a society between them . the first was reserved and coy . the second was bold and ranting . the third was merry and gay . the fourth was peevish and spightful . she that was reserved and coy , was generous and ambitious . she that was bold and ranting , was covetous and wanton . she that was merry and gay , was vain and fantastical . she that was peevish and spightful , was cross and unconstant . it chanced that the four fathers ( by reason they had good estates ) were offered four husbands for their four daughters , all at one time . the husband that was to marry the first lady , was covetous , miserable , and timorous ; as all miserable , covetous persons , for the most part , are : but being very rich , the father to this lady forced her to marry him . he that was to marry the second lady , was temperate , prudent , and chast. he that was to marry the third lady , was melancholy , solitary , and studious . and he that was to marry the fourth lady , was cholerick and impatient . after they had been married some time , the covetous and timorous man became hospitable , bountiful , valiant , and aspiring ; doing high and noble deeds . and she that was bold and wanton , became chast , sober , and obedient . he that was melancholy , became sociable , conversable , and pleasant ; and she , thrifty and staid . but he that was cholerick and impatient , who married her that was peevish and spightful , they live like dogs and cats , spit , scrawl , scratch , and bite ; insomuch as they were forced to part : for , being both faulty , they could not live happily , because they could never agree : for errors and faults multiply , being joined together . age's folly . there was a man and his wife that had been married many years together ; and had agreed and lived happily , loving each other wondrous well : but at last , after they were stricken in years , the husband was catch'd with a crafty young wench , ( like a woodcock in a noose or net ) wherein he was entangled in love's fetters ; and though he fluttred and fluttred to get loose , yet she kept him fast ; not that she loved age , but wealth : for amorous age is prodigal , and though more self-conceited than those that are young , or in their prime of years , yet are easily catched ; which is strange : for , most commonly , those that are self-conceited , are proud , disdainful , despising , thinking few or none worthy of their love . but amorous age , although they are self-conceited , take a pride , and brag , that they can have a love as well as those that are young ; which makes each smile and every amorous glance from youthful eyes , to be snares , or rather baits , which age doth nibble at . but his wife observing her husband to prank and prune , to jet and set himself in several postures , to be extravagant in his actions , fantastical in his dress , loose in his discourse ; wondred to see him on a sudden transformed from a sober , grave , staid , wise man , to a jack an-apes : at last concluded with her self , that for certain he was mad ; with which opinion she became wondrous melancholy . but , by chance , finding him making amorous addresses to a young woman , she then perceived the cause was love , and nothing but love ; i mean amorous love , that powerful amorous love , which blindfolds long and wise experience , with a foul , false appetite ; making not only young , but old men fools . his wife , like a discreet woman , moderated her passion for a while , hoping it was but a sudden flash , or faint blast , that would soon dye . but when she perceived his amorous humorou not to quench , but rather to burn , though smutheredly , and no perswasions could reform him , but rather make him worse , as cordials in hot fevers ; she parted from him , after that they had been , and as she thought , happily married many years ; and so resigned that part of the command and government of his family that was left her ; for the maid had encroach'd by her master's favour , and had ingross'd the chiefest power of rule in the houshold-affairs , as well as in the affection of the heart . thus his wife left him , and his dotage ; but death in a short time did come and revenge her quarrel ; and that tinder-fire cupid had made , death put out . by this we see , there is no certainty of constancy , nor no cure in time , nor no settlement in life . the three wooers . there were three knights went a wooing : a covetous knight . an amorous knight : and a judicious knight . the covetous knight sought a rich wife , not caring for her birth , breeding , or beauty . the amorous sought for a beautiful wife , not caring for her wealth or birth . the judicious sought for a wife virtuous , well bred , and honourably born , not caring for the wealth or beauty . and having all three good estates , every man that had daughters , invited and feasted them . so they went to visit all noble , hospitable house-keepers , such as gentlemen are , and honourable persons , that live in the countrey . the amorous knight made love to all those ladies and gentlewomen that were handsome ; but as soon as he was to treat with their parents or friends about marriage , or to appoint a wedding-day , he would find some excuse or other to break off . the covetous knight would be so far from wooing , that he would not speak to any of the young ladies , nor look on them oftenl , for fear they should claim marriage ; but he still would treat with their parents or friends , to know what portions they had , or what estates were likely to befall them by the death of their friends . the judicious knight would neither woo the ladies , nor treat with their parents or friends , but discoursed with them civilly , observing strictly what capacities , wits , and behaviours , the women had ; also employing agents secretly to enquire of their servants , neighbours , and acquaintance , of what natures , dispositions , and humours , they were ; not trusting to their sober outsides , and formalities they use to strangers . after they had visited all noble entertainers , they went to the city . for , said the covetous knight , i will not chuse a wife in these families ; for these daughters , sisters , and neeces , are too prodigally bred to make thrifty wives . so they went to visit the city . but the amorous knight said , he would not chuse a wife out of the city ; because ( said he ) i shall never love my wife but on holy-days , or sundays ; for they then appear indifferent handsom , when they have their best clothes ; but on vvorking days they smell of the shop , and appear like their father 's faded , mouldy , withered vvares . besides , said he , they discoursing to none but their journey-men and ' prentice-boys , cannot tell how to entertain a gentleman , or a lover , with romancical speeches , or pieces of plays , or copies of verses , or the like . the covetous knight said , you condemn that i shall commend , and dislike that which i shall like , and love that which i shall hate : for i hate whining-love ; and i shall be unwilling to marry a woman ( although she should bring me a great portion ) that would be reading romances , and the like ; and be entertaining with repeating verses , and singing love-sonnets , when she should be looking to my servants , ordering my family , and giving directions : or such a one that would be half the day dress'd so fine , she cannot stir about her house , or will not , for fear of dirtying or crumpling her clothes ; besides the infinite expence their bravery will put me to . but when they dress fine but on sundays and holy-days , ( i mean , only at such good-times as christmas , easter , whitsuntide , or so ) a silk-gown will last some seven years . he is a good husband that will or can love his wife sometimes , as on holy-days ; although i shall love my vvife best those days she is most in her huswifry ( which is , in her sluttery ) , and not on holy-days , when she is in her bravery . but he that loves his wife every day , and at all times , is luxurious , and ought to be banished a commonwealth : for , fond husbands make proud , vain , idle , and expensive wives , who spoil servants , kill industry and all good huswifry , which is the ruin to noble and ancient families . but after they had traversed the city , they went to the court. and when the covetous man saw the bravery of the court , he would by any means be gone from thence . the other two asked him the reason : he said , he was afraid that they would cheat him , or bring some false witness to accuse him of treason , to get his estate ; or at least to bring him into some court of justice , to get a fine : for , said he , i verily believe they have no money , having no lands but what they get by such shifting , sharking , flattery , bribery , betraying , and accusing : for , said he , poor courtiers are like starved prisoners , devour all they can get , and sometimes they devour one another . but the amorous knight was ravished with the glistering shews ; and was more enamoured with the gay clothes , than with the fair ladies ; and did long to embrace their silver-lace ; which made him use all his rhetorick to the covetous knight , to stay . as for the judicious knight , he was neither moved with fear , as the covetous ; nor struck with admiration , as the amorous knight ; said little , but observed much ; and was willing to go or stay , as the others could agree . but when the covetous knight heard them to talk of nothing but fashions , gowns , gorgets , fanns , feathers , and love-servants , he fell into a cold-sweat , for fear he should be forced by the king and queen to marry one of those maids of honour . and when he heard them talk of love , justice , and justifying loving-friendships , he was forced to go out of the room , or otherwise he should have swooned with an apoplexy , or lethargie , or the like sudden disease : for he did imagine himself married to one of them , and all his estate spent , and he only left with a pair of horns ; and , like a horned-beast , in the wild forest of poverty . but these sorts of discourse did enslave the amorous knight , binding him in love's fetters , insomuch as he became a servant to them all : but then finding it was impossible to please them all , he only applied , and at last yeelded himself to one ; to whom , after a short time , he was married . the covetous knight , being afraid of being forced to marry a courtier , took a wife out of the city . the judicious knight , seeing his wooing-travellers married , thought it would shew an unconstant humour not to marry , since he travelled about with them to get a wife ; or else it would seem as if he thought no woman virtuous , or at least discreet . so he went to a noble gentleman , who had a fair , well-bred , virtuous lady to his daughter , although but a small portion ; and having the father's consent , and the lady's affection , at least her good-will , married . when these three knights were married , each carried his wife to his dwelling-house . where the covetous knight did spare from his back and belly , rise early , and go to bed late ; yet his wife and servants did agree , at least did wink at each other , to cozen him : let him do what he could to spare , they outwitted him with craft , to get . the amorous knight , when he had lived at home a little while to himself , and his wive's gay clothes were faded , and she appeared in her natural complexion , and became like her neighbours , he courted others , and despised his wife ; then she strives to spruce up , and to get others to court her , which courtships did cause expences , in dancing , meetings , revelling , and feasting . the judicious knight and his lady , lived happily , loved dearly , governed orderly , thrived moderately , and became very rich , when the other two were bankrupts ; the one being cozen'd by his wife and servants ( he not allowing them sufficiently ) ; the other being impoverished with mistresses and vanities . ambition preferr'd before love. there was a noble gallant man , made love to a virtuous fair lady ; and after he had express'd his affection , and desired a return , and so agree to marry ; she told him , if she would marry , and had her liberty to chuse a husband through all the vvorld , it should be him : for , said she , the same of your worth , and praise of your merits , hath planted a root of affection in my infant-years , which hath grown up with time : but , said she , there was another root also planted therein by encouragement , which is ambition ; which ambition , says she , hath out-grown that ; so that the tree of love is like an oak to a cedar ; for though it may be more lasting , yet it will never be so high . on this high tree of ambition , said she , my life is industrious to climb to fame's high tower , for the top reaches to it ; which , if i marry , i shall never do . why , said her lover , marriage can be no hindrance . o , yes , said the lady ; husbands will never suffer their vvives to climb , but keep them fast lock'd in their arms , or tye them to houshold-employments ; or , through a foolish-obstinacy , barr up their liberty : but did they not only give them liberty , but assist them all they could ; yet the unavoidable troubles of marriage would be like great storms , which would shake them off , or throw them down , before they had climbed half the way : vvherefore , said she , i will never marry , unless you can assure me that marriage shall not hinder my climbing , nor cause me to fall . her lover said , i will give you all the assurance i can : but , said he , you cannot be ignorant , but know , that fortune , fates , and destiny , have power in the ways to fame , as much as in the ways to death ; and fates , said he , do spin the thread of fame as unevenly , as they do threads of life . yes , said she ; but there is a destiny belongs to industry ; and prudence is a good decree in nature : vvherefore , said she , i will be so prudent , as not to marry ; and so industrious , that all the actions of my life , and studious contemplations , shall be busily employed to my ambitious designs : for i will omit nothing towards the life of my memory . the matrimonial agreement . a handsome young man fell in love with a fair young lady ; insomuch that if he had her not , he was resolved to dye ; for live without her , he could not . so wooing her long , at last , although she had no great nor good opinion of a married life , being afraid to enter into so strict bonds , observing the discords therein that trouble a married life , being raised by a disagreement of humours , and jealousie of rivals . but considering withall , that marriage gave a respect to women , although beauty were gone ; and seeing the man personable , and knowing him to have a good fortune , which would help to counterpoise the inconveniences and troubles that go along with marriage , she was resolved to consent to his request . the gentleman coming as he used to do , and perswading her to chuse him for her husband , she told him she would ; but , that she found her self of that humour , that she could not endure a rival in wedlock ; and the fear of having one , would cause jealousie , which would make her very unhappy ; and the more , because she must be bound to live with her enemy ( for so she should account of her husband , when he had broken his faith and promise to her ) . he smiling , told her , she need not fear ; and that death was not more certain to man , than he would be constant to her ; sealing it with many oaths and solemn protestations ; nay , said he , when i am false , i wish you may be so , which is the worst of ills. she told him , words would not serve her turn ; but , that he should be bound in a bond , that not only whensoever she could give a proof , but when she had cause of suspition , she might depart from him ; with such an allowance out of his estate , as she thought fit to maintain her . he told her , he was so confident , and knew himself so well , that he would unmaster himself of all his estate , and make her only mistris . she answered , a part should serve her turn . so the agreement was made and sealed ; they married , and lived together as if they had but one soul : for , whatsoever the one did , or said , the other disliked not ; nor had they reason : for their study was only to please each other . after two years , the wife had a great fit of sickness , which made her pale and wan , and not so full of lively spirits as she was wont to be ; but yet as kind and loving to her husband , as she was afore : and her husband , at her first sickness , wept , watched , and tormented himself beyond all measure ; but the continuance made him so dull and heavy , that he could take no delight in himself , nor in any thing else . his occasions calling him abroad , he found himself so refreshed , that his spirits revived again ; but returning home , and finding not that mirth in the sick , as was in the healthy wife , it grew wearisome to him ; insomuch that he always would have occasions to be abroad , and thought home his only prison . his wife , mourning for his absence , complained to him at his return , and said , she was not only unhappy for her sickness , but miserable , in that his occasions were more urgent to call him from her , when she had most need of his company to comfort her in the loss of her health , than in all the time they had been married : and therefore , pray husband , said she , what is this unfortunate business that employs you so much , and makes me see you so seldom ? he told her , the worldly affairs of men , women did not understand ; and therefore it were a folly to recite them : besides , said he , i am so weary in following them , that i hate to repeat them . she , like a good wife , submitted to her husband's affairs , and was content to sit without him . the husband returning home one day fromjolly company , whose discourse had been merry and wanton , he met with his wife's maid at the door , and ask'd her how her mistris did ; she said , not very well : thou lookest well , said he , and chucks her under the chin . she , proud of her master's kindness , smerks and smiles upon him ; insomuch , that the next time he met her , he kiss'd her . now she begins to despise her mistris , and only admires her self , and is always the first person or servant that opens the door to her master ; and , through the dilgence of the maid , the master 's great affairs abroad were ended ; and his only employment and busie care is now so much at home , that whensoever he was abroad , he was in such hast , that he could scarce salute any body by the way ; and when his friends spake to him , his head was so full of thoughts , that he would answer quite from the question ; insomuch that he was thought one of the best and carefullest husbands in the world. in the mean time his vvife grew well , and his maid grew pert and bold towards her mistris ; and the mistress , wondering at it , began to observe more strictly , what made her so : for she perceived the vvench came oftner than accustomed where her husband and she were ; and found also , that her husband had always some excuse to turn his head and eyes to that place where she was ; and that whensoever the wench came where they were , he would alter his discourse , talking extravagantly . vvhereupon , not liking it , she examined her husband , vvhether his affections were as strong to her as ever they were : he answered , he was the perfectest good husband in the world , and so he should be until he dyed . it chanc'd he was employed by the state into another countrey ; where , at the parting , his wife and he lamented most sadly , and many tears were shed . but when he was abroad ( being in much company who took their liberty , and had many mistresses ) , he then considered with himself , he was a most miserable man that must be bound only to one ; but withall , did consider what promises he made his wife , and what advantages she had on him in his estate ; which kept him in good order for a time . but at last he was perswaded by his companions to fling off all care , and take his pleasure whilst he might : for , said they , what do our wives know what we do ? besides , said they , wives are only to keep our house , to bring us children , not to give us laws . thus preaching to him , he at last followed their doctrine , and improved it so well , that he became the greatest libertine of them all ; like a horse that having broken his reins , ( when he finds himself loose ) skips over hedges , ditches , pales , or whatsoever is in his way ; and runs wildly about , until he hath wearied himself . but his wife having some intelligence ( as most commonly they want none ) , or may be out of pure love , comes to see him : he receives her with the greatest joy , and makes the most of her in the world , carrying her to see all the countrey and towns thereabouts , and all the varieties , curiosities , and sights , that were to be seen . but when she had been there a month , or such a time , he tells her how dangerous it is to leave his house to servants who are negligent , and his estate to be entrusted he knows not to whom ; so that there is no way but to return both for his and her good , especially if they had children ; although , said he , i had rather part with my life , than be absent from you ; but necessity hath no law. so she , good woman , goeth home to care and spare , whilst he spends ; for in the mean time he follows his humours : and custom making confidence , and confidence carelesness , begins to be less shie , and more free ; insomuch as when he returned home , his maid , whom he did but eye , and friendly kiss , now he courts in every room ; and were it not for his having his estate made over , even before his wive's face ; but that made him fawn and flatter , and somewhat for quietness sake . but his wife , one day being in his closet , by chance opened a cabinet , wherein she found a letter from a mistris of his ; whereat she was much amazed : and being startled at it , at last calling her self to her self again , shewed it to her husband ; he fain would have excused it , but that the plainness of truth would not give him leave : whereupon he craved pardon , promising amendment , and swearing he never would do so again . no , said she , i never will trust a broken wheel : do you know what is in my power , said she ? yes , said he , a great part of my estate . o how i adore dame nature , said she , that gave me those two eyes , prudence to foresee , and providence to provide : but i have not only your estate , but your honour and fame in my power ; so that , if i please , all that see you , shall hiss at you , and contemn whatsoever you do . for , if you had the beauty of paris , they would say , you were but a fair cuckold . if you had the courage of hector , they would say , you were but a desperate cuckold . had you the wisdom of ulysses , or solomon , they would laugh , and say , there goes he that is not yet so wise as to keep his wife honest. if you had the tongue of tully , and made as eloquent orations , they would say , there is the prating cuckold . if you were as fine a poet as virgil , or as sweet as ovid , yet they would laugh , and scorn , and say , he makes verses , whilst his wife makes him a cuckold . now jealousie and rage are her two bawds to corrupt her chastity ; the one perswading her to be revenged , to shew her husband she could take delight , and have lovers , as well as he . this makes her curl , paint , prune , dress , make feasts , plays , balls , masques , and have merry-meetings abroad : whereupon she began to find as much pleasure as her husband , in variety ; and now begins to flatter him , and to dissemble with him , that she may play the whore more privately , finding a delight in obscurity , thinking that most sweet which is stoln : so they play , like children , at bo-peep in adultery , and face it out with fair looks , and smooth it over with sweet words , and live with false hearts , and dye with large consciences . but these , repenting when they dyed , made a fair end . of two ladies different humours . there were two young ladies bred together ; the one proved a stoick , living a retired life ; the other proved a gossip , her head being full of vain designs , her tongue full of idle discourses , her body busily-restless , running from place to place , spending her life in fruitless visits , and expensive entertainments ; gleaning up all the news of the town ; and when she had gathered up a bundle , or sheaf , of this unprofitable grain , her custom was to come and thresh it out with the flail of her tongue , at the door of the other lady's ears ; which she , although with great inconvenience , suffered , by reason of their long acquaintance , which many times breeds a kind of friendship , although between different humours , natures , and dispositions : for custom of acquaintance begets some small affections even in the most obdurate hearts . but this stoical lady did comply so much with her friend's humour , as to give her the hearing , although she would often advise and perswade her to that course of life she lived ; which course of life the other lady would often dislike , and speak against , saying , that solitariness was a grave that buried the life ; and , that a contemplatory mind was a tomb , wherein lay nothing but insipid thoughts . the other lady said , that solitariness was a paradice of true happiness ; and , that contemplation was a heaven of fruition : for in imagination ( said she ) we enjoy all things with ease , and as we will ; whereas iu action we find great disturbance and opposition ; are cross'd in every thing , and enjoy nothing . at last the lady gossip married , whereat the stoick-lady rejoiced , imagining her friend would become grave and staid , and that her thoughts would be more composed and setled to a retired life , being married , than when she was a maid , by reason married wives have more employment than maids , in ordering their families , directing and over-seeing their servants , nursing their children , and the like . but after she had been married some time , she came with her eyes full of tears , and her mouth full of complaints , one while for the debaucheries of her husband , and other times for the carelesness and cozenage of her servants . other times she would come in a cholerick humour , with railing-speeches , telling her friend what quarrels she hath had with such a lady , and such a neighbour , and what abuses she had received : which the stoick lady would endeavour to pacifie , and perswade her to patience , as much as she could . but at last the stoick-lady married to a gallant heroick man. but soon after , a civil-warr broke out ; where these two ladies husbands being for the emperor , after great dangers , and many wounds got in their royal master's service , with the loss of their estates , and banishment of their persons , they were forced to wander into other nations , to live with strangers upon cold charity ; and these two ladies were forced also to take up their crosses , and travel with their husbands ; wherein the stoick lady did bear her part patiently . the other lady was impatient with her misfortunes , which made her quarrel with every thing , even vvith her self ; and yet sometimes vvould take delight with the least hopes of a repair , and would lend a credulous ear to every hopeful report , although never so improbable . but the stoick-lady , as she bare her misfortunes patiently , so she lived quietly , making her necessities a school of wisdom , where truth taught , and judgment corrected ; wherein she learned neither to be credulous , nor obstinate ; not to believe every report , nor to reject all reports ; but setled her self , if good came , so ; if not , she knew how to suffer without repining at that which could not be avoided nor amended . but one day the lady - gossip came to the stoick-lady with a pleased humour , and merry countenance , and told her , that her husband had been with the emperor , and that the emperor used him very kindly , and had spoke to him very affectionately . the other lady said , that princes would do so to them that had deserved no favour . nay , said the lady - gossip , he told my husband , that when he hath his power , he would reward his service . o , said the other lady , princes forget to reward when they have power , although they never forget to promise rewards when they have none . nay , said the lady - gossip , the emperor's favourite said , the emperor had a great esteem of my husband ; and that he takes an occasion in all his discourse to commend my husband , and to express his love and kindness to him . the stoick lady said , that was but a petty favourite's policy , to keep off envy from himself , and to feed half-starved sufferers : for it is not to your husband only , who is a gallant man , and deserves much ; but to every one he says the like ; even to grooms , trumpeters , cooks , and scullions , making no difference in promises nor commendations . the like they do in letters ; for one kind of stile serves for all qualities and degrees , which is as one deed of gift to several friends , which in effect proves nothing ; and though they think it is not perceived , yet it is as publick as a proclamation , which begins , may it be known to all people . but , said she , although this kind of policy may deceive unpractised men , and please young men , and foolish women , with vain hopes , causing them to build castles in the air : yet they that are wise and experienced , are not muffled nor blinded therewith , nor build any design thereon , by reason that politick foundation is rotten and weak ; and that such poor , smooth , smiling , dissembling policies , will sooner pull down monarchy , than defend it , much less set up one that hath been cast down by rebellion . no , said she , wise men know , that the best policy is true and plain dealing . and , said she , let me fore-warn you , not to feed upon court-promises , smiles , commendations , and letters ; for they will breed in you vain crudities , and fill you with hydropsical spleen , and spightful vapours , and hot malicious humours , which are apt to make honest men turn knaves . the lady - gossip said , if i thought my husband 's great losses and faithful services should not be rewarded , i should hate the favourite for playing the politician with my husband ; and , for revenge , i would work up a faction of women against him ; and ifaith , said she , they would not fail to pull him down . indeed , said the stoick-lady , our sex is prevalent and prompt in any revengeful-design ; and those in authority might safer displease ten men , than one woman : for , though they can do no good ( said she ) in state-affairs , yet we can do hurt . yes , said the lady - gossip , and so secretly , that men shall not perceive it . but , said the stoick-lady , it is against the nature and temper of our sex to do so . no , said the lady - gossip , we were born to do it ; and so went out in choler . the drunken poets . there were a company of men met at a well called helicon ; which place of society is the cause , many times , of good fellowship ; and drinking they take for their pastime . but here , at first , they drank soberly , and discoursed orderly ; but at last they began to drink healths , and so many , that they grew so drunk that they could not stand ; and so drowsie , that they all fell asleep . but , in their sleep , this drink did work such effects , that when they waked , they became all mad in poetry ; some merry , some melancholy , others envious ; some amorous , some divinely , poetically mad. those that were mad-merry , were lyrick poets , who did nothing but sing sonnets . the melancholy were tragedians . the envious were satyrists , who describe the world a hell , and the men therein devils . the amorous run all into blank-verses , putting them into such numbers as to raise the voice to a passionate whining , folding their arms , fixing their eyes . but a grave moral philosopher walking that way , seeing a company together , out of a curiosity went to them . the first that he saw , was blind homer , acting of paris ; who hearing one come towards him , imagined straight it was a woman , because his desire would have it so ; and would have him act the part of helen . the philosopher told him , he was not fit to make a courtezan . why , said homer , pythagoras was one in his transmigrations . whereat the philosopher was very angry , and left him , and went to see who the rest were . the next he met , was virgil , acting of aeneas ; who as soon as saw the philosopher , would needs take him up for his father anchises . the philosopher desired to be excused : for though ( said he ) i am old enough to be thy father , yet i love not the few remainder of my days so well , as to have them be a cause to burthen my son ; nor am i so uncharitable as he was to his daughter-in-law , to expose her to danger , and so to be lost , whilst he rid lazily upon his son's shoulders . the third person he saw , was ovid , transforming gods , men , and beasts . as soon as he saw the philosopher , he would needs have him europa , and himself jupiter ; and lay tumbling upon the grass , feigning himself like a bull , and would have him get upon him , as europa did , and bid him lay hold upon his horns . the philosopher said , he thought them all horn'd-mad , and so left him . the fourth he met , was lucan , describing the battel between caesar and pompey : and when he saw the philosopher , he would have him stand for pompey , whilst he represented caesar , and so would have had them fight . but the philosopher told him , he was a man of peace , and not for warr ; my study , said he , is , to conquer unsatiable ambition , and not to fight and kill for power and authority by usurpation . the fifth he met , was martial ; who was writing epigrams , and would needs write one of the philosopher . but he prayed him to forbear : for , said he , my ways are so dull and sober , that they will not produce such fancies as must go to the making of jestings-epigrams . the sixth he met , was horace ; who was describing , in his discourse , a countrey-life ; and would needs have the philosopher a countrey-lass ; he would have had him sit down upon a bank by him , that he might make love to him , by repeating of amorous poems . but after much strugling , the philosopher got from him ; and growing weary of their company , left them to their vain fantasms , and fantastical humours . love's cure . there was a man , amorous by nature , and of a courtly behaviour , who made love to a young lady , and she returned him affection for his kind professions : but after a while he forsook her , and made love to another ; of whom he had also the good fortune to be beloved , as oft-times amorous men have , by reason they address their suits to credulous women , who are self-conceited and opinionated , easily believe , and soon perswade themselves , that men's praises and promises , vows and protestations , are real ; and , that their affections are unalterably fix'd , when they address themselves as suitors and servants . but this gallant left her , as he did the other , and made love to a third : for it is the nature of amorous persons to love variety , and seek for change , being soon weary of one and the same object . whereupon these two forsaken-ladies became very melancholy ; and though they were enemies whilst he made love to either , yet now became dear friends , since he made love to neither : and every day they would visit one another , to condole and bewail their misfortunate loves . but the second forsaken-lady having been some time in the countrey , and returning thence , went to visit her friend , with a face clothed in a sad countenance , and veiled with dull eyes ; and seeing her friend ( who had wont to have as mourning a face as she ) to have now a merry countenance , a lively behaviour , and a healthful complexion ; began to be jealous , thinking her unconstant lover had renewed his love-suit to her : for friendships made by loss , dissolve , when either get what they before did lose ; and think they had a right to , or at least a share in it . but , to be resolved , she asked her the reason she seemed so well disposed to be pleasant ; for when she parted from her last , she seemed to be like one newly raised from the dead ; or like a statue made of stone , that had no life nor motion . truly , said she , my mind is in such peace , that my thoughts take a harmless freedom to sport and play , and it gives also my body leave to nourish life . the second lady said , would my mind could find the same tranquillity . the first said , truly if your mind be troubled still , and finds no rest , i pity you , by what i have felt my self ; for when my mind was troubled , there was a civil-warr amongst my passions , such factions , side-takings , and disputations , with anger , spight , spleen , and malice , against love , hope , and jealousie , that it caused many tears to be shed , and groans to be sent forth . but how came you to be cured , said she ? i tell you ( answered she ) ; after a long civil-warr amongst my passions , my body became almost wasted to skin and bone , for want of rest and nourishment ; for my passions had devoured sleep , and banished appetite , whereby my mind began to be infected with a feverish distemper ; which reason perceiving , came to the rescue , bringing an army of arguments , of which understanding and truth were chief commanders ; and after many skirmishes , those passions being often foiled , and put to a rout , they grew weak , and so dispersed several ways . but after these warrs , a dark melancholy cover'd my mind like a cloud , which eclipsed all the light of comfort , and made it murmur against the gods decree , and complain against nature's works , and curse fortune's instability : at which , poor virtue , whom education had put to be my governess , was very angry , and said , the gods had been too merciful , nature too bountiful , and fortune too favourable , unless i were more thankful . yet she commanded patience and charity ( who were two of her handmaids ) to stand by me . but as my mind was musing , in came my grave and sober companions , the sciences ; and seeing me in that posture , began to counsel me , perswading me to follow their studies : for , said they , nothing can compose and settle the mind more than we do . my mind , bowing to them , gave them thanks for their advice : but as soon as they were gone , in came my domestick acquaintance , the arts , who offered me all their industry and ingenuity , to do me service . but i told them , i was past the cure of any . art : whereupon they very sorrowfully departed . no sooner were they gone , but in came my play-fellows , the muses ; who seeing me sit so dejected , began to sport with me ; one pulled me out to dance ; another would have me sing ; another repeated love-verses ; another described battels and warrs ; another , like a mimmick , imitated several humours : and so every one endeavoured to please me in their turns . but the tragedian muse said , that she liked my humour very well ; and , that i was the only fit company for her . but my moral governess chid them away , and said , she would order me better , than to suffer such wanton wenches , and idle huswives , to keep me company ; for they were able to spoil and corrupt a whole nation with their wildness , and impoverish a kingdom with their laziness : whereupon some went laughing away , but others went weeping . so after i had been some time chastised by virtue , the sciences returned in a chariot which the arts had made , being finely carved , neatly cut , and lively painted , joined with curious screws , and subtil engines , and the wheels mathematically compassed : which chariot was drawn by six new , sound , strong , and well-breath'd opinions , harnessed with speculations , shod with disputations , wherewith they often stumble upon the ridg of ignorance , or plunge into holes of nonsense . he that drove the chariot , was ambition ; the postillion , was curiosity ; the sciences sat in it , and doubts and hopes run by , as lacquies ; which lacquies did bear me upon their shoulders , and placed me in the midst of the chariot , the sciences being round about me . where i was no sooner set , but rhetorick presented me with a posie of sweet eloquence , and the mathematicks crown'd me with truth . but they all , in their turns , encouraged me with promises , that they would carry me to fame's palace , and there i should remain . no sooner had ambition given a lash , to make the opinions run , but the muses came in another chariot made by contemplation , cut out of imagination , lined with several-colour'd fancies , embroidered with rhymes , rowling upon the wheels of numbers , drawn by distinguishings , whose trappings were similizing , plumed with delight , shod with pleasure , which makes them run smooth , swift , and easie : he that did drive the chariot , was judgment ; and the postillion , wit. but when the muses , who were therein , saw i was in the chariot of the sciences , they began to quarrel , and draw out their satyrical swords . the sciences , being more grave and temperate , received their assaults very civilly , as coming from fair ladies . but after some dispute , they did agree to take turns to carry me to fame's palace . after i had travelled some time with the sciences , i was received into the chariot of the muses , where i was received with great joy , and crowned with a wreath of flame . and thus i am travelling with very wise and pleasant company , though as yet i have no sight of the palace ; but howsoever , my mind is so pleased with the journey , so delighted with the society , and so proud of the favours and gifts it receives from them every day , that it despises the follies , and hates the falshood of mankind , and scorns the proffers of fortune , not regarding the vanities of the world. would you could bring me into that society , said the second lady . the first answered , i will do my endeavour . so , after a short time , she pleaded so earnestly in her friend's behalf , that she was received into their company , in their chariots ; where each lady took their turns to ride in each chariot , whereby the muses and sciences were both pleased , having always one of them with each . and when at any time they rested from travelling , the sciences and muses made pastimes for those two ladies , like those of the olympick-games ; the sciences found out new places to play in , and took the height , the longitude and latitude of them . also , by the help of the arts , they fortified and made them strong , and built thereon ; and the muses invented masques , made plays , and the like : for the sciences , arts , and muses , were so proud , and did so glory that they had gotten two of the feminine sex , that they strove with all their industry to delight them , and to entertain them after the best manner . the propagating souls . there was a handsom young lord , and a young beautiful lady , who did love one another so passionately and entirely , that their affections could never be dissolved : but their parents not agreeing to it , would by no means be perswaded to let them marry , nor so much as to let them converse like strangers , setting spyes to watch them . but when they found they would meet , in despight of their spies , they enclosed them up from coming at each other : whereat they grew so discontent and melancholy , that they both dyed , and just at one and the same time , to the great grief of their parents , who now wish'd they had not been so cruel . but when their bodies were dead , these lovers souls , leaving their fleshly mansions , went towards the river of styx , to pass over to the elyzium-fields ; where , in the way , they met each other : at which meeting they were extreamly joyed , but knew not how to express it , for they had no lips to kiss , nor arms to embrace , being bodiless , and only spirits . but the passion of love being always ingenious , found out a way , that their souls ( which are spirits ) did mingle and intermix , as liquid essences , whereby both their souls became as one . but after these gentle , smooth , soft loveexpressions , they began to remember each other of their crosses and oppositions whilst they lived in their bodies : but , at last , considering of the place they were moving to , the masculine soul was unwilling to go to it ; for , since he had his beloved soul , he cared not to live in the elyzium : then , speaking in the soul's language , he perswaded his love not to go thither : for , said he , i desire no other company but yours ; nor would i be troubled or disturbed with other lovers souls . besides , i have heard , said he , that those that are there , do nothing but walk and talk of their past-life , which we may desire to forget . then let us , said he , only enjoy our selves by intermixing thus . she answered , she did approve of his desire ; and , that her mind did join and consent . but where ( said she ) shall be our habitation ? he answered , he would build a mansion in the air , of poets fancies , and philosophers imaginations , and make gardens of oratory : wherein should flow'rs of rhetorick grow , by which rivers of divine faith should flow . that place ( said she ) a paradice would be ; but i no strong foundation there can see ; for it will shake with every puff of wind ; no certainty nor surance will you find . my soul , said be , then we will higher fly , and there another mansion we will try . and after they had argued some time , at last they did agree to dwell in one of the planets ; but before such time as they could arrive to the lowest planet , these two noble souls , by conjunction , produced several flames , which were called meteors : these , being not able to travel so high , lived in the lower region ; and by intermixing together , as their parents did , produced more of their kind . but after those productions of these souls , they went to the planets , where they found some of their climates too cold , others too moist , others too cold and moist ; others hot , and others hot and moist ; others hot and dry , others cold and dry ; with which they did not agree , being not equally temper'd . but yet in every planet , these souls being fruitful , they left many of their issues , called meteors , which are shining-lights , like starrs ; but being produced from the mortal temper of the souls , are subject to mortality : for , amorous thoughts are the bodily-dregs of mortality , which made these meteors subject to dye , as other generations , being the mortal effects of their immortality ; otherwise they would be starrs : for , whatsoever is mortal , may beget their like , or kind , which other things that are immortal , never do . but when these two souls had travelled above the planets , they became one fix'd starr , as being eternal , and not subject to dye . and when they were thus , they did produce no more issues ; for what mortality the body left , those souls to earth and planets did resign , which in a generation of meteors shine . fancy's monarchy in the land of poetry . in the land of poetry , reason was king ; a gallant prince he was , and of a heroick spirit , a majestical presence , and of a sober and grave countenance : he was tall of stature , and strong of limbs . his queen was the lady wit ; a lady of a quick spirit , of a pleasant conversation , amiable countenance , free behaviour , and of a sweet disposition : she was neatly shap'd , fair complexion'd , and finely , but variously attired . this king and queen loved one another with an extraordinary affection , and lived very happily and peaceably , for he governed wisely . his kingdom was large , and fully populated ; well manured , and of great traffick . he made profitable laws , set strict rules , and kept good orders both in the church and state. as for the church , faith and zeal were the two arch-bishops , who were sworn to consecrate none but moral virtues , to preach good life , and leave all sects , opinions , superstitions , idolatry , and the like . neither were they suffered to make lectures of learning , because it is always about controversies , puzling belief with nice distinctions , vain fantasms , and empty words , without sense . the cathedral church , was the conscience . the two universities , were study and practice , wherein all the masculine youth of the kingdom were bred . as for the state , there were superintendent officers and magistrates made of all degrees . the sen ces were the five ports to this kingdom ; the head and the heart were the two magazines . there were two governours made to every port to command and rule , judgment and understanding always sit at the ports called the ears , to examine all that enter there , having a strict command from the king to let in no sound but harmony , no reports but truth , no discourses but rational or witty ; and that they should shut the gates against flattery , falshood , discord , harsh loud strains , scraping , creaking , squealing noises . love and skill were the two commanders to the port , eyes , who were commanded to let none in , but uniformity , cimmetry , beauty , graceful motions , pleasing aspects , light and well-mixt colours ; and to shut the gates against deformity or monstrosity , rude or cruel actions , glaring lights , illmix'd colours , false shadows , and darkness , and to set up the light of dreams when they are shut . also to let no tears pass through the eyes , but those that have a pass-port from the governour of the heart . at the port of the nostrils sate like and dislike , who were commanded to let in none but sweet smells , such as refresh the brain ; as , the scent of sweet flowers , savoury herbs , earth new-plough'd , new-bak'd bread ; also , sweet gums , sweet essences , and the like ; but to shut the gates of the nostrils against snuffs of candles , stinking breaths , corrupted flesh , stale fish , old apples , strong cheese , spilt drink , foul gutters , especially the pump or sink in a ship : also , no smells of suet or grease ; and from many more stinking scents , which would be too tedious to mention . but in case of necessity they were to be allowed , or at least commanded , to let in some sorts of stinks , as assafoetida , and burnt feathers , to cure the fits of the mother . then the two commanders of the mouth were , truth and pleasure ; one was to govern the words , the other the taste . pleasure was commanded to let nothing into the mouth that was either too sharp , too bitter , too salt , or too deliciously sweet . truth was commanded to suffer no lyes , cursing , slandering , railings , flattering ; nor amorous , lascivious , factious discourses . likewise , never to let pass an oath , but to confirm a truth ; no threatning , but to terrifie or reclaim the wicked , or cross-natur'd ; no pleading , but for right ; no commands , but for good ; no praises , but for worth. also , to let no sighs nor groans pass , nor no professions , except they have a pass-port from the heart . nor no promises , but when they have a pass-port from the king , which is reason . the two commanders of touch , were pain and pleasure ; who were commanded to keep out all sharp colds , burning heats , bruises , pinches , smartings , cuttings , prickings , nippings , pressing , razing ; and to let in none but nourishing warmth , soft rubbing , gentle scratching , refreshing colds , and the like . and upon pain of death , or at least high displeasure , these rules were to be kept . yet , sometimes , bribery corrupted the commanders . the privy-council-chamber was the breast ; the privy-councellors were , secrecy , constancy , fidelity , unity , truth , justice , fortitude , prudence , and temperance . these privy-councellors helped the king to manage the affairs of the kingdom . the secretaries of state were intelligence and dispatch . the treasurer , was memory . the lord keeper , was remembrance . the mayors of every city , were authority . the constables were care. the judges were , commutative and distributive justice . honesty was the commander of all the forces , of the actions and thoughts . the heroick actions , are the chief commanders , as captains , and colonels , and the like . the common-soldiers are the ordinary and necessary actions , which are employed in offensive and defensive warrs . the merchants are the imaginations , which traffick and trade all over the world. the inventions , are the handicrafts-men and labourers . the appetites are the citizens , that are so covetous as to engross all commodities , and the wealth of the kingdom ; and are the most luxurious people in the land. but , as i said , the king was a wise prince ; and to divert his subjects from too serious studies , dull contemplations , and laborious dictatings , he had masques , plays , pastorals , and the like ; being attended by his nobles , the sciences ; and the gentry of the kingdom , which were the several languages . the queen , by the muses and graces . the marriage of life and death . death went a wooing to life ; but her grim and terrible aspect did so affright life , that she ran away , and would by no means hearken unto her suit. then death sent age and weakness , as two ambassadors , to present her affection : but life would not give them audience . whereupon death sent pain ; who had such a perswasive power , that made life yeeld to death's embracements . and after they were agreed , the wedding-day was set , and guests invited . life invited the five senses , and all the passions and affections , with beauty , pleasure , youth , wit , prosperity ; and also , virtue , and the graces . but health , strength , cordials , and charms , refused to come ; which troubled life much . none that death invited , refused to come ; they were , old father time , weakness , sickness , all sorts of pains , and all sorts of diseases , and killing-instruments ; as also , sighs , tears , and groans ; numbness , and paleness . but when life and death met , death took life by the hand ; then peace married them , and rest made their bed of oblivion , wherein life lay in the cold arms of death . yet death got numerous issues ; and ever since , whatsoever is produced from life , dyes . whereas , before this marriage , there was no such thing as dying ; for death and life were single , like batchelors and maids . but life proved not so good a wife , as death a husband ; for death is sober , staid , grave , discreet , patient , dwelling silently and solitary ; whereas life is wild , various , unconstant , and runs about , shunning her husband death's company . but he , as a loving and fond husband , follows her ; and when he embraces her , she grows big , and soon produces young lives . but all the off-spring of death and life , are divided ; half dwelling with life , and half with death . at this wedding , old father time , which looked the youngest , although he was the oldest in the company , and danced the nimblest and best , making several changes in his dances ; he trod so gently , and moved so smoothly , that none could perceive how he did turn , and wind , and lead about . and being wiser than all the rest , with long experience , he behaved himself so handsomely , insinuated so subtilly , courted so civilly , that he got all the ladies affections ; and being dextrous , got favours from every one of them , and some extraordinary ones ; for he devirginated youth , beauty , pleasure , prosperity , and all the five sences ; but could not corrupt , wit , virtue , nor the graces . but nature , hearing of the abuse of her maids , was very angry , and forced him to marry them all . but they , although they were inamoured of him before they were married , yet now they do , as most other wives , not care for him ; nay , they hate him , rail and exclaim against him ; that what with his peevish , froward , and cross wives , and with the jealousie he hath of sickness , pains , and mischances , that ofen ravish them , he is become full of wrinkles , and his hair is turned all gray . but virtue and wit , which are his sworn friends , and sweet companions , recreate him with their pleasant , free , honest , and honourable societies . of the indispositions of the mind . the mind was very sick , and sent for physicians ; and the first that came , were divines ; who disputed so long , and contradicted one another so much , that they could conclude of nothing . one advising the mind to take a scruple of calvin's institutions ; others , a dram of luther's doctrine ; some , two drams of the romish treacle , or opinions ; some , of the anabaptists water ; others , to take some of the brownists spirits . but there were some quite from these opinions , and would advise the mind to lay some of mahomet's pigeons at the feet , cutting them with the turkish scimitar , then bind it up with his alcaron ; others would have the mind bind the head with the talmud of the jews . but the mind grew sicker and sicker ; insomuch that it was almost at the last gasp : whereupon the mind desired them to depart ; for , said he , your controversies will kill me sooner than your doctrine will cure me ! the mind being very sick , sent for other sects of physicians , who were moral philosophers ; who being come , set round a table , and there began to discourse and dispute of the diseases of the mind . one said , grief is a lethargie . no , said another , stupidity is a lethargie ; for grief rather weeps , than sleeps . o , but said another , there are dry griefs , that sweat no tears . pray , gentlemen , dispatch , said the mind , for i am in great pain . one says , hate is an apoplexy ; for it is dead to it self , though it lives to the beloved . no , said he , but hate is a dead-palsie , no , said the other , ignorance is a dead-palsie , but hate is an apoplexie , caused by the stopping of the spirits , either animal or vital ; the vital spirits being compassion ; the animal spirits , generosity . you are most strangely mistaken , said another ; for all the spirits are composed of fortitude ; the vital spirits are active , the animal are passive . but they disputed so long upon this point , that they had almost fallen out ; and the mind prayed them not to quarrel ; for wrangling noise did disturb him much . then one said , that spight and envy were cancers ; the one caused by sharp humours , the other by salt , another said , that spight was not a cancer , but a fistula , that broke out in many several places ; and that envy was the scurvy , that speckled the whole body of the mind , like flea-bites . the mind prayed them to go no further in that dispute . then one of them said , that anger was a hot burning fever . nay , by your favour , said another , anger is an epilepsie , that soams at the mouth , and beats its breast , strugling and striving , and will be often in cold-sweats , and as pale as death . then another said , that an ague in the mind was doubt and hope ; the cold fit being doubt ; and the hot fit , hope . a second answered , that agues were fear , which caused shaking-fits . a third said , that jealousie was an ague , that had cold and hot fits. nay , said a fourth , jealousie is an hectick fever , that is , an extraordinary heat got into the arteries , which inflames the spirit of action , drinks up the blood of tranquillity , and at last wasts and consumes the body of love. a fifth said , jealousie is the gout ; which is a burning , beating pain , never letting the mind be at rest . said a sixth , jealousie is a head-ake , caused from an ill affected friend . but there grew such a dispute upon this , as whether it was the head , heart , or arteries ; that the mind was forced to threaten them , they should have no fees if they did dispute so much . as for the wind-cholick in the mind , some said , it was an overflow of imaginations and conceptions : others , that it was strange opinions : others said , it was wild fancies : others , that it was the over-dilating of the thoughts : and many more several judgments were given ; whereupon they were ready to fight . to which the mind replied , that it is impossible you should prescribe effectual medicines , if you cannot agree about the disease . then another said , slander was the spotted-fever . another said , a spotted-fever was malice . says another , a spotted-fever and the plague have near relation : but the plague , said he , is discontent , that is caused by envy , slander , malice , and the like . this plague of discontent breaks out into factions , sores , and great spots of rebellion , which causeth death and destruction . but one of the former doctors was about contradicting him ; but the mind forbid him . then one said , melancholy was the stone , caused by a cold congealment of the spirit . another said , cruelty was the stone , caused by hot revenge , or covetous contractings , which bakes all the tender and softer humours into a hard confirmed body , the stone . then one said , that rage and fury were convulsions . no , said another , inconstancies are convulsions . then one said , pity was a consumption , pining and wasting by degrees . nay , by your favour , said a second , forgetfulness is a consumption , which fades as light and colours , or moulders as dust. then another said , desire was a dropsie , which was always dry . nay , said a second , desire is that disease which is called a dog-like-appetite ; which causes the appetite of the mind to be always hungry , and the stomack of the mind seeming always empty , which makes the thoughts hunt after food . but a dropsie ( said he ) is a reluctancy , which always swells out with aversions . o , said a third , a dropsie in the mind is voluptuousness . nay , said a fourth , a dropsie is pride , that swells out with vain-glory. but they disputed so much , whether a dropsie , or a dog-like-appetite , or a reluctancy , or voluptuousness , or pride , that they fell together by the ears . and the mind was well content to let them fight . but for fear the mind should be disturbed , his friends parted them , and pray'd the doctors that they would prescribe the mind something to take . then they began their prescriptions . for the lethargie of grief , said one , you must take some crumbs of comfort mix'd with the juice of patience , the spirits of grace , and sprigs of time , and lay it to the heart of the mind , and it will prove a perfect cure. another said , a lethargie is stupidity ; and therefore you must take hot and reviving drinks , as the vapour of wine , or the like drinks , variety of objects , pleasant conversation ; mix these together : then put this liquor into a syringe of musick , and squirt it into the ears of the mind , and this will bring a perfect cure. the doctor , who said an apoplexy was hate , said , the mind must take a few obligations , and mix them with a mollifying-oyl of good-nature , and spirits of gratitude , and bind them upon the grieved part , and that would cure it . no ( said the doctor that said apoplexies were love ) , you must take the drug of misfortunes , and the sirrup of misery ; and when you have mix'd them together , you must set them a stewing on the fire of trial , then drink it off warm ; and although it will make the mind sick with unkindness for the present , yet it will purge all the doting humours out of the mind . but he that said , hate was a dead-palsie , prescribed the same medicine as he that said it was an apoplexy ; for he said , an apoplexy is a kind of a dead-palsie . he that said , ignorance was a dead-palsie , said , the mind must take some good books , whose authors were learned persons , and squeeze them hard through a strainer of study , and mix some practised experience thereto , and make a salve of industry , then spread it upon a strong canvase of time , and lay it upon the malady , and it will be a perfect cure. and he that said , spight and envy were cancers , bid the mind take the honey of self-conceit once in two or three hours , and it would abate that sharp or salt humour . the other , that said that spight and envy were fistula's , bid the mind get some of the powder of inferiors , or the tears of the distressed , and mix them well together , and lay it to the sore , and it will be a perfect cure. he that said , that envy was the scurvy , bid him bathe in solitariness , and drink of the water of meditation , wherein run thoughts of death , like mineral-veins , and it will cure him . and the doctor that said , anger was a fever , bid the mind drink cold julips of patience . he that said , anger was an epilepsie , bid the mind take the powder of discretion . and the doctor that said , an ague was doubts and hopes ; bid him take the powder of watchfulness , and mix it with a draught of courage , and drink it in his cold fit ; and take the powder of industry in the liquor of judgment , in his hot fit , and it will cure him . he that said , an ague in the mind was fear , gave the same prescription of the former medicine for the cold fit. but he that said , jealousie was an ague , bid the mind take some of the spirits of confidence . and he that said , jealousie was a consumption ; bid the mind take nourishing-broths of variety , and bathe in the river of oblivion , which would cool the fever of suspition . but he who said , that jealousie was the gout in the mind ; bid the mind lay a plaster of absence , spread on the canvase of time , and it would cure him . as for the wind-cholick , he that said it was the overflow of the imaginations and conceptions , bid the mind take some several noises , both instrumental and vocal , and mix them with much company , and lay them to the ears of the mind , and it will cure . probatum est . and those that said , that wind-cholick was strange opinions , or wild fancies ; bid the mind take some pills of employment to purge out those crude , flatulent , and undigested humours . but he that said , it was caused by a dilatation of the thoughts , bid him take the eyes of dice , and the spots of cards , and the chequers of chess-boards , and the points of table-men , and put them together ; and when they are throughly mix'd , and dissolved into an oil , annoint the fingers-ends , the palms of the hands , the wrist , the elbows , and the eyes of the mind ; this , says he , will contract the thoughts to the compass of a single-penny , which will cure that disease . as for the disease called the spotted-fever , which is slander ; they bid the mind take a good quantity of repentance , and distil it , from whence will drop tears ; and take a draught of that distilled water every morning fasting . but he that said , that malice was the spotted . fever , bid the mind distil merits , from whence will drop praises ; and bid the mind take a draught of that water every evening . he that said , discontent was the plague , being a part of all the diseases ; bid the mind take humility , magnanimity , obedience , loyalty , fidelity , and temper ; and put all these together , and make a pultis , and lay it upon the swelling , it will keep it from breaking , asswage the pain , and cure the patient . but if they come out in spots of rebellion , there is no remedy to avoid death . as for melancholy , he that said it was the stone in the mind , caused by a cold congealment in the spirits , which stupifies the senses of the mind into stone ; bid him take beauty , wit , fine landskips , prospects , musick , fresh air ; put this into the liquor of mirth , and drink of it every day ; it would prove a perfect cure. but he that said , the stone in the mind was cruelty , caused by the sharpness of envy , the bitterness of hate , and greedy covetousness ; bid drink a draught of prodigality once a week , and it would cure him . and he that said , cruelty was the stone , that baked the tender and soft humours , into a hard confirmed body of stone ; bid him take an ounce of compassion , two ounces of charity , two ounces of generosity , as much clemency , and bray them all together ; then divide them into two parts , and lay one half to the heart , and another to the reins of the mind ; and those medicines will soon dissolve the stone . as for convulsions of the mind , he that said it was fury , bid the mind take an ounce of discretion , half an ounce of judgment , a scruple of gravity ; mix them all together , as in an electuary , and take it fasting , and it will cure him . and he who said , that inconstancy was the convulsion in the mind , bid him take an ounce of temperance , and an ounce of judgment ; one ounce of understanding , two of resolution ; mix these into an electuary , and take a good quantity of it every morning , and this will cure him . as for a consumption , he that said , pity was a consumption ; bid the mind take a heart , and bake it dry ; and when it was dried to powder , mix it in his ordinary drink , and it will cure him . but he that said , forgetfulness was a consumption ; bid him only take a draught of remembrance every day . as for dropsies , he that said desires were dropsies , bid the mind take a bunch of reason , that grows in a well-temper'd brain ; and as much humility , that grows in a good heart ; boil them in the water of content ; and drink a draught three times a day ; this ( said he ) will dry up the superfluous matter . but he who said , that desire was that disease which was called the dog-like-appetite ; bid the mind make a bisk of vanity , an oil of curiosity , and a hodg-podg of variety ; and eat so long , till he did vomit it up again ; and if he could surfeit thereof , it would prove a cure , otherwise there was no remedy , unless the mind could get some fruition , which is seldom to be had ; yet sometimes it is found , said he . but he that said , a dropsie was a reluctancy , that swelled out with an aversion ; bid the mind only use abstinence , and it would cure him . and he that said , it was voluptuousness , said , that the same medicine was to be prescribed . he that said , it was pride that swelled out with vain-glory ; bid the mind take a great quantity of humility ; but if you take it from the hand of misfortunes , said he , it will make you sick . but the mind , perceiving that they agreed not in any one medicine or disease , desired that they would depart from him : for , said he , gentlemen , it is impossible you should prescribe an effectual medicine , or remedy , since you cannot agree about the disease . so he paid them their fees , and they departed ; and the mind became his own physician , apothecary , and chyrurgeon . first , he let himself blood , opening the wilful vein , taking out the obstinate blood. then he did take pills made of society and mirth , and those purged all strange and vain conceits . also , the mind eat every morning a mess of broth , wherein was herbs of grace , fruit of justice , spice of prudence , bread of fortitude ; these were boiled with the flesh of judgment , in the water of temperance . this breakfast was a soveraign remedy against the malignant passions ; for it did temper heat , qualifie sharpness , allay vapours , and mollifie obdurate passions , and foolish affections . likewise , he did take , to his service , the strongest , soundest , and quickest senses , which were five ; these waited on him : and each in their turn gave him intelligence of every thing , and brought him all the news in the countrey , which was a recreation and a pastime for him . and in thus doing , he became the healthfullest and jolliest man in the parish . the thoughts feasted . there were two men , great companions ; one of them told the other , that he had made a particular search , and a strict enquiry for him , three days together , and could not hear of him ; insomuch that he had thought some unfortunate accident or violent death had befallen him . he answered , his senses had been to visit the soul , which was the cause of his body's retirement . the other said , i have heard that the soul did use to visit the senses , but never heard that the senses did use to visit the soul. he answered , that the sensitive spirits did as often , in some men , visit the rational , as the rational did the sensitive . well , said he , and how doth the soul live ? he said , as a great prince should do : for the mansion of the soul is nobly situated upon a high hill of ambition , which ascends by steps of desires , whereon stands a very curious castle of imaginations , and all about are solitary walks of contemplations , and dark groves of melancholy , wherein run rivers of tears . the castle is walled with vain-glory , and built upon pillars of hope . within the walls are fine gardens of eloquence , set full with flowers of rhetorick , and orchards of invention , wherein grow fruitful arts. in this orchard are many birds of fancies , which flie from tree to tree , from branch to branch , from bough to bough , singing fine notes of poetry in a sweet strain of verse , and chirping rhymes , and building their nests in arbours of love , wherein they hatch conceits . likewise , said he , the soul hath another house , which is a most stately palace ; it stands in the midst of a large plain of good nature , wherein run rivers of generosity . this palace is walled about with fortitude , and stands upon pillars of justice . there are long , straight , level walks of temperance , where is fresh air of health . this palace is built very convenient : for on the out-side are stables of discretion , wherein are tyed up wild opinions , phantasms , and all skittish humours , and a large riding-room of judgment , where all opinions are managed . also , there are granges of thrifty contrivance , wherein are cattel of prudence , that give the milk of profit . besides , there are kitchins of appetite , dining-rooms of luxury , galleries of memory , cellars of forgetfulness , chambers of rest , and closets of peace . but , said he , after my senses had viewed every place , they took their leave of the soul , who told them , that they should stay and feast with her . so the soul invited all his subjects , the thoughts . the first of all , were the generous thoughts , who are the nobles ; then the gentry , who are the obliging and graceful thoughts ; the heroick thoughts were commanders of warr ; the factious thoughts were the commons ; the mercenary were trades-men ; the plodding-thoughts were the yeomantry ; the ordinary thoughts were labourers and servants . then there were the politick thoughts , which were statists ; the proud thoughts , magistrates ; and the pious thoughts , priests ; the censuring thoughts , were the judges ; the wrangling and pleading thoughts , lawyers ; and the terrifying thoughts , sergeants ; the arguing thoughts were logicians ; the doubting thoughts , scepticks ; the hoping thoughts physicians ; the inquisitive thoughts , natural philosophers ; the humble thoughts , moral philosophers ; the phantastical thoughts , poets ; the modest thoughts , virgins ; the jealous thoughts , wives ; the incontinent thoughts , courtesans ; the amorous thoughts , lovers ; the vain thoughts , courtiers ; and the bragging or lying thoughts , travellers . and when all these thoughts were met , the soul feasted them with delight , and the senses with pleasure , presenting them with reason and truth . the travelling spirits . there was a man went to a witch , whom he entreated to aid his desires : for , said he , i have a curiosity to travel ; but i would go into such countreys , which , without your power to assist me , i cannot do . the witch asked him , what those countreys were ? he said , he would go to the moon . why , said she , the natural philosophers are the only men for that journey : for they travel all the planets over ; and indeed , study nature so much , and are so diligent and devout in her services , that they despise our great master the devil , and would hinder us in our ways very much , but that they travel most by speculation . then , said he , i would go to heaven . truly , said she , i cannot carry you thither ; for i am as unpractised in those ways , and have as little acquaintance there , as the natural philosophers have ; for they believe that there is no such kingdom . but if you desire to travel to that kingdom , you must go to the divines , who are the only guides ; yet you must have a care in the choice : for , some will carry you a great way about , and through very troublesome and painful places ; others , a shorter , but a very strait , narrow way ; others , through ways that are pleasant , and easie ; and you will find , not only in natural philosophers , but also in divines , such combats and dissentions amongst them , that it is both a great hindrance and a trouble to the passengers ; which shews they are not very perfect themselves in their ways : for many travellers go , some a quarter , and some half , and some three parts of the way , and then are forced to turn back again , and take another guide ; and so from guide to guide , until they have run them all over , or are out of breath ; and yet be as far to seek of their way , as when they first set out . why , then ( said the man ) carry me to hell. truly , said the witch , i am but a servant extraordinary , and have no power to go to my master's kingdom , until i dye ; although the way be broad and plain , and the guides sure : yet , being the devil's factor to do him service on the earth , i can call forth any from thence , although it were the king himself . well then , said he , carry me ( i beseech you ) to the center of the earth . that i can do ( said she ) , and so obscurely , that the natural philosophers shall never spye us . so she prayed him to come into her house ; for , said she , it is a great journey , therefore you must take some repast before you go . besides , said she , your body will be too cumbersome ; wherefore we will leave that behind , that you may go the lighter , being all spirit . so she went out , and came and brought a dish of opium , and prayed him to eat well thereof : so he eat very heartily , and when he had done , his senses grew very heavy , insomuch as his body fell down , as in a swound , remaining without sense ; in the mean while his spirit stole out , and left the body asleep . so the witch and he took their journey ; and as they went , he found the climate very intemperate , sometimes very hot , and sometimes very cold : great varieties they found in the way ; in some places , monstrous great and high mountains of the bones of men and beasts , which lay mixed with one another . then he saw a very large sea of blood , which had issued from slain bodies ; but those seas seemed very rough : whereupon he asked , what was the reason ? she answered , because their deaths were violent . and there were other seas of blood , which seemed so smooth , that there was not a wave to be seen . whereat he ask'd , how comes this to be so smooth and calm ? she said , it was the blood of those that dyed in peace . then he asked her , where was the blood of other creatures , as beasts , birds , fish , and the like . she said , amongst the blood of men : for , said she , the earth knows no difference . and as they went along , they came through a most pleasant place , which ( she said ) was the store-house of nature , where were the shapes and sub . stances of all kind of fruits , flowers , trees , or any other vegetables , but all were of a dusky colour . there he gathered some fruit to eat , but it had no tast ; and he gathered some flowers , and they had no smell : of which he asked the reason ? she said , that the earth gave only the form and substance ; but the sun was the only cause of the tast , smell , and colours . going farther , they saw great mines , quarries , and pits ; but she , being vers'd , and knowing the way well , did avoid them , so that they were no hindrance in their journey , as otherwise it would have been . but going down further , it began to grow very dark , being far from the face of the earth ; insomuch that they could hardly see the plainest way : whereupon he told the witch , that the hill was so hideously steep , and the place began to grow so dark , that it was very dangerous . no , said she , there is no danger , since our bodies are not here : for our spirits are so light , that they bear up themselves . so they went a great length , until the place grew so strait , that it began to be a pain even to their spirits : and so he told the witch , his spirit was in pain . she said , he must endure it : for , the center of the earth was but a point in a circle . so when he came to the center of the earth , he saw a light like moon-shine ; of which , when he came near , he saw that the first circle about the center , was glow-worms tails , which gave that light ; and in the center was an old man , who did neither stand nor sit , for there was nothing to stand or sit on ; but he hung ( as it were ) in the air ; nor ever stirr'd out of his place ; and had been there ever since the world was made ; for he , having never had a woman to tempt him to sin , never dyed . and although he could never remove out of his place ; yet he had the power to call all things on the earth unto him , by degrees ; and to dispose of them as he would . but , being near the old man , the witch excused her coming , and prayed him not to be offended with them : for , there was a man desired knowledg , and would not spare any pains or industry to obtain it : for which he praised the man , and said , he was welcome ; and any thing he could inform him of , he would . the old man asked him about the chymists that lived upon the face of the earth . the man answered , they made much noise in talk , and took great pains , and bestowed great costs , to find the philosophers stone , which is to make the elixir , but could never come to any perfection . alas , said the old man , they are too unconstant to bring any thing to perfection ; for they never keep to one certain ground or track , but are always trying of new experiments ; so that they are always beginning , but never go on towards an end . besides , said he , they live not long enough to find the philosophers stone : for , said he , 't is not one nor two ages will do it , but there must be many ages to bring it to perfection . but , i said he , living long , and observing the course of nature strictly , am arrived to the height of that art ; and all the gold that is digged out of the mines , was converted by me : for , in the beginning of the world , there was very little gold to be found ; and neither my brother adam , nor his posterity after him , for many ages , knew any such thing : but since i have attained to the perfection of that art , i have made so many mines , that it hath caused all the outward parts of the world to go together by the ears for it : but i will not hereafter make so much as to have it despised . as for my stills , said he , they are the pores of the earth ; and the waters i distill , are the sweet dews : the oily part is the ambergreece ; and the chymists know not how , or from whence , or from what it comes : for some say , from trees ; others , that it is the spawn of some kind of fish ; so some think it one thing , some another . the saltness of the sea comes also from chymistry ; and the vapour that arises from the earth , is the smoak that steems from my stills . but , said he , the world is not to continue long as it is ; for i will , by my art , turn it all into glass ; that as my brother adam transplanted men from earth , by his sin , some to heaven , some to hell ; so i will transplant the world from earth to glass , which is the last act of chymistry . then the man observing a great concourse of waters , that went with a violent force close by the center ; he asked the old man , how came that water there ? he answered , it was the gutter and sink of the earth : for , whatsoever water the sun drank from the sea , and spued upon the earth , run through the veins , into the sea again , by the center , all little pipe-veins meeting there , or else ( said he ) the world would be drowned again : for , at noah's flood , those pipe-veins were commanded by jove to be stopt , and after such a time to be opened again . i wonder , said the man , that all the weighty materials in the world do not fall upon your head , and so kill you . why so they would , said he , if they lay all together on a heap : but , as every thing hath a several motion ; so , every thing hath a proper place : for , gold and iron never dwell together in the earth ; neither are all kinds of stones found in one quarry ; nor do all the mines or quarries join together ; but some are in one place , and some in another ; which poises the weight of the earth equally , and keeps it from falling . the man said , you have but a melancholy life , being none here but your self . o , said the old man , the riches of the earth , and all the varieties thereof , come into my compass : this place is the heart or soul of plenty : here have i sweet dormice , fat moles , nourishing worms , industrious ants , and many other things , for food . here are no storms to trouble me , nor tempests to disorder me ; but warmth to cherish me , and peace and quiet to comfort and joy me : the drilling-waters are my musick , the glow-worms my lights , and my art of chymistry , my pass-time . when he had done speaking , they took their leaves , craving pardon for their abrupt visit , and giving him thanks for his gentle entertainment . but the old man very kindly prayed them to have a care of themselves as they returned : for , said he , you must go through cold , crude , aguish , and hot , burning , pestilent places ; for there are great damps in the earth , as also a great heat and fire in the earth ; although it gives not light like the sun ; for the heat of the earth , said he , is like the fire in a coal ; and that of the sun , like that of a flame , which is a thinner part of substance set on fire , and is a weaker or fainter heat ; but the sun , said he , gives more heat by his quick motion , than the heat gives motion . and though , said he , the fire be the subtillest of all elements , yet it is made slower , or more active , by the substance it works upon : for , fire is not so active upon solid bodies , as it is upon leighter and thinner bodies . so the witch and the young man's spirit , gave him thanks , and departed . but going back , they found not the ways so pleasant as when they went : for , some ways were deep and dirty , others heavy and clayie , some boggy and sandy , some dry and dusty , and great waters , high mountains , stony and craggy hills , some of them very chalky and limy . but at last , arriving where they set out , he found his body there ; and putting it on as a garment , gave thanks to the witch , and then went home to rest his weary spirits . the tale of the lady in the elyzium . there was a lord that made love to a lady upon very honourable terms , for the end was marriage . this lady received his love with great affection ; and it chanced that upon the hearing of a report , that he was married to another , she fell into a swound for above an hour , insomuch that they all thought her to be dead : but at last , returning to her self again , one told her , that he thought her soul had utterly forsaken her mansion , the body . no , said she , 't was only the sudden and violent passion , which had hurried my soul to charon's boat , in a distracted whirlwind of sighs ; where , in the croud , i was ferried over to the elyzium-fields . they ask'd her , what manner of place it was ? she answered , just such a place as the poets have described ; pleasant green fields , but as dark as a shady grove , or the dawning of the day ; or like a sweet summer's evening , when the nightingal begins to sing , which is at the shutting up of the day . but when i was there , said she , i met with such company as i expected not ? who were those , said they ? julius caesar and the vestal nunn , nero and his mother , agrippa and catiline , and his daughter cornelia ; and such as anthony and cleopatra , dido and aeneas , sans nomber . but finding not my chast lover there , said she , i went to charon , and told him , the fates had neither spun out my thread , nor cut it in sunder ; but they , being careless in the spinning , it was not so hard twisted as it should have been ; insomuch , that the report of my lover's marriage had given it such a pull , that ( if the fates had not had great care in slacking it ) it had broke from the spindle . so i told charon , he must carry me back again ; where , with much entreaty , he set my soul where he had taken it up ; and from thence it returned into my body , to be alive again . the speculators . a man having occasion to travel , being in the heat of summer , for more ease took his journey when night was running from day , for fear the glorious sun should overtake her . and looking earnestly , to observe how her darker clouds retired or were illuminated ; at last , in the dawning , before the sun appeared in glory , he thought he saw something appear in the air , more than usual ; which fancy of his caused him to a-light from his horse ; and fastning his bridle to a bush , himself went and lay upon his back on the ground , that he might fix his eyes on the strange sight the more stedfastly . but his desires were cross'd with the dulness and dimness of his eyes , which ( by over-earnestness ) could view nothing at all . but a grave old man coming there , asked him , why he lay in that posture ? he answered , it was to look up to see more perfectly that which in the air he had but a glimpse of : but , said he , striving to see more , i saw less ; for i have not only lost the vision , but almost my sight that may well be , said the old man ; for the body is like the mind , whereinto if you take more learning than the understanding can discuss , it overwhelms it , and knocks reason on the head ; as , if you take more meat into the stomack than it can digest , it surfeits ; if the ear receives too swift or harsh a sound , it makes it deaf , smuthering the distinct notes . likewise , if you draw more species than can pass through the eye , in order to the optick nerve , it 's like a croud of people at a narrow pass , every one striving to get in first , wedging themselves so close , sticking so fast , one binding in the other , that they can neither pass backward nor forward , but stop up the place . just so come the eyes to be dimmed or obstructed . besides , said the old man , nature is not only curious in her workings , but secret in her works : for , none of her works know themselves perfectly ; not man , who seems to have the best understanding ; because nature governs her creatures by ignorance ; and if any had perfect knowledge , they would be as great as she. the other man says , doth she know her self ? the answer was , that it is a question not to be resolved : but surely , if her creatures knew her , she would be slighted ; for what they know , they despise : but ignorance begets fear ; fear , superstition ; superstition , admiration ; and admiration , adoration . by that we perceive , that nature takes delight that her creatures should search her ways , and observe her several motions ; and those are esteemed her perfectest and best works that do so . and because your desires flye high , i will give you such glasses as shall satisfie your mind concerning the celestial globe . here be three glasses ; the first shews you the lower region ; the next , the second region ; and the third glass shews you the upper region ; that is , as high as can be observed . so taking leave of the gentleman , he left him to his observation . soon after , the gentleman takes the first glass , and laying his eye to it , he saw a vapour arise from the earth , straight upward , in small lines or streams , streaming through every pore of the earth , which pores were like a sieve full of small holes : this was a fine sight , to see how small , straight , and thick , those streams were : for it seemed as an ascending-rain ; and those streams , at a certain height , gathered together , and became spongy clouds ; which clouds were of the fashion of honey-combs , where , in every hole , lye drops of water , which are squeezed by the agitation of the air ; or , by the heat of the sun , made to bubble out ; or , those holes being over-full , they fall down with their own weight ; or , as one may say , they overflow . then turning his glass to the two poles , first to the north , then to the south ; he saw they were like two crystal squirts , which some call syringes ; those suck and draw in a certain quantity of water from those honey-comb-clouds ; and when they are full , they spout that water with such a force back , that it goeth a great length ; and the smalness of the passage , wire-draws it , as it were ; and by the agitation it becomes so powerful , that it drives all before it , if they be not very firmly fix'd ; it enters all porous bodies ; and those that are sensible , it puts to pain , as if they were sharp ; for the smalness , thinness , and quickness , makes it cut and divide ; and the force makes it break and cast down all that doth oppose it . these are called the south and north winds . then directing his perspective to the midst , between the east and the west , which is called the torrid zone ; he perceived it was like a cymbal of fire , which had three holes ; the one in the midst , by which it drinks in water ; the other two holes of each side , which are called the east and west : for , the water that is drawn in , being in this hollow ball , the heat rarifies it so thin , that it breathes forth at the lesser holes : for , as the water is rarified into air by the heat ; so the air is rarified into wind ; and those two small holes let out the thinner part , and keep the grosser in , until it be more rarified into wind. those winds that are made thus , are much gentler and softer than those that proceed from the squirts , because this is only a voluntary motion , which breathes out , and spreads gently ; the other is forced , and goeth out with violence . now the hole that is in the midst of this cymbal , which serves as the mouth , drinking perpetually , being very dry , by reason of the heat within , cannot digest it all at once , but by degrees . now if that part of the water be rarified soonest , which is of that side we call the east , that blows out first ; if it be rarified of that side first , that we call the west , that blows soonest : but if it blows from several places or parts , then that predominates that is most powerful . after he had perceived how the vvinds were made , he laid by that glass , and took up the second , and looked into the middle-region ; then he saw curling , folding , and rowling vvaves of air , every wave as thin as the thinnest cypress ; and through those waves he saw many cities , which had great champanes of air , full of flowers , fruits , and sweet herbs ; which champanes of air the winds plough or dig ; and the sun plants , sows , and sets incorporeal vegetables with his instrumental beams ; for they draw the vapours or scents of all herbs , flowers , fruits , and the like , from the earth , and plants them there : so there grows nothing but the sweet and delicious scents , and not the gross corporeal part . as for the people in that region , they are of upright shapes , and very slender ; but their sub . stance is of the same of fish , and they swim in the air , as fishes in the sea , which do not admit of a firm footing ; so that they swim or ride upon waves of clouds every where . as for their houses , they are made of the azure sky ; and are so clear , that the inhabitants are seen in them , when the sun shines ; being only obscured when the sun is from them . these houses are covered with flakes of snow , and all their streets are pitch'd with hail-stones . but when the chariot of the sun runs through their streets in the winter time , their furious horses being more heady in winter , run then the swifter ; for in summer they are lazy and faint with heat : but with the trampling they loosen the stones , and then they fall to earth , and there melt to water . neither are their tiles or slats safe ; for the wheels of the chariot do so shake their houses , that the flakes of snow fall many times from their houses upon the earth . but they , being of a nature as industrious as little ants , do straight pitch their streets a new , and repair their houses , having enough materials : for there are there great rocks of hail stones , and huge mountains of snow . but when the chariot runs in summer-time , the streets being dryed and hard , or , as i may say , crystalined , it makes a ratling noise , which we call thunder ; and the horses being very hot , great flashes of fire proceeds out of their nostrils , which we call lightning ; and many times their breath is so exceeding hot , and being moist withall , that it softens their streets ; and , melting their hail-stones , cause great overflows , which fall down in pouringshowers of rain , as we oft see when it thunders . now snow and hail are as naturally engendered there by cold , as minerals in the earth by heat , both being wrought by contraction ; only the one is more dissolvable than the other , because the matter contracted , is different in solidity ; but they meet at one end at last , though by different ways . when he had observed the middle region , he takes the third glass to view the highest region . there he saw six moving-cities , which we call planets ; every city had a governing-prince ; their compass was very large , their from round , and moving in a circular motion . the midst of those cities , was a center city , as i may say , a metropolitan city , which we call the sun , the king thereof ; and all his people are of the nature of salamanders , for they live always in fire , as fishes in water ; for it is not so hot as is imagined ; because that which feeds the flame , is not a gross , combustible , and solid matter , to burn like coals ; but a thin , voluble , and oily substance , which makes only a flame clear and bright , having no dross mix'd in it ; and whatsoever is wasted by the flame , is supplied by the six cities , which is the tribute they pay to the seventh , the monarchical city , whom all the rest are some ways or other subject unto . but indeed , these cities are forced , by necessity , to send oily matter , or the like , or else they should be in perpetual darkness , wanting light ; so that this oily matter comes into the metropolitan-city , and the flame goeth out like the water into the sea ; for the water of the sea goeth out salt , and returns fresh , being clarified by the earth : so this oil , when it runs to the center-city , is refined , and made more thin and pure , and is sent back in streams and beams of light. but though the king and people be of the nature of salamanders , yet their shapes are like those we describe angles to be , and flye about through beams of light , though our grosser sense cannot see them without the help of some miraculous glasses , as these were . some of them perceiving this man saw them , went to the king , and complained thereof ; which when he heard , he was very angry , and rose in great rage , casting a blaze of light , which dazled his eyes , blinded his sight , and in this heat melted his glasses . the body , time , and mind , disputed for preheminency . the dispute was begun by time , who said , if it were not for me , the body would neither have growth nor strength , nor the mind knowledg or understanding . the mind answered , that though the body had a fix'd time to arrive to a perfect growth , and mature strength , yet the mind had not : for i , said the mind , can never know and understand so much , but i might know and understand more ; nor hath time such a tyrannical power over the mind , to bring it to ruin , as it hath over the body . why , said the body , time hath not an absolute power over me neither : for chance and evil accidents prevent time's ruins ; and sickness and evil diers obstruct and hinder time's buildings . neither is it only time that nourishes the body , but food ; for without food the body would waste to nothing : for , the stomack is as the pot , and the heart as the fire , to boil the food , to make it fit for nourishment , making a broth for blood , a jelly for sinews a gravy for flesh , and oil for fat ; from which a vapour steems forth to make spirits ; and the several parts of the body , are the several vessels , wherein , and by which , the body is nourished , and life maintained . neither doth time give the mind knowledg and understanding , but the senses , which are the porters that carry them in , and furnish the mind therewith ; for the eyes bring in several lights , colours , figures , and forms ; and the ear several sounds , both instrumental and vocal ; the nose , several scents ; the tongue , several tasts ; and every part of the body , several touches ; without which , the mind would be as an empty , poor , thatch'd house with bare walls , did not the senses furnish it . besides , said the body , the mind could have no pleasure nor delight , were it not by my senses . but the mind answered , that delight belonged only to the soul , and pleasure only to the body . 't is true , says the mind , they often make a friendship , as the soul and the body do ; yet they consist by , and of themselves . and for time , said the mind , he is only like a page or lacquey , which brings messages , runs of errands , and presents necessaries for the mind's use : but , said the mind , had time no employment , or the senses no goods to bring in , and neither would or could do the mind any service ; yet the mind would not be like a thatch'd house , empty and unfurnished ; for delight would be there as queen , were it not for discontent , which is begot in the body , but born in the mind ; and if he lives , becomes a tyrant , unthroning delight , which is the natural queen thereof , as pleasure is in the body ; and if it were not for this tyrannical usurper , delight would have more perfect fruition than pleasure hath , by reason perfection lives more in the mind , than in the senses . and let me tell you , said the mind , nature builds some minds like a curious and stately palace , and furnishes them so richly , that it needs neither time nor the senses , laying reason as the foundation , and judgment for the building ; wherein are firm and straight pillars of fortitude , justice , prudence , and temperance ; is paved with understanding , which is solid and hard ; walled with faith ; which is roofed with love , and bows like an arch , to embrace all towards a round compass ; is leaded with discretion , which sticks close , keeping out watry errors , and windy vanities ; it hath passages of memory and remembrance , to let objects in ; and doors of forgetfulness , to shut them out ; likewise , it hath windows of hopes , that let in the light of joy ; and shutts of doubts , to keep it out : also , it hath large stairs of desire , which arise by steps or windings up , by degrees , to the towers of ambition . besides , in architecture of the mind , there are wide rooms of conception , furnish'd richly with invention , and long galleries of contemplation , which are carved and wrought with imaginations , and hung with the pictures of fancy . likewise , there are large gardens of varieties , wherein flow rivers of poetry , with full streams of numbers , making a purling noise with rhymes , on each side are banks of oratory , whereon grow flowers of rhetorick , and high trees of perswasion , upon which a credulous fool , helped by the senses , will climb ; and , from the top , falls on the ground of repentance , from whence old father time takes him up , and puts him into the arms of expence , who carries him in to the chyrurgeon of expence , and is healed with the plaster of warning , or else dyes of the apoplexical disease , called stupidity . but wisdom will only look up to the top , viewing the growth , and observing what kind they are of , but never adventures to climb : she will sit sometimes under the branches , for pleasure ; but never hang on the boughs of insinuation . while they were disputing , in comes grim death , whose terrible aspect did so affright the mind , that the very fear put out its light , and quenched out its flame ; and the body , being struck by death , became sensless , and dissolved into dust. but old father time run away from death as nimbly as a light-heel'd boy , or like those that slide upon the ice ; but never turned to see whether death followed or no : death called him ; but he made himself , as it were , deaf with age , and would not hear . a tripartite government of nature , education , and experience . nature , education , and experience , did agree to make a juncto to govern the monarchy of man's life , every one ruling by turns , or rather in parts , being a tripartite government , the soul , the senses , and the brain ; where nature creates reason as the chief magistrate , to govern the soul. education creates virtue to govern the appetites ; for virtue is bred , not born in man. and experience creates wit to govern the brain : for wit ( though native ) without experience , is defective . as for the soul , which natural reason governs , it hath large territories of capacity and understanding , and many nobles living therein ; as , heroick passions , and generous affections ; subtil enquiries , strong arguments , and plain proofs . the senses ( which virtuous education governs , are five great cities ; and the various appetites , are the several citizens dwelling therein ; which citizens are apt to rebel , and turn traitors , if virtue , the governess , be not severe and strict in executing justice with courage , cutting off the heads of curiosity , nicety , variety , luxury , and excess ; and though temperance must weigh , measure , and set limits ; yet prudence must distribute to necessity and conveniency , the several gifts of nature , fortune , and art. the third is the brain , wherein experienc'd wit governs , which is the pleasantest part , and hath the larrgest compass ; wherein are built many towers of conceptions , and castles of imaginations ; grounds ploughed with numbers , and sowed with fancies ; gardens planted with study , set with practice ; from whence flowers of rhetorick grow , and rivers of elegancy flow through it . this part of the kingdom hath the greatest traffick and commerce of any of the three parts , and flourishes most , being populated with the graces and muses ; wit , being popular , hath great power on the passions and affections , and in the senses makes civil entertainments of pleasure and delight , feeding the appetites with delicious banquets . nature's house . the whole globe is nature's house ; and the several planets are nature's several rooms ; the earth is her bed chamber ; the floor is gold and silver ; and the walls marble and porphyrie ; the portals and doors are lapis-lazarus ; instead of tapistry hangings , it is hung with all sorts of plants ; her bed is of several precious stone ; the bed-posts are of rocks of diamonds ; the bed's-head , of rubies , saphires , topasses , and emeralds : instead of a feather-bed , there is a bed of sweet flowers ; and the sheets are fresh air ; her table is of agats , and the like : yet the roof of the chamber is earth ; but so curiously vaulted , and so finely wrought , that no dust falls down : it is built much like unto a martin's nest : the windows are the pores of the earth . saturn is her gallery ( a long , but a dark room ) , and stands at the highest story of her house . sol is her dining-room , which is a round room built with heat , and lined with light. venus is her dressing-room . cynthia is her supping-room , which is divided into four quarters , wherein stand four tables ; one being round , at which she sits , being furnished with all plenty ; the other are side-board tables . mercury is her room of entertainment . the rational creatures are her nobles . the sensitive creatures are her gentry . the insensible creatures are her commons . life is her gentleman-usher . time is her steward . and death is her treasurer . a dispute . the soul caused reason and love to dispute with the senses and appetites . reason brought religion : for , whatsoever reason could not make good , faith did . love brought will : for whatsoever love said , will confirmed . the senses brought pleasure and pain , which were as two witnesses : pleasure was false witness ; but pain would not , nor could not be bribed . appetite brought opinion , which in somethings would be obstinate , in others very facil . but they had not disputed long , but they were so entangled in their arguments , and so invective in their words ( as most disputers are ) , that they began to quarrel ( as most disputers do ) . whereupon the soul dismist them , although with much difficulty : for , disputers are captains or colonels of ragged regiments of arguments ; and when a multitude are gathered together in a rout , they seldom disperse until some mischief is done ; and then they are well pleased , and fully satisfied . the preaching-lady . dearly beloved brethren , ihave called you together to instruct , exhort , and admonish you : my text i take out of nature ; the third chapter in nature , at the beginning of the fourth verse ; mark it , dearly beloved , the third chapter , beginning at the fourth verse : ( the text ) in the land of poetry there stands a steep high mount , named parnassus ; at the top issues out a flame , which ascends unto fame's mansion . this text , dearly beloved , i will divide into seven parts : first , in the land of poetry . secondly , there stands a mount. thirdly , a steep mount. fourthly , a high mount. fifthly , the name is parnassus . sixthly , there issues from the top a flame . seventhly , and lastly , the flame ascends to fame's mansion . first , in the land of poetry . which land , dearly beloved , is both large , sweet , pleasant , and fertile ; and hath been possessed by our fore-fathers , ever since the time of our father adam in poetry , which was homer ; from whom all poets are descended ( as the ancients say ) . this our very great grandfather , named homer , did excel all other men ; for he did not only give some names to creatures on earth , but he gave names to all the gods in jove's mansion , and to all the devils in the infernal parts . nay , he did more ; for he made heavens and hells , gods and devils ; and described them , that his posterity might know them in after-ages . in this land of poetry he lived , which land flowed with wit and fancy ; and is so large , that it doth not only reach to all parts and places of or in the world ( spreading it self , like air , about , and into every nook and corner in this world ) , but beyond it , as into many other worlds . in this most spacious land runs a clear stream , called helicon ; it is a most pleasant spring , and refreshes not only the life of the senses , but the sense of life . in this spring did our very great-grandfather bathe himself in ; also , with this spring he watered numbers of several roots growing in this land , that the sweet flowers of rhetorick might sprout forth in due season , and that the trees of invention might bear their fruitful arts , for the nourishment of common-weals . secondly , in the midst of this land there is a mount : a mount , dearly beloved , is a swell'd , contracted , and elevated matter or form : but you must not conceive this mount to be of earth , but of thoughts ; it is a swell'd , contracted , and elevated form in the mind . thirdly , it is a steep mount : that is , dearly beloved , it is not slope , or shelving ; but so straight , as to be perpendicular : insomuch , that those that have not sure and sinewy feet , can never wald up this mount : indeed , it requires mercury's feet , which have wings , that when they are in danger to slip , their wings might bear them up . fourthly , it is a high mount : that is , dearly beloved , there is a great space , or long line , from the bottom to the top ; unto which top , all that have light and empty heads can never attain ; for the height will soon make them dizzy , and cause them to fall into the gulph of oblivion . fifthly , the name of this mount is parnassus : a name , dearly beloved , is a word ; not a thing , but the mark of things , to distinguish several things , or conceptions of things , to know and understand them . sixthly , from the top of this mount parnassus , issues out a flame : a flame , dearly beloved , is the fluid part of fire . but , beloved , you must know , there are two sorts of fire ; the one , a bright shining fire , which is visible to the vulgar sense ; the other is so pure and subtil a fire , that it is not subject to the outward sense , but is only perceived by the understanding ; indeed it is a spiritual fire , which causes a spritely and pure flame : the other a corporeal fire , which causeth a gross and smoaking flame . seventhly and lastly , this insensible flame ascends to fame's mansion : and though , dearly beloved , fame's mansion is but an old library , wherein lies ancient records of actions , accidents , chronologies , moulds , medals , coins , and the like ; yet fame her self is a goddess , and the sister to fortune ; and she is not only a goddess , but a powerful goddess ; and not only a powerful goddess , but a terrible goddess ; for she can both damn and glorifie ; and her sentence of damnation is , most commonly , of more force than her sentence of glorification ; for those that she damns , she damns without redemption ; but she sets , many times , a period to those she glorifies . thus , beloved brethren , i have interpreted to you the text. now i am to exhort you , that none should venture up this mount , but those that can flye with fancy's wings , or walk with a measured pace , on velvet feet , or comick socks , or tragick buskins ; not to venture , if you find any infirmity or weakness in the head , or brain , or other parts : for , the flame which issues out of the mount called parnassus , is not only a flame , but a wondrous hot , sindging , scorching , burning flame ; insomuch , that ( many times ) it is insufferable , and oft-times burns the brains into cinders , and consumes the rational understanding ; at least , it sindges the health , and endangers the life of the body . but to conclude , beloved brethren in poetry : let me admonish you to be devout to the name of great fame , who is able to save or damn you : wherefore be industrious in your actions ; let no opportunity slip you , neither in schools , courts , cities , camps , or several climates , to gain the favour of great fame ; offer up your several conceptions upon her white altars ( i mean white paper ) , sprinkling golden letters thereon ; and let the sense be as sweet incense to her deity , that the perfumes of your renown may be smelt in after-ages , and your noble actions recorded in her ancient mansion . and so the love of fame be with you , and the blessing of fortune light upon you . a moral tale of the ant and the bee. in the midst of a pleasant wood , stood a large oak in its prime , and strength of years , which by long time was brought to a huge bigness . a company of ants meeting together , chose the root , or bottom thereof , to build a city ; but wheresoever any of them build , they build after one fashion , which is like a hill , or half-globe , the outside being convex , the inside concave ; a figure , it seems , they think most lasting , and least subject to ruin ; having no corners , points , or joints , to break off ; and every one of the little creatures industrious for the common-good , in which they never loyter , but labour and take pains ; and not only laboriously , but prudently ; for those that bring the materials to build , lay those materials in such a manner , that they do not hinder one another by any retardments : among men , one brings the brick , another the mortar , and a third builds with them ; and if any come to a mischance , the work is not only hindred , and time lost , but the builder is forced to be idle for want of materials ; and if the builder comes to any mischance , the materials are useless for want of a worker . but they , being wiser than man , know time is precious ; and therefore judiciously order it , forecasting while they work , and taking up the whole time with contrivance , leaving none for practice ; neither do they prefer curiosity before convenience . likewise , they are careful of repairs , lest ruin should grow upon them ; insomuch , that if the least grain of dust be misplaced , they stop , or close it up again . they are also as prudent for their provisions , having a magazine of meat in their city , as men have of arms : but this magazine is like a farmer 's cupboard , which is never without bread and cheese ; wholsome , although not delicious fare ; so is theirs . neither do they shut their door , for all is open and free : they need not beg for victuals , since every one labours and takes pains for what they eat : neither are they factious and mutinous , through envy ; by reason there is no superiority amongst them , for their common-wealth is composed of labourers . they have no impertinent commanding magistrates , nor unjust judges , nor wrangling lawyers : for , as their commonwealth is as one body ; or rather , all those little bodies are as one great head ; or rather , as one wise brain ; so are they united by a general agreement , as one mind ; and their industries are united as to the general good ; which makes the profit thereof return equally to each particular : for as their industry , so power and riches are levelled amongst them , which makes them free from those inconveniences and troubles , and oft-times ruins , that are incident to those commonwealths that make distinctions and degrees , which beget pride , ambition , envy , covetousness , treachery , and treason ; causing civil-warrs , tyrannical laws , unjust judgments , false accusations , cruel executions , faint friendships , dissembling affections , luxury , bribery , beggery , slavery , heavy taxes , and unconscionable extortions . but these citizen-ants , have little heads , and great wisdom ; which shews , it is not the quantity of brains that makes any particular creature wise ; for then an ox would be wiser than a man : nor is it the bigness of the heart that makes a creature good-natur'd ; for these little creatures , although they have little hearts , yet they have great generosity , compassion , and charity to each other : and as their assistance is always ready and free to bear a part of a burthen ; so their care and affection is not less to bury their dead . i know not whether they have the passion of sorrow , or rather ( i may say ) the moisture of tears , to weep at their funerals ; but they do lay the dead into the earth , and cover them with earth , with great solemnity . but they have , as all other creatures that nature hath made , enemies : for , though they are friends among themselves , yet they cannot make friendships with all nature's works , by reason some creatures live upon other creatures ; and they have many forreign enemies , as swallows , and other birds , which come with their sharp and digging bills , and pull down their city , devour their eggs , and make a massacre of their citizens ; which cruelty makes them fearful , and careful in concealing themselves , crepping always out at little holes , lest they should be discovered . it happened , upon a hot summer's day , a company of bees flying to that tree , to swarm on a bough thereof ; that they , thinking it might be some of their enemy-birds , were in an extraordinary fright : whereupon they withdrew all into the city , shutting up the gates thereof ; only sending out a few spies at postern-doors , and setting cen-tinels to view their approaches . at last they ob-served , these birds ( which men call bees ) gathered in a round figure , or globe , like the world ; which shews , the round figure is not only the most profitable ( having the least waste , and largest compass ) , but the securest figure , being the most united , not only by drawing in all loose and wandring parts , but it combines them all together with a round line . but when these bees were swarmed ( which swarming is a general meeting , to make up one councel ) , there was such a humming-noise , as did more affright the ants than it had before : for bees do not , as men in publick councels , speak by turns ; but they speak all at once , after the leading-bee hath spoke ; i suppose , either all consenting , or not consenting to the chief bee's proposition . neither can i perceive that they speak studied speeches , as men do , taking more care and pains therein , than for thecommon good. neither do they , as men do , which is , to speak as passion perswades them , not as reason advises , or truth discovers , or honesty commands them ; but as self-love or self-will draws them , driving their own particular interest , following their own appetites , preferring their own luxuriousness and pleasure , before the publick felicity or safety ; venturing the publick ruin , for a title of honour , or bribe , or office , or envy , or hate , or revenge , or love , or the like ; nay , for a vain and affected speech . but bees are wiser ; for they know , that if the commonwealth be ruinated , no particular person can be free . also , bees do like those that send colonies out of over-populous kingdoms , to make new plantations : for , if there should be more mouths than meat , and more men than business , they would devour one another in civil-warrs , and pull down the fabrick of the commonwealth , by breaking the laws and civil customs thereof . but this colony of bees swarming together , agreed where to settle , and so to meet all at the appointed place : whereupon the councel broke up , and every one took their flight several ways , to gather honey and wax , wisely providing for food , and store-houses to lay their provisions in , building them a city in some hollow tree , or cleaved part of the earth , or the like places ; and their several apartments are built so close together , and in such a curious mathematical figure , that there is not the least waste or loss ; and they are so industriously wise , that they carry their provisions of victuals , and their materials to build withall , at one time , as one burthen ; for they have a natural bag , like a budget , which they fill with honey ; and they carry their wax on their thighs . but when the ants had heard their wise propositions , their general agreements , their firm conclusions , their quick executions , their methodical orders , their prudent managements or comportments , and their laborious industry ; they did admire , commend , and approve of their common-wealth ; and the more , because it was somewhat like to theirs . but the truth is , the ant and the bee resemble one another more in their wise industry , than in their government of the commonwealth ; for the bees are a monarchical government , as any may observe ; and the ants are a republick . but by this we may perceive , it is not such and such kinds of government , but such and such ways of governing , that make a commonwealth flourish with plenty , conveniency , peace , and tranquillity : for , the monarchical government of the bees , is as wise and happy as the republick of the ants. the second tale of the ant and the bee. an ant and a bee meeting together upon a gilliflower , condemned each other for doing wrong to the flower : for , said the ant to the bee , you luxuriously and covetously come and suck out the sweet and nourishing juice . you are deceived , said the bee ; for i only gather off the sweet dew that lies thereon ; i neither draw out the juice nor scent , nor fade the colour , nor wither the leaves , nor shorten the life ; for it may live as long as nature pleases , for all mee : but you eat out the seeds , which are their young off-springs ; and the earwigs eat off the leaves , and the worms devour the roots ; when i bear nothing away , but what is free for all , which is that which falls from the heavens . by this we may perceive , that it is the nature of most creatures that are guilty , and do the greatest wrongs , to be the first accusers . the third tale of the ant and the bee. it chanced , that an ant and a bee , wandring about , met in a honey-pot ; the honey being very clammy , stuck so close to the ant , and weighed so heavy , that she could not get out , but ( like a horse in a quagmire ) the more pains she took to get out , the deeper she sunk in : whereupon she entreated the bee to help her . the bee denied her , saying , she should become guilty of theft , in assisting a thief . why , said the ant , i do not entreat you to assist my stealth , but my life : but , for all your pretended honesty , and nicety of conscience , you endeavour to steal honey , as much as i. no , said the bee , this honey was stoln by man out of our commonwealth ; and it is lawful not only to challenge our own , but to take it wheresover we find it . besides , man ( most commonly ) doth cruelly murther us , by smuthering us with smoak , then destroys our city , and carries away the spoils . but men are not only the most wicked of creatures , in making the greatest spoils and disturbances in nature ; but they are the subtillest of all creatures , to compass their designs ; and the most inventive for several destructive and enslaving arts. but nature , knowing the ingenuity of man to evil , and the proneness of his nature to cruelty , gave us stings ( for weapons ) to oppose and defend our selves against them ; which they finding , by experience , invented the way of smuthering us with smoak . the ant said , i hope that the cruelty you condemn , and have found by experience in man , will cause you to be so charitable , as to help me out of my misery . there is no reason for that , answered the bee : for if man doth unjustly strive to destroy me , it doth not follow , i must unjustly strive to help you . but whilst the bee was thus talking , the honey had clammed the bee's wings close to her sides , so that she could not loosen them to flye ; and in strugling to get liberty for flight , plunged her whole body in the honey . o , said the bee , i shall be swallowed up , and choaked immediately . what , said the ant , with your own honey ? o , said the bee , the quantity devours me : for , water refreshes life , and drowns life ; meat feeds the body , and destroys the body by surfeits : besides , a creature may choak with that which might nourish it . o unhappy creature that i am , said the bee , that my labour and industry should prove my ruin ! but the honey rising above her head , stopped her speech , and kill'd her . the ant , after a short languishing , dyed also . thus we see , the same mercy and assistance we refused to others , is refused to us in the like distress . and , many times , in the midst of abundance , are our lives taken away . when we are too greedily earnest in keeping or taking what we can justly call our own , we seldom enjoy it , either by losing it , or our selves . which shews , there is no secure safety , nor perfect felicity , nor constant continuance in the works of nature . a tale of the woodcock and the cow. a cow seeing a woodcock sitting close to a a green turf , and observing him not to stir , asked him why he sate so lazily there , having so strong a wing as he had to flye . o , said the woodcock , it is a laborious action to flye ; but sitting here , i take my ease and rest . the cow said , if i had wings to flye , i would never lye upon the cold earth , but i would mount up near to the warm sun , whose heat clarifies the air to a crystalline skye ; whereas the earth is only a gross body , sending forth thick and stinking fogs , which many times give us the rot , and other diseases , by the unwholsome vapours that arise from it , and cold dews that lye upon the ground ; when the air is sweet and refreshing , warm and comfortable . 't is true , said the woodcock , the sun is a glorious and powerful planet ; his heat is our comfort , and his light is our joy ; and the air is a thin and fine element . but alas , said he , though we be birds that can flye therein , yet we cannot rest therein ; and every creature requires rest sometimes : neither can we live only by the sun ; for the sun cannot fill us , though he warms us ; his light fills not our crops , although it doth our eyes ; nor is the seed sown in the air : and though the winds furrow and plow the clouds , yet the air is too soft an element to bear corn , or any other vegetable ; nor doth there grow sweet berries on the sun-beams , as on the bushes : besides , great winds beat down our sailing-wings ; and when the air is thick , and full of water , it wets and cleaves our feathers so close , they will not spread ; which causeth difficulty of flight ; which tires us , and puts our limbs to pain , when you sit lazily here all day long , chewing the cud , having your meat brought by man , to encrease your milk ; and in the summer you are put to rich pasture , or lye in green meadows , growing thick with cowslips and dazies ; or else , for change , you walk up to the mountains tops , to brouse on wild thyme , or sweet marjoram ; and yet you rail against our good mother earth , from whose bowels we receive life , and food to maintain that life she gives us : she is our kind nurse , from whence we suck ( out of her springing breasts ) fresh water ; and are fed by her hand of bounty , shaded under her spreading-boughs , and sheltred from storms in her thick groves . besides , said the woodcock , you are safe from dangers ; whenas we have many airy-enemies , as the tyrant-eagle , and murtherous hawk : but , said the cow , we that only live upon the earth , are dull and melancholy creatures , in comparison of those that flye in the air : for , all birds are ingenuous , and seem to have more wit than beasts : besides , they are of chearfuller dispositions , and have clearer voices , by reason their spirits are more refined , whereof the serene air , and the hot sun , is the cause , by agitating the spirits to that degree , that they seem to have more life than we beasts have , or any other creature ; for those bodies that are most active , and those minds that are more cheerful , have most , although not longest life , having more of the innated matter ( which is self-motion ) in them , than duller creatures have . and since nature hath given you a greater proportion of life ( that is , more lively spirits ) , slight not her benefits , but make use of them ; for to that purpose she gives them . wherefore get up , and sit not idly here ; mount up on high , above the clouds appear . the woodcock said , when we are up on high , we rather swim like fishes , and not flye : the air is like the ocean , liquid , plain ; the clouds are water , and the roof is rain : where , like a ship , our bodies swift do glide ; our wings , as sails , are spread on either side : our head 's the card , our eyes the needles be , for to direct us in our airy sea. our tail 's the rudder , moves from side to side : and by that motion we our bodies guide . our feet's the anchors ; when to ground them set , we mend our sails , that 's prune our feathers wet : and every bush , like several ports they be : but a large haven is a broad-spread tree . o , said the cow , this voyage to the skie i fain would see , whilst on the ground i lie . to satisfie you , said the woodcock , i will mount ; so rose , and shak'd his wings to flie . but the woodcock had not flown above a cast high , but a faulcon ( who had soared above for a prey ) seeing the woodcock underneath him , came down with such force , that he knocked him on the head with his pounces . which when the cow saw , she lowed out with sorrow , and made a most lamentable voice , bewailing the woodcock 's misfortune ; and out of a sad , melancholy , and discontented grief for the woodcock his death , and for the unfortunate counsel she gave him , she mourned and lamented , putting on a black hide ; which hide she wore to her dying-day , and all her posterity after her ; and not only her posterity , but many of her acquaintance . the moral . some are so busily-good , that they will perswade and counsel not only all those they have relation to , or all they know and have acquaintance with , but all they meet , although they be meer strangers to them . but although some do it out of a meer busie nature , and intermedling humour and disposition ; yet questionless some do it out of a desire and natural inclination they have for a general fruition of happiness , putting themselves in the last place . but these sort of men have more good-nature than judgment ; for their counsel oft-times brings ruin , at least sorrow , both to those that take it , and those that give it , through a blind ignorance of both parties . but those that are prudently wise , never give counsel but when it 's asked ; and then , not without great caution ; chusing the safest ways , and the likeliest means , joining their own reputation with the party 's good ; fearing to lose the one , or hurt the other by a rash advice . of a butcher and a fly. in shamble-row , a butcher walking in his shop , where meat was lying upon his shop-board , and ( being in the heat of summer ) a number of flies were busily working thereupon ; which the butcher seeing , was very angry , and said , that flies were good for nothing but to corrupt dead flesh. at which words , the flies murmured against the butcher , making a humming-noise , to express their passion . but one of the ancientest and gravest flyes amongst them ( which fly living long , and observing much , had studied natural and moral philosophy ) , having observed the humours and actions of all creatures , especially of man , and more especially of butchers , by reason they most commonly frequent the shambles ; she answered the butcher thus : why ( said the fly ) do you rail and exclaim against us , when we do nothing against nature , but do good service to the countrey ? for , we create living creatures out of that you destroy ; whereby we keep nature from ruin : and those only that destroy life , are nature's enemies ; but those that maintain or create life , are nature's friends . thus we are friends , and you are enemies to nature : for you are cruel , striving to destroy nature , not only by taking the life of barren creatures , that are past producing ; but of young creatures , that would encrease , had they been suffered to live , in not killing them before their natural time to dye . besides ( said the fly to the butcher ) you are a cheat and a robber , as well as a murtherer ; for you cozen and rob time of the goods he is intrusted to keep until such time as nature requires them , to whom he carefully , easily , peaceably , delivers them to the right owner . also , you do not only rob him of those goods he hath in charge ; but you maliciously or covetously spoil his work : for , those creatures that he hath but newly made and shaped , and some before they are quite finished ; nay , some which he hath but moulded in a lump together , you destroy ; which not only spoils old father time's labours , but defaces his architecture , disgracing his skill . likewise , you do not only endeavour to destroy nature , and rob and disgrace time ; but you take away divine worship from the gods , who receive their worship from life , which you destroy ; for which , they may justly punish you to death . after the fly had made an end of this discourse , now ( saith the butcher to the fly ) you think you have spoke wisely , honestly , and piously ; but your speeches shew you to be a formal , prating coxcomb : for first , nature creates more creatures from death , than from life ; from the grave , than from the womb : for those creatures she creates from the womb , she creates ( for the most part ) by single ones , or couples , as mankind , and most sorts of beasts ; but those that she creates from death and the grave , as from dead carkasses , and corruption , she produceth by numbers , as maggots , worms , and the like : and , most commonly , your impertinent worships are created in that manner . and if the gods are only served by life , we serve the gods best ; for we , by killing of single creatures , are the cause of creating millions of living creatures . neither have you reason to brag ; for it is not you that are the only cause that those creatures are produced from those carkasses , but corruption , which is the mother of life , and which ( by your bloth ) you hasten , whereby you take time's work out of his hands , and so you do usurp on time's prerogative , for which i will whisk you out of my shop as a company of busie , prating , idle , foolish creatures you are . whereat they , being frighted , flew away . of a man and a spider . a man , whose thoughts were not busily employed upon potent affairs , but lazily sitting in his chair , leaning his head on his hand , with his face towards the window , viewing a crafty spider , and marking what pains she took in spinning a web to entangle the innocent flyes ; saw , that her work was no sooner done , but a fly was catch'd therein . he seeing this poor fly dragg'd along , and ready to be murthered by the cruel spider ( who had watched her coming thither ) , thus spake : mischievous spider ( says he ) who art only industrious to an evil design , spinning out thy own bowels only to entrap a creature that never did nor meant thee harm : hadst thou spun out of a charitable intention to clothe the naked , thou hadst been worthy of my commendation ; but now thy malice falls justly under my wrath : and taking the tongs , intended to kill her . but the spider , perceiving his intention , thus spake : sir , you that pretend to justice , be just to me , and hear me first speak : for , what is more unjust , than to censure , strike , or kill , before you know whether your doom be deservedly given ; and you must be clear from the same faults , before you can justly punish another for the like crimes ; as also , be free from partiality , lest you become cruel to one , through your tender pity to the other . but to answer for my self : i do not only spin thus to catch the flyes , but it is my house in which i dwell ; which no sooner have i built it up , but the flyes strive to break it down : for , if you would but observe , that when i have spun my web , they straight flye into it ; which i no sooner see , but i run upon my threads to assault them , and so catch them , if i can : for , since i cannot keep my house from being assaulted , i strive to make it a snare to intangle my foes therein ; and by that means i make it a mischief to fall on their own heads : and , what creature hath nature made , but ( if they had power ) would defend themselves . but say , i spun this web only to catch flyes to feed upon , it were no crime in nature : for , what creature is there that will spare the life of another , if it be to maintain his own ? since self-preservation is the chief of nature's works ; and of all her works , man seeks it most : and not only so , but he delights in spoil , which is against nature : for , doth not man take delight , and account it as one of his recreations , to kill those creatures that he refuses to eat ? nay , man will destroy his own kind : for , what warrs and slaughter do they make , out of a covetous ambition for power and authority ? but , if you be so just as you pretend , then first cast out all intemperate desires . make peace among your selves , then may you be fit judges to decide the quarrels of other creatures , and to punish offendors , when you are innocent ; otherwise you will but shew your self an usurper , wresting that power that belongs not to you ; and a tyrant , to execute with the sword of cruelty , destroying truth and right . the man , when he had heard the spider's discourse , turned his back , and went his ways . a dialogue betwixt a great lady , and her maid of honour . there was a great rich lady talking to one of her maids of honour of several things , at last she began to speak of the false reports envy and malice had raised in the world. her maid told her , if she would not be angry , she would tell her what they said of her . do so , said she ; for i do not censure my self according as the world's reports , which most commonly are false ; but i judg my self according to my life , which is my thoughts and actions : wherefore , they cannot move my anger at any thing they say ; and so you may relate without offence . maid . they say , you are proud. lady . i am so , in scorning what is base . maid . they say , you prize your title of honour at too high a rate . lady . that 's false , said she ; i only prize such titles , as being the mark of merit : for , only merit dignifies a man , and not those titles of honour , which gain a luster from the worth of those they are placed upon . maid . they say , you are vain , in making shews of state , and stately shews . lady . why , answered she , the gods delight in ceremonies , which are devout shows ; and this world which they have made , is like a pageant , or masquing-scenes ; and when great kings neglect their ceremonies , their state goes down ; and with their state they lose their kingly crown . maid . they say , you are so proud , that you will not sit , because all others by you should stand . lady . they are deceived , said she ; for i would rather stand whilst others sit ; for as they sit , they bow lower towards the earth ; by which , my slaves and vassals they do shew . maid . they say , you will not eat your meat , but by your self alone ; which proves you proud , or covetous lady . it proves me neither : for , why should i disgust my palat , in hearing a confused noise ? for , when good meat and wine fumes to their brains , their tongues become unruly . neither is it out of covetousness : for , i do not only keep one well-furnished table , but many ; and do allow entertainment to all civil guests . maid . they say , you are proud , because you will receive no visits but at set and certain times . lady . why should i spend my time in idle talk , since life is short ? or to disturb my solitary hours , which is the best and happiest time of life , wherein man only doth enjoy himself ? maid . they say , you are not sociable , in not carrying abroad your neighbours , or your friends , as other ladies of great titles do ; which send about to other ladies to accompany them abroad , to fill their train , and make a shew . lady . i hate to be attended upon courtesie , or make a shew of borrowed-favours , or fill my train with bare acquaintance , or humble companions ; to have my estate none of my own , only to make a seeming-shew ; and when they are gone , my estate is gone , and i left alone , naked and bare , having none that i can command about me . no , when i appear abroad , i will only be attended and waited upon by such as live upon my bounty , or are raised by my favours . i will have no patch'd train , made up of strangers ; it shall be all my own , although it be the shorter ; otherwise , what shews soever it makes , it is but mean and poor , expressing more vain-glory , than it doth state. besides , it cheats and cozens noble honour : for , should a king be attended and served in state with other subjects than his own , upon another king's charge or courtesie ; he would not seem , to those that are wise , to have great power . but he is great , whose kingdom is fully populated , and all do bow with an obedient knee , and are ready to serve his will. so , like potent kings , in my degree , will i be served and waited on by my own family , with duty and obedience ; and not by strangers , who are like forreigners , and are apt to mutiny , and make a warr , or think they do me honour . no , i will have none but such as think i honour them ; and if i have merit , i do so ( although they be of equal rank ) , if by my worth or fortune i do grace or assist them any way : for , it is an honour to receive a bounty or a favour from persons of merit . maid . they say , you do dislike , when any man falutes you , although of quality . lady . how ! salutes me ? maid . why , to kiss you . lady . why ought not every honest woman so to do ? for , kisses are cupid's gentlemen-ushers , and venus waiting-maids , which oft betray the men to wild desires , and kindles in their hearts unlawful fire : wherefore , i would have that custom banished quite , especially by husbands that do prize their honour . but envy doth misemploy the tongue , and leads mankind to base actions , making their life like leaking-vessels , where precious time doth idly drop away . maid . i have heard , that all the vvorld was pictured in fool 's cap. lady . 't is strange it should be so : for nature that did make it , and gods that rule it , are wise : but men are bad , which makes me not care what they say : for , i divide mankind into four parts , whereof three are naught : one part i hate , as being wicked . the second i scorn , as being base . and , the third i pity , as being ignorantly foolish . maid . vvhat is the fourth part , madam ? lady . the fourth part i may divide into four parts more : one part i admire , as being vvise. the second part i honour , as being noble . the third part i love , as being good. the fourth part i rely on , as being valiant . maid . there would be little security , if only the fourth part of the fourth part were valiant ; for the other parts might overpower them . lady . o no , cowards know not their own strength , because they dare not try it ; and one valiant man , if fortune sits but idle , will beat at least twenty cowards . but fortune , for the most part , is a friend to cowards and to fools , more than to the valiant and the vvise ; yet oft-times the valiant and the vvise do make a passage through , though fortune do obstruct . maid . but , madam , if there were so few valiant , there would not be so much vvarr amongst mankind , as is . lady . o yes ; for cowards fight for fear , and valiant men do set them on ; and were it not for those that are valiant and vvise , there would neither be justice nor propriety . maid . indeed , justice is pictured with a sword in one hand , and a pair of balances in the other . lady . that shews , that vvisdom doth justly weigh truth , and valour doth maintain the right . maid . i have heard a proverb , madam , that be that is wise , is honest . lady . and those that are not valiant , can never be constantly honest ; for , said the , fear would put them out of honest ways . and so she left off discoursing . a dialogue betwixt a contemplating lady , and a poet. poet. pray , madam , think me not rude to intrude upon your contemplation . lady . a poet's wit is a companion fit for a vain imagination . poet. that is not vainly done , which gives a delight to the mind , without endangering the soul , or distempering the body : for , vanity lives only in that which is useless or unprofitable . lady . indeed , to delight the mind is more necessary than to feed the body : for , a discontented mind is worse than death ; but the most part of the world think nothing useful to the life , but what is substantial . poet. if they do so , they must account thoughts vain : for , thoughts are only an incorporeal motion , or at least believed to be so . lady . but without the incorporeal motion , the world would be a dead carkass only : for , were it not for contemplation , there would be no invention ; if no invention , no conveniency ; if no conveniency , no ease ; if no ease , no pleasure ; if no pleasure , no happiness ; and to be unhappy , is worse than death : but contemplation is the mother of invention . poet. but language is the midwife , and practise the nurse . besides , if there were no practise or conversation , all invention and industry would be abortive : and language utterly unknown , the trumpet loud of fame unblown : no ladder set unto ber throne , the hill untrod she sits upon . wherefore , we ought not to bury our selves in contemplation , nor to banish our selves from conversation : for , conversation gives the mind breath , and makes the imagination the stronger , the conception larger , the invention apter , and fancy livelier ; otherwise we shall smuther the thoughts for want of vent , and put out their light for want of oil , and then the life would sit in darkness . lady . certainly the greatest delight that life gives , is contemplation ; and the life of contemplation , is silent solitariness . poet. 't is true : but the mind , as the body , may feed so long of pleasures , that they may prove tormenting-pain : so that the mind must be exercised with discourse , cleansed with writing , otherwise the streams of fancy , which arise in several springs from the imaginations , may overflow the mind , causing it to be flatuous and hydropcal ; or the several and singular opinions , which are most commonly tough and hard , may obstruct the mind , causing it to be pursie and short-breath'd ; and the cold and hot passions , for want of purgingwords , may either stupifie or inflame the mind ; and too much solitariness will bed-rid the mind , making it faint and weak . besides , if the mind do not travel to several objects , and traffick with the senses and discourse , it would have no acquaintance with the world , no knowledg of men , nor famous monuments . and give me leave , lady , to tell you , extreams in nature are an enemy to life , and to life's delight : wherefore , let me advise you to intermingle with your harmless contemplations , rational discourses , knowing societies , and worthy actions ; and employ your senses on profitable labours , and not suffer them to live idly and useless to the mind . lady . let me tell you , sir , the mind needs them not ; for the mind is so well attended , so richly furnished , has such witty companions , such wise acquaintance , such numbers of strangers , such faithful friends , such industrious servants , such various pleasures , such sweet delights , such spacious walks , such safe habitations , and such a peaceable life , that it neither needs to converse or have commerce either with the senses , mankind , or the world ; for it is a world within it self . the mind a vaster world it self doth prove ; where several passions , like the planets , move : poetick fancies , like fix'd starrs , shine bright upon the brain , mhich makes a day of night . the flux of things produceth from the earth ; as some decays , to others gives new birth . nature and time are equal in their ends , as some decay , to others new life sends . the circulation of time's world , we see , may prove eternal , the mind immortal be . all the material world hath compass round , but in the mind no compass can be found : t is infinite , like nature can create thoughts , several creatures , destiny and fate : and life and death do in the mind still lye ; death to forget , and life is memory . poet. but , lady , in justice the body , as well as the mind , must share in the pleasures of life : for it were unjust that only the body should endure restraint and pain , and take no delight : wherefore you ought not to imprison it to dark and solitary places , to chain it up with contemplation , and to starve it with abstinency ; but let it take a moderate pleasure . lady . well , i will try to be more sociable , and not starve the life of my body with over-feeding my mind . but hard 't will be to me for to abstain , and leave the banquet of a thinking-brain ; where all delicious pleasures and delight are there set forth to feed each appetite . the dialogue of the wise lady , the learned lady , and the witty lady . learned lady . some are of opinion , that the world is a living creature , and the sun is the soul of it . a wise and learned philosopher held , that the world was made of atoms , the chaos being nothing but an infinite confus'd quantity of them . wit. i think the chaos was a great lump of wit , which run it self into several figures , creating several forms . thus the chaos being wit , and the wit being motion , hath invented this world , and many more , for all we know : for wit is never idle , but is still producing something either of delight or profit . wis. the best is , not to dispute of what matter it is , or how it was made , or when it was made ; but to enjoy the pleasures thereof , to make use of the profits it hath , and to avoid ( as much as we can ) the inconveniences and troubles therein : for disputes carry more out of the ways of truth , and leads further into the ways of ignorance , than all the reason nature hath given can add to our knowledg ; and there is no reason so strong , but may be contradicted by another . wit. if our reason be so false a guide , and not only the creation , but the tract of the world , is so hard to be found out ; how shall we find a direct way to jove's mansion ? wis. i will tell you : the way to walk , is by the line of a good life , and to take hold of faith , and to climb up to heaven by the ladder of prayers . lear. nature is a chymist , and water is the mercury , fire is the sulphur , air is the volatil salt , earth is the fixed salt , the fixed starrs are the crystalline part , life is the spirits or essences , death is the caput mortuum . wit. wit , which is the scholar of nature , is as good a chymist : for , wit doth extract something out of every thing . wis. and wisdom knows how to apply the extraction to the best use . learn . as the agitation of the air makes us draw our breath ; so the agitation of the world makes it continue . wit. the agitation of the brain makes a sharp ready wit. wis. the agitation of virtue makes a peaceable commonwealth . learn . some moral philosophers hold , that no creature hath reason , but man. wis. men only talk of reason , but live like beasts , following their appetites without rules . wit. men may as soon set rules to eternity , as to themselves : for , their desires are so infinite , and so intricate , that we may as soon measure eternity , as them : for , desires are like time , still run forward ; and what is past , is as it had never been . wis. but man may set rules to himself , not to his desires ; and as wise laws govern the life , so that reason ( which men say they have ) should govern their insatiable desires . learn . 't is said , history instructs the life , it registers time , it enthrones virtue , it proclaims noble natures , it crowns heroick actions , it divulges baseness , and hangs up wickedness : it is a torch , that gives light to dark ignorance : it is a monument to the dead , and a fame to persons of merit . wit. in poetry is included musick and rhetorick , which is number and measure , judgment and fancy , imitation and invention : it is the finest art in nature ; for it animates the spirits to devotion , it fires the spirits to action , it begets love , it abates hate , it tempers anger , it asswages grief , it eases pain , it encreases joy , allays fear , and sweetens the whole life of man , by playing so well upon the brain , that it strikes the strings of the heart with delight , which makes the spirits to dance , and keeps the mind in tune , whereby the thoughts move equally in a round circle , where love sits in the center as mistress and judg. learn . some philosophers hold , that all the changes in the world are only caused by dilatation and contraction . wit. i am sure , too much dilatation of the spirits , causeth a weakness , by dis-uniting their forces , and contracting of humours , causeth diseases . yet a dilatating wit is best , spreading it self , smoothly flowing , and easily ; which if it be contracted , it makes it constraint , hard , and unpleasant , and becomes difficult to the understanding . vvis . let us contract our vanities , and moderate our appetites with sober temperance , and dilate our virtues and good graces , by noble actions , and pious endeavours . learn . the mind , some say , is nothing but local motion in the brain , which we call spirits in animals , that is , vapour ; indeed , vapour of vapours ; that is , the thin and sharp vapours ; it is an extract of vapour from vapours , like essences or smoak , that arises from the porous and liquid parts of the body , especially the blood. this essence hath an innated motion , arising from the acuteness thereof ; yet its strength is often allayed by the dulness and coldness of grosser vapours , or obstructed or hindred by the thickness of dull matter ; and oft-times it evaporates out of the body , by too much rarification , caused by too quick a motion . wit. the mind is , like a god , an incorporeal thing ; and so infinite , that it is as impossible to measure the mind , as eternity . indeed , vapour is a great instrument to the wit : for , gross vapour stops up the wit , cold vapour congeals it , hot vapour inflames it , thin and sharp vapour quickens it . thus all sorts of vapours make variety of wit ; and the several figures , and works , and forms , that the vaporous smoak ariseth in , causeth several fancies , by giving several motions to the brain . vvis . well , sisters , to conclude your dispute , the best ingredient of the mind , is honesty ; and the best motion of the brain , is reason ; otherwise the brain would be mad , and the mind wicked : wherefore moderate the one , and temper the other . learn . learning encreases knowledg , begets understanding , employs time , and enriches the mind . wit. wit invents profitable arts , it creates sciences , it delights the mind , it recreates the life , and entertains time. vvis . vvisdom guides the life safe , gives honest laws to the vvill , sets noble rules to the actions ; it governs misfortunes easily , it prevents misfortunes prudently , it employs time thristily , it makes peace , it gets victory , it tempers those passions that would disturb the soul ; it moderates those appetites that would cause pain to the body ; it endures sickness patiently , and suffers death valiantly . learn . there are many several kinds of arts , as arts of pleasure , enticing arts , vain-glorious arts , vain arts , superfluous arts , superstitious arts , ambitious arts , covetous arts , profitable arts , destructive arts. arts of pleasure are , gardens , groves , bowers , arbours , grots , fountains , prospects , landskips , gilding , painting , sculpture : likewise , musick of all sorts , confectionary , cookery , and perfumes . enticing arts are , artificial singing , artificial speaking , artificial dressing , dancing , powdring , curling , perfuming , rich clothing , luxurious entertainments . vain arts are , feathers , fancies , ribbons , black-patches , and side-glasses . amorous arts are , flattering complements , false professions , affected garbs , affected speeches , affected countenances , affected actions ; sonnets , poems , frolicks , questions and commands , proposes and riddles , presents , private meetings , and conference . expensive arts are , feasting , masquing , balling , carding , dicing , racing , betting , and the like . ill-natur'd arts are , bull-baiting , cock-fighting , dog fighting , cudgel-playing . exercising arts are , bowling , shooting , hunting , wrestling , pitching the barr , and tennis-court play. vain-glorious arts are , oratory , pleading , disputing , proposing , objecting , magnisicent entertainments , great revenues , sumptuous palaces , and costly furnitures . covetous arts are , bribery , monopolies , taxes , excises , and compositions . ambitious arts are , time-serving , observing , insinuating . malicious arts are , impeachings , back-bitings , and libels . superstitious arts are , interpretations , false visions , impostures , imprecations , ceremonies , postures , garbs , countenances , and paces ; and particular customs , habits , and diets . idolatrous arts are , groves , altars , images , and sacrifices . dangerous arts ( though necessary for the safety of honour ) are , fencing , riding , tilting , vaulting , wrestling , and swimming . murthering arts are , swords , knives , hatchets , saws , sythes , pick-axes , pikes , darts , granadoes , guns , bullets , shot , powder . arts of safety are , trenches , moats , bridges , walls , arms , and chyrurgery . profitable arts , are , geometry , cosmography , arithmetick , navigation , fortification , architecture , fire-works , water-works , wind-works , cultivating , manuring , distilling , extracting , pounding , mixing , sifting , grinding , as malting , brewing , baking , cooking , granging , carding , spinning , weaving , colouring , tanning , writing , printing . wit. why , learned sister , all these arts , and innumerbale more , are produced from the forge of the brain , being all invented by wit ; and the inventer is to be more valued than the art ; the cause , more than the effect : for as without a cause , there would be no effect ; so , without an inventive brain , there could be no ingenuous art. wis. dear witty sister , do not engross more than what is justly your own ; for there are more arts produced from accidents and experiments , than from ingenious wit. learn . some learned men hold , that the motion of the sun makes the heat : others , that heat makes motion . wit. then it is like the brain ; for a hot brain makes a quick wit ; and a quick wit makes the brain hot . wis. we ought not to spend our time in studying of the motions and heat of the sun , but of the motions and passions of the heart . learn . some are of opinion , that light hath no body : others , that it hath a body ; and that the light of the sun enlightens the air , as one candle doth another . wit. light is like imagination , an incorporeal thing , or an accidental proceeding from a substance ; and as one candle doth light another , so one fancy produceth another . vvis . pray discourse of virtues , which is the light of the soul ; and generosity , an effect thereof , which distributes to necessity , producing comfortable relicfs therewith . learn . and some say , colours are no colours in the dark , being produced by light on such and such bodies . wit. vve may as well say , vvit is no wit , or thoughts no thoughts in the brain , being produced by such and such objects ; nor passion is no passion in the heart , being raised by such and such causes . vvis . i pray dispute not how colours are produced , whether from the light , or from their own natures , or natural substances ; but consider , that good vvorks are produced from a soul that is pure and bright . learn . the learned say , that sounds are numbers , and opticks are lines of light. vvit. vvit sets the number , and motion draws the lines . vvis . there is no musick so harmonious , as honest professions , nor no light so pure as truth . learn . and they say , discord in musick well applied , makes the harmony the delightfuller . vvit. so satyr in vvit makes it more quick and pleasant . vvis . so truths , mix'd with falshood , make flattery more plausible and acceptable . learn . time , which is the dissolver of all corporeal things , yet it is the mother , midwife , and nurse to knowledg ; whereby we find all modern romancy-vvriters , although they seem to laugh and make a scorn of amadis de gall , yet make him the original-table , or ground , from whence they draw their draughts , and take out covertly their copies from thence . indeed , amadis de gall is the homer of romancy-writers . wit. although wit is not a dissolver , yet 't is a creator . wit doth descry and divulge more knowledg than time : for that which time could never find out , wit will discover . wit is like a goddess in nature : for , though it cannot dissolve , yet it can produce , not only something out of something , but something out of nothing ( i mean , from the imaginations , which are nothing ) ; and wit needs no other table or ground to draw its draughts , or take copy from , but it s own brain , which creates and invents , similizes and distinguisheth . wis. but time and wit would soon produce a chaos of disorder , if it were not for wisdom , which is composed of judgment , justice , prudence , fortitude , and temperance : for , judgment distinguishes times and wits ; justice governs times and wits ; prudence orders times and wits ; fortitude marshals times and wits ; and temperance measures times and wits . learn . scholars say , that one man can see higher and further , when he is set upon another man's shoulders , than when he stands or sits on the ground by himself : so , when one is raised by another man's opinion , he can descry more in hidden mysteries . wit. but if a man see a lark tow'r in the sky , which another man doth not , having weaker eyes ; yet he is no wiser than the other , that only saw the lark picking corn on the ground . but he that sees her not in the sky , knows she is in the sky , as well as the other , because he saw from whence she took her flight . but if the other , that is raised , can see a bird in the sky that was never seen before , it were something to add to his knowledg . besides , a sharp , quick eye will see further on his own legs , than on the shoulder of another : for most grow dizzy , if set on high , which casts a mist on the eyes of the understanding . wis. leave the shoulders of your neighbours , and let your eye of faith reach to heaven . as some meats nourish the body , and some destroy the body : so some thoughts nourish the soul , and some destroy it . the senses are the working-labourers , to bring life's materials in . as nature is the best tutor to instruct the mind , so the mind is the best tutor to instruct the senses . and my mind instructs my senses to leave you . there are learned arts and sciences ; a poetical and satyrical wit ; a comical and tragical wit ; an historical and romancical wit ; an ingenious and inventive wit ; a scholastical wit ; a philosophical wit. there is moral , human , and divine wisdom . the contract . a noble gentleman that had been married many years , but his wife ( being barren ) did bear him no children ; at last she dyed , and his friends did advise him to marry again , because his brother's children were dead , and his wife was likely to have no more . so he took to vvife a virtuous young lady ; and after one year she conceived with child , and great joy there was of all sides : but in her child-bed she dyed , leaving only one daughter to her sorrowful husband , who in a short time ( oppressed with melancholy ) dyed , and left his daughter ( who was not a year old ) to the care and breeding of his brother , and withall left her a great estate , for he was very rich . after the ceremonies of the funeral , his brother carried the child home , which was nursed up very carefully by his vvife ; and being all that was likely to succeed in their family , the unkle grew extream fond and tender of his neece , insomuch that she was all the comfort and delight of his life . a great duke , which commanded that province , would often come and eat a breakfast with this gentleman , as he rid a hunting ; and so often they met after this manner , that there grew a great friendship betwixt them : for this gentleman was well bred , knowing the vvorld by his travels in his younger days ; and though he had served in the warrs , and fought many battels , yet was he not ignorant of courtly entertainments . besides , he was of a very good conversation , for he had a voluble tongue , and a ready understanding ; and in his retired life , was a great student , whereby he became an excellent scholar ; so that the duke took great delight in his company . besides , the duke had a desire to match the neece of this gentleman , his friend , to his younger son , having only two sons ; and knowing this child had a great estate left by her father ; and was likely to have her unkle's estate joined thereto , he was earnest upon it : but her unkle was unwilling to marry her to a younger brother , although he was of a great family : but , with much perswasion , he agreed , and gave his consent , when she was old enough to marry ; for she was then not seven years old . but the duke fell very sick ; and when the physicians told him , he could not live , he sent for the gentleman and his neece , to take his last farewell ; and when they came , the duke desired his friend , that he would agree to join his neece and his son in marriage . he answered , that he was very willing , if she were of years to consent . said the duke , i desire we may do our parts ; which is , to join them as fast as we can : for youth is wild , various , and unconstant ; and when i am dead , i know not how my son may dispose of himself when he is left to his own choice : for he privately found his son very unwilling , being a man grown , to marry a child . the gentleman seeing him so desirous to marry , agreed to what he desired . the duke called his son privately to him , and told him , his intentions were to see him bestowed in marriage , before he dyed . his son desired him , not to marry him against his mind , to a child . his father told him , she had a great estate , and it was like to be greater , by reason all the revenue was laid up to encrease it : and besides , she was likely to be heir to her unkle , who loved her as his own child ; and her riches may draw so many suiters when she is a woman , said he , that you may be refused . he told his father , her riches could not make him happy , if he could not affect her . whereupon the duke grew so angry , that he said , his disobedience would disturb his death , leaving the world with an unsatisfied mind . whereupon he seemed to consent , to please his father . then were they as firmly contracted , as the priest could make them , and two or three witnesses to avow it . but after his father was dead , he ( being discontented ) went to the warrs , and in short time was called from thence , by reason his elder brother dyed , and so the dukedom and all the estate came to him , being then the only heir . but he never came near the young lady , nor so much as sent to her ; for he was at that time extreamly in love with a great lady , who was young and handsome , being wife to a grandee which was very rich , but was very old ; whose age made her more facil to young lovers , especially to this young duke , who was favoured by nature , fortune , and breeding : for he was very handsom , and of a ready wit ; active , valiant , full of generosity ; affable , well-fashion'd ; and had he not been fullied with some debaucheries , he had been the compleatest man in that age. the old gentleman perceiving his neglect towards his neece , and hearing of his affection to that lady , strove by all the care and industry he could , to give her such breeding as might win his love : not that he was negligent before she was contracted to him ; for from the time of four years old , she was taught all that her age was capable of ; as , to sing , and to dance : for , he would have that artificial motion become as natural ; and so to grow in perfections , as she grew in years . when she was seven years of age , he chose her such books to read , as might make her wise , not amorous ; for he never suffered her to read in romances , nor such leight books : but moral philosophy was the first of her studies , to lay a ground and foundation of virtue , and to teach her to moderate her passions , and to rule her affections . the next study was history , to learn her experience by the second hand ; reading the good fortunes and misfortunes of former times ; the errors that were committed , the advantages that were lost , the humours and dispositions of men , the laws and customs of nations ; their rise , and their fallings ; of their warrs and agreements , and the like . the next study to that , was the best of poets , to delight in their fancies , and in their wit ; and this she did not only read , but repeat what she had read every evening before she went to bed. besides , he taught her to understand what she read , by explaining that which was hard and obscure . thus she was always busily employed ; for she had little time allowed her for childish recreations . thus did he make her breeding his only business and employment : for he lived obscurely and privately , keeping but a little family , and having little or no acquaintance , but lived a kind of a monastical life . but when the neece was about thirteen years of age , he heard the duke was married to the lady with which he was enamoured : for being by the death of her husband left a rich widow , she claimed from him a promise that he made her whilst her husband was living , that when he dyed ( being an old man , and not likely to live long ) to marry her : which he was loth to do ; for men that love the pleasures of the world , care not to be encumbred and obstructed with a vvife ; and so did not at all reflect neither upon his contract with the young lady ; for after his father dyed , he resolved not to take her to wife ; for she being so young , he thought the contract of no validity . but the vvidow seeming more coy than in her husband's time , seeking thereby to draw him to marry her ; and , being overcome by several ways of subtilty , he married her . vvhereupon the unkle was mightily troubled , and very melancholy ; which his neece perceived , and desired of him to know the cause ; which he told her . is this the only reason , said she ? yes , said he : and doth it not trouble you ? no , said she , unless i had been forsaken for some sinful crime i had committed against heaven , or had infringed the laws of honour , or had broken the rules of modesty , or some misdemeanour against him , or some defect in nature , then i should have lamented , but not for the loss of the man , but for the cause of the loss ; for then all the vvorld might have justly defamed me with a dishonourable reproach : but now i can look the world in the face with as confident a brow as innocence can arm . besides , it is likely i might have been unhappy in a man that could not affect me . wherefore , good unkle , be not melancholy , but think that fortune hath befriended me , or that destiny had decreed it so to be : if so , we are to thank the one , and it was impossible to avoid the other : and if the fates spin a long thread of your life , i shall never murmur for that loss , but give thanks to the gods for this blessing . o , but child , said he , the duke was the greatest and richest match , since his brother dyed , in the kingdom : and i would not have thy virtue , beauty , youth , wealth , and breeding , stoop to a low fortune , when thou mayest be a match fit for the emperor of the whole world , in a few years , if you grow up , and go on as you have begun . o unkle , said she , let not your natural affection make you a partial judg , to give the sentence of more desert in me , than i can own : if i have virtue , it is a reward sufficient in it self : if i have beauty , it is but one of nature's fading favours ; and those that loved me for it , may hate me when it is gone : and if i be rich , as you say i am like to be : who are happier than those that are mistresses of their own fortunes ? having bred me well , i shall be happy in what condition soever i am in , being content ; for that is the end and felicity of the mind . but if thou hadst been in love with him ( said her unkle ) , where had been your content then ? for no education can keep out that passion . i hope ( said she ) the gods will be more merciful , than to suffer in me such passions as i cannot rule . what manner of man he , said she ? for i was too young to remember him . his person ( said he ) is handsom enough . that is his outside , said she ; but , what is his inside ? what is his nature and disposition ? debauch'd , said he , and loves his luxuries . heavens have bless'd me from him , said she . well , said her unkle , since i am cross'd in thy marriage , i will strive to make thee a mirror of the time : wherefore i will carry thee to the metropolitan city for thy better education ; for here thou art bred obscurely , and canst learn little , because thou hearest and seest little . you shall not appear to the world this two or three years , but go always veiled , for the sight of thy face will divulge thee ; neither will we have acquaintance or commerce with any ; but observe , hear , and see so much as we can , without being known . sir , said she , i shall be ruled by your direction ; for i know my small bark will swim the better and safer for your steerage : wherefore i shall not fear to launch it into the deepest or most dangerous places of the world , which i suppose are the great and populous cities . so , making but small preparations , only what was for meer necessity , they took their journey speedily , carrying no other servants but those that knew and used to obey their master's will. and when they came to the city , they took private lodging ; where , after they had rested some few days , he carried her every day ( once or twice a day ) abroad , after her exercise of dancing and musick was done . for , being careful she should not only keep what she had learn'd , but learn what she knew not ; after her lessons at home , he carried her to lectures , according as he heard where any were read , either of natural philosophy , ( for this she had studied least : but taking much delight therein , she had various speculations thereof ) or of physick and chymistry , of musick , and of divers others , on such days as they were read . also , he carried her to places of judicature , to hear great causes decided ; and to hear the several pleadings , or rather wranglings , of several lawyers ; but never to court , masques , plays , nor balls : and she always went to the publick places aforementioned , masqu'd , muffl'd , or scarf'd : and her unkle would make means to get a private corner to sit in , where they might hear well ; and when he came home , he would instruct her of all that was read , and tell her where they differed from the old authors ; and then would give his opinion , and take hers , of their several doctrines . and thus they continued for two years . in the mean time , her beauty encreased with her breeding , but was not made known to any , as yet ; till being come to the age of sixteen years , her unkle did resolve to present her to the world : for he knew , youth was admired in it self ; but when beauty and virtue was joined to it , it was the greater miracle . so he began to examine her , for he was jealous she might be catch'd with vain gallants ; although he had observed her humour to be serious , and not apt to be catch'd with every toy ; yet he knew youth to be so uncertain , that there was no trusting it to itself . so he ask'd her , how she was taken with the riches and gallantry of the city ; for she could not chuse but see lords and ladies riding in their brave gilt coaches , and themselves dress'd in rich apparel , and the young gallants riding on praunsing horses upon embroidered foot-clothes , as she pass'd along the streets . she answered , they pleased her eyes for a time ; and that dressings were like bridal-houses , garnished and hung by some ingenious wit ; and their beauties like fine flowers drawn by the pencil of nature ; but being not gathered by acquaintance , said she , i know not whether they are vertuonsly sweet , or no ; as i pass by , i please my eye , yet no other ways than as upon sensless objects : they entice me not to stay ; and a short view satisfies the appetite of the senses , unless the rational and understanding part should be absent ; but to me they seem but moving-statues . well , said he , i hear there is a masque to be at court ; and i am resolved you shall go , if we can get in , to see it : for though i am old , and not fit to go , since my dancing-days are done ; yet i must get into some corner , to see how you behave your self . pray , said she , what is a masque ? he said , it is painted scenes , to represent the poets heavens and hells , their gods and devils , the clouds , sun , moon , and starrs : besides , they represent cities , castles , seas , fishes , rocks , mountains , beasts , birds , and what pleaseth the poet , painter , and surveyor . then there are actors , and speeches spoke , and musick ; and then lords or ladies come down in a scene , as from the clouds ; and after that , they begin to dance , and every one takes out one or other , according as they fancy . if a man takes out a woman , if she cannot , or will not dance , then she makes a curt'sie to the king , or queen , or chief grandee , if there be any one ; if not , to the upper end of the room ; then turns to the man , and makes another to him : then he leaves , or leads her to them she will take out ; and she doth the like to him , and then goeth to her place again . and the men do the same , if they will not dance ; and if they do dance , they do just so when the dance is ended ; and all the chief of the youths of the city ( or all those that have youthful minds , and love sights and fine clothes ) come to see it , or to shew themselves . then the room is made as light with candles , as if the sun shined ; and their glittering bravery makes as glorious a shew as his gilded beams . sir , said she , if there be such an assembly of nobles , beauty , and bravery , i shall appear so dull , that i shall be only fit to sit in the corner with you . besides , i shall be so out of countenance , that i shall not know how to behave my self ; for private breeding looks mean and ridiculous , i suppose , in publick assemblies of that nature , where none but the glories of the kingdom meet . ashamed , said he , for what ? you have stoln no body's goods , nor good names ; nor have you committed adultery ; for on my conscience you guess not what adultery is : nor have you murthered any ; nor have you betrayed any trust , or concealed a treason ; and then why should you be ashamed ? sir , said she , although i have committed none of those horrid sins ; yet i may commit errors through my ignorance , and so i may be taken notice of only for my follies . come , come , said he , all the errors you may commit ( although i hope you will commit none ) will be laid upon your youth ; but arm your self with confidence , for go you shall , and i will have you have some fine clothes , and send for dressers to put you in the best fashion . sir , said she , i have observed how ladies are dress'd when i pass the streets ; and , if you please to give me leave , i will dress my self according to my judgment ; and if you intend i shall go no more than once , let me not be extraordinary brave , lest liking me at first , and seeing me again they should condemn their former judgment , and i lose what was gained ; so i shall be like those that make a good assault , and a bad retreat . but , sir , said she , if you are pleased i shall shew my self to the most glorious , let me be ordered so , that i may gain more and more upon their good opinions . well , said her unkle , order your self as you please , for i am unskilled in that matter : besides , thou needest no adornments ; for nature hath adorn'd thee with a splendid beauty , another thing , is ( said he ) , we must remove our lodgings , for these are too mean to be known in ; wherefore , my steward shall go take a large house , and furnish it nobly ; and i will make you a fine coach , and take more servants , and women to wait upon you ; for , since you have a good estate , you shall live and take pleasure . but i will have no men-visitors but what are brought by my self : wherefore , entertain on masculine acquaintance , nor give them the least encouragement . sir , said she , my duty shall observe all your commands . when her unkle was gone , lord ( said she ) , what doth my unkle mean , to set me out to shew ? sure he means to traffick for a husband ; but heaven forbid those intentions , for i have no mind to marry . my unkle is wise , and kind , and studies for my good ; wherefore i submit , and could now chide my self for these questioning thoughts . now ( said she ) i am to consider how i shall be dress'd ; my unkle saith , i am handsome ; i will now try whether others think so as well as he ; for i fear my unkle is partial on my side : wherefore i will dress me all in black , and have no colours about me ; for if i be gay , i may be taken notice of for my clothes , and so be deceived , thinking it was for my person ; and i would gladly know the truth , whether i am handsome , or no ; for i have no skill in faces : so that i must judg of my self by the approbation of others eyes , and not by my own . but if i be ( said she ) thought handsome , what then ? why then ( answered she her self ) i shall be cryed up to be a beauty . and what then ? then i shall have all eyes stare upon me . and what am i the better , unless their eyes could infuse into my brain wit and understanding ? their eyes cannot enrich me with knowledg , nor give me the light of truth ; for i cannot see with their eyes , nor hear with their ears , no more than the meat which they do eat , can nourish me ; or rest when they do sleep . besides , i neither desire to make , nor catch lovers ; for i have an enmity against mankind , and hold them as my enemies ; which if it be a sin , heaven forgive , that i should for one man's neglect and perjury , condemn all that sex. but i find i have a little emulation , which breeds a desire to appear more beautiful than the duke's wife , who is reported to be very handsome : for i would not have the world say , he had an advantage by the change : thus i do not envy her , nor covet what she enjoys ; for i wish her all happiness : yet i would not have her happiness raised by my misfortunes , for charity begins at home ; and those that are unjust or cruel to themselves , will never be merciful and just to others . but , o my contemplations ! whither do you run ? i fear , not in an even path : for , though emulation is not envy , yet the bias leans to that side . but , said she , to this masque i must go ; my unkle hath press'd me to the warrs of vanity , where cupid is general , and leads up the train : but i doubt i shall hang down my head through shamefac'dness , like a young soldier when he hears the bullets flye about his ears : but , o confidence , thou goddess of good behaviour , assist me ! well , said she , i will practise against the day , and be in a ready posture . so , after two or three days , the masque was ; and she being ready to go , her unkle comes to her , and sees her dress'd all in black. he said , why have you put your self all in black ? sir , said she , i mourn like a young widow , for i have lost my husband . by my troth , said he , and it becomes thee : for , you appear like the sun when he breaks through a dark cloud . i would have you go veiled , says he ; for i would have you appear to sight only when you come into the masquing-room ; and after the masque is done , all the company will rise , as it were , together , and join into a croud ; then throw your hood over your face , and pass through them as soon as you can , and as obscure ; for i will not have you known , until we are in a more courtly equipage . so away they went , only he and she , without any attendants ; and when they came to enter through the door of the masquing-room , there was such a croud , and such a noise , the officers beating the people back , the women squeaking , and the men cursing ; the officers threatning , and the enterers praying , that so great a confusion made her afraid . lord , unkle , said she , what a horrid noise is here ? pray let us go back , and let us not put our selves unto this unnecessary trouble . o child , said he , camps and courts are never silent ; besides , where great persons are , there should be a thundering-noise , to strike their inferiors with a kind of terror and amazement : for poets say , fear and wonder makes gods. certainly , said she , there must be a great felicity in the sight of this masque , or else they would never take so much pains , and endure so great affronts , to obtain it . but pray unkle , said she , stay while they are all pass'd in . why then , said he , we must stay until the masque is done ; for there will be striving to get in , until such time as those within are coming out . but when they came near the door , her unkle spoke to the officer ; pray sir , said he , let this young lady in to see the masque . there is no room , said he ; there are more young ladies already , than the viceroy and all his courtiers can tell what to do with . this is a dogged fellow , said her unkle : whereupon he told her , she must put up her scarf , and speak her self ; for every one domineers in their office , though it doth not last two hours ; and are proud of their authority , though it be but to crack a lowse : wherefore you must speak . pray sir , said she to the door-keeper , if it be no injury to your authority , you will be so civil as to let us pass by . by my troth , said he , thou hast such a pleasing-face , none can deny thee : but now i look upon you better , you shall not go in . why sir , said she ? why , said he , you will make the painter and the poet lose their design ; for one expects to enter in at the ears of the assembly , the other at their eyes ; and your beauty will blind the one , and stop the other . besides , said he , all the ladies will curse me . heaven forbid , said she , i should be the cause of curses ; and to prevent that , i will return back again . nay , lady , said he , i have not the power to let you go back ; wherefore pray pass . sir , said she , i must have this gentleman along with me . even who you please , said he , i can deny you nothing : angels must be obeyed . when they came into the masquing-room , the house was full : now ( said her unkle ) i leave you to shift for your self ; and he went and crouded himself into a corner at the lower end . when the company was called to sit down , that the masque might be represented , every one was placed by their friends , or else they placed themselves . but she , being unaccustomed to those meetings , knew not how to dispose of her self ; and observing there was much justling and thrusting one another to get places , she consider'd she had not strength to scamble amongst them , and therefore she stood still . when they were all set , it was as if a curtain was drawn from before her , and she appeared like a glorious light ; whereat ali were struck with such a maze , that they forgot a great while the civility in offering her a place . at last , all the men ( which at such times sit opposite to the women , to view them the better ) rose up , striving every one to serve her . but the vice-roy bid them all sit down again , and called for a chair for her . but few looked on the masque , for looking on her ; especially the vice-roy and duke , whose eyes were rivetted to her face . when the masquers were come down to dance , ( who were all women , the chief of them being the daughter of the vice-roy , who was a widower , and she was his only child ) they took out such men as their fancy pleased , and then they sate down ; after which , one of the chief of the men chose out a lady , and so began to dance in single couples ; the duke being the chief that did dance , chose out this beauty , not knowing who she was , nor she him : but when she danced , it was so becoming ! for , she had naturally a majestical presence , although her behaviour was easie and free ; and a severe countenance , yet modest and pleasing ; and great skill in the art , keeping her measures just to the notes of musick ; moving smoothly , evenly , easily ; that it made her astonish all the company . the vice-roy sent to enquire who she was , and what she was , and from whence she came , and where she lived ; but the enquirer could learn nothing . but as soon as the masque was done , she was sought about for , and enquired after ; but she was gone , not to be heard of ; whereupon many did think she was a vision , or some angel , which appear'd , and then vanished away : for , she had done as her unkle had commanded her , which was , to convey her self as soon away as she could , covering her self close : so home they went , and her unkle was very much pleased to see the sparks of her beauty had set their tinder-hearts on fire . but as she went home , she enquired of her unkle of the company : pray sir , said she , was the duke or duchess there ? i cannot tell , said he ; for my eyes were wholly taken up in observing your behaviour , that i never considered or took notice who was there . who was he that first took me out to dance , said she ? i cannot tell that neither , said he ; for i only took the length of your measures ; and what through a fear you should be out , and dance wrong , and with joy to see you dance well , i never considered whether the man you danced with , moved or no , nor what he was : but now i am so confident of you , that the next assembly i will look about , and inform you as much as i can : so home they went but her beauty had left such stings behind it , especially in the breast of the vice-roy and the duke , that they could not rest . neither was she free ; for she had received a wound , but knew not of it ; her sleeps were unsound , for they indeed were slumbers rather than sleeps ; her dreams were many and various : but her lovers , that could neither slumber nor sleep , began to search , and to make an enquiry ; but none could bring tidings where she dwelt , nor who she was . the vice-roy cast about to attain the sight of her once again . so he made a great ball , and provided a great banquet , to draw an assembly of all young ladies to his court ; which her unkle understanding , told his neece she must prepare to shew her self once again ; for i will ( said he ) the next day after this ball , remove to our new house . sir , said she , i must have another new gown . as many as thou wilt , said he , and as rich ; i will also buy you jewels . no sir , said she , pray spare that cost ; for they are only to be worn at such times of assemblies , which i shall not visit often , for fear i tire the courtly spectators , which delight in new faces , as they do in new scenes . so her unkle left her to order her self ; who dressed her self this time all in white sattin , embroidered all over with silver . when her unkle saw her so dress'd ; now by my troth , thou lookest like a heaven stuck with starrs ; but thy beauty takes off the gloss of thy bravery : now , said he , you shall not go veiled ; for thy beauty shall make thy way : besides , we will not go too soon , nor while they are in disorder ; but when they are all placed , you will be the more remarkable . the cavaliers ( especially the duke , and the vice-roy ) began to be melancholy , for fear she should not come : their eyes were always placed at the doors , like centinels , to watch her entrance ; and when she came to the court , all the crouds of people , as in a fright , started back , as if they were surprised with some divine object ; making a lane , in which she pass'd through ; and the keepers of the doors were struck mute , there was no resistance , all was open and free to enter . but when she came in , into the presence of the lords and ladies , all the men rose up , and bowed themselves to her , as if they had given her divine worship ; only the duke , who trembled so much ( occasioned by the passion of love ) that he could not stir ; but the vice-roy went to her . lady , said he , will you give me leave to place you ? your highness , said she , will do me too much honour . so he called for a chair , and placed her next himself ; and when she was set ; she produced the same effects as a burning-glass ; for the beams of all eyes were drawn together as to one point , placed in her face ; and by reflection she sent a burning heat , and fired every heart . but he could not keep her ; for as soon as they began to dance , she was taken out , not by the duke , for he had not recovered as yet love's shaking-sit . the young gallants chose her but too often to dance ; for every one took it for a disgrace not to have the honour to dance with her ; insomuch that few of the other ladies danced at all , as being creatures not worthy to be regarded whilst she was there . the vice-roy , fearing they should tire her ( for she durst not deny them , by reason it would be thought an affront , and rude , or want of breeding ) call'd sooner for the banquet than otherwise he would have done . besides , he perceived the rest of the ladies began to be angry , expressing it by their frowns : and knowing nothing will so soon pacifie that bitter humour in ladies , as sweet-meats , he had them brought in . but when the banquet came in , he presented her the first with some of those sweet-meats , still filling her ears with complements , or rather chosen words , for no complement could pass on her beauty , it was so beyond all expressions . at last he asked her where her lodging was , and whether she would give him leave to wait upon her ? she answered him , it would be a great grace and favour to receive a visit from him ; but , said she , i am not at my own disposing : wherefore i can neither give , nor reccive , without leave . pray , said he , may i know who is this happy person you so humbly obey ? she said , it is my unkle , with whom i live . where doth he live , said he ? truly , said she , i cannot tell the name of the street . is he not here , lady , said he ? yes , said she , and pointed to him . and though he was loath , yet he was forced to leave her so long , as to speak with her unkle : but the whilst he was from her , all the young gallants , which were gathered round about her , presented her with sweet-meats , as offerings to a goddess ; and she , making them curt'sies , return'd them thanks for that she was not able to receive , as being too great a burthen ; for she was offer'd more sweet-meats than one of the vice-roy's guard could carry . but all the while the duke stood as a statue , his eyes were fix'd only upon her ; nor had he power to speak ; and she perceiving where he was ( for her eyes had secretly hunted him out ) , did as often look upon him , as her modesty would give her leave ; and desired much to know who he was , but was ashamed to ask . at last the duke , being a little encouraged by her eye , came to her . lady , said he , i am afraid to speak , lest i should seem rude by my harsh discourse : for there is not in the alphabet , words gentle nor smooth enough for your soft ears , but what your tongue doth polish ; yet i hope you will do as the rest of the gods and goddesses , descend to mortals , since they cannot reach to you . sir , said she , but that i know it is the courtly-custom for men to express their civilities to our sex in the highest words , otherwise i should take it as an affront , and scorn to be called by those names i understand not , and to be likened to that which cannot be comprehended . the duke said , you cannot be comprehended ; nor do your lovers know what destiny you have decreed them . the vice-roy came back with her unkle , who desired to have his neece home , the banquet being ended . but when the duke saw her unkle , he then apprehending who she was , was so struck , that what with guilt of conscience , and with repenting-forrow , he was ready to fall down dead . her unkle , seeing him talking to her , spoke thus to the duke : sir , said he , you may spare your words , for you cannot justifie your unworthy deeds . whereat she turned as pale as death , her spirits being gathered to guard the heart , being in distress , as overwhelmed with passion . but the bussle of the croud helped to obscure her change , as well as it did smuther her unkle's words , which pierced none but the duke's ears , and hers . the vice-roy taking her by the hand , led her to the coach , and all the gallants attended ; whereat the ladies , that were left behind in the room , were so angry , that they shoot forth words like bullets , with the fire of anger , wounding every man with reproach ; and at the vice-roy they sent out whole volleys , which battered his reputation . but as for the young lady , they did appoint a place of purpose to dissect her , reading satyrical lectures upon every part , with the hard terms of dispraises . so all being dispersed , the vice-roy long'd for that seasonable hour to visit her . but the duke wish'd there were neither time nor life : i cannot hope ( said he ) for mercy , my fault is too great ; nor can i live or dye in quiet , without it ; and the miseries and torments of despairing-lovers , will be my punishment . the old gentleman was so pleased to see his neece admired , that as he went home , he did nothing but sing after a humming way ; and was so frolick , as if he were returned to twenty years of age : and after he came home , he began to examine his neece : how do you like the duke , said he ? for that was he that was speaking to you when i came . she answered , that she saw nothing to be disliked in his person . and how ( said he ) do you like the vice-roy ? as well ( said she ) as i can like a thing that time hath worn out of fashion . so , said he , i perceive you despise age : but let me tell you , that what beauty and favour time takes from the body , he gives double proportions of knowledg and understanding to the mind . you use to preach to me , the outside is not to be regarded ; and i hope you will not preach that doctrine to others that you will not follow your self . sir , said she , i shall be ruled by your doctrine , and not by my own . then , said he , i take my text out of virtue , which is divided into four parts , prudence , fortitude , temperance , and justice . prudence is to foresee the worst , and provide the best we can for our selves , by shunning the dangerous ways , and chusing the best . and my application is , that you must shun the dangerous ways of beauty , and chuse riches and honour , as the best for your self . fortitude is to arm our selves against misfortunes , and to strengthen our forts with patience , and to fight with industry . my application of this part is , you must barricado your ears , and not suffer , by listning , the enticing perswasions of rhetorick to enter : for if it once get into the brain , it will easily make a passage to the heart , or blow up the tower of reason , with the fire of foolish love. temperance is to moderate the appetites , and qualifie the unruly passions . my third application is , you must marry a discreet and sober man , a wise and understanding man , a rich and honourable man , a grave and aged man ; and not be led by your appetites , to marry a vain fantastical man , a proud conceited man , a wild debauched man , a foolish prodigal , a poor shark , or a young unconstant man. fourthly and lastly , is justice , which is to be divided according to right and truth , to reward and punish according to desert , to deal with others as we would be dealt unto . and my last application is , that you should take such counsel , and follow such advice from your friends , as you would honestly give to a faithful friend , as the best for him , without any ends to your self ; and so good-night , for you cannot chuse but be very sleepy . when he was gone , lord ! said she , this doctrine , although it was full of morality , yet in this melancholy humour i am in , it sounds like a funeral-sermon to me : i am sure it is a preamble to some design he hath ; pray god it be not to marry me to the vice-roy : of all the men i ever saw , i could not affect him ; i should more willingly wed death than him ; he is an antipathy to my nature . good jupiter , said she , deliver me from him . so she went to bed , not to sleep , for she could take little rest ; for her thoughts worked as fast as a feverish pulse . but the vice-roy came the next day , and treated with her unkle , desiring her for his wife . her unkle told him , it would be a great fortune for his neece , but he could not force her affection : but , said he , you shall have all the assistance that the power and authority of an unkle , and the perswasions as a friend , can give , to get her consent to marry you . pray , said the vice-roy , let me see her , and discourse with her . he desired to excuse him , if he suffered him not to visit her : for , said he , young women that are disposed by their friends , must wed without wooing . but he was very loth to go without a sight of her : yet pacifying himself with the hopes of having her to his wife , he presented his service to her , and took his leave . then her unkle sate in counsel with his thoughts , how he should work her affection , and draw her consent to marry this vice roy ; for he found she had no stomack towards him . at last he thought it best to let her alone for a week , or such a time , that the smooth faces of the young gallants that she saw at the masque and ball , might be worn out of her mind . in the mean time she grew melancholy , her countenance was sad , her spirits seemed dejected , her colour faded ; for she could eat no meat , nor take any rest ; neither could she study nor practise her exercises , dancing and musick was laid by ; and she could do nothing , but walk'd from one end of the room to the other ; where her eyes fix'd upon the ground , she would sigh and weep , and knew not for what ; but at last spoke thus to her self : surely an evil fate hangs over me ; for i am so dull , as if i were a piece of earth , without sense ; yet i am not sick , i do not find my body destempered : then surely it is in my mind ; and what should disturb that ? my unkle loves me , and is as fond of me as ever he was : i live in plenty ; i have as much pleasure and delight as my mind can desire . o but the vice-roy affrights it ! there is the cause : and yet methinks that cannot be , because i do verily believe my unkle will not force me to marry against my affections : besides , the remembrance of him seldom comes into my mind ; for my mind is so full of thoughts of the duke , that there is no other room left for any other : my fancy orders , places , and dresses him a thousand several ways . and thus have i thousand several figures of him in my head ; heaven grant i be not in love ; i dare not ask any one that hath been in love , what humours that passion hath . but why should i be in love with him ? i have seen as handsome men as he , that i would not take the pains to look on twice : and yet when i call him better to mind , he is the handsomest i ever saw . but what is a handsome body , unless he hath a noble soul ? he is perjured and inconstant ; alas , it was the fault of his father to force him to swear against his affections whilst she was reasoning thus to her self , in came her unkle , who told her , he had provided her a good husband . sir , said she , are you weary of me ? or , am i become a burthen , you so desire to part with me , in giving me to a husband ? nay , said he , i will never part ; for i will end the few remainder of my days with thee . she said , you give your power , authority , and commands , with my obedience , away : for , if my husband and your commands are contrary , i can obey but one , which must be my husband . good reason , said he ; and for thy sake i will be commanded too : but , in the mean time , i hope you will be ruled by me ; and here is a great match propounded to me for you , the like i could not have hoped for , which is the vice-roy ; he is rich . yet , said she , he may be a fool. o he is wise and discreet , said he . i have heard , said she , he is ill-natured and froward . her unkle answered , he is in great power and authority . he may be ( said she ) never the honester for that . he is ( said he ) in great favour with the king. sir , said she , princes and monarchs do not always favour the most deserving ; nor do they always advance men for merit ; but most commonly otherwise , the unworthiest are advanced highest : besides , bribery , partiality , and flattery , rule princes and states . her unkle said , let me advise you not to use rhetorick against your self , and overthrow a good fortune , in refusing such a husband as shall advance your place above that false duke's duchess ; and his estate , with yours joined to it , will be greater than his ; with which you shall be served nobly , attended with numbers of servants , live plentifully , adorned richly , have all the delights and pleasures your soul can desire ; and he , being in years , will dote on you : besides , he having had experience of vain debaucheries , is become staid and sage . sir , said she , his age will be the means to barr me of all these braveries , pleasures , and delights , you propound ; for he , being old , and i young , will become so jealous , that i shall be in restraint , like a prisoner ; nay , he will be jealous of the light , and of my own thoughts , and will enclose me in darkness , and disturb the peace of my mind , with his discontents : for jealousie , i have heard , is never at quiet with it self , nor to those that live near it . come , come , said he , you talk you know not what : i perceive you would marry some young , fan'tastical , prodigal fellow , who will give you only diseases , and spend your estate , and his own too , amongst his whores , bawds , and sycophants : whilst you sit mourning at home , he will be revelling abroad ; and then disturb your rest , coming home at unseasonable times : and if you must suffer , you had better suffer by those that love , than those that care not for you : for , jealousie is only an overflow of love. wherefore be ruled , and let not all my pains , care , and cost , and the comfort of my labour , be lost through your disobedience . sir , said she , i am bound in gratitude and duty to obey your will , were it to sacrifice my life , or the tranquillity of my mind , on the altar of your commands . in the mean time , the duke was so discontented and melancholy , that he excluded himself from all company , suffering neither his duchess , nor any friend , to visit him , nor come near him ; only one old servant to wait upon him : all former delights , pleasures , and recreations , were hateful to him , even in the remembrance , as if his soul and body had taken a surfeit thereof . at last , he resolved she should know what torment he suffered for her sake ; and since he could not see , nor speak to her , he would send her a letter . he called for pen , ink , and paper , and wrote after this manner : madam , the wrath of the gods is not only pacified , and they do not only pardon the greatest sins that can be committed against them , taking to mercy the contrite heart ; but give blessings for repentant tears ; and i hope you will not be more severe than they : let not your justice be too rigid , lest you become cruel . i confess , the sins committed against you , were great , and deserve great punishment : but if all your mercies did flye from me , yet if you did but know the torments i suffer , you could not chuse but pity me ; and my sorrows are of that weight , that they will press away my life , unless your favours take off the heavy burthen . but bomsoever , pray let your charity give me a line or two of your own writing , though they strangle me with death ; then will my soul lye quiet in the grave , because i dyed by your hand ; and when i am dead , let not the worst of my actions live in your memory , but cast them into oblivion , where i wish they may for ever remain . the gods protect you . sealing this letter , he gave it to his man to carry with all the secrefie he could ; bidding him to enquire which of her women was most in her favour , and to pray her to deliver it to her mistress when she was all alone , and to tell the maid , he would be in the street to wait her command . the man found such access as he could wish ; and the letter was delivered to the lady ; which when she had read , and found from whom it came , her passions were so mix'd , that she knew not whether to joy or grieve ; she joy'd to live in his thoughts , yet griev'd to live without him ; having no hopes to make him lawfully hers , nor so much as to see or speak to him , her unkle was so averse against him ; and the greatest grief was , to think she must be forced to become anothers , when she had rather be his , though once forsaken by him , than to be beloved by another with constancy . then musing with her self for some time , considering whether it was fit to answer his letter or no ; if my unkle should come to know ( said she ) i write to him without his leave ( which leave i am sure he will never give ) , i shall utterly lose his affection ; and i had rather lose my life , than lose his love : but if i do not write , i shall seem as if i were of a malicious nature , which will beget an evil construction of my disposition in that mind , in whose good opinion i desire to live . if i believe , as charity and love perswades me , that he speaks truth , i shall endanger his life ; and i would be loth to murther him with nice scruples , when i am neither forbid by honour nor modesty , religion nor laws , to save him . well , i will adventure , and ask my unkle pardon when i have done . my unkle is not of a tyger's nature , he is gentle , and a pardon may be gotten : but life , when once it is gone , will return no more . then taking pen , ink , and paper , writ to him after this manner : sir , i am obedient , as being once tied to you , until you did cut me off , and throw me away as a worthless piece , only fit to be trodden under the feet of disgrace ; and certainly had perished with shame , and been left destitute , had not my unkle own'd me . and though you are pleased to cast some thoughts back upon me , yet it is difficult for me to believe , that you that did once scorn me , should humbly come to sue to me : and i fear you do this for sport , angling with the bait of deceit , to catch my innocent youth . but i am not the first of my sex , nor i fear shall not be the last , that has been , and will be deceived by men , who glory in their treacherous victories ; and if you beset me with stratagems , kill me outright , and lead me not a prisoner , to set out your triumph . if you have warrs with your conscience , or fancy , or both , interrupting the peace of your mind , as your letter expresses ; i should willingly return to your side , and be your advocate : but the fates have destin'd it otherwise . and yet what unhappy fortune soever befalls me , i wish yours may be good . heavens keep you . here , said she , give the man that brought me the letter , this . the man returning to his lord so soon , made him believe he had not delivered her his letter . well , said the duke , you have not delivered my letter ? yes , but i have , said he , and brought you an answer . why , said the duke , it is impossible , you staid so short a time ! then , said he , i have wrought a miracle , or you did lengthen my journey in your conceits with the foul ways of dissiculties . i hope , said the duke , thou art so blessed , as to make as prosperous a journey , as a quick dispatch . leave me a while , said he , till i call you . but when he went to open the letter , time brings not more weakness , said he , than fear doth to me ; for my hands shake as if i had the palsie ; and my eyes are so dim , that spectacles will hardly enlarge my sight . but when he had read the letter , joy gave him a new life . here , said he , she plainly tells me , she would be mine : she saith , she would return to my side , if the fates had not destin'd against it ; by which she means , her unkle is against me . well if i can but once get access , i shall be happy for ever . so after he had blessed himself in reading the letter many times over , i will ( said he ) strengthen my self to be able to go abroad , for as yet i am but weak ; and calling to hisman , he bid him get him something to eat . did your grace , said the man , talk of eating ? yes , answered the duke , for i am hungry . by my troth , said the man , i had thought your hands , mouth , appetite , and stomack , had made a bargain ; the one , that it never would desire meat nor drink : the other , that it would digest none : the third , that it would receive none : and the fourth , that it would offer none : for on my conscience you have not eat the quantity of the pestle of a lark this week ; and you are become so weak , that if a boy should wrestle with you , he would have the better . you are deceived , said the duke ; i am so strong , and my spirits so active , that i would beat two or three such old fellows as thou art ; and to prove it , i will beat thee with one hand . no pray , said he , i will believe your grace , and leave your active grace for a time to fetch you some food . when his man came in with the meat , he found the duke a dancing . i helieve , said he , you carry your body very leight , having no heavy burthens of meat in your stomack . i am so airy , said the duke , as i will caper over thy head. by my troth , said he , then i shall let fall your meat out of my hands , for fear of your heels . whist the duke was at his meat , he talkt to his man : why hast thou lived an old batchelor , and never married ? o sir , said he , wives are too chargeable . why , said the duke , are you so poor ? no , sir , answered he , women are so vain ; and do not only spend their husbands estates , but make his estate a bawd to procure love servants ; so as his wealth serves only to buy him a pair of horns . prithee let me perswade thee to marry , and i will direct thee to whom thou shalt go a wooing . troth sir , i would venture , if there had been any example to encourage me . why , what do you think of my marriage ? do not i live happily ? yes , said he , when your duchess and you are asunder ; but when you meet , it is like jupiter and juno ; you make such a thundring noise , as it frights your mortal servants , thinking you will dissolve our world ( your family ) ; consuming your hospitality by the fire of your wrath ; rouling up the clouds of smoaky vapour from boil'd-beef , as a sheet of parchment . when you were a batchelor , we lived in the golden age ; but now it is the iron age , and doomsday draws near . i hope , saith the duke , thou art a prophet ; but when doomsday is past , you shall live in paradice . in my conscience , sir , said he , fortune hath mis-match'd you ; for surely nature did never intend to join you as man and wife , you are of such different humours . well , said the duke , for all your railing against women , you shall go a wooing , if not for your self , yet for me . sir , said he , i shall refuse no office that your grace shall employ me in . go your ways , said the duke , to that lady's maid you gave the letter to , and present her with a hundred pounds , and tell her , if she can help me to the speech of her lady , you will bring her a hundred pounds more ; and if you find her nice , and that she says , she dares not ; offer her five hundred pounds , or more ; and so much , until you have out-bribed her cautious fears . sir , said the man , if you send her many of these presents , i will woo for my self , as well as for your grace : wherefore , by your grace's leave , i will spruce up my self before i go , and trim my beard , and wash my face ; and who knows but i may speed ? for i perceive it is a fortunate year for old men to win young maids affections ; for they say , the vice-roy is to be married to the sweetest young beautifullest lady in the world ; and he is very old , and ( in my opinion ) not so handsome as i am . with that , the duke turned pale . nay , said the man , your grace hath no cause to be troubled , for 't is a lady you have refused : wherefore he hath but your leavings . with that the duke up with his hand , and gave him a box on the ear ; thou lyest , said he , he must not marry her . nay , said the man , that is as your grace can order the business : but your grace is a just performer of your word ; for you have tried your strength , and have beaten me with one hand . the duke walked about the room ; and after he had pacified himself , at last spoke to his man : well ( said he ) , if you be prosperous , and can win the maid to direct me the way to speak to her lady , i will cure the blow with crowns . sir , said he , i will turn you my other cheek , to box that , if you please . go away , said the duke , and return as soon as you can . sir , said he , i will return as soon as my business is done , or else i shall lose both pains and gains : good fortune be my guide , said he , and then i am sure of the world's favour : for they that are prosperous , shall never want friends . although he were a coward , a knave , or a fool ; the world shall call , nay , think him , valiant , honest , and wife . sir , said he to the duke , pray flatter fortune , and offer some prayers and praises to her deity in my behalf , though it be but for your own sake ; for he that hath not a feeling interest in the business , can never pray with a strong devotion for a good success ; but their prayers will be so sickly and weak , that they can never travel up far , but fall back , as it were , in a swoun , without sense . in the mean time the vice-roy and the unkle had drawn up articles , and had concluded of the match , without the young lady's consent : but the unkle told her afterwards , she must prepare her self to be the vice-roy's bride : and , said he , if you consent not , never come near me more , for i will disclaim all the interest of an unkle , and become your enemy . his words were like so many daggers , that were struck to her heart ; for her grief was too great for tears . but her maid , who had ventured her lady's anger for gold , had conveyed the duke into such a place , as to go into her chamber when he pleased . he seeing her stand , as it were , without life or sense , but as a statue carved in a stone , went to her ; which object brought her out of a muse , but struck her with such a maze , as she fixt her eyes upon him as on some wonder ; and standing both silent for a time , at last she spake : sir , said she , this is not civilly done , to come without my leave , or my unkle's knowledg ; nor honourably done , to come ( like a thief in the night ) to surprise me . madam ( said he ) , love , that is in danger to lose what he most adores , will never consider persons , time , place , nor difficulty , but runs to strengthen and secure his side , fights and assaults all that doth oppose him : and i hear you are to be married to the vice-roy ; but if you do marry him , i will strive to make you a widow the first hour , cutting your vows asunder ; and your husband , instead of his bride , shall embrace death ; and his grave shall become his wedding-bed , or i will lye there my self , shrowded in my winding-sheet , from the hated-sight of seeing or knowing you to be anothers . but if knowledg lives in the grave , think not your self secure when i am dead ; for if ghosts ( as some imagine ) can rise from the earth , mine shall visit you , and fright you from delights ; and never leave you , until you become a subject in death's kingdom . but if you are cruel , and take delight to have your bridal-health drunk in blood , marry him , where perchance we may be both dead-drunk with that warm red liquor . sir , answered she , it is an unheard-of malice to me , or an impudent and vain-glorious pride in you , neither to own me your self , nor let another ; but would have me wander , that the world may take notice , and say , this is your forsaken maid ; and i live to be scorned , and become friendless : for my unkle will never own me ; which will prove as a proclamation to proclaim me a traitor to gratitude and natural affection , by committing the treason of disobedience . the duke said , you cannot want an owner whilst i live ; for i had , nor have , more power to resign the interest i have in you , than kings to resign their crowns that come by succession ; for the right lies in the crown , not in the man : and though i have played the tyrant , and deserved to be uncrowned ; yet none ought to take it off my head , but death : nor have i power to throw it from my self ; death only must make way for a successor . then said she , i must dye , that your duchess may have right , and a free possession . nay , said he , you , must claim your own just interest , and place your self where you should be . what is that , said she ? go to law for you ? yes , said he . if i be cast , said she , it will be a double shame . you cannot plead , and be condemned , said he , if justice hears your cause : and though most of the actions of my life have been irregular , yet they were not so much corrupted or misruled by nature , as for want of good education , and through the ignorance of my youth : but time hath made me see my errors . and though your beauty is very excellent , and is able to enamour the dullest sense ; yet it is not that alone disturbs the peace of my mind , but the being conscious of my fault ; which unless you pardon and restore me to your favour , i shall never be at rest . i wish there were no greater obstacle ( said she ) than my pardon , to your rest : for i should absolve you soon ; and sleep should not be more gentle , and soft on your eyes , than peace to your mind , if i could give it ; but my unkle's dislike may prove as fearful dreams to disturb it : though indeed , if his anger were like dreams , it would vanish away ; but i doubt it is of too thick a body for a vision . the duke said , we will both kneel to your unkle , and plead at the barr of either ear : i will confess my fault at one ear , whilst you ask pardon for me at the other : and though his heart were steel , your words will dissolve it into compassion , whilst my tears mix the ingredients . my unkle , said she , hath agreed with the vice-roy ; and his word hath sealed the bond , which he will never break . the duke said , i will make the vice-roy to break the bargain himself , and then your unkle is set free : besides , you are mine , and not your unkle's ; unless you will prove my enemy to deny me ; and i will plead for my right . heaven direct you for the best , said she ; it is late , good-night . you will give me leave , said he , to kiss your hand ? i cannot deny my hand , said she , to him that hath my heart . the next day the duke went to the vice-roy , and desired to have a private hearing , about a business that concerned him : and when he had him alone , he shut the door , and drew his sword ; which when the vice-roy saw , he began to call for help . call not , nor make a noise ; if you do , hell take me , said the duke , i 'le run you through . what mean you , said the vice-roy , to give me such a dreadful visit ? i come , said the duke , to ask you a question , to forbid you an act , and to have you grant me my demand . the vice-roy said , the question must be resolvable , the act just , the demand possible . they are so , said the duke : my question is , whether you resolve to be married to the lady delicia . yes , answered he . the act forbidden is , you must not marry her . why , said the vice-roy ? because ( said he ) she is my wife ; and i have been married to her almost nine years . why , said he , you cannot have two wives ? no , said he , i will have but one , and that shall be she . and what is your demand ? my demand is , that you will never marry her . how , says the vice-roy ? put the case you should die , you will then give me leave to marrie her ? no , said the duke ; i love her too well , to leave a possibility of her marrying you . i will sooner die , than set my hand to this , said the vice-roy . if you do not , you shall die a violent death , by heaven , answered he ; and more than that , you shall set your hand never to complain against me to the king : will you do it ? or will you not ? for i am desperate said the duke . the vice-roy said , you strike the king in striking me . no disputing , says he ; set your hand presently , or i will kill you . do you say , you are desperate ? yes , answered he . then i must do a desperate act , to set my hand to a bond i mean to break . use your own discretion , to that . come , said he , i will set my hand before i read it ; for whatsoever it is , it must be done . after he set his hand , he read . here i do vow to heaven , never to woo the lady delicia , nor to take her to wife : whereunto i set my hand . to this paper too , said the duke . here i do vow to heaven , never to take revenge , nor to complain of the duke to the king my master : whereunto i set my hand . the duke said , i take my leave ; rest you in peace , sir. and the devil torment you , said the vice-roy ! o fortune ! i could curse thee , with thy companions , the fates ; not only in cutting off my happiness , in the enjoying of so rare a beauty ; but in stopping the passages to a sweet revenge . and though i were sure there were both gods and devils , yet i would break my vow ; for the one are pacified by prayers and praises , and the other terrified with threats . but o! the disgrace from our fellow-creatures ( mankind ) , sets closer to the life , than the skin to the flesh : for , if the skin be flea'd off , a new one will grow again , making the body appear younger than before : but if a man be flea'd once of his reputation , he shall never regain it ; and his life will be always bare and raw , and malice and envy will torment it , with the stings of ill tongues ; which to avoid , i must close with this duke in a seeming-friendship , and not defie him as an open enemy , lest he should divulge my base acts done by my cowardly fear : but they are fools that would not venture their reputations , to save their life , rather than to dye an honourable death , as they call it ; which is , to dye to gain a good opinion ; and what shall it avail them ? a few praises ; it will be said , he was a valiant man : and what doth the valiant get ? is he ever the better ? no , he is tumbled into the grave , and his body rots , and turns to dust ; all the clear distinguishing senses , the bright flaming appetites , are quenched out : but if they were not , there is no fuel in the grave to feed their fire ; for death is cold , and the grave barren : besides , there is no remembrance in the grave , all is forgotten ; they cannot rejoice at their past gallant actions , or remember their glorious triumphs ; but the only happiness is , that as there is no pleasure in the grave , so there is no pain : but , to give up life before nature requires it , is to pay a subsidy before we are tax'd ; or to yeeld up our liberties before we are prisoners : and who are wise that shall do so ? no , let fools run head-long to death , i will live as long as i can ; and not only live , but live easily , freely , and as pleasantly as i can . wherefore , to avoid this man's mischiefs ( which lyes to entrap my life ) , i will agree with him ; and i had rather lose the pleasures of one woman , than all other pleasures , with my life : but from a secret mischief he shall not escape , if i can prevail : for i perceive this duke , since he can have but one wife , intends to set up a seraglio of young wenches ; and , by my troth , he begins with a fair one ; and whilst he courts his mistress , i mean to woo his wife ; for he hath not sworn me from that : so that my revenge shall be , to make him a cuckold . so the vice-roy went to the duchess ; and after he had made his complemental-addresses , they began to talk more seriously . madam , said he , how do you like the rare beauty , which your husband doth admire so much , that he is jealous of all that look on her , and would extinguish the sight of all mens eyes , but his own ; and challenges all that make love to her ; and threatens ruin and murther to those that pretend to marry her ? she answered , if he be so enamoured , i shall not wonder now that my beauty is thought dead , my embraces cold , my discourse dull , my company troublesome to him , since his delight is abroad . but , said she , i am well served ; i was weary of my old husband , and wished him dead , that i might marry a young one : i abhorred his old age , that was wise and experienced ; despised his gray hairs , that should have been reverenced with respect . o what happiness i rejected , that i might have enjoyed ! for he admired my beauty , praised my wit , gave me my will , observed my humour , sought me pleasures , took care of my health , desired my love , proud of my favours ; my mirth was his musick , my smiles were his heaven , my frowns were his hell : whenas this man thinks me a chain that enslaves him ; a shipwrack , wherein all his happiness is drown'd ; a famine to his hopes , a plague to his desires , a hell to his designs , and a devil to damn his fruitions . nay certainly , said he , that woman is the happiest that marries an ancient man ; for he adores her virtue , more than her beauty ; and his love continues , though her beauty be gone ; he sets a price of worth upon the honour and reputation of his wife ; uses her civilly , and gives her respect , as gallant men ought to do to a tender sex ; which makes others to do the like : when a young man thinks it a gallantry , and a manly action , to use his wife rudely , and worse than his lacquey ; to command imperiously , to neglect despisingly , making her the drudg in his family , flinging words of disgrace upon her ; making her , with scorn , the mirth and pastime , in his idle and foolish discourse amongst his vain and base companions ; when an ancient man makes his wife the queen of his family , his mistress in his courtship , his goddess in his discourse ; giving her praise , applauding her actions , magnifying her nature ; her safety is the god of his courage ; her honour the world to his ambition ; her pleasure his only industry ; her maintenance the mark for his prudence ; her delights are the compass by which he sails ; her love his voyage ; her advice his oracle : and doing this , he doth honour to himself , by setting a considerable value upon what is his own : when youth regards not the temper of her dispotion , slights her noble nature , grows weary of her person , condemns her counsels , and is afraid his neighbour should think his wife wiser than himself ; which is the mark of a fool , and a disease most men have ( being married young ) . but a man in years is solid in his counsels , sober in his actions , graceful in his behaviour , wise in his discourse , temperate in his life , and appears ( as nature hath made him ) masculine . whereas a young man is rash in his counsels , desperate in his actions , wild in his behaviour , vain in his discourses , debauch'd in his life ; and appears not like his sex , but effeminate . a fair forehead , and a smooth skin ; a rosie cheek , and a ruby lip ; wanton eyes , and a flattering tongue , are unmanly ; appearing like women or boys , let them be never so valiant ; and as if they would sooner suffer the whip , than handle the sword. in an ancient man , every wrinkle is a trench made by time , wherein lies experience to secure the life from errors ; and their eyes are like active soldiers , who bow and sink down by the over-heavy burthens of their spoils , which are several objects that the sight carries into the brain , and delivers to the understanding , as trophies , to hang up in the magazine of the memory . his white hairs are the flage of peace , that time hangs out on the walls of wisdom , that advice and counsel may come to and fro safely . nay , the very infirmities of age , seem manly ; his seeble legs look as if they had been over-tired with long marches , in seeking out his foes ; and his palsey-hands , or head , the one seems as if they had been often used in beating of their enemies ; and the other in watching , as if they knew not what rest meant . sir , said the duchess , you commend aged husbands , and dispraise young ones , with such rhetorick , torick , as i wish the one , and hate the other ; and in pursuit of my hate , i will cross my husband's amours as much as i can . in the mean time , the duke was gone to the old gentleman , the young lady's unkle ; who when he saw him enter , he started , as if he had seen an evil he desired to shun . sir , said he , what unlucky occasion brought you into my house ? first , repentance ( answered the duke ) , and then love ; and lastly , my respect , which i owe as a duty . my repentance begs a forgiveness : my love offers you my advice and good counsel : my respect forewarns you of dangers and troubles , that may come by the marriage of your neece to the vice-roy . why , what danger ( said he ) can come in marrying my neece to a wise , honourable , rich , and powerful man , and a man that loves and admires her , that honours and respects me ? but , said the duke , put the case he be a covetous , jealous , froward , ill-natured , and base cowardly man , shall she be happy with him ? but he is not so , said he . but , answered the duke , if i can prove him so , will you marry her to him ? pray , said he , spare your proofs of him , since you cannot prove your self an honest man. sir , said the duke , love makes me endure a reproach patiently , when it concerns the beloved : but though it endures a reproach , it cannot endure a rival . why , said the old gentleman , i hope you do not challenge an interest in my neece . yes , said the duke , but i do ; and will maintain that interest with the power of my life , and never will quit it , till death ; and if my ghost could fight for her , it should . heaven bless my neece , said the old gentleman ! what is your design against her ? is it not enough to fling a disgrace of neglect on her , but you must ruin all her good fortunes ? is your malice so inveterate against my family , that you strive to pull it up by the roots , to cast it into the ditch of oblivion , or to fling it on the dunghill of scorn ? the duke said , my design is , to make her happy , if i can ; and will oppose all those that hinder her felicity , disturbing the content and peace of her mind : for , she cannot love this man ; besides , he disclaims her , and vows never to marry her . sir , said the gentleman , i desire you to depart from my house , for you are a plague to me , and bring an evil infection . sir , said the duke , i will not go out of your house , nor depart from you , until you have granted my request . why , said the gentleman , you will not threaten me . no , said the duke , i do petition you . the gentleman said , if you have any quarrel to me , i shall answer it with my sword in my hand : for , though i have lost some strength with my years , yet i have not lost my courage ; and when my limbs can fight no longer , the heat of my spirits shall consume you : besides , an honourable death i far prefer before a baffled life . sir , said he , i come not to move your anger , but your pity ; the sorrows i am in ( for the injuries i have done you ) being extream great ; and if you will be pleased to take me into your favour , and assist me , by giving my wife ( your neece ) leave to claim the laws of marriage and right to me , all my life shall be studious to return gratitude , duty , and service , to you . yes , answered he , to divulge her disgrace , declaring your neglect in an open court , and to make my self a knave to break my promise . sir , said the duke , your disgrace by me , is not so much as you apprehend : but it will be a great disgrace , when it is known the vice-roy refuses her , as i can shew you his hand to it ; and if he deserts your neece , you are absolved of your promise made to him ; and to let you know this is a truth , here is his hand . the whilst the old gentleman was reading the papers , the vice-roy comes in . o sir , said he , you are timely come ! is this your hand , says he ? yes , answered the vice-roy . and do you think it is honourably done , said the gentleman ? why , said the vice-roy , would you have me marry another man's wife ? well , said the old gentleman , when your vice-roy-ship is out ( as it is almost ) , i will give you my answer ; till then , fare you well . but the duke went to the young lady , and told her the progress he had had with her unkle , and his anger to the vice-roy . after the old gentleman's passion was abated towards the duke , by his humble submission , and the passion enflamed towards the vice-roy , he hearkned to the law suit , being most perswaded by his neece's affection , which he perceived was unalterably placed upon the duke . and at last , advising all three together , they thought it sit ( since the parties must plead their own cause ) to conceal their agreements , and to cover it by the duke's seeming dissent , lest he should be convicted as a breaker of the known laws , and so be liable to punishment , either by the hazzard of his life , or the price of a great fine . being thus agreed of all sides , the law-suit was declared ; which was a business of discourse to all the kingdom ; and the place of judicature , a meeting for all curious , inquisitive , and idle people . when the day of hearing was come , there was a barr set out , where the duke and the two ladies stood ; and after all the judges were set , the young lady thus spake : grave fathers , and most equal judges , i come here to plead for right , undeck'd with eloquence ; but truth needs no rhetorick ; so that my cause will justifie it self : but if my cause were foul , it were not pencil'd words could make it seem so fair , as to delude your understanding eyes . besides , your justice is so wise , as to fortisie her forts with fortitude , to fill her magazine with temperance , to victual it with patience , to set centinels of prudence , that falshood might not surprise it , nor bribery corrupt it , nor fear starve it , nor pity undermine it , nor partiality blow it up ; so that all all right causes , here , are safe , and secured from their enemies , injury and wrong . wherefore , most reverend fathers , if you will but hear my cause , you cannot but grant my suit. whereupon the judges bid her declare her cause . i was married to this prince , 't is true ; i was but young in years when i did knit that wedlock-knot ; and though a child , yet since my vows were holy , which i made by virtue and religion , i am bound to seal that sacred bond with constancy , now i am come to years of knowing good from evil . i am not only bound , most pious judges , to keep my vow , in being chastly his as long as he shall live but to require him by the law , as a right of laberitance belonging to me , and only me , so long as i shall live , without a sharer or co-partner : so that this lady , who lays a claim , and challenges him as being hers , can have no right to him , and therefore no law can plead for her : for , should you cast aside your canon law ( most pious judges ) , and judg it by the common-law , my suit must needs be granted , if justice deals rightly , and gives to truth her own : for , should an heir , young , before he comes to years , run on the lenders score ; though the lender had no law to plead against nonage ; yet if his nature be so just to seal the bonds he made in non-age , when he comes to full years , he makes his former act good , and fixes the law to a just grant , giving no room for cozenage to play a part , nor falshood to appear . the like is my cause , most grave fathers ; for my friends chose me a husband , made a bond of matrimony , sealed it with the ceremony of the church ; only they wanted my years of consent , which i give now freely and heartily . the judges asked , what says the duke ? then the duke thus spake : i confess , i was contracted to this lady by all the sacred and most binding ceremonies of the church , but not with a free consent of mind : for , being forced by the duty to my father , who did not only command , but threatned me with his curse , he being then upon his death-bed , and i being afraid of a dying-father's curses , yeelded to those actions which my affections and free-will renounced : and after my father was dead , placing my affections upon another lady , married her , thinking my self not liable to the former contract , by reason the lady was but six years of age , whose non-age i thought was a warrantable cancel from the engagement . most upright judges , my non-age is not a sufficient reason to set him free , he being then of full age ; nor can his fear of offending his parents , or his loving-duty towards them , be a casting-plea against me : his duty will not discharge his perjury ; nor his fear could be no warrant to do a wrong : and if a fool by promise binds his life to inconveniences , the laws that wise men have made , must force him to keep it . and if a knave , by private and self ends , doth make a promise , just laws must make him keep it . if a coward makes a promise through distracted fear , laws ( that carry more terrors , than the broken promise , profit ) will make him keep it . a wise , just , generous spirit , will make no promise but what he can , and durst , and will perform . but say , a promise should pass through an ignorant zeal , and seeming good ; yet a right honourable and noble mind will stick so fast to its engagements , that nothing shall hew them asunder : for , a promise must neither be broken upon suspition , nor false construction , nor upon enticing perswasions , nor threatning ruins ; but it must be maintained with life , and kept by death , unless the promise carry more malignity in the keeping , than the breaking of it . i say not this to condemn the duke , though i cannot applaud his second action concerning marriage : i know he is too noble to cancel that bond his conscience sealed before high heaven , where angels stood as witnesses : nor can he make another contract , until he is free from me : so that his vows to his lady were rather complemental , and love's feignings , than really true , or so authentical as to last . he built affections on a wrong foundation , or rather castles in the air , as lovers use to do , which vanish soon away : for , where right is not , truth cannot be . wherefore , she can claim no lawful marriage , unless he were a free-man , not bound before ; and he cannot be free , unless he hath my consent , which i will never give . then the other lady spake . noble judges , this crafty , flattering , dissembling child , lays a claim to my husband , who no way deserves him , she being of a low birth , and of too mean a breeding to be his wife : neither hath she any right to him in the law , she being too young to make a free choice , and to give a free consent . besides , he doth disavow the act , by confessing the disagreeing thereto in his mind ; and if she was to give a lawful consent , and his consent was seeming , not real , as being forced , it could not be a firm contract . wherefore , i beseech you , cast her suit from the barr , since it is of no validity . just judges , answered she : what though he secretly disliked of that act be made ? yet human justice sentences not the thoughts , but acts : wherefore those words that plead his thoughts , ought to be waved as useless , and from the barr of justice cast aside . and now , most upright judges , i must entreat your favour and your leave to answer this lady , whose passions have flung disgraces on me ; which i , without the breach of incivility , may throw them off with scorn , if you allow me so to do . the judges said , we shall not countenance any disgrace , unless we knew it were a punishment for crimes : wherefore speak freely . well then , to answer this lady , who says , that i am meanly born : 't is true , i came not from nobility , but i can draw a line of pedigree five hundred years in length , from the root of merit , from whence gentility doth spring . this honour cannot be degraded by the displeasure of princes ; it holds not in fee-simple from the crown , for time is the patron of gentility , and the older it groweth , the more beautiful it appears ; and having such a father and mother , as merit and time , gentry is a fit and equal match for any , were they the rulers of the whole world. and whereas she says , most patient judges , i am a false dissembling child . i answer , as to my childhood , it is true , i am young , and unexperienced ; a child in understanding , as in years : but to be young , i hope , is no crime ; but if it be , 't was made by nature , not by me . and for dissembling , i have not had time enough to practice much decev my youth will witness for me . it is an art , not an in-bred nature , and must be studied with pains , and watch'd with observation , before any can be masters thereof . and i hope this assembly is so just , as not to impute my innocent simplicity to a subtil , crafty , or a deceiving glass , to show the mind 's false face , making that fair , which in it self is foul . and whereas she says , i have been meanly bred , 't is true , honoured judges , i have been humbly bred , taught to obey superiors , and to reverence old age ; to receive reproofs with thanks , to listen to wise instructions , to learn honest principles , to huswife time , making use of every minute ; to be thrifty of my words , to be careful of my actions , to be modest in my behaviour , to be chast in my thoughts , to be pious in my devotions , to be charitable to the distressed , to be courteous to inferiors , and to be civil to strangers : for the truth is , i was not bred with splendid vanities , nor learnt the pomp and pride of courts ; i am ignorant of their factions , envies , and back-bitings ; i know not the sound of their stattering tongues ; i am unacquainted with their smiling faces ; i have not wit to perceive their false hearts ; my judgment is too young , and too weak , to fathom their deep and dangerous designs . neither have i lived so long in populous cities , as to share of their luxuriousness : i never have frequented their private nor publick meetings ; nor turned the day into night by disorders : i can play at none of their games ; nor can i tread their measures . but i was bred a private countrey-life , where the crowing of the cocks served as waights of the town ; and the bleating of the sheep , and lowing of the cows , are the minstrels we dance after ; and the singing of the birds are the harmonious notes by which we set our innocent thoughts , playing upon the heart-strings of content , where nature there presents us a masque with various scenes of the several seasons of the year . but , neither low birth , nor mean breeding , nor bad qualities ; nay , were i as wicked as i am young , yet it will not take away the truth of my cause , nor the justness of my plea : wherefore i desire you to give my suit a patient trial , and not to cast me from the barr , as she desires ; for i hope you will not cast out my suit by unjust partiality ; nor mistake the right measure , and so cut the truth of my cause too short : but i beseech you to give it length by your serious considerations , and make it fit by your just favour : for , though truth it self goeth naked , yet her servants must be clothed with right , and dress'd by propriety , or they will dye with the cold of usurpation , and then be flung into the ditch of sorrow , there to be eaten up with the ravens of scorn , having no burial of respect , nor tomb of tranquility , nor pyramids of felicity , which your justice may raise as high as heaven , when your injustice may cast them as low as hell. thus you become , to truth , gods or devils . madam , said the judges to the young lady , the justice of your cause judges it self : for , the severest judg , or strictest rules in law , can admit of no debate . and truly , madam , it is happy for us that sit upon the bench , that your cause is so clear and good ; otherwise your beauty and your wit might have proved bribes to our vote : but yet there will be a fine on the duke , for the breach of the laws . with that the duke spake : most careful , learned , and just judges , and fathers of the common-wealth : i confess my fault , and yeeld my self a prisoner to justice , which may either use punishment or mercy : but , had i known the laws of custom , religion , or honour , then ( as well as i do now ) i had not run so fast , nor plunged my self so deep in the foul ways of error : but wild youth , surrounded with ease , and fed with plenty ; born up with freedom , and led by self will , sought pleasure more than virtue ; and experience hath learn'd me stricter rules , and nobler principles ; insomuch as the reflection of my former actions , clouds all my future happiness , wounds my conscience , and torments my life . but i shall submit to what your wise judgments shall think fit . my lord , answered the judges , your grace being a great peer of the realm , we are not to condemn you to any fine , it must be the king : only we judg the lady to be your lawful wife , and forbid you the company of the other . the duke said , i shall willingly submit . with that the young lady spake : heaven ( said she ) send you just rewards for your upright actions : but i desire this assembly to excuse the faults of the duke in this , since he was forced , by tyrant love , to run in uncouth ways ; and do not wound him with sharp censures : for , where is he , or she , though ne're so cold , but sometimes love doth take , and fast in fetters hold ? the vice-roy being by , said to the other lady , madam , since the law hath given away your husband , i will supply his place , if you think me so worthy , with whom perchance you may be more happy than you were with him . i accept of your love , said she , and make no question but fortune hath favoured me in the change. with that the court rose , and much rejoicings there were of all sides . the ambitious traitor . there was a noble-man in fairy-land , which was in great favour with king oberon ; but the favour of the king made him so proud and haughty , that he sought to usurp the crown to himself . his design was , to kill the king , and then to marry queen mabb ; and to bring his evil designs to pass , he feasted the nobility , devised sports for the commonalty , presented the old ladies with gifts , flattered the young ones , in praising their beauties ; made balls , plays , masques , to entertain them ; bribed the courtiers , corrupted the soldiers with promises of donatives ; fired the youth with thoughts of chivalry , and expectations of honours ; and was industrious to present the petitions of suitors , and to follow the causes of the distressed , and to plead for his clients ; and all to get a popular esteem and love . but there is none so wise and crafty , that can keep out envy from searching into their ways with the eyes of spight . his popular applause begot in him private enemies , which advertised the king to look to himself , and to cut off his growing-power ; not out of loyalty to the king , but out of hate to the favourite : and kings being jealous , are apt to suspect the worst ; which made him observe with a stricter eye , setting spies and watches on all his actions , until he catcht him in the trap of his rebellion : for , speaking some dangerous and seditious words , he was cast into prison until further trial . a day being appointed for his hearing , a council was called of all the peers of the land , which were his judges ; and the witnesses being brought , he was cast , and condemned to dye . great preparations were made against the day of execution , scaffolds were set up , windows were pulled down , that people might behold him : guards were set at each corner of the streets , and the multitude did so throng , that when this noble-man passed along , every eye strove to out-stare each other ; and every neck stretch'd to out reach his fore-standers head ; and every ear listned to hear if he did speak ; and every tongue moved with enquiries ; every mind was filled with expectation of the event ; and every one as busie as a judg , to condemn him , or a hang man to execute him ; and those that profest most friendship to him in his prosperity , were his greatest enemies , upbraiding him with the name of traytor , though truly , yet not seemly , from former profest friends : but he ( with a slow pace , and a sad countenance , habited in black ) went on , until he came to the scaffold : then turning his face to the people , he thus spake : i do not wonder to see so great a multitude gathered together , to view the death of a single person ; although death is common to every one , and that there is as many several ways to dye , as eyes to look on : yet beasts do not gather in troops to see the execution of their kind . but i wonder men should change their opinion with the change of fortune , as if they did applaud her inconstancy , hating what she seemed to hate , and loving what she seemed to love ; calling them fools which she casts down , and those wise which she raises up , although it be without desert : for , had i been prosperous in my evil intention , i should have had as many acclamations , as now i have accusations ; had been called wise , valiant , generous , just , and all the names that praise could honour me with : and not only they would have called me so , but have thought me to have been so . but , o odd man ! how art thou made ! to have so much ambition as to desire the power of gods , and yet to be more foolish than beasts , and as ill-natur'd as devils of hell ! for , beasts follow the laws of nature , but men follow their own laws , which make them more miserable than nature intended them to be . beasts do not destroy themselves ; nor make they laws to entangle themselves in the nets of long strong suits ; but follow that which pleaseth them most . unless men vex them , they weary not themselves in unprofitable labours , nor vex their brain with vain phantasms ; they have no superstitious fear , nor vain curiosity , to seek after that which ( being found ) they are never the better : nor strange opinions , to carry them from the truth ; nor rhetorick , to perswade them out of the right way . and when beasts prey upon one anothe , it is out of meer hunger ; not to make spoil , man , who is so disorderly , as that he strives to destroy nature her self , and ( if he could ) pull jupiter out of heaven : but when we come near to be destroyed by death , then we have a seeming-repentance , and flatter the gods to have pity on us . and though my nature is so bad ( as being of mankind ) that i may dissemble so nicely , as not to perceive it in my self ; yet i hope the gods will have as much mercy on me , as i think i am truly sorrowful for my fault : and then kneeling , thus said : o jupiter ! how should weak and frail men agree amongst themselves , when there have been quarrels in thy heavenly mansions , envying thy glory , and being ambitious of thy power , conspiring against thee ? and since ambition hath been in heaven , pardon it on earth : for it was not against thee , my maker , but against my fellow-creature . o jupiter ! check thy vice-gerent nature for making me of such an aspiring quality , coveting to be the chiefest on earth : for she might have made me humble and lowly , and not of so proud and haughty a disposition ; for it was in her power to have made me in what temper she had pleased . i do not expostulate this out of a murmuring-discontent , but to draw down thy pity for my unhappy nature , which ( in a manner ) enforced me thereunto . but i submit , as thou hast commanded me , and am content to obey thy will and either to undergo pulto's punishments , or to be annihilated : but if thy judgment may be diverted , send me to the blessed elyzium . then turning to the block , he was executed . no sooner was his head off , but all his acquaintants , friends , and kindred , forgot him , as the living usually do any the dye . and although most rejoyce at the fall of those that are most eminent ( as if the chiefest ingredient of man were malice and spight , which produceth cruelty ) ; yet when the multitude saw all was done , and that their greedy appetite was satisfied with blood , then a lazy and sleepy pity seized on them ; and with yawning wishes , would have had him alive again . but king oberon and queen mabb , after the execution , having given order for his quarters to be set up on the gates of the city , rid to their palaces in state , hoping they should have no more such traiterous subjects disturb their peace . assaulted and pursued chastity . preamble . in this following tale or discourse , my endeavour was , to shew young women the danger of travelling without their parents , husbands , or particular friends , to guard them : for , though virtue is a good guard , yet it doth not always protect their persons , without other assistance : for , though virtue guards , yet youth and beauty betrays ; and the treachery of the one , is more than the safety of the other ; for young , beautiful , and virtuous women , if they wander alone , find but very often rude entertainment from the masculine sex , witness jacob's daughter dinah , which shechem forced : and others , whose forcement is mentioned in holy scripture , and in histories of less authority ( sans nombre : ) which shews , that heaven doth not always protect the persons of virtuous souls from rude violences ; neither doth it always leave virtue destitute , but sometimes sends a human help ; yet so , as never but where necessity was the cause of their dangers , and not ignorance , indiscretion , or curiosity : for , heaven never helps , but those that could not avoid the danger ; nay , if they do avoid the danger , they seldom avoid a scandal : for , the world in many cause judges according to what may be , and not according to what is : they judg not according to truth , but shew ; nor by the heart , but by the countenance ; which is the cause that many a chast woman hath a spotted reputation . but to conclude , i say , those are in particular favoured by heaven , that are protected from violence and scandal , in a wandring-life , or a travelling-condition . in the kingdom of riches , after a long and sleepy peace , over-grown with plenty and ease , luxury broke out into factious sores ; and feverish ambition , into a plaguy rebellion , killing numbers with the sword of unjust warr ; which made many flye from that pestilent destruction , into other countreys ; and those that stayed , sent their daughters and wives from the fury of the inhuman multitude ; chusing to venture their lives with the hazzards of travels , rather than their honours and chastities , by staying at home amongst rough and rude soldiers . but in ten years warrs , the ignorant-vulgar , being often ( in the schools of experience ) whipt with misery , had learnt the lesson of obedience ; and peace , that laid all that time in a swound , was revived to life ; and love , the vital spirits thereof , being restored to their orderly motions ; and zeal , the fire of the publick heart , flaming a-new , did concoct the undigested multitudes to a pure good government ; and all those that fear or care had banished , were invited and called home , by their natural affections to their countrey . a lady , amongst the rest , enricht by nature , with virtue , wit , and beauty ; in her returning-voyage , felt the spight of fortune , being cast by a storm , from the place she steered to , upon the kingdom of sensuality , a place and people strange unto her : no sooner was she landed , but treachery beset her ; and those she entrusted , left her : her years , being but few , had not gathered experience enough to give her the best direction . thus , knowing not how to dispose of her self , wanting means for support , and calling her young and tender thoughts to counsel ; at last they did agree , she should seek a service : and going to the chief city , which was not far from the haven-town , with a skipper , whom she had entreated to go along with her ; he left her in a poor and mean house , to chance , time , and fortune ; where her hostess , seeing her handsome , was tempted ( by her poverty and covetousness ) to consider her own profit , more than her guest's safety , selling her to a bawd which used to traffick to the land of youth , for the riches of beauty . this old bawd , having commerce with most nations , could speak many languages , and this lady 's amongst the rest ; and what with her languages , and her flattering words , she inticed this young lady to live with her ; and this old bawd ( her supposed vertuous mistress ) used her kindly , fed her daintily , clothed her finely ; insomuch as she began to think she was become the darling of fortune ; but yet she keeps her closely from the view of any , until her best customers came to the town , who were at that time in the countrey . in the mean time her mistress began to read her lectures of nature , telling her , she should use her beauty while she had it , and not to waste her youth idly , but to make the best profit of both , to purchase pleasure and delight : besides , said she , nature hath made nothing in vain , but to some useful end ; and nothing meerly for its self , but for a common benefit , and general good ; as you see by the earth , water , air , and fire ; sun , moon , starrs , light , heat , cold , and the like . so is beauty ( with strength and appetites ) either to delight her creatures that are in being , or to procure more by procreation ; for nature only lives by survivers ; and that cannot be , without communication and society . wherefore , it is a sin against nature , to be reserved and coy ; and take heed , said she , of offending nature ; for she is a great and powerful goddess , transforming all things out of one shape into another ; and those that serve her faithfully , and according as she commands , she puts them in an easie and delightful form ; but those that displease her , she makes them to be a trouble and torment to themselves : wherefore serve nature , for she is the only and true goddess , and not those that men call upon , as jupiter , juno , and a hundred more , that living-men vainly offer unto , being only men and women which were deified for invention , and heroick actions : for unto these dead , though not forgotten gods and goddesses ( as they are called through a superstitious fear , and an idolatrous love to ceremony , and an ignorant zeal to antiquity ) , men fruitlesly pray : but nature is the only true goddess , and no other ; wherefore follow her directions , and you shall never do amiss : for , we that are old , said she , are nature's priests , and being long acquainted with her laws and customs , do teach youth the best ways to serve her in . the young lady , being of a quick apprehension , began to suspect some design and treachery against her : and though her doubts begot great fears , yet her confidence of the gods protection of virtue , gave her courage ; and , dissembling her discovery as well as she could for the present , gave her thanks for her counsel : but when she was gone , considering in what a dangerous condition she stood , and that the gods would not hear her if she lazily called for help , and watch'd for miracles , neglecting natural means : whereupon she thought the best way was , secretly to convey her self out of that place , and trust her self again to chance , by reason there could not be more danger , than where she was . but those thoughts being quickly cut off , because she could find no possibility of an escape , being strictly kept by the care of the old bawd , for fear she should give away that by enticement , which she meant to sell at a high rate : wherefore she was forced to content her self , and to satisfie her fears , with hopes of finding some means to be delivered from those dangers ; praying to the gods for their assistance , to guard her from cruel invaders of chastity . but after two or three days , a subject prince of that countrey , which was a grand monopolizer of young virgins , came to the town ( which was the metropolitan city of that countrey ) ; where as soon as he came , he sent for his chief officer , the old bawd , to know of her how his customers encreased ; who told him , she had a rich prize , which she had seized on , and kept only for his use ; telling him , she was the rarest piece of nature's works , only ( faith she ) she wants mature confidence ; but time , and heat of affection , would ripen her to the height of boldness . so home she went to prepare for his coming , adorning her house with costly furniture , setting up a rich bed , as an altar to venus ; burning pleasant and sweet perfumes , as incense to her deity , before the sacrifice of chastity , youth , and beauty ; and instead of garlands , dress'd her with costly and rich jewels : but the fair aspect of her beauty , her lovely features , exact proportion , graceful behaviour , with a sweet and modest countenance , was more adorned thus , by nature's dress , than those of art. but these preparations turned miseriae ; for so she was called from doubts , to a perfect belief of what she feared before ; and not knowing how to avoid the shipwrack , she grew into a great passion , and great controversies she had with her self , whether she should lose her honour , and live ; or save her honour , and dye : dishonour she hated , and death she feared ; the one she blusht at , the other she trembled at . but at last , with much strugling , she got out of that conflict , resolving to dye ; for in death ( said she ) there is no pain ; nor in a dishonourable life , any content : but though death ( says she ) is common to all , yet when it comes not in the ordinary ways of nature , there must be used violence by artificial instruments ; and in my condition , there must be used expedition . and , considering what ways to take , she bethought of a maid-servant that used to make clean the rooms , and such kind of works ; to whom she had often talked , as she was about her employments , and had gotten much of her affections : her she called , and told her , that a wife wizard had advised her , that ever on her birth-day , she should shoot off a pistol ; and in so doing , she should be happy , so long as she used the same custom ; but if she neglected , she should be unfortunate ; for by the shooting thereof ( said she ) , i shall kill a whole year of evil from doing me hurt : but she told her withall , that it must be that day ; and it must be a small one , for fear of making a great noise ; and done privately , for fear her mistress should know of it , or any body else ; for it will be of no effect if above one know of it besides my self . the simple wench , easily believing what she said , was industrious to supply her wants , and in a short time brought her desires ; which when she had got , her dejected spirits rose with an overflowing joy ; and setting down with a quiet mind , since before she could not stand nor set still : for her troubled and rough thoughts , drove her from one end of the room to the other , like a ship at sea that is not anchored nor ballasted , or with storm tost from point to point ; so was she : but now with a constant wind of resolution , she sailed evenly , although she knew not to what coast she should be driven . but after some expectation , in came the old bawd and the prince ; who was so struck with her beauty , as he stood some time to behold her : at last coming near her , earnestly viewing her , and asking her some leight questions , to which she answered briefly and wittily ; which took him so much , as he had scarce patience to bargain with the old bawd for her . but when they were agreed , the wicked bawd left them to themselves ; where he , turning to the young lady , told her , that of all the women that ever he met with , his senses were never so much delighted ; for they had wedded his soul to admirations . she answered , that if his senses , or his person , did betray her to his lust , she wished them all annihilated , or at least buried in dust : but i hope ( said she ) by your noble and civil usage , you will give me cause to pray for you , and not to wish you evil : for , why should you rob me of that , which nature freely gave ? and it is an injustice to take the goods from the right owners , without their consents ; and an injustice is an act that all noble minds hate ; and all noble minds usually dwell in honourable persons , such as you seem to be ; and none but base or cruel tyrants , will lay unreasonable commands , or require wicked things , from the powerless , or vertuous . wherefore , most noble sir , said she , shew your self a master of passion , a king of clemency , a god of pity and compassion ; and prove not your self a beast to appetite , a tyrant to innocents ; a devil to chastity , virtue , and piety ; and with that , tears did flow from her eyes , as humble petitioners , to beg her release from his barbarous intention . but he by those tears ( like drink to those that are poyson'd ) grows more dry , and his passions more violent : he told her , no rhetorick could alter his affections . which when she heard , and he ready to seize on her , she drew forth the pistol which she had concealed , bending her brows , with a resolute spirit told him , she would stand upon her guard : for why , said she , it is no sin to defend my self against an obstinate and cruel enemy ; and know , said she , i am no ways to be found by wicked persons , but in death : for whilst i live , i will live in honour ; or when i kill or be kill'd , i will kill or dye for security . he for a time stood in a maze to see her in that posture , and to hear her high defiance : but considering with himself , that her words might be more than her intentions , and that it was a shame to be out-dared by a woman ; with a smiling-countenance said , you threaten more evil than you dare perform ; besides , honour will be buried with you in the grave , when by your life you may build palaces of pleasure and felicity . with that he went towards her , to take away the pistol from her : stay , stay , said she ; i will first build me a temple of fame upon your grave , where all young virgins shall come and offer at my shrine ; and , in the midst of these words , shot him . with that , he fell to the ground ; and the old bawd , hearing a pistol , came running in : where , seeing the prince lye all smeared in blood , and the young lady ( as a marble statue ) standing by , as if she had been fixt to that place , looking stedfastly upon her own act ; she , running about the room , called out , murther , murther , help , help ; not knowing what to do , fear had so possest her . at last she drew her knife , thinking to stab her ; but the prince forbid her , saying , he hoped he should live to give her her due desert ; which if the gods grant , said he , i shall ask no more . so desiring to be laid upon the bed until the chirurgeons came to dress his wounds , stenching the blood as well as they could , the mean time . but after the chirurgeons had search'd his wounds , he ask'd them , whether they were mortal ? they told him , they were dangerous , and might prove so ; but their hopes were not quite cut off with despair of his recovery . but after his wounds were drest , he gave order for the young lady to be lockt up close , that none might know there was such a creature in the house ; nor to disclose how or by what means he came hurt . then being put in his litter , he was carried into his own house , which was a stately palace in the city . the noise of his being wounded , was spread abroad , and every one enquiring how he came so , making several tales and reports , as they fancied , but none knew the truth thereof . after some days , his wounds began to mend , but his mind grew more distemper'd with the love of the fair lady ; yet loath he was to force that from her , she so valiantly had guarded and kept : and to enjoy her lawfully , he could not , because he was a married man , and had been so five years : for as the years of twenty , by his parents perswasion ( being a younger brother at that time , although afterwards he was lest the first of his family , by the death of his eldest brother ) , he married a widow , being noble and rich , but well stricken in years , never bearing child . and thus being wedded more to interest than love , was the cause of his seeking those societies which best pleased him . but after long conflicts and doubts , fears , hopes , and jealousies , he resolved to remove her from that house , and to try to win her by gifts and perswasions : and sending for a reverent lady , his aunt ( whom he knew loved him ) , he told her the passage of all that had hapned , and also his affection , praying her to take her privately from that place , and to conceal her secretly , until he was well recovered ; entreating her also , to use her with all the civility and respect that could be . going from him , she did all that he had desired her ; removing her to a house of hers a mile from the city , and there kept her . the young lady , in the mean time , expecting nothing less than death , was resolved to suffer as valiantly as she had acted . so , casting off all care , she was only troubled she lived so idly . but the old lady coming to see her , she prayed her to give her something to employ her time on : for , said she , my brain hath not a sufficient stock to work upon it self . whereupon the old lady asked her , if she would have some books to read in ? she answered , yes , if they were good ones ; or else , said she , they are like impertinent persons , that displease more by their vain talk , than they delight with their company . will you have romances , said the old lady ? she answered , no ; for they extol virtue so much , as begets an envy in those that have it not , and know they cannot attain unto that perfection ; and they beat infirmities so cruelly , as it begets pity , and by that a kind of love . besides , their impossibilities makes them ridiculous to reason ; and in youth they beget wanton desires , and amorous affections . what say you to natural philosophy , said she ? she answered , they were meer opinions ; and if there be any truths , said she , they are so buried under falshood , as they cannot be found out . will you have moral philosophy ? no , said she ; for they divide the passions so nicely , and command with such severity , as it is against nature to follow them , and impossible to perform them . what think you of logick ? she answered , it is nothing but sophistry , making factious disputes , but concludes nothing . will you have history ? no , said she ; for they are seldom writ in the time of action , but a long time after , when truth is forgotten ; but if they be writ at present , partiality , ambition , or fear , bears too much sway ? will you have divine books ? no , said she ; they raise up such controversies that cannot be allayed again , tormenting the mind about that , they cannot know whilst they live ; and frights their consciences so , that it makes men afraid to dye . but , said the young lady , pray give me play-books , or mathematical ones ; the first , said she , discovers and expresses the humours and manners of men , by which i shall know my self and others the better , and in shorter time than experience can teach me . and in the latter , said she , i shall learn to demonstrate truth , by reason ; and to measure out my life by the rule of good actions ; to set marks and figures on those persons to whom i ought to be grateful ; to number my days by pious devotions , that i may be found weighty when i am put in the scales of god's justice . besides , said she , i may learn all arts useful and pleasant for the life of man , as musick , architecture , navigation , fortification , water-works , fire-works ; all engines , instruments , wheels , and many such like , which are useful : besides , i shall learn to measure the earth , to reach the heavens , to number the starrs , to know the motions of the planets , to divide time , and to compass the whole world. the mathematicks is a candle of truth , whereby i may peep into the works of nature , to imitate her in little : it comprises all that truth can challenge : all other books disturb the life of man ; this only settles it , and composes it in sweet delight . the old lady said , by your beauty and discourse , you seem to be of greater birth , and better breeding , than usually ordinary young maids have ; and , if it may not be offensive to you , pray give me leave to ask you , from whence you came ? and , what you are ? and , how you came here ? she ( sighing ) said , i was , by an unfortunate warr , sent out of my countrey , with my mother , for safety , being very young , and the only child my parents had : my father ( who was one of the greatest and noblest subjects in the kingdom , and being employed in the chief command in that warr ) sent my mother ( not knowing what the issue would be ) to the kingdom of security . where he had been formerly sent embassador . so my mother and i went to remain there , until the troubles were over . but , my father being killed in the warrs , my mother dyed for grief , and left me destitute of friends , in a strange countrey , only with some few servants . i hearing a peace was concluded in the kingdom , was resolved to return to my own native soil , to seek after the estate which my father left me as his only heir . when i embarked , i only took two servants , a maid and a man ; but , by an unfortunate storm , i was cast upon a shore belonging to this kingdom ; where , after i was landed , my two servants most treacherously robb'd me of all my jewels , and those moneys i had , and then most barbarously left me alone ; where afterwards my host sold me to an old bawd , and she to one of her customers , who sought to force me ; whereas i , to defend my self , shot him ; but whether he be dead , or alive , i know not : afterwards i was brought hither , but by whose directions , you ( i suppose ) can give a better account to your self , than i ; yet i cannot say , but that since i came hither , i have been civilly used , and courteously entertained by your self , who seem to be a person of worth , which makes my fears less ; for i hope you will secure me from injuries , though not from death . and since you are pleased to enquire what i am , and from whence i came , i shall entreat the same return , to instruct me in the knowledg of your self , and why i was brought hither , and by whose order ? the old lady said , she was sister to the prince's mother , and a tender lover of her nephew ; and to comply with his desires , she was brought there to be kept until he should dispose of her . then she told her what he was , but never mentioned the affection he had for her , but rather spoke as if her life were in danger . so , taking her leave , she left her , telling her , she would send her such books as she desired . thus passing some weeks , in the mean time the prince recovered , resolving to visit this young lady , having heard by his aunt the relation of what she was ; whose birth made him doubt she would not be so easily corrupted as he hoped before : and she knowing his birth , had more hopes of honourable usage : yet sitting in a studious posture , with a sad countenance , and heavy fixt eyes , accompanied with melancholy thoughts , contemplating of her misfortunes past , with a serious consideration of the condition she stood in , advising with her judgment for the future ; in comes the prince , whom she no sooner saw , but she trembled for fear , remembring her past danger , and fore-seeing the trouble she was like to run through : but he , with an humble behaviour , and civil respect , craved pardon for his former faults , promising her , that if she would be pleased to allow him her conversation , he would never force that from her , which she was not willing to grant : for there was nothing in this world he held dearer than her company ; and , sitting down by her , began to question her of love ; as , whether she had engaged her affection to any person of her own countrey , or any where else ? she told him , no. by which answer ( he being jealous before , imagining she might be so valiant as to wound him more for the sake of her lover , than out of a love to honour or reputation ) received great content and joy ; esteeming it the next happiness , that since she loved not him , she loved no other . i wonder at your courage , said he ; for usually your sex are so tender and fearful , and so far from using instruments of death , as swords , guns , or the like , that they dare not look at them , but turn their head aside . she answered , that necessity was a great commandress . and thus discoursing some time , at last he took his leave until the next day . but when he was gone , how glad she was . o what a torment will this be , said she , to be affrighted every day with this ravenous lyon ! but ( said she ) i must get a spell against his fury , and not only against him , but against all such like ; and ( by her industry ) she got a subtil poyson , which ( being put in a very small bladder ) she fastned to her arm , that when any occasion served , she might have it ready to put in her mouth , which in great extremity she might use , and crushing it but betwixt her teeth , she was sure it would expel life suddenly . the next morning the prince sent her a present of all kinds of rich persian silks and tissues , fine linnen and laces , and all manner of toys , wherewith young ladies use to make themselves fine and gay . but she returned them with great thanks , bidding the bringer tell the prince , that she did never receive a present , but what she was able to return with advantage , unless it were from those to whom she had a near relation , as parents and kindred , or the like . but he , when he saw them returned , thought it was because they were not rich enough ; and sent her another present of jewels of great value : which when she had viewed , she said , they were very rich and costly : but returning them back , she said , i dare not trust my youth with the riches and vanities of the world , lest they may prove bribes to corrupt my free and honest mind : wherefore tell the prince , i am not to be catch'd with glorious baits ; and so returned them back . the prince , when he saw he could fasten no gifts on her , was much troubled ; yet hoped , that time might work her to his desires : so went to visit her ; and when he saw her , he told her , he was very unfortunate , that not only himself , but even his presents , were hateful ; for he could guess at no other reason why she should refuse them , since they were neither unlawful , nor dishonourable to receive . she answered , that the principles that she was taught , were , that gifts were both dangerous to give , and to take , from designing or covetous persons . he said , he was unhappy ; for by that he saw she would neither receive love , nor give love. thus he daily visited her , and hourly courted her , striving to insinuate himself into her favour , by his person and services ; used powdering , perfuming , and rich clothing ; though he was so personable and well-favoured , and had such store of eloquence , as might have perswaded both ears and eyes to have been advocates to a young heart , and an unexperienced brain . his service was , in observing her humour ; his courtship , in praising her disposition , admiring her beauty , applauding her wit , and approving her judgment ; insomuch that at the last she did not dislike his company , and grew to that pass , as to be melancholy when he was gone , blush when he was named , start at his approaching ; sigh , weep , and grow pale and distempered , yet perceived not , nor knew her disease . besides , she would look often in the glass , curl heir hair finely , wash her face cleanly , set her clothes handsomely , mask her self from the sun ; not confidering why she did so : but he ( as all lovers have watchful eyes ) observed , she regarded her self more than she used to do ; which made him more earnest , for fear her passion should cool ; protesting his love , vowing his fidelity and secresie , and swearing his constancy to death . she said , that he might make all that good , but not the lawfulness : can you ( said she ) make it no sin to god , no dishonour to my family , no infamy to my sex , no breach to virtue , no wrong to honesty , no immodesty to my self ? he answered , it was lawful by nature . sir , said she , it is as impossible to corrupt me , as to corrupt heaven . but , were you free , i should willingly embrace your love in lawful marriage . he told her , they were both young ; and his wife old , almost ripe enough for death , and a little time more would cut her down : wherefore , said he , let us enjoy our selves in the mean time ; and when she is dead , we will marry . no , said she , i will not buy a husband at that deer rate ; nor am i so evil , as to wish the death of the living for any advantage , unless they were enemies to virtue , innocency , or religion . but he was so importunate , as she seemed displeased ; which he perceiving , left off persisting , lest he might nip off the young and tender buds of her affection . but it chanced , not long after , there was a meeting of many nobles at a feast , where healths to their mistresses were drank round ; and the prince ( who thought it a sin to love , to neglect that institution ) offered , with great ceremony and devotion , for his mistress's health , sprinkling the altar of the brain with fume , and burning the incense of reason therein . after the feast was ended , he went to see his mistress , whose beauty ( like oyl ) set his spirits in a flame ; which made his affection grow to an intemperate heat . whereat she became so afraid , as she puts the poyson into her mouth ( the antidote of all evil , as she thought ) , and then told him her intention . but he , having more passion then doubt , would not believe her . which she perceiving , broke the bladder asunder betwixt her teeth , and immediately fell down as dead . whereat he was so amazed , as he had not power to stir for a time . but at last , calling for help , the old lady came to them , he telling her what she had done , as well as his fear would give him leave . the lady having skill in physick ( as most ladies have , reading in herbals , and such kind of books ) gave her something to make her vomit up the poyson , wherewith she weakly revived to life again . but she was so very sick , as almost cut off all hopes of keeping that life . whereat he lamented , tearing his hair , beating his breast , cursing himself , praying and imploring his pardon , and her forgiveness ; promising and protesting , never to do the like again . she returning no answer , but groans and sighs . but he , being a diligent servant , and much afflicted , watch'd by her , until she mended by the lady's care and skill . when she was indifferently well recovered , she began to lament her ill condition , and the danger she was in , employing her thoughts how she might escape the snares of spightful fortune , and gain her friendship ; where , soon after , finding opportunity to take time by the fore-lock , the prince being sent for to court , and the old lady being not well , whereby she had more liberty ; and searching about the room , found a suit of clothes of the old lady's page ; which suit she carried into her chamber , and privately hid it ; then taking pen and ink , writ two letters , the one to the prince , the other to the old lady : so , sealing the letters up , and subscribing them , left them upon the table . then she straight stripped her self of her own clothes , which she flung in a dark place , with her hair that she had cut off , and putting the page's clothes on , in this disguise she went towards the chief city , to which came up an arm of the sea , making a large haven for many ships to lye at anchor in : but as soon as she came to the sea-side , there was a ship just going off ; which she seeing , got into it ; her fears being so great , as not to consider nor examine , whither they were bound ; and they were so employed , hoisting their sails , and fitting their tacklings , that they took no notice when she came in . but being gone three or four leagues from the shore , and all quiet , and free from labour ; the master , walking upon the deck , seeing a handsome youth stand there in page's clothes , ask'd him , who he was ? and , how he came there ? she said , i do suppose you are bound for the kingdom of riches , where i desire to go ; but coming late , seeing every one busily employed , i had no time to bargain for my passage ; but i shall content you with what in reason you can require . the master said , we are not bound to that kingdom , but are sent for new discoveries towards the south ; neither have we provision for any more than those that are appointed to go . which when she heard , the tears flowed from her eyes , becoming her so well , that they moved the master to pity and affection . then asking him , what he was ? she answered him , that she was a gentleman's son , who ( by the reason of civil-warrs ) was carried out of his own countrey very young , by his mother ; and so related the very truth of his being cast into that kingdom ; only she feigned , that she was a boy that had served a lady as her page ; but ( desiring to return into his own countrey ) had mistaken , and put himself into a wrong vessel ; but ( said she ) i perceive the fates are not willing i should see my native countrey , and friends , and ( being young ) travel may better my knowledg ; and i shall not neglect any service i am able to do , or you are pleased to employ me in , if you will accept of it . at last , her graceful and humble demeanour , her modest countenance , and her well-favoured face , preferr'd her to this master's service , who was a grave and a discreet man , and told her ( as supposing her a boy ) , that , since he was there , he would not cast him out ; and although it will be hard for me to keep you , yet you shall parrake of what i have allowed for my self . she giving him many thanks , said , she would strive to deserve it . but after some weeks , the master fell very sick ; in which sickness she was so industrious to recover his health , by her diligent attendance and care , that it begot such affection in the old man , that he adopted him his son , having no children of his own , nor none like to have , he being in years . they sailed five or six months , without any tempestuous winds , yet not without danger of rocks and shelves of sand , which they avoided by their skill , and many times refreshed themselves in those harbours they met with in their way ; which made them hope a pleasant and prosperous voyage . but fortune playing her usual tricks , to set men on high hopes , and then to cast them down to ruin ; irritated the gods against them , for their curiosity , in searching too far into their works ; which caused them to raise a great storm , making the clouds and seas to meet , showers to beat them , winds to toss them , thunder to affright them , lightning to amaze them ; insomuch as they had neither strength to help , nor sight to guide , nor memory to direct , nor courage to support themselves ; the anchor was lost , the rudder was broke , the masts were split , the sails all torn , the ship did leak , their hopes were gone : nothing was left but black despair , and grim death on their face to stare : for every gust of wind blew death into their face , and every billow digg'd their burial place . in this time of confusion , the traveller ( for so now she calleth her self ) followed close her old new father , who had as many careful thoughts , and as great a regard for her safety , as she of her self ; and giving order to the pilate , that had lost his steerage , to cast over the cock-boat ; which no sooner done , but a gust of wind drave them on a rock that split the ship ; and as soon as he perceived it , he took his beloved and supposed boy , and put him ( with himself and the pilate ) into the boat , cutting the cable , emploring the favour of the gods , committing themselves to the fates , and setting up a little sail for the wind to carry them which way it pleased . no sooner put off , but the ship ( and all therein ) sunk : but the gods , favouring the young lady for her virtue , tied up the strong winds again into their several corners ; after which , sailing six days , at last they were thrust through a point into a large river , which for the greatness might be called a large sea : for , though it was fresh water , yet it was of that longitude and latitude , that they could not perceive land for four days together : but at the last , they espied land ; and coming nigh , they perceived a multitude of people , which when they came to the shore , were affrighted , having never seen any bark ( or the like ) swim upon the water , for they had themselves the propriety to swim naturally like fishes : nor had they in the boat ever seen such complexion'd men ; for they were not black , like negroes ; nor tauny , nor olive , nor ash-colour'd , as many are ; but of a deep purple , their hair as white as milk , and like wool ; their lips thin , their ears long , their noses flat , yet sharp ; their teeth and nails as black as jet , and as shining ; their stature tall , and their proportion big ; their bodies were all naked , only they had somewhat from their waste , down to their twist , which was brought through their legs , up to the waste again , and tyed with a knot ; 't was a thin kind of stuff , which was made of the barks of trees , yet looked as fine as silk , and as soft : the men carried long darts in their hands , spear-fashion , so hard and smooth , as it seemed like metal , but made of whale-bones . but when they landed , the people came so thick about them , as almost smuthered them ; and the grave and chief of them ( which seemed like their priests ) sent them straight to the chief governours of those parts , according to their custom ( as it seemed to them afterwards ) ; all that was strange or rare , was usually presented to their chiefs : but they staid not so long as to see the ceremony of the sacrifice they were then offering , only they perceived it was a sacrifice of fish to some sea-god ; then they were set on a creature half fish , half flesh ; for it was in shape like a calf , but had a tail like a fish , a horn like a unicorn ; that lives in the river , but yet would lye upon the sands in great herds or sholes , as seils do ; so as they might take them for their use at any time , without the trouble of keeping them up , for they were tame and gentle of themselves . thus they rid along the sands two or three leagues , to the governour 's house ; for all along those sands only , upon a bank , were houses all in a row , built with fishes bones , which bones were laid with great art , and in fine works , and as close as stone or brick ; the tops of these houses were scales of fishes laid like tile or slat , which glistered so in the sun , that they looked some ways like silver , other ways like rain-bows in all manner of colours . when the governour had viewed them , he sent them ( with other messengers , but on the same beasts ) to the next governour : and thus they rid upon the sands for some days , their food being fish broiled upon the hot sands ; for there was no other food but fish and water-fowl , whereof they had great store , but yet of strange kinds to strangers ; for there was no pasture , nor any thing like green . at last they came to a place which seemed like a forest , for there were a number of bodies of trees ( if one may call them so , having no branches ) which were so big , as to hold a family of twenty , or more , of the governour 's house , as big as four other ; and the bark of those trees , or indeed the wood of the tree quite through , was of all manner of flowers , both for colour , shape , and scent ; painted , and set by nature in the wood : so that the wood being cut one way , the flowers were all perfect in shape ; but cut another way , and they seemed like flowers shedded from the stalks : and this wood was so sweet , that all the forest smelt thereof . after the governour of this place had viewed them , he set them on other beasts , and sent them by other messengers ; so leaving there their fleshy-fishy beasts , they run back again to the place they were taken from . but those they rid after , were like a stag in the body ; which was as big as a horse , black as a coal , a tail like a dog , horns like a ram , tipt with green , like buds of trees , and as swift as a roe . and thus they rid until they came to another forest , where all the trees were very high and broad , whose leaves were shadowed with several greens , lighter and darker , as if they were painted ; and many birds there were of strange colours and shapes ; some birds had wings like flyes , beaks , bodies , and legs , like other birds ; some the bodies like squirrels , but had feather'd wings : there was one ( a very fine kind of bird in shape ) both for beak , head , body , and legs , like a parrot ; but instead of feathers , it was covered with hair , like beasts , which hairs were of the colour of parrots feathers , and the like batts wings , streak'd like a rain-bow ; the eyes looked yellow , and sent forth a kind of a light like to small rays of the sun : in the midst of the forehead it had a small horn , which grew winding , and sharp at the end , like a needle . this bird did mount like a hawk , in circle ; and after would flye down at other birds , as they do ; but instead of talons , that horn struck them dead ; for it would thrust its horn into their bodies , and so bear their bodies upon their horn , and flye some certain lengths , as in triumphs , and then would light , and eat them . there were some birds no bigger than the smallest flyes , yet all feather'd ; besides , there were many sorts of beasts , some had beaks like birds , and feathers instead of hair , but no wings , and their bodies like a sheep . there was one kind of beast in the shape of a camel , and the neck as white as a swan , and all the head and face white ; only a lock of hair on the top of his crown , of all manner of colours ; the hair of his body was of a perfect gold-yellow , his tail like his fore-top , but it would often turn up like a pea-cock's tail , and spread abroad ; and the hairs being of all several colours , made a most glorious shew : the legs and feet of the colour of the body , but the hoofs as black as jet . at last they were carried to another governour , who lived in a town , whose house was built with spices , the roof and beams as big as any house need to have , made of cinnamon ; and the walls were plaistered with the flakes of mace , which flakes were a foot square ; the planks were cut thick , like bricks , or square marble pieces , out of nutmegs ; the long planks out of ginger ( for their nutmegs and races of ginger , were as great as men could carry ) : the houses were covered on the top , some with pomegranat-rines , others with oranges and citrons ; but the pomegranats last the longer , and the other smelt the sweeter , and looked the pleasanter to the eye . they never have rain there , nor in any part of the kingdom ; for the air is always serene and clear : nor no higher winds than what fanns the heat : their exercise was hunting ; the women hunted the females , and the men the males . as they went to the governour , all the people run about to see them , wondering at them , and viewing them round . but the governour seemed to admire the youth much ; yet durst not keep him , being against the custom ; but sent them straight towards their chief city , where their king was . after some days riding , they came out of the forest into great plains and champains , which were cover'd with a sea-green and willow-colour'd grass ; and some meadows were cover'd with perfect shadows of all manner of sorts of greens . as they drew near the city , they saw great quarries of crystal , as we have of stone ; and when they came up to the city , all about without the walls were orchards and root-gardens , where there grew roots as sweet as if they were preserved , and some all juicy : most of their fruits grew in shells like nuts , most declicious to the tast ; but their shells were like a net or caul , that all the fruit was seen through ; and some kind of fruits were as big as one's head ; but some were no bigger than ours ; others , very small . there never fell rain , but dews to refresh them , which fell upon the earth every night , like flakes of snow , and being upon the earth , they melted , and did look and tast like double-refined sugar . at last they entred the city , which was walled about with crystal ; and so were the houses , which were built both high and large , and before them were arched walks with great pillars of crystal ; through the midst of the street ran a stream of golden sands ; and cross the stream were little silver bridges to pass and re pass over to each side of the street ; on each side of this stream grew rows of trees , which were about the height of cypress trees ; but instead of green leaves , upon every stalk grew a particular flower , which smelt so sweet , that when zephyrus blew ( for they never had high winds ) , they gave so strong a scent , that it did almost suffocate the spirits of those that were not used to them . the king's palace stood in the midst of the city , higher than all the other houses ; the outward wall was crystal , cut all in triangles , which presented millions of forms from one object ; and all the ridg of the wall was all pointed crystals , which points cut and divided the beams of the sun so small , that the wall did not only look sparkling , but like a flaming hoop , or ring of fire , by reason the wall went round . to this vvall were four open passages , arched like gates ; from those passages went vvalks , and on each side of these vvalks were trees : the barks thereof were shadowed with hair-colour , and as smooth as glass ; and the leaves of a perfect grass-green , which is very rare in that countrey , because nature hath every where intermix'd several colours made by light on several grounds or bodies of things ; and birds do so delight on those trees , that they are always full of birds , every tree having a several quyer by it self , which sing such perfect notes , and keep so just a time , that they do make a most ravishing melody : besides , the variety of their tunes are such , that one would think nature did set them new every day . these vvalks lead to another court , which was walled about with agats , carved with all sorts of imagery ; and upon ' the ridg of the vvall such were chose out as most resemble the eyes ; for in some agats their colours are naturally mix'd , and lye in circles , as eyes ; these seem as if so many centinels lay looking and watching round about . from this vvall went a vvalk , where on each side were beasts cut artificially , to the life , out of several-colour'd stones , according as those beasts which they were to resemble . this vvalk leads to another court which was not walled , but rather railed vvith vvhite and red cornelians , cut spearfashion . from the rails went only a plain vvalk paved vvith gold , vvhich went straight to the palace . this palace stood on a little mount , whereto went up a pair of stairs ; the stairs went round about the house , ascending by degrees on steps of amber , leading up to a large and wide door ; the frontispiece thereof was turky-stones curiously carved ; the palace-walls were all pure porcelline , and very thick and strong , yet very clear : it was all roofed or covered with jett , and also paved with the same ; so that the black jett was set forth by the white porcelline ; and the white porcelline seemed whiter , by the blackness of the jet . the windows were only arched holes to let in air. in the midst of the palace was a large room , like a little enclosed meadow ; in the midst of which ran a spring of clear water , where the king bathed himself . also , there were brave gardens of all sorts of flowers ; in the midst of which , was a rock of amethists ; and artificial nymphs , cut out to the life , of mother-pearl ; and little brooks , winding and streaming about , of golden sands : the wonder was , that although there were many mines in that kingdom , yet the soil was very fertile . at last they were brought to the king's presence , who was laid upon a carpet made of thistle-down , with great attendance about him : he , and all those of the royal blood , were of a different colour from the rest of the people ; they were of a perfect orange-colour , their hair coal-black , their teeth and nails as white as milk ; of a very great height , yet well shaped . but when the king saw them , he wondred at them : first , at the old man's beard , for they have none : the next , at their habit , which were seamens clothes ; but above all , at the youth , who looked handsome in despight of his poor and dirty garments . the king did command to have their clothes pull'd off ; but no sooner did they come to execute that command , but travelia was so affrighted , that he fell down in a swound : those that touched him , started back when they saw him dead . but the old man , bending him forward , brought him to life again . whereupon they straight thought that their touching him , killed him ; and that the old man had power to restore life , which made them afraid to touch them any more ; for that disease of swouning was not known to them . then their priests and wizzards were called for , to know from whence they came , and what should be done with them . the priests were only known from the rest of the people , by a tuft of hair growing just upon the crown of the head , and all the head else had no hair ; whereas other priests are only bald upon the crown . the king and they fell presently into great dispute . the king pleaded hard to keep the youth ; but at last the priests had the better ( as most commonly they have in all religions ) , and so carried them away , and kept them a twelve-month ; but never dar'd to touch them , for fear they should dye , because travelia swouned ; but they beckned and pointed to them . they gave them ease , not employing them to any labour ; and fed them daintily of what they could eat ; for some meats they could not eat , as man's flesh : for , they had a custom in that countrey , to keep great store of slaves , both males and females , to breed on , as we do breed flocks of sheep , and other cattel ; the children were eaten , as we do lambs or veal , for young and tender meat ; the elder for beef and mutton , as stronger meat . they kill five males for one female , for fear of destroying the breed ; although they be so fruitful , that they never bear less than two at a birth , and many times three ; and they seldom leave child-bearing , until they are threescore years old ; for they usually live there until they are eight score , and sometimes two hundred years : but the ordinary age is a hundred , unless plagues come ; not out of sluttery , or evil or corrupt air , but with too much nourishment , by reason of their delicious diet , which breeds such a superfluity of humours , that it corrupts their blood . as for their houses , they are kept very cleanly , by reason they never eat in them ; for their custom was , to eat all together in common halls , as the lacedemonians did , only they had better cheer , and more liberty . likewise , their women were common to every one's use , unless it were those women of the royal blood , which is a sort by themselves , as was described before , and therefore never mixt with the rest ; but if they did , and were known , it was death : these of the royal blood , had all their skins wrought , like the britans . as for their government , it was tyrannical ; for all the common people were slaves to the royal race . but to return to the old man , observing how careful and choice they were kept , he told his son what he thought was their intention , which vvas , to sacrifice them ; and ( said he ) there is no vvay to escape , unless vve had their language , and could make them believe vve came from the gods ; and that the gods vvould punish them if they put us to death ; and you are young ( said he ) , and apt to learn ; but i am old , and my memory decayed ; vvherefore , novv or never , study for your life . well , said he , since my life lyes in my learning , i vvill learn for my life : which he did so vvell , that he got ( in that tvvelve-month ) their language so perfect , as he understood , and could speak most of it : in vvhich time he understood all that i have delivered in this relation ; and besides , understood that they had many gods and goddesses . the sun was their chief god , and the earth the chief goddess ; their next god was the sea , and their goddess the moon ; and they prayed to the starrs ( as some do to saints ) to speak in their behalf , and to present their prayers to the sun and moon , which they thought to be as man and wife , and the starrs their children . to their gods they offered none but the males ; and those offerings were offered by men : and the men pray'd only to the gods ; and to their goddesses none but the women ; nor none but female-offering were offered unto them . at last , by their discourse and preparation , they perceiv'd they were to be sacrificed to the sun , as being both males ( as they thought ) ; and with great ceremony , as being strangers , and such rarities ; yet they did not touch travelia , as supposing ( if they should ) ' he would dye before he was brought to the place of sacrifices : in all this time , he never disclosed that he could speak their language , nor understand them . but in this time the old man had got some salt-peeter and brimstone , and burnt wood into charcoal , so made gunpowder ( for they had the liberty to go where they would about their temples ) : and after he had made the gun-powder , he made two things like pistols , although not so curious and neat , yet well enough to serve his turn ; and directed his son what he should do and say . against that day he made himself a garment of a grass , which was like to green silk ; which he had woven so finely , as it look'd like sattin : he had also upon the calfs of his legs like buskins of several-colour'd flowers , and a garland of flowers on his head ; the soles of his sandals were of that green , but the stripes a-top was of flowers like his buskins ; in each hand he held the two pistols ; his hair ( which was grown in that time , for he never discovered it , keeping it tyed up ) untied , and let down , spread upon his back : but when the priest ( which came to fetch him forth ) saw him thus drest , never seeing hair before ( for they had none but wool , and very short , as negroes have ) , was amazed at the sight ; and not daring to touch him , went by him , guarding him ( as the chief sacrifice ) to the place ; where the king and all his tribe , and all his people , waited for their coming : the king being placed at the head of the altas , with a dart in his right hand , the spear of the dart being an entire diamond , cut with a sharp point , to signifie the piercing beams of the sun ; which spear he usually struck into the heart of the sacrificed ; which heart the priest used tb cut out , and give the king to eat raw ; the whilst the priest sung songs in the praise of the sun , as the father of all things . thus , after some expectation , the priests came with their sacrifices ; which when the king and people saw , they were all amazed , as well they might ; for the youth appear'd most beautiful . but at last they all shouted , and cryed out , their gods had beautified and adorned their sacrifices , as being well pleased therewith ; making great shouts and noises of joy. but when he came to the altar , he call'd to them in their own language ; at which they grew mute with wonder : and , being silent , he thus spake : oking , and you spectators ! why do you offend the gods , in destroying their messengers which come to bring you life , and to make you happy ? hed i brought you plagues , then you might have sacrifieed me to your god of lights , as coming from death and darkness , his enemies : but for this your false devotion , the great sun ( saith he ) will destroy you with one of his small thunder-bolts , killing first your priests , and then the rest . with that , shot off his pistol into the breast of the chief priest , wherewith he straight fell down dead . the noise of the pistol , and the flash of the fire , which they never saw before , and the effect of it upon the priest , struck them with such a horror , and did so terrifie them , as they all kneeled down , imploring mercy and forgiveness , with trembling limbs , and weeping eyes . whereupon he told them , there was no way to avoid punishment , but first , to fast two days from any kind of nourishment : next , not to open their lips to speak : and then , to obey whatsoever he shall teach them , as being sent from the gods ; bidding them go home , until their time of fasting were out , and then to return to the temple again ; commanding none to remain there , but to leave it to the old man , and himself . the temple was most rich and curiously built , having ( in that countrey ) great art and skill in architecuture . after which , the king and all the people , rising up , bowed their heads down low , as in humble obedience to the commands he had receiv'd ; praying to him , as a god , to divert the punishments intended to them ; and in sorrow lamenting their fault , went home , each to his house , sealing up their lips ( for such a time ) from receiving meat , or sending forth words : in the mean time , the old man and he had leisure to bethink themselves what to do , having at that time the temple , as a palace , to live in ; none to disturb them , nor to hinder their thoughts from working out their advantage ; and , sitting in counsel a long time , disputing with each other what was best to do , at last resolved , that the old man should go to the king , as sent from the gods , to bid him send a command to all his people , to eat such herbs for sallads , and drink their water without mixture , just before they came : for else ( said the old man ) their hunger will make them impatient , or so dull , as it may stop their ears by the faintness of their spirits , caused by their empty stomacks ; and too much ( said he ) makes them furious , sending up malignant vapours to their brains , which may cause our ruins . but after he had been with the king , he returned back to the temple again , and the king obeyed his desire , as a command from the gods ; and brought the people all to the temple : where , after they were all gathered together , travelia advanced himself so much higher than rest , as they might hear him round about . then thus spake : pious friends , for so i may call you , being willing to please the gods ; though your ignorance hath led you wrong ways : but the gods seeing your zeal , though through a false devotion , pitying your ignorance , have by their wisdom found means to appease the wrath of their justice ; for every attribute of the gods must have a satisfaction : for , right is their kingdom , and truth is their scepter , wherewith they govern all their works : but the gods have strowed lots amongst mankind , of movable things , which chance gathers up ; and chance , being blind , mistakes both in the gathering and distributing . now the gods made this chance by their providence , when they made man : for , man hath no more knowledg of the transitory things of the world , than what fortune gives them , who is an unjust distributer : for , all external gifts come from her hand ; and , for want of sight , she gives oft-times the beggar 's lot to the king , the servants to the master , the master 's to the servant : and for the internal gifts which the gods have bestowed on men , they are different , as the external are transitory ; for some are nearer to perfection , some farther off ; yet none have perfect knowledg : for , the gods mix man's nature with such an aspiring ambition , that if they had a perfect knowledg of the glory of the gods , and a perfect knowledg of the first cause , and of the effects produced therefrom , they would have warr'd with the gods , and have strove to usurp their authority : so busie and vain-glorious hath the gods made the minds of men ! wherefore , the gods govern the world by ignorance ; and though the goodness of the gods is great , yet it is bound in with their justice , which is attended with terrors , to punish the crimes of men , and even to punish the innocent errors that proceed from that ignorance which they have muzled man withall . but as their power made the world , their wisdom rules the world , their justice punishes the world ; so their mercy keeps the world from destruction ; and their love not only saves man , but preferrs man to a glorious happiness . and some of this love the gods have sent to you , although by your ignorance you had almost cast it from you . and since the gods have sent you knowledg by us , take hold of it , and do not wilfully fall in your superstitious errors ; although it is a difficult pains , even for the gods themselves , to perswade man , who is of a cross , suspitious , inquisitive , and murmuring nature , accusing the gods of partiality ; saying , they prefer or cast out whom they please , not as man deserves . thus they judg of the gods by their own passions ; but the gods , by variation , are pleased to continue the world ; and by contradiction to govern it ; by sympathy delight it : for , delight lives not altogether in the power of chance , being created in the essence and soul of man : for , though chance can present those things ( with antipathies or sympathies ) to the senses , which present them to the soul ; yet it hath not the power to rule it : for , the soul is a kind of god in it self , to direct and guide those things that are inferior to it ; to perceive and descry into those things that are far above it ; to create by invention , and to delight in contemplations : and though it hath not an absolute power over it self , yet it is a harmonious and absolute thing in it self : and though it is not a god from all eternity , yet it is a kind of deity to all eternity , for it shall never dye : and though the body hath a relation to it , yet no otherwise than the mansion of jove hath unto jove : the body is only the residing-place , and the sensitive spirits are as the soul's angels or messengers , and intelligencers : so the souls of men are to the gods , as the sensitive spirits to the soul : and will you dislodg the sensitive spirits of the gods , by destroying and unbuilding each other's body by violent deaths , before it be the gods pleasure to dissolve that body , and so remove the soul to a new mansion ? and though it is not every creature that hath that soul , but only man ( for beasts have none , nor every man , for most men are beasts ; only the sensitive spirits , and the shape may be , but not the soul ) ; yet none know when the soul is out or in , but the gods ; and not only other bodies may not know it , but the same body is ignorant thereof . the soul is as invisible to the sensitive spirits , as the gods to men : for , though the soul knows , and hath intelligence by the sensitive spirits , yet the sensitive have none from the soul : for , as gods know men , but men know not gods ; so the soul knoweth the senses , but the senses know not the soul : wherefore , you must seek all the ways to preserve one another , as temples of the gods , not to destroy and pull them down ; for whosoever doth so , commits sacriledg against the gods : wherefore , none must dye , but those that kill , or would kill others ; death must be repaid with death , saith jove ; and only death is in the power of man to call when they please ; but life is in the power of the gods ; and those that displease the gods , shall have a miserable life , not only in the bodily part , which is sensible of pain , and may be tormented out of one shape into another , and be perpetually dying , or killing , with all manner of torments , and yet never dye ; in the shape of a man , feels stabs in the sides ; in the shape of a bull , knocks on his head ; in the shape of a hart , arrows in the haunch ; in the shape of a fish , hooks tearing the jaws ; besides all manner of diseases and infirmities ; it may be , burning , hanging , drowning , smuthering , pressing , freezing , rotting , and thousands of these kinds ; nay , more than can be reckoned . thus several bodies , though but one mind , may be troubled in every shape . but those that please the gods , live easie in every shape , and dye quietly and peaceably ; or when the gods do change their shapes , or mansions , 't is for the better , either for ease or newness . thus have the gods sent us to instruct you , and to stay so long amongst you , as you can learn and know their commands , and then to return unto them . with that , the king and people bowed their faces to the ground , adoring him as a god , and would have built altars , and offered sacrifices unto him : but he forbad them ; telling them , they must build altars in their hearts of repenting , humbling , and amending-thoughts , and offer sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving , to the great and incomprehensible jove , and not altars built with hands unto men ; nor to offer inhuman sacrifices to gods , of their own making . thus preaching every day for some time , forbidding vain and barbarous customs , and inhuman ceremonies ; teaching and perswading them to believe , the gods were not to be known nor comprehended ; and , that all that they have discovered of themselves to their creatures , was only by their works , in which they should praise them . by which doctrine they were brought to be a civilized people , and approved of their teacher so well , that they would do nothing concerning religion , or any other affairs of government , without him : and being dismist for that time , departed , leaving them to themselves in the temple ; where , at certain and set-times , the king and people repaired to hear him preach ; who taught them according to his belief : and whensoever they moved out of the temple , all the people flocked about them with acclamations of joy ; and whensoever the king sent for them ( as he often did for their counsels ) , all the princes attended , and people waited upon them . and thus they lived with great splendor , love , and admiration , amongst them ; their persons were thought divine , their words were laws , and their actions examples , which the people followed . thus for a while we leave them , and return to the old lady , and the prince . the old lady sending into affectionata's chamber ( as then called , for so she named her self there ) to entreat her company , for therein she took great delight , she being witty in her conversation , and pleasing in her humour . but the messenger miss'd of the mark ; for looking about , and calling aloud , he could neither hear nor see her . so returning , told the old lady , she was not to be found . whereat she grew into a great passion , not only for her loss ( which she thought great , since her love to her , and esteem of her , was not small ) ; but that she apprehended the prince would think that she had neglected that charge he had entrusted her with . whilst she was in this passion , the prince came in , who had been in the young lady's chamber , but missing her , thought she had been there ; but seeing her not , and the old lady weeping , straight asked her for his mistress ; but she through tears and sobs could not answer . whereupon some about her answered , she was gone none could tell where . at whose words the prince's countenance and complexion exprest his grief , the one being sad , the other pale ; standing in a fix'd posture , his body seeming like a statue without soul , which was gone to seek after her . but at last , as if it had returned in despair , grew frantick with grief , tearing himself , cursing his misfortunes ; at length , goeth into her chamber again , looking in every corner , even where she could not be , as much as where she might be : for , lovers leave no place nor means unsought , or untried . at last he espied a letter upon the table , directed to the lady , which he opened , considering not the incivility of breaking up the seal without the lady's leave ( for jealous lovers break all such ceremonies ) : and thus read : madam , pray think me not ungrateful , after all your noble favours , that i go away without your leave or knowledg : for , could i have staid with security , nothing but your commands could have forced me from you ; or could my life have served you , i would have offered it as a sacrifice to obligation . but , madam , it is too dangerous for a lamb to live near a lion : for , your nephew is of so hungry an appetite , that i dare not stay , which makes me seek safety in some other place . but when my thoughts forget your honourable memory , let them cease to think . the gods protect your virtue , and send you health . fare you well . affectionata . when he had read this letter , and went to lay it on the table again , he perceived another letter directed to him , which he opened and read . sir , you cannot condemn me for going away , since my stay might prove my ruin , you having not power over your passions . but had my life been only in danger , i should have ventured it : not that i am so fond of death , as to give my life willingly away ; but i am so true a votress to chastity , that i will never forsake her order , but will carry her habit to my grave : nor will i give virtue an occasion to weep over my follies , nor truth to revile me with falshood ; but honour , as a garland , shall crown my hearse , whilst innocency enshrines my corps , that fame may build me a monument in noble minds . had you been master of your passion , or bad the temperance of your affections been equal to your other virtues , i should have joyed to live near you , as saints do to the gods ; and though my hard fortune have driven me into many dangers ( and more i am like to run through , by the unknown ways you have forced me into ) yet the blessing of jupiter fall upon you , whatsoever chance befalls me . farewell . affectionata . when he had read his letter , he sits down musing with himself a long time ; then rose , and without speaking any words , departed to his house in the city . the old lady , his princess , seeing him so sad , asked him what was the cause ? he answered , he was sick , and went to bed . the next day , calling his steward , he setled his estate , and ordered every thing according to his mind , and bid him provide so much moneys : which done , he sent for his wife , telling her , she must not take it ill , if he left her for a short time , for he was resolved to travel : for , said he , i have a quarrel to one that is stoln out of the kingdom , and i cannot 〈◊〉 at quiet until i have found the party out , to be evenged for the injury done me ; which he bid her to conceal . she , with tears , entreated his stay ; but no perswasions could prevail to alter his intention , or rather resolution : for , love is obstinate ; and if it finds not a like return , but a neglect , grows spightful , rather wishing evil to what they love , than another should enjoy what they would have ; and hate themselves , out of a displeasure , in not having what they desire : so did he , and was impatient until he was shipt and gone ; who steered his course towards the kingdom of riches , as believing she was sailed towards her own countrey ; and resolved he was to find her out , or to end his days in the search ; his life being a burthen to him without her company . thus love , sailing in the ship of imagination , on the ocean of the mind , toss'd on the troubled waves of discontented thoughts , whilst his body sailed in the ship on the sea , cutting the salt waves , they were set on by pyrates , and taken prisoners ; so that he was doubly captivated , his soul before , & now his body . at first they used him but roughly , according to their barbarous natures ; but , by degrees , his noble disposition , and affable behaviour , got indifferent entertainment . it chanced some time after , in the sharing of those prizes they got with him , and some others they had got before , they fell out , and from rude words they fell to ruder blows : the prince apprehending the danger that might befall to himself , strove to pacifie them ; giving them such reasons in elegant words , that it charmed their ears , and softned their hearts , and ended the strife amongst them ; and begot from them such love and respect , that they made him their albitrator , and divider of the spoils ; which he performed with that justice and discretion to each one , that they made him their governour , and chief ruler over them ; which power he used with that clemency and wisdom , that he was 〈◊〉 father as their god , than their captain , giving him all ceremonious obedience . and thus reigning in his watry kingdom with his three-forked trident , we leave him for a time , and visit the old man and adopted son , who now began to grow weary of their divine honours , and ( like wise men , that seek a retired and secured life from the pomp of dangerous glories ) bethought themselves how they might get away , and to return into their own countreys again : for , an humble and mean cottage is better beloved by the owner , than the bravest and stateliest palace , if it be another's . thus , putting their designs in execution , they invited the king and people to a solemn meeting in the temple ; where travelia , standing in his usual place , thus spake : the gods ( said he ) will have us to return from whence we came ; and to you ( great king ) their command is , to love your people , and to distribute justice amongst them ; guarding the innocent , punishing the offendor ; and not to use any cruel ceremony to destroy your own kind ; but to instruct them in the right , and to lead them into the ways of truth , as being their high-priest amongst them : also , to make as warrs against your neighbouring kingdoms , but as a defence and guard to your own : for , in peace lives happiness , when warrs bring ruin and destruction ; and in doing this , tranquillity shall be as a bed of ease for life to sleep on ; and length of days as a chariot for life to ride in to heaven , where your souls shall dwell in the height of bliss : and , in this world , fame shall crown your deeds , and your posterity shall glory in your name . and to you , beloved people , the gods command piety in your devotion , obedience to your king , love to your neighbour , mercy to your enemies , constancy to your friends , liberty to your slaves , care and industry for your children , duty to your parents : and in doing this , plenty shall flow in amongst you , mirth shall dance about you , pleasures shall invite you , delight shall entertain you , peace shall keep you safe , till the gods call you to partake of the glories of heaven ; and my prayers shall always be , that jove may preserve you all . then going off from the place where he stood , they went to the king to take their leaves : whereat the king and people wept , and wish'd the gods had given them leave to dwell amongst them . but since they could not have their desire therein , they travelled to the river-side in attendance on them , offering them great riches to carry with them : but they desired , nor took they any more with them , than they thought would defray their charges in a time of necessity : neither did they build a new ship to sail in , but went in the same boat they came , which had been kept , as a relick , safe : for the old man considered with himself , that a bigger vessel would be more dangerous , without sea-men , than the small boat , which they could manage themselves . and so with great sorrow of either side , the one to lose their angels ( as they thought them to be ) , the others for the dangers they were to run through . and thus they parted from the kingdom of fancy , putting forth their boat from the shore ; the old man ( who was very skilful at sea ) observing what angle they came in , returned the same way : where , after six days , they were upon the main sea , the winds being fair , and the waters smooth , the boat went as swift as an arrow out of a parthian's bow ; and as even , as if it meant to hit a mark ; but if by a fresh gale the waves did chance to rise , the boat would as nimbly skip each ridg , as a young kid over a green hillock ; being as leight as mercury's winged heels : so joy filled their hearts with hopes , as winds filled their sails . but various fortune , causing several changes in the world , did raise such storms of fears , as drowned all their joys : for a ship fraughted with pyrates , like a great whale , seized on them . pyrates let nothing escape which they can get to make advantage of ; so ravenous is their covetous appetite : but finding not such a prize as they did expect , but such as might rather prove a burthen , consulted to put the old man into the boat again , and to keep only the young youth , whom ( being very handsom ) they might sell for a slave , and get a sum of money . but when the old man was to depart , travelia clasped about him so close , that his tears , and the tears of the old man , mix'd and joined , and flowed as waters through a channel , swell'd with several brooks . but when he was forced to leave his hold , down on his kness he fell , begging he might go , or keep his father there : pity , said he , my father's age : cast him not out alone to sail on the wide and dangerous sea ; for though my help is weak , yet i am a stay and staff for his decayed life to lean upon ; and i hope the gods have destin'd me to that end ; but if no pity can move your hearts for him , o let it do it for me : cut me not from the root , though old and dry ; for then , poor branch , i wither shall , and dye . nay , said he , i will dye when i can no longer help him ; for death is in my power , though life is not . but the prince , who was their commander , hearing a noise , came on the deck ; who no sooner saw him , but was struck with compassion , raised by a resemblance of his mistress appearing in the face of the youth ; and going to him , bid him dry his eyes , and cease his sorrow , for they both should live together so long as he could keep them . heaven bless you , said he , and may you never part from that you most do love . but when travelia's tears were stopped , and sight got a passage through her eyes again , and looking up to view that man from whom his obligations came , no sooner saw his face , but terror struck his heart , and trembling seized her limbs , as if she had seen some hideous and prodigious thing . the prince observing her in that agony , asking him ( as supposing her a boy ) , what made him shake and tremble so ? in quivering words she answered , as fear before had shrunk his sinews short , so now joy had extended them too far . the prince then stroaking his head , promised they should both be well used ; and so returned into his cabin . thus travelling on the sea , as on a great champain ; the ship , like a horse , went several paces , according as the waves did rise and fall . but at last this ship became like a horse diseased with spavins , which broke out , and sprung a leak , which they stopt as well as they could for the time ; but doubting it could not long hold out , grew very sad , some weeping , some praying , some murmuring , some raving , according as their fear and hopes were . but the prince , who was valiant by nature , expected death with as much patience , as they with fear did apprehend it ; neither was he struck with terror , but yeelded to the fates , and was willing to dye . but , in the midst of their afflictions , at last they espied an island ; at which sight they all shouted for joy . thus , in the life of man , many several accidents pass about ; and it chances , many times , that out of the midst of grief and sorrow , rises up objects of comfort ; so was it here : and setting up all their sails , made haste to it ; but before they could come close to it , although they were not far from it , the leak broke out again , and likewise their fears ; for the ship grew sick of a lingring disease , that it could swim no farther , but perished by little and little ; which perceiving , they hoist out their boat , where the prince gave order , that those which were most afraid , should go first ; he himself was the last that went therein , though the boat did go and unload , and return'd many times ; insomuch , that not only the passengers were saved , but all their goods , which no sooner were out , but the ship sunk , and dyed of that incurable dropsie . but in these dangers the prince forgot not travelia ; for why , the prince was more fond of him , than travelia was of himself ; for her fears of being known , gave her no rest . but being all safely arrived in the island , they began to consider what to do ; the prince counselled them to chuse out some of the company to build up hutts to lay their goods in ; and also to cut down some trees , there being great store of wood , chusing that which was most proper and fit to build a new ship ; whilst the rest of the company went to seek food , and to discover the place . this being agreed upon , they divided themselves ; and those that travelled up into the island , found it very small , as being not above thirty miles long , and twenty broad , and unpeopled ; but great store of fish and fowl ; few beasts ; but those that were , were of a gentle kind ; fine meadows full of grass and sweet flowers ; refreshing and shady woods , wherein ran clear springs , and bubling brooks . thus , though it were little , it was very pleasant ; the greatest inconvenience they found there , was want of houses ; for they found the ground somewhat damp with dews , which ( being an island ) it was subject to : but the air was ferene and clear , the climate a little more than temperately hot . but the time that the ship was a building , the prince had a little house , or thing like an arbour , built in the midst of the island , to lodg in ; and the rest made hutts for themselves ; and several recreations they found to pass away the time . being in so solitary a place , the prince ( who was melancholy for the loss of his mistress ) grew full of thoughts ; and having her picture in his mind drawn to the life , comparing it to travelia's face , which he often looked upon , began to reason with himself why that might not be she , considering her private escape , and the little acquaintance she had in that countrey ; and seeming of a better breeding than a ship-master's son could have , it did almost confirm his hopes . but discoursing one day with the old man of several accidents , telling their misfortunes and good hap of both sides , and being both of one countrey ; the old man , thinking no harm , discovered by his talking , that travelia was none of his son , begotten from his loins , but adopted through compassion and affection ; and then telling the story how he came into his ship unknown , or without his leave ; by the circumstances of time , place , and manner , found that it was she ; whereat , being transported with joy , he could scarce conceal his passion , but dissembled his knowledg as well as he could for the present , yet after that time sought an occasion to get her alone ; where he did usually go a birding , and did command travelia to carry his bags of shot after him ( who loved the service , though she feared the lord ) ; and when they were gone some distance from the rest of the company , and being in a shady wood , the prince feigned himself weary ; and setting down to rest , commanded him to do the like ; and at last discovered to him how he came to know her . she finding her self discovered , turned as pale as death ; and in that passion of fear , prayed him to kill her , or otherwise she should find a way to do it her self . but the prince told her , he would satisfie himself first , unless she would consent to live with him as his wife , in that island , wherein ( said he ) we may live free and secure , without any disturbance . she musing with her self what to do , believing he was not grown the chaster , with living amongst rude and barbarous people , thought it best to dissemble , and give a seeming-consent . whereat the prince's thoughts being more elevated , than if he had been master of the whole world , they return'd to the rest of the company ; the one with an over-joyed mind , the other sad , and full of perplexed thoughts . but when she came to a place where she might be alone , sitting down in a melancholy posture , without uttering words , or shedding tears ; for grief and amazement had congealed the one , and stopt the other : yet at last her smuthered sorrow broke out into complaint . you gods ( said she ) ! who will offer sacrifice to your deities , since you give innocency no protection , nor let chastity live undefiled ? cruel fates ! to spin my thread of life , to make me up a web of misery ! accurst fortune , that brake not that thread with an untimely death ! and you unjust powers , to torment poor virtue , making it a sin to free it self : for , bad i leave to dye , i would not live in shame : for to dwell bere , committing acts dishonourable , although i am forced , yet shall i seem a party guilty ; and though no outward accusers , yet my conscience will condemn me . but , o you gods of light ! since you regard me not , nor will not hear me ; you powers of darkness , hearken unto me , and wrap me up in your dark mantles of perpetual night , that no eye may see me ; and cast me into black oblivion , where no remembrance is . the old man her father ( who was come from the water-side , where he had been for the directing and ordering the building of a new ship ) came to her in the midst of her complaints , and asked her , what she lacked ? or , if she were sick ? i would i were , said she ; then might i hope death would reprieve me : but i am worse ; for i am miserable , having torment ( like to those of hell ) within my mind : my thoughts are vultures , eating on my carrion-infamy ; or like the restless stone , that cannot get up to the hill of peace , but rolleth back with fear and sad remembrance . then she told him what she was , which he did never know before ; and what had pass'd since the first of her misfortunes , to that present ; and how he had ignorantly discovered her . which , when he heard , he cursed his tongue for telling how , and where he found her . father , said she , what is past , cannot be recalled ; wherefore , i must strive to help my self in what 's to come : and since i have been dutiful , and you so loving and kind , as to save me from the jaws of death ; help me now to protect my honour ; convey me hence ; let me not live here to please his appetite , but cast me to some unknown place , where ( like an anchoret ) i may live from all the world , and never more to see the face of man ; for , in that name , all horror strikes my senses , and makes my soul like to some furious thing ; so much affrighted it hath been . her father said , heaven give you quiet , and me aid to help your designs . but you must ( said he ) dissemble , to compass them : wherefore rise , and put on a smooth and pleasant face , and let your discourse be so compliant , that you may have a free liberty ; for if a doubt should cross his thoughts , you may chance to be restrained and kept by force , which will break that assistance i may give you . whilst they were thus discoursing , the prince came to them ( who had not patience to be long from her ; for her absence was his hell , and her presence his heaven ) , flattering the old man : my father , said he , ( for so i may call you now ) let me entreat you i may be your son , and she your daughter ; since she , you thought a boy , is proved a girl : and since fortune hath brought us so happily to meet , let us not despise her favours , but make the best use of them , to our advantage . then telling the old man , how that island might be made a paradice , and in what felicity they might live there , if their peevish humours did not overthrow . their pleasures . the old man seemed to approve of all the prince said ; whereupon the prince took him to be his dear friend , and secret councellor : for the old man did not omit to give him counsel concerning the setling and advancing of his new and small monarchy ; because he thought , in doing so , he might the better work out his own design , by taking away those suspitions that otherwise he thought might be had of him . then the prince bid the old man to have a care , and to order his maritime affairs , in over-seeing his ships and boats built ( for , said he , our chief maintenance will be from the sea ) ; the whilst i will perswade these men i have here , to make this place the staple and port of their prizes , and dwelling . then taking travelia along with him ( the old man and he parted for that time ) , and going to the rest of the company , he perswaded so well with his rhetorick , that they resolved to stay , and build them houses there to live , and also ware-houses to lay their prizes in , and from thence to traffick with them into safe and free places . whereupon every one put himself in order thereunto ; some cut down wood , others digg'd up stones ; some carried burthens , and some builded . thus , like bees , some gathered the honey and wax , whilst others made and wrought the combs . the mean time the old man made himself busie , at the coast side , about ships and boats , as being the chief master employed in that work. but oft-times he would go out a fishing in a fisher-boat all alone , bringing several draughts of fish ; and when he thought he should be least mistrusted , conveyed victuals therein , and then gave travelia notice to steal to the water-side ; who , watching her opportunity when the prince was busie in surveying , and in drawing the platforms of the city he would have built , stole away ; and as soon as she came , her old father went as if he meant to go a fishing , carrying his nets ( and the like ) with him to the boat , his supposed son busie in helping him ; and so both being put out to sea , and not gone very far , were taken by the sympathetical merchants , who trafficking into the kingdom of amity , sold them there to other merchants ; who carrying them to the chief city , the queen of that countrey ( who was an absolute princess in the rule and government thereof ) seeing travelia , who was brought to her as a rarity , took such a liking to him , that she received him into her family , as also to attend near her person ; wherein he behaved himself so well , that he became her favourite , and the old man was treated very well for his son's sake . in the mean time , the prince was in a sad condition for the loss of his mistress , who searched about all the island for her ; but could hear nothing of her , until he sent to the sea-side for the old man , to enquire for her ; and had answer back , that the old man and the youth went out a fishing , but were not as yet returned . which he no sooner heard , but guesled a-right that they were fled away . whereupon he grew so enraged , that he lost all patience ; swearing , tearing , stamping , as if he had been distracted . but when his fury was abated , his melancholy encreased , walking solitary , accompanied only with his sad thoughts , casting about which way to leave that hated place ( for all places seemed so to him where his mistress was not ) : yet he knew not very well what to do , because he had perswaded the rest of the company to abide there , and make it their home ; and in order thereunto he knew they had taken great pains : besides , he thought they might despise him , as seeming unconstant ; yet stay he could not : wherefore calling them together he spake in this manner : my friends , said he , we have here a pleasant island , altogether unhabited , but what is possest by our selves ; and certainly , we might become a famous people , had we women to get posterity , and make a commonwealth : but as we are all men , we can only build us houses to live and dye in , but not have children to survive us . wherefore my counsel is , that some of us that are most employed , may take the new ship , and go a pyracing for women , making some adventure on the next kingdom , which may be done by a sudden surprisal ; which prizes , if we get any , will bring us more comfort , pleasure , and profit , than any other goods : for , what contentment can riches bring us , if we have not posterity to leave it to ? they all applauded so well of his advice , that they were impatient of stay , striving who should go along with him ; and so pleased they were with the imagination of the female sex , that those whose lot was to stay ( who seldom or never pray'd before ) prayed for the others good success . but the prince's intention was , only to find that female he lost ; caring not to seek for those he never saw . but setting out with great expedition , and hopes of a good return , sailed with a fair wind three or four days , at last saw land , part of the kingdom of amity . no sooner landed , but they were beset with multitudes of countrey-people , who flocked together , being affrighted with the arrival of strangers ; and being more in numbers than they were , over-power'd them , and took them prisoners . they were examined , for what they came ? they answered , for fresh water . but they believed them not : for , said they , it is not likely you would come in a troop so armed , for fresh water . so they bound them , and sent them to the king , to examine them farther : and being carried to the chief city , where the king was , who was advertised of all ; sent for them into his presence to view them : and being brought unto them , the prince , who was of a comely and graceful presence , and a handsome man , bowing his head down low , in a submissive stile thus spake : great king , we poor watry-pilgrims , travelling through the vast ocean to search the curiosities of nature , that we may offer our prayers of admiration , on her altar of new discoveries ; have met with cruel fortune , who always strives to persecute , and hath forced us to your coast for the relief of fresh water : for we came not here to rob , nor to surprise ; but to relieve our feeble strength , that was almost lost with thirst ; not that we were afraid to dye , but loath to live in pain : nor would we willingly yeeld up our lives , unless great honour lay at stake : but if the fates decree our death , what way soever it comes , with patience we will submit . but if , great king , your generosity dares trust our faiths , so far as to employ us in your service , we may prove such by our courage , that our acts may beg a pardon for those necessitated faults we have committed ; and if we dye in warrs , we dye like gallant men ; but to dye shackled prisoners , we dye like slaves , which all noble natures abhor . the king , when he had heard him speak , thus answered the prince ( as their accustomed manner was ) in verse : your faith i 'le trust , and courages will try : then let us see how bravely you dare dye . the prince poetically answered again , as he perceived it an usual custom to speak : our lives , said he , wee 'l quit , before we yeeld : wee 'l win your battels , or dye in the field . for the king , at that time , was newly entred into a warr with the queen of amity ; the chief cause was , for denying him marriage , he being a batchelor , and she a maid , and their kingdoms joining both together ; but he nearer to her by his affection , being much in love with her : but she was averse and deaf to his suit ; and besides , her people was loath , for fear of being made a subordinate kingdom . wherefore , he sought to get her by force . and the king , liking the prince's demeanour , demanded who he was , and from whence he came . the prince told him truly , who he was , from whence he came ; how he was taken by the pyrates ; and how long he had lived with them ( concealing the cause of his journey ) : but by his discourse and behaviour , he insinuated himself so far into the king's favour , and got such affections in his court , that he became very powerful , insomuch as he was chosen the chief commander to lead out the army ; believing him ( as he was ) nobly born , and observing him to be honourably bred ; and they ( being a people given to ease , and delighting in effeminate pleasures ) shunned the warrs , sending out only the most vulgar people , who were rather slaves than subjects : all meeting together , produced the chusing of the prince , who ordered and directed their setting out , so well , and prudently , as gave them great hopes of a good success . in the mean while , the queen was not ignorant of their intentions , nor slack in her preparations , sending forth an army to meet them : but the queen her self had a warr in her mind , as great as that in the field ; where love , as the general , lead her thoughts ; but fear and doubt of times , made great disorder , and especially at that time ; for travelia , on whom she doted , was then sick ; in which sickness , she took more care to recover him , than to guard her self and kingdom . but the army she sent out , was led by one of her chief noble men , who marched on until he had a view of the other army ; and , being both met , they set their armies in battel-array . when they were ready to fight , the prince thus spake in the most general language : noble friends , you being all strangers to me , makes me ignorant both of your natures and customs ; and i , being a stranger to you , may cause a mistrust both of my fidelity and conduct . as for my experience , i am not altogether ignorant of the discipline of warr , having been a commander in my own countrey . neither need you doubt of my zeal and loyalty to your king's service , by reason i owe my life to him ; for it was in his power to have taken it away : neither can i have more honour bestowed on me from any nation , than from this , were i never so ambitious , or basely covetous , to bribe out my fidelity : wherefore , if i lose ( as i am perswaded i shall win the day ) , yet it will not be out of my neglect , falshood , or want of skill ; but either it must be through fortune's displeasure , or by your distracted fears ; which i cannot believe will possess any spirit here , being so full of alacrity , chearfulness , and readiness to meet the enemy ; and may the thoughts of honour maintain that heat and fire , not only until it hath consumed this army you see , but all that shall ever oppose you . after he had thus spoke to them , they began the onset : long was the dispute ; but at last , by the prince's courage , which animated the rest by his example , and by his wise conduct and diligent care in rectifying the disordered ranks , and supplying their broken files by fresh men , he got the day , and put the enemy to a rout , killing many , and taking store of prisoners . the prince , when he saw that fortune was his friend at that time , though at other times she had frown'd ; yet now he thought to make his advantage whilst she was in a good humour : wherefore he called to the soldiers to follow their pursuit ; but they were so busie in the dividing of the spoils , as they were deaf to all commands or entreaties , giving their enemies leave to rally their scattered forces , and so to march away ; and by that means they got so far before them , as they had time to get up their spirits , and strengthen their towns by fortification ; to man their forts , and to entrench themselves ; whereas , if they had followed their victory , they might have taken a great part of the countrey : for , all towns , forts , and the like , seldom stand out , but yeeld to a victorious army ; yet it must be whilst the terror and fright of their losses , hath wholly possest their minds , leaving no place for hope . but when the prince thought they had lost their opportunity , through the covetousness of the soldiers , he sent a messenger to the king , of the victory , and with the reasons why he could not follow the same ; but , if his majesty would give permission , he would march on , and try out his fortune . in the mean time , the queen hearing of the loss of her army , was much perplexed ; then musing with her self what way she were best to take , she straight went to travelia , who was indifferently well recovered ; to him she related the sad news ; then asked his counsel what she were best to do . he told her , his opinion was for her to call a council of the gravest and noblest of her subjects , and those whose age had brought experience : for , if worldly wisdom dwells any where , it is in aged brains , which have been ploughed by various accidents , and sowed with the seed of observation , which time hath ripened to a perfection ; these are most likely , said he , to produce a plentiful and good crop of advice ; but young brains , said he , want both manuring and maturity , which makes their counsels green and unwholsome . whereupon they called a council ; where , after they had disputed long , at last they all agree in one consent , that the best was , for her to go her self in person , to animate her soldiers , and to give a new life to their dejected spirits . whereat she was much troubled , by reason travelia was not so well as to travel with her ; and to leave him , seemed worse to her than death . but after her council was broken up , she returned to him , and told him what her council had decreed . and this ( said she angerly to him ) was by your advice : for , had i not called a council , but had sent a general of my own choice , it would not have been put to a vote for me to have gone in person . but had you had that love for me , as i have for you , i should have had better advice ; and with that wept . heaven knows , said she , the greatest blow fortune can give me , is to go and leave you behind me . he seeing her weep , thus spake : beauty of your sex , and nature's rarest piece ; why should you cast your love so low upon a slave so poor as i , when kings hazzard their kingdoms for your sake ? and if your people knew , or did suspect your love to me , they would rebel , and turn unto your enemy ; and besides , conquerors are feared and followed ; whereas losing is a way to be despised , and trod into the earth with scorn . alas ! i am a creature mean and poor , not worthy such a queen as you ; and 't were not wise to hazzard all for me . wherefore , go on great queen ; and may you shine as glorious in your victories , as the brightest starrs in heaven : may pallas be your guide , and mars the god of warr fight your battels out : may cupid give you ease , and venus give delight . may hymen give such nuptials as best befits your dignity . may fortune always smile , and peace dwell in your kingdom . and in each heart such loyal love may grow : no disobedience may this kingdom know : age crown your life , and honour close your days : fame's trumpet loud may blow about your praise . she , weeping , said : no sound will pierce my ear , or please my mind , like to those words you utter , when they 're kind . but at last by his perswasions , more than by her councellor's advice , she consented to go , upon that condion he would take upon him the government of her kingdom , until such time as she returned again ; and , said she , if i dye , be you heir to my crown , and ruler of my people . and may the gods keep you from all opposers . the people knowing her commands and pleasure by her proclamation , fell a murmuring , not only in that she left a stranger , but a poor slave , who was taken prisoner and sold , and a person who was of no higher birth than a ship-master's son , to govern the kingdom , and rule the people . whereupon they began to design his death , which was thought best to be put in execution when she was gone . but he behaved himself with such an affable demeanour , accompanied with such smooth , civil , and pleasing words , expressing also the sweetness of his nature by his actions of clemency ; distributing justice with such even weights ; ordering every thing with that prudence ; governing with that wisdom , that it begot such love in every heart , that their mouths ran over with praises , ringing out the sound with the clappers of their tongues , into every ear ; and by their obedience shewed their duty and zeal to all his commands , or rather to his perswasions , so gently did he govern . thus whilst he ruled in peace at home , the armies met abroad ; and being set ready to fight , the trumpets sounded to charge , and every one prepared to encounter his enemy , striving for the honour of reputation , which is got by the ruin of one side : so equally hath nature distributed her gifts , that every one would have a just proportion , did not fortune disorder and misplace her works by its several accidents . but the terror of the former blow was not quite extinguished in the queen's army , nor the insulting spirits of the other army laid , but rather a new courage added to their old victory , which did help them now to win that day , and with such victorious fortune , that they took the queen a prisoner , and did destroy the whole army . the prince thinking the kingdom won , in having the queen's person , made him divide his army into two parts ; the one half he sent to take possession of the towns , castles , and forts ; the other part he led himself to conduct the queen , being much pleased that he had such a gift to present to the king ; which present he knew his royal master would prize above all the world , which made him chuse to go with it : for had the spoils been less , he had sent them with some messengers ; but being so rich , he durst trust none to guard it but himself . the king hearing of their coming , made all the preparations of state that could be , sending the prince a triumphant chariot , and his own robes to wear ; which chariot coming as they were ready to enter the city , the prince sets the queen thereon , and walks on foot by the chariot-side , as being mistress to the king his master . and the king , being attended by all his nobles of the kingdom , met the queen , and with great respect led her to his palace ; where , when she came , the king kissed her hand , and smiling , said , the gods had brought her thither : for certainly , said he , the gods by their fates have decreed and destin'd you to be my queen ; in which gift the gods have made me like themselves , to enjoy all felicity . she with a face clothed in a sad countenance , answered , fortune was his goddess ; and if he were like her , he might prove unconstant ; and then , said she , you may change from love to dislike ; if so , i may chance to have liberty , either by death , or to be sent into my own kingdom again . if you will accept of me , said he , you shall not only have your own kingdom , but mine , wherein you shall be adored and worshipped as the only she in the world. she answered , i had rather have what i adore , than to be adored my self . then was she conducted to a strong and safe , but a pleasant place , to be kept in , where the king visited her often , treated her civilly , courted her earnestly , loving her with an extraordinary passion . the prince , in the mean time , was in high favour with the king , who asked and took his counsel in every thing : and sending for him one day , when he came , hung about his neck , as was his custom so to do ; saying to him , o my friend ! ( for that was his usual name he gave him ) my cruel prisoner ( said he ) you brought me , despises my affection , slights my addresses , condemns my suit , scorns my proffers , hates my person : what shall i do to gain her love ? alas ! said the prince , i have had so ill success in love , that what i doted on most , did hate me worst ; which is the cause i have left my countrey , friends , and estate , and lost the peace of mind , the joy of mirth , the sweets of pleasures , the comfort of life , hating my self because she doth not like nor love me : jealous i am of light , darkness , heat , cold , because they come so near as to touch her . i wish her dead , because none should enjoy her but my self : yet i cannot live without her , and loath i am to dye and leave her here behind . thus hang i on a tortur'd life , and bear my hell about me . whilst they were thus lamenting their hard fortunes in love , a messenger brought news that their forces were beaten that were sent into amity . how can that be , said the prince ? most of the nobles being here , and none but peasants left behind , who have no skill in warrs , and only fight like beasts ? but the alarms came so thick one after another , to tell that they had not only beat their forces , but were entred into their kingdom . with that the king in haste dispatched the prince with a fresh supply added to those forces he brought the queen with , so march'd out to meet the enemy . for travelia hearing the queen was taken prisoner , was highly enraged ; which choler begot a masculine and couragious spirit in her : for though she could not have those affections in her for the queen , as a man ; yet she admired her heroick virtues , and loved her as a kind and gracious princess to her ; which obligations made her impatient of revenge : then calling all the chief of the kingdom together , thus spake unto them : honourable , and most noble , you have heard the sad news of the queen's being taken prisoner , which cannot chuse but strike your hearts through your ears , and make them burn in flames of high revenge ; and may those flames be never quenched , until you fetch her back , and set her in her throne again . she went to keep you safe ; and nothing can be more ungrateful , than to let her live amongst her enemies . nor can you here be free , whilst she is made a slave ; your wives and children will be bought and sold , and you be forced to do their servile work : what goods you now possess , your enemies will enjoy . then let your hands and strength redeem your countrey 's loss ; or sacrifice your lives in the service . after she had spoke , they proclaimed her with one voice general ; raising new forces , making vows they would never forsake their queen ; but dye , or be conquerors . then sitting themselves in order thereunto , travelia ( as their general and chief governour ) caused a solemn fast and procession , sacrificing to the gods for good success . after that , she took a view of her arms and ammunition , selecting out the ablest and youngest men to fight , making the better sort commanders , that envy might not breed disobedience : the aged she chose for her councellors , her old father being made one ; the most mechanicks , as smiths , farriers , pioneers , cannoneers , sumpter-men , wagoners , cooks , women , and the like , went with the bag and baggage . neither did she omit to take good chyrurgeons , doctors , apothecaries , and druggists , to help the sick and wounded . at the army 's going out , she caused a proclamation to be read , that all the women and children , and infirm persons , which were left behind , not being fit to go , should pray incessantly to the gods for victory and safe return : for , said she , women and children , and the infirm , are the best advocates , even to the gods themselves , being the most shiftless creatures they have made , wherefore the most aptest to move compassion . thus setling the kingdom in a devout and orderly posture , they marched on , re-taking their towns , forts , and castles , lost ; beating the enemy out of every place ; insomuch as they did not only clear their own kingdom of their enemies , but entred into theirs : and being gone some days journey , their scouts brought them word there was an army coming to meet them ; and , after a short time , the armies were in view of each other : whereupon she drew up her forces ; the right and left wings she gave to be commanded by two of the valiantest and experienced commanders ; the rear unto another ; the van she led her self ; the reserve she gave her old father in charge to bring in , as he saw occasion ; praying him he would not stand with it so far off , but that he might come soon enough to their aid ; nor yet to stand so near , as to be annoy'd with their present fight : father , said she , i give you this part to command , because i dare trust your faith , as well as your judgment , courage , and skill . then she commanded every captain of a company should place himself in the midst of their second ranks ; for if the chief commander ( said she ) in a company , be kill'd , the spirits of the common soldiers soon dye , and their nerves grow slack with fear ; and all their strength will fail , unless it be to run away . the lieutenants , she ordered them to place themselves in their last ranks , to keep the soldiers from flying : for , said she , shame will cause obedience , to submit to authority : wherefore , his eyes will be as a fort , and his breast as a bulwark , to keep them in . then she gave order , that every squadorn should be but five ranks deep , and fifty on a breast ; which number , said she , is enough to knit into a proportionable body ; more makes it unweildy , and is like a man over-grown with fat , whose bulk makes him unactive either to assault , or to defend himself : and rands of ten deep , said she , are not only unuseful and troublesome , but so many men are lost as to employment ; for the hindermost ranks come seldom or never to the charge . in every troop of horse she placed some foot , both pikes and muskets , to gall and hurt their enemy's horse when they came to encounter : for , if once the horse fails , the man is down . after that , she commanded her army to marchin such a slow pace , as not to break or loosen their ranks , but commanded them to join so close , as if there were no vacuum in their troops , and so to move as one entire body or piece . lastly , she commanded all the cuirasiers should stand in the fore-front , to bear the shock , or break the ranks . and thus she set the battalia in order , form , and figure , as the ground and places would permit to their best advantage . the prince ordered his battalia as he was used to do , making it thick , as believing it to be the stronger ; which is questionless the best way , if it were only to stand still for a defence , but not to assault : for in action , the half of those thick bodies serve only as cyphers without a figure ; but never help to multiply the numeration of blows . but the armies , being both ready to joyn , the young general thus spake to his soldiers : noble friends , brave soldiers , and wise councellors , who knows but this our meeting may produce good and great effects , and bring peace to your countrey , which is molested with warrs , and ruin to your enemies , that have almost ruined you ; comfort to your sad friends we have left behind , liberty to your imprisoned friends ? we fight for fame hereafter , for honour and profit now presently : but if we let our enemies become our masters , they will give us restless fears , unreasonable taxes , unconscionable oaths , whereby we shall lose the peace of our mind , the conversation of our friends , the traffick with our neighbours , the plenty of our land , the form of our customs , the order of our ceremonies , the liberty of the subjects , the royalty of your government , and the company and rule of our gracious , vertuous , and beautiful queen . and shall they have courage to spoil , and we none to right our wrongs ? shall they live by our hard labour ? and shall we live by their hard laws ? all noble spirits hate bondage , and will rather dye than endure slavery . wherefore , my friends , be you constant to your just resolutions , circumspect in your ways , patient in your labours , heroick in your actions : for , what man can remember such injuries , and let their courages be cold ? wherefore , for your own sakes , your countrey 's sake , your royal queen's sake , go on with valiant hearts , and active strengths ; and may apollo be your friend , shooting his darts , dazling your enemies eyes . may mars , the god of warr , direct you in your fight . may fortune give you aid , and pallas give you victory . after she had thus spoke , the trumpets sounded to charge , and the young general sent some flying horse to give the onset , and then seem to run away ; which the other army seeing , thought it was out of fear , and followed them as in pursuit , which disordered and broke all their ranks : but the queen's army marched in good order to meet them ; at which the enemy , viewing their unexpected posture , was so daunted , as they neither had spirits to fight , nor power to run away ; and so a great number being killed and taken prisoners , the queen's army became absolute masters of the field . the prince with much difficulty retreated back about a days march , with some few , but with the prime of his horse ; where he heard of a fresh army coming to assist them : for the king , fearing they were not strong enough , being forced suddenly away , caused new men to be raised to follow them . the news of this army rejoiced the prince much , being at that time very melancholy for the great loss he received , and for the disgrace , as he thought , by reason he despised the enemies to the king ; and to be overcome by those he scorned , did wrack his soul. but taking up fresh hopes with his new-come army , returned back to the queen's army again ; who , when they heard of a new supply , were much amazed and dejected , by reason they were weary and tired with three fights , and disordered with gathering up , and carrying away their spoils . but the young general , perceiving them to hang down their heads , thus spake : noble friends , i perceive such a sadness in your faces , as if fear had taken possession of your hearts ; which if it hath , except courage beats it out , it will betray your lives unto your enemies ; and to be taken by a timorous thought , before your strength hath grapled with your foes , were base ; and if right and truth be on your side , as sure it is ; and reason rules your judgment , as i hope it doth ; you have no cause to doubt : but if you fear the conduct of my youth , as wanting experience to judg or direct the best , then here are aged men who with ulysses and nestor may compare ; their counsel is your aid . let no vain suspition therefore quench your hopes , but courage set your spirits on fire , and with their heat consume your enemies to ashes . with that they all aloud did say , go on , we will dye or conquer . in the mean while the prince was encouraging his new-come army , who was struck with the news of the last battel , hearing nothing of it until they met the prince ; the sudden report ( like thunder ) shook their spirits ; which to appease , the prince thus spake : noble friends , you that have humility to obey , love to unite , charity to redress , have hopes to obtain : for , hope is the ground on which courage is built . let not the enemy of mistrust , vanquish your faith ; but perform your loyalty through your industry : for obedient thoughts are not sufficient , without obedient actions . wherefore take courage to fight . let not your enemies kill your spirits . weep not , nor condole at our losses ; but let us regain our honours either by victory , or death . and they that are sloathful or cowardly in this army , may they neither enjoy the lawrel , olive , or cypress ; but go to the grave unregarded , or forgotten ; or live in shame , despised . but those that are industrious and valiant , may they sit high in honour's throne ; and fame blow their praises so loud , and far , that no time can stop the sound . then the two armies being set in battel-array , the prince ( to save the effusion of blood ) finding his army not full of alacrity , sent the young geral a challenge ; who , although he knew himself unfit for a single duel , accepted it , being afraid of the dishonour of denying it : but the two armies would not consent to look on whilst they fought ; for , in the encounter , both armies joined in cruel fight . but she having no skill in the art and use of the sword , nor strength either to assault or resist , was wounded ; and her wound bled so fast , that she fainted and fell down to the ground . but the prince , who was of a noble nature , perceiving by her shape that she was but a stripling , run to unty her head-piece ; and viewing her face , straight knew her ; and was so astonished thereat , that he had not power to stir for the present ; but stopping the wound as well as he could , brought life again ; yet so faint she was , that she could not speak ; neither had he power to go away , but sate by until he was found in that posture . in the mean time , the army being left to chance , having not their general to direct them , fortune play'd a part of civility and courtship , giving victory to the ladies ; so the queen's army had the day ; and some of the common soldiers , seeking for spoil , found them , he sitting by , holding her in his arms ; from whence they took her , and put her in a litter , and he also in the same , as a prisoner , to carry them to the body of the army ; and as she went , having recovered her spirits again , thus complaining , she said : i have heard of pleasure , ne're could it obtain ; for what we pleasure call , still lives in pain : then life is pain , and pain is only life , which is a motion , motion all is strife ; as forward , backward , up or down , or so side-ways , or in a circle round doth go . then who would live , or would not wish to dye , since in the grave there is no misery ? o let me dye , strive not my life to save ; death happy is , and peace lies in the grave . the prince told her , she preached to her self a false doctrine : for , said he , life is a blessing which the gods do give ; and nothing shews them gods , but that they live : they 're the original of life , the spring ; life the beginning is of every thing : and motion is from all eternity ; eternal motions make the gods to be . to wish no life , we wish no gods , and then no resurrection to the souls of men : in resurrection we as gods become ; to be — none would refuse a martyrdome : the very being pleaseth nature well , were she to live always in pains of hell. nature , nothing is more horrid to her than annibilation , that quite undoes her . thus gods and nature , you do wish to spoil , because a little pain endures a while . devils had rather devils be , than nought at all ; but you like angels that did never fall . thus they discoursed as they went ; but he strove to conceal himself from her knowledg , until such time as he thought he might make his peace with her , for fear she should run away again out of hate and dislike to him . but the army , when they miss'd their young general , grew so sad , that they took no pleasure in their victory : for they were all as one dumb man , no noise was heard , all eyes were full of tears . but when they saw the litter , as supposing she was dead , they raised a cry that rent the air , and made the thicker clouds to move . which when she heard , and saw them running to her , she shook her hand to shew them she did live . then sent they shouts of joy to heaven high ; and ev'ry countenance sad , look'd merrily . but when they came so near as to view her face , and saw her pale and weak , they grew into such a rage , that they would have killed the prince , hearing he wounded her : but she entreated for his life , and begg'd him for her prisoner : no sooner ask'd , but granted ; and she gave the charge of him to her father . being brought into her tent , the army watch'd by turns whilst she was under the chirurgeons hands for cure : nor would they take any of the spoils , but what she did divide unto them ; nor any direction but what she gave : nor would they stir until her health permitted her to travel : but , being indifferently well , she gave order to march on . but the king had raised another army in the time of her sickness , and sent it out to meet them . she , although weak , went about to order and encourage her soldiers , who loved her better than their life ; which affections made them fight so well , that they overcame their enemies ; and before the king could raise another army , they got unto the city . where , as soon as she came near , she gave order to her soldiers to entrench about it , and to cast at every corner of the city a mount of earth , on which she placed her cannon to batter down the walls : then she did build forts about , to place her men to shoot and cast granadoes in ; and by their several assaults they battered the city , and killed many of their men by sundry and sudden assaults : at last she resolved to storm it . but the king , perceiving his weakness , and that he could not hold out long , sent to the young general , desiring a treaty , and withall a cessation of arms. in the mean time , the queen , being weary of her imprisonment , longing for the coming of her beloved , in a melancholy humour thus spake : o what a hell is it to love , and not be loved again ! nay , not only to love , but to love a slave , and he regards me not : do i say , slave ? no , he is none , that hath no slavish passion : then he is free , and i am only bound to slavery , first to my passions , then to his tyranny . what shall i do , you gods above ? you punish me , and yet you make me love . do you delight still in a tortur'd mind ? make you no sympathy in human kind ? must all your works consist in contradiction ? or do we all enjoy nothing but fiction ? the mind is nothing but meer apprehension ; 't is not a thing , unless it hath dimension . but o you powerful gods ! by your decree , you can of nothing , something make to be : then make me something , grant me my delight ; give me my lover , or destroy me quite . thus leaving her in a melancholy posture and humour , we return to the armies . the cessation being near expired , the young general called a council , and thus spake to them : right noble and valiant heroes , the king hath sent to treat of peace ; but in my opinion there can be no honourable agreement ( next to the setting the queen at liberty ) but the resigning of his crown , and so his kingdom , to her . first , for raising hostility , and disturbing the sweet peace and happy condition of a kingdom that never molested them . then , for the dishonour , in taking the queen prisoner , the ruin and spoil of your countrey , the death of your friends , and the loss of your gallant men , killed in this dissention , making many widows and fatherless children . besides , who can rely upon the faith of an unjust prince , who made warr upon his neighbours without a just offence , but only through an ambitious attempt upon your queen and kingdom ? have we not victory ? and yet shall we return with loss ? shall we despise the gift of the gods , in making no use of what they give us ? and shall the trumpet of loud fame report the queen was taken prisoner , and resigned upon a low agreement ? no , let fame divulge unto the world , her release came with the ruin of his kingdom . after the general had spoken , one of the council , who was like nestor for years and experience , thus spake : our general hath spoke a speech so full of courage and honour , as shews him to be of so true an heroick spirit , that he hath left no room for policy to play a part . but states cannot subsist with valiant hands alone , unless they have a politick head , which is the guide to great designs ; it burns more cities than granadoes do ; it undermines strong towns , pulls down great works , wins forts , sets battels , takes prisoners , makes slaves , and conquers kings and kingdoms ; and what we call policy in a publick state , is called discretion in a private family ; and it is not , as the vulgar think it , a cheat , or meer deceit , but a wise prudence , to prevent the worst of ills , and to keep peace , or get tranquillity . 't is true , valour is a daring spirit , but policy is the trusty friend , and covers with skill all those faults it cannot mend ; it guides the bark in which man's life swims , and keeps them from the shipwrack of the world , pulls down the ambitious sails when blown too full with pride , lest it should overturn the ship of safety , to be drowned in seas of miseries : but policy will rather chuse the oars of patience , and take the tides of time , than venture where the doubts are more than hopes , or hazzards more than gains . then let us try to make a prudent peace , not trusting to fortune's favour , unless she were more constant : for in the warrs such unknown chance may fall , instead of victory , we may be ruin'd all . i speak not this to cross my general ; for i shall be as ready to obey all his commands , be they never so dangerous , as i have freely delivered my opinion . after he had spoke , the general rose up , and said , these counsels are too solid to be contradicted by rash youth . whereupon they all agreed to treat with the king , giving his ambassadors audience . the king's ambassadors coming into their assembly , thus spake : you great victorious amitenians , my master should not need to seek for peace , before it sought for him , had not the god of love proved his enemy , perswading mars to be his foe : for those that are cross'd in love , have seldom victory ; for mars doth take the part of venus , cupid's mother . thus our great king and master is by love undone . but since 't is the gods that work his fate , he humbly doth submit : wherefore he sends these proffers unto you : first , he will build your broken forts again , and raise those walls his soldiers have pulled down . secondly , he will repay your charges and expences in this warr , although his own is great , and his loss is more . thirdly , he will restore his prisoners , if you will do the like to those you have taken : but for the queen , she is no prisoner : for our master is her captive , and her thrall , both to command him , and his kingdoms all . after the amitenians had consulted , they told the king's ambassadors , that words were not acts ; wherefore , they could conclude of nothing until the queen was in her army to make her atonement for her self ; and if she were no prisoner , they desired to wait on her out of the city ; if not , they must use force . whereupon the ambassadors went back to their king to declare their answer . but to return to the captive prince , who was more fetter'd in his mind , than in his body ; for the old father treated him civilly , and used him kindly : but , perceiving him to be very melancholy , thought it might proceed from the overthrow he received ; which he strove to moderate , telling him , nothing was more subject to chance , than warr ; and that the valiantest and wisest men , might fall by fortune's hand : for , said he , she on wheels , not on firm ground doth stand . she seeks not worth and merit to advance ; her scepter , which she governs by , is chance . then said the prince , o fortune , most unkind ! i would she were as powerless as blind . as he was speaking , in comes the young general ; whom when he saw , love's passion shook his manly strength , and made his visage pale . but she , being of an affable and sweet disposition , wish'd all content of mind to every person , although she had little her self . noble sir , said she , it was not for want of respect , i have not visited you ; but my engagements have so busily employed me , that till the cessation of arms , i have not had so much time as to examine your welfare . but i know my father hath not omitted any service he could help you in ; neither do believe , you ( being a commander ) can be so ignorant , but to know , that camps can afford but a rude entertainment , having therein no necessary accommodations ; and since my wishes cannot make it better , you will be pleased to accept of it as it is . worthy sir ( answered the prince ) , i am only a prisoner to your favours , but am free by your noble entertainments . so , after some discourse , telling him of the agreement which was like to be , left him , or rather carried him with her ; for his soul went after her , although his person stay'd behind . but , to follow the ambassadors , who were got to the king , and told him , the demands of the amitenian army was , to have their queen , before they would treat any farther . the king being very much troubled thereat ; for to keep her he durst not , knowing his own weakness , and their strength ; and to let her go , he could not ; for his passion of love would not give him leave : neither would he call a council , knowing they would be for the departure of the queen , for their own securities : then did he wish for his friend and servant , the prince : but at last , being resolved , went to the queen his mistress , and taking the crown from off his head , laid it at her feet : madam , said he , here i deliver you my crown , and with it my kingdom ; and yeeld my self your prisoner , dispose of it and me as you please : for it never shall be said , i make conditions with her i do adore ; for since my soul is yours , there is nothing i can own that is not so . and since you must and will go from this place , let me go with you , to set your triumphs out ; and lead me as your slave . sir , answered she , i have not been so ill treated , nor am i so ungrateful to go away , and leave no thanks behind me : wherefore i will stay until there is such a peace made , as you may receive as much profit , and as little losses thereby , as i. wherefore , in order thereunto , i desire , that the general of my forces , and some of my council , may come hither , and so confer both with my self and you . the king gave order , that the gates of the city might be set open : but the queen sent a messenger to the army , that none of the forces should enter into it , but keep themselves where they were , without ; only the general and the council , and some of the chiefest commanders , to come unto her . but when they were ready to wait upon the queen , the old man fell very sick , and sent to his son ( the young general ) to come unto him to take his leave of him before he dyed ; who went with a sorrowful heart , and sad countenance ; and when he came close to his bed , the old man spake : son , said he , my lease of life is expired ; and death , the landlord of my body , knocks at my old and ruinated cottage , sending out my soul to seek another habitation ; which soul intends to travel through the airy skies , unto the mansion of the gods , where it shall pray for your success and happy days on earth . o father , said travelia , must you go , and leave me here behind ? why will the gods so cruelly oppress an innocent youth , to leave it in distress ? you were my good angel , to guard me from those evils that fortune sets about me ; you were my guide , which did direct my simple youth to just and honest ways : what will become of me when you are gone ? or who will rescue me from those that seek my ruin ? the old man said , the gods , the gods , my son , they will reward your virtue . farewel , farewell ; then turned his head , and dyed . after he had lamented and mourned over his lifeless corps , he sent to the queen to give him leave to interr his father's ashes . the king hearing thereof , sent to the general , inviting him to bring his father's body into the city , and there to be interr'd in his chief temple ; which honour he accepted . whereupon all the army brought the hearse unto the gates , and then returned unto their trenches . but the chief commanders did bear it unto the grave ; the young general came into the temple , being clad all in mourning , only his face seen ( which appeared like the sun when it breaks through a dark and spungy cloud , whose beams did shine on those watry drops that fell upon her cheeks , as banks where roses and lillies grow ) and standing on a mounted pillar , he said : i come not here to flatter or be-lye the dead , but to speak the truth as far as my knowledg is informed : he was aged in years , not old ; for those are only old , whose memories and understanding are grown defective by the length of time . he was wise by experience , not led with self-opinion . he was learned in the art of navigation , and not ignorant of land-service , or command ; although few that dwell on seas , and profess that art , know more of land , than the ports where they take harbour to shelter themselves from furious storms , or to take fresh victuals in , or to be deboist with wine and women . but he was most temperate , not only in moderating his passions , but also his appetites , with reason , honour , and religion . in his behaviour he was affable and free , not formal nor constrain'd , by vain and self-conceit . his disposition gentle , sweet , and kind . he was in his nature compassionate to all that were in distress . he was industrious to all good effects , and had a nimble and ingenious wit , and 〈◊〉 a superfluity of courage , as did not only banish fear in himself , but begot spirit in others . he was bred in the schools of honour , where he had learnt vertuous principles , and heroick actions . he had all the ingredients that goeth to the making of an honest and gallant man. and he was not only morally honest , but most pious and devout . he offered not sacrifice to the gods for worldly prosperity , but out of pure love and adoration to the gods. he was a pattern for all others to take example by . his soul was as the breath of the gods ; and his animal part as the best of nature's extraction . but nature makes nothing to last in one form long ; for what she creates , she dissolves again . with that her tears fell so fast from her eyes , as stopt her mouth for a time : but at last , she sighing , said : although my tears are useless to him , since it is not in their power to alter the decrees of fate , nor can perswade the gods to give perpetual life here in this world ; yet natural affections are forced through my eyes . then bowing down her head over the corps , which was placed underneath , said : these , as satisfaction , may asswage my grief , to think my new-born fears , the issues of my love , shall be buried and lye intombed with his cold ashes ; which is the only way to mingle souls , when death hath parted bodies . but if fate had had the power to twist the thread of of my life with his , then death had struck me too , and so eased my grief . but since it is not so , his memory shall lye entombed in my heart until i dye . after he had spoke this funeral-speech , he descended from the pillar ; and helping to lay the corps upon the funeral-pile , did with a flaming-torch set the fuel on fire ; and gathering up the ashes , put them in the urn , and placed it in a tomb. having thus executed those ceremonies belonging to the dead , he changed his mourning-robes , and clothed himself fit for the court or camp again . then he and the council , and the chief commanders , went unto the palace of the king ; where , after some discourse , he was brought to the queen , who joyed more to see her travelia , than for the victories they had won : and after she had condoled with him for the loss of his father , she congratulated with him for the good success he had in the warrs ; aud withal told him , she must set at liberty his prisoner the prince , for she had given him back unto the king. whereupon he presently gave order for the prince to repair to the court ; and after she had heard the relations of all their several actions and accidents , and pleased her self with the variety of other discourses ; she told them , she would sit in council to consider what was to be done as concerning the peace ; and so dismist them for that time : only she stayed travelia , loving his company so well , she could not so easily part with him . but the king perceiving her affections , as being never pleased but when travelia was with her , he grew so jealous , that had not honour forbid him , having past his word unto her , they should all there be safe , he should not have let him live to have been his rival . in the mean time , the messenger had caused the prince to repair to the court ; who was much troubled how to behave himself : for , said he in his thoughts , if i should make my self known unto my mistress , she will straight convey away her self either by death , or stealth ; and if i go disguised , although i may make the reason known unto the king , yet the court will talk , and think it is for some ill design against the state , so bring an aspersion upon my loyalty . thus musing a long time with himself , at last he thought it best for to take counsel of the king ; and being come to him , the king with great joy embraced him , saying , o my friend ! thy company is a kingdom to me . he humbly kissing his hand , said , he thought fortune was so much his enemy , as that she had shut him out of his royal favour . but sir , said he , it was none of my fault i did not win ; for the gods , jupiter , mars , and the rest , are such lovers of the fair mortal-females , that they will never be against them ; for wheresoever they are , victory is there also . the king , thinking he meant it of the queen , told him how unkindly she used him , and how he perceived she loved the young general even to a dotage ; and withall , asking his counsels what he should do , he smiling , yet sighing , said : o sir , said he , there is no cause to fear ; for that person you do suspect , is a woman , which i believe the queen knows not . then he told him all the story of his love , and all the several accidents thereupon , and ask'd his advice what he should do ? the king was overjoyed at his relations , discovering she was a woman ; and his joy gave so many several advices , that the number confused the counsel , and confounded the choice . but while they were thus talking , a messenger came to the prince , which brought him letters from his own countrey , by merchants that were lately come in , that his wife was dead ( for although they knew not where he was , yet they sent letters into several countreys , in hope some might light into his hands ) : which when he heard , his doubts were turned into hopes . with that , the king and he embraced with joy , making no question now but cupid was turned their friend , and that he would shoot two golden arrows into their mistresses hearts from the forts of their affections . the time being come when the king and queen , and the councellors of both , should meet about the peace , they being all set ready to treat , the king entreated the queen she would give him leave , that the prince might be one of his council ; which ( said he ) without your own consent , he shall not be , since he hath been your prisoner . she told the king , he was not bound to her , since she had given him a release ; and your councellors are to be chosen by your self , and not by me . after her answer , he sent for him ; who came , being not disguised , but as he was himself ; and travelia looking upon his face as he was coming in , and seeing the man she most did fear , she fell into a swound : at which accident the queen being extreamly afflicted , thinking it was done by some design wrought from the jealousie of the king , broke up the juncto for that time , taking all the care she could for his recovery . but travelia being recovered out of her swound , was still sick in mind , though not in body ; and kept her bed as if she had been very ill . whereupon the queen's suspition was more encreased , and fear'd some poyson had been given him ; and with that conceit could not endure to see the king. the king being much troubled that the queen was more severe to him than she was used to be , and perceiving that it was travelia that was the cause , complained unto the prince , and ( with seeminganger ) said merrily , dispose of your mistress some way ; for i am jealous , said he , although she be a woman . sir , said the prince , i have as much reason to be jealous of the queen , as you have of my mistress , setting her masculine habit aside . at last they did agree to discover her to the queen . whereupon the prince went to the queen , and desired her ( by a messenger ) to grant him half an hours conference . she desired to be excused . he sent her word , it was something concerning his own affairs . whereupon she gave him admittance . when the prince came to her , he said : madam , i should not press thus rudely on your thoughts , but that i think i am part of the cause that makes them melancholy . sir , said she , you take upon you to know much ; for it is hard to know the mind or thoughts of our selves , much less of others . madam , said he , i will be so presumptuous to guess at them , if you will give me leave . take it , said she . then , madam , said he , i must tell you , you are in love ; and the person you love , although most excellent , yet cannot return such love as you desire ; for you have placed your affection upon a woman , who hath concealed her sex , in taking the habit of a man ; and hath more confirm'd your mistake , by the actions of a soldier . i know not , said the prince , how kind you have found her ; but i have found her cruel . then told her the story from the first time he saw her , until that present . when the queen had heard his relation , her colour came and went , moved by her mix'd passions , anger and love ; angry that she was deceived , yet still did love , and wish'd she had been a man. then the prince began to move unto her the suit of the king. but she was so impatient and troubled in her mind , being crost in her love , that she would hear nothing concerning love more at that time . which he perceiving , took his leave for the present . but as soon as he was gone , tears from her eyes flow'd out , as if they meant to make her there a watry monument . and her oppressed heart such sighs sent forth , like gusts of wind that blow from south or north. after this furious storm , a calm did rise , her spirits , like a still smooth water , lyes . then laying down her gentle head to rest , thus to the god of love her prayers addrest . thou powerful god of love , that shoots from high , one leadden arrow in my breast let flye , to quench that scorching heat thou mad'st to burn , unless a woman to a man can turn . with that the god of love did pity take , quench'd out the first , and did a new fire make ; yet was it weak , as being made but new ; but being kindled , it much hotter grew . at last the flame got hold upon the king , which did much joy unto each kingdom bring . after a sweet and refreshing sleep , she rose , and went to travelia's chamber , and told her how she was discovered . then chiding her gently for not making her self known unto her , said , that she had caused her many unquiet rests . but travelia begged her pardon ; telling her , it was the cause of her misfortunes that concealed her , and not out of any evil design she had to deceive her . then desired her assistance and help to secure her . whilst they were thus talking , the king and the prince came to see the sick person ; to whom the queen with a smiling-countenance said , she was courting her hard-hearted lover . the king answered , that he hoped she would take pity on him , by what she had felt her self . the queen told him , she was likelier to love him now , than if she had never been a lover before : for , said she , there is something pleasing in lovers thoughts , be their fortunes never so adverse ; and i believe , said she , the prince will say as much . madam , said he , it is a pleasing-pain , as being mix'd with hopes and fears ; but if our hopes do cease , all pleasure is gone , and nothing doth remain but pains of hell. then , said the queen , your mistress should be in a sad condition , if she loved you as you seem to love her , you being a married-man . no , said the prince , i am now a widower ; but i doubt ( said he ) that doth not advantage me in my mistress's affection . but when travelia heard he was a widower , her heart did beat , like a feverish pulse , being moved with several passions , fearing it was not so , hoping it was so , joying if it were so , grieving that she ought not to wish it so . but the queen asked the prince , how that he came to know of it . whereupon he told her . she said , i have promised your mistress to protect her against your outragious assaults : but since your suit is just , and your treaty civil , i will yeeld her to you , upon that condition you carry her not out of my kingdom : for , since i cannot marry her , and so make her my husband , i will keep her , if i can , and so make her my friend . with that , travelia rises up in her bed , and bowed her self with a pleased countenance , giving the queen thanks . the prince said , you have given me as much as the gods could give , which is , felicity . madam , said the king , you have given me nothing . the queen , with blushes , answered , that if her council would agree , she would give him her self . the king , for joy , kneeled down , and kiss'd her hand : now , said he , i am like to the gods , they can but have their wish . thus passing that day in pleasing-discourses , the next day they caused their councils to meet , where they concluded the marriage of the king and queen ; and that the queen should live with their king in the kingdom of amours ; and that her first son should be heir to the crown , and her second should be heir to the kingdom of amity : but in case there were no sons , or but one , then daughters should inherit . in the mean time , the prince , and his princess that was to be , should be vice-roy ; or rather , that she should rule , who was so beloved of the people , as if she had not only been a native born , but as if she had been born from the royal stock . but they thought it fit she should make her self known unto the army by word of mouth , that she was a woman , otherwise they might think she was made away by a violent death ; and that the report of being a woman , was only a trick to deceive them ; and from thence arise such a mutiny as might bring a ruin to both kingdoms . when all was agreed , they prepared for the marriages . in the mean time , travelia goeth to the army , attended by the prince ; where the king and queen came soon after , that the soldiers might see they were there , as witnesses of what she told them . and , being all in a circle round about her , she being upon a place raised for that purpose , thus spake : noble friends , and valiant soldiers , i am come here , at this present , to declare i am a woman , although i am habited like a man ; and perchance you may think it immodesty : but they that will judg charitably , will enquire the reason , before they give their censure : for upright judges never give sentence before they examine . wherefore i believe you will not condemn me because necessity did enforce me to conceal my sex , to protect my honour : for , as the love of soul and body is inseparable , so should the love of chastity , and the feminine sex ; and who can love , and not share in danger ? and since no danger ought to be avoided , nor life considered , in respect of their honours ; and to guard that safe from enemies , no habit is to be denied : for it is not the outward garment that can corrupt the honest mind ; for modesty may clothe the soul of a naked body ; and a sword becomes a woman when it is used against the enemies of her honour : for though her strength be weak , yet she ought to shew her good will ; and to dye in the defence of honour , is to live with noble fame : and therefore neither camp , nor court , nor city , nor countrey , nor danger , nor habit , nor any worldly felicity , must separate the love of chastity , and our sex : for , as love is the sweetest , so it is the strongest of all passions ; and true love proceeds from virtue , not from vice : wherefore it is to be followed by life , and to be maintained till death : and if i have served my queen honestly , condemn not my modesty . then she bowed her head down low , first to the king and queen , then to the army . whereupon the army gave a shout , and cryed out , heaven bless you , of what sex soever you be . after she had spoke this speech , she went into her tent , and drest her self in her woman's robes , and came out again ; and standing in the same place , thus spake : noble friends , thus with my masculine clothes i have laid by my masculine spirit ; yet not so , but i shall take it up again , if it be to serve the queen and kingdom , to whom i owe my life for many obligations . first , to my queen , who bought me as a slave , yet used me as a friend ; and loved me with that affection , as if nature had linked us in one line ; for which , heaven reward her with glory and renown . besides , her love did bestow upon me great honour , made me protector of her kingdom in her absence ; and you her subjects ( out of loyalty ) obeyed all my commands , although i am young and unexperienced . and 't is not only what your loyalty enforces ; but i have found your affections of love to be such , as it shewed they came freely from your souts , expressing it self in grieving for my sickness , taking care for my health , joying in my company , mourning for my absence , glorying in my fame ; in so much , as you would lessen your own , to give it me . what shall i do to shew my gratitude ? alas ! my life is too poor a sacrifice : had i the mansion of the gods , i would resign it for your felicity . but these are only words , not acts , to shew you my thanks . yet here i do offer all that the gods or nature gave me , life , health , or beauty ; peace , pleasure , or plenty ; and these shall stand upon the altar of a thankful heart , ready to be sacrificed to your service . whereupon all the army cryed out , an angel , an angel , the gods had sent unto them ! then was there a declaration read in the army , of the agreement of peace : and when it was read , that the prince should be vice-roy in the kingdom of amity , all the soldiers ( as if they had but one voice ) cryed out , travelia shall be vice-regent ; which was granted to pacifie them . whereupon there were great acclamations of joy. but the prince told his mistress , she should also govern him . she answered , that he should govern her , and she would govern the kingdom . then went the king and queen , the prince and travelia , the nobles and the chief commanders , to celebrate their nuptials ; and on the wedding-day , though the queen was adorned with a crown of diamonds , hung about with rich jewels ; yet her beauty did dim their luster . but travelia was only drest in a white silk garment , which hung loosly about her ; and yet her face did seem like to a glory bright , where gods and goddesses did take delight : and in her eyes , new worlds you there might see , love-flying cupids there as angels be : and on her lips venus enthroned is , inviting duller lovers there to kiss : wing'd mercury upon her tongue did sit , strewing out flow'rs of rhetorick and wit : pallas did circle-in each temple round , which she with wisdom , as a lawrel , crown'd : and in her cheeks sweet flowers for love's posies , there fates spun tbreads of lillies and of roses : and every loving smile , as if each were a palace for the graces to dwell there : and chast diana on her snow-white breast there lean'd her head , with most pure thoughts to rest : when view'd her neck great jove turn'd all to wonder , in love's soft showers melting without thunder . the lesser gods on her white hands did lie , thinking each vein to be their azure skie . her charming circling arms , made mars to cease all his fierce battels , for a love 's soft peace ; and on our world's globe sate triumphing high , heav'd there by atlas up unto the skie : and sweet-breath'd zephyrus did blow her name into the glorious trumpet of good fame . after they were married , to set out their triumphs , they had masques , playes , balls , pageants , shews , processions , and the like . and when they had kept the festivals some days in the city , the prince and princess desired they might go and revel for some days with the army that was without the city . the queen being well pleased therewith , thither they went ; where they had tiltings , running at the ring , fencing , wrastling , vaulting , jumping , running races of horse and foot , baiting of beasts , and many the like warlike pastimes ; and such hospitality , that every common soldier was feasted : and after they were well satisfied with sports and good cheer , the prince and princess returned to the court again : where , after they had remained some time , the king and queen sent them with the army into the kingdom of amity ; and the soldiers returned home not only with all the spoils they got in the warr , but the king did present all the chief commanders with presents ; and the two kingdoms lived in peace and tranquillity during the life of the king and queen ; and , for ought i can hear , do so to this day . the tale of a traveller . a gentleman and his wife being married some years , and having none but daughters ; at last was born unto them a son , of whom they were very fond , and did strive to give him the best breeding they could . in the first place , he was to learn the horn-book , from that his primmer , and so the bible , by his mother's chamber-maid . but after he came to ten years old , or thereabouts , he was sent to a free-school , where the noise of each scholar's reading aloud , did drown the sense of what they read , burying the knowledg and understanding in the consusion of many words , and several languages , yet were whipt ( for not learning ) by their tutors , whose ill teaching broke and weakned their memories with over-heavy burthens ; and striving to thrust in more learning than could be digested , or kept in the brain , dulled their senses , and opprest their understanding ; for , being afraid of whipping , they got their lessions by rote , without understanding the sense . but this youth , being ingenious by nature , learnt more by his own capacity , than by his tutor's dull rules . after some time , he was sent to the university ; where continuing from the years of fourteen , to the years of eighteen , did at last consider with himself , that he was buried to the world and its delights , conversing more with the dead , than with the living , in reading old authors ; for that little company he had , was only at prayers and meat ; the time of the one being taken up in devotion , the other in eating , or rather fasting ; for their prayers were so long , and their commons so short , that it seemed rather an humiliation and fasting , than an eating and a thanksgiving . but their conversation was yet a greater penance then their spare diet ; for their disputations ( which are fed by contradictions ) did more wrack the brain , than the other did gripe the belly ; the one with filling the head with vain opinions , and false imaginations , for want of the light of truth ; as the other with wind and crude humours , for want of sufficient nourishment . upon which considerations , he left the university , and fitted himself to travel into forreign countreys , to see their varieties and curiosities , and to learn the customs and laws thereof , going into all places and companies of note and recourse : but when he had travelled some few years , he began to sum up his journeys , that he might know what advantagious experiences he had gained by his observations . whereupon he recounted the several forms and fashions in architecture , both in churches and palaces , cities , towns , and villages ; their longitudes and latitudes , their height and thickness ; their forms , as round , square , triangular , and the like ; their materials , as stones , and what sorts of them , wood , brick , tiles , slat , or the like : what pillars and pillasters of all fashions , cuts , and carvings ; the doors and frontispieces , which are for grace and ornament , as bellviews ; or for conveniency , to avoid the sharp winds , shunning the northern or southern points : and so for windows ; placing them obliquely from the sun , to avoid the extremity of heat . then likewise granishing ; as gilding , fretting , and their paintings , where the proportion of their figures were made according to the distance of the eyes . then what piles had been so built upon the least compass of ground , that none was lost , but every foot employed , making no vacant corners , or useless places . then their situation and accommodations for water , and fuel , and healthsome air. what cities had navigable rivers , or conveniency of ports and havens for traffick and commerce . what fortifications or forts for its defence . after he had recounted this to himself , and what those sights had advantaged him ; if i were able , said he , i would pick out all the curiosities of these several buildings , by imitation , and create me a palace . but , upon reflecting-thoughts , he said , building was very chargeable ; for the very building of a mean house , will wasten an indifferent good estate : so that i may build a house after mine own humour , but i shall be so poor , as not be able to live in it when it is finished . no , said he , i will live in those house my ancestors left me , who built by degrees , according as they were able , every generation adding something ; and leave great , curious , and rare buildings , to great princes and monarches , who build with their subjects puises ; or to the clergy , who build with charity , raising great colledges and churches out of weak consciences ; or to unjust magistrates , who create palaces from brides . then what good hath these observations done me , said he , unless i meanto to be a surveyor ? and then i would not study any other thing , because then i would make it my living , and so learn the curiosity of it for my trade . but , since i cannot build for my humour , fancy , nor fame ; i will not trouble my self for the pleasure of others . he recounted also to himself the several courts of judicature he had seen , and how causes were determind ; where he observed , that riches and power decides all causes ; and those that have neither , lose their suits . afterward he considered what places of societies he had frequented , and what he had gained by conversations at ordinaries , where all strangers and travellers meet ; and that their discourses were most commonly of news , many times false , being of what designs one prince hath against another ; and of their peace and agreements , their warrs , their victories , and overthrows ; the disadvantages and advantages of their polities , governments , and tyrannies ; their favourites , their luxuries , and vanities ; but seldom in praise of their wisdom or justice . and what advantages , said he , do i gain by this ? their losses hurt not me ; i gain nothing by their victory : their luxury draws nothing out of my purse ; nor doth their clemency nor their bounty extend so far as my miseries or necessities : god send me health , said he , and fortune give me good luck , and let forreign kingdoms do what they will ; for i cannot settle them when they are in disorder ; mutinous factions will not hear me ; nor will tyrant princes take my counsel : why should i then fill my head with their actions , or busie my thoughts with their quarrels or agreements ? besides , the reports are most commonly , or at least half of them , lyes . then he took notice of his recreations and pastimes , as playing at cards and dice , mistresses , and the like : by this , said he , i do not only lose and waste time , idly sitting still , and only exercising my self in shuffling and throwing ; but i lose my money : for , if i win once , i lose twice ; and the box eats up all the gains : which doth so torment my mind , that it is never at rest : for , when i have won , i long to be at play again , to win more , with the hopes that i shall grow rich with it , and so fill my head with such vain imaginations , build such castles in the air , do such wonders with my imaginary wealth , as caesar and alexander never did the like : and if i lose , i am never quiet until i am at play again , out of hopes to get what i have lost ; and am as sullen all the while , as a hare that is got in restraint ; my countenance so dejected and sad , as if i had newly buried my father ; and my humour so cross , that i contradict all discourse , let it be never so rational ; and am so cholerick , that i am ready to beat all i meet . thus i disturb my sleep , torment my thoughts , vex my mind , impair my health in sitting up late , and all to no purpose . if not at play , then i go to a bawdy-house , and there for a short pleasure i get a lasting disease : for the pox is seldom got out of the bones ; and when it is cured at the best , it leaves pains and aches to their dying-day . well , said he , by these courses i find i am absolutely a loser ; and therefore i leave them to whores , bawds , cheats , and pick-pockets . and as for those exercises and qualities ( said he ) which we call virtuous , i could never get them by travelling about to see sights and rarities , as they are accounted : so that vaulting , riding , fencing , which should maintain honour , and defend my life , is lost in the search of novelties , which whirls a man about as dust in a whirlwind ; and his thoughts are so scattered about ; that his reason and consideration can settle in no judicious place . well , said he , i will turn courtier , and see what preferment i can get at court. whereupon he made himself fine clothes , taking many pages , lacqueys , and grooms , giving fantastical liveries : and thus being accoutred for a great prince his court , he addressed himself there to ushering the ladies , kissing their hands , admiring their beauties , cringing and congying , creeping and crouching to the favourites ; waiting and attending in the privy-chamber for the presence of the king and queen ; and if he could at any time get a word from the king or queen ( although it were but to call such a one , or to speak to have a back-door ready opened to go into the garden , or to take coach privately ) , he thought himself raised from a mole-hill to a mountain . but after he found his money was spent , and no preferment was like to come , he considered with himself what advantages he had got , or rather lost . here , said he , i waste my time in hopes of preferment , which comes by favour , not by merit ; and , many times , those that deserve least , have the greatest honours cast upon them . here i spend my estate to grace the court , and my self to flatter authority , to maintain knavery ; siding in factions , to rail against honest men , to bely my conscience ; and to what purpose is this ? for when i am a bankrupt , i shall be despised and scorned , or be their anvil to knock jests upon . no , said he , i will spend my estate where i shall have something for my money , and be flattered by them that shall live upon my bounty or vain-glory . besides , said he , this is an idle and cowardly life ; i will go to the warrs , and there get me honour and reputation . so he fitted himself with arms , horses , tents , wagons , and the like ; and after he had been received by the general very kindly , and with great civility , he marched with the rest of the cavalry ; and having past two summers in marching , besiedging , fighting , wintering , quartering , and purloining , he began to consider the course of life he lived in . here , said he , i adventure my life , running through great dangers , endure great miseries by colds and heats , and extream hunger and thirst , breaking my natural rest , lying upon the cold and hard ground , killing those that never did me harm , and offering my self to be killed by those that never did me good ; and this i do to get an honourable fame ; whenas , ten thousand to one , i am cast into the grave of oblivion , amongst the common soldiers : for alas , fame hath not many puny-clarks to record every several action done by every particular person in a great and numerous army . besides , all the honour of a victory redounds to the general , and the losses reflect upon the common-soldier and under-commanders ; besides , fortune gives the triumph , and not merit . and what have i gained by all my travels and experience ? nay , what have i not lost ? have i not spent a great sum of money , endangered my life both by sea and land , wasted my youth , wearied my limbs , exhausted my spirits with tedious journeys , my senses almost choaked with dust , or drowned with wet , lying in lowsie inns , eating stinking meat ; and suffered all the inconveniences that go along with travellers ; and when they return to their own countrey , they are no wiser than when they went out ; but oft-times become more compleat and absolute fools , bringing vain fashions , fantastical garbs , lying reports , infectious diseases , rotten bodies , atheistical opinions , feared consciences , and spotted souls . well , said he , i will now return to my native soil , leaving the flattering and dissembling courts , the deboist cities , the cruel warrs , and never take up arms more , but when my king and country calls me to it ; nor will i travel more , but when my king and countrey sends me forth . but i will lead a countrey-life , study husbandry , follow my plows , sell my cattel and corn , my butter and cheese , at markets and fayres , kiss the countrey wenches , and carry my neighbour's wife to a tavern when market is done ; live thriftily , and grow rich . then taking his leave of the general , he returned to his own countrey , where after he had visited his friends , who were joyed to see him , and did welcome him home ; he put himself into one of his farm-houses , stocking his grounds , taking men-servants and maid-servants to follow his business ; and he himself ( clothed in a frieze jerkin , and a pair of frieze breeches , a frieze pair of mittins , and a frieze mountier-cap , to keep out sharp-cold in winter-mornings , when the breath freezes between the teeth ) would over-see and direct ; and was industrious to call up his servants before day-light , and the last a-bed when their vvork was done ; for in the summer-time he would be up with the lark , to mow down his hay , to reap down his harvest , and to see his carts loaded , riding from cart to cart ; and at noon would sit down on his sheafs of corn or hay-cocks , eating bread and cheese , and young onions , with his regiment of work-men , tossing the black-leather bottle , drinking the healths of the countrey-lasses and good-wives that dwelt thereabout ; and after his harvest was brought into his barns , and his sheep-shearing-time done , make merry ( as the custom of the countrey was ) with good cheer , although countrey-fare ; with goose-pyes , pudding-pyes , furmity , custards , apples , and march-beer ; dancing to the horn-pipe with the lusty lasses , and merry good-wives , who were drest in all their bravery , in their stammel petticoats , and their gray cloath-wastcoats , or white wrought wastcoats , with black woolstead , and green aprons ; and the men with cloath breeches , and leather doublets with pewter buttons . these and the like recreations the countrey-people hath mix'd with their hard labours : when their stomacks were full , and their legs weary with dancing , or rather with running and leaping ( for their dances have no nice and difficult measures to tread ) , they disperse every one to their several houses , which are thatch'd , and only holes cut for windows ; unless it be the rich farmers , and they most commonly have a chief room , which is glazed ; yet the poorer sort are seldom without bacon , cheese , and butter , to entertain a friend at any time . then giving thanks to the gentleman for their good cheer , and he shaking them every one by the hand , they took their leaves ; and the next day every one followed their own labours , as they used to do ; nor did the gentleman omit any pains , care , and industry in his affairs , but plyed the markets , selling his corn , straw , hay , cattle , cheese , butter , honey , &c. and after he had followed this way of husbandry two or three years , casting up his accounts , he found that he was rather behind than before-hand in his estate , and that his husbandry did not amount so high as the rents he had from his tenants , when he did let them . alas , said he , have i taken all this pains , rising early , following my business hard all day , making my self a slave to the muck of the earth , to become poorer than i was ! it 's hard , when those that take my lands , pay me great rents , and not only live themselves and their families thereon , but grow rich into the bargain ; and i cannot make so much as my rent , when i take as much pains , and am as industrious as they are . then being in a cholerick humour ( as they are most commonly that thrive not ) , and vexing at the servants round his house for their carelesness and idleness , in a melancholy humour he would walk out into his fields ; and going once by a neighbour's cottage , where only lived an old man , and his old wife ; he saw her standing at the door , fanning some corn in a little basket : by your leave , good-wife , said he ; you are fanning your gleanings ? god bless you , my good master , said she , and all that belongs to you : truly , said she , i am sifting a little corn from the husks , to boil for my good man's supper and mine , who will come home weary and hungry from his day's labour : we are old , master , said she , and labour goeth hard with us now ; but in our younger days it was like a recreation , when our bodies were young and strong , and our spirits lively : but now , our bodies being weak , and our spirits faint , it is a toil and an affliction to us : but we must work whilst we live , for we have nothing but our labours to feed us , and clothe us , god help us , said she . well , said he , i will be charitable , and see if that will make me thrive ; and told her , he would allow her a weekly-stipend . why , the blessing of god ( said she ) rain down plentifully on your life , and eternal joys in heaven , after you are dead . but i wonder , said he , you could not get so much by your labour in your younger days , to serve to maintain you when you were old . o master , said she , some have too little to thrive on , and some have too much ; but those that have nothing but from hand to mouth , can never lay up , because they eat up what they get ; and there can be no store without some savings : they that have more than they can manage themselves , are destroyed by those that help them ; for many mouths eat them up , and many hands work them out : besides , they are ever cozened and cheated in every office ; their reapers steal sheaves of corn ; for whilst the masters watch one end of the field , there are sheaves flung over the hedg at the other end ; and their sons , daughters , servants , friends , or partners , that help to share , convey it away ; and if they miss it in the field , they will have it when it goeth home in the cart ; for whilst the master goeth home with one cart , the other that goeth before , or cometh behind , is purloined : when he is in the barn , they rob him in the field ; when he is in the field , they rob him in the barn : besides , their threshers carry home corn in their bottles and bags , or hide it in some out-corner until they go home . they are cozened in their garners : for though they do keep the keys themselves , yet when it is fann'd , sifted , and turned , they must watch as a cat doth a mouse , or else they will lose it ; and if they grind their corn , the miller steals his share , and when they go to sow the seed in the ploughed up ground , if the master doth not follow the plough and harrow , and watch the hand that flings in the corn , they will throw handfuls in heaps , to gather it up when he is gone home ; and for their kine and sheep , their maids will sell their milk in the fields ; and when their masters and mistresses are gone to bed , although they saw them go before , they will rise in the middle of the night when they are asleep , and skim their bowls of the first cream . in their meadows and pastures , the neighbours will put their cattel to feed on their grass in the night , and take them out before the day . besides , the servants they send to markets , will drink out the gains , and then complain to their masters , that provisions came so thick , and buyers so few , that they were forced to sell at under-rates ; and , that plenty destroyed the market ; so that robbin and dick , jone and gill , make merry with what their master loses : and so the like in all other commodities . the shepherd steals the twin-lambs ; the swineherd the tenth pig ; the net-herd will mix strange steers in amongst his master 's to grass , knowing his master cannot have so much time as to count his own every day : and when the barns , and the ploughs , and the carts want mending , and repairing , his baylie cuts down two trees , or more , when less than one will serve the turn ; and the carpenter makes more and greater chips than he needs to do ; or carries pieces of wood home amongst his tools : likewise , his carters steal his oats , and makes his horses fast , and flings down more trusses of hay from the lost , than they need to use : the butchers steal the tallow out of the oxe's , the sheep's , and swine's belly , whilst they rip them up , unless they be watch'd : wherefore he that husbands much , had need have argus eyes , to watch in every corner , and to spy into every action ; and briareus hands , to help at every turn ; and more than one pair of legs , to walk into every place , or else he shall never thrive . but he that hath no more ground than he can ride about every day , nor more servants than what his two eyes can observe , nor more labourers than what he can diligently follow , nor more cattel than what he can easily count , nor more mouths than business ; this man shall thrive so , as to be able to pay his landlord's rent , to maintaintain his family , and have money in his purse to lay out upon a good bargain , when many a good worshipful gentleman is fain to borrow , and find more wants in his abundance , than the other in his hired farm ; and those are the happiest masters ( said she ) that have not many nor high desires , and can be content with a little , and whose wants are not above their means . the gentleman said , i have travelled far , and have seen and heard much ; yet i have learnt more experience from you , than i have done in all my tedious and expensive travels : wherefore ( said he ) i find we go far about to seek for that which is at home ; and for your learned discourse ( said he ) here is a crown to make your husband welcome when he comes home . heaven send you a good wife , said she ; and may you live together as old as methuselah , and as loving as isaac and rebecca . so home he went , and by the way he considered what the old woman had told him . i find , said he , her words true ; for i have taken more business upon me than i can manage : wherefore i will sell off my stock , and lett my lands again , only keep so much as shall serve me for provision for my private expence ; and i will get me a wife , who shall not be so handsome as to be proud of her beauty , seeking ways to shew it to the world ; and whilst she strives to shew her self , out of a desire to have all eyes gaze at her , and to incaptivate all hearts , she may chance to be catch'd in love's net her self with some flattering youth , or ignorant coxcomb , who are only crafty to lay lime-twigs to catch simple women . neither will i have one with a great portion , for she will so presume upon what she brought , and be so extravagant in her expences and vanities , ( which are like hydra's heads , where if one be struck off , two will rise in the room ) and will not be contented to spend her own , but my estate also . nor will i have one that is poor , for then her beggarly kinred will lye upon my estate like so many caterpillars , and never leave until they have destroyed the fruit , tree , and all . but i will have one that is right worshipful , born honorably , bred chast , and of a good reputation , has a competent portion , is young , and indifferently handsom ; and one that is cleanly , thrifty , and patient , with a sober behaviour , and a modest countenance , has so much wit as to understand my discourse , and so much discourse as to answer pertinently to my questions , is without self-conceit , and of so much ingenuity as to learn the rules of my will ; then i will live to my self , seeking all moderate delights for my senses , and not be as a property to serve others , cramming a company of idle people , as they do capons , with the fat of my estate , and i their host to provide their meat and drink , and their servant to place their dishes before them , and their drudg to make my house clean after they are gone ; and have nothing for my labour but their satyrical reports , saying i am vain-glorious and prodigal : and when my kind heart and courteous civility hath made me bankrupt , they will laugh at my person , condemn my actions , scorn my poverty , shun my miseries , and will blot me out of their remembrance : for ingratitude , or any other vice or wickedness , seldom hath , and hates returning-thoughts . neither will i spend my time in deciding my neighbours foolish quarrels ; for time is precious , being short , though it measures the full life of man ; and i shall have in recompence , only the honourable name of justice of peace in quorum , which is nothing but a sound , and no real and substantial thing ; neither would i have the trouble for all the poultry in the countrey : wherefore , i will have nothing to do in court , city , or countrey ; but obey the laws , though not to execute them as a subordinate magistrate ; i will submit to authority , but not sit in authority . at last , with these contemplations and discourses to himself , he arrived to his own house : so after supper , with musing thoughts , he went to bed. the next day he sent to an intimate friend to come to dine with him ; and after dinner he told him his intent of discharging himself of the trouble and loss of husbandry : withall , he told him a design he had to marry , and desired him to seek him out a good wife ; relating what manner of woman he would have her to be . his friend said , i will do my best to search out such a one as may sympathize with your humour . but i do wonder , said he , you should think of marriage now ; for you should have wedded a wife when you were in the prime and strength of your age , about the years of four or five and twenty , and not stay until you are eight or nine and forty , when weakness and sickness is ready to seize on you . he answered and said , that young men , wanting the experience of time , chose by fancy , and not with judgment : besides , they knew not how to prize chastity , nor honour the virtues of their wives , having no experience of the falshood and inconstancy which dwells in that sex , or rather that was created with women , as being the essence of their natural dispositions ; so that chastity is to be accounted as supernatural ; and if my wife had been inclined to honesty , yet the vanities and debaucheries of my fantastical youth , might have misled her youth , and have corrupted her pure mind , and innocent life , by my ill example . besides , if i had married whilst i was young , it is likely i should have been weary of my wife before she had been old ; and my children might have been weary of me before i had been old : but now i am old enough to govern a young wife by my sober example , and my solid instructions , and gentle perswasions ; and to prize her chastity so , as to trust her without a jealous spye , and to honour her virtue , to love her person , to maintain her honour , to provide for her and her family , to chuse her delights , and to direct her life : thus i may be happy in my age , by not marrying when i was young . well , said his friend , i will travel all the countrey over to chuse you a fit wife . pray , said he , let me give you some certain rules along with you . first , i would not have her a meer countrey-gentlewoman ; for she seldom seeing any other men but her father's steward , butler , or carters , with their frieze jerkins , and leather breeches ; if she should come to see a flanting young gallant bedaub'd with gold and silver lace ( or say it were copper ) she will be so ravish'd in admiration , that she will yeeld upon the meanest condition he can make ; nay , a gentleman-usher , with a pair of silk stockins , will beset her hard . wherefore , let me have one that dwells in the countrey , that hath seen the city , that hath seen the court , plays , and masques ; but not so well acquainted with them , as to know their enticing-vanities , or tempting-vices . then , i would have her such a one , whose parents have bred her rather to a superfluity , than in pinching-necessity ; for necessity teaches youth to dissemble and shark ; and when they come to command plenty , they have no stay of their prodigality and luxury ; but just like those that are almost starved for want of meat and drink , throw so much into the stomach , that many times it causeth a sudden death , or else a dangerous sickness . but those whose breedings have known no want , have no mean nor base desires ; for plenty opens the door to generosity , and raises the mind to high and noble speculations , which produceth honourable actions , despiseth unnecessary vanities , loves magnanimity , and hates crouching flattery , or base dissembling actions , which plenty seldom knows , having no use thereof . another thing , you must observe her humour , and have a care she be not of a peevish disposition , for they are pleased at no time , but fall out with every thing , even with themselves ; and not only make their own unhappiness , but of all those that live near them ; they will cross all discourse , be it never so rational ; oppose all actions , be they never so just ; delight in no place to live in , be it never so convenient ; but all their life is made up with crosses , and their mind is insnared with unnecessary troubles . truly , said his friend , your rules by which i am to measure a wife , are so strait , as all my industry will never fit you . so his friend left him to court his contemplations , whilst he went to search for a fruition . after a short time , he sent him word in a letter , thus : sir , i have found a young lady , who has the reputation of being virtuous ; born from an ancient stock , and honoured race ; carefully bred , and well qualified ; her portion is small , her friends are not poor ; she has enough beauty to delight a temperate mind ; she seems to be of a cheerful disposition , and makes me believe she can love an ancient man , if ( says she ) his merit equals his years : but ( said she ) i will be wooed before i am wed . wherefore , if you will marry , you must visit the lady ; and as you do both like , you may agree : howsoever , i durst not strike up the bargain before you see her , for fear you should dislike my market , being the first commodity of this kind , and of this nature , i ever cheapned . so good fortune direct you . after he had received this letter , he put himself into a wooing-equipage ; and so compleat he was in apparel and attendants , that the same eyes that had seen him when he followed his husbandry , and should view him now , would forswear they had ever seen him before . such alterations fine clothes and many followers make . the young lady , who expects his company , makes her self fine to entertain him ; the whilst her friends trim up the house , direct their servants how to wait , and provide good cheer to bid him welcome . at last a servant comes running in , to give notice the noble gentleman was come ; which as soon as the young lady heard , the report gave her the palpitation of the heart , which caused a trembling over the whole body , and fear and bashfulness made her colour to rise and fall : but hemming up those spirits that fear had depress'd , setling her countenance to the best advantage for her face , she stood with as much resolution as her weak confidence would give her leave , to receive his addresses ; whom he no sooner saw , but loved ; liking her by report , before he came . after he had saluted her , he thus spake : lady , i come not to woo you as a wanton lover ; for neither my years , nor your modesty , will allow it : neither do i come a suiter to your beauty , but your virtue ; and i wish i were such a one as might merit your affection : but since i cannot promise you to be such as i wish to be ; you will do a meritorious action , to take me out of charity , since i love you devoutly . sir , answered she , i wish i were worth a valuable affection , such as i prize yours to be : i am not yet acquainted with your merit by experience , but by report : and though the ears are the doors that let in the truest affections , yet i will not bar my eyes , but they shall stand as open , as free , though not the only passage to my heart . and i wish reason may rule the objects of my affections , that are gathered together : for it is not safe to love a man for one good quality ; but as many several causes produce but one effect ; so , many several good qualities , produce one entire affection . when they had discoursed themselves ( after this manner ) out of breath , the gentleman was directed to his chamber , where he laid by his riding-cloak , shifted his boots , brush'd his hat , comb'd his hair , and set himself in order , waited on by an old servant , who was busie about him , and one that had been with him in all his travels , and was his favourite . what think you , jack , ( said he ) of a young mistress to your old master ? in troth , answered he , i think my master thinks well of a young mistress . the master saith , the young lady hath a modest countenance , which is a sign she wil make a good wife . so is a bush , said the man , hung out of a tavern , a sign of good wine , but it often deceives the customers . but in troth , said he , i am like one that 's dry , with seeing another drink thirstily ; for i have a mind to a wife , now i perceive your worship resolves to marry . why , jack , ( said he ) you may woo the chamber-maid . he answered : but , sir , the question is , whether the chamber-maid is as discreet as her mistress , to marry a man in years ; for i am as old as your worship : besides , if she be not young , i shall not like her ; for i would imitate your worship in every thing : but the best of it is , if she be old , she will not like me ; for an old woman desires to marry a young man ; and when their teeth are fallen out of their head with age , yet they will snicker upon a beardless boy . thus , whilst the master was trimming himself up , his man and he discoursed . in the mean while , the young lady was gone into her chamber ; and called her maid to bring her the glass , and to view if the curls of her hair were in order . o lord , said she , joan , how red my face is ! i seem as if i were drunk , my cheeks burn like fire ; you told me the other day , i was in the green-sickness ; you cannot think so now . she answered , by my troth , mistress , the gentleman's discourse hath painted your cheeks ; pray mistress , saith she , doth he talk finely ? he talks rationally , answered her mistress ? is he a handsome man , said she ? the mistress said , he has a manly garb , and a wise countenance , and then he cannot be ill-favoured . i pray mistress , said she , how doth he seem to like you ? truly , joan , said she , i cannot tell ; he did not frown ; he seemed well pleased : yet i believe i behaved my self simply , for i was extreamly out of countenance ; and shame-fac'dness restrains the words , and disorders the behaviour , and many times makes one fall into such ridiculous errors , that it is hard to get out of them . o mistress , said she , youth can commit no errors to be condemned , for all their follies are cast on their few years , and their simplicity are graces in the eyes of their lovers . in the time while they were discoursing , her servant had found out the way to her chamber ; whom when she saw him , she flung away her glass . he told her , she did ill to lay aside that which did present her the best object , her self . she answered , his civility might prove bribes to self-conceit , and perswade her eyes to be impartial judges : but , said she , if i can make my mind fair , i care not how my face appears . but , after a short time , growing more acquainted , they left their complemental wooing , and discours'd more seriously concerning the course of life they did intend to settle in . he said , i have heard by the writing of wise solomon , that the only happiness in this life , is , to eat , and drink , and sleep in peace ; and that all things else are wearisomness and vexation of spirit : and truly , said he , that little experience i have , though i have travelled a great way , and into many places , proves if so to me : but , finding a good wife must be added to compleat the happiness , i resolved to marry : but the danger is , if the wife proves not according to the man's desire , then his life is closed up in misery ; yet i cannot believe my fate so ill , since i saw you . she said , i can only say this for my self , i shall be a very honest woman : but for all other good qualities , which are the ingredients to make up a good wife , i cannot promise ; but what errors my ignorant simplicity may be apt to commit , it may be rectified by your wise admonitions . then he told her , the quicker they did dispatch their marriage , the sooner they should be happy ; but , said he , i find your friends desire a publick vvedding , great store of company , musick , and good cheer . i must confess , company and musick fits the years of youth ; but they are not seemly companions for the gravity of age : and to see a man in years dance , is as if his head and his heels were mis-match'd , the one is too light for the other ; and it is seldom known , that a wise brain is propt with dancing-legs ; and if i put my self where such pastimes are exercised , i must run the hazzard of being rude , in denying those that offer to take me out ; or render my self ridiculous , which i would not willingly do , especially before you . besides , it is more comely , noble , and majestical , for youth to follow the strict and severe rules of age , than for age to follow the leight measures , fantastical garbs , and vain rules of youth . sir , said she , as i chuse age for the best to lead my life withall , so i shall chuse aged counsellors to direct all my actions ; and though i am young , i do not approve of the ways of youth ; neither do i find any solid mirth , or lasting contentment , in their recreations or pastimes . he said , you speak according to my own soul , and i hope nature did create us for one another , and destiny will link our affections so fast , that neither change of time nor fortune can alter them ; and that our loves will live in the grave , when our bodies be dead . so in two or three days all contracts were confirmed , and the match was concluded with the approbation of all friends of either side ; married they were , and in a short time after he carried her to his house , there made her mistress of his estate ; and whilst he governed his outward affairs , she governed the family at home , where they lived plentifully , pleasantly , and peaceably ; not extravagantly , vain-gloriously , and luxuriously ; they lived neat and cleanly , they loved passionately , thrived moderately ; and happily they lived , and piously dyed . the she-anchoret . there was a widower who had but one child , and she a daughter ; which daughter he bred with pious devotions , moral instructions , and wise advertisements ; but he falling sick to death , called his daugher unto him , and thus spake to her : farewell my dearest child , for dye i must ; my soul must flye , my body turn to dust : my only care is , that i leave thee young , to wander in the world , mankind among ; few of them charitable are , or kind ; nor bear they in their breast a noble mind , to help the fatherless , or pity youth , protect the innocent , maintain the truth : but all their time 's spent with laborious toil , for to pervert , to ruin , and to spoil . flatter thy beauty , and thy youth betray , to give thy heart , and virgin-flower away . they will profess love , vow to be thy friend , marriage will promise ; yet they will pretend their friends will angry be , or else they 'l say , their land 's engag'd , they first their debts must pay ; or else that they during some time of life , have made a vow , not yet to take a wife : and twenty such excuses they will find for to deceive the simple female-kind . and if you marry , troubles you will find , pains , griefs , and cares , to vex a quiet mind . but here i charge you ( lying in death's arms ) that you do stop your ears against their charms : live chast and holy , serve the gods above , they will protect thee for thy zealous love. daughter . i will obey whatever you command : although you dye , your will shall fixed stand . father . next , i do charge thee , not to grieve nor mourn , since no redress will from the grave return . daughter . o do not so , said she ; but give grief leave to flow out of my eyes ; for if it be supprest , the body dyes : whilst now you live , great wrong y'uld think you have , if i should sit and laugh upon your grave ; or with neglect should i your grave pass by , and ne're take notice where your ashes lye . father . you cannot hinder destiny's decree . daughter . o no! but nature , nature still will be : nature created love within the mind ; the object dead , the passion still is kind . had i as many lives as nature make , i 'de lay them on death's altar for your sake . that single one i have , o heavens me hear ! exchange it for my father's life so dear : but when her father found that death drew on , he bid her lay her hand his eyes upon . father . close up my eyes , said he , and then receive upon thy lips my last breath , let me breathe . when he was dead , sh' amaz'd , long time sate still ; at last bethought her of her father's will : then up she rose , his body did entomb ; and how she spent her life , rehearse i 'le soon . the description of her life in prose . after she had interred her father's corps , although she had rich , honourable , and importunate suiters ; yet she resolved to live like a kind of an anchoret's life , living encloistered by her self alone , vowing chastity , and a single-life ; but gave leave for any to speak to her through a grate . when she went first into her solitary habitation , she thus spake : virtues are several pathes which lead to heaven ; and they which tread these pathes , have graces given : repentant tears allay the dust of pride ; and pious sighs doth blow vain thoughts aside : sorrow and grief , which in the heart doth lye , doth cloud the mind , as thunder doth the skie : but when in thundring-groans it breaketh out , the mind grows clear , the sun of joy peeps out . this pious life i now resolve to lead , will in my soul both joy and comfort breed . she had not been long enclosed , but she grew as famous as diogenes in his tub ; all sorts of people resorted to her , to hear her speak ; and not only to hear her speak , but to get knowledg , and to learn wisdom : for she argued rationally , instructed judiciously , admonished prudently , and perswaded piously ; applying and directing her discourse according to the several studies , professions , grandeurs , ages , and humours of her auditory . the first that came to her , were natural philosophers ; who asked her opinion of man's soul : of which she discoursed in this manner : she said , man hath three different natures or faculties ; a sensitive body , animal spirits , and a soul : this soul is a kind of deity in it self , to direct and guide those things that are far above it , and to create by invention ; and though it hath not an absolute power over it self , yet it is an harmonious and absolute thing in it self : and though the sensitive body hath a relation to it , yet no other ways than jove's mansion hath unto jove ; for the body is only the residing-place , and the animal spirits are as the angels of the soul , which are messengers and intelligencers : all animal creatures have not this soul , but only man ; for beasts have none ; nor every man : for most men are beasts , and have only a sensitive body , and animal spirits , as beasts have : but none know when this soul is out or in the body , but the gods : and not only other bodies and spirits cannot know ; but the body where it resides , and the attending-spirits , are ignorant thereof : for this soul is as invisible to the body and the animal spirits , as the gods to men ; for , though this kind of soul knows , and hath intelligence by the senses , and by the animal spirits ; yet the senses nor animal spirits have none from the soul : for , as gods know men , but men know not gods ; so this soul knows the senses and animal spirits , but the senses nor animal spirits know not this soul. then they asked her , whether souls were immortal ? she answered , that only the life was immortal , from whence all souls are derived . then they asked her , what deities she thought there were ? she answered , she thought but one , which was the father of all creatures , and nature the mother ; he being the life , and nature the only matter ; which life and matter produceth motion ; and figure , various successions , creations , and dissolutions . then they asked her , what she thought time was ? she said , time was only the variation and alteration of nature ; for time is only in respect to creations , alterations , and dissolutions . then they asked her , what eternal was ? she answered , an endless succession . then they asked her , what infinite was ? she said , a numberless succession : but , said she , eternal is in respect to infinite , as infinite to eternal . then they asked her , whether she thought there were fixt decrees , or all were governed by chance ? she answered , that doubtless there were fixt decrees , as light , darkness , growth , decay ; as youth , age , pain , pleasure , life , death , and so in every thing else , for ought my reason can perceive . for , said she , as nature creates by dissolution , and dissolves by creation ; so the diattical life ( says she ) decrees rules , and ruleth by decrees . then they asked her , what was chance and fortune ? chances ( said she ) are visible effects from hidden causes ; and fortune , a conjunction of many sufficient causes to produce such an effect ; since that effect could not be produced , did there want any one of those causes , by reason all of them together were but sufficient to produce ; but that one effect , many times , produces many effects upon several subjects ; and that one effect , like the sun , streams out into several rays , darting upon several subjects : and again , as the sun scorches and burns some things , and warms and comforts others ; so this effect advances some , and casts down others ; cures some , and kills others ; and when the causes vary , and the effects alter , it is called change of fortune . then they asked her , whether she thought faith could naturally produce any effect ? she answered , that in her opinion it might : for , said she , why may not faith , which is an undoubted belief , joined to such a subject , produce or beget an effect , as well as a seed sown or set in the earth , produceth a flower , a tree , or the like ; or as one creature begets another ; especially if the faith , and subject whereon it is placed , have a sympathy ; but by reason ( said she ) faith is not so customary a way of producing , as other ways are , it causeth many doubts , which doubts are like cold northern winds , or sharp biting frosts , which nip and kill the buds of faith , which seldom or never lets the effects come to perfection . then they asked , vvhat the sun was ? she answered , a body of fire . then they askedher , vvhat light was ? she answered , light was enflamed air. they said , that if light was enflamed air , it would burn all things , and so consume the world. she answered , that in thin bodies fire had but little power to burn ; for the thinness of the matter weakens the power of the strength , which causeth flame ( said she ) to be of no great heat : for , the hot flames do rather sindg than burn ; and the thinner the substance is that is set on fire , the purer the flame is ; and the purer the flame is , the less heat it gives ; as the flame of aqua-vitae , that may be eaten with sops . then they asked her , what air was ? she answered , that air was the smoak produced from heat and moisture : for air , said she , is a thin oyl , which is set on fire by the fiery sun ; or is like a fiery substance , and fiery motions , whose flame is light . then they asked her what darkness was ? she answered , darkness was the absence of light. and then they asked , why it was dark immediately , when the passage of light was stopped , and that if it were inflamed air , it would burn and give light , as long as that inflamed air lasted . she answered , that when the fiery rays that issued from the sun were cut off , the flame went out ; for said she , it is not the air , that feeds the flame , but the fire that is in the flame , and when that fire is spent or taken away , the flame dyes ; this is the reason , said she , that as soon as the rays of the fire is cut off , or shut out , or taken away , it is dark ; and when they are eclipsed , the light is dull and dim : but , as i said before , light is only air , set on flame by the fiery sun ; and the blewest sky , is the thinnest flame , being the purest air ; and just as if we should carry a candle away , we carry the light also , which is the flame ; so doth the sun : and as we bring a candle , or the like , into a room , we bring in the light ; so doth the sun : where the fire is , there is the greatest light ; and when a screen is set before it , the light is eclipsed : and when kindled fire ( as a candle , or the like ) is carried quite from the place , it leaves as great a darkness as if it were put out : just so doth the sun , ( which is the world's candle ) when it goeth down , draweth away the light , which is the flame ; and as it riseth , it bringeth in the fire , which causeth the flame ; and when it is high-noon , then is the brightest light , as casting no shadows , if nought eclipses it ; and when clouds get before it , it is eclipsed , as with a screen ; and when it is quite removed to another part of the world , it doth as if it went into another room or chamber , leaving no light behind it : for twi-light is caused from the rays of the sun : for , though the body of the sun is gone from off such a part of the earth , yet the rays ( which are the spreading-part of fire ) are not quite drawn away as soon as the sun ; for as those rays usher the sun-rising , so they follow the sun-setting : and though these rays of fire ( which are the beams of the sun ) enflame the air ; yet not so bright as the body of the sun doth : and where the sun is gone so far as the beams cannot reach , that part of it becomes dark . it is not the gross clouds ( as some think ) make twi-light ; for we see a cloudy day makes the twi-light seem shorter , though it be not ; and it is by reason they eclipse the enflamed air ; for clouds are rather vapour than air : and though vapour and air have some relation , the like hath vapour and water ; and vapour , when it is gathered into the clouds , doth rather eclipse than prolong light . they said , that if the light was flame , the vapoury clouds might quench it out . she answered , that although vapour could eclipse the light , it could not put out the light of the sun : 't is true , said she , it may and doth often allay the fiery heat in the rays ; for some days will be cooler than other days , although the sun be higher ; and some will be cooler than others , although in the same degree of the sun , by reason of low marish grounds , or near great rivers , from whence vapours arise . but though the vapour may abate the heat in the rays , as the enflamed air , and eclipse the light either of mists or fogs , or when they are gathered into clouds , yet they can neither put out the light , nor quench out the heat of the sun , which is the fountain of both , no more than a drop of water can quench a house on fire . the sun is a world of bright shining fire , from which other worlds receive both light and heat . 't is true , if there could be such a quantity of water as could equal the sun's power , it might quench the sun , unless the sun be an eternal fire . but as for vapour , were there a greater quantity than what arises from the earth , it could not change the natural property of the sun : besides , vapour is of a middle nature , as betwixt water and air ; for by the rarifaction it is not so gross nor so wet as water ; nor rarified so much as to be as thin and dry as air. then they asked her , what she thought of those that were of the opinion , that under the line it was uninhabitable , through an extream heat . she said , she thought they were like those that were blind of one eye , which saw perfectly on the one side , but not on the other : for their reason discovered there was a great heat , but it did not discover the refreshing-winds and moistning-dews which are constantly in that place ; which winds and dews quench the fiery heat , which makes it temperate ; for , heat and cold make an equal temper , when they are equal in degrees : and because there is twelve hours night , and twelve day ; there is as much cold as heat ; for the dews and the winds join'd with the night , makes it temperate ; but if it were not for the equal hours , and those dews and winds , it would be , as they thought it was , insufferably hot ; but they wanted information concerning the dews and the wind , and did not throughly consider when they miss'd the night . then they asked her the reason of the light of clow-worms tails ? she answered , that it was probable the purest , thinnest , and oilest extracted parts of the body , were in the tail , which the radical fire enflamed , which flame was light ; and ( said she ) the worm having no solid bones , tough sinews , firm flesh , gross blood , or thick skin in that part , to obstruct or eclipse the light , it visibly shines in the night when the sun is gone , whose greatest light drowns all other lesser lights : and the reason it shines some times , and not others , may be some outward cause that eclipses it from our sight , as a little cloud will do the sun ; whereas a much smaller vapour , or the like cause , will serve to obscure the light of the glow-worms tail : and certainly , said she , if we could see through the bodies of animals , and likewise throught their skull , as easily as the glow-worms tail , we should see ( said she ) a much brighter flame in the heart and the brain ; which flame is the light of knowledg ; and the several objects that the senses bring in , are there visibly perceived ; these lights sickness eclipses , and death puts out . then they asked her , what the moon was ? she answered , a body of water ; and the several changes ( said she ) is the ebbing and flowing thereof , which makes it fuller sometimes in one part of the circle , than in the other ; and when it is high-tide , we say it is full moon ; and when it is low-tide , it is in the wane ; and as it encreases , or decreases , we say it is in the first , second , or third quarter . then they asked her , what made it give light ? she said , the sun's reflexion thereon : for you may observe ( said she ) , that as the water shines with the reflexions or beams of the sun , so doth the moon , as we say , with a watrish light ; and ( said she ) it is more or less light , as that side next to the sun is swelled fuller , or ebbed lower . then they asked her of the rest of the planets ? she said , she believed that venus starr was a body of water , as the moon was ; but for the other planets ( said she ) i take them to be earthly bodies ; but not such as our globe is , but much finer , and of as great a difference ( said she ) as between porceline and clay ; which makes them shine so bright , the substance being so pure , that it is as it were transparent . then they asked , what the fix'd starrs were ? she answered , suns . then they asked her , what was the reason that the breath was hot and cold all at one time , as it were ? for when a man breathed upon his hand , it would feel hot ; and when he blows upon it , it would feel cold . she said , there was a reason for that : for , ( said she ) a dilatation causeth heat , and a contraction causeth cold ; and ( said she ) if one breathes on the hand , they open the mouth and lips wide , by which the breath dilatates like a steam , or a vapour , which is hot ; and when one blows upon the hand , then the mouth and lips are drawn into a narrow compass , and that contracts the breath into a cold wind . these several motions make one and the same thing , from one and same manner or passages , to work two several effects ; and surely those winds that are coldest , from whence soever they issue out , their passage is narrow ; and those winds that feel warm , as many times winds will do , their passage is wider , and are rather a breathing vapour , than a perfect wind. there is nothing shews that vvind is made cold by contraction , so much as to blow upon the hand ; which shews , that vvind is contracted air. then they asked her , vvhat was the reason wind could blow out flame , and in a flame it could kindle , and put out fire ? she said , that wind did strive to dissipate all things it did encounter ; and where it hath not so much power to dissipate , it only dilatates ; and when fire is set to any combustible matter , as wood , or the like ; the wind having not a forcible power to dissipate it into dust or ashes , it beats the heat of the fire into it ; and fire having a nature to catch hold , and to dilatate , and so to feed it self upon all things , or at least upon most , when the matter is too hard for the siery-points to enter , or at least to enter suddenly ; the wind , like a hammer , strikes them in , and so lends the fire force ; and helping the fire to extend , by its dissipating-power , dilatates the heat into the smoak or vapour of the matter , and so into a flame : but when it puts out fire or flame , it is when it hath so much force , as to dissipate the matter the fire works on ; and if the wind destroys or disperses the matter , it must needs put out the fire , having nothing to work on ; for fire dyes when it hath no fuel to work or feed on . this is the reason a man with his breath can blow out the flame of a candle , and with his breath blow the flame in again , if the snuff of the candle be full , and throughly fired , or else he cannot ; but if it be full , and throughly fired , he may blow so hard as to dissipate the flame , yet not so hard as to dissipate the fiery snuff , or wieck of the candle ; so that the flame , by the dissipating , goeth out , being dilatated to a dissipation ; and when the flame is out , and the fire remaining , with a gentle wind he may dilatate the fire into a flame again , and so many times , as long as the body of fire remains ; but if they should blow so hard or strongly , as to dissipate the body of fire , they put out both fire and flame . then they asked her , vvhat snow , hail , ice , and frost , was ? she answered , that snow was curded vvater , like curded milk : for , saith she , cold doth curdle water as sower vinegar doth milk ; and as curded parts will lye in clods , so vvater in flakes of snow . hail ( said she ) is broken water , or rather crumbbled water : for as a hand which nips a piece of bread , crumbles it by rubbing it between their fingers ; so doth some sort of cold motions break and crumble water into a number of small parts ; and as many crumbs ' of bread will stick together , through the moist clamminess , lying in little lumps ; so doth the broken parts of water , which is hail-stones : and though the body is divided into abundance of little parts ; yet every part is more compact , as being closer contracted , with being crusht and nipt together . as for frost , said she , that is candyed or crusted vapour , which is rarified water : for as some sorts of hot motions candy sugar , so some sorts of cold motions candy's vapour . likewise , said she , as milk changes not the nature from being milk , with curding ; nor bread , with crumbling ; nor sugar , with candying ; so water changes not the nature with contractions or dividings into snow , hail , ice , and frost . as for ice , it is made by such a kind of cold motion , as hot motions make glass : for , as fire in a hot furnace calcines some sorts of earth , and the purest to glass : so doth the strongest of such sorts of cold motions congeal water into ice . and as some hot motions strive to convert earth into water ( as we may see , by making earth into glass ) ; so some sorts of cold motions do turn water into earth , as by condensing into ice , hail , snow , and frost : and as snow and ice is nothing but condensed water ; so glass is nothing but calcined or rarified earth : for , that fine earth which makes glass , is so rarified by the hot fire in a furnace , which blows and spreads it as thin , and clarified it as clear as water ; only it makes it not liquid and fluid ; yet whilst it is in the fire , it is in a degree of being fluid , for it is soft and clammy . thus fire makes earth so near like water , as it is transparent , shining , and smooth , and brings it into the mid-way ; but it wants the liquid , wet , and fluid motions , which some will call parts , to make it perfect water . and i suppose , that crystals , diamonds , and the like , are only the purest part of earth , turn'd ( by the heat in the earth , or in the sun ) to a glassy substance , but stronger , as being wrought by a natural heat , and not by an artificial heat , or fire ; but as glass is a rarified earth , so air is a rarified water , and smoak a rarified oyl , and oyl is a fluid sulphur , and flame is a fluid fire , and quick-silver is a fluid metal . then they asked her , whether there were natural elements , not subject to be metamorphosed ? she answered , yes . they asked , how she would prove it ? she said , she would prove there was a natural fire , by the sun , which never changes his heat , or ●●ffens his light , nor alters his natural properties of attracting , contracting , and the like ; and to prove a metamorphosed fire , is lightning , meteors , fevours , and the like ; and to prove a natural water , is the sea ; and to prove a metamorphosed water , is vapour ; and to prove a natural air , is the serene ; and to prove a metamorphosed air , is wind : and ( said she ) the difference of natural elements , and those that are called metamorphosed , is , that the natural elements cannot lose their properties , as those that are metamorphosed do , by changing from one thing to another : for say the natural elements be mixed , yet they quit not their natural properties ; as for example , mix wine , or aqua-vitae , or the like , and vvater ; and though they are mixt , yet they lose not their natural properties , as the vvater to cool , and vvine to heat ; for put a drop of wine to a pint of water , or to an ocean , and it will be so much more hotter , as the quantity of a drop can heat ; and so for a drop of water to so much wine , and it is so much colder , as the quantity of a drop can cool ; for though they mix , yet they lose not their properties , neither doth their mixture take from their pure nature . then they asked her , if a natural or metamorphosed element , might not corrupt a pure element ? she said , no , being not subject to change , more than a gross and malignant vapour can corrupt the sun : but ( said she ) natural elements can and do often-times purifie corruption , if they be not obstructed ; for though they cannot be changed , they may be obstructed ; as we see dark clouds will obstruct the natural light of the sun , and many times the natural heat ; yet they can neither quench out the one , nor put out the other : the like is the continuance of the natural elements . but perchance you will say , that you talk of an element , and i speak of a planet : i say that for example : but though the sun is a planet , yet it is an elementary fire ; and though earth may be called a planet , yet it is an elementary earth ; and for all we can know , the moon may be an elementary vvater : but howsoever , there may be a natural fire , which is an unalterable fire , which you may call the elementary fire , as the sun , and so the rest of the elements , for any thing that reason can prove against it . then they asked her , if nature did work always exactly ? she answered , no : for , nature doth seldom work so exactly , as to bring often to perfection , not the bodies of all animals , especially mankind , either in the body or mind ; much less to make them both exactly answerable , or answerably exact . as for their bodies , for the most part they are neither in proportion nor lineaments answerable to each other : for , some have well-shap'd hands , legs , and feet , and ill-shap'd bodies : others well-shap'd bodies , and ill-featured faces , and ill-shap'd legs and feet : also , some have one feature in the face excellent , and all the rest ill-favour'd . the like is the mind : for , some have good capacities and understandings to some things ; and to others , are as dull , as sensless blocks : some are witty upon some subjects , and are meer fools to others ; so some will be good-natured to some things , and bad or cruel to others , without cause . likewise , nature seldom makes a body and mind answerable ; for some have an ill-favoured body but a noble soul , and rational understanding : others , most beautiful bodies , but base souls , and depraved understandings : which shews , as if nature took so much pains and care in making the one , as she became weary before she began the other : and sometimes she seems lazy in the beginning of her work , and sometimes as if she were idle in the midst of her work , and sometimes as if she were quite tired at the finishing of her work ; as when she makes ill-favoured and weak bodies , imperfect senses , and ill or foolish minds , then she is lazy at the beginning ; and when she makes some parts exact , and some defective , then she is idle , working by halfs ; and when she makes all exact , but some little defect , then she is tired out before she hath quite made an end : but ( said she ) the most probable reason that i can give , why nature ( for the most part ) works so imperfectly , is , she hath so much work to do , as we may say , that she hath not leisure to be exact ; for the insinite matter takes up the infinite time , so as she cannot stay about the curiosity of her works ; and so we may say , that what was , or is wrought extraordinary , is rather done by chance , than intended by nature ; for it were a kind of miracle , if any thing should be so exact , as somewhat might not be mended , either in property , quality , quantity , formality , symmetry , or the like . then they asked her , if a man could have an idea of jove ? she said , she thought not : for ( said she ) if it were an image printed or fixt to the essence or soul of man , all mankind would have one and the same idea , which we find they have not : for , some have thought him a corporeal substance ; others , an incorporeal thing : which shews his idea was not created with man ; neither can we have an idea from the works of jove , because we neither know the matter he works on , nor the motions he works with , nor to what end he works for . besides , the various figures are not to be drawn , nor his subtil ways to be traced , nor to be guess'd at : we may have various thoughts ( said she ) concerning the various works of jove , but never draw his idea therefrom , or thereby . then they asked her , what was an idea ? she said , a shadow : for , as all shadows were eclipsed-lights , so all idea's were eclipsed-thoughts ; for thoughts are the light of knowledg , and knowledg is the sun of the animal world , which receives aliment from outward objects . then they asked her , why iron doth not move to iron , being more like ; than iron to a load-stone , being less like ? because ( said she ) there is a sympathy in contrarieties , and not always like unto like : for we see , those that are cold , seek heat ; and what is hot , seeks cold : so what is cold , is nourished by heat ; and what is hot , is refreshed by cold . the same sympathy hath iron to the load-stone , and the load-stone to iron . then they asked her , why in nature there are certain principles of different kinds ? because ( said she ) there is but one principal matter , from whence all principles are derived ; and the variety is only made by motion , not matter ; but the principle keeps in the matter , which is not subject to change from such principles . then they asked her opinion of the world ? she said , the world is like a clock that is woun'd up to such a time as ten , twenty , or a hundred thousand years ; and the planets , as its wheels , go their natural course , turning round . his grace the duke of newcastle's opinion , whether a cat seeth in the night , or no ? some say , cats do not see in the night , but only do hunt mice by the smell , as dogs do deer : but i dare say , if dogs were stark blind , they would hardly kill any deer , or any thing else ; and how is it possible that a cat ( by the smell ) should lay her foot so exactly upon a mouse in the dark , and at the very first time , did she not see in the dark ? we will wave unnecessary disputes , and fall to the truth , without the vexation of our readers . first , vve are to take into consideration what things ( besides fire ) shine , or give light in the darkest night : rotten vvood shines in the night , and the more if it be a little greenish and mouldy : so doth fish-bones that are a little greenish . but that which shines the most of all in the night , is a glow-worm , and especially the tail of it , which is a kind of a sea-water-green . now let us take into consideration the eyes of all cats , which being of what colour sover ( for my curiosity in this point made me observe it with care ) , i find are thus : that which we call the black of the eye , which indeed is a round hole in most animals , covered with a double glass , which they call the crystalline humour , is convex , to draw all the lines to a point , and the glass double : for a single one would make every thing in appearance to us , to go upon their heads ; and a double glass sets them all on their feet again , because the lines cut cross in the hole of the eye ; and because the line that comes from the head , cuts at the bottom of the hole ; and the lines that come from the feet , cut at the top of the hole ; so that all the species in a dark chamber , coming in at a little hole , upon a white sheet of paper , go on their heads : but put another glass over your former glass , and then all the species are set right upon their legs again , because the lines are cut again cross in the hole , which sets them up right , though the species are weakned by their double journey . and this is the reason that the crystalline humour is double in all other animals , but cats ; which have white about the black of the eye . now you must understand , that the eyes of all cats are just as i have told you of other animals , saving the round black , which in a cat is a slit downward , which she can contract and dilatate at her pleasure ; and that slit being extended to its uttermost , is a mighty circle . then you must conceive again , that the white that is about our eyes , is a sea-water-green about all cats eyes : so that in the day a cat doth stretch and extend the narrow slits of her eyes , which are dilatated to a mighty circle , hiding her sea-water green that is about them , almost all over . but in the night she contracts her eyes to a very narrow long slit , which very much enlarges the sea-water-green all about them ; which sea-water-green gives the light . and thus she lights her torches , or flamboes , in the night , and carries them along with her to see by , as one doth a candle in the hand ; and puts out her candles in the day , as having no use of them . that this is probable , remember the several greens that i told you of before , that do shine and give light in the night ; and besides , i have heard by a great many several credible witnesses , that have seen the eyes of cats shine just like candles in the dark night ; which is so often and commonly seen , that it suffers no dispute . but if you will put a cat in some dark place , and she is not pleased to light her torches , because she would not have you find her , do not rashly condemn the opinion for that ; for i do assure you , very many confirm it as no strange thing , or miraculous , and that never dream't of philosophy . if you do not like these reasons , give better , or else pardon the meanness of the subject , since the times give me leave to study the nature of all things , even from the mouse to the elephant . the second sort that were to visit her , were physicians . and after a short time , they asked her what made a good physician ? she answered , practise and observation . then they asked her , what made the difference between pain and sickness ? she said , pain was caused by cross perturbed motions ; and sickness by distempered matter , and the overflow of humours . then they asked her , whether the mind could be in pain , or be sick ? she answered , no ; but ( said she ) the mind is like the fire , it can put the body to pain , but can feel none it self : likewise , the motion is like fire ; for the more matter it hath to work on , the quicker it moves ; and when the mind is ( as it were ) empty , it grows dull , and the head is filled with nothing but smoaky vapours . then they asked her , what difference there is between the soul and the mind ? she answered , as much difference as there is betwixt flame , and the grosser part of fire : for , said she , the soul is only the pure part of the mind . then they asked her the difference ( if any was ) betwixt the soul , the mind , and the thoughts ? she answered , as the mind was the fire , the soul the flame ; so the thoughts were as the smoak that issues from the several subjects that the mind works on : and as smoak , so the several thoughts many times vanish away , and are no more remembred ; and sometimes they gather together as clouds do ; and as one cloud lies above another , so the thoughts many times lye in rows one above another , as from the first , to the second and third region . then they asked her , what was the best medicine to prolong life ? she answered , temperance and good diet. then they asked her , what diet ? as for diet , said she , to healthful bodies , meats must be well and wisely matched : but to diseased bodies , such diets must be prescribed as are proper to cure each several disease . as for the mixing and matching meats , said she , they must be after this description following : all flesh-meats are apt to breed salt rheums ; and being roast , breeds cholerick humours ; which salt rheums , and cholerick humours , causeth ( many times ) hectick fevers , enflaming the arterial blood , and vital spirits , and drinking out the radical moisture ; and salt rheums penetrating into the vital parts , cause excoriations and ulcerations . as for white meats , as milk-meats , and the like , they are apt to breed sharp humours : also , the gross parts cause many times obstructions of the noble parts ; and the sharpness is apt to corrode , especially the uretaries , guts and stomack ; producing bloody-waters from the one , and cholicks in the other . also sharp humours cause cankers , fistula's , and the like , eating through several parts of the body , making several holes , passages , or wounds , to pass through ; and obstructions cause ill digestion , ill digestion causes corruptions , corruptions cause several diseases , as feavers , small-pox , imposthumes , boils , scabs , and leprosies , if the corruption is salt or sowr . as for fish , and also all sorts of pults , they breed slime ; and slime in hot bodies causeth the stone , and gout in cold bodies ; and all sorts of white swellings , as the kings-evil , wens , and the like ; also the brains , feet , or any sinewy part of any meat , doth the like , as also sweet-meats . as for all sorts of fruits , roots , herbs , they breed thin , crude humours , which causes wind ; wind causes cholicks , cramps , and convulsions , by griping and twisting the guts , nerves , and veins ; as also , all swimming and dizzy diseases in the head ; likewise , head-akes , caused by a vapour arising from the crude and raw humours ; also , in hot bodies it causeth the sciatica , the heat over-rarifying the sharp humours , caused by fruit , makes it so subtil and searching , that it doth not only extend to the outmost parts of the body , as betwixt the skin and flesh ; but gets into the small thread-veins . as for all sweet-meats , and comfits , they are in some bodies very obstructive , and in all bodies they breed both sharp and hot rheums ; and i have heard , said she , that sugar makes the most sharp and acid vitriol . as for the matching of several meats : fish-meats do well agree with roots , herbs , and fruits , if they be stewed , roasted , boiled , baked , or the like ; otherwise the rawness hinders the concoction of the meat : but if they be drest as aforesaid , they temper the saltness , and quench out the heat which the over-nourishing strength doth produce . also , fish may be mix'd with flesh-meat , although all physicians are against it : for certainly , the natural freshness and coldness of fish , doth temper and allay the natural heat and saltness that is in flesh-meat , mixing it into a good chyle , and tempering it into a juicy-gravy , which encreases the radical moisture , and nourisheth the radical heat : also , it supplies the arteries , fills the veins , plumps the flesh , smooths the skin : whenas strong drinks mix'd with strong meats , over-heats the body , enflames the spirits , evaporates the radical moisture , burns the radical heat , scorches the arteries , drinks up the blood , sears the veins , shrinks up the nerves , dries the flesh , and shrivels the skin . white meats and pults agree best , as being of one and the same degree ( as it were ) of heat : for all strong meats curdle all sorts of milk , which causes obstructions and corruptions , and turns it sowr , being of a nature so to do ; which makes such sharpness in the blood and body , as causes tertians , quartans , quotidians , and the like diseases . pults , and all sorts of milk-meat , being of a spungy substance , digest ( as it were ) together ; when meats that are solid , mix'd with meats that are more porous and spungy , do hinder each other . small drink is best with white meat ; but when pults is eaten without milk , it may agree better with stronger liquor . roots and milk-meats agree , as being both easily dissolv'd from the first forms , into chyle . nor do fruits and pults disagree ; for the sharpness of the fruits , doth divide the clamming of the pults ; and the sliminess of the pults doth temper the sharpness of the fruits : but fruits and milk-meats are enemies , which when they meet , they do exasperate one another . so that fruits and pults , and milk and roots , do best together ; roots having no sharpness in them : but there is of all sorts of flesh , fish , milk , roots , and herbs ; some being hotter than others , and grosser ; as , the most watrish fruits are the hottest , as having most spirits in their acute juices . likewise , all roots or herbs that bite , as it were , the tongue , or are bitter to the tast , are hot , although druggists , herbalists , and physicians , are many times of the other opinion : but certainly all that is sharp , salt , or bitter , proceeds from a hot nature , and most commonly produces hot effects , having a fiery figure and motion : but because they find many things that are sharp or bitter , to qualifie feavers , or the like hot diseases , they think it is the natural temper of the drugs , herbs , roots , fruits , or the like ; but a hot cause may produce a cold effect : as for example , obstructions cause heat in the body ; but sharp things do divide and dissolve those gross and tough humours , and open obstructions . likewise , those that are salt and bitter , do purifie and cleanse the corruption in the body ; and when the cause of the disease is taken or removed away , the body becomes equally temper'd ; for as the disease doth waste , the body doth cool . thus it is the sharpness , saltness , and bitterness , that cures the disease , and not a cold nature in the simples ; for when the disease , as i said , is gone , the body is well-temper'd and cooled . then they asked her , which was the best way to make the best temperament for health . she said , that way that was best towards mediocrity , as neither to eat too gross meats , nor too watrish ; nor to drink too strong drink , nor such as was very small ; that is , neither too hot , nor too cold , either virtually , or actually . as for gross meats , they fill the body with too much melancholy humours , and the head with malignant vapours . very fine and tender meat , makes the stomack weak , by reason the substance is not sufficiently solid : for , as very gross meat over-powers the stomack , by the laborious working thereon ; so very fine and tender meat makes it lazy and weak for want of exercise . very small drinks , being very watrish , quench the natural heat ; and those that are very strong , burn it out : but , said she , meats and drinks must be wisely match'd ; and not only meats and drinks , but the nourishment , and the nourished : for , although ( in general ) hot constitutions should use cooling drinks and meats for their diets ; and cold , hot diets ; and moist , dry diets ; and dry , moist diets : yet , if the body be any ways diseased or distempered , they must order such a body according to the cause , and not to the effects of their disease : as for example , to all hydropical bodies , must not be applied drying medicines nor diets : for if the dropsie proceeds from a dry cause , dry diets or medicines are as bad as poyson ; for though the effect be watrish in such diseases , yet the cause was dry : so for heat or cold . and this example may serve for all other diseases : wherefore physicians must search out , and know the original cause , before they can cure the disease : for , those that prescribe according to the effect , may cure by chance , but kill with ignorance . then they asked her , if the spirits were always affected with the distemper of the body , or the body with the distemper of the spirits ? she answered , not always : for sometimes the spirits will be ill-affected , and the body in health : other times the body sick , and the spirits lively and well-temper'd : but ( said she ) this is to be observed , that the body may be cold , and the spirits enflamed ; and the body heated , and the spirits quenchched or stupified ; for the spirits are the thinnest and subtillest substances of the creature : now this thinnest and subtillest substance in the creature , may be enflamed , when the solid'st is be-numb'd with cold : for a cold melancholy body may have enflamed and distracted spirits . likewise , a cold diseased body may have hectick spirits : and thus both the animal and vital spirits may be hot , and the more solid parts or humours of the body cold . also , the heat of the spirits may be quenched , and the body burning-hot ; as the stomack , liver , or other parts , may be parched with heat , when both the animal and vital spirits have not a sufficient heat to give them lively motions . and it is to be observed , said she , that the animal and vital spirits , as they are the thinnest and subtilest part of a creature , so they are nourished by the thinnest substances or parts of food , which dilate to the spirits : for , though the spirits can and do work upon the solid'st parts of the body , or nourishment ; yet they only receive benefit by the thinnest . as also , the great annoyance : for it is the vapour of meats and drinks that feeds the spirits , and not the substance : for , vapour will choak , smuther , burn , or quench them out : but the vapours from liquors work more suddenly upon the spirits ( either to good effect , or bad ) , than vapours from a solid substance , by reason all liquors have a dilatating nature , which spreads it self amongst the spirits with more facility . also , the vapour of liquid bodies is more facil than the vapour of solid bodies : and , said she , some burn their stomacks with drugs , and some quench their spirits with julips ; others burn their spirits with cordials , and flat or dead the stomack with meats virtually cold : for it is to be observed , that there is a general error amongst mankind , about rules concerning health ; some practising with a belief , that drinks virtually cooling , temper hot meats ; and virtually cooling meats , hot drinks . in which they are deceived : for , though they may mix so , and temper ; yet , for the most part , it is only as water and meal makes dough ; or as earth and water makes mud ; or as sugar and water makes syrrup ; but doth not temper that virtual heat or cold that works upon the substantial or the spiritual parts ; for that which works upon the spirits , hath a more sudden operation than that which works upon the solid parts of the body ; and that from the solider parts has a flower operation : so that the stomack may be parched , and the heat of the spirits quenched , and the spirits burnt , and the stomack weak by a heavy or dull coldness . but those bodies that are in health , have not such defects as to fear such a sudden operation ; for as defects are easily inveterated , so health is not suddenly annoyed : wherefore they may temper their meat and drink by cooling and heating , yet not to a high degree ; for all extreams are naught . then they asked her , what was the reason that all creatures look fuller and fatter in summer than in winter ? she answered , the reason was , because then the blood extends to the extream parts , which swells out the flesh , and puffs out the skin ; and in the winter the blood falls back , as the sap of plants doth to the roots , which causeth the flesh and skin to look withered and dry , as branches and leaves do , sear'd , faded , wither'd , and dry . the like reason is , when men have pimples , scabs , swellings , pocks , and the like , which is the fruit of corrupted blood . then they asked her opinion of mineral waters ; what virtues and vices they have , being drunk ? she answered , that all mineral-waters were of a kind of a brine , but not so much a salt brine , as a sharp brine ( if i may call that which is sharp , brine , said she ) ; but whether it hath the effects upon the body , as brine hath upon dead flesh , as to preserve or keep it from putrefaction , i cannot say ; but certainly it drinks up the natural moisture in healthful bodies , more often than it purifies the corrupted humours in diseased bodies . the effects of sharp and salt , are oft-times alike , as a sharp pickle will preserve from putrefaction , as well as brine . but howsoever the mineral-waters have much salt in them , the effects are hot and dry , and have a corroding quality ; their corroding quality is caused by the sharpness ; and their heat , by their corroding ; and their driness , by their insipid nature : and though they are actually cold , they are virtually hot ; their virtues are only on cold and moist bodies , or diseases ; as those that have obstructions caused by raw cold flegm ; or swellings caused by cold clammy humours ; or ulcers caused by cold corrupted humours ; or rheums , or dropsies , caused by too many cold moist humours ; or the like diseases , caused by cold humours ; and in my opinion , said she , they would be excellently good for all outward ulcers , or old sores or wounds , being washed and bathed therewith , by reason they have a cleansing , drying faculty , not only inwardly taken , but outwardly applied . also , they may temper the inflamations that most commonly attend all ulcers , sores , or wounds , not only by cleansing and drying up the putrefactions , but being actually cold , especially outwardly applied : for , though they are virtually hot , being inwardly taken , and digested into the blood ; or as i may say , the mineral rubbed or wrought into the body ; yet they are actually cold , that is , cold to touch . but to return to the interior maladies : all those diseases that are produced from hot , dry , and sharp causes , are as bad as poysons . they are so : for such obstructions that proceed from hard-baked , dry humours , or dropsies caused by hot dry livers , spleens , or other parts ; or consumptions that proceed from salt sharp rheums , or hot dry lungs , livers , spleens , or the like parts : or all swellings caused by hot , dry , or sharp humours ; or interior ulcers , caused by hot , dry , or sharp humours ; or apoplexies , caused by hard crusted flegm , or dry black melancholy , or burnt dry thick blood , which stops the natural passages of the spirits ; or epilepsies , or convulsions , caused by sharp humours , which shrivel and knit up the nerves or veins , or joints of the body ; or hot winds , which work and foam , and ( as i may say ) yeest the natural humours in the body , distempering the body therewith . likewise , it is an enemy to all melancholy bodies , being full of sharp humours , like aqua-fortis , which are bred in the body ; or as a sharp green humour , which is a poisonous verdigrease bred in the body ; which humour is the cause most commonly of the disease called epilepsis , or falling-sickness ; and oft-times is the cause of convulsions : but this humour is a certain cause of the stomack-cholick , that is to say , a wind in the stomack and sides . also , they are enemies to the gout , by reason that the gout proceeds from a hot-baked , dry , salt , or sharp humour . it is a bitter or sulphureous humour , or a limy chalky humour , that causeth the gout ; and indeed , it is a calcined humour , which makes it incurable . for the stone , they may work good effects , although my reason cannot perceive , but that the minerals may contract and confirm humours into stone , as well as dissolve stone : for , thought their acuteness is penetrating , and so may dissolve ; yet their driness is contracting , uniting , combining ; and they are not only dry , by the insipidness of their nature , but by their sharpness ; for all sharpness is drying , more or less : and though sharpness is actually dissolving by corroding ; yet it is virtually drying , by heating : for corroding is the cause of heat . for whatsoever is rubb'd , or grated hard or swiftly , grows hot ; even stones , or any metal , which is the hardest matter we know ; but looser matter , as wood , will be set on fire . wherefore if wood , stone , and metal , will become actually hot , by rubbing or grating actually thereon ; well may soft flesh , especially the inward parts , that are most tender . and as it is the nature of sharpness to corrode , and the nature of corroding or rubbing , to heat : so it is the nature of heat to drink up moisture , and make all things dry . and as sharp things may cleanse ulcers , by eating the filth therein ; or may be good to take off superfluous flesh , call'd proud-flesh , in sores ; or may dissolve some hard humours , moderately taken or applied : so they may make ulcers , sores , and wounds , and contract and confirm humours , if immoderately or unnecessarily , or wrongfully applied . but , as i said , the mineral-waters may as well cause the stone in the kidneys or bladder , as dissolve it ; and may also ulcerate as soon as cleanse : but the mineral-waters do rather make a passage , and send forth gravel , by the quantity that is drunk , and passes through the uretories , which like a stream doth wash and carry all loose matter before it , and not so much by the virtue of dissolving . but to conclude , concerning mineral-waters ( said she ) ; i cannot perceive but they may breed more diseases than they cure ; and those bodies they are most proper for , must be purged and empty before they take them , lest the weight and quantity of the waters , should carry obstructions to the parts open and free , by carrying too suddenly or forcibly , or pressing or thrusting too hard . then they asked her about the nature of purging-drugs ? she said , all purging-drugs were full of spirits , which was the cause they were so active and quick in operation : for , said she , whatsoever hath most spirits , is most active ; which shews , saith she , that birds have more spirits ( which is innated matter ) than any other sort of animal-kind ; for they are always hopping and flying about ; also chirping , whistling , and singing ; which shews them not only to be more active , as having more vital or sensitive spirits ; but also more rational , as being fuller of animal spirits . but to return to drugs ( said she ) ; they seem to have more of the sensitive spirits ( vulgarly called vital spirits ) , which work upon the grossest substance , than the rational spirits ( which are vulgarly called animal spirits ) do ; with which spirits cordials seem to be full , as working upon the finer parts ; for cordials do cheer , and do revive the soul or mind , making the thoughts more cheerful and pleasing ; which alacrity doth help to abate and qualifie the disorders in the body . then they asked her , what was the best study for such as would practise physick ? she said , natural philosophy : for , said she , those can never be good physicians , that are not good natural philosophers ; and if they would study natural philosophy more than they do , there would be more frequent cures : for if they do not study nature that makes the body , they shall never know remedies to cure the body ; for those that do not understand the works of nature , cannot mend a fault , or prevent a danger to come : but they must study nature's creations , dissolutions , sympathies , antipathies , in matter , motion , and figure : but , said she , it is a difficult study , and requires a subtil , moving-brain to find out the several motions , although they be the plainest , vulgar , and grossest , much more the subtil and intricate ones . and had aristotle , said she , studied the motions in nature , or natural motions , as he did the parts of nature , or natural parts , he would have been a far more learned man than he was ; but his study was easie : for it is no great matter to conceive what the senses present ; but it is difficult to present to the senses what the brain conceives , making the senses the servants or scouts , to seek and search , by industry and experiments , and to find the truth of a rational opinion : but ( said she ) the studies of many physicians in these later times , are mixt , as partly of one science , and partly of another ; which makes them learned in neither . as , if a physician should study theology , he will neither be a subtil divine , or an eloquent preacher , nor a knowing physician ; one study confounding the other : for , though natural philosophy proves a god , yet it proves no particular religion . then they asked , what was that which was called the sensitive and rational spirits ? she said , they were the highest extracts of nature , which are the quintessence and essence of nature , and the innated parts of nature , which in the knowledg and life , are nature ; which are the soul and actions of nature . then they asked her , whether those spirits had several figures or small bodies ? and , whether they were from all eternity ? she answered , that their degrees and innated motions ; and their figurings , acuteness , and subtilties , were from all eternity . as for the rational innated parts , said she , they change and re-change into any figures or forms , having no particular figure or form inherent , but the form of that degree of matter it is of : but as it can put its self into parts , so it can unite its self ; and as it can divide and unite its self , so it can dilate and contract its self , and all by a self-motion , as moving innatedly , like quick-silver , from an united body , into numbers of parts ; and from parts , to an united body again . the sensitive innated part moves , said she , after another manner , as aqua-fortis , or the like , on metal ; for it moves , not figuring it self , but as it figures other parts of matter that hath no innateness inherent therein , but ( only as a dull lump ) lies to be moved by the moving-part , which is the innated part , as metal doth by fire or water , by cold or heat . thus this different way of moving , was from eternity , as their degree was from eternity ; for the rational innated matter , is a degree above the sensitive innated matter : and though they move not always after one manner , yet they move always after one nature . many , said they , could not conceive what those spirits were ; some imagining them little creatures . no , said she , they are not creatures , but creators , which creating-brains may easily understand ; and those that cannot conceive , have a scarcity thereof . but , said she , because the philosophy is new , therefore they do obstruct it with idle questions , ignorant objections : but ( said she ) the philosophy is good , in despight of their ignorance . i desire very much to know ( said she ) how the learned describe that which they name vital and animal spirits ? whether they think them little creatures , or no ? to which they made no answer . then they asked her , what caused sleep in animal figures ? she said , the tiredness or weariness of the sensitive innated matter , called the sensitive spirits ; which weariness causeth them to retire from the outward parts of animal figures : for , though the sensitive spirits do not desist from moving in any part , as to the consistence or dissolution of the figure ; yet all the sensitive spirits do not work one and the same way , or after the same manner ; nor the same part of innated matter , or sensitive spirits , work not always one and the same way , or after the same manner , nor in the same parts : but , as some of that innated matter , or spirits , work in several parts of a figure , on the dull part of matter , to the consistence or dissolution of the figure ; so others , and sometimes one and the same degree , work to the use , convenience , or necessity of the figure ; and those that work to the use of the figure in the several senses , although they do not desist from moving , as being against nature , being a perpetual motion ; yet they often desist from labouring ( as i may say ) : for it is a greater labour to take patterns ( as they do ) from outward objects , than to work by roat , or as they please ( which they do ) , in sleep : but it is not always their labour , as being over-pow'rd with work ; but sometimes their want of work ; as many will sleep through idleness , having no outward objects presented to them , to print or paint : other times it is their appetite to freedom and liberty from those outward labours or employments : for , though they may , and are oft-times as active when they work , as in sleep ; yet it is easier , being voluntary : for the spirits work more easie , at least more freely , when they are not taskt , than when they are like apprentices or journey-men ; and will be many times more active when they take or have liberty to play , or to follow their own appetites , than when they work ( as i said ) by constraint , and for necessity ; but many times the sensitive spirits retire , when they work , not to sleep , as being perswaded or disswaded then from either , by the rational innated matter , which is called the rational spirits in the figure ; or by the rational spirits in another figure , to desist from the outward labour , as one would perswade another to rest ; and to retire , and shut up the shop-windows and doors of the sensitive houses : for the eyes , ears , nostrils , mouth , or the pores of the skin , are but the working-houses or rooms of the sensitive spirits . to prove it : doth not our mind ( which is the rational part ) perswade the body ( which is the sensitive part , and that wherein works the sensitive matter or spirits ) to lye , to rest , or to withdraw from outward employments , because it would not be disturbed with the labour of the sensitive spirits ? for the rational , which is the mind ( said she ) , are not only the servants , to view and take notice of all the works and workings of the sensitive ; but are oftentimes , in many things , the directors , advisers , and sometimes rulers and opposers ; as when the mind forces the body to danger or trouble . but this rational part , or the rational spirits , are ( for the most part ) busily employed in figuring themselves by the sensitive prints , which is the knowledg they take of the works and workings ; being the more busie and exact , when the sensitive spirits work outward works . i will not say , they move always after the sensitive prints , which is to view them ; for sometimes they move after their own inventions : for many times the mind views not what the body doth ; and many times they move partly after their own invention , and partly after the sensitive prints . but when the sensitive spirits do retire , or when the rational spirits perswade them to retire , then the rational spirits move after their own appetites or inventions , which are conceptions , imaginations , opinions , fancies , or the like : but ( said she ) it is to be taken notice , that as the rational spirits , for the most part , move after the sensitive prints , which is , to put their own matter into such figures as the sensitive spirits print upon the dull and unmoving parts of matter : so many times the sensitive spirits do print or engrave those conceptions , imaginations , fancies , or the like , upon the dull part of matter , as patterns of the rational figures : for , as i said , the rational spirits do cast , work , or move their own part of matter , into figures ; and the sensitive spirits do figure and print upon other parts of matter , as that which is called the dull and unmoving part : but when the rational matter perswades , or causes the sensitive matter to work and print from their figurings ; or that the sensitive spirits do it of their own free choice , they work ( for the most part ) irregularly ; i will not say , always ; for when the rational spirits move to invention , the sensitive spirits work those inventions regularly , if not at first , yet with a little practice ; but when the rational spirits move to any passion , especially violent passions , the sensitive spirits are apt to work irregularly , and to discompose the animal figure with irregularities ; for oft-times , not only the irregular motions of the rational spirits , but the violence of their motions , although regular , doth disorder the sensitive spirits , causing them to work irregularly ; but violence is not always irregular or perturbed : also , the regularity of the sensitive spirits , will cause a disorder amongst the rational spirits ; as we shall see the mind will distemper the body , as the body will disorder the mind ; but where the rational innated matter , or spirits , move so irregularly , as to make unusual imaginations , or imaginary fears , and other conceptions and passions , which are irregular ; as much as violence causeth the sensitive spirits also to work both irregularly and violently ; whereby they print strange figures in the animal senses , as we may prove by those that are affrighted , or have imaginary fears , who see strange and unusual objects , which men call devils , hobgoblins , spirits , and the like ; and without question , they do see such things as are strange and unusual to them ; for such strange and unusual figures , are printed by the irregularity of the sensitive spirits , upon the optick nerve . and so for hearing , scent , touch , and the like : for , when men have such imaginary fears , they will say , they saw strange things , and that they heard strange noises , and smelt strange scents , and that they were pinched and beaten black and blew , and that they were carried out of their way , and cast into ditches , or the like ; and it is not to be doubted , but that they did see such sights , hear such sounds , smell such scents , and feel such pains ; for many times the black-and-blew marks will be seen in the flesh , and the flesh will be sore ; and how should it be otherwise , when the sensitive innated matter , or spirits , by moving in such motions , work in each sense those objects , sounds , scents , touches , and the like ? and i see no reason , but the whole body may be carried violently from place to place by the strength of the sensitive spirits : for certainly , the innated matter , in every animal figure , doth not commonly use its full strength : for , the body will be more actually strong at some times , than at other times ; and upon some occasion , more than when they have no occasion to use strength : for , though the several degrees of innated matter cannot work beyond the strength of their degree , yet they can work in their strength , and not always work to their full power ; and as we may observe , the power of strength is seldom used in animal figures ; but certainly it is amongst the sensitive and rational spirits , in every animal creature , as it is with the governours or citizens of every kingdom ; they know not their own power and strength , until they be put to it : for , every particular part , knoweth not the strength of the whole , until they join together as one part. this is the reason , man , or any other creature , is ignorant , not only each of other , but of themselves : for , how is it possible , man should know himself , since nature cannot know her self , being divided into several parts and degrees ? but to return to the strength of the united-spirits of mankind ; which united-spirits , working irregularly , carry the body forcibly into unnecessary or dangerous places : for , the violence and irregularity , doth disorder the rational spirits ( if they were not disordered before ) so much , that they cannot direct prudently , nor order methodically , not advise subtilly ; but are all , as i may say , in a hurly-burly : for the rational spirits , making imaginary fears , do as those that begin an uproar : so the rational spirits are not only afraid of the tumult amongst the sensitive spirits , but are discomposed and hurried about themselves ; and their society , which is their own matter , is dispersed abroad ; that is , dis-united and disordered in their regular motions : so as the rational innated matter , or spirits , although they were the first cause of the extravagant commotions amongst the sensitive spirits , yet they are discomposed therewith , by reflexion , their own disorders returning in double lines of strength from the sensitive body . then they asked her , why the animal figure did not always dream in sleep , since the sensitive and rational spirits , or innated matter , did never desist from moving . she said , that although the innated matter did never desist from moving , yet they did not always figure or print , for they dissolve as well as create . besides , said she , they may work to the preservation or consistence of the figure , and of every particular sense , and yet not always make use of the senses . besides , said she , the rational matter doth not always figure it self by the sensitive print ; and for proof , many times those that are in a serious discourse , studious contemplations , or violent passions , will take no notice of the sensitive motions : for , in a violent passion , many will receive a deadly wound , and never take notice of the touch ; and , many times , those in serious discourse receive a pinch on their arm , or finger , or any other part , and yet they at that time never take knowledg thereof ; and yet when their violent passion or discourse is ended , then their rational knowledg takes notice that their finger , arm , or other parts , ake ; or their wounds smart ; which shews the sense of touch was sometimes in their finger , or in that part wounded , before the rational knowledg took notice of it . so in a deep contemplation , when they view objects , hear sounds , smell scents , tast and touch , the rational knowledg takes no notice of it , because the rational spirits move not to the sensitive works ; so that only the eye sees , or the ear hears , or the nose smells , or the tongue tasts , or any particular part feels , but the rational takes no notice thereof : so that these are but particular knowledges in every particular sense , or part of the figure , and not a general knowledg : for the sensitive knowledg , which are the sensitive spirits , are bound to parts ; but the rational knowledg , which are the rational spirits , is free to all , as being free to it self , the other bound to the dull part of matter . but to return to dreams ; how shall we remember figurative dreams , since memory is not made by the rational motions ? for , though the sensitive innated matter might print such figures ; yet the rational innated matter hath not figured those prints ; and then we say , we did not dream . then they asked , why some animal creatures were almost dissolved for want of sleep ? she said , want of sleep was caused by distemper ; which distemper was a disorder and irregularity amongst the innated matter , sometimes from the sensitive spirits , sometimes from the rational spirits , and sometimes from both . the irregularity of the sensitive spirits , was , when the body was pained , or sick , or over-power'd : the irregularity amongst the rational was , when the mind was troubled : these disorders hinder the sensitive spirits from shutting up shop orderly ; and when they sleep by halves , or unsoundly , those irregularities cause their windows and doors ( which are the senses ) to open and shut unnecessarily and untimely , as i may say ; and , many times , lack of sleep is caused , when the spirits are so tired , that they cannot use a sufficient force to shut up shop , at least , not to lock or barr the windows and doors close . sometimes the sensitive spirits are so earnest and ( as i may say ) greedy in working , that they labour both night and day , either for curiosity , or encrease , or pleasure : but , most commonly , the rational spirits join or go halves with the sensitive spirits , when they work for curiosity or pleasure , because they make a delight thereby . then they asked her , what was the reason that some sorts of cordials or drugs caused sleep ? she said , that that part of innated matter that was taken in cordials , or such drugs , did either help the innated matter in the animal body or figure ( by adding strength to them ) , to shut up their shops and windows ; or else helped to rectifie their disorders and irregularities . but ( said she ) as some drugs or cordials do sympathize to the irregular part of innated matter in the figure ; so other drugs and cordials do work antipathetically to their regularity , and sympathetically to their irregularities ; and then the working to sleep is more hindred then helped . then they asked her , whether one kind of motion could give a perfect form at one instant ? she said , no , unless the creature formed be without the varieties of parts ; for every different part requires a different motion to the creating of each part , and a distance of time to form each part in ; for some parts require more work and labour than others . then they asked her , if all creatures were created by degrees ? she said , all creatures that were composed of various parts , are : for , as there are degrees of innated matter , which innated matter is the creator of all figures ; so there are degrees of , and in creation : for our senses ( said she ) shew us , that there is a season , a time , and a working in time , by degrees : and if we allow there be degrees of encreasing , as strengthning and enlarging , why should we think there are none in creating every particular figure , and different parts in one and the same creature ? for as we see , seed must be first sown , and then remain in the earth for some time , before those seeds sprout up and encrease ; so there is time and degrees in forming of the formed : for if there be degrees that we call time , why not in the working of each part of each figure in time ? for in reason we cannot think , that the root , the blade , the stalk , the ears , the seed in the ears of corn , are produced from one motion , made by the seed sown , and the earth , and so each different part to be created at one instant , into one created from or figure . and as in vegetables , so questionless in animals , there are degrees in their creations : for it is against reason and sense , to think an animal is formed at one instant , although the figure at first created , was no bigger than a hair , if the figure hath variety of parts , which require not only various motions , but degrees of motions , and distance of time to move in . and thus as vegetable require degrees and distance of time to create one figure ; so in animals there is not only space in time , and degrees of motions , and several mixtures of temperaments , to enlarge and strengthen that figure ; but degrees in creating every particular part in one and the same figure , which is not formed at once : for common sense ( said she ) shews us , that there is nothing done but by degrees ; and whosoever thinks otherwise , their thoughts move irregularly , and against sense and reason : for nature works by degrees , and in order , and orders her works by degrees . then they asked her , whether a creature might not be created by the effects of motion , without partaking of the substance of the parents . she said , no : for , said she , the earth , and the seed sown ( which are the parents that produce an off-spring ) , cannot produce any thing of its own nature , unless some part of the producers goeth to the creating of the produced : for it is not only such a motion made between the producers , that creates the produced ; but part of their innated matter ( which are the sensitive and rational spirits ) , which goeth to the forming and creating of the produced : for that innated matter or spirits that goeth from the producers , meeting and intermixing together , creates or lays the foundation of the produced , on which other innated matter or spirits ( brought by the way of nourishment ) do build : so that the foundation of every creature , is of the creator . but , said she , one and the same matter doth not move always after one and the same manner ; for it is not meerly such a motion , but such kind of motions , that create ; and the variousness of the motions , or creators , although of one and the same matter , causeth a difference in the created , in semblances , constitutions , humours , dispositions , qualities , faculties , and the like : for , though the producers be the same , and not only the produced of the same kind , but of the same natures , as coming from such producers ; yet the produced are not always alike , but some vary more than others , not only the produced , but those produced from their producers . but , said she , to shew that the produced partake of the producers , of each party , more or less , not only in effects , but in substance , is , that such a creature or creatures could not be created , but by the same creators ; otherwise the same motions , made by such a kind of matter , would produce the same creature : which cannot be ; for the same kind or degree of innated matter which creates , hath the same kind of motions in general ; but every particular part is of it self : for that which is of one part , is not of another part , although it be of one and the same kind , and hath one and the same property . but the rational spirits ( said she ) go to the creation of the mind or soul , the sensitive to the body . but , said she , opinion creates one way , and nature another way ; which opinions , except there be sense and reason in them , are the false conceptions in nature . but the learned students study so much the parts , that they never consider the parties that work therein . the authoress of these opinions of the rational and sensitive spirits , says , she brings sense and reason to dispute for their truth , which no other opinions do ; and they that will not believe sense and reason , will believe nothing ; but express , by their incredulity , that they have but a small quantity of that innated matter in their brains . whatsoever treats of innated matter , as the sensitive and rational spirits , is to be compared to my philosophical opinions . then they asked her , whether she thought there could be repetitions in nature ? she said , yes : for , said she , if anything in nature cannot be so dissolved , as to be annihilated , it may be repeated . for if the same matter and same motions are in being , the same figures may be repeated ; and if there can be in creations , said she , a repetition , it is probable there are repetitions of one and the same creature ; only the time , and changes of time , makes a difference and obscurity ; in which obscurity the creature is ignorant of it self , and its former being ; whereby one and the same creature may come to envy his own renown , which was kept alive by records from age to age ; as if homer should be created again , and envy his own works , or at least strive to out-work them ; or that alexander and caesar should be created again , and should envy their own actions , victories , and powers , or ( at least ) grieve and repine they cannot do the like : for if they were created again , they might miss of the same occasions , opportunities or powers , birth or fortunes : for though the body and soul may be the same , as also the appetites and the desires ; yet the outward concurrence may not be the same that was in the former being ; for though the concurrents ( as well as the creature ) may be repeated , yet perchance not repeated in one and the same age or time : but if they should fall out to be repeated in one age , the same actions would fall out to be as caesar's or alexander's were , to conquer the world again , as they did before ; and there would be the same warr betwixt the grecians and trojans , if the same occasions were ; but homer would not write the same poems , if they were on record : for , though it be an honour to conquer what was conquered ( although after the same manner ) ; yet it is no honour to wit to write what was writ before upon the same subject , nor indeed upon any other subject : for , both the wit and the subject must be new ; at least the wit , to gain as great and lasting renown . then they asked her , what fire was ? she said , that fire was not only the quickest motion , but it is a perpetual quick motion , that hath no intermission , by which it hath a strange power over every thing ; so that it hath a stronger power by the continuance , than by the quickness . the third sort that visited her , were moral philosophers . the moral philosophers asked her , if it were possible to alter or abate the passions ? no , said she ; you may pacifie or imprison them , and enforce them to conceal themselves in the heart , not only from outward appearance , but from the very understanding in the head ; but never alter or change their natures , to weaken their natural strength , or abate their natural vigour : for passions ( said she ) are like the sun ; they may be eclipsed , or clouded , but never can be alter'd : and as the sun ( saith she ) draws forth vapour from the earth ; so do the imaginations draw forth passions from the heart ; and as a bucket draws up water from the bottom of a well , so do outward objects draw up passions from the heart . then they asked , what was the difference betwixt the passions and the appetites ? she said , the appetites were the passions of the body ; and the passions , the appetites of the mind ; and the mind is as apt to surfeit of the one , as the body of the other . likewise , saith she , the mind is as seldom pleased , as the body is seldom at ease ; being both restless , and never satisfied : for the height of sensitive pleasure , is the beginning of pain ; and the height of passion , is the beginning of desire ; and desire hath no period , no pleasure , no center . then they asked her , what sort of love was the perfectest ? she said , that love that descended : for love that descends , is more solid than that which ascends ; and draws more towards perfection , as being most contracted : for that which ascends , is airy , and disperses soon , like smoak : but that which descends , is like falling showers of rain , that join into a river or sea of love , running with force to perfection . this is the reason parents love their children better than children can love their parents . this is the reason nature loves her creatures better than the creatures can love nature . this is the reason , the gods love mankind better , and more perfectly , than mankind loves the gods. thus the perfectest love is from the gods to men ; for the greater the descent is , the more force there is . the like ( said she ) is hate : for , that hate which descends , is more inveterate and malignant than that which ascends ; for we are easily perswaded to pardon the injuries or wrongs we receive from our superiors ; but seldom are pacified , without a high revenge , for the wrongs we have received from inferiors ; i mean , not only the inferiors of birth , or fortunes , but merit . this is the reason noah could not forgive his son cham for the disgrace which he received ; for no hate is like to that of dishonour . this is the reason that heaven hates hell more than hell can hate heaven . then they asked her , why the passions forced the body to weep , to sigh , to groan , to laugh , to sing , to complain , to rail , to curse , to commend , to extoll , to implore , to profess , to protest , to look pale , to look red , to shake , to tremble , to strike , to embrace ? she said , that the causes , in the mind , did work their effects upon the bodies , as the causes , in jove , did work their effects upon nature . or , in a lower comparison , said she , the mind is as the sun , and the body like the earth ; the sun having several faculties , as the mind several passions ; it gives life and light , strength and growth ; it comforts and warms , it weakens , corrupts , withers , and decays ; it burns and destroys , it dilatates and contracts ; it doth digest and expel ; it sucks , it draws , and confirms : so doth the mind ; it gives the light of knowledg , and the life of understanding ; it comforteth and warmeth by invention ; it strengthens by judicious advice ; it encreases by temperance ; it weakens , withers and decayes by unsatiable intemperance ; it drys and parches it by grief ; inflames it by anger ; burns it by rage ; confirms it by melancholy ; destroys it by desperate fury , as self-murther . likewise , as the sun doth not only contract and dilatate it self , but contracts and dilatates the several creatures on and in the earth ; the same doth the mind the several parts of the body ; it dilatates the body into several actions , postures , and behaviours ; to strike , to kick , to stretch out the body , to spread out the arms , to fling out the legs ; to stare , to call , or cry out ; to hoop , to hollow ; and it will contract the body into a silent musing , close the lips , shut up the eyes , fold in the arms , bow or bend in the legs , and ( as it were ) wind up the body by fear , grief , anger , melancholy , joy , wonder , admiration , and the like : and as the sun doth suck and draw from the earth , and dissolve and expel the creatures therein ; so do the passions , the humours of the body : for , as some sun-beams suck moisture from the several springs that rise in the earth ; so divers passions suck out moisture from the several veins that run in the body ; or as such beams which pierce the earth , make the face thereof wither and pale ; so will some sorts of passions : and as some other sorts of sunny-beams ( for all work not the like effect ) draw sulphureous vapours from the bowels of the earth , towards the middle-region , which flash out in lightning ; so do the passions draw from the heart a flushing-colour to the face , which flushes in hot blushes . and as the sun-beams draw salt vapours from the sea , which fall in pouring showers ; so do the passions draw salt vapours from the bowels , which fall in trickling tears : for the passions are the beams of the mind , and have as great an influence and power over the body , as the sun-beams have upon the earth ; and as the sun 's bright rays cause the elements to appear clear and light ; so doth the mind's tranquility cause the countenance to look cheerful and fair . then they asked her of the four cardinal virtues ? she said , that prudence and temperance were two virtues , which belonged more to the wise , than the heroick men : for prudence barrs generosity and magnanimity ; and doth not only forewarn dangers , but restrains from dangerous actions : when heroick honour is got in danger , more than safety ; and courage is made known thereby : likewise , temperance forbids magnificence ; but fortitude and justice belongs most to heroick men. then they asked her , if she thought beasts had a rational soul ? she answered , that if there could be no sense without some reason , nor reason without the sense , beasts were as rational as men ; unless , said she , reason be a particular gift , either from nature , or the god of nature , to man , and not to other creatures : if so , said she , nature , or the god of nature , would prove partial or finite . as for nature in her self , she seems unconfined ; and for the god of nature , he can have no biass , he ruling every thing by the straight line of justice ; and what justice , nay what injustice would it not be , for mankind to be supream over all other animal-kind ; or some animal-kind over any other kind ? then they asked her , why no creature was so shiftless at his birth , as man ? she answered , there were other creatures as shiftless as man ; as for example , birds are as shiftless before their wings are fledged . for , as infants want strength in arms to feed themselves , and legs to go ; so birds want strength of bills to feed themselves , and feathers in wings to flye . then they asked her , whether she thought there were a heaven and a hell ? she answered , that in nature there was a hell and a heaven , a god and a devil , good angels and bad , salvation and damnation ; for , said she , pain and trouble is a hell , the one to torment the body , the other the mind . likewise , said she , health and pleasure is a heaven , which gives the body rest , and the mind tranquility ; also , said she , the natural god is truth ; the natural devil , falshood ; the one seeks to save , the other to deceive ; the good angels are peace and plenty ; the evil are warrs , and famine ; light is the beatifical vision , darkness the natural dungeon , death is the damnation , life the salvation ; and moral virtue is the natural religion , and moral philosophers are nature's priests , which preach , and seem to practise a good life . then they asked , what government for a commonwealth was best ? she answered , monarchical . for , as one sun is sufficient to give light and heat to all the several creatures in the world ; so one governour is sufficient to give laws and rules to the several members of a commonwealth . besides , said she , no good government can be without union ; and union is in singularity , not in plurality ; for union is drawn to a point , when numbers make division , extraction , substraction ; which often-times brings distraction ; and distraction , confusions . then they asked her , whether she was of that opinion , that those that had good understandings , had weak imaginations ? she said , she was not of that opinion ; for , said she , from the pureness and cleerness of the understanding , proceeds the subtilty and the variety of their imaginations ; and the understanding is the foundation of imagination : for , as faith is built upon reason , so is imagination upon understanding . then they asked her , if the faculties of the mind or soul had their uses , or proceeded from the temper of the brain and heart ? she answered , that the uses and faculties of the mind , proceeded from the motions of the vital and animal spirits , which i call ( said she ) the sensitive and rational spirits , which is the life and soul ; and from the regular motions , and full quantity thereof , proceeds a perfect memory , a clear understanding , and a sound judgment : from the quick motions proceed a ready wit ; and from the various and regular motions , proceed probable imaginations or opinions : from the scarcity , proceeds dulness and stupidity , or insensibility ; from the irregularity , proceeds extravagancies or madness ; and where the scarcity and irregularity meets , it produceth a stupid , dull madness . the fourth sort that visited her , were scholars , that studied theology ; and they asked her , whether she was of opinion that man hath free will ? she answered , that she was not so proud , nor so presumptuous , as to think that man had free-will : for , said she , if jove had given men free-will , he had given the use of one of his attributes to man , as free power ; which , said she , jove cannot do ; for that were to lessen himself , to let any creature have free power to do what he will : for , free-will is an absolute power , although of the narrowest limits ; and to have an absolute power , is to be a god ; and to think man had it only , and no other creature , were to think jove partial ; but , said she , man's ambition hath bred this , and the like opinions . but , said they , jove might permit man , or suffer man to do some things . she said , that was as ill , or a worse opinion : for , to think jove permits man to cross his will , and let him do that which he would not have him do , were to make jove less than a god , as if his decrees were to be alter'd by man's humour and will ; or , said she , to think that jove requires of man such things as his nature suffers him not to do ; and so , as it were , to force him to disobey him : or to think jove suffers man to do evil , when he could prevent it ; or to think jove permits man to provoke his justice , or to damn man , when it is in jove's power to save him , were to think jove unjust and cruel ; or to think jove made man , yet knew he would be damned ; and might have saved him , in not making him ; were make a malignity in the nature of jove : for to make , and take delight to punish , is to be malicious ; which cannot be , said she ; for jove is a god in goodness , as well as a god in power ; and a god in justice , as well as a god of wisdom : for justice and knowledg is the basis of wisdom ; but , said she , the opinions men have of jove , are according to their own natures , and not according to the nature of jove , which makes such various religions , and such rigorous judgment in every religion , as to condemn all but their own opinion ; which opinions are so many and different , as scarce any two agree ; and every opinion judges all damned but their own : and most opinions are , that the smallest fault is able to damn ; but the most vertuous life , and innocent thoughts , not sufficient to save them . then they asked her , if she did believe predestination ? she said , she believed that jove did order all things by his wisdom ; and that his wisdom knew how to dispose to the best ; as also , that jove's will was the only fixt decree ; and that his power establishes all that his will decrees . then they asked her , what she thought jove required from man ? she answered , she thought jove required nothing from man , but what he required from nature ; as love , praises , admiration , adoration , and worship ; to love his goodness , praise his justice , admire his wisdom , adore his power , and to worship all his attributes ; and jove ( said she ) requires not only this in man , but of all the creatures in nature ; for , said she , it were a sinful opinion to think none but man did love , praise , admire , adore , and worship jove . then they asked her , if there were no evil ? she said , there was ; but , said she , all evil lives in nature , as all good in jove ; for in nature , said she , is discord , in jove concord ; by nature confusion , by jove method : and though , said she , jove's goodness and power will not suffer nature to run into a confusion ; yet nature , faith she , struggles and strives , like an untoward jade that would break loose to run wildly about ; and her skittish tricks , said she , are the sins against jove ; but ( said she ) all things in nature are guilty , as much as man , in one kind or other . then they asked her , what were the sins in nature against jove ? she said , many : but the greatest sins the creatures in nature commit against jove , are , not to believe he is above nature ; or to think it is the nature of nature , and not the knowledg and power of jove , that governs so wisely , that orders so prudently , that produceth so orderly , that composes so harmoniously ; and all with a free will , a pure goodness , and infinite bounty : likewise , as not to believe that jove hath an infinite generosity to forgive and pardon all the evils and defects in nature : also , to dislike or murmur at the government of jove . and the submission in nature , is , to repent , to be humble , to agree , to be content , and to think all that cannot be avoided , is for the best : and as nature is apt ( said she ) to commit sins against jove , so nature is apt to disorder , cross , and vex it self , by excess , mischief , and cruelty ; as , to strive to destroy to no use , to obstruct to no purpose , to hinder the creations , to displace creations , to oppose right , to defend falshood , to conceal truth , to obstruct knowledg , to delude ignorance , to wrong innocency , to hurt the helpless , to destroy the hurtless : likewise , to overcharge the appetite , to exasperate the passions , to deceive the affections to abuse time , to be unnecessarily busie , or lazy , or idle . and thus all the creatures of every kind , that are made in nature , do , in one manner or other : but the goodness and power of jove ( said she ) doth still hinder nature from running into confusions , and rectifies the disorders therein : for warr lives in nature , said she , and peace in jove . then they asked her , what natural evils there were ? she said , nature was an infinite lump of evil ; but the natural evils to animals ( said she ) are , pain , sickness , sorrow , fear , famine , warrs , darkness , and infamy . then they asked her , if there were no natural good ? she said , none in nature : for all that is good , said she , is caused by jove's wise ordering and composing harmoniously : for , said she , health is an harmonious composition ; pleasure and delight is an harmonious composition ; rest , an harmonious composition ; peace , an harmonious unity : as for life , said she , it is an evil , were it not ordered wisely by jove ; and would be a perpetual torment , did not jove by his wisdom order nature so , as to ease it with that we call death ; which is only as a change of notes in musick , or harmonious measures : and the several measures life danceth , are several transmigrations , which jove orders as it moves ; and the notes are the several creatures that are made , which jove's wisdom sets ; and health is the cords that jove's wisdom tunes ; and the several pleasures are the several lessons that jove's wisdom causeth nature to play ; and peace is the harmony that jove's wisdom makes . so that all that is thought good in nature , is but good as it is ordered by jove ; jove measures the matter , marks out the figures , and appoints the motions what work to do . likewise , jove's goodness and wisdom qualifies and tempers , by several mixtures and temperaments , the vicious malignant evil of nature , or natural evil. thus , said she , there would be a perpetual warr in nature , if jove's wisdom , power , and goodness , did not order nature . then they asked her , if there were not punishments and rewards ordained by jove ? she answered , yes : for , said she , jove hath ordained , virtue shall be a reward to it self , and vice a punishment . the fifth sort that visited her , were the fathers of the church ; who desired her to speak : which she did as follows : you holy fathers ( said she ) , you will pardon me for what i shall speak , since it is your desire i should speak . the preachers for heaven , said she , ought not to preach factions , nor to shew their learning , nor to express their wit ; but to teach their flock to pray rightly : for hard it is to know , whether we pray , or prate ; since none can tell the purity of their own heart , or number the follies thereof , or cleanse out the muddy passions that by nature are bred therein , or root out the vices the world has sown thereon : for , if we do not leave out the world , the flesh , and the devil , in our humble petitions , and earnest desires , we offer to heaven , it may be said , we rather talk than pray : for , it is not bended knees , or a sad countenance , can make our prayers authentical or effectual ; nor words , nor groans , nor sighs , nor tears , that can pierce heaven ; but a zealous flame , raised from a holy fire , kindled by a spark of grace in a devout heart , which fills the soul with admiration and astonishment at jove's incomprehensible deity : for , nothing can enter heaven , but purity and truth ; all the gross and drossie parts fall back with greater force upon our lives , and , instead of blessings , prove curses to us ; and the ignorant , not conceiving the difference , may be lost for want of instruction therein , being most commonly taught the varieties of opinions , the sayings and sentences of the fathers of the church ; or exclaimed against natural imperfections , or threatned for slight vanities ; and many , by giving warning against vices , raises those that have been dead and buried with former ages , unaccustomed , and utterly unknown to the present auditory . but one good prayer that is directly sent to heaven , buries a multitude of errors and imperfections , and blots out many a sin. i speak not this to tax any one here ; for i believe you are all holy men , and reverend and grave fathers of the church , who are blessed messengers and eloquent orators for heaven , the true guides to souls , and the example of a good life . then they asked , how they ought to pray ? whereupon , in a zealous passion , thus she said : o gods ! o gods ! mankind is much too blame ; he commits faults when be but names his name : this name , saith she , that deity hath none ; his works sussicient are to make him known . his wondrous glory is so great , how dare man similize , but to himself compare ? or , how durst men their tongues or lips to move in argument , his mighty power to prove ? as if men's words his power could circle in , or trace his ways , from whence he did begin his mighty works to make , or to what end ; as proudly placing man to be his friend : yet poor , proud , ign'rant man , knows not the cause of any creature made , much less his laws : man's knowledg so obscure , not so much light as to perceive the glimmering of his might . strive not this deity to comprehend ; he no beginning had , nor can have end : nor can mankind his will or pleasure know , it strives to draw him to expression low . let words desist , let 's strive our souls to raise : let our astonishments be glory's praise : let trembling thoughts of fear , as prayers , be sent ; and not leight words , which are by men invent : let tongues be silent , adoration pray : and love and justice lead us the right way . the sixth sort that visited her , were judges ; who asked her about justice . i will divide justice , said she , into three parts , human , moral , and natural . these three into six : punishing , deciding , distributing ; censuring , trafficking , and suffering . in punishing justice , there is divine piety , and human pity ; and if a judg leave out those two , it is no more justice , but cruelty : for , temporal judges ought to have as great a care of the soul of the accused , as of executing justice on the body . for if a judg threaten terribly a timorous nature , or cruelly torture a tender body ; the fear of pain may make them be lye , forswear , or falsly accuse themselves ; which endangers the soul , not only by their oaths , lyes , and false accusations , but by self-murther : for those that falsly accuse themselves , commit wilful-murther . as for the punishing of the body , they ought not to be condemned before they can positively prove them criminals : for probabilities , although they appear plain , yet are often-times deceitful . the second is , dividual justice , or common justice , in deciding of causes , and what is right and truth : as , put the case two men claim equal right to one piece of ground , which piece of ground but one can have right to : the judg , not knowing how to distinguish the truth from the falshood , divides the ground , giving one half to the one , and the other half to the other ; which is unjust : for he that hath right to all , hath as much injustice done unto him in that part that is given from him , as if he had lost all the whole : nay , one grain of dust wrongfully taken , or given away , makes the injustice the same ; for it is not the weight of the cause makes justice more or less , but the truth of the cause . but judges will say , it is not to be helped , by reason truth lyes many times so obscure , that neither industry , ingenuity , subtilty , long experience , nor solid judgment , can find it out . so they think , that by dividing they do cut off some branches of injustice , although the root will lye obscurely , do what they can . but i say , injustice hath no branches , but is all root . the last act of justice , is , in distributing reward according to worth or merit ; wherein there may be as much injustice to deal beyond or above worth or merit , as to fall short of worth and merit : and though the actions are the visible objects of merit ; yet merit is often-times buried for want of opportunity ; and many times good fortune is mistaken , and taken for merit . now it is as great injustice to give rewards to fortune , as unfortunate for merit not to be made known by some act : for , though merit dwells in the actions , yet it was born in the soul , and bred in the thoughts . the fourth is , censuring-justice , which lives meerly in opinion : for , who knows the heart of another , since no man can give a true or a right account of his own ? and though misdemeanors ought to be punished in a commonwealth , lest they should cause the ruin thereof ; yet , to judg the heart , and condemn it for faults , by the actions , words , or countenance , were very unjust : for many evil actions are done through a good intention ; for the design might be honest , though the effect prove evil ; nay , the design or intention may not only be morally honest , but divinely pious , yet the effect prove wicked . likewise , many evil actions are produced by chance or misfortune ; and it were an injustice to accuse the heart of dishonesty for fortune's malice , and chance's carelesness . again , there are many evil actions produced from some infirmity of nature , or from the ignorance of practice , or want of experience ; not from a dishonest nature ; and though infirmities ought to be corrected by admonitions , and ignorance rectified by instruction ; yet it were an injustice to condemn honesty for infirmities , faults , or ignorant errors . also for words ; although there is an old saying , the mouth speaketh what the heart thinketh ; yet antiquity cannot verifie it for a truth : but , most commonly , the tongue runs by rote and custom , without the consent of the heart , or knowledg of the thoughts : for , the tongue doth oft-times like the legs , which most commonly walk without the guidance of the sight , or the directions of the knowledg ; for few measure each stride , or count or look at every several step they take , nor think they how they go , nor ( many times ) where they go ; and the mind , many times , is so deep in contemplations , that the thoughts are so fix'd upon some particular object , or so busily employed on some invention , or so delightfully taken with some fantasm , that although the legs walk themselves weary , yet the mind and thoughts do not consider or think whether the body hath legs or no. how many , through extream fear , run into that they should shun , not considering whither they go ? and if the legs move so often without the mind's knowledg , or heart's consent , well may the tongue , which is the agilest member of the body . and to judg by the countenance , were more unjust : for , a man may have a knavish face , and an honest heart ; a spightful eye , yet a generous nature ; a frowning brow , yet a quiet spirit ; a dull cloudy countenance , but a bright clear mind . the fifth is , a chaffering or trafficking justice : for , though it is justice for a man to buy and to fell in a commonwealth , where all is not in common ; yet there may be great injustice in buying and selling . as for example : a man hath a horse which he esteems , and hath a love or ( as it were ) an affection to ; which horse he is forced to sell , either for want , or otherwise ; for which he asks a price according to his affection , not according as he is really worth : now this man doth not cozen nor cheat , because he prizes him as he thinks he is worth ; yet he is unjust through his partiality , not judging the horse uprightly , nor weighing the scales of justice evenly , between his affection , and the horse's worth . the sixth , suffering . as for buying , it comes into self-justice : for example ; a man through perswasion buys a house , which house is no way convenient for him ; or stands unhealthy , being in an ill air ; or unpleasantly , as in a dirty place ; or in some place where many travellers pass , which puts the dweller to great charges through entertainments . now this man is unjust to himself through his facil nature , or courteous or kind disposition , in buying such a house as will impair his health or estate , or necessitate him through incommodiousness . or for a man to keep a servant that is no way ingenious or useful in his offices ; the master may be said to be a bountiful or charitable man to his servant , but unjust to himself , to be ill served when he may be better served . likewise , for to be bound or engaged for a man unto whom he is no ways obliged , or hopes to be so , is an injustice to himself , but to hazzard , if he doth never suffer imprisonment for the engagment , not being able to make a satisfaction for which he gives up his liberty ; this injustice is caused by a foolish pity . also , although it is justice for a man to adventure , offer , or lay down his life for one that he knows by good proofs would do the like for him ; yet for a man to offer or give up his life for a man condemned , or otherwise , from whom he never received such favours as to deserve or merit his life , or had proof of his friendship ; although this person was never so worthy , i say , it were a heroick act , and a huge generosity , but a great injustice to himself , unless he had self-ends , in thinking he should get a fame thereby : for , though there is a human justice , as well as a grateful justice , for mankind to help and assist each other ; yet surely it is justice for a man to love himself best , next to his creator , producer , preserver , and protector ; as his god , his parents , his countrey , and his friend ; and he ought to offer up his goods , life , liberty , and fame , to him from whom he received them ; for it is an injustice not to return ( if need require ) as much as he received . thus it is justice to prefer a man's own fortunes , life , and fame , before all others but those before-mentioned ; and an injustice if he do otherwise . thus , noble hearers , said she , you may observe and take notice , that although all dishonesty is injustice , yet all injustice is not dishonest , because the intent is not evil . likewise , although justice is honest , yet honesty is not always just ; by reason , many times , the knowledg is not perfect , or the understanding clear , or the truth visible , or the will free , or the power strong enough to do justice , or justly . the seventh sort that visited her , were barresters and orators ; to whom she thus spake . the root of oratory is logick , the branches are rhetorick , and the fruit is magick , which charms the senses , and inchants the soul : wherefore it ought to be banished from the barr of justice , lest it should incircle justice-seat , excluding right and truth that comes to plead . for oratory chiefly is employ'd for to prefer the wrong , and falshood hide . they asked her , whether an orator or a poet had most power over the passions ? she answered , an orator had power to betray the passions , but could not make an absolute conquest of them . as for poetry , saith she , it hath a double power ; for all poetry hath oratory , but all oratory hath not poetry . wherefore , said she , poetry hath an absolute power over the passions ; for poetry is like a powerful monarch , can raise , rally , and imbattel them at his command ; and , like a skilful musician , can set , tune , and play upon them as he pleases . poetry is nature's landskip , and life's prospect ; it is a spring , where noblest souls do bathe themselves : their thoughts , like wanton boys , dabble therein . but those that are to make orations , said she , either at the barr , in pulpits , upon theaters , or in the field , must first consider the ground and matter whereon and whereof they would speak , and to what end they would drive their speech ; for when they have laid the ground , and have well considered the subject of their discourse , words will follow easily and freely , without meditating thereupon ; but those that consider only words , and in what phrases they shall speak , shall never speak well ; but be out at every turn , because the foundation is not laid whereupon their discourse should be built : for the materials ( which are words ) will serve them in small stead , or to little purpose , when they want the ground , or mistake the ground whereon they should work . but a learned orator's head , said she , is like a garden , wherein are set divers sorts of flowers , fetch'd from several soils both far and near ; as some from demosthenes , thucydides , tully , seneca , tacitus , and the like ; and many slips from more modern orators , and seeds from so many several authors , which they strain about in their orations , as is sans nombre . or , said she , a learned orator is like a crab tree-stock , whereon are grafted several sorts of sweet fruits , but bears nothing of its own fruit ; and if it doth ( said she ) , they will be but sowr crabs : so their speech would sound harsh to the ear , as such sowr fruit would be sharp to the tast. whereas a natural orator , said she , bears , nor brings forth any other fruit but his own , which is sweet and pleasent , without pains-taking or ingrafting : but all things grow as nature sets them , without the help of art. but i have observed , said she , that in matches of orations , the last hath ever the victory ( or for the most part ) although not so wise or eloquent as the first ; which shews , that the digesting part of the brain ( which is judgment and nutriment , and is truth , which nourisheth the rational understanding ) is not like the stomack , the digestingplace for food , that is to nourish the sensitive body ; for when the stomack is full , the tast dis-relishes all meat presented thereunto , be it never so delicious ; it heaves against it , as being over-charged ; neither doth variety tempt it . whereas the head , although it be stuft , or over-gorged , as i may say , still covets more ; and the ears suck and draw in with an eager appetite , so it be variety ; otherwise it grows dull , flat , and drowsie : for , the brain will feed on gross matter , or unwholsome trash , with more pleasure , and a greater gust , than on that which is fine or wholsome , if once received before . also , said she , i perceive all those that make orations in the field to their soldiers , repeat their victories from the first descent , of the foundation of their cities , kingdoms , and commonwealths , and the renown of their ancestors ; but never their losses , their treacheries , or their follies ; they strive to bury them in oblivion : for , though it be a good policy , yet it is not a clear honesty , to present a half-faced glass for a whole . but this is not so great a fault , but it may be excused , when it is to a good end , as to defend what is rightly their own , or to gain back what unjustly they lost , or to revenge an unpardonable wrong , or to punish a wicked crime , or to take the part of the helpless innocent ; otherwise it is a dishonesty not excusable , when it is used for treason , rapine , or the like . but you orators ( said she ) are like those that are skilful in playing on a flute , or cornet ; where the ears of the auditors are the holes ; and your tongues , or words , as the fingers , do make the stops ; your breath gives the sound , and your wit and your learning , are the ayres and musical ditties that move their passions , or rather their passion : for indeed , there is but one passion in nature , or at least in an animal figure ; which passion changes into several forms , according to the several subjects or objects it is placed upon ; for upon some subjects , it is love , upon others it is hate , upon others it is fear , upon others anger ; and so the like of all the rest of those they call several passions , which is but one natural faculty , property , quality , or what you will name it , which is the heart . that these severally alter and ( camelion-like ) change , and sometimes seem all one colour , and sometimes of divers colours ; or as a triangular-glass , which makes a million of various colours from one light ; so doth the triangular-heart ( from the light of life ) seem to have many passions : but ( said she ) lest orators should be the cause of unlawful passions , there ought to be a law , that the publick assemblies that are drawn about an oracle , either such as are to declare the command of the gods , or for any other instruction ; informations or exhortations , either in the church , or on theaters , should not be mixed of several sexes ; but either the assembly should be all men , or all women ; otherwise a consecrated place may be polluted with wanton eyes , and enticing countenances ; self-whisperings , and secret agreements to dangerous meetings ; evil intentions , and wicked actions ; by which a church would become a bawdy-house , and the priests the pimps or procurers to draw them together . and all orations concerning the commonwealth , or for any important matter , would be lost ; for the ears of the assembly would be stopt by their eyes ; at least , the hearing of the auditors would be imperfect , and their understanding confounded , and their memory dazled with the splendor of light glances and fair faces of each sex. the eighth sort of visiters were states-men , who ask'd her , what government was best ? she answered , monarchy : for ( said she ) a good king is the center of a commonwealth , as god is the center of nature , who orders and disposes all to the best , and unites and composes all differences , which otherwise would run into a confusion : and unity , said she , is sooner found , and easier made by one , than by more , or many : neither , said she , can one man make so many faults , as more or many may . besides , said she , there is less justice , and more injustice in a multitude , than in one . then they asked her , whether it were lawful for a king to lay down his scepter and crown ? she answered , that princes that voluntarily lay down their royal dignity , do either express some infirmity in power , or weakness of understanding , or imperfect health of body , or effeminacy of spirits , or doting affection , or vain-glory : for religion requires it not ; nay , said she , it seems rather an impiety for jove's annointed , being his chief deputy on earth , to leave , or be weary in governing the people , by which , and in which he serves jove . and it was accounted ( said she ) a blessing as well as an honour , in the ancient writ , to go out and in before the people , most being inspired by jove to that dignity of prophesying ; and for the great , gallant , heroick heroes , as alexander and caesar , they left not their crowns , nor parted with their power , until death uncrowned and divested them . neither ( said she ) were there any that voluntarily laid down or yeelded up a crown , but have had more condemners and dispraisers , than commenders or admirers . thus , said she , neither the laws of honour or religion allow it ; nor can i perceive morality approves it . then they asked her , if a foolish king might not bring a commonwealth to ruin sooner , than a council of many ? she said , no : for , said she , the plurality breeds faction ; which faction causeth more evil than one foolish head can make or bring about . then they asked , if a tyrant-king were not worse than a factious assembly ? she said , no : for , said she , a tyrant-king may make good laws , and keep peace , and maintain supreme power and authority ; but a factious assembly ( said she ) will break all laws , do no justice , keep no peace , obstruct authority , and overthrow supreme power ; and , said she , that kingdom is happiest that lives under a tyrant-prince ; for when the people are afraid of their prince , there is peace ; but where the prince is afraid of the people , there is warr ; and there is no misery like a civil-warr : nor is there a greater sign that a king is afraid of his people , than when he advances those that are , or seem to be his enemies . thus subjects in general live happiest under a tyrant , but not particular courtiers , or busie prating fools , or factious knaves : and a facil king causeth more trouble , distraction , and ruin , by his soft easie nature , than a cruel tyrant with executions , severe laws , or heavy taxes : for the greatest tyrant that ever was , will not destroy all his subjects , or take away all substance , for his own sake ; for if he did , he would destroy his power , and ruin his monarchy . then they asked her , what men made the best privy councellors ? she said , those that had most experience , such as had seen the several changes of fortune , and observed the several humours of men. likewise , those that are rich ; for those will be cautious in their counsel , and careful for the commonwealth for their own sakes ; not daring to adventure their estates in a factious party , or a rash advice . but , said she , princes should not have more councellors than business , for fear they should make troubles to have employments . likewise , a state should not have too many magistrates : for , many magistrates in a common-wealth , are like many masters in family : nor too great a number of officers , lest the many officers should over-charge the state , spending more in ordering and commanding , than they would lose by some disorders and disobedience . then they asked her , what was apt to make rebellion ? she answered , poor nobility and rich citizens or burgers , being both factious , and apt to raise rebellion through covetousness and ambition : for , the poor nobility would have wealth to maintain their honour ; and rich burgers and yeomantry would have honour to dignifie their wealth . then they asked her , why those kings that had favourites , were most commonly unfortunate ? she said , one cause was , that the subjects ( in general ) take it for a weakness in a prince to beruled or perswaded by one particular man. secondly , they hate that particular person , as an usurper , ingrossing wholly the king's favour ; which makes them think their prince unjust , to give to one man that which ought to be distributed according to merit and worth. thirdly , the favourite's crimes are thought the king's cruelty or facility . fourthly , the favourite's vanity is thought to be their taxes ; all which , makes them apt to murmur and rebel : but they never fail to rebel , when the king interposes himself as a buckler betwixt the people and his favourite ; by which he endangers himself , but helps not the favourite . but a king who would reign long and peaceably , if he will have a favourite , must have a favourite to be a buckler between him and the rest of his subjects : for he must not take his favourite's faults upon him , but lay his faults on the favourite ; for when a people judg their king to have faults , they will withdraw their reverences ; for princes must be thought as gods that cannot err . but favourites , said she , are very dangerous and insinuating parasites : for , those princes must needs be ignorant , that are much flattered ; for every flattering tongue is as a muffler , to blind the eyes of the understanding ; and self-conceit is the mouth , that sucks the milk of vain-glory , which putrifies the reasori , and breeds a corrupted judgment ; which causeth crudities and ulcers in the stomack of the commonwealth , and makes the heart of the kingdom sick ; which distempers the whole body , and brings the plague of rebellion , every member being infected therewith ; which is a certain and sudden death to monarchical government . then they asked her , how great monarchs should use petty princes ? great monarchs or princes should always keep lesser princes in awe , lest in time they should go cheek-by-jowl , and may chance to thrust them out of their power , either by land , or sea. indeed , they should be kept like spaniels , to crouch ; and not like mastiffs , to bite ; otherwise they may chance to leap at their throat , and tear out the life of their supremacy . also , said she , lesser princes ought not to be suffered to encroach upon the ceremonies of great monarchs : for , if ceremonies deifie , those ceremonies ought to be kept sacred . nor upon their orders or dignifyings , as to make nobility , or to give their orders , or such as are like to them , as the george , the s. esprit , or golden fleece , which elective princes are apt to do , if they be not kept in awe by the hereditary kings ; and those hereditary kings that give way to them to do it , ought to lose their magnisicency . then they asked her , how kings and monarchs should use their officers of state , and commanders of warr ? she said , kindly , whilst they were in employments : for , their employments either in the civil magistracy , or martial discipline , give them power ; and a small power ( said she ) oft-times ruin a greater , especially when malice and opportunity are joined together : for though ambition , said she , perswades ; yet it is opportunity and malice which betrays and sets open the gates to rebellion ; for many powerful princes , and potent monarchs , have been unthrnned , and kingdoms ruined , by mean subjects , and small beginnings . wherefore , said she , princes and states should have a care of lessening the power of their officers , and to remove them from a better office , or higher degree , to a worse office , or lower degree ; but if they will remove them , or must ( as being most convenient ) , then let them put them out of all power and authority , or advance them , either in authority of office or honour , by which they will qualifie their spleens , or prevent their malice , or destroy their abilities from doing any harm . then they asked her , if it were seemly or fit , that kings should suffer any subjects to be familiar in their discourse or actions , either to themselves privately , or in the presence of a publick assembly ? she said , no : for , said she , a familiarity makes a parity , for it advances a subject to a greater respect ; and draws down a king to a less esteem ; but said she , kings should be like gods , obeyed with fear , and loved for mercy . then they asked her , what kings should do to such subjects or servants ? she said , they shnuld be check'd with frowns , and banished from their presence ; for , that king that doth not keep strict orders , and rules severely , shall neither be obeyed nor loved , as being either fearful , that dares not check offenders , and cut off criminals ; or facil , to suffer boldness in his sight ; or hated , as being thought partial : and if you will observe ( said she ) , you shall find the more stern a master , the better he shall be served : for , although his servants complain , yet they dare not disobey : so a king , the more tyrannical he is , the better he shall be obeyed ; when a gentle master , and a facil king , shall lose his power and authority . then they asked her , whether it were wise for a king to discover the secrets of his heart to a chief favourite councellor ? she said , the king that made known the secrets of his heart , or would but make known his ordinary intentions , until they were to be put in execution , although but to the most trusty of his council , was fitter to be ruled , than to rule : but , said she , it is an ordinary policy in favourite-councellors , to perswade their prince to keep nothing of moment from their knowledg , or any advice that others give ; for if they do , they cannot counsel as they should , because they know but part of the king's affairs ; which credulous princes believe , and so betray themselves . but wise princes , said she , hear others , but counsel themselves ; and foolish princes , said she , will hear nothing from any , but those they will entrust ; but if they do , they straight tell their favourites ( as children do their nurses ) all that they hear or know . the ninth sort were trades-men , or citizens ; and they asked her , how they should grow rich ? she said , not to have their pride above their calling : for , they that think themselves too good , or too worthy , or too highly born for their trade , will never thrive thereby ; for they neglect it through scorn , and so grow poor with pride . likewise , said she , not to take too many apprentices ; for , out of a covetousness of a little present money they get when they are bound , they are forced for seven years to maintain a company of idle boys , that can gain them nothing , by reason they must learn before they can work ; and by that time they come to be shop-men , or workmen , and skilful in their trade , their time is out ; so that the masters lose the time in teaching them , spends money in maintaining them , and receives no profit by them . likewise , not to have more journey-men than trafficque : for journey-men have great wages ; and when they have more servants than employments , they spend more than they can get , giving more wages out , than they have profit coming in . likewise , not to set too great prizes on their ware ; for those that sell deer , will have but few customers . likewise , not to neglect their shops ; for when there is no body to sell their ware , it must needs lye unbought . also , not to neglect their customers ; for there are few will stay and pray for what they must deerly pay . likewise , not to break their promises , or day of payments ; for that will make all afraid to trust them . likewise , not to trust much , especially such as have not visible estates ; for they that sell out their wares for bonds , may chance to break by their customers : for , though bonds may imprison their persons , yet not always get their money ; for , as the old saying is , where there is nothing to be had , the king must lose his right . likewise , to shun all law-suits : for , whilst they follow their suit , they are forced to neglect their trade , leaving all to their servants , who are as idle and as careless in their shops , as the master is busie in law. and whilst the lawyers pick their purse of their gains , their servants cozen and rob their shops of their wares , or lose their customers by their carelesness , or lazily neglect their work. also not to be drunkards , for drink drowns all industry ; and though it swells the body , it shrinks the purse ; and as it disorders the brains , so it causes disorders in a family , by abusing their wives , children , and servants ; disturbing their neighbours with their quarrels and unhandsome demeanours : besides , by their drunken humours , sometimes they spoil and destroy their goods ; so that what with their spending more , or at least as much as they get , and spoiling what they have , and neglecting what they should have , a drunkard is never rich , but on the contrary very poor . lastly , to marry wives that are approved for good huswifry , rather than for riches : for an idle gossip will spend more than she brings ; and will be maintained finer than her husband's quality , and above his trade or calling . then they asked her , what it was to be a good citizen ? she said , not to look after their particular profit more than the publike good ; and never to neglect their duty in discharging their commissions or offices of authority . likewise , not to prefer their own private interest before the publick , by ingrossing trading , or heightning the prizes . also , not to be factious , murmuring at authority , or repining through envy . likewise , to defend their countrey with courage , wealth , and love , against any assault made against it . likewise , to observe the laws punctually , to perform the customs and ceremonies strictly , to submit to magistrates willingly , to dwell by their neighbours peaceably , to govern their family orderly , to breed their children civilly , and to live honestly . the tenth sort that visited her , were house-keepers , and masters of families . they asked her , what was the greatest ruin to an estate ? she answered , great estates were ruinated with gluttonous hospitality , unnecessary servants , negligences of stewards , unprofitable horses , drunken cellars , careless masters , and vain-glory. as for the first , said she , a man is only praised so long as the meat is tastable in their mouths ; but when their bellies are full , and their stomacks sick , by being over-charged , they will curse not only the meat they eat , and the cook that drest it ; but the master that gave it , when it is digested , is forgotten . as for unnecessary servants , said she , when there are more servants than work , they grow lazy and proud , thinking themselves masters by their little employment , forgetting at whose cost they live ; besides the factions idleness brings , by hearkning after tales , and reporting them worse than they were meant ; so they rather serve to eat , than to work ; to command , than to obey . then they asked her , whether it were not against hospitality to quarrel with a stranger in his house ? she said , yes . then they asked her , if it were not lawful to defend his honour against a stranger in his own house ? she said , they might defend their life in their own house ; but not assault the life of their guest or stranger . likewise , said she , they may defend their honour by reasoning , clearing , and telling the truth ' and by declaring the right ; but not to revenge their quarrel in their own house ; but when they are departed from their house , they might do their pleasure . then they asked her , if a house-keeper might not in honour deny strangers entertainment ? she said , yes , when it was inconvenient to the owner , and not very serviceable to the guests . then they asked her , if an impertinent troublesome guest might not be put out of one's house , if he would not go civilly of himself ? she said , yes ; for , said she , every man's dwelling-house is , or ought to be his earthly paradice ; and if there be a serpent , he ought to be banished out ; or evil angel , to be thrown out . then they asked her , if it were against the laws of hospitality , if they should entertain their guests only with a sufficiency , without a superfluity ? she said , honour did not bind or require any man to ruin himself : wherefore , said she , every man may , nay ought to entertain according to his estate ? then they asked her , if they ought not to make a difference of persons in their entertainment ? she said , yes , if their estates would allow it , or else not ; for every man , said she , must entertain according to the ability of his fortunes , not according to the quality of his guests . then they asked her , what was the reason the man looks finer in the master 's old clothes , than the master did when he left them off . she answered , the reason was , because the master seemed too noble for his old clothes ; but when the man had them on , the clothes seemed too noble for him . the eleventh sort that visited her , were married-men and their wives . the men asked her , what was the best course to keep their wives honest ? she said , tender regard , civil respects , wise instructions , honourable examples , and virtuous employments . for , said she , idleness breeds vain thoughts , wild passions , and extravagant appetites ; and vain thoughts and wild passions have a sympathy to each other ; and as thoughts lye in the brain , so passions dwell in the heart , and various thoughts raise up several passions : but reason , said she , should govern as king in the brain ; and temperance , as queen in the heart ; and when this king and queen are contracted into a matrimonial bond , the life lives orderly , the mind peaceably , and the body healthfully . wherefore , said she , women ought to be wisely employed ; for business to the mind , is as necessary as exercise to the body ; and instructions to the mind are as necessary as food to the body ; and let me warn you , said she , of idleness ; for it is the great bawd of the world. then the men asked her , if husbands might not in honour correct their wives ? yes , said she , with timely admonitions , seasonable reproofs , and loving perswasions ; but not with cruel blows : for a husband is a wife's guardian and protector from all harms ; wherefore he ought not to hurt her , but to cherish and defend her : but , said she , a husband may restrain a wife , although not beat her ; for if she be an unsufferable scold , or a vixen , he may bind her hands with kind embraces , and stop her mouth with kisses . if she be indiscreet , he may restrain her from going abroad , lest she should disgrace him with her follies . if she be a slut , he must keep servants that are cleanly , if he be able ; if not , he must do his work himself , or visit his wife but seldom : but if he cannot do his work himself , through publick employments , and yet he must be at home ; he must strive to make her better by perswasions and directions : for they that will not mend with good counsel , will grow worse and worse , and more perverse with blows . if she be wanton , she must be kept to a spare dry diet ; she must be purged much , and eat little ; she must study much , and sleep little ; and she must have moral lectures preached to her very often : likewise , she must be maintained thriftily , not vainly ; she must not be suffered to be superfluous or costly , but only to be allowed necessaries or conveniences , which will keep her from wandring or gadding abroad , having no vanities to shew her neighbours : as for a man to lock up his wife , it is no secure remedy ; for women will find a thousand inventions to get liberty . wherefore , if the cure cannot be wrought upon the body and mind , they may despair : for restraint of liberty will do them small good . but the only way in this condition , is for a man to part from his wife ; for then the world may only pity him as being a cuckold , but cannot scorn him as being a wittal . then they asked her , if a husband might not be lawfully complemental to other women in their wives company ? she answered , it was unworthy for any man rudely to neglect a civility to any woman ; and he was no ways worthy the name of a gentleman , that used not respect to the meanest of that sex : but , said she , a husband ought to have respect to his wife , and to do no action , nor speak no words that may justly offend or disgrace her , or to put her out of countenance : for , though men ought to be civil to that sex , yet a husband ought not to make courthsips to any , neither in jest or earnest ; for foolish toying , though harmless meaning and honest intentions , may cause great discontent bet wixt a married pair , and breed such quarrels as cannot be reconciled . then they asked her , how they should breed their children , especially sons ? she said , children should be bred according to their condition of birth or fortune : yet , said she , there is a general breeding , as well as a particular breeding ; that is , to be bred on honest grounds , and honourable principles : to do as they would be done by , that is justice ; to suffer an evil patiently , when they cannot avoid , that is fortitude ; to be industrious to prevent evils that may come , is prudence ; to abstain from tempting-evils , that is temperance ; and to instruct them of the benefit that will accrew thereby , shewing them that it is the greatest wisdom for a man's self , to be honest ; and to have honourable principles , is to do good when they have power to do hurt ; to prefer their neighbour's good before their own pleasure ; to maintain right , to defend the truth , to assist the helpless , to incite them to noble endeavors , and civil demeanours . for particular breeding : if they be nobly born , they should be respectfully bred ; their tutors should instruct them submissively and humbly , and not commandingly ; they should rather be perswaded by reason , than forced to learn by terrifying ; otherwise a noble person may have a slavish spirit : their learning must be , to know men and manners ; to be instructed of times past ; to be advertised of the times present . likewise , they must be bred to handle the pen more than the pencil , the sword more than the pen , the horse's bridle more than the fiddle-string , the cannot-bullet more than the racket-ball , the valuting-horse more than dancing ; to encounter strengths , more than running lengths ; to wrastle , more than shuffle cards ; and throwing the barr , more than throwing the dice : the actions of cards are too soft and effeminate for masculine spirits . also , they must rather be taught to speak well , than sing well . likewise , they must rather study fortification than logick ; to defend towns , rather than dispute arguments ; to decide quarrels , rather than to make quarrels . likewise , they must study how to return obligations gratefully , to reward merit nobly , to supply necessity generously . likewise , they should be bred more with the muses , than the sciences : for the poetick flame doth fire the spirits with a noble ambition . likewise , they must be bred to know the laws , customs , and priviledges of their native countrey , lest their ignorance should commit faults in breaking the laws , or commit errors in omitting the customs , or do themselves wrong in not claiming their priviledges . also , they should have some insight of the laws of other nations , that they may know how to behave themselves , if they should be sent embassadors ; or to advise , if they should be called to councils . also , they should be instructed in the maps of their own nation , as also of forreign nations ; that they may know how to order their commands , to take their advantages , and to avoid dangers , in case they should be employed as commanders and officers of warr for their king and countrey . in short , they must be instructed by truth , advised by honour , and encouraged by fame . as for the breeding them in common schools , i do utterly disapprove , although some say it gives them confidence , and quickens their courage ; but my opinion is , it rather makes them rudely bold , than manly confident . it learns them rather to quarrel , than to fight : for a company of boys make a wrangling-noise , and scolding-quarrels ; but seldom fight or cuff with alacrity . it makes them factious and unconstant ; for having not experience to understand truly , and judg rightly , they one while take this boy 's part , another while another boys part ; and there is a faction between the little boys and the great boys , and amongst the lesser boys too . a free-school is apt to make lyars , sharks , and thieves ; for boys will not only be apt to lye to save their breech , denying the truth of a fault ; but to get a point , or rather for fear to lose a point or a farthing at play . they learn to shark , being necessitous , either by the thriftiness of their parents , or tutor , or both ; or being cozened by other boys , whose parents have not much to give them ; and they , rather than want , will do any base thing to get : and boys , being active and stirring , young and strong , causeth sharp appetites , and quick stomacks , which quick stomacks and short commons do not agree ; and their hunger out-running their meat , makes their wit out-run their honesty ; for they will be strangely subtil , and most ingenious to cozen or get from those boys that have more than the rest : it learns them to flatter and dissemble , to get it by fair means ; or to quarrel and lye , to get it by force ; or to watch or design , to get it by theft ; and when they cannot compass their designs , they will make other boys sharers , to help them to steal , or at least to cheat . it makes them envious at the praises of those that are most apt to learn ; also malicious , by being whipt ; and makes them ill-natured , to wish , or be glad when any other boys are whipt , because they shall not be laughed at , or twitted , for being whipt . it makes them base informers , and many times false accusers ; for rather than they will suffer the disgrace ( as they take it ) to be whipt alone , they will betray , be-lye , or accuse any , that they may make them have the same punishment . besides , in common schools much beastly wickedness is learnt : but it were a wonder if vices should not be catch'd in a common school , being so many boys in a company , of several natures and dispositions , qualities , births , and fortunes ; and vicious qualities , being malignant , like the plague ; for one sick body is able to infect a whole town , when the best cordial-counsels and advices cannot save life . a company of boys are like a company of colts before they are back't , which kick , and fling , and run about ; and are so impatient at the bridle , spurr , and rod , that they strive with all their strength , and use all their skittish tricks to fling their rider off , striking all that come near them ; so do boys their tutors : and unless a tutor be a discreet man , and a wise governour , his scholars grow resty , and become unuseful , stubborn , malicious , and ill-natur'd . but by reason it is proved , that common schools breed confidence , or rather boldness , it is good for the breeding of such youth whose parents intend them for lawyers and divines , embassadors , and the like , who are to present themselves , and to speak in a full assembly , where bashfulness may perchance disturb and obstruct their oratory . and it is the best breeding to get experience , and to be acquainted with the nature of mankind : for in youth the nature lies open and plain to the view ; and the rest of the senses are not arrived to the art of concealing them under counterfeit veils , or disguising them in various dresses , which time learns men to do . likewise , these common schools may be good for physician , s and chirurgeons , and soldiers : for chirurgeons , because it makes them bold and adventurous : for soldiers , because it makes them hardy , venturous , and resolute : for physicians , because it gives them experience of several appetites , diets , and constitutions : for prints strike deeper in youth than age ; and men in age remember best the observations of their youth ; and youth observe more than age doth ; and like a jack-an-apes , imitate what they observe . as for the particular breeding of the common-sort , they are to be bred according to the profession their parents intend them to practice : as , clerks must be bred to the use of the pen , and to learn several hand-writings . all merchants , either trading , trafficking , or adventuring , must learn arithmetick , and to keep accounts . apothecaries must learn the difference and properties of simples . doctors , to apply them . lawyers must learn the laws , customs , and priviledges of the kingdom ; also , the records , fees , and offices of several courts ; likewise , all sorts of warrants , grants , leases , and wills. heralds must be good antiquaries , and learned in the fashious , ceremonies , and orders of dignities . surveyors , architectors , and musicians , must be learned in the mathematicks and geometry . picture-drawers , in history and geography ; as also in the mathematicks , by reason of symmetry . as for handicrafts-trades , practice makes them masters ; and trades-men of all sorts , the lesser speculative learning they have , the better work-men they most commonly be , busying their heads with nothing but their trade . as for secretaries of state , they must be bred to several languages , and to understand the laws , customs , humours , and potencies of forreign nations , for which they should be bred with several embassadors , whose employments are travelling-schools , and experienced-tutors . as for states-men , they must be bred to a general learning , but no particular study ; they must learn the humours of men , as well as the laws of the kingdom ; they must learn the discipline of warr , as well as the rules of peace ; they must learn the weakness and strength , the infirmities and advantages of the kingdom , as well as the traffick and commerce . they must learn morality as well as rhetorick ; they must learn to do well , as well as to speak well : for he will be but a corrupt states-man , who hath more eloquence than justice , more policy than honesty . but in youth , saith she , the understanding is like their age and bodies , little and young ; their eyes must first be fed with action , their ears with relation ; without which objects and subjects , the understanding would become lean or starved : for several objects and discourses , put to the sight and hearing , pass through the eyes and ears , into the head , to feed the brain , which maintains the life of the understanding ; as several sorts of meats put by the hands into the mouth , pass through the throat into the stomack , to feed the body , to maintain the life thereof ; and the natural capacities digest those several objects and subjects into knowledg and understanding , as the natural heat into flesh and blood. and the brain is like the body , sometimes more strong , and sometimes more weak ; which makes the understanding sometimes more sick , and sometimes more healthy : and sometimes also the brain will be stuft with fancy , as the body with humours . but some brains are like an unhealthy body , that will never thrive ; and others , like stomacks that are nourish'd but with some particular sort of meat , when variety will corrupt , but never digest . and others are like stomacks , that the more varieties are received , the better concoction , where particulars would cause a surfeit . likewise , said she , young brains are like tender slips , not grown to bear fruit ; but length of time brings them to maturity . and some brains are like barren grounds , that will not bring seed or fruit forth , unless it be well manured with the wit which is rak'd from other writers or speakers . others are like unplowed ground ; for the senses , which are as the husband-man , either neglect through laziness , or are so poor that they have not a sufficient stock of objects or subjects , or matter or form , to work with , or sow in the brain . others are like foolish husband-men , that either sow or reap too soon or too late ; that know not how to sett and graft , to prune or to cherish ; which makes the brain unprofitable . others , like ill husbands , run wandring about unconstantly , and never regard their affairs , but let the brain run to weeds , which with good husbandry might bear fruitful corps . and some are so rich and fertil , that if they be not plowed nor sett , yet they will be fat meadows , and rich pasture , wherein grow wild cowslips , prim-roses , violets , dazies , and sweet thyme , marjoram , succory , and the like . then they asked her , how they should govern their servants ? she answered , with employment : for , said she , idle servants , like idle subjects , grow factious , and so rebellious , for want of good employments to busie their heads with . then they asked her , how masters ought to use servants ? she answered , as good princes do their subjects , with a fatherly care for their well-being , well-doing , and subsisting : they must have a protector 's regard , for their safety ; be just judges , for their rights and priviledges , for their condemnations and punishments ; honest friends , to advise them ; wise tutors , to instruct them ; prudent governours , to order them ; powerful generals , to command them ; bountiful gods , to reward their painful labours , their dutiful obediences , their honest services , their faithful trust , and their constant fidelity . then the wives asked her , if it might not be as lawful for wives to receive and entertain love's courtships , as for husbands to make love-courtships ? she said , no : for , said she , unconstant women are the ruin of a commonwealth . for first , it decays breed : for , though many be barren by nature , yet there are more become barren through wildness . secondly , it corrupts breed , mingling the issues of several men. thirdly , it decays industry : for , a man that doubts the children be none of his , will never take pains to provide for them , or at least not to enrich them . fourthly , it makes dangerous and deadly quarrels : for the cuckold and the cuckold-maker can never agree . then they asked her , what they should do in case their husbands did kiss their maids , or their neighbour's maids , daughters , or wives ? she said , to take as little notice of it as they could ; to give them as much liberty as they would have ; to praise their mistresses more than they deserved ; and to cause them to be as jealous of them as they could be . first ( said she ) , to take no notice , makes them to live quiet , and makes their husbands to be more shye , lest they should perceive it ; otherwise , said she , there will not only be quarrels , but she will receive often affronts and disgraces by himself and whores . secondly ( said she ) , to give them liberty , will glut their appetites , surfeit the humour , and quench their affections . thirdly ( said she ) , a superlative praise will abate the truth , and out-reach the admiration . lastly ( said she ) , to make them jealous by discoursing , that no woman is to be trusted or relied upon , for their constancies in love , when they have forsaken their own honour , their modest nature , their honest birth , their lawful rites , their civil customs , and their pious zeal to heaven : for jealousie , saith , she , turns love into hate . then they asked her , what they should do if their husbands whores did enslave them by being as mistresses to command , and they as drudges and slaves to obey , making them as bawds or witnesses to their lascivious acts ? she said , there was nothing for that , but parting : for , said she , a noble mind cannot play the bawd , nor live with impudent vices . but , said they , if the wife have children , how shall they part then ? 't is better , said she , to part with the goods of the body , than the goods of the soul ; wherefore it were better to part from children or life , than with honour and virtue : for , though virtue , said she , may wink at an infirmity , and honour may excuse a fault , yet not be made as a party , or brought to the publick view , or be made a slave thereto . then they asked her , what was the best way to keep their husband's love , and cause them to be constant ? she said , the best way to keep their husband's love , was , to be honestly modest , cleanly , patient , prudent , and discreet : but , said she , a man may love dearly and tenderly his wife , and yet desire to kiss his maid : wherefore , to keep him constant , said she , a wife must act the arts of a courtizan to him , which is very lawful , since it is to an honest end : for the arts honest and lawful , but the design and end is wicked : but , said she , to learn those arts , you must be instructed by such as have practised or seen them ; for i have not , nor cannot guess or devise arts. the twelfth sort were nurses with their nurse-children . and they asked her , how children should be ordered ? she said , young children should be handled gently , watched carefully , used kindly , and attended prudently . the gentle handling , said she , is most requisite : for children have rather grissles than bones , more jelly than flesh ; whereby the least oppression , or wrenching , or turning , may deform them , causing some members to be deformed , that otherwise would be in perfection ; and by reason nurses handle not children tenderly , there is so many lame and crooked as they are . likewise , nurses should give their limbs liberty , not swaddle nor tye them too hard , or to suffer their coats to be too little , or their shooes or stockings too short , nor to pin too many pins about them , lest they should prick them . likewise , not to toss nor tumble them , nor to dance nor rock them too violently ; for a weak motion may displace an unknit grissle-joint ; and what pains soever they feel , or hurts they get , they cannot complain or tell their grievance by their speech , having not learnt a language ; and though their tears supply their speech , yet nurses most commonly take their tears to be shed out of a froward passion , rather than a mournful complaining , or a craving redress ; which makes them only to sing , or prate , or whistle , or rattle to them , to please them ; but not to search about them , or observe them , to find out their malady , to ease them ; but rather , by the dancing and rocking them , they put them to more pain . secondly , to watch them carefully : for many children are killed , or cripled , or blinded , or scarified ( which is worse ) by the negligence of the nurses . and some are over-laid by the nurses in their sleep ; some choak't by giving them meat too hard , or too big to pass through their little tender throats . some fall into the fire and burn themselves , or put out their eyes , or disfigure their face ; some fall from tables , stools , beds , stairs , or the like , whereby they become oft-times cripples all their life-time ; and many the like accidents befall through the carelesness of the nurses : wherefore , children should rather lye and play upon the ground , laying some soft blanket under them , then be set upon tables , stools , or beds : besides , it is both healthful and strengthning , for children to lye stretching and rolling themselves ; for their weak strength cannot disorder their tender limbs , but rather gives them liberty to grow ; whereas to be carried much in arms , or to set much in chairs , or to lye much in cradles , cramps up their limbs , and doth ( as it were ) rivet their joints , causing them to grow , as we say , double-jointed . thirdly , to be fed sparingly , or rather discreetly : for there is nothing that destroys children , or causeth more diseases , than too full diet ; or nurses are of an opinion , that a child cannot live and be in health , unless they be always eating ; through which opinion the nurses feed them so long , as they puke it up again ; and the nurse is so desirous they should eat , that they will return the meat they spue up , into their mouths again , forcing them to eat against their appetite or stomack ; which must needs be very unwholesome : first , in over-charging their stomacks . next , in not giving their stomack time to digest . lastly , in giving a child milk and flesh-meat , which no ways agree ; for it curdles the one , and corrupts the other . thus an overcharged stomack causeth surfeits , which surfeits breed a superflous moisture , which causeth the rickets ; or else it breeds tough matter , which matter breeds obstructions , which obstructions causeth swellings . likewise , an ill digestion breeds crudities , which crudities cause the cholick and convulsions . also , milk and meat together , the corruption of the one doth cause burning-fevers , or scabs on their heads and faces ; and the sharpness of the other causes agues or sharp rheums , making sore eyes , or the like rheumatick diseases . and children being weak of nature , and sickly in breeding of teeth , which makes them more weak ; yet they feed them so much , that if a man at his full strength should eat as often , and as great a quantity for his growth , as children for theirs , he would become as weak as a child , and there would be as great a mortality of men , as there is most commonly of children ; for more dyes in infancy than in age ; and the reason is , that they are killed with over-feeding , although nurses and parents impute it to the teeth ; for a child , as i said , cannot tell its grievances , which makes them mistake , by reason they can only guess at the cause . wherefore , said she , children must be both orderly and temperately fed , have a breakfast , dinner , and supper , until such time as they are so strong as to run about , and then they may eat four times a day : for by reason a child is active , and always stirring , and likewise growing , they may eat the oftner , if they exercise much ; but whilst they are weak , having not strength to run about , they must be fed with leighter meat , and a less quantity : for , though some are of opinion , that a child's stomack is extraordinary hot , which heat they think causeth a quick digestion ; yet i am of opinion , that the heat is according to their years , which is like a new-kindled fire , which is rather a smuthering heat , than a hot dissolving heat ; and as heat is weak in a child , as being not throughly kindled ; so it becomes weak by age , as being burnt out : wherefore , infancy and old-age should feed most temperately , lest the quantity of the fuel should quench out the strength of the heat ; but howsoever , nurses feed children as if they had ostritch's stomacks , which is able to digest iron . lastly , children should be kindly used , and prudently bred : wherefore they must be humoured in all things that are not hurtful ; otherwise to be crossed , makes them of a froward and crossing nature ; for the ill custom of being crossed , makes them take the habit or custom of crossing , and to strike , or beat , or whip them , is worse ; for stripes create a spaniel's disposition ; and timorous spirits are hard and cruel natures . likewise , not to scold , rail , or to give children ill language , for that only teaches them the rudest part of language , and to be foul-mouthed , as we say . likewise , children must not be deceived with lyes , lest they learn to deceive with lying : also , they must not be frighted with telling them of hobgoblins , or the like ; for what is printed in infancy , doth not easily wear out with age ; and certainly the terrors of youth are a great cause of cowardly age : for surely , frighting-tales to children work the same effect on the mind , as unwholsome food on the body ; for as the body becomes weak , so the mind fearful . likewise , children should be taught the purest and perfectest parts of their language , and the most significant words and eloquent speech ; and the tongue get the habit of a good pronunciation , as well as the understanding the right and clear sense thereof ; otherwise they will be like those that have learned musick of an ill master , that though they can play a tune perfectly , and keep just time , and set a true note , yet they play not sweetly , but rough and rudely , making a jarring-scraping , or squeaking-noise . wherefore , children must hear truth , and not lyes ; be instructed with reason , not beaten with rods ; advised with kindness , not threatned with words ; presented with gifts , not crost in toys ; used with respect , not sleighted with neglect . likewise , they must be taught to speak perfectly , sensibly , and seasonably , not impertinently ; civilly , not rudely ; truly , not falsly . to conclude , those that attend children , should behave themselves well before them , lest they should give an ill example . wherefore the better sort , that have estates to maintain it , should have their children attended by none but such as are well fashioned , well spoken , and well qualified . the thirteenth sort were widowers and widows . the widowers asked her , if it were not allowable for a widower ( in the laws of honour ) to marry ? she said , yes , in six cases . the first was , if he had a good estate , and had no children to be heir to it ; or that there were none left of his family to keep alive the lovely memory of his ancestors . the second was , if he had many young children , and his employments or affairs required him often from home . thirdly , if he had many servants , and much houshold-employments . fourthly , if he were a melancholy man , and lived solitarily alone . fifthly , if he were infirm or sickly . and lastly , if he were consciously honest , or honestly amorous . yet , said she , he must be wise , in chusing such a woman as his affairs require , or his humour desires : for a man that marries for children , must chuse a woman well born , well bred , of a good reputation , and who comes from a fruitful stock ; likewise , she must be beautiful and well shap't , lest she gives his breed an ill dye , or an ill-favoured mark . secondly , if a man marry a wife to take care to bring up his children , he must chuse a discreet , sober , and well-natured woman , and one that is honourably born , and well bred ; for those that are honourably born and bred , have good natures , noble qualities , and sweet dispositions ; also , it breeds children to respect , it humbles them to obedience , it subjects them to corrections , and begets in them a love . thirdly , if a man marries a wife to follow his servants , and govern his houshold-affairs ; she must be such a one as hath been bred thriftily , and to good huswifry , and one that hath had some experience in the world : otherwise he may chance to have a busie wife , but not a prudent wife ; she may take pains , but he get but small gains . fourthly , if a man marries because he would not live solitarily , he must use his endeavour to get a cheerful wife , and of a pleasant humour , or rather a pleasing humour ; she must be conversible , and of a ready wit , and a good understanding : also of a healthful constitution : otherwise he will have a disease instead of a wife ; a trouble instead of a companion ; a grave instead of a bed. if a man marries a wife to attend and nurse him , she must be a neat , cleanly , ingenious , and handsome-handed woman ; also skilful in chirurgery and physick , and the applying of medicines : likewise , she must be careful , watchful , and industrious ; also patient , silent , chast , and good-natur'd ; otherwise his wife , instead of a nurse , may prove his plague , his hell , his tormenter ; his plague , with her sluttery ; his hell , with her dishonesty ; his tormenter , with her froward nature , and scolding tongue . and lastly , if a man marry out of a consciencious honesty , as being honestly amorous ; he must endeavour to get a chast , healthful , beautiful , cleanly woman . likewise , she must be of a free disposition , a merry humour , and a kind nature ; also , she must rather be modestly kind , than boldly wanton . for if she be dishonest , his jealousie will disturb his love. if sickly , his kindness will disturb her health . if ill-favoured , it will tempt his constancy . if sluttish , he will loathe her bed. if peevish or coy , it will cross his desires ; and if bold , it will surfeit his appetite . but , said she , equal matches and happy marriages , are not common ; by reason fortune , covetousness , or lust , makes more marriages , than prudent judgment of love ; and oft-times men and women are deceived in each other ; by reason the nature of man is so obscure , as it can hardly be found out : besides , woers do strive to conceal their faults , and veil their defects ; or pretend to be vertuous , because they would be gracious in the opinion of their mistresses , or the mistress in the opinion of the suitor ; whenas marriage will discover them to be but counterfeits , gilded with deceit ; which golden outside is rubbed off with acquaintance ; and then their base drossie nature appears , and repentance is dearly bought . then they asked her , if it were not lawful for a man to keep a mistress , in case he was unwilling to marry ? she said , the laws of nature and custom would allow it ; but not the laws of morality or divinity : wherefore if they could not live a chast single life , she said they ought to marry . besides , said she , although those men that have mistresses instead of a wife , have liberty to change their mistresses , which they cannot do their wives ; yet it is a far worse condition of life to keep a mistress , than marry a wife : for the best natur'd mistress is harder and more difficult to please , than the worst humour'd wife : for a mistress is a tyrant , prouder than a mean foolish favourite ; more commanding than a strict general ; more tyrannical than any tyrant ; more false than a traitor : proud , because sued to ; commanding , because served with obedience ; cruel , because jealous ; false , because unconstant . wherefore , she must be flattered , obeyed , observed , and watch'd . likewise , they will be more prodigal than a gamester ; for what they get by vice , they spend in vanity ; and yet more covetous than an usurer ; for if she lend her lover her person , she will have the interest of his estate . this ruins his family , and impoverishes his estate : also , she is more froward than a child , if she hath not what she desires ; or as melancholy as a stoick , when she hath so much she knows not what to desire ; more furious than a desperate mad-man , when she is crost . wherefore , she must be humour'd and pleas'd , to keep her quiet . likewise , when is merry , she is more mischievous than a jack-an-apes , more skittish than a colt , skips more than a frog , chatters more than a pye : when she is angry , she is more furious than a bull , and more fierce than a mastiff . when she hath designs , she is craftier than a fox , more subtil than a serpent ; when covetous , more ravenous than a vvolf ; when jealous , more cruel than a tiger ; when kind , they are worse than beasts ; for vvhores are seldom harmlesly merry , or vertuously melancholy , or honourably angry , or innocently wise , or prudently thrifty , or lovingly jealous , or modestly kind . the gifts of nature , youth , vvit , and beauty , they set as snares to intangle virtue , or to intrap vice ; youth fits , beauty draws , and vvit catches hold . to conclude , a vvhore and good fortune leaves a man at once ; and a vvhore many times makes the fortune ill ; when a chast vvife is constant to a man all her life , and many times makes an ill fortune good . then the women asked her , if it were not allow'd in honour's laws , for widows to marry ? she said , by no means : for widows do both cuckold their dead husbands , and their living husbands . the fourteenth sort were virgins . they asked her , how they ought to behave themselves ? she said , soberly , modestly , silently , civilly , temperately , and dutifully . soberly : behaving themselves with reservedness ; not to dance , skip , jump , or toy wildly about , or to wander or gad abroad without their parents or governesses . modestly : not to keep lewd or ill-famed company , or to entertain all sorts of visiters , or to suffer men to embrace , kiss , or whisper to them . silently : not to talk much , or loud ; or to laugh or sing much before company , unless they have excellent voices ; nor then , except they are civilly entreated ; and if they can sing , and are entreated thereto , not to be foolishly nice , nor confidently forward ; also , to leave the hearers with a relish or appetite , and not to sing so long as to tire them , or surfeit their ears . civilly : to give every one their due respect . temperately : not to drink too much wine , or eat too high or luxurious meats . dutifully : to obey their parents , governesses , tutors , or mistresses , with all humility , care , diligence , willingness , and love . then they asked her , if they might not lawfully entertain suiters ? she said , yes ; but so , as to have some friend by , as witness , that they may not give them cause to brag of their received-favours , or to challenge promises , or to receive disgrace by their inconstancies ; but to hear their suit with attention , to return them an answer with discretion ; to entertain modestly , or deny them civilly . then they asked her , what age was best to marry in ? she said , at the years of twenty : for at that age ( said she ) time doth both usher and follow you : and at those years a woman is like the sun at high-noon , being then in full strength , glory , and splendor , as being past the dawning-day of infancy , and hath enlightned the dark clouds of ignorance , and is fill'd with the sweet morning-dew of good education : and at this height you give a full light of beauty , without shadows ; a clear day of wit , without misty errors , or foggy follies ; a comfortable warmth , by an assured setled love ; a nourishing life , by a fruitful womb : for marriage , in childish years , is like unseasonable weather , wherein nothing is brought forth kindly : it dries the sap of youth , shrinks up the body of growth ; it nips the buds of beauty , blasts the blossoms of modesty , withers the leaves of pleasure , spoils the fruits of birth , and kills the root of love. if women marry before they come to full growth , their children are most commonly weak and infirm ; for when a young and tender slip bears fruit , the fruit is most commonly little , or insipid , or very watrish ; and those forward trees last not so long , nor are so strong nor large , nor flourish so much , as those that bear more late . likewise , when women marry before they are experienced in knowledg , or have solid judgment , they most commonly repent , having been deceived , and despising the acts of their youth , or condemning their childish affections , or rather fondness : for youth is rather fond , than truly loving , by reason they have not judgment to distinguish merit and worth from vanities and trifles ; for they will be catch'd with sweet banquets , perswaded with kind words , enticed with gay clothes , and won with pedling toys ; nay , many young maids will marry for no other reason , but to wear a wedding-ring ; for they never enquire after the birth , fortunes , breeding , or disposition of their suiters , but observe whether they be brave or no ; a silver and gold-laced suit they prize more than lands and livings ; gay ribbans , and flanting feathers , they esteem more than titles or birth ; to dance , and make a courtly congey , they account exact breeding ; their flattering courtship they believe is good nature , and gentle disposition : they think them very wise if they talk much , and very valiant if they swear or rant highly ; very noble if they brag ; very handsome if they be fine ; and very fine , if they be gay . three or four lacqueys they take to be most honourable attendance , and more than forty other servants ; and the master of a race-horse sooner wins a mistress , and with more facility , than the wager for which he runs . but let me warn you ( said she ) of bawds , for they are more crafty , and have more devices and policies to deceive young virgins , vvives , or vvidows , than machiavel , or the wisest states-men , to cozen the people . of which bawds there are four sorts : a procuring bawd , a protecting bawd , a conniving bawd , and a flattering bawd. a procuring bawd , is to make love-matches , and contrive love-meetings . a protecting bawd , is to help lovers in distress , as to entertain , or hide , or conceal lovers . a conniving bawd , is to wink , or to take no notice of lovers designs , hindring not their meetings , nor obstructing their desires , but leave them both to time and opportunity . a flattering bawd , is to palliate lovers faults , excuse lovers follies , to maintain lovers arguments , and to plead lovers freedoms . but many one , said she , are bawds to corrupt their own virtue ; and are as ingenious and industrious to cozen themselves , as those that get a fee or bribe to cozen another . wherefore , said she , women should guard their chastity with temperance and prudence , with courage and constancy , with innocence and modesty , with honour and piety . then they asked her , whether it was a disgrace and dishonour to live to be an old maid ? she said , no : for virginity , said she , may be compared to angels for purity and innocency ; and to be like angels , is no dishonour to any age , sex , or quality : but if a woman cannot be free from scandals , or safe from injuries , she ought to marry : for a husband is a tower , and a champion , to keep and defend a woman's chastity and reputation . then they asked her , why old maids were most commonly scorned and despised ? she answered , it was out of a corrupt nature in mankind , which strives to scandalize virtue ; and a spightful reproach from the masculine sex , that would corrupt all the female kind . besides , said she , the generality of mankind think it a disgrace to be ignorant in any thing in nature , although it be in vice ; for they had rather be criminals than ignorant . but virtue , said she , desires to know no more than for vertue 's use . the fifteenth sort were lovers . and they asked her , vvhat made love so painful ? she said , that a lover was as if he were tied to a post , his mind being firmly fixed upon one object : but when the mind is stretch'd , said she , with admiration , then is a lover nailed with thoughts , as it were , upon a cross ; for admiration is extension , and yet is fixed ; and when the mind , said she , is extendedly fixed , the spirits grow faint , the senses dull , the complexion pale , the body sick , the flesh withers , and the strength decays : whereas if the thoughts , said she , were loose , the mind would be at liberty , and free from love's tormenting-pains . then they asked her , vvhy lovers were apt to weep ? she said , that when the mind was crucified , it was a hundred to one but it would bleed : for , said she , tears are the blood of the mind , although they flow in the body ; for the head and the heart , said she , are the cisterns that are fill'd with this blood ; and the eyes are the veins or artery-pipes , through which it runs ; and when the mind is wounded , it bleeds ; which blood is dropping-tears , that fall upon the cheeks , and sometimes gush out in a full stream . then they asked her , vvhy they were apt to sigh ? she said , sighs were the minds pulse ; and when the mind was sick , the pulse beats strong , fast , and unevenly ; which made lovers sigh softly , smutheringly , and sometimes deeply and strongly . then they asked her , vvhat made lovers groan ? she said , groans were the mind's voice ; and when it felt pains , it complained , as finding no ease . then they asked her , vvhat made lovers extravagant ? she said , that extravagantness was a distemper in the mind ; which distemper was caused by the pain it felt . then they asked her , if there were no cure ? she said , yes ; time was a good physician ; and change , the only remedy : unless ( said she ) the object of love be unalterable , and then it is dangerous . but ( said she ) the mind would be well and free from such pains , if it were not for the appetites , which are never pleased , but are restless , run after excess , and hunt after variety ; for they are always in pain , either in desiring and not enjoying , or else with surfeiting of what they have fed upon : for the period of the appetites , is excess ; and excess is surfeit ; and surfeit is sickness ; and desire is travelling , and travelling is restless , and restlesness is wearisome , and wearisomness is painful ; insomuch as before we get to our desired end , we are tired or dead . seldom do lovers weep , sigh , groan , or tremble , but to make love , or rather to dissemble : for some can forge those passions by the dozen , and act them all , poor women for to cozen . the sixteenth sort of visiters , were poets . who asked her , why poets were most commonly poor ? she said , poets are employed with contemplations , that they have no time for fruition ; for poets , said she , had rather have fancies in their heads , than money in their purse ; and take more pleasure in expressing the one , than in spending the other ; which makes their imaginations their chiefest possessions ; being careless of fortune's goods , despising her service , regarding neither her frowns nor her favours ; being entertained by nature , whom they most industriously serve , and diligently attend . then they asked her , who were most in nature's favour , poets or philosophers ? she answered , there was no doubt to be made , but that she esteemed and loved poets the best : for ( said she ) natural philosophers tire nature with enquiries , trouble her with searching and seeking about , anger her with their erroneous opinions , tedious disputations , and sensless arguments , and make her outragious with their cruel extractions , substractions , and dissections . as for moral philosophers , said she , they restrain , enclose , and tye nature , as one that is mad , tormenting her beyond all reason : but sometimes , said she , with strugling and striving , she breaks out ; but cannot get so far , but they straight get hold of her again ; which makes them always at variance . but poets , saith she , never cross nor anger her , nor torment her ; they please her all they can , and humour her every way ; they sooth her passions , feed her appetites , delight her senses , praise her wit , admire her beauty , adorn her person , and advance her fame . then they asked her , what the muses were ? she said , that the muses were nature's dressers , and poet's mistresses ; to whom they made love , and several courtships . then they asked her , what poets were ? she said , poets were nature's painters , which drew her to the life ; yet some do flatter her , said she , and some do her wrong ; but those that flatter her , she favours most ( as all great ladies do ) . then they asked her , what was the ground of poetry ? she said , distinguishing and similizing , which is , said she , judgment and fancy : as for numbers , rhyme , and rhetorick , they are but the several accoutrements , but no part of the body of poetry . then they asked her , what was the effect of poetry ? she said , to move passions , to describe humours , to express actions , to correct errors , to condemn follies , to persecute vice , to crown virtue , to adorn the graces , to entertain time , to animate youth , to refresh age , to encourage noble endeavours , to quicken the spirits , to please the senses , to delight the mind , to recreate the thoughts , to encrease knowledg , to instruct the understanding , to preserve the memory , to refine language , to praise heaven , to enflame zeal , to register life , to in-urn death , to pencil nature , and raise fame . then the poets asked her , if wit might not be gotten by industry ? she said , yes : for , though it is nature's work to make a brain strong , and well-temper'd , or put it in tune ; yet it is learned practice and skill , that must play therewith ; like a lute , although it should be well strung , and justly tuned , yet if there were no hands , or other things , to set it in motion , it would become useless ; and unless it were tried , it would not be known whether it could sound or no ; and one that was not practised and learnt in the art of that instrument , might jangle , but hardly play a composed tune , or make any harmony therewith . so a brain becomes dull for want of use , stupid for want of subject , and barren for want of learning ; unless nature doth play on the instruments she makes , without the help of art : which she can do , and doth sometimes ; but so seldom , that it is a wonder . but although she doth not always make use of art , she never but doth make use of time ; for time is her chief instrument , with which she works , and produceth all things . i perceive , said she , that few profit by reading over or repeating of their own wit ; for it is like the breath of water-divers , who have two bags , one filled with air , the other to put in breath that issues out ; and that breath that goes out , can never be drawn back for use ; for the life of the body must be fed with fresh air , or else it is smuthered out : so the life of wit must be fed with new subjects ; or else it becomes idle , or ( panting ) dyes . the seventh sort that visited her , were aged persons . they asked her , what made age so dull ? she said , that most commonly aged bodies had melancholy minds ; their thoughts , as their bodies , were always travelling towards death ; unless ( said she ) it be the irrational sort , who live only to their appetites , and dye like beasts : for although old father time preches death to them every minute , they sensually ( or being accustomed to his doctrine ) regard him not , but follow their senses as long as they can , until they become as insensible , as before irrational . then they asked her , what made mankind afraid to dye ? she said , pain , and oblivion : but , said she , all creatures are afraid of the one ; but none but mankind are afraid of the other . then they asked her , what age endured the most violent pangs of death ? she said , middle-age , and perfect growth , as being strongest bodies : for perfect growth , with middle-age , is like a well-built house , throughly seasoned , and strongly setled ; which makes death take the greater pains to pull it down . but infacy and age , said she , are like to houses newly wrought , or rotten with long time , which the least puff of wind lays level with the ground . then they asked her , what course of life was best for age to live ? she said , piously , temperately , soberly , easily , peaceably , pleasantly , and sagely : to be pious in serving the gods duly ; and to be compassionate and charitable : for the aged many times seem as if they were tired in the service of the gods , making their age a lazy excuse for their omissions . and age having the experience of the changes of fortune , the accidents of chance , the miseries and cruelties in nature , and the havocks and spoils death makes , grow hard-hearted : for , as time hardens a tender plant with the growth ; so custom hardens a tender heart with frequency . as also , having observed the false natures , the malicious dispositions , the subtil designs , the self-ends , the cruel actions in the generality of mankind , they are apt to censure , mistrust , and condemn all ; which makes their charity cold , and assistance slow . they should be bountiful ; for age seeing the many miserie 's that poverty brings , and the power that riches hath , become oft-times so covetous , and so sparing , that they become miserable , making their stores their prisons , their gold their shackles , lashing themselves with the rods of scarcity and inconveniency ; and though their blood streams not through a porous skin , yet are their veins shrunk up , and dry within ; they feed on thoughts , as lovers do ; and their gold is their mistress , admiring it as the fairest of nature's works , worship it as a deity , believe all happiness lives therein , and good is produced thereby . but those that have a generous soul by nature , and have been accustomed to relieve by practice , encrease in humanity , compassion , charity , and liberality , as in years : also , their love and piety is fuller of fervencies ; and though the lamp of their life is blinking , yet the flames of their zeal are more clear ; for as their oil of life wasts , their oil of devotions encreases continually , pouring in glory , praises , and thanksgiving . likewise , said she , age should live soberly and temperately : as for temperance , said she , age is a distemper in it self ; and therefore they should have a greater care in ordering themselves ; but some are so far from patching the ruins of time , or propping , or upholding a sagging , sinking life , that they make the rents greater , and pull down the building sooner than nature intended , disturbing their bodily rest , and peaceable mind , by their unseasonable hours , and unnecessary cares ; as also , by their unwholsome diets , and disordered appetites , which weakens nature , and disturbs health , more than otherwise they would be . but those that are prudently wise , survey themselves , and industriously maintain life in as good repairations as they can , placing shelters before it , or laying covers upon it , to defend and keep it from boisterous storms , and nipping colds . likewise , they repair it with nourishing food , comfortable cordials , and quiet rest ; which makes them appear like a famous monument , or an ancient palace , whose stately structure cannot be buried in the ruins . they should also live soberly , gravely , and reservedly : for an aged body , with a vain mind , fantastical humours , extravagant actions , apish behaviours , and idle discourses , suit not well together ; they appear both uncomely , undecently , and unnaturally . for , can there be any thing vainer , than for age to rant and swagger , brag and boast , or to be vain-glorious ? or , can there be any thing more phantastical , than for age to be inconstant and various , pining and spightful , gossipping and thwarting , amorous and wanton ? and can there be more phantasticalness , than for age to be fooling and toying , sporting and playing , dancing and singing , flanting and revelling , posting and travelling , searching and seeking , sharking and fawning , crouching and creeping ? or , can there be more apishness , than to see age full of imitation , as to affect a dancing , jetting , strutting , stragling gait ; a pruning , jointing , wreathing , rowling posture ; a simpring , fleering , jeering , mopping , mewing countenance ; or leering , fleering , winking , gloting eyes ? and what can be idler , than to hear age talk lasciviously , buffoonly , impertinently , falsly , amorously , vain-gloriously , maliciously , factiously , and wickedly ? but sober age hath a setled mind , quiet thoughts , well governed passions , temperate appetites , noble resolutions , honest designs , prudent actions , rational discourses , and majestical behaviours . for an easie life , said she , age should shun all troublesome offices , painful employments , tedious travellings , long speeches , impertinent talkers , hard couches , uneasie garments , sharp colds , burning heats ; also surfeits , or unpleasant or loathsome meats or drinks ; for it were better to dye , than live in pain ; and the infirmities of age is pain enough , without any addition to encrease them . likewise , age should strive to live a peaceable life , as neither to hear quarrels , or make quarrels , or be a party in quarrels , or quarrelsome business ; should abate all turbulent passions , restless cares , endless desires , vexing thoughts . it should also avoid all clamours or mournful noises ; cruel , dreadful , or pitiful objects : they should forgive injuries freely , suffer injuries patiently , submit to power willingly , or at least readily : for life is a torment when peace is banished ; and to have an unquiet life , a troubled mind , joined with a weak body , would be as bad as hell's torments . the last is , to have a pleasant life : for age being apt to be melancholy , it ought to please it self , to divert its saddest thoughts , and raise its drooping spirits . besides , age hath most reason to please it self , having by nature the shortest while to live ; and they are most unwise , that make not the best use , or take not the most profit of time. but some may say , that age cannot take pleasure , by reason that pleasure lives in the senses ; and the senses , which are the strings , organs , or pipes of pleasure , are broke , or out of tune ; and the mind , they will say , is subject to ruinous time , as much as the body and senses : for knowledg , which is the foundation thereof ; and understanding , the building thereon ; and memory , the doors thereto ; and remembrance , the windows therein , is apt to decay ; which forceth the inhabitant , which is delight , to forsake its mansion : but i speak not to those that are so old , or so infirm , as to be past thinking , as it were ; for those are but breathing-carcasses , not living-men : but i speak to such , whose knowledg is more , and understanding clearet , by time's experience : for , though the body hath a fixt time to arrive to a perfect growth and perfection , yet the mind hath not ; for the mind can never know nor understand so much , that it might not know and understand more ; neither hath time such a tyrannical power over the mind , as over the body . wherefore , said she , the mind may have delight when the body is past pleasures ; and the thoughts , which are the children of the mind , may have more various pastimes and recreations to delight them , than the senses can have varieties of substance to work pleasures out of ; for they can create delight in themselves , which the senses cannot ; for they become dull , and grow as dead , when they have nothing to work on . when the thoughts are like spiders , or silk-worms , that can spin out of their own bowels , which is the mind ; for the mind is the bowels or womb of thoughts : and though some think the mind would be like an empty house , if it were not furnished by the senses , and outward objects ; yet some minds are so largely , curiously , and sumptuously built by nature , and with such excellent , rich , and strong materials , that they need not the senses . the several objects that the senses bring in , do but incumber it , and lumber it , hiding the curious architecture , and shadowing the light thereof ; but howsoever , to please or delight the mind by the senses , age must hear sweet charming musick , view delightful objects , smell comfortable scents , taste savoury meats , drink delicious drinks , be lapt in soft silks , or warm furr . likewise , they must converse with and pleasant company , and so recreate themselves in what they most delight : for wise and noble age cannot delight in any thing but what is honourable , allowable , and commendable ; and whosoever lives temperately , prudently , soberly , easily , peaceably , and pleasantly , lives sagely ; but , said she , wise age majestick seems , like gods above ; their countenance is mercy join'd with love : their silver hairs are like to glorious rays ; their eyes , like monarch's scepter , power sways . their life is justice seat , where judgment 's set ; their tongue is the sharp sword , which truth doth whet . their grave behaviour the balance , which poise the scales of thoughts and actions , without noise : merit 's the grains , which makes them even weight ; honesty the steddy hand that holds them streight . the eighteenth sort were soldiers . and they asked , what sort of men were fit to be generals ? she said , those that could command themselves , were wise enough to command others . then they asked her , what sort of men were best for other commanders and military officers ? she said , those that had learnt to obey ; for from their obedience they could well command . then they asked her , of what age men should be chosen for soldiers ? she said , that men of twenty were desperate , and men of thirty were couragious , and from thirty they were valiant : for courage ( said she ) is not so furious as desperateness ; nor valour so rash as courage : and beasts ( said she ) are furious and couragious ; but none but men are valiant : but ( said she ) of necessity there must be men of all ages , that are able to bear arms ; or else there will not be men enough to make up a number : for , though ( said she ) fury is soon spent by violent force , and courage is weaker by rash follies ; yet if none should be chosen but those that are rightly valiant , there would not be a troop where there should be an army : for true valour ( said she ) is such an equal temper and mixture of capacities , qualities , and virtues compounded , as justice , prudence , temperance , patience , judgment , understanding , resolution , audacity , circumspection , and the like , to make valour , that there are few valiant men to be found ; whenas of men of courage , whole armies are full : for , courage is only a passion , without any mixture of fear ; or rather , it is an appetite to adventures . then they asked her , what assaulting-arms were best ? she said , the sword : for , said she , cannons , muskets , carbines , pistols , or the like , are fitter to fight with walls , than men : besides , said she , there is no assaulting-arms that stands at a distance , but seem cowardly , as bows , slings , pistols , guns , and the like ; which make men seem as if they were afraid to meet and encounter body to body , when a sword , or the like weapon , seems ( as it is ) heroick and manly . then they asked her , whether an army were better to intrench , or lye in garrison towns ? she said , to intrench : for , said she , the soldiers will be careful to defend their walls of mudd , which are trenches ; but when they lye in garrisons , they become negligent , as thinking the walls of stone should defend them . then they asked her , how they should begin the onset of a battel ? she said , closely , coldly , and temperately , lest their force should waste in their fury , and disorders should grow by the violence thereof . then they asked her , how they should behave themselves in a victory ? she said , humbly and mercifully . then they asked her , how they should behave themselves when they lost ? she said , patiently and cheerfully ; to shew their spirits were not dejected with their ill fortune . the last sort that visited her , were historians . they asked her , whether it were worth the taking pains , to write an history ? she said , there was no pains worth the taking , but for the cause of truth , for right sake , and for the advancement of good. as for an history , said she , it cannot be exactly true , because there are so many several intentions interwoven with several accidents ; and several actions divided into so many several parties and several places ; and so many several reporters of several opinions , partialities , understandings , judgments , and memorials , which give such various relations of one and the same action , that an historian ( being but one man ) cannot possibly know the truth ; which makes them write so falsly , whereby right is injured and degraded of that honour which is due unto its merit ; or else that honour is given where there is not merits to deserve it . neither doth history add good to an human life , or peace to a disordered state , or zeal to a pious soul : for it instructs the present life with the vices , follies , and ambitions , rapines , cruelties , craft , subtilties , and factions , of former ages ; which makes the present age more bold to do the like , and desirous to follow their fore-fathers steps ; which rather inflames the distempers , than gives peace to a commonwealth ; indeed it distempers a peaceable commonwealth , and oft-times brings it to ruin , over-heating the youth , and hardning the aged : neither doth it add zeal ; for reading in history the several religions , and many gods , that wise men held and prayed to , in every age , weakens their faith with doubt of the right , not knowing what to chuse . also historians are , for the most part , detractors ; for they oftner blurr men's reputations , than glorifie them ; and the world is apt to believe the worst part : for , one pen may blurr a reputation , but one pen will hardly glorifie a reputation ; for glory requireth many pens , many witnesses , or else the world will not believe it ; when one accusing-pen shall serve to condem the most noble persons , and heroick actions ; so unjust the world is . they are also contrary one to another , writing according to their opinions , judgment , and belief , not often to the truth ; for some praise those men and actions that others dispraise ; causing doubts to the readers , who know not which to believe : besides , they are so partial to sides and factions , that to the adverse party they note things to their disadvantage ; or aggravate their errors or imperfections , and leave out some things that are of high worth , and worthy the remembrance ; or else lessen them in their relations . but to those they adhere to , they do the contrary ; they either obscure or excuse their errors , imperfections , and crimes ; and illustrate , with false lights , their dim virtues ; or give them such praises they never deserved . wherefore , no history should be esteemed , but what was written by the authors themselves ; as , such as write the history of their own lives , actions , and fortunes , and the several accidents that befell in their time , and to their knowledg : yet , ( said she ) i wish i might out-live the historians of these times , that i might write a history of the historians , there to describe their birth and breeding , their life , their actions , their fortunes , their interest ; and let the world judg , whether they writ truth , and without partiality . but to draw towards an end of my tale : all sorts of people resorting to hear her speak , she became so famous , as that a great monarch ( whose kingdom was neighbouring to the countrey she was born , bred , and lived in ) had a great curiosity to see and hear her ; for the fame of her beauty was equal to the fame of her wit ; and putting himself into a disguise , left his kingdom and wife , to visit this lady ; whom when he saw , and had heard speak , her wit , beauty , and graceful behaviour did so ravish him , that he became a deseperate lover : whereupon he secretly revealed himself unto her , perswading ( all he could ) to leave that inclosed life , proffering her to be divorced from his wife , and to marry her : but she refused his offers , despised his love , forbid his suit , and absented her person ; which caused him to return in a rage and fury , sending ambassadors to proclaim warrs , unless the state would deliver the lady into his power . but they absolutely denied to deliver her , thinking it both a wicked and dishonourable disgrace to their countrey , although they perceived an utter ruin was like to fall upon them , by reason the kingdom was in a weak condition , caused by former warrs . but it came no sooner to her hearing , but she desired to meet the ambassadors in a publike audience , which they granted ; where multitudes of people came thronging to see her ; and when they were met , she thus spake : i come not here to make eloquent orations to divulge my wit , or to present my beauty to the view of many eyes : for , though i may thank nature for her bounteous gifts , yet i have not that vanity or pride , for to allure or draw from virtue 's side . but i come to answer these threatning-ambassadors ; for i cannot call them noble , or honourable , since they come upon a base design , and to an unjust end : but let me tell them , that the gods would hate me , should i break my holy vow . next , i should grieve my father's sleeping-ashes , should i disobey his dyingcommand . thirdly , i should be a dishonour to my birth and sex , should i live incontinently . lastly , i should curse my birth , hate my life , blast my fame , should i be the cause of my countrey 's ruin ; and my countrey had cause to do the same , should it beruined for me : but since it will prove a mischief , sin , and shame , to live ; honour , prudence , love , and justice , bids me dye : wherefore i have sacrificed my life for my countrey 's peace and safety ; my unspotted chastity , holy vows , and dutiful obedience , and to quench the raging lust of a wicked tyrant . and growing very sick , she became so weak , that she could stand no longer ; but gently sinking to the ground , she fell : whereupon all that could get near , run unto her to help her : but she told them it was in vain ; for poyson ( saith she ) hath been the engine that hath broken open the gate of life , to let death in ; and so immediately dyed . which the people no sooner understood , but made such outcries , lamentations , and mournings , as if there had been an utter desolation of the whole world. then after some time of preparations , they buried her with great solemnity , and intombed her costly ; the state setting up her statue of brass , for her courage and love to her countrey : the church deified her a saint , for her virtue and piety ; and the clergy raised altars , where all the kingdom twice a year did offer unto her solemn sacrifices : and the poets built several pyramides of praise of her beauty , wit , virtue , and sweet graces ; which pyramides reach'd to fame's highest tower : and the historians writ her life and death in golden letters , and recorded them in fame's brazen tower , that all the world might know and follow the example of her heroick spirit , generous soul , chast body , pious life , and voluntary death . heaven's library , which is fame's palace , purged from errors and vices . jove , and some of the other gods , being set in council , pallas being one , rose up , and bowing to jove , thus spake : great jove , said she , i ought in duty and love to inform you , not only of the vices and errors , which are numerous in the world , and in time may bring it to confusion ; but of those errors and vices which are crept into your great library ( fame's palace ) , and if order be not taken to destroy them , they will devour all your best and noblest records . jove answers , that vices were as serpents , and errors as worms , bred in the bowels of nature , of which she could never be cured , for the gods had no medicine strong enough to purge them out ; and by reason they were from all eternity , they could not be destroyed : for , if any thing could be destroyed that is from all eternity , then we our selves might be destroy'd : but , said jove , we can cast them out of our own mansions , though we cannot cast them out of nature's bowels ; also , we can hinder them from coming in : wherefore fame is to be reproved for suffering the library to be so foul , and full of filthy vermin . whereupon mercury was sent to call fame to appear before jove and his council ; so when fame came , jove told her , that gods and goddesses ought to be just and upright , and to have their palaces pure , and full of truth ; which ( said he ) you nor your palace hath not been ; for you are partial , and your court full of faction , and my library ( your palace ) foul , and full of wormy errors ; which if it had been kept pure and clean , they would never have entred ; or if they had entred , you might have caused them to have been swept out by old father time . fame answered , that it was not her fault ; for mars , venus , and fortune , had sent them in ; and it is not for me to oppose so great a god as mars , or so great a goddess as venus ; or to sit as judg , to determine what was best to be flung out , or what to be placed therein ; for none is fit to judg those causes , but you ( great jove ) and your council . jove approving what fame said , told his council , that after they had taken some repast , they would sit in council again , and their only business should be , to purge and cleanse their library . so after they had feasted with ambrosia and nectar , they returned to council ; where they did first decree : that all those records that were to be cast forth , should be heapt up together , and then they would decree how to dispose of them . after that , they did decree , that all those records that were of usurpers and invaders , should be cast forth . next , all fabulous and profitless records . thirdly , all wanton and amorous records . fourthly , all records of useless laws , and inhuman sacrifices . fifthly , all records of tedious speeches , or vain or factious oratory . sixthly , all obstructive controversie , as being destructive to truth , should be cast out : also , tedious disputes and sophistry . but mars , cupid , and mercury , opposed it as much as they could , saying , that if all these records should be cast forth , the famous library would be very empty . jove said , it was an infamous library 〈◊〉 they were kept therein ; and that no records ought to be in fame's library , but of such acts as suppress'd vice , and advanc'd virtue , and were prositable for the life of man ; and those of necessary inventions ; but chiefly , those that glorified the gods , and sung their praises , declaring their power , wisdom , justice , and love ; whose authors ought to have their memory recorded to everlasting time . as for the works of the poets by nature , said jove , the fates have decreed them several places in the library ; wherefore it is not in our power to remove them : but those that are like false coyn , that have only got , by unjust means , the stamp of the true figure , and not the worth of the metal ; such as are dross , or basely mixt , not pure and perfect pieces , we shall find out by their trial . after they had decreed the generalities , they fate in council on the particularities ; as , which were unworthy to be kept , or worthy to be cast out . first , they began with moral and natural philsophers , physicians , and chymists ; where jove said , all but some few ought to be cast forth ; for , to what purpose should we stuff the library with the repetitions and false commentaries , of which all modern records are ( for the most part ) full , being only alter'd in language . as for the philosophers , the first shall be plato , and his works shall be all kept , but his commonwealth ; and that shall be put out , by reason it was so strict it could never be put in use , nor come into practise : the rest that were nam'd , were pythagoras , epicurus , socrates , and aristotle . as for physicians , only hippocrates , and galen ; and paracelsus for his medicines ; and reymund lully for the philosoper's-stone : for although their records be lost in the rubbish of the library , yet old father time shall be employed to find them out , and other records that are buried in the dust , which are worthy of perspicuous places . also aristotle's logick and rhetorick was kept ; and for gramar , lilly. the next they came to consider , were mathematical records ; whereof none was to be kept but archimedes and euclid . as for the records of invention , all that are either necessary , profitable , or pleasant , shall be inrolled : but all such invention as is hurtful , distrustful , obstructful , vain and useless , shall be cast forth . then said one of the gods , archimedes must be cast out , for he invented many engines of warr. 't is true , said jove ; but by reason it was in the defence of the city he lived in , and was a native thereof , he shall be spared . the next were astronomers ; whereof four were kept ; copernicus , tichobrache , ptolomy , and gallileo . the next sort were orators and law-makers : as for law-makers , there were moses , licurgus , and solon kept : for orators , only thucydides and demosthenes : as for tully , he was a vain boasting fellow , and seneca a meer pedant , and a dissembling , pretending philosopher ; and therefore they shall out . for politicks , only achitophel and machiavel . then they came to heroick records . jove said , that all the records that were of the actions of those they call the heroes , ought most of them to be cast out , being violaters of peace , and destroyers of righteous laws , and divine ceremony ; prophaners of our temples , breaking down our altars and images , robbing us of our treasures , to maintain their ill-gotten power therein ; or to get that power they have no right to ; having no justice but strength to make their titles good : besides , they are the greatest troublers of mankind , robbers , and thieves , disposing the right of ancient possessions , and defacing the truth of ancient times . with that mars rose up , and bowing to jove , said , may it please your great god-head , there are priests of yours that have made it good by divine laws , and many lawyers that justifie it by the laws of every kingdom , and by the laws of nations ; and will you cast down that which your priests and lawyers preach and plead up ? with that pallas rose up , and spoke : great jove , said she , wisdom knows , that force makes the gown stoop ; and mercury knows , that orators tongues are as often brib'd for fear , as reward ; and those two professions plead always for the stronger side , and falsifies your text for interest , and turns right to wrong , and makes the text and laws a nose of wax , which will take any print ; or else , how should various disputes arise in that we hold sacred , as divinity ; and every cause disputed pro and con , in all courts , by opposite counsels ? wherefore ( all-seeing jove ) your power will rectifie it , and it will be justice to throw them out . wherefore , let all the records of all those of the heroick acts and heroes both of greeks and romans , that were invaders or usurpers , with their heroes ( as alexander , hannibal , scipio , caesar ) , and all the rest ; and all other records and heroes , of what nation soever , which is of that in jurious , turbulent , ambitious , and vain-glorious nature , whereof there be thousands , which ought to be cast into hell's dungeon , the place of infamy , there let their actions be recorded ; and not usurp heaven's great and glorious library , as they did earth's . then ( said mars ) you must cast all the heroick actions and worthies , in homer's works , into that dungeon . that must not be , said jove : for homer was heaven's chronologer ; and the records of the gods of heaven must not be cast into hell. besides , there was a just pretence for that warr ; for the grecians had received a palpable injury , and the trojans did but defend themselves ; and though the injury done , and the wrong received , were but by two single men ; and the quarrel but for a leight inconstant woman ; yet it was a riot : and the more faulty , and less pardonable , because it was a riot of our deputies on earth . for kings are the gods deputies and vicegerents , and therefore sacred , and ought not to be injured ; but when they are , their injuries are to be severely punished ; and heaven forbid we should be so unjust , as to cast out all heroick actions , and warring heroes ; no , we cast out only those that make warr unjustly , vain-gloriously , or covetously . then mars ask'd , if tamberlain should be cast out ? jove said , yes ; for he had no right to the turks empire . then he ask'd , if scanderbeg should be thrown out ? jove said , no : for it is lawful for any to get their own , and to maintain their right by what force soever : and that scanderbeg had reason to fight for , and to maintain by force his own inheritance . then he asked , if the records of the jews heroes , and their heroick actions in the land of canaan , should be cast out ? jove said , no : for that land was given them by the gods. then they came to romances ; where jove said , all romances should be cast out , but don quixot , by reason he hath wittily abused all other romances ; wherefore he shall be kept , and also have his books writ in golden letters . then cupid spoke in their behalf , and entreated jove , that they might not be cast out : for , said cupid , romances work as great effects upon the hearts of mortals , as my arrows ( tipt with gold ) do : besides , they are my mother venus looking-glasses . jove said , they did corrupt mortals thoughts , and made them neglect their divine worship , causing them to spend their time vainly , idly , and sinfully . then cupid desired jove to spare amadis de gaul . but jove said , that should be the first that should be cast out , by reason it was the original of all the rest . likewise , said jove , all fables shall be cast out , but esop's fables , which profit mankind by his morals . also , lucian and rabelais shall be kept , both for their huge wit and judgment , rectifying scholars understandings ; and though some that are spiteful at their wit , call them scoffers , yet they are not so , but teachers of truth in a pleasant stile ; and those that say they are prophane , judg presumptuously and maliciously of them . at this sentence mercury joyed . at last they came to judg of poets ; where homer , pindar , and anacreus , were preferr'd as the three first . then one of the gods , named virgil as the fourth . jove said , it was a question whether virgil was a true poet by nature , or no , by reason he was rather an imitator of homer , than of nature ; and his praise was more for his language , than either for fancy or natural description : wherefore , said jove , he might be questioned for a true-born poet ; and since it may be doubted he is of a bastard-kind , i will prefer horace before him , who certainly is a true-begotten poetical son of nature . another of the gods said , i should judg ovid to be plac'd before either of them both , for the sweetness of his verse , and fineness of his fancy ; the curious intermixing , and the subtil interweaving of his several discourses , theams , arguments , or his transitions . jove said , for his part he was no friend to ovid for divulging his several amours ; and if it were in my power ( said jove ) to alter the decrees of fate , i would cast him forth ; but by reason he is a right poet by nature , i cannot ; but yet i can place him in heaven's library as i will ; and therefore he shall not be before either horace or virgil , but he shall stand in the sixth place ; and in the seventh place shall stand martial . cupid said , your god-head hath forgot tibullus and his son. no , said jove ; they ought to be put out , because their verses were wanton . cupid said , your god-head cannot put them out , because they are poets by nature . then let them ( said jove ) be placed in some out-corner of the library . at which sentence cupid srown'd , knowing his mother venus would grieve to have them dis-respected . after them were placed the comedians , terence and plautus ; and the tragedian , seneca . and having given their judgments of all the ancient poets , which were more than could be numbred in this place ; they tried the moderns , whereof they could not find one true poet by nature , amongst five hundred : for though there is an infinite company of them , yet hardly one true one amongst them all ; for most of the moderns have been like a company of ravens , that live upon dead carkasses , so they upon old authors ; and some have been like maggots , that have been bred in their dead flesh , which is the living works of dead authors ; and some like hornets , and some like bees : but very few rightly begotten from nature ; indeed so few , as i am loath to set them down : so most of the moderns were cast out . then after they had divided the records , what to be put out , and what to be kept in , there rose a great dispute amongst the gods , how those that were cast out should be disposed of ? at last jove decided the case : those that were wicked , mischievous , and base , should be put into hell ; and those that were idle , vain , useless , and foolish , should be drown'd in the river of styx ; but they were forc'd to make new boats to waft some to hell , and to drown others in the river ; for there was such an infinite company , that charon had not leisure , neither could one boat serve their turn . but then there rose another dispute about those that go to hell ; for , said some of the gods , the records must not be in paper , nor parchment , nor in metal , nor stone , by reason there is a continual and eternal fire in hell , which will burn the one , and melt and moulder away the other . whereupon jove ordered , that those that were to go into hell , should be recorded in salamander-stone , on which the fire hath no force ; for the more it is burnt , the more it is purified . after they had decreed this , all the records of tyrants , usurpers , invaders , murderers , thieves , ravishers , extortioners , detractors , licentious mutiniers , factious , prophane , and rebellious records , with evil inventions , were cast into hell , a room being provided as a library , and one of the furies with a fiery trumpet to sound out their reproach : and all those records that were vain , useless , idle , amorous , and wanton ; with all those that were full of sophistry , tedious , obscure , pedantical ; and those that were only repetitions and false commentaries ; also , those of useless inventions , and that were meer rhymers , were cast into the river of styx , and so drown'd in oblivion . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * phaeton , cato variegatus or catoes morall distichs: translated and paraphras'd, with varations of expressing, in english verse. by sr. richard baker knight catonis disticha. english and latin. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) cato variegatus or catoes morall distichs: translated and paraphras'd, with varations of expressing, in english verse. by sr. richard baker knight catonis disticha. english and latin. cato, marcus porcius, - b.c., attributed name. baker, richard, sir, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by anne griffin, and are to be sold by anne bowler dwelling at the signe of the marigold in paules church-yard, london : . a translation of "catonis disticha", which are not in fact by cato. the first leaf is blank. with a final errata leaf. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion cato variegatvs or catoes morall distichs : translated and paraphras'd , with variations of expressing , in english verse . by sr. richard baker knight . london printed by anne griffin , and are to be sold by anne bowler dwelling at the signe of the marigold in paules church-yard . . to the reader . a lover of learning , translated these● verses of cato into english , some twelve years since : whose labour , i cannot blame : but tying himselfe , strictly to the words ; he could not alwaies , either so fully , or so gracefully , expresse the mening : for indeed , the words of one language , cannot alwaies be reached , by the very same words of another : which made an able man , in this cause to say : nec verbum verbo curabis reddere . and therefore seeing the sence especially in precepts , is principally to be regarded , there is iustly a liberty given , in this kinde , not onely to use periphrases , but paraphrases also , as the cause may require , which liberty if i be censured by any to have used too liberally : yet so long as sensus est in tuto , and nothing is said , but what is drawn , epotentia verborum : i expect to be excused at least , if not commended : and if many of these , seeme rather paraphrases , or rather collateral conceits then translations : yet seeing they tend all to the same sence : and that the direct translations are sent before , as set alwayes next the latine : they are but after the fashion of young men ; who weare thin cloaths , in cold winter , but haue good warm wast-cotes vnder them , and some men , may bee of that disposition , to take as much delight , in the conceit of the expressing● as in the expressing of the conceit-and indeed , this kinde of writing , seemes not onely away of meditation , but a fruit : not only an exercise , but a dilating of invention ; and if there were nothing else , but the variety ; we see , how much the eye , is delighted with varietie of colours , in the same obiect ; the eare , with variety of descant upon the same plaine song ; & euen nature herselfe , seemes delighted with it : for , who doubts , but into one forme of a flower , she could have infused all kinde ofsents ; and all , of sappes , but that shee takes a pleasure , in the variety of formes . some man will perhaps say ; here is variety indeed ; but one well done were better then all : what good doth choice , where all is refuse stuffe ? it is true : but let this man bring better stuffes out of his warehouse ; & then , let these be thrown away : till then , he may content himselfe with these ; they may keepe him warme , though not make him fine . and seeing there is variety of iudgements ; it is not unfit , to tender them , variety of expressings : some may take better with one iudgement : some , with another : and oftentimes , one expressing , gives lustre to another , and makes the reason , which lay hid before to looke abroad : which is not yet , another thing ; but the same thing , in another light : and lastly , being praecepts of morality ; they cannot haue too many allurements . how soever it be ; the worke i am sure , is such , as need not repent me , of one moneth spent in writing it : nor thee , whosoever thou art of one houre spent in reading it . i have quoted in the margent such places in divine writings , as are consonant & agreeing with these precepts of cato ; that we may see , how farre it hath pleased god , to illuminate even heathen men , in matters of morality . and i intended , to have set at the end , a patterne of the like variety in latin ; done eyther by virgil , or by ausonius : and translated in a greater variety into english : but considering , this present work is it selfe , nothing else , but variations : i have chosen rather to omit it , least it might be thought , a supernumerarie idlenesse : yet thus much , we may gather by it ; that even the ancients scorned not , this variety of expressing ; either as an exercise to the writer , or a delight to the reader ; and seeing it hath beene now so long forborne ; it may come in also , as a novelty : and so i may suppose my selfe to haue two good supporters , ( varietie & noueltie ) to helpe to beare out my own imperfections . now for the cato , that was the author of these verses , whether it were a person , or but a name onely , ( as cicero called his booke de senectu●e cato major , to giue it the more lustre of grauitie ) it is uncertaine , but certaine it is , what cato it was , is nothing certaine : and not much more certain , what time he liued ; only io. scal. by some probable coniecture gathereth : that he lived , about the times of the emperours commodus and severus : which might well bee : seeing the saeculum of yeeres , next proceeding ; was in sobriety of manners , amongst the romans , of all other , the most flourishing . and though the emperours themselves were not yet christians ; yet they made approches toward it , in morall doctrine , as neere , as could be : as , well testifies that excellent booke of morality : written by the learned emperour , marcus aurelius antonius ; father vnto commodus : which , to the great commendation of the translatour , is lately published amongst us : out of which perhaps this cato , whosoever hee was , might make choice of some speciall precepts : and put them , into short disticks ; for the better reteining them in memory . and for my selfe ; if any man thinke me repuerascere ; and to enter upon a worke , that were fitter for a schoole boy : let him know , that one planudes , long since , and of late , ioseph scaliger , two excellent men , & of singular learning ; haue both of them , thought it no disparagement to their grauitie , to translate them into greeke ; as , many learned men haue likewise done into other languages ; whose examples , i dare boldly oppose to the censure of any , or all inferiour iudgements . cato variegatus . si deus est . animus , nobis ut carmin●● dicunt : hic tibi praecipue , sit p●ra mente c●lendus . if god a spirit be , as poets write : he must be worship , with a minde upright . or thus , the chiefest duty of thy life is this : to serve god purely , who a spirit is . or thus , as god , in truth a spirit is , so he in spirit and in truth , must worship● be . or thus , gods outward worship , must not be neglected : but 't is the inward that is most respected . or thus , god must be serv'd with tongue ; with every part : but no such service , as an upright heart . plus vigila semper , ne● somno deditus este : nam diu●nr●a quies , vitiis alimenta ministrat . wake alwayes more , and be not given to sleepe : much sleepe doth vices , both beger and keepe , or thus . give not thy selfe to sleepe , but waking rather : much sleeping , is to vice both n●rce and father . or thus , vse waking more , and be 〈◊〉 given to sloth : from whence all vices have both birth and growth . or thus . sleepe not too much : vices will soone be dead . if with the milke of sloth , they were not fed . or thus . vse walking more , yeeld not when sleepe 〈◊〉 : much sleeping is the soyle that manures vices . or thus , a dr●wsie body , makes the minde be such 〈◊〉 hee 's good for no good , that loves sleeping much . or thus , confine thy sleepe ; but doe not banish it , though much be too much ; yet a fit is fit . or thus , not sleepe , but sleeping much , must be withstood : much resting makes men restie to all good . or thus , hold sleeping short ; hold watchfulnesse in price : much resting is the exercise of vice. or thus , be walking more , sleepe but what needs thou must : much sleepe breeds in the minde a kinde of 〈◊〉 . or thus , 〈…〉 or thus , 〈…〉 or thus , sleepe is both prodigals , and misers crime : it hoords yet wasts , the ch●efest treasure , time. or thus , much sleepe , is a betraying vertues ward : it tyes the senses hands , which are her guard. or thus , much opium doth the sences overcome : and what is sleepe , but natures opium ? or thus , though sleepe , the name of lifes refreshing merits : yet much sleepe , is a surfet to the spirits . or thus , sleeping , is as the oyle of our lifes lampe : little , refreshes : too much , makes a dampe . or thus , be master of thine eyes ; not they of thee : sleepe makes a drone ; t is waking makes a bee. virtutem primam esse puta , compescere lingnam . pr●ximus ille de● , qui scit ratione tacere . count it a vertue chiefe , thy tongue to bridle ; hee 's next to god , whose words are never idle . or thus , t is a great guift , to speake in sense and season ; but greater farre , to hold ones tongue with reason . or thus , what meanes the double fence , the tongue about , of teeth and lips , but least it should breake out ? or thus , many can roule the tongue ; and make it run , but turne , and make a s●oppe , is hardly done . or thus , the tongue , hath this one rare , yet common notion : it vertue shewes , no lesse in rest , then motion . or thus , speake not at all , or else speake wisely ; least it shew thee , first a man , and then a beast . or thus , the stronger the tongue is , the man 's the weaker : hee that can hold his tongue , is the best speaker . or thus , the tongue , both stirres debate , and makes it cease : he holds peace best , that best can hold his peace . or thus , the tongue may thus , be encreast , or decreast ; rul'de well , it makes an aug●ll , ill , a beast . sperne repugnando tibi t● contrarius esse : conueniet ●uss● , qui secum dissides ipse . take head , ●est to thy selfe thou crossing be : who thwarts himselfe , with whom can he agree ? or thus , looke that thy deeds and words be prayers : for hee that 's odde to himselfe , with none can even be . or thus , if thou with others , wouldst all quarrels cease● b●g●●ne first , with thy selfe to be at peace . or thus , be sure thy selfe , and thou , be one ; for one in peeces with himselfe , can peece with none . or thus . be constant to thy selfe , and doe not rome : hee 's but a vagabond , that hath no home . or thus , when thou art gone one way ; doe not decline : a crooked rule , can never make streight line . or thus , fall not out with thyselfe ; but still be one : he can be no mans friend , that 's not his owne . or thus , be none of those , of whom a man may say two can agree , if one be ou●o'th way . si vitam in spicias hominum , si denique mores : quum culpas alios , neme sine crimine vivit . if on the lives of men , thou cast thy thoughts ; stand not a blaming some ; for all have faults or thus . if lives of men , be lookt into and sought : some more , some lesse ; but none , without his fault , or thus , looke into all mens lives , and you shall see not this ; or that man ; but all , faulty be . or thus , this you shall finde , if to mens lives attend : the most are starke nought ; and the best may mend . quae nocitura tenes , quamvis sint eara , relinque . v●●litas opibus praeponi tempore debet . leave off the things , though deere , which hurt thy health : for safety alwayes , must take place of wealth . or thus , for beare things hurtfull , though thou hold them deere ; better , hard fare ; then surfet with good cheere . or thus , what thou holdst hurtfull ; make of it no store : better , be safe with lesse ; then spoyld with more . or thus , not gold , if over weight , worth keeping thinke : better , goe empty , safe ; then laden , sinke . or thus , please not thy fancy , to displease thy sence : profit sometimes , yeelds to convenience . constans & lenis , vt res expostulat , esto : temporibus mores , sapiens sine crimine mutat . be constant or remisse , as is the case : for wise men , change their course , with time and place . or thus , be sterne , or milde , as thou the cause dost finde : for change of time , makes wise men , change their minde . or thus , be gentle , or sever , as cause may be : to change with time , is wise mens constancy . or thus , to be now sharpe , now gentle ; ●s no crime : wisdome makes men , chamaelions of time . or thus , t is no fault , to be sterne , then milde agen : time makes chamaelions of the wisest men . or thus . if men , to one thing , be now prone , now loath : the difference of time may warrant both. or thus , sternenesse , remisnesse , harshnesse lenity , are all good : and none good , as cause may be niltemere vxori , de servis crede querenti : saepe etenim mulier , quem coniux diligit , odit . blame not a seruant streight , thy wife reproves : for , women hate them oft , their husband loves . or thus , a wifes complaints of servants , often savour not of their faults , but of her husbands savour . or thus , your wives complaints of servants , harke not to : perhaps she loves them not , because you doe . or thus , blame not streight , servants when your wife makes mone she therefore finds fault , because you finde none . or thus , when servants oft , you heare your wife accuse : if they be of your choyce , she cannot chuse● or thus , condemne not seruants though your wife reprove them : 't is cause enough of her hate , that you love them . or thus , complaine of servants , needs your wife must doe : shee cannot love a servant ; and you too . quumque mones aliquem , nec se velit ille ●oneri : sitibi sit carus , ● ol● defistere captis . when thou warn'st one , that take no warning will : if he thy friend be ; give him warning still . or thus . warning a friend , that doth thy warning sleight : yet hold thy course still : and doe friendship , right . or thus . if warning thou a friend , hee leave not erring : yet erre not thou , in leaving off , deterring . or thus , warning a friend , that takes no admonition ; yet warne him still : continuance workes contrition . or thus . telling a friend his faults ; 't is fault as much in thee , to leave ; as in him , to be such . contra verbosos , noli contendere verbis : sermo datur cunctis : animi sapientia paucis . strive not in words , with men whose words are many : all men can speake , but wisely speake , skarce any . or thus , words against wordy men , thou must not vse : that 's their owne weapon ; thou must wisdome chuse . or thus , strive not , of talking men , the day to get : least it be said ; two parrats are well met . or thus , to strive to put downe , men of words , is vaine : for most have tongue at will ; but few have braine . or thus , to make men hold their tongues , would do them wrong most men would be no men , but for their tongue . or thus , to strive in words , with men of words , despise : a victory of words , sits not the wise . dilige sic alios , vtsis tibi carus ●micus . sic bonus est● bonis , ne te mala damna sequantur . love others so , thou love thy selfe still most : be good to good men ; but not to thy cost . or thus , others love is the bye ; thy owne the maine : put not thy selfe to losse for others gaine . or thus , love thy selfe without stint ; others , in measure : take care , thou take no hurt , for no mans pleasure . or thus , to all , be loving ; but of none , be fond : be not so free , to bring thy selfe in bond. or thus , loves bonds thou must embrace ; other bonds ●●ee ; be not so free , as not to keepe thee free . or thus , love first thy selfe : let others love be last : where wit is herauld ; so will love be plac't . or thus , th' account betweene thy friends and thee , so cast : thou feast not them , and bring thy selfe to fast , or thus , thy owne turne serv'd , let others dole come after : be not so franke ; to make thy selfe a laughter . or thus , be friend to others ; but thy owne friend , first : the kinde foole , of all kindes of fooles , is worst . rumores fuge ; ne incipias novus author haberi : non ulli tacuisse , nocet ; nocet esse locutum . spread no reports ; least thou be author thought : by silence , none ; by speech , much hurt is caught . or thus , spread no reports , least thou , for author runne : sylence , hath none ; speech , many hath undone . or thus . spread no reports , least thou be charg'd withall : silence goes safely ; speech , makes many fall . or thus , spread no reports ; least they spread thee againe ; speaking turnes often to the speakers paine . or thus , let not thy tongue , speake all thine eares doe heare ; least , thou mayst chance , to buy thy speaking deere . or thus . be not the brickewall , of words that may fright : thou see'st , from whence they come ; not where , they light . or thus , spread no reports , left thou be thought to make them : thou know'st not how , interpreters may take them . or thus , spread no reports , what ever thy words are : no text so cleare ; but that a glosse may marre . or thus : spread no reports ; doe not thy words expose : to descanting of men ; perhaps thy foes . or thus , spread no reports ; thou know'st not fames encrease : the safest hold , is for to hold ones peace . spem tibi promissi certam promittere noli : rara fides ideo est , quia mults multa loquuntur . on no mans promise , build thy expectation : for faith is rare ; and words are but a fashion . or thus , upon mens words , grow not streight confident : to give good words , is but a complement . or thus , thinke not a thing streight done , when men professe : men promise faire , when they meane nothing lesse , or thus , rely not on mens words : words are but wind : and come but from the lippes , not from the minde . or thus , you le finde mens promises , but flender cheere : faith is flowne hence : onely her tongue left here . or thus , thinke accidents without substances ; and then you have the right stampe , of the words of men . quum te aliquis laudat , ●udex tuus esse memento ; plus aliis de te , quam tu tibi credere noli . when thou art praisd ; be iudge thy selfe thereto : thou better knowst thy selfe , than others doe . or thus . take not mens prayses of thee , as thy due : vnlesse thy owne heart , know them to be true . or thus . when any praise thee ; iudge if it be iust : and doe not take mens praises up on trust . or thus , when men praise thee ; doe thou iudge them ; and show : whether , they , thee , or thou , them better know . officium alterius , multis narrare memento : atqui aliis quum tu benefeceris , ipse sileto . others good turnes to thee , divulge to many : but thy good turnes to others ; not to any . or thus , when others shew thee kindnesse ; let all know it : but when thou shewst to others ; never show it ; muliorum quum facta senex , & dicta recenses : fac tibi succurrant , iuvenis quae feceris ipse . when old , thou censurest the deeds of men : remember , what being young , thy selfe didst then . or thus , when thou art old ; censure not young mens act● : but call to minde first , thy owne youths defects . or thus , iudge not of young mens words and deeds , before thou have examinde well , thy owne youths skore . or thus , when thou wilt be a censor of mens carriage : looke first , now much thy owne is in arrerage : or thus , make this thy rule , in iudging young mens way : what thy owne way was , when thou wert as they. ne cures si quistacito sermone loquatur : conscius ipse sibi de se putat omina dici . when men be whispering softly ; never care : they thinke all said of them that guilty are . or thus . whether men talke a loud ; or soft and still : what i' st to thee ; if thou have done no ill. or thus , who doubt mens whispering talk ; shew themselves vicious : t is guilcinesse of minde , makes men suspitious . or thus , care not , what men betweene them whispering be : so long as conscience whispers not to thee . quum fueris faelix , qua sunt adversa caueto : non eodem cursu , respondent vltima primis . when thou art at the best ; then feare the worst : the last times alwayes , answer not the first . or thus . in thy prosperity ; take heed of crosses : a life begunne in gaynes , ends oft in losses . or thus , when skies are cleere , take heed of overcast : our life like wine , hath all the lees at last . or thus , when dice runne faire , take heed of casting out : the wheele of fortune , brings the worst about . or thus . in times of store , for times of want provide : ther 's flud : and then an ebbe in every tide , or thus , in fortunes blisse , take heed of fortunes curse : the elder that she growes , she growes the worse . or thus , in present calmes , to future stormes attend : fortune , like cloath , hath alwayes a fagend . quum dubia & fragilis nobis sit vita tributa : in morte alterius , spem tu tibi ponere noli . since thou art sure to dye , thou knowst not when : put not thy hope , in death of other men . or thus , since all are mortall ; what more vaine can be then hope to bury them , may bury thee . or thus , since god a fraile , vncertaine life doth give thee : hope not on dead mens shooes , that may out live thee . or thus , why should we hope , of being others heyres ? doth not our owne sand runne , as fast as theirs ? or thus , since in us all , life hath a doubtfull scope : to hope for dead mens goods , is dead mens hope . or thus , what contract canst thou make with death ; that he should serve his writs on others , and spare thee ? or thus , it is not hope , but wan hope to surmize : that thou shalt live , to close anothers eyes . or thus , since all our lives , are brittle glasse and weake , what reason thine should hold ; and others breake ? or thus , why shouldst thou thinke , t' out live them that be old : though thou art young ? d●th death a scantling hold ? or thus , thinke not thy selfe from death the more at rest for being young ; 't is greene fruit , death loves best . or thus , thinke not , that life 's a fruit , not fit to gather but when t is ripe : death likes it unripe rather . or thus , lifes fruit is tender ; seldome comes to good : death is a frost in may ; nips it i' th bud. or thus , the lives of men seeme in two seas to swimme : death comes to young folkes : and old , goe to him . or thus , which may we count , to death the greater haster , the old , hath lesse to goe : the young , runnes faster . or thus , no certaine time , is set to be lifes border ; death takes away by lot , and not by order . or thus , old folkes so gastly are ; and looke so grimme : that death feares them , as much as they feare him . or thus , to thinke , t' out live thy youngers , midnesse were● thine elders , folly ; therefore both forbeare . exiguum munus , quum dat tibi pauper amicus . accipito placide ; plene & laud●re memento . when a poore friend , a small gift gives to thee : take it in worth : and let it praysed be . or thus , when a poore friend presents thee some small toye : shew thy acceptance by some show of joy . or thus , when a poore friend , for some small thing makes shift : looke on the givers minde , not on the gift . infantem nudum , quum ie natu●a crearit : paupertat is onus , patienter ferre memento . since infants , bare and naked , borne we were : let us our poverty , with patience beare . or thus . even nature teacheth , poverty to beare : since bare , and naked , made by her we were . or thus , what child , that 's good ; would skorn his mothers blessing then skorn not barenesse , which is natures dressing . or thus , she that gave life gave barenesse ; is sh'a mother , in giving life ? a stepdame , in the other , or thus , since poverty is natures gift : and gifts of nature , all are good : why seeke we shifts ? or thus , barenesse and poverty ; are of natures giving , in birth and death ; and why not then , in living ? or thus , nature that 's simple ; why wouldst thou have mixt ? poore , first and last ; and why not poore betwixt ? or thus . richmen , and poore ; what difference between them ? all borne ; all dead , alike ; the rest , a dreame . or thus , we came into the world , without a clout : and in as poore a pickle we goe out . where life 's both ends , are in so meane degree : what matter is 't ; how meane the middle be . or thus , we came into the word , without a robe : and we goe out againe , as poore as iob : if earth unto us , should a heaven prove ; how could we looke , to have a heaven , above . or thus , since nature made us poore : le ts patient be : shee better knowes , what 's good for us , then we . ne time as illam , quae vitae est vltima finis : qui mortem metuit , quod vivit , perdit idipsum . feare not that ende of life , which nature gives : he that feares death ; looseth , even that he lives . or thus . feare not that end of life , which is the last ; the feare of death , puts lifes mouth out of taste . or thus , doe not thy minde to frightfull fancies give ? to live , still fearing death , is not to live . or thus , betimes thinke on thy last end ; and be steady : he that feares dying , is halfe dead allready . or thus , feare not least death , should thee of life deprive : such feare , puts life , into her grave alive . or thus , feare not the houre , that life shall lose her light : where such feare is , she never hath but night . or thus . feare not lifes last ; each day death cuts our skore ; and yet not felt : the last , will doe no more . or thus , feare not the time , that life shall end her taske : the feare of dying is deaths antimaske . or thus , what cause have we , at death to take offence ? if feele , we live still : if not live , no sence . or thus , as good to fall ; as still to feare we were ; feare is as deadly , as the fall we feare . or thus , feare not lifes end ; to feare , that dye we shall , makes life a death ; and so , no life at all . or thus , feare is it selfe a death ; then death comes on : and makes two deaths , where we might scape with one or thus , what day is liv'd , but that , to death we give ? who therefore , would not die ; he must not live . or thus , feare's never good , but when it may preserve : then feare not death ; for which no feare will serve . or thus , possesse thy minde in peace ; stint passions strife : neither feare death ; nor be in love with life . si tibi pro meritis , nemo respondet amicus : incusare deum noli ; sed te ipse coerce . if th●u find'st no friend , answer to thy merits : yet charge not god withall ; but calme thy spirits . or thus . if men , for thy deservings prove unkinde : yet blame not god ; but moderate thy minde . or thus , if thou be kinde to friends ; they not to thee : yet doe not lay the blame , on gods decree . or thus , because thy friends not gratious are to thee ; wilt thou to god , ungratious therefore be ? or thus , to finde thy friends ungratefull , is a curse : but for it , to repine at god , is worse . or thus , if all thy friends unthankfull prove to thee : yet , doe not thou to god , but thankefull be . ne tibi quid desit , qu●sitis vtere parce : vtque quodest , serves ; semper tibi deesse putato . to keepe from want ; spend prodigally never : to keepe from spending ; th●nke , thou wantest ever . or thus . that , want thou mayst not ; save what thou hast got : that save thou mayst ; thinke , that thou hast it not . or thus , the best way not to want , is , to be sparing ; the way to spare ; to be , for want still caring . quod praestare potes , ne bis promiseris vlli : ne sis ventosus , dum vis vrbanus haberi : promise not twice , a thing within thy might : least thou instead of kinde , be counted light . or thus , let men , no lightnesse in thy promise finde : p●aying with aire , thou shalt be thought but winde . or thus . thy promise breaking , is the truths denying : and is , but a more solid kinde of lying . or thus . discredit not thy promise , with delay : least no man trust hereafter , what you say . or thus , performance of thy promise doe not sleight : why shouldst thou make thy selfe a graine too light ? or thus , promise once made , intend to keepe it streight : who would be counted light , that may be weight ? or thus , in ma●ing promise ; ●hy faith stands at stake : doe it thou must ; or else thy faith forsake . or thus , who promise breakes , when he can doe a thing , is like a foolish bird : clips her owne wing . or thus , that promise is a due debt ; make no doubt ; who promise breakes , is the true bankerout . or thus , in keeping promise ; if thou canst , be iust : why shouldst thou goe a lying upon trust ? qui simulat verbis , nec corde est fidus amicus . tu quoque fac simile ; sic ars deluditur arte . when one is friend in words , but not in heart : be thou so too : so art is mockt with art. or thus . when one is much in words ; in truth , not much ; be thou so too ; feigning is made for such . or thus , when one beares thee no love ; yet makes a show : doe thou so too : it may be blow for blow . or thus , when one meanes thee no good , yet speakes thee faire ; doe thou the like : so thou shalt make a paire . or thus , when one professeth loue , but is not sound : doe thou the like to him ; such hare ; such hound . or thus , when one pretends love , that hath no such thought . doe thou the like : so dottrels must be caught . noli homines nimium bl●nd● sermone prob●●● fistula dulce canit , volucrem dum decipit a●ceps . trust not to men , for their faire speeches making : the pipe sounds sweetly , while the byrd is taking . or thus , when men come hony mouth'd ; if you but watch , you 'l finde their words but lime twigs ; shine to catch . or thus . in fawning words , thinke not true meaning streight : what good doe trapps , vnlesse they haue a baite ? quum tibi sint nati , nec opes ; tunc artibus illos instrue , quo possint inopem defendere ●itam . when thou hast children , and no goods to giue : then traine them up , in trades , whereby to liue . or thus . when thou hast children ; and small sustentation : then , giue them portions , in good education . quod vile est , carum : quod carum , vile putato : sic tibi nec cupidus , nec auar us nosceris ulli . account base things , as deere : deere things as base : so shalt thou haue selfe-peace : and others grace . or thus . to hold things base and deere in equall price : abates both clogge and staine of avarice . or thus . account no oddes , betweene things base and deere : a gilt or wooden dish , make both one cheere . or thus , thinke bewter ; silver● and thinke silver bewter . what are they more or lesse ; if thou be newter ? quae culpare soles , eatune feceris ipse : turpe est doct●ri , qu●m cu●pa redarguit ipsum . doe not thy selfe , what thou art wont to blame : a teacher , to need teaching , is a shame . or thus , in blaming others , looke thy selfe bee free : t is shame to censure them , may censure thee . or thus , what thou cal'st soule ; let it thy selfe not soyle : t is shame for teachers , when their faults recoyle . or thus , what thou findst fault withall ; forbeare to doe : t is shame to be both iudge and guilty too . or thus , blame not in others , what thy selfe may touch : t is shame , when one may say , thy selfe is such . or thus , when you condemne ; be sure , you guiltlesse stand : t is shame , to see a iudge hold up his hand . quod instum est , petito ; vel quod videatur honestum : nam stultum est , petore id , quod possit iure negari . aske that is iust : at least , iust to the eye : t is shame to aske , what t is iust to deny . or thus , aske that is iust ; t is folly , if not pride , to aske a thing , may iustly be denide . or thus . aske not , but what is iust ; t is want of wit to aske a thing , thou know'st to be unfit . or thus , be sure , thy s●ite be iust : an uniust suite proclaimes its owne denyall ; or stands mute . or thus . aske that is iust ; at least in estimation : to aske a thing uniust ; is meere temptation . or thus . aske that is iust ; who things uniust doth craue : makes him he askes , a foole ; himselfe , a knave . ignotum tibitu , noli praeponere notis : cognita , in●●cio constant ; in cognita , cas● . preferre not strangers before them thou know'st : in those , thou ventur'st ; in these , iudgement showest . or thus . rather then strangers , men thou know'st approve : iudgement shews these ; t is chance , how those may prove . or thus , better , things knowne , then unknowne to advance : as much as iudgement better is then chance . quum dubia in certis versetur vita periclis : in lucro tibipene diem , quicunque laboras . since life is threatned every houre with death : count that day gain'd , in which thou draw'st thy breath . or thus , since every day , of life might be thy last : count that day more then due , which thou hast past . or thus , amongst the gaynes , that you have made the day : account the day it selfe , you iustly may . or thus , so imminent is death ; dangers so rise : that we may count , each new day , a new life . or thus , so fraile is life ; dangers so manifold : that new dayes are but scape goats of the old . or thus , what 's life , or health ? what 's beauty , strength , or breath ? all is but interest of our debt to death . or thus , all sit at interest , while they draw their breath ; he that takes use of life ; payes use to death . or thus , each day that 's liv'd , is gaind : poore gaine god wot : that makes one so much poorer , as is got . or thus , if we count that day gaynd , which we have past : that 's lost , that 's past ; and so , that 's gain'd , that 's lost . or thus , death and we both ; lay claime , to the same houres : what 's past , is his ; and onely that is ours . vincere quum posses , interdum code sodali : obsequio quoniam dulces retinentur a●ici . loose sometime to a friend , when thou couldst gaine : such kindnesses , doe friendships league maintaine . or thus , yeeld sometimes to a friend , whom thou couldst master : such tricks of love , tye friendships knot the faster . or thus , not allwayes strive with friends , thy force to show : t is victory sometimes , to take a blow . or thus , wrastle not still with friends , thy strength to prove : the mastry to be tride with friends , is love . or thus , when thou couldst bend a friend ; thy selfe yet bow : one must beginne love ; and then , why not thou ? or thus , thus stand the mutuall services of friends : one , first beginnes a kindnesse , th' other , ends. or thus , in oddes of friends , where one must loose ; one win : never straine courtsey , who shall first beginne . or thus , when one to other , shewes a friendly part : hee , that beginnes first , seemes to have the start . or thus , when we by friends , doe any losse sustaine : wee seeme to buy their friendships new againe . or thus . the losses that by friends , to thee accrue : are but the rents , that are to friendship due . or thus , these are the noates ; make friends so well agree : thou yeeldst to him ; and then he yeelds to thee . or thus , where friends to one another , doe not yeeld : such lye in garrison ; nere come ith'field : ne dubites , quum magnapetas , impendere parva : hisetenim rebus conjungit gratia cares . small things are well bestowd , where great are sought : so deerenesse may , with things not deere , be bought . or thus , asking great things , to give small , never shrinke ; such small things get more love , then one would thinke . or thus , who gives small things , in asking great , is thrifty ; a gui●● of five , may get a suit of fifty . or thus , hee s no good husbandman , that will mislike : to sow a py●te where he may reape a strike . or thus , thou neither husbandman , nor husband art : if for a quarter , sticke to sow a quart. or thus , a feather give , when for a goose you aske ; who but a goose , would grudge at such a taske ? litem inferre cave , cum que tibi gratia juncta est : ira , odium generat ; concordia nutrit amorem . avoide contentious brabblings with thy friends ; concord , breeds love ; anger , in hatred ends . or thus , stand not in suites , where thou in league dost stand : debate breeds hate : concord is loves right hand . or thus , begin no strife , where thou in love mayst end : what good , to winne a cause : and loose a friend ? servorum culpis , quum te dolar urget in iras : ipse tibi moderare , tuis ut parcere possis . when servants faults , move thee to indignation : let thy owne worth , move thee to moderation . or thus . when servants anger thee : shew thy selfe then more master of thy selfe , then of thy men . or thus , if thee to wrath , a servant mooved hath , yet be not thou a seruant to thy wrath . be m●s●●line : & let not servants faults engender wrath , upon thy female thoughts . or thus . keepe greater state , then that thy servants ryot should have the honour , to disturbe thy quiet . or thus , be milde to servants ; let not their excesse , make thee exceed in that , which makes thee lesse . or thus , if servants doe a fault : yet patient be ; no fault so great in them , as wrath in thee . quem super are potes , interdum vince ferendo : maxima enim morun● semper patientia , virtus . beate sometimes● by forbearing whom thou beatest : of morall vertues , patience is the greatest . or thus , master by meekenesse , whom thou couldst by force : to change for patience , rage ; is a good course . or thus , t is mastery sometimes to take a fall : hee knowes no manners , that still takes the wall . or thus , give ground sometimes , when overcome you can : sufferance is manners ; manners maketh man. conserva potius quae iam sunt parta labore : quum labor in damno est ; crescit ●●rial●s egestas . take care to keepe , as well as paines to get : when labour growes a looser : want growes great . or thus . save rather that , which thou already hast : where paines retaines no gaines ; want comes at last . or thus , if thou canst get , but not keepe what is got : beggery , when all is done , will be thy lot . or thus , the way to thrive , is more to keepe then get : what 's the sunne rising , if as soone it set ? or thus , when thou hast dig'd a well , that water gives ; what good wilt doe , if poure it into sives ? or thus , as one hand brings in , th' other must lay up : else thou mayst haue to dyne , but not to sup . or thus , hold fast thy state ; why shouldst thou looke for more ; and couldst not keepe that , which thou hadst before ? or thus . hold fast thy state ; why wilt thou rather waste : in hope to get more , then keepe that thou hast ? or thus , keepe that thou hast ; and doe not want importune : t is hard to play au after game of fortune . or thus , make conserves of thy gaynes : thou canst not tast : of fresh fruits alwayes ; but conserves will last . or thus , keepe rather that , thou hast already got : learne of the ant : nip each graine , least it rot . or thus , t is an old saying ; spend , and god will send ; but what ? beggery , and barenesse , in the end . dapsilis interdum notis , & carus amicis quum fueris falix ; semper tibi proximus esto . when thou hast store , be franke to them are deerest ; be francke to all ; but to thy selfe be neerest . or thus , when thou hast plenty ; plentifully give ; but yet forget not , that thy selfe must live . or thus , vse hospitality to friends ; to all ; but not to bring thy selfe , to th'hospitall . or thus , in keeping christmas , something may be spent ; but not to make the whole yeare after lent. or thus , carue to thy friends , of tha● is good and fit : but for thy selfe , keepe alwayes the best byt. or thus , the odds thou mak'st , betweene thy skinne● and cloak : make that , betweene thy selfe , and other folke . or thus , thy bounty may have leave , sometimes to roame : but still remember , love beginnes at home . liber secundus . sipotes , ignotis etiam prodesse mement● : vtilius regn● est , meritis acquirere amic●s . even strangers , if thou canst , be thou releiving : t is worth a kingdome , to get friends by giving . or thus , let them thy good deeds know , that know thee not : a kingdome is but friends , by merits got . or thus , let vertues iustre , even to strangers show thee : i st not a glory , that more love , then know thee ? or thus , that 's the right goodnesse , which to all extends : ones skarce halfe good , that 's good to none but friends . or thus , give cause , even strangers may thy worth approve : what king so great , as he whom all men love ? or thus , let even strangers , be thy bounties objects : a king in friends , excels a king in subiects . or thus , thy worth would bounded be in narrow space : if no more feele thy hand , then see thy face . or thus , more lovd then knowne ; more knowne by grace then face : this fruit they reape , that charity embrace . or thus , that 's truest charity , which to all extends : for while it counts ; it makes , even foes our friends . mitte arcana dei , cal●mque inquirere , quid sit : quum ●is mortalis , quae sunt mortalia , cura . search not gods secrets ; nor to heaven ascend : since thou art mortall ; mortall things attend . or thus . what heaven is : and what gods secrets are : seeke not to finde ; let earth of earth take care . or thus , what god and heaven is ; search not to know : what are the things above ; to us below ? or thus , about gods hidden workes , straine not thy wit : to humane creatures , humane things best fit . or thus , gods secrets , riddles are ; for which a man , is no fit oedypus , doe what he can . linque metum lethi , nam stultum est tempore in omni : dum mortem metuis , amittere gaudia vitae . leave ●eare of death ; for what folly more rise : then fearing death , to lose the joyes of life ? or thus , leave fearing death : let life have some delights : which can have none , as long as death affrights . or thus , leave feare of death ; who can have merry heart : as long as feare stands brandishing deaths dart ? or thus , leave feare of death : what pleasure can life have ; when feare still keepes her thinking , of her grave ? or thus , leave feare of death : what mischiefe greater were then feare a mischiefe , that comes with a feare ? or thus , leave to feare death : for death beares life a spight : and hurts her more , with terrour then with might . or thus , leave feare of death : why shouldst thou not adhere : rather to life , in ioy ; then death in feare ? or thus , make death looke merrily : what shrewder turne : then putting death in blacks : to make life mourne ? iratus dere in certa contendere noli : impedit ira animum , ne possit cernere verum : contend not angry , about doubtfull things , anger , the minde , into starke blindnesse brings . or thus , strive not in doubtfull things with angry sprite : anger feeles up the minde , from seeing right . or thus , in doubtfull matters , how can truth be seene , when anger stands before it , as a skreene ? or thus , in doubtfull things , no angry man sees right : doubt makes the object lesse ; anger the light . fac sumptum propere , quumres desyderat ipsa : dandum ●tenim est aliquid , quum tempus postulat , aut res. be ready to bestow , as cause requires : for something must be given , to times desires . or thus , spare not to spend , when there is just occasion : from cause and time , we must seeke no evasion . quod nimium est fugit● ; parvo gaudere memento : t●ta mage est puppis , modic● quae●●● mine fertur . with little be content : seeke not extremes : the ship goes safest , in the smaller streames . or thus , be not aspiring ; nor too lofty flie : no falls so dangerous , as those from high. or thus , seeke not extremes : 't is the conceit of pride , to thinke it never fl●d , without spring-tide . or thus , be not more curious , then needes to be : brightnesse is for the stars , cleannesse for thee . or thus , if little be enough ; much is too much : why seekst thou then to be such , and not such ? or thus , when natures turne is servd ; the rest runs ore : little serves that ; then never seeke for more . quod pudeat , s●ci●s prudens celare memento : ne plures culpent id , quod tibi displicet vni . with what thou mayst be sham'd ; disclose to none : least many blame , what now thou blam'st alone . or thus . why shouldst thou make that knowne ; which t is too much : thou knowst thy selfe ? sores are not fit to touch . or thus . faulty in doing , be wise in concealing : faults are twice done , when of ones owne revealing . or thus , when thou commitst a fault ; tell not the same : what needs a theatre to shew thy shame ? or thus , blaze not abroad to others , thine owne evill : this were to light a candle , to the devill . nol● putes pravo● homines peccata lucrari : temporibus peccata latent ; sed temp●re parent . thinke not , that men can steale sinnes , and goe quite : sinnes lurke a time ; but tyme brings them to light . or thus , thinke not , that men can gaine their doing wrong : times mute awhile ; but keepes not counsayle long . or thus , thinke not that men can si●ne and goe invisible ; to times cleere eyes , the most hid things are visible . or thus , thinke not , that si●res , once doue , are gone and past : time is a blab ; and will tell all at last . or thus , no sinne was ever cloakt with such disguise : but hath lyen open alwayes to times eyes . or thus , no sinne was ever done ; nor ever shall : but for a reckoning , time is sure to call . corporis exigui , noli contemnere vires : consilio pollet , cui vim natura negavit : skorne not the strength , of men of little size ; whom nature makes lesse strong , she makes more wife . or thus , slight not small statures : t is not said in vaine ; the lesser head , the better is the braine . or thus , marke natures course ; and you shall finde , she puts her choicest wine , in runlets , not in buts . or thus , despise not littlemen , t is natures guise : to give the greater sight , to lesser eyes . or thus . little men have their worth ? t is natures pleasure : to adde in weight ; what she abates in measure . or thus . he knows not nature , that small statures mocks for whom she makes no oxe , she may a foxe . or thus . nature is wise ; and gives not all to one : to some more brai●e ; to others greater bone . or thus . by bulke of body , indge of men who can ? great bones make drones ; ' ●is spirit makes a man. or thus . marke inward worth ; and you shall finde it then : that lesser bodies make not lesser men . cui scierisnon esse parem te , tempore cede : victorem a victo supera●● faeye videmus . finding thy selfe too weak , sound a retreat : we see the conquer'd oft , the conquerour beat . or thus . forbeare when overmatcht ; and doe not fret : though beaten now , thou mayst hereafter beat . or thus , to give ground , when there 's ods , never disdaine : he that yeelds now , may fight againe , and gaine . or thus . yeeld being too weak ; and stand not out mens laughter , thou mayst perhaps , have better cards hereafter . or thus , yeeld when thou art too weake ; and never fret : though lose a game ; yet thou mayst win the set . or thus , thy forces fay●ing , be content to yeeld : who winnes it now , may after lose the field . or thus . the cause bidds yeeld ; but valour cannot flie : then valour is , in a fool●s custody . or thus , why not yeeld , when too weake ? valour sayes , no : valour is but a foole , for saying so . or thus , to fly , when overmatcht ; doth not disparage : it comes from strength of wit , not want of courage . or thus , it is not valour , but foole-hardinesse : to see the danger more , and flee it lesse . or thus , what hope , for such men ever to recover ; that stand an ill match out : and nere give over ? or thus , there 's no bow , shoots so farre , as made of ewe , because it bowes and turnes ; and so must you . or thus , the strongest may be overlaid ; and where you finde it so ; t is wisdome to forbeare . or thus . who yeelds not being too weake ; is but a mocke : and stands it out , but like a lenton cocke . or thus , what man but meanly read in wisdomes grammer , would be an anvile , that may be a hammer ? or thus , to yeeld when overmatcht , can be no crime : thou yeeldst not , to the foe but to the time. or thus , to goe backe , being too weake : in wisdomes eye is but to traverse ground ; t is not to fly. or thus , who yeeld though loose the day , yet winne the time : flee , but to fight againe : fall but to climbe . or thus , who triumphs now , may be in triumph ledde ; the garland stands not still , on one mans head. adversus notum , noli contendere verbis : lis minimis verbis interdum maxima crescit . with thy acquaintance , have no warre of words ; a small stri●e oft , from words proceeds to swords . or thus , to thy acquaintance give noe termes of ire : a litle blowing , kindles a great fire . or thus . doe not in harsh termes , with thy friend contend : harsh words , are blowes ; and chiefely , from a friend . or thus , provoke not with thy wrangling , a friends minde : vnkinde words oft , put kindnesse out of kinde . or thus , offend not a friends eares , with being louder . what may not a sparke doe , if light on powder ? or thus . irritate not a friend , with words of ire : his humour may be flaxe , if thine be fire . quid deus intendat , noli per quirere sorte : quid statuat de te , sine te deliberst ipse . gods purpose towards thee , search not by lots : thy part to thee , without thee he allots . or thus , search not gods counsailes , by unlawfull art : he meanes not , what he meanes , to thee t'impar● . or thus , concerning gods intents , never demurre : he meanes not to make thee his counsailour . or thus , thinke not , to conjure gods designes : must hee what he cons●●res on thee , cons●●● with thee ? or thus , search not by lots , what gods intentions be : his counsailes , must be councell unto thee . or thus , thou canst not found the depth of gods least motion : m●ns plummets are too short , for such an ocean . in vidiam nimio cultu vitare mement● : quae s●non 〈…〉 molestum est . procure not envy , with too great a traine : which though it hurt not , yet to beare , is paine . or thus , draw not on envy , with too costly carriage ; which , though perhaps not hurtfull , doth disparage . or thus , make not thy selfe envide , with too much bravery : envy a bondage is , though not a slavery . or thus , why should thy fompe draw envy , as a prize ? you loose mens hearts , although you gaine their eyes . esto ani●●o forti , qu●● 〈…〉 : nemo di● gaude● , quod indic● vincit iniq●● . condemn'd uniustly . yet in heart be strong ; what 's got by unjust doome , lasts never long . or thus . condemn'd uniustly , let this case thy woe : t is seldome long enioyd , that 's go●●en so . or thus , condemn'd by wrong , 〈◊〉 this thy mindeerect : the l●●ge , may rule the cause , but not th' effect . or thus , be not cast downe , when cast uniustly downe : no man weares long , ●n ●●iust iudges crowne . or thus : if thou be wrong'd in iudgement ; let it goe : a victory hath no triumph , gotten so . litis praeteritae , noli 〈…〉 : post 〈…〉 doe not repeate the words of brabbles past : least , when the winde ●o laid , 〈◊〉 raise new b●ast . or thus , never let words of brawles past , be repeated : cold bloud , by hot blouds words , is oft new heated . or thus , he erres , that words of brabbles past , remembers : this is , to stirre old coales , rak't up in embers . necte collaudes , nec te culpaveris ipse . hoc faciunt stulti ; quos gloria vexat inani● . neither commend thy selfe ; nor yet accuse ; for , this doe fooles , whom vaine conceits abuse . or thus , to discommend , or prayse thy selfe , refraine : who but a foole would shew himselfe so vaine ? or thus , to braise , or blame thy selfe , are both , extreames : such talk use fools , who make themselves their theams or thus , neither dispraise thy selfe ; nor yet commend : one is a wrong end ; th' other , to no end. or thus , of thy owne praise or blame , no trumpet be : why should mens eares , stand wayting upon thee ? or thus , to praise , or blame thy selfe , shewes little wit ; ones more then needs ; the other , more then 's fit . or thus , what can to praise or blame thy selfe , releeve thee ; if blame , who cares ? if praise , who will believe thee ? or thus , make not thy owne prayse , or dispraise , thy story : the one is folly : thother , is vaineglory . or thus , praise not , nor blame thy selfe ; though thou art able . the one , deserves a whip : thother , a bable . viere quaesitis parce ; quum sumptus abundat : labitur exiguo , quod partum est tempore longe . be sparing in expence● excessive spending brings what was long a getting , to quicke ending . or thus , vse sparingly thy goods ; goods are as oakes : long time in growing ; cut downe with few strokes . or thus , spend sparingly : let something be preservd : no meanes can serve , where no meane is observd . or thus , live sparingly : one wastefull houre may spend , more , then the sparing of an age can mend . or thus . be sparing constantly ; and not by fits : one day may spend more , then a whole life gets . insipiens esto , quum tempus postulat aut res : stultitiam simular eloco , prudentia summae est . to be a foole sometimes , doe not despise : a folly counterfait , is oft most wise . or thus . seeme ignorant sometimes , of what thou knowest : in wit dissembled , oft most wit thou showest . or thus , folly sometimes comes out of wisdomes schoole : none but wise men , can counterfeit a foole. or thus , there 's time and place , when folly may be fit : to personate and act , the part of wit. or thus , thou mayst if time and place , thou well discernest : both ●lay the foole : and yet be wise in earnest . or thus , would any pedlers , if they were not typsies : open their packs amongst a sort of gipsies ? or thus , wisemen not alwayes , lay abroad their wit : but when occasion , time and place are fit . or thus , wit to convenience , is so much devote ; it yeelds sometimes , to put on a fooles coate . or thus , wisdome is like the sunne ; shines when she list : and when she pleases , hides her in a mist. or thus . this we may learne in observations schooles ; fooles cannot be wise men ; wisemen ca●●fooles . or thus . in stinting wisdome , greatest wisdome lies : no man i● ever wise , that 's over wise . or thus , if time and due respect , be not his schoole : the wiser that one is , he is more foole . or thus , if time and place , be not before his eyes : there may be wisdome : yet the man not wise . or thus , he onely , wisdome may be said to have ; that holds it as a lord ; not as a slave . or thus , i bid not be a foole , but seeme to be : when cause requires it , else thou art not free . or thus . no man is wife , whose wisdome is his master : what can he doe , that ca●nnot rule his waster ? or thus , that man is onely wi●e ; and hath true wit : that can be so ; or not so : as is sit . luxuriam fugit● ; 〈…〉 crimen avaritiae : nam sunt contraria fam● . shunne covetousnesse and ryot , as two shames : that bo●th are contrary to mens good names . or thus , s●yll ' and charibdis , are two rock● to flye at : thinke ; one is avarica : the other ryot . n●li tu quaedam referenti credere semper : exigua ijs tribuenda fide , qui multa l●qu●ntur . credit not alwayes him , tels this or that : his credit might be more , if lesse his chat . or thus , beleeve not alwayes him that brings thee tales ; such mens words beare no weight , in iudgements ●kales or thus , credit not men , by whom still newes are borne : their words must needs be light , are so much worne . or thus , credit not alwayes them , that talke a vye : how can their tongues but lye ; that never lye ? or thus . these great tale bearers ; are like almanacks : if one report hold weight ; ther 's twenty lacks . que potus peccas ignoscere tu tibinoli : nam crimen nullum vini est , sed culpa bibentis . excus● not faults , committed in thy wine : the wine is not too blame : the blame is thine . or thus . they erre , that faults in drinking veniall thinke : the fault , is not the wines ; but theirs , that drinke . or thus , distempers in thy drinke ; doe not avow : the drinke is temperate ; but intemperate thou . or thus , in faults of drinke , canst thou be innocent ? when thou art actour ; drinke but th' instrument ? or thus , what is much drinke , but the braynes inundation ? are not men mad , that mak 't a recreation ? or thus , excesse of drinke devasts , and drownes all good : what is it , but a remnant , of noys fludde ? or thus . thy braines are weake enough , when at the best : why wilt thou let them be with drinke opprest ? or thus . in this one fault of drinke all are included : what fault can want , where reason is excluded ? or thus , other faults , reason quit , but let sence stay : drinking , sweepes reason , sence , and all away . or thus , no marvell men thinke faults in drinke , defensible , of that makes sencelesse , how can they be sensible ? or thus , 't is strange , noe warning makes men drinke forbeare : but 't is the bellies faul : , that hath noe eare. consilium are anum tacito committe s●dali : corporis auxilium medico committe perite . thy secrets to a secret friend commit : thy bodies cure , to the physition fit . or thus , intrust thy secrets , where they may be sure : intrust thy body , where it may have cure . noli successes indignos ferre moleste : indulget fort●●● malis , ut ladere possit . grieve not at fortunes favouring wicked wayes : to make faules greater , t is her use to raise . or thus , take not to heart ungodly mens successe ; where fortune favours more , she favours lesse . or thus , let bad mens good successe , neere breed thy woe : t is for no good , that fortune hugs them so . or thus , envy not men , whom fortune seemes still wooing : fortune hath no good meaning , in so doing . or thus , pitty bad men , whom fortunes blessings lade : she hotter shines , to make them sooner fade . or thus , when fortune still her favour is affoording , to wicked men : know , she goes then a birding . or thus , fret not at those , have fortune singing still : shee s one of homers syren●● sings to kill . or thus , it matters not , what fortune gives : but why : her good , to bad , to hurt : to good , to try . prospice qui venin●●t , hos casus esse ferendes : nam levius laedit , quicquid praevidimus ●●te . foresee the chances , that on thee may light : their force is much abated , by foresight . or thus , forecast the chances , thou mayst chance to beare : evils foreseene , grow lesser then they were . or thus , foresee the ils , must be suffer'd : such foreseeing , weakens their blow ; though hinders not their being . or thus , forecast ils , ere they come : for when the minde ' meets them , as 't were halfe way , they grow more kinde● or thus , ●vils are worst when suddaine ; least ; foreseene ; they rot with foresight ; that would else be greene. or thus , twill be sore crossing out , thy crosses skore : if thou forecast them , in thy minde before . or thus , to cast ills before hand ; is in a kinde , ' the casting up a trench before the minde . or thus , twill be a meanes , to make ills meaner be ; if thou goe to them , ere they come to thee . or thus , evils are like a wolfe ; seene , ere they come : doe little hurt ; not seene , they strike us dumbe . or thus , all evils , are on goods , or body cast : which when the minde foresees ; the worst is past . rebus in adversis , animum submittere noli : spem retine : spes vna hominem , nec morte relinquit . cast downe by fortune ; cast not downe thy head : keepe hope : and hope will keepe thee , even dead . or thus . though fortune frowne : despayre not yet to thrive : keepe hope : for , hope keep 's life it selfe a live . or thus . though fortunes stormes , be great and manifold : yet hope : for , hope 's an anchor that will hold . or thus , in stormes of fortune , doe not thou despaire : but hope : for , hope can make a foule day , faire . or thus , when thou art most opprest ; yet hope : for , hope in streights of fortune , gives thy fortune scope . or thus , if thou be toft with tempests , stormes , and thunders : yet hope : for , hope 's a thing , that can doe wonders , re●● tibi quam nosces aptum dimittere noli : fr●nte capillata , post est occasio calva . slight not an offerd thing , that fits thy minde ; time , hath a locke , before ; is bald behinde . or thus , take reason when t is offerd ; and be wise : time useth not to make a proffer twice . or thus . neglect of opportunity , is a vice : of which you cannot be an actor twice . or thus , when time offers it selfe ; be sure to take it : once gone before , nere look to overtake it . or thus , take balls at bownd ; time is , as he is usd : kinde at first hand ; but froward , once refus'd . or thus , take fruits when they be ripe : for that once past , nature gives over : and they fade as fast . or thus , to let time slip , is a recurelesse crime . you may have time againe ; but not the time. or thus , take fruites when they be ripe ; take bals at bound : else those grow rotten ; and these fall to ground . or thus , time is as proud , as tide : in this much one : that must be waited on ; this waytes for none . quod sequitur , specta ; quodque imminet , ante videte : illum imitare deum , partem qui spectat utramque . marke , what is past ; and what 's to come , foresee ; like ianus , let thine eyes on both sides be . fortior vt valeas , interdum parci●r esto : pauca volupta●i debentur , plura saluti . to strengthen health , eat oft in sparing measure : we owe more to our health , then to our pleasure . or thus . eate sometimes lesse , thy health may be the more : for we are more on healths , then pleasures skore . or thus . forbeare meat sometimes , though thy stomack crave it : for pleasure must give place , if health will have it . or thus , eate sometimes sparing , thou mayst healthfull live : we take from health , what we to pleasure give . or thus , if thou shalt eate to please ; not to make strong : thou shalt have neither strength , nor pleasure long . or thus , we eate to make us strong ; and yet the longer , we spare to eate sometimes , we grow the stronger . or thus , be temperate in thy meate , and thou shalt finde : thy body more disposd , more light thy minde . or thus , eate not to please : but what for health is best : pleasure is but a wayter : health 's the guest . or thus , to change for pleasure health , is no good boot : pleasure is but a leafe ; health is the roote . or thus : let health be steward of thy meate , not pleasure ; health 's a good husband : pleasure hath no measure . or thus , pleasure and health , i' th bodyes common wealth , are severall factions ; facting holds with health . or thus , fasting sometimes saves a physitians fee : yet physicke ministers as good as he. or thus . some physicke is to cure : some to prevent : but fasting serves , both this and that intent . or thus , hard commons make sound sheepe ; your fattest pasture may sooner feed them ; but they rot the faster . or thus , a temperate dyet , is healths chiefe preserving : luxuriant feeding , is as bad as sterving . or thus , rich men of poore , this one advantage get : that they may kill themselves , with better meate . or thus , to fill thy stomacke alwayes , is not best : to fast sometimes , is to make health a feast . iudicium populi , nunquam contemp●eris unu● : ne nulli placeas , dum vis contemnere mult●s . slight not a multitude , thy selfe alone : least , while thou sleightest many , thou please none . or thus , if thou alone , the people dost oppose ; a thousand t is to one , that thou wilt lose . sit tibi praecipue , quod primum est , cura salutis : tempora ●e culpes , quum sis tibi causa deloris . of health , the chiefest thing , take chiefest thought : charge not the times , with what is thy owne fault . or thus , looke chiefely to thy health : if sicke thou be ; lay not the blame , on spring and fall , but thee . somnia necures ●nam me●s humana quod ●ptat : dum vigilans sperat ; per somnum ceruit id ipsum . regard not dreames ; for what men wish should be , and waking , hope ; the same in sleepe they see . or thus , care not for dreames ; for , what men thinke of deepe , and wish awake ; that followes them in sleepe . or thus , care not for dreames ; they are but steps that stay vpon the minde : which thoughts troad in the day . liber tertius . instrue praeceptis ani ●●●● ; nec discere cesses : nam sine doctrina , vit rest quasi marti● image . furnish thy minde with arts : cease not to learne : without which 〈◊〉 can life from death discerne● or thus , to fill thy minde with precepts , labour most ; for without learning , life i● but deaths ghost . or thus , learning , above all other treas ●●es set : without which , life is but deaths counterfeit . or thus , learne still , and with it let thy minde be fed , for without learning life it selfe is dead . or thus , what good doe eyes , if it be alwaies night ? no more doth life , if learning give not light . or thus , let learning be thy light : knowledge thy marke : or else the minde but wanders in the darke . or thus , body by soule ; and soule by learning lives : that life without this life , small comfort gives . or thus , learning is lifes perfume , and ornament : without which , life hath but a dismall sent . or thus , learne still● for without learning no man can be more , then the anatomy of a man. or thus , learne still : and thou shalt come to plaine discerning : that life is but deaths image , without learning . fortunae donis semper parere memento : non opibus bona fama ditur , sed moribus ipsis . as fortune shewes her gifts , so shew thou thine : not wealth , but vertuous life makes men to shine . or thus , be fortune what she will : be thou the same : mens carriage ; not their wealth carryes the name . or thus . when fortune , does her worst ; thou best mayst bee ; and mayst shame fortune , more then fortune thee . or thus . fortune with all her gifts , and gaudy ●elfe : can give no better name , then sh' hath herselfe . quum recte vivas , ne cures verba malorum : arbitrit non est nostri , quid quisque loquatur . when thou livst well ; care not for lewd mens chat : t is more then we can doe , to hinder that . or thus . live well ; and never care , what men be talking : t is not in us , to keepe mens tongues from walking . or thus , looke to thy life ; and care not for mens talke : for , doe the best thou canst , lewd tongues will walke . or thus , care what thou dost ; care not , what 's said of thee : vertue it selfe , is not from slander free . or thus , balance thy selfe ; weigh not mens wrongfull nips : no worth of ours , can soder up lewd lips . or thus , when thou liv'st well ; care not though men speake ill ; our lives we can , we cannot rule their will. or thus , some men speake ill ; not to give men their dues : but they speake ill , because they cannot chuse . or thus , when thou liv'st well ; of mens words make no matter : doe not dogges barke at moone-shine in the water ? or thus , be nere so milde , yet some will call thee cruell , lewd tongues are fires that burne , and have no fuell . or thus , no worth of thine , can set tongues such a stint : but some will speake , as some men looke a squint . productus tostis , salvo tamen ente pudore : quantum●● cunque p●ies , ●elato crimen amici . brought for a witnesse ( what with conscience thou safely canst ) conceale thy friends offence . or thus . brought for a witnesse ; if thou canst , so doe : that thou maist cleare thy friend , and conscience too : sermones blandos , blasosque cavere memento : simplicitas , veri fama est ; frans ficta loquendi . suspect words spoken smooth ; and yet in paine ; truths voice is simple : fraud is faine to feigne . segnitiem fugito , qua vitae ignavia fertur : nam cum animus languet , consumit inertia corpus . fly sloth , the moth of life : for when the minde wants its due nourishment , the bodie 's pinde . or thus , fly slothfulnesse ; which we may iustly call a megrim , not of head , but heart and all . or thus . fly sloth ; which is a seeming loath to live ; body and minde , no mutuall comfort give . or thus , fly sloth , which is a calme worse then a storme ; and doth our leaking ship of life more harme . or thus , fly sloth ; which is to life an irksome guest , it take so much rest , that it takes no rest . or thus , fly sloth ; which body pines ; and minde be ●●●mes : it is a taste of death , before death comes . or thus . in drowsie men , what differs life from death , more than for ( salt to keep them sweet ) their breath ? interpone tuis , interdum gaudia curis ; vt possis anim● quemvis sufferre lab●rem . mixe with thy studies sometimes recreation : that so the spirits may have relaxation . or thus , thou must not alwayes worke ; nor alwayes play : this , that a breathing gives ; that , this a stay . or thus , care spends the spirits : if it alwayes spend , and no supply by mirth ; 't will soone have end . or thus , myrth after care , is the mindes holyday : it in●ermi●eth care , that care it may . or thus , the minde is as a bow ; if this still bent : if that still caring ; both grow impotent . or thus , not mirth , nor care alone ; but enter wreathed : care gets mirth ; stomack : myrth makes care long breathed or thus . not care , nor mirth alone , but both by turnes : the minde , without care rusts ; without mirth , mourns . alterius dictum , aut factum , ne carpseris vnquam : exemplo simili ne te deriderat alter . at others deeds or words , no carper be : least , as thou carp'st at them , they carpe at thee . or thus , skoffe not at that , which others doe or say : least others thee , in thy owne mony pay . quod tibi sors dederit , tabulis suprema notato : augendo serva ; ne sis quem famalequatur . the stocke , and state , thy friends have left to thee : keepe and encrease , least thou a by word be . quum tihi divitiae , superant in fine senecta : munificus facito vivas , nonparcus amicis : when life neere spent , thou still hast riches store ; see thou be liberall ; and give almes the more . or thus . when thou hast more , then thy old life can spend : be franke , t is fit , thy goods end , with thy end . or thus , when extreame old , thou art extreamely rich : let bounty make it knowne , that thou art such . or thus , when death now threats , to take thy goods from thee ? doe thou take them from death : and bounteous be . or thus , since wealth skornes not , thy age to wayte upon : place it , where it may live , when thou art gone . or thus , since fortune hath thee , all thy life attended : cast her not off , but to some friends commended . or thus . though fortune stay , to bring thee to deaths doore : yet manners learne ; and take thy leave before . or thus , when thou art come , with riches nere the grave : loose not the benefit , thy almes deeds may have . or thus , when life neere spent , thou hast still store of wealth : let charity , make way , for thy soules health . or thus , when goods in almes , are well destributed : one seemes to hold them still , when he is dead . or thus , what i gave , that i have : one writ on 's grave : then old and rich ; give , that thou still mayst have . vtile consilium dominus ne despice servi : nullius sensum , si prodest , tempseris unquam : good counsaile , from a servant never slight : what matter , who : so what is said , be right . or thus , skorne not a servant to be thinet adviseer : a foole sometimes , see● more then one thats wiser . rebus & in censu , sin●n est , quod fuit ante : fac vivas contentus eo , quod tempora pr●bent . if fortune have thy goods throwne over boord : yet live content , with what the times affoord . or thus , if thy estate be not as it hath beene : yet be content , and try , what time will winne . or thus , in fall of goods ; to fall in heart , disdaine : but be content ; woods cut , may grow againe . or thus , if fields and fermes , thou hast lesse then have beene : then patience hath a field more , to walke in . or thus . if fortune be growne pinching in her wrath : then cut thy co● , according to thy cloth . or thus , if fortuen give thee lesse , then she hath done : then make lesse fire ; and walke more in the sunne . or thus , never make wonder , at moone fortunes change : if change she should not ; that would be more strange . or thus , what 's fortune but a moone ? sometimes i' th wayne : sometimes at full : nere constant in one veyne . or thus , if fortune powre upon thee all her gall : yet patience hath a spleene , will hold it all . or thus , if all the weights of fortune , on thee fall : yet patience hath a backe will beare them all . or thus , the burden of misfortune , never feare : no burden's great , that patience helpes to beare . or thus . at losse of worldly goods , never looke pale : it is but a high winde , turn'd to a gale. or thus . vvhy should the change of fortune , make thee pale : thou dost but leave the hill , to walke i' th vale. or thus , if fortune , of her ankers , have thee ridde , patience can make an anker of a thridde . or thus , vvhen thou hast lesse than that thou hadst before : if thou canst'o●e content : thou hast the more . or thus , content is all , we ayme at , with our store . if that be had with little , what needes more ? or thus . content is great ; though little bee the meate : the great in little , makes the little , great . vxorem f●ge , ut ducus sub nomine dotis , nec retinere v●lis , si coeperit esse molesta . take heed thou marry not a wife for portion : nor keepe her longer than she keepes proportion . or thus . take not a wife for wealth : or if thou doe , if once she grow insulting ; let her goe . multorum disce exempl● , qu● facta sequaris , quae fugias ; ●ita est ●●bis alien● , magistra . by others learne , what to embrane , or shunne : their lives may be our guides , what course to runne . or thus . by others , take example , what is errour , and what is right ; their lives may be our mirrour . or thus . no schoole can better teach us what t' embrace , and what to 〈◊〉 , than others shame or grace . or thus , make other men thy patternes ; what to follow , and what to flie● their lives are out apollo . quod potes id tentato , ●p●ris in pondere pressus succ●●bat labor , & frustra tent at a relinquas . take no more on thee , than thou canst performe : least fainting under it , thou leave with skorne . or thus , attempt but what thou canst ; least in the race thou faint and tire ; and leave it with disgrace . or thus , attempt but what thou canst ; least thou be faine to turne in at the signe of labour in vaine . or thus , undertake not too much : least without thanke , thou prove thy selfe a bragging mountibanke . or thus , strive not above thy strength : least thou be glad to take such pay as babell's workmen had . quod nosti hand recte factum , nolite ●ilere : ne videare malos imit●rt velle tacendo . conceale no deed thou knowest to be naught : least , for concealing , thou as bad be thought . or thus , conceale not what thou justly dost mislike : least thou be thought , as like to doe the like . or thus , silence consents : 't is therefore necessity to tell mens faults , least thou be accessary . or thus , conceale not what thou knowst ill done : concealing in acts fellonious , is as bad as stealing . or thus , conceale not mens ill doings : least men read thy will as wicked as the others deed. or thus , sylence may make an innocent be guilty ; if it conceale mens doings , that are filthy , or thus . conceale not mens ill deeds ; least thy concealing make thee be thought as bad , as them their dealing . or thus . if thou a theft know ; let it be reveal'd : a theefes concealour , is a theefe conceal'd . iudicis auxilium , sub iniqua lege rogato : ipsae etiam leges cupiunt vt iure regantur . from wrong of law ; seeke to the iudge , for right : for even the lawes require an oversight . or thus , wrong'd by the law , implore the iudges might : it is the lawes owne suit , to bee set right . or thus , appeale thou to the iudge : from the lawes spight : for even the lawes themselves appeale to right . or thus , fly to the iudge , when thou art wrong'd by law : for even law must it selfe , be kept in awe . or thus , when law would strike , the iudge may be a shield : the dumbe law , to the speaking law tnust yeeld . or thus , when lawes doe freeze , the iudges hearts may thaw : and iudges are a law , even to the law. or thus . when lawes are harsh ; the iudges must be milde : else , all humanity will be exil'd . or thus , no law can be a rule , so streight and iust : but it may rule awry ; if iudges lyst . quod merito pateris , patienter perfer id ipsum : quum que reus tibi sis , ipsum te iudice damna . what thou deservst to beare ; beare without grudge : and guilty to thy selfe , be also iudge . multa legas facit● : perlectis , perlege multa : nam miranda canunt , sed non cr●denda poetae . read much , and much read ; read much more ; in briefe : poets are all for wonder , not beleefe . or thus , read much ; and much read ; read it againe : indeed poets speake strange things , but not alwayes creed . or thus , read more and more : and still reade more : and know , poets tel wonders , but not gospell though . or thus , never give over reading by thy will : poets sing sweet ; but above ela still . or thus , never give over reading , nor forbeare it . though poets tell thee wonders , doe not sweare it . or thus , be reading still ; and never shut thine eyes : poets tel tales , are neither truths nor lies . or thus , be reading still : poets can give a passe , to that shall never be , nor ever was . or thus , thy bookes and thee , let nothing part asunder : in poets mouthes , a miracle is no wonder . inter convivas , fac sis sermone modestus : ne dicare lrquax , dum vis ●rbanus haberi , amongst ghests at a feast , be no debater : least seeking praise of wit , thou prove a prater . or thus : when thou art at a feast , much talke refraine : leaft thou be thought , to have more tongue , then brain or thus , when thou art at a feast ; forbeare much talke : men come not thither , to heare thy tongue walke . coniugis iratae noli tu verba timere : nam struit infidias lachrymis , quum faemina plorat . let not the angry words of thy wife fray thee ; t is when a woman weepes , she meanes to pay thee . or thus , feare not thy wifes hot words : t is womans guise : plaine , when she plaigues ; deceitfull , when she cries . vtere quaesitis , sed ne vide aris abuti : qui sua consu●unt , quum d●st , aliena sequuntur . abuse not thy estate , with riotous dealing : for , riot wounds with want ; want cures with stealing . or thus , vse thy estate ; but foole it not away : turn'd out of all ; men turne to birds of prey . or thus , use ; but with temper : that which thou hast got : no leech like one , that had ; and hath it not . or thus , vse that thou hast ; but use it with discretion : evacuation's madde , for new repletion . or thus , use thy estate ; but give it not the slippe : vvant makes the old wife tro●t , the young wife trippe . or thus , be not prof●se in spending : when all failes , men live not by their hands , but by their nailes . or thus , use that thou hast , but make no wilfull waste : all gone ; men turne to cannyballs at last . fac tibi propanas , m●rtem non esse timendam : quae bona si non est finis tamen illa malorum . resolve ; of death , no feare is to be had : vvhich , though not good ; yet ends all that is bad . or thus , where death is feard ; it seemes not understood : is not the end of evils , a ioyfull good ? or thus , be not afraid of dying : hast not thou good cause to welcome that , brings th' olive bough ? or thus , who would feare death ? which though an end it be : yet not of vs , but of our misery . or thus , soule brought a bed of body , and delivered , is death : is not hee , that feares this , white liverd ? or thus , death is an end , and a beginning too : as that ; not ill : as this ; a thing we woe . or thus , this one thing were enough to raise deaths price : that , ther 's no way but it , to paradise . or thus , these goods are onely in deaths cabbin kept ; all weeping , left : all weeping past , unwept . or thus , with this account , all feare of death is fled ; to live as long as live ; and longer , dead . or thus , be this thy mindes , both quietnesse and strife : to make thy life a grave ; thy grave a life . or thus , make life a grave ; by being dead to sinne ; the grave , a life , by hope to rise agen . or thus , this i resolve ; and let the houres fly ; to live upright ; and if i dye , i dye . vxoris linguam , si frugi est ● ferre memento : nomque malum est , te nolle puti ; hanc non posse tacere . beare with thy wifes tongue , if her truth thou see ; why should she , silent ; thou not patient be ? or thus , if thy wifes tongue be all , as well she may thy patience aske ; as thou , her silence pray . aequa diligito caros pietate parentes : nec matrem offendas , dum vis banus esse parenti . love both thy parents , in an equall measure : displease not one , to doe the other , pleasure . or thus , love equally thy father , and thy mother : and doe not scratch the one ; to claw the other . liber quartus . despice divnias , si vis anime esse beatus : quas qui suspic●●● , 〈◊〉 semper a●ari . scorne riches , if to happinesse thou aspire : who riches love , are beggers in desire . or thus . scorne riches ; if a faire life thou desire ; monies admirers , live but in the mire . or thus , this were enough , to prove riches accurst ; if nothing else : they make men still athirst ; or thus , happy , who riches from his heart removes ; and wanting , needs them not ; nor having , loves . or thus . who would imagine , rich men beggers were ? yet so they are , still craving ; still in feare . or thus . it need no riddle be , whereat to stagger : a man may be a richman ; yet a begger . or thus , riches consist not , in the having store : but in the having no desire to more . or thus , beggery consists not , in an empty chest ; but in an empty minde , that cannot rest . or thus , to be an actuall begger , is a curse : yet the habituall begger , is the worse . or thus , the actuall begger , may be helpt by having : th'habituall cannot : still more had , more craving . or thus , the actuall begger , doth but want at worst : th'habituall wants it more ; because more thirst ; or thus , a begger wants but that , which he hath not ; but rich men want , even that which they have got . or thus , a begger hath much paine , a rich man more : hee , but of want : they , both of want , and store . or thus , if happinesse thou love , then love not riches , for such mens minds , are never without stitches . or thus , our bodies turne to earth , if death arrive : because we turne our mindes , to earth ; alive . comm●da natura , nullo tibi tempore deer unt : si fue t is contentus eo , quod postulat vsus . natures supplyes , shall never faile to thee : if with things needfull , thou contented be : or thus . enough for nature , thou shalt alwayes finde : if thou to nature 〈◊〉 conforme thy minde . or thus . your store will alwayes natures want exceed : if you can thinke , you want but what you need . or thus , if thou art not content , unlesse have store ; thou wouldst not be content ; if thou hadst more : or thus , little is store to one content : and store , is little to him , that still longs for more . or thus , nature gives all men , a sufficient lot : but they runne after toyes , and soe it not . or thus , if natures treasures , thou desire to finde : search not the mines of india , but the mind . dilige denari , sed parce dilige formam : que●● nemosanctus , nec hon●stus captat ab are . love monies forme , but loue it not too much : which no good man , lov'd ever for the touch . or thus . the forme of mony love ; but not the stuffe : much is too much ; a little is enough . quum sistincuatus , nec remratione gubernes : noli fortunam quae non est , dicerec aecam . when thy affaires succeede not to thy mind : say not , that fortune , which is not , is blind . or thus , when thou by thy improvidence art orethrown : accuse not fortunes blindnesse , but thine owne . or thus , accuse not fortune , if thy state decline : fortune is not too blame , the fault is thine . or thus , 't is blindnesse , to thinke fortune blind , and not that we are blind , when we have blind mens lot . or thus , what we call fortune , is not hap , or chance : but good our care : bad , our misgovernance . or thus , fortune 's no word of cause , but of event : the cause our selves ; then let our selves be shent . or thus , fortune , adverse or prosperous , never call ; vpon our owne legs , we must rise or fall. or thus , fortune , thy state can neither make , nor marre : our selves the forgers of our fortunes are . or thus , events successfull , or adverse betide us : as we have cleere , or dimmer eies to guide us . or thus , fortune is never blinde , if thou have eyes : nor ever sees , but when thy selfe art wise . quum fu●ris faelix , corpus curare memento : aeger dives habet ●●m●es ; se non habet ipsum . regard thy body , more then worldly pelse● a sicke rich man hath mony ; not himselfe . or thus , breferre thy body , before worldly wealth ; riches are of a lower fourme , then health . or thus , to gather riches , doe not hazard health : for truth to say ; health is the wealth of wealth . verbera quum t●leris , discens aliquando magistri : fer patris ingenium , quum verbes exit in iram . since thou at schools , wert by thy master beaten : thy father beare , when anger makes him threaten . or thus , if of a master , thou hast blowes abidden : then of a father grudge not to be chidden . res age quae prosunt , rurs●s 〈◊〉 memento , in queis error inest ; nec spes est certa laboris . seek wayes of profit : but tread not amisse : in wandring by-waies ; where no profit is . or thus , looke after things of profit ; but take heed : of idle courses that no profit breed . or thus . intend to things of value : but refraine all fond designes ; where nothing's got but paine . or thus . bestow thy time , in that may quit thy cost : but labour not in things , where labours lost . or thus , set not thy rest up ; on things base and meane : who ever knew a sexton , made a deane ? or thus , who aymes not high ; shall never shoot but low : and then aswell , may cast away his bow . or thus , who the philosophers stone , 'to make , assay : though misse the end : meere secrets , by the way . or thus , if things of worth and value be a●●aid● though misse penelope ; you may get her maid . or thus . sow in good ground : what is in barren sowd ; is seed ; and time ; and labour ; ill bestowde . quod donare potes gratis , ne ve●de roganti : nam recte fecisse , bonis in parte lucrorum est . to sell what thou canst freely give , refraine : good men account good deeds the greatest gaine . or thus , give freely what thou canst , rather then sell : who gives to good men ; hath not he sould well ? quod tibi suspectum est ; confestim discute quid set . namque solent , primo quae sunt neglecta , nocere . what you suspect ; search instantly to know : for , things at first neglected , worser grow . or thus , vpon the first suspicion of a thing : looke to it , least it get a stronger sting . or thus . what thou suspectest , search without delay : evils neglected doe not use to play . or thus . suspitions search , if safety thou desire : a sparke not look't to , may set house a fire . or thus , in all things be suspitious ; then advise : then doe according ; and then thou art wise . quum ●e detineat veneris damnosa volupt as indulgere gulae noli , qua ventris amicaest . when thou to venus banefull play dost bend : fly gluttony , which is the bellies friend . or thus , when thou art taken , with lusts banefull pleasure , pamper not up thy flesh ; which knowes no measure . or thus , the acts of venery , and gluttonizing : are acts that have a certaine sympathizing . or in a contrary sense : when thou intendest venus wanton play : flie gluttony , which lookes another way . or thus . the acts of venus , lust and gluttony : are acts that have a plaine antipathy . quum tibi proponas animalia cuncta timere : vnum praecipi● tibi plus homine●● esse timendum . finde cause to feare all beasts you easily can : but i advise you more , to feare one man. or thus , our feare of hurt , from beasts , may be the least : man is to man , a more beast than a beast . quum tibi praevalidae fuerint in corpore vires , fac sapias ; sic tu p●teris vir fortis haberi . when nature makes thee strong , make thy selfe wise : both joyn'd , will make thee valiant in mens eyes . or thus , when thou art strong , be wise too , if you can : these two , make up true valour in a man. or thus , strength's valors hand ; wisdome his eye ; 't were shame that valour should be either blinde or lame . or thus , bodily strength , and wisdome of the minde : vvhere both these meet , there valour is in kinde . auxilium a nobis petito , si forte laboras : nec quisqam milior medieus , quam fidus amicus . in thy distresses , seeke thy friends reliefe : a faithfull friend is physicke for all griefe . or thus , if thou be sicke , or sore ; or ill at ease : a faithfull friend , is th' onely hippocrates . or thus , seeke to a friend , where thy owne eyes be dimme : blinde in thy selfe , thou mayst have eyes from him , or thus . in thy disaste●s , get friends to appeare : no constellation hurts , if friends be neere . or thus , a friend is all in all ; in beggry , wealth : in danger , safety ; and in sicknesse , health . or thus , who ever saw a phoenixe ? onely hee : that hath a true friend , doth the phoenix see . quum fis ipse nocens , m●ritur cur victima prote : stultitia est , morte alterius sperare salutem . why dies a beast , when thou commit'st the fault ? can a beasts offering , be thy ransom thought ? quum tibi vel fecium , vel fidum quaeris amicur● : nontibi fortuna ist hominis , sed vita petenda . to take thy marke ; a faithfull friend to finde . aime not at wealth ; but at the life and minde . or thus , in choosing of a friend , observe but this : regard not what hee hath , but what hee is . or thus , choose friends , as if a choosing sheepe you were : looke to their soundnesse , not what wooll they beare . or thus , thou must to goodnesse , not to goods attend : or else thou mayst have friends , but not a friend . or thus , a faithfull friend is best knowne by this marke : he 's lesse discern'd i' th light than in the darke . or thus , when thou wouldst finde a friend to sticke unto : not mannours make the man , but manners do . or thus , never make doubt , what friendship should be got : wealth makes a bowt ; but vertue ties the knot . or thus , a faithfull friend is hard to light upon : all the rich men that are , can scarce make one. or thus , where may we goe , to finde a faithfull friend ? whither ? but to vtopia , or worlds end. or thus , if thou wouldst finde a friend sincere and simple : looke him not at th' exchange , but at the temple . or thus , if thou wouldst finde a friend without disguise : looke not amongst the wealthy , but the wise . or thus , to know a friend , that 's more in heart , than lips : marke him not in the sunne , but in th' eclips . or thus , friendship and wealth , have severall works to do . friendship makes two , one ; and wealth makes one , two . or thus , friendship and wealth , stay never long together : wealth onely faire : friendship likes any weather . or thus , vvhat friendship joyes in , that makes wealth to groane : friendship will have a partner , wealth will none . or thus , a reall friend a cannon cannot batter : vvith nom'nall friends ; a squib's a per'lous matter . or thus , this one mishap , all other farre exceeds : that we still trust to friends , egyptian reeds . vtere quaesitis opibus ; fuge nomen avari : quo tibi divitias , si pa●per semper abundas . vse thy estate , bid niggards name avant : what good doth wealth , if wealthy , still thou want ? or thus , use that thou hast ; be not thy monies slave : what use to have ; if not use what you have ? or thus . use that thou hast , and long not after more : what good doth store , if onely kept in store ? or thus : use thy estate , what art thou else the better ? vvhat good doe feete , if alwaies in a setter ? or thus● use that thou hast , and be no miser thought : to have and want , is greater curse than fault . or thus , a misers tenure hath a double curse : active , it hath much ill ; passive much worse . or thus , a misers reckoning hath a double score : hee doth much ill , and yet hee suffers more or thus , to have , and use it , are two severall dowres : either wee must have both : or neither 's ours . or thus , to want , and not to have it , is a curse : but yet to have it , and not use it , worse . or thus . not having , but the using makes men wiser : not wanting ; but not using , makes a miser . or thus . use that thou hast , 't is great skill to be able : to read how miser , may spell miserable . si famaus servare cupis , dum vivis , honestam : fac fugias animo , qua sunt mala gaudia vitae . if thou desire the fame of a good name : then shunne those toyes of joyes , which soyle the same . or thus , if in the world thou wouldst have good report : then flie the world ; and all the worlds vaine sport. or thus , if in true honour thou desire to shine : then all false joies of life , thou must decline . or thus , if in the course of honour thou wouldst runne : thou must vaine sports , and all false pleasures shunne . or thus , a good name , is a sad and sollid treasure : and runnes from all them , that runne after pleasure . or thus , a good name is the prize of earthly races : but is not got with running wilde-goose chaces . or thus , looke not to have fames trumpet sound thy name : and yet to have a st●mpet blow the same . quum sapias animo , noli videre senectum : nam quicunque senet , puerilis sensus in illo est . scoffe not at age : nor let it be revil'de : to mocke an old man , is to mocke a childe . or thus , laugh not at those defects which old age sends : in childhood , life beganne ; in childhood ends . or thus , when thou art young , mocke not old folkes decay : they were as thou ; and thou shalt be as they. or thus , vvho would mocke children ? and old folks are more : twice children , they ; once now ; and once before . or thus , nature by age , seemes to raise childhoods price : vvhich , other ages once , makes childhood twice . or thus , childhood so harmelesse is : middle age so vaine : that nature makes old age turne childe againe . or thus , vvho scoffe at age , scoffe at their owne desire : for who that lives , but doth to age aspire . or thus , let him that mockes old age , this doome sustaine : either die young ; or old , be crackt in 's braine . disce aliquid ; nam qum subito fortuna recessit : ars remanet ; vitamque hominis non deserit unquam . get knowledge : for when fortune slips away : yet art stayes with thee , and will ever stay . or thus , learne something : for when fortunes trust deceives thee : yet art is as thy heart that never leaves thee . or thus , get learning , for when outward things decay : yet art is neither times nor fortunes prey . or thus , all other things , like flowers , are fading seene : learning is like the laurell , alwaies greene . or thus , get knowledge : fortune takes what fortune gives : knowledge alone , in spight of fortune lives . or thus , get knowledge , other things a man may lose : knowledge is that , which once come , never goes . or thus , get learning ; other things are seas'd on daily : art only's priviledg'd ; and feares no baily . or thus , get knowledge , other things are but as leases : art onely is in fee , and never ceases . or thus , learne something : wealth is of a casuall quality : art onely hath a certaine immortality . perspicito tecum tacitus quid quisque loquatur . sermo etenim mores & celat , & indicat idem . be silent , and observe what each man sales : for , speech mens manners , both hides and bewraies . or thus , if mens conditions thou desire to know : their speeches marke : these them both hide and show . or thus , to marke carefully mens speech : speech is a starre : both hides and showes , what mens conditions are . exerce studium , quamvis perceperis artem : vt cura , ingenium ; sic & manus adiuvat usum . practise thy art , though th' art thou have already : as study makes thee know ; vse makes thee ready . or thus , practise thy art still , though the art thou knows , by study it was got , by use it growes . or thus , practise thy art , though it thou understand : care bred in it the braine ; use in the hand . multum venturine c●res tempera fati , non meiuit m●rtem , qui scit contemnere vitam . much care not , to what destiny thou art borne : he feares not death , that can hold life in skorne . or thus , be not much troubled , what fates thee attend : he that can skorn● : life needs not feare his end . or thus , care not , what time , death shall dissolve this slime , he that scornes life , can die at any time . or thus , care not what time , thy time of dying is , to one prepar'd , no time can come amisse . or thus , what matter is it , when or bow thou dyest ? life 's not so goodly , when it is at highest . or thus . what 's life , that in it , we should place our joyes ? we eate , drinke , talke , walke , laugh , and all but toies . or thus , life is to men , as it doth seeme unto them , they that are fond on 't ; much good may it doe them . disce , sed a doctis . indochos ips● doceto : propaganda etenim rerum doctrina b●●arum . learne thou of learned men : th'unlern'd of thee : so learnings race , must propagated be . or thus , let learned men teach thee : teach thou , th'unlearned : in this sort , must the ship of ar●● be sterned . ho● bibe quod possis , si tu vis vivere sanus : morbi ca●sae moli , nimiae est qu●●nque vol●p●● . drinke not too much ; if thou thy health intend : every excesse , hath some defect in th' end . or thus , drinke not extreamely if thou love thine ease : every extreme breeds some extreme disease . or thus , drinke what thou canst well beare : surfets to some , as well by drinking , as by eating come . or thus , drinke moderately ; if health thou wilt maintaine : excesse of pleasure breeds excesse of paine . or thus , thinke not , to breake thy head , with drinke is good : for , though it bleeds not , yet it teints the blood . or thus , drinke serves the bodies moysture to maintaine : when that turn 's se●v'd ; the rest but drowns the braine . or thus , thy braines would shine , if washing every day , did wash them cleane ; not wash them cleane away . or thus . drinke , but in temper : pleasure without measure , brings thee at last , to measure without pleasure ? or thus● drinke not too much : what man that were not vaine would broach his mouth , to set a tylt his braine ? or thus , drinke what thou c●●st well beare : for more then that brings present madnesse ; future , god knows what . or thus , drinke not too much : such drinking will in fyne , have a worse skore , then paying for the wine . la●d iris quodcunque palam ; quodcunque probaris : hoc vide , ne rursum 〈◊〉 crimine damnes . dispraise not that , which thou hadst prais'd before : least thou for lightnesse , be dispraised more . or thus . seeme not to have two tongues within your head : by contradicting , what before you said . or thus , be not a weather cocke , to change thy mind , in praising , and dispraising with the wind . or thus , to praise a thing at one ti●●e , and another to vilifie the same ; is lightnesse feather . or thus , to praise a thing ; and dispraise it againe : is , with the tongue , to play lege●demain . or thus , first to extoll ; then vilifie againe shews both a gadding tongue ; and giddy braine . tranquillis rebus , semper quae adversa cavate : rursim in adversis , ●elius sperare memento . in calmy times , take heed of stormes may rise : in stormie times , hope well , for calmer skies . or thus . since fortune of her wheele , is still a turning , griefe , well may hope for joy , and joy feare mourning . or thus , on fortunes lightnesse , set thou up thy rest , in wealth , to feare : in want , to hope the best . or thus , nature , for two estates , hath given two passions , hope , for dejectings ; feare for exaltations . or thus , wealths armes is feare : wants , hope : so want is best , in better armes ; though wealth , in better crest . or thus , when fortune smiles , doubt it to be but hollow , and when she frownes , doubt not but smiles will follow . or thus , thou maist give fortune leave , to frowne a while , for having ●rown'd ; shee 'l turne about , and smile . discere necesses , cuta sapie●●i● crescit , ra●● d●tur longo prudentia temporis usu . cease not to learne from this doth wise ●ome rise , time without learning , seldo ne makes men wise . or thus , cease not to lerne : wisedome by care doth climbe , he knows not much , that 's taught by onely time , or in a contrary sense : cease not to learne : wisedome by care doth climbe , and then grows rare , when it is taught by time . or thus , cease not to learne : that 's wisedomes first degree : adde time to it , and then , 't will perfect be . parce laudato ; nam quem tu sape probaris , vna dies , qualis fuerit , oftendet amicus . praise not too fast ; for , whom thou oft hast praised , one houre will shew , on what weake ground t' was raised . or thus , be spare in setting a friends praises forth , for , till the try all day , al 's nothing worth , or thus , praise not a friend too much : onely one day , will tell more of him , then all you can say . or thus , praise not too fast , thy praise may chance to run , where thy friends worth , will scarce come creeping o● . or thus , praise not a friend too much : least if you pay● his wages before hand ; he run away . or thus , praise not a friend too fast ; it is not tho● , but time and proofe , that must his praise alow . or thus . praise not a friend too much : a sadder wound may come by praises lost , then friend not found . or thus , praise not too much ; left thou be forc'd in th' end : to eate thy words , and vomit up thy friend . or thus , praise not a friend , upon bare intimation : there 's more belongs to proofe , then protestation . or thus , make no post haste , to put friends in thy creed . many are friends in shew , but few in deed. or thus , you cannot count one happy , till he die : you must not count a fri●●nd untill you trie . ne pudeat quae nescieris , te velle d●c●ri : scire aliquid , laus est ; culpa est , nil discere velle . what thou knowst not , thinke no shame to be taught : to know , is praise : no will to learne , the fault . or thus , what thou knowst not , be willing to be taught : the will to learne , makes ignorance 〈◊〉 fault . cum venere & baccho lis est , sed juncta voluptas : quod blandum est animo complectere : sed fuge ●ites . venus and bacchus , have both strife and joy : avoyd the strife : the joy thou maist enjoy . or thus , in love and wine , there is both strife and rest : thy part 's to part them : and then take the best . demisso tacitos animo vita●e ●●●●ento : qua flu●non platidum est , for san latet ●ltius ●nda . offilent , solemne , sullen men beware : the streame runs smooth , where deepest waters are . or thus ; when you see men , that words and lookes can keepe , the stream tels what they are ; more smooth , more deep . or thus , the streame runs smooth where deepe ; and such is one , that saies not much , and lookes like fryer iohn . or thus ; looke to such men , as looke deject and still : the still sow alwaies eats up all the ●will . quum tibi displiceat rerum fortuna tuarum : alterius specta , quo sis discrimine prior . when thy owne fortune , seemes to thee a curse , marke others ; see , what numbers there are worse . or thus , why shouldst thou grieve , or think thy own case strange , when most are such , with whom thou woulst not chang● ? or thus , if fortune now give thee not thy content , wert thou , as some are ; how should she be shent ? or thus , when thou conceivest , fortune doth beshrow thee : thinke , in what case are others , farre below thee . or thus , thinke when thou envy'st others , thy superiours : how many envy thee , that are inferiours . or thus what needs the moone with envy looke so pale ? shee 's great to stars , though to the sunne be small . or thus , if nothing else content thee , yet this may : the best , have better ; the worst , worse then they . or thus , all fortunes oddes , is by comparisons eye , looke up , or downe ; and thou art low , or high . quod potes , id tenta : nam littus carpereremis : tutius est multo , quam velum tendere in altum . strive not above thy strength : the shoare to keepe : is safer farre , then launch into the deepe . or thus . to deale in things above thy reach , refraine : the shore is alwaies safer , then the maine . or thus , climbe not too high ; least thou endangerd be : low bowes are strong ; but weake , at top o' th tree . or thus , thinke not thy forces , greater then they are : conceit is able , able-parts to marre . or thus . let not presumption , worke thy owne deceit : no greater mountibanke , then selfe-conceit . contra hominem iustum , prave contendere noli ; semper enim deus iniustas ulciscitur iras . seeke not to justle just men from their right , god never failes revenge , to vnjust spight . or thus , strive not unjustly , against one that 's just , god takes his part ; and answere it thou must . or thus , let not just men , unjustly feele thee strong : god is himselfe , revenger of all wrong . or thus . wronging iust men , you wrong not them alone , god makes account , of their cause , as his owne . or thus . be not unjustly , with just men at oddes , the cause is theirs , but the revenge is gods. or thus , offer no wrong to iust men , though you might : god is a god of vengeance , in their right . or thus , by iust mens wrong , doe not gods wrath procure , he strikes not alwaies soone , but alwaies sure . ereptis opibus , nolitu flere querendo : sedg●ud● potius , tibi quum conting it habere . loosing thy riches , doe not fall a weeping : but rather ioy thou hadst them once in keeping . or thus , if thy goods be flowne from thee : doe not cry , but rather ioy , thou hadst them to let fly . est iactura gravis , quae sunt amittere damnis : su● quaedam quae ferre decet patienter amice . 't is great disaster , to loose all by losses : yet for some friends , we suffer must some crosses . or thus , the losse is great , when all away is swept : yet there are some things better lost then kept . or thus , it needs must grieve , to be with losses ●rost : yet , what is lost for friends , is never lost . tempera longa tibi , noli promittere vitae : quocunque ingrederis , sequitur mors , corporis v●br● . make to thy selfe , no promise to live long : death as thy shadow , followes thee all along . or thus , how canst thou promise to thy selfe long life ; which but a thred holds ; and death holds the knife ? or thus . all promises of life , deceitfull are , death 's nearer to us , then we are aware . or thus , while men their daies of life , are multiplying : they live not longer ; but are longer dying . or thus . how can we reckon upon lifes extent . that know not , what we have , till all be spent ? or thus . why shouldst thou count thy life to be an ell ; when if it reach to be a spanne , t is well . or thus , death searcheth all our ports ; and when we thinke our ship most sale ; we spring a leake , and sinke . or thus , this partiall errour , on mens mindes is growne : they thinke death , others case , but not their owne . or thus , we must examples to our selves apply ; such men dide young , or suddaine : why not i ? thure deum placa : vitulum sine erescat ●●tr● : no credas placare deum , quum cade litatur . incense for sacrifice : leave calves for plowes ; thinke not , thou canst please god , with bloudy vowes . cede locum lasus fortuna ; cede potenti : ladere qui potu●t , prodesse aliquando valebit . give fortune place : give place to men in place : who hurts thee now , may one day shew thee grace . or thus , vaile to ill fortune vaile to men of might : who wrong thee now , may after , doe thee right . quum quid peccaris , cas●●igata te ipse subinde : vulnera dum sa●as , dolor est medicina doloris . for every fault , some chastisement sustaine : in healing wounds , paine is the cure of paine . or thus , when faults are done ; let chastisement beginne : the paine of pennance , cures the paine of sinne . or thus , punish thy selfe , for every idle vaine : t will aske some rubbing , to get out a staine . or thus , pen●ance for sinne , must not be counted v●yne ; no wound is cur'd but with some sence of paine . or thus , to every sinne , some chastisement impart : men will be loath to sinne ; if sure to smart . damnaris nunquam post longum tempus amicum : mutavit mores : sed pignor a prima memento . condemne not friends , whom long experience proves . what if they change ? thinke thou of their first loves . or thus , condemne no friend , that of times sealing is ; say he be chang'd ; yet thou hast pawnes of his . or thus , condemne no friend , whom often tride thou hast . suppose he change : thinke thou , of that is past . or thus , condemneno friend , where time gives evidence : say he be changed ; thinke t is thine own offence . suspectus cave sis , ne sis miser omnibus horis : na●● timidis & suspectis , aptissima mors est . be not suspitious , least thou alwaies cry : suspitious men , and cowards , were best dye● or thus , for men suspitious , there is no releife : nothing but death , can remedie their griefe . quum fam●los fueris proprios mercatus in vsus , vt serv●s dicas , homines tamen esse memento . when for thy use , thou buyest servants : the● though slaves , thou call them ; yet know they are men. quam primam capi●ndatibi est occasi● prima , nerursus quaer as quae iam neglexer is ante . neglect not the first opportunity : lest it neglected , after neglect thee . or thus , take hold of opportunity , before : least offered and refus'd ; it come no more . morte repentina , noli gaeudere malorum : felices obeunt , quorum sine crimine vita est . at bad mens suddaine dying , be not glad : where life was good ; no kinde of death is bad . or thus . at bad mens suddaine ends , doe not reioyce . the best men , cannot of their deaths make choice . or thus , never reioyce , at bad mens suddaine death , what matter , in what for me , death stops our breath ? quum tibi sit eoniux , ne res & fama laboret : vitandum ducas inimicum nomen amici . having a wife : take heed of such a friend : that may thy fame detract , and fortunes spend . quum tibi contigeris , studio cogn●scere multa : fac discas multa , et vita nil vell● doceri . having learned much ; learne more ; and shun as naught : the will of being unwilling to be taught . finis . faults escaped in printing , correct thus . in the epistle page . line . for next proceeding , read next praeceding . fol. . li. . prayers read paires . p. . l. . for word , r. world p. . l. . to the phisitian r. to a phisitian● f. l. . faults r. falls . fol. . li. . t will be sore crossing out : re . t will be some crossing out . fo . . li. . a rich man more : r. yet rich men more . fo . . li. . to marke : blot out , te : fol. . l. . bred in it , r. bred it , in . in the quotations also there are errours crept in , which if they be not blotted out to his hand ; i desire the reader to blot out , as namely . the quotation out of ecclus. upon the distich , lib. . the quotation out of ecclus. upon the distich , lib. . the quotation out of ecclus. upon the . distich , lib. . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e about an . dom. . notes for div a -e pro. . . & . . & . . & . . iam. . . pro. . . ecclus . & . . . pro. . . eccles. . . : & . . eccle , . ecclus. . . pro. . . eccles. . . . . & . . & . . pro. . . eccle. . . . . & . . eccle. . ●● . eccles , . . . eccles. . , , . pro . & , , eccle. . . . eccles . . . eccle. . . ● , , ecclus. . ● p●● . . . 〈…〉 ecclus. . ecclns. . . . & . . ecclus. ● . ● . prov. . . & . & . . & . . . ecclus. . . pr●u . . . & . . ecclus. . . ecclus . . iames . . ecclus. . ecclus. . ecclus. . . notes for div a -e 〈…〉 pro. . . eccle. . . pro. . . pro. . . & . . lob . . . . eccius , ii. . pro. . . pro. . . pro. . eccius . . . . . ecclus. . pro. . . pro. . . ecclus. . & . . pro. ● . . ecclus. . . pro. . . & ●● . esay . . ecclus. ● . . . & . . & . . p . . . pro. . . pro. . . pro. . . ecclus. . . & . . . ecclus. . . notes for div a -e ecclus. . . . & . . ecclus. . . ecclus. . . & ● . . 〈…〉 tit. . . pro. . . lev. . . ec●lu● . , , . these following follow cato , but go a christian step be●ond him . ecclus. . . & . . notes for div a -e eccle. . . ● . lam . . . . pro. . . . tim . . ecclus. . . . & . . ecclus. . . . & . . ecclus. . . . . pro. . . & . . ecclus. . , . ecclus. . . ecclus. . . & . . . eccles. . . & . . & . . & . , . ecclus. . . & . . . & . . ecclus. . . & , . eccles. . . prov. . . eccles. . ecclus. . , & . . ecclus. . . . & . . & . . iames . . ecclus. . . ecclus. , . pro. . ● . . ecclus. , . . ecclus. . . iob. . . iob . . ecclus. . . , . ecclus. . ecclus. . . & . . ecclus. . , , . & . . pro. . . & . . esay . ecclus. . . ecclus. . iob. . . & . . ecclus. . . 〈…〉 ecclus. p. . ecclus. , , ecclus. , , prov. . . ecclus. . a sermon preached before the right honourable george, earl of berkeley, governour, and the company of merchants of england trading into the levant seas at st. peter's church in broadstreet, jan , being sunday, / / by william hayley ... hayley, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a sermon preached before the right honourable george, earl of berkeley, governour, and the company of merchants of england trading into the levant seas at st. peter's church in broadstreet, jan , being sunday, / / by william hayley ... hayley, william, - . [ ], p. printed for samuel smith ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t. -- proverbs viii, -- sermons. conduct of life -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion imprimatur , mar. . . h. maurice r mo p. d. wilhelmo archiepiscopo cant. à sacris . a sermon preached before the right honourable george earl of berkeley governour , and the company of merchants of england trading into the levant seas . at st. peter's church in broadstreet ian. . being sunday , / . by william hayley m. a. fellow of all-souls college in oxon ; and chaplain to his excellency sir william trumbull ambassador to constantinople . london , printed for samuel smith at the prince's-arms in st. paul's church-yard . . to the right honourable george earl of berkeley governour , and the company of turky merchants . right honourable , &c. as i cannot think you could have any other motive to command the publication of this discourse , than your customary civility ; so i am sufficiently sensible that it brings nothing along with it that can deserve your acceptance , but the entire submission i shew to your orders , in an instance so contrary to my private inclinations . i could have been extreamly pleased to have had an opportunity of acknowledging your obligations , without exposing the weakness of my services ; but even this way i must confess i am not without some satisfaction , in declaring publickly the sense i have of your unanimous kindness in the ready choice you made of so unworthy a servant , and the pleasure i take in being related to a company , whose members are so considerable in themselves , and whose commerce is so beneficial to the publick . this is an honour which all my predecessors in this employ have been sensible of ; but i must acknowledge it yet a more particular advantage to my self , since it gives me a capacity of continuing in a family , in which i have lived so much to my content , since i had the happiness of being admitted a member of it , wherein i have seen so much exemplary vertue , so frequent charities , so constant and regular a devotion , and so profound a respect for all things that are sacred , that as it must be esteemed by all good men , so it cannot but be especially desirable for a divine . concerning the discourse it self i have nothing to say but that it is a plain persuasive to a vertuous and religious life , and does not pretend to affected ornaments or beauty of style , that it designs to profit rather than delight , and so bears some resemblance to its author , whose services , though they cannot be pompous , yet shall alwaies be faithful , whose constant prayers shall be for your temporal prosperity and eternal happiness , and who shall make it his business to endeavour to supply his want of abilities , by acquitting himself with all fidelity and diligence as becomes my lord and gentleman , your most obliged and most humble servant , william hayley . prov . . . riches and honour are with me , yea durable riches and righteousness . that vertue and piety secure our eternal concerns , and that a good life is the only means to assure us of happiness beyond the grave , is a thing that every one confesses who believes a future state , or is perswaded that he has a soul within him capable of immortality : no one is so unreasonable as to contend that the sublime joys of heaven ought to be the portion of him that drowns himself in the base pleasures of sin , or that they are the most likely persons to be made companions of saints and angels , who render themselves unfit for the society of men , and are debased into the number of the beasts that perish . nay , that whatever is true and substantial happiness even in this life , has a necessary dependance upon morality and religion , is the observation of all that pretend to study the mind of man , and the nature of things , and is denied by none , but by those who will either give themselves no time to think at all , or else will employ their thoughts upon nothing that is serious and profitable . how troublesome , how unsatisfactory , yea and how pernicious too all our worldly goods are , is too too evident , when they are not directed by prudence , enjoyed with sobriety , and managed according to the dictates of justice and charity ; and particularly wealth and riches , which are so eagerly prosecuted by mankind , as the instrument of all our necessaries and conveniencies , are indeed but heavy incumbrances and unprofitable lumber , if they are not made use of to reward the good , to excite the diligent , and to relieve the oppressed . the poor man that enjoys quiet , repose and content in a mean estate , that neither wishes for wealth as a means to gratifie his lusts , nor gazes on it as an object that moves his envy ; that fears god , loves his neighbour , and relies upon the blessing of providence , and the fruit of his industry , is not only confessed by all considerate men to enjoy the truest riches , but is even frequently envied by those who find themselves surrounded with abundance and superfluity . but that religion should be the path that leads to wealth and substance , and that to be good is the way to become rich , this seems to be a paradox contrary to the sentiments of mankind , the experience of all ages , and the common voice of those who reflect upon the irregularities of the world , who have no one greater subject of complaint , than that the rewards of vertue are possessed by vice , that baseness , flattery , and hypocrisie , are provided with superfluities , whilst goodness meets with nothing but empty applauses , and starves whilst it is commended . piety indeed may comfort us in our wants , and support us in our afflictions , and we may find help in god when we have none from men ; nay , it may be an excellent steward even of riches themselves when they are once gotten , to lay them out for a greater purchase than earth will afford , to manage them so , that they may neither rob us of our innocence , nor god of our hearts ; but that it should be the best factor to gain them , and store them up , that riches should dwell with vertue , and durable riches with righteousness , is an assertion so opposite to the perswasion of the world , that it seems to be rather the wild affirmation of a person desirous to defend a novelty , than the doctrine of one that would inculcate a serious and a sober truth . the practice of the age discovers to us very different means for the heaping up of treasure ; craft and subtlety , fraud and circumvention , oppression and rapine , fawning and hypocrisie , and other methods too shameful to name are , alas ! the approved arts of those who make most hast to become rich , and all the chanels in which wealth is found to flow , seem to be such to which piety and religion are utter strangers , so that it may be the duty , and perhaps the happiness of good men , to despise riches , but 't is not like to be their fortune to gain or enjoy them . but how repugnant soever the practice of the world may be , and however unfit religion and vertue may at first sight appear for the procuring of wealth and substance , yet upon a nearer view , and a fuller consideration , we shall find that they do really lead and conduct us to the most ample even of those enjoyments , that they are all glorious within , and that their clothing too is of wrought gold ; that piety is of that nature , that it need not affright us from her embraces by an apparent poverty , that it does not only invite us by proposing the most real contentment , the most lasting delights , and the most sublime enjoyments of the mind and better part , but that even the avaricious may here find wherewith to content himself , and gratifie his most lavish desires : for so we are told by one of the greatest of men , seated in the most advantagious prospect , in possession of the greatest wealth and abundance , and what is more , inspired by god himself with a divine judgment and understanding , and therefore certainly one who was most able to judge what is the best method of acquisition , by him i say we are informed that piety is the surest and straitest way to wealth , for as he tells us in the words of my text , riches and honour are with her , yea durable riches and righteousness . the relative me in my text has relation to wisdom , whom solomon introduces speaking in the th verse of this chapter ; and by wisdom is generally meant in this book of proverbs , that which only deserves the name of true wisdom , i. e. vertue and the fear of god : for so the wise man explains himself when he says , the fear of the lord is the beginning , or ( as the original rather signifies ) the perfection of wisdom , and therefore the sense of the words is what i have already hinted it to be , viz. with piety are riches and honour , yea durable riches and righteousness . there is nothing more usual in the writings of solomon , than to reiterate the same assertion in substance with some variation of phrase . so at c. . v. . it is said , in the way of righteousness there is life , and in the path-way thereof there is no death . and c. . v. . his own iniquities shall take the wicked himself , and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins . and in conformity to these and many other places of the like nature , i take the two parts of my text to signifie one and the same thing , and that the different expression is only to set off the truth more advantagiously , and the repetition to inculcate and impress it the deeper upon the minds of men : so that riches and honour in this place signifies the same thing as riches and righteousness , and the difference lies only in the addition of durable , to make the latter part of the sentence more elegant and pathetick . now righteousness signifying most frequently in scripture , especially when it is joyned with riches , that part of general righteousness or universal justice which is opposite to avarice , and is usually called liberality and charity , the sense of the latter clause will be , that piety gives durable riches , and dispositions likewise to make a liberal and charitable use of them ; and consonant to this the honour in the first part of my text must denote that honour which arises from such a bountiful management of riches , and so is the consequent and effect of righteousness , which is nothing else but that due management . and thus the whole sense of the words seems to be briefly comprised in these three particulars . that piety is the most effectual means , . to gain riches certainly . . to enjoy them durably . and . to use them honourably . but this last proposition , that piety teaches to manage riches honourably , is that which will at first sight be granted by all men of reason ; since if honour be taken in the true notion , 't is nothing else but the testimony that is given to virtuous and good actions , and therefore cannot arise properly from any thing that is not guided by piety . nay , nothing is more dishonourable and detestable than to use riches as the idols of our affections , or the instruments of our vices , to covet them , doat upon them , and put our trust in them ; or to make them subservient to gratifie our lusts , oppress our neighbours , or obstruct the course of laws and justice . i shall therefore wave this as granted on all hands , and confine my present discourse to the former parts of my text , which seem more to stand in need of proof and illustration : namely , that piety is the most effectual means to gain riches , and to secure and perpetuate the possession of them . the most effectual means , i say ; for before i proceed further , i must premise , that all the sentences that occur in this book of proverbs are not universally infallible , and uncapable of any exception , but that the book does chiefly consist of such observations as are generally true , and such rules as prudence would commonly dictate : to give an instance of each , 't is a rule given , c. . v. . be not thou one of them that strike hands , or of them that are sureties for debts . and 't is an observation , c. . v. . the fear of the lord prolongeth days , but the years of the wicked shall be shortned . now the former of these is not so to be understood as if all suretiship were utterly unlawful , and that there could never happen a case in which love , gratitude or charity might require it at our hands ; but that it is very prudential not to engage in it commonly , nor without due caution , and previous consideration . nor is the latter to be taken in that sense , that god does never call a good man to himself before he arrives at grey hairs , or that the wicked are alwaies cut off in the vigor of their youth , but that in the ordinary course of things , and the common dispensation of providence , the fear of the lord does tend to the prolongation of life , and wickedness and debauchery hasten our dissolution . now agreeably to these and such like places , the meaning of my text is not that good men are alwaies favoured with wealth and riches , or that they never lose them when once obtained ; nor that 't is impossible for very vicious persons sometimes to be raised to fortunes and estates ; but that however god in his extraordinary providence may dispose of things , however he may sometimes in his wrath let sin flourish to make up the measure of its wickedness ; may let the ungodly be lusty and strong , secure from the misfortunes of other men , and prosperous till their eyes swell with fatness , and they do even what they list : and however on the contrary it may please him to deny riches to the good and vertuous , or to deprive them of those he had formerly given them , either to manifest his own power , to try their patience , to divert their minds from the world to better things , or by an act of the greatest mercy to deliver them from the temptation , when his omniscience foresees they would be ensnared by them : whatever , i say , may be the extraordinary dispositions of god's providence , yet ordinarily speaking , and according to the common course of things , vertue and good living does promote our temporal advantage , piety does contribute in its own tendency to the acquisition and enjoyment of wealth , doth naturally exert both her bounty and her power , does first enrich , and then protect her votaries . . to begin therefore with the first , that piety is the most effectual means to obtain riches . now the truth of this will appear from these following considerations . . that riches are the gift of god ; that they are not the goods of fortune , as fortune is taken for chance or accident , but as it is taken for the over-ruling providence of god himself , who as supream lord and master of the universe , disposes of all things in it according to his own good will and pleasure . whatever means mans desire can propose to it self , or his industry make use of , have all their being dependent upon this great governour of the world , and their success owing to his blessing . dost thou depend upon the work of thy hands , or the contrivance of thy thoughts , thy bodily strength , or the labour of thy mind ? both these are the power of that god who formed the one , and inspired the other , who by one single disease can enfeeble the limbs , and blind the understanding , can convert the most active force into trembling and weakness , and the most excellent judgment into frenzy and dotage . dost thou promise thy self full barns , and except encrease by the crop of thy fields ? 't is the same god that gives the former and latter rain in its season , and who can make a fruitful land barren , when provoked by the wickedness of those that dwell therein . art thou happy in the favour of thy prince , and perswaded thy self thou shalt be enrich'd by his bounty ? reflect that it was the lord who gave ioseph and daniel favour in the sight of their masters , and that in his hands are the hearts of kings , and he turns them as the rivers of waters . the stream of these earthly gods affection flows from the heavenly one , and thou must have first gain'd his favour , before thou canst hope to reap any good from that of his vicegerent . dost thou go down to the sea in ships , and occupy thy business in great waters ? even there thou mayest see the providence of god , and his wonders in the deep ; the stormy winds are at his command , and the destruction of all thy substance depends but upon the breath of his mouth ; thou reliest in vain upon the strength of thy vessels , and the skill of thy pilots , if his mercy deliver thee not from the rage of the deep , and bring thee to the haven where thou wouldest be . and indeed whoever does believe that there is a god , and consequently a wise and provident governour of the world , must be forced to grant that the success of all human enterprizes depends upon his disposition of things ; but lest we should not read this lesson plain enough in the book of nature , and so look no farther than our selves , and sacrifice to our own nets , lest we should admire our wisdom and management , and pride our selves that we have worked out our own fortunes , there is scarce any thing that we are more frequently put in mind of in scripture , than that plenty is the gift of heaven , and that 't is the blessing of the lord that maketh rich . i shall instance only in that one place of deut. . , . and following verses ; beware that thou forget not the lord thy god , in not keeping his commandments , and his iudgments , and his statutes , which i command thee this day , lest when thou hast eaten and art full , and hast built goodly houses , and dwelt therein , and thy flocks and thy herds multiply , and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied , and all that thou hast is multiplied ; then thine heart be lifted up , and thou forget the lord thy god — and thou say in thine heart , my power and the strength of my hand hath gotten me this wealth , but thou shalt remember the lord thy god , for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth . if therefore it be the blessing of god that maketh rich , and our increase be but the gift of his bounty , what can give us a more probable expectation of it than piety and vertue ? these are the things that are grateful in his sight ; persons that live according to these rules , have the honour of god's own approbation , and he calls them his good and faithful servants ; nay , what is yet more , they have the glorious character of his friends and favourites ; and who then should more reasonably hope for his gifts , than those that serve him religiously , and endeavour to please him ? if they are the favourites of the almighty , they may expect them as signs of his love , if they be his faithful servants , as rewards of their fidelity . . but if we are too short-sighted to discover the supream original and fountain of all our enjoyments , if the hand of god reaching out unto us our acquisitions be not sufficiently visible to our mortal eyes , yet let us in the second place consider what piety is , examine it in its self , and in its consequences , and we shall find it to be naturally productive of riches and plenty . piety in its latitude is nothing else but the habitual practice of moral and divine vertues , and if we do but reflect upon those , we shall find that there is not one in the whole catalogue , but is either of an evident and immediate tendency , or proves at least mediately instrumental to the enriching of its followers . for instance , industry or a vigorous prosecution of the works of our calling , not the least considerable of moral vertues , is the very parent of wealth and plenty . he becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand , but the hand of the diligent maketh rich , prov. . . industry is a noble sort of chymistry , which extracts oar out of the most mean and unlikely matter ; and there is scarce any employment so low , any capacity so weak and shallow , but , if diligence be not wanting , affords and procures not only what is necessary for life , but also a convenient provision for dependencies . temperance does more than one way contribute to the same end , it preserves the health of the body , and the vigor of the mind , two things highly necessary for the facilitating any of our designs ; it saves and preserves that time to add to our store , which its contrary vice would employ , or rather lose in diminishing it ; 't is a vertue of a double consequence , it secures our possessions , and encreases them , and like the builders of ierusalem , with one hand raises the wall , and with the other is arm'd against those that would demolish it . humility inclines the mind to think nothing is below it which is a part of its duty , and so provides for it self by descending to those offices which the fastidiousness of pride would starve rather than put its hand unto . peace , concord , and brotherly love , how do they tend to the enriching of the publick , and the prosperity of all ! wealth flourishes and grows only where it is cherished with the soft gales of peace , the rough storms of war with its attendants , wast , rapine and plunder , blast and destroy it . concord has alwaies had the reputation of increasing the smallest estates , and discord and quarrels , of ruining the greatest ; and then brotherly love , and mutual help makes every person of a double strength , and interchangeable kind offices and good turns help to exalt all together without the downfal of any . liberality and charity , whose office seems to be only to dispence and lay out what providence and industry bring in , even these themselves , which is something surprizing , have not the least share in enriching us : by liberality i mean that beneficence which respects others as they are servants and inferiours ; by charity that which has regard to them as necessitous and in distress . for first , liberality excites the affections , strengthens the hands , and redoubles the diligence of those that serve us , adds love to their duty , and by that active principle makes them break through the greatest difficulties , rather than lie under the shameful imputation of insensibility and ingratitude : so that what a man laies out liberally is as politickly as it is generously disposed , the fruit of it will abundantly answer the expence , and the seed sown in all probability produce a plentiful crop . and secondly , charity which dispences its goods for the deliverance of the oppressed , the sustenance of the poor , and the comfort of the miserable , will be so far from exhausting our stores , that its returns will at last be as ample , though perhaps not so immediately visible as those of frugality it self : not to mention the prevalency of the prayers of an afflicted soul with almighty god , which are importunate cravers , and generally successful intercessors for blessings upon the charitable , the vertue it self , even in its natural consequents , will not be unaccompanied with considerable advantages . for charity affects and warms the heart of those who receive it , as well as their miseries do the bowels of those that dispence it ; and as it moves their tongues in prayers , so will it likewise their hands too in services and acknowledgments . besides , 't is not a single person that is gained by a single act of charity ; all that are poor and miserable look upon themselves as a certain fraternity , and he that obliges and relieves one , is blest by all the rest ; they all think themselves bound to consult his advantage , to do him service , and to endeavour the encrease of his riches , who they see is ready upon occasion to dispence them to their use . now the most rich do depend upon the ministry of the poor , 't is their hands that gain riches who possess the least of them ; the winning therefore of these to our service , which is the natural consequence of charity , is the drawing in of more hands to our aid , and consequently the addition of more matter to enrich us . throw therefore thy bread upon these waters , and it shall return to thee after many days : charity is a fountain which at last flows into the sea with a much greater current than that it at first received from it ; what is thus bestowed shall be given back with ample interest and advantage , for the charitable man shall still have abundance , and the liberal soul shall be made fat . it would be too long to enumerate all the rest of the vertues in particular , and to shew the apparent influence of some , and the certain , though unseen concurrence of others to advance the fortunes of those that exercise them : these i have instanced in sufficiently make good the assertion , that vertues have a natural tendency to enrich good men , and that they who seek the kingdom of god and its righteousness , are in a fair expectation of having all these things added to them . i shall therefore hasten to my third consideration to evince this truth , and that is this . . credit and reputation in the world have a very great dependence upon honesty and an upright life , and they are things absolutely necessary for the promotion of our wealth and worldly interest . a good name is not only more precious than gold , but it is that which is instrumental in the obtaining of it . riches arise from a multiplicity of business , and that is never so apt to flow to any , as to him that has the reputation of just and faithful : no man loves to concern himself with a person in whom he can have no confidence , and confidence can never arise but from our own experience , or other mens attestation of the fidelity and honesty of him with whom we have to do . this is so apparent , that whosoever wrongs a man in his credit , is reckoned to be more injurious to him , than he that robs him of his goods ; since the one only takes away what he has at present , but the other deprives him of the means of ever getting more ; and accordingly all persons that have any commerce in the world , make it their greatest business to conserve a good name and a fair reputation . but certainly the only solid foundation of a good name is piety and vertue ; for how can he be thought to be just to his neighbour , who will rob his god of that honour that is due to him ; or to have any concern for the goods of another man , that has not the least care for his own soul ? this is so well known , that they who are not truly vertuous , are yet forced tacitly to confess the prevalency of piety , and to counterfeit that in appearance which they want in reality . but without doubt , if the outside and image of vertue be at all effectual , the substance of it must be much more so , must be a more certain , a more solid , and a more durable foundation of credit and a good name . hypocrisie stands upon a very slippery ground , 't is a difficult thing for it to be so quick-sighted as to take all its steps and measures aright , and yet the least trip discovers the design , unmasks the deceit , and proves the downfal of the hypocrite . besides , dissimulation puts the mind and thoughts to a kind of rack ; 't is a constant torture alwaies to stifle ones real sentiments , and pretend the contrary : now 't is next to impossible that nature should continually endure this violence without ever exerting it self , the heart is too active not sometimes to master the tongue and hands ; and whenever this happens , whenever providence , heedlesness or prevalency of passion laies open the intrigue , the hypocrisie serves but to make the man more ridiculous and detestable ; and the paint is but the more loathed for the resemblance it had to a real beauty . but true and intrinsick worth is an easie and a stable foundation of repute , the good man follows his own natural course , and makes no turnings to blind his designs , he is never afraid of the nearest search , nor ever stands in need of a subtle contrivance ; time it self that defaces all things , and discovers hypocrites , does but add to his lustre , makes his righteousness as clear as the light , and his just dealing as the noon-day : the roots of his reputation are sound , as well as its branches flourishing , the longer it stands , the more substantial it grows , and it s very old age is blooming and fruitful . since therefore vertue does so certainly produce and conserve a good name , it must be also the parent of wealth and riches , which depend upon nothing more than a general confidence the world has in us , and an universal reputation of honesty and fidelity . . and lastly , that piety and vertue are the most effectual means of obtaining riches , will hence appear , in that they direct to the use of those methods which are honest and lawful , and abominate all such as are false and unjust : now that the laudable and allowed means of acquisition must be likewise in their own nature the most efficacious and successful will certainly be confessed , if we consider that they are such as are chalked out , allowed and commanded by almighty god for this end , and the contrary are but the suggestions of the devil , and the inventions of vicious men ; if therefore the honest means of gain are not also such as are really and in effect the most productive of their end , one of these absurdities must necessarily follow , either that god almighty did not know what were the fittest means , or that he is not able to make them successful , or else that he delights in the disappointments of mankind ; the first of which would be a blasphemous robbing of god of his wisdom and omniscience , and would make the father of lies more prudent in his contrivances ; than the father of spirits ; the second would be a ridiculous denial of his omnipotence and power , and would make the efficacy of divine wisdom out-done by the wicked policy of the worst of men ; and the last would prove too undecent a reflection upon his justice and goodness , and would infer that god himself constantly does , what the height of human tyranny and cruelty seldom arrives to , please himself with the pains and troubles of the innocent , and the fruitless toils and labours of the industrious . and indeed if we would but reflect calmly and impartially , we should find that not only reason , but experience too confirms this assertion , that the honestest means are generally the surest ; and if we could but persuade our selves to make our observations of the occurrences in the world without envy , malice , or satyr , we should discover more instances of families raised , estates gained , and fortunes made , by diligence and labour , justice and truth , honest dealing and fidelity , and by actions truly noble and generous , than by slight , tricks , hypocrisie , perjury and baseness ; so that if we would either follow the light of reason , or the conduct of example , we must walk in the plain path that god laies open to us , and never consult our own vicious inclinations for by-discoveries , must be diligent in our callings , and honest in our designs , despise any helps that are shameful and base , and trust to providence for happiness and success . . piety therefore is in its own nature the most effectual means of obtaining the goods of this world , and the vertuous man is most likely to be rich ; yet still all riches are but transitory things , they make themselves wings and fly away ; can vertue change their uncertain nature , and make that which is so slippery become firm and stable ? yes even in this respect too the prevalency of goodness is very conspicuous ; though it does not pretend infallibly to assure our temporal enjoyments , and to make its acquisitions as eternal as it self , yet it brings along with it the greatest security such things are capable of ; durable riches are with her , she does not only assist her votaries in their pursuit , but confirms them likewise in a lasting possession , which is my second particular . now the securing of riches , or making them durable , may be considered in a double respect , either ( . ) in relation to our selves , or ( . ) in relation to our posterity . . in relation to our selves ; piety contributes to the securing of plenty and riches to their present possessors , or to those that gain them ; and here though the matter be capable of very ample illustration from several topicks , yet it being an approved maxim , that all things are best preserved by the same means they are produced , having already proved that vertue is the best method of acquiring wealth , i need not spend much time to evince that 't is the best means of preserving it likewise ; to omit therefore the arguments which may be taken from the blessing of god which surrounds his servants with his providence , from the love and kindness of men which is a natural product of goodness , from the hatred and envy that constantly attends those who raise themselves by undue means , from the unconstancy of vice it self , and consequently of all that depends upon it ; to omit , i say , these and several other such like heads of discourse , i shall confirm this present proposition only with these two considerations . . that whatever is got by means that are repugnant to piety , is not to be kept , but must be parted with ; repentance is a severe sort of physick , and must purge away all our acquired corruptions , before it can restore us into a state of spiritual health ; restitution of what we have unjustly gotten from our neighbour is absolutely necessary in order to our reconciliation with god ; that must be returned by compassion and charity , which was extorted by rapine and oppression ; whatever was got by flattering or assisting others in their debaucheries , must be employed in that which shall promote piety , and encourage the virtuous ; the fruits of perfidy , fraud and deceit must be all amassed together , to make a free-will offering for the sins that gained them , and we must wash our hands of the product , if ever we would have our souls washed of the guilt ; what a miserable sort of delusion is this , to make haste to heap up riches by such means , that if ever we consider we must make more haste to refund them ! whereas he that scorns any ill means of encreasing his store , and makes his desires still move in obedience to his duty , he that lays hold on nothing , but that to which justice gives him a right , nor consults the devil and his lusts to gain that which is the gift of god , such a man finds himself secure in his enjoyments , he can shew his title to them by the grant of the king of kings , whom he has faithfully served , and by whose bounty he hath been enriched , can with samuel challenge the whole world to lay claim to any thing in his hands , he can look on his own fortune , without reflecting on his neighbours ruine , and as he gain'd honestly and without sin , so he can enjoy securely and without remorse . . my second consideration to prove that vertue contributes to the securing of riches , is that all vices have a natural tendency to impoverish mankind , and were not the gains of impiety to be refunded , yet it s own sinful off-spring would devour and consume them . to instance in some few , ambition treads upon wealth , if it be to mount to honour , and will make it self really poor only to have the vanity of appearing great ; luxury and riot know no bounds , and the revenue of nature it self will scarce satisfie the appetite of that person that gives himself over to the dominion of his palate ; lust and debauchery destroy body and estate together , and the greatest comfort they afford , is that they ruine the person as fast as his wealth , and the man is not like to survive his poverty ; idleness and sloth does constantly waste without any acquisition , and lets that rust and corrupt through disuse , that should be preserved and improved by action and management ; anger , envy and malice engage in enmity and quarrels , chargeable always in the carrying on , and in the consequence generally pernicious ; and faction and disobedience expose the authors to the vengeance of the magistrate , and their fortunes fall a victim to justice . even avarice it self which locks up and guards what it has with-held from its own nourishment and the wants of the distressed , does not only rob it self of the use of what it has , and so in effect makes it as if it were not , but seems also to provoke the whole world to engage in its ruine ; the avaricious person is looked upon as a common enemy , and every one rejoyces when he is either by subtlety or force spoiled on his beloved mammon , he invites thieves to rob him , the cunning to deceive him , and generally even his nearest relations to cheat and circumvent him ; in short , he has the constant torment of being always watchful and never secure ; so that vertue must needs be an admirable preservative of our fortunes , in preventing so many spoilers which our lust , passion or folly do naturally produce , in securing us from all that might impoverish us from within by humility , diligence and temperance ; and defending us from all that may hurt us from without , by the exercise of kindness , obedience and charity . . but the efficacy of piety is not bounded here , it reaches beyond the grave , and entails its blessings upon future generations ; posterity is secured by it in the enjoyment of the fortunes of its predecessors , and the good man is a benefactor as well as a parent even to remote successions , which is the last thing i am to shew . it was well observed by the poet , that the third heir has seldom cause to vaunt of an estate unjustly gotten , the curse of god goes along with it , and a secret worm eats and devours it ; as the means of getting it were shameful , and could not bear the light , so the ruine of it is wrought by an invisible hand , and we see the downfal even when we cannot discern the blow . though god almighty may sometimes , for reasons best known to his divine wisdom , not only suffer the ungodly to flourish like a green bay-tree , but to have children likewise at his desire , to die in peace , and leave the rest of his substance to his babes , yet the next that goes by observes that his family is gone , he seeks him , but his place can no where be found ; the vain hopes of calling the land after his own name are soon vanished , and there is now no means left to know that there ever was such a person , but the greatness of his ruines , or the cursed memory of his oppressions . but the generation of the faithful shall be blessed as well as himself , riches and honours are established in his house , and his righteousness endureth for ever . god is pleased for the encouraging of vertue , to take care not only of good men themselves , but likewise of that which is their greatest concern , their children and posterity , and so to shew mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments ; even wicked persons themselves have been spared , blessings continued , yea and kingdoms prolonged in a family , for the sake of an abraham , an israel or a david . besides , if riches have been obtained by laudable means , the same piety which regulated their acquisition , will mould and instruct those that are to inherit them , and will make parents as sollicitous of propagating their piety as their being to their posterity , and so support their family with the double foundation of their descendants vertues and their own ; so that he that shall begin his observations young , and continue them on to a good old age , yet shall scarce ever discover in all the varieties of the world , one righteous man forsaken , or his seed begging their bread . by what has been said i hope i have in some measure evinced the truth of what i at first proposed , namely , that piety and vertue , though they are not infallible and never-failing means of raising a fortune in the world , yet are in their own nature and according to the common course of things , the most probable means of acquiring wealth and riches , of securing their possession to our selves , and continuing their descent to our posterity , and that therefore riches and honour are with them , yea durable riches and righteousness . from the preceding discourse there may be several very useful inferences drawn , to which i cannot now speak particularly ; as ( . ) we may hence discover the infinite love of god to us , in endeavouring to win us to our duty by two motives so agreeable to human nature , as the enriching our selves , and providing for our posterity . ( . ) the great folly , as well as wickedness of pursuing unjust gain , or using unlawful means of acquisition . ( . ) the unreasonableness of retaining what piety , charity , or any other part of our duty calls upon us to dispence . ( . ) the imprudence as well as sinfulness of spending that time which is set apart for devotion and the service of god upon our private employments . and ( . ) the unhappy mistake of too many parents , in thinking they have made a good provision for their children , when they have taught them cunning and policy , and instructed them in an employment , without imprinting in their minds the rules of vertue , and the principles of religion . but not having time to prosecute these , i must content my self barely to have named them , and must recommend these , and such other inferences that arise from what has been said , to your own private meditation . now to god the father , &c. finis . an account of a child born at furbick in darbyshire the th of january, , with a top-knot and rowle on its head, of several colours : with a seasonable caution against pride. g. v. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing v estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an account of a child born at furbick in darbyshire the th of january, , with a top-knot and rowle on its head, of several colours : with a seasonable caution against pride. g. v. p. printed by t. sowle, london : . caption title. "licensed febr. the th, ." reproduction of original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng pride and vanity. conduct of life. abnormalities, human. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an account of a child born at fvrbick in darbyshire , the th . of january . with a top-knot and rowle on its head , of several colours . with a seasonable caution against pride . licensed febr. the th . . isa . . . i will punish the world for their evil , and the wicked for their iniquity ; and i will cause the arrogancy of the proud t● cease , and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible . god who worketh signs and wonders in heaven , and in earth , that humbled king nebuchadnezar for his pride ; and made him confess to the greatness of his power , and acknowledge that all the inhabitants of the earth are as nothing before him . who doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none can stay his hand , or say to him , what doest thou ? whose works are truth , and his wayes judgement ▪ and those that walk in pride he is able to abase . this almighty god , in this latter age , hath shewed his signs in heaven , and in earth , and signally manifested his sore displeasure against the crying and reigning sin of pride , and the manifold abominations of this sinful nation ; a people laden with iniquity , the pride of whose countenances testify against them and the crown of pride is on their heads . they declare their sin as sodom ( which was pride , &c. ) they hide it not , wo unto their soul : and unto the haughty daughters of england , who walk with stretched out necks , wanton eyes , and high towering dresses on their heads , and spots on their faces , mincing as they go : the lord can smite them with a scab , the crown of the head of the proud daughters of england , if they do not speedily repent , and take away the bravery of their high dresses , their chains , their rings , their changeable suits of apparel , ●●eir cornets and commodes , &c. & instead of a sweet smell , or costly perfume , cause a stink ; instead of their fine stomachers , a girding with sorrow or sackcloth ; and burning instead of beauty . and thy men ( as many already have ) to fall by the sword , and thy mighty in the war. and thy gates , oh london may yet more lament and mourn , as when they lay in ashes ; and thy fine and stately houses become dissolate , by the earths opening her mouth , and swallowing up many of thine inhabitants , and their sumptuous habitations , as it hath in countreys remote , by dreadful earthquakes , if thine and englands inhabitants do not spe●dily repent , and turn from the evil of their ways , and forsake their abominable pride and ungodliness , the cause of gods wrath , and their misery ; and while they have time seek after him , and to make their peace with him whom they have so grievously offended , and so highly provoked : and by a lively , and stedfast faith , lay hold of christ his dear son , that dyed for our sins , and rose again for our justification ; and come to learn of him who was a lively pattern , and heavenly ensample of humility , being meek and lowly in heart , and freely invites all to come unto him , and to learn of him , that they may find rest and peace unto their souls ; a virtue greatly wanting among many of englands inhabitants , this day , the lord incline their hearts to seek after it . and now i shall give you a short relation which i received , and doubt not the truth of , concerning a child lately born at furbeck near balber-hall in darbyshire , on the th . of the last month in this present year / with a perfect top-knot of great height , with colours of red and black in it , and a rowl behind its head. and a woman present taking it in her arms beheld it , and said to some women that beheld it also ; go home and burn your top-knots , for said she , if i were a queen i would burn mine . the childs fathers name i forbear to mention , having not his consent . the child lived but a short time , and was buryed on the th of the same month. when it was dead , the top-knot fell upon its face , and it s repo●ted it was longer then a mans hand . and altho' i write thus ●autiously , assure thy self reader , this is no fiction , nor grubstreet story , forged to get a penny by , but published on this wise , in good will , that people may be warned against pride , and running into such like foolish and extravagant dresses , and to fear god , and seriously consider his handy-work herein ; and whether it doth not evidently bespeak gods great dislike of those abominable dresses , and his high displeasure against pride , and such like attire ; and whether it doth not loudly call , and hath a speaking voice in it to the haughty women of our age , to leave off those dresses to humble themselves , forsake their pride , and amend their doings , and weep in secret places for their pride before the lord ; as his prophet jeremiah advises , jer . . for god can take them away that rejoyce therein , bring distruction upon them , cause them to fall , and to be taken in their pride , therefore , let all consider , and repent with all their hearts , while they have time , ( lest they come under that wo , the lord pronounced to the crown of pride , which he hath determined shall be troden under foo● , see isa . . ) for their dayes here are at most short , their moments uncertain , their breath in the lords hand , that can withdraw it in the twinkling of an eye ; & if in a dying hour they should be sensible of the want of peace with him , and a certain assurance of eternal bliss , what will their riches , costly array , and fine dresses do them good , o then the time they have mispent in attiring their heads and houses of clay : and in pride , excess , and superfluity will be an aggravation of their grief , and an increase of their sorrow , in such a season . therefore repent repent , and amend your doings , ye haughty ones , and no longer continue in your pride and wickedness ; for the devil is king over all children of pride , see job . . and the wicked shall be turned into hell , and all the nations of them that forget god , see psal . . . and know that god that suffered this top-knot and rowle to be on this childs head , can cause the like on your children . and consider also you that spot your faces , with patches , that he can also cause your children to be born with such spots , that you would as gladly cover , as you put them on . and therefore , you that have children born in their perfect shapes , and right features , praise the lord , and prize his mercy , for it , and apply your hearts to his grace , and learn of it , that you may be taught to live worthy of that , and all his mercy , and to deny all ungodliness , and unrighteousness , which is the cause of gods wrath , and your misery , whilst you continue therein , therefore come to christ to take away the cause , and the effect will cease ; and you through faith and obedience to him , may know salvation from sin to your immortal souls : so wisheth and prayeth your friend , g. v. london febr. th . / london , printed by t. sowle , at the crooked billet in holywell-lane , shoreditch . the book of nature translated and epitomiz'd. by george sikes. sikes, george. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s b estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the book of nature translated and epitomiz'd. by george sikes. sikes, george. , [ ] p. s.n.], [london : printed in the yeer . place of publication from wing. errata at foot of p. . cropped at head; some print show-through. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the book of nature translated and epitomiz'd . psal. . , . rom. . , . by george sikes . printed in the yeer . chap. i. four degrees of created beings . there are four generall degrees of creatures , by which as four distinct rounds in the ladder of created nature , man may ascend to the right knowledg of himself and of god. there was no other generall and visible book for mankind to read the mind of god in , and their duty towards him , for the first . yeers of the world . then began the book of the holy scriptures to be written by moses , which was finished by john , about the yeer . the former volume of it was peculiarly committed to the jews . to them perteined the giving of the law , the service of god , and the promises . other nations took little notice of it , till the promised messiah came in the flesh , and brake down the middle wall of partition between them and the jews ; on which , the holy oracles became common to all the world . but this book , though it do more perfectly , excellently , and fully declare the mind of god , as to the duty and concerns of man , then the book of nature , yet doth it no wayes rescind , obliterate , or invalidate it . that book is yet in being , and doth by the various voices and lines thereof , administer the same significant instruction unto man , as from the beginning . and hereof is he obliged to take notice , even by the scriptures of truth , as may appear by the two places thereof , quoted in the title-page , with others , which , for brevity , i refer to the reader's enquiry . . the first generall degree , or lowest rank of creatures , comprehend's all those things that have being only , not life , sense , or understanding . . the d comprehend's all such things as have being and life only , not sense nor understanding . . the third comprehend's all those creatures that have being , life , and sense , but not reason or understanding . . the fourth comprehend's only those creatures , that have being , life , sense , and understanding with free-will , which are rationall and intellectuall powers . in the lowest round of this ladder , the first degree of created beings , we find more various species or kinds , as also more individualls , then in the second ; in the second , more then in the third ; in the third , more then in the fourth . there is but one species or nature at all , in the fourth , to wit , humane ; and not so many individuals as in any of the former trhee . . in the first degree , we find abundance of distinct species or natures of things , one above another , in dignity ; the four elements , all inanimate compounds , the visible heavens with the furniture thereof , sun , moon , and stars . water excells the earth , and is scituated above it . air excells water in dignity and scituation . fire excells air . the celestial orbes with their furniture , excell them all , the glory of the celestial bodies , it one : the glory of the terrestrial , another . there is one glory of the sun ; another , of the moon ; another , of the stars . and one star differeth from or excelleth another star , in glory . there are also many kinds or species of metalls and mineralls generated under the earth , very different in worth and excellency , as gold , silver , copper , tinn , ledd ; brimstone , alume , &c. there are also divers sorts of precious stones , different in worth , as diamonds , rubies , saphirs , and the rest ; amongst which , the diamond has the pre-eminence . many other kinds of things there are in the first degree , of different natures from each other ; together with all sorts of artificiall things , which agree in this , that they have being only , not life , sense , nor understanding . . in the second degree , are all trees and plants or herbs . of both sorts there are many species , distinguish'd from and surmounting one another in their different properties , qualities , and usefulness . they draw nourishment from the earth , whereby they do grow , bring forth fruit and seed for the use of man , as also for the multiplying of themselvs . . in the third degree are conteined all variety of creatures that have being , life , and sense , but not reason . sense here is comprehensive of whatsoever is found in meer animals , birds , beasts , fishes , and creeping things , over and beyond what is to be found in any things of the second rank , to wit , plants and trees . . in the fourth round of nature's ladder , we find but one species or nature only ; man 's . in man is summ'd up and put together whatever is found in the other three degrees , to wit , being , life , and sense , advanc'd into a union with reason or understanding and free-will . this nature is lord of the other three , and ought to own no other lord over it , but god himself . these four degrees of things , well considered ( of which there can be no doubt , as being evident unto the common reason and experience of mankind ) we may , by duly comparing and observing of them ( as to their agreements with , or differences from each other ) gain great instruction , as to our duty towards god , and advantages therein , both temporall and eternall . chap. . section . i. the generall agreement that is found in the constitution of man , with other creatures . the agreement or similitude man hath with the three inferiour sorts of creatures , is twofold , general and special . so also is his difference from them , or excellency above them , generall and special . his general agrement is this . . he has being , with elements , sun , moon , stars , and all inanimate compounds . his body is compounded of , nourished and mainteined by the elements and products thereof , as other things are . he dwells and lives in and by them , every moment . . he has life , with trees and plants . they live , are nourish'd , grow , encrease , and multiply , by propagation of their like . the herb yeeldeth seed , and the fruit-tree yeeldeth fruit after his kind , whose seed is in itself . gen. . . . in harmony or agrement with things of the third degree , birds , beasts , fishes , and every thing that creepeth upon the earth , he has outward senses ; seing , hearing , &c. he has also all the inward senses , powers , or faculties of animalish life . he has the attractive , retentive , digestive , and expulsive powers , in order to growth , nourishment , and generation . he sees , hear's , smell 's , tast's , sleep's , wake 's , eates , drink 's , &c. as they do . no degree then of created being , is wanting in the composition of every individual man. he ha's being , with all inanimate parts of the creation ; life , with herbs and trees ; sense , with beasts , reason , with angels . he is the only true microcosm , or little world , in whose nature and constitution is put together al the variety of nature that 's to be found in the whole creation . sect . ii. the fruit or profit that 's to be reaped from this general agrement of man with all inferiour creatures . from this general view and comparison of himself with all inferiour creatures , may man argue and certainly conclude , that there is some invisible lord over him , who gave to all inferiour things what they have ; and to himself , what he has . if he had given to inferiour things , what they have , he had bin their creatour . if inferiour things had given him , what he has , they had given him more then they have in themselvs , and would be superiour to him . the same almighty lord made , order'd , proportion'd , and limited all , within their severall bounds . all are the works of his hands . he made us , and not we ourselvs . ps. . . again , the excellent order of so different and innumerable things , demonstrates the creatour to be but one . every inferiour order of things is exactly calculated and fitted to the use and service of it's superiour . the elements enter the constitution of trees and plants , nourishing them continually . herbs and the fruits of trees enter into creatures endued with sense , and nourish them . elements , herbs , fruits , and the flesh of beasts , enter into man , and nourish him . the celestial bodies , sun , moon and stars do influence and give vigour and warmth unto all . thus do inferiour things help the superiour , in great unity , harmony , and order . things in the first , second , and third degrees , are ordeined for the service of man , who is the only creature in the fourth . now if the many particular and speciall natures , comprehended in the three general degrees of inferiour things , be ordeined for the relief and service of one nature only , to wit , man's ; much more ought that nature to yeeld itself wholly up to the service of one only nature above it , the divine . there are many distinct special natures comprehended under one generall , in the three inferiour degrees of things . there are many species or natures in the first ; elements , sun , moon , stars , metals , mineralls , stones , &c. in the second , are many several natures , species or kinds of trees and plants . in the third , are several kinds of birds , beasts , fishes , and creeping things , very different in their natures . but in the fourth , we find only one nature or species , wherein all the individuals do agree . all the severall species or distinct natures of things in the first degree , are united in one generall consideration , as having being only . all the several species in the second , have being and life only . all in the third , agree in this , that they have being , life and sense only , not reason . thus may we observe a generall unity of the distinct respective species under the three inferiour degrees of creatures . in the fourth , all are of one species or particular nature , differing only individually . and that nature which is above humane , and all the rest , must have one degree of unity above humane , to wit , numericall , without any diversity , so much as in individuals . one degree of unity ought to be acknowledg'd incident to the divine nature , above humane , which can be no other , or lesse then this ; that one and the same undivided substance , nature , or essence , be found in three divine persons , really distinct from , and yet most intimately one with each other . otherwise would nor the unity of divine nature in three persons , be superiour to the unity of humane nature in three or more men . all created natures are gathered up and knit together in humane nature , which is but one species ; and humane nature is united with the supream nature of all . so comes the whole world to be consummated and terminated in the greatest unity that is possible . moreover , he that gave being , life , sense , and understanding to his creatures , has all these eminently and incomparably in himself , beyond what they are in the creature . he has being , life , sense , and understanding , in supream perfection and unity . he had them from all eternity in himself , he received them not from any other , nor did he give them to himself . they are not limited in him . for who should measure them out unto him ? they are infinite , immeasurable , and boundless . they are all one and the same thing , in him . life , sense , and understanding , are the self-same thing with his being . in him is no composition . what then is attributable unto his being , is attributable to all the rest . if his being be infinite , his understanding is infinite , &c. thus having found out the infinite perfection of god , by the finite things which he hath made , we may further conclude from such infinite perfection , that he made not the world , as standing in need of any thing his creatures could be or do unto him , for ever . but in meer bounty , did he communicate unto them their being , in order to bring them into a final state of indissoluble union with himself , which is their utmost perfection and eternall blessednes . chap. . section . i. the special agrement or harmony , that is found in the constitution of man , with other creatures . . man has a special harmony with the lowest sort of inferiour things , in the frame or composition of his body , as also in the scit●ation of the parts thereof . he is made up of the same elemental materials with them . the nobler and more excellent of them are scituated above those of lesser value . the celestial bodies are highest ; the earth is the lowest part of the visible creation . the elements , according to their different intrinsecall worth and usefulnes , have their place and scituation in the universe , higher , or lower . so in the body of man , the head , as the noblest part , is the highest : the feet , as the meanest , are the lowest . and as the heavenly bodies do influence and rule the inferiour parts of the world , so do the head , hands , and other superiour parts of man's body , govern and order the inferiour . . man has a special agrement or similitude with things of the second degree , in the production of his body . the seed of plants and trees is sown and lies hid for a season in the earth ; so is the seed from which man in due time springs up , sown and covered in the lowest parts of the earth . again , from one small seed , wherein is no apparent diversity , but great similitude of parts , many very different things do spring up and come forth , as roots , stock , bark , pith , leaves , flowers , fruits , and seeds . in like manner , from the small seed of man , wherein is no discernable dissimilitude or diversity of parts , do so many different , and wonderfull parts come forth , head , eyes , nose , ears , tongue , hands , fingers , leggs , feet , toes , brain , heart , lungs , stomack , liver , spleen , reins , bones , nervs , veins , arteries , &c. when we duly consider such a number of different parts , so fitly disposed , qualified , temper'd and scituated for our use , we may well conclude , that we are fearfully and wonderfully made , curiously wrought or embroidered by the hand of the lord . . thirdly , man has a special agrement and much more likenes yet , with things of the third degree , in the production , constitution , and life of his body . they are generated by male and female ; so is he . they are formed and in due season brought forth , as he . they have head , eyes , nose , mouth , tongue , teeth , heart , liver , stomack , and other parts , as he . they can se , hear , goe from place to place , eat , drink , digest , and be nourish'd , as he . and as in time , they come to die , and return to the earth , from whence they sprung up , so he . for that which befalleth the sons of men , befalleth beasts ; as the one dieth , so dieth the other . all go unto one place . all are of the dust , and all turn to dust again . the spirit of man goeth upward , and the spirit of the beast goeth downward to the earth , as well as his body : but the bodies of both return alike unto dust . sect . ii. the fruit that 's to be reaped from this special agrement of man with inferiour creatures . . the knowledg hence to be gained , is like unto the former ; as a farther strengthning and confirmation thereof . the special agrement of man does more and more confirm us in this perswasion , that the same workman made all , and that the same lord that made them , orders and disposes all things by his counsell and providence , to the uses and ends by him intended . . the infinite power , wisdom , and goodnes of the creatour and disposer of all things , does appear in this , that out of the same elementary matter , he form 's up such innumerable different things , as are to be found in the visible creation ● the chief and most excellent whereof , is the body of man , qualified and organized for the performance of all manner of rationall , sensitive , and vegetal operations , by his spirit . we may farther conclude , that he who could form up such an excellent thing as is the body of man , out of the lowest element , can exalt it yet higher , out of the state and fashiō of an earthly , mortal body , into the state of a spiritual , heavenly , and immortal body . cor. . . this advance of knowledg may we gain from our special agrement with other creatures . 't is our duty and concern , thus to mark and spell out the significant instruction , which by the voices of the creatures is ministred unto us , in the book of nature . so much of the agrement of man with other creatures , general , and special ; with the fruits of both . chap. . section . . the generall difference of man from other creatures . the difference of man from other creatures is also general and special , as well as his agrement with them . a greater degree of knowledg is atteinable , by considering his difference from , or excellency above them , then by considering those things , faculties , powers , organs , and operations , wherein he agrees with them . the knowledg atteinable from his agrement with them , wil profit us little or nothing , unlesse we proceed also to take notice of his difference from them . in order to this , we are first to consider the difference that the three inferiour degrees of creatures have from one another , which is also general and special . their general difference hath bin already spoken to . things of the second degree excell those of the first , by having life , which is not to be found in the first . things of the third , excell them both , by having sense , which is not found in either of them . man ha●s being , life , and sense , in a generall community or fraternity with them ; and he has , over and above , reason and free-will , which none of them have . herein lies his general difference from , or excellency above them all . there are also special differences to be found amongst inferiour creatures , under each of the three general degrees . there are many distinct natures , species or kinds , under the same general degree . . under the first , the elements differ in dignity , nature , qualities , and scituation , one from another . amongst metals , gold has a peculiar nature and excellency above silver ; silver , above tinn ; tinn , above lead , &c. amongst stones , one is more excellent then another , by its peculiar nature , and specifical difference from others . yet all these things do agree and meet together in one general degree of creatures , that have being only ; not life , sense , or understanding . . under the second general degree of things , that have being and life only , there are many also and great specifical differences . all the various kinds of trees and plants , have their peculiar natures , distinct from one another . . in the third general degree of creatures , there are many kinds of beasts , birds , fishes , and creeping things , that have their peculiar natures , very different from one another . . in the fourth and highest generall degree , are no such special differences . we find only one nature or species ; humane . all men are of one and the same nature , or kind . they differ only as distinct individuals . one man may have many individual differences from , and excellencies above another , in his personal constitution , qualifications , acquirements , or gifts ; but his nature is one and the same with his fellows . if god strip such a man of his accidental ornaments in mind or body , whereby he excell'd others , ( as is familiar to observation ) he does not thereby lose his nature ; which demonstrates that those differencing incidents to his person , advanc'd him not above the sphere of that nature , which all men partake of . when many peeces of cloth , equal in worth , are variously coloured , the different value of the superadded tinctures makes them to be of different prices . but all such differences are accidental to the clothes . all men have the rational powers , called understanding and will , which equally difference them from all inferiour creatures . but accidental differences , incident to these rational powers , may render some men fit to ascend over the heads of others , into places of superiority . having thus taken notice of the differences that are found in the three inferiour orders of things , both general and special , let us now observe the difference that is found in the nature of man , from them all , which also is both general and special . is wholly delectable , and that in him alone is absolute satisfaction to be had . he is an infinite , boundless good , and he is communicable to us , or capable to be enjoy'd by us . yea , even his own infinite understanding and desire have absolute and compleat satisfaction in his own infinite being , and unutterably desireable goodnes . . having thus ascended by the creatures , to some general knowledg of the creatour , as infinite in wisdom , power , goodnes , and all possible perfections ; let us descend again to the consideration of ourselvs , and of our duty towards god. man is generally differenced from brut's , by his understanding and will. all things then that we rightly conclude from this general difference , must be concluded from the due consideration of his understanding or will , or both together . whatever he is bound to doe , as a man , perteins to one or both of these powers . these ought he to use in such a way only , as is conducible to his own true good , perfection , and blessednes ; and not against himself , to his own disadvantage , damage and destruction . whatever any creature received from the hād of god that made it , it received to its own advantage , and ought to use it so . inferiour creatures fail not so to use it ; and shall man only , the master-peece and lord of all the rest , miscarry in this great point ? each element enlarges itself as much as it can , and destroy's its contrary , but never does any thing against itself . things of the second degree , trees and plants , do draw convenient nourishment from the earth and water , for their augmentation , growth , and support in life . they fix their roots in the earth , and multiply their kind . in like manner do things of the third degree , beasts , birds , fishes , and creeping things . they seek and lay hold on what 's good for them ; flie , avoid , and refuse what 's hurtful ; and multiply themselvs by generation . and ought not man , the lord of all these things , carefully to improve what he has , to the glory of his maker , and his own true profit and advantage ( which is inseperably connexed therewith ) as much as he can ; and not at all against god , and consequently against himself , to his own detriment ? if he do abuse them to his own ruine , he alone in the whole visible creation , act 's contrary to the glory of god , to his own true good , to the order of the universe , and common law of nature in all creatures . he alone , for whose use and service the rest were made , does perversly deviate from the general order and due course of nature , in all . the rational powers of man , as they are more excellent then any thing that is found in inferiour creatures , so ought they more heedfully to be improved , to the praise of him that gave them , and man 's own true profit , advantage , joy , peace , consolation and blessednes ; not against the honour of god , and so to his own damage . he ought to resist those fleshly , foolish , and hurtfull lusts , which war against his soul , and tend to the sinking and drowning of him in destruction and perdition . tim. . . . we may conclude from this general difference of man from other creatures , by his understanding and will ( which are given him for his own true profit and advantage ) that his understanding is able to se and conclude such truths , as are evidently conducible to his welbeing and comfort , and to oppose and reject the errours , contrary thereunto . t' is his true interest and advantage , that there is a god , infinitly powerful , wise , holy , just , and good ; that there is a resurrection , and an eternal reward of just men ; that god is able so to principle and qualify men , as to render them fit for such reward . these , with many other truths , which conduce to the true good and blessednes of man , may and ought , on that very account , to be owned and asserted . if the contraries thereunto be enterteined , owned , and asserted by him , his understanding which was given him to use for his profit , is abused to his ruine , against the law of nature . he enterteins and own 's false perswasions , destructive to his own being , enemies to his own soul ; and so abuses his understanding , to his damage , despondency , and ruine , that was given him to use for his profit and salvation . he does thereby , what in him lies , destroy and render void his own nature and all the rest , even the whole universe , whereas inferiour creatures do exactly use and improve their various natural powers to their own advantage , and for the preservation of the universe . . by man's will and the freedom thereof , duly considered , may we yet attein a more distinct and ful knowledg of god , of ourselvs , and of our obligation and duty to god. inferiour creatures have no power over their own operations . they act by natural impulse and necessity . man ha's power to consider of any thing , and deliberate within himself , whether he were best to do it or no , before he does it . he know's his own works , and can judg of his own actions , whether they be good or evil . by the freedom of his will , he is lord of his own operations . his works may properly be called his own , as done by the choice of his own will. other creatures may rather be said to be acted , then to act , being carried by such an instinct and impulse , planted in them by the creatour , as determin's them constantly one way , exclusive to any exercise of deliberation or choice . hence it follow 's , that the works of man , being properly his own , are imputable to him ; the works of inferiour creatures , not so to them . they sin not , because they have no power to do any thing upon deliberation , and by choice . hence also may we conclude , that the works of man are honourable and praise-worthy , or culpable and shameful . the former are capable of approbation and reward : the latter , of detestation and punishment . the actions of man do leave behind them desert or guilt . they do adorn and cloath , or stain , vitiate and corrupt him , accordingly as they are good or evil . the actions of other creatures have none of all these properties . good actions do more and more dispose and incline a man to good : evil ones do more deprave him , habituate and incline him unto evil . if man use not his understanding and will aright , in doing what he ought , he perverts what was given him for his good , to his own damage and confusion , and to the disturbance of the general order and harmony of the universe . four things do follow the works of man , desert , guilt , reward , punishment . desert is the natural consequent of a good work ; reward a consequent of desert . guilt is the natural consequent of an evil work ; and punishment is the certain consequent of guilt . the inseperable properties of the works of man , in distinction from the works of inferiour creatures , are , first ; that they are his own ; secondly , that they are imputable to him ; thirdly , that they leave merit or demerit , desert or guilt behind them ; fourthly , that therefore reward or punishment is due unto man , for them . section . iii. another use or fruit of this general difference . forasmuch as the rewards and punishments , due unto all the good and evil works of man , are not dispensable by man ; there must needs be some one above him , that can reward and punish him , in a suitablenes and correspondency to his works . this can be no other but god alone , who exactly know's all the works of all men , with all their aggravations and dimensions , to the full . if man can sin and deserve punishment , some one there is against whom he sin's , who know's all his sins , and can punish or pardon him . both the fault , and the consequent guilt , obligation , or debt thereby contracted , do argue there is a god , that can punish man for his sins . this then is a good argument ; man can sin , therefore there is a god ; and this also ; man can do and deserve well , therefore there is a god , who is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him . heb. . . thus from the works of man , as man , we may conclude there is a god , who is the only meet rewarder and punisher of his actions . we may farther conclude from the works of men , and the recompence thereof , both wayes , in rewards and punishments , that the rewarder and punisher thereof is omniscient , omnipotent , and most just . he perfectly know's all the thoughts , intentions , desires , words , and actions of all men , that ever were , are , or shal be . so can he exactly proportion rewards and punishments thereunto . he must be absolutely infallible in his knowledg of all the circumstances and aggravations of every step man makes , within or without , in thought , word , or deed . otherwise , how can he be exactly and absolutly just , in recompencing them ? and how numberless are the thoughts , words , and actions of one mā , in a race of , or yeers , more or less ? how innumerable then must all the works , words , desires and thoughts of many millions of men , in all places and ages of the world , needs be ? and what then must he be , that know's all , in such sort , as exactly to proportion rewards and punishments thereunto ? his understanding must be infinite , who is the infallible judg of all these matters . and he must also be omnipotent , that is able to perform , and effectually to dispense such rightly proportion'd rewards and punishments unto all men , for their numberless thoughts , words , and actions , good or evil . otherwise , the due recompence of all may yet faile . as for the justice of god , shall not the judg of all the earth do right ? can he do wrong ? his will is the supream rule of all justice . to sum up all then . man , by the free exercise of his rational powers , can perform works good or evill . there is therefore some rewarder and punisher of all men : and he must be infinitly wise , powerful , and just ; that every thought , word , and action of every man , may receive its due recompence . sect . iv. the principal reward or punishment of man , is intellectual , spiritual , and invisible ; not corporeal , sensible , or visible . the rational powers , by which man is distinguish'd from beasts , and other inferiour creatures , are the root of all such operations as deserve reward or punishment . these being intellectual , invisible powers , the rewards and punishments must be so , too . the liberum arbitrium , or power of working arbitrarily , in its true and full extent , comprehend's both the rational powers , understanding and will. the former discern's , judges , propounds ; the latter chuses and executes . the joynt operation of both , is required in every free action : and therefore , as joyntly considered , are they the proper reception and subject of reward or punishment . the principal riches or treasures then of man , as wel as his punishment , must be spiritual and invisible , not corporeal , sensible , or visible . they are also everlasting , as the powers that immediatly receive and possess them , are . the chief good of man , as man , consists not in any thing he has in common with beasts , and therefore not in any thing that can be perceived or received by such bodily senses and powers of life , as he hath in common with them . consequently , it consist's not in any bodily delights or pleasures . nor does the evil of man as man , principally consist in bodily punishment . they then that place the chief good of man in things bodily , visible , or sensible , do embrace and teach a lie , deceiving others and themselvs , to their own destruction . chap. iv. the special difference of man from all inferiour creatures , whereby a yet more compleat knowledg of him is to be gained . the general difference of man from all inferiour things , by having what they have not , is common to other degrees . the second hath what the first hath not ; the third , what the second hath not . but there is a more peculiar and especial difference of man from all inferiour creatures ; and that is , not that he has what they have not , but that he know's both what they have , and what he has , which none of them know . they know not at all , what value they are of , in themselvs , or comparatively with one another . they know not of what order or degree they are , or wherein they differ from and excell one another . beasts , birds , fishes , and creeping things do not know what they have received from the hand of their creatour , beyond trees and plants . nor do trees and plants know what they stand possess'd of , beyond elements , stones , metalls , mineralls , and all inanimate compounds . man only , in the whole visible creation , know's what he hath of excellency and dignity above all the rest ; and what they have above one another . he know's also that other creatures do not know either what he has , or what themselvs have . he knows that he only can know both . there are five degrees of difference to be found amongst creatures ; and four of them are peculiar unto man. . man has that in his nature , which no inferiour creatures have . things of the third degree have also that in their nature , which no things in the first or second have ; &c. so this difference is common to other creatures , as wel as man. . the second difference is , that man know's what he has , beyond other creatures ; and what they have , above and beyond one another . this difference is special and peculiar unto man only . . man know's that what he has , he has not from himself , but hath receiv'd it from another ; and that other things have not what they have , from themselvs , nor yet from him . . he can , by the right exercise and improvement of his rational powers , find out him , from whose bountifull hand , both he and all other things have received what they have . . he hath a capacity of cleaving fast unto him , when found out , and of being firmly and indissolubly united with him . again , man only can rejoyce in the things he has ; inferiour creatures , not . what can it profit any creature to have a more noble and excellent nature then other things , unless it can kuow what it has ? to have a great treasure , and not know it , will afford no matter of rejoycing . trees and plants , on this account , as not knowing what they have , can have no joy in what they have beyond things without life . on like account , birds , beasts , and fishes , can have no joy or gladnes from what they have , beyond trees , plants , and other things , because they know not what they have . for joy arises , not barely from the having of any thing , but from the knowing that we have it , and of what value it is , in distinction from other things . yea , even this knowledg alone , would nor yet be a sufficient ground of rejoycing unto man , unless he could also know him , from whose hand he has received all ; unless he could find him out , and hold him fast when found , praising him and adhering to him eternally . chap. v. all inferiour things were made for man. inferiour creatures were not made for their own sakes , but for man's ; for his profit , necessity , comfort , and instruction . for what does any thing they have , profit themselvs , seing they know not what they have ? what they have , they have it for man ; and what is wanting in them , man has . he alone know's what they have , and what he has . they with man do make up one visible body , city , or kingdom , of which he is head , ruler , and king. he , being the only creature for whose sake they were all made , stands obliged to return praise unto god , for himself and them . they are all freely given unto him ; and he ought to give up himself unto god ; and in himself , all the rest . they received not what they have , for themselvs . man is the only receiver , properly , and god the only giver . and there arises a natural obligation in the receiver to the giver , from the gift received , especially when great , and freely given . the gift is all that man has in his own nature , and all that inferiour creatures have in their natures , for his use . there is no naturall debt or obligation on them , to god ; nor can they perform any such thing . man alone is obliged to paythe debt of pure obedience and thankfulnes unto his creatour , for himself and all the rest . he is not obliged to inferiour creatures , for the service they perform to him , because they serv him not by choice , but naturall necessity . he only is bound unto god for all , as affording therein , food for his body , and instruction to his mind . chap. vi. man is to be weighed and considered of , by his parts , that it may be known of what value he is . man can not fully know how much he is obliged unto god for himself , unless he rightly know of what value he is . . for this , we may first consider him by his general parts , as comprehending in his nature and composition , whatever is to be found in the whole creation . he has being , with things of the first degree ; life , with those of the second ; sense , with things of the third . and the being , life , and sense they have , are inferiour to the being , life , and sense he has , in conjunction with reason ; and are designed for the mainteining of his being , life , and sense , as the end for which they were given . the rational powers in man , ought to rule over these inferiour generall parts of him , his being , life , and sense ; as also over all inferiour creatures , that have the like . the generall parts of man then are four ; being , life , sense , reason . the three inferiour are more excellent in him , then in other creatures , by personal union with the fourth . all inferiour creatures then , by being yeilded up to the service of man , as appointed , attein in him a more excellent kind of being , life , and sense , then they have in themselvs , to wit , a humane being and life of sense . but although as they do enter the composition of man , they are advanc'd beyond what they are in themselvs , such their advance by a personall conjunction with rational powers , is gradual and proportionable to the different worths thereof . the elements in man's composition , are the immediate seat of vegetative life , which he has in common with herbs and trees . vegetative life is the immediate seat of sensitive ; sensitive , with all its parts and powers , is the immediate seat and servant of the rational powers and operations . the rational or intellectual life of man , having no other created kind of life superiour thereunto , ought to be the seat or throne wherein god alone is to sit and rule the whole man , and all the world , made for man's use , and put together in his constitution . the will and understanding of man ought to be yeilded up unto god , in order to their becomming in seperably united with and subjected to his mind and will. thus , as all other creatures come to be united in man , so do they all in and with man , come to be united with god. man , by the resignation of his will and understanding unto god , is therein immediatly united with god. other parts or powers of life in man , are mediatly , by his rational or intellectual powers , united with god ; as sensitive life in man , is united immediatly with his rational ; but vegetative life , mediatly , by the sensitive . the whole world , as brought together in man , comes to be inseperably united with god that made it , when man comes to be so united with his maker . every man that declines or rejects the means and way of being brought into such unchangable union with god , does what in him lies to frustrate and render void the principal intention of god in creating the world . the rest of the world was made for him . he therefore is of more value then all the rest ; and is more obliged to god for himself , then for all the rest . he is responsible or accountable unto god , for himself and for the whole world , as made for him . he ought therefore to seek out and gaine as right and cleer a knowledg as he can , as to what he has received from the hand of god , both in himself and other creatures , that he may the better know and pay the debt thereby contracted , to his creatour . . we may weigh and consider man in the two principall parts of his composition , body and soul. his body is fearfully and wonderfully made ; admirably organized for all manner of operations of his threefold life , vegetative , sensitive , and rational . he is more bound unto god for his body only then for the whole world besides . but much more yet is he obliged to him , for his soul. in tbe body we find a multiplicity and diversity of excellent and fit organs ; in the soul , a proportionable multiplicity and diversity of excellent faculties , whereby it is enabled to use all those organs , and perform all those various offices and functions , in and by the body , which are conducible to the good of the whole person . an artist has divers instruments , for various artificial purposes ; the soul , on like account , his divers bodily organs or instruments , for various natural uses . man has a kind of kingdom as wel as world , within himself . in this kingdom are three orders , or distinct powers , lowest , middle , and supream . . the lowest powers of life and operation in man , the nutritive , augmentative , and generative ( all of them comprehended under the vegetative ) have four attendent of subservient faculties , with in the compass of vegetative life and operation ; to wit , the attractive , retentive , digestive , and expulsive powers . these all are as labourers and merchants in the kingdom of man. they do incessantly labour to sustein and keep up the other more noble orders and excellent powers of this kingdom , within man. if they perform not their severall offices , and respective charges , the whole fabrick fall's , the man dies , and the kingdom is dissolved . the office of the attractive or appetitive power , is to desire and receive food . the office of the retentive , to keep it in , when received . the digestive and concoctive powers do gradually prepare and transform it into flesh , blood , and spirits . the expulsive cast's out the superfluities , by way of evacuation sensible , as also insensibly , by perspiration through the pores of the body . by this means is the body nourished , augmented , and fitted for generation . all these offices does the vegetative power of life in the soul of man perform by various bodily organs or instruments ; and without them it cannot exercise any such faculties , or perform any such offices . and as the organs are stronger or weaker , better or worse temper'd , accordingly are such offices performed . . there are a middle sort of powers in man , the sensitive , perform'd by outward and inward organs . by outward organs are the powers , of seing , hearing smelling , tasting , touching , performed ; to wit , by eyes , ears , nose , palate , and the whole body , which is the organ of touching . by inward organs , within the head of man , calculated and suited thereunto , do the common sense , the imaginative and memorative powers of the soul , perform their several offices . the visive power , by the eye , discerns and distinguishes the colours , forms , and figures of things . the auditive , by the ear , perceiv's and distinguishes sounds , words , &c , the olfactive perceivs and distinguishes different odors or smells , &c. these are their offices . we may observ a kind of natural matrimony between the several organs of the body , on the one part , and the correspondent faculties of the soul , on the other . the body has a multitude of excellent organs , without and within . the soul has a wel-proportion'd multitude of excellent faculties , exerciseable only in conjunction with these organs . besides these corporeal , organical powers in man , hitherto named , he has also a loco-motive power , by contracting and extending the parts of his body , whereby he can goe from place to place , and perform all artificial works , &c. . the supream and most noble powers in the kingdom of man , are the rational or intellectual , whose office it is to order and regulate all the inferiour , both vegetative and sensitive . the understanding is the chief counsellour of state in the soul , judging , discerning , and advising what 's to be done . the will is commander in chief , furnished with a kind of kingly , imperiall , executive power . man , thus furnish'd and adorn'd with many wonderful natural powers in his soule , and organs in his body ( and having also in his personal constitution , being , life , and sense , in a superiority to what is found in the three inferiour orders of creatures , because in conjunction with reason , which render's him the fourth and highest ) may well be termed a microcosm , or little world , an epitome of the whole universe . all that man has in himself , and all that is to be found in the whole visible creation , set up and ordeined for his use and service , proceeds from the meer bounty and love of his creatour . the love of god to man is the principal thing of all . it is of like infinite excellency with himself , for god is love . jo. . . great are the gifts of god unto man , that have proceeded from , and do manifest his love . but his love to man is infinitly greater then all his other gifts ; infinitly more valuable then man himself , and all other creatures , given for his use . thus is there an infinite and unspeakable obligation on man to god , first ; for his infinite love ; and secondly , for his unspeakable gifts . but the knowledg of all this , will little availe man , unless his will be yeilded up in such sort unto the will of god , as to be brought into unchangable harmony therewith , and subjection thereunto . chap. . sect. i. what is it , man ought to render unto god , for his love and all his benefits ? love . something he has to render unto god , that may properly be called his own ; otherwise would he be obliged to an impossibility . forasmuch as the love of god is his principal gift unto man , the root and foundation of all his other gifts ( which are but as tokens and manifestations of that ) the intire , free , and most syncere love of man to god , is the most natural , reasonable , and suitable requital , that 't is possible for him to make unto the lord , for his love , and all his benefits . love is the most precious and excellent gift , the will of man has to dispose of , freely and uncompulsorily , where it list's . thus have we found the thing we sought for , love , seated in the supream ruling power in man , his will. syncere love to god , carries that in and with it , which is the best requital man can make for all that god has done for him . it does comprehend in it all that god requires of him . it is written ; thou shalt love the lord thy god , with all thy heart , soul , strength , and mind ; and thy neighbour as thy self . luk. . . love is the fulfilling of the law . rom. . . love is the radical gift of god unto man , from whence did issue forth all other gifts . and by the love of man to god , as the prime and radical gift he has to return , will all the secondary gifts of god , that are tokens and manifestations of god's love to him , in his own and all inferiour nature , be surrendred and returned , used , and improved to the praise of his creatour . man's love to god will cause him to glorify god in his body and in his spirit , which are god's . cor. . . love then is the most natural , orderly , proportion'd retribution , and therefore the most pleasing and acceptable unto god , that man can make . no other gifts or performāces of mā , whatsoever , can be acceptable unto god , unlesse love be the root and spring from whence they do proceed . love , as it is the first , so is it incomparably the greatest gift of god to man , or man to god. the love of man to god , is that which season 's , qualifies , and render's acceptable all his other gifts and performances . god first loved man ; man therefore ought to love god , and that in the first place , above all ; and no other things , but for his sake , or as bearing his image and superscription stamp'd or impress'd upon them . otherwise , his love to god will carry no correspondency with god's love to him , and so will not be accepted . though the most absolute and perfect love of man to god , can , in no wise , equal the infinite love of god to him , yet being the best thing man can give , it wil be accepted . the love of god to man , as much exceeds all possible love of man to god , as the being of god who is love , excell's the being of man ; that is , infinitely . but if man give all that god requires of him , even all he has to give , it wil be accepted . there is no pain , wearisomnes , or trouble in love . it alleviates all other labour , and renders all right performances delightfull . our love rightly plac'd and fix'd , begets continual delight and gladnes of heart . sect . ii. the whole debt or service of love , which man is obliged to pay unto god , redound's and return's singly and wholly to his own profit and advantage . god is infinitly perfect , wanting nothing , that any of his creatures can do for him . the profit and advantage of the service performable by inferiour creatures unto man , or by man unto god , must light somewhere . all is for man's profit ; both what other creatures do for him , and what he does aright unto god. and by how much man's nature excell's the natures of all inferiour things , so much does his service rightly performed unto god , exceed the service which other creatures perform to him . now the more excellent the service is , the greater is the profit , thereby redounding unto man. he therefore must needs have incomparably more profit from his service of love , freely performed unto god , then from any service that inferiour creatur's do by a natural necessity and impulse , perform unto him . and the more perfectly any man serv's god , the more profit he receiv's unto himself . 't is the true interest then and highest concern of man , to be incessantly performing his service of love to god , with all his heart , soul , mind , and strength , seing all redounds singly and intirely to his own advantage . the service , other creatures perform to man , is not remunerable or capable of reward , because not freely performed , but by natural necessity . the service perform'd by man to god , being free , is remunerable . man then receiving all the advantage by both services , let us distinctly consider what profit he receiv's by the first , and what by the second . by the first , perform'd by other creatures unto him , his being is for a while continued in this mortal state . by the second , performable by him in christ , unto god , is his everlasting wel-being atteinable . so much then as the eternal wel-being of man , excell's his bare temporal being in a mortal body , does the second service exceed the first , in dignity and profit . a bare being , is not profitable unto man , unless he may have a wel-being . other creatures then by serving him with all they have , unless he serv god with all he has , will but aggravate his sin and adde to his misery . being was given unto man , in order to his wel-being ; so is the service of other creatures performed unto man , for his temporary being in this world , in order to that service he ought to perform unto god , with reference to his eternal wel-being , in the world to come . if the second service be not performed by man to god ; the first , to wit , of other creatures unto him , is render'd void and to no purpose , as much as in man lies . yea , it is perverted to the service of the devil , in enmity to god. all the service perform'd by other creatures to a man that serv's not god , is lost , or worse . the main end and chief design of god in creating the world , is frustrated and rendred of no effect , by the man that serv's not god. we do plainly experience that man can't continue his being in this world , unless maintein'd and upheld by other creatur's : nor can other creatur's continue or subsist , unless upheld by the same hand that made them . if they could , they would be greater in this point of self-preservation , then man. man can't maintein them in being , but is maintein'd by them . some other hand then above both , mainteins them , and him by them . but man alone stands indebted unto god , as for his own being and theirs , so for the continuance of both . by the first service , perform'd by inferiour creatures unto man , they are brought into union with him . by the second , performed by man unto god , he is brought into union with god. so in and by man , the world comes to be united with god. all things that came out of the love of god to man , by the love of man to god are brought into union with him that made them . he then that does not love and serve the lord , does what in him lies towards the disjoyning and seperating of the world from god , and the bringing of all things into disorder and confusion . man alone ( in whose nature and constitution all sorts of created nature , life , and being are put together ) is the means in and by whom all inferiour creatures come to be united with god. section . iii. from the first obligation on man , or debt of love which he owes unto god , does naturally arise a second , like unto it ; and that is the love of all creatures , as the works of his hands , and as bearing any thing of his image , or superscription upon them ; on which account , himself pass'd that universal approbation , that every thing that he had made , was very good . gen. . . but forasmuch as amongst all things there mention'd , men , for whom the rest were made , do beare the most compleat and lively image of god upō them , they are , on god's account , to be loved by us , more then any inferiour creatures . all men , as of one and the same nature , ought to look upon themselvs as one man , not many . there ought , by the very law of nature , to be the strictest union , the greatest peace and agreement amongst them , that 's possible . as their love of god in the first place , so is the love of one another in the second , as bearing his image , founded in the law of nature . thou shalt love the lord thy god , with all thy heart , soul , strength and mind , say's christ. this is the first and great commandment . and the second is like unto it ; thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself . on these two commādments hang all the law and the prophets . mat. . , . all men are bound by the law of their own nature , to live in perfect union with god , and with one another , by love . the greatest unity amongst men , arises from their first being united with god : and the firmer their union , the greater their strength . self-love divides us from god , and consequently from one another . so come we to lose that strength which depend's on union , and to lie naked and exposed , in our own single persons , to all the wiles and darts of the devil ; &c. inferiour creatures are to be loved by mā , only on god's account , as the works of his hands , bearing some characters and shadowy resemblāces of his infinitly persect being and life . we are not to look on ourselvs as obliged to them , for any benefit , use or service we receive from them , or have of them ; but unto god only , who causes them to perform such beneficiall service . the loving of inferiour creatures , as gratifying , our sensual desires , is so far from being a natural consequent of our loving god , that 't is direct enmity to him . such love of this world and the things thereof , is enmity to god. if any man thus love the world , the love of the father is not in him . jam. . . jo. . . to ask of god creature-contentments , to consume upon our lusts , ( jam. . . ) is to desire him that he would maintein us in our enmity against himself . the multiplicity of heathen gods , and the various idolatries in the world , have arisen from man's unlawful , prohibited love of inferiour creatures . many heathens concluded that any thing that did them good , was a god. on this account were they induced to worship the sun , moon , stars , fire , air , earth , water , sheep , oxen , &c. such unlawfull , idolatrous love of inferiour creatures , has its rise , as a natural consequent , from self-love . when we love our own wills , in distinction from and opposition to god's , we love the creatures appointed for our use , only as they do gratify our wills in enmity to god ; and not at all as the works of his hands , or as bearing any thing of his image and superscription upon them . sect . iv. the right paying or performing of the secondary debt of love , to all creatures , as the works of gods hands , but specially to all men ( and yet more especially to the houshold faith , those that are not only made , but born of god ) doth redound wholly to the profit of man as well as his performing the first debt of love immediatly unto god himself . god is above all capacity of receiving any profit by any thing his creatur's can do . all inferiour things are designed for the profit of man , not of god . and all the duty god requir's of man , is calculated singly and wholly to his own advantage . if he be wicked , he hurts other and himself ; but god he cannot hurt . if he be righteous , what gives he to god , or what receiveth god at hi● hand ? job . , . the disadvantage of sin , and profit of righteousnes belongs to ourselvs only god can't be hurt by the one , or profited by th● other . chap. viii . the nature , conditions , force , properties and fruit of love . love is the only treasure man has , properly , to dispose of . if it be rightly bestow'd , 't is good , and the man so too ; if wrongly , evil . when 't is given , the thing chiefly beloved obteins dominion over it , and so over the whole man. the will is the ruling power in man , commands all the rest of him . to whom or whatsoever a man 's whole love is given , his whole will is given ; and consequently , the whole man. as the chief love is , so is the man , good or evil . nothing better then a right love , nothing worse then a wrong . love , being all we can properly call our own , when we give that , we give all we have . if then we mis bestow and lose that , we lose all . we are undone . we lose it , when we give it where it is not due ; whereby we dishonour and provoke him , to whom alone it is due . good love is the root of all other vertues ; evil love , the root of all other vices . he that has a right knowledg of love , know's the whole good of man. he that know's not the nature of love , is ignorant of the whole good of man. the proper nature and inseperable condition of love , is , that thereby the lover is tranformed into and united with the thing loved . the lover and chiefly beloved are of two things , made one , by love . the thang brought upon the lover by the beloved , through the transforming , assimilating property of love , is not forc'd , violent , painful , or laborious ; but free , voluntary , pleasant and delightfull . the will , and so the whole man is denominated from the thing chiefly loved . if earthly things be chiefly loved , he is an earthly man ; has an earthly will. if god be his chief beloved , he is a heavenly man , has a heavenly will. by love a man is capable of being transformed and brought into union with another thing , better then himself , as god ; or equal to himself , as man ; or inferiour to himself , as earth , gold , beasts , houses , lands , &c. the first union advances him , the last degrades him . through love , as wel or ill plac'd , is man capable of ascending and being exalted above himself ; or of being vilified , degraded , corrupted , and so of descending below his own natural dignity in the universe . he ascend's or descend's , is advanced or depressed , enobled or abased , accordingly as the thing chiefly loved by him , is more or lesse worthy then himself . if he place his chief love on what 's equal to him , he ascend's not , nor advantages himself , at all ; but indeed , does deprave and abase himself , because he sin's , in giving away god 's peculiar due , to any creature whatsoever . god alone , who is infinitly above us , and infinitly deserv's our chief love , does undispensably require it ; and by having it , will unspeakably advance us . those that so honour him , he will honour . sam. . . the chiefly beloved , is to the will of man , by love , as the bridegroom to the bride . there 's a kind of matrimonial union , contracted by love , between the will and its chiefly beloved ; the thing so loved , becomming the husband ; and the will , the wife . and as the woman , ought to have but one husband , the will can have but one chiefly beloved . if a poor mean man should have eight daughters , and one of them should marry a man of like meaness with herself ; the second , a gentleman ; the third , an esquire ; the fourth , a knight ; the fift , and earl ; the sixt , a duke ; the seventh , a king ; the eighth , an emperour ; they would ascend one over the head of another , according to the several dignities of their husbands . but though we may find many husbands , or chiefly beloveds ( of different degrees ) amongst creatures , for the will of man ; there is , indeed , none but god himself , the universal emperour and king of kings , who can truly dignify , ennoble , and advāce our will , by its being brought into a state of unchangable marriage-union with his . to a greater dignity it cannot ascend , then is so atteinable . but the wills of men , which are equal by nature , contract some gradual difference in dignity , within the compass of creature-beloveds . they are called earthly , brutish , or humane , accordingly as their husband or chief-beloved is . but there is no creature-beloved , nothing below god , which finally rested in , and fixed on , will not leave the will and whole person exposed to eternal confusion . we can never attein any true hapines , but by the marriage-union of our will with god's . nothing is worthy to be our chief beloved , that cannot truly meliorate and ennoble us . god only can do thi● , who is infinitly lovely , and can render all that love him , everlastingly and unspeakably blessed . he that finally fail's , as to the performance of this highest duty , by placing his chief love on any thing below god , will sink down into the u●most ex●rdainity of vileness , misery , and confusion , for ever . a woman joyn'd to a husband that 's good , rich , valiant , powerful , and wife ; has proportionably , a temporary peace , security , rest , comfort , and joy : if joyn'd to an ill-natur'd , perverse , miserable , poor , conceited , foolish man , she is like to know sorrow , misery , and tribulation by himelf the will of man be joyned to a husband that 's infinitly good , rich , powerful , and wise , it hath serenity , peace , rest , joy , unspeakable and glosious . nothing can hurt that beloved , or separate us from his love ; neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers ; nor things present , nor things to come ; nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature . rom. . , . but if our will be joyned to some poor , weak , slight , feeble , indigent , variable , insufficient thing , as it s chiefly beloved ; it is in continual tribulation ; or , at best , can have no true and wel-grounded security , rest , peace , or comfort , at all . this doctrine about the right transmutation of mā's will ( by resignation to , and union with god's , to his unspeakable advantage ) is signified to him by such natural and advantageous transmutations as are observable in inferiour creatures . things of the lowest degree , are changed or tranform'd into things of the second : things of the second , into those of the third ; and all , into man , the only creature in the fourth . the elements are transform'd , as they run-together into the composition of trees and plants . these , with their fruits , roots , &c. are transform'd into things of the third degree , whereby they receive a more noble being , in the life of sense . and all are farther advanc'd , by way of transformation , into the life of man , in whom they do attein a yet more noble and excellent kind of being . and man , by rightly placing his love upon god , so as to live in his will , advances all , in his own person and nature , into unchāgable union with god. by this last transformation , do all things , in man , attein the most excellent kind of being that is possible for them to have . if man be not induced freely to yield up himself to the will of god , by this last and utmost transformation , he thwart's the naturall order and course of the whole universe , to his own destruction . inferiour things do most orderly attein their advance , by quitting their own form's , and ascending into personal union with rational nature , in him . if he refuse to quit the naturall activity , life , and freedom of his rationall powers , to live in the transcendently more excellent freedom and power of the mind and will of god , as partaker of the divine nature , he , for whom all the rest were made , is the only disorderly creature , to his own eternal damage and confusion . chap. . section . i. two first loves , or chiefly beloveds . there are properly but two principal loves or beloveds , god and self , his will or our own . the love of god carries our will forth to a right , general , universal love of all things , as the works of his hands , loved and approved by him . if our own will be , by way of reflexion upon itself , our chiefly beloved ; such a narrow private love will not carry us forth to a right love of any other things ; but will cause us to regard or value them , no otherwise , then as relating or subservient unto the great idol , self-interest . we shall love only ourselvs in them ; not them , as the works of god's hands , related to , and approved by him . to these two chief loves , of god or self , are all other loves reducible , as flowing from the one or other of them . there can be but one thing chiefly beloved , for whose sake only , other things , in connexiō therewith , or as related thereunto , are loved . all other subordinate loves to all other things , considered as in harmony , correspondence , union , and connexion with the chief beloved , are included in the first love , as the basis and cause of all ; the root and fountain , whence they do pullulate and arise . all are but as one love , centring in , and relating to the chief beloved . t is the chief beloved only , that is properly loved in all other things . whatever is in conjunction with that , must necessarily be loved : and whatever is against it , or contrary to it , will as certainly be hated . it is so strongly and intimately united with the will ; does so vehemently and intirely draw and engage it unto itself , that it suffers it not to love any other thing but for it's sake , as in harmony with , and subserviency thereunto . by necessary consequence , so many particular hatreds wil be begotten in the will , as there are things contrary to , or against its chief beloved ; and as many particular subordinate and secondary loves , as there are things in harmony and union therewith . if the radical or chief love be good , just , and orderly , all the rest are so too : if evil , corrupt , and disorderly ; so are the rest . as is the root , such are the branches : as the fountain , so are the streams issuing there-from . self-love is a narrow , private , unlawfull , destructive thing , the fountain and root of all false and unlawful loves of other things . if the love of god be not the chief , the love of the creature is . and amongst the creatures , that which is most neer and dear unto the will , wil be its chief beloved ; and that is the will itself , which can reflect its love upon itself , as the most dear , lovely , and desireable thing to itself . if then god be not a man's chief beloved , his own will or himself most certainly is . and then he loves neither god , nor any other creature , but as conducible to the gratifying and pleasing of his selfish , private , narrow will. if he do seem to have some regard unto god , so as to pray to him ; he does , in such demeanour , but make use of god in a subserviency to his own selfish will. he askes things of god , to consume upon his lusts . jam. . . he regards not god , any body or any thing else , but as conducible and helpful towards the bringing in provisions for his flesh , to fulfill the lusts thereof . rom. . . in the first sin of adam , we all turn'd away from god , into the love of our own will , in distinction from and opposition to his . such self-love can never be destroy'd or eradicated , but by the irresistible grace of god , which alone can cause man's will freely to draw off and disengage its love from every thing else , in order to the receiving of the omnipotent creatour in the room of a fraile , impotent creature , as its chief beloved . by receiving god for its beloved , it is furnish'd with the power and armour of god , ha's the power of godlines in it , whereby to withstand all the powers and works of darkness . no created being can bear up against a man that 's thus furnished with power from on high . if god be for us , in us , with us , who can be against us ? rom. . . sect . ii. these two chief loves are capital enemies of each other , contending for primacy . the primacy is due to god alone ; and he has no enemy to contest with , but self love . as he is infinitly above all , so ought he to be loved above all . the prerogative and honour of being our chief beloved , does , on all accounts , belong to him alone . whatever then stands in competition with , or oppositiō to him , in this point , ought to be look'd upon and handled as the capital enemy of god . self-love is an unjust , false , tortuous , inordinate love , contrary to god , to truth , to the good of man , to the order and voice of nature in the whole universe . t is the root of all other evil loves , of all vice , injustice , iniquity . to deny god the first place in our hearts , and to place our selvs in his room , is a high contempt of him , a denying and jusslling him out of what is his due by the law of nature . when a man bestow's his chief love on himself , he offends god , both as he is the giver and receiver of his own love . he gives and receiv's that unto himself , which is indispensabiy and undeniably due to god alone . so , on both accounts , as giver and receiver thereof , is he the direct enemy of god. if he should bestow his chief love on some other creature , and not on himself , he would be the enemy of god , only as the giver away of his right unto another , but not as the receiver thereof . by self-love , man preferr's his own will to god's , and so makes himself his god. in pursuit of self-interest , he will desire to annihilate god , which is the highest enmity to him , imaginable . his will , by self-love , assum's an absolute primacy , refusing to follow or obey another will , which is the incommunicable prerogative of god alone . t is peculiar to him only , to follow his own will , and not be subject unto , or lead by any other . when a man has once proudly set up his own will in the room of god's , he wil also rob god of his other dues . he will desire his own honour , his own glory , his own praise , not god's . when he hath presumptuously made himself his god , he will desire all those things for himself , that are due to god . self-love erects a new kingdom , dominion , and soveraignty within man , out of god , and against him , which renders man a direct capital enemy of god. man's love of god or himself , is the root and cause of all he does . the love of god in him , is the root and fountain of all good actions . 't is also the fountain of all other right love , of all true friendship , courage , rest , peace , comfort , light , joy , gladnes , and whatever is truly good for man. self-love then , as the capital enemy of the love of god , is the root of all evil actions , of all injustice , sin , blindnes , ignorance , and so of all sorrow's and evils , incident unto man. he that by selflove exalt's his own will , into the roō of god's , find's this false god to be but a weak , indigent thing . this puts him upon agreedy and eager pursuit after innumerable vanities , corruptible , transient things , for the support of his impotent , false god , himself ; and so render's him subject unto those things , which by nature are inferiour to him . such a man must needs be in continuall sollicitude and tribulation , his false god and all the supports thereof , being but feeble , fickle , unstable , indigent things ; and the true , omnipotent , all-sufficient god , being all along against him . thus have we seen how selflove renders a man the capital enemy of god , evil and perverse in himself , exposed to all evils , and slavishly subject to abundance of transitory things , inferiour to his own nature . the love of god render's the will divine , universal , communicative and bountiful to others . selflove renders it narrow , private , incommunicative to others ; all for itself . the love of god makes the will just , holy , righteous , meek , good , peaceable , friendly , humble . selflove makes it unjust , evil , perverse , proud , unquiet , litigious , ful of discord , tumult , and confusion . the love of god gives the will of man dominion over all inferiour creatures : self-love brings it into bondage and captivity under them . the love of god makes the will unmoveable , firm , stable , and fixed : self-love renders it a fluctuating , unstable , variable thing . in a word , the love of god makes it beautiful and lovely : self-love makes it filthy , deformed , and detestable . he then that know's what the love of god is , know's all the good of man. he that know's what self love is , know's all the evil of man. he that 's ignorant of both , know's neither the good nor evil of man , in the two distinct roots and causes of all . he that has the love of god in him , is thereby so illuminated , that he know's what that is , and what self-love is , together with the comfortable consequents of the former , and sad consequents of the latter . but he that lives in self-love , is thereby darkned , blinded , and confounded , as to the making any right judgment of himself . he neither know's what the love of god is , nor what self love is ; nor what are the good or evil consequents of the one or other , unto man. the root of all evil in and to man , self love , is the greatest evil ; but the most lurking , hidden , undiscern'd thing of all the rest . it obscures and blind's the mind of man , that it may not be discovered , in its native , ethiopian hiew . section . iii. two principal parts of self-love . man , having two principal parts in his constitution , a soul , and a body , has distinct desires in reference to each ; but all centring in self-interest . the soul desires praise , honour , and the like , in reference to itself . in reference to the body , it desires and affects sensual delights . self-love then puts a man upon the seeking and looking after his own honour and bodily pleasur's , as his two principal goods . and from these two principal branches of self-love , do arise the secondary loves of all other things , as tending to the encrease , defence , or preservation of his own honour and sensual pleasur's . on these accounts , he must needs love , desire , and seek after outward riches , as conducible both to his honour and pleasures . he will also desire and seek after humane sciences , offices , and dignities , as tending to the advance of his honour . thus from self-love do arise these vicious , evil , corrupt loves in man ; pride , which is the love of his own honour , with a glorying in it ; luxury and gluttony , which is the love of bodily delights ; covetousnes , which is the inordinate love of outward things . and he that loves his own honour and pleasur's , does by necessary consequence hate every thing , that tends to the diminution or destruction thereof . hence arises anger , which is a love and desire of revenge against those that endeavour to diminish his honour or bodily pleasur's . hence also spring's up another monster , envy , which contein's in it a hatred of any other 's good , as it tend's to the obscuring or diminution of his ; as also a love of and delight in another's evil , if it diminish not , but rather tend to the encrease of his good . from the love of bodily pleasures , do arise negligence , sloth , intemperance , incontinency , and the rest . thus may we se , how that all vices do arise and spring up from self-love . chap. x. the love of god causes union amongst men ; self-love , division and strife . love does most intimatly unite the will with the thing chiefly beloved . if then the thing first loved , be one , and satisfactory to all that love it ; they that unite with , fix , and center in that one beloved , will have love and union amongst themselvs . all that deny and quit the single motion of their own private wills , and agree to live in the will of god , must needs have union with one another . but all that live in their own will , making that their chiefly beloved , in opposition to the will of god , have so many distinct chief beloveds , ●s they are men . every one is for his own will , his own praise , honour , and bodily pleasur's , in distinction and seperatiō from all others ; and therefore can no otherwise love another's honour or pleasure , then as conducing to his own . he will hate , oppose , and speak against any other's honour or pleasure , that stands in competition with , or opposition to his . he that makes himself or his own will , his chief beloved , makes himself his god. so many men then , as are of this strein , so many gods. and amongst this vast multitude of needy , false , idol-gods , must needs arise envy , strife , division , wrath , hatred , war , every one seeking to defend and encrease his own honour and delights , against others ; and ●aking what he can to himself , for support thereof . they contend for propriety in those outward things , whereby their indigent wills may be gratified and maintein'd in the lusts thereof . whence come warrs and fightings amongst men , but from their lusts , that war in their members ? jam. , . a self-lover loves not himself as a man , in common with others ; but as this individual man , in separation from all others . pretend what he will , he loves not the community of mankind . he seeks only him self in the community . his love is private , narrow , and personal ; not large , universal , and common to man , as man. whatever love such a man pretend's to any other persons or things , 't is himself only that he seek's in all . all other loves , arising from self-love , are private and selfish , as the root and fountain is , from whence they flow . he that loves god in the first place , loves all creatur's , as related to him . the more common , larg , and universal our love thus is , the better : the more narrow , particular , singular , and private , the worse . chap. xi . from self-love may we argue our duty to god . by self-love may man find , even from within himself , as the neerest and most evidencing example that 's possible , what it is he owes unto god. for having by self-love made himself his god , he gives , seeks , and ascrib's unto himself , all things that he ought to give unto god. he seek's his own honour , praise , and glory , not god's . but thereby may he know what belong's unto god , into whose room he hath thrust himself . by the consequents of loving himself , and following his own will , may be certainly know what would be the consequents of loving god and following of his will. he now seek's his own honour , above all other honour , of god or men : he does all he can , to preserv , defend , and encrease it . from hence may be certainly conclude , that he ought to seek , defend , propagate , and multiply the honour of god in the hearts of men , to his utmost ; that he ought to hate , oppose , and do all he can , to diminish and abolish any honour that 's contrary thereunto . in a word ; all things a man does from an evil principle of self-love , or would have done by others , to and for himself , ought he to do , and desire may be done by others , unto god . chap. . sect. i. the different fruits of the two chief loves , the love of god , and self . that which is finally expected and desired by man , from other creatur's , is fruit . every kind of fruit has its proper seed ; and every seed brings forth its peculiar fruit , distinct from others . the will of man is a kind of spiritual field , wherein two chief loves , as two very different seeds , are sown ; self love , and the love of god. let us now enquire after the final fruit producible from these two seeds or roots , which being contrary to each other , the fruits must needs be so too . endless joy and endless sorrow wil be the two final fruits , springing up in the field of man's will , from the love of god , or self . man seek's for joy in all he does ; hates and flee's sorrow . true joy springs up only from the love of god ; true sorrow , from self-love . god only is that infinite , invariable , al-sufficient good , which when man firmly loves and enjoys , he hath joy enough ; and that such , as none can ever deprive him of . t is a fixed , solid , invariable joy . such as the thing chiefly loved is , such is the love , and such the joy arising therefrom . the nature , conditions , and properties of such joy as arises from the love of god , are the same with those of the love of god , above demonstrated . the fruit is of the same nature with the root . if the love of god be a just , holy , true , orderly , pure , clean , excellent love , suitable to the nature of man and of god ; the joy arising therefrom , is also a just , holy , true , orderly , pure , righteous , excellent joy . such joy will endure as long as the love it spring's from ; and such love will endure as long as the thing beloved , god. the heart then that 's fix'd on god , will have everlasting gladnes , eternal pleasure , delight , complacency , rest , peace , satisfaction , jubilations . joy dilat's , fortifies , comfort 's , delight 's the heart of man. sadnes contract's , weaken's , discourages , and destroy's it . he that has perpetual joy , has perpetual life ; he that has perpetual sorrow , has perpetual death . god is an alsufficient , inexhaustible fountain of life and joy eternal , to innumerable creatur's , without any diminution to himself . nor will the joy which any man will have eternally in god , be any way 's diminished , but increased by the like joy in other men . if the holy angels rejoyce afresh at the conversion of a sinfull man unto god , as receiving an addition thereby to their former joy , how can it be but that all elect men and angels should eternally and mutually rejoyce in the joy which all of them will have in the lord ? by how much the more cleerly any man sees and know's the lord , so much the more will he love him , and rejoyce in him . perfection of joy in god , arises from the perfection of love to him ; and the perfection of such love arises from the perfect knowledg of him . nothing can destroy such love , such joy , that cannot destroy god himself , with whom man is inseperably united by such love . sect . ii. resurrection . the perfection of man's eternal joy and blessednes in heaven , argues the resurrection of his body . the spirit of man has a natural inclination and love to its own body , as that which was fashion'd by the hand of god , and brought into a kind of natural marriage-union with it . the body alone is not a man , nor yet the spirit ; but both , as put together in personal union . the recovery and restitutiō of the body then , after it is laid down by death , cannot but be naturally desired by the spirit , as a necessary ingrediēt into the compositiō of the man. till he hath all the essentialls of his humane constitution about him , so as to be compleated in his personal being , wanting nothing that may justly he desired by him , his joy cannot be absolutly perfect and compleat . and on the same ground that we may conclude the body wil be restored , may we farther conclude , that it wil be restored in a state most proportion'd , lovely and desireable to the elect ; to wit , a most beautiful , come●ly , glorious , impassible , immortal , agile , spiritual body . he that can advance the soul into a higher and more excellent state then at first he gave it , will proportionally rarefy , spiritualize , and exalt the body , at the resurrection , into a far more excellent state , then when formed by him out of the dust of the ground gen. . . or fashioned in the lowest parts of the earth , his mother's womb . psal. . . the spirit of man , transform'd by the love of god , ascends to a partaking of the divine nature : . pet. . . the body , by its proportionable transformation , will ascend into a spiritualty of being , as partaker of the very nature of the spirit . in the essentials of his constitution , thus advanced , compleated , and perfected , will he have an absolute fulnes of joy and blessednes , for ever . he will for ever have all he can desire , and for ever be rid of all he hates , and would not have . and then farther ; from this radical , fundamental joy in god , will spring up innumerable other secondary joy's , on the account of all that are in the same state of blessednes with himself . his joy wil be multiplied according to the numberless multitude of saved men and angels . rev. . . the elect angels rejoyce in man's hapines ; why should not elected men rejoyce eternally in theirs ? every man in heaven , will ever love every one , as himself , that 's in the same blessed condition with himself ; and therefore equally rejoyce in the joy of every one , as in his own . if then therebe innumerable men , that will have the like joy in god , every one of them will have innumerable joyes . every ones unspeakable joy in god , wil be innumerably multiplied by the like unspeakable joy in others . all this is the necessary , certain , eternal fruit and consequent of man's wel-fix'd love of god. chap. . sect. i. the temporary fruit of self-love . the temporary fruit of self-love , in this world , cannot be any true joy , but only a sophistical , deceptive , seeming joy , carrying reall sadnes in the womb of it . he that loves his own will , praise , honour , glory , and bodily pleasur's , loves and seek's after such things as conduce thereunto ; worldly riches , dignities , offices , sciences , &c. such a man , when he has any considerable hopes or enjoyment of such things , he has a proportionable kind of joy . and because all these things may pass away , be lost or destroy'd , he fear 's to lose them , and hates all that would diminish or destroy them . from such danger , fear , and hatred , sadnes must needs arife . his joy then , at best , in such delusive , transient vanities , hath sorrow and vexation of spirit , most intimatly connexed with it . from the properties and conditions of self-love , may we certainly conclude the properties of the joy , arising there-from . if such love be an inordinate , unjust , tortuous , false , vicious , corrupt , unclean thing , contrary to the nature of god and man , as also to the order of the whole universe ; if it be a most wicked , filthy , malignant , abominable thing , the joy arising from it must needs be of the same complexion , and have the self-same evil qualities , properties and conditions . self-love is the leading injustice and injury , dishonorable to god , and destructive to man. it sets up a false god , in the room of the true ; the will of man , in opposition to the will of god. any joy man can have in such a course , must needs be a false , deceptive , inordinate , unjust , vicious , corrupt joy , contrary to the nature of god and man , as also to the nature and order of all creatures . t is a most wicked , filthy , poisonous , mortal , dark , lying joy . as the root is , so is the fruit . and forasmuch as self-love render's a man the capital enemy of god ( as thereby usurping a power of living in the absolute soveraignty and unsubjected exercise of his own will , which is the peculiar prerogative and incommunicable priviledg of god alone ) all the joy he can possibly find in such a course , is but yet a higher strein of enmity to god. all his joy , and complacency in things temporal , is but a rebellious exulting , and rejoycing in his contempt of , and enmity to god. the more a man has of such joy , the greater enemy of god is he . self-love and the love of god cannot stand or dwell quietly together in the same will , but , as capital enemies , will destroy and expell one another . in like manner is it with the two opposite joyes , thence arising . the joy that spring's up from the love of god , strengthen's man's union with god. the joy which spring's from self-love , divides , separat's , and alienat's a man more and more from god. for the maintenance of a false joy , such a multitude of temporal things appear's requisite , as cannot usually be gotten without damage and destruction to others and ourselvs . the love of such riches as are the nourishmēt and maintenance of a false joy , will put us upon the exercise of many such foolish and hurtful lusts , as drown men in destruction and perdition . tim. . . true joy in the lord render's a man bountiful , courteous , merciful , humble , mild , and sweet . false joy in the creature , make's him cruel , wicked , proud , implacable , revengful , and all that 's naught . the former preserv's peace , unity , friendship , and all that 's good amongst men : the latter tend's to the dissolution of all right friendship ; sowes envy , strife , divisions , animosities , and all that 's evil , amongst them . the former alway's profit's , the latter alwayes hurt 's him that has it . the former enlighten's and cleer's up mans understanding : the latter more and more darken's and blind's it . the former will have the greatest reward : the latter , the greatest punishment . section . ii. the eternal fruit of self-love . immediatly after this life , he that had nothing but a false , temporary , momentany joy in the fleeting things thereof , wil for ever be deprived of all that he loved , desired , or rejoyced in . he wil be compelled by the hand of god , to have all that he would not have ; and he wil be everlastingly deprived of all he would have , his own honour , glory , praise , and bodily pleasur's . the soul of man in hel , cannot but think of such things , as will give it perpetual sorrow . it will look upon itself , as the most deformed , filthy , disorder'd thing , imaginable ; contrary to god , in the utmost extreamity ; contrary to the uprightnes and glory of its own first-created , natural being ; and much more contrary to the yet more excellent glory of spiritual life , it was capable of having bio advanced into , by a new creation , or the true regeneration , which it wilfully refused . the soul , finding itself in this dismal posture , will most vehemently desire to be rid of itself by annihilation ; but never can . man , in such case , will most earnestly desire , god may lose his being , that there may be no omnipotent hand to keep him up in being , and punish him . he wil be eternally displeased that either god , or himself , or any other creatur's are continued in being , because all makes for his woe . thus will fond self-love end at last in eternal self-abhorrency , sorrow , and confusion . as eye hath not seen , ear heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , the things which god hath prepared for them that love him ; so nor hath eye seen , ear heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , while on earth , the dreadful vengeance and eternal fadnes , that wil be the portion of all those that finally persist in the love of themselvs , which is enmity to god. eternal sorrow is eternal death , in reference to which , man wil be kept up in a most exquisite sensiblenes , by the omnipotent hand of divine justice . god know's exactly all the sins and follies of men , in their full dimensions and aggravations ; and will proportion their punishment thereunto . those that deny god his due ( by not loving him , but themselvs , and so hating him with all their heart , soul , strength , and mind ) wil be sure to meet with their due , from the most just avenging hand of god , that fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries . man by self-love , exalt's himself into the room of god , with an ero similis altissimo , in harmony with the devil's first sin ; on which he will come to be cast down to hel ( . pet. . . ) with his leaders , the devil and his angels . the punishment due to man for such contempt of his omnipotent creatour , is unexpressible by the tongu's of men or angles . fire , as the most afflicting thing in nature , is used to express the eternal punishment of man. the eternal fire , into which he wil be cast , will burn , but not consume him , or afford him any light . it wil be accompanied with eternal darknes . it will have all the afflicting , grieving properties of fire , but none of the relieving , comforting properties , at all . men that love darknes rather then light here , because their deeds are evil , will have their fill of darknes at last , for all their evil deeds . man only , of all the visible world , can properly deserv , and accordingly receive punishment from the hand of god , because he only is furnished with rational powers , to know what he ought to do , and to do what he ought , in obedience to god. if therefore he do things contrary to the will of god , and his own light , god will bring somthing upon him contrary to his will , with eternal darknes . his will , being a perpetual thing , and fixed in enmity to god , god will do that which wil be perpetually contrary to it . his inordinate will , chiefly affected and sought his own honour , praise , glory , and pleasure ; the contraries whereunto , in extreamity , wil be his portion , eternal dishonour , contempt , shame ; confusion , and sorrow unutterable . the everlasting punishment of man , from the hand of god , wil be managed and executed in such a way , as is most contrary to his will and desire , and most conducible to the aggravation and advance of his sorrow . sect . iii. resurrection . again , from the eternal punishment and sorrow , due to the soul of mā , we may conclude , it shall recover its own body again , and that in a state most contrary to its desire , for the encrease of its sorrow . as it us'd it , contrary to the will of god on earth , it shall have it in a posture most contrary to it 's own will , in hel , for ever . as the whole man , body and soul , acted against the will of god in this world ; so must the whole man , body and soul , suffer against his own will , in hel . and because 't is more contrary to the will of man , in such case , to receive his body again in a passible condition ( or capacity of suffering ) then impassible ; and in an immortal condition ( uncapable of losing its sensiblenes ) then mortal , &c. we may conclude that he will receive it , clogg'd and attended with all imaginable disadvantages , a passible and yet immortal body , that it may ever suffer ; a most obscure , dark , deformed body , for the encrease and aggravation of his sorrow . furthermore , all the sorrow of others in fellowship with him ; and all the joy of others , in the opposite condition thereunto , will make for the encrease of his sorrow . the creatour , and every creature , yea , the very soul itself shall avenge the cause of god upon man ; so that he will have no comfort on any account , or from any thing , for ever . the creatour , every creature , all the joy and good of others , all the sorrow and evil of others , shall make for the encrease of his sorrow . so have we the truth and certainty , as to the two final fruits which will arise from the two above mention'd first loves , the love of god and self . chap. xiv . two generall societies , and everlasting habitations of men . the freedom which man hath in the united exercise of his understanding and will ( above-spokē to ) for the judging and turning this way or that , qualifies and capacitates him for the taking of two contrary wayes , the steering of two opposite courses , unto life or death . by the different wayes which men take in the exercise of these their rational powers , do they come to be divided and separated in will , affectiō , mind , doctrine , and interest , so as to be direct enemies to each other . t is requisite therefore that there be two distinct final receptions or habitations for them , suitable to the distance and contrariety of their affections . the same thing may be also concluded from the two above-said first loves , the love of god and self , which render men directly contrary to each other , separating , elongating , alienating , and distancing them from one another , in will , affection and their whole course , as far as is possible . one of their habitations will be the place of sorrow and eternal death ; the other , of joy and eternal life . the one wil be the royal palace and house of god ; the other , an everlasting dungeon , full of confusion , darkness , and all evill . in the one wil be more good ; in the other , more evil , then can be express'd by the tongu's of men or angels . all that have walk'd and finish'd their course in self-love , being of the same nature and inclination , wil be gathered together into one place . and all that have lived in the love of god , as being also of one temper and inclination , wil be gathered into a distinct place , separated from , and most opposite to the other , as a company or corporation , most contrary in spirit and principle to the other . the sheep will finally be separated from the goats , and enter into life eternal ; the goats must away into everlasting punishment . mat. . . . seing there are but two general inclinations of men , there can be but two places for their final abode , heaven and hel . and each place wil be suitable to the different temper of the inhabitants . those that by self-love have sought to dethrone god , and to usurp the peculiar soveraignty of his will , wil be thrust into outer darknes , where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth . chap. xv. concerning hatred . man's obligation extend's to hatred as well as love . the right knowledg then of hatred and love , is the same . all that hath bin proved of love , may be proved of hatred . as the will can love , so can it hate . hatred alway's follow 's love . if man be bound by the law of nature , to love the lord with all his heart , soul , mind and strength , he is consequently bound by the same law , to hate every thing that 's against god , with all his heart , soul , mind , and strength ; and that , continually and incessantly . there 's the same obligation upon man , to hate all that 's contrary to the will of god , as to love god above all . the first and principal thing he ought by the law of nature to hate , is his own private self-will , and that with all his heart , as most contrary to god. and forasmuch as our own honour , praise , glory , and bodily pleasur's , do necessarily follow the love of our own will , in opposition to god's , we ought to hate our own honour , praise , and bodily delights , and consequently all the vices subservient thereunto , covetousnes , envy , wrath , and the rest . as from one principal love , many secondary , subordinate loves do arise ; so from one principal hatred , many secondary hatreds . every man ought to hate and oppose whatever is contrary to god , to the true good of himself , or any other man , on the same account that he is bound to love the lord his god with all his heart , and his neighbour as himself . luk. . . sect . ii. the nature , force , properties , and fruit of hatred . the principal power and property of love , is the transforming of the will into the thing chiefly loved , or the uniting it most intimately therewith . the principal force and property of hatred then , is to divide , separate , alienate , and elongate a man from what he hates . the greater the love , the stronger is the union of the will with the thing loved : the stronger , and deeper the hatred , the greater is the division and distance of the will from the thing hated . and neither love nor hatred can be compelled , but are free , voluntary things . sect . iii. two chief hatreds . as there are two principal loves , so two principal hatreds ; the hatred of god and his will , or of ourselvs and our own will. and as the two chief loves , so are the two principal hatreds capital enemies to each other . the love of god and hatred of god are opposite ; so are the love of self and hatred of self , as also the hatred of god and hatred of self . but the love of god and hatred of self , agree well together in the same will : so do the love of self and hatred of god. he that loves god and his will , hates himself and his own will. he that loves himself and his own will , hates god and his . there 's no middle state or way . sect . iv. the different fruits of these two hatreds . love has the primacy of hatred . for hatred arises from love . from the love of god , and of all things in conjunction with him and his will , does necessarily arise the hatred of self , and of all things in combination with our own , private , selfish will. in like manner , does the hatred of god and of all things in conjunction with his will , arise from the love of self and its interests . if the love of god be good , holy , most orderly and just , according to the law of nature ; then is the hatred of god most wicked , disorderly unjust , and contrary to the law of nature . in like manner , if the hatred of our own will be good , orderly , just , and according to the law of nature ; then is the love of it wicked , disorderly , unjust , and contrary to the law of nature . the good hatred of self , arises from the good love of god : the evil hatred of god , arises from the evil love of self . the fruits , above-specified , that arise from a good love , arise secondarily from a good hatred , which alway's followeth such a love : and the fruits that naturally flow from an evil love , the love of self , do flow secondarily from an evil hatred , the hatred of god. so much of love and hatred . chap. . section . i. concerning other particular debts man owes unto god , besides love , and that , first , in generall . having considered the debt of love , which man owes to god , and the great advantage redounding unto him , by the due payment thereof , as also his unutterable damage if he pay it not ; let 's enquire after other debts , the payment whereof will also be our great gain , and the final non-payment our eternal damage . god made all inferiour creatures for man , and man for himself ; furnishing him alone with a nature and capacity , fit to perform all the duties and to pay all the debts , which he owes unto god , both for himself and all the rest . no inferiour creatures can perform or understand any such matters . from what man is furnished with , for the performance of all duty to god , may he certainly conclude what ought to be done by him . if he can know , love , fear , honour , glorify , praise , adore or pray to god ; if he can beleeve , hope , and trust in god ; he may conclude , that god is to be known , lov'd , fear'd , honour'd , glorified , prais'd , ador'd , beleev'd , hoped and trusted in . if he can wholly delight himself in god , then is god wholly delectable . if he can do well , god can reward him : if ill , he can punish him . if he can be guilty , god can be a judg . if he can ask pardon , god can give it . in like manner we may , the other way , from the properties of god , argue the duties of man. if god ought chiefly to be loved , as infinitly most desireable , man ought chiefly to love him . if he ought chiefly to be fear'd , honour'd , prais'd , man ought to fear , honour , and praise him . the like correspondence as is between the soul and body of man , is between god and man , in this case . if the body have eyes , ears , nose , &c : we may certainly conclude that the soul has a power of seing , hearing , smelling , &c. and if the soul have these powers , the body ought to have such organs . the bodily organs , without such faculties in the soul ; or such faculties of the soul , without such organs in the body , would be useless and in vain . a man that has no eyes , is never the better for having a visive faculty in his soul. he sees nothing . though all other debts man owes unto god , are included in and connexed with love , yet hath each its proper and special reason why it ought to be paid . for they are due to him , on different and special accounts ; love , on one ; fear , on another ; honour , on a third ; praise , on a fourth ; &c. again , love is not fear , or honour , nor is honour love or fear ; each is a distinct debt . but where love is paid , all wil be paid . god is chiefly to be loved , because he is originally , essentially , and unchangably good . there is none thus good , but god only . mar. . . he alone is to be fear'd , as omnipotent . he alone is to be honour'd , as the inexhaustible fountain of all things ; and of all the joy , comfort , and blessednes , that his choicest creatur's , in their most extended capacities , are ever able to receive . obedience is due to him , as the supream lord of all . glory and praise are due to him , as the creatour of all things . and because he is infinite , he is infinitly to be loved , fear'd , honour'd , obey'd , prais'd , and glorified . he is infinitly to be beleeved and trusted , because infinitly faithful and true . but love does most principally correspond with the nature of god. for god is love . jo. . . it cannot be said that god is honour , or fear , &c. sect . ii. concerning these duties , in speciall , and first , of fear . all other debts or duties of man to god , must be founded in and spring from his love of god. love is acceptable of itself . no other performance is acceptable to god , but as in conjunction with love . he that fear's god without love , his fear carries in it punishment , sadnes , torment , bondage to himself , and find's no acceptance with god. he that pretend's to honour god , without love , flatter's him , play 's the hypocrite , and is abominable . but fear joyn'd with love , is voluntary , free , and acceptable ; has no torment , sadnes , or bondage in it . fear then , singly considered in itself , without love , being but a servile thing , carrying with it pain and torment , ought not to be multiplied , as love ought . one right fear of god admits no other fear's , but expell's them . from the love of god , do flow infinite secondary loves of all creatur's , as made or born of him , and as more or less resembling what is in him . but from the true fear of god , issue no secondary fear 's of any creature whatsoever , i am he that comforteth thee , say's god , who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die , and forgettest the lord thy maker ? isai. . , . sect . iii. two principal fears . as there are two principal loves , so two principal fears ; the one arising from the love of god ; the other , from the love of self . and accordingly are they good or evil , just or unjust , as the love is , whence they flow . the true fear of god strengthen's man's union with god. he that rightly fear 's him , need 's fear nothing else . but the evil fear , arising from self-love , is multiplied infinitly beyond the love from whence it spring's . from one of the many secondary loves , issuing from self-love , may arise numberless fears , all which being in conjunction with an evill love , do multiply punishment , sadnes , and sorrow to him that has them . this multiplication of fears demonstrat's the poisonous filth of self-love , to him that lives in it . he that chiefly love's himself , must needs fear all those things that can diminish , hurt , or destroy him ; which are numberless . in like manner , his own honour , praise , and glory being earnestly sought by him , he must need 's fear all that can diminish or destroy them . and loving bodily pleasures and delights , he fear 's bodily torments , cold , heat , poverty , or whatever tend's to the diminution and destruction thereof . thus is evil fear , arising from an evil love , infinitly more multiplicable then the love itself . a self-lover fear 's every thing that can hurt or diminish any thing he love's ; himself , friends , wife , children , parents , brothers , sisters , houses , possessions . he fear 's to lose all these , and therefore fear 's every thing that can take them from him , hurt , or destroy them . the foundation of all his misery and fear 's , is , he foolishly loves that which can be destroy'd , and therefore slavishly fear 's all that can destroy it . he that chiefly loves god , and by love is united with him , has no cause to fear any of these things , which the self-lover is so sollicitous about . nothing can diminish , hurt , or destroy his beloved . the perfect love of god cast's out all slavish , tormenting fear . jo. . . the true fear of god is often put in scripture for the whole worship and service of god , performable by man. he that truly fear's god , does truly worship and serve him . he that fear 's other things , makes himself the servant thereof ; becom's a slave to many such things as were made for his use and service . he incurr's infinite bondages , and loses all true liberty . by man's false fear's is the world turn'd upside down . man , who was created uppermost , is laid at the bottome , as the subject , servāt , and slave of all things . but by the true fear of god , he recovers his due place in the universe , suitable to his own nature , to the nature of god , to the will and command of god , and to the naturall order and voice of the whole creation . sect . iv. honour . honour has its distinct consideration by itself . all things are done for honour or profit , or both . of the two , honour is the more excellent , and belongs to god alone ; profit , to man only . the creature is in itself , indigent and needy ; profit therefore is calculated to its interest ; not honour , at all . but the creatour , being infinitly full of all perfection within himself , no profit can possibly redound unto him , from all the works of his hands ; but honour only . profit is due to the creature , honour to god , who aim's joyntly at his own honour and the profit of his creatur's , as the compleat end of all he does . honour as much excell's profit , as god ( to whom all honour belong's ) excell's the creature , to whom all profit belong's ; that is , infinitly . god therefore principally intend's his own honour in all his works ; but his crearur's profit is so wrapp'd up , and inseparably connexed with it , that the more he design 's his own honour , the more he design 's his creatur's profit ; and the more his creatures honour him , the more profit do they receive . here then are the two grand fruits of the universe , god's honour and man's profit . the honour redounding unto god , from all his works of creation and providence , will endure for ever . they therefore must remain for ever , that can ascribe it to him . and consequently their profit will also remain for ever . god will have everlasting honour , and man everlasting profit ; each , that which is most convenient and suitable to them . what should a needy creature do with honour ; or the inexhaustible fountain of all fulnes and perfection , with profit ? man is a needy creature within ; honour therefore , being a meer outward thing , signifies nothing to him . nothing does him any reall good , but what tends to his inward perfection and accomplishment . if he fondly seek honour , which is due to god only , he not only receiv's no profit thereby , but great disadvantage . he corrupt's , and waxes worse and worse within , being puff'd up with that which to him is a meer nullity , a vanity . man is apt to be seeking his own encrease and advance , one way or other . if he seek not a right , to encrease in goodnes within , he will fondly seek to encrease without , in honour , glory , praise , name or fame , in which the more he encreases , the more will he decrease in inward goodnes . such practice is direct hostility to god , against nature , reason , and the due order of all things . god's honour , being transcendently the most principal end of all his works , is infinitly more valuable then all creatur's put together . he then that seek's and usurp's his honour to himself , can't answer the injury done to god , if he had the whole world at his dispose , to give , by way of satisfaction . he that seek's the honour of god , seek's his own true good , and wil be sure to find it . he that seeks his own honour , will find everlasting shame , as a vessel of dishonour . christ himself , as a man in flesh , sought not his own glory . jo. . , . section . v. the name of god , acquired by his wonderful works . there is a twofold name of god , natural , or acquired . amongst men , there is a proper name , whereby one person is distinguished from another , which is not given on the account of any thing done by them . but if a man , in the course of his life , do some notable things , he acquir's a name amongst men , as david's worthies , according to the excellency of his performances . and this name is joyned with his other , which before did only distinguish him from other men , but carried nothing of fame or honour in it . his former name is rend'red honourable and famous , from this additional name , acquired by his atchievments . such hononr , glory , or fame , as this additional name brings with it , enters not at all into the being , but name only of the man. yet though the name , fame , honour and repute of a man , be but a meer outward thing , and no intrinsecal ingredient into his person ; it is , of all outward things , the most neer , dear , and valuable to him . this acquired name of man , may encrease two wayes ; intensively , by more and more honourable exploits ; or extensively , and by way of multiplication , as more and more men do come dayly to hear of his fame . god , on the account of his inward naturall excellencies , and infinite perfections , has a manifold natural name , which together with his additional name and honour , acquired by his wonderful works of creation , providence , &c. do make up one most great and glorious name , ever to be fear'd and prais'd by man. he does not , by all his wonderful works , acquire any new thing within him , but an outward name only . the glory of all good things , done by god immediatly ; or mediatly , with and by his creatur's , is properly attributable to him alone . his name alone is excellent in all the earth , and his glory is above the heavens . this name of god is capable of encrease ; by new works and wonders . he got him a name , or a fresh addition to his name , by his wonders on pharaoh , in egypt ; ex. . . . . and as it is with man , in this point of honour , who by self-love makes himself his god , so is it with god ; his honour or honourable name , though but an outward acquest by his famous works , is more neer , dear , and valuable to him , then all creatur's put together , as being the principal end for which they were all made . god was ever omnipotent , infinitely wise , just , and good . but he cannot be known by any other , to be so , till in a way of bountifull communicativenes , he manifest himself to be so , by his works , to the works of his own hands , angels and men . had god not made some creatur's , capable to take notice of his works , and thereby to know him , who could have known or honour'd him ? by the works of his omnipotency , justice , judgment , and wisdom , he declares and so gets the name of an omnipotent , infinitely wise creatour , and just judg . he does also by his works , get the name● or titles of most faithful , true , merciful , bountiful , gracious , holy , helpful , saviour , protectour , deliverer , &c. whereby men are obliged to place all their hopes , expectations , confidence , and trust , in him . one glorious name of god acquired by his works , is made up of all these , to beget the true feare thereof in men . the heavens declare the glory of god ; and the firmament sheweth his handy work ; psal. . . by the works of god , may and ought men to take notice of , and know him . for the invisible things of him , even his eternal power and godhead from or by the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made . rom. . . accordingly as men do more or less know , regard , and consider the works of the lord , the operations of his hands will they more or lesse know , love , and honour him . if they consider them not at all , they will not know , love , or honour him , at all . the heart or will of man , is the proper receptacle , and ought to be the habitation of the name of god , as men then are multiplied , the most honourable name of the lord is capable to be multiplied , as finding new hearts to reside and dwell in . those men , in whose hearts that name does dwel , will discover it unto others , by some outward signs , actions , or words . out of the abundance of the heart or inner man , the mouth , or whole outer man will speak , and act . his light will so shine in good works before other men , as to induce and incline them also to take notice of , glorify and honour his father which is in heaven . mat. . . amongst the works of god , man is the master-peece ; the comprehensive epitome of all the rest . as then a man does more or less know and se himself ( the principal mirrour and resemblance of god , the summ of all created beings put together ) the more or lesse clearly will he se and know god ; and accordingly , more or less esteem , love , and honour him . we may know much of god , by knowing what other creatures are ; but more , by knowing what ourselvs are , as the principal work of god : and yet much more , by experiencing the peculiar works of his grace and spirit , in our new formation , or true regeneration , as we come to be born of him , of his will , his spirit . as the right knowledg of ourselvs encreases , our knowledg of god will encrease : and the more we know him , the more shall we love , praise , honour , and admire his glorious name . all the works of god are calculated and designed for his own honour , name , glory and praise : so ought all the works of man. every man ought to do his utmost for the spreading abroad , encreasing and multiplying the name , fame , and glory of god , in the world . the more he does , gives , or parts with , on this account , the more profit and advantage redounds unto himself . godlines is great gain . if he lay down his life for the honour of god ( which is the utmost he can do in this world ) he can't part with it on better terms , or use it more to his own advantage . whatever any man does in this world , whereby he honour 's not god , he dishonours him . there 's no middle , neutrall way , thought , word , or action . to honour god , is the greatest good man can do ; to dishonour him , the greatest evill . all that man owes unto god , ( love , fear , praise , obedience , hope , faith , confidence , &c. ) belong's to his honour : and the neglect thereof , or opposit's thereunto , are a dishonour to him . he that does not love , fear , and obey , him ; beleeve , hope , and trust in him ; dishonour's , contemn's , and injur's him . chap. . sect. i. the private honour of man is the capital enemy of god's honour . man cannot be a more direct capital enemy of god , in any thing , then by contriving and designing his own honour , praise , glory , fame , or name , in and by all he does ; and by seeking the encrease and multiplication thereof . he that seeks his own honour , busies himself to procure the encrease and multiplication thereof in the hearts of other men . so , his own foolish , vain heart , and the hearts of others ( all which ought to be vessels and living temples of god's honour ) are made temples of his own honour , fame , and name . his own private honour , which is the enemy of god's , intrudes into and possesses the room thereof , in his own and others hearts , which is the greatest injury that can be offered unto god. such temper'd men desire to jussle the honour of god quite out of the world , out of all hearts , to make room for their own , the capital enemy thereof . every man is for or against god , the friend or enemy of god , seek's his own honour or god's . there 's no middle way . the seeking of self-honour , does so blind a mā , that he cannot se or think aright of the honour of god . he ought therefore to avoid his own honour , as the most poisonous , deadly , destructive vanity of all vanities , that will finally appear to be nothing , and will expose him to be eternally worse then nothing . all honour will perish but god's ; and so will all that seek any other honour then his . who can defend his own honour , against the omnipotent god ? what transcendent folly and blindnes is it , for the thing formed to think of prospering in a contest with him that formed it ? sect . ii. the honour of god is attended with man's profit : the honour of man tends directly to his own damage and ruine . god made all things for his own honour , as the principal end of all . he then that seeks any other honour , in oppositiō to that , does , what in him lies , pervert the whole world , and frustrate god's intention in making it . he sets himself up , by his own private autority , will , and pleasure , in the room of god ; and would have the world filled with his name , fame , and praise , as a temple of his own private , selfish honour . hast thou , o man , an arm like god ? job . . contend not with him then . if thou do , 't is easy to guesse what wil be the issue betweē a poor , fraile , impotent creature and the omnipotent creatour , to whom all nations are lesse then nothing , and vanity ; isai. . . the fruit of all such contests , must needs be unutterable damage unto man. the more a man muse's upon , and seek's his own honour , the more is he still dark'ned and blinded , as to any right knowledg or consideration of god and his honour . he madly digg's his own grave ; hasten's to his own eternal ruine . he lay's the foundation of his self contrived hapines , in a lie , an errour , a meer nullity , his own honour . he not only loses all his labour in such a self-seeking trade , but is sure to be ruin'd by it . as he therefore tender's his own hapines , he ought to flee and avoid his own honour , praise , and glory , that is enmity to god , as the greatest evil . eternal shame , perpetual confusion , and everlasting contempt wil be the certain portion of all that finally seek their own honour . but if a man honour god , god will put honour upon him , and glorify him for ever , in himself . vain man , that 's eager and hot in the pursuit and maintenance of his own private honour , though unjust and undue , will not patiently endure the least diminution thereof , as we may ordinarily find . and can we then think , the almighty god will suffer any diminution of his honour , that 's most justly due unto him , without punishing the offendour ? chap. . section . i. concerning angelical nature . having thus read over the book of the visible creation , and considered of some special and highly concerning instructions unto man , deducible there-from ; let us proceed to take notice of a third sort of created nature , which is invisible . in the three former of the four degrees of creatur's already spoken to , we find meer bodily nature : in the fourth ( to wit , man ) bodily and intellectual or spiritual nature , joyn'd together . by these things , so manifested and known , may we ascend to the consideration of intellectual nature , as found alone , by itself , in separation from bodily . bodily nature has two wayes of existing , one by itself , in the three inferiour degrees of created beings ; another , in conjunction with intellectual nature , in the fourth ; man. intellectual nature then , being far more excellent then bodily , and much more neer and like to its creatour , will doubtless be found to have the like priviledg of existing also two wayes ; first , singly , as a whole being , in angels ; secondly , in composition with bodily , as part of a being , in man. we may farther conclude also , that angels , as the choicer sort of first-created beings , excelling all others in understanding and strength ( psal. . ) were first made . man , though the most excellent creature in the visible world , lord and master of all the rest , was last created ; because , in respect of the bodily part of his constitution , the other visible creatures were a requisite provision for his enterteinment and subsistence . but angels , being meer spirits ( unconcern'd in , and independent on the visible or material parts of the creation , for their subsistence and operations ) might well be before any of this visible fabrick was set up . these morning stars and sons of god , sang together , and shouted for joy , when the foundations of the earth were fast'ned , and the corner-stone thereof was laid , by the hand of the creatour . job . . . . now forasmuch as angelical nature had the same kind of free-will that man had in his first make , the things above proved concerning the obligation , duty , and true interest of man , may be look'd on as equally proved in reference to angels . so have we , by ascending natur's ladder , found out the divine nature , uncreated , which is the same numerical nature in three persons ; and then , three created natures , meer bodily , meer intellectuall , and mixt . sect . ii. the sin of angels . angels sin'd before men . sin and depravation were first found in intellectual nature . angelical nature sin'd without any instigation to evil , by any superiour nature , already fallen . humane nature sin'd and fell by the instigation of angelical , the highest kind of created nature , already fallen . sin therefore was first in angelical nature . for , till angels were sinners , they would not tempt man to sin . sin was brought into humane nature , differently from the way it entred into angelical . it was first brought into the weaker part , the woman : then , by her into the man ; and so , into all mankind . 't is the right method in the art of tempting , to assault the weaker part , for entrance . when evil is to be introduced by way of instigation , this is the surest course . but the evil of angelical nature , entred first into the stronger part ; then , by it , into the weaker ; because that nature sin'd and fell of its own proper motion , without any instigation from another . the stronger , more excellent and capacious angel , whose will was of the most flexible , active temper , was most apt to assume unto himself a soveraign and uncontrolled excercise of his own will , in a proud and presumptuous opposition to god's , with an ero similis altissimo , i wil be like the most high . this was the case of the luciferian head of the fallen angels . the evil of sin then may seem to have begun in him that by creation was the most excellent of all the other angels that fell . they fell by freely and instantly complying with his rebellious will. in humane nature , man , the stronger part , became evil , by adhering to and complying with the weaker , the woman 's disorder'd will. angelical nature first fin'd . by that , was the woman tempted : by her , the man. so sin entred upon all mankind : the chief evil angel , proudly exalted himself and his will , into competition with god and his ; and so became the first capital enemy of god. he affected soveraignty : he would not remain subject to any superiour will. he erected a kingdom , empire , and dominion within himself , against the kingdom , empire , and dominion of god. and he presently became obstinate , resolute , and fixed in this deviation from and enmity against god. he can never return from it , to all eternity . consequently , will he ever hate and oppose , to the utmost , the will of his creatour , as most opposite to his . thus came there to be two totally distinct , contrary , and opposite wills ; the most absolutely pure and holy will of the omnipotent creatour , and the depraved will of the first angel that sinn'd . and the said leading angel , the devil , does contend , with all his might , for the maintenance and defence of his own will , in opposition to god's . to these two contrary wills of god and the devil , are all other wills of men or angels reducible . every will truly good , is joyn'd with the will of god ; every evil will , with the will of the devil . all the other angels , that adhered unto , joyned with , and took complacency in the will of the devil , became fixedly one with him , so as that they cannot will any thing but what he will's . he is the head , they the members , in opposition to michael and his angels . rev. . . all the wills of of the good angels are bound up in a state of everlasting and unchangable harmony with the will of their head , the head of all principality and power . the evil angels are a compacted army , resolved to fight for the defence of the depraved will of their head , and for the fulfilling thereof , in opposition to the will of god. the good angels are an opposite army , united with the will of their head , and contending for the fulfilling thereof , in opposition to the devil and his followers . by how much the more high and excellent a creature the first angel that sinn'd was made , so much the more vile and inferiour did he become , by the voluntary corrupting of himself . he is the lowest , basest , and vilest of all creatur's . his will , perverted by pride and self-love , became the root , and fountain of all evils . when once his will was perverted , he resolved to employ the over-reaching subtlety of his understanding , in all possible arts , methods , and wayes of delusion , for the deceiving and drawing of men into the same perdition with himself . so much be spoken concerning the voluntary evil of the fallen angels ; sin . sect . iii. the punishment of the angels that sinn'd . the involuntary evil , or evil of punishment , which the angels that sinn'd , were forc'd to take whether they would or no , was a casting of them down to hel , and a reserving of them in chains of darknes , unto the judgment of the great day . but untill they be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone , ( rev. . . ) after the thousand yeers reign of christ ; or rather , untill , with their head , they be shut and seal'd up in the bottomless pit , ( rev. . . so as to be utterly disabled to exercise any depraving influence upon men , all along the said thousand yeers ) they are termed rulers of the darkness of this world . eph. . . their head , satan , is termed the god of this world , that blind's the minds of men , lest the light of the glorious gospel of christ should shine unto them , cor. . . the night of this world is now far spent , ( rom. ; . ) wherein these rulers of darkness have most wofully blinded mens understandings , and captivated their wills , in and by the ensnaring vanities of this world . the day of the lord is at hand , wherein they shall be utterly disabled , as to any such practices . but they are now laying about them , in extreamity , as knowing they have but a short time . they have great horrour and disturbance in their present aery mansions , from the checks , restraints , and limitations they find themselvs under , from the power of their enemy , who is infinitely stronger then they . they are restless in their inordinate cogitations and desires . they are troubled , that they cannot deceive the very elect ; that they cannot touch him that is born of god , ( . jo. . . ) with their depraving , assimilating influence ; that they cannot ruine all mankind , to a man. when a sinner is converted , the eyes of his mind open'd ; when he is turned from darkness to light , and from the power of satan unto god , ( act. . . ) there is joy in the presence of the angels of god , and sorrow in the devil and his angels ; luk. . . chap. . sect. i. in what manner men come to be united with the first evil angels , as their head . the two principal opposite wills of god and the devil , make two opposite kingdoms , empires , dominions , and lawes ; a kingdom of darkness , and a kingdom of light . all men are subjects in the one or other of these kingdoms . the devil layes claim to all those things which belong to god ; honour , praise , adoration , &c. he is obstinate and blinded in this transcendent strein of pride and presumption . he does all he can , to destroy the honour , glory and worship of god , as contrary to his . he extreamly hates the kingdom of god ; envies man's capacity of ascending thither , and labour 's to the utmost , to obstruct and hinder his motions that way . he labour's might and main , to bring all men under his dominion . but there is a twofold difference between the first captivity of mankind , and other fallen angels , to the will of the first ; the devil . first , all the fallen angels became fix'd in and with the will of their head , in enmity to god : but men are capable of recovery from the power of satan unto god. secondly the evil angels are subject to their leader and head , as his incorporated members , resigned up to his will. they do all most unanimously and harmoniously agree and center in one will , so that no discord or contention can possibly arise amongst them . they are the most free and willing subjects of the devil . as for men , they are cozen'd into slavery : they are , unawares , by fraud , captivated to the will of the devil . they agree with the devil in enmity to god. they quit all union with the will of god ; but , with design to live in the soveraign and uncontrolled exercise of their own wills , as the devil does in his , unsubjected either to god or him . but when they de part from god , they fall into the devil's hands , and are taken captive by him , at his will ; tim. . . man intend's a distinct kingdom within himself , separate from god's and the devil 's too , as a new third monarch , distinct from both . but it fall's in , by way of coalition , and becomes one kingdom of darkness with satan's , in opposition to the kingdom of god. the will of the devil , separated from god , of itself . the will of man , separated from god , by the instigation of the devil ; on which , the devil gain'd entrance into , and dominion over his will , beyond , and contrary to his intention . the devil caught man at first with guile , did with craft surprize him , and does by violence and fraud usurp a tyrannical domination over him . the fallen angels are the devil's natural subjects , and members , being of the same angelical nature with him . but men , as of a different nature from him , are by fraud and force , captivated and subjected to his will. every wicked man retein's his own private will in himself , which alway's agree's with the will of the devil , in enmity and contrariety to the will of god. the devil is a gainer by men's living and walking in their own wills , as not willingly or knowingly subjected unto his . for , by this means , he can , in combination with the will of man , do many exploits in the world , which by himself alone , or by his angels who are freely united in and with his will , he could not do . wicked men , in this world , do not center by way of resignation , in any one will ; but have every one their proper and private will , distinct from all others . they cannot therefore agree amongst themselvs , as evil angels do , because they have distinct private wills and lusts , whence contentions , warrs , brawlings , and fightings do arise ( jam. . . ) every one raking and tearing from another , to get what he can for himself . satan know's too well how to manage the private lusts and passions of men , to his advantage . he does thereby stir up man against man , nation against nation , kingdom against kingdom , putting the world into an uproar , and filling it with all manner of tumults and confusions . this he does by his hidden artifices , and unperceived influencin● and riding of the wills of men , as hi●●easts , into a career of opposition to each other . he is ready also , on all sides , to suggest innumerable wayes and arts of doing mischief , as the grand master of al mis-rule in the whole world . he uses his angels as his own members , for the doing of mischief . but he and his angels use men as their beasts , to ride on . men's minds and wills are secretly bestridden and spurr'd by these principalities and powers of darkness ; and they no more know or consider who is on their backs , then horses know what men are , that ride them . into this deplorable condition is man brought by self-love , and living in his own will , separate from god's . he is made a servant , a slave , a captive , a beast , for the devil and his angels to triumph over , and ride on , who are themselvs most miserable captives in everlasting chains of darkness . jude v. . the will of the devil is a bottomless pit , wherein the wills of wicked men are imprison'd ; and their own private wills are so many distinct spiritual prisons , subordinate to the will of the devil , wherein they are deteined . man 's own will is both the prison and the chain that bind's and hold's him fast in the will of the devil . here 's that man gets by living in his own will. when he hath once separated himself from god , and set his heart wholly upon vanities , in case he sometimes get what he desires , if he rejoyces in it , he add's iniquity unto iniquity , by rejoycing in the accomplishing of the fleshly desires of his carnal mind , that is enmity against god. all the desires of our wills , in separation from god's , are evil . if we have not what we desire , we are sad , looking on our disappointment as a punishment . if we have what we desire , we rejoyce , and so adde to the iniquity of our unlawfull lust , a rebellious exulting and rejoycing against god. turn which way we will then , while we live in our own wills , we are sure to find sin or sorrow , to meet either with the evil of sin , or evil of punishment , continually . to center , unite , live and dwell in the will of god , is true blessednes and glorious liberty unto man , in direct opposition to all the above-mention'd captivities and inconveniences . sect . ii. the whole angelical nature fell not . the whole humane nature fell . angels descend not from one another by generation , as men do ; but were all created together . those angels that fell , fell irrecoverably , at first . no men were rendred unchangably and irrecoverably evil by their first fall , nor were they thereby exposed to remediless misery . had mankind , by being made totally sinful , bin totally lost , in vain had all men bin made , as to the principal design of god in the creation of the world , which was , to bring the world , summ'd up in man , into union with and enjoyment of himself . had no course bin taken for the recovery and salvation of men , after their first fall , we might be apt to think it far better , that god had forthwith destroy'd adam and eve , on their first sin , and put a period to humane nature in their persons , without any farther multiplication . that which christ say's of judas , it had bin good for him , if he had not bin born , mat. . . may seem to countenance this general assertion , that it had bin far better and more eligible for all those who will eternally perish , uever to have bin at all . section . iii. redemption . as to the recovery , redemption , and salvation of man , this we may take notice of in generall , that none but god himself could make satisfaction to his own infinite justice for the sins of men . and none is obliged to give satisfaction , but man. he then , that perform's it , must needs be both god and man , united in one person . the natural and most intimate marriage-union of humane nature with the divine , in christ's person , did render it so valuable , in the vertue and dignity of its husband , that the laying down of the life thereof , was a satisfaction to divine justice for the sins of men , infinitely beyond what the voluntary surrender of life , by al creatures in their full purity , would have amounted unto . such a man as was also god , could and did by the death of his manhood , overcome him that had the power of death , the devil ; heb. . . and having spoiled those principalities and powers of darkness , the devil and his angels , he made a shew of them openly , triumphing over them in it ; col. . . he will also cause his followers from among men , to triumph over them also ; to trample them under their feet , as josua or iesus ( act. . . heb. . . ) the type of christ , caused the captains of the men of war , to put their feet upon the necks of the five kings . jos. , . . he does , by regeneration , put a spirit into them , greater then he that 's in the world , the devil ; jo. . . a spirit , which that wicked one cannot touch , deprave , corrupt , or assimilate unto himself ; a spirit , that cannot touch or put forth its hand unto sin . he , or that which is born of god , sinneth not , nor can sin . jo. . . sect . iv. thus have we seen the original evils of humane and angelical nature ; the roots of all other evils , in or to angels and men . all the evil of sin or punishment , incident unto both , from first to last , is wholly imputable to their own wilful deviations , apostasies , and rebellions . fallen man , who was seduced by a superiour order of creatur's , more subtle then himself , is , through the tender mercies of god , declared to be in a recoverable condition ; and accordingly , are there means afforded him , by the personal suffrings and performances of christ , whereby he may be saved . but being fallen and corrupted into a state quite contrary to his own nature , he is usually so far from any due considering of the vileness and misery of his condition , or of the dreadful vengeance of eternal fire , which will certainly follow , that he laugh's and rejoyces in his chains , his prison-state under satan , who is a chained captive himself . he glories in his shame , put 's far from him the evil day , laugh's at the sad stories of hel and damnation , as old wives fables . the heart of the sons of men is full of evil ; madness is in their heart while they live ; and after that they go to the dead . man also knoweth not his time : as fishes are taken in an evil net , and birds caught in the snare , so are the sons of men snared in an evil time , when it falleth suddenly upon them . ecc. . . . by the laughing , jovial , frolick practice , and senseless security too generally observable amongst men , may it appear , that man is a most foolish , frantick , dreamish , inchanted thing , not considering what he is , whither he goes , or what 's like to become of him for ever . the folly , misery , and delusion , wherein man securely and pleasantly walk's , under the rulers of the darkness of this world , who can utter ? for farther ●●formation herein , i refer the reader to the scriptures o● truth , as beyond the reach of the book of the creatures , though their line be gone out , thorow all the earth , and their words to the end of the world , so that there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard . psal. . . . finis . page . line . trhee . r. three . p. . l. . it . r. is . p. . chap. . r. . so are there . chapters in the whole book . p. . l. . slowing . r. flowing . seneca's morals abstracted in three parts : i. of benefits, ii. of a happy life, anger, and clemency, iii. a miscellany of epistles / by roger l'estrange. seneca, lucius annaeus, ca. b.c.- a.d. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) seneca's morals abstracted in three parts : i. of benefits, ii. of a happy life, anger, and clemency, iii. a miscellany of epistles / by roger l'estrange. seneca, lucius annaeus, ca. b.c.- a.d. l'estrange, roger, sir, - . [ ], li, [ ], , [ ], , [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by t.n. for henry brome ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. "senecas morals by way of abstract, of benefits ... london ... " has special t.p. "senecas morals of a happy life, of anger and clemency ... london ... " has special t.p. and separate paging. "seneca's morals, the third and last part, digested into xxviii epistles ... london ... " has special t.p. and separate paging. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. stoics. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion l. annaeus seneca seneca's morals abstracted : in three parts . i. of benefits : ii. of a happy life , anger , and clemency . iii. a miscellany of epistles . by roger l'estrange . london : printed by t. n. for henry brome , at the gun in s t pauls church-yard . mdclxxix . seneca's morals by way of abstract . of benefits . part i. by r. l'estrange . london , printed by tho. newcomb for henry broome , at the gun in st. pauls church-yard . the contents . chap. i. of benefits in general page . chap. ii. several sorts of benefits p. . chap. iii. a son may oblige his father , and a servant his master p. . chap. iv. it is the intention , not the matter , that makes the benefit p. . chap. v. there must be iudgment in a benefit , as well as matter , and intention , and especially in the choice of the person . p. . chap. vi. the matter of obligations , with its circumstances . p. . chap. vii . the manner of obliging p. . chap. viii . the difference , and value of benefits p. . chap. ix . an honest man cannot be out-done in courtesie p. . chap. x. the question discussed , whether or no a man may give , or return a benefit to himself p. chap. xi . how far one man may be oblig'd for a benefit done to another p. . chap. xii . the benefactor must have no by-ends p. . chap. xiii . there are many cases wherein a man may be minded of a benefit , but it is very rarely to be challeng'd , and never to be upbraided . p. . chap. xiv . how far to oblige , or requite a wicked man. p. . chap. xv. a general view of the parts , and duties of the benefactor . p. chap. xvi . how the receiver ought to behave himself p. . chap. xvii . of gratitude p. . chap. xviii . gratitude mistaken p. . chap. xix . of ingratitude p. . chap. xx. there can be no law against ingratitude p. . to the reader . it has been a long time in my thought to turn seneca into english : but , whether as a translation , or an abstract , was the question . a translation i perceive it must not be , at last , for several reasons . first , it is a thing already done to my hand , and of above sixty years standing ; though with as little credit perhaps to the author , as satisfaction to the reader . secondly , there are a thousand things in him , that are wholly forreign to my business : as his philosophical treatises of meteors , earthquakes , the original of rivers ; several frivolous disputes betwixt the epicureans , and the stoicks , &c. to say nothing of his frequent repetitions of the same thing again in other words , ( wherein he very handsomely excuses himself , by saying , that he does but inculcate over , and over the same counsels , to those that over and over commit the same faults . ) thirdly ; his excellency consists rather in a rhapsody of divine , and extraordinary hints , and notions , than in any regulated method of discourse ; so that to take him as he lies , and to go thorough with him , were utterly inconsistent with the order , and brevity which i propound ; my principal design being only to digest , and common-place his morals , in such sort , that any man , upon occasion , may know where to find them . and , i have kept my self so close to this proposition , that i have reduc'd all his scatter'd ethiques to their proper heads , without any additions of my own , more than of absolute necessity for the tacking of them together . some other man , in my place , would , perchance , make you twenty apologies , for his want of skill , and address , in governing this affair , but these are formal , and pedantique fooleries : as if any man that first takes himself for a coxcomb in his own heart , would afterwards make himself one in print too . this abstract , such as it is , you are extremely wellcome to ; and i am sorry it is no better , both for your sakes and my own : for , if it were written up to the spirit of the original , it would be one of the most valuable presents that ever any private man bestow'd upon the publick : and this too , even in the judgment of both parties , as well christian as heathen : of which in its due place . next to my choice of the author , and of the subject , together with the manner of handling it , i have likewise had some regard in this publication , to the timing of it , and to the preference of this topique of benefits above all others , for the ground-work of my first essay . we are faln into an age of vain philosophy ; ( as the holy apostle calls it ) and so desperately over-run with drolls and scepticks , that there is hardly any thing so certain , or so sacred , that is not exposed to question , or contempt . insomuch , that betwixt the hypocrite , and the atheist , the very foundations of religion , and good manners are shaken , and the two tables of the decalogue dash'd to pieces , the one against the other : the laws of government are subjected to the phansies of the vulgar ; publick authority to the private passions and opinions of the people ; and the supernatural motions of grace confounded with the common dictates of nature . in this state of corruption , who so fit as a good honest christian-pagan , for a moderator betwixt pagan-christians ? to pass now from the general scope of the whole work , to the particular argument of this following discourse ; i have pitch'd upon the theme of benefits , gratitude and ingratitude , to begin withall , as an earnest of the rest , and a lecture expresly calculated for the unthankfulness of these times : the foulest undoubtedly , and the most execrable of all others , since the very apostacy of the angels : nay , if i durst but suppose a possibility of mercy for those damned spirits , and that they might ever be taken into favour again , my charity would hope even better from them , than we have found from some of our revolters , and that they would so behave themselves , as not to incurr a second forfeiture . and , to carry the resemblance yet one point further , they do both of them agree in an implacable malice against those of their fellows that keep their stations . but alass ! what could ingratitude do , without hypocrisie ? the inseparable companion of it ; and , in effect , the bolder , and the blacker devil of the two ? for lucifer himself never had the face to lift up his eyes to heaven , and talk to the allmighty at the familiar rate of our pretended patriots , and zelots : and at the same time , to make him party to a cheat. 't is not for nothing , that the holy ghost has denounc'd so many woes , and redoubl'd so many cautions against hypocrites ; plainly intimating , at once , how dangerous a snare they are to mankind , and no less odious to god himself : which is sufficiently denoted in the force of that dreadful expression , and your portion shall be with hypocrites . you will find in the holy scriptures ( as i have formerly observ'd ) that god has given the grace of repentance to persecuters , idolaters , murtherers , adulterers , &c. but i am mistaken , if the whole bible affords you any one instance of a converted hypocrite . to descend now from truth it self , to our own experience : have we not seen , even in our dayes , a most pious ( and almost a faultless ) prince , brought to the scaffold by his own subjects ? the most glorious constitution upon the face of the earth , both ecclesiastical and civil , torn to pieces , and dissolv'd ? the happyest people under the sun enslav'd ; our temples sacrilegiously profan'd ; and a licence given to all sorts of heresie , and outrage ? and by whom , but by a race of hypocrites , who had nothing in their mouths all this while , but the purity of the gospel ; the honour of the king ; and , the liberty of the people : assisted underhand with defamatory papers , which were levell'd at the king himself , thorough the sides of his most faithful ministers ? this project succeeded so well against one government , that it is now again set a foot against another ; and by some of the very actors too in that tragedy , and after a most gracious pardon also , when providence had laid their necks , and their fortunes at his majesties feet . it is a wonderful thing , that libells , and libellers , the most infamous of practises , and of men ; the most unmanly , sneaking methods , and instruments of mischief : the very bane of humane society , and the plague of all governments : it is a wonderful thing ( i say ) that these engines , and engineers , should ever find credit enough in the world to engage a party : but it would still be more wonderful , if the same trick , should pass twice upon the same people , in the same age , and from the very same impostors . this contemplation has carry'd me a little out of my way , but it has at length brought me to my text again ; for there is in the bottom of it , the highest opposition imaginable , of ingratitude , and obligation . by this taste , the reader will in some measure be able to judge what he is further to expect : that is to say , as to the cast of my design , and the simplicity of the stile , and dress ; for that will be still the same ; only accompany'd with variety of matter . within a term , or two , i do propound ( god willing ) to follow this , with another manual ; and so to go on till i have finish'd the whole . whether it pleases the world or not , the care is taken : and yet i could wish that it might be as delightful to others upon the perusal , as it has been to me in the speculation . next to the gospel it self ●… do look upon it as the most sovereign remedy against the miseries of humane nature ; and i have ever found it so in all the injuries and distresses , of an unfortunate life . you may read more of him if you please in the appendix , which i have here subjoyn'd to this preface , concerning the authority of his writings , and the circumstances of his life ; as i have extracted them out of lipsius . of seneca's writings . it appears that our author had , among the ancients , three profess'd enemies . in the first place caligula ; who call'd his writings , sand without lime ; alluding to the starts of his phancy , and the incoherence of his sentences . but seneca was never the worse for the censure of a person that propounded even the suppressing of homer himself ; and of casting virgil and livy out of all publick libraries . the next , was fabius ; who taxes him for being too bold with the eloquence of former times , and failing in that point himself ; and likewise for being too queint and finical in his expressions : which tacitus imputes , in part , to the freedom of his own particular inclination , and partly to the humour of the times . he is also charg'd by fabius as no profound philosopher ; but with all this , he allows him to be a man very studious , and learned ; of great wit , and invention ; and well read in all sorts of litterature ; a severe reprover of vice ; most divinely sententious ; and well worth the reading ; if it were only for his moralls ; adding , that if his judgment had been answerable to his wit , it had been much the more for his reputation : but he wrote whatever came next : so that i would advise the reader ( sayes he ) to distinguish , where he himself did not : for there are many things in him , not only to be approv'd , but admir'd , and it was great pity , that he that could do what he would , should not alwayes make the best choice . his third adversary is agellius , who falls upon him for his style , and a kind of tinkling in his sentences ; but yet commends him for his piety , and good counsels . on the other side , columella calls him a man of excellent wit and learning ; pliny ; the prince of erudition ; tacitus gives him the character of a wise man , and a fit tutour for a prince . dio reports him to have been the greatest man of his age. of those pieces of his that are extant , we shall not need to give any particular accompt : and of those that are lost , we cannot , any further than by lights to them from other authors ; as we find them cited much to his honor ; and we may reasonably compute them to be the greater part of his works . that he wrote several poems in his banishment , may be gather'd , partly from himself ; but more expresly out of tacitus , who sayes , that he was reproach'd with his applying himself to protry , after he saw that nero took pleasure in it , out of a design to curry-favour . st. ierome refers to a discourse of his concerning matrimony . lactantius takes notice of his history , and his books of moralities : st. augustin quotes some passages of his out of a book of superstition : some references we meet with , to his books of exhortations . fabius makes mention of his dialogues : and he himself speaks of a treatise of his own , concerning earthquakes , which he wrote in his youth . but the opinion of an epistolary correspondence that he had with st. paul , does not seem to have much colour for 't . some few fragments however of those books of his that are wanting , are yet preserv'd in the writings of other eminent authors ; sufficient to shew the world , how great a treasure they have lost , by the excellency of that little that 's left . seneca , sayes lactantius , that was the sharpest of all the stoicks , how great a veneration has he for the allmighty ? as for instance ; discoursing of a violent death : do you not understand , sayes he , the majesty , and the authority of your judge ? he is the supreme governor of heaven and earth , and the god of all our gods ; and it is upon him that all those powers depend which we worship for deities . moreover in his exhortations . this god , sayes he , when he laid the foundations of the universe , and enter'd upon the greatest , and the best work in nature , in ordering of the government of the world ; though he was himself all in all , yet he substituted other subordinate ministers , as the servants of his commands . and , how many other things does this heathen speak of god , like one of us ? which the acute seneca ( sayes lactantius again ) saw in his exhortations . we , sayes he , have our dependence elsewhere , and should look up to that power unto which we are indebted for all we we can pretend to that is good . and again , seneca sayes very well in his morals ; they worship the images of the gods , sayes he , kneel to them , and adore them ; they are hardly ever from them , either plying them with offerings , or sacrifices ; and yet after all this reverence to the image , they have no regard at all for the workman that made it . lactantius again . an invective , ( sayes seneca in his exhortations ) is the master-piece of most of our philosophers : and if they fall upon the subject of avarice , lust , ambition , they lash out into such excess of bitterness , as if railing were a mark of their profession . they make me think of gally-pots in an apothecaries shop , that have remedies without , and poyson within . lactantius still . he that would know all things let him read seneca ; the most lively describer of publick vices , and manners , and the smartest reprehender of them . and again : as seneca has it in his books of moral philosophy ; he is the brave man , whose splendor , and authority , is the least part of his greatness : that can look death in the face , without trouble , or surprize ; who , if his body were to be broken upon the wheel , or melted lead to be pour'd down his throat , would be less concern'd for the pain it self , than for the dignity of bearing it . let no man , sayes lactantius , think himself the safer in his wickedness for want of a witness ; for god is omniscient ; and to him nothing can be a secret . it is an admirable sentence that seneca concludes his exhortations withal . god , sayes he , is a great , ( i know not what ) an incomprehensible power : it is to him , that we live ; and to him , that we must approve our selves . what does it avail us , that our consciences are hidden from men , when our souls lie open to god ? what could a christian have spoken more to the purpose in this case , than this divine pagan . and in the beginning of the same work sayes seneca , what is it that we do ? to what end is it to stand contriving , and to hide our selves ? we are under a guard , and there 's no escaping from our keeper . one man may be parted from another , by travel , death , sickness : but there 's no dividing us from our selves . 't is to no purpose to creep into a corner , where no body shall see us . ridiculous madness ! make it the case that no mortal eye could find us out ? he that has a conscience gives evidence against himself . it is truely , and excellently spoken of seneca , says lactantius , once again , consider , sayes he , the majesty , the goodness , and the venerable mercies of the allmighty : a friend that is alwayes at hand . what delight can it be to him , the slaughter of innocent creatures , or the worship of bloody sacrifices ? let us purge our minds , and lead virtuous and honest lives : his pleasure lies not in the magnificence of temples , made with stone , but in the piety and devotion of consecrated hearts . in the book that seneca wrote against superstitions , treating of images , sayes st. austin , he writes thus , they represent the holy , the immortal , and the inviolable gods , in the basest matter ; and without life or motion : in the forms of men , beasts , fishes ▪ some , of mix'd bodies ; and those figures they call deities , which , if they were but animated , would affright a man , and pass for monsters . and then a little farther , treating of natural theology ; after citing the opinions of philosophers , he supposes an objection against himself ▪ some body will perhaps ask me : would you have me then to believe the heavens , and the earth , to be gods ; and some of them above the moon , and some below it ? shall i ever be brought to the opinion of plato , or of strato the peripatetick : the one of which would have god to be without a body , and the other without a mind ? to which he replyes ; and , do you give more credit then to the dreams of t. tatius , romulus , and hostilius , who caused , among other deities , even fear , and paleness , to be worship'd ? the vilest of humane affections ; the one being the motion of an affrighted mind , and the other , not so much the disease , as the color of a disorder'd body . are these the deities that you will rather put your faith in , and place in the heavens ? and speaking afterward of their abominable customes . with what liberty does he write ? one , sayes he , out of zeal , makes himself an eunuch ; another lances his armes : if this be the way to please their gods , what should a man do if he had a mind to anger them ? or , if this be the way to please them , they do certainly deserve not to be worshipp'd at all . what a phrensy is this , to imagine , that the gods can be delighted with such cruelties , as even the worst of men would make a conscience to inflict ? the most barbarous and notorious of tyrants ; some of them have perhaps done it themselves , or order'd the tearing of men to pieces by others ; but they never went so far , as to command any man to torment himself . we have heard of those that have suffer'd castration , to gratifie the lust of their imperious masters : but never any man that was forc'd to act it upon himself . they murther themselves in their very temples , and their prayers are offer'd up in blood. whosoever shall but observe what they do , and what they suffer , will find it so mis-becoming an honest man , so unworthy of a freeman , and so inconsistent with the action of a man in his wits , that he must conclude them all to be mad ; if it were not that there are so many of them ; for only their number is their justification , and their protection . when he comes to reflect , sayes st. augustin , upon those passages , which he himself had seen in the capitol . he censures them with liberty , and resolution : and no man would believe that such things would be done , unless in mockery , or phrenzy . what lamentation is there in the aegyptian sacrifices for the loss of osiris ? and then what joy for the finding of him again ? which he makes himself sport with , for in truth it is all a fiction : and yet those people that neither lost any thing , nor found any thing , must express their sorrows , and their rejoycings , to the highest degree : but there is only a certain time , sayes he , for this freake , and once in a year people may be allow'd to be mad. i came into the capitol , sayes seneca , where the several deities had their several servants , and attendants , their lictors , their dressers , and all in posture , and action , as if they were executing their offices : some to hold the glass , others to comb out iuno's and minerva's hair ; one to tell iupiter what a clock it is ; some lasses there are , that sit gazing upon the image , and phansy iupiter has a kindness for them . all these things , sayes seneca , a while after , a wise man will observe for the law 's sake , more than for the gods ; and all this rabble of deities , which the superstition of many ages has gather'd together , we are in such manner to adore , as to consider the worship to be rather matter of custome , than of conscience . whereupon st. augustine observes , that this illustrious senator , worship'd what he reprov'd ; acted what he dislik'd ; and ador'd what he condemn'd . seneca's life and death . it has been an ancient custome , to record the actions , and the writings of eminent men , with all their circumstances ; and it is but a right that we owe to the memory of our famous author . seneca was , by birth , a spaniard of cordova ( a roman colony of great fame and antiquity ) he was of the family of annaeus ; of the order of knights ; and the father , lucius annaeus seneca , was distinguish'd from the son , by the name of the orator . his mothers name was helvia ; a woman of excellent qualities . his father came to rome in the time of augustus ; and his wife and children soon follow'd him , our seneca yet being in his infancy . there were three brothers of them , and never a sister . marcus annaeus novatus , lucius annaeus seneca , and lucius annaeus mela. the first of these chang'd his name for iunius gallio , who adopted him ; to him it was , that he dedicated his treatise of anger , whom he calls novatus too ; and he also dedicated his discourse of a happy life to his brother gallio . the youngest brother ( annaeus mela ) was lucan's father . seneca was about twenty years of age in the fifth year of tiberius , when the iews were expell'd rome . his father train'd him up to rhetorick , but his genius led him rather to philosophy ; and he apply'd his wit to morality , and virtue . he was a great hearer of the celebrated men of those times ; as attalus , sotion , papirius fabianus , ( of whom he makes often mention ) and he was much an admirer also of demetrius the cynique , whose conversation he had afterwards in the court , and both at home also , and abroad , for they often travell'd together . his father was not at all pleas'd with his humor of philosophy , but forc'd him upon the law , and for a while he practis'd pleading . after which , he would needs put him upon publick employment : and he came first to be quaestor , and then praetor ; and some will have it that he was chosen consul ; but this is doubtful . seneca finding that he had ill offices done him at court , and that nero's favour began to cool ; he went directly and resolutely to nero , with an offer to refund all that he had gotten . which nero would not receive ; but , however , from that time , he chang'd his course of life ; receiv'd few visits ; shun'd company ; went little abroad ; still pretending to be kept at home , either by indisposition , or by his study . being nero's tutor , and governour , all things went well , so long as nero follow'd his counsel . his two chief favorites , were burrhus and seneca , who were both of them excellent in their wayes . burrhus in his care of military affairs , and severity of discipline ; seneca for his precepts , and good advice in the matter of eloquence , and the gentleness of an honest mind : assisting one another in that slippery age of the prince ( sayes tacitus ) to invite him , by the allowance of lawful pleasures , to the love of virtue . seneca had two wives ; the name of the first is not mention'd ; his second was paulina , whom he often speaks of with great passion . by the former he had his son marcus. in the first year of claudius he was banish'd into corsica , when iulia the daughter of germanicus was accus'd by messalina of adultery , and banish'd too : seneca being charg'd as one of the adulterers . after a matter of eight years , or upwards , in exile , he was call'd back , and as much in favor again as ever . his estate was partly patrimonial , but the greatest part of it was the bounty of his prince . his gardens , villa's , lands , possessions , and incredible sums of mony are agreed upon at all hands ; which drew an envy upon him . dio reports him to have had l. sterling at interest in brittany alone , which he call'd in , all at a sum. the court it self could not bring him to flattery ; and , for his piety , submission , and virtue , the practice of his whole life witnesses for him . so soon , sayes he , as the candle is taken away ; my wife , that knowes my custome , lies still , without a word speaking : and then do i recollect all that i have said , or done that day , and take my self to shrift . and why should i conceal , or reserve any thing , or make any scruple of enquiring into my errors , when i can say to my self , do so no more , and , for this once , i 'll forgive thee ? and again , what can be more pious , and self-denying , than this passage , in one of his epistles ? believe me now , when i tell you the very bottom of my soul : in all the difficulties and crosses of my life , this is my consideration : since it is god's will , i do not only obey , but assent to 't ; nor do i comply , out of necessity , but inclination . here follows now , sayes tacitus , the death of seneca , to nero's great satisfaction : not so much for any pregnant proof against him , that he was of piso's conspiracy ; but nero was resolv'd to do that by the sword , which he could not effect by poyson . for , it is reported , that nero had corrupted cleonicus ( a freeman of seneca ' s ) to give his master poyson ; which did not succeed : whether that the servant had discover'd it to his master ; or that seneca by his own caution , and iealousie , had avoided it ; for he liv'd only upon a simple diet , as the fruits of the earth ; and his drink was most commonly river-water . natalis , it seems , was sent upon a visit to him ( being indispos'd ) with a complaint , that he would not let piso come at him ; and advising him to the continuance of their friendship , and acquaintance , as formerly . to whom seneca made answer , that frequent meetings , and conferences betwixt them , could do neither of them any good ; but that he had a great interest in piso's wellfare . hereupon granius silvanus ( a captain of the guard ) was sent to examine seneca upon the discourse that pass'd betwixt him , and natalis , and to return his answer . seneca , either by chance , or upon purpose , came that day from campania , to a villa of his own , within four miles of the city ; and thither the officer went the next evening , and beset the place . he found seneca at supper with his wife paulina , and two of his friends ; and gave him immediately an account of his commission . seneca told him , that it was true , that natalis had been with him , in piso's name , with a complaint , that piso could not be admitted to see him ; and that he exous'd himself by reason of his want of health ; and his desires to be quiet , and private ; and that he had no reason to prefer another mans wellfare before his own . caesar himself , he said , knew very well that he was not a man of complement , having receiv'd more proofs of his freedome , than of his flattery . this answer of seneca's was deliver'd to caesar in the presence of poppaea and tigellinus , the intimate confidents of this barbarous prince : and nero ask'd him , whether he could gather any thing from seneca , as if he intended to make himself away ? the tribunes answer was , that he did not find him one jot mov'd with the message ; but that he went on roundly with his tale , and never so much as chang'd countenance for the matter . go back to him then , sayes nero , and tell him , that he is condemn'd to die. fabius rusticus delivers it , that the tribune did not return the same way he came , but went aside to fenius ( a captain of that name ) and told him caesars orders ; asking his advice , whether he should obey them , or not ; who bad him by all means to do as he was order'd . which want of resolution was fatal to them all ; for silvanus also , that was one of the conspirators , assisted now to serve , and to increase those crimes , which he had before complotted to revenge . and yet he did not think fit to appear himself in the business , but sent a centurion to seneca , to tell him his doom . seneca , without any surprize , or disorder , calls for his will ; which being refus'd him by the officer , he turn'd to his friends , and told them , that since he was not permitted to requite them as they deserv'd , he was yet at liberty to bequeath them the thing of all others that he esteem'd the most , that is the image of his life : which should give them the reputation both of constancy , and friendship , if they would but imitate it : exhorting them to a firmness of mind ; sometimes by good counsel ; otherwhile by reprehension , as the occasion requir'd . where , sayes he , is all your philosophy now ? all your premeditated resolutions against the violences of fortune ? is there any man so ignorant of nero's cruelty , as to expect , after the murther of his mother , and his brother , that he should ever spare the life of his governor , and tutor ? after some general expressions to this purpose ; he took his wife in his armes , and having somewhat fortify'd her against the present calamity , he besought , and conjur'd her to moderate her sorrows , and betake her self to the contemplations , and comforts of a virtuous life ; which would be a fair , and an ample consolation to her for the loss of her husband . paulina on the ether side , tells him her determination to bear him company , and wills for the executioner to do his office. well , sayes seneca , if after the sweetness of life , as i have represented it to thee , thou hadst rather entertain an honorable death , i shall not envy thy example ; consulting , at the same time , the fame of the person he lov'd , and his own tenderness , for fear of the injuries that might attend her when he was gone . our resolution sayes he , in this generous act ▪ may be equal , but thine will be the greater reputation . after this , the veins of both their armes were open'd , at one and the same stroke . seneca did not bleed so freely , his spirits being wasted with age , and a thin diet , so that he was forc'd to cut the veins of his thighs , and elsewhere , to hasten his dispatch . when he was far spent , and almost sinking under his torments , he desir'd his wife to remove into another chamber , least the agonyes of the one might work upon the courage of the other . his eloquence continu'd to the last , as appears by the excellent things he deliver'd at his death ; which being taken in writing from his own mouth , and publish'd in his own words , i shall not presume to deliver them in any other . nero , in the mean time , who had no particular spite to paulina , gave orders to prevent her death , for fear his cruelty should grow more , and more insupportable , and odious . whereupon the soldiers gave all freedome , and encouragement to her servants , to bind up her wounds , and stop the blood , which they did accordingly , but whether she was sensible of it or not , is a question : for , among the common people , who are apt to judge the worst , there were some of opinion , that as long as she despair'd of nero's mercy , she seem'd to court the glory of dying with her husband for company , but that upon the likelihood of better quarter , she was prevail'd upon to out-live him ; and so , for some years , she did survive him , with all piety and respect to his memory : but so miserably pale and wan , that every body might read the loss of her blood , and spirits , in her very countenance . seneca finding his death slow , and lingering , desires statius annaeus ( his old friend , and physician ) to give him a dose of poyson , which he had provided before-hand , being the same preparation which was appointed for capital offenders in athens . this was brought him , and he drank it up , but to little purpose , for his body was already chill'd , and bound up against the force of it . he went at last into a hot bath , and sprinkling some of his servants that were next him ; this , sayes he , is an oblation to jupiter the deliverer . the fume of the bath soon dispatch'd him , and his body was burnt , without any funeral solemnity , as he had directed in his testament : though this will of his was made in the height of his prosperity , and power , there was a rumor that subrius flavius , in a private consultation with the centurions , had taken up this following resolution , ( and that seneca himself was no stranger to it ) that is to say , that after nero should have been slain by the help of piso , piso himself should have been kill'd too : and the empire deliver'd up to seneca ; as one that well deserv'd it , for his integrity and virtue . books printed for , and sold by h. brome , since the dreadful fire of london , to . divinity . bishop wilkins of natural religion . m cumber's companion to the temple , being a paraphrase on the common prayer . vol. bishop cosen's devotions . bishop taylor 's holy living and dying . mr. fowler 's design of christianity . mr. patrick's witnesses to christianity in vol. — his advice to a friend . dr. spark's devotions on the feasts and fasts of the church . dr. du moulin's prayers . holy anthems of the church . the saints legacies . the reformed monastry , or the love of iesus . mr. farindon's sermons . bona's guide to eternity , and his precepts and practical rules for a christian life . several sermons at court , &c. dr. duport's three sermons on may . nov. . ian. . histories . the life of the great duke of espernon , being the history of the civil wars of france , beginning . where d'avila leaves off , and ending in . by charles cotton esq the commentary of mr. blaiz de montluc the great favourite of france , in which are contained all the sieges , battels , skirmishes , in three kings reigns , by charles cotton esq mr. rycaut's history of turkie . the history of the three last grand seigniors . the history of don quixot , fol. bishop wilkins's real character , fol. bishop cosens against transubstantiation . dr. guidots hist. of bathe , and of the hot waters there . the fair one of tunis , a romance . domus carthusiana , or the history of the most noble foundation of the charter-house in london , with the life and death of tho. sutton esq the history of the sevarites , a nation inhabiting part of the third continent . physick . dr. glisson de ventriculo & intestinis . de vita naturae . dr. barbet's practice , with dr. deoker's notes . sir ken. digby's excellent receipts in physick , chirurgery , and cookery . the anatomy of the elder-tree , with its approved vertue . miscellanies . vossius of the wind and seas . dr. skinner's lexicon . the planters manuel . treatise of humane reason . the compleat gamester . toleration discuss'd , by r. l'estrange esq england's improvement , by r. coke esq leyburn's arith. recreations . geographical cards describing all parts of the world , and a geographical dictionary . school-books . screvelius lexicon , in quarto . centum fabulae , in octavo . nolens volens , or you shall make latin. radyns rudimenta artis oratoriae . pools parnassus . the scholars guide from the accidence to the university . erasmus coll. english. lipsius of constancy , english. controversies . considerations touching the true way to suppress popery ; to which is added an historical account of the reformation here in england . lex talionis , being an answer to naked truth . the papists apology answered . and several tracts in defence of the church of england . seneca of benefits . chap. i. of benefits in general . it is perhaps , one of the most pernicious errors of a rash , and inconsiderate life ; the common ignorance of the world in the matter of exchanging benefits . and this arises from a mistake ; partly , in the person that we would oblige ; and partly , in the thing it self . to begin with the latter ; a benefit is a good office , done with intention , and iudgment : that is to say , with a due regard to all the circumstances , of what ; how ; why ; when ; where ; to whom ; how much ; and the like . or otherwise ; it is a voluntary , and benevolent action , that delights the giver , in the comfort it brings to the receiver . it will be hard to draw this subject , either into method , or compass ; the one , because of the infinite variety , and complication of cases ; the other , by reason of the large extent of it : for the whole business ( almost ) of mankind in society , falls under this head : the duties of kings and subjects ; husbands , and wives ; parents , and children ; masters , and servants ; natives , and strangers ; high , and low ; rich , and poor ; strong , and weak ; friends , and enemies . the very meditation of it breeds good blood , and generous thoughts ; and instructs us in all the parts of honor , humanity , friendship , piety , gratitude , prudence , and justice . in short ; the art , and skill of conferring benefits , is , of all humane duties , the most absolutely necessary to the well-being , both of reasonable nature , and of every individual ; as the very ciment of all communities , and the blessing of particulars . he that does good to another man , does good also to himself ; not only in the consequence , but even in the very act of doing it ; for the conscience of well-doing is an ample reward . of benefits in general , there are several sorts ; as a necessary , profitable , and delightful . some things there are , without which we cannot live ; others , without which we ought not to live ; and some again , without which we will not live . in the first rank are those , which deliver us from capital dangers , or apprehensions of death : and the favour is rated according to the hazard ; for the greater the extremity , the greater seems the obligation . the next is a case wherein we may indeed live , but we had better dye : as in the question of liberty , modesty , and a good conscience . in the third place , follow those things which custome , use , affinity , and acquaintance have made dear to us ; as husbands , wives , children , friends , &c. which an honest man will preserve at his utmost peril : of things profitable there 's a large field ; as mony , honor , &c. to which might be added matters of superfluity , and pleasure : but , we shall open a way to the circumstances of a benefit , by some previous , and more general deliberations upon the thing it self . chap. ii. several sorts of benefits . we shall divide benefits into absolute , and b vulgar ; the one , appertaining to good life ; the other , is only matter of commerce . the former are the more excellent , because they can never be made void : whereas all material benefits are tossed back , and forward , and change their master . there are some offices that look like benefits , but are only desirable conveniencies ; as wealth , title , &c. and these a wicked man may receive from a good , or a good man , from an evil. others again , that bear the face of injuries , which are only benefits ill-taken ; as cutting , lancing , burning , under the hand of a surgeon . the greatest benefits of all , are those of good education , which we receive from our parents , either in the state of ignorance , or perverseness ; as their care and tenderness in our infancy ; their discipline in our childhood , to keep us to our duties by fear ; and , if fair means will not do , their proceeding afterward to severity , and punishment , without which we should never have come to good . there are matters of great value many times , that are but of small price ; as instructions from a tutor ; medicines from a physitian , &c. and there are small matters again which are of great consideration to us : the gift may be small , and the consequence great , as a cup of cold water in a time of need , may save a mans life ; some things are of great moment to the giver ; others to the receiver ; one man gives me a house ; another snatches me out , when 't is falling upon my head ; one gives me an estate ; another takes me out of the fire ; or casts me out a rope when i am sinking : some good offices we do to friends ; others , to strangers ; but , those are the noblest that we do without predesert . there is an obligation of bounty ; and an obligation of charity : this , in case of necessity ; and that , in point of convenience . some benefits are common ; others are personal : as if a prince ( out of pure grace ) grant a privilege to a city ; the obligation lies upon the community , and only upon every individual as a part of the whole ; but if it be done particularly for my sake , then am i singly the debtor for 't . the cherishing of strangers is one of the duties of hospitality ; and exercises it self in the relief , and protection of the distressed . there are benefits of good counsel , reputation , life , fortune , liberty , health ; nay , and of superfluity , and pleasure . one man obliges me out of his pocket : another gives me matter of ornament , or curiosity : a third , consolation . to say nothing of negative benefits ; for there are , that reckon it an obligation if they do a body no hurt ; and place it to accompt , as if they sav'd a man , when they do not undo him . to shut up all in one word ; as benevolence is the most sociable of all virtues , so is it of the largest extent ; for , there is not any man either so great , or so little , but he is yet capable of giving , and of receiving benefits . chap. iii. a son may oblige his father ; and , a servant his master . the question is ( in the first place ) whether it may not be possible for a father to owe more to a son , in other respects , than the son a owes to his father for his being ? that many sons are both greater , and better than their fathers , there is no question : as there are many other things that derive their beings from others , which yet are far greater than their original . is not the tree larger than the seed ? the river , than the fountain ? the foundation of all things lies hid , and the superstructure obscures it . if i owe all to my father , because he gave me life , i may owe as much to a physitian that sav'd his life ; for , if my father had not been cur'd , i had never been begotten : or , if i stand indebted for all that i am to my beginning ; my acknowledgment must run back to the very original of all humane beings . my father gave me the benefit of life , which he had never done , if his father had not first given it to him . he gave me life , not knowing to whom , and when i was in a condition neither to feel death , nor to fear it . that 's the great benefit , to give life to one that knows how to use it ; and that is capable of the apprehension of death . 't is true , that without a father , i could never have had a being ; and so without a nurse that being had never been emprov'd ; but i do not therefore owe my virtue either to my nativity , or to her that gave me suck . the generation of me was the least part of the benefit : for to live , is common with brutes ; but , to live well is the main business ; and that virtue is all my own , saving what i drew from my education . it does not follow that the first benefit must be the greatest , because without the first , the greatest could never have been . the father gives life to the son , but once ; but if the son saves the fathers life often , though he do but his duty , it is yet a greater benefit . and again , the benefit that a man receives is the greater , the more he needs it ; but , the living has more need of life , than he that is not yet born : so that the father receives a greater benefit in the continuance of his life , than the son in the beginning of it . what if a son deliver his father from the rack ; or , which is more , lay himself down in his place ? the giving of him a being , was but the office of a father ; a simple act ; a benefit given at a venture ; beside that he had a participant in it , and a regard to his family . he gave only a single life , and he receiv'd a happy one . my mother brought me into the world naked , expos'd , and void of reason ; but , my reputation , and my fortune , are advanc'd by my virtue . scipio ( as yet in his minority ) rescu'd his father in a battel with hannibal ; and afterward from the practices , and prosecution of a powerful faction ; covering him with consulary honors , and the spoyles of publick enemies . he made himself as eminent for his moderation , as for his piety , and military knowledge : he was the defender , and the establisher of his country ; he left the empire without a competitor ; and made himself as well the ornament of rome , as the security of it : and , did not scipio , in all this , more than requite his father barely for begetting of him ? whether did anchises more for aeneas , in dandling the child in his armes , or aeneas for his father , when he carry'd him upon his back through the flames of troy , and made his name famous to future ages , among the founders of the roman empire ? t. manlius was the son of a sour , and imperious father , who banish'd him his house as a blockhead , and a scandal to the family : this manlius , hearing that his fathers life was in question , and a day set for his tryal , went to the tribune that was concern'd in the cause , and discours'd him about it : the tribune told him the appointed time , and withal ( as an obligation upon the young man ) that his cruelty to his son would be part of his accusation : manlius , upon this , takes the tribune aside , and presenting a ponyard to his breast , swear , sayes he , that you will let this cause fall , or you shall have this dagger in the heart of you ; and now 't is at your choise , which way you will deliver my father . the tribune swore , and kept his word ; and made a fair report of the whole matter to the council . he that makes himself famous by his eloquence , justice , or armes , illustrates his extraction , let it be never so mean ; and gives inestimable reputation to his parents . we should never have heard of sophroniscus , but for his son socrates ; nor of aristo , and gryllus , if it had not been for xenophon , and plato . this is not to discountenance the veneration we owe to parents ; nor to make children the worse , but the better ; and to stir up generous emulations : for , in contests of good offices , both parts are happy ; as well the vanquish'd , as those that overcome . it is the only honorable dispute that can arrive betwixt a father and a son , which of the two shall have the better of the other in the point of benefits . in the question betwixt a master , and a servant ; we must distinguish betwixt b benefits , duties , and actions ministerial ; by benefits we understand those good offices that we receive from strangers , which are voluntary , and may be forborn without blame . duties are the parts of a son , and wife ; and incumbent upon kindred , and relations . offices ministerial belong to the part of a servant . now , since it is the mind , and not the condition of the person , that prints the value upon the benefit , a servant may oblige his master , and so may a subject his sovereign , or a common soldier his general , by doing more than he is expresly bound to do . some things there are , which the law neither commands , nor forbids ; and here the servant is free . it would be very hard for a servant to be chastiz'd for doing less than his duty , and not thank'd for 't when he does more . his body , 't is true , is his masters , but his mind is his own : and there are many commands which a servant ought no more to obey , than a master to impose . there is no man so great , but he may both need the help , and service , and stand in fear of the power and unkindness , even of the meanest of mortals . one servant kills his master , another saves him ; nay preserves his masters life , perhaps with the loss of his own . he exposes himself to torment and death ; he stands firm against all threats and flatteries : which is not only a benefit in a servant , but much the greater for his so being . when domitius was besieg'd in corfinium , and the place brought to great extremity ; he pressed his servant so earnestly to poyson him , that at last he was prevail'd upon to give him a potion : which , it seems , was an innocent opiate , and domitius out-liv'd it : caesar took the town , and gave domitius his life ; but it was his servant that gave it him first . there was another town besieg'd , and , when it was upon the last pinch , two servants made their escape , and went over to the enemy : upon the romans entring the town , and in the heat of the soldiers fury , these two fellows ran directly home , took their mistress out of her house , and drave her before them , telling every body how barbarously she had us'd them formerly , and that they would now have their revenge : when they had her without the gates , they kept her close till the danger was over ; by which means , they gave their mistress her life , and she gave them their freedom . this was not the action of a servile mind , to do so glorious a thing , under an appearance of so great a villany ; for , if they had not pass'd for deserters , and parricides , they could not have gain'd their end. with one instance more ( and that a very brave one ) i shall conclude this chapter . in the civil wars of rome , a party coming to search for a person of quality that was proscrib'd , a servant put on his masters cloths , and deliver'd himself up to the soldiers , as the master of the house ; he was taken into custody , and put to death , without discovering the mistake . what could be more glorious , than for a servant to dye for his master ? in that age , when there were not many servants that would not betray their masters ? so generous a tenderness in a publick cruelty ; so invincible a faith in a general corruption ; what could be more glorious , i say , than so exalted a virtue , as rather to chuse death for the reward of his fidelity , than the greatest advantages he might otherwise have had for the violation of it ? chap. iv. it is the intention , not the matter , that makes the benefit . the good will of the benefactor is the fountain of all benefits : nay , it is the benefit it self ; or , at least the stamp that makes it valuable , and current . some there are , i know , that take the matter for the benefit ; and taxe the obligation by weight and measure . when any thing is given them , they presently cast it up ; what may such a house be worth ? such an office ? such an estate ? as if that were the benefit , which is only the sign , and mark of it : for , the obligation rests in the mind , not in the matter ; and , all those advantages which we see , handle , or hold in actual possession by the courtesie of another , are but several modes , or wayes of explaining , and putting the good will in execution . there needs no great subtilty , to prove , that both benefits and injuries receive their value from the intention , when even brutes themselves are able to decide this question . tread upon a dog by chance , or put him to pain upon the dressing of a wound ; the one , he passes by as an accident ; and the other , in his fashion , he acknowledges as a kindness ; but , offer to strike at him , though you do him no hurt at all , he flies yet in the face of you , even for the mischief that you barely meant him . it is further to be observ'd , that all a benefits are good ; and ( like the distributions of providence ) made up of wisdom and bounty : whereas the gift it self is neither good , nor bad , but may indifferently be apply'd , either to the one , or to the other . the benefit is immortal , the gift perishable : for , the benefit it self continues , when we have no longer , either the use , or the matter of it . he that is dead , was alive ; he that has lost his eyes , did see ; and , whatsoever is done , cannot be rendred undone . my friend ( for instance ) is taken by pyrates ; i redeem him ; and , after that , he falls into other pyrates hands : his obligation to me is the same still , as if he had preserv'd his freedom . and so , if i save a man from any one misfortune , and he falls into another ; if i give him a sum of money , which is afterward taken away by thieves ; it comes to the same case . fortune may deprive us of the matter of a benefit , but the benefit it self remains inviolable . if the benefit resided in the matter , that which is good for one man , would be so for another ; whereas many times the very same thing given to several persons , works contrary effects ; even to the difference of life , or death ; and , that which is one bodies cure , proves another bodies poison . beside that the timeing of it alters the value ; and , a crust of bread upon a pinch , is a greater present than an imperial crown . what is more familiar , than , in a battel , to shoot at an enemy , and kill a friend ? or , in stead of a friend , to save an enemy ? but yet this disappointment in the event , does not at all operate upon the intention . what if a man cures me of a wen , with a stroke that was design'd to cut off my head ? or , with a malicious blow upon my stomach , breaks an imposthume ? or , what if he save my life , with a draught that was prepar'd to poyson me ? the providence of the issue does not at all discharge the obliquity of the intent ▪ and , the same reason holds good even in religion it self : it is not the incense , or the offering that is acceptable to god , but the purity , and devotion of the worshipper . neither is the bare will , without action , sufficient ; that is , where we have the means of acting ; for , in that case , it signifies as little to wish well , without well - doing , as to do good without willing it . there must be effect , as well as intention , to make me owe a benefit ; but , to will against it , does wholly discharge it . in fine , the conscience alone is the judge , both of benefits and injuries . it does not follow now , because the benefit rests in the b good will , that therefore the good will should be alwayes a benefit ; for , if it be not accompany'd with government , and discretion , those offices which we call benefits , are but the works of passion , or of chance ; and , many times , the greatest of all injuries . one man does me good by mistake ; another , ignorantly ; a third upon force ; but , none of these cases do i take to be an obligation , for they were neither directed to me , nor was there any kindness of intention : we do not thank the seas for the advantages we receive by navigation ; or the rivers , for supplying us with fish , and flowing of our grounds ; we do not thank the trees either for their fruits , or shades ; or the winds for a fair gale : and , what 's the difference betwixt a reasonable creature , that does not know , and an inanimate , that cannot ? a good horse saves one man's life ; a good sute of armes another's ; and , a man perhaps , that never intended it , saves a third . where 's the difference now betwixt the obligation of the one , and of the other ? a man falls into a river , and the fright cures him of an ague ; we may call this a kind of lucky mischance , but not a remedy . and so it is with the good we receive , either without or beside , or contrary to intention . it is the mind , and not the event , that distinguishes a benefit from an injury . chap. v. there must be iudgment in a benefit , as well as matter , and intention ; and especially in the choice of the person . as it is the will , that designs the benefit ; and the matter , that conveys it ; so it is the iudgment that perfects it : which depends upon so many critical niceties , that the least error , either in the person , the matter , the manner , the quality , the quantity , the time , or the place , spoiles all . the consideration of the person is a a main point ; for , we are to give by choice , and not by hazard . my inclination bids me oblige one man ; i am bound in duty , and justice , to serve another ; here 't is charity , there 't is pitty ; and , elsewhere perhaps encouragement . there are some that want , to whom i would not give ; because , if i did , they would want still . to one man i would barely offer a benefit ; but , i would press it upon another . to say the truth , we do not employ any money to more profit , than that which we bestow : and 't is not to our friends , our acquaintances , or countrymen ; nor to this , or that condition of men , that we are to restrain our bounties ; but , wheresoever there is a man , there is a place , and occasion for a benefit . we give to some that are good already ; to others , in hope to make them so ; but , we must do all with discretion : for , we are as answerable for what we give ; as for what we receive : nay , the misplacing of a benefit is worse , than the not receiving of it : for , the one is another mans fault ; but , the other is mine . the error of the giver does oft-times excuse the ingratitude of the receiver ; for , a favour ill-plac'd is rather a profusion , than a benefit . it is the most shameful of losses , an inconsiderate bounty . i will chuse a man of integrity , syncere , considerate , graceful , temperate , well-natur'd ; neither covetous , nor sordid . and , when i have oblig'd such a man , though not worth a groat in the world , i have gain'd my end . if we give , only to receive , we lose the fairest objects for our charity ; the absent , the sick , the captive , and the needy . when we oblige those that can never pay us again in kind ; as a stranger upon his last farewell ; or a necessitous person upon his death-bed , we make providence our debtor ; and rejoyce in the conscience even of a fruitless benefit . so long as we are affected with passions , and distracted with hopes , and fears ; and ( the most unmanly of vices ) with our pleasures , we are incompetent judges where to place our bounties . but , when death presents it self , and that we come to our last will and testament , we leave our fortunes to the most worthy . he that gives nothing but in hopes of receiving , must dye intestate . it is the honesty of another mans mind that moves the kindness of mine ; and i would sooner oblige a grateful man , than an ungrateful : but , this shall not hinder me from doing good also to a person that is known to be ungrateful : only with this difference , that i will serve the one in all extremities with my life , and fortune ; and the other , no further than stands with my convenience . but , what shall i do , you 'll say , to know whether a man will be grateful , or no ? i will follow probability , and hope the best . he that sowes , is not sure to reap ; nor the seaman to reach his port ; nor the soldier to win the field . he that vveds is not sure his vvife shall be honest ; or , his children dutiful : but , shall we therefore neither sow , sayl , bear armes , nor marry ? nay , if i knew a man to be incurably thankless , i would yet be so kind as to put him into his way , or let him light a candle , or draw water at my well , which may stand him perhaps in great stead , and yet not be reckon'd as a benefit from me ; for i do it carelesly , and not for his sake , but my own ; as an office of humanity , without any choice , or kindness . chap. vi. the matter of obligations , with its circumstances . next to the choice of the person , follows that of the matter ; wherein a regard must be had to time , place , proportion , quality ; and , to the very nicks of opportunity , and humour . one man values his peace above his honour ; another , his honour above his safety ; and , not a few there are , that ( provided they may save their bodies ) never care what becomes of their souls . so that good offices depend much upon construction . some take themselves to be oblig'd , when they are not , others will not believe it , when they are ; and some again take obligations , and injuries , the one , for the other . for our better direction , let it be noted , that a a benefit is a common tye , betwixt the giver , and the receiver , with a respect to both . wherefore , it must be accommodate to the rules of discretion ; for all things have their bounds , and measures , and so must liberality among the rest ; that it be neither too much for the one , nor too little for the other ; the excess being every jot as bad as the defect . alexander bestow'd a city upon one of his favourites ; who modestly excusing himself , that it was too much for him to receive : well ; but , sayes alexander , it is not too much for me to give : a haughty , certainly , and an imprudent speech ; for , that which was not fit for the one to take , could not be fit for the other to give . it passes in the world for greatness of mind , to be perpetually giving , and loading of people with bounties : but , 't is one thing to know how to give , and another thing not to know how to keep . give me a heart that 's easie and open , but i 'll have no holes in 't ; let it be bountiful with judgment , but i 'll have nothing run out of it i know not how . how much greater was he that refus'd the city , than the other that offer'd it ? some men throw away their money as if they were angry with it , which is the error commonly of weak minds , and large fortunes . no man esteemes of any thing that comes to him by chance ; but , when 't is govern'd by reason , it brings credit both to the giver , and receiver ; whereas those favours are , in some sort , scandalous , that make a man asham'd of his patron . it is a matter of great prudence , for the benefactor to suit the benefit to the condition of the receiver ; who must be , either his superiour , his inferiour , or his equal , and that which would be the highest obligation imaginable to the one , would , perhaps , be as great a mockery , and affront to the other : as a plate of broken meat ( for the purpose ) to a rich man , were an indignity , which to a poor man is a charity . the benefits of princes , and of great men , are honours , offices , moneys , profitable commissions , countenance , and protection ; the poor man has nothing to present , but good-will , good advice , faith , industry , the service , and hazard of his person , an early apple peradventure , or some other cheap curiosity : equals indeed may correspond in kind ; but , whatsoever the present be , or to whomsoever we offer it , this general rule must be observ'd , that we alwayes design the good , and satisfaction of the receiver ; and , never grant any thing to his detriment . 't is not for a man to say , i was overcome by importunity , for when the fever is off , we detest the man that was prevail'd upon to our destruction . i will no more undoe a man with his will , then forbear saving him against it . it is a benefit in some cases to grant , and in others to deny ; so that we are rather to consider the advantage , than the desire of the petitioner . for , we may , in a passion , earnestly beg for ( and take it ill to be deny'd too ) that very thing , which , upon second thoughts , we may come to curse , as the occasion of a most pernicious bounty . never give any thing that shall turn to mischief , infamy , or shame . i will consider another mans want , or safety ; but so , as not to forget my own ; unless in the case of a very excellent person , and then i shall not much heed what becomes of my self . there 's no giving of water to a man in a fever ; or putting of a sword into a mad-mans hand ; he that lends a man money to carry him to a bawdy-house , or a weapon for his revenge , makes himself a partaker of his crime . he that would make an c acceptable present , will pitch upon something that is desir'd , sought for , and hard to be found ; that which he sees no where else , and which few have ; or at least not in that place , or season ; something that may be alwayes in his eye , and mind him of the benefactor . if it be lasting and durable , so much the better ; as plate , rather than money ; statues , than apparel ; for it will serve as a monitor , to mind the receiver of the obligation , which the presenter cannot so handsomely do . however , let it not be improper , as armes to a woman ; books to a clown ; toyes to a philosopher : i will not give to any man that which he cannot receive ; as if i threw a ball to a man without hands ; but i will make a return , though he cannot receive it ; for , my business is not to oblige him , but to free my self : nor any thing that may reproach a man of his vice , or infirmity : as false dice to a cheat ; spectacles to a man that 's blind . let it not be unseasonable , neither : as a furr'd gown in summer ; an umbrella in winter . it enhances the value of the present , if it was never given to him by any body else , nor by me to any other ; for , that which we give to every body , is wellcome to no body . the particularity does much , but yet the same thing may receive a different estimate from several persons ; for , there are wayes of marking , and recommending it in such a manner , that if the same good office be done to twenty people , every one of them shall reckon himself peculiarly oblig'd : as a cunning whore , if she has a thousand sweet-hearts , will perswade every one of them , that she loves him best . but , this is rather the artifice of conversation , than the virtue of it . the citizens of megara sent embassadors to d alexander in the height of his glory , to offer him , as a complement , the freedom of their city . upon alexander's smiling at the proposal , they told him , that it was a present which they had never made , but to hercules , and himself : whereupon , alexander treated them kindly , and accepted of it ; not for the presenters sakes , but because they had joyn'd him with hercules ; how unreasonably soever : for , hercules conquer'd nothing for himself , but made it his business to vindicate , and to protect the miserable , without any private interest , or design : but this intemperate young man ( whose virtue was nothing else but a successful temerity ) was train'd up from his youth in the trade of violence : the common enemy of mankind ; as well of his friends , as of his foes ; and one that valu'd himself upon being terrible to all mortals : never considering , that the dullest of creatures are as dangerous , and as dreadful , as the fiercest ; for , the poyson of a toad , or the tooth of a snake , will do a mans business as soon as the paw of a tiger . chap. vii . the manner of obliging . there is not any benefit so glorious in it self , but it may yet be exceedingly sweetned , and emprov'd by the manner of conferring it . the virtue , i know , rests in the intent ; the profit , in the judicious application of the matter ; but , the beauty , and ornament of an obligation lies in the manner of it ; and it is then perfect , when the dignity of the office is accompany'd with all the charmes , and delicacies , of humanity , good nature , and address : and with dispatch too ; for , he that puts a man off from time to time , was never right at heart . in the first place , whatsoever we give , let us do it a frankly ; a kind benefactor makes a man happy as soon as he can , and as much as he can . there should be no delay in a benefit , but the modesty of the receiver . if we cannot foresee the request , let us however immediately grant it , and by no means suffer the repeating of it . it is so grievous a thing , to say , i beg ; the very word puts a man out of countenance : and 't is a double kindness to do the thing , and save an honest man the confusion of a blush . it comes too late , that comes for the asking ; for , nothing costs us so dear , as that which we purchase with our prayers : it is all we give , even for heaven it self ; and even there too , where our petitions are at the fayrest , we chuse rather to present them in secret ejaculations , than by word of mouth . that is the lasting , and the acceptable benefit , that meets the receiver half way . the rule is , we are to give , as we would receive ; chearfully , quickly , and without hesitation ; for there 's no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers . nay , if there should be occasion for delay , let us , however , not seem to deliberate : for demurring is next dore to denying ; and , so long as we suspend , so long are we unwilling . it is a court-humour , to keep people upon the tenters ; their injuries are quick , and sudden , but their benefits are slow . great ministers love to wrack men with attendance ; and account it an ostentation of their power to hold their suitours in hand , and to have many witnesses of their interest . a benefit should be made acceptable by all possible means , even to the end that the receiver , who is never to forget it , may bear it in his mind with satisfaction . there must be no mixture of sourness , severity , contumely , or reproof , with our obligations ; nay , in case there should be any occasion for so much as an admonition , let it be referr'd to another time . we are a great deal apter to remember injuries , than benefits ; and , 't is enough to forgive an obligation , that has the nature of an offence . there are some that spoil a good office b after it is done ; and others , in the very instant of doing it . there must be so much entreaty and importunity : nay , if we do but suspect a petitioner , we put on a sour face ; look another way ; pretend haste , company , business ; talk of other matters , and keep him off with artificial delayes , let his necessities be never so pressing ; and when we are put to 't at last , it comes so hard from us , that 't is rather extorted , than obtain'd ; and not so properly the giving of a bounty , as the quitting of a mans hold upon the tugg , when another is too strong for him : so that this is but doing one kindness for mee , and another for himself ; he gives for his own quiet , after he has tormented me with difficulties , and delayes . the manner of saying , or of doing any thing , goes a great way in the value of the thing it self . it was well said of him , that call'd a good office that was done harshly , and with an ill-will , a stony piece of bread ; 't is necessary for him that is hungry , to receive it ; but , it almost chokes a man in the going down . there must be no pride , arrogance of looks , or tumour of words in the bestowing of benefits ; no insolence of behaviour , but a modesty of mind , and a diligent care to catch at occasions , and prevent necessities . a pause , an unkind tone , word , look , or action , destroyes the grace of a curtesie . it corrupts a bounty when it is accompany'd with state , haughtiness , and elation of mind in the giving of it . some have the trick of shifting off a suitor with a point of wit , or a cavil . as in the case of the cynick that beg'd a talent of antigonus ; that 's too much , sayes he , for a cynick to ask ; and when he fell to a penny , that 's too little , sayes he , for a prince to give . he might have found a way to have compounded this controversie , by giving him a penny , as to a cynique ; and a talent , as from a prince . whatsoever we bestow , let it be done with a frank and chearful countenance ; a man must not give with his hand , and deny with his looks ; he that gives quickly , gives willingly . we are likewise to c accompany good deeds with good words ; and say ( for the purpose ) why should you make such a matter of this ? why did not you come to me sooner ? why would you make use of any body else ? i take it ill that you should bring me a recommendation ; pray let there be no more of this ; but when you have occasion hereafter , come to me upon your own account . that 's the glorious bounty , when the receiver can say to himself , what a blessed day has this been to me ! never was any thing done so generously , so tenderly , with so good a grace . what is it i would not do to serve this man ? a thousand times as much another way could not have given me this satisfaction . in such a case , let the benefit be never so considerable , the manner of conferring it is yet the noblest part . where there is harshness of language , countenance , or behaviour , a man had better be without it . a flat denyal is infinitely before a vexatious delay ; as a quick death is a mercy , compar'd with a lingering torment . but , to be put to waytings , and intercessions , after a promise is past , is a cruelty intolerable . 't is troublesome to stay long for a benefit , let it be never so great ; and he that holds me needlesly in pain , loses two precious things , time , and the proof of friendship . nay , the very hint of a mans wants comes many times too late . if i had money , said socrates , i would buy me a cloak . they that knew he wanted one , should have prevented the very intimation of that want . it is not the value of the present , but the benevolence of the mind , that we are to consider . he gave me but a little ; but , it was generously , and frankly done ; it was a little , out of a little : he gave me it without asking ; he prest it upon me ; he watch'd the opportunity of doing it ; and took it as an obligation upon himself . on the other side , many benefits are great in shew , but little , or nothing perhaps in effect ; when they come hard , slow , or at unawares . that which is given with pride and ostentation , is rather an ambition , than a bounty . some favours are to be conferr'd in d publick ; others in private . in publick , the rewards of great actions ; as honours , charges , or whatsoever else gives a man reputation in the world ; but , the good offices we do for a man in want , distress , or under reproach ; these should be known only to those that have the benefit of them . nay , not to them neither , if we can handsomely conceal it from whence the favour came : for the secrecy in many cases , is a main part of the benefit . there was a good man that had a friend , who was both poor , and sick , and asham'd to own his condition : he privately convey'd a bag of money under his pillow , that he might seem rather to find , than receive it . provided i know that i give it , no matter for his knowing from whence it comes that receives it . many a man stands in need of help , that has not the face to confess it : if the discovery may give offence , let it lye conceal'd ; he that gives to be seen , would never relieve a man in the dark . it would be tedious to run through all the niceties that may occurre upon this subject . but , in two words ; he must be a wise , a friendly , and a well-bred man , that perfectly acquits himself in the art , and duty of obliging , for , all his actions must be squared according to the measures of civility , good nature , and discretion . chap. viii . the difference and value of benefits . we have already spoken of benefits in general ; the matter , and the intention ; together with the manner of conferring them . it follows now , in course , to say something of the value of them ; which is rated , either by the good they do us , or by the inconvenience they save us , and has no other standard than that of a judicious regard , to circumstance , and occasion . suppose i save a man from drowning , the advantage of life is all one to him , from what hand soever it comes , or by what means : but , yet there may be a vast difference in the obligation . i may do it with hazard , or with security ; with trouble or with ease ; willingly , or by compulsion ; upon intercession , or without it : i may have a prospect of vain glory , or profit ; i may do it in kindness to another ; or , a hundred by-ends to my self ; and every poynt does exceedingly vary the case . two persons may part with the same sum of money , and yet not the same benefit ; the one had it of his own ; and it was but a little out of a great deal ; the other borrow'd it ; and bestow'd upon me that which he wanted for himself . two boyes were sent out to fetch a certain person to their master : the one of them hunts up and down , and comes home again aweary , without finding him ; the other falls to play with his companions at the wheel of fortune , sees him by chance passing by , delivers him his errant , and brings him . he that found him by chance deserves to be punish'd ; and he that sought for him , and miss'd him , to be rewarded for his good will. in some cases we value a the thing ; in others , the labour , and attendance . what can be more precious than good manners , good letters , life , and health ? and yet we pay our physitians , and tutours , only for their service in their professions . if we buy things cheap , it matters not , so long as 't is a bargain : 't is no obligation from the seller , if no body else will give him more for 't . what would not a man give to be set a shore in a tempest ? for a house in a wilderness ? a shelter , in a storm ? a fire , or a bit of meat , when a man 's pinch'd with hunger , or cold ? a defence against thieves , and a thousand other matters of great moment , that cost but little ? and yet we know , that the skipper has but his freight for our passage ; and the carpenters and bricklayers do their work by the day . those are many times the greatest obligations , in truth , which , in vulgar opinion are the smallest : as comfort to the sick , poor , captives ; good counsel ; keeping of people from wickedness , &c. wherefore we should reckon our selves to owe most for the noblest benefits . if the physitian adds care , and friendship , to the duty of his calling , and the tutor ; to the common method of his business ; i am to esteem of them as the nearest of my relations : for , to watch with me ; to be troubled for me ; and , to put off all other patients for my sake , is a particular kindness : and so is it in my tutor , if he takes more pains with me , than with the rest of my fellows . it is not enough , in this case , to pay the one his fees , and the other his salary ; but i am indebted to them over and above for their friendship . the meanest of mechaniques , if he does his work with industry , and care , 't is an usual thing to cast in something by way of reward , more than the bare agreement : and , shall we deal worse with the preservers of our lives , and the reformers of our manners ? he that gives me himself ( if he be worth taking ) gives the greatest benefit : and , this is the present which aeschines , a poor disciple of socrates , made to his master , and , as a matter of great consideration ; others may have given you much , sayes he , but i am the onely man that has left nothing to himself : this gift , sayes socrates , you shall never repent of , for i will take care to return it better than i found it : so that a brave mind can never want matter for liberality in the meanest condition ; for , nature has been so kind to us , that where we have nothing of fortunes , we may bestow something of our own . it falls out often , that a benefit is follow'd with an b injury ; let which will be foremost , it is with the latter , as with one writing upon another ; it does in a great measure hide the former , and keep it from appearing , but it does not quite take it away . we may , in some cases , divide them , and both requite the one , and revenge the other : or otherwise compare them , to know whether i am creditor , or debtor . you have oblig'd me in my servant , but wounded me in my brother ; you have sav'd my son , but you have destroy'd my father : in this instance , i will allow as much as piety , and justice , and good nature will bear ; but i am not willing to set an injury against a benefit . i would have some respect to the time ; the obligation came first ; and then perhaps , the one was design'd , the other against his will ; under these considerations , i would amplifie the benefit , and lessen the injury ; and extinguish the one with the other ; nay , i would pardon the injury even without the benefit , but much more after it . not that a man can be bound by one benefit to suffer all sorts of injuries , for , there are some cases wherein we lye under no obligation for a benefit ; because a greater injury absolves it . as for example : a man helps me out of a law-suite , and afterward commits a rape upon my daughter ; where the following impiety cancells the antecedent obligation . a man lends me a little money , and then sets my house on fire : the debtor is here turn'd creditor , when the injury out-weighs the benefit . nay , if a man does but so much as repent of a good office done , and grow sour and insolent upon it , and upbraid me with it : if he cid it only for his own sake , or for any other reason , than for mine ; i am in some degree , more , or less , acquitted of the obligation . i am not at all beholden to him that makes me the instrument of his own advantage . he that does me good for his own sake , i 'll do him good for mine . suppose a man makes suit for a c place , and cannot obtain it , but upon the ransome of ten slaves out of the gallyes . if there be ten , and no more , they owe him nothing for their redemption , they are yet endebted to him for the choice , for he might have taken ten others as well as these . put the case again , that by an act of grace so many prisoners are to be released ; their names to be drawn by lot , and mine happens to come out among the rest : one part of my obligation is to him that put me in a capacity of freedom ; and , the other is to providence , for my being one of that number . the greatest benefits of all , have no witnesses , but lie concealed in the conscience . there' 's a great difference betwixt a common obligation , and a particular ; d he that lends my country money , obliges me , only as a part of the whole . plato cross'd the river , and the ferry-man would take no money of him : he reflected upon it as an honor done to himself ; and told him , that plato was in his debt . but plato , when he found it to be no more than he did for others , recalled his word , for , sayes he , plato will owe nothing in particular , for a benefit in common ; what i owe with others , i will pay with others . some will have it , that the necessity e of wishing a man well , is some abatement to the obligation in the doing of him a good office. but , i say , on the contrary , that it is the greater , because the good will cannot be chang'd . 't is one thing to say , that a man could not but do me this or that civility , because he was forc'd to 't ; and another thing , that he could not quit the good will of doing it . in the former case , i am a debtor to him that impos'd the force ; in the other , to himself . an unchangeable good will is an indispensable obligation : and , to say , that nature cannot go out of her course , does not discharge us , of what we owe to providence . shall he be said to will , that may change his mind the next moment ? and , shall we question the will of the almighty , whose nature admits no change ? must the stars quit their stations , and fall foul one upon another ? must the sun stand still in the middle of his course , and heaven and earth drop into a confusion ? must a devouring fire seize upon the universe ; the harmony of the creation be dissolv'd ; and the whole frame of nature swallow'd up in a dark abysse ? and , will nothing less than this serve to convince the vvorld of their audacious and impertinent follies ? it is not to say , that , these heavenly bodies are not made for us ; for , in part they are so ; and we are the better for their virtues and motions , whether we will or no : though undoubtedly the principal cause , is the unalterable law of god. providence is not mov'd by any thing from without ; but , the divine vvill is an everlasting law ; an immutable decree ; and the impossibility of variation proceeds from god's purpose of persevering ; for he never repents of his first counsels . it is not with our heavenly , as with our earthly father . god thought of us , and provided for us , before he made us : ( for , unto him all future events are present : ) man was not the vvork of chance ; his mind carries him above the flight of fortune , and naturally aspires to the contemplation of heaven , and divine mysteries . how desperate a phrensy is it now , to undervalue ; nay , to contemn , and to disclaim these divine blessings , without which we were utterly incapable of enjoying any other ? chap. ix . an honest man cannot be out-done in courtesie . it passes in the world for a generous , and a magnificent saying , that , ' t is a shame for a man to be out-done in courtesie : and , it 's worth the while to examine both the truth of it , and the mistake . first , there can be no shame in a virtuous emulation ; and , secondly , there can be no victory , without crossing the cudgels , and yielding the cause . one man may have the advantages of strength , of meanes , of fortune ; and this will undoubtedly operate upon the events of good purposes , but yet without any diminution to the virtue . the good will may be the same in both , and yet one may have the heels of the other ; for , it is not in a good office , as in a course , where he wins the plate that comes first to the post : and even there also , chance has many times a great hand in the success . where the contest is about benefits ; and that the one has not only a good will , but matter to work upon , and a power to put that good intent in execution : and the other has barely a good will , without either the meanes , or the occasion of a requital , if he does but affectionately wish it , and endeavour it ; the latter is no more overcome , in courtesie , than he is in courage , that dies with his sword in his hand , and his face to the enemy , and , without shrinking , maintains his station : for , where fortune is partial , 't is enough that the good will is equal . there are two errors in this proposition : first , to imply , that a good man may be overcome ; and then , to imagine , that any thing shameful can befall him . the spartans prohibited all those exercises where the victory was declar'd by the confession of the contendent . the fabii were never said to be conquer'd , but slain ; nor regulus to be overcome , though he was taken prisoner by the carthaginians . the mind may stand firm under the greatest malice , and iniquity of fortune ; and yet the giver , and the receiver , continue upon equal termes : as we reckon it a drawn battel , when two combatants are parted , though the one has lost more blood than the other . he that knowes how to owe a courtesie , and heartily wishes that he could requite it , is invincible ; so that every man may be as grateful as he pleases . 't is your happiness to give , 't is my fortune , that i can only receive . what advantage now has your chance over my virtue ? but , there are some men that have philosophiz'd themselves almost out of the sense of humane affections ; as diogenes , that walk'd naked , and unconcern'd , through the middle of alexanders treasures ; and was , as well in other mens opinions , as in his own , even above alexander himself , who , at that time , had the whole world at his feet : for , there was more that the one scorn'd to take , than that the other had in his power to give ; and , it is a greater generosity for a beggar to refuse money , than for a prince to bestow it . this is a remarkable instance of an immoveable mind ; and there 's hardly any contending with it ; but a man is never the less valiant for being worsted by an invulnerable enemy ; nor the fire one jote the weaker , for not consuming an incombustible body ; nor a sword ever a whit the worse for not cleaving a rock that is impenetrable ; neither is a grateful mind overcome for want of an answerable fortune . no matter for the inequality of the things given , and received , so long as , in point of good affection , the two parties stand upon the same level . 't is no shame not to overtake a man , if we follow him as fast as we can . that tumor of a man , the vainglorious alexander , was us'd to make his boast , that never any man went beyond him in benefits ; and yet he liv'd to see a poor fellow in a tub , to whom there was nothing that he could give , and from whom there was nothing that he could take away . nor is it always necessary for a poor a man to fly to the sanctuary of an invincible mind , to quit scores with the bounties of a plentiful fortune ; but , it does often fall out , that the returns which he cannot make in kind , are more than supply'd in dignity , and value . archelaus , a king of macedon , invited socrates to his palace ; but he excus'd himself as unwilling to receive greater benefits than he was able to requite . this perhaps was not pride in socrates , but craft ; for he was afraid of being forc'd to accept of something which possibly might have been unworthy of him : beside that he was a man of liberty , and loth to make himself a voluntary slave . the truth of it is , that archelaus had more need of socrates , than socrates of archelaus ; for , he wanted a man to teach him the art of life , and death , and the skill of government ; to read the book of nature to him , and shew him the light at noon day : he wanted a man , that , when the sun was in an eclipse , and he had lock'd himself up in all the horror , and despair imaginable ; he wanted a man , i say , to deliver him from his apprehensions , and to expound the prodigy to him , by telling him , that there was no more in 't , than only that the moon was got betwixt the sun , and the earth , and all would be well again presently . let the world judge now , whether archelaus his bounty , or socrates his philosophy , would have been the greater present : he does not understand the value of wisdom , and friendship , that does not know a wise friend to be the noblest of presents . a rarity scarce to be found , not only in a family , but in an age ; and no where more wanted than where there seems to be the greatest store . the greater a man is , the more need he has of him ; and the more difficulty there is both of finding , and of knowing him . nor is it to be said , that , i cannot requite such a benefactor , because i am poor , and have it not ; i can give good counsel ; a conversation , wherein he may take both delight , and profit ; freedome of discourse without flattery ; kind attention , where he deliberates ; and faith inviolable where he trusts ; i may bring him to a love , and knowledge of truth ; deliver him from the errors of his credulity , and teach him to distinguish betwixt friends , and parasites . chap. x. the question discuss'd , whether or no a man may give , or return a benefit to himself . there are many cases wherein a man speaks of himself as of another . as for example . i may thank my self for this . i am angry at my self ; i hate my self for that . and this way of speaking has raised a dispute among the stoicks , whether or no a man may give , or return a benefit to himself . for , say they , if i may hurt my self , i may oblige my self ; and , that which were a benefit to another body , why is it not so to my self ? and , why am not i as criminal in being ungrateful to my self , as if i were so to another body ? and , the case is the same in flattery , and several other vices ; as on the other side , it is a point of great reputation , for a man to command himself . plato thank'd socrates for what he had learn'd of him ; and , why might not socrates as well thank plato for that which he had taught him ? that which you want , sayes plato , borrow it of your self . and , why may not i as well give to my self , as lend ? if i may be angry with my self , i may thank my self ; and , if i chide my self , i may as well commend my self , and do my self good , as well as hurt : there 's the same reason of contraries . 't is a common thing to say , such a man has done himself an injury . if an injury , why not a benefit ? but , i say , that no man can be a debtor to himself ; for , the benefit must naturally precede the acknowledgment ; and , a debtor can no more be without a creditor , than a husband , without a wife . some body must give , that some body may receive : and , 't is neither giving , nor receiving , the passing of a thing from one hand to the other . what if a man should be ungrateful in the case ? there 's nothing lost ; for , he that gives it , has it : and he that gives , and he that receives , are one and the same person . now , properly speaking , no man can be said to bestow any thing upon himself , for he obeys his nature , that prompts every man to do himself all the good he can . shall i call him liberal , that gives to himself ; or good natur'd that pardons himself ; or pittiful , that is affected with his own misfortunes ? that which were bounty , clemency , compassion , to another , to my self , is nature . a benefit is a voluntary thing ; but , to do good to my self , is a thing necessary . was ever any man commended for getting out of a ditch , or for helping himself against thieves ? or , what if i should allow , that a man may conferr a benefit upon himself ? yet he cannot owe it , for he returns it in the same ins●…ant that he receives it . no man gives , owes , or makes a return , but to another . how can one man do that , to which two parties are requisite in so many respects ? giving , and receiving must go backward , and forward , betwixt two persons . if a man give to himself , he may sell to himself : but , to sell , is to alienate a thing , and to translate the right of it to another ; now , to make man both the giver , and the receiver , is to unite two contraries . that 's a benefit , which , when it is given , may possibly not be requited ; but he that gives to himself , must necessarily receive what he gives ; beside that all benefits are given for the receivers sake ; but , that which a man does for himself , is for the sake of the giver . this is one of those subtilties , which , though hardly worth a mans while , yet it is not labor absolutely lost neither . there is more of trick , and artifice in it , than solidity ; and yet there 's matter of diversion too ; enough perhaps to pass away a winters evening , and keep a man waking that 's heavy-headed . chap. xi . how far one man may be oblig'd for a benefit done to another . the question now before us , requires distinction , and caution . for , though it be both natural , and generous , to wish well to my friends friend ; yet , a second-hand benefit does not bind me any further , than to a second-hand gratitude : so that i may receive great satisfaction , and advantage , from a good office done to my friend , and yet lie under no obligation my self . or , if any man thinks otherwise ; i must ask him in the first place , where it begins ; and , how far it extends ? that it may not be boundless . suppose a man obliges the son ; does that obligation work upon the father ? and , why not upon the uncle too ? the brother ? the wife ? the sister ? the mother ? nay , upon all that have any kindness for him ? and , upon all the lovers of his friends ? and upon all that love them too ? and so in infinitum . in this case we must have recourse , as is said heretofore , to the intention of the benefactor ; and fix the obligation upon him , unto whom the kindness was directed . if a man manures my ground ; keeps my house from burning , or falling , 't is a benefit to me , for i am the better for it , and my house and land are insensible . but , if he save the life of my son , the benefit is to my son. it is a joy , and a comfort to me , but no obligation . i am as much concern'd as i ought to be in the health , the felicity , and the wellfare of my son ; as happy in the enjoyment of him ; and , i should be as unhappy as is possible in his loss ; but , it does not follow , that i must of necessity lie under an obligation , for being either happier , or less miserable , by another bodies meanes . there are some benefits , which , although conferr'd upon one man , may yet work upon others ; as a sum of money may be given to a poor man for his own sake , which , in the consequence , proves the relief of his whole family , but still the immediate receiver is the debtor for it ; for , the question is not , to whom it comes afterward to be transferr'd ; but , who is the principal ? and , upon whom it was first bestow'd ? my son's life is as dear to me as my own ; and , in saving him , you preserve me too : in this case i will acknowledge my self oblig'd to you ; that is to say , in my son's name : for in my own , and in strictness , i am not : but , i am content to make my self a voluntary debtor . what if he had borrow'd money ? my paying of it , does not at all make it my debt . it would put me to the blush perhaps , to have him taken in bed with another mans wife ; but , that does not make me an adulterer . 't is a wonderful delight , and satisfaction that i receive in his safety : but , still this good is not a benefit . a man may be the better for an animal , a plant , a stone ; but , there must be a will , and intention , to make it an obligation . you save the son , without so much as knowing the father ; nay , without so much as thinking of him ; and , perhaps , you would have done the same thing even if you had hated him . but , without any farther altercation of dialogue ; the conclusion is this , if you meant him the kindness , he is answerable for it ; and i may enjoy the fruit of it , without being oblig'd by 't . but if it was done for my sake , then am i accomptable . or , howsoever , upon any occasion , i am ready to do you all the kind offices imaginable ; not as the return of a benefit , but as the earnest of a friendship : which you are not to challenge neither , but to entertain as an act of honor , and of justice , rather than of gratitude . if a man find the body of my dead father in a desart , and give it burial ; if he did it as to my father , i am beholden to him ; but , if the body was unknown to him , and that he would have done the same thing for any other body , i am no further concern'd in it , than as a piece of publick humanity . there are moreover , some cases , wherein an unworthy person may be a oblig'd , for the sake of others ; and the sottish extract of an antient nobility may be preferr'd before a better man , that is but of yesterdayes standing . and , it is but reasonable , to pay a reverence , even to the memory of eminent virtues . he that is not illustrious in himself , may yet be reputed so in the right of his ancestors . and there is a gratitude to be entail'd upon the off-spring of famous progenitors . was it not for the fathers sake , that ci●…ero the son was made consul ? and , was it not the eminence of one pompey , that rais'd and dignify'd the rest of his family ? how came caligula to be the emperor of the world ? a man so cruel , that he spilt blood as greedily as if he were to drink it ; the empire was not given to himself , but to his father germanicus ; a braver man deserved that for him , which he could never have challenged upon his own merit . what was it that preferr'd fabius persicus ? ( whose very mouth was the uncleanest part about him ; ) what was it , but the of that family that so generously oppos'd the enemy , for the safety of the common-wealth ? nay , b providence it self is gracious to the wicked posterity of an honorable race . the counsels of heaven are guided by vvisdom , mercy , and justice . some men are made kings for their proper virtues , without any respect to their predecessors . others , for their ancestors sakes , whose virtues , though neglected in their lives , come to be afterward rewarded in their issue . and , it is but equity , that our gratitude should extend as far as the influence of their heroical actions , and examples . chap. xii . the benefactor must have no by-ends . we come now to the main point of the matter in question ; that is to say , whether or no it be a thing desirable in it self , the giving , and receiving of benefits ? there is a sect of philosophers , that accompts nothing valuable , but what is profitable ; and so makes all virtue mercenary : an unmanly mistake , to imagine , that the hope of gain , or fear of loss , should make a man either the more , or the less honest. as who should say , what shall i get by 't , and i 'll be an honest man ? whereas , on the contrary , honesty is a thing in it self to be purchas'd at any rate . it is not for a body to say , it will be a charge ; a hazzard ; i shall give offence , &c. my business is to do what i ought to do : all other considerations are forreign to the office. whensoever my duty calls me , 't is my part to attend , without scrupulizing upon forms , or difficulties . shall i see an honest man oppressed at the barr , and not assist him , for fear of a court-faction ? or not second him upon the high-way against thieves , for fear of a broken-head ? and chuse rather to sit still , the quiet spectator of fraud , and violence ? why will men be just , temperate , generous , brave , but because it carries along with it fame , and a good conscience ? and for the same reason , and no other ( to apply it to the subject in hand ) let a man also be bountiful . the school of epicurus , i 'm sure , will never swallow this doctrine : ( that effeminate tribe of lazy , and voluptuous philosophers ) they 'll tell you , that virtue is but the servant and vassail of pleasure . no , says epicurus , i am not for pleasure neither , without virtue . but , why then for pleasure , say i , before virtue ? not that the stress of the controversie lies upon the order only ; for , the power of it , as well as the dignity , is now under debate . it is the office of virtue to superintend , to lead , and to govern ; but , the parts you have assign'd it , are , to submit , to follow , and to be under command . but this , you 'll say , is nothing to the purpose , so long as both sides are agreed , that there can be no happiness without virtue : take away that , sayes epicurus , and i 'm as little a friend to pleasure as you . the pinch , in short , is this : whether virtue it self be the supreme good , or only the cause of it ? it is not the inverting of the order that will clear this point ; ( though 't is a very preposterous error , to set that first which should be last . ) it does not half so much offend me , the ranging of pleasure before virtue , as the very comparing of them ; and the bringing of two opposites , and profess'd enemies , into any sort of competition . the drift of this discourse is , to support the cause of benefits ; and , to prove , that it is a mean , and dishonourable thing , to give , for any other end , than for a giving-sake he that gives for gain , profit , or any by-end , destroyes the very intent of bounty ; for , it falls only upon those that do not want ; and perverts the charitable inclinations of princes , and of great men , who cannot reasonably propound to themselves any such end. what does the sun get by travelling about the universe ; by visiting , and comforting all the quarters of the earth ? is the whole creation made , and order'd for the good of mankind , and every particular man only for the good of himself ? there passes not an hour of our lives , wherein we do not enjoy the blessings of providence without measure , and without intermission . and , what design can the almighty have upon us , who is in himself full , safe , and inviolable ? if he should give only for his own sake , what would become of poor mortals , that have nothing to return him at best , but dutiful acknowledgments ? 't is putting out of a benefit to interest , only to bestow where we may place it to advantage . let us be liberal then , after the example of our great creator ; and give to others , with the same consideration that he gives to us . b epicurus his answer wil be to this , that god gives no benefits at all , but turns his back upon the world ; and , without any concern for us , leaves nature to take her course : and , whether he does any thing himself , or nothing , he takes no notice however , either of the good , or of the ill that is done here below . if there were not an ordering , and an over-ruling providence ; how comes it ( say i , on the other side ) that the universality of mankind should ever have so unanimously agreed in the madness of worshipping a power that can neither hear , nor help us ? some blessings are freely given us ; others , upon our prayers , are granted us ; and every day brings forth instances of great , and of seasonable mercies , there never was yet any man so insensible , as not to feel , see , and understand a deity in the ordinary methods of nature ; though many have been so obstinately ungrateful , as not to confess it : nor is any man so wretched , as not to be a partaker in that divine bounty . some benefits , 't is true , may appear to be unequally divided . but , 't is no small matter yet that we possess in common ; and , which nature has bestow'd upon us in her very self . if god be not bountiful , whence is it that we have all that we pretend to ? that which we give , and that which we deny ; that which we lay up , and that which we squander away ? those innumerable delights , for the entertainment of our eyes , our eares , and our understandings ? nay , that copious matter even for luxury it self ? for , care is taken , not only for our necessities , but also for our pleasures , and for the gratifying of all our senses , and appetites . so many pleasant groves , fruitful , and salutary plants ; so many fair rivers , that serve us both for recreation , plenty , and commerce ; vicissitudes of seasons ; varieties of food , by nature made ready to our hands ; all sorts of curiosities and of creatures ; and the whole creation it self subjected to mankind for health , medicine , and dominion . we can be thankful to a friend for a few acres , or a little money , and yet for the freedom , and command of the whole earth , and for the great benefits of our being , as life , health , and reason , we look upon our selves as under no obligation . if a man bestowes upon us a house , that is delicately beautifyed with paintings , statues , gildings , and marble , we make a mighty business of it , and yet it lies at the mercy of a puff of wind , the snuff of a candle , and a hundred other accidents to lay it in the dust . and , is it nothing now to sleep under the canopy of heaven , where we have the globe of the earth for our place of repose , and the glories of the heavens for our spectacle ? how comes it that we should so much value what we have , and yet at the same time be so unthankful for it ? whence is it that we have our breath , the comforts of light , and of heat , the very blood that runs in our veins ? the cattel that feed us , and the fruits of the earth that feed them ? whence have we the growth of our bodies , the succession of our ages , and the faculties of our mindes ? so many veins of mettles , quarries of marble , &c. the seed of every thing is in it self , and it is the blessing of god that raises it out of the dark into act , and motion . to say nothing of the charming varieties of musique ; beautiful objects , delicious provisions for the palate ; exquisite perfumes which are cast in over and above to the common necessities of our being . all this , sayes epicurus , we are to ascribe to c nature . and , why not to god , i beseech yee ? as if they were not both of them one and the same power working in the whole , and in every part of it . or , if you call him the almighty iupiter ; the thunderer , the creatour , and preserver of us all ; it comes to the same issue : some will express him under the notion of fate ; which is only a connexion of causes , and himself the uppermost , and original , upon which all the rest depend . the stoicks represent the several functions of the allmighty power under several appellations . when they speak of him as the father , and the fountain of all beings , they call him bacchus : and , under the name of hercules , they denote him to be indefatigable , and invincible : and , in the contemplation of him in the reason , order , proportion , and wisdom of his proceedings , they call him mercury : so that which way soever they look , and under what name soever they couch their meaning , they never fail of finding him : for he is every where , and fills his own work. if a man should borrow money of seneca , and say that he owes it to anneus , or lucius , he may change the name , but not his creditor ; for , let him take which of the three name●… he pleases , he is still a debtor to the same person . as justice , integrity , prudence , frugality , fortitude , are all of them the goods of one and the same mind , so that whichsoever of them pleases us , we cannot distinctly say , that it is this , or that , but the mind . but , not to carry this digression too far , that which god himself does , we are sure is well done ; and , we are no less sure , that d for whatsoever he gives , he neither wants , expects , nor receives any thing in return : so that the only end of a benefit ought to be the advantage of the receiver ; and that must be our scope without any by-regard to our selves . it is objected to us , the singular caution we prescribe in the choice of the person , for , it were a madness , we say , for a husbandman to sow the sand : which , if true , say they , you have an eye upon profit , as well in giving , as in plowing , and sowing . and then they say again , that , if the conferring of a benefit were desirable in it self , it would have no dependence upon the choice of the man , for , let us give it when , how , or wheresoever we please , it would be still a benefit . this does not at all affect our assertion : for the person , the matter , the manner , and the time , are circumstances absolutely necessary to the reason of the action ; there must be a right judgment in all respects to make it a benefit . it is my duty , to be true to a trust , and yet there may be a time , or a place , wherein i would make little difference betwixt the renouncing of it , and the delivering of it up , and , the same rule holds in benefits ; i will neither render the one , nor bestow the other to the damage of the receiver . a wicked man will run all risques to do an injury ; and to compass his revenge ; and , shall not an honest man venture as far to do a good office ? all benefits must be gratuitous ; a merchant sells me the corn , that keeps me and my family from starving ; but , he sold it for his interest , as well as i bought it for mine , and so i owe him nothing for 't . he that gives for profit , gives to himself , as a physitian , or a lawyer gives counsel for a fee , and only makes use of me for his own ends ; as a grasier fats his cattel , to bring them to a better market . this is more properly the driving of a trade , than the cultivating of a generous commerce . this for that , is rather a truck than a benefit ; and he deserves to be cousen'd , that gives any thing in hope of a return . and , in truth , what end should a man honourably propound ? not profit sure ; that 's vulgar , and mechanique , and he that does not contemn it , can never be grateful . and then for glory , 't is a mighty matter indeed for a man to boast of doing his duty . we are to give , if it were only to avoid not giving ; if any thing comes on 't , 't is clear gain ; and , at worst , there 's nothing left ; beside , that one benefit well plac'd , makes amends for a thousand miscarriages . it is not that i would exclude the benefactor neither , for being himself the better for a good office he does for another . some there are that do us good only for their own sakes ; others , for ours ; and some again for both . he that does it for me in common with himself , if he had a prospect upon both in the doing of it , i am oblig'd to him for it ; and glad with all my heart that he had a share in 't . nay , i were ungrateful , and unjust , if i should not rejoyce , that what was beneficial to me , might be so likewise to himself . to pass now to the matter of gratitude , and e ingratitude ; there never was any man yet so wicked , as not to approve of the one , and detest the other ; as the two things in the whole world , the one to be the most abominated , the other the most esteem'd . the very story of an ungrateful action puts us out of all patience , and gives us a loathing for the author of it . that inhumane villain , we cry , to do so horrid a thing : not that inconsiderate fool , for omitting so profitable a virtue , which plainly shewes the sense we naturally have , both of the one , and of the other , and that we are led to 't by a common impulse of reason , and of conscience . epicurus phansies god to be without power , and without armes ; above fear himself , and as little to be fear'd . he places him betwixt the orbes solitary , and idle , out of the reach of mortals , and neither hearing our prayers , nor minding our concerns ; and allows him only such a veneration , and respect , as we pay to our parents . if a man should ask him now , why any reverence at all , if we have no obligation to him ? or rather , why that greater reverence to his fortuitous attomes ? his answer would be , that it is for their majesty , and their admirable nature , and not out of any hope , or expectation from them . so that by his proper confession , a thing may be desirable for its own worth . but , sayes he , gratitude is a virtue that has commonly profit annex'd to it . and , where 's the virtue , say i , that has not ? but still the virtue is to be valu'd for it self , and not for the profit that attends it ; there is no question , but gratitude for benefits received , is the ready way to procure more ; and , in requiting one friend , we encourage many ; but , these accessions fall in by the by , and , if i were sure that the doing of good offices would be my ruine , i would yet pursue them . he that visits the sick , in hope of a legacy , let him be never so friendly in all other cases , i look upon him in this to be no better than a raven , that watches a weak sheep , only to peck the eyes out . we never give with so much judgment , or care , as when we consider the honesty of the action , without any regard to the profit of it ; for , our understandings are corrupted by fear , hope , and pleasure . chap. xiii . there are many cases wherein a man may be minded of a benefit , but it is very rarely to be challeng'd , and never to be upbraided . if the world were as wise , and as honest as it should be , there would be no need of caution or precept , how to behave ourselves in our several stations , and duties ; for , both the giver and the receiver would do what they ought to do of their own accord : the one would be bountiful , and the other grateful ; and , the only way of minding a man of one good turn , would be the following of it with another . but , as the case stands , we must take other measures , and consult the best we can , the common ease , and relief of mankind . as there are several sorts of a ungrateful men , so there must be several wayes of dealing with them : either by artifice , counsel , admonition , or reproof , according to the humour of the person , and the degree of the offence ; provided alwayes , that as well in the re-minding a man of a benefit , as in the bestowing of it , the good of the receiver be the principal thing intended . there is a curable ingratitude , and an incurable : there is a slothful , a neglectful , a proud , a dissembling , a disclaiming , a heedless , a forgetful , and a malitious ingratitude ; and , the application must be suited to the matter we have to work upon . a gentle nature may be reclaim'd by authority , advice , or reprehension ; a father , a husband , a friend , may do good in the case . there are a sort of lazy , and sluggish people , that live as if they were asleep , and must be lugg'd and pinch'd to awaken them . these men are betwixt grateful , and ungrateful ; they will neither deny an obligation , nor return it , and only want quickening . i will do all i can to hinder any man from ill doing ; but especially a friend , and yet more especially from doing ill to me . i will rub up his memory with new benefits : if that will not serve , i 'll proceed to good counsel , and from thence to rebuke : if all failes , i 'll look upon him as a desperate debtor , and e'en let him alone in his ingratitude , without making him my enemy : for , no necessity shall ever make me spend time , in wrangling with any man upon that point . b assiduity of obliging strikes upon the conscience , as well as the memory , and pursues an ungrateful man , till he becomes grateful . if one good office will not do 't , try a second , and then a third . no man can be so thankless , but either shame , occasion , or example , will , at some time or other , prevail upon him . the very beasts themselves , even lions , and tigers , are gain'd by good usage : beside , that one obligation does naturally draw on another ; and a man would not willingly leave his own work imperfect . i have help'd him thus far , and i 'll e'en go through with it now . so that over and above the delight , and the virtue of obliging , one good turn is a shooing-horn to another . this , of all hints , is perhaps the most effectual , as well as the most generous . in some c cases it must be carry'd more home ; as in that of iulius caesar , who , as he was hearing of a cause , the defendant finding himself pinch'd . sir , sayes he , do not you remember a strain you got in your ancle , when you commanded in spain ; and that a soldier lent you his cloak for a cushion , upon the top of a craggy rock , under the shade of a little tree , in the heat of the day ? i remember it perfectly well , sayes caesar , and that when i was ready to choke with thirst , an honest fellow fetch'd me a draught of water in his helmet . but , that man , and that helmet ( sayes the soldier ) does caesar think that he could now know them again if he saw them ? the man perchance i might ( sayes caesar , somewhat offended ) but not the helmet ; but , what 's this story to my business ? you are none of the man : pardon me , sir , sayes the soldier , i am that very man ; but caesar may well forget me , for i have been trepann'd since , and lost an eye at the battel of munda , where that helmet too had the honour to be cleft with a spanish blade . caesar took it as it was intended ; and , it was an honorable , and a prudent way of refreshing his memory . but , this would not have gone down so well with tiberius ; for , when an old acquaintance of his began his address to him , with you remember caesar. no , sayes caesar , ( cutting him short ) i do not remember what i was. now , with him , it was better to be forgotten , then remembred : for , an old friend was as bad as an informer . it is a common thing for men to hate the authors of their preferment , as the witnesses of their mean original . there are some people well enough dispos'd to be d grateful , but they cannot hit upon 't without a prompter : they are a little like school-boyes , that have treacherous memories ; 't is but helping them here and there with a word , when they stick , and they 'le go through with their lesson ; they must be taught to be thankful , and , 't is a fair step , if we can but bring them to be willing , and only offer at it . some benefits we have neglected ; some we are not willing to remember . he is is ungrateful that disownes an obligation ; and so is he that dissembles it , or , to his power , does not requite it ; but , the worst of all is , he that forgets it . conscience , or occasion may revive the rest , but here , the very memory of it is lost . those eyes that cannot endure the light are weak , but those are stark blind that cannot see it . i do not love to hear people say , alass ! poor man , he has forgotten it : as if that were the excuse of ingratitude , which is the very cause of it : for , if he were not ungrateful , he would not be forgetful , and lay that out of the way which should be alwayes uppermost , and in sight . he that thinks , as he ought to do , of requiting a benefit , is in no danger of forgetting it . there are indeed some benefits so great , that they can never slip the memory ; but , those which are less in value , and more in number , do commonly scape us . we are apt enough to acknowledge , that , such a man has been the making of us ; so long as we are in possession of the advantage he has brought us ; but , new appetites deface old kindnesses , and we carry our prospect forward to something more , without considering what we have obtain'd already . all that is past we give for lost ; so that we are only intent upon the future . when a benefit is once out of sight , or out of use , 't is buried . it is the freak of many people , they cannot do a good office , but they are presently e boasting of it , drunk or sober ; and about it goes into all companies , what wonderful things they have done for this man , and what for t'other . a foolish , and a dangerous vanity , of a doubtful friend , to make a certain enemy . for , these reproches , and contempts , will set every bodies tongue a walking ; and people will conclude , that these things would never be , if there were not something very extraordinary in the bottom on 't . when it comes to that once , there is not any calumny but fastens more , or less ; nor any falshood so incredible , but in some part or other of it , shall pass for a truth . our great mistake is this , we are still inclin'd to make the most of what we give , and the least of what we receive ; whereas we should do the clean contrary . it might have been more , but he had a great many to oblige . it was as much as he could well spare ; he 'll make it up some other time , &c. nay , we should be so far from making publication of our bounties , as not to hear them so much as mention'd , without sweetening the matter ; as , alass ! i owe him a great deal more than that comes to . if it were in my power to serve him , i should be very glad on 't . and , this too , not with the figure of a complement , but with all humanity , and truth . there was a man of quality , that , in the triumviral proscription was sav'd by one of caesars friends , who would be still twitting him with it , who it was that preserv'd him , and telling him over and over , you had gone to pot , friend , but for me . pray'e , sayes the proscribed , let me hear no more of this , or e'en leave me as you found me : i am thankful enough of my self to acknowledge , that i owe you my life ; but , 't is death to have it rung in my ears perpetually as a reproach : it looks as if you had only sav'd me , to carry me about for a spectacle . i would fain forget the misfortune that i was once a prisoner , without being led in triumph every day of my life . oh ! f the pride , and folly of a great fortune , that turns benefits into injuries ! that delights in excesses , and disgraces every thing it does . who would receive any thing from it upon these termes ? the higher it raises us , the more sordid it makes us . whatsoever it gives , it corrupts . what is there in it that should thus puff us up ? by what magick is it that we are so transform'd , that we do no longer know our selves ? is it impossible for greatness to be liberal without insolence ? the benefits that we receive from our superiors are then wellcome , when they come with an open hand , and a clear brow : without either contumely , or state : and so as to prevent our necessities . the benefit is never the greater for the making of a bustle , and a noise about it ; but , the benefactor is much the less for the ostentation of his good deeds ; which makes that odious to us , which would be otherwise delightful . tiberius had gotten a trick , when any man had begg'd money of him , to refer him to the senate , where all the petitioners were to deliver up the names of their creditors . his end perhaps was , to deter men from asking , by exposing the condition of their fortunes to an examination . but , it was however a benefit , turn'd into a reprehension ; and , he made a reproach of a bounty . but , g 't is not enough yet to forbear the casting of a benefit in a man's teeth ; for , there are some , that will not allow it to be so much as challeng'd . for , an ill man , say they , will not make a return , though it be demanded , and a good man will do it of himself . and then the asking of it seems to turn it into a debt : it is a kind of injury to be too quick with the former ; for , to call upon him too soon , reproaches him , as if he would not have done it otherwise . nor would i recall a benefit from any man , so as to force it ; but , only to receive it . if i let him quite alone , i make my self guilty of his ingratitude ; and undoe him for want of plain-dealing . a father reclaimes a disobedient son. a wife reclaimes a dissolute husband ; and one friend excites the languishing kindness of another : how many men are lost for want of being touch'd to the quick ? so long as i am not press'd , i will rather desire a favour , than so much as mention a requital ; but , if my country , my family , or my liberty be at stake , my zeal and indignation shall overrule my modesty , and the world shall then understand , that i have done all i could not to stand in need of an ungrateful man. and , in conclusion , the necessity of receiving a benefit shall overcome the shame of recalling it . nor is it only allowable upon some exigents , to put the receiver in mind of a good turn , but it is many times for the common advantage of both parties . chap. xiv . how far to oblige , or requite a wicked man. there are some benefits , whereof a wicked man is wholly incapable : of which , hereafter . there are others , which are bestow'd upon him , not for his own sake , but for secondary reasons ; and , of these , we have spoken , in part , already . there are moreover certain common offices of humanity , which are only allow'd him as he is a man , and without any regard , either to vice , or virtue . to pass over the first point : the second must be handled with care , and distinction , and not without some seeming exceptions to the general rule : as first , here 's no choice , or intention in the case , but , 't is a good office done him for some by-interest , or by chance . secondly , there 's no iudgment in it neither , for 't is to a wicked man. but , to shorten the matter ; without these circumstances it is not properly a benefit ; or , at least , not to him : for , it looks another way . i rescue a friend from thieves , and the other 'scapes for company . i discharge a debt for a friend , and the other comes off too , for they were both in a bond. the third is of a great latitude , and varies , according to the degree of generosity on the one side , and of wickedness on the other . some benefactors will supererogate , and do more than they are bound to do : and , some men are so lewd , that 't is dangerous to do them any sort of good ; no not so much as by way of return , or requital . a if the benefactors bounty must extend to the bad , as well as to the good ; put the case that i promise a good office to an ungrateful man ; we are first to distinguish ( as is said before ) betwixt a common benefit , and a personal ; betwixt what is given for merit , and what for company . secondly , whether or no we know the person to be ungrateful , and can reasonably conclude , that his vice is incurable . thirdly , a consideration must be had of the promise , how far that may oblige us . the two first points are clear'd both in one : we cannot justifie any particular kindness for one that we conclude to be a hopelesly wicked man : so that the force of the promise is the single point in question . in the promise of a good office to a wicked or ungrateful man , i am to blame if i did it knowingly ; and , i am to blame nevertheless , if i did it otherwise : but , i must yet make it good ( under due qualifications ) because i promis'd it : that is to say , matters continuing in the same state , for no man is answerable for accidents . i 'll sup at such a place , though it be cold ; i 'll rise at such an hour , though i be sleepy ; but , if it prove tempestuous , or that i fall sick of a feaver , i 'll neither do the one , nor the other . i promise to second a friend in a quarrel , or to plead his cause ; and , when i come into the field , or into the court , it proves to be against my father , or my brother : i promise to go a journey with him ; but , there 's no travelling upon the road for robbing ; my child is fallen sick ; or my wife in labour : these circumstances are sufficient to discharge me ; for , a promise against law , or duty , is void in its own nature . the counsels of a wise man are certain ; but events are uncertain . and yet if i have pass'd a rash promise , i will in some degree punish the temerity of making it , with the damage of keeping it . unless it turn very much to my shame , or detriment ; and then i 'll be my own confessor in the point , and rather be once guilty of denying , than alwayes of giving . it is not with a benefit as with a debt ; it is one thing to trust an ill pay-master , and another thing to oblige an unworthy person : the one is an ill man , and the other only an ill husband . there was a valiant fellow in the army , that philip of macedon took particular notice of ; and he gave him several considerable marks of the kindness he had for him . this soldier puts to sea , and was cast away upon a coast , where a charitable neighbour took him up half dead ; carry'd him to his house , and there at his own charge maintain'd , and provided for him thirty dayes , till he was perfectly recover'd : and , after all , furnish'd him over and above with a viaticum at parting . the soldier told him the mighty matters that he would do for him in return , so soon as he should have the honor once again to see his master . to court he goes , tells philip of the wreck , but not a syllable of his preserver , and begs the estate of this very man that kept him alive . it was with philip , as with many other princes , that give they know not what , especially in a time of war. he granted the soldier his request , contemplating at the same time the impossibility of satisfying so many revenous appetites as he had to please . when the good man came to be turn'd out of all , he was not so mealy-mouth'd as to thank his majesty for not giving away his person too , as well as his fortune ; but , in a bold , frank letter to philip , made a just report of the whole story . the king was so incens'd at the abuse , that he immediately commanded the right owner to be restor'd to his estate , and the unthankful guest and soldier to be stigmatiz'd for an example to others . should philip now have kept this promise ? first , he ow'd the soldier nothing . secondly ; it would have been injurious , and impious , and lastly , a president of dangerous consequence to humane society . for , it would have been little less than an interdiction of fire and water to the miserable , to have inflicted such a penalty upon relieving them . so that there must be alwayes some tacite exception , or reserve : if i can , if i may ; or , if matters continue as they were . b if it should be my fortune to receive a benefit from one , that afterwards betrayes his country , i should still reckon my self oblig'd to him for such a requital as might stand with my publick duty . i would not furnish him with armes , nor with money , or credit , to levy or pay soldiers ; but , i should not stick to gratifie him at my own expense , with such curiosities as might please him one way , without doing mischief another ; i would not do any thing that might contribute to the support , or advantage of his party . but , what should i do now in the case of a benefactor , that should afterwards become , not only mine , and my countryes enemy , but the common enemy of mankind ? i would here distinguish betwixt the wickedness of a man , and the cruelty of a beast : betwixt a limitted , or a particular passion , and a sanguinary rage , that extends to the hazard , and destruction of humane society . in the former case i would quit scores , that i might have no more to do with him ; but , if he comes once to a delight in blood , and to act outrages with greediness : to study , and invent torments , and to take pleasure in them , the law of reasonable nature has discharg'd me of such a debt . but , this is an impiety so rare , that it might pass for a portent , and be reckon'd among comets , and monsters . let us therefore restrain our discourse to such men as we detest without horror ; such men as we see every day in courts , camps , and upon the seats of justice : to such wicked men i will return what i have receiv'd , without making any advantage of their unrighteousness . c it does not divert the almighty from being still gracious , though we proceed daily in the abuse of his bounties . how many are there that enjoy the comfort of the light , that do not deserve it , that wish they had never been born ; and yet nature goes quietly on with her work ; and allows them a being , even in despite of their unthankfulness . such a knave , we cry , was better us'd than i. and , the same complaint we extend to providence it self . how many wicked men have good crops , when better than themselves have their fruits blasted ? such a man , we say , has treated me very ill . why what should we do , but that very thing which is done by god himself ? that is to say ; give to the ignorant , and persevere to the wicked . all our ingratitude , we see , does not turn providence from pouring down of benefits , even upon those that question whence they come . the wisdom of heaven does all things with a regard to the good of the universe , and the blessings of nature are granted in common , to the vvorst , as well as to the best of men ; for , they live promiscuously together ; and , it is gods vvill , that the vvicked shall rather fare the better for the good , than that the good shall fare the worse for the wicked : 't is true , that a wise prince will confer peculiar honors only upon the worthy ; but , in the dealing of a publick dole , there 's no respect had to the manners of the man , but a thief , or a traitor , shall put in for a share as well as an honest man. if a good man , and a wicked , sail both in the same bottom , it is impossible that the same wind , which favours the one , should cross the other . the common benefits of laws , priviledges , communities , letters , and medicines , are permitted to the bad , as well as to the good , and no man ever yet suppressed a soveraign remedy , for fear a vvicked man might be cur'd with it . cities are built for both sorts , and the same remedy works upon both alike . in these cases we are to set an estimate upon the persons , there 's a great difference betwixt the chusing of a man , and the not excluding him ; the law is open to the rebellious , as well as to the obedient : there are some benefits , which , if they were not allow'd to all , could not be enjoy'd by any . the sun was never made for me , but for the comfort of the vvorld , and for the providential order of the seasons ; and yet i am not without my private obligation also . to conclude , he that will not oblige the vvicked , and the ungrateful , must resolve to oblige no body ; for , in some sort or other , we are all of us wicked , we are all of us ungrateful , every man of us . we have been discoursing all this while , how far a wicked man may be oblig'd , and the stoicks tell us , at last , that he cannot be oblig'd at all : for , they make him incapable of any good , and consequently of any benefit . but , he has this advantage , that if he cannot be oblig'd , he cannot be ungrateful : for , if he cannot receive , he is not bound to a return . on the other side , a good man , and an ungrateful are a contradiction : so that at this rate there 's no such thing as ingratitude in nature . they compare a wicked mans mind to a vitiated stomach ; he corrupts whatever he receives , and the best nourishment turns to the disease . but , taking this for granted , a wicked man may yet be so far oblig'd as to pass for ungrateful , if he does not requite what he receives . for , though it be not a perfect benefit , yet he receives something like it . there are goods of the mind , the body , and of fortune . of the first sort fools , and vvicked men , are wholly incapable ; to the rest they may be admitted . but , vvhy should i call any man ungrateful , you 'll say , for not restoring that which i deny to be a benefit ? i answer , that if the receiver take it for a benefit , and fails of a return , 't is an ingratitude in him ; for , that which goes for an obligation among wicked men , is an obligation upon them : and , they may pay one another in their own quoin ; the money is current , whether it be gold , or leather , when it comes once to be authoriz'd . nay , cleanthes carries it farther ; he that is wanting , sayes he , to a kind office , though it be no benefit , would have done the same thing if it had been one ; and , is as guilty , as a thief is , that has set his booty ; and , if already arm'd , and mounted , with a purpose to seize it , though he has not yet drawn blood. vvickedness is form'd in the heart ; and , the matter of fact is only the discovery , and the execution of it . now , though a wicked man cannot either receive , or bestow a benefit , because he wants the vvill of doing good , and for that he is no longer wicked , when virtue has taken possession of him ; yet we commonly call it one , as we call a man illiterate that is not learn'd , and naked , that is not well clad ; not but that the one can read , and the other is cover'd . chap. xv. a general view of the parts , and duties of the benefactor . the three main points in the question of benefits , are , first , a iudicious choice in the object ; secondly , in the matter of our benevolence ; and , thirdly , a gracious felicity in the manner of expressing it . but , there are also incumbent upon the benefactor other considerations , which will deserve a place in this discourse . it is not enough to do one good turn , and to do it with a good grace too , unless we follow it with more ; and without either a upbraiding , or repining . it is a common shift , to charge that upon the ingratitude of the receiver , which , in truth , is most commonly the levity , and indiscretion of the giver ; for , all circumstances must be duely weigh'd , to consummate the action . some there are that we find ungrateful ; but , what with our frowardness , change of humor , and reproaches , there are more that we make so . and , this is the business : we give with design , and , most to those that are able to give most again . we give to the covetous , and to the ambitious ; to those that can never be thankful ; ( for their desires are insatiable ) and to those that will not . he that is a tribune , would be a praetor ; the praetor a consul ; never reflecting upon what he was , but only looking forward to what he would be . people are still computing , must i lose this , or that benefit ? if it be lost , the fault lies in the ill bestowing of it ; for , rightly plac'd , it is as good as consecrated ; if we be deceiv'd in another , let us not be deceiv'd in our selves too . a charitable man will mend the matter ; and say to himself , perhaps he has forgot it ; perchance he could not ; perhaps he will yet requite it . a patient creditor will , of an ill pay-master , in time , make a good creditor ; an obstinate goodness overcomes an ill disposition ; as a barren soyl is made fruitful by care and tillage . but , let a man be never so ungrateful , or inhumane ; he shall never destroy the satisfaction of my having done a good office. b but , what if others will be wicked ? does it follow that we must be so too ? if others will be ungrateful , must we therefore be inhumane ? to give , and to lose , is nothing ; but ; to lose , and to give still , is the part of a great mind . and the others , in effect , is the greater loss ; for , the one does but lose his benefit , and the other loses himself . the light shines upon the profane , and sacrilegious , as well as upon the righteous . how many disappointments do we meet with in our wives , and children , and yet we couple still ? he that has lost one battel , hazards another . the mariner puts to sea again after a wreck . an illustrious mind does not propose the profit of a good office , but the duty . if the world be wicked , we should yet persevere in well-doing , even amongst evil men. i had rather never receive a kindness , than never bestow one : not to return a benefit is the greater sin , but not to confer it , is the earlier . we cannot propose to our selves a more glorious example , than that of the almighty ; who neither needs , nor expects any thing from us ; and yet he is continually showring down , and distributing his mercies and his graces among us ; not only for our necessities , but also for our delights : as fruits , and seasons ; rain , and sun-shine ; veins of water , and of metall ; and all this to the wicked , as well as to the good ; and without any other end than the common benefit of the receivers . with what face then can we be mercenary one to another , that have receiv'd all things from divine providence gratis ? 't is a common saying , i gave such , or such a man so much mony , i would i had thrown it into the sea. and yet the merchant trades again after a piracy ; and the banker ventures afresh after a bad security . he that will do no good offices after a disappointment , must stand still , and do just nothing at all . the plow goes on after a barren year ; and , while the ashes are yet warm , we raise a new house upon the ruins of a former . what obligations can be greater than those , which children receive from their parents ? and yet , should we give them over in their infancy , it were all to no purpose : benefits , like grain , must be follow'd from the seed to the harvest . i will not so much as leave any place for ingratitude . i will pursue , and i will encompass the receiver with benefits ; so that let him look which way he will , his benefactor shall be still in his eye , even when he would avoid his own memory . and then i will remit to one man , because he calls for 't ; to another , because he does not ; to a third , because he is wicked ; and , to a fourth , because he is the contrary . i 'll cast away a good turn upon a bad man , and i 'll requite a good one . the one , because it is my duty ; and the other , that i may not be in his debt . i do not love to hear any man complain , that he has met with a thankless man. if he has met but with one , he has either been very fortunate , or very careful . and yet care is not sufficient . for , there is no way to scape the hazard of losing a benefit , but the not bestowing of it ; and , to neglect a duty to my self , for fear another should abuse it . it is an others fault , if he be ungrateful , but it is mine if i do not give . to find one thankful man , i will oblige a great many that are not so . the business of mankind would be at a stand , if we should do nothing for fear of miscarriages in matters of uncertain event . i will try , and believe all things , before i give any man over , and do all that is possible that i may not lose a good office , and a friend together . what do i know , but he may misunderstand the obligation ? business may have put it out of his head , or taken him off from 't : he may have slipt his opportunity : i will say , in excuse of humane weakness , that one mans memory is not sufficient for all things ; it is but of a limited capacity , so as to hold only so much , and no more ; and when it is once full , it must let out part of what it had , to take in any thing beside ; and , the last benefit ever sits closest to us . in our youth , we forget the obligations of our infancy , and when we are men , we forget those of our youth . if nothing will prevail , let him keep what he has and wellcome ; but , let him have a care of returning evil for good , and making it dangerous for a man to do his duty . i would no more give a benefit to such a man , than i would lend mony to a beggerly spendthrift ; or deposite any in the hands of a known knight of the post. however the case stands , an ungrateful person is never the better for a reproach ; if he be already harden'd in his wickedness , he gives no heed to 't ; and , if he be not , it turns a doubtful modesty , into an incorrigible impudence : beside that , he watches for ill words , to pick a quarrel with them . c as the benefactor is not to upbraid a benefit , so neither to delay it : the one is tiresome , and the other odious . we must not hold men in hand , as physitians , and surgeons do their patients , and keep them longer in fear , and pain , than needs , only to magnifie the cure. a generous man gives easily ; and receives as he gives , but never exacts . he rejoyces in the return , and judges favourably of it whatever it be , and contents himself with a bare thank for a requital . 't is a harder matter with some to get the benefit , after 't is promis'd , than the first promise of it ; there must be so many friends made in the case . one must be desir'd to sollicite another ; and he must be entreated to move a third , and a fourth must be at last besought to receive it ; so that the author , upon the upshot , has the least share in the obligation . it is then welcome when it comes free , and without deduction ; and no man either to intercept , to hinder , or to detain it . and , let it be of such a quality too , that it be not only delightful in the receiving , but , after it is receiv'd : which it will certainly be , if we do but observe this rule , never to do any thing for another , which we could not honestly desire for our selves . chap. xvi . how the receiver ought to behave himself . there are certain rules , in common , betwixt the giver , and the receiver : we must do both chearfully , that the giver may receive the fruit of his benefit in the very act of bestowing it . it is a just ground of satisfaction , to see a friend pleas'd ; but , it is much more , to make him so . the intention of the one is to be suited to the intention of the other ; and , there must be an emulation betwixt them , whether shall oblige most . let the one say , that he has receiv'd a benefit , and let the other perswade himself , that he has not return'd it . let the one say , i am paid ; and the other , i am yet in your debt ; let the benefactor acquit the receiver , and the receiver bind himself : the frankness of the discharge heightens the obligation . it is in conversation , as in a tennis-court : benefits are to be tost like balls ; the longer the rest , the better are the gamesters . the giver , in some respect , has the odds , because ( as in a race ) he starts first , and the other must use great diligence to overtake him . the return must be larger than the first obligation , to come up to 't ; and , it is a kind of ingratitude , not to render it with interest . in a matter of money , 't is a common thing to pay a debt out of course , and before it be due ; but we accompt our selves to owe nothing for a good office ; whereas the benefit increases by delay . so insensible are we of the most important affair of humane life . that man were doubtless in a miserable condition , that could neither see , nor hear , nor taste , nor feel , nor smell : but , how much more unhappy is he then , that wanting a sense of benefits , loses the greatest comfort in nature , in the bliss of giving , and receiving them ? he that takes a benefit as it is meant , is in the right ; for , the benefactor has then his end , and his only end , when the receiver is grateful . the more glorious part , in appearance , is that of the giver ; but , a the receiver has undoubtedly the harder game to play , in many regards . there are some from whom i would not accept of a benefit ; that is to say , from those upon whom i would not bestow one . for , why should not i scorn to receive a benefit , where i am asham'd to owe it ? and , i would yet be more tender too , where i receive , than where i give ; for , 't is a torment to be in debt , where a man has no mind to pay ; as it is the greatest delight imaginable to be engag'd by a friend , whom i should yet have a kindness for , if i were never so much disoblig'd . it is a pain to an honest , and a generous mind , to lie under a duty of affection against inclination . i do not speak here of wise men , that love to do what they ought to do ; that have their passions at command ; that prescribe laws to themselves , and keep them when they have done ; but , of men , in a state of imperfection , that may have a good will perhaps to be honest , and yet be over-born by the contumacy of their affections . we must therefore have a care to whom we become oblig'd : and , i would be much stricter yet in the choice of a creditor for benefits , than for mony. in the one case , 't is but paying what i had , and the debt is discharg'd : in the other , i do not only owe more , but when i have paid that , i am still in arriere : and , this law is the very foundation of friendship . i will suppose my self a prisoner ; and a notorious villain offers to lay down a sum of mony for my redemption . first , shall i make use of this money , or no ? secondly , if i do , what return shall i make him for 't ? to the first point , i will take it ; but , only as a debt , not as a benefit , that shall ever tye me to a friendship with him : and secondly , my acknowledgment shall be only correspondent to such an obligation . it is a school-question , whether or no brutus , that thought caesar not fit to live ( and put himself in the head of a conspiracy against him ) could honestly have receiv'd his life from caesar , if he had fallen into caesars power , without examining what reason mov'd him to that action ? how great a man soever he was in other cases , without dispute he was extremely out in this , and below the dignity of his profession . for a stoick to fear the name of a king , when yet monarchy is the best state of government ; or there to hope for liberty , where so great rewards were propounded , both for tyrants , and their slaves ; for him to imagine , ever to bring the laws to their former state , where so many thousand lives had been lost in the contest , not so much whether they should serve or no , but who should be their master : he was strangely mistaken sure in the nature and reason of things , to phansy , that when iulius was gone , some body else would not start up in his place , when there was yet a tarquin found , after so many kings that were destroy'd , either by sword or thunder : and yet the resolution is , that he might have receiv'd it , but not as a benefit ; for , at that rate i owe my life to every man that does not take it away . b graecinus iulius , ( whom caligula put to death , out of a pure malice to his virtue ) had a considerable sum of mony sent him from fabius persicus ( a man of great and infamous example ) as a contribution toward the expense of playes , and other publick entertainments ; but iulius would not receive it ; and some of his friends , that had an eye more upon the present , than the presenter , ask'd him , with some freedome , what he meant by refusing it ? why ( sayes he ) do you think that i 'll take mony , where i would not take so much as a glass of wine ? after this , rebilus ( a man of the same stamp ) sent him a greater sum upon the same score . you must excuse me ( sayes he to the messenger ) for i would not take any thing of persicus neither . to match this scruple of receiving mony , with another of keeping it ; and the sum not above three pence , or a groat at most : c there was a certain pythagorean that contracted with a cobler for a pair of shooes , and some three or four days after , going to pay him his mony , the shop was shut up ; and when he had knock'd a great while at the door , friend , ( sayes a fellow ) you may hammer your heart out there , for the man that you look for is dead . and when our friends are dead , we hear no more news of them ; but yours that are to live again , will shift well enough ( alluding to pythagoras his transmigration . ) upon this the philosopher went away , with his mony chinking in his hand , and well enough content to save it : at last his conscience took check at it , and , upon reflection , though the man be dead ( sayes he ) to others , he is alive to thee ; pay him what thou owest him : and so he went back presently , and thrust it into his shop through the chink of the door . whatever we owe , 't is our part to find where to pay it ; and to do it without asking too ; for whether the creditor be good , or bad , the debt is still the same . if a benefit be forc'd upon me , as from a tyrant , or a superior , where it may be dangerous to refuse ; this is rather obeying than receiving , where the necessity destroyes the choice ; the way to know what i have a mind to do , is to leave me at liberty , whether i will do it or no ; but , it is yet a benefit , if a man does me good in spite of my teeth ; as it is none , if i do any man good against my will. a man may both hate , and yet receive a benefit at the same time ; the mony is never the worse , because a fool , that is not read in quoines , refuses to take it . if the thing be good for the receiver , and so intended , no matter how ill 't is taken . nay , the receiver may be oblig'd , and not know it : but , there can be no benefit , which is unknown to the giver . neither will i , upon any termes , receive a benefit from a worthy person that may do him a mischief : it is the part of an enemy , to save himself , by doing another man harm . e but , whatever we do , let us be sure alwayes to keep a grateful mind . it is not enough to say , what requital shall a poor man offer to a prince ; or , a slave to his patron ? when it is the glory of gratitude , that it depends only upon the good will. suppose a man defends my fame ; delivers me from beggery ; saves my life ; or gives me liberty , that is more than life . how shnll i be grateful to that man ? i will receive , cherish , and rejoyce in the benefit . take it kindly , and it is requited : not that the debt it self is discaharg'd , but it is nevertheless a discharge of the conscience . i will yet distinguish betwixt a debtor , that becomes insolvent by expenses upon whores , and diee ; and another that is undone by fire , or thieves ; nor do i take this gratitude for a payment ; but , there is no danger , i presume , of being arrested for such a debt . in the return of benefits , let us be ready , and chearful , but not pressing . there is as much greatness of mind in the owing of a good turn , as in the doing of it ; and , we must no more force a requital out of season , than be wanting in it . he that precipitates a return , does as good as say , i am weary of being in this mans debt ; not but that the hastening of a requital , as a good office , is a commendable disposition ; but , 't is another thing , to do it as a discharge , for , it looks like casting off a heavy , and a troublesome burthen . 't is for the benefactor to say , when he will receive it ; no matter for the opinion of the world , so long as i gratifie my own conscience ; for i cannot be mistaken in my self , but another may . he that is over-sollicitous to return a benefit , thinks the other so likewise to receive it . if he had rather we should keep it , why should we refuse , and presume to dispose of his treasure , who may call it in , or let it lye out , at his choice ? 't is as much a fault , to receive what i ought not , as not to give what i ought : for , the giver has the priviledge of chusing his own time for receiving . g some are too proud in the conferring of benefits ; others , in the receiving of them , which is , to say the truth , intolerable . the same rule serves both sides , as in the case of a father , and a son ; a husband , and a wife ; one friend , or acquaintance , and another , where the duties are known and common . there are some that will not receive a benefit , but in private ; nor thank you for 't but in your ear , or in a corner ; there must be nothing under hand , and seal , no brokers , notaries , or witnesses in the case : this is not so much a scruple of modesty , as a kind of denying the obligation , and only a less harden'd ingratitude . some receive benefits so coldly , and indifferently , that a man would think the obligation lay on the other side , as who should say , well , since you will needs have it so , i am content to take it . some again , so carelesly , as if they hardly knew of any such thing ; whereas we should rather aggravate the matter , you cannot imagine , how many you have oblig'd in this act : there never was so great , so kind , so seasonable a courtesie . furnius never gain'd so much upon augustus , as by a speech , upon the getting of his fathers pardon for siding with anthony . this grace , sayes he , is the only injury that ever caesar did me ; for it has put me upon a necessity of living , and dying ungrateful . 't is safer to affront some people , than to oblige them ; for , the better a man deserves , the worse they 'll speak of him : as if the professing of open hatred to their benefactors , were an argument , that they lie under no obligation . some people are so sour , and ill-natur'd , that they take it for an affront to have an obligation , or a return offer'd them , to the discouragement both of bounty , and of gratitude together . the not doing , and the not receiving of benefits , are equally a mistake . he that refuses a new one , seems to be offended at an old one : and yet sometimes i would neither return a benefit , no nor so much as receive it , if i might . chap. xvii . of gratitude . he that preaches gratitude , pleads the cause both of god and man ; for , without it , we can neither be sociable , nor religious . there is a strange delight in the very purpose , and contemplation of it , as well as in the action ; when i can say to my self , i love my benefactor ; what is there in this world that i would not do , to oblige , and serve him ? where i have not the means of a requital , the very meditation of it is sufficient . a man is nevertheless an artist , for not having his tools about him ; or a musician , because he wants his fiddle ; nor is he the less brave , because his hands are bound ; or , the worse pilot , for being upon dry ground . if i have only a will to be grateful , i am so . let me be upon the wheele ; or , under the hand of the executioner ; let me be burnt limb , by limb , and my whole body dropping in the flames , a good conscience supports me in all extremes : nay , it is comfortable even in death it self : for , when we come to approach that point , what care do we take to summon , and call to mind all our benefactors , and the good offices they have done us , that we may leave the world fair , and set our minds in order . without gratitude , we can neither have security , peace , nor reputation : and , it is not therefore the less desirable , because it draws many adventitious benefits along with it . suppose the sun , the moon , and the stars had no other business , then only to pass over our heads , without any effect upon our minds , or bodies ; without any regard to our health , fruits , or seasons : a man could hardly lift up his eyes toward the heavens without wonder , and veneration , to see so many millions of radiant lights , and to observe their courses , and revolutions , even without any respect to the common good of the universe . but when we come to consider , that providence , and nature , are still at work when we sleep ; with the admirable force , and operation of their influences , and motions , we cannot then but acknowledge their ornament to be the least part of their value ; and that they are more to be esteem'd for their virtue , than for their splendor . their main end , and use , is matter of life , and necessity , though they may seem to us more considerable for their majesty , and beauty . and so it is with gratitude ; we love it rather for secondary ends , then for it self . no man can be grateful without contemning those things that put the common people out of their wits . we must go into banishment ; lay down our lives ; begger , and expose our selves to reproaches : nay , it is often seen , that loyalty suffers the punishment due to rebellion ; and , that treason receives the rewards of fidelity . as the benefits of it are many , and great , so are the hazards , which is the case , more or less , of all other virtues : and it were hard , if this , above the rest , should be both painful , and fruitless : so that though we may go currently on with it in smooth way , we must yet prepare , and resolve , ( if need be ) to force our passage to 't , even if the way were cover'd with thornes , and serpents ; and , fall back , fall edge , we must be grateful still . grateful , for the virtue sake , and grateful over and above upon the point of interest ; for , it preserves old friends , and gains new ones . it is not our business to fish for one benefit with another ; and by bestowing a little , to get more : or to oblige for any sort of expedience , but because i ought to do it , and because i love it ; and that to such a degree , that if i could not be grateful , without appearing the contrary ; if i could not return a benefit without being suspected of doing an injury ; in despite of infamy it self , i would yet be grateful . no man is greater in my esteem , than he that ventures the fame , to preserve the conscience of an honest man ; the one is but imaginary , the other solid , and inestimable . i cannot call him grateful , who , in the instant of returning one benefit , has his eye upon another . he that is grateful for profit , or fear , is like a woman that is honest , only upon the score of reputation . b as gratitude is a necessary , and a glorious , so is it also an obvious , a cheap , and an easie virtue : so obvious , that wheresoever there is a life , there is a place for it : so cheap , that the covetous man may be grateful without expense ; and so easie , that the sluggard may be so likewise , without labour . and yet it is not without its niceties too ; for , there may be a time , a place , or occasion , wherein i ought not to return a benefit ; nay , wherein i may better disown it , than deliver it . let it be understood , by the way , that 't is one thing to be grateful for a good office , and another thing to return it : the good will is enough in one case , being as much as the one side demands , and the other promises ; but the effect is requisite in the other . the physitian that has done his best , is acquitted , though the patient dies ; and so is the advocate , though the clyent may lose his cause . the general of an army , though the battel be lost , is yet worthy of commendation , if he has discharg'd all the parts of a prudent commander ; in this case , the one acquits himself , though the other be never the better for 't . he is a grateful man , that is alwayes willing and ready ; and he that seeks for all means , and occasions of requiting a benefit , though without attaining his end , does a great deal more , than the man , that without any trouble makes an immediate return . suppose my friend a prisoner , and that i have sold my estate for his ransome : i put to sea in foul weather , and upon a coast that 's pester'd with pyrates : my friend happens to be redeem'd before i come to the place ; my gratitude is as much to be esteem'd , as if he had been yet a prisoner ; and , if i had been taken , and rob'd , my self , it would still have been the same case . nay , there is a gratitude in the very countenance ; for an honest man bears his conscience in his face , and propounds the requital of a good turn in the very moment of receiving it : he is chearful , and confident ; and , in the possession of a true friendship , deliver'd from all anxiety . there is this difference betwixt a thankful man , and an unthankful ; the one is alwayes pleas'd in the good he has done , and the other only once , in what he has receiv'd . there must be a benignity in the estimation even of the smallest offices ; and such a modesty as appears to be oblig'd in whatsoever it gives : as it is indeed a very great benefit , the opportunity of doing a good office to a worthy man ; he that attends to the present , and remembers what 's past , shall never be ungrateful . but , who shall judge in the case ? for a man may be grateful without making a return , and ungrateful with it . our best way is to help every thing by a fair interpretation ; and wheresoever there is a doubt , to allow it the most favourable construction : for he that is exceptious at words , or looks , has a mind to pick a quarrel . for my own part , when i come to cast up my accompt , and know what i owe , and to whom , though i make my return sooner to some , and later to others , as occasion , or fortune will give me leave , yet i 'll be just to all . i will be grateful to god ; to man ; to those that have oblig'd me ; nay , even to those that have oblig'd my friends , i am bound in honor , and in conscience , to be thankful for what i have receiv'd ; and if i be not yet full , it is some pleasure still that i may hope for more . for the requital of a favour , there must be virtue , occasion , means , and fortune . it is a common thing to screw up justice to the pitch of an injury . a man may be over-righteous ; and , why not over-grateful too ? there is a mischievous excess , that borders so close upon ingratitude , that it is no easie matter to distinguish the one from the other : but , in regard that there is good will in the bottom of it ( however distemper'd ; for it is effectually but kindness out of the wits ) we shall discourse it under the title of gratitude mistaken . chap. xviii . gratitude mistaken . to refuse a good office , not so much because we do not need it , as because we would not be indebted for it , is a kind of phantastical ingratitude ; and somewhat a-kin to that nicety of humour , on the other side , of being over-grateful ; only it lies another way , and seems to be the more pardonable ingratitude of the two . some people take it for a great instance of their good will , to be still wishing their benefactors , such or such a mischief , only , forsooth , that they themselves might be the happy instruments of their release . these men do like extravagant lovers , that take it for a great proof of their affection , to wish one another banish'd , begger'd , or diseas'd , that they might have the opportunity of interposing to their relief . what difference is there betwixt such wishing , and cursing ? such an affection , and a mortal hatred ? the intent is good , you 'll say , but this is a misapplication of it . let such a one fall into my power ; or into the hands of his enemies , his creditors , or the common people , and no mortal be able to rescue him but my self . let his life , his liberty , and his reputation lie all at stake , and no creature , but my self , in condition to succor him . and why all this , but because he has oblig'd me , and i would requite him ? if this be gratitude , to propound jayles , shackles , slavery , war , beggery to the man , that you would requite , what would you do where you are ungrateful ? this way of proceeding , over and above that it is impious in it self , is likewise over-hasty , and unseasonable : for , he that goes too fast , is as much too blame , as he that does not move at all ( to say nothing of the injustice ) for if i had never been oblig'd , i should never have wish'd it . there are seasons wherein a benefit is neither to be receiv'd , nor requited . to press a return upon me , when i do not desire it , is unmannerly ; but it is worse , to force me to desire it . how rigorous would he be to exact a requital , who is thus eager to return it ? to wish a man in distress , that i may relieve him ; is , first to wish him miserable ; to wish that he may stand in need of any body , is against him ; and to wish that he may stand in need of me , is for my self : so that my business is not so much a charity to my friend , as the cancelling of a bond : nay , it is half way , the wish of an enemy . it is barbarous to wish a man in chains , slavery , or want , only to bring him out again : let me rather wish him powerful , and happy , and my self indebted to him . by nature , we are prone to mercy , humanity , compassion ; may we be excited to be more so , by the number of the grateful ; may their number increase , and may we have no need of trying them . it is not for an honest man to make way to a good office by a crime ; a as if a pilot should pray for a tempest , that he might prove his skill ; or a general wish his army routed , that he might shew himself a great commander in recovering of the day . 't is throwing of a man into a river , to take him out again . 't is an obligation , i confess , to cure a wound , or a disease ; but , to make that wound , or disease , on purpose to cure it , is a most perverse ingratitude . it is barbarous even to an enemy ; much more to a friend ; for , it is not so much to do him a kindness , as to put him in need of it . of the two , let it be rather a scar , than a wound ; and yet it would be better to have it neither . rome had been little beholden to scipio , if he had prolong'd the punique war , that he might have the finishing of it at last : or to the decii , for dying for their country , if they had first brought it to the last extremity of needing their devotion . it may be a good contemplation , but it is a lewd wish . aeneas had never been sirnamed the pious , if he had wish'd the ruine of his country , only that he might have the honor of taking his father out of the fire . 't is the scandal of a physitian to make work , and irritate a disease , and to torment his patient for the reputation of his cure. if a man should openly imprecate poverty , captivity , fear , or danger , upon a person that he has been oblig'd to , would not the whole world condemn him for 't ? and , what 's the difference ; but that the one is only a private wish , and the other , a publick declaratio ? rutilius was told in his exile , that for his comfort , there would be ere long a civil war , that would bring all the banish'd men home again . god forbid , sayes he , for i had rather my country should blush for my banishment , than mourn for my return . how much more honorable is it to owe chearfully , than to pay dishonestly ? it is the wish of an enemy to take a town , that he may preserve it , and to be victorious , that he may forgive ; but , the mercy comes after the cruelty ; beside , that it is an injury both to god and man , for , the man must be first afflicted by heaven , to be reliev'd by me . so that we impose the cruelty upon god , and take the compassion to our selves , and , at the best , it is but a curse that makes way for a blessing ; the bare wish is an injury ; and , if it does not take effect , 't is because heaven has not heard our prayers . or , if they should succeed , the fear it self is a torment : and , it is much more desirable , to have a firm , and unshaken security . 't is friendly to wish it in your power to oblige me , if ever i chance to need it ; but , it is unkind to wish me miserable , that i may need it . how much more pious is it , and humane , to wish that i may never want the occasion of obliging , nor the means of doing it ; nor ever have reason to repent of what i have done ? chap. xix . of ingratitude . ingratitude is , of all crimes , that which we are to accompt the most venial in others , and the most unpardonable in our selves . it is impious to the highest degree ; for , it makes us fight against our children , and our altars . there are , there ever were , and there ever will be criminals of all sorts ; as murtherers , tyrants , thieves , adulterers , traytors , robbers , and sacrilegious persons ; but , there is hardly any notorious crime without a mixture of ingratitude . it disunites mankind , and breaks the very pillars of society . and yet so far is this prodigious wickedness from being any wonder to us , that even thankfulness it self were much the greater of the two . for men are deterr'd from it by labour , expense , lazyness , business ; or else diverted from it by lust , envy , ambition , pride , levity , rashness , fear : nay , by the very shame of confessing what they have receiv'd . and the unthankful man has nothing to say for himself all this while ; for , there needs neither pains , nor fortune , for the discharge of his duty ; beside , the inward anxiety , and torment , when a mans conscience makes him afraid of his own thoughts . to speak against the ungrateful , is to raile against mankind ; a for , even those that complain are guilty ; nor do i speak only of those that do not live up to the strict rule of virtue ; but mankind it self is degenerated , and lost . we live unthankfully in this world , and we go strugling and murmuring out of it ; dissatisfy'd with our lot ; whereas we should be grateful for the blessings we have enjoy'd , and accompt that sufficient which providence has appointed for us : a little more time may make our lives longer , but not happier ; and whensoever it is the pleasure of god to call us , we must obey ; and yet all this while we go on quarrelling at the world for what we find in our selves , and we are yet more unthankful to heaven , than we are to one another . what benefit can be great now to that man that despises the bounties of his maker ? we would be as strong as elephants , as swift as bucks , as light as birds , and we complain , that we have not the sagacity of dogs ; the sight of eagles , the long life of ravens ; nay , that we are not immortal , and endu'd with the knowledge of things to come . nay , we take it ill , that we are not gods upon earth : never considering the advantages of our condition , or the benignity of providence in the comforts that we enjoy . we subdue the strongest of creatures , and overtake the fleetest : we reclaim the fiercest , and outwit the craftiest . we are within one degree of heaven it self , and yet we are not satisfied . since there is not any one creature which we had rather be , we take it ill that we cannot draw the united excellences of all other creatures into our selves . why are we not rather thankful to that goodness , which has subjected the whole creation to our use , and service ? b the principal causes of ingratitude , are pride , and self-conceipt , avarice , envy , &c. 't is a familiar exclamation , ' t is true , he did this or that for me , but it came so late , and it was so little , i had e'en as good have been without it : if he had not given it to me , he must have given it to some body else ; it was nothing out of his own pocket : nay , we are so ungrateful , that he that gives us all we have , if he leaves any thing to himself , we reckon that he does us an injury . it cost iulius caesar his life , the disappointment of his unsatiable companions ; and yet he reserv'd nothing of all that he got , to himself , but the liberty of disposing it . there is no benefit so large , but malignity will still lessen it : none so narrow , which a good interpretation will not enlarge . no man shall ever be grateful , that views a benefit on the wrong side ; or takes a good office by the wrong handle . the avaritious man is naturally ungrateful , for he never thinks he has enough , but , without considering what he has , only minds what he covets . some pretend want of power to make a competent return , and you shall find in others a kind of graceless modesty , that makes a man asham'd of requiting an obligation , because 't is a confession that he has receiv'd one . c not to return one good office for another , is inhumane , but to return evil for good is diabolical . there are too many even of this sort , who , the more they owe , the more they hate . there 's nothing more dangerous than to oblige those people , for when they are conscious of not paying the debt , they wish the creditor out of the way . it is a mortal hatred , that which arises from the shame of an abused benefit . when we are on the asking side , what a deal of cringing there is , and profession ? well , i shall never forget this favour . it will be an eternal obligation to me . but , within a while , the note is chang'd , and we hear no more words on 't ; till , by little and little , it is all quite forgotten . so long as we stand in need of a benefit , there is nothing dearer to us ; nor any thing cheaper , when we have receiv'd it . and yet a man may as well refuse to deliver up a sum of mony that 's left him in trust , without a a sute , as not to return a good office without asking ; and when we have no value any further for the benefit , we do commonly care as little for the author . people follow their interest ; one man is grateful for his convenience , and another man is ungrateful for the same reason . d some are ungrateful to their country ; and their own country no less ungrateful to others ; so that the complaint of ingratitude reaches all men. does not the son wish for the death of his father ? the husband for that of his wife , &c. but , who can look for gratitude in an age of so many gaping , and craving appetites , where all people take , and none give ? in an age of license to all sorts of vanity , and wickedness ; as lust , gluttony , avarice , envy , ambition , sloth , insolence , levity , contumacy , fear , rashness , private discords , and publick evils , extravagant and groundless wishes , vain confidences , sickly affections , shameless impieties , rapine authoriz'd , and the violation of all things sacred , and profane . obligations are pursu'd with sword and poyson : benefits are turn'd into crimes ; and that blood most seditiously spilt , for which every honest man should expose his own . those that should be the preservers of their country , are the destroyers of it ; and , 't is matter of dignity to trample upon the government ; the sword gives the law , and mercenaries take up armes against their masters . among these turbulent , and unruly motions , what hope is there of finding honesty , or good faith , which is the quietest of all virtues ? there is no more lively image of humane life , than that of a conquer'd city : there 's neither mercy , modesty , nor religion , and if we forget our lives , we may well forget our benefits . the world abounds with examples of ungrateful persons , and no less with those of ungrateful governments . was not catiline ungrateful ? whose malice aim'd , not only at the mastering of his country , but at the total destruction of it , by calling in an inveterate , and vindictive enemy from beyond the alpes , to wreak their long thirsted-for revenge ; and to sacrifice the lives of as many noble romans , as might serve to answer , and appease the ghosts of the slaughter'd gaules ? was not marius ungrateful ? that from a common soldier , being raised up to a consul , not only gave the word for civil blood-shed , and massacres , but was himself the sign for the execution ; and every man he met in the streets , to whom he did not stretch out his right-hand , was murther'd ? and , was not sylla ungrateful too ? that when he had waded up to the gates in humane blood , carry'd the outrage into the city , and there most barbarously cut two entire legions to pieces in a corner ; not only after the victory , but most perfidiously after quarter given them . good god that ever any man should not only scape with impunity , but receive a reward for so horrid a villany ? was not pompey ungrateful too ? who , after three consulships , three triumphs , and so many honors usurp'd before his time , split the common-wealth into three parts ; and brought it to such a pass , that there was no hope of safety , but by slavery ; only , forsooth , to abate the envy of his power , he took other partners with him into the government , as if that which was not lawful for any one , might have been allowable for more ; dividing , and distributing the provinces , and breaking all into a triumvirate , reserving still two parts of the three in his own family . and , was not caesar ungrateful also ? though , to give him his due , he was a man of his word ; merciful in his victories , and never kill'd any man , but with his sword in his hand . let us therefore forgive one another . only one word more now for the shame of ungrateful governments . was not camillus banish'd ? scipio dismiss'd ? and cicero exil'd , and plunder'd ? but , what is all this to those that are so mad , as to dispute even the goodness of heaven , which gives us all , and expects nothing again , but continues giving to the most unthankful , and complaining . chap. xx. there can be no law against ingratitude , ingratitude is so dangerous to it self , and so detestable to other people , that nature , one would think , had sufficiently provided against it , without need of any other law. for every ungrateful man is his own enemy , and it seems superfluous to compell a man to be kind to himself , and to follow his own inclinations . this , of all wickedness imaginable , is certainly the vice which does the most divide , and distract humane nature . without the exercise , and the commerce of mutual offices , we can be neither happy , nor safe ; for it is only society that secures us ; take us one by one , and we are a prey even to brutes , as well as to one another ; nature has brought us into the world naked , and unarm'd ; we have not the teeth , or the paws , of lyons or bears , , to make our selves terrible : but , by the two blessings of reason , and union , we secure and defend our selves against violence and fortune . this it is that makes man the master of all other creatures , who otherwise were scarce a match for the weakest of them . this is it that comforts us in sickness , in age , in misery , in pains , and in the wo●…st of calamities . take away this combination , and mankind is dissociated , and falls to pieces . 't is true , that there is no law established against this abominable vice : but , we cannot say yet , that it scapes unpunish'd , for , a publick hatred is certainly the greatest of all penalties , over and above that , we lose the most valuable blessing of life , in the not bestowing , and receiving of benefits . if ingratitude were to be punish'd by a law , it would discredit the obligation ; for a benefit is to be given , not lent : and if we have no return at all , there 's no just cause of complaint : for gratitude were no virtue , if there were any danger in being ungrateful . there are halters , i know , hooks , and gibbets , provided for homicide , poyson , sacrilege , and rebellion ; but ingratitude ( here upon earth ) is only punish'd in the schools ; all further pains , and inflictions , being wholly remitted to divine justice . and , if a man may judge of the conscience by the countenance , the ungrateful man is never without a canker at his heart ; his min●… and aspect , is sad and sollicitous ; whereas the other is alwayes chearful , and serene . as there a are no laws extant against ingratitude ; so is it utterly impossible to contrive any , that in all circumstances shall reach it . if it were actionable , there would not be courts enough in the whole world , to try the causes in . there can be no setting of a day for the requiting of benefits , as for the payment of mony , nor any estimate upon the benefits themselves , but the whole matter rests in the conscience of both parties ; and then there are so many degrees of it , that the same rule will never serve all : beside that , to proportion it , as the benefit is greater or less , will be both impracticable , and without reason . one good turn saves my life ; another , my freedom , or peradventure my very soul. how shall any law now suite a punishment to an ingratitude , under these differing degrees ? it must not be said in benefits , as in bonds , pay what you owe. how shall a man pay life , health , credit , security , in kind ? there can be no set rule to bound that infinite variety of cases , which are more properly the subject of humanity , and religion , than of law , and publick justice . there would be disputes also about the benefit it self ; which must totally depend upon the courtesie of the judge , for no law imaginable can set it forth . one man gives me an estate ; another only lends me a sword , and that sword preserves my life . nay , the very same thing several wayes done , changes the quality of the obligation . a word , a tone , a look , makes a great alteration in the case . how shall we judge then , and determine a matter , which does not depend upon the fact it self , but upon the force , and intention of it . some things are reputed benefits , not for their value , but because we desire them . and there are offices of a much greater value , that we do not reckon upon at all . if ingratitude were liable to a law , we must never give , but before witnesses , which would overthrow the dignity of the benefit . and then the punishment must either be equal , where the crimes are unequal , or else it must be unrighteous : so that blood must answer for blood. he that is ungrateful for my saving his life , must forfeit his own . and , what can be more inhumane , than that benefits should conclude in sanguinary events ? a man saves my life , and i am ungrateful for it : shall i be punish'd in my purse ? that 's too little : if it be less than the benefit , it is unjust , and it must be capital to be made equal to it . there are moreover certain priviledges granted to parents , that can never be reduc'd to a common rule : their injuries may be cognizable , but not their benefits . the diversity of cases is too large , and intricate , to be brought within the prospect of a law : so that it is much more equitable to punish none , than to punish all alike . what if a man follows a good office with an injury ; whether or no shall this quit scores ? or , who shall compare them , and weigh tho one against the other ? there is another thing yet , which perhaps we do not dream of : not one man upon the face of the earth would scape , and yet every man would expect to be his own judge . once again ; we are all of us ungrateful ; and the number does not only take away the shame , but gives authority , and protection to the wickedness . it is thought reasonable by some , that there should be a law against ingratitude , for , say they , 't is common for one city to upbraid another , and , to claim that of posterity , which was bestow'd upon their ancestors : but , this is only clamor without reason . it is objected by others , as a discouragement to good offices ; if men shall not be made answerable for them ; but , i say , on the other side , that no man would accept of a benefit upon those termes . he that gives , is prompted to 't by a goodness of mind ; and , the generosity of the action is lessen'd by the caution ; for , it is his desire , that the receiver should please himself , and owe no more than he thinks fit . but , what if this might occasion fewer benefits , so long as they would be franker ? nor is there any hurt in putting a check upon rashness , and profusion : in answer to this ; men will be careful enough whom they oblige , without a law ; nor is it possible for a judge ever to set us right in 't ; or indeed any thing else , but the faith of the receiver . the honor of a benefit is this way preserv'd , which is otherwise prophan'd , when it comes to be mercenary , and made matter of contention . we are e'en forward enough of our selves , to wrangle without unnecessary provocations . it would be well , i think , if moneys might pass upon the same conditions with other benefits : and the payment remitted to the conscience , without formalizing upon bills and securities : but humane wisdom has rather advis'd with convenience , than virtue , and chosen rather to force honesty , than to expect it . for every paltry sum of money , there must be bonds , witnesses , counter-parts , pawns , &c. which is no other than a shameful confession of fraud , and wickedness ; when more credit is given to our seals , than to our minds ; and caution taken , least he that has receiv'd the money , should deny it . were it not better now to be deceiv'd by some , than to suspect all ? what 's the difference at this rate , betwixt the benefactor , and an usurer , save only that in the benefactors case , there is no body stands bound ? the end. seneca's morals of a happy life ; of anger and clemency : abstracted by ro. l'estrange . part ii. london , printed by tho. newcomb , for henry brome , at the gun in st. pauls church-yard . . the contents of a happy life . chap. i. of a happy life , and wherein it consists . pag. . chap. ii. humane happiness is founded upon wisdome , and virtue , and first of wisdome . p. . chap. iii. there can be no happiness without virtue . p. . chap. xvi . constancy of mind gives a man reputation , and makes him happy in despite of all misfortunes . p. . chap. xvii . our happiness depends in a great measure upon the choice of our company . p. . chap. xviii . the blessings of friendship . p. . chap. xix . he that would be happy , must take an accompt of his time. p. . chap. xx. happy is the man that may chuse his own business . p. . chap. xxi . the contempt of death makes all the miseries of life easie to us . p. chap. xxii . consolations against death from the providence , and the necessity of it . p. chap. xxiii . against immoderate sorrow for the death of friends : p. chap : xxiv . consolations against banishment , and bodily pains . p. chap. xxv . poverty to a wise man is rather a blessing than a misfortune . p. seneca of a happy life chap. i. of a happy life , and wherein it consists . there is not any thing in this world perhaps , that is more talk'd of , and less understood , then the business of a happy life . it is every mans wish , and design ; and yet not one of a thousand that knows wherein that happiness consists . we live however in a blind , and eager pursuit of it ; and the more haste we make in a wrong way , the farther we are from our journeys ●…nd . let us therefore first , consider , what it is we would be at ; and secondly , which is the readiest way to compass it . if we be right , we shall find every day how much we improve ; but , if we either follow the cry , or the track of people that are out of the way , we must expect to be misled , and to consume our dayes in wandring , and error . wherefore it highly concerns us to take along with us a skilful guide ; for it is not in this , as in other voyages , where the high-way brings us to our place of repose ; or , if a man should happen to be out , where the inhabitants might set him right again : but , on the contrary , the beaten road is here the most dangerous , and the people , in stead of helping us , misguide us . let us not therefore follow , like beasts , but rather govern our selves by reason , then by example . it fares with us in humane life , as in a routed army ; one stumbles first , and then another falls upon him , and so they follow , one upon the neck of another , till the whole field comes to be but one heap of miscarriages . and the mischief is , that the number of the multitude carries it against truth , and iustice ; so that we must leave the croud , if we would be happy : for , the question of a happy life is not to be decided by vote : nay , so far from it , that plurality of voices is still an argument of the wrong ; the common people find it easier to believe , then to judge ; and content themselves with what is usual ; never examining whether it be good or no. by the common people is intended the man of title , as well as the clouted shooe : for i do not distinguish them by the eye , but by the mind , which is the proper judge of the mind . worldly felicity i know makes the head giddy ; but , if ever a man comes to himself again , he will confess , that whatsoever he has done he wishes undone ; and , that the things he fear'd , were better then those he pray'd for . the true felicity of life , is to be a a a free from perturbations ; to understand our duties toward god , and man ; to enjoy the present , without any anxious dependence upon the future . not to amuse our selves with either hopes , or fears , but to rest satisfy'd with what we have , which is abundantly sufficient ; for he that is so , wants nothing . the great blessings of mankind are within us , and within our reach , but we shut our eyes , and , like people in the dark , we fall foul upon the very thing we search for , without finding it . tranquillity is a certain equality of mind , which no condition of fortune can either exalt , or depress . nothing can make it less ; for , it is the state of humane perfection : it raises us as high as we can go ; and makes every man his own supporter ; whereas he that is born up by any thing else , may fall . he that judges aright , and perseveres in it , enjoyes a perpetual calm : he takes a true prospect of things ; he observes an order , a measure , a decorum in all his actions : he has a benevolence in his nature ; he squares his life according to reason ; and draws to himself love , and admiration . without a certain , and an unchangeable judgment , all the rest is but fluctuation : but , he that alwayes wills , and nills the same thing , is undoubtedly in the right . liberty , and serenity of mind , must necessarily ensue upon the mastering of those things , which either allure , or affright us ; when , in stead of those flashy pleasures , ( which even at the best are both vain , and hurtful together ) we shall find our selves possess'd of joyes transporting , and everlasting . it must be a sound mind that makes a happy man ; there must be a constancy in all conditions , a care for the things of this world , but without trouble , and such an indifferency for the bounties of fortune ; that either with them , or without them , we may live contentedly . there must be neither lamentation , nor quarrelling , nor sloth , nor fear , for it makes a discord in a mans life . he that fears , serves . the joy of a wise man stands firm without interruption : in all places , at all times , and in all conditions , his thoughts are chearful and quiet . as it never came in to him from without , so it will never leave him ; but , it is born within him , and inseparable from him . it is a sollicitous life that is egg'd on with the hope of any thing , though never so open and easie . nay , though a man should never suffer any sort of disappointment . i do not speak this , either as a bar to the fair enjoyment of lawful pleasures ; or to the gentle flatteries of reasonable expectations : but , on the contrary , i would have men to be alwayes in good humour ; provided that it arises from their own souls , and be cherish'd in their own breasts . other delights are trivial ; they may smooth the brow , but they do not fill , and affect the heart . true ioy is a severe , and sober motion ; and they are miserably out , that take laughing for rejoycing : the seat of it is within , and there is no chearfulness like the resolution of a brave mind , that has fortune under its feet . he that can look death in the face , and bid it wellcome ; open his dore to poverty , and bridle his appetites ; this is the man whom providence has establish'd in the possession of inviolable delights . the pleasures of the vulgar are ungrounded , thin , and superficial ; but the other are solid , and eternal . as the body it self is rather a necessary thing , than a great ▪ so the comforts of it are but temporary , and vain ; beside that without extraordinary moderation , their end is only pain , and repentance . whereas a peaceful conscience , honest thoughts , virtuous actions ; and , an indifference for casual events , are blessings without end , satiety , or measure . this consummated state of felicity is only a submission to the dictate of right nature : the foundation of it is wisdome , and virtue ; the knowledge of what we ought to doe , and the conformity of the will to that knowledge . chap. ii. humane happiness is founded upon wisdome , and virtue ; and first of wisdome . taking for granted , that humane happiness is founded upon wisdome , and virtue , we shall treat of these two points in order as they lye : and first , of wisdome ; not in the latitude of its various operations , but only as it has a regard to good life , and the happiness of mankind . wisdome is a right understanding ; a a a a faculty of discerning good from evil ; what is to to be chosen , and what rejected : a judgment grounded upon the value of things , and not the common opinion of them ; an equality of force , and a strength of resolution : it sets a watch over our words and deeds ; it takes us up with the contemplation of the works of nature ; and makes us invincible , by either good , or evil fortune . it is large , and spatious ; and requires a great deal of room to work in ; it ransacks heaven , and earth ; it has for its object , things past , and to come ; transitory and eternal : it examines all the circumstances of time ; what it is ; when it began ; and how long it will continue : and so for the mind ; whence it came ; what it is ; when it begins ; how long it lasts ; whether or no it passes from one form to another ; or serves only one ; and wanders when it leaves us ; where it abides in the state of separation , and what the action of it ; what use it makes of its liberty ; whether or no it retains the memory of things past , and comes to the knowledge of it self . it is the habit of a perfect mind ; and the perfection of humanity , rais'd as high as nature can carry it . it differs from philosophy , as avarice , and money ; the one desires , and the other is desir'd ; the one is the effect , and the reward of the other . to be wise , is the use of wisdom , as seeing is the use of eyes , and well-speaking the use of eloquence . he that is perfectly wise , is perfectly happy ; nay , the very beginning of wisdome makes life easie to us . neither is it enough to know this , unless we print it in our minds by daily meditation , and so bring a good will to a good habit. and we must practise what we preach : for , philosophy is not a subject for popular ostentation ; nor does it rest in words , but in things ; it is not an entertainment taken up for delight ; or to give a taste to our leisures , but it fashions the mind ; governs our actions , tells us what we are to do , and what not : it sits at the helme , and guides us through all hazzards . nay , we cannot be safe without it , for every hour gives us occasion to make use of it : it informs us in all the duties of life ; piety to our parents ; faith to our friends ; charity to the miserable ; judgment in counsel : it gives us peace , by fearing nothing ▪ and riches , by coveting nothing . there' 's no condition of life that excludes a wise man from discharging his duty . if his fortune be good , he tempers it ; if bad , he masters it ; if he has an estate , he will exercise his virtue in plenty ; if none , in poverty ; if he cannot do it in his country , he will do it in banishment ; if he has no command , he will do the office of a common soldier . some people have the skill of reclaiming the fiercest of beasts : they will make a lyon embrace his keeper ; a tyger kiss him ; and an elephant kneel to him . this is the case of a wise man in the extremest difficulties ; let them be never so terrible in themselves ; when they come to him once , they are perfectly tame . they that ascribe the invention of tillage , architecture , navigation , &c. to wise men , may perchance be in the right , that they were invented by wise men ; but they were not invented by wise men , as wise men : for wisdome does not teach our fingers , but our minds : fiddling , and dancing ; arms , and fortifications , were the works of luxury , and discord ; but wisdome instructs us in the wayes of nature , and in the arts of unity , and concord ; not in the instruments , but in the government of life ; nor to make us live only , but to live happily . she teaches us what things are good , what evil , and what only appear so ; and , to distinguish betwixt true greatness , and tumour . she clears our minds , of dross , and vanity ; she raises up our thoughts to heaven , and carries them down to hell : she discourses the nature of the soul ; the powers , and faculties of it ; the first principles of things ; the order of providence ; she exalts us from things corporal , to incorporeal ; and retrives the truth of all : she searches nature , gives laws to life , and tells us , that it is not enough to know god , unless we obey him : she looks upon all accidents , as acts of providence ; sets a true value upon things ; delivers us from false opinions , and condemns all pleasures that are attended with repentance . she allows nothing to be good , that will not be so for ever ; no man to be happy , but he that needs no other happiness then what he has within himself ; no man to be great , or powerful , that is not master of himself . this is the felicity of humane life ; a felicity that can neither be corrupted , no●… extinguish'd : it enquires into the nature of the heavens , the influences of the stars ; ●…ow far they operate upon our minds , and bodies ; which thoughts , though they do not form our manners , they do yet raise , and dispose us for glorious things . it is agreed upon at all hands , that c c c right reason is the perfection of humane nature , and wisdome only the dictate of it . the greatness that arises from it , is solid , and unmoveable ; the resolutions of wisdome being free , absolute , and constant ; whereas folly is never long pleas'd with the same thing , but still shifting of counsels , and sick of it self . there can be no happiness without constancy , and prudence ; for , a wise man is to write without a blot ; and , what he likes once , he approves for ever : he admits of nothing that is either evil , or slippery , but marches without staggering , or stumbling , and is never surpriz'd : he lives alwayes true , and steady to himself ; and whatsoever befalls him , this great artificer of both fortunes turns to advantage . he that demurs , and hesitates , is not yet compos'd ; but , wheresoever virtue interposes upon the main , there must be concord , and consent in the parts ; for all virtues are in agreement , as well as all vices are at variance . a wise man , in what condition soever he is , will be still happy , for he subjects all things to himself , because he submits himself to reason , and governs his actions by counsel , not by passion . he is not mov'd with the utmost violences of fortune , nor with the extremities of fire , and sword ; whereas a fool is afraid of his own shadow , and surpriz'd at ill accidents , as if they were all levell'd at him . he does nothing unwillingly , for whatever he finds necessary , he makes it his choice . he propounds to himself the certain scope , and end of humane life : he followes that which conduces to 't , and avoids that which hinders it . he is content with his lot , whatever it be , without wishing what he has not ; though , of the two , he had rather abound , then want . the great business of his life , like that of nature , is perform'd without tumult , or noise : he neither fears danger , nor provokes it . but , it is his caution , not any want of courage : for captivity , wounds , and chains he only looks upon as false , and lymphatical terrors . he does not pretend to go through with whatever he undertakes ; but to do that well which he does : arts are but the servants , wisdome commands , and where the matter fails , 't is none of the workmans fault . he is cautelous in doubtful cases ; in prosperity temperate , and resolute in adversity : still making the best of every condition , and improving all occasions to make them serviceable to his fate . some accidents there are , which i confess may affect him , but not overthrow him : as bodily pains , loss of children , and friends ; the ruine and desolation of a mans country : one must be made of stone , or iron , not to be sensible of these calamities ; and beside , it were no virtue to bear them , if a body did not feel them . there are d d d three degrees of proficients in the school of wisdom . the first , are those that come within sight of it , but not up to 't : they have learn'd what they ought to do , but they have not put their knowledge in practise : they are past the hazard of a relapse , but they have still the grudgings of a disease , though they are out of the danger of it . by a disease , i do understand an obstinacy in evil , or an ill habit , that makes us over-eager upon things , which are either not much to be desir'd , or not at all . a second sort are those , that have subjected their appetites for a season , but are yet in fear of falling back . a third sort are those that are clear of many vices , but not of all . they are not covetous , but perhaps they are cholerick ; not lustful , but perchance ambitious ; they are firm enough in some cases , but weak in others ; there are many that despise death , and yet shrink at pain . there are diversities in wise men , but no inequalities ; one is more affable ; another more ready ; a third , a better speaker ; but , the felicity of them all is equal . it is in this , as in heavenly bodies , there is a certain state in greatness . in civil , and domestick affairs , a e e e wise man may stand in need of counsel , as of a physician , an advocate , a sollicitor ; but , in greater matters , the blessing of wise men rests in the joy they take in the communication of their virtues : if there were nothing else in it , a man would apply himself to wisdom , because it states him in a perpetual tranquillity of mind . chap. iii. there can be no happiness without virtue . virtue is that perfect good , which is the complement of a happy life ; the only immortal thing that belongs to mortality : it is the knowledge both of others , and it self : it is an invincible greatness of mind , not to be elevated , or dejected , with good , or ill fortune ; it is sociable , and gentle , free , steady , and fearless ; content within it self , full of inexhaustible delights , and it is valued for it self . one may be a good physician , a good governor , a good grammarian ; without being a good man ; so that all things from without , are only accessoryes , for the seat of it is a pure , and holy mind . it consists in a congruity of actions ; which we can never expect , so long as we are distracted by our passions . not but that a man may be allow'd to change colour , and countenance , and suffer such impressions as are properly a kind of natural force upon the body , and not under the dominion of the mind : but , all this while , i will have his judgment firm , and he shall act steadily , and boldly , without wavering betwixt the motions of his body , and those of his mind . it is not a thing indifferent , i know , whether a man lies at ease upon a bed , or in torment upon a wheel : and yet the former may be the worse of the two , if we suffer the latter with honor , and enjoy the other with infamy ; it is not the matter , but the virtue , that makes the action good , or ill ; and , he that is led in triumph , may be yet greater than his conqueror . when we come once to value our flesh above our honesty , we are lost : and yet i would not press upon dangers ; no not so much as upon inconveniencies ; unless where the man and the brute come in competition : and , in such a case , rather then make a forfeiture of my credit , my reason , or my faith , i would run all extremities . they are great blessings , to have tender parents , dutiful children , and to live under a just , and well-order'd government . now , would it not trouble even a virtuous man , to see his children butcher'd before his eyes ; his father made a slave , and his country overrun by a barbarous enemy ? there is a great difference betwixt the simple loss of a blessing , and the succeeding of a great mischief into the place of it over and above . the loss of health is follow'd with sickness ; and the loss of sight , with blindness ; but , this does not hold in the loss of friends , and children ; where there is rather something on the contrary to supply that loss , that is to say , virtue ; which fills the mind , and takes away the desire of what we have not . what matters it whether the water be stopt , or no , so long as the fountain is safe ? is a man ever the wiser for a multitude of friends , or the more foolish for the loss of them ? so neither is he the happier , nor the more miserable : short life , grief , and pain , are accessions that have no effect at all upon virtue . it consists in the action , and not in the things we do : in the choice it self , and not in the subject matter of it . it is not a despicable body , or condition ; not poverty , infamy , or scandal , that can obscure the glories of virtue : but , a man may see her through all oppositions , and he that looks diligently into the state of a wicked man , will see the canker at his heart , through all the false , and dazling splendors of greatness , and fortune . we shall then discover our childishness , in setting our hearts upon things trivial and contemptible ; and , in the selling of our very country , and parents for a rattle . and , what 's the difference ( in effect ) betwixt old men , and children ; but that the one deales in paintings , and statues , and the other in babies ? so that we our selves are only the more expensive fools . if one could but see the mind of a good man , as it is illustrated with virtue ; the beauty , and the a a a majesty of it , which is a dignity not so much as to be thought of without love , and veneration ; would not a man bless himself at the sight of such an object , as at the encounter of some supernatural power ? a power so miraculous , that it is a kind of charm upon the souls of those that are truly affected with it . there is so wonderful a grace , and authority in it , that even the worst of men approve it , and set up for the reputation of being accompted virtuous themselves . they covet the fruit indeed , and the profit of wickedness , but they hate , and are asham'd of the imputation of it . it is by an impression of nature , that all men have a reverence for virtue : they know it , and they have a respect for it , though they do not practice it : nay , for the countenance of their very wickedness they miscall it virtue . their injuries they call benefits , and expect a man should thank them for doing him a mischief ; they cover their most notorious iniquities with a pretext of justice . he that robs upon the high-way had rather find his booty , than force it . ask any of them that live upon rapine , fraud , oppression , if they had not rather enjoy a fortune honestly gotten , and their consciences will not suffer them to deny it . men are vitious only for the profit of villany ; for , at the same time that they commit it , they condemn it . nay , so powerful is virtue , and so gracious is providence , that every man has a light set up within him for a guide ; which we do all of us both see , and acknowledge , though we do not pursue it . this is it that makes the prisoner upon the torture happier than the executioner , and sickness better than health , if we bear it without yielding , or repining : this is it that overcomes ill fortune , and moderates good ; for it marches betwixt the one , and the other , with an equal contempt of both. it turns , ( like fire ) all things into it self ; our actions , and our friendships , are tinctur'd with it ; and , whatever it touches becomes amiable . that which is frail and mortal , rises , and falls , grows , wasts , and varies from it self ; but the state of things divine is always the same : and so is virtue , let the matter be what it will. it is never the worse for the difficulty of the action , nor the better for the easiness of it . 't is the same in a rich man , as in a poor , in a sickly man , as in a sound , in a strong as in a weak ▪ the virtue of the besieg'd is as great as that of the besiegers . there are some virtues , i confess , which a good man cannot be without , and yet he had rather have no occasion to employ them . if there were any difference , i should prefer the virtues of patience before those of pleasure ; for , it is braver to break through difficulties , than to temper our delights . but , though the subject of virtue may possibly be against nature , as to be burnt , or wounded , yet the virtue it self of an invincible patience is according to nature . we may seem perhaps to promise more than humane nature is able to perform ; but , we speak with a respect to the mind , and not to the body . if a man does not live up to his own rules , it is something b b b yet to have virtuous meditations , and good purposes , even without acting : it is generous , the very adventure of being good , and the bare proposal of an eminent course of life , though beyond the force of humane frailty to accomplish . there is something of honor yet in the miscarriage ; nay , in the naked contemplation of it . i would receive my own death with as little trouble , as i would hear of another mans ; i would bear the same mind , whether i be rich or poor ; whether i get , or lose in the world ; what i have , i will not either sordidly spare , or prodigally squander away ; and , i will reckon upon benefits well plac'd , as the fairest part of my possession : not valuing them by number , or weight , but by the profit and esteem of the receiver ; accompting my self never the poorer for that which i give to a worthy person . what i do shall be done for conscience , not ostentation : i will eat , and drink , not to gratifie my palate , or only to fill , and empty , but to satisfie nature : i will be chearful to my friends ; mild , and placable to my enemies ; i will prevent an honest request , if i can foresee it , and i will grant it without asking ; i will look upon the whole world as my country , and upon the gods , both as the witnesses and the judges of my words , and deeds . i will live , and dye with this testimony , that i lov'd good studies , and a good conscience , that i never invaded another mans liberty , and that i preserv'd my own . i will govern my life , and my thoughts , as if the whole world were to see the one , and to read the other ; for , what does it signifie , to make any thing a secret to my neighbour , when to god ( who is the searcher of our hearts ) all our privacies are open ? virtue is divided into two parts , c c c contemplation , and action . the one is deliver'd by institution , the other by admonition : one part of virtue consists in discipline ; the other in exercise ; for we must first learn , and then practice . the sooner we begin to apply our selves to it , and the more haste we make , the longer shall we enjoy the comforts of a rectify'd mind ; nay , we have the fruition of it in the very act of forming it ; but , it is another sort of delight , i must confess , that arises from the contemplation of a soul which is advanc'd into the possession of wisdome , and virtue . if it was so great a comfort to us , to pass from the subjection of our childhood , into a state of liberty , and business ; how much greater will it be , when we come to cast off the boyish levity of our minds ; and range our selves among the philosophers ? we are past our minority , 't is true , but not our indiscretions ; and , which is yet worse , we have the authority of seniors , and the weaknesses of children . ( i might have said of infants , for every little thing frights the one , and every trivial phancy the other . ) whoever studies this point well , will find , that many things are the less to be fear'd , the more terrible they appear . to think any thing good that is not honest , were to reproche providence ; for , good men suffer many inconveniencies ; but virtue , like the sun , goes on still with her work , let the air be never so cloudy , and finishes her course ; extinguishing likewise all other splendors , and oppositions ; insomuch , that calamity is no more to a virtuous mind , than a shower into the sea. that which is right , is not to be valu'd by quantity , number , or time ; a life of a day may be as honest , as a life of a hundred years ; but yet virtue in one man may have a larger field to shew it self in , than in another . one man perhaps may be in a station to administer unto cities , and kingdoms ; to contrive good laws , create friendships , and do beneficial offices to mankind : 't is another man's fortune to be streightned by poverty , or put out of the way by banishment : and yet the latter may be as virtuous as the former ; and may have as great a mind , as exact a prudence , as inviolable a justice , and as large a knowledge of things , both divine , and humane : without which , a man cannot be happy . for virtue is open to all ; as well to servants , and exiles , as to princes : it is profitable to the world , and to it self , at all distances , and in all conditions ; and there is no difficulty can excuse a man from the exercise of it ; and it is only to be found in a wise man , though there may be some faint resemblances of it in the common people . the stoicks hold all virtues to be equall ; but , yet there 's great variety in the matter they have to work upon , according as it is larger , or narrower ; illustrious , or less noble ; of more , or less extent ; as all good men are equal ; that is to say , as they are good ; but yet one may be young , another old ; one may be rich , another poor ; one , eminent , and powerful , another unknown , and obscure . there are many things which have little or no grace in themselves , and are yet made glorious and remarkable by virtue . nothing can be good which gives neither greatness nor security to the mind ; but on the contrary , infects it with insolence , arrogance , and tumor : nor does virtue dwell upon the tip of the tongue , but in the temple of a purify'd heart . he that depends upon any other good , becomes covetous of life , and what belongs to 't , which exposes a man to appetites that are vast , unlimited , and intolerable . virtue is free , and indefatigable , and accompany'd with concord , and gracefulness : whereas pleasure is meane , servile , transitory , tiresome , and sickly , and scarce out-lives the tasting of it : it is the good of the belly , and not of the man , and only the felicity of brutes . who does not know , that fools enjoy their pleasures , and that there is great variety in the entertainments of wickedness ? nay , the mind it self has its variety of perverse pleasures , as well as the body ; as insolence , self-conceipt , pride , garrulity , laziness , and the abusive wit of turning every thing into ridicule ; whereas virtue weighs all this , and corrects it ; it is the knowledge both of others , and of it self ; it is to be learn'd from it self ; and , the very will it self may be taught : which will cannot be right , unless the whole habit of the mind be right , from whence the will comes . it is by the impulse of virtue that we love virtue , so that the very way to virtue lies by virtue , which takes in also , at a view , the laws of humane life . neither are we to value our selves upon a day , or d d d an hour , or any one action , but upon the whole habit of the mind . some men do one thing bravely , but not another ; they will shrink at infamy , and bear up against poverty : in this case , we commend the fact , and despise the man. the soul is never in the right place , till it be deliver'd from the cares of humane affairs : we must labour , and climb the hill , if we will arrive at virtue , whose seat is upon the top of it . he that masters avarice , and is truely good , stands firm against ambition ; he looks upon his last hour , not as a punishment , but as the equity of a common fate ; he that subdues his carnal lusts , shall easily keep himself unteinted with any other . so that reason does not encounter this or that vice by it self , but beats down all at a blow . what does he care for ignominy , that only values himself upon conscience , and not opinion ? socrates look'd a scandalous death in the face , with the same constancy that he had before practis'd toward the thirty tyrants : his virtue consecrated the very dungeon ; as cato's repulse was cato's honor , and the reproach of the government . he that is wise , will take delight even in an ill opinion that is well gotten ; 't is ostentation , not virtue , when a man will have his good deeds publish'd ; and , 't is not enough to be just , where there is honour to be gotten , but to continue so , in defiance of infamy and danger . but virtue cannot lye hid , for , the time will come , that e e e shall raise it again ( even after it is bury'd ) and deliver ▪ it from the malignity of the age that oppress'd it : immortal glory is the shadow of it , and keeps it company whether we will or no ; but sometimes the shadow goes before the substance , and otherwhiles it follows it : and , the later it comes , the larger it is , when even envy it self shall have given way to 't . it was a long time that democritus was taken for a madman , and before socrates had any esteem in the world. how long was it before cato could be understood ? nay , he was affronted , contemn'd , and rejected ; and people never knew the value of him till they had lost him ; the integrity and courage of rutilius had been forgotten , but for his sufferings . i speak of those that fortune has made famous for their persecutions , and there are others also that the world never took notice of till they were dead ; as epicurus , and metrodorus , that were almost wholly unknown , even in the place where they liv'd . now , as the body is to be kept in , upon the downhill , and forc'd upwards ; so there are some virtues that require the rein , and others the spur. in liberality , temperance , gentleness of nature , we are to check our selves , for fear of falling ; but , in patience , resolution , and perseverance , where we are to mount the hill , we stand in need of encouragement . upon this division of the matter , i had rather steer the smoother course , than pass through the experiments of sweat and blood. i know it is my duty to be content in all conditions ; but yet if it were at my choice , i would chuse the fairest . when a man comes once to stand in need of fortune , his life is anxious , suspicious , timorous , dependent upon every moment , and in fear of all accidents . how can that man resign himself to god , or bear his lot , whatever it be , without murmuring , and chearfully submit to providence , ; that shrinks at every motion of pleasure , or pain ? it is virtue alone that raises us above griefs , hopes , fears , and chances ; and makes us not only patient , but willing , as knowing that whatever we suffer , is according to the decree of heaven . he that is overcome with pleasure ( so contemptible , and weak an enemy ) what will become of him when he comes to grapple with dangers , necessities , torments , death , and the dissolution of nature it self ? wealth , honor , and favour , may come upon a man by chance ; nay , they may be cast upon him without so much as looking after them , but virtue is the work of industry , and labour ; and certainly 't is worth the while to purchase that good which brings all others along with it . a good man is happy within himself , and independent upon fortune : kind to his friend ; temperate to his enemy ; religiously just , indefatigably laborious , and he discharges all duties with a constancy , and congruity of actions . chap. iv. philosophy is the guide of life . if it be true , that the understanding , and the will , are the two eminent faculties of the reasonable soul ; it follows necessarily , that wisdome , and virtue , ( which are the best improvement of those two faculties ) must be the perfection also of our reasonable being ; and consequently the undenyable foundation of a happy life . there is not any duty to which providence has not annex'd a blessing ; not any institution of heaven , which , even in this life , we may not be the better for ; not any temptation , either of fortune , or of appetite , that is not subjected to our reason ; nor any passion , or affliction , for which virtue has not provided a remedy . so that it is our own fault if we either fear , or hope for any thing ; which two affections are the root of all our miseries . from this general prospect of the foundation of our tranquillity , we shall pass by degrees to a particular consideration of the meanes by which it may be procur'd ; and of the impediments that obstruct it : beginning with that philosophy which principally regards our manners , and instructs us in the measures of a virtuous , and a quiet life . a a a philosophy is divided into moral , natural , and rational : the first concerns our manners ; the second searches the works of nature ; and the third furnishes us with propriety of words , and arguments , and the faculty of distinguishing , that we may not be impos'd upon with tricks , and fallacies . the causes of things fall under natural philosophy ; arguments , under rational ; and actions , under moral . moral philosophy is again divided into matter of iustice , which arises from the estimation of things , and of men ; and into affections , and actions ; and , a failing in any one of these , disorders all the rest ; for , what does it profit us to know the true value of things , if we be transported by our passions ? or , to master our appetites , without understanding the when , the what , the how , and other circumstances of our proceedings ? for , it is one thing to know the rate , and dignity of things ; and another to know the little nicks , and springs of acting . natural philosophy is conversant about things corporeal , and incorporeal ; the disquisition of causes , and effects , and the contemplation of the cause of causes : rational philosophy is divided into logick and rhetorick ; the one looks after words , sense , and order ; the other treats barely of words , and the significations of them . socrates places all philosophy in moralls ; and wisdome , in the distinguishing of good and evil. it is the art and law of life , and it teaches us what to do in all cases , and , like good markes-men , to hit the white at any distance . the force of it is incredible ; for it gives us , in the weakness of a man , the security of a spirit : in sickness , it is as good as a remedy to us , for whatsoever eases the mind , is profitable also to the body . the physitian may prescribe dyet , and exercise , and accommodate his rule and medicine to the disease ; but , 't is philosophy that must bring us to a contempt of death , which is the remedy of all diseases . in poverty , it gives us riches , or such a state of mind , as makes them superfluous to us . it armes us against all difficulties ; one man is prest with death , another with poverty ; some with envy ; others are offended at providence , and unsatisfied with the condition of mankind : but philosophy prompts us to relieve the prisoner , the infirm , the necessitous , the condemn'd ; to shew the ignorant their errors , and rectify their affections . it makes us inspect , and govern our manners ; it rouzes us where we are faint , and drouzy ; it binds up what is loose , and humbles in us that which is contumacious : it delivers the mind from the bondage of the body ; and raises it up to the contemplation of its divine original . honors , monuments , and all the works of vanity , and ambition are demolished and destroyed by time ; but , the reputation of wisdome is venerable to posterity , and those that were envy'd , or neglected in their lives , are ador'd in their memories ; and exempted from the very laws of created nature , which has set bounds to all other things . the very shadow of glory carries a man of honor upon all dangers , to the contempt of fire , and sword , and it were a shame , if right reason should not inspire as generous resolutions into a man of virtue . neither is philosophy only profitable to the publick , but one wise man helps another , even in the exercise of their virtues ; and , the one has need of the other , both for conversation and counsel ; for , they kindle a mutual emulation in good offices . we are not so perfect yet , but that many new things remain still to be found out , which will give us the reciprocal advantages of instructing one another . for , as one wicked man is contagious to another ; and , the more vices are mingled , the worse it is ; so is it on the contrary with good men , and their virtues . as men of letters are the most useful , and excellent of friends , so are they the best of subjects ; as being better judges of the blessings they enjoy under a well-order'd government ; and of what they owe to the magistrate , for their freedome , and protection . they are men of sobriety , and learning , and free from boasting , and insolence ; they reprove the vice , without reproaching the person ; for , they have learn'd to be wise , without either pomp , or envy . that which we see in high mountains , we find in philosophers ; they seem taller near hand then at a distance : they are rais'd above other men , but their greatness is substantial . nor do they stand upon the tiptoe , that they may seem higher than they are , but content with their own stature , they reckon themselves tall enough when fortune cannot reach them . their laws are short , and yet comprehensive too , for they bind all . it is the bounty of nature that we live ; but of philosophy that we live well ; which is in truth a greater benefit than life it self . not but that philosophy is also the gift of heaven , so far , as to the faculty , but not to the science ; for that must be the business of industry . no man is born wise ; but wisdom and virtue require a tutor ; though we can easily learn to be vicious without a master . it is philosophy that gives us a veneration for god ; a charity for our neighbor , that teaches us our duty to heaven , and exhorts us to an agreement one with another : it unmasks things that are terrible to us , asswages our lusts , refutes our errors , restrains our luxury , reproves our avarice , and works strangely upon tender natures . i could never hear attalus , ( sayes seneca ) upon the vices of the age , and the errors of life , without a compassion for mankind ; and in his discourses upon poverty , there was something me thought that was more than humane . more than we use , saies he , is more than we need , and only a burthen to the bearer . that saying of his put me out of countenance at the superfluities of my own fortune . and so in his invectives against vain pleasures ; he did at such a rate advance the felicities of a sober table , a pure mind , and a chast body , that a man could not hear him without a love for continence , and moderation . upon these lectures of his i deny'd my self for a while after , certain delicacies that i had formerly used : but in a short time i fell to them again ; though so sparingly , that the proportion came little short of a total abstinence . now to shew e e e you ( saies our author ) how much earnester my entrance upon philosophy was , than my progress ; my tutor sotion gave me a wonderful kindness for pythagoras ; and after him , for sextius . the former forbare shedding of bloud , upon his metempsychosis ; and put men in fear of it , least they should offer violence to the souls of some of their departed friends , or relations . whether ( sayes he ) there be a transmigration or not ; if it be true , there 's no hurt in 't ; if false , there 's frugality : and nothing's gotten by cruelty neither , but the cozening a wolfe perhaps , or a vulture of a supper ? now sextius abstain'd upon another account ; which was , that he would not have men inur'd to hardness of heart , by the laceration , and tormenting of living creatures ; beside that nature had sufficiently provided for the sustenance of mankind , without bloud . this wrought so far upon me ; that i gave over eating of flesh , and in one year , made it not only easie to me , but pleasant ; my mind me thought was more at liberty ; ( and i am still of the same opinion ) but i gave it over nevertheless , and the reason was this : it was imputed as a superstition to the iews , the forbearance of some sorts of flesh , and my father brought me back again to my old custom , that i might not be thought tainted with their superstition . nay , and i had much ado to prevail upon my ●…elf to suffer it too . i make use of this instance to shew the aptness of youth to take good impressions , if there be a friend at hand to press them . philosophers are the tutors of mankind ; if they have found out remedies for the mind , it must be our part to apply them . i cannot think of cato , laelius , socrates , plato , without veneration , their very names are sacred to me . philosophy is the health of the mind ; let us look to that health first , and in the second place , to that of the body : which may be had upon easier terms ; for a strong arm , a robust constitution , or the skill of procuring this , is not a philosophers business . he does some things as a wise man , and other things as he is a man ; and he may have strength of body , as well as of mind ; but if he runs , or casts the sledge , it were injurious to ascribe that to his wisdom , which is common to the greatest fools . he studies rather to fill his mind , than his coffers ; and he knows that gold and silver were mingled with dirt , till avarice , or ambition parted them . his life is ordinate , fearless , equal , secure ; he stands firm in all extremities , and bears the lot of his humanity with a divine temper . there 's a great difference betwixt the splendor of philosophy , and of fortune ; the one shines with an original light , the other with a borrow'd one ; beside , that it makes us happy , and immortal ; for learning shall out-live palaces , and monuments . the house of a wise man is safe , though narrow ; there 's neither noise , nor furniture in it ; no porter at the door , nor any thing that is either vendible , or mercenary , nor any business for fortune ; for , she has nothing to do , where she has nothing to look after . this is the way to heaven , which nature has chalk'd out , and it is both secure and pleasant ; there needs no train of servants , no pomp , or equipage , to make good our passage ; no money , or letters of credit , for expences upon the voyage ; but , the graces of an honest mind will serve us upon the way , and make us happy at our journeys end . to tell you my opinion now of the f f f liberal sciences ; i have no great esteem for any thing that terminates in profit , or mony , and yet i shall allow them to be so far beneficial , as they only prepare the understanding , without deteyning it . they are but the rudiments of wisdom ; and only then to be learn'd , when the mind is capable of nothing better ; and the knowledge of them is better worth the keeping , than the acquiring . they do not so much as pretend to the making of us virtuous , but only to give us an aptitude of disposition to be so . the grammarian's business lies in a syntax of speech ; or if he proceed to history , or the measuring of a verse , he is at the end of his line ; but , what signifies a congruity of periods , the computing of syllables , or the modifying of numbers , to the taming of our passions , or the repressing of our lusts ? the philosopher proves the body of the sun to be large , but for the true dimensions of it , we must ask the mathematician ; geometry , and musick , if they do not teach us to master our hopes , and fears , all the rest is to little purpose . what does it concern us , which was the elder of the two , homer , or hesiod ; or which was the taller , hellen , or hecuba ? we take a great deal of pains to trace ulysses in his wandrings : but , were it not time as well spent to look to our selves , that we may not wander at all ? are not we our selves toss'd with tempestuous passions ; and both assaulted by terrible monsters on the one hand , and tempted by sirens on the other ? teach me my duty to my country , to my father , to my wife , to mankind . what is it to me , whether penelope was honest or no ? teach me to know how to be so my self , and to live according to that knowledge . what am i the better for putting so many parts together in musick , and raising an harmony out of so many different tones ? teach me to tune my affections , and to hold constant to my self . geometry teaches me the art of measuring acres ; teach me to measure my appetites , and to know when i have enough : teach me to divide with my brother , and to rejoyce in the prosperity of my neighbor . you teach me how i may hold my own , and keep my estate ; but i would rather learn how i may lose it all , and yet be contented . 't is hard , you 'll say , for a man to be forc'd from the fortune of his family . this estate , 't is true , was my fathers ; but , whose was it in the time of my great-grandfather ? i do not only say , what man 's was it ? but , what nations ? the astrologer tells me of saturn , and mars in opposition ; but i say , let them be as they will , their courses and their positions are ordered them by an unchangeable decree of fate . either they produce , and point out the effects of all things , or else they signifie them : if the former ; what are we the better for the knowledge of that , which must of necessity come to pass ? if the latter , what does it avail us , to foresee what we cannot avoid ? so that whether we know , or not know the event will still be the same . he that designs the institution of humane life , should not g g g be over-curious of his words ; it does not stand with his dignity to be sollicitous about sounds and syllables , and to debase the mind of man with small and trivial things : placing wisdom in matters that are rather difficult , than great . if ●…e be eloquent , 't is his good fortune , not his business . subtile disputations are only the sport of wits , that play upon the catch ; and are fitter to be contemn'd , then resolv'd . were not i a mad-man to sit wrangling about words , and putting of nice , and impertinent questions , when the enemy has already made a breach , the town fir'd over my head , and the mine ready to play , that shall blow me up into the ayr ? were this a time for fooleries ? let me rather fortifie my self against death , and inevitable necessities ; let me understand , that the good of life does not consist in the length , or space , but in the use of it . when i go to sleep , who knows whether ever i shall wake again ? and , when i wake , whether ever i shall sleep again ? when i go abroad , whether ever i shall come home again : and , when i return ; whether ever i shall go abroad again . it is not at sea only , that life and death are within a few inches one of another ; but they are as near every where else too , only we do not take so much notice of it . what have we to do with frivolous , and captious questions , and impertinent niceties ? let us rather study how to deliver our selves from sadness , fear , and the burthen of all our secret lusts : let us pass over all our most solemn levities , and make haste to a good life , which is a thing that presses us . shall a man that goes for a midwife , stand gaping upon a post , to see what play to day ; or when his house is on fire , stay the curling of a perriwig before he calls for help ? our houses are on fire , our country invaded , our goods taken away , our children in danger , and , i might add to these , the calamities of earthquakes , shipwracks , and what ever else is most terrible . is this a time for us now to be playing fast and loose with idle questions , which are , in effect , but so many unprofitable riddles ? our duty is , the cure of the mind , rather than the delight on 't ; but we have onely the words of wisdom , without the works , and turn philosophy into a pleasure , that was given for a remedy . what can be more ridiculous , then for a man to neglect his manners , and compose his stile ? we are sick , and ulcerous , and must be lan●…'d , and scarify'd , and every man has as much business within himself as a physitian in a common pestilence . misfortunes , in fine , cannot be avoided , but they may be sweetened , if not overcome ; and our lives may be made happy by philosophy . chap. v. the force of precepts . there seems to be so near an affinity betwixt wisdome , philosophy , and good counsels , that it is rather matter of curiosity , then of profit , to divide them : philosophy being only a limited wisdom ; and , good counsels , a communication of that wisdom , for the good of others , as well as of our selves ; and to posterity , as well as to the present . the wisdom of the antients , as to the government of life , was no more , than certain precepts , what to do , and what not ; and men were much better in that simplicity ; for as they came to be more learned , they grew less careful of being good. that plain , and open virtue , is now turn'd into a dark , and intricate science ; and , we are taught to dispute , rather than to live. so long as wickedness was simple , simple remedies also were sufficient against it : but , now it has taken root , and spread ; we must make use of stronger . there are some dispositions that embrace good things as a a a soon as they hear them ; but they will still need quickening by admonition , and precept . we are rash , and forward in some cases , and dull in others ; and there is no repressing of the one humor , or raising of the other , but by removing the causes of them ; which are ( in one word ) false admiration , and false fear . every man knows his duty to his country , to his friends , to his guests ; and yet when he is call'd upon to draw his sword for the one , or to labour for the other , he finds himself distracted betwixt his apprehensions , and his delights : he knows well enough the injury he does his wife , in the keeping of a wench ; and yet his lust over-rules him ; so that 't is not enough to give good advice , unless we can take away that which hinders the benefit of it . if a man does what he ought to do , he 'll never do it constantly , or equally , without knowing why he does it : and if it be only chance , or custome , he that does well by chance , may do ill so too . and further ; a precept may direct us what we ought to do , and yet fall short in the manner of doing it : an expensive entertainment may , in one case , be extravagance , or gluttony ; and yet a point of honor , and discretion in another . tiberius caesar had a huge mullet presented him , which he sent to the market to be sold : and now ( sayes he ) my masters ( to some company with him ) you shall see , that either apicius , or octavius , will be the chapman for this fish : octavius beat the price , and gave about l. sterling for 't . now there was a great difference betwixt octavius , that bought it for his luxury , and the other , that purchas'd it for a compliment to tiberius . precepts are idle , if we be not first taught , what opinion we are to have of the matter in question ; whether it be poverty , riches , disgrace , sickness , banishment , &c. let us therefore examine them one by one ; not what they are call'd , but what in truth they are. and so for the virtues : 't is to no purpose to set a high esteem upon prudence , fortitude , temperance , iustice ; if we do not first know what virtue is : whether one , or more ; or if he that has one , has all ; or how they differ . precepts are of great weight ; and a few b b b useful ones at hand , do more toward a happy life , than whole volumes of cautions , that we know not where to find . these solitary precepts should be our daily meditation , for they are the rules by which we ought to square our lives . when they are contracted into sentences , they strike the affections ; whereas admonition is only blowing of the coal ; it moves the vigour of the mind , and excites virtue : we have the thing already , but we know not where it lies . it is by precepts , that the understanding is nourish'd , and augmented ; the offices of prudence , and justice , are guided by them , and they lead us to the execution of our duties . a precept deliver'd in verse , has a much greater effect , than in prose ; and those very people that never think they have enough ; let them but hear a sharp sentence against avarice ; how will they clap and admire it , and bid open defyance to money ? so soon as we find the affections struck , we must follow the blow : not wish syllogisms , or quirks of wit ; but , with plain and weighty reason : and , we must do it with kindness too , and respect ; for ▪ there goes a blessing along with counsels , and discourses that are bent wholly upon the good of the hearer : and those are still the most efficacious , that take reason along with them ; and tell us as well why we are to do this or that , as what we are to do ▪ for , some understandings are weak , and need an instructer to expound to them what is good , and what is evil. it is a great virtue to love , to give , and to follow good counsel ; if it does not lead us to honesty , it does at least prompt us to 't . as several parts make up but one harmony , and the most agreeable musick arises from discords ; so should a vvise man gather many arts , many precepts , and the examples of many ages , to enform his own life . our fore-fathers have left us in charge to avoid three things ; hatred , envy , and contempt ; now it is hard to avoid envy , and not incurr contempt ; for , in taking too much care not to usurp upon others , we become many times lyable to be trampled upon our selves . some people are afraid of others , because 't is possible that others may be afraid of them : but , let us secure our selves on all hands ; for flattery is as dangerous as contempt . 't is not to say , in case of admonition , i knew this before : for , we know many things , but we do not think of them ; so that 't is the part of a monitor not so much to teach , as to mind us of our duties . sometimes a man oversees that which lies just under his nose ; otherwhile he is careless , or pretends not to see it : vve do all know , that friendship is sacred , and yet we violate it ; and the greatest libertine expects , that his own vvife should be honest . good c c c counsel is the most needful service that we can do to mankind , and if we give it to many , it will be sure to profit some : for , of many tryals , some or other will undoubtedly succeed . he that places a man in the possession of himself , does a great thing ; for wisdom does not shew it self so much in precept , as in life ; in a firmness of mind , and a mastery of appetite : it teaches us to doe , as well as to talk ; and to make our words and actions all of a colour . if that fruit be pleasantest which we gather from a tree of our own planting , how much a greater delight shall we take in the growth , and increase of good manners of our own forming ? it is an eminent mark of wisdom for a man to be alwayes like himself . you shall have some that keep a thrifty table , and lash out upon building ; profuse upon themselves , and sordid to others ; niggardly at home , and lavish abroad . this diversity is vitious , and the effect of a dissatisfied , and uneasie mind ; whereas every wise man lives by rule . this disagreement of purposes arises from hence , either that we do not propound to our selves what we would be at ; or if we do , that we do not pursue it , but pass from one thing to another : and we do not only change neither , but return to the very thing which we had both quitted , and condemn'd . in all our d d d undertakings , let us first examine our own strength ; the enterprize next , and thirdly the persons with whom we have to do . the first point is most important ; for , we are apt to over-value our selves , and reckon , that we can do no more than indeed we can . one man sets up for a speaker , and is out , as soon as he opens his mouth ; another overcharges his estate perhaps , or his body : a bashful man is not fit for publick business ; some again are too stiff , and peremptory for the court ; many people are apt to fly out in their anger , nay , and in a frolick too , if any sharp thing fall in their way , they 'll rather venture a neck , than lose a jeast . these people had better be quiet in the world , than busie . let him that is naturally cholerick , and impatient , avoid all provocations , and those affairs also , that multiply , and draw on more ; and those also from which there is no retreat . when we may come off at pleasure , and fairly hope to bring our matters to a period , 't is well enough . if it so happen , that a man be ty'd up to business , which he can neither loosen , nor break off ; let him imagine those shackles upon his mind to be irons upon his legs : they are troublesome at first , but when there 's no remedy but patience , custome makes them easie to us , and necessity gives us courage . we are all slaves to fortune ; some only in loose and golden chains , others in streight ones , and courser : nay , and they that bind us , are slaves too themselves ; some to honour , others to wealth , some to offices , others to contempt , some to their superiors , others to themselves ; nay life it self is a servitude : let us make the best on 't then , and with our philosophy mend our fortune . difficulties may be soften'd , and heavy burthens dispos'd of to our ease . let us covet nothing out of our reach , but content our selves with things hopeful , and at hand ; and without envying the advantages of others : for greatness stands upon a craggy precipice , and 't is much safer , and quieter living upon a level . how many great men are forc'd to keep their station upon mere necessity ; because they find , there 's no coming down from it but headlong . these men should do well to fortifie themselves against ill consequences , by such virtues , and meditations as may make them less sollicitous for the future . the surest expedient in this case is to bound our desires , and to leave nothing to fortune which we may keep in our own power . neither will this course wholly compose us , but it shewes us , at worst , the end of our troubles . it is a main point to take care , that we propose e e e nothing but what is hopeful , and honest. for it will be equally troublesome to us , either not to succeed , or to be asham'd of the success . wherefore , let us be sure not to admit any ill design into our heart ; that we may lift up pure hands to heaven , and ask nothing which another shall be a loser by . let us pray for a good mind , which is a wish to no mans injury . i will remember alwayes that i am a man , and then consider , that if i am happy , it will not last alwayes ; if unhappy , i may be other if i please . i will carry my life in my hand , and deliver it up readily when it shall be call'd for : i will have a care of being a slave to my self , for it is a perpetual , a shameful , and the heaviest of all servitudes ; and , this may be done by moderate desires . i will say to my ●…elf , what is it that i labour , sweat , and sollicit for , when it is but very little that i want , and it will not be long that i shall need any thing . he that would make tryal of the firmness of his mind , let him set certain dayes apart for the practice of his virtues . let him mortifie himself with fasting , course cloaths , and hard lodging ; and then say to himself ; is this the thing now that i was afraid of ? in a state of security a man may thus prepare himself against hazards , and in plenty , fortify himself against want. if you will have a man resolute when he comes to the push , train him up to 't before-hand . the soldier does duty in peace , that he may be in breath when he comes to a battle . how many great , and wise men , have made experiment of their moderation by a practice of abstinence , to the highest degree of hunger , and thirst ; and convinc'd themselves , that a man may fill his belly , without being beholden to fortune ; which never denyes any of us wherewith to satisfie our necessities , though she be never so angry : it is as easie to suffer it alwayes , as to try it once ; and it is no more than thousands of servants , and poor people do every day of their lives . he that would live happily , must neither trust to good fortune , nor submit to bad : he must stand upon his guard against all assaults : he must stick to himself , without any dependence upon other people . vvhere the mind is tinctur'd with philosophy , there 's no place for grief , anxiety , or superfluous vexations . it is prepossess'd with virtue , to the neglect of fortune , which brings us to a degree of security not to be disturb'd . 't is easier to give counsel than to take it , and a common thing for one cholerick man to condemn another . vve may be sometimes earnest in advising , but not violent , or tedious . few words with gentleness , and efficacy are best : the misery is , that the wise do not need counsel , and fools will not take it . a good man , 't is true , delights in it ; and it is a mark of folly , and ill nature , to hate reproof . to a friend i would be alwayes frank and plain ; and rather fail in the success , than be wanting in the matter of faith , and trust. there are some precepts that serve in common , both to the rich , and poor , but they are too general ; as , cure your avarice , and the work is done . it is one thing not to desire mony , and another thing not to understand how to use it . in the choice of the persons we have to do withal , we should see that they be worth our while : in the choice of our business we are to consult nature , and follow our inclinations . he that gives sober advice to a witty droll , must look to have every thing turn'd into ridicule . as if you philosophers ( sayes marcellinus ) did not love your whores , and your guts , as well as other people ; and then he tells you of such and such that were taken in the manner . we are all sick , i must confess , and it is not for sick men to play the physitians ; but , it is yet lawful for a man in an hospital to discourse of the common condition , and distempers of the place . he that should pretend to teach a mad man how to speak , walk , and behave himself , were not he the madder man of the two ? he that directs the pilot makes him move the helme ; order the sayls so or so , and make the best of a scant wind , after this or that manner . and so should we do in our counsels . do not tell me what a man should do in health , or poverty , but shew me the way to be either sound , or rich. teach me to master my vices : for , 't is to no purpose so long as i am under their government , to tell me , what i must do when i am clear of it . in case of an avarice a little eas'd , a luxury moderated , a temerity restrain'd , a sluggish humor quicken'd ; precepts will then help us forward , and tutor us how to behave our selves . it is the first , and the main tye of a soldier , his military oath , which is an engagement upon him both of religion and honor in like manner , he that pretends to a happy life , must first lay a foundation of virtue , as a bond upon him , to live and dye true to that cause . we do not find felicity in the veins of the earth , where we dig for gold , nor in the bottom of the sea , where we fish for pearl ; but in a pure , and untainted mind , which , if it were not holy , were not fit to entertain the deity . he that would be truly happy , must think his own lot best , and so live with men , as considering that god sees him , and so speak to god , as if men heard him . chap. vi. no felicity like peace of conscience . a good conscience is the testimony of a good life , and the reward of it . this is it that fortifies the mind against fortune , when a man has gotten the mastery of his passions ; plac'd his treasure , and his security , within himself ; learn'd to be content with his condition , and that death is no evil in it self , but only the end of man. he that has dedicated his mind to virtue , and to the good of humane society , whereof he is a member , has consummated all that is either profitable , or necessary for him to know , or do , toward the establishment of his peace . every man has a judge , and a witness within himself , of all the good , and ill that he does ; which inspires us with great thoughts , and administers to us wholesome counsels . we have a veneration for all the vvorks of nature , the heads of rivers , and the springs of medicinal waters : the horrors of groves and of caves , strike us with an impression of religion , and vvorship . to see a man fearless in dangers , untainted with lusts , happy in adversity , compos'd in a tumult , and laughing at all those things which are generally either coveted , or fear'd ; all men must acknowledge , that this can be nothing else but a beam of divinity that influences a mortal body . and this it is that carries us to the disquisition of things divine , and humane ; vvhat the state of the vvorld was before the distribution of the first matter into parts ; what power it was that drew order out of that confusion , and gave laws both to the whole , and to every particle thereof ; vvhat that space is beyond the world ; and whence proceed the several operations of nature . shall any man see the glory , and order of the universe ; so many scatter'd parts , and qualities wrought into one mass ; such a medly of things , which are yet distinguish'd ; the world enlighten'd , and the disorders of it so wonderfully regulated , and , shall he not consider the author , and disposer of all this ; and , whither we our selves shall go , when our souls shall be deliver'd from the slavery of our flesh ? the whole creation , we see , conformes to the dictate of providence , and follows god both as a governor , and as a guide . a great , a good , and a right mind is a kind of divinity lodg'd in flesh , and may be the blessing of a slave , as well as of a prince ; it came from heaven , and 〈◊〉 heaven it must return ; and , it is a kind of heavenly felicity , which a pure , and virtuous mind enjoyes , in some degree , even upon earth : whereas temples of honor are but empty names , which probably owe their beginning either to ambition , or to violence . i am strangely transported with the thoughts of eternity ; nay , with the belief of it ; for i have a profound veneration for the opinions of great men , especially when they promise things so much to my satisfaction : for they do promise them , though they do not prove them . in the question of the immortality of the soul , it goes very far with me , a general consent to the opinion of a future reward , and punishment : which meditation raises me to the contempt of this life , in hope of a better . but still , though we know that we have a soul , yet , what that soul is , how , and from whence ; we are utterly ignorant : this only we understand , that all the good , and ill we do , is under the dominion of the mind ; that a clear conscience states us in an inviolable peace : and , that the greatest blessing in nature , is that , which every honest man may bestow upon himself . the body is but the clog , and prisoner of the mind , tossed up and down , and persecuted with punishments , violences , and diseases ; but the mind it self is sacred , and eternal , and exempt from the danger of all actual impressions . a a a provided that we look to our consciences , no matter for opinion : let me deserve well , though i hear ill. the common people take stomach , and audacity , for the marks of magnanimity , and honor ; and , if a man be soft , and modest , they look upon him as an easie fop ; but , when they come once to observe the dignity of his mind , in the equality , and firmness of his actions ; and that his external quiet is founded upon an internal peace , the very same people have him in esteem , and admiration . for , there is no man but approves of virtue , though but few pursue it ; we see where it is , but we dare not venture to come at it : and the reason is , we over-value that which we must quit to obtain it . a good conscience fears no witnesses , but a guilty conscience is sollicitous , even in solitude . if we do nothing but what is honest , let all the world know it ; but if otherwise , what does it signifie to have no body else know it , so long as i know it my self ? miserable is he that slights that witness ! wickedness , 't is true , may scape the law , but not the conscience : for , a private conviction is the first , and the greatest punishment of offenders ; so that sin plagues it self ; and the fear of vengeance pursues even those that scape the stroke of it . it were ill for good men that iniquity may so easily evade the law , the judge , and the execution , if nature had not set up torments , and gibbets , in the consciences of transgressors . he that is guilty , lives in perpetual terror ; and while he expects to be punish'd , he punishes himself : and , whosoever deserves it , expects it . what if he be not detected ? he is still in apprehension yet , that he may be so . his sleeps are painful , and never secure ; and he cannot speak of another mans wickedness , without thinking of his own ; whereas a good conscience is a continual feast . those are the only certain , and profitable delights , which arise from the conscience of a well-acted life : no matter for noise abroad , so long as we are quiet within : but , if our passions be seditious , that 's enough to keep us waking , without any other tumult . it is not the posture of the body , or the composure of the bed , that will give rest to an uneasie mind : there is an impatient sloth , that may be rouz'd by action , and the vices of lazyness must be cur'd by business . true happiness is not to be found in the excesses of wine , or of women , nor in the largest prodigalities of fortune : what she has given me she may take away ; but she shall not tear it from me ; and , so long as it does not grow to me , i can part with it without pain . he that would perfectly know himself , let him set aside his mony , his fortune , his dignity , and examine himself naked ; without being put to learn from others the knowledge of himself . it is dangerous for a man too suddenly , or too easily , to believe himself . wherefore let us examine , watch , observe , and inspect our own hearts ; for , we our selves are our own greatest flatterers : we should every night call our selves to an accompt , what infirmity have i master'd to day ? what passion oppos'd ? what temptation resisted ? what virtue acquir'd . our vices will abate of themselves , if they be brought every day to the shrift . oh the blessed sleep that follows such a diary ! oh the tranquillity , liberty , and greatness of that mind , that is a spy upon it self ; and a private censor of its own manners ! it is my custome ( sayes our author ) every night , so soon as the candle is out , to run over all the vvords , and actions of the past day ; and i let nothing scape me ; for , vvhy should i fear the sight of my own errors , when i can admonish , and forgive my self ? i was a little too hot in such a dispute : my opinion might have been as well spar'd , for it gave offence , and did no good at all . the thing was true ; but all truths are not to be spoken at all times . i would i had held my tongue , for , there 's no contending either with fools , or our superiors . i have done ill ; but it shall be so no more . if every man would but thus look into himself , it would be the better for us all . what can be more reasonable than this daily review of a life that we cannot warrant for a moment ? our fate is set , and the first breath we draw , is only the first motion toward our last : one cause depends upon another ; and the course of all things , publick and private , is but a long connexion of providential appointments . there is a great variety in our lives , but all tends to the same issue . nature may use her own bodies as she pleases ; but , a good man has this consolation , that nothing perishes which he can call his own . 't is a great comfort , that we are only condemn'd to the same fate with the universe ; the heavens themselves are mortal as well as our bodies ; nature has made us passive ; and to suffer is our lot. while we are in flesh , every man has his chain , and his clog ; only it is looser , and lighter to one man than to another ; and he is more at ease that takes it up , and carries it , than he that drags it . we are born to lose , and to perish ; to hope , and to fear ; to vex our selves , and others ; and there is no antidote against a common calamity , but virtue ; for , the foundation of true ioy is in the conscience . chap. vii . a good man can never be miserable , nor a wicked man happy . there is not in the scale of nature a more inseparable connexion of cause , and effect , than in the case of happiness , and virtue : nor any thing that more naturally produces the one , or more necessarily presupposes the other . for , what is it to be happy , but for a man to content himself with his lot , in a chearful , and quiet resignation to the appointments of god ? all the actions of our lives ought to be govern'd with a respect to good , and evil : and , it is only reason that distinguishes : by which reason we are in such manner influenc'd , as if a ray of the divinity were dipt in a mortal body ; and that 's the perfection of mankind . 't is true , we have not the eyes of eagles , or the sagacity of hounds ; nor if we had , could we pretend to value our selves upon any thing which we have in common with brutes . what are we the better for that which is forreign to us , and may be given , and taken away ? as the beams of the sun irradiate the earth , and yet remain where they were , so is it , in some proportion , with a holy mind , that illustrates all our actions , and yet adheres to its original . why do we not as well commend a horse for his glorious trappings , as a man for his pompous additions ? how much a braver creature is a lyon ( which by nature ought to be fierce , and terrible ) how much braver ( i say ) in his natural horror , than in his chains ? so that every thing in its pure nature pleases us best . it is not health , nobility , riches , that can justifie a wicked man ; nor is it the want of all these that can discredit a good one . that 's the sovereign blessing , which makes the possessor of it valuable without any thing else , and him that wants it contemptible , though he had all the world besides . 't is not the painting , gilding , or carving that makes a good ship ; but , if she be a nimble sayler , tight , and strong , to endure the seas , that 's her excellency . 't is the edge , and temper of the blade that makes a good sword ; not the richness of the scabbard : and so 't is not mony , or possessions that make a man considerable , but his virtue . it is every man's duty to make himself profitable to mankind : if he can , to many ; if not , to fewer : if not so neither , to his neighbors ; but however to himself . there are two republicks , a great one , which is humane nature ; and a less , which is the place where we were born : some serve both at a time ; some only the greater , and some again only the less : the greater may be serv'd in privacy , solitude , contemplation , and perchance that way better than any other : but , it was the intent of nature however , that we should serve both ▪ a good man may serve the publick , his friend , and himself , in any station : if he be not for the sword , let him take the gown ; if the bar does not agree with him , let him try the pulpit ; if he be silenc'd abroad , let him give counsel at home ; and discharge the part of a faithful friend , and a temperate companion . when he is no longer a citizen , he is yet a man ; the whole world is his country , and humane nature never wants matter to work upon : but , if nothing will serve a man in the civil government , unless he be prime minister ; or in the field , but to command in chief , 't is his own fault . the common soldier , where he cannot use his hands , sights with his very looks ; his example , his encouragement , his voice : and stands his ground even when he has lost his hands ; and does service too with his very clamor ; so that in any condition whatsoever , he still discharges the duty of a good patriot . nay , he that spends ●…his time well , even in a reti●…ement , gives a great example : we may enlarge indeed , or contract , according to the circumstances of time , place , or abilities ; but above all things , we must be sure to keep our selves in action ; for , he that is slothful is dead even while he lives . was there ever any state so desperate , as that of athens under the thirty tyrants ; where it was capital to be honest ; and the senate house was turn'd into a college of hangmen ? never was any government so wretched , and so hopeless ; and yet socrates at the same time preach'd temperance to the tyrants , and courage to the rest : and afterward dy'd an eminent example of faith , and resolution , and a sacrifice for the common good. it is not for a wise man to stand b b b shifting , and ●…encing with fortune , but to oppose her bare-fac'd ; for , he is sufficiently convinc'd , that she can do him no hurt . she may take away his servants , possessions , dignity ; assault his bo●… , put out his eyes , cut off his hands , and strip him of all the external comforts of life . but , what does all this amount to , more than the recalling of a trust , which he has receiv'd , with condition to deliver it up again upon demand ? he looks upon himself as precarious , and only lent to himself ; and yet he does not value himself ever the less , because he is not his own , but takes such care as an honest man should do , of a thing that is committed to him in trust. whensoever he that lent me my self , and what i have , shall call for all back again , 't is not a loss , but a restitution ; and i must willingly deliver up what most undeservedly was bestow'd upon me : and , it will become me to return my mind better than i receiv'd it . demetrius , upon the taking of megara , ask'd stilpo the philosopher what he had lost . nothing , sayes he , for i have all that i could call my own about me . and yet the enemy had then made himself the master of his patrimony , his children , and his country : but these he lookt upon only as adventitious goods , and under the command of fortune : now he that neither lost any thing , nor fear'd any thing in a publick ruin , but was safe , and at peace , in ▪ the middle of the flames , and in the heat of a military intemperance , and fury ; what violence , or provocation imaginable can put such a man as this out of the possession of himself ? walls , and castles may be min'd , and batter'd ; but there is no art , or engine , that can subvert a steady mind . i have made my way ( sayes stilpo ) through fire , and blood ; what is become of my children , i know not ; but these are transitory blessings , and servants that are condemn'd to change their masters ; what was my own before , is my own still : some have lost their estates ; others their dear-bought mistresses ; their commissions , and offices ; the usurers have lost their bonds , and securities ; but , demetrius , for my part , i have sav'd all : and , do not imagine , after all this , either that demetrius is a conqueror ; or that stilpo is overcome : 't is only thy fortune has been too hard for mine . alexander took babilon ; scipio took carthage ; the capitol was burnt : but , there 's no fire , or violence that can discompose a generous mind . and , let us not take this character neither for a chimaera ; for all ages afford some , though not many instances , of this elevated virtue . a good man does his duty , let it be never so painful , so hazardous , or never so great a loss to him ; and , it is not all the money , the power , and the pleasure in the world ; no not any force , or necessity , that can make him wicked : he considers what he is to do , not what he is to suffer , and will keep on his course , though there should be nothing but gibbets , and torments in the way . as in this instance of stilpo ; who , when he had lost his country , his wife , his children ; the town on fire over his head , and himself scaping hardly , and naked , out of the flames ; i have sav'd all my goods ; ( sayes he ) my iustice , my courage , my temperance , my prudence ; accompting nothing his own , or valuable ; and shewing how much easier it was to overcome a nation , than one wise man. it is a certain mark of a brave mind , not to be mov'd by any accidents : the upper region of the ayr admits neither clouds , nor tempests ; the thunder , storms , and meteors , are form'd below ; and this is the difference betwixt a mean , and an exalted mind : the former is rude , and tumultuary ; the latter is modest , venerable , compos'd , and alwayes quiet in its station . in brief ; it is the conscience that pronounces upon the man , whether he be happy or miserable . but , though sacrilege , and adultery , be generally condemn'd , how many are there still that do not so much as blush at the one ; and , in truth , that take a glory in the other ? for , nothing is more common , than for great thieves to ride in triumph , when the little ones are punish'd . but , let wickedness scape , as it may , at the bar , it never fails of doing iustice upon it self ; for , every guilty person is his own hangman . chap viii . the due contemplation of divine providence is the certain cure of all misfortunes . whoever observes the world , and the order of it , will find all the motions in it to be only a vicissitude of falling , and rising ; nothing extinguish'd , and even those things which seem to us to perish , are in truth but chang'd . the seasons go , and return ; day , and night follow in their courses ; the heavens roul , and nature goes on with her work : all things succeed in their turns ; storms , and calms ; the law of nature will have it so , which we must follow , and obey ; accompting all things that are done to be well done : so that what we cannot mend , we must suffer , and wait upon providence without repining : it is the part of a cowardly soldier to follow his commander , groaning ; but , a generous man delivers himself up to god without struggling , and it is only for a narrow mind to condemn the order of the world ; and to propound rather the mending of nature , than of himself . no man has any cause of complaint against providence , if that which is right pleases him . those glories that appear fair to the eye , their lustre is but false , and superficial ; and they are only vanity , and delusion : they are rather the goods of a dream , than a substantial possession ; they may cozen us at a distance , but bring them once to the touch , they are rotten and counterfeit . there are no greater wretches in the world , than many of those which the people take to be happy ; those are the only true , and incorruptible comforts , that will abide all tryals ; and the more we turn , and examine them , the more valuable we find them ; and , the greatest felicity of all , is not to stand in need of any ? what 's poverty ? no man lives so poor as he was born . what 's pain ? it will either have an end it self , or make an end of us . in short ; fortune has no weapon that reaches the mind : but the bounties of providence are certain , and permanent blessings ; and they are the greater , and the better , the longer we consider them : that is to say , the power of contemning things terrible , and despising what the common people covet . in the very methods of nature , we cannot but observe the regard that providence had to the good of mankind , even in the disposition of the world , in providing so amply for our maintenance , and satisfaction . it is not possible for us to comprehend what that power is , which has made all things : some few sparks of that divinity are discover'd , but infinitely the greater part of it lies hid . we are all of us however so far agreed ; first , in the acknowledgment and belief of that almighty being ; and secondly ; that we are to ascribe to it , all majesty , and goodness . if there be a providence , say some , a a a how comes it to pass , that good men labour under affliction , and adversity ; and wicked men enjoy themselves in ease and plenty ? my answer is , that god deals by us as a good father does by his children ; he tryes us , he hardens us , and fits us for himself . he keeps a strict hand over those that he loves , and by the rest he does as we do by our slaves ; he lets them go on in license and boldness . as the master gives his most hopeful scholars the hardest lessons , so does god deal with the most generous spirits ; and the cross encounters of fortune , we are not to look upon as a cruelty , but as a contest : the familiarity of dangers brings us to the contempt of them , and that part is strongest which is most exercis'd : the seamans hand is callous , the soldiers arm is strong , and the tree that is most expos'd to the wind , takes the best root : those people that live in a perpetual vvinter , in extremity of frost , and penury , where a cave , a look of straw , or a few leaves is all their covering , and wild beasts their nourishment ; all this by custome is not only made tolerable , but when 't is once taken up upon necessity , by little and little it becomes pleasant to them . why should we then accompt that condition of life a calamity , which is the lot of many nations ? there is no state of life so miserable , but there are in it remissions , diversions ; nay , and delights too ; such is the benignity of nature toward us , even in the severest accidents of humane life . there were no living , if adversity should hold on as it begins , and keep up the force of the first impression . we are apt to murmure at many things as great evils , that have nothing at all of evil in them beside the complaint ; which we should more reasonably take up against our selves . if i be sick , 't is part of my fate ; and for other calamities they are usual things ; they ought to be ; nay , which is more , they must be , for they come by divine appointment . so that we should not only submit to god , but assent to him , and obey him , out of duty , even if there were no necessity ; all those terrible appearances that make us groan , and tremble , are but the tribute of life ; we are neither to wish , nor to ask , nor to hope to scape them ; for 't is a kind of dishonesty to pay a tribute unwillingly . am i troubl'd with the stone ; or afflicted with continual losses ? nay , is my body in danger ? all this is no more than what i pray'd for , when i pray'd for old age. all these things are as familiar in a long life , as dust , and dirt in a long way . life is a warfare ; and , what brave man would not rather chuse to be in a tent , than in a shambles ? fortune does like a sword-man ; she scorns to encounter a fearful man : there 's no honor in the victory , where there 's no danger in the way to 't : she tryes mucius by fire ; rutilius by exile ; socrates by poyson , cato by death . 't is only in adverse fortune , and in bad times , that we find great examples . mucius thought himself happier with his hand in the flame , than if it had been in the bosome of his mistriss . fabricius took more pleasure in eating the roots of his own planting , than in all the delicacies of luxury , and expence . shall we call rutilius miserable , whom his very enemies have ador'd ? who , upon a glorious , and a publick principle , chose rather to lose his country , than to return from banishment ? the only man that deny'd any thing to sylla the dictator , who recall'd him . nor did he only refuse to come , but drew himself farther off : let them , sayes he , that think banishment a misfortune , live slaves at rome , under the imperious cruelties of sylla : he that sets a price upon the heads of senators , and after a law of his own institution against cut-throates , becomes the greatest himself . is it not better for a man to live in exile abroad , than to be massacred at home . in suffering for virtue , 't is not the torment , but the cause that we are to consider ; and the more pain , the more renown . when any hardship befalls us , we must look upon it as an act of providence , which many times suffers particulars to be wounded for the conservation of the whole : beside that god chastises some people under an appearance of blessing them , turning their prosperity to their ruin , as a punishment for abusing his goodness . and we are further to consider , that many a good man is afflicted , only to teach others to suffer ; for we are born for example : and likewise , that where men are contumacious , and refractory , it pleases god many times to cure greater evils by less , and to turn our miseries to our advantage . how many b b b casualties , and difficulties are there , that we dread , as insupportable mischiefs , which , upon farther thoughts , we find to be mercies , and benefits ? as banishment , poverty , loss of relations , sickness , disgrace ? some are cur'd by the lance ; by fire , hunger , thirst ; taking out of bones , lopping of limbs , and the like : nor do we only fear things that are many times beneficial to us , but on the other side , we hanker after , and pursue things that are deadly , and pernicious : we are poyson'd in the very pleasures of our luxury ; and betray'd to a thousand diseases , by the indulging of our palate . to lose a child , or a limb , is only to part with what we have receiv'd , and nature may do what she pleases with her own . we are frail our selves , and we have receiv'd things transitory : that which was given us , may be taken away ; calamity tryes virtue , as the fire does gold : nay , he that lives most at ease , is only delay'd , not dismiss'd , and his portion is to come . when we are visited with sickness , or other afflictions , we are not to murmure as if we were ill us'd : it is a mark of the general 's esteem , when he puts us upon a post of danger : we do not say , my captain uses me ill , but he does me honor : and so should we say , that are commanded to encounter difficulties , for this is our case with god almighty . what was regulus the worse , because fortune made choice of him for an eminent instance , both of faith , and patience ? he was thrown into a case of wood stuck with pointed nailes ; so that which way soever he turn'd his body , it rested upon his wounds ; his eye-lids were cut off , to keep him waking ; and yet mecaenas was not happier upon his bed , than regulus upon his torments . nay , the world is not yet grown so wicked , as not to prefer regulus before mecaenas : and , can any man take that to be an evil , of which , providence accompted this brave man worthy . it has pleased god ( sayes he ) to single me out for an experiment of the force of humane nature . no man knows his own strength , or value , but by being put to the proof . the pilot is try'd in a storm ; the soldier in a battle ; the rich man knows not how to behave himself in poverty : he that has liv'd in popularity , and applause , knows not how he would bear infamy , and reproach : nor he that never had children , how he would bear the loss of them . calamity is the occasion of virtue , and a spur to a great mind . the very apprehension of a wound startles a man when he first bears arms , but an old soldier bleeds boldly ; because he knows , that a man may lose blood , and yet win the day . nay , many times a calamity turns to our advantage ; and great ruines have but made way to greater glories . the crying out of fire has many times quieted a fray , and the interposing of a wild beast has parted the thief , and the traveller ; for , we are not at leisure for less mischiefs , while we are under the apprehension of greater . one man's life is sav'd by a disease ; another is arrested , and taken out of the way , just when his house was falling upon his head . to shew now , that the favours , or the d d d crosses of fortune ; and the accidents of sickness , and of health , are neither good , nor evil ; god permits them indifferently both to good , and evil men. 't is hard , you 'll say , for a virtuous man to suffer all sorts of misery , and for a wicked man , not only to go free , but to enjoy himself at pleasure . and , is it not the same thing for men of prostituted impudence , and wickedness , to sleep in a whole skin , when men of honor , and honesty , bear arms , lie in the trenches , and receive wounds ? or for the vestal virgins to rise in the night to their prayers , when common strumpets lie stretching themselves in their beds ? we should rather say with demetrius , if i had known the will of heaven before i was call'd to 't , i would have offer'd my self . if it be the pleasure of god to take my children , i have brought them up to that end : if my fortune , any part of my body , or my life , i would rather present it , than yield it up : i am ready to part with all , and to suffer all ; for i know that nothing comes to pass , but what god appoints : our fate is decreed , and things do not so much happen , as in their due time proceed , and every mans portion of joy , and sorrow is predetermin'd . there is nothing falls amiss to a e e e good man , that can be charg'd upon providence ; for , wicked actions , lewd thoughts , ambitious projects , blind lusts , and insatiable avarice , against all these he is arm'd by the benefit of reason : and , do we expect now , that god should look to our luggage too ? ( i mean our bodies ? ) democritus discharg'd himself of his treasure , as the clog , and burthen of his mind . shall we wonder then if god suffers that to befall a good man , which a good man sometimes does to himself ? i lose a son ; and why not ? when it may some time so fall out , that i my self may kill him . suppose he be banish'd by an order of state : is it not the same thing with a mans voluntary leaving of his country , and never to return ? many afflictions may befall a good man , but no evil ; for contraries will never incorporate : all the rivers in the world are never able to change the tast , or quality of the sea. prudence , and religion are above accidents ; and draw good out of every thing ; affliction keeps a man in ure , and makes him strong , patient , and hardy . providence treats us like a generous father , and brings us up to labours , toyles , and dangers ; whereas the indulgence of a fond mother makes us weak , and spiritless : god loves us with a masculine love , and turns us loose to injuries , and indignities : he takes delight to see a brave and a good man wrastling with evil fortune , and yet keeping himself upon his legs , when the whole world is in disorder about him . and , are not we our selves delighted , to see a bold fellow press with his lance upon a bore , or lyon ? and the constancy , and resolution of the action , is the grace , and dignity of the spectacle . no man can be happy that does not stand firm against all contingences ; and say to himself in all extremities , i should have been content , if it might have been so , or so ; but , since 't is otherwise determin'd , god will provide better . the more we struggle with our necessities , we draw the knot the harder , and the worse 't is with us : and , the more the bird flaps , and flutters in the snare , the surer she is caught : so that the best way is to submit , and lie still , under this double consideration , that the proceedings of god are unquestionable ; and his decrees not to be resisted . chap. ix . of levity of mind , and other impediments of a happy life . now to summ up what is already deliver'd , we have shew'd what happiness is , and wherein it consists : that it is founded upon wisdom and virtue ; for , we must first know what we ought to do , and then live according to that knowledge : we have also discours'd the helps of philosophy , and precepts toward a happy life : the blessing of a good conscience ; that a good man can never be miserable , nor a wicked man happy ; nor any man unfortunate , that chearfully submits to providence . we shall now examine , how it comes to pass , that when the certain way to happiness lies so fair before us , men will yet steer their course on the other side , which as manifestly leads to ruine . there are some that live without any a a a design at all ; and only pass in the world like straws upon a river ; they do not go , but they are carry'd . others only deliberate upon the parts of life , and not upon the whole , which is a great error , for there 's no disposing of the circumstances of it , unless we first propound the main scope . how shall any man take his aim without a mark ? or , what wind will serve him that is not yet resolv'd upon his port ? we live as it were by chance , and by chance we are govern'd . some there are that torment themselves afresh with the memory of what is past ; lord ! what did i endure ? never was any man in my condition ; every body gave me over ; my very heart was ready to break , &c. others again afflict themselves with the apprehension of evils to come ; and very ridiculously both : for the one does not now concern us , and the other , not yet ; beside that , there may be remedies for mischiefs likely to happen ; for they give us warning by signs , and symptoms of their approach . let him that would be quiet , take heed not to provoke men that are in power ; but live without giving offence ; and if we cannot make all great men our friends , it will suffice to keep them from being our enemies . this is a thing we must avoid , as a mariner would do a storm . a rash seaman never considers what wind blows , or what course he steers ; but runs at a venture , as if he would brave the rocks , and the eddies : whereas he that is careful , and considerate , informs himself beforehand where the danger lies , and what weather it is like to be : he consults his compass , and keeps aloof from those places that are infamous for wrecks and miscarriages . so does a wise man in the common business of life ; he keeps out of the way from those that may do him hurt ; but it is a point of prudence not to let them take notice that he does it on purpose ; for that which a man shuns , he tacitely condemns . let him have a care also of list'ners , newsmongers , and medlers in other peoples matters ; for their discourse is commonly of such things as are never profitable , and most commonly dangerous either to be spoken , or heard . levity b b b of mind is a great hindrance of repose , and the very change of wickedness is an addition to the wickedness it self ; for it is inconstancy added to iniquity ; we relinquish the thing we sought , and then we take it up again ; and so divide our lives between our lusts , and our repentances . from one appetite we pass to another , not so much upon choice , as for change ; and there is a check of conscience that casts a damp upon all our unlawful pleasures ; which makes us lose the day in expectation of the night , and the night it self for fear of the approaching light ▪ some people are never at quiet ; others are alwayes so ; and they are both to blame ; for that which looks like vivacity , and industry in the one , is only a restlessness , and agitation ; and that which passes in the other for moderation , and reserve , is but a drouzy , and an unactive sloth . let motion , and rest , both take their turns , according to the order of nature , which made both the day , and the night : some are perpetually shifting from one thing to another : others again make their whole life but a kind of uneasie sleep : some lie tossing , and turning , till very weariness bring them to rest ; others again i cannot so properly call inconstant , as lazy : there are many proprieties , and diversities of vice ; but , it is one never failing effect of it , to live displeas'd . we do all of us labour under inordinate desires ; we are either timorous , and dare not venture , or venturing , we do not succeed ; or else we cast our selves upon uncertain hopes , where we are perpetually sollicitous , and in suspence . in this distraction , we are apt to propose to our selves things dishonest , and hard ; and when we have taken great pains to no purpose , we come then to repent of our undertakings : we are afraid to go on , and we can neither master our appetites , nor obey them ; we live , and die restless , and irresolute , and which is worst of all , when we grow weary of the publick , and betake our selves to solitude for relief , our minds are sick , and wallowing , and the very house and walls are troublesome to us ; we grow impatient , and asham'd of our selves ; and suppress our inward vexation till it breaks our heart for want of vent . this is it that makes us sour , and morose ; envious of others , and dissatisfy'd with our selves : till at last , betwixt our troubles for other peoples successes , and the despair of our own , we fall foul upon fortune , and the times ; and get into a corner , perhaps , where we sit brooding over our own disquiets . in these dispositions there is a kind of pruriginous phancy that makes some people take delight in labour , and uneasiness , like the clawing of an itch till the blood starts . this is it that puts us upon rambling voyages ; one while by sea , another while by land ; but still disgusted with the present : the town pleases us to day ; the country to morrow ; the splendors of the court at one time ; the horrors of a wilderness at another ; but all this while we carry our plague about us ; for 't is not the place that we are weary of , but our selves . nay , our weakness extends to every thing , for we are impatient equally of toyl , and of pleasure . this trotting of the ring , and only treading the same steps over and over again , has made many a man lay violent hands upon himself . it must be the change of the mind , not of the climate , that will remove the heaviness of the heart ; our vices go along with us , and we carry in our selves the causes of our disquiets . there 's a great weight lies upon us , and the bare shocking of it makes it the more uneasie ; changing of countries in this case is not travelling , but wandring . we must keep on our course if we would gain our journeys end ; he that cannot live happily any where , will live happily no where . what is a man the better for travelling ? as if his cares could not find him out wherever he goes ? is there any retiring from the fear of death , or of torments ? or from those difficulties which beset a man wherever he is . it is only philosophy that makes the mind invincible , and places us out of the reach of fortune ; so that all her arrows fall short of us . this is it that reclaimes the rage of our lusts , and sweetens the anxiety of our fears . frequent changing of places , or councels , shewes an instability of mind ; and we must fix the body , before we can fix the soul : we can hardly stir abroad , or look about us without encountring some thing or other that revives our appetites . as he that would cast off an unhappy love , avoids whatsoever may put him in mind of the person ; so he that would wholly deliver himself from his beloved lusts , must shun all objects that may put them in his head again , and remind him of them . we travel , as children run up and down after strange sights , for novelty , not profit ; we return neither the better nor the sounder ; nay , and the very agitation hurts us . we learn to call towns , and places by their names , and to tell stories of mountains , and of rivers : but , had not our time been better spent in the study of wisdome , and of virtue ? in the learning of what is already discover'd , and in the quest of things not yet found out ? if a man break his leg , or strain his ancle , he sends presently for a surgeon to set all right again ; and does not take horse upon 't , or put himself on ship-board : no more does the change of place work upon our disorder'd minds , than upon our bodies . it is not the place ( i hope ) that makes either an orator , or a physician . will any man ask upon the road , pray which is the way to prudence , to justice , to temperance , to fortitude ? no matter whither any man goes that carries his affections along with him . he that would make his travels delightful , must make himself a temperate companion . a great traveller was complaining , that he was never the better for his travels . that 's very true , said socrates , because you travell'd with your self . now had not he better have made himself another man , than to transport himself to another place ? 't is no matter what manners we find any where , so long as we carry our own . but we have all of us a natural curiosity of seeing fine sights , and of making new discoveries ; turning over antiquities , learning the customes of nations , &c. we are never quiet : to day we seek an office ; to morrow we are sick on 't : we divide our lives betwixt a dislike of the present , and a desire of the future ; but , he that lives as he should , orders himself so as neither to fear , nor to wish for to morrow : if it comes , 't is welcome , but if not , there 's nothing lost ; for , that which is to come is but the same over again that is past . as levity is a pernicious enemy to quiet ; so pertinacity is a great one too . the one changes nothing ; the other sticks to nothing ; and which of the two is the worse may be a question . it is many times seen , that we beg earnestly for those things , which if they were offer'd us we would refuse : and it is but just to punish this easiness of asking with an equal facility of granting . there are some things which we would be thought to desire , which we are so far from desiring , that we dread them . i shall tire you ( sayes one ) in the middle of a tedious story . no , pray be pleas'd to go on , we cry , though we wish'd his tongue out at half way . nay , we do not deal candidly even with god himself . we should say to our selves in these cases , this have i drawn upon my self . i could never be quiet till i had gotten this woman , this place , this estate , this honor ; and now see what 's come on 't . one sovereign remedy against all misfortunes is c c c constancy of mind : the changing of parties , and countenances looks as if a man were driven with the wind. nothing can be above him that is above fortune . it is not violence , reproach , contempt , or whatever else from without , that can make a wise man quit his ground : but he is proof against all calamities , both great and small : only our error is , that what we cannot do our selves , we think no body else can , so that we judge of the wise by the measures of the weak . place me among princes , or among beggers ; the one shall not make me proud , nor the other asham'd : i can take as sound a sleep in a barn , as in a palace ; and a bottle of hay makes me as good a lodging , as a bed of down . should every day succeed to my wish , it should not transport me : nor would i think my self miserable , if i should not have one quiet hour in my whole life . i will not transport my self with either pain , or pleasure ; but yet for all that , i could wish that i had an easier game to play ; and that i were put rather to moderate my joyes , than my sorrows . if i were an imperial prince , i had rather take , than be taken : and yet i would bear the same mind under the chariot of my conqueror that i had in my own. it is no great matter to trample upon those things that are most coveted , or fear'd by the common people . there are those that will laugh upon the wheel ; and cast themselves upon a certain death , only upon a transport of love , perhaps , anger , avarice , or revenge : how much more then upon an instinct of virtue ; which is invincible , and steady ? if a short obstinacy of mind can do this ; how much more shall a compos'd , and a deliberate virtue ; whose force is equal , and perpetual ? to secure our selves in this world ; first we must aim at d d d nothing that men count worth the wrangling for : secondly , we must not value the possession of any thing , which even a common thief would think worth the stealing . a mans body is no booty . let the way be never so dangerous for robberies , the poor , and the naked pass quietly . a plain-dealing sincerity of manners makes a mans life happy , even in despite of scorn , and contempt ; which is every clear mans fate . but we had better yet be contemn'd for simplicity , than lye perpetually upon the torture of a counterfeit . but then a care must be taken not to confound simplicity with negligence ; and it is moreover , an uneasie life , that of a disguise . for a man to seem to be what he is not ; to keep a perpetual guard upon himself , and to live in fear of discovery : he takes every man that looks upon him for a spy ; over and above the trouble of being put to play another mans part . it is a good remedy in some cases for a man to apply himself to civil affairs , and publick business : and yet in this state of life too , what betwixt ambition , and calumny ; it is hardly safe to be honest. there are indeed some cases wherein a wise man will give way : but let him not yield over-easily neither : if he marches off , let him have a care of his honor ; and make his retreat with his sword in his hand , and his face to the enemy . of all others a studious life is the least tiresome ; it makes us easie to our selves , and to others , and gains us both friends , and reputation . chap x. he that sets up his rest upon contingencies , shall never be at quiet . never pronounce any man happy that depends upon fortune for his happiness ; for nothing can be more preposterous , than to place the good of a reasonable creature in unreasonable things . if i have lost any thing , it was adventitious ; and , the less money , the less trouble ; the less favour , the less envy : nay , even in those cases that put us out of our wits , it is not the loss it self , but the opinion of the loss that troubles us . it is a common mistake to accompt those things necessay that are superfluous , and to depend upon fortune for the felicity of life , which arises only from virtue . there is no trusting to her smiles : the sea swells , and rages in a moment ; and the ships are swallow'd up at night , in the very place where they sported themselves in the morning . and fortune has the same power over princes , that it has over empires ; over nations , that it has over cities ; and the same power over cities that it has over private men. where 's that estate that may not be follow'd upon the heel with famine , and beggery ? that dignity , which the next moment may not be laid in the dust ? that kingdome that is secure from desolation and ruine ? the period of all things is at hand , as well that which casts out the fortunate , as the other that delivers the unhappy ; and that which may fall out at any time , may fall out this very day . what shall come to pass i know not , but what may come to pass i know : so that i 'll despair of nothing , but expect every thing ; and whatsoever providence remits is clear gain . every moment , if it spares me , deceives me : and yet in some sort it does not deceive me ; for though i know that any thing may happen ; yet i know likewise that every thing will not . i 'll hope the best , and provide for the worst . methinks we should not find so much fault with fortune for her inconstancy , when we our selves suffer a change every moment that we live ; only other changes make more noise , and this steals upon us like the shadow upon a dial ; every jote as certainly , but more insensibly . the burning of lyons may serve to shew a a a us , that we are never safe ; and to arm us against all surprizes . the terrour of it must needs be great , for the calamity is almost without example . if it had been fir'd by an enemy , the flame would have left some farther mischief to have been done by the soldiers : but to be wholly consum'd , we have not heard of many earthquakes so pernicious : so many rarities to be destroy'd in one night ; and in the depth of peace to suffer an outrage beyond the extremity of war , who would believe it ? but twelve hours betwixt so fair a city , and none at all : it was laid in ashes in less time than it would require to tell the story . to stand unshaken in such a calamity is hardly to be expected ; and our wonder cannot but be equal to our grief . let this accident teach us to provide against all possibilities , that fall within the power of fortune ; all external things are under her dominion : one while she calls our hands to her assistance : another while she contents her self with her own force , and destroyes us with mischiefs of which we cannot find the author . no time , place , or condition is excepted ; she makes our very pleasures nauseous to us : she makes war upon us in the depth of peace , and turns the means of our security into an occasion of fear : she turns a friend into an enemy , and makes a foe of a companion : we suffer the effects of war without an adversary ; and rather than fail , our felicity shall be the cause of our destruction . least we should either forget , or neglect her power , every day produces something extraordinary . she persecutes the most temperate with sickness ; the strongest constitutions with the pthisick ; she brings the innocent to punishment , and the most retir'd she assaults with tumults . those glories that have grown up with many ages , with infinite labour , and expence , and under the favour of many auspicious providences , one day scatters , and brings to nothing . he that pronounc'd a day , nay an hour sufficient for the destruction of the greatest empire , might have fallen to a moment . it were some comfort yet to the frailty of mankind , and of humane affairs , if things might but decay as slowly as they rise ; but they grow by degrees , and they fall to ruine in an instant . there 's no felicity in any thing either private or publick : men , nations , and cities have all their fates , and periods : our very entertainments are not without terror , and our calamity arises there where we least expect it . those kingdomes that stood the shock both of forreign wars , and civil , come to destruction without the sight of an enemy . nay , we are to dread our peace , and felicity , more than violence , because we are there taken unprovided ; unless in a state of peace we do the duty of men in war , and say to our selves , whatsoever may be , will be . i am to day , safe , and happy ▪ in the love of my country ; i am to morrow , banish'd : to day , in pleasure , peace , health ; to morrow , broken upon the wheel , led in triumph , and in the agony of sickness . let us therefore prepare for a shipwrack in the port , and for a tempest in a calm . one violence drives me from my country ; another ravishes that from me ; and that very place where a man can hardly pass this day for a croud , may be to morrow a desart . wherefore , let us set before our eyes the whole condition of humane nature ; and consider as well what may happen , as what commonly does . the way to make future delights easie to us in the sufferance , is to make them familiar to us in the contemplation . how many cities in asia , achaia , assyria , macedonia , have been swallow'd up by earthquakes ! nay , whole countryes are lost , and large provinces lay'd under water ; but , time brings all things to an end , for all the works of mortals are mortal : all possessions , and their possessors are uncertain , and perishable ; and , what wonder is it to lose any thing at any time , when we must one day lose all ? that which we b b b call our own is but lent us ; and what we have receiv'd gratis we must return without complaint . that which fortune gives us this hour , she may take away the next ; and he that trusts to her favours , shall either find himself deceiv'd , or if he be not , he will at least be troubled because he may be so . there 's no defence in walls , fortifications , and engines , against the power of fortune : we must provide our selves within , and when we are safe there , we are invincible ; we may be batter'd , but not taken . she throws her gifts among us , and we sweat , and scuffle for them ; never considering how few are the better for that which is expected by all . some are transported with what they get ; others tormented for what they miss , and many times there 's a leg or an arme broken in a contest for a counter . she gives us honors , riches , favours , only to take them away again ; either by violence , or treachery , so that they frequently turn to the damage of the receiver . she throws out baits for us , and sets traps , as we do for birds and beasts ; her bounties are snares , and lime-twigs to us ; we think that we take , but we are taken . if they had any thing in them that were substantial , they would some time or other fill , and quiet us ; but they serve only to provoke our appetite , without any thing more than pomp , and shew , to allay it . but the best of it is , if a man cannot mend his fortune , he may yet mend his manners , and put himself so far out of her reach , that whether she gives , or takes , it shall be all one to us ; for we are never the greater for the one , nor the less for the other . we call this a dark room , or that a light one , when 't is in it self neither the one , nor the other , but only as the day , and the night renders it . and so it is in riches , strength of body , beauty , honor , command ; and likewise in pain , sickness , banishment , death ; which are in themselves middle , and indifferent things , and only good , or bad , as they are influenc'd by virtue . to weep , lament , and groane , is to renounce our duty ; and it is the same weakness on the other side to exult , and rejoyce : i would rather make my fortune , than expect it ; being neither depress'd with her injuries , nor dazled with her favours . when zeno was told that all his goods were drown'd ; why then , sayes he , fortune has a mind to make me a philosopher . 't is a great matter for a man to advance his mind above her threats , or flatteries ; for he that has once gotten the better of her , is safe for ever . it is some comfort yet to the unfortunate , that great men lie under c c c the lash for company ; and that death spares the palace , no more than the cottage ; and that whoever is above me , has a power also above him . do we not daily see funerals without trouble , princes depos'd , countries depopulated , towns sack'd ; without so much as thinking how soon it may be our own case ? whereas , if we would but prepare , and arme our selves against the iniquities of fortune , we should never be surpriz'd . when we see any man banish'd , beggar'd , tortur'd , we are to accompt , that though the mischief fell upon another , it was levell'd at us . what wonder is it , if of so many thousands of dangers , that are constantly hovering about us , one comes to hit us at last ? that which befals any man , may befal every man : and then it breaks the force of a present calamity , to provide against the future . whatsoever our lot is , we must bear it ; as , suppose it be contumely , cruelty , fire , sword , pains , diseases , or a prey to wilde beasts ; there 's no struggling , nor any remedy but moderation . 't is to no purpose to bewail any part of our life , when life it self is miserable throughout ; and the whole flux of it only a course of transition from one misfortune to another . a man may as well wonder , that he should be cold in winter ; sick at sea , or have his bones clatter'd together in a waggon , as at the encounter of ill accidents , and crosses in the passage of humane life : and it is in vain to run away from fortune , as if there were any hiding place wherein she could not find us ; or to expect any quiet from her , for she makes life a perpetual state of war , without so much as any respite , or truce . this we may conclude upon ; that her empire is but imaginary , and that whosoever serves her makes himself a voluntary slave ; for the things that are often contemn'd by the inconsiderate , and always by the wise , are in themselves neither good , nor evil : as pleasure , and pain ; prosperity , and adversity ; which can only operate upon our outward condition , without any proper , and necessary effect upon the mind . chap. xi . a sensual life is a miserable life . the sensuality that we here treat of , falls naturally under the head of luxury ; which extends to all the excesses of gluttony , lust , effeminacy of manners ; and , in short , to whatsoever concerns the over-great care of the carkass . to begin now with the pleasures of the a a a palate ; ( which deal with us like aegyptian thieves , that strangle those they embrace ) what shall we say of the luxury of nomentanus , and apicius , that entertain'd their very souls in the kitchin ? they have the choicest musick for their eares ; the most diverting spectacles for their eyes ; the choicest variety of meats , and drinks for their palates . what is all this ( i say ) but a merry madness ? 't is true , they have their delights , but not without heavy , and anxious thoughts , even in their very enjoyments ; beside that , they are follow'd with repentance , and their frolicks are little more than the laughter of so many people out of their wits . their felicities are full of disquiet , and neither sincere , nor well-grounded ; but they have need of one pleasure to support another , and of new prayers to forgive the errors of their former . their life must needs be wretched , that get with great pains , what they keep with greater . one diversion overtakes another : hope excites hope ; ambition begets ambition ; so that they only change the matter of their miseries , without seeking any end of them , and shall never be without either prosperous , or unhappy causes of disquiet . what if a body might have all the pleasures in the world for the asking ? who would so much unmann himself , as by accepting of them , to desert his soul , and become a perpetual slave to his senses ? those false , and miserable palates , that judge of meats by the price , and difficulty , not by the healthfulness , or tast ; they vomit , that they may eate , and they eate that they may fetch it up again . they cross the seas for rarities , and when they have swallow'd them , they will not so much as give them time to digest . wheresoever nature has plac'd men , she has provided them aliment : but we rather chuse to irritate hunger by expence , than to allay it at an easier rate . what is it that we plow the seas for ; or arme our selves against men , and beasts ? to what end do we toyl , and labour , and pile bags upon bags ? we may enlarge our fortunes , but we cannot our bodies ; so that it does but spill , and run over , whatsoever we can take more than we can hold . our fore-fathers ( by the force of whose virtues we are now supported in our vices ) liv'd every jote as well as we , when they provided , and dress'd their own meat with their own hands ; lodg'd upon the ground , and were not as yet come to the vanity of gold , and gemms : when they swore by their earthen gods , and kept their oath though they dy'd for 't . did not our consuls live more happily when they cook'd their own meat with those victorious hands that had conquer'd so many enemies , and won so many laurels ? did they not live more happily ( i say ) than our apicius ? ( that corrupter of youth , and plague of the age he liv'd in ) who , after he had spent a prodigious fortune upon his belly , poyson'd himself for fear of starving , when he had yet . crowns in his coffers : which may serve to shew us , that it is the mind , and not the summ that makes any man rich : when apicius with all this treasure counted himself in a state of beggery ; and took poyson to avoid that condition , which another would have pray'd for . but , why do we call it poyson , which was the wholsomest draught of his life ? his daily gluttony was poyson rather , both to himself and others . his ostentation of it was intolerable ; and so was the infinite pains he took to mislead others by his example , who went even fast enough of themselves without driving . it is a shame for a man to place his b b b felicity in those entertainments , and appetites that are stronger in brutes . do not beasts eate with a better stomach ? have they not more satisfaction in their lusts ? and they have not only a quicker relish of their pleasures , but they enjoy them without either scandal , or remorse . if sensuality were happiness , beasts were happier than men ; but humane felicity is lodg'd in the soul , not in the flesh. they that deliver themselves up to luxury are still either tormented with too little , or oppress'd with too much ; and equally miserable , by being either deserted , or over-whelm'd : they are like men in a dangerous sea ; one while cast adry upon a rock , and another while swallowed up in a whirlpool ; and all this , from the mistake of not distinguishing good from evil. the huntsman that with much labour , and hazard takes a wild beast , runs as great a risque afterwards in the keeping of him ; for many times he tears out the throte of his master ; and 't is the same thing with inordinate pleasures ; the more in number , and the greater they are , the more general and absolute a slave is the servant of them . let the common people pronounce him as happy as they please , he payes his liberty for his delights , and sells himself for what he buyes . let any man take a view of our c c c kitchins ; the number of our cooks , and the variety of our meats ; will he not wonder to see so much provision made for one belly ? we have as many diseases as we have cooks , or meats ; and the service of the appetite is the study now in vogue . to say nothing of our traines of laquayes ; and our troops of caterers , and sewers . good god! that ever one belly should employ so many people . how nauseous , and fulsome are the surfeits that follow these excesses ? simple meats are out of fashion ; and all are collected into one ; so that the cook does the office of the stomach ; nay , and of the teeth too , for the meat looks as if it were chew'd before-hand ; here 's the luxury of all tasts in one dish , and liker a vomit , than a soup . from these compounded dishes , arise compounded diseases , which require compounded medicines . it is the same thing with our minds , that it is with our tables ; simple vices are curable by simple counsels , but a general dissolution of manners is hardly overcome : we are overrun with a publick , as well as with a private madness . the physitians of old understood little more than the virtue of some herbs to stop blood , or heal a wound : and their firm and healthful bodies needed little more , before they were corrupted by luxury and pleasure : and , when it ●…ame to that once , their business was not to lay hunger , but to provoke it , by a thousand inventions , and sauces . that which was aliment to a craving stomach , is become a burthen to a full one . from hence come paleness , trembling ; and worse effects from crudities , than famine : a weakness in the joynts , the belly stretch'd , a suffusion of choler ; the torpor of the nerves ; and a palpitation of the heart . to say nothing of meagrims , torments of the eyes , and ears ; head-ach , gouts , scurvy ; several sorts of feavers , and putrid ulcers ; with other diseases that are but the punishment of luxury . so long as our bodies were harden'd with labor , or tir'd with exercise , or hunting , our food was plain , and simple ; many dishes have made many diseases . it is an ill thing for a man not to know the measure of his stomach ; nor to consider , that men do many things in their drink , that they are asham'd of sober ; d d d drunkenness being nothing else but a voluntary madness . it emboldens men to do all sorts of mischief ; it both irritates wickedness , and discovers it ; it does not make men vitious , but it shews them to be so . it was in a drunken fit that alexander kill'd clytus . it makes him that is insolent , prouder ; him that is cruel , fiercer ; it takes away all shame . he that is peevish breaks out presently into ill words , and blows . the leacher , without any regard to decency , or scandal , turns up his whore in the market-place . a mans tongue trips , his head runs round ; he staggers in his pace . to say nothing of the crudities and diseases that follow upon this distemper . consider the publick mischiefs it has done : how many warlike nations , and strong cities , that have stood invincible to attaques , and sieges , has drunkenness overcome ? is it not a great honor to drink the company dead ? a magnificent virtue to swallow more wine than the rest , and yet at last to be out-done by a hogs-head ? what shall we say of those men that invert the offices of day , and night ? as if our eyes were only given us to make use of in the dark : is it day ? ' t is time to go to bed. is it night ? ' t is time to rise ; is it toward morning ? let us go to supper . when other people lye down , they rise ; and lye till next night to digest the debauche of the day before . 't is an argument of clownery , to do as other people do . luxury steals upon us by degrees ; first , it shews it self in a more than ordinary care of our bodies ; it slips next into the furniture of our houses ; and it gets then into the fabrique , curiosity , and expence of the house it self . it appears lastly in the phantastical excesses of our tables . we change , and shuffle our meats ; confound our sauces ; serve that in first , that use to be last ; and value our dishes , not for the taste , but for the rarity . nay , we are so delicate , that we must be told when we are to eate , or drink ; when we are hungry , or weary ; and we cherish some vices , as proofs , and arguments of our happiness . the most miserable of mortals are they , that deliver themselves up to their palates , or to their lusts : the pleasure is short , and turns presently nauseous , and the end of it is either shame , or repentance . it is a brutal entertainment , and unworthy of a man , to place his felicity in the service of the senses . as to the wrathful , the contentious , the ambitious , though the distemper be great , the offence has yet something in it that is manly : but , the basest of prostitutes are those , that dedicate themselves wholly to lust ; what with their hopes and fears ; anxiety of thought , and perpetual disquiets , they are never well , full nor fasting . what a deal of business is now c c c made about our houses , and dyet , which was at first both obvious , and of little expence ? luxury led the way , and we have employ'd our wits in the ayd of our vices . first we desir'd superfluities ; our next step was to wickedness , and , in conclusion , we deliver'd up our minds to our bodies , and so became slaves to our appetites , which before , were our servants , and are now become our masters . what was it that brought us to the extravagance of embroderyes , perfumes , tirewomen , &c. we past the bounds of nature , and lash'd out into superfluities : insomuch , that it is now adayes only for beggars , and clowns , to content themselves with what is sufficient : our luxury makes us insolent , and mad. we take upon us like princes , and flye out for every trifle , as if there were life , and death in the case . what a madness is it for a man to lay out an estate upon a table , or a cabinet ; a patrimony upon a pair of pendents , and to inflame the price of curiosities , according to the hazard either of breaking , or of losing them ? to wear garments that will neither defend a womans body , nor her modesty ; so thin , that one would make a conscience of swearing , she were not naked : for , she hardly shewes more in the privacies of her amour , than in publick ? how long shall we covet , and oppress ; enlarge our possessions ; and accompt that too little for one man , which was formerly enough for a nation ? and our luxury is as insatiable as our avarice : where 's that lake , that sea , that forrest , that spot of land , that is not ransack'd to gratifie our palate ? the very earth is burthen'd with our buildings , not a river , nor a mountain scapes us . oh that there should be such boundless desires in our little bodies ! would not fewer lodgings serve us ? we lye but in one , and where we are not , that is not properly ours . what with our hooks , snares , nets , dogs , &c. we are at war with all living creatures ; and nothing comes amiss , but that which is either too cheap , or too common ; and all this is to gratifie a phantastical palate . our avarice , our ambition , our lusts are insatiable ; we enlarge our possessions ; swell our families ; we rifle sea , and land , for matter of ornament and luxury . a bull contents himself with one meadow ; and one forrest is enough for a thousand elephants ; but the little body of a man devours more than all other living creatures . we do not eate to satisfie hunger , but ambition ; we are dead while we are alive ; and our houses are so much our tombs , that a man might write our epitaphs upon our very doors . a f f f voluptuous person , in fine , can neither be a good man , a good patriot , nor a good friend ; for he is transported with his appetites , without considering , that the lot of man is the law of nature . a good man ( like a good soldier ) will stand his ground , receive wounds , glory in his scars , and , in death it self , love his master for whom he falls ; with that divine precept alwayes in his mind , follow god. whereas he that complains , laments , and grones , must yield nevertheless , and do his duty , though in spite of his heart . now , what a madness is it , for a man to chuse rather to be lugg'd , than to follow ; and vainly to contend with the calamities of humane life ? whatsoever is laid upon us by necessity , we should receive generously ; for it is foolish to strive with what we cannot avoid . we are born subjects , and to obey god is perfect liberty . he that does this , shall be free , safe , and quiet ; all his actions shall succeed to his wish : and , what can any man desire more , than to want nothing from without , and to have all things desirable within himself ? pleasures do but weaken our minds , and send us for our support to fortune , who gives us money only as the wages of slavery . we must stop our eyes , and our ears . ulysses had but one rock to fear , but humane life has many . every city , nay , every man is one , and there 's no trusting even to our nearest friends . deliver me from the superstition of taking those things which are light , and vain , for felicities . chap xii . avarice , and ambition are insatiable , and restless . the man that would be truely rich , must not encrease his fortune , but retrench his appetites : for riches are not only superfluous , but mean , and little more to the possessor , than to the looker on . what is the end of ambition , and avarice ; when , at best , we are but stuards of what we falsly call our own ? all those things that we pursue with so much hazard , and expence of blood , as well to keep , as to get ; for which we break faith , and friendship ; what are they , but the mere deposita of fortune ? and not ours , but already enclining toward a new master . there is nothing our own , but that which we give to our selves ; and of which we have a certain , and an inexpugnable possession . avarice is so insatiable , that it is not in the power of liberality to content it : and our desires are so boundless , that whatever we get , is but in the way to getting more without end : and so long as we are sollicitous for the encrease of wealth , we lose the true use of it ; and spend our time in putting out , calling in , and passing our accompts , without any substantial benefit , either to the world , or to our selves . what is the difference betwixt old men , and children ? the one cries for nuts , and apples , and the other for gold , and silver . the one sets up courts of justice ; hears , and determines ; acquits , and condemns in jeast , the other in earnest ; the one makes houses of clay , the other of marble : so that the works of old men are nothing in the world but the progress , and emprovement of childrens errors : and they are to be admonish'd , and punish'd too like children ; not in revenge for injuries receiv'd , but as a correction for injuries done , and to make them give over . there is some substance yet in gold , and silver ; but , as to judgments , and statutes , procuration , and continuance-money , these are only the visions , and the dreams of avarice . throw a crust of bread to a dog , he takes it open-mouth'd , swallows it whole , and presently gapes for more : just so do we with the gifts of fortune ; down they go without chewing , and we are immediately ready for another chop . but , what has avarice now to do with gold , and silver , that is so much out-done by curiosities of a far greater value ? let us no longer complain , that there was not a heavier load laid upon those precious mettals ; or that they were not bury'd deep enough , when we have found out wayes by wax , and parchments ; and by bloody usurious contracts , to undoe one another . it is remarkable , that providence has given us all things for our advantage near at hand ; but iron , gold , and silver ( being both the instruments of blood , and slaughter , and the price of it , ) nature has hidden in the bowels of the earth . there is no avarice without some a a a punishment , over and above that which it is to it self . how miserable is it in the desire : how miserable even in the attaining of our ends ? for money is a greater torment in the possession , than it is in the pursuit . the fear of losing it is a great trouble , the loss of it a greater , and it is made a greater yet by opinion . nay , even in the case of no direct loss at all , the covetous man loses what he does not get . 't is true , the people call the rich man a happy man , and wish themselves in his condition ; but , can any condition be worse than that , which carries vexation , and envy along with it ? neither is any man to boast of his fortune , his heards of cattle ; his number of slaves ; his lands and palaces ; for comparing that which he has , to that which he farther covets , he is a begger . no man can possess all things , but any man may contemn them , and the contempt of riches is the nearest way to the gaining of them . some magistrates are made for b b b money , and those commonly are brib'd with money . we are all turn'd merchants , and look not into the quality of things , but into the price of them ; for reward we are pious , and for reward again we are impious . we are honest , so long as we may thrive upon it ; but , if the devil himself give better wages , we change our party . our parents have train'd us up into an admiration of gold , and silver , and the love of it is grown up with us to that degree , that when we would shew our gratitude to heaven , we make presents of those metalls . this is it that makes poverty look like a curse , and a reproach ; and the poets help it forward ; the chariot of the sun must be all of gold ; the best of times must be the golden age , and thus they turn the greatest misery of mankind into the greatest blessing . neither does avarice c c c only make us unhappy in our selves , but malevolent also to mankind . the soldier wishes for war ; the husbandman would have his corn dear ; the lawyer prayes for dissention ; the physitian fora sickly year ; he that deals in curiosities , for luxury , and excess ; makes up his fortunes out of the corruptions of the age ; high winds , and publick conflagrations make work for the carpenter , and bricklayer ; and one man lives by the loss of another ; some few perhaps have the fortune to be detected , but they are all wicked alike ▪ a great plague makes work for the sexton , and , in one word , whosoever gains by the dead , has not much kindness for the living . demudes of athens condemn'd a fellow that sold necessaries for funerals , upon proof , that he wisht to make himself a fortune by his trade , which could not be but by a great mortality . but perhaps he did not so much desire to have many customers , as to sell dear , and buy cheap ; besides , that all of that trade might have been condemn'd as well as he . whatsoever whets our appetites , flatters and depresses the mind , and by dilating it weakens it ; first blowing it up , and then filling , and deluding it with vanity . to proceed now from the most prostitute of all vices , d d d sensuality , and avarice , to that which passes in the world for the most generous , the thirst of glory , and dominion ; if they that run mad after wealth , and honor , could but look into the hearts of them that have already gain'd these poynts ; how would it startle them to see those hideous cares , and crimes , that wait upon ambitious greatness ? all those acquisitions that dazle the eyes of the vulgar , are but false pleasures , slippery , and uncertain . they are atchiev'd with labour , and the very guard of them is painful . ambition puffs us up with vanity , and wind ; and we are equally troubl'd , either to see any body before us , or no body behind us ; so that we lie under a double envy ; for , whosoever envies another , is also envy'd himself . what matters it how far alexander extended his conquests , if he was not yet satisfied with what he had ? every man wants as much as he covets ; and , 't is lost labour to pour into a vessel that will never be full . he that had subdu'd so many princes , and nations , upon the killing of clytus ( one friend ) and the loss of ephestion , ( another ) deliver'd himself up to anger , and sadness ; and when he was master of the world , he was yet a slave to his passions . look into cyrus , cambyses , and the whole persian line , and you shall not find so much as one man of them that dy'd satisfy'd with what he had gotten . ambition aspires from great things to greater ; and propounds matters , even impossible , when it has once arriv'd at things beyond expectation . it is a kind of dropsie ; the more a man drinks , the more he covets . let any man but observe the tumults , and the crouds that attend palaces ; what affronts must we endure to be admitted ; and , how much greater when we are in ? the passage to virtue is fair , but the way to greatness is craggy , and it stands not only upon a precipice , but upon ice too : and yet it is a hard matter to convince a great man that his station is slippery , or to prevail with him not to depend upon his greatness . but all superfluities are hurtful ; a rank crop layes the corn ; too great a burthen of fruit breaks the bow ; and our minds may be as well overcharg'd with an immoderate happiness . nay , though we our selves would be at rest , our fortune will not suffer it : the way that leads to honor , and riches , leads to troubles ; and we find the causes of our sorrows in the very objects of our delights . what joy is there is feasting , and luxury ; in ambition , and a croud of clients ; in the armes of a mistriss , or in the vanity of an unprofitable knowledge ? these short and false pleasures deceive us ; and , like drunkenness , revenge the jolly madness of one hour , with the nauseous , and sad repentance of many . ambition is like a gulph , every thing is swallow'd up in it , and bury'd ; beside the dangerous consequences of it ; for , that which one has taken from all , may be easily taken away again from all , by one. it was not either virtue , or reason , but the mad love of a deceiptful greatness that animated pompey in his wars , either abroad , or at home . what was it but his ambition that hurry'd him to spain , affrica , and elsewhere , when he was too great already , in every bodies opinion , but his own ? and the same motive had iulius caesar , who could not , even then , brook a superior himself , when the common-wealth had submitted unto two already . nor was it any instinct of virtue , that push'd on marius , who , in the head of an army , was himself yet led on under the command of ambition : but , he came at last to the deserved fate of other wicked men , and to drink himself of the same cup that he had filled to others . we impose upon our reason , when we suffer our selves to be transported with titles ; for , we know , that they are nothing but a more glorious sound : and so for ornaments , and gildings , though there may be a lustre to dazle our eyes , our understanding tells us yet , that it is only outside , and that the matter under it is course , and common . i will never envy c c c those that the people call great , and happy . a sound mind is not to be shaken with a popular , and vain applause ; nor is it in the power of their pride to disturbe the state of our happiness . an honest man is known now adayes by the dust he raises upon the way : and , 't is become a point of honor to overrun people , and keep all at a distance ; though he that is put out of the way , may perchance be happier than he that takes it . he that would exercise a power profitable to himself , and grievous to no body else , let him practise it upon his passions . they that have burnt cities , otherwise invincible , driven armies before them , and bath'd themselves in humane blood ; after that they have overcome all open enemies , they have been vanquish'd by their lust , by their cruelty , and without any resistance . alexander was possess'd with the madness of laying kingdoms waste . he began with greece , where he was brought up ; and there he quarry'd himself upon that in it which was best ; he enslav'd lacedaemon , and silenc'd athens : nor was he content with the destruction of those towns , which his father philip had either conquer'd , or bought ; but he made himself the enemy of humane nature , and , like the worst of beasts , he worry'd what he could not eat . felicity is an unquiet thing ; it torments it self , and puzzles the brain . it makes some people ambitious , others luxurious ; it puffs up some , and softens others ; only ( as 't is with wine ) some heads bear it better than others ; but it dissolves all . greatness stands upon a precipice ; and if prosperity carries a man never so little beyond his poyze , it over-beares , and dashes him to pieces . 't is a rare thing for a man in a great fortune , to lay down his happiness gently ; it being a common fate , for a man to sink under the weight of those felicities that raise him . how many of the nobility did marius bring down to herdsmen , and other mean offices ? nay , in the very moment of our despising servants , we may be made so our selves . chap. xiii . hope , and feare , are the bane of humane life . no man can be said to be perfectly happy , that runs the risque of disappointment ; which is the case of every man that feares , or hopes for any thing . for , hope , and fear , how distant soever they may seem to be the one from the other , they are both of them yet coupled in the same chain , as the guard , and the prisoner ; and the one treads upon the heel of the other . the reason of this is obvious , for they are passions that look forward , and are ever sollicitous for the future ; only hope is the more plausible weakness of the two ; which in truth , upon the main , are inseparable , for the one cannot be without the other ; but where the hope is stronger than the fear , or the fear than the hope , we call it the one , or the other : for , without fear , it were no longer hope , but certainty ; as without hope , it were no longer fear , but despair . we may come to understand , whether our disquiets are vain , or no , if we do but consider , that we are either troubled about the present , the future , or both. if the present , 't is easie to judge , and the future is uncertain . 't is a foolish thing to be miserable before-hand , for fear of misery to come , for a man loses the present which he might enjoy , in expectation of the future ; nay , the fear of losing any thing is as bad as the loss it self . i will be as prudent as i can , but not timorous , or careless : and i will bethink my self , and forecast what inconveniences may happen , before they come . 't is true , a man may fear , and yet not be fearful ; which is no more , than to have the affection of fear , without the vice of it ; but yet a frequent admittance of it runs into a habit. it is a shameful , and an unmanly thing to be doubtful , timorous , and uncertain ; to set one step forward , and another backward ; and to be irresolute . can there be any man so fearful , that had not rather fall once , than hang alwayes in suspence ? our a a a miseries are endless , if we stand in fear of all possibilities ; the best way in such a case is , to drive out one nail with another , and a little to qualifie fear with hope : which may serve to palliate a misfortune , though not to cure it . there is not any thing that we fear , which is so certain to come , as it is certain that many things which we do fear will not come but , we are loth to oppose our credulity when it begins to move us , and so to bring our fear to the test. w●… but what if the thing we fear should come to pass ? perhaps it will be the better for us . suppose it to be death it self ; why may it not prove the glory of my life ? did not poyson make socrates famous ? and , was not cato 〈◊〉 a great part of his honor ? do we fear any misfortune to be fall us ? we are not presently sure that it will happen . how many deliverances have come unlook'd for ? and , how many mischiefs that we look'd for , have never come to pass ? 't is time enough to lament , when it comes , and in the interim , to promise our selves the best . what do i know but some thing or other may delay , or divert it ? some have scap'd out of the fire ; others , when a house has faln over their heads , have receiv'd no hurt ; one man has been sav'd when a sword was at his throat ; another has been condemn'd , and out-liv'd his heads-man : so that ill fortune , we see , as well as good , has her levities : peradventure it will be , peradventure not ; and till it comes to pass , we are not sure of it : we do many times take words in a worse sense than they were intended , and imagine things to be worse taken than they are . 't is time enough to bear a misfortune when it comes , without anticipating it . he that would deliver himself from all apprehensions of the b b b future , let him first take for granted , that all his fears will fall upon him ; and then examine , and measure the evil that he fears , which he will find to be neither great , nor long. beside , that the ills which he fears he may suffer , he suffers in the very fear of them . as in the symptomes of an approaching disease ; a man shall find himself lazy , and listless ; a weariness in his limbs , with a yawning , and shuddering all over him : so is it in the case of a weak mind , it phancies misfortunes , and makes a man wretched before his time . why should i torment my self at present , with what perhaps may fall out fifty year hence ? this humor is a kind of voluntary disease , and an industrious contrivance of our own unhappiness , to complain of an affliction that we do not feel . some are not only mov'd with grief it self , but with the meer opinion of it ; as children will start at a shadow , or at the sight of a deformed person . if we stand in fear of violence from a powerful enemy , it is some comfort to us , that whosoever makes himself terrible to others , is not without fear himself : the least noise makes a lyon start ; and the fiercest of beasts , whatsoever enrages them , makes them tremble too : a shadow , a voice , an unusual odour rouzes them . the things most to be fear'd , i take to be of three kinds . c c c want , sickness , and those violences that may be impos'd upon us by a strong hand . the last of these has the greatest force , because it comes attended with noise , and tumult : whereas the incommodities of poverty , and diseases , are more natural , and steal upon us in silence , without any external circumstances of horror : but , the other marches in pomp , with fire , and sword , gibbets , racks , hooks : wild beasts to devour us ; stakes to empale us ; engines to tear us to pieces ; pitch'd bags to burn us in , and a thousand other exquisite inventions of cruelty . no wonder then if that be most dreadful to us , that presents it self in so many uncouth shapes ; and by the very solemnity is render'd the most formidable . the more instruments of bodily pain the executioner shewes us , the more frightful he makes himself : for , many a man that would have encounter'd death in any generous form , with resolution enough , is yet overcome with the manner of it . as for the calamities of hunger , and thirst , inward ulcers , scorching feavers , tormenting fits of the stone , i look upon these miseries to be at least as grievous as any of the rest : only they do not so much affect the phancy , because they lye out of sight . some people talk high of dangers at a distance ; but ( like cowards ) when the executioner comes to do his duty , and shewes us the fire , the axe , the scaffold , and death at hand , their courage fails them upon the very pinch , when they have most need of it . sickness ( i hope ) captivity , fire , are no new things to us ; the falls of houses , funerals , and conflagrations , are every day before our eys . the man that i supp'd with last night is dead before morning ; why should i wonder then , seeing so many fall about me , to be hit at last my self ? what can be a greater madness , than to cry out , who would have dream'd of this ? and why not i beseech you ? where is that estate that may not be reduc'd to beggery ? that dignity which may not be follow'd with banishment , disgrace , and extreme contempt ? that kingdome that may not suddenly fall to ruine ; change its master , and be depopulated ? that prince that may not pass the hand of a common hangman ? that which is one mans fortune , may be anothers ; but , the foresight of calamities to come , breaks the violence of them . chap. xiv . it is according to the true , or false estimate of things , that we are happy , or miserable . how many things are there that the phancy makes terrible by night , which the day turns into ridiculous ? what is there in labour , or in death , that a man should be afraid of ? they are much slighter in act , than in contemplation ; and , we may contemn them , but we will not : so that it is not because they are hard , that we dread them ; but they are hard , because we are first afraid of them . pains , and other violences of fortune , are the same thing to us , that goblins are to children : we are more scar'd with them , than hurt . we take up our opinions upon trust , and erre for company ; still judging that to be best , that has most competitors . we make a false calculation of matters , because we advise with opinion , and not with nature ; and this misleads us to a higher esteem for riches , honor , and power , than they are worth : we have been us'd to admire , and recommend them , and a private error is quickly turn'd into a publick . the greatest , and the smallest things are equally hard to be comprehended ; we accompt many things great , for want of understanding what effectually is so ; and we reckon other things to be small , which we find frequently to be of the highest value . vain things only move vain minds ; the accidents that we so much boggle at , are not terrible in themselves , but they are made so by our infirmities , and we consult rather what we hear , than what we feel , without examining , opposing , or discussing the things we fear ; so that we either stand still , and tremble , or else directly run for 't ; as those troops did , that upon the raising of the dust , took a flock of sheep for the enemy . when the body , and mind are corrupted , 't is no wonder if all things prove intolerable ; and not because they are so in truth , but because we are dissolute , and foolish : for , we are infatuated to such a degree , that betwixt the common madness of men , and that which falls under the care of the physitian , there is but this difference ; the one labors of a disease , and the other of a false opinion . the stoicks hold , that all those torments that commonly draw from us grones , and ejulations , are in themselves trivial , and contemptible . but these high-flown expressions apart , ( how true soever ) let us discourse the point at the a a a rate of ordinary men , and not make our selves miserable before our time ; for , the things we apprehend to be at hand , may possibly never come to pas●… . some things trouble us more than they should , other things sooner ; and some things again disorder us , that ought not to trouble us at all : so that we either enlarge , or create , or anticipate our disquiets . for the first part , let it rest as a matter in controversie ; for that which i accompt light , another perhaps will judge insupportable ; one man laughs under the lash , and another whines for a phillip . how sad a calamity is poverty to one man , which to another appears rather desirable than inconvenient ? for the poor man that has nothing to lose , has nothing to fear : and he that would enjoy himself to the satisfaction of his soul , must be either poor indeed , or at least look as if he were so . some people are extremely dejected with sickness , and pain ; whereas epicurus bless'd his fate with his last breath in the acutest torments of the stone imaginable . and so for banishment , which to one man is so grievous , and yet to another is no more than a bare change of place : a thing that we do every day for our health , pleasure ; nay , and upon the accompt even of common business . how terrible is death to one man , which to another appears the greatest providence in nature ; even toward all ages , and conditions ? it is the wish of some , the relief of many , and the end of all. it sets the slave at liberty , carries the banish'd man home , and places all mortals upon the same level : insomuch , that life it self were a punishment without it . when i see tyrants , tortures , violences , the prospect of death is a consolation to me , and the only remedy against the injuries of life . nay , so great are our mistakes in the true estimate of things , that we have hardly done any thing which we have not had reason to wish undone ; and we have found the things we fear'd , to be more desirable than those we coveted : b b b our very prayers have been more pernicious than the curses of our enemies ; and we must pray again to have our former prayers forgiven . where 's the wise man that wishes himself the wishes of his mother , his nurse , or his tutour ; the worst of enemies , with the intention of the best of friends . we are undone if their prayers be heard ; and it is our duty to pray , that they may not ; for they are no other than well-meaning execrations . they take evil for good ; and one wish fights with another : give me rather the contempt of all those things whereof they wish me the greatest plenty . we are equally hurt by some that pray for us , and by others that curse us : the one imprints in us a false fear , and the other does us mischief by a mistake . so that it is no wonder if mankind be miserable , that is brought up from the very cradle under the imprecations of our parents . we pray for trifles , without so much as thinking of the greatest blessings ; and we are not asham'd many times to ask god for that , which we should blush to own to our neighbor . it is with us , as with an innocent c c c that our author had in his family ; she fell blind on a sudden , and no body could perswade her , that she was blind . she could not endure the house , ( she cry'd ) it was so dark ; and was still calling to go abroad . that which we laught at in her , we find to be true in our selves , we are covetous , and ambitious ; but the world shall never bring us to acknowledge it , and we impute it to the place : nay , we are the worse of the two ; for that blind fool call'd for a guide , and we wander about without one . it is a hard matter to cure those that will not believe they are sick. we are asham'd to admit a master , and we are too old to learn . vice still goes before virtue : so that we have two works to do ; we must cast off the one , and learn the other . by one evil we make way to another , and only seek things to be avoided , or those of which we are soon weary . that which seem'd too much when we wish'd for 't , proves too little when we have it ; and it is not as some imagine , that felicity is greedy ; but it is little , and narrow , and cannot satisfie us . that which we take to be very high , at a distance we find to be but low , when we come at it . and the business is , we do not understand the true state of things : we are deceiv'd by rumors ; when we have gain'd the thing we aim'd at , we find it to be either ill , or empty ; or perchance less than we expected , or otherwise perhaps great , but not good. chap xv. the blessings of temperance and moderation . there is not any thing that is necessary to us , but we have it either cheap , or gratis ; and this is the provision that our heavenly father has made for us , whose bounty was never wanting to our needs . 't is true , the belly craves , and calls upon us , but then a small matter contents it : a little bread , and water is sufficient , and all the rest is but superfluous . he that lives according to reason , shall never be poor ; and he that governs his life by opinion , shall never be rich ; for nature is limited , but phancy is boundless . as for meat , cloths , and lodging , a little feeds the body , and as little covers it ; so that if mankind would only attend humane nature , without gaping at superfluities , a cook would be found as needless as a soldier : for we may have necessaries upon very easie termes ; whereas we put our selves to great pains for excesses . when we are cold , we may cover our selves with skins of beasts ; and , against violent heats , we have natural grotto's ; or with a few osyers , and a little clay we may defend our selves against all seasons . providence has been kinder to us than to leave us to live by our wits , and to stand in need of invention , and arts : it is only pride , and curiosity , that involves us in difficulties ; if nothing will serve a man but rich cloths , and furniture ; statues and plate ; a numerous train of servants , and the rarities of all nations ; it is not fortunes fault , but his own , that he is not satisfied : for his desires are insatiable , and this is not a thirst , but a disease ; and if he were master of the whole world , he would be still a begger . 't is the mind that makes us rich , and happy , in what condition soever we are ; and money signifies no more to 't than it does to the gods ; if the religion be sincere , no matter for the ornaments : 't is only luxury , and avarice , that makes poverty grievous to us ; for it is a very small matter that does our business ; and when we have provided against cold , hunger , and thirst , all the rest is but vanity , and excess : and there 's no need of expence upon forreign delicacies , or the artifices of the kitchin. what is he the worse for poverty , that despises these things ? nay , is he not rather the better for it , because he is not able to go to the price of them ? for he is kept sound whether he will , or no ; and that which a man cannot do , looks many times as if he would not . when i look back into the a a a moderation of past ages , it makes me asham'd to discourse , as if poverty had need of any consolation : for we are now come to that degree of intemperance , that a fair patrimony is too little for a meal . homer had but one servant ; plato three ; and zeno ( the master of the masculine sect of stoicks ) had none at all . the daughters of scipio had their portions out of the common treasury , for their father left them not worth a penny : how happy were their husbands that had the people of rome for their father-in-law ? shall any man now contemn poverty after these eminent examples ; which are sufficient not only to justifie , but to recommend it ? upon diogenes's only servant's running away from him , he was told where he was , and perswaded to fetch him back again . what , sayes he , can manes live without diogenes , and not diogenes without ▪ manes ? and so let him go . the piety , and moderation of scipio has made his memory more venerable , than his armes ; and more yet after he left his country , than while he defended it : for matters were come to that pass , that either scipio must be injurious to rome , or rome to scipio . course bread , and water , to a temperate man is as good as a feast ; and the very herbs of the field yield a nourishment to man , as well as to beasts . it was not by choice meats , and perfumes , that our forefathers recommended themselves , but by ▪ virtuous actions , and the sweat of honest , military , and of manly labours . while nature lay in common , and all b b b her benefits were promiscuously enjoy'd , what could be happier than that state of mankind ? when people liv'd without either avarice , or envy ? what could be richer , then when there was not a poor man to be found in the world ? so soon as this impartial bounty of providence came to be restrain'd , by covetousness ; and that particulars appropriated that to themselves which was intended for all ; then did poverty creep into the world ; when some men by desiring more than came to their share , lost their title to the rest. a loss never to be repair'd ; for though we may come yet to get much , we once had all. the fruits of the earth were in those dayes divided among the inhabitants of it , without either want , or excess . so long as men contented themselves with their lot , there was no violence ; no engrossing , or hiding of those benefits for particular advantages , which were appointed for the community ; but every man had as much care for his neighbor , as for himself . no arms , or bloodshed ; no war , but with wilde beasts : but under the protection of a wood , or a cave , they spent their dayes without cares , and their nights without grones ; their innocence was their security , and their protection . there were as yet no beds of state , no ornaments of pearl , or embrodery , nor any of those remorses that attend them ; but the heavens were their canopy , and the glories of them their spectacle . the motions of the orbs ; the courses of the stars , and the wonderful order of providence was their contemplation : there was no fear of the house falling ; or the russling of a rat behind the arras ; they had no palaces then like cities ; but they had open ayr , and breathing-room ; crystal fountains , refreshing shades ; the meadows drest up in their native beauty , and such cottages as were according to nature , and wherein they liv'd contentedly , without fear either of losing , or of falling . these people liv'd without either sollicitude , or fraud ; and yet i must call them rather happy , than wise. that men were generally better before they were corrupted , then after , i make no doubt ; and i am apt to believe , that they were both stronger , and hardier too ; but their wits were not yet come to maturity ; for nature does not give virtue ; and it is a kind of art to become good : they had not as yet torn up the bowels of the earth for gold , silver , or precious stones ; and , so far were they from killing any man , as we do , for a spectacle , that they were not as yet come to it , either in fear , or anger ; nay , they spar'd the very fishes . but after all this , they were innocent , because they were ignorant ; and there 's a great difference betwixt not knowing how to offend , and not being willing to do it . they had , in that rude life , certain images , and resemblances of virtue , but yet they fell short of virtue it self , which comes only by institution , learning , and study , as it is perfected by practice . it is indeed the end for which we were born , but yet it did not come into the world with us ; and in the best of men , before they are instructed , we find rather the matter , and the seeds of virtue , than the virtue it self . it is the wonderful benignity of nature , that has laid open to us all things that may do us good , and only hidden those things from us that may hurt us : as if she durst not trust us with gold , and silver ; or with iron ; which is the instrument of war , and contention for the other . it is we our selves that have drawn out of the earth , both the causes , and the instruments of our dangers : and we are so vain as to set the highest esteem upon those things to which nature has assign'd the lowest place . what can be more course , and rude in the mine , than these precious metalls ; or more slavish , and dirty , than the people that dig , and work them ? and yet they defile our minds more than our bodies ; and make the possessor fouler than the artificer of them . rich men , in fine , are only the greater slaves . both the one , and the other wants a great deal . happy is that man that eats only for b c c c hunger , and drinks only for thirst ; that stands upon his own legs , and lives by reason , not by example ; and provides for use , and necessity , not for ostentation and pomp. let us curb our appetites , encourage virtue , and rather be beholden to our selves for riches , than to fortune ; who , when a man draws himself into a narrow compass , has the least mark at him . let my bed be plain , and clean , and my cloths so too ; my meat without much expence , or many wayters ; and neither a burthen to my purse , nor to my body ; nor to go out the same way it came in . that which is too little for luxury , is abundantly enough for nature , the end of eating , and drinking , is satiety ; now , what matters it , though one eats , and drinks more , and another less , so long as the one is not a hungry , nor the other a thirst ? epicurus , that limits pleasure to nature , as the stoicks do virtue , is undoubtedly in the right ; and those that cite him to authorise their voluptuousness , do exceedingly mistake him , and only seek a good authority for an evil cause : for their pleasures of sloth , gluttony , and lust , have no affinity at all with his precepts , or meaning . 't is true , that at first sight , his philosophy seems effeminate ; but he that looks nearer him , will find him to be a very brave man only in a womanish dress . 't is a common objection , i know , that these philosophers do not live at the rate that they talk ; for they can flatter their superiors , gather estates , and be as much concern'd at the loss of fortune , or of friends , as other people : as sensible of reproches , as luxurious in their eating , and drinking , their furniture , their houses ; as magnificent in their plate , servants , and officers ; as profuse , and curious in their gardens , &c. well! and what of all this ; or if it were twenty times more ? 't is some degree of virtue for a man to condemn himself ; and if he cannot come up to the best , to be yet better than the worst ; and if he cannot wholly subdue his appetites , however to check , and diminish them . if i do not live , as i preach ; take notice that i do not speak of my self , but of virtue ; nor am i so much offended with other mens vices , as with my own. all this was objected to plato , epicurus , zeno : nor is any virtue so sacred , as to scape malevolence . the cinique demetrius was a great instance of severity , and mortification ; and one that impos'd upon himself , neither to possess any thing , nor so much as to ask it : and yet he had this scom put upon him , that his profession was poverty , not virtue . plato is blam'd for asking mony ; aristotle for receiving it ; democritus , for neglecting it ; epicurus , for consuming it . how happy were we if we could but come to imitate these mens vices ; for if we knew our own condition , we should find work enough at home . but , we are like people that are making merry at a play , or a tavern ; when our own houses are on fire , and yet we know nothing on 't . nay , cato himself was said to be a drunkard ; but drunkenness it self shall sooner be prov'd to be no crime , than cato dishonest . they that demolish temples , and overturn altars , shew their good will , though they can do the gods no hurt ; and so it fares with those that invade the reputation of great men. if the professors of virtue be as the world calls them , avaritious , libidinous , ambitious ; what are they then that have a detestation for the very name of it ? but malicious natures do not want wit to abuse honester men than themselves . it is the practice of the multitude , to bark at eminent men , as little dogs do at strangers ; for they look upon other mens virtues , as the upbraiding of their own wickedness . we should do well to commend those that are good ; if not , let us pass them over ; but however let us spare our selves : for beside the blaspheming of virtue , our rage is to no purpose . but to return now to my text. we are ready enough to limit others , but d d d loth to put bounds and restraint upon our selves ; though we know that many times a greater evil is cur'd by a less ; and the mind that will not be brought to virtue by precept , comes to it frequently by necessity . let us try a little to eate upon a joynt-stool ; to serve our selves ; to live within compass , and accommodate our cloths to the end they were made for . occasional experiments of our moderation give us the best proof of our firmness , and virtue . a well-govern'd appetite is a great part of liberty ; and it is a blessed lot , that since no man can have all things that he would have , we may all of us forbear desiring what we have not . it is the office of temperance to overrule us in our pleasures ; some she rejects , others she qualifies , and keeps within bounds . oh! the delights of rest , when a man comes to be weary , and of meat , when he is heartily hungry ! i have learn'd ( sayes our author ) by one journey , how many things we have that are superfluous , and how easily they may be spar'd ; for , when we are without them , upon necessity , we do not so much as feel the want of them . this is the second blessed day ( sayes he ) that my friend , and i have travell'd together ; one waggon carries our selves , and our servants ; my mattress lies upon the ground , and i upon that : our diet answerable to our lodging ; and never without our figs , and our table-books . the muletier without shooes , and the mules only prove themselves to be alive by their walking . in this equipage , i am not willing , i perceive , to own my self ; but as often as we happen into better company , i presently fall a blushing ; which shews , that i am not yet confirm'd in those things which i approve , and commend : i am not yet come to own my frugality ; for he that 's asham'd to be seen in a mean condition , would be proud of a splendid one . i value my self upon what passengers think of me , and tacitely renounce my principles ; whereas i should rather lift up my voice to be heard by mankind , and tell them , you are all mad ; your minds are set upon supersluities , and you value no man for his virtues . i came one night weary home , and threw my self upon the bed , with this consideration about me : there is nothing ill , that is well taken . my baker tells me he has no bread ; but , sayes he , i may get some of your tenants , though i fear 't is not good. no matter , said i , for i 'll stay till it be better ; that is to say , till my stomach will be glad of worse . it is discretion sometimes to practice temperance , and wont our selves to a little ; for there are many difficulties both of time , and place , that may force us upon it . when we come to the matter of patrimony ; how strictly do we examine what every man is worth , before wee 'll trust him with a penny : such a man , we cry , has a great estate , but it is shrewdly incumber'd ; a very fair house , but 't was built with borrow'd money ; a numerous family , but he does not keep touch with his creditors ; if his debts were paid , he would not be worth a groat . why do we not take the same course in other things ; and examine what every man is worth ? 't is not enough to have a long train of attendants ; vast possessions ; or an incredible treasure in money , and jewels ; a man may be poor for all this . there 's only this difference at best ; one man borrows of the usurer , and the other of fortune . what signifies the carving , or the guilding of the chariot ? is the master ever the better for 't ? we cannot close up this chapter with a more generous e e e instance of moderation , than that of fabricius . pyrrhus tempted him with a sum of money to betray his country ; and pyrrhus his physician offer'd fabricius , for a sum of mony , to poyson his master ; but he was too brave , either to be overcome by gold , or to overcome by poyson ; so that he refus'd the money , and advis'd pyrrhus to have a care of treachery , and this in the heat too of a licentious war : fabricius valu'd himself upon his poverty , and was as much above the thought of riches , as of poyson . live pyrrhus , sayes he , by my friendship ; and turn that to thy satisfaction , which was before thy trouble ; that is to say , that fabricius could not be corrupted . chap. xvi . constancy of mind gives a man reputation , and makes him happy in despite of all misfortunes . the whole duty of man may be reduc'd to the two poynts of abstinence , and patience . temperance in prosperity , and courage in adversity . we have already treated of the former ; and the other follows now in course . epicurus will have it , that a a a a wise man will bear all injuries ; but the stoicks will not allow those things to be injuries , which epicurus calls so . now , betwixt these two , there is the same difference that we find betwixt two gladiators ; the one receives wounds , but yet maintains his ground ; the other tells the people , when he is in blood , that 't is but a scratch , and will not suffer any body to part them . an injury cannot be receiv'd , but it must be done ; but it may be done , and yet not receiv'd ; as a man may be in the water , and not swim , but if he swims , 't is presum'd that he is in the water . or if a blow , or a shot be levell'd at us , it may so happen that a man may miss his aim , or some accident interpose , that may divert the mischief . that which is hurt is passive , and inferior to that which hurts it ; but you will say , that socrates was condemn'd , and put to death , and so receiv'd an injury ; but i answer , that the tyrants did him an injury , and yet he receiv'd none . he that steals any thing from me , and hides it in my own house ; though i have not lost it , yet he has stoln it . he that lies with his own wife , and takes her for another woman ; though the woman be honest , the man is an adulterer . suppose a man gives me a draught of poyson ; and it proves not strong enough to kill me ; his guilt is never the less for the disappointment : he that makes a pass at me , is as much a murtherer , though i put it by , as if he had struck me to the heart . it is the intention , not the effect , that makes the wickedness . he is a thief , that has the will of killing , and slaying , before his hand is dipt in blood : as it is sacrilege , the very intention of laying violent hands upon holy things . if a philosopher be expos'd to torments , the axe over his head , his body wounded , his guts in his hands ; i will allow him to grone ; for virtue it self cannot divest him of the nature of a man ; but if his mind stands firm , he has discharg'd his part . a great mind enables a man to maintain his station with honor ; so that he only makes use of what he meets in his way , as a pilgrim that would fain be at his journeys end. it is the excellency of a great b b b mind to ask nothing , and to want nothing ; and to say , i 'll have nothing to do with fortune that repulses cato , and prefers vatinius . he that quits his hold , and accompts any thing good that is not honest ; runs gaping after casualties , spends his days in anxiety , and vain expectation ; that man is miserable . and yet 't is hard , you 'll say , to be banish'd , or cast into prison : nay , what if it were to be burnt , or any other way destroy'd ? we have examples in all ages , and in all cases , of great men that have triumph'd over all misfortunes . metellus suffer'd exile resolutely ; rutilius , chearfully ; socrates disputed in the dungeon ; and though he might have made his escape , refus'd it : to shew the world how easie a thing it was to subdue the two great terrors of mankind , death , and a iayle . or what shall we say of mucius scaevola ; a man only of a military courage , and without the help either of philosophy , or letters ? who , when he found that he had kill'd the secretary , in stead of porcenna ( the prince ) burnt his right hand to ashes for the mistake ; and held his arm in the flame , till it was taken away by his very enemies . porcenna did more easily pardon mucius for his intent to kill him , than mucius forgave himself for missing of his aim . he might have done a luckyer thing , but never a braver . did not cato in the last night of his c c c life , take plato to bed with him ; with his sword at his beds-head ; the one , that he might have death at his will ; the other , that he might have it in his power ; being resolv'd that no man should be able to say , either that he kill'd , or that he sav'd cato ? so soon as he had compos'd his thoughts , he took his sword ; fortune , sayes he , i have hitherto fought for my countryes liberty , and for my own , and only that i might live free among freemen ; but the cause is now lost , and cato safe . with that word , he cast himself upon his sword , and after the physitians , that press'd in upon him , had bound up his wound , he tore it open again , and so expir'd with the same greatness of soul , that he liv'd . but these are the examples , you 'll say , of men famous in their generations . let us but consult history , and we shall find , even in the most effeminate of nations , and the most dissolute of times , men of all degrees , ages , and fortunes ; nay , even women themselves , that have overcome the fear of death : which , in truth , is so little to be fear'd , that , duly consider'd , it is one of the greatest benefits in nature . it was as great an honor for cato , when his party was broken , that he himself stood his ground , as it would have been if he had carry'd the day , and setled an universal peace : for it is an equal prudence , to make the best of a bad game , and to manage a good one . the day that he was repuls'd , he playd ; and the night that he kill'd himself , he read ; as valuing the loss of his life , and the missing of an office at the same rate . people , i know , are apt to pronounce upon other mens infirmities , by the measure of their own , and to think it impossible that a man should be content to be burnt , wounded , kill'd , or shackl'd , though in some cases he may . it is only for a great mind to judge of great things ; for otherwise , that which is our infirmity , will seem to be another bodies ; as a streight stick in the water appears to be crooked . he that yields , draws upon his own head his own ruin ; for we are sure to get the better of fortune , if we do but struggle with her . fencers , and wrastlers we see , what blows , and bruises they endure , not only for honor , but for exercise : if we turn our backs once , we are routed , and pursu'd ; that man only is happy , that draws good out of evil ; that stands fast in his judgment , and unmov'd with any external violence ; or however , so little mov'd , that the keenest arrow in the quiver of fortune is but as the prick of a needle to him , rather than a wound : and all her other weapons fall upon him only as hail upon the roof of a house , that crackles , and skips off again , without any damage to the inhabitant . a generous , and a clear-sighted young man , will take it for d d d a happiness to encounter ill fortune . 't is nothing for a man to hold up his head in a calm , but to maintain his post , when all others have quitted their ground , and there to stand upright , where other men are beaten down , this is divine , and praise-worthy . what ill is there in torments , or in those things which we commonly accompt grievous crosses ? the great evil is the want of courage ; the bowing , and submitting to them ; which can never happen to a wise man ; for he stands upright under any weight : nothing that is to be born displeases him ; he knows his strength ; and , whatsoever may be any mans lot , he never complains of , if it be his own. nature , he sayes , deceives no body ; she does not tell us whether our children shall be fair , or foul ; wise , or foolish ; good subjects , or traitors ; nor whether our fortune shall be good , or bad. we must not judge of a man by his ornaments ▪ but strip him of all the advantages , and the impostures of fortune ; nay , of his very body too , and look into his mind : if he can see a naked sword at his eyes , without so much as winking ; if he make it a thing indifferent to him , whether his life go out at his throat , or at his mouth ; if he can hear himself sentenc'd to torments , or exile ; and under the very hand of the executioner , say thus to himself , all this i am provided for , and 't is no more , than a man , that is to suffer the fate of humanity . this is the temper of mind that speaks a man happy ; and without this , all the confluences of external comforts signifie no more than the personating of a king upon the stage ; when the curtain is drawn we are players again . not that i pretend to except a wise man out of the number of men , as if he had no sence of pain , but i reckon him as compounded of body , and soul : the body is irrational , and may be gall'd , burnt , tortur'd ; but the rational part is fearless , invincible , and not to be shaken . this is it that i reckon upon as the supreme good of man ; which till it be perfected , is but an unsteady agitation of thought , and in the perfection , an immovable stability . it is not in our contentions with fortune , as in those of the theatre , where we may throw down our arms , and pray for quarter : but here we must dy firm , and resolute . there needs no encouragement to those things which we are inclin'd to by a natural instinct ; as the preservation of our selves with ease , and pleasure ; but , if it comes to the tryal of our faith by torments , or of our courage by wounds , these are difficulties that we must be arm'd against by philosophy , and precept : and yet all this is no more than what we were born to ; and no matter of wonder at all ; so that a wise man prepares himself for 't ; as expecting that whatsoever may be , will be . my body is frail , and liable , not only to the impressions of violence , but to afflictions also , that naturally succeed our pleasures . full meales bring crudities ; whoring , and drinking make the hands to shake , and the knees to tremble . it is only the surprize , and newness of the thing , which makes that misfortune terrible , which by premeditation might be made easie to us : for , that which some people make light by sufferance , others do by foresight . whatsoever is necessary , we must bear patiently . 't is no new thing to dy ; no new thing to mourn , and no new thing to be merry again . must i be poor ? i shall have company ; in banishment ? i 'll think my self born there . if i dy , i shall be no more sick , and 't is a thing i can do but once . let us never wonder at any thing e e e we are borne to ; for no man has reason to complain , where we are all in the same condition . he that scapes , might have suffer'd ; and 't is but equal to submit to the law of mortality . we must undergo the colds of winter , the heats of summer ; the distempers of the ayre , and diseases of the body . a wild beast meets us in one place , and a man that is more brutal , in another ; we are here assaulted by fire , there by water . demetrius was reserv'd by providence for the age he liv'd in ; to shew , that neither the times could corrupt him , nor he reform the people . he was a man of an exact judgment , steady to his purpose , and of a strong eloquence ; not finical in his words , but his sence was masculine , and vehement . he was so qualify'd in his life , and discourse , that ho serv'd both for an example , and a reproche . if fortune should have offer'd that man the government , and the possession of the whole world , upon condition not to lay it down again ; i dare say he would have refus'd it ; and thus have expostulated the matter with you . why should you tempt a freeman to put his shoulder●… under a burthen ; or an honest man to pollute himself with the dregs of mankind ? why do you offer me the spoyle's of princes , and of nations , and the prince not only of your blood , but of your soules ? it is the part of a great mind to be temperate in prosperity ; resolute in adversity ; to despise what the vulgar admire ; and to prefer a mediocrity to an excess . was not socrates oppress'd with poverty , labor , nay , and the worst of wars in his own family , a fierce , and turbulent woman to his wife ? were not his children indocile , and like their mother ? after seven and twenty years spent in armes , he fell under a slavery to the thirty tyrants , and most of them his bitter enemies : he came at last , to be sentenc'd as a violator of religion , a corrupter of youth , and a common enemy to god , and man. after this , he was emprison'd , and put to death by poyson ; which was all so far from working upon his mind , that it never so much as alter'd his countenance . we are to bear ill accidents , as unkind seasons , distempers , or diseases ; and , why may we not reckon the actions of wicked men even among those accidents ? their deliberations are not counsels , but frauds , snares , and inordinate motions of the mind ; and they are never without a thousand pretences , and occasions of doing a man mischief . they have their informers , their knights of the post ; they can make an interest with powerful men , and one may be robb'd as well upon the bench , as upon the high-way . they lie in wait for advantages , and live in perpetual agitation , betwixt hope , and fear : whereas he that is truely compos'd , will stand all shocks , either of violences , flatteries , or menaces , without perturbation . it is an inward fear that makes us curious after what we hear abroad . it is an error to attribute either good , or ill , to f f f fortune ; but the matter of it we may ; and we our selves are the occasion of it , being , in effect , the artificers of our own happiness , or misery : for the mind is above fortune ; if that be evil , it makes every thing else so too : but if it be right , and sincere , it corrects what is wrong , and mollifies what is hard , with modesty , and courage . there 's a great difference among those that the world calls wise men. some take up private resolutions of opposing fortune , but they cannot go thorough with them , for they are either dazled with splendor on the one hand , or affrighted with terrors on the other : but there are others that will close , and grapple with fortune , and still come off victorious . mucius overcame the fire , regulus the gibbet ; socrates , poyson ; rutilius , banishment ; cato , death ; fabricius , riches ; tubero , poverty ; and sextius , honors . but there are some again so delicate , that they cannot bear so much as a scandalous report ; which is the same thing as if a man should quarrel for being justled in a croud , or dash'd as he walks in the streets ; he that has a great way to go , must expect to slip , to stumble , and to be tir'd : to the luxurious man , frugality is a punishment ; labour , and industry to the sluggard ; nay , study it self is a torment to him . not that these things are hard to us by nature , but we our selves are vain , and irresolute . nay , we wonder many of us , how any man can live without wine , or endure to rise so early in a morning . a brave man must expect to be toss'd ; for he is to steer his course in the teeth of fortune , and to work against vvind , and vveather . in the suffering of torments , though there appears but one virtue , a man exercises many . that which is most eminent , is patience ( which is but a branch of fortitude ) but there is prudence also , in the choice of the action , and in the bearing what we cannot avoid ; and there is constancy in bearing it resolutely ; and there is the same concurrence also of several virtues in other generous undertakings . vvhen leonidas was to carry his men into the straits of the thermopylae to put a stop to xerxes his huge army : come , fellow soldiers , sayes he , eate your dinners here , as if you were to sup in another world. and they answer'd his resolution . how plain , and imperious was that short speech of caeditius to his men upon a desperate action ? and , how glorious a mixture was there in it both of bravery , and prudence ! soldiers , sayes he , it is necessary for us to go , but it is not necessary for us to return . this brief , and pertinent harangue , was worth ten thousand of the frivolous cavils , and distinctions of the schools ; which rather break the mind , than fortifie it , and when 't is once perplex'd , and prick'd with difficulties , and scruples , there they leave it . our passions are numerous , and strong , and not to be master'd with quirks , and tricks , as if a man should undertake to defend the cause of god , and men , with a bu●…rush . it was a remarkable piece of honor , and policy together , that action of caesar's , upon the taking of pompey's cabinet at the battle of pharsalia : 't is probable that the letters in it might have discover'd who were his friends , and who his enemies , and yet he burnt it without so much as opening it : esteeming it the noblest way of pardoning , to keep himself ignorant both of the offender , and of the offence . it was a brave presence of mind also in alexander , who , upon advice , that his physitian philip intended to poyson him , took the letter of advice in one hand , and the cup in the other , delivering philip the letter to read , while he himself drank the potion . some are of opinion , that death gives a h h h man courage to support pain , and that pain fortifies a man against death : but i say rather , that a wise man depends upon himself against both , and that he does not either suffer with patience , in hopes of death , or dye willingly because he is weary of life ; but he bears the one , and waits for the other , and carries a divine mind through all the accidents of humane life . he looks upon faith , and honesty , as the most sacred good of mankind , and neither to be forc'd by necessity , nor corrupted by reward : kill , burn , tear him in pieces , he will be true to his trust ; and the more any man labors to make him discover a secret , the deeper will he hide it . resolution is the inexpugnable defence of humane weakness , and it is a wonderful providence that attends it . horatius cocles oppos'd his single body to the whole army , till the bridge was cut down behind him , and then leap'd into the river , with his sword in his hand , and came off safe to his party . there was a fellow question'd about a plot upon the life of a tyrant , and put to the torture to declare his confederates : he nam'd , by one , and one , all the tyrants friends that were about him ; and still as they were nam'd , they were put to death : the tyrant ask'd him at last , if there were any more . yes , sayes he , you your self were in the plot , and now you have never another friend left you in the world : whereupon the tyrant cut the throats of his own guards . he is the happy man that is the master of himself , and triumphs over the fear of death , which has overcome the conquerors of the world. chap xvii . our happiness depends in a great measure upon the choice of our company . the comfort of life depends upon conversation , good offices , and concord ; and humane society is like the working of an arch of stone ; all would fall to the ground if one piece did not support another . above all things , let us have a tenderness for blood ; and it is yet too little not to hurt , unless we profit one another . we are to relieve the distressed ; to put the wanderer into his way , and to divide our bread with the humble ; which is but the doing of good to our selves : for we are only several members of one great body . nay , we are all of a consanguinity ; form'd of the same materials , and design'd to the same end : this obliges us to a mutual tenderness , and converse ; and the other , to live with a regard to equity , and justice . the love of society is natural ; but the choice of our company is matter of virtue , and prudence . noble examples stir us up to noble actions ; and the very history of large , and publick souls , inspires a man with generous thoughts . it makes a man long to be in action ; and doing of something that the world may be the better for ; as protecting the weak , delivering the oppress'd , punishing the insolent . it is a great blessing , the very conscience of giving a good example ; beside , that it is the greatest obligation any man can lay upon the age he lives in . he that converses with the proud shall be puff'd up ; a lustful acquaintance makes a man lascivious ; and the way to secure a man from wickedness , is to withdraw from the examples of it . 't is too much to have them near us , but more to have them within us . ill example , pleasure , and ease are , no doubt of it , great corrupters of manners . a rocky ground hardens the horses hoof ; the mountanier makes the best soldier ; the miner makes the best pionier , and severity of discipline fortifies the mind . in all excesses , and extremities of good , and of ill fortune , let us have recourse to great examples that have contemn'd both. those are the best instructers that teach in their lives , and prove their words by their actions . as an ill ayr may endanger a good constitution , so may a a a a place of ill example endanger a good man. nay , there are some places that have a kind of privilege to be licentious , and where luxury , and dissolution of manners seem to be lawful ; for great examples give both authority , and excuse to wickedness . those places are to be avoided as dangerous to our manners . hannibal himself was unmann'd by the looseness of campania , and though a conqueror by his arms , he was overcome by his pleasures . i would as soon live among butchers , as among cooks ; not but that a man may be temperate in any place ; but , to see drunken men staggering up and down every where ; and only the spectacles of lust , luxury , and excess before our eyes , it is not safe to expose our selves to the temptation . if the victorious hannibal himself could not resist it , what shall become of us then that are subdu'd , and give ground to our lusts already . he that has to do with an enemy in his breast , has a harder task upon him than he that is to encounter one in the field : his hazard is greater if he loses ground , and his duty is perpetual ; for he has no place , or time for rest. if i give way to pleasure , i must also yield to grief , to poverty , to labor , ambition , anger , till i am torn to pieces by my misfortunes , and my lusts. but , against all this , philosophy propounds a liberty , that is to say , a liberty from the service of accidents , and fortune . there is not any thing that does more mischief to mankind , then mercenary masters of philosophy , that do not live as they teach ; they give a scandal to virtue . how can any man expect that a ship should steer a fortunate course , when the pilot lies wallowing in his own vomit . 't is an usual thing , first to learn to do ill our selves , and then to instruct others to do so : but , that man must need●… be very wicked , that has gather'd into himself the wickedness of all other people . the best conversation is with the b b b philosophers : that is to say , with such of them as teach us matter , not words ; that preach to us things necessary , and keep us to the practice of them . there can be no peace in humane life without the contempt of all events ▪ there is nothing that either puts better thoughts into a man , or sooner sets him right that is out of the way , than a good companion ▪ for , the example has the force of a precept , and touches the heart with an affection to goodness . and not only the frequent hearing , and seeing of a wise man delights us , but the very encounter of him suggests profitable contemplations ; such as a man finds himself mov'd with , when he goes into a holy place . i will take more care with whom i eate , and drink , than what ; for without a friend the table is a manger . writing does well ; but personal discourse , and conversation does better ; for men give great credit to their ears , and take stronger impressions from example , than precept . cleanthes had never hit zeno so to the life , if he had not been in with him at all his privacies ; if he had not watch'd , and observ'd him , whether or no he practic'd as he taught . plato got more from socrates his manners , than from his words ; and it was not the school , but the company , and familiarity of epicurus , that made metrodorus , hermachus , and polyaenus so famous . now though it be by instinct that we covet society , and avoid solitude , we should yet take this along with us , that the more acquaintance , the more danger . nay , there is not one man of an hundred that is to be trusted with himself . if company cannot alter us , it may interrupt us ; and he that so much as stops upon the way , loses a great deal of a short life ; which we yet make shorter by our inconstancy . if an enemy were at our heels , what haste should we make ? but death is so , and yet we never mind it . there is no venturing of tender , and easie natures among the people ; for 't is odds that they 'll go over to the major party . it would perhaps shake the constancy of socrates , cato , laelius , or any of us all ; even when our resolutions are at the height , to stand the shock of vice that presses upon us with a kind of publick authority . it is a world of mischief that may be done by one single example of avarice , or luxury . one voluptuous palate makes a great many . a wealthy neighbor stirs up envy , and a fleering companion moves ill nature where-ever he comes . what will become of those people then , that expose themselves to a popular violence ? which is ill both wayes ; either if they comply with the wicked , because they are many , or quarrel with the multitude , because they are not principl'd alike . the best way is to retire , and associate only with those , that may be the better for us , and we for them. these respects are mutual , for while we teach , we learn . to deal freely ; i dare not trust my self in the hands of much company : i never go abroad , that i come home again the same man i went out . some thing or other that i had put in order , is discompos'd : some passion that i had subdu'd , gets head again , and it is just with our minds , as it is after a long indisposition with our bodies ; we are grown so tender , that the least breath of ayr exposes us to a relapse . and , it is no wonder , if a numerous conversation be dangerous , when there is scarce any single man , but by his discourse , example , or behavior , does either recommend to us , or imprint in us , or by a kind of contagion , insensibly infect us with one vice or other ; and the more people , the greater is the peril . especially let us have a care of publick spectacles , where vvickedness insinuates it self with pleasure ; and above all others , let us avoid spectacles of cruelty , and blood ; and have nothing to do with those that are perpetually vvhining , and complaining ; there may be faith , and kindness there , perhaps , but no peace . people that are either sad , or fearful , we do commonly , for their own sakes , set a guard upon them , for fear they should make an ill use of being alone : especially the imprudent , who are still contriving of mischief , either for others , or for themselves ; in cherishing their lusts , or forming their designs . so much for the choice of a companion , we shall now proceed to that of a friend . chap. xviii . the blessings of friendship . of all felicities , the most charming is that of a firm , and gentle friendship . it sweetens all our cares ; dispells our sorrows ; and counsels us in all extremities . nay , if there were no other comfort in 't , than the bare exercise of so generous a virtue , even for that single reason , a man would not be without it . beside , that it is a sovereign antidote against all calamities ; even against the fear of death it self . but , we are not yet to number our a a a friends , by the visits that are made us ; and to confound the decencies of ceremony , and commerce , with the offices of united affections . caius gracchus , and after him , livius drusus , were the men that introduc'd among the romans , the fashion of separating their visitants : some were taken into the closet ; others were only admitted into the anti-chamber ; and some again were fain to wait in the hall perhaps , or in the court. so that they had their first , their second , and their third-rate friends ; but none of them true : only they are call'd so in course , as we salute strangers with some title or other of respect at a venture . there 's no depending upon those men that only take their complement in their turn , and rather slip through the dore , than enter at it : he will find himself in a great mistake , that either seeks for a friend in a palace , or tries him at a feast . the great difficulty rests in the b b b choice of him ; that is to say , in the first place , let him be virtuous ; for vice is contagious , and there 's no trusting of the sound , and the sick together : and he ought to be a wise man too , if a body knew where to find him : but , in this case , he that is least ill , is best ; and the highest degree of humane prudence is , only the most venial folly. that friendship , where mens affections are cimented by an equal , and by a common love of goodness , it is not either hope , or fear , or any private interest that can ever dissolve it ; but we carry it with us to our graves , and lay down our lives for it with satisfaction . paulina's good , and mine , ( sayes our author ) were so wrapt up together , that in consulting her comfort , i provided for my own : and when i could not prevail upon her to take less care for me , she prevail'd upon me to take more care of my self . some people make it a question , whether is the greater delight , the enjoying of an old friendship : or , the acquiring of a new one ; but , it is in the preparing of a friendship , and in the possession of it , as it is with a husbandman , in sowing , and reaping . his delight is the hope of his labor in the one case , and the fruit of it in the other . my conversation lies among my books , but yet in the letters of a friend methinks i have his company ; and when i answer them , i do not only write , but speak : and in effect , a friend is an eye , a heart , a tongue , a hand , at all distances . when friends see one another personally , they do not see one another as they do when they are divided , where the meditation dignifies the prospect : but they are effectually in a great measure absent , even when they are present . consider their nights apart ; their private studies ; their separate employments , and necessary visits , and they are almost as much together divided , as present . true friends are the whole world to one another ; and he that is is a friend to himself , is also a friend to mankind . even in my very studies , the greatest delight i take in what i learn , is the teaching of it to others : for , there 's no relish , methinks , in the possessing of any thing without a partner : nay , if wisdome it self were offer'd me , upon condition only of keeping it to my self , i should undoubtedly refuse it . lucilius tells me , that he has written to me by a c c c friend , but cautions me withal , not to say any thing to him of the affair in question ; for he himself stands upon the same guard. what is this , but to affirm , and to deny the same thing , in the same breath ; in calling any man a friend , whom we dare not trust as our own soul ? for , there must be no reserves in friendship : as much deliberation as you please , before the league is struck : but , no doubtings , or jealousies , after . 't is a preposterous weakness to love a man before we know him , and not to care for him after . it requires time , to consider of a friendship ; but , the resolution once taken , entitles him to my very heart , i look upon my thoughts to be as safe in his breast , as in my own ; i shall , without any scruple , make him the confident of my most secret cares , and counsels . it goes a great way toward the making of a man faithful , to let him understand , that you think him so ; and he that does but so much as suspect that i will deceive him , gives me a kind of right to cozen him . when i am with my friend , methinks i am alone , and as much at liberty to speak any thing , as to think it ; and as our hearts are one , so must be our interests , and convenience : for friendship layes all things in common , and nothing can be good to the one , that is ill to the other . i do not speak of such a community as to destroy one anothers propriety ; but as the father , and the mother have two children , not one a piece , but each of them two. but , let us have a care above all things , that our kindness d d d be rightly founded ; for , where there is any other invitation to friendship , than the friendship it self , that friendship will be bought , and sold. he derogates from the majesty of it , that makes it only dependent upon good fortune . it is a narrow consideration for a man to please himself in the thought of a friend , because , sayes he , i shall have one to help me , when i am sick ; in prison , or in want. a brave man should rather take delight in the contemplation of doing the same offices for another . he that loves a man for his own sake , is in an error . a friendship of interest cannot last any longer than the interest it self ; and this is the reason that men in prosperity are so much follow'd ; and when a man goes down the wind , no body comes near him . temporary friends will never stand the test. one man is forsaken for fear , or profit ; another is betray'd : 't is a negotiation , not a friendship , that has an eye to advantages : only through the corruption of times , that which was formerly a friendship , is now become a design upon a booty ; alter your testament , and you lose your friend . but , my end of friendship , is to have one dearer to me than my self ; and for the saving of whose life , i would chearfully lay down my own : taking this along with me , that only wise men can be friends ; others are but companions ; and that there 's a great difference also betwixt love , and friendship ; the one may sometime do us hurt ; the other alwayes does us good ; for one friend is helpful to another in all cases , as well in prosperity , as affliction . we receive comfort even at a distance , from those we love , but then it is light , and faint : whereas presence , and conversation touches us to the quick ; especially if we find the man we love to be such a person as we wish . it is usual with princes to reproach the living , by commending the dead ; and to praise those people for speaking truth , from whom there is no longer any danger of hearing it . this was augustus his case . he was forc'd to banish his daughter iulia , for her common , and prostituted impudence ; and still , upon fresh informations , he was often heard to say ; if agrippa , or mecaenas had been now alive , this would never have been . but yet where the fault lay , may be a question ; for perchance it was his own , that had rather complain for the want of them , than seek for others as good. the roman losses by war , and by fire , augustus could quickly supply , and repair ; but for the loss of two friends , he lamented his whole life after . xerxes ( a vain , and a foolish prince ) when he made war upon greece , one told him , 't would never come to a battel : another , that he would find only empty cities , and countryes , for they would not so much as stand the very fame of his coming ; others sooth'd him in the opinion of his prodigious numbers , and they all concurr'd to puff him up to his destruction . only demaratus advis'd him , not to depend too much upon his numbers , for he would rather find them a burthen to him than an advantage : and that men in the streights of the mountains , would be sufficient to give a check to his whole army ; and that such an accident would undoubtedly turn his vast numbers to his confusion . it fell out afterward as he foretold , and he had thanks for his fidelity . a miserable prince , that among so many thousand subjects , had but one servant to tell him the truth ! chap. xix . he that would be happy , must take an accompt of his time. in the distribution of humane life , we find , that a great part of it passes away in evil-doing ; a greater yet , in doing just nothing at all ; and effectually , the whole , in doing things beside our business . some hours we bestow upon ceremony , and servile attendances ; some upon our pleasures , and the remainder runs at waste . what a deal of time is it that we spend in hopes , and fears ; love , and revenge ; in balls , treats , making of interests ; suing for offices , solliciting of causes , and slavish flatteries ? the shortness of life , i know , is the common complaint both of fools , and philosophers ; as if the time we have , were not sufficient for our duties . but 't is with our lives , as with our estates , a good husband makes a little go a great way ; whereas let the revenue of a prince fall into the hands of a prodigal , 't is gone in a moment . so that the time allotted us , if it were well employ'd , were abundantly enough to answer all the ends , and purposes of mankind . but , we squander it away in avarice , drink , sleep , luxury , ambition ; fawning addresses , envy , rambling voyages ; impertinent studies , change of counsels , and the like ; and when our portion is spent , we find the want of it , though we gave no heed to it in the passage : in so much , that we have rather made our life short , than found it so . you shall have some people perpetually playing with their fingers , whistling , humming , and talking to themselves ; and others consume their dayes in the composing , hearing , or reciting of songs , and lampoons . how many precious mornings do we spend in consultation with barbers , taylors , and tire-women , patching , and painting , betwixt the comb , and the glass ? a counsel must be call'd upon every hair we cut , and one curle amiss , is as much as a bodies life is worth . the truth is , we are more sollicitous about our dress , than our manners , and about the order of our perriwigs , than that of the government . at this rate , let us but discount , out of a life of a hundred years , that time which has been spent upon popular negotiations , frivolous amours , domestick brawls , sauntrings up and down , to no purpose ; diseases that we have brought upon our selves ; and this large extent of life will not amount perhaps to the minority of another man. it is a long being , but perchance a short life . and what 's the reason of all this ? we live as if we should never dye , and without any thought of humane frailty ; when yet the very moment we bestow upon this man , or thing , may peradventure be our last . but the greatest loss of time , is delay , and expectation , which depends upon the future . we let go the present , which we have in our own power , we look forward to that which depends upon fortune , and so quit a certainty for an uncertainty . we should do by time , as we do by a torrent , make use of it while we may have it , for it will not last alwayes . the calamities of humane nature , may be divided into f f f the fear of death , and the miseries , and errors of life . and it is the great work of mankind , to master the one , and to rectifie the other : and so to live , as neither to make life irksome to us , nor death terrible . it should be our care , before we are old , to live well , and when we are so , to die well ; that we may expect our end without sadness : for it is the duty of life to prepare our selves for death ; and there is not an hour we live , that does not mind us of our mortality : time runs on , and all things have their fate , though it lies in the dark : the period is certain to nature , but , what am i the better for it , if it be not so to me ? we propound travels , armes , adventures , without ever considering that death lies in the way ; our term is set , and none of us know how near it is ; but we are all of us agreed , that the decree is unchangable . why should we wonder , to have that befall us to day , which might have happen'd to us any minute since we were born ? let us therefore live as if every moment were to be our last ; and set our accompts right , every day that passes over our heads . we are not ready for death , and therefore we fear it , because we do not know what will become of us when we are gone ; and that consideration strikes us with an inexplicable terror . the way to avoid this distraction , is to contract our business , and our thoughts ; when the mind is once setled ; a day , or an age is all one to us , and the series of time , which is now our trouble , will be then our delight : for he that is steadily resolv'd against all uncertainties , shall never be disturb'd with the variety of them . let us make haste therefore to live , since every day to a wise man is a new life : for , he has done his business the day before , and so prepar'd himself for the next , that if it be not his last , he knows yet that it might have been so . no man enjoyes the true taste of life , but he that is willing , and ready to quit it . the wit of man is not able to express the g g g blindness of humane folly , in taking so much more care of our fortunes , our houses , and our money , than we do of our lives ; every body breaks in upon the one , gratis , but we betake our selves to fire , and sword , if any man invades the other . there 's no dividing in the case of patrimony , but people share our time with us at pleasure : so profuse are we of that only thing , whereof we may be honestly covetous . 't is a common practice to ask an hour or two of a friend , for such , or such a business , and it is as easily granted ; both parties only considering the occasion , and not the thing it self . they never put time to accompt , which is the most valuable of all pretious things ; but because they do not see it , they reckon upon it as nothing ; and yet these easie men , when they come to dye , would give the whole world for those hours again , which they so inconsiderately cast away before ; but there 's no recovering of them . if they could number their dayes that are yet to come , as they can those that are already past , how would those very people tremble at the apprehension of death , though a hundred year hence , that never so much as think of it at present , though they know not but it may take them away the next immediate minute . 't is an usual saying , i would give my life for such or such a friend , when at the same time we do give it , without so much as thinking of it : nay , when that friend is never the better for it , and we our selves the worse . our time is set , and day and night we travel on ; there 's no baiting by the way , and 't is not in the power of either prince , or people to prolong it . such is the love of life , that even those decrepit dotards that have lost the use of it , will yet beg the continuance of it , and make themselves younger than they are , as if they could cozen even fate it self . when they fall sick , what promises of amendment , if they scape that bout ? what exclamations against the folly of their mis-pent time ! and yet , if they recover , they relapse . no man takes care to live well , but long , when yet it is in every bodies power to do the former , and in no man 's to do the latter . we consume our lives , in providing the very instruments of life , and govern our selves still with a regard to the future ; so that we do not properly live , but we are about to live. how great a shame is it , to be laying new foundations of life , at our last gasp , and for an old man , ( that can only prove his age by his beard ) with one foot in the grave , to go to school again . while we are young , we may learn : our minds are tractable , and our bodies fit for labor , and study ; but when age comes on , we are seiz'd with languor , and sloth , afflicted with diseases , and at last we leave the world as ignorant as we came into it ; only we dy worse than we were born ; which is none of natures fault , but ours ; for our fears , suspicions , perfidy , &c. are from our selves . i wish with all my soul , that i had thought of my end sooner , but i must make the more haste now , and spurr on , like those that set out late upon a journey ; it will be better to learn late , than not at all , though it be but only to instruct me , how i may leave the stage with honor. in the division of life , there is time present , past , and to come . what we do , is short ; what we shall do , is doubtful ; but , what we have done , is certain , and out of the power of fortune . the passage of time is wonderfully quick , and a man must look backward to see it : and in that retro-spect , he has all past ages at a view , but the present gives us the slip unperceiv'd . 't is but a moment that we live , and yet we are dividing it into childhood , youth , mans estate , and old age , all which degrees we bring into that narrow compass . if we do not watch , we lose our opportunities ; if we do not make haste , we are left behind ; our best hours scape us , the worst are to come . the purest part of our life runs first , and leaves only the dregs at the bottom : and that time , which is good for nothing else , we dedicate to virtue ; and only propound to begin to live , at an age that very few people arrive at . what greater folly can there be in the world , than this loss of time , the future being so uncertain , and the dammages so irreparable ? if death be necessary , why should any man fear it ? and if the time of it be uncertain , why should we not alwayes expect it ? we should therefore first prepare our selves by a virtuous life , against the dread of an inevitable death : and it is not for us to put off being good , till such , or such a business is over ; for one business draws on another , and we do as good as sow it ; one grain produces more . we are not to philosophize when we have nothing else to do , but to attend wisdome , even to the neglect of all things else , for we are so far from having time to spare , that the age of the world would be yet too narrow for the work we have to do ; nor is it enough not to omit it , but we must not so much as intermit it . there is nothing that we can i i i properly call our own , but our time , and yet every body fools us out of it , that has a mind to 't . if a man borrows a paltry sum of money , there must be bonds , and securities , and every common civility is presently charg'd upon accompt : but , he that has my time , thinks he owes me nothing for 't , though it be a debt , that gratitude it self can never repay . i cannot call any man poor , that has enough yet left , be it never so little : 't is good advice yet to those that have the world before them , to play the good husbands betimes , for 't is too late to spare at the bottom , when all is drawn out to the lees. he that takes away a day from me , takes away what he can never restore me . but our time is either forc'd away from us , or stoln from us , or lost : of which , the last is the foulest miscarriage . it is in life , as in a journey ; a book , or a companion , brings us to our lodging before we thought we were half-way . upon the whole matter , we consume our selves one upon another , without any regard at all to our own particular . i do not speak of such as live in notorious scandal , but even they themselves , whom the world pronounces happy , are smother'd in their felicities ; servants to their professions , and clients , and drown'd in their lusts. we are apt to complain of the haughtiness of great men , when yet there is hardly any of them all so proud , but that at some time or other a man may yet have access to him , and perhaps a good word , or look into the bargain . why do we not rather complain of our selves , for being of all others , even to our selves , the most deaf , and inaccessible . company , and business , are great k k k devourers of time , and our vices destroy our lives , as well as our fortunes . the present is but a moment , and perpetually in flux ; the time past we call to mind when we please , and it will abide the examination and inspection . but , the busie man has not leisure to look back ; or if he has , 't is an unpleasant thing to reflect upon a life to be repented of : whereas the conscience of a good life puts a man into a secure , and perpetual possession of a felicity never to be disturb'd , or taken away : but he that has led a wicked life , is afraid of his own memory , and in the review of himself he finds only appetite , avarice , or ambition , in stead of virtue . but still he that is not at leisure many times to live , must , when his fate comes , whether he will or no , be at leisure to dye . alass ! what is time to eternity ? the age of a man , to the age of the world ? and how much of this little do we spend in fears , anxieties , tears , childhood ; nay , we sleep away the one half . how great a part of it runs away in luxury , and excess ; the ranging of our guests , our servants , and our dishes ? as if we were to eate , and drink , not for satiety , but ambition . the nights may well seem short that are so dear bought , and bestow'd upon wine , and women : the day is lost in expectation of the night , and the night in the apprehension of the morning . there is a terror in our very pleasures ; and this vexatious thought in the very height of them , that they will not last alwayes : which is a canker in the delights , even of the greatest , and the most fortunate of men. chap. xx. happy is the man that may chuse his own business . oh ! the blessings of privacy , and leisure ! the wish of the powerful , and eminent , but the privilege only of inferiors : for it is they alone that live to themselves : nay , the very thought , and hope of it , is a consolation , even in the middle of all the tumults , and hazards , that attend greatness . it was augustus his prayer that he might live to retire , and deliver himself from publick business : his discourses were still pointing that way , and the highest felicity which this mighty prince had in prospect , was the devesting himself of that illustrious state , which , how glorious soever in shew , had , at the bottom of it only anxiety , and care. but , it is one thing to retire for pleasure , and another thing for virtue : which must be active , even in that retreat , and give proof of what it has learn'd : for a good , and a wise man does in privacy consult the well-being of posterity . zeno , and chrysippus did greater things in their studies , than if they had led armies , born offices , or given laws : which in truth they did , not to one city alone , but to all mankind : their quiet contributed more to the common benefit , than the sweat , and labour of other people . that retreat is not worth the while , which does not afford a man , greater , and nobler work than business . there 's no slavish attendance upon great officers ; no canvassing for places , no making of parties : no disappointments in my pretension to this charge , to that regiment ; or to such , or such a title : no envy of any mans favour , or fortune : but a calm enjoyment of the general bounties of providence , in company with a good conscience . a wise man is never so busie , as in the solitary contemplation of god , and the works of nature . he withdraws himself to attend the service of future ages , and those counsels which he finds salutary to himself , he commits to writing , for the good of after-times , as we do the receipts of sovereign antidotes , or balsams . he that is well employ'd in his study , though he may seem to do nothing at all , does the greatest things yet of all others , in affairs both humane and divine . to supply a friend with a sum of money , or give my voyce for an office , these are only private , and particular obligations ; but he that layes down precepts for the governing of our lives , and the moderating of our passions , obliges humane nature , not only in the present , but in all succeeding generations . he that would be at quiet , let him repair to his a a a philosophy , a study , that has credit with all sorts of men. the eloquence of the bar , or whatsoever else addresses to the people , is never without enemies : but philosophy minds its own business , and even the worst have an esteem for 't . there can never be such a conspiracy against virtue ; the world can never be so wicked , but the very name of a philosopher shall still continue venerable , and sacred . and yet philosophy it self must be handled modestly , and with caution . but what shall we say of cato then , for his medling in the broyl of a civil war , and interposing himself in the quarrel betwixt two enrag'd princes ? he , that when rome was split into two factions , betwixt pompey and caesar , declar'd himself against both. i speak this of cato's last part , for in his former time the common wealth was made unfit for a wise mans administration . all he could do then , was but bawling , and beating of the ayre ; one while he was lugg'd , and tumbled by the rabble , spit upon , and drag'd out of the forum , and then again hurry'd out of the senate-house to prison . there are some things which we propound originally , and others that fall in as accessory to another proposition . if a wise man retire , 't is no matter whether he does it , because the common-wealth was wanting to him , or because he was wanting to it. but , to what republick shall ▪ a man betake himself ? not to athens ▪ where socrates was condemn'd , and whence aristotle fled for fear he should have beeen condemn'd too ; and where virtue was oppress'd by envy . not to carthage , where there was nothing but tyranny , injustice , cruelty , and ingratitude . there is scarce any government to be found , that will either endure a wise man , or which a wise man will endure : so that privacy is made necessary , because the only thing which is better , is no where to be had . a man may commend navigation , and yet caution us against those seas that are troublesome , and dangerous : so that he does as good as command me not to weigh anchor , that commends sayling only upon these termes . he that is a slave to business , is the most wretched of slaves . but how shall i get my self at liberty ? b b b we can run any hazards for money ; take any pains for honor ; and why do we not venture something also for leisure , and freedome ? without which we must expect to live and dye in a tumult : for , so long as we live in publick , business breaks in upon us , as one billow drives on another ; and there 's no avoiding it with either modesty , or quiet . it is a kind of whirlpool , that sucks a man in , and he can never disengage himself . a man of business cannot in truth be said to live , and not one of a thousand understands how to do it : for how to live , and how to dye , is the lesson of every moment of our lives : all other arts have their masters . as a busie life is alwayes a miserable life , so is it the greatest of all miseries , to be perpetually employ'd upon other peoples business : for to sleep , to eate to drink at their hours , to walk their pace , and to love , and hate , as they do , is the vilest of servitudes . now though business must be quitted , let it not be done unseasonably ; the longer we defer it , the more we endanger our liberty ; and yet we must no more fly before the time , than linger when the time comes : or however , we must not love business for business sake ; nor indeed do we , but for the profit that goes along with it : for we love the reward of misery , though we hate the misery it self . many people , i know , seek business without chusing it , and they are e'en weary of their lives without it , for want of entertainment in their own thoughts : the hours are long , and hateful to them when they are alone , and they seem as short on the other side in their debauches . when they are no longer candidates they are suffragants : when they give over other peoples business , they do their own ; and pretend business , but they make it , and value themselves upon being thought men of employment . liberty is the thing which they are perpetually a wishing , and never come to obtain : a thing neither to be bought , nor sold ; but a man must ask it of himself , and give it to himself . he that has given proof of his virtue in publick , should do well to make tryal of it in private also . it is not that solitude , or a country life teaches innocence , or frugality ; but vice falls of it self , without witnesses , and spectators ; for the thing it designs is to be taken notice of . did ever any man put on rich cloths , not to be seen ? or spread the pomp of his luxury where no body was to take notice of it ? if it were not for admirers , and spectators , there would be no temptations to excess ; the very keeping of us from exposing them , cures us of desiring them , for vanity , and intemperance are fed with ostentation . he that has liv'd at sea in a storm , let him retire , and dye in the haven : but let his retreat be without ostentation , and wherein he may enjoy himself with a good conscience , without the want , the fear , the hatred , or the desire of any thing : not out of a malevolent detestation of mankind , but for satisfaction , and repose . he that shuns both business , and men , either out of envy , or any other discontent , his retreat is but to the life of a mole : nor does he live to himself , as a wise man does , but to his bed , his belly , and his lusts. many people seem to retire out of a weariness of publick affairs , and the trouble of disappointments ; and yet ambition finds them out even in that recess , into which , fear , and wearyness had cast them ; and so does luxury , pride , and most of the distempers of a publick life . there are many that lye close , not that they may live securely , but that they may transgress more privately ; it is their conscience , not their state , that makes them keep a porter , for they live at such a rate , that to be seen before they be aware , is to be detected . crates saw a young man walking by himself ; have a care , sayes he , of lewd company . some men are busie in idleness , and make peace more laborious , and troublesome than war : nay , and more wicked too , when they bestow it upon such lusts , and other vices , which even the licence of a military life would not endure . we cannot call these people men of leisure , that are wholly taken up with their pleasures . a troublesome life is much to be preferr'd before a slothful one , and it is a strange thing methinks , that any man should fear death , that has bury'd himself alive ; as privacy , without letters , is but the burying of a man quick. there are some that make a boast of their d d d retreat , which is but a kind of lazy ambition : they retire , to make people talk of them , whereas i would rather withdraw to speak with my self . and what shall that be , but that which we are apt to speak one of another ? i will speak ill of my self ; i will examine , accuse , and punish my infirmities . i have no design to be cry'd up for a great man , that has renounc'd the world , in a contempt of the vanity , and madness of humane life ; i blame no body but my self , and i address only to my self . he that comes to me for help , is mistaken , for i am not a physitian , but a patient : and i shall be well enough content to have it said , when any man leaves me , i took him for a happy , and a learned man , and truely i find no such matter . i had rather have my retreat pardon'd , than envy'd . there are some creatures that confound their footing about their dens , that they may not be found out , and so should a wise man in the case of his retirement . when the dore is open , the thief passes it by , as not worth his while ; but , when 't is bolted , and seal'd , 't is a temptation for people to be prying . to have it said , that such a one is never out of his study ; and sees no body , &c. this furnishes matter for discourse . he that makes his retirement too srict , and severe , does as good as call company to take notice of it . every man knows his own constitution . one eases his stomach by vomit , another supports it with good nourishment : he that has the gout forbears wine , and bathing ; and every man applyes to the part that is most infirm . he that shews a gouty foot , a lame hand , or contracted nerves , shall be permitted to lie still , and attend his cure. and why not so in the vices of his mind ? we must discharge all impediments , and make way for philosophy , as a study inconsistent with common business . to all other things we must deny our selves openly , and frankly ; when we are sick , we refuse visits , keep our selves close , and lay aside all publick cares : and shall we not do as much when we philosophize ? business is the drudgery of the world , and only fit for slaves , but contemplation is the work of wise men. not but that solitude , and company may be allow'd to take their turns : the one creates in us the love of mankind , the other , that of our selves : solitude relieves us when we are sick of company ; and conversation , when we are weary of being alone ; so that the one cures the other . there is no man , in fine , so miserable , as he that is at a loss how to spend his time. he is restless in his thoughts ; unsteady in his counsels ; dissatisfy'd with the present , sollicitous for the future ; whereas he that prudently computes his hours and his business , does not only fortifie himself against the common accidents of life , but improves the most rigorous dispensations of providence to his comfort ; and stands firm under all the tryals of humane weakness . chap. xxi . the contempt of death makes all the miseries of life easy to us . it is a hard task to master the natural desire of life , by a philosophical contempt of death ; and to convince the world , that there is no hurt in 't , and crush an opinion that was brought up with us from our cradles . what help ? what encouragement ? what shall we say to humane frailty , to carry it fearless through the fury of flames , and upon the points of swords ? what rhetorick shall we use to bear down the universal consent of people to so dangerous an error ? the captious , and superfine subtilties of the schools will never do the work : they speak many sharp things , but utterly unnecessary , and void of effect . the truth of it is , there is but one chain that holds all the world in bondage , and that 's the love of life . it is not that i propound the making of death so indifferent to us , as it is whether a mans hairs be even , or odd : for what with self-love , and an implanted desire in every thing of preserving it self , and a long acquaintance betwixt the soul , and body ; friends may be loth to part , and death may carry an appearance of evil , though in truth it is it self no evil at all . beside that , we are to go to a strange place , in the dark , and under great uncertainties of our future state : so that people dye in terror , because they do not know whither they are to goe , and they are apt to phancy the worst of what they do not understand : and these thoughts indeed are enough to startle a man of great resolution●… , without a wonderful support from above . and moreover our natural scruples , and infirmities are assisted by the wits , and phancies of all ages , in their infamous , and horrid descriptions of another world : nay , taking it for granted , that there will be a reward , and punishment , they are yet more affraid of an annihilation , than of hell it self . but , what is it we fear ? oh! 't is a terrible thing to dye . but , is it not better once to suffer it , a a a than always to fear it ? the earth it self suffers both with me , and before me . how many islands are swallow'd up in the sea ? how many towns do we sail over ? nay , how many nations are wholly lost , either by inundations , or earthquakes ? and , shall i be afraid of my little body ? why should i , that am sure to dye , and that all other things are mortal , be fearful of coming to my last gasp my self ? it is the fear of death that makes us base , and troubles , and destroys the life that we would preserve : that aggravates all circumstances , and makes them formidable . we depend but upon a flying moment . dye we must ; but when ? vvhat 's that to us ; it is the law of nature ; the tribute of mortals , and the remedy of all evils . 't is only the disguise that affrights us ; as children that are terrify'd with a visor . take away the instruments of death , the fire , the axe , the guards , the executioners , the vvhips , and the vvracks : take away the pomp , i say , and the circumstances that accompany it , and death is no more than what my slave yesterday contemn'd : the pain is nothing to a fit of the stone ; if it be tolerable , it is not great ; and if intolerable , it cannot last long . there is nothing that nature has made necessary , which is more easie than death : vve are longer a coming into the vvorld , than going out of it ; and there is not any minute of our lives , wherein we may not reasonably expect it . nay , 't is but a moments vvork , the parting of the soul , and body . vvhat a shame is it then to stand in fear of any thing so long , that is done so soon ? nor is it any great matter to b b b overcome this fear : for we have examples as well of the meanest of men , as of the greatest that have done it . there was a fellow to be expos'd upon the theatre , who , in disdain , thrust a stick down his own throat , and chok'd himself : and another on the same occasion , pretending to nod upon the chariot , as if he were asleep , cast his head betwixt the spokes of the wheel , and kept his seat till his neck was broken . caligula , upon a dispute with canius iulus ; do not flatter your self , sayes he , for i have given order to put you to death . and i thank your most gracious majesty for it , sayes canius , giving to understand perhaps , that under his government , death was a mercy : for he knew , that caligula seldome fail'd of being as good as his word in that case . he was at play when the officer carry'd him away to his execution , and beckoning to the centurion , pray , sayes he , will you bear me witness , when i am dead , and gone , that i had the better of the game . he was a man exceedingly belov'd , and lamented : and for a farewell , after he had preach'd moderation to his friends : you , sayes he , are here disputing about the immortality of the soul , and i am now a going to learn the truth of it ; if i discover any thing upon that poynt , you shall hear on 't . nay , the most timorous of creatures , when they see there 's no escaping , they oppose themselves to all dangers ; the despair gives them courage , and the necessity overcomes the fear . socrates was thirty dayes in prison after his sentence , and had time enough to have starv'd himself , and so to have prevented the poyson ; but he gave the world the blessing of his life as long as he could , and took that fatal draught , in the meditation , and contempt of death . marcellinus , in a deliberation upon death , call'd several of his friends about him : one was fearful , and advis'd what he himself would have done in the case : another gave the counsel which he thought marcellinus would like best ; but a friend of his that was a stoick , and a stout man , reason'd the matter to him after this manner . marcellinus , do not trouble your self , as if it were such a mighty business that you have now in hand ; 't is nothing to live ; all your servants do it , nay , your very beasts too ; but , to dy honestly , and resolutely , that 's a great point . consider with your self , there 's nothing pleasant in life , but what you have tasted already , and that which is to come is but the same over again ; and how many men are there in the world , that rather chuse to dye , than to suffer the nauseous tediousness of the repetition : upon which discourse he fasted himself to death . it was the custome of pacuvius to solemnize , in a kind of pagentry , every day , his own funerals . when he had swill'd , and gourmandiz'd , to a luxurious , and beastly excess , he was carry'd away from supper to bed , with this song and acclamation , he has liv'd , he has liv'd . that which he did in lewdness , would become us to do in sobriety , and prudence . if it shall please god to add another day to our lives , let us thankfully receive it , but however , it is our happiest , and securest course , so to compose our selves to night , that we may have no anxious dependence upon to morrow . he that can say , i have liv'd this day , makes the next clear again . death is the worst that either the c c c severity of laws , or the cruelty of tyrants can impose upon us ; and it is the utmost extent of the dominion of fortune . he that is fortify'd against that , must consequently be superior to all other difficulties that are but in the way to 't . nay , and in some occasions , it requires more courage to live , than to dye . he that is not prepar'd for death , shall be perpetually troubled , as well with vain apprehensions , as with real dangers . it is not death it self that is dreadful , but the fear of it that goes before it . when the mind is under a consternation , there is no state of life that can please us , for we do not so much endeavour to avoid mischiefs , as to run away from them : and the greatest slaughter is upon a flying enemy . had not a man better breathe out his last once for all , than lye agonizing in pains , consuming by inches , losing of his blood by drops , and yet how many are there that are ready to betray their country , and their friends ? and to prostitute their very wives , and daughters , to preserve a miserable carkass ? madmen , and children have no apprehension of death , and it were a shame that our reason should not do as much toward our security , as their folly. but , the great matter is to dye considerately , and chearfully , upon the foundation of virtue ; for life , in it self , is irksome ; and only eating , and drinking , and feeling in a circle . how many are there that betwixt the d d d apprehensions of death , and the miseries of life , are at their wits end what to do with themselves ? wherefore , let us fortifie our selves against those calamities , from which the prince is no more exempt than the beggar . pompey the great had his head taken off by a boy , and an eunuch ( young ptolomy , and photinus . ) caligula commanded the tribune daecimus to kill lepidus ; and another tribune ( chaereas ) did as much for caligula . never was any man so great , but he was as liable to suffer mischief , as he was able to do it . has not a thief , or an enemy your th●…ote at his mercy ? nay , and the meanest of servants has the power of life , and death over his master , for whosoever contemns his own life , may be the master of another bodies . you will find in story , that the displeasure of servants has been as fatal , as that of tyrants : and what matters it , the power of him we fear , when the thing we fear is in every bodies power ? suppose i fall into the hands of an enemy , and the conqueror condemns me to be led in triumph : it is but carrying me thither whither i should have gone without him ; that is to say , toward death , whither i have been marching ever since i was born . it is the fear of our last hour that disquiets all the rest. by the justice of all constitutions , mankind is condemn'd to a capital punishment : now how despicable would that man appear , who being sentenc'd to death in common with the whole world , should only petition , that he might be the last man brought to the block ? some men are particularly afraid of thunder , and yet extremely careless of other , and of greater dangers : as if that were all they have to fear . will not a sword , a stone , a feaver , do the work as well ? suppose the bolt should hit us , it were yet braver to dye with a stroke , than with the bare apprehension of it : beside the vanity of imagining , that heaven and earth should be put into such a disorder only for the death of one man. a good , and a brave man is not mov'd with lightening , tempests , or earthquakes : but perhaps he would voluntarily plunge himself into that gulph , where otherwise he should only fall : the cutting of a corn , or the swallowing of a fly , is enough to dispatch a man ; and 't is no matter how great that is , that brings me to my death , so long as death it self is but little. life is a small matter ; but 't is a matter of importance to contemn it . nature that begot us , expells us , and a better , and a safer place is provided for us . and what is death , but a ceasing to be what we were before ; we are kindled , and put out ; to cease to be , and not to begin to be , is the same thing ? we dye daily ; and while we are growing , our life decreases : every moment that passes , takes away part of it : all that 's past is lost : nay , we divide with death the very instant that we live. as the last sand in the glass does not measure the hour , but finishes it ; so the last moment that we live does not make up death , but concludes . there are some that pray more earnestly for death , than we do for life ; but it is better to receive it chearfully when it comes , than to hasten it before the time . but , what is it that we would live any longer for ? c c c not for our pleasures ; for those we have tasted over and over , even to satiety : so that there 's no point of luxury that 's new to us ; but a man would be loth to leave his country , and his friends behind him . that is to say , he would have them go first ; for that 's the least part of his care. well! but i would fain live to do more good , and discharge my self in the offices of life : as if to dye were not the duty of every man that lives . we are loth to leave our possessions ; and no man swims well with his luggage . we are all of us equally fearful of death , and ignorant of life : but , what can be more shameful , than to be sollicitous upon the brink of security ? if death be at any time to be fear'd , it is allwayes to be fear'd ; but , the way never to fear it , is to be often thinking of it . to what end is it to put off , for a little while , that which we cannot avoid ? he that dyes , does but follow him that is dead . why are we then so long afraid of that which is so little a while a doing ? how miserable are those people that spend their lives in the dismal apprehensions of death ? for , they are beset on all hands , and every minute in dread of a surprize . we must therefore look about us , as if we were in an enemies country ; and consider our last hour , not as the punishment , but as the law of nature ; the fear of it is a continual palpitation of the heart , and he that overcomes that terror , shall never be troubled with any other . life is a navigation ; we are perpetually wallowing , and dashing one against another ; sometimes we suffer shipwrack , but we are alwayes in danger , and in expectation of it . and , what is it when it comes , but either the end of a journey , or a passage ? it is as great a folly to fear death , as to fear old age. nay , as to fear life it self ; for he that would not dye , ought not to live , since death is the condition of life : beside , that it is a madness to fear a thing that is certain ; for where there is no doubt , there is no place for fear . we are still chiding of fate , and even those that exact the most rigorous justice betwixt man , and man , are yet themselves unjust to providence . why was such a one taken away in the prime of his years ? as if it were the number of years that makes death easie to us , and not the temper of the mind . he that would live a little longer to day , would be as loth to dye a hundred year hence . but , which is more reasonable , for us to obey nature , or for nature to obey us ? go we must at last , and no matter how soon : 't is the work of fate to make us live long , but 't is the business of virtue to make a short life sufficient . life is to be measur'd by action , not by time ; a man may dye old at thirty , and young at fourscore . nay , the one lives after death , and the other perish'd before he dy'd . i look upon age among the effects of chance . how long i shall live is in the power of others , but it is in my own how well . the largest space of time , is to live till a man is wise. he that dyes of old age , does no more than go to bed when he is weary . death is the test of life , and it is that only which discovers what we are , and distinguishes betwixt ostentation , and virtue . a man may dispute , cite great authorities , talk learnedly , huff it out , and yet be rotten at heart . but let us soberly attend our business , and since it is uncertain when , or where we shall dye , let us look for death in all places , and at all times : we can never study that point too much , which we can never come to experiment , whether we know it or no. it is a blessed thing to dispatch the business of life before we dye ; and then to expect death in the possession of a happy life . he 's the great man , that is willing to dye , when his life is pleasant to him . an honest life is not a greater good than an honest death . how many brave young men , by an instinct of nature , are carry'd on to great actions , and even to the contempt of all hazards ? 't is childish to go out of the g g g world groning , and wailing , as we came into 't . our bodies must be thrown away , as the secondine that wraps up the infant , the other being only the covering of the soul : we shall then discover the secrets of nature ; the darkness shall be discuss'd , and our souls irradiated with light , and glory : a glory without a shadow ; a glory that shall surround us , and from whence we shall look down , and see day , and night beneath us . if we cannot lift up our eyes toward the lamp of heaven without dazling , what shall we do when we come to behold the divine light in its illustrious original ? that death which we so much dread , and decline , is not a determination , but the intermission of a life , which will return again . all those things that are the very cause of life , are the way to death : we fear it , as we do fame , but it is a great folly to fear words . some people are so impatient of life , that they are still wishing for death , but he that wishes to dye , does not desire it ; let us rather wait gods pleasure , and pray for health , and life . if we have a mind to live , why do we wish to dye ? if we have a mind to dye , we may do it without talking of it . men are a great deal more resolute in the article of death it self , than they are about the circumstances of it , for it gives a man courage , to consider , that his fate is inevitable ; the slow approches of death are the most troublesome to us ; as we see many a gladiator , who , upon his wounds , will direct his adversaries weapon to his very heart ; though but timorous perhaps in the combat . there are some that have not the heart either to live , or dy , and that 's a sad case . but this we are sure of , the fear of death is a continual slavery , as the contempt of it is certain liberty . chap. xxii . consolations against death , from the providence , and the necessity of it . this life is only a prelude to eternity , where we are to expect another original , and another state of things : we have no prospect of heaven here , but at a distance ; let us therefore expect our last , and decretory hour , with courage . the last ( i say ) to our bodies , but not to our minds : our luggage we must leave behind us , and return as naked out of the world , as we came into 't . the day which we fear as our last , is but the birth-day of our eternity ; and it is the only way to 't : so that what we fear as a rock , proves to be but a port ; in many cases to be desir'd , never to be refus'd ; and he that dyes young , has only made a quick voyage on 't . some are becalm'd ; others cut it away before the wind ; and we live just as we saile : first we run our childhood out of sight ; our youth next ; and then our middle age : after that , follows old age , and brings us to the common end of mankind . it is a great providence that we have more wayes out of the world , than we have into 't . our security stands upon a point , the very article of death . it draws a great many blessings into a very narrow compass ; and although the fruit of it does not seem to extend to the defunct , yet the difficulty of it is more than ballanc'd by the contemplation of the future . nay ; suppose that all the business of this world should be forgotten ; or my memory traduc'd , what 's all this to me ? i have done my duty . undoubtedly that which puts an end to all other evils , cannot be a very great evil it self ; and yet it is no easie thing for flesh and blood to despise life . what if death comes ? if it does not stay with us , why should we fear it ? one hangs himself for a mistress ; another leaps the garret window to avoid a cholerick master ; a third runs away , and stabs himself , rather than he will be brought back again . we see the force , even of our infirmities , and shall we not then do greater things for the love of virtue ? to suffer death , is but the law of nature ; and it is a great comfort that it can be done but once : in the very convulsions of it , we have this consolation , that our pain is near an end , and that it frees us from all the miseries of life . what it is , we know not ; and it were rash to condemn , what we do not understand : but this we presume , either that we shall pass out of this into a better life , where we shall live with tranquillity and splendor in diviner mansions , or else return to our first principles , free from the sense of any inconvenience . there 's nothing immortal , nor many things lasting ; but by diverse wayes every thing comes to an end. what an arrogance is it then , when the world it self stands condemn'd to a dissolution , that man alone should expect to live for ever ? it is unjust not to allow unto the giver , the power of disposing of his own bounty ; and a folly , only to value the present . death is as much a debt , as mony ; and life is but a journey towards it . some dispatch it sooner , others later ; but we must all have the same period . the thunder-bolt is undoubtedly just , that draws , even from those that are stuck with it , a veneration . a great soul takes no delight in staying with the body , it considers whence it came , and knows whither it is to go. the day will come , that shall separate this mixture of soul , and body ; of divine , and humane : my body i will leave where i found it ; my soul i will restore to heaven , which would have been there already , but for the clog that keeps it down : and beside ; how many men have been the worse for longer living , that might have dy'd with reputation , if they had been sooner taken away ? how many disappointments of hopeful youths , that have prov'd dissolute men ? over and above the ruines , shipwracks , torments , prisons , that attend long life : a blessing so deceiptful , that if a child were in condition to judge of it , and at liberty to refuse it , he would not take it . what providence has made necessary , humane prudence should comply with chearfully : as there is a necessity of death , so that necessity is equal , and invincible . no man has cause of complaint for that which every man must suffer as well as himself . when we should dye , we will not , and when we would not , we must : but , our fate is fixt , and unavoidable is the decree . why do we then stand trembling when the time comes ? why do we not as well lament that we did not live a thousand years agoe , as that we shall not be alive a thou sand years hence ? 't is but travelling the great road , and to the place whither we must all go at last : 't is but submitting to the law of nature , and to that lot which the whole world has suffer'd , that is gone before us ; and so must they too , that are to come after us . nay , how many thousands , when our time comes , will expire in the same moment with us ? he that will not follow , shall be drawn by force : and , is it not much better now to do that willingly , which we shall otherwise be made to do in spite of our hearts . the sons of mortal parents , must expect a mortal posterity ; death is the end of great and small . we are born helpless , and expos'd to the injuries of all creatures , and of all weathers . the very necessaries of life are deadly to us . we meet with our fate in our dishes , in our cups , and in the very ayr we breathe ; nay , our very birth is inauspicious , for we come into the world weeping ; and in the middle of our designs , while we are meditating great matters , and stretching of our thoughts to after ages , death cuts us off , and our longest date is only the revolution of a few years . one man dyes at the table ; another goes away in his sleep ; a third in his mistress's armes ; a fourth is stabb'd ; another is stung with an adder , or crush'd with the fall of a horse . we have several wayes to our end , but the end it self , which is death , is still the same . whether we dye by a sword , by a halter , by a potion , or by a disease , 't is all but death . a child dies in the swadling clouts , and an old man at a hundred , they are both mortal alike , though the one goes sooner than the other . all that lies betwixt the cradle , and the grave , is uncertain . if we compute the troubles , the life even of a child is long ; if the swiftness of the passage , that of an old man is short : the whole is slippery , and deceiptful , and only death certain ; and yet all people complain of that which never deceiv'd any man. senecio rais'd himself from a small beginning , to a vast fortune , being very well skill'd in the faculties both of getting , and of keeping ; and either of them was sufficient for the doing of his business . he was a man infinitely careful , both of his patrimony , and of his body . he gave me a mornings visit ( sayes our author ) and after that visit , he went away , and spent the rest of the day with a friend of his that was desperately sick. at night he was merry at supper , and seiz'd immediately after with a squincy , which dispatch'd him in a few hours . this man that had mony at use in all places , and in the very course , and height of his prosperity , was thus cut off . how foolish a thing is it then for a man to flatter himself with long hopes , and to pretend to dispose of the future ? nay , the very present slips through our fingers , and there is not that moment which we can call our own. how vain a thing is it for us to enter upon projects ? and to say to our selves , well! i 'll go build , purchase , discharge such offices , settle my affairs , and then retire . we are all of us born to the same casualties ; all equally frail , and uncertain of to morrow . at the very altar , where we pray for life , we learn to dy ; by seeing the sacrifices kill'd before us . but , there 's no need of a wound , or searching the heart for 't , when the noose of a cord , or smothering of a pillow will do the work. all things have their seasons ; they begin , they encrease , and they dye . the heavens and the earth grow old , and are appointed their periods . that which we call death , is but a pause , or suspension ; and , in truth , a progress to life ; only our thoughts look downward upon the body , and not forward upon things to come . all things under the sun are mortal ; cities , empires : and the time will come , when it shall be a question where they were , and perchance whether ever they had a being or no. some will be destroy'd by war ; others by luxury , fire , inundations , earthquakes . why should it trouble me then to dye , as a fore-runner of an universal dissolution ? a great mind submits it self to god , and suffers willingly what the law of the universe will otherwise bring to pass upon necessity . that good old man bassus ( though with one foot in the grave ) how chearful a mind does he bear ! he lives in the view of death , and contemplates his own end with less concern of thought , or countenance , than he would do another mans. it is a hard lesson , and we are a long time a learning of it , to receive our death without trouble , especially in the case of bassus . in other deaths there 's a mixture of hope ; a disease may be cur'd , a fire quench'd , a falling house either prop'd , or avoided ; the sea may swallow a man , and throw him up again . a pardon may interpose betwixt the axe and the body ; but in the case of old age there 's no place for either hope , or intercession . let us live in our bodies therefore , as if we were only to lodge in them this night , and to leave them to morrow . it is the frequent thought of death that must fortifie us against the necessity of it . he that has arm'd himself against poverty , may perhaps come to live in plenty . a man may strengthen himself against pain , and yet live in a state of health ; against the loss of friends , and never lose any : but he that fortifies himself against the fear of death , shall most certainly have occasion to employ that virtue . it is the care of a wise , and a good man to look to his manners , and actions ; and rather how well he lives , than how long : for to dye sooner , or later , is not the business , but to dye well , or ill : for death brings us to immortality . chap. xxiii . against immoderate sorrow for the death of friends . next to the encounter of death in our own bodies , the most sensible calamity to an honest man is the death of a friend ; and we are not in truth without some generous instances of those that have preferr'd a friends life before their own ; and yet this affliction , which by nature is so grievous to us , is , by virtue , and providence , made familiar , and easie . to lament the death of a friend , is both a a a natural , and just : a sigh , or a tear i would allow to his memory ; but no profuse , or obstinate sorrow : clamorous , and publick lamentations are not so much the effects of grief , as of vain-glory . he that is sadder in company than alone , shews rather the ambition of his sorrow , than the piety of it . nay , and in the violence of his passion , there fall out twenty things that set him a laughing . at the long run , time cures all , but it were better done by moderation , and wisdome . some people do as good as set a watch upon themselves , as if they were afraid that their grief would make an escape . the ostentation of grief is many times more than the grief it self . when any body is within hearing , what grones , and outcryes ! when they are alone , and private , all is hush , and quiet : so soon as any body comes in , they are at it again ; and down they throw themselves upon the bed ; fall to wringing of their hands , and wishing of themselves dead ; which they might better have done by themselves ; but their sorrow goes off with the company . we forsake nature , and run over to the practises of the people , that never were the authors of any thing that is good. if destiny were to be wrought upon by tears , i would allow you to spend your dayes , and nights , in sadness , and mourning ; tearing of your hair , and beating of your breasts ; but if fate be inexorable , and death will keep what he has taken , grief is to no purpose . and yet i would not advise insensibility , and hardness ; it were inhumanity , and not virtue , not to be mov'd at the separation of familiar friends , and relations : now , in such cases , we cannot command our selves ; we cannot forbear weeping , and we ought not to forbear : but , let us not pass the bounds of affection , and run into imitation ; within these limits it is some ease to the mind . a wise man gives way to tears in b b b some cases , and cannot avoid them in others . when one is struck with the surprize of ill newes , as the death of a friend , or the like ; or upon the last embrace of an acquaintance under the hand of an executioner , he lies under a natural necessity of weeping . and trembling . in another case we may indulge our sorrows , as upon the memory of a dead friends conversation , or kindness , one may let fall tears of generosity , and joy. we favour the one , and we are overcome with the other ; and this is well : but we are not upon any termes to force them ; they may flow of their own accord , without derogating from the dignity of a wise man ; who at the same time both preserves his gravity , and obeys nature . nay , there is a certain decorum even in weeping : for excess of sorrow is as foolish as profuse laughter . why do we not as well cry , when our trees that we took pleasure in , shed their leaves , as at the loss of other satisfactions ? when the next season repairs them , either with the same again , or others in their places . we may accuse fate , but we cannot alter it , for it is hard , and inexorable , and not to be remov'd , either with reproches , or tears . they may carry us to the dead , but never bring them back again to us. if reason does not put an end to our sorrows , fortune never will : one is pinch'd with poverty ; another sollicited with ambition , and feares the very wealth that he coveted : one is troubled for the loss of children ; another for the want of them ; so that we shall sooner want tears , than matter for them ; let us therefore spare that for which we have so much occasion . i do confess , that in the very parting of friends there is something of an uneasyness , and trouble ; but it is rather voluntary , than natural ; and it is custome , more than sense , that affects us : we do rather impose a sorrow upon our selves , than submit to it : as people cry when they have company , and when no body looks on , all 's well again . to mourn without measure , is folly , and not to mourn at all , is insensibility . the best temper is betwixt piety , and reason ; to be sensible , but neither transported , nor cast down . he that can put a stop to his tears , and pleasures , when he will , is safe . it is an equal infelicity to be either too soft , or too hard. we are overcome by the one , and we are put to struggle with the other . there is a certain intemperance in that sorrow that passes the rules of modesty ; and yet great piety is in many cases a dispensation to good manners . the loss of a son , or of a friend , cuts a man to the heart , and there 's no opposing the first violence of this passion ; but when a man comes once to deliver himself wholly up to lamentations , he is to understand , that though some tears deserve compassion , others are yet ridiculous . a grief that 's fresh , finds pity , and comfort ; but when 't is inveterate 't is laugh'd at , for 't is either counterfeit , or foolish . beside that , to weep excessively for the dead , is an affront to the living . the most justifyable cause of mourning is to see good men come to ill ends , and virtue opprest by the iniquity of fortune . but in this case too they either suffer resolutely , and yield us delight in their courage , and example ; or meanly , and so give us the less trouble for the loss . he that dies chearfully , dryes up my tears , and he that dies whiningly , does not deserve them . i would bear the death of friends , and children , with the same constancy that i would expect my own ; and no more lament the one , than fear the other . he that bethinks himself , how often friends have been parted , will find more time lost among the living , than upon the dead ; and the most desperate mourners are they , that car'd least for their friends when they were living ; for they think to redeem their credits for want of kindness to the living , by extravagant ravings after the dead . some , ( i know ) will have grief to be only the perverse delight of a restless mind ; and sorrows , and pleasures to be near akin : and there are , i 'm confident , that find joy even in their tears . but which is more barbarous , to be insensible of grief for the death of a friend , or to fish for pleasure in grief , when a son perhaps is burning , or a friend expiring ? to forget ones friend , to bury the memory with the body ; to lament out of measure is all inhumane . he that is gone , either would not have his friend tormented , or does not know that he is so : if he does not feel it , 't is superfluous ; if he does , 't is unacceptable to him . if reason cannot prevail , reputation may , for immoderate mourning lessens a mans character : 't is a shameful thing for a wise man to make the wearyness of grieving the remedy of it . in time , the most stubborn grief will leave us , if in prudence we do not leave that first . but , do i grieve for my friends sake , or for my c c c own ? why should i afflict my self for the loss of him that is either happy , or not at all in being ? in the one case , 't is envy , and in the other 't is madness . we are apt to say , what would i give to see him again , and to enjoy his conversation ! i was never sad in his company ; my heart leap'd when ever i met him ; i want him where ever i go : all that 's to be said is , the greater the loss , the greater is the virtue to overcome it . if grieving will do no good , 't is an idle thing to grieve ; and if that which has befallen one man remains to all , it is as unjust to complain . the whole world is upon the march toward the same point ; why do we not cry for our selves that are to follow , as well as for him that 's gone first . why do we not as well lament before hand , for that which we know will be , and cannot possibly but be ? he is not gone , but sent before . as there are many things that he has lost , so there are many things that he does not fear : as anger , jealousie , envy , &c. is he not more happy in desiring nothing , than miserable in what he has lost ? we do not mourn for the absent , why then for the dead ; who are effectually no other ? we have lost one blessing , but we have many left ; and shall not all these satisfactions support us against one sorrow ? the comfort of having a friend , d d d may be taken away , but not that of having had one . as there is a sharpness in some fruits , and a bitterness in some wines that pleases us , so there is a mixture in the remembrance of friends , where the loss of their company is sweeten'd again by the contemplation of their virtues . in some respects i have lost what i had ; and in others , i retein still what i have lost. 't is an ill construction of providence to reflect only upon my friends being taken away , without any regard to the benefit of his being once given me . let us therefore make the best of our friends , while we have them ; for how long we shall keep them , is uncertain . i have lost a hopeful son , but , how many fathers have been deceiv'd in their expectations ? and how many noble families have been destroy'd by luxury , and riot ? he that grieves for the loss of a son , what if he had lost a friend ? and yet he that has lost a friend , has more cause of joy that he once had him , than of grief that he is taken away . shall a man bury his friendship with his friend ? we are ungrateful for that which is past , in hope of what 's to come ; as if that which is to come would not quickly be past too . that which is past we are sure of . we may receive satisfaction , 't is true , both from the future , and what 's already past ; the one , by expectation ; and the other , by memory : only the one may possibly not come to pass , and it is impossible to make the other not to have been . but there 's no applying of consolation to fresh , and bleeding sorrows ; the very discourse irritates the grief , and inflames it . 't is like an unseasonable medicine in a disease , when the first violence is over , it will be more tractable , and endure the handling . those people , whose minds are weaken'd by long felicity , may be allow'd to grone , and complain , but it is otherwise with those that have led their dayes in misfortunes . a long course of adversity has this good in 't , that though it vexes a body a great while , it comes to harden us at last ; as a raw solider shrinks at every wound , and dreads the surgeon more than an enemy ; whereas a veteran sees his own body cut , and lam'd with as little concern as if it were anothers . with the same resolution should we stand the shock , and cure of all misfortunes ; we are never the better for our experience , if we have not yet learn'd to be miserable . and there 's no thought of curing us by the diversion of sports , and entertainments ; we are apt to fall into relapses ; wherefore we had better overcome our sorrow , than delude it . chap. xxiv . consolations against banishment , and bodily pains . it is a master-piece to draw good out of evil ; and by the help of virtue to emprove misfortunes into blessings . 't is a sad condition , you 'l say , for a man to be barr'd the freedome of his own country and is not this the case of thousands that we meet every day in the streets ; some , for ambition ; others , to negotiate , or for curiosity , delight , friendship , study , experience , luxury , vanity , discontent : some , to exercise their virtues , others , their vices ; and not a few to prostitute either their bodies , or their eloquence . to pass now from pleasant countryes into the worst of islands ; let them be never so barren , or rocky , the people never so barbarous , or the clime never so intemperate ; he that is banish'd thither , shall find many strangers to live there for their pleasures . the mind of man is naturally curious , and restless ; which is no wonder , considering their divine original ; for heavenly things are alwayes in motion : witness the stars , and the orbs , which are perpetually moving , rowling , and changing of place , according to the law , and appointment of nature . but here are no woods , you 'l say , no rivers ; no gold , nor pearle ; no commodity for traffick , or commerce ; nay , hardly provision enough to keep the inhabitants from starving . 't is very right ; here are no palaces , no artificial grotto's , or materials for luxury , and excess ; but we lye under the protection of heaven , and a poor cottage for a retreat is more worth , than the most magnificent temple , when that cottage is consecrated by an honest man under the guard of his virtues . shall any man think banishment grievous , when he may take such company along with him ? nor is there any banishment , but yields enough for our necessities , and no kingdom is sufficient for superfluities . it is the mind that makes us rich in a desert ; and if the body be but kept alive , the soul enjoyes all spiritual felicities in abundance . what signifies the being banish'd from one spot of ground to another , to a man that has his thoughts above , and can look forward , and backward , and whereever he pleases ; and whereever he is , he has the same matter to work upon ? the body is but the prison , or the clog of the mind ; subjected to punishments , robberies , diseases ; but the mind is sacred , and spiritual , and lyable to no violence . is it that a man shall want garments , or covering in banishment ? the body is as easily cloth'd , as fed ; and nature has made nothing hard , that is necessary . but if nothing will serve us , but rich embroderies , and scarlet , 't is none of fortunes fault that we are poor , but our own. nay , suppose a man should have all restor'd him back again that he has lost ; it will come to nothing , for he will want more after that , to satisfie his desires , than he did before , to supply his necessities . insatiable desires are not so much a thirst , as a disease . to come lower now ; where 's a a a that people , or nation , that have not chang'd their place of abode ? some by the fate of war ; others have been cast by tempests , shipwracks , or want of provisions , upon unknown coasts . some have been forc'd abroad by pestilence , sedition , earthquakes , surcharge of people at home . some travel to see the world ; others for commerce : but , in fine , it is clear that , upon some reason or other , the whole race of mankind have shifted their quarters ; chang'd their very names , as well as their habitations : insomuch , that we have lost the very memorials of what they were . all these transportations of people , what are they , but publick banishments ? the very founder of the roman empire was an exile : briefly ; the whole world has been transplanted , and one mutation treads upon the heel of another . that which one man desires , turns another mans stomach ; and he that proscribes me to day , shall himself be cast out to morrow . we have however this comfort in our misfortune ; we have the same nature , the same providence , and we carry our virtues along with us . and this blessing we owe to that allmighty power , call it what you will ; either a god , or an incorporeal reason , a divine spirit , or fate , and the unchangeable course of causes , and effects : it is however so order'd , that nothing can be taken from us , but what we can well spare ; and that which is most magnificent , and valuable , continues with us . wherever we go , we have the heavens over our heads , and no further from us , than they were before ; and , so long as we can entertain our eyes , and thoughts , with those glories , what matter is it what ground we tread upon ? in the case of pain , or sickness , 't is b b b only the body that is affected : it may take off the speed of a footman , or bind the hands of a cobler , but the mind is still at liberty to hear , learn , teach , advise , and to do other good offices . 't is an example of publick benefit , a man that is in pain , and patient . virtue may shew it self as well in the bed , as in the field , and he that chearfully encounters the terrors of death , and corporal anguish , is as great a man as he that most generously hazards himself in a battel . a disease , 't is true , barrs us of some pleasures , but procures us others . drink is never so grateful to us , as in a burning feaver , nor meat , as when we have fasted our selves sharp , and hungry . the patient may be forbidden some sensual satisfaction , but no physitian will forbid us the delight of the mind . shall we call any sick man miserable , because he must give over his intemperance of wine , and gluttony , and betake himself to a diet of more sobriety , and less expence ; and abandon his luxury , which is the distemper of the mind , as well as of the body . 't is troublesome , i know , at first , to abstein from the pleasures we have been us'd to , and to endure hunger , and thirst ; but in a little time we lose the very appetite , and 't is no trouble then , to be without that which we do no not desire . in diseases , there are great pains ; but if they be long , they remit , and give us some intervals of ease ; if short , and violent , either they dispatch us , or consume themselves ; so that either their respites make them tolerable , or the extremity makes them short . so merciful is allmighty god to us , that our torments cannot be very sharp , and lasting . the acutest pains are those that affect the nerves , but there 's this comfort in them too , that they will quickly make us stupid , and insensible . in cases of extremity , let us call to mind the most eminent instances of patience , and courage , and turn our thoughts from our afflictions to the contemplation of virtue . suppose it be the stone , the gout , nay the rack it self ; how many have endur'd it without so much as a grone , or a word speaking , without so much as asking for relief , or giving an answer to a question . nay , they have laugh'd at the tormenters upon the very torture , and provok'd them to new experiments of their cruelty , which they have had still in derision . the asthma i look upon , as of all diseases , the most importune ; the physitians call it the meditation of death , as being rather an agony , than a sickness : the fit holds one not above an hour , as no body is long in expiring . there are three things grievous in sickness , the fear of death , bodily pain , and the intermission of our pleasures : the first is to be imputed to nature , not to the disease , for we do not dye because we are sick , but because we live. nay , sickness it self has preserv'd many a man from dying . chap. xxv . poverty , to a wise man , is rather a blessing , than a misfortune . no man shall ever be poor , that goes to himself for what he wants ; and that 's the readyest way to riches : nature indeed will have her due , but yet whatsoever is beyond necessity , is precarious , and not necessary . it is not her business to gratifie the palate , but to satisfie a craving stomach : bread , when a man is hungry , does his work , let it be never so course ; and water when he is a dry ; let his thirst be quench'd , and nature is satisfy'd ; no matter whence it comes , or whether he drinks in gold , silver , or in the hollow of his hand . to promise a man riches , and to teach him poverty , is to deceive him : but shall i call him poor , that wants nothing ; though he may be beholden for it to his patience , rather than to his fortune ? or shall any man deny him to be rich , whose riches can never be taken away ? whether is it better to have much , or enough ? he that has much , desires more , which shews , that he has not yet enough ; but he that has enough , is at rest. shall a man be reputed the less rich , for not having that , for which he shall be banish'd ; for which his very wife , or son , shall poyson him ? that which gives him security in war , and quiet in peace ; which he possesses without danger , and disposes of without trouble ? no man can be poor , that has enough , nor rich , that covets more than he has . alexander , after all his conquests , complain'd that he wanted more world's ; he desir'd something more , even when he had gotten all : and that which was sufficient for humane nature , was not enough for one man. money never made any man rich ; for the more he had , the more he still coveted . the richest man that ever liv'd , is poor , in my opinion , and in any mans may be so : but he that keeps himself to the stint of nature , does neither feel poverty , nor fear it . nay , even in poverty it self , there are some things superfluous . those which the world calls happy , their felicity is a false splendor , that dazles the eyes of the vulgar , but our rich man is glorious , and happy within . there 's no ambition in hunger , or thirst : let there be food ; and no matter for the table , the dish , and the servants ; nor with what meats nature is satisfy'd . those are the torments of luxury , that rather stuff the stomach , than fill it : it studies rather to cause an appetite , than to allay it . 't is not for us to say , this is not handsome ; that 's common ; t'other offends my eye . nature provides for health , not delicacy . when the trumpet sounds a charge , the poor man knows that he 's not aim'd at ; when they cry out fire , his body is all he has to look after ; if he be to take a journey , there 's no blocking up of streets , and thronging of passages for a parting compliment : a small matter fills his belly , and contents his mind ; he lives from hand to mouth , without carking , or fearing for to morrow . the temperate rich man is but his counterfeit ; his wit is quicker , and his appetite 's calmer . no man finds poverty a trouble to a a a him , but he that thinks it so ; and he that thinks it so , makes it so . does not a rich man travel more at ease with less luggage , and fewer servants ? does he not eat , many times , as little , and as course , in the field , as a poor man ? does he not , for his own pleasure , sometimes , and for variety , feed upon the ground , and use only earthen vessels ? is he not a mad-man then , that allwayes fears what he often desires , and dreads the thing that he takes delight to imitate ? he that would know the worst of poverty , let him but compare the looks of the rich , and of the poor , and he shall find the poor man to have a smoother brow , and to be more merry at heart ; or if any trouble befalls him , it passes over like a cloud : whereas the other , either his good humor is counterfeit , or his melancholy deep , and ulcerated , and the worse , because he dares not publickly own his misfortune ; but he is forc'd to play the part of a happy man , even with a canker in his heart . his felicity is but personated , and if he were but stripp'd of his ornaments , he would be contemptible . in buying of a horse , we take off his cloths , and his trappings , and examine his shape , and body , for fear of being couzen'd : and shall we put an estimate upon a man for being set off by his fortune , and quality ? nay , if we see any thing of ornament about him , we are to suspect him the more for some infirmity under it . he that is not content in poverty , would not be so neither in plenty ; for the fault is not in the thing , but the mind . if that be sickly , remove him from a kennel to a palace , he is at the same pass ; for he carries his disease along with him . what can be happier than that condition both of mind , and of fortune , from which we cannot fall ? what can be a greater felicity , than in a covetous designing age , for a man to live safe among informers , and thieves ? it puts a poor man into the very condition of providence , that gives all , without reserving any thing to it self . how happy is he that ows nothing , but to himself , and only that , which he can easily refuse , or easily pay. i do not reckon him poor , that has but a little , but he is so , that covets more ; it is a fair degree of plenty , to have what 's necessary . whether had a man better find saturity in want , or hunger in plenty ? it is not the augmenting of our fortunes , but the abating of our appetites , that makes us rich. why may not a man as well contemn riches in his own coffers , as in another mans ? and rather hear that they are his , than feel them to be so ? though it is a great matter not to be corrupted , even by having them under the same roof . he is the greater man that 's honestly poor in the middle of plenty , but he is the more secure , that is free from the temptation of that plenty ; and has the least matter for another to design upon . it is no great business for a poor man to preach the contempt of riches , or for a rich man to extol the benefits of poverty , because we do not know how either the one , or the other would behave himself in the contrary condition . the best proof is , the doing it by choice , and not by necessity , for the practice of poverty in jeast , is a preparation toward the bearing of it in earnest . but it is yet a generous disposition so to provide for the worst of fortunes , as what may be easily born : the premeditation makes them not only tolerable , but delightful to us ; for there 's that in them , without which nothing can be comfortable , that is to say , security . if there were nothing else in poverty , but the certain knowledge of our friends , it were yet a most desirable blessing , when every man leaves us , but those that love us . it is a shame to place the happyness of life in gold , and silver , for which bread and water is sufficient ; or at the worst , hunger puts an end to hunger . for the honor of poverty , it was both the foundation , and the cause of the roman empire ; and no man was ever yet so poor , but he had enough to carry him to his journeys end. all i desire is , that my poverty b b b may not be a burthen to my self , or make me so to others , and that is the best state of fortune , that is neither directly necessitous , nor far from it . a mediocrity of fortune , with a gentleness of mind , will preserve us from fear , or envy ; which is a desirable condition , for no man wants power to do mischief . we never consider th blessing of coveting nothing , and the glory of being full in our selves , without depending upon fortune . with parcimony , a little is sufficient , and without it , nothing ; whereas frugality makes a poor man rich. if we lose an estate , we had better never have had it : he that has least to lose , has least to fear ; and those are better satisfy'd , whom fortune never favour'd , then those whom she has forsaken . that state is most commodious , that lies betwixt poverty , and plenty . diogenes understood this very well , when he put himself into an incapacity of losing any thing . that course of life is most commodious , which is both safe , and wholsome ; the body is to be indulg'd no farther than for health , and rather mortify'd , than not kept in subjection to the mind . it is necessary to provide against hunger , thirst , and cold ; and somewhat for a covering to shelter us against other inconveniences ; but not a pin matter whether it be of turf , or of marble . a man may lye as warm , and as dry , under a thatch'd , as under a gilded roof . let the mind be great , and glorious , and all other things are despicable in comparison . the future is uncertain ; and i had rather beg of my self not to desire any thing , than of fortune to bestow it . the end. seneca of anger , and clemency . the contents . chap. i. anger describ'd : it is against nature ; and only to be found in men. p. . chap. ii. the rise of anger . p. . chap. iii. anger may be supprest . p. . chap. iv. it is a short madness , and a deformed vice. p. . chap. v. anger is neither warrantable , nor useful . p. . chap. vi. anger in general , with the danger , and effects of it . p. . chap. vii . the ordinary grounds , and occasions of anger . p. . chap. viii . advice in the case of contumely and revenge . p. . chap. ix . cautions against anger in the matter of education , converse , and other general means of preventing it , both in our selves , and others . p. . chap. x. against rash iudgment . p. . chap. xi . take nothing ill from another man ; till you have made it your own case . p. . chap. xii . of cruelty . p. . of clemency . p. . seneca of anger . chap. i. anger describ'd ; it is against nature , and only to be found in men. we are here to encounter the most outrageous , brutal , dangerous , and intractable of all passions , the most loathsome , and unmannerly . nay , the most ridiculous too ; and , the subduing of this monster will do a great deal toward the establishment of humane peace . it is the method of physitians , to begin with a description of the disease , before they meddle with the cure , and i know not why this may not do as well in the distempers of the mind , as in those of the body . the stoicks will have anger to be , a a a a desire of punishing another for some injury done . against which it is objected , that we are many times angry with those , that never did hurt us , but possibly may , though the harm be not as yet done . but , i say , that they hurt us already in conceipt ; and the very purpose of it is an injury in thought , before it breaks out into act. it is opposed again , that if anger were a desire of punishing , meàn people would not be angry with great ones , that are out of their reach : for , no man can be said to desire any thing , which he judges impossible to compass . but , i answer to this ; that anger is the desire , not the power , and faculty of revenge : neither is any man so low , but that the greatest man alive , may , peradventure , lye at his mercy . aristotle takes anger to be , a desire of paying sorrow for sorrow ; and of plaguing those that have plagued us . it is argu'd against both , that beasts are angry ; though neither provok'd by any injury , nor mov'd with a desire of any bodies grief , or punishment . nay , though they cause it , they do not design , or seek it . neither is anger ( how unreasonable soever in it self ) found any where but in reasonable creatures . it is true , that beasts have an impulse of rage , and fierceness ; as they are more affected also than men , with some pleasures : but we may as well call them luxurious , and ambitious , as angry . and yet they are not without certain images of humane affections . they have their likings , and their lothings ; but neither the passions of reasonable nature , nor their virtues , nor their vices . they are mov'd to fury by some objects ; they are quieted by others ; they have their terrors , and their disappointments ; but , without reflection : and , let them be never so much irritated , or affrighted , so soon as ever the occasion is remov'd , they fall to their meat again , and lye down , and take their rest. wisdom , and thought are the goods of the mind ; whereof brutes are wholly incapable ; and , we are as unlike them within , as we are without : they have an odd kind of phancy , and they have a voice too ; but inarticulate , and confus'd , and incapable of those variations which are familiar to us . anger is not only a vice , but a vice , point blank against b b b nature , for it divides , in stead of joyning ; and , in some measure frustrates the end of providence in humane society . one man was born to help another : anger makes us destroy one another ; the one unites ; the other separates ; the one is beneficial to us ; the other mischievous : the one succors even strangers ; the other destroyes even the most intimate friends : the one ventures all to save another , the other ruines himself to undo another . nature is bountiful ; but anger is pernicious : for it is not fear , but mutual love , that binds up mankind . there are some motions that look like anger , which cannot properly be call'd so ; as the passion of the people against the gladiators , when they hang off , and will not dispatch themselves , so soon as the spectators would have them : there is something in it of the humor of children , that if they get a fall , will never leave bawling , till the naughty ground is beaten , and then all is well again . they are angry without any cause , or injury ; they are deluded by an imitation of strokes , and pacify'd with counterfeit tears : a false , and a childish sorrow , is appeas'd with as false , and as childish a revenge . they take it for a contempt , if the gladiators do not immediately cast themselves upon the swords point . they look presently about them from one to another , as who should say , do but see , my masters , how these rogues abuse us . to descend to the particular branches , and varieties , would be unnecessary , and endless . there is a c c c stubborn , a vindictive , a quarrelsome , a violent , a froward , a sullen , a morose kind of anger ; and then we have this variety in complication too . one goes no further then words , another proceeds immediately to blows , without a word speaking ; a third sort breaks out into cursing , and reprochful language : and there are , that content themselves with chiding , and complaining . there 's a conciliable anger , and there is an implacable ; but in what form , or degree soever it appears , all anger , without exception , is vitious . chap. ii. the rise of anger . the question will be here , whether anger takes its rise from impulse , or judgement : that is , whether it be mov'd of its own accord , or as many other things are from within us , that arise we know not how . the clearing of this point will lead us to greater matters . d d d the first motion of anger , is , in truth , involuntary ; and only a kind of menacing preparation towards it . the second deliberates ; as who should say , this injury should not pass without a revenge ; and there it stops . the third is impotent ; and , right or wrong , resolves upon vengeance . the first motion is not to be avoided ; nor indeed the second , any more than yawning for company : custome , and care may lessen it , but , reason it self cannot overcome it . the third , as it rises upon consideration , it must fall so too ; for , that motion which proceeds with judgment , may be taken away with judgment . a man thinks himself injur'd , and hath a mind to be reveng'd , but , for some reason , lets it rest . this is not properly anger , but an affection overrul'd by reason : a kind of proposal disapprov'd . and , what are reason , and affection ; but only changes , of the mind for the better , or for the worse ? reason deliberates before it judges ; but , anger passes sentence without deliberation : reason only attends the matter in hand ; but , anger is startled at every accident : it passes the bounds of reason , and carries it away with it . in short ; anger is an agitation of the mind that proceeds to the resolution of a revenge , the mind assenting to it . there is no doubt but anger is mov'd by the species of an injury , but whether that motion be voluntary , or involuntary , is the point in debate ; though it seems manifest to me , that anger does nothing , but where the mind goes along with it . for , first to take an offence , and then to meditate a revenge ; and , after that , to lay both propositions together , and say to my self ; this injury ought not to have been done ; but , as the case stands , i must do my self right . this discourse can never proceed without the concurrence of the will. the first motion indeed is single ; but , all the rest is deliberation , and superstructure : there is something understood , and condemn'd ; an indignation conceiv'd , and a revenge propounded . this can never be without the agreement of the mind to the matter in deliberation . the end of this question is , to know the nature , and quality of anger . if it be bred in us , it will never yield to reason , for all involuntary motions are inevitable , and invincible : as a kind of horror , and shrugging upon the sprinkling of cold water ; the hair standing on end at ill news : giddiness at the sight of a precipice ; blushing at lewd discourse . in these cases , reason can do no good ; but anger may undoubtedly be overcome by caution , and good counsel ; for , it is a voluntary vice , and not of the condition of those accidents that befall us as frailties of our humanity : amongst which , must be reckon'd the first motions of the mind , after the opinion of an injury receiv'd ; which it is not in the power of humane nature to avoid : and this is it that affects us upon the stage , or in a story . can any man read the death of pompey , and not be touch'd with an indignation ? the sound of a trumpet rouzes the spirits , and provokes courage . it makes a man sad to see the shipwrack even of an enemy ; and we are as much surpriz'd by fear in other cases : all these motions are not so much affections , as preludes to them . the clashing of armes ; or , the beating of a drum , excites a war-horse . nay , a song from xenophantes would make alexander take his sword in his hand . in all these cases , the mind rather suffers , then acts ; and therefore it is not an affection , to be mov'd , but to give way to that motion , and to follow willingly what was started by chance . these are not affections , but impulses of the body . the bravest man in the world may look pale when he puts on his armour ; his knees knock , and his heart work before the battle is joyn'd ; but , these are only motions : whereas anger is an excursion , and proposes revenge , or punishment , which cannot be without the mind . as fear flies , so anger assaults ; and , it is not possible to resolve either upon violence , or caution , without the concurrence of the will. chap. iii. anger may be suppress'd . it is an idle thing to pretend , that we cannot govern our anger ; for , some things that we do , are much harder than others that we ought to do ; the wildest affections may be tam'd by discipline , and there is hardly any thing which the mind will do , but it may do . there needs no more argument in this case , then the instances of several persons , both powerful and impatient , that have gotten the absolute mastery of themselves in this point . thrasippus in his drink fell foul upon the cruelties of a a a pisistratus ; who , when he was urg'd by several about him to make an example of him , return'd this answer , why should i be angry with a man that stumbles upon me blindfold ? in effect , most of our quarrels are of our own making , either by mistake , or by aggravation . anger comes sometimes upon us , but we go oftner to it ; and , in stead of rejecting it , we call it . augustus was a great master of his b b b passion : for timagines an historian , wrote several bitter things against his person , and his family ; which pass'd among the people plausibly enough , as pieces of rash wit commonly do . caesar advis'd him several times to forbear , and when that would not do , forbad him his roofe . after this , asimius pollio gave him entertainment ; and , he was so well belov'd in the city , that every mans house was open to him . those things that he had written in the honor of augustus , he recited , and burnt ; and publickly profess'd himself caesar's enemy : augustus , for all this , never fell out with any man that receiv'd him ; only once he told pollio , that he had taken a snake into his bosome : and , as pollio was about to excuse himself . no , ( sayes caesar , interrupting him ) make your best of him ; and , offering to cast him off at that very moment , if caesar pleas'd : do you think , ( sayes caesar ) that i will ever contribute to the parting of you , that made you friends ? for , pollio was angry with him before , and only entertain'd him now , because caesar had discarded him . the moderation of antigonus was c c c remarkable ; some of his soldiers werè railing at him one night , where there was but a hanging betwixt them : antigonus over-heard them , and putting it gently aside ; soldiers , sayes he , stand a little farther off , for fear the king should hear you . and we are to consider , not only violent examples , but moderate , where there wanted neither cause of displeasure , nor power of revenge : as in the case of antigonus , who , the same night hearing his soldiers cursing him for bringing them into so foul a way ; he went to them , and , without telling them who he was , help'd them out of it . now , sayes he , you may be allow'd to curse him that brought you into the mire , provided you bless him that took you out of it . it was a notable story , that of vedius pallio , d d d upon his inviting of augustus to supper . one of his boyes happen'd to break a glass ; and his master , in a rage , commanded him to be thrown into a pond to feed his lampreys . this action of his might be taken for luxury , though , in truth , it was cruelty . the boy was seiz'd , but brake loose , and threw himself at augustus his feet , only desiring that he might not dye that death ! caesar , in abhorrence of the barbarity , presently order'd all the rest of the glasses to be broken ; the boy to be releas'd , and the pond to be fill'd up , that there might be no farther occasion for an inhumanity of that nature . this was an authority well employ'd . shall the breaking of a glass cost a man his life ? nothing but a predominant fear could ever have master'd this cholerick , and sanguinary disposition . this man deserv'd to dye a thousand deaths , either for eating humane flesh at second hand , in his lampreys , or for keeping of his fish to be so fed . it is written of praexaspes ( a favorite of cambyses's ) who was much given to wine , that he took the freedome to tell his prince of his hard drinking , and to lay before him the scandal , and the inconvenience of his excesses ; and how that in those distempers , he had not the command of himself . now ( sayes cambyses ) to shew you your mistake ; you shall see me drink deeper then ever i did , and yet keep the use of my eyes , and of my hands , as well as if i were sober . upon this , he drank to a higher pitch than ordinary , and order'd praexaspes his son to go out , and stand on the other side of the threshold , with his left arm over his head ; and now ( sayes he ) if i have a good aim , have at the heart of him . he shot , and upon cutting up the young man , they found indeed that the arrow had struck him through the middle of the heart . what do you think now ( says cambyses ) is my hand steady , or no ? apollo himself , sayes praexaspes , could not have out-done it . it may be a question now , which was the greater impiety , the murther it self , or the commendation of it : for him to take the heart of his son , while it was yet reaking , and panting under the wound , for an occasion of flattery ; why was there not another experiment made upon the father , to try if cambyses could not yet have mended his shot ? this was a most unmanly violation of hospitality , but the approbation of the fact was still worse than the crime it self . this example of praexaspes proves sufficiently that a man may repress his anger ; for he return'd not one ill word ; no not so much as a complaint ; but he paid dear for his good counsel . he had been wiser perhaps , if he had let the king alone in his cups , for he had better have drunk wine than blood ; 't is a dangerous office to give good advice to intemperate princes . another instance of anger suppress'd e e e we have in harpagus , who was commanded to expose cyrus upon a mountain , but the child was preserv'd ; which when astyages came afterward to understand , he invited harpagus to a dish of meat ; and when he had eaten his fill , he told him it was a piece of his son , and ask'd him how he lik'd the seasoning . whatever pleases your majesty , sayes harpagus , must please me ; and he made no more words on 't . it is most certain that we might govern our anger if we would ; for the same thing that galls us at home , gives us no offence at all abroad , and what 's the reason of it , but that we are patient in the one place , and froward in the other . it was a strong provocation , that which was given to f f f philip of macedon , the father of alexander : the athenians sent their embassadors to him , and they were receiv'd with this complement . tell me gentlemen , sayes philip , what is there that i can do to oblige the athenians ? demochares , one of the embassadors , told him , that they would take it for a great obligation if he would be pleas'd to hang himsef . this insolence gave an indignation to the by-standers , but philip bad them not to meddle with him , but e'en to let that foul-mouth'd fellow go as he came . and , for you , the rest of the embassadors , sayes he , pray'e tell the athenians , that it is worse to speak such things , than to hear , and forgive them . this wonderful patience under contumelies was a great means of philips security . chap. iv. it is a short madness , and a deformed vice. he was much in the right whoever it was , that first call'd anger , a short madness ; for they have both of them the same symptomes ; and there is so wonderful a resemblance betwixt the transports of choler , and those of phrensy , that 't is a hard matter to know the one from the other . a bold , fierce , and threatning countenance , as pale as ashes , and in the same moment as red as blood ; a glaring eye ; a wrinkled brow , violent motions , the hands restless , and perpetually in action , wringing , and menacing , snapping of the joynts , stamping with the feet , the hair staring , trembling ▪ lips , a forc'd , and squeaking voice ; the speech false , and broken , deep , and frequent sighs , and ghostly looks ; the veines swell , the heart pants , the knees knock , with a hundred dismal accidents that are common to both distempers . neither is anger a bare resemblance only of madness , but many times an irrevocable transition into the thing it self . how many persons have we known , read , and heard of , that have lost their wits in a passion , and never came to themselves again ? it is therefore to be avoided , not only for moderation sake , but also for health . now if the outward appearance of anger be so foul , and hideous , how deformed must that miserable mind be that is harrass'd with it ? for it leaves no place either for counsel , or friendship , honesty , or good manners ; no place either for the exercise of reason , or for the offices of life . if i were to describe it , i would draw a tiger bath'd in blood ; sharp set , and ready to take a leap at his prey : or dress it up as the poets represent the furies , with whips , snakes , and flames . it should be sour , livid , full of scars , and wallowing in gore , raging up , and down , destroying , grinning , bellowing , and pursuing ; sick of all other things , and most of all of it self . it turns beauty into deformity , and the calmest counsels into fierceness ; it disorders our very garments , and fills the mind with horror . how abominable is it in the soul then , when it appears so hideous even through the bones , the skin , and so many impediments ? is not he a mad-man that has lost the government of himself , and is toss'd hither and thither by his fury , as by a tempest ? the executioner of his own revenge , both with his heart , and hand ; and the murtherer of his nearest friends ? the smallest matter moves it , and makes us insociable and inaccessible . it does all things by violence , as well upon it self , as others , and it is in short the master of all passions . there is not any creature so g g g terrible , and dangerous by nature , but it becomes fiercer by anger . not that beasts have humane affections , but certain impulses they have which come very near them . the boar ●…omes , champs , and whets his tusks ; the bull tosses his horns in the ayr , bounds , and tears up the ground with his feet . the lyon rores , and swinges himself with his tail ; the serpent swells , and there is a ghastly kind of fellness in the aspect of a mad-dog . how great a wickedness is it now to indulge a violence , that does not only turn a man into a beast , but makes even the most outrageous of beasts themselves to be more dreadful , and mischievous ? a vice that carries along with it neither pleasure , nor profit , neither honor , nor security , but on the contrary , destroyes us to all the comfortable , and glorious purposes of our reasonable being . some there are , that will have the root of it to be greatness of mind . and why may we not as well entitle impudence to courage , whereas the one is proud , the other brave ; the one is gracious , and gentle , the other rude , and furious . at the same rate , we may ascribe magnanimity to avarice , luxury , and ambition , which are all but splendid impotences without measure , and without foundation . there is nothing great , but what is virtuous , nor indeed truely great , but what is also compos'd , and quiet . anger , alass ▪ is but a wild , impetuous blast , an empty tumour , the very infirmity of women , and children ; a brawling , clamorous evil , and the more noise , the less courage , as we find it commonly , that the boldest tongues have the feintest hearts . chap. v. anger is neither warrantable , nor useful . in the first place , anger is unwarrantable , as it is unjust : for it falls many times upon the wrong person , and discharges it self upon the innocent , in stead of the guilty : beside the disproportion of making the most trivial offences to be capital , and punishing an inconsiderate word perhaps , with torments , fetters , infamy , or death . it allows a man neither time , nor means for defence , but judges a cause without hearing it , and admits of no mediation . it flies in the face of truth it self , if it be of the adverse party ; and turns obstinacy in an error , into an argument of justice . it does every thing with agitation , and tumult : whereas reason , and equity , can destroy whole families , if there be occasion for 't , even to the extinguishing of their names , and memories , without any indecency , either of countenance , or action . secondly , it is insociable to the a a a highest point , for it spares neither friend , nor foe ; but tears all to pieces , and casts humane nature into a perpetual state of war. it dissolves the bond of mutual society , in so much that our very companions , and relations , dare not come near us ; it renders us unfit for the ordinary offices of life , for we can neither govern our tongues , our hands , nor any part of our body . it tramples upon the laws of hospitality , and of nations , leaves every man to be his own carver , and all things publick , and private , sacred and profane , suffer violence . thirdly , it is to no purpose . b b b 't is a sad thing , we cry , to put up these injuries , and we are not able to bear them ; as if any man that can bear anger , would not bear an injury , which is much more supportable . you 'll say , that anger does some good yet , for it keeps people in awe , and secures a man from contempt ; never considering , that it is more dangerous to be fear'd , than despis'd . suppose that an angry man could do as much as he threatens ; the more terrible , he is still the more odious : and on the other side , if he wants power , he is the more despicable for his anger ; for there is nothing more wretched than a cholerick huff , that makes a noise , and nobody cares for 't . if anger should be valuable because men are afraid of it ; why not an adder , a toad , or a scorpion as well ? it makes us lead the life of gladiators ; we live , and we fight together . we hate the happy , dispise the miserable , envy our superiors , insult upon our inferiors , and there is nothing in the world which we will not do , either for pleasure , or profit . to be angry at offenders , is to make our selves the common enemies of mankind , which is both weak , and wicked ; and we may as well be angry that our thistles do not bring forth apples ; or that every pebble in our grounds is not an oriental pearl . if we are angry both with young men , and with old , because they do offend ; why not with infants too , because they will offend ? it is laudable to rejoyce for any thing that is well done ; but , to be transported for another mans doing ill , is narrow , and sordid . nor is it for the dignity of virtue to be either angry , or sad. it is with a teinted mind as with an ulcer , not only the touch , but the very offer at it makes us shrink , and complain ; when we come once to be carry'd off from our poyze , we are lost . in the choice of a sword , we take care that it be weildy , and well mounted ; and it concerns us as much to be wary of engaging in the excesses of ungovernable passions . it is not the speed of a horse altogether that pleases us , unless we find that he can stop , and turn at pleasure . 't is a sign of weakness , and a kind of stumbling , for a man to run , when he intends only to walk ; and it behoves us to have the same command of our minds that we have of our bodies . beside that , the greatest punishment of an injury is the conscience of having done it ; and no man suffers more , than he that is turn'd over to the pain of a repentance . how much better is it to compose injuries , than to revenge them ? for it does not only spend time , but the revenge of one injury exposes us to more . in fine , as it is unreasonable to be angry at a crime , it is as foolish to be angry without one . but , may not an honest man then be allow'd to be angry at the murther of his father , or the ravishing of his sister , or daughter , before his face ? no , not at all ; i will defend my parents , and i will repay the injuries that are done them ; but it is my piety , and not my anger that moves me to it . i will do my duty without fear , or confusion ; i will not rage , i will not weep ; but discharge the office of a good man , without forfeiting the dignity of a man. if my father be assaulted , i 'll endeavor to rescue him ; if he be kill'd i 'll do right to his memory ; and all this , not in any transport of passion ; but in honor , and conscience . neither is there any need of anger where reason does the same thing . a man may be temperate , and yet vigorous , and raise his mind according to the occasion , more or less , as a stone is thrown according to the discretion , and intent of the caster . how outrageous have i seen some people for the loss of a monky , or a spaniel ; and were it not a shame to have the same sense for a friend that we have for a puppy ; and to cry like children , as much for a bauble as for the ruine of our country ? this is not an effect of reason , but of infirmity . for a man indeed to expose his person for his prince , his parents , or his friends , out of a sense of honesty , and a judgment of duty , it is without dispute a worthy , and a glorious action ; but it must be done then with sobriety , calmness , and resolution . it is high time to convince the world of the indignity , and uselessness of this passion , when it has the authority , and recommendation of no less than aristotle himself , as an affection very much conducing to all heroick actions that require heat , and vigour : now , to shew on the other side , that it is not in any case profitable , we shall lay open the obstinate , and unbridled madness of it : a wickedness , neither sensible of infamy , nor of glory ; without either modesty , or fear ; and if it passes once from anger into a harden'd hatred , it is incurable . it is either stronger than reason , or it is weaker . if stronger , there is no contending with it ; if weaker , reason will do the business without it . some will have it , that an angry man is good natur'd , and sincere , whereas in truth , he only layes himself open out of heedlessness , and want of caution . if it were in it self good , the more of it the better ; but in this case , the more , the worse , and a wise man does his duty without the ayd of any thing that is ill . 't is objected by some , that those are the most generous creatures , which are the most prone to anger . but first , reason in man , is impetus in beasts . secondly , without discipline , it runs into audaciousness , and temerity ; over and above that the same thing does not help all . if anger helps the lyon , 't is fear that saves the stag ; swiftness the hawk , and flight the pigeon ; but man has god for his example ( who is never angry ) and not the creatures . and yet it is not amiss sometimes to counterfeit anger ; as upon the stage : nay upon the bench , and in the pulpit , where the imitation of it is more effectual , than the thing it self . but it is a great error , to take this passion either for a companion , or for an assistant to virtue ; that makes a man incapable of all those necessary counsels , by which virtue is to govern her self . those are false , and inauspicious powers , and destructive of themselves , which arise only from the accession , and fervour of a disease . reason judges according to right ; anger will have every thing seem right whatever it does ; and when it has once pitcht upon a mistake , it is never to be convinc'd ; but prefers a pertinacy even in the greatest evil , before the most necessary repentance . some people are of opinion , that anger c c c enflames , and animates the soldier , that it is a spur to bold , and arduous undertakings ▪ and that it were better to moderate , than wholly to suppress it ; for fear of dissolving the spirit , and force of the mind . to this i answer , that virtue does not need the help of vice , but where there is any ardour of mind necessary , we may rouze our selves , and be more or less brisk , and vigorous , as there is occasion : but all without anger still . 't is a mistake to say , that we may make use of anger as a common soldier , but not as a commander ; for if it hears reason , and follows ▪ orde●…s , it is not properly anger ; and if it does not , it is contumacious , and mutinous . by this argument , a man must be angry to be valiant ; covetous , to be industrious ; timorous to be safe , which makes our reason confederate with our affections . and 't is all one whether passion be inconsiderate without reason , or reason ineffectual without passion ; since the one cannot be without the other . 't is true , the less the passion , the less is the mischief ; for a little passion is the smaller evil. nay , so far is it from being of use , or advantage in the field , that 't is the place of all others where 't is the most dangerous : for the actions of war are to be managed with order , and caution , not precipitation , and phancy : whereas anger is heedless , and heady , and the virtue only of barbarous nations , which , though their bodies were much stronger , and more harden'd , were still worsted by the moderation , and discipline of the romanes . there is not upon the face of the earth , a bolder , or a more indefatigable nation than the germans ; not a braver upon a charge , nor a hardyer against colds , and heats ; their only delight , and exercise , is in armes , to the utter neglect of all things else : and yet upon the encounter , they are broken , and destroy'd through their own undisciplin'd temerity , even by the most effeminate of men. the huntsman is not angry with the wild bore , when he either pursues , or receives him ; a good sword-man watches his opportunity , and keeps himself upon his guard , whereas passion layes a man open : nay , it is one of the prime lessons in a fencing-school , to learn not to be angry . if fabius had been cholerick , rome had been lost , and before he conquer'd hannibal , he overcame himself . if scipio had been angry , he would never have left hannibal , and his army , ( who were the proper objects of his displeasure ) to carry the war into affrick , and so to compass his end by a more temperate way . nay , he was so slow , that it was charg'd upon him for want of mettle , and resolution . and what did the other scipio ? ( affricanus i mean ) how much time did he spend before numantia , to the common grief both of his country , and himself , though he reduc'd it , at last , by so miserable a famine , that the inhabitants laid violent hands upon themselves , and left neither man , woman , nor child , to survive the ruines of it . if anger makes a man fight better ; so does wine , phrenzy , nay and fear it self ; for the greatest coward in despair does the greatest wonders . no man is courageous in his anger , that was not so without it . but put the case that anger , by accident , may have done some good , and so have feavers remov'd some distempers ; but it is an odious kind of remedy , that makes us endebted to a disease for a cure. how many men have been preserv'd by poyson ; by a fall from a precipice ; by a shipwrack ; by a tempest ? does it therefore follow , that we are to recommend the practise of these experiments ? but , in case of an exemplary , and d d d prostitute dissolution of manners , when clodius shall be preferr'd , and cicero rejected ; when loyalty shall be broken upon the wheel , and treason sit triumphant upon the bench ; it not this a subject to move the choler of any virtuous man ? no , by no means , virtue will never allow of the correcting of one vice by another ; or that anger , which is the greater crime of the two , should presume to punish the less . it is the natural property of virtue to make a man serene , and chearful ; and it is not for the dignity of a philosopher , to be transported either with grief , or anger : and then the end of anger is sorrow , the constant effect of disappointment , and repentance . but , to my purpose . if a man should be angry at wickedness , the greater the wickedness is , the greater must be his anger : and , so long as there is wickedness in the world , he must never be pleas'd ▪ which makes his quiet dependent upon the humour , or manners of others . there passes not a day over our heads , but he that is cholerick , shall have some cause , or other of displeasure , either from men , accidents , or bus●…ess . he shall never stir out of his house , but he shall meet with criminals of all sorts ; prodigal , impudent ▪ covetous , perfidious , contentious ; children persecuting their parents ; parents cursing their children ; the innocent accused , the delinquent acqui●…ed , and the judge practising that in his chamber , which he condemns upon the bench ▪ in fine , where-ever there are men , there are faults , and upon these termes , socrates himself should never bring the same countenance home again , that he carry'd out with him . if anger were sufferable in any case , it might be allow'd against an incorrigible criminal , e e e under the hand of justice : but punishment is not matter of anger , but of caution . the law is without passion , and strikes malefactors as we do serpents , and venemous creatures , for fear of greater mischief . it is not for the dignity of a judge , when he comes to pronounce the fatal sentence , to express any motions of anger in his looks , words , or gestures : for he condemns the vice , not the man ; and looks upon the wickedness without anger , as he does upon the prosperity of wicked men without envy . but though he be not angry , i would have him a little mov'd , in point of humanity ; but yet without any offence either to his place , or wisdome . our passions vary , but reason is equal ; and it were a great folly for that which is stable , faithful , and sound , to repair for succor to that which is uncertain , false , and distemper'd . if the offender be incurable , take him out of the world , that if he will not be good , he may cease to be evil ; but this must be without anger too . does any man hate an arm , or a leg , when he cuts it off ; or reckon that a passion , which is only a miserable cure ? we knock mad dogs on the head , and remove scabbed sheep out of the fold : and this is not anger still , but reason ; to separate the sick from the sound ; justice cannot be angry ; nor is there any need of an angry magistrate , for the punishment of foolish , and wicked men. the power of life , and death , must not be manag'd with passion . we give a horse the spur , that is restiff , or jadish , and tryes to cast his rider . but , this is without anger too , and only to take down his stomach , and bring him , by correction , to obedience . 't is true , that correction is necessary , f f f yet within reason , and bounds , for it does not hurt , but profit us under an appearance of harm . ill dispositions in the mind are to be dealt with as those in the body ; the physitian first tries purging , and abstinence ; if this will not do , he proceeds to bleeding , nay to dismembring , rather than fail ; for there 's no operation too severe that ends in health . the publick magistrate begins with perswasion , and his business is , to beget a detestation for vice , and a veneration for virtue : from thence if need be , he advances to admonition , and reproche , and then to punishments ; but moderate , and revocable , unless the wickedness be in●…urable ▪ and then the punishment must be so too . there 's only this difference , the physitian , when he cannot save his patients life , endeavors to make his death easie ; but the magistrate aggravates the death of the criminal , with infamy , and disgrace : not as delighting in the severity of it ( for no good man can be so barbarous ) but for example , and to the end that they that will do no good living , may do some dead . the end of all correction , is either the amendment of wicked men , or to prevent the influence of ill example : for men are punish'd with a respect to the future , not to expiate offences committed , but for fear of worse to come . publick offenders must be publickly executed ▪ that their punishment may be a terror to others ; but still all this while , the power of life and death must not be manag'd with passion . the medicine , in the mean time must be suited to the disease : infamy cures one ; pain another ; exile cures a third ; beggery , a fourth ; but there are some that are only to be cur'd by the gibbet . i would be no more angry with a thief , or a traitor , than i am angry with my self when i open a vein . all punishment is but a moral , or a civil remedy . i do not do any thing that is very ill ; but yet i transgress often . try me first with a private reprehension ; and then with a publick ; if that will not serve , see what banishment will do ; if not that neither , load me with chains , lay me in prison : but if i should prove wicked even for wickedness sake , and leave no hope of reclaiming me , it would be a kind of mercy to destroy me . vice is incorporated with me ; and there 's no remedy , but the taking of both away together ; but still , without anger . chap. vi. anger in general , with the danger , and effects of it . there is no surer argument of a great mind , than not to be transported to anger by any accident : the clouds , and the tempests are form'd below , but all above is quiet , and serene : which is the embleme of a brave man , that suppresses all provocations , and lives within himself , modest , venerable , and compos'd : whereas anger is a turbulent humour , which at first dash casts off all shame , without any regard to order , measure , or good manners ; transporting a man into misbecoming violences , with his tongue , his hands , and every part of his body . and whoever considers the foulness , and the brutality of this vice , must acknowledge , that there i●… no such monster in nature , as on●… man raging against another , and labouring to sink that , which can never be drown'd , but with himself for company . it renders us incapable , either of discourse , or of other common duties . it is of all passions the most powerful : for it makes a man that is in love , to kill his mistress ; the ambitious man to trample upon his honors , and the covetous to throw away his fortune . there is not any mortal that lives free from the danger of it , for it makes even the heavy , and the good natur'd to be fierce , and outrageous ; it invades us like a pestilence , the lusty as well as the weak , and 't is not either strength of body , or a good dyet , that can secure us against it ; nay , the learnedest , and men otherwise of exemplary sobriety , are infested with it . it is so potent a passion , that socrates durst not trust himself with it . sirrah ( sayes he , to his man ) now would i beat you , if i were not angry with you . there is no age , o●… sect of men that scapes it . ot●…r vices take us one by one ; but this , like an epidemical co●…agion , sweeps all : men , women , and children ; princes , and beggars are carry'd away with it in sholes , and troops , as one man. it was never seen that a whole nation was in love with one woman , or unanimously bent upon one vice : but here and there , some particular men are teinted with some particular crimes ; whereas in anger , a single word many times inflames the whole multitude , and men betake themselves presently to fire , and sword upon it ; the rabble takes upon them to give laws to their governors ; the common soldiers , to their officers ; to the ruin , not only of private families , but of kingdoms , turning their armes against their own leaders , and chusing their own generals . there 's no publick councel ; no putting of things to the vote ; but in a rage the mutiniers divide from the senate , name their head , force the nobility in their own houses , and put them to death with their own hands . the laws of nations are violated , the persons of publick ministers affronted , whole cities infected with a general madness , and no respite allow'd for the abatement , or discussing of this publick tumor . the ships are crouded with tumultuary soldiers . and in this rude , and ill-boding manner they march , and act under the conduct only of their own passions . whatever comes next serves them for armes , till at last they pay for their licentious rashness , with the slaughter of the whole party : this is the event of a heady , and inconsiderate war. when mens minds are struck with the opinion of an injury , they fall on immediately wheresoever their passion leads them , without either order , fear , or caution ; provoking their own mischief ; never at rest , till they come to blows ; and pursuing their revenge , even with their bodies upon the points of their enemies weapons . so that the anger it self is much more hurtful to us , than the injury that provokes it ; for the one is bounded , but where the other will stop , no man living knows . there are no greater slaves certainly , than those that serve anger , for they emprove their misfortunes by an impatience more insupportable than the calamity that causes it . nor does it rise by degrees , as other passions , but flushes like gunpowder , blowing up all in a moment . neither does it only press to the mark , but overbears every thing in the way to 't . other vices drive us , but this hurry's us headlong ; other passions stand firm themselves , though perhaps we cannot resist them , but this consumes , and destroyes it self : it falls like thunder , or a tempest ; with an irrevocable violence , that gathers strength in the passage , and then evaporates in the conclusion . other vices are unreasonable , but this is unhealthful too ; other distempers have their intervals , and degrees , but in this we are thrown down , as from a precipice ; there is not any thing so amazing to others , or so destructive to it self : so proud , and insolent , if it succeeds , or so extravagant , if it be disappointed . no repulse discourages it , and for want of other matter to work upon , it falls foul upon it self ; and let the ground be never so trivial , it is sufficient for the wildest outrage imaginable . it spares neither age , sex , nor quality . some people would be luxurious perchance , but that they are poor ; and others lazy , if they were not perpetually kept at work . the simplicity of a country life keeps many men in ignorance of the frauds , and impieties of courts , and camps : but , no nation , or condition of men is exempt from the impressions of anger , and it is equally dangerous , as well in war , as in peace . we find , that elephants will be made familiar ; bulls will suffer children to ride upon their backs , and play with their hornes ; beares , and lyons , by good usage , will be brought to ●…awn upon their masters : how desperate a madness is it then for men , after the reclaiming of the fiercest of beasts , and the bringing of them to be tractable , and domestick , to become yet worse than beasts one to another . alexander had two friends , clytus , and lysimachus ; the one he expos'd to a lyon , the other to himself , and he that was turn'd loose to the beast escap'd . why do we not rather make the best of a short life , and render our selves amiable to all while we live , and desirable when we dye ? let us bethink our selves of our mortality , and not squander away the little b b b time that we have , upon animosities , and fewds , as if it were never to be at an end ? had we not better enjoy the pleasure of our own life , than be still contriving how to gall , and torment anothers ; in all our brawlings , and contentions , never so much as dreaming of our own weakness . do we not know that these implacable enmities of ours lye at the mercy of a feaver , or any petty accident to disappoint . our fate is at hand , and the very hour that we have set for another mans death , may peradventure be prevented by our own . what is it that we make all this bustle for ; and so needlesly disquiet our minds ? we are offended with our servants , our masters , our princes , our clyents : 't is but a little patience , and we shall be all of us equal ; so that there 's no need either of ambushes , or of combats . our wrath cannot go beyond death ; and death will most undoubtedly come , whether we be peevish , or quiet . 't is time lost , to take pains to do that , which will infallibly be done without us . but , suppose that we would only have our enemy banish'd , disgrac'd , or damag'd , let his punishment be more or less , it is yet too long , either for him to be inhumanely tormented , or for us our selves to be most barbarously pleas'd with it . it holds in anger , as in mourning , it must , and will at last fall of it self : let us look to it then betimes , for when 't is once come to an ill habit , we shall never want matter to feed it ; and 't is much better to overcome our passions , than to be overcome by them . some way or other , either our parents , children , servants , acquaintance , or strangers , will be continually vexing us . we are toss'd hither and thither by our affections , like a feather in a storm , and by fresh provocations the madness becomes perpetual . miserable creatures ! that ever our precious hours should be so ill employ'd . how prone and eager are we in our hatred , and how backward in our love ? were it not much better now to be making of friendships , pacifying of enemies ; doing of good offices both publick and private ; than to be still meditating of mischief , and designing how to wound one man in his fame , another in his fortune , a third in his person : the one being so easie , innocent , and safe ; and the other so difficult , impious , and hazardous . nay , take a man in chains , and at the foot of his oppressor ; how many are there , who , even in this case , have maim'd themselves in the heat of their violence upon others ? this untractable passion is much more easily kept out , than govern'd when it is once admitted ; for the stronger will give laws to the weaker , and make reason a slave to the appetite . it carries us headlong , and in the course of our fury , we have no more command of our minds , than we have of our bodies down a precipice ; when they are once in motion , there 's no stop till they come to the bottom . not but that it is possible for a man to be warm in winter ; and not to sweat in summer , either by the benefit of the place , or the hardyness of the body . and , in like manner , we may provide against anger . but certain it is , that virtue and vice can never agree in the same subject ; and one may be as well a sick man and a sound at the same time , as a good man , and an angry . beside , if we will needs be quarrelsome , it must be either with our superior , our equal , or inferior . to contend with our superior is folly , and madness ; with our equals it is doubtful , and dangerous ; and with our inferiors 'tis base . nor does any man know , but that he that is now our enemy , may come hereafter to be our friend , over and above the reputation of clemency , and good nature . and what can be more honorable , or comfortable , than to exchange a feud for a friendship . the people of rome never had more faithful allies , than those that were at first their most obstinate enemies : neither had the roman empire ever arriv'd at that height of power , if providence had not mingled the vanquish'd with the conquerors . there 's an end of the contest , when one side deserts it : so that the paying of anger with benefits puts a period to the controversie . but however , if it be our fortune to transgress , let not our anger descend to the children , friends , or relations , even of our bitterest enemies ; the very cruelty of sylla was heightned by that instance of incapacitating the issue of the proscrib'd . it is inhumane to entail the hatred we have for the father , upon his posterity . a good , and a wise man is not to be an enemy of wicked men , but a reprover of them , and he is to look upon all the drunkards , the lustful , the thankless , covetous , and ambitious that he meets with , no otherwise than as a physitian looks upon his patients ; for he that will be angry with any man , must be displeas'd with all ; which were as ridiculous , as to quarrel with a body for stumbling in the dark : with one that 's deaf , for not doing as you bid him : or with a schoolboy for loving his play better than his book . democritus laugh'd , and heraclitus wept at the folly , and wickedness of the world , but we never read of an angry philosopher . this is undoubtedly the detestable of vices , even compar'd with the worst of them . avarice scrapes , and gathers together that which some body may be the better for : but anger lashes out , and no man comes off gratis . an angry master makes one servant run away ; and another hang himself ; and his choler causes him a much greater loss than he suffer'd in the occasion of it . 't is the cause of mourning to the father , and of divorce to the husband : it makes the magistrate odious , and gives the candidate a repulse . and it is worse than luxury too , which only aimes at its proper pleasure ; whereas the other , is bent upon another bodies pain . the malevolent , and the envious content themselves only to wish another man miserable ; but 't is the business of anger to make him so : and to wreak the mischief it self , not so much desiring the hurt of another , as to inflict it . among the powerful , it breaks out into open war , and into a private one with the common people , but without force , or armes . it engages us in treacheries , perpetual troubles , and contentions : it alters the very nature of a man , and punishes it self in the persecution of others . humanity excites us to love , this to hatred : that to be beneficial to others ; this to hurt them : beside , that though it proceeds from too high a conceipt of our selves , it is yet in effect , but a narrow , and contemptible affection : especially when it meets with a mind that is hard , and impenetrable ; and returns the dart upon the head of him that casts it . to take a further view now of the miserable consequences , and sanguinary effects of this hideous distemper ; from hence come slaughters , and poysons , wars , and desolation , the rasing , and burning of cities ; the unpeopling of nations , and the turning of populous countryes into desarts ; publick massacres , and regicides ; princes led in triumph ; some murther'd in their bed-chambers ; others stabb'd in the senate , or cut off , in the security of their spectacles , and pleasures . some there are that take anger for a princely quality ; as darius , who , in his expedition against the scythians , being besought by a noble-man that had three sons , that he would vouchsafe to accept of two of them into his service , and leave the third at home for a comfort to his father . i will do more for you than that , sayes darius , for you shall have them all three again : so he order'd them to be slain before his face , and left him their bodies . but xerxes dealt a little better with pythius , who had five sons , and desir'd only one of them for himself . xerxes bad him take his choice , and he nam'd the eldest , whom he immediately commanded to be cut in halves ; and one half of the body to be laid on each side of the way where his army was to pass betwixt them : undoubtedly a most auspicious sacrifice ; but he came afterward to the end that he deserv'd ; for he liv'd to see that prodigious power scatter'd , and broken , and , in stead of military , and victorious troops , to be encompass'd with carkasses . but these , you 'll say , were only barbarous princes , that knew neither civility , nor letters : and these salvage cruelties will be imputed perchance to their rudeness of manners , and want of discipline . but , what will you say then of alexander the great , that was train'd up under the institution of aristotle himself ; and kill'd clytus his favorite and school-fellow with his own hand , under his own roof , and over the freedome of a cup of wine ? and what was his crime ? he was loth to degenerate from a macedonian liberty into a persian slavery : that is to say , he could not flatter . lysimachus , another of his friends , he expos'd to a lyon ; and this very lysimachus , after he had scap'd this danger , was never the more merciful , when he came to reign himself ; for he cut off the eares and nose of his friend telesphorus , and when he had so disfigur'd him , that he had no longer the face of a man , he threw him into a dungeon , and there kept him to be shew'd for a monster , as a strange sight . the place was so low , that he was fain to creep upon all four , and his sides were gall'd too with the straitness of it . in this misery he lay , half famish'd in his own filth ; so odious , so terrible , and so lothsome a spectacle , that the horror of his condition had even extinguish'd all pity for him . nothing was ever so unlike a man , as the poor wretch that suffer'd this , saving the tyrant that acted it . nor did this mercyless hardness only exercise it f f f self among forreigners , but the fierceness of their outrages , and punishments , as well as their vices , brake in upon the romans . m. marius , that had his statue set up every where , and was adored as a god ; l. sylla commanded his bones to be broken , his eyes to be pull'd out , his hands to be cut off ; and , as if every wound had been a several death , his body to be torn to pieces , and cataline was the executioner . a cruelty , that was only fit for marius to suffer ; sylla to command , and cataline to act ; but most dishonorable , and fatal to the common-wealth , to fall indifferently upon the swords points both of citizens , and of enemies . it was a severe instance that of piso g g g too . a soldier that had leave to go abroad with his camarade , came back to the camp at his time , but without his companion , piso condemns him to dye , as if he had kill'd him , and appoints a centurion to see the execution . just as the heads-man was ready to do his office , the other soldier appear'd , to the great joy of the whole field , and the centurion bad the executioner hold his hand ; hereupon , piso in a rage mounts the tribunal , and sentences all three to death : the one , because he was condemn'd ; the other , because it was for his sake that his fellow soldier was condemn'd ; the centurion , for not obeying the order of his superior . an ingenious piece of inhumanity , to contrive how to make three criminals , where effectually there were none . there was a persian king that caus'd the noses of a whole nation to be cut off , and they were to thank him that he spar'd their heads . and this perhaps would have been the fate of the macrobii ( if providence had not hinder'd it ) for the freedome they us'd to cambyses embassadors , in not accepting the slavish termes that were offer'd them . this put cambyses into such a rage , that he presently listed into his service every man that was able to bear armes : and without either provisions or guides , march'd immediately through dry , and barren desarts , and where never any man had pass'd before him , to take his revenge . before he was a third part of the way , his provisions fail'd him ; his men , at first made shift with the buds of trees , boyl'd leather , and the like ; but soon after , there was not so much as a root , or a plant to be gotten , nor a living creature to be seen ; and then , by lot , every tenth man was to dye , for a nourishment to the rest ; which was still worse than the famine : but yet this passionate king went on so far , till one part of his army was lost , and the other devour'd , and till he fear'd that he himself might come to be serv'd with the same sawce . so that at last he order'd a retreat , wanting no delicacies all this while for himself , while his soldiers were taking their chance who should dye miserably , or live worse . here was an anger taken up against a whole nation , that neither deserv'd any ill from him , nor was so much as known to him . chap. vii . the ordinary grounds , and occasions of anger . in this wandring state of life , we meet with many occasions of trouble , and displeasure , both great , and trivial ; and not a day passes , but from men , or things , we have some cause or other for offence ; as a man must expect to be justl'd , dasht , and crowded in a populous city . one man deceives our expectation ; another delayes it ; and a third crosses it ; and if every thing does not succeed to our wish , we presently fall out either with the person , the business , the place , our fortune , or our selves . some men value themselves upon their wit , and will never forgive any one that pretends to lessen it : others are enflam'd by wine ; and some are distemper'd by sickness , wearyness , watchings , love , care , &c. some are prone to it by heat of constitution , but moyst , dry , and cold complexions are more lyable to other affections ; as suspicion , despair , fear , jealousie , &c. but most of our quarrels are of our own contriving , one while we suspect upon mistake ; and another while we make a great matter of trifles . to say the truth , most of those things that exasperate us , are rather subject of disgust , than of mischief ; there 's a large difference betwixt opposing a mans satisfaction , and not assisting it ; betwixt taking away , and not giving ; but we reckon upon dexying , and deferring , as the same thing , and interpret anothers being for himself , as if he were against us . nay , we do many times entertain an ill opinion of well-doing , and a good one of the contrary : and we hate a man for doing that very thing , which we should hate him for on the other side , if he did not do it . we take it ill to be oppos'd , when there 's a father perhaps , a brother , or a friend in the case against us ; when we should rather love a man for it ; and only wish that he could be honestly of our party . we approve of the fact , and detest the doer of it . it is a base thing to hate the person whom we cannot but commend ; but it is a great deal worse yet , if we hate him for the very thing that deserves commendation . the things that we desire , if they be such as cannot be given to one , without being taken away from another , must needs set those people together by the ears , that desire the same thing . one man has a design upon my mistriss ; another upon mine inheritance : and that which should make friends , makes enemies ; our being all of a mind . the general cause of anger , is the sense , or opinion of an injury ; that is , the opinion either of an injury simply done , or of an injury done which we have not deserv'd . some are naturally given to anger . others are provok'd to 't by occasion ; the anger of women , and children is commonly sharp , but not lasting : old men are rather querulous , and peevish . hard labor , diseases , anxiety of thought , and whatsoever hurts the body , or the mind , disposes a man to be froward , but we must not add fire to fire . he that duely considers the subject a a a matter of all our controversies , and quarrels , will find them low , and mean , and not worth the thought of a generous mind ; but the greatest noise of all is about mony. this is it , that sets fathers and children together by the ears ; husbands and wives , and makes way for sword and poyson : this is it that tires out courts of justice ; enrages princes , and layes cities in the dust , to seek for gold , and silver in the ruins of them . this is it , that finds work for the judge , to determine , which side is least in the wrong ; and whose is the more plausible avarice , the plaintiffs , or the defendents : and what is it that we contend for all this while , but those baubles that make us cry , when we should laugh ? to see a rich old chuff , that has no body to leave his estate to , break his heart for a handful of dirt ; and a gouty usurer , that has no other use of his fingers left him , but to count withall ; to see him , i say , in the extremity of his fit , wrangling for the odd mony in his interest : — if all that 's precious in nature were gather'd into one mass , it were not worth the trouble of a sober mind . it were endless to run over all those ridiculous passions that ate mov'd about meats , and drinks , and the matter of our luxury ; nay , about words , looks , actions , jealousies , mistakes , which are all of them as contemptible fooleries as those very bawbles that children scratch , and cry for . there is nothing great , or serious in all that which we keep such a clutter about ; the madness of it is , that we set too great a value upon trifles . one man flies out upon a salute , a letter , a speech , a question ; a gesture , a wink , a look . an action moves one man ; a word affects another : one man is tender of his family ; another of his person ; one sets up for an orator ; another for a philosopher ; this man will not bear pride , nor that man opposition . he that playes the tyrant at home , is as gentle as a lamb abroad . some take offence if a man asks a favour of them , and others , if he does not . every man has his weak side ; let us learn which that is , and take a care of it , for the same thing does not work upon all men alike . we are mov'd like beasts , at the idle appearances of things ; and the fiercer the creature , the more is it startl'd . the sight of a red cloth enrages a bull. a shadow provokes the asp ; nay , so unreasonable are some men , that they take moderate benefits for injuries ; and squabble about it , with their nearest relations . they have done this and that for others , they cry ; and they might have dealt better with us if they had pleas'd . very good ! and if it be less than we look'd for , it may be yet more than we deserve . of all unquiet humors , this is the worst , that will never suffer any man to be happy , so long as he sees a happier man than himself . i have known some men so weak , as to think themselves contemn'd , if a horse did but play the jade with them , that is yet obedient to another rider . a brutal folly , to be offended at a mute animal ; for no injury can be done us without the concurrence of reason . a beast may hurt us , as a sword , or a stone , and no otherwise . nay , there are , that will complain of foul weather , a raging sea , a biting winter , as if it were expresly directed to them ; and this they charge upon providence , whose operations are all of them so far from being injurious , that they are beneficial to us . how vain , and idle are many of those b b b things that make us stark mad ! a resty horse , the overturning of a glass ; the falling of a key , the dragging of a chair , a jealousie , a misconstruction . how shall that man endure the extremities of hunger , and thirst ; that flies out into a rage only for the putting of a little too much water in his wine ? what haste is there to lay a servant by the heels , or break a leg , or an arme immediately for 't , as if he were not to have the same power over him an hour after , that he has at that instant ? the answer of a servant , a wife , a tenant , puts some people out of all patience ; and yet they can quarrel with the government for not allowing them the same liberty in publick , which they themselves deny to their own families . if they say nothing , 't is contumacy ; if they speak , or laugh , 't is insolence . as if a man had his ears given him only for musick ; whereas we must suffer all sorts of noises , good and bad , both of men , and beasts . how idle is it to start at the tinkling of a bell , or the creaking of a door , when for all this delicacy , we must endure thunder ? neither are our eyes less curious , and phantastical than our ears . when we are abroad , we can bear well enough with foul wayes , nasty streets , noisome ditches ; but à spot upon a dish at home , or an unswept hearth , absolutely distracts us . and what 's the reason , but that we are patient in the one place , and phantastically peevish in the other . nothing makes us more intemperate than luxury , that shrinks at every stroke , and starts at every shadow . 't is death to some to have another sit above them , as if a body were ever the more , or the less honest for the cushion . but they are only weak creatures that think themselves wounded , if they be but touch'd . one of the sibarites , that saw a fellow hard at work a digging , desir'd him to give over , for it made him weary to see him : and , it was an ordinary complaint with him , that he could take no rest , because the rose-leaves lay double under him . when we are once weaken'd with our pleasures , every thing grows intolerable . and we are angry as well with those things that cannot hurt us , as with those that do . we tear a book because 't is blotted ; and our cloaths , because they are not well made : things that neither deserve our anger , nor feel it : the taylor perchance did his best , or however , had no intent to displease us : if so , first , why should we be angry at all ; secondly , why should we be angry with the thing for the mans sake ? nay , our anger extends even to dogs , horses , and other beasts . it was a blasphemous , and a sottish extravagance that of caius caesar , who challeng'd iupiter for making such a noise with his thunder that he could not hear his mimiques , and invented a machine in imitation of it , to oppose thunder to thunder ; a brutal conceipt , to imagine , either that he could reach the allmighty , or that the allmighty could not reach him . and every jote as ridiculous , though not so impious , was that of cyrus ; who , in his design upon babilon , found a river in his way that put a stop to his march : the current was strong , and carry'd away one of the horses that belong'd to his own chariot : upon this , he swore , that since it had obstructed his passage , it should never hinder any bodies else : and presently set his whole army to work upon 't , which diverted it into a hundred and fourscore channels , and laid it dry . in this ignoble , and unprofitable employment , he lost his time , and the soldiers their courage , and gave his adversaries an opportunity of providing themselves , while he was waging war with a river , in stead of an enemy . chap. viii . advice in the cases of contumely and revenge . of provocations to anger there are two sorts ; there is an injury , and there is a contumely . the former in its own nature is the heavier ; the other , slight in it self , and only troublesome to a wounded imagination . and yet some there are that will bear blows , and death it self , rather than contumelious words . a contumely is an indignity below the consideration of the very law ; and not worthy either of a revenge , or so much as a complaint . it is only the vexation , and infirmity of a weak mind , as well as the practise of a haughty and insolent nature , and signifies no more to a wise , and sober man , than an idle dream , that is no sooner past than forgotten . 't is true , it implies contempt ; but what needs any man care for being contemptible to others , if he be not so to himself ? for a child in the armes to strike the mother , tear her hair , claw the face of her , and call her names , that goes for nothing with us , because the child knows not what it does . neither are we mov'd at the impudence , and bitterness of a buffon ; though he fall upon his own master , as well as the guests : but , on the contrary , we encourage , and entertain the freedom . are we not mad then , to be delighted , and displeas'd with the same thing , and to take that as an injury from one man , which passes only for a raillery from another ? he that is wise , will behave himself toward all men , as we do to our children : for they are but children too ; though they have gray hairs ; they are indeed of a larger size , and their errors are grown up with them ; they live without rule , they covet without choice , they are timorous , and unsteady , and if at any time they happen to be quiet , 't is more out of fear , than reason . 't is a wretched condition to stand in awe of every bodies tongue ; and , whosoever is vext at a reproach , would be proud if he were commended . we should look upon contumelies , slanders , and ill words , only as the clamour of enemies , or arrows shot at a distance , that make a clattering upon our armes , but do no execution . a man makes himself less than his adversary , by phansying that he is contemn'd . things are only ill , that are ill taken ; and 't is not for a man of worth to think himself better , or worse , for the opinion of others . he that thinks himself injur'd , let him say , either i have deserv'd this , or i have not . if i have , 't is a iudgment ; if i have not , 't is an injustice ; and the doer of it has more reason to be asham'd , than the sufferer . nature has assign'd every man his post , which he is bound in honor to maintain , let him be never so much press'd . diogenes was disputing of anger , and an insolent young fellow , to try if he could put him beside his philosophy , spit in his face ; young man , sayes diogenes , this does not make me angry yet ; but i am in some doubt whether i should be so or no. some are so impatient , that they cannot bear a contumely , even from a woman ; whose very beauty , greatness , and ornaments , are all of them little enough to vindicate her from many indecencyes , without much modesty , and discretion . nay , they will lay it to heart even from the meanest of servants . how wretched is that man whose peace lies at the mercy of the people . a physitian is not angry at the intemperances of a mad patient , nor does he take it ill to be rail'd at by a man in a feaver : just so should a wise man treat all mankind , as a physitian does his patient , and looking upon them only as sick , and extravagant ; let their words , and actions , whether good , or bad , to go equally for nothing ; attending still his duty even in the coursest offices that may conduce to their recovery . men that are proud , froward , and powerful , he values their scorn as little as their quality ; and looks upon them no otherwise , than as people in the access of a feaver . if a begger worships him , or if he takes no notice of him , 't is all one to him ; and with a rich man he makes it the same case . their honors , and their injuries he accompts much alike ; without rejoycing at the one , or grieving at the other . in these cases , the rule is , to pardon all a a a offences , where there is any sign of repentance , or hope of amendment . it does not hold in injuries , as in benefits , the requiting of the one with the other . for it is a shame to overcome in the one , and in the other to be overcome . it is the part of a great mind to despise injuries ; and it is one kind of revenge , to neglect a man , as not worth it : for it makes the first aggressor too considerable . our philosophy methinks might carry us up to the bravery of a generous mastiff , that can hear the barking of a thousand curs , without taking any notice of them . he that receives an injury from his superior , it is not enough for him to bear it with patience , and with out any thought of revenge , but he must receive it with a chearful countenance , and look as if he did not understand it too : for if he appear too sensible , he shall be sure to have more on 't . 't is a damn'd humor in great men , that whom they wrong , they 'll hate . it was well answer'd of an old courtier ; that was ask'd , how he kept so long in favor ? why , sayes he , by receiving injuries , and crying your humble servant for them . some men take it for an argument of greatness , to have revenge in their power ; but so far is he that is under the dominion of anger , from being great , that he is not so much as free. not but that anger is a kind of pleasure to some in the act of revenge : but the very word is inhumane , though it may pass for honest. virtue , in short , is impenetrable , and revenge is only the confession of an infirmity . it is a phantastical humor , that the same b b b jeast in private , should make us merry , and yet enrage us in publick ; nay , we will not allow the liberty that we take . some railleries we accompt pleasant , others bitter : a conceipt upon a squint eye , a bunch-back , or any personal defect , passes for a reproche , and why may we not as well hear it , as see it ? nay , if a man imitates our gate , speech , or any natural imperfection , it puts us out of all patience , as if the counterfeit were more grievous , than the doing of the thing it self . some cannot endure to hear of their age , nor others of their poverty ; and they make the thing the more taken notice of , the more they desire to hide it . some bitter jeast ( for the purpose ) was broken upon you at the table ; keep better company then . in the freedom of cups a sober man will hardly contain himself within bounds . it sticks with us extremely sometimes , that the porter will not let us in to his great master . will any but a mad-man quarrel with a curr for barking , when he may pacify him with a crust ? what have we to do ▪ but to keep farther off , and laugh at him ? fidus cornelius ( a tall , slam fellow ) fell down-right a crying in the senate-house , at corbulo's saying , that he lookt like an estrich . he was a man that made nothing of a lash upon his life , and manners , but it was worse than death to him , a reflection upon his person . no man was ever ridiculous to others , that laught at himself first : it prevents mischief , and 't is a spiteful disappointment of those that take pleasure in such abuses . vatinius ( a man that was made up for scorn , and hatred , scurrilous , and impudent to the highest degree , but most abusively witty , and with all this he was diseas'd , and deform'd to extremity ) his way was alwayes to beg in to make sport with himself , and so he prevented the mockeries of other people . there are none more abusive to others , than they that lie most open to it themselves ; but the humor goes round , and he that laughs at me to day , will have some body to laugh at him to morrow , and revenge my quarrel . but however there are some liberties that will never go down with some men. asiaticus valerius ( one of caligula's particular friends , and a man of stomach , that would not easily digest an affront ) caligula told him in publick , what kind of bedfellow his wife was . good god! that ever any man should hear this , or a prince speak it , especially to a man of consular authority , a friend , and a husband ; and in such a manner too , as at once to own his disgust , and his adultery . the tribune chaereas had a weak broken voice , like an hermophradite ; when he came to caligul●… for the word , he would give him sometimes venus , otherwhiles priapus ; as a slur upon him both wayes . valerius was afterward the principal instrument in the conspiracy against him ; and chaereas , to convince him of his manhood , at one blow cleft him down the chine with his sword. no man was so forward as caligula to break a jeast , and no man so unwilling to bear it . chap. ix . cautions against anger in the matter of education , converse , and other general meanes of preventing it , both in our selves and others . all that we have to say in particular upon this subject lies under these two heads ; first , that we do not fall into anger , and secondly , that we do not transgress in 't . as in the case of our bodies , we have some medicines to preserve us when we are well , and others to recover us when we are sick ; so it is one thing not to admit it , and another thing to overcome it . we are in the first place , to avoid all provocations , and the beginnings of anger : for , if we be once down , 't is a hard task to get up again : when our passion has got the better of our reason , and the enemy is receiv'd into the gate , we cannot expect that the conqueror should take conditions from the prisoner . and , in truth , our reason , when it is thus master'd , turns effectually into passion . a careful education is a great matter ; for our minds are easily form'd in our youth , but 't is a harder business to cure ill habits beside that , we are enflam'd by climate , constitution , company , and a thousand other accidents , that we are not aware of . the choice of a good nurse , and a well-natur'd tutor , goes a great way ; for the sweetness both of the blood , and of the manners will pass into the child . there is nothing breeds anger more than a soft , and effeminate education ; and 't is very seldome seen , that either the mothers , or the school-masters darling ever comes to good . but , my young master , when he comes into the world , behaves himself like a cholerick coxcomb ; for flattery , and a great fortune nourish teachiness . but it is a nice point , so to check the seeds of anger in a child , as not to take off his edge , and quench his spirits , whereof a principal care must be taken , betwixt licence , and severity , that he be neither too much embolden'd , or depress'd . commendation gives him courage , and confidence ; but then the danger is , of blowing him up into insolence , and wrath : so that when to use the bitt , and when the spur , is the main difficulty . never put him to a necessity of begging any thing basely , or if he does , let him go without it . enure him to a familiarity , where he has any emulation ; and in all his exercises , let him understand , that 't is generous to overcome his competitor , but not to hurt him . allow him to be pleas'd when he does well , but not transported , for that will puff him up into too high a conceipt of himself . give him nothing that he cries for , till the dogged fit is over , but then let him have it when he is quiet ; to shew him that there is nothing to be gotten by being peevish . chide him for whatever he does amiss , and make him betimes acquainted with the fortune that he was born to . let his dyet be cleanly , but sparing ; and cloath him like the rest of his fellows ; for , by placing him upon that equality at first , he will be the less proud afterward : and consequently the less waspish , and quarrelsome . in the next place , let us have a care of temptations , that we cannot resist , and provocations that we cannot bear ; and especially of sour , and exceptious company , for a cross humor is contagious . nor is it all , that a man shall be the better for the example of a quiet conversation ; but an angry disposition is troublesome , because it has nothing else to work upon . we should therefore chuse a sincere , easie , and temperate companion , that will neither provoke anger , nor return it ; nor give a man any occasion of exercising his distempers . nor is it enough to be gentle , submiss , and humane , without integrity , and plain-dealing : for flattery is as offensive on the other side . some men would take a curse from you better than a complement . caelius , a passionate orator , had a friend of singular patience that sup'd with him ; who had no way to avoid a quarrel , but by saying amen to all that caelius said . caelius taking this ill ; say something against me , sayes he , that you and i may be two : and he was angry with him because he would not ; but the dispute fell , as it needs must , for want of an opponent . he that is naturally addicted to anger , let him use a moderate diet , and abstain from wine ; for it is but adding fire to fire . gentle exercises , recreations , and sports , temper and sweeten the mind . let him have a care also of long , and obstinate disputes , for 't is easier not to begin them , than to put an end to them . severe studies are not good for him neither ; as law , mathematicks : too much intention preys upon the spirits , and makes him eager . but poetry , history , and those lighter entertainments may serve him for diversion , and relief . he that would be quiet , must not venture at things out of his reach , or beyond his strength ; for he shall either stagger under the burthen , or discharge it upon the next man he meets ; which is the same case in civil , and domestick affairs . business that is ready , and practicable , goes off with ease ; but when 't is too heavy for the bearer , they fall both together . whatsoever we design , we should first take a measure of our selves , and compare our force with the undertaking , for it vexes a man not to go through with his work : a repulse inflames a generous nature , as it makes one that is phlegmatick , sad. i have known some that have advis'd looking in a glass when a man is in the fit , and the very spectacle of his own deformity has cur'd him . many that are troublesome in their drink , and know their own infirmity , give their servants order before-hand , to take them away by force , for fear of mischief , and not to obey their masters themselves when they are hot-headed . if the thing were duely consider'd , we should need no other cure than the bare consideration of it . we are not angry at madmen , children , and fools , because they do not know what they do : and why should not imprudence have an equal privilege in other cases ? if a horse kick , or a dog bite , shall a man kick , or bite again ? the one 't is true is wholly void of reason , but it is also an equivalent darkness of mind , that possesses the other . so long as we are among men , let us cherish humanity ; and so live , that no man may be either in fear , or in danger of us . losses , injuries , reproches , calumnies , they are but short inconveniencies , and we should bear them with resolution . beside that , some people are above our anger ; others below it . to contend with our superiors were a folly ; and with our inferiors an indignity . there is hardly a more effectual remedy against anger , than patience , and consideration . a a a let but the first fervor abate , and that mist which darkens the mind , will be either lessen'd , or dispell'd . a day , nay an hour does much in the most violent cases , and perchance totally suppress it : time discovers the truth of things , and turns that into judgment , which at first was anger . plato was about to strike his servant , and while his hand was in the ayr , he checkt himself , but still held it in that menacing posture . a friend of his took notice of it , and askt him what he meant . i am now , sayes plato , punishing of an angry man : so that he had left his servant to chastise himself . another time , his servant having committed a great fault ; speusippus , sayes he , do you beat that fellow , for i am angry : so that he forbare striking him for the very reason that would have made another man have done it . i am angry , sayes he , and shall go farther than becomes me . nor is it fit that a servant should be in his power , that is not his own master . why should any one venture now to trust an angry man with a revenge , when plato durst not trust himself ? either he must govern that , or that will undoe him . let us do our best to overcome it ; but let us however keep it close , without giving it any vent . an angry man , if he gives himself liberty at all times , will go too far . if it comes once to shew it self in the eye , or countenance , it has got the better of us . nay , we should so oppose it , as to put on the very contrary dispositions : calm looks , soft and slow speech ; an easie , and deliberate march , and by little and little we may possibly bring our thoughts into a sober conformity with our actions . when socrates was angry , he would take himself in 't , and speak low , in opposition to the motions of his displeasure . his friends would take notice of it , and it was not to his disadvantage neither , but rather to his credit , that so many should know that he was angry , and no body feel it : which could never have been , if he had not given his friends the same liberty of admonition which he himself took . and this course should we take ; we should desire our friends not to flatter us in our follies , but to treat us with all liberties of reprehension , even when we are least willing to bear it , against so powerful , and so insinuating an evil , we should call for help while we have our eyes in our head , and are yet masters of our selves . moderation is profitable for subjects , but more for princes ; who have the means of executing all that their anger prompts them to . when that power comes once to be exercis'd to a common mischief , it can never long continue , a common fear joyning in one cause all their divided complaints . in a word now how we may prevent , moderate , or master this impotent passion in others . it is not enough to be sound our selves , unless we b b b endevour to make others so , wherein we must accommodate the remedy to the temper of the patient . some are to be dealt with by artifice , and address : as for example , why will you gratifie your enemies , to shew your self so much concern'd ? 't is not worth your anger , 't is below you ; i am as much troubled at it my self ▪ as you can be ; but you had better say nothing , and take your time to be even with them . anger , in some people , is to be openly oppos'd ; in others , there must be a little yielding , according to the disposition of the person . some are won by entreaties ; others are gain'd by mere shame , and conviction ; and some by delay ; a dull way of cure for a violent distemper : but this must be the last experiment . other affections may be better dealt with at leisure : for they proceed gradually ; but this commences , and perfects it self in the same moment . it does not , like other passions , sollicite , and mislead us , but it runs away with us by force ; and hurries us on with an irresistible temerity , as well to our own , as to anothers ruine : not only flying in the face of him that provokes us , but like a torrent , bearing down all before it . there 's no encountring the first heat and fury of it ; for it is deaf , and mad. the best way is ( in the beginning ) to give it time , and rest , and let it spend it self : while the passion is too hot to handle , we may deceive it : but however , let all instruments of revenge be put out of the way . it is not amiss sometimes to pretend to be angry too ; and joyn with him , not only in the opinion of the injury , but in the seeming contrivance of a revenge . but this must be a person then that has some authority over him . this is a way to get time , and by advising upon some greater punishment , to delay the present . if the passion be outrageous , try what shame or fear can do . if weak , 't is no hard matter to amuse it by strange stories , grateful news , or pleasant discourses . deceipt , in this case , is friendship , for men must be cozen'd to be cur'd . the injuries that press hardest upon us , are those which c c c either we have not deserv'd , or not expected , or at least not in so high a degree . this arises from the love of our selves : for every man takes upon him like a prince in this case , to practise all liberties , and to allow none . which proceeds either from ignorance , or insolence . what news is it for people to do ill things ? for an enemy to hurt us ; nay , for a friend , or a servant to transgress ; and to prove treacherous , ungrateful , covetous , impious ? what we find in one man , we may in another , and there is no more security in fortune , than in men. our joyes are mingled with feares , and a tempest may rise out of a calm : but a skilful pilot is alwayes provided for 't . chap. x. against rash iudgment . it is good for every man to fortify himself on his weak side : and if he loves his peace , he must not be inquisitive , and hearken to tale-bearers ; for the man that is over-curious to hear , and see every thing , multiplyes troubles to himself : for a man does not feel , what he does not know . he that is listening after private discourse , and what people say of him , shall never be at peace . how many things that are innocent in themselves , are made injurious yet , by misconstruction ? wherefore some things we are to pause upon , others to laugh at , and others again to pardon . or if we cannot avoid the sence of indignities , let us however shun the open profession of it ; which may be easily done , as appears by many examples of those , that have suppress'd their anger , under the awe of a greater fear . it is a good caution not to believe any thing till we are very certain of it , for many probable things prove false , and a short time will make evidence of the undoubted truth . we are prone to believe many things which we are unwilling to hear , and so we conclude , and take up a prejudice , before we can judge . never condemn a friend unheard ; or without letting him know his accuser , or his crime . 't is a common thing to say , do not you tell that you had it from me : for if you do , i 'll deny it , and never tell you any thing again . by which means , friends are set together by the ears , and the informer slips his neck out of the collar . admit no stories upon these termes ; for it is an unjust thing to believe in private , and to be angry openly . he that delivers himself up to guess , and conjecture , runs a great hazard ; for there can be no suspicion without some probable grounds ; so that without much candor , and simplicity , and making the best of every thing , there is no living in society with mankind . some things that offend us we have by report ; others we see , or hear . in the first case , let us not be too credulous ; some people frame stories that they may deceive us : others , only tell what they hear , and are deceiv'd themselves . some make it their sport to do ill offices ; others do them only to pick a thank : there are some , that would part the dearest friends in the world ; others love to do mischief , and stand aloof off , to see what comes on 't . if it be a small matter , i would have witnesses , but if it be a greater , i would have it upon oath , and allow time to the accused , and counsel too , and hear it over and over again . in those cases where we our selves are witnesses , we should a a a take into consideration all the circumstances . if a child , 't was ignorance : if a woman , a mistake : if done by command , a necessity ; if a man be injur'd , 't is but quid pro quo . if a iudge , he knows what he does : if a prince , i must submit ; either , if guilty , to iustice , or if innocent , to fortune : if a brute , i make my self one by imitating it : if a calamity , or disease , my best relief is patience : if providence , 't is both impious , and vain to be angry at it : if a good man , i 'll make the best on 't ; if a bad , i 'll never wonder at it . nor is it only by tales , and stories , that we are inflam'd , but suspicions , countenances ; nay , a look , or a smile is enough to blow us up . in these cases , let us suspend our displeasure , and plead the cause of the absent . perhaps he is innocent ; or if not , i have time to consider on 't , and may take my revenge at leisure : but when it is once executed , 't is not to be recall'd . a jealous head is apt to take that to himself which was never meant him . let us therefore trust to nothing , but what we see : and chide our selves where we are over-credulous . by this course , we shall not be so easily impos'd upon ; nor put to trouble our selves about things not worth the while ; as the loytring of a servant upon an errant , the tumbling of a bed ; or the spilling of a glass of drink . 't is a madness to be disorder'd at these fooleries . we consider the thing done , and not the doer of it . it may be he did it unwillingly ; or by chance . it was a trick put upon him , or he was forc'd to 't . he did it for reward perhaps , not hatred ; nor of his own accord ; but he was egg'd on to 't . nay , some regard must be had to the age of the person , or to fortune ; and we must consult humanity , and candor in the case . one does me a great mischief , at unawares . another does me a very small one by design : or peradventure none at all , but intended me one . the latter was more in fault , but i 'll be angry with neither . we must distinguish betwixt what a man cannot do , and what he will not . 't is true ; he has once offended me , but , how often has he pleas'd me ? he has offended me often , and in other kinds , and why should not i bear it as well now as i have done ? is he my friend ? why then 't was against his will. is he my enemy ? 't is no more than i lookt for . let us give way to wise men , and not squabble with fools ; and say thus to our selves , we have all of us our errors ; no man is so circumspect , so considerate , or so fearful of offending , but he has much to answer for . a generous prisoner cannot immediately comply with all the sordid , and laborious offices of a slave . a footman that is not breath'd , cannot keep pace with his masters horse : he that is over-watch'd , may be allow'd to be drowzy . all these things are to be weigh'd , before we give any ear to the first impulse . if it be my duty to love my country , i must be kind also to my countrymen : if a veneration be due to the whole , so is a piety also to the parts : and it is the common interest to preserve them . we are all members of one body , and it is as natural to help one another , as for the hands to help the feet , or the eyes the hands . without the love , and care of the parts the whole can never be preserv'd , and we must spare one another , because we are born for society , which cannot be maintain'd , without a regard to particulars . let this be a rule to us , never to deny a pardon that does no hurt either to the giver , or receiver . that may be well enough in one , which is ill in another ; and therefore we are not to condemn any thing that is common to a nation : for custome defends it . but much more pardonable are those things which are common to mankind . it is a kind of spiteful comfort , that b b b whoever does me an injury , may receive one , and that there is a power over him that is above me . a man should stand as firm against all indignities , as a rock does against the waves . as it is some satisfaction to a man in a mean condition , that there is no security in a more prosperous ; and as the loss of a son in a corner is born with more patience , upon the sight of a funeral carry'd out of a palace ; so are injuries , and contempts , the more tolerable from a meaner person , when we consider , that the greatest men , and fortunes are not exempt . the wisest also of mortals have their failings , and no man living is without the same excuse . the difference is , that we do not all of us transgress the same way : but we are oblig'd in humanity to bear one with another . we should , every one of us , bethink our selves how remiss we have been in our duties ; how immodest in our discourses ; how intemperate in our cups ; and why not as well how extravagant we have been in our passions ? let us clear our selves of this evil , purge our minds , and utterly root out all those vices , which , upon leaving the least string , will grow again , and recover . we must think of every thing , expect every thing , that we may not be surpriz'd . it is a shame , sayes fabius , for a commander to excuse himself , by saying , i was not aware of it . chap. xi . take nothing ill from another man , till you have made it your own case . it is not prudent to deny a pardon to any man , without first examining , if we do not stand in need of it our selves ; for it may be our lot to ask it , even at his feet , to whom we refuse it . but we are willing enough to do , what we are very unwilling to suffer . it is unreasonable to charge publick vices upon particular persons : for we are all of us wicked , and that which we blame in others , we find in our selves . 't is not a paleness in one , or a leanness in another ; but a pestilence that has laid hold upon all. 't is a wicked world , and we make part of it ; and the way to be quiet , is to bear one with another . such a man , we cry , has done me a shrewd turn , and i never did him any hurt . well , but it may be i have mischiev'd other people , or at least i may live to do as much to him as that comes to . such a one has spoken ill things of me ; but if i first spake ill of him , as i do of many others , this is not an injury , but a repayment . what if he did over-shoot himself ? he was loth to lose his conceipt , perhaps , but there was no malice in 't ; and if he had not done me a mischief , he must have done himself one . how many good offices are there that look like injuries ? nay , how many have been reconcil'd , and good friends , after a profess'd hatred ? before we lay any thing to heart , let us ask our selves if we have not done c c c the same things to others . but , where shall we find an equal judge ? he that loves another mans wife ( only perhaps because she is anothers ) will not suffer his own to be so much as look'd upon . no man so fierce against calumny , as the evil speaker ; none so strict exacters of modesty in a servant , as those that are most prodigal of their own . we carry our neighbors crimes in sight , and we throw our own over our shoulders . the intemperance of a bad son is chastis'd by a worse father ; and the luxury that we punish in others , we allow to our selves . the tyrant exclaimes against homicide ; and sacrilege against theft . we are angry with the persons , but not with the faults . some things there are that cannot hurt us , and d d d others will not ; as good magistrates , parents , tutors , judges ; whose reproof , or correction we are to take , as we do abstinence , bleeding , and other uneasie things , which we are the better for . in which cases , we are not so much to reckon upon what we suffer , as upon what we have done . i take it ill , sayes one , and i have done nothing , sayes another : when at the same time we make it worse , by adding arrogance , and contumacy to our first error . we cry out presently , what law have we transgress'd ? as if the letter of the law were the sum of our duty ; and that piety , humanity , liberality , justice , and faith , were things beside our business . no , no , the rule of humane duty is of a greater latitude ; and we have many obligations upon us , that are not to be found in the statute-books . and yet we fall short of the exactness , even of that legal innocency . we have intended one thing , and done another ; wherein only the want of success has kept us from being criminals . this very thing , methinks , should make us more favourable to delinquents , and to forgive not only our selves , but the gods too ; of whom we seem to have harder thoughts , in taking that to be a particular evil directed to us , that befalls us only by the common law of mortality . in fine , no man living can absolve himself to his conscience , though to the world perhaps he may . 't is true , that we are also condemn'd to pains , and diseases , and to death too , which is no more than the quitting of a soul house . but , why should any man complain of bondage , that wheresoever he looks , has his way open to liberty ? that precipice , that sea , that river , that well , there 's freedome in the bottom of it . c c c it hangs upon every crooked bow ; and not only a mans throte , or his heart , but every vein in his body opens a passage to 't . to conclude , where my proper virtue fails me , i will have recourse to examples , and say to my self , am i greater than philip , or augustus , who both of them put up greater reproches . many have pardon'd their enemies , and shall not i forgive a neglect , a little freedome of the tongue ? nay the patience but of a second thought does the business ; for , though the first shock be violent , take it in parts and 't is subdu'd . and , to wind up all in one word ; the great lesson of mandkin , as well in this , as in all other cases , is to do as he would be done by . chap. xii . of cruelty . there is so near an affinity betwixt anger , and cruelty , that many people confound them ; as if cruelty were only the execution of anger in the payment of a revenge : which holds in some cases , but not in others . there are a sort of men that take delight in the spilling of humane blood ; and in the death of those that never did them any injury , nor were ever so much as suspected for it ; as apollodorus , phalaris , sinis , procrustes , and others , that burnt men alive , whom we cannot so properly call angry , as brutal . for , anger does necessarily presuppose an injury , either done , or conceiv'd , or fear'd ; but the other takes pleasure in tormenting , without so much as pretending any provocation to 't , and kills merely for killing sake . the original of this cruelty perhaps was anger , which by frequent exercise , and custome , has lost all sence of humanity , and mercy ; and they that are thus affected , are so far from the countenance , and appearance of men in anger , that they will laugh , rejoyce , and entertain themselves with the most horrid spectacles ; as racks , iails , gibbets , several sorts of chains , and punishments ; dilaceration of members , stigmatizings , and wild beasts ; with other exquisite inventions of torture : and yet at last the cruelty it self is more horrid , and odious , than the means by which it works . it is a bestial madness , to love mischief ; beside , that 't is womanish to rage and tear ; a generous beast will scorn to do 't , when he has any thing at his mercy . it is a vice for wolves , and tigers ; and no less abominable to the world , than dangerous to it self . the romans had their morning , and their meridian a a a spectacles . in the former , they had their combats of men with wild beasts ; and in the latter , the men fought one with another . i went ( sayes our author ) the other day to the meridian spectacles , in hope of meeting somewhat of mirth , and diversion , to sweeten the humors of those that had been entertain'd with blood in the morning : but , it prov'd otherwise ; for compar'd with this inhumanity , the former was a mercy . the whole business was only murther upon murther ; the combatants fought naked , and every blow , was a wound . they do not contend for victory , but for death ; and he that kills one man , is to be kill'd by another . by wounds they are forc'd upon wounds , which they take , and give upon their bare breasts . burn that rogue , they cry ; what ? is he afraid of his flesh ? do but see how sneakingly that rascal dies ? look to your selves , my masters , and consider on 't : who knows but this may come to be your own case ? wicked examples seldome fail of coming home at last to the authors . to destroy a single man , may be dangerous , but to murther whole nations , is only a more glorious wickedness . private avarice , and rigour are condemn'd : but oppression , when it comes to be authoriz'd , by an act of state ; and to be publickly commanded , though particularly forbidden , becomes a point of dignity , and honor. what a shame is it for men to enterworry one another , when yet the fiercest even of beasts are at peace with those of their own kind ? this brutal fury puts philosophy it self to a stand . the drunkard , the glutton , the covetous , may be reduc'd . nay , and the mischief of it is , that no vice keeps it self within its proper bounds . luxury runs into avarice , and when the reverence of virtue is extinguish'd , men will stick at nothing that carryes profit along with it . mans blood is shed in wantonness ; his death is a spectacle for entertainment , and his grones are musick . when alexander deliver'd up lysimachus to a lyon , how glad would he have been to have had nails , and teeth to have devour'd him himself ? it would have too much derogated , he thought , from the dignity of his wrath , to have appointed a man for the execution of his friend . private cruelties , 't is true , cannot do much mischief , but in princes , they are a war against mankind . c. caesar would commonly , for exercise , c c c and pleasure , put senators , and roman knights to the torture : and whip several of them , like slaves , or put them to death with the most accurate torments , merely for the satisfaction of his cruelty . that caesar that wish'd the people of rome had but one neck , that he might cut it off at one blow . it was the employment , the study , and the joy of his life . he would not so much as give the expiring leave to grone , but caus'd their mouthes to be stopt with spunges , or for want of them , with rags of their own cloths , that they might not breathe out so much as their last agonies at liberty ; or perhaps , least the tormented should speak something which the tormentor had no mind to hear . nay , he was so impatient of delay , that he would frequently rise from supper to have men kill'd by torch-light , as if his life and death had depended upon their dispatch before the next morning . to say nothing how many fathers were put to death by him in the same night with their sons . ( which was a kind of mercy , in the prevention of their mourning . ) and was not sylla's cruelty prodigious too , which was only stopt for want of enemies ? he caused citizens of rome to be slaughter'd at once ; and some of the senators being startled at their cryes that were heard into the senate-house : let us mind our business , sayes sylla , this is nothing but a few mutineers that i have order'd to be sent out of the way . a glorious spectacle ! sayes hannibal ! when he saw the trenches flowing with humane blood ; and if the rivers had run blood too , he would have lik'd it so much the better . among the famous , and detestable speeches , that are committed to memory , i know none worse than that impudent , and tyrannical maxime ; let them hate me , so they fear me : not considering that those that are kept in obedience by fear , are both malicious , and mercenary , and only wait for an opportunity to change their master . beside that , whosoever is terrible to others , is likewise afraid of himself . what is more ordinary , than for a tyrant to be destroy'd by his own guards , which is no more than the putting of those crimes into practice , which they learned of their masters ? how many slaves have reveng'd themselves of their cruel oppressors , though they were sure to dye for 't ? but when it comes once to a popular tyranny , whole nations conspire against it . for , whosoever threatens all , is in danger of all ; over and above , that the cruelty of a prince encreases the number of his enemies , by destroying some of them ; for it entailes an hereditary hatred upon the friends and relations of those that are taken away . and then it has this misfortune , that a man must be wicked upon necessity ; for there 's no going back ; so that he must betake himself to armes , and yet he lives in fear . he can neither trust to the faith of his friends , nor to the piety of his children ; he both dreads death , and wishes it ; and becomes a greater terror to himself , than he is to his people . nay , if there were nothing else to make cruelty detestable , it were enough , that it passes all bounds both of custome , and humanity , and is follow'd upon the heel , with sword , or poyson . a private malice indeed does not move whole cities ; but that which extends to all , is every bodies mark. one sick person gives no great disturbance in a family ; but , when it comes to a depopulating plague , all people fly from 't . and why should a prince expect any man to be good , whom he has taught to be wicked ? but , what if it were safe to be cruel ? were it not still a sad thing , the very state of such a government ? a government , that beares the image of a taken city , where there 's nothing but sorrow , trouble , and confusion . men dare not so much as trust themselves with their friends , or with their pleasures . there is not any entertainment so innocent , but it affords pretence of crime , and danger . people are betray'd at their tables , and in their cups , and drawn from the very theatre to the prison . how horrid a madness is it to be still raging , and killing ; to have the ratling of chains alwayes in our ears ; bloody spectacles before our eyes ; and to carry terror , and dismay , wherever we go ? if we had lyons , and serpents to rule over us , this would be the manner of their government ; saving that they agree better among themselves ; it passes for a mark of greatness , to burn cities , and lay whole kingdoms waste ; nor is it for the honor of a prince , to appoint this or that single man to be kill'd , unless they have whole troops , or ( sometimes ) legions , to work upon . but , it is not the spoils of war , and bloody trophyes , that make a prince glorious ; but , the divine power of preserving unity , and peace . ruine , without distinction is more properly the business of a general deluge , or a conflagration . neither does a fierce , and inexorable anger become the supreme magistrate : greatness of mind is alwayes meek , and humble ; but cruelty is a note , and an effect of weakness ; and brings down a governor to the level of a competitor . of clemency . the humanity , and excellence of this virtue , is confess'd at all hands , as well by the men of pleasure , and those that think every man was made for himself , as by the stoicks , that make man a sociable creature , and born for the common good of mankind : for it is , of all dispositions , the most peaceable , and quiet . but before we enter any further upon the discourse , it would be first known what clemency is , that we may distinguish it from pitty : which is a weakness ; though many times mistaken for a virtue : and the next thing will be , to bring the mind to the habit , and exercise of it . clemency is a favourable disposition of the mind , in the matter of inflicting punishment ; or , a moderation , that remits somewhat of the penalty incurr'd . as pardon is the total remission of a deserv'd punishment . we must be careful not to confound clemency with pitty ; for as religion worships god , and superstition profanes that worship : so should we distinguish betwixt clemency , and pitty ; practising the one , and avoiding the other . for pitty proceeds from a narrowness of mind , that respects rather the fortune , than the cause . it is a kind of moral sickness , contracted from other peoples misfortunes : such another weakness as laughing , or yawning for company , or as that of sick eyes , that cannot look upon others that are blear'd , without dropping themselves . i 'll give a shipwrack'd-man a plank , a lodging to a stranger , or a piece of mony to him that wants it : i will dry up the tears of my friend , yet i will not weep with him , but treat him with constancy , and humanity , as one man ought to treat another . it is objected by some , that clemency is an insignificant virtue ; and that only the bad are the better for 't ; for the good have no need on 't . but , in the first place ; as physick is in use only among the sick , and yet in honor with the sound ; so the innocent have a reverence for clemency , though criminals are properly the object of it . and then again , a man may be innocent , and yet have occasion for it too : for , by the accidents of fortune , or the condition of times , virtue it self may come to be in danger . consider the most populous city , or nation ; what a solitude would it be , if none should be left there but those that could stand the test of a severe justice . we should have neither judges , nor accusers ; none either to grant a pardon , or to ask it . more or less , we are all sinners , and he that has best purg'd his conscience , was brought by errors to repentance . and it is farther profitable to mankind ; for many delinquents come to be converted . there is a tenderness to be us'd , even toward our slaves , and those that we have bought with our mony ; how much more then , to free , and to honest men , that are rather under our protection , than dominion ? not that i would have it so general neither , as not to distinguish betwixt the good , and the bad , for that would introduce a confusion , and give a kind of encouragement to wickedness . it must therefore have a respect to the quality of the offender , and separate the curable from the desperate ; for it is an equal cruelty to pardon all , and to pardon none . where the matter is in ballance , let mercy turn the scale : if all wicked men should be punish'd , who should scape ? though mercy , and gentleness of nature b b b keeps all in peace , and tranquillity , even in a cottage , yet is it much more beneficial , and conspicuous in a palace . private men in their condition , are likewise private in their virtues , and in their vices ; but the words , and the actions of princes , are the subject of publick rumor ; and therefore they had need have a care , what occasion they give people for discourse , of whom people will be alwayes a talking . there is the government of a prince over his people ; a father over his children ; a master over his scholars , an officer over his soldiers . he is an unnatural father , that for every trifle beats his children . who is the better master , he that rages over his scholars , for but missing a word in a lesson ; or he that tryes by admonition , and fair words , to instruct , and reform them ? an outrageous officer makes his men run from their colors . a skilful rider brings his horse to obedience , by mingling fair meanes with foul ; whereas to be perpetually switching , and spurring , makes him vitious , and jadish : and shall we not have more care of men , than of beasts ? it breaks the hope of generous inclinations , when they are deprest by servility , and terror . there is no creature so hard to be pleas'd with ill usage , as man. clemency does well with all , but best with c c c princes , for it makes their power comfortable , and beneficial , which would otherwise be the pest of mankind . it establishes their greatness , when they make the good of the publick , their particular care , and employ their power for the safety of the people . the prince , in effect , is but the soul of the community , as the community is only the body of the prince : so that in being merciful to others , he is tender of himself : nor is any man so mean , but his master feels the loss of him , as a part of his empire . and he takes care , not only of the lives of his people , but also of their reputations . now , giving for granted , that all virtues are in themselves equal , it will not yet be deny'd , that they may be more beneficial to mankind in one person , than in another . a beggar may be as magnanimous as a king : for , what can be greater , or braver , than to baffle ill fortune ? this does not hinder , but that a man in authority , and plenty , has more matter for his generosity to work upon , than a private person : and it is also more taken notice of upon the bench , than upon the level . when a gracious prince shewes himself to his people , they do not fly from him as from a tiger , that had rous'd himself out of his den ; but they worship him as a benevolent influence , they secure him against all conspiracies , and interpose their bodies betwixt him , and danger . they guard him while he sleeps , and defend him in the field against his enemies . nor is it without reason , this unanimous agreement in love , and loyalty ; and this heroical zeal of abandoning themselves for the safety of their prince , but it is as well the interest of the people . in the breath of a prince there 's life , and death : and his sentence stands good , right or wrong . if he be angry , no body dares advise him ; and if he does amiss , who shall call him to accompt ? now , for him that has so much mischief in his power , and yet applyes that power to the common utility , and comfort of his people , diffusing also clemency , and goodness into their hearts too ; what can be a greater blessing to mankind than such a prince ? any man may kill another against the law , but only a prince can save him so . let him so deal with his own subjects , as he desires god should deal with him : if heaven should be inexorable to sinners , and destroy all without mercy , what flesh could be safe ? but , as the faults of great men are not presently punish'd with thunder from above , let them have a like regard to their inferiors here upon earth . he that has revenge in his power , and does not use it , is the great man : which is the more beautiful , and agreeable state , that of a calm , a temperate , and a clear day ; or that of lightening , thunder , and tempests ? and this is the very difference betwixt a moderate , and a turbulent government . 't is for low , and vulgar spirits , to brawl , storm , and transport themselves ; but 't is not for the majesty of a prince to lash out into intemperance of words : some will think it rather slavery , than empire , to be debarr'd liberty of speech : and what if it be when government it self is but a more illustrious servitude ? he that uses his power as he should , takes as much delight in making it comfortable to his people , as glorious to himself . he is affable , and easie of access ; his very countenance makes him the joy of his peoples eyes , and the delight of mankind . he is belov'd , defended , and reverenc'd , by all his subjects ; and men speak as well of him in private , as in publick : he is safe without guards , and the sword is rather his ornament , than his defence ; in his duty , he is like that of a good father , that sometimes gently reproves a son ; sometimes threatens him ; nay , and perhaps corrects him : but no father , in his right wits , will disinherit a son for the first fault : there must be many , and great offences , and only desperate consequences that should bring him to that decretory resolution : he will make many experiments , to try if he can reclaim him first , and nothing but the utmost despair must put him upon extremities . it is not flattery that calls a prince the father of his country : the titles of great , and august , are matter of complement , and of honor ; but , in calling him father , we mind him of that moderation , and indulgence , which he owes to his children : his subjects are his members . where , if there must be an amputation , let him come slowly to it , and when the part is cut off , let him wish it were on again ; let him grieve in the doing of it : he that passes a sentence presently , looks as if he did it willingly ; and then there is an injustice in the excess . it is a glorious contemplation , for a d d d prince , first to consider the vast multitudes of his people , whose seditious , divided , and impotent passions would cast all into confusion , and destroy themselves , and publick order too , if the band of government did not restrain them : and thence to pass to the examination of his conscience , saying thus to himself . it is by the choice of providence that i am here made god's deputy upon earth ; the arbitrator of life , and death , and that upon my breath , depends the fortune of my people . my lips are the oracles of their fate , and upon them , hangs the destiny both of cities , and of men. it is under my favor that people seek for either prosperity , or protection ; thousands of swords are drawn , or sheath'd at my pleasure . what towns shall be advanc'd , or destroy'd ; who shall be slaves , or who free , depends upon my will ; and yet in this arbitrary power of acting without controle , i was never transported to do any cruel thing , either by anger , or hot blood , in my self , or by the contumacy , rashness , or provocations of other men ; though sufficient to turn mercy it self into fury . i was never mov'd by the odious vanity of making my self terrible by my power ( that accursed ( though common ) humor of ostentation , and glory , that haunts imperious natures . ) my sword has not only been bury'd in the scabbard , but in a manner bound to the peace , and tender even of the cheapest blood : and where i find no other motive to compassion , humanity it self is sufficient . i have been alwayes slow to severity , and prone to forgive , and under as strict a guard to observe the laws , as if i were accomptable for the breaking of them . some i pardon'd for their youth ; others , for their age. i spare one man for his dignity ; another for his humility ; and when i find no other matter to work upon , i spare my self . so that if god should at this instant call me to an accompt , the whole world would agree to witness for me , that i have not by any force , either publick or private ; either by my self , or by any other , defrauded the common-wealth : and the reputation that i have ever sought for , has been that which few princes have obtain'd , the conscience of my proper innocence . and i have not lost my labor neither , for no one man was ever so dear to another , as i have made my self to the whole body of my people . under such a prince the subject has nothing to wish for , beyond what he enjoyes ; their fears are quieted , and their prayers heard , and there is nothing can make their felicity greater , unless to make it perpetual ; and there is no liberty deny'd to the people , but that of destroying one another . it is the interest of the people , by the e e e consent of all nations , to run all hazards for the safety of their prince , and by a thousand deaths to redeem that one life , upon which so many millions depend . does not the whole body serve the mind , though only the one is expos'd to the eye , and the other not , but , thin , and invisible , the very seat of it being uncertain ? yet the hands , feet , and eyes , observe the motions of it : we lye down , run about , and ramble , as that commands us . if we be covetous , we fish the seas , and ransack the earth for treasure ; if ambitious , we burn our own flesh with scaevola ; we cast our selves into the gulph with curtius : so would that vast multitude of people , which is animated but with one soul , govern'd by one spirit , and mov'd by one reason , destroy it self with its own strength , if it were not supported by wisdom , and government . wherefore , it is for their own security , that the people expose their lives for their prince , as the very bond that ties the republick together ; the vital spirit of so many thousands , which would be nothing else but a burthen , and a prey , without a governor . when this union comes once to be dissolv'd , all falls to pieces ; for empire , and obedience , must stand , and fall together . it is no wonder then , if a prince be dear to his people , when the community is wrapt up in him , and the good of both as inseparable as the body , and the head ; the one for strength , and the othet counsel ; for , what signifies the force of the body , without the direction of the understanding ? while the prince watches , his people sleep ; his labor keeps them at ease , and his busines keeps them at quiet . the natural intent of monarchy appears even from the very discipline of bees ; they assign to their master the fairest lodgings , the safest place , and his office is only to see , that the rest perform their duties . when the king is lost , the whole swarm dissolves : more than one , they will not admit ; and then they contend who shall have the best : they are , of all creatures , the fiercest , for their bigness ; and leave their stings behind them in their quarrels ; only the king himself has none , intimating , that kings should neither be vindictive , nor cruel . is it not a shame , after such an example of moderation in these creatures , that men should be yet intemperate ? it were well if they lost their stings too in their revenge , as well as the other , that they might hurt but once , and do no mischief by their proxies . it would tire them out , if either they were to execute all with their own hands , or to wound others , at the peril of their own lives . a prince should behave himself generously in the power , which god has given him , of life and death ; especially toward those that have been at any time his equals ; for the one has his revenge , and the other his punishment in 't . he that stands indebted for his life , has lost it ; but he that receives his life at the foot of his enemy , lives to the honor of his preserver : he lives the lasting monument of his virtue ; whereas if he had been led in triumph , the spectacle would have been quickly over . or what if he should restore him to his kingdom again ? would it not be an ample accession to his honor , to shew that he found nothing about the conquer'd that was worthy of the conqueror ? there 's nothing more venerable than a prince that does not revenge an injury . he that is gracious , is belov'd , and reverenc'd as a common father , but a tyrant stands in fear , and in danger even of his own guards . no prince can be safe himself , of whom all others are afraid ; for to spare none , is to enrage all. 't is an error to imagine , that any man can be secure , that suffers no body else to be so too . how can any man endure to lead an uneasie , suspicious , anxious life , when he may be safe , if he pleases , and enjoy all the blessings of power , together with the prayers of his people ? clemency protects a prince without a guard ; there 's no need of troops , castles , or fortifications : security , on the one side , is the condition of security on the other ; and the affections of the subject are the most invincible fortress . what can be fairer , than for a prince to live the object of his peoples love , to have the vows of their hearts , as well as of their lips ; and his health , and sickness , their common hopes , and fears ? there will be no danger of plots : nay , on the contrary , who would not frankly venture his blood , to serve him , under whose government , justice , peace , modesty , and dignity flourish ? under whose influence men grow rich , and happy ; and whom men look upon with such veneration , as they would do upon the immortal gods , if they were capable of seeing them : and , as the true representative of the allmighty , they consider him , when he is gracious , and bountiful , and employes his power to the advantage of his subjects . when a prince proceeds to punishment , f f f it must be either to vindicate himself , or others . it is a hard matter to govern himself in his own case . if a man should advise him not to be credulous , but to examine matters , and indulge the innocent , this is rather a point of justice than of clemency : but , in case that he be manifestly injur'd , i would have him forgive , where he may safely do it , and be tender , even where he cannot forgive : but , far more exorable in his own case however , than in anothers . 't is nothing to be free of another man's purse ; and 't is as little to be merciful in another man's cause . he is the great man that masters his passion where he is stung himself ; and pardons , when he might destroy . the end of punishment , is either to comfort the party injur'd , or to secure him for the future . a princes fortune is above the need of such a comfort , and his power is too eminent to seek an advance of reputation , by doing a private man a mischief . this i speak , in case of an affront from those that are below us : but he , that of an equal , has made any man his inferior , has his revenge , in the bringing of him down . a prince has been kill'd by a servant , destroy'd by a serpent ; but whosoever preserves a man , must be greater than the person that he preserves . with citizens , strangers , and people of low condition , a prince is not to contend , for they are beneath him : he may spare some , out of good will , and others , as he would do some little creatures that a man cannot touch without fouling his fingers : but for those that are to be pardon'd , or expos'd to publick punishment , he may use mercy as he sees occasion ; and a generous mind can never want inducements , or motives to it : and whether it be age , or sex ; high , or low , nothing comes amiss . to pass now to the vindication of others , there must be had a g g g regard , either to the amendment of the person punish'd , or the making of others better , for fear of punishment ; or the taking the offender out of the way for the security of others . an amendment may be procur'd by a small punishment ; for he lives more carefully that has something yet to lose ; it is a kind of impunity , to be incapable of a further punishment . the corruptions of a city are best cur'd by few , and sparing severities ; for the multitude of offenders creates a custome of offending , and company authorizes a crime , and there is more good to be done upon a dissolute age , by patience , than by rigor : provided that it pass not for an approbation of ill manners ; but only as an unwillingness to proceed to extremities . under a merciful prince a man will be asham'd to offend , because a punishment that is inflicted by a gentle governor , seems to fall heavier and with more reproch : and it is remarkable also , that those sins are often committed , which are very often punish'd . caligula , in five years , condemn'd more people to the sack , than ever were before him ; and there were fewer parricides before that law against them , than after . for our ancestors did wisely presume , that the crime would never be committed , till by a law for punishing it , they found , that it might be done . parricides began with the law against them , and the punishment instructed men in the crime . where there are few punishments , innocency is indulg'd as a publick good , and it is a dangerous thing to shew a city how strong it is in delinquents . there is a certain contumacy in the nature of man , that makes him oppose difficulties . we are better to follow , than to drive ; as a generous horse rides best with an easie bitt . people obey willingly , where they are commanded kindly . when burrhus the prefect was to sentence two malefactors , he brought the warrant to nero to sign : who , after a long reluctancy , came to 't at last with this exclamation , i would i could not write . a speech that deserv'd the whole world for an auditory , but all princes especially ; and that the hearts of all the subjects would conform to the likeness of their masters . as the head is well , or ill , so is the mind dull , or merry . what 's the difference betwixt a king , and a tyrant , but a diversity of will , under one , and the same power : the one destroyes for his pleasure , the other upon necessity : a distinction rather in fact , than in name . a gracious prince is arm'd as well as a tyrant ; but 't is for the defence of his people , and not for the ruin of them . no king can ever have faithful servants , that accustomes them to tortures , and executions : the very guilty themselves do not lead so anxious a life as the persecuters , for they are not only affraid of justice , both divine , and humane , but it is dangerous for them to mend their manners ; so that when they are once in , they must continue to be wicked , upon necessity . an universal hatred unites in a popular rage : a temperate fear may be kept in order , but when it comes once to be continual , and sharp , it provokes people to extremities , and transports them to desperate resolutions ; as wild beasts , when they are prest upon the toyl , turn back , and assault the very pursuers . a turbulent government is a perpetual trouble both to prince , and people ; and he that is a terror to all others , is not without terror also himself . frequent punishments , and revenges may suppress the hatred of a few , but then it stirs up the detestation of all. so that there 's no destroying one enemy , without making many . it is good to master the will of being cruel , even while there may be cause for it , and matter to work upon . augustus was a gracious h h h prince , when he had the power in his own hand ; but in the triumviracy he made use of his sword , and had his friends ready arm'd to set upon anthony , during that dispute . but he behav'd himself afterwards at another rate ; for when he was betwixt forty and fifty years of age , he was told , that cinna was of a plot to murther him , with the time , place , and manner of the design ; and this from one of the confederates . upon this , he resolv'd upon a revenge , and sent for several of his friends to advise upon 't . the thought of it kept him waking , to consider , that there was the life of a young nobleman in the case , the nephew of pompey , and a person , otherwise innocent . he was off and on several times , whether he should put him to death , or not . what ( sayes he ) shall i live in trouble , and in danger my self , and the contriver of my death walk free , and secure ? will nothing serve him but that life , which providence has preserv'd in so many civill wars ; in so many battels , both by sea and land ; and now , in the state of an universal peace too ? and not a simple murther neither , but a sacrifice ; for i am to be assaulted at the very altar ; and shall the contriver of all this villany scape unpunish'd ? here augustus made a little pause , and then recollecting himself : no , no ( caesar , sayes he ) 't is rather caesar , than cinna , that i 'm to be angry with : why do i my self live any longer , after that my death is become the interest of so many people ? and if i go on , what end will there be of blood , and of punishment ? if it be against my life that the nobility armes it self , and levels their weapons , my single life is not worth the while , if so many must be destroy'd , that i may be preserv'd , his wife ●…ivia gave him here an interruption , and desir'd him , that he would for once hear a womans counsel . do ( sayes she ) like a physitian , that when common remedies fail , will try the contrary ; you have got nothing hitherto by severity : after salvidiaenus there follow'd lepidus ; after him , muraena ; caepio follow'd him , and egnatius follow'd caepio : try now what mercy will do ; forgive cinna . he is discover'd , and can do you no hurt in your person ; and it will yet advantage you in your reputation . augustus was glad of the advice , and he gave thanks for 't , and thereupon countermanded the meeting of his friends , and order'd cinna to be brought to him alone ; for whom he caus'd a chair to be set , and then discharg'd the rest of the company . cinna ( sayes augustus ) before i go any further , you must promise not to give me the interruption of one syllable till i have told you all i have to say , and you shall have liberty afterward to say what you please : you cannot forget , that when i found you in armes against me , and not only made my enemy , but born so , i gave you your life and fortune . upon your petition for the priesthood , i granted it with a repulse to the sons of those that had been my fellow soldiers ; and you are at this day so happy , and so rich , that even the conquerors envy him that is overcome ; and yet after all this , you are in a plot , cinna , to murther me . at that word , cinna started , and interposed with exclamations , that certainly he was far from being either so wicked , or so mad. this is breach of conditions , cinna , ( sayes augustus ) 't is not your time to speak yet . i tell you again , that you are in a plot to murther me ; and so he told him the time , the place , the confederates , the order , and manner of the design , and who it was that was to do the deed. cinna , upon this , fixt his eye upon the ground , without any reply ; not for his wordsake , but as in a confusion of conscience ; and so augustus went on . what ( sayes he ) may your design be in all this ? is it that you would pretend to step into my place ? the common-wealth were in an ill condition , if only augustus were in the way betwixt you and the government . you were cast the other day in a cause , by one of your own freemen ; and do you expect to find a weaker adversary of caesar ? but , what if i were remov'd ? there 's aemilius paulus , fabius maximus , and twenty other families of great blood , and interest , that would never bear it ? to cut off the story short ; ( for it was a discourse of above two hours ; and augustus lengthen'd the punishment in words , since he intended that should be all ) well , cinna , sayes he , the life that i gave to you once , as an enemy , i will now repeat it to a traytor , and to a parricide , and this shall be the last reproche i 'll give you . for the time to come , there shall be no other contention betwixt you and me , than which shall outdoe the other in point of friendship . after this , augustus made cinna , consul , ( an honor , which he confess'd , he durst not so much as desire ) and cinna was ever affectionately faithful to him , he made caesar his sole heir , and this was the last conspiracy that ever was form'd against him . this moderation in augustus , was the i i i excellency of his mature age ; for in his youth , he was passionate , and sudden ; and he did many things , which afterward he look'd back upon with trouble : after the battel of actium , so many navies broken in sicily , both romane , and strangers ; the perusian altars ; ( where lives were sacrific'd to the ghost of iulius ) his frequent proscriptions , and other severities ; his temperance at last seem'd to be little more than a weary cruelty . if he had not forgiven those that he conquer'd , whom should he have govern'd ? he chose his very life-guard from among his enemies , and the flower of the romans owed their lives to his clemency . nay , he only punish'd lepidus himself with banishment , and permitted him to wear the ensigns of his dignity without taking the pontificate to himself , so long as lepidus was living ; for he would not possess it as a spoyl , but as an honor. this clemency it was , that secur'd him in his greatness , and ingratiated him to the people , though he laid his hand upon the government before they had thoroughly submitted to the yoke ; and this clemency it was , that has made his name famous to posterity . this is it , that makes us reckon him divine , without the authority of an apotheosis , he was so tender , and patient , that though many a bitter jeast was broken upon him ( and contumelies upon princes , are the most intolerable of all injuries ) yet he never punish'd any man upon that subject . it is then generous to be merciful , when we have it in our power to take revenge . a son of titus arius being examin'd , and found k k k guilty of parricide , was banish'd rome , and confin'd to marseilles , where his father allow'd him the same annuity that he had before ; which made all people conclude him guilty , when they saw that his father had yet condemn'd the son , that he could not hate . augustus was pleas'd to sit upon the fact in the house of arius , only as a single member of the council , that was to examine it : if it had been in caesars palace , the iudgment must have been caesars , and not the fathers . upon a full hearing of the matter , caesar directed , that every man should write his opinion , whether guilty , or not , and without declaring of his own , for fear of a partial vote . before the opening of the books , caesar pass'd an oath , that he would not be arius his heir : and , to shew , that he had no interest in his sentence , as appear'd afterward , for he was not condemn'd to the ordinary punishment of parricides , nor to a prison , but , by the mediation of caesar , only banish'd rome , and confin'd to the place which his father should name : augustus insisting upon it , that the father should content himself with an easie punishment , and arguing , that the young man was not mov'd to the attempt by malice , and that he was but half resolv'd upon the fact , for he waver'd in it , and therefore to remove him from the city , and from his fathers sight , would be sufficient . this is a glorious mercy , and worthy of a prince , to make all things gentler whereever he comes . how miserable is that man in himself , who when he has employ'd his power in rapines , and cruelty upon others , is yet more unhappy in himself ? he stands in fear both of his domesticks , and of strangers , the faith of his friends , and the piety of his children , and flies to actual violence to secure him from the violence he fears . when he comes to look about him , and to consider what he has done , what he must , and what he is about to do ; what with the wickedness , and with the torments of his conscience , many times he fears death , oftner he wishes for 't , and lives more odious to himself , than to his subjects : whereas , on the contrary , he that takes a care of the publick , though of one part more perhaps than of another , yet there is not any part of it , but he looks upon as part of himself . his mind is tender , and gentle , and even where punishment is necessary , and profitable , he comes to it unwillingly , and without any rancor , or enmity in his heart . let the authority , in fine be what it will , clemency becomes it , and the greater the power , the greater is the glory of it . it is a truly royal virtue , for a prince to deliver his people from other mens anger , and not to oppress them with his own. the end. seneca's morals . the third , and last part. digested into xxviii epistles , by roger l'estrange . london : printed by tho. newcomb for henry brome , at the gun in s t pauls church-yard . mdclxxviii . the contents . epist. i. certain general directions for the government of the voice ; as in speaking soft , or loud ; quick , or slow . the speech is the index of the mind . pag. . epist. ii. of stiles , compositions , and the choice of words . that 's the best way of writing , and speaking , which is free , and natural . advice concerning reading . p. . epist. iii. against all sorts of affectation in discourse . phantastical studies ; impertinent , and unprofitable subtilties . mans business is virtue , not words . p. . epist. iv. business , and want of newes , are no excuse among friends , for not writing . wise men are the better for one another . how far wisdom may be advanc'd by precept . p. . epist. v. seneca gives an accompt of himself , his studies , and of his inclinations : with many excellent reflections upon the duties , and the errors of humane life . p. . epist. vi. the blessings of a virtuous retirement . how we come to the knowledge of virtue . a distinction betwixt good and honest. a wise man contents himself with his lot. p. . epist. vii . of impertinent studies , and impertinent men. philosophers , the best companions . p. . epist. viii . against singularity of manners , and behaviour . p. . epist. ix . the blessings of a vigorous mind in a decay'd body ; with some pertinent reflections of seneca , upon his own age. p. . epist. x. custome is a great matter , either in good or ill. we should check our passions betimes . involuntary motions are invincible . p. . epist. xi . we are divided in our selves ; and confound good , and evil. p. . epist. xii . we are mov'd at the novelty of things , for want of understanding the reason of them . p. . epist. xiii . every man is the artisicer of his own fortune . of justice , and injustice . p. . epist. xiv . of trust in friendship . prayer ; and bodily exercise . p. . epist. xv. the danger of flattery ; and in what cases a man may be allow'd to commend himself . p. . epist. xvi . a general dissolution of manners : with a censure of corrupt magistrates . p. . epist. xvii . the original of all men is the same ; and virtue is the only nobility . there is a tenderness due to servants . p. . epist. xviii . we are juster to men , than to god. of life , and death ; of good , and evil. p. . epist. xix . of true courage . p. . epist. xx. 't is never too late to learn . the advantages of a private life ; and the slavery of a publick . the ends of punishment . p. . epist. xxi . the two blessings of life are , a sound body ; and a quiet mind . the extravagance of the roman luxury . the moderation , and simplicity of former times . p. . epist. xxii . man is compounded of soul , and body : and has naturally a civil war within himself . the difference betwixt a life of virtue , and a life of pleasure . p. . epist. xxiii . we abuse gods blessings , and turn them into mischiefs . meditations upon the horrors of earthquakes , and consolations against them . death is the same thing , which way soever it comes : only we are more mov'd by accidents that we are not us'd to . p. . epist. xxiv . a discourse of gods providence , in the misfortunes of good men in this world , and in the prosperity of the wicked . p. . epist. xxv . a wise , and a good man is proof against all accidents . of fate . p. . epist. xxvi . all things are produced out of cause , and matter . of providence . a brave man is a match for fortune . p. . epist. xxvii . some traditions of the antients concerning thunder , and lightning ; with the authors contemplations thereupon . p. . epist. xxviii . a contemplation of heaven , and heavenly things . of god , and of the soul. p. . epistles . epist. i. certain general directions for the government of the voice ; as in speaking soft , or loud ; quick , or slow . the speech is the index of the mind . you say well , that in speaking , the very ordering of the voice , ( to say nothing of the actions , countenances , and other circumstances that accompany it ) is a consideration worthy of a wise man. there are , that prescribe certain modes of rising , and falling ; nay , if you will be govern'd by them , you shall not speak a word , move a step , or eat a bit , but by a rule : and these perhaps are too critical . do not understand me yet , as if i made no difference betwixt entring upon a discourse loud , or soft ; for the affections do naturally rise by degrees ; and , in all disputes , or pleadings , whether publick , or private , a man should properly begin with modesty , and temper , and so advance by little and little , if need be , into clamor , and vociferation . and as the voice rises by degrees , let it fall so too ; not snapping off upon a sudden , but abating , as upon moderation : the other is unmannerly , and rude . he that has a precipitate speech , is commonly violent in his manners : beside that , there is in it much of vanity , and emptyness ; and no man takes satisfaction in a flux of words , without choice ; where the noise is more than the value . fabian was a man eminent , both for his life , and learning ; and no less for his eloquence . his speech was rather easie , and sliding , than quick : which he accompted to be , not only lyable to many errors , but to a suspicion of immodesty . nay , let a man have words never so much at will , he will no more speak fast , than he will run , for fear his tongue should go before his wit. the speech of a philosopher should be like his life , compos'd , without pressing , or stumbling ; which is fitter for a mountebank , than a man of sobriety , and business : and then to drop one word after another , is as bad on the other side . the interruption is tedious , and tires out the auditor with expectation . truth , and morality , should be deliver'd in words plain , and without affectation ; for , like remedies , unless they stay with us ; we are never the better for them . he that would work upon his hearers , must no more expect to do it upon the post , than a physitian to cure his patients , only in passing by them . not but that i would have a wise man , in some cases , to raise himself , and mend his pace ; but still with a regard to the dignity of his manners ; though there may be a great force also in moderation . i would have his discourse smooth , and flowing , like a river ; not impetuous , like a torrent . there is a rapid , lawless , and irrevocable velocity of speech , which i would scarce allow , even to an orator ; for if he be transported with passion , or ostentation , a mans attention can hardly keep him company . it is not the quantity , but the pertinence , that does the business . let the words of an antient man flow soft , and gentle ; let those of an orator come off round , and powerful ; but not run on without fear , or wit , as if a whole declamation were to be but one period . cicero wrote with care , and that which will for ever stand the test. all publick languages are according to the humor of the age : a wantonness , and effeminacy of speech denotes luxury ; for the wit follows the mind : if the latter be sound , compos'd , temperate , and grave , the wit is dry , and sober too : but if the one be corrupted , the other is likewise unsound . do we not see when a mans mind is heavy , how he creeps , and draws his legs after him ? a finical temper is read in the very gesture , and cloths ; if a man be cholerick , and violent , it is also discover'd in his motions . an angry man speaks short , and quick ; the speech of an effeminate man is loose , and melting . a queint , and sollicitous way of speaking , is the sign of a weak mind ; but a great man speaks with ease , and freedom ; and with more assurance , though less care . speech is the index of the mind ; when you see a man dress , and set his cloths in print , you shall be sure to find his words so too , and nothing in them that is firm , and weighty : it does not become a man to be delicate . as it is in drink , the tongue never trips , till the mind be over-born ; so it is with speech ; so long as the mind is whole , and sound , the speech is masculine , and strong ; but , if one failes , the other follows . epist. ii. of stiles , compositions , and the choice of words . that 's the best way of writing , and speaking , which is free and natural . advice concerning reading . you cannot expect any certain , and universal rule , either for the stile , or for the manner of speaking , or writing , because they vary according to usage , and occasion . so that we must content our selves with generals . men write , and speak commonly according to the humor of the age they live in : and there is also a correspondence betwixt the language , and the life of particular persons ; as one may give a near guess at a man , by his very gate , furniture , and cloths . in the first place , let the sence be honest , and noble ; not pinch'd up into sentences ; but substantial , and of higher design , with nothing in it superfluous . let the words be fitted to the matter ; and where the subject is familiar , let the stile be so too . but great thoughts must have suitable expressions ; and there ought to be a kind of transport in the one , to answer it in the other . it is not enough to compose a pleasant fable ; and tickle the phansie ; but he that treats of weighty matters , must do it in grave , and sober terms . there are some that have not much of the vigor of an orator ; or of that sententious sharpness ; and yet the worthiness of the sence , makes amends for the lowness of the stile . our fore-fathers were not at all delighted with fine words , and flowers : but their compositions were strong , equal , and manly . we have now adayes here and there a poynt ; but the work is uneven , where only this , or that particular is remarkable . we never admire this , or that single tree , where the whole wood is all of a height . a specious title-page may commend a book to sale , but not for use. an eminent author is to be taken down whole , and not here and there a bit. 't is a maiming of the body to take the members of it apart : nor is it a handsom leg , or arm , that makes a handsom man ; but the symmetry , and agreement of all together . it is the excellency of speaking , and writing , to do it close ; and in words accommodate to the intention ; and i would yet have somewhat more to be signify'd , than is deliver'd : it being also a mark of strength , and solidity of judgment . the propriety of words , in some cases , is wonderful ; especially when we are well read in the knowledge of things , and of duties ; and there is a singular grace in the gentleness of numbers , when they run smooth , and without perturbation . some are rais'd , and startl'd at words , as a horse is at a drum ; and indue the very passion of the speaker . others are mov'd with the beauty of things ; and when they hear any thing bravely urg'd against death , or fortune , they do secretly wish for some occasion of experimenting that generosity in themselves . but not one of a thousand of them , that carries the resolution home with him that he had conceiv'd . it is an easie matter to excite an auditory to the love of goodness , having already the foundation , and the seeds of virtue within themselves : so that it is but awakening the consideration of it , where all men are agreed before-hand upon the main . who is so sordid , as not to be rouz'd at such a speech as this ? the poor man wants many things , but the covetous man wants all. can any flesh forbear being delighted with this saying , though a satyre against his own vice. as to forc'd metaphors , and wild hyperbole's , i would leave them to the poets . and i am utterly against fooling with tinckling conceipts , and sounds : not that i would wholly forbid the use of hyperboles ; which , although they exceed the truth , may yet be a means , by things incredible , to bring us unto things credible . and there may be great use made also of parables : for the way of application does usually more affect the mind , than the downright . meaning . that speech which gains upon the passions , is much more profitable than that which only works upon the judgment . chrysippus was a great man , and of an acute wit ; but the edge of it was so fine , that every thing turn'd it : and he might be said , in truth , rather to prick the subject that he handled , than to pierce it through . as it is not for the honor of a philosopher , to be sollicitous about words : i would not have him negligent neither : but , let him speak with assurance , and without affectation . if we can , let our discourses be powerful ; but however , let them be clear. i like a composition that is nervous , and strong ; but yet i would have it sweet , and gracious withal . there are many things , i know , that please well enough in the delivery , and yet will hardly abide the test of an examination . but , that eloquence is mischievous , that diverts a man from things , to words ; and little better than a prostitution of letters . for , what signifies the pomp of words , or the jumbling of syllables , to the making up of a wise man ? tully's composition indeed is equal ; his numbers are harmonious , free , and gentle : and yet he takes a care , not to make any forfeiture of his gravity . fabian is a great man , in being second to cicero : pollio is a great man too , though a step below him ; and so is livy likewise , though he comes after the other three . but several subjects require several excellencies . an orator should be sharp ; the tragedian , great ; and the comedian , pleasant . when a man declaimes against vice , let him be bitter ; against dangers , bold ; against fortune , proud ; against ambition , reproachful : let him chide luxury ; defame lust : an impotency of mind must be broken. in these cases , words are the least part of an honest mans business . in the matter of composition , i would write as i speak ; with ease , and freedom ; for it is more friendly , as well as more natural : and so much my inclination , that if i could make my mind visible to you , i would neither speak , nor write it . if i put my thoughts in good sense , the matter of ornament i shall leave to the orators . there are some things that a man may write even as he travels ; others , that require privacy , and leisure . but however , it is good in writing , as in other cases , to leave the best bit for the last . a philosopher has no more to do , than to speak properly , and in words that express his meaning . and this may be done without tossing of the hands , stamping , or any violent agitation of the body ; without either the vanity of the theatre , on the one hand , or an insipid heaviness , on the other . i would have his speech as plain , and single , as his life ; for he is then as good as his word , when both hearing him , and seeing him , we find him to be the same person . and yet if a man can be eloquent , without more pains than the thing 's worth , let him use his faculty : provided , that he value himself upon the matter , more than upon the words ; and apply himself rather to the understanding , than to the phansy ; for this is a business of virtue , not a tryal of wit. who is there that would not rather have a healing , than a rhetorical physitian ? but , for esteeming any man purely upon the score of his rhetorick , i would as soon chuse a pilot for a good head of hair. in the matter of reading ; i would fix upon some particular authors , and make them my own . he that is every where , is no where ; but like a man that spends his life in travel , he has many hosts , but few friends . which is the very condition of him ; that skips from one book to another ; the variety does but distract his head ; and , for want of digesting , it turns to corruption , in stead of nourishment . 't is a good argument of a well compos'd mind , when a man loves home , and to keep company with himself . vvhereas a rambling head is a certain sign of a sickly humor . many books , and many acquaintances , bring a man to a levity of disposition , and a liking of change. what is the body the better for meat , that will not stay with it ? nor is there any thing more hurtful in the case of diseases , or wounds , than the frequent shifting of physick , or plaisters . of authors , be sure to make choice of the best ; and , ( as i said before ) to stick close to them ; and , though you may take up others by the by , reserve some select ones however for your study , and retreat . in your reading , you will every day meet with consolation , and support , against poverty , death , and other calamities , incident to humane life : extract what you like ; and then single out some particular from the rest , for that dayes meditation . reading does not only feed , and entertain the understanding ; but when a man is doz'd with one study , he relieves himself with another : but , still reading , and writing are to be taken up by turns . so long as the meat lies whole upon the stomach , it is a burthen to us ; but upon the concoction it passes into strength , and blood. and so it fares with our studies ; so long as they lye whole , they pass only into the memory , without affecting the understanding : but , upon meditation , they become our own , and supply us with strength , and virtue : the bee that wanders , and sips from every flower , disposes what she has gather'd into her cells . epist. iii. against all sorts of affectation in discourse . phantastical studies ; impertinent , and unprofitable subtilties . mans business is virtue , not words . there are many men , ( and some of great sence too ) that lose both the profit , and the reputation of good thoughts , by the uncouth manner of expressing them : they love to talk in mystery , and take it for a marque of wisdome , not to be understood . they are so fond of making themselves publique , that they will rather be ridiculous , than not taken notice of . when the mind grows squeamish , and comes to a loathing of things that are common as if they were sordid , that sickness betrays it self in our way of speaking too : for we must have new words , new compositions , and it passes for an ornament , to borrow from other tongues , where we may be better furnished in our own. one man prizes himself upon being concise , and talking in parables : another runs himself out in words ; and that which he takes only for copious , renders him to others both ridiculous , and tedious . others there are , that like the error well enough , but cannot come up to 't . but , take this for a rule ; wheresoever the speech is corrupted , so is the mind . some are only for words antiquated , and long since out of date ; others only for that which is popular , and course ; and they are both in the wrong ; for the one takes too little care , and the other too much. some are for a rough , broken stile ; as if it were a thing unmanly to please the ear ; others are too nice upon the matter of number , and make it rather singing , than speaking . some affect not to be understood till the end of the period , and hardly then neither . 't is not good ; a stile that is either too bold , or too florid ; the one wants modesty , and the other , effect . some are too starch'd , and formal ; others take a pride in being rugged ; and if they chance to let fall any thing that is smooth , they 'll transpose , and mangle it on purpose , only to maim the period , and disappoint a bodies expectation . these errors are commonly introduc'd by some person that is famous for his eloquence ; others follow him , and so it passes into a fashion . and we are as much out in the choice of the matter , as in that of our words . there are some studies which are only matter of curiosity , and trial of skill ; others of pleasure , and of use : but still there are many things worth the knowing perhaps , that were not worth the learning . it is a huge deal of time that is spent in cavilling about words , and captious disputations , that work us up to an edge , and then nothing comes on 't . there are some tricks of wit , like slight of hand , which amount to no more than the tying of knots only to loosen them again ; and it is the very fallacy that pleases us ; for , so soon as ever we know how they are done , the satisfaction is at an end. he that does not understand these sophismes , is never the worse , and he that does , is never the better . if a man tells me that i have hornes , i can tell him again , that i have none , without feeling on my forehead . bion's dilemma makes all men to be sacrilegious , and yet , at the same time , maintains , that there is no such thing as sacrilege . he that takes to himself , ( sayes he ) what belongs to god , commits sacrilege ; but all things belong to god , therefore he that applies any thing to his own use , is sacrilegious . on the other side , the very rifling of a temple he makes to be no sacrilege : for 't is ( says he ) but the taking of something out of one place , that belongs to god , and removing of it to another that belongs to him too . the fallacy lies in this , that though all things belong to him , all things are not yet dedicated to him . there is no greater enemy of truth , than overmuch subtilty of speculation . protagoras will have every thing disputable , and as much to be said for the one side , as for the other . nay , he makes it another question , whether every thing be disputable , or no. there are others that make it a science , to prove , that man knows nothing : but , the former is the more tolerable error ; for the other takes away the very hope of knowledge ; and it is better to know that which is superfluous , than nothing at all . and yet it is a kind of intemperance to desire to know more than enough ; for it makes men troublesome , talkative , impertinent , conceipted , &c. there is a certain hankering after learning , which , if it be not put into a right way , hinders , and falls foul upon it self . wherefore the burthen must be fitted to the shoulders , and no more than we are able to bear. it is , in a great measure , the fault of our tutors , that teach their disciples rather how to dispute , than how to live : and the learner himself is also to blame , for applying himself to the emprovement , rather of his wit , than of his mind : by which means , philosophy is now turn'd to philology . put a grammarian to virgil ; he never heeds the philosophy , but the verse : every man takes notes for his own study . in the same meadow the cow finds grass , the dog starts a hare , and the stork snaps a lizzard . tully's de republicâ finds work both for the philosopher , the philologer , and the grammarian . the philosopher wonders how it was possible to speak so much against iustice. the philologer makes this observation , that rome had two kings , the one without a father , and the other without a mother ; for 't is a question who was servius his mother , and of ancus his father , there is not so much as any mention . the grammarian takes notice , that reapse is used for reipsa ; and sepse for seipse : and so every man makes his notes for his own purpose . these fooleries apart , let us learn to do good to mankind , and put our knowledge into action . our danger is the being mistaken in things , not in words ; and in the confounding of good , and evil. so that our whole life is but one continued error , and we live in dependency upon to morrow . there are a world of things to be study'd , and learn'd , and therefore we should discharge the mind of things unnecessary , to make way for greater matters . the business of the schools is rather a play , than a study ; and only to be done when we can do nothing else . there are many people that frequent them , only to hear , and not to learn ; and they take notes too , not to reform their manners , but to pick up words , which they vent , with as little benefit to others , as they heard them , to themselves . it costs us a great deal of time , and other mens ears a great deal of trouble , to purchase the character of a learned man : wherefore i shall e'en content my self with the courser title of an honest man. the worst of it is , that there is a vain , and idle pleasure in 't , which tempts us to squander away many a precious hour to very little purpose . we spend our selves upon subtiltics , which may perchance make us to be thought learned , but not good wisdom delights in openness and simplicity ; in the forming of our lives , rather than in the niceties of the schools , which , at best , do but bring us pleasure without profit . and , in short , the things which the philosophers impose upon us with so much pride , and vanity , are little more than the same lessons over again , which they learn'd at school . but some authors have their names up , though their discourses be mean enough ; they dispute , and wrangle , but they do not edifie , any farther , than as they keep us from ill doings , or perhaps stop us in our speed to wickedness . and there ought to be a difference betwixt the applauses of the schools , and of the theatre ; the one being mov'd with every popular conceipt , which does not at all consist with the dignity of the other . whereas there are some writings that stir up generous resolutions , and do , as it were , inspire a man with a new soul. they display the blessings of a happy life , and possess me at the same time with admiration , and with hope . they give me a veneration for the oracles of antiquity ; and a claim to them , as to a common inheritance ; for they are the treasure of mankind , and it must be my duty to emprove the stock , and transmit it to posterity . and yet i do not love to hear a man scite zeno , cleanther , epicurus , without some thing of his own too . what do i care for the bare hearing of that which i may read ? not but that word of mouth makes a great impression , especially when they are the speakers own words : but he that only recites another mans words , is no more to me than a notary . beside that there 's an end of invention , if we rest upon what 's invented already ; and he that only follows another , is so far from finding out any thing new , that he does not so much as look for 't . i do not pretend all this while to be the master of truth , but i am yet a most obstinate inquisitor after it . i am no mans slave ; but as i ascribe much to great men , i challenge something to my self . our fore-fathers have left us , not only their invention , but matter also for farther enquiry ; and perhaps they might have found out more things that are necessary , if they had not bent their thoughts too much upon superfluities . is not this a fine time for us to be fidling , and fooling about words ? how many useful , and necessary things are there , that we are first to learn , and secondly , to imprint in our minds ? for 't is not enough to remember , and to understand , unless we do what we know. epist. iv. business , and want of news , are no excuse among friends , for not writing : wise men are the better for one another . how far wisdom may be advanc'd by precept . your last letter was very short ; and the whole letter it self was little more than an excuse for the shortness of it . one while you are so full of business , that you cannot write at all ; and another while , you have so little newes , that you do not know what to write . now , assure your self , that whosoever has a mind to write , may find leisure for 't : and , for your other pretence , it looks as if we our selves were the least part of our own business . put the case that the whole world were becalm'd ; and that there were neither vvars , amours , factions , designs , disappointments , competitors , or law-suits ; no prodigals , usurers , or fornicators in nature ; there would be a large field yet left for the offices of friendship ; and for the exercise of philosophy , and virtue . let us rather consider , what we our selves ought to do , than hearken after the doings of other people . what signifies the story of our neighbours errors , to the reforming of our own ? is it not a more glorious , and profitable employment , to write the history of providence , than to record the usurpations of ambitious princes ; and rather to celebrate the bounties of the allmighty , than the robberies of alexander ? nor is business any excuse , for the neglect , either of our studies , or of our friends . first , we continue our own business ; and then , we increase it : and in stead of lending , we do wholly give our selves up to 't ; and hunt for colourable pretences of misspending our time. but , i say , that where ever we are , or with whomsoever , or however employ'd , we have our thoughts at liberty . you have here drawn a long letter from me ; and if you find it tedious , you may thank your self , for calling upon me to be as good as my vvord . not but that i write by inclination too . for if we love th pictures of our friends , by what hand soever they be drawn , how much more then shall we joy in a friends letters , which are undoubtedly the most lively pictures of one another ? it is a shame , you 'll say , to stand in need of any remembrancers of an absent friend ; and yet sometimes the place , a servant , a relation , a house , a garment , may honestly excite the memory ; and it renders every thing as fresh to us , as if we were still joyn'd in our embraces , and drinking up one anothers tears . it is by the benefit of letters , that absent friends are in a manner brought together ; beside that epistolary discourses are much more profitable than publick , and premeditated declamations : for they insinuate themselves into the affections with more freedom , and effect , though with less pomp , and pretence . you do expect , perhaps , that i should tell you , how gentle , and short a vvinter we have had ; how cold , and unseasonable a spring ; or some other fooleries , to as little purpose . but , vvhat are you and i the better for such discourses ? vve should rather be laying the foundations of a good mind ; and learning to distinguish betwixt the blessings of virtue , and the amusements of imagination . there came in some friends to me yesterday , that made the chimney smoak a little more than ordinary ; but not at a rate to make the neighbourhood cry out fire . vve had variety of discourse ; and passing from one thing to another , we came at last to read something of quintus sextius : ( a great man , upon my credit , deny it that will ) good god! the force and vigour of that mans writings ! and how much are they above the common level of other philosophers ! i cannot read them methinks , without challenging of fortune , and defying all the powers of ambition , and violence . the more i consider him , the more i admire him ; for i find in him , ( as in the world it self ) every day to be a new spectacle , and to afford fresh matter still for more veneration . and yet the wisdom of our fore-fathers has left work enough for their posterity ; even if there were no more in it than the application of what they have transmitted to us of their own invention . as , suppose that they had left us remedies for such and such diseases ; so certain , that we should not need to look for any other medicines ; there would be some skill yet required in the applying of them in the proper case , proportion , and season . i have an honor for the memorials of our worthy progenitors . if i meet a consul , or a praetor upon the road , i 'll alight from my horse , uncover my head , and give him the way ; and , shall i have no veneration now for the names of the governors of mankind ? no man is so wise , as to know all things ; or if he did , one wise man may yet be helpful to another , in finding out a nearer way to the finishing of his work : for , let a man make never so much haste , it is some sort of assistance , the bare encouraging of him to continue his course ; beside the comforts , and benefits of communication , in loving , and being belov'd , and in the mutual approbation of each other . the last point , you know , that you and i had in debate , was , whether or no wisdome may be perfected by precept . there are some that accompt only that part of philosophy to be profitable to mankind , which delivers it self in particular precepts to particular persons , without forming the whole man. teaching the husband ( for the purpose ) how to behave himself to his wife ; the father how to train up , and discipline his children ; and the master , how to govern his servants . as if any man could be sufficiently instructed in the parts of life , without comprehending the whole sum , and scope of it . others , ( as aristo the stoique ) are rather for the general decrees of philosophers ; which whosoever knows in the main , that person understands in every particular how to tutor himself . as he that learns to cast a dart , when he has by practice , and exercise , gotten a true aim , he will not only strike this , or that mark , but whatever he has a mind to : so he that is well enformed in the whole , will need no direction in the parts : but under the principles of a good life , learn how to behave himself in all the circumstances of it . cleanthes allowes the paraenetick , or preceptive philosophy , to be in some sort profitable ; but yet very short , and defective ; unless as it flows from the universal understanding of the heads , and decrees of philosophy . now the question is , whether this alone can make a good man ; and whether it be superfluous it self ; or so sufficient , as to make all other knowledge appear so . they that will have it superfluous , argue thus. if the eyes be cover'd , there 's no seeing , without removing the impediment ; and , in that condition , it is to no purpose to bid a man go to such , or such a place , or to reach this or that with his hand . and so it fares with the mind ; so long as that continues clouded with ignorance , and error , 't is idle to give particular precepts ; as if you should teach a poor man to act the part of a rich ; or one that is hungry , how to behave himself with a full stomach : while the one is necessitous , and the other half starv'd , they are neither of them the better for 't . and then shall we give precepts in manifest cases , or in doubtful ? the former need none ; and in the latter , we shall not be believ'd . nor is it enough simply to advise , unless we also give reasons for 't . there are two errors which we are liable to in this case ; either the wickedness of perverse opinions , which have taken possession of us ; or at least a disposition to entertain error , under any resemblance of truth . so that our work must be , either to cure a sick mind , that is already teinted ; or to prepossess an evil inclination , before it comes to an ill habit. now the decrees of philosophy enable us in both these cases ; nor is it possible , by particulars , to obviate all particular occasions . one man marries a widow , another a maid : she may be rich , or poor ; barren , or fruitful ; young , or antient ; superior , inferior , or equal . one man follows publick business ; another flyes it ; so that the same advice that is profitable to the one , may be mischievous to the other . every ones is a particular case , and must be suited with a particular counsel . the laws of philosophy are brief ; and extend to all ; but the variety of the other is incomprehensible , and can never make that good to all , which it promises to a few . the precepts of wisdom lie open , but the decrees of it are hidden in the dark . now , in answer . it does not hold with the mind , as with the eye : if there be a suffusion , it is to be help'd by remedy , and not by precept . the eye is not to be taught to distinguish of colours ; but the mind must be enformed what to do in life . and yet the physitian will prescribe order also to the patient , as well as physick ; and tell him , you must bring your eye to endure the light by degrees ; have a care of studying upon a full stomach , &c. we are told , that precepts do neither extinguish , nor abate false opinions in us of good , or evil : and it shall be granted , that of themselves they are not able to subdue vicious inclinations : but this does not hinder them from being very useful to us in conjunction with other helps . first , as they refresh the memory ; and secondly , as they bring us to a more distinct view of the parts , which we saw but confusedly in the whole . at the same rate , consolatories , and exhortations will be found superfluous , as well as precepts . which yet upon daily experience we know to be otherwise . nay , we are the better , not onely for the precepts , but for the converse of philosophers ; for we still carry away somewhat of the tincture of virtue , whether we will or no : but the deepest impres sion they make , is upon children . it is urged , that precepts are insufficient without proof ; but i say , that the very authority of the adviser , goes a great way in the credit of the advice : as we depend upon the opinion of the lawyer , without demanding his reason for 't . and again ; whereas the variety of precepts is said to be infinite , i cannot allow it : for the greatest and most necessary affairs are not many ; and for the application to time , places , and persons , the differences are so small , that a few general rules will serve the turn . nay , let a man be never so right in his opinion , he may yet be more confirm'd in it by admonition . there are many things that may assist a cure , though they do not perfect it ; even mad men themselves may be kept in awe by menaces , and correction . but , it is a hard matter , i must confess , to give counsel at a distance . for advice depends much upon the opportunity ; and that perhaps which was proper , when it was desir'd , may come to be pernicious , before it be receiv'd . some indeed may be prescrib'd , as some remedies , at any distance ; and transmitted to posterity ; but for others , a man must be upon the place , and deliberate upon circumstances ; and be not only present , but watchful , to strike in with the very nick of the occasion . epist. v. seneca gives an accompt of himself : of his studies , and of his inclinations : with many excellent reflections upon the duties , and the errors of humane life . your letters were old , before they came to my hand ; so that i made no enquiry of the messenger what you were a doing ; beside that wherever you are , i take it for granted , that i know your business ; and that you are still upon the great work of perfecting your self : a thing , not to be done by chance , but by industry , and labor . we are all of us wicked , before we come to be good. we are prepossessed , so that we must unlearn iniquity , and study virtue . the great difficulty is , to begin the enterprize : for a weak mind is afraid of new experiments . i have now given over troubling my self for fear of you ; because i have that security for your well doing , that never fail'd any man. the love of truth , and of goodness , is become habitual to you . it may so fall out , that fortune perhaps may do you an injury ; but there 's no fear of your doing your self one . go on as you have begun , and compose your resolutions ; not to an effeminate ease , but to a frame of virtuous quiet . it is a double kindness that you call me to so strict an accompt of my time ; that nothing less than a diary of my life , will satisfie you : for i take it as a mark , both of your good opinion , and of your friendship ; the former , in believing that i do nothing which i care to conceal ; and the other ; in assuring your self , that i will make you the confident of all my secrets . i will hereafter set a watch upon my self ; and do as you would have me ; and acquaint you , not only with the course , and method , but with the very business of my life . this day i have had entire to my self , without any knocking at my dore , or lifting up of the hanging ; but i have divided it betwixt my book , and my bed ; and been left at liberty to do my own business : for all the impertinents were either at the theatre , at bowls , or at the horse-match . my body does not require much exercise , and i am beholden to my age for it : a little makes me weary ; and that 's the end also of that which is most robust . my dinner is a piece of dry bread , without a table , and without fouling of my fingers . my sleeps are short , and in truth a little doubtful , betwixt slumbering and waking . one while i am reflecting upon the errors of antiquity ; and then , i apply my self to the correcting of my own. in my reading , with reverence to the antients , some things i take , others i alter ; and some again i reject ; others i invent ; without enthralling my self so to anothers judgment , as not to preserve the freedom of my own. sometimes of a sudden , in the middle of my meditations , my ears are struck with the shout of a thousand people together , from some spectacle or other : the noise does not at all discompose my thoughts ; it is no more to me than the dashing of waves , or the wind in a wood ; but possibly sometimes it may divert them . good lord ! think i , if men would but exercise their brains , as they do their bodies ; and take as much pains for virtue , as they do for pleasure ; for difficulties strengthen the mind , as well as labor does the body . you tell me , that you want my books more than my counsels ; which i take just as kindly , as if you should have ask'd me for my picture . for i have the very same opinion of my wit , that i have of my beauty . you shall have both the one , and the other , with my very self into the bargain . in the examination of my own heart , i find some vices that lie open ; others more obscure , and out of sight ; and some that take me only by fits. which last i look upon as the most dangerous , and troublesome ; for they lie upon the catch , and keep a man upon a perpetual guard : being neither provided against them , as in a state of war ; nor secure , as in any assurance of peace . to say the truth , we are all of us as cruel , as ambitious , and as luxurious as our fellows . but we want the fortune , or the occasion , perchance , to shew it . when the snake is frozen , 't is safe ; but the poyson is still in it , though it be num'd . we hate upstarts , that use their power with insolence ; when yet if we had the same means , 't is odds that we should do the same thing our selves . only our corruptions are private , for want of opportunity to employ them . some things we look upon as superfluous ; and others , as not worth the while . but , we never consider , that we pay dearest for that which we pretend to receive gratis . as anxiety , loss of credit , liberty , and time. so cheap is every man in effect , that pretends to be most dear to himself . some are dipt in their lusts , as in a river ; there must be a hand to help them out : others are strangely careless of good counsel ; and yet well enough dispos'd to follow example . some again must be forc'd to their duties : because there 's no good to be done upon them , by perswasion . but , out of the whole race of mankind , how few are there that are able to help themselves ? being thus conscious of our own frailty , we should do well , to keep our selves quiet ; and not to trust weak minds with wine , beauty , or pleasure . we have much adoe you see to keep our feet upon dry ground : what will become of us then , if we venture our selves where it is slippery ? 't is not to say , this is a hard lesson , and we cannot go through with it . for we can , if we would endeavour it ; but we cannot , because we give it for granted that we cannot , without trying whether we can or no. and what 's the meaning of all this ; but that we are pleas'd with our vices ; and willing to be master'd by them . so that we had rather excuse , than cast them off . the true reason is , we will not ; but the pretence is , that we cannot . and we are not only under a necessity of error , but the very love of it . to give you now a brief of my own character ; i am none of those that take delight in tumults , and in struggling with difficulties ; for had rather be quiet , than in armes : for i accompt it my duty to bear up against ill fortune ; but , without chusing it . i am no friend to contention ; especially to that of the barr : but i am very much a servant to all honest business , that may be done in a corner . and there is no retreat so unhappy ; as not to yield entertainment for a great mind ; by which he may make himself profitable , both to his country , and to his friends , by his wisdom , by his interest , and by his counsel . it is the part of a good patriot , to prefer men of worth ; to defend the innocent ; to provide good laws ; and to advise in war , and in peace . but , is not he as good a patriot , that instructs youth in virtue ; that furnishes the world with precepts of morality , and keeps humane nature within the bounds of right reason ? who is the greater man , he that pronounces a sentence upon the bench ; or he that in his study reads us a lecture of justice , piety , patience , fortitude ; the knowledge of heaven , the contempt of death , and the blessing of a good conscience ? the soldier that guards the ammunition and the baggage , is as necessary as he that fights the battel . was not cato a greater example than either ulysses , or hercules ? they had the fame , you know , of being indefatigable ; despisers of pleasures , and great conquerors both of their enemies , and of their appetites . but cato , i must confess , had no encounters with monsters ; nor did he fall into those times of credulity , when people believ'd , that the weight of the heavens rested upon one mans shoulders . but he grappled with ambition , and the unlimited desire of power ; which the whole world , divided under a triumvirate , was not able to satisfie . he oppos'd himself to the vices of a degenerate city ; even when it was now sinking under its own weight . he stood single , and supported the falling common-wealth , till at last , as inseparable friends , they were crush'd together : for neither would cato survive the publick liberty ; nor did that liberty outlive cato . to give you now a farther accomp●… of my self ; i am naturally a friend to all the rules and methods of sobriety , and moderation . i like the old fashion'd plate that was left me by my country father : it is plain , and heavy ; and yet for all this , there is a kind of dazling methinks in the ostentations of splendor , and luxury . but it strikes the eye , more than the mind ; and though it may shake a wise man , it cannot alter him . yet it sends me home many times sadder perhaps than i went out ; but yet , i hope , not worse : though not without some secret dissatisfaction at my own condition . upon these thoughts i betake my self to my philosophy ; and then , methinks , i am not well , unless i put my self into some publick employment : not for the honor , or the profit of it ; but only to place my self in a station where i may be serviceable to my country , and to my friends . but , when i come , on the other side , to consider the uneasiness , the abuses , and the loss of time that attends publick affairs , i get me home again as fast as i can ; and take up a resolution of spending the remainder of my dayes within the privacy of my own walls . how great a madness is it to set our hearts upon trifles ; especially to the neglect of the most serious offices of our lives , and the most important end of our being ? how miserable , as well as short , is their life , that compass , with great labor , what they possess with greater ; and hold with anxiety , what they acquire with trouble ? but , we are govern'd in all things by opinion , and every thing is to us , as we believe it . what is poverty , but a privative ; and not intended of what a man has , but of that which he has not ? the great subject of humane calamities , is mony. take all the rest together , as death , sickness , fear , desire , pain , labor ; and those which proceed from mony , exceed them all . 't is a wonderful folly , that of tumblers , rope-dancers , divers , and what pains they take , and what hazards they run for an inconsiderable gain . and yet we have not patience for the thousandth part of that trouble , though it would put us into the possession of an everlasting quiet . epicurus for experiment sake confin'd himself to a narrower allowance , than that of the severest prisons to the most capital offenders ; and found himself at ease too in a stricter diet than any man in the worst condition needs to fear . this was to prevent fortune , and to frustrate the worst which she can do . we should never know any thing to be superfluous , but by the want of it . how many things do we provide , only because others have them , and for fashion sake ? caligula offer'd demetrius crowns ; who rejected them with a smile , as who should say , it was so little , it did him no honor the refusing of it . nothing less , sayes he , than the offer of his whole empire could have been a temptation to have try'd the firmness of my virtue . by this contempt of riches , is intended only the fearless possession of them . and the way to attain that , is to perswade our selves , that we may live happily without them . how many of those things , which reason formerly told us were superfluous , and mimical , do we now find to be so by experience ? but we are misled by the counterfeit of good on the one hand , and the suspicion of evil on the other . not that riches are an efficient cause of mischief ; but they are a precedent cause , by way of irritation , and attraction for they have so near a resemblance of good , that most people take them to be good. nay , virtue it self is also a precedent cause of evil ; as many are envy'd for their wisdom , or for their justice . which does not arise from the thing it self , but from the irreprovable power of virtue , that forces all men to admire , and to love it . that is not good , that is more advantageous to us , but that which is only so . epist. vi. the blessings of a virtuous retirement . how we come to the knowledge of virtue . a distinction betwixt good , and honest. a wise man contents himself with his lot. there is no opportunity of enquiring where you are , what you do , and , what company you keep , that scapes me . and , i am well enough pleas'd , that i can hear nothing concerning you ; for , it shews , that you live retir'd . not but that i durst trust you with the wide world too ; but , however , it is not easie , such a general conversation : nor is it absolutely safe neither , for , though it could not corrupt you , it would yet hinder you . now , wheresoever you are , know , that i am with you ; and you are so to live , as if i both heard , and saw you . your letters are really blessings to me ; and the sense of your emprovements relieves me , even under the consideration of my own decay . remember , that as i am old , so are you mortal . be true to your self , and examine your self , whether you be of the same mind to day , that you were yesterday ; for , that 's a sign of perfect wisdom . and yet give me leave to tell you , that though change of mind be a token of imperfection ; it is the business of my age to unwill one day , that which i will'd another . and let me recommend it to your practice too , in many cases ; for the abatement of our appetites , and of our errors , is the best entertainment of mankind . it is for young men to gather knowledge , and for old men to use it : and assure your self , that no man gives a fairer accompt of his time , than he that makes it his daily study , to make himself better . if you be in health , and think it worth your while to become the master of your self ; it is my desire , and my advice , that you apply your self to wisdom with your whole heart : and judge of your emprovement , not by what you speak , or by what you write ; but by the firmness of your mind , and the government of your passions . what extremities have some men endur'd in sieges ; even for the ambition , and interest of other people ! and , shall not a man venture the crossing of an intemperate lust , for the conquest of himself ? you do very well to betake your self to a private life ; and better yet in keeping of that privacy private : for , otherwise , your retreat would look like ostentation : the greatest actions of our lives are those , that we do in a recess from business : beside , that there are some governments , and employments , that a man would not have any thing to do withall . and then it is to be consider'd , that publick offices , and commissions , are commonly bought with our mony ; whereas the great blessings of leisure , and privacy , cost us nothing . contemplation is undoubtedly the best entertainment of peace ; and only a shorter cut to heaven it self : over and above that , business makes us troublesome to others , and unquiet to our selves ; for , the end of one appetite , or design , is the beginning of another : to say nothing of the expence of time in vexatious attendances , and the danger of competitors . such a man perhaps has more friends at court , than i have ; a larger train ; a fairer estate ; more profitable offices ; and more illustrious titles : but , what do i care to be overcome by men , in some cases , so long as fortune is overcome by me in all ? these considerations should have been earlyer ; for , 't is too late , in the article of death , to project the happiness of life . and yet there is no age better adapted to virtue , than that which comes by many experiments , and long sufferings , to the knowledge of it : for our lusts are then weak , and our judgment strong ; and wisdom is the effect of time. some are of opinion , that we come to the knowledge of virtue by chance ; ( which were an indignity . ) others , by observation ; and by comparing matters of fact , one with another ; the understanding , by a kind of analogy , approving this , or that , for good , and honest. these are two points which others make wholly different ; but the stoicks only divide them . some will have every thing to be good , that is beneficial to us : as mony , wine ; and so lower , to the meanest things we use . and they reckon that to be honest , where there is a reasonable discharge of a common duty : as reverence to a parent ; tenderness to a friend ; the exposing of our selves for our country , and the regulating of our lives according to moderation , and prudence . the stoicks reckon them to be two ; but so , as to make those two , yet , out of one. they will have nothing to be good , but what is honest ; nor any thing to be honest , but that which is good : so that in some sort they are mix'd , and inseparable . there are some things that are neither good , nor bad ; as war , embassy , jurisdiction : but these , in the laudable administration of them , do , of doubtful , become good ; which good is only a consequent upon honesty : but honesty is good in it self , and the other flows from it . there are some actions that seem to us matter of benignity , humanity , generosity , resolution ; which we are apt to admire , as perfect : and yet , upon farther examination , we find , that great vices were concealed under the resemblances of eminent virtues . glorious actions are the images of virtue ; but yet many things seem to be good , that are evil ; and evil , that are good : and the skill is , to distinguish betwixt things that are so much alike in shew , and so disagreeing in effect . we are led to the understanding of virtue , by the congruity we find in such and such actions to nature , and right reason : by the order , grace , and constancy of them ; and , by a certain majesty , and greatness , that surpasses all other things . from hence proceeds a happy life : to which , nothing comes amiss ; but , on the contrary , every thing succeeds to our very wish . there is no wrangling with fortune ; no being out of humor for accidents : whatsoever befalls me , is my lot , and whether in appearance it be good , or bad , it is gods pleasure ; and it is my duty to bear it . when a man has once gotten a habit of virtue , all his actions are equal : he is constantly one , and the same man ; and he does well , not only upon counsel , but out of custome too . shall i tell you now , in a word , the sum of human duty ? patience , where we are to suffer ▪ and prudence , in the things we do. it is a frequent complaint in the world , that the things we enjoy are but few , transitory , and uncertain ▪ so ungrateful a construction do we make of the divine bounty . hence it is , that we are neither willing to dye , nor contented to live ; betwixt the fear of the one , and the detestation of the other . hence it is , that we are perpetually shifting of counsels ; and still craving of more ; because that which we call felicity , is not able to fill us . and what 's the reason ? but that we are not yet come to that immense ; and insuperable good , which leaves us nothing farther to desire ! in that blessed estate we feel no want ; we are abundantly pleas'd with what we have ; and what we have not , we do not regard : so that every thing is great , because it is sufficient . if we quit this hold , there will be no place for the offices of faith , and piety : in the discharge whereof , we must both suffer many things , that the world calls evil , and part with many things which are commonly accompted good. true joy is everlasting ; pleasures are false , and fugitive . it is a great encouragement to well-doing , that when we are once in the possession of virtue , it is our own for ever . while i speak this to you , i prescribe to my self ; what i write , i read ; and reduce all my meditations to the ordering of my own manners . there is nothing so mean , and ordinary ; but it is illustrated by virtue ; and externals are of no more use to it , than the light of a candle to the glory of the sun. it is often objected to me , that i advise people to quit the world , to retire , and content themselves with a good conscience . but , what becomes of your precepts then ( say they ) that enjoyn us to dy in action ? to whom i must answer , that i am never more in action , than when i am alone in my study ; where i have only lock'd up my self in private , to attend the business of the publick ▪ i do not lose so much as one day ; nay , and part of the night too i borrow for my book . when my eyes will serve me no longer , i fall asleep ; and , till then , i work. i have retir'd my self , not only from men , but from business also : and my own , in the first place , to attend the service of posterity ; in hope that what i now write , may , in some measure , ▪ be profitable to future generations . but it is no new thing , i know , to calumniate virtue , and good men ; for sick eyes will not endure the light , but , like birds of night , they fly from it into their holes . why does such a man talk so much of his philosophy , and yet live in magnificence ? of contemning riches , life , health ; and yet cherish , and maintain them , with the greatest care imaginable ? banishment , he sayes , is but an idle name ; and yet he can grow old within his own walls . he puts no difference betwixt a long life , and a short ; and yet he spins out his own , as far as it will go . the thing is this ; he does not contemn temporary blessings , so as to refuse , or drive them away ; but if they come , they are welcome ; if not , he 'll never break his heart for the want of them : he takes them into his house , not into his soul ; and he makes use of them , only as matter for his virtue to work upon . there is no doubt but a wise man may shew himself better in riches , than in poverty : that is to say , his temperance , his liberality ; his magnificence , providence , and prudence ▪ will be more conspicuous . he will be a wise man still , if he should want a leg , or an arme ; but yet he had rather be perfect . he is pleas'd with wealth , as he would be at sea , with a fair wind ; or with the glance of the warm sun , in a frosty morning : so that the things which we call indifferent , are not yet without their value ; and some greater than others . but , with this difference , betwixt the philosophers , and the common people , riches are the servants of the one , and the masters of the other . from the one , if they depart , they carry away nothing but themselves ; but from the other , they take away the very heart , and peace of the possessor along with them . it is true , that if i might have my choice , i would have health , and strength ; and yet if i come to be visited with pain , or sickness , i will endeavour to emprove them to my advantage , by making a righteous judgment of them : as i ought to do , of all the appointments of providence . so that as they are not good , in themselves , neither are they evil ; but matter of exercise for our virtues ; of temperance , on the one hand , and of resignation , on the other . epist. vii . of impertinent studies , and impertinent men. philosophers the best companions . he that duely considers the business of life and death , will find , that he has little time to spare from that study : and yet how we trifle away our hours upon impertinent niceties , and cavils ! will platoe's imaginary idea's make me an honest man ? there 's neither certainty in them , nor substance . a mouse is a syllable ; but a syllable does not eat cheese ; therefore a mouse does not eat cheese . oh! these childish follies ! is it for this that we spend our blood , and our good humour , and grow grey in our closets ? we are a jeasting , when we should be helping the miserable ; as well our selves as others . there 's no sporting with men in distress . the felicity of mankind depends upon the counsel of philosophers . let us rather consider what nature has made superfluous , and what , necessary : how easie our conditions are , and how delicious that life , which is govern'd by reason , rather than opinion . there are impertinent studies , as well as impertinent men. didymus the grammarian wrote books ; wherein he is much concern'd to discover where homer was born ; who was aeneas's true mother ; and whether anacreon was the greater whoremaster , or drunkard : with other fopperies , that a man would labor to forget , if he knew them . is it not an important question , which of the two was first , the mallet , or the tongs ? some people are extremly inquisitive , to know how many oars ulysses had : which was first written , the illyads ▪ or the odysses ; or if they were both done by the same hand . a man is never a jote the more learned for this ●…uriosity , but much the more troublesome . am i ever the more just , the more moderate , valiant , or liberal , for knowing , that curius dentatus was the first that carry'd elephants in triumph ? teach me my duty to providence , to my neighbor , and to my self : to dispute , with socrates ; to doubt , with carneades ; to set up my rest , with epicurus ; to master my appetites , with the stoiques , and to renounce the world , with the cynick . what a deal of business there is , first , to make homer a philosopher ; and secondly , in what classis to range him ? one will have him to be a stoique ; a friend to virtue , and an enemy to pleasure ; preferring honesty even to immortality it self : another makes him an epicurean ; one that loves his quiet , and to spend his time in good company : some are positive in it , that he was a peripatetique ; and others , that he was a sceptique . but it is clear , that in being all these things , he was not any one of them . these divided opinions do not at all hinder us from agreeing , upon the main , that he was a wise man. let us therefore apply our selves to those things that made him so , and e'en let the rest alone . it was a pleasant humor of calvicius sa●…us , a rich man , and one that menag'd a very good fortune with a very ill grace . he had neither wit , nor memory ; but would fain pass for a learned man , and so took several into his family ; and , whatsoever they knew , he assum'd to himself . there are a sort of people that are never well but at theatres , spectacles , and publick places : men of business , but it is only in their faces ; for they wander up and down without any design , like pismires , eager , and empty ; and every thing they do , is only as it happens . this is an humor , which a man may call a kind of restless lazyness . others you shall have , that are perpetually in haste , as if they were crying fire , or running for a midwife : and all this hurry , perhaps , only to salute some body , that had no mind to take notice of them , or some such trivial ▪ errant ▪ at night , when they come home ●…ir'd , and weary , ask them , why they went out ? where they have been ? and , what they have done ? 't is a very slender accompt they are able to give you ; and yet the next day they take the same ▪ iaunt ▪ over again ▪ this is a kind of phantastical industry ; a great deal of pains taken to no purpose at all ; twenty visits made , and no body at home ( they themselves least of all . ) they that have this vice , are commonly harkeners , tale-bearers , news-mongers ; meddlers in other peoples affairs , and curious after secrets , which a man can neither safely hear , nor report . these men of idle employment , that run up and down eternally , vexing others , and themselves too ; that thrust themselves into all companies , what do they get by 't ? one man 's asleep ; another , at supper ; a third , in company ; a fourth , in haste ; a fifth , gives them the slip : and when their folly has gone the round , they close up the day with shame , and repentance . whereas , zeno , pythagoras , democritus , aristotle , theophrastus , and all the patrons of philosophy , and virtue ; they are alwayes at leisure , and in good humor ; familiar , profitable ; a man never comes away empty handed from them ; but , full of comfort , and satisfaction : they make all past ages present to us ; or us , their contemporaries . the dorës of these men are open night , and day ; and in their conversation there 's neither danger , treachery , nor expence ; but we are the wiser , the happier , and the richer for it . how blessedly does a man spend his time in this company , where we may advise , in all the difficulties of life . here 's counsel , without reproach ; and praise , without flattery . we cannot be the chusers of our own parents , but of our friends we may ; and adopt our selves into these noble families . this is the way of making mortality , in a manner , to be immortal . the time past , we make to be our own , by remembrance ; the present , by use ; and the future , by providence , and foresight . that only may properly be said to be the long life , that draws all ages into one ; and that a short one , that forgets the past ; neglects the present , and is sollicitous for the time to come . but it is not yet sufficient to know what plato or zeno said , unless we make it all our own by habit , and practice , and emprove both the world , and our selves , by an example of life answerable to their precepts . epist. viii . against singularity of manners , and behaviour . it is the humor of many people , to be singular in their dress , and manner of life ; only to the end that they may be taken notice of . their cloths , forsooth , must be course , and slovenly ; their heads , and beards neglected ; their lodgings upon the ground , and they live in open defiance against mony. what is all this , upon the whole matter , but an ambitious vanity that has crept in at the back dore ? a wise man will keep himself clear of all these fooleries , without disturbing publick customs , or making himself a gazing stock to the people . but , will this secure him , think you ? i can no more warrant it , than that a temperate man shall have his health : but it is very probable that it may . a philosopher has enough to do to stand right in the world , let him be never so modest : and his out-side shall be still like that of other people , let them be never so unlike within . his garments shall be neither rich , nor sordid . no matter for arms , motto's , and other curiosities upon his plate : but he shall not yet make it a matter of conscience , to have no plate at all . he that likes an earthen vessel as well as a silver , has not a greater mind then he that uses plate , and reckons it as dirt. it is our duty to live better than the common-people , but not in opposition to them ; as if philosophy were a faction ; for by so doing , in stead of reforming , and gaining upon them , we drive them away ; and when they find it unreasonable to imitate us in all things , they will follow us in nothing . our business must be to live according to nature , and to own the sense of outward things with other people : not to torment the body ; and , with exclamations against that which is sweet , and cleanly , to delight in nastiness ; and , to use , not only a course , but a sluttish , and offensive diet. wisdom preaches temperance , not mortification ; and a man may be a very good husband , without being a sloven . he that stears a middle course , betwixt virtue , and popularity : that is to say , betwixt good manners , and discretion , shall gain both approbation , and reverence . but , what if a man governs himself in his cloths , in his diet , in his exercises , as he ought to do ? it is not that his garments , his meat , and drink , or his walking , are things simply good ; but it is the tenor of a mans life , and the conformity of it to right nature , and reason . philosophy obliges us to humanity , society ; and the ordinary use of external things . it is not a thing to please the people with , or to entertain an idle hour ; but a study for the forming of the mind , and the guidance of humane life . and a wise man should also live as he discourses ; and in all points be like himself : and , in the first place , set a value upon himself , before he can pretend to become valuable to others . as well our good deeds , as our evil , come home to us at last . he that is charitable , makes others so by his example ; and finds the comfort of that charity , when he wants it himself . he that is cruel , seldom finds mercy . 't is a hard matter for a man to be both popular , and virtuous ; for he must be like the people , that would oblige them : and the kindness of dishonest men , is not to be acquir'd by honest means . he lives by reason , not by custome ; he shuns the very conversation of the intemperate , and ambitious . he knows the danger of great examples of wickedness , and that publick errors impose upon the world , under the authority of presidents : for they take for granted , that they are never out of the way , so long as they keep the road. we are beset with dangers ; and therefore a wise man should have his virtues in continual readiness to encounter them . whether poverty , loss of friends , pain , sickness , or the like ; he still maintains his post : whereas a fool is surpriz'd at every thing ; and afraid of his very succors : either he makes no resistance at all , or else he does it by halves . he will neither take advice from others , nor look to himself : he reckons upon philosophy , as a thing not worth his time , and if he can but get the reputation of a good man among the common people , he takes no farther care , but accompts that he has done his duty . epist. ix . the blessings of a vigorous mind , in a decay'd body ; with some pertinent reflections of seneca upon his own age. when i call claranus my school-fellow , i need not say any thing more of his age ; having told you , that he , and i , were cotemporaries . you would not imagine , how green , and vigorous his mind is ; and the perpetual conflict that it has with his body . they were naturally ill-match'd ; unless to shew , that a generous spirit may ●…e lodg'd under any shape . he has surmounted all difficulties ; and , from the contempt of himself , is advanc'd to the contempt of all things else . when i consider him well , methinks his body appears to me as fair as his mind . if nature could have brought the soul naked into the world , perhaps she would have done it : but yet she does a greater thing , in exalting that soul above all impediments of the flesh. it is a great happiness , to preserve the force of the mind , in the decay of the body ; and to see the loss of appetite more than requited , with the love of virtue . but , whether i owe this comfort to my age , or to wisdome , is the question . and whether , if i could any longer , i would not still , do the same things over again , which i ought not to do . if age had no other pleasure than this , that it neither cares for any thing , nor stands in need of any thing ; it were a great one to me , to have left all my painful , and troublesome lusts behind me . but , ' t is uneasie , you 'll say , to be alwayes in fear of death . as if that apprehension did not concern a young man as well as an old ; or that death only call'd us , according to our years . i am however beholden to my old age , that has now confin'd me to my bed ; and put me out of condition of doing those things any longer , which i should not do . the less my mind has to do with my body , the better : and if age puts an end to my desires , and does the business of virtue , there can be no cause of complaint ; nor can there be any gentler end , than to melt away in a kind of dissolution . where fire meets with opposition , and matter to work upon , it is furious , and rages ; but where it finds no fewel , as in old age , it goes out quietly , for want of nourishment . nor is the body the setled habitation of the mind ; but a temporary lodging , which we are to leave whensoever the master of the house pleases . neither does the soul , when it has left the body , any more care what becomes of the carkass , and the several parts of it , than a man does for the shavings of his beard under the hand of the barber . there is not any thing that exposes a man to more vexation , and reproach , than the overmuch love of the body : for sence neither looks forward , nor backward , but only upon the present : nor does it judge of good , or evil ; or foresee consequences which give a connexion to the order , and series of things , and to the unity of life . not but that every man has naturally a love for his own carkass , as poor people love even their own beggerly cottages ; they are old acquaintances , and loth to part : and i am not against the indulging of it neither ; provided that i make not my self a slave to it ; for he that serves it , has many masters . beside that , we are in continual disorder ; one while with gripes , pains in the head , tooth-ach , gout , stone , defluxions ; some time with too much blood , other while with too little : and yet this frail , and putrid carkass of ours values it self as if it were immortal . we put no bounds to our hopes , our avarice , our ambition . the same man is vatinius to day , and cato to morrow : this hour as luxurious as apicius , and the next as temperate as tubero : now , for a mistriss ; by and by , for a wise : imperious this hour ; servile , the next ; thrifty , and prodigal , laborious , and voluptuous , by turns . but still the goods , or ills of the body , do but concern the body , ( which is peevish , sour , and anxious ) without any effect upon a well-compos'd mind . i was the other day at my villa ; and , complaining of my charge of repairs ; my bayliff told me , ' t was none of his fault ; for the house was old , and he had much adoe to keep it from falling upon his head. well ( thought i ) and what am i my self then , that saw the laying of the first stone ? in the gardens , i found the trees as much out of order ; the boughs knotted , and wither'd , and their bodies over-run with moss . this would not have been , said i , if you had trench'd them , and water'd them , as you should have done ? by my soul , master , sayes the poor fellow , i have done what i could : but al ass ! they are all dotards , and spent . what am i then , ( thought i to my self ) that planted all these trees with my own hands . and then i come to bethink my self , that age it self is not yet without its pleasures , if we did but know how to use them ; and that the best morsel is reserv'd for the last : or at worst , it is equivalent to the enjoying of pleasures , not to stand in need of any . it is but yesterday , methinks , that i went to school . but time goes faster with an old man , than with a young : perhaps , because he reckons more upon it . there is hardly any man so old , but he may hope for one day more yet : and the longest life is but a multiplication of dayes , nay , of hours , nay of moments . our fate is set ; and the first breath we draw , is but the first step towards our last . one cause depends upon another ; and the course of all things , publick , and private , is only a long connexion of providential appointments . there is great variety in our lives ; but all tends to the same issue nature may use her own bodies as she pleases ; but a good man has this consolation , that nothing perishes that he can call his own. what must be , shall be ; and that which is a necessity to him that struggles , is little more than choice to him that is willing . 't is bitter , to be forc'd to any thing ; but things are easy , when they are comply'd with . epist. x. custome is a great matter , either in good , or ill. we should check our passions betimes . involuntary motions are invincible . there is nothing so hard ; but custome makes it easie to us . there are some , that never laugh'd ; others , that wholly abstain'd from wine , and women ; and almost from sleep . much use of a coach makes us lose the benefit of our legs : so that we must be infirm , to be in the fashion ; and , at last , lose the very faculty of walking , by disusing it . some are so plung'd in pleasures , that they cannot live without them . and , in this , they are most miserable ; that what was , at first , but superfluous , is now , become necessary . but their infelicity seems to be then consummate , and incurable , when sensuality has laid hold of the judgment ; and wickedness is become a habit. nay , some there are , that both hate , and persecute virtue ; and that 's the last act of desperation . it is much easier to check our passions in the beginning , than to stop them in their course : for , if reason could not hinder us at first ; they will go on in despite of us . the stoicks will not allow a wise man to have any passions at all . the peripateticks temper them ; but that mediocrity is altogether false , and unprofitable . and , 't is all one , as if they said , that we may be a little mad , or a little sick. if we give any sort of allowance to sorrow , fear , desires , perturbations , it will not be in our power to restrain them . they are fed from abroad ; and will encrease with their causes . and if we yield never so little to them , the least disorder works upon the whole body . it is not my purpose all this while , wholly to take away any thing , that is either necessary , beneficial , or delightful to humane life ; but , to take that away , which may be vitious in it . when i forbid you to desire any thing , i am yet content that you may be willing to have it . so that i permit you the same things : and those very pleasures will have a better rellish too , when they are enjoy'd without anxiety ; and when you come to command those appetites , which before you serv'd . 't is natural you 'll say , to weep for the loss of a friend ; to be mov'd at the sense of a good , or ill report , and to be sad in adversity . all this i 'll grant you ; and there is no vice , but something may be said for 't . at first , 't is tractable , and modest ; but , if we give it entrance , we shall hardly get it out again . as it goes on , it gathers strength , and becomes quickly ungovernable . it cannot be deny'd , but that all affections flow from a kind of natural principle ; and that it is our duty to take care of our selves . but then it is our duty also , not to be over indulgent . nature has mingled pleasures , even with things most necessary ; not that we should value them for their own sakes , but to make those things which we cannot live without , to be more acceptable to us . if we esteem the pleasure for it self , it turns to luxury , it is not the business of nature to raise hunger , or thirst , but to extinguish it . as there are some natural frailties , that by care , and industry , may be overcome ; so there are others , that are invincible : as , for a man that values not his own blood , to swoun at the sight of another mans. involuntary motions are insuperable , and inevitable ; as the staring of the hair at ill news ; blushing at a scurrilous discourse ; swiming of the head upon the sight of a precipice , &c. who can read the story of clodius expelling cicero , and anthony's killing of him ; the cruelties of marius , and the proscriptions of sylla ; without being mov'd at it ? the sound of a trumpet , the picture of any thing that is horrid , the spectacle of an execution , strikes the mind , and works upon the imagination . some people are strangely subject to sweat , to tremble , to stammer ; their very teeth will chatter in their heads , and their lips quiver ; and especially in publick assemblies . these are natural infirmities ; and it is not all the resolution in the world , that can ever master them . some redden when they are angry . sylla was one of those ; and when the blood flush'd into his face , you might be sure he had malice in his heart . pompey , on the other side ( that hardly ever spake in publick without a blush ) had a wonderful sweetness of nature ; and it did exceedingly well with him . your comedians will represent fear , sadness , anger , and the like ; but when they come to a bashful modesty , though they 'll give you humbleness of looks , softness of speech , and down-cast-eyes , to the very life , yet they can never come to express a blush ; for it is a thing neither to be commanded , nor hindred ; but it comes and goes of its own accord . the course of nature is smooth , and easie ; but when we come to cross it , we strive against the stream . it is not for one man to act another mans part. for nature will quickly return , and take off the mask . there is a kind of sacred instinct that moves us . even the worst , have a sense of virtue . we are not so much ignorant , as careless . whence comes it , that grazing beasts distinguish salutary plants , from deadly ? a chicken is afraid of a kite ; and not of a goose , or a peacock , which is much bigger : a bird of a cat , and not of a dog. this is impulse , and not experiment . the cells of bees , and the webs of spiders , are not to be imitated by art , but it is nature that teaches them . the stage-player has his actions , and gestures in readiness ; but this is only an emprovement by art , of what nature teaches them ; who is never at a loss for the use of her self . we come into the world with this knowledge ; and we have it by a natural institution ; which is no other , than a natural logick . we brought the seeds of wisdom into the world with us ; but not wisdom it self . there is the goodness of god , and that of man ; the one is immortal , the other mortal : nature perfects the one , and study the other . epist. xi . we are divided in our selves ; and confound good , and evil. it is no wonder that men are generally very much unsatisfy'd with the world ; when there 's not one man of a thousand that agrees with himself : and that 's the root of our misery ; only we are willing to charge our own vices , upon the malignity of fortune . either we are puff'd up with pride ; wrack'd with desires ; dissolv'd in pleasures , or blasted with cares ; and , which perfects our unhappiness , we are never alone , but in perpetual conflict , and controversie with our lusts. we are startled at all accidents . we boggle at our own shadows , and fright one another . lucretius sayes , that we are as much afraid in the light , as children in the dark ; but , i say , that we are alltogether in darkness , without any light at all ; and we run on blindfold , without so much as groping out our way : which rashness in the dark is the worst sort of madness . he that is in his way , is in hope of coming to his journeys end ; but error is endless . let every man therefore examine his desires , whether they be according to rectify'd nature , or not. that mans mind can never be right , whose actions disagree . we must not live by chance ; for there can be no virtue without deliberation , and election . and , where we cannot be certain , let us follow that which is most hopeful , and probable . faith , justice , piety , fortitude , prudence , are venerable , and the possessions only of good men ; but , a plentiful estate , a brawny arm , and a firm body , are many times the portion of the wicked . the perfection of humane nature , is that state , which supports it self , and so is out of the fear of falling . it is a great weakness for a man to value himself upon any thing , wherein he shall be out-done by fools , and beasts . we are to consider health , strength , beauty , and other advantages of that kind , only as adventitious comforts : we may preserve them with care , provided that we be alwayes ready to quit them , without trouble . there is a pleasure in wickedness , as well as in virtue , and there are , that take a glory in it too ; wherefore our forefathers prescrib'd us the best life , and not the most plentiful ; and allow'd us pleasure for a companion , but not for a guide . we do many times take the instruments of happiness , for the happiness it self ; and rest upon those matters , that are but in the way to 't . that man only lives compos'd , who thinks of every thing that may happen , before he feels it . but this is not yet to advise , either neglect , or indifference ; for i would avoid any thing that may hurt me , where i may honorably do it . but yet i would consider the worst of things before-hand . examine the hope , and the fear ; and , where things are uncertain , favor your self , and believe that which you had rather should come to pass . there are not many men that know their own minds , but in the very instant of willing any thing . we are for one thing to day , another thing to morrow ; so that we live and die without coming to any resolution : still seeking that elsewhere , which we may give our selves ; that is to say , a good mind . and , in truth , we do perswade our selves , that in several cases , we do desire the thing which effectually we do not desire . and all this , for want of laying down some certain principles , to make the judgment inflexible , and steady . when we do any evil , it is either for fear of a greater evil , or in hope of such a good , as may more than ballance that evil. so that we are here distracted betwixt the duty of finishing our purpose , and the fear of mischief , and danger . this infirmity must be discharg'd . in the pursuite of pleasures , we should take notice , that there are not only sensual , but sad pleasures also , which transport the mind with adoration , ( though they do not tickle the senses ) and give us a veneration for those virtues , that exercise themselves in sweat , and blood. all true goods hold an affinity and friendship one with another ; and they are equal ; but false ones have in them much of vanity ; they are large , and specious to the eye ; but , upon examination , they want weight . now , though virtues are all alike , they may yet be distinguish'd into desirable , and admirable ; virtues of patience , and of delight : but , in the matter of common accidents , there is not any thing which is truely worthy , either of our joy , or of our fear . for reason is immoveable , and does not serve , but command our senses . what is pleasure , but a low and brutish thing ? glory is vain , and volatile ; poverty only hard to him that does not resist it ; superstition is a frantick error , that fears where it should love ; and rudely invades where it should reverentially worship . death it self is no evil at all , but the common benefit , and right of nature . there is a great difference , betwixt those things which are good in common opinion , and those which are so in truth , and effect : the former have the name of good things , but not the propriety : they may befall us , but they do not stick to us : and they may be taken away without either pain to us , or diminution . we may use them ; but , not trust in them ; for , they are only deposited ; and , they must , and will forsake us . the only treasure is that , which fortune has no power over : and , the greater it is , the less envy it carries along with it . let our vices die before us , and let us discharge our selves of our dear-bought pleasures , that hurt us , as well past , as to come ; for , they are follow'd with repentance , as well as our sins . there 's neither substance in them , nor truth ; for a man can never be weary of truth , but there 's a satiety in error . the former is alwayes the same , but the latter is various ; and , if a man looks near it , he may see through it . beside that , the possessions of a wise man are maintain'd with ease . he has no need of embassadors , armies , and castles ; but , like god himself , he does his business without either noise , or tumult . nay , there is something so venerable , and sacred in virtue , that if we do but meet with any thing like it , the very counterfeit pleases us . by the help of philosophy the soul gives the slip to the body , and refreshes itself in heaven . pleasures , at best , are short-liv'd ; but the delights of virtue are secure , and perpetual . only we must watch , labor , and attend it our selves . for , 't is a business , not to be done by a deputy . nor is it properly a virtue , to be a little better than the worst . will any man boast of his eyes , because they tell him that the sun shines ? neither is he presently a good man , that thinks ill of the bad. for wicked men do that too ; and 't is perhaps the greatest punishment of sin , the displeasure that it gives to the author of it . the saddest case of all is , when we become enamour'd of our ruine , and make wickedness our study . when vice has got a reputation , and when the dissolute have lost the only good thing they had in their excesses , the shame of offending . and yet the lewedest part of our corruptions , is in private , which , if any body had look'd on , we should never have committed . wherefore , let us bear in our minds the idea of some great person , for whom we have an awful respect ; and his authority will even consecrate the very secrets of our souls ; and make us , not only mend our manners , and purifie our very thoughts ; but in good time render us exemplary to others , and venerable to our selves . if scipio , or laelius were but in our eye , we should not dare to transgress . why do we not make our selves then such persons , as in whose presence we dare not offend ? epist. xii . we are moved at the novelty of things , for want of understanding the reason of them . the whole subject of natural philosophy , falls under these three heads ; the heavens , the air , and the earth . the first treats of the nature of the stars ; their form , and magnitude : the substance of the heavens ; whether solid , or not ; and whether they move of themselves , or be moved by any thing else ; whether the stars be below them , or fixed in their orbs : in what manner the sun divides the seasons of the year : and the like . the second part enquires into the reason of things betwixt the heavens and the earth ; as clouds , rain , snow , thunder , and whatsoever the air either does , or suffers . the third handles matters that have a regard to the earth ; as the difference of soils , minerals , metalls , plants , groves , &c. but , these are considerations wholly forreign to our purpose , in the nature of them ; though they may be of very proper , and pertinent application . there is not any man so brutal , and so groveling upon the earth , but his soul is rouz'd , and carry'd up to higher matters , and thoughts , upon the appearance of any new light from heaven . what can be more worthy of admiration , than the sun , and the stars in their courses , and glory ? and yet so long as nature goes on in her ordinary way , there 's no body takes notice of them : but , when any thing falls out beyond expectation , and custome , what a gazing , pointing , and questioning , is there presently about it . the people gather together , and are at their wits end ; not so much at the importance of the matter , as at the novelty . every meteor sets people agog to know the meaning of it , and what it portends ; and whether it be a star , or a prodigy : so that it is worth the while to enquire into the nature , and philosophy of these lights , ( though not the business of this place ) that by discovering the reason , we may overcome the apprehension of them . there are many things which we know to be , and yet we know nothing at all of what they are. is it not the mind that moves us , and restreins us ? but , what that ruling power is , we do no more understand , than where it is . one will have it to be a spirit : another will have it to be a divine power : some , only a subtile ayr ; others , an incorporeal being ; and some again will have it to be only blood , and heat . nay , so far is the mind from a perfect understanding of other things , that it is still in search of it self . it is not long since we came to find out the causes of eclipses : and farther experience will bring more things to light , which are as yet in the dark ; but , one age is not sufficient for so many discoveries . it must be the work of successions , and posterity ; and the time will come , when we shall wonder that mankind should be so long ignorant of things , that lay so open , and so easie to be made known . truth is offer'd to all ; but we must yet content our selves with what 's already found ; and leave some truths to be retriv'd by after ages . the exact truth of things is only known to god ; but , it is yet lawful for us to enquire , and to conjecture , though not with too much confidence : nor yet alltogether without hope . in the first place however , let us learn things necessary ; and if we have any time to spare , we may apply it to superfluities . why do we trouble our selves about things which possibly may happen , and peradventure , not ? let us rather provide against those dangers that watch us , and lie in wait for us . to suffer shipwrack , or to be crush'd with the ruin of a house , these are great misfortunes , but they seldom happen . the deadly , and the hourly danger that threatens humane life , is from one man to another . other calamities do commonly give us some warning : the smoak gives us notice of a fire ; the clouds bid us provide for a storm ; but humane malice has no prognostick ; and the nearer it is , ●…he fairer it looks . there is no trust to countenances ; we carry the shapes of men , and the hearts of beasts . nay , we are worse than beasts ; for a beast ●…as only no reason at all ; but the other is perverted , and turns his reason to his mischief . beside that , all the hurt which they do , is out of fear , or hunger ; but man takes delight in destroying his own kind . from the danger we are in from men , we may consider our duty to them ; and take care that we neither do , nor suffer wrong . it is but humane , to be troubled at the misfortunes of another , and to rejoyce at his prosperity . and , it is likewise prudent , to bethink our selves what we are to do , and what we are to avoid : by which means we may keep our selves from being either harm'd , or deceiv'd . the things that most provoke one man to do hurt to another , are , hope , envy , hatred , fear , and contempt : but , contempt is the slightest , nay , many men have betaken themselves to it for their security . there is no doubt , but he that is contemn'd , shall be trod upon ; but then his enemy passes over him as not worth his anger . epist. xiii . every man is the artificer of his own fortune . of justice , and injustice . the short of the question betwixt you and me , is this. whether a man had better part with himself , or something else that belongs to him ? and , it is easily resolv'd , in all competitions betwixt the goods of sence , and fortune ; and those of honor , and conscience . those things which all men covet , are but specious outsides ; and there 's nothing in them of substantial satisfaction . nor is there any thing so hard , and terrible in the contrary , as the vulgar imagine ; only the word calamity , has an ill reputation in the world : and the very name is more grievous than the thing it self . what have i to complain of , if i can turn that to a happiness , which others count a misery ? a wise man either repells , or elects , as he sees the matter before him ; without fearing the ill which he rejects , or admiring what he chuses . he is never surpriz'd ; but in the midst of plenty he prepares for poverty ; as a prudent prince does for war , in the depth of peace . our condition is good enough , if we make the best on 't ; and our felicity is in our own power . things that are adventitious , have no effect upon him that studies to make sure of his happiness within himself . every man should stand upon his guard against fortune ; and take most heed to himself , when she speaks him fairest . all the advantage she gets upon us , is at unawares ; whereas he that is provided for her , and stands the first shock , carries the day . it is not with common accidents of life , as with fire , and sword , that burn , and cut , all alike ; but misfortunes work more or less , according to the weakness , or resolution of the patient . he that grieves for the loss of casual comforts , shall never want occasion of sorrow . we say commonly , that every man has his weak side : but , give me leave to tell you , that he that masters one vice , may master all the rest. he that subdues avarice , may conquer ambition . it is not for philosophy to excuse vices . the patient has little hope of health , when the physitian prescribes intemperance : though i know , on the other side , that he that does any thing above the ordinary , does but set up himself for a mark to malevolence , and envy . where laws are neglected , corruptions must inevitably be introduc'd : for the authority of virtue is shaken . and what are laws but only precepts mingled with threats ? with this difference , that the former deter us from wickedness , and the latter advise us to virtue . a preamble , methinks , derogates from the honor of a law , which ought to be short , and clear ; and to command , without suffering any expostulation . it is a flat , and an idle thing , a law with a prologue . let me only be told my duty , and i am not to dispute , but to obey . if i have not acquitted my self of my last promise to you ; know , that in all promises , there is a tacite reserve ; if i can ; if i ought ; or if things continue in the same state : so that by the change of circumstances , i am discharg'd of my obligation . i know very well the bonds of justice ; and yet the practices of the world to the contrary . there are no greater exacters of faith , than the perfidious ; no greater persecuters of falshood , than the perjurious . he that loves his neighbors wife , and for that very reason , because she is another mans , locks up his own. the wickedness of other men we have alwayes in our eye , but we cast our own over our shoulders . a worse father chastises a better son : he that denyes nothing to his own luxury , will pardon nothing in another mans. a tyrant is offended at blood-shed ; the sacrilegious punishes theft , and the greater part of the world quarrels rather with the offender , than with the offence . it is very rare , that either the joy , or the benefit of an estate , injuriously gotten , continues long. men go together by the ears about the booty , and we pay dear for things of little vasue . we live and die , lugging one another , breaking one anothers rest , and our lives are without fruit , and without pleasure . justice is a natural principle . i must live thus with my friend , thus with my fellow-citizen , thus with my companion . and why ? because 't is just ; not for design , or reward : for it is virtue it self , and nothing else , that pleases us . there is no law extant for keeping the secrets of a friend , or for not breaking faith with an enemy . and yet there 's just cause of complaint , if a body betrayes a trust. if a wicked man call upon me for mony that i owe him ; i 'll make no scruple of pouring it into the lap of a common prostitute , if she be appointed to receive it . for my business is to return the mony , not to order him how he shall dispose of it . i must pay it , upon demand , to a good man , when it is expedient ; and to a bad , when he calls for 't . epist. xiv . of trust in friendship . prayer ; and bodily exercise . there are some people , that if any thing goes cross with them , though of a quality only fit for the ear of a friend ; out it goes at a venture to the next comer : others again are so suspicious , and so obstinately close , that they will rather perish , than trust the best friend they have with it ; they are , both of them , in the wrong , only the one is the better-natur'd error , and the other the safer . now , as to the trust of a friend : there are many innocent things , which , in their own nature , may seem to be privacies , and which custom has ever reputed so ; in which cases , there is place enough for the offices of friendship , in the mutual communication of our most secret cares , and counsels . but yet we are so to govern our selves , that even an enemy should not turn our actions to reproach . for , an honest man lives not to the world , but to his own conscience . there is a certain softness of nature , and spirit , that steals upon a man , and , like wine , or love , ●…raws all things from him . no man will either conceal , or tell , all that he hears . but he that tells the thing , will hardly conceal the author : so that it passes from one to another ; and that which was at first a secret , does presently become a rumor . for this , and for many other reasons , we should set a watch upon our lips ; and attend the more useful , and necessary work of contemplation . the first petition that we are to make to god allmighty , is for a good conscience : the second , for health of mind ; and then , of body . there are some things which we directly wish for , as joy , peace , and the like : some that we pray for , only in case of necessity : as patience in pain , or sickness , &c. others , that concern our external behaviour , as modesty of countenance , decency of motion , and such a demeanor , as may become a prudent man. many things may be commodious ; that is to say , they may be of more use than trouble ; and yet not simply good. some things we have for exercise , others for instruction , and delight . these things belong to us only as we are men , but not as we are good men. some things serve to correct , and regulate our manners ; others , to enquire into the nature , and original of them . how shall we know what a man is to do , if we do not search into his nature , and find out what is best for him , and what he is to avoid , and what to pursue ? humanity not only keeps us from being proud , and covetous , but it makes us affable , and gentle , in our words , actions , and affections . we have no precepts from the liberal arts , neither for this , nor for sincerity , integrity of manners , modesty , frugality ; no nor for clemency it self , that makes us as tender of anothers blood , as of our own , and distinguishes men in society , from beasts of prey . some people are ever complaining of the iniquity of the times : but , let no man depend upon the goodness of his cause , but rather upon the firmness of his courage ; there may be force , or bribery i would hope the best , but prepare for the worst . what if i have serv'd an ungrateful interest , and suffer'd wrongfully ? an honest man is more troubled for the injustice of a severe sentence , than for the cruelty of it : and that his country has done an ill thing ; rather than that he himself suffers it . if he be banish'd , the shame is not his , but the authors of it . he tempers his delights , and his afflictions , and sayes to himself , that if our joyes cannot be long , neither will our sorrows . he is patient in his own misfortunes ; without envy at the advantages of his neighbor . his virtue is bolder , in the opposition of ill things , than tyranny it self can be in the imposing of them . this is rather to tell you what you do already , than what you should do . goe on , as you have begun , and make haste to be perfect : but take notice , that the mind is to be now and then unbent ; a glass of wine , a journey , a mouthful of fresh ayr relieves it : but then there 's a difference betwixt a remission , and a dissolution . without exercise a dull tumor invades us ; and it is remarkable , that men of brawny armes , and broad shoulders , have commonly weak souls . some exercises are short , and gentle ; and set the body right presently . but , whatever we do , let us return quickly to the mind ; for that must not lie idle . a little labor serves it ; and it works in all seasons : in summer , winter , old age ; nothing hinders it . and , to make it more valuable , it is every day better than other . not that i would have you perpetually poring upon a book neither ; but allow your self seasonable respites , and to 't again . a couch , or a walk , does your body good , without interrupting your study : for you may discourse , dictate , read , hear , at the same time . now though the exercises be laudable , and healthful ; yet the masters of them are for the most part of lewd example . they divide their lives betwixt the tavern , and the hot-house ; and a swingeing debauch is a good dayes work with them . but , how apt we are to set bounds to others , and none to our selves ; and to observe their warts , when our own bodies are cover'd with ulcers ? what is more ordinary , than for people to reverence , and detest the fortunate , at the same time , even for doing those things which they themselves would do , if they could ? there might be some hope of our amendment , if we would but confess our faults ; as a man must be awake that tells his dream . there are some diseases which are absolutely hopeless , and past cure ; but they may yet be palliated ; and philosophy , if it cannot help in one case , it may in another . to a man in a fever , a gentle remission is a degree of health , and it is something , if a man be not perfectly sound , to be yet more curable . but , we are loth to be at the pains of attending our own business . we lead the life in the world , that some lazy people do in a market , that stand gaping about them , without either buying , or selling. we slip our opportunities ; and if they be not catch'd in the very nick , they are irrecoverably lost. epist. xv. the danger of flattery ; and in what cases a man may be allow'd to commend himself . demetrius was wont to say , that knavery was the ready way to riches ; and that the casting off of virtue , was the first step to thriving in the world. study but the art of flattery , ( which is now adayes so acceptable , that a moderate commendation passes for a libel . ) study that art , ( i say ) and you shall do your business , without running any risque upon the seas , or any hazards of merchandizing , husbandry , or suits at law. there is not one man of a million that is proof against an artificial flatterer ; but something or other will stick , if we do but give him the hearing . nay , we like him well enough , though we shake him off , and the quarrel is easily reconcil'd . we seem to oppose him , but we do not shut the dore against him ; or if we do , it is but as a mistriss will do some time upon her servant , she would be well enough content to be hinder'd ; and take it much better yet , to have it broke open . beside that , a man lies commonly most open where he is attack'd . how shamefully are great men fawn'd upon by their slaves ; and inur'd to fulsome praises ? when the only business of those , that call themselves friends , is to try , who can most dextrously deceive his master . for want of knowing their own strength , they believe themselves as great , as their parasites represent them : and venture upon broyles , and wars , to their irreparable destruction . they break alliances , and transport themselves into passions , which , for want of better counsels , hurry them on to blood , and confusion . they pursue every wild imagination as a certainty , and think it a greater disgrace to be bent , than to be broken. they set up their rest upon the perpetuity of a tottering fortune , till they come at last to see the ruin of themselves , and their possessions ; and too late , to understand , that their misfortunes , and their flatteries were of the same date . there is a sparing , and a crafty flattery , that looks like plain-dealing . but all flatteries are words of course , and he that receives them will give them . nay ▪ let it be never so shameless , a man takes all to himself , though his very conscience gives him the lye. cruelty shall be translated mercy ; extortion and oppression shall be called liberality : lust , and gluttony , to the highest degree in the world , shall be magnify'd for temperance . now , what hope is there of his changing for the better , that values himself for the best of men already ? the stroke of an arrow convinc'd alexander , that he was not the son of iupiter , but a mortal man. and thus , upon the experiment of humane frailty , should every man say to himself . am not i sad sometimes , and tortur'd betwixt hope and fear ? do i not hanker after vain pleasures ? he that is not yet satisfy'd , is not so good as he should be . the words of flatterers , and parasites seldome die in the hearing ; and when they have gain'd admittance , they grow more and more upon you ; and shortly they 'll tell you , that virtue , philosophy , and iustice , are but empty sounds . let every man live while he may , and make the best of the present : and not govern himself at a rate , as if he were to keep a diary for his father . what madness is it , to enrich a man's heir , and starve himself ; and to turn a friend into an enemy . for , his joy will be proportion'd to what you leave him . never trouble your self for these superfluous censors of other mens lives , and enemies of their own. these pedagogues of mankind are not worth your care. these are the people that draw us from our parents , and country , our friends , and other necessary duties . i would neither be deceiv'd my self , nor deceive others ; but , if a man cannot live without it , let him commend himself , and say thus . i have apply'd my self to liberal studies , though both the poverty of my condition , and my own reason , might rather have put me upon the making of my fortune . i have given proof , that all minds are capable of goodness ; and i have illustrated the obscurity of my family , by the eminency of my virtue . i have preserv'd my faith in all extremities : and i have ventur'd my life for 't . i have never spoken one word contrary to my conscience , and i have been more sollicitous for my friend , than for my self ; i never made any base submissions to any man ; and i have never done any thing unworthy of a resolute , and of an honest man. my mind is rais'd so much above all dangers , that i have master'd all hazards ; and i bless my self in the providence which gave me that experiment of my virtue : for , it was not fit , methought , that so great a glory should come cheap . nay , i did not so much as deliberate , whether good faith should suffer for mee , or i for it . i stood my ground , without laying violent hands upon my self , to scape the rage of the powerful ; though under caligula i saw cruelties , to such a degree , that to be kill'd outright was accompted a mercy . and yet i persisted in my honesty , to shew , that i was ready to do more than dye for 't . my mind was never corrupted with gifts , and when the humor of avarice was at the i never laid my hand upon any unlawful gain ; i have been temperate in my diet ; modest in my discourse ; courteous and affable to my inferiors , and i have ever paid a respect , and reverence to my betters . after all ; what i have said , is either true , or false ; if true , i have commended my self before a great witness , my own conscience ; if false , i am ridiculous , without any witness at all . let every man retire into himself ; for the old , the young , men , women , and children , they are all wicked . not every one only , or a few , but there is a general conspiracy in evil. we should therefore fly the world , withdraw into our selves ; and in some sort avoid even our selves too . epist. xvi . a general dissolution of manners ; with a censure of corrupt magistrates ? the corruption of the present times , is the general complaint of all times ; it ever has been so , and it ever will be so : not considering that the wickedness of the world is alwayes the same , as to the degree of it ; though it may change places perhaps , and vary a little in the matter . one while whoring is in fashion ; another while gluttony : to day , excess in apparel ; and more care of the body , than of the mind : to morrow comes up the humor of scoffing ; and after that , perchance , a vein of drinking ; when he shall be accompted the bravest man , that makes himself the veriest beast . this prostitute looseness of manners , makes way for sedition , and cruelty . under tiberius , the plague of your delatores , or enformers , was worse than any civil war. it was an age , wherein the words of men , in their cups ; the most innocent railleries ▪ and ingenious freedoms of conversation , were made capital . when it was dangerous to be honest , and only profitable to be vitious . and not only ill things , but vice it self was both commended , and prefer'd : for all insolencies , when they come to be exemplary , they pretend to be lawful . authority in sin , is an incentive to it : and , it is at least an excuse , if not a warrant , to transgress , after great example . beside that , we are prone enough to do amiss , even of our selves , without either a leader , or a companion . but , it is a malevolent sort of comfort , that which men take in the number of the wicked . the worst of all is this ; that whereas in other cases the people are asham'd of their errors , in that of life , they are delighted with them , and so become incurable . the pilot takes no pleasure in running upon a rock ; nor the physitian in the death of his patient ; nor the advocate in the loss of his clients cause . but , on the other side , the criminal rejoyces in his uncleanness , in his ambition , and in his theft ; and never troubles himself for the fault , but for the miscarriage . he makes infamy the reward of lewdness , and values himself upon his excellency in ill-doing . the question is , who shall be most impious ; we have every day , worse appetites , and less shame . sobriety , and conscience , are become foolish , and scandalous things ; and , it is half the relish of our lusts , that they are committed in the face of the sun. innocency is not only rare , but lost : and mankind is enter'd into a sort of confederacy against virtue . to say nothing of intestine wars ; fathers , and sons , in league against one another ; poyson'd fountains , troops in search of the banish'd , and proscrib'd , prisons cram'd with worthy men , cities demolish'd ; rape , and adultery authoriz'd ; publick perjuries , and frauds ; a violation of common faith ; and all the bonds of humane society cancell'd . adultery is the ready way to wedlock ; and marriage , to a single life again ; for , parting , is one condition of it . for , they divorce , to mary ; and they marry to be divorc'd . that which they often talk , and hear of , they easily do . vvhat shame can there be of incontinence , when modesty is become a reproach ; and when it is the mode for every wife to provide her self a gallant or two , beside her husband ? 't is an idle thing to think of ever converting those people , that find both advantage , and reputation in their vvickedness . vvould any man ever have imagin'd , that clodius should have come off by bribery , for debauching the vvife of caesar , and profaning the publick vows for the safety of the people ? but , the judges were corrupted ; and not only with mony , but with the bodies of young men , and vvomen ; so that his absolution was fouler than his crime ; the bribe was adultery , as well as the offence ; and he had no way to be safe , till he had made his judges like himself . name the woman you have a mind to ( sayes he ) and you shall have her . and when you have committed the sin , condemn it if you dare . appoint the time , and the place , and she shall be ready for you ; nay , the practice was so gross , that the bench desir'd a guard of the senate , to secure them from the people . before the sentence was given , he was an adulterer ; in the menage of the cause , he was a pandar , and his way of escaping punishment , was fouler than the offence that deserv'd it . a lust , that spar'd not the altar , and perverted justice upon the very seat of judgment . the question was , whether any adulterer should scape unpunish'd ; and the resolution was ; that , without being an adulterer , he could not be secure . nor is it likely , that their conversation was one jote honester than their sentence : these things have been done , and will be done . discipline , and fear , may restrain the licence of the people , but , it is not to be thought , that they will ever be good of their own accord . but , let us not yet speak of luxury , and dissolution , as the vices of the age , which , in truth , are only the vices of the men. the practices of our times are moderate , compar'd with those , when the delinquent pleaded not guilty to the bench , and the bench confess'd it self guilty to the delinquent ; and when one adultery was excus'd by another . in those dayes it pass'd for great piety , not to be very impious . he that gave most , carry'd the cause ; and 't is but according to the laws of nations , for him that buys , to sell. and , it is to be noted , that a man may be as covetous of getting , what he intends to squander away , as if he were to hoard it up . the contempt of poverty in others , and the fear of it in our selves . unmerciful oppressions , and mercenary magistrates , are the common grievances of a licentious government . the baths , and the theatres , are crowded , when the temples , and the schools are empty ; for men mind their pleasures , more than their manners . all vices gain upon us by the promise of reward ; avarice promises mony ; luxury sensual satisfactions ; ambition promises preferment , and power . and it is no excuse to say , that a man is not very covetous ; a little ambitious , cholerick , inconstant , lustful ; and the like . he had better have one great vice , than a spice of all little ones . we say commonly , that a fool has all sorts of vices in him ; that is to say , he is free from none : but they do not all appear ; and he is more prone to one , than to another . one is given to avarice ; another to luxury ; a third to wantonness ; but we are not yet to ask the stoicks , if achilles be a coward ; aristides , unjust ; fabius , rash ; mucius , a traitor ; camillus , a deserter . we do not say , that all vices are in all men , as some are in some particulars . epist. xvii . the original of all men , is the same ; and virtue is the only nobility . there is a tenderness due to servants . it is not well done , to be still murmuring against nature , and fortune , as if it were their unkindness that makes you inconsiderable , when it is only by your own weakness that you make your self so : for it is virtue , not p●…degree , that renders a man either valuable , or happy . philosophy does not either reject , or chuse any man for his quality . socrates was no patrician ; cleanthes , but an under gardener ; neither did plato dignify philosophy by his birth , but by his goodness . all these worthy men are our progenitors ; if we will but do our selves the honor to become their disciples . the original of all mankind was the same ; and , it is only a clear conscience , that makes any man noble : for , that derives even from heaven it self . it is the saying of a great man , that if we could trace our descents , we should find all slaves to come from princes , and all princes from slaves . but fortune has turn'd all things topsy-turvy , in a long story of revolutions . it is most certain , that our beginning had nothing before it ; and our ancestors were some of them splendid , others sordid , as it happen'd . we have lost the memorials of our extraction , and , in truth , it matters not whence we came , but whither we goe . nor is it any more to our honor , the glory of our predecessors , than it is to their shame , the wickedness of their posterity . vve are all of us compos'd of the same elements ; why should we then value our selves upon our nobility of blood , as if we were not all of us equal , if we could but recover our evidence ? but , when we can carry it no farther , the herald provides us some hero to supply the place of an illustrious original ; and there 's the rise of armes , and families . for a man to spend his life in pursuit of a title , that serves only when he dies , to furnish out an epitaph , is below a wise mans business . it pleases me exceedingly , to understand by all that come out of your quarters , that you demean your self humanely , and tenderly toward your servants . it is the part of a wise , and of a good man , to deal with his inferior , as he would have his superior deal with him : for servants are not only men , but a kind of humble friends ; and fortune has no more power over them , than over their masters : and he that duely considers , how many servants have come to be masters , and how many masters to be servants , will lay no great stress of argument , either upon the one , or upon the other . some use their servants worse than beasts , in slavish attendances , betwixt their drink , and their lusts : some are brought up only to carve , others to season ; and all to serve the turns of pomp , and luxury . is it not a barbarous custome , to make it almost capital , for a servant only to cough , sneeze , sigh , or but wag his lips , while he is in waiting ; and , to keep him the whole night , mute , and fasting ? yet so it comes to pass , that they that dare not speak before their masters , will not forbear talking of them ; and those , on the other side , that were allow'd a modest freedom of speech in their masters entertainments , were most obstinately silent upon the torture , rather than they would betray them . but we live , as if a servant were not made of the same materials with his master , or to breath the same ayr , or to live , and dye , under the same conditions . it is worthy of observation , that the most imperious masters over their own servants , are , at the same time , the most abject slaves to the servants of other masters . i will not distinguish a servant by his office , but by his manners : the one is the work of fortune , the other of virtue . but , we look only to his quality , and not to his merit . why should not a brave action rather dignify the condition of a servant , than the condition of a servant lessen a brave action ? i would not value a man for his cloaths , or degree , any more than i would do a horse for his trappings . what if he be a servant ? shew me any man that is not so ; to his lusts , his avarice , his ambition , his palate , to his quean ; nay , to other mens servants ; and we are all of us servants to fear : insolent we are , many of us , at home ; servile , and despised abroad ; and none are more liable to be trampled upon , than those that have gotten a habit of giving affronts , by suffering them . what matters it how many masters we have , when 't is but one slavery ? and , whosoever contemns that , is perfectly free , let his masters be never so many . that man is only free , not whom fortune has a little power over , but over whom she has none at all : which state of liberty is an inestimable good , when we desire nothing , that is either superfluous , or vitious . they are asses that are made for burthen , and not the nobler sort of horses . in the civil wars betwixt caesar , and pompey , the question was not , who should be slaves , or free , but who should be master . ambition is the same thing in private , that it is in publick ; and the duties are effectually the same , betwixt the master of a kingdom , and the master of a family . as i would treat some servants kindly , because they are worthy ; and others , to make them so ; so on the other side , i would have a servant to reverence his master ; and rather to love him , than fear him . some there are , that think this too little for a master , though it is all that we pay even to god himself . the body of a servant may be bought , and sold ; but his mind is free. epist. xviii . we are iuster to men , than to god : of life , and death , of good , and evil. it is without dispute , that the loss of a friend is one of the greatest tryals of humane frailty ; and no man is so much exalted above the sense of that calamity , as not to be affected with it . and yet if a man bears it bravely , they cry , he has no sense of piety , or good nature in him ; if he sink under it , they call him effeminate : so that he lies both wayes under a reproach . but , what 's the ground of your trouble , i beseech you , but that he might have liv'd longer , in respect of his years ; and , in effect , that he ought to have done so , in regard of his usefulness to the world ? i cannot but wonder to see , that a person so just , and so temperate in all his dealings with men , and in business , should so exceedingly forget himself in this point . but you have in excuse of this error , the failings of the whole vvorld with you for company . for even those that are the most scrupulously consciencious toward men , are yet unthankful , and injurious to providence . it is not the number of dayes that makes a life long , but the full employment of them , upon the main end , and purpose of life ; which is , the perfecting of the mind , in making a man the absolute master of himself . ireckon the matter of age among external things , the main point is to live , and die , with honor. every man that lives , is upon the way , and must go through with his journy , without stopping , till he comes at the end : and wheresoever it ends , if it ends well , it is a perfect life . there is an invincible fate , that attends all mortals ; and , one generation is condemn'd to tread upon the heels of another . take away from life , the power of death , and 't is a slavery . as caligula was passing upon the way , an old man that was a prisoner , and with a beard down to his girdle , made it his request to caesar , that he might be put to death . why , sayes caesar to him , are you not dead already ? so that you see some desire it , as well as others fear it : and why not ? when it is one of the duties of life , to dye . and it is one of the comforts of it too : for the living are under the power of fortune , but she has no dominion at all over the dead . how can life be pleasant to any man , that is not prepar'd to part with it ? or what loss can be easier to us , than that which can never be miss'd ; or desir'd again ? i was brought by a defluxion into a hopeless consumption ; and i had it many times in my thought to deliver my self from a miserable life , by a violent death . but the tenderness i had for an aged , and indulgent father , held my hand ; for , thought i to my self , it will be very hard for my father to be without me , though i could most willingly part with my self . in the case of a particular disease , a physitian may propound a remedy ; but the onely remedy for all diseases , is the contempt of death . ( though i know too , that it is the business of a long life , to learn that lesson . ) oh! the happiness of distinguishing good from evil , in the works of providence ! but , in stead of raising our thoughts to the contemplation of divine matters , and enquiring into the original , the state , and the appointed issue of created nature ; we are digging of the earth , and serving of our avarice ; neglecting all the good things that are so frankly offer'd us . how great a folly and madness is it , for men that are dying , and in the hands of death already , to extend their hopes , and to carry their ambition , and desires to the grave , unsatisfy'd ? for , whosoever is tainted with those hydroptick appetites , can never have enough , either of mony , or power . it is a remarkable thing , that among those that place their happiness in sense , they are the most miserable that seem to be happiest . the riches of nature are the most precious treasures . what has any man to desire more , than to keep himself from cold , hunger , and thirst ? it is not the quantity , but the opinion , that governs in this case ; that can never be little , which is enough : nor does any man accompt that to be much , which is too little. the benefits of fortune are so far comfortable to us , as we enjoy them without losing the possession of our selves . let us purge our minds , and follow nature ; we shall otherwise be still either fearing , or craving , and slaves to accidents . not that there is any pleasure in poverty ; but it is a great felicity for a man to bring his mind to be contented even in that state , which fortune it self cannot make worse . methinks our quarrels with ambition , and profitable employments , are somewhat like those we have with our mistresses ; we do not hate them , but wrangle with them . in a word ; betwixt those things which are sought , and coveted , and yet complain'd of ; and those things which we have lost , and pretend that we cannot live without , our misfortunes are purely voluntary : and we are servants , not so much by necessity , as by choice . no man can be happy , that is not free , and fearless : and no man can be so , but he , that by philosophy has got the better of fortune . in what place soever we are ; we shall find our selves beset with the miseries of humane nature : some , without us ; that either encompass us , deceive us , or force us : others , within us ; that eat up our very hearts , in the middle of solitude . and it is not yet , as we imagine , that fortune has long armes ; she meddles with no body , that does not first lay hold upon her. we should keep a distance therefore , and withdraw into the knowledge of nature , and of our selves . we understand the original of things ; the order of the world , the circulation of the seasons , the courses of the stars , and that the whole frame of the universe ( only the earth excepted ) is but a perpetual motion . we know the causes of day , and night ; of light , and of darkness ; but it is at a distance : let us direct our thoughts then to that place , where we shall see all nearer hand . and , it is not this hope neither , that makes a wise man resolute at the point of death , because death lies in his way to heaven ; for , the soul of a wise man is there before-hand : nay , if there were nothing after death , to be either expected , or fear'd , he would yet leave this world with as great a mind , though he were to pass into a state of annihilation . he that reckons every hour his last ; a day , or an age , is all one to him . fate is doing our work while we sleep ; death steales upon us insensibly ; and the more insensibly , because it passes under the name of life . from childhood we grow up , without perceiving it , to old age ; and this encrease of our life , duely consider'd , is a diminution of it . we take death to be before us ; but it is behind us ; and has already swallow'd up all that is past . wherefore , make use of the present ; and trust nothing to the morrow ; for delay is just so much time lost . we catch hold of hopes , and flatteries , of a little longer life ; as drowning men do upon thorns , or straws , that either hurt us , or deceive us . you will ask , perhaps , what i do my self , that preach at this rate . truely i do like some ill husbands , that spend their estates , and yet keep their accompts : i run out ; but yet i can tell which way it goes . and , i have the fate of ill husbands too , another way ; for every body pitties me , and no body helps me . the soul is never in the right place , so long as it fears to quit the body . why should a man trouble himself to extend life , which , at best , is a kind of punishment ; and , at longest , amounts to very little more , than nothing ? he is ungrateful , that takes the period of pleasure for an injury ; and he is foolish , that knows no good , but the present . nay , there are some courses of life , which a man ought to quit , though with life it self : as the trade of killing others , in stead of learning to dye , himself . life it self is neither good , nor evil ; but only a place for good , and evil. it is a kind of trage-comedy . let it be well acted , and no matter whether it be long , or short. we are apt to be missed by the appearances of things ; and when they come to us , recommended in good terms , and by great example , they will impose many times upon very wise men. the mind is never right ; but when it is at peace within it self , and independent upon any thing from abroad . the soul is in heaven , even while it is in the flesh ; if it be purg'd of natural corruptions , and taken up with divine thoughts : and , whether any body sees us , or takes notice of us , it matters not . virtue will of it self break forth , though never so much pains be taken to suppress it . and it is all one , whether it be known , or no : but after ages however will do us right ; when we are dead , and insensible of the veneration they allow us . he that is wise , will compute the conditions of humanity ; and contract the subject both of his joyes , and fears . and it is time well spent , so to abate of the one , that he may likewise diminish the other . by this practice he will come to understand , how short , how uncertain , and how safe , many of those things are , which we are wont to fear . when i see a splendid house , or a glittering train , i look upon it , as i do upon courts , which are only the schools of avarice , and ambition ; and they are at best but a pompe , which is more for shew , than possession . beside that , great goods are seldome long-liv'd ; and that is the fairest felicity , which is of the shortest growth . epist. xix . of true courage . fortitude is ( properly ) the contempt of all hazards , according to reason ; though it be commonly , and promiscuously used also , for , a contempt of all hazards , even without , or against rea-reason : which is rather a daring , and a brutal fierceness , than an honorable courage . a brave man fears nothing more than the weakness of being affected with popular glory . his eyes are not dazled , either with gold , or steel ; he tramples upon all the terrors , and glories of fortune ; he looks upon himself as a citizen , and soldier of the world , and , in despite of all accidents , and oppositions , he maintains his station . he does not only suffer , but court the most perilous occasions of virtue , and those adventures which are most terrible to others : for he values himself upon experiment ; and is more ambitious of being reputed good , than happy . mucius lost his hand with more honor , than he could have preserv'd it : he was a greater conqueror without it , than he could have been with it : for with the very stump of it , he overcame two kings , tarquin , and porsenna . rutilia follow'd cotta into banishment ; she stay'd , and she return'd with him too ; and soon after , she lost him , without so much as shedding a tear : a great instance of her courage , in his banishment , and of her prudence , in his death . this ( sayes epicurus ) is the last , and the blessed'st day of my life ; when he was ready to expire in an extreme torment of the stone . it is never said of the fabii , that they were overcome , but that they were slain ; nor of regulus , that he was vanquish'd by the carthaginians , but that he was taken . the spartans prohibited all exercises where the victory was declar'd by the voice , and submission , of him that was worsted . when phaeton begg'd of phoebus the government of the chariot of the sun for one day , the poet makes him so far from being discouraged by his fathers telling him of the danger of the undertaking , and how he himself had much adoe to keep his seat for fear , when he look'd down from the meridian , that it prov'd a spur to his importunity . that 's the thing ( sayes phaeton ) that i would be at ; to stand firm in that difficulty , where phoebus himself trembles . security is the caution of narrow minds . but , as fire tries gold , so does difficulty , and hazard try virtuous men. not but that he may be as valiant that watches upon the tower as he that fights upon his knees ; only the one has had the good fortune of an occasion for the proof of his resolution . as some creatures are cruel ; others crafty , and some timorous ; so man is endu'd with a glorious , and an excellent spirit , that prompts him , not so much to regard a safe life , as an honest. providence has made him the master of this lower world ; and he reckons it his duty to sacrifice his own particular to the advantage of the whole . and yet there is a vast difference , even in the same action done by a brave person , and by a stupid : as the death of cato was honorable ; but that of brutus was shameful . nor is it death it self that we recommend for glorious ; but it is a glorious thing to dye as we ought . neither is it poverty , banishment , or pain , that we commend ; but the man that behaves himself bravely under those afflictions . how were the gladiators contemn'd , that call'd for quarter ? and those on the other side favour'd , that despis'd it . many a man saves his life , by not fearing to lose it ; and , many a man loses his life , for being over-sollicitous to save it . we are many times afraid of dying by one thing , and we come to dye by another . as for example ; we are threatned by an enemy , and we dye by a pleurisie . the fear of death enlarges all other things that we fear . to bear it with constancy , we should compute , that whether our lives be long , or short , it comes all to a point ; some hours we lose : what if they were dayes , months , years ? what matters it if i never arrive at that which i must certainly part with when i have it . life is but one point of flying time ; and , that which is to come , is no more mine , than that which is past. and , we have this for our comfort too , that whosoever now fears death , will , some time or other come to wish it . if death be troublesome , or terrible ; the fault is in us , and not in death it self . it is as great a madness for a man to fear that which he is not to feel , as that which he is not to suffer . the difference lies in the manner of dying , and not in the issue of death it self . 't is a more inglorious death to be smother'd with perfumes , than to be torn to pieces with pincers . provided my mind be not sick , i shall not much heed my body . i am prepar'd for my last hour , without tormenting my self when it will come . it is betwixt the stoicks and other philosophers , as betwixt men , and women . they are both , equally , necessary for society ; only the one is born for government , and the other for subjection . other sects deal with their disciples , as plausible physitians do with their patients ; they flatter , and humor them ; whereas the stoicks go a bolder way to work ; and consider rather their profit , than their pleasure . epist. xx. 't is never too late to learn . the advantages of a private life ; and the slavery of a publick . the ends of punishment . let no man presume to advise others , that has not first given good counsel to himself : and he may , then , pretend to help his neighbor . it is , in short , as hard a matter to give good counsel , as to take it : let it however be agreed , betwixt the two parties , that the one designs to confer a benefit , and the other , to receive it . some people scorn to be taught : others are asham'd of it , as they would be of going to school when they are old : but , it is never too late to learn , what it is alwayes necessary to know ; and , it is no shame to learn , so long as we are ignorant ; that is to say , so long as we live. when any thing is amiss in our bodies , or estates , we have recourse presently to the physitian , or the lawyer , for help : and why not to the philosopher in the disorders of our mind ? no man lives , but he that applyes himself to wisdom ; for he takes into his own life the supplement of all past ages . 't is a fair step toward happiness , and virtue , to delight in the conversation of good , and of wise men : and where that cannot be had , the next point is , to keep no company at all . solitude affords business enough ; and the entertainment is comfortable , and easie. whereas publick offices are vexatious , and restless . there 's a great difference betwixt a life of leisure , and of lazyness . when people will express their envy of a man in a happy condition ; they 'll say , he lives at his ease . when , in truth , the man is dead ; alive . there is a long life , and there is a long death : the former , when we enjoy the benefits of a right mind ; and the other , when the senses are extinguish'd ; and the body dead before-hand . he that makes me the master of my own time , and places me in a state of freedom , layes a great obligation upon me . as a merchant , that has a considerable fortune aboard , is more sensible of the blessing of a fair wind , and a safe passage , than he that has only ballast , or some course commodity in the vessel : so , that man that employes his privacy upon thoughts divine , and precious , is more sensible of the comfort of that freedom , than he that bends his meditations an ill way . for , he considers all the benefits of his exemption from common duties , he enjoyes himself with infinite delight , and makes his gratitude answerable to his obligations . he is the best of subjects , and the happiest of men ; and he lives to nature , and to himself . most men are to themselves , the worst company they can keep . if they be good , quiet , and temperate , they are as good alone , as in company : but , if otherwise , let them converse with others , and avoid themselves : but , he that has made himself good company , can never be too much alone . many a ship is lost in the harbor , but more in the ocean ; as many an honest man is condemn'd , but more guilty . this however , is certain . he that cannot secure himself in privacy , shall be much more expos'd in publick . that which the world calls felicity , is greedy , it self , and expos'd to the greediness of others . prosperity , like a fair gale upon a strong current , carries a man , in a trice , out of the very fight of peace , and quiet ; and i●… it be not temper'd , and regulated , it is so far from easing us , that it proves an oppression to us . a busie , and a fortunate man in the world , calls many men his friends , that are at most but his guests . and , if people flock to it , 't is but as they do to a fountain , which they both exhaust , and trouble . what greater slavery can there be , than that of princes , in this very respect , that they are chain'd to their post ; and cannot make themselves less : all their words , and actions are descanted upon , and made publick discourse ; and there are many things allowable to a private man , that are not fit for a governor . i can walk alone , where i please ; without a sword , without fear , and without company : whereas a prince must be armed in peace , and cannot , with dignity , quit his guards . fortune has him in custody . a train besets him wherever he goes ; and there 's no making of an escape . he is little better than nail'd to his place , and it is the perfection of his misery , that he cannot go less . he can no more conceal himself , than the sun in the firmament ; whereas his subjects may goe and come , change habits , and humor , without being taken notice of . servitude is the fate of palaces . the splendor of a crown draws all mens eyes upon it . when caesar speaks , the whole world hears his voice , and trembles at his displeasure ; and where it falls , it shakes whatsoever is near it . his lips are the oracles of the people ; and government is the ciment that binds them together . but still he that is master of many , is the servant yet of more the power , 't is true , of all things , belongs to the prince ; but the propriety to particular persons . and the same thing may be both yours , and mine , in several respects . we cannot say that a son , or a servant has nothing , because a master , or a father may take it away if he will ; or that he cannot give willingly , because they may hinder it ; whether he will , or no. this is power , and true dominion , not to rule , and command , when we may do it if we please . the strength of a prince is in the love of his people ; for there is nothing so great , but it must it self perish , when it is become the common safety that it should be so . tyrants are hated , because they are fear'd ; and because they are hated , they will be fear'd . they are render'd odious to posterity ; and they had better never have been born , than to stand upon record for the plagues of mankind . miserable is that people , where their very keepers are their executioners . and , it is not an armed tyranny neither , but the unarmed vices of avarice , and envy , that we ought to be most afraid of . some will not endure to have their vices touch'd , but will shrink , and struggle under the operation , as if they were under the hand of a surgeon . but , this shall not hinder me from lancing , and probing , because of the cries , and groans of the patient . every man should have a monitor at his elbow , to keep him from avarice , by showing him how rich a man may be with a little : from ambition , by representing the disquiets , and hazards that accompany greatness ; which makes him as great a burthen to others , as he is to himself . when it comes to that once ; fear , anxiety , and weariness , make us philosophers . a sickly fortune produces wholsome counsels ; and we reap this fruit from our adversity , that it brings us at last to wisdom . now , though clemency in a prince be so necessary , and so profitable a virtue ; and cruelty so dangerous an excess ; it is yet the office of a governor , as of the master of an hospital , to keep sick , and mad men in order . and , in cases of extremity , the very member is to be cut off with the ulcer . all punishment is either for amendment , or for example , or that others may live more secure . what is the end of destroying those poysonous , and dangerous creatures , which are never to be reclaim'd , but to prevent mischief ? and yet there may be as much hazard in doing too much , as too little. a particular mutineer may be punished ; but when the whole army is in a revolt , there must be a general pardon . the multitude of offenders , is their security , and protection : for there 's no quarelling with a publick vice , where the custom of offending takes away the shame of it ; and it is not prudent neither , by many punishments , to shew a city , that the wicked are so much the major part : beside that , it is as great a dishonor for a prince to have many executions , as for a physitian to have many funerals . shall a father disinherit a son for the first offence ? let him first admonish , then threaten , and afterward punish him . so long as there is hope , we should apply gentle remedies . but , some nations are intractable , and neither willing to serve , nor fit to command ; and , some persons are incorrigible too . epist. xxi . the two blessings of life are , a sound body ; and a quiet mind . the extravag●…nce of the roman luxury . the moderation , and simplicity of former times . epicurus makes the two blessings of life , to be a sound body , and a quiet mind : which is only a compendious reduction of humane felicity to a state of health , and of virtue . the way to be happy is to make vice , not only odious , but ridiculous ; and every man to mind his own business ; for he that torments himself for other peoples misfortunes , shall never be at rest. a virtuous life must be all of a piece ; and not advance by starts , and intervals ; and then to go on where it left ; for this is losing of ground . we are to press , and persevere , for the main difficulties are yet to come . if i discontinue my course , when shall i come to pronounce these words ? i am a conqueror : not a conqueror of barbarous enemies , and salvage nations ; but i have subdu'd avarice , ambition , and those lusts , that have subjected even the greatest of conquerors . who was a greater than alexander ? that extended his empire from thracia , to the utmost bounds of the east : but yet he burnt persepolis at the request of a prostitute , to gratifie his lust. he overcame darius , and slew many thousands of the persians ; but yet he murther'd calisthenes . and that single blot has ternish'd all the glory of all his victories , all the wishes of mortals , and all the benefits which we can either give , or receive , are of very little conducement to a happy life . those things which the common people gape after , are transitory and vain . whereas happiness is permanent ; nor is it to be estimated by number , measure , or parts : for it is full , and perfect . i do not speak , as if i my self were arriv'd at that blessed state of repose : but , it is something yet to be on the mending hand . it is with me , as with a man that 's creeping out of a disease ; he feels yet some grudgings of it , he is every foot examining of his pulse ; and suspects every touch or heat to be a relick of his feaver . just at that rate , am i jealous of my self . the best remedy that i know in this case , is to go on with confidence , and not to be missed by the errors of other people . it is with our manners , as with our healths ; 't is a degree of virtue , the abatement of vice , as it is a degree of health , the abatement of a fit. some place their happiness in wealth ; some in the liberty of the body ; and others in the pleasures of the sense , and palate . but , what are mettals , tasts , sounds , or colours , to the mind of a reasonable creature ? he that sets his heart upon riches , the very fear of poverty will be grievous to him . he that 's ambitious , shall be gall'd with envy at any man that gets before him : for , in that case , he that is not first , is last . i do not speak against riches neither : for if they hurt a man , 't is his own folly. they may be indeed the cause of mischief ; as they are a temptation to those that do it . in stead of courage , they may inspire us with arrogance ; and , in stead of greatness of mind , with insolence ; which is in truth but the counterfeit of magnanimity . what is it to be a prisoner , and in chains ? it is no more than that condition to which many princes have been reduc'd ; and out of which , many men have been advanc'd to the authority of princes . 't is not to say , i have no master ; in time you may have one . might not hecuba , croesus , and the mother of darius have said as much ? and where 's the happyness of luxury either ; when a man divides his life betwixt the kitchin , and the stews ; betwixt an anxious conscience , and a nauseous stomach ? caligula , who was born to shew the world what mischief might be done by a concurrence of great wickedness , and a great fortune . spent near l. sterling upon a supper . the works , and inventions of it are prodigious , not only in the counterfeiting of nature , but even in surpassing it . the romans had their brooks even in their parlors ; and found their dinners under their tables . the mullet was reckon'd stale , unless it dy'd in the hand of the guest : and they had their glasses to put them into , that they might the better observe all the changes , and motions of them in the last agony betwixt life , and death . so that they fed their eyes , before their bodies . look how it reddens , sayes one , there 's no vermilion like it . take notice of these veins ; and that same grey brightness upon the head of it . and now he is at 's last gasp : see how pale he turns , and all of a colour . these people would not have given themselves half this trouble with a dying friend ; nay , they would leave a father , or a brother , at his last hour , to entertain themselves with the barbarous spectacle of an expiring fish. and that which enhances the esteem of every thing , is the price of it : insomuch , that water it self , which ought to be gratuitous , is expos'd to sale , in their conservatories of ice , and snow . nay , we are troubled that we cannot buy breath , light ; and that we have the ayr it self gratis . as if our condition were evil , because nature has left something to us in common . but luxury contrives wayes to set a price upon the most necessary , and communicable benefits in nature : even those benefits , which are free to birds , and beasts , as well as to men ; and serve indifferently for the use of the most sluggish creatures . but , how comes it that fountain water is not cold enough to serve us , unless it be bound up into ice ? so long as the stomach is sound , nature discharges her functions without trouble : but , when the blood comes to be enflam'd with excess of wine , or meats , simple water is not cold enough to allay that heat ; and we are forc'd to make use of remedies , which remedies themselves are vices . we heap suppers upon dinners , and dinners upon suppers , without intermission . good god! how easie is it to quench a sound , and an honest thirst ? but , when the palate is grown callous , we taste nothing ; and that which we take for thirst , is only the rage of a feaver . hippocrates deliver'd it as an aphorisme , that women were , never ball'd , nor gouty , but in one singular case . women have not alter'd their natures since , but they have chang'd the course of their lives ; for , by taking the liberties of men , they partake as well of their diseases , as of their wickedness . they sit up as much , drink as much ; nay , in their very appetites they are masculine too ; they have lost the advantages of their sex , by their vices . our ancestors , when they were free , liv'd either in caves , or in arbours : but slavery came in with ●…ildings , and with marble . i would have him that comes into my house , take more notice of the master , then of the furniture . the golden age was before architecture : arts came in with luxury , and we do not hear of any philosopher that was either a locksmith , or a painter . who was the wiser man , think you ? he that invented a saw , or the other ; who , upon seeing a boy drink water out of the hollow of his hand , brake his pitcher : with this check to himself ; what a fool am i to trouble my self with superfluities ? carving is one mans trade ; cooking is anothers : only he is more miserable that teaches it for pleasure , than he that learns it for necessity . it was luxury , not philosophy , that invented fish-pools , as well as palaces . where , in case of foul weather at sea , they might have fishes , to supply their gluttony , in harbor . we do not only pamper our lusts , but provoke them : as if we were to learn the very art of voluptuousness . what was it but avarice , that originally brake the union of society ; and prov'd the cause of poverty , even to those that were the most wealthy ? every man possess'd all , till the world came to appropriate possessions to themselves . in the first age , nature was both a law , and a guide ; and the best govern'd ; which was but according to nature too . the largest , and the strongest bull leads the heard ; the goodliest elephant ; and , among men too , in the blessed times of innocence , the best was uppermost . they chose governors for their manners ; who neither acted any violence , nor suffer'd any . they protected the weak against the mighty ; and perswaded , or disswaded , as they saw occasion . their prudence provided for their peo●…le ; their courage kept them safe from dangers ; their bounty both supply'd , and adorn'd their subjects . it was a duty , then , to command , not a government . no man , in those dayes , had either a mind to do an injury , or a cause for 't . he that commanded well , was well obey'd : and , the worst menace the governors could then make to the disobedient , was , to forsake them . but , with the corruption of times , tyranny crept in , and the world began to have need of laws ; and those laws were made by wise men too , as solon , and licurgus , who learn'd their trade in the school of pythagoras . epist. xxii . man is compounded of soul , and body : and has naturally a civil war within himself . the difference betwixt a life of virtue , and a life of pleasure . there is not so disproportionate a mixture in any creature , as that is in man , of soul , and body . there is intemperance , joyn'd with divinity ; folly , with severity ; sloth , with activity , and uncleanness with purity . but , a good sword is never the worse for an ill scabbard . we are mov'd , more by imaginary fears , than truths ; for truth has a certainty , and foundation ; but , in the other , we are expos'd to the license , and conjecture of a distracted mind , and our enemies , are not more imperious , than our pleasures . we set our hearts upon transitory things ; as if they themselves were everlasting ; or wee , on the other side , to possess them for ever . why do we not rather advance our thoughts to things that are eternal , and contemplate the heavenly original of all beings ? why do we not , by the divinity of reason , triumph over the weaknesses of flesh , and blood ? it is by providence that the world is preserv'd ; and not from any virtue in the matter of it ; for the world is as mortal as we are : only the allmighty wisdome carries it safe through all the motions of corruption . and so by prudence , humane life it self may be prolong'd ; if we will but stint our selves in those pleasures that bring the greater part of us untimely to our end. our passions are nothing else but certain disallowable motions of the mind ; sudden , and eager ; which , by frequency , and neglect , turn to a disease ; as a distillation brings us first to a cough , and then to a pthisique . we are carry'd up to the heavens , and down again into the deep , by turns ; so long as we are govern'd by our affections , and not by virtue . passion , and reason , are a kind of civil war within us ; and as the one , or the other has dominion , we are either good , or bad. so that it should be our care , that the worst mixture may not prevaile . and they are link'd , like the chain of causes , and effects , one to another . betwixt violent passions , and a fluctuation , or wambling of the mind , there is such a difference , as betwixt the agitation of a storm , and the nauseous sickness of a calm . and they have all of them their symptomes too , as well as our bodily distempers : they that are troubled with the falling sickness , know when the fit is a coming , by the cold of the extreme●… parts ; the dazling of the eye ; the failing of the memory ; the trembling of the nerves , and the giddiness of the head. so that every man knows his own disease , and should provide against it : anger , love , sadness , fear , may be read in the countenance ; and so may the virtues too . fortitude makes the eye vigorous ; prudence makes it intent ; reverence shews it self in modesty ; joy , in serenity ; and truth in openness , and simplicity . there are sown the seeds of divine things in mortal bodies . if the mind be well cultivated , the fruit answers the original ; and , if not , all runs into weeds . we are all of us sick of curable diseases : and it costs us more to be miserable , than would make us perfectly happy . consider the peaceable state of clemency , and the turbulence of anger ; the softness , and quiet of modesty , and the restlessness of lust. how cheap , and easie to us is the service of virtue , and how dear we pay for our vices ? the sovereign good of man , is a mind that subjects all things to it self ; and is it self subject to nothing : his pleasures are modest , severe , and reserv'd , and rather the sawce , or the diversion of life , than the entertainment of it . it may be some question , whether such a man goes to heaven , or heaven comes to him : for a good man is influenc'd , by god himself ; and has a kind of divinity within him . what if one good man lives in pleasure , and plenty , and another in want , and misery ? 't is no virtue , to contemn superfluities , but necessities : and they are both of them equally good , though under several circumstances , and in different stations . cato ( the censor ) wag'd war with the manners of rome ; scipio , with the enemies . nay , bating the very conscience of virtue , who is there , that upon sober thoughts , would not be an honest man , even for the reputation of it . virtue you shall find in the temple , in the field , or upon the walls , cover'd with dust , and blood , in the defence of the publick . pleasures you shall find sneaking in the stews , sweating-houses , powder'd , and painted , &c. not that pleasures are wholly to be disclaim'd , but to be used with moderation , and to be made subservient to virtue . good manners allwayes please us ; but vvickedness is restless , and perpetually changing ; not for the better , but for variety . vve are torn to pieces betwixt hopes , and fears ; by which means , providence ( which is the greatest blessing of heaven ) is turn'd into a mischief vvild beasts , when they see their dangers , fly from them : and when they have scap'd them , they are quiet ; but wretched man is equally tormented , both with things past , and to come : for the memory brings back the anxiety of our past fears , and our fore-sight anticipates the future : vvhereas the present makes no man miserable . if we fear all things that are possible , we live without any bounds to our miseries . epist. xxiii . we abuse gods blessings , and turn them into mischiefs . meditations upon the horrors of earthquakes , and consolations against them . death is the same thing which way soever it comes : only we are more mov'd by accidents that we are not us'd to . there is nothing so profitable , but it may be perverted to our injury . without the use of the winds , how should we do for commerce ? beside that , they keep the ayr sweet , and healthful , and bring seasonable rains upon the earth . it was never the intent of providence , that they should be employ'd for war , and devastation ; and yet that 's a great part of the use we make of them ; pursuing one hazard through another . we expose our selves to tempests , and to death , without so much as the hope of a sepulchre . and all this might be born too ; if we only ran these risques in order to peace : but , when we have scap'd so many rocks , and flats , thunder , and storms , what 's the fruit of all our labor , and terrour ? it is only war ; and to burn , and ravage , as if the earth were not large enough for the scene of our destruction . whereas we might live , and dye at ease , if we had a mind to 't ; and draw out our lives in security . why do we press our own dangers then , and provoke our fates ? what do we look for ? only death ; which is to be found every where . it will find us in our beds , in our chambers : but , wheresoever it finds us , let it find us innocent . what a madness is it to pursue mischieves ; to fall foul upon those we do not know ; to be angry without a cause ; to over-run whatsoever is in our way ; and , like beasts , to kill what we have no quarrel to ? nay , worse than beasts ; we run great hazards , only to bring us to greater . we force our way to gold , without any regard , either to god , or man. but , in all this , without any cause of complaint , we abuse the benefits of god , and turn them all into mischiefs . vve dig for gold ; we leave the light , and abandon the courses of a better nature . vve descend , where we find a new position of things ; hideous caves , hollow , and hanging rocks ; horrid rivers ; a deep , and perpetual darkness , and not without the apprehensions even of hell it self . how little now , and how inconsiderable are those things that men venture for , with the price of their lives ! but , to pass from those hazards , that we may avoid , to others , which we cannot . as in the case of earthquakes . in what condition can any man be safe ; when the vvorld it self is shaken ; and , the only thing that passes for fixed , and unmoveable in the universe , trembles , and deceiv●… us ? vvhither shall we fly for security , if wheresoever we are , the danger be still under our feet . upon the cracking of a house , every man takes himself to his heels ; and leaves all to save himself : but , vvhat retreat is there , where that which should support us , fails us ; when the foundation , not only of cities , but even of the vvorld it self , opens , and vvavers ? vvhat help , or what comfort ; where fear it self can never carry us off ? an enemy may be kept at a distance with a vvall : a castle may put a stop to an army ; a port may protect us from the fury of a tempest ; fire it self does not follow him that runs away from 't : a vault may defend us against thunder ; and we may quit the place in a pestilence : there is some remedy in all these evils . or however , no man ever knew a whole nation destroy'd with lightning . a plague may unpeople a town , but it will not carry it away . there is no evil of such an extent , so inevitable , so greedy , and so publickly calamitous , as an earthquake . for , it does not only devour houses , families , or single towns , but ruines whole countreys , and nations : either overturning , or swallowing them up , without so much as leaving any footstep , or mark of what they were . some people have a greater horror for this death , than for any other : to be taken away alive , out of the number of the living ; as if all mortals , by what means soever , were not to come to the same end. nature has eminently this justice , that when we are all dead , we are all alike . and , 't is not a pin matter , whether i be crush'd to pieces by one stone , or by a whole mountain ; whether i perish by the fall of a house , or under the burthen of the whole earth ; whether i be swallow'd up alone , or with a thousand more for company . what does it signifie to me , the noise , and the discourse that is made about my death ; when death is every where , and in all cases , the same ? we should therefore arme our selves against that blow , that can neither be avoided , nor foreseen . and , it is not the forswearing of those places , that we find infested with earthquakes , that will do our business ; for there is no place that can be warranted against them . what if the earth be not yet mov'd ? it is still movable ; for the whole body of it lies under the same law , and expos'd to danger ; only some part at one time , and some at another . as it is in great cities , where all the houses are subject to ruin , though they do not all fall together : so in the body of the earth , now this part failes , and then that . tyre was formerly subject to earthquakes ; in asia twelve cities were swallow'd up in a night ; achaia , and macedonia have had their turns , and now campagnia . the fate goes round ; and strikes at last where it has a great while passed by . it falls out oftner 't is true , in some places , than in others : but , no place is totally free , and exempt . and , it is not only men , but cities , coasts , nay the shores , and the very sea it self , that suffer under the dominion of fate . and yet we are so vain , as to promise our selves some sort of assurance in the goods of fortune . never considering , that the very ground we stand upon is unstable . and , it is not the frailty of this or that place , but the quality of every spot of it ; for , not one inch of it is so compacted , as not to admit many causes of its resolution ; and , though the bulk of the earth remain entire , the parts of it may yet be broken . there is not any thing , which can promise to it self a lasting quiet . and it is no small comfort to us , the certainty of our fate : for , it is a folly to fear where there is no remedy . he that troubles himself sooner than he needs , grieves more also than is necessary : for the same weakness that makes him anticipate his misery , makes him enlarge it too . the wise fortify themselves by reason , and fools by despair . that saying which was apply'd to a conquer'd party under fire , and sword , might have been spoken to all mankind . that man is in some sense , out of danger , that is out of hope . he that would fear nothing , should consider , that if he fears any thing , he must fear every thing . our very meat , and drink , sleeping , and waking , without measure , are hurtful to us . our bodies are nice , and weak ; and a small matter does their work. that man has too high an opinion of himself , that is only afraid of thunder , and of earth-quakes . if he were conscious of his own infirmities , he would as much fear the being choak'd with his own phlegme . what do we see in our selves , that heaven , and earth should joyn in a distemper to procure our dissolution ; when the ripping of a hang-nail is sufficient to dispatch us ? we are afraid of inundations from the sea , when a glass of wine , if it goes the wrong way , is enough to suffocate us . it is a great comfort in death , the very mortality it self . we creep under ground for fear of thunder ; we dread the sudden concussions of the earth , and the rages of the sea , when yet we carry death in our own veines ; and it is at hand in all places , and at all times . there is nothing so little , but it is of force enough to bring us to our last end. nay , so far should we be from dreading an eminent fate , more than a vulgar , that on the contrary , since dye we must , we should rather rejoyce in the breathing of our last , under a more glorious circumstance . what if the ground stand still within its bounds , and without any violence ? i shall have it over me at last ; and 't is all one to me , whether i be laid under that , or that layes it self over me : but , it is a terrible thing for the earth to gape , and swallow a man up into a profound abyss : and what then ? is death any easier above ground ? what cause have i of complaint , if nature will do me the honor to cover me with a part of her self ? since we must fall , there is a dignity in the very manner of it , when the world it self is shock'd for company . not that i would wish for a publick calamity ; but it is some satisfaction in my death , that i see the world also to be mortal . neither are we to take these extraordinary revolutions for divine judgments ; as if such motions of the heavens , and of the earth , were the denouncings of the vvrath of the allmighty : but they have their ordinate , and their natural causes : such as , in proportion , we have in our own bodies ; and while they seem to act a violence , they suffer it . but yet for want of knowing the causes of things , they are dreadful to us ; and the more so , because they happen but seldome . but why are we commonly more afraid of that which we are not us'd to ? because we look upon nature with our eyes , not with our reason : rather computing what she usually does , than what she is able to do . and we are punish'd for this negligence , by taking those things to which we are not vvonted , to be new , and prodigious . the eclipses of the sun , and moon , blazing stars , and meteors , while we admire them , we fear them ; and since we fear them , because we do not understand them , it is worth our while to study them , that we may no longer fear them . vvhy should i fear a man , a beast , an arrow , or a lance , when i am expos'd to the encounter of greater dangers ? we are assaulted by the nobler parts of nature it self ; by the heavens , by the seas , and the land. our business is therefore to defy death , whether extraordinary , or common . no matter for the menaces of it , so long as it asks no more of us than age it self will take from us ; and every petty accident that befalls us . he that contemns death , what does he care for either fire , or water ; the very dissolution of the universe ? or if the earth should open under him , and shew him all the secrets of the infernal pit , he would look down without trouble . in the place that we are all of us to go to , there are no earthquakes , or thunder-claps ; no tempestuous seas ; neither war , nor pestilence . is it a small matter ? why do we fear it then ? is it a great matter ? let it rather once fall upon us , then always hang over us . why should i dread my own end , when i know that an end i must have , and that all created things are limited . epist. xxiv . a discourse of gods providence , in the misfortunes of good men in this world , and in the prosperity of the wicked . you are troubled , i perceive , that your servant is run away from you ; but i do not hear yet that you are either robb'd , or strangl'd , or poyson'd , or betray'd , or accus'd by him : so that you have scap'd well , in comparison with your fellows . and , why should you complain then ; especially under the protection of so gracious a providence as suffers no man to be miserable but by his own fault ? nor is this a subject worthy of a wise mans consideration . adversity indeed is a terrible thing in sound , and opinion ; and that 's all . some men are banish'd , and strip'd of their estates ; others again are poor , in plenty ; ( which is the basest sort of beggery . ) some are overborn by a popular tumult , that breaks out like a tempest , even in the highest security of a calm ; or like a thunder-clap , that frights all that are near it : there is but one struck , perhaps , but the fear extends to all , and affects those that may suffer , as well as those that doe . as in the discharge of a piece only with powder ; 't is not the stroke , but the crack , that frights the birds . adversity , i 'll grant you , is not a thing to be wish'd ; no more than war ; but , if it be my lot to be torn with the stone , broken upon the wheel , or to receive wounds , or maims ; it shall be my prayer , that i may bear my fortune as becomes a wise , and an honest man. we do not pray for tortures , but for patience ; nor for war , but for generosity and courage , in all the extremities of war , if it happens . afflictions are but the exercise of virtue ; and an honest man is out of his element , when he is idle . it must be practice , and patience , that perfects it . do we not see see how one wrestler provokes another ? and if he find him not to be his match , he will call for some body to help him , that may put him to all his strength . it is a common argument against the justice of providence , in the matter of reward , and punishment ; the misfortunes of good men in this world , and the prosperity of the wicked : but , it is an easie matter to vindicate the cause of the gods. there are many things that we call evil , which turn very often to the advantage of those that suffer them ; or at least , for the common good , whereof providence has the greater care. and further ; they either befall those that bear them willingly , or those that deserve them by their impatience under them : and lastly , they come by divine appointment ; and to those that are good men , even for that very reason , because they are good. nor is there any thing more ordinary , than for that which we fear'd as a calamity , to prove the foundation of our happiness . how many are there in the world that enjoy all things to their own wish , whom god never thought worthy of a tryal ? if it might be imagin'd , that the allmighty should take off his thought from the care of his whole work , what more glorious spectacle could he reflect upon , than a valiant man struggling with adverse fortune : or cato's standing upright , and unmov'd , under the shock of a publick ruin ? let the whole world ( sayes he ) fall into one hand , and let caesar encompass me with his legions by land , his shipping at sea , and his guards at the gates ; cato will yet cut out his way ; and with that weapon that was untainted , even in the civil vvar , give himself that liberty , which fate deny'd to his country . set upon the great vvork then , and deliver thy self from the clog of thy humanity . juba , and petreius have already done the good office one for the other , by a generous concurrence of resolution , and fate ; but cato is above example , and does as much scorn to ask his death of any man , as his life . with what joy did this great man contemplate immortality ; when he took his book , and his sword together ; and , in cold thoughts dispatch'd himself ? let this suffice of cato , whose virtue providence made use of to cope with all the powers of the earth . his courage took delight in , and sought for all occasions of hazard ; keeping his eye still upon the end , without valuing the difficulties of the passage . the sufferance is one part of the glory ; and though one man may scape without wounds , yet he is still more reverend , and bemarkable , that comes off bloody . the malice of great men is grievous , you 'll say ; and yet he supported the oppositions of pompey , caesar , and crassus . is it troublesome to be repuls'd . vatinius was preferr'd before him . prosperity shews a man but one part of humane nature . no body knows what such a man is good for : neither in truth does he understand himself , for want of experiment . temporal happiness is for weak , and vulgar minds , but , the subduing of publick terrors is a work that is reserv'd for more generous spirits . calamity is the touch-stone of a brave mind , that resolves to live , and dye free , and master of it self the combatant brings no mettal into the field , that was never batter'd : he that has lost blood , and yet keeps his stomach ; he that has been under his enemy , and worsted , and yet comes on again , and gathers heart from his misfortunes ; that 's the man of hope , and courage . but , is it not a very unjust , and a rigorous fate , that good men should be poor , and friendless ? all this is no more than the natural work of matter , and form. mean souls are meanly principled : but , there goes more to the making up of a brave man , that is to work out his way through difficulties and storms . we are condemn'd to terrible encounters ; and because we cannot , according to the course of nature , avoid them , we have faculties given us , that will enable us to bear them : or at the worst , we have a retreat ; if we will not fight , we may fly . so that nothing is made more easie to us , than that which is most necessary to us , to dye . no man is kept in the world against his will. but adversity is the better for us all ; for , it is gods mercy , to shew the world their errors , and that the things they fear , and covet , are neither good , nor evil ; being the common and promiscuous lot both of good men , and bad. if they were good , only the good should enjoy them : and if bad , only the wicked should suffer them . one man is taken away in a scuffle for a wench , and another in the defence of his country ; and we find silver , and gold , both in a temple , and in the stewes . now to shew you , that the virtue which i affect , is not so imaginary , and extravagant , as it is taken to be , i will allow a wise man to tremble , to turn pale ; nay , and to grone too : and to suffer all the affections of his bodily sense , provided that he keep his mind firm , and free from submission to his body ; and that he do not repent of his constancy , ( which is , in it self , so great a virtue , that there is some authority , even in a pertinacious error . ) if the body may be brought by exercise , to the contempt of bruises , and wounds , how much more easily then may the mind be fortify'd against the assaults of fortune ; and though perhaps thrown down , and trod upon , yet recover it self ? the body must have meat and drink , much labor , and practice ; whereas the food , and the business of the mind is within it self ; and virtue is maintain'd without either toyl , or charge . if you say , that many professors of wisdom are wrought upon by menaces , and mischiefs , these , let me tell you , are but proficients , and not as yet arriv'd at the state of wisdom . they are not strong enough to practice what they know . it is with our dispositions , as with our cloaths : they will take some colours at one dipping : but others must be steep'd over and over before they will imbibe them . and so for disciplines ; they must soke , and lye long before they take the tincture . no man can receive an injury , and not be mov'd at it : but yet he may keep himself free from perturbations ; and so far from being troubled at them , that he may make use of them for the experiment , and tryal of his virtue ; keeping himself still moderate , placid chearful , and safe in a profound quiet ; and fixed in his station . but if a wise man cannot be poor ; how comes it that he is many times without either meat , drink , cloaths , or lodging ? if only fools are mad , how comes it then , that vvise men have their alienations of mind , and talk as idly in a fever as other people ? 't is one thing , the receiving of an injury , and another thing , the conceiving of an indignation for it : it is the body in this case that suffers , ( which is the fools part ) but not the mind . that man is never the worse pilot that by foul weather is forc'd beside his business . when a ship springs a leak , we do not presently quarrel either with the mariners , or with the vessel . but , some to the pump , others into the hold , to keep the ship above water . and if we cannot absolutely master it , we must still work on ; for it is then a great point gain'd , if we can but keep it at a stay . some men are strangely transported at the insolence of the porter that refuses to let them into a great mans house . they forget that the door of a prison is more strictly guarded than that of a palace . he that has business must pay for his passage , and sweeten him , as he would do a churlish curr with a sop. that which is to be sold , is to be bought : he 's a weak man , that rates himself according to the civility of a slave . let him have a reverence for himself , and then no matter who despises him . what if he should break his staff , or cause his master to turn him away , or to correct , him ? he that contends , supposes an equality ; and even when he has got the better of him , admits that there vvas one . what if he should receive a blow ? cato ( the greatest man of his age ) did not only forgive it , but forget it . 't is not to say , that this , or that is tolerable to a wise man , or intolerable : if vve do not totally subdue fortune , fortune overcomes us. it is the foundation of a happy life , for a man to depend upon himself ; but an absolute tranquility of mind , and a freedome from errors , must be the business of another world. epist. xxv . a vvise , and a good man is proof against all accidents . of fate . the book you promis'd me is now come to my hand ; and i open'd it with an intent to read it over at leisure . but , when i was once in , i could not lay it down again , till i had gone through with it . at present i shall only tell you , that i am exceedingly pleas'd with the choice of the subject : but i am transported with the spirit , and gentleness of it . you shall hear farther from me upon a second reading ; and you need not fear the hearing of the truth , for your goodness leaves a man no place for flattery . i find you still to be one and the same man , which is a great matter ; and only proper to a wise man : for fools are various : one while thrifty , and grave ; another while profuse , and vain . happy is the man that sets himself right at first , and cntinues so to the end. all fools , we say , are mad men , though they are not all of them in bed●…am . we find some at the bar , some upon the bench , and not a few even in the senate it self . one mans folly is sad ; anothers , wanton ; and a third's is busie , and impertinent . a wise man carries all his treasure within himself : what fortune gives , she may take ; but he leaves nothing at her mercy . he stands firm , and keeps his ground against all misfortunes , without so much as changing countenance . he is free , inviolable , unshaken ; proof against all accidents ; and not only invincible , but inflexible . so long as he cannot lose any thing of his own , he never troubles himself for what 's anothers . he is a friend to providence , and will not murmur at any thing that comes to pass by gods appointment . he is not only resolute , but generous , and good natur'd ; and ready to lay down his life in a good cause ; and for the publick safety , to sacrifice his own. he does not so much consider the pleasure of his life , as the need that the world has of him : and he is not so nice neither , as to be weary of his life , while he may either serve his wife , or his friends . nor is it all , that his life is profitable to them ; but , it is likewise delightful to himself , and carries its own reward ; for , what can be more comfortable , than to be so dear to another , as for that very reason to become dearer to himself . if he loses a child , he is pensive ; he is compassionate to the sick , and only troubled , when he sees men wallowing in infamy , and vice. whereas , on the other side , you shall see nothing but restlessness ; one man hankering after his neighbors wife ; another in pain about his own ; a third in grief for a repulse ; another a●… much out of humor for his success . if he loses an estate , he parts with it as a thing that was only adventitious . or if it was of his own acquiring , he computes the possession , and loss ; and sayes thus to himself , i shall live as well afterward , as i did before . our houses , ( sayes he ) may be burnt , or rob'd ; our lands taken from us ; and we can call nothing our own , that is under the dominion of fortune . it is a foolish avarice , that restrains all things to a propriety ; and believes nothing to be a man 's own , that 's publick . whereas a wise man judges nothing so much his own , as that wherein mankind is allow'd a share . it is not with the blessings of providence , as it is with a dole ; where every man receives so much a head ; but every man there has all. that which we eat , and either give , or receive with the hand , may be broken into parts : but peace , and freedome of mind are not to be divided . he that has first cast off the empire of fortune , needs not fear that of great men , for they are but fortunes hands ; nor was any man ever broken by adversity , that was not first betray'd by prosperity . but , vvhat signifies philosophy , you 'll say , if there be a fa●…e ; if we be govern'd by fortune , or some over-ruling power ? for certainti●… are unchangeable , and there 's no providing against uncertainties . if what i shall do , and resolve , be already determin'd , vvhat use of philosophy ? yes , great use ; for , taking all this for granted , philosophy instructs , and advises us to obey god , and to follow him willingly ; to oppose fortune resolutely , and to bear all accidents . fate is an irrevocable , an invincible , and an unchangable decree ; a necessity of all things , and actions , according to eternal appointment . like the course of a river , it moves forward , without contradiction , or delay , in an irresistable flux , where one wave pushes on another . he knows little of god , that imagines it may be controll'd . there is no changing of the purpose even of a wise man. for he sees beforehand what will be best for the future . how much more unchangeable then is the allmighty , to whom all futurity is alwayes present ? to what end then is it , if fate be inexorable , to offer up prayers , and sacrifices , any further , than to relieve the scruples , and the vveaknesses of sickly minds ? my answer is , first . that the gods take no delight in the sacrifices of beasts , or in the images of gold , and silver , but in a pious , and obedient will. and secondly that by prayers , and sacrifices , dangers , and afflictions may be sometimes remov'd ; sometimes lessen'd ; other whiles deferr'd : and all this without any offence to the power , or necessity of fate . there are some things which providence has left so far in suspence , that they seem to be , ( in a manner ) conditional ; in such sort , that even appearing evils may , upon our prayers , and supplications , be turn'd into goods . which is so far from being against fate , that it is even a part of fate it self . you will say , that either this shall come to pass , or not . if the former , it will be the same thing if we do not pray : and if the other , it will be the same thing if we do . to this i must reply ; that the proposition is false , for want of the middle exception betwixt the one , and the other . this will be , ( say i ; ) that is , if there shall any prayers interpose in the case . but then do they object on the other side . that this very thing also is necessary ; for it is likewise determin'd by fate , either that we shall pray , or not . what if i should now grant you , that there is a fate also even in our very prayers ? a determination that we shall pray ; and that therefore we shall pray ? it is decreed that a man shall be eloquent : but , upon condition , that he apply himself to letters . by the same fate it is decreed , that he shall so apply himself , and that therefore he shall learn. such a man shall be rich , if he betake himself to navigation . but , the same fate that promises him a great estate , appoints also that he shall sail , and therefore he puts to sea. it is the same case in expiations . a man shall avoid dangers , if he can , by his prayers , avoid the threatnings of divine vengeance . but this is part of his fate also , that he shall so do , and therefore he does it . these arguments are made use of , to prove , that there is nothing left to our will , but that we are all over-rul'd by fatalities . when we come to handle that matter , we shall shew the consistency of free-will with fate , having already made it appear , that notwithstanding the certain order of fate , judgments may be averted by prayers , and supplications : and , without any repugnancy to fate ; for they are part even of the law of fate it self . you will say perhaps , vvhat am i the better for the priest , or the prophet ; for whether he bid●… me sacrifice , or no , i lye under the necessity of doing it ? yes , in this i am the better for it , as he is the minister of fate . we may as well say , that it is matter of fate , that we are in health ; and yet we are indebted for it to the physitian ; because the benefit of that fate is convey'd to us by his hand . epist. xxvi . all things are produced out of cause , and matter . of providence . a brave man is a match for fortune . i had yesterday but the one half of it to my self ; my distemper took up the morning ; the afternoon was my own. my first tryal was , how far i could endure reading : and when i saw i could bear that , i fell to writing : and pitch'd upon a subject difficult enough , for it requir'd great intention ; but yet i was resolv'd not to be overcome . some of my friends coming in , told me , that i did ill ; and took me off : so that from writing , we pass'd into discourse ; and made you the judge of the matter in question ; the stoicks , you know , will have all things to be produc'd out of 〈◊〉 and matter . the matter is dull , and 〈◊〉 sive ; susceptible of any thing , but 〈◊〉 capable of doing any thing it sel●… 〈◊〉 cause is that power that form●… 〈◊〉 matter , this or that way , at pleasure . some thing there must be , of which every thing is made ; and then there must be a workman to form every thing . all art is but an imitation of nature ; and that which i speak in general of the world , holds in the case of every particular person . as for example . the matter of a statue is the wood , the stone , or the marble ; the statuary shapes it , and is the cause of it . aristotle assigns four causes to every thing . the material ; which is the sine quâ non ( or that without which it could not be . ) the efficient ; as the vvorkman . the formal ; as that which is stamp'd upon all operations ; and the final ; which is the design of the whole vvork . now to explain this. the first cause of the statue ( for the purpose ) is the copper ; for it had never been made , if there had not been something to work upon . the second , is the artificer , for if he had not understood his art , it had never succeeded . the third cause is the form ; for it could never properly have been the statue of such , or such a person ; if such a resemblance had not been put upon it . the fourth cause is the end of making it , without which it had never been made : as money , if it were made for sale ; glory , if the workman made it for his credit ; or religion , if he design'd the bestowing of it upon a temple . plato adds a fifth , which he calls the idea , or the exemplar , by which the workman draws his copy . and he makes god to be full of these figures , which he represents to be inexhaustible , unchangable , and immortal . now , upon the whole matter , give us your opinion . to me it seems , that here are either too many causes assign'd , or too few ; and they might as well have introduc'd time , and place , as some of the rest . either clear the matter in question ; or deal plainly , and tell us that you cannot : and so let us return to those cases , wherein all mankind is agreed , the reforming of our lives , and the regulation of our manners . for these subtilties are but time lost . let us search our selves in the first place , and afterward the world. there 's no great hurt in passing over those things which we are never the better for , when we know ; and , it is so order'd by providence , that there is no great difficulty in learning , or acquiring those things , which may make us either happier , or better . beside that , whatsoever is hurtful to us , we have drawn out of the very bowels of the earth . every man knows , without telling , that this wonderful fabrick of the universe is not without a governor ; and that a constant order cannot be the work of chance : for the parts would then fall foul one upon another . the motions of the stars , and their influences , are acted by the command of an eternal decree . it is by the dictate of an allmighty power , that the heavy body of the earth hangs in ballance . whence comes the revolution of seasons , and the flux of rivers ? the wonderful virtue of the smallest seeds ? ( as an oak to arise from an acorn . ) to say nothing of those things that seem to be most irregular , and uncertain ; as clouds , rain , thunder , the eruptions of fire out of mountains , earthquakes , and those tumultuary motions in the lower region of the air , which have their ordinate causes ; and so have those things too , which appear to us more admirable , because less frequent . as , scalding fountains , and new islands started out of the sea : or , what shall we say of the ebbing , and flowing of the ocean ; the constant times , and measures of the tides , according to the changes of the moon that influences moist bodies ? but this needs not ; for , it is not that we doubt of providence , but complain of it . and it were a good office to reconcile mankind to the gods , who are undoubtedly best to the best . it is against nature that good should hurt good. a good man is not onely the friend of god , but the very image , the disciple , and the imitator of him , and the true child of his heavenly father . he is true to himself ; and acts with constancy , and resolution . scipio , by a cross wind , being forc'd into the power of his enemies ; cast himself upon the point of his sword ; and , as the people were enquiring , what was become of the general ; the general ( sayes scipio ) is very well , and so he expir'd . what is it for a man to fall , if we consider the end , beyond which no man can fall ? we must repair to wisdom for armes against fortune ; for it were unreasonable for her to furnish armes against her self . a gallant man is fortunes match : his courage provokes , and despises those terrible appearances , that would otherwise enslave us . a wise man is out of the reach of fortune , but not free from the malice of it ; and all attempts upon him are no more than xerxes his arrows ; they may darken the day ; but they cannot strike the sun. there is nothing so holy , as to be priviledg'd from sacrilege . but , to strike , and not to wound , is anger lost ; and he is invulnerable that is struck , and not hurt . his resolution is try'd ; the waves may dash themselves upon a rock , but not break it : temples may be profan'd , and demolish'd ; but the deity still remaines untouch'd . epist. xxvii . some traditions of the antients concerning thunder , and lightning ; with the authors contemplations thereupon . there is no question , but that providence has given to mortals the tokens , or fore-runners of things to come ; and by those meanes , laid open , in some measure , the decrees of fate : only we take notice of some things , without giving any heed to others . there is not any thing done , according to the course of nature , which is not either the cause , or the sign of something that follows : so that wheresoever there is order , there is place for prediction . but there is no judgement to be given upon accidents . now , though it is a very hard matter to arrive at the fore-knowledge of things to come , and to predict particularly what shall hereafter fall out , upon a certain knowledge of the power , and influences of the stars : it is yet unquestionable , that they have a power , though we cannot expresly say what it is . in the subject of thunder , there are several opinions , as to the significations of it . the stoicks hold , that because the cloud is broken , therefore the bolt is shot ( according to common speech . ) others conjecture , that the cloud is broken to that very end , that it may discharge the thunder-bolt , referring all in such sort to god , as if the signification did not arise from the thing done , but as if the thing it self were done for the signification sake : but , whether the signification goes before , or follows , it comes all to the same point . there are three sorts of lightning ; the first is so pure , and subtile , that it pierces through whatsoever it encounters . the second shatters , and breaks every thing to pieces : the other burns ; either by blasting , consuming , inflaming , or discolouring , and the like . some lightnings are monitory ; some are m●…nacing , and others they phansy to be promising . they allot to iupiter three sorts ; the first is only monitory , and gentle , which he casts of his own accord ; the second they make to be an act of counsel , as being done by the vote , and advice of twelve gods. this , they say , does many times some good , but not without some mischief too . as the destruction of one man may prove the caution of another . the third is the result of a council of the superior deities ; from whence proceed great mischiefs , both publick , and private . now , this is a great folly to imagine , that iupiter would wreak his displeasure upon pillars , trees , nay , upon temples themselves , and yet let the sacrilegious go free : to strike sheep , and consume altars , and all this , upon a consultation of the gods ; as if he wanted either skill , or justice , to govern his own affairs by himself ; either in sparing the guilty , o●… in destroying the innocent . now , what should be the mistery of all this ? the wisdom of our forefathers found it necessary to keep wicked people in awe , by the apprehension of a superior power ; and to fright them into their good behaviour , by the fear of an armed , and an avenging justice over their heads . but , how comes it , that the lightning which comes from iupiter himself , should be said to be harmless ; and that which he casts , upon counsel , and advice , to be so dangerous , and mortal ? the moral of it is this. that all kings , should , after iupiters example , do all good by themselves . and when severity is necessary , permit that to be done by others : beside that , as crimes are unequal , so also should be the punishments . neither did they believe that iupiter to be the thunderer , whose image was worship'd in the capitol , and in other places ; but intended it of the maker , and governor of the universe , by what name soever we shall call him . now , in truth , iupiter does not immediately cast the lightning himself ; but leaves nature to her ordinary method of operation ; so that what he does not immediately by himself , he does yet cause to be done ; for , whatsoever nature does , god does . there may be something gather'd out of all things , that are either said , or done , that a man may be the better for : and he does a greater thing that masters the fear of thunder , than he that discovers the reason of it . we are surrounded , and beset with ill accidents , and since we cannot avoid the stroke of them , let us prepare our selves honestly to bear them . but , how must that be ? by the contempt of death we do also contemn all things in the way to it ; as wounds , shipwracks , the fury of wild beasts , or any other violence whatsoeever ; which , at the worst , can but part the soul , and the body . and , we have this for our comfort , though our lives are at the mercy of fortune , she has yet no power over the dead . how many are there that call for death in the distress of their hearts , even for the very fear of it ? and , this unadvised desire of death , does , in common , affect both the best , and the worst of men ; only with this difference , the former despise life , and the other are weary of it . 't is a nauseous thing to serve the body , and to be so many years a doing so many beastly things , over and over . it is well , if in our lives , we can please others ; but , whatever we do , in our deaths , let us be sure to please our selves . death is a thing which no care can avoid ; no felicity can tame it ; no power overcome it . other things are disposed of by chance , and fortune ; but , death treats all men alike . the prosperous must dye , as well as the unfortunate ; and , methinks the very despair of overcoming our fate , should inspire us with courage to encounter it : for , there is no resolution so obstinate , as that which arises from necessity . it makes a coward as bold as iulius caesar , though upon different principles . we are all of us reserv'd for death ; and , as nature brings forth one generation , she calls back another . the whole dispute is , about the time , but no body doubts about the thing it self . epist. xxviii . a contemplation of heaven , and heavenly things . of god ; and of the soul. there is a great difference betwixt philosophy , and other arts ; and a greater yet , betwixt that philosophy it self , which is of divine contemplation , and that which has a regard to things here below . it is much higher , and braver ; it takes a larger scope ; and being unsatisfy'd with what it sees , it aspires to the knowledge of something that is greater , and fairer , and which nature has placed out of our ken. the one only teaches us what is to be done upon earth ; the other reveales to us that which actually is done in heaven : the one discusses our errors ; and holds the light to us , by which we distinguish in the ambiguities of life ; the other surmounts that darkness which we are wrapt up in , and carries us up to the fountain of light it self . and then it is that we are in a special manner to acknowledge the infinite grace , and bounty of the nature of things ; when we see it , not only where it is publick , and common ; but in the very secrets of it ; as being admitted into the cabinet of the divinity it self . there it is that we are taught to understand what is the matter of the world ; who is the author , and preserver of it . what god himself is ; and whether he be wholly intent upon himself ; or at any time descends to consider us. whether he has done his work once for all ; or whether he be still in action : whether he be a part of the world , or the world it self : whether he be at liberty , or no , to determine any thing anew to day , and to controle , or derogate from the law of fate . whether it be any diminution of his wisdom , or any confession of error , to do , and undo . or to have made things that were afterward to be alter'd : for , the same things must of necessity alwayes please him , who can never be pleas'd , but with that which is best . now , this is no lessening , either of his liberty , or of his power ; for he himself is his own necessity . without the benefit , and the comfort of these thoughts , it had been e'en as well for us never to have been born. for , to what end do we live ? is it only to eat , and to drink ? to stuff up an infirm , and fluid carcass , that would perish without it ; and to live only a servant to one that is sick ? to fear death , to which we are all born ? take away this inestimable good , and life it self is not worth the labor , and the care of it . oh! how wretched , how contemptible a thing were man , if he should not advance himself above the state of humane affairs ? so long as we struggle with our passions , what is there in this world that we do , which is glorious ? nay , if we advance our selves so far as to overcome them ; it is but the destroying of so many monsters . and , have we not then a mighty exploit to value our selves upon , when we have made our selves a little more tolerable than the worst of men ? is it not a wondrous matter to brag of , that we are a little stronger than a man that is sick ? alass ! alass ! my friend , there 's a large difference betwixt strength , and health . you have not a wicked mind perhaps ; you may have a clear brow , a tongue that will not flatter , and a single heart : you have not that avarice perchance , that refuses to it self whatsoever it takes from other people ; nor that luxury , that squanders away mony shamefully , and yet more shamefully repaires it : nor that ambition , that leads you by unworthy wayes to places of preferment . these are only negatives ; and you have got nothing all this while . you will tell me , that ▪ you have scap'd many things : but you have not yet escap'd your ●…elf . the virtue that we recommend is high , and illustrious . not that it is a happiness in it self , to be free from evil : but because it dignifies , and enlarges the mind ; because it prepares it for the knowledge of heavenly things , and makes it capable even of conversing with god himself . it is then arriv'd at the highest pitch of humane felicity ; when it soars aloft , and enters into the privacies of nature , trampling all that is evil , or vulgar , under its feet . what a delight , what a transport is it , for a soul that is wandering among the stars ; to look down , and laugh at the palaces of princes , and the whole globe of the earth , with all its treasures ? i do not speak of that only that is converted into mony , and plate , but of that also which is reserv'd in the bowels of the earth , to gratifie the insatiable cove●…ousness of posterity . nor can we ever bring our selves to the absolute contempt of luxurious ornaments ; rich furniture ; stately buildings , pleasant gardens , and fountains ; till we have the world under us , and till looking down from the heavens , and beholding that spot of ground we live upon ; ( the greater part of it cover'd with the sea ; beside a great deal of it desolate , and either scorch'd , or frozen ) we shall say thus to our selves . is this miserable point the ball of contention , that is divided among so many nations with fire , and sword ? how ridiculous are the bounds , as well as the contests of mortals ! such a prince must not pass such a river ; nor another prince those mountains ; and , why do not the very pismires canton out their posts , and iurisdictions too ? for , what does the bustle of troops , and armies amount to , more , than the business of a swarm of ants upon a mole-hill ? the scene of all the important actions here below , where , both at sea , and land , we tug , and scuffle for dominion , and wealth , is but a wretched point of earth ; whereas the dominions of the soul above , are boundless . this very contemplation gives us force , liberty , and nourishment ; the mind is there , at home : and it has this argument of its divinity , that it takes delight in what 's divine . it contemplates the rising , and the falling of the stars , and the admirable harmony of order , even in their various motions : discussing , and enquiring into every thing , as properly appertaining unto it self . with how much scorn does it then reflect upon the narrowness of its former habitation ? there it is , that it learns the end of its proper being ; the knowledge of god. and , what is god ? an immense , and an allmighty power : great , without limits ; and he does whatsoever pleases him : he that applyes himself to this study , trans●…ends the very lot , and condition of his mortality . that allmighty power is all that we do see , and all that we do not see . what is the difference betwixt the divine nature , and ours ? man is compounded ; and his best part is his mind : but , the allmighty is all mind , and all reason ; and yet mortals are so blind , that the actions of this incomprehensible power , so excellent for beauty , constancy , and disposition , are look'd upon by many men only as fortuitous , and the work of chance : and subject to all the tumults of thunder , clouds , and tempests , that affect poor mortals . and , this is not only the folly , and madness of the common people ; but the weakness also of wise men. there are , that arrogate to themselves , the faculties of providence , and reason , and the skill of disposing , as well other peoples affairs , as their own : and yet these very men are so besotted , as to imagine , the world only to be govern'd by an unadvised rashness : as if nature knew not what she did ▪ how profitable would it be for us , to know the truth of things , and to allow them their due termes , and measures ? to enquire into the power of the allmighty , and the method of his workings ; whether he made the matter it self , or found it ready to his hand ; and whether was first , the matter it self , or the idea of it ? whether or no he does what he pleases ; and what may be the reason of so many seeming imperfections in his operations ? it is well said of aristotle , that we should handle divine matters with modesty , and reverence . when we enter into a temple , or approach the altar ; we compose our looks , and our actions to all the decencies of humility , and respect . how much more then does it concern us , when we treat of heavenly things , to deal candidly ; and not to let one syllable pass our lips that ▪ may savor of confidence , rashness , or ignorance ? truth lies deep , and must be fetch'd up at leisure . how many mysteries are there , which god hath placed our of our ●…ight ; and which are only to be reach'd by thought , and contemplation ! the notions of the divinity are profound , and obscure ▪ or else perhaps we see them without understanding them . but , the divine majesty is only accessible to the mind . what this is ( without which nothing is ) we are not able to determine : and , when we have guessed at some sparks of it , the greatest part lies yet conceal'd from us . how many creatures have we now in this age , that never were known to us before ? and , how many more will the next age know more than we do ? and many yet will be still reserv'd for a●…ter times . the very rites of religion are at this day a secret , and unknown to many people . nay , the very thing that we most eagerly pursue , we are not yet arriv'd at : that is to say ; a perfection in wickedness . vice is still upon the emprovement : luxury , immodesty , and a prostitute dissolution of manners finds still new matter to work upon . our men are grown effeminate in their habits , in their motions , and in their ornaments , even to the degree of whorishness . there 's no body minds philosophy , but for want of a comedy perhaps , or in foul weather , when there is nothing else to be done . postscript . before i take my last leave of seneca , i will here discharge my conscience , as if i were upon my last leave with the whole vvorld . i have been so iust , both to the reader , and to the author , that i have neither left out any thing in the original , which i thought the one might be the better for , nor added any thing of my own , to make the other fare the worse . i have done in this volume of epistles , as a good husband does with his cold meat ; they are only a hache made up of the fragments that remain'd of the two former parts ; which i could not well dispose of into any other form ; or so properly publish under any other title . let me not yet be understood to impose this piece upon the publick , as an abstract of seneca's epistles ; any more than i did the other , for the abstracts of his benefits , and happy life . it is in works of this nature , as it is in cordial waters , we taste all the ingredients , without being able to separate this from that ; but still we find the virtue of every plant , in every drop . to return to my allegory ; books , and dishes have this common fate ; there was never any one , of either of them , that pleas'd all palates . and , in truth , it is a thing as little to be wish'd for , as expected ; for , an universal applause is at least two thirds of a scandal . so that though i deliver up these papers to the press , i invite no man to the reading of them : and , whosoever reads , and repents ; it is his own fault . to conclude , as i made this composition principally for my self , so it agrees exceedingly well with my constitution ; and yet , if any man has a mind to take part with me , he has free leave , and welcome . but , let him carry this consideration along with him , that he 's a very unmannerly guest , that presses upon another bodies table , and then quarrels with his dinner . the end. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e divin . instit. lib. . cap. . cap. . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . de civ ▪ del. lib. . cap. . notes for div a -e de irâ , lib . ep. . annal. lib. . cap. . notes for div a -e a benefits necessary , profitable , and delightful . notes for div a -e b benefits absolute and vulgar . notes for div a -e a how far a son may oblige a father . b a servant may oblige his master . notes for div a -e a all benefits are good . b the good will must be accompanyed with iudgment . notes for div a -e a the choice of the person is a main point . notes for div a -e a a benefit is a common tye betwixt giver and receiver . b a benefit must be suited to the condition of the receiver . c an acceptable present . d let the present be singular . notes for div a -e a give frankly . b give chearfully . c accompany good deeds with good words . d some favours in publick , others in private . notes for div a -e a we value the thing , the labour , or attendance . b a ●…eresit foll●…w'd with an iniury . c the case of a conditional redemption . d obligations common and personal . e obl●…gations upon necessity . notes for div a -e a a wise friend is the noblest of presents . notes for div a -e a an unworthy person may be oblig'd , for the sake of those that are more worthy . b providence it self is gracious to the wicked posterity of an honorable race . notes for div a -e a give only for giving sake . b the epicureans deny a providence , the stoicks assert it . c god and nature are one and the same power . d the divine bounty expects no return . e all men detest ingratitude , and love the contrary . notes for div a -e a diverse sorts of ingratitude . b perseverance in obliging . c in some cases a man may be minded of a benefit . d some people would be grateful if they had a prompter . e there must be no upbraiding of benefits . f some bounties are bestowed with insolence . g in what case a man may be reminded of a benefit . notes for div a -e a how to oblige an ungrateful man. b the case of an obligation from one that afterwards betrayes his country . c providence is gracious even to the wicked . d a wicked man is incapable of a benefit . notes for div a -e a obligations must be follow'd , without upbraiding , or repining . b we must persevere in doing good . c there should be no delay in the doing of a benefit . notes for div a -e a the receiver has the harder game to play. b a benefit refus'd for the person . c a pythagorean scruple . d a forced benefit . e keep a grateful mind . f we should be chearful , but not importune in the returning of benefits . g there must be no pride , either in the conferring , or in the receiving of benefits . notes for div a -e a we must be grateful in despite of all oppositions . b gratitude is an obvious , a cheap , and an easie virtue . c 't is one thing to be grateful for a benefit , and another thing to return it . f a man may be over-grateful , as well as over-righteous . notes for div a -e a we must not do an ill thing , that good may come of it . notes for div a -e a we are all ungrateful . b causes of ingratitude . c not to return good for good is inhumane , but evil for good , is diabolical . d there are ungrateful governments , as well as ungrateful men. notes for div a -e a there neither is , nor can be , any law against ingratitude . notes for div a -e a a a true happiness . notes for div a -e a a a wisdome , what it is . b a wise man does his duty in all conditions . c c c right reason is the perfection of humane nature . d d d three degrees of proficients in wisdome . e e e a wise man in some cases may need counsel . notes for div a -e a a a the dignity of virtue . b b b the good will is accepted for the deed. c c c virtue is divided into contemplation and action d d d a virtuous life must be all of a piece . e e e virtue can never be suppressed . notes for div a -e a a a philosophy is moral , natural , and rational . b one wise man teaches another . b philosophy teaches us to live well . e e e youth is apt to take good impressions . f f f the liberal sciences are matter rather of curiosity , than virtue . g g g 't is not for the dignity of a philosopher to be curious about words notes for div a -e a a a the best of us are yet the better for admonition , and precept . b b b the power of precepts , and sentences . c c c good counsel is the best service we can do to mankind . d d d three points to be amin'd in all our undertakings . e e e propose nothing , but what is hopeful and honest. notes for div a -e a a a every mans conscience is his iudge . b let every man examine himself . notes for div a -e a a good man makes himself profitable to mankind . b b b the injuries of fortune do not affect the mind . c a generous instance of a constant mind . notes for div a -e a a a how comes it that good men are afflicted in this world , and wicked men prosper . b b b providence draws good out of evil. c calamity is the tryal of virtue . d d d accidents are neither good nor evil. e e e nothing that is properly evil , can befall a good man. notes for div a -e a a a impediments of happiness . b b b levity of mind is a great hindrance of our repose . b change of place does no good without change of mind . c c c constancy of mind secures us in all difficulties . d d d the less we have to do with the world , the better . notes for div a -e a a a an instance of the uncertainty of humane affairs in the burning of lyons . b b b that which we call our own , is but lent us . c c c fortune spares neither great , nor small . notes for div a -e a a a the excesses of luxury are painful , and dangerous . b b b if sensuality were happiness , beasts were happier than men. c c c we have as many diseases as dishes . d d d drunkenness is a voluntary madness . c c c the folly , and vanity of luxury . f f f a voluptuous person cannot be a good man. notes for div a -e a a a avarice punishes it self . b b b money does ●…ll . c c c avarice makes us ill-natur'd , as well as miserable . d d d the cares , and crimes that attend ambition . c c c miserable are those people , that the world accompts great and happy . notes for div a -e a a a our miseries are endless , if we fear all possibilities . b b b prepare for the worst . c c c the things most to be fear'd , are want , sickness , and the violences of men in power . notes for div a -e a a a let every man make the best of his lot. b b b our very prayers many times are curses . c c c we are vain and wicked , and will not believe it . notes for div a -e a a a the moderation of past ages . b b b the state of innocence . c c c a temperate life is a happy life . c let philosophers live as they teach . d d d t is good to practice frugality in plenty . e e e the moderation and bravery of fabricius . notes for div a -e a a a a wise man is above injuries . b b b a great mind neither asks any thing , nor wants any thing . c c c cato's constancy . d d d the greatest evil in adversity is the submitting to it . e e e let no man be surpriz'd with what he is born to f f f the works of fortune are neither good , nor evil. g virtue is most glorious in extremities . h h h virtue is invincible . notes for div a -e a a a avoid even dissolute places , as well as loose companions . b b b practical philosophers are the best company . c the more company , the more danger . notes for div a -e a a a every man is not a friend that makes us a visit. b b b the choice of a friend . c c c there must be no reserves in friendship . d d d a generous friendship . e the loss of a friend is hardly to be repair'd . notes for div a -e f f f no man can be happy to whom life is irksome , or death terrible . g g g we take more care of our fortunes than of our lives . h time present , past , and to come . i i i we can call nothing our own , but our time. k k k company , and business are great devourers of time. notes for div a -e a a a philosophy is a quiet study . b b b liberty is to be purchas●…d at any rate . c several people withdraw for several ends. d d d some men retire to be talk'd of . e philosophy requires privacy , and freedome . notes for div a -e a a a 't is a folly to fear death . b b b the fear of death is easily overcome . c c c he that despises death , fears nothing . d d d all men must dye . c c c to what end should we covet life ? f to dye is to obey nature . g g g 't is childish to dye lamenting . notes for div a -e a what god has made necessary , man should comply with chearfully . notes for div a -e a a a sorrow within bounds is allowable . b b b sorrow is in some cases allowable , and inevitable in others . c c c we grieve more for our own sakes , than for our friends . d d d a friend may be taken away , but not the comfort of the friendship . e there 's no dealing with the first transports of sorrow . notes for div a -e a a a banishment is but change of place , in which sence , all people , and nations have been banish'd . b b b pain only affects the body , but not the mind . notes for div a -e a a a poverty is only troublesome in opinion . b b b mediocrity is the best state of fortune . notes for div a -e a a a anger desrib'd . what it is . b b b it is against nature . c c c several sorts of anger . d d d the first motion of anger . a a a pisistratus master'd his anger . b b b the gentleness of augustus . c c c the moderation of antigonus . d d d a predominant fear masters anger . e e e an instance of anger supprest in harpagus . f f f the moderation of philip of macedon . g g g all creatures are made more terrible by anger . a a a anger is insociable . b b b it is unprofitable . b and in no case allowable . c c c it is more mischievous in war , than in peace . d d d he that 's angry at publick wickedness , shall never be at peace . e e e iustice is calm , and temperate . f f f correction is necessary , but within bounds . a anger blows up all in a moment . b b b anger is loss of time , as well as of peace . c anger may be better kept out than govern'd . d anger the most detestable of all vices . e the miserable effects of anger . f f f the cruelty of marius . g g g a barbarous severity of piso . a a a the subject of our a●…ger is not worth the while . b b b we are angry for trifles . c the blasphemous extravagance of caius caesar. d a ridiculous extravagance of cyrus . a a a pardon all , where there 's either sign of repentance , or hope of amendment . b b b the same conceipt makes us merry in private , and angry in publick . c some ieasts will never be forgiven . a a a patience softens wrath. b b b several wayes of diverting anger . c c c those injuries go nearest us , that we have neither deserv'd , nor expected . a a a make the best of every thing . b b b whoever does an injury , is liable to suffer one . c c c let no man condemn another without making it his own case . d d d some things cannot hurt us , and others will not . c c c a stoical error . a a a the cruelty of the roman spectacles . c c c barbarous cruelties . d he that threatens all , feares all . c a tyrannical government is a perpetual state of war. notes for div a -e a clemency defin'd . a clemency is profitable for all . b b b clemency does well in private persons , but 't is more beneficial in princes . c c c mercy is the interest both of prince and people . d d d the blessed reflections of a merciful prince . e e e upon the well-being of the prince , depends the safety of the people . the prince that is gracious , is belov'd . f f f where punishment is necessary ; let it be moderate . g g g the ends of punishment . h h h a famous instance of augustus's clemency . i i i augustus's moderation to his enemies . k k k a merciful iudgment of augustus . fair warnings to a careless world in the pious letter written by the right honourable james earl of marleburgh, a little before his death, to the right honourable sir hugh pollard, comptroller of his maties houshold. with the last words of cxl and upwards, of the most learned and honourable persons of england, and other parts of the world. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) fair warnings to a careless world in the pious letter written by the right honourable james earl of marleburgh, a little before his death, to the right honourable sir hugh pollard, comptroller of his maties houshold. with the last words of cxl and upwards, of the most learned and honourable persons of england, and other parts of the world. pollard, hugh, sir, - . lloyd, david, - . smith, henry, f. . marlborough, james ley, earl of, - . [ ], p. printed for samuel speed at the rainbow in fleet-street, london : . compiled by david lloyd. dedication signed: henry smith. wing reel guide reverses order of m and m . incorrectly lists m at : . reproductions of originals in bodleian library (reel ) and columbia university library (reel ). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng last words -- early works to . dying declarations -- early works to . spiritual life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion fair warnings to a careless world : in the pious letter written by the right honourable james earl of marleburgh , a little before his death ; to the right honourable , sir hvgh pollard , comptroller of his ma ties houshold . with the last words of cxl . and upwards , of the most learned and honourable person● of england , and other parts o● the world . london , printed for samuel speed at the rainbow in fleet-street . . to the right honourable , sir hvgh pollard , comptroller of his ma ties houshold . right honourable , what influence our saviours injunction to penitents , ( when thou art converted , confirm thy brethren ) had on our honourable convert's generous soul , appears from these words subjoyned to the noblest retractation that ever was made since that of s t augustines [ and as many of my friends besides as you will ; or any else that desire it . i pray grant this request . ] what power the great obligation of friendship , and the greater of doing good , had on your honours goodness , appears by the numerous copies you were pleased to communicate : with no less designe i am sure , and i hope with no less success then the reformation of a sinful nation , to gratifie the curiosity of some persons therein , the piety of others , and the general wish of all , becoming impossible by transcription ( a way by reason of the carelesness of some transcribers , and the knavery of others , not so exact as the paper it self , or its author deserveth ) is endeavoured by printing ; in either of which capacities what good soever it may do , ( and it promiseth with gods blessing not a little ) together with these other papers of the same tendencie , which demonstrate that men of all qualities whatsoever , when they reflect seriously on themselves , and the state of things without them , in their last and best thoughts conclude , that it is mans great interest to be seriously and strictly religious , shall redound to your honours account , in that day wherein they that convert sinners from the errour of their ways , shall shine as the stars for ever . i am your most humble servant , henry smith . fair warnings to a careless world. a letter from the right hon ble james earl of marleburgh , a little before his death in the battel at sea , on the coast of holland ; to the right honourable sir hugh pollard , comptroller of his majesties houshold . sir , i believe the goodness of your nature , and the friendship you have always born me , will receive with kindness this last office of your friend . i am in health enough of body , and ( through the mercy of god in jesus christ ) well disposed in minde . this i premise , that you may be satisfied that what i write proceeds not from any phantasing terrour of minde , but from a sober resolution of what concerns my self , and earnest desire to do you more good after my death , then mine example ( god of his mercy pardon the badness of it ) in my life-time may do you harm . i will not speak ought of the vanity of this world ; your own age and experience will save that labour : but there is a certain thing that goeth up and down the world , called religion , dressed and pretended phantastically , and to purposes bad enough , which yet by such evil dealing loseth not its being : the great good god hath not left it without a witness , more or less , sooner or later , in every mans bosom , to direct us in the pursuit of it , and for the avoiding of those inextricable disquisitions and entanglements our own frail reasons would perplex us withal . god in his infinite mercy hath given us his holy word , in which as there are many things hard to be understood : so there is enough plain and easie , to quiet our mindes , and direct us concerning our future being . i confess to god and you , i have been a great neglecter and ( i fear ) despiser of it : ( god of his infinite mercy pardon me the dreadful fault . ) but when i retired my self from the noise and deceitful vanity of the world , i found no true comfort in any other resolution , then what i had from thence : i commend from the bottom of my heart the same to your ( i hope ) happie use . dear sir hugh , let us be more generous then to believe we die as the beasts that perish ; but with a christian , manly , brave resolution , look to what is eternal . i will not trouble you farther . the onely great god , and holy god , father , son and holy ghost , direct you to an happie end of your life , and send us a joyful resurrection . so prays old james , neer the coast of holland . your true friend , marleburgh . april . . i beseech you commend my love to all mine acquaintance ; particularly , i pray you that my cousin glascock may have a sight of this letter , and as many of my friends besides as you will , or any else that desire it . i pray grant this my request . king charles the first had that sense of religion upon his spirit , as that the one act of passing the bill for the earl of strafford's death , and the other to the prejudice of the churches of england and scotland , troubled him as long as he lived , and brought him not onely to vow as he did before the most reverend father in god g. lord archbishop of canterbury , to do penance for them ; but also to a resolution never to allow the least thing , though it was but the little assemblies catechism , against his conscience . and when it was told him his death was resolved on , he said , i have done what i could to save my life , without losing my soul , and sinning against my conscience . gods will be done . sir walter rawleigh at the meeting usually held with the virtuosi in the tower , discoursing of happiness , urged , that it was not onely a freedom from diseases and pains of the body , but from anxiety and vexation of spirit ; not onely to enjoy the pleasures of sense , but peace of conscience , and inward tranquillity ; to be so , not for a little while , but as long as may be , and , if it be possible , for ever . and this happiness , so suitable to the immortality of our souls , and the eternal state we must live in , is onely to be met with in religion . m r howard , afterwards the learned earl of northampton , being troubled with atheistical suggestions , put them all off this way , viz. if i could give any account how i my self , or any thing else , had a being without god ; how there came so uniform and so constant a consent of mankinde , of all ages , tempers and educations , ( otherwise differing so much in their apprehensions ) about the being of god , the immortality of the soul , and religion ; in which they could not likely either deceive so many , or being so many could not be deceived . and when it was urged that religion was a state-policie to keep men in awe ; he replied , that he would believe it ; but that the greatest politicians have sooner or later felt the power of religion in the grievous lashes of their consciences , and dreadfulness of their apprehension about that state wherein they must live for ever . dan . heinsius , a master ( as selden expresseth it , tam severiorum quàm amoeniorum literarum , history-professor of leyden , secretary and bibliothecary of the same university , and appointed notary of the synod of dort , said at last , alas , as to humane learning , i may use solomon's expressions , that which is crooked cannot be made strait . we may understand it several ways . first , all our knowledge , by reason of mans corruption , is but a crooked , ragged , impedite knowledge ; and for that reason , a vexation to the minde : for rectitude is full of beauty , and crookedness of deformity . in mans creation , his understanding should have walked in the strait path of truth , should have had a distinct view of causes and effects in their immediate successions : but now , sin hath mingled such confusion with things , that the minde is fain to take many crooked and vast compasses for a little uncertain knowledge . secondly , the weakness of all natural knowledge is seen in this , that we cannot any way either prevent or correct the crookedness of the smallest things , much less to make a man solidly or substantially happie . thirdly , that which is crooked cannot be made strait . it is impossible for a man , by the exactest knowledge of natural things , to make the nature of a man , which by sin is departed from its primitive rectitude , strait again ; to repair that image of god , which is so much distorted : when they knew god , they glorified him not as god , they became vain in their imaginations , and their foolish heart was darkned : 't is the apostle's speech of the wisest heathen , aristotle , the most rational heathen man that the world knows of , in his doctrine confesseth the disability of moral knowledge to rectifie the intemperance of nature ; and made it good in his practice : for he used a common strumpet to satisfie his lust . seneca likewise , the exactest stoick that we meet with , then whom never any man writ more divinely for the contempt of the world , was the richest usurer that ever we read of in ancient stories ; though that were a sin discovered and condemned by the heathen themselves . a second ground of vexation from knowledge , is the defects and imperfections of it : that which is wanting cannot be numbred . there are many thousand conclusions in nature , which the inquisitive judgement is not able to pierce into , nor resolve into their just principles : nay , the more a man knoweth , the less discovery he maketh into the things he knoweth . thirdly , in much wisdom is much grief ; and he that increaseth knowledge , increaseth sorrow . in civil wisdom , the more able a man is , the more service is cast upon him : and the more business he runs thorow , the less enjoyment he hath of time or liberty . his eminence loads him with envie , jealousie , observation , suspicion ; forceth him oftentimes upon unwelcome compliances , upon colours and inventions , to palliate unjust counsels , and stop the clamours of gainsaying conscience ; fills him with fears of miscarriage and disgrace , with projects of humour and plausibility , with restless thoughts how to discover , prevent , conceal , accommodate the adversaries or his own affairs : in one word , is very apt to make him a stranger to god and his own soul. in other learning , let a man but consider , first , the confusion , uncertainty , involvedness , perplexity of causes and effects , by mans sin . secondly , the pains of body , the travel of the minde , the sweat of the brain , and tugging and plucking of the understanding , the very drudgery of the soul , to break thorow that confusion and her own difficulties . thirdly , the many invincible doubts and errours which will still blemish our brightest notions . fourthly , the great charges which the very instruments and furniture of learning puts men to . fifthly , the general disrespect which ( when all is done ) it findes in the world ; great men scorning it as pedantry , ordinary men unable to take notice of it , and great scholars are fain to make up a theatre amongst themselves . sixthly , the insufficiencie thereof to make up what is amiss in our nature , the malignant property it hath to put sin into armour , to contemn the simplicity and purity of gods word . and lastly , the neer approach thereof unto its own period ; the same death that attendeth us , being ready also to bury all our learning in the grave with us . these , and infinite the like considerations , must needs mingle much sorrow with the choicest learning . methinks i could bid the world farewel , and immure my self among my books , and look forth no more , ( were it a lawful course ) but shut the doors upon me , and ( as in the lap of eternity ) among those divine souls employ my self in sweet content , and pitie the rich and great ones that know not this happiness . sure then it is a high delight indeed , which in the true lap of eternity is enjoyed ! cardinal mazarine having made religion wholly subservient to the secular interest , amassed to his own interest and person all the treasure and interest of europe , and managed the crown of france for several years together ; discoursed one day with a sorbonne-doctor concerning the immortality of the soul , and a mans eternal estate ; and then wept , repeating that emperours saying , animula vagula blandula , quae abibis in loca ? o my poor soul , whither wilt thou go ? immediately calling for his confessor , and requiring him to deal freely with him , and vowing ten hours of the day for devotion , seven for rest , four for repasts , and but three for business : saying one day to the queen-mother , madam , your favours undid me : were i to live again , i would be a capuchin rather then a courtier . cardinal richlieu , after he had given law to all europe many years together , confessed to p. du moulin , that being forced upon many irregularities in his life-time by that which they call reason of state , could not tell how to satisfie his conscience for several things , and therefore had many temptations to doubt and dis-believe a god , another world , and the immortality of the soul ; and by that distrust , to relieve his aking heart : but in vain ; so strong ( he said ) was the notion of god on his soul , so clear the impression of him upon the frame of the world , so unanimous the consent of mankinde , so powerful the convictions of his conscience , that he could not but taste the power of the world to come ; and so live as one that must die , and so die as one that must live for ever . and being asked one day why he was so sad : he answered , monsieur , monsieur , the soul is a serious thing ; it must be either sad here for a moment , or be sad for ever . aristotle a while pleased himself with the worlds eternity : but going off the world , that notion could not secure him from the trouble and fear of a god ; for on his death-bed he said , ensentium , miserere mei . seneca , the greatest courtier and richest subject of his time in the world , was sometimes dubious as to the future condition of his soul ; yet could tell his dear lucilius with what pleasure he could think of it : miraris hominem ad deos ire ? deus ad homines venit nulla sine deo mens bona , &c. et hoc habet argumentum divinitatis , quod illum divina delectant , nec ut alienis interest , sed ut suis : i.e. the soul hath that argument of its divinity , that it is most pleased with divine speculations , and conversed with them as with matters that neerly concerned it : and when it hath once viewed the dimensions of the heavens , contemnit domicilii prioris angustias . sir christopher hatton , a little before his death , advised his relations to be serious in the search after the will of god in his holy word : for ( said he ) it is deservedly accounted a piece of excellent knowledge , to understand the law of the land , and the customs of a mans countrey ; how much more to know the statures of heaven , and the laws of eternity , those immutable and eternal laws of justice and righteousness ! to know the will and pleasure of the great monarch and universal king of the world ! i have seen an end of all perfection ; but thy commandments , o god , are exceeding broad . whatever other knowledge a man may be endued withal , could he by a vast and an imperious mind , and a heart as large as the sand upon the sea-shore , command all the knowledge of art and nature , of words and things ; could he attain a mastery in all languages , and sound the depth of all arts and sciences ; could he discourse the interest of all states , the intrigues of all courts , the reason of all civil laws and constitutions , and give an account of all histories ; and yet not know the author of his being , and the preserver of his life , his soveraign and his judge ; his surest refuge in trouble ; his best friend , or worst enemy ; the support of his life , and the hope of his death ; his future happiness , and his portion for ever : doth but sapienter descendere in infernum , with a great deal of wisdom go down to hell. francis junius , a gentile and an ingenious person , as he was reading tully de legibus , fell into a perswasion nihil curare deum , nec sui , nec alieni ; till in a tumult in lyons , the lord wonderfully delivered him from imminent death , so that he was compelled to acknowledge a divine providence therein : and his father hearing the dangerous ways that his son was mis-led into , sent for him home , where he carefully and holily instructed him , and caused him to read over the new testament ; of which himself writ thus : novum testamentum aperio , exhibet se mihi adspectis primo augustissimum illud caput , in principio erat verbum , &c. when i opened the new testament , i first light upon john's first chapter , in the beginning was the word , &c. i read part of the chapter , and was suddenly convinced that the divinity of the argument , and the majesty and authority of the writing , did exceedingly excel all the eloquence of humane writings : my body trembled , my mind was astonished , and i was so affected all that day , that i knew not where and what i was . thou wast mindful of me , o my god , according to the multitude of thy mercies ; and calledst home thy lost sheep into thy fold . and as justin martyr of old , so he of late , professed , that the power of godliness in a plain simple christ , wrought so upon him , that he could not but take up a strict and a serious life . the earl of leicester in q elizabeth's days , though allowing himself in some things very inconsistent with religion , came at last to this resolution ; that man differed not from beasts so much in reason , as in religion : and that religion was the higest reason ; nothing being more rational , than for the supreme truth to be believed , the highest good to be imbraced , the first cause and almighty maker of all things to be owned and feared ; and for those who were made by god , and live wholly upon him , to improve all for him , and live wholly to him : agreeable to the apostle , give up your souls and bodies unto him , which is your reasonable service . solomon kept his wisdom : he pursued such manly and noble delights , as might not vitiate , but rather improve his intellectuals . eccles. . , , . i said in my heart , go to now , i will prove thee with mirth , therefore enjoy pleasure : and behold , this also is vanity . i said of laughter , it is mad ; and of mirth , what doth it ? i sought in my heart to give my self unto wine , ( yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom ) and to lay hold on folly , till i might see what was that good for the sons of men , which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life . again , his wisdom was furnished with variety of subjects to enquire into : he had magnificence and provisions suitable to the greatness of his royal minde : sumptuous and delicate diet , under the name of wine , vers . . stately edifices , vers . . vineyards and orchards ; yea , very paradises as large as woods , vers . , . fish-ponds and great waters ; multitudes of attendants and retinue of all sexes : mighty herds of cattel of all kindes , vers . . great treasures of silver and gold : all kindes of musick , vocal and instrumental . further , solomon exceeded in all these things all that ever went before him . vers. . moreover , as he had the most abundant , so likewise the most free , undisturbed , unbated enjoyment of them all ; he withheld not his heart from any : there was no mixture of sickness , of war , or any intercurrent difficulties , to corrupt their sweetness , or blunt the taste of them . here are as great preparations as the heart of man can expect , to make an universal survey of those delights which are in the creature : and yet at last , upon an impartial enquiry into all his most magnificent works , the conclusion is , they are but vanity , and vexation of spirit , vers . . which vexation he further explains , . by the necessary divorce which was to come between him and them : he was to leave all , vers . . . by his disability so to dispose of them , as that after him they might remain in that manner as he had ordered them , vers . . . by the effects that these and the like considerations wrought in him : they were so far from giving real satisfaction , as that , first , he hated all his works : for there is nothing that maketh one hate more eagerly , then disappointment in that which a man expected . when amnon found what little satisfaction his exorbitant lust received in ravishing his sister tamar , he as fiercely hated her as he desired her before . secondly , he despaired of finding any good in them , because they beget nothing but travel , drudgery , and unquiet thoughts . let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : fear god , and keep his commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man. for god shall bring every work to judgment , with every secret thing , whether it be good , or whether it be evil . saint polycarp , when perswaded to swear by the fortune of caesar , and blaspheme or renounce his saviour , said , fourscore and six years have i served christ ; neither hath he ever offended me in any thing : i have lived by him , i will live to him . bishop usher , that most learned and knowing prelate , after his indefatigable pains as a christian , a scholar , a prelate , and a preacher , went out of the world with this prayer ; lord , forgive me my sins of omission ; and desired to die as mr. perkins did , imploring the mercy and favour of god. my lord bacon , that understood the world and himself as well as any man in europe , would say , that a little smattering in philosophy might tempt a man to be an atheist , but a through study of it would bring him back to be religious : and after variety of fortunes in the world , breathed ou● his soul thus . sir john mason privy councellor to king henry the eighth , and king edward the sixth , whom some make secretary of state , setting him a little too high ; others master of the requests , placing him as much too low , upon his death-bed called for his clerk and steward , and delivered himself to them to this purpose : i have seen five princes , and been privy-councellor to four ; i have seen the most remarqueable observables in forreign parts , and been present at most state-transactions for thirty years together ; and i have learned this after so many years experience , that seriousness is the greatest wisdome , temperance the best physick , a good conscience is the best estate ; and were i to live again , i would change the court for a cloyster , my privie counsellers bustles for an hermits retirement , and the whole life i lived in the palace , for one hours enjoyment of god in the chappel : all things else forsake me , besides my god , my duty , and my prayer . sir henry wotton after his many years study , with great proficiency and applause at the university ; his neer relation to the great favorite robert earl of essex , his intimacy with the duke of tuscany and james the sixth king of scotland , his embassies to holland , germany , and venice ; desired to retire , with this motto , tandem didicit animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo ; being very ambitious of the provostship of eaton , that he might there enjoy his beloved study and devotion ; saying often , that the day he put his surp●ice on , was the happiest day of his life : that being the utmost happiness a man could attain to ( he said ) to be at leasure to be and to do good ; never reflecting on his former years , but with tears would say , how much time have i to repent of ! and how little to do it in ! sir thomas smith after he had many years served q. elizabeth as secretary of state , and done many good services to the kingdome , particularly to the setling of the corne-rate for the universities , discharged all affairs and attendants a quarter of a year before he died , sent to his singular good friends , the bishops of winchester and worcester , intreating them to draw him out of the word of god the plainest and exactest way of making his peace with god , and living godly in this present world ; adding , that it was great pitty men knew not to what end they were born into this world , until they were ready to go out of it . my lord bacon would say , towards the later end of his life , that a little smattering in philosophy would lead a man to atheisme , but a through insight into it will lead a man back again to a first cause ; and that the first principle of right reason is religion ; in reference to which , it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely : for if the opinion of another world be not true , yet the sweetest life in this world is piety , virtue , and honesty ; if it be , there are none so miserable as the loose , the carnal , and profane persons , who lived a dishonourable and a base life in this world , and were like to fall to a most woful state in the next . tertullian . come life , come death , i will worship none but god almighty . o lord god almighty , receive the soul of thy servant in peace , who suffereth death for thy cause and the gospel . origen . if my father stood weeping upon his knees before me , and my mother hanging on my neck behind , and all my brethren , sisters , children , and kinsfolks howling on every side , to retain me in a sinful life ; i would fling my mother to the ground , run over my father , despise all my kindred , and tread them under my feet , that i might run to christ. i am sayling with the marriner , through the boysterous sea , but shortly i shall be in the haven , &c. help me with your prayers . to my lord and saviour jesus christ , my hope and my salvation , i wholly offer up my soul and body ; i cast my self wholly upon his mercy and grace . sir thomas coventry once hearing some gallants jesting with religion , said , that there was no greater argument of a foolish and inconsiderate person , than profanely to droll at religion . it 's a sign he hath no regard of himself , and that he is not touched with a sense of his own interest , who playeth with life and death , and makes nothing of his soul. to examine severely , and debate seriously the principles of religion , is a thing worthy of a wise man : whosoever turns religion into raillery , and abuseth it with two or three bold jests , rendreth not religion but himself ridiculous , in the opinion of all considerate men ; because he sports with his own life : for a good man saith , if the principles of religion were doubtful , yet they concern us so neerly , that we ought to be serious in the examination of them . justin martyr . here i stand before god and this honourable audience , and take him to witness , that i never willingly and wittingly taught any false doctrine ; and therefore have i a good conscience before god and all good men . i am sure that you and i shall come before a righteous judge , before whom i shall be as good a man as you , ( pointing at the accuser ) and i nothing doubt , but that i shall be found then a true member of jesus christ , & be everlastingly saved . merciful father , father of heaven , for the lord jesus christ my saviours sake , receive my soul into thy hands . an excellent personages sentiments for religion . it may justly seem strange , that true religion , which containeth nothing in it but what is truly noble and generous , most rational , and pleasing to the spirits of all good men , should yet suffer so much in its esteem in the world , through those strange and uncouth vizards it is represented under : some accounting the life and practice , as it speaks subduing our wills to the will of god , ( which is the substance of all religion ) a thing too low and mean for their rank and condition in the world ; while others pretend a quarrel against the principles of it , as unsatisfactory to humane reason . thus religion suffers , with the author of it , between two thieves ; and hard it is to define which is most injurious to it , that which quarrels the principles , or that which despiseth the practice of it . and nothing will certainly more incline to believe that we live in an age of prodigies , then that there should be any such in the christian world , who should count it a piece of gentility to despise religion , and a piece of reason to be atheists . for if there be any such thing in the world as a true hight and magnanimity of spirit ; if there be any reason and depth of judgment ; they are not onely consistent with , but onely attainable by a true and generous spirit of religion . but if we look unto that which the loose and profane world is apt to account the greatest gallantry , we shall finde it made up of such pitiful ingredients , which any skilful and rational minde will be ashamed to plead for , much less to mention them in competition with true goodness and unfeigned piety . for how easie is it to observe such who are accounted high and gallant spirits , to quarry upon such mean preys which onely tend to satisfie their brutish appetites , or flesh revenge with the bloud of such who have stood in the way of that airy title , honour ! or else they are so little apprehensive of the inward worth and excellencie of humane nature , that they seem to envie the gallantry of peacocks , and strive to outvie them in the gayety of their plumes : such who are , as seneca saith , ad similitudinem parietum suorum extrinsecus culti ; who imitate the walls of their houses in the fairness of the outsides , but matter not the rubbish which is within : the utmost of their ambition is to attain enervatam foelicitatem quà permadescunt animi , such a felicity as evigorates the soul by too long steeping : it being the nature of all terrestrial pleasures , that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by degrees consuming reason , by effeminating and softning the intellectuals . must we then appeal to the judgement of sardanapalus concerning the nature of felicity , or enquire of apicius what temperance is ? or desire that sybarite to define magnanimity , who fainted to see a man at hard labour ? or doth now the conquest of passions , forgiving of injuries , doing good , self-denial , humility , patience under crosses , which are the real expressions of piety , speak nothing more noble and generous then a luxurious , malicious , proud , and impatient spirit ? is there nothing more becoming and agreeable to the soul of man in exemplary pietie , and a holy well-ordered conversation , then in the lightness and vanity ( not to say rudeness and debauchery ) of those whom the world accounts the greater gallants ? is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness , candour , and ingenuity of a truly christian temper and disposition , then in the revengeful implacable spirit of such whose honour lives and is fed by the bloud of their enemies ? is it not more truly honourable and glorious , to serve that god who commandeth the world , then to be a slave to those passions and lusts which put men upon continual hard service , and torment them for it when they have done it ? were there nothing else to commend religion to the mindes of men , besides that tranquillity and calmness of spirit , that serene and peaceable temper which follows a good conscience , wheresoever it dwells , it were enough to make men welcome that guest which brings such good entertainment with it . whereas the amazements , horrours and anxieties of minde which at one time or other haunt such who prostitute their consciences to a violation of the laws of god , and the rules of rectified reason , may be enough to perswade any rational person , that impiety is the greatest folly , and irreligion madness . it cannot be then but matter of great pitie to consider , that any persons whose birth and education hath raised them above the common people of the world , should be so far their own enemies , as to observe the fashion more then the rules of religion ; and to studie complements more then the sacred scriptures , which alone are able to make them wise to salvation . charles the v. emperour of germany , king of spain , and lord of the netherlands , after three and twenty pitcht fields , six triumphs , four kingdoms won , and eight principalities added to his dominions , resigned all these , retired to his devotion , had his own funeral celebrated before his face ; and left this testimony of christian religion , that the sincere profession of it had in it sweets and joys that courts were strangers to . sir francis walsingham toward the later end of his life grew very melancholy , and writ to the lord chancellor burleigh to this purpose : we have lived enough to our country , to our fortunes , and to our soveraign : it is high time we began to live to our selves , and to our god. in the multitude of affairs that passed thorow our hands , there must be some miscarriages , for which a whole kingdom cannot make our peace . whereupon some court-humorists being sent to divert sir francis , ah , said he , while we laugh , all things are serious round about us : god is serious , when he preserveth us , and hath patience towards us ; christ is serious , when he dieth for us ; the holy ghost is serious , when he striveth with us ; the holy scripture is serious , when it is read before us ; sacraments are serious , when they are administred to us ; the whole creation is serious , in serving god and us : they are serious in hell and heaven ; and shall a man who hath one foot in his grave jest and laugh ? don lewis de haro , after he had lived a great while the grand favourite and states-man of spain , but with too little regard of religion ; growing melancholy , was taken up by a wit of spain for being priest-ridden , and troubling his head with those notions of the immortality of the soul , and the state of the other world ; he answered him with tertullian 's words : quaedam & natura nota sunt , ut mortalitas animae pene plures , ut deus noster penes omnes . utar ergo & sententia platonis alicujus pronunciantis , omnis anima est immortalis . utar & conscientia populi contestantis deum deorum . utar & reliquis communibus sensibus , qui deum judicem praedicant [ deus videt ] & deo commendo , at cum aiunt [ mortuum quod mortuum ] & [ vive dum vivis ] & post mortem omnia finiuntur , etiam ipsa tunc meminero & cor vulgi cinerem à deo deputatuns , & ipsam sapientiam seculi stultitiam pronunciatam . tunc si & haereticus ad vulgi vitia , vel seculi ingenia confugerit , discede dicam , ab ethnico , haeretice . count gondamar was as great a wit and states-man as ever europe knew , and took as much liberty in point of religion ; till declining in years , he would say , as they say of anselm , i fear nothing in the world more than sin : often professing , that if he saw corporally the horrour of sin on the one hand , and the pains of hell on the other , and must necessarily be plunged into the one , he would chuse hell rather than sin ; yea , that what liberty soever he had taken , he had rather be torn in pieces by will horses , than wittingly and willingly commit any sin. caleacius caracciolus marquess of vico , a noble person , of a great estate , and as great relations , lived a great while in popery , and at last left his country , his estate and friends , to profess the gospel of jesus christ : with moses judging it better to suffer affliction with the people of god , than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward , and endured as seeing him who was invisible . socrates being near his death , said thus , magna me spestenet judices bene mihi evenire , quòd mittar ad mortem : necesse est enim ut sit alterum de duobus , ut aut sensus omnino mors omnes auferat , aut in alium quendam locum ex his locis morte migretur : quamobrem sive sensus extinguitur , morsque ei somno similis est , qui nonnunquam etiam sine visis somnorum pacatissimum quietem affert ; dii boni ! quid lucri est emori , &c. sin vero sunt quae dicuntur , migrationem esse mortem in eas oras , quas qui ante è vita excesserunt incolunt : id multo jam beatius est te cum ab iis qui se judicum numero haberi volunt , evaseris , ad eos venire qui vere judices appellantur , &c. convenerique eos , qui justè & cum fide vixerint . haec peregrinatio mediocris vobis videre potest ? ut vero colloqui cum orphaeo , musaeo , homero , hesiodo , liceat quanti tandem aestimatis ? equidem saepe mori si fieri possit , vellem ut ea quae dico , mihi liceret invenire . quanta delectatione autem afficeret , &c. ne vos quidem judices ii qui me absolvistis mortem timueritis ; nec enim cuiquam bono mali quidquam evenire potest , nec vivo nec mortuo , nec unquam ejus res à diis immortalibus negligenter , &c. robert earl of somerset , unhappy in his good nature , would say often , after he had lost the king and courts favour ; o the vanity of great men , who think it to be the chief fruit of their greatness , to abuse their power insolently , to the ruine of their inferiours ! not remembring , being blinded by their passion , that they have a superiour over them , to make them yeild an account of their unjust proceedings , forcing them to make restitution with interest . farewel riches , welcome poverty ; farewel life , welcome death : all that i have , were it a thousand times more , would i lose , rather than speak one wicked word against god my creator . i yeild thee most hearty thanks , o my god , for this gift of thy grace , that i can contemn and despise this frail and transitory world , esteeming the confession of christ above all treasures . i shall not leave the fellowship of these holy men with whom i lived in the fear of god , and with whom i desire to dye , and with whom i trust i shall obtain the glory to come . my life is in thy hands , o my dear god ; let it never be prolonged to the prejudice of thy glory : if my paces be few to walk my journy to heaven , lord give me grace never to look back . a little before he died , he cried out horribly , and that often , oh who will kill me , and deliver me from these pains i know i suffer for the oppressions i did to poor men ! let fire , cross , breaking of bones , quartering of my members , crushing my bones , and all the torments that man and the devil can invent against me , fall upon me , so that i may enjoy the lord jesus christ. even at his departure , he said , o god the father of thy beloved son jesus christ , through whom we have received the knowledge of thee : o god the creator of all things , upon thee do i call ; thee i confess to be the true god ; thee onely do i glorifie . o lord receive me , and make me a companion of the resurrection of thy saints , through the merits of our great high-priest , thy beloved son jesus christ. the lord chancellor egerton used to say , that to be profane , was the simplest thing in the world : for the atheist and profane persons as it were lay a wager against the serious and pious man , that there is no god ; but upon woful oddes : for he ventures his everlasting state ; the other hazards onely the loss of his lusts , ( which it is his interest to be without ) or at the most , but some short advantage ; and all the while , is inwardly more contented and happie , and usually more healthful , and perhaps meets with more respect , and faithfullest friends , and lives in a more secure and flourishing condition , and freer from the evils and punishments of this world , then the atheist doth ; ( however , it is not much that he ventures ) and after this life , if there be no god , is as well as he ; but if there be , is infinitely better , even as much as unspeakable and eternal happiness is better then extreme and endless misery . so that ( as an excellent person saith ) if the arguments for and against a god were equal , and it were an even question whether there were one or not ; yet the hazard and danger is so infinitely unequal , that in point of prudence every man is bound to stick to the safest side of the question , and make make that his hypothesis to live by . for he that acts wisely , and is a thorowly-prudent man , will be provided in omnem eventum , and will take care to secure the main chance , whatever happeneth : but the atheist , in case things should fall out contrary to his belief and expectation , he hath made no provision in this case . if , contrary to his confidence , it should prove in the issue that there is a god , the man is lost and undone for ever . if the atheist , when he dieth , findes that his soul hath onely quitted its lodging , and remains after the body ; what a sad surprise will it be , to finde himself among a world of spirits entred on an everlasting and an unchangeable state ! ignatius . nihil praestantius est pace bonae conscientiae : there is nothing better then the peace of a good conscience . grace flowing from the blessed spirit of god , makes the soul like a fountain whose water is pure , wholesome and clear : for grace beautifieth and clenseth , and so saveth the whole man. irenaeus . if thou art backward in repentance , be forwards in thoughts of hell , the burning flames whereof onely the tears of a penitent eye can extinguish . 't is in vain to pray for the remission of sins , without forgiving others : we must not come to make an atonement with god , before we make an atonement with our brother . nihil prodest verbis proferre virtutem , & factis destruere . to set out vertue in words , and by deeds to destroy the same , is nothing worth . chrysostom . to know thy self is very difficult , yet the ready way to godliness . as the eye can see all things but it self , so some can discern all faults but their own . when gold is profered to thee , wilt thou say , i will come to morrow or next day to take it ? no , no ; thou art glad of the present possession . consider , that that most precious jewel salvation is profered to thee daily , yet thou makest no haste to embrace it . a good clear conscience should not regard slanderous speeches ; nor have they more power to condemn him , then his own conscience to clear him . to sacrifice the whole soul and body to the lord , is the highest service that we can do unto him . as a great shower of rain extinguisheth the force of fire ; so the meditation of gods word puts out the fire of lust in the heart . if they go to hell that do not feed the hungry , cloath the naked , &c. what will become of them , who take away bread from the hungry , and cloaths from the naked ? &c. if want of charity be tormented in hell , what will become of covetousness ? god is never absent , though the wicked have him not in their thoughts : where he is not by favour , he is by punishment and terrour . all things may be shunned , but a mans own heart . remember , that though god promiseth mercy and forgiveness to penitent sinners , yet he doth not promise that they shall have to morrow to repent in . plato , i lle sublimis apex philosophorum , & columen arn. called for his friends about him , and told them the whole world was out of the way , in that they understood not , nor regarded the eternal minde , i. e. god ; assuring them , those men died most comfortably , that had lived most conformably to right reason , sought and adored the first cause : and his speech failing him , he cryed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · by which we understand he said , god , god : having a little before answered his friend aelius , that enquired of him concerning god , and the immortality of the soul , thus : in omnium animis deorum notionem impressisset ipsa natura ; that nature it self had stamped an idea of god upon the mindes of men . cum enim non instituto aliquo , aut more aut lege sit opinio constituta , manet atque ad unum omnium firma consensio ; intelligi necesse est deos esse , quoniam insitas eorum , vel potius innatas cognitiones habemus ; de quo autem omnium natura consensit , id verum esse necesse est : since the belief of a deity arose from custom , nor was neither enacted by law , yet is unanimously assented to by all mankind ; it necessarily follows , that there must be a deity , because the idea of it is so natural to us . if it were thus acknowledged in the philosophical age of greece , when men bent their wits to unsettle the belief of such things as tended to religion ; how much more might it be esteemed a general principle of humane nature in those elder times , when not so much as one dissenter appeared , that we read of , among the more ancient nations ? now when these common deities were so much derided by intelligent men , and yet the order of the world seemed to tell them there was really a god , though those were none ; those who had philosophical wits , such as democritus and epicurus , set themselves to work , to see if they could solve the phoenomena of nature without a deity , and therefore asserted the origine of the universe to be onely by a fortuitous concourse of infinite little particles : but herein they befooled themselves and their giddy followers , who were glad to be rid of those anxieties of minde which the thoughts of a deity and an immortal soul did cause within them . and though lucretius in a bravado tells us of his master , that when mens mindes were sunk under the burden of religion , humana ante oculos foede cum vita jaceret , in terris oppressa gravi sub religione : primum graius homo mortalis tollere contra est oculos ausus , primusque obsistere c●n●ra . that epicurus was the first true gyant who durst encounter the gods , and , if we believe him , overthrew them in open field . quare religio pedibus subjecta vicissim obteritur , nos exaequat victoria coelo . yet cotta in tully reports the issue of this battel quite otherwise : for although the greatest triumph in this victory , had been onely to become like the beasts that perish ; yet if we believe cotta , epicurus was so far from gaining any of his beloved ease and pleasure by his sentiments , that never was school-boy more afraid of a rod , nor did any enemy more dread the conquerour , then epicurus did the thought of a god and death . nec quenquem vidi qui magis ea quae timenda , esse negaret , timeret , mortem , dico & deos. so hard it is for an epicurean , even after he hath prostituted his conscience , to silence it : for ( whatever there be in the air ) there is an elastical power in conscience , that will bear it self up , notwithstanding the weight is laid upon it . the earl of strafford . o trust not in man that shall die , nor in the son of man that shall be made as grass . there is no confidence in princes : the onely thing that stands by a man , is the bloud of christ , and the testimony of a good conscience . d r donne , a person of as great parts and spirit as any this nation ever beheld , being upon his death-bed taking his solemn farewel of his most considerable friends , left this with them : i repent of all my life , but that part of it i spent in communion with god , and doing good . that person shall in a dying hour wish himself not a man , that hath not been a good christian. sir spencer compton , calling to him such reverend persons as bishop morley and dr. earles , he raised himself upon his pillow , and held out his arms as if he were to embrace one , saying , oh my jesus ! and intimating the comforts that then flowed in from the holy jesus into his soul. after which holy ecstasie , composing himself to a calm and serious discourse , he said to the standers by , o be good : o keep close to the principles of christian religion ; for that will bring peace at the last . edward peito esq. after he had told his physicians that god had sent him his summons , it was his expression , that all the sins of his former life did even kick him in the face ; and that if we do well , now he saw the evil attending well-doing was short , but the good eternal . if we do ill , the pleasures of doing ill pass away , and the pain remaineth . salmasius , that excellent french scholar , whom the learned men of his time never mentioned without such expressions as these , vir nunquam satis laudatus , nec temere sine laude nominandus , gul. riv. pref. ad vindic. evang. totius reipub. literariae decus ; went out of this world with these words in his mouth , oh i have lost a world of time ! time , that most precious thing in the world , whereof had i but one year longer , it should be spent in david's psalms and paul's epistles : oh sirs ! ( said he to those about him ) mind the world less , and god more ; all the learning in the world without piety , and the true fear of god , is nothing worth : the fear of the lord , that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil , that is understanding . grotius , the greatest scholar that this age boasted of , after so many embassies well performed abroad , and as many transactions well managed at home ; after an exact survey of all the hebrew , greek and latin learning ; after so many elaborate discourses in divinity , and other parts of learning ; concluded his life with this protestation : that he would give all his learning and honour for the plain integrity and harmless innocence of jean urick , who was a devout poor man , that spent eight hours of his time in prayer , eight in labour , and but eight in sleep , and other necessaries : and this complaint to another , that admired his astonishing industry ; ah! vitam perdidi , operosè nihil agendo ! and this direction to a third , that desired him in his great wisdom and learning , in brief to shew him what to do , viz. be serious . cardinal wolsey . had i served god as carefully as i did my master the king , he had not thus forsaken me in my old age. bishop bancroft , master of university-colledge , and lord bishop of oxford , dyed suddenly ; and a little before his death , would say , oh how infinitely greater is the comfort of being good , than of being great ! what i gave away , i have ; and what i have , i shall lose : mark the perfect man , and behold the upright ; for the end of that man is peace . that man onely hath peace at his death , that hath answered the end of his creation , by glorifying god , and doing good in the world in his life . william earl of pembroke . there is but one sun in the world , nor but one righteousness , one communion of saints : if i were the most excellent creature in the world , if i were in righteousness equal to abraham , and to isaac , and jacob , yet had i reason to confess my self to be a sinner , and that i could expect no salvat●on but in the righteousness of jesus christ ; for we all stand in need of gods grace . and as for my death , i bless god i feel such inward joy in my soul , that if i were put to my choice , whether to dye or live , i would a thousand times rather chuse death than life , if it may stand with the holy vvill of god. prince henry's last words . o christ , thou art my redeemer , and i know that thou hast redeemed me : i wholly depend upon thy providence and mercy : from the very bottom of my heart i commend my soul into thy hand . a person of quality waiting on the prince in his sickness , who had been his constant companion at tennis , and asking him how he did ; was answered , ah tom ! i in vain wish for that time i lost with thee and others , in vain recreation . now my soul be glad , for at all the parts of this prison the lord hath set his aid to loose thee ; head , feet , milt and liver are failing : arise therefore , and shake off thy fetters ; mount from thy body , and go thy way . socrates critoni vehementer suadenti ut si viam ipse suam negligerat , certe liberis etiamnum parvulis & amicis ab ipso pendentibus se servaret incolumem : liberi , inquit , deo , qui mihi eos dedit , cujus erunt : amicos hinc discedens inveniam , vobis aut similes , aut etiam meliores , ne vestra quidem consuetudine diu cariturus , quandoquidem vos brevi eodem est is commigraturi . erasm. apoth . . . ex platone , xenoph. the earl of arundel . he lying on his death-bed , said , my flesh and my heart faileth ; and his ghostly father added t●e next words , that god was the strength of his heart , and his portion for ever ; he would never fail him : he answering , all the world hath failed ; he will never fail me . m r selden , who had comprehended all the learning and knowledge that is either among the jews , heathens , or christians ; and suspected by many of too little a regard to religion : one afternoon before he died , sent for bishop usher and doctor langbaine , and discoursed to them to this purpose : that he had surveyed most part of the learning that was among the sons of men ; that he had in his study books and papers of most subjects in the vvorld ; yet that at that time he could not recollect any passage out of those infinite books and manus●ripts he was master of , wherein he could rest his soul , save of the holy scriptures ; wherein the most remarkable passage that lay most upon his spirit , was tit. . , , , , . for the grace of god that bringeth salvation , hath appeared to all men ; teaching us , that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts , we should live soberly , righteously and godly , in this present world ; looking for that blessed hope , and gl●rious appearing of the great god , and our saviour jesus christ ; who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all inquity , and purifie unto himself a peculiar people , zealous of good works : these things speak , and exhort and rebuke with all authority . a serious gentlemans discourse of being religious . men generally stand upon the credit and reputation of their understandings , and of all things hate to be accounted fools , because folly is so great a reproach to the understanding of a man , and so high a reflection upon his discretion : but i know no way for men to avoid this imputation , and to bring off the credit of their understandings , but by being truly religious , by fearing god , and departing from evil : for certainly there is no such imprudent person as he that neglects god and his soul , and is careless and slothful about his everlasting concernments ; because this man acts contrary to his truest reason , and best interest : he neglects his own safety , and is active to procure his own ruine : he flies from happiness , and runs away from it as fast as he can ; but pursues misery , and makes haste to be undone : hence it is that solomon does all along in the proverbs give the title of fool to a wicked man , as if it were his proper name , and the fittest character for him , because he is eminently such . there is no such fool as the sinning fool , who every time he sins ventures his soul , and lays his everlasting interest at the stake ; every time a man provokes god , he doth the greatest mischief to himself that can be imagined : a mad-man that cuts himself , and tears his own flesh , and dashes his head against the stones , does not act so unreasonably as a sinner , because he is not so sensible of what he does : wickedness is a kind of voluntary frenzie , and is a chosen distraction ; and every sinner does wilder and more extravagant things than any man can do , that is crazed , and beside himself , and out of his wits ; onely with this sad difference , that he knows better what he does . is that man wise , as to his body and his health , who onely clothes his hands , and leaves his whole body naked ? who provides onely against the tooth-ach , and neglects whole troops of mortal diseases that are ready to rush in upon him ? just thus is he who takes care onely for this vile body , but neglects his pretious and immortal soul ; who is very sollicitous to prevent small and temporal inconveniencies , but takes no care to escape the damnation of hell. is he a wise man as to his temporal estate , that lays designs onely for a day , without any respect to , or provision for the remaining part of his life ? just thus does he that provides for the short time of this life , but takes no care at all for eternity ; which is to be wise for a moment , but a fool ever ; and to act as untowardly and as crosly to the reason of things , as can be imagined ; to regard time as if it were eternity , and to neglect eternity as if it were but a short time. do you think him a wise man who is serious about trifles , but trifles about the most serious matters ? just so is he who pursues the world , and the petty interests of it , with all his might , but minds religion and the weighty concernments of eternity , as if he minded them not . do you count him prudent , who throws himself over-board , to save his goods ? just so doth he who to secure any thing in this world , makes shipwrack of his conscience , and casts away his soul. is he wise , who is wise in any thing but his proper profession and employment , wise for every body but himself ; who is ingenious to contrive his own misery , and to do himself a mischief ; but is dull and stupid as to the designing of any real advantage or benefit to himself ? just such is he who troubleth himself with other things , and neglecteth himself ; who is wise to do evil , but to do good hath no understanding . is he wise who neglects and disobligeth him who is his best friend , and can be his shrewdest enemy ? just so doth every wicked man who neglecteth and contemneth god , who can save and destroy him . is he wise , who in matters of greatest moment and concernment neglecteth opportunities never to be retrived ; who standing upon the shore , and seeing the tide making hast towards him a pace , and that he hath but a few minutes to save himself , yet will lay himself to sleep there , till the cruel sea rush in upon him , and overwhelms him ? just so doth he who trifles away this day of gods grace and patience , and foolishly adjourneth the work of repentance , and the business of religion , to a dying hour . finis . the spirituall-mans aime guiding a christian in his affections and actions, through the sundry passages of this life, so that gods glory, and his owne salvation may be the maine end of all / by the faithfull and reverend divine, r. sibbes ... ; published by t.g. and p.n. sibbes, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the spirituall-mans aime guiding a christian in his affections and actions, through the sundry passages of this life, so that gods glory, and his owne salvation may be the maine end of all / by the faithfull and reverend divine, r. sibbes ... ; published by t.g. and p.n. sibbes, richard, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by iohn norton, for iohn rothwell, and are to be sold at the sunne in pauls church-yard, london : . title in double line border. signatures: a-d¹² (last leaf blank). reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the spiritvall-mans aime . guiding a christian in his affections and actions , through the sundry passages of this life . so that gods glory , and his owne salvation may be the maine end of all . by the faithfull and reverend divine , r. sibbes . d. d. and somtime preacher to the honourable societie of graies inne . published by t. g. and p. n. london , printed by iohn norton , for iohn rothwell , and are to be sold at the sunne in pauls church-yard . . the spirituall-mans aime . . cor. chap. . ver . , . . it remaineth brethren , the time is short , let those that have wives , be as if they had none . . and they that weep , as though they wept not , and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not , and they that buy as though they possessed not . . and they that use this world as not abusing it , for the fashion of this world passeth away . the blessed apostle in the former part of the chapter , had given direction in cases of cōscience , being a man that had the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season to the wearie : whereupon ( as having in his eye greater matters than particularities ) as his use is almost in every epistle , he calls them from particular cases , that they should not overmuch trouble themselves about them , but the maine , the time is short , let those that are married , be as if they were not , &c. but first he gives satisfaction to the particular cases , for as it is in travelling , it is not enough to know that a mans way lies east , or west , or north , or south , but he must know the turnings and windings , the particularities of the way : so in religion it is not enough to know that we must serve god above all , and love our neighbour as our selfe , &c. those generalities that atheists pretend to shake-off all studie of religion by , if they know a few generalls . our knowledge stands in clearing particular cases , which being cleared the way is smother to heaven-ward ; yet notwithstanding we must not dwell too much upon particulars , for here you see the apostle calls them off , finally my brethren , the time is short , it remaines that we looke to the maine , &c. for the fashion of this world passeth away ; wherein we considered two points in generall , which i will name , and hasten to that : inlarging of that that i thinke sitting for this time . the first was this , that a very good way to satisfie cases of conscience in particular , is to have in our minde the maine ▪ for there be many that puzzle themselves all their life , about this and that particular , and forget the maine in the mean time , let a man looke to the maine , and he will soone resolve whether it be good to redeeme time to heare a sermon now and then : he will doe it , and not make a case of it , for it helpes the maine , i came into the world to save my soule , &c. and so for sanctifying the lords-day entirely , many have scruples and keepe adoe , but if they had the love of god in their soules , and did looke to the maine , they would cut off that idle question : why doe i trifle about this and that idle question , how stands it with the maine ? and so for conversing with company , are they such as are comfortable and cheerefull ? are they such as may helpe to the main ? no : why do i intangle my selfe in that which hinders the maine ? so we see paul when he had resolved the particulars , he calls them to the maine , brethren the time is short ; and therefore be in these things as if yee were not , ( as we shall see anone in the particulars ) for the fashion of this world passeth away . to adde a little in this point , this is the reason why none but a true christian can carry himselfe moderately in the things of this world , why ? because none but a sound christian hath a maine , and a chiefe end that swaies the sterne of his whole life , hee lookes to heaven and happines , and how it shall be with him afterwards , and he considers particulars thereafter , when another man of necessitie must erre in particulars , because he hath not a gracious ayme : you have no man but a christian , but he looseth himselfe in the things of this world . well , the second thing is this , you see that religion meddles with all matters with the world , with marriage , with buying and possessing , as we shall see afterwards . saith an athiest ( that stomackes it , that his waies should be hindred from that commanding skill of religion which hath to doe in all things ) what hath the minister to doe with our callings , with lawyers , with trades-men , or states-men ? what hath the minister to doe with these things ? it is true not with the materials , with the particular matters of those , that is left to those that are artists , that have skill in the particulars ; but a minister and a christian , and religion in any man hath to deale with these things , as they helpe to further the maine ; for religion is a skill that fits a man for a further end , for his last end , that fits him for heaven . now being such a skil it must direct every thing so farre as it helps or hinders that , the heathen philosopher could say , state knowledge is a commanding knowledge , why ? because it meddles with all trades . how ? hath a states-man skil in this or that trade ? no , not in the particular mystery , but he hath skill so far as he sees what may serve for the publicke good . let the safety of the common-wealth be the law of all trades . the state knowledge is the supream knowledg which is for the good of the whole , therefore he cuts of particulars if they be mischievous to the whole : so all trades wee must tell them of their faults , as they are blemishes to religion , for wee must not bee so in this or that trade , as that we forget we are christians , and therefore we must heare meekly the word of god , when it meets with our particular callings , we see paul medleth with buying and selling , with marriage , &c. how ? as farre as they might hinder the main . finally my brethren , the time is short , and the fashion of this world passeth away . therefore be not over-much in these things . it is an antient rule , ( summa ratio , &c. ) it is the maine reason that makes for religion , as i said before of state-knowledge : it is ( summa lex ) though that be the supreame in regard of inferiours , yet there is one above that , that is the chiefe law of all that makes for religion : that is the chiefe reason of all that makes for religion , there be many particular reasons that make for this and that , i , but religion faith the contrary , and that must rule , that is the ( summa ratio . ) now i come to unfold the particulars , but to hasten to the maine . the apostle heere stands upon five directions and bounds ; those five directions with three reasons . let those that are married , be as if they were not . those that weepe , as if they wept not . those that reioyce , as if they reioyced not . and they that buy , as though they possessed not . and they that use this world , as not abusing it . how are these five directions inforced ? they are inforced from three reasons . the first is in the front of the text. the time is short . therefore be moderate in all things here . the second is in the shutting-up of the text , for the fashion of this world passeth away . the third reason is a maine reason too : that is from their state and condition in christ : why brethren , faith hee , partakers of the heavenly calling , as he saith in another place , partakers of better things , and by being brethren , brethren in christ , members of christ ; he is the knot of the brotherhood , being borne againe sonnes of god , brethren of christ , brethren partakers of the heavenly calling , not brethren onely among your selves , but brethren in christ , and so sonnes of god and heires of heaven . what , for you to be immoderate in the things of the world ; paul wraps up a moving reason , not onely to insinuate into them to gain their affection , oh! my brethren : but to adde a force of reason likewise . brethren , the time is short . and brethren , the fashion of this world passeth away . so adde these three reasons to the five directions , and wee see how strougly paul backes his directions . indeed it was needfull for paul so to do ; we are so desperatly set on the things of this world , we are so hardly taken off , that there must be reason upon reason ; for the holy-ghost , the holy spirit of god , loves not wast of reasons , to spend them where there is no use . and therefore wee must thinke it is a weightie point & of great equity , that we give eare to these directions that have so strong reasons . but to come to say somewhat of the particulars . we must remember ( to make way to what is to bee spoken of these things ) that every one of these reasons have a force in every direction : you that have wives , be as if you had none , for the time is short , and the fashion of the world passeth away . and so you that weep , as if you wept not , for the time is short , and the fashion of the world passeth away . and you are brethren , you that use the world as not abusing it , for the time is short , and the fashion of the world passeth away . so that all these reasons must bee thought on in every particular direction , that i speake of , only in generall ; j will speake a little of the first reason , the time is short . what time ? the time of the world ; there is but a little time before the day of iudgment ; christ is at hand to iudge the quicke and the dead . the time betweene this and that is short , it was short then , it is shorter now , the time is short , wee are fallen into the latter end of the world : but that is not all . our time is short of our little world , our particular iudgment is neere at hand : it shall bee with us at the latter day , as it is when we dye , our time is short , the time of our particular life is short , and that is more forcible to perswade us , the time is short . the season of the time , which is the prime time : the season and opportunity of time is shorter then the time of life : for we have not opportunity of time all our life . the time is short : that is , the advantage of doing good , and of taking good is short . all the yeare is not harvest or seed-time , it is not alwayes tyde , it is not alwayes sun-shine , and as it is in nature , so it is in the spirituall state of thinges : we have not alwayes advantages and opportunities , wee have not alwayes gales . opportunitie therefore is shorter then time , as our time is shorter then the time of the world . the time is short . the opportunitie and season of time is shorter : well i will not dwell vpon this poynt , though it bee a great inforcement , it is short , i , and vncertaine , we cannot tell how short . if it were told any of us heere , that within two dayes you shall dye , it would startle vs , the best of vs all ; it would make vs looke about vs : but who of us all , knowes certainly that we shall live two houres . the time as it is short , so it is vncertaine , and heere is the wondrous folly of our nature , that we will take so much time to come , in trust , as though we should live so long and make a covenant with death , but one party cannot make a covenant , god and the time to come make no covenant with us . therefore it is extremity of folly to say , i shall live so long , & so long . thou foole , faith god , when he proiected for a long time , and had treasure laid up for many yeares , thou foole , this night they shall take thy soule . a man is a foole when he makes account of continuing of that he hath no promise of . and therefore the time being short , and uncertaine too , take it while wee may catch hold of it , especially the opportunity of time . and then in the third place it is irrecoverable , when it is gon , there is no recalling back of time when it is past . in all these respects we must be good husbands of time , wee must be thrifty of our time , and not take care how to drive away that , that flyes away of it selfe to fast : it is a precious thing , precious for great purpose . what is this little time given us for ? to provide for eternitie world without end : and wee trifle it a way about this thing and that thing to no purpose , we fill it up with vanity , and with sinne , which is worse . in this little time we do that , that in a long time after , we cannot undoe againe , that is our madnes and folly , therefore the time being short , let us take heed what we doe in it , we may do that in a little time , that wee may rue for eternity , we may do that good , and get that good in a little time , that may stand by us world without end ; those that have but a little plot of ground , oh ! they will husband it so , that they will not lose a handfull of it , so those that have but a little time , oh ! let them husband it well , sow that little time well , sow that seed that may breed a harvest , that may benefit us after that wee may say , oh! it was a great blessing , that god gave me a little time to get into christ , to repent of my sins . &c. beloved there are three maine parts of this little time . past , present , to come . the time that is gone , let us repent of it , if it have not bin spent well , that is the best use we can make of the time past ; for there is nothing to be done in the time that is past . but if things have been done ill , repent the time present is to doe good in , and for the time to come , it is out of our power ; and therefore even for the present we must worke . the time past , the best use we can make of it , is to comfort our selves , as hezekias , in our sinceritie , or to repent if any thing have been done amisse ; but looke to the present , put not off , do the worke , for which we came into the world , presently , the time is short , the busines is great , the iourney is long , it is a great iourney from earth to heaven , it is a great matter to get from earth to heaven . now having such businesse to heaven , let us , i beseech you , consider the weight of the businesse , and give our eyes no sleepe , nor our eye-lids slumber , till we are gotten into such a state and condition , as is not lyable to time , let us make this speciall use of precious time . those that are young let them bee advised to take time along with them , ( which is to be esteemed farre above gold ) and consecrate the prime and the flower of their time to god , and to the best things , especially considering , that wee have no assurance of this time. and those that are old , that through age are going into the grave , let them not neglect their time. a young man ( as wee say ) may die soone , an old man cannot live long . and therefore let those that are stricken in yeares be put in minde to thinke that their time is shorter then others . all mens times are short , old mens shortest . let those therefore that are in years thinke of this , the time is short . our folly is this , we make it shorter then it is , by our vanity vanity . it were well if it were onely vanity , by many sinnefull actions many shorten their dayes by intemperate courses , and so are fellons upon themselues , or by their wickednes , they give god occasion to shorten their dayes . a blood-thirstie and crvell man shall not live out halfe his dayes . god meets with him , so the time is short , and we make it shorter , we are guiltie of the shortnes of our time our selues , let us take heed of that . but i have bin over long in this point , only because it is the prime reason , set before all the particulars , i beseech you consider . the time is short . if we doe not make use of it , we are worse then the divell himselfe , he makes use of the shortnes of his time , what doth hee ? because the time is short , he doth all the mischiefe he can . hee fills up his time to increase his kingdome , he doth all the mischiefe he can , for this reason ; because his time is short : let us learne some what of the worst of spirits , but that which it serves for in particular heere , let us thinke of it in that respect , having many things to doe , and the time being short ; let us bee sure wee doe the maine thing that we come for , and other things as they help the maine , and not hinder it . the time is short , and we have many businesses to doe , let us be sure that we doe all our busines , so as that wee leave not the maine undone , that is the maine hee aimes at here ; the time is short . it remains that those that have wives , bee as if they had none . that is the first particular ; for before they had asked him cases of conscience about marriage , and that makes him speak of it . all the particulars have dependance one upon another . those that mary wil have occasion to weep , that is next , for there will be cause : there will be losse of husband , or wife , or childe , and there is somewhat alwaies family-crosses attend upon marriage . and therefore hee addes weeping after marriage . and then ioy , because there is ioy . a woman brings forth in sorrow , but shee joyes when a man childe is borne , as christ speakes . there is ioy in children , and there is mutuall ioy in that sweet coniugall friendship , there is much ioy : and therefore as there is weeping , so there is ioy in marriage . and those that buy , as if they possessed not . there must be buying where there is wife and children there must be looking to posteritie : and then all this enforceth , vsing of the world. and men when they enter into to that estate , they enter into the world , as wee use to say , they beginne the world anew , they enter into the world : for there are many things necessarie to maintaine that societie . therefore wee see one thing depends upon another : hee ioynes all together , ayming especially at one thing , at that kinde of life especially . now in every one of these particulars , hee gives a liberty to doe the thing , you may marry , you may weepe , you may joy , you may buy , you may use the world ; but as there is a libertie , so there is a danger , you may , but you may goe too farre . and therefore with a liberty , hee gives a restraint . there is a danger , and a restraint upon the danger ; doe them , but take heed you overdoe them not . and this restraint is backed with reason , he hath reason for his restraint . the time is short : and therefore there is danger , lest you shoot your selves too farre , lest you passe too deepe into these things , and the fashion of this world passeth away , all things here passe away . therefore it is in vaine for you to be overmuch in those things , that are passing things . and then you are brethren , called to greater matters , so there is a libertie , a danger , and a restraint upon the danger , and likewise a reason to back it in every particular . the libertie . we may marry . i will not stand upon that : i had occasion heretofore to speake of it , it is not questioned this liberty . there is not onely a liberty , but it is an honourable estate , and necessary ; honoured in paradice , honoured by christs presence . there is no question of the liberty of that by which the church is maintayned , by which the church is brought into the world , for heaven . there is no question of that , and it was the divell that brought in a base esteeme of that honourable condition in popery , wherein they would bee rather the members of an harlot , then the head of a wife . it was the divell that brought in those abhominable opinions and writings to disparage that honourable condition , and so it must be thought . but there is a danger , and that is the maine thing . you that have wives be as if you had none . there is a great danger in adouble respect . a danger in the things , and a perill if wee goe too farre in them . that is , there is a great hazzard , that we shall goe over-farre in that condition , and a danger that it tends to . for instance , those that have wives , have they not beene drawne away by their wives , as solomon was to idolatrie ? is there not a danger of being drawne away ? and is there not a danger in being drawne away to hazzard our soules ? there is a danger to be hurt , and a danger in being hurt , did not sinne come in that way ? was not adam led away by his wife ? and how many men perish by being too vxorious , by being too flexible in that kinde ? if they had remembred the apostles precept to marry , as if they had not , they would not have been so drawne away . therefore there is a danger , and a restraint upon that danger , let those that have wives , be as though they had none . what to use them as if they had none ? to care for them , as if they had none ? no , that is not the meaning ; but to be as if they had none . that is , let them be as resolute for gods truth , as if they had no wives to hinder them ; let them bee as willing to suffer crosses , if god call them , as if they had none . let them bee as readie to good duties if it fall within their calling , as if they had none . let them avoyde distracting cares , and worldly incumbrances ; as if they had none . let them not pretend their marriage to their basenesse , and worldlinesse , and for avoyding of crosses and aflictions when god is pleased to call them unto them . let them not pretend marriage for their doubling in religion and dissembling , i shall undoe my wife and children , let them bee as if they had none : for christ hath given us direction to hate all in respect of christ. a man is not worthy of christ and of religion , that undervalues not wife and children , and all for the gospell . if things stand in question : whether he shall stick to them , or to christ , his chiefe husband : then we must sticke to him . the reason is , the bond of religion is above all bonds . and the bond that bindes us to christ , it abides when all bonds cease ; for all bonds betweene husband and wife , betweene father and children , they end in death : but the bond of christ is eternall . and therefore every bond must serve the maine bond : and therefore we must not pretend this and that to wrong christ and religion , which is the maine bond : wee must so labour to please others , that we displease not our chiefe husband . for the time will bee , when wee shall neither marry nor give in marriage : but we shall bee as the angells : and that time shall be without bounds and limites , for eternitie , and wee must looke to that . and therefore those that marrie , let them be as if they were not married . you know how it fared with him in the gospell , that pretended this , for his not coming to christ : hee that was married , saith , i cannot come , he could not , his excuse was more peremptory then the rest ; he couldnot . could this excuse him ? and will pretending this excuse men when they are called to duties ? there is that disproportion , so much between christ our chiefe husband and any other , though it be the wife of our bosome , or the children of our loines ( the one having redeemed us , and is our best husband , a husband for eternitie in heaven ) that no excuse will serve the turne for a man to wrong the bond of religion for any bond whatsoever . and therefore you know the peremptorie answer to him that pretended that excuse , you shall never taste of my feast . but i have beene too long in this point , intending other matters . and those that weepe , as though they wept not . it is lawfull to weepe , not onely for sinne ( that should be the main ) but likewise to weep for the miseries of the time and state we live in . there is a libertie here , oh! that my head were a fountaine of teares , saith ieremiah ; he thought he could not weepe enough : and therefore he wisheth that his head were a fountaine , hee thought his teares would soone be dry , oh! that my head were a fountaine , so that there is a liberty to weepe . nay men are bound to weepe . there are teares of sympathy , for the miserie of the state and time we live in . and so for familie-losses and crosses , wee are flesh , and not spirit , and god hath made us men , and hath given us sensible apprehensions of griefe ; and it is a cursed temper to bee without naturall affection . wee may weep , and we may grieve , nay , we ought to grieve . now griefe is as it were the cloud from whence the showre of teares comes , and weeping is but a distillation of that vapour . now if wee may grieve and ought to grieve for the times , and it is a stupid temper , not to apprehend the miseries of the state , & times we live in , if we may grieve , we may weep , that is put for the spring whence weeping comes . for griefe it selfe , there is a liberty no question of that , wee may weepe , but we must weepe , as if wee wept not . for there is a danger in weeping over much for any crosses . here is a danger for wee may flatter our griefe too much , for wives , or children . god takes it ill , he takes it unkindely , that when christ himselfe is a perpetuall husband , and god is an everlasting father , that we should weepe and grieve too much ; for the losse of father , or of wife , or of childe . for is not god worth all ? so there is a danger , that naturally we are prone to over grieve , when wee doe grieve , as we are to over-joy when we doe joy , for our nature can hardly keepe bounds ; and god takes it unkindely when we doe so , when wee over-grieve , for it is a signe wee fetch not that comfort from him that is the spring and fountaine , that wee should doe . and therefore let those that weepe , be as if they wept not . that is , not over-much . for the time is short , doest thou loose any friend , or any thing , the time is short , we shall meet againe . there is but a little time betweene this and the latter judgement , and the fashion of this world passeth away . there will be a new world , a new heaven , and a new earth . and then wee shall live for ever with the lord. and then my brethren . why ? brethren should not be without hope of the resurrection , as the gentiles are . they may weepe that never thinke to see one another againe . but a christian , a brother , that hath hope of meeting againe , let not him weepe as without hope , so let us weepe , as if wee wept not : so hee layes a restraint upon that , nay though our weeping bee for sinne , there must be a moderation in that , for wee may over-grieve , for wee are bound to ioy in the lord , and alway to reioyce . and therefore wee must weepe for sinne , so as wee must remember to ioy. wee must with one eye looke upon our sinnes to humble us , and to worke upon our hearts to grieve ; but with the other eye , wee must looke upon gods mercie in christ to comfort us againe . the best griefe of all must bee moderate , much more griefe for any earthly thing . now when we are tempted to over-grieve , for any earthly thing , the best way is diversion . doe i grieve for these ? i , but is my soule as it should be ? let me weepe over my dead soule , as christ wept over lazarus , when he was dead let mee weepe over my dull soule , let me weepe over that . as physitians , when the bloud runnes too much one way , they give an issue another way : so let us turne our griefe the right way , if wee weepe for other things , how is it with us , is the life of grace there ? is reckonings eaven betweene god and my soule ? am i fit to end my dayes ? am i in a state fit for heaven ? then we shall weepe for something . it is pitty such pearles as tears should be lost ; god hath no bottles for teares that are shed over-much for the things of the world . but if they be for our sinnes , and the sinnes of the time wee live in , and for the ils and miseries of the state that are on us , and hang over our heads , then let us weepe to purpose , turne our griefe the right way , and then let us grieve amaine , if we will , so our griefe runne in that channell . those that ioy as if they did not . ioy we may , and we ought , for god envies not our ioy , hee hath given us wherewith in this life to ioy , abundance of comforts of all sorts , for all our senses flowers , and colors , &c. wee have nothing in soule or body , but it hath obiects to delight in , god hath made himselfe for the soule to delight in , and there is somewhat to delight us in every creature , so sweet is god ; wee may , and ought to reioyce . god gives us wife and children to reioyce in , reioyce in the wife of thy youth . there is no question of a libertie in these things . but then there is a danger : especially in the sweet affections . there is danger , because wee are like to over-ioy . and poyson is the subtillest , conveyed in sweet things . wee are proane to over-joy . there is a danger , therefore , there must bee a restraint . we must ioy as if we reioyced not : that is , so ioy , in any thing here , as considering that the time is short , i cannot enioy it long . shall i ioy in that that i cannot inioy ? the time is short , i cannot enioy them . if a man cannot enioy a thing long , he cannot joy . the time is short you must goe . the things must goe , and both must goe : and the fashion of this world passeth away . all the frame of things passe away ; marriage passeth away ; and callings passe away ▪ and friendes passe away , and all passe away . and therefore ioy , as if you ioyed not . i beseech you let us leame to ioy , as if wee reioyced not . the prophet calls nineveh a reioycing citie . and wee live in a ioviall age . men eate and drinke as they did in the dayes of the old world , in noahs time , they marry , and give in marriage . wee live in joviall times ; and therefore wee had need to lay some restraint upon our ioy : especially when god calls us to mourning as well as ioy , as hee doth if wee looke round about us ▪ if wee looke upon the time , we should see cause to ioy as if wee did not . wee must not alway bee on the merry pinne , as wee say , but wee must temper and qualifie our ioy. now considering that the apostle addes , weeping , grieving and ioy , you see that religion is especially in moderating the affections . religion is in purging the affections from the evill that is in them , and moderating them , if they bee lawfull and good . and therefore thinke not that you are religious enough , if you know a great deale , as many christians are verie greedie of knowing . and yet if you looke to their lives , their griefe , and their ioy is intemperate , they have not learned to bridle and to schoole their affections . you see that religion is in moderating of griefe and ioy in earthly things : let us see men shew the power of religionin bearing of crosses , so that they weepe as if they wept not : and in bearing prosperitie so as they can learne to abound , to ioy , as if not . that man hath learned religion to purpose : for religion is especially about the affections : for wee are good if wee joy well , and grieve well , but not , if wee know much . the divell doth that better than wee : therefore especially labour , that god would vouchsafe grace to governe the affections , that wee may know how to grieve and how to ioy , as naturally indeed we doe not . and then wee see here another point ( which now i adde ) that the affections of gods people are mixed . they so weepe as that it is mingled with ioy , and their ioy is mingled with weeping . they weepe as if they wept not , they ioy as if they ioyed not . a carnall man is in simples altogether ; if he ioy he thrusts the house out of the window , ( as wee say ) if hee be merry hee is mad , he hath no bounds . if he be sorrowfull , if somewhat restraine him not , hee sinkes like a beast under his sorrow , as nabal did , for he hath no grace to temper his sorrow , and to temper his ioy. and therefore hee is over sorrowfull , or over iocund . ah! but grace ( considering that wee have obiects of both ) doth temper the affections . a christian when hee ioyes , he doth not over-ioy , for hee hath cause at that time to mourne for somewhat : and when he grieves , he doth not over-grieve : for hee hath somewhat then to ioy in ; for christ is his , and heaven is his , and the providence of god to direct all for good , is his still , hee hath somewhat to ioy in at the worst . and therefore all his affections are tempered and qualified . so much for that point . and they that buy , as if they possessed not . it is lawfull to buy , because it is lawfull to make contracts ; and proprietie is lawfull : every man ought to have his owne , or else there were no thest , if there were no propriety ; nor there could be no workes of mercie . now if proprietie and dominion of things be lawfull , that we may possesse things as our owne , then buying is lawfull , that is one way of contract , of making things our owne , there is no danger in that . but there is a danger in the manner of buying . men buy to perpetuat them selves , they call their lands after their names , such a house of such a one , enoch of enochs , and they thinke to continue for ever . god makes fooles of them , for how few have you that goe beyond the third generation ? how few houses have you , that the childe , or the grand-childe can say , this was my grand-fathers , and my great grand-fathers ? how few houses have you , that are now in them can say , my ancestour dwelt here , and these were his lands ? goe over a whole countrey it is hardly so . men when they build together with building in the earth , they build castles in the aire , they have conceits : now i build for my childe , and for my childes childe . god crosses them , either they have no posteritie , or by a thousand things that fall out in the world , that it falls out otherwise . the time is short , and the fashion of this world passeth away . that is , the buildings passe away , the owning passeth away , al things here passe away : and therefore buy as if you possessed not , buy so as wee neglect not the best possession in heaven , and so pos . sesse these things , as being not possessed and commanded of them . in levit. . there you see the yeare of iubile in the yeare war , that all possessions might returne againe , if men would . god trained them up by this , to teach them that they should not thinke of inheriting things long , that they bought ; for it returned in the yeare of iubile , in the fiftieth yeare : so wee must learne that we cannot possesse things long . though we possesse them our selves , wee may bee thrust out by fraud or tyranny . therefore let those that buy , be as though they did not possesse . ier. . . he saith , thou makest thy nest in the cedars , and thinkest it shall be thus and thus with thee . oh! beloved , let not us build and dwell in our hopes and assurance upon that which will yeeld no certaine hope and assurance in this world , for the fashion of this world ( as we shal see after ) passeth away . and then for brethren , that have an inheritance in heaven , for them to buy as if they should live here for ever . brethren , that is a reason to take them off , brethren buy as if you possessed not . thus you see , i have gone over the foure directions . they that use the world , as not abusing it . wee may use the world , while wee are here in it , for we cannot want the things of this life . we are members of two worlds , while we are here . wee are members of this world , and wee are heires of a better , wee have relation to two worlds . now while wee live in this world , wee must use the things of this world . how many things doth this poore life need while wee are in this world ? while we are passengers , wee must have things to helpe us in the way to heaven . passengers must have recessaries , there is no question of that . and therfore we must use the world many waies , it is a point of nature : and therefore i will not spend time in that . but then , vse the world , as not abusing it . there is danger in using the world , there is a danger of cleaving in our affections to the things of this world , so much as that wee forget a better world : and therefore wee should use it as not abusing it . how should we use it ? vvhy use this world as laying a foundation for a better world. vvhile wee live here , use the world as wee may further our reckonings for a better . vse the things of the world as wee may expresse some grace in the using of it . vse the world as that the using of it may comfort us when the thing passeth . the world passeth . but let us use the world , as that the grace that wee expresse in the use of it may continue . use the world to the honour of god , to the good of others , to the increase of our reckoning : abuse it not to the dishonour of god : fight not against god with his own blessings , that is to abuse the world : forget not god the giver . were it not an unkinde thing if a man should invite strangers , if they should turne their kinde friend that had invited them , out of dores ? and so it is to use the things of the world so , as to turne god out of our hearts that gives all . turne not the things of this world against god , or against others , to make them weapons of iniustice , to be great to ruine others . abuse them not to wrong , and to pierce our owne soules ( as the apostle saith ) with cares and the like : this is to abuse the world when wee dishonour god and wrong others , or to pierce our owne soules : god hath not given us the things of this world for this end , to hurt our selves with them . and therefore together with the things let us desire a gracious use of all things ; for a gracious use of them , is better than the thing it selfe . labour to use them as not abusing them ( as we shall ) if wee have not grace to use them well , ( as one saith ) many men have the gifts of god without god ; because they have not his grace . when we have the gifts of god , desire grace to mannage them well . to his children god gives this with the other : hee never gives them any thing , but hee gives them grace to make a sanctified use of it . they are sanctified to all thinges , and all things are sanctified unto them , vse the world as not abusing of it . the reason is strong , the time is short , why should wee bee overmuch in using the things of this world ( for that is one way of abusing of the things of this world ) the time is short , wee must bee pulled from them whether wee will or no. and therefore let us weane our selves , for the time is short . and then the fashion of this world passeth away . why should wee dote upon a perishing fashion ? all things here passe away , the things of the world passe away , and a new fashion comes after and then you , brethren , that are heires of a better world , use this world , as not abusing it ; brethren , hee puts them in minde of a higher calling . and so i come to the last . for the fashion of this world passeth away . that is the second reason , the schema , that is , the apparition of this world , the outward fashion , the outward view and hew of the things of this world passe away . it is a notable diminishing word in the originall , as if the world were not a substance , but a fashion , schema . as wee say in philosophy , in the aire there are apparitions and substances , as there are flying-horses sometimes , and fighting-men in the aire : these are not substances , but apparitions of things ; it is but phasis , but an apparition , or shape . the substance and true realtie of these things is another matter : so whatsoever is in the world , it is but an apparition : when the divell shewed christ all the kingdomes of the world , hee shewed him but an apparition , but a shew of things . there is a diminishing in the word , shew . and then in the word , fadeth away . the fashion of this world passeth away ; or as some translate it , deceives , and turnes us aside : and so it doth indeed from better things . the fashion of this world passeth away . that translation is fit enough . it passeth away . now shall wee be immoderate in any thing that passeth away ? it is but an apparition , but a shew , but a pageant . the word is partly taken from a pageant , or a shew that hath a resemblance of this and that . but there is no realtie or substance in a pageant . from this , that the thinges of this world are but an apparition or pageant , learne to conceive aright of the things of this life , that there is no realtie in them to speake of . they have a kinde of realtie : riches are in some sort riches : and beautie is in some sort beautie : and nobilitie is in some sort nobilitie and so possessions are in some sort possessions . but all this is but a pageant as it were , as a man that acts in a pageant , or in a play , hee is in some sort a king , or a beggar for the time : but wee value him not as hee is then , but as hee is when he is off the stage . and while wee live here , wee act the part , some of a rich-man , some of a nobleman , some of a beggar or poore man , all is but an acting of a part . and there is a lesse proportion betweene the acting of a part in this life , than there is betweene our life and eternitie . all is but the acting of a part . vvee are not rich in the grave more than others . the king is as poore in the grave , as the base peasant , his riches follow him not . the worme and the grave know no difference , when wee goe to that house there is no difference : all acting , and all differences end in the grave . and therefore considering , that this world is but an apparition , but the acting of a part , why should wee thinke our selves the better for any thing here ? doth hee that acts the part of a nobleman upon the stage think himselfe better than another , that acts the part of a poore man ? no. hee knowes hee shall goe off in short time , and then hee shall bee as hee was before : why are wee not thus wise in better things : it is not hee that acts ; the greatest part , but hee that acts well , he that acts the part of a poore man may bee better than hee that acts the part of a rich man : it is not the greatnesse of the part , but the well acting of it : all is but an apparition . if a meane man honour god in his condition , and bee faithfull in a meane estate , hee is a thousand times better then a great man that makes his greatnesse an instrument of iniustice , as if all the world were to serve his turne , and to make men idolize him , such a man is a wretched man , and will bee when hee is turned off , the stage . it is no matter how long hee hath lived , or how great a part hee hath acted , but how well . vvee value not men as they are when they are acting , but as they are after . if they were bad before , they are bad after : and they are praised after , if they doe it well . so it is no matter what a man acts , if hee doe it well , hee is for ever happie . if hee doe it ill , hee is forever miserable : all here is but a pageant . if you talke of realtie , it is in the things of religion . if you talke of true nobilitie , it is to bee the childe of god. if you talke of true riches , they are those that wee carrie to our death-bed , those that wee carrie to heaven ; those that comfort the soule ; those that inrich the soule with grace , and comfort , and peace , that is true riches . if you talke of true beautie , it is to have the image of god stamped upon our soules , to bee like christ , to be new creatures . if wee talke of true strength , it is to stand against temptations , to be able to serve god , and to goe through the world without polluting our soules , to beare crosses as wee should , that is the true realtie . the things of this life are all but apparitions and pageants . the greatest man in the world will say so when he lyes a dying , as that great emperour said , i have runne through all things , and now nothing doth mee good . the realtie was gone that hee thought of , and now there was nothing but a shew and apparition ; when the realtie was gone , nothing doth mee good . come to a man that is gasping out his life , and aske him , what doth honours doe you good ? what doth riches doe you good ? what doth possessions doe you good ? solomon a wise man , wise by the spirit of god , wise by experience , because hee was a king : wise by a speciall gift of god , and the spirit of god , and experience together with the spirit of god and a gift of wisedome , hee had all to inable him to give a true sentence ; hee that had runne through the varietie of all good things , what doth hee pronounce , but vanity of vanities ? he cannot expresse himselfe , vanity of vanities sayth wise , holy , experienced solomon , he that had all abilities that no man was able to say it so well as hee , yet hee saith vanitie of vanities , and that which is worse vexation of spirit , if a man have not especiall grace to mannage them a right . and therefore i beseech you brethren , doe but represent the things of this life , even under the notion here , they are but apparitions , they are but pageants . if wee be to buy any thing in this world : wee pull off the trappings , wee pull off the masque , or else wee may bee couzened in the thing : so if we would iudge of the things of this world as they are ; what is within riches ? is there not a great deale of care ? what is within government ? what is within the things of this life ? there is a goodly shew and apparition : what is within ? pull of the masque , and then you shal see the things of this world : the more you pierce into them , and the more you know them , the worse you will like them . like a picture that seemes goodly stuffe afar-off , but neere-hand it seems baser so if you come neer these things there is emptinesse , and not onely so , but vexation but in the things of heaven , the nearer you are , the more you will love them , the more you will admire them : the more a man knowes god , the more hee may know him : the more a man knowes christ and loves christ , the more hee may : there is a height , and bredth , and depth , there all dimensions in the love of god in christ , and in the ioyes of heaven , they are beyond comprehension . the things that wee have in christ , they are larger than the soule , wee cannot comprehend them . there is nothing here , but wee may compasse it , it is inferiour to our knowledge and affections ; our affections and our knowledge are larger than any thin here ; the things of a better life are beyond all . shall wee stand upon apparitions , that the more wee know them , the more wee shall undervalew them ? and the fashion of this world passeth away . it is a fashion , it is but a fashion , and then it passeth away . indeed they doe passe away , experience sheweth that they passe even like a river . as we see the thames , or any river , the water passeth away , it goes and goes along , but it never comes : so the things of this world , they passe away , but they never come againe , they vanish away , and wee passe away with them too . even as men in a ship , whether they eat or drinke , or sleepe , or walke , the ship goeth , and they goe in it . so it is in this world , whether wee eate or drinke , or sleepe , wee passe away to death . every day takes a part of our life away : and every day wee live , wee live a day lesse , it is gone and past , and never returnes againe , as water , which it is gone : and whether wee walke or doe any thing , the time passeth . while you heare , and while i speake , the time passeth , and never returnes againe : so the fashion of this world passeth away . all thinges are passing here . vvhat is the ground of this , that all things are thus passing ? goods that are not stable , we say they are moveables , and indeed those things that wee call immoveables are moveables : all passe away , heaven and earth will passe away ere long . and there will bee a new heaven and a new earth . kingdomes passe away , and kings passe away , and states passe away . vvhat is become of rome ? vvhat is become of ierusalem ? vvhat is become of babylon , and all those goodly cities ? all are passed away , they are all gone . this experience speakes as well as divinitie . now the ground of all this is , not onely the nature of things , taken from the nature of all things that are made of nothing ; and therefore subject to fall to their first principles againe . that is the fundamentall reason , why things may bee moove-able and passe away . but that they are so , it is not a sufficient reason , for god might have suspended the mutabilitie of things , if hee would , as the heavenly angels are mutable , because they are created , but god hath suspended there mutability world without end ; and therfore it is not sufficient that all things are of nothing , it shewes that of themselves , they may turne to nothing indeed . but there is another reason behinde , that now since the fall of man , there is a curse upon all things . there is a sentence of mutability and change , and a sentence of passing is passed upon all this , that all things that have a beginning , shal have an end , and that this world shal be a stage of changes and alteration : there is a sentence of vanitie upon the creature , ( as saint paul saith divinely ) the creature is subject to vanitie , not of his owne will , but because god hath subdued it to vanitie . rom. . man committed treason , and therefore the creatures which are mans servants , all mourne for their masters fall ; they all mourne in blacke , as it were . all the creatures are subiect to vanitie , all the creatures under the sunne , are subiect to mutabilitie and change : but we may thanke our selves , wee are the grand-traitors that brought this miserie upon the creature ; that is the true reason why all things passe away , and so why our selves have the sentence of death upon us , wee passe away , and the things passe away , and wee in the use of them . thus you see the ground of this , why things passe away in the sentence of mutabilitie and vanitie that god hath passed upon them . if this be so , beloved , let us learne not to passe much for things that will passe away , not to passe for them : learne all the former directions . the fashion of this world passeth away . shall wee grieve much for the losse of that that wee cannot hold ? wee say if a glasse be broke , is a man much angrie ? a frayle thing is broken . if a friend bee dead , shall a man bee therefore angry ? the fashion of this world passeth away . a sentence is passed upon them . shall i be moved at that that god hath set downe a law for , that one generation shall goe , and another shall follow after : and there is a succession as in the streames of water ? shall i oppose cods sentence ? god hath made all things fraile , and it is but the common condition of all since the fall . so it should be a use of comfort and contentment with any thing in this world , place , or riches , or honour , i must leave them , i know not how soone : and this will breed a disposition of contentment . it is enough for him that must leave all , i know not how soone , have i little or much , i must leave all : here is enough for him that must leave all : and therefore leave worldly things to worldly men : leave all these vaine things to vaine men : shall i build a fixed hope on vaine things ? oh! no , that should not be so . as we must learne contentment , so it should take us off from the hopes of this world , and from promising our selves that which we have no promise in the world for , nor experience . vvho promised thee thou shouldest enioy thy wise long , that thou shouldest enjoy thy children long , thy place long : haste thou a promise for this ? the nature of things fight against thee . the things of the world are variable . have wee not experience of former times ? and have wee not scriptures to shew that all is vanitie ? why should wee promise our selves that which the word doth not promise us , or that wee cannot see experience of in the world ? why would wee have a condition severed from all men ? the seeing of things in a condition of fading , as it should teach us contentment in the use of all things , so it should teach us moderation and wisedome , that wee should not promise our selves any thing in this world . and it should teach us to provide for stable , for certaine things in changes and alterations : looke to somewhat that may stand by us , when all these things are gone : will all these things leave me , and must i leave them ? how is it with me for world without end ? shall i not therefore looke for those comforts and those graces , and for that condition , that will abide when i am gone hence ? what desperate folly were it ? let us labour for a sanctifyed use of the passing away of these things , that wee may provide for that which is not subiect to alteration and change . the favour of god. in christ is for everlasting . the graces of gods spirit are for everlasting . the condition of gods children is for everlasting . and therefore why should we looke after perishing things , and neglect better ? for a christian hath the realtie of things , hee hath a husband for ever . hee hath matter of ioy for ever , he hath a possession for ever ▪ & then there will be a new world . all these things are but shews : the christian hath the realty of al , that never passes away : and therefore considering that all things else passe away , but the things that belong to a christian as a christian ; let christians learne to make most of their best calling , and value themselves as they are christians , and value others as they are christians , not as they are rich , or as they are poore as they are noble , or as they are great . the fashion of this world passeth away ; value them by that they have of eternitie , what of the spirit is in them ? what of the image of god is in them ? what grace is in them ? are they new borne ? are they truely noble ? are they new creatures ? value them by that , and labour to get that stamped upon our children , and upon our friends . labour to have communion so with those that wee love , that wee may have eternall communion in heaven with them . labour so to enioy our friends , that our friendship may continue in heaven , considering , that the fashion of this world passeth away . all friendship , all bonds , all possessions and all that we dote of , and are desperatly mad on , all passeth away . the fashion of this world passeth away . it is a strange thing ( beloved ) that a man capeable of high thoughts , of excellent thoughts , should spend the marrow of his soule , and the strength of his spirits , about these things , that he should tyre his spirits , that hee should cracke his conscience , that hee should weare out his life about thinges vvhich he cannot tell how long he shal inioy them , and neglect these things that abide for ever : for a man this is ill , but for brethren , as he saith , for brethren to doe so , that have an inheritance immortall , for them to bee cast off the hookes for everie crosse , for everie losse , that are the children of god , and heires of heaven . what a shame is this , that christians are so much in ioy , and so much in sorrow for these things . it comes from or grounds . first , they doe not consider and looke upon things as past : they looke not with the eye of faith upon things , these things will passe : but they looke upon things in passing , and they see no alteration for the present : they should consider , i , but what sentence is upon them ? these are as good as past , they will bee gone ere long , looke upon things in the world , see all things are passed . we are dead , our friends are dead , and the world is gone . faith saith this , wee consider not this eye , and so we are carried away with them : wee looke upon things passing , and there wee see little alteration . a man that lookes upon the shadow passing , hee cannot see it : but if hee come two or three houres after , hee shall see it past . let us looke upon things as gone , though they bee not for the present gone , see them in the eye of faith , and that will make us consider them as passing away . againe , wee are deceived hence in the passing of the things of this life , that wee compare them not with eternitie . vvee thinke it a great matter to enioy things twenty or fortie yeares . vvhat is this point of time to eternitie ? compare this short time here , of health and strength , of honour and place , and friends , what is this to eternitie ? what desperate follie is it to venture the losse of eternitie , for the enioying of these things ? compare these things with world without end , and that will keepe us from being deceived , with these passing things : we are deceived , because wee laie them not in the ballance with things that are for ever . and then the third ground is wee are forgetfull , wee are not mindefull of our best condition , wee make not that use of our knowledge that wee might . when a christian is all in passion , all in ioy , all in feares , or in griefe : why , what is the matter at that time ? what thoughts hath hee of his eternall estate , of the fading condition of these things ? he is forgetfull and mindelesse . and therefore let us labour oft to keepe our soules in a heavenly frame . and to draw to a conclusion , let us leame to value our selves above all things below : if we be christians , as we al pro felse our selues to be , value our selves above all things below . it is a poorenesse of spirit for a christian , for to over-ioy or to over-grieve for any thing that is worse than himselfe . are not all things so that are here , if we be christians indeed ? if were not christians the very toads and serpents are better then blaspheming and filthy creatures , that are opposers of gods ordinances , they are better than such wretches , as many among us , the divell is almost as good as they such are next the divell . the earth they treade on is better than they : but if a man have grace in him , all the world is inferiour to him . what weakenesse of spirit is it therefore , and emptinesse to bee put off with overmuch cause of griefe and forrow for any thing below , that is meaner than our selves , for any thing that is fading , when wee have a condition that is not subject to fade ? and therefore oft thinke of our dignitie in christ ; thinke of this motive here ( brethren ) thinke of that as well as of the fading condition here . if wee would weane our selves from these things , oft thinke of the eternall estate of a christian , that our thoughts may runne upon that much : and then upon the fraile condition of all things below , that wee may be taken off from them ; for two things mortifie a man. the taking off of his affections from that they are set on , and to set them upon that that will fill them , and satisfie them to the full . if a man doe that , hee doth that that a mortified man should doe , that is in this world , passing to a better . to conclude all with this . all things here in this world are subordinate to a further end . and let us consider therefore that wee use them , as that wee loose not the maine , all the contentments of a traveller , are subordinate to helpe him to his iourneyes end . if things come amisse in his inne , will hee quarrell with host , that hee hath not a soft bed ? hee will thinke , i am going , i shall have better at home ; and these lead me homeward , so all things below are subordinate helpes to better : shall wee make them the maine ? shall wee make all things subordinate to them , as worldlings doe , subordinate religion to worldly things , and make all things contrary ? they do not grieve as though they grieved not ; but they heare , as if they heard not . they receive the sacrament , as if they received it not . they pray , as if they prayed not . they speake of holy things , and do them , as if they did them not . all things in religion , as if not , but for other things , they are drowned in them : this is the policie of sathan , that labours to bring religion to bee subordinate . so that if men can bee religious , and have the favour of such a one : if hee can be religious and bee great in the world , hee will : but if religion it selfe , and the standing for it hinder their aimes away with it , they will rather bee hollow , then stand for a good cause , because they have not learned to subordinate things to the maine end ; and the reason is , because they have not grace and heavenly vvisedome to teach them in what place things should bee valued ; what is the maine , and what attends upon the maine , and therefore they take by-things for the maine , and the maine for the by . indeed no man is wise , but a sound christian , and hee is wise for his soule , and hee is wise for eternitie . but what is this for the sacrament ? to cut off other things , it is this . are all things perishing food , such as we must leave , vaine and emptie things ? will not this therefore make us seek the maine , the food that indures to everlasting life , and labour to bee in christ more and more , labour to cherish communion with christ , that everlasting bond ? vvhat is the sacrament , but the food of our soules , our everlasting manna , that will continue for ever , and make us continue for ever ? christ , if we have him hee continues for ever , and hee makes us continue for ever too . and therefore considering that all things else are vaine . i beseech you let the consideration of that that hath beene spoken , bee as sowre herbes to make the passeover , to make christ relish the better . oh! are all things vaine , and shall i not labour to have my part in that that shall never die in him that is my husband for ever , and my lord for ever ? shall i not labour to strengthen mine interest in him that hath all good things in him ? what if all the earth should fayle ? if i have communion with christ i have all . if i marry christ , i have all with him . all is my ioynture , if i have christ once , all things are yours , if you are christs . if i have christ what can i want , when i receive the sacrament , having communion with christ ? let this strengthen my desire to come to the sacrament , in this that i have spoken : that all other things fayle , our communion with christ is everlasting . therefore looke to that . christ is the food of the soule : all other food the sweetnesse of it is gone within a quarter of an houre : the sweetnesse is gone presently , and the strength within a day or two , of all other food that wee take : but this food christ , the food of the soule . christ offering himselfe unto death , and shedding out his bloud , and giving his bodie to bee crucified for us : this food feedes our soules to everlasting life . vvee cherish our faith in the assurance of the favour of god to everlasting : the sweetnesse , the strength , and the comfort of this food indures for ever . and therefore considering that all other things are food that perisheth ; labour for that that will feed us to everlasting life . and then wee shall make a right use of the alteration and change of all things . a heathen man can say this text , all ▪ that i have , set ( brethren ) aside : a heathen man could tell you , the time is short , and the fashion of things passe away . hee sees them , and thereupon could inferre the negative part : therfore wee should not be worldly for the negative part : by the light of nature , a man that hath no religion may bee sound in that , and therefore not to care much for earthly things , considering that wee must bee gone . a heathen man could speake very sweetly this way , as plutarch , and seneca , and the rest : what fine speeches had they this way . oh! but the positive part , that is , when we see all things here are vaine and fading , to know what wee must cleave too , that is proper to religion to know christ , & the good we have by christ , when we have him ▪ we have al , he is the of our soules : these things are proper to religion : and therefore let us arise from the consideration of the vanitie of all things to the positive part , to interest our selves in that that is better then all things . which if we have , we have all ; and then we shall make a right use of this . finis . a table of the severall heads contained in this booke . we must know particulars in our journey to heaven . pag. . doctrine . a very good way to satisfie cases of conscience in particular , is to have in our minde the maine . p. . reason , why none but a sound christian can carry himselfe moderatly in the things of this world p. . . doctrine . religion meddles with all matters . p. religion is a skill that fits a man for a further end . p. . religion guides all to the maine . p. . time is short . . the world is short . our life is short . opportunitie is short . time uncertaine time irrecoverable p. . time hath three maine parts . p. . time past in ill , repent . ibid. time present doe good . ibid , time to come get into such an estate , as is not lyable to time . p. . advice to youth , to age . p. . neglect of time makes us worse than the divell . p. . marriage lawfull . p. . a liberty to marry p. . who brought in a base esteeme of marriage . p. . a danger in marriage . p. . those that have wives to be as if they had none , how understood . p. . bonds in religion , above all bonds . p. . weeping lawfull . p for what wee are bound to weep . p. . wee ought to grieve . p. . danger in weeping overmuch for crosses . p. . god takes it vnkindely , when wee over-grieve for the losse of worldly comforts . ibid. though our weeping be for sinne there must bee a moderation . p. what to doe when we are tempted to overgrieve for any earthly thing . p. . ioy lawfull . p. danger in over-joying . p. . religion is seene , especially , in moderating the affections . p. . many christians intemperate in their griefe and joy , not having learned to schoole their affections . ib. affections of christians mixed . p. a carnall man is in simples if merry , hee is mad . ibid. grace tempers the affections in a godly man. ibid. buying is lawfull , and why . . danger in buying . . buy so as not to neglect the best possession . p. . vsing the world lawfull . p. . danger in using the word . p. , what it is to abuse the world . p. labour to use it , as not abusing it . ibid. the world is a fashion or a shew . p. . things of this life are a shew . p. things in religion reall . p. the world passeth away . reasons why it passeth away . . because they were made of nothing . p. . . because there is a sentence of mutabilitie passed on it . p. not to grieve for the losse of things below . p. learne to bee content with little . p. . be moderate in desires . p. . prouide for better things after all these things are gone . p. . the world to low for a christians thoughts . p. . why christians are excessive in outward things , the grounds . p. . . they looke not on them as past . ibid. they compare them not with eternitie . p. . they forget their better condition p. . reason why men aime not at the maine . p. . application to the sacrament . p. . how wee ought to labour for things certaine , and not fading . p. . perlegi hanc concionem , dignamque iudico quae typis mandetur . tho. weekes . r. p. ep. lond. cap. domest . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e we must know particulars in our journey to heaven . doct . looking to the maine helps particulars ▪ doct. . religion reacheth to other callings . religion guides all to the maine . the five particular directions the time is short . . of the world. of our life . of opportunity . time is short . time is uncertain . . it is irrecoverable . : repent the time past in ill . . for time present do good . . for time to come get into such a state as is not lyable to time . advice to youth a memorandum to old age . our neglect of time makes us worse than the divel marriage lawfull . a liberty to marry . . danger . those that have wives to be as if they had none how to be understood . bonds in religion , above all other . weeping lawfull weeping excessive dangerous excessive griefe argues want of trust in god. moderation in griefe for sin . ioy lawfull . danger in ioy. religion in the affections chiefely affections of christians mixed . buying lawfull . danger in buying . vsing the world lawfull . danger in vsing the world . the world a shew . vse things of this life shewes . things in religion , reall . it passeth away . reason , because they were made of nothing . . they are accursed . rom. . vse . not to grieve for the losse of them . . vse . to be content with little . . to be moderate in desires . . to provide for better things the world too low for a christians thoughte . why christians are excessive in outward things . . they looke not upon them as past . . we compare not with eternitie . . we forget our better condition . simile . the reason why men aime not at the maine . application to the sacrament the art of knowing one-self, or, an enquiry into the sources of morality written originally in french, by the reverend dr. abbadie. art de se connoître soi-même. english abbadie, jacques, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the art of knowing one-self, or, an enquiry into the sources of morality written originally in french, by the reverend dr. abbadie. art de se connoître soi-même. english abbadie, jacques, - . t. w. [ ], p. printed by leonard lichfield, for henry clements, and john howell, booksellers, oxford : . translator's dedication signed: t.w. reproduction of original in yale university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . christian ethics -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion advertisement . the translator , by th● author's advice , r●trench'd , from the former pa●● of this treatise , certain obscu●● and metaphysical passages which may be seen in the ( ●riginal . in doing which he ha● cut off , rather superfluous an● useless branches , than any m●terial or necessary part , a●● has render'd it more agreeabl● and fitted to every capacity . april . . the art of knowing one-self : or , an enquiry into the sources of morality . written originally in french , by the reverend dr. abbadie . in two parts . oxford , printed by leonard lichfield , for henry clements , and john howell , booksellers , . to my much esteemed friend , mr. henry levet . i shall not excuse my adventure , by extolling this author's worth , lest i should seem both unjust , and impertinent : for should i go to enumerate his praises , i might fail of rendering him all that is his due ; and to repeat his fame , whom the world sufficiently knows , and this very work not a little commends , would be foolishly vain and impertinent . i hope , by my pouring his fragrant essences , into a new vessel , they are better expos'd to the sense of my country-men , and have not lost much of their genuine odour : however i am pretty well assur'd , that the majesty of the sense , will shine thro' the meanness of my expression ; and that , so , whilst it gathers new praises to its author , 't will obtain , at least , a pardon for me . 't is not my design , in presenting you with a treatise of this kind , either to inform your mind , or reform your manners ; since i doubt not , but you already understand the rules for knowing your-self , and carefully transcribe 'em into practice : i offer it to you as a part of that homage , which all men owe , and , those that know you , justly pay to your real merit ; and particularly as a token of gratitude , to that generous and friendly temper , which i always admir'd , and frequently experienc'd in you . as you have hitherto , even in prosperity , freely embrac'd an useful knowledge of your self , as related both to god , and the world , surely the heavens will see no reason to frown upon you , with whom their smiles have been so prevailing , and that they never may , is the hearty prayer of , sir , your most humble , and most obedient servant , t. w. the table of the chapters . the first part . chap. i. where we give a general idea of the vileness and misery of man , which are the first of his qualities that occur to our mind . pag. ●hap . ii. where we endeavour to know man , by considering the nature and extent of his duties . pag. ●hap . iii. where we continue to make certain reflections upon the decalogue , considering it as an expression of the law of nature , accommodated to the state of the israelites . pag. ●hap . iv. where we shew the extent of the law of nature , by considering it in the gospel , and with relation to the immortal man. pag. ●hap . v. of the moral strength of man , or the motives which he finds in himself , to determine him in his actions . pag. chap. vi. where we explain , what effect the sense of immortality is capable of working upon our heart . pag. ● chap. vii . where we continue to shew , wha● the sense of our immortality can work upo● our heart . pag. ● the second part . chap. i. where we enquire after the source of our corruption , by handling the first of our faculties which is the vnderstanding . pag. ● chap. ii. where we continue to shew , that th● source of our corruption is not in the vnderstanding . pag. ● chap. iii. where we search after the manner how the heart deceives the mind . pag. ● chap. iv. where we consider the mutual illu●ons , which pass between the heart and th● mind , and how god alone destroys 'em by his grace . pag. ● chap. v. where we continue to search for th● sources of our corruption , by considering th● motions and inclinations of the heart . pag. ● chap. vi. where we examine the faults ● self-love . pag. ● chap. vii . where we shew , that self-love kindles all our affections , and is the genera● principle of our motions . pag. ● chap. viii . where we continue to shew , that self-love is the principle of our affections . pag. chap. ix . where we consider the most general inclinations of self-love , and in the first place , the desire of happiness . pag. chap. x. where we consider the cheats , which self-love puts upon it self , to correct the defects , it finds in the happiness it aims at . pag. chap. xi . where we consider the general inclinations of self-love , the second whereof is a desire of perfection . pag. chap. xii . where we treat of the general vices which flow from self-love , and first of pleasure . pag. chap. xiii . where we continue to consider the divers characters of pleasure . pag. chap. xiv . where we treat of the general disorders of self love , and particularly of pride . pag. chap. xv. where we examine all those irregularities , which are ingredients of pride . pag. chap xvi . where we consider the second irregularity of pride . pag. chap. xvii . of the third irregularity , which goes to make up pride , which is vanity . pag. chap. xviii . where we continue the characters of men's vanity . pag. chap. xix . of the two last characters of pride , which are ambition , and the contempt of our neighbour . pag. books lately printed by leonard lichfield , and sold by henry clements , john howell . a defense of the christian sabbath . part the first . in answer to a treatise of of mr. thomas bampfield : pleading for saturday-sabbath . price s. the edit . a defense of the christian sabbath . part the second . being a rejoinder to mr. bampfield's reply to doctor wallis's discourse concerning the christian sabbath . price s. d. both by john wallis , d. d. and professor of geometry in the university of oxford . an essay on grief : with the causes and remedies of it . price bound s. poems on several occasions , originals and translations . price s. guilelmi oughtred aetonensis , quondam collegii regalis in cantabrigia socii , clavis mathematicae denuo limata , sive potius fabricata . cum aliis quibusdam ejusdem commentationibus , quae in sequenti paginae recensentur . editio quinta auctior & emendatior . ex recognitione d. johannis wallis , s. t. d. geometriae professoris saviliani . octavo . the art of knowing one-self : or , an enquiry after the sources of morality . moral philosophy , or the knowledge of manners , is the art of regulating one's heart by vertue , and of rendering one-self happy by living well . this science , which the ancients call'd by the name of wisdom , and which one of them boasts of having brought down from heaven , hath not always been treated of , either in the same method , or with the same success : for it seems to have taken the tincture of the different prejudices of men , which every time has produc'd , and of the divers states , thro' which their mind hath passed . paganism , in general , had taken from it its force , its motives , and its examples . 't is easy to conceive , that men did not find themselves very much dispo'sd to live well , by the motives of a religion , which they lookt upon as a collection of ridiculous dreams , and a prodigious complication of fictions , that were incredible even to the grossest of the vulgar . juv. s●t . . esse aliquos maneis , & subterranea regna , et contum , & stygio ranas in gurgite nigras , atque una trans●re vadum tot millia cymba , nec pueri credunt , nis● qui nondum aere lavantur . the philosophers , who made profession of a more refin'd doctrine , have nevertheless not made a much farther progress in this respect : for some of them have not had any true idea of the natural dignity of man , whom they took delight to confound with the beasts , that they might with an equal freedom plunge themselves without scruple in the ocean of pleasure : others have waver'd on this account in perpetual uncertainties , which permitted them not to establish their specious precepts upon very certain foundations . even the morality of the stoicks , the most pure and sublime of all , as they themselves imagin'd , hath not been without some defect : it could elevate man , but failed to humble him . one may say of all these philosophers , what was said of one of them , who despis'd the vanity of the others with too much ostentation . they trampled upon pride , with a yet greater pride . they acknow●edg'd the defects of humane nature , that ●ey might lay hold of an occasion to extol ●heir own wisdom that had freed 'em from ●em , and renouncing such a life as other ●en led , they dared prefer themselves be●●re the greatest of their gods. the morality which springs from the old ●nd new testament hath characters alto●ether opposite to those we have just now ●emark'd : it hath certain principles ; it fol●●ws the light of truth ; it is supported by ●ost powerful motives , and most perfect ex●mples ; it considers man as coming from ●od , returning to god , and having no ●ss than an eterni●y in view : it lifts up ●an abased by his passions , vilified by su●erstition , and degraded by the infamy of his ●pplications ; and which is admirable , it ●ises him in such a manner as not to puff ●m up with pride , and humbles him so as ● make him lose nothing of his proper dig●●ty : it divests him of his pride , by com●unicating to him real glory , and raises his ●xcellency in forming his humility by this ●ivine commerce of our souls with god , ●hich religion acquainted us with , in ●hich god descends quite to our lower ●egion , without losing any thing of his ●randeur , and we mount up to god with●t remitting any thing of that abasement ●hich we owe to his presence . this science , which not only teaches us ▪ to live well , but also to obtain an eternity of happiness by living well , is so important a part of religion , that god was not willing it should be in our power to pretend the ignorance of it . and whereas we have no other means of attaining to the knowledge of most things , but either by reason , sense or faith , he was willing that the morality of his gospel should be known after all these ways : faith makes us embrace it because jesus christ and the apostles have taught and practis'd it ; the inward sense o● conscience makes us approve of it , because ● satisfies , raises and comforts us : reason a● last gives its suffrage unto it , because it contains nothing but what is comformable to the maxims of good sense , whether in the principles whereupon it is established , or in the rules which it prescribes unto us . god goes almost the same way to work when the soul is to be nourished , as he doti● when the nourishment of the body is performed . he doth not only give us a facult● of reasoning , to provide for the subsistenc● of the latter : for altho' this rational faculty be necessary , yet 't is not sufficient t● determine us to take the aliments , that a● design'd for our preservation , in such a regularity as is requisite to make them produc● their effect . he thought good to add the faculty of sense , whereby we perceive the●● aliments to be agreeable ; and the faith we ●ave in those who fed us with 'em before ●e were capable of making an enquiry into ●m our selves . for the author of nature , who knew how inconvenient it was to send men to eat and drink , so as that they ●ould have known by reasoning how the ●liments are changed into chyle , the chyle ●nto blood , the blood into flesh , bone , & c. ●nd how the effluxes and wastings of cor●oreal nature , which are caused by tran●piration , are repair'd by nourishment , ●●ought fit to engage men to take their food ●y a more compendious way , which is that ●f sense ; whereunto may be added the ●aith they have in their parents , the imita●●on of whom , is to them a natural reason , ●hich saves them the discussion , and par●●cular enquiry . it may likewise be said , that were it ne●●ssary for man to know , by reason , the ●●mortality of his soul , his end , and his du●●es , which are the most general principles 〈◊〉 morality , in order to capacitate himself ●r the performance of the duties it enjoins , would be requisite he should be a philoso●●er before he can be an honest man. god , ●ho is the author of religion , as well as of ●ature , hath therefore abridg'd and shorten'd ●r way in this respect , by exhibiting to us , ●ro ' faith , the principal truths of mo●●lity , and by giving us a tast of them thro' channel of sense : for the faith we have in jesus christ tells us , that we ought to be conformable unto him in time , in order to partake of his glory in eternity ; and conscience makes us perceive , in the piety which it prescribes unto us , an agreeable feeling , and a divine tast , which engages us to practice it . but as reason is not useless to the conservation of the body in nature , neither is it so to the sanctification of the soul in religion ; it supports faith , and confirms sense . they who desire to know morality by faith , need but read the gospel : they who desire to know it by inward sense , need but search for it in their own hearts , with the help of revelation , which god directs them unto ; and the conjunction of these two methods will not fail to furnish them with all the principles of the science of living well . but 't is to he hop'd , that no one will blame our design in this writing , of conducting men by reason , as far as it shall be possible towards that end , whereunto religion conducts us by faith , and conscience leads us by sense . reason , as well as faith and conscience , is a gift which god hath bestow'd upon us : its lights do assuredly proceed from the father of lights , the author of every excellent gift ; and i know not what better use we can make of our mind , then by employing it in the consideration of what is of greatest importance and concernment to us . this study is none of the shortest , in order to the pure learning of these duties ; but it is extreamly proper to nourish the gratitude , which we ought to bear to the author of our being ; to confirm the faith we have in jesus christ , and to remove from the incredulous this haughty prejudice , that our morality is calculated only for such persons as have not wit enough to avoid deception : and lastly , to elevate our mind and heart , by shewing us the ways of god , in the inclinations of men , and the duties of man in the the ways of god. we shall see , thro' this meditation , the divine relations that are between nature and the gospel ; and that reason leads us to the confines of religion . we shall learn , that natural light , when it is pure and exempted from prejudices , doth of it self conduct us to the most sublime duties of man , and represent unto us his lofty destinies , and the glory of his condition . we shall endeavour to say nothing but what relates to the principles of our faith , which we will evince to be the same with those of nature , as far as they concern the knowledge of manners ; and if we be oblig'd at first to insist upon abstract truths , we shall do this no farther than as they conduct us to sensible truths . in a word , we will search not only after truth , but also for advantage and profit in our discoveries , remembring the design of the science which we treat of . indeed morality being to our soul the same that physick is to our body , and having for its end and scope the curing us of our spiritual maladies , it must apply it self principally unto two things : first , to know the evil , and afterwards to search for remedies that may effect the cure. these two designs do divide morality , but they are too vast , and would lead us too far , wherefore we confine our selves to the former , waiting till providence put us in a way to handle the other . we do here search for the knowledge of man , but not as physick , anatomy , metaphysick , logick , medicine , which consider him as a corporeal being , or simply as a spiritual substance , as an animal , or as a reasonable animal . we shall consider him only as a creature capable of vertue and happiness , and which finds it self in a state of corruption and misery . not but this respect under which morality obliges us to consider our selves , engages us to borrow from some of these other sciences , certain principles , which we shall take from what is most evident in them . for in order to have a perfect knowledge of the corruption and misery of man , 't is necessarily requisite we should have some knowledge of his nature , his end and his excellence . but if what we have to say on this subject , seem in some places somewhat abstract , above the ordinary capacity of men , it ought to be remember'd , that we treat of the sources of morality ; and if it be perceived that we do not always accomodate our selves to vulgar opinions , it must be consider'd , that this is not a fit place for respecting prejudices , since we write meerly to disentangle the confusion of our idea's , and to justify by reason that which we perceive by sense . this work must therefore be divided into two parts . in the first , we will shew what man is , to what is obliged , and for what he is able ; that is to say , we will treat of his nature , his perfections , his end , his duties and natural obligations , his strength , motives and objects , that may principally determine him in his actions . in the second , we shall treat of his irregularities in general and particular , we shall search for the original of his corruption , we shall consider the rivulets flowing thence , we shall view the force of his applications , the extent of his passions , the principle of his vices , and all along we shall shew the rule , in order to make known the irregularities ; and we will justify the greatness of our fall , by shewing the degree of our rise and elevation . may god , who is the master of minds , purify mine by his grace , to the end , that i may say nothing but what refers to his glory , and is conformable to the holy and eternal truths of his gospel . amen . the first part . wherein we treat of the nature of man , of his end , his perfections , his duties , and his strength . chap. i. wherein we give a general idea of the vileness and misery of man , which are the first of his qualities that occur to our mind . it is certain , that man seems to be a very inconsiderable being , when we judge of him thro' the prejudices of the senses : we are not far from finding him uncapable of vertue , when we consider his vileness ; and uncapable of happiness , when we reflect upon his misery . the smallness of his body is the first that occurs to the eyes ; the scripture dedenotes it , by telling us , that man has his foundation in the dust , that he dwelleth in a tabernacle of clay , and that he is consumed at the meeting of a worm : and nature moreover so clearly represents it to our understanding , that 't is impossible for our pride to contest or dispute it . 't is true , that as we are accustom'd to measure every thing with relation to our selves , we use to look upon our selves as the center of perfection , and to think the bodies that surround us , either too great , or too little , according as they are more or less proportion'd to the bulk of our own : but you need but only change your state , and view things with other eyes than your own ; or consider them in a sense of opposition , in order to disabuse your self on this account . go up a mountain , and tell how big those men appear who stand in the vallies beneath . suppose the heavenly bodies were animated with such a mind as yours , and that they had eyes to look upon you ; pray what would your body seem to them : or compare the dimensions of this body to these vast spheres , wherewith you are environ'd , with these moveable and luminous worlds , which the hand of the creator seems to have planted round about you , to convince you more throughly of the smallness of this tabernacle of flesh which you inhabit . the infirmity of man is proportion'd to his smallness , and his meanness to his infirmity ; and the one , and the other , was in the mind of the prophet , when he cry'd out , speaking to god , wilt thou shew thy strength against a leaf which the wind carries away : or , in the mind of the psalmist , when he said , by a kind of hyperbole , fraught with sense and truth , that if man should be weighed with nothing , we should find that nothing would turn the scale . we may indeed say , that nothing does encompass man on every side : by the time past he is no more , by the future he does not yet exist , by the present he partly is , and partly is not . in vain does he endeavour to fix the past by memory , and to anticipate the future by hope , that he may stretch the present to a greater length . he 's a flower that springs in the morning , spreads at noon , and withers in the evening . man , consider'd in his various states , is a creature constantly miserable ; who , as an ancient very well says , meets with sin in his conception , labour in his birth , pain in in his life , and despair of an inevitable necessity in his death . all his ages bring him some infirmity , or some particular misery : infancy is meerly an oblivion and ignorance of one self ; youth a durable passion , a long madness ; and old age nothing but a death , languishing under the appearances of life , with so great a troop of infirmities is it attended . there are few things round about him but what do put him in mind of his end , he discovers the principles of his death , which he dreads above all things , both in the air which he breaths , in the aliments which he receives , and in the sources of his life , which consumes and gnaws away its own bowels : and such is his fate , that after having shun'd the greatest dangers , fires , shipwracks , and diseases , he at last finds all these pretended deliverances terminated by death . his body is the center of infirmities , his mind is fill'd with errors , and his heart with irregular affections : he suffers both by the consideration of what is past , which is irrevocable ; and of the future , which is inevitable . in vain does he desire to stay himself a while , that he may have leisure to tast some pleasures which present themselves in his way : time is like a whirl-pool , which carries him away , inexorable to his regrets and complaints . when we are alone we cannot endure the view of our selves , and of the necessity that is imposed upon the pleasures of the world , of passing away in a moment . united with others in society , we do but multiply our selves , as i may so say , into other selves , in order to a greater participation of the common misery of mankind . 't is a very grievous thing to a creature that loves it self so well , to behold it self continually dying , and to perceive life no more than proportionably as it loseth it . infancy is dead to make way for youth , youth for ripeness of years , ripeness of years for advanc'd age ; and this latter for extream old age : we are dead in respect of those many well-belov'd persons whom we have lost , and in respect of many pleasures and advantages , which following the fate of the world , are consum'd away by their own proper use , no relick thereof remaining unto us , but only a slight remembrance , which is uncapable of yielding us any satisfaction , and is very proper to vex and torment us . suppose the life of man were very long and durable , yet the appendant happiness of it would be inconsiderable ; and were the felicity , which we meet with here in these lower regions , as full as it is defective , yet 't would be very insignificant , seeing it must be cut off at last by the fatal sword of death . what then will this be , when we are convinced of the deceitfulness of these advantages , and of the shortness of life , which is such , that to speak the down-right truth , 't is hardly long enough to give us time to regulate our affairs , to take leave of one another , and in a fit manner to make our will ? man , who is naturally convinc'd , of these truths , enquires after means of solacing himself at these calamities , to which the quality of man exposes him ; therefore he avoids the representation of himself , to his own view , and the putting himself forward under this quality . he would fain be look'd upon only as a being invested with certain external advantages , which make the difference of conditions , and the distinction of persons : but if there be so much dignity in man , as religion represents to us , there would be a thousand times greater grounds for valuing himself upon the qualities which we have in common , than upon those which characterise and distinguish us . and if , on the contrary , the possession of these external advantages were so honourable as the world would make us believe , man in himself must needs be a very trivial and inconsiderable being ; which we cannot think without betraying not only the honour of our nature , but also the sentiments of our vanity . methinks we may give this definition of the worldling , who to cure or comfort himself at his poverty and natural misery , loves to cloath himself with imaginary goods : a phantome that walks among such things as have only an appearance . i call a phantome , not the man of nature , compounded of a body and soul , which god hath framed , but the man of concupiscence , compounded of the dreams and fictions of self-love . i call the things which have only an appearance ( and this after the psalmist ) the advantages which the world seeketh after with so great passion and ardour , these great vacuities taken up with our own vanity , or rather these great nothings , which occupy so great a space in our extravagant imagination . when we endeavour to annihilate and destroy this phantome of pride and concupiscence , which we discover'd in man , 't is not our design to subscribe to the eternal arrest of our misery and vileness . let us make a deep search into these appearances , which seem'd at first so sad and dismal , and we shall find some reason to comfort our selves : but in order to discover that which we desire , we must search for man in man , and not in these external differences which concupiscence seeketh after with such a passionate desire : for it is not the design of god to raise one man , or a certain order of men , to a proper and particular happiness . concupiscence deceives in the very first step it makes you take in your search of the supream good. you enquire after a particular happiness , a distinguished glory , so much the worse for you if you chance to find it , since the true good whereunto you ought to aspire , is a common felicity which should be participated by an infinity of creatures , that ought to make up the family of god. having consider'd the man of concupiscence , who made himself , let us now con-consider the man of nature , who is the work of the creatour , and to that end take a survey of the faculties of his soul. we shall not insist upon the faculty of imagination , which , properly speaking , is nothing but a collection of weak sensations , that do still subsist in our soul , by occasion of the traces which outward objects left in our brain : a collection , i say , of sensations , which the soul disposes and afterwards makes use of in the perception of other objects . but we cannot sufficiently admire this intellect of man , which rectifies the senses , corrects the fancy , purifies and enlarges bodily perceptions , which unites together various ideas in the judgment it frames of things , and various judgments in discourse ; which weighs , compares , examines , enquires , and by the relation it finds between things , makes the dependance of arts , sciences , governments , and produces all the wonders of reasonable society . is it not a piece of extravagance to say that this intellect hath for its principle a natural motion , that it is nothing but a meer congeries of atomes , which agitated after a certain manner , obtain a new situation ? does any man clearly conceive that an atom without going beyond the confines of the body , runs thro' the earth and heavens in a moment , that it goes every where without being moved , in a more noble and wonderful manner than if it were mov'd ? can one portion of matter have the knowledge of others , and afterward know it self , act upon it self , reflect not only upon it self , but also upon its manner of acting , upon the manner of this manner , and upon the reflection which it makes upon this manner in infinitum ? can a parcel of atomes , included in i know not what little pipe , judge of the model of the universe , the design of the world , and understand the wisdom of the creatour ? is it a property of this thinking motion , not only to put these atomes into motion , but also to represent that of the celestial bodies , which are only in the order of possible things ? have these atoms , whose jumbling and clashing is a thought , this admirable faculty of being able , as often as they meet and justle , to hit only the general degree of being or substance , without hitting the individual in this motion , which thought we term , precision . did we ever hear of a motion , properly so call'd , without a proper translation of one body from another ; like thought , which goes from the time past , which is no more , to the future , which is not yet come ; and from that nothing which preceded our being , to that annihilation which terminates the hopes of the incredulous . the mind of man is not only above the condition of matter ; but , which is admirable , it hath a kind of infinity in its actions , for it flies from object to object , and multiplies them in infinitum : 't is never wearied with knowing , and altho' its perfections be really limited , since it does not know all things ; yet certainly its excellency is in some sense unlimited , since it can know all things successively . as the mind of man is never wearied with knowing , so his heart is never wearied with desiring , and such as is our abyss of knowledge , such is the abyss of our desire . this ambitious prince , whose heart was greater than the universe , of which he was master , had not in the bottom more vast and elevated inclinations , than are hidden in the secret dispositions of every one of us ; and the heart of an heroe is not different from any other man's . he that dwells in a cottage wants nothing but prosperity , and great occasions , to inspire him with wishes for new worlds to conquer . when a man is opprest with poverty , a supply of things necessary is the utmost term of his wishes . after he has possession of those things which nature requires , he demands things necessary to state and quality , when he has arrived to that pitch of grandeur , he has obtain'd all that his heart seems capable of desiring : yet still against the dictates of reason , he forms new desires . behold the masters of the world , who after having been at a height of greatness above other men , wish for the condition of beasts ; this they cannot but desire , tho' they are never like to obtain it . such is the excellency of man , that it shews it self even in his most shameful irregularities : for i do not imagine , that this insatiable desire of our heart does originally spring from our corruption . men are to be blamed for applying themselves with too great earnestness to the research of worldly goods , but they have good reason for not placing their contentment in finite enjoyments , who are designed for the possession of the supream good. it must needs fall out thus , for we see that in nature every thing is satisfy'd with those goods that are proper to its species . the fish are contented with the water they swim in , birds are satisfy'd with flying in the air , the beasts of the field obtain the end of their desire , when they have met with such grass as serves for their nourishment : whence then does it come to pass , that man has so little satisfaction in temporal advantages , if these be all that fall to to his share ? shall we believe that the wisdom of the creatour is inconsistent with it self precisely in this ? has it not had a competent knowledge , either of the nature of worldly goods , as uncapable of yielding us satisfaction , or of the nature of our heart , as uncapable of being satisfy'd with ' em ? or rather , does it not proceed from this , that having known the goods of the world , our heart , and the natural disproportion between them both , god has fram'd things after this manner , because he reserv'd our soul to himself , that he might fill it , satisfy it , and answer by his excellency and infinite beatitude , the infinite succession of our thoughts and desires : or , if you will , the infinite enquiries of a mind , which searches for the knowledge of all things , because 't is design'd for the knowledge of god ; and the infinite desire of an heart , which is not satisfy'd with the possession of any particular good , because it is design'd for the possession of the supream good , which includes all the others . the nature , perfections and end of man , do make up what we call his natural dignity ; but all this depends upon the eternity of his duration . we should reap but little profit from being spiritual in our essence , did not this idea include that of immortality : but 't would be extravagant to imagine , that because whatsoever is dissolv'd perishes , therefore what is uncapable of dissolution doth perish also . what do i say ? extention is not lost tho' it acquire other manners of being , and the body of man after death doth not cease to be a body by being turn'd into ashes , flesh , clay , worms , vapour or dust . death , in its proper no●ion , is a destruction of the organs , or ● dissolution . if therefore it does not anni●ilate the body , whose parts it separates one ●rom another , how shall it annihilate this mind , this intelligence ; which is nei●her extension , nor motion , nor union of ●arts , and evidently bears no relation or ●imilitude to any of those things that are ●usceptible of dissolution ? the perfections of man do also depend ●pon his immortality . in vain should we ●nd a kind of infinity in the sensations of ●he soul , diversify'd in infinitum according ●o the diversity of outward things which ●ccasion them ; in our imagination , capable ●f assembling innumerable images for giving ●s a representation of objects ; in our mind , ●hich is never wearied with knowing , and ●n our heart , whose desires are boundless ; ●f being made only for time , and to endure ●ut for the space of some years , we could ●ave but a limited number of sensations , ●ould exercise our imagination but during a ●ery short time , could have but a succession ●f thoughts , proportion'd to the brevity of ●ur life , and at last possess but a transient ●nd finite happiness . for no less than an ●nfinite succession of duration , bears a pro●ortion to this infinite succession of percep●ions , thoughts and desires , of which man ●nds himself naturally capable . let us then conclude , that 't is in the immortal man , that we discover the nature , the perfections , and the end of man , which make up his natural dignity . but as the nature and perfections of man have given us a prospect of his end , so his end informs us what are his duties and natural obligations , which we shall consider in the following chapter . chap. ii. where we endeavour to know man , by considering the nature and extent of his duties . our duties flow from nature , and owe not their birth to education , as some men imagine . to make out this we need but suppose two principles : the first is , that we naturally love our selves , being sensible of pleasure , hating evil , desiring good , and taking care of our preservation . the second is , that together with this propensity to love our selves , nature hath given us a faculty of reason to conduct and guide us . we love our selves naturally ; this is ● sensible ▪ truth : we are capable of reason ▪ this is a truth of fact. nature inclines us to make use of our reason for directing this love of our selves , this most necessarily rises from the principles of this latter , it being impossible for us to love our selves really , without employing all our lights to search for what is agreeable to us . now from thence , that nature orders us to search for our own good , it follows that man cannot be said , without an evident contradiction , to be void of duty and law. we must grant an essential difference be●wixt moral good and evil , since the former consists in obeying the law of reasona●le nature , the other in breaking it . this natural law in general , may be di●ided into four others , which are its par●icular species ; the law of temperance , which obliges us to avoid excesses and de●aucheries , that ruine our body , and injure ●ur soul ; the law of justice , which inclines ●s to render unto every man his due , and ●o by others as we would they should do by ●s ; the law of moderation , which pro●ibites revenge , knowing that we cannot do 〈◊〉 but at our own cost , and that to respect ●n this case the rights of god , is to take ●are of our selves ; and lastly the law of ●eneficence , which engages us to do good ●o our neighbour . 't is certain , that the immortality of man ●akes the perfection and extent of these ●our kinds of laws . he , who knows himself under the idea of an immortal being , will not place his end in those pleasures , which the author of nature affixes to that , which causes the preservation or propagation of the body . we shall not desire to injure other men , if we do not only fear a return of justice in this life ; but if moreover we dread the doing to our selves , by that means , an eternal prejudice . whosoever is buisy'd as he ought , about his natural dignity , which undoubtedly raises him far above the abuses he can possibly receive , will be so far from satisfying himself at the expence of god's glory , that he will hardly conceive any resentment , how ill soever he be dealt with . lastly , if this natural and temporal communion , which we have with men in society , be capable of producing any mutual benevolence , which is intended and encreas'd according to the degree of the temporal commerce we entertain with them ; what motives of love and beneficence do we not discover in the idea of this eternal society , which we ought and can have with them ? thus the natural law is in man ; but the perfection and extent of this law is in the immortal man. but these four kinds of laws do constitute what we call the law of nature , which is the most ancient , most general , most essential of all , and the foundation of the rest . 't is the most ancient , seeing that the love of our selves , and reason , are antecedent in us to all manner of inclinations and laws . 't is the most general , for there have been many men , who never heard of reveal'd right ; but never did any come into the world without this law , which inclines 'em to search for their proper good. 't is the most essential , for this is neither the jewish nor christian , simply taken , it is the law of men : it does not belong only to the law , or simply to the gospel ; but to nature , in what state soever it be . lastly , 't is the foundation of all the rest . this plainly appears if we consider , that all other laws are nothing else but the law of nature renewed and adapted to certain conditions of men ; you discover the natural law , in that which god gave to our first parents : the legislator does there suppose that man loves himself , seeing that his law is grounded upon promises and threatnings . good and evil are set before him ; he is enlighten'd to know the one , and the other : he is engag'd to the acknowledgment and gratitude , which nature it self prescribes to us . god requires an homage of him , in token of those many favours he bestows upon him , and this homage consists in abstaining from ●he fruit of one only tree ; the duty of his preservation is prescribed to him , in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death . as also the law of justice , for what is more just , than to yield to the creator the empire and dominion over his creatures , and not to gape at the use of his creatures whether he will or no. this then is the law of nature accommodated to the condition wherein adam was at that time placed . indeed he could not be as yet prohibited the use of idols , which were unknown to him : nor blaspheming the name of the lord when he had but just began to bless it : nor to rest one day of the week , who was to rest always : nor the killing his neighbour , that was not yet in being : nor committing adultery , when there was but one woman in the world : nor stealing , when he was master of all things : nor bearing false witness , when he could bear it against no one but himself : nor coveting , since all things were his own . but when men were multiplied upon the earth , as their condition chang'd , god from time to time made new editions of this natural law , and gave it to men under another form , because it was to be proportion'd to their particular circumstances ; for which reason it must not be imagin'd , that when we say the decalogue contains the law of nature , we mean , that it includes nothing else but these simple and common principles , which are to guide the conduct of all men. i confess indeed , the decalogue is the natural law renewed and fresh drawn to the eyes of the israelites : but withal it is certain , that 't is the natural law accommodated to the state of the israelites at that time . the following observations will set this point beyond all doubt . the israelites had been delivered from the egyptian captivity , whence the legislator covers and shrouds himself , as it were , with this benefit , in order to draw them to the obedience they owe to him : i am the lord thy god , who brought thee out of the land of aegypt , out of the house of bondage , thou shalt have none other gods , &c. 't is plain that this motive has not the same force upon the heart of those men who did not partake of this deliverance ; 't will be to no purpose to say , that tho' they did not all partake of the temporal deliverance of the israelites , yet have they been spiritually deliver'd from the egypt of sin. mystical senses are good in a simple doctrine , design'd to instruct : but are of no use in a precept , which requiring an exact obedience , cannot be conceived in terms too precise or too proper . and again , what a number of people are there in the world , to whom god hath certainly given the natural law as well as to other men , who yet have never heard of the deliverance of the israelites , by the ministry of moses : and who consequently cannot find an emblem of their spiritual deliverance ? . the israelites being in a desart , where they could have no other drink but water , nor other meat but manna , had no need of any instruction or precept to incline them to sobriety , by making them to avoid drunkenness and gluttony . no other reason can be given of this , why the lawgiver has not forbidden this kind of intemperance in the decalogue , which hath always pass'd for a capital vice. . the canaanites , who had incurr'd the displeasure of god , and born the punishment of their own sins , did nevertheless seem accursed outwardly and interpretatively , as the schools speak , by occasion of the crime of cham , who discover'd his father's shame , and was punished by this prophetick malediction , which presag'd the ruine of canaan's posterity , the son of the impious one. it cannot be deny'd , but that the decalogue manifestly alludes to this in the fifth commandment , conceiv'd in these words : honour thy father and thy mother , that thy days may be long in the land which the lord thy god giveth thee . 't is certain that by the land must be understood , not the land of the living in general , but this land which had been allotted to the israelites ; which evidently appears from this expression , which the lord thy god giveth thee : and doubtless the sense of the law is , that they ought to avoid the crime of cham , who became fatal to his posterity ; and endeavour to obtain , by an opposite conduct and behaviour , the benediction of god , who is able to confirm them in their possessions . . 't is certain , that nature teaches us to consecrate a part of our life to the service of god : for since we receive from him every moment of our duration , gratitude and justice require us to dedicate some of them to him ; and particularly to set apart some certain seasons for piety and devotion . but to observe the seventh day , and to extend the observation of it even to beasts , is an injunction that bears no relation to nature , but to the condition of this people at that time . god was not willing the memory of the benefit of the creation should be forgotten , thro' neglect of observing a feast that had been instituted with a design to perpetuate the remembrance of this great event . it appears by all these characters , that the law of the decalogue doth not differ from the law of nature , as to its essence and first principles ; but only as to its manner , and the extension which were requisite to be given it to adapt it to the condition and exigencies of the people of israel . this is evident from a general observation which may be made upon this subject : namely , that the grand motives , which support the precepts of this law in general , are temporal benedictions and maledictions , motives , which the soveraign law-giver imploy'd to make himself obey'd ; he who could menace men with eternal punishments design'd for the wicked , and promise to those who observ'd his law , an eternal and most happy life ; how does he come to suppress these powerful motives , these dreadful objects , or at least to declare them but darkly and confusedly , whilst he takes all the force of his promises and threats from the greatness of bodily goods and evils ? 't is because he proportions his law to that present state of the israelites , the time being not yet come for clearly revealing life , and most blessed immortality in jesus christ , who among other characters of his divine vocation was to have this of a clear and abundant revelation . chap. iii. where we continue to make certain reflections upon the decalogue , considering it as the expression of the law of nature , accommodated to the state of the israelites . the first precept , which it contains , is of so great importance , that it seems of it self to be a compendium of morality and religion . it includes a command and a prohibition ; the command is to love god with all our heart , with all our strength , and with all our mind ; the prohibition is , not to have any other god before the lord. for the better understanding of this precept , 't is to be observ'd in general , that a man may love three ways , by sense , or by reason , or by sense and reason both together . to love by sense , is to love one for the good he doth us , or for the pleasures he creates to us . to love by reason is to love perfection for perfection's sake . to love by sense and reason too , is to love one both upon the account of the merit and perfection wherewith he is endued , and of the good which he does , or is capable of doing us . love of reason seems not essentially to differ from esteem , and it imports no more than an esteem , interess'd in the behalf of the object esteem'd , which searches for occasions of doing it good , or wishes it well . thus we love extraneous and remote desert , such as no way relates to us ; but as we shall see hereafter , love of this character is rarely to be found . we love our selves on the contrary by sense , and not by reason . the love of our selves precedes the judgment which we make , that we ought to love our selves ; and tho' we should propose a thousand arguments against this inclination , yet for all that , we should not cease to love our selves . lastly , god loves himself both by reason and sense ; by reason , because he knows his proper perfections ; by sense , because he tasts his infinite beatitude : and in like manner we are obliged to love him both by reason and sense ; by reason , because he is endued with all perfections ; by sense , because he communicates to us all the goods we can enjoy and possess . god seems here to demand the love of sense ; he doth not say , i am the god of all perfections , &c. but i am the eternal , thy god who brought thee out of the land of egypt , &c. and 't is remarkable that this character is common to all his revelations , which he addresses to men upon earth : this is to manifest himself unto them , cloathed with some of his benefits , that he may win their heart by an acknowledgment and gratitude . he was serv'd in the old world under the name of god who is , and who is the rewarder of them that call upon him. he was afterwards known under the name of the god of abraham , of isaac , and of jacob. after that he gave his law by declaring himself the lord who had brought this people out of the land of egypt . afterwards a prophet declares that the time is come , in the which men will no longer say , the eternal is he who brought his people out of the land of egypt ; but the eternal is he , that hath brought up his people out of the country of babylon . lastly , so soon as the time for man's redemption is accomplish'd , god is no longer call'd by any other name , than the god of mercy , and the father of our lord jesus christ. they therefore are very much mistaken , who fancy 't is an offence against god to love him any otherwise than for the love of himself , and his intrinsick perfections ; and that there is no interested motion in our heart but what is criminal . in order to refute these speculations , we need but make reflection upon the conduct of god , who not only consents that we should love him by the motives of the good which we find in the possession of him : but also wills and proportions his revelations to this design ; and it may likewise be said , that we glorify the supream good , when we desire it ardently , and feel no repose or joy but in communion with it . this grand precept may be proposed to the mortal man , to confound and baffle him , by shewing him the impossibility he lies under , of fulfilling the divine law ; but 't is the immortal man alone , that is capable of fulfilling this duty . 't is not the dying man that perceives himself under great obligations to god : but the man that subsists to eternity . and 't is not in a heap of perishing favours , but in the assemblage of incorruptible goods that we find the motives of such a love and gratitude , as are worthy of god. so also the man of nature , consider'd as a man that hath short and transitory relations to other men , neither can nor ought to love others so much as himself . were we obliged to love an indifferent and unknown person , with the same degree of affection that children love their parents , certainly the whole world would be a scene of disorder and confusion . we ought to love our children more than persons that are indifferent to us ; now as it is the love of our selves , that makes this inequality and this variety of our affections : it follows that there is an original law of nature , which dictates that we should love our selves more than other men. but the immortal man hath other views and obligations ; all the divers kinds of proximity and relation , which respect this life , disappear and vanish at the prospect of the relations of that eternal society , which we are to enjoy . a temporal neighbour whom nature points out to us , is not so considerable as the eternal neighbour which faith discovers in him . but some persons love themselves to such an exorbitant degree , that 't is in no wise convenient they should be affected with the same love if others as of themselves . for pray tell me , of one should say to a man , i wish you were ungrateful , blind , passionate , revengeful , proud , voluptuous , covetous , that you might take more pleasure and enjoyment in the world , would he not have reason to think that either we dote , or have a mind to make him a very course compliment ; and yet this would be to love our neighbour , as we love our selves . if we would love our neighbour as our selves , we ought to love him with relation to eternity . none but the immortal man is in a capacity of observing this precept strictly and well . perhaps the question may be ask'd , whether , when the law enjoyns us to love our neighbour as our selves , it means that we should love by the motives of that love we bear to god , or of that which we have for our selves ? i answer by distinguishing still betwixt rational and sensual love ; when we love our neighbour with a rational love , 't is certain that the motives of this love ought to proceed from the love we have for god. when we love our neighbour with a love of sense , or sensual love , the motives of love should proceed purely from the affection we have for our selves . thus it may be reply'd , that we ought to love him by both these motives , and the law of the decalogue seems to confirm us in this opinion : for it puts the precept which refers to our neighbour , immediately after that which refers to god , to teach us , that the one depends upon the other ; and that we are obliged to love our neighbour with the same kind of affection that we bear to god : and on the other side , it calls him , whom it recommends to our love , by the name of neighbour , to intimate to us , that we are concern'd to love him , because he is a person that belongs to us . reason tells us , that god , being the supream and infinite beauty , is amiable for his own sake ; and that all things become so for the love of him . it therefore requires us to love objects according as they stand related to god. the experience we have of our own being , accompany'd with joy and delight , obliging us to love our selves in the first place , nature teaches us to love persons according to the degree of proximity and relation which they have to us. these two laws are not opposite to each other ; the one , as i may say , is the law of reason , the other is the law of sense ; the one is the instinct of the mortal and perishing nature , the other of the immortal and incorruptible nature ; the one relates to the short and transient society , which we ought to have one among another ; the other to the eternal commerce and friendship we ought to have in god. chap. iv. where we shew the extent of the natural law , by considering it in the gospel , and with relation to the immortal man. if the law of moses were the law of nature , accomodated to the condition of the mortal man , and to the state of the israelites in particular ; the gospel is the law of nature , accommodated to the state and relations of the immortal man. this sufficiently appears from the different genius and conduct of the two oeconomies ▪ under the oeconomy of the law , god seems to make no farther manifestation of himself , than to break thro' walls , open the abysses of the earth , inflame mountains , send down fire from heaven , menace the body with his judgments , or to execute the arrests of his justice upon the perishing nature ; but , under the new dispensation of grace , we see persons animated with the spirit of god , contemn the injury of the elements , and the persecution of men : suffer with so great constancy as if they suffer'd in a body which was not their own ; transported with joy in the midst of consuming flames , and triumphing to see the dissolution of that compound , which is so preciously and carefully preserved by other men , because they are supported and encouraged by the idea of eternity , whereof the divine mercy has given them a distinct knowledge . not but the law of moses includes some relation to eternity ; for this law had at least the shadow of good things to come : also it cannot be deny'd , but that the gospel supposes the idea's of man's vileness and mortality ; for it includes all our remedies and consolations against it : but thus much is true , that the law of moses regards the present life directly , and eternity indirectly , whereas the gospel regards eternity as its principal object , and the present life indirectly . as for nature , that is equally discover'd under both oeconomies . the gospel , if i may so speak , is hidden in in nature , nature in the gospel : but we must here understand the immortal nature , and that will put us in a way to unravel some difficulties , which might possibly intangle and perplex us . indeed it seems contrary to nature to love our enemies , to look upon adversity as a blessing , and afflictions as a subject of joy , and so far to yield up the cudgels to justice , as to render not only as much , but even more than it demands , which are maxims of the gospel . i confess all this goes against the grain of the corruptible nature , which measures every thing according as it stands related to this present life : but 't is far from being opposite to the interests of the immortal nature , which values not time , and exerts all its actions in a prospect of eternity . our enemies are an obstacle to the establishment of our fortune in the world ; but nothing except the hatred we may possibly bear them , is an hindrance to our salvation ; and this is the thing which the immortal man considers , he despises those little reasons of hating , which concupiscence suggests to our heart , and regards those eternal relations we have to others in god , who is our common father , as the most powerful motives of the love we have for our neighbour . plenty and prosperity charm such a heart as hath limited the utmost of its hopes and pretensions to the transitory world ; but the immortal man finds in that state so much more subject of fear as there is more of sense , he dreads these imaginary goods which buisy us , and never satisfy ; these lively sensations which hinder the knowledge of his real interests . he looks upon prosperity as the reign of the passions , which seduce and misguide us . he 's perswaded that afflictions , by depriving us of these agreeable sensations , do but only chase an infinite troop of impostors from the territories of our soul. and he does not think that worldly goods deserve our envy , and to make us rival each other in pursuing them ; especially when religion assures him , that these hatreds and contestations which are occasion'd by the corruptible world , are capable of doing him an eternal prejudice : for which reason , tho' man has a right of demanding what belongs to him , god having for this end establish'd tribunals in society , which would be but an union of robbers , and a succession of murthers and villanies without the exercise of justice ; yet the prudence of the immortal man permits him not to exact his rights with rigour and severity , when he sees but the least probability of injuring , by that means , the interests of his soul. whence we may conclude , that the morality of the gospel is but purely the expression of the immortal man's heart : but we shall have an opportunity to speak more of this elsewhere . we have seen , that the perfections of man roll upon his immortality , which alone can render him capable of happiness ; and we have just now seen , that this immortality founds the extent of our duties and obligations . we proceed to shew that 't is this also that makes the strength of our soul , or the weight that can determine us to well-doing . chap. v. ●f the moral strength of man , or the motives which he finds in himself , for determining him in his actions . had god been an enemy to man , he would have fix'd pain to all those ob●ects whereunto it pleas'd him to fix delight ●nd pleasure ; he could have done one as easi●y as the other : and then man would have ●een his own enemy , whereas now he is naturally a lover of himself . for it needs must follow , by an essential consequence , that he who feels pain , hates ●t ; and if this pain be constant and insepara●le , he hates his own being , as knowing ve●y well that unless he existed , he should not ●ndure this pain . 't is very easy to conceive , that the damn'd spirits hate themselves , for ●heir punishment ; and that , tho' self-love has been in this world the source of their corruption , hatred of themselves becomes hereafter instrumental to their punishment . moreover we conceive that 't is impossible to have a sense of pleasure , without loving it , and wishing the preservation of this self which is the subject of it . pleasure makes 〈◊〉 love our existence , because without our existence this pleasure cannot subsist . thence it follows , that 't was in the power of god , when he form'd man , either to make him love , or not love himself , since it depended upon his will to affix , or not affix pleasure to certain objects . thus the love of our selves is in it self a natural inclination ; 't is nature that causes us to love pleasure , and hate pain ; and 't is nature that makes us love our selves . this inclination does not wait for intellectual reflections to give it birth in our soul ; it precedes all our reasonings . the stoicks have justly deserv'd to be scorn'd and ridicul'd by all posterity , if they really held those opinions , which are usually attributed to them . they pretended that the way for a man to be wise , was to put off humanity ; this at the first dash was a very great piece of extravagance : but they fail'd no less in conceiving a kind of infirmity and baseness in the most natural spring of our heart . secondly , self-love is an inclination most divine in its original : we love our selves for this very reason , because god has loved us . had god hated us , we should likewise hate our selves ; therefore 't is unreasonable and groundless to cry down all those actions which self-love excites us to , as if they were so many crimes and infirmities : according to the dangerous morality of some , who have pretended to annihilate the excellency of all the vertues upon this principle , that they all proceeded from the womb of self-love , and were grounded meerly in interest , a very bad consequence ; since self-love is an inclination of a most divine and heavenly extraction . lastly , the love of our selves is a necessary inclination , it must not be imagin'd , that our soul is indifferent to tend or not tend towards that , which it judges advantagious and profitable ; these indifferences of free-will are the dreams and fancies of those who have not sufficiently study'd nature , or are not willing to have the knowledge of themselves . but god has thought fit to mingle knowledge and sense together , that the former might regulate and guide the latter ; and the latter might fix the former . had man no other faculty but reason , we should err in our thoughts , and spend our selves in vain speculations , applying our selves to know every thing else , but what would be of greatest concernment to us . sense is therefore design'd to fix this intellect , and confine it principally to those objects which concern it . were there nothing else but sense in man , he might indeed then have such propensities and desires as this sense should produce : but would fail of light and direction for finding out those things to which these desires do naturally tend , and the love of pleasure being blind and misguided , would throw him down into a thousand precipices ; wherefore reason is design'd to regulate sense . reason is the soul's councellor : sense , i● as it were , the force and weight that determines it . and these forces are greater or lesser proportionably to the difference● of sense . in the comparison we make of them , the soul considers not only what excites in it present , but also what is capable of creating to it future pleasure . it compares pleasure with pain , the present good with absent , the good it hopes for , with the dangers to be endur'd ; and determines it self according to the instruction it receives in these various enquiries : its liberty being , as i may so speak , no more than the extent of its knowledge , and the power it hath of not choosing , after having made a deep scrutiny , and throughly examin'd . the case being thus , 't is easy to judge , that 't is either present advantage , which consists in an actual sense of pleasure ; or future , which consists in whatsoever can hereafter caress us with delight , and render us happy , or preserve our happiness by preserving us our selves ; that makes all the strength of our soul for determining it self in its designs and conduct . this strength is very small , when included within the circle of worldly objects . the power we have , as men , for avoiding covetousness will consist in the fear of injuring our honour by the sordidness of interest ; the power we have to hinder us from being prodigal , will consist in the fear of ruining our affairs , when we aspire at gaining a famous reputation by our liberalities . the fear of diseases will make us resist the temptations of pleasure ; self-love will render us moderate and circumspect , and even thro' pride we shall appear humble and modest . but this is only to pass from one vice to another ; if we would give our soul strength enough to rise above one infirmity without relapsing into another , we must excite and stir it up by motives not taken from the world. the prospect of time may cause it to pass from disorder to disorder ; but the bare view of eternity includes such motives as are proper to elevate it far above the region of all its infirmities . none but this object touches and sanctifies , because this alone mounts us high enough for totally renouncing the world. we have seen some preachers , of a sublime and lofty eloquence , work no effect , because they did not well understand how to interest and engage the immortal nature ; and on the contrary , we have seen a very mean talent touch and affect all the world by inartificial discourses , because they shot the right mark , and ●aid hold of men by the motives of eternity . motives , which repeated a thousand ways and sometimes very grosly and unpolitely , have won the most enlighten'd and purify'd souls , because they take them by what is greatest and most weighty in them , and most considerable in all external objects . the motives of time have but a limited , but the motives of eternity have as it were an infinite strength , which is suspended meerly by our corruption . hence it follows , that as self-love is the general source of those motives which determine our heart , so 't is self-love , as it looks towards eternity , that makes all the strength we have to raise ourselves above the confines of the world. there is no better way to justify this last truth , than by seeing what the sense of our immortality is capable of working in us , what influence it has upon our motions and actions , and of what use it is in our heart . this we proceed to examine at large . chap. vi. where we explain what the sense of our immortality is capable of working upon our heart . we certainly see , that whatsoever comforts , raises and satisfies us , takes its birth from this original ; 't is only in the idea and sense of our immortality , that we find true and solid consolations against the fears of death , as 't is easy to shew by considering this object every way . the idea of death includes six others : an idea of desertion or leaving , an idea of necessity , an idea of solitude , an idea of destruction , an idea of judgment , and an idea of misery . the idea of desertion or leaving imports , that we leave all , and all leaves us . this idea mortifies and afflicts self-love , because it represents to it the rupture and disappointment of its applications and desires . it beholds its loss of the time present , and a curtain is drawn upon the future ; and indeed , i confess , man has very good reason to be afraid till the curtain is , as it were , drawn back by repentance ; and he can assure himself of the remission of his sins , without which , he is uncapable of any comfort either in life or death ; but when he hath made his peace with his god , which he may know by the state of his heart and the sentiment of his conscience , he certainly ought to have quite different ideas of death : what he regrets and bemoans is of very small moment , if he compare it not only with the glorious eternity , promis'd him in the gospel , but also with his own natural excellency . he ought to make it a matter of the greatest wonder , that a mind , which by the inviolable inclinations of its nature flies up to infinity , should so long buisy it self with the trifles of this life ; and one may say , without adding an hyperbole to this mind , that if it has lost any thing , 't is life , and not death , that ought to bear the blame . life has involv'd it in the loss of many precious things , its sanctity , the sense of god's love , &c. and to retrieve its damage , has given it nothing but shows and appearances , but death will advantagiously indemnify and repair its loss , provided it depart in the lord. death deprives us of our five senses ; whereupon self-love makes this resentment , that if it be a great affliction for a man to lose his seeing or hearing , 't is a much greater to lose all his senses at once : but self-love is mistaken , for we are so far from losing all our five senses , that 't is certain we do not really lose one of them : we don't become uncapable of seeing , hearing and speaking ; 't is not the nature of things , but the free institution of god , that hath affix'd these perceptions of our soul to the organs of our body , to which they had naturally no more relation , than to the matter which is hidden in the center of the earth , howsoever men may be prejudic'd in this matter . would we say such a man has lost his sight , the natural disposition of whose faculties god should have so chang'd as to have order'd that his eyes should have no more priviledge than the rest , and that all the parts of his body should be capable of seeing ? this is the idea of a man that loses one way of perceiving , and sees this infinite abyss of sensibility , which is naturally in him , adequately fill'd . these losses which prejudic'd nature imagines it is at by death , become so much the more sensible as they are unavoidable , and impos'd by a fatal necessity , which cannot be resisted . men have always look'd upon ●his necessity as a dreadful misery ; the ir●egular inclination they have to love forbid●en things with so much the greater ar●our , which caused one to say , define vitiae ●rritare , vetando , augments and encreases ●heir love of life , by the impossibility they ●nd themselves under of extending its li●●its , and makes 'em look upon death with ●o much the more horour , as they are unca●able of avoiding it . but had the wisdom ●f god impos'd upon men the necessity of ●iving , as it has the necessity of dying , we ●ay be almost assur'd that in time they would ●e as much afflicted and troubled at the ●houghts of their immortality , as now they ●re at those of their mortality . now the ne●essity of dying makes them attend more to ●●e pleasures than the crosses of life ; but ●●en the necessity of living would cause ●●em to apply more regard and attention to ●●e evils , than to the agreements and plea●●res of life . our soul assuredly owes a great part of its repugnancy , and unwillingness to leave the body , to custome and prejudices ; to see this , we need only reflect upon our past life , remark and muster up together all its pleasures and seriously ask our selves , whether all that countervails our past grief and trouble ? on one side , what if it pleas'd the author of nature to endow a soul , which is form'd to animate a body , with a most distinct knowledge of the dignity and perfections of its nature , the grandeur of its end , and the nobility of its extraction ; and on the other it were inform'd distinctly of all the infirmities , of all the base and painful dependances which it goes to espouse , by espousing this body , pray would not the very first moment of its life certainly seem the beginning of death ? so for this reason 't was necessary that the confus'd sensations of nature , which alligate and fasten us to life , should precede the distinct ideas which are proper enough in themselves to free and loosen us from it , and that the former should be naturally of greater force and activity than the latter . for tho' god would not have us be excessively fond of life , yet the author of nature was oblig'd to interess and engage us in the preservation of corporeal nature , without which there would be no society . death has two very different , and also very opposite aspects , as we consider it with reference to the soul. for life and death may both be said to make the debasement and glory of man. life makes the glory of the body , and the debasement of the soul ; 't is by life , that the body is extended to the just and natural proportion of its parts . life gives it health , strength , agility , beauty , and makes , in a word , all its perfections . but life causes the debasement of our soul , it confines it to such objects as are no ways related to its natural excellency , it makes this mind buisy it self in trivial affairs , and place its whole concern in the management of a family , a field , a vineyard , and the most abject and sordid necessities of the body , as if this immortal mind was made for no higher and nobler imployment , but to prolong for some moments the duration of this frail machine , to which it is united . if life makes the glory of the body , and the debasement of the soul , death may be said to make the glory of the soul , and the debasement of the body . the body falls , but the soul rises up and soars , as it were , to its native heaven . the body consumes , and in process of time relapses into dust , but the mind extends and enlarges it self like a divine sphere , which becomes greater and greater proportionably to the nearness of its approach to god. the body is depriv'd of its former motion , the soul acquires such knowledge as it had not before . the body mingles it self with the earth , the soul is re-united to god. the debasement , which ensues upon death , lights upon an insensible lump of matter . a carcass , gnaw'd by devouring worms , endures no pain , it smells not those noisom odours it exhales , is not terrify'd with the surrounding darkness , nor is out of conceit with it self , even when 't is nothing else but an horrid miscellany of blood and dirt , of bones and putrefaction . 't is an illusion and cheat of prejudic'd nature , that makes us affix our proper ideas and perceptions to such objects as do only occasion them . matter , when depriv'd of life and sense , is plac'd in its natural state ; this is no imbasement or degradation to it ; all the seeming dishonour and turpitude is meerly in our fancy . but the case is not the same , in respect of that imbasement and degradation to which life exposes us . this is not the natural state of such a soul as ours ; and doubtless the author of nature had never abandon'd it to such a condition but upon the account of sin : man indeed would have liv'd , but his life would have been more noble and excellent . 't is a great mistake to pretend , that man's death commences the punishment of his corruption . life has already punish'd criminal man by those sad dependances , which alligate and confine the thoughts , cares , desires and affections of so great and noble a soul , to the support and preservation of this sordid mass of clay , which we term our body . yet such is the imbecillity and weakness of man , that he would needs fancy himself debased where really he is not ; and is not willing to perceive himself debas'd where really he is so . an imaginary debasement frightens and terrifies him , and yet he cannot see a proper and real debasement . but what if the body be truly degraded , so the gain of the soul does infinitely preponderate the losses of the body ? are we so weak as to think , that our happinessness is so confin'd and fix'd to certain affairs , possessions , offices , housholds , and a certain circle of persons , with whom we have society , as that we cannot be happy without all these things ? we have almost the very same notions of death , as children have , when they fancy they shall be weary with abiding in the grave ; and not dare to be alone in the abyss of surrounding darkness . we terrify our selves with our own phantomes and chimaera's , we make such a confusion of our proper perceptions with the grave , which is their object , that we are ready to imagine and resent that horrour in the sepulchre , which is meerly a creature of our own fancy , and exists no where else but in our own soul. we should not fear this pretended solitude , and apparent privation which attend death , if substituting the distinct ideas of reason , instead of the confused perceptions of nature , we would consider that by death we are not depriv'd either of the subject , or the cause of those delights which this world may have afforded us . for the subject is our soul , which still remains ; and the cause is god , who is immortal and immutable . the reason why we regret and bemoan the loss of the sky , earth , elements , society , is because we invest these things , with those agreeable sensations which they occasion'd ; not considering that we carry away with us the colours , cloth , paint and pencil which are necessary for drawing this admirable picture ; and that if god fail us not , we can nev●r want any thing . nor ought the idea of destruction , which is included in death , to trouble us any more than this idea of solitude , which we have been speaking of . 't is true , death seems to destroy man several ways . in his account it destroys the world , it being certain that the sun , moon , stars , air , earth , sea , although they be not absolutely annihilated in themselves , may yet be said to be annihilated in respect of him , seeing that he cannot enjoy any longer use of them . man is not annihilated in himself , but in the nature which he admires , and which perishes as to him ; in the society he has been us'd to , and which ceases to be any longer in his account ; in his body , the instrument of his pleasures , which perishes and moulders away in the dust of the grave . let us see whether there be any thing real in either of these three kinds of destruction . first then , external things cannot be said to be annihilated both in themselves , and in respect of thei . use ; for how do we know but the same institution in kind may still remain and be in force , tho' the manner of it cease . indeed there is no great likelyhood of our having such kind of sensations after death , as we had during our life ; for 't is no longer necessary that these sensations should be proportion'd to the condition and preservation of a body , which in respect of us , ceases to subsist : the design which the author of nature hath had of engaging us in the preservation of this body , by the pleasure which the aliments excite in us , being accomplish'd , and come to its intended period , we easily conceive , that there being no longer pleasure to be excited in us by aliments , tasting has no place after death , and is not a proper faculty for the enjoyment of the other world , unless god affix it to other objects for different ends. but methinks hearing and seeing being not only design'd for the preservation of the body , but also for the search and pursuit of all that may nourish the admiration and gratitude we bear to the creatour , we have no reason to believe , that these sensations are terminated by death . indeed , i own , we shall not see by the motion of the optick nerve ; but yet we may be said to see for all that . for pray , what has the shaking of the optick nerve common with the perception of light ? these things have no natural relation to each other ; and if we see light and visible things , by the occasion of the optick nerve , mov'd after a certain manner , nothing hinders but we may have the same sensations , by the occasion of the aethereal matter , which us'd to agitate the optick nerve ; which may be said proportionably of hearing . but suppose we should not have these very sensations , what does that signify , since we shall certainly have others , and those of a more noble and elevated kind ? for as by losing the body we shall not be depriv'd of any thing but what confin'd and degraded us , we ought not to fear that our soul will lose any thing of the purity and excellency of its operations , by disentangling it self from the embraces of matter . 't is neither our duty nor interest to meddle , and spend our conjectures about those things , which god thought fit to conceal from our knowledge : but , i believe , 't would not be a piece of too great boldness and presumption to conjecture , that as the imbasement and vileness of man during this life , consists in having his reason subjected to sense ; so the glory , that will follow death , consists in a perfect submission of sense to the empire of reason . indeed at present , as the soul is descended from heaven to inhabit a tabernacle of clay , it buisies not it self in enlarging its views , or extending its lights : but on the contrary , 't is employ'd in ●●cking and confining 'em , that it may not di●dain to use them in preserving the body . but then , as the soul will take its flight from these lower regions , to its heavenly station , where it will have no longer need to care for the support and preservation of the body , but its whole business will be to glorify god ; 't will no longer bestir it self to limit and confine , but to purify and enlarge its knowledge , in order to render it more worthy of god , about whom it will be conversant . the second destruction we apprehend in death is no less imaginary ; for tho' we see the links which ty'd us to society dissolve and break , yet we ought not , for all that , to think we shall be exempted from all manner of friendly obligations . the society of spirits does very well countervail the society of bodies , whatever weak and prejudic'd nature may think of it . and when we shall put off these eyes and ears , which are design'd for our commerce and conversation with men , we solace our selves with this lenitive , that we shall undoubtedly acquire other ways of sensation and knowledge , by vertue of another institution , proportion'd to our future condition . lastly , i grant that one , who still lives in this world , and is depriv'd of the members of his body , is to be pitty'd . but when a man is transported into another world , sees another oeconomy of objects , what should he do with these senses , which have indeed some relation to this present world , but not to his glorify'd state ? the mischief arises from hence , that in the ordinary idea we have of our selves , we attribute too much to the body , and too little to the soul ; whereas following the distinct ideas of things , we cannot ascribe too much to a spirit , nor too little to matter . and here i durst advance a maxim , which will seem a very great paradox : namely , that altho' , according to the confus'd notion we have of these things , death be more capable of humbling us than life ; yet according to the distinct notion , and in the reallity of the thing it self , life is a more humbling and debasing object than death . death humbles the grand seignior , the prince , the monarch : but life humbles the man , which is more than all that . death snatches from us the props and supports of our vanity : but life in the debasement , to which it pulls us down , suspends in us most of the sense of our true grandeur . death brings the body down into the grave ; but life , as it were , calls down our soul from heaven . death puts a period to our secular commerce with men ; but life suspends that natural commerce we ought to have with god , and which our heart perceives to be the end for which it was made . the pursuivants of death are , darkness , worms and putrefaction , whereof we are not sensible : life is totally made up of weakness , baseness , infirmities , disgraces , of which we are sensible . wherefore we are certainly prejudic'd and mistaken , when we terrify our selves with the ideas of desertion , necessity , solitude , destruction , which are not really included in the image of death ; but herein indeed we do not mistake , when we dread the judgment of god , which accompanies death ; for certainly this cannot but seem terrible to a conscience that feels it self laden with the weight of a multitude of sins , and pray where is there a man , that finds not himself in this condition , if he reflect but never so little upon his past life ? this moment truly is dreadful , upon which we conceive all eternity to depend ; but 't is certain that , even in this , the heart of man suggests to it self many cheats and illusions . it fancies the moment of death to be the price of eternal life : and considers not , that 't is not this instant , but its whole life which god requires ; that this moment hath nothing more pleasing to god than any other ; and that its whole importance consists simply in this , that it is the concluding moment of life : and lastly , that 't is not this moment that contracts and covenants with the divine justice , but all the time we past in our impenitence . the sentiments therefore of our immortality , our perfections , and our end , will harmonize and agree together admirably well ; and with the other sentiments and inclinations of nature , and the principles of religion , which god has given us for our consolation , against all the seeming frightfulness and horrour of this king of terrors . chap. viii . where we continue to shew , what effect the sentiment of our immortality can work upon our heart . certainly the idea of our immortality can never be too present to our mind , for our comfort and consolation , amidst this eternal circle of those sad and dismal objects which compass us about ; and those publick and private calamities , which the severity of god has vary'd so many ways , to give occasion to the sweet variety of his deliverances and consolations . after all , what signifies it that we are infirm and mortal in our bodies ? this state cannot last long . why should we embarass and perplex our selves with cares and sollicitude for the short futurity of this transient life ? have we not another futurity in view , which very well deserves the principal care and occupation of our heart and mind ? what need we value the menaces and threats of the world ? what can it do to us ? it may indeed crush our body into atomes , but cannot destroy us . what if the frame of the world perish , nature decline and shake , the elements corrupt and decay , what if our body be converted into dust , worms or vapour , what if it descend again into the womb of its mother earth , or be dispers'd into the fluid air ; the ruines of the world will not crush and destroy our soul , nor dissolve that divine principle , which is in its own nature uncapable of a dissolution ? we think the body , which cloaths us , is our-self : this is a mistake ; this clay is not our-self , nor ever will be . god indeed will re-establish and raise it in honour , to serve for a tabernacle of that spirit , which was its original guest and inhabitant ; but this union will not be with the same submission and dependance : the soul will not then follow the condition of the body , but the body will be adjusted , as far as is possible , to the state and nature of the soul ; and as the soul was once debased , even to the mean condition of the body , so as to fly god , and bend its inclinations to earthly things ; the body will now be desirous to elevate it self to the state of the soul , so as to decline and quit all earthly cares , and to betake it self to a joyful celebration of the glory of god in the heavenly choir . certainly 't is not to be wonder'd , that the gospel administers more comfort to us , i will not say , than humane wisdom has ever done ; but yet much more than the law , as divine as it was : this is , because it clearly reveals to us life and immortality , which are the only objects that are capable of satisfying such a mind and heart as ours , and so have divine relations to our nature : but as this obj●ct affords us all imaginable comfort under the sense of so many miseries that continually surround us ; so it yields us whatsoever may elevate and truly raise us . the sentiment of our immortality , joyn'd with the consideration of that glory and happiness , which religion promises , elevates us more than the world ; more than the so much boasted wisdom of philosophers ; and even more than all those vertues which have fallen within the verge of humane knowledge . here we discover the grandeur of the passions , the grandeur of the mind , to whose empire they are subject ; and the grandeur of vertue , which regulates the mind . i say , we do in this view discover the grandeur of the passions , and no man need be offended at this expression : for tho' the passions be in some sense great infirmities , yet may they truly be said to be ingrafted upon the natural dignity , and excellency of man. hatred , fury , anger , which are such criminal passions , and by which we equally contradict the rules both of humanity and christianity , proceed , if you observe , from an opinion of our proper excellency , ill-directed and accompanied with the illusions of self-love , which makes us conceive an excellency in our selves exclusively to those , that have offended us ; as if our enemies were not men as well as we . that this sense of our natural excellency is in all men , appears from hence , that even those persons , who are least of all esteem'd in the minds of others , do notwithstanding this , esteem and value themselves , and so receive a kind of domestick consolation at their publick infamy and disgrace , from their own conceit . we don't here pretend to justify all the extravagancies of a man , pufft up with presumption , who prefers himself before those , to whom he justly owes respect and veneration ; no , by no means , i know there is an excess , and a criminal excess in this disposition of heart : but perhaps this excess may not consist in that wherein men fancy it does : and to declare my opinion ; the irregularity proceeds not so much from this , that men esteem themselves too much , but that they value themselves at too low a rate . i say , that they value themselves at too low a rate , and do not esteem themselves enough , because they think they are preferable to other men , who have the same nature and perfections . a man that values himself upon any exterior advantage , that distinguishes him , seems by that very thing to renounce the perfections of humane nature , which are common to him , with the rest of mankind . such a man's condition is much like nero's , who being in a capacity of valuing himself , upon the character of emperour , aspir'd at the glory and credit of seeming a good coachman . nothing certainly is so noble in man , as man : he may be said in some sense to despise himself , that would set a value on himself principally by those advantages , which make the difference of conditions , and distinction of persons in society ; since this is to despise what is most of all estimable in his nature . we must here reverse the ways and methods of pride , as pride seems desirous of reversing and overthrowing the methods of providence : external advantages ought to be an occasion of rendering to god the homage that is due to him , and not of derobing him of what is his right . those who have capacities and opportunities of soaring above the level of their brethren , don't much value or mind these things : but when fortune , as they term it , or the injustice of men has dispossess'd 'em of these advantages , nature does not fail 'em ; and having no longer a sense of this imaginary grandeur , which drew its original from outward things , they still are sensible of their natural grandeur and excellency , whose lawful effect ought to be this , to make 'em endure , with a generous indifferency , the contempt and scorn of all the world ; but which notwithstanding , thro' an effect of their corruption , serves to render 'em inflexible ; and to sow in their soul , which does not deserve it , the seeds of a discontented pride , which though commanded by fear to hold its peace , yet upon the least opportunity of appearing , bursts forth , and shews that in whatsoever condition men happen to be , they are no more tractable to bear the contempt of a king , than of a beggar . the grandeur , at which pride aspires , consists in two things : first , to extend and enlarge , and then to continue and perpetuate it self ; to enlarge it self , maugre the narrow and limited condition of corporeal nature ; and to perpetuate it self , maugre the fate of temporal things , which are allotted so short and transient a duration . 't is not requisite to shew , that our vanity fails of obtaining these two ends at which it aims . this sufficiently appears to every man , since the enlargement of conquests is but an enlargement and extension of injustice , rather than excellency ; and the marbles which seem to perpetuate our glory , do for the most part , but eternize our vanity . but nature and grace are more happy than corruption . nature expands and spreads man , as it were , over all the universe , by affixing his senses to outward objects , and making , by that means , the majesty , beauty , magnificence and value of all those parts of the world , which raise in us the greatest admiration and wonder . grace extends man to yet larger dimensions , thro' the commerce it procures him with god ; and on the account of immortality , we are not careful to make an imaginary enlargement , when we have a real one ; nor buisy and torment our selves , that we may live in the memory of other men , being assur'd of living eternally in our selves and god. so death appointed and design'd by god , to confound the designs and intrigues of our pride ; this minister of his majesty and justice , which makes him so signal a reparation and satisfaction for the insolency of our desire , to glorify our selves even in despight of his will , does but confirm us in the sentiment of this elevation of the man , who follows nature , and is attended by grace . this is a vain piece of grandeur , which accompanies a prince when seated on the throne , but attends him not in the bed of infirmity ; which stands at his elbow during life and health , but disappears and vanishes at the moment of death ; which is seen by us , but not by the eyes of his own mind . all the world remarks , and sees in him the master of other men , whilst he discovers in himself , a man wearied and afflicted , and presently yielding to the laws of mortality . wherefore i will not cloath my self with goods , riches , possessions , offices , dignities , glory , knowledge , eloquence , memorable actions , applause , to aggrandize and augment the phantome of pride , and to appear more great and excellent than the rest of mankind : but i 'le cut off the tumour , the forc'd grandeur and unnatural extension , by removing the objects of concupiscence , and keeping my self at the common level : i shall get more by this humble equality , than a proud and haughty preference would ever have done : i 'le invest my self with all the splendors of heaven , and beauties of the earth ; with the blessings of grace , and the treasures of nature , that i may render all these things to their bountiful donor ; and find , in this very restitution , such a glory as i never could meet with in all my usurpations . i shall elevate my self above all outward things , by the distinct idea of my own perfections , whereof they are in no wise capable ; but , like a ball , i shall rebound so high , only that i may descend and fall lower in his presence , who is the author and fountain of all my perfections , and who is also able infinitely to vary and diversify the sentiments of my excellency , and his own bounty . ambition thinks to be advanc'd to a lofty pitch , and to elevate it self beyond an equality with other men , because it puts us in a state of commanding them ; and indeed 't is in the right of it , according to the system of pride , which measures the price of those advantages , it possesseth , meerly by the degree of that elevation , to which they raise it beyond the common level of men. but in the first place 't is certain , that humane authority gives them not an empire and dominion over the mind of their fellows : tho' perhaps they themselves think otherwise , supposing that those exterior de●erences and submission , we give them , seem ●o be address'd to their person , whilst ●hey are really directed to their fortune . they who judge best of this matter , re●pect the order of god , and the methods ●f his wisdom , in their elevation and pre●erment . they submit their bodies to prin●es and rulers , because they submit their ●ouls to god : yet they , who govern the ●ody , don't , for all this govern and reign over ●ouls . they are esteem'd if they deserve it ; ●f they are worthy of contempt , they are ●espis'd and slighted ; and this too with so ●uch the greater delight and pleasure , as men are vex'd , and grated at that which sub●ects , and makes 'em crouch under . so that ●o ' fear obliges 'em to respect and reve●ence the authority establish'd for their own ●nterest , and religion makes 'em regard the ●rder of god , yet still there remains , in the ●ottom of their heart , a secret disposition 〈◊〉 murmur and grumble at this lawful ele●ation , which makes men so precipitate and ●ash in the judgments they pass upon their ●rinces ; and that they excuse not the least ●p in their masters , thro' the secret aver●on they have to dependance and command . ●astly , 't is certain that empire is not sound●d in any natural prerogative , which some men may have above others ; for which ●eason the custome of fixing temporal ●randeur to birth , has been wisely and prudently establish'd ; this is undoubtedly done to manage the pride of other men , who would suffer too great mortification , did all the preferences , we are oblig'd to make of others before them , for the good of society , proceed from a preference of merit & desert ▪ it seems in this , that god has thought fi● to take measures in the tablet of his wisdom , to hinder man from yielding to the temptations of vain-glory ; for he was willing the confus'd perceptions of our nature should affix the glory of the world to external objects , and that it should not be in the power of our distinct ideas to revoke and call us back from this errour ; and to teach us that the chief perfection and excellency of this glory arises from the wom● of our own essence , without knowing that 't is god , who immediately produces it in us . we discover in the principle , we have establish'd , not only the grandeur of the passions , but also of the vertues . 't is not necessary , in order to make this out , to give you an exact catalogue of them : we need but consider 'em confusedly , as they occur to our imagination . temperance is a venue , which undoubtedly elevates and raises man ; but temperance can have no solid basis and supports , unless from the motives of his immortality , and the eternal felicity to which he aspires . i confess , reason of it self is capable of ●eaching us to beware how we injure our health , and become our own enemies , thro' excesses of debauchery ; but this consideration does not lead us very far , since intemperance consists not simply in excess of plea●ure , but also in making even but a moderate use of forbidden pleasure . the only thing ●apable of raising us to this high situation , ●t which we ought to be , in order to abstain ●rom unlawful pleasure , is the consideration of eternity , for which we are made . nor has the justice which is commonly practic'd in the world , any greater eleva●ion and excellency , since it imports no more but the fear of a return of injustice ●nd retaliation , and we are apprehensive of ●njuring others meerly thro' fear of enda●aging our selves : this exercise of justice ●s not to be blam'd in the base and limited views of mortality ; but when a man is just because he is fill'd with the thoughts of e●ernity , he 's willing to confine himself to ●uch an interest and concern as deserves his care and application , we may say that he is ●quitable without fault or infirmity , and ●hat his vertue is uniform , and always ●ike it self . dis-interestedness passes for a sport of self-●ove , which takes advantage by an apparent renunciation of small and inconsiderable things , to arrive with more surety to a greater utility and profit . this holds true of the politick and artificial dis-interestedness of a worldly man : for including all his pretences and advantages within the narrow limits of this life , how can we conceive that he desires not those goods which other men pursue , or rather who does not see that he seems to turn his back to fortune , with a design to meet her more infallibly another way . the case is far otherwise with a man that considers himself in reference to eternity ; if he be interested , 't is with an interest so great , so sublime and lofty , that he may be so far from being asham'd to own it , that indeed 't is this , that makes all his glory and perfection . as he is immortal , 't is honourable for him to take his flight towards the coasts of eternity , and prosecute all those things with disdain and contempt , which are capable of diverting and putting him out of that road. in this state he resembles a great monarch , who blushes when surpriz'd in base and sordid occupations , and is cautious of seeming concern'd in trivial and inconsiderable affairs , being call'd , as he is , to so great and important imploys , and oblig'd to roll none but vast designs in his mind . liberality hath ordinarily but a meer shew of dis-interestedness . a liberal man values that , which he bestows , but he has a yet greater value for the glory of bestowing ; and is also desirous of ●btaining sacred and inviolable rights ●ver the hearts of those , whom he fa●ours with his benefits . the usual libe●ality is but a sort of commerce , and a gen●eel traffick of self-love ; which making an ●utward appearance of obliging others , ●oes but oblige and gratify it self , by win●ing and gaining them to its own interest . ●ll this holds true in the sphere of tempo●al goods , wherein the worldling supposes ●imself to be ; in this circle of corruptible ●bjects , concupiscence gives meerly with a ●esign to receive ; it ne're will go so far as ●o impoverish it self by its gifts . but ele●ate your selves above these corruptible ob●ects , and you 'll discover another world , ●hich rendering , what you saw before , mean ●nd contemptible in your sight , will put you ●n a condition to give , without any hope of ●estitution from men. you are very careful to hide the interest●d views of your heart , because on one side ●ou are sensible of what you are , and on the ●ther you know the vileness of those ob●ects , about which you are conversant . do ●ut become capable of this infinite interest , ●nd you need not endeavour to conceal it . ●n heart open'd to the embraces of heaven ●as no need to disguise it self ; all it has to ●o is , to know it self , to act upon that prin●iple , and to set out it self in its native and ●al hue. the shame , which confounds us , when men look hard upon us , proceeds not from this , that we know our selves too well , but that we know not our selves enough . such is bashfulness , the most polite and reasonable of all the vertues : or rather the artificial disguisement of our intemperance and pleasure , which tho' suffering us even with delight to think of those pleasures , of which we do not speak without trouble and uneasiness , has the care of regulating our desires ; as if corruption consisted rather in expressions than thoughts . this vertue , as defective and false as it is , springs from a very good source ; it certainly rises from a sense of our natural excellency . had nature design'd us for none but animal actions , as we conceive beasts to have no other end , we should be as far from blushing , as they , at those actions which bear a character of our conformity and likeness to them : but immortal and incorruptible , as naturally we are , 't is hard , that , notwithstanding that state of vileness and ignorance , to which sin has reduc'd us , we should not see something of that dignity which does so nobly distinguish us ; and consequently , that we should not have some sense of shame , at any thing which seems to vilify and degrade us . but lastly , this vertue , as we have already said , does not rise very high , when we exercise it only by the confus'd sentiment of nature and education : if you desire it ●hould purify your heart , as it does your tongue , you need only go out of this horizon of vanity , and ascend to the throne of god ; who is the principle and source of ●our immortality . the commerce you 'll have with him , will so elevate and raise you , ●hat , without any difficulty and violence , you 'll feel your self dispos'd and inclin'd to ●enounce all unworthy and ignoble affections . certainly 't is not the property , of the carnal and animal man , to blush at the vileness of nature ; 't is the incommunicable property of the immortal man , to be confounded at this : the shame indeed , of a worldling , may aspire at gaining the esteem of other men , by an affected purity ; but the ●mmortal man , seeks for grounds where upon to value himself , if he fear that he shall not be in a capacity of valuing himself in the view of his perfections . indeed , debauchery ●ncludes a doubt of one's true condition : consummate intemperance is the prostitution of a soul , that renounces its own dignity , and implies , that a man becomes a beast by renouncing shame , and abandoning himself to sensuality . much the same is to be said of modesty , as of bashfulness : were the approbation of men a sufficient reward , we should have no reason to conceal and cloak our design of attracting it , nor the joy wherewith it caresses and tickles us ; but as the instinct , that perswades us of our excellency , secretly convinces us , that this esteem is too trivial and inconsiderable for limiting all our pretensions , 't is not to be wonder'd , if we take care to hide our desire of being esteem'd , or the esteem and value we have for our selves : yet if we look somewhat closely in the matter , we shall find , that most commonly there is nothing but falshood and hypocrisy in this vertue , as 't is usually practic'd in the world. men that seem modest when they are prais'd , are not so when they are blam'd and reprehended ; this is no wonder , for that vertue cannot be of any great force , which ows its original to our infirmity ; and we are not rais'd very high , when we fall down again to the center of our vanity , which makes an apparent grandeur and real debasement . the modesty , which springs from the knowledge of our immortal condition , and consequently of our situation above the sphere of that esteem , which ties and confines us to temporal things , has a much greater forcc and elevation : it seems almost indifferent to praise and dis-praise , and is ready to put 'em in an equal ballance ; and makes us esteem and value none but those things which relate to this grand eternity ; which is the rule , whereby we measure the price and worth of all other things : and as we see , that persons very eminent , or who are so at least in their own conceits , seem more capable of modesty than others ; because their real , or imaginary elevation and advancement , places 'em above the sentiments of the vulgar sort : so may we more truly say , that one well instructed by the distinct ideas of nature , and the promises of religion , concerning the lofty destinies of man , has no great temptation to be transported and dazzled , at what degree soever of prosperity , and temporal glory he finds himself advanc'd . to this i add , that humility , which is the very soul of modesty , and all the other vertues , cannot proceed from any other source , than a sense of our natural excellency . whilst you make light of man , as man , you can esteem only those weak and mean advantages , which make the difference of conditions , and the distinction of persons ; and consequently , cannot but contemn and despise those , who fail of these advantages ; deal with 'em disrespectfully , prefer your selves before 'em , and advance , as it were , above their lowness , which is the most dangerous character of pride : but if you are perswaded , that man is the principal thing , which deserves esteem in man , you 'll respect in your neighbour , whatever is common to him with you : and tho' the order of society , which is that of god himself , establishing a mutual subordination assures you of his submission , and external homages , yet will you have for him an inward respect and veneration , as he hath for you ; and discover thro' these narrow dependances , which make you his superiour , an original and eternal grandeur , which renders him your equal in that , which you look upon , as the most estimable part of your nature . then indeed we may conceive man to be moderate , in the abundance of temporal goods , constant in adversity , and magnanimous in all conditions ; tho' the moderation , which worldlings make a show of , in the highest elevations of earthly pageantry be but a secret desire of seeming greater , than those things which raise 'em : the moderation , of the immortal man , is purely a sense of his own excellency , which truly raises him above all those things that seem'd capable of raising and advancing him . 't is the property of pride to disguise it self , that it may hide the disproportion betwixt what a man is , and what he believes is in the world. piety , which looks on those things as atomes , which seem like vast colossus's in the world's eye , need but bear it self up in the height of its natural situation , to see under its feet the vain pomp of humane grandeur ; and the equally vain multiplicity of disgraces and calamities , which , like a whirl-wind ; agitate and toss this lump of clay , and reverse these tabernacles of dust . the worldling can put on an affected constancy , to make people think him stronger than adversity ; and that this fortitude places him above the reach of bad fortune : this sentiment becomes not a man that includes all his remedies in time ▪ but is fitly plac'd in his breast , who finds himself made for eternity : without a counterfeit and feign'd magnanimity , nature and religion do sufficiently raise him for making him patient under all afflictions , and constant without affectation . such a man can fill , and adequately answer , the idea and model of the highest valour , when his vocation calls him to expose his person to the dangers of war ; and to let men see what they never yet saw in the world , a man valiant by reason , and stout without external cultivation and discipline his fortitude will not owe its force to stupidity , which hinders him from reflecting on what he does ; nor to example , which obliges him to follow in danger , the steps of other men ; nor to worldly concerns , which bid him not flinch and give ground , where honour calls ; nor lastly , to an heap of considerations , wheh may serve as a veil to hinder him from seeing the impendent danger : the immortal man exposes himself to death , because he very well knows that he cannot dye . the world cannot produce one heroe● since all its brave men are either fearful of death , or owe their intrepidness to their own infirmity : thinking to be valiant , they cease to be men ; and going to look death in the face , they lose the sight of themselves ; but the immortal man exposes himself , because he understands and knows himself . tho' we cannot find a true heroe in the world , yet we cannot but love those who appear to be such : heroism in that man's principles , who includes all his hopes in the world , is a meer extravagance ; yet we cannot choose but admire those persons who bear this character : this undoubtedly proceeds from a sense of our grandeur and dignity , which teaches us confusedly , and without the admission of reason to these mysteries of the heart , that man is above all . we are inwardly pleas'd and delighted to see a fellow quarrelling with fate and fortune ; we love to see him rais'd above dangers by his valour , and above all applause by his modesty : we would have nothing shake his stoutness and courage , and tho' we cannot bear , that his pride should despise us , yet we love he should despise all the injuries of the elements , the persecution of men ; and shew himself greater than all those things , which seem'd capable of pulling down his crest . constancy suits not with a perishing man ; but agrees with , i know not what , confus'd sense of our grandeur , which finds nothing too great for its vast capacity . hence undoubtedly sprung that idea of a wise man , which the stoicks vainly endeavour'd to answer : for truly their paradoxes in the principles of one , who believes not an eternity , are highly extravagant ; yet however extravagant they may be , they excite a kind of admiration in our heart , which we use not to have at things purely impossible . we should laugh at that man's folly , who should fancy he had wings to fly with ; and indeed the notion of a sage , who pretends he is rais'd above all adverse events , and yet casts not his eye beyond the limits of mortality , is no less unreasonable and senseless ; yet we find in this sentiment , something not altogether displeasing , which our soul insensibly admires : this undoubtedly proceeds purely from this cause , that these paradoxes agree , and suit with a confus'd sense of our natural dignity ; which forsakes us not , tho' it be usually unknown . this sense is disguis'd and hidden , in the midst of the apparent infirmities , and baseness of our nature , as diamonds are in the entrails of the earth , mingled with dirt or dross ▪ and as these must be purify'd and cleansed to give 'em their native lustre and brightness , and to know their value or worth : so is it necessary to purify this sense , of our natural excellency , by the ideas of religion , that we may see its beauty and perfection . the christian mantains these paradoxes , and fills the prodigious vacuity of these maximes : all of 'em become reasonable upon the principle of immortality , provided they be rightly understood . if they tell us the wise man is without passion , we shall find , that this character suits with the immortal man ; provided , that by passion you mean the alteration , which usually attends the passions , as these philosophers , seem to have done : for how can a man that is made for eternity , if he act conformably to the exact and true knowledge , he ought to have of himself , be very much embarass'd and perplex'd , with cares and passions , which wholly relate to time ? plac'd , as it were , upon a lofty mountain , he hears , with a serene and undisturb'd mind , the wind blow ; the thunder roar , and the lightning clouds burst under his feet : if few men enjoy this tranquillity and regard , with a generous indifferency , the goods and evils of this life , 't is because they are too ignorant of their immortal condition ; whereof even nature gives 'em an obscure glimpse , and a confus'd information : or , because they can't keep up in that lofty situation , to which religion advanc'd ' em . all this shews , that there is no compleat wise man ; yet this does not hinder us from concluding , that 't is the character of a wise man , to live without alteration ; & that we find this character more or less perfect , according as a man remembers what himself is . if the wise man ought to be sufficient to himself , may we not very well apply this idea to the immortal man ; who cannot percieve his true condition of coming from , and returning to god , without being assur'd , that worldly objects , which hinder him from knowing his true original and end , are far from satisfying his wants ? for this maxim must not be understood , in a sense exclusive of god ; without whom we are nothing at all : but in a sense exclusive of the world ; without which , 't is true , we both are , and are happy . i confess that he , who has fix'd all his desires upon earthly objects , can't live without company and conversation ; without that , he is plung'd in the ideas of the misery and vanity of all temporal things : he cannot live , unless he be diverted from the thoughts of death ; he cannot dye , unless he see those persons , who still buisy him with the thoughts of life : his prosperity and fortune become insupportable , unless those persons have a share with him , who divert his mind ; hinder it from thinking of the fatal necessity that 's impos'd upon him , of seeing it speedily come to a period . a weak and silly creature , that stumbles into a precipice , and to retard its fall for a moment , lays hold of any thing it can catch by ; but he 's surpriz'd with falling down , maugre these vain supports , into the inevitable abyss , which he sees before him . the immortal man has no need of making these disguisements , in order to obtain consolation and comfort , and keep the possession of himself : he affixes , even to death , an idea of glory and excellency ; which makes him look upon all that with anger and vexation , which diverts his thoughts from this object : he 's never better pleas'd than when he considers the glorious condition of his soul. the farrago of temporal goods , seems to him like an heap of dust thrown into his eyes , to hinder him from the enjoyment of his own perfections ; whatsoever diverts , and pleases the heart and mind of other men , is a burthen to him ; because it keeps him from meditating , and thinking of his real happiness . this paradox therefore is not at all extravagant in the mind of that man , who knows and loves himself as he ought ; if it fail of truth , this is to be imputed to our weakness and infirmity , and nothing but our error and folly do render it unreasonable and senseless . let the wise man command and govern the stars , be rais'd above fate , and more happy and perfect than jupiter himself ; these expressions are so much the more excessive , as they seem impious and wicked ; but we may put a favourable construction upon them : and certainly if the immortal man be said to be rais'd above the stars , above the concatenation of natural things , and those heroes , who , after their death , were set up for gods ; or , even those gods , so much like weak and sinful men , which paganism invented , 't is no more than what is true . we know the stars , tho' they know not us ; we owe them nothing , but they are beholding to us for the glittering lustre of their perfections : and , i dare say , 't is more natural , that they should be in a state of dependance upon us , than we upon them ; and tho' it pleas'd the author of nature , that they should make a necessary impression upon us ; yet 't is not for their glory , but our advantage , that he establish'd this order in the universe . the sun rules over the day , and the moon the night ; but god alone rules over man : and his prerogatives are excellently confirm'd by religion , when it teaches us , that god made him master over the works of his hands , and king of the visible world. if fate be a connection of external objects , and second causes , it can have no power over man ; because these objects perish and come to an end , but man does not . if jupiter be a god , guilty of ambition , injustice and intemperance , the idea of this pretended divinity is much more ignoble and inferior than that of a man ; whom the sense of his immortality and the grace of god , elevate and raise far above pride , interest , and the pleasures of this life . the immortal man is as invincible as the stoicks sage was represented to be . how should his courage be pull'd down , to whom the dangers o● this life , seem no dangers at all ; nor the miseries of this world , real miseries ? but the worldling cannot choose but be weak and cowardly ; his infirmity appears even thro' those outward shews of magnanimity and strength , which he affects , meerly to dazzle the eyes of his spectators , and admirers ; and that he may reap this miserable satisfaction , of making it be said , that he acted his part very well upon the theatre of humane life ; which is the whole reward of this master of the world , who took so much pains to raise himself above the common level of mankind . the world can't give us an instance of a stedfast constancy : the courage and resolution of heroes is but a machinal vertue , which is defeated and vanquish'd by the disorder of the least spring . he that so proudly defy'd the gods and fortune , in the midst of dangers , at the head of armies , trembles at the thoughts of dying in his bed : he dar'd a death , accompany'd with noise and tumult ; but cannot away with the prospect of a quiet and peaceable departure . the philosopher , that hugg'd himself , and rejoyc'd at suffering a thousand illustrious misfortunes and famous disasters , cheer'd up and solac'd by their approbation , who admir'd his constancy ; yet conceives a kind of despair , when reduc'd to adversity , in a private corner : but tho' the worldling be necessarily weak and cow-hearted , the immortal man can hardly avoid the character of constancy and valour ; all the infirmity he has , proceeds meerly from the regards and opinions of men , and temporal society ; which make the whole strength and courage of the heroes of the age. he 's troubled to see people crying about him ; the sympathising of others , with his pretended misery , casts him down , and calls him back , as it were , from heaven , to these gloomy regions : in solitude and retirement , he finds himself advanc'd above outward accidents , and the opinions of men ; he can freely say , what a confus'd notion of man's excellency , caus'd a heathen poet to utter : si fractus illabatur orbis , impavidum ferient ruinae . and may cry out with him , whom religion had much better instructed : who shall separate me from the love of christ ? shall oppression or anguish ? o death , where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? he that thinks to get above disgraces and adversity , by standing upon other men's heads , is mistaken : he must return back again , by the way that he came , to find what he hitherto in vain search'd after . 't is not pride , that with its forc'd distinctions and eternal constraints , can render him stedfast and constant ; but humility must do this , by reducing him to that natural equality of perfection and excellency , which is common to all mankind ; who have the same original and end of coming from god , and returning to god. but if our comfort and elevation be grounded in the sense of our immortality , 't is from thence likewise , that our real satisfaction and contentment proceeds . our heart is a kind of devouring fire , which mounts up higher and higher , and never says , 't is enough : give it all it can reasonably ask , 't will but still form new desires ; if it be master of the universe , 't will either , like alexander , wish for new worlds to conquer ; or will grow out of conceit with its proper grandeur , like those roman emperours , who , when come to be lords and masters of mankind , dis-relish and nauseate their puissance and greatness ; find an extream disproportion betwixt the good they have obtain'd , and the ardour wherewith they desir'd it . tho' masters of other men's fortune , they are not content with their own ; they miss of the fullness of their expected satisfaction . tiberius had need be an emperour , to go and cloister up himself in the isle of capreae ; and take full draughts of those infamous pleasures , whose ragoo consists in singularity and excess of crime ! his being simply a man , without the character of emperour , was sufficient for this : nay , he need not be a man to entitle him to this ; he must put off humanity , and by a monstrous debauchery , descend even below the condition of beasts : but the reason of it is , because those excesses of pleasure , were the despair of ambition . he was forc'd to descend so low , because he saw no possibility of rising higher than he was : for the heart of man can never rest . these famous deboches had always a fancy , that happiness consisted in outward grandeur ; when they are mounted to the height of that , they presently disabuse themselves , and see their errour : then , like the conqueror of the persians , they believe that another kind of greatness is requir'd to make a man happy ; or weary'd with the fatigues of grandeur and state , they betake themselves to the fruition of pleasure : they endeavour to repair the time they have lost , and to regain , by singularity , what they lose in duration ; but in a while they become more out of conceit with pleasure than greatness , and ambition calls 'em back to their former state ; as appears in the case of tiberius , who after having given up the empire to his favorite , that he might with more quiet and tranquillity tast the excess of sensuality , is at length tempted to quit his pleasures for the sake of the empire ; the cares of which he again finds fault with , after the death of seja●s ; being as much discontented at rome , as he was at capreae , always having an insatiable and restless heart . this picture represents the heart , not only of tiberius , but of all mankind ; who are in a perpetual , and , as it were , necessary tossing and agitation , whilst they fix themselves upon worldly objects . god has endu'd man with a capacity proportionable to his immortality ; namely , an infinite capacity . 't is therefore impossible he should be satisfy'd with corruptible and transitory goods ; what is finite can by no means fill him : but perswade him once of his immortality , and give him goods eternal , like himself , and you 'll presently see him contented and satisfy'd . having endeavour'd to know the nature , duties , and the most powerful motives , or moral force , which naturally determine the heart of man , 't will not be amiss , in the next place , to pass to the consideration of his irregularities ; the spring of which we shall consider first , in order to know the rivulets that flow from it . the end of the first part. the second part . where we enquire after the source of our corruption , and treat of self-love , of the force of its applications , the extent of its affections , and irregularities in general and in particular . chap. i. where we enquire after the source of our corruption , by handling the first of our faculties , which is the understanding . i don't take the common school-distinction o● understanding and will , mind and heart , reason and appetite , to be proper for disentangling and clearing our ideas ; but we must be forc'd to follow this too much receiv'd custome : we call understanding , mind , or reason , the soul , as it knows ; that is , as it conceives , judges , reasons , remembers , reflects and methodizes its knowledge . we term heart , will , or appetite , the soul , as it has the affections of love , hatred , desire , fear , joy , hope , despair , or any other of the passions . i think we shall not be much out of the way , if we define the mind , the soul as it knows ; and the heart , the soul as it loves : for as conceptions , judgments , and discourses , are but different modes of knowledge , so 't is certain that desire , fear , hope , and in general all other affections , are only modes or different manners of love ; but this is not to be insisted upon at present . our business here is to know , whether the original source of our corruption , be in the mind , or in the heart : whether the first spring of our evil , be in the knowledge of our soul , or in its affections . we answer , that 't is not in the mind , because then the mind would have been order'd to conduct and regulate it self , by the dictates of the heart ; whereas we see the heart has been order'd to regulate it self by the mind . for 't would be unreasonable , that what is less corrupted , should be guided by that which is more irregular and disorderly ; and that the source of our corruption , should be the rule of our conduct : and indeed were it so , a man would not be oblig'd to steer and guide himself by his reason , 'till he should have been assur'd , that god had extraordinarily enlightned him ; and he must wait for an enthusiasm , and immediate inspiration , before he could have right to act in the quality of a rational creature . also the holy scripture always attributes the offuscation , and darkness of the mind , to the evil affections of the heart : if our gospel be hidden , says st. paul , 't is hidden to them that perish , whose understandings the god of this age has blinded . 't is easy to conceive , that by the god of this age , he means the demon of concupiscence : and upon almost the like account , our saviour said to the jews ▪ how can ye believe , seeing that ye seek for glory one of another ? certainly , were the mind the original of our depravation , 't would always , and in all circumstances , have its natural obscuration and darkness ; 't would be as blind in the study of the sciences , as of religion , and 't would succeed no better in knowing such objects , as are indifferent to it , than those , which interess and concern it . when an eye is cover'd with a web , or clos'd up by an obstruction , 't is not in a condition to see one object , more than another ; but when its darkness proceeds from the obstacle of clouds ▪ fog , or any exterior veil , 't is easier for it to perceive distant objects , and 't will see very clearly when the extraneous impediment is remov'd , without receiving any change or alteration in it self . so say we , if the understanding were in it self naturally darken'd , 't would be as liable to error in its curious and needless enquiries , as 't is in those which import and concern it ; for its darkness would be uniform , and always the same : but because 't is cover'd only with fogs and mists , which rise from the seat of the affections , no wonder if its obscuration ends , so soon as the heat of passion ceases . this is a common matter of fact ▪ one that has a rectitude of mind , and exactness of admirable reason , for apprehending what is most abstruse , and intricate in the sciences ; who knows when to doubt and suspend his assent to things that are dubious ; to affirm true things , and deny false ; to have a simple opinion of probable things , to demonstrate those that are certain , who will not mistake true for false , nor one degree of truth for another ; will no sooner have a point of interest to manage , but his former rectitude of mind forsakes him ; his reason bends to the humour of his desires , and evidence is confounded with utility and profit . whence proceeds this darkness ? from the objects ? no , for these objects are easier and clearer , than those of the sublime and lofty sciences , which he so well-penetrated and understood . is it from any natural defect of the mind ? no , from this much less than the other : that has reason'd perfectly well touching matters of speculation ; and put it to discourse of secular concerns , provided they be not its own , but another man's , 't will reason about 'em with the same exactness . but if after you have carried the mind of this man , from the objects of the sciences , to the affairs of life , you call it again from thence , to the consideration of the truths of religion , you 'll perhaps find his mind yet more obnoxious to falshood and illusions : because a greater interest , does also produce a greater errour . such a passion as interest , is of very great prevalence and force , in obscuring the light of reason , but yet those passions , which directly oppose reason , are more capable of producing this ill effect : for , 't is not , as men commonly imagine , the degree of darkness , which is originally in the understanding , that causes the number of our passions ; but 't is the number and vehemency of the passions , that cause this degree of darkness in our understanding . but were the understanding originally darken'd , it would not be remedied , unless by a new and extraordinary infusion of light , which is contrary to experience : for the understanding of a sinner , that betakes himself to a strict repentance for his transgressions , is not fill'd with other ideas and knowledge , than he had before : i mean , according to the ordinary course of things . a man indeed , after his conversion , has the ideas of god , salvation and eternity , he 's convinc'd of his own mortality , and the frailty of humane things : he looks upon piety , as a most proper means , for procuring repose and tranquillity in life ; consolation and comfort in death , and a glorious resurrection from the grave . but yet he was fully perswaded , of all these truths , before his repentance : ( for i suppose he sinn'd not in incredulity . ) wherefore he cannot be said , to have acquir'd any new knowledge ; but to have transcrib'd that knowledge into practice , which before was meerly speculative . and our saviour does partly testify this , in declaring to his enemies , that the degree of their knowledge , aggravated their blame . indeed the want of light excuses a man from the faults he commits , when this privation is necessary and voluntary : for is any one to be blam'd , for not seeing that which 't was impossible for him to see ? nor can we excuse him , whose blindness we suppose to be voluntary , and willful . he that is deceiv'd and mistaken by reason of the heart , and not thro' any natural want of light , sees and not sees : he has knowledge enough to perceive , that he follows not his own light ; and this seems the only means of reconciling two expressions of the holy scripture , which appear very contradictory : for one while it accuses the sinner of ignorance , folly , stupidity , blindness , of walking in darkness , of not knowing what he does ; another while it blames him for sinning against his own light ; for resisting the truth which enlightens him ; for being condemn'd by his own thoughts , and reprehended by his conscience . all these expressions are true , and only seem to be opposite : the sinner does both see , and not see : he sees by the understanding , which god hath given him , capable of knowing and making use of the truth ; he is blind , and does not see , by his heart , which evaporates and sends up , to the seat of the superior faculties of the soul , continual fumes and clouds , which obnubilate and darken the understanding . i am not ignorant , that the schools use to make a distinction , betwixt two sorts of knowledge or light , that they may solve this difficulty : viz. speculative and practical ; they draw this definition from their effects : speculative light , which goes no farther than simple contemplation , does but ●loat , as it were , in the understanding ; whereas , what they call practical knowledge , does not stop at the mind , but takes a farther descent , down into the heart ; gains the will , makes it self mistress of the affecti●ns , and inclines us to practice , whatsoever it orders and appoints : but it must needs be own'd , that this distinction leads us not far in the discovery of things ; seeing it imports no more than this , that we have some knowledge that is operative and useful , and other that is dead and inefficacious . if we look narrowly into this point , we shall find , that knowledge is ordinarily either speculative , or practical , according as it concerns , or not concerns our heart . when we consider truth , in the sciences , we have usually no more than a speculative knowledge of it ; but considering it in the objects , which interest and concern us , as in the affairs of civil life , or points of religion , we hate it , or love it , according as 't is agreeable , or disagreeable ; and it determines us to action , or aversation , according as it bears one , or t'other of these characters : hence you see , that the practical truth of the school-men is that , which has some force and efficacy ; but truth draws its whole force from the heart . the case is much the same , with the light of the understanding , as with that we behold in nature : it enlightens all things , but of it self moves not any thing : it has lustre and brightness , but no strength ; it can conduct and guide , but not support and hold us up . when none but reason speaks , we shall look upon its decisions as meer dreams , as dry and barren truths , which are good for nothing , but to be plung'd into oblivion ; we shall look upon 'em as the importunate councels of a pedant , that wearies and vexes ●s with unseasonable advices . were men determin'd in their actions by reason , philosophers would be more prevalent , in perswaing , than orators : for the former have a just and exact reason , a severe judgment , which weighs , and examines , and makes just comparisons of all things ; whereas the latter do often abound in fictions , lies , figures , which would be but pompous and splendid impostures , did not necessity it self justify these excesses of speech ; and were not men agree'd in mitigating and allaying their signification : but because they are determin'd by their affections , it falls out quite contrary to reason , that oratours are commonly much more successful , in perswading , than philosophers : 't is because the soul does not balance , and weigh the reasons , but it s own interests ; and considers not the light , but it s own utility and advantage . good attracts our love , evil our aversion ; pure reason does neither of these , but only as it represents the objects to us : and here , by the by , we may see the errour of those , who place man's free-will in the indifferency of his soul , to pursue , or not pursue the good which is presented to it . certainly this indifferency is no where else , but in the imagination ; 't is not in the objects : good is not indifferent to its being good , nor is evil indifferent to its being evil ; nor is it in the reason , for this is not free to assent to that which seems false , nor to reject what is true : 't is not indifferent ▪ to judge , that , what it apprehends to be evil , is good ; nor that , what seems good , is evil. the soul is not indifferent to love or hate , what it apprehends as good and agreeable ; for if so , 't would be indifferent to love or hate it self , which is against nature . chap. ii. where we continue to shew , that the source of our corruption , is not in the understanding . in saying , that the corruption of the understanding , proceeds from the will , we don't mean , that all our ignorances and errours , without exception , are deriv'd from our affections : for as to the former of these , certainly all kinds of ignorance , are not to be look'd upon as defects . 't is not the property of men , or angels ; or in general any creature , how perfect soever , to be omniscient : this is the character of the supream being , and infinite understanding , which governs and rules the universe . in general , we should not make any matter of that ignorance , which proceeds from either of these reasons , that our nature is too finite and limited , and the object too sublime ; or , from the shortness of our life , which will not permit us to attain the knowledge of all things , &c. for mortality is not a crime to our body , nor is our soul to be blam'd for not being infinite . neither the ignorance of the mysteries of nature , nor of the secrets of providence , can be look'd upon as the corruption of the understanding . jesus christ was the mod●l and pattern of perfection , and yet as man , he had not the knowledge of all things , for he was ignorant of the day of ju●●ment . the ignorance of our duties , of our sins , and of the benefits we have receiv'd , is that , which makes the corruption of our understanding ; this ignorance proceeds not from want of light , and can bear no apology or justification ; nor are speculative errours to be thought vices of the understanding : so far are they from it , that they have often remain'd in souls , which god had enlighten'd by his revelation , after an immediate and extraordinary manner : for it does not appear , that either moses , or any of the prophets , had other ideas of the sun , stars , earth , &c. than what were obvious to the vulgar sort ; and indeed , 't was not requisite , that god should make those men philosophers , by his revelation , whom he design'd for the instruction of the most simple and illiterate persons . it s no matter , tho' the vulgars are mistaken , in apprehending the stars like flamboys : but 't is a great exorbitance and excessive fault for those sages , who have such exact ideas of the magnitude of the heavenly bodies , yet to look upon eternity , god , and religion , as but so many points , or rather so many shadows and remote appearances . our reason may be enlighten'd , tho' it has the former prejudice ; but if it has the latter , it must needs be blind . but 't is very easy to justify the mind , and to make it appear , that 't is not the original fountain of our corruption , by examining its different ways and manners of knowing : for , to begin with the simple conceptions of our understanding ; no idea in our soul is evil as such , or as it represents an object to us . the objects of pleasure , glory , nay , and of sin it self , have nothing criminal in themselves , seeing we are permitted to know these objects ; the same may be said of the judgments , and discourses of the soul. nor are the first notions criminal , seeing that they are of so clear and so easy evidence , that the mind no sooner begins to exercise and use its reason , but it presently apprehends ' em . discourse is a kind of acquir'd knowledge , which will never deceive us unless the heart interpose and mingle it self with it ; for 't is an usual saying , that common sense never deceives ; to denote that man reason's well naturally . yet , by the way , 't is to be observ'd , that , among our different kinds of knowledge , ideas have more force to determine our will , than the judgments , or discourses of the mind ; this is true generally speaking : the reason of it is , because our notices , as we have already remark'd , have no force of themselves ; but borrow it all from the affections of the heart . and hence it comes to pass , that men are never very successful in perswading , unless they interpose , as it were , a mixture of sense among their reason or knowledge . now none , but a remote good , can be mingled with reasons ; for seeing you are oblig'd to use reasonings and discourses , in order to make it known , it appears , that 't is at some distance off : whereas an idea , or simple perception , partaking of the quality , and being either pleasant or unpleasant , according to the disposition of its object , makes you of it self actually feel and perceive that which discourse makes you only expect and wait for . but yet this is not the source of the evil. the irregularity proceeds from this , that spiritual ideas don't make near so great impressions upon our soul , as corporeal ideas , which enter'd in by the channel of sense ; whereas by right they should make a much greater , since the perception of our own soul ought to be more vivid and lively than that of external objects , and the experience of spiritual things should more nearly touch and affect us than the knowledge of the senses , which concern us only in outward objects . corporeal ideas seem to be design'd for no other purpose but for the good of the body , which they conduct and guide , whereas spiritual ideas ought to direct our soul , and lead it to the sources and fountains of its happiness ; so that as much as the value of our soul exceeds that of the body , so much are spiritual ideas naturally more important , than corporeal , and as they are more necessary , so ought they naturally to make a greater and more lively impression . as ideas are a kind of internal sense , being pleasant or unpleasant , according to the character of the things they represent , because they partake of the quality of their objects ; 't is no mistake to say , that they belong in some sort to the affections or sentiments of the soul , which are either corporeal , as sensations , or spiritual , as the affections of the heart ; so tho' we say the corruption of man arises from hence , that corporeal ideas make too lively and strong impressions upon the soul , yet this does not contradict our principle , that the corruption of reason proceeds from that of the heart . chap. iii. where we enquire after the manner , how the heart deceives the mind . this imposture of the heart , which deceives the mind , proceeds from voluntary inapplications , affected distractions , beloved ignorances , from errours , occasion'd by the ardent desire we have to cheat our selves , and from this inclination , which removes and alienates our mind from all that is afflictive , and firmly binds it to all that is pleasing and delightful . the first thing then , which the heart does , is to fill us with unprofitable objects , that it may distract and divert us from those , the consideration whereof would be more important and useful to us , tho' the sight of 'em seem afflictive and unpleasant . we find , among others , two ideas in our soul , which we fear and dread above all the rest ; which are the ideas of our misery and our duty ▪ the idea of our misery comprehends that of the frailty of the world , of our own mortality , our sins , the justice of god , our vices , infirmities , and of the shame , which naturally follows ' em . the idea of duty includes a thousand obligations , which are painful to such a voluptuous soul as ours , troublesome and disagreeable to an heart affected with nothing but pleasure , mortifying to pride , and intolerable to self-love . hence the most trivial occupations , the most insipid diversions , the most infructuous knowledge , the most unacceptable employments , become the object of our application or enquiry , as if they were capable of rendering us happy . nothing seems delightful but what unsettles and distracts us . any thing that passes the time away merrily and insensibly , and plunges us in the ignorance of our selves , charms and allures us . the gamester spends his whole life in a continual transport from joy to sadness , from hope to fear ; if any one should hinder him from the turbulent succession of his thoughts and various agitations , he would certainly deprive him of the whole pleasure of his life : but you need not wonder at it ; this agitation and hurry buisies and employs him , and that 's enough . he thinks himself happy , if he can but be dispenc'd with from reflecting upon his misery : his hope flatters him , even when he loses ; and his soul is always so flexible to any pleasing prospect , that when he wins , he believes he can never lose ; and when he loses , he fills himself with hopes of winning . the case is the same with the divers professions of men : good and evil follow by turns in that path , and are connected to it , as we know too well by experience ; but our soul is constant in applying its regard to nothing else , but what tickles and flatters it ; and if it chance to meet with an evil , instead of the good it expected , it forms to it self an imaginary felicity , made up purely of its own chimera's and illusions . give an ambitious man what he demands ; place him in the rank he aspir'd at , yet he 'll hardly reap any other advantage , than to be able to conceive farther hopes , and to put upon himself new cheats and impostures . we love and delight in war , not as 't is an hazardous profession , that often exposes us to danger ; or as 't is incommodious , by putting us to suffer great hardship , but because it buisies our mind and heart , by the extream variety of the objects it presents to 'em ; and in some measure answers this eternal agitation of our soul , which flies and shuns the sight or it self , and seeks after subjects for new illusions , wherewith to feed and divert it . you don't think how remarkable the illusions , and impositions of the heart are in the affairs of civil life . we first deceive and cheat our selves , and afterwards , if possible , other men. don't trust my sincerity , my honesty , nor my long experienc'd fidelity : indeed i have maxims of equity and rectitude in my mind , which i use to regard ; but the corruption of my heart makes a play-game of these general rules . to what purpose do i respect the law of justice , if i do it no farther than it stands with my pleasure and conveniency ; and if it be in the power of my heart , to perswade me of the justice , or injustice of a thing ? don't put any confidence in it ; the vertue and justice , by which i have attracted a great name , and reputation thro' the whole course of my actions , are not really in me , they only make an outward appearance , to the end that men may trust and confide in me ; whilst injustice lies in the bottom of my heart , to put reason upon action ; and absconds and hides it self , that it may catch and surprize you with more facility and ease . but the greatest mischief of it is , that one illusion breeds a great many others : for as an heart , interested to pre-occupy and prejudice the mind , to its own advantage and concern , in opposition to the truth , makes use of a multitude of probable , but false reasons , in order to support its pretences . the soul , which affects its reasons , considering 'em with pleasure , often re-collecting 'em and turning their best side outward , comes insensibly to take the degree of its own application for the degree of their evidence , and then it receives 'em as infallible maxims , makes 'em a source of prejudices , which being false , yet constantly supposed to be true , become to it a perpetual fountain of error and illusion . moreover , when in any concern we are prejudic'd against a man for our own interest and profit ; the hatred we bear to his pretension , makes us condemn all his reasons , and any that are kin to those which he imploy'd in defending his cause ; as we see the aversion we have to an enemy will make us hate even an indifferent person , if he do but any way resemble him ; and i leave any man to guess , what influence these prejudices afterwards have upon our actions and conduct . but to return to our distractions , and voluntary inapplications : i think nothing is more extraordinary , than the carriage and proceeding of democritus , who after having judg'd the affairs , and common-pleas of the abderites , for many years , with such uprightness and ability , as put the whole world in admiration , considering the meanness of this occupation , and willing to enjoy and live to himself , abandon'd humane society , and retir'd into a desart , that he might diligently follow the study of wisdom , and the knowledge of himself ; where hippocrates thinking to go and cure him of the f●lly , with which people fancy'd him cr●s'd and sick , finds him buisy'd and wholly taken up in ridiculing the extravagancies of mankind . he that dares support the view of himself , exceeds the character of an heroe . indeed our philosopher's retirement from the world made wise men esteem him , which he valu'd much more than the injudicious opinions or the vulgars : perhaps his main design , even in this , was to acquire a reputation and fame . it may be he thought the approbation of the abderites , was not considerable enough to satisfy his greedy thirst of vain glory ; if so , his solitude was not so great as men imagin'd : he left the society of the abderites meerly for the sake of better company ; and he retir'd into the wilderness with a design of being more visible , and conspicuous to the eyes of mankind . what can be less reasonable than this saying of cyneas to pyrrhus , which history relates as a very wise speech , rest without going so far : does he imagine 't is so easy a thing for a man to rest himself ; pyrrhus might more easily conquer the romans , subdue italy , sicily , and carthage , than overcome the natural repugnance of his heart to quiet and repose , which this importunate fellow advis'd him to , thinking it might hinder him from going out of the territories of himself . most of the philosophers , finding the study of man so painful and laborious , betook themselv●s to dry and barren contemplations of nature ; which charm'd 'em on one side , because they buisy'd and employ'd their mind ; and on the other , because they signaliz'd and distinguish'd 'em : for , by the way , 't is an errour to imagine , that our soul loves truth purely for its own sake . no truths are more evident and certain , than those which are obvious to the knowledge of all men ; yet none seem more indifferent . how comes this to pass ? 't is because truth , as such , seems not amiable , but only as 't is capable of distinguishing , and raising us to fame and reputation . but if the sages themselves are cully'd and impos'd upon , by the effort of their passions , it cannot be imagin'd that those , at the lower end of the world , are exempted from this voluntary darkness of the heart . every passion has a particular imposture : the passions heretofore form'd a religion exactly suited to their own humour ; namely , the pagan . indeed they could not prevail quite so much in the sun-shine of christianity : yet they endeavour it the utmost they can ; and though they have not been compleatly successful , they have very near the matter shot the mark they aim'd at : so prodigiously do they disguise the religion , which our saviour christ brought into the world , and which declares open war against the whole circle of the passions . 't is certain that every vice has its morality : there 's a morality of interest , pride , pleasure , revenge , &c. according as these views imprint their maxims in the understanding . no wonder at this , seeing that when truth appears to enlighten us , the heart rejects , and sends it away with such a kind of speech as felix did paul : go thy way now , and when i have a convenient season , i 'll send for thee : but the heart takes a course to darken the lustre and clearness of this truth ; for that it may not hear its voice , it fills it self with the noise and clamour of the world ; and to wave and divert the consideration of what 't is most highly concern'd to know , it employs it self wholly about a multitude of objects , that are utterly unprofitable , and not worth knowing . sometimes 't is forc'd to make a comparison of two objects , one whereof is the object of a lawful and reasonable desire , the other of a temptation and irregularity : it must needs side with one or t'other . reason is call'd to judge and pass sentence ; but with how great partiality does it execute this office ? where the object of duty has ten degrees of evidence , the soul will perceive scarce two ; it discerns not the rest , because a clear manifestation often requires a particular search , which it dreads , and never makes but with regret and unwillingness . on the contrary , the object of the temptation appears in its full lustre , this it turns every way , takes a distinct view of all its faces and appearances , because such a consideration as this , fixes its application with delight and pleasure ; the soul is inventive in discovering such reasons as favour and countenance its desire , because each of these reasons excites in it a sensible agreement and delight ; but on the contrary , 't is very slow and dull in apprehending those which oppose its inclination , tho' never so obvious and plain ; because 't is troubled and mortify'd at finding that , which it does not seek , and can never have a very good opinion of that , which it does not receive , but with regret and uneasiness . thus the heart breaking off , and disappointing the reflections of the mind as often as it pleases , and carrying away its thoughts to the interest of its passion , respecting meerly its own pleasure , and advantage in its comparison of things , voluntarily omitting what opposes its desires , having but languid and frozen perceptions of duty ; conceiving on the contrary with all possible attention , delight and ardour , whatsoever favours its inclination : no wonder , if it make sport , and put tricks upon the light of the mind ; and if we judge of things , not according to truth , but the biass of our own propensities . chap. iv. where we consider the mutual illusions between the heart and the mind , and how god alone destroys 'em by his grace . if the heart corrupt the mind , the mind , in like manner , fill'd with false prejudices , may be thought to corrupt the heart , by communicating its darkness , and nourishing it with its own errours . 't is easy to conceive , that in this state , the corruption of man , can't be cur'd by natural remedies : for in this continual circle of illusions and deviations , which make the mind deceive and impose upon the heart , whence can there be any light and rectitude ? if you would enlighten the reason of man , the affections presently reject the evidence you bring ; if you go to correct the exorbitance of the affections , you find you can't do it , but by shewing the soul in what errours and precipices 't is perplexed and engag'd ; which is impossible to be done , unless it be enlighten'd . thus nothing but reason can correct and reform the heart , but commerce with the heart can't enlighten the reason ; what remedy can there be found for this disorder ? rack your invention , set your wit and fancy to work ; you 'll find no other cause capable of producing this effect , but god himself , acting by his grace . if the case be so , 't is reasonable to suppose that god , who so perfectly knows the origine of our malady , begins the cure by correct●ng that faculty which is productive of all the rest . we have already said , that the first root of this disorder is grounded in this , that our imagination acts in a more vigorous and lively manner than our reason ; that is , corporeal ideas make a vivid and strong impression upon our soul , whilst spiritual ideas seem weak and languid . 't is easy to conceive , that in order to re-establish our soul , in its due state of rectitude and uprightness , 't is requisite that god should so bring it about , by his grace , that the spiritual ideas of duty , vertue , eternity , &c. may make a stronger and more lively impression than they us'd to do ; and that on the contrary , the images of the world , of pleasure , delight , and in general of sensible goods , may seem but dull , and almost imperceptible . god does the first , by fixing in the mind spiritual ideas , afterwards by rendering 'em pleasant and agreeable ; and lastly , by extending and enlarging 'em grace fixes in our mind good ideas , just as melancholly fixes sad and dismal notions in the soul ▪ let a melancholy person use his utmost endeavour , to chase from his mind horrid and afflictive ideas , they 'll still return , and haunt him wherever he goes . so those salutary and good ideas we speak of , being fix'd by grace , in vain will our corruption strive to remove 'em , they still return , present themselves again , repress and bridle concupiscence , stop its exorbitances ; nay , and sometimes prevent , even the reflections of our mind : for we see , an honest man exerts good actions , as it were by instinct , and without premeditation . because , tho' not perceiving it , he follows the ideas which grace has fix'd in his understanding . god enlarges spiritual ideas , by fixing 'em in our mind , thro' his grace ; that is , he makes us consider spiritual objects in their just proportion and natural form whence 't is to be observ'd , that the ideas of piety , having a kind of opposition to the ideas of the world , the one cannot be enlarg'd , without the others be contracted and limited . the idea of time , hides that of eternity , the idea of eternity , extreamly abbreviates and contracts that of time. as 't is the pleasure , which self-love causes us to take in considering the ideas of the world , that enlarges and fixes 'em in our imagination ; the soul , to the utmost of its power , magnifying and eternizing whatsoever is agreeable and delightful to it : so may we suppose , that grace causes the good impression , which spiritual ideas make upon us ; that is , it fixes and enlarges 'em , by accompanying 'em with a certain sense of consolation and unspeakable joy , which the scripture sometimes calls the joy of the holy ghost , and sometimes , the peace of god which ●a●seth all understanding . as the mind , apply'd by our passions to corporeal ideas , may be term'd the intellect of the mortal man ; so the mind , apply'd by grace to spiritual ideas , may justly be call'd the intellect of the immortal man. there is an extream difference betwixt these two , the one is almost continually bewilder'd in errours , the other is almost exempt from errour : for as our errours , at least those which are of dangerous consequence , have their source in the violence of the passions , and these passions cannot but be very moderate in one , who is conducted by the views of eternity , and not of temporal things ; we may judge , that he is not subject to those illusions , which commonly cheat and deceive us . the immortal man , finding himself glorious in his own nature , most happy in the state propos'd to him by religion ; and elevated far above time and the world , by nature and revelation , has no reason to shun the prospect of himself , nor fear being afflicted by considering his end. no diversion relishes with him , at least not such as pleases the worldling's palate ; for he seeks , not only the refreshment of his body , and recreation of his mind , ( in this design there would be nothing unreasonable ) but he searches for all that may buisy his thoughts , and bar him from taking a view of himself ; which appears from this , that even after repose and ease , he still reaches after farther divertisements , and is so charm'd and caress'd with the enjoyment of 'em , that he cannot be given up , and retir'd to himself , for a moment , without great anxiety and disquietude , which proceeds from hence , that the weight of what is past , which is no more in his account , but an object of trouble and regret ; and the future , which he looks upon as an object of doubt and uncertainty , combine together to crush his heart with their gravity and burthen , and plunge it into the sad reflections of an inevitable misery : but the immortal man conceives all those things as vexatious and afflictive , which are capable of diverting and carrying him away from the confines of himself ; and is fretted and troubled at those importunate veils , which intercept the sight of his own grandeur ; and at those objects , which suspend the joy he perceives in the perfect knowledge of himself . affection can't impose upon the immortal man , his passions are moderate , seeing that he cannot long enjoy and partake of those things , which bear so little proportion to the extent of his duration ; blameless and untainted , he casts his eyes on earthly things , because he consider's 'em all with indifferency . he is not pre-possest with pride : a man is not very careful to raise himself a great name in a place , where he is to sojourn but for a very short time : nor with interest ; his reason does not shew it self partial for his lucre and profit , seeing he is in view of an other interest , to free him from all other prejudices . and certainly right reason and prudence may be said to be proper to him alone ; tho' a man be cunning and ingenious to heap up riches , to conquer or govern provinces , yet if his knowledge reach no farther , he is still no better than a fool : indeed he has fram'd the edifice with a great deal of reason and dexterity , but he laid its foundation upon the sand. worldly men are wise enough in the choice of those means , which they employ to bring about the ends of their designs ; but are irrational and senseless in choosing the end which they propose . the immortal man is as wise in the choice of the end , as of the means ; and consequently exactness of mind , uprightness , reason , judgment and prudence , are proper to none but him . the gospel affords us an illustrious example , of this elevation , in the person of jesus christ ; in whom we discover , not only an immortal man , but the prince of immortality : 't is equally surprizing and admirable to find in him a god , crawling on the earth , and conversing with men ; and a man , enthron'd in the kingdom of heaven , and rais'd above the region of all temporal things . consider but the simple and plain manner , in which his disciples relate his doctrines , actions , and the divers circumstances of his life , and this will perswade you , that they had not a design to make a flattering description of their divine master : for certainly these poor men , were not sufficiently skill'd in the sublimity of manners , for successfully broaching a fictitious portraicture of him. yet must it withal be granted , that the history of our saviour , tho' compil'd without the affectation of study , and elegance of art , carries with it such a loftiness and elevation of style , as was never known before his appearance : for he 's the first that acts , and speaks like an immortal man , and teaches us to steer , and conduct our lives , by the views of eternity . he seeks not any thing that may distract , and take him off from the duties of his charge , or divert him from meditating and thinking of himself ; he spends the day in instructing the multitude , and the night in praying to god. that which men use to covet and desire , is an object of his contempt and disdain ; he 's not ambitious of any man's esteem ; nor does he eagerly follow great mens heels , with hopes of benefaction and preferment : he uses not a sordid indulgence , nor a false complaisance to any rank , or condition whatsoever . he has been said to have had the knowledge of nature , for no other end but only , that he might understand how to take emblems from it ; which he makes use of and employs to lead men to god. those are not his friends which have a temporal relation to him , but those that are related to him in god ; that is , who are truly his disciples , and do the will of his heavenly father : he measures the wisdom and folly of men , not by their craftiness and ingenuity in the things of this life , but by a dexterity and wisdom , which tends to the infinite and incorruptible good. his desires , fears , anger , thoughts , discourses , works , occupations and studies , stop no longer at the confines of time then 't is necessary , in order to separate and loosen men from it , but are all directed to eternity . and doubtless tho' the intimate commerce he has , with his eternal father , should not fill his mind with supernatural lights ; yet his own sanctity , which disengages him from holding commerce with creatures , would be sufficient to secure him from those illusions and cheats , whereby men are commonly inveigled and deceived . having now consider'd the first of our faculties , and seen that the original source of our corruption is not in the mind , we must in the next place consider the heart , which is the soul as it loves , or the seat of the affections . chap. v. where we continue to search for the sources of our corruption , by considering the motions and inclinations of the heart . as there are first principles , or notions in our mind , which are of an infallible truth and certainty , and the foundation of natural light , which is so far from deceiving , that it puts us in a way to return from our errours ; so in our heart , there are certain primary and radical affections , which are necessarily lawful : sentiments , without which the nature of man cannot subsist and which are not only exempt from all corruption in themselves , but also serve , when rightly directed , to reclaim us from our vices . such is the natural love of esteem , and of our-selves , the care of our preservation , the desire of happiness . these passions are good in themselves , ●eeing they naturally relate to the good of man : there are two sorts of 'em , the one are term'd , by the school-men , prosequutivae because they incline us to good ; the other adversativae , because they remove and avert us from evil. but yet as they tend to our advantage , by the design and intention of nature , thro' an effect of our corruption , they are perverted to be instruments of our damage and prejudice ; which happens , when false goods excite in our heart reall affections : when we are but coldly bent , towards that which deserves the whole application and study of our souls ; and on the contrary , we desire with all the ardour imaginable , such goods as deserve but a moderate and indifferent affection : for then we reverse the order of nature , change the end into the means , and the means into the end ; are rash and precipitate in our actions , err in our conduct , and a meer shadow of good makes us lose the original source of it ; and running after appearances we miss the truth . hence proceed all our vices and disorders , in enquiring after which we must spend some time , since 't is they that make the corruption of the heart . now as we search for the source of our irregularities , we must not insist upon any particular one , unless it has an influence upon all the others . 't is evident , that the root of our natural evil , consists not in a peculiar disposition of the temperament , seeing that those who are of quite contrary temperaments , are corrupted for all that : nor is interest the principle of our evil , since that has commonly something in it incompatible with pride ; neither is pride , seeing that is in some sort repugnant to interest . yet 't is certain , that there is something , wherein the vices are opposite , and something , wherein they agree : they are , in some respect opposite , seeing that one serves as a kind of remedy for the other ; and they agree in some respect , since the soul , after it has fall'n into one , has a further inclination after another , which seem'd of a quite contrary nature . this truth will appear more plainly , if we , as it were , anatomize and dissect the heart , by entering upon the consideration of all its particular passions . robbery springs from injustice , injustice from interest , interest from an excess of self-love : obstinacy is nothing but a strict adherence , which self-love make us have to our own fancies and opinions . pride is a meer drunkenness , and intoxication of self-love , which represents us to our own imagination greater and perfecter than really we are : revenge is but a desire to defend our selves against those that hate us , or to reap a kind of self-satisfaction by punishing those who have offended us . in a word , take a through survey , and consideration of all the vices , and passions of man , and you 'll find they terminate in self-love : 't is this , that gives 'em birth ; forasmuch as all the motives of vice have this foundation , that we seek for every thing which flatters and relates to this me , which is the first object of our knowledge and affections : upon this depends , either their life or death ; for when two passions violently combat , fear , for instance , and revenge , the soul retires into its own tent ; and makes use of no other counsel , but that of self-love , to know which side it ought to take ; and according as self-love judges , or not judges , revenge to be necessary , it pronounces in favour either of resentment , or moderation : so that as self-love first produc'd these two passions , so likewise it foments and causes the one to live , and continue to the prejudice of the other . now what else can we say of that passion , to which all our irregular inclinations tend , in which all the vices terminate , by whose means they both live and die , which stops and suspends their career , but that this general disorder , is undoubtedly the original fountain of all the others ; and what we call'd the primitive root of our evil and corruption ? and , which may serve to confirm us in this opinion , at the same time we perceive all the vices flattering and caressing self-love , we find all the vertues unanimously opposing it . humility debases and pulls it down ; temperance mortifies it ; liberality , as it were , robs it ; moderation discontents it ; fortitude exposes it ; magnanimity , piety and zeal sacrifice it . and indeed self-love is so essential an ingredient , of the definitions of the vices and vertues , that without it we can't have a ●ight conception , either of the one or the other . in general , vice is a preference of one-self , before other men ; and vertue seems to be a preference of others , before one-self ; i say , it seems to be so , because in effect 't is certain , that vertue is only a more noble , and rational mode of loving one-self . now here there is a seeming contradiction in our system , for on one hand self-love appears to be the principle of our irregularities and disorders ; on the other , 't is certain , that the love of our-selves , is a qualification for the discharge of our duties . corruption draws its whole force from self-love ; and god on the other side derives from it all the motives , he makes use of , to incline us to the study of our sanctification : for to what purpose , would he have made promises and threatnings , were it not with a design to interest self-love . this difficulty presently vanishes , after we suppose the same thing , touching self-love , which we have already said of the affections of the heart in general : namely , that they have something of innocent and lawful which belongs to nature , and something of vicious and irregular , which is attributed to their corruption . 't is an advantage of the french tongue , that it can distinguish betwixt l'amour propre , and l'amour de nons mêmes ; the former signifies self-love as 't is vicious and corrupted , the latter denotes this love as 't is lawful and natural . now our present enquiry being after the sources of man's corruption , our design here engages us to examine , wherein the disorder of self-love consists . this query is no less considerable for its being singular : and i dare say , that few questions in morality and religion , are more important , as i hope will appear by the following discussion . chap. vi. where we examine the faults of self-love . self-love can sin but only two ways , either in excess or direction ; its irregularity must consist either in this , that we love our selves too much , or that we take not a right method in shewing this love to our selves , or in both these faults together . self-love does not sin in excess , as appears from this , that we are permitted to love our selves , as much as we please , so it be with good and reall love : indeed to love one-self , is to desire one's good , to fear one's hurt , and to search for one's happiness . now i confess , that many times our desire and fear are too great , or we are too eagerly addicted to our pleasure , or that , which we look upon as our happiness : but you may observe , that the excess proceeds from the fault that refers to the object of your passions , and not from the too great measure of the love of our selves ; which appears from hence , that you both can , and ought to have an unlimited desire of the supream good , and a boundless fear of extream misery : and 't would be a vice for us to desire an infinite good , but with a finite and limited appetite . truly , were man oblig'd to love himself , but to a certain measure , the vacuity of his heart ought not to be infinite ; and were not the vacuity of the heart infinite , it would follow , that he was not made for the possession and enjoyment of god ; but only for the fruition of finite and limited objects : yet we are taught the contrary , both by experience and religion . nothing is more lawful and reasonable , than this insatiable desire ; which even , after the possession of worldly advantages , makes us still reach after the supream good , which no man ever found in the objects of this life . brutus , who made a particular profession of wisdom , believ'd he should not be mistaken , if he search'd for it in vertue ; but as he loved vertue for its own sake , whereas indeed it has nothing amiable and laudable but in relation to god ; guilty of a genteel and spiritual idolatry , was no less mistaken then those who sought for happiness in temporal things ; and at his death was oblig'd to acknowledge his errour , when he cry'd out : o vertue ! i own that thou art nothing but a miserable phantom . &c. wherefore this insatiable desire , of man's heart , is not evil in it self : 't was necessary men should be endu'd with this inclination , to qualify and dispose 'em for seeking after god. now what in a figurative and metaphorical idea we term an heart , that has an infinite capacity , a vacuity which cannot be fill'd by the creatures , signifies in the proper and literal notion a soul , that naturally desires an infinite good , that desires it without limits , and cannot be satisfy'd till it has obtain'd it . if then it be necessary , that the vacuity of our heart , should not be fill'd with created goods , 't is necessary that our desires should also be infinite ; which is as much as to say , that we ought to love our selves without measure ; for to love one-self , is to love one's happiness . and as we may be truly said , not properly to love the creature , when we love it infinitely , because then we place the creature upon the throne of the creatour , which is an idolatry of the mind , and most dangerous of all ; so also may we be said , not to love god as our supream good , when we love him but finitely , and conceive but moderate desires after him ; for then we debase god to the condition of the creatures , thro' an impiety of the heart , no less criminal than idolatry . whether we look upon god as our soveraign good , or represent him as a being infinitely perfect , t is certain that our application and adherence to him ought to be unlimited ; and to this end the creatour ●lac'd a kind of infinity in man's knowledge and affections , to capacitate him , in some measure , for the enjoyment of this infinite good i know very well , that our nature being finite , is not capable , exactly speaking , of forming desires intensively infinite : but tho' these desires be not infinite in this sense , yet they are so in another ; for 't is certain , that our soul desires according to the whole extent of its powers ; that if the number of spirits , necessary to the organ , could be multiply'd in infinitum , the vehemence of its desires would encrease proportionably ; and that tho' the act it self have not an infinity , yet the disposition of the heart has , which is naturally insatiable . i own , if we lov'd our selves by reason , we might conceive , that self-love would be in a limited measure in the heart : for we don't find in our mind an infinity of reasons for loving our selves : but the author of nature , whose wisdom judg'd it not requisite , that men should be philosophers , in order to take care of their preservation , thought fit that we should love our selves by sense ; which is so true , that 't is not even conceivable how we can feel delight and joy , without loving this self , which is the subject of it ; so that as there is an unlimited variety , and an infinity of degrees , in the joy we are capable of tasting , so in like manner , there is not any measure or bounds in the desire of that happiness , in the which this joy essential●●●●ters ; nor consequently , in the love of our selves , which is the principle of this desire . i also grant , that had man been made to be a rival of the deity , he would not be oblig'd to love himself without measure ; because then self-love would stand in competition , and interfere with the love of god ▪ but man naturally loves himself , with so great vehemency , meerly that he may be capable of loving god. the unmeasurable measure of self-love , and these kind of infinite desires , are the only links that tye , and unite him to god ; since , as i have already said , finite and moderate desires are capable of binding man's heart to none but the creatures , and we don 't properly love god , but only a chimaera , which we form to our selves instead of god , when our love of him exceeds not a mediocrity . and indeed , 't is a great errour to oppose self-love to divine , when 't is well regulated : for pray , what else is it , duly to love our selves , but to love god ; and to love god , but duly to love our selves ? the love of god , is the right sense of the love of our selves , and that gives it life and perfection . when self love is diverted , and carried to other objects , it no longer deserves the name of love , 't is of more dangerous consequence than the most cruel and savage hatred ; but when 't is converted towards god , it falls in , and mingles with divine love. and certainly , nothing is so easy as to demonstrate , beyond all dispute , what our enquiries have taught us in this matter . i demand , for instance , whether the blessed above , who undoubtedly love themselves neither too much nor too little , seeing that they are in a state of perfection , can love god with an infinite affection ; and yet not perceive the joy , arising from the possession of him ? i would know in the next place , whether we can feel joy and delight without loving one-self , proportionably to this perception ? why then should we trouble our selves with such vain and contradictory queries , as whether the saints love god , better than themselves ? i had as live they 'd ask me , whether they love themselves , better than themselves : for these two expressions have in reallity the same signification ; and not to love god is , in some measure , to hate one-self . to let you see , that this is but meer punning and quibling in words , we must divide the love of god into two sorts , a love of interest , and a love of pure friendship , as divines call it . i understand this latter to have no intercourse at all with self-love , according to the common notion of it ; but i would know , which of these two kinds of love you mean , when you ask me , whether the love , we ought to have of god , be not greater than that of our selves : if you understand , by the love of god , love of pure friendship , whose only object is known-perfection , i answer , that this love cannot be compar'd with the love of our selves , which is of quite another nature ; since , as i have already said , we love not our selves by reason , but sense ; and corporeal , or spiritual pleasure , naturally engages us to love our selves , even before we are capable of making reflection . but if by the love , we ought to have for god , you mean love of interest , which is ty'd to him as our supream good , you don't apprehend , that you oppose the same thing to it self ; seeing that to love one-self , and the soveraign good , is all one ; and does not make two distinct species of love , but are one and the same , consider'd under different respects , namely , in reference to its principles and its objects . it therefore appears , that the irregularity consists not in this , that we love our selves too much , seeing we are allow'd to love our selves , as much as we please , with relation to the supream good : but herein lies the evil , that we take a wrong method , in exerting this love ; that is , we love our selves with relation to false objects . self love , simply taken , is innocent and harmless : it becomes corrupted , when 't is diverted towards the creatures ; and holy , when converted and steer'd towards god. pursuant to the fore-going doctrine , we may distinguish three hearts in man ; the heart of the man , the heart of the sinner , and the heart of the faithful : the heart of the man is the soul , as it naturally loves it self ; the heart of the sinner is the soul , as it loves the world ; and the heart of the faithful is the soul , as it loves god. the natural heart is essentially included in the other two , and the natural love of our selves , which is the principle of all our affections , the mobile that actuates either grace or corruption , and receives either the love of god , or the world. the heart of man loves . the heart of the worldling loves vanity . the heart of the faithful loves the infinite , and eternal good. the first is the heart of man , the second the heart of the mortal man ; the third is the heart of the immortal man. chap. vii . where we shew , that self-love kindles all our affections , and is the general principle of our motions . i said before , that self-love is the principle of all our natural affections : for all our desires , fears and hopes , are the devoted servants , and off-spring of self-love . i confess , the affection we have for other men , sometimes causes us to desire , fear and hope : but what is the principle of this affection , but the love of our selves ? do but throughly consider , and weigh all the sources of our friendship , and you 'll find they are reduc'd to interest , gratitude , relation , sympathy , and a delicate agreement of that vertue with self-love , which makes us think , that we love it for its own sake ; whereas indeed , we love it meerly for the sake of our selves , and it wholly terminates in self-love . 't is from hence , that relation borrows all its rapture , and strength , for kindling our affections . we love our children , because they are our children . were they another man's children , they would be indifferent to us : therefore we don 't properly love them , but the relation which links us to ' em . 't is true , children don't love their parents , with the same degree of affection , as parents do their children ; tho' these two affections seem to be founded upon the same reason of relation , but this difference proceeds from another cause , children see themselves die in the person of their parents ; and parents , on the contrary , see themselves revive in the person of their children : now nature inspires us with the love of life , and hatred of death . also parents behold in their children , as it were , other selves ; but other selves subject , and dependant upon 'em : they think it an happiness to have brought 'em into the world ; they consider 'em with delight , because they consider 'em as their own workmanship : they are exceedingly pleas'd , at having sacred , and inviolable rights over ' em . this is their magistracy , royalty , and empire : but the same pride , which causes the parents to love superiority , makes the children hate dependance . nothing lays so heavy a weight upon us , as a benefit when 't is too great ; because it depresses us to too great submission : we look upon it as a delicate , but very strong chain , which links our heart , and constrains our liberty . this is the mystery of that common maxim ; blood never rises : but as there is a relation of blood , profession , religion , country , &c. the affections are infinitely diversify'd , according to these various respects : but woe be to relation if it be combated by interest : for interest will infallibly get the better : that tends to us directly , relation only by reflection . hence interest is always more strong and prevalent , than relation ; but in this , as in every thing else , particular circumstances very much alter the general proposition . what we commonly experience , that no hatred is more violent , than that which happens between those who were formerly very great friends ; is to be imputed to almost the same reason . 't is because these persons found either profit or pleasure in loving one another . this interested their self-love : but when they come to change their sentiment , the motives of love joyn themselves with the motives of hatred ; they revolt and rise up in arms , both by reason of the idea of the wrong that 's done 'em , and of the pleasures of that friendship which they renounce ; and they suffer , not only by the hatred , which is kindled , but also by the affection , which is extinguish'd ; which excellently confirms our system , and shews , that there 's no affection kindled in our heart independently from self-love . we shall be further convinc'd of the truth of this opinion , by considering , not only , that relation is a source of friendship ; but also , that our affections vary and differ , according to the degree of relation , that we have to those persons , who are the object of ' em . the quality of man , which we all bear , makes this general benevolence , which we term humanity , homo sum , humani nihilà me alienum puto . 't is certain , that if there were but only two men in the world , they would have a tender affection for each other ; but this general relation being mingled and confounded , with the infinite number of those different relations , we have one among another , it happens , that this natural affection , which it first produc'd , is lost in the rabble and throng of the passions ; which so great a variety of other objects produce in our heart . we don't see in our neighbour the quality of man , whereby he resembles us , whilst we see in him a rival , an emulator , and enemy of our welfare and prosperity ( as we are of his ; ) a proud man , who esteems nothing but himself ; who by the lustre of his qualities and accomplishments , attracts the esteem and attention of the world , and puts us in obscurity and dis-repute ; and who by his passions is continually buisy'd in circumventing us , and encroaching upon our properties : but no sooner has death uncloath'd his person of these odious relations , but we find in him that general relation which made us love him ; never thinking him a man , till he ceas'd to be a mortal , and then at last , willing to enroll him in the number of our friends , when death has retrench'd him from the society of the living . the relation of country , usually inspires men , with a kind of benevolence , whereof they are insensible whilst they dwell in their own nation ; because this relation is weakned , and too much divided , by the number of those that have a title to it ; but becomes very sensible , when two or three natives of the same country , happen to meet in a strange climate : then self-love , standing in need of some supports and consolations , and finding 'em in the person of those , whom a parallel interest , and like relation ought to inspire with the same disposition , never fails to make a perpetual attention to this relation ; unless it be prevented by a more powerful motive of its own interest . relation of profession , commonly produces more aversion , than friendship ; by the jealousy it causes men to have one of another : but that of conditions , is generally accompany'd with benevolence and love. 't is no wonder , that grandees have no great affection for ordinary people ; the reason is , because looking with the eyes of self-love , they see them at a great distance off ; they look not upon 'em as neighbours ; they are very far from perceiving this proximity and nearness , whose mind and heart are wholly concern'd about the distance , that separates and removes 'em from other men ; and who make of this object the delights of their vanity . yet must it be granted , that relation of blood , is usually more prevailing than any other : tho' it be a common saying , that a good friend is better than many parents ; and this be true in it self , yet 't is certain , that men naturally prefer their parents before their friends , and especially upon any great and important occasion : the reason of it is , because they consider their parents as necessary friends , that can by no means be dis-united from 'em ; and their friends as voluntary parents , whose affection reaches no farther than their pleasure . now tho' free and unconfin'd friendship be of greater obligation than necessary , yet 't is not regarded as such by the eyes of self-love : it may indeed inspire us with a greater degree of gratitude , but can't so much touch our interest . the barbarous constancy that appear'd in brutus , when he caus'd his children to be kill'd before his eyes , is not so dis-interested as it seems to be : the best of latin poets discloses the motive of it in these words ; vincet amor patriae , laudumque immensa cupido . but he has not dis-entangled , and laid open all the reasons of interest , which caus'd the apparent inhumanity of this roman . brutus was like other men : he lov'd himself above all things in the world ; his children were guilty of a crime , that tended indeed to rome's destruction and ruine , but much more to brutus's . if paternal affection excuses faults , self-love aggravates 'em whenever 't is directly wounded . rome undoubtedly owes the honour of brutus's exploits to the love of himself ; and his countrey accepted the sacrifice which he offer'd to the idol of his own affection ; and rather infirmity than true fortitude was the motive of his cruelty . interest is the sovereign empress of souls , we seek it in the object of all our applications ; and as there be various kinds of interest , so may we distinguish a variety of affections , which interest causes in society . an interest of pleasure , causes gallant friendship ; an interest of ambition , causes politick friendship ; an interest of pride , causes noble friendship ; an interest of avarice , causes profitable friendship . generally speaking , our only motives of loving men are either pleasure or profit ; but if these different interests happen to be all united together , to kindle our affection for a person , then we are presently his very humble servants , and stick to him as close as a burr . the vulgars , who declaim against interested friendship , understand not what they say : their mistake lies in this , because generally speaking , they know but one sort of interested friendship , which is that of avarice ; whereas there are as many kinds of interested affections as there are objects of desire . moreover they find fault with men for loving by interest , and that this is the main principle and b●ass of their affection and kindness ; not apprehending , that to love by interest is to love one-self directly ; whereas to love by any other principle is to love one-self only reflexively : they don't perceive , that men find fault with interested friendship in the heart of another , but never in their own . lastly , they think it criminal and blamable for a man to be interest●d ; not considering , that 't is disinterestedness , not interest , that ruines and destroys us . if men would offer us goods that are great enough to satisfy the desires of our soul , we should do well to love them with a love of interest ; and no one ought to blame us for preferring the motives of this interest , before those of relation , and every thing else . even gratitude it self , so highly valu'd in the world , and so much commended in morality and religion , cannot claim an exemption from this traffick of self-love : for in the main , what difference is there betwixt interest and gratitude ? no more but this , that the latter is conversant about a past good , the former about a future . gra●itu●e is nothing but a delicate return o● s●lf-love , when it finds it self oblig'd : 't is in some sort an elevation and advancement of interest . we don't love our benefactor , bec●●se he 's amiable ; gratitude , at least of it ●el● , goes not so far as that : we love him because he lov'd us . but to explain more particularly this comparison between gratitude and interest , we 'll 〈◊〉 , that the affection produc'd by gratitude is more noble , and that which is caus'd by interest is more strong and prevalent : the former respects the time past , which is no more ; whereas interest hath the future for its object , of which it would make its best advantage . gratitude loves even without hope ; but interest hopes and expects . gratitude loves the benefit for sake of the intention ; but interest loves the intention for sake of the benefit . lastly , the idea's of gratitude , having reference to the time past , are commonly rang'd among antiquated , abstract ideas , and such as have no very prevailing influence upon our soul ; whereas the ideas of interest respecting the present time , are sensible and lively , and such as more particularly import and concern us . 't is also certain , that for this very reason , there is some kind of opposition betwixt the one and the other ; because all men are as naturally ungrateful , as they are naturally interested . ingratitude is always proportion'd to interest , because the more the soul attends to the idea's of the present , so much the more it loses of that application and attention which it ought to have for what is past : and in this respect the same is to be said of dis-interestednes● as of gratitude ; namely , that it consists very often in an outward appearance , and seldom rises in the heart of man , unless interest it self give it birth , or causes him , as sometimes it falls out , to endeavour to make a sh●w of it . chap. viii . where we continue to shew , that self-love is the principle of all our affections . the lively and real perception we have of a benefit , at that very instant when 't is bestow'd upon us , never fails to produce a kind of gratitude in our heart , which mark wears out by little and little with the memory of the kindness receiv'd ; because 't is repugnant , and goes against the grain of the heart , to think often of those things which put us in a state of dependance and submission ; the case is not the same in respect of those favours we have bestow'd up●n others ; as they give us a title to the● 〈◊〉 , friendship and gratitude : and , in a 〈◊〉 , pull 'em down to ● kind of subjection 〈◊〉 ; we revolve and think of 'em with pleasure and delight . whence it comes to pass , that we are much more inclinable to love th●se that are beholding to us , than those to whom we our selves are beholding . they who think to insinuate and creep into great men's favour , by laying obligations upon 'em , are often frustrated in their design : for certainly the only way to obtain their love is for them to oblige others , and not for others to oblige them . their pride , which is encreas'd by the complaisance that men use to 'em upon the account of their greatness , applauds it self at the thoughts of having done you a benefaction : it considers with delight the obligations you owe it , and by that means inclines the heart to have a kindness for you : but 't is dangerous to do very great services , when our whole design is to insinuate into the favour of those whom we oblige . i tremble to think of this great service , said a courtier to a noble man , who told him he should never forget the obligations he ow'd him ; and he was in the right of it : great obligations do oftentimes prove great offences , and at least it always happens so then , when either we cannot or will not acknowledge ' em . shall i tell thee araspe ? he serv'd me too well , increasing my power , he has robb'd me of all . but tho' the heart has its reasons to forget benefits , yet has it others for making as if it remember'd ' em . gratitude is a vertue very highly esteem'd ; the appearances of it are fine , and attract respect ; and a heart accustom'd to traffick in outward shews of vertue , to make a commerce of vain glory , at the cost of sincerity , by seeking not what is in it self estimable , but what is valu'd by men's opinions , is diligent in affecting an appearance of gratitude , when it can by this means lay hold of the estimation of men. also gratitude is very subservient to the designs of interest ; because 't is a means of drawing new benefits· 't is a pleasure , say they , to oblige such a man , he has a sense of the kindness one do him . gratitude mounts us as it were above the benefit receiv'd , when 't is prompt , active and desirous to shew it self ; this is a fine and delicate policy of an enlighten'd self-love , for avoiding the suspicion of ingratitude ; because this vice is a mark of a sordid baseness , and as it were a forc'd homage which we do to a benefactor . ingratitude tho' it think of him with great uneasiness , being oblig'd to confess whether we will or no , that we are under his dependance , and owe him more than we wish we did . moreover 't is very natural to a man to let people see , by his carriage towards a benefactor , that he deserves the benefit . lastly , we are very glad to be deliver'd from the remorse which attends ingratitude ; which remorse is more biteing , and more natural than that which is consequent upon the violation of justice ; for tho' injustice be repugnant to reason , as well as ingratitude , yet certainly 't is more opposite to the dictates of self-love to be ungrateful , than unjust ; and doubtless that remorse is greatest which arises not only from reason , but also the love of our selves , when its laws have been transgressed . sympathy , which we observ'd to be the ●ourth source of our affections , is twofold ▪ a bodily sympathy , and a sympathy of the soul. the cause of the former is to be search'd for in the temperament , that of the latter is to be sought among the secret spring , that actuate and move our heart : and indeed 't is certain , that what we believe to be a sympathy of temperament , proceeds sometimes from the hidden principles of the heart ▪ for what reason , pray , do i hate such or such a man at first sight , tho' i have no knowledge of him ? 't is because he resembles some person , that has offended me , this resemblance affects and strikes upon my soul and excites an idea of hatred , tho' i reflect not upon it . how come i , on the contrary , to love an unknown person as soon as i see him , without informing my self either of his merit , or unworthiness ? 't is because he has some conformity or likeness either to my self , my children , friends , or in a word , to some one that i have an affection for , and without my making any distinct reflection , awakens an amour which laid dormant in my heart . you see then how much self-love is concern'd in these mysterious and hidden inclinations , which one of our poets describes in this manner : some se●ret knots , some sympathies we find , by whose agreeing tyes souls are conjoyn'd . but if after having spoken of bodily smypathies , we would make an induction of spiritual sympathies , we should find , that to love men by sympathy implies no more , but to 〈◊〉 their conformity , and likeness to 〈◊〉 : this is to enjoy the pleasure of loving 〈◊〉 selves in their person ; this charms the heart , that it can safely commend it self , without offending against modesty ; this ad●●●●age men obtain , when they seem to have 〈◊〉 great affection for certain persons , the principle of which love , is because they res●mble ' em . we don't only love those that are naturally like us , but also those that have an artificial resemblance of us ; and make it their endeavour to be our imitators . cato , as proud and austere as he was , took it not amiss that favonius imitated him : and perhaps the most stiff and uncomplaisant man in the world is so weak and flexible , as not to be quite out of conceit with this indirect method of flattering and caressing his self-love . not but a man may indeed hate those who don 't imitate him well : no person cares to be ridiculous ; 't is more eligible to be o●●●s . thus we never like those copies , ●hose ridiculousness reflects upon the original . but if you 'd know why one gallant does ●o● love another , or why one learned man 〈◊〉 not always just to another ; 't is easy to give you an answer : the reason is , because a motive of conformity does not countervail a motive of interest , and the mutual hatred of rival● is proportionable to the accomplishments which they discover in each other . the heart , as i said before , considers the profit ▪ and not the light ; and 't is not reason , but the love of our selves , that determines us in placing our affections . even our love ●f a vertuous man is not to be excepted from this rule , who notwithstanding fails not to be belov'd even by those who are not like him , for vice is forc'd to pay homage to ●his vertue ; they esteem and respect him ▪ — qui pectore magno spemq , metumque domas , vitio sublimior omni , exemptus fatis , indignantemque refellis . fortunam , dubio quem non in turbine rerum deprehendet suprema dies , sed abire paratum at plenum vita , &c. tu , cujus placido posuere in pectore sedem blandus honos hilarisque tamen cum pondere virta● , cui nec pigra quies , nec iniqua potentia , nec spes ●mproba ; sed medius per honesta & dulcia limes incorrupte fidem , nullosque experte tumultus , et secrete palam qui digeris ordine vitam , idem auri facilis contemptor & optimus idem condere divitias , opibusque immittere lucem h●c longum florens animi , morumque juventa ●acos aequare senes , & vincere praesta . stat. lib. . sylvar . let men examine themselves by this portraiture , and i 'm sure they cannot choose but love the original ; and upon what principles can this affection be founded , which men have naturally even for those persons , whom they are not careful to resemble . i answer , that there be very few , who have bid a final renunciation and adieu to vertue , and who don 't think , but that they shall be vertuous one time or other , tho' they are not so at present . i add , that as vice is essentially odious , so vertue is essentially amiable to self-love : the reason is , because vice is a sacrifice of other men , which we offer upon our own altars ; and vertue is a sacrifice of some pleasure , or ●●attering profit , which we o●fer to the good of other men. moreover 't is observable , that the objects which act upon our soul , have a twofold relation to self-love , certain particular correspondences which vigorously move and b●ass it ▪ such is the correspondence of interest or reciprocal friendship : for as this reason of ●oving regards us , and none but us , 't is i , that ●●d an advantage in loving this man , and 〈◊〉 me he loves , and not another : no wonder then , if this particular agreement obliges me to have a particular adherence and application to him : but besides this , there are cert●in general relations , which an object may have to our heart ; which happen , either when any one does us a kindness for the good of the whole society , whereof we are members , or when we find our selves oblig'd by the general inclination which a man appears to have towards doing good , because 't is possible we may some time or other be the object of it ; or when being accustom'd to love one certain beneficence , which is profitable to us in particular , we also come to love beneficence in general , and all those persons to whom we apply its idea : only 't is to be observ'd , that as particular agreements and relations produce lively and vigorous affections ; general agreements , as not concerning or interesting our soul , but at a distance , and a great way off , excite only a frozen and languishing friendship , which partakes much more of the purity of esteem than the ardour of affection . all the vertues , at least in this general manner , favour and countenance self-love . your finest descriptions of vertue are grounded upon the secret agreements and correspondences they have to us ▪ as may be seen from the example of these fine expressions , in that portraiture of vertue , which we just now observ'd . cui nec pigra quies nec iniqua potentia , nec spes improba — these lineaments of vertue are amiable , because they flatter and caress self-love : there be others which are rather productive of our esteem , than our love ; because they are more dis-interested : — qui pectore magno spemque metumque domas , vitio sublimior omni . vertue , when it has not these delicate agreements with self-love , is only es●imable : but we render it more amiable when we represent it as interesting our heart . how should we choose but be in love with clemency ; 't is very ready to pardon our offences : liberality , to do us good , beggar 's it self : humility never controuls , but submissively yields to our pretensions temperance respects our honour , and not our pleasure : justice defends our rights , and renders us our due : fortitude protects ; prudence conducts ; moderation spares us ; charity does good to us &c. you 'll say perhaps , what do these vertues signify to me , they do me no good ? it may be they don't benefit you at present , but were you under other circumstances , they might do you a kindness : th● suppose a disposition of doing you good , when an opportunity is offer'd ; have you not experienced , that tho' you never expect the succour or protection of a rich man , yet you can't avoid having a secret consideration and respect for him ; which proceeds , not from your mind , for that often despises the personal qualities of such a man , but arises from the love of our selves , which respects in him even the simple power of doing you a kindness . but if self-love makes you have a veneration and esteem for a person , whom you are assur'd you shall never be the better for , meerly by considering in him the bare power of doing you a good turn , is it at all to be wonder'd at , that this same principle causes you to love one , who by his vertue is dispos'd to be beneficent to you , tho' you very well know that he cannot actually exert this inclination ? say we then , that the heart has its abstractions as well as the mind ; and as this knows how to define good in general , tho' ●t can draw more to the life in our imagination any particular good : so the heart loves these general conformities and agreements of objects to it self , tho' particular ones do infinitely more affect and touch it ; and it cannot but think well of a vertuous man , by reason of these delicate relations , vertue has to self-love . this is beyond all doubt , because your love of the vertues increases proportionably to their relation and agreement to you . we have naturally a better opinion of clemency , than severity ; of liberality , than oeconomy and thriftyness ; tho' they all equally partake of the nature of vertue ; which can be for no other reason , but because our affection is not altogether dis-interested , and we love in it the secret relations it has to our selves . but the vicious and exorbitant are not to be exempted from the number of those , who are thus enamour'd with the beauty of vertue . on the contrary 't is certain , that ●p●n the very account of their being vicious , they are oblig'd to have a greater affection and opinion of vertue . humility levels , and smooths the way for pride ; and therefore 't is lov'd by an haughty spirit : liberality is diffusive , and free in giving ; and therefore can't displease an interested person : temperance does not rob you of your pleasures , and therefore must needs be agreeable to a voluptuary , who would not willingly have either rival or combatant . could one think , that the affection , which worldlings ▪ testify themselves to have for vertuous persons , should spring from so ●thy a source ; and shall i make bold to advance this paradox , that our own vices are often the causes of our loving other men's vertues : nay more than that , i dare say , that self-love bears no small part in the most pure sentiments , which religion and morality give us of god. divine love is commonly distinguish'd into three species , a love of interest , a love of gratitude , and a love of pure friendship . love of interest , according to the vulgar acceptation , falls in with self-love ▪ love of gratitude , as we before observ'd , is deriv'd from the same source with that of interest ; love of pure friendship seems to rise independently from all interest and self-love ; yet if you look narrowly into the matter , you 'll find , that it has in the bottom the very same principle : for first , 't is observable , that love of pure friendship , rises not all at once in the heart of a man , whom we instruct in points of religion . the first ●tep to sanctification is a detachment , and ●nhampering from the world ; the second is , to love god with a love of interest , by giving up our selves wholly to him , because we consider him as the soveraign good ; the third is to have a due acknowledgment and gratitude for his benefits ; the last is ●o love his intrinsick perfections ? 't is certain , that the first of these sentiments disposes and makes way for the second , the second for the third , and the third for fourth . we can't throughly consider , what a great unhappiness and misery it is , to abandon and forsake god , without desiring his communion , by motives taken from our interest . we can't love god as the principle of our joy and felicity , without a grateful acknowledgment of benefits receiv'd at his hands . 't is natural , and even necessary , that he who loves god as the supream good , and as his great and eternal benefactour , should attend with complacency and delight to the consideration of his adorable perfections ; that this meditation should excite in him joy and satisfaction , and so bring him to love god in the view of his excellencies and vertues . now all the previous dispositions to this last affection , which is the noblest of all , being taken from self-love , it follows , that neither the pure friendship , which is conversant about god , does ●se independently from it . also experience teaches us , that among the vertues of god we particularly love those , which have the nearest agreement and affinity to us . we love his clemency more than his justice ; his goodness than his jealousy ; his beneficence , than his ●mensity , &c. of which there can ●o other reason be given , but that even this pure friendship , which seems to have for ●ts proper object the divine perfections , derives its principal force from the relation of these perfections to our sel●es . were there any entirely pure friendship towards god in our heart , wholly ●empt from the commerce of self-love , it would necessarily spring from known perfection and excellency , and not from our own affections . as self-love would not produce , so neither could it destroy this friendship . yet the devils know the perfections of god without loving him ; and men before their conversion know the vertues of god , tho' it can't be said that they have for him , in that reprobate state , the affection which we term pure friendship ; and consequently there must be some other motives of this love , besides known perfection ; if light be not sufficient to kindle it , it must rise from the flame of some affection of our heart ; since affections and knowledge are the whole contents of our soul. perhaps you 'll say , that in order to capacitate a soul for conceiving this love of pure friendship , 't is not requisite that self-love should directly produce it , but only that it may not oppose and hinder it : but i say , if pure friendship arises from known perfection , and nothing else be required to produce it , the opposition of self-love is insignificant ; and as the love of our selves can't derobe god of these perfections , nor hinder our soul from knowing 'em , so neither can it obstruct the birth of this pure affection . whilst we consider god as a judge , as a terrible executioner of vengeance , and as standing ready with a thunderbolt in his hand , we may indeed admire his infinite and adorable excellencies , but can't conceive an affection for him. and 't is very certain , that could we but any ways evade even this admiration of god , we should be very cautious in applauding him with it , for in this state we regard him as our enemy , & render to him no more but what we needs must . and whence can this necessity of admiring god proceed , unless it spontaneously arise from known perfection ? if then we conceive pure friendship to have precisely the same source with admiration , that is to say , if we conceive it to have no other origine but known perfection , we may safely conclude that pure friendship will arise in our soul , beyond all possibility of any ●mpediment from self-love , as well as admiration . t will be to no purpose to make a wild and indefinite answer , that 't is the corruption of our heart , which renders us uncapable of loving god purely for his own sake , and his intrinsick perfections , whilst we suppose him not to love us . this is to run into a labyrinth of generalities , for avoiding the distinct ideas of things . for our corruption does not hinder the admiration of our soul , it being certain that the devils , who far exceed us in wickedness , admire god , tho' they are at the same time conscious of his being the object of their hatred and aversion ; so neither can this corruption hinder pure friendship , if that , as well as admiration , derives its birth from known perfection . nothing will better confirm this truth , than by seeing what 's the use of faith in religion . so long as men live in a state of ignorance , which makes 'em imagine that god looks upon 'em with indifferency and disregard , they in like manner seem to have but indifferent sentiments of the deity , such were the pagan philosophers . whilst men think they are the object of god's hatred , they detest and abhor the divinity . the romans , who had already kindled the fire of their sacrifices , to give thanks to the gods , at the false report of the recovery of germanicus , run into their temples with fury and rage ; when they hear the too true news of his death , they drag their images in the dirt , throw 'em into tiber , and signalize their grief by a specimen of impiety . all men seem to have the same inward disposition which the romans outwardly shew'd , and the violence which they ●s'd to the images , is an expression of what man would be willing to execute upon god , when he thinks him his antagonist and enemy . no sooner does the gospel resound in the world for the consolation of men ; but , as the testimoines of the divine love to mankind are every where manifested , so likewise men's ardent love of god becomes universally conspicuous , faith , which assures us of this immense charity of god , is there look'd upon as the key of our heart , and the first degree of our sanctification ; to this the scripture attributes our salvation . when faith has throughly perswaded us that we are the objects of god's love , we are sufficiently dispos'd to affect and love him. but as our affections essentially spring from self-love , our hatred and aversions proceed from the same original . we hate men by interest , when they are our competitors in the pursuit of temporal goods . we hate one that is intemperate , because he 'd rob us of our pleasures ; we can't endure an ambitious man , because he takes the upper-hand of us in preferment and honour ; nor can we love a proud man , because 〈◊〉 contemns and tramples us under feet ; nor a miser , because he hoards up the riches that might possibly come to us ; nor an unjust man , because he oppresses us . we don't only hate those who actually prejudice and injure us , but even those that have an inclination to hurt us , tho' they want fit occasions , or some impediment hinder 'em from exerting their malice . our hatred reacheth as far as a man's power of doing us an injury : for which reason power and authority are many times the incentives of aversation and ill-will ; and as there are few persons in the world but meet with some who either actually do 'em a mischief , or would at least , if it laid in their power , or were it for their interest ; it must be own'd , that secret motives of hatred do perpetually enter in our heart , and that nothing is more dangerous than the temptations to which we are expos'd on this account . indeed we are oftentimes enemies to one another when we are ignorant of it . we many times both love and hate the same person , because self-love considers him under different respects : and it happens that we really hate those , whom we think to be the objects of our best affection : and sometimes those , whom we have all the reason imaginable to love and esteem ; which appears from this , that in all their disgraces and misfortunes , there 's something that does not wholly displease us . this unjust and unnatural sentiment which the vail of pride hides from our eyes , proceeds from these two principles : namely , that we our selves are not the objects of this disgrace , ( which is a reflection that self-love instantly makes ) and that we see a man degraded and pull'd down , who in regard of his being a man , can't fail to rival us upon some account or other ; a sentiment , which is chang'd into compassion , when either death , or some irrecoverable adversity , finally exempts him from the number of those , who pretend and aim at the goods , which are the objects of our own desire . but hatred is a turbulent passion , which puts the whole body into a violent commotion , and all whose effects are so sensible and obvious , that 't is the most faithful mirrour for discerning the degree of vehemence which attends all our other affections . if you would know how much you love vain-gl●ry , it may be your heart gives you a false intimation ; do but only consider the violence of the hatred , which you conceive at one , that has offended you in point of honour ; this is the just degree and measure of it ; this mirrour is your safest guide for discovering and fathoming the bottome of your heart . we hate by interest , persons , things , and words . if seeing an abyss under our feet , we are put into horrour and consternation , 't is the image of our destruction appearing before us , that causes this trembling motion ; and reason is not so strong and prevalent as to correct and allay that fear , which a too lively idea of our own destruction exhibits to our conceit . many people can't forbear swooning when they see the shedding of man's blood : this proceeds not so much from a weakness of temperament , as an infirmity of the heart . whatsoever represents to 'em the ruines of humane nature , threatens their self-love ; and that which imbues the fancy with blood , draws a livel● picture of death in the soul , and conducts it to that inward recess by meer ●nt of conceit , where reflection shuts the doors against it . chap. ix . where we consider the most general inclinations of self-love ; and in the first place the desire of happiness . the first inclination of self-love , is a desire to be happy ▪ and i believe , that in the main , these two expressions do but signify the same thing under different ideas . for what else is it to love one-self , but to desire happiness , and to desire happiness , but to love one-self ? truly he must be a very nice subtiliser , and mincer of things that can find any difference . as therefore the desire of happiness can't be too great , and it has always been reckon'd a crime t● pursue a false , and not ardently to affect a real felicity ; it follows that we are not to be blam'd for loving our selves to excess , but for taking a wrong method in exerting this love. all men most certainly agree in the general idea , desire , and sentiment of happiness . the diversity of philosophers opinions , touching the nature of happiness , is not really so great as at first it seems to be . all their sentiments are reduc'd to epicurus's , who plac'd the essence of beatitude in pleasure ; which will appear very reasonable , provided you separate pure , noble , durable , ●ertain pleasure from sensual , which has quite opposite characters ; and you distingui●h betwixt happiness and its foundations , ●hich men have been pleas'd to confound t●gether , that they might cavil and contra●ict one another , meerly thro' a mistake in the notion of happiness : for boetius defines happiness , the absence of all evils , ●nd the possession of all goods : you must observe that his design was to define a perfect and compleat , not a defective and imperfect happiness ; and yet this is to define happiness by its foundations . the absence of evils i● necessary indeed to keep us from being miserable , but does not render us happy . the possession of goods is the foundation of our happiness , but not happiness it self ; for what would it signify to have 'em in our power , if we have not the perception and fruition of ' em ? that fool of ath●ns , who thought that all the ships which arriv'd to 〈◊〉 belong'd to him , tasted the happiness 〈◊〉 riches without possessing 'em ; and it may 〈◊〉 the reall owners of these vessel● poss●s●d 'em without any fruition or pleasure , ●eing intoxicated with their insatiable a●rice , or afflicted with disquietudes ▪ which infallibly attend the possession of temporal goods : wherefore 't is not the possession , generally speaking , but the sentiment and fruition of the goods , we are possess'd of , that constitutes our happiness . so when aristotle places happiness in the knowledge and love of the supream good , its plain that his intention was to define happiness by its foundations , otherwise he would be under a gross mistake ; for if you separate pleasure from this knowledge and love , you 'd find that something more would be requir'd to make you happy : and on the other hand , if you suppose a lively and durable pain to be conjoyn'd with this knowledge and love , you 'd see that we should certainly be miserable . the stoicks , who thought happiness consisted in wisdom , were not so senseless as to imagine , that the satisfaction , wherewith this wisdom inspir'd 'em , was to be separated from the idea of happiness : their joy proceeded from the drunkenness , and infatuation of their soul , which applauded it self at a fictitious constancy . felix , qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas , atque metus omnes & inexorabile fatum subjecit pedibus , strepitumque acherontis avari . all men in general are necessarily agreed in this principle , and i wonder the schools should set 'em at variance about it . the covetous man feeds himself meerly with hopes of enjoying his riches , and of tasting the pleasure of possessing 'em : indeed he never truly enjoys his wealth , but 't is his delight to hoard it up , and that 's his whole fruition . the ambitious man's aim , in seeking after dignities , is to be rais'd in the world above the level of his brethren ▪ and the revengeful would never make any retaliation , did he not hope to find satisfaction in vengeance . this true maxim is not opposite to the religion , and morality of jesus christ ; for he says , that he did not come to destroy , but to perfect nature . he does not oblige us to renounce the love of pleasure , but proposes to us more pure , more noble , more spiritual , more certain , and more lasting pleasures , than those which the world promises : and he defines happiness by its sources ; this is life eternal , to know thee , the only true god , and jesus christ , whom thou hast sent . and he very well knows , that happiness essentially consists in joy , and unspeakable pleasures : for 't is a feast , new wine , a river of delights , torrents of peace and joy , &c. which expressions , under the emblem of temporal pleasures , inform us of the eternal pleasures of paradise . men's idea of happiness , assuredly proceeds from a sense of pleasure . the vicious seeks after the pleasures of intemperance , vain-glory , revenge , ambition : on the other hand , the vertuous man pursues the pleasures of vertue ; namely , of moderation , beneficence , temperance , of conscience and piety . he that should pretend to strip vertue , of the sense of joy and pleasure , would certainly discourage our heart ; and tho' possibly we might esteem ; yet we should not study and labour after it . i confess , that all men don't relish the same pleasure ; some are for gross , others for delicate , others for lively , others for durable , others for sensual , others for mental , and others for cordial pleasure ; but all , without exception , are for pleasure . so say we , that all men agree in their general desire to be happy : they may renounce all their affections , but they 'll never renounce this inclination , which is the primitive source of all the others . 't is happiness that poor and rich , young and old , covetous and liberal , temperate and voluptuous do all aim at : this happiness is the pleasure which they conceive ; and from the infinite diversity of this pleasure , there arises a prodigious variety of passions and applications . the irregularity consists in this , that men would fain tast and enjoy their happiness , before they have obtain'd it : they wait not for the direction of reason , to conduct 'em to the haven of beatitude : they begin with desiring to possess it , as if they had regard to no other pleasure , but what they actually perceive . these disciples of the senses , want not tutors to instruct 'em , in the art of voluptuousness ; who tell 'em : non est , mihi crede , sapientis , dicere , vivam : sera nimis vita est crastina , vive hodie . mart. l. . epig. 't is no great wonder , that the most elevated genius's of the heathen world , knew no other good but the present ; and exhorted men to enjoy the delights that offer'd themselves , for fear of losing 'em by delays : but 't is very much to be wonder'd , that they , who have the knowledge of eternity , should be capable of the same extravagance . the pleasure that constitutes our happiness ▪ must have other characters . in the first place , 't is requisite it should be spiritual : can one that tasts , and enjoys bodily pleasure , be in a state of happiness , if his soul be , at the same time , fill'd with the remorse of fear and sadness ? secondly , it must be durable : momentany pleasures , are more proper for rendering us miserable , than happy ; because not only the fruition of 'em is transient , but they leave a durable regret behind ' em . and certainly duration is so essential to happiness , that i dare say , even the felicity of paradise would be inconsiderable , were it possible for it to pass away in an instant ; and that the felicity of this lower world , would be worth looking after , were it but capable of lasting to eternity : for the former , tho' it be never so great and transcendent , would be swallow'd up with the frightful and melancholy thoughts , of our going to lose the foundation of an infinite joy ; the latter would be supported by a comfortable hope , which connecting together an infinity of ages , would make up that deig●ht in the duration of these goods , which they wanted in quality . nothing is finer in speculation , than this description which a latin poet gives of temporal happiness . res non parta labore , sed relicta , non ingratus ager , focus perennis , lis nunquam , toga rara , mens quieta , vires ingenuae , salubre corpus , prudens simplicitas , pares amici , con●ictus facilis , sine arte mensa , nox non ebria , sed soluta curis ; non tristis thorus , attamen pudicus , somnus qui faciat breves vmbras , quod sis , esse velis , nihilque malis , summum nec metuas diem , nec optes . mart. l. . epig. but tho' this definition of happiness appear so reasonable , as it had been dictated by the oracle of wisdom her self ; yet but an indifferent knowledge of man's heart , and his natural state , would suffice to shew its faultiness in many respects . in the first place , 't is made up of such goods , as for the most part , are not in our power , res non parta labore , sed relicta , non ingratus ager , focus perennis , lis nunquam , ●ires ingenuae , salubre corpus , somnus qui faciat breves umbras . for who can give himself an estate , and cause it to descend from father , to son ; or render his field fruitful , or avoid brangles with injurious persons ? 't is not in our power to sleep securely , to have a healthy and vigorous temper of body , and yet nature it self teaches us , that happiness is in some measure in our power : for why should it have engraven , upon the heart of man , a desire to be happy , if he were uncapable of arriving to that end ? but men mistake in this point , because they don't understand a double language , which nature speaks to 'em , in this respect . for on one hand , by shewing 'em so many goods , which they naturally desire , and which are not in their power , it plainly declares to 'em that happiness is not in their own breast ; and on the other , by inspiring into 'em so natural a desire of happiness , as that they can never deface , or put it off , in what state soever they be , it teaches 'em that they are notwithstanding capable of obtaining that end. but to return to our poet , i add , that this description of happiness is not made up of goods , sufficiently noble and excellent ; certainly 't is not much above the condition of beasts , of which it may be truly said , that their goods come by succession ; that their riches are not got by labour , that the earth is fruitful to 'em , and that they fail not of cloaths agreeable to their state , made by the hand of nature ; that they want not health , strength and rest , that their simplicity is prudent , and tho' they seem uncapable of reflection , yet we see 'em most ingenious , and discreet in the sphere of those objects , which their interest obliges 'em to know ; namely , for the propagation of their species , and self-preservation , that their life is pleasant and sedate , that they live without trouble and disquietude , that their cups are not mingled with the wormwood of suspicions and jealousies , that they are not troubled with law-suits ; and , which is most of all considerable , that they neither fear nor hope for death : so that beasts come very near to the enjoyment of that happiness , which is represented to us , as the most perfect and compleat of all . strange ! what a misery then is it , that we are born capable of reason , that the quality of rational , should bar us from pretending to that of happy ; that the degree of our perfection , should make the degree of our misery ; that beasts should be happy , for not being men ; and men should be miserable because they are not beasts ! certainly this can never be true : nature is too wise in all other things , for being so imprudent in this particular ; and unless men are willing to degrade themselves , and to disparage the excellency of their nature , they must needs acknowledge a soveraign good , which may be found , and does not cheat our desires ▪ but is not to be met with in the objects of this life , which will always deceive our craving appetite . moreover , the finest strokes , in the poets description of humane felicity , are contradictory : for if a man be so far happy , as to be satisfy'd with his condition , and not to desire a better , how can he choose but fear death , which puts a fatal period to this beatitude ? and , if what it deprives us off be so trivial and inconsiderable , as that we neither desire nor fear to die , how is it possible we should be contented with that condition ? this fellow spoke at random : he thought there was nothing in these verses ; quod sis , esse velis , nihilque malis , summum nec metuas diem , nec optes . a man content with his condition , and not fearful of death , is the philosopher's stone in morality . besides , these ideas destroy one another , they annihilate the na●ure of man ; who , as we have seen before , necessarily loves himself beyond all limits : his love of happiness stays not at a mediocrity , and consequently he cannot be satisfy'd , but in the possession of an infinite good : he dreads misery above all things ; and for that reason cannot but fear death , till he is assur'd of his immortality . also this is one of the greatest defects of that happiness which men search after ; or the pleasure , which they so ardently pursue , that the foundations of it are uncertain ; it depends upon a thousand causes , which are not in your power . what reliance can you have upon the health of a body , which every thing threatens with ruine and destruction ; and what tranquillity can you build upon this , if you behold the image of its death in every outward object ; in the aliments , that nourish you , in the air which you breath , in the contagion of a sick person , whom you visit , in an insect , that stings it , and in a multitude of other secret causes , which we can neither prevent , nor avoid ? who 'll assure me of the possession of my riches ? who 'll secure me of the preservation of those friends , whom i love and delight in ? who 'll protect me and mine from the accidents that are so ordinarily incident to society . the fourth defect of this humane felicity is , that 't is not only corruptible , but also transient and fading : 't is of a much shorter duration than the term of our life . sleep , which locks up our senses , exhausts a good part of it ; nor does it last so long as this moiety of life , which we pass in reflection and awake ; for we are not continually buisy'd with tasting pleasure . nay , it subsists not so long as the presence of those objects which first give it birth ; it lasts but for the momentany passage , from privation to enjoyment . we perceive some delight indeed in the pursuit , but this joy expires with the acquisition : the greatest of temporal goods , after we have possess'd 'em , but for two days , don't very much affect and please us . this happiness seems to consist in the satisfaction of desire , which makes us not happy , either in life or death ; but only at the instant of extinction or annihilation ▪ the most excellent wisdom of nature thought fit to let us know , that worldly goods are not wholly to be neglected , seeing it has affix'd delight and joy to the acquisition of 'em : but withal it would teach us that our souls ought not to acquiesce in this enjoyment ; since we no sooner commence the perception of this pleasure , but it presently vanishes , and cheats our desire . the fifth defect of humane felicity consists in this , that our happiness has always a mixture and allay of misery . every good brings some evil at its heels : impia suo dulci , melle venena latent . ovid. l. . met. and i know not how it happens so , consequent calamities bear a proportion to precedent blessings . vt rebus loetis par fit mensura malorum . idem . l. . eleg. the last is , that this happiness does not fill the capacity of our soul , nor answer the ardent eagerness of the pursuit , so that finding an extream disproportion betwixt the good we have obtain'd , and the ardour wherewith we pursu'd it , we find our selves tantaliz'd and starv'd , as it were , in the midst of plenty . tho' self-love delights not in thinking of all those things , which may shew it the vanity of its applications , yet certainly it has a glimpse of all these defects , in the happiness it reaches at . 't is conscious , that sensual pleasure is the happiness rather of brutes , than of men : it owns , that a solid and substantial happiness , must necessarily be durable : it denies not , that a certain felicity is preferable to that , whose foundations are uncertain . it perceives , that in order to make a man happy , this transitory pleasure , which lasts no longer than the instant of acquisition , ought to be fix'd and stay'd in its career . it grants , that true felicity , should be commensurate to the appetite of our soul. wherefore right reason commands us to search for other sources of happiness : but the present delight which interests it , and seduces the understanding , by tying it rather to the inquest of pleasure , than truth , takes it off from executing that design ; it s own illusions still serve it after the old rate ; if they fail of objects , they take the place of qualities , and set up themselves for powers or habits . when man can't obtain such a temporal happiness as satisfies his reason , he makes his reason knock under , and condescend to satisfy his pleasure . the prejudic'd mind gives an extravagant , and undue character to these false goods ; and here 't is most of all admirable , to see what a prodigious ascendant the heart has over the mind . for to disguise abstract and speculative truths is no great matter , but to disguise sensible and experimental truths , is a thing that gives us a special evidence of the force of our corruption : to see this we proceed in the next place , by unfolding the most hidden mysteries of self-love . chap. x. where we consider the cheats , which self-love puts upon it self , to correct the defects , which it finds in the happiness it aims at . self-love perceiving , that worldly happiness is too gross and impure to satisfy our mind ; and that indeed , 't is not fit an happiness , enjoy'd by none but the body , should satisfy the thirst of the soul ; seeks how it may spiritualize and refine corporeal pleasures , in order to cheat and impose upon us , by making us think , that they are equally satisfactory to the soul and body : hence self-love has been pleas'd to tye , unto this gross and carnal felicity , the delicacy of sentiments ; the esteem of the mind , and sometimes even the duties of religion , by conceiving it as spiritual , glorious and sacred . for as to the first of these , who would not be amaz'd to see the prodigious number of thoughts , opinions , fictions , writings , histories , which sensual pleasure has caus'd to be invented . muster up together all the tracts , that have ever been written about morality , which is the science of living well ; and compare 'em with those , that have been made about the pleasures of intemperance , and you 'll find a great disproportion between their number . considering these actions in their natural hue , there appears in 'em a sordid baseness , which dis-heartens our pride ; namely , the vile and abject conformity they have to other animals . now what course can be taken to elevate , and render 'em worthy and becoming the grandeur of men ? why , the ready way is to spiritualize and refine 'em , to present 'em for an object of the delicateness of the mind ; make 'em a subject of fine and delightful sensations ; to make some sport of 'em to the imagination , and turn 'em agreeably to the humour , by the flourishes of eloquence and poetry : and lastly , to imploy all the faculties , and lights of the rational principle , to make the delights of a voluptuous body go down glib and pleasantly into an haughty soul. i express my self according to the vulgar prejudice , for truly speaking , the body has not in it self any perception or sensation . hence self-love has also ty'd an esteem and respect to the most shameful debasements of humane nature . pride and pleasure are two passions , which tho' they spring from the same original of self-lov● , yet for all that , there is some difference and opposition betwixt ' em . pleasure humbles , whereas pride exalts us : the former engraves us with the image of brutes , the latter with the picture of the devil . also these two passions have many a combat and duel in our heart ; but the heart can by no means approve of this conflict , being a friend and well-wisher to 'em both , and all most equally sensible of the charms of glory and pleasure : it must bestir its stumps to make a reconcilation , and to bring this about , it takes one of these methods , either it transports pleasure , if i may so speak , to the confines of pride , or pride to the region of pleasure . if it renounce sensual pleasure 't will search for a greater in the acquest of esteem ; and so pleasure is wholly indemnify'd : or , if we take a resolution to satisfy its thirst of sensual pleasure , 't will apply to it the credit of esteem ; and by this means pride is solac'd at its loss . were there but one only man of this disposition of mind , he would not easily succeed in his design ; but men unhappily meeting together , they understand one another , and having the same inclination , they willingly agree to consecrate it . this is a ragoo to pleasure , which renders it much more exquisite than the glory which men's exorbitant fancies have ty'd to it : but 't is yet better season'd , when we regard this pleasure , as an ordinance of religion . a debauch'd woman , that would make people believe in the heathen world , that she had a god for her sweet-heart , had a more sensible relish of intemperate pleasures ; and a zealot , that takes his pleasure , or executes revenge , under the shelter of some sacred pretext , tasts in pleasure a more piquant and delicious season than is pleasure it self . thus the humane felicity , of which we are speaking , may be divided into two parts , gross and sensible , which is as it were the matter of it ; and a more refin'd and delicate , which we 'll term its form. 't is certain , that as all the perceptions of joy and pleasure , which this world affords us , aggrandize and enlarge the matter of this happiness ; so all the illusions and tricks , which self-love puts upon us on this account , to make it appear either reasonable , glorious or sacred ; all the false discourses of men , who are continually speaking of the objects of their desire ; all the unhappy idea's of education , which administer infinite occasions of deceiving us in this respect , all the naughty lectures , and impious studies , a thousand prejudices , and false maxims , serve to augment and encrease the form of it , and to transplant this vain felicity , into the supream seat and escurial of our soul , which sprang up before in the meanest part of its royalty , by the occasion of sense . these are the measures , which self-love takes against the first defect , which it saw its pretended happiness ; but 't is not defective only in this : 't is likewise so much adulterated and mix'd , that it renders us rather miserable , than happy ; and in this , self-love is pleas'd to put another trick and cheat upon it self . for fearing lest our earnest attention , to the defects and emptiness of worldly goods , to their appendant misery and incommodities , might disabuse us in this matter , it diverts our consideration from whatsoever is most capable to represent that misery to our view , which attends the goods and enjoyments of this world : it finds a pretty hard tug of it ; for how should it go beyond experimental and sensible proofs ? but yet for all this it fails not of good success , by reason of men's extream desire to put a merry trick and cajole upon themselves . to understand the whole substance of this matter , you must know , that as the present , how sweet soever it appear to us , and tho' we have never so great an inclination to sacrifice all for the sake of it , yet notwithstanding seems too narrow and limited to a soul , which loves to aggrandize and extend its bounds by imagination ; it most commonly intermingles the past and future in the idea of our condition ; not the past and future as they are in reality , but such as our soul would have 'em be . our state therefore seems to us an assemblage of goods which both follow and precede us . by the remembrance of pleasures already enjoy'd , we bring back the past to present ; and by the ideas of temporal goods we hope to enjoy , we anticipate the future . if we would carry a direct and steddy view over all these differences of time , we should find in the past , what we meet with in the present ; namely , goods mingled with the bitterness and gall of a great many evils . for the good we have possess'd was not more pure and unmingled , than what we now possess ; and what we are like to possess hereafter , will not differ from what we before enjoy'd : but as the soul loves to think of nothing else , but what delights and tickles its fancy , it happens , that it retains the ideas of these goods which it formerly possess'd , because these conceptions are agreeable and pleasant ; and it forgets the ideas of the evils intermingled , because such thoughts are attended with melancholy and sadness , unless the past evil seeming good to us , because we are deliver'd from it ; for this reason also draws in our mind a delightful image : as for the future we know it only by hope ; now hope hath not evil , but good for its proper object : the past and future , one whereof is no more , and the other is not yet come , occupying a large space in our imagination , and always presenting themselves in the livery of their pleasures , and never in the mourning weeds of their misery : no wonder , if by degrees , a bright idea of happiness be form'd in our mind ; which can hardly be destroy'd by the sense of our misery . our past delights do still remain ; the applauses , which recompenc'd our merit , seem really present , because pride has drawn 'em to the life , in the tablet of our imagination : and what if we could add future advantages to present , and obtain their fortune , who are objects of our envy ? thus by a second disorder of our imagination , which hath the same source with the first , we frame to our selves an idea of those goods , which being in another man's power , are become the objects of our own desire ; an agreeable and flattering representation , because we see not the troubles which attend 'em , but only cast a glance upon their specious and glittering out-side . so that the idea of our own condition , and other men's , the pleasant images of the past , and a thousand hopes , whose object are the uncertainties of the future , continually occurring to our mind , whereas the evils of the future are perceiv'd but now and then ; no wonder if the soul get drunk with this folly , and a thousand experiences fail of reclaiming it from its errours and illusions . this blindness is sometimes so bold and daring , as to regard this felicity as built upon sure and stable foundations . this truth appears by the speech of him , whom the son of god represents feeding up himself with certain fancies of a happiness , which he was presently to be depriv'd of : my soul , said he , eat , drink and take thy ease , we have goods laid up for many years : presently he hears a terrible voice , saying to him , thou fool , this night shall thy soul be required of thee , and then whose shall all those goods be which thou hast laid up ? but lastly , man is not so blind but that he can see the end of this happiness , which so enchants and bewitches him ; he knows the world will not be a perpetual fountain of his pleasure , because it consists of corruptible objects ; and he is not ignorant , that himself shall not always be in a capacity of enjoying worldly delights , forasmuch as he is not immortal . for want of this perpetuity of sentiment and fruition which he can't obtain , he endeavours to perpetuate his memory ; and so he saves what he can from the ship-wrack of temporal things ; but yet all that he saves , does not countervail his labour : for what is man's glory after he is dead ? it is , says an ancient , a prosperous gale after a ship-wrack ; and certainly nothing is more vain , than all those means , which self-love has invented to eternize our glory . urns , tombs , pyramids , mausoleum's , theatres , temples , cities dedicated to the memory of famous personages ; poetry and eloquence , painting and engraving employ'd to preserve some ideas of their vertue , or certain lineaments of their visage , can't avoid the fate of corruptible things ; and as they are unable to perpetuate themselves , they can't be capable of eternizing their objects : this would be but to perpetuate shadows , and how should they perpetuate the sensation ? nos quoque floruimus , sed flos fuit ille caducus . i think we should not be guilty of a greater extravagance , if by the effort of our desires , we should at length be brought to doubt of our mortality , than whilst by the seduction of our heart , we search for so vain an immortality . i know indeed , that no man seriously denies himself to be subject to the fate of death ; but yet scarcely any man perhaps tells himself in earnest , that he shall die : for tho' these two terms have too true a relation , yet no one is willing to joyn 'em together ; and if we do happen to consider 'em , 't is with a design to dis-unite and part ' em . we shall be apt to consider death , without considering our selves ; or our selves without considering death : we never love to connect those ideas both together ; and certainly nothing can be imagin'd , let men think what they please of it , more extraordinary and more uneasy to the heart , than the conjunction of these two sentiments in our imagination . yet this is not all ; self-love undertakes to fix the pleasure , which rises from the acquisition of temporal goods : with this design it seeks to have a frequent enjoyment of the good it possesses , whether by thought , representing it to its mind as often , and in as lively a manner as is possible ; or by endeavouring to invent new methods of enjoining the pleasure , whereunto it is accustomed . 't was a great extravagance in caligula , to propose the making his horse consul , to have him led before the senate in consular robes , and the bundles of rods carried before him : but this extravagance , which so much grates and contradicts the mind , was a feast of delights to such an heart , as being us'd to supream power , and scarcely perceiving it now , found out a means of giving it self an air of novelty , by the singularity of its gust , and the fantasticalness of its capricio . caligula , in his folly , had the pleasure of seeing how much other men were subject to his dominion . lastly , self-love , which one would think ought to be dis-abus'd of the excessive opinion , it conceiv'd of temporal goods , when it sees what a great vacuity they leave in our heart , yet puts upon it self a further illusion : for finding that this measure of temporal goods , which it has obtain'd , can't render it happy , it pre-possesseth it self with thoughts of finding that happiness in the quantity , which it could not meet with i● the quality of these advantages . thus a rich man , who ought to have dis-abus'd himself as to the vanity of riches , by the experience he makes of 'em , feeds himself with a fancy , that he shall be happy when he has made a further augmentation of his treasures ; and as the degrees of temporal prosperity are not limited , no wonder if , in what state soever he be , he form a succession of new desires . and because our soul sees , that worldly goods are less considerable by their reality than fictitiousness , 't is so ingenious as to deceive it self in this too ; it covets the esteem of other men , and would fain be thought happy by the mind 's of the multitude , that it may hereafter make use of this esteem , to cheat and warrant it self of happiness , upon the word of those that , don't know us . oh! 't is a brave and delightful object , for a grandee to behold the covetous and interested rabble cringing at his heels , whose officiousness plainly shews what opinion they have of greatness . this perswades him , that he is not mistaken in thinking that his lofty elevation render'd him happy : and if the inward experience he has of his condition , does not suit with his conception , he suspends the sad reflections of his mind ▪ and says to himself , that doubtless so many persons who esteem him happy can't be mistaken ; and resolves to be satisfy'd with his condition , maugre all the sense and experience of his misery . i very well know , that men many times discourag'd by some danger or present misfortune , which m●kes a lively and deep impression upon their heart , dislike their own condition , and envy other men's : but this dislike is quickly over , it vanishes with the object which gave it birth , and pleasant ideas succeeding in the place of sad and unpleasant , which had struck , and as it were ▪ wounded our soul , by rushing impetuously into the mind ; then we see none but the best side of our condition , and re-assume the bent of our former designs . this is what one of the most facetious wits , of augustus's time , express'd with a great deal of plainness and elegance in one of his satyrs . qui fit maecenas , ut nemo , quam sibi sortem seu ratio dederit , seu sors objecerit , illâ contentus vivat , laudet diversa sequentes ? o fortunati mercatores , gravis annis miles ait , multo jam fractus membra labore . contra mercator , navem jactantibus austris : militia est potior : quid enim ? concurritur : horae momento cita mors venit , aut victoria laeta . agricolam laudat juris , legumque peritus , sub galli cantu consultor ubi , ostia pulsat . ille datis vadibus , qui rure extractus in vrbē est ▪ s●●os felices viventes clamat in vrbe . and certainly 't is not greatly to be wonder'd , that other men's conditions seem better than our own in the eyes of self-love , seeing that we feel the pressure of our own evils and miseries , but not of theirs ; and their enjoyments appear without any allay of unhappiness and trouble , because we see but the meer surface and out-side of their condition . but lastly , whether it be the idea of those temporal goods , which we our selves possess , or the image of other men's goods , that so advantagiously prejudices and bigots us to the esteem of worldly enjoyments ; 't is certain that our conception of 'em is very extravagant ▪ and herein men commonly place their supream good. for to do this , 't is not necessary that our mind should expresly and distinctly judge the world to be the soveraign good ; nor yet that our mouth should openly pronounce so in plain terms . man is naturally too glorious and proud to think or speak very gross and sensible absurdities ; but he loves the world so much as to say it in his heart , tho' not in his mind . but 't will not be amiss to continue our consideration of the most general inclinations of the heart , which proceed from self-love : for we shall easily know the rivulets , after we have throughly discovered the springs . chap. xi . where we continue to consider the general inclinations of self-love ; the second whereof is a desire of perfection . happiness and perfection are the two general goods which man naturally desires , but not without some dependance and subordination to each other ; for he desires not happiness for the sake of perfection , but perfection for the sake of happiness . man can't be throughly contented , whilst the idea of his imperfections is fresh in his mind . this obliges him to disguise 'em , as much as is possible , and to get rid of 'em , unless by renouncing his defects , he renounce a part of that pleasure , wherein he plac'd his happiness . indeed the mind always passing sentence in favour of the applications of the heart , oftentimes leads us into errors , by confounding vices with vertues , defects with perfections . the aethiopians count the blackest people the most beautiful , but in europe , and the other parts of the world , the whitest are esteem'd the most handsome and fine . 't is not so easy , as some may think , to decide which of 'em is in the wrong . just so stands the case with the qualities of the soul. vivacity and sprightliness , which pass in some countries for very great excellencies , are counted in others most essential imperfections . and certainly 't is a very difficult matter , to make this just discernment betwixt defects and perfections , amidst the darkness and prejudices which attend our corruption ; 't is not sufficient , that we consult publick opinion , for men oftentimes agree together to consecrate their common infirmities , and a propensity , in which they sympathize and agree , they most frequently judge to be worthy of esteem , or at least not to be rejected and despis'd . drunkenness in some countries is counted a very scandalous vice ; in others it passes for a modish infirmity , and is not thought an essential crime . wherefore 't is no hurt for men to suspend their judgment , touching what is term'd vice and vertue , perfection and imperfection , till they have had time and leisure to consult the clear and distinct views of their mind , or of religion , which is a yet shorter way to the knowledge of our real duties . now for putting us in a way to make this discernment , 't is to be observ'd , that god differs from the creature in this , that he is a being invested with all perfections : so that we may affirm him to have either formally or eminently , every good that falls under our knowledge , or deserves our esteem ; that is , he possesses these qualities and perfections , either in the highest degree , or other perfections which are equivalent to ' em . but as for the creature , it can't pretend to be endu'd with any perfections , but what belong to its species . 't is not necessary a stag should have wings , 't is enough for him that he hath swiftness for his share . birds have no use for fins , wings are sufficient to their end of flying . now in this , men are under a double failing : first , for pretending to have such perfections as are in no wise due to their species . secondly , for renouncing those which do really belong to 'em , and very well suit with their essential perfections ; for they give their body more than is its due , and deprive their soul of what it justly challenges . the former they endeavour to perpetuate and enlarge : they would fain procure it a kind of eternity , whereof 't is uncapable , and a sort of grandeur , or rather immensity , which by no means suits with its condition . but men lie under a yet greater failure , by being unwilling to enter within the confines of themselves , or to take a survey of their own nature ; falsly imagining that the quality of man includes nothing but baseness and misery ; they are not very eager in the research of those perfections which are due to this general quality , but aspire at an exemption from this common condition , by the help of those external goods , and forreign relations , which distinguish 'em in society . they leave off searching after the perfections which belong to man , and pursue those of a magistrate , an artist , a scholar , a burgess , a gentleman , a grand-seignior ; they no longer place their honour in what may perfect or adorn humane nature , and enrich the mind , this immortal essence , and lively image of the deity : but in that , which is capable of making 'em succed and excel in their profession , tho' never so mean and sordid in it self , or of putting 'em in a condition to maintain , with credit , the grandeur of that publick station , wherein the circumstances of their life have plac'd ' em . hence it appears , that men use to measure the perfection or imperfection of their qualities and endowments , meerly by the relation they have to that state wherein they suppose themselves to be , and to which self-love and pride advance 'em with a design of gaining a famous reputation . a profess'd scholar does not stand upon points of valour : and a souldier seldom concerns himself with scholarship . tell the former that he 's a man of no courage , he 'll but laugh at you ; but make the same reproach to the latter , you 'll move his choler , and put him in a rage : the reason is , because learning is no qualification for a souldier , nor valour for a scholar . but this is to be understood when self-love fixes the one in the station of a scholar , and the other in that of an heroe ; for it many times happens that a man , thro' an incentive of pride , affects to appear , what we term , omnis homo , and then the maxim changes with the supposition . it can't be express'd , how many false prejudices spring from this original . injustice , debauchery , fury , make use of this occasion to consecrate themselves . the ordinary theft , or burglary , suits not with a private man's fortune and condition , whose neck is forc'd at last to pay for his crimes ; and therefore this is counted a base and unworthy fault : but grand robberies , such as the conquest of cities , and provinces , do outwardly match and agree with the greatness of a potentate , and these therefore pass for heroick enterprizes . horrour and infamy necessarily attend the ordinary murther , which is subject to the rigour of the law , and consequently comports not with the interest of private persons , whom the laws retain and keep within the bounds of duty : but an unjust war , which includes an infinity of murthers and robberies , if happy and successful , is an object of the greatest esteem and admiration . not to say , as some have done , that injuries are consecrated by their greatness , and that excess is the glory of a crime : this opinion would be somewhat extravagant ; but yet we may safely say , that this fantastical inequality of our prejudices , touching the very same things , proceeds from an habit , we have gotten , to judge of qualities meerly by their relation to the state and condition of those that possess ' em . a woman is branded with shame and disgrace for being mis-led and abus'd , and yet he who is the author of this seduction , makes it a motive of his vanity : this prejudice is assuredly very extravagant ; yet the disorder is founded upon the maxim we have establish'd . men are thought to have a thousand topicks , whereupon to build an esteem and reputation ; all the fountains of glory lye open to their appetite . a woman is limited in this respect ; she can neither govern states , command armies , nor make a successful progress in arts and sciences , at least according to the ordinary course , and for the generality ; and the examples of the contrary are too few to lay any great stress upon : but she can be honest and modest , for which reason nothing is more honourable in a woman than chastity . also that empire of beauty , which the world esteems the glory of women , fails of adding the same honour to men , who are naturally design'd for other purposes , than to make themselves amiable , and display some skill in throwing the darts of cupid . and sometimes it happens that a vice well plac'd , passes for a great vertue ; and a vertue ill plac'd , is thought a great vice. prodigality becomes alexander very well , who being master of the world has , in his custody , the treasures of it . frugality suits very well with hannibal , who supports his armies by a miracle , when block'd up in italy on every side . even cruelty it self , which at another time would in no wise become him , agrees with the circumstances of that condition . but wisdom , prudence , honesty , fidelity , &c. being qualities which suit with all states and conditions , no wonder if the greatest part of mankind are equally concern'd about 'em : they don't endeavour to obtain these vertues as being worthy of man , but as they match and agree with their states and interests . they seek for true judgment and prudence , because 't is the reality , and not the bare appearance of these vertues , that serves their turn , and promotes their advantage ; but they usually content themselves with a meer shew of honesty , because they think that outward appearances of sincerity , are more for their ends , than the vertue it self . men have sufficient reason to hate hypocrisy , and to be angry at this imposture of vice , which seems desirous to make fools , both of god and men , by an execrable traffick of appearances , and affected out-sides : but to speak the down-right truth , hypocrisy is a vice which seems common to mankind . all men study to appear , as may be most for their advantage . 't is a mistake to imagine , that there be hypocrites or dissemblers of none but devotion ; there be hypocrites of honour , constancy , valour , liberality ; and there be more that counterfeit themselves in civil life , than who put on a vizard in the church . 't is pretty to see two fellows , that scrape acquaintance , or are going to swap wares , take each other for cullies and soft-heads ; and neither say nor do any thing but what is to carry on the design of cheating . men affect a shew of complaisance , politeness , probity , honour , meerly to be thought really endow'd with these qualities . all this assuredly proceeds from a too short view of self-love , and lest we should err , and go out of the way , 't is necessary to return from the road we went in before , to search after man , whom we desir'd to avoid ; and taking for perfection , not whatsoever distinguishes us in the world , but what suits with this natural equality of perfection and excellency , which we have in common with other men ; to consider our selves not in our selves , but god. the perfections belonging to the mortal man are very inconsiderable : but those of the immortal man are all worthy of admiration ; he need not put on the mask of hypocrisy to counterfeit himself to the eyes of mankind : he need only renounce the fallacies of his pride , the vain prejudices of the world ; and take off the veil which intercepts the prospect of himself , to find that he 's advanc'd above the sphere of admiration . even the passions of men set up for real perfections , when they have their just extent in the immortal man ; and if you narrowly observe , you 'll find that the baseness we conceive in these affections of our soul , proceeds from the too narrow limits , where unto concupiscence and self-love have confin'd 'em : give the soul liberty to take its whole flight , let it act with the full extent of its powers , and you 'll find 't is a divine sphere , that grows bigger and bigger the nearer it comes to god. chap. xii . where we treat of the general vices which flow from self-love , and first of pleasure . there are three sorts of goods , whereunto self-love is principally apply'd the full , which is of it self sensible , and this is pleasure : a second , which is desirable for its own sake , but becomes not sensible of it self , this is esteem : a third , which is neither sensible nor desirable for its own sake , and hath only ( as the schools speak ) a goodness of the means , and this is riches ; to which we must add a fourth good , which seems to include all those before-mention'd , namely , dignities ; which according to the ordinary notion men have of 'em , are a compound of pleasure , glory and support , in order to lead a commodious and agreeable life . the love of pleasure is natural , that of esteem is lawful , the desire of riches hath nothing criminal in it self ; but all these inclinations immediately commence vices , when they become head-strong , and cease to be directed by the dictates of reason . self-love apply'd to irrational pleasure , is term'd voluptuousness ; as it irregularly pursues esteem , it has the name of pride ; and when 't is conversant about riches , desiring 'em with an excessive ardour , 't is termed covetousness : lastly , self-love eagerly aspiring at dignities , beyond the measures of right reason , and the tenour of justice , is call'd ambition : but as worldly goods are reduc'd to pleasure and glory , so the most general disorders of self-love are reduc'd to voluptuousness and pride , an examination of which will be the conclusion of our present enquiries . pleasure may be consider'd , in reference either to the person , who is the subject of it , or in reference to society , or god ; for 't is undoubtedly necessary in these three respects . 't is by pleasure that the author of nature hath engag'd our soul in the preservation of the body ; we should omit to repeat the use of food , had it not an agreeable tast . 't is pleasure that puts us upon mutual commerce , whether in oeconomical or political society , since the union of men , and even the propagation of mankind , is to be ascrib'd to this sentiment . lastly , 't is the pleasure we find in loving , and being lov'd by god , in hoping for his blessings , in receiving his benefits , and in having a sense of his peace and favour , that incites us to have our conversation with him . hence it follows that pleasure is criminal , either when 't is opposite to the good of the man , who is the subject of it ; or to the good of society , or the commerce we ought to entertain with god. the imbitter'd pleasures , which for a momentany delight , cost men very durable and lasting torments , are to be rang'd in the first order . as the goodness of god manifestly appears in this , that he hath affix'd sentiments of pleasure to food , and other things which naturally relate to the preservation of the body ; so his justice becomes most sensible in the rigorous punishment and scourge of incontinence . but we ought not to look only upon that voluptuousness , which afflicts the body , as contrary to man ; the same judgment is also to be pass'd upon that which weakens or dis-composes the mind . moreover pleasure is to be thought criminal , either when it tends to destroy society , or disturb the mutual order of it . such are the pleasures which are founded upon insincerity and infidelity , which establish in society a confusion of family and children , and which are attended with suspicions , distrusts , and many times with murthers , and attempts upon the most sacred and inviolable laws of nature . lastly , that pleasure is to be esteem'd criminal , which god hath forbidden , either by his natural law , which he has given to all men , or by a positive law ; as also such pleasure as weakens , suspends or destroys our commerce with him , by too much confining and fixing us to the creatures . upon this principle 't is easy to see , what judgment ought to be made of all the different kinds of voluptuousness , and to examine all their characters . in general , as 't is a natural and fundamental truth , that the corruption of the best things is always worst , so 't is certain , that by how much more important and necessary any pleasure is to man , in the natural and regular use of it , so much more dangerous and criminal is the abuse of it . the pleasure of seeing , smelling and hearing is perhaps the least blameable of all ; because we don't destroy our being , injure any man , or offend god , generally speaking , either in beholding agreeable objects , in smelling delicious odours , or hearing melodious harmonies : i say , generally speaking , because there are infinite circumstances , which may render these pleasures criminal , tho' they seem never so innocent in themselves . a man is to be blam'd for having such an eager desire after publick spectacles , smells , or musick , as to neglect his own affairs , omit to fulfil the duties of society ; or lastly , for being taken off , by the continual use of pleasures , from the spiritual commerce which he ought to have with god ; not to mention those many dangerous pleasures which are involv'd in the first . we think many times to pursue the pleasure of sight , in our fine walks and magnificent houses ; yet all this while our bent is after the pleasure of pride and ambition , saying almost the same thing to our selves as the assyrian king did in his arrogant heart : is not this babylon , the great city which i have built by the power of my might ? 't is easy to conceive that gluttony is a more criminal pleasure than those we have been speaking of ; it destroys the health of the body , debases the mind , calling it down from those sublime and lofty contemplations , to which it naturally tends , to the sordidness of sensuality , which makes it a slave to banquets and tables , as if they were the sources of its happiness ; atque affigit humi divinae particulam aurae . but the pleasure of excess in eating , generally consider'd , is not near so criminal as drunkenness ; which not only impairs the body , and debases the mind , but dis-composes our reason , and suspends us , for some time , from the glorious character of rational creatures : a man by this dangerous pleasure , mortgages his reason , and becomes responsible for all the misdemeanours , which this deprivation may occasion him to commit ; so that as there is no vice in nature , but may possibly ensue upon this loss of our understanding , drunkenness may be said to involve and comprehend all other vices . the pleasure of love produces not quite so sensible irregularities , but yet 't is of no less dangerous consequence . love is a kind of drunkenness , and infatuation of the mind and heart of one , who gives up himself to the swinge of this passion ; this is the intoxication of the soul , as the other of the body . the former is guilty of an open extravagance , expos'd to the sight of all the world ; the latter dotes in reality , tho' he seem to have the use of his reason : also the former renounces only the use of reason ; whereas the other renounces at once both his mind and heart . notwithstanding i must own , that thus far the disorder of drunkenness is much more sensible , and perhaps , really more enormous . but when we come to consider the opposition of these two passions , to the good of society , and our conversation with god , we find irregular love to be , in some sort , more criminal than drunkenness ; because this occasions in us but a transient disorder , whereas the other is attended with a continu'd and lasting exorbitance . moreover , love is oftner the occasion of man-slaughter than wine . drunkenness is sincere and open-hearted , but the whole intrigue of love is made up of artifice and infidelity : lastly , drukenness is a short fury , which withdraws us from god to serve our passion ; but irregular love is a perpetual idolatry . self-love is not wholly confin'd to the pursuit of corporeal delights , but it has a hundred ways of mingling 'em together to highten the gust , and encrease their relish : most arts are the servants of pleasure , they are exercis'd in mixing colours to delight the eyes , odours and essences to please the smell , instruments , tunes and harmonious sounds to flatter the ear. we make voluptuous miscellanies of colours , sounds and odours ; these we make use of to raise and set off the pleasure of feasting , and this with all those other agreeable objects , we make instrumental to yet more vicious delights : and this sensual pleasure is so considerable in the eyes of men , that when they have a mind to raise themselves credit and esteem , they think there 's no fitter way for it , than to flatter the senses of their associates and visitants . they love to have rich and gaudy ornaments to please the sight , fragrant essences to flatter the smell , a fine voice and skill in musick to charm the ear. all these are the ingredients of men's esteem ; we confound pleasures with perfections , and think nothing excellent but what diverts us . tho' this pleasure seem so much the more criminal , by how much greater space it takes up in our soul , and so much more dangerous as 't is common to all mankind , yet indeed i am not of their mind , who , by subtleties and nice speculations would dispute the natural and lawful use of the creature ; and fancy that either all pleasures are equally sinful , or that none of 'em can be tasted without a crime , unless we have at the same moment an explicit intention of referring 'em to the glory of god. this opinion is extravagant , there being infinite occasions of taking honest and innocent divertisements , tho' we find no positive relation they have to the glory of god. it therefore suffices , ●hat we use 'em with gratitude and thankfulness to the creatour , and not desire to spiritualize and consecrate those things which are not capable of such a refinement . chap. xiii . where we continue our consideration of the divers characters of pleasure . the generality of men acknowledge but one kind of voluptuousness , which is that of the senses ; they reduce all to bodily intemperance , and don 't see that in the heart of man there are as many different sorts of voluptuousness , as there are varieties of delight for it to abuse ; and as great diversity of delights as there are passions , which move and agitate our soul. covetousness , which seems willing to deprive it self of the most innocent pleasures , and to adopt in their place none but labour , fatigues , disquietudes and fears , fails not of its pleasure for all that , which retrieves the loss of that sweetness it renounces . populus me sibilat , says the miser describ'd by horace , at ego mihi plaudo ipse domi , dum nummos contemplor in arcâ . the power of enjoying temporal goods is the same to him , that the actual enjoyment is to other men. but as some passions are more criminal than others , there 's a kind of spiritual pleasure , which is particularly dangerous . it may be reduc'd to three species ; namely , the pleasure of hatred and revenge , of pride and ambition , of incredulity and impiety . pride takes a delight in appropriating to us those goods which are none of our own , or such qualities as are in us , but are not properly ours ; or a glory which ought to be ascrib'd to god , and not our selves . as the soul resents a kind of grief at being stript of its honour , to cloath and adorn another , which causes the secret repugnancies it has to humility , so it finds a very sensible pleasure in derobing others of this glory , to cover and set off it self with their feathers . we may very well wonder , what pleasure the romans could find in the bloody pastime of the circus , to see the gladiators kill and mangle one another , to make them sport and recreation : this barbarous delight may be reckon'd a pleasure of ambition and vain-glory : the thoughts that these combatants were slaves , made the romans forget 'em to be men. this was a flattery to ambition , letting 'em see that the men were made for no other purpose , but their recreation and divertisement . there 's a pleasure of hatred and revenge which consists in the joy we perceive at other men's misfortunes . this is an hideous pleasure , which is nourish'd by our neighbours tears : yet if you look closely into the matter , you 'll find 't is most agreeable to the palate of worldly men. this pleasure is proportion'd to the degree of that hatred which gave it birth . hence a poet of our age , who had a competent knowlede of man's heart , expresses the excess of hatred , by the excess of pleasure : should clouds disgorge their flames upon this place , and thunder to the ground these buildings rase ; should thy proud laurels into ashes wast , and all the roman stock new breathe their last ; i cou'd endure these objects in my fight , cause 'em my self , and dye ev'n with delight . incredulity fortifies it self with the pleasure of all the other passions which attack religion , and are delighted with upholding such doubts as favour the interest of their disorder ; and impiety , which seems to do evil for evil's sake , and without any further advantage , yet has its secret pleasures , which are so much the more dangerous , the more the soul hides 'em from it self at that time , when it most exquisitely tasts ' em . it often happens , that an interest of vanity , makes us irreverent to the supream being . we wou'd fain seem formidable to men , by seeming to have no fear of god : to menace and threaten the earth , we blaspheme heaven . but yet that is not the principal ingredient of impiety : man naturally hates god , because he hates the dependance which submits him to his dominion , and the law which restrains his desires . this abhorrence of the deity lies hid in the bottom of man's heart , or infirmity and fear many times conceal it from the eyes of reason : this inward aversion perceives a secret pleasure at any thing that dares and affronts god ; men love those flights of wit which scandalize the divinity . victrix causa diis placuit , sed victa catoni . il dédaigne de voir le ciel qui le trahit . he scorns to see the heaven , which betrays him . this seem'd brave and great , because it was impious . i am inclinable to their opinion , who hold that fear is the original source of superstition , provided we join hatred and fear together , as they are often found in the heart of man ; it being hard for us not to have some hatred and aversion at that which we very much fear and dread . 't is certain , that superstition would not be so common in the world ( for ordinarily 't is made up of an inhumane extravagance ) did not pleasure inveigle men to that which reason forbids ; and this pleasure consists in an inward satisfaction , at seeing the deity abus'd and degraded . the pagans did not only meet with a pleasure of pride , in raising men to the order of gods , but also a pleasure of hatred and impiety , in debasing the gods to the condition of men ; and it may be they were not so much delighted with reading those fables of their poets , which related the apotheoses of men , as those which feign'd the wounds and defeats of the gods , by humane arms. so that whoever sounds the depth of our heart will find , that superstition and profaneness are not so opposite as men commonly imagine ; and that they are united in this secret hatred of god , which follows the state of our corruption , and which nothing can cure but grace . as pride and hatred are united to form that vast pleasure , which superstition aims at , and the delight we find in impiety ; so also they combine to make the pleasure of malignity , slander and calumny . here we find a pleasure of vain-glory : for we many times dispraise other men , with a design indirectly to commend our our selves . any man in the world would openly praise himself , if he dar'd be so bold ; but fearing least a breach of modesty might make a blemish in his escutcheon , he 's obliged to go a by-way to work , to use cunning and artifice in displaying his merit to the eyes of mankind , so as not to attract the reproach of too great vanity : he dares not commend himself in plain terms , but hopes that by speaking of others , he shall give an indirect description of himself ; that by making a shew of horrour and detestation of an evil action , he shall testify how much his vertue removes him from the like fault ▪ and that the more he blames the vices o● others , the greater evidence will he give of his own exemption from 'em , and make people think him endu'd with the opposite vertues . a dull and unpolitick self-love draws this discourse , saying , as for my part , tho' i have very great defects , yet may i boast that i have not this : but an ingenious and prudent self-love knows better how to manage its modesty , and many times hides its contempt , but much more the design it has in contemning . but besides this interest of pride , which makes us delighted in despising other men , there 's also an interest of hatred , which creates in us the like disposition . we look upon other men as our enemies , because we regard 'em as competitors in the pursuit of temporal enjoyments : you 'll always be pleas'd at seeing 'em degraded , whilst you think 'em in a condition to rival you in any thing : but no sooner does this opposition cease , but there 's also an end of that pleasure you conceiv'd in their debasement ; hence it happens that slander has for its object , not the dead , but the living . after this 't is easy to judge , that the pleasure of conversation , is not so innocent as men commonly fancy . indifferent things are tedious to us ; those which concern and nearly relate to us , excite a pleasure either of pride , hatred , impiety , ambition , or some other passion no less criminal . as there is a pleasure of conversation , there is also a pleasure of thoughts , which proceeds from the same source with the former : it arises from this , that our heart , being prepossess'd with certain passions , can't enjoy it self , but when it thinks upon certain objects ; and therefore suspends all our other thoughts and reflections . such is the pleasure of a lover , who forgets every thing else to think of the object of his love ; he perceives a sort of delight in his amorous contemplations , ( which is destroy'd by passion ) because the pleasure of thought yields to that of sense . men commonly imagine , that the usual distractions and wanderings of those that pray to god , or exercise any other duties of religion , are the least of faults ; but if they enquire into the cause of 'em , they 'll change their opinion : for indeed these proceed meerly from the too great pleasure , which the ideas of temporal things excite in our minds ; and that , as i may so speak , we desire to retain those worldly objects by the pleasure of thinking , which escape our reach thro' the suspension of our sensual delights . we every where seek for pleasure , just as bees for those flowers which afford 'em nourishment ; and as they many times find what they search for in foul and moorish places , so it frequently happens , that we perceive a kind of pleasure in affairs , dangers ▪ labours , and sometimes even in affliction ▪ if it be not very great . there 's a pleasure which might justly be term'd , the pleasure of complaints and tears : we take delight in lamenting the death of illustrious persons the glory of those , who are bewail'd , signalizing , in some sort , even those who bewai●● ' em . we take a pleasure to prolong and eternize our sorrow : we think to give a specimen of the constancy of our soul , by an inconsolable affliction . lastly , we are very glad to make an appearance of the greatness of our loss , thinking to engage the compassion of others to reflect upon our own worth. in the last place , we perceive a sort of pleasure even in idleness , which oftentimes causes us to renounce all the rest . it proceeds from a certain effeminacy and softness , which makes us hate even the least pain and incommodity : for our whole business being the search of pleasure , we accustom our selves to think , love , desire , speak and act with pleasure ; to seek for such company as delights us , and to avoid all manner of disagreeable occupations . hence the least inconveniency puts us in despair , it being contrary to this prevailing habit , and suspending the perception of so many different pleasures , the thoughts whereof are always present to our mind . wherefore we must not think to find stedfastness and constancy in voluptuous souls : pride indeed may cause 'em to affect a sort of hardiness , to support disgraces and calamities , but certainly they never put on a real fortitude till they are freed from the charming idea's of pleasure . bodily pleasure is more sensible than spiritual , yet this appears more criminal than that : for the pleasure of pride is sacrilegious , which appropriates to it self the honour belonging to god ; the pleasure of hatred is barbarous and blood-thirsty , which is delighted in nothing but desolation and tears ; and the pleasure of incredulity and superstition is , as we before shew'd , full of impiety and wickedness , which is nourished and upheld by any thing that seems to deba●e or annihilate the deity . this shews us , in the first place , that pleasure is as universal as our corruption , it being certain , that they who are abandon'd to one sort of pleasure , seldom fail to enslave themselves to another . it signifies but little , for instance , to make great scruples about the use of sensual pleasures , when we are given up to that of the mind , which is far more criminal and dangerous . secondly , we may reasonably conclude , that 't is impossible to cure one-self of this vice , by motives purely temporal . for when you allege to a voluptuous man , the considerations of honour and decorum , of his interest and establishment in the world , you may perhaps so far work upon him , as to oblige him to prefer the pleasures of pride and ambition before sensual pleasure ; but this will but transport him from one vice to another . if you 'd find such motives as are capable of withdrawing him from all kinds of pleasure , you must put the case to him of forsaking all worldly delights , if need be ; and to this end , set him upon making this reflection , that himself shall last to eternity , and those pleasures but for a moment . indeed upon the principles of a mortal and perishing man , the cause of pleasure seems just and reasonable ; for 't is natural to one that is not to be very long in a condition of enjoying the sweetness of pleasure , to seek and pursue it , so long as he has an opportunity : this piece of morality is prettily express'd by horace : vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam . were all man's hopes and pretensions confin'd to the short duration of this life , there would be truth and reason in these maxims : but being destin'd to live after death , the light of nature teaches us , that he ought in like manner to aspire at those eternal delights , whereof religion so happily informs him . to this i add , that the immortal man , or as i have already describ'd him , he who believes he is eternal , and acts according to this principle , easily renounces the allurements of pleasure , thro' his desire of an endless and unlimited happiness . 't is impossible he should become a slave to sensual delight , which he knows the author of nature imploy'd purely as a motive to engage us in the preservation or propagation of the body . he 's as far from placing his supream felicity in the pleasure of being applauded and extoll'd by a society of mortals , as any man in his right senses would be from placing his glory in the praise and commendation of one that 's to see him but for a moment . he is not affected with the pleasure of revenge ; he 'll hardly look upon those persons as enemies , who do him but a temporal prejudice . he patiently supports the short d●pendances of this life , and for the same reason tasts not any criminal pleasure , in being a superiour , regarding his condition as a provisional and transitory state , which scarcely deserves his care and attention . in a word , the immortal man has no passions but what are very moderate about 〈◊〉 objects of this life , and as his pleasure in the world , is proportion'd to the degree of his application to these objects ; 't is easy to conceive , that he finds himself situated above the sphere of voluptuousness ; in which certainly he cannot be said to lose any thing , being advantagiously indemnify'd by the commerce of love , gratitude , zeal , joy and consolation , which he holds with god , who by the sentiment of his holy and unspeakable delights , raises him above the melancholly scene of our sad and intoxicated pleasure . wherefore man does not escape the fond embraces of pleasure , as 't is usually fancy'd , either by pride , interest , revenge or ambition ; he that shuts himself up in the narrow limits of this life , will be voluptuous , do what he can . let the pagan philosophers tell us as many fine precepts of vertue , and prescribe as many remedies as they please against intemperance , we 'll indeed admire their maxims , because of the secret relation they have to our natural dignity , of which we have a confus'd and imperfect knowlege : but shall never find our selves any farther dispos'd to practice 'em , than as we are convinc'd of our eternity . chap. xiv . wherein we treat of the general disorders of self-love , and particularly of pride . pleasure and glory are the two general goods , which give a season and relish to all the rest : they are , as it were , the spirit and salt of all the others , differing in this , as we before observ'd , that pleasure becomes amiable and desirable purely for its own sake , whereas glory is perceiv'd meerly upon the account of that pleasure which attends it . but tho' glory be perceiv'd only by means of that pleasure , wherewith 't is accompany'd , yet may it still be said in some sense to be desirable for its own sake ; at least it must be certainly acknowledg'd that 't is no easy matter to find out the primitive and ancient reason , upon which our love of esteem is founded . this is no satisfactory solution , to say , that we desire esteem because of its appendant pleasure : for this pleasure being a pleasure of reflection , the difficulty is not so easily ended , since it still remains to know why this esteem , which is something forreign and remote in respect of us , should cause our satisfaction ? nor is it more to the purpose , to alledge the utility and profit of glory , for tho' the esteem and repute , we acquire , may serve to make us succeed in our designs , and procure us divers advantages in society , yet there are circumstances , under which this supposition will not hold good . what prospect of advantage could mutius , leonidas , codrus , curtius , and all those other heroes propose to themselves , who laid down their lives in the field , and pursuit of honour ? what advantage could they see in sacrificing their goods and themselves upon the altar of pride ? thro' what principle of interest do those indian women , who burn themselves in the funeral pile of their deceas'd husbands , seek even in despight of laws and remonstrances , for an esteem which they survive ? a certain person hath said upon this subject , that self-love delights to foster and cherish an idea of our perfections , which is , as it were , its domestick idol , being unable to endure any thing that opposes this idea , as contempt and injuries ; and on the other hand , passionately searching after all that flatters and magnifies it , as esteem and commendations . according to this principle the advantage of glory would consist in this , that the esteem which others have for us , confirms the good opinion we have of our selves : but that this is not the principal source of the love of esteem and honour , appears from hence , that men for the generality make more account of the apparent merit which they obtain by the esteem of others , than of the real merit which attracts the esteem of themselves ; or , if you will , that they had rather have those faults which men esteem and value , than such good qualities as are not priz'd in the eyes of the world ; and that moreover there are multitudes of persons , that seek to make themselves considerable and valu'd by such accomplishments and qualities , as they very well know they are not endu'd with , which destroys the opinion , that they have recourse to an outward and forreign esteem , to confirm the good sentiments they have of themselves . 't is equally groundless to imagine , that we desire esteem meerly for this reason , that we may be distinguish'd and rais'd above the common rank ; for this is to explain the cause by the effect . we don't seek for esteem , that we may distinguish our selves , but we distinguish our selves , because we would be esteem'd , by departing from the multitude , and leaving the dungeon of our former obscurity . lastly , the love of esteem in its general idea , can't be said to proceed from this idolatry of self-love , which aims at being eternal and immense like god , exhibiting to us an imaginary eternity in the memories of men , to save us from the shipwrack of time , and maugre its consuming malignity to perpetuate our name ; and trying to enlarge our dimensions , and extend 'em to the utmost limits of the world , by buisying the minds of men with the consideration of our actions and grandeur . if that were the only source of the love of esteem and honour , 't would follow , that we cou'd not innocently desire the esteem of other men , nor consequently be blamable for dreading infamy and disgrace , which is contrary to reason . tho' we search ne're so long for the springs of this inclination , i 'm perswaded , that the reason of it will no where else be discover'd , but in the wisdom of the creatour . for as god imploys the use of pleasure , in order to preserve and propagate our body , to unite us together , and make us sensible of the good and preservation of society , wherein we are plac'd , so there 's no doubt , but his wisdom makes use of the love of esteem , to defend us from the debasements of pleasure , and put us upon exerting honest and laudable actions ( which so well agree with the dignity of our nature ) and at the same time to unite us more conveniently one with another . this pre-caution would not have been necessary , had humane reason acted only by it self , and independently from sense : for then this reason would be able , not only to shew us what is honest , but also to prefer it before what is pleasant : but because this reason is partial , and many times judges in favour of pleasure , tying honour and decorum to that which delights us ; the wisdom of the creatour thought fit to give us for the arbitrator of our actions , not only our own reason , which suffers it self to be corrupted and brib'd by the softness of pleasure , but also the reason of other men , which is not so easily seduc'd . wherefore , because the author of nature was so pleas'd , that other men's reason should be in some sort our law and judge as to moral honesty , and the decorums of reasonable nature : upon this very account he form'd us with a natural desire of raising an esteem of our selves in the minds of others ; a desire , which assuredly precedes the reflections of our mind . for tho' the utility , pleasure and desire of finding confirmations of the opinion we have of our selves , &c. may be capable of satisfying the love of esteem , yet we have shewn , that they are not the cause of it . and here we might distinguish three worlds , which the wisdom of the creatour has founded upon three natural inclinations : the animal , the rational , and the religious world. the first is a society of persons united by sense , the second of persons united by esteem , the third of persons united by natural religion . the first has for its principle the love of pleasure , the second the love of esteem , the third conscience . all these three principles are natural , and the grounds of 'em is not elsewhere to be search'd for , than in the wisdom of the creatour . the first of these worlds relates to the second , the second to the third , and the third to the last . wherefore these things are thus subordinated to each other , esteem regulates the love of pleasure , and religion ought to regulate the love of esteem ; and this subordination is no less natural than these inclinations . the love of pleasure may truly be attributed to nature : but the irregularities of voluptuousness are to be reckon'd to another account . the love of esteem may be said to be natural ; but yet we are not to suppose , that the extravagancies and enormities of pride arise from the womb of nature . to this we may ascribe the fear of god , and the love of vertue : but we ought not to give it an appennage of all those superstitions , which men have been pleas'd to ingraft upon the principles of nature ; and consequently 't is necessary , that the love of pleasure , of esteem , and conscience , should have their natural law , rules and limits : but 't will not be amiss to insist upon the love of esteem . chap. xv. where we examine all those irregularities , which are the ingredients of pride . it seems , that hitherto we have not had a very perfect knowledge of pride , and doubtless the reason was , because we have not throughly distinguish'd its several parts , nor with sufficient attention examin'd all its characters . pride in general may be reduc'd to five principal branches : namely , to the love of esteem , to presumption , vanity , ambition , and haughtiness . for tho' men are wont to confound these terms , and use 'em indifferently to signify the same thing ; 't is certain that these expressions have somewhat different significations . the love of esteem is natural and lawful in it self , as we before observ'd ; but 't is vicious and disorderly when it rises to excess : this is the most general irregularity of pride , for when our desire of esteem is excessive , 't is natural to romage in our selves for some estimable qualities , and finding we have none , our imagination presents us with some in complaisance to the inclinations of the heart , from whence arises presumption . moreover this immoderate love of esteem makes us value our selves upon any endowment , whether good or bad , and for want of real sources of glory , to aim at an esteem upon the account of those things which are in no wise estimable , unless in our own fancy ; this is properly our vanity . for this expression originally signifies the emptiness of those objects , wherein we erroneously seek for esteem , and which are naughty sources of vain-glory. from this excessive love of esteem arises the desire we have to raise our selves above other men , having a perswasion , that we can't attract a publick esteem and consideration , whilst we are confounded with the vulgar rabble ; and this produces ambition . lastly , the desire we have to make a great show , by distinguishing our selves from the common rank , makes us despise other men , seeking all possible means to degrade and pull 'em down , that we may stand upon their heads . all the irregularities of pride being reduc'd to the excessive love of esteem as their first and original principle , we can't use too much diligence in considering this latter . the two general faults of this inclination are excess and irregularity ; the first consists in this , that we love esteem too much : the second , that we love false esteem as well as true . in order to understand what is the excess of th● love of esteem , we must consider the design of god in placing this inclination in our heart . he gave it to us for the preservation of the body , the good of society , and the exercise of vertue . i say , for the preservation of the body , seeing that the love of esteem defends us from those extravagances of corporeal pleasure , which would presently tend to our destruction and death : for who doubts , that the desire of raising an esteem of our selves , is a powerful motive to stave us off from that excess of debauchery and sensuality , to which we are drag'd by the love of pleasure , and which is of so fatal consequence even to our body . he plac'd in us this inclination for the good of sciety ; for 't is this desire to obtain an esteem in the world , that renders us affable and complaisant , obliging and civil ; that makes us love decency and sweetness of conversation . and yet all this while , who does not know , that the finest arts , the most lofty sciences , the wisest governments , the most just establishments , in general , most that is admirable in reasonable society , proceeds from this natural desire of glory ? let us not fancy , that our own corruption and concupiscence brought this excellent benefit to mankind ; doubtless the wise instructions of the author of nature had the chiefest hand in this matter . lastly , 't is certain , that the design of god was to steer and incline us to honest and laudable actions , by giving us for the judge of our conduct , not only our own reason , which is oftentimes brib'd by the enticements of pleasure ; but also the reason of other men , who are not so partial in our favour as we our selves . indeed god may be consider'd either as the author of society , or religion . as the author of society , he thought fit men should enter into mutual commerce , during some time ; and with this intent he endow'd 'em with such inclinations as were necessary to the good and preservation of society . among these are to be reckon'd the love of pleasure , and the desire of esteem : this latter is the spring of humane vertues , which ought not to be so much cry'd down , as usually they are , for if they are not inservient to eternal salvation , yet are they design'd for the good of temporal society ; they proceed from the intention of the author of nature ; they are a part of his model and platform ; love of esteem being the means he makes use of to perfect society , as the love of pleasure is design'd to found it . as for religion , that has more lofty views ; for it undertakes to direct men to the eternal and infinite good. hence it follows , that the love of esteem is excessive : first , when it tends to destroy the body , instead of preserving it ; secondly , when it disturbs the good and order of society , instead of maintaining and supporting it ; thirdly , when it causes us to violate the precepts of vertue , instead of putting us upon the practice of ' em . we find a pat example of the first of these in the fury of duels : that , in my opinion , is a very extravagant point of honour , which would have us love glory , and yet despise life , which is the main foundation , and partly the end of it , as we have already seen . what will men's esteem signify to me , when i am not in being to enjoy it ? without life this honour is nothing . life is something , even without this honour , and god himself thought fit to let us know by his conduct , that the former is more estimable than the latter ; for he incites us to the love of honour , but by one bare motive of glory , and makes us in love with life , by pleasure and glory too . but if it be answer'd , that 't is not so much the love of honour and esteem , as fear of contempt and shame , that makes a man expose himself to revenge an affront ; and that 't is natural to a man of honour to be unable to live under the pressure of infamy : this reply is not satisfactory , because as 't is a weakness not to be able to endure grief , 't is no less one to be unable to suffer an unjust and groundless contempt . in the bottom we find the love of esteem , as to this example , to be irregular in every respect . for this is to love esteem too much , to love false esteem , and that too more than life , and consequently more than the preservation of the body , than society , which is depriv'd of one or many members by the fury of those infamous combats : and lastly , more than vertue ; since 't is to love it more than humanity , justice , charity and moderation . i know when the case is put to spend one's blood for the good of society , and the service of the prince , who is its representative , and has its rights and properties deputed into his hands , a man ought not to make the least resistance , or scruple to expose his life ; but then 't is vertue , and not esteem , that he prefers before life : he pursues the design of the author of nature , conforms himself to his model and will ; since he that made us has plac'd us in a state of subordination and dependance . all the irregularity proceeds from this , that men have not a competent knowlege of honour , and love it blindfold ; they have only a confus'd notion of it , which education , examples , and the judgment of other men do incessantly change . honour , in its ordinary idea , includes three things ; 't is a sentiment of one's excellency , a love of duty , and a desire to be esteem'd . a man of honour should be sensible of vertue and merit , and consequently be grated and offended at any outward contempt or disrespect . he should so far love his duties , as even to expose himself to the greatest dangers , rather than fail of observing 'em ; and he ought to love the esteem of rational persons , and make it his endeavour to deserve it . this general idea is just and true , but the application , men make of it , is ordinarily false ; for they attend not sufficiently to their real merit , which is far greater than they imagine , in not having an idea of their duties , which are of much larger extent than they suppose , and being unable to discern false esteem , from true , which is the thing to which they ought to aspire . nevertheless 't is probable , that men , even in their irregularities , have a sort of confus'd sentiment of their natural dignity , which joyning it self with their false prejudices of esteem , and worldly glory , causes that impatience , or rather fury , at receiving abuses and affronts . would one , whose merit reaches no higher than that of a mortal and dying man , resent so great horrour in debasement ? and would he be so excessively vex'd at being reduc'd , even to that nothing , which surrounds him on every side ? no certainly , there 's an instinct in man , which continually puts him in mind of his condition , and renders him sensible of all that opposes the idea of his perfections . but 't is certain , that this glory to which we aspire , includes many different sentiments , which are the constituent parts of it . we may distinguish four : namely , esteem , consideration , respect , and admiration . esteem is a tribute we pay to a man's proper qualities , and personal merit ; consideration has for its object , not only the merit of a person , but also his external accomplishments , as birth , riches , power , credit , reputation ; and in general all those advantages , which make the difference of conditions , and distinction of persons in society . respect is nothing else but an high consideration ; and admiration is no more but a great esteem . the finest , or at least the most proper glory , consists in esteem and admiration : but the most sensible and conspicuous glory , consists in consideration and respect ; the reason of it is , because all the world are not capable of discerning a worthy and deserving man , from an unworthy ; whereas every one can distinguish a great lord , from a private man. 't is certain , that every man which wears a head , may justly demand this sentiment of us , when we consider his excellence , and natural dignity . we owe esteem and admiration to those perfections which god has pleas'd to endow a man with . we owe consideration and respect to the rank and station he has in the world : but this original glory of man has been darken'd , and almost defac'd by sin ; and here we can't without surprize and amazement consider the prodigious depravation and irregularity of corrupted man ; see his pride , as it were , springing up from the ruines of his glory , and his humility ending , where his real vileness begins . 't is somewhat strange , to see men complementing and praising one another , whilst they equally deserve an eternal shame and reproach : but we need not wonder at it , god being willing to preserve society , even after the corruption of man , was not oblig'd to deprive us of this natural inclination towards publick esteem , which makes , as we said before , the perfection of civil conversation . the example of those philosophers is not to be minded , whom we have seen despise men's esteem to such a degree , as even to count themselves unhappy if they chanc'd to attract it . it may be , these heroes in humility did not really despise glory , but only made an appearance of despising it to the eyes of men. cicero says , that none of all those who wrote books concerning the contempt of vain-glory , ever forgot to put their names to 'em ; this is a politick contrivance of pride , to aspire after glory by seeming to shun it . when a man openly professes his desire of esteem , he meets with a great many emulators and rivals , who observing his designs , are so much the more eager to stand in his light with their own esteem ; and more vigorously endeavour to deprive him of the esteem of other men , with how much greater ardour he reaches after it : but when a man seems to despise this esteem of the world , which is so much courted and sought after , then as he voluntarily separates himself from the number of those , who directly aim at it , he 's very well thought of , men like his disinterestedness , and would even force him to accept of that which he seems to refuse . gloria , says st. augustine , sequitur fugientem . moreover , merit and fortune have always been at daggers-draw , for the upper-hand in the way to glory . grandees are invested , by the priviledge of fortune , with the most illustrious honours , which usually attract the affections of the multitude . the philosophers , maintaining the rights and properties of vertue , and wisdom , opposition to fortune , have rais'd , as it were , a party of confederates against grandeur and renown ; being uncapable of obtaining it , they betake themselves to contemn and despise it . ' they made a show of renouncing that ambitious desire , which makes men cringe and run after the dispensers of the goods of fortune , lest an eager officiousness might be a tacit confession of their inferiority ; and because the multitude condemn'd 'em by their interested conduct , they pretended to despise vulgar esteem , and popular applause ; but let 'em once change their condition , they 'll presently be of another mind . but the irregularity consists principally in this , that our thoughts are so much taken up with gaining an esteem amongst men , that we don't take time to think of approving our selves to god : not but the approbation of god seems to us , in the bottom , more precious and valuable than men's esteem : but it falls out thus , because to obtain the esteem of men , 't is not requisite that our heart should be chang'd , it suffices that we disguise our selves to the eyes of the world ; whereas we can't approve our selves to god , unless we change the very foundation of our heart . now 't is no hard matter for self-love to put on a counterfeit visage ; but 't is a point of difficulty to be willing , in good earnest , to become new men. chap. xvi . where we consider the second irregularity of pride . our excessive desire of esteem , inspires us with an ardent desire to have estimable qualities , and an extream dread of being stain'd with those faults which do u● a disparagement in the minds of men , or o● betraying our selves by not raising a very advantagious opinion of our persons . now as we are perswaded of what we desire , and of what we vehemently dread , it happens ▪ that we either conceive too good on opinion , or fall into an excessive distrust of ou● selves . the first of these faults is term'd presumption , the second , timorousness ; and tho' they seem opposite , yet they both spring from the same original , or rather they are but the very same fault under two differen● forms . presumption is a confident pride ; and timorousness is a pride fearful of betraying it self : we are inclin'd to one or the othe● according to the diversity of our temperament . a predominancy of blood usually makes men assur'd and perswaded of what is for their profit and advantage ; hence arises confidence . melancholly causes a man to believe whatsoever he fears ; 't is the principle of distrusts and groundless suspicions : but diffidence and confidence are both grafted upon the stock of pride , seeing they both spring from the excessive love of esteem , which is the first-born of our irregularities . 't is the opinion of all the world , that a presumptuous man values himself too highly ▪ but i may venture to say against all the world , that he esteems not himself enough ▪ and that his fault lies in a defect , and not 〈◊〉 of elevation , beyond what he really 〈…〉 truly s●nsible , that he 's endu'd 〈…〉 excellency than the object 〈…〉 that the desert of the perishing man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light and inconsiderable , if weigh'd 〈◊〉 ●n equal balance with that 〈◊〉 the immortal man. yet t is not to be wonder'd , that he had rather consider himself with relation to time than eternity , since in the first of these views he usurps glory , ascribing all to himself , and none to the supreme being ; whereas in the prospect of eternity , he 's oblig'd to derobe himself of all his own glory , to offer it a sacrifice to god. strange blindness ! which permits him not to see any other real happiness , but what is confounded with the glory of god. but yet i own , that in one sense a man may esteem himself too much ; and that 't is common to see persons have immoderate pretensions to humane glory . to know this we need only call to mind what we have already said , that the love of esteem was engraven in our hearts , with relation to society : for thence it follows , that they have a right to the greatest share of this outward glory , who most promote the good of society , and are most considerable in the eyes of the publick ; whether thro' their services , offices , or the eminency of the rank to which providence may have ty'd dominion . great persons have reason to pretend to external homages , because these things are measur'd with respect to society : but they 'd be vain and unreasonable , if they suppos'd the intrinsick foundation of their merit to be ever the greater upon this account , than that of other men ; and would not own , that theirs is a preference of order , and not of real excellency ; for again i say , that the advantages of the mortal man are nothing , if compar'd with those of him , who subsists to eternity : nay , so far are they from this , that the whole temporal society of men , taken all together , with its various governments , power , dignities , &c. don't counterbalance the immortality of one man. chap. xvii . of the third irregularity that goes to make up pride , which is vanity . the excessive love of esteem does not only deceive us , by perswading us , that we have those good qualities and accomplishments which we really want : but also makes us take for sources of glory , either estimable goods , or even the most inestimable objects . the end of vanity is consecrated by the custome of making the same estimate of that man's disposition , who attributes to himself those qualities which he truely possesses , that we do of his , who endeavours to build a foundation of honour upon false advantages . it seems , that man's vanity commenced , when he lost the sources of his real glory , by quitting that state of sanctity and happiness , wherein god had originally plac'd him . for being unable to renounce the desire of esteem , and finding nothing worthy of it in himself , after sin , or rather not daring after that to cast a steady view upon himself , when he found he was guilty of so many crimes , and become an object of the divine vengeance : what must he needs do , but see abroad into the world , and seek for honour , by cloathing himself with the apparent gayety of outward things ? and mankind are so much the more willing to agree , and universally consent to this , as they all find themselves by nature equally expos'd to nakedness and poverty . methinks the condition of men , in this respect , is very well like that of a monarch , rob'd of his treasures , who having neither gold , nor silver , is forc'd to make copper money pass . we shall plainly see this , by considering , that the sources of humane glory are reduc'd either to things that are indifferent on this account , being susceptible neither of praise nor dispraise ; or to ridiculous things , which are so far from raising any real honour , that they are the fittest mark to denote our vileness ; or to criminal things , and which by consequence can't but be shameful and unworthy in themselves ; or lastly , to those things , all whose seeming perfection and glory consists in the relation they have to our defects and infirmities . i place riches in the first rank , which tho' they have nothing contemptible , yet neither have they any thing glorious in themselves . our covetous and interested desire never informs it self either of the source , or use of the riches it sees in other men's bags . their meerly being rich is sufficient to obtain its first homages , and tho' it be not actually profited by their wealth , yet it still respects 'em upon the bare possibility of being the better for 'em one time or other . but if your heart would please to receive a distinct , instead of a confus'd idea , 't would be often surpriz'd at the extravagance of its sentiments ; for since riches are not essential to man , and there must be some accidental cause to give him his estate , it would find , that it many times esteems his person , because his father was a profligate , or himself a knave ; and that when it pays external homages to riches , it either blows a kiss to robbery , or commends infidelity and injustice . 't is true , this is not its direct intention : it follows the hankerings of its desire , rather than the dictates of reason : but is a person whom you thus court and accost , oblig'd to correct , by all these distinctions , the baseness of your carriage ; and to separate that which your interest gives him , from what your reason would pay him , if it did but follow its own counsel and advice ? no , no , he receives your outward deference and respect , as a tribute to his excellency . as your covetous desire draw'd you in to make a fool of you , so his pride fails not to chowse , and put a trick upon him . if his riches don't encrease his desert , yet the greatness of your complaisance enhances and augments the opinion he has of ' em . he interprets all in a literal sense , and fails not to magnify and aggrandize himself , in his own thoughts , at the outward ceremonies and veneration you pay him , when you are scarce a farthing the better for his wealth . not but there is something in riches which seems to render 'em an object of esteem to the eyes of men , as there 's someth●ng in poverty , which makes it an object of contem●t ; and this i believe is , because by the former we are invest●d with a kind power , which advances us to a pitch above other men , and puts us in a condition to live without being beholding to 'em ; whereas poverty places us in a state of necessity and weakness , which forces us to rely upon the assistance and succour of others : but we may say even in this , that opulence owes its glory to our ambition , and poverty is not shameful , but meerly thro' our pride . nevertheless , we don't by any means approve of their carriage , who can't endure any persons should receive the blessings of providence , but they must presently vent their malice and outrages against ' em . we turn 'em every way , diligently examine all their faults , and in that bate 'em not an ace . certainly if the esteem men have for riches proceed from self-love , the contempt and scorn which some affect for wealthy people is always a mark of envy ; and this very envy is extreamly shameful and unworthy . in the bottom , the dependance of interest is much more prevailing than that of envy ▪ and men had rather voluntarily give place to those , from whom they expect some benefit , than to spurn above 'em , and do , as it were , a forc'd homage thro' a displeasure at the prosperity of them , whom they envy . riches are to be estimated meerly by the good or bad use men make of 'em ; as also birth , authority , and dignities . all these things put men in an engagement to do good and laudable actions . if you practice the duties to which they engage you , they become fountains and causes of your glory ; if you transgress the obligations they lay on you , they serve to no other purpose but to brand you with infamy and disgrace . they , who being arriv'd to some degree of signal prosperity , get drunk with the thoughts of their grandeur , are not curious artists in the trade of vain-glory ; would not an apparent moderation , which should make a shew as if they were above those things which elevate and raise 'em , gain 'em much more honour , than this hair-brain'd stateliness , which gives people occasion to think they are beneath their fortune ; since they so little understand how to manage and support it ? this is so much the more surprizing , as 't is not the fate of those alone , who are not sufficiently enlighten'd to know the prejudice which this conduct does 'em , to forget their own condition : but also of those who perfectly know this truth . the reason is , because when men are advanc'd to some dignity or preferment , they change , if i may so speak , their inward station , pride mounting 'em to an higher post than they were in before . in vain will reason advise 'em to abide in their former situation , and to affect for their glory an evenness of temper , which may hinder 'em from taking notice of the advancement of their fortune : men choosing rather to follow the sentiments of the heart , than the lights of the mind ; it happens , that they insensibly forget the refin'd intentions of their vanity , and pursue the career of their inclination , to make the best market of all their advantages . they , whose grandeur is of long standing , or to whom the splendor of a lofty fortune was hereditary , are not altogether so subject to those dazlings of vain-glory ; because their mind being long accustomed to look down upon others , from the tallness of its station , does not much concern it self to render that difference remarkable which causes their distinction : but yet the common people are mistaken in thinking , that these personages are more humble and modest than others ; they 'd undoubtedly shew the very same insolence , were they in like manner apprehensive , that men did not sufficiently remark their state and elevation ; their courteousness and civility is owing to a confirm'd , and ( as they think ) incontestable opinion of their superiority . to be certify'd of this , you shall see those very persons , which are so affable and modest to those that are extreamly below 'em , haughty and insupportable towards those who are almost their equals ; the reason is undoubtedly this , that the civilities they shew to those , who are much their inferiors , seem to 'em of no unlucky consequence ; they are sure their civilities and condescensions won't be taken in a literal sense , and they may gain the name of courteousness without blemishing their rank : but the case is not the same when they have to do with such as may enter into a kind of comparison with 'em ; as the distance , that separates 'em from these latter , is not very great , their pride seeks to extend and enlarge it as much as lays in its power , and puts 'em upon doing a thousand unreasonable and unnatural things , that they may cause all the world to take notice of that , which they are afraid is not sufficiently remark'd . there are certain temporal advantages , which we take for sources of glory , tho' in themselves , and separately from the use men make of 'em , they deserve neither esteem , nor commendation ; but we must bring under this head , that man oftentimes values himself upon such qualities as render him ridiculous . i don 't only mean those who affect such accomplishments , as they are not really endow'd with , tho' 't is this that properly makes those we term ridiculous people , or naturals : men give this quality to whom they please , and laugh at the cost of whom they think fit : it may be if there were an order of reasonable creatures exempt from our imperfections , they 'd find the ridiculousness of humane nature to be greater than we imagine . man indeed , consider'd in his natural excellency , is assuredly a work of god , most worthy of admiration : but this is because he 's admirable in one sense , and ridiculous in another . is there any thing , for instance , more unsuitable to our natural dignity than the vanity which is display'd in luxury of habits , and superfluity of cloaths ; is it not a more ridiculous thing than all that men use to laugh and make sport at , that embroidery and gilding should be ingredients in the formal reason of esteem , that a man well dress'd should claim an exemption from the lash of men's tongues more than another ; that an immortal soul should give its esteem and consideration to horses , equipages , furnitures , liveries , &c. and that we should attribute that glory to the ornament of the body , which is the most glittering jewel of the soul ? cicero reproaches it ; he calls one who left off the glory of his profession , to follow this ridiculous vanity ; virum in dicendis causis bene vestitum : but he need not have pass'd this flouting jeer only upon one man , who follow'd the common prejudice , but in general upon all mankind , who may justly be reproach'd for being in so great want of glory , that they are put to the shift to seek for it even in that , whose primitive design was to serve for a covering of their shame and nakedness . the art of danceing , which some people seriously study , is a quality that would render us ridiculous , if consider'd in that high and lofty situation wherein we are plac'd by nature and religion . an immortal soul dancing and capering , is an object equally odious and ridiculous . i know , indeed , this ridiculousness does not appear , because 't is too general . men never laugh at themselves , and consequently they are not much affected by this universal ridiculousness , wherewith all , or at least , the greatest part of mankind are liable to be charg'd : but their prejudice does not change the nature of things , and the wide disagreement between their actions , and their natural dignity , is no less real for being conceal'd from their imagination . but , what is more grievous , men don't only value themselves upon qualities which would make 'em ridiculous , could they but duely weigh and consider 'em , but also seek to gain a reputation by crimes and villanies . we have said before , that men tye reproach and disgrace to unfortunate , but esteem and credit to successful crimes : theft and murther , which are harbingers to the gallows , are disdain'd in a private man , but in a potentate the greatest robberies , and most notorious pieces of injustice , which mount him to the empire of the world , are very well thought of . old rome is a famous example of this : in her birth she was a colony of rogues and high-way men , who fled to her sanctuary for an impunity of their crimes . afterwards she was a re-publick of murderers , who extended their injustices , far and wide , over all the earth : so long as these villains make it their business to rob and plunder passengers , to banish peace and security , from a little corner of the world , to enrich themselves at other men's cost , they have no very creditable reputation , and indeed they don't so much as pretend to glory : but no sooner does a notable prosperity put 'em in a condition to rob whole nations , and signalize their fury and injustice by dragging princes and sovereigns to their triumphal chariots , but they have no more to say of impunity , they pretend to glory ; they don't only dare to justify , but also consecrate their famous robberies . they assemble , as it were , the whole universe in the pomp of their triumphs , to expose to open view the success of their crimes . they open their temples , as if they 'd bring in heaven it self for an accomplice of their ravages and fury . moreover , there are very many things which men esteem meerly as they relate to some or other of their infirmities . pleasure many times makes 'em think debauchery honourable ; riches are beholding to poor people's greedy desires , for all the consideration they have in the world. puissance derives its worth from a certain power of doing what one list , which is the most dangerous present that can be made to men ; honours and dignities draw their principal lustre from our ambition ; and so it may truly be said , that our depravation , and irregularity , is the only source of the glory of most temporal things . chap. xviii . where we continue to examine the characters of men's vanity . our vanity is so palpable and manifest in all these things , that we need not be at any trouble to find it out : for what a piece of blindness is it , for a man to value himself upon those advantages , which don 't go to make up the merit of his person ; and upon such things as render us ridiculous , by shewing the extream disproportion betwixt what we are , and what we ought to be : or lastly , upon criminal things , and consequently those which are essentially shameful and unworthy ? but methinks one may , at first sight , make quite another judgment of the qualities of the soul , which are reduc'd to intellectual qualities , that belong to the understanding and virtues , that belong to the heart , since the one and the other make up what we term , personal merit . yet if we look closely into the matter we should find , that this is far from being the seat of such real sources of glory as is commonly imagin'd . what if we grant the philosophers , who made choice of this sort of advantages , to raise themselves esteem and credit , that there 's something more pure in their pretended glory , than in that which fortune and the prejudices of the world tye to external goods , yet we shall not fail to convince 'em of vanity , and perhaps in the bottom they will not appear more reasonable than the rest of mankind . the natural qualities are , memory , apprehension , and judgment ; the acquir'd qualities are sciences or arts : and in general , all experimental or speculative knowledge , which adorns our mind , by instructing us in that which we knew not before , or which is useful to the purposes of life . memory is not reckon'd to be very significant in point of vain-glory. men don't pretend to build much grounds of esteem upon this faculty , which appears from this , that they think they may safely boast of having a good memory without offending against modesty ; and that they are not fearful of blemishing their character , by owning that they have a bad one. 't is to be imputed to this reason , that there being in man two qualities : inferior , which are serviceable to some higher ; and superior , which direct and rule the rest : we naturally more esteem the superior and ruling faculties , than the inferior and instrumental , such as memory is , which serves only to furnish the understanding with memoirs ; and some say that there are various apartments in the mind of man , and that when one power is enlarg'd , another is contracted and lessen'd ; whence 't is thought , that want of memory betokens wit and judgment . in general 't is certain , that men never own their faults and imperfections for any other reason , but meerly to acquire a piece of glory by vertue of this confession , which they value much more than the quality they acknowledge themselves to want ; or to appease the pride of others , by an apparent humility , and oblige 'em by an artificious dis-interestedness to render 'em their due . men are as diligent and concern'd in point of wit , as they are neglectful and careless in point of memory ; this appears both by the sensibility they express , when they are upbraided with the want of it , and by the delicate pre-cautions , their modesty takes to shew that they are witty , tho' they don't pretend to it . he that should openly say ; i have a great deal of wit ; would be insupportable to mankind ; yet this would be no more than what he commonly thinks : but 't is requisite he should disguise his thoughts , and strive to gain a commendation , by seeming to turn his back to it . men are undoubtedly very much beholding to this kind of vanity , seeing they owe to it very many agreeable productions , not to reckon the pleasure they take in the conversation of those persons who act or speak by this motive : but indeed sometimes this vanity becomes troublesome and unpleasant . whence arises the habit men have of contradicting in company , but from a secret envy and desire to make the world think that themselves are more enlighten'd than others , and better understand the things spoken of , or at least from a strong perswasion they have of it themselves ? they oppose those , who take an ascendant , and pretend to be masters in conversation , more freely than others , because thro' a principle of pride they can't away with the pride of those who would be thought to have taller understandings than their brethren . they more voluntarily contradict in a very great company , where there are many witnesses of what is spoken , than when they are privately discoursing with a single person , with whom they can't enter into a contestation , because then the same man would be judge and plaintiff both at once . it also happens , that men contradict , tho' they have nothing material to urge , for when themselves can't shew any specimen of wit , they strive at least to oppose the glory of those , who seek to make an appearance of it . to the same principle may be imputed that liberty , which most men take to blame the conduct of their superiours . in this there is undoubtedly both injustice and blindness : injustice , because they judge of what they neither do , nor can understand ; it being impossible for private persons , that have not enter'd in the councel of their governours , to know , unless very imperfectly , the reasons of their conduct : of blindness , because 't is commonly seen , that those very men , who set up for judges , and censurers of their master's actions , prove very great bunglers , when they happen to be call'd to the like employ ; and how should they be off of it , since they are uncapable to frame a right and exact judgment , of what is before their eyes ? it being a grand rule , among the common sort , that adversity is a constant token of disgrace ; and prosperity is a sufficient ground of esteem and commendation . yet who is ignorant , that men confound an unfortunate ingenuity , with ignorance ; and a fortunate ignorance obtains the glory of ingenuity ? nay , i dare say , and boldly maintain , that few great events are owing to humane prudence ; 't is the concourse of circumstances , that causes the happiness and success of grand exploits : there be heroes of fortune , if i may so express my self , and those in a greater number than heroes of merit . but wit , taken for that vivacity and sprightliness of imagination , which makes us conceive things with quickness , and express 'em with facility and ease , has a kind of inconsistency with judgment . it most frequently happens , that these impetuous ebullitions of fancy embarass , instead of directing us : they are false lights , which lead us into precipices . wit , to define it in a word , is , in the hand of the passions , an instrument of committing great faults . i don't say the same of judgment , which is undoubtedly the most estimable of all the intellectual qualities . 't is certainly a mistake to attribute great things and actions to wit : 't is not wit , but judgment , that governs states ; disciplines armies ; excels in trading ; soars in the study of arts and sciences : but not to set two qualities at variance , which are in no wise opposite ; wit must be said to be the perfection of judgment , and judgment reciprocally the perfection of wit , yet with this difference , that judgment without wit is something ; whereas wit without judgment , is worse than nothing . the reason of men's general mistake is , because they imagine upon a vulgar prejudice , that wit is rarely found , and judgment is very common ; 't is quite and clean the contrary . wit , that imagines , invents , refines , and subtillizes , in every thing is frequently met with ; but judgment , which compares , examines , weighs , considers the connection and end of things , determines not it self but upon solid reasons , is the rarest thing in the world. most men have a portion of wit , every passion inspires 'em with that , and even the strength of wine creates a vivacity ; but there 's scarcely a man upon earth , who wants not judgment ; since there 's rarely one , that makes a just discernment of what is truly advantagious to him , from what is of little or no concernment . as in the world , vivacity makes hair-brains , and judgment persons truly ingenious . we need not wonder , to see in religion , that good-sense believes , and wit is incredulous ; 't is because the later determines it self , upon the least appearances , without any attention ; whereas judgment compares , and examines all things before 't is determin'd . in vain have the learned endeavour'd , to raise a veneration of learning , thro' an interest of making that respected , which causes their distinction in the world : it may be , by attracting the vain approbation of the vulgars , they have found out the secret of satisfying themselves ; if so , then learning it self stands in need of the succour of vanity : for pray , of what advantage is most of our knowledge , to one that is made for eternity ? what does humane learning teach us ? words , etymologies , dates , facts , which are of no concern to us , and serve to no other purpose but to shew , that we know 'em ; vain questions , either ridiculous or dangerous ; endless speculations ; a multitude of fictions and falsities , and scarcely any thing that 's profitable to us , or capable of nourishing our soul. moreover , how came the greatest part of men to know these things , in so troubled and confused a manner , that their pretended knowledge , serves but meerly to throw them into errors ? to have confused notions , and a great deal of vanity , is the ready way to perpetual mistakes ; and 't is certain , that the ordinary learning implies the one , and the other : for 't is impossible to make a distinction of those various ideas and kinds of knowledge , which men heap together in so great a number ; and it commonly happens , that they are mightily puft up , with the attainment of this tenebrous booty ; as if a man had any grounds to think himself happy , for acquiring new prejudices and errors ; and as if a confused heap of knowledge , which hinders the exactness and rectitude of the mind , was more valuable than clear and distinct notions , which produce a quite contrary effect . in this they may take an advantage of the errors of the vulgars , who use to confound these things ; but they 'll never impose upon persons truly ingenious and enlighten'd , nor will they have much reason to be satisfy'd with themselves ; even those , who have a clear and perfect knowledge of what they pretend to know , who join natural qualities to acquir'd , who are accustom'd , by the exactness of diligent meditation and attention , to refine and purify that knowledge , which by its confusion embroils and puzzles the brain of other men ; don 't in the main reap any other fruit of their studies , than to know how limited and finite man's knowledge is ; they find themselves every way surrounded with impenetrable depths , can't move a step without finding a difficulty : their distinct knowledge is but small and inconsiderable , and all that little is , as it were , bury'd in almost an infinite number of prejudices and errors , from which 't is to be separated and sifted ; and which is a yet greater misery , tho' knowledge of this character may enlighten the mind more than any other , yet we don't see that 't is a whit more inservient , at leas● for the generality , to the satisfaction of the heart . there are some , says an ancient , who know meerly to know ; this is the effect of an unprofitable curiosity : some obtain knowledge in order to obtain honours or riches ; this is the effect of a shameful traffick : lastly , there be some who know , that they may make a great show of their knowledge ; this is the effect of a swelling vanity . in fine it may be said , that the ordinary knowledge is unprofitable in nature ; dangerous very often in society ; pernicious in the heart , and most commonly mortal in religion . 't is unprofitable and useless in nature ; you may reason long enough about the cause of storms and diseases , but can't avoid the insults of either . 't is often dangerous in society , for there it stirs up troubles and disorders ; hence augustus in the model of politicks , which he left to his successors , would have philosophers banisht the common-wealth , because the infatuation of their pretended wisdome , was wont to make them despise authority . 't is dangerous in the heart , seeing it most commonly costs us our humility : and mortal in religion , because it sets up it self for a judge of revelation ; and would have us apprehend that of our selves , which faith credits meerly upon divine testimony . the incredulous do mightily triumph and insult in this , that 't is rarely seen , that men of very great and eminent learning , have the same belief with the common sort of people , as to the mysteries of religion . let 'em not mistake themselves , the objection is not of such force as they imagine : for a learned man , to define him exactly , is but a man perplext with more prejudices than others ; and with prejudices so much more dangerous , as he is set at a farther distance from the knowledge of 'em , by the preventions of his pride . his great reading serves to furnish him with materials for his errors , by supplying him with indistinct notions ; and his great vanity gives 'em a form , by putting confus'd ideas in the place of distinct , and changing his least conjectures into so many demonstrations . 't is the property of none , but the immortal man , to rid the ordinary knowledge of all these defects : for by employing it in the views of eternity , he may be said to consecrate the least degree of knowledge , in directing it to so noble an end ; the moderation , in the motions of his heart , leaves a clear distinction in his ideas ; he does not promiscuously keep up all kinds of knowledge , but selects and picks it ; he makes not merchandize of that , for the interest of time , which may be serviceable to the purpose of eternity ; his heart is not imposthumated and puffed up with learning , bu● learning derives its whole perfection , from the relation it has to the lofty views , and motions of his heart ; his light , instead of disturbing society , procures the good and peace of it , by the prospect of that eternal conversation we ought to have with god : and lastly , he places not the honour , and perfection of his mind , in an independance , which mounting him above the revelation of god , subjects and pulls him down to the prejudices of men , or the illusions of his own vanity ; but he thinks his knowledge sufficient , when he knows what it pleased god to teach him for his good. 't would now remain , that we value our selves upon humane vertues ; as courage , intrepidness , fortitude , liberality , magnanimity ; but this would but betray our ignorance of man's heart , to take them for real sources of glory . we won't say , that they always proceed from an excess of our corruption , neither will we set 'em up for true sources of esteem . for pray , what is vertue taken in this sence ? 't is a sacrifice of the inferiour passions to the superiour ; 't is to offer up one's other affections as victims to pride , and the love of glory . liberality is nothing else , as we before observ'd , but a traffick of self-love , which prefers the glory of giving , before what it gives . constancy is but meerly a vain ostentation of the strength of one's soul , and a desire to seem above the reach of adversity . intrepidness is but an art of hiding one's fear , or of putting off a natural infirmity . magnanimity is only a desire to make an outward show , of great and elevated thoughts . love of one's country , which made the noblest character of the ancient heroes , was but a secret and by-road , their self-love took , to arrive to consideration , glory and dignities ; and sometimes 't was only ambition , disguised under noble and venerable names . cicero's revenge , augustus's ambition , lucullus's interest , would not have been very well taken by the romans , had they appear'd in their true and native shape ; they were oblig'd to cover 'em with this pretext , the love of their country . there have also been cases , wherein men having some confus'd sentiment of their perfections , and seeking for natural grandeur , left no stone unturn'd , to give their actions and conduct such an end , as was worthy of what they conceiv'd of their excellency ; but wanting good direction , they diverted to false objects . brutus commends vertue , and afterwards repents of it ▪ cato sacrifices to his country , and considers not , that under the specious name of the country , he adores , he works for a company of robbers and usurpers ; and tho' a confus'd idea of the publick seem so glorious , a distinct ought to cover him with shame and confusion . in a word , there 's a falshood in humane vertues , which is obvious to all the world , and hinders us from setting a value upon 'em , without a gross extravagance . is there any more sincerity in the injustice of those other heroes , who became ennobled by crimes and villanies , and renown'd by their injurious exploits ? they sacrifice their lives and fortunes , as if all were their own ; alexander is a lively instance of this disorder : one would guess , from the furious conduct of this prince , that all things were made for his pleasure and glory ; and that mankind was good for nothing else , but to serve his desire . he burns cities , ravages provinces , reverses thrones , makes other powers the play-game of his own , as if the nation of the earth were but dust and worms in his sight . is it tolerable , that a man should make such sacrifices to himself , as he would dread to offer to the greatest of his gods ? chap. xix . of the two last characters of pride , which are ambition , and the contempt of the world. the excessive love of esteem produces another irregularity , which is ambition , because our too violent ardour , to make our selves considerable in the world , causes us to aspire at all that may render us eminent , and great upon the theatre of humane life : whilst we are confounded with the common rabble , others are equally respected by the publick ; if we would draw attention , and a peculiar deference , we must depart from their company . superiority challenges the preferences of consideration and esteem , and for this reason we are ambitious of attaining it . every one strives to excel in his profession , be it never so mean ; and that , not because he loves the excellency of his art , for its own sake ; but because he would become more famous and considerable than others : they that expose themselves to war , are not in love with the dangers , but the distinguisht glory . but lest the distinction , which proceeds from merit and great actions , may p●ssiblyly hid , be subject to contestation , or not expos'd to general view , our heart ambitiously covets another kind of elevation , which is incontestable , and acknowledg'd by all men ; namely , grandeur , dignities , and power , as we before observ'd . the fancy of self-love is particularly tickl'd , when it sees those , whom it fear'd as rivals in the field of vain-glory , court and crouch under its superiority : 't is charm'd , and mightily taken with the power that brings them under it ; and loves them so much the more , as it less fears the obstacle of their competition . but the same sentiment of pride , which excites us to love those , that are subject to our empire , so much tempts them to abhor the necessity , which puts 'em in a state of dependance , that no less than an heroick and eminent vertue , on our side , can force them to hide their malignity . lastly , the same reason that makes us endeavour to mount our selves to a distinguisht rank , that we may no longerly in the obscurity and confusion , which hinder us from being remarkt in the world , inspires us with that inclination we have to despise and contemn our neighbour : we are not contented to stand on tip-toe , to seem taller than other men ; but must also endeavour to trip up their heels , and throw 'em down , that we may seem greater by their fall and debasement . the pleasure we take in satyr , and comedy , is not only to be imputed to our spite and malignity , but also to our pride . 't is nuts to us to see other men disgrac'd and pull'd down ; especially those persons , who hereby become uncapable of being our rivals in the suit of vain-glory ; we take a particular delight to see these ridicule'd , because this debasement seems greatest and most incurable of all , men being asham'd to make those the objects of their esteem , whom before they derided and reproacht . how comes it to pass that men , who never laugh to see a stone , or a horse fall down , can hardly forbear it when they see a man fall ; since the one is undoubtedly in it self no more ridiculous than the other ? 't is because our heart is not at all concern'd , or interested in the fall of a beast ; whereas we are so much interested in the fall and debasement of other men , that even the image of it delights and pleases us : men think their laughing is always innocent , and indeed 't is always criminal and blamable . this same propensity inspires us with the contempt of our neighbour , which is term'd insolence , haughtiness , or arrogance ; according as 't is conversant about superiours , inferiours , or equals . we are eager to debase those who were beneath us before , thinking we shall rise higher , proportionably , as they fall lower ; or to disparage and injure our equals , that they may no longer be at the same level with us ; or to slight and undervalue our superiours , because the lustre of their grandeur extinguishes ours : herein our pride visibly betrays it self ; for if others are an object of our contempt , why should we ambitiously covet their esteem ? or , if their esteem be so much worth , as to deserve the most passionate desire of our souls , how can we despise ' em ? is it not because the contempt of our neighbour , is rather affected , than real ? we behold his grandeur and excellency , seeing his esteem appears to us so valuable ; but we use our utmost efforts to hide and conceal it , thinking we shall seem to spin our honour out of our own bowels . hence arise slanders , calumnies , ironical praises , satyr , malignity and envy : indeed we are very careful to conceal this latter , because 't is a forc'd confession , we make of the merit or happiness of others , and an homage we do 'em by a kind of constraint and violence . of all the sentiments of pride , contempt of our neighbour is the most dangerous ; because this directly opposes the good of society , which is the end , whereunto the love of esteem , by the intention of nature , ought to tend ; and also renders men most odious , and detestable in the eyes of the world. when we see two fellows , one whereof makes an outward shew of vanity and presumption ; the other swears he can't endure this pride of all things in the world , we may boldly conclude that the latter is more dangerously tainted with this fault than the former ; 't is meerly his own pride that gives him an idea of the pride of others ; and 't is a less criminal effect of pride , to presume too much upon one-self , than to degrade one's neighbour . presumption and confidence are a kind of drunkenness in the soul ; but hatred , envy , malignity , are a down-right fury and madness . envy is an implacable sentiment , you may silence and stop its mouth , by be●fits and kindness , but you 'll never bend , or alter its course ; 't will last as long as your merit : it may pardon the last affronts and abuses you offer'd , or time at least , will blot out the remembrance of 'em ; but 't will never excuse your desert and accomplishments . envy and flattery are two very opposite faults : the former makes a shew of an apparent contempt , tho' it secretly carry a real esteem ; for envy , in the bottome , is an honouring sentiment ; it tends to nothing but what it esteems ; it lives and dies with merit and desert : whereas flattery cloaks a most real contempt , under the mask of an apparent esteem , since it arises meerly from a supposition of his infirmity and weakness , who is the object of it : and it may be said , that some satyrs are very commending , and some panegyricks most highly abusive . alexander , intoxicated with the fumes of his vanity , sees not , that the macedonian strength and vigour gains him more honour , than the idolatry of the persians ; yet he 's much oblig'd to his friends , if they won't ridicule and make sport at him . 't is easy to judge , from what we have said upon this subject , how odious a fault pride is ; for all its irregularities are most criminal and sinful . the excessive love of esteem makes us reverse the very course of nature , by changing the end , into the me●ns ; and the means into the end : for since the love of esteem , as well as of pleasure , is only a means , which god imploy'd to steer us to vertue , and the good of society , is it not repugnant to the rules of nature , for men to act as if they were born for no other end , but meerly to be honoured and esteem'd ? presumption casts a mist before our eyes , that we may not discern what is truly estimable in us ; it being certain , that what we are , is infinitely beyond what we think we are ; and that our real perfections ; much better deserve the attention of our soul , than those imaginary qualities we falsly boast of . the vanity , which applies it self to false sources of glory , makes us lose the sight of the true and solid foundations of honour ; which are piety , and the fear of god. the contempt of our neighbour necessarily reflects upon our selves , seeing we are not very different from beasts , if we truly differ so much from other men ; and the distinctions of pride , destroy all the ideas of our natural excellency . but besides all these , there 's a more latent and hidden fault in pride , which exceeds all the rest ; for it makes us usurp the glory of god himself . our perfections are talents , wherewith god intrusted us , to the end we might improve 'em ; the profit resulting from 'em is the glory , which ought to be ascrib'd to him , as being a rivulet of his own immense goodness : but this unjust and sacrilegious pride , which robs and pillages all it meets with , has no more respect to divine , than humane rights : all the reverence it has for god is , that it dares not confess the injuries and wrongs it hath done him ; and , that 't is tormented with so great horrour for its sacrileges , that 't is afraid to shew 'em in open view , or bring in reason for its accomplice and confederate . it may be gather'd , from what we have here said , that pride , as well as corruption , in general , is almost equal , and the same in all men : in some it does not shew it self so manifest as in others . all are not alike sollicitous and thoughtful to raise themselves esteem and reputation ; because poverty imposes upon many men more pressing occupations ; but all have undoubtedly the same inclination to esteem . this disposition may indeed ly hid , and the sentiment of it be suspended ; but yet , absolutely speaking , 't is alike in all mankind ; or rather , there is no difference , but what is made by grace . some perhaps will make a greater appearance or presumption than others ; but there 's no less pride in timidity , and those punctilious umbrages of one , who is continually afraid , that either himself or others , will blemish his character , than in open presumption . some men seem civil and good-natur'd to others ; but yet they look to take the upper hand in the way to glory : outward civility being , to speak the plain truth , nothing but an apparent preference we make of our selves before all the world. again , there be some who are masters of themselves , when commended ; but not , when they are blam'd . modesty holds out against the impressions of flattery , but is disturb'd , and out of tune , at the insults of abuse . pride makes it self mistress of its joy and satisfaction , but can't command its grief and resentment . lastly , there are some , who seem elevated above the reach of of esteem , and make as if they are troubled at being caress'd with publick approbation ; but search deeply into the motives of this philosophical grief , and you 'll find that pride has a very great hand in ' em . one puffed up with an opinion of his merit , thinks many times that men don't render him his due : till all mankind fall down to him on their marrow-bones , he 'll not leave his ill humour ; and if he be not ador'd , you 'll see him a mysanthropist . hence , in the last place , it appears , that pride lives by the errour of other men , and the illusions it puts upon it self : it has establish'd , i know not what , false maxims in the world , upon which all men reason as upon true and solid principles ; by vertue whereof it endeavours to promote , and put forward its pretensions . let no man fancy , that these prejudices can be destroyed by opposing 'em directly with reason ; men hold fast these errours , maugre the dictates of their judgment , which tell 'em how irrational they are , because they proceed from the disposition of the heart . the ready way to be cur'd , of these cheats , is to moderate the excessive love of esteem , which reigns in our heart ; and there 's no other means of destroying this latter , but by turning the bent of our soul towards the eternal and infinite good , which is god , the only source of our happiness and glory ▪ this is the summ of the reflections had to make at present , upon our most general inclinations , and irregularities ; waiting till i make more particular discoveries in the knowledge of the heart , which is so excellent , so important , and so worthy our study and application . may god , by his grace , bless those i have made in this writing ; and make them succeed to his glory , and my eternal salvation . amen . finis . the way of life and perfection livingly demonstrated in some serious animadversions or remarks and answers upon the book entituled the middle way of perfection, with indifferency between the orthodox and the quaker, herein considered, and the naked truth as it is in christ jesus, opened in real love to the souls of men / by george whitehead. whitehead, george, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the way of life and perfection livingly demonstrated in some serious animadversions or remarks and answers upon the book entituled the middle way of perfection, with indifferency between the orthodox and the quaker, herein considered, and the naked truth as it is in christ jesus, opened in real love to the souls of men / by george whitehead. whitehead, george, ?- . p. s.n.], [london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. signed: g.w. table of contents: p. - . created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng humfrey, john, - . -- middle way of perfection, with indifferency between the orthodox and the quaker. conduct of life -- early works to . christian life -- quaker authors -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the way of life and perfection livingly demonstrated in some serious animadversions , or remarks and answers upon the book entituled the middle vvay of perfection , with indifferency between the orthodox and the quaker . herein considered , and the naked truth as it is in christ jesus , opened in real love to the souls of men by george whitehead . let your moderation appear unto all men , doing nothing by partiality . printed in the year . friendly reader , the publication of this ensuing treatise , is from a necessity that came upon me for the holy truth sake , to remove occasions of stumblings out of the way of the simple , and honest minded inquirers after the way of the lord , which is perfect , so that although , by reason of other weighty concernments ( the press being also clogged with other books ) this hath lain by in manuscript above a year after it was finished , being written at sundry oportunities , when i could find some spare time , yet i could not be clear in conscience , that my labour in it should so remain obscure , or the service frustrated , which i hope it may be of to such serious and unprejudiced readers , as desire after the knowledge of the truth , as i● is in chrst jesus , which is the aim and end of my labours and travails ; i could have been content only to have sent a copy of this treatise unto the author of the book stiled the middle way of perfection , if that would have cleared truth from his mistake , and removed the burden off me ; but that could not be sufficient , in regard his book was so publick ; and if he come seriously to consider , and see wherein he hath been mistaken , and misrepresented us , called quakers ( especially in the latter part of his book ) it is to be hoped , that out of a respect to that christianity , justice and moderation , professed by him , he will as publickly do us right , in retracting his mistakes , and misconstruction put upon us , as to some things of weight and moment , which in this treatise are seriously ( and from a sense of the foundation of god ) spoken to , and opened in love both to this man's soul , and the souls of all who desire true information in these weighty matters of salvation , herein treated on . london the th . of the th . moneth . g. w. the contents sect. i. of justification from the charge of the law , and the charge of the gospel ; how far it extends ; and our evangelical obedience of absolute necessity , page . sect. ii. of perfection being our duty ; and how attainable , confessed by this moderator or midle-man , pag. . sect. iii. some objections alledged by him against the attaining to perfection , answered , pag. . sect. iv. his objection against sinless perfection , for sinful imperfection in this life , proceeds from his wanting the true sight of that seed and nature wherein is victory and perfection , pag. . sect. v. his alleganiots for sin from these scriptures ( viz. there is no man that sinneth not ; not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not ; no more i that sinneth ; but sin that dwelleth in me ; in many things we offend all ; if we say , that we have no sin , &c. ) considered and answered , pag. . sect. vi. of regeneration , the two contrary principles , and concerning the phrases [ whatsoever is born of god ] and [ whosoever is born of god , &c. ] pag. . sect. vii . the law of grace , condition of life and greater commandments being performed , sincere obedience in lesser things may not be omitted , pag. . sect. viii . the calm protestants in granting a real and true righteousness , and that which is perfect and entire , according to the covenant ( or law ) of grace , do assent to the quakers doctrine of perfection , pag. . sect. ix . the performance of the condition , or covenant of grace , and david's perfection , or being found a man after god's own heart , not concerned in a sinful state , nor consistant with the breach of duty , and of sin unto death , pag. . sect. x. that heaven wherein unrighteousness dwells , is not the new heaven ; of the new law and spirit 's assistance to the performance of imputation ; being crucified with christ , children of god , &c. pag. . sect. xi . of repentance , what real , and what not ; of christ , as propitiation ; some scriptures perverted for sin , by our moderator ; of god's entering into judgement . &c. pag. . sect. xii . of justification , grace , law of our creation , redemption , as in christ , and as in us , as universal , and as peculiar , the quakers opinion about perfection misconstrued , pag. . sect. xiii . that those called divines who deny christ's universal grace and redemption , are stumbling in the dark , and not orthodox ; of god's terms , and man's terms ; of faith , repentance , sinning and not sinning , &c. pag. . sect. xiv . that the quakers have the divines on the blind side ; that the orthodox are quite out about justification , &c. confessed , pag. . sect. xv. the spirit 's help to that perfection , which is the keeping the commandments , or perfection obtained in and by the spirit and spiritual birth , and not by the flesh in the letter , pag. . sect. xvi . the charge of bolstering up men in their sins justified , against the pretended divines , who oppose perfection , and they not at all cleared by this advocate , pag. . sect. xvii . his pretended discovery of several inconveniencies of our doctrine , as the hurling men into despair , casting off god's care , &c. no real or true discovery , but the consequences of his own and his divines doctrine for imperfection , so much confuted by himself ; the state of the most mortified on e●rth , not consistant with sin ; his reiterated mistake against us , pag. . sect. xviii . his most dreadful consequence and conclusion of our doctrine ( viz. of evils secret , and deadly to the soul , contempt of most serious holy professors , monstrous overweening conceit of a man's self , despising and setting at nought of others ) turned into a groundless fear , and proved inconsequent ; and his pretended danger and fear , that it cannot consist with the grace of god , &c. proved altogether causeless , and groundless , pag. . the way of life and perfection experimntally demonstrated , &c. we must confess that the author's proposition near his beginning , is very moderate , ( viz. ) as the best physitians have been noted , sometimes to take very great regard to the ordinary receipts of old women , and the meanest persons ; so will it become the m●dest divine to endeavour rather , to discover and sift out that truth , which lies in his adversaryes meaning , then to expose and shame their opinions . as also , that in the first part of his book there are divers truths contained , in which he hath exprest more modesty and candor , then in the latter part , and because there appears not that universal consistency in his work , which the profest indifferency or impartiality should have produced , i therefore propose this method in my observations and remarks upon them viz. st . to take notice of those truths in his first part , together with some variations therefrom , as i find them . dly . to consider , whether his reflections upon us are consistant therewith , as touching our principles . sect. i. as touching justification he saith , viz. to avoid needless difference with brethren , i must distinguish justification ; justification we agree to be a forensical act , opposed to the laying any thing to a man's charge , whereby he may be condemned , who shall lay any thing to the charge of god's elect ? it is god that justifieth ; now there is a double charge , the charge of the law , that we are sinners , and so condemnable for violating of it , and the charge of the gospel , that we have not performed the remedying condition which god requires of us , for the escaping of that condemnation . and also he farther explains . there is a farther justification in regard to a particular charge of the one , or an universal justification against all accusations , or the charge of both , as we must answer to the charge of the gospel by denying that charge , and pleading our performance , we answer the charge of the law , by confessing it and pleading christ's satisfaction . our faith aud repentance is our righteousness , in regard to the gospel , but pardon of sin together with this righteousness may go both into universal justification . and that , god justifying us by this righteousness , that is by faith or evangelical obedience , without the works of the law , and that pardoning us as the effect of that act , may both make up the compositum of vniversal just●fication ; you see how tender i am of persisting in any mistake , wherein i have or may prejudice others ; i do not find that the scripture doth denominate or pronounce any one righteous , or a just man , from one end to another , upon any-other account then his doing righteousness , yet will i not quarrel with any that say , we are made righteous also by forgiveness ; and that the delivery of us from sin , from the law and condemnation by it , is justification , though really i am apt to think that this work is rather to be attributed with the apostle to our redemption : compare ephes. & . cor. . . rom . . animad . observe what is hereby granted . st . that justification is oppos'd to the laying any thing to a man's charge , whereby he might be condemned , a● , who shall lay any thing to the charge of god's elect ? the questions therefore is , whether god's elect be chargeable with any thing that is condemnable ? for against a righteous man there is no law ; this answers the end of christ's coming in the likeness of sinful flesh , that he might not only condemn sin in the flesh , but that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us , who walk not after the flesh , but after the spirit ; and this then truly acquits and clears such , who thus walk , both from the charge of the law and of the gospel , there being no condemnation to them that are in christ jesus , &c. dly . that we cannot deny the charge of the gospel , until we have performed that remedying condition , which god requires of us for the escaping the condemnation , or rather until that true faith and repentance be wrought in us by the grace of god , as the condition upon , and through which god doth both pardon and justifie . dly . that god justifieth us by this righteousness that is by faith , or evangelical obedience , without the works of the law ; it must be considered , to be without those works of the law which the apostle intended , as namely those that were fleshly and shaddowy ( that were not essential to an evangelical righteousness ) and not that substantial and continuing obedience of that love , which is the fulfilling of the law. thly . that evangelical obedience and doing righteousness , by which god justifies , or pronounces any one righteous , and in which his elect is not chargeable or condemnable , either by law or gospel , must needs therefore be a sincere obedience , without the mixture of sin or any thing condemnable , christ being the cause and worker of that faith , sanctification and righteousness in the true believer , from whence his obedience and doing of righteousness proceeds , all which seriously considered , doth both shut out the opinion of the imputation of christ's righteousness to men , while actual in their sins , and the pronouncing them righteous in god's sight , who are by his spirit denounced or condemned in themselves , as unrighteous and disobedient persons ; for where real faith and repentance from dead works is wrought in the heart , there is a real cessation from those works , and evil actions , although the very nature and seed thereof is not immediately wrought out of the heart , but by degrees . but then i see no cause why it should be said , that pardon or remission is not any essential part , or no part of justification , but the effect , as in page . seeing that pardon of sin , together with our fa●th and repentance ( as the condition ) goes both into universal justification , as before , though a pardon of sins past upon true faith and repentance be not alone the absolute justification , but also a perseverance in faithful obedience to the gospel is necessary to an absolute justified estate , both being by the grace of god , in and through christ , wherein he looks upon the creature that is truly humbled , with an eye of compassion in remitting of sins past , and with his fatherly love and goodness in preserving and keeping such in the sense of his goodness , which doth obliege to faithfulness and continuance in the truth unto the end , so that in an absolute justified estate , there is both an experience of true humility , living faith , sanctification and sincere obedience , and the continuance of the same [ according to these scriptures cor. . , . ephes. . . to the end. rom. . , , , , & . ver . compared with ver . . see and observe also titus chap. . , , , . ] the real experience whereof is beyond mens thinkings and conceivings , and it is only the true believers , and sanctified ones , who can truly say from an inward experience of the work of god in their hearts , that christ is made unto us wisdom , righteousness , sanctification and redemption , and he that spared not his only son , but delivered him up for us all , how much more shall he not with him give us all things ? sect. ii. and seeing it is also granted or at least implied , that the state of justification extends to a state of perfection , it is necessary we by the way further take notice of some truths laid down by this author about perfection , as namely . it is to be acknowledged . st . that there are and may be very many scriptures , easily pressed by the quakers and papists for the service of their doctrine ; so that there is no doubt but thus much is proved , that it is our duty to be as perfect , as they would have ; every sin is forbidden , and every good thing ( that is to say , by the law of innocency ) is commanded ▪ [ thus far true ] dly . he cites augustine de spiritu et littera , that he saith , alia est questio , utrumaesse possit homo in hac vita sine peccato , alia , utrum sit ? it is one question whether it be possible for a man to attain to such a perfection as to live without sin ? and another , whether there be any that do ? unto which this author addeth , that it is possible to attain this by grace , or the special assistance of god's spirit , he thinks it best to grant ; he thinks it not fit nor safe to say , any or all of god's commands are impossible — the work is to be attributed to him , unto whom nothing is impossible . animad . thus far we agree then : st . that it is our duty t● be so perfect , as to live without sin. dly . that it is also possible by the grace and assistance of god's spirit , so to live and to keep all god's commandments , though not possible to any man , by his own free will and strength , but only through the assistance of divine grace , it being god that worketh in us to will and to do , as also this author freely grants . that und●r the covenant of grace , god expecting our works to be right , that they proceed only from the sincere heart , animad . and that heart must be such a one , as will not willingly disobey god ; and then what shall be wanting in performance when god affords the assistance of his grace and good spirit , which is alsufficient ? and further he soberly cautions , viz. and if any in the dispute , do carry the matter so high against them ( viz. the quakers ) as to deny what they contend for to be possible , they may if they please , chose more wariness from saint augustine ; for the quakers ascribe not to themselves , but to the spirit , the life ▪ the power , or to christ within , all that they do : [ then he addeth , viz. ] on the contrary side , if these friends will not be content with what is allowed them , that our duty reaches so far , as not to sin at all , that this our whole duty is possible through that spirit by which i hope , some of them are led , pag. . animad . i am glad that this author hath so freely manifested a serious and ingenious mind in him , as to confess unto these truths , st . that it is our duty to be so perfect , as to live without sin . dly . that it is possible , through the assistance of god's spirit so to live . dly . that they who dispute against us , should chose more wariness , then to deny the perfection we contend for , to be possible . thly . that the quakers ascribe not the possibility to themselves , but to the spirit and power , or christ in them , in whom their sufficiency is . and i do heartily wish that he were so far consistant herewith as by the same spirit and power , to acknowledge and believe on the behalf of christ and his sincere followers , that they are both willing , faithful and obedient in performance of their duty , as well as accomplished with the knowledge and power for that end. note . otherwise i cannot see , but this man will leave a secret and hidden charge against god's elect and justified ones , which is not , that they either want the knowledge of their duty , or god's ●ssistance for performance ; but that they either want willingness , or are unfaithful to god therein , and how are they then said to be called , and chosen and faithful ? or how are his people a willing people in the day of his power ? and he confess●th a sincere heart hath god's elect ; therefore let us further observe those passages , wherein he differeth with us in this weighty matter . upon augustine ' s question whether there be any that do attain to such a perfection , as to live without sin , he concludes with the denyal , and that if these friends say , that every one who doth not attain to the same pitch , as to live without sin , cannot be in a state of grace and salvation , he shall think it time to send them to the same father and book for their reproof and satisfaction ; but he hath confest , the duty of man is , not to sin , and that it is possible through that spirit , by which he hopes some of us are led , citing these scriptures , viz. walk before me and be thou per fect . thou shalt love the ▪ lord with all thy heart , with all thy soul , with all thy strength . thy will be done in earth as it is done in heaven . be followers of christ , and as his was , so must our conversation be in the world. but then this author concludes . there is no man hath a sensible knowledge of himself , but he perceives daily , how far his duty is above his performances . animad . st though we do confess that such an estate of grace and salvation , as to live without sin , is not suddenly , or at the first dayes work attained unto , yet by degrees every one that follows christ through the work of regeneration , and so comes into an estate of absolute salvation , such come at length , yea in this world , to be delivered from all sin , and to know that christ's saving work effecteth a salvation from sin ; he throughly purgeth his floor , as this man also denyes not , but the end of christ's manifestation in the flesh , was to redeem us from all sin , to destroy the works of the devil , to restore us out of sin and unrighteousness , and present us to god as a peculiar people purified by faith , zealous of good works , holy and without blame , entire , and wanting nothing , perfect and compleat in all the will of god. these being seriously considered , the truth thereof believed , and a living faith , hope and expectation begotten in us for the fulfilling of these and such like testimonies of holy scriptures , we think there is no cause to send us to augustine for reproof ; for we must prefer christ and the apostles testimonies in the scriptures of truth , before any other man's private opinions . dly . though it be the estate of many men who have a knowledge of themselves to perceive how far their duty is above their performances , yea of such as may have a sincere mind and defire in them to see all lets and hindrances of performance removed , yet neither is this imperfection alwayes the condition of such ; nor is this deficiency the estate of every man , for , there are young men and fathers in the truth , as well as little children , and whosoever is so far enlightned , as to perceive a shortness in performance or duty , yet having a sincere desire to follow the lord , and be made conformable to his image ; there is a promise to such , and as they waite upon the lord , he will renew-their strength , and grant unto them the desire of their souls : blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness . and farther when god makes known his will , and tells to thee o man what thou oughtest to do , namely to do justly , love mercy ▪ and walk humbly with the lord thy god ; if in submission thou yield to him , thine help will be in him , as also he imposeth no impossibilities upon his church , but freely affords grace and power to encourage and assist in real and perfect obedience ; and he having sent his son a sufficient workman to redeem man from all iniquity , and he works in us to will and to do ; what shall hinder the sincere soul from its duty , if no grace be wanting , nor divine assistance witheld on god's part , nor a sincere mind awanting on the creature 's part ? where can there be a place for disobedience to remaine ? shall any charge god's elect , or condemn his chosen and faithful ones with unwillingness to serve their so gracious lord and master ? let not such a charge or condemnation be left upon them , who are god's workmanship , created in christ unto good works , unto whom the promise , both of power , sufficiency and of willingness is made , and so experimentally received in the day of his power ; and withal let it be considered that , as through the first work of grace in the heart , there is a sincere mind , desire and willingness in the creature to follow the lord , he deals gently with such , and draws them on by degrees , even with loving●kindness ; he layes no more up on them then suits their abilities given ; suffers them not to be tempted above what they are able ; and his grace being sufficient for them , he exerciseth patience , chargeth not temptations as sin upon them when they consent not ; he also dealeth with them as a shepherd , leading gently those that are with young ; in the day when ●e maketh up his jewels , he spareth them , as a man spareth his only son ; he attends and assists the travailing soul in his journey ; he gives the babe suck ; he affords them time and space for growing in strength , until they become men ; he hath regard to his own workmanship from the least or smallest beginnings thereof . o that the work & dealings of god in his new creation were seriously minded , & really experienced ; this is beyond all mens acquired notions , gatherings , distinctions and professions , that are without this living inward experience of this saving work , and this would end controversie and strivings . sect. iii. object . but the failings of such are recorded , that were said to be perfect . pag. . an●mad . so also are their deliverances , as david's , job ' s and others . again , if the end of christ's manifestation was to redeem us from all iniquity , to destroy the works of the devil , to restore us out of sin , present us unto god holy and without blame , entire wanting nothing , perfect and compleat in all the will of god ; and hath purchased for his church and people such a state , as to be without sin ; why should any go about to frustrate his end therein , or invalidate his purchase ? and why should any contend or arg●e for the contrary end ? and what more can we desire of perfection , then is here granted ? but it is added , that this state which is compleating alwayes , must not be expected to be compleated until the other life pag. . animad . we must look upon this to be a diversion from scripture ; ye are compleat in christ , as well as not answering the end for which christ gave himself , that is , to wash and purifie his church , and to present her a glorious church , without spot or wrinckle or any such thing , although in this life she arrives not to that fulness of glory that shall be hereafter , yet to such a spotless estate as to render her both beautiful and glorious ( else how could he say to his spouse , thou art fair , thou art my vndefiled , there is no spot in thee ) in which christ presents his church unto his father , as being the effect of her being washed by water through the word , which surely must be in this life . object . but while she is both a gracious church ( that is ) while she is in this life she shall not be without her wrinckles nor her troubles . pag. . animad . such kind of reconciling and suppositions , together with this deferring or putting off perfect freedom only unto the state of the life to come , i say , such work as this hath giv●n many loose professors and others too much a liberty , both to confound the state of grace with that universal state of sin , and so that of the gospel with that weak estate under the law , as also to oppose christ's work in this life , and to put off freedom from sin unto that which is to come ; and in this faith many take a liberty all their lives to the hazard of their own salvation , which if the sad consequence of such doctrine were seriously considered , and prudently foreseen , we should all preach up righteousness , and cry down sin , and excite men to lay hold of christ , and believe in him for perfect redemption , and not argue for the continuance of sin all our dayes , knowing how apt men are to lay hold of that which most suits their corrupt minds , which are in the evil works ; we should not dispute for sin , or a deficiency in duty , whatever infirmity we perceive in our selves , but in all sincerity wait upon god , and exercise all diligence through his grace , light and presence for evil to be supprest , and the seed of enmity to be extirpated , both out of our selves and others ; that righteousness might be exalted , and run down as a mighty stream to wash away the dirt and corruption , which greatly abounds among many , who think to salve themselves , and to quiet their justly disturbed consciences , with a feigned application of christ's righteousness and merits , however they neither allow him , nor his holy nature to have a place in their hearts , whose unsound doctrine , as well as their unchristian lives , hath levened many into hypocrisie as well as kept them in ignorance from the very life and nature of christianity , which consists in the inward enjoyment of the real righteousness and nature of the son of god , as inwardly revealed , spiritually begotten , born and brought forth in the soul through the spirit of holiness . what the author saith concerning perfectio viae or patriae viatorum or comprehensorum , a perfection belonging to the state whiles we are in the way as travelers , or a perfection belonging to the state , when we shall get home or to our country , pag. . adnimad . it is granted that there is a twofold perfection belonging to the saints , as namely to the state , as travailers in this life , and to the state of that to come , and that which is to come doth ex●eed the estate that now is , as to the fulness of glory , yet granting a perfection in the way or journey , in order to that furrher degree at the journeys end ; this then is a perfection in the way , not out of it , and what is the way that conduces to a further glory ? but the way of righteousness , thou wilt guide me by thy counsel , and afterward receive me to glory . with me to live is christ , and to dye is gain . the exceeding weight of glory which is prepared for the righteous hereafter none can attain to , but they that faithfully follow christ , while in the earthly tabernacle ; the perfection of grace here , which conduceth to the perfection of glory hereafter , admits not of the continuance of sin in saints in this life . sect. iv. object . if this perfection , which consists in a freedom from all sin doth remain for the rest above ; i see not who there now is , that can free himself from sinful imperfection in this world , pag. . herein he speaks doubtfully , and his not seeing the man , that can fr●e himself from all sinful imperfection , is no argument to prove that there is no such man , as christ doth so free ; he further saith , that perfection which belongs to the estat of this life is to be considered in the kind and in the degree of it ▪ there is a perfection in kind and of the degree . animad . well , this perfection in kind is our business to plead for at present , as namely the true child of god , or he that is born of god , who hath his seed remaining in him , his generation and king is of a pure nature , the heavenly birth is of a right seed , and that which is born of god overcomes the world ; this birth outgrows , overcomes and works out by degrees all that is of a contrary nature or kind in man ; and that there are fathers , young men and children in growth , as this man moderately states our doctrine : and concerning his two questions , which he would fain be satisfied in , viz. st . whether that degree of holiness , which is attained by any man , is not the duty of every man ? pag. . answ. it is the duty of every man to experience a perfecting holiness in the fear of god ; and without holiness no man can see god ; every member of christ , and every branch that abides in him , is of the heavenly father's purging , and therefore must be throughly purged ; his work is perfect , and it is said to him , thy people shall be all righteous . dly . whether he that failes in the least of what is his duty , doth not sin ? answ. yea , but if any man sin we have an advocate with the father , and if we walk in the light , as he is in the light , we have fellowship one with another , and the blood of jesus christ his son cleanseth us from all vnrighteousness ; the righteous seed in us overcomes and works out the contrary . conces . we do not deny to them that perfection in its kind , which every man doth and must attain unto , that is saved ; the great d●fficulty will be only in a right vnderstanding , of what kind of perfection it is which is to be agreed upon by both , pag. . animad . seing that it is immediatly after granted , that when the scrip●ures speak of any good man or woman , that fears god and works righteousness , it is all one in holy language , as the being perfect is , and that to be a perfect man is to be a just man , a righteous man that fears god and eschews evil. so then the kind of perfection must be that of goodness , righteousness and justice , &c. be ye perfect as your heavenly father is perfect ; be ye merciful , as your heavenly father is merciful , luke . . or ▪ as this man well sayes , our duty is not to sin at all to be in our kind , as god in his is perfect . and indeed they who have escaped the corruptions of the world , and by the precious promise of god , are made partakers of the divine nature , they are conformable to his image , partakers of his goodness , kindness , mercifulness , long-suffering , &c. now this is the kind and nature , which every true child partakes of , and grows up in , both to strength and stature in order to a future glory , though i grant all have not the same gifts , parts and abillities in a way of demonstration , yet in every true babe and child of god , there is that hidden seed , nature and life , where in both purity and perfection do consist ▪ and the perfecting of holiness is known , and from thence doth spring up the fruits of righteousness , and though i grant , that there were and may be failings for a time on the creature 's part , in whom the work of grace is begun , and a no●le plant in the seed or root , before it be grown up , yet those failings do not alwayes remain , but even in this life , or this side of time are outgrown and done away by that noble seed and birth of the heavenly father , unto which the perfection is originally ascribed , and only to man or the soul , as partaking thereof . if we confess our sins , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all vnrighteousness ; a manifest incouragement not to continue in sin , nor to despaire because of it , nor yet to believe its continuance in us , but to believe that he , whose faithfulness and justness will allow of forgiveness , will cleanse us from all unrighteousness ; for , we are sure ●his righteousness admits of no unrighteousness at all in us . the author addeth , viz. of what value then that notion about this righteousness of god , which after many years thoughts i have offer'd in the two former papers , i leave to time , &c. animad . well , i desire the lord may yet further open this author's understanding with an experimental knowledge of the righteousness of god in christ jesus , in the revelation thereof from faith to faith , and this will be more to confirmation and satisfaction then all man's thoughts , studied notions and comprehensions thereof ; and seeing there hath been such serious inclinations in his heart , it is to be hoped that the lord will answer his expectations , if he waits upon him , and hath an eye to him in that measure of his divine light given . sect. v. object . there is no man that sinneth not ; there is not a just man upon earth , that doth good and sinneth not ; there is none that doth good , no not one , page . animad . st . these places if rightly considered ; cannot reach or comprehend the highest state or growth of saints under the gospel , or of such as are born of god , whom the wicked one toucheth not , and who do not commit sin ; for such do good and do not sin in doing good ; but some learned men do not understand the words cited , in the same sense or mood ; as rendred in the translation , viz. that there is no man that sinneth not , or no man just that doth good and sinneth not , but in the potential , viz. may not sin , or no man but that he may sin , and no man just in the earth that doth good and may not sin ; and that this concerned a legal state , or the state of a just man under the law , and not of a gospel estate or attainment , thus dr. gell in his essay towards the amendment of the last english translation of the bible , fol. , . besides , there is a difference between a just man , as in the law , and a good man , as in the gospel ; it is not said , that there is not a good man on earth that sinneth not . d●y . there is none that doth good , no not one ; cannot be taken ●universally ; for that were to contradict the saying before , of the just man doing good , and to bring this as a proof of the saints state , cannot be just nor right ; for it did not concern them , but the unconverted jews and gentiles , and such , as neither understood nor sought after god , see rom. . , , , , , , . , . together with the place in the psalms to which this refers . object . in many things we offend all ; if we say , we have no sin we deceive our selves , page . animad . nor do these comprehend the highest growths or attainments of saints and good men in this life ; it was usual , both with apostles and prophets to personate , or take in themselves with the least and weakest of those they spoke and wrote to , using the particle wee , as instance in the same apostle cited , jam. . . therewith curse wee men , and john . . to the end , and it is also said verse . if wee say , wee have not sinned , wee make him a lyar , and his word is not in us , y●t see he declares the rem●dy , as well as the disease , verse . if wee walk in the light , as he is in the light , we have fellowship one with another and the blood of jesus christ his son cleans●th us from all sin and : further he shews his holy design in what he writes in these words , viz. my little children these things write i unto yuo , that you sin not , john . . object . no man is regenerate but in part , not as if one faculty was sanctified and not another , but there remains the principle of corruption , together with the principle of grace , which is infused , that is both flesh and spirit in the same person , and whatsoever ●rodeeds from the one cannot be sin , as whatsoever proceeds from the ●ther cannot be otherwise pag. . animad . herein we differ , for we must confess that by degrees , the work of regeneration , and sanctification comes throughly to be effected , or perfected in every one that continues in true faith , even to a through purging out of corruption , and to a perfect mortification of that from whence sin proceeds ; be ye sanctified throughout in body , soul and spirit , and farther , they that are christ's have crucified the flesh with its vile affections ; and it is not the flesh meerly of it self , but as it is subjected to an evil principle or seed of sin , that brings forth corrupt actions , but christ's work is throughly to purge . sect. vi. but further seeing this author's opinion is , that no man is regenerate but in part , and that there remains the principle of corruption , together with the principle of grace ; how doth he dispense with these scriptures cited by him , viz. he that cammitteth sin is of the devil ; whosoever is born of god doth not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him , and he cannot sin because he is b●rn of god ; he that is born of god keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth him not , john . & chap. . to salve this , he tells us that st. augustine doth lay some two or three of these texts together , and offers us this solution ; that which is born of god ( saith he ) sins not , which is as much as to say , there is that which is born of god in the true christian , and that which is not born of him , page . animad . i grant that there is that , which is born of god ( as relating to a thing or principle ) spoken of in john's epistles , as whatsoever is born of god overcomes the world ; and this is the victory that overcomes the world , even our faith , john . . well this is to our purpose still , that whatsoever is born of god overcomes the world , and surely then , this doth not leave the world's principle of corruption unsubdued in true christians , but there is also whosoever is born of god doth not commit sin ; for is seed remaineth in him , and who is he that overcometh the world [ who ] relates to the man or person that believes in the son of god , as well as the other doth to the principle or seed in him , so that as the holy seed or that which is born of god comes into dominion in man , this takes in the creature or soul to partake of its nature again , as the author hath added , that according to the prevalency there is of any of these two principles in the soul , so is the person to have his denomination , page . very true then , as the good principle becomes prevalent in the soul , man becomes a good man , or an holy and just man. as for his allegation from the apostle in rom. . that the ap●stle did the evil he would not , saying , it is no more i that doth it , but sin that dwelleth in me ; this , it is true , was a state that paul knew in the time of his warfare and travail ; and even in this state god had regard to the sincerity of his mind , wherewi●h he served the law of god , even while he was warring against the contrary law ; but as i answered before , this apostle as well as others , did so far condescend to the weakness of others , as not only to signifie such exercises as he had past through , but also to personate the conditions of others to whom he wrote and spake ; for , he could not be in all those different and various states that he represents in that epistle to the romans , at one and the same time when he then wrote , viz. as to be both carnal and spiritual , sold under sin , and yet freed by the law of the spirit of life in christ rom. . , . with many more instances , which ●ight be cited out of the same epistle ▪ compare rom. , & , & . chapter , read them seriously , also how plain is it that paul condescended to speak as one below his own present attainment ; for i speak after the manner of men , because of the infirmity of your flesh , rom. . . to the weak i became as weak , &c. see cor. . . object . what is alledged by this writer for the principle of corruption remaining in the child of god , & for all men being sinners , and for every man upon earth sinning against the law of works , in leaving undone what it requires , or doing what it forbids in thought vvord or de●d , even continually , page . animad . i think he hath sufficienly answered himself with a confutation , distinguishing by these texts confession inserted in the next section , sect. vii . he confesseth that other texts say , that the regenerated do not sin , and the blood of christ cleanseth us from all sin , and there is no man sins against the law of grace , so as to leave undone what tha● requires as the condition of life , who is saved ; as also , that all power is committed to the son ; the law of nature is put into christ's hands to be commanded by him which together with remedying grace are parts of his law ; but then he bids us distinguish between sinning against one or other precept of christ's law , and sinning against it as a conditional covenant by none performance . to this i must add , 't is true that the condition of life cannot be left undone by any who are saved , that is , faith and repentance cannot be omitted by any such , or no man can be saved , or inherit eternal life in a state of unbelief ; but then if this great condition of life be performed , or this remedying grace received and enjoyed , sincere obedience to christ's law in lesser matters must needs follow ; for , as the performance of the greater things must needs argue a capacity to perform the letter , so we ought to shew a sincere respect and faithfulness to our lord and master in the least things , as well as in the greatest ; for , he that is unjust in the least , is unjust also in much ; and if they be christ's friends that do whatsoever he commands , then it 's evident that in a state of grace , favour and union with him , christ doth not permit of sinning against one or other precept of his law upon any account ; and though there be that which is called the law of works , which the believer is never under nor oblieged to perform in the shadow , in the flesh or outward part , yet the law of the new covenant , the law of the spirit of life in christ , the law of faith , the law of love must be performed , and faithfully obeyed by all that come into that covenant , or to be under christ's government in his kingdom , and as for his covenant as conditional , or wh●t is required thereby as the condition of life , this admits not of the continuance of sin or corrupt●on ; see what the author grants in this case . if thou wilt enter into life ●aith christ , keep the commandments ; neither circumcision nor vncircumcision availeth any thing saith the apostle , but faith working by love , in one place , but a new creature , in another , but keeping the commandments of god , in a third ; do we make void the law through faith ? no , we establish it , that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us , who walk not after the flesh , but after the spirit ; the doers of the law shall be justified ; it appears by a multitude of such scriptures as these [ saith he ] that the law or commandments of god are to be kept or fulfill●d ; that the fulfilling them is required as necessary to the person justified , and consequently , as the condition ( which is all one ) of pardon and life . thus far he grants , page . which is a large concession . object . but again , to help us out here ( he saith ) we must distinguish after our more sober and best divines ; the law of god may be considered ridgedly , or not ridgedly , that is with condescension to human frailty , according to the measure in every one of the gift of christ , or according to our model , strength or grace in this life , and that degree of perf●rmance which god requires of us precisely in the new covenant , to the obtaining of salvation ; it is in the latter , the mild the gracious , not in the former , the ridged sense , that such texts are to be interpreted that the law or commandments are fulfilled , and that the observation is made necessary to the justified and saved . animad . st . that there is a gracious condescension in god towards mankind , as not to leave man under the severity of the law , without affording remedying grace , is confest by us , as also according to the measure of the gift of christ in every●one , and according to our strength and degree of grace , which he affords us ; he doth condescend both in extending pardon , remitting sin past , delivering us from under the severity of the law , and justifying us from all those things , from which we could not be justified by the law of moses , as we receive and submit unto his grace , and new covenant of life and salvation , but still this mild and gracious condescension of god , his law and commandments appertaining to this covenant , admits not of the continuation of sin , nor doth the least measure of the gift of christ , or principle of grace admit of corruption or sin to remain with it , but by degrees works out the very seed and principle of corruption , and sanctifieth the whole man , leavens the whole lump , in so much that this increaseth , and truth springeth up daily , and the fruit of the spirit groweth and ripeneth in man , as he comes thus to be prepared & fitt●d , and hereby comes the way of life & salvation to be made easie and delightsome to him : take my yoak upon you ; for my yoak is easie and my burden light saith christ , and this is the love of god , that we keep his commandments , and they are not grievous but joyous to us ; thus the grace and love of god makes way through all difficulties , and makes all that he requires in the new covenant to be , not only possible , but easie and delightsome to that soul who comes to christ , who ●aid , come to me all yee that labour , that are weary and heavy la●en and i will ease you [ namely , i will ease you from the burden of your sins and of your failings in your duty , and of the severity or condemnation of the law , which you have been labouring and travailing under , i will perfectly ease you and free you , that you may the more cheerfully bear my yoak , and undergo my burden , and i will enable you to run the way of my commandments with delight ; i will lay no more upon you then what you are able to bear , and cheerfully to undergo ; be of good comfort , for i have overcome , &c. ] and i further grant god's merciful acceptation of us for christ's sake , and of what we do , through the obedience and oblation of christ jesus , as he gives us an evidence by his spirit of our being in him , accepted in the beloved ; and this acceptation extending to the least of his children and p●ople , and to the lowest stature among them , whose hearts are sincere towards him ; so this is encouragement unto them to persevere in obedience according t● their measures , and abillities in this gift of grace , that they may continue therein , and grow from strength to strength and from faith to faith , untill they come to maturity , or to a full age in christ. now the least child , or lowest of the servants of god , in obeying or being faithful to what he gives t●em to improve according to their abillities , such do not commit sin therein . object . there is no man keeps the commands of christ , so as never to fail in any thing of his duty , but every child of god keeps them so as they are made the condition of life in the new covenant , page . animad . to the first it may be granted , that no man hath al●wayes kept the commands of christ ; for , if we say we have not sinned , we make him a lyar. to the second part , if every child of god keep his commands , as they are made the condition of life in the new covenant , then i hope it will be granted however , that the greatest and most substantial commandments are kept , and how he should then neglect the lesser , or remain unfaithful in the least things i cannot understand ; for , ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever i command you , faith christ ; and he that is faithful in that which is least , is faithful also in much : now , this great commandment of love being the fulfilling of the law , must needs be therefore comprehensive of ( or take in ) the lesser commandments ; and farther let it be seriously minded and considered , that he that is come into the new covenant , or to be in covenant with god , is come into that agreement and union with him , which this covenant contains , which admits not of the continuance of sin , or breach of the law of this covenant ; and he that abides in christ sins not ; he that dwells in love dwells in god ; be not deceived , he that doth righteousness is righteous , even as he is righteous , john . and this may answer what is said about the child of god , that as he is righteous and perfect , he sins not , &c. and that when st. john speaks of sinning not , we may observe , how he counterpoises committing sin with being righteous or doing righteousness : [ to which this author addeth ] the true christian sins not , so as he opposeth his being righteous ; he commits not sin , as is contradictory to his doing righteousness , page . but still he seems here to leave room for the child of god's sinning , or committing sin in some sense or other while in this world , about which we differ , and cannot be reconciled , unless we both joyn in that seed and principle , which lives in the child of god ; if we both did meet in that which is born of god , which overcomes the world , we should both agree about the state of him or whosoever ( to wit , the man of god , or true child ) that is born of god whom the wicked one cannot touch . sect. viii . again since he saith , the calm protestants will grant to the papists such a fulfilling of the law , as does constitute a real true righteousness , and that which is perfect or entire according to the covenant of grace , and so accepted of god unto life , &c. page , . animad . 't is well that some protestants grant thus much ; for this is repugnant , both to the continuance and mixture of sin and corruption in the children of god , or with their obedience ; for , true and real righteousness , which is perfect and entire according unto the covenant of grace , is what we do plead for , both , as to the root and fruits of it , but i cannot see how this can consist with what he saith ; the most violent papists will grant to the protestant , that this righteousness nevertheless is not wtthout all sin , but doth both fail in the degree which the law exacts ; and is intermingled with many , at least venial transgressi●n● , page . although this doth somewhat agree with what this author drives at against us , yet such a mixture we cannot own , nor such an interminglement of sin with that righteousness which is perfect , and entire according to the covenant of grace ; and i see no reason when the soul 's great enemy is overcome , and the greater sins washed off , and the greater pollutions done away , why those venial sins or lesser sins should remain , and there is no reason that venial or pardonable sins should remain or be continued after pardoned ; man's mind and heart being changed and turned from them , having repented thereof at the time of his receiving pardon , or when he receiveth redemption through the blood of christ , even remission of sins past . as for standing on our own righteousness , when it is taken for self-righteousness in the sense of the prophet isaiah chap. . . we do utterly deny and exclude it , but as the lord is o●r righteousness by his inward work of grace , and sanctification in our hearts , we must forever own and stand by this with respect to our justification , acceptance and peace with him , as being the ground and original thereof to us and in us ; and they who exclude this inward or inherent righteousness of god from justification , we can in no wise own their doctrine . again between this man 's assenting , page , . that that righteousness which is accepted of god unto life , is a real true righteousness , perfect and entire according to the covenant of grace , and yet , that this righteousness is imperfect wherein we are justifiable by the covenant of mercy , as performers of the condition ; here appears such an inconsistancy , as i know not how to reconcile ; for , that which is perfect & entire according to the covenant of grace , is never deficient , lame or imperfect , nor yet intermingled with any sin to make i● so , as christ being made unto us wisdom , righteousness , sanctification and redemption , we are only accepted in him , justified in his righteousness , accepted in the beloved ; whereby we do not exclude that obedience on our parts which christ injoyns , but are enabled and naturallized thereunto . confess . he confef●eth , that god gave his whole law for a covenant , and if one part only were transgressed , the condition of that covenant is broken , as well as if all were transgressed ; and that we must understand the like in reference to the law of faith , or covenant of grace and its observation , page . animad . must we so ? then as perfect or full obedience is required by the latter , and unto it , as by the former , and much more power and encouragements attend this ( being established upon better promises ) then were known under the other ; and in this covenant of grace god's promises are yea and amen , which concern perfect holiness , as well as the rest of the saints priviledges ; and both this law and righteousness of faith , require a sincere or perfect obedience to the word of faith in the heart ( and that in order to the compleating an absolute justification and salvation ) as the law or letter without doth to the precepts therein contained ; but then the man varies in what he addeth in the next section . sect. ix . object . viz. let a man's sins be what they will , so long as the condition be performed he , may according to this law be judged no transgressor , page . animad . whereas if this law of faith or covenant of grace must be as fully observed , as the whole law ●hat god gave to man for a covenant ( as before ) no part whereof was to be broken , how do these consist ? and if the law be not made void through faith , but established ; and if it be not the unrighteous that shall inherit the kingdom of god , but such as are washed and sanctified from all uncleanness , that are also justified in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of our god , see cor. . then i do not see that the performance of the condition of the covenant of grace can consist with [ let a man's sins be what th●y will ] which words have a tendence to an evil liberty ; for , a justified state is plainly opposed ( as contrary ) to that of the unrighteous in this , cor. . , , . object . it 's further added ; though we fail in our duty we fulfil the condition , page . animad . how can that be ? if the covenant of grace , or law of faith be the condition which we are to observe and obey , as our duty so far as it concerns us , both as enjoyned and assisted by christ jesus our life and righteousness ? is it not our duty to fulfil the condition ? and do we yet fail in our duty whilest we fulfil it ? no sure . as to david's heart being perfect , and that he kept god's commandments or precepts . st . this of his heart being perfect , respects what was sincere and uprght in david as a spirit without guile , a sincere desire , intention and resolution of heart towards god , though for a time he had failings , and was bes●t with temptations , yet the lord had regard to his uprightness , &c. dly . david's keeping god's commandments or precepts , was when he was really clear , and actually obedient , walking in the wayes of god , and not as consistant with his sinning in the matter of uriah , &c. for which he underwent great judgment and deep affliction , often imploring mercy and pardon , praying for cleansing , washing &c. dly . as he was a man after god's own heart , he was according to and in god's choice and promise , he stood in the election : the lord hath sought him a man after his own heart , sam. . . i have found david the son of jesse , a man after mine own heart , which shall fulfil all my will ; this being fulfilled he was in a precious state , not guilty nor condemnable , for , after god's own heart , was both ●is sincerity , perfection and purity : surely being a man after god's own heart and fulfilling all his will , could not concern david's worst but his best state. object . but to answer that complaint , that his sins were more then the hairs upon his head , this writer saith , there are sins consistant with sincerity , and inconsistant with it . animad . though i would as favourably construe his words as i can , yet this phrase [ sins consistant with sincerity ] i can neither own to be sound , scriptural or of a good tendence ; but tending to gratifie both the sin-pleasing professors unrighteous imputarians , and loose antinomians of our times ; for , though i do gra●t , ●hat a sincere-minded man may possibly be overtaken with a fault through some great temptation or tryal , & yet not loose his sincerity ( though it be clouded ) but retain his integrity , as job did his , until he be fully recovered , restored and delivered , ( wherein he differs from him that wilfully or designedly sins , or is obstinate or wittingly dissembles and playes the hypocrite ) yet no sin or neglect of duty is consistant with the sincerity it self , which god hath begotten in the creature ; but there is a daily or constant travail and warring in the sincere mind and soul , until the sin be overcome , and really done away , as it was with paul when with his mind he served the law of god , had travailed in spirit for deliverance from that law of sin , which did embondage or captivate his members , in which low estate of warring , god hath an eye to the upright and sincere mind that waits upon him , and subjects to his inward law of the spirit of life in christ jesus ; and by his spirit of adoption doth help his creature 's infirmities , until all that offends be subdued , and the soul becomes more then a conquerer . and so as for his distinction between the breach of our duty and the condition , while he discourseth for failing of the first , and yet a fu●filling the latter ; i cannot reconcile him herein , nor own such distinctions , either as necessary or consistant with the real experience of a justified state , wherein the law of the spirit of life [ or law of faith ] in christ is answered and followed , and the effect thereof experienced in them that are in christ jesus , who walk not after the flesh , but after the spirit ; and in them the righteousness , morality , good order and duty ( both respecting the law and gospel , nature and grace ) is fulfilled by christ jesus , and performed through his spiritual assistance . it 's true , there is a sin unto death ( as he saith ) and a sin not unto death ; and no better then sinning unto death , can i look ●pon men's continuance in any known sin or unrighteousness , all their life time against the holy and just law of god in the conscience ; the sin of impenitence as well as of unbelief being persisted in , incurs death , as it 's granted that david ( in the m●t●er wherein he sinned ) in that present state could not have been saved if he had dyed ; but surely if the condition of true faith and repentance be performed , and the nature there of be experienced , the other acts of duty and obedience will follow ; for , is there any sin or neglect of duty that 's not to be repented of and ceas'd from ? or can a true believer see any sin or failing without believing , or exercising faith in his warring against it till he overcome , and he hath out grown it ? no sure , he attains to the accomplishment of his warfare through valiantly fighting the good fight of faith , he reacheth unto the end of his race by unwearied travailing on without fainting . sect. x. to his saying , behold here a kind of heaven opened unto you , who are the children of god , and fear his name , where all your sins and iniquities are removed , and where every one of you are righteous and perfect , and sin not ; for , this is the benefit and fruit of christ's death and redemption , that he hath delivered you from that law which you break . animad . st . that heaven where all sins and iniquities are removed , and where the children of god are perfect and sin not , is not of this man's or any of their opening who oppose perfection of duty , and argue for sin 's continuance in god's children whilest in this life ; for that heaven wherein dwells righteousness , and they are all righteous and sin not , admits not of sin to have any place in it , the will of god being perfectly done therein . dly . that 's the old heaven and old earth wherein dwells unrighteousness , and these must ●e shaken and removed for the new to take place . dly . christ is the end of the law for righteousness , and not to indulge transgression or any breach of that law which is holy , just and good , fulfilled and not destroyed in the new creature and covenant . thly . 't is true as he saith , that christ hath brought us under a new law , the law of grace which requires nothing of us , but what sub ratione conditions ; we do keep ; for he gives his holy spirit to enable us to the performance , so that not only our sins are done away and not imputed , but forgiven , as the iniquities of judah shall be sought for and not fou●d ; but this covenant hath nothing to lay to our charge [ to which i would add ] as we are children of god redeemed by christ , who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all iniquity [ mark that ] and further , blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven , and whose sin is covered ; bless●d is the man unto whom the lord imputeth not iniquity , and in whose spirit there is no guile , psa. . , . observe , in whose spirit is no guile : and further , the holy spirit in this new covenant , enables them that walk in it , to the perfect performance of their duty therein required , and the reconciliation that was wrought in the body of his flesh through death ; for such as were sometimes alienated [ as the apostle saith ] i was to present them holy , unreproveable in his sight , if they continue in the faith grounded and setled , and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel ; this unreproveable state in his sight , and duty of continuance in the faith , is the perfection and justification that we aim at . as for his granting a perfection which divines call evangelical to the quaker , that is an integrity of heart and life which the gospel requires of every man that shall be saved . pag. . we accept of this grant , as rightly understood and experienced in the evangelical and new covenant state , and are satisfied , that where this integrity of heart and life , which the gospel requires is thus experienced , there will not be a falling short of duty , especially since neither the knowledge thereof , nor yet divine assistance will be wanting to such as possess this integrity of heart and life : as for this man's supposition , if these friends ( meaning the qu●kers ) will have more , then they must come to that , our divines call legal righteousness , &c. page . i do not understand that a legal righteousness , or righteousness of the law can be more or higher then an evangelical perfection , or righteousness which the gospel requires , nor moses's house more beautiful then christ's ; though we do not propose the righteousness of the law , or the keeping the law in the outward part of it , nor impose it as in the letter and shaddow , as either the condition of salvation or necessary thereto ; but true faith in christ , which worketh by love ; and as the apo●stle said , i though the law am dead to the law , that i might liv● unto god ; i am crucifi●d with christ , &c. gal. . , . as for this man's , or any others sleighting the perfection we plead for , tearming it a legal righteousness , we value not such insinuations , seeing , that to live without sin according to the royal law of love , is both what the law and gospel requires , and he hath confessed it our duty ▪ and possib●e for us to attain to it through the assistance of god's ●pirit . it is granted that the disciples did call god father , and so they must be in some degree called and adopted to be his sons while they did ask forgiveness for th●ir tresp●ss●s or d●bts , as they for●gave others , yet i do not grant this to be their highest state , or attainments in this life ; for they did not only obtain forgiven●ss , but also the blood of christ cleansed them from all sin ; and if they were heard in saying , thy will be done in earth , as it is in heaven , as doubtless they were ; then what sin or trespass could alwayes be continued by them , or persisted in which was not perfectly done away in this life ? i further confess , that true believers may be called the children of god , and under two considerations or degrees , st . as called and adopted to be his sons ( being begotten into the faith ) w●ile yet they are weak and have infirmities , which the spirit of adoption doth help ; they are children , as to their weakness little children , children in understanding , yet in a degree 〈◊〉 faith , sincerity and innocency , having their sins forgiven ; i have writ unto you little children , because your sins are forgiven you . dly . children , and sons of god in a higher degree and state , perfectly born , not only of water , but also of the spirit , even of the incorruptible seed , that liveth and abideth forever , partakers of and naturallized into the divine nature and image ; and such are they that cannot sin , in whom the seed remains , and whom the wicked one cannot touch , &c. and if he cannot touch them , muchless lead or drive them into sin or neglect of duty ; further , the forgiveness that any true believer had daily need of for a time , was obtained and experienced , even by little children . touching that article of that prayer , forgive us our trespasses , &c. the man seems undeservedly to reflect , by saying , yet they think they may scratch it out of their bibles , because they leave it unsaid , page . i suppose he meaneth the quakers herein , having a little before insinuated something against them , touching perfection , which i cannot own , as fair dealing ; for we think no such thing , but do really own that prayer , both as to the matter and seasonableness of it ; and as to the fulfilling of it , with respect to the several condition ; concerned therein . sect. xi . to his saying , page . that the constant stream of god's word runs thus , that we are sinners , that we must all repent , that we must alwayes be renewing our repentance , in making our prayers , confessions , supplications , doing our alms , &c. animad . he appears herein much declined from the first part of his book , and the perfection and universal justification therein consented to , as our duty , and possibillity of attainment through divine grace or assistance : now he seems to be fallen into the ditch of the imputarians of the times , who are daily pretending repentance , humiliation , confessions and supplications , which are never attended with a real forsaking of sin , but they are sinning still in their best dutyes . none of them so just or good , as to do good without sinning in doing good , while they have forgveness to crave for the iniquities of their best dutyes , at which rate they may be every day praying , feigning a penitency and humility , and even therein still adding more sin , and making themselves more work : both this pretended repentance , voluntary and feigned humility is to be repented of ; if the true nature of repentance , praying , asking and receiving were experienced through the spirit , it would cut off all this strugling for sin , which must have no place in christ's kingdom . upon that scripture , if any man sin we have an advocate with the father , who is the propitiation for our sins , and also for the sins of the whole world ; upon this he is pleased to pataphrase thus , viz. there is our sins , st. john's sins that need advocate , as well as the world , page . animad . i must need confess this allows st. john very little preeminence , the comparison is somewhat mean ; for [ our sins ] may relate to sins that were past and forgiven , as well as the accidental sinnings of any weak ones among them ; for he should have considered that [ if any man sin ] is not that every man must sin , or t●at no man can do otherwise , but rather implies , that they might also be kept out of sin , seeing he saith , these things write i unto you , that you sin no● ; it seems he was not of this man's mind , that they were sinners all their dayes , or could be no otherwise : besides , both john and others condescended to the lowest of those to whom they wrote , taking themselves in as sharers in the same conditions , and suffering with them , that they might help them ; to the weak i became as weak &c. as for his alledging and citing eliphaz for sin , what is man , that he should be clean , and he that is born of a woman , that he should be righteous ? because he putteth no trust in his saints , and the heavens are not clean in his sight . ●o this i say , that i am no more of his mind then job was ; and i do not reckon such an instance of one of job's miserable comforters , to be any valid proof against perfection ; for , doth god put no trust in his saints ? doth he not give this testimony of them ? surely they are my people , chi●dren that will not lye , and so was he their saviour : and further observe , that the lord said to eliphaz the temanite , my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends ; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right , as my servant job hath , job . . . ●●is author further adds , we are all an unclean thing saith the church , and all our right●ousnesses are as filthy rags , pag. . animad . i wonder he hath distinguished no better here ; for this as applied to the church without distinction , contradicts all his concessions to the truth before , both of universal justification , perfection , the condition of life and salvation , and evangelical holiness ; methinks he should consider that these are not intended in those righteousness●s that are as filthy rags , and that the prophet isaiah himself did personate and intend the jews herein , as disobedient , rebellious and corrupt in their doings , and not the evangelical church , whose righteousness the lord is , and concerning whom it was promi●ed , thy people shall be all righteous . object . there is one text most full , he saith , which is that of david , enter not into judgment with thy servant , o lord ; for in thy sight shall no man living be justi●ied ; upon which he is pleased to argue , if there is ●r ever was any meer mortal on earth , that lived altogether without sin , then must this text be false . animad . this [ altogether without sin ] hath a large extent , and it is not that which we lay the controvesie upon ; we do not state this for justification in god's sight , that any meer mortal on earth lived altogether without sin ; for all generally have sinned ; and if we say we have not sinned , we make him a lyar , and his word is not i●us , john . . and further i will grant , that if therefore god should enter into strict judgement with any , deservedly to punish them for all that ever they have done , then there would be no place either for pardon , justification , salvation or redemption by christ ; and further , by the deeds of law , and all the righteousness that is meerly performed by the flesh shall no flesh living be justified ; if god upon t●is a●count should enter into judgement , then in his sight should no man living be justified ; ●ut seeing he hath provided and afforded a gracious remedy , to wit the s●ed of the woman , 〈◊〉 bruiseth the serpent's head ; th●t destroye the devil , and treads satan under feet ; hereby 〈◊〉 livers man from condemnation and death , although the first hath a sense of the sentence of death , and the ministry of condemnation in him , as knowing that commandment which kills and makes alive , works death , and brings for h● life : and so i will further confess , that no man living in this state ( unto which he must dye in passing through the law ) can be justified in god's sight . his saying , that it is common for men to alledge a few ●catered scr●ptures against any opinion , which yet is true . this both is a sleighty , as well as an irreverend expression ( as touching the scriptures ) and the reflection implied in it against us , as groundless . sect. xii . object . if we are justified through c●rist's redemption through faith , when none of us have performed the condition required ●fus to our justification by the law of our creation , th●n must our justification be of grace , &c. animad . st . though justification be of grace , yet this doth neither indulge nor allow us in the breach of the condition required by the law of our creation nor are men justified in the breach and violation thereof . if by the law of our creation , the law of innocency or image of god wherein man was created , be intended for a justified state by the grace of god in christ where compleated , is where men are saved through the washing of regeneration , tit. , , , , . object . if this grace is obtained or purchased for us through christ's redemption , then is god righteous though he accept of us ( seeing it is for christ's sake ) without that condition . animad . without what condition that which was required of us by the first law , or law of our first creation ? i deny that ; for without innocency , without the image of god ( which consists in righteousness and true holiness ) none are accepted of god , though it is true , we are forgiven for christ's sake , through faith & repentance of 〈◊〉 ●st before , but our acceptance is in the beloved , not out of him 〈◊〉 in him we have our redemption & justification , both from sin and condemnation of the law ; and in him we have restored to us what adam lost by transgression , and not only that , but enjoy more security and stabillity . and what doth god by his spirit work in those that are chosen ? but perfect holiness , yea , he will ordain peace for us ; for he hath wrought all our works in us , isa. . . page . also it is an untruth , that the perfection of the quakers doth quite overthrow all this which the apostle teacheth , pag. . for the real quaker is of the apostle's mind , that christ came both to condemn sin in the flesh , to redeem us from all iniquity , to fulfil the righteousness of the law in us , who walk not after the flesh , but after the spirit , that so we might be delivered from all condemnation . and also it is unjustly inferred from our opinion , that we have no need of such grace or christ's redemption ( that is of any from christ as without ) whereby we should be justified and saved ; and as untrue , that the righteousness of god or of faith in opposition to works , is below that of ours ; for in the gospel which is the power of god , is his righteousness revealed from faith to faith , his parenthesis [ from christ as without ] is needle●s and impertinent seeing neither christ nor his saving grace are divided , whether without or within or both , and the same grace , virtue , spirit , life and redemption that was in christ , as without , is received from the same christ , as within . object . but if christ's redemption lay altogether where they place it , in bringing m●● off from sin and vnrighteousness unto holiness and perfection , even such as to live without sin in this world , then redemption cannot be vniversal , page . animad . here we must distinguish to shew how groundless this objection is ; for , st . his redemption is universal for all mankind , as it is in him , respecting his being an universal sacrifice , and propitiation by his death and blood for all mankind ; while we were enemies christ died ; god was in christ reconciling the world to himself ; the price is universal . but dly . it is they who only believe in him , that receive this redemption , and they , who are not only reconciled through his death , but also saved by his life , who by him have received the attonement or peace made by him , so that though the redemption and price , as in christ or on his part be universal , yet the end thereof is not received by all , but only by those who believe and live unto him ; and so the glory of our redemption & salvation we ascribe unto him , who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity , which answereth the end , and manifesteth the compleatness of that redemption , for which christ gave himself . object . i do not think that the quaker alone is in the dark about this matter , yet these men i count here are most of all out , they look upon the works of christ's redemption , to be the work of christ within , so they speak and so they think altogether , and then wilfully confound sanctification and redemption . animad . this is a mistake , we do not confound them , yet must confess they are received together , as inseparable , where christ is made unto any , wisdom , righteousness , sanctification and redemption ; for the receiving redemption through his blood , even the forgiveness of sins cannot be without sanctification which is both gradually carried on and effected by the work of christ within , although i do confess , redemption was manifestly or publickly set forth and declared by christ , as without in his sufferings , death and blood , as the introduction and preparation of the way into the new covenant , he consecrated and set open the new and living way through the vail , that is to say , his flesh. object . the quaker doth place christ's redemption in bringing us up to these terms , the performance whereof is indeed our gospel , perfection ; but he is here so miserably out , that he both mistakes the termes or this perfection , as if it were no less then the fulfilling of every jot of the law it self , and also contradicts himself in the best tenet he hath . animad . though we confess christ r●demption to be twofold , both as in him and in us , respect●ng his fulfilling the law , his suffering for us , as also his fulfilling the righteousness of the law in us , yet our accuser is herein either over●een in wording his matter , or mistaken in the matter it self ; for , st . we place not christ's redemption in bringing us to fulfil every jot of the law it self ; for much of it is abolished , as the litteral and shadowy part , though the substance thereof remains , not to be made void through faith , but established , yet this we have not obtained , either by our own strength or imitation of the letter , but through the righteousness of faith in christ , bringing us up to the word of faith in our hearts , to obey it and do it , so that our redemption by him , is not to serve in the oldness of the letter , which made nothing perfect , but in the newness of the spirit , which perfectly sanctifies . dly . and in this we do not think our selves out , but in , even the truth ; and within ; even in the spirit of life in christ jesus ; not out in the letter , but within in the spirit ; not out in the righteousness of the law ( which paul calls his own ) but within in the righteousness of faith , walking in the spirit . dly . and herein we are not conscious of self contradiction in any of our tenets , much less in the best , this objection is taken off by our confessing vniversal grace and redemption in christ towards all , and for all mankind , and yet this grace and redemption not taking effect in all , but only in them who believe and repent , which men are not irresistably , forced to , but generally called and 〈◊〉 to , faith being also offered unto all by christ , and the world being reproved of their sin of unbelief by the spirit of truth . sect. xiii . it is true what he saith , viz. our divines we call orthodox do generally stumble upon this same stone , in their d●nyal of christ's redemption to be vniversal ; that he hath procured that all may be saved if they believe and repent , which are our new terms , unless he hath procured also that they believe and repent , but it is the elect only do believe and repent , and therefore they hold redemption only of the elect. animad . 't is very true there are too many that stumble about this and deny christ's universal redemption and the sufficiency thereof , and so oppose the general extent of saving grace , partially limiting and restraining the universal sense and intent of those testimonies of scripture , which assert that christ gave himself a ransom for all , and that by the grace of god he tasted death for every man , &c. these they confine only to the elect ; herein they are not orthodox , but are stumbling in the dark . object . let the quaker then know , it is not christ's bringing man up to the terms of god , but his bringing down god to the terms of man , that is such as are suitable to his fallen state , wherein the great work he hath done for us is to be fixed . page . animad . truly the quaker doth not know how to own this doctrine in the termes of it , on either hand as it is stated ; for christ came to bring man up to god , and those tearms that he hath tendered in christ for life and salvation , are his tearms ; and god was in christ reconciling the world to himself , though it was god's free love thus far to condescend in the son of his love for man's restoration , yet man must also be brought up to meet god in his own covenant of life in christ , who is the mediator , not to bring god down to the tearms of fallen man , but as a mediator which is not of one , but betwixt two , both to bring god's love and evidence his kindness to man , and also to restore man out of his fallen estate into covenant and reconciliation with god , so as god and his creature meet in his son christ jesus , who is the son of his love. seeing it is confest , page . our faith and repentance are a fruit of his spirit , they must be real and true , such as admit not of the mixture of sin nor of the continuance thereof . object . as for his saying , it is true , that no men but sin , and it is true what they s●y , the regenerate sin not , the scriptures say both . animad . why are we then so much opposed and striven with ? either for holding this perfection , or that some men sin not , which we see not consistant with [ no man but sins ] the scriptures say both ; what ? that there is none but he may sin , and yet he that is born of god cannot sin ; these then must both be considered with reference unto two dispensations , estates or degrees , otherwise it would render the scripture inconsistant , but the scripture cannot be broken . object . the child of god sins not , so as that sin hath dominion over him when he sinneth , page . animad . this still giveth too much liberty , and reflects upon the child of god contrary to the apostle john's testimony of him , john . & . . psal. . , , . object . the prevailing interest of his soul is for god above the flesh and the world , and so long he is right in god's sight ; right righteous , or perfect according to the law of grace , although there be a thousand things wherein he might do more good , or less evils then he doth , and so is imperfect , vnrighteous and a manifold sinner , &c. page . animad . this is still worse and worse , and a gross reflection upon the child of god in this latter part , which is inconsistant with the former , and to me appears no other then confusion , which is a fruit of sin and transgression ; for , that the child of god should be thus righteous and perfect according to the law of grace , which is perfect , pure and holy , and yet be chargeable with a thousand things wherein he might do more good , or less evil then he does ; this appears very unnatural , as well as inconsistant . that we plead justification , according to some law ; that we are innocent , according to that law , page is true , and that is the law of the spirit of life in christ , the law of faith , the law of ●r●ce , the law of the new covenant , which admits not of the continuance of these ( or any ) evils , he seems to accuse the child of god with . object . this being seen , they come on too fast that they sin not , before they have learned to distinguish between law and law , righteousness and righteousness , justification and justification , sin and sin , page , . animad . though we do not judge it necessary for the child of god to learn all this man's distinctions , yet we cannot own his charge , that we come on too fast , as not to sin ; for we know , though it be an estate attainable , yet it is not by making haste , nor by man's own willing or running , but by a dependence on the grace of god ; and it is sufficient for us , that we have experimentally learned to distinguish what is necessary , both in our spiritual travail , and conducing to a happy end , which is a real righteovsness and jvstification according to the law of faith and spirit of life in christ jesus , partaken of and enjoyed within . sect. xiv . i must say with them where they have our divines on the blind side , they are justified according to the law of faith , or as they are judged at the throne of grace , but no flesh living can be justified according to the law of works . animad . but then he keeps not to this , but varies with his [ but they do sin . ] they are vnrighteous ; expl●ins this law of works to be at the ba●r of the ten commandments , whereas , though i grant , that by the law of works no flesh living can be justified , with all its own endeavours of conformity thereto , because of it self it still fails , yet i can never grant , that the law of faith will suffer us to continue in sin , or be unrighteous ; nor yet that the apostle intends by the law of works , the substance of the ten commandments , to wit , real love to god , and one to another ; i cannot believe , that he excluded this from a justified estate , but rather the shadowy part , and jewish imitation of the letter , without faith in christ , an absolute justified state being according to the law of faith ; herein we must differ ; but again , he assents to the truth , viz. those that will follow christ shall argue as strictly ; if we be justified by grace , then we must be righteous and perfect , according to the law of it ; the orthodox are quite out , that ☞ will have any justified without a righteousness that is perfect , according to the law that justifies him . animad . oh! that he were but well accquainted with this law of faith , and would keep to it , then we should not have this strugling and turning about to uphold sin , or the breach of the ten commandments in justified persons , wherein he goes about again , viz. object . the quaker is quite out , that will have his righteousness perfect according to the ten commandments , which doth not justifie him , page . animad . no the sincere quaker is within , who owns the life of god and christ in his heart ; and knoweth that god requires perfect love with all the heart and soul , &c. and this in the new covenant ▪ not to make void the law of the ten commandments , as to the substance and end thereof ; for love is the fulfilling of the law ; the commandment is love out of a pure heart ; and do we make void the law through faith ? no , we establish it , yet it is neither meerly by the ten commandments , nor by any of our own outward or litteral observatinon t●ereof that we are justified , but by him that enables and strengthens us to the real and spiritual obedience of faith ▪ now the righteousness of god without the law is manifested , being testified by the law and the prophets , see rom. . . to the end. concess . the lover of truth and mediocrity will have every man have the righteousness of a perfect heart for his justification , and yet no man be justified but by the grace of god , through redemption which we have in christ jesus , page . animad . i wish this man and all others , that oppose or dispute against us , were such lovers of truth , and possessors of this righteousness of a perfect heart , so much pretended to and talked of , and so little experienced amongst men ; and that this redemption which the saints had in christ jesus , were experienced and livingly possessed ; this would end the controversie about notions and opinions . it is true , that pardon of sin and justification may in some sense be distinguished , though not divided ; there is pardon of sin and transgressions that were under the first testament , or of sins past : when the act of faith is known in the blood of christ , which is in order to justification being some degree of it ; there is a further degree of justificat●on , more absolute , not only from all those things from which we could not be justified by the law of moses ▪ but also in a constant perseverance in the grace and goodness of god in christ , and faithful obedience to him , through the spirit which is revealed in us . again we know no opinion of ours that leads th●se friends called quakers from the spirit and life , back to the letter and flesh , and ministration of death , but to bring men forward through the law to be dead unto it , and through the sentence of death , to the ministration of life , which exceeds in glory , that under this they might live unto god though i own the apostle's distinguishing between the letter and the spirit , the law of the spirit of life , and the law of sin and death ; the old covenant , and the new ; the law of faith , and the law of works , yet his deeming the ●aw written in stone , the law of sin and death , page . in this i am not satisfied ; for the apostle spe●ks of two contrary laws ; the law in his mind which was holy , and the other law in his members which rebelled against the law , and led him captive : now i dare not exclude the substance of what was contained in the law written in stone , as not being contained in that law in paul's mind ; though that law in his mind had a greater effect and force upon him then the law without ever had before ; and when he said , the law of the spirit of life in christ hath made me free from the law of sin and death ; we may not understand him to be made free from answering the righteousness of love to god required in the law written in the tables of stone ; so , though it was in a more effectual and lively manner , written in the fleshly tables of the heart , wherein it was renewed and became a new commandment , though in it self an old commandment , yet this commandment , as renewed and made lively in the soul remains still , love out of a pure heart , and is ●ve● that commandment which is exceeding broad . sect. xv. the law of grace does require a sincere walking before god in all his commandments ; and the spirit of god doth certainly help us so far , as we sin not against that sincerity , page . animad why then should we fall short of our duty , or of perfect obedience ? can we desire better help then that of the spirit ? object . but the spirit is not given to bring us up to the terms of the law , and that we should not sin at all , page . animad . not ? that 's strange ; is not the spirit given to lead us into all truth ? throughly to sanctifie , justifie , & c ? what can be requir'd more then to be in all truth for a perfect sinless state. object . the galatians were seduced to the opinion , that they must keep moses law , or else they could not be saved , and this is their seeking to be made perfect by the flesh ; the flesh and nature are synoynmous terms ; the works of the law , as given by moses , are called flesh , pag. . animad . st . the galatians then were seduced from the spirit wherein they had begun , to seek to be made perfect by the flesh , which cannot be justly chargeable upon us , who seek perfection by the spirit ; desiring to continue and walk therein for that end. dly . the apostle doth not oppose perfection , but reprove their foolishness for seeking it the wrong way , viz. in the flesh and not in the spirit dly . not all the works of the law given by moses are called flesh or nature , but such works , as the galatians were turned again into ( from the spirit ) such as were but shadowy ceremonial and elementary , and such as stood in fleshly observations , as the observing of dayes , meats , drinks , dive●s washings , weak and beggerly elements of the world , circumcision , &c. which the apostle so much argues against . thly . ●f any turn from the spirit , and then seek to be made perfect by their fleshly lmitation of the law , or voluntary observation of the most weighty precepts thereof , without the spirit 's guidance and assistance ; this is no better then a seeking to be made perfect by the flesh ; and short of that which the apostle travailed for on the behalf of the galatians , which was , that christ might be formed in them , which is not a fleshly birth in the shadow , but a spiritual birth in the life and substance that lives to god for ever . object . if the quaker then is come to seek life by such a following his light , as must answer the covenant of nature it self , that is by a perfection as is without sin against the law , he is plainly under the notion of the spirit brought at last to the flesh for what he seeks , page . animad . this is a gross mistake , and it no wayes follows from our following the light of christ ( for perfection without sin ) that we must be brought at last to the flesh for what we seek ; this can be no wayes deducible from our following this light within : for it is neither flesh nor fleshly , but divine and spiritual ; and the contrary inference plainly follows ; for if we walk in the light , as god is in the light , then have we fellowship one with another , and the blood of jesus christ his son cleanseth us from all sin ; observe , from all s●n ; what sin then can remain behind ? sect. xvi . object & concess it seems that these friends do apprehend that our doctrine which p●●seth perf●ction , doth serve for the boistering up men in their sins , and lull them into security , that though they live and dye in their wicked●●ss they must be saved ; and this being taught , spiciall among us protestants , who believe that we are justified by christ's righteousness without works , doth appear very destructive to many souls , which makes them out of an intention , which we may suppose zealous for god●ness , and the promotion of a good life , to f●ll on our divines with so much tragical exclamation , as they do on this point , page , . animad . and we have reason sufficient to exclaim against them on this point , for indulging and bo●stering up men in their sins to their grave ; yea , we may say to their grave of perdition ; and what this man saith , for such their divines , and against vs for an abuse herein , page . will neither clear them , nor prove us guilty of wronging them ; and i wish that he would no further contribute to their sin in this point , though yet he himself is not satisfied with those he calls divines , as appears in divers passages of his book , and particularly touching their unsound sense of imputed righteousness , which he sets aside in the same th . page which we are now upon : and i would seriously ask him , if that their unsound sense of imputation , doth not give us occasion to witness against them , as too much soothing , or bolstering up men in their sins ; and if their sense herein be not repugnant to christianity ? but to excuse these he calls divines , he pleads , viz. it is but the same doctrine of god's abounding free grace , mercy and forgiveness through christ to poor sinners , that our divines do bring against the doctrine of perfection ( setting the unsound sense of imputed righteousness aside ) which paul preached and pleaded against those , who would bring in the work● of the law for their justification . animad . this will neither cure the disease of those divines , nor free them from our charge , nor yet reconcile their doctrine herein to the apostle paul's ; for paul did not preach the abounding of free grace , &c. against the doctrine of perfection , nor against the saints living without sin , but the plain contrary , as appe●rs , rom. . even so we should also walk in newness of life , ver . . knowing this , that our old man is crucified with him , &c. ver . . and shall we sin because we are not under the law , but under grace ? god forbid , ver . . see the chapter throughout , 't is very full to our purpose , see also rom. . , , . what 's more evident then that the doctrine of the apostle , and the nature of the grace of god , are against the continuance of sin in any of those that come to dye with christ , and to live under grace , and to partake of the abounding of grace toward [ and in ] them . there are tow things particularly our divines teach , the one is , that notwithstanding grace be imperfect in this life , there is no man may sin for all that , in any the least thing whatsoever , that is , though our holiness be imperfect , yet is it our duty to be perfect , and we are still to be pressed to go on to perfection : the other is , that a state of grace will not stand with any sin in dominion , that is , that whosoever doth willingly and wilfully live in any known sin , without repentance unto death , he cannot be saved . an. no doubt but this person hath here made the best he can of a bad cause , as we have reason to deem it , but is far enough from clearing those divines from the charge that 's laid against their doctrine , as sin pleasing , or soothing and bolstering up men in their sins , &c. for though it 's true they seem to preach down every sin , and to preach up perfect obedience , as our duty , and to press men to go on to perfection , yea , and that a state of grace will not stand with any sin in dominion : what encouragement can they hereby minister , for such duty and pressing on to perfection ? when they perswade people that what they preach and press them unto , it not attainable ; as to tell them , 't is their duty to be perfect , and not to sin at all , but 't is impossible to attain that state : grace is imperfect in this life , &c. this is not yea and amen ; if they were real and preach'd the word of faith , they durst never put such faithless thoughts into the minds of people , like as to put them upon a war without an enemy , but first disarm them with such an unbelie● , or dispair of a conquest , whereas if they faithfully preached perfect obedience , &c. and believed what they preached , they would sincerely endeavour their eucouragement by exciting them to believe in and depend upon the grace and power of god in christ , which is stronger then the devil , that they might experience , that greater is he that is in us , then he that is in the world ; and not tell them , that grace and holiness are imperfect in this life , and no men but that he sins so long as he lives ; no not the best of god's children , yet a state of grace will not stand with any sin in domini●● . why then must sin have any place of continuance ? shall god's children ( by the grace ) either have dominion or power over sin , and yet suffer sin alwayes to have any being or prevalency in them ? can this either consist with a state of grace , or their sincerity ? no sure [ the matter is sufficiently answered before ] shall we have dominion over such an enemy , so far as that he is conquered , slain and ca●●ut , and yet after●a●ds suffer him to rise again , and lead us captive in any thing all our dayes ? god's children and people , who have been throughly experienced in the lamb's war , have otherwise obtained the conquest and dominion ( at that dear rate ) then so easily to part with it , or give their power or service to such a conquered enemy , as the devil , who is the author of all sin. it is true as the man saith , page . that there are many practical books of those called divines , wherein vniversal obedience is both press●d and given , as the chiefe●● note of an vpright man , and of that faith which is saving . this is true , and no doubt but in former times this universal obedience was preached and urged , with more faith and sincerity then is now in many that pretend to preach it , but do it in that overly and faithless manner , that it hath no lively impression upon the hearers consciences , as to evidence them truly to believe endeavour or expect such an universal obedience to all god's requirings , in the covenant of grace ; but rather , many do spoile and marr their preaching obedience , by their preaching up imperfection , and sin term of life ; and such preaching hath more abounded ( yea been too much upheld in this nation ) of late years in despite against the quakers , and in contempt against the doctrine of perfection : the presbyter priests and some others have filled the nation with their doctrine of the impossibility of perfection , or a sinless state , to render it not attainable , wherein , though they have done it the more eagerly to shame and odifie the quakers in the peoples ●yes , their doctrine tends to debase many to hell , having hardened men in sin , and strengthned the hands of evil doers , and made many hypocrites , for which they have a sad account to give in the great day of god almighty . object . will it not indeed suffice , that a man is uprights before god , in his desires and endeavours after perfection , that is , the having respect to all his commandments , unless he also be perfect and his works overtake his will ? what then shall become of the generàtion of the most just ? an. st . the des●●● and endeavours [ only ] of the upright man do not suffice 〈◊〉 , but his receiving the answer , or thing desired and endeave●● after . dly . doth the ●●ght man sincerely desire , and endeavour after such a perfe●●n , as that of universal obedience to all christ's , commands , and yet still his works fall short of his desire , or not overtake his will ? how should that be ? doth not god hear the prayers , and grant the requests of the upright ? yea sure , they shall not want for any good thing , who walk in their uprightness and integrity before him : i cannot yet apprehend , that the great inconvenience which hath been charged as the consequence of their doctrine , ( who preach up the continuance of sin , and a falling short in duty ) is yet wiped off , by all this man's pleading to excuse and salve the matter . sect. xvii . and now whereas he pretends to discover several inconveniencies that follow our doctrine , and bids let us see , whether they do not require more heed , page . let us then see and heed , what inconveniencies he supposeth do follow our doctrine . object . first then , where they say , our doctrine doth lead men into security , remisness of life , neglect of their duty , a sinful course ; how must their doctrine hurle men into despair , and lead them by that to the casting off the whole care of god , and their own souls together ? pag. . an. no such inconvenience doth follow our doctrine , as either the hurling men into despair , or leading them to the casting off the care of god and their souls ; for there is no cause to despair of what 's possible or attainable [ through divine assistance ] as is confest , to live without sin , or to keep the commandments of god , and so to enter into heaven , is possible or attainable , through the assistance of grace ; men may despair upon impossibilities , or the aprehensions thereof , but they have no cause on the contrary : we both testifie unto true faith and hope in god through christ , and his name and power , to enable the soul to resist and overcome temptations ; as also we preach up god's love , and care over his children , for their safety and preservation out of sin and evil ; and that even he who is the god of peace , according to his care over his people , doth ( in his own due time ) tread satan under their feet , by his great power , which they believe in and partake of . object . if it will not serve a man for his acceptance with god , that he is sincere in his desires and endeavours of walking before him , unless he attain to perfection , or to a life that ●s wholely without sin in this world ; then must the heart of the most holy , and mortified man upon earth be quite broken , and discouraged for ever : there is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared , saith david , page . an. sincere desires and endeavours of walking with the lord god , are acceptable to him , they being begotten by his own spirit , but it is a mistake , that they fall short of attaining to perfection , or to a life without sin [ in this world ] who follow such desires and endeavours . as also it is a gross mistake , that the most holy and mortified man upon earth , did either fall short of such perfection in this wordl● , or that he must have his heart quite broke , or discouraged forever on this account , page . besides thousands do experience the contrary , that our doctrine of sinless perfection , hath no such tendence nor effect , as this of despair unjustly surmised to be the consequence thereof : besides , i suppose it is as hard a matter for this man to prove , what sin or sins the most holy and mortified of god's servants and people lived in all their life time , as to evince when , where , or how they came to be perfectly cleansed , or throughly purged after their decease : for our parts , we do not believe the pope's doctrine of a purgatory after death . if god were not good and mercifull to consider man's frailty , to pardon his shortness and imperfections , and bear with him , we should not fear him . that is , worship or serve him ; for it were to no purpose to go about it , seeing we could never please him . an. herein he saith true , but then god's goodness and mercy in thus condescending , and pardoning any such shortness or imperfections ( which when confessed and repented of , or where the sincere desires and endeavours are alive ) tends to engage the creature the more to fear , serve and worship him ; and to bring man nearer and nearer to god , with whom there is mercy , that he may be feared ; and the fear of the lord doth keep the heart clean . object . alas ! that these folks did but know what they do , when they bring in such doctrine , who themselves must tremble * to be judged by it . o ye foolish galatians ! who hath bewitched you , that you should depart from that comfort and peace , which some of you , i believe sometime had in believing and trusting in christ altogether for your pardon , and reconciliation with god ; that you should be brought now to the wo●ks of the law , page . an. the man runs altogether upon his own reiterated mistake in the state of our doctrine and case ; we know what we do , and that we are none of those foolish galatians in what we hold ; we draw none from the spirit , to be made perfect in the flesh , but do both direct men to their beginning in the spirit , and to persevere therein , to walk in the spirit , obey the spirit unto mortification and sanctification , &c. for if ye walk in the spirit , then are ye not under the law ; and we through the spirit have waited for the hope of righteousness by faith ; and through the spirit do still believe , trusting in christ for all the good , the sufficiency , the strength , the joy , the soul's comfort and peace , that we daily receive ; for without ( or separate from ) him , we can do nothing , yet all things through christ that strengthens us object . page . is there any indeed of you think that you are able , and do continue in all things that are written in the book of the law , or in all things that are written in the tables of your hearts , to do them ? and are you ignorant , that upon that account and that alone , that none do , or are able to do so , the apostle tells you , as many as are of the works of the law , are under the curse . an. a mistake still , the apostle no where tells us , that none ( which as well concludes christians as others ) do or are able to continue in all things , that are written in the tables of their hearts to do them ( as for all things written in the book of the law outward , they are not required of us ) surely the apostle's testimony was , that they could do all things through christ that strengthens them ; and it was neither circumcision nor uncircumcision that availed any thing , but the keeping of the commandments ; to conclude , that none are able to continue in the law of christ written in their hearts , is contrary to his doctrine ; for abiding in his love , and his saying , if ye love me keep my sayings or commandments ; and in this is the love of god manifest , that we keep his commandments ; and his commandments are not grievous , but joyous unto us . object . page . alas sirs ! what mean you when we are under the ministration of the new testament , which brings the spirit and liberty ( where the spirit is there is liberty ) and righteousness ( for by the law of faith the christian hath a righteousness to plea● , and to be justified by ) and so life ; you should be ready to return into a jewish or natural bondage , to seck for it , from that only , which can bring death , and is the ministration of sin and condemnation . an. his sigh [ alas sirs ! ] for us , and consequence upon us , are both groundless and the consequence of his own mistake still , as that we are ready to return into a jewish or natural bondage o seek life from that only which can bring death , &c. this hath no truth in it ; we neither seek life from the letter which killeth , nor from any ministration without the spirit ; nor are we ministers of the letter ( nor do we sow to the flesh ) but ministers of the gospel of the spirit , and of the new testament , knowing that 't is the spirit that giveth life : and if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh [ or the fruits thereof , which are corrupt ] then shall ye live . sect. xviii . object . page . his other consequence of our doctrine is , of evils more secret and spiritual , much more deadly to the soul then their ordinary sins , as persons wrought over to us , immediately to look on all others at a distance , even to a contempt of the most grave , serious holy professors , but as men altogether in the dark , without light or life , to be separated from , &c. as also insolence and in finite presumption , falling into the condemnation of the devil ; pride , spiritual pride , the most damnable pride , proud of god's grace , monstrous overweening conceit of a man's self , despising , continually censuring and setting at nought of others , &c. an. these are sad inferences ; we have enough of them ; he should have spared such censuring , whilest he is opposing others for contemning and censuring , but these are no wayes deducible either from our doctrine or testimony , which is for a sincere obedience and real conformity to christ jesus ( and following of ) his steps , who left no such example , as either spiritual pride . insolence , presumption or self-conceit , but of meekness and humility , ●et gave true and severe judgement against hypocrites . as for the prudent , the sober and pious among us whom he mentions they see no such consequence of our doctrine , as this man suggests , nor any cause to mourn for any natural effects of our testimony ; but rather for their miscarriages and abuses , who are disobedient to the truth thereof ; and for such professors , as undervalue , pervert and misrepresent that holy testimony , which god hath committed unto us they are at a real distance from us , and far from being the most grave , ●erions or holy professors . it 's true as he saith , that the way of christians is to be humble , to debase themselves , to make self of no reputation ; after the example of their lord and master ; and ( as he saith ) to live altogether on dependence upon god , each man in lowliness of mind , &c. an. this is the christianity and perfection we aim at , and bear witness unto , and which many are pressing towards ; and what better , what more pure and perfect ●tate is desirable , then to live altogether on dependence upon god ? but how well this man 's opposing our doctrine of perfection and living without sin , agrees with his concession , of living altogether on dependence upon god ; let the serious reader judge . object . last of all , there is that exceeding danger in the entertainment of that opinion , that i am afraid at my heart , it cannot consist with the grace of god and justification of a sinner by christ ; it is a high text , that if you be circumcised christ shall profit you nothing : i am really afraid at my very heart , sirs , lest your case be the very same in effect , with these , ( viz. ) that of the galatians and jews , which was a looking to the law only for righteousness ; not to the chief end of it , which was through conviction of sin , to drive them to god for his pardon . an. st . friend , this fear of thine appears a very dark and groundless fear ; for first , hast thou not confest , that such a perfection , as to live without sin , is our duty . dly . that it is not impossible , but that it is possible to attain this state of keeping god's commandments , and being without sin by grace , or the special assistance of god's spirit , page , . dly . that the quakers ascribe not to themselves , but to the spirit , the life , the power , or to christ within , all that they do , page . well said , come on , enough to clear the quakers from giving the occasion of such a fear concerning them ; do not let such a fear lie upon thy heart ; for their case is far enough from that of the galatians and jews , who sought to be made perfect in the flesh , set up their own righteousness , being gone from the spirit and law of life within , into the letter , and ministration of death without ; whereas the quakers obedience through the spirit , the life or power of christ within , is no self-righteousness nor fleshly perfection , fetched or sought from the letter without , but very well , both consistant with , and springing from the grace of god , the pardon and justification of a sinner by christ , who is the author of eternal salvation , to all them that obey him ; and is only the righteousness and justification of such , who believe in him , obey him , and walk sincerely before him . object . but you have taken up an opinion , that the whole law must be kept [ that 's a mistake ] that you must live without sin , and unless you come up to this pitch , you cannot be saved . an. first . it is not our opinion , that the whole law must be kept , but 〈◊〉 much of it as god requires , that is what concerns the new covenant , wherein , god doth both pardon and take away sin. dly . to ●●ve without isn , is required in the new covenant , and is the effect of christ's saving work , who was called jesus for this cause , and to fulfil this promise , namely , he shall save his people from their sins ; and this no wayes hinders our acknowledging him to be our advocate ; nor yet opposeth that saying , if any man sin , we have an advocate with the father , even jesus christ the righteous , through whom , both pardon and deliverance out of sin is obtained ; for [ if any man sin ] is no positive conclusion , that every man sinneth , or that none of god's people live without sin , but rather implies , that [ though it be possible that some may si● , ●et they may be holpen , & preserved out of it ] there are or may become that do not sin ; for [ if any man sin ] is not , that [ every man doth sin . ] as for these friends ( meaning quakers ) [ being at the bar of the gospel ] they see no cause , either to look upon themselves , as declining the grace of the gospel , or to have forfeited their interest in that freedom , which belongs to honest christian folks , through thy redemption that is in christ jesus , whatever this man hath insinuated against them , or charged upon them to the contrary ; nor will they appeal from thes● terms under which they are brought by christ [ or from the terms of the gospel ] to the terms of the law ; neither will they be judged by this man's consequences , what foolishness soever he therein chargeth upon them . the danger he surmiseth , the sincere quaker sears not , nor are we ( who are called quakers ) doubtful what shall become of us before the great tribunal of god , while we have the testimony of a good conscience ; holding our integrity , and abiding in christ jesus , the son of the father's love , in whom we have access with boldness unto the throne of grace ; knowing also , that he that abides in christ , sinneth not ; and if our heart condemn us not , then have we confidence towards god ; near is he that justifieth , who shall condemn ? who shall lay any thing to the charge of god's elect ? it is god that justifieth , unto whom it is said thy people shall be all righteous . finished london the d. of the th . moneth . g. w. the end notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e pag. , . pag. . pag. . pag. . pag. . pag. . pag. , . concess . pag. , . pag. , pag. . pag. , . page . luke . . see also mat. . a plain concession to truth . pag. . pag. . pag ibid. page . page . page , . and what he cites is also true , viz. de. peccato ad mortem , quoniam non expr●ssum est , possu●t diversa sentiri ; ego autem dico id esse peccatum , fid●m quae per dilectionem operatur , d●serere usque ad mortem . concerning sin unto death , because it is not express●d , d●vers things may be thought of it ; but i say , that sin is this , to desert ( or never come up to that faith which worketh by love ) unto death , august . de con. et gra. chap. . concess . page . col. . , . page . pet. . . con●ess ▪ pag. . concess . pag. . pag. . rom. concession to truth . john . . pag. . rom. . , , , , , , . & . , , . his other excuse for their divines pag. . though 't is trnc , herein this author seems to d●sown them , by ●nfessing a possibility to live without sin through the assistance of god's holy spirit , page , . yet this man bord●rs too near their doctrine for sin , in not believing nor confessing to any of the saints keeping christ's commandments , or their perfect obedience , but in arguing for the contrary , which reflects sin and imperfection on all the saints of god and true christians . pag. , . a supposed objection yet not inconsistant with our principle . * contrary to john . , . this is a plain untruth . concess . to truth , page . page . page . a godly forme of houshold government for the ordering of priuate families, according to the direction of gods word : wherunto is adioyned in a more particular manner, the seuerall duties of the husband towards his wife, and the wiues dutie towards her husband, the parents dutie towards their children, and the childrens towards their parents, the maisters dutie towards his seruants, and also the seruants duty towards their maisters / first gathered by r.c. ; and now newly perused, amended and augmented by iohn dod and robert cleuer. cleaver, robert, or -ca. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) a godly forme of houshold government for the ordering of priuate families, according to the direction of gods word : wherunto is adioyned in a more particular manner, the seuerall duties of the husband towards his wife, and the wiues dutie towards her husband, the parents dutie towards their children, and the childrens towards their parents, the maisters dutie towards his seruants, and also the seruants duty towards their maisters / first gathered by r.c. ; and now newly perused, amended and augmented by iohn dod and robert cleuer. cleaver, robert, or -ca. . carr, roger, d. . cawdry, robert. [ ] p. printed by r. field for thomas man, and are to be sold by arthur iohnson, neare the great north doore of pauls church, london : . sometimes attributed to roger carr or robert cawdry--cf. nuc pre- imprints. signatures: a (-a ) b- a (last leaf blank). item at reel : is improved copy over that found at reel : . reproduction of originals in the folger shakespeare library and harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a godly forme of hovshold government : for the ordering of private families , according to the direction of gods word . wherunto is adioyned in a more particular manner , the seuerall duties of the husband towards his wife : and the wiues dutie towards her husband . the parents dutie towards their children : and the childrens towards their parents . the maisters dutie towards his seruants : and also the seruants duty towards their maisters . first gathered by r. c. and now newly perused , amended and augmented by iohn dod and robert cleuer . isidore . thou profitest much when thou readest , if thou practisest that which thou readest . bernard . what auaileth it thee to reade often in bookes the holy name of our sauiour , except thou studie and endeuour to haue godlinesse in thy behauiour ? london , printed by r. field for thomas man , and are to be sold by arthur iohnson , neare the great north doore of pauls church . . to the right worshipfvl maister robert burgaine of roxall , one of his maiesties iustices of peace in the county of warwicke : to the right worshipfull maister iohn diue of ridlington parke , in the countie of rutland : and to the worshipfull maister edmund temple of temple hall in the countse of leicester , esquires , as also to their religious and vertuous wiues : r. c. wisheth with heart and minde , grace from god the father , by iesus christ , and constancy in the truth of the gospell , to the end , and in the end . auing collected & finished this treatise ensuing , and deuising very carefully with my selfe to whom i might dedicate the same : at length i resolued that none were meeter to vndertake the patronage therof , then some such meete persons , as did alreadie ( in some good measure ) practise within their seuerall charges , the seuerall points and duties contained therein , and so would further prosecute those other necessarie parts , which they haue yet in some part pretermitted . wherupon , calling to minde the holy exercises daily vsed and exercised in all your houses , i was moued for two causes , to make you all iointly patrons thereof . first , for that i acknowledge my self beholden and indebted vnto you all diuersly , since my first acquaintanoe with you ; and therefore ( left i should deserue the blame of vnthankfulnesse for benefits receiued ) i am bold vnder your names , to offer to the whole church of god these my simple collections . secondly , for that as you are all ioyned and linked in kindred by reason of marriage : so also you are , and haue bin a long time inseparably knit in a zealous and sincere profession of gods word and religion . and for so much as i may not ( for many respects ) accomplish what good i willingly wold : yet lest i should be thought to spend the remainder of my yeares in an idle condition , or to hide my talent in a napkin ; i haue bene no lesse carefull then willing , to labour other wayes to do what i may to glorifie god , and profit his church . neither will these my labours be vtterly vnprofitable , if my purpose therein be rightly conferred with the purpose of my writings . for such housholders as pretend to be great protestants and sound professors of the gospell , may long enough talke of discipline , and still complaine of the want of church gouernment ; but all in vaine , and to no purpose , vnlesse they will begin this most necessary discipline , in reforming their owne houses according to the direction in this treatise , and so suffer the holy religion of god to take place among their familie at home , otherwise they shall trauell much , and profite little . for although there be neuer so good lawes in cities , neuer so pure order in churches , yet if maisters of families do not practise at home catechising in their houses , and ioyne their helping hands to magistrates and ministers , they may in truth ( but vniustly as many haue done ) complaine that their children and seruants are disordered , and corrupted abroad , when in truth , they were disordered , and are still corrupted and marred at home . and therefore it cannot be , neither is it to be hoped for , that either the father of his children , or the husband of his wife , or the maister of his seruants , should looke for that obedience , that reuerence , that faithfulnesse , and that dutifulnes , which they of right ought to haue , and the other in conscience , and of bounden duties are bound to performe , vnlesse they do now at length endeuour to see these orders and duties hereafter mentioned , to be practised within their seuerall housholds . for if parents and housholders shall performe no further dutie to their children and seruants , then to prouide for them , meate , drinke and apparell , and to pay them their wages : then papists , atheists , yea turkes and infidels , do yeeld this dutie as well as they . and seeing all men be carefull that their horses and bullockes should haue sufficient fodder and prouender , to the end they may haue their labour in lieu and recompence thereof : it doth consequently follow , that therefore a christian housholder ought to haue ouer his children and seruants as much more christian care , then he hath ouer dumbe and insensible beasts , that so he may receiue a singular comfort from the daily contēplation of their increase in spirituall graces . oh what a sweet and comfortable thing shall this be to the soule and conscience of such an householder , when he hath bene so diligent and carefull in the training and bringing vp of his children and seruants in the obedience and wayes of the lord , that he may rightly deserue to haue this worthy report and commendation giuen vnto him , from the mouth and penne of the godly : namely , that he hath a church in his house : that is , a company of sound and faithfull christians , such as feare god indeed ? as the like report was giuen by the apostle to those godly house-keepers , aquila and priscilla his wife : rom. . . . cor. . , as also to philemon , phil. . therefore all parents and householders are ( in the lord ) to be exhorted , that they would be carefull to bring vp their children and familie , so as they either ( by some good tokens , ) may see them the children of god , and heires of his couenant , or at the least , they may be comforted in their owne consciences , notwithstanding that their children and seruants ( for some cause vnknowne to them ) do refuse their counsell and instruction ; seeing they to the vttermost of their power and abilitie , haue vsed all good meanes to bring them vp well , and haue rightly offered them to the lord. now if parents and maisters haue iust cause to bewaile and lament , when ( thus trauelling in good education & information ) they cannot yet see good effects , and godly fruites in their children and seruants : how much more cause of griefe may they haue , when they haue vsed & bestowed no labor at all , ( either by themselues , or others for them ) to bring them vp in the nurture and feare of the lord ? and yet alas , many will be grieued for the one , that will not be any thing moued for the other . wherefore let all parents and maisters of families know and learne , that if they will conuey gods blessings to their posterities , then they must do and performe the duties belonging thereunto . yea , let them ( if they be loath to conuey gods iudgements to their children ) carefully auoyd the meanes vnto it . and surely as it is a blessed thing in the houre of death , with simeon , to depart in peace , leauing their wiues , children , and seruants members of christ , spouses to christ , children to god , and seruants to the lord : so in extremitie of death , no one thing will be more grieuous vnto parents and housholders , then ( the lord hauing giuen them the charge of so many soules to be furthered to saluation ) that 〈◊〉 owne tormented consciences shall presse them , in as much as they haue helped their children and seruants forward to their damnation ; and so ( which is more fearefull ) they shall haue them spewing and foming on their faces , continuall curses in hell , then accusing them for euer to be the murtherers of their soules , and cut-throats of their saluation . is it any maruell , if housholders many times find small obedience , & lesse dutifulnesse and faithfulnesse at the hands of their children and seruants , seeing they omit and leaue vndone the performance of these so christian duties towards them herein expressed , and enioyned of the lord ? for so doth god often leaue manifest tokens of his wrath , in punishing disobedience with disobedience . how can any maister of a houshold , whatsoeuer he be , looke to haue his familie trustie and faithfull vnto him , and yet he himselfe is faithlesse to god ? doth he maruell , that his children and seruants feare not him , whereas he himselfe feareth not the lord ? will he maintaine his authoritie ouer those vnder his charge , and he himselfe doth not yeeld obedience vnto the authoritie of god his creator ? moreouer , it is manifest , that the good man of the house , by planting gods religion in his familie , shall not a little aduance and set forward his owne priuate profit and commoditie . for wicked and vngodly seruants , are for the most part loyterers , pickers , and deceitfull : whereas on the other side , godly seruants are iust and faithfull , whom in his absence he may trust to do such businesse and worke as he willeth them to do . if maisters of families be carefull and desirous ( as in conscience they ought ) that their wiues , children , and seruants , should reforme themselues , and endeuour to practise such duties as do appertaine and belong vnto them ; then they must likewise be diligent and carefull to reforme themselues , both inwardly and outwardly , in such points and duties as hitherto they haue left vndone : otherwise , they may iustly say vnto them : phisitian healc your selfe : er , why do you will vs to do that which you do not practise your selfe ? for as one candle cannot light another if it selfe be out : euen so a maister of a houshold shall not reforme those of his charge , and inflame them with the loue of god and godlinesse , if he himselfe be voyde of the same . let euery maister of a houshold therefore say and performe with ioshua : i and my familie will serue the lord : ios. . . and likewise let euery christian ladie , mistris , and dame , say with hester : i and my maides will do the like : hest. . . and so no doubt , god will powre his blessings on them and theirs in this life , and euerlasting happinesse on them in the life to come . touching the booke it selfe , i will not say any thing to the commendation thereof , but onely this : that i am assured , that if such duties as are mentioned therein , were duly and carefully practised of all such as are named in it , then ( no doubt ) vertue and godly religion would greatly flourish , to the aduancement of gods glory ; and also sinne and wickednesse would then decrease and fall downe , to the vtter subuersion and ouerthrow of sathans kingdome . this treatise i confesse is not garnished with eloquence , nor full of great cunning , nor beautified with flowers of mans wisedome , neither yet doth it discourse or treate of high or darke things , neither is it stuffed with subtill questions and arguments , nor indited with rhetoricall and eloquent stile , as those commonly be , which are propounded and set forth to the world , rather for boasting and vaine-glory sake , then for any desire to edifie , and to do others good : but it is plaine , and without any great gaynesse ; yet so full of good , necessary , and wholesome instructions , that whosoeuer readeth , and marketh it with a right disposed minde , and willing to practise it , without respect to any other things , then god , the reformation of his life , and the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 ( which is the onely worke which christians must leuell at ) he may reape singular , profit thereby . and vndoubtedly , it may well be said , that vnto true christians , good and holy bookes are as ladders to climbe vp vnto heauen : as sparkes to kindle the 〈◊〉 of the spirit , when it is quenched , or waxen cold in them ; and as props to stay vp their faith , that it may increase . praying therefore your worships , to accept of my dutifull good will , and to pardon my boldnesse , i ceasse to adde any further things : beseeching god of his endlesse mercy for christs sake , to strengthen you still in that good and happie course of his word , and all other good learning : to furnish you all abundantly with all spirituall and heauenly knowledge , to the carefull practising of the same , in the fruits of your most holy and blessed callings , to the aduancement of the glory of our god , and to your owne euerlasting comfort in christ iesus . so be it . your worships in all christian dutifulnesse , most willing , r. c. a godly forme of hovshold government : carefvlly to be practised of all christian housholders . an houshold is as it were a little commonwealth , by the good gouernment whereof , gods glorie may be aduanced , and the commonwealth which standeth of seuerall families benefited ; and all that liue in that familie receiue much comfort and commoditie . but this gouernment of a familie is not verie common in the world : for it is not a thing that men can stumble on by chance . by wisedome ( saith salomon ) is an house builded , and with vnderstanding it is established ; and with knowledge shall the chambers thereof be filled with all precious and pleasant riches : that is , shall obtaine all kind of blessings . see also pro. . by which two places it is manifest , y such families as are not ordered by hap hazard , or as it falles , but by wisedome , discretion , and counsell , do prosper in inward & outward goods , and endure long . when we speake of wisedome , we do not meane that this gouernment can be in all points exercised by naturall reason and wisedome : for mans wisedome reacheth but vnto one point , and that the least of that which family-gouernment tendeth vnto . but the wisedome that we speake of , is not naturall , but fetched from the fountaine of all wisedome , god himselfe : who by his word giueth vnto vs pure light to walke by , not in the church alone , nor in publike societie of men onely , but euen within the secret of our owne walles , and towards such as be abiding vnder the same roofe . and if we desire to walke with god as enoch did , we must set vp this light for our selues to liue by at home : for then we do no iniquitic , when we walke in his way . where no wisedome is vsed in gouerning families , there all goeth to wracke , and there many enormities are to be found , as wofull breaches betweene man and wife , gracelesnesse and vnthrifrinesse of children , lewdnesse of seruants , and foule escapes . and where carnall pollicie ruleth , and not the wisedome which is from aboue , there all that is done , tendeth to the ease , pleasure , and profite of this life , wherein it is fitter for bruite beasts then for men to seeke their felicitie . now that there is a good kind of gouerning of a familie , which they who follow wisely , may be said to gouerne well , appeareth out of the first epistle to timothie . verse . . . one that guideth his house well . &c. and after : he that knoweth not to gouerne his owne house , &c. whereby it is euident , that there is a way of ordering the family aright , and there is no misgouerning of it . to set downe this good gouernment exactly , is a hard matter . here onely we will note some things which do appertaine vnto that gouernment which we speake of . and to do it more orderly , that it may be the better vnderstood , we must consider , that ( as may also be gathered out of that place of timothie ) there are two sorts in euery perfect familie . . the gouernours . . those that must be ruled . and these two sorts haue speciall duties belonging to them , the one towards the other : in the carefull performance whereof , from the one to the other , consisteth the good gouernment of a familie . the gouernours of a family , be such as haue authoritie in the familie by gods ordinance , as the father and mother , maister and mistrisse . to whom as god hath giuen authoritie ouer their children and seruants , so he would haue them to vse it to the wise gouernment of them , not onely for their owne priuate profit , credit , or pleasure , but also for the good of those whom they are to gouerne : for by a wise gouernment , much good cometh to the parties gouerned . if maisters then or parents do not gouerne , but let seruants and children do as they list , they do not onely disobey god , and disaduantage themselues , but also hurt those whom they should rule : for when as any haue such libertie to do as they list , it maketh them grow out of order , to the prouoking of gods displeasure , and curse against themselues , wheras if they had bene held : in by the bridle of gouernment , they might be brought to walke so , as the blessing of god might follow them in their courses . all gouernment of a familie must be in comelinesse or decencie , that is , it must be such as is meete and conuenient both for the gouernour , and for the persons gouerned . and therefore it is impossible for a man to vnderstand how to gouerne the common wealth , that doth not know to rule his owne house , or order his owne person ; so that he that knoweth not to gouerne , deserueth not to reigne . lordlinesse is vnmeete in an houshold gouernment , and yet familiaritie with such as are vnder gouernment breedeth cōtempt . againe , for the persons gouerned , all in the familie are not to be gouerned alike . there is one rule to gouerne the wife by , another for children , another for seruants . one rule for yong ones , another for old folkes . the gouernment of a familie tendeth vnto two things specially . first , christian holinesse : and secondly , the things of this life . by the first , god is glorified ; by the second , this present life is sustained , in such sort , as god seeth good for vs. how-soeuer , where humane pollicie is the rule of household gouernment , there men onely haue an eye to the things of this life : yet they which fetch their wisedome to rule by out of the word , shall vnderstand that their gouernment must not onely be ciuill , but godly also : that is , they must seeke to haue holinesse found in their habitation , whereby god may be glorified , as well as riches gotten , that they may be comforted . this hath bene the course of holy men in former ages . abraham flected often from place to place , yet he built an altar wheresoeuer he became ; yea , and trained vp his familie in the feare of god. he did not seeke excuse in his vnsetled estate , to let passe the cares of holinesse . holie iob was not contented onely to worship god himselfe alone , but sanctified his sonnes , that is , prepared them to worship god with him . iacob at his returne from padan-aram , purged his familie , and set vp gods worship there . iosuab saith ; though others would forsake the lord , yet he and his familie would cleaue vnto him , and serue him , the vertuous woman openeth her mouth in wisedome , and teacheth mercie vnto her seruants . many of the faithfull , when they themselues beleeued in christ , laboured to bring their families to the faith also . parents are also commanded to bring vp their children in the instruction and information of the lord. by all which places it is euident , that religion must be stirring in christian families , & that good gouernment looketh to bring godly behauiour into families , as well as thrift and good husbandry . for want of this care , many parents leaue their children faire faces , and foule minds ; proper bodies , and deformed soules : full coffers , and emptie hearts . for want of this , god may dwell in churches , if he will , but he hath no abode allowed him in priuate families . for will god be where he may not rule , but must be an vnderling , and stand and looke on , when profit and pleasure shall be serued , and aloft ? yet the spirit of god saith ; that god will come and dwell with them that loue him , and keepe his commandements . where therefore holinesse is not sought for in families , there god hath no friends , norlouers , nor walkers with him , howsoeuer they will sometimes come visit him in the church . besides , the ill successe that such walkers haue , who make their houses temples to mammon and riches , should teach vs to haue a principall respect to god , in christianity ruling our houses . manie thriue not , but put that which they get into a bottomles bagge . for god who hath none , or the lowest regard in their courses , and household affaires , with-holdeth his blessings from them : and then in vaine do men rise early , and go late to bed , and eate the bread of carefulnesse . others thriue , but it is a wofull thrist , that serueth to harden the heart , and to bewitch the soule , with loue and liking of this world . for gods iust iudgement is vpon many this way ; because they will needs serue their owne commodity chiefly at home , the lord giuing them vp to thēselues , they neuer serue him but coldly , and for custome sake at the church : and god accepteth no more of their worship they do there , then they loue and like of his gouernment in their houses . the gouernours of families , if ( as it is in mariage ) there be more then one vpon whom the charge of gouernment lieth , though vnequally , are , first the chiefe gouernour , which is the husband , secondly , a fellow-helper , which is the wife . these both , do owe duties to their familie , and dutie one to another . the duties they ow to their familie , both concerning godlinesse , and the things of this life , belong either to the husband especially , or to the wife especially . the duties that belong to the husband touching holinesse , are such as either he must . performe to them of his familie . . or require of them . the duties which he must performe to them , are ; first , touching the publike ministery of the word , to prouide that they may liue vnder an ordinary ministery of the word , or else to take order , that alwayes vpon the sabbath , and at other times when it may be , they resort to such places where they may haue the word ministred vnto them : for else how shall they be brought into the sheepfold of god , ( from which naturally they go 〈◊〉 ) but by hearing the voyce of the chiefe sheep-heard , speaking vnto them by those whom he sendeth ? how shall they belieue , and so be begotten againe , by the seede of the word , except they heare such as god sendeth , for the begetting of men vnto him ? how shall they be reconciled vnto god , but by hearing his messengers , into whose mouthes he hath put the word of reconciliation ? how shall they grow in faith , and increase in grace , but by receiuing with meeknesse the ingrafted word , which is able to saue their soules ? seeing then the word preached is the meanes to beget men to a new life , and to nourish them in it : a great dutie lyeth vpon the gouernours of familyes , to prouide by some meanes that they may haue it . for where the word is not preached , there the lords sabbath cannot be hallowed as it ought . now the lord would not onely haue maisters of families to keepe holy the sabbath themselues , in all the parts of his worship , publike and priuate : but also that euery one should in his seueral place and roome , carefully to take order that so many as be committed to his charge should sanctifie the lords day , as well as himselfe . which though it be true in all other commandements ; ( namely , that whatsoeuer we are bound to do our selues , we must be meanes to further others in doing the same , because the loue of god , and of our neighbour , spreadeth it selfe ouer all the commandements : and therfore though it be not expressed , it is necessarily vnderstood ) yet in the fourth commandemēt , it is so much the more required , because besides the analogie and proportion betweene it and the other commandements , which do enforce it , the very words themselues do binde vs thereunto . for when it is said , thou and thy sonne , and thy daughter , thy man-sernant , and thy mayde : though it speaketh by name onely of resting vpon the sabbath ; yet because the end of that is , that the day might be sanctisied , looke how many reasons there be to binde the inferiours to rest , and the superiours to prouide that they do so indeed ; so many are there to compell them to sanctifie the day in their owne persons , and in so many , as belong vnto them , therefore , when first of all it is generally said in this fourth commandement , remember the sabbath-day , that thou keepe it holy ; and afterwards : the seuenth day is the sabbath of the lord thy god ; that is , which must be dedicated vnto his seruice : & in the end you must therfore rest , that you might serue him in it as he requireth : and then nameth the seueral parties that should rest : his meaning is to declare the right end of their resting : and so speaking by name to the gouernours , saith ; thou , and thy sonne , and thy daughter , thy man-seruant , and thy maid , the stranger that is within thy gates ; to shew vnto them that it is not sufficient for them to looke that they vnder their gouernmēt should rest , vnlesse they sanctifie the day of rest also ; which they must be so much carefull of , by how much the sanctification of the day is greater then the ceassing to worke vpon it , as the end whereunto this is but referred : and therefore if it be a sinne in them at any time , not to haue a sufficient regard vnto them that they do not worke , then it must needes be a great sinne , if that through their negligence they do not sanctifie and keepe holy the day of rest . so that here the lord god requireth , that in all places , there should be such good lawes publickly in the common wealth , and priuately in mens houses established , and diligently executed , as thereby not onely the rulers , but also all in subiection , should be compelled to sanctifie the lords day , and that they should be sure they do it indeed . and as he must not leaue it indifferent to them , to choose whether they will work or rest , and so thinke it sufficient that they do not lay any worke vpon them ; so is it not enough that they hinder them not from seruing god vpon that day , vnlesse they procure all the meanes vnto them , whereby god might be worshipped of them , and see that they worship god in them , as well as themselues . therefore , the maisters of families , must prouide as much as lyeth in them , that the word be publikely preached where they dwell : not for themselues alone , but for their children and seruants take , that they might keepe holy the day together with them : and they must not onely come themselues to the place of common-prayer , and diuine seruice , but bring these also with them , and spend the rest of the day in all priuate godly exercises themselues , and cause others to do so also . and here , lest this might seeme too heauie vnto vs , and that it might not be grieuous to take so great a charge vpon vs , we must remember , that as we haue great helpe by our inferiours in many things , so the lord woud haue vs to helpe them in the chiefe and princîpall : and as he hath made them our seruants , so we should make them his seruants ; and when they haue serued vs sixe dayes , we might cause them to serue him vpon the seuenth . and as the lord hath preferred vs aboue them with their seruice , so he would humble vs with this charge and care ouer them , or rather exalt vs , in that he would haue vs to be , as it were the ouerseers of his worke : and not onely serue him our selues , but also see his seruice done by others committed to our charge ; which if ye do not , wherein shall the christian gouernours of householdes , differ from the infidels and heathen ? and what greater thing shall we do for our seruants then they ? nay , what shall we do more for them then for the bruite beasts and cattell that worke vnder vs ? to whom we giue rest and ease from labour vpon the sabbath : if we cause them not to sanctifie the day of rest ; in which they shall differ from all other , not onely beasts , but men. and this is the meaning of that law , which moses gaue to the israelites , commaunding them to write the word of god vpon the postes of their houses , and vpon their gates . whereby all vnder gouernment , were taught , what should be required of them so long as they liued in those houses , namely , to serue god : and all gouernours were taught , what specially to looke after in all them that went in and out of their gates , and liued vnder the roofe of their houses , euen to serue the lord in all parts of his worship , for which end he hath giuen them such authoritié ouer them . according to which commandément , the worthie captaine of gods people iehoshua , made this protestation before all the elders of israel a little before his death , exhorting them to do the like : i and mine house will serue the lord : promising not onely for himselfe , but for all his , which though it was too hard to do , yet because he knew how many meanes the lord had giuen him to bring it to passe , which also god would blesse ( as all godly exhortations , admonitions , and chastisements , whereby if they did not profit , he had authoritie to thrust them out of his house , and to rid himselfe of them all , which he was purposed to put in practise , ) therefore he was bold thus to speake of himselfe , thereby shewing what all men should propound to themselues , and may attaine vnto . the like whereof dauid speaketh of himselfe , in that worthie psalme , . which is left as a patterne for all christian gouernours to rule by : wherein he sheweth , how he would rule not onely himselfe , but his household , nay the whole kingdome , by hauing an eye to them that were good , to reward them , and to them that were bad , to punish them : that so not onely himselfe , but all his , might serue the lord. after the same manner in the time of the captiuitie , when the noble queene hester willed all the dispersed iewes to keepe holy three dayes together in fasting and prayer , that so they might intreate the lord to deliuer them from that finall destruction and vtter ruine , which haman the cursed amalekite and sworne enemie of gods people , had determined to bring vpon them speedily , she said , that she and her maides would do the like . hest. . . whereby no doubt , she insinuated vnto them , that in euery household , her meaning was , that it should be thorowly kept on all sides , not onely of the rulers , and some few , but of all others , euen vnto the maid seruants . now , the sabbath , and the day of fast , are both of one nature , as the word doth sufficiently beare witnesse . therefore if this hath bene the practise of the church vpon that day to fast ; and not the chiefe alone , but their families also : then must we needes be perswaded , that vpon the lords day , we ought our selues , and our households to serue the lord , and to say with ioshua , i and mine house will serue the lord : and with hester , i and my seruants will doe the like . and how could that haue bene verified of the religious captaine cornelius , which is written of him , that he was a deuout man , and one that feared god with all his household ? vnlesse he had not onely frequented the common assemblies vpon the sabbath dayes , but had also acquainted his seruants therewith ? therefore as the lord himselfe speaketh of abraham , who is the father of all beleeuers , i know that he will commaund his sonnes , and his household after him : that they keepe the way of the lord , to do righteousnesse and iudgement , that the lord may bring vpon abraham , that he hath spoken vnto him : so it must be practised of all them that will be the children of this faithfull abraham ; and enioy the same promise that he and his posterity did , euen that they cause their children and their seruants , to keepe holy the sabbath , wherein consisteth the true worship of the lord , that so they might walke in that way which hath the promises of this life , and the life to come . so then it may most euidently appeare , both by the words of the commandement , and by the practise of the best men in the old and new testament , that this dutie is laid vpon all householders , diligentlyto ouersee the wayes of their families , that they serue god , as in all other duties , so especially in sanctifying the sabbath , as they will answer to the contrary at their perill , to him that hath put them in authoritie , and as they will giue an account for their soules , which otherwise might perish through their default . which though it be so strictly required of all men , and vnder so great a paine laide vpon them , yet it is so generally neglected of the greatest part , that we may rather complaine of it iustly with griefe , then haue any hope of the speedie reformation of it . for besides that a great many haue no care to sanctifie the day themselues , and therefore cannot with any conscience require it of their seruants and children , but either set them to worke , or play , and to do any thing vpon that day , sauing that which they should , and do encourage them thereunto by their owne ill example and words : there be others also , who though they seeme to haue some care to keepe holy the day themselues , ( and haue indeed ) yet either through ignorance , or negligence , do not once looke to their household , whether they come to church or no , and sit there attentiuely , and continue there with profit to the ending , nor how they spend the rest of the day : but being demanded where their seruants were , how chance they came not to church , &c. they answere securely , ( and as they thinke sufficiently ) as though it were a thing meerely impertinent vnto them , that they cannot tell , they do not hinder them from the church , they may come if they will , they are of age to looke to themselues , and are past boyes now , and i cannot tell what , &c. but they must consider , besides that which hath bene already spoken concerning this matter , that they do too foolishly and grosly imagine to stop ( as it were ) the mouth of the lord , with that simple answer in his businesse , which they will not receiue at their seruants hands in their owne . for in the sixe dayes , when their seruants are in their owne businesse , they wil not let them come and go at their owne pleasure , and content themselues with a bare imagination that they be at their worke , but will be sure of it , and therefore set them to it , looke vpon them in the doing of it , and call them to an account for it , which if it be well done in themselues , because they know otherwise they will be negligent , how must it not then needs be a great vnkindnesse and vnthankfulnesse in them vnto god , that vpon this day ( which is but one among seuen ) his seruice should be so slenderly looked vnto , that there is no such diligence vsed towards their seruants , that they might performe it ? and how must it not needes be a great iniurie to their seruants , ( who are naturally and for the most part more negligent and carelesse in gods seruice , by reason of their corruption , then they can be in the seruice of men ) to be depriued of that benefite of their gouernours ( which is the chiefest , and for which cause especially they are committed to their gouernement ) namely , to be furthered by them in the seruice of god : but vse them more like beasts then men , euen that they might be seruiceable vnto them , & then care not whether they serue god or the diuell . we know that seruants looke to be preferred by their maisters ( and so there is good reason , when they haue serued them faithfully ) but what kind of reward is this , when hauing bestowed some earthly benefite vpon them , by hauing no care to make them serue the lord , and sanctifie the sabbaths , they do in the end not onely make them lose the euerlasting reward , but preserue them to eternall destruction ? moreouer , there are a companie of idle seruing-men , who in spending their time all the sixe dayes hauing almost nothing therein to do , are seldome looked vnto vpon the seuenth day , but permitted to bestow it as vainly as the other : and as they neuer almost do any good dayes worke to their maisters , so much lesse do they spend any sabbath in the lords seruice ; but they especially are left to go and come at their will. others that haue any office of great charge and attendance ( as the cookes , butlers , and such like , in great houses ) seldome or neuer come to the church , and that but by peeces , either when halfe is done , or else they are readie to depart before halfe be ended , & so both hinder the lord from that seruice which he should haue by them , & themselues from that blessing which they should idherit that way : and both cause the name of god to be ill spoken of , and pull vpon themselues & their masters that curse which belongeth to the continuall polluting of the sabbath . and how can they looke that that seruice , and that meate and drinke , should do them good , which is thus prepared , and bought ( as it were ) with the continuall danger of the soules of their seruants , besides the dishouour of the name of god ? when dauid had inconsideratly desired to drinke of the water of bethleem , three mightie men brake into the host of the philistins , and drew water , and brought it to him : but he would not drinke thereof , but powred it for an offering vnto the lord , and said : oh lord , be it farre from me that i should do thus : is not this the bloud of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues ? how much lesse then ought men to eate and drinke of that for which their seruants do venter the liues of their soules ? and besides , if we iustly find fault with them , who do neuer or seldome preach to the people committed to their charge , and so cause their soules to starue and die eternally : how can they be blamelesse , who seldome or neuer bring their seruants to the preaching of the word ? and must they not needs be culpable of the same iudgement before god , seeing it is all one with the seruants , whether they liue in the place where the word of god is not preached at all , or if it be , yet they come not vnto it ? but whereas men are ready to obiect , that in a great family , many must needs be absent . we grant it to be true in some part , that is , at some time , & vpon some occasion : but so ordinarily and so continually ( as they themselues in their own cōsciences are priuie to , who make this question ) we know no necessitie that can excuse that . nay , we are sure that the lord hath laid no such calling vpon any man , that should keepe him in a continuall breach of the sabbath , and therefore both maister and seruant may suspect , that he is in such a calling as is not agreeable to gods word , or that he vseth it not aright , when it maketh him , if not wholy , yet for the most part , to neglect the seruice of god vpon the sabbath day . and we know ( where there is great care to serue and please god by prayer , ) the lord will giue to them such wisedome , that they shall be able to redeeme , if not the whole , yet at least a great part of the day , which otherwise will be mis-spent : namely , by letting passe many needlesse things , by preparing so much before as conueniently may be , by rising so much the more earlie in the morning , and by the interchangeable helpe of our seruants : especially , when they will for these causes be contented with so much the lesse , though not in quantitie , ( for the reliefe of others ) yet with lesse exquisite and curious dressing , which especially taketh vp the time : and so we are sure , and they that will trie it in the feare of god , and with a care to serue him , and in a loue to the soules of their brethren , shall find it to be true by experience , that many might keep holy the sabbarh , which now do it not at all : others might keepe it , more then they do . which if yet it be thought vnpossible ( because we go not about to practise it ) let vs but obserue that which we shall see done in the house when the seruant is very desirous to go to a faire , and the maister is as willing to let him go : you would wonder to see how things shall be dispatched vp suddenly , and in good order , they shal be absent many houres , and yet not greatly missed : if any thing be otherwise then is vsuall , it is horne with , because it is a day of prouision for themselues , and that day is not euery day . so then , if the maisters were perswaded of the lords day as they ought to be , euen that it is the time of making prouision for the soule , and were as carefull for the soules of their seruants , as they are for their bodies , and did esteeme it more for their worship & credit that their seruants were religious , then that they were costly & well set out in apparel ; they would be better contented to spare them , during the time of that market , where they may buy without money all the graces of gods spirit , and the riches of the kingdome of heauen : whereby they should not onely saue their owne soules , but be made more fit to do duties to their maisters of conscience . therefore ( to end this point ) it is the duty of all houshold gouernours , to cause the whole familie to be in a readinesse to attend vpon them too and fro the church , and that it be not left at euery mans discretion to come when he wil , but that they should go together . and indeed , this hath bene the orderly comming of gods people in times past to the place of his worship , that they haue not come scattered and alone , but many together , and by companies ; whereof the holy prophet speaketh ; when i remembred these things , i powred out my very heart , because i had gone with the multitude , and led them into the house of god , with the voice of singing , and praises , as a multitude that keepeth a feast . in which place , the man of god complaining , that he was banished from the holy assemblies , ( saith ) that his griefe was increased , by remembring his former estate , when he vsed to go with a great companie to the temple , euen as to a feast : whereby he declareth , what was the manner of their going ; euen as men go to a market , or to a feast , not onely with ioy , but also by companies ; and so many of one house as go , will go together : so they did not onely go to the house of god cheerefully , but many of them together , euen as to the market and feast of their soules . by which practise of theirs , as the doing of many is condemned ; so it appeareth that the men of our time are led by another spirit then they were , and are otherwise perswaded of the worship and place they go vnto . for all the people , nay , the seuerall housholds , come not together , but scattered , and one dropping after another , in a confused manner . first comes the man , then a quarter of an houre after , his wife ; and after her , we cannot tel how long , especially the maid-seruants , who must needs be as long after her , as the men-seruants are after him . whereby it commeth to passe , that either half the seruice of god is done before all be met : or else if the minister tarry till there be a sufficient congregation , the first commers may be weary , and sometimes cold with tarrying , before the other shal be warme in their seates . now , if it be demanded of the maisters , why they alone make such hast , and leaue all the rest behind them ; & they answer truly , because the time is come , wherin vsually publike prayer beginneth : can they be perswaded that it is time for themselues to come ( as it is indeed ) and yet no time for the rest to come with them ? hath the maister no longer time to tarry , and haue his seruants time to tarry so long after him ? as though there were one law for him , and another for them : or rather , that the same law of the sabbath , which moueth him of conscience to do that which he doth , did not as forciblie bind them all as himselfe : nay , did not binde him to looke to them , that they should keep holy the day as well as himself , which if he graunt to be true , & yet is not able to bring it to passe , ( where the lord hath giuen him so great authoritie for his owne sake ) partly through the frowardnesse of his wife , and partly through the obstinacy of the rest in his familie : his case is to be pittied , and he is rather to be gouerned , then to gouerne : and he might do well to set vp one of them in his stead : seeing he doth suffer himselfe wilfully so to be abused , and is contented to be ouer-ruled by them in the chiefest thing . therefore that he might bring this matter happily to passe , as he must go before them by his owne example , and be readie betimes , euen first of all , so he must earnestly call vpon them for this dutie , and exhort them vnto it ; and the slower that they are , and the more they draw backe , the more fotward must he be , and by his practise and words draw them forwards also . for this is that readinesse which dauid obserued in the people of his time : i reioyced when they said vnto me , we will go into the house of the lord ; or , let vs go to the house of the loŕd ( for they are words of exhorting , and incouraging one another thereunto , ) euen as the prophet esay also foretelleth , that this shall be the zeale of gods people in the time of the gospell , that they shall go together to serue god , and therefore call vpon one another for the same purpose , saying : it shall be in the last dayes , that the mountaine of the house of the lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines , and shall be exalted ' aboue the hils , and all nations shall flow vnto it , and many people shall go and say , come , and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the lord , to the house of the god of iacob . and truely this want of zeale in vs to gods worship , and loue to the saluation of our brethren , ( bewraying it selfe in the neglect of this duty of calling one vpon another ) is the cause of this slownesse . for the husband going first out of the doores , saith to the wife , make hast , and come assoone as you can : she comming at her leisure , giues the same charge to her seruants , dispatch , and tarry not long behind ; but here is no saying : come let vs go , let vs go together : and if it be once said , it is not pursued , that it might be performed . in going to market , and to a feast , what earnest calling will there be vpon one another : and it would seeme strange to behold the houshold go diuided : and it were a thing that would much be marked , and euery one that knew vs , and whither we were going , it should be the first question they would ask vs ; how chanceth this , that you come alone ? where is your husband , your wife , or your children ? why come you not together ? so no doubt , the dispersed and broken comming of housholdes to the church , is a thing greatly obserued of the lord god , and of his angels , which are present at their assemblies : and it is that which grieueth the rest of the church , and as soon as they see one come in alone , they are ready with grief to ask , where are the rest ? what meaneth this partie to come alone ? therefore let all gouernours be perswaded , that it is their bounden dutie thus to looke to their families , and to be sure that they sanctifie the lords day as well as themselues : and that they not onely thus bring them to the publike ministerie , but also looke vnto them , that they spend the rest of the day in holy exercises so much as may be , examining them in that which they haue heard , and causing them to conferre about it themselues ; and to appoint some to reade the scripture vnto them , and all of them to sing psalmes : and generally , whatsoeuer they haue seene before , that they ought to do themselues , to call vpon their seruants for the same , and to take such order , that they be sure they do it : and let them be sory that they haue neglected this duty so long heretofore , & thereby haue charged so many sinnes of their houshold vpon themselues : and now at the last in gods holy feare , let them begin to put this in practise , lest they do further prouoke the most patient lord to their endlesse destruction . and though it be a thing so rare in the world as it is , and men altogether so vnacquainted with it , as they be , nay , so lothsome and tedious to flesh & bloud , that they are afraid once to begin with it : yet let the bare commandement of god preuaile more with vs to take it in hand , and to continue in it , then all that can be said or thought against it , should weigh with vs , either to keepe vs from it at the first , or afterwards cause vs to giue it ouer . and , that all men might do it , so much the rather , let them be assured that the want of this especially , is the cause of so many wicked and rebellious children , vntrusty and disobedient seruants , nay , vnfaithfull and vnkind wiues , euery where : euen for that their husbands , their fathers , and their maisters do not call vpon them to serue god , and see them sanctifie the sabbath . it is a common and iust complaint in all places , in the mouth of euery man , that seruants and children will not be ruled ; that they cannot tel where to find a good seruant , they know not whom to trust , but they see not the greatest cause of it to be in themselues , and so go not about to remedie it . for whiles they labour not to make their children the sonnes and daughters of god by adoption ; and to bring their seruants within the houshold of god , that they might be his seruants by grace , and to make their wiues the chast spouses of iesus christ , and so all of them to serue him : the lord iustly punisheth them , making wiues , children , seruants , and all disobediēt vnto them . for how can they do duties vnto men , if they haue not learned to do duties vnto god , and so of conscience for gods sake , to do duties vnto men ? nay , must not the lord needs punish them with disobedience against themselues , that by their owne experience they may know how grieuous the neglect of his seruice is vnto himselfe , when he iustly measureth out vnto them with the same measure , that they haue meat vnto him before ? and whereas men are readie to imagine , and we know it is that which many do obiect against this , that to deale so straightly with their houshold , were the next way to ridde themselues of all good seruants ; and that then they might soone be maister and man themselues . they must againe , on the contrary vnderstand , that it is a great wickednesse in them , once to thinke that the lord should require that of them , which would necessarily driue them to such inconuenience : nay rather , they must be assuredly perswaded , that godlinesse hath the promises of this life , as well as of the life to come : and that if we first seeke the kingdome of god , and his righteousnesse , in our selues , and others , all needfull things shall be cast vnto vs. euen as it is said of abraham ; i know that he will commaund his sonnes , and his houshold after him , that they keepe the way of the lord , to do righteousnesse and iudgement , that the lord may bring vpon abraham , that he hath spoken vnto him . so that thus to do , is the very high way , not to keepe vs. from , but to bring vs vnto the fruition of all gods promises , if we giue credit vnto him , who as he onely maketh them in the beginning of meere mercy , so must he onely accomplish them in the end by his constant veritie and truth . we confesse indeed , if he be an ill seruant , this is the readiest way to be rid of him , whose roome is better then his company : for he thinketh himselfe to be in a prison , nay in hell all the while : but in the end he shall perceiue that he is gone from the way of heauen vnto hell , if the lord be not more mercifull vnto him . and why should we be loth to depart from the seruice of them that haue no care to serue god ? or can we looke that they should do any faithfull seruice vnto vs , that are so vnfaithfull in the seruice of god ? but as concerning the rest , if any be religious , this is the best meane to retaine and keepe them : if they be but indifferent , this may winne them : if they be falling away , this may recouer them . for what shall we thinke of all the godly fathers in times past , that when they vowed diligently to looke to their housholds , that they should serue god with them , and did constantly performe it , that then they had no seruants at all ? was so great a man as iehoshua without seruants , when he promised before so many witnesses , that he and his house should serue the lord ? was dauid left alone , and constrained to do all himselfe , when as being a mightie king , he bound himselfe vnto it by that song which he made for the same purpose , wherein he saith : mine eyes shall be vnto the faithfull of the land , that they may dwell with me : he that walketh in a perfect way , he shall serue me : there shall no deceitfull person dwell in mine house : he that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight ? had not abraham a great household , when he was able on a sudden to carrie forth with him , of them that were borne and brought vp in his house , three hundred and eighteene men in armour , to rescue his brother lot ? ofwhom notwithstanding it is said , that he would teach his children the way of the lord : as it appeareth he did indeed , when by his onely perswasion at the word of god , all the males were contented to be circumcised , and to receiue that sacrament , vnknowne before , and painefull , and also ignominious to the flesh , if they had looked onely to the outward signe . and must not that worthy captaine of an hundred italian souldiers , needs haue a greater familie then many of these that cauill at this doctrine ? of whom the spirit of truth reporteth , that he feared god , and all his houshold . what shall we thinke of all these men ? shall we ignorantly presume to the further deceiuing of our selues , and hardening vs in this sinne , that the times were then better , and good seruants then more plentifull ? or must we needs confesse , as the truth is indeed , that these men vsed more meanes to make their seruants the seruants of god , then men do now a dayes , and that so the blessing of god was greater vpon them ? and is it not set downe in writing for our learning , to shew vs what is that which we might looke for at gods hands , if we would walke in the same way that they did , seeing there is no respect of persons , times , or places with him ? secondly , he must set an order in his house for the seruice of god ; to wit , that morning and euening , before meales , and after meales , prayers and thankes may be offered vnto god , and so he acknowledged to be the authour , not onely of all spirituall graces that belong to a better life , but also of all temporal blessings that belong to this life . for seeing that it is gods good hand ouer vs , that doth defend vs and all our familie in the night from outward dangers , and giueth vs freedome from feares and terrors , and from sathans rage , and also giueth vs rest & comfortable sleepe , for the refreshing of our fraile bodies , is it not meete we should begge it at his hand by prayer , before we prepare our selues to rest , and praise him for it when we rise from it ? againe , seeing that euery day we are subiect to innumerable dangers , which we know not of , and both wisedome and strength to follow good and honest callings , and also the blessing vpon our labours to make vs prosper by them , are from god alone : should we not begin the day with feare vnto god , for his gracious protection , and for his mercifull blessing of vs ? and seeing meates and drinks are sanctified vnto vs on gods part by the word , and ours by prayer : doubtlesse though god hath by his word sanctified them , they are vnholy vnto vs , when we do not for our part sanctifie them by faithfull prayer and thanksgiuing . and this was dauids practise , psal. . . euening and morning , and at noone tide , will i pray , and make a noise , and he will heare my voice . if any say , it is sufficient for the gouernour to charge euery one in his familie to do it priuately by himselfe : so might the prince say , it is enough to do as darius did , to charge euery one in all his dominions to worship no god , but daniels god. yet godly princes thought it their dutie to set vp the worship ofgod in their dominions , and to take order that god might be worshipped publickely and ioyntly of all in their land . so did iob , for his houshold , not onely bid his children pray to god by thēselues , but he appointed set times of praying together , and sacrificing , and commanded his children to come prepared thereunto . againe , if the maister lay the matter vpon the consciences of such as be of his family , then if they be negligent , god shall haue no honour and worship in that family . but we reade of abraham that wheresoeuer he became , he built an altar to god , where god should be worshipped ioyntly in his familie . if god should measure out his goodnesse to thee , as thou measurest honour and glory to him , in what a case wert thou ? he doth giue a charge to his angels to keepe thee , he commandeth the earth to allow thee meate for thy sustenāce ; and his commandement is an effectuall word , that maketh them to do the thing that he chargeth them withall . wilt thou now onely bid thy seruant or sonne to serue and honour god , and not see that he do it , and helpe him in it ? then thou doest not measure out vnto god , as thou wouldest haue him measure to thee . this duty then belongeth to a christian head of a familie , to worship god with all his family , and to take order that when he shal be absent vpon necessarie occasions , it may be done reuerently , and onely by some one in his family , that by reason of wit and age may be meete for it . the neglect of this dutie , letteth into families many grieuous enormities , and outward miseries , while god in his iustice refuseth to blesse such , as by their carelesnesse in seruing of him , do shew , that they take not him to be the author of all wel-fare to soule or body , but thinke to do well enough without him , or else thinke to haue their turnes serued without requesting . the third dutie , which the chiefe gouernour must performe to all in his familie , is priuate instruction , and dealing with them in matters of religion , for the building of them vp in true faith , and for the inuring and bringing of them to a conscience towards god , that they may not onely know and professe religion , but also feele and shew the power of religion in their liues . this dutie hath these specials belonging to it : first , a familiar and plaine opening vnto them the principles of religion , after the manner of a catechisme . this duty the holy ghost layeth vpon parents . ephes. . . traine them vp in doctrine and holy precepts , drawne out-of the word . the like was commanded to parents in the old law : let these words which i command thee this day , be in thine heart , and whet them vpon thy children , and speake of them when thou sittest in thy house , when thou walkest in the way , when thou liest downe , and when thou risest vp , &c. so that it is not enough to bring thy children to be catechized at the church , but thou must labour with them at home after a more plaine and easier manner of instruction , that so they may the better profit by the publike teaching . looke prouerbs . . thou euen by breeding thy children hast helped them into corruption , and 〈◊〉 damnable estate : how oughtest thou then , by all holy care and paines taken with them , in teaching them the knowledge of god in christ , to helpe them out of it , that they may not be firebrands of hell ? and for seruants , seeing they spend their strength , & wearie out their bodies , and bestow their dayes and yeares in seeking thy profit and ease : oughtest not thou then to seeke the saluation of their soules ? salomon saith , the iust man hath regard to his beast : much more shouldest thou haue regard to thy seruant , who is made according to the image of god with thee , and is redeemed with as deare a price as thou art . and thy care for him should not stretch to his body alone , but especially to his soule ; that seeing his calling will not suffer him to vse so many , and so often meanes for the good of it as were requisite , he might herein be helped by thee . the second speciall is , an acquainting them with the scriptures , by reading them daily in thy house in their hearing , and directing them to marke , and make vse of those things which are plaine and easie , according to their capacitie . so timothie was trained vp by his parents in the scriptures , so that he knew them from a child : that is , was made acquainted with them by reading them , and being instructed in them according to his capacitie . this shal make them the fitter to heare and profit by the publike ministerie : whereas the neglect of this duty , makes them vnable to heare and vnderstand the preacher when he citeth examples , or quoteth texts out of sundry places of scripture . the helpe that their family might reape by it should make them carefull in this reading of the scripture . the third is , a diligent care and regard that they profit by the publike ministery of the word and sacraments , euery one according to their capacitie . and this duty requireth , that they should not onely looke that they do diligently frequent the preaching of the word , and carefully come to the sacraments in due time , but also that they shew them how , and put them in mind of preparing themselues to the word and sacraments , as lob did his sonnes . they must prepare them to heare the word , by willing them to consider gods ordinance , his promise , and their owne necessity , &c. by commanding them to lay aside all such cares , thoughts , and affections , as might hinder them from a diligent hearing . to the sacraments they must prepare them , by willing them to consider of gods institution , the ministerie of his sacraments , his mercie in iesus christ , their faith , their repentance , and their wants : that so seeking assurance of grace , of reconciliation , and comfort , they may come preparedly to the lords table . againe to further their profit , they must diligently examine them , what they haue learned , what vse they can make of such doctrine ; & also helpe and direct them wherein they faile . thus did our sauiour christ his disciples . besides , they must call vpon them , for the practise of that which they learne out of the word , that the word grow not to a common matter , of no further vse but to talke of vpon the sabbath day . the fourth speciall dutie that belongeth to instruction , is the vse of gods workes , either past , or present : as of examples of his mercie and goodnes , to be encouraged by them to trust in him : by workes of his iustice , to be moued to feare him , and so to sow the seed of conscience and religion in them . thus did abraham gen. . . which care of his moued the lord to reueale to him his purpose of destroying the sodomites . the duties which they are to require of them concerning godlines , be to vse the publike ministery carefully : to be diligent and reuerent in the priuate worship of god ; to submit themselues to priuate instruction of all sorts , and to make their vse of it , to the building vp of themselues in faith . and 〈◊〉 , to practise all holy and christian duties , which being comprised briefly in the commandements , are more largely layed open by the publike ministery of the word , and by priuate catechizing . but after what maner must they require these duties ? we answer , not onely by telling of them what they must do , and calling vpon them for the doing of it , and by gentle admonition when they be backward : but also by correcting them , if they shall be negligent and contemptuous in the practice thereof . this correcting is , either by rebuking , or chastising them , according to the quality of the fault , & the condition of the partie that is so to be dealt with . a rebuke , is a pronouncing of some misbehauiour , or knowne wickednesse of any , with condemning of the same ( by the word of god ) whereby they may haue shame , that others might feare . correction is a sharpe thing , and therefore not easily borne of our nature , which is full of selfe-loue : and through the corruption of nature , it is turned into an occasion of great frowardnesse , sturdinesse , and naughtinesse , where it is not wisely dealt in . now the better to minister correction , with more hope of doing good by it , we must consider first , the end of correcting . secondly , the matters for which correction must be giuen . thirdly , the manner of correcting . . the end in correcting must not be to wreck and reuenge thine anger , or malice , or to reuenge thy selfe for any iniury done , nor yet alonely , the preuenting of the like hurt by the like fault afterward : but in zeale of gods glory , who is dishonored by the lewdnesse of the offender , and in loue to the party ; thou must seeke by wise correction to reclaime him from such euill as bringeth danger to him , & to make him more carefull of his duty afterwards . herein they faile , who in correcting haue no respect but to their owne commodity . . for the matters that deserue correction , this is a rule , that there must be no rebuking , much lesse chastising , but where there is a fault . for where any is vniustly corrected , besides the iniury , it hurteth him , by hardning him against iust correction . for he will thinke that it is the rash hastinesse of his gouernor that putteth him to smart , and not his owne desert . by fault i meane , not onely the committing of that which was forbidden , but also the omitting of that good which was commanded . but euery such fault is not to be censured with correction : sometime ignorance , mistaking , ouersight , and a desire to please in one thing , maketh inferiors to offend in others . except there be contempt , or willing negligence , or retchlesse ouersight , a gentle admonition may serue . and indeed , superiours must take heed of comming to the greatest remedies of correction too soone : for so they may soone marre the partie by ouer-sharpe dealing , which by a wise proceeding by degrees might haue bene gained . furthermore , gouernors must know yet more expresly , for what to correct . some neuer correct but for their owne matters , neuer regarding the faults committed against god. but the godly gouernour , that aimeth at gods glory , and seeketh the lord , and not himselfe , is most grieued for those disorders in his family , that tend to gods dishonour , and such he correcteth most carefully . and as for the defaults of his family that are against himselfe , he looketh more to gods dishonour by them , then to his owne hurt or losse , & in zeale of god is drawne to correct , and not of selfe-loue . he therefore counteth these things worthie of correction ; if any delight in the ignorance of god , or be carelesse to approue himselfe , as one that wholly dependeth on him , loueth him , feareth him , reuerenceth him , laboureth to approue all his wayes before him : if any be giuen to idolatrie and superstitiō , & careth not in euery part of the worship of god , to follow his reuealed will , or if in the parts commanded , he appeare negligent & cold , or put them to any other vse then is commanded , or be giuen to images or superstitious monuments , customes , occasions , or such like ; if any dishonour the name of god , either in the vnreuerent vsing , or abusing , or 〈◊〉 , and not vsing it with that preparatiō before , feeling at the present time , and fruit after , which is prescribed , his titles , word , sacraments , or works : if any prophane his sabbath by vaine pastimes , and gaming , as cards , dice , dancing , &c. going to playes , or giue not himselfe to the exercises appointed for that day out of the word : if any neglect speciall duties towards their equals , superiours , or inferiours , in yeares , gifts , authority , as magistrates , ministers , maisters , parents , seruants , children , or people : if any declare not a conscience to fly euill , anger , malice , contention , quarelling , fighting , or any hurting of the person of man , either in soule or 〈◊〉 being carefull to succour the same , according to his calling ; if any be found vnchast in bodie , words , countenance or gesture , vntemperate in diet , in apparell , dissolute , not caring to maintaine the contrary holinesse in himselfe and others : if any be not carefull to preserue the goods of another man , or shall by falshood , flattery , and oppression diminish the same ; if he be negligent in increasing of his owne , by honest and lawfull meanes , or mis-spend them in cards , dice , gaming , &c : if any care not to maintaine the good names of others , but be giuen to vnnecescary blazing of other mens 〈◊〉 , by lying , slandering , 〈◊〉 , taunting : if any shew himselfe care lesse to 〈◊〉 the motions and enticements , vnto sinne , and the lust of the same : and he wil vse the meanes following to redresse them . the manner of correcting must like wise be looked vnto : for to faile in that , maketh correction hurtfull oftentimes , but alwayes 〈◊〉 . for this point then , we must know , that correction must be ministred in wisedome , and patience . wisedome is that by which we obserue comelinesse in euery action ; that is to say , by which we obserue what we do , how , in what place , at what time , before whom : that all things may be done in a conuenient place , time , and manner . wisedome will . find out the right party that cōmitted the fault , that he that is innocent be not vniustly burthened . . consider of what sort and nature the fault is . . weigh circumstances of ages , discretion , & occasions that moued the party , and whether it be customary , or a slip by ouersight . . looke to the mind of the doer , whether negligence , frowardnesse , or simplicity , & want of wisdom brought him to it . and according to these things , wisdome will teach a man to measure out correction , or to be sparing in it . besides , wisedome will not correct before the fault be euident , or before she be able to winde the offender out of all shifting holes . for when the offender is not throughly conuinced , he shifteth off the shame of the fault and of the correction , which is a part of the purgation to cure his disease : and besides he will be bold to open his mouth against his ruler , and seeke to bring him into hatred or contēpt with the rest of the inferiours , for correcting vniustly . wisedome therefore will winke at a fault a while , and make as though she saw it not , that she may haue a fitter opportunitie to correct : yea , towards some of a good nature , wisedome will shew that she seeth a fault , but yet for loue of the partie , and desire to haue him amend of his owne accord , she will passe ouer the euill . moreouer , wisedome will neuer reproch the offender , by reuiling or taunting him with the fault , but minister correction in loue , and desire to haue his sore cured , and his credit salued . for the casting of faults in their teeth , and disgracing them , especially before others , ( which is common in the world , ) maketh them lay off shame of offending , by little and little : whereas if they saw thee carefull of their credite , they would haue much more regard to it themselues . lastly , wisedome will auoid partialitie , and deale with all in the same case , after the same manner . patience is also needfull , that through anger or hastines , a man do not fight nor chide before he hath made the fault manifest to the offender : that if it may be , his conscience may be touched for it . againe , by patience one must heare what the offender can say in his defence , and not disdaine to heare him modestly alledging for himselfe : and when his defence is made , by equitie to allow , or disallow the same . so did iob , iob. . . and balaam had no reason to disdaine the defence of his beast . num. . . &c. this patience will also keepe a man from bitternesse , which might sooner make the party angrie , then draw him to amendment ; which thing the apostle would haue auoided in superiours , towards those that be vnder them . for want of this , many are but a word and a blow : many first correct , and then tell the fault ; many lay on loade , or raile , and reuile , brawle , and scold without measure . lastly , this patience will keepe thee from immoderate anger , a thing dangerous in a corrector . for he that cometh to reforme with too much anger , shall hardly keepe a measure in rebuking , or chastising . now for the seuerall kinds of correction , the first is rebuking , which is a sharpe reproofe for a fault committed , measured according to the nature of the fault . example whereof we haue in iacob , gen. . . ioh. . . our sauiour christ , to peter mat. . . and to iames and iohn , luk. . . so eli , . sam. . . &c. rebuked his sonnes , but not according to the quality of their fault , which turned to his , and their ruine . this reproofe may haue some threatning of chastisement ioyned with it , if need be ; to the end to make it sinke the deeper . prou. . . be thou verie angrie when thou pardonest a fault ; saying , that thou for sparing him now , wilt punish him the soarer , if he transgresse againe . but threatenings must not be vaine words without effect , but alwayes if amendment follow not , thou must performe what was threatned , lest thou become light and vaine in the offenders eyes . chastisement is , when with a sharpe rebuke punishment is also laid vpon the offender , according to discretion . if any man thinke fighting vnmeete for christians , or be loth to foile their hands , lest they should get themselues an ill name ; let them know , that gods ordinance is not a matter of an ill report , but onely among fooles , that know not what is good and meete . now , that houshold-chastisement is agreeable to gods will , is euident out of the prouerbs , where the wisedome of god doth very often commend it to vs , as chap. . . he that spareth the rod hateth his sonne : but he that loueth him , chasteneth him betimes . where he requireth , that it be not deferred till it be too late , that is , till the offender be hardened in ill : but giuen in time , before he be past recouery . secondly , he saith , that it is a fruit of true and pure loue , to correct in due time : and very loue in parents , and care of their children , must draw them to it . thirdly , he saith , that such parents know not what true loue of children meaneth , but embrace fondnesse , and foolish pittie in stead of it , who do spare to correct , when correction is deserued . fourthly , that this fondnesse and foolish affection is indeed hatred and not loue . the reason why it is to be counted hatred , is set downe , prou. . . chastise thy sonne while there is hope , and let not thy soule spare him , to his destruction . where he plainely saith , that fond pittying and sparing of children , is to worke the destruction of them . and is it not a token of great hatred , to be a meanes of anothers destruction ? elsewhere he sheweth the necessitie of correction , and the good which it doth : prou. . . foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child , but the rod of correction shall remoue it farre from him . as if he should say , much folly and 〈◊〉 is couched in a childs heart , which if it be not purged , will burst forth into foule enormities , and therefore a purgation is but needfull ; and what may that be , but the rod of correction ? the same is commanded , prou. . . correct thy sonne : where also he sheweth what benefit commeth thereby to the parents : he shall giue thee rest , yea he will giue pleasures to thy soule : that is , thou shalt be free from sorrow , heauinesse , and many troubles , which many parents haue with vngracious children : and on the other side , thou shalt haue much comfort and delight by him . great benefit also commeth thereby to the children , as he sheweth in the . verse , the rod and correction giue wisedome , aud chap. . . . whereas the neglect of it bringeth hurt to the child , and to the parents , as followeth : a child set at libertie maketh his mother ashamed . and for seruants , the wiseman doth closely shew , how they must be dealt withall , where he saith , prou. . . he which bringeth vp his seruant delicately from his youth , at length will be depriued of his children . and a little before , verse . he saith , a seruant will not be chastised with words : though he vnderstand , yet he will not answer or regard . these scriptures shew , that god hath put the rod of correction in the hands of the gouernours of the family , by punishment to saue them from destruction ; which if the bridle were let loose vnto them , they would run vnto . where men and women are content to go contrary to their owne nature , and to vndergo ill reports to obey the ordinance of god , there god will giue a blessing , that is , a well ordered familie , wherein all shall be of good hope . these be the duties that the chiefe of the familie oweth to them of his familie within doores , as touching godlinesse . the wife also , which is a fellow-helper , hath some things belonging to her to further godlinesse in her familie : as for example , in her selfe to giue example to her houshold of all readie submission to all good and christian orders , to order her houshold affaires so carefully that no exercise of religion be hindred , or put out of place , at such time as they should be done in her husbands absence : to see good orders obserued as he hath appointed : to watch ouer the manners and behauiour of such as be in her house , and to helpe her husband in spying out euils that are breeding , that by his wisedome they may be preuented or cured . salomon saith of the vertuous woman , that she ouerseeth the wayes of her houshold . and a little before , she openeth her mouth with wisedome , and the law of grace is in her tongue . and saint paul requireth , that wiues , specially the elder , be teachers of good things , and that they instruct the yonger . they may also do much good in framing the tender yeares of their children vnto good , while they be vnder their hands . for euen as a child cockered and made a wanton by the mother , will be more vntractable , when the father will seeke to bend him to good : so on the other side , a child wisely trained vp by the mother in the yong yeares , will be the easilier brought to goodnesse by the fathers godly care . we reade , that timothy was made acquainted with the scripture from a little child , by meanes of his godly mother , and grandmother ; a good patterne for christians . and marke the proofe , god recompenced their godly care exceedingly : for timothie proued a rare yong man , of excellent graces , to the great ioy and comfort of his parents . mothers may also powre good liquor into their childrens tender vessels , the sauour whereof shall sticke in them a long while after : i meane , they may sow in their mindes the seede of religion and godlinesse . these and such like duties , if the wife performe constantly , she shall bring no small helpe to her husband , for the godly and religious ordering of his house . and thus much of that part of houshold gouernment , which concerneth godlinesse . now we come to the other part , which pertaines to the things of this life : wherein is to be considered , what is the duty of the husband and of the wife : namely to take order for prouision , and health . they must take order for prouision for necessaries , to the maintenance of themselues and all their charge . these necessaries are food and rayment . also care must be had of the health of such as be in their families , both to preserue it by rest , and recreation if need be , and to restore it if it be hindred , by good looking to such as are fallen into sicknesse . that the gouernours of the familie must make honest prouision for themselues , and their charge , and not liue vpon the church-almes , or by begging , purloyning , borrowing , or cousining . it is most euident by that saying of saint paul to timothie : he that prouideth not for his owne , and especially for them of his house , hath denyed the faith , and is worse then an infidell . and salomon saith , the iust man regardeth the life of his beast : much more of his seruants and children . and as the spirit of god chargeth vs with this dutie ; so he setteth vs about such things whereby this may be compassed , and forewarneth vs of those things whereby it might be hindered . the things that he teacheth vs for the making of this prouision , are first ; that euery one should haue some honest and good calling , and should walke diligently in it : that it may bring in honest gaine , whereby necessaries for the family may be prepared . that euery man must applie himselfe to some studie and calling , is so knowne , that it needeth no proofe ; in the sweate of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread , &c. which condemneth all such as liue of the labours of other men , and themselues take no paines or trauaile , do no good in the world , benefite not humane societie any way , but deuoure the good creatures of the earth , which indeed belong to them that take all the paines . in this ranke do a number of gentiles in the world march , deuising gay toyes , which might well be spared ; who are but vnprofitable burthens of the earth , that fill vp number like ciphers , who glory in their shame , that is , in their ease , pleasures , and brauerie , whereof ( if they knew whereto a man was borne ) they would be ashamed . these be they for whose maintenance in their iollitie , a number are faine to toyle very hardly , fare meanely , and spend their strength to the very skinne and bones , and yet can get but a slender recompence , through their vnmercifull exactions . but enough of them : to returne . the good gouernour of a house must be none of these : but he must haue a calling that is good , honest , and lawfull ; not onely gainfull to himselfe , but also holy and profitable to the societie of mankind : for thus much doth saint paul comprehend within the compasse of his words , ephes. . . but let him labour the thing that is good . it is not enough to haue a calling , though it be neuer so good , but it must be followed : so as it may bring in maintenance for thee and thine , such as is meete for thy estate . but how must it be followed ? first , with diligence : for as salomon saith , prou. . . he that caryeth himselfe slothfully , or loosely in his businesse , is the brother of a great waster : that is , he is another waster : and doth as much as an vnthrist , or spend-good . to diligence belongeth the blessing . prou. . . the hand of the diligent maketh rich : and chap. . . he that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with meate . yea , and a large blessing : the soule of the diligent shall be fatted : that is ; he shall haue abundantly . and lest that any should say , that in some callings a man may well thriue , but not in mine : it is said , prou. . . in all labour , that is , diligent following thy calling . moreouer , this diligence will bring a man to renowne . prou. . . thou seest that a diligent man in his businesse standeth before kings , &c. the better to kindle thy affection vnto this diligence in following thy calling , consider what is said of the spirit of god , of those euils that are enemies vnto it . many a man is idle and slothfull , because labour and toile is irkesome and painfull to him , as prou. . . the slothfull will not plough , because of winter : but what is his reward ? it followeth , therefore shall he begge in sommer , and haue nothing . pouertie is the fruite of slothfulnesse . prou : . . a slothfull hand maketh poore . and lest any man should thinke that he could keepe away pouertie , at least a great while : it is said in prou. . . that it commeth violently , and with great power , and swiftly vpon such a man , and he shall not withstand it : thy pouerty commeth as a light traueller , and thy necessity as an armed man. in the same place also , the meanes whereby it commeth is expressed : verse . he through follie neglecteth his ground , and left it vnfenced , and vntilled , and so it yeelded him no increase . which being there spoken of husbandrie , may be drawne to a generall , that to let such things lye idle and vnused , which should bring in commoditie , is the high-way to pouertie the slothfull , is further described to be a great wisher and woulder , but no good householder : prouerbs . . the sluggard lusteth , but his soule hath nought . and againe : all the day long he wisheth , but his desire is not accomplished : which wasteth him with sorrow . besides , he perswadeth himselfe that he hath some sufficient stay or let , to with-hold him from diligent labour , and so dare not go forward , as the wiseman saith , prou. . . the way of the slothfull is a hedge of thornes . and in another place he saith ; prou. . . a lion is in the way : but in truth it is ease and lazinesse that letteth him . as the doore turneth vpon the hinges , so doth the slothfull in his bed . and to shew that such a man is in a down-hill to beggerie : salomon saith , that he thinketh himselfe very wise in his doing : the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit , then seuen men that can render a reason . what hope is there of sauing of him that the begger catch him not , who pleaseth himselfe in his sloth , which doth summon him to beggerie ? that also is not to be omitted , that such a sluggard , who suffereth his owne ground to be ouer growne with thornes and nettles , stones or thistles , serueth in the world for an example , to make other men warie . vnder this , is that same luskishnesse which maketh men loue their ease and sleepe , which bringeth forth the same fruite that sloth doth . the sleeper shall be clothed with ragges . prou. . . and therefore , the wise-man laboureth to draw men from it . prou. . . loue not sleepe , lest 〈◊〉 come to pouertie ; open thine eyes , and thou shalt be satisfied with bread . another enemie to diligence , is , following of vaine and idle companie . for though a man be eager minded towards his businesse , yet by vaine and idle company , he shall be drawne away to other delights , and lose his good houres , and let go the occasion of doing some things in the fit season . therefore salomon saith , prou. . . the man that followeth the idle , is destitute of vnderstanding . and againe , that he shall come to no better passe , then the idle man. pro. . . he that followeth the idle , shall be filled with pouertie . this harme getteth he by haunting vaine company , and leude persons . for as sweete waters are corrupted and spoiled , when they run into waters which are salt , bitter , or vnwholsome , and so lose the vertue thereof : euen so , he that ioyneth himselfe in friendship , and doth couple himselfe in familiaritie with wicked and vngodly men , becommeth wicked and vngodly himselfe , and is stayned and blemished with their vices , although heretofore he had bene inclined to vertue and godlinesse . for a little leauen ( saith the apostle ) doth leauen the whole lump . . cor. . . pastime also carieth many from their callings , and likewise from thrift : pro. . . he that loueth pastime , shall be a poore man. which being a punishment threatned of god against that euill ; though a man would be warie of loosing much at play , yet the lord might some other way bring him to pouertie , and so punish him for his corrupt delight in that thing which the scripture hath so branded . lastly , vnto true diligence , salomon opposeth and setteth talking & great reckoning of what they will do , prou. . . in all labour there is abundance , but the talke of the lips bringeth only want . for commonly , such as make great account of their doings , when it commeth to doing , can find no fit time to begin . now to finish this point of diligence to be vsed in our calling , marke the good husbandrie which the spirit of god teacheth , prou. . . be diligent to know the state of thy flocke , and take heed to thy heards , for riches remaine not alwayes . where he willeth men not to trust all to seruants , for the care of their cattell & other commodities , but to looke diligently to them themselues . the reason is , for that their riches be not so glued to them , but that if they be not carefully looked vnto , they will take their leaue and be gone . and so we see it often comes to passe , that they which do their businesse by others , haue others to thriue for them . but here peraduenture , some husbands and wiues will say : yee speake much of good husbandrie and good huswiferie , but how would you haue them to be good husbands and good huswifes , that haue not where with to be good husbands or good huswifes on ? whereunto we answer , that good husbandrie and good huswiferie , consisteth not so much in hauing much or little , as in the wise , carefull , discreet , & good fore-casting of that which god in mercy hath enabled and enriched them with , to see euery thing wel ordered , and employed to a good end and vse . for we see by experience , that some husbands and wiues , can so husbandly and huswifely dispose of things , that they will make a fairer shew of a little , and cause it to stretch further , then many can of much . yea , some can do as much with twenty nobles , as some other can with twenty or thirty pounds . as a calling must be followed with diligence , so also there is wisedome , skil , and discretion to be vsed in it . for as in lifting of a great weight , a mightie strong man wanting cunning , cannot mooue that , though he straine & busie himselfe much , which a weak man will do with a sleight . so dealing in any calling , some man shall toile exceedingly much , and yet for want of wit and discretion , not do halfe the good that another shall with more ease , prou. . . he that hath a trade , let him learne to be cunning in it , and able to go through with it : prouer. . . and to the end he may walke on surer ground , let him not disdaine to aske aduice and counsell . for the praise of contriuing matters well by his owne wit , is not so great , as is the losse and ignominy ( when for want of counsell ) a man entreth a wrong course . besides , salomon doth commend this wisedome vnto vs often , to take heed of hastinesse , headinesse , and selfe-will ; and to beware of ouer-weening in our owne reach : prouerbs , . . without counsell , thoughts , that is , intents and purposes , come to nought : but in the multitude of counsell there is stedfastnesse . and . . establish thy thoughts by counsell , and by counsell make warre . whereas on the other side , hast bringeth waste . whosoeuer is hastie , that is , rashly goeth about his businesse without counsell , commeth surely to pouertie . prou. . . that is notable , prouerb . . . seest thou a man hastie in his matters , there is more hope of a foole then of him . the same is said of the conceited man , seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit ? there is more hope of a foole then of him . prou . . when the spirit of god doth so carefully commend this thing to vs , we must needs thereby see , that it is a matter óf great necessitie , and of excellent vse . for , as the prouerbe is , two eyes see more then one . and many times , men see more cleerely in other mens matters then in their owne . in this case also , it is good to looke to the examples of others , and our owne experience in such like cases ; for much light commeth into a wise mans mind by this window . and to the end that thou mayst make thy vse of experience and examples , when occasion shall serue , it is good to marke things which shall fall out , to obserue the beginnings , proceedings , and euents of matters , and to keepe them in mind to stand thee in stead . for he that neuer marketh any thing , it is all one as if he had neuer seene or heard any thing : and such a one must alwayes be running for counsell in euery light matter , or else may take a wrong course , except he can stumble on the right way by good hap . this obseruation , and pondering of euents , with the causes that went before , is the ripener of wit. but idle-mindednesse , and carelesse letting passe of matters , maketh an emptinesse in the head , of such good things as make one man excell another . thirdly , in following thy calling , let not iustice & vpright dealing be forgotten , but order thy dealing by them . if there were no other , yet this reason should weigh with thee , that so thou mightest looke to reape good dealing at other mens hands , as it is said , prou. . . he that followeth after righteousnesse and mercie , shall find life , righteousnesse and glory . whereas such as measure out hard measure to others , haue the like measured to them againe , according to the saying of our sauiour christ. besides , the riches gotten by ill meanes , haue a heauie destinie vttered against them : the gathering of riches by a deceitfull tongue is vanitie , tossed too and fro , of them that seeke death . prou. . . * as iustice and equal dealing towards all men must be looked vnto , so god will haue vs not to omit mercifulnesse and friendly dealing to the poore . be not then so tied to thy businesse , that thou canst neuer looke out to the necessities of others , nor spare time to serue their occasions . among many waies of helping the poore , which are commanded , this is one , to go or ride for them , to saue them from wrong , or to further them in their right ; to be their mouth to pleade for them , when by feare and simplicitie they cannot pleade for themselues . and toward them especially a sparing hand is forbidden , & that with a sore item , prou. . . he that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore , he shall also crie , and not be heard . and to shew liberalitie , ( especially to the saints and faithfull , ) there is perswasion with a sweete promise . prou. . . he that hath mercie vpon the poore , lendeth vnto the lord , and the lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen . if any feare , that if he tie himselfe so short , as neuer to passe the bounds of equitie , & besides , open his hand so wide to the poore , he shall neuer liue and thriue of his calling : let him remember what is written , prouerb . . . commit thy workes to the lord , and thy thoughts shall be directed . and let that promise encourage him to follow the lord whithersoeuer he calleth , notwithstanding any feare or misdoubt . besides , let him haue that in mind , which is in prou. . . against couetousnesse , and posting to be rich : a man with a wicked eye hasteth to be rich , and knoweth not that pouertie shall come vnto him . and againe , in the . verse , he that maketh hast to be rich , shal not be innocent . whereto agreeeth that of saint paul. . tim. . . . he that will be rich falleth into tentation and snares , &c. and the vanitte of riches ill gotten , or ill kept , is declared , prou. . . and . . hereunto men must ioyne contentation , with that allowance which god as a wise father ( that knoweth what is best ) maketh vnto them . for a restlesse and vncontented mind , breedeth hast-making to riches , drieth vp the riuers of liberalitie , and setteth the conscience vpon the racke ; and stretcheth it beyond the bounds of equitie and iust dealing , when hope of gaine is offered . wherefore salomon , ( to preuent those euils in men , and to make them to like of their present estate , telleth them , that better is a little with righteousnesse , then great reuenues without equitie ; and the like is in psal. . . there is a double reason for this : first , because store gotten with wrong , breedeth a sore trouble , sometime of mind and conscience , and sometimes outward ; whiles the right owner of the goods suffereth thee not to go so quietly away with them : or god stirreth thee vp an enemy mightier then thy selfe , that shall pull from thee , as thou didst from another . the second is , because such haue the hatred of manie , for that which they purloyne or get by wrong and oppression : which a good man would not haue for so small commoditie . hitherto we haue shewed what thou must sticke vnto in following thy calling . now concerning other things not vnworthie to be mentioned , as of him that would prouide for his family well . though we would not haue a man faine himselfe poore , and a niggard , when he hath abundance , as a number do , by whining and complaining without cause , who are neither good to the common-wealth , nor kinde to themselues : yet it is not wisedome to carry an higher port and countenance in the world then a mans ability will warrant . such shall be enuied : so long as they do beare it out by the hard-edge , they shall be layd at for charges ; and if through necessity in the end they be faine to yeeld , they shall be scorned of their enuiers , and little pitied of all others . wherefore it is wisedome rather to beare a low sayle , and to keepe within compasse , and rather to come short of that thou mightest do , remembring that which is , prou. . . he that is despised , and is his owne man , is better then he that boasteth himselfe , and lacketh bread . againe , as they which loue to pearke alost , and desire to be carried with a full sayle by the winde a of ambition , and b vaine-glory , rather then to haue sea-roome , do oftentimes rush vpon the rocks of want , and there sticke till they sinke : so they , which in feare of such rockes chuse to ride with halfe or quarter sayle , where they haue not roome at will , are more safe from danger , and may more conueniently prouide against a tempest . yea , they may so faile , that when god shall remoue them hence , they shall not be constrained to leaue their children to the wide world , which thing nature bindeth a man to haue a care of . another rule may be drawne out of that which is prou. . . a wise sonne gathereth in sommer : but he that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of confusion . where he teacheth , that when a man spieth an opportunitie of honest gaine and commoditie , he is to follow that while the time serueth : but he that for a small matter , letteth slip occasions , and reckoneth of this time and that time , this day and that day , thinking then to haue more fit opportunity , that will bring all to nothing . a good neighbour ( saith one ) is a good thing . agreeable to this , salomon saith , prou. . . a friend loueth at all times . and . . a friend is nearer then a brother . as if he should say , there is many a friend that is more kinde then a brother , & more readie to do pleasure then he that is more bound by nature and dutie . he saith also , prou. . . as oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart , so doth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by hearty counsell . that is also notable , which is , vers . . iron sharpneth iron , so doth a man the face of his friend : to wit , because mutuall communication of friends one with another , quickeneth the spirit , and cheereth the heart . all these places containe motiues , to giue heed to this exhortation , verse . thine owne friend , and thy fathers friend , for sake not , neither enter into they brothers house in the day of thy calamity : for better is a neighbour that is neare , then a brother that is farre off . in the end of the eighteenth chapter , verse . he sheweth how a man shall preserue this treasure which is so good : a man that hath friends , must shew himselfe friendly . hereto agreeth that of the heathen : he that would haue a good neighbour , must be a good neighbour . in the . verse , he seemeth to giue a rule for the right order of managing a mans houshold affaires ; saying : prepare thy worke without , and make readie thy things in the field , and afterward thou mayest build thine house . as though he should say , first looke after things that are needfull and necessarie for house-keeping , as that thou mayest haue prouision &c : and then , when that is prouided for , thou mayest fall a trimming vp of thy house . but many fooles beginne first to decke their houses , before they lay for necessaries , and are faine afterwards to sell their ornaments with losse , to prouide more necessarie matters . it is a good point of wisedome , to beare the want of that longest , which may best be spared . the last rule is , that a good gouernour of a familie , for the better maintenance of his familie , must be frugal , or ( to speake english ) a good husband , that is , spating and sauing , and that he so order and moderate himselfe , that if his goods and reuenues be not sufficient for him and his charge , he make himselfe sufficient for his goods , and dispose of himselfe according to the old prouerbe : to cut his coate according to his cloth , and to eate within nis owne tether . yet we would not haue him pinching , or niggardly , and so dried vp for liberality , that nothing should be wrong from him for good vses . that is too farre on the left hand , as prodigalitie is on the right . but where there is no iust cause to spend or lay out , and it might be as well spared , there we would haue him saue . for his riches be the lords goods , which god hath made him a steward of . when the lord therfore willeth him to open his hand , there let him not be straight handed , but where nothing but vnruly lusts and pompe , or vaine glory , bid him draw , there is he to hold fast : for he is an ill steward that will lay out his maisters goods where there is no need , or where lesse would serue . there be many , who of a greedy and couetous mind , will easily imbrace this precept of sparing : but as they do it with a wrong purpose so they faile in the matters wherein they should saue and be sparing . many misers pinch their seruants in their meate and drinke , allowing them not enough , or not good enough , and this they take for frugalitie and thrift : whereas to pranke , and pricke vp themselues in brauery , and that sometimes aboue their calling , they are very lauish . this is no more to be counted frugalitie , or good husbandry , then to roba poore man to giue to the rich , is true liberalitie . when therefore thou thinkest of sparing , let not the greedy desire of gathering draw thee to it , but conscience of well vsing that which god hath lent thee . and this mind will draw thee to spare and saue onely there , where it may be well done , and not there where in conscience thou oughtest to spend . now the better to further out selues in this honest thriftinesse , or frugalitie , which is called of one , a great reuenue : the occasions of needlesse expences must be auoided . loue not mirth and pastime , for they haue oft occasion of expences . againe , they cause losse of time , and neglect of businesse at home , yea , and often men do buy their pleasure with losse in their goods , while retchlesse maisters haue either theeuish or carelesse seruants . therfore salomon telleth such their fortune , prou. . . he that loueth mirth or pastime , will be a poore man. secondly , a sweete tooth , and a faire mouth , that is daintinesse , or choicenesse in diet , is an enemy to frugalitie : a needlesse charge , to delight in the taste for a moment , whereas wholesome meate and drinke , would be more ease for the purse , and more healthfull for the body . he that loueth wine and oyle , that is , sweete delicates for his senses , will not be rich , pro. . . in this ranke doth march gluttonte : i meane cramming and pampering of the body , and also drunkennesse . these dull the mind and wit , darken reason , and make a man become sottish . besides , they stuffe the body with grosse humors , which breed diseases , & diseases bring other charges of physicke , or at least , losse of time , and neglect of businesse , which do cost a man as much as his diet wherein he was excessiue : so that these euils haue double expences . to be briefe in this point , god hauing set the destiny of the drunkard and the glutton , namely , that many euils , and namely pouertie , shall betide them , prouer. . . . . . by some way or other he will effect his iudgement : for no one peece of his word shall fall to the ground . a great back-friend to thrift is good fellowship , and company keeping : for it hath losse of time , and draweth thee away from thy calling , and hindereth the due ouerseeing of good husbands affaires : it maketh a man ouerslip occasions of doing good things in a due and fit season : besides , it draweth home others to thy house , or draweth thee to others houses , as tauernes , alehouses , and such like , the haunting wherof is a thing of no good report : and it maketh thee lauish in spending , or else it is no good fellowship , ( as they say ) and by meanes thereof thou shalt feed the gluttons , and spend that vpon others , which belongeth to thine owne family : which salomon saith , pro. . . is shame to thy father . thy company keeping hath many other enormities : he that toucheth pitch , shal be defiled therewith . and as thou art a partie with him in his euils , so shalt thou be also in his punishment : the companion os fooles shall be afflicted . wherefore auoide such , and rather follow the wife : he that walketh with the wise , shall be wise : who are they ? euen they that haue the lippes of knowledge , whose words teach good things . but such whose talke is nothing but froth , their words vnsauoury , bringing no good to the hearers : though there be no outward euill in their liues , yet they must not be admitted for companions , further then vpon some vrgent occasion thou must deale with them : prou. . . depart from the foolish man , when thou perceiuest not in him the 〈◊〉 of knowledge . as to haue a faithfull friend , is a matter auailable to thrift , so by some friends a man may be endammaged . there is a friendship , which is very costly , and chargeable to maintaine . he that desireth familiarity with great men , must haue other things suteable ; as costly apparell , well trimmed houses , often inuitings to bankets to recompence their kindnesse , he must follow their humours , and not sticke to neglect his affaires to keepe them company . this will cost a man sweetly , but what shall he gaine ? a friendly countenance before his face , and perhaps a dry floure behind his backe , especially if things go not well with him for the world : then oh it is pittie , a frank hearted man , no bodies foe but his owne , and such like . salomon giueth thee warning of this kinde of friendship , prou. . . . . there is another mans friendship , which salomon would haue thee to auoide as hurtfull vnto thee , prou. . . make no friendship with an angrie man , neither go with the furious . the cholericke man , though neuer so good a fellow while he is pleased , yet is soone turned to hate thee . and no beauier foe , then he that was a friend : which salomon declareth , a brother offended , is harder to winne then a strong citie , and their contentions are like the barre of a pallace . if a man could alwayes keepe in with the angrie man ( which cannot be done without putting vp many iniuries ) yet may that be hurtfull : for the wise man addeth , lest thou learne his wayes : that is , become like to him in furiousnesse , and that is as hurtfull on the other side . for the furious man aboundeth in transgressions , which do often cost him the setting on , euen from men , who being by his rage hurt , or reproached , do watch their occasions to worke him some woe . whereupon we say in a common prouerbe : the angrie man neuer wanteth woe . there be also trencher friendes , who to winne fauour and good will , will smooth it in words , fawne , and glauer : they will say as you say , and bring you tales of your enemie , so to feed your humour , that he may winde within you : a beast that biteth sorest of all tame 〈◊〉 for whiles a simple-hearted man suspecteth no hurt , he watcheth his occasions to speed himselfe of a booty : a matter , that by the counsell of the holy ghost oft repeated in the prouerbs , is as carefully to be auoided , as it is hurtfull to a mans estate . if he can do none of these , yet he hath not lost his labour : for he had many a good welcome for his faire talke : and by often resorting to thy house , he hath furnished himselfe with some thing to discredite thee , except thou hast walked maruellous warily , which a man can hardly do before flatterers . to end this matter of friendship , haue some neare friends , but not many . choose the best nature 〈◊〉 and the best graced ; that is , such as besides single-heartednesse & plaine simplicitie , are by grace brought to haue conscience of their dealing . and lest vnder a shew of simplicitie , wilinesse should be hid , trie before you trust , and grow into familiaritie not all at a push , but by steppes ; tell things of no great secrecy ( as secrets ) to try their taciturnity . be not ouer credulous , vpon sight of a little kindnesse , to account them amongst thy nearest friends . many haue bene wiped of their commodities by falsehood in fellowship . some haue bene betrayed by vntrusty friends , and brought into great troubles . many opening their mindes to blabbes that can keepe nothing , haue their purposes openly knowne and scanned , before they can compasse them , and so are oftentimes preuented through the malice of their enuiers . wherefore , except a man can find a faithfull friend indeed , it is good to remember the old saying : my secrets to my selfe ; whereto our common prouerbe answers : two may keepe counsell , if one be away . the wiseman ascribeth it to folly , to powre out a mans secrets lightly : the foole powreth out all his mind , but the wise man keepeth it in . as hurt commeth by some friends , so also by enemies many are sore annoyed . what charges in lawing , and other troubles be there in the world , through enmitie ? wherefore it is good wisedome by all good meanes to auoide breaches which breed enmitie : and by all friendly , iust , and wise dealing , to keepe peace and good wil , euen with the meanest . the weakest enemy is not to be contemned . it shall go hard but at one time or other , he will worke thee some displeasure ; at least his mouth shall alwaies be open to speake ill , to misconster thy actions , and to blaze abroad thy infirmities and scapes . he that would haue no enemies , must make himselfe none , by vniust , vnkind , or vnneighbourly dealing ; but he must rather by couttecusnesse of speech , helpfulnesse , and good neighbourhood , win the loue and liking of men : yet a man may be too wise in this point . many being ioth to incurre any mans displeasure , will not seeke to vphold right and equitie , they will not speake for the poore , nor stand out to maintaine gods cause , when he is dishonored by open sin : as swearing , lying , rayling , and such like . many to keepe in with all , vse all companies alike : for auoiding a mans company breedeth a grudge . but the good will of men is neuer to be purchased with forsaking of duty . such things as may iustly be ill taken , auoyde for peace sake . whereof the wiseman noteh some : as medling in others mens matters . he that medleth with a strife that belongeth not to him , is as he that taketh a dog by the cares : that is , casteth himselfe into dangers . . be not hasty to go to law , no not in a right cause , but agree at home . for besides that a man doth seldome scape without great losse , ( in which respect it is also to be auoided , as an enemy to thrift ) thy neighbour is openly put to reproach , he becometh thy mortall enemy , and will alwayes watch to do thee hurt . . sometime to seeke recompence of a wrong breedeth greater malice in the authour of the wrong , aud maketh him double it ; as a man spurreth his horse for kicking , when he was spurred . say not , i will recompence euill , but wait vpon the lord , and he will saue thee . . ost haunting of another mans house may bring thee into mislike : wherfore the wiseman saith , withdraw thy foote from thy neighbours house , lest he be wearie of thee , and hate thee . if by carefull auoiding of all iust occasions , thou canst not auoide ill will , ( as the world loueth none but her owne ) neuer seeke to win fauour by departing from duty , but commit thy self to god , and turne thy mind to make vse of thine enemy . let enmitie , which is alwayes prying , and seeking occasions to hurt , by word or deed , make thee to walke , not more closely , but more vprightly : and then mayest thou defie thine enemy : for be that walketh vprightly , walketh boldly . another enemy to thrift , ( which is also a breaker of peace and good will among men ) is much borrowing . he that is to borrow , doth spend much time , and le ts slip many occasions of doing his businesse in the due season : he must repay in better measure then he borrowed , or else ill words , or ill will , will follow . if it be a matter of any value which is borrowed , then as salomon saith , the borrower is seruant to the lender : that is , beholding to him , and in his danger . the thriftiest men loue least to be beholding to others , and therefore seldome seeke , and often refuse , euen when they be offered to receiue benefits at others mens hands . he that goes a borrowing , goes a sorrowing : and euery deniall he receiues , where he thinkes he should speed , is the seed of grudge in the minde of the denyer , & of him who is denied . but of all borrowing , to borrow vp on vsury is the dearest buying , and the rankest poyson to thrift . when dauid would wish a sore plague to his enemy , he prayeth , that he may be giuen into the vsurers hand ; let the vsurer eate him vp : if the vsurer be a deuourer , woe be to them that come in his hands . to auoide borrowing , a good husband must cut off all vnnecessary expences , that he may haue all necessaries in his house . to auoide borrowing of money take heed of suretiship , of dealing in bargaines , which you are not fully able to compasse : of dealing with many things , and hauing too many irons in the fire at once . looke how you may compasse matters before you enterprise them . prouide long before against any day of payment , and haue not money to seeke vpon the sudden : for that driues a man to borrowing , yea , to vsury ; or to sell robbin hoods peny-worths . besides , he must keepe none in his house idle , or halfe set to worke ; none more then needes must . let euery one haue his charge , that will throughly occupy him . also , looke that they do their taskes euery one in his place : and haue an often eye vnto them , whether they haue done as they should do . the maisters eye maketh a fat horse : so also the mistris eye maketh a friendly dairy . except you haue rare seruants , such as truly feare , god , and haue good consciences , trust them not further then you see them , except necessitie driue you . hitherto of the duties that be belonging to the chiefe ruler os the familie , that is , the husband , touching honest prouision for it . now seeing that god hath ioyned the wife to her husband as an helper , she must help him in the prouision for her family , so much as lieth in her power , and is meete for to do . and indeed her industrie and wisedome may do much herein , that though her husband should be much wanting in his dutie , yet she might hold in the goale . thus many haue done , and so salomon saith , the wise woman will do : a wise woman buildeth her house . but it is not euery womans case , because that all are not wise , as she that salomon speaketh of . this wise woman is els-where called a gracious woman , prou. . . and a vertuous woman , prou. . . because many graces and vertues meete together in her . for she is to her husband , dutifull , faithfull , and louing . towards those of her familie , wise and prudent . in her businesse , diligent , & painfull . towards her neighbour , modest , humble , kinde , and quiet . first , if she be not subiect to her husband , to let him rule all the hous-hold , especially outward affaires : if she will make against him , and seeke to haue her owne wayes , there will be doing and vndoing . things will go backward , the house will come to ruine : for god will not blesse where his ordinance is not obeyed . this is allowable , that she may in modest sort shew her mind ; and a wise husband will not disdaine to heare her aduice , and follow it also , if it be good . but when her way is not liked of , though it be the best way , she may not thereupon set all at sixe and seuen , with what should i labour and trauaile ? i see my husband taketh such wayes , that he will bring all to nothing . this were nothing else , but when she seeeth the house falling , to helpe to pull it downe faster . salomon saith , the wise-woman buildeth her house ; much more then doth she vnderprop it , and hold it vp , that by her husbands vndiscreet dealing it be not pulled downe . she must not thinke her selfe freed from dutie , because he walketh not in his dutie ; but hold her place , and labour for her part to vphold all : and so god will either blesse the workes of her hands , to the maintenance of the house ; or giue her husband more wisedome and care : or else giue her a contented mind with a low estate , which is great riches . one point of subiection is , to be content with such apparell and outward port as her husbands estate can allow her . they faile in this , who by importunitie and disquietnesse , wring from their husbands more then he can well cut out from his reuenues , or gettings . it is a part of vnthankfulnesse , secretly to purloyne and powle from him , for to prancke vp her children , or her selfe , her house , and chambers in brauerie : and besides , it is a close vndermining of her house . loue and peaceablenesse in the wife towards her husband , is auaileable for the weale of the family . for where they agree louingly , there they counting the good of the one the benefite of the other , do ioyntly watch against all such things in their family , as might endammage it . there the seruants know , that in pleasing one they shall please both : and contrariwise , be carefull in all things to deale well : whereas diuision in the gouernours maketh partaking in the seruants ; and when they care not for pleasing , but onely that side which they affect , all such kind of seruice is but smally beneficiall to thriuing . it can hardly be auoyded , but there will be some squaring and diuersity betweene the man and his wife : but they must labour to compose such matters priuately and quickly , that they grow not to breaches , for they be dangerous to thrist . let there be therefore reasonings secretly betweene themselues , of such matters as might breede a scarre ; and let them be soone ended after the occasion is offered , before the mindes be much exaspetated . let there be no hard words of either side , not opening of old matters . let it be done priuately betweene themselues , and not before children , or seruants : for they will not sticke to carrie tales , to please the humour of the partie to whom they are most affected . besides , they will spie your infirmities , and grow to a lesse regard of you , and they will blaze abroad such matters to your discredit . now for her behauiour towards her seruants and children , if it be prudent and with wisedome , it doth much good in a house : but it containeth many points . that which her care for the most part rendeth vnto , is sauing . she that will be a good sauer , must not be a slender huswife , but skilfull in all points , whereof she shall haue vse in her familie . she must not let her maides haue their owne wayes , for want of skill : but she must be able to direct and prescribe , what , and how , in euery businesse . where she hath little skill , by reason of her education , she must be carefull by conferring , and marking to learne skill , against she is to deale in such things , that she may be able to direct her seruants , and to finde them out when they haue done amisse . she must haue a good fore-cast to contriue and dispatch things in due time , and good order , that necessaries be not wanting when they should be vsed , & confusion do not make more labour then is needfull . she must be wise , to marke the nature of her seruants and children , to deale with them as their natures require , for the training of them to her hand . all must not be dealt with one way : and yet many haue no way but one to deale withall : and that is chiding , and brawling , which they fall to vpon euery occasion , and that wearieth seruants , and maketh often changes , discourageth children , and maketh both carelesse , whether they do their duties or no : yea it breedeth stubburnnesse , frowardnesse , and contempt in their mindes . she must be wise , to marke and see what needlesse burthens , vnnecessarie expences and losses there do vpon occasions fall out within doores , and preuent such occasions afterwards . she must know the best wayes of doings things to greatest vse , with least charges . briefly , she must know which way to saue a penny , and lay about her to saue it , for many a little maketh a great deale . she must know what is meete for seruants , what for workemen , and what not : what is meete for ordinarie , and what is meete for strangers . aboue all , she must know how to keepe within her compasse , and yet to auoid the reproch of a pincher . she must know what seruants may do within the compasse of so much time , and what is aboue their strength . she must haue a diligent eye to the behauiour of her seruants , what meetings and greetings , what tickings and toyings , and what words and countenances there be betweene men and maides , lest such matters being neglected , there follow wantonnesse , yea folly , within their houses , which is a great blemish to the gouernours . in her businesse she must be diligent and painfull . hither to belongeth that prou. . . she riseth before day : and verse . her candle is not put out by night . she borroweth of the morning and the euening , for to dispatch her businesse . when she is vp , doth she sit downe and cap a stoole ? no , she looketh that her seruants haue their necessaries , that they may go soone to their worke : she setteth her maides to worke : and tasketh them , to keepe them occupied : yea , she suffers none to be idle in her house , but either doing somewhat that is profitable , or else learning somewhat that is meet for them . she must not thinke to sit and command , but she must be a stirrer in euery place , to ouersee whether duty be done of all hands , and that in good sort , yea , and to quicken the diligence of her family : and that things may be well done , she must be at an end of euery good worke , sometimes setting to her hands to encourage the doer , sometimes gently teaching , sometimes commending , sometimes speaking faire , but neuer brawling : sometimes shewing what is amisse in gentle language , letting them see what losse commeth by ill doing of a thing : sometimes friendly putting them in minde , how by sloth , forgetfulnesse , or sluttishnesse , they shall get an ill name for their seruice , and so become turneawayes from euery good house . she must lay a diligent eye to her household-stuffe in euery roome , that nothing be embezelled away , nothing spoiled or lost for want of looking to , nothing marde by ill vsage , nothing worne out by more vsing then is needfull , nothing out of place . for things cast aside are deemed to be stolen , and then there followeth vncharitable suspitions , which breed much disquietnesse . and though nice dames thinke it an vnseemely thing for them to soyle their hands about any houshold matters , ( and therefore if they do any thing , it is but pricking of a clout ) yet the vertuous woman ( as prouer. . . ) girdeth her loynes with strength , and strengtheneth her armes : that is , she setteth her selfe painefully about some worke that is profitable : for she selleth it afterwards . verse , . yea , the particular worke is described : she seeketh wooll and flaxe , &c. she putteth her band to the wheele , and her hands handle the spindle : she maketh carpets . the meaning is : that she getteth some matter to worke on , that she may exercise her selfe and her familie in , and it is not some idle toy , to make the world gay withall , but some matter of good vse : her familie is clothed with double , and her husband is knowne in the gate , he is so comely and trimly apparelled by her diligence at home , that he is in regard among men , and knowne when he goeth . but what need such as can liue by their lands , to labour with their hands ? what neede had the woman that salomon speaketh of ? the conscience of doing good in the world should draw them to do that which no neede driueth them vnto . remēber that the vertuous woman stretcheth out her hand to the poore and needie , prou. . . she giueth not of her husbands , she giueth of her owne : she found a way to do good without the hurt of her husband . s. paul requireth , that women should aray themselues with good works , the comeliest ornament in the world , if women had spirituall eyes to discerne it . dorcas in the actes , teacheth wiues how to get this array , for she made garments to cloath the naked and the poore . thus might women finde how to set themselues a worke , though they could liue of their owne . but for such as haue but a meane allowance , god thereby sheweth , that he will haue them occupie themselues in some honest labour to keepe them from idlenesse , and the euils that issue there-from . they therefore must labour , if not to sell cloth , as salomons woman did , nor to cloath the poore , as dorcas did ; yet to cloath her family , that they may not care for the cold . let her auoide such occasions as may draw her from her calling . she must shake of sloth , and loue of ease : she must auoyd gossiping , further then the law of good neighbourhood doth require . s. paul would haue a woman a good home keeper . the vertuous woman is neuer so wel , as when she is in the middest of her affaires . she that much frequenteth meetings of gossips , seldome commeth better home . some count it a disgrace to come much abroad , least they should be counted gossips , which name is become odious : but they must haue tatlers come home to them , to bring them newes , and to hold them in a tale , lest they should be thought to be idle without a cause . they perceiue not how time runneth , nor how vntowardly their busines goeth forward while they sit idle . they know not , that great tale-bringers be as great carriers , and that such make their gaine of carrying and recarrying . the wise woman will be warie whom she admitteth into her house to sit long there , knowing that their occupations is but to marke and carry . towards her neighbours she is not sowre , but curteous , not disdainefull to the basest , but affable with modestie : no fcorner , nor giber , but bearing with infirmities , and making the best of things : not ready to stomacke them for euery light matter , and so to looke big , but passing by offences for vnities sake ; not angrie , but milde : not bold , but bashfull ; not full of words , powring out all her mind , and babling of her household matters , that were more fitter to be concealed , but speaking vpon good occasion , and that with discretion . let her heare and see , and say the best , and yet let her soone breake off talke with such in whom she perceiueth no wisedome , nor sauour of grace . let her not be light to beleeue reports , nor ready to tell them againe to fill the time with talke : for silence is farre better then such vnsauory talke . let her not be churlish , but helpefull in all things to preuent breaches ; or else to make them vp againe , if by the waywardnesse of others there be any made . let her not be enuious , but glad of the good of others , nor fond of euery thing that she seeth her neighbour haue , but wisely considering what is meete for her selfe , & what her state wil beare . let her not be garish in apparell , but sober and modest : not nice nor coy , but handsome and huswife-like : no talker of other mens matters , nor giuen to speake ill of any , for feare of the like measure , math. . . . the dutie of the husband towards his wife . this dutie consisteth seuerally in these three points . first , that he liue with his wife discreetly , according vnto knowledge . secondly , that he be not bitter , fierce , and cruell vnto her . thirdly , that he loue , cherish , and nourish his wife , euen as his owne body , and as christ loued the church , and gaue himselfe for it , to sanctifie it . but before we shall speake of these three points , we will a little touch the originall and beginning of holy wedlocke ; what it is , when , where , how , and of whom it was instituted and ordained . wedlocke or matrimonie , is a lawfull knot , and vnto god 〈◊〉 : acceptable a yoking and ioyning together of b one man and one woman , with the good consent of them both : to the end that they may dwell together in friendship and honesty , one helping and comforting the other , eschuing whoredome , and all vncleannesse , bringing vp their children in the feare of god : or it is a coupling together of two persons into one flesh , according to the ordinance of god ; not to be broken , but so to continue during the life of either of them , gen. . malach. . . rom. . . by yoking , ioyning , or coupling , is meant , not onely outward dwelling together of the married folkes , as to be ordinarily in a dwelling place for the better performance of mutuall duties each to other , mat. . . . corin. . . . . . pet. . . ruth . . . . but also an vniforme agreement of mind , and a common participation of body and goods ; for as much as the lord saith , that they two shall be one flesh : that is , one body . this is to be remembred , that matrimonie , or wedlocke , must not onely be a coupling together , but also must be such a coupling together as cometh of god , and is not contrary to his word and will. for there be some mariages made whom god coupleth not together , but carnall lust , beauty , riches , goods and landes , flatterie and frienship . in such marriages god is not thought vpon , and therefore they sinne the more against him . these and such like marriages be disliked and condemned in the scripture , gene. . . &c. math. . . . god himselfe did appoint and ordaine matrimonie in paradice ; so that he is the author of the same , gen. . yea , and so our sauiour christ himselfe ( who was the very naturall sonne of god ) being borne in wedlocke , ( although of a pure virgin ) did honour & commend matrimony , while he did vouchsafe to shew his first miracle ( ioh. . . ) at a marriage : whereby he did declare , that the lord is able to make the bitternesse of mariage sweet , & the scarcity thereof to abound with plenty . and the apostle giueth this excellent title to marriage ; saying , that it is * ( honourable among all ) heb . . that is , among all estates , and all nations . matrimony then , being an indissoluble bond and knot , whereby the husband and wife are fastened together by the ordinance of god , is e fatte straighter then any other coniunction in the society of mankind . in somuch that it is a lesse offence for a man to forsake father and mother , and to leaue them succourlesse , ( who notwithstanding ought , by gods commandement to be honoured ) then it is for him to do the like towards his lawfull maried wife . wherfore let them looke well what they do , that are ready for light and small causes to separate man and wife : seeing that christ himselfe saith , mat. . . that whosoeuer is separated from his wife , sauing for whordome , and marrieth another , committeth adultery . this is a thing worthy to be remembred , both on the behalfe of the suter and wooer , as also on her part that is wooed : namely , that they deale plainely and faithfully one with the other , and not guilefully , & craftily go about to deceiue one the other , in body or in goods . for so doing , they shall neuer vse one the other so louingly and commodiously as they hoped and desired they might , when the one hath fraudulently and deceitfully enticed and beguiled the other , either in body or substance : for naturally we hate him or her , that doth be guile vs. neither is there any thing that displeaseth a man or woman more , then to lacke and faile of a thing they both hoped and looked for . and therefore it were conuenient , and also much better , that both parties should disclose the one to the other , the imperfections , infirmities , and wants , in either of their bodies ; as also the mediocrity and meannesse of their goods and substance , as in truth it is : yea , though it should be with perill and losse one of the other , rather then the one to obtaine and get the other , with fraude , guile , and discord . but before we shall come to speake of the causes of marriage , we purpose ( god so willing ) briefly to shew , how euery one that intendeth to marry , should choose him a meet , fit , and honest mate : for there lieth much weight in the wise election and choise of a wife . as he that will plant any thing , doth first consider the nature of the ground in the which he mindeth to plant : euen so much more ought a man to haue respect to the condition of the woman , out of whom he desireth to plant children , the fruites of honestie and welfare . the first thing that is to be remembred of such a one as mindeth to marry , is , that he do not chuse his wife within such degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie , as are by f gods law forbidden . secondly , g religion and faith must be considered , lest he make diuorce of the true faith , or bring it into perill . for although he thinke himselfe as wise as h salomon , and as strong as i sampson , yet may he be ouercome as they were . therefore great aduertisement before-hand is to be taken in this behalfe , left afterwards , with much griefe and sorrow of heart he do too late repent . now if any that hath matched himselfe with a wife that is an infidell , irreligious , or of a corrupt religion , would put her away for this matter , herein he deceiueth himselse , as the apostle manifestly proueth . for we must put a difference betweene that mariage that is made and done already , & that which is yet to do . wherefore he that is snared and matched with such a wife as is either froward , waiward , or else is poisoned with superstition and poperie , in such a case must call vpon god , and liue in his feare , in faithfulnes , in patience , with discretion & godly counsell , labouring to win her from the same . for like as the husband-man doth with great labour and diligence , till that ground which he hath once taken to farme , although it be neuer so full of faults : as if it be dry , if it bring forth weeds , brambles , or briers ; or though it cannot beare much wet ; yet through good husbandry he winneth fruit thereof . euen so in like maner , he that hath married a wife that is irreligious or froward , if he shall vse like diligence to instruct and order her minde , if he diligently and courteously apply himselfe to weede away by little and little the noysome weeds out of her mind , both by wholesome and godly precepts , and by christian conuersation ; it can not be but in time he shall feele the pleasant fruite thereof to both their comforts . euery one therefore that purposeth to marry , ought also to remember that there be three manner of riches in man. . the riches of the mind . , the riches of the body . . the riches of temporall substance . the best and the most precious , are the riches of the mind : as without which the other two are more hurtful then profitable . the riches of the minde , are the feare of god , faith , a desire of gods glory , the knowledge of his will , sobernesse , liberalitie , chastitie , silence , humblenesse , honestie , and such like vertues . these vertues lie not still , neither hide themselues wheresoeuer they be , but will breake out diuers waies , so that they may well be spied and discerned . as then a traueller hath marked in his way , that he may proceede aright so likewise the man or woman that intendeth to marrie , haue also markes in their wayes , by which they may make a right choise . there be certaine signes of this fitnesse and godlinesse , both in the man and in the woman ; so that if the man be desirous to know a godly woman , or the woman would know who is a godly man : then let them obserue and marke these sixe points . . — the report . . — the lookes . . — the speech . . — the apparell . . — the companions . . — lastly , the education and bringing vp , which are like the pulses , that shew whether a man be sicke or whole , well or ill . the report , name , or fame , that he or she hath had , and yet haue , and what opinion honest folkes haue of them ; because as the market goeth , so the market-men will talke . a good man and a good woman , commonly haue a good name , because a good name is one of the blessings which god promiseth to good men and good women . but a good name is not to be praysed from the wicked ; and therefore our sauiour christ saith , woe be to you , when all men speak well of you : luke . . that is , when euill men praise and commend you ; for that is a plaine argument , that you are ambitious , vaine-glorious , and of the world : for the world liketh and praiseth her owne . ioh. . . neuerthelesse , it is conuenient that euery christian should so liue in the world , that although he cannot say as christ said , whuh of you can rebuke me of sinne ? ioh. . . yet so as in truth he may with a good conscience boldly say ; which of you can accuse me oflying , sweating , whoring , dissembling , dishonesty , deceit , couetousnesse , or such like ? though therefore , no man can cleere himselfe in thought before god , of these and other notorious vices , yet euery one before men should auouch it , and approue it in their doing ; and liue so vprightly , holily , iustly , and vnblameably , that none could iusily charge them with any open sinne . luke . . . iob. . . . thessal . . . and . . tit. . . . pet. . . the next signe is , the looke ; for as salomon saith ; the wisedome of a man doth make his face to shine , eccles. . . that is , procureth him fauour and good liking . so also , godlinesse is in the face of a man , or of a woman ; and so likewise , follie and wickednesse may many times be seene and discerned by the face of a man or a woman . and therefore it is said in esay , the triall of their countenance testifieth against them : as though their looks could speake . and therefore we reade of proud lookes , and angrie lookes , and wanton lookes , because they bewray pride , and anger , and wantonnesse . it is truly said , that a modest man dwells at the signe of a modest countenance , and an honest woman dwelleth at the signe of an honest face : which may fitly be compared to the gate of the temple , that was called beautifull : shewing , that if the entrie be so beautifull , within is great beautie . to shew how a modest countenance , and womanly shamefastnesse do commend a chast wife , it is obserued , that the word nuptiae , doth declare the manner of her marriage : for it importeth a couering ; because virgines which should be married , when they came to their husbands , for modestie and shamefastnesse did couer their faces : as we reade of rebecca , who when the saw isaac , and knew that he should be her husband , cast a vayle before her face : shewing that modesty should be learned before marriage , which is the dowrie that god addeth to her portion . the third signe is her talke or speech , or rather her silence . for a man or a womans talking , is the mirrour and messenger of the mind , in the which it may commonly be seene without , in what case the man or woman is within , according to the common prouerb : such as the man or woman is , such is their talke . now silence is the best ornament of a woman and therefore the law was giuen to the man rather then to the woman , to shew that he should be the teacher , and she the hearer ; and therefore she is commanded to learne of her husband . . cor. . . . as the eccho answereth but one word for many , which are spoken to her ; so a maids answer shoud be in a word : for she which is full of talke , is not likely to prooue a quiet wife . the eye and the speech , are as the glasses of the mind : for out of the abundance of the heart ( saith our sauiour ) the mouth speaketh . as though by the speech we might know what aboundeth in the heart : and therefore he saith , by thy mordes thoushalt be instified , and by thy words thou shalt be condemned . that is , thou shalt be iustified to be wife , or thou shalt be condemned to be foolish ; thou shalt be iustified to be sober , or thou shalt be condemned to be rash ; thou shalt be iustified to be humble , or thou shalt be condemned to be proud ; thou shalt be iustified to be louing , or thou shalt be condemned to be enuious . therefore salomon saith , a fooles lips are a snare to his owne soule . snares are made for other , but this snare catcheth a mans selfe , because it bewrayeth a mans follie , and causeth his trouble , and bringeth him into discredit . contrariwise , the heart of the wise ( saith salomon ) guideth his mouth wisely , and the words of his mouth haue grace . now to shew that this should be one marke in the choise of a wife ; saloman describing a right wife . saith : she openeth her mouth with wisedome : and the law of grace is in her tongue : for that she delighteth to talke of the word of god. a wife that can speake this language , is better then she which hath all the tongues . but as the open vessels are counted vncleane , so also account that the open mouth hath much vncleannesse . the fourth signe is , the apparell ; for as the pride of the 〈◊〉 is noted , in that he went in purple euery day : so also the humilitie of iohn is noted , in that he went in haire-cloth euery day . for doubtlesse by a man or a womans apparell , excessiue laughter , and going , they may partly be discerned of what disposition they are . it is conuenient that he that will be a suter to a woman , marke what apparell she customably vseth to weare ; whether it be vaine , whorish , wanton , light ; or comely , modest , and mannetly , and beseeming her estate and condition : to wit , honest and sober rayment . for apparell doth often giue a certaine and sure testimonie of pride , lightnesse , wantonnesse , inconstancie , vnshamefastnesse , filthinesse , or vncleaunesse , and other vices , or vertues , that be either in the man or woman . for a modest man or woman , are for the most part knowne by their sober attire : as the prophet eliah was knowne by his rough garment . so that we are to looke for no better within , then we see without ; for euery one seemeth better then they be . if then the face be vanitie , the heart is pride . he that biddeth vs abstaine from the shew of euill , would haue vs to abstaine from those meanes , husbands or wiues , who haue the shewes of euill : for it is hard to come in the fashion , and not to be in the abuse . and therefore the apostle saith : fashion not your selues like vnto the world ; as though the fashions of men did declare of what side they are . the fift signe is the companie , by meanes whereof much may be perceiued . for as whole and found eyes , with beholding and looking on sore eyes , be annoyed and hurt : euen so , good and honest folkes be oftentimes stayned and hurt with the company of the wicked and vngodly ; according to the common prouerbe : such like is euery one , as the companie is with whom they keepe . for birds of a feather will hold together : and fellowes in sinne , will be fellowes in league ; euen as young rehoboam chose yong companions , . king. . . the tame beast will not keepe with the wilde , not the cleane dwell with the leaprous . if a man can be knowne by nothing else , then he may be known by his companions : for like will to like , as salomon saith ; theeues call one another . therefore when dauid left iniquitie , he said : away from me all ye that worke iniquitie ; shewing , that a man neuer abandoneth euill , vntill he abandon euill company : for no good is concluded in this parliament . therefore chuse such a companion of thy life , as hath chosen companie like thee before . for they which chuse such as loued prophane cōpanions before , in a short time are drawne to be prophane too . the last signe is education , which giueth also great testimonie , namely by whom , and how euery one is brought vp , whether the man or the woman were conuersant among vertuous or vicious persons , and whether the parties hauing cōtinued in the nurture of the vertuous , and shewed themselues obedient to them vnder whom they were brought vp , or whether either of the parties haue broken out of this discipline , and followed his , or her owne wilfulnesse . for it is a small matter for either of them to haue dwelt among , or with vertuous and religious folke : but herein lyeth the force and weight , how farre , and how much , either or both the parties haue followed those , and profited vnder them , and were dutifull and obedient vnto them . for iudas was among , and accompanied with the apostles , brought vp certaine yeares vnder christ , but for all this he was neuer the better : for he left not his wicked pranks , neither was he obedient . neuerthelesse good education and discipline formeth good manners : men and women commonly sauour most of those good or euill things , which in youth they learned . therefore to proue good , honest , and vertuous , it importeth and forceth much , from the infancie to be well gouerned , and christianly brought vp . for we retaine much more of the customes wherewith we be bred , then of the inclinations wherewith we be borne . all these properties are not spied at three or foure commings and meetings of the parties , for hypocrisie is spunne with a fine threed , and none are so often deceiued as louers . he therefore which will know all his wiues qualities : or she that will perceiue her husbands dispositions , and inclinations , before either be married to the other , had need to see one the other eating , and walking , working , and playing , talking and laughing , and chiding too : or else it may be , the one shall haue with the other , lesse then he or she looked for , or more then they wished for . here is to be remembred , a thing adioyned to marriage , and going before it , namely , betrothing , being a solemne and laudable custome of gods children , as is prooued deuteron . . . & . . . this betrothing , is a couenant betweene the parties to be married , before fit witnesses appointed thereto : whereby they giue their troth , that they will , and shall marrie together , except some lawfull vnmeetnesse and disliking each of other do hinder it in the meane time . the practise of it we see , mat. . . luk. . . where the virgine marie was betrothed to ioseph , yet they had not met together , to wit , to accompany together according to the end of marriage . this custome , noted and marked in diuers places of the scripture , hath diuers good grounds to be obserued , which proue that there ought to be a contract before marriage . and for the better vnderstanding of this point of betrothing , it shall not be amisse , in some plaine and short manner , to make knowne the holy doctrine hereof , with the doctrine also of marriage , and marriage duties . first then we must know , that euery marriage that hath bene well and orderly vsed , either of the heathen ( which were onely inlightned with the law of nature ) or of the people of god , who also were to be directed by his word , was perfected by two solemne actions : that is , by an apparent and open contract , and by publicke marriage , the true and vnfained confirmation thereof . wherefore we will first speake of a contract ( which is also called espousing , affiancing betrothing , or handfasting ) then of mariage it selfe . and for betrothing , or espousals , we reade in the writing of ancient philosophers , histories , orators , poets and others , that they be of great antiquity , of necessary vse , and haue bene ordinarily practised . insomuch as the vsers thereof are highly commended , the neglecters and abusers hereof sharpely rebuked & condemned . which seeing they could not do , but vpon knowledge and iudgement , it doth manifestly declare , that they did it by natures law , written and bred in their breasts . and therefore euen nature it selfe ( though in some matters starke blind , and in many of very dimme sight ) hath in all ages , bewrayed the lawfulnesse , the necessity , and the vse of espousals , to be the first step and degree to a lawfull and comforrable marriage . but to omit this law , and to come to the written word , let vs further consider what allowance thereof we find in the same , and consequently what it is , not onely to marry , but to be betrothed , not according to the direction of nature alone , but in the lord also . first it is certaine , that the lord approueth this betrothing as his owne sacred ordinance . for we reade in exodus . . . . . . how carefully he prouideth by sundrie and many straight commandements for the maid-seruant that is betrothed . first , that she shall not go out of her seruice , as the men-seruants do . secondly , that her maister shall haue no power to sell her to a strange people . thirdly , that being betrothed vnto his sonne , he shall deale with her as with his owne daughter . fourthly , if another wife be taken with her , that neither her foode , her rayment , nor recompence of her virginitie , shall any whit at all be diminished . fiftly , that whensoeuer she goeth out of her seruice , she shall pay no money at all . none whereof the lord would haue done ( much lesse all of them ) vnlesse espousals had bene his owne ordinance , instituted , ordained and commanded by himselfe to be vsed , euen of the maid seruant , that was bought and sold. againe , the lord in deuteron . cap. . . &c. requireth no lesse punishment to be inflicted vpon them that violate the bonds of espousall , then if they brake wedlocke . for he commandeth , that if any man shall abuse a betrothed virgin in the citie , both shall be stoned to death , the maide because she cried not , the man because he hath humbled his neighbours wife . where by the way is to be remembred , how god calleth the betrothed a wife . if then such wickednesse by iustice deserueth death , and if betrothed persons be truely to be termed man and wife , onely in regard of the precedent espousals , we may then plainely see , how highly the lord doth esteeme and honour them : the breach whereof he punisheth with the punishment of adultery : and the persons betrothed , he honoureth with the names of man and wife . if indeed he had not ordained and allowed them , but that they had bene of humane institution alone , he would not haue honoured them with such titles , or haue imposed death by stones , for the breach of mans ordinance . againe , if a man abuse a betrothed maid in the field , he saith that the man shall die , but vnto the maid thou shalt do nothing , because there is in the maide no cause of death . now imposing death vpon this man , and not vpon him that abuseth a maid not betrothed , the lord doth hereby euidently teach , that espousals are a degree beyond a single estate , & of the nature of marriage : and therefore the vnlawfull breach thereof deserueth death . for what else should the lord grace them with such large priuiledges , and punish the breach therof with seuere punishment ? further , the faithfull in all ages instructed by these and such commandements , approued and practised these espousals , not only by themselues , but also by their children . sampson , liking and louing a woman of the philistims in timnah , desired his father and mother to giue her vnto him to wife , and so they did : at which time sampson made a feast , according to the custome of the yong men . albeit her father afterwards would not suffer him to marrie her , but gaue her to another ; for which iniury sampson reuenged himselfe of the philistims , by burning vp their shocks and standing corne , vineyards , and oliues : for which the philistims burnt both the father and the daughter . so dauid begged micholl of her father saul , who gaue her vnto him to wife , with condition , that he should bring him a hundred fore-skinnes of the philistims , and therefore when saul was dead , he required her of ishbosheth sauls sonne , who 〈◊〉 her vnto him . also ioseph and marie the mother of christ were betrothed , which god would neuer haue permitted , if it had not bene of his owne ordinance , and agreeable to his owne will , of if it might any manner of way haue stained , 〈◊〉 her iosephs honesty , or maries virginity : nay , if it had not much more graced and adorned both , then the want of espousals could haue done . and to auoyd rediousnesse in so plaine a truth , seeing the scripture giueth power and authoritie to parents , to giue , and not to giue their children in marriage ; saying , let him do what he will. againe : he that giueth her in mariage doth well , and he that giueth her not to marriage doth better , ( whereof we shall speake more at large anone : ) there must needs be before the publicke act of marriage , some speciall time appointed , wherein both parents and parties may testifie and signifie their mutuall liking and consents , vnlesse they despise to marrie in the lord. wherefore , if the law of nature , the law of god , the practise of the heathen , the custome of the faithfull , especially of the parents of christ : if the punishmēt of the espowsall-breakers , and the rewards and priuiledges of the espowsed : and finally , if the fatherly authoritie ouer children , do approue and require the continuall vse of this ordinance of god , it must needs be confessed to be both lawfull and necessary : yea , being the first principall part of marriage it selfe , it must needs be honourable in his kind , as well as marriage it selfe is . now then , in the next place , let vs see and learne what a contract is , to the end , that vpon sound knowledge and right iudgement , we may alwayes vse it well , and neuer ill , for want of good vnderstanding . a contract is a voluntarie promise of marriage , mutually made betweene one man and one woman , both being meete and free to marrie one another , and therefore allowed so to do by their parents . this short sentence , sheweth the whole nature , quality , property , vse and abuse , with all other things that are to be obserued or eschued in a right contract , as shall appeare by the vnfolding of euery word contained therein ; for , as there is none vaine and idle , voyde of his proper signification ; so euery one hath his proper weight , seruing for speciall and necessary vse . . first , we call a contract , a promise ; and so it is indeed ; for what is a promise , but a speech , which affirmeth or denyeth , to do this or that , with purpose and words of testimony , to performe and accomplish that which is affirmed , or not to do that which is denyed ? and what other thing is indeed a marriage contract , but this ? so that it must be in nature , a true and right promise : not the vow of a promise in time to come , but a present promise indeed . for if one partie do say , i will promise to marrie thee ; this is no promise indeede , but a promise of a promise , and consequently no contract , but a promise of a contract : and therefore tyeth not bindeth neither parties nor parents to keepe the same ; for it is not in nature any contract at all . againe , if a contract be in promise , it is not only a purpose of the heart , nor a dumbe shew or doubtfull signification of promise , but a plaine promise , vttered and pronounced in a right forme of speech : as when one saith , i do promise to marrie thee , or i do espouse , affiance , or betroth my selfe to thee in marriage , or such like : wherein all ambiguity and doubtfulnesse of speech is to be eschued : that as the meaning of the heart is simple and plaine , so like wise the words of the tongue might be simple , plaine , and voyde of all deceit . . secondly , we call a contract , a promise of marriage ; because it is not a promise of euery thing , neither of honour , of inheritance , of riches , or of any other thing else , sauing onely of marriage . now we meane by marriage , not only the parties married , but also coniugall & marriage duties and offices , that peculiarly belong to this honourable estate , and are necessarily to be performed mutually of both . for this promise touching persons themselues , is of such force and weight , that it tendeth to the alienation of the propertie of bodies ; for so it is written : the wife hath not the power of her owne body , but the husband : and likewise also the husband hath not the power ouer his owne body , but the wife . for , although this is not perfectly done , till the act of marriage be ended , yet this promise is the principall beginner and worker thereof : because they that promise marriage , do necessarily thereby promise , that two shall become one flesh , and that they will alwayes giue mutuall beneuolence one to another . touching the peculiar duties of husbands and wiues , which likewise are promised by this contract , we will here onely recite them , leauing the doctrine thereof to another place and time . . the husband , his duty is , first to loue his wife as his owne flesh . . then to gouerne her in all duties , that properly concerne the state of marriage , in knowledge , in wisedome , iudgement , and iustice . . thirdly , to dwell with her . . fourthly , to vse her in all due beneuolence honestly , soberly , and chastly . . the wife , her dutie is , in all reuerence and humilitie , to submit and subiect her selfe to her husband , in all such duties as properly belong vnto marriage . . secondly , therein to be an helpe vnto him , according to gods ordinance . . thirdly , to obey his commandements in all things , which he may command by the authoritie of an husband . . fourthly and lastly , to giue him 〈◊〉 beneuolence . as for the rest of mutuall duties , as they may be all comprehended vnder these , so there shall be a fitter occasion to speake thereof . thirdly , we call this promise of marriage voluntary , because it must not come from the lips alone , but from the wel-liking and consent of the heart : sor if it be onely a verball promise , without any will at all , ( and so meerely hypocriticall and dissembled ) though it bindeth the party that promiseth to the performance of his promise made before god and man : yet if the parents afterwards shall certainely know this , and that there was no will , nor vnfained meaning at all in the party , neither yet is , but rather a loathing and abhorring of his spouse betrothed , though he be not able to render iust and sufficient cause thereof , they may vpon this occasion , either deferre the day of marriage the louger , to see if god will happily change the mind of the partie ; or vtterly breake and frustrate the promise : if all good meanes and occasions hauing bene vsed , none will preuaile : but that the party rather groweth worse and worse . for , a contract being a willing and a voluntary consent , there is no cause why the parents , and such as haue authority , and power in sueh cases , when they shall vndoubttedly know that the promise was altogether vnwilling , and therefore made in meere hypocrisie and dissimulation , neither can be by tract of time , or any other good meanes vsed , be bettered , but rather waxeth worse and worse , may not breake and frustrate the same . for why did rebeccaes parents deny her to isaack , neither would send her with abrahams seruant to be married , before such time as they had asked her consent : yea , when as they said , we will call the maide , and aske her consent : do they not plainly shew , that both the law of nature , and the law of god taught them , that this consent was of great moment , & absolute necessity ? and when the apostle doth command men and women to marrie in the lord ; how can the marriage be in the lord , when one party doth not onely not loue , but hate the other ? and how can such two become one flesh lawfully , when as there wants the vnion and coniunction of the heart , the true naturall mother of all marriage duties ? wherefore this promise must be in this respect , at least willing and voluntary . for , albeit it is not necessary , neither yet possible , that there should be such great measure of true , holy , and sanctified loue at that time as afterward , ( for that groweth by little and little according to the blessing of god , and the faithfull performance of other duties afterward euen to their liues end , ) yet if it be voluntarie and vnfained , it is enough , and sufficient to make a true contract in the lord. so as no man ought to separate those , whom god hath thus ioyned . secondly , we call it voluntary , in respect of constraint and compulsion , contrary to a free cōsent . for if either party be vrged , constrained , or compelled , by great feare of their parents or others , by threatning of losse of preferment , of health , of limbe , of life , or of any such other like , or by any other violent manner of dealing whatsoeuer , to yeeld their promise , cleane contrary to the motion or good liking of their hearts ; this kind of promise , as it doth not binde the partie to keepe it , so it ought to be frustrated & broken , by the parents themselues , or by such maisters as may and ought to command and rule them in such cases . if this were not so , how could the parties keepe the commandements of god , giuing them direction whom to marrie ? first , that they should marrie onely in the lord. againe , that they should not be vnequally yoked with infidels : neither of which they can keepe if their parents might compell them to contract and marrie . it becometh the parents to perswade their children by all good meanes to yeeld their consent , rather then to draw them by wicked sleights and cunning , drunkennesse , or any other wicked and violent meanes . for , as that is not to marrie in the lord : so all such forced contracts , may be broken and frustrated by the magistrate , who is gods lieutenant , to redresse such intollerable enormities among the societies of men . for , if parents may deny marriage to such as haue onely by force and violence obtained the word and body of their child , much more may the magistrate deny marriage , where onely a verball promise nath bene gotten by violent compulsion : and for these causes , and in this sense and meaning alone , we conclude , that contracts must be voluntary . fourthly , it must be a mutuall promise , that is , either party must make it to other , not the man onely , nor the woman onely , but both the man and the woman : though decency and order require the man to do it first , and then the woman , because he is her head , and she his glory : and ought to leade and guide her in all things , wherein the lord hath put a pre heminence . for , if this promise be not mutually made of them both , but of one alone , it is no true and perfect contract : and therefore may be broken by parents , and such as haue authority herein : because the party vnpromising , is not bound by word or deed , but is free , in so much that such a contract is rather so termed , then that it is any true contract indeed . but if it be mutuall , then it doth mutually and muiolably bind both : so that in this regard , neither parent , magistrate , nor any other , can or ought to breake it : for this being fully performed and accomplished , is one principall cause of making two one flesh , in such sort as it is written : therefore a man shall leaue his father and mother , and shall be ioyned to his wife , and they two shall be one flesh , &c. genes . . . also that the man hath not power ouer his owne body , nor the woman ouer hers : and so to be short , hence ariseth all mutuall beneuolence betweene them . and therefore a point of great weight and necessitie , in no wise to be omitted in a contract . fiftly , we say , it must be betweene one man and one woman : where first it is to be noted ; that it may not , nor ought not to be betweene any other creatures , but man-kind : nay , neither among brute beasts nor angels . for god hath not ordained or instituted marriage for them , neither can it be betweene man and man , or woman and woman . if any such contract be either voluntary , or by fraud and deceipt , by ignorance or errour , it is no contract at all , but a meere wicked profanation of gods ordinance , who gaue onely woman to man , not woman to woman , nor man to man. likewise , it cannot be betweene angels good or bad , and woman , because god hath set no such ordinance in the nature of these creatures . if therefore there hath bene any such matter , or shall be attempted by sathan , with any woman ( as some stories report ) it is nothing 〈◊〉 but a meere illusion and diuellish practise , to deceiue and draw superstitious into the kingdome of darknesse , and to intrap them in the chaines of condemnation : against which , and all other diabolicall illusions , we ought to watch and pray continually . secondly , it is to be obserued , that betweene one man and one woman : and not two men and one woman , or two women ; not betweene two women and one man , or moe . by which is condemned , as meere nullities and prophanations , all contracts whatsoeuer , made betweene moe then two . for it is written ; and they twaine shall be one flesh : to which marke addeth : so that they are no more twaine , but one flesh . wherefore seeing that christ and his apostles , expound the first institution of marriage of two onely , and not of any moe ; it is certaine , that the contract or promise thereof , ought to be of two alone , and no moe . so the holy ghost , saying ; let euery man haue his owne wife , and euery woman her owne husband : and not , let euery one haue his owne wiues , or her own husbands . it is therefore plaine & questionlesse , that he would haue a contract and marriage to be onely betweene one and one . againe , saying : his owne , and her owne ; doth he not plainly infinuate , euery other person and persons , not to be their owne , but meere strangers , with whom they ought to haue nothing adoe in respect of marriage duties , especially considering that the greeke word idion , can import no lesse . now then , if there be at any time , or any place , a promise betweene moe then two , as it is a wicked and meere prophanation of the holy ordinance of god : so it may and ought to be broken ; yea , seuerely punished by parents and magistrates . if against this it be obiected ; that many of the patriarches and good men vnder the law , had many wiues , or at least moe then one : we answer , it was their secret sinne , and great infirmitie , though proceeding from ignorance of the first institution of marriage , of the law , and the holy prophets , ( or else they had warrant from god , which we haue noted . ) of the institution : because christ interpreting it , saith : from the beginning it was not so : proouing that moses permitted diuorcement of the first wife , and marriage of the second , not mooued or warranted by the authority of gods institution , but by a fearefull and timorous consideration of the hardnesse of the peoples hearts , whom he ruled , lest they should haue rebelled against him if he had not so done . of the law : because there was by this meanes great iniury done to gods truth , and to the wiues diuorced : besides , the law it selfe well vnderstood ( as christ expoundeth it , matth. . 〈◊〉 ) admitteth no diuorcement , except it be for fornication . and that the lord did disallow and hate all other kindes of diuorcement , made without the cause of fornication , it is euident , in that he condemneth the second marriage , after the first diuorcement , affirming that the woman so diuorced , is defiled by her second husband : which could not be true , if their marriage had bene lawfull and warrantable by the commandement of god ; for where the marriage is lawfull and honourable , there the bed is vndefiled . of the prophets : because the lord hath bene witnesse betweene thee and the wife of thy youth , against whom thou hast transgressed : yet is she thy companion , and the wife of thy couenant . and did not he make one ? yet had he abundance of the spirit : and wherefore one ? because he sought a godly seede : therefore keepe your selues in your spirit , and let none trespasse against the wife of his youth . if thou hatest her , put her away ( saith the lord god of israel ) yet he couereth the iniury vnder his garment ( saith the lord of hoasts : ) therefore keepe your selues in your spirit , and transgresse not . then which words , what can be more plainly spoken against this sinne of hauing more wiues then one ? for doth not the prophet plainly say , that god is witnesse , that they haue transgressed against the wife of their youth and couenant ? doth he not call them to the first institution , when god made but one , and that because he would haue a godly seede , and not an adulterous generation ? doth he not further say , that in putting away the wife , they did nothing else but couer iniury , vnder pretence of his law , as with a garment ? and finally , doth he not giue a cleane contrary commandement to that wicked custome of diuorcement , and marrying of others ? when he saith ; keepe your selues in your spirit , and let none transgresse against the wife of his youth , and of his couenant . surely , none can be so blind , but reading this portion of scripture , he must needs plainly see and acknowledge the same . wherefore , if the first sacred institution of god , do bewray this corruption of hauing more wiues then one : if the law do condemne it , and if the prophets do so sharply censure and rebuke it , why should any be so impudent and wicked , as to iustifie it in word , or to approue it in thought ? rather as here we teach , let vs iudge and beleeue , that euery lawfull contract and marriage , ought to be onely betweene one man and one woman . and the rest to be so many breaches of gods ordinances and commandements , which cannot but be hatefull to him , and iniurious to mankind : but especially to the church of god , which ought to arise of a holy and godly seede . now if any contract be made betweene moe then two , it is altogether voyde , and of none effect , and ought to be broken by the party , and punished by the magistrate . the sixt point concerneth the persons betweene whom the contract is made , in whom there is required two properties : meetnesse for marriage , and freedome or liberty to marry one another . touching the first , those especially are fit and meete to marrie , whom god doth call to that honourable estate , and commandeth them to vse it as his lawfull meanes , appointed and sanctified for procreation : for so it appeareth by the first institution , wherein god gaue the woman to the man to be an helper meete for him , as in other things , so especially in this : whom he blessed , saying : bring foorth fruite and multiplie , &c. and that we may know more particularly what sort of persons they be , the holy ghost describeth them to be such , as to whom the gift of continency is denied , yet the gift of procreation is vouchsafed and granted . for if marriage ( as the apostle saith , hebrewes . verse . ) be honourable among all sorts of persons , then amongst those that be strong . againe , it is written : i say to the vnmarried , and to widowes , it is good for them if they abide euen as i do : but if they cannot abstaine let them marrie : for it is better to marrie then to burne . in which words we may plainly see , that he pointed out , as with his finger , those that are called and commanded by god to marrie : namely , such as haue not receiued the gift of abstinence and continency . which calling and commandement is so much the straighter , and the more to be regarded and followed , because the apostle gaue it to those persons that were molested and presfed with many and grieuous persecutions : a season of all other most vnfit for any to marry in , in as much as beside the ordinarie incommodities of marriage estate , it cannot but bring with it many extraordinary grieuances and troubles . notwithstanding , if such persons be called and commanded then to marrie , when as there were most grieuous persecutions ; much more in the time of peace and prosperitie . by this then we see , that all persons which haue not receiued the gift of abstinence , and are fit for procreation , are called and commanded to marrie , and therefore may lawfully enter a contract of the same . but are none else meete for marriage ? we answer , that no other is called , commanded , or warranted by god , to make contract with any of these meet ones , because they are vnable to performe the principall duties of marriage . as for children vnder age , they are altogether vnfit to take vpon them this honourable estate , and therefore debarred by gods commandement from making any promise or contract . if they haue done it , it is but a meere prophanation of this holy ordinance , worthy great punishment , and also to be broken , if that ( being come to yeares of discretion and state of mariage ) they do not by wisedome and religion supply all that was wanting in their former rash attempt , to the full contentation of all that haue interest in them . as for those that haue receiued the gift of continency , they are called & counselled to chastity , during the whole time of that gift , for so saith our sauiour christ , all men cannot receiue this thing , ( aue they to whom it is giuen : matth. . . and againe , he that is able to receiue this , let him receiue it . so the apostle saith , it is good for them if they abide euen as i do : . cor. . . againe , art thou loosed from a wife ? seeke not a wife : so likewise are those that are borne chast , or made chast by men , or by themselues for the kingdome of heauen . but you will say ; what if any of these do make a contract and marry ? we answer , first , if they be vtterly vnfit for marriage , their contract is of no validitie , and may be broken by superiour authority ; but if they be fit for it , we say with the apostle , art thou loosed from a wife ? seeke not a wife , but if thou takest a wife , thou sinnest not : and if a virgine marrie , she sinneth not , &c. last of all , as consanguinity and affinitie do restraine and bind from this former contract and marriage : so likewise do naturall frigidity , and coldnesse , infancie , incurable diseases that depriue men of all fitnesse for the vse of marriage . so as if any such by fraud , ignorance , or any other sinister meanes be contracted , it is nothing ; and the parties may be lawfully separated , because they were neuer ioyned together in the lord , but against the lord. and here , when we say , meete and fit to marrie one with another , there would be a wise and holy regard had of equality in yeares , of agreement in religion , or similitude in nature and manners , outward estate and condition , & qualitie of person , and such like necessary circumstances . for what is more vnmeete , then for an old person to promise to be contracted to a young one ? for an infidell to contract with a beleeuer ? for a good natured and well mannered , with a crooked and froward person ? for a prince with a begger ? for although all these do not annihilate and make voyde the contract altogether ; yet such contracts cannot be in the lord. and thus much shall suffice to haue taught , touching the fitnesse of marriage . now concerning the freedome and libertie , it is cleere , that those alone haue liberty & freedome to contract , who haue liberty to marry . now if we will know who those be , they are diuersly described and noted in leu. . where certaine degrees , as well in affinity as in consanguinity are expresly forbidden : so that if such parties shall contract themselues together , their contract is vaine , and a meere nullity ; such as ought to be broken and punished . againe , euery one either betrothed or maried , is bounden and tied from contracting with any other ; for that were nothing else but to promise grosse and beastly adultery . and as the apostle teacheth , that the wife is bound by the law , as long as her husband liueth : so likewise is the betrothed wife ; insomuch as if any such shall contract themselues with another , it is a meere nullity and wicked prophanation of gods ordinance , and ought vpon knowledge thereof to be broken and punished . and thus we see what manner of persons the lord hath called and commanded to marry , and who they be that are meete and free to marrie together , and who not . the last point is the consent and allowance of their parents : which though it be very materiall and necessary , yet it is not the sole forme or formall cause which maketh a true contract . for if the parents should yeeld their consent to their children , being neither meete nor free to be married together , it were nothing : & such a contract , though warranted by parents cōsent , ought to be broken by the magistrate , and both parents and children are to be punished . for this cause we haue not said simply , and allowed : but therefore allowed so to do ; because consent of parents to such children as are not meete and fit to be married together , doth not make that contract good , true , and inuiolable : which neuerthelesse , wanting their consents , though in other respects neuer so good , is a meere nullity , & cannot be accomplished without the manifest breaches of the institution , and guilt of adulterie . now by parents we vnderstand not onely the naturall parents , but such as by the law of nature and of god , supply their places : as grandfathers , great grand-fathers , vncles , aunts , great vncles and aunts , brethren , sisters , kins-men , and kins-women , magistrates , and those to whose families the parties do especially belong . for all these are honoured in scripture by the name of parents . neither may we exempt out of this number , gardians , maisters , and such to whom the continuall custodie and tuition of any is lawfully committed . for if such be commanded to prouide for them , as parts of their owne families , there is no reason why they should not especially be respected , as well in bestowing them abroad out of their familie , as they were in taking them into it . for if their consent be necessarie at their coming in , why should they go out without their consent ? further , we say their parents , and not his or her parents , because parents on both sides ought necessarily to consent and allow their children to betroth themselues . for this is the priuiledge not of some parents , but of all ; and in that they be parents . moreouer , we say allowed , and not required , neither commanded , nor yet exhorted or instructed so to do ; because , that albeit the parents do neither call their children to this contract , neither command them , neither require them , neither exhort them , ( all which notwithstanding they ought to do ) yet if they do but onely allow them , and giue them bare consent that they shall contract themselues , it is enough for the tying of the knot , and the substance of the contract . and to prooue that this contract is necessary , we need no more reasons but that which the apostle setteth downe , saying of the father , let him do what he will. by which words he putteth it in the will and power of the father , either to bestow or not to bestow his daughter in marriage : saying , in doing either of the twaine , he sinneth not . yet it is written in another place : if the father refuse to giue her to him , he shall pay money , according to the dowrie of virgins . in which words the lord doth giue an absolute authority to the father , to yeeld , or not to yeeld his consent : to giue , or not to giue his daughter . for if he haue power to deny it to his daughter that is deflowred , and so ( by the apostles iudgement ) made one flesh with another ; much more lawfully may he deny his consent to her that is no manner of way bound , but is euery way free . and if he haue power to deny his consent in such a case , much more hath he power to giue his consent . now his authority and power to deny his consent , is apparent by the expresse commandement of god in that behalfe , which saith , take heed to thy selfe that thou make no compact with the inhabitants of the land , and so take of their daughters vnto thy sonnes , &c. more plaine ; neither shalt thou make marriages with them , neither giue thy daughter vnto his sonne , nor take his daughter to thy sonne . how could those parents obserue this commandement , vnlesse god had giuen them power to deny consent to their children ; or why doth he rather forbid to the parents , then to the children ? but to shew that the power to giue or not to giue , was in the parents and not in the children ? especially considering the children being the principall parts of their parents goods , are no lesse in their power and authoritie to giue and bestow , then the rest are . this was so well knowne in the church , and so vsually practised amongst the people of god , that the greatest among them , who might seeme to haue greatest liberty in that behalfe , durst not disobey the holy commandement of god. for sampson the strongest of all , though he loued a maide of the philistims , yet he durst not betroth himselfe vnto her , before he had intreated his parents to giue her vnto him . dauid a mighty valiant prince , begged michol at the hands of saul her father , and after his death ( being betrothed vnto her ) he desired her of ishbosheth her brother . iacob agreed with laban for his wiues . and abraham , ( the father of the faithfull ) by his seruant , intreated rebeccaes parents , to giue her to wife vnto his sonne isaack . all which testimonies and examples do plainly proue the great interest , power , and authority that parents haue in bestowing their children , and that their consent added to the sixe former points , whereof we haue spoken , doth make for so sure a contract , as cannot be loosed and vntyed by any authoritie vnder heauen . for here in this , that saying of christ , matth. . . is truly verified : let no man put asunder that which god hath coupled together : but if this , or any of the former be omitted , the contract may be broken and disanulled . and lest we should be ignorant or forget what those errors are , which disauow and lawfully frustrate a contract . these they be : . first , if there be onely a naked shew of a promise , and yet no promise indeed . . secondly , if any other thing be promised then marriage . . thirdly , if the promise be conuinced to be meere hypocriticall or forced . . fourthly , if one of the parties alone do promise , and not both . . fifthly , ifit were wade betweene other creatures , or betweene moe then one man and one woman . . sixthly , if the persons contracted , or either of them be altogether vnfit for marriage . . seuenthly , if either of them be formerly betrothed , or haue committed adultery after the contract , or be allyed , or ofkinne , or for any other cause not at liberty to marry . . eightly , if there lacke the consent of the parents . if all or any of these be vndoubtedly knowne , and clearely proued , they do ioyntly and seuerally frustrate or nullifie the contract , so as the magistrate may lawfully dissolue the same , and set the parties at libertie . but contrarily , if all these concurre and accord , the contract is as inuiolable as marriage it selfe : neither can the parties be set at liberty by themselues , or by any power whatsoeuer , because this contract and euery parcell thereof is in the lord : which being a sacred ordinance of god , as it cannot but haue speciall vse and fruite among his saints ; so now it is time to declare and teach the same . first therefore it serueth as a strong bridle to pull backe the force and headinesse of carnall , naturall , and brutish lust . for if this contract be holily and dutifully kept , according to the former doctrine , it would neuer come to passe that any person , man or woman , should abuse their bodies suddenly or hastily vpon euery instigation oflust , ( like brute beasts ) but would willingly , in all modesty and sobriety , take sufficient time of deliberation for the making and accomplishing of this necessary and holy contract , which is ordained to this end , that men might haue sufficient time of deliberation to learne all the vses and abuses , all the commodities and incommodities , all the comforts and discomforts ; with all the duties & breaches of duties , that can befall in the honourable estate of marriage . secondly , it serueth to discouer betimes , and in good season , all sorts of impediments & lets that may or ought to hinder the marriage that is promised . hence came that ancient and most excellent custome of asking the banes of matrimony thrice , or three seuerall dayes , to the end that euery materiall defect might be learned in time when it might be remedied , rather then after marriage accomplished , when it is remedilesse . thirdly , it serueth for the keeping and preseruation of honest chastity ; seeing by this meanes , not onely former promises and contracts , but also fornications ( if any haue bene ) and adulteries , may be descried and discerned . for after ioseph was contracted , before he was married , his wife was found to be with child ; though without ill demeanour on her part , yet it made ioseph so afraid , that he had intended in his heart priuately to relinquish & forsake her , and had so done indeed , had not gods angell commanded the contrary . neuerthelesse , it was the contract that discouered this truth , and so preserued maries virginitie , that the scripture might be fulfilled , which saith , a virgine shall conceiue , &c. if this were not , men might vpon knowledge or ignorance make two seuerall contracts with seuerall persons , and commit fornication and adulterie with other mens wiues , either betrothed or married , and so lose their honesty and chastity , to their great infamy and hinderance . last of all , it serueth to condemne and auoyd all priuate contracts and secret marriages : and contrarily , to iustifie and grace the honourable estate of marriage , as well in the beginning as in the end thereof , that all things touching the same might be begun , continued and finished in the lord , according to his commandement , that his promised blessings might ensue vpon it accordingly . this being done , the parents and parties are to be charged in the name of god , as they will answer at the day of iudgement ; plainly to bewray and declare if they know any of the foresaid impediments in themselues , or in their children , for which this contract ought not to be made . if they say they know none , or if they declare none ; then the consent of the parents is to be demanded ; which if they yeeld , then the consent of the parties is also to be required . and so the parties are to be betrothed and affianced in these words , or such like ; . n. do willingly promise to marrie thee n. if god will , and i liue , whensoeuer our parents shall thinke good and meete : till such time i take thee for my onely betrothed wife ; and thereto plight thee my troth . in the name of the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost : so be it . the same is to be done by the woman , the name onely changed ; and all in the presence of parents , kinsfolks and friends . after this the parents are to be admonished , to set and appoint the day of marriage , neither too neare nor too farre off , but to appoint a competent space of time , that it may be sufficient for the learning and triall of all lets and impediments whereby promised marriage might be hindred , and yet giue no occasion by reason of the length thereof , to prouoke the parties to incontinency . in the meane time the parties affianced , are to be admonished to abstaine from the vse of marriage , and to behaue themselues wisely , chastly , louingly , and soberly , till the day appointed do come . and so with a psalme and prayer to cóclude the holy action . now that there should be a competent space betweene the time of the contract and the day of marriage , it is very necessary for these causes . . that there might be some preparation for the things pertaining to house-keeping , betweene that time and the celebrating of marriage ; but this is not a chiefe cause . . because the lord would by this meanes make a difference betwixt brute beasts & men , and betwixt the prophane and his children : for they euen as beasts do after a beastlike manner , being led by a naturall 〈◊〉 and motion , come together : but god will haue this difference , whereby his children should 〈◊〉 seuered from that brutish manner , in that they should haue a certaine distance of time betweene the knitting of affection , and enioying one of another , and a more neere ioyning of one vnto another . . that they should in that time thinke on the causes why they are to marrie , and the duties of marriage . for many enter thereinto not considering at all of the great duties belonging to them in the same , nor thinking of the troubles and afflictions that follow marriage . but the lord would haue these things thought on , and a consideration to be had , both of the causes of marriage and the duties to be performed , and the troubles to be vndergone . a good and carefull housholder so ordereth and frameth his houshold , as it may manifestly appeare , that it is indeed the house of a faithfull christian , and that he himselfe is a pastor ouer his family , that he instructeth it diligently in the feare of god , and keepeth it in good and godly discipline by continuall exercise of godlinesse . so that in his house you shall find the chast wife , the shamefaced , plaine and modest wife , decked without as she is within : no painted nor marked thing , rendring true obedience to her husband , and hauing a carefull eye vpon her family , seruants and children : the maister , father , and husband , the children and seruants , euery one likewise in his degree , employing himselfe sincerely in his dutie and office , approuing his doings as before god. now , like as in the mind there are such vertues as we haue before spoken of : so are 〈◊〉 in it also noysome wicked vices and detractions , as vngodlinesse , despising of gods word , vnbeliefe , idolatrie , superstition , ignorance , churlishnesse , lying , falshood , hypocrisie , vnrighteousnesse , swearing , backbiting , distemperance , drunkennesse , gluttony , couetousnesse , vnchastitie , vnshame fastnesse , misnourture , rashnesse , furiousnesse , wantonnesse , pride , presumption , vain-glory , childing , brawling , and vnhandsomnesse . who so now chooseth him a wife , or the a husband , that is infected and tangled with such noysome vices , he seeketh not a spouse , 〈◊〉 she a husband , for a right , peaceable , good , honest , and christian life : but an hell , a painefulnesse , and destruction of all expedient , quiet , and vertuous liuing : but specially , there is little good to be hoped for of him or her , whereas vngodlinesse and contempt of the word remaineth . for like as the feare of god draweth the whole garland of vertues with it : so vngodlinesse and despising of gods word , bring all vice and abhominations ; yea , and shutteth vp the way to amendment . when these points and rules are duly and warily obserued on either part , they may ioyne together , and say as laban and bethuel said , this cometh of the lord , therefore we will not speake against it . oh how happie are those in whom faith , loue , and godlinesse are married together , before they marrie themselues ? for none of these carnall , cloudie , and whining marriages can say , that godlinesse was inuited and bidden to the bridall : and therefore the blessings which are promised to godlinesse do flie from them . after the riches of the mind , do the riches of the bodie follow next : of which sort is a comely , beautifull , or well-fauoured body , health , a conuenient age , &c. a beautifull bodie is such a one as is of right forme and shape , meete , and of strength to beare children , and gouerne an house ; euen such a one as both the man and woman can find in their hearts vnfainedly to loue aboue all other , and to be content withall , &c. as concerning the beautie or comlinesse of the body ( where there is else no good property or qualitie beside ) salomon saith , prou. . . fauour is deceitfull , and beautie is vanitie : but the woman that feareth the lord , she shall be praised . and prou. . . as a iewell of gold in a swines snout : so is a faire woman which lacketh discretion : or is of vncomely behauiour , and hath not wit nor gouernment to behaue her selfe . for beautie is a fraile gift and a slippery , and more profitable to those that behold it , then to those that haue it . the beautifull woman can take no great pleasure in beautie , but a little as it were in a glasse , and yet incontinently she forgetteth that she beheld and saw : and yet it is many times both to her selfe and to them that behold her beautie , a prouocation to much euill . she that is faire waxeth proud of it , and he that doth behold her becometh subiect vnto filthy loue . but in the mind ( which is iudged to be the man ) consist the true lineaments and properties of fairenesse , which entice and prouoke spirituall and heauenly loue , being mixt with nothing that is shamefull , either to be done or spoken . and therefore there is no man so farre without wit , that had not rather haue her which is foule and hard fauoured , but yet is honest and vertuous , then to haue her which is faire and vnhonest , and also irreligious . happie , and twice happy is that man and that woman that are coupled in marriage with a godly and vertuous mate and bedfellow ; they are doubtlesse greatly blessed of god. for house and riches are the inheritance of the fathers , but a prudent wife cometh of the lord. they therefore are not well in their wits , but greatly deceiue themselues , that make choycc of wiues or husbands , hauing regard onely to their stature , comelinesse of personage , or to their beautie , and esteeme not more the riches of the mind . health also must be considered in their choyce , lest otherwise great inconueniences come therby , and lest the whole house be poy soned and infected . but we speake here of contagious sicknesses , and not of such common infirmities and vsuall diseases , that both men and women are subiect vnto . as of madnesse , frenzie , french pockes , or such like : which euery wise man and woman doth vtterly detest . neuerthelesse , where any married parties are now together , and be visited with any such diseases , they must one comfort and suffer with the other , as they are now one bodie , &c. to haue temporall preferments , is to be borne of noble parents , or to come of a worshipfull stocke , to haue lands , liuings , riches , great offices , gaines , or occupyings , and such like . but the chiefest nobilitie , and most worthy of commendation , is indeed to be noble in vertues , in good works , manners and conditions . but to be borne of gentilitie , and to vse and behaue himselfe vngently , is euen as much as to shame himselfe and his kindred . such therefore as purpose to marry , ought carefully to foresee and looke to this matter ; lest being too greedie of honour , worship or wealth and intending to haue the gold , they catch the hot coales , & burne themselues without recouerie : for a man may buy gold too deare ( as we vsually say . ) for temporall goods sake , the matter miscarieth , and is in danger . there is sometimes great wealth , but with little honestie , and with lesse good conscience it is gathered together . and with the same riches will not continue alwaies , prosperitie , peace and quietnesse . many so trust to their wealth , as that they will not frame themselues to any lawfull calling , neither will they learne any . therefore also can they do nothing to profit their country , and the common-wealth , but liue ioly and daintily , and with pride , riot , excesse , and dishonesty , do quickely wast that which hath bene long in gathering together . now when there is alwayes taking from the heape , and nothing laid thereto , it wasteth away in processe of time , how great soeuer it hath bene : then followeth pouerty , yea an intollerable and vnpatient pouerty : for they that now lauish and spend prodigally altogether , haue had no necessity hitherto , but flowed in all wealth ; therefore after such a sunne-shine , there commeth euer an extreame heate , and thenceforth begin they to warme themselues at the bare pans , and to spare when all is spent . such then as in their choise , look to the multitude of goods , and regard not how they were gotten , and whence they came , haue customably such smoky hats set vpon their heads , that all the water in the riuer cannot wash away the corruption thereof . for goods without god , honesty , and good conscience , are deadly poyson , and the bodily 〈◊〉 himselfe . yea , goods and riches in the hand of an vndiscreete and ignorant man , are as a sharpe knife in the hand of a child , that doth no good therwith , but wound and hurt himselfe . wherefore euery man and euery woman in their election ought to haue more respect to vertue , godlinesse , discretion , & knowledge , then to riches . moreouer , an hand that is occupied , and winneth , and getteth his liuing , godly , christianly , and honestly , doth farre excell any riches that are 〈◊〉 . for although the world esteeme them happy , which liue in wealth , ease , and idlenesse : yet the holy ghost approueth and alloweth them best that liue of the meane profit of their labours . psal. . . . and this also is a very necessary point to be obserued , that the man chuse such a woman , and the woman such a man , as that there be equality betwixt them , both in bloud and estate . for by how much the greater and streighter the coniunction is of the husband and the wife , so much the more ought euery one to prouide to be indifferently matched . and truely this equality of marriage , is in two speciall things to be considered ; to wit , estate , and age . for as two horses , or two oxen of vnequall 〈◊〉 , cannot be coupled vnder one selfe same yoake : so a noble-woman , matching with a man of base estate : or contrarily , a gentleman with a begger , cannot be consorted , and well matched vnder the bands of wedlocke . but yet when it happeneth that a man marrieth a woman of so high a birth , he ought ( not forgetting that he is her husband ) more to honour and esteeme of her , then of his equall , or of one of meaner parentage , and not onely to account her his-companion in loue , and in his life , but ( in diuers actions of publicke apparence ) to hold her his superiour : which honour is not yet accompanied with reuerence , as is that which for manners sake we are wont to do to others . and she ought to consider , that no distinction or difference of birth and nobility can be so great , but that the league which both gods ordinance and nature hath ordained betwixt men and women farre exceedeth it : for by nature woman was made mans subiect . but if a man shall take to wife an inferior or mean-woman , he also ought to weigh , that matrimony maketh equall many differences : and further , that he hath not taken her for a slaue or seruant , but for a fellow and companion of his life . and seeing that election and choise , is nothing else , but to take a thing meete and conuenient , to the end it is prepared for : therefore euery one that must chuse , ought to regard the end , & to know what thing is conuenient for it . so that it is needfull that he be wise and discret , or else he cannot dispose it , nor perceiue what thing is conuenient for it . therefore , if a man would aduisedly consider , that he is to liue with his wife continually , and she with him , he would then be very circumspect in the choise of her ; which choise maketh either very much for his felicitie and comfort , or else for his great miserie and discomfort . for by how much the more a thing is vnited and knit vnto man , so much the more it may either helpe him , if it be good , or hinder him if it be euill . those dammages and hurts which are inwardly in the body , are worse then those which are without the body : and those of the soule , then those of the body : and likewise men do iudge of those things which are called good . but peraduenture it may seeme vnto some , that these 〈◊〉 are not vniuersally true . for vnto some the losse of their goods , is more then the losse of their health . but this thing doth not arise nor happen of the goods or money it selfe , but because some man doth perswade himselfe , that to lose his goods , is a thing intolletable . and yet for all that , goods are not of more estimation then is life or health , but it is a mans affection that doth rule in this thing : and therfore it seemeth lesse to some , to be driuen out of a kingdome , then to other some to lose a small portion of their possessions . some will reuenge a word most cruelly ; and some other well beaten and buffeted , will not reuenge it at all . all these things do proceed and come of the soule , which is most in wardly ioyned and knit vnto a man , and hath more power in him then the body . if it be then of so great importance , what 〈◊〉 of friend thou haue , to liue commodiously or incommodiously withall ; which shall none otherwise dwell , or be in the selfe-same chamber , bed , or house with thee , but that thou mayest shake him off at thy pleasure ? how much more oughtest thou to take heed when thou chusest thee a wife , which must be continually conuersant with thee , at thy table , in thy chamber , in bed , in thy secrets and finally , in thy heart and breast ? if thou go from home , thou doest commit thy house , thy familie , thy goods , and thy children ( of all other things the most pleasant ) vnto her ; she is the last that leaueth thee at thy departing , and the first that receiueth thee at thy returning : thou departest from her with sweete embracements and kisses ; and with sweete kisses and embracements she receiueth thee at thy returne home : vnto her thou disclosest thy ioy and heauinesse . so that it is an heauenly life to be conuersant and in company with those that a man delighteth in , and loueth . but it is a calamity infernall , to be bound and forced to see those things that a man doth greatly hate and abhorre , or to be in company with those that a man would not be withall , and yet cannot be separated , nor depart from them . hereof commeth ( as we do see in some marriages ) so great ruines , so wicked and vile deeds , as maimes , and murthers , committed by such desperate persons , as are loath to keepe , and yet cannot lawfully refuse , nor leaue them . therefore yong folkes ought not to be too rash and hastie in their choise , but to haue the good aduice and direction of their parents and trustie friendes in this behalfe , who haue better iudgement , and are more free from the motions of all affections , then they are . and they must take heed , lest following the light and corrupt iudgement of their owne affections and minds , they change not a short delectation and pleasure , into a continuall sorrow 〈◊〉 repentance . for we learne by great and continuall vse and experience of things , that the secret contracts made betweene those that be yong , do seldome prosper , whereas contrariwise , those marriages that are made and established by the aduice of wise and religious parents , do prosper well . but especially , and before all things , such as purpose to marrie , must faithfully with feruentnesse , and stedfast beleefe , ( without ceassing ) make their intetcession and prayer vnto god , to whom all hearts are open and knowne , that he would not suffer them to go amisse , but ( as a tender father ) helpe and direct them , to make a right choise ; so as they may liue honestly , and prosperously , as good christians ought , to his glorie , and their owne comfort . for this purpose , there is a notable example of eleazar , abrahams seruant , who being sent to get , and make choise of a wife for isaacke his maisters sonne , beginneth his matter with prayer . gen. . . &c. so did isaacke also , as it appeareth in the same chapter , verse . when any haue determined with themselues to marrie , and haue vsed all diligence thereto required , they must desire of god , by humble and earnest prayer , good and prosperous successe , in whose hand and power it is to giue it ; so doubtlesse he will effect it , if they aboue all other things shall haue an vndoubted hope and confidence in him , for if they , after they haue setled themselues , and haue satisfied their appetites , shall then resort vnto god by prayer , desiring him that they may obtaine the thing that they most desire : it appeareth that they would make him the minister of their voluptuous desires and pleasures , and so doing , their vowes and prayers become most manifest blasphemie . and therefore a man should not come vnto marriage as vnto a prophane thing , with a loose and vnprepared heart , but with a quiet , and well purged minde , as to a thing most sacred and holy . for matrimonie doth not consist onely in the coniunction of the body , neither yet in dauncing , nor banketting , proceeding and brought vnto vs with many other things from the gentiles : but it should rather beseeme christians , most studiously to pray vnto god , that so waightie a thing as matrimonie is , might haue good and prosperous successe . for matrimonie is a thing sanctified of god , the which willeth the matrimoniall imbracements to be chast , the bed to be vndefiled , and their progeny vnspotted : and it is after the mind of s. paul , a signe of the great mystery wherewith christ doth in dissolubly vnite himselfe vnto his church . therefore thou oughtest so much as shall lie in thee , to lift vp thy mind , and to remember how great and worthy an image thou doest represent ; and that thy wife shall be vnto thee as the church , and thou vnto her as christ ; therefore thou shouldest shew thy selfe vnto her , as christ shewed himselfe vnto his church . the loue of christ vnto his church is incredible : and thy loue also to thy wife ought to be most effectuall . society , and to liue together , is the most surest and strongest knot to knit , and ioyne amity and loue among men , and beasts themselues . there can be no greater societie or companie then is betweene a man and his wife ; whose house , whose goods , whose chamber , &c. is common , their children are common , and they themselues partakers of all good and euill successe , of prosperitie and aduersitie : the which society and fellowship , were sufficient to stirre and prouoke him that loueth not his wife , to loue and beneuolence . and what company or loue shall a man looke to haue of him that loueth not his wife ? there are , that in loue and amity looke for gaine , as the vile epicures do , vnworthy to be beloued , men which loue themselues , and not their friends . and if we haue regard vnto commoditie and profit , there is nothing that giueth so much as doth a good wife , no not horses , oxen , seruants or farmes : for a mans wife is the fellow and comforter of all care and thoughts , and doth more faithfull and true seruice vnto him , then either maid-seruant or man-seruant , which do serue men for feare , or else for wages : but thy wife will be led onely by loue , and therefore she doth euery thing better then all other . and this doth god declare , saying : let vs make adam as helper like vnto himselfe : by the helper , is signified the vtilitie and profit of the seruice , and by the similitude and likenesse are signified loue and helpefulnesse . for a seruant and he that is hired are insufficient to supply that place ; there can neither be so much loue , and ability to minister helpe and comfort to a man , as will be found in a faithfull wife . the child is part of the father , and through a naturall pitie , they loue each other : but yet the wife is more annexed and ioyned to her husband . the father doth labour and taketh paine for his children , but the children seldome labor or take paines for their fathers , and oftentimes are sent to inhabite and dwell in other mens houses , whereby in a manner it appeareth , that their streight and fast societie doth dissolue and breake : but the wife cleane contrarie , doth continually take paines for her husband , who may ( as long as she liueth ) neither change house nor bed . if commoditie and prosit be looked for , no commoditie excelleth this : if thou shalt loue thy wife , thou shalt liue most pleasantly , if not , thy life will be most miserable and wretched . for there is nothing so sharpe nor so bitter , as to hate the thing that doth fauour and loue thee , nor any thing more happy , then to loue him that loueth thee . therefore loue , that thou mayest be loued . now we will in few words shew the occasions of wedlocke , why and wherefore it was ordained , and for what purpose it should be contracted ; that euery man and woman may the better vnderstand to what thing they consent , when either of them granteth to marry the other . doubtlesse it cannot otherwise be , but that marriage , which was ordained of such an excellent author , as of god himselfe , and in such a worthy place as paradise , and of such an ancient time , as in state of adam and eues innocencie , and after such a notable order , must likewise haue speciall causes for the ordinance of it . therefore the holy scripture doth declare chiefly three causes thereof . the first is , the procreation , begetting , and bringing vp of children , gen. . . . & . . for in the children do parents liue ( after a sort ) euen after death . and , if they be well and vertuously brought vp , god is greatly honoured by them , the commonwealth is aduanced : yea , their parents and all other fare the better for them . for they are their parents comfort next vnto god : their ioy , staffe , and vpholding of their age : and therefore parents ought to begin betimes to plant vertue in their childrens breasts : for late sowing bringeth sometimes a late , but neuer an apt haruest : yong branches will bow as a man will haue them , but old trees will sooner breake then bow , &c. but more of this shall be said after , in the dutie of parents . although marriage be an holy and sanctified ordinance , yet none may vse the benefit of it without some acknowledgement of originall sin , in that vncleannesse may be practised therein , which should cause gods children to vse this meanes with as much chastitie as may be , and husband and wise to keepe themselues together in the feare of god , and in all modestie and sobrietie . if then in marriage it selfe there be such mischiefes , what hellish mischiefe is there in those lustes , which are not expressed with these considerations ? so that marriage is not a mad and dissolute estate , to giue libertie to their wiues in vncleannesse , nor wiues to consent with their husbands in impuritie , by immoderate , intemperate , or excessiue lust . many thinke they cannot sinne in this behalfe if they passe not their owne wiues : but they may make their marriage polluted and defiled , if they vse it without prayer and sobernesse , &c. . tim . . . therefore the husband is to forbeare the company of his wife , when it is with her , as it is common to women , &c. ezechiel , . . leuiticus . . . and . . this was one of the sinnes for which the lord rooted out the canaanites out of their land . the second occasion why marriage was ordained , was , that the wife might be a lawfull remedy to auoide whoredome , fornication , and all filthy vncleane lusts , . cor. . . . &c. touching this point , i will say no more : for it is handled at large by others already , and i haue elsewhere sufficiently discoursed of it . the third and last cause was , for mans commoditie , to the end to auoid the inconuenience of solitarinesse , that the one may helpe & comfort the other , in sicknesse , in affiction , and in all houshold cares and trouble , as education of children , and keeping the family in order . for this cause old men and old women may lawfully marrie . so that a wife is called by god himfelfe , an helper , and not an impediment , or a necessarie euill , as some vnaduisedly do say : and as other some say , it is better to burie a wife , then to marrie one : againe , if we could be without women , we should be without great troubles . these and such like sayings , tending to the dispraise of women , some maliciously and vndiseretly do vomit out , contrarie to the minde of the holy ghost , who saith , that she was ordained as a helper , and not a hinderer . and if they be otherwise , it is for the most part , through the fault , and want of discrerion , and lacke of good gouernment in the husband . for married folkes , for two eyes haue foure : and for two hands as many moe : which being ioyned together , they may the more easily dispatch their handy businesse , and houshold affaires . for like as a man hauing one hand or one foote , if by any meanes he get himselfe an other , may thereby the more easily lay hold on what he listeth , or go whither he will : euen so , he that hath married a wife , shall more easily enioy the healthfull pleasures , and profitable commodities of this present life . for in trouble , the one is a comfort to the other : in aduersity , the one a refreshing vnto the other : yea , and in all their life , the one is a helpe and succour to the other . most true it is , that women are as men are , reasonable creatures , and haue flexible wits both to good and euill , the which with vse , discretion , and good counsell , may be altered and turned . and although there be some euill and leude women , yet that doth no more proue the malice of their nature , then of men . and therefore the more ridiculous and foolish are they , that haue inueighed against the whole sexe for a few euill : and haue not with like fury , vituperated and dispraised all mankind , because part of them are theeues , murtherers , and such like wicked liuers . but the marriage and companie of the husband and wife , is made amiable , sweet , and comfortable by these fiue meanes : by godlinesse , vertue , 〈◊〉 forbearing , mutuall loue , and by dut 〈◊〉 performed busily and godlily on both sides . . godlinesse of right holdeth the chiefe place : for there is no stable and stedfast friendship , vnlesse it haue his beginning from god ; and therefore must godlinesse needes shine before the rest . for when couples haue determined to obey god , all things afterwards become more easie . . vertue and honest conditions breede mutuall delight betweene man and wife . for when vertue is exercised , it maketh conuersation of liuing more amiable . mutuall forbearing , whereby we take in good worth one anothers conditions and faults is very needfull . for in this weaknesse of nature , there happens many scapes , which will breede strife , if they be not couered by mutuall forbearing . . mutuall loue , hauing his beginning of godlinesse and true vertue , maketh the husband and wife not to be too sharpe-sighted , in spying into one anothers fauits : but that many things either they mark not , or if they marke them , they couer them with loue . for loue couereth a multitude of sinnes . . peter , . . prou. . . . dutie performed godlily , caresully , and cheerefully on both sides , maketh the marriage-yoke light and sweet . for when man and wife marke one another , and finde like heedfulnesse and buxomnesse in their dutie , both their companie is made more pleasant , and they are the more stirred vp on both sides to render dutifulnesse , that the one may requite the otheralike . where these fiue duties be not , the companie of their life is both loath some and bitter , or rather more sharpe then death . therefore , the godly couples must do their endeuour that these vertues may be seene in their life continually for euer . now we will ( through gods assistance ) say something concerning the three seuerall points contained in this dutie , and mentioned in the beginning hereof , and so end this dutie . the first whereof is , that the husband must liue with his wife according to knowledge . this point of doctrine is most plainely proued by the apostle peter , where he saith a ye husbands , dwell with your wiues , as men of knowledge ; giuing honour vnto the woman , as vnto the weaker vessell , euen as they which are heires together of the grace of life , that your prayers be not interrupted . whereby he teacheth the husband his dutie , to wit , that the more vnderstanding and wisedome god hath endued him with , the more wisely and circumspectly he ought to behaue himselfe in the bearing those discommodities , which through his wiues weaknesse , oftentimes cause some iarre and dislike one to the other . neuerthelesse , though she be by nature weaker then he , yet she is an excellent instrument for him , made for very profitable vse : whereupon it followeth , that she is not therefore to be neglected because she is weake , but on the contrarie part , she ought to be so much the more cared for . like as a vessell the weaker it is , the more it is to be fauoured and spared , if we will haue it to continue : euen so a wife , because of her infirmities , is so much the more to be borne withall of her husband , . peter . . and for so much as the husband and wife are equall , in that which is the chiefest , that is to say , in that gracious and free benefit , whereby they haue euerlasting life giuen them , though otherwise i confesse vnequall , as touching the gouernance and conuersation at home , the wife is not be despised , although she be weake . and besides , all brawlings and chidings must be eschued and cast away , because they hinder prayers , and the whole seruice of god , whereunto both the husband and the wife are equally called . also for the more confirmation of this point , the apostle paul likewise saith : let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence , and likewise also the wife vnto the husband : the wife hath not power ouer her owne bodie , but the husband : and likewise also , the husband hath not the power of his owne body , but the wife . defraud not one another , except it be with consent for a time : that ye may giue your selues to fasting and prayer ; and againe come together , that sathan tempt you not for your incontinencie . which is , as if the apostle should say , the parties married must with singular affection , entirely loue one the other ; for that they are each in others power , as touching the bodie : so that they may not defraud one another ; except the one abstaine from the other by mutuall consent , that they may the better giue themselues to prayer : wherin not withstanding they must consider what is expedient ; lest by this long breaking off as it were , from marriage , they be stirred vp to incontinencie . the second point is , that the husband should not be bitter , fierce , or cruell vnto his wife : which point is approued by the said apostle , saying : husbands loue your wiues , and be not bitter vnto them . first , and aboue all things , the husband must be circumspect to keepe the band of loue , and beware that there neuer spring vp the roote of bitternesse betwixt him and his wife . if at any time there happen to arise any cause of vnkindnesse betwixt them , ( as it is impossible alwayes to be free from it ) then he must be carefull to weede vp the same with all lenitie , gentlenesse and patience , and neuer suffer himselfe nor his wife to sleepe in displeasure . ephesians , . . and if he shall haue occasion to speake sharpely , and sometimes to reproue ; he must beware that he do not the same in the presence of others : but let him keepe his words vntill a conuenient time , ( which is the point of a wise man ) and then vtter them in the spirit of meekenesse , and in the spirit of perfect loue : and he must not let sometimes to couer faults , and winke at them , if they be not too great and intollerable . whatsoeuer losse or mischaunce shall happen vnto them , let him take it patiently , and beare it cheerefully : yea , though the same should come partly through his wiues negligence ; yea rather let it be a louing warning to take better heed in time to come , then a cause to sorrow for that which is past , and cannot be holpen . euery wise-man ( by his owne experience ) knoweth , that he is in his life subiect to many inconueniences , and that of nature he is prone to displeasure , and readie to take vnkindnesse for euery trifle , and especially with his best friends ; yea , soonest with his louing wife , who is lothest to displease him . let him therefore beware of this cankered corruption , and consider that he ought most of all , in loue , to beare with his wife , according to christs example towards his church , who gaue himselfe for it , that he might sanctifie it , & clense it , by the washing of water , through the word : that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious church , not hauing spot or wrinkle , or any such thing : but that it should be holie , and without blame ; so ought men to loue their wiues as their owne bodies : he that loueth his wife , loueth himselfe . for no man yet euer hated his owne flesh , but nourisheth it , and cherisheth it , euen as the lord doth the church . as if the apostle had said : the husbands dutie is , to loue their wiues as themselues : of which loue , the loue of christ towards his church is a liuely patterne . and because many husbands pretend the infirmities of their wiues , to excuse their owne hardnesse and crueltie , the apostle willeth them to marke what manner of church it was when christ ioyned it to himselfe , and he doth not onely not loath all her filth and vncleannesse , but ceasseth not to wipe the same a way with his cleannesse , vntill he haue wholly purged it , and made it holy . and seeing that euery man loueth himselfe , euen of nature : therefore ( saith the apostle ) the husband shall striue against nature , if he loue not his wife : which he proueth ; first , by the mysticall knitting of christ and the church together , and then by the ordinance of god : who saith , that the husband and wife are one : that is , not to be diuided . the husband is alwayes to remember , that he be not fierce , rigorous , hastie , nor disordered with his wife : for then there will neuer be vnitie and concord betwixt them . if the wife do not learne to keepe silence , and the husband to haue patience , it shall rather be the dwelling of fooles , then the house of friends . for where the husband wanteth wisedome to gonerne , and the wife patience to suffer , they shall be forced ( it is to be feared ) in continuance of time , to part house , or else euery day to be iarring and brawling . euery married man ought also to remember this , that either his wife is wise and religious , or else she is foolish and irreligious . if he be matched with a wife that is sottish , foolish , and ignorant of god and his word , it will little auaile or profit him to reprehend or chide her : and if he be married to one that is wise and religious , and knoweth her dutie out of gods word , then one sharpe and discret word is sufficient : because , if a woman be not corrected by that which is wisely and discretly said , she will neuer amend by that which is threatned . when the wise shall be inflamed with ire , wrath , malice , or enuie , the husband ought to suffer her ; and after the heate is somewhat cooled , and the flame quenched , then mildly to admonish her ; for if she once begin to lose her shamefastnesse in the presence of her husband , then it is likely that there wil often follow brawlings and quarrels betwixt them . and as the husband ought at all times to shun brawlings and quarrellings with his wife , so much more he ought to auoid the same , when they shall be newly married . for if at the beginning she shall haue cause to abhorre and hate him , then late or neuer will she returne to loue him faithfully . therefore at the beginning of their marriage , the wise and discret husband ought to vse all good meanes to winne the good liking of his wife towards him : for if then their loue be fixed , and truely setled one towards the other , although afterwards they come to some houshold words and grudgings , yet it proceedeth but of some new vnkindnesse , and not of old rooted hatred ; and therefore the sooner remedied . for loue and hatred be mortall enemies , and the first of them that taketh place in the heart , there it remaineth a dweller , for the most part , all the dayes of life : in such wise , that the first loue may depart from the person , but yet it will neuer be forgotten at the heart . but if the wife from the beginning of marriage , do take the heart to loath and abhorre her husband , then a miserable life wil follow to them both . for although the husband shall haue power to force his wife to feare and obey him , yet he shall neuer haue strength to force her to loue him . some husbands do boast themselues to be serued , feared , and obeyed in their houses , because the wife that abhorreth doth feare and serue her husband , but she that indeed liketh , doth loue him , and cherish him . as the wife ought with great care to endeauour , and by all good meanes to labour to be in fauour and grace with her husband : so likewise the husband ought to feare to be in disgrace and disliking with his wife : for if she do once determine to fixe and settle her eyes and liking vpon another , then many inconueniences will ensue and follow . the husband ought not to be satisfied with the vse of his wiues body , but in that he hath also the possession of her will and affections : for it sufficeth not that they be married , but that they be well married , and liue christianly together , and be very well contented . and therefore the husband that is not beloued of his wife , holdeth his goods in danger , his house in suspition , his credite in ballance , and also sometimes his life in perill : because it is 〈◊〉 to beleeue that she desireth not long life vnto her husband , with whom she passeth a time so tedious and irksome . and if any vnkindnesse or displeafure should happen to be at any time betwixt the husband and the wife , yet neither of them ought to impart , or to make it knowne vnto any one of their neighbours : for if they be such as wish them euill , they will reioyce at it , and if they be such as wish them well , then they minister matter whereof to talke . that husband that is matched and doth encounter with a wife that is a dizzard , a foole , a babbler , light ofbehauiour , a glutton , a chider , slothfull , a gadder abroad , vntractable , iealous , or dissolute , &c : it were better for him to be a slaue to some honest man , then a husband to such a wife . the best rule that a man may hold and practise with his wife , to guard and gouerne her , is to admonish her often , and to giue her good instructions , to reprehend her seldome , neuer to lay violent hands on her , but if she be good and dutifull , to fauour her , to the end she may continue so ; and if she be shrewish and way ward , mildly to suffer her , to the end that she waxe not worse . but some husbands be of so sowre a nature , and so vnpleasant in their behauiour , that they can hardly be loued , no not of their wiues ; their countenance is so lowring , their company so currish , that they seeme angry , euen when they are best pleased ; they cannot speake faire ; scarce will they laugh , when their wiues laugh vpon them : a man would say , they were borne in an angrie houre . this is also a dutie ( not to be forgotten , ) namely , that 〈◊〉 be diligent and carefull to make prouision for their houses ; to cloath their wiues decently , to bring vp their children vertuously ; and to pay their seruants duely ; because that in voluntary matters men may be negligent , but the necessities of the house do neither suffer negligence nor forgetfulnesse . the duty of the husband is to get goods : and of the wife to gather them together , and saue them . the duty of the husband is to trauell abroad to seeke liuing : and the wiues dutie is to keepe the house . the duty of the husband is to get money and prouision : and of the wiues , not vainely to spend it . the dutie of the husband is to deale with many men : and of the wife to talke with few . the duty of the husband is , to be intermedling : and of the wife , to be solitarie and withdrawne . the duty of the man is , to be skilfull in talke : and of the wife to boast of silence . the duty of the husband is , to be a giuer ; and of the wife to be a sauer . the duty of the man is , to apparell himselfe as he may ; and of the woman , as it becommeth her . the dutie of the husband is , to be lord of all : and of the wife , to giue account of all . the dutie of the husband is , to dispatch all things without dore ; and of the wife , to ouersee and giue order for all things within the house . now , where the husband and wife performeth these duties in their house , we may call it a colledge of quietnesse : the house wherein these are neglected , we may terme it a hell . it is to be noted , and noted againe , that as the prouision of houshold dependeth onely on the husband : euen so the honour of all dependeth onely of the woman : in such sort , that there is no honour within the house , longer then a mans wife is honourable . and therefore the apostle calleth the woman , the glorie of the man. but heere it must be noted and remembred , that we do not intitle honourable to such , as be onely beautifull , comely of face , of gentilitie , of comely personage , and a good huswife : but onely to her that is vertuous , honest of life , temperate , and aduised in her speech . . the last point is , that the husband loue , cherish , and nourish his wife , euen as his owne body , and as christ loued his church , and gaue himselfe for it , to sanctifie it . and this point is plainely proued by the apostle paul , as is sufficiently declared in the second point . there are few husbands or wiues that know in truth how they should loue one the other . if a man loue his wife onely for these respects , because she is rich , beautifull , noble , or because she contenteth and pleaseth him after the sensuall appetite of the flesh , and for such like causes ; that is no true loue before god : for such loue may be among harlots and whoores , yea among bruite beasts . but a christian husband must loue his wife , chiefly , because she is his sister in the 〈◊〉 of the sound and christian religion 〈◊〉 so an inheritour with him of the kingdome of heauen . and he must also loue her for her vertues , as for her shamefastnesse , modestie , chastitie , diligence , patience , faithfulnesse , temperance , secrecie , obedience , and such like christian qualities and graces of god : yea , although she be but hard fauoured , & of poore parentage . but as we would that the man when he loueth , should remember his superioritie , so we would that when he ruleth , he neither forget to loue , nor to temper his loue with grauitie . and when he doth think himselfe to be the head and the soule , and the woman ( as it were ) the flesh and the body , he ought in like manner to remember , that she is his fellow , and companion of his goods and labours , and that their children be common betweene them , bone of the bones , and flesh of the flesh of man. and thus there shall be in wedlocke , a certaine sweet and pleasant conuersation , without the which it is no marriage , but a prison , a hatred , and a perpetuall torment of the mind . so that the husband must let his wife perceiue and know , that for the good opinion that he hath of her , he doth loue her simply , and faithfully , and not for any vtilitie or pleasure . for who so doth not perceiue that he is beloued for his owne sake , will not lightly do the same to another : for the thing that is loued , loueth againe . if mony or nobilitie could perceiue and vnderstand that they were beloued , they would , if they had any feeling at all of loue , requite it with loue : but when the soule is loued , in as much as it may loue , it giueth loue for loue , and loueth againe . the breaker of horses , that doth vse to ride and pace them , doth handle the rough and sturdie colt , with all craft , rigour , and fiercenesse that may be : but with the colt that is more tractable , he taketh not so great paines . a sharpe and shrewd wife must be pleased and mitigated with loue , and ruled with authority : and the more gently thou doest vse and shew thy selfe vnto her that is meeke and honest , the more benigne and meeke thou shalt find her . but she that is noble , and of a stout minde and stomacke , the lesse thou doest looke to be honoured , the more she will obey and honour thee . but yet the wise husband shall neuer set himselfe so farre in loue , that he forget that he is a man , the ruler and gouernour of the house , and ofhis wife , and that he is set ( as it were ) in a station to watch , and diligently to take heed what is done in his house , and to see who goeth out and in . and although the husband by gods ordinance , be the head ouer his wife , yet he may not abuse or despise her , but most louingly defend and keepe her from all iniuries , and all euils as his owne body . for like as the head 〈◊〉 and heareth for the whole body , ruleth and guideth the body , and giueth it strength of life : or as christ doth defend , teach and preserue his church , and is the sauiour , comfort , eye , heart , wisedome , and guide thereof : euen so must the husband be head vnto his wife , in like manner to shew her like kindnesse , and after the same fashion to guide her , and rule her with discretion , for her good and preseruation , and not with force and wilfulnesse to intreat her , but to be her defender , instructer , teacher , and comfort . so that when the husband hath obtained that his wife doth truely and heartily loue him , there shall then need neither precepts , nor lawes : for loue shall teach her moe things , and more effectually , then all the precepts of all the phylosophers . he ought therefore to endeauour , and more force himselfe , that his wife may loue him , then that she may feare him . when his wife shall offend or displease him , he may nor hate her or quarrell with her , but patiently and mildly admonish her : for no man euer hated ( saith the apostle ) his owne body , but cherisheth it , and maketh much of it . so then he that loueth his wife , loueth himselfe : for thereby he enioyeth peace and comfort , and helpe to himselfe in all his affaires : therefore in the same verse paul counselleth husbands to loue their wiues , as their bodies . and after in the . verse , as though it were too little to loue them as their bodies , he saith : let euery one loue his wife as himselfe : that is , as his body and soule too . for if god commanded men to loue their neighbours as themselues , much more are they bound to loue their wiues as themselues , which are their next neighbours . as elkanah did not loue his wife lesse for her barrennesse , but said : am not i better vnto thee then tenne sonnes ? as though he fauoured her more , for that which she thought her selfe despised : so a good husband will not take occasion to loue his wife lesse for her infirmities , but comfort her more for them , as this man did , that she may beare with his infirmities too . and so the one helping to beare the others burthen , they shall the better fulfill the law of christ. for as in a citie , there is nothing more vnequall then that euery man should be like equall : so it is not conuenient , that in one house euery man should be like and equall together . there is no equalitie in that citie where the priuate man is equal with the magistrate , the people with the senate , or the seruant with the maister , but rather a confusion of all offices and authoritie . the husband and the wife are lords of the house : for vnto them the lord said , be ye lords ouer the fish of the sea , and ouer the fowle of the heauen , aud ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth . and the selfesame creator said , that the woman should be an helper vnto the man. therefore the husband without any exception , is maister ouer all the house , and hath more to do in his house with his owne domesticall affaires , then the magistrate . the wife is ruler ouer all other things , but yet vnder her husband . there are certaine things in the house that onely do appertaine to the authoritie of the husband , wherewith it were a reproch for the wife , without the consent of her husband , to meddle : as to receiue strangers , or to marrie her daughter . but there are other things , in the which the husband giueth ouer his right vnto his wife : as to rule and gouerne her maidens : to see to those things that belong vnto the kitchin , and to huswiferie , and to their houshold stuffe . other meane things , as to buy and sell certaine necessarie things , may be ordered after the wit , wisedome , and fidelity of the woman . it cannot well be rehearsed , how many vertues & profits , the mutuall concord and loue of man and wife doth bring to great things , both at home and abroad , nor how many losses and incommodities do grow of the dissention and discord betweene them . for the houshold , when their maister and their mistresse , or dame , are at debate , can no otherwise be in quiet and at rest , then a citie whose rulers agree not , but when it seeth them in concord and quietnesse , then it reioyceth , trusting that they will be euen so vnto them , as it perceiueth them to be among themselues . wherein surely they are not deceiued , for if the man and his wife do louingly and gently support and intreate one another , they learne not to disdaine , or for euery light fault to be angry with their seruants , or yet for any household words to be vexed or angrie one with the other , but they set aside all hastie and cruell words and correction , with all other things that issue and proceed of a disdainefull and a furious mind . and the seruants are not onely merrie therefore , but also they do their seruice the more obediently and cheerefully , shewing reuerence vnto the authority that proceedeth and increaseth of quietnesse and concord . for the husband doth defend his wiues estimation , with loue and beneuolence : and the wife her husband with honour and obedience . so that vnitie and concord , causeth them to be accounted wise , honest , and vertuous ; and they must needs be good , seeing they haue loued so long together . but there can be no long amitie or friendship , but betweene those that are good , who do suffer and deuoure vp those things for the which other men leaue and forsake amitie , and breake off charitie . neither doth there grow of any other thing so great reuerence and honour , as of the opinion and estimation of another mans goodnesse and wisedome : the which reuerence is not onely honoured within the doores , but also shineth and extendeth it selfe into the citie ; so that he is taken for an honest man , and accounted to be louing and gentle , seeing that he loueth his wife so constantly : and also he is reputed for a wise man , considering that he can so moderately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 difficult and hard matters : and he is reckned worthy to rule a common-wealth , that with such wisedome , discretion , and iudgement , doth rule and gouerne his owne house ; and that he may easily conserue and keepe his citizens in peace and concord , that hath so well established the same in his owne house and family . and on the other side , none will thinke or beleeue , that he is able to be a ruler , or to keepe peace & quietnesse in the towne or citie , who cannot liue peaceably in his owne house , where he is not onely a ruler , but as it were a little king , and lord of all . and in matrimoniall debate and discord , the man is more to be blamed then is the woman , because that he being the chiefe ruler and head , doth not purge and remedie her of that vice the which ingendred that discord , or else patiently beare and suffer the same . for the blame of all discord is commonly laid on him that is chiefe , because he would not moderate nor stay the thing to come to such a strife and discord , or else because he was not able to do it . in the first , there appeareth manifest malice , in the second impatience and weakenesse , the which ought to be farre from him that is esteemed to be most worthy , and appointed to rule and gouerne others . and thus he commeth into hatred , for as much as he hath left off to do his dutie and office , when necessitie required it . that husband that loueth not his wife after that he hath enioyed her for a season , but doth waxe feeble and cold , ( which is a thing most vsuall and ordinarie with such as are kindled with bodily lust and lecherie ) is a very beast and no man , hauing no reason , but is drawne to those deeds through the motion of his senses , which , after the heate is a little past , will cleane change their opinion . also there are other occasions , that should moue the husband to extend this loue to his wife , in case he be not duller then a stone . as for that his wife hath suffered so great trauel & labour , that she hath borne and brought him forth children , the heires of his name and substance , and the vpholders of his family : and that she hath forsaken her fathers goods and riches , to follow him , and to suffer with him both good and euill : and that she setting her whole mind now vpon him , knoweth no other father nor yet any of her kin . what one thing shall suffice if these and others cannot do it ? who so will then obey nature , humanitie , and wisedome , shall euery day loue his wife more and more : and the better he knoweth her , the more he will trust her , and so open and disclose his loue , and shew her greater signes and tokens of loue and beneuolence , manifesting that to be borne and nourished through the experience of her vertue , and through hope to be continued and kept , that in time to come she may be like her selfe , and striue to ouercome herselfe with vertue . as the husband ought to loue his wife tenderly , so from her as from a fountaine , he must extend his loue also vnto her parents and kinsfolkes , to the end that they may well know and perceiue , how greatly their cousin doth aide and helpe them , and that she in like manner may vnderstand , that his beneuolence and loue to her is such , that it redoundeth among her friends and parents ; and of this he shall receiue no little profit at home . and seeing he loueth his wiues kinsemen for her sake , how much more ought he then to loue her children , that she in like case may loue his , if he haue any ? and thus the one seeing the mutuall loue of the other , they shall knit and couple themselues in good and stedfast loue vnto their liues end . the duties which are to be performed of the husband and the wife , are either pertaining to pietie and godlinesse , or else mutuall seuerall duties concerning the parties themselues . . the first common dutie is prayer , that they pray together by themselues . for as they are to pray with others in their families for things which concerne their houshold : so there are certaine things , which belonging to themselues , are not to be mentioned in their families , but priuately ; as namely , for a godly posterity , and that in the birth the childrn be comely , and not monstrous in comming forth like monsters , which might be a griefe vnto them , or an occasion that the wicked should speake euill of the gospell , &c. and further , they are to pray , that they may haue comfort by them , in their well-carriage , and good behauiour : as likewise for their houshold , and diuers other affaires , which they cannot so commodiously pray for in their publike familie . as isaack and rebecca , besides the prayers in their house , which they vsed with abrahams family , did also pray together priuatly , as gen. . . it is said , isaack prayed before his wife : for so the words signifie , that they might haue children . . a second dutie of pietie is , that they admonish one another . as the husband is to admonish the wife , and also to teach her : so the wife is to admonish the husband ; & in her place admonishing , bringing sufficient reason is to be heard . for euen as the maister is to counsell the seruant , and likewise to heare the good counsell of his seruant , as naaman . king. . . . heard his seruant which counselled him to wash in iordan , according to the saying of the prophet : so in like manner the husbands duty is , to counsell and to admonish his wife : yet so , as when he faileth in duty , he is to heare her good counsell and admonition , either concerning heauenly matters , or earthly affaires , she notwithstanding considering her estate and condition vnder him , and in humility , confessing her selfe to be the weaker vessell . . pet. . . their mutuall and seuerall duties pertaining to themselues , are : first , the holy familiarity which ought to be betwixt man and wife : wherby they haue a more familiar vsage one of another , and do more familiarly behaue themselues in a comely sort one to another , then any other parties whatsoeuer : in regard whereof , abimelech king of gerar , after that isaack had said of rebecca his wife , she is my sister , seeing isaack playing and sporting with her familiarly , knowing that familiarity which ought to be betweene the husband and the wife ; and knowing that isaack was a godly religious man , and therefore would not vse that kind of behauiour to any other woman , saue to his wife , discerned thereby , and concluded certainely , that she was his wife , howsoeuer he had denied it before . noting , that a woman is not to be familiar after that sort with any other man , saue her husband ; and contrary , that the husband ought not to vse this familiaritie with any other woman , which he doth with his wife . and therefore , pro. . . we see that the wife should be to him , as the louing hinde ; namely delightfull , & one in whom he may delight : that as the hart delighteth in the hinde , so the wife should be a delight vnto her husband ; and so in like manner she ought to take delight in him . . againe , there is another mutuall dutie , pertaining to themselues , to wit , that neare coniunction , euen in regard of their bodies , for an holy procreation of children , in respect whereof the apostle saith , the husband hath not power ouer his owne body , but the wife &c. onely when it is with the wife ( as is common to women , ezech. . . ) or that she be sicke of her disease , he is not then to haue the vse of her body , &c. such as do aspire and purpose to enter into the holy estate of matrimony , are to beginne in prayer and holinesse to god. and hauing attained to that estate , ought to vse the benefit of marriage , as an holy ordinance of god , in all godlinesse and puritie , for a remedie against the weakenesse of the flesh , and not for the prouocation and lust to intemperancie . true it is , that honesty of marriage grounded vpon gods ordinance , doth couer the shame of incontinencie ; yet not so , as that married folkes should defile and pollute that holy estate , by admitting all things , but that they should so vse it , as there might be no excesse in dissolutenesse , neither any intemperancie contrarie to the holinesse thereof : so that to abuse it in lasciuious excesse , is fornication . when god created the woman , he said : it is not good that man should be alone . i will make him a helpe meete for him ; but whatsoeuer is said of the woman , that she should be an helpe to the man , must also be put in practise , and exercised by the husband to wards his wife , according to the doctrine of the apostle saint paul , . cor. . whether in auoiding fornication , whether in procuring generation , and the education and bringing vp of children ; whether in maintaining a family , or for the seruice of god , and saluation of soules . hereby it euidently appeareth , that the dutie common both to the husband and wife , importeth , that the one should aide and helpe the other . first , that they may leade their lines in chastitie and holinesse . next , to auoide fornication . so that the dutie of the husband and the wife consisteth in this , that they liue together in all chastitie and purenesse , and that they take great heed and beware of breaking the bond , and infringing and violating the saith of marriage , by fornication or adulterie , which is a detestable sinne in the sight both of god and man. if such as wanting the remedy of marriage , by committing fornication , do incurre an offence worthy euerlasting damnation , what may those deserue , who hauing a remedy for their infirmity , do neuerthelesse ouerflow in adulterie ? yet it is not enough onely to abstaine from this abhomination , vnlesse we also forbeare from euery thing that may seeme to tend thereunto , or to continue any beginning , apparence , allurement , or occasion of euill . first , because , that by the law , all this is forbidden euen in these expresse words : thou shalt not commit adultery . for the word adulterie , comprehendeth all prouocations , gestures , specches : yea , euen vnchast lookes . and therefore saith iesus christ : he that looketh vpon another mans wife , to lust after her , bath alreadie committed adulterie with her in his heart . next , that we preuent all occasions of iealousie , a most dangerous disease , and of great difficultie to cure . for where either the husband or the wife , is tainted with iealousie , they belecue euery word that they heare spoken touching their passion , albeit it beare no apparence of truth . and therefore christian husbands and wiues , must so beare themselues , that they incurre no suspition of enill : but rather they ought to practise this , as wel to auoide occasion of offence , as for feare lest iealousie should conuert marriage into a most miserable and wretched estate . the care and burthen to maintaine their family is common to them both ; yet so , as properly the husband is to get it , and to bring it in , and the wife to order and dispose it . howbeit the dutie of the wife , or of the husband , doth not so exempt either of them . but that she also , according to her ability and power , must helpe her husband to get it , and he likewise , in his discretion , direct her in the dispensation thereof : he that doth not orderly gouerne his house , shall inherite the winde , ( saith salomon . ) and order consisteth in this , that the husband follow his businesse , traffique , or calling , without any molestation of the wife , who ought not to meddle or controle him therein , but with great discretion and gentlenesse : as also the husband is not to deale but soberly , and in great discretion with affaires that are proper to the wife . the man is iealous of his authority and reputation , and the woman inclined to respect her selfe to be despised . wherefore , as the husband cannot well abide that his wife should shew her selfe more skilfull and wise in his businesse then himselfe : so cannot the wife suffer that her husband should despise and account her a foole , by medling with her small houshold affaires . as the dutie therefore of the husband and wife , consisteth in looking to that which is aforesaid , to the end their marriage may be quiet , & themselues liue together in loue ; euen so an idle and vnthrifty husband , and a prodigall and slothfull wife , are two ready wayes to destruction . the husband that hath such a wife , casteth his labours into a bottomles sacke , and the wife that is matched with such a husband , draweth a cart heauy loden through a sandy way without a horse . such a husband , especially , if idlenesse draw him to loue and haunt ale-houses and tauernes , is cruell to his wife and children , and such a wife confounds her husband , and bringeth reproach and pouertie to her whole family . the remedy for the husband that hath such a wife , is patience , with discret admonition and prayer to god : as also the helpe for the wife that hath such a husband , is tolleration , gentle exhortation , and cheerefull and louing entertainment of her husband , whereby to enduce him willingly to keepe home . they are also to be mutuall helpers each to other , in matters concerning their owne saluation and the seruice of god. first , if one of them ( as saith the apostle ) be an vnbeleeuer , the other must labour to draw his partie to the knowledge of the truth . saint paul exhorting the husband and wife of contrary religions , not to part , but to dwell together ; addeth a notable reason , saying : what knowest thou , ó man , whether thou shalt saue thy selfe : or thou ô woman , whether thou shalt saue thy husband ? therein declaring , that the faithfull person in duty is to labour and endeuour to winne his party to the knowledge of truth , and so to saue her . saint ' peter exhorteth wiues to be subiect to their husbands , albeit vnbeleeuers , and such as ' obey not the word : that so without speech , by their holy and vertuous conuersation , they may 〈◊〉 them . secondly , if both be beleeuers , their duty is , to confirme and strengthen each other in the time of persecution , that they constantly follow iesus christ. they are also each to helpe and comfort other , if either of them happen to fall into any fault or sinne . they ought also each to perswade other to charitie , to releeue the poore , diligently to frequent sermons , to vse prayers and supplications , and praise and thanksgiuing to the lord , to comfort each other in the time of affictions ; to be short , either to exhort other to walke in the feare of god , and in all duties and exercises beseeming the children of god. in this manner did that holy woman elizeus hostesse , exhort her husband to prepare a chamber for the prophet to lodge in . saint paul also saith , that women desirous to learne , should question with their husbands at home . wherby he sheweth , that the husband ought to be so instructed , as that he may be ready to instruct his wife at home . and therefore the husband ( after the example of the bee , ) should euery where gather euery good instruction , that he might be able to impart it to his wife , and by hauing a communication , acquaint her therewith . there are other duties which be common both to the husband and the wife , as among the rest , such as proceed of the vnion & coniunction of marriage , whereof it is said , they are one slesh : gen. . . matth. . . and of this vnion proceedeth the mutuall loue betwixt them . for no man ( saith the apostle ) hateth his owne flesh , but loueth and cherisheth it . but for as much as the foundation of this mutuall loue , is the vnitie of marriage , whereby the husband and the wife are made one flesh ; the husband as the head , the wife as the bodie : it followeth , that this loue must be stedfast , not variable ; and that the vnion of marriage continue notwithstanding , whatsoeuer befall either the husband or the wife . notwithstanding whatsoeuer complexions , ( we say ) natures and infirmities may appeare , whatsoeuer sicknesse , losse of goods , iniuries , griefes , or other inconueniences that may arise , yet so long as the foundation of loue that is the vnion of marriage doth continue , so long must loue and affection remaine . god commandeth vs , to loue our neighbours as our selues , because they be of our flesh . albeit therefore , that he contemne , hate , offend , or wrong vs : albeit he be our enemie , and in respect of himselfe , deserueth not that we should loue him , yet because he is of our flesh , the foundation of loue remaining , we must loue him . how much rather ought they to put this in practise , who by the bond of marriage are made one flesh ? the rather , because the vnion betweene man and wife , is without comparison more straite , and bindeth them each to loue other much more then the coniunction whereby man is vnited vnto his neighbour . but this is the mischiefe , that in many their loue is not grounded vpon the vnion of marriage , but vpon beautie , riches , and other carnall and worldly considerations , subiect to change , alteration , and losse . this corruption that respecteth beautie , is olde , and noted to be among the causes of the floud . the sonnes of god ( saith moses ) seeing the daughters of men were faire , lusted after them , and tooke them in marriage . but indeed it is money that maketh loue , and riches ingender affection , witnesse the experience of our dayes . yet such loue resembleth onely a fire of straw , which is but a blaze , and is soone out , vnlesse it be continued with great wood , or other like substance . loue growing of beauty , riches , lust , or any other like slight , vncertaine , and fraile grounds , is soone lost and vanished , vnlesse it be maintained with the consideration of this vnion , of two in one flesh , and the vertues thereto adioyned : & therefore must euery man thinke vpon this vnion in marriage , that he may enioy , nourish , & continue the loue that there of proceedeth , the rather because such loue is the nurse of concord , that maketh marriage happy : as contrariwise , the want of this loue , is the fountaine of strife , quarrelling , debate , and other like afflictions , that conuert the paradise of marriage into a hell . for dissention betweene man and wife , is the trouble and ouerthrow of the houshold . they that wil auoide such strife , must therefore loue each other : and especially they must haue care hereof when they are first married . for as a vessell made of two peeces , and glewed together , may at the first be easily broken , but in time groweth hard : so is it also with two persons that are glewed or ioyned together by the bond of marriage . this loue , the mother of peace , will ingender a care and duty each to support other , and so to practise the same , which saint paul requireth in all beleeuers : that is , to be gentle one to another , friendly , and each to forgiue other , euen as god hath forgiuen vs through christ. let the husband think , that he hath married a daughter of adam , and all her infirmities : and likewise let the woman thinke , that she hath not married an angell , but a child of adam , with his corruption . and so let them both resolue to beare that , that cannot be soon amended . let not the body complaine of the head , albeit it haue but one eye , neither the head of the body , albeit it be crooked or mishapen . such defaults do neuer breake vnion and loue betweene the head and the body : neither must the infirmities of the husband or the wife , infringe the loue that proceedes of the vnion and coniunction of mariage . if the husband be giuen to brawling , or the wife to chiding , let them both beware of giuing any occasion . the bell hath a loud sound , and therefore he that will not heare it must beware how he pulleth the rope and shake it : so if the one will begin to chide without a cause , let the other be either deafe , and so not heare it , or dumbe , and so make no answer . so that where the husband is deafe , and the wife blinde , marriage is quiet and free from dissention . whereby is meant , that the wife must winke at many infirmities of her husband , as if she saw them not , and the husband put vp many shrewde speeches of his wife , as if he heard them not . neither can it be any reproach to the husband and wise , so stedfastly vnited , to practise this dutie , considering that dauid protesteth , that he vsed the like patience and discretion among his enemies : they that seeke after my life lay snares , and they that go about to do me euill , talke wicked things , and imagine deceit continually : but i as a deafe man , heard not : and am as a dumbe man which openeth not his mouth . thus i am as a man that heareth not , and in whose mouth are no reproofes . this vnion betweene man and wife , doth also engender that dutie which the holy ghost noteth , saying : for this cause shall a man leaue his father and mother , and cleaue to his wife . and also the wife in the like respect is bound to the like duty toward her husband . not that marriage exempteth any from their due honour and obedience to parents , but to declare that the vnion betweene man and wife , is greater then betweene the children and the parents . and indeed , the true loue of the husband to the wife , and the wife to the husband , surmounteth all loue of children to their parents . the husband and the wife haue their secret counsels and communication of matters concerning their profit and commodity . the wise it more obedient to her husband , and the husband more desirous to please his wife , then their parents : yea and at length it falleth out , that they depart from their parents , to keepe house by themselues . and this plainely appeared in lea and rachel , being sisters , and the wiues of lacob . for lacob grieued at the wrong offered him by their father laban , boldly made his moane to them . whereupon they also complaining of their father , agreed with lacob , and consented together , to leaue their father , and to follow their husband lacob . herein likewise consisteth another dutie of the husband to the wife , and of the wife to the husband : namely , that they shew no greater secrecie or communication of their houshold affaires to their parents , then mutually each to other : and this rule is especially to be put in practise , when there groweth any discontent betweene themselues . for if the husband shall complaine to his parents of his wife , or the wife of her husband , such dealing might breed a most dangerous iealousie , and consequently perhaps irreconciliable dissention and strife . but if it should grow to any complaint , it were requisite , so discreetly to prosecute the matter , as that the wife should come to her husbands parents , and the husband to the wiues parents . so would all cause of iealousie ceasse , and the complaint procure most assured remedy . this loue and agreement in marriage produceth yet another dutie , common both to the husband and the wife . and that is , that they neuer seeke , neither once thinke of diuorce . and to that end , let them remember what is written : that which god hath ioyned together , let no man put asunder . likewise , that nothing but adultery , may separate those that are vnited by marriage . all other agreements and contracts , made by mutuall consent , may be broken and dissolued , by the like consent of both parties : but in the contract of marriage , almightie god commeth in as a witnesse : yea , he receiueth the promise of both parties , as a ioyning them in that estate . and this doth salomon note , where he obiecteth to the harlot , that she hath forgotten the couenant or alliance of her god. but malachie speaketh more plainely , and giueth a reason , why god punished such husbands as leauing their lawfull wiues tooke others : because ( saith he ) the lord hath bene witnesse betweene thee and the wife of thy youth , against whom thou hast transgressed , yet is she thy companion , and the wife of thy couenant . the promise therefore to god cannot be broken , but onely by his authoritie . in the dayes of moses , husbands were easily and soone intreated to sorsake their wiues , by giuing them a bill of diuorce : yet so farre was this course from being lawfull , that contrarywise iesus christ saith , that it was tolerated only in respect of the hardnesse of husbands hearts , who otherwise would haue vexed their wiues , and intreated them cruelly . and this libell containing the cause of diuorce , and putting away of the woman , did iustifie her , and condemne the man. for seeing it was neuer giuen in case of adulterie , ( which was punished with death ) all other causes alledged in the libell , tended to iustifie the woman , and declare that she was wrongfully diuourced , and so condemned the husband , as one that contraryed the first institution of marriage ; whereto iesus christ condemning this corruption , doth returne them , saying : it was not so from the beginning : and therefore , whosoeuer shall put away his wife , except it be for whoredome , and marrieth another , committeth adulterie , and whosoeuer marrieth her which is diuorced , doth commit adulterie with her ; so straight is the bond of marriage . here of it followeth , that notwithstanding whatsoeuer difficulties may arise betweene the husband and the wife , whether it be long , tedious , and incurable sicknesse of either party : whether naturall and contrary humours , that breed debate , wrangling , or 〈◊〉 , about household affaires : whether it be any vice , as if the husband be a drunkard , or the wife a slothfull , idle , or 〈◊〉 housewife : whether either party forsake the truth , and profession of religion , and do fall to idolatrie or heresie : yet still the bond of marriage remaineth stedfast , and not to be dissolued . neither may they be separated , euen by their owne mutuall consent : for as the holy ghost hath pronounced : that which god hath ioyned together , let no man put asunder . and therefore saint paul saith , if any brother hath a wife that beleeueth not ; if she be content to dwell with him ; let him not forsake her : and the woman which hath an husband that beleeueth not , if he can be content to dwell with her , let her not for sake him . and because some did suppose , that the vnbeleefe in anie of the parties might breed some pollution in their marriage , and make it prophane and vnchristian , he answereth no. his reason is , for the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by his beleeuing wife ; and the vnbeleeuing wife , by her beleeuing husband . and this he proueth , by affirming that the childrēissuing of such marriage be holy ; that is to say , partakers of the couenant of god , and consequently , accepted into the fellowship of the church . onely he addeth this exception : if the vnbeleeuing man depart , and for sake the beleeuing wife , she is not subiect to follow him . and yet must this be vnderstood , where such departure ariseth either vpon hatred that he beareth to the true religion that bis wife prosesseth , or vpon a desire to vse his polluted and false religion . for therein cannot his wife follow him without danger of defiling , and depriuing her selfe of the profession of the truth ; together with the food of her soule . likewise , where saint paul speaking of the husband and wife , both beleeuers , saith : if the woman depart from her husband , let her remaine vnmarried , or be reconciled to her husband : he therein meaneth not , that it shall be lawfull for the woman , because she cannot beare the troublesome nature of her husband , or to auoyde strife and debate , to depart , and liue as a widdow ; but onely he 〈◊〉 , that when the husband vpon such like occasion , shall put away , or cast off his wife , yet is not she at her libertie to marry another , but must remaine vnmarried , and labour to be reconciled . and therefore those women , which vpon the hard dealing , or troublesome disposition of their husbands , do for sake them , are greatly to be reproued , as thereby giuing occasion of great mischiefe and trouble : as also are those husbands , who vpon like occasion do forsake their wiues . for seeing nothing may make diuorce but adultery , euery purpose and determination to part vpon any other occasion or reason , is restrained by gods ordinance and the law of marriage . and 〈◊〉 as it is not lawfull for vs to continue in such desperation the whole course of our liues , neither is it lawfull so to abide at all , or so much as enter thereinto : if therefore , vpon such occasion the husband forsake his wife , or the wife her husband ; rather then to continue the mischiefe begun , let them returne together againe , and thinke that the shortest follies do least hurt . if they alledge their intreaty , in their opinion intollerable , and their nature so contrary , that they cannot liue without strife and debate : and that being asunder , and quiet in conscience , free from trouble , they may the better apply themselues and employ their time in prayer : the answer is that such 〈◊〉 must not dissolue , or breake the bond of marriage , and their duties to liue together : but let them thinke that god hath called them to the exercise of patience , which vpon hearty prayer he will grant to them : let them labour to beare each with other , that they may liue in peace ; and continually pray to god to giue them grace so to do . let them remember , that the diuell transformeth himselfe into an angell of light , when by propounding a desire to liue in quiet , and consequently a meane to pray vnto god ; for the compassing thereof , he induceth them to gainesay gods prohibition , and also to separate that which god hath ioyned together . for as the coniunction commeth of god , so the separation and diuorce proceedeth from the diuell . if they reply , that by liuing asunder , so that they marry not againe , they breake not the bond of marriage ; let them remember , that marriage being ordained for a remedie against fornication , for the generation and bringing vp of children , and also for an helpe each to other in mutuall societie , and inseparable conuersation oflife , yet doth there appeare no token or effect of marriage in those that liue asunder , albeit they marry not againe . so that the benefit of marriage consisteth not onely in the procreation of children , but also in the mutuall societie of the two diuerse sexes . otherwise it could not be said , that there were any marriage betweene two old folkes . this vnion of marriage , yet teacheth vs another duty , common both to the man and to the wife , which is , that their goods be common betweene them . that common-wealth may in some sort be said to be happy , where they haue no vse of these words : mine and thine ; but in marriage especially they ought not to be heard . if the wife haue brought most goods in marriage , the marriage once consummate and made , her part is gone , and they are gone , and they are made common : as also are the debtes , whether hers or her husbands . and therefore can neither of them say , this is mine ; but this is ours . when a woman hath brought great goods , yet may she not say , i will do with mine owne what i list : for she her selfe is not her owne , but her husbands . the husband ( as the head and chiefe guide of the family , ) must haue the custody and chiese gouernment of the goods in the house , yet may he discharge himselfe of the whole , or of part , as himselfe shall thinke meete and conuenient . yet let him remember , that he intreate her not as a seruant , by giuing her money as it were in mistrust , or with condition to returne him a particular account : for the husbands mistrust doth many times prouoke the woman ; and the wiues vaine expence breedeth mistrust in the husband . but the faithfull and discret employment and good vsage of the wife , and her husbands confidence in her , will procure , that as the goods be common to both , so each alike shall vndertake the custody and employment of the same . hereunto for a conclusion of this point , we will yet adde two duties , common both to the husband and the wife . the first , that they daily pray to god to giue them grace to liue together in peace and loue , and that each may be an helpe to others saluation . let all such as desire to enioy such a selicitie , vnderstand , that they must daily pray to god for the obtaining thereof . and let those that liue in strife and debate , examine themselues whether they haue no cause to impute their miserable estate to their neglect of this duty . the second , consisteth in the practise of the same : which saint paul teacheth , saying : let those that be married , be as if they were not married . but how ? by so enioying the commodity and contentation of marriage , that the benefit of their coniunction breed no diuorce betweene god and them . likewise , that thereby they be not hindered , or made slacke in any duty towards god , and their neighbours ; as also , that no affliction ( depending or proceeding of marriage ) withdraw them , or force them to resolue any thing contrary to the vnion of marriage , and these christian profession that they be the children of god. the particular duties of the husband toward the wife , are first , to protect her , to haue regard and care ouer her , &c. ruth . . secondly , that he vnfainedly loue her , out of which fountaine springeth this dutie , that he must beare with her infirmities , and not by and by , to enter into bitternesse and wrath : colossions . . to the same end saint peter exhorting husbands to behaue themselues discreetly , and with knowledge and wisedome toward their wiues , he requireth of them two things . first , that they neuer say nor do any thing that may iustly offend their wiues , as some there be , who being prodigall , great spenders , or idle and slacke in their businesse , do cause their wiues and children to languish in pouertie : others , who haunting tauernes , ale-houses , and gaming , do consume and wast that which should maintaine their family : others who comming home drunke , do beate and vexe their wiues , and as it were driue them into dispaire : others , who by vile and bitter speeches , by threatnings , and other vnchristian actions , vnworthy a husband , do prouoke their wiues ; and so stirre vp such strife and debate , as do conuert the comfort of marriage into an hell . seeing therefore , that the husband is head , he ought in such wisedome , reason and discretion to beare himselfe , that he giue his wife no iust occasion of offence , or prouocation : yet he must remember , that if the head be drunke , the whole body is in danger of weake gouernment , euen oflying in the mire . secondly , that albeit the wife should minister iust cause of griefe and displeasure , yet that the husband should not thereof take occasion against his wiues infirmities ; or enter into bitternesse , taunts , or disquietnesse : but discreetly , and patiently beare with her ; that so they may quietly and louingly liue together . the hurt or weaknesse of any one member of the body , prouoketh not the head to wrath or bitternesse , but rather to compassion , and an inclination to helpe it . and indeede , whereas god hauing created the woman the weaker vessell ( as saint peter noteth , ) and did so ioyne her to man , it was not to the end that he striuing with so fraile a vessell , should bruise and breake it , but that by gentle and discreet intreating , he should quietly enioy the help that god hath giuen him . let him therefore after the counsell of saint peter , so respect her , as one , who albeit she be weake , is neuerthelesse a profitable vessell for him . moreouer , let him loue and honour her , as one , whom ( notwithstanding the frailtie of her sexe ) god hath so honoured , and iesus christ so loued , that being together with man redeemed with his bloud , she is , together with her husband , co-heire of life euerlasting . a chrystall glasse , is a precious and profitable vessell , yet brittle : so is the married woman . but albeit she be brittle , yet is she profitable to her husband , and precious in the sight of god , as a child of god , and member of christ. as therefore a man doth more carefully take heed ofbreaking such a glasse , then some earthen or tinne vessell , the one being more base , and the other more strong : so likewise should the husband haue such regard of the frailtie of his wife , that he may beare with her , and intreate her with gentlenesse and discretion , that he may vse her as a precious and profitable vessell , to his comfort and ioy . and in as much as prayer is an excellent seruice that god requireth of vs , and the ready meanes to purchase his blessings , let the husband discretly beare with his wife , lest otherwise through their strife and contention , their prayers ( as saint peter saith ) be letted and interrupted , . pet. . . yet must we not say , but the husband both may and ought to tell his wife of her infirmities , that she may amend . but here we are to enter into consideration of sundrie points . first , he is especially to reproue her offences against god : as when rachel said vnto iacob : giue me children , or else i die : he reproued her of impoitunitie , saying : am i in gods stead , who hath withholden from thee the fruit of thy wombe ? also when iobs wife said to her husband : doest thou abide in thy integritie ? curse god and die : he wisely reproued such a wicked speech , saying : thou speakest as an vnwise woman . what ? shall we receiue good at the hand of god , and not receiue euill ? secondly , that it be with gentlenesse and testimonie of good will : as elkanah dealt with his wife hanna , when she mourned because she had no children . and indeed it is meete that the husband should reproue his wife louingly , rather by perswasion then by force . for as in a great stormie winde , a man lappeth his cloake about him , and holdeth it fast for feare oflosing it , but when the winde is downe , and the weather calme , he letteth it hang easily : so , when husbands will ( as it were ) perforce wrest away their wiues infirmities , many of them will obstinately resist ; yet contrariwise , by sweete wordes and louing exhortations , they might be wonne voluntarily to forsake them . thirdly , the husband must seeke diligently to remoue the occasion and stone whereat his wife stumbleth , and taketh occasion of griefe . so when sarah was moued against abraham because of agar , and obiected vnto him , albeit wrongfully , that he was the eause that she contemned her : bearing with his wife , 〈◊〉 remoued the cause of the contentation , in suffering her to turne agar out of doores . he must also take heed , that he himselfe be not tainted with the same vice which he reproueth in his wife , lest she stop his mouth with a reproach of the same fault : but rather by giuing her example by the contrarie vertue , let her be induced and led to follow him . in reprouing the wife , the husband must alwayes vse such discretion , that she be not brought into contempt : and therefore it should neuer be done in the presence of moe then themselues . for as it is meere follie for an husband to praise and commend his wife in company : so is it as dangerous to checke and reproue her before witnesse . for indeed thereof it commeth , that women , not being able to beare that disgrace , will reply , and so ptouoke strife and dissention in open presence , which will redound to great reproach and offence . and therefore , as the husband must not flatter his wife , so he must not reproue her before strangers . a wise husband , and one that seeketh to liue in quiet with his wife , must obserue these three rules : often to admonish : seldome to reproue : and neuer to smite her . let the husband also remember , that the infirmities of his wife , must be either taken away , or borne witball . so that he that can take them quite away , maketh his wife farre more commodious and fit for his purpose : and he that can beare with them , maketh himselfe better , and more vertuous . the husband is also to vnderstand , that as god created the woman , not the head , and so equall in authoritie with her husband : so also he created her not of adams foote , that she should be troden downe and despised ; but he tooke her out of the rib , that she might walke ioyntly with him , vnder the conduct and gouernment of her head . and in that respect , the husband is not to command his wife in such manner as the maister his seruant , but as the soule doth the body , as being conioyned in like affection and good wil. for as the soule in gouerning the body , tendeth to the benefit and commoditie of the same : so ought the dominion and commandement of the husband ouer his wife , to tend to reioyce and content her . to conclude , as god hath testified his singular goodnesse vnto man , in creating him an helper to assist him : so let him consider in how many sorts she is to him an helper , to passe ouer this life in blessednesse . and let this daily seeking of such a benefit receiued at the hands of god , induce and stirre him vp to render thanks , and to dispose himselfe to vse it well , to his owne comfort and saluation : and not to abuse it , to the destruction both of himselfe and his wife . but if he chance ( as many do ) vpon troubles and afflictions in marriage , let him remember , that the same doth proceed , not properly from marriage , but from the corruption of the parties married : and for his part , let him studie to amend his infirmities and faults , by amendment of life : and withall , pray to god to grant the like grace vnto his wife ; to the end that the more they recouer the image of god , the more feeling they may haue of the felicitie of marriage , which adam and eue had enioyed , had they continued as they were created in the image of god. and the particular duties of the wife to the husband , are principally these : first , that she be a helper vnto him . secondly , that she be obedient vnto him , &c. these speciall duties are partly touched before , and partly afterwards . as loue matrimoniall is greatly allowed of god , and much commended of all good men , as an ordinate , holy , and godly loue : so contrariwise hatred , dissention , strife , debate , vnquietnesse and frowardnesse in marriage , highly displeaseth god , and much grieueth all good and godly men . and therefore the diuell , the enemie of all vnitie , concord and agreement , laboureth by all meanes he can ( specially at the first comming of the married folkes to dwell together ) to sow dissention and discord , and to cause them not to agree , but to dislike one of the other ; against whom they must diligently watch , by seruent and earnest prayer to god , that the diuel preuaile not against them , by such too early disagreement . for as two boords , if at the first they be not well coupled and ioyned together , are neuer fastened right afterwards , but if the first coupling and ioyning together be good , then can there afterward no violence driue the boordes asunder : yea , the whole boord doth sooner breake , then the glewing of them together : euen so , the husband and wife must be very carefull and diligent , that their first cohabitation and dwelling together be louing , delectable , and friendly , and not separated through any spitefull contention or discord , so shall the whole estate of their marriage be more comfortable , and prosper the better so long as they shall liue . and though there happen to arise any sparke of discord betwixt them , yet let them beware that at the last there be not too much displeasure , disdaine , and inconuenience kindled thereby . for , if at the first dwelling together there shall fall out such vnto wardnesse , and vncomely discord , then will it now and then be breaking out . euen as it fareth with great wounds , and broken legges or armes , which seldome are so throughly healed , but sometimes they haue paine at the change of the weather : so likewise , if married folkes behaue themselues thus vntowardly and vnhonestly , the one towards the other at the first , and if larres and discord be once begun betweene them , the old canker of hatred will breede againe , though it be scaled afterward . let the one therefore learne betime to be acquainted with the nature and condition of the other , and to apply themselues according to the same , in as much as they must needs dwell together , one to enioy another , and the one to liue and die with the other , and so stedfastly and vnfainedly to loue one the other , that neither of them haue any thing so deare , which they cannot be content to giue and bestow one vpon the other : yea euen their owne life if need require . and therefore husbands and wiues must euen at the beginning of their marriage , giue their diligence , that all iniuries & offences may be auoided , for tender and lost loue is soone dissolued and broken . so that this new loue and coniunction of the mind , must be nourished , with benigne , sweete , and gentle conuersation , vntill it be so increased and fastened , that no great storme be able to dissolue and breake it . and all suspition must be at all times , but especially at the beginning of matrimony , eschewed and shunned , lest they should first begin to hate , or euer they begin to loue : yea , and they must beware they do not faine any suspition , nor conceiue it of any light occasions and coniectures ; for vnto such they in no wise must giue eare , although there were some shew and great apparence of likelyhood . and this will be a good meanes to effect and worke this ; namely , if they 〈◊〉 themselues to speake kindly and cheerefully one to the other . for as the ancient counsellors of king salomon , gaue wise aduise and counsell vnto rehoboam king ofisraell , to the end that he might winne the loue and good liking of the people : speake kindly vnto them ( said they ) and they will serue thee for euer after ; which counsell not being followed , great inconuenience and mischiefe after befell vnto him . euen so likewise if the husband be 〈◊〉 to procure the loue ofhis wife , and to winne her to god ; or if the wife be desirous , and would also procure the loue of her husband , and winne him to god , then they must draw on one another with sweet and gentle words ofloue , speaking kindly one to another ; because gentle words do pacifie anger , as water quencheth fire . but if they shall vse taunts or words of reproach and despite one against another , much hurt then may ensue thereof : for a little leauen sowreth the whole lumpe . and therefore let them vse to giue one to the other , their dutifull names and titles , and to eschue and shunne the contrary . for example , like as the spitefull iewes , which hated the lord iesus , would not vouchsafe to giue him his name when they talked of him , or with him , but to shew their vtter dislike of him , they vsed to say ; is this he ? or , art thou he that will do such a thing ? is not this he ? &c. againe , whither will he go , that we shall not finde him ? they would not say , is not this iesus christ ? or the sonne of god ? but they vsed a most despitefull kind of speaking , which did bewray abundance of malice that was hidden in their hearts ; euen so it sometimes falleth out betwixt the husband and the wife , betwixt the father and the sonne , betwixt the maister and the seruant , &c. that they could speake dutifully one to another , but contempt , and disdaine , anger and malice , will not suffer the one to affoord vnto the other their due names and titles , lest they should be put in minde of those duties , which those names require . whereout sathan sucketh no small aduantage , whereas many times the very name of husband , or wife , father , or sonne , maister , or seruant , &c. doth greatly helpe to perswade the minde , and to winne the affection ; yea , the very mentioning of these names , doth oftentimes leaue a print of duty behind in the conscience . husbands must not forget this point ; namely , that it is not sufficient for them to declare and outwardly make a shew of a good life , in words and precepts onely , but also in life and deed : so that two things are very necessary for them to rule withall : to wit , wisedome and example , and that they themselues fulfill the thing that they command to be done . the life and outward conuersation of a man , whether it be good or euill , doth not onely perswade , but also constraine and enforce . we do see how mighty and auaileable , this , or the like exhortation of a captaine is in the time of warre and battell ; oh my souldiers , do that ye shall see me do : the which contempt of death in the captaine , doth so creepe through the whole host , that there is not one , be he neuer so feeble and weake-hearted , that doth esteeme his life , for the which he perceiueth that his captaine careth so little . thus did christ , with his apostles and martyrs , draw the world vnto the christian faith : leuit. . . and . . and . . and . . ioh. . . phil. . . . tim. . . . thessal . . . for , as they liued , so they spake , and as they spake , so they liued . therefore if the husband would haue his wife to be temperate , quiet , chast , painfull in her calling , religious , &c. then he must be carefull that he be not distemperate , vnquiet , no whoremonger , nor carelesse in his calling , nor irreligious , &c. so that if he command any thing to be done , he must looke that he deny not to do the same himselfe , and so shall his wife and family obey the same , and be the more readie , and willing to do it , being both honest and lawfull to be done . the very name of a wife , is like the angell which stayed abrahams hand when the stroke was comming . if dauid , because he could not expresse the commoditie and comfort of vnitie and brotherly loue , was faine to say : oh how good and ioyfull a thing it is , for brethren to dwell together in vnitie ! then let husbands weigh and consider , how harsh and bitter a thing it is , for them and their wiues to dwell together in enmitie and strife . for the first yeare after marriage , god would not haue the husband go to warre with his enemies , to the end that he and his wife might learne to know one anothers conditions and qualities , and so afterwards liue in godly peace , & not warre one with another : and therefore god gaue a law , and appointed that the new married husband that yeare should stay at home , and settle his loue , that he might not warre and iarre after : for the god of peace dwelleth not in the house of warre . as a kingdome cannot stand if it be diuided ; so an house cannot stand if it be diuided : for strife is like a fire , which leaues nothing but dust , smoke , and ashes behind it . we reade in the scriptures , of maisters that strooke their seruants , but neuer of any that strooke his wife , but rebuked her . lot was drunk when he lay with his daughters in stead of a wife : and so is he which striketh his wife in stead of his seruants . the law sheweth how a bondman should be corrected : the wife is like a iudge , which is ioyned in commission with her husband to correct other . wilt thou strike one in his owne house ? no more shouldst thou strike thy wife in her house . she is come to thee as to a sanctuary , to defend her from hurt : and canst thou hurt her thy selfe ? therefore abraham said to lot ; are we not brethren ? that is , may brethren iarre ? but they may say , are we not one , can one chide with himselfe ? can one fight with himselfe ? he is a bad host that welcomes his guest with stripes . doth a king trample on his crowne ? salomon calleth the wife , the crowne of her husband . therefore he which woundeth her , woundeth his owne honour : she is a free citizen in thine house , and hath taken the peace of thee the first day of her marriage , to hold thy hands till she release thee againe . adam saith of his spouse , this is flesh of my flesh . but no man ( saith paul ) euer hated his owne flesh . so then , if a man aske whether he might strike his wife ? god saith , nay : thou mayest not hate thy wife : for no man hateth his owne flesh ; shewing that he should not come neare blowes , but thinke his wrath too much . some husbands are wont to say , that they will rule their wiues whatsoeuer they be , or howsoeuer they came by them , and that it is in the hand and power of the husband , what , and of what qualities and conditions she shall be . true it is , that a great part of this doth rest and lie in the husband , so that he vnderstand as he ought to do , that marriage is the supreme and most excellent part of all amitie and friendship : and that it farre differeth from tyranny , the which doth compell men to obey . truly it may force the bodie , but not the will , in the which all loue and amitie doth consist and stand : the which if it be drawne and forced , doth resist and bow like a palme tree to the contrary part . and the husband may assure himselfe , that there cannot be any quiet marriage or vnitie , where he and his wife do not agree in will and minde : the which two , are the beginning and seate of all amitie and friendship . and such husbands as do bragge , and thinke themselues able to rule and ouer rule their wiues , by that time they haue proceeded and gone a little further , they shall well feele and perceiue themselues to be beguiled , and finde that thing to be most hard and intricate , the which to be done , they esteemed most light and easie . some husbands there be , that through euill and rough handling , and in threatning of their wiues , haue and vse them not as wiues , but as their seruants and yet surely they are but very fooles , that iudge and thinke matrimony to be a dominion . for such as would be feared , do afterwards pitiously lament and complaine , that they can find no loue in their wiues , whose loue and amity through their owne crueltie and hard dealing , they haue turned into hatred . and whereas at the beginning , they gloried and cracked thus cruelly that they were their wiues maisters , they haue now purchased vnto themselues a most miserable and lamentable life in time to come ; all loue and pleasure being now cast aside , and compassed with feare and suspition , hatred and sorrow . surely , if a husband ( as nature , reason , and the holy scriptures do witnesse ) be the head ouer his wife , and god their father , there ought to be betweene them such society and fellowship , yea and greater , then is betweene the father and the sonne ; and not such as is betweene the maister and the seruant . and amongst many reasons that may be vsed , to perswade the husband and wife to liue together , louingly , quietly , and christianly , this is not the least ; namely , that neither of them is certaine how long they shall liue together : & then the partie that ouer-liueth , and purposeth to marrie againe , hauing bene churlish , froward , &c. with his former wife ; or she with her first husband : their so hard dealing one with the other before , being knowne , will ( no doubt ) be an occasion that they shall not speed , and match so well as otherwise they might , if they had behaued themselues peaceablie and dutifully in their first marriage . what the dutie of a wife is toward her husband . this duty is comprehended in these points ; first , that she reuerence her husband . secondly , that she submit herselfe , and be obedient vnto him . and lastly , that she do not weare gorgeous apparell , beyond her degree and place , but that her attire be comely and sober , according to her calling . the first point is proued by the apostles , peter and paul ; who set forth the wiues duties to their husbands , commanding them to be obedient vnto them , although they be prophane and irreligious , yea , that they ought to do it so much the more , that by their honest life and conuersation , they might winne them to the obedience of the lord. now for so much as the apostle would haue christian wiues , that are matched with vngodly husbands , and such as are not yet good christians , to reuerence and obey them : much more should they shew themselues thankfull to god , and willingly , and dutifully performe this obedience and subiection , when they are coupled in marriage with godly , wise , discreet , learned , gentle , louing , quiet , patient , honest , and thrifty husbands . and therefore they ought euermore to reuerence them , and to endeuour with true obedience and loue to serue them ; to be loth in any wise to offend them , 〈◊〉 rather to be carefull and diligent to please them , that their soule may blesse them . and if at any time it shall happen , that the wife shall anger or displease her husband , by doing or speaking any thing that shall grieue him , she ought neuer to rest vntill she haue pacified him , and gotten his fauour againe . and if he shall chance to blame her without a cause , and for that which she could not helpe or remedy , ( which thing sometimes happeneth euen of the best men ) yet she must beare it patiently , and giue him no vncomely or vnkind word for it ; but euermore looke vpon him with a louing and cheerefull countenance ; and so rather let her take the fault vpon her , then seeme to be difpleased . let her be alwaies merry and cheerfull in his company , but yet not with too much lightnesse . she must beware in any wise of swelling , powting , lowring , or frowning ; for that is a token of a cruell and vnlouing heart , except it be in respect of sinne , or in time of sicknesse . she may not be sorrowfull for any aduersitie that god sendeth : but must alwayes be carefull that nothing be spilt , or go to wast through her negligence . in any wise she must be quicke and cleanly about her husbands meare and drinke , preparing him the same according to his diet in due season . let her shew her selfe in word and deed wise , humble , curteous , gentle , and louing towards her husband , and also towards such as he doth loue ; and then shall she leade a blessed life . let her shew her selfe not onely to loue no man so well as her husband , but also to loue none other at all but him , vnlesse it be for her husbands sake , and the lords . wherefore let the wife remember , that ( as the scripture reporteth ) she is one bodie with her husband ; so that she ought to loue him none otherwise then her selfe : for this is the greatest vertue of a married woman , this is the thing that wedlocke signifieth and commandeth , that the wife should reckon , to haue her husband for both father , mother , brother , and sister , like as adam was vnto eue ; and as the most noble and chast woman andromache said her husband hector was vnto her : thou art vnto me both father and mother , mine owne deare husband , and well beloued brother . and if it be true that men . do say , that friendship maketh one heart of two : much more truely and effectually ought wedlocke to do the same , which farre passeth all manner both of friendship and kindred . therefore it is not said , marriage doth make one man , or one minde , or one body of two , but clearely one person ; wherefore matrimonie requireth a greater dutie of the husband to wards his wife , and the wife towards her husband , then otherwise they are bound to shew to their parents . the apostle biddeth , to reioyce with them that reioyce , and weepe with them that weepe . with whom should the wife reioyce , rather then with her louing husband ? or with whom , should she weepe and mourne , rather then with her owne flesh ? i will not leaue thee , saith elisha to eliah : so she should say , i will neuer leaue him till death . beare one anothers burthen ( saith paul. ) who shall beare one anothers burthen , if the wife do not beare the husbands burden ? wicked lezabel comforted her husband in his sicknesse : and ieroboams wife sought for his health , though she was as bad as he . god did not bid sarah leaue her father and countrie , as he did bid her husband , yet because he bad abraham leaue his , she left hers too : shewing , that she was content not onely to be his play fellow , but his yoke-fellow too . beside a yoke-fellow , she is called an helper , to helpe him in his labours , to helpe him in his troubles , to helpe him in his sicknesse , like a woman physition , sometime with her strength , and sometime with her counsell . for as sometime god confoundeth the wise by the foolish , and the strong by the weake ; so sometimes he teacheth the wise by the foolish , and helpeth the strong by the weake . therefore peter saith , husbands are wonne by the conuersation of their wiues . as if he should say , sometime the weaker vessell is the stronger vessell . abraham may take counsell of sarah , as naaman was aduised by his seruant . the shunamites counsell made her husband receiue a prophet into his house : and hesters counsell made her husband spare the church of the iewes : so some haue bene better helpe to their husbands then their husbands haue bin to them : for it pleaseth god to prouoke the wise with the foolish , as he did the iewes with the gentiles . beside an helper , she is called a comforter too ; and therefore the man is bid to reioyce in his wife : which is as much to say , that wiues must be the reioycing of their husbands , euen like dauids harpe to comfort saul . a good wife therefore is knowne , when her words , and deeds , and countenance , are such as her husband loueth . she must not examine whether he be wise or simple , but that she is his wife , and therefore being bound she must obey : as abigail loued her husband , though he were a foole , churlish , and euill conditioned . for the wife is as much despised for taking rule ouet her husband , as he for yeelding it vnto her . therefore one saith , that a mankind woman is a monster , that is , halfe a woman & halfe a man. it beseemeth not the mistresse to be maister , no more then it becommeth the maister to be mistresse : but both must saile with their own wind , and both keepe their standing . lastly , we call the wife huswife , that is , houswife , not a street-wife , one that gaddeth vp and downe , like thamar : nor a field-wife , like dinah : but a house-wife : to shew that a good wife keepes her house : and therefore paul biddeth titus to exhort women that they be chast , and keeping at home : presently after chast , he saith , keeping at home , as though home were chastities keeper . and therefore salomon depainting and describing the qualities of a whore , setteth her at the doore , now sitting vpon her stall , now walking in the streets , now looking out of the window , like cursed iezabel , as if she held forth the glasse of temptation , for vanity to gaze vpon . but chastitie careth to please but one , and therefore she keepes her closet as if she were still at prayer . the angell asked abraham , where is thy wife ? abraham answered : she is in the tent . the angell knew where she was , but he asked , that we might see how women in old time did keepe their tents and houses . it is recorded of the shunamite , that she did aske her husband leaue to go vnto the prophet , though she went to a prophet , and went of a good errand , and for his cause as much as her owne , yet she thought it not meete to go farre abroad without her husbands leaue . the second point is , that wiues submit themselues , and be obedient vnto their owne husbands as to the lord , because the husband is by gods ordinance the wiues head , that is , her defender , teacher and comforter : and therefore she oweth her subiection to him , like as the church doth to christ : and because the example of sarah the mother of the faithfull , which obeyed abraham and called him lord , moueth them thereunto . this point is pattly handled before in the first point , as also in the duty of the husband to the wife . as the church should depend vpon the wisedome , discretion and will of christ , and not follow what it selfe listeth : so must the wife also submit and apply her selfe to the discretion and will of her husband : euen as the gouernmēt and conduct of euery thing resteth in the head , not in the bodie . moses writeth , that the serpent was wise aboue all beasts of the field : and that he did declare in assaulting the woman , that when he had seduced her , she might also seduce and deceiue her husband . saint paul noting , this , among other the causes of the womans subiection , doth sufficiently shew , that for the auoiding of the like inconueniences , it is gods will that she should be subiect to her husband , so that she shall haue no other discretion or will , but what may depend vpon her head . the lord also by moses saith the same : thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband , and he shall rule ouer thee . this dominion ouer their wiues will doth manifestly appeare in this , that god in old time ordained , that if the woman had vowed any thing vnto god , it should not withstanding rest in her husband to disauow it : so much is the wiues will subiect to her husband . yet it is not meant , that the wife should not employ her knowledge and discretion which god hath giuen her , in the helpe , and for the good of her husband : but alwayes it must be with condition to submit herselfe vnto him , acknowledging him to be her head , that finally they may so agree in one , as the coniunction of marriage doth require . yet as when in a lute or other musicall instrument , two strings concurring in one tune , the sound neuerthelesse is imputed to the strongest and highest : so in a well ordered houshold , there must be a communication and consent of counsell and will betweene the husband and the wife : yet such , as the counsell and commandement may rest in the husband . true it is that some women are wiser and more discreet then their husbands : as abigail the wife of nabal , and others . whereupon salomon saith : a wise woman buildeth vp the house : and blessed is the man that hath a discreete wife . yet still a great part of the discretion of such women shall rest in acknowledging their husbands to be their heads , and so vsing the graces that they haue receiued of the lord , that their husbands may be honored , not contemned , either of them or of others : which falleth out contratie , when the wife will seeme wiser then the husband . so that this modestie and gouernment ought to be in a wife : namely , that she should seldome speake , but to her husband , or by her husband . and as the voice of him that soundeth a trumpet , is not so lowd , as the sound that it yeeldeth : so is the wisedome and word of a woman , of greater vertue and efficacie , when all that she knoweth , and can do , is , as if it were said and done by her husband . the obedience that the wife oweth to her husband , dependeth vpon this subiection of her will and wisedome vnto him : as . peter . . ephesians . . . ester . . . so that women may not prouoke their husbands by disobedience , in matters that may be performed without offence to god : neither presume ouer them , either in kindred or wealth , or obstinately to refuse in a matter that may trouble household peace and quiet . for disobedience begetteth contempt of the husband , and contempt wrath , and is many times the cause of troubles betweene the man and the wife . if the obedience importeth any difficultie , she may for her excuse gently propound the same : yet vpon condition to obey ( in case the husband should persist in his intent ) so long as the discommoditie importeth no wickednesse . for it is better to continue peace by obedience , then to breake it by resistance . and indeed it is naturall in the members to obey the conduct and gouernment of the head . yet must not this obedience so farre extend , as that the husband should command any thing contrary to her honour , credit , and saluation , but as it is comely in the lord : colos. . . ephes. . . therefore , as it were a monstrous matter , and the meanes to ouerthrow the person , that the body should in refusing all subiection and obedience to the head , take vpon it to guide it selfe , and to command the head : so were it for the wife to rebell against the husband . let her then beware of disordering and 〈◊〉 the course which god in his wisedome hath established : and withall let her vnderstand , that going about it , she riseth not so much against her husband , as against god : and that it is her good and honor to obey god in her subiection and obedience to her husband . if in the practise of this dutie she find any difficultie or trouble , through the inconsiderate course of her husband , or otherwise ; let her remember , that the same proceedeth not of the order established by the lord , but through some sin afterward crept in , which hath mixed gall among the honie of the subiection and obedience that the woman should haue enioyed in that estate , wherein , together with adam , she was created after the image of god. and so let her humble her selfe in the sight of god , and be well assured that her subiection and obedience is acceptable vnto him : and that the more that the image of god is restored in her and her husband through the generation of the holy ghost , the lesse difficultie she shall find in that subiection and obedience , as many in their marriage haue in deed tried , to their great contentment and consolation . further there is a certaine discretion and desire required of women , to please the nature , inclinations , and manners of their husbands , so long as the same import no wickednesse . for as the looking-glasse , howsoeuer faire and beautifully adorned , is nothing worth if it shew that countenance sad which is pleasant , or the same pleasant that is sad : so the woman deserueth no commendation , that ( as it were ) contrarying her husband , when he is merry sheweth herselfe sad , or in sadnesse vttereth her mirth . for as men should obey the lawes of their cities , so women the manners of their husbands . to some women a becke of her husband is sufficient to declare that there is somewhat amisse that displeaseth him , and specially if she beare her husband any reuerence . for an honest matron hath no neede of any greater staffe , but of one word , or one sowre countenance . moreouer , a modest and chaste woman that loueth her husband , must also loue her house , as remembring that the husband that loueth his wife , cannot so well like of the sight of any tapestry , as to see his wife in his house . for the woman that gaddeth from house to house to prate , confoundeth her selfe , her husband and family : titus . . but there are foure reasons why the woman is to go abroad . first , to come to holy meetings , according to the duty of godlinesse . the second , to visit such as stand in need , as the duty of loue and charitie doth require . the third , for employment and prouision in houshold affaires committed to her charge . and lastly with her husband , when he shall require her . gen. . . &c. the euill and vnquiet life that some women haue , and passe with their husbands , is not so much for that they commit with , and in their persons , as it is for that they speake with their tongues . if the wife would keepe silence when her husband beginneth to chide , he should not haue so vnquiet dinners , neither she the worse supper . which surely is not so : for at the same time that the husband beginneth to vtter his griefe , the wife beginneth to scold and chafe : whereof doth follow , that now and then most vnnaturally they come to handy-gripes , more beast-like then christian-like : which their so doing is both a great shame and foule discredit to them both . the best meanes therefore that a wife can vse to obtaine and maintaine the loue and good liking of her husband , is to be silent , obedient , peaceable , patient , studious to appease his choler if he be angry , painefull , and diligent in looking to her businesse , to be solitary and honest . the chiefe and speciall cause why most women do faile in not performing this duty to their husbands is , because they be ignorant of the word of god , which teacheth the same and all other duties : and therefore their soules and consciences , not being brought into subiection to god and his word , they can neuer vntill then yeeld and performe true subiection and obedience to their husbands , and behaue themselues so euery way , as christian wiues are in duty bound to do . but if wiues be not so dutifull , seruiceable and subiect to their husbands as in conscience they ought , the onely cause thereof for the most part is , the want and neglect of the wise , discreet , and good gouernment that should be in the husbands : besides the want of good example that they should giue vnto their wiues both in word and deed . for as the common saying is , such a husband such a wife . for so much as marriage maketh of two persons one ; therefore the loue of the husband and wife may the better be kept and increased , and so continued , if they remember the duties last spoken of , as also not forget three points following . . they must be of one heart , will , and mind , and neither to vpbraide or cast the other in the teeth with their wants and imperfections any wayes , or to pride themselues in their gifts : but either the one to endeuour to supply the others wants , that so they both helping and doing their best together , may be one perfect body . . it doth greatly increase loue , when the one faithfully serueth the other : when in things concerning marriage , the one hideth no secrets nor priuities from the other , and the one doth not vtter or publish the frailties or infirmities of the other , and when of all that euer they obtaine or get , they haue but one common purse together ; the one locking vp nothing from the other : and also when the one is faithfull to the other in all businesse and affaires . likewise when the one hearkeneth to the other , & when the one thinketh not scorne of the other : and when in matters concerning the gouernment of the house , the one will be counselled and aduised by the other ; the one of them being alwayes louing , kind , courteous , plaine , and gentle vnto the other ; in words , manners , and deeds . . let the one learne euer to be obsequious , diligent , and seruiceable to the other in all honest things . and this will the sooner come to passe , if the one obserue and marke what thing the other can away withall , or cānot away withall : and what pleaseth or displeaseth them , and so from thence-foorth to do the one , and to leaue the other vndone . and if one of them be angry , and offended with the other , then let the party grieued open and make knowne vnto the other their griefe in due time , and with discretion . for the longer a displeasure or euill will rages in secret , the worse wil be the discord . and this must be obserued , that it be done in a fit and conuenient time : because there is some season in the which if griefes were shewed it should make great debate . and if the wife would go about to tell or admonish her husband when he is out of patience or moued with anger , it should then be no fit time to talke with him . therefore abigail perceiuing nabal her husband to be drunke , would not speake to him vntill the morning . both the husband and wife must remember , that the one be not so offended and displeased with the manners of the other , that they should thereupon forsake the company one of another : for that were like to one that being stung with the bees , would therefore forsake the bony . and therefore no man may put away his wife for any cause , except for whoredome , which must be duly prooued before a lawfull iudge . but all godly and faithfull married folkes are to commend their state and marriage to god , by humble and feruent prayer , that he for his beloued sonnes sake would so blesse them and their marriage , that they may so christianly and dutifully agree betweene themselues , that they may haue no cause of any separation or diuorcement . for like as all manner of medicines ( & specially they that go nighest death , as to cut off whole members , &c. ) are very loathsome and terrible : euen so is diuorcement indeed a medicine , but a perillous and terrible medicine . therefore euery good christian husband and wife ought with all care and heedfulnesse so to liue in marriage , that they haue no need of such a medicine . as the holy scripture maketh mention of many wiues and women that were wicked and vngodly , as partly may be seene by these quotations , . king. . . prou. . and . . and . . and . . eccles. . . so contrariwise , the same sacred scripture also commendeth vnto vs many women that haue bene deuout , religious , and vertuous ; as partly is manifest by that which hath bene already said : and also by these places of scripture , ruth . . . sam. . . pro. . . and . . mat. . . . . . luke . . . and . . . acts . . and . . and . . . . ioh. . . tim. . . and whosoeuer shall obserue it in the reading of the word of god , shall find that it speaketh of the praise of as many , and mo good women then men . yea , and i am perswaded that if at this day a due suruey should be taken of all the men & women throughout his maiesties dominions , there would be found in number moe women that are faithfull , religious , and vertuous then men . now if a wife be desirous to know how farre she is bound to obey her husband : the apostle resolueth this doubt ; where he saith , ephesians . . wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as to the lord. as if he had said , wiues cannot be disobedient to their husbands , but they must resist god also , who is the author of this subiection : and that they must regard their husbands will , as the lords will. but yec withall , as the lord commandeth that which is good & right : so she should obey her husband in good and right , or else she doth not obey him as the lord , but as the tempter . the first subiection of the woman began at sinne . for when god cursed her , for seducing her husband , when the serpent had deceiued her , he said , he shall haue authoritts ouer thee . and therefore as the man named all other creatures , in signe that they should be subiect to him , as a seruant which commeth when his maister calleth him by his name : so he did name the woman also , in token that she should be subiect vnto him likewise . and therefore assuerus made a law , that euery man should beare rule in his owne house , and not the woman . because she sinned first , therefore she is humbled most : and euer since , the daughters of sarah are bound to call their husbands lord , as sarah called her husband : that is , to take them for heads and gouernours . amongst the particular duties that a christian wife ought to performe in her family , this is one : namely , that she nurse her owne children : which to omit , and to put them foorth to nursing , is both against the law of nature , and also against the will of god. besides , it is hurtfull both for the childs body , and also for his wit ; & lastly , it is hurtfull to the mother her selfe , and it is an occasion that she falleth into much 〈◊〉 thereby . first , nature giueth milke to the woman for none other end , but that she should bestow it vpon her child . we see by experience , that euery beast , and euery fowle is nourished and bred of the same that did beare it : onely some women loue to be mothers , but not nurses . as therefore euery tree doth cherish and nourish that which it bringeth forth : euen so also , it becometh naturall mothers to nourish their children with their owne milke . secondly , the examples of the scriptures are many that proue this . as sarah , who nursed isaack , though she were a princesse ; and therefore able enough to haue had others to haue taken that paines . though she was a beautifull woman , and of great yeares , yet she her selfe nursed and gaue sucke to her sonne . also anna , vnto whom the holy ghost hath left it recorded ( as a commendation , ) that she nursed her owne sonne samuel . so when god chose a nurse for moses , he led the hand-maide of pharaos daughter to his mother : as though god would haue none to nurse him but his mother . like wise when the sonne of god was borne , his father thought none fit to be his nurse , but the blessed virgin his mother . it is a commendation of a good woman , and set downe in the first place as a principall good worke in a widow that is well reported of , if she haue nursed her children . and therfore such as refuse thus to do , may well and fitly be called nice and vnnaturall mothers : yea , in so doing they make themselues but halfe mothers , and so breake the holy bond of nature , in locking vp their breasts from their children , and deliuering them forth like the cuckoo to be hatched in the sparrowes nest . thirdly , the childrens bodies be commonly so affected as the milke is which they receiue . now if the nurse be of an euill complexion , as she is affected in her body , or in her mind , or hath some hidden disease , the child sucking of her breast must needs take part with her . and if that be true which the learned do say , that the temperature of the mind followes the constitution of the body , needs must it be , that if the nurse be of a naughty nature , the child must take thereafter . yet if it be so that the nurse be of a good complexion , and of an honest behauiour , ( whereas contrariwise , maidens that haue made a scape are commonly called to be nurses ) yet can it not be but that the mothers milke should be much more naturall for the child then the milke of a stranger . as by experience , let a man be long accustomed to one kind of drinke , if the same man change his ayre and his drinke , he is like to mislike it , as the egges of a henne are altered vnder a hawke . neuerthelesse , such women as be oppressed with infirmities , diseases , want of milke , or other iust and lawfull causes , are to be dispensed withall . but whose breasts haue this perpetuall drought ? forsooth , it is like the gowt , no beggers may haue it , but citizens or gentlewomen . in the ninth of hosea , verse . drie breasts are named for a curse . what a lamentable hap haue gentle-women to light vpon this curse more then others ? sure if their breasts be drie ( as they say they are ) they should fast and pray together , that this curse might be remoued from them . and lastly , that it is hurtfull to the mothers themselues , both physitians can tell ; and some women full oft haue felt when they haue bene troubled with sore breasts : besides other diseases that happen to them through plentie of milke . the wise is further to remember , that god hath giuen her two breasts ; not that she should employ and vse them for a shew , or of ostentation , but in the seruice of god , and to be a helpe to her husband in suckling the child common to them both . experience teacheth , that god conuerteth the mothers bloud into the milke wherewith the child is nursed in her wombe . he bringeth it into the breasts furnished with nipples ; conuenient to minister the warme milke vnto the child : whom he endueth with industrie to draw out the milke for his owne sustenance . the woman therefore that can suckle her child and doth it not , but resuseth this office and duty of a mother , declareth her selfe to be very vnthankfull to god , and ( as it were ) forsaketh and contemneth the fruite of her wombe . and therefore the bruite beasts lying vpon the ground , and granting not one nipple or two , but sixe or seauen to their young ones , shall rise in iudgment against these dainty half-mothers , who for feare of wrinckling of their faces , or to auoyd some small labour , do refuse this so necessary a duty of a mother due to her children . the properties due to a married wife are , that she haue grauitie when she walketh abroad : wisedome to gouerne her house , patience to suffer her husband , loue to breed and bring vp her children , courtesie towards her neighbours , diligence , to lay vp , and to saue such goods as are within her charge : that she be a friend of honest company , and a greater enemie of want on and light toyed . so then , the principall dutie of the wife , is , first , to be subiect to her husband , ephes. . . colloss . . . . pet. . . . to be chast and shamefast , modest and silent , godly and discreet . . to keepe her selfe at home for the good gouernment of her family , and not to stray abroad without iust cause . here it is not to be pretermitted , but we must say somewhat touching men and women that betwise married , and so become step-fathers and step-mothers . such husbands and wiues as marrie againe after the death of their first wiues , or first husbands , are carefully to remember that they do not displease their wiues or their husbands which they now haue , by ouermuch rehearsing of their first wife or first husband . for the course and condition of the world is such , that husbands and wiues do account and reckon things past better then things that be present . and the reason is , because no commoditie or felicitie is so great , but it hath some griefe and displeasure , and also some bitternesse mingled with it : which so long as it is present grieueth vs sore , but when it is once gone , it leaueth no great feeling of it selfe behind it : and for that cause we seeme to be lesse troubled with sorrowes and discommodities past , then with those that are present . also age stealeth and commeth on apace , which causeth both men and women to be the lesse able to sustaine and endure troubles and griefes then before . therefore such men and women as be twise married , and be wise and religious , ought not to esteeme their wife or husband which is dead , better then her or him which they enioy now aliue : remembering the common prouerbe : that we must liue by the quicke and not by the dead : and that we must make much of that we now haue . let the name of step-father and step-mother , admonish and put them in mind of their duty towards the children of the one and the other . for step-father and step-mother , doth signifie a sted-father and a sted-mother , that is ; one father and one mother dyeth , and another succeedeth and commeth in their stead and roome . therefore to the end that both their loues may be seiled towards the children of the one and the other , they must remember , that they are stead-father and stead-mother ; that is , in stead of their owne father and mother : and therefore they ought to loue them , to tender them , and to cherish them , as their owne father or mother did . you must not looke vpon them like rehoboam , who told his people that he would be worse vnto them then his predecessor : for then the children will dislike of you , and turne from you , as his subiects did from him : but ye must come to them as dauid came to the people after saules death , who said , though your maister saul be dead , yet i will reigne ouer you : so ye must say to them ; though your father be dead , or though your mother be dead , yet i will be a father , or i will be a mother vnto you : so the children will loue you , as much as they did their dead father , or dead mother . for that man that is led with discretion , reason , and consideration , will reckon himselfe and his wife all one : and likewise , she will account her selfe and her husband as one . and therefore they ought to account both the children of the one and of the other as common to them both . for if friendship make all things common among friends , insomuch that they haue loued & fauoured their friends children as their owne , how much more effectually and perfectly ought marriage to cause the same , which is the highest degree , not onely of friendship but also of all bloud and kindred . but step-mothers do more often offend , and faile in this dutie then men , by reason that their affections be stronger then mens , and many times ouer-rule them : and therefore they are earnestly to be admonished and warned , that they shew to those motherlesse children no step-mothers friendship , but a right motherly kindnesse . let the step-mother aduisedly consider , that god hath ordained and appointed her ( in steast . of their owne mother ) to be to them a right true mother , and not onely to regard them as children , but as orphane children , and that he requireth her to loue them , and to do them good as to her owne . what a griefe wold it be to her heart , if she should know now that her owne children whom she hath borne in her owne body , should ( after her death ) haue a step-mother that would be rigorous , churlish , and vnkinde vnto them ? doubtlesse those childrens mother that dead is , had vpon her death-bed no lesse care for her children . let her therefore alwayes haue in minde this saying of our sauiour christ : as you measure vnto others , so it shall be measured to you againe : that is , as the step-mother doth intreate the children of her predecessor , so another wife may come after her , and intreate her children . for he that tooke away the first mother , and sent her , can take away the second mother , and send a third , which will not be like a stead-mother to hers , vnlesse she be like a stead-mother to these . verily , a good woman will be vnto her husbands children , that which she may heare them call her so often , that is , mother . for what christian woman is so farre from all humanitie and naturall affection , that will not be moued and mitigated with this word mother , of whom soeuer it be spoken ? and chiefly of children , which cannot flatter , but speake euen so from their heart , as they would to their owne mother , of whom they were borne . how sweete is the name of friendship ? how many iniuries , hatreds and displeasures doth it hide and put away ? then how much more effectuall ought the sweete name of mother to be , which is full of incredible loue ? therefore euery religious and louing wife will be mollified and moued in her heart and mind , when she shall heare her selfe named mother by any of her husbands children . otherwise , she shall shew her selfe to be more vnnaturall and vnkind then the wilde sauage beast : for there is no beast so outragious and cruell , but if any other yong beast of her owne kind fawne vpon her , she will by and by shew kindnesse and mildnesse vnto it . and shall not her husbands children make her kind & louing vnto them , when they call and speake vnto her , by the louing and sweete name of mother ? . the third and last point that appertaineth to the duty of wiues , is , that they do not weare gorgeous and sumptuous apparell , or broidered haire trimmed with gold : but that after the example of holy women which trusted in god , they be sober in outward apparell , & garnished and decked inwardly with vertues of their minds ; as with gentlenesse , meeknesse , quietnesse , and chastitie ; which indeed are most precious things in the sight of god. this point is plainly spoken of by the apostle to timothie chap. . vers . in which place , he so flatly condemneth both the excesse and pride of apparell as also the pompe , curiositie , and wantonnesse which women vse in trimming their heads ; by plaiting , criping , broyding , curling , and curiously laying out , that no man can say more against it in few words , then he hath spoken to the vtter dislike thereof . for if a man should occupie himselfe , and giue liberty to his pen to write of the horrible abuse and excessiue pride that many women are guilty of in this behalfe , he should rather want time to write , then matter to deliuer . therefore , such women as will not reforme themselues , we leaue them to the lord ; who ( no doubt will in his appointed time , not onely seuerely punish them , but also their husbands for suffering this great wickednesse and dissolutenesse in their wiues , as he did the iewes for the same sinne , as plainly may be teene in esay . . &c. for so it falleth out according to the common prouerbe ; that pride goeth before , and shame and destruction commeth after . and on the contrary part , we hope that such women as be true professors of christ and his religion , will both attire and dresse their heads so decently , and also content themselues with such comely apparell , as best beseemeth their calling and degree ; so as by their good example they may draw on other women to reforme themselues in this behalfe ; and so rather come short of that which their abilitie and place would serue to maintaine , then any way to exceed therein , to the slander of their profession . and let them not so much regard what thing they would faine haue , but rather what they cannot well be without : so that whatsoeuer they haue no need of , is too deare of a farthing . the dutie of parents towards their children . this dutie consisteth in foure points . first , that fathers and mothers do instruct and bring vp their children ( euen frō the cradle ) in the feare & nurture of the lord. secondly , that they bring them vp in shame fastnesse , hatred of vice , and loue of all vertue . thirdly , that they be vnto their children examples of all godlinesse and vertue . fourthly that they keep them from idlenesse , the mother of all mischiefes , and bring them vp either in learning , or in some good art or occupation , whereby they may get their liuing with honestie and truth , when they shall come to age , and yeares of discretion . . touching the first point . parents are to be admonished ; that they beare in minde , that the cause why the lord hath blessed them with children , is : first , that they should be carefull to see that their children be so vertuously brought vp , that they may become citizens of the church of god ; so that whensoeuer they themselues shall die in the lord , they may leaue their children true worshippers of god in their place . but alasse , there be few that haue any great care of this dutie . it is to be remembred , that it is the fathers dutie , with all conuenient speed to present the child to baptisme , and there to giue the name vnto his child : as may appeare by the example , luke . . gen. . . and it were a thing to be wished , that all parents , when , and at such time as god blesseth them with children , would giue them such names as are named and commended vnto vs in the holy . scriptures , to the end that when they come to yeares of discretion , they by hearing those names , may be excited and moued to follow the vertuous life and christian conuersation of those men and women whose names they beare , which the holy ghost hath commended them for , and contrariwise to 〈◊〉 and auoide those faults and vices which are discommended in them . and yet we haue to remember , that those children which are named and called by , and after any of the names of the 〈◊〉 , prophets , apostles , or by the name of any other saint , man or woman , are not any thing the better , because they haue such godly and christian names , vnlesse that they do imitate and follow them , in faith , vertue , and godly behauiour : so on the other side , they that be not called by such christian names as are mentioned in the sacred scripture , are not in respect of their names any thing the worse , hauing an assured faith in the merits of christ his death , passion , and bloud : shedding , and leading their liues agreeable to the same . for as neither the reuenues , nor the glorious titles and names of ancestors , 〈◊〉 descend of noble parentage , maketh men noble and renowned indeed , vnlesse they themselues be godly , honest , and wise : so neither the godly names , no nor yet the faith and vertue of the fathers , auaileth the wicked and vngodly children any thing at all , vnlesse they repent and become faithfull and godly , as they were . let vs here consider , that so often as in the race of our life we do heare , or do speake of our name , it doth put vs in remembrance , first of gods mercie shewed vnto vs in our baptisine : secondly , of our promise to god againe . and as in times amongst our ancestors , infants had their names giuen them when they were circumcised , as appeateth in luke , no doubt to this end , that the circumcised should be admonished by the calling by their names , at what time and place they had their names giuen them , and would thinke that they are written in the number of the children of god , and ioyned in league with him , and made partakers of his couenant : so likewise after the same manner , must we that haue had our names giuen vs in baptisme , remember and beare in minde , that we are by grace adopted to be the sonnes of god , and receiued into his fauour , and therefore that we are gods owne , and as it were his goods and riches , who beare his name as proper vnto him . . secondly , they may assure themselues , that all their labour is lost which they bestow vpon their children , vnlesse they bring them vp in the feare of god , and oftentimes call vpon gods helpe by earnest prayer , that he in mercy would vouthsafe to preserue them from the manifold snares ; subtilties , and temptations of sathan , which their tender age is subiect vnto . we may heare many parents complaine of the disobedience of their children : but they do not marke and consider that they are iustly punished by god , for that they thinke by their own industrie and wit to make them good and vertuous , without gods blessing , which they seldome or neuer call for in good earnest . . thirdly , let them consider how noble a thing a child is , whom god himself hath shaped and formed in his mothers wombe , nourished , brought forth into the light , and indued with body and soule , to the end he should ( as it were in a table ) represent god hîs first patterne . . fourthly , let them know that these things are to be dealt with all in order . vnto the body they owe nourishment , bringing vp , apparell , and sometimes correction , that they may keepe children in awe . vnto the soule they owe catechising , instruction , and doctrine : and that of two sorts ; namely , of godlinesse , and of ciuilitie . by the one , they shall keepe a good conscience before god ; by the other , they shall obtaine a good report among men . for these are the two principall points , which parēts ought to be most carefull to plant in this life in their children , both which the apostle comprehendeth in one verse , where he saith , ephes. . . ye fathers prouoke not your children to wrath , but bring them vp in instruction , and information of the lord. and therefore all parents are diligently to instruct and teach their children the first principles of christ his religion , so soone as by age they are able to perceiue and vnderstand the same , that they may ( as it were ) suck in godlinesse together with their mothers milke , and straight-wayes after their cradle , may be nourished with the tender foode of vertue , towards that blessed life . to haue godly children ( no doubt ) is the greatest treasure that may be . for in the children do the parents liue , ( in a manner ) after their death . and if they be well instructed , catechised , and vertuously brought vp , god is honoured by them , the common-wealth is aduanced ; yea , their parents , and all other fare the better for them . they are their parents comfort , next vnto god , their ioy , staffe , and vpholding of their age : and therefore parents ought to begin betimes to plant vertue in their childrens breasts : for late sowing , bringeth a late , or neuer apt haruest . young branches will bow as a man will haue them , but old trees will sooner breake then bow . and therefore , as arrowes are an excellent weapon of defence , to a strong and a mightie man that can shoot them with courage : euen so children godly brought vp , are a speciall protection and defence to their parents . and as the strong mans quiuer the better it is furnished with chosen shaftes , the better defence he hath : so likewise , the more godly children their parents haue , the greater is their ioy and happinesie . yea and further , as arrowes are at the commandement of the owner to be vsed : euen so children well-taught , are at the commandement of godly parents . . lastly , iet parents remember how many sinnes they commit and heape one vpon another , which do not their dutie in bringing vp their children as they ought to do . first , they transgresse the law of nature , which telleth all men , that their dutie is to bring vp their children godlily and honestly . secondly , they sinne against god : for they despise the commandement and authoritie of god : for he commandeth that children should be brought vp religiously , and honestly ; but he is a despiser of god , that refuseth to do as he is commanded . thirdly , they offend against their owne credite and estimation . for gods will is , that parents should , ( after a sort ) be in his stead , so farre foorth as pertaineth to outward discipline . but such make small account of this dignity , who neglect their dutie in this behalfe . parents are further to vnderstand , that it is their dutie to haue diligent care to haue their children taught to pray to god , and to rehearse the apostles creede , and the ten commendements . for as by this exercise their hearts and mindes shall the rather be inclined to godlinesse and reuerence towards god ; so as they increase in age , they shall euery day better then other , comprehend that which they learne , to their owne comfort , instruction , and saluation . also , the tongue is called the glorie of man , because that besides all other reasons , by his speech he is discerned from the bruit beastes ; so it is meete , that so soone as the child can begin to speake , his tongue should be employed to glorifie god , by calling vpon him , and by learning some short catechisme containing the principles and grounds of christian religion ; as also in repeating the will of god , in such sort as he will that we should serue and honour him . if parents do note and perceiue any vice in their little ones , as swearing , lying , choller , enuie , filching , couetousnes , contempt of parents , readinesse to strike , and other like corruptions : it is their duty , diligently , and in time to reproue and correct them , as men vse to pluck vp weeds while they be yet yong , lest growing vp among the good seedes , they should hinder their growth , and choke them vp . by experience , we can see that mothers in swadling their little ones , do lay their limmes right , each in his place : likewise , if a child be giuen to be left handed , they chide him , yea , sometimes they bind it vp , or otherwise restraine the vse of it , that he may be accustomed to vse his right hand . also , if the child haue some string vnder his tongue , they cut it , lest it should hinder his speech : much more then ought they to beware , that through their negligence the vices of the soule do not increase . for it is the dutie of the parents , euen in the infancie , to begin to shape and frame the foule vnto vertue . it is also the dutie of parents to prouide that their children may learne , at the least to write and rcade : for it may be vnto them a great helpe in the course of this life and a treasure of much greater account then mony . and therefore the negligence ofmany is sharpely to be reproued : besides that the performance of this dutie doth greatly binde their children vnto them . neuerthelesse , the principall end thereof , should not haue respect to such commoditie , as the children may reape thereby towards the vse of this present-life : but rather that they may reade the word of god to their comfort , and instruction to saluation . also it 〈◊〉 their parts to vse them daily to reade some chapters of the holy scriptures , thereby to incline and winne their affections to the word of god , to inure and acquaint them in the phrase of the holy ghost , by little and little to learne the heauenly doctrine , to note the examples of gods vengeance powred vpon the wicked and disobedient : and of his blessings vnto those that walke in his feare . therefore if parents do looke that their children should obey them , then let them ioyne and accustome them to gods word , which will redound much to their parents profit . if they cause their children to heare and read the holy scriptures , therein they may learne , honour thy father and thy mother : but if parents do otherwise , then they traine them vp in the scriptures of diuels , whereout their children will learne most wicked things : but it is not so when they are instructed in the holy scriptures . parents therefore are diligently to apply themselues to this which god commandeth , and so often and earnestly commendeth vnto them : namely , to instruct their children in the knowledge and feare ofgod , and in the faith of iesus christ : deut. . . . and . . ephes. . . so also to teach them those things which they are to vse in their age . it is then great folly to linger children in the learning of vaine , 〈◊〉 , and vnprofitable things , which as they grow in years they will contemne and forget . parents can be carefull enough to bring vp their children in some course , trade , or other estate , wherein to get their liuings when they come to be men : and verily such fathers as do neglect that , are vnworthy to haue children . but as the soule is more precious then the body , so is the dutie of parents , in youth to traine vp their children in the practise of those things , wherewith in age , euen in this life , they may glorifie god , and be heires of the lord. if parents want knowledge , or bevnwilling to take leisure to teach them ; yet let them do as much for their childrens soules , and the life to come , as for their bodies and this present life . parents that either cannot write and reade , or will not , or haue no time to teach their children , will yet send them to schoole : and such as would haue them learne some art or occupation or traffique , if themselues professe not the same , wherein they like to employ their children , they will yet put them to dwell with those that do professe the same , to the end they may learne . how therefore can parents excuse themselues , when their children remaine vntaught in those things that concerne the glory of god and life euerlasting ? but howsoeuer it be , if they be neither able of thēselues , nor do prouide to haue them taught by others , they shall be inexcusable in the sight of god : & the ignorance of the children , ingendring contempt of god , loue of the world , and neglect of heauenly felicitie , will crie out for euerlasting vengeance against their parents : so that if they account not their children as beastes without soule , or if they loue them with the due loue belonging to parents , let them declare their loue especially to the soule : the christian instruction whereof surmounteth all worldly treasure . some say , it would be a great comfort for them in heauen to know their neare kindred , and consequently their children : and this commeth of naturall affection . but might it not be a greater discomfort for them , euen in their life time , to see them go to hell for want of instruction ? some charge their children to be dull witted , and hard to be bowed , or brought to any goodnesse or vertue . albeit naturall inclination be a great helpe to profiting , yet exercise and custome to do well , is a mightie meanes to bend and sharpe them that way : yea , euen such , that by experience we find this old prouerbe true : vse ouer cometh nature : as the wheelewright doth by strength bow his timber , and letting it lie long in that bent , it bideth crooked . barren ground well tilled , soyled , and sowen with good seed , groweth fruitfull , and yeeldeth good increase : iron weareth with handling : the water by continuall dropping weareth the stone : wilde beasts may be tamed : and wilde colts by custome are brought to the saddle , and are content to be led by the bridle : euen so the dullest capacities may by instruction and custome be fashioned to vertue . as contrariwise , the wiz most inclined by nature to vertue , may by bad instruction and the conuersation of the wicked be peruerted and grow vicious . parents therefore are herein to respect two points : first , to begin to frame and bend their children in their tender youth to vertue , remēbring that a seale entreth deepest into softest waxe . they must be carefull that they do not speake or tell any foolish tales , baudie rimes , or vngodly speeches before their children , lest they infect their tender wits with follie and astonishment . experience sheweth , that children will sooner learne any language by conuersation then elder folkes . also that the yonger the twig is , the sooner it is bent or made straight . secondly , it is the parents dutie to restraine their children from haunting and conuersing with such as be vicious , peruerse , and wicked . and vndoubtedly we see that they do soone learne villanous and vnseemely speeches , and malicious lewd actions , with their corruptions : and as the old prouerbe saith , halting with the lame , they shall learne to halt . a child that naturally speaketh wel , by conuersing with such as corrupt their speech , shall degenerate and speake as badly . tye a yong twig that is crooked , with a straight one that is stronger then it , and in growing it will become straight , and so continue when it is vndone . and contrariwise , a straight one tyed to that which is crooked , and stronger then it selfe , will grow and continue crooked . moreouer , parents when they meane to put forth their children to any trade or occupation , or to learning , then they ought carefully to see and enquire whether such as they thinke to place them withall , be religious and vertuous , and endued with the feare of god. in the admittance of a seruant , the feare of some temporall or carnall inconuenience , causeth men to enquire of his , or her truth , honestie , or other qualities . therefore if parents shall commit their child to the ordering and instruction of a maister , before they make enquirie of his honestie and christian conuersation , they plainely shew , that they haue lesse care of the corrupting or infecting of their child with vice , then of some small inconuenience that might happen by an vnhonest and vnthriftie seruant . when men buy an earthen pot , they sound vpon it , to see whether it be broken , lest they should be deceiued in a small peece of monie , yet do they not sound whether the maister to whom they commit their child be vicious , or vertuous : albeit by putting and placing him with one that is vicious and irreligious , they put him in danger of losse , both of body and soule . some do respect their friendship with some maisters rather then their vertue , and so do commit to them their children , lest they should be angrie for putting them to another . these men do resemble and be like him , who being dangerously sicke , vseth the aduise of an ignorant physition , that is his kinsman or familiar friend , for feare he should take offence if he should call another , albeit , without comparison , more learned and skilfull . if thou shouldest liaue any weightie matter in law , wouldest thou rather commit thy cause to an ignorant and negligent atturney , because he is thy friend , then to him that were both diligent and learned ? making a voyage through some dangerous sea , wouldest thou in a tempest commit thy ship to a young pilot , vnskilfull or drunke , because he is thy friend ? what a foole art thou , that wilt not take the like care of the profit , honour , safetie , and saluation of thy childe ? others commit their children either to him that will take them at the easiest rate , or by whom they may grow into greatest aduancement in the world , but neuer respect the hazard of their child , so they may either spare , or get worldly goods . let them also be carefull to restraine their children from vice , and to inure and accustome them to vertue : and indeed the fathers that instruct , or cause their children to be instructed , do far excell such as onely do beget them : for of these they 〈◊〉 life onely , of the other good and vertuous life . yet parents ought not so much to relie and rest vpon the diligence of their childrens maisters , as neuer to care to vnderstand how they profit and go forward in learning and vertue : for the regard of such diligence would make the maisters more carefully to discharge their duties . and thereof came the prouerbe ; the maisters eye fatteth the horse : and this , the maisters eye is the fruitfulnesse of the garden . vpon these sinnes ensue many punishments , both ghostly and bodily , as well in the parents , as in the children : yea , and in all the posteritie . the holy scripture giueth great commendation to sundry men and women , for their godly education , and vertuous bringing vp of their children : as to abraham , for he commanded his sonnes and his houshold , to keepe the way of the lord. so dauid counselled his sonne 〈◊〉 to serue god with a perfect heart , and a willing mind . it is said also of cornelius , that he feared god and all his houshold . likewise of eunice the mother of timothie , that she nourished vp her sonne in the words of faith , and good doctrine . for where a vertuous and godly childhood goeth before , there a godly and vertuous age followeth after . contrariwise , when the parents are not carefull to teach their children to know god , and to know themselues : when they do not breed them vp in vertue , nor reproue them when they do amisse , they then become corrupt in their vnderstanding , and abhominable in their doing : ignorant and voide of all knowledge and grace , and of reuerence or feeling of nature . if parents be desirous to haue their children vertuous and honest indeed , ( as in conscience they ought ) then they must be diligent and carefull to practise godlinesse & honesty themselues . for we see by experience , according to the common prouerbe . as the old cocke croweth , the yong learneth ; such a father , such a sonne : & such a mother , such a daughter . for like as when the head is well and sound , and also the stomacke pure from hurtfull humours , the bodie is commonly well affected : euen so , where the head , or chiefe of any familie or houshold , is religious , and sound in the faith , and feareth god ; it commonly goeth well with all the houshold . what shall it auaile for parents to teach their children honestie and modestie , when they themselues in their workes and behauiours do inuite them to wantonnesse and lewdnesse ? verball instruction , without example of good deedes , is a dead doctrine ; and contrariwise , good examples are the life of instruction , to make it profitable and effectuall . if the example of parents be contrarie to their instructions , if they teach their children sobrietie , modestie , and chastitie , and yet themselues will follow drunkennesse , fowle & lasciuious speeches , gestures , and actions : it is as if with their tongues they should say , be vertuous , and by the hands leade them with them to all vice and corruption . so that wicked parents are wicked counsellors to their children . if we would take him to be a monster in nature , and vnworthie to liue in a common-wealth , that should counsell his child to drunkennesse and fornication : what shall we thinke of those , who committing such iniquitie , do by their example much more mightily put forwards their children to such abhomination , then by word they are able ? what account can those parents giue vnto god , who by their euill example haue drawne into hell their children , whom he deliuered to their charge to be giuen into heauen ? albeit such parents pittie not themselues , yet at least let them take pitie of their children ; and not carrie them with them into euerlasting destruction . such parents then deserue grieuously to be reprooued , as shall vse any leude speeches , or shamelesse behauiour : in briefe , any worldly or carnall actions in the presence of their children , to whom their examples may be as a dispensation to giue themselues to the like . as also , how can they forbid that in their children , which they themselues do commit ? how can they correct them for the faults which they themselues vse ? albeit , children in respect and reuerence to their parents dare not reply and say ; themselues do those things for the which they reproue them ; yet will the neighbours or others obiect it to their shame . besides , their authority shall be so much the lesse , in that they declare in their workes and actions , that they allow that which they forbid in words . if parents therefore desire that their instruction may be effected and yeeld fruite , let them declare the same in holy life and vertuous conuersation : let them so order and gouerne themselues , that their children seeing the same , as it were in a glasse , may be restrained from dishonest speech , and wicked deeds ; let them do as guides that shew the right way ouer foords and riuers , by going before those whom they leade : that their children ( following the steps and examples of their parents ) may conforme themselues to their vertues ; and so with them , and by them , be led to saluation and life cuerlasting . for this cause moses gaue commandement vnto the iewes , that the law might be kept in their families , that they might prosper in all that they went about . when obed-edom had receiued the arke of god into his house , which signified true religion , the lord blessed him and all his houshold . whē the widdow of zarephtah , in the dayes of eliah , and the other widdow of israel in the dayes of elisha , had receiued the prophets of god into their houses , who is ignorant how mightily and mercifully the lord prouided for them ? when our sauiour christ had restored the rulers sonne to his health , the ruler beleeued and all his family . after zachaus had receiued christ into his house and was conuerted , saluation came to the same houshold . to be short , when cornelius the centurion embraced the gospell , his familie also beleeued & were baptized , and the holy ghost fell vpon them all which heard the preaching . and how well that house was ordered , where timothie was brought vp , his knowledge in the scriptures from a child can witnesse . and this is also a point worthy to be remembred , that the lord by his prophet ezechiel , calleth the children of the israelites which they had begotten ( his children , ) because they were partakers of the promises , and signed with the seale of the couenant : and the prophet calleth them , the inheritance of the lord. such parents therefore as be christians must know , that their children are also the children of god , and partakers of those blessings that are promised to them in christ iesus their sauiour : and therefore they shall do great iniurie to god himselfe whose children they are , if they shall not see them carefully brought vp in his feare : and much more , if they , as before time many haue done , bequeath them , & in a manner , consecrate & sacrifice them to the seruice of men , by thrusting thē into abbeyes , munkeries , fryeries , nunneries , and seminaries , there to be brought vp , and remaine in perpetuall bondage of ignorance , in 〈◊〉 and idolatrie . the second point is , that fathers and mothers do nourish and traine vp their children in shamefastnesse , hatred of vice , and loue of all vertue . they be charged by the fift commandement , to feede , to nourish , and to bring vp their children , to teach them the principles and seede of christian religion , to see they learne the catechisme , to teach them to praise god before and after meales : as also to teach them by little and little , and by often repetitions , to vnderstand wherefore the sacraments were instituted : to teach them manners how to behaue themselues decently in their going , in their speaking , and gesture of their bodies : how to order themselues reuerently in the church , how abroad in all places , and towards all men in all honest companies ; and so to begin some conscience in them . for it were better for children to be vnborne then vntaught . now contrary to this , is , when parents suffer their children to haue their will from the beginning : when they discourage and daunt them by seueritie , & by being too hasty with them , when they let the cōmon ignorance of the word to be rooted in them , and haue no care to frame them to learne truth and godlinesse ; and so to prepare them to be apt to receiue profit from the publicke ministerie . it is therefore meete for all fathers and mothers , if they will haue ioy of their children , that then they correct them when they do amisse , & keepe them in shamefastnesse , hatred of vice , & loue of all vertue , according as the wiseman in sundry places . for as the common prouerbe is , birch breaketh no bones ; neither doth moderate correction bring danger of death : but oftentimes it bridleth & keepeth backe the child , that otherwise would run headlong into hell , and so is a meane to saue his soule . for the fountaine of all vertue , and chiefe of all mans felicitie , is good instruction , and right bringing it . and contrariwise , children euill brought vp , bring shame and great heart-break to their parents . as old elie was corrected himselfe , for not correcting his sonnes ; which is a notable example , necessary for all parents to imprint in their hearts : that they may see their children well taught and corrected , lest they procure the wrath of god to fall vpon thē , as it did vpon this elie , who honored his children aboue the lord , and therefore the lord cut him and them off . for the comfort he had of his sonnes was this : the arke ( the witnesse of the lords presence ) was lost , thirty thousand of the people slaine , his two sonnes , hophni and phineas killed ; himselfe , when newes thereof came vnto him , for sorrow fell backward and brake his necke : vpon this his daughter in law fell in trauell , and in trauell dyed ; the remnant of his house were glad to craue and beg for a small peece of siluer and a morsell of bread . also , the two and forty children that mocked elisha the lords prophet , saying : come vp thou bald-head : were rent in peeces with beares . thus we see , that children vntaught and vnchastized , bring shame and confusion to their parents . let them therefore alwayes remember this , that they prouide , and bestow diligent labour , that their children be foorthwith instructed in vertue and godlinesse , whilest their wits are yet voide from cares and vices , and whilest their age is tender and tractable , and their minds flexible , and readie to euery thing : for then they will keepe fast good lessons and vertuous precepts ( if they be taught them . ) for this is certaine , that we remember nothing so well when we be old , as those things we learne in young yeares . it shall be conuenient and profitable therefore , to handle the waxe straight way while it is moist : to season those earthen vessels with very good liquor , whilest they are new : to die , and litte the wooll , while it is faire and white , and not defiled with any spots . the emmets or pismires are not taught to gather into their holes or hillockes in sommer , whereby they should liue in winter . bees learne not to make their cells , to gather iuyce , and to make honey ; but all these things be done by instinction of nature . so euery liuing thing , the lesse meete it is to learning , so much the more it hath of natiue prudence : but man neither can eate , nor go , nor speake , except he be taught . then if fertile fields for want of tillage waxe barren ; if trees being neglected , either bring forth no fruite , or else the same vnsauourie , without diligence or grafting and pruning ; if dogs be vnmeet to hunt , the horse and oxen vnapt to the plough , except mans diligence be put thereto ? how vile then and vnprofitable creatures would children become , except diligently and in due time they should be fashioned by good bringing vp ? what a shame is this for any man , to take great care to haue his dog well taught , his horse well broken , his land well husbanded , his house goodly trimmed and richly furnished , and yet to haue his child shamefully rude in manners , and altogether voyd of all garnishing and instruction of vertue and godlinesse ? what a great folly and madnesse is this , for a father to take great care and thought how to get money and possessions , and to haue no regard of his child , for whom the same is gotten ? this is no lesse shame to heare , then if a man taking thought for the shooe , would set nought by the foote : or with great care and studie would prouide that there should be no fault in the childes garments , not regarding the health of his body . this is ( as the common saying is ) to be penny wise and pound foolish : to saue a sticke , and burne a house : to saue a ioynt and lose the body . but oh vaine man , hast thou more care and desire to leaue thy sonne faire buildings , and full of lands , then for to instruct him in the way of godlinesse , and so leaue him a vertuous consceince ? hast thou rather a desire to hoord vp treasure for him , with rust and moth to be consumed , then to teach him the knowledge of god , which will not canker but last for aye ? most parents ( a pitifull thing to remember ) be louing to the bodies of their children , but their soules they care not for : they desire their welfare in this world , but they passe not what they shall suffer in the world to come . yea fathers prouide lands , rents , reuenues , great annuities , fees and offices for their children here : but alas , few prouide or be carefull to haue them brought vp in vertue , and the feare of god. for the losse of their liues and bodies , they will sore bewaile and much iament : but the health and saluation of their soules they make no reckoning of . if they see them poore and sicke , they sorrow and sigh ; but though they see them sinne , and greatly displease god , they are nothing grieued . it behooueth that parents do carefully obserue , vnto what vices their children are most inclined , and so by good meanes admonish and draw them from their sinne . as parents be carefull to prouide temporall things for their childrens bodies , which are transitory : so much more carefull ought they to be to prouide spiritual things for their soules . and as they be diligent to keepe the bodies of their children from fire and water when they be young : so much more they ought to take care , that their soules be not poysoned with vices , and false and erronious doctrine , when they come to yeares of discretion : and this is the most acceptable seruice that they can do to god. children are called the fruite of their parents . therefore , as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite : so parents should shew their goodnesse in the good education of their children , which are their fruit . to teach a child in the trade of his way , as salomon commandeth , prou. . . is , not onely to instruct him vnto godlinesse , but also vnto all other humane duties : wherefore this dutie then belongeth vnto parents , and they are bound to do it . for who should teach and informe the childe , but they which haue the gouernment and commanding of him ? but it is well knowne , that parents onely haue the gouernment and commanding of their children , or such as they shall procure for their better education , and therefore this charge and dutie lieth vpon them , and they must looke vnto it . againe , this is apparent euen by the generall law of nature , which hath taught the very bruite beasts to bring vp their young . and further , this dutie is yet enforced from the opportunitie of the thing commanded . for euen as a plant will sooner take nourishment , and thriue better in the soyle where it first grew or sprong vp , then in any other ground , because it liketh his owne soyle best : so children will sooner take instruction and good nourture from their parents , whom they best like , and from whom they had their first being , then from any other : and therefore you parents are in fault , if your children be not well taught . for whatsoeuer good commeth from the parent to the child , is naturall and kindly , no otherwise then the warme milke from the mothers dug : you shall sooner be heard of your children , then either the sage counsell of the ancient , or the forcible and mouing speech of the learned . lastly , the rule of iustice doth require , that euen as the first parent adam , and so all other after him , haue bene a meane of falling to their posteritie , in the begetting of children in their owne image , which according to the law of creation , should haue bene borne gods image : so now in lieu of this , all parents should lend their hands to lift them vp againe , & neuer ceasse vntil they see in some measure the beauty of the first image , and the vertue of the second adam . this is confirmed by many testimonies of scripture , as amongst other these do prooue . deut. . . and . . . ephes. . . psal. . . and because this duty of parents , is many times committed to schoolemaisters , to maisters of families , to dames , to patrons , and guardians , and such like : they must therefore vnderstand , whosoeuer they be , that they are bound by the voyce of the almighty , to performe and to do the dutie of parents , to all such as are committed to their charge , as if they were their owne children . now , the vices which some parents commit , in not performing these duties before and after named , and ought of them to be eschued , are these . first , the ignorance of the parents : as if they be so rude that they be not able to teach their children , then they greatly offend god in the breach of this so necessary a duty : and therefore they must indcuour to get so much nurture and knowledge , as that they may be able to instruct others vnder them . the second vice is , the prophanenesse of many parents , who so they may prouide liuelyhood and necessaries for their children , they care for no more . the third vice is committed of such poore parents , which make no great choise with what maisters and dames they place their children , so they may haue meate and drinke enough , and wages thereto competent , and are neither back-beaten nor belly-beaten , as they say . alas , such poore children , while they serue for their bellies , they may lose their soules , because they want godly maisters and dames to giue them wholesome instruction , to hold them in by good example , and to gouerne them continually in the feare of the lord. wherefore here let all parents learne , that it is their dutie to make choise of such maisters and dames for their children , as are godly and religious , wise hearted , such as are both able and well disposed , to traine vp youth in all good nurture and gods seruice : and not onely this ( for the greatest care of all lieth vpon the parents ) but also they must so often as conueniently they may , repaire vnto them , and see how they profit , and hold them vp by their good counsell , and be carefull to intreate those which haue the gouernment of them , to be good vnto them , in this chiefe point aboue the rest . for ( as salomon saith : ) life and death is in the power of the tongue : so we may well say , life and death is in the education of our children . if they be well brought vp , it shall be life vnto them : but if it be otherwise , they are trained vp to euerlasting death . . the fourth vice is , the fault of many maisters and dames , who make no further reckoning of their seruants , then they do of their bruit beasts . for so long as their worke and businesse be well done by them , they care for no more , and they will teach them no further then may serue for their owne turne and benefit : that is , to be a profitable seruant vnto them . such maisters make their seruants drudges to the world and the diuell : and the life of such youth dieth while it shooteth vp . all these sin and trespasse against the will and word of god , because they are contrary to good nurture and godly instruction . parents must be very carefull that their children may learne some occupation , or profession of life : and this is either mechanical , which we call handicraft : or liberall , which is the learning of schooles : and the end of this is , either to get their liuing honestly , and in gods ordinance , or else , if they want no maintenance , to apply their profession and trade to the benefit of the common-wealth . no childe of what birth or stocke soeuer he be , ought to want this instruction and bringing vp . if thou say , my childe hath no neede of any trade : yet the common-wealth and gods church hath need of him : for no man is borne for himselfe , but his friends will require one part , his kindred another , and his countrie the third . and if handicrafts like thee not , thou hast the liberall sciences , of which no man euer was yet ashamed , but many haue made them their crowne of glorie . saul was annointed king , while he was seeking his fathers asses : and dauid was taken from the sheepefold , to feede with his wisedome , and gouerne with prudence , that honourable people the children of israel . and againe , we reade that those two famous prophets , elisha and amos , the one was called from the plough , and the other from keeping of beasts : which examples do plainly teach vs , that the great and reuerent god despiseth no honest trade of life , be it neuer so meane , but crowneth it with his blessing , to draw all good minds to his holy ordinance . but now adayes , such is the pride of our hearts ( a thing to be lamented through all our land ) that many gentlemens children may not be brought vp in any trade . oh it is too base and beggarly for them : they must liue of their lands , they must maintaine their gentrie : a small learning will serue their turne : but in the meane while this ordinance of god is neglected , what misery from hence ensueth ? who are the wasters of patrimonies ? who are the robbers and rouers in the common-wealth ? who are the deflowrers of maidens ? who are the defilers of 〈◊〉 ? who are the corrupters of youth ? and to speake in one word , who are the seedes-men of all mischiefe in our country , but these children of gentlemen , who haue not bene taught and trained vp in learning , or some occupation , while they were young ? for euen as a weed , if it grow in a ranke soyle , will waxe out of measure noysome : so these children coming of honourable and worshipfull parents , brought vp in ease , and pampered with the delights of gentrie , they waxe immeasurably vicious , and who may keepe them vnder ? neither lawes , nor magistrates , not any other good meane . first , parents must teach their children to vse faire speech , not onely towards themselues , but also towards others , and to call their betters by a reuerent and honourable name : . sam. . . marke . . prou. . . secondly , to speake modestly and humbly of themselues : & this point of good manners they may learne of that wise matron abigail , in . sam. . . where we reade , that when she was sent for of dauid to be his wife , she first bowed her selfe to the seruants , and then made this lowly answer to him that brought the message : behold , let thine handmaid be seruant to wash the feete of the seruants of my lord. thirdly , to admonish them louingly to salute their friends and acquaintance , and generally all others whom they take to be christians and brethren : which consisteth in praying well to others , wishing health & prosperitie vnto them , luke . . . . king. . . fourthly , to put them in mind to acknowledge a benefit where they haue receiued it , with giuing of thanks . fiftly , to teach them to confesse an offence where it is committed , with humble crauing of pardon . an example hereof they may haue in that vertuous and faire spoken matron abigail , as they may reade in . sam. . . &c. oh that men and children saw what great dangers they draw vpon them by the neglect of this duty , and might preuent it : and also what gratious blessings they might procure , both to themselues and others by meanes of it , as this vertuous abigail kept dauid from shedding of innocent blood , saued her owne life with the liues of her familie ; and in the end was receiued to be a princes wife , for the wise carriage of her selfe in this matter . againe , parents must teach their children good manners , and ciuill behauiour , to rise vp to their betters , to vncouer the head , to make obeysance , to be curteous towards their equals , to be gentle and louely to their inferiours , and louing and kind to all : this is no lesse needfull for youth , then their meate and their drinke . also to admonish them , to giue their elders and betters leaue to speake before them : iob . . that they keepe silence while their betters are in place , vntill they be spoken vnto , and then they must make answer in few words , without vnnecessary circumstances , and directly vnto the matter . and they may not be loud , babling , or hote in speech , but cold and milde : prouerbes . warne them that they do not interrupt or trouble others whiles they are in speaking : prou. . . wherfore if children will keepe the bounds of good manners , they must not be streperous or troublesome in talke , but they must obserue and take their due time and course : and if there be any thing spoken , vnto which they would willingly make answer , they must either curteously craue leaue of him that speaketh , or else they must carrie it in remembrance vntill their turne cometh to speake , which is the better of the twaine . and further , they must giue an entercourse of speech vnto others , and suffer others to speake by them : for there is a time to keepe silence , and so to heare others speaking : for he that will haue all the talke , passeth the bounds of good manners . moreouer , parents ought to teach their children how to frame their gestures to a reuerent and dutifull behauiour towards others : which consisteth in these points . . the first is , to meete those that are comming towards them . and of this they haue an example in holy abraham : genes . . . where it is said ; and he lifted vp his eyes and looked , and lo , three men stood by him , and when he saw them , he ranne to meete them from the tent doore . againe , another example they may haue in king salomon , sitting vpon his regall throne : . king. . . bethsheba therefore went to king salomon , to speake vnto him for adoniah ; and the king rose to meete her . . the second is , to rise vp to elders and betters , when they passe by them . and this is taught , leuiticus . . thou shalt rise vp before the hoar-head , and houour the person of the old man , and dread thy god ; i am the lord. but here we must warne you of a great abuse , which ( for the most part ) is cōmitted in all churches ; and which tendeth to the high dishonour of god : which is this , that neither you your selues , neither your children , nor seruants , do know the time of your duties , but you will then rise vp to men , when both you and they , should kneele downe to god : as if one that is more honorable among you , shall come into the church , while you are vpon your knees in prayer vnto god , presently you start vp , and leaue god , to reuerence men . is this religion ? is this deuotion becomming gods house ? is not this all one , as if a man should say , stay god , here comes in my father , my maister , my worshipfull neighbour , and my good friend : to whom i am much beholden ; i must do my dutie vnto him , i must rise vp till he be past , and then i will come to thee againe . what is this , but to preferre men before god ? this doing plainely sheweth , that such are louers of men more then of god : and that such as take this dutie and reuerence vpon them , are robbers of gods honour , and they shall answer him for it . is there no time to shew our duty towards men , but euen then when we are about gods seruice ? why ( know you ) when man standeth before god , how honourable soeuer he be , he is but dung and filth , and not to be regarded , in comparison of him . and let parents learne this wisedome , that while they are taught their duties towards men , it is not to rob god of his worship ; but there is an appointed time to euery dutie and purpose : as ecclesiastes in his third chapter . well admonisheth ; to all things there is an appointed time , and a time to euery purpose vnder heauen . it is recorded of leuie , to his eternall praise : deut. . . that in gods cause he said of his father and mother ; i see him not , neither knew he his brethren , nor his owne children : euen so beloued , our eyes and our minds , and deuotions , should be so fixed and intent vpon god when we are in his seruice , that we should not see nor regard any man in that while . and againe , we reade in the second chapter of the gospell after saint iohn , of our sauiour himselfe , who though he was the most dutifull child that euer was borne of woman , yet when he was about his fathers businesse , he said vnto his mother : woman , what haue i to do with thee ? which examples will teach vs , that when we are about gods seruice , all other duties must sleepe , and be laid apart . . the third dutie of good manners to be obserued in their gesture , is to stand while their betters are sitting in place . example of this we haue in holy abraham , of his entertaining of the three strangers ; as it is written , geneses . . and he tooke butter and milke , and the calfe which he had prepared , and set before them , and stood by himselfe vnder the tree , and they did eate . well may abraham be called the father of the faithfull , for giuing his children so good example . . the fourth dutie is , to bend the knee , in token of humilitie and subiection : example of this , . king. . . . the fift thing is , that they giue the chiefe place to their betters , and to offer the same to others in courtesie , . king. . . luk. . . . . prou. . . and . . . their last dutie is , to vncouer their head . and though we finde no example for this in holy scripture , as being not vsed in those former times : yet seeing the thing is ciuill and comely , and one of the speciall courtesies of our dayes , we will confirme it also with the authoritie of gods word , philippians . . whatsoeuer things are honest , whatsoeuer things are of good report , those things do . and againe , . corin. . . let all things be done decently , and according to order . now this kind of ciuilitie , is both decent and according to order , as also honest , and of good report : and therefore warranted and commended by gods word , and so worthie to be followed . therefore , if our children be not thus trayned vp in nurture while they be young , when they be old they shall be found so head-strong , that they will not be gouerned , but this consequent must needs follow , that all order shall be taken away , & then confusion must needs ensue . for if nurture be neglected , then our elders and gouernours shall not be reuerenced : if they be not reuerenced , they will not be regarded : if they be not regarded , they will not be obeyed : and if they be not obeyed , then steps in rebellion , and euery one will do what he listeth . these vices and great abuses are to be reformed , and with speed amended ; not onely of many parents and maisters themselues , but also they must labour with all diligence , that they may be redressed and amended in their children and seruants . first , the grosse ignorance in the groundes of christian religion , which yet remaineth in any parents , maisters , and their families , who giue themselues to sleep in the church , to talke one with another , to turne ouer their bookes there , and vsing of their owne priuate deuotions or prayers in the time of publike preaching and prayer : all which no doubt , are grieuous sinnes and transgressions : and besides many absent themselues from holy exercises , and especially vpon the lords day : then lying in their beds , haunting of ale-houses and tauernes , ryding and going abroad about their worldly affaires , for pleasure and profit , being also weary whilst they be present at prayers and preaching , seldome do they preuent or come before prayers : nay , many come in the midst thereof , to the great disturbance of the same , and others that are there : and some againe , before the sermons are ended : other some after the prayers made , and before the singing of the psalmes , and the vsuall blessing to be pronounced , depart thence , whereof they , as well as those that tarrie , should be partakers , posting also out of the church as it were from a play , or may-game ; as though they supposed that no more reuerence should be shewed there , then in other places : or that some part of diuine seruice belonged vnto them and not vnto other some : whereas in very truth , euery one ought to be alike partakers of the whole . and how should we look for any goodnesse from god , where this , that is the seed of all sin , and the nurse of all abhominations , reigneth and swayeth so much ? let such as are fathers and mothers , and haue children , know in what sort they must be carefull for them . their children are the good blessings of god , they be members of the body of christ , and the sonnes of god. the kingdome of heauen belongeth to them . god hath appointed his angels to guide and leade them , and to shield them from euill ; and their angels be in the presence of god , and do behold the face of their father which is in heauen . they be fresh plants of the church . who knoweth what necessary instruments they may be in the house of god ? it is not enough to seed them , to cloath them , and to nourish their bodies with necessary sustenance . for the heathen do this , which know not god , and the sauage and bruite beasts , and the birds , which haue no vnderstanding , they breed vp their yong ones , and are tender and painfull to prouide for them . the asse though she be dull , the beare and lyon , though they be wilde and cruell , yet seeke they farre and neare to get where with to helpe their young . therefore , if there be any , or can be any , which doth forsake and leaue his owne , he is more beastly then the foolish asse , and more vnnaturall then most cruell beares , and lyons , and tygers . but in this behalfe , men are for the most part ouer-carefull . for this cause many build their houses with bloud , and seeke possessions by iniquitie : they ioyne house to house , and field to field , and will dwell alone vpon the earth : they oppresse the poore and needie , and do wrong to the widdow and the fatherlesse ; they make money their idoll , and spoile one another : and all to prouide for their children . this is the couer and cloake for all their mischiefes ; they may not leaue their children vnprouided for . vnhappy are such fathers , which in this sort care for their children , by the ruine and spoile of the needie and innocent , and so breake the commandements of god ; because their portion shall be with the wicked , in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone . and vnhappie are their children , because they are partakers of their fathers wickednesse ; and therefore shall also be partakers of punishment with them . the prophet dauid saith : i haue seene the wicked strong , and spreading himselfe like a greene bay-tree : yet he passed away , and lo he was gone ; and i sought him , but he could not be found . his roote was deepe , his stocke strong , his branches broade , he spread ouer and shadowed the whole countrie , yet he passed away ; he departed , his sonnes died , his house soone decayed , and his name was in little time quite forgotten . oh , how much better then is it , to furnish the minds of our children , and to instruct them in godlines , to teach them to know god , to leade their life vettuously , and to rebuke them , and chastise them for ill doing ? the beginning of wisedome is the feare of god. let them then learne , what that good and acceptable will of god is . shew them the way in which they should walke ; that they go neither to the right hand nor to the left . the word of god is pure , and giueth vnderstanding to the simple : it is a light to their foote-steps ; it teacheth those that are yong to amend their waies . for children by nature are darknesse , and cannot see , except they be enlightened with gods word . and therefore salomon sayeth : catechise a child in his youth , and he will remember it when he is old . this is a right blessing which fathers and mothers giue to their children , when they cause god to blesse them too . when christ came into ierusalem , the yong children receiued him : they cried , osanna to the sonne of dauid , blessed is he that commeth in the name of the lord. christ giueth witnesse of them : by the mouthes of babes and sucklings , hast thou set foorth thy praise . the words of the little and simple children , were able to confound the wisedome of the pharises . thus were they taught from their cradle , so carefull were their godly parents ouer them . contrariwise , they cannot haue any wisedome that despise the way of the lord. they become blinde and wicked , and abhominable in all their wayes . they haue no sense , nor feeling of the will of god. they cannot know light from darknesse , nor god from belial . such were the childrē that derided elisha , as also absolon ; whose heart sathan had so possessed with the spirit of pride and ambition , that he went about to despose his father from his kingdome . so also his brother 〈◊〉 vsurped the kingdome of his father dauid . another care which a father ought to haue of his children is , to traine them vp in the study of vertue , and of a godly life . blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see god. they which keepe not this way , are the children of wrath herein standeth the whole profession of a christian life . for god hath not called vs to vncleannesse , but vnto holinesse . this is the will of god , and this is out promise made vnto him , that we serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life , that we increase in vertue , and grow from grace to grace . a wise and louing father which sendeth his sonne on a dangerous iourney , either by sea or land , first instructeth him with aduise , and telleth him in what sort he shall auoide perils . take heed , ( saith he ) the way is dangerous which thou must passe . the sea is terrible , the waues rise vp as high as heauen , and by and by . thou shalt see a pit as low as hell . the sands may swallow thee , the rocks may destroy thee . thou shalt passe by huge mountaines , and through a wildernesse , where theeues will assault thee . thy heart will quake thou shaltcrie for succour , and find no man to helpe thee . in these and these places hath many a good mans child bene cast away . oh take 〈◊〉 ( my sonne , ) thou art the 〈◊〉 and comfort of mine age : if ought come to thee otherwise then well , i shall soone end my dayes in sorrow . if a father be thus carefull that his child should escape worldly dangers , he must also be carefull of spirituall dangers , in which whosoeuer is lost , is lost for euer . therefore thus , or to this effect , may he say to him : oh my sonne , vnderstand what god hath done for thy sake . take heed to thy selfe . the world is all ouer-strewed with snares . the diuell runneth and seeketh whom he may deuoure . giue not ground to him , but resist him , and he will flie from thee . be strong in faith . the name of the lord is a strong tower of defence . call vpon him in the day of thy trouble , and he will deliuer thee . he will giue thee of his spirit . take heed my sonne , and be not deceiued , let no wilfulnesse cast thee away . if sinners entice thee , be not a companion with them in wickednesse . fashion not thy selfe to the likenesse of this world : for the world passeth away , and the lust thereof . he that loueth this world , the loue of god is not in him . be not like vnto them that perish . thou wast conceiued and borne in sinne . thou art by nature the child of wrath : but god made thee meete to be partaker of the inheritance of the saintes in light , and hath deliuered thee from the power of darknesse : and hath translated thee into the kingdome of his deare sonne : receiue not this grace in vaine ; but cast away the works of darknesse , and put on the armour of light . be renewed in thy heart , and in thy spirit , that it may appeare i haue bene carefull for thee . thus a carefull father seeketh to traine vp his sonne , & to nurture him . now there be some necessaire meanes and helpes , whereby godly parents may the more effectually and vertuously bring vp their children , according to the directions before spoken of , as these : first , not to suffer their children and youth to haue their owne will : for salomon saith , prou. . . they that are of afroward heart , are abhominable vnto the lord. and againe , in the . chap. verse . a child set at libertie , maketh his mother ashamed . but what will some be readie to answer in this case ? oh he may be broken of that time enough afterwards . but what saith the wiseman , ecclesiastic . . . giue no passage to the waters , no not a little . the heart of child is as the violent waters . and as those which haue experience in keeping and repairing the sea bankes , can easily tell vs , that if the raging waues should be suffered to breake ouer but one tide , they should hardly in many dayes recouer it againe : so if thou sufferest thy childs affections to haue the full swinge and course , yea but a small season , thou shalt hardly or neuer againe winne this breach . . the second meanes is , moderation in diet ; not to pamper children with too much meate , or that which is delicate , but to giue them that which is wholesome and sufficient , and no more . for excesse breedeth disease , both in body and mind , maketh them gluttons and drunkards , consumers of patrimonie , and this vice draweth a thousand more with it : and euen as the fattest soile bringeth forth the rankest weeds , so pampered children brought vp without due gouernment and discipline , thrust foorth the greatest and most ouergrowne vices . . the third helpe is , not to cloath them with costly apparell , or to attire them with new fashions . for this againe is contrarie to the nature of paines and labour , and stirreth vp pride . for euen as soft flaxe is soone on fire : so youthfull nature will soone be inflamed with this vice , as lamentable experience too much teacheth at this day . for , from whence commeth this disguised and monstrous apparell , but from wanton and dissolute education of youth ? this is the speciall sinne of england , and if any thing be the ouerthrow of it ( which god for his mercy turne away ) it will be this : the land is too heauie of this sinne . for the pride of all nations , and the follies of all countries are vpon vs , how should we long beare them ? how art thou fallen from heauen , ô lucifer , sonne of the morning ? and it shall be in the day of the lords sacrifice , that i will visit the princes , and the kings children , and all such as are cloathed with strange apparell . . the fourth helpe is reprehension , or chiding . and this is taught , prou. . . the rod , and correction giue wisedome . where by the rod , is vnderstood chastisement : and by correction , is vnderstood , chiding or reprehension . the want of this helpe was the vtter spoile and vndoing of adonyah , as may be seene , . king. . & . chapters . and here we cannot but iustly find fault with most parents , who though they be somewhat carefull for their children while they be tender : yet when they be come to some years of discretion , as to fifteene or sixteene , which time is most fit for reprehension , because then by all reason it should soonest enter ; and which time againe is most dangerous , be cause then our affections are most strong in vs , oh then they be growne to mens and womens eftate , they may not be reprehended , they may not be disgraced . but know thou , oh wise parent , that so long as thou hast a child , so long thou art a parent : and so long as thou art a father , so long thou must carry a fatherly authoritie and power ouer him . . the fift helpe , is chastisement , and it may well be called a helpe , because where reprehension will not serue , that must helpe ; and this must be vsed in order and method : as the skilfull physition will not giue his strong and bitter pill before his preparatiue , lest the working of it should be hindred by the stubburne and indurate obstructions : so the wise parent in curing his sonnes vices , must not strike before he hath reprehended or preadmonished : lest either he be too much caft downe and discouraged , or waxe obstinate . this kind of physicke , as it is more strong then the former , so it hath a more forcible and excellent working . for great is the godlinesse in that seueritie by which the power of sinning is taken away . and againe , salomon in the . of the prouerbes , verse . saith more worthily : foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child , but the rod of correction shall driue it away . and againe in the . chapter , verse . he which spareth the rod , hateth his sonne , that is , he is an enemie vnto him . wherefore know thou this , ô thou father , that when thou feest thy sonne dangerously sicke with the disease of sinne , and doest not vse this helpe or remedie , which god in his holy word hath prescribed vnto thee , thou art accessarie to thy childs death , as an enemie , and his bloud shall be required at thy hands : because where thou mightest haue saued him , thou hast wilfully cast him away . for gods loue ( good parents ) looke to your children . oh that parents had lesse carnall affection , and more wisedome : for euery parent is blind in his owne children . oh , is it not a pitifull thing , that parents should themselues make graues for their owne children , and burie them quicke without all compassion , and thinke they do well in it ? and is it not a follie aboue all follies , that while the parent layeth his hand vpon his childs mouth , to keepe away the cold winde , he presseth it downe so hard , that he strangleth him there-with ? thus many a father and mother in the world , haue killed their deare ones by their inordinate loue and cockering of them , and thus many poore infant must still be murthered , because parents will not be warned . parents are bound by the law of nature to loue their children : for what a crueltie were it , not to loue them that they haue begotten and borne ? but yet wisedome requireth , that they some what dissemble and hide their loue , ( specially to those children that be of some reasonable discretion ) lest they should take boldnesse thereupon , to do what they list . for if we well consider of mans nature , that it is euill euen from his birth , we shall then find the young child which ly eth in the cradle , to be both way-ward , and full of affections : and though his bodie be but small , yet he hath a great heart , and is altogether inclined to euill : and the more he waxeth in reason by yeares , the more he groweth proud , froward , wilfull , vnrulie , and disobedient . if this sparkle be suffered to increase , it will rage ouer , and burne downe the whole house . for we are changed and become good , not by birth , but by education . for like as planting and carefulnesse hath great power in all growing things : euen so hath education greater vertue and strength : yea , and better fruit , in the diligent bringing vp of their children . therefore parents must be warie and circumspect , that they neuer smile or laugh at any words or deeds of their children , done lewdly , vnhonestly , naughtily , wantonly , or shamefully , not to kisse and commend them for so doing . for children will commonly accustome themselues vnto such things , as they shall see and perceiue to be pleasing and delightfull to their father and mother . therefore they must correct , and sharpely reproue their children for saying or doing ill , and make it knowne vnto them , that they be neither well pleased nor contented with their so doing , but that it greatly disliketh them . and againe on the other side , let them kisse and make much of them , whensoeuer they shall see or heare them do any thing that is a signe of goodnesse . but such is the fond and too much cockering affection of some parents towards their children , that there is more need in these dayes , to teach and admonish them , not to loue them too much , then to perswade them to loue them . for dauids darling , was dauids traytor . and this is the manner of god , and his iust iudgement ; that when any father or mother begins ( as it were ) to set their child , or any thing else in the roome of god , and so loue the same aboue him which gaue it , either to take away the childe , or the thing , or else to take away the parents , before they prouoke him too much . for as the ape doth ( with too much embracing ) well-neare kill her young whelpes : so likewise , some vndiscreet parents , through immoderate loue , and ouer-much pampering and cherishing , do vtterly spoile and marre their children . therefore , if parents would haue their children liue , they must take heed that they loue them not too much : for the giuer is displeased , when the gift is more esteemed then he . we may see by experience , how that many children of good wit 〈◊〉 towardnesse , are marred and spoyled for want of good education , and so get those vices from their tender yeares , which all their life after , do for the most part accompany them . for when parents do either too much cocker their children , or by their leud example allure to naughtinesse , or neglect due instruction ; what other thing ( i pray you ) can come to passe , then which we see in trees , which from the beginning being neglected , become crooked & vnfruitful ? contrariwise , they that are pruned , erected , ordered , and watered , with the hand and cunning of the husbandman , are made straight , fertile and fruitfull . so the manner of life , education , and custome , are of great importance to moue to vertue . what a great folly is it in parents to toyle themselues , and be occupied in getting riches , and to be nothing carefull for their children , for whose sake riches are gotten ? assuredly , there can none more precious and better heritage be left vnto children , then if they be well and vertuously brought vp from their tender age , and be rightly instructed vnto vertue from their infancie . this patrimony remaineth with them continually , nothing at all subiect to the stormes and troubles of fortune . but we see two speciall causes why some parents do more negligently prouide that their children be instructed , to wit , too much cockering , and niggardship . in cockering , mothers do more often offend , and specially those that haue but few children . these do like as if some husband-man should refuse to till his field , because he hath but one onely . who could suffer this mans follie and peruersenesse of iudgement ? is it not much more to be tilled , because it is onely one ? yes verily , that so the profit and increase of one , may recompence the want of many . euen so after the same sort we may iudge it to be the dutie of mothers , so much more diligently to bring vp their children , by how much they are fewer . but we see what doth let mothers , that they loue their children more dearely then that they can suffer them to be an houre out of their sight : but this is cruell loue , so to loue their children , that they should be ( as it were ) giuen ouer of their mothers vnto all naughtinesse ; of which peruerse and cruell loue , not a few shall suffer the iust punishment , which with great griefe of mind , and with teares shall be compelled to see the vnbrideled wantonnesse and vngraciousnesse of their children , vnto which they do now ( all too late ) go about to prouide a remedie . on the other side , niggardship is oftentimes greater , then that parents will 〈◊〉 the cost . whatsoeuer is spent vpon horse-keepers , or horse-breakers , fooles , minstrels , dogs , hawkes , &c : that some thinke well bestowed : but if they see any thing to be spent about instructing their children , they thinke all ill bestowed ; and are much more carefull that an horse be well framed to vauting & leaping , then that their child be well instructed to vertue . this inconuenience cometh to the minds of children , if they be not well brought vp , that they become seruile , and lie open to all sin and naughtinesse . for if a man leaue his field vntilled , he shall find it to haue brought forth fearne and thystles , and such vnprofitable weeds : after the same sort , if he shall leaue the wits of his children vnlooked vnto ; and vnexercised , he shall be sure to reape most abundant fruite of wantonnesse and vngraciousnesse . the holy ghost , speaking in the scriptures of foolish sonnes , as that he that begetteth such a one getteth himselfe sorrow . and that the father of a foole hath no ioy : prou. . . he meaneth it not so much of naturall fooles , or idiots , and such as are destitute of common reason , ( although it is true , that is a lamentable iudgement of god , and a heauinesse to the parents of such a child ) as of wicked children , such as either are ignorant in the word , or not knowing how to order one right step to the kingdome of god : or else hauing some knowledge , abuse it , to maintaine their carnall lusts and appetite . for in this case as it would grieue parents to haue naturall fooles to their children , or such as either in some imperfection of nature , are dismembred , or deformed , and misfigured in the parts of their bodie : euen so much more should it grieue them to haue such children , as either for want of knowledge and heauenly wisedome , cannot walke in the feare of god , or abusing the knowledge giuen them , prostitute and giue themselues to all sinne and wickednesse . it is maruellous how greatly parents can bewaile the want of one naturall gift , proceeding of some imperfection , and how easily they can passe ouer without any griefe , the want of all spiriruall graces , springing from corrupt education . in like manner it is strange , that men can take the matter so heauily , when their children breake into such offences , as either haue open shame or ciuill punishments following them : and yet can make no bones , but passe ouer such sinnes as are against the maiestie of god , accompanied with euerlasting confusion , & vnspeakable torments . wherein , what doth the most part of men bewray , but their great hypocrisie , in that neither their ioy , nor their griefe is sound to their children ; and that they loue themselues more in their children , then either their saluation or the glorie of god : the tender loue and care whereof ( no doubt ) did increase the sorrow of dauid , for the death of his sonne absolon ; who was not so much grieued for the losse of a sonne , as for that vntimely end of his sonne , to whom the time of repentance , for his saluation and the glorie of god , was denyed , which haply , if he had liued , his father dauid might haue reioyced in . let parents therefore learne to correct their affections to their children , and be grieued for ignorance , impietie , and sinnes ; whereof either their carnall copulation , the not lamenting of their naturall corruption , the want of prayer , and holy seede , or prophane education , armed with the wrath of god , may be a most iust occasion . can parents hope for a holy posteritie ? or do they maruell if the lord crosie them in the children of their bodies , when they make as bold and brutish an entrance into that holy ordinance of the lord , as is the meeting of the neighing horse with his mate ? when being ioyued in that honourable estate of matrimonie , either as meete naturall men , without all knowledge of god , they beget their children : or as too carnall men , without the feare & reuerence of the lord , neither bewailing their corruptions which they receiued of their ancestry , nor praying against their infirmities , which may descend to their posteritie , they abuse the marriage bed . lastly , when hauing receiued the fruite of the wombe , they haue no care by good and vertuous bringing vp , to offer it to the lord , that their child by carnall generation , may be the child of god by spirituall regeneration . surely no : and yet men looking vp to god his prouidence and secret counsell , without all bethinking themselues of their corrupt generation , from which their children are descended , without all looking back into their wicked and godlesse bringing of them vp , will fret against their sinnes , fume against their children : yea , often they will correct them , and that to serue their owne corruptions , not so much grieued for that they haue sinned against god , as that they haue offended them . christians therefore must know , that when men and women , raging with boyling lust , meete together as bruite beasts , hauing no other respect then to satisfie their owne carnall concupiscence , when they make no conscience to sanctifie the marriage bed with prayer , when they haue no care to increase the church of christ , and the number of the elect , it is the iust iudgement of god , to send them either monsters , or naturall fooles , or else such as hauing good gifts of the mind , and well proportioned bodies , are most wicked , gracelesse , and prophane persons . againe on the contrary , we shall find in the word of god , that noble and notable men commended vnto vs for rare examples of vertue and godlinesse , were children asked and obtained of god by prayer . our first parents adam and eue , being humbled after the birth of their wicked sonne caine , obtained a righteous abel : of whom , when by his bloudie brother they were bereft , they receiued that holy man seth. abraham , be getting in the flesh , had a cursed sonne ismael , but waiting by faith for the accomplishment of god his couenant , he obtained a blessed isaack . iacob not content with one wife , according to the ordinance of god , was punished in his children : yet afterward being humbled , he receiued faithfull ioseph . elkanah and hannah , praying and beinst cast downe , had a samuel that did minister before the lord. dauid and bethsheba lamenting their sins , obtained salomon , a man of excellent wisedome . zacharias and elizabeth fearing the lord , receiued iohn the baptist , a fore-runner of christ. looke what sinnes parents haue receiued naturally , without god his great blessing , without prayer and humbling themselues , they shall conuey them to their posteritie . and although the lord granteth sometimes ciuill gifts vnto the children of naturall and carnall men : yet for the most part they receiue their naturall sinne . but if the children of god , by regeneration do see into themselues , and lament their sinnes of generation , praying that their naturall corruptions may be preuented in their posterities ; they shall see the great mercies of god , in some measure , freeing their children from the same . now when thou shalt see such sinnes to be in thy children , enter into thine owne heart , examine thy selfe whether they are not come from thee ? consider how iustly the hand of god may be vpon thee : and when thou wouldest be angry with thy childe , haue an holy anger with thy selfe , and vse this and such like meditation with thine owne soule ; lord shall i thus punish mine owne sinne , and that in mine owne childe ? shall i thus persecute the corruptions of my ancestors ? nay , i see ( ô lord ) and proue that thou art displeased with me , for the too carnall conception of my childe : i lay then in some sinne , i asked it not of thee by prayer : be mercifull vnto me ( ô lord ) and in thy good time shew some pittie vpon my child . thus thinking , thou goest about to correct nature in thy childe , which he could not helpe , arming thy selfe with prayer , repenting with iacob , thou shalt be so affected , as desirous to draw thy child out of sin , yet with the mildest meanes and least rigor . and one thing is most wonderfull ; that some will teach their children to speake corruptly , and do wickedly whilest they are young , and yet beate them for it when they are old . againe , some will imbolden their little ones to practise iniquitie towards others , which when by the iust iudgement of god , they afterwards exercise towards the parents themselues , they are corrected for it . and yet reason with these and such like men , for the euill education of their children , and they will answer : do not we as much as is of vs required ? we send our children to the church , to be instructed of the pastor : and to the schoole to be taught of the maister : if they learne , it will be the better for them : if not , they haue the more to answer for : what can we do more ? but remember , ô man : consider ô woman , whosoeuer thus speaketh , that for sinnes sake , and the want of prayer , there may be a plague vpon the pastors paines , and a curse vpon the teachers trauell . if parents therefore would haue their children blessed at the church , and at the schoole , let them beware they giue their children no corrupt example at home , by any carelesnesse , prophanenesse , or vngodlinesse : for when examples are set before childrens eyes , they are easily led away to that which is euill : otherwise , parents will do them more harme at home , then both pastor and schoole-maister can do good abroad . for the corrupt example of the one , fighteth with the good doctrine of the other : which is so much the more dangerous , because that corrupt walking is armed with nature , & therefore more forcibly inclineth the affections of children to that side . and further , experience teacheth vs , that children like or mislike more by countenance , gesture and behauiour , then by any rule , doctrine , or precept whatsoeuer . some there be , that will not haue their children taught vntill they be ten or twelue yeares old , because ( as they say ) at that age they haue but an apish imitation . to whom we answer , that although they cannot then deepely discerne , nor profoundly conceiue things : yet how many things before these yeares , will they both receiue and remember ? and we demand , if children be apish in imitation and following that whilst they be young , which they will haue the habit , qualitie or propertie of when they be old , may they not much better do apishly good whiles they are young , which they may carefully do when they are old ? besides , let them go so vntaught , and they will grow so head-strong , that they will sooner be broken then bended : sure it is , that one stripe , or two words , will do more good to a child in time , then an hundred stripes afterward . and here let parents be admonished of their vndiscreet correction ; who do their children more harme in shewing a merrie countenance after their discipline vsed , then they do good by their chastisement of them whiles they do correct them . neither do we purpose to take away naturall affection , and a christian kind of compassion in all our censures : for it is our great complaint of the brutish vnmercifulnesse of many parents here , but we would wish christians to correct their vndiscreet affections herein by heauenly wisedome . neither are we so stoicall , as to deny a more milde and affable kind of speech to be lawfully and conueniently vsed to children , and yet we wish it to be voyd of all vnseemely lenitie , and without all shew of foolish , vaine , and vnnecessary behauiour . to be briefe , how needfull houshold gouernment is towards children , may appeare by the slender thriuing , and small profiting either of religion or vertue , either in the church or common-wealth . speake men of discipline neuer so much , complaine they of the want of church gouernment neuer so lowd , preach they , teach they neuer so much abroad , vnlesse they will begin discipline in reforming their houses , & giue religion some roome at home , they shall trauell much and profit little . and surely , if men be carefull to reforme themselues first , and then their families : if their charge be greater then their circuites and prouinces wherein the lord hath placed them , it were the best way to moue the lord to bestow reformation & discipline on his church among vs : and of all meanes that now may be hoped for , this seemeth best : for of particular persons , come families : of families , townes : of townes , prouinces : of prouinces , realmes : so that conueying discipline thus from one to another , in time , and that shortly , it would come into the church . well ( we say ) let there be neuer so good lawes in cities , neuer so pure order in churches , if there be no practise at home : if fathers of families vse not doctrine and discipline in their houses , and ioyne their helping hands to magistrates and ministers , they may indeed , but vniustly , as many haue done , complaine that their children are corrupted abroad , when they were before , and are still , corrupted and spoiled at home . alas , if parents ( to whom the comfort of their children well brought vp , is a precious crowne ) will not informe and reforme their children in the feare of god , how can hope sustaine these men , that others will performe this duty for them , to whom this charge doth farre lesse appertaine ? lastly , let parents remember , that therefore they haue disordered and disobedient children to themselues , because they haue bene disobedient children to the lord , and disordered to their parents when they were young : whereof because they haue not repented , the lord punisheth their sinnes to others , with the like sinne to themselues . wilt thou know , thou father , how thou maist haue that blessing , to be the blessed father of a blessed seed ? wilt thou know , thou mother , how to auoyd that curse , to be the cursed mother of a cursed seed ? bring thy children within the compasse of the couenant , indeuour to make thy sonne the sonne of god , and thy daughter by nature , the daughter of god by grace : and remember that god on his part protested to father abraham , that he was all sufficient for the accomplishment of his promise , in giuing him a blessed seede : and requested also on father abrahams part , that he should walke before him , and be vpright . wilt thou then haue the one part of this couenant , that is , that god should blesse thee in thy seede ? then remember also , that thou walke before the lord , and be vpright . wilt thou haue thy children as the blessed seede of abraham ? teach them with abraham the iudgements of the lord : pray for them with abraham , that they may liue in the light of the lord : be readie to offer them with abraham , that they may be an holy sacrifice vnto the lord. it is thou ( ô man ) ( ô woman ) that maist do thy child the greatest good , and the greatest harme : if thou prayest for them , and repentest for thy selfe , the lord will blesse thy care , the pastors paines , and the teachers trauell : but if thou despisest these duties , the lord will denie thee these blessings , and the curse of god will fall vpon the childe , at home in thy house , abroad in the church , and in the schoole . and seeing the lord hath promised , that he will be thy god , and blesse thy seede , if thou beest faithfull ; thou mayest bothe hope that thou art of the faithfull , if thou hast a blessed seede : and feare that thou hast not as yet the blessing of the couenant , when thy seede is accursed . but had not iacob wicked children , and dauid vngodly sonnes ? and doth not daily experience teach vs , that wicked men haue godly children ? yes ; for besides the secret counsell of the lord herein , we must know , that neither the promise of the lord is so vniuersall , that euery particular child of a faithfull man should be within the couenant : or if of many there be but one blessed , the promise is performed yea , which more is , though the faithfull man haue neuer a good childe , yet , if vnto a thousand generations , there be but one good , the couenant is not broken . noither must we tye the lord his worke so much to man , that a good man may not haue an cuill : sonne , seeing though the lord visit not his sinnes , yet he may visit the sinnes of some of his fore-fathers , to the third and fourth generation going before . to the second we say , that an euill father hauing a good child , though the lord shew not mercy to that particular man therein , yet he may remember his promise to some of the fore-fathers , in the thousand generations going before : and though that euill man haue no cursed child , yet the curse may be accomplished in the third and fourth generation following . wherefore , not speaking of election or reprobation , which we leaue onely to the lord , to make good or bad : we exhort parents to the ordinary meanes to bring vp their children , so as they , either ( by some good tokens ) may see them the children of god , as heires of the couenant , or at least be comforted in their owne consciences . if their children for some cause vnknowne , refuse it , yet they may reioyce in this , that to the vttermost of their ability , they haue vsed all good and godly meanes , to bring them vp well , and offered them to god. and if parents haue cause to be grieued , when thus trauelling in good education , they cannot see good in their children ; how much more cause of griese may they haue , when they haue vsed and bestowed no labour at all , to bring them vp in the feare of the lord ? and yet many will be grieued for the one , that will not for the other . wherefore if we wish to conuey god his blessings to our posterities , let vs vse the duties thereunto ; let vs , if we be loth to conuey god his iudgements to our children , carefully auoid the meanes vnto it . and surely , as it is a blessed thing in the houre of death , with symeon , to depart in peace ; leauing our wiues , children , and seruants , members of christ , spouses to christ , children to god , and seruants to the lord : so in death , no one thing will be more grieuous vnto a man , then ( the lord hauing giuen him the charge of so many soules , to be furthered to saluation , ) that his owne tormented conscience shall presse him : how , as much as he could , he hath helped them forward to their damnation : and so ( which is more fearefull ) he shall haue them spewing , and foming out on his face , continuall curses in hell , accusing him for euer to be a murtherer of their soules , and a cut-throat of their saluation . the end of all this briefly is thus much , that parents hauing fooles , children not walking either in knowledge or in a good conscience , must make some vse of so iust a cause of griefe , examining themselues , and accusing their owne soules before the lord , either for that their meeting was prophane , to so holy an estate , or brutish , because they desired rather a seed like vnto themselues in flesh and bloud , then such as might be like christ , by grace , and new birth ; or , that they begat their off-spring as meere naturall , or very carnall men : or because they either prophanely neglected all good education , or monstroufly misliked that in their yong children , which they liked in themselues , and punished in them their owne corrupt precepts : or , for that they suffered their children iniuriously to do euill to others , which they could not suffer to do to themselues : or , vntaught them that at home , which was taught abroad : or , in that they do lye in some sinne vnrepented of : or else , because they neuer made conscience to bring their posteritie within the couenant of saluation , but still loued the flesh of their children , and not their soule . let all parents remember , that they are bound by the law of god and nature , as concerning this bodily life , to make good and honest prouision , ( according to their degrees ) for the reliefe and maintenance of their children and familie . and therefore such fathers and mothers , as consume and wast away their money and substance vnthriftily , by dycing , carding , gaming , or by any other indirect and vnlawfull meanes , whereby their children and familie should be maintained , do very vnnaturally sin , and breake gods commandements . the wiseman sheweth parents , when is the best time to sow the seed of vertue in their children , that it may bring forth the fruite of life , and make them alwayes readie to die : saying , eccles. . . remember now ( saith he ) thy creator , in the dayes of thy youth . as if he should say ; be mindfull and thinke on god in thy youth , and do not prolong or deferre it vntill age . and so all their life shall runne in a line ; the middle like the beginning , and the end like the middle : as the sunne setteth against the place where it arose . one of the principallest . duties that belong to parents towards their children , is , that they be very wary and carefull , that their sonnes and daughters do not match in marriage with such as are vngodly , wicked , and voyde of true religion . which if they do , they endanger the faith of their children , and so commit a grieuous sinne . for proofe whereof , let vs consider first what marriage is , and how nigh a coniunction the lord hath made it . he made the woman of the mans nature ; flesh of his flesh , and bone of his bones : so that we may not imagine , that that god , which required so neare a coniunction in the outward and inferiour part , will suffer the minde and spirit of the husband and wife , betweene faith and superstition to be rent asunder . therefore when god said : they shall be two in one flesh : we may not thinke but that he spake it of the whole and perfect creature , made of bodie and soule , that they should be of two one : or that god did by so holy a law , set free the holiest part , requiring onely such agreement in the flesh and bodie , and leaue the soule and spirit in dissention . for as god gaue vnto both one name , as touching their earthly nature , signifying their vnitie , and called them adam ; genesis . . so he gaue vnto them a likenesse in name , as they were ioyned in marriage ; to signifie their agreement in minde and spirit , and called the one man , and the other woman : genesis . . . yea , he gaue vnto marriage this especiall priuiledge : for this cause shall a man leaue his father and his mother , and shall cleaue to his wife , and they shall be one flesh : but it could neuer be , that any vniting onely of flesh and bloud , should haue found a dispensation from the law , that bindeth minde and conscience ; honour thy father and thy mother , exod. . . the holy and faithfull bond of marriage betweene man and wife , is commended to vs by that most holy coniunction of christ with his church : ephes. . . seeing that this is a coniunction both of bodie and soule , then such as are christian parents , ought to be carefull , that their children may reioyce in it : howsoeuer it liketh others to marrie their children , yet they ought to see that their children do settle themselues , that they may knit their minds in religion , where they make their bodies one : that so their marriage may be to them as a looking-glasse , to view and behold the loue of christ. s. paul giueth this generall rule to all that wil marrie , that they marrie onely in the lord ; and to marrie only in the lord , is not to be led by flesh and bloud , with fauour , credite , honour , friendship , riches , or beautie , but rather it is to marrie religiously in the feare of god , & in the fellowship of the church of christ , where true christians liue by one faith , professe one religion , and serue one god. now let vs a little call to our remembrance , what fruit such vnequal mariages haue brought forth from the beginning . the sonnes of god , saw the daughters of men , that they were faire , and they tooke them wiues of all that they liked . this aduenturous marriage in a strange religion , did so infect the world , that all flesh had corrupted his wayes . for this cause god gaue this plaine and expresse law vnto the people of israel , as touching all the inhabitants of the land of canaan : thou shalt not giue thy daughters vnto his sonnes ; deut. . . . . exod. . . surely they will turne away thy heart : . kings . . ezra . . . &c. and . . . reade the places . we may not here thinke , that this inhibition serueth not now 〈◊〉 ys , as touching pagans , turks , or infidels ; but rather we must assure our seiues in the truth , and know that no people in the world are more within the compasse of this law then the papists , and superstitious idolaters . the holy ghost forbiddeth vs to keepe company with idolaters , and such as are of a strange religion : and how can he then permit , that we should marrie with them ? he commandeth streightly that we should not draw in one yoke with the vnbeleeuing : . cor. . . which to do , is as vnseemely , as an oxe and an asse to be yoked together to plough : deut. . . and how can we possibly deuise to violate and breake this commandement more contumeliously , then to yoke our selues in marriage with the vnfaithfull ? we are charged , to offer vp our bodies a liuely , a holy , and a reasonable sacrifice vnto god : rom. . . but if we shall giue our bodies to papists , we then shall make them one flesh with the papists : and then we may be sure , that no corrupt sacrifice can be a sweete smelling sacrifice vnto the lord our god. here godly parents ought then aduisedly to consider , that the strengthening and constant standing in religion of their children , is onely of god , and from god , and not of themselues ; and therefore although they haue brought vp their children religiously and vertuously , and thinke they are so well grounded and setled therein , that they cannot be remoued & drawne from their sound profession : yet they must beware that they do not tempt god , and venture their children to walke in that way which so many haue fallen in . how can they assure themselues , that their children shall abide constant , and stand vpright , if they shall consent that they may couple themselues in marriage with papists ? sampson was borne by gods promise , consecrated to the lord from the day of his birth to the day of his death , made a iudge of israel ; a deliuerer of gods church , and a reuenger of his enemies : very great and especiall tokens of the grace of god in him , that it should be continued : yet , when he would attempt to marry one of a strange religion , he lost his honour , and became a laughing-stocke vnto the enemies of god. iudges the fourteenth chapter , and first verse , &c. and . . . . &c. salomon was a wise man , as euer was any before him , or after him : god hath endued him with heauenly gifts , and had set him vp as a figure of his sonne christ : yet when he had married with pharaohs daughter ( and others , of an other religion , and strangers from the commonwealth of israell ) he then fell from worse to worse , till at the last , he fell to miserable idolatrie : . king. . . what was the cause that ahab king of israell , did worse then all the kings before him ? a man euen sold to worke wickednesse in the sight of the lord : aboue all his idolatries , and walking in the most wretched wayes of ieroboam , the scripture layeth this to his charge , euen as his greatest 〈◊〉 , that he tooke the daughter of the king of the sydonians to his wife : . king. . . . . . . and lest such parents as either haue , or hereafter shall marrie their children to papists , should thinke their case to be better then his , because though they marry them to papists , or to atheists , yet they do not marry them to any pagans : let them consider what the scripture teacheth them more . iehoram king of iudah , married neither with anie sydonian , nor aegyptian , neither with pagan , nor infidell ; but with one of his owne people , and of the tribe of israell : yet because she had corrupted her religion in her fathers house , the scripture sheweth this to to be the cause of all iehorams sinne : he did euill in the sight of the lord , because the daughter of ahab was his wife : . kings . . yea , the scripture maketh this sinne so great , that iehosaphat a good king , was yet defiled with it , and it is reported as a great blemish of his vertuous doings , that euer he suffered his sonne iehoram so dangerously to marrie . . chron. . . when god would blame the idolatrie of his people of israel , shewing both how greatly he did hate it , and what plagues he would bring vpon them for it , he reuealed it vnto the prophet 〈◊〉 this parable : bidding him take vnto himselfe a wife of fornications : that is , a wife full of spirituall whoredomes , such a one as a papist is , that in such a marriage ( as in a glasse ) he might behold how lothsome the peoples idolatries were , hos. . . &c. parents haue further to remember , that they haue not this rule and authoritie ouer their children , that they may chuse whether they will let them marrie or no , or when they list , and whom they list : but fathers and mothers must consider , that they haue rule ouer their children vnder the lord ; so that the lord is aboue them : and therefore parents must deale with their children according to the will and minde of god , which will of god is reuealed vnto vs out of his word . now god by his apostle saith ; to auoide fornication , let euery man haue his owne wife : and let euery woman haue her owne husband : whereby all parents may see , that god commaundeth them to permit and suffer euery one to marrie , that is disposed to marrie . now , if they may not forbid any man or woman to marrie , much lesse their owne children , whom if they suffer not to marrie , not hauing the gift of continencie , then they breake and resist gods ordinance . for we reade , that when isaack forbad his sonne iacob to marrie any of the daughters of canaan , he did not restraine him altogether from marriage : and therefore he directed him , where , and with whom he should marrie . likewise the parents of sampson , when he asked a wife of them , did not simply forbid him to marrie : but they reproued him , for because he would marrie an insidell , and a prophane woman . * therefore such parents as be godly , will haue aduised consideration and regard of the infirmities of their children , and whether they can liue continent and chast , or no : and if they shall make choise , and haue a good liking to such as be honest , religious , and godly , ( hauing craued their parents consent ) although they be not so rich and wealthie as they would wish them to matc h with , yet they ought not to hinder , 〈◊〉 , and forbid their children to marrie , onely for want of goods and substance . parents ought to be carefull , that their children do marrie in such an age wherein they should vnderstand whom they choose , and very well perceiue what they take in hand , and that they do not seeke to match themselues in marriage aboue their degree . and it is very expedient , that parents admonish their children , to make their choise according to their complexion and condition . this is a most vnnaturall and cruell part , for parents to sell their children for gaine and luker , and to marrie them when they list , and to whom they list , without the good liking of their children , and so bring them into bondage . and therefore if parents shal force and compell their children to marrie contrarie to their minde and liking , then the sorrowfull children may not say they haue married them , but for euer they haue marred and vndone them . and therefore to the end that marriages may be perpetuall , louing , and delightfull betwixt the parties , there must and ought to be a knitting of hearts before striking of hands . the places of scripture , are many and diuerse , by which it may plainely appeare , that all godly and christian parents , are charged by god himselfe , that they should be carefull in time , to make meete choise of husbands for their daughters , and fit wiues for their sonnes : amongst many , these quotations do sufficiently proue it . deut. . . nehemia . . . ierem. . . . corinth . . . . . genesis . . &c and . . . and . . and . . . iosua . . . . samuel . . iudges . . &c. let fathers and mothers therefore ( on whom this charge by god his commandement lyeth , to take wiues for their sonnes , and to prouide husbands for their daughters ) take diligent heed hereunto , that they abuse not their power and authoritie ouer their children , but as in other cases , they are willed by the apostle , that they deale not in such sort to wards them , that they thereby be dismayed & discouraged : so especially in this matter of greatest moment and value of all other worldly things whatsoeuer , let them abstaine from all rigour and roughnesse , and beware that they turne not their fatherly iurisdiction and gouernment , into a tyrannicall sowrenesse and waywardnesse , letting their will go for a law , and their pleasure for a reason . for the rule of parents ouer their children , ought to resemble the gouernment of good princes towards their subiects : that is to say , it must be milde , gentle , and easie to be borne . for as they , so likewise parents , so farre as concerneth them , and lyeth in their abilitie to performe , must carrie such an euen and vpright hand in their gouernment , that they may by loue seeke to winne the hearts of those ouer whom they are set , to be firme and sure towards them : and not to keepe them vnder a seruile or slauish awe & subiection , by too much feare , but rather be a child-like and reuerend feare , which both the subiects owe vnto their princes , and children vnto their parents ; and which both the one and the other easily obtaine at the hands of such as are vnder their gouernment , by their equall , vpright , and modetate behauiour towards them . it doth therefore stand parents greatly in hand , that in making choise for their children , they be free from all sinister and corrupt affection , and that for luker and couetousnesse they seeke not to thrust such matches vpon their children , as they cannot brooke nor like well of . yea , and in this most graue and weightie cause , it is a thing earnestly to be wished , that all christian parents would not take this matter and businesse lightly in hand , as it were but a toy , or a ieast , but that they begin it with prayer : that in the whole action they may in such sort be directed , that they do nothing against the word of god , or vnbeseeming the same authoritie the which god himselfe in this cause hath imposed or laid vpon them . and thus doing , god ( no doubt ) will adde a blessing vnto their godly endeuour and holy care , and worke obedience in the hearts of their children , as he framed the heart of isaack with entire affection to embrace rebecca , whom his father abraham had by his steward prouided for him : gen. . . &c. the third point that appertaineth to parents , is to be themselues examples of all godlinesse and vertuousneste to their children . so that they must remember , that they themselues do not say , or do any thing that is euill , or offensiue , in the presence of their children . for it is certaine , that children follow and learne nothing so much , and so soone , as that which they see their father and mother do or say . for the vertue , thriuing and prosperitie of children , is for the most part wrought by the fathers and mothers good examples and instructions , and contrariwise : for that which is done by examples , the inferiours will thinke they may lawfully do the like . as good examples do edifie and vphold : so ill examples do destroy and confound . for humanity is taught by the law of nature . if therefore parents ( by their example ) should teach the contrarie ; what do they else , but indeuour to transforme men into beasts , beginning first to performe it in their owne children ? they must be circumspect that their children do not fight , and iniurie one another ; and if they sweare , curse , lye , or speake any bawdie or ribaldous words , or sing any 〈◊〉 rimes , or vnchristian songs , then to reprooue them sharply for it . and let all parents alwayes labour , that their children may rather feare them for loue and reuerence , then for fearé of punishment . for children that obey their parents for feare of correction , commonly feare them no longer then the stripes endure . before all things , it is needfull that parents should shew themselues vnto their children as a manifest patterne or example , not onely by not sinning and offending god any wayes , but also by liuing godly , and by doing all things honestly , that so their children may look into their liues , and peruse themselues as in a glasse . and therefore if parents do giue good examples , they shall reape the fruite thereof , in the life , behauiour , manners , and prosperitie of their children . for children loue and delight to do as their parents did before them . all christian fathers ought to be most carefull , in nourishing and maintaining naturall loue and concord amongst the children and family , and in no wise to suffer any sparke of hatred to enter into their hearts , lest it kindle a fire in their breasts : much lesse ought they themselues to cast in coales of discord among them , by vnkind or iniurious examples of dealing . for the state of a family if it be in due order , is like to a frame of ioyning worke , or building , whereof if some one peece be out of his place , it tendeth to the disordering of all the rest : and one disorder following another , all becommeth out of ioynt , and falleth into confusion very dispraiseable . so that parents therefore ought to be carefull to maintaine their children in peace , concord and amitie : for if discord and contention be dangerous and pernicious among all men , how much more betweene brethren and sisters ? likewise if it be hard quenching of stomacke and debate betweene those that are not enioyned in kindred , it is farre more difficult to revnite brethren , because enmitie amongst them is mightie and strong , like iron-barres , to keepe them asunder . neither is there any thing more slipperie or of greater efficacie to subuert a family , then dissention among brethren . it is an old saying : by concord small things do grow ; but by discord great things come to nought . againe , how dangerous it is for parents to shew more loue and affection to one child then to another , except vpon iust and great cause , the example of lacobs children doth testifie . for what was the originall of their enuie and crueltie executed against their brother ioseph ? geneses . . moses there saith , that iacob ( louing ioseph better then his brethren ) made him a partie-coloured-coate , and thereof they tooke occasion to hate him , and to speake roughly vnto him . parents therefore to the end to preuent the like inconueniences , are to vse equalitie among their children , so neare as may be , whether in their ordinary vsage , or in the diuision of their goods . for as all men naturally are inclined but too much to the loue of earthly goods : so the vnequall sharing and diuiding of the same , doth oftentimes breede great brawles , and pernicious debate betweene brethren and sisters . therefore all fathers and mothers are with great diligence to take heede , what they say or do in their houses , and that they do not commit any leude or wicked deed , whereby their children may be moued to imitate and follow the same : neither that they vtter or speake any bawdy or ribaldous words ; or vse to sweare , or lie in their presence : for euill speakings or communication ( saith the apostle ) corrupteth good manners . seruants also are to be looked vnto , and sharply rebuked , if they do commit or shew any leud trickes , or vnhonest behauiour in the presence of children , either in word , deede , or gesture . for if they be iustly called murtherers , that kill the children being new-borne , and kill but the bodie ; how great wickednesse is it then to kill the mindes of children through euill example ? deserue not such seruants seuerely to be punished by law ( thinke you ) that bewitch young children , and hurt their weake bodies with poysons ? what then do they deserue , which corrupt the chiefe parts of infants , with most vngracious venime ( we meane ) by filthy talke , and leude conuersation of life ? yet it is a lighter matter to kill the bodie , then the mind and soule . further , parents ought to be circumspect and warie , that their children do not haunt or vse euill companie ; nor vse any vnhonest pastime . for if it be so , that a father will not suffer his childe to come into a place where he may be in danger to take hurt of his body , either by infection of the plague , or otherwise : how much more is he bound to with-hold and keepe his childe from comming there where he should hurt and poyson his soule ? the fourth and last point is , that parents do with all care and diligence , keepe their children from all lazie idlenesse ; a vice ( no doubt ) out of which do spring many inconuehiences , and is condemned by the holy ghost in many places of scripture : whereby god declareth , that he created no man in vaine , or to no purpose : neither is there any man , vnto whom he hath not allotted ( as it were ) a certaine standing and roome , and a lawfull calling to walke in . whereupon it followeth , that the order which god hath appointed , is troubled by such as liue idlely : yea , gods ordinance is broken , which is a great sinne and wickednesse . so then , by the word of god none ought to liue idlely , and to neglect his charge and dutie , but ought to giue himselfe to some profitable calling to get his liuing by , and to do good to others . although fathers prouide for their children , great store of money , and huge heapes of treasure ; yet in three 〈◊〉 foure houres all may be wasted and come to nought . for much euill commeth through idlenesse : it is an euill teacher ; he that doth nothing is ill occupied . the mind of man is euer stirring and doing somewhat : if it be not doing well , it is doing ill . as water , though it be neuer so cleare and faire , fresh and comfortable ; yet if it stand still in a pit or hole , or be kept long in a vessell , whence it hath no issue , it will putrifie and corrupt , rot , and smell , and he vnwholsome : euen so fareth it with children ; yea , and with all the sonnes of adam , if they haue nothing to do , no way to bestow their wits , they will rot , & proue vnwholesome , and deuise mischiefe all the day long . for as labour and exercise of body of one man , industrie and diligence of mind in another man , are sure forts , and strong bulwarkes of countreys ; euen so , idlenesse and negligence are the cause of all euill : for an idle mans braine becometh quickly the shop of the diuell . and as in all things naturall , there is one thing or other which is the spoile of it ; as the canker to the rose ; the worme to the apple , and the caterpillar to the leafe : so the common spoile to all youth , is the contrary to paines & labour , which is idlenesse . therefore is idlenesse worthily called the mother of all euils , and step dame of all vertues . the prophet ezechiel in his sixteenth chapter , verse forty nine , teacheth that idlenesse was one of the principall sins of sodome , which pulled downe fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads . this idlenesse is the diuels confederate : for euen as the traiterous seruant , while his maister is a sleepe , and all thing at rest , setteth open the doore for the thiefe to enter in vpon him , and spoile him at his pleasure : euen so , idlenesse , ( while we are not aware ) lying soft vpon the pillowes of securitie , openeth the doore for the diuell to enter into vs , with full swing , to the destruction both of body and soule . saint mathew saith , chapter thirteene , verse twenty fiue ; that while men slept , the enemie came and sowed 〈◊〉 among the wheate : so , the fittest time that the diuell can find to worke vppon vs , is when we are idle ; for that is the sleepe of the soule . in the eleuenth chapter of the second of samuel , we reade , that while dauid tarried idle at home , in the beginning of the yeare , when kings vsed to go forth to battell , he was soone ouertaken with two fowle sinnes , of adultery and manflaughter . oh that men saw to how many vices and euils they shut the doore , when they ceasse to be idle , and giue themselues to honest labours , and 〈◊〉 lawfull calling ! so long as sampson ( iudg. . ) warred with the philistines , he could neuer be taken or ouercome , but after that he gaue himselfe to idlenesse and pleasure , he not onely committed fornication with the strumpet dalilah , but also was taken of his enemies , and had his eyes miserably put out . if those two which were such excellent men , endued of god with singular gifts , ( the one of prophesie , and the other of strength ) and such as no labour or trouble could ouercome , were notwithstanding ouerthrowne , & fell into grieuous sinnes , by yeelding for a short time to ease ; then what crimes , what mischiefes , and inconueniences are to be feared of them , who all their life long , giue themselues to idlenesse and loytering ? but such hath alwayes bene the peruerse incredulitie of mens hearts , that they will not beleeue that other men haue perished , vntil they themselues perish also . if we be vtterly voyde of vnderstanding , let vs go to the bruite creatures , which want those helps of reason and gouernment that man hath , and learne of them : go to the pismire , ô sluggard , ( saith salamon ; prou. . . ) behold her wayes , and be wise ; for she hauing no guide nor ruler , prepareth her meate in sommer , and gathereth her foode in the haruest . what is it that filleth the prisons , and bringeth so many to the gallowes , & causeth so many parents to lament and bewaile the vntimely death of their children , but idlenesse ? when the poore condemned wretches haue receiued their iudgements , and come to the place of execution , and stand on the ladder ; what counsell giue they to young men and to children , but to beware of idlenesse ? what is the cause of such , and so many diseases in the body ? aske the physitians , and they will tell you , idlenesse . whereof rise rebellions in kingdomes against princes ? whereof rise mutinies and mutterings in cities against magistrates ? you can giue no greater cause thereof , then idlenesse . christ our redeemer saith ; of euery idle word ( that is , vaine and vnprofitable trifles , which the most part of people spend their liues in ) that men shall speake , they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement . if we shall make an account for idle words , what shall we do for idle hands , for idle feete , for idle body , for idle soule ? what account for all idlenesse , especially for wicked deeds , shall we make at the day of iudgment ? seeing then , that idlenesse is so noysome and hurtfull ; let all christian parents therefore labour and endeuour to auoyd it , both in themselues and their children , as a plague , or contagious disease . therefore it is most requisite and necessary , that parents do bring vp their children , either in learning , or in some occupation and handycraft , whereby they may get their liuing another day , and so liue the better . but some vnaduisedly and foolishly do reason saying ; what need is it for noble and rich mens children to haue learning ? they shall haue enough ? we answer , the greater the ship is , and the more merchandise it carrieth about , the more need it hath of a cunning ship-maister : so , the greater the childe is ( both by birth , and by inheritance ) so much the more neede is it for him to be brought vp in learning , and in good literature . for learning , knowledge , and vnderstanding , is profitable both for rich and poore : so that ( as the grecians say ) he that is ignorant and vnlearned , seeth nothing , although he haue eyes . the life of such a one , is ( as a tree without fruite ) a day without sunne , a night without moone or starres , a house without a man , and an head without a bodie . it is found by experience , which is the best schoole-maister , that vnto what occupation or science soeuer any young man shall be put , the more skill and knowledge he hath in the liberall sciences , so much the more sooner shall be learne his occupation ; and the more ready , and handsomer shall he be about the same . and besides all this , he that hath learning , although it be but small , shall much better vnderstand the preachers , and take more profit by hearing of them , to his great and endlesse comfort , then he that hath no learning . experience also teacheth vs this , that goods , riches , beauty , glory , and health , be vnstable , and fade , perish , passe away , come and go : but learning and vertue neuer stagger , alway be constant . therefore of all the charges that parents be at about their children , that mony is best bestowed , that is laid out vpon learning : especially when they are taught to know god aright , and how he will be serued . it is a lamentable thing , to consider how carelesse some parents are of their children , when they put them to the schoole , in that they make small account and reckoning to what schoole-maister they put their children to learne , so they may haue them taught for little or no cost , though their children profit little or nothing in learning ; so that oftentimes they not onely bestow their money in vaine , but also they suffer their children to loose their time , which is a thing so precious , as it cannot be redeemed with any money , and so let them spend two or three yeares in learning that , which they might by the diligence and orderly teaching of a skilfull schoole-maister , learne in lesse then halfe this time , if there be any aptnesse and towardnesse in the children . therefore let parents remember , that as the goodnesse of the ground is not much profitable for corne , vnlesse there be a meete husband-man to till and sow the same : so likewise it is not enough to find good towardnesse in your children , vnlesse you prouide a meete and fit schoole-maister to further the same . and as noblemen and gentlemen are desirous to haue a good and skilfull horse-keeper , that can keepe their horses well , and they spare not to giue stipends to such : euen so much more ought christian parents to be desirous to haue , and maintaine a good schoolemaister , that might bring vp their children in vertue , wisedome and good learning . and like as if their horle be not well broken , or haue any 〈◊〉 qualitie , they will be carefull to see it remedied , and that he may be made tractable and gentle : so likewise godly parents ought to be much more carefull , not onely that their children may by instruction be brought to some good order , but also to looke that there be no fault in the teacher , to whom they commit the care to bring them vp in learning and good manners . but alas , and with griefe be it spoken , many men now a daies , albe it they perceiue their children to be toward and apt vnto letters , and capable to receiue good learning , hauing wealth and riches enough to maintaine them thereat , yet will they not suffer them to continue thereat vntill they come to any good perfection : some because they themselues do not like of our state & religion : othersome because they see little preferment , and no worldly aduantage to follow learning , but great trouble and affliction : all which men , in this doing , declare themselues to be irreligious , vngodly , and destroyers both of themselues , their children , and of all common-wealths and congregations . for what publicke wealth , towne , citie , or parish , can be well gouerned , except the prince , magistrate , or preacher , be learned both in humane and diuine lawes ? in times past when ignorance and superstition was accounted good deuotion , at which time men saw so many spirituall promotions ( as they then called them ) vnto rich bishoprickes , abbies , priories , deaneries , benefices , &c. then they would let for no cost to haue their children learned in some sort , to the end they might get them to be priests , and so to say masse , and the rest of that idolatrous seruice , that so they might liue in ease and idlenesse . but now that they see how painfull and perillous a charge it is to preach , and rightly to diuide gods word , and to deliuer the same freely and faithfully , and also how vnthankfull an office and calling it is , to gouerne well a congregation : they had rather their children should be bound prentises to some trade , or else follow any other profession , then that they should study diuinitie . when children were nothing apt to good learning , and when there was no good learning to be had , no , nor good teachers ; yet then , well was he that might set his child to schoole . but now , when youth was neuer so apt to good learning , as it is at this day : and learning and all good meanes neuer so plenteously flourishing ; being restored and reduced into such a facilitie , and a compendious briefenesse : yea , neuer so good , learned , and skilfull schoole-maisters : neuer such plentie of so good and plaine books printed , neuer so good cheape : the holy ghost mercifully offering his gifts , as it were , into the mouthes of all men : few there be that will open their mouthes to receiue them , their eyes to see the cleare light , nor yet their eares to heare so pure , manifest , and wholesome , and heauenly doctrine , euen the word of god , the meanes of our saluation . it is therefore to be feared , that for this our great vnthankfulnesse , these so manifold heauenly blessings shall be taken from vs , and giuen to some other nation , that will both be more thankfull for them , and also shew forth better fruites of christianitie , then we hitherto haue done . oh therefore that parents would aduisedly consider , that the want of this christian dutie , of the good education of their children , is the onely cause of great mischiefe and much miserie , both vpon children and themselues ; yea , in truth it is from hence that so much sorrow , griefe , and shame , befalleth many times vpon the fathers and mothers . and how cometh this to passe , that the parents owne dung is cast in their faces by their owne children , in mocking and despising of them ? and whence arise all these inconueniences before named , together with all these grieuous plagues and iudgements of god vpon their children , to the consuming of their eyes , but from this their owne negligence , in bringing vp their children ? for it is euen iust with god , that seeing they haue offended him in the greatest blessings , they should be plagued with the same thing wherein they offended him , in the greatest iudgements . o you vnnaturall parents ! the rich man in hell shall rise vp against you in the day of iudgement , and condemne you : for he being in hell had a care of his fathers house , that they might be forewarned : and therefore desired abraham to send lazarus to his brethren , to testifie vnto them that they came not into that place of torment : but you will not admonish your children , you will not teach them moses & the prophets : and you will not shew them the danger of gods heauie displeasure hanging ouer their heads , and therefore your owne children shall be one of the furies of hell to torment you . the lord open your eyes to foresee and flie these fearefull iudgements . but if you will bring them vp well and vertuously , they shall be the better for it all their liues after : nay , the world to come shall reape this benefit : for such children as you now bring-vp , such parents shall they be after when you are gone : and looke what parents you leaue behind you , the like children againe shall they reare vp . wherefore , ô you parents , you are either the making or the marring of the world : for if your children learne no good education at your hands , how should they be good fathers after you ? and how should they leaue that to their posteritie by the right of inheritance , which they neuer receiued from their ancestors ? to conclude this point we say , once againe , oh ye parents , endeauour to go forward in this vertuous education of your children , and then ( no doubt ) god neither shall , nor will hide any necessary secret or instruction from you , neither will he with-hold any good blessing from your posteritie : so shall ye be fathers of the faithfull , as abraham was , if you will haue the same care , and practise the same diligence for your children and family , that he did . genes . . . . and . . . parents also haue to remember , that they shall commit an act very vnnaturall , iniurious , and vngodly , if they should vndeseruedly disinherit their eldest sonne . for as nature in all her works , for the most part seemeth to make some one thing to be chiefe before all the rest , whereby the same is , and the rather continueth : so reason in the order of a family , which is an imitation of a state ciuill , or body politicke , perswadeth by experience , that of necessitie there be one before the rest as chiefe : whereby may be conserued , that beautie of vnitie , and harmonie of concord , which the almightie in his creation so wonderfully and diuersly teacheth , and our sauiour himselfe so carefully and especially commended to his church . and therof seemeth to come that preheminence or more speciall regard , which the law of god in the old testament appointed to his people the israelites , to be obserued towards the first begotten sonne , and likewise somewhat concerning other dumbe creatures , which first were brought forth into the world . by the ancient law of the iewes , the eldest had double so much as the others , of the fathers goods , and alone to the eldest pertained the blessing of the father , wherewith should seeme alwaies the heritage to go and succeed : as is manifest by the will of god in deut. . . . . if a man haue two wiues , one loued , and another hated , and they haue borne him children , both the loued , and also the hated : if the first borne be the sonne of the hated , then when the time commeth , that he appointeth his sonnes to be heires of that which he hath , he may not make the sonne of the beloued first borne before the sonne of the hated , which is the first borne : but he shall acknowledge the sonne of the hated , which is the first borne , and giue him double portion of all that he hath : for he is the first of his strength , and to him belongeth the right of the first borne . the patriarkes and other the seruants of god , although by diuine reuelation and other notice of the will of god , they were certified that they might marrie many of sundry wiues at one time , yet did they exclude from their heritage the prerogatiue of the blessing , all the children of those secondarie and after marriages . this appeareth in genes . . . the sonne of the bond-woman shall not be heire with my sonne isaack : yet was he the eldest , but was not the sonne of the first marriage , nor borne of a free-woman . also an heire is the worke and institution of nature , and heritage is due to the sonne of nature , therefore it is so due that he must needes haue it ; seeing those things which come by nature , or be naturall , are not mutable or to be changed . moreouer , this name heire , which in a manner with all nations is the eldest , is the successor of the law nationall , besides the lawes naturall and diuine . and that father who maketh another heire , then is by the authorities appointed , cannot but expresse himselfe a rebell , in disobeying and contemning so great lawes and authorities , beginning a new law of his owne head contrary thereunto . then what is more vniust , then to do contrary to all lawes , and therewith to disobey the will of god , to peruert the due order of descent , preferring the second marriage before the first ; the yonger before the elder ; the late off-spring before the first begotten ; so much tendred and respected ? now , as the greatest iniurie a father can do to his sonne , is to disherite him : so it it the most reprochfull blot or dammage , to suffer . the infamie and discredit of disherison . for if the eldest sonne be worthy to be disherited in his fathers house , he may be thought not worrhy to draw breath out of it : for that he ought to be conuinced faulty in those crimes and hainous offences , which be either repugnant to the duty of a child , or not meete for the profession of a christian. namely , if he strike or offer violence to his father : if he oppresse him with some great wrong : if he seeke his death or destruction , by poysoning , or otherwise : if he lie with his fathers wife , if he will not suffer his father to make his will : if he be not of the true and catholicke faith , but is conuinced to be an heriticke , whereby his life and heritage is in hazard . or if he refuse to succour and deliuer his father out of prison , by his surety-ship ; or if he follow the trade and companie of such persons , as in the law be counted infamous , vile , and most dishonest ; as iuglers , sorcerers , coniurers , theeues , cozeners , and pyrates . or if he be an idiot , a mad-man , a naturall , or lunaticke person . or if the father offering him a meete marriage , vnder fiue and twentie yeares , he refuse it , and delight to liue continually in whoredome , and filthy order of life : these and such like be the causes , that the ciuill or ecclesiasticall lawes do assigne . the dutie of children towards their parents . this dutie of children , as it may be gathered out of the holy scriptures , consisteth in fiue points . . first , that they a obey their parents , and do serue them , and also do b feare , loue , honour , and reuerence them ; not onely in word and deed , but in their hearts and minds also . . secondly , that they follow their good precepts and examples of life . . thirdly , that they patiently take c correction at their hands . . fourthly , that they make continuall and hearty prayers to god for them . . and lastly , that they do relieue , maintaine , and nourish their parents , in case they shall fall into pouertie or decay . the summe and effect of all which , is as followeth . as the lord our god , hath made and created children , through their parents : so hath he cast and made them subiect vnder the power and authority of their parents , to obey and ferue them in his stead ; saying , honour thy father and thy mother : which honour consisteth not in bowing the knee , or putting off the cap , or giuing to their parents the vpper-hand onely : but in this , that they loue them with all their hearts , that they feare and dread them , that they cheerfully do their commandements , will , and pleasure ; that they seeke their worship , credite , profit , and preferment in all things lawfull : and if need require , that they giue their liues for them : remembring that they are their parents goods and possessions ; and that they owe to them , euen their owne selues , and all that they are able to do ; yea , and more then they are able . by this word honour , is also signified the loue , reuerence , dutie , obedience , subiection , entertainment , and necessarie assistance that children owe to their parents . as concerning the loue ; the summarie of the second table , comprehended in these words ; theu shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe : doth manifestly confirme it . for who can be a nearer neighbour for the children to loue , then their parents ? besides that , they are not to be loued onely as neighbours proceeding of adam and eue , but also as fathers and mothers . and therefore , what ingratitude is it , not to loue those , of whom ( next after god ) they haue their life and being : together , with so many great and continuall benefits ? also the loue that parents do beare to their children , besides so many their labours , sorrowes , troubles , and vexations , should bind them reciprocally to loue them . the sunne shining a while vpon the cold stones , doth so heate them , that they yeeld some warmth ; so , albeit that children be as hard and cold as stones , yet the experience , and daily feeling of the loue of their parents towards them , ought mightily to inflame their hearts to loue them againe . take away the beame from the sunne , and it will not shine : the springs from the riuer , and it will drie vp ; the bough from the tree , and it will wither ; the member from the body , and it will rot ; and so take from children their duty to their parents , and they are no longer children , but brethren and companions with those vnto whom christ iesus said ; ye are children of the diuell : ioh. . . this band of the loue of children towards their parents , should take such place , not onely towards such parents as are louing and gentle , but also ( as saint peter saith , of the duties of seruants to their maisters ) euen towards such as be rigorous . for if we ought to loue all the children of adam , euen those whom we know not , yea , out enemies and persecutors : how much rather our parents , although they should intreat vs roughly , and with rigour , either in word or deed ? and verily the principall cause still abideth : namely , that they be our father and mother . this ought children well to note , to the end that patiently bearing their reprehensions , reproofs , and in generall , whatsoeuer their troublesome and sharpe affections , they may still continue and declare their child-like affection and loue . and to that purpose , children must remember , the labour , griefe , anguisn , weeping , sorrow , and other troublesome cares that their parents do abide , and endure for them . this loue must be accompanied with reuerence and respect : and to say the truth , albeit the name of father , belongeth properly vnto god , as iesus christ saith : you haue but one father , euen he which is in heauen ; yet doth he so impart it to those that haue begotten vs , that they being called fathers do beare the title and image of god. and this is it that bindeth children to respect and honour them , and to testifie the same by their outward reuerence . of this reuerence we haue a notable example in salomon : he vnderstanding that his mother bethshebah , was comming to speake with him , arole from his seate , came to meete her , bowed before her , and seated her vpon his right hand . neither could his greatnesse , neither his royall-estate , priuiledge him from this respect and honor due to his mother . when the sonne doth execute magistracie , or publicke office , he is greater then his father , and must beare himselfe as a magistrate , not as a sonne : but when he is out of place , or execution of office , he must ( how highly soeuer he be aduanced ) haue a respect , and yeeld reuerence to his parents . but many times it falleth out otherwise : for many children when they come to honor or wealth , do so despise their parents , if they be of meaner calling then themselues , that hardly they will acknowledge , or call them father : as if they were ashamed of them . so that , that man putteth off the affection of a child to his father , who by the eminencie of an office ouer him , quencheth the name of a sonne . but salomon forgat not himselfe in this kind of dutie , for he did not onely bow before his mother , but said , mother , aske , and i will not denie thee . and this do we the rather note also , vpon an other consideration ; namely , that his example condemneth the custome of these dayes , wherein this name of father and mother , is accounted so base and contemptible , that the children of kings , princes , yea , euen of meane gentlemen , speaking to their parents , must not say , father , mother ; but syr : my lord : my ladie : madame : &c. but the due honour to parents , that we here speake of , implyeth not onely this outward reuerence , but also that we should so esteeme of them , as that neither we our selues should despise them , nor suffer others-to haue them in contempt . and this are we to vnderstand in the saying of iesus christ : i honour my father , but ye dishonour me . he therefore defendeth the honour of his father , against the false opinions and slaunders of the iewes . but some there are so vnnaturall and peruerse , that forgetting all due reuerence and respect to their parents , they will not onely despise them in their owne hearts , and suffer others to speake hardly of them , but also will themselues so farre exceed , as euen to lay them open to the scorne of others . ham the sonne of noah , seeing his father lye vncouered , called his brethren , to shew them his fathers shame . but so odious was this impietie in the sight of god , that noah ( by the conduct and direction of the holy ghost ) cursed both him and all his 〈◊〉 . and therefore , we ( well and truly ) may say , that those children , who in stead of defending the honor of their parents , do lay them open to shame and reproofe , do come of the cursed seed of ham. this dutie of honouring parents , is performed and payed , when they do worshipfully , and reuerently esteeme of them , as to thinke that they are giuen to them of god , to the end that they should reuerence , loue , and alwayes haue a care of them : if for nothing else , yet for the lords sake ; who is , and doth thinke himselfe despised , so long as the children condemne their parents , and little regard them . so the children honour their parents , when with their helpe and counsell , they aide them in their old age and vnweildy crookednesse , when they ease and helpe them in the time of their need , or succour them otherwise in any case else , and do wholly bestow themselues , and all that they haue to do them good withall : yea , they ought not to giue them a rough or stubburne answer , or once so much as to mumble , of 〈◊〉 an answer against their parents ; neither to smite , or curse , or speake euill of their father and mother : vnlesse they will procure the vengeance of god to light vpon them for the same . children ought alwayes to remember , that whatsoeuer they do to their fathers and mothers , ( be it good or euill ) they do it to god : when they please them , they please god : and when they disobey them , they disobey god : when their parents are iustly angrie with them , god is angrie with them : neither can it be that they may come to haue the fauour of god againe , ( no , although all the saints in heauen should intreate for them ) vntill they haue submitted themselues to their father and mother . if children and seruants would alwaies keepe in minde this saying : so to do and behaue themselues to their parents , maisters , and dames , as they would haue their children and seruants to do , and behaue themselues to them , when god shall vouchsafe to make them parents , maisters , or dames : then ( no doubt ) they would obey and reuerence their parents and maisters , and dames , more dutifully , and faithfully , then now they do . for , let them assure themselues , that such measure as they 〈◊〉 mete to their parents , maisters , and dames , such will be measured to them againe by their children and seruants . also the children must be carefull to follow the good examples of their fathers and mothers , and to suffer themselues to be gouerned by them , and to be mindfull to bestow all paine and diligence to discharge their dutie towards them : and herewithali , they must know , that they are not at their owne libertie , to do as they list , so long as they haue a father and mother to rule them : and that they must not fall out among themselues , but naturally loue and helpe one another . and children haue alwayes to remember , that they may not in anie case obey their parents , when they shall command them to do or say any thing that is contrarie to the word of god , and yet they are to be thought well of . for example , ionathan obeyed not his father sauls commandement , who charged him to persecute dauid : and therefore he is worthilie commended in the holy scriptures . for , the duties of the first table are alwaies to be preferred before the duties of the second table . this subiection therefore that children owe vnto their fathers , ought in very deed to be vnto them as a ladder , or staire , to leade them to the reuerence and obedience of god , who is our chiefe father . as children receiue of their parents three things , to wit , life , maintenance , and instruction : so for these three , they owe other three : namely , for life , they owe loue : for maintenance , they owe obedience : for instruction , they owe reuerence . for their life , they must feruently loue their parents : for their maintenance , they must dutifully obey their parents , as maisters : and for their instruction , they must cheerfully reuerence their parents , as their tutors . and further , children must remember , that the lord hath giuen to them their parents , to take of them their beginning of life , and that they might nourish and bring them vp : and that of rude and almost brutish things , they might make them able to helpe and liue of themseluer : yea , and such mothers as are godly and vertuous , do suffer and endure more paine and griefe in the bearing , bringing vp , and nourishing of their children , then the fathers do . so that greater are the pleasures and good turnes that christian parents do for their children , greater is the cost and labour that they bestow on them , and greater is the care , griefe , and trouble , which they take for them , then any man how learned soeuer he be , is able to expresse . and therefore if there were no other reasons , or causes to moue children greatly to loue , to esteeme well , to obey , to be kind , faithfull , and dutifull , and to reuerence their parents , and that with such a reuerence as commeth from the heart : yet these were sufficient . maides and young women are to be put in minde , and alwayes to remember , that the best portion , the greatest inheritance , and the most precious iewell that they can bring with them on the marriage day , is shamefastnesse : the want whereof is most hurtfull in all women . and therefore they must carefully shun and auoide all idle and wanton talke , nice lookes , dalliance , and light countenance , when they walke abroad or be in company . a man needeth many things , as wisedome , eloquence , knowledge of things , remembrance , skill in some trade or craft to liue by , iustice , courage , and other things , and qualities moe , which were too long to rehearse : and though some of these be lacking , yet is he not to be misliked , so that he haue many of them . but in a maid , no man will looke for eloquence , great wit , ordering of the commonwealth , prudence , &c. finally , no man will looke for any other thing of a woman , but her honestie : the which onely if it be lacking , she is like a man that wanteth all that he should haue . for in a maid , her honestie and chastitie is in stead of all . she verily may truly be said to be an euill keeper , that cannot keepe one thing well , committed to her keeping , and put in trust to her , with much commendation of words : and especially which no man will take from her against her will , nor touch it , except she be willing her selfe . the which thing onely if a woman remember , it will cause her to take great heed vnto , and to be a more warie and carefull keeper of her honestie , which alone being lost , though all other things be neuer so well and safe , yet they perish together therewith , because she that hath once lost her honestie , should thinke there is nothing left . take from a maid or woman her beautie , take from her , kindred , riches , comelinesse , eloquence , sharpnesse of wit , cunning in her craft , and giue her chastitie , and you haue giuen her all things . and on the other side , giue her all these things , & iustly call her whore , or naughtie-packe : with that one word you haue taken all from her , and left her bare and foule . how precious a iewell chastitie is , may easily be gathered from the example of dinah the daughter of leah , which she bare vnto iacob , who when he heard that she was 〈◊〉 and defiled by shechem the sonne of hamer the hiuite , lord of that countrie , his mind was grieuously wounded with this great shame and reproch . children may not forget this duty ; for hauing receiued their being from their parents , and being brought vp by them with great paines and much cost , they should not so much as giue any liking , much lesse speech of marriage , without the consent of parents , or of those which are set ouer them by their parents : the duty of thankfulnesse requiring it at their hands . and not onely in regard of thankful nesse is this duty to be performed to their parents , but euen in regard of their owne inabilitie , as being not experienced in such things , as their wits being not so ripe as their parents , they wanting wisedome and discretion to behaue themselues as they ought . for some children know not what is meere and conuenient for them , nor whether they be of meete age and condition to marrie . which inhabilitie being in the sonnes , is much more in the daughters , as being the weaker by nature , and more vnable to prouide for themselues ; and therefore it is necessarie that they should not marrie without the consent and direction of their parents , but that they be at their bestowing : for , to do otherwise is a sinne , euen that nature it selfe abhorreth , and all sound writers , old and new , do vtterly disallow . and for so much as marriage is the meanes the which god himselfe hath ordained , and sanctified for the propagation and increase of mankind , that being taken in hand in his feare , a godly seed being multiplied and growen vp here on earth , the same may be blessed , to the constitution and making of a church , the which may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse : when the same is taken in hand with the breach of his commandement , so farre off is it that any blessing is to be hoped for , that contrariwise , his hot indignation , wrath and heauy curse hangeth ouer that house and family , where the parties which are the principall pillars and vpholders of the same , are linked and tied together in such a band of wedlocke , whose linkes and inclosings are not fastened and coupled together with the necessarie and lawfull assent and liking of the parents , whose authoritie and consent ought to beare the chiefest sway , and strike likewise the greatest stroke , in this honorable 〈◊〉 . and likewise , as where marriage is begun and enterprised in the feare of god , according to his word , there god is well pleased , there the parties so matched , liue together in a ioyfull agreement , & linking the one to the other , there god is honoured , and serued in sinceritie and truth : there the children ( when god giueth them ) with the rest of the family , are instructed and brought vp in knowledge of religion , and grounds of faith : so on the other side , the regard of that which god especially commandeth , being shut out of our marriages , there must needs ensue his dislike , and displeasure : there is a iarre and discord : there gods honour is neglected : there household discipline and christian instruction of such as belong vnto our charge , goeth vtterly to wracke , and is nothing at all regarded . and no maruell : for , if where god blesseth , all things go well and do prosper : then consequently , where he curseth , there nothing thriueth , hath good successe , or goeth happily forward . it may appeare by sundrie examples , both before the law was giuen and after , that this is a duty required of children towards their parents , namely , to haue their consent in contracting of marriage : as these places do plainely shew : gen. . . and . . &c. and . . and . . deut. . . iudge . . . &c. . cor. . . . whereby is manifestly proued , that children ought not to match without the consent of their parents : first , because it is against the law of nature . secondly , because the parents haue authority ouer their children , more then they haue ouer their seruants . thirdly , because children are their fathers goods and riches , and therefore they must not bestow themselues in marriage , but must be bestowed of their parents . fourthly , because parents haue authoritie ouer the vowes of their children . numb . . . . . fiftly , if a mans daughter be enticed , yet her father may refuse the contract ; being not auaileable , or of any force , without his consent . exod. . . . besides all this , what clearer proofe can we haue then the fift commandement , in the which children are commaunded to honour their fathers and mothers , with a blessing promised to those which performe the same ? whereby we gather , by the nature of contraries , that there is a curse also belonging to all those children that shall dishonour them . and in that god willeth that the parents by their children should be honoured , he meaneth that they should in all humility and modestie reuerence them , with all dutifull submission be obedient vnto them : and with all willingnesse shew themselues thankfull for their creation , education , sustentation , and all other benefites that ( vnder god ) they haue receiued from them ; being ready by all the meanes they possibly may , to imitate and expresse towards them the nature of the stroke : whose property ( as they write of them , ) is to prouide meate , and feed their dams , when through age they grow so old that they are not able to helpe themselues : that is to say , they must to their very vtmost , seeke to make them recompence and requitall of some part of those vnrequitable paines , the which their louing parents haue taken with them , and make some amends for the vncounteruailable kindnesse that they haue shewed towards them . but where they bestow themselues in marriage without the consent of their parents , there they do fault , and make a breach of dutie , in all these three respects : that is to say , they neither reuerence , obey , nor shew themselues thankfull vnto them . for reuerence consisteth in this , that children carry towards their parents , a certaine honest and modest shamefastnesse , ioyned with a bashfull awfulnesse , and standing in feare of them : the which worketh in them a conceiuing of such opinion and estimation of them , as that they haue an especiall respect and regard of them , in doing or not doing of things , rather of a care to please them , then of a feare to offend them . obedience herein sheweth foorth it selfe , in that willingly , without murmuring or grudging they be willing to be ordered , directed , guided , and ruled by their parents : being ready to do all lawfull things , which they command them , and to refraine from those things , which they forbid them . thankfulnesse , ( besides that there are many other branches ) is alwayes mindfull of benefits receiued , and therefore carryeth continually a vigilant and watchfull eye towards the partie by whom it hath bene pleasured , that no discourtesie in any case be offered , or any occasion be ministred , whereby he may conceiue vnkindnesse . and by this familiar description of these three heads ( wherein standeth chiefely the honour due vnto parents , ) we may clearely see , that those children which in wedding tarrie not for the consent of their fathers and mothers , do neither stand in awfull feare of them , as whom they would be loath to offend or displease , nor yet giue ouer themselues in all things to be gouerned and aduised by them : nor haue any regard that they be not causers to make their friends and parents conceiue hardly and vnkindly of them , when as it is more then manifest , that in matters concerning their dutie towards their parents , no griefe cutteth nearer vnto the heart , then this , when their children entangle themselues contrary to their mind and liking . and therefore such children as match in this sort , as it were in spite of the teeth of their fathers and mothers , are neither reuerent , obedient , nor thankfull vnto them , and so consequently , they do not honour them : whereby they incurre and runne into the curse of god , which without true and vnfained repentance , must needs pull downe vpon the heads of themselues and their families , the fearefull plagues of god his most heauie and hote indignation against them , to their vtter subuersion , decay and ruine . let all dutifull and good nurtured children therefore , in the reuerence and feare of god , consider what honour and obedience they owe vnto their parents , and what power and authoritie he hath in his word sanctified vnto them ouer their children in the lord ; and in regard hereof , let them yeeld vnto them in this dutie , that their fathers hauing prouided for them such as are not of a wicked life , nor deformed , nor euill-fauoured , nor of a contrary religion , they 〈◊〉 submit themselues vnto their choyce , which if for the present , or vpon the sodaine they cannot yeeld vnto , let them by earnest calling vpon the name of god , not onely desire him to direct their parents in a godly and fit choyce , but also to subdue in them this corrupt affection , and to frame their wills to be plyable vnto their fathers , in such lawsull cases . for the lord our god in his iustice doth iustly punish disobedient children , as may appeare by the example of ham , the younger sonne of noah ; who derided his father , and was iustly punished for it . likewise absolon vsing wicked practises to get the kingdome from dauid his father , for rebellion and disobedience , came to a most miserable end . yea , and he hath in his law set downe a most seuere and sharpe punishment against disobedient children : if any man haue a sonne that is stubburne and disobedient , which will not hear 〈◊〉 vnto the voyce of his father , and the voyce of his mother and they haue chastened him , and he would not obey them : then shall his father and his mother take him , and bring him out vnto the elders of the citie , and vnto the gates of the place where he dwelleth , and shall say vnto the elders of his citie ; this our sonne is stubburne and disobedient , and he will not obey our admonition : he is a riotour and a drunkard . then all the men of the citie shall stone him with stones vnto death : so thou shalt take away euill from among you , that all israel may heare it and feare . for euen as a long and a prosperous life is promised vnto obedient children : so on the other side , all disobedient , vnthankfull , and obstinate children , are assured of the punishment of infamie , ioyned with diuers and great calamities and torments . . sam. . . . king. . . &c. deut. . . &c. prou. . . & . . and although that the temporall officers be negligent in punishing this disobedience , yet shall they not escape vnpunished : for the vengeance of god shall accompanie them , vntill they be vtterly destroyed . for there is nothing more vnnaturall then to see children dishonour and disobey their parents ; and inferiours their superiours . such may aptly be compared to the viper , that gnaweth out the bellie of her dam , and seeketh her owne life with her dams death . so contrariwise , the word of god doth highly commend ioseph for his great loue , beneficence , and obedience extended towards 〈◊〉 father iacob , and his brethren : in that he both helped and liberally nourished them , and prayed for them . our sauiour christ was also obedient to his parents , euen vntill death . so that the lord ( no doubt ) will blesse obedient children , with many happy dayes and yeares , to his glory , and their soules comfort . and to the end to inuite and stirre vp children to honour their parents , as before is shewed , the lord addeth this promise , that thy dayes may be long in the land which the lord thy god giueth thee : and s. paul doth note , that it is the first commandement with promise . for albeit there be a promise added to the second , and others of the first table , yet this fift commandemēnt is the first of righteousnesse ; and none in the second table , besides it , hath any promise annexed thereunto . for herein hath god declared how highly he commendeth the obedience and honour that children yeeld to their parents . but the lord spake to the israelites properly of the land that he had promised them for an inheritance , which should be vnto them as a testimonie and seale of his goodnesse and loue towards them . it is therefore , as if he should haue said : to the end , that liuing vpon the earth , thou mayest long enioy the earnest pennie of my goodnesse and grace towards thee . but now seeing the whole earth is blessed to the faithfull , the promise of long life vpon the earth , is vnto vs a blessing of god. first , because we cannot liue long without participating of many & great benefits of god , euen in respect of the preseruation of this present life . secondly , because the faithfull may the longer employ themselues to serue & glorifie god. in confideration whereof , we see what the church in old time said : the dead praise not the lord , neither any that go downe into the place of silence : but we will praise the lord from henceforth , and for euer . the same doth hezekiah king of iudah also note in his canticle : the liuing , the liuing , he shall confesse thee , as i do this day : the fathers to the children shall declare thy truth . in as much therefore , as long life is promised as a blessing ; god doth continue it to obedient children , so long as it is a blessing vnto them . and hereupon doth s. paul ioyne together these two sentences : that it may go well with thee , and that thou mayest liue long vpon the earth . as also when god taketh away such obedient children before they be old ; yea , before they come vnto mans estate : whether it be , lest malice should corrupt their hearts , or to preuent some greater calamities , wherein they might ( peraduenture ) be entangled , or vpon whatsoeuer other considerations , to receiue them into a better life , he doth faithfully performe his promise vnto such children , because he dealeth better then promise with them . but as contrariwise , this promise threatneth such children as will not honour their parents , with short life : so doth experience declare , that many such children are of short and wretched life . but if contrariwise , such disobedient children do chance to liue long , so farre is long life from being vnto them a blessing , that on the contrarie , it is an enforcement and increase of woe , because they enlarge their iust condemnation : so as they had bene better to haue died in their youth . but howsoeuer it be , god so disposeth thereof , that by the effects we may perceiue , that they which honour their parents are blessed , and the others are accursed , eccles. . . &c. and although some parents do not performe those duties towards their children enioyned them from the lord ; yet such children as liue wickedly , must know , that they are not exempt and free from blame , and guiltinesse before god. for although they can say ( as the children in ezekiels time said , ) the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes , and the childrens teeth are set on edge ; we say , that although the occasion be offered of such vngodly and wicked parents , yet the cause of destruction is still in the children themselues . and besides that , it is sure , that the soule that hath sinned shall die the death . seeing there be some young men and maids , who notwithstanding the great prophanenesse of the most , the manifold corruptions offered abroad , the vngodly examples abounding at home , are so mightily preserued by the seed of grace , that they escape safely in an holy course of life , lamenting when they see the least occasion of euill , reioycing at the least occasion of good things : the rest , who please themselues , and hope to shelter their sinnes vnder their parents defaults , are plainly left without excuse , and are iuftly guilty of the bloud of their owne soules . labour therefore ye young men and maidens , to wipe away the teares of griefe from your fathers eyes , and stay the mournfull and sorrowfull spirits of your tender mothers ; and consider in your selues , if ye haue any nature in you , and haue not buried the vse of common reason , what a shame it is to be a shame vnto your fathers , to whom ye ought to be a glory : thinke , ye wanton wits , that haue not cast off all naturall affections , what a contempt it is , to be a contempt vnto your mothers , to whom you haue offered , as it were a despitefull violence , in that ye are a corrasiue to their griefe , when as ye should haue bene a crowne to their comforts . learne therefore ye children , that it is one speciall propertie of a liberall and ingenious nature , to be carefull to liue , that in time ye may be a glory to your fathers , and a ioy to your mothers : which the lord for his christs sake grant . these precepts and admonitions before said , are as a summary of the duties of children to their parents . and therefore it resteth , that they vnderstanding them , do pray vnto god to giue them grace to put them in practise to his glory , and their good and saluation . lastly , let them remember , that god is not more inclined to heare any prayers , then such as parents de powre forth for their children . as they are therefore to feare their curse , for offending them : so must they by honouring and pleasing them , seeke to be blessed in their prayers , which are blessings ratified vnto them in heauen , as the blessing of isaacke to his sonne iacob doth manifestly declare . gen. . . . what duties maisters and mistresses owe to their seruants . this dutie teacheth them , that they are become in stead of parents vnto their seruants , which dutie consisteth in foure points . . first , that they refraine and keepe their seruants from idlenesse . . secondly , that by diligent instruction and good example , they bring vp their seruants and housholds , in honestie and comely manners , and in all vertue . . thirdly , that they ought to instruct their apprentises and seruants in the knowledge of their occupations and trades , euen as parents would teach their owne children , without all guile , fraud , delaying , or concealing . . lastly , when correction is necessary , that then they giue it them with such discretion , pittie , and desire of their amendment , as louing parents vse to deale with their deare children ; remembring alwayes that they haue a maister in heauen , before whom they must make an account for their doings . these foure points are in effect poken of before in the dutie of parents . for so much as maisters and housholders are to their seruants and apprentises in place of fathers , they are hereby admonished , that they ought not to with-hold and keepe 〈◊〉 their due wages , to exact of them , to oppresse them , or to reward their well-doing and good deseruing slenderly : but to be carefull of their seruants good estate as of their owne , not onely in prouiding for them wholsome meate , drink , and lodging , and otherwise to helpe them , comfort them , and relieue and cherish them , as well in 〈◊〉 as in health liberally to reward their good deseruings , as farre as christianity , liberality , and equality shall binde them : but also that they be carefull that they liue honestly , vertuously , and christianly . and further , they may not grieue their seruants with too much labour , but alwayes remember that they are not beasts , but men : so that they ought quietly to gouerne them , and also quietly to chide them , when they shall neglect their duty , lest they be prouoked with their hard words : remembring that they also haue a lord and maister in heauen , with whom there is no respect of persons , ephes. . . and let them bountifully reward the iust and faithfull labour of their seruants , and pay their couenants in a fit and conuenient time , lest being compelled by necessitie they should steale . maisters ought not ( as tyrants ) to vse their seruants as their horses and asses : but to deale with them louingly & christianly , because they are all members of one body , whereof christ iesus is the head . there be some maisters that vse their seruants and apprentises more like beasts then like men and their owne members ; for which their so doing , let them assure themselues they must yeeld to god their maister a straight account . oh that christian maisters and mistresses would learne , and so practise the example of iobs good and vpright dealing with his seruants , which was farre from rigor . for he saith , if i did contemne the iudgement of my seruant , and of my maide , when they did contend with me , ( that is , when they thought themselues euill intreated by me , ) what then shall i do , when god standeth vp ? if i had oppressed others , how should i haue escaped gods iudgement ? ) and when he shall visit me , what shall i answer ? he that hath made me in the wombe , hath he not made him ? ( which moued him to shew pittie and fauour vpto his seruants , because they were gods creatures as he was : ) hath not he alone fashioned vs in the wombe ? hereby then may those maisters and dames see their wickednesse , who will not heare their seruants speake , but vpon a simple surmise and brain-sicknesse , do euill intreate them by cruell stripes , when in truth there is no iust cause . maisters and mistresses ought therefore to vse their seruants and apprentises , with mildnesse & equitie , as euery one shall deserue ; for they must remember that they haue all one god to honor and worship , one prince to serue , one law to keepe , one land to inhabite , and one death to feare : and therefore they must speake vnto them as vnto brethren and sisters , & deale with them as with christians . and let them alwaies remember this , namely , that god will neuer deale mercifully with them , if they make no greater account that their seruants do serue him more carefully then themselues , and sanctifie the sabbaths . and therefore that maister is not worthy to be serued , which cannot affoord that his seruants should serue god as well as himselfe . he must giue vnto god that which is gods , and then he may the better take that which is his owne : for he that careth not for his familie ( saith paule ) is worse then an infidell : because infidels care for their families . as it is the office of a good housholder to carry the burthen of care , trauell , and labour : so it is the dutie of a wife , to be faithfull in keeping and well ordering of his goods and house , & to see his , her owne , and their childrens best apparell brusht , and handsomely 〈◊〉 , to be patient and carefull to see her husband do well , and both their duties is , effectually to giue good examples , to be diligent to entertaine peace amongst their familie , and to see all things neat and handsome , and to keepe due order and measure . for as the sunne in the firmament giueth light to all the regions round about him , and by his bright appearing expelleth the darknesse , comforteth and cheareth the world : euen so like wise should housholders labour to banish sinne and corrupt religion out of their dwellings , and to be a lanterne of godly life , to comfort and shine to their whole family , that so they may direct their liues after their good examples , phil. . . math. . . a maister ought so to behaue himselfe with his seruants , that he be not too familiar with them , which many times breedeth contempt , but he is to admonish them often , and yet he must not discourage them from well doing , nor be too seuere , not too partiall , but must moderate all by discretion . for like as the centution , who had many seruants vnder his authoritie , had them all at his becke and commandement , most ready to obey him in any thing that he set them about , and this good order and submission he had brought them vnto , by the reason that his said seruants were deare vnto him : that is , he made speciall reckoning of them , and was as a father vnto them : so likewise all maisters are in conscience bound to esteeme and account well of their seruants , and to vse their authoritie that they haue ouer them , mildly and christianly ; and then if their seruants do perceiue that they are deare vnto their maisters , so may the maisters in time worke them like waxe vnto their owne mind : except they be such as haue sold themselues to worke wickednesse . it is very conuenient that a maister of a family should so dispose and order his affaires and businesse , that he depart and absent himselfe from home as little as may be : for it is an old saying and a true : the eye of the maister doth make the horse fat , and the ground fertile : for all things are well and fitly done when the maister is present . such housekeepers as haue much , and yet spend little , are called niggards : and they that haue little , & yet spend much are holden 〈◊〉 , spend thrifts , and prodigall wasters : and therefore they ought to liue in such sort , that they be not noted either misers for their keeping , or prodigall for their spending . the couetous miserable niggard passeth great toyle and trauell in gathering of riches , danger in keeping them , law in defending them , and torment in departing from them : but a wise man is not carefull so much for riches , and how to liue long , as to liue well , and dye well . some housholders are so 〈◊〉 and sparing , both towards themselues and their neighbours , that although they haue much wealth , yet they cannot find in their hearts to take part in any frugall and good measure of those transitory blessings which god in mercie hath giuen them : but feed grosly and very niggardly , and cloath themselues very meanely , keeping a beggarly house ; so that ( as the common prouerbe is , ) a man may as soone breake his necke as his fast with them . so that the state of such a worldling and couetous rich man is most miserable ; vpon whom god hath bountifully bestowed great wealth , and yet he hath not the grace to 〈◊〉 his riches well , either to his owne comfort , or the good of his neighbour ; but heapeth vp riches ( as the psalmist saith ) and cannot tell who shall gather them . this sheweth , that it is the plague of god that befalleth vpon such a miserable couetous worldling , when he hath plentie of all things , and yet wanteth a liberall heart , to employ and vse them rightly . and therefore the holy ghost , in the booke of the preacher , is not content once or twice to find fault , and to checke this as a great vanity and abuse ; but to speake of it fiue sundry times . in one place he saith : there is an euill ( which i saw vnder the sunne , ) and it is much among men : a man to whom god hath giuen riches , and treasure , and honour , and he wanteth nothing for his soule , of all that it desireth : but god giueth him no power to eate thereof : but a strange man shall eate it vp : this is vanitie , and this is an euill sicknesse . eccles. . . and. . . . . and . . and . . . and . . such maisters and mistresses as would haue their necessary affaires and businesses dispatched well , ( and in due time ) may not alwayes trust to the doing thereof by their seruants : but they must either see it done , or rather dispatch it themselues , if it be such a thing and businesse as they can and may well do . for such a lowlinesse is alwayes ioyned with the feare of god , that they that are humbled with religion , ( though honourable and worshipfull in calling ) do not thinke themselues too good to do any good thing . this vndoubtedly is a thing greatly to be wished for : namely , that all christians , maisters , and housholders , when they go about to hire any seruants , would be no lesse carefull and inquisitiue of their honestie , godly conuersation , and how they haue profited in the knowledge of god his religion , then they be to enquire and know what they can do , and what skill and cunning they haue in that art or science which they prosesse , or else , what qualities they haue : and so doing , no doubt they being carefull to hire religious and godly seruants to do their worke and businesses , that which such seruants shall take in hand , the lord will much better prosper , & giue good successe vnto , then otherwise if they shall hire and entertaine irreligious and prophaue seruants : as may plainly appeare by the examples of iacob and ioseph , two religious and faithfull seruants , whose maisters and their substance were blessed , increased , and multiplied for their sakes . as house-holders ought to haue care ouer the bodies of their seruants : so much more ouer their soules . one compareth the maister of the house to the seraphin , which came and kindled the prophets zeale ; so he should go from wife to seruants , and from seruants to children , & kindle them in zeale of god , longing to teach and vtter knowledge , as a nurse to empty her breasts . it is lamentable to thinke , how carelesse all maisters ( for the most part ) are on this behalfe : not onely such as are prophane and ignorant themselues , but also some that would be counted great professors , and would seeme to haue great knowledge ; yea , ( and with griefe may it be spoken ) some preachers also , who hauing had seruants dwelling with them , . or . yeares , or more , as they were ignorant in the grounds and principles of christian religion whē they came first into their seruice , so they went from them as ignorant therein as they came , and all for want of catechising : being a principall duty , which not onely ministers , but also all christian maisters in conscience are bound to performe to their families . but of this matter i haue sufficiently intreated in my last edition , of the vse and necessitie of catechising : and therefore i will of purpose here omit to speake of it . another saith , that a maister in his familie hath all the offices of christ ; for he must rule , and teach , and pray : rule like a king , and teach like a prophet , and pray like a priest. to shew how a godly man should behaue himselfe in his houshold , when the holy ghost speaketh of the conuersion of any house-keeper , commonly he saith : that the man beleeued and all his houshold . as peter , being conuerted , must conuert his brethren ; so the maister being a protestant and a good christian , must endeuour by all good meanes , that his seruants may be such . for therefore god said , that he would not hide his counsell from abraham , because he would teach his familie . and surely all duty of seruants which is not done of conscience , is but eye seruice , and faileth at most need ; as ziba betraied his maister when he should haue defended him . therefore before onesimus was conuerted , paul said , he was an vnprofitable seruant , but when he was conuerted , he called him more then a seruant : because such a seruant is better then many seruants . though laban was wicked himselfe , yet he reioyced that iacob his seruant was godly , because god blessed him the better for him . ioshuah saith , i and my houshold will serue the lord : shewing that maisters should receiue none into their houses , but whom they can gouerne as ioshua did : and if any such haue crept into their doores , they must put him forth againe : for dauid saith , i will not suffer a lyer to stay within my house . he saith , not a swearer , nor a theefe ; but a lyer : as if he should say , i will rid him out of doores before he be a swearer and a theefe ; for a lyer will grow to a swearer and a theefe , as a dicer groweth to a begger in a night . therefore it is noted of cornelius , that he himselfe feared god with all his houshold . these examples be written for house-holders , as others are for magistrates and ministers and souldiers ; that no calling might seeke further then the scriptures for instruction . wherefore as you are maisters now , and they your seruants , instruct them , and teach them , as if you would shew what maisters your seruants should be hereafter . next vnto seruants labours and instruction , must be considered their corrections . as paul saith , fathers , prouoke not your children to wrath : so we may say , maisters , and mistresses , prouoke not your seruants to wrath : that is , vse such reproofes , and such corrections , that you do not prouoke them , but moue them ; that you do not exasperate them , but win them ; for reuiling and reprochfull words , and immoderate fiercenesse , doth much more hurt then good . and therefore the law of god did charge the magistrate that he should not cause aboue forty stripes to be inflicted vpon any offender , lest he should seeme despised in his eyes : much lesse then may a maister exceed that number to his seruant . for while a child , or scholler , or seruant , doth thinke that he is reproued for loue , or beaten with reason , it makes him thinke of his fault , and is ashamed : but when he seeth that he is rebuked with curses , and beaten with staues , as though he were hated like a dogge , his heart is hardned against the man that correcteth him , and the fault for the which he is corrected ; and after he becommeth desperate like an horse , which turneth vpon the striker : and therefore let maisters know , that god euen then chides them , whensoeuer they fight or chide in such rage . for though there be a fault , yet something must be dissembled and winked at , and some things must be forgiuen , and some punished with a looke : for he which takes the forfeit of euery offence , shall neuer be in any rest , but vexe himselfe more them his seruant . but aboue all , we thinke that the charitie and tender affection of maisters , and loue of seruants to their fellowes in their sicknesse , is especially to be vsed and shewed : at which time , the sicke are to be seuerally lodged from the whole , and to be cherished and nourished with more choise and daintie meate . for the performance and care of this dutie , the centurion is commended in the gospell , which dutie very vnchristianly is neglected of many maisters . the maister of the house , should not disdaine , or shew himselfe so scornfull or vnkind as not to visite his sicke seruants . for if bruite beasts reioyce to see their maisters cherish and feede them , as we may daily see in dogges , &c. how much more may we beleeue that men and reasonable creatures , are much delighted and comforted therewith ? whereupon it comes to passe , that good and faithful seruants , liking and affecting their maisters , vnderstand them at a becke , and obey them at a winke of the eye , or bent of the brow , not as a water-spaniel , but as the hand is stirred to obey the mind , so prompt and readie is the dutifull seruant to obey his louing and kind maister . for as the hand is said to be the instrument of instruments : being it ( indeed ) that serues to feed , apparell , and keepe cleane the rest of the limmes and parts of the bodie , which are also called instruments : so is the seruant said to be an instrument of instruments , because he keepeth all the instruments of houshold occupied : not onely to liue , but to liue well ; wherein he differeth from all other instruments . for where they are things without soule , he is diuinely enriched with a soule : and herein he differeth from the hand , for that the hand is fastened and vnited to the bodie , but he is separate and disioyned from his maister : and he is also different from artificers : for artificers are instruments of those things which properly they call workmanship : but the seruant is an instrument of the action , which also is distinguished from workmanship . so that the seruant if you will rightly vnderstand him , is , aliuely and seuerall instrument of action . it is very meete and conuenient , that the mistrisse or dame , do not make her selfe too familiar with her seruants , or houshold-folkes , lest they should be too bold , to talke , to ieast , or vnreuerently and vnmannerlie to behaue themselues towards her : and so modestly and wisely to beare her self among her seruants , that they may feare , reuerence , and so stand in awe of her , as the mistresse and mother of the house . and as it is not comely or beseeming , that the wife should take vpon her to rule and correct the men-seruants ; so likewise , it is not comely or meete , that the husband should meddle with the punishing or chastising of the maide-seruants : so that it is most meete and acceptable to the offender , that the maister should correct the men , and the mistris her maides : for a mans nature scorneth and disdaineth to be beaten of a woman , and a maids nature is corrupted with the stripes of a man. therefore we reade , that abraham would not meddle with his maid , but committed her to his wife , and said : do with her as it pleaseth thee . as if he should say , it belongeth not to me , but to thee . andthese are the duties which maisters must performe in their life time . all which must be shut vp with setting order for all things at their death , with especiall exhortations and prayers for religion , for vprightnesse in their callings , for peace and order after them , according to the example of hezekiah , dauid , of iacob , and of ioseph : esay . . and gen. . . . and . . so that it is the dutie of christian maisters to haue a care , not onely that their families be well and christianly gouerned while they liue : but also that after their death , loue , peace , quietnesse , and good order may be continued in their posteritie . the seruants dutie towards their maisters . this dutie confisteth in three points : . first , that seruants and apprentises do frō their hearts , cheerefully , and willingly , performe the labours and workes that their maisters , mistresses , or dames , shall command them . . secondly , that they be faithfull in things committed to them by their maisters , mistresses or dames , that so they may keepe their goods . . thirdly , that they be carefull to obserue vprightnesse of manners , that the wife , sonnes and daughters , or other fellow seruants , be not corrupted by their bad counsels , or lewd behauiour . these points are plainely proued by these places of scripture quoted in the margine : whereby seruants are straightly charged , reuerently , and faithfully to obey their bodily maisters , mistresses , and dames , in all things which may be done without offence to god. and this obedience and seruice must be done with feare and trembling , in singlenesse of heart , as vnto christ , they being 〈◊〉 with a reuerence to godward , as though they serued god himselfe , and that as well in the absence of their maisters , mistresses or dames , as in their presence : not constrainedly , as it were forced or compelled thereto , but heartily and with good will , as they that serue the lord , and not men : not onely in respect of the earthly reward , but because they know , and are assured , that of the lord they shall receiue the reward of inheritance , in as much as they serue the lord christ. so that hereby all godly seruants , may in few words learne what dutie they owe to their maisters , mistresses , and dames : namely , to loue them , and to be affectioned towards them , as a dutifull child is to his 〈◊〉 : to be reuerent and lowly to them in their words and gestures , to suffer and forbeare them : to obey with readie and willing mindes all their lawfull and reasonable commandements : to feare them , and to be loth to displease them : to be faithfull and trustie to them and theirs : in deedes and promises , to be diligent and seruiceable : to speake cheerefully : to answer discreetly : not ouer boldly to dallie with their maisters wife , daughters , or maidens : to be loyall and dutifull to their maisters , mistresses and dames : as iacob was towards laban , and ioseph towards potiphar . and they must carefully endeuour to do and procure , to the vttermost of their abilitie , that which may be to their maisters , mistresses , and dames honestie , credit and profit , and that as well when they are absent and out of sight , as when they be present and looke on . this is a qualitie and propertie belonging to euery good seruant , both men and maides : to wit , that whatsoeuer goods or necessaries of their maisters , mistresses , or dames , they shall haue charge of , as committed to their trust and keeping ; they carefully see such things so well and orderly placed , and laid vp , that if there shall be at any time any iust occasion to vse any necessary in their custodie : yea , if it be in the night season , and that without a light , they then not onely can say , in such a place it lyeth , but also , if they be required , they can presently fetch the same . seruants must take heede that they do not 〈◊〉 and willingly anger or displease their maisters , mistresses , or dames , which if they do , then they ought incontinent and forthwith to reconcile themselues vnto them , and to aske them forgiuenesse . they must also forbeare them , and suffer their angrie and hastie words , and in no wise answer againe spitefully or scornefully , neither yet vpon any such occasion run away for the angell taught and willed hagar the seruant of sarah , when she fled from her mistresse , that she should returne and humble her selfe vnder the hands of her mistresse . so did saint paul make agreement betwixt onesimus a vagabond and theeuish seruant , and sent him againe to his maister philemon , from whom he was fled away : and it is probable that he admonished onesimus to submit himselfe to his maister . seruants & apprentices therfore according to the rule of gods word , must patiently beare , and forbeare their maisters , mistresses , and dames , & do whatsoeuer lawfull thing they shall command them , not being against a good conscience . and therefore they must remember , how farre foorth they are bound to obey their maisters , that is , vsque ad aras : so farre as christian religion suffereth , and so far forth as they may do it with an vpright conscience : for otherwise , if their maisters shall command them to do any thing that is vnhonest , vnlawful , wicked , vniust , or vngodly , then they must in no wise obey it , . sam. . . &c. and . . dan. . . act. . . and . . the conditions of a good maid-seruant , are , that she be carefull , faithfull , patient , neat , and pleasing , that she be 〈◊〉 , quicke , and handsome , and of few words , honest in her word , deed , and attire : diligent in an houshold , and haue skill in washing , 〈◊〉 , brewing , sowing , and spinning , but chiefly in holding her peace . seruants must lay apart all euill conditions , as pride , vnfaithfulnesse , brawling , murmuring , lying , swearing , and filthie communication , picking , stealing , and tales telling . if seruants would carefully marke and learne , and so diligently practise these three short lessons following : so doing ( no doubt ) they might both procure and purchase much quietnesse to themselues , and also winne and get the great good will and liking of their maisters , mistresses , and dames thereby : first , that they would cheerfully go when they are bidden . secondly , that they would come willingly and readily when they be called . and lastly , that they would remember to shut and sparre the doores after them . the neglect and omitting of this last dutie , may haply be thought no great matter : but if such as be housekeepers will carefully obserue it , they shall finde , that they sustaine both lesse and hinderance by it . and because it sometime hapneth , that one seruant is too much charged with labour and worke , and another of his fellowes hath more ease then worke , one therefore should helpe another , as we see by vse in our owne bodies , when one leg is weary , we can rest it on the other , or when the right hand is ouerlaboured , we can ease it with the left : and when entercourse of loue and curtesie intreates and perswades not this fauour and kindnesse amongst them , then should the maister himselfe command the negligent and loytering seruant , to helpe and ease the weary , and him that is well imployed and ouer-charged . againe , seruants are to be admonished and put in mind , that they do not ( as some do without all conscience ) make spoile and hauock of their maisters goods , wittingly , and willingly : neither yet that they suffer any of those things that they are put in trust with , through their heedlesnesse and retchlesse , to be marred and lost : but specially that they do not make spoile and wast of such broken meate as remaineth after their meales or at other times : which doing , is not onely an hinderance to their maisters profit , but also a great offence to god , who commandeth that such broken meate as remaineth , be gathered vp and saued , that so nothing be lost . loh. . . therefore to conclude , let seruants & apprentises , both men and maids , assure themselues , that as they deale and behaue thēselues to their maisters , mistresses or dames , and their goods , whilest they are seruants , so likewise the lord in iustice will cause their seruants to deale and behaue themselues to them when they shall come to be maisters or dames themselues , so punishing sinne with sinne . and as religious and godly maisters be very warie and circumspect , when they hire and entertaine any seruants into their seruice , that they be such as be godly , honest and religious , or at least such as will be tractable and obedient to such good order and godly gouernment , as is , or shall be vsed & exercised daily in their houses , but contrariwise , such maisters as be prophane and irreligious , haue no care or regard whom they hire or receiue into their houses , so they will fit & serue their turne for gaine and profit , though they be neuer so iewd , vicious , or vngodly in word or deed : so likewise , such as are christian and religious seruants , ought also to be very warie and carefull , that they do not place themselues with any such maisters as are prophane and wicked , or in such townes and parishes where there wants good meanes , and exercises both of preaching and catechising , whereby they may daily profit and go forward in that good course which they haue begun : whereas on the other side , such seruants as are without god , irreligious and ignorant of the meanes of their saluation , care not where , or with whom they dwell : nay , they will not with their good wils , come to dwell either in that towne , or with those maisters , where they shall be restrained and kept from swearing , dicing , carding , tabling , prophaning of the lords day , and other such wickednesse : who in thus doing , do flie from god , and seeke and follow after their owne destruction . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e luke . . gen. . . and . . &c. luke . . & . . rom. . . the profit of this booke . good books 〈◊〉 to climbe vp to heauen . notes for div a -e the rule of good gouernment is wisedome : pro. . . not carnall wisedome . but learned out of the word . gen. . . psal. . . wisedome is great wealth . without wisedome whatsoeuer a man taketh in hand , turneth to his owne hurt . it is out of doubt that the wise and skilfull gouernmēt of a house is found out by prudence , defended by science , and conserued by experience . whereof a familie cōsisteth . the first sort are such as haue authority in the familie . who must vse their authoritie . if the gouernour be charged with weighty affaires , he may appoint one to gouerne his house , as abraham , and potiphar did . gen. . . and gen. . . a property of good gouernment . . tim. . . the marks that families gouernment aimeth 〈◊〉 . gen. . . . & . . & . . . & . . iob. . . iosua . . . prou. . . &c. acts. . & . . . ephes. . . . ioh . . & . . mat. . . hag. . . psal . . the sorts of gouernours . housholders or housekeepers , are persons authorised ower their housholds and charge . the dutie of the husband touching holinesse , which he must performe to them . to see that they haue the word ordinarily , the 〈◊〉 whereof is the greatest plague that can be . amo . . esa. . . . . . ro. . . iam. . . . . . pet. . . heb. . . ephe. . . . iam. . . all superiours ought to be carefull that their inseriors do keepe holy that day , as well as themselues . deut. . . they ought not to leaue it to their discretion as a thing indifferent : but to compell them thereto . deut . . so haue the seruants of god done in times past , in their seuer all families . iosh. . . acts. . . gen. . . but in our time , it is for the most part , wholy neglected . especialy in great households , where there are many seruants . . sam. . . . obiection . answer . the gouernors of families should take order that their whole houshold might come to the church together . psal. . . . cor . . psal. . esay . . . . . cor. . . the want of this care in houshold , is the cause of much wickednesse , rebellion , and disorder in their families . obiection . answer . . tim. . . mat. . . gen. . . to haue such good orders in our houses , is not the next way to driue away our seruants from vs. psal . . gen. . chap. . . act. . . obiection . answer . . tim. . . dan. . . iob. . . gen. . . & . . & . . & . . priuate instruction . deut. . . . . . reading the scripture . . tim. . . mat. . . . . leuit. . . . tim. . . prou. . . & . . ephes. . . . . patience and stedfastnesse in suffering the offence that comes to vs by any worke , so that they cannot discourage vs. phil. . . col. . . ephes. . . . the wiues dutie , touching christian holinesse . to be a fellow helper is to yeeld helpe to her husband , especially at home , in all the matters of the family . . tim. . . tit. . . prou. . . verse . . the , thing whereat houshold gouernment aymeth . many are carefull to 〈◊〉 , but very carelesse to 〈◊〉 well . 〈◊〉 . . tim. . . prou. . . what things be needfull for the making of prouision . a calling . gen. . . calling is our appointed charge and manner of life , in some honest worke , wherin we are daily to labour , as we may best profit therein . ephes. . . 〈◊〉 . thess. . . . the manner of following a calling . prou. . . diligence , is that by which we execitte 〈◊〉 well as we can the labour of our calling . . thess. . . rom. . . of the enemies to diligence . sloth . slothfulnesse is a wearinesse or tediousnesse in any godly , spirituall , or eiuill exercises which one ought for gods sake to do , for the benefit of the common-wealth : or for the sustentation of himselfe and his familie . sloth , gluttonie , and prodigality , are the true paths that conduct and leade men to pouertie . prou. . . . . prou. . . prou. . . . idle cōpany keeping . none can walke in simplicity besore god , that delighteth in the company of the vngodly . . pastime . lewd pastime causeth naked purses . thrift consisteth not in gold , but grace . . great reckoning . iustice is a vertue , that yeeldeth to euery man his owne . mercifulnes a compassion and 〈◊〉 of an other mans 〈◊〉 , with best 〈◊〉 ( so farre as may be ) to comfort , 〈◊〉 and succour them . psal. . gal. . . heb. & . . 〈◊〉 . . prou. . . contentation is a vertue , wherby a man is well pleased with that estate wherein he is placed . . tim. . . phil. . . . mat. . . heb. . . esa. . . pro. . . eccles. . . & . . to spare , that thou mayest haue to spend in honestie & necessitie for gods sake , is well done . a thing is sooner spared thē gotten . a ambition is an vnlawfull or wicked desire of glory , namely , when a man seeketh to be aboue al other in honor , and seeketh to effect the same by vnnecessary and vniust actions , besides his vocation : trusting to his owne wisdome and strength . b vain-glory is a certaine disordinate desire to be wel thought of , wel spoken of , praised , and glorified of men . sparing is good getting , & the greatest rent that one can haue . gluttony is a vice , when any doth 〈◊〉 & fill his body . drunkennesse is a vice , when any dot gull in ouermuch drinke . prou. . . prou. . . prou. . . prou. . . prou. . . prou. . . pro. . prou. . . psal. . . the wiues duty touching the things of this life . prou. . . dutifulnesse or dutifull wil , is that which doth shine in the declaratiō and performance of duties . . faithfull . . louing . loue is a naturall affection of the mind , inflaming all the powers of the louer , with willing dutie towards the beloued . a good huswife is a great patrimonte , & she is most honourable , that is most honest and godly . a good sauer , is as good as a good getter . as a word spoken in his place , is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer , prou. . . euen so is a businesse or worke done in a fit and due time . painfulnesse is a labour or indeauour vnto wearinesse , to bring any thing to passe . answer . . tim. . . act. . . silence is a grauitie , when she abstaineth and holds her peace from speaking when it doth not become her to speake . notes for div a -e what wedlock is . a mat. . . b 〈◊〉 . . . . cor. . ephes. . . prou. . . . . yoking and dweiling together what it is . gen. . . * marriage honorable : . for the author , which is god. . for the time which was during the state of adams innocency . . for the place , which was paradice . e gen. . mat. . . mark . . . cor. . . ephes. . . gen. . . such as are of kind red in the flesh , may not contract matrimonie . f leuit. . &c. g deut. . . . cor. . . . &c. h . king. . . i iudg. . . . . cor. . . . pet. . . three manner of riches in man. riches of the mind . sixe rules to be obserued in the choise of a good wife or a good husband . report . pro. . . & . . preach . . psal. . . the looks . prou. . . esay . psal. ieb . . . act. . . vnder faire faces are sometimes hidden filthy minds . gen. . . the talke . to adam first and to 〈◊〉 after . maides must speake like an eccho . mat. . . mat. . . prou. . . prou. . . prou. . . apparell . luk. . . mark. . . . king. . . thess. . . 〈◊〉 . . . company . men are commonly conditioned , euen like vnto them that they keepe cōpany withall . prou. . . & . . psal 〈◊〉 . ios. . . num . . . cor. . . ephes. . . the bringing vp . it skilleth more by whō and by what wayes men be brought vp , then of whom they be begotten . to be good it doth much profit to be well brought vp . what betrothing 〈◊〉 . iudg. . . &c . sam. . . . sam. . . . cor. . . . . cor. . . . pet. . . . cor. . . . gen. . . mat. . . mar. . . eph . . . cor. . . . cor. . . math. . . deut. . . hebr. . . mal. . . . . gen. . . . cor. . . . . cor. . . cor. . . exod. . . . cor. . . exod. . . 〈◊〉 . . . iudg. . . sam. . . gen. . froward wicked qualities of the mind . . cor. . . & . . gal. . . . . . tim. . . . . . the riches of the body . beautie . chuse a wife for vertue onely . pro. . . seek no match in marriage , aboue thy 〈◊〉 . equalitie in marriage to be respected . of the choise of a wise . a good wife is aboue all things to be craued of god by prayer . heb. . . ephes. . . . . three causes of marriage . psal. . . the second cause . wedlocke lawfull for such as haue not the gift of chastitie . the third cause . this is often found most true , that such as are contemners of marriage , are most offenders against marriage , and liue most vnchastly . . pet. . . by honour is meant that the husband is to sustaine and relieue the wants of his wife , to support , vphold , & beare with her infirmities , as the weaker vessell . besides the prayers had with their family , they must pray priuately . gen. . . . cor. . . . . col. . . anger in a husband is a vice . the roote of bitternesse to be weeded out by the spade of patience . how & when the husband ought to reproue . faults sometimes must be couered with loue . not to take vnkindnesse for euery trifle ephe. . . . . . the husband is to the wife in gods stead . husbands may 〈◊〉 be rigorous 〈◊〉 their wiues , especially when they be new married . prou. . . the wife is not to be vsed or intreated as a handmaid or seruant , but as a fellow . prou. . . & & . . . & . . & . . prou . . & . . gen . . the falling out of louers is a renewing of loue . that man is miserable that is married vnto a foolish woman . husbands must prouide things necessarie for the house . a mans house will continue by prouision before hand , and by order in his expences . tim. . . but where disorder is in a house , it cannot endure . spare in time , and spend in time , for sparing is a rich purse .. the honour of the husband dependeth on the wife . . cor. . . the third point . can. . . . . cor . . . pet. . . cor. . . ephes. . . ephes. . . . sam. . . gal. . . gen. . . gen. . . the causeswhy the husband should loue his wife . the husband must loue his wiues kinsfolkes . gen. . . . . cor. . . duties common both to the husband & the wife . . cor. . . gen. . . . cor. . . ephes. . . tit. . . mat. . . gen. . . psal. . . mat. . . ephes. . . gen. . . . &c. math. . . pre. . . mal. . . mat. . leuit. . . ioh. . . mat. . . mat. . . . cor. . . cor. . . obiection . answer . . cor. . . . pet. . . . pet. . . gen. . . . sam. . gen. . the best pollicie in marriage , is to begin well . . king. . . . &c. iudg. . . prou. . . gal . . gen. . . psal. . . leuit. . . mat. . . gen. . . gen. . . pro. . . gen. . . ephes. . . notes for div a -e . pet. . . ephes. . . col. . . . cor. . . wiues must be seruiceable & obedient vnto their husbands and stand in a reuerend awe of them . ephes. . . cheerefull in countenence . gen. . . gen. . . math . . . cor. . . eihes . . how the wife ought to behaue her selfe vnto her husband . rom. . . . king. . . gal. . . . king. . . . king. . . gen. . . gen. . . . cor. . . . pet. . . . king. . . & . hest. . . 〈◊〉 . . . 〈◊〉 . . prou. . . . . sam. . . . sam. . . gen. . . gen. . . why wiues are called huswiues . tit. . . pro. . . . king . gen. . . . king. . . ephe. . . . 〈◊〉 . cor. . & . . gen. . . . pet. . . ephes. . . gen. . . . tim. . . num. . . pro. . . & . . & . . & . all . the wife must keepe a good tongue . when the wife doth hold her peace , she keepes the peace . the cause of domesticall combats . silence becometh a woman . lacke of knowledge of gods word , is the principall cause why wiues do not their duties to their husbands one heart and one will. how the loue , faithfulnesse , and dutie of married folkes may be kept & increased . they must secretly keepe no euill will in their minds , but tell their griese . . sam. . . . . cor. . . . . . . . mat. . . mat. . . luke . . the wife ought to obey her husband in all things that be honest , and agreeable to gods word . gen. . . hest. . . . numb . . . . . pet. . . it is a speciall dutie of a mother to giue her children sucke her selfe . . tim. . . gen. . . . sam. . . exod. . cant. . . psal. . . mat. . . luke . . . . tim. . . stepfathers & stepmothers their duties . the husband must so praise his first wife , & she her first husband , as it be not done to the offence or reproch of either to the other . iealousie , which is the suspecting of adulterie in the married parties , ought wisely and carefully to be suppressed in both parties without apparent matter the very name of stepfather & stepmother teacheth them their dutie . . king. . . . sam. . . as wiues ought to go comely , plainly , and handsomly in their 〈◊〉 , so they must in any wise beware of pride , riot , or excesse therein . pride is hatefull before god and man : be not therefore proud , for thou art but dust ana ashes . prou. . . titus . . temperance in apparell . notes for div a -e the dutie containeth foure points : namely in teaching or instructing them in religion , in manners , good example of life , and skill of an occupation . the first point . the children of christians ought not to be called by any papish name . we are neither better nor worse in respect of our names . iosua . . the name profiteth none in whom vertue is not conuinced . luk. . . & . . proper names are also giuen vnto vs for this vse and end , that is , to distinguish between man & man. instructing , correcting , & prayer , make good children , and happy parents . deut. . . & . . & . . psal. . . . . iosu , . . exod. . . . gen. . . . 〈◊〉 . . . act. . . . tim. . . parents must performe their dutie to their children moderately , with great grauity and authority . which is done by example . fruits are wont to take their shape & nature of the tree . deut. . . . . & . . . king. . . &c. . king. . . &c. ioh. . . luke . . act. . . . tim. . . & . . ezech . . . psal. . . see more of this point in the vse and necessity of catechizing . the second point . deut. . . exed . . . & . . the proper dutie of good parents to their children , is to 〈◊〉 them soberly , to keepe them vender obedience , and to teach them good manners . prou. . . & . . & . . . & . . & . . . sam. . . & . . . . . kin. . . . . kin. . . how children should be brought vp . hold thy children in awe , and they shall haue thee in reuerence . prou. . . and . . mat. . . sal . . . lat . . . reasons . gen. . . prou. . . . sam. . . &c. and. . . psal. . . . . kin. . . amos . . good manners in speech . good manners in gesture . 〈◊〉 . . . ioh. . . mat. . . esay . . . psal. . . . psal. . . prou. . . psal. . . . & . . prou. . . mat. . . . psal. . king. . . . sam. . . &c. . king. . . mat. . . . thes. . . luk. . . . . pet. . . i am . . . pro. . . psal. . . prou. . . rom. . . . ioh . psal. . . ephes. . . col. . . . . cor. . . rom. . . esay . . . zoph . . . gen. . . & . . mat. . . . sam. . all , & . . ill bringing vp , is a cause of marring many which are of a good towardnesse and wit. two things which much hinder good education . the fewer the children the more diligently to be cared for , that they be well brought vp . the second cause which 〈◊〉 good education . . sam. . . gen. . . . gen. . . gen. . . . sam. . . . sam. . . luke . . children profit more by good example in one month , then by instruction in a whole yeare . obiection . answer . zuke . . youth must thinke on death betimes , to the end to liue to well , & die well . marriage with papists , &c. gen. . . gen. . . how should it marriage 〈◊〉 well , whē 〈◊〉 bridegroome 〈◊〉 such a one , 〈◊〉 whom he cannot say , god speed , because she is one of gods friends : . ioh. . . cor. . . but how do they marry in the lord , who marry the lords enemies ? gen. . . as the iewes might not marry with the cananites , so christians may not marry with them which are like cananites . gen. . . & . . mal. . . ezr . . if adulterie may separate marriage , shall not idolatr y hinder marriage , which is worse then it ? parents may not giue their daughters to a man 〈◊〉 . gen. . . miserable is that mā which is fettered with a woman that liketh not his religion . he feareth not sinne , which doth not shun occasions , and he is worthy to be snared , which leadeth himselfe into temptation , & so maketh a trap for himselfe . luk. . . the wife must be meete , as god said : gen. . . but how is she meete , if the husband be a christian and sh e a papist ? . cor. . . gen. . . . iud. . . . . * it is the parents duty to giue their children that which may helpe them in this life , to counsell , or to prouide them fit and religious marriages . cor. . . gen. . . . . ruth . . when parents do abuse their authority . parents must not match their children onely for carnall respects . when parents do marry their daughters to men of vnderstanding , they shall performe a weightie worke . colos. . . parents ought to deale sincerely in the choise for their children . in prouision of matches for their children , parents ought to begin with prayer . the third point . examples do much more perswade then words , 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the father beginneth , so it is like the son will proceed . gal. . . mat. . . . cor. . . the last point . gen. . . ezech. . . prou. . . & . . . tim. . . . . thes. . . . idlenesse bringeth much euill . mat. . . to learne that science which they be most apt for . obiection . answer . pro. . . . . why some men bring not vp their children to any good perfection in learning . luke . . prou. . . 〈◊〉 of the eldest 〈◊〉 is athing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chron. . . exod. . . . & . . . num. . . & . . deut. . . &c. gen. . . . chron. . . notes for div a -e a eph . . . . colos. . . b leuit. . . num. . . c pro. . . . tim. . . mat. . . . gen. . . fathers and mothers are to their children in gods stead . exod. . . deut. . . by honour is meant all kind of duty which children owe to their parents . 〈◊〉 . . . mat. . . . king. . . . king. . . ioh. . 〈◊〉 . . . the honor due to parents . childrens dutie is , from their beginning to their ending , to be subiect , obedient , and helpfull to their parents . mat. . . . exod. . . . leuit. . . pro. . . & . . deut. 〈◊〉 . . what children do to their parents , they do to god , so that they may not purloine or diminish any of their substāce . pro. . . mat. . . mat. . . . sam. . . &c & . . dan. . . act. . . mat. . . when a woman loseth her honestie , then hath she lost her chiese treasure . gen. . . children may not marry without the cōsent & agreement of their 〈◊〉 : so that an vnlawfull promise made by the child , may lawfully be broken . it is a sweete wedding , whē the father and the mother bring ablessing to the feast : and a heauie vnion , which is cursed the firs̄t day that it is knit . . sam. . . contracts void without the consent of parents . children 〈◊〉 , are to pray vnto god to direct their parents in a godly choyce , and to 〈◊〉 their minds to accept of the same . 〈◊〉 . . . . sam. . . &c. & . . deut . . . . . exod. . . ephes . . deut. . . &c. leuit. . . &c. gen. . &c. and . 〈◊〉 . luke . . deut. . . exed . . . ephes. . . psal. . . . esay . . ephes. . . notes for div a -e the housholder is called pater familias , that is , a father of a familie , because he should haue a fatherly care ouer his seruants , as if they were his children . maisters and dames ought moderatly to vse their authoritie ouer theirseruants . iames . . coloss . . ioh . . . deut. . mat. . . 〈◊〉 . . god made eu ry weeke one day of rest , wherein seruants should be as free as their maisters . gen. . . as the laborer which worketh but one day is worthy his hire , euen so , much more the 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eueryday . luke . . as dauid did limit ioab that he should not kill absolon , so god hath bound masters that they should not oppresse their seruants . . sam. . . iob . . . . for a good man ( sauh salemon . pro. . . ) will be mercifull to his beast & therefore he ought to be m re mercifull to his seruants being his brethren . reuiling words and vnreasonable 〈◊〉 , doth much more hurt to seruants then good . 〈◊〉 . . . exod. . . 〈◊〉 , . . . tim. . . seruants do rather imitate the works they see their maisters do , then the words which they heare them speake . luke . . ephes. . . the couetous wan in gaining riches , loseth himselfe . psal. . . that which thou canst do conueniently thy selfe , commit it not to another . masters ought to make good choyce of their seruants . gen. . . &c. and . . . . . . . esay . . . it is a rare thing for a maister to bring his seruant to be godly , who is not godly him selfe . reuel . . . act. . . & . . . cor. . . ge . . . phil. . . gen. . iosua . . . psal. . . act. . . they must keepe no idle prophane , superstitious , nor disordered 〈◊〉 in their house . ephcs. . . masters ought to haue a tender care of their seruants in their sicknesse . mat. . . . luk. . . the wiues behauiour with seruants . the maister must correct his seruants , and the mistris her maids notes for div a -e eph . . . . col. . . . tit. . . . pet. . . . . . . tim. . . . luk. . . . . king. . . the property of a good seruant . gen. . . . . & . . &c. gen. . . . 〈◊〉 . phil. . &c. how far forth seruants ought to obey their maisters . mat. . and among seruants , to helpe and ease of one another necessarie . seruants must to the vttermost of their power , seek the commodity & benefit of their maisters . mat. . . vvilie beguile ye, or the worldlings gaine shevving how they hazard their pretious soules for the attaining of these vaine and transitory things, and withall teaching how to obtaine and enioy the benefits of this life: that so we may lay vp a good foundation thereby against the life to come: expressed in some sauoury and effectuall meditations and obseruations hereupon. by thomas cooper. worldlings adventure cooper, thomas, fl. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) vvilie beguile ye, or the worldlings gaine shevving how they hazard their pretious soules for the attaining of these vaine and transitory things, and withall teaching how to obtaine and enioy the benefits of this life: that so we may lay vp a good foundation thereby against the life to come: expressed in some sauoury and effectuall meditations and obseruations hereupon. by thomas cooper. worldlings adventure cooper, thomas, fl. . [ ], , [ ] p. [b. alsop], imprinted at london : . an edition of: cooper, thomas. the worldlings adventure. b. alsop printed the new quire.--stc. a is a cancel. formerly stc . identified as stc on umi microfilm. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vvilie begvile ye , or the worldlings gaine : shewing how they hazard their pretious soules for the attaining of these vaine and transitory things , and withall teaching how to obtaine and enioy the benefits of this life : that so we may lay vp a good foundation thereby against the life to come : expressed in some sauoury and effectuall meditations and obseruations hereupon . by thomas cooper . imprinted at london , . to the right honorable , right worshipfvll sir francis iones lord maior of this famous citie , together with the graue senators and sherifes his brethren , and the sage councel thereof , all things pertaining to life and godlinesse . right honourable , right worshipfull . tt is not in vaine that our blessed sauiour giues such a feareful item to such as enioy most of earthly things , that it is easier for a camell to enter through the eye of a needle , then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen : not inferring thereby an impossibility that any rich man should be saued , because wee heare of poore lazarus in rich abrahams bosome ; and riches are such blessings , as god bestowes on his children , and by his grace proue furtherances to lay vp a good foundatiō against the life come : but rather implying some difficulty and aduenture hereof , & that arising rather from our abuse thereof , then the things themselues : for so hee expounds himselfe else where , concerning trust and confidence in riches , and not of the simple enioying of them . and so the blessed apostle comments vpon this text charging rich men that they be not high minded , though they enioy much aboue others , that they trust not in riches , because they are vncertaine , and so will deceiue our trust reposed on them , teaching vs that it is not the vse but the loue of money , which is the roote of all euill ; and therfore because som ( not al ) do lust after thē they haue erred frō the faith , & so do pierce thēselues through with many sorrowes . and therein also wisely discouering vnto vs , two mayne & principall causes of our endangering by these blessings , and so by the contrary , instructing vs in such a sober estimate & vse of them , that so they may prooue furtherances to eternall life . the causes of our abuse of worldly blessings , is our ouer-rating them in our vaine conceits ; as if they were speciall fauours of god , & vndoubted pledges of true happinesse , so that whosoeuer enioyes them aboue others , is more highly in gods esteeme , and so more truly and perfitly happy . and this produceth those dangerous effects of vnsatiable desires and strong confidence in them , as if we could neuer haue enough of happinesse , as if such strong holds could neuer deceiue vs. which though it bee a most erroneous and peruerse conceit , and the effects more desperate , as arising from a deceiued heart blinded by the god of this world , that it cannot looke vp higher to things to come , but only doats one these present shadows , because the very nature & transitory conditiō of these things wil not beare it , besides dayly experience to the contrary which might lesson euen fools : yet it is most fearefull to obserue how the minds of many are bewitched therewith , and sing a requiem to their soules , as that foole did in this slippery estate which on the sodaine may be taken away from them , or they from it . and yet such is the power of this delusion , that notwithstanding they dayly see rich men dye as well as the foolish and ignorant , and leaue their riches to others ; yet many thinke that their houses and habitations shall continue for euer , and therefore thee blesse their soules in this vaine happinesse , and that the rather because they are applauded of others , as the onely happy men , euen because they make much of themselues , and take their fill in these broken cysternes . and this is another maine cause of their ensnaring by these things , euen because they ouer-valew themselues in regard of them , and so being puffed vp with their fleshly minds , are desperately carryed to the abuse of them , either by encroaching and scraping still to themselues , as if none were worthy of them but they : that so they may liue peerelesse and vncontrowlable of any , or else by lauishing and excesse of riot they wallow like swine in the filth & puddle thereof , and so drowne themselues in euerlasting perdition . behold the way of worldlings and greedy earth-wormes . and doth not this way vtter their folly , howsoeuer their posterity delight in their talke , and counts thēselues happy in the misery of their ancestors . and doth not this their happinesse prooue their greater vnhappines , that ill gotten goods molter like snow against the sun , what is so lightly come by , is as vainly parted with : the third heire seldome knowes the place of his breeding , or enioyes a foot thereof . a meditation as too too experimentall in this citie , so the rather to be layd to heart by the wise & prudēt , that he may see the plague and hide himself , & reape some durable fruit of these momētany trees . and this is the sum of that which followes : which i do in all humility tender vnto your honor & worships , as knowing your slippery states , and fearing what may follow , that you would learne yet more & more to be faithfull in your steward ships , that so you may be ready to giue vp a cōfortable account for the same . i doubt not but you are wise to discerne the face of the sky , & see that the element is full of stormes abrode , & may not the winde turne & blow thē hither . the lord also make you wiser to discerne the time of your visitation : and so i heartily cōmend your honor & worships to the grace of god , that in mercy hee would cleare the ayre againe , & scatter the black tēpest that our sins haue gathered , and dayly threatēs on our heads as terrible lightnining to break the sword , though it spare the scabbard , to endanger the soule by depriuing vs of what glorious liberty wee haue abused , though our outward man may lesse feele the blow , as being senslesse therof , or giuing way thereto : and that euen for his sonne christ iesus sake , in whom i rest at your honors and worships seruice thomas cooper . the contents . the coherence and sence of the wordes , with the diuision thereof . p. . obser . . the ground of the bargaine : mans vnsatiable desire , with the reasons and vse thereof . how to preuent and remedy the same . pag. . . . vnsatiable desire make way for subiectiō to satan . reasons thereof . obser . with the vse . . to iustifie god , seeing our condemnation is of our selues . p. . directions how to vse aboundance . p. . . how to preuent satan herein . p. . how to behaue our selues in a meane estate . ibid. . obser . it is ordinary with worldlings to trade with satan for the world , with the losse of their soules . pag. . reasons hereof . pag. . . ground and manner of the bargaine . pag. . with the ends propounded thereof , wherein worldlings are painted out in the gathering & vse of riches . pag. . . pag. . vse hereof , . for conuictiō of worldlings . p. . for triall of our estates hereby . pag. . vizars whereby this bargaine is concealed . pag. . . . . that they are gods blessings . pag. . that our callings require them . p. . . . pretence of doing good hereby . pag. . these discouered and reiected , with the remedy against them . pag. . . obser . . it is an vnprofitable bargaine , to loose the soule for the world . pag. . reasons hereof , . because we pay too deere for them . our losse is irrecouerable . pag. . . . vse diuers collusions detected , which flatter vs in the goodnesse of the bargaine . pag. . . reason satan performes not the bargaine on his part , though he will be sure of our payment . pag. . . because he cannot performe what is not his to giue . pag. . neither we are capable of what he promiseth . . neither would he performe if he could . p . vse hereof , . to forecast before hand . pag. . to preuent satans treachery . pag. , conclusion to the reader , where these cases are resolued . pag. . what vse of our ciuill callings and other accidents therto are allowed on the lords day . p. . whether we may imploy more time , & exercise our thoughts more vpon worldly ▪ then heauenly things , seeing we are allowed six dayes for our ciuill callings , and but one for our generall . p. . whether it be not lawfull to desire riches , and aboundance . pag. . . whether we may desire such meanes for the gathering of riches , as mans law doth allow : as , vsury . . monopolies , and engrossing of wares . · letters of ●ar● . . trading with infidels and idolaters . . tentering , pressing and such like . pag. . keeping in of wares . pag. , changing of callings . pag. . whether one may haue diuers callings . . as the minister may be also a magistrate , one trades-man may exercise diuers ciuill callings whether a man may thriue with a good conscience . . · math. . . for what shall it profit a man though he should win the whole world , and lose his owne soule ? in these words , the holy ghost layeth downe a reason , why we should not for the sauing of this present and momentany life , decline afflictions ; namely , because the sauing of life present in this regard , is the next way to endanget the life eternall : and if so , then no profit will redound thereby , no though we might liue to enioy the whole world . for hauing in the verse , adioyned the doctrine of his particular suffering to the former doctrine of his kingly office in gouerning and preseruing his church , that so the wise temper of these seeming contraries might confound carnall wisdome , and exercise the faith of his disciples , because the harsh newes of his suffering gaue occasion of offence to peter ; as dreaming in his carnall reach , of a temporall kingdome ; he thereby takes occasion , from the particular doctrine of his owne suffering , to gather a generall conclusion : that whosoeuer will be his disciple , must also deny himselfe , and take vp his crosse and follow him ; which bitter pill that it might be the better digested , he wisely remoues the maine bar and hinderance of enduring afflictions ; namely , the loue of life , and that by a strange paradox to the confounding of reason , & triall of faith : affirming that the sauing of life for a time , by auoyding the crosse , was the next way to lose it eternally : and so to encourage the rather to the vndergoing of afflictions , he affirmeth contrarily , that the enduring of afflictions for his sake , though it were to the losse of life temporall , was the meanes to procure the life eternall , if not also for the preseruation of this present life . now because life were not desirable of the carnall man , but for those pleasures and profits sake which the world supplies thereto ; for otherwise these fayling , life is but a burden , and death a most desired hauen : therefore the spirit of god proceedeth in this verse to root out of our hearts this loue of the world ; and that by propounding the danger that accompanies the same ; namely , that hereby the pretious soule is fearefully ensnared ; and endangered . and concludes the folly of such a match , when we pay so deere for worldly things , namely , that they profit nothing . so that in these words we haue a discouery of an ordinary bargaine vsually made by men of this world , & that as they conceiue , to great aduantage ; namely , that they be contented for gayning of the world , to lose their soules . their soules is an ordinary price , to compasse the pleasures and profits of the world . in which bargaine there are couched these particulars first , the ground or occasion of the bargaine ; namely , their greedy and vnsatiable desire of earthly things , implyed in these words of extent : though he should gaine the whole world . as if the holy ghost had therein discouered that roote of al mischiefe ; namely , a couetous and vnreasonable desire to compasse all , to be satisfied with nothing , but the whole world . secondly , we haue heere the driuing of the bargaine ; namely , this couetous desire is that which giues way to satan , to fetch ouer the soule . thirdly , heere is the bargaine it selfe ; namely , that the soule is lost for the gaining of the world . lastly , here is the iudgement and censure of the bargaine ; namely , that their is no profit in it . of these in their places . and first , of the ground or occasion of the bargaine . this the holy ghost discouers to be an vnsatiable desire of earthly things , teaching vs thereby , that naturally the minde of man , as it is immortall and not to be fadomed ; so it is restles and neuer satisfied . and therefore affecteth vnmeasurably the things of the world : gladly would engrosse and appropriate all things to it selfe . it cannot brooke a share in it happines , it endures not to be stinted , and measured therein . so saith the spirit . the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the eare with hearing , and therefore much lesse the minde . so is the practise hereof discouered : they ioyne houses to houses ; and land to land , till there be no place ; and the reason hereof is added , that they may liue alone vpon the earth : and the generall conditions of all estates discouers no lesse ; no man is contented with the place and calling wherein god hath placed him , euery one aymes at the highest ; reason . subiection is a burthen and disgrace , reason . and soueraignty tickles with the conceit of deity ; reason . where the soule finds no rest in god , how can it be but restles in hawking after shadows ? reason . where pride is a chaine , how can bondage or subiection be any whit brooked ? reason . and seeing happines is conceited in these outward things ; if caine be cast out of gods presence , he must eternize his name in building of cities , & compassing the world . who would not enioy the most of all those things , that he may haue greatest happines ? reason . can there be a greater plague to the wicked then still to be desiring , what they compasse ? and may not this turne about to turne them home againe , that as the doue whē she found no rest for the sole of her foote in the world , returned againe to the arke from whence she was sent forth : so the poore soule being tyred in the compassing of these earthly things , and confounded in the pursuit thereof , may be forced to turne the current of her desires to the true obiect , and to seeke for happinesse in her god onely . vse oh that we were wise to discerne this euill sicknes , and therein to take notice of the power of corruption . are we sick of the world , and neuer satisfied therewith ? how doth this discouer our barrennes of grace , how doth it conuince our bondage vnto sinne ? where grace hath taken roote , we dye vnto the world ; where god is preferred , there mammō hath no place . how doth this discouer an impossibility in nature , to obtaine grace by it owne power , seeing the glory and wisdome of nature is enmity against god : exalting the world and it shadowes , aboue the true substance of euerlasting happines ; making the wedge of gold it hope , and it belly it god ? why do worldings engrosse and compasse the earth , but that they haue no hope of heauen ? but that their maine happines is to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season : and that they may enioy them more freely , they plot for greatnes , that none may controule them , they heape vp aboundance of treasures , that they may haue continuall matter to nourish and encrease sin . doth not affliction bridle sinne , and withdraw many encouragments there-from ? doth not troubles awake the conscence , and at least breed some remorse & outward abstinence from euill ? then well fare fulnesse to fatte the heart in sin , that it may be sencelesse thereof , and so commit it more greedily ; wel fare prosperity to drown the heart with a vaine conceite of gods fauour , as if he loued vs , because he bestoweth such a large portion vpon vs : that so though the minde be sensible of sinne , yet it may swell with presumption , & prophanesse ; that though we liue so , yet god approues thereof , we prosper and growe in greatnes , therefore all is well . and doth not this make way at length to desperate atheisme , that because we are spared , nay we prosper , and thriue in sinne , therefore the lord is like vnto vs , he likes of our sinne ? and so the conclusion heereupon followeth by degrees , that the foole saith in his heart , as hee hath proued it by his waies ; that there is no god at all , but to prosper in the world , to doe what we list : nay hence it followes in the end , that seeing we doe what we list , therefore wee are gods , knowing good and euill . this was the groūd of that grosse idolatry in deifying others and this not vnwillingly induced great ones to assume this diuine power vnto themselues , by there transcendent power and priuiledges , not onely to cōtroule their owne lawes , but euen to encroach vpon and iustle out the law of god , and so to seate them selues in the place of the most highest . thus antichrist arose by degrees from earthly happines , to a concept of diuine power , exalting himselfe aboue all that is called god , because hauing taken a surfet of worldly pompe and fulnesse , hee thereby established a visible monarchie , not only aboue emperours & the potentates of the world , but euen aboue heauen , and ouer hell it selfe , encroaching into the prerogatiue of the most highest : and making and changing the eternall decrees at his pleasure , presuming with his fained , and vsurped keyes , to shut and open heauen and hell at his will , and by his deceiuable miracles and presumed perfection exalting himselfe in the hearts of all beleeuers aboue all that was called god. and the maine ground hereof was the iust iudgement of god vpon the whore , whom as he had appointed frō all eternity to euerlasting perditiō , so to his end for the more righteous execution of his decree , he gaue her fauour with the great ones of the earth , by whom being cherrished and aduanced to bee queene and empresse of the world , heereby she was drowned in securitie , and said she fate as a queene , and should see no euill , and so by securitie was hardned in her sins & therby committed the same more greedily ; and so being deceiued by sinne , grewe to deceiue others , that shee might the better excuse her selfe , and make prey of the blinded world : whereby as shee executed the wrath of god vpon the vtter court , and reprobates of the visible church ; so by her oppression and horrible wickednesse , by her vnsatiable ambition , and couetousnesse , by her diuellish treacheries and bloody cruelties , she is now growne hatefull to those that were her owne , being enuied for her greatnesse , hated for her wickednesse , and detested for her treacheries ; so that her owne greatnesse hath begun , and will certainely accomplish her iust ouerthrow , and fatall destruction : her owne louers that formerly aduanced her , being bewitched with the cup of her fornications , as they haue hitherto , so still they shall leaue her , for her odious wickednesse : yea , they shall not cease to spoile , and vtterly roote her out , that so her destruction may be their safetie ; and the lord may be glorified in his righteous iudgements . euen so , o lord , hasten thy worke , for the comfort of thy church , and glorie of thy great name . and let this in the meane time admonish the wise , that they be not partakers with her of her sins , lest they partake with her of her plagues . aboue all : let it aduise vs , especially to take heed of these two capitall sinnes , of pride , and couetousnesse , the one being the meanes to nourish the other , and yet couetousnesse being the meanes to confound pride , in that it cannot be satisfied , cannot attaine it desire . let ieremies counsell to baruch , be seasonable in these daies ; seeke not after great things . if our hearts bee right , we haue an higher ayme ; and if they bee not , wee cannot wish a greater plague , still to be desiring what we cannot haue ; and when we haue the most , making our burthen the greater , and our account more heauy , at that great day . let this teach vs to labour contentednesse in our estates , by acknowledging our vnworthinesse of the best , and the sufficiency of the least , with the blessing of god , by dayly resigning our selues into the hands of our god : and imploying our talents faithfully to his glory , not considering so much what wee are short in of others , aboue vs ; but how many there are , that are short of our measure labouring to supply what is wanting in out-ward things , by storing vp inward graces , which the more we heape vp , the lesse we shall desire and esteeme the others ; and the more we haue , the more we shall receiue ▪ considering still of the shortnes of our liues , and suddainnesse of our account , that so still we may be rather carefull how to vse well , and so to account comfortably for what we haue , because we know not how soone we may leaue it : then to be desiring and caring for to morrow , because we know not what to morrow may bring . note . labour we therefore to rectifie our iudgements , concerning our ambitious desires , as if these did argue an ingenuous and free spirit : seeing , as there cannot be a greater marke of a degenerate minde , then to doate , and hunt greedily after earthly riches ; because where our treasure is , there also are our hearts : what we doate vpon , that wee make our god. so hereby shall wee approoue that we are risen with christ , if our affections be set vpon things that are aboue , and not on things below ; and the lesse care we haue of earthly things , the more are our hearts enflamed with the law of god : the more enliued with the hope of a better life . thus an vnsatiable desire of earthly things , possesseth euery man naturally : this conuinceth the obliquity and desperate state of nature ; this as i● argueth it subiect to sathan , who is the prince of this world , so by this baite of the world he easily ensnareth vs to ineuitable destruction ; for so it followeth in the second place , had nor satan matter to worke vpon from vs , he could neuer preuaile to our destruction ; were we not as tinder , apt to receiue the fire ; nay , had we not an whorish corruption in vs , alluring him ●o attempt ●s , though he were neuer so instant , yet should he be disappointed . but behold now , the driuing of the bargaine ; what is it , that encourageth and enableth sathan to preuaile for our destructions there is a traytour within the citie , to open the gates to him ; our vnsatiable desires of these things is that which he workes vpon . where these are , he easily fetcheth ouer the soule . the minde that is alwayes heauing after earthly things , is an easie and sure prey to sathans malice . the desire of riches is the roote of all euill , exposing to tentation and snare of sathan . and no maruaile . reason . because as this argues an heart of vnbeliefe , which hath renounced confidence in god , and so being iustly forsaken of god , is thereby left to the malice of satan . reason . so these endlesse desires exclude and chase all good motions of the spirit ; yea , all law of common equitie , and so the rather expose to satans allurements : reason . yea , where such desire hath taken hold , it exposeth greedily to any desperate wickednesse , for the accomplishment thereof , whereby the conscience becomes obdurate and senslesse , not onely of euill , but also the danger thereof : and so is the rather suppressed by the enemie ; reason . yea , which is the worst of all : this thirst of earthly things puffeth vp , and bewitcheth the minde with a false conceit of happinesse , and excellencie . as if this were the onely happinesse to engrosse and compasse all , that we may liue alone vpon the earth ; that none may share with vs ; none may controule vs : and so thereby layeth it most desperately open to satans market , as making the delusion effectuall , and so smiting the hand , for the confirmation of the bargaine . if happinesse consist in enioying the world , then what need we feare to venture the soule ; vnlesse we enuie our owne happinesse ? thus did satan fetcht ouer our first parents , abusing first their iudgements with a conceit of happinesse , in which ( indeed ) was their baine : suggesting , that if they did eate of the forbidden tree , they should be so farre from death , as that they should bee as gods ; knowing good and euill : and so by this slight easily brought them to his lure . lastly , if we consider what followes thereupon : namely , that though worldlings conceit of happinesse in these earthly things , yet they are confounded in their hopes , and fall short of their compasse ; though they desire all , yet many times they attaine not any such measure , as may satisfie their desires . how can this choose but breed despaire , and fearefull confusion ? and is not this now satans time to make prey of the soule ? now curse god and die , because we cannot haue our will. i cannot be worse ( saith the desperate soule ) and therefore the foole rageth and is carelesse ; nay , satan is not so ready to make prey of the soule , as he is to hasten the worke : achitophel now hath no helpe , but to hang himselfe ; i cannot endure this disgrace , my credite is gone , and therefore i am weary of my life ; and heere-upon i will be couragious , to let it out my selfe . behold the issue of worldly desires , they first puffe vp with pride , and then sinke in despaire , and so expose to sathans butchery . vse who so is wise let him vnderstand these things , and to whom the arme of the lord shall reueale them , let him cleare and iustifie the lord , seeing his condemnation is of himselfe . if wretched man doth make the wedge of gold his hope , and sets light by his soule for the obtaining of this trash , renouncing the happines of the life to come , for the enioying of this present ; is he not then the executioner of gods righteous iudgement vpon him ; doth he not subscribe to his owne condemnation ? the waies of god are equall and righteous altogether , but our wicked waies and desires do iustlie light vpon our owne pates , and our owne wisdome is our confusion . take notice therefore in the feare of god , of this euill sicknes reigning in thee naturally : & be thou wise to discerne the power and growth thereof , that so thou maiest preuent the malice of sathan . the regenerate themselues haue not beene without some spice of this disease : the apostles dreame of an earthly kingdome , and peter would faine haue tabernacles built on earth , to enioy some constant happines heere . the saints haue fretted at the prosperity of the wicked , because they haue conceited it belonged vnto them , and who should rather haue it then they , who can best tell how to vse it ? and yet all this but tentation , arising either from ignorance of better things , or ouer-prising these present . blessed be god , the saints haue acknowledged their folly heerein , and iustified the prouidence of god disposing at his pleasure these earthly things . and therefore if any such desire ouertake thee , conceiue it to bee a tentation against the power and wisdome and prouidence of god ; and thy future good : and so enter into the sanctuary of the lord ; for resolution herein pray with holy dauid ? incline my heart vnto thy testimonies , and not vnto couetousnes . that these desires may not preuaile , keepe thy selfe wisely within the bounds of gods prouidence , vsing onely lawfull meanes for the compassing of thy designes ; so shalt not thou be exposed to sathans malice . consider the shortnes of thy life , and what will serue necessitie ; and so shalt thou cut thy coate according to thy cloath , seeing thou knowest not what the morrow will bring , that care is taken . and lastly , be wise to turne the streame another way ; set thy affections on things aboue , and labour for that gaine which hath sufficiency for it vnseparable companion ; seeke to bee rich in grace , & to aboūd in euery good worke : so shall thy bloudy issue be stanched , thy thirst satisfied of earthly things ; now thou hast drunke of that fountain , thou shalt neuer thirst againe , at least thou shalt so thirst , as that thou shalt be satisfied , math. . . to conclude this point : seeing we cannot be without these things , and it pleaseth god oftentimes to cast them vpon vs ; here be thou wise to put thy knife to thy throat , to set boūds to thy desires & affections to outward things . as first , if riches encrease , set not thy heart vpon them , psal . . . and that thou mayest not be bewitched by them ; consider that they are common blessings ; which the wicked for the most are partakers of in greater measure ; and therefore in these thou mayest be no otherwise happie , then that the vilest may exceed thee heerein . remember their condition , that they are slipperie and mutable , and therefore no fit matter to place thy eternall happinesse on : if they will not auaile thee in the day of wrath , pro. . . much lesse will they secure that of constant happinesse . they are burthens at the best , and snares if thou close with them ▪ and therefore when thou hast most thou cariest thy clogge with thee , & if thou watchest not warily , they will proue snares to entangle thee . they are onely good to these that are sanctified , and therefore labour first for the meate that shall endure for euer ; and be carefull to sanctifie them dayly vnto thee by the word , & praier , tim. . . that so the blessing of thy god may make them vsefull vnto thee . and seeing at the best they are but burdens vnto thee , and thou but a steward of them ; ease thy selfe wisely of this burthen , by a bountifull communicating vnto others ; especially to the household of faith : & prepare thy soule to a dayly reckoning , either by some change in this life , or the day of refreshing , when thou must giue vp a finall account . thus shalt thou so enioy these things as not onely to preuent the snares of satan , but to lay vp a good foundation thereby against the day of christ . . tim . . if the lord hath yet kept thee short of that portion which he hath giuen wisely to others : that thou maiest herein also be maister of thy desires , learne first : to submit thy will to the will of the lord , who may do with his owne what he will. is thine eye euill because his is good ? consider that the least thou hast is more then thou deseruest , and say with holy iacob , oh lord , i am not worthy of the least of thy mercies ; and this shall prouoke to thankefulnes for what thou hast , and teach thee to waite vpon thy god in the blessing thereof . remember that thou broughtest nothing into the world , and shalt leaue all with the world , and therefore hauing food and raiment , therewith be thou content . tim. . . . consider the wisedome and goodnes of thy god , that now thou maiest go lighter to heauen , and hast a lesse account to make in the great day : and therein blesse god for thy little , because a small thing that the righteous hath is better then great riches of the vngodly . psa . . . and if yet thy desires may be enlarged for more , yet bound them still with subiection to thy god : set not the stock vpon it , as if either thou must haue so much , or else thou canst not waite on thy god in perswasiō of his loue : but desire with condition , as it shall turne to thy good ; and so what is best shal be suplied vnto thee ; either thou shalt haue more , or that which thou hast shall giue contentment . and heere it shall much auaile to order thy desires , if in steed of enlarging the same , thou rather restrainest them : as well to be abased and emptied of what thou hast , as to abound in seeking more ; oh , how shalt thou thus maister thy greedy desires ? how maiest thou prepare thy selfe to euerlasting fulnes ? lastly , let thy rest be still vpon the prouidence of thy god , who feedeth the rauens and clotheth the lillies , though they neither spinne nor labour therefore and shal not he much more increase thy oile in the cruse , the meale in the barrell ? if thou canst be faithfull a little , shalt thou not see greater things thē these ? thus maiest thou captiuate thy carnall affections , especially if with thy small measure of outward things , thou shalt compare thy portion of grace ; which if it be lesse , thou hast more neede to raise thy affections higher : if it bee more : why art thou troubled for this outward want ? this grace shal be sufficient , and so sathan shal be excluded . but alas , he will not be shut out so : his triumphs are too apparent , his delusions too forcible : how many are content for these things to trade with him to the losse of their soules ? how ordinarily do men transgresse for morsels of bread ? how willingly is the soule made a prey for the gaining of earthly things ? obser . behold the bargaine , and tremble at it ; blesse thy god that thou hast not beene ouerraught ? and lamēt the misery of thy bretheren that are daily thus deceiued . how commonly do men prostitute their soules for the loue of the world ? shall wee discouer the delusions which preuaile hereunto ? reason . they liue by sense , and not by faith , and see no better , and cannot see a farre off , . peter . . and therefore no maruaile if they dote vpon the present : and so not long able to liue by faith in the speciall prouidence of god , and hope of better things , no maruaile if they make a contradiction betweene these things which are indeede onely subordinate , concluding that they must liue ; and therefore they must deceiue , breake saboth , what not ? as if conscience to god , and care of this life , were contradictions ; we could not thriue and liue in the world ; and thriue to heauen also : whereas indeede if we could trust god , & waite vpon him , we might finde that godlines hath the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come . indeed if we could trust in god , & waite vpon him , in well doing , we should verily be saued : we shold want nothing that is good . as worldlings want faith , so they want patience : and therefore seeing they cannot tary the lords leasure for the blessing of their labours , therefore they will take what is at hand , what soeuer it cost them : what is this birth-right vnto them , seeing they dye for hunger ? tell me not of my soule , i must not sterue , and be discredited ; i must be receiued when i am put out of my stewardship , and therefore i see no way but to deceiue and so to prouide for my selfe . thus want of patience breeds resolued wickednesse , and this exposeth the soule as a prey vnto satan . reason . adde we hereunto that fearefull condition whereunto worldlings are subiect : that whereas they account their conscience as their greatest enemy , and their credit and estimation as their chiefe friend , nay as the onely idoll whom they worship : therefore seeing their thriuing in the world is that which may both maintain their credit , on the one side , and also either lull the conscience asleep , or flatter it on the other side : if prosper in the world , either they haue no sence of dāger ; or els all is well , because they prosper . ephraim saith , i am rich & encreased in substance , and therefore they shall find no iniquity in me , that were wickednes ; either i am senceles of euill , because my heart is fatted vp with prosperty , or if i am priuie of my selfe of any , yet god is at peace with me : i haue more then my heart can desire . is it any maruaile if now hands be strucken , the bargain is made vp ; either i haue no leasure to thinke on my soule , because the world comes so fast vpon me ; or my soule is safe enough , seeing i haue my desire : or , which is common with worldlings to wish in this case , so i may enioy this happines , let them take heauen who list , i haue my portion already , and therfore i looke for no other . reason . the iustice of god is admirable herein , who giuing the wicked now their hearts desire ; nay , more indeed then they would desire : doth not this encrease the delusion by lulling them in securitie , and flattering them in a vaine conceit , of present happinesse , that they may willingly renounce the happinesse of the life to come ? that so they may not repent of their bargaine , but euen sticke vnto it , and so harden their necks against all contrary blasts . reason . lastly , the policie of satan is herein also notorious , that though there should be some hucking at the bargaine , by reason of some crosses which may befall them in the world ; or some reckonings of conscience within , to confound the sin : yet herein also are they supplyed with meanes to make them sticke to their bargaine . either they haue beene too scrupulous in their dealings with men ; which may arise from the light of common equitie and selfe loue , because they expect like dealing themselues : and therefore now they must mend the matter , by letting loose the conscience to greater euils of oppression , and such like grosse wickednesse ; that so they may quiet the conscience , by deading the sence : or else , they haue beene crossed in the world , to see whether they will be daunted with a little , to try their homage thereto ; or because they haue not been carefull enough : and therefore now they must redouble their cares , and more intend the mayne ; they must now be more industrious to recouer their losses , more abiect and slauish to make vp their mouthes . oh , how common are these courses with worldlings ! how fearefully heereby doe they enthrall themselues to destruction ? to conclude this point , that god may bee iustified , and satan excusable in comparison of our selues , that our destruction may appeare principally to be contriued by our selues : may we not obserue in worldly men , as an vnsatiable desire in these things , excluding all heauenly obiects , and so drawing on satan to chaffer with them , so many such desperate fetches , both in the compassing of these things , as also in the enioying of them , which doe necessarily auouch the making vp of this bargain . consider , i pray you with me , their ground , and meanes in compassing these things ; obserue now wisely their ende , in labouring for the same . touching their ground ; is it not plaine idolizing and deifying of these things , by putting their confidence in them , as if these were the god that they onely must adore ; as if happinesse , did onely consist in these ? iob . and doth not hence follow another fearefull ground ; that as these are counted the true happinesse , so they are able to make them perfectly happie , that enioy them : and therefore he that enioyes them most , hath most happinesse ; and so as god , may rule and doe what he list . and what neede he then take care for any other happines ? what need he feare whatsoeuer bug-beares of heauen or hell , that simple men are feared withall ? let vs eat and drink , for to morrow wee shall die , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . giue me the present , take the future who list . such are the grounds to compasse these things , and are not the meanes suteable ? yea surely . how can we expect grapes of thornes , or figges of thistles ? as these are perswaded , so they practise . no god in comparison of these , & therfore no god to the compassings of them . the cōscience is too nice a rule to guide thē herein . the word too precise , and enuious against their happines . and yet that they may haue some colour to deceiue , and be deceiued , heere the law of man , nay the abuse rather of the law , and custome of the time , comes in to be their warrant . thus it hath passed , and therefore it is currant . nay , is not the present euent vsually a warrant herein ? it hath sorted well ; and therefore it is well : what should i say ? a deceiued heart hath seduced them , and a deceitfull world hath bewitched them ; they must not be like no body , they shall lose their custome , if they will not buy and sell on the sabboth ; they shall be deceiued , if they studie not to deceiue : conscience goes a begging , and craft is the way to thriue ; if man see not , god will forgiue : and that man may not see , we will haue darke lights , and false waights ; the epha shall be made great , and the shekle small ; we will be at a word when we deale with professors , that we may deceiue the sooner . and we will haue three wordes to the bargaine , rating our wares at treble the value ; that we may fetch off the ideo● , if not at the first , yet at the second or third rebound . is not euery trade a mysterie forsooth ? and is not this mysterie abused commonly to deceiue , and be deceiued ? my skill faileth me to diue into this mysterie ; onely i desire , that into their secrets my soule may not enter ; my glorie may not be ioyned with their assemblies . let this suffice , happy man that so toucheth pitch , as not to be defiled with it ; that so seeketh these things , as that he hazardeth not his precious soule . too manifest it is , that the most take this libertie , and which is most fearefull , they sinne euen by licence . the vsurer hath his warrant , the deuils factor ( i meane ) the stage-player , his colour to owne him to his maister . the best calling not without it snare to enthrall the soule . this shall appeare the better , if we now consider the ende of compassing these things : which what is it vsually else , but either that we may liue vncontrouled , that the soule may take it ease , and eternize it name ouer the earth , that it may out-face and dare heauen , that it may fat vp it selfe to the day of slaughter ? where church maintenance for our faithfull labour , must discharge the same , as if it were onely a-preferment of learning , and not an encouragement to painefulnesse ; where simon magus must enter in , and poore simon peter liue vpon almes ; where diotrephes that loues the preeminence must engrosse all , and gallio cares not for these things : whose god is their belly , there end must needes be damnation ; who thus sow to the flesh , shalll they not of the flesh reape corruption ? thus the ende of worldlings in heaping vp riches , discouers their deceit , and so their desperate case . and can we looke for a better haruest of such fearfull seedings ? consider we a little , how they vse these things : are they not vsually in extreames and so bode extremity ? either the loue of these so besotte them , that for feare of parting with them , they cannot affoord themselues any comfortable part thereof : it more comforts them to behold them , that they may haue the credite and possession thereof , then to take their part of them cheerefully for their maintenance : who so poore in this case , as they that are vsually most rich ? who lesse enioy that they haue , then they that haue most ? so righteous is god to make them purueyers for others , they shall hoord vp siluer as the dust , but the righteous shall diuide it : so shall the rust of what they haue hoorded vp , bee a witnesse against them , and consume them with fire : so shall the cry of the poore whom they haue oppressed in scraping , and defrauded in detaining from them , pull downe vengeance vpon their heads and hasten their owne comfort , in their iust confusion . doe they not in distrust of gods prouidence , vsually make idols of these things , and so are giuen vp to make idols of themselues ? hauing mouthes and yet dare not taste , hauing bellies , and yet pine themselues ? as they vse their goods as babies , onely to gaze and play withall ; so they make babies and sots of themselues , fit onely to be gazed at , and scorned of the world . loe , this is the man that boasted of his riches , and put his confidence in the multitude of his treasures . thus they which haue oppressed others in gathering goods , are iustly left to oppresse and defraude themselues of the lawfull vse of them , feeding themselues chiefly with the winde of credite , and vaine estimation , and so they iustly reape the whirle-winde of gods righteous vengeance . and thus are many caried with this extreame ; others that thinke to hit it , by taking their portion , yet doe they not as fooles fall into the other extreame , by prodigalitie and excesse ? witnesse their fat paunches , and leane soules ; their whorish attire , and barren possessions , where a paire of slippers shall deuoure a whole lordship and a cast at dice , cast the master out of all hee hath ; when the harlot shall bring another to a morsell of bread , when the contentious spirite of some , shall make them foote-stooles to set the lawyer aloft : and the idle braine of many shall make my gentleman a begger ; when the broker shall fleece him , and the vsurer flea my yong master , for his filthinesse and gaudery : who will not say that this wealth was disposed for the owners destruction ? that plenty hath brought forth vanitie , and the daughter hath deuoured the mother ? thus by the gathering and abusing of these earthly things , it is more manifest that worldlings engage their soules for them , and so following and honouring satan , herein doe bewray themselues to be his , to whom they doe homage . vse oh , that we were wise to try ourselues hereby . is it not now a ruled case among worldlings , that there is no hell but to be in debt ? that it is madnesse to thinke that there is any such couenant with satan ? haue not the worldly wise condemned the whole doctrine and practize of witch-craft , which is by compact with satan , because they would be sure of their couenants with him ? and is not the ground thereof , that roote of atheisme , that they account of no god but mammon , no heauen but worldly happinesse ? tell a worldling that he is ruled by the god of this world , that his loue of money argues him to bee his slaue , and he will boldly reply ; that he defies the diuel , he hopes to blesse himselfe frō him as well as the best . and yet his way vtters his folly and desperate estate ; he hath made the wedge of gold his hope : and therefore his hope and foundation is built vpon the sandes , his wisedome is worldly , and therefore sensuall , and so consequētly diuellish . deceiue not therfore thy selfe in the feare of god ; thou mayest be receiued into an outward couenant with god , & yet make a secret compact with satan , for the vndoing of thy soule . oh , how many demi-asses may bee found among vs , that howsoeuer they haue giuen their names vnto christ , yet they haue giuen their hearts to the diuell ; and all by embracing this present world . shall we for our better informing take a view of some of them ? doth cain build cities , & seeke to nestle himselfe surely on the earth , to auoid the storme of heauen ? this plainely doth auouch his reiection from god. if balaam for promotion , will bring god to his wicked bent : doth he not loue the wages of iniquitie , and expose his soule to the rage of sathan ? if saul to cloake his sinne , will be hindered of the people , shall he not be reiected of god , and hasten his own confusion ? doth iudas sell his maister for the wages of vnrighteousnesse , and doth he not set his soule to sale to the deuill ? as by these , and the like examples of diotrephes , hymeneus , alexander &c , wee may take some scantling of our estates , whether wee haue made this bargaine , or no : so yet to make a more particular search hereof , let vs examine our hearts by these rules ; do we first seeke the world , and not the kingdom of heauen ? will wee make sure of thriuing first , before wee labour for knowledge , and the feare of god ? and if it come to the iumpe , that either we must straine our conscience , or lose our profit ; because we cannot bee contented with a meane , wee cannot waite vpon the blessing of god in the way hee hath commanded , wee will venture a ioynt whatsoeuer come of it . is the sabboth no barre to hinder our vnsatiable desires , but either we wish it were gone , that wee may returne to our vomit , or we cannot stay so long but euen on the lords day we will serue our lusts in buying and selling , in tossing and tumbling vp and downe , making that day of rest restlesse , by our worldly thoughts and carnall pursuites , by our prophane pleasures and pretended liberty ? haue we begun in the spirit , and haue quickly enough thereof ? and so we can easily limite our selues in heauenly things , we haue knowledge enough ; nay , we may be too zealous , too holy , more precise then wise , too much learning may make vs madde , or fooles : to leaue a bird in hand for that in the bush , that so we may enlarge our desires with hell , and stil cry with the daughters of the horseleech , giue , giue . and haue we no leasure for religion , our thrift comes in so fast , al time is too little , either to husband wel that we haue , or to better our estate ? lastly , for the better iustifying our selues in our temporising and hypocrisie : do we now labour to stint others to our measure , both by traducing such as are before vs in grace , as vnreasonable and madde fellowes , that know no compasse , as by alluring them with our glorious shewes , to curse where they will blesse ▪ to call light darknes , and darknes light ? surely these are more then probable coniectures , that our foules are engaged to the world , that our heauen is on earth , and our happines in hell . in a word , where credit is the guide and bridle of conscience , and profit the touchstone and square of religion ; where conscience is the broker to colour deceite , and religion the factor and handmaide for profit ; where ciuill honestie goes currant for substantiall righteousnes , and bodily seruice is a sufficient couering for secret wickednes ; where the fruite of the body must satisfie for the sinne of the soule , and the mercy of god must be the cloake to cruelty against our selues and others ; will the lord be mercifull to presumptuous sinners , can there be hope of mercy without the bonds thereof , seeing there is mercy onely with him that he may be feared ? and is there any feare of god , where prophanesse is iustified , & that by abusing and peruerting the straight waies of god ? and can these be but abused where credit is made the head , and conscience the tayle ? can the conscience be free where profit limits religion , and ciuility is the iudge thereof ? and can wee admit of any iudge then ciuill honestie ? must we not make the best of what we haue , seeing wee will haue no better ? this serues the turne for the present , and what neede we any more ? and is not now bodily seruice made an idoll , and will worship set in the seate of the scorners ? vve despise all others that make conscience of their waies , they are but a base and beggerly multitude , that know not the law ; if they cannot liue by their religion , they haue a bad master ▪ and therefore welfare worldly wisdome , that hath two strings to it bow ; if god will not helpe , yet wel fare mammon to helpe at a pinch . and seeing mammon serues our present turne , what more profit shall we haue in the seruice of god ? nay , may not our precisenesse hinder our profit ? and therefore religion must be cast off as an enemy to our owne profit , or else submitted to the compasse thereof . behold the power of delusion preuailing with worldlings , and let vs wisely trie our selues hereby . to conclude this point : seeing this bargaine is a mysterie rather performed in deedes then in words , not without it glorious pretences to ensnare vs more easily , & accompanied with dangerous sophistrie , whereby we hope to come out thereof ▪ learne we then in the feare of god , first what these vizers and pretences are , and how we may disclaime them . the vizers vnder which this fearefull bargaine is concealed ; are f●●st ▪ that the blessing of god maketh rich , to thriue and encrease in the world is the gift of god , and recompence of our labours , and therefore who would not labour for aboundance , seeing the lord giues time thereto what neede we feare danger in that which is a blessing ▪ which though it bee true to those that be sanctified , yet neither ●y childe of god must looke for this blessing , because it seemeth good to our god to giue some more , that they may be stewards for others , so also to giue some lesse , that there may be a maintenance of the holy fellowship , by this mutuall communication of each others gifts ? and so this diuersitie of outward gifts , that the rich may ease the poore of their burthen of want by communicating of their store vnto them , and the poore may also ease the rich of their burthen of riches , and further their reckoning against the day of the lord by their thankfulnes and prayers ; thus the rich and the poore meete together , the lord is the maker of them both . and the lord may haue the onely glory of his wise prouidence , though in giuing to each as pleaseth him , yea in satisfying each in this different measure here with thankfulnes and contentment . and so either of them may be prouoked to hunger after durable riches , the rich in that they are but tennants at will , and stewards for others , and therefore must giue vp their account : and the poor also hereby prouoked to hunger after heauenly treasures , in that they are wisely stinted & dieted of the present . and therefore as neither the saints must reckon of these blessings , so neither must they measure the worth of their labours hereby , as if they did not serue god aright if they were not recompenced with aboundance ; because as our seruice of god deserueth not the least , so to serue god for these things , is to serue our selues aboue him : and so though we haue our reward heere , yet we may misse of it in a better life . and therefore that iob may not be iustly challenged to serue god for these things , they shal be taken from him , that his secret corruption may be purged out , & sincerity approued . and on the contrary , many an hypocrite and earthworme shal haue his portion in this life , & be glutted in these things more then his heart can desire , that so he may be iustly deceiued , in what he desires to be flattered , namely , an opinion of goodnes ; and may also deceiue others hereby , that measure righteousnes by outward prosperitie ; & yet most fearefully also deceiue himselfe , not onely in finding no contentment in this his supposed happines , but on the contrary , being giuen vp by one delusion to another . that as he accounts it a seale of his vprightnes to be crowned with aboundance , so he shal esteeme this his happines ; either on the one side , to abuse these things by putting them to no vse but vsury , and so defrauding himselfe and others of the comfort of them ; or else on the other side , imagining this his happines to crowne his head with roses , & fare deliciously euery day , he shall be giuen vp to the abuse of these things by riot and excesse : not onely to the iust shame and confusion of all his ciuill honestie , and conceited goodnes ; but to the iust ouerthrow of his conceited happines in them ; as by his ryot and superfluity , bringing himselfe ofttimes to a morsell of bread , and yet cannot haue so much as the huskes which the swine fed on , to satisfie his necessitie ; and so hereby plunging himselfe into fearefull shifts , and wofull despaire . behold here the power of his delusion . and conclude we iustly hence , that the aboundance of outward things , as they are but common blessings , so they are often giuen to the wicked as curses , to hasten their destruction . and they are often denyed to the godly in mercy , to try their sincerity , their faith , and patience ; and also to prouoke their appetite to more heauenly treasures . so that , it is not the hauing of aboundance , but the right vse thereof , which is the blessing of god , . tim. . , . whereby wee shall lay vp a good foundation against the life to come . and therefore it is but a delusion to imagine that the more we haue , the more we are blessed , as being the colour whereby satan drawes vs on to this bargaine ; laying hereupon this false ground in our hearts , that wee must abound in these things , or else we cannot be blessed . and so vpon this sandy foundation , raysing vp this towre of babell by diuers stones : as first , to take vp our hearts especially , to the compassing hereof , and so to preuent them of the true riches : next to plunge vs into any base and carnal courses for the enioying of the same , and so harden the conscience in sinne . and lastly , to exclude repentance euer , by the enioying hereof ; as if this were our happinesse , to be secure of our estates : and why may we not be secure , seeing we sit as a queene , and shall see no euill ? we say in our prosperitie , we shall neuer bee remooued ; we haue feathered our neasts on high , and our habitations shall continue for euer . and so securitie makes way to sudden destruction ; thou foole , this night shall they fetch away thy soule : euen when thou sayest vnto thy soule ; take thine ease , thou hast goods laid vp for many years . learne we hence therefore in the feare of god , to discerne this dāgerous colour , & so be we wise to preuent the same , as heretofore hath beene directed . the second colour wherby satan draws vs on to this desperate bargaine , is the pretence of our callings : some wherof are such , as cannot be managed without aboundance ; and herein the delusion is more forcible , for the enthralling of the soule ; both in that aboundance , beeing an inseparable companion to greatnes , doth hereby puffe vp the heart , and so exalts it against the lord , as if this great babel were attained by our own wit and industrie , but vsually that we come to that fulnes without our owne labour and endeauours . hereupon we grow carelesse in the vse of what wee came so lightly by , and either vpon vaine pretence of munificence , we lauish out on such as wee purpose to honour , that so we may be as gods ; in bestowing where we will : or , we supply prodigalitie , by oppression of others ; and so affect a kinde of deitie , in taking from whom we list ; and so on either side , doe willingly endanger our precious soules , either by putting confidence in that which daily we confound in our abuse ; or els by abusing the trust that is committed vnto vs , as beeing but stewards for others , and seruants to the common good . behold here then the delusion in high callings ; and learne we thus in the feare of god , to auoid the snare thereof . consider we that high callings , though they require necessarie supply of aboundance , yet it is not so much for their owne , as the publique good : so to keepe their owne estate therewith , as that withall they remember , that they are subordinate to the highest ; who as he gaue them these things , so hee will require an account of thē . and secondly , that they are also herein but seruants to the publique ; so to carie their state , as the common-wealth may thereby flourish . and therefore they must euer bate of their fulnesse , to comfort the emptie soules : as good nehemias did not take their set allowance of the gouernour , for the reliefe of the distressed . and in this most absolute libertie , they must be confined within the boundes of best deseruing . for the casting of courtesies vpon a person , that is otherwise meritorious , is as seede that is cast into good ground : which commonly yeelds returne with much comfort ; so that our care and paines is so farre from being cast away , as that wee reioyce therein . especially , be they carefull to honour god with their fulnesse , in emptying of themselues , for the good of the church and common benefit ; that so they may giue vp their account with ioy . this concerning high callings . as for the other ordinary , and inferiour condition , though each through pride and discontent be ayming at the highest ; yet let him here obserue the rules before set downe ; and so shall he auoid the snare which lyes therein . and thus of the second colour , drawing on to this bargaine . a third colour there yet remaines hereto ; namely , the conceit of doing the most good : which seeing we then can lest do , when we haue most ; therefore each desireth aboundance , vpon pretence hereof : and so , either vpon pretence of doing good , swalloweth vp many euils in the gayning of these things , and so committeth euill that good may come thereof , whose damnation is iust ; or else , which is worse , and yet a common case , though he hath got much wickedly , yet by doing of good therewith , he hopeth to make amends ; and so is iustly met withall by diuine vengeance : either he is taken away in his euill getting , and so depriued of his hope of doing good , or making amends thereby ; or else , if he bee spared to try his charitie , is it vsually any other , then either to giue somewhat at his death , when he can keepe his mammon no longer ? and so it is not thankes-worthy ; or if any come from him while he liues , what is it else , but either to grease a fat sow , and cast water into the sea ? or else , he parts with a godgin to catch a pike , his table is a snare , and his wealth a nette to make him friends therewith , or bridle his enemies : either he must haue a trumpet to bring him in present reward , and depriue him of the future ; or hee giues with one hand , and kils with the other ; the body must be relieued to enthrall the soule , or the soule is neglected ; so the poore carkesse may be refreshed , and that rather sparingly to kill it often with a lingring consumption ; or glutted once a yeere , to fat it vp to the slaughter . behold the ordinary charitie of worldlings , and iudge whether they proue good to themselues or others . learne we therefore in the name of god ; thus to preuent this delusion . as first , by considering , that as the holy god hath appointed lawfull meanes for the obtaining of his owne blessings , so that we may not doe euill that good may come thereof ; so he requireth no more of vs , then accordingly as he giueth : the widows mite is accepted , when we haue no more ; and the pound of the vaine glorious is reiected , where lesse will serue the turne . neither the fruite of the body will procure any satisfaction for the sinne of the soule , but to do righteously and walke with god , this is acceptable with him . no other sacrifice of distributing to others , is so pleasing vnto god , but what is especially to the houshold of faith ; what may further our owne and others saluation . aboue all know we that god loueth a cheerefull giuer : and therefore while we liue , and haue time , let vs be doing of good , lest to morrow bee too late ; and let vs send our goods before vs to make vs friends of them , not leaue them behinde vs , lest wee lose the comfort of them : and whatsoeuer we doe , let vs ayme at the glory of god , and doe it for his sake , who thought not his life to be deare for vs : that so casting our bread vpon the waters we may finde it againe . and thus of these delusions , which draw men to this bargaine . there followeth another sorte of deceits , which giues vs hope that though we haue ventured on the bargaine , yet we may be free againe ; of which we shall haue fitter occasion to speake in the last place . and so we come to the last place of obseruation ; namely the iudgement of the bargaine , which if our sauour may be iudge , will profit vs nothing ; for so his words imply : what shall it profit a man ? that it as much to say , he shall profit nothing thereby . it is a very hard match to hazard the soule , though it were for the gaining of the whole world . the reasons hereof lie couched in the words themselues , which do imply two things . first , a comparison of the price with the thing bought ; the price is amplified , first by the matter thereof , which is the soule . secondly , by the appropriation , it is our owne , as being our best part , yea indeed al in al ; that which is the life of our life , that which must continue for euer with vs , when these things perish with the body ; that which eternally shall rue this bargain , when we haue no other benefit thereof . out of which two circumstances , the holy ghost doth inferre the iniquitie of the bargaine : as that first the immortall and diuine soule being made a price for these fading and earthly things , this argueth that we haue paied more for them then they are worth ; and so withall haue made a bad market . secondly , that when as in other bargaines though we haue lost at one time , yet we may helpe our selues in another , yet this losse is irrecouerable , because our soules once thus lost can neuer be recouered againe ; if sathan haue once got hold on vs by this bond , we are like neuer to get out againe : because it is a bargain made willingly , and with great aduice and wisdome : abusing religion and conscience to the driuing thereof , and reiecting all sence of religion and common honestie for the enioying thereof : what sacrifice now is left for sinne , to such that haue thus made a mock of the sonne of god , and esteemed basely of his bloud , in comparison of the world . and therefore let no man deceiue himselfe with vaine conceits , as if hell would be satisfied , or god mocked . doth he thinke to winde out of the bargaine by deceiuing the deuill with this tricke , that his soule was not his owne , and therefore he could not sell that which was none of his ? the holy ghost here contradicts him : it is his own soule . indeede it is not his owne to saue the same , he must be bought with a price , and so is not his owne ; but yet with this condition , that not as his owne , he may glorifie god therewith in body and spirit . to destroy and vndoe the same , so it is his owne , he hath this by inheritance , to be his owne destruction ; our destruction is of our selues , & that it may appeare so , what god hath decreed , we willingly execute in our conuersing with the world : we will haue presēt payment whatsoeuer it cost vs , & so that we may enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season ; we haue no respect to that great recompense of the reward . heb. . . oh but we hope to vndoe the bargaine by doing of good herewith . so indeede we may do good to others hereby , and haply to our selues for a season . but yet withall more confirme the bargain , in that our doing good to our selues , doth but harden the heart the more in sinne , and lull it in securitie , to expose it thereby to suddaine vengance : and our well doing to others may bee the vndoing of their soules ▪ or though they fare the better euery way hereby , yet this doth not hinder , but that we may still fare the worse : as enioying more at their thriuing vnder vs , or boasting & contenting our selues with others thriuing , as hoping to make them our trumpes , or sponges in time of neede : howsoeuer , for good to other we may looke for indulgence , yet in the meane time we are cruell to our own soules ; and so for this cruelty shal be condemned and iudged of our selues . oh but thou wilt say , though none of these things will serue the turne , yet i may repent of the bargaine , and so it may be broken . so did iudas of betraying his maister , and yet he foūd no mercy : so esau wept bitterly , and yet hee foūd no place of repentance . deceiue not thy selfe , god will not be mercifull to presumptuous sinners . it is impossible that if we thus sin willingly in the pride of our wisdome , that we shall finde mercy though we seeke the same . and alas , how doe we seeke for mercy in this case , but for feare of vengance ? and what remaines there vnto vs but a fearefull expectation thereof ? is it with purpose to be ridde of our sinnes , or rather for hope we may returne to our vomit againe ? or rather doe we not dreame of mercy , and yet when we are awake we are an hungry ? hanging in hel oftētimes without pardon about our neckes , because we haue not pleaded it in the acceptable time . oh take heede to trie such conclusions with thy soule ; it is thine owne , and these things are but lent thee ; & therefore take heed how thou part with an euerlasting inheritance , for a tēnant at wil ▪ it is thine owne , and must euer fare wel or ill with thee : and therefore be wise not to part with it , for that which when thou hast most neede of , will part with thee , and returne thy price againe , as the iewes did vnto iudas , to beginne & encrease thine euerlasting torments . oh how gladly now would worldlings wish that they had parted with their soules , neuer to thinke of them againe ! but alas ; heerein they are miserably deceiued ; they part with the happines of their soules , which was none of theirs to giue , and all the good they gaine hereby , is , to haue their soules returned vpon them , and stick to them in their confusion , to the most desperate continuance thereof for euer . and yet in the meane time there were some miserable comfort vnto worldly men , if they could for the present enioy their bargaine . but marke i pray you how the holy ghost sets down heerein , the subtlety of sathan , and so discouers in the place , the trechery of the bargain ; sathan will be sure of his part to fetch ouer their soules , though he neither can or would performe the bargaine vnto them . first i say , he makes sure worke with them : he binds them by their thoughts , they do dreame of no other heauen : sleeping and waking this is their compasse , to be rich , to liue in pleasure ; nay they cannot sleepe for this , they cannot wake but to this . . hee bindes them by their words , all their talke is of the world , and how to compasse the same : the saboath is no other wayes sanctified , but to conferre therof , either abroad as occasion serues , or at home in their closet . here they blesse their soules in what they haue , or may compasse : euery day too little to fetch in profit by lying or flattery , by detraction or wispering ; their very tongues are set on fire of hell , to owne them to their maister . especially , their way vttereth their foolishnesse , and slauerie to satan ; he is not so readie to offer , as they to execute : what by deceite in bargaining , and fraude in selling ; what by crueltie in oppressing , and cunning in vndermining ; what by engrossing to themselues , and encroaching vpon others . he is not wise , that hath not a tricke to deceiue the law , and so his owne soule . their purpose is well knowne to satan by their words and actions , and so hereby he surely bindes them to performance of the bargain . but now on the other side , doth hee performe with them ? nothing lesse . the holy ghost sets out his performance , which he cannot ; yet if , or though , supposing what may be , and so implying it cannot be . and indeed how can it be , that satan should performe with them ? alas , the earth is the lords , and the fulnesse thereof ; and he giues it to whom he please . but satan is the god of this world , and prince that ruleth in the ayre . true , but so onely reputed of the wicked , that adore no other thing ; so onely deputed vnder god , to deceiue and plague them therewith . he offereth to christ ; all these will i giue thee : alas , they were none of his to giue ; he cannot so much as take an haire of our head from vs , without the dispensation of the most high ; much lesse can he giue vs the least crumbe , but by leaue from god. and see herein also his notable treacherie , he offers these of gift freely , which are none of his to giue : and yet wee must exchange our soules for them , which are infinitely inualuable . thus is not satan able to giue vs these things , neither indeed are we capable of what hee so largely offers . what should wee doe with a whole world , whereof nothing is our due , and the least may serue the turne ? is it not at the least as sauls armour , too heauy a burthen for vs ? and when we haue the most thereof at the best , will it not prooue too heauie a reckoning without the blessing of god ? behold here then , the conclusion in the bargaine . neither can satan giue what he proffers , neither can we receiue the same : and indeed , neither would satan , if he could , performe with vs , to keepe our desires afoote , and so thereby our subiection to him , to any base courses for the attayning thereof . he enuies our present happinesse : and were he not bridled by the wise and mightie lord , so vnquencheable is his malice against the power and gouernment of our god ; that if there were no other reason but to disgrace the prouidence of god , he would daily breed combustions , and desolations among men . no man should enioy a day of present happinesse , he would be tormenting before his time , and make hell euen with the earth by contnuall butcheries and massacres . but he is wisely restrained by the lord , for the honour of his generall prouidence , and for the execution of his righteous iudgements against the wicked who serue him ; they shall not obtaine what they desire , to the iust confusion of their hellish homage , and yet to the hastening of their finall vengeance , by this disappointmēt of their hopes ; which either breed more griedinesse in sin to compasse the same , or els bring forth fearefull despaire , to thrust them violently vpon damnation : and all this , as righteously by the lord , vpon these that forsake him , so willing , by satan and themselues : who haue made faslhood their refuge , and are hid vnder vanitie , and so no maruaile if they reape what they haue sowen ; euen of the flesh corruption , and vtter confusion . obserue here wisely , the treacherie of the bargaine , and sit downe before hand , and cast vp thy peny-worths . is it no profit to aduenture thy soule for the world ? is the price too deare ? and yet thou shalt be deceiued too : if thou haue naamans talents , thou must haue a leprosie also to the bargain : if thou hast thy desire , thou shalt haue leannes in thy soule ; or though thou part with thy soule , yet shalt thou still be fed with the wind : either thou shalt not haue what is promised , or be better without it ; so to be giuen vp to the abuse thereof , as thereby only to ripen thy sinne , and so hasten thy vengeance ; or els to part with it then , when thou most depends thereon . will satan play thus false with thee , and cheate thee in thy bargaine ? oh then , be wise in the feare of god , to preuent his treacherie . admire not these gallants that reauell in these things , neither enuie their happines that haue payed so deare for them , lest this doating admiration , dazle and corrupt the eye of thy iudgement , that so thou mayest wish to be like vnto them ; and enuie of their happines leaue thee to satans malice , to be ensnared in such wayes which haue set them aloft . looke into the sanctuary of thy god , to the ende of these men , that their present lustre may not bewitch thee : and be alwayes thinking of that life which is without end ; that so thy heart may bee satisfied with the hope thereof . build thy foundation by faith , vpon the rocke , that no stormes may split thee ; and let the load-starre of hope guide thee through the surges , that the billowes may carie thee ouer safely , to thy desired hauen : let patience sit at the helme , to keepe thee in a setled course , and so shall experience be thy steere-man , to stablish thee in present stormes . so experience shall giue contentment , whatsoeuer doth befall thee , and contentment shall prouoke thankfulnes , for what thou hast vndeseruedly . thankfulnesse shall prooue an holy venture , to returne thee with vsurie ; either with a greater measure of these things , as shall be fittest for thee , or with what shall be farre better : euen a supply of spirituall pouertie , to hunger after durable riches ; happy pouertie , that will make thee rich for euer , and blessed hunger that shall be thus satisfied . oh , that we were wise thus to deceiue satan ! what roome could there bee for him , if the heart were so employed ? what hope of preuailing , where the soule is thus armed ? oh , that we could be thus wise for our latter end ! if we could daily renewe our repentance , how should we preuent , or reiect satans assaults ? if we could be humbled dayly in the sence of our vnworthynesse , how should we be thankfull for the least ? how could wee enuie and fret at the prosperity of others ? we should now finde too much to doe at home , to haue any leasure to looke abroad ; or if we looke abroad wisely , it will returne vs home againe , either to examine our selues whether we are such , or else to be carefull and circumspect ouer our selues that we may not be such . what can we see abroad which may not more humble vs vnder the hand of god ? and shall not our abasing in the presence of god , be the meanes of our exalting and acceptance with him . and what need wee desire the wine and the corne , when our god is at peace with vs ? is not he our sufficient portion , and shall we not with him haue all things else ? oh , let vs then make still sure of him , by seeking all from him , by renouncing all for him , and vsing all to him ; resting in him onely , and not our selues , when we are at greatest worldly ease , and making him our refuge when we finde no rest elsewhere . how shall this tryall of our faith perfect the worke by patience , that we may be perfect and entire , wanting nothing , enioying all things , euen when we haue nothing , and being rich in content , though wee are base and contemned of the world ? happy contempt , to keepe vs from the loue thereof , and make vs long the more after heauen ; yea most happy abasing of man , that casts vs vpon our god , to haue experience of his fauour , and euerlasting compassions . let them make the wedge of golde their hope , that haue no repose in god ; and let their glory be their shame , whose belly is their god. let them take their fill of dalliance , till a dart be strucke through their liuer ; and let them be contented with the leprosie , that will needs run after the talents of deceit . miserable foole , that will be thus led to the stockes , and as an oxe to the shambles ; wretched gehezi that to receiue that which his maister refused , partakes of that plague which his maister cured . to conclude all , a bargaine you see is a bruing ; and our vnsatiable hearts driue the same . a match is made vp , and we see the danger of it : wee are deceiued therein , and yet cannot helpe our selues . let vs therefore bee wise to set bounds to our restlesse desires , and let vs turne the currant contrary , that so wee may wade safely and enioy our endeauours ; vnhappy they , that so desire , as that they can be sooner wearied , then satisfied with their labours . miserable men that seeke for happinesse in sinfull vanitie and changeablenesse , and can finde this their onely content to be restlesse in the pursuit of what they cannot compasse ; or what they compasse , increaseth their miserie : most desperate their estate that haue no hope but in this life , wherein ( notwithstanding ) they are iustly deceiued and confounded . oh then , happy they that haue the god of gods for their refuge , who sweetens vnto them all their bitter pilles , and hereby preuents surfaiting of worldly excesse : happy they that haue their affections set vpon heauenly things , which can neither be taken from them , though they are from them ; and so being from them doe encrease their spirituall appetite , that so they may neuer cease longing , till they be satisfyed with him . oh happy are they that can be contented with their estates ! because what the lord disposeth is best and fittest for them ; and yet by faith can still be restlesse after what is promised : that so god may fulfill the desires of them that feare him . yea they are happy , and euer more blessed are they that vse the world as strangers and as strangers are entertained thereof ; that so they may approue themselues to belong to another countrey , and may hasten to that countrie and citie which is aboue . this happinesse of the way , he which is the way grant vnto vs , euen for his trueth sake ; that so by him we may be conducted to the happinesse of our countrey . to whom with god the father , and the blessed spirit , three glorious persons and one god in vnitie , might and maiesty be ascribed of vs and all saints , as it is most due ; all glory , power , dominion , and thanksgiuing , with all feare and obedience , both now and for euer . amen . conclusion to the reader : resoluing certaine cases of conscience incident hereunto . thus hast thou gentle reader a briefe of such meditations , which by obseruatiō of worldly courses i haue conceiued , concerning the desperate estate of worldlings , endangering their soules for the gayning of worldly commodities . and for thy further satisfaction herein , that thou mayest preuent deceit in thy christian libertie , lest it be an occasion to the flesh ; and follow thy earthly plough so that the better plough still goe forward , i haue thought it necessarie to adioyne hereunto certaine cases of conscience , whereby thou mayest be resolued in such difficulties , and seeming contradictions as appeare betweene thy generall and ciuill calling ; that so thou mayest wisely subordinate the one vnto the other : and make thy ciuill calling , a furtherance to the perfection of thy generall . to this end , seeing , as the keeping of the sabboath is a speciall tryall and furtherance of synceritie in all other occasion ; so the maine quarrell of worldlings is against the same : either they would vtterly abolish the same that it may not be kept at all , or else they would delude and frustrate the power thereof vnder pretence of christian libertie . quaere . therefore the first quaere , shal be concerning the libertie which the sabboath allowes . what vse of our ciuill callings , and other accedents thereto , may bee allowed vpon the lords day . to which we answer briefly , that such liberty hereto is onely allowed herein , as the word and equitie therof doth confine vnto vs. namely . . that in case of necessitie for the preseruation of life , so that without present helpe it may be certainly endangered , wee may lawfully exercise our ciuill callings , but neither in the same manner as at other times , or to the same ends . first , i say , not in the same manner , that is ; not with the same intention of the minde , which on this day must be more abstracted from earthly affections , then another day : not so much our loue to the person , as our loue vnto god , must now beare sway in doing the thing with an entire respect to god commanding the same , that he may haue the glory of our simple obedience ; thē , that man may receiue benefit therby : which though i acknowledge is to guide vs at all times , yet specially the saboth requires this retired obediēce . and in our releeuing the person , though his body or state be in present danger , yet our principall ayme must be the reliefe of the soule by exhortation , reproof , &c. as occasion serues : and that without any respect of refreshing the minde of body by any such labour , which is lawfull at other times . thus is the different manner in regard of the minde ; and so also there must be a difference in the vse of the body : as so to exercise the body as specially to humble and abase it by the manner of our labour ; whereas at other times wee may more respect the ease thereof . and yet so farre onely to exercise it as not to tire & weary it , if vrgent occasion do not require , lest wearisomenesse require some such recreation thereof as is nor meete . and if any vrgent occasion may bring wearisomenes , yet now in steed of such bodily recreation , the minde may be enlarged to heauenly meditations and thankesgiuing , thereby to refresh the wearied carcase . whence it followeth that all bodily recreations that do not further vs to diuine worship , are vnlawfull on the lords day : because they serue onely to refresh the body after labour ; which is restrained therefrō ; otherwise i say , thē they shal make vs fitter to serue god , when we haue any liberty to labour vpon case of necessity , though we may vse that liberty to wearisomnes , yet this is to be releeued specially with spirituall recreation . this inferreth that the vse of our ciuil callings on this day , is not as they are ciuill , but rather as they are abstracted from all ciuill respects . and this shall appeare the better , if we consider the different ends of imployment on this day from the other . our end on ordinary dayes , may be benefit to our selues , for the encrease of our outward meanes and maintenance in the world ; so may we not do on the lords day . here wee must labour freely without hire or fee , our paines must be a free will offering without respect of recompence , to approue the sincerity of our obedience , wholy for gods sake , and not our owne . and that our labour must now be seuered from al respect or cōtentment of the body , but rather to the humiliation both of soule and body . the like must be resolued concerning such other workes as are allowed this day . as. . workes of charitie , which though they may now bee performed , ( as relieuing the poore , visiting the sicke and afflicted ) yet here they must be limited by the former circumstances , as after a diuers nature and to diuers endes then at other times . . now they are to be performed more liberally then at other times , in regard of the matter we giue ; because this day requires a restrayning of our selues herein , that we may be more enlarged to others ; both in that our lesse bodily labour hath need thereof ; and the greater labour of the mind , requires the lesse , lest it be hindred and dulled hereby . and yet in regard of the manner , they are to be performed more sparingly : lesse time bestowed thereon , lesse wearying of the body ; and all this that both bodie and soule may bee more free and ready in the worship of god. the like may be concluded of that other bodily worke allowed on the sabboath ; namely , the view of the creature : now the minde must be abstracted from all delight in them , as they serue for present vse , which may be allowed at other times ; and onely inflamed hereby to glorifie god , in the wonderfull varietie and vse of them , for the aduancement of his power and prouidence in their creation and gouernment , without any respect of right or vse of them to our selues . whence it followeth ? . that all liberall vse of the creatures in prodigall feasting , &c , is now forbidden , but onely such as may serue necessitie , and bee agreeable vnto good reason . . generally no other bodily labour is now admitted , but what is confined within the former bounds of necessitie and charitie , and the like , together with such other circumstances of different manner and end , as before are laid downe . and thus of the first case and resolution thereof . case . a second case ariseth ; that seeing the lord hath set apart but one day for his seruice , and left vs sixe for our ciuill callings : whether it be not lawfull to spend more time in following the world , then seeking after heauen ? and so whether though our thoughts runne more vpon present occasions of this life , then vpon those of a better , we may not yet haue comfort that our estate is secure , our interest good in eternall happinesse . the resolution hereof consists , first , in the consideration of the right vse and intent of the sabboath , which is principally to confine and employ our thoughts wholie vpon heauenly things and such occasions , as that day are publikely offered to further the same , and that for two ends . one , that this heauenly employment of our thoughts on this day , and so of our words and actions sutable thereto , may be both a resemblance of our pure and perfect estate in heauen , when all our thoughts , words and actions shall be thus wholy exercised , and also on euidence of our right in that happinesse , and withall may prouoke vs to sigh and hasten to that perfect estate ; by how much our experience of fayling in these things on this day argues our shortnes and aberration from that perfection . and hereupon followes another vse and intent of the sabboath ; namely , that by restrayning and setting our thoughts now onely vpon heauen , he obiects wee may at all other times keepe them better in order , that though they may haue libertie on the other dayes to worldly occasions : yet by the former imployment of them on the sabboath , they may now be so bridled and seasoned with holy grounds and spirituall ends : as that we may so vse the world as if we vsed it not , our hearts may not bee set vpon the same , though we must conuerse therewith : but both lifted vp to god for the sanctifying of our businesse , and kept still euer with god in the prosecuting thereof , and so returne vnto god for the blessing of the same , and relie again vpon god in waiting on his prouidence , and meditating of the heauenly riches : making still these worldly occasions daily matter to humble vs hereby , in that we cannot be without what in some sort hinders our intire fellowship with god : to exercise our faith and patience ; in that our labour is nothing without the blessing of god : to try our synceritie , that we can spare time for heauenly occasions , and season our earthly affaires with spirituall meditations . and so to prepare vs by a daily viewing of our reckonings , and making euen with god , to our great account ; and so hereby to sit vs the better to the next sabboath , and so to prouoke vs to hunger after the eternall sabboath . thus doth the right vse and entent of the sabboath extend to the holy ordering of our ciuill callings . and surely if we consider rightly in the second place , the right vse and ende of our ciuill callings . which is not so much for present maintenance of life , or to thriue thereby , as to humble vs vnder the mightie hand of god , in that we haue need of such meanes , which , had not sinne entred into the world , we should not haue had ; and so daily to renew repentance and thereby to prouoke to loue and compassion towards others ; that so we may lay vp a good foundation against the life to come ▪ the wise consideration and comparing of both these together ; both the right vse and ende of the sabboath and our ciuill callings , will happily further the resolution of these doubts , and satisfie the conscience , in any scruples that may arise there-from . for out of this comparison will arise these conclusions . first though the lord hath allowed vs sixe dayes for our ciuill callings , and but one for the generall , yet from this : proportion it doth not follow , that though more time be allowed for our worldly occasions then for our spirituall , therefore wee may enlarge our thoughts so much the more after worldly things ▪ then after those of a better life : seeing as our ciuill callings are ordained , not so much for the maintenance of this present , as that life which is to come ; so our managing of them must bee spirituall , with thoughts and actions deriued from that fountaine , guided by the same rule , and ayming at the same end. and therefore as the sabboath doth restraine vs altogether from these carnall worldly thoughts , as being simply euill on that day : so neither doe the other dayes otherwise allow them , then as they proceed from a spirituall intent to glorifie god in obedience to him in our calling , rather then to enrich our selues , and so ayme at a spirituall end , euen the furthering of vs to a better life . the summe of all is : . our ciuill callings one the lords day must wholly cease , but vpon the former occasions . . on the weeke dayes they must be followed , not with worldly but with heauenly minds . they must be begun with prayer , both priuate , and if it may be , with the familie : they must be continued with spirituall meditations , tending to weane vs from the loue of them ; by experience of the manifold distractions , the basenes , and corruption incident thereto , and so prouoking to raise vp the minde to heauenly obiects ; and they must bee ended with contentment , and thankefulnesse , with prayer , and humbly submitting to the will of god , and waiting by faith his glorious blessing . thus if we doe , our thoughts ( though conuersant with the world , yet ) shall haue sweet commerce with heauen ; our time , though more dayes spent in our ciuil callings , yet now thus employed , shall sanctifie them vnto vs , and sanctifie vs more and more by them , and so make euery day a spirituall sabboath . thus we shall walke with god , while we haue dealing in the world , & haue our conuersation in heauen , while wee are thus strangers on the earth : our thoughts though imployed vpon the world , yet shall not rest thereon , but retire againe to their true center of heauen ; and our wayes , though trauailing in the world , yet shall stil be ayming and hastening to our country which is aboue . so that , though we liue in the flesh , we shall not liue after the flesh : and though we may take care for the flesh , yet wee shall not care to satisfie the same , nor vse our libertie as occasion thereto . in a word , we shall hereby so vse the world , as that we may not loue it ; we shall so desire to liue , and seeke meanes for the maintenance thereof ; as that still wee shall bee ready to die , and to leaue all for christ . and this may serue for answere to the second question . hence ariseth a third scruple : whether it be not lawfull to desire riches and aboundance . to which we answere : . by a distinction of riches , which may be considered : as they are necessary and sufficient , and so a small thing may be counted riches , as contenting nature and being sufficient for vs. . they may be cōsidered as they are in the estimation of the world , and in their own nature , and so aboundance is to be deemed riches , & so they are vnnecessary . a . difference , now to be considered , is of the persons which may desire them , which are of two sorts . first ▪ publike ▪ such whose callings cannot be well executed without aboundance , as that of the magistrate , and such other publike callings . secondly , some persons are priuate , and these also in regard of their charge and such like occasions , may lawfully desire more or lesse . a . difference is in respect of our desires , which are either absolute , such as require simply the performance of what we desire ; such as are all desires for spirituall graces , which for the grace simply must be absolute , though for the measure thereof they may be conditionall : . our desires are conditionall , with subiection to gods will , as may make most for his glorie and our good ; and so ought all our desires be for earthly things : because that god hath so onely promised them , as they shal be for our good . and so must we onely desire them . out of these distinctions arise these conclusions . first we may generally desire riches , as they are in the first sence necessary and sufficient , not as they are lesse necessary & aboundant . genes . . deuter. . . . . tim. . . secondly , we may desire what may aswell fit our callings as persons ; though this may be satisfyed with lesse , yet the calling may desire more , and so such callings as require state and maiestie , may require aboūdance : yet so as that , all our desires for these things must be conditional , submitting to gods pleasure , both for the thing , as also for the meanes to obtaine the same ; and so for the measure and continuance thereof vnto vs , and so not enlarged by our owne couetous minde , but confined to the iudgement and example of the most sober and frugall persons . and therefore , all our desires for these things must be accompanied with prayers vnto god , both for the thing we desire , as also for the measure and blessing thereon . thus may we lawfully desire riches . quaere . a fourth question ariseth hereupon , whether we may vse such meanes for the gathering of riches as mans law doth tollerate , and come not within the compasse of the penalty thereof : as vsury , monopolies , letters of ma●● , trading with infidels and idolaters ; tentering and burnishing our wares , by pressing , sliking , and keeping in and storing our commodities ; changing of our callings , &c. to which we answer , first by some generall rules to all . . that whatsoeuer is not against the law of equitie and charitie , without intent to deceiue , as we would be done vnto , that may lawfully be done herein . that wherein the law of man is subordinate to the law of god , we may safely venture . that the law of man may dispense with some things which yet it allowes not simply , but so only tollerates as to preuēt a worse mischief ; so confines in the tolleration , as indeed in a manner implyes the impossiblitie of what it tollerates ; or condemnes the same : of this nature is vsury , which though it be tollerated by mans law , yet is restrained within such straight limits , as if the law were straightly executed , it might easily restraine what it seemes to tollerate . my purpose is not to enter into the mystery and sleights of this dangerous trade . i leaue this to that worthy treasure of maister doctor fenton , who hath very profitably waded heerein . only my cōclusion is , that though couetousnes is vsually the ground and bro●er hereto , yet there may be some vse therof , vpon some necessary occasions & extreamities in these barren times , wherein so few will lend freely , and few make conscience to repay what they borrow ; as may tollerate the same , and that rather for the borrowers sake , then the lenders : so that oppression be hereby avoyded , and the rules of equitie be obserued : which , because each mans vpright conscience must be the iudge , therefore i leaue the discussing and ordering thereof to that soueraigne arbiterment touching monopolies , & engrossing of cōmodities though they be somewhat of diuerse nature , and being abused , may tend to the oppression of the subiect , enriching of priuatemen : yet seeing the prince hath his prorogatiue , and may lawfully aduance whom it please him , seeing heereby there may be a speedier vent for the inning of commodities from abroad , if few buy vp the same , that they may not lye vpon the merchants hands , and so he hindred from his seasons and occasions of venture ; and hereby also there may be a speedier communicating of them to the subiect , that is to retaile them : i see not but that these courses may be lawfull , so that , priuate gaine eate not out the publique . the subiect be not oppressed . the magistrate defrauded , & scandalized . and so the peace and welfare of the common-wealth preserued concerning letters of mart . these howsoeuer in time of peace with forrain nations , i hold them vtterly vnlawfull , because they tend to the violation of leagues : yet in time of hostilitie , i imagine they may haue some vse , especially with the enemies of god & true religion ; because we are commanded to roote them out , and heereby wee may both discouer their designes against vs , and also wisely curbe , and defeate the same , by weakening their forces , and ouertaking them in their mischieuous intents . and therefore , so that priuate gaine be not principally aymed at . cruelty and extreamity herein be avoyded . neighbourhood be not infringed . and only the ruine of gods enemies be intended : i hold also that these may in some measure be tollerated . as for trading with infidels and idolaters , this howsoeuer it be generally forbidden in the word , as leagues & confederacies with them , . cor. . . deuter. . os . . . yet seeing we haue presidents in the word of commerce with infidels : as of abraham with escol and aner ; and abraham and isaac with abimelec , of iacob with laban , iosua with the gibeonits : these in some cases , with some special bounds , may warrant this libertie , as when we haue no other to commerce withall , and without commercing with them , we cannot be supplied with necessaries , beecause life must be maintained : & what is theirs , by al peaceable means , we may partake of . prouided that we be not drawne heereby , to any more the necessary dealing with them for commodities , auoyding further familiaritie and neerer communion , lest we be drawne hereby , by degrees to communion in religion , and so forsake the liuing god. but rather labour hereby our constancie and wisedome , to win them to the true keeping of that golden rule : let them returne to vs , but returne not we vnto them , ierem. . . . touching those ordinary sleights of tentering , pressing , sliking , garbeling , washing , &c. of our wares ; though there be much deceit in them : yet there may bee also some lawfull vse thereof , with these conditions . . that hereby only our wares may be made more saleable , and yet so as the glosse and stretching of them , diminish not the substance , and goodnesse thereof . . be not a meanes to enhance the price , aboue the worth thereof : by making them seeme hereby finer and sounder then they are indeed . . that we propound the common rule of equitie ; to doe to others , as we would be done to our selues . the like may bee sayde , concerning our keeping in , and storing vp our wares ; wherein though we may aime at a priuate gaine , to raise the present prises , or else to expect a deerer rate , &c : to defraud the common wealth of it present necessitie : yet herein also there may be some allowance , both in times of plentie , and in time of scarcitie , especially for all kinde of victuals . in time of plentie , that so excesse may be preuented for the present ; and extremitie may be relieued in time of distresse : and to this end our garners and store-houses in the citie and elsewhere haue speciall vse , to plucke downe the prises in time of dearth , and so to refresh the hearts of the poore ; as also to prouide , if supply should not come in abroad . and so also in times of penurie , that neuer there may be no extreame want . so ioseph by diuine warrant stored vp , that the church might be relieued in extremitie . so haue we relieued our neighbours , and they vs. otherwise , for those tending onely to ornament and superfluitie , i hold , that we may not keepe in our commodities , especially if it tend to the spoyling and corrupting of them ; vnlesse we cannot sell them , that we may bee sauers thereby : and yet in case of returning the price , or for the common good , we must vtter them though it be to our losse , because in such cases we are bound to giue freely , rather then our commoditie should be lost , or the poore lost for want of them ; and so to depend vpon the prouidence of god. as for changing of our callings , though this may serue to argue discontent and want of faith , in depending on the prouidence of god ; yet seeing some callings depend vpon the custome and fashion of the time , which is alterable , as of kindes of apparell : some depend vpon casualties which may ouerthrow the same : many things haue beene vsed in poperie , which now are antiquated ; many things may be currant occasions of commerce with such and such forraine nations , where the cause being taken away , the effect must cease . and the lord furnishing his children with wisedome and insight into all necessarie occasions , necessitie may force and enable them , if one will not serue for maintenance , that another may be followed : yea , it may so fall out , that our aptnesse to one may bee more then to another , to which notwithstanding we haue been bound . especially , seeing it fals out that some callings may haue for the most their ground from custome and vanity , and not from conscience ; as generally of tyring , and such like , and tend to the satisfying of the flesh ; i see not but in such cases , it is not only lawfull but necessarie euen to change our callings , lest otherwise wee make ship-wracke of good conscience , and defraud our selues of that libertie which god and nature allowes , and limit the prouidence of god to our meanes , which extends it selfe to all lawfull . prouided that still we keepe the distinction betweene authoritie and subiection ; remembring that wee may so change our callings , as still to keepe our selues within the compasse of our generall bounds , which are , still to be subiect to gouernment , and so onely vnto them , as to serue them in the lord. not encroaching vpon the calling of the magistrate ; nor by our libertie , aduancing the magistrate aboue what is meet ; but still seruing one another in loue , and all studying to serue the lord christ . whether one man may haue diuers callings ? as , the minister may be also a magistrate ? one trades-man may exercise diuers ciuill callings ? to the former we answer generally , that where callings are subordinate to each other , there in case of necessitie , one may supply diuers callings , as his abilitie is thereto : so the minister may in some cases and degrees , execute the office of a magistrate . . magistrates are of two sorts : . supreame , and soueraigne , as the king : and . inferior and subordinate , as such as are appointed vnder him , for the easing of his burthen , and better seruing the publike good : so a minister may be a magistrate , though he may not encroach vpon the supreame authoritie . i say hee may not vsurpe soueraigne gouernment ; because this is a marke of antichrist , . thess . . , . this is contrary to the word , which commands all both priests and people , to be subiect to the higher powers . rom. . . this cannot be for the preseruation of the common peace , which is by vnitie , and reformation of all abuses which tend to the disturbance thereof . and how shall the faults of ministers bee corrected but by the supreame magistrate ? how shall their wrongs be righted but by him ? yet i hold that a minister may be an inferiour gouernour ; because it is lawfull for the magistrate to bestow honour and authoritie , as it pleaseth him for the publike good . and this authoritie giuen to the ministerie , may tend to the publike good ; and the glory of god , as hereby , . their persons may be better accepted , and preserued from contempt . . their callings be executed more currantly , when they haue some power to restraine open and grosse euils , and compell the outward man to conformation in religion . . their constancie and courage herein , as it may ease of a burthen , so it may confirme and encourage the supreame magistrate in the loue and maintenance of the trueth : so that still the holy order of subiection bee kept , that all this bee done with direction from the supreame power , and returne thereto : and confusion be auoyded ; that we so execute these seuerall callings , as that still we reserue a distinction betweene them , and oppose not those things , which are wisely to bee subordinated , which we may doe . . if we consider that there are some speciall actions particular to each callings , which on either side may not be encroached vpon . as , the magistrate may not preach , minister the sacraments , &c , because this is peculiar to the minister . so the minister ( i meane as a minister ) may not prescribe lawes , execute the penalties of them , determine of the persons , and goods of the subiect , &c , because these are the magistrates prerogatiue . . that all things bee done with direction from the royall canon , & ayme at gods glory . . so is it in the reformed churches , where the consistorie doth as well medle in ciuill , as ecclesiasticall occasions . and is it any other in our honourable court of the high commission , and in other consistories of our clergie ? as for the other ; that one man may exercise diuers ciuill callings : as this is apparent by the practise of our land , where some merchants euer vse other trades : mercers abroad sell things belonging to many trades ; so i see not but that it may be warrantable by the word , which so enioyneth vs to be contented with the calling that god hath placed vs in ; as the seruant , while he is a seruant , is not to encroach vpon the calling of the maister ; as that it denieth not , but when we are for our selues , we may follow what calling we please , though we bee not bound thereto ; so wee haue skill therein , and respect the publike good , hinder not ou● spirituall calling : and obserue the sacred lawes and customes of the countrey wherein we liue because one calling will not serue to redeeme the time , and maintaine our charge and therefore in these respects we may lawfully imploy our selues in diuers . to conclude this point , and resolue all in one case , which is mainely stood vpon : quaere . namely ; whether a man cannot liue in the world , and thriue in his calling , without ship-wrack of a good conscience . to which we answer : that though , the contrarie hereof be , vox populi , the voice of the people : that conscience is dead , or goes a begging ; meaning that the world admits not the rule of conscience , or if it do , it cannot thriue : yet , that we may liue and thriue with a good cōscience is manifest , . because it is promised as a blessing and fruit of godlinesse , psa . : so that , . tim. . . our ciuill callings in the world are subordinate , not contrarie to our christian callings ; and so , we cannot keepe a good conscience if we liue not in a calling , & perhaps thriue not thereby : except in case of triall , when god wil exercise our faith and patience , in keeping vs from hand to mouth ; or exercise our sincerity in not answering our endeuours for the present , lest we should seeme to serue god , that we may thriue ▪ or finally , by some casualtie . or our calling may be mean , such as yeeld only so much exercise daily , as may serue necessity , and so cannot promise aboundance , but onely yeeld competency and sufficiency , for necessarie maintenance , which may be accounted thriuing , though we attaine not to great riches ; and yet euen in these the blessing of god is admirable , where religious wisedome teacheth parsimony and diligence to better our estates . or our callings may be vpon aduenture , such as depend vpon diuine prouidence , in blessing our going out , and comming home : which seeing it is arbitrary as may make most for gods glory , and our chiefest good ; therefore if hereby we attaine not to great matters , yet herein shall appeare the blessing of godlinesse , that we shall be content with whatsoeuer our wife and gracious god shall dispose , and whether it be much or little , it shal be but sufficient . he that gathered more manna had but to serue his turne , and he that gathered lesse had no want ▪ exod. . . . to conclude all , labour we first for grace , and these things shal be cast vpon vs. math. . . if not in aboundance , yet in what shal be best for vs , to further to a better life . it is good that still we should finde some want in these things , that we may not set our harts vpon thē , but hunger after durable riches . and therefore let vs liue by faith , & not by sence , waiting vpon the blessing of god in what we haue , that it may be sanctified vnto vs , and waiting vpon the power and prouidence of god in what we haue not , that wee may bee suffised in the needfull and fittest occasion : or recompensed with what shal be better for vs. and when we haue canuased and studied all , remember we that some corruption must fall out in these things , to humble the flesh , and cast vs vpon christ our sufficient riches . and that a good conscience , as it shall guide vs through each particular occasion , that wee make not ship-wrack thereof , so it shall also abase vs in our greatest sincerity , that though we know nothing by our selues , yet herein wee may not be iustified , but still labour to be found in christ , not hauing our owne righteousnesse , and endeuour to be found of him in peace , at his glorious appearance . and if this shall not sufficiently satisfie thee in whatsoeuer scruples may fall out herein : i aduise thee to cōmend thee particular doubts in humble prayers vnto thy god , who will fulfill the desires of them that feare him , and satisfie thy carefull soule that waits vpon him . and so i hartily cōmend thee to the word of his grace , whereby thou shalt be enformed sufficiently in whatsoeuer may hinder the pece of thy conscience , and build it vp further in all wisedome and spirutuall vnderstanding , that thou maiest be able to discerne of things that differ , and so trying all things , maiest hold that which is good , and grow vp thereby in all power and conscience of sinceritie and righteousnesse , that so thou mayest be perfect and intire wanting nothing , vnto the full measure of the age of iesus christ , in whom i rest thine and the churches seruant thomas couper . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e coherence . summe hereof . parts of the text. obseruation vnsatiable in earthly desires . eccles . . . isa . . . genes . . . . to conince natures corruption and desperate estate . psa . . . psa . . . tit. . . . ground of idolatry . meanes of antichrists rising . ierem. . . coloss . . obseruation . an vnsatiable minde , lies open to satans snares . psa . . matt. . genes . . iob . . . sam. . directions how to vse bargaining luk. . act. . luk. . . psa . . ierem. . psa . . . psa . . psa . . psa . . . . : tim. . ioh. . . math. . . luk. . tim. . . gal. . . directions in a meane estate math. . genes . . phil. . . . cor. . . ordinary to exchange the soule for the world . petr. . tim. . psa . . esau . gen. . luk. . osea . . psa . . . psa . . meanes and markes of this bargaine . chryso . iob . iames . , . psa . . . psa . . . rules of faith . psa . . . ioh. · iob. . . pretences to colour the bargaine , with their delusion and confusion . that riches are the blessing of god , how and to whom ▪ all haue them ●utwardly . may be a meanes to exercise spirituall graces . iob. . . wicked how they haue them . how they vseman . not the hauing , but the right vse makes the blessing . how these prooue curses to the wicked . . colours of worldlings . danger of high callings . how to remedie this euill . nehe. . . . colour , pretence of doing good . the snare herein . worldly charitie decyphered . remedy hereof . euill not to be done that good may come thereof . matt. . , . true charitie , the markes . discouerie of deceits , flattering the hope of vndoing the bargaine . obseruation the iudgement of the bargaine , no profite . reasons . price too deere . no hope of recouery . because the soule thus lost cannot be recouered . answer to deceits . it is not our owne . how . deceit . hope of doing good with these things . this reiected . deceit : hope of repentance . this dilated . reasons : that the bargaine is naught , but not performed . sathan will be sure of his ; how . psal . . . satan performes not with vs. obiect . answ . matth. . , . . we not capable of them . . satan would not performe if he could . vse hereof , casting before hand . how to preuent him . . cor. , . . chro. . iudg. . gen. . . , . . . . . tentering , pressing . keeping in of wares . genes . . changing of callings . cappes , miniuer , hoods . christian observations and resolutions, or, the daylie practise of the renewed man, turning all occurrents to spirituall uses, and these uses to his vnion with god i. centurie : vvith a resolution for death, &c. / newlie published by mr william struther ... struther, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) christian observations and resolutions, or, the daylie practise of the renewed man, turning all occurrents to spirituall uses, and these uses to his vnion with god i. centurie : vvith a resolution for death, &c. / newlie published by mr william struther ... struther, william, - . [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by the heires of andro hart, edinburgh : . signatures: a-t⁸, ²a-e⁸ ²f². errata: p. [ ] at end. includes index. "a resolution for death, written vnder the sentence of death, in the time of a painfull disease" has a special t.p. and separate pagination. reproduction of original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. death -- religious aspects -- christianity. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rachel losh sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christian observations and resolutions . or , the daylie practise of the renewed man , turning all occurrents to spirituall uses , and these uses to his vnion with god. i. centvrie . vvith a resolution for death , &c. newlie published by mr william strvther , preacher of the gospel at edinbvrgh . ecclesiastes . . . the wise mans eyes are in his head , but the foole walketh in darknesse . edinbvrgh , printed by the heires of andro hart. anno dom. . to god almightie , gratiovs , mercifvll , &c. father , sonne and holie ghost . his most vnworthie seruant thristing his glory in the saluation of the saints . mr. w. strvther . these first fruits of thine owne grace in mee , i offer to thee , o fountaine of grace : thy thoughts are pretious to mee , and thy meditations sweete . all the desires of mine heart is to thee , and to bring thy saiuctes to thy fellowship , that in that vnion , they may enjoy thy selfe , and partake true happinesse . blesse all meanes vsed to that good end , that they may proue meanes of thine owne choyse , and worke . but aboue all , shedde abroad thy loue in the hearts of thy people , then our preaching and writting will bee either lesse needefull , or more fruitfull . thou hast won● to thy selfe for euer the heart that is deepelie affected with the sense of thy loue : thou knowest that it can no more byde or rest off thee , than a stone of it selfe can hing in the aire . while i thinke of thee , my thoughts increase themselues , and while i preasse to expresse them , i can not satisfie my selfe , in that expression . thou art in the heart that loueth thee truelie , and that heauenlie affection ouercommeth it twise ; once in vnspeakeable softning sweetnesse ; nixt in an vnsufficiencie to vtter it : but this is some remeede , that it can poure it selfe immediatelie vpon thee : words & writes come shorter than thoughts , and thoughts shorter than the affection , the onelie just and equall expressing of the affection , is to thrust it selfe on thee , and to adhere and inhere in thee continuallie . it sufficeth mee , that thou knowest mine heart , and thine owne worke in it . let the meditations of mine heart and the words of my mouth , bee acceptable to thee , o god , my strength , and my redeemer , and direct thou the workes of mine hands , that all may serue to the magnifying of thy glorious grace , and edifying of thy people . amen . to the christian reader . the present time ( christian reader ) both offereth these obseruations to me , and throweth their publication from mee : none walketh with opened eyes , but these and the like shall occurre vnto him . this time of the gospel aboundeth in the meanes of sauing knowledge , but few partake it : the most part brutishlie neglect it ; other in their search are carried on the by : seeking , affecting , and resting on trifling knowledge as on happinesse ; and many who in some sort find it out , doe separate from it both affection & action , & so preuailing athesme , giueth thee effront to sauing knowledge & grace in the gospel : but the sun sendeth a quickening heate as well as a shining ●ight ; and man is borne with heart and hands , as well as with eyes : the worke of light is to discouer , but affection separateth vs from the discouered euill , and ioyneth vs to the knowne good ; and to walke in the direction of that light , and the discerning of affection is to know sauinglie . it is the best knowledge which is about the best things , and needeth least change at death . to know god and our happinesse in him , hath no change at death , but in the degree aduancing to perfection : as other thinges , so other knowledge will then vanish : this is the affectuous and actuous knowledge according to godlinesse , wherevnto i labour in the lord to stirre thee vp . that knowing god in christ , thou may liue in him , and walke in him : the sense of a god-head , is the marrow and kernell of christianitie : without this all our knowledge is but a carcase of knowledge , & wee our selues the carions of christians : the lord worke these good things in thee , and thee to his image , to fill thee heere with grace , and heereafter with glorie . amen . thine in the lord , mr. william struther . christian observations and resolvtions or the daylie practise of the renewed man , turning all occurrents to spirituall uses , and all these uses to his union with god. . the christian furniture . three thinges are necessar for our christian walking , the right end , the straight way ; and a good guide : and all these are to bee found in god alone ; his glorie is the right end , and the high way to this ende , is his word ; and himselfe the onelie guide ; yea , hee himselfe is all these three : hee is the way , and the trueth , and the life ; for wee are led by his spirit in his will to himselfe . his presence in mercie giueth vs all this furniture , and without it euerie man goeth astray ; some seeke the right end , but choose not the straight way : some find the straight way , but seeke not the right end : in place of god they seeke and follow themselues ; in all their businesse , they aduance not one foote from their first and naturall condition , but are more drowned in miserie , than at their birth . the truelie godlie come to this threefold blessing : the more sincerelie they intend his glorie , the more sure are they of his direction and guiding : this is abrahams walking before god , and enochs walking with him , and paul his walking in him . the present fruite is answerable to such grounds , a certaintie to obtaine such an end , because of the way and guide , a securitie in that way , and a joy in the conscience of rhem all . the conscience of the sinceritie of our intention , of our endeuouring to find and walke in the way is a great degree of his presence in grace , & a presage of his presence in glorie : the soule that laboureth for this sort of walking in this life , shall bee with him for euer after this life . the most part of men proclaime to the world , that they haue neuer thought earnestlie of this iourney : their furniture is rather for hell ( if such a iourney needed furniture ) then for heauen : they take this worlde for their home , themselues for their end , their guide , and guarde , loosing their heartes to all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse : but the godlie know they haue no byding citie heere : therefore , they seeke for one to come , and deale with god for this prouision in so dangerous a way . hee may bee sure of that end , who is guided and guarded by god in the way to it : hee who is now alwayes in god , must bee with god for euer . so hee guideth his owne with his counsell , and afterward bringeth them to his glorie . . operations of gods spirit are powerfull . the working of gods spirit is neither at our desire , nor our direction : hee bloweth where hee listeth , and gods kingdome commeth not by obseruation : our euill deseruing hath more power to stay him , than our desires to set him on worke ; omissions grieue him greatlie , but commission of grosse sinnes grieue him more , they can procure both the intermission of his worke , & a temporall desertion , though hee neuer depart simplie from the elect. wee can not fore-see his comming , but wee may feele his working . the worke it selfe telleth vs that hee is in the worke : when hee lurketh , what confusions in the minde , and disorder in the heart ? in great businesse we make but slow speed , all is in a manner forced , and nothing doeth promise the desired successe . but when hee showeth himselfe , o what a change in the soule ! illumination is great in the varietie , and the clearnesse of light , and euerie power hath the owne seale stamping the heart , all goeth then so easelie , as the soule sufficeth not to take vp particularlie his working . in that diuine worke , it findeth the power of a diuine nature ; no creature can either worke so mightily in vs , or affect vs in that kinde or degree . it hath more increase of light , affection , sense , and sweetnesse in one houre , than in some other moneths . as the soule moueth the bodie , so hee moueth his giftes and graces in vs , which are as a carcase without him : hee is both the worker & teacher of his own operations ; & moueth vs to mak due use of them , his desertions are grieuous , but his felt operations doe largely recōpence that grief . it is good both to feare & eschew his desertiō , but when we find it to comfort our selfe in the remembrance of his bygone , and assurance of his future working to our former joys . his work is euer powerful , but not euer sēsible . we know that the hand of the horolodge hath moued , when it commeth to the houre , but our sight discerneth not the mouing of it : his worke is oft-ten secret to vs , and yet forcible ; thereby our condition is changed to the better , though we obserue not aye the progresse of that bettering : when hee both worketh in vs sauing graces and a feeling of his worke , so that his worke , and our sense of it doe meete together , that is our vnspeakable ioye . . the fruitfull worke of our thoughts . as our thoughts are called light , so is our accompt of their worke : they are restlesse , and wee are carelesse what and how they worke ▪ no man can hold them within : both outward things draw them out , and themselues are giuen to wandring , euen while wee are musing to hold them in order , as water they slide away : in their going out they carrie the soule with them , and at their returne , report some fruite of the matter which they considered . but many doe neither obserue their going out , nor their returne , they let them out on euerie thing , & mak use of nothing , & some are worse in a profaine libertie , they send them out on impious and naughty matters , and take them home fraughted with pernicious and sinfull reports . god hath giuen vs our soule for a better use , as he hath set it in the bodie to quicken and moue it , so also to keepe a fruitefull intercourse with outward things : if it went simplie out of the bodie , death would follow : if it remained inclosed in it , there could bee no intercourse with outward things : god hath appointed a midde way , that the substance of it shall abide in the bodie , but it sendeth out the thoughts as fearchers and intercommers . our best in this kinde , is to follow gods appointment , not to let our thoughts wander rackelessie , but to send them in order , not on euerie trifle , but on good things , and at their returne , to receiue their worke in order . a wise soule in this thought-work , is as a bee-hyue , all the powers are in labour , a continuall going out , and returning : no power idle , and none returne emptie , and all their obseruations as honie laid vp for use : it gathereth and disgesteth in it selfe a substance , & masse of purified knowledge , and that for affection and action , and all of them for the obedience of god and union with him . fixed endes make an well ordered and fruitfull course : it is good to intend the good of our callings , and then to set our thoughts to worke about the way : painters draw first the lines , & thē fill vp the spaces , & compleat the portrate : and frost turneth first the face of water in hard lines , and then equalleth all with yce : and the bodie of a childe in the wombe , hath first the noble partes framed , then all is filled vp to the comelie proportion of a bodie : so the bodie of profitable knowledge hath first the noble partes framed in our fixed designes , then the enterjected spaces are filled vp by the minds daylie labour . a ball striken in the open fielde goeth straight out from vs , but in a tinnice the wall maketh it returne to our hand : so if our thoughts goe out rackleslie , they ●uanish : but if wee hem them within the compasse of fixed intentions of our calling and particular taske therein , they come home with pertinent obseruations : in the first case they are as the rauen fleeing about the arke of noe , but not entring in it : in the next they are as the doue , returning wearie at euening with the fatnesse and peaceablnesse of the oliue . . gods peace a sweete vade-mecum . health of bodie , and peace of conscience , are two substantiall blessings : without them other blessinges are not pleasant to vs ; and this peace is better than health , as the soule is better than the bodie . the ground of it is gods free loue ; the price of it , christs satisfaction ; the worker of it , gods owne spirit , the mettell vpon which he stampeth it , is a good conscience ; the fruite of it , the joye of the holie ghost . it cannot bee keeped , but by great circumspectnesse : sathan cannot endure such a iewell in the midst of his kingdome . it is vineger to his teeth , and smoak to his eyes , to see gods children full of this peace in the midst of all his snares , wee haue it in the world , but not of it , neither can the world know it , nor giue it , nor take it from vs. it sweetneth the bitternesse of our afflictions , and doubleth the sweetnesse of prosperitie : goe with it whither wee will , we haue a better jewell in our heatrs , than all the treasures on earth . o what comfort is it ! when wee lift vp our heartes to god , and hee meeteth vs with softnesse of heart , and joye in spirit , when hee maketh the beames of his face in christ to strike on our soule , to warme and quicken them , and doubleth his grace in vs , in the conscience of these things . it is gods seale in the godlie , but the wicked neither haue it , nor care for it . a wonder it is , howe men can liue in the world without this peace : non can well liue in a kings court or countrie , without his peace . and how shall they liue in the world his great familie , and not care for his fauour ? and yet men vnder their kinges wrath may lurke in their dominions , but no place can hide them from god : there is small appearance , that they who care not for this peace , doe know god ; strangers taste not of this ioye , but gods children , who know the worth of it , will not value it with all the world : for worth , it passeth all vnderstanding , and for use , it guardeth the heart and mind , in the sauing knowledge of the lord iesus christ. it is sweete in our life , but shall bee more sweete at our death , then we shall see his face not frowning , but smiling on vs ; wee shall not bee amazed , but rejoyce when hee commeth with his messenger death , to loose our bands : who can conceiue simeons joye , when hee song , now letteth thou thy seruant depart in peace ? hee could neuer haue so spoken of death , without this peace , and a sure ground had hee , for his eyes did see , his armes did carrie , and his heart was full of the saluation of god , the prince and pryce of this peace . it is a guard in our life , and a bridge at death , to set vs safe ouer the gulfe of miserie , and enter vs in heauen . . wee are fooles about happinesse . our greatest folie is where wisedome should bee greatest , euen in the choose and pursute of true happinesse : wee cannot heere possesse all thinges , and yet confusedlie wee couet them , & when wee choose one of them , it is not the best , but the worst of all , in so farre as wee make it our best . god is to bee sought aboue all , hee may bee seene and found of all , yet the most part knoweth him not , and seeketh him not . they professe wisedome , but they practise folie herein , they are not spiritually daintie either in choose or their affection , any thing contenteth them : the base lump of the earth and vanities of it , are felicitie to them : and though there be some choyse blessings in the world , they light rather on the trash , than on the good substance : as they passe by god himselfe to his gifts , so among his gifts , they misse the corne , and choose the chaffe : neither doeth their folie stand heere , it can imagine to it selfe an happinesse in this miserable miscarrying . this is indeede a fooles paradise , a conceate plat-formed by our selues : we are delighted with these vanities , and captiued by them , which proueth our naughtinesse . raw and racklesse choosing , maketh faint pursuing . true happinesse , as all true good , hath an alluring and drawing vertue , and the godly by their inclining & yeelding dispositiō to it , are made partakers of it to their happines : their care about it , is as far aboue other cares , as it selfe excelleth other things . if this rule bee applyed to mankinde , how few shall bee found in the way of true happinesse : professe with men , and imagine with themselues as they will , there is none appearance , that either they haue found the alluring power of it , or rendred themselues in their greatest desire and care , for the obtaining of it . it deserueth the flower and prime of all our labours , and their smallest remaines may serue other trifles : but when this order is inverted , such men lye as fast in miserie , as they are blinde and lazie in the pursute of true happinesse . if true good haue drawen vs forceblie to it selfe then wee cannot but seeke it earnestlie . this is true wisedome , to passe by all thinges , that wee may finde god : to count these deceiuing imaginations about happinesse , to bee tyrranous foolries , in the midst of so manie euils in the world to find out the good , and among so manie goods , to finde out the true and best good , euen our good god , and rest on him . . death surpriseth the most part of mankind . manie are on their death-bed before they thinke rightlie of life : they are going out of the world , while they begin to know wherefore they came in it : wee come in it for this great businesse , to saue our soules , in the faith and obedience of god , but when wee haue time to doe it , we forget that busines , and then begin to thinke of it when the time appointed is gone : we spend much time in doing nothing , and more in doing euill ; but little or none in that great matter wherefore wee were borne . the life of sinne is in vs before the life of god , and fearing the owne ejection , preoccupyeth the other , and taketh all time to it selfe . and mortalitie seasing on vs in our conception , before our perfect life , subjecteth vs to inevitable death before wee liue the life of god. the soule must bee in perplexitie at the houre of death , that seeth the day spent , and that assigned businesse not begun : a traueller that seeth the sun setting when hee is entring on the journey ; must bee agast , the euening of the day , and morning of the taske doe not well agree together . all the time that remaineth is too short for lamenting the losse of bygone time , and if gods mercie did not infinitelie exceed our euil , none could be saued after such a neglect . time bygone cannot returne , but may be redeemed , and this redemption is not in the extent of the worke , but in the equiualence of it ; god worketh not by such lent proceeding as hee doth in them that spend their time well , but at-once hee perfecteth them : as hee pardoneth their sinne , so he perfecteth their sanctification . though god doe this in some , yet he biddeth all use their time well , while it goeth . the fruitfull use of it may cost vs the losse of manie trifling joyes , but that shall bee recompenced with solide fruite . fearfull will that encounter be , when grimme death findeth a man in sinne & carelesnesse , he must cry in the bitternes of his heart , hast thou found me mine enemie : but when it findeth vs in our worke , and at peace with god , pleasant will bee that meeting : it is gods messenger to loose vs out of the yoake , and bring vs to our promised and exspected reward . how joyfullie shall that soule goe to god , that hath so liued , as euer in the worke wherefore it came in the world : when the conscien●e at death saith to god , lord , i beare this man record , that hee hath worne himselfe , and spent his time in seruing and obeying thee . this testimonie is sweet● in our life , when wee lye downe at night wearie of our labour , ryse earlie to it againe , and are crossed for our fidelitie in it , but more sweete in our death . that man is blessed , whose way , and journey , time , busines , & breath goe altogether . the apostle closeth all sweetlie , i haue run my race , i haue keeped the faith , hencefoorth is laid for mee the crowne of glorie : hee who liueth the life of the righteous , shall die the death of the righteous , and shall not bee surprysed of death . the great profite of prayer some spirituall exercises augment light , as reading , hearing , conference : other augment life and affection , as meditation , and praise : but prayer is for both : it openeth the minde to see more clearelie , and softneth the heart to bee more sensible , the light of god shineth then most fullie , when wee see our god and our selues in his light , and the fixing of our minde on him , cannot but draw our heart to him , the more clearelie wee see him , the more wee loue his goodnesse , flee his offence , and burne in greatest desire of his union in christ : it setteth all the powers of the soule on all the reuealed properties of god , and powring out it selfe on him , by all these receiueth the influence of his goodnes most fullie and sensiblie : faith , hope , loue , delight , and all other graces are herein busied on their sweetest worke , and god in christ , comming downe to our weaknesse , draweth vs so neare to him , that wee may taste how good and gratious hee is . it is the most immediate worship of god , wherein wee draw neere to the throne of grace , and adore an incomprehensible god-head in christ ; wee are thereby not onelie for the present filled with loue , reuerence , and feare of a divine majestie , but at other times holden vnder that same disposition : we know wee are euer in his sight , and remaine in some measure affected to him , as wee are in the time of prayer . beside the great blessinges that wee obtaine in it , this is a great one , that by daylie standing before god , wee know him more and more to our union with him : no soule can seeke his face , and see him daylie , but must affect him , and render it selfe absolutelie to him . the disposition to it , the worke of it , and the fruite of it , are three great blessings . poperie is mercenarie , and doeth no seruice to god , but vnder name of hyre : so is it in prayer ; they haue proclamed to the world , that they know neither the delight nor fruite of it , while they call it a laborious worke , & put it among penall satisfactions . if they had the spirit of adoption , crying , abba father , they could not haue such pleasure as in that exercise : no ; there is no greater torture to a deuoute soule , than to bee stayed from it . the heart-scald doeth not so vex the stomacke , as these impediments doe the soule . the impressions of god are so strong in that heauenlie conference , that nothing can counterfit them , and our contentment so sweete by that sense of his loue , that no humane delight can equall it . when our heart is taken with a delight to pray , we haue found a compendeous way to know god sauinglie , and to bee taught of him : next to his holy word , the impressions and affe●●ions obtained in prayer , are two cleare commentaries of his divine properties . . fruitfull labours in our callings . our soule hath the owne measure , which it can not well exceed ; within that compasse it worketh easily & profitablie : without it , and aboue , there is great toyle , but no fruite . in our calling and gift wee may doe something , because of gods ordinance & promise : but without them wee are out of our theets , and haue neither a promise of his presence or blessing : yet in our calling and gift , wee may exceede , if wee reach vs further than the measure of our gift promiseth : as god hath distinguished men by callings , so by giftes in a calling , and men of that same gift by sindrie degrees of the gift . the lacke of this consideration , maketh so many crosse themselues , and others , and forceth god to mis-know his owne ordinance , while they walke not as hee appointeth . while euerie man will doe euery thing , no man almost doeth any thing as hee should . our gift and measure of it , is our talent : and the labour of our calling , is ou● exchange : according thereto , our place is reckoned , both in mankinde , and the church , & so our reckoning wil be at the last day . it is wisedome to consider our calling , gift , and measure of the gift : the calling giueth authoritie and power : the gift , sufficiencie : the measure of the gift , dexteritie : and all of them in this harmonie promise a blessing . the calling presenteth the taske to vs : the gift , the parte of it : and the measure , the degree of the taske : to labour without a calling , is curiositie : without a gift , is presumption , and without a measure , is a foolish ouerweening and ouer-reaching , it is an abusing of the worke , our gift and our selfe . hee shall not bee ashamed of his reckoning , whose labours haue beene all within the bounds of his calling ▪ and their measure within his gift & degree . as god hath first blessed him with the honourable imployment of a calling , and next , with some sufficiencie for to doe it : and thirdlie , with some answerable successe : so in end , he shall crowne all these blessings with acception , both of himselfe , and his labours : well done faithfull seruant , thou hast beene faithfull in little , i will make thee ruler ouer much , enter into thy masters ioy. the world is worse and worse . manie doe wonder wherefore the world is worse and worse , and that justlie how so bad a thing can grow in euill : it lyeth all in euill , euen in sathans armes , and that is euil enough . it would appeare that long instructions , letters , diuine and humane lawes , and discipline , exercise of religion , examples of gods judgements for sinne might haue some force to mend it . these would indeede proue forcible to a curable nature , but the world is vncurable . the heart of man which is the heart of the world , is desparatelie and incurablie wicked . though some men be renewed , yet they beget not renewed men , but naturall : euerie age commeth in with the owne guise to adde euill to the former : their corruption letteth them not see the good of former or present times , they take hold of euill , and thinke it a proofe of their succession both to follow that , and augment it . as a kinde burgesse in a citie loueth the increase of common good , so euerie man the increase of the common euill of the world ; how can it bee good , since it hath no good of it selfe , but resisteth the goodnesse that god offereth to it ? all the sins of former ages remaine in it , & by reason of mans great corruption , and gods just desertion increaseth wonderfullie : and the prince of it watchfull at all occasions multiplieth wickednesse , that god may multiplie wrath . it is kindlie to euery thing to growe in its owne gift , good thinges by reason claimeth that groweth , but euill , by violence obtaine it . wee must seeke a new world in this olde one , for this will neuer amend : hee shall finde his life for a prey , who keepeth himselfe from the contagion of his time . though wee bee some part of it , yet let vs not be like to it : the new man with new grace , shal mak good plenishing for a new heauen : when like draweth to like in the justice of god , we shall bee gathered to heauen , while the incurable world goeth to their owne place . hee must bee secured by sauing grace , who would not bee lossed in the worlds wickednesse . this preseruatiue commeth onely of god , who hath chosen vs out of the world , as hee can prouide vs peace in the midst of it , so can hee preserue vs in despyte of it : hee is ouertaken in the worldes sinne , and shall bee involued in their damnation , who seeth not this common euill , and keepeth not himselfe from it . we are foretold that the world wil grow worse , and are commanded to forsake it : but the latter ages loue it more than the former did : doubtlesse this is because man in his tyme groweth worse than the world : it was neuer good to loue it , no , not at the best ; but now in the end of it , when it is worse than euer it was , to dote vpon it , is extreame madnesse : such a dotage may end in a perpetuall union with it , or rather in destructiō . if we be the excellent ones of god , and sainctes on earth , wee are better than the world , because wee are hi● choyse out of it , and it is certaine that hee chooseth the best ; what euer wee be by nature , we are vnspeakablie bettered by his electiō , which maketh vs that which he choyseth , and calleth vs to . it is therefore a frensie to prostitute the excellencie of gods image in vs vnto so base an idoll as the world . discouerie of mans closed heart . o what a discouerie would it bee , if mens heartes were as well seene as their body : small moats goe not thicker in the sunne beames , than mans intentions and ends : and the threed of spiders in a wood , doe no more crosse and woft through other , than mens wayes to their endes . it is a wonder how man , one in kinde , can be so contrare in their ends and wayes : and it is a strong argument , that the most part misse the right end , and runne the wrong way . the chiefe good is one , and the right way to it , is onely one , but man missing the right , falleth in innumerable errors : and it is yet more wonderfull , that euerie man resteth on a double perswasion , both that his end is good , and that his wayes will bring him to it . neither is this all , but euery man setteth himselfe as a pettie god , both for worth to obtaine , and for wisedome to compasse them . as it is gods priuiledge to know the heart immediately , so is it his wisedome to hide it from men : if all the thoughts of it were seene of other , there could be nothing , but a perpetuall striuing in mankynd , and euerie one abhorred of other for their monstruous thoughtes , neither the seas , nor africke can bring foorth such monsters as mans heart in one houre . it is best to cast off all wrong ends , and eschew all by-wayes , to set true happinesse before vs as our end , and walke toward it in faith and obedience : other ends will proue no more fixed , than fleeing moates in the aire : and other wayes , haue no more force to fitch these ends , thā speeders threeds haue to draw a great weight . our heart is euer opē to god , let vs opē it to mā also , the words & deeds of a single heart , make it visible to man : except they be possessed of satan , they cannot but loue that heart , that is ful of the loue of god : the wicked labour to hyde his thoughts , but the godly affect to haue them knowne : hee is as the man , who craued not his house to bee so built , that he might see all mē , & none see him : but rather that all men might see him in the most retired corners of his house : hee assureth himselfe to bee acceptable to man , if the honestie of his heart were seene . why may he not byde the tryall of man , who hath already sustained the sight , & findeth the approbation of god , to the honesty of his heart ? both the vprightnes of the hart , & testimony of that vprightnes are knowne of god alone , and the vpright heart that hath them . the world will not see that vprightnesse , and they cannot heare the testimonie of it , but god approueth that vprightnesse , and confirmeth that testimonie , and the soule that is sensible of all these , resteth in securitie . . youth and old age. youth in many may bee called a foolish seede time to a mourning age , and old age , a bitter haruist to a foolish youth : though in youth wee escape grieuous and slandrous sinnes , yet none lacketh his slips and infirmities , thogh speciall prouidence keepe vs from grosse commissions , yet none is free of sinfull omissions : none seemeth to bee more free of the folies of youth , thā they who are soone called effectually to grace , yet haue they their owne neglects : while they are keeped by gods spirit from fleshly pollutions , they are caried often by fleshly presumption . sathan is so craftie , that when hee cannot set our corruption to worke on the owne taske of sinne , he can abuse the beginnings of grace : and so many vpon the cōscience of grace , soone receiued , fall either to neglect of their particular calling , or conceating of a perfection , are carelesse of grace it selfe ; their strong and short beginnings , are followed with slow and weake proceedings . these are indeede two blessings in themselues , to be soone called to grace , and before our calling , to bee free of grosse sinnes . againe , these are contrare euils , to bee long of calling , and monstruous in sinne before our calling : but sathan abuseth the first two blessings in making vs carelesse after our calling , as though wee needed not to bee zealous , because our former life was not slandrous . and god turneth the other two to good , in making them more zealous , who were long of calling , and grieuous sinners before it . s. paul did more euill before his conuersion , than all the apostles , and answerablie more good after it . in euerie one there is matter eneugh for mourning to old age . it is great cruelty in youth , to make ●o noysome prouision for age : that the tyme wherein wee looke for joy and rest , should bee turned in sorrow . age at the best hath sufficient griefes : it is of it selfe a sicknesse , and a neighbour to death and needeth not so bad prouision of youthlie folies . but since the first cannot bee auoyded , it is better to mourne in olde age , than in hell fire for euer . if the experience of age cannot be found in youth , let not the rashnesse of youth rule in olde age also . it is better so to diuide our life , that there bee some mourning for euill , than to turne it all both youth and age in a seede time to hell : but it is best of all to haue a seede time of grace in our youth for a joyfull olde age , and to turne both youth and age in a seede time for glory in heauen . the godly in the midst of their corruptions sow this seed , a care to please god in a faithfull discharge of their calling , is a matter of joy for their olde age. foolish youth shareth vnequally with old age : it taketh libertie to it selfe , and reserueth nothing but bitter pennance to the other : if they fell not both in one person , it were hard that age should smart for youths follies . it is lamentable that our first and strongest time hath least wit , & our wisest age hath least strength : wee haue wounded our selues deadlie before wee know our estate , and all our after-time is to cure these wounds . o how happie is hee , whom gods effectuall grace saluteth at the cradle ! and with his first discerning , indueth him with the loue of god , his word and worshippe , and by the exercise of his mind , soweth such a seed of grace , that old age hath not a beedrole of folies to repent . if wee learne the wayes of god in our youth , when wee are olde , wee will not depart from them . if hee fill vs with mercie in the morning of our time , wee shall bee glad , and rejoyce all our dayes . that is a commendable youth , which is olde in grace , and sauoureth of the wisedome and holinesse of the antient of dayes : and that is a glorious olde age , which waxeth new in grace , and in the newnesse of a glorious eternitie : as that gracious youth endeth in a more gracious olde age , so that olde age shall end into , and bee succeeded with an endlesse glorie . . deuotion & obedience are pleasant twinnes . deuotion and obedience are pleasant twinnes : deuotion begetteth obedience , and is increased by it ; when the spirit is bent on god , all the graces in it are at their highest extent : it cannot containe it selfe , but in affecting him , and delighteth it selfe most sweetely , both in powring out it selfe tenderly on him , & in a large receiuing his influences : at that tyme , all impediments of obedience , are remoued , and the greatest spurres added to set vs fordward : then we answere him with a ready heart , speake lord , for thy seruant heareth : soft wax is easilie stamped , and hot yron easilie forged , so the softnesse of a deuotious heart , is plyable able to god : as it droppeth out tender affections , so it will yeelde obsequious actions to him : disobedience commeth of hardnesse , but the heauenly warming of gods loue turneth that hardnesse in a willingnes and affectuous●nesse to him : as hee powreth in it the sen●e of his loue , so it powreth out it selfe in all powers on him againe . so long as it is in this temper , god can command no vnpleasant thing to vs ▪ though otherwise it were impossible , yet it is welcome , because of his will : this disposition in it selfe is a great degree of inward obedience , in so great a forsaking and going out of our selfe to bee one with him : what a gladnesse is it , to haue the occasion to testifie our loue to god by obedience ? and this daughter of deuotiō doth nourish her mother . the conscience of obedience doubleth deuotion : we cannot satisfie our selfe in wondring at gods goodnesse , who hath blessed vs with the grace of sincere obedience ; that his grace is not common in commanding onelie , but a speciall and returning grace , turning vs home to him , in doing that which his commanding goodnesse exacted . deuotion tyeth vs to god , and that for his infinite goodnesse in himselfe , & his sauing goodnesse communicate to vs : and beeing in so sweete bands , how can wee better discharge our selfe of them , than by honouring him in holy obedience ? and the more wee discharge our selues , the more are wee bound . euery degree of sufficiencie to obey , and euery act of obedience increaseth deuotion : the more grace that god giue vs for obedience , the more we loue him , & cleaue to him , as the fountaine from whom all good floweth , and the end to which it returneth . these twinnes both liue and die together : a dry and a withered heart voyd of deuotion , is also barren of obedience , and lacke of obedience , lacketh the testimonie of strong obeying grace , and the matter of new and greater deuotion . hee that would haue them both , let him begin at deuotion , and the other will follow . a constant and tender affection to god , meeteth not his commāds with disobedience . these twins are feete to goe to god , & wings to flee to perfection . the first is a bond of our union , and the second , a proofe that wee stand firme in that union with him . . holy necessities are no distractions . all distractions are not of alike nature ▪ some directlie marre our proceeding , as businesse without our calling ▪ other are seeming distractions , a ●●●●nesse in some other part of our cal●●●●g then wee haue presently in hand : these last are not properly distractions , but rather preparations . when a pastour is going to the pulpit , it is not distraction to visite a sicke person , but rather a sanctification for the publicke work : our task is to bring soules to god , and sicknesse is a conuenient tyme for it : reaping in the haruest , is as pleasant to the labourer , as his sowing , and to deliuer people in the hand of god , on their death-bed , is a closing of our labours about them : wee sow the seed of the word out of the pulpit , and finde the fruite of it in their affliction . i haue often found in conference with the afflicted , and in the way going and comming from them , moe points of meditation , than possibly in moe hours of reteerdnesse . gods ordinances doe further one another , and obedience to them , hath euer a blessing following it : it is no distraction that separateth vs not from the end , nor turneth vs out of the way . grosse distractions are more dangerous , yet if true grace bee 〈◊〉 , we shall aduance our selues more 〈◊〉 after them , and rouse vp our strength and double our care for redeming our losses . a well set soule is sharpened by distractions , & turneth that impediment in a spurre : some steppes backward , make vs aduance further in our leaping : the soule that toucheth good but occasionally , is soone loosed from it , but being tyed to it , then incident distractions , cannot separate , but augment our earnestnesse of that union : if wee wedde our selfe to good , for eternall enjoying , no temporall distraction can diuorce vs from it . hee who is alwayes about his fathers busines , shall neuer bee distracted . . fruitfull experience . experience findeth vs fooles , and maketh vs wise , if our folie bee curable , wee can neither thinke euill , to bee so euill , as it is , neither good so good , till ex●●●ience teach vs : the craft of sathā , the euill of sinne , the strength of our owne corruption are best knowne by proofe , to assay them , is to eate the forbidden fruite , and a newe degree of knowledge of good and euill . the sweetnesse of gods grace , the sauing power of the gospel , the tendernesse of gods mercy , and the worke of his holy spirit , are best knowne by experience : this is a sort of eating of the tree of life . our best is to eschew experience of euill : i care not how oft i haue proofe of good , but it is madnesse to cast vs in the experimenting of euill ; but if our foolishnes bring vs on new assayes , the next is to take in a new affectiō to that euil , & new care to eschew it . in what measure wee flee the proofe of euill , let vs seeke the experience of good , though euery houre giue vs a new taste of grace , wee shall euer finde a new sweetnesse in it ; and when perfection commeth , it shall exceede all our bygone knowledge and proofe : euery experience with a new degree of light , bringeth a new affection , and stampeth the heart with a new hatred of euill , and desire of good . experience is an ordinar remeede of folie , but if wee amend not thereby , there is none other , than a cutting off from that experienced ( but forsaken ) good , and to be compassed by that prouen ( but not forsaken ) euill . experience is an oft repeating of sense , and euery such repetition reneweth and augmenteth the affections : not to bee moued by experience , is either to proue wee are senslesse , that feele not , or wi●●lesse , that make not use of our feeling . . companie is usuallie hurtfull . scarcelie can wee enter in a societie , and come off it , without offence : our humours doe either breake out to offend other , or taketh offence of them : many affect a quicknes of wit in breaking jests on their neighbour , but are thin skinned when they are touched themselues : they take not the law of friendlie comporting , which they giue to others . it is sathans policie to turne companies ( the meane of concord ) in an occasion of discord : hee bloweth at the coale of euery mans corruption a part , and finding them in a societie , preaseth to kindle them altogether , and turne our tables into snares : men on the other part , turne their christian libertie in a fleshly licence , not sparing to refresh their owne myndes with the griefe of others : the usuall matter of speech in such meeting is detracting of the absents and scoffing at the faultes of these who are present : or if grace & wisedome make them beare off these seene blemishes , their speech runnes vpon some indirect taxing . societies are gods blessing to mankynde to sweeten the griefes of this life , and mutually to sharpen our wittes for our callings , but that meanes of mutuall good is turned in mutuall hurt , and the common benefite of all , is ouerthrowne by the passions and indiscretion of some particular ones in a companie . wee can●ot eschew all societies , but we should make wyse choyse of thē with whom wee conuerse : some are so dangerous , that they cannot bee haunted without certaine inconuenient . it is a just thing with god , to make men offend other , who make it their merriment to offend him : when wee are going or byding euen in the best societies , secret ejaculations to god , for an holy disposition is a good meanes to eschew that euill . happie is hee , who commeth better from them , than when he went to them : who keepeth him from the offence of god and his neighbour : and if their corruption doeth injure him , giueth them not a fleshly meeting : if we grieue not the holy spirit by loosing our minds and tongues to the abuse of our christiā libertie , he will secure vs from these mutuall offences : they are not as the strife betwixt flesh and spirit , but betwixt flesh & flesh : if the holy spirit did ouerrule all in these companies , they would not either contest idlie , or offend in contesting : the domage of societies made some to turne eremites : it were good to haue the heremites reteerdnes in the noyse of societies . . the godly traueller is euer at home . every one seeketh some delight in trauel , & that according to their disposition : the curious man seeketh rare conceats : the proude man respects of honour : the bellie-god for odde meates , and their following pleasures : the polititian for intelligence , as the matter of his plotting and negotiating : the tippler and complementer for purposes of discourse . but the good christian seeketh for heauenly delights : his choyse commeth neither through the hands of cookes nor venteners , nor merchants , nor from the mouthes of stats-men ; he can take all these thinges as hee findeth them , and use them by the way : but his maine care is for god , and all his obseruation runne vpon gods fauourable presence with him . what a pleasure is it to finde all the places of our trauell and rest , marked with the tokens of his loue ? our bed with his secret instructions ; and in the day , when wee with-drawe our selues from our companie , and powreth out our heart to him , hee answereth vs to our heart , that his presence in an vncouth land , is as neare and sweete to vs , as at home : to finde him euery where , marking the places of our abode , as bethell the house of god , and peniel the face of god. this is gods calling of vs to the wildernesse , to speake to our heartes : hee will tell vs , that neither hee nor his working is tyed to one place at home : but that all places are for the presence of god , to them who are at peace with him : the altar is soone erected , and the sacrifice offred on it in the heart that hath a constant deuotion : the cou●taines of our tabernacle are no lesse , thā the vaile of heauen : no man yet sought god truelie , but hee knoweth that god is more easie to hec found , than his owne heart : if wee finde it in an holy disposition , then both hee and the furniture for his worshippe are at hand in euerie place . surelie that man may bee from his house , but hee is not from god ; hee carieth his home abroad with him , and god , whom hee serueth in his house , trysteth him in the fieldes . this soule is ordained for heauen , that at home and abroad , is euer with god : heauen attendeth him on earth , and while hee is abroad on earth , hee is at home in heauen , by that heauenly disposition . other men prouyde bodilie necessars for their journey , and the godlie aboue that , prouyde for the fauour of god : this sacred prouision goeth with vs , it carieth vs , it keepeteh vs , and bringeth vs backe lodened with fruites of it self : heereby in a short journey , wee make more true gaine , than solomons navie did from ophir . . the combat betwixt the earth & the wretch . the earth groaneth vnder all grosse sinners , but hath a particular combat with the wretch : other sinners burthen it with their vanitie , but hee would swallow it vp : hee wearieth it in furnishing his desires , and hopes : and yet is not content : his desires augment his hopes , and his equalled hopes increase his desires ; they are the two daughters of the horse leach , which cry , giue , giue , and mis-contentment comming after , saith neuer , it is enough . to ryse vp from a good table as hungrie as one sitteth downe , is of a doggish appetite , so is the wretch in all his riches . sufficiencie and aboundance doe but inflame , and not quench his desire . hee gapeth on the earth , to take it all in his possession ; though hee joyne land to land , and house to house , yet hee is poore , in his owne accompt , so long as hee lacketh his neighbours lotte . hee entreth in strife with the earth , an vnnaturall sonne with his mother , and it is hard to knowe which of them is more earthly : he desie●th all , and disgesteth nothing , no , not the crudities of his owne desire : but in end is disgested of his owne aduersarie . with what triumph doeth the earth embrace the dust of her foolish competiture ? all her superfice and fruits , and treasures of her bowels , could not satisfie him beeing aliue , but seuen foote length of her bosome closeth in his carcase : while hee breathed , hee would take iorden in his mouth , but beeing dead , a small box holdeth his worthlesse ashes . o what oddes betwixt the desires of a breathing , and the dimensions of a breathlesse vvretch ! so small an hole will hold his corps , whose hopes deuoured all the earth : it is good for them in their life , to take the just measure of their bodie . little will containe it , why should they trouble the world with their idle and endles desires ? what although hee could accomplish his hopes , and possesse all the earth , yet were hee but earth on earth , and beeing loden with that thicke clay , when he goeth to dust , shall make as small addition to the earth in quantitie , as the possession of it addeth to his worth . surely their spirit in this case is more lifelesse , than their carcase ; & it is a just punishment for their wormish heart , to bee cast backe in the dust , which they so much affected : let them desire as they will , in the end death will deuoure them . mankynde is as glad to want him , as the earth is to haue him . as a pest hee troubled men continually , and laboured to turne their lottes in his bosome , but now , both rejoyce in his death : while his friendes lament him , both mankynde and earth rejoyce that their trouble is cast out . . wise expounding of gods wayes . ●ee haue no greater griefes , than these of our owne procurement , and the foolish expounding of gods wayes is a great one : wee looke to some particular of his proceeding , and sticke on it , and rather vpon a crosse , than vpon a blessing : and if wee goe further , wee judge thereby both his purpose and end : the worke in our judgement importes both simple anger present , and destruction to follow : this is a great errour , and is shortlie auenged on vs : it maketh vs doubt of his good purpose , and almost dispa●e of the good end . but god chooseth for the best end the hardest way , both to proue his owne power , and to try our faith . it is better to expound his wayes by his purpose and end , than these by his wayes : though hee should draw vs through hell , yet let vs still bee assured of heauen : his decree is sure , as his end certaine , they are in him fixed , and the way betwixt them lying through many occasions and actions , haue difficulties and bad appearance , but alongst all these thorters , his good-will slideth soft and sure . and if our heart bee settled , anent his purpose of our election , and haue pledges of his end of our glorification , wee shall both ouer come the difficulties of the way , and resting on the decree , shall obtaine the end . what albeit the middle linkes of this chaine of our saluation doe shake on the earth ? since both the ends of it are in gods hand , yea , fastened in his heart ? and hee hath so joyned the linkes of it among themselues , that they can neither slippe nor breake , and it selfe as fast , as hee is vnchangeable : his heart must bee pulled out of him , before he change his purpose , he will denie himselfe , ere hee delate his inacted decree : all our considerations of our present & eternall state , are but loose and slipperie , till our heart bee fixed in the heart of god. . the tryall of our time . a wise traueller considereth in what part of his journey hee is , and a wise disposer of his dyet , noteth his age , & temper of his body ; so a good christian marketh the tyme of the world , and in what periode of the tyme hee liueth . all tymes turne in the circle , . of prosperitie , in aboundance of gods blessing , . profanesse in the abuse of these blessings . . punishment for that abuse . . repentance vnder punishment , that wee may enter againe in prosperitie as the beginning of that circle . it auaileth greatlie to know in which of these foure wee are ; if wee bee in the time of peace and prosperitie , to know the time of our visitation , and to use aright the things that concerne our peace . if in the tyme of profannesse , to eschew sinne , and keepe vs from the wickednesse of our tyme ; if vnder punishment , that wee repent tymouslie . doubtles this tyme of the reformed churches , is the tyme of punishment , we haue had long prosperitie , the cleare light of the gospel , and offer of saluation , but haue abused it , and now god is reuenging on vs the quarrell of his couenant . leuit. . . let euerie one mourne for his owne sinnes , and the sinnes of his tyme , that hee may haue his soule for a prey . he is voide both of the feare of god , and the care of his owne saluation , who now turneth not to god : when his word and workes of justice about vs , and our owne conscience within vs call vs to teares , it is tyme to afflict our soules for our sinnes . if wee cannot deprecate common calamities , yet wee shall receiue the murners marke on our forehead . ezech. . for our owne saftie : and god , who had the arke for noah , and zoar for lot , shall bind vp our soule in the bundell of life . . sam. . . since wee haue not used our former tymes well , it is not good to lose the tyme of repentance also . if wee doe , there will bee no more regresse to peace but vtter exterminion . but if wee returne to god with all our heart , when he hath purged his church by his fierie tryall , hee will cast the rod of his anger in the fire , and turne our mourning in a pleasant peace , o lord , wee waite for thy saluatio● . gen. . . short care for a short life . the workes of the most part of men , tell that they thinke not of heauen , or that such a heauen as they minde , is on earth : they seeke earthly thinges , and compt their happinesse by their obtaining , and their miserie by their want . riches , honour , fame , pleasure , &c. are the hight of their reach , and that not in a small measure as passengers for the way , but excessiuelie as possessors , of their end : no care of another life , because no minde of it : or if the thought of heauen bee forced vpon them , it is soone banished by the strength of earth-delights . their desires are as base as the beasts , & worse , for the beast can doe no more , and ought no more : but men are reasonable , and called to heauen : they may reckon on many branches with wormes , they come of the earth , liue on it , creepe on it , and in end creepe in it , and more wormish than they , being more affected with the dungue of the earth , digged out of the bowels of it , than with the heauen . what priuiledge their body hath in beeing liuing earth , they loose it in seeking lifelesse earth for their happinesse . both doe heere agree , an earthly life , and an earthly spirit , spent in the cares of the earth : but a friend of the life of god lifteth vp the renewed spirit to heauenlie things : it cannot be so basely abject , as to mynde and glutte the baggage of the earth : but as it is from aboue , so it is all sette on things aboue , and turneth euen the necessar and moderate cares of this life to an heauenlie temper , by that reference , that it hath in their use to life eternall . occasionall errors come in at a side , and wrest some part of our course , and beeing discouered , are easilie remeeded . but this is a fundamentall error , to place our happinesse in the earth , and to seeke it therein : it peruerteth all the course of their wayes , and the greatest conuiction of it , is when tyme of amendement is past : whē that consuming fire at the last day , destroyed all which they haue scraped together , they will then see their error . i thinke it great wisedome to car●e our cares , according to the things themselues . if eternitie were heere , mens scraping and raking of the earth might seeme reasonable , but since our time in this life is but short at the longest , and shorter possiblie than i know : i will set all mine heart for heauen , and a short life shall haue as short a care . . perplexities , disease , and remeede . perplexities in our adoes are a torture to our soule : with great difficultie wee resolue on the end . and when that is fixed , what tossing haue wee to choose the meanes that are most expedient for it ? and scarcelie are our spirits deliuered of these two burthens of purposing the good end , and choosing the best meanes , when the feare of the euent tormenteth vs worse . it seemeth heere to bee better to the rash and senslesse man , than to the wise . the wise man multiplieth his griefes , and by foresight maketh his way more perplexed to him , wheras the rash man and senslesse , bringeth out some birth without conception and trauell . the stupide man is meerelie passiue , and letteth all things come as they will : his senslesnesse disposeth him for any thing , not because of resolution , but for lacke of it : hee hath no more of matters , but their fruite and euent . hee is a witnesse to the childe , but neither father nor mother to it . the hastie man is so in his actions , and euerie part of them at once , that he is in none of them , his doing is as swift as his thought , and oft-times anterior to to his thinking , as his tongue , so his hand and foote out-runne his minde : hee is out of them by temeritie before hee bee in them . but true wisedome saueth vs from all these errors : it looketh to god , in whom are the ends of all things , and aduiseth with his worde about the meanes to bring vs to the end , and resteth on prouidence about the euent . thereby wee are more in god , than in our businesse , and committe them to him , that hee may doe them : full dependence on him , cutteth the throate of all these perplexities . . passions , tyrannie , and remeede . passions , are justlie so named , though they breed in vs , yet wee suffer of them , and that in such violence , as scarcelie either allurement of sinne , or prouocation of injurie can worke : it were nothing to see vs by outward folie , drawen out of our selfe , but to suffer that of any inward power , is more strange ; and that not so much a power , as an impotencie : it is not strength , but weaknesse in vs that breedeth passions , and yeeldeth to them : a weake defender , maketh a feeble assaulter proue strong : and there is yet worse in it , wee know not either how to punish or to remeed it . both parties are in our selfe , the doing and suffering of passion , is both of vs , and in vs , and when wee presse to mend it , new passions arise in vs , both of griefe that such passions should bee in vs , and of feare of wrath for them . i will not excuse my selfe , because of passions , but rather accuse mee : excuses of that kinde , are as they who excuse their fault by drunkennesse , the purgation is fouler than the sinne purged : passion in it selfe is punishment eneugh , if it lacketh guiltinesse : it so disturbeth man and transporteth him , that the violence of it , is a sufficient chastisement for it . it is a naturall impotencie , and must bee cured by a supernaturall grace : when god , in whom is no passion , reneweth vs to his image , and wee in all our actions , set him as a paterne before vs , wee shall finde a restraint of them . i doubt , if any passion can aryse in that soule , so long as it seeth an vnpassionate god in the face of his meeke sonne , iesus christ : wee are as farre separated from the meeknesse of christ , as wee are transported by passion . . three faultes with the world , but not with god. these three things are counted faults in the world , & yet no man needeth to repent him of them : the modest shifting of occasioned honour and riches , the patient disgesting of great wrongs ; and the not following of the fashions of the world : who so art disposed , are counted dolts , but that sentence falleth on the iudge . the first is counted basnesse of spirit : the second , an euill conscience : he swalloweth injuries so patiently , that hee incurreth the suspition of senslesnesse and stupour : and the third , a saucie singularitie . but such a spirit beareth out that censure vpon better grounds : the first commeth of true contentment in god : the second , of a care to keepe himselfe in peace with god : and the third , of a just contemning of the world . true honour followeth the modest shifter of it , and the riches of true contentment , are treasured in the heart that hungreth for no more . hee is truelie content , who hath fixed a period to his desires , and doeth not so much as loose them to a racklesse wishing of further : and the best way to keepe peace in our soule is not to frette at injuries : & it is a token that hee who dwelleth in vs , is greater than the world , when we count the worlds fashions a witlesse folie . hee who is so possessed in his choise , securelie indureth that ignorant censure , and hath indeede attained the trueth of that which they are seeking imaginarlie : hee seeth that by time , they will either applaude him in his course , or else fall short by the way to their greater losse . if the world can shewe mee where i shall finde it , or what fixed paterne and exampler of good , it followeth , with some reason it might exact of mee an imitation : but since it can neither tell , where to finde it selfe , neither hath any paterne , but it s owne new fangle vanitie , it is shamelesnesse for it to sute , and madnes in mee to giue it obedience . it must bee a bad stuffe that keepeth not the colour : and a bad colour that changeth euery day : stuffe and colour of so changeable a stampe agree well together : but the renewed man dyed with the vnchangeable colour of grace , contemneth them both . i will not render my selfe to that schoole , where posed sodilitie is counted a vice , and newe fangled folies are counted perfection . . saluation is of grace alone . the grace of god in man , hath no greater enemie , than man himselfe : sathan hath his name from inimitie to god and good , and the world commeth in vnder his standard in that warre : but they cannot all hurt vs so , as wee our selfe . their businesse is without , and cannot preuaile , except our corruption bring it within , and partie it against vs. all these enemies may will our hurt , but cānot work it : our yeelding to them , giueth both life and way to their euil will. of our selues wee meere grace offered with neglect , contempt and opposition , and when wee haue receiued it with abuse and vnthankfulnesse . grace justlie beareth the name , for it is a free gift , god is good to vs , for no foreseene good in vs , but of his free fauour : hee findeth vs euill , and maketh vs good : the beginning , growth and and perfection of saluation , is all of grace : it is good to finde this our natiue gracelesse disposition : when wee finde nothing but euill in vs , and all good to come freelie of god , then wee knowe the praise of the glorie of his grace . who so seeketh any ground of his saluation , or election in his foreseene faith , or workes , or humilitie , is not humble , but proud against god : hee maketh himselfe a step-bairne , and not a natiue sonne of god : he is not begotten of a speciall loue , but respected with a posteriot and following fauour , which dependeth on some worthinesse foreseene in himselfe , and the worke of it vpon the willingnes of his owne will. hee who buildeth vpon his owne will , and not on the good will of god , can neither haue stabilitie nor peace on so tottering a foūdatiō : as foolish babes presuming of ther owne strength , will not receiue the prepared meate by the hand of their mother , but with their owne hand , they losse that foode , defile their garmentes , and starue in the meane time . so proud , selfe-sufficient men will not receiue saluation by gods powerfull application . they must be partiall workers themselues , and gods worke must depend on their will , and so they loose the offered saluation : they who with a childish pryde will not bee freely saued , most justlie are not saued at all : god wrought the worke in it selfe without vs ; and in the application hee sweetelie and powerfullie bowes our will to receiue it . this giueth glory to him , and peace to vs. the angel ranked these thinges aright . glorie to god in heauen , peace on earth , and towards men good will. luke . gods good will giueth peace to men , and the glorie of all is due to god alone . . proude sinners to hell. proude sinners haue strongest conceat , that they goe right , at leaste in the way of their choyse : sathan blindeth them so , that they mistake both the end and the way . in their compt they are running to heauen , whē they are posting to hell : hee serueth them kyndlie with fresh post-horses : sometimes he mounteth them on drunkennesse ; and when they haue runne a stage on that beastlinesse , hee can mount them on lecherie : againe , hee can refresh them with auarice ; and if they wearie of that slow jadde , hee setteth them on loftie ambition , and to make them more spritie , hee can horse them on restlesse contention . euery on seeth not sathans equirie : there is no complexion or disposition , but hee hath a fitte horse for it , and that of it selfe : euery mans predominant , is a beast of sathans sadling , and prouyding to carie men to hell. the way is one , the post-master is one , hee is to be found at euery stage , mounting his gallants , their horses are all of one kynde though not one spece . happie is the man , whom god dismounteth in that euil way , & more happie is he , who taketh with that stay , and turneth his course to heauen : many are stayed who turne not : god checketh them by his word , by their owne conscience , by crosses , by censure of church and policie , by admonition of friendes and pastors : but they goe on , and compt the helpers of their sinne their onely friendes , and their admonishers to bee their enemies : but the godlie take with reproofes , as gods owne dismounting them off their beastlie passions : and with dauid , blesse god , who sent abigal in their way to stay them from euill : when hard hearted sinners sold to sinne , post on to distruction , the godly that take admonition , shall bee saued . gods sauing grace is powerfull in that soule , in whom wholesome admonitions without , and yeelding to them within , doe meete together . . gods calling is a sufficient warrand . it is some token of the life of god , to sturre at a weightie calling : a blind horse is in the myre before hee see it , but the seeing horse goeth about : they are euer most ambitious who haue least worth , and most deserted of god , when they come to their desire : gods calling is both the onely right to enter in a charge , and a surtie of sufficiencie for it : he suffereth no man to serue him on his owne expenses , but what euer he send vs to doe , hee furnisheth vs for it : and it importeth asmuch the glorie of his mercie , trueth and wisdome to furnish , strength , as it is needfull for vs to haue it . when hee calleth , hee obligeth himselfe to bee with vs : as it is a laying of a burthen on vs , so it is a surtie of his assistance : as the taske is imposed , so is his presence promised . if men call themselues they run away from god , who justlie deserteth them in that aspyring course , and will more forsake them in their fruitlesse labour : but when his calling is waited on , and vndertaken , not for any conceate of strength , but for conscience of his outthrusting prouidence , & confidence , of his assistance , there is a sweet concourse : the patient on-waiting and modest shifting , till conscience obseruing his will , command vs to yeelde , is a speciall sort of gods directing grace , and will bee followed with as comfortable a vertue in the discharge of our duetie . this maketh men called of god , bold as lyons : their faithfull seruice to him , breedeth them indeede bitter opposition : but their conscience sheweth them their warrand , and their master who wil not desert them . be not affrayed paul , for i am with thee , and no man shall hurt thee . actes . . and as i was with moses , so will i bee with thee iosua , i will not faile thee , nor forsake thee , bee stronge , and of a good courage . iosua . . . and . but they who call themselues , dare not bee faithfull : they see man and not god , and so dare not offend man : they find not opposition of him , or if they finde any , they haue no further warrand , than their owne aspyring humour , and none other assistance , than their owne conceated strength , which is weaknesse indeede . hee who is conscious of an holy calling , is guarded from all difficulties that may occure : hee knoweth of a sure retreate , when hee is troubled for his honest labour : though hee be weake in the sight of man , hee is sufficient to beare out his masters quarrell against all the world . yet none who knoweth god , dare glose with him in this businesse , hee is a foole who lieth in his owne purse . the conscience of our sinceritie in all this worke , is a seale of gods continuall and comforting presence . the world loseth their labour and endangereth themselues in damnation , who oppose them who are called of god. . atheisme poyson . atheisme is both the most vniuersal & most vncureable disease of the world : it is a coūtersconce erected by satā against the gospel , to elude the force of it , and to hold men still in the bandes of sinne : it goeth vnder one name , but hath many branches , some more open , and some more secrete , and in their worke some more dangerous than other : a dissolute man is not so powerfull to perswad his opinions , as he who colloureth his profannesse : open atheisme almost refuteth it selfe , but couert atheisme may deceiue the wise . there is neither such a ground nor couerture for atheisme , as to maintaine that men of all religions may be safe : to make so many doores to heauen , is to cast wyde open the gates of hell ; christ hath tolde vs , that the way to heauen is narrow , and few finde it , and hee calleth himselfe the vvay , but not the wayes : as there is but one god , so there is but one way to him by faith and obedience in christ. the signes of it , are an humane & officious carriage to man , but licentious and irreligious , before god : a praise of all other religious , and a carping of the religion professed in the place of their dwelling : and if necessitie draw them to the publicke worship , their behauiour bewrayeth an absence of their soule from that exercise : they jest at sermons , and make none other use of holy scripture , than profanlie to apply it to euery profane purpose & trifling occasion : & at their meales , their vnhalowed morsels must be set ouer with the sauce of some abused sentence of scripture : they care not to offend god , for pleasing their companie , who partak of their profannes , if they be not offēded at y● offēce of god. as mettals are known by their sound , so their grosse atheisme is discouered by their profane noyse . they who feare god , dare not carie themselues so before him : and they who haue found sacred scripture the seed of their regeneration , the foode of their soule , and their comfort in trouble , will neuer turne so heauenly oracles to the matter of their sporting . but they are not long vnpunished , and their damnation sleepeth not . nature in athiests findeth it selfe vexed with the dumbe choppe of conscience crying vnto them , that there is a god , but this surmyse is out-cryed , and conscience out-faced , by this , when they thinke any course is a way to heauen . such men are not so much justifying their course before men , as prouyding libertie of sinning against the cheeke of their owne conscience : there is no such compendious way to libertie , as the lacke of gods feare : and that heart is voyde of his feare , who sayeth , that there is no god : though hee be most glorious in himselfe , and gracious to them that know him , yet hee is nothing to the hart that denyeth him . but athiests will finde a fearefull wakning : god whom they deny , hath his witnesse in them , and in ende will testifie his trueth to their destruction , except they amend : it turneth men in beastes , yea , in deuils : while their heart is saying , there is not a god , their conscience giueth them the lie , and by secrete checks , both arreasteth them before , and tormenteth them in the name of that god , whom they denye . they can neither destroy god in himselfe , though they desire it , neither in the hearts of the godly . all the fruites of their godlesse spurring , is to moue him to destroy themselfe : it is good to soften our heartes in the feare of god , and to seeke out and follow that straite way of life : blessed is hee , who feareth alwayes , but hee that hardeneth his heart , shall fall in mischiefe . prov. . . . sinne is an euill guest . sinne is the worst guest that commeth in any place : it bringeth double destruction : one in the beeing of it , the other in the fruite : it is plaine that the wages of it is death , but euen the being of it ( such as it hath ) is destruction of the thing wherein it is : men , angels , thoughts , words and deedes , are good in themselues , but sinne in them , maketh them euill : it hath no being of it selfe , and is nothing , but the breake of gods law , a discord and deformitie , a priuation of good , & deprauation of its owne dwelling , the beeing it hath , is in these thinges , and so soone as it commeth in them , it spoileth them , they become euill men , angels , thoughts , words and deedes by it : he is an euill guest , who for his reckoning putteth the pest , or a fire in his lodging . i wonder not so much at the euill recompense , it giueth as at our selues who welcome it againe : no receiuer will welcome him , who put his house on fire : yet wee receiue sinne , and welcome it , though wee were euen now smerting for the worke of it : some doe marke the second worke of sinne , the punishment of it , but fewe marke the first destruction by the beeing of it , so as to abhor it , be like , it so destroyeth vs , that wee haue not a sound minde to make its destroying nature . o! what ods in grace ? it both changeth vs by renovation , and bringeth vs to glorie , the verie beeing of it , is the health of soule and body : next to god himselfe , there came neuer a better guest in man , than sauing grace : of adams sonnes , it maketh vs the sonnes of god : of naturall men , spirituall : and of vile sinners , it turneth vs in sainctes . it is extreame miserie to bee desirous and patient of sinne : but a token of a renewed nature , to abhorre sinne , and thirst for grace . . fittes of insolencie . their is no spirit so modest , which hath not some fittes of insolencie : if any odde thing appeare in them , they are puffed vp in a conceat of wrath , and as farre transported from their wonted modestie , as they conceate of that supposed worthinesse : these fits are more marked of other than themselues : their humour blindeth them , so that they cannot obserue that change , others remembereth their former dejection , and foresee it to come againe , & so marketh that startling as insolent indeede . an equable cariage proueth an well fraughted soule : our true worthinesse is in gods fauour ; our dignitie is his dignation , and the exalting or downe-cast of our heart , is from the sense of his fauour , or lacke of it : if wee bee sure of his fauour , wee shall then alike euenlie carrie our selues in all other things . but fits of insolencie bewray a double weaknesse , one , of little true worth , that seemeth so great to vs : another , of a racked judgement , making vs to passe boundes vpon so small occasion : the wise man is euer like himselfe : and at any odky thing , he is rather dejected , thā puffed vp . if the speeches of other make him ouerweene himselfe , he chasteneth himselfe in secrete for it seuerly : when hee returneth to his wonted thoughts , he abhorreth that insolencie , and guardeth himselfe , that they surprysse him not thereafter . . constant inconstancie . the vpright heart must encounter with many thorters : when it meeteth with vprightnesse , there is no difficultie , but such are as rare , as a whyte rauen in the world : when it meeteth with crookednesse , there is the strife , yet this is not the greatest : doublenesse is worse for conuersing , than open and constant peruersenesse , hee cannot rectifie the other , and they cannot peruert him , and while all of them keepe their stand , there is neither application to other , nor peace among them : yet it is easier to escape the euill of the brush , & rudelie backeward , than of the fickle chameleon . flat oppositiō is lesse dangerous , than couered agreement : a winde blowing cōstantly from one point , doth not so endanger a ship , as when in an instant it turneth to a contrare point : to say and gaine-say in two moments of tyme , and to blow both from the east and west , is a greater crosse to them , who deale with such men , than to themselfe . a man who is alwayes the same in good , is both easie courted and keeped but none can either know or keepe the double hearted ▪ he changeth thoughts , resolution , and practise as oft as breathing : when we grip him in one , hee breaketh out in another , and his turninges are oftner in contraritie than diuersitie ; to deale with him craueth a necessitie of turning with him , , or else of discorde : but a free spirit can neither bee actiue in such turnings , neither so basely passiue as to endure them : the best dealing with such , is no dealing at all . . wrong iudging . our estimation of things , is a valuing of our selfe , and a balance is tryed by trying of weightes : many count highlie of base thinges , and basely of great things : heauēly things are nought to them , but they admire earthly trifles : this error of their compt proueth weaknesse in their judgement , little is much to little , and few shillings are great riches to a begger , and course foode is delicate to the hungrie . it were tolerable if they keeped their error within them , but they obtrude it vpon the thinges themselues , they must bee so named , as they misconceiue them . the nature of these must bee changed , because ( for sooth ) such dictators haue so spoken of them : common gifts must be excellent , and most excellent graces must bee but common giftes ; because it pleaseth them so to thinke of them . it is a violent forcing of things , to ranke them so as wee conceate , and a tyrannie ouer the minds of others , to obtrude our error on them as trueth : it is too much that our owne affections and cariage to things , flow from that false ground . the gift of true judging is as rare , as true good it selfe : he who hath it , ought to thanke god for his gift , in securing him from the whirling giddinesse of the world : but withall let him resolue that hee and his gift will fall vnder the same erronious censuring of other : but hee hath enough , who hath god approuing his judgement , and courses that flow from it . . injuries inflame corruption . great corruption lurketh in the best , and is as secret to them as to others : but injuries are sathans bellowes to blow it vp : hee is somewhat more than ordinary sanctified , who at great wrongs uttereth not more corruption , than either himselfe or others could thinke were in him : but sathan stirreth not for the injurie alone ; hee intendeth thereby to draw more sinne out of vs , by loosing our corruption : hee knoweth that if all our thoghts be set on our injurer , grace will bee disbanded , and corruption breake out in grieuous sins . we haue more to doe , than to busie our selues with our injurer : sathans ambush in our owne heart , is more dangerous , thā al our outward injuriers . many haue keeped their strong hold , so long as they abode in it , but being wyled out of it by the craftie enemie , they haue both lost it and themselfe . so soone as wee are injured , it is good to turne from our injurer , to our owne heart , except our corruption be ordered , it will break loose , and harme vs worse than our enemie ; if our passions can bee curbed , the injurie is soone disgested . . how to please god. and man. we ought a duety both to god & man , but mans importunitie and our weaknesse , maketh difficultie in caruing their dueties : we know by his word , how to please him , loue the lord thy god with all thine heart . matt. . but how to please man , is as hard to know , as to doe it : if reason can content him , it may bee knowne , but the rule of humour and opinion is vncertaine . how shall i know mans rule , since he knoweth it not himselfe ? neither are all mē of one minde , neither is one man for few houres in that same mind : god in a sort craueth lesse , than wee owe him , but man is mislearned , and craueth more than his due ; god is most high , and higher than the highest . ecclesi . . . but mans due is as farre inferiour to gods due , as man himselfe , is vnder him . it may serue man then to bee respected , when god is first pleased : if hee bee not content with this place , hee maketh himselfe a competitour with god , and from that may bee a corrivall , and bring judgement on himselfe , and his obsequious obeyers . hee is worthie of none other regard , than misregard : and declareth himselfe an enemie to god and his honour , who is not pleased with this just caruing of dueties . the difficultie is in this , that wee stand betwixt two parties , god and man : there is no question in the matter it selfe : for gods will is just , and mans foolish : and if either man were conforme to god , or if wee were onelie flesh , or onely spirit , there would bee as little question : but man is contrare to god in many things , and flesh in vs inclineth most to mans will , as more greeable with our owne corruption . hee must bee more spirit , than flesh , who can both expede himselfe of these difficulties , obeying god , and patiently indure trouble for his obedience . to ouer●come this difficultie , three blessinges are necessar : wisdome to direct vs in the right : loue in doing the right : and peace , that though we find wrongs for our right , and hatred for our loue , yet so farre as wee may to keepe peace with them : wisedome craueth the duetie , loue seasoneth it to them ; and peace burieth their injuries , and will neither reuenge them , nor be at discord from them : god shall bee his portion for euer , who thus preferreth god to man. . resolutions performed . resolution is a good precedent to our actions , but is not the actions themselues : if we dwell on it , wee shall doe nothing commendable : that resolution is as a false conception , that is buried in the birth , and commeth not to execution : if the husbandman shall bee euer preparing his plough , and neuer teill , he can neither sow nor reape : a weake and staggering resolution , is broodie of scruples , and findeth matter of stay in it selfe , but so soone as the worke is well begun , then resolution endeth . there is oft-times more difficultie in resolution , than in doing : for in resolution , the minde is on many thinges atonce , but in the action , it is vpon the worke alone . it is rent in diuersities , and contrarieties in resoluing , but trussed vp in doing : many times wee are in torture resoluing , but in the action wee finde peace . a solide and masculus resolution giueth vs no rest , till it put vs ouer in the hand of practise , yea , it resolueth for doing , and turneth all the resoluing powers to execution . these are twinnes of a rype spirit : both to resolue and doe ; to doe without resolutiō , is rashnesse , & to resolue without doing , is faintnesse : he who doeth without resolution , dreameth of none impediment ; but hee who resolueth and delayeth execution , waiteth vpon impediments , and rather than hee lacke them , hee will faine a thousand in his owne fansie . euen fansied difficulties doe terrifie the lazie , as much as reall difficulties doe the wise and diligent . the sluggard sayeth , there is a lyon in the way , i dare not goe foorth , least i bee killed . prov. . . . callings are our tryals . as callings are gods taske appointed for vs , so are they his tryalls to proue what is in vs : hee hath ordained many callings for mans good , but many turne these meanes of good in a snare : there is no lawfull calling without the owne good end , and right way to come by that end . but the most part passeth that good , and chooseth the wrong . equitie , honestie , humanitie , vprightnes , are gods ordinance for callinges : deceat , circumvention , doublenesse , and such like , are sathans inuention , and yet many shift the first as a vyce , and follow the second as the vertue of their calling : god setteth before them the good of mankind , but they set nothing , but their owne priuate good , and care not for obtaining of it , to hurt their neighbour . how can god blesse the breach of his owne ordinance ? they may scrap together a state to themselues , but god will blow vpon it : they thinke that callings are not gods ordinance , nor themselues lyable to reckoning . and exerce them , as though they were of their owne vptaking , and had none other end , than to make them great in the earth . but o miserable greatnes , that diminisheth grace , and destroyeth them that haue it ! the losse is heere incomparablie greater , than the conceated gaine . what profite is it , to gaine the world , and loose their soule ? to conquesh hell to themselus , for enriching their posteritie . it is a pittie to see men forsake honey , and sucke venome greedily , but greater pittie to see men of an euill cariage in their calling counted the onely men , and these who are consciencious to bee counted no men : i wonder not to see that same error , which misleadeth men , to approue them in their wrong , but i wonder that mankynd injured by them , doeth honour them for their euill : it is a just thing with god , to make them hurt man more , who so foolishlie alloweth them , whome hee disdaineth : they cannot complaine to him of their wrong , since they approue it . this is a saifer course to honour god by following his will in an honest and faythfull discharge of our calling : it is good for mankynde , and for our selfe , and acceptable to god. heereby hee proueth to other , and sealeth it in our owne conscience , that hee hath placed vs in our calling in me●cie , both to mankynde and to our selfe . . foode of our soule . our care for the bodie condemneth our brutishnesse about our soule : both are substances , and haue neede of entertainment , but wee are more sensible of the bodies necessities , and carefull to supplie them : the soules necessities , are both greater and more urging , than the bodies : our bodies lye vnder colde and heate , and the decay of our naturall moystnesse , which must bee duelie supplyed by nurishment : but the necessitie of entertaining the life of god , and the sparke of grace in the midst of our corruption , is daylie and hourely : it is senslesnes , and death when these greater necessities are not felt and supplyed . no man is so foolish as to feede his body with imaginations , or if he would doe so , it will not bee so deceiued , it is a substance , and must haue substance to maintaine it . how many know not what their soule is , and what necessitie it hath , and how to supplie it ? and other who thinke they know all those , doe content themselues with imaginations : they doe worse to their soule , than to their bodie , and their soule is more blokish , than their bodie , in standing content with these conceats : aske them what certaintie they haue of happinesse , and securitie from miserie , they haue no more reason of both , than their apprehension , and yet that supposed absent euill , is as neere to them , as that conceated good is farre from them . what man can bee seased in a worldlie inheritance by imagination ? and yet the most part haue no more warrand for their saluation . the estate of our soule heere , and eternall saluation heereafter , is too great a pointe to hazard vpon a fansie : it is a wholesome body that findeth the owne necessitie , craueth good foode , and turneth it in it owne substance : it is a wholesome soule , that alwayes desireth god , findeth sensiblie his union , and by a continuall communion pa●taketh of the diuine nature . when i finde my soule burnt vp with the desire of him , paunting like the hart for water , and gaping like the thirstie ground for raine . i am sure that is of the life of god : it is not fedde with fansies , that is filled with god himselfe , it is filled with him , that cannot rest on any thing beside him , and finding him in it selfe , doth sweetelie rest on him who only filleth it , and resteth in it . nothing can fill the soule , but that which is greater than it : though in substance it bee finite , yet it is infinite in the desires . and god alone doth infinitely exceed it , both in substance & desires : it would bee counted frenesie in a man , who would prease to driue himselfe in a nut shell : so is hee , who seeketh contentment in the world alone . . a constant dyet of gods worshippe . appetite is a good preparation for meate , so is a zealous affection for the worshippe of god : it is good to haue our appointed tymes for spirituall exercises , and to keepe them : but withall , to striue for the spirituall appetite . how sweete is that exercise to the soule ? wherein our necessitie wakeneth our desire : our desire sharpneth our appetite : and our appetite thrusteth our heart to god , and god pulleth both our heart and our selfe to him : in one instant , it is both pressed with sense of miserie , and burnt with a desire of god : and sweetly allured and drawen by him to himselfe : these are wonderfull actions betweene god and vs , and all wrought in vs by his spirit , to carie vs vp to him . though i tye mee not superstitioussie to houres of holy exercise , yet religiouslie i will keepe them : these houres are sweete to mee , when god draweth my soule by strong desires and fayth to him : it is pleasant , when either these exercises doe tryst with our desires , or god in them , bringeth vs to an holy disposition ; and great is the fruite of these exercises : thereby our soules euen at other times are keeped , if not vnder the sense , yet vnder the conscience , or at least vnder a fresh remembrance of god. such a disposition is both a virtuall supplie of feeling bygone , and a seale of our eternall fruition of him to come : god hath promised a blessing to his worship , & the neglect of it is punished with profannesse and hardnesse of heart . it is good to keepe acquaintance with god : and there is none houre wherein wee haue not an businesse to him , and hee neuer sent away an holy heart from him without some comfort , hee needeth none exhortation to the wo●ke , who findeth the daylie fruite of it . seuen times a day doe i praise thee lord , because of thy righteous judgements . psal. . . . mans securitie in god. two thinges greatly trouble vs in this life , sudden accidents , and vncertaine events : the first shaketh vs , because they are vncertaine : when we looke to the present dint of trouble , wee cannot gather our spirites , and when wee wander , or sticke on second causes , wee cannot light vpon the certaine end . there is but one remeed for both , to make the lord our habitation , ps. . . so lōg as our soules remaine beneath amōg the creatures , wee are tossed with euerie thing ; but when wee rest on god , wee find peace . the conscience of his working , the assurance of his wisedome , and sense of his loue , lifteth vs aboue these troubles , and maketh vs partake that rest which is in him , and is himselfe : though hee moue all , yet hee is not moued , and impartes this rest in some measure to them who rest in him . what wonder is it , that his prouidence shake vs , finding vs downe among the creatures , but if wee abide in him , wee shall bee free of stormes : hee shall giue vs rest , while these calamities passe ouer : psal. . . who so dwelleth in his secret , looketh downe securelie on all the toyles of the worlde . the doue abiding in the cliftes of the rocke : cant. . . and the chicken vnder the winges of the henne that hatcheth it , doe neither feare the stormes nor the eagle . so the soule that by the woundes of christ creepeth to his bowels , and is warmed with gods electing loue , is sure of his protecting power . his absolute power is able to doe more , than hee will : and his limited power is set to worke to doe his will : and that both in producing of thinges and sustaineing them . this is a maine decreete of his will , committed to the executing of his power , to bring his elect through all difficulties , to their appointed happinesse . . holy meditations , difficultie and profite . holie meditation , is pleasant to god , and profitable to vs , and that sathan knoweth , and preasseth to stay : wee may close our selfe in secret from men , but no doore nor locke can hold him out : wee can shift our dearest friendes , but not him ; and the more wee thrust him out , the more he throngeth in : it is a well fenced minde wherein hee will not breake by fansies and suggestions , and while wee are thinking of his debarring , by that same thought hee either enters in ( turning our barre in his key ) or maketh vs to evan●sh : and what difference is there betweene his inbreaking , or our evanishing , and out-running ? none can for a few moments urge a deepe and a sensible meditation of god ; but either the minde is to call home , or the heart to seeke . it is good when wee goe to meditation , to pull in all our spirites to god , and thrust out all distractions , to fixe our minde on him , and holde it at that stay without diuerting , to set our conscience on worke , to checke that watch , and aduertise vs both of sathans suggestions , & the wandering of our mind : and most of all , to pray in the entrie , for such a diuine vertue , as may draw our minde to god , and unite it to him , till hee communicate himselfe to vs , in that measure he thinketh meete for the time . it is a fruitefull meditation , when the heart receiueth such stampe of god , as maketh it to taste how good hee is , and so thirst for more grace , that wee earnestly seeke vp these sweete streames to the fountaine , euen god himselfe , where that perfection dwelleth . such meditation bringeth out some point of liuelie and affectuous knowledge , and with these holy conceptions worketh a greater puritie and holinesse of the mind that conceiueth it : the soule in that case it is not simple actiue , but passiue also : and is changed to the nature of these heauēly things that it conceiueth . . spiritualitie of the bodie . our bodies are earthly , and yet haue a promise of spiritualitie : it is as easie to god , to make them so , as is to cleanse them from sinne : this is alreadie practised in our kinde , in christ iesus : our nature in his body , is spiritualized , to tell vs , that for possibilitie , it may be , and for certaintie it shall be so in vs : hee is our brother , therefore we may be like him , & he is our head , therefore wee must bee like him in a conformitie with his glorious bodie . philip. . so soone as the soule liueth by the faith of these promises , it beginneth to feele this spritualitie : wee loue our body by nature , and oft-ten idoll it : but grace maketh vs loue it lesse , as it is naturall , and more as it shall be fullie spirituall in heauen . this is a seale and token of that spiritualitie , that the body is disabled for sinfull actions : the worke of the soule , and the satietie of spirituall influence , bringeth for the tyme a deadnesse to sinne on it , scarcelie can the minde strengthen it selfe in any spirituall delight , but the bodie is thereby weakned : the soule marking that disposition , is confirmed by it , and the bodie it selfe , though the first and onely loser , is content of that weakning , because it is assured of the owne spiritualitie : when our soule shall bee full of glorie in heauen , it shall turne the body to the like estate . i care not how weake my body bee for the workes of sinne : i haue then most delight in it , when it is beaten downe and brought in subjection , . cor. . . not to hinder , but to helpe the workes of the spirit . . credulitie and confidence , are weake attendants of a weake spirit . credulitie , and confidence are usuallie found together , the one for taking in of reports is an euill porter , the other , a lavish out-giuer : the first admitteth both others reportes and the owne imbrede suspitions : the second giueth them out boldly as vndoubted truthes : in one instant , their heart is both at the roote of the eare , hearing greedilie , and in the toppe of the tongue , talking looslie : the one tryeth nothing , and the other spareth nothing . credulitie putteth no difference betweene mans report & gods word , their owne apprehension and diuine reuelation : confidence resteth on them all alike , and venteth all with the like assurance : it knoweth no degrees of perswasion , but layeth the same degree of trust vpon humane rumours , as vpon the articles of the creede . they are the two wings of calumnie , without which it cannot flee abroad : when sathan hath layde in the vncharitable heart , the egges or seedes of ignorance , malice , prejudice , suspition , preposterous zeale , and such like , then hee worketh mightilie on them , and hatcheth the monstrous bird of calumnie : but it is winglesse , till it be vented : for this end , hee putteth confidence and credulitie to it , that it may flee abroad , which was brought foorth in secret . this is a match of sathans joyning : a babling tongue to speake , and a bibulous eare to drinke in greedilie bad reportes . it is a weake soule , that hath two such assistants , who so would perswad them of any thing , haue lesse to doe , than hee who must heare their raw and vnconsiderate reportes . hee needeth no more , but vent his tales , he is trusted at once by them , but their hearers must either beleeue them , & that in their own degree of perswasion , or else suffer for it : it is easier to bee their informers , than their hearers or reformers , and that rather in lies and trifles , than in trueth . they are as hard to take contrare information to their former errors , as they were ready at the first to drinke them in . it is our best , to try reportes , and then giue euery thing its owne due of trust , and euery trust the owne degree of asseveration . it is folie to embrace humane reports with that same degree of perswasion , as wee doe diuine trueth , or to speake them with the same confidence . a speciall worke of gods spirit , is to direct vs in the trueth , and that not onely in the matters of saluation , but also in our common conuersation , where hee reigneth , hee placeth holy discretion at the roote of our eares , to keepe vs from racklesse credulitie : and hee guydeth the heart with wise charitie , to stay vndiscreet confidence , inventing of our owne apprehension , or other mens reports . the foolish man will beleeue euery thing : but the prudent will consider his steppes . prov. . . . the sight of a present god-head . it is a great worke to direct our life a●ight , and many haue giuen good precepts for it , but the scripture is a most full and pertinent rule . and god who knoweth best our duetie , hath summed all vp in one word , vvalke before mee , and bee thou vpright . gen●s . . . the sight and sense of a reuealed , reconcealed , and present god-head , is the marrow and substance of all wholesome directions . who can see him , but hee must loue and seeke an union with him ? and keepe that union by a constant walking with him : hee cannot bee seene but by his owne light , nor felt , but by his owne life , and the raritie of these blessinges make the christian conuersation so rare . this is a compleate furniture for our duetie , first , to know it , next to will it , and thirdlie , to haue a power to doe it : all these are obtained by setting god before vs. neither is hee a beholder of his gifts , but an effectuall mouer of them , setting vs and his grace in vs to worke , by a powerfull working . if his pure light fill the minde , his effectuall power will fill the heart , and that light and power can lead vs no wher-else , but to himself : they put vs to a restlesnesse , but when wee are pleasing him , and that restlesnes is a most sweete rest . the goodnes of promised blessings , the weight of threatned curses , and the equitie of dueties commanded , are all in their vigour when we see god , so that faith and obedience doe follow : other considerations haue their owne force , but this is so immediate and strong , that there is neither place for delay , nor hypocrisie . he who seeth god alway , dare neither neglect his duetie , nor doe it deceitfully . where this care is , sinne findeth a bridle , and grace a spurre . there can no tentation ouercome vs , so long as wee see god clearely before vs : sathans suggestions evanish as mist before that face : and our corruption dare not shew it selfe before the clearenes of that light . our walking in christianity , is but a roving , , till wee come to this sight of god in some measure . this maintaineth light in the minde , sensiblenesse in the heart , and setteth to worke our conscience , to direct and hold vs in a conuersation worthie of him , whom we see alwayes looking on vs. men are diuersly affected with this sight : some know not the nature of it ; other condemne it as a phanaticke imagination , because they comprise all the worke of grace within their owne personall experience : but vvisedome is justified of her children . they who are conscious and sensible , of it , enjoye the vnspeakable fruites thereof : while other are as voyde of them , as they are voyde of the sight it selfe . . patrons of grace and nature , are condignelie payed for their pleading . opinions in religion , are discoueries of our condition ; he who counteth highlie of the grace of god , hath his part thereof : it commeth freely of god : and leadeth to him in thankfulnesse : it is his gift , and the proper worke of it , is to bring vs to him againe : it is his stryne in vs , and pulleth our soules to him . the holy spirit is not , as a reporting messēger , but one inbiding seale ; hee worketh at once , both the sense of gods loue in our heart , and the meeting we giue to it : no childe of grace can satisfie himselfe in magnifying of grace , the worke of it , is to powre out it selfe on god , the fountaine , as it filleth the hart with joy , so doth it the mouth with : vvhat shall i rēder to the lord ? ps. . . the patrons of nature seeme yet to abyde in nature , at the least that patrocinie is a work of nature , and flesh in them : if a captiue commend his prison , is a token hee is not wearie of it , and ( which is worse ) desireth not to bee deliuered of it : sauing grace in christ is the arke of gods building , to saue those that goe in it : but pelagius brittle , and rent shalloppe of naturall power , and selfe-sufficiencie , drowneth men in damnation . in things naturall , and for this life , nature can doe something ; but in matters supernaturall , and for saluation , it is blind as the mould-warp , dead as a carcase , and vyld as a carion . if we ascryue to it , either deseruing or disposition for grace , we denye both the nature and necessitie of grace . errors in other pointes of religion , discouer indeed weakenesse in the mind , but in these practick poynts , concerning gods worke in our calling and conuersation , they discouer the state of our persons : they who are translated from nature to grace , cannot but abhorre nature , and praise grace . o! how dangerous a thing is it , to count nature grace , or to magnifie it against grace ? if their opinion bee well examined , they will bee found to lay two strange grounds to themselues : one , that they are sprung of another beginning , than fallen adam : the other , that they court another god , than the redeemer of mankynde : as for vs , who are come of lost adam , and depend on christ our redeemer , wee dare neither speake so proudly of nature , nor so basely of grace . the poore speaketh with prayers , but the rich answereth roughlie . prov. . wee count it our happinesse , that our dead and gracelesse nature , is quickned and renewed , by the free and powerfull grace of christ. all their pleading is for a priuiledge to nature , and when all is deepelie pressed , that priuiledge is nothing , but hardnesse of heart , than which , there is no greater plague in man , a libertie to fall frō grace , and to resist it . they shall neuer craue blessings to mee , who take that for a priuiledge , and blessing to man , which is the heauiest ( but the just ) plague of god on man. but both these pleaders are condignelie rewarded by their clients : defenders of grace haue not their gages to to seeke , and natures proctors haue such gaine , as shee can giue . the mater abideth not in questioning , the persons , are discerned before the question bee debated . magnifiers of grace proue children o● grace : and praisers of nature sticke still in nature . it is kyndlie to euery thing to respect the owne originall and benefactor ▪ as it is respected of them . i content my selfe with scripture , to call christ both the author , and the finisher of faith. heb. . . and to professe before men and angels , that i am saued by the grace of christ. ephes. . . and with holy antiquitie , to be then most sure , when i ascriue all the worke of saluation to the mercie of god , and the merite of christ iesus . . conceat of wisedome is great folie . conceat of vvisedome is a dangerous counseller ; while we intend our businesse , wee thinke all is rypelie aduised , but in the proceeding , and at the end , we find weakenes : we thinke then both of our witte and worke , that we might haue aduised & done better ; & that with some close resolutiō , to see better to businesse following : but the next affaires finde vs in that same folie , and are a new matter of after-thinking , and repentance , and our first conceate misleadeth vs , as of before . corrupt counsellers haue neede of reformation , & there is no more corrupt coūseller in our soule , than this conceat : so long as it is father to beget , or mother to bring foort● , and the nurse to foster our businesse ▪ there can neither bee hope of good successe in our adoes , or of amendement of our error : conscience of our weaknesse : imploring of gods assistance , and warinesse in our proceedings , are better directors . when wee distrust our selfe , and relye , and in call on god for a blessing , we shall either finde that blessing which wee aske , or contentment in the lacke of it : but conceat debarreth the blessing , and doubleth our miscontentment in the lacke . hee cutteth himselfe off both , from gods direction , and blessing in his adoes , who conceateth strongely of his owne wisedome : but he is compassed of both , who resteth on god. as his mercie offereth , so his justice decerneth the saue-guyding of him who distrusteth himselfe & trusteth in god ▪ but it is the worke of his justice to desert the selfe-conceated wise man : hee gaineth much who dependeth on god : his businesse are begun , sweyeth , and accomplished by gods wisedome , whereas the other left to himselfe , must wrestle with difficulties of affaires , and of crossing prouidence . the best way to bee wise indeede , is to be conscienciouslie humble vnder sense of folie , but the strong conceate of wisedome is extreame madnesse . dead to the world . the world is wise in the owne generation , but god turneth their wisedome to folie ; it affecteth men as they are sette towards it , the worldlings with loue , and the godlie with hatred : these affections it testifieth by answereable actions , honouring the beloued worldlings , and troubling the hated godlie : but it is foolish in both , and most in this second : if it did not so vexe the godly , it might possibly insnare them to byde in it . the worldes fowning and flatterie is more dangerous , than her frowning ; and her open hostilitie , is the securitie of the sainctes . it is gods great mercie to vs , who turneth their injuries to our mortification wee are called to renounce the world , and it rageth thereat , and preassing either to retaine , or recall , or destroy vs , it chaseth vs out of it selfe . all their contesting with vs , putteth vs further from them , than wee were before , their hatred and injuries worke a contempt of the worlde in vs : this maketh a diuorce , and in end , a death to the world . i take this as a dying and crucifying to it , when by the grace of god , my soule doeth neither conceiue their folies , nor account or receiue them , beeing suggested : when the heart neither willeth nor affecteth them , the memorie remembreth them not , the mouth cannot vtter them according to the worlds formalities , and the whole man hath a vnfitnesse to walke in their fashions : hee is liuing to god , and god liueth in him , who is so dead to the world. . the right placing of our affections . how foolishlie are our affections & actions placed ? christ appointed the matter , and order for them both , seeke first the kingdome of god , and all these earthlie thinges shall bee casten to you , matt. . . and the apostle , set your affections on things aboue , and not on things on earth : colos. . . heauen is first , and most to bee sought : the earth both least and last ; but man inverteth that order ; hee is not farre trauelled , nor high minded : the earth is at hand , and hee goeth no further ; as an home borne child , he bydeth in the house , & as a shell-snaile he sticketh to the wall . the heauen , the great & first thing , scarcelie entreth in his heart , the renting cares of the world , doe so pester it , that the thoughts of heauen cannot goe through that throng : earthly thoughts salute him first in the morning , busie him all the day , lay him downe in his bed , and play in his fansie all night : the thoughts of god and his kingdome finde none accesse : hee is all , where hee should bee least , or rather nothing : he is little or nothing , where hee should bee most , hee maketh that his taske which hee should but touch by the way , and hee blenketh but a squint on that which hee should continually meditate . many are busied about impertinent thinges with martha , and farre moe about impious things , but few with marie choose the part that shall neuer bee taken from them . luke . . by this i know , the right situation of my soule , when god and his thoughts take vp all the roumes of it , it is best to set the earth and her trash , at as base an account , as in situation , it is vnder our feete . . contemplation and practise ought to bee joyned . contemplation and practise , make vp compleete christianitie : god hath joyned them as the soule and bodie , & requireth them joyntlie : and he who separateth them , offereth a lame sacrifice to god , and is scarce halfe a christian : the first , as the eyes directeth vs , the second , as the hands and feet performeth that direction . theorie alone , is as the eyes without feete and hands , and practise without a solide knowledge , is as strong legges and nimble handes in a blind man. light and life are best together : the first , is the sweete eating of the booke : ezech. . . the second , is the bitter disgesting of it : the one giueth grace & contentment in secret ; the other proueth the sinceritie of that grace to man. for our owne joye , the first hath a sufficiencie , but for the edification of others , and our confirmation in our calling and election : the second is necessar . if naked knowing bee sufficient , sathan is a most perfect creature : hee excelleth all men in the knowledge of good & euill , but is behind all men in affecting them : he knoweth not good , to loue & seeke it , nor euill , to hate and flee from it , but his affections & actions are set crosse to his knowledge : hee is in that same degree of wickednesse , that hee is in excellencie of vnderstanding : his searching and pearcing wit , hath purchased him the name of an vnderstanding spirit , but his wickednesse calleth him , sathan , an enemie to god the union and worke of both , craueth some solide and inward ground : outward meanes may occasion them , and inward motions set them on worke , but they cannot haue a constant byding in vs , without a byding ground and principle . the life of god is this ground : what supernaturall thing we doe without it , is but hypocriticall , or occasionall , and easilie intermitted . the fountaine of this life , is god himselfe , and where this fountaine is , there is sufficiencie for theorie & practise : without him , our professing is hypocrisie , our minting vanitie , and our actions will die , and end , in their beginning : wee can doe nothing that is good without him ; and with him , wee shall bee able to approue our selfe , in a liuely theorie , and a well grounded practise . as without christ wee can doe nothing . ioh. . . so i am able to doe all things through the helpe of christ , who strengtheneth me . philip. ▪ yet not i , but the grace of god which is with me . . cor. . . . the ambitious man dieth of his disease . doubtlesse ambition is foolish , and god in iustice , doeth crosse it in the greatest designes : but the humble man is truely wise , and god casteth more humane respect on him , than hee desireth : the ambitious man hunteth after honour , but it flyeth from him : what euer bee his worth , in this hee is vnworthie , that hee thirsteth honour . it is not guided by blind fortune , but by a seeing prouidence , and flyeth from them who proudlie affect it , and waiteth on them , who modestlie decline it . he fetcheth and sucketh wind out of euery airth , but when he seekth it most , there is greatest calme , both in respect of his desire and indeed ; what is lacking that way , hee supplyeth it by his owne breath of vntymous selfe praise , but that auaileth not ; all mens breathing in a shippe will not fill the sailes , hee is the more vile in the eyes of the wise , the lowder hee proclaime his owne supposed vertues : the humble man neither intendeth nor affecteth honour , yet it followeth him : as the shaddow followeth the bodie , so doth true honour to true worth : hee hath more of that gale of winde , than hee craueth , and the more it blow , hee is the more dejected : his care is to keepe him from schelues and rockes before so faire a winde . god is witnesse to his soule , that heerein hee hath a secrete dejection , and still compting himselfe the vilest sinner in the earth : hee wonders at that mercie , that hath so vndeseruedlie blessed him , and knoweth not how to beginne to bee thankfull : hee is more pensiue how to pay the debt of gratitude to god , than puft vp in taking it on . and saith with dauid who am i , lord god , and who is my fathers house , that thou hast brought mee hitherto ? and finding himselfe vnable to thanke god , as hee ought and would , hee calleth god to witnesse his earnestnesse to honour god. what can dauid say more to thee ? for thou lord knowest the heart of thy seruant . and the more hee is swallowed vp in that sweet drowning sense of gods loue , hee is the nearer to true exaltation : hee feeleth then the trueth of that martyrs , word , who said , hee that praiseth mee , scovrgeth mee , & of the word of god , that hee resisteth the proude , and giueth grace to the humble . . good spirits are most free of passions . great spirits haue least passions , but base spirites are most passionate : the first is aboue their businesse , and not soone moued ; the other is vnder all accidents , and perplexed in euery thing : the one as a large vessell , containeth easilie water cast in it , and the other , as a small vessell runneth ouer . if the power of princes were in the hands of priuate men , or the passions of priuate men in the hands of princes , the world could not stand . but god hath wisely separate them , that power without passion may bee profitable , and passions without power , may bee harmelesse : the highest mountaines haue least storme , and wind on their tops , but the raines and tempest ouer-run the low hilles & valleyes . there are few worldly princes , but in grace wee are called to this heauenly principalitie , to command our passions . the holy spirit maketh the soules of the truelie sanctified , as the fleece of gideon : they are free of passions and perturbations , while others are drowned in them . broken water is in the shallow seas : but the deepe seas haue a soft swelling , and not these violent breakings . if wee bee translated from nature to grace , wee are aboue the surprysing of accidents , and bitternesse of injuries , and so are secured from the violence of our owne passions : our heart is in the secret of god , and our head aboue the heauens ; while our state or body is buffeted on earth , our soules enjoye a pleasant serenitie in the face of god. . god alone better than all . hee shifteth much needlesse labour , and prouideth great contentment , who closeth himselfe with god alone : to deale with man alone , beside god , is both an endlesse & fruitlesse labour : if we haue coūsel to aske , helpe or benefite to obtaine , or approbation to seek , there is none end with man , : for euery man we must haue sūdrie reasons , & motiues , and what pleaseth one , will offend twentie , as many heads , as many wits , and fansies : no man can giue contentment to all , or change himselfe in so many fashions , as he shall encounter humours : and yet it is more easie , to take sundrie fashions than to bee actiue in them . hee preasseth to lift water in a sife , and sand in open fingers , who thinketh so , to carrie himselfe , as to please all : he is prodigall of the peace of his soule , and carelesse of good successe , who maketh man either his rule , or his rewarder : that spirit must bee rent asunder , that applyeth it selfe to the contrarietie of mens opinions . mans bodilie senses , both ruleth and ouerruleth his reason , therefore , as hee seeth men and not god , so he preferreth seene man , to an unseene god : but when hee shall see god in the clouds , at the last day , & all mankynd present they shall all bee nothing , in respect of god. the godly now see him , more than mā , and therefore , preferre him to all men , and runne that course to offend and lose all men , rather than him . this is a course whereof hee shall neuer neede to repent . it is grieuous indeede to loose our friendes or familiars : and he is foolish , who loseth any , that hee may brooke with god : but it is a great triumph of grace , when for conscientious and faithfull seruice to god , wee lose them : they are not worth the keeping , who cannot be brooked with him : and hee is not worthie of god , who will not forsake father and mother for him : all the hurt that these selfe-pleasing men bring to the god-pleasing sainctes is the greater increase of the fruites , the scales , and sense of gods loue in them . since i cannot please all , i will take mee to please one , and that one who is better , than all , for counsell , approbation , and reward : so long as god draweth , all my thoughts to him , and calmeth them in him , by sweete contentment , i will not buy a torture from foolish man : while hee answereth my desires , & communicateth himselfe more to me , than i can conceiue , i will not vex my selfe in courting of man. vvhom haue i in heauen but thee , and there is none on the earth that i desire , beside thee . psal. . . . rare accidents make many prophets . strange accidents breed vs many prophets : before they fall foorth , all men are silent , but when they are seene , many clame a propheticall fore-sight of them : it is sure speaking of them , when they are come to passe ; but to boast then of their fore-sight , argueth lack of judgment : how shal he be a good fore-seer , who seeth not his owne present folie in boasting idlely of that which he hath not , & maketh none use of that which is done , or doeth not see , that that his vaine boasting , maketh him ridiculous : hee is as loude a proclamer of his owne folie , as hee clameth commendation from that foresight . this is a sure note of such spirites , to make none other use of accidents , than astonishment and broad talking : euery one they meete with , & euery dinner & supper must patientlie heare the arguments , of their fore-sight ; at euery occasion they haue a new edition , and a new discourse of it ; and by long and oft pratling , they giue some life to that which hath none other beeing , than of their owne humour and breath . when such things fall out , as cannot bee particularlie foreseene of man , it is better to ponder them seriouslie , and to see the worke of god in them : and for our selfe , to draw neare to him in faith and repentance , and to draw other to him also , in a religious reuerence of him who ruleth all , to the good of the saints : to spend our owne spirit , and wearie the eares of others in idle babling , is the worke of an emptie braine . . damnable selvishnesse . selfe is both a neare and a deare word to man : it draweth all our thoughts to it , & setting all to worke that is in vs , turneth them home againe , to it selfe : it is both the idole and idolater , the exacter , caruer , and receiuer , the doer and sufferer in all dueties : a fountaine sending out all , and a center , sucking backe all that it sent out : and so selvish in this selfe , that it accompteth euen god to be a stranger . and is yet more foolish , parteing it selfe against it selfe , and is the owne greatest enemie : so a mans greatest enemie is not onely they of his owne house , but of his owne heart . blind loue in the ape , maketh it thrust o●t the enterals of the own brood while it embraceth them too straitly : the blindnesse of selfe-loue maketh it in preposterous safetie to destroy it selfe : what more friend-like masters in vs , than selfe-love , selfe wit , & selfe-will , & yet what greater foes ? the hatred craft , & power of our open enemies , doe not so hurt vs as these : i feare and suspect no creature more than my selfe , and that euen when i most respect my selfe . i will professe and practise hostilitie against seluishnesse , and render my selfe to bee guyded by a forraine witte-and will , euen the new-man created and directed of god : this is a better selfe , than that naturall seluish one , there is no saftie for mee , but in hateing and destroying that euill one : by that sauing ouerthrow of my selfe , i shall saue my selfe . this is the fruite of mine ingraffing in the natiue oliue . the juice of that stocke , changeth mee to that selfe-destroying , and selfe-sauing worke , the more i seeke mine owne saluation , the more i abhore my seluish corruption . i abhorre my selfe , as i am of the first adam , but loue and seeke my well , as i am in the second adam iesus christ. the holie apostle maketh this perfect anatomie of himselfe , not i , but sinne that dwelleth in mee . rom. . . there is the olde and corrupt selfe , like the first adam in him : by the grace of god i am that i am , ye● not i , but the grace of god which is with me , . cor. . . there is the new selfe of grace , by the second adam in him ; in both places himselfe as hee is gods creature , is the common subject of both these selfes . hee is a stranger in himselfe , who doeth not marke this distinction of himselfe : and hee is his owne greatest foe , who destroyeth not the olde selfe in adam , that hee may saue himselfe in the new adam , iesus christ. . the wise and foolish merchant . everie man playeth the merchant in his greatest businesse : wee change & lose something , for gaining another : the godly with god haue most care to saue their soule , they care not to losse their goods , their name , their bodie for that end . if labours waste their body , and afflictions bruife their spirit , all is well bestowed in their count , if so bee their soule bee safe . the wicked mak their own conquesh with witte , like themselues , they care not to losse their soule for keeping of their body and estate ; their course is justifiable in their owne judgement , no man can build better vpō their grounds , or see better with their eyes : they see not their soule , and as little care they for it , as they know it : they see their body and state , and doe thinke that their soule is giuen for their body . true godlinesse ouerthoweth these grounds , and giueth better light : it teacheth , that all is for man , and the body for the soule , and himselfe for god : this maketh vs to secke our safety more than our state , our conscience more than our fame , our soule more than our bodie : and god , more than all . nature in worldlie thinges , condemneth our brutishnesse in spirituall : it teacheth men to buy the best thinges , of best use , of most gaine , and at the lowest pryce : but in spirituall merchādice , wee buy the worst thinges , that are of no vse , of lesse gaine , and at the dearest rate : vvee spend our money on that , that is no bread , and our labour on that , which satisfieth not , isa. . . such is all our businesse on worldly thinges . but gods spirit , teacheth the godly a better forme of barganning . the kingdome of heauen is a precious iewell : it endureth , when all these worldlie trifles will evanish , and wee finde it without a price . the mercat of it is cryed free without money : ho , euery one that thirsteth , come yee to the waters , and hee that hath no money , come , buy , and eate : yea , come without price . isa. . . these wise merchants shall rejoyce for euer before god , who vnder termes of buying and selling , hath freely giuen them eternall life , where the foolish seekers of the world , shall euer lament their neglect of this free mercat and the losse of their labour , their fruite , and of themselues . it is good to leaue the worlds folie to it selfe , since we cannot cure it , let it not spoile grace in vs : the wicked losing their soule for their bodie , lose body and all together : the godly losing all for god , & their soules saue themselues fullie : hee is no loser , who hath god for his portion and him selfe in soule and body unite to god in christ. thinges worldlie come not in this compt , before wee were , wee had them not , and in the heauen wee shall not haue them : their vanitie , & not use , are as a not beeing to vs. where god filleth the heart , there is no roome to desire , or receiue them on so miserable conditions . let them fall to these who are like to them ; dust and dust doe well agree , whē we shall enjoy god for euer . . the loue of good and hatred of euill . some things there be which i cannot loue , and some thinges which i cannot hate : i cannot loue sathan , for he is gods enemie : nor hell , for it is his house : nor sinne , for it is his worke : and the more neere that sinne is to mee , the more i hate it : in the godlie more than in the wicked : and in my selfe more than in any . these againe i cānot hate ; god , because he is goodnes it selfe : nor the heauen , because it is his dwelling and reward : nor his grace , because it is his image , both the causes of that loue , and the work of it is from himselfe : i loue them , because i loue him , and it is his will and worke in mee , to loue them . i thanke god , i cannot hate them , who haue true grace : i mislike their faults and shall disgest their injuries , but my soule cannot hate them , who loue god , and are beloued of him : his image and grace , where euer i see it ( though in my professed enemie ) commandeth my dearest affection ; all their injuries cannot so grieue mee , as the conscience of my sincere loue to them comforteth mee : by this i know , that i am translated from death to life , because i loue the brethren . . iohn . . . but there can bee none assurance of his loue and grace , where the sainctes are hated . his loue is shed abroad in our heart , not to remaine there , but to run out to embrace them whom hee loueth , neither am i beloued of him , nor haue parte of that in shed loue , if i hate them : who so are beloued of him , & are inclosed in his heart , & agree in iesus christ , as they are such , cannot hate one another . this is our victorie , ouer their corruptiō & our own , that notwithstanding of their injuries , we loue them deerelie . god loued and choosed vs , when he saw vs his enemies in the masse of lost mankynde : and now loueth vs , when wee offend him daylie : how then can the heart , sensible of this loue , hate anie that is so loued of god : if wee doe so , wee hate gods image , and loue in the sainctes , in our selfe , and in god & may justly doubt , if we be the lords beloued . . the best lotte hath some want . everie mans lot is mixed with some want : and god hath so wiselie temperated all estates , that no man hath all blessings , and no man lacketh all crosses : if we haue some blessings , we lacke other : yea , our miscontentment can make wants , where none is , and augmenteth these which possiblie are : wee take on vs a creating power , and that in euill : how oft doe wee compleane of that lotte , which is good in it selfe , and better than wee are , either worthie to receiue , or wise to use aright . many haue so large a lotte , that if it were diuided in an hundreth partes , it would content some hundreth persons , and euerie one of them possiblie , is more worthie , and would bee more thankfull , than he who hath it all alone , with miscontentment . the smallest lot with god ( if there can be any small with him ) is a large lotte : and the greatest lot without him ( if there can bee any great without him ) is extreame lacke . hee lacketh nothing , who hath god for his portion , and he hath nothing , who lacketh him : god carueth not sparingly to that soule , to whom hee giueth himselfe , and in that case , it lacketh nothing , but to know that lotte , and enjoye it . god hath indeede wisely tempered our lottes , but the error of our desires , and miscontentment is our owne , and yet hee bringeth good out of that error . his care is to keepe vs euer loose from the earth : if wee found all our desires contented heere , wee would forget to seeke a better lotte in heauen . let euery lacke chase vs , to seeke a supplie : it is a daylie and hourely earand to god by prayer : wee cannot finde it in this life , let vs seeke it where it is : our lot on earth satisfieth vs not , but our lot in heauen , shall fill vs with contentment : it is perfect in it selfe , and craueth that wee bee perfect for it . if in the midst of so manie lackes , wee seeke perfection in the earth , wee proue the lacke of wit , more than of a sufficient lot , all lackes tell vs , and command vs to seek supply in god , who onely is all-sufficient . . danger of corruption daylie . there is none houre , wherein we can say that wee are free of danger , and yet not so much of outward accidents , as of inward surprysing of our corruption : the more aduanced in grace , the more is that danger , both in it selfe , and to our feeling : other see our infirmities , and they are more grieuous to our selfe , than of before . this is a bitter experience , that when wee haue lamented our slippes , renewed our vowes , and chastened our selfe in an holy griefe for them , they breake out vnder our hand : scarcelie is our heart calmed from a former griefe , when it is conceiuing either the same , or a greater infirmitie . these canaanites liue still in vs , they are left as a mater of our exercise , the whetstone of grace , and a spurre of prayer : wee cannot cast thē out , but we should put them vnder tribute . it is best to hold our eye cōtinually on our corruption , that it break not out : or bee grieued for that out-breaking . daylie danger , is a lesson of the necessitie of a daylie guarde : and since that danger is most from within , our best guarde must bee from without : nature in vs , that worketh our woe , cannot prouid our safetie : god by his spirit is our best guarde : when he keepeth our heartes in his hand , then wee are secured from all dangers . it is not good to sleepe securely , whē a serpent is in the house , or to be carelesse , whē a mad dog is tyed with a loose roppe : such carelesnesse is an infalible precedent of some grosse fall : dauid at rest in his owne place , fell worse , than when hee was chased as a patridge in the wildernesse . if we cannot escape sathans supprysings , we should turne them against himselfe : god maketh these out-breakings in his saintes , as a staffe to breake the heade of sathan in their corruption . they are as the borrowing of a baire , hee houndeth out our corruption , to foyle vs , but god sendeth it home , as a carcase to him againe . beside the former exercises , it entertaineth humilitie , and the sense of gods mercie , who beareth with our faults . pride as a page , attendeth excellent spirit : but the slippes and buffets of our corruption , layeth these feathers . pride goeth before a fall , and an hautie heart before destruction . . gods best gifts . there is no mā , who receiueth not of gods liberalitie , but not all of that same kinde , and that measure . some as keturahs sonnes , get common gifts , and goe away from him : other as his isaac , get the inheritance , and abide with him : some haue the giftes of body and minde , and fortune ( as they call them ) gifts in themselues , but no sure pledge of his sauing loue : but to the godly , with his gifts he giueth himselfe , a spirituall beeing by renouation , a spirituall life by his sonne , a spirituall mouing by his spirit . our disposition will tell vs his affection : if wee take his gifts , runne away with them , and use them without and against him , then wee haue gotten his gift , but not himselfe : but if they lead vs to him , and make vs seeke him aboue them all , then wee haue himselfe with his gifts . these are best giftes , which are most excellent in their kinde : greatest in measure , and most profitable for use : what is better , than god himselfe ? and amongst his gifts , none is better , thā sauing graces . they bring with thē the image and warming power of a speciall loue , and stamppe the heart of the receiuer , with a re-louing of him . for measure , they are sufficient to our greatest necessitie of saluation . for use , they leade vs through the valley of this life ; through the foorde of death : and exalt vs aboue all use , euen to the fruitiō of god : and so in this life are the immediate matter of our contentment . common gifts come out naked , but sauing graces are guarded ? that same choosing loue of god , where from they flow , sendeth out a secrete vertue with them , to pull that heart to god , that receiueth them . though they come out from him , yet they are not separate from him , neither suffer they vs to stand abacke from him : that his loue in christ , that giueth them , quickneth vs with the sense of it selfe , that as by him wee liue , so wee cannot liue , but in him . this is a sweet intercourse botweene god & vs , in his sauing blessings in christ , i count more of his smallest grace with himselfe , than of all the world without him . . discerning of flesh and spirit . how profitable were it for vs , to discerne betweene the flesh and spirite . but this discerning hath a great difficultie ; and that because both parties are within vs : and both of them in euery parte and power of vs : their likenes also one to another , and the readinesse of our mistaking , and most of all , because wee incline more to the flesh , which is natiue to vs , than to grace , which is a stranger . flesh is first in vs by nature , and soonest at worke : and so forestalling our mindes , purchaseth our allowence to it selfe . confusion of our minde maketh them as rebekahs twinnes , wee finde them stirring within vs , but cannot discerne them : passions and selfe-loue make vs judge wrong , wee take that for spirit which is flesh , and cherish it : and that for flesh , which is spirit , and neglect it : that coueting one against another , is sensible , but we know them not particularlie : and more easilie can we discerne them in another , than in our selfe : the worke is then manifest , and wee are not prejudged by our selfe-loue . it is a great part of the worke of conscience , to marke this difference : the apostle excelleth in this , who said , i finde another law in my members . the best way to try them , is not to leaue them to the event , but to bring them to the rule . the true knowledge of gods law will tell vs , that is spirit , which agreeth with it , and that is flesh , which agreeth not with it : at diuerse times wee haue contrarie thoughts of one thing , the one must bee flesh , and the other spirit , what sauoureth of pride and vanitie , is flesh : what sauoureth of humilitie and feare , is spirit . as the descerning of them argueth a great degree of grace , so to doe according to that discerning , proueth a greater degree of it : when the motions of the flesh are broken as a cockatrice egges before they bee hatched , and the motions of that spirit are intertained : both these workes are noysome to the flesh , but they are more profitable in that they grieue it . he hath a painefull task , who pondereth all his thoughtes in the ballance of the sanctuarie , but the fruite of that labour in puritie , and holinesse is greater than all the paines . iustice is painted with a ballance in her hand , and the practice of a good conscience in this discerning , is a continuall pondering . where this discerning is exact & particular , it is a singular preseruatiue , to keepe vs from yeelding to temptation , & a spurre to repentance , when we are fallen : he who is so exercised , shall either not fall in sinne , or come soone out of it . . gods mercifull presence . gods presence in mercie , is aboue all things in this life , to bee sought and keeped . but euery one knoweth not what it is , or how to keepe it : as creator , hee is with euery one , sustaining , maintaining , and directing them in their wayes . the greatest a thiest cannot shift himselfe of that sort of presence . but wee seeke his presence as redeemer in christ. in this hee seeth vs , and maketh vs see him : hee sheddeth abroad his loue in our heart , and maketh vs to loue him , and by his working in loue , maketh vs both sensible and conscious of him , and carefull to walk worthie of that his presence : his coūtenance both humbleth vs in our peace , and comforteth vs in aduersitie : our well and woe are judged by his smyling and frowning : if hee lift vp the light of it aboue vs , nothing can g●ieue vs : if hee hide it from vs , wee are swallowed vp . it hath both a changing and augmenting power : thereby aduersitie is changed in prosperitie , and prosperitie is doubled by that blessing of blessings , euen as the lacke of it changeth prosperitie in aduersitie , and doubleth aduersitie by that crosse of crosses . his eye is more to vs , than all the world , to see vs , direct vs , witnesse to vs , in approuing or reprouing . in the darknesse of the night , it shineth in our soule , in our reteardnesse from men , it is powerfull to keepe vs in order , yea , all mankynde gathered in one , are but a solitude compared to his on-looking . this is both a tryall of true grace , and our proficience in it . i see not how wee can count our selues christians , except in some measure , wee know and walke vnder the reuerence of a present god : without this , all wee doe , is but by guesse and custome . heereby wee know whom we worship , and are sensible of our spirituall estate , wee measure his assistance and desertion , our strength and weaknesse , and by these , our joy and griefe of them all . it is the earnest of our inheritance , the first fruites of the spirit , our acquaintance with his face in this life , and our heauen on earth . to bee conscious of it , and carefull to keepe it , assureth vs , that wee haue it now , and shall enjoye it for euer heereafter . . god and sathan contrare to their ends and wayes . god and sathan draw vs to contrare ends by contrare wayes : god , his end is true happinesse in grace in this life , and glorie in heauen : sathans end is miserie in sinne in this life , and damnation in hell : the proceeding is as contrare : god beginneth his worke at light in the minde : hee reuealeth the goodnesse of grace & glo●ie , & the vilenesse of our sinne and miserie : by the mind enlightned , and his holy spirit , he boweth the will sweetelie to encline to the knowne good , and decline the knowne euill : by these , hee moueth the affections to seeke the desired good , and flee the refused euill . but sathan taketh a contrare course ; hee first moueth the humours , by them , the affections , and by these , the vvill , and by it , hee carrieth the minde headlong : as his on-sets are on our weaker partes , so are they preposterous : god leadeth vs vp ward , and fordward , as he made vs : sathan draweth vs backward , and downward , blindeth the minde , that hee may surpryse it by our corruption . the forme of these proceedings tell vs both the nature of the authors , and their ends : when the minde is solidlie enlightned , and moueth the other powers , that is an orderlie proceeding : but where humours lead the ringe , & the minde is both last moued , and violentlie carried , there can bee no good . if there were that much light in it , as to discerne their proceeding , wee might eschew the many temptations , which surprysse vs , and obtaine many blessings , which wee neglect . humorous courses are both violent and dangerous ; they beginne with violence , and end in darknesse , the more stirring of humour the lesse life of grace : but the worke that beginneth , and goeth on with●light , endeth in life and happinesse . in all our businesse , wee are guided by one of these two . it is good to dispose of our affaires , with due consideration , that wee may know who is our guide , what is the nature of our proceeding , and what shall bee our end . hee beateth the aire , and thresheth the water , who walketh without these considerations , as he soweth the winde , hee shall reape the whi●le winde . many abhorre sathan in word , who render themselues to his guiding : and many honour god in word , who pull their shoulders from his obedience . . tryall of trueth . our speach in praise , and dispraise , arise of estimation , and estimation commeth of discerning , and discerning of knowledge ▪ a cleare particular and distinct knowledge , maketh good discerning , due estimation , and a true speach : but ignorance maketh bad discerning , wrong estimation , and a false testimonie , wee cannot pry in the heart of man immediatelie , but the worldes affection is seene in their praise , or dispraise : for the most part , gold is called drosse , & drosse gold , good is called euil , and euill good , vertue is called vyce , & vyce vertue . and euery man perswaded of his owne wisedome , is both peremptorie to pronounce of things themselues as hee conceiueth them , and credulous to beleeue other reports of them . there is no just testimonie , but from a sound minde enlightned of god , and that as it is such ; a moate may trouble the eye that is otherwayes inlightned , so will passion or prejudice an vnderstanding minde . i pittie posterior ages , who haue no further of former times , than historicall report , which carrie as much of the affection and disposition of the writer , as veritie of the matter : except the sacred historie , there is none that hath infalible trueth ; it is a vexation to finde out the trueth in the multitude of diuerse , yea , contrare reports . a blind man eateth many flies , and a credulous mind manie vntruths . i reuerence euery man as god hath gifted him , but i keepe obsequious credulitie to god alone in his word : i find nothing therein , but truth : as for other reports , i haue often found by diligent search , that to be drosse which was called gold , and that to be gold which was rejected . . politicks secrecie is open . vvorldlie politicks affect nothing more in their businesse than secrecie , but they are not so close as they beleeue : they are as the fish which thrusting the head vnder a stone , thinketh all is hid , but the fisher pulleth it out of that supposed secret : they laugh all the world to scorne , and seeth not that they are seene by these whome they would blinde : conuoy as they will , yet they are perceiued , and more justly mocked , both for their crooked doings and conceate of secrecie . they delight to deceiue man , but indeede they deceiue themselues : as they glose man , they cast a vaile betweene god and them , thinking that hee seeth them not , because they winke . and will not see him . but all that is seene of him , and shall bee manifested to him all at the last day : since men enlightned of god , doe now see through these vailes , shall not his face at the last day , more clearely discouer their supposed secrecie and wickednesse lurking vnder it . if they worke directlie their mids , tell both their grounds and end : if indirectlie ( as now many doe , affecting gods prerogatiue to worke by contrars ) yet are they seene : they who can inferre a like of like , can also inferre a contrare of a contrare . the truelie wise in god seeth him throughlie , smyleth at his opinion of secrecie , and sorroweth for his crooked policie : hee out-seeth him in a better sight , and foreseeth his disapointment and repentance : hee could as well minde and counter-minde him , if hee pleased , but hee will not . it is not lacke of witte , but of will , and of corruption of witte , that stayeth him from playing the politicke : hee knoweth god hath giuen him witte for a better end to honour god , doe good to his neighbour , and saue himselfe , but not to abuse it in weauing the spider webbe , or hatching the cockatrice egges . isa. . the troubler of mankinde furnisheth politicks with a quicke vvitte , and hard heart , and harder face , the first for plotting euill against conscience : the second for affecting it against god : the third for effecting it with man. the first is both a corrupted and corrupting mind , the next , a senslesse heart , the third , a shamelesse face : such furniture is neither to bee enuyed nor coueted . it is a witlesse witte , that is wittie to warppe a mischiefe to it selfe . achitophe●s policie , put his house in order , and himselfe out of order : hee gained by it nothing , but a roppe to his necke , and confusion to himselfe , and his estate . this is true wisedome , to feare god ▪ and to depart from sinne , is good vnderstanding . . the life of the soule . the soule is the life of the bodie , but it selfe must liue by some other life , and that not from within , but from without : euery one seeketh not that same thing for the life of it . it is a second life in time , but should bee better than the first , because it is the life of the first , euen of the soule it selfe ; and should as farre excell the soule , as the soule doeth the body : but the multitude chooseth a worse and a baser life to their soule : some liue by their riches , some by their fame , others by their pleasures , and others by their conceates . this is not an exalting , but a debasing of their soule , not a quickening , but a killing of it . it is gods worke to quicken our earthlie lumppe by an heauenlie substance , but to destroy that soule by a lumppe of earth and vanitie , is sathans destroying worke . it were extreame senslesnesse to liue a day or an houre , and not know if our soule were in vs ; and yet many put off long time , and neuer try if they haue this spirituall life . they lacke it who know it not , a speciall worke of it , is to reueale it selfe to them who haue it : it is a vigorous life , all in action and cannot lurke : holie motions operations , and assiduous care to keepe it , are euidencies that wee haue it . i will seeke nothing for the life of my soule , but that which is infinitelie better than it , and that is god himselfe : when hee dwelleth in the soule , hee maketh both soule & body liue in him , and exciteth them to an higher degree than they had before . there is no food so sweete to the mouth , as the sense of gods loue to the heart ; when it is warmed by that heauenly sweetnesse , then the body is refreshed by a wondefull presence . the life that is of god , and is himselfe , liuing in mee , both giueth mee life , and telleth mee what that life is , and by the sense and conscience of it selfe , redoubleth that life in the aboundance of peace and joye . hencefoorth i liue not , but christ liueth in mee , and the life that i liue , i liue by the faith of the sonne of god , who hath loued mee , and giuen himselfe for me : yea , hath giuen himselfe to mee , and taken mee to himselfe . galat. . . . sense of weaknesse . it is absolutely necessar to bee keeped vnder the sense of our weaknesse , but all meanes for it are not alike : some learne it by falling in great temptations , as dauid in his sin , other find it in smaller and trifling ouersights , as rashnesse in words , or out-breaking in passions : both grieuous falls and small ouer-sights discouereth our weakenesse , but this last hath neither such guiltines before god , nor such slander before man , nor such a wound to our conscience as the first . it is a great mercie of god , to bee schooled by lesser infirmities ; and it is the blessing of that mercie to make use of it : this is a point of heauenly wisedome to bee made as conscious of our weakenesse , by small slippes as by grieuous sinnes ; if it worke in vs a distrust of our selues , a constant adherence to god , wee are brought to a guarde for our weaknesse . it is extreame weakenesse , or rather death , to bee ignorant of our weaknes , and it is both strength restored , & increased to feele it . death feeleth no disease , but life & the integritie of it maketh vs sensible of any thing that hurteth vs. the tryall of it , is to enterpryse nothing , without earnest incalling of god for wisedome and direction : neuer to proceede in any thing , without imploring his assistance and blessing , and that not in greater businesse onely , but in our smallest adoes : the watch-man of israel will then preserue our going out , and comming in . when we absolutelie relye on him in euery thing . hee is most secure and safe from his weaknes , who by many proofes is made conscious of it , and by that conscience doeth euer depend on god ; he shall ouercome great difficulties to his owne , & others , admiration . but he who presumeth in his owne strength , is ouerthrowne of smaller businesse : humilitie in the one , grippeth god , to be led of him : but presumption in the other , is sathans snare to entrappe him , humilitie , is both a degree of gods present assistance , and a presage of his accomplishing presence : but presumption in the other , is both a just desertion of god , and a surrendring of the presumptuous man , to fearefull inconuenients . conscience of weaknesse findeth want within , and seeketh supplie in god : but conceate of strength holdeth them within : the first is blessed with helpe of god , the other is cōvinced by grieuous losses . . the scriptures vnspeakable profite . it is impossible to liue either christianlie or comfortablie , without the daylie vse of scripture : it is absolutelie necessar for our direction in all our wayes , before wee beginne them , and for the tryall of our wayes , when we haue done : for the warrand of our approbation of them , for resolu●ng of our doubts , and comforting vs in our griefes : without it our conscience is a blinde guide , and leadeth vs in mist of ignorance , error , and confusion . therein wee heare god speaking to vs , declaring his will to vs concerning our saluation , and the way of our obedience , to meete him in that his good will. what booke can wee read with such profite and comfort : for matter , it is wisedome : for authoritie , it is diuine and absolute : for majestie , god himselfe vnder common wordes and letters expressing an vnspeakable power , to stamp our heart : and where shall wee find our mindes so enlightned , our heartes so deepelie affected , our conscience so moued , both for casting vs downe , and raising vs vp : i cannot finde in all the bookes of the worlde , such an one speak to me , as in scripture , with so absolute a conquesh of all the powers of my soule . contemners of scriptures want food for their soule , a light for their life , and the sword of their spirituall warre-fare : but the louers of scripture , haue all that furniture : therein wee heare the voyce of our beloued , wee smell the sauour of his oyntments ; and haue daylie accesse vnto the arke of propitiation : if in our knowledge wee desire diuinitie , excellencie , antiquitie and efficacie ; wee cannot finde it , but in gods worde alone . it is the extract of heauenly wisedome , which christ the eternall word of god brought out of the bosome of his father . oft-times on this meditation , i doe both pittie the pagans , who haue not this sacred booke , and were without warrand of their doing or comfort in their trouble : and i wonder at many ch●istians , whō god hath blessed with this booke , but they know not their bl●ssing hereein ; they find more delight in other books thā in this : and some affect such treatises , as may be instrumēts of their vncleannesse or ambition , and trifling complementing : filthie and obscene pamphlets are bought and reade more greedilie , than this sacred vvryte . but this is a discouerie of mens profane disposition . it is a token of profannesse , to loath scripture ; but a note of true grace to delight into it : and of a growing grace , to grow in that delight . the happie man that walketh not in the way of the wicked , nor standeth in the way of sinners , nor sitteth in the seate of the scornefull , commeth to all this blessednesse , because his delight is in the law of god , and hee meditateth therein night and day , let good christians choose our these pearles , while the swine eat vp their husks . it seasoneth the heart with an heauenly taste , and inducth it with diuine p●operties . if the iewes did recei●e an odde temper of body and spirite , because of manna , shall wee not haue a greater excellencie by this heauenlie manna , and iesus christ in it , if wee would be sure of the life of god in vs , let vs continually drink in these heauenly oracles . the daylie seasoning of our soules by holy scripture , keepeth in vs the vigour of that life , and fostereth our soule constantlie in a spirituall taste . . the fearfull calamitie of warres . as the earth-quake to earth , so is vvarre to mankinde , a fearefull commotion : the calamities of it destroyeth ciuilitie , libertie , lawes , religigion , and humanitie it selfe . it is a grieuous thing to see man made for the good of man , so earnestly to destroy his neighbour , and that with the hazard of himselfe : for the desire of the life and blood of his brother , to be prodigal of his own : and for the opinion of most manfull men , to turne beastes , voyd of humanitie , in destroying their owne kynde , and deuils in defacing the image of god : god commanded man to increase and multiplie , but they turne it in diminishing of mankynde , and make a craft of it ▪ to destroy one another . i cannot thinke , but mankinde mourne more to finde such rent in her bowels , than the persons so disposed . it is one worke , but hath diuerse respects in it : some thereby ambitiously seeketh preferment , some avaritiouslie hunt for gaine : others cruelly seeke the sythment of a reuengfull heart , and others in that loosing of all order seeke a licence to all wickednesse . but god both intendeth and worketh his good ends into it . it is his chirurgrie to draw some superfluous blood of mankynde : and his discipline to such as are dissolute : doubtlesse god hath some as cornelius , warriours fearing god , but it is as sure that many are voyde of the feare god : they initiate themselues for warres in the aile house and bordell : and so soone as as they are girded with the souldiers girdle , they loose themselues to all profannesse : god disciplineth them with the muscat , canon , and sword , in the fielde , who would neither abide the admonition , nor censure of pastors at home : it is his ehastening of his church , she abuseth her peace in warring against him by sin , therfore he maketh mā to war against her , to bring her to repentance . no warres are so cruell as these for religion : in ciuill jarres it is but as one deuill smiting another , the strokes will bee soft : but heere sathan is smiting the light and the bearers of it ; and that with certaine victorie to gods enemies , so long as gods quarell remaineth against his church : it is a parte of his processe against her , and his enemies are a scourge in his hand , therefore , they must preuaile , till his church be sufficiently humbled . heere the case of the victor , is worse than of these who are ouercome ; for the one are corrected in a wrath mixed with mercie , but the other is imployed in that seruice , in a simple wrath : and while they are gods instruments to punish the sinnes of his church , they are filling vp the cup of their owne sinnes , that full vengeance may ouertake them . it is our best not to fight against god in our peace ; and if hee bring warre on vs , not to rest , till wee bee at peace with him : the rage of warre is bounded , if wee bee one with him , hee will either giue vs our soule for a prey , or take vs to a better life . all deaths are sanctified to the elect , and to die for religion is a most glorious death . souldiers call it the bedde of honour to die in the battell ( though many of them bee dead in sinne ) but to die in the lord , is the bedde of honour indeede , to lay downe our life for his cause , who gaue it ; and to turne the naturall debt of death , in so glorious a sacrifice . it is a token of gods honourable accompt of vs , to charge vs with such a seruice ; of his presence with vs , in so triumphing a grace , and a pledge of the greatest degree of glorie in heauen . . god seeth the heart . that god seeth the secretes of our heart , is a point terrible to the wicked , but joyfull to the godly : the wicked are sorie , that their heart is so open : it is a boyling potte of all mischiefe , a fornace and forge-house for euill : it grieueth them that man should heare and see their wordes and actions : but what a terrour is this ? that their iudge whom they hate , seeth their thought . if they could deny this , they would : but so many of them as are convinced and forced to acknowledge a god , are shaken bee times with this also , that hee is all-seeing ▪ other proceed more summarlie , and atonce deny a god-heade in their heart , and so destroy this conscience of his all-knowledge . but it is in vaine , the more they harden their heart on this godlesse thought , the more feare in them ; while they chock and charme their conscience , that it crow not against them : it checketh them with fore-sight of fearefull vengeance , and for the present , conuinceth them of the conscience of a god-head , the more they preasse to suppresse it . but the godly rejoyce heerein , it is to them a rule to square their thoughtes , there is no libertie of thinking , vvilling , vvishing , affecting , in the heart : where that candle shineth , all are framed as worthie of him , and his sight whom they see , seeing their heart . this worke is all secrete , and knowne of them alone in whom it is : the stranger shall not meddle with the joye of that soule . it seeth god all-eye , looking on it , and layeth it selfe open both to see him , and to bee seene of him : and that not onely for to bee directed , but to bee allowed : the first is the warrand , to doe : the second , is the seale , that it is well done . it is their comfort against man , traducing their words and actions : when man that seeth not their heart , expoundeth them contrare to their heart , they solace themselues in this appeale in the cōscience of gods both knowing , & acknowledging sight of their heart : so also it is our best , while the world either thinketh that god seeth not , or would it were so , that wee euer delight to cast our hearts open to god , not because it must bee so , but because that wee rejoyce that it is so : wee count not that terrible , which wee finde so comfortable . that soule is sufficientlie guarded , for its innocencie and sinceritie , against the scourge of the tongue , which is conscious and sensible of gods seeing , witnessing , and approbation : the seales of that approbation in a solide peace and vnspeakable joye are stronger , than can bee broken by the breath of man : that lying breath cannot dissolue , but doubleth them both in themselues , and the joyfull use of their possessours . this made the holy apostle to say with as great libertie as trueth , i passe verie little to bee judged of you , or of mans judgement ; for i am not conscious to my selfe of any thing . . cor. . . . . rest on prouidence . some cares are necessar , because commanded of god , others needelesse because forbiden : euery day hath enough of his owne griefe , and wee should not care for to morrow : god relieueth vs of that care : hee who made the world , disposseth all , and careth for all in it : before wee were borne , hee ruled all , and needeth not our helpe in any thing ; and when wee shall bee at rest , hee will rule all . it is a matter of pittie , to see manie rent their heart , when they neede not : gods prouidence easeth vs of that care , if wee bee at peace with him , his prouidence is for vs , it hath nothing more in head , than to content the lords beloued . if once wee loose our mindes to apprehensions , and feares of crosses , there will neither bee end , nor remeede of them : one will breede an hunder , and euery one will multiplie answerablie , so that we shall be buried and ouerwhelmed with feares , before the feared euill come . but these and the like shreds of tortouring apprehensions , shall bee cutted , if we close our selfe within the compasse of a mercifull prouidence , and this shall bee , if wee can perswade our selfe : . that there is a god. . and that this god ruleth all . . that all his ruling worketh together to the good of them that loue him . hee needeth not bee afrayd of any thing , who is at peace with him , who ruleth all things . by distrustfull care , wee offend god , and make his prouidence to worke matters to our griefe . the course and euent of things i leaue to god , and his prouidence : he is more wise see , & more able to doe that which is good , than all the world . i haue no care , but to see that i offend him not , either in abuse of meanes commanded , or vse of things forbidden : this prouideth with a certaintie of good , a solide contentment also ; when i rest on his prouidence , fullie resoluing to welcome what it bringeth . i trust his grace will worke contentment in his worke when it commeth : since i reuerence it before it come : if any take on them to counsell , or command prouidence , or to controll the worke of it , let that soule resolue to lodge in continuall miscontent . it is good wisedome to keepe our selues in peace with god , who directeth prouidence , and to submitte our selues vnto it , so wee shall finde it serue vs , and gods grace to giue vs contentment in the worke of it . commit thy wayes vnto the lord , and trust in him , and hee will doe them . psal. . . cast thy burden on the lord , and hee will sustaine thee . psal. . . god dwelleth in that heart that so reposeth on him , but hee deserteth the soule that chydeth his prouidence . hee who trusteth in god , shall bee as mount sion , that can not bee remoued . psal. . . hee shall not bee affrayed of euill tydings , because his heart is fixed on the lord. ps. . this is christian stoicisme or rather spirituall securitie . the olde stoickes preassing to exalt the naturall man , aboue the reach of humane passion , did both thrust him out of nature , and shake him loose of gods protection : and turned him from himselfe , as farre , as from god : but this holy disposition maketh vs rest out of our selfe , in god : and so to finde our selfe secured in him . . afflictions fruite . there is nothing more grieuous to man , and nothing more profitable , than affliction : how foolish are wee in the day of trouble ? wee thinke that god is slaying vs , when hee is sauing vs : a life indeede is taken from vs , but such a life as wee both may and should want : such a life as killeth our soule , but quickneth vs by the want of it : we haue a worldly and a sinfull life , euen our loue of the things of the world : god giueth them as coards and wings to lift vs vp to heauen , but wee turne them in weights to hold vs on the earth . when we loue our name , our goods , our children , our body , our selfe , more than wee ought , god hath two quarrels at these things : the one of iealousie , because wee loue them to his prejudice : the other of violence , because they detaine our soule in them . when hee crosseth vs in them , then hee slayeth that our life in them : hee killeth it in our name by calamities , in our goods by their remouall , in our friendes by death , and in our bodies by sicknesse : then that hurt life reteareth from a wounded member of our lot , at least doeth not so vse it as of before : when wee are wounded in all these , the soule draweth from them to god. if hee saw vs not excessiuelie affecting them , he would not wound vs in them , but there is no choyse , heerein it is better , to liue in god , than to die by a seeming life in them : and this wounding is not so meikle the worke of his prouidence without , as the mightie draught of his sauing loue within , pulling vs out of that wherein wee would die , that we may truely liue in him . his blessings are good in themselues , but our corruption abuseth them , and killeth vs : and it is necessare that our corruption bee killed , wee die by the leauing of it , and in its death wee liue : crosses are pressours to expresse our corruption , euen that venome of sathan which oppresseth vs. the life of god , and of sinne , haue their contrare growth , standing and decay in vs , as the one increaseth , the other answerablie decayeth , & the raigne of the one is the destruction of the other . in all crosses god intendeth the health of our soule . many see the hand of the phisitian , that see not his heart ; & many feele the bitternes of his potions , and the paine of his cutting , that see not the health that followeth : as the first sight of sinne is falle , because it seemeth pleasant and profitable ; so the first sight of affliction is false , because wee see nothing then , but losse and hurt : the second sight of sinne in repentance , is the best , because wee see it vyle , so is the second sight of affliction , then wee see and feele the peaceable fruite of righteousnesse , and the health of our soule . euerie sanctified crosse to the godly , hath both a sensible decay of that outward life , in the blessinges of god , and as sensible an increase of the life of god , in god himselfe . the life of god , is more strong , and manifest by such wounding , than without it . i count it no losse to want that life , that chocketh the life of god in mee : the more that life is destroyed , the more i liue in god , and god in mee : heerein is that notable saying verified , wee had perished , except vvee had perished . it is good for mee , that thou hast afflicted mee , for thereby i haue learned to keepe thy law. psal. . . many deare children of god in their owne sense , had perished eternallie , if they had not beene brayed in the morter of affliction . . man the most disobedient creature . all creatures stand in their order to god , as hee placed them in the beginning , but angels and men his best creatures , brake their order , and left their place : they were best gifted , and yet fell most , yea , they onelie fell , and angels better gifted than man , fell worse than man. and now , while all is subject to vanitie , man is most refractarie to god , what law god hath set for other creatures , they keepe it without any breake : the seas keepeth their bounds , and passeth them not : the birds know their time , and slippe it not : the heauens and earth their place , and change it not ; and all creatures follow their creator , and are in their kinde affected towards man , as god directeth them . when hee is angrie with man , they can grieue him , when he is pleased , they comfort him : onelie man , knoweth not , or keepeth not bounds , time , place , nor disposition like to god. gods will findeth no rebellion in the whole creature , till it encounter with the will of man : the patrons of free-will may bee ashamed of such a client , and in that plea doe professe a captiuitie of their owne will , in the wilfull defence of such a rebellious free-dome . this is our shame , that beeing better gifted , wee are lesse obedient , although that gods law to vs , bee more perfect , and his disposition more reuealed to vs , yet his law findeth not disobedience nor his disposition a contrarietie , but in vs. unspeakable is his patience that beareth with it , and his mercie , that pardoneth it : but let vs striue to be plyable both in obedience and conformitie with god. the gifts of god doe both engage vs to obedience , and enable vs for it : and disobedience is punished answerablie to the greatnesse of our obligement : when wee see these meanest creatures keepe their course , we should bee astonished ; their obedience is our conuiction , as they declare the worke of god in their order , so they preach our rebellion , who come not neare to them in obsequiousnesse to him . . good men most injured . the christian warfare is full of mistaking ; some knoweth not the parties , other know not the cause : it is not aye e●ill men that suffer , neither at the hands of euill , neither for euill . but oft-tentimes good men , euen the best doe suffer , and that for god , and at the hands of good men : grosse euils are soone discerned , and as they make a dittay and bring on punishment , so they close the mouth of the guiltie sufferer : but it is more hard , when grace and actes of grace , worthie of loue and honour , are taken for grosse sinnes , and that not of the wicked onely , but euen of the children of god. this sinister judging is in them , not as they are his children , but as corrupted . hee is blockish , who thinketh sathan so grosse , as to enjure the sainct●s onely by the wicked : as hee can transfigure himselfe in an angel of light , so can hee dye the corruption of men , otherwise godly with the coloure of grace , and rubbe vpon gods children , and their obedience to god , the colour of impietie . grace is neuer contrare to gods grace , but loueth and honoureth it , as a streame of that same fountaine , and image of that same god : it is corruption that opposeth grace : and the like corruption in others , doeth allow that opposing corruption as grace : and condemneth injured grace as corruption . this mistaking runneth so deepe and strong , that i thinke neuer to see it mended , till christ come in the cloudes . let euery one , who setteth his heart to serue god , resolue to suffer at the hands of the godly , and that for good : hee shall not bee a loser therein : that grace shall grow , for which hee is injured . it is a weake grace , that is not worth an injurie , and a weaker , that bringing an injurie from indiscreete man , cannot sustaine him who is injured for it . and let euerie one pray for charitie and holy prudence , to keepe vs , that wee offend not god , in injuring his children , and his grace in them . gods beggers are best heard . it is not betweene god and vs , as betweene man and man , when man giueth any thing to day , he is slower to morrow , and though some three or foure dayes hee giue , in end hee will refuse , and vpbraide the suter as importune , & impudent . but god giueth liberallie , and reprocheth no man. iam. . . hee hath an infinite treasure , which can neither bee exhausted nor diminished . his liberalitie is great , and the gifts he now giueth , are not our full portion , but beginnings and pledges of that perfection , which he hath promised and intendeth to giue vs ; till wee get perfection wee haue not gotten the full measure that he hath ordained ; & the oftner we aske , the welcomer are wee : and the more wee receiue , the more hee giueth ; hee counteth it good seruice to begge his blessings . it is happines for our miserie , to haue such a fountaine and riuer to runne to . our condition is all in necessitie of his goodnesse , and his goodnesse is all for the helpe of our necessities . god indented with abraham , vnder the name of all-sufficient , to tell him , that as man bringeth nothing to the couenant but all-necessitie , so hee should meete with all sufficiencie in god : our state is nothing , but all-necessitie , a want of all good : a want of the sense of that want : so the want of an heart to desire the supplie ; of a mouth to aske it , of an hand to receiue it , and of a price to purchase it . but this fountaine sendeth out a supplie to all these wants , hee maketh vs feele our miserie ; giueth vs an holy thirst of his supplie , the mouth for prayer to aske , a price in christ to obtaine it , and the hand of faith to take it . what is more conuenient to helpe our necessitie , than this sufficiencie ? it is a goodnesse both full and free to imparte it selfe , that it will both helpe the indigent , and in a sort act some part of his worke , rather than it helpe him not . hee is willing to giue almes , who openeth the hand of the begger , and then thrusteth money in that hand which hee hath opened ; so doeth god to vs. there was neuer such a meeting , neuer a more indigent begger , than man , nor a more liberall giuer , than god. if as wee are great beggers in pouertie , so also in importunitie of suting , we shall finde his fulnesse running ouer to our superaboundance , and his all-sufficiencie turne our necessitie in sufficiencie . it is helpfull in the nature of it , in that it is good , contrare to our euill , and for the disposition of it , in that it is liberall to communicate it selfe to our helpe : but hee commeth nearer to vs , in that hee hath made the fulnesse of his goodnesse to dwell in christ , that is neare to vs ; that is come to our nature : all grace is treasured in christ our head : beside this approching of grace in him , it is neare to our possession , when as hee hath it , so hee hath procurred by his merits , the right of it to vs , & by his intercession , obtaineth it , & by his dispensation , distributeth it daylie . heere are groundes sufficient , both for suting , and confidence of obtaining . i find him neuer more readie to giue , than when i haue new receiued ; neither is my soule more desirous to craue of him than when it is yet warmed with the sense of his mercie in his new receiued blessing : hee will neuer cease to giue , till wee cease to craue , perfection is his last gift , and our greatest measure : wee neede , no more , nor can containe no more , when once his bountie hath perfected vs in glorie . . good motions are of god. wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any good . . cor. . . as euery good gift , so euer good motion commeth of god. heereby wee vnderstand not fleeing motions of his common and t●mporarie giftes , but the constant worke of his indwelling spirit , who after our sealing by him , abideth in vs : that sealing is not so much in any motion , as in himselfe , for wee a●e scaled by the spirit of promise , for the day of redemption , as the earnest of our inheritance . infused habits of grace , are his great work & gift , but they wil remaine habits still , or rather decay , and neuer produce actions without his operation . his spirit is free , and worketh where he listeth , and in them whom hee possesseth , hee worketh not aye to their feeling , but when he will : his working , as his kingdome come not by obseruation : the waters of bethesda had their tyme of wholesome troubling , and so the holie spirit hath his owne dyet of powerfull operation . occasion may bee offered outwardlie , but the inward power can not stirre it selfe , without his hand , who gaue it . it is a great blessing to haue that vertue and power of infused grace , and good occasions ; and holy necessities in our callings , are great prouocations , but aboue all , the holy spirite dwelling in the heart , is to bee sought , when hee kythes himselfe , small gifes will vtter themselues excellently according to their nature : when hee lurketh , great graces are on a sleepe , they can neither moue themselues , nor the soule that hath them . the soule is the life of the body , and giftes and graces are the life of the soule : but the holy spirit is the life of them all : both they and wee are dead without him : but in his mightie operation we are quickned , and that to our feeling . so long as i find god in mine heart , i am sure of a timous and fruitfull stirring vp of his gifts , his owne worke assureth mee of his presence , and his presence perswadeth mee of his worke : his time i leaue to himselfe , who is as wise to choose the opportunitie , as he is able to work the work : if i grieue not the spirit of promise , and bee not lacking to his working ; i will finde tymous and powerfull operation in my necessitie . euery life hath its own naturall actions , whereby it is both manifested & discerned , and so hath the life of god , and it is a speciall worke of it to keepe it selfe in vs , but to bee carelesse of it , is a worke of the flesh , and not of the spirit . . the right use of obseruing of our neighbours infirmities . obseruation is a commentarie of euerie occurrent , but that commentar is written in the heart of the obseruer : it is wisedome to obserue at all times , but there is no necessitie to vtter all our obseruations to other : there is as great wisedome in some cases to suppresse , as to marke them . if wee see god offended , wee ought not then to be silent ; when wee see him dishonoured , it is our part as louing children , to pleade zealouslie his cause , and to admonish the offender according to our calling . but if we obserue our self injured by mē , it is better to misken that wrong , and suppresse our owne obseruation . hee who trauelleth through a rough forrest , should not rubbe on euerie thorne , and brier ; that will both rent his garments and flesh , and stoppe him in the way : hee is more wise , who draweth his garments hard to his body , and shifteth the touch of thornes : and ( if they fasten on him ) softlie freeth himselfe off them . it is a safe course through this thornie world , to haue no medling , but necessar : and then not to prouo●ke mens infirmities : or if they will rubbe vpon vs , wisely to decline or passe them ouer . hee who carpeth at euery thing breedeth much needlesse and endlesse labour : but he who passeth by tollerable things without challenge , prouyded great peace to himselfe : obseruation is the eye that seeth these thornes , patience and prudence are the two hands , the one to decline them , the other to loose them , when they fasten in vs. this is not a politicke dissembling , but a christian disgesting of wrongs : the first is a craftie smoothering of anger , which will arise to reueng at the owne occasion , the second , is a buriall of it , neuer to reviue or bee remembred . the worke of obseruation in it selfe , is a good degree of wisedome , but the right vse of it is greater wisedome . if wee shall euer communicat all our remarkes to men , wee could not haue peace in the world , men are not so sanctified , as to suffer themselues to bee challenged of that whereof they are guiltie : passions in their hearts when they are touched by obseruation , are as lyons in the denne , and serpents in their holes . to shew that wee see them , prouocketh a greater irrit●tion . it is better to let a dogge sleepe , than to waken him : it is sufficient to know hee is a dogge , and wiselie to decline his barking and byting . the particular directions of this point would bee many , but this is the summe of all ; to make such vse of obseruation , that god bee not dishonoured : our neighbour be not offended : our peace with god , our neighbour , and our selues bee not broken . . hardnesse of heart . doubtlesse the heart is naturally hard , and accidentallie soft , as yron holden in the fire , is hotte and soft , but out of it turneth cold & hard ; whē god warmeth it with a spirituall motion , and sense of his loue , then it is soft as wax , but atonce it becommeth as a stone : by day euen vnder spirituall exercise it stealeth it selfe away from sensiblenesse : and in the night , though wee close our eyes , vnder a strong spiritual sense and softnesse , yet in the morning , wee shall finde it hard in our breast : it can bee hardened not by commission of euill onely , but also by omission of good , and that while wee are labouring to soften it . next to the pleasing of god , i neuer found an harder taske than to keepe the heart in tendernesse . there is no pleasure to the softnesse of it , and no griefe to the fel● hardnesse of it , and yet when i grieue for that hardnesse , i shal rejoyce ; if it were incurable , it would bee vnfelt . the conscience of my endeuouring to flie sin , giueth some comfort , & the vnspeakable griefe for the hardnesse of it mitigateth that griefe . an heart fullie deserted of god , and judiciallie hardened , can neither feele that hardnesse , nor grieue for it : if i feare it and feele it , i haue it not ; griefe for it , is a softning and loosing of hardnesse . hee hath neede to dwell in his heart , and in these thoughts continuallie ▪ who would keepe his heart in a tendernesse and affectuousnesse to god. the best way to keepe hardnesse out of our heart , is to intertaine an heauenly heat of deuotion in it : the altar of god had alwayes the fire that came downe from heauen . if wee keepe our heart vnder the sense of gods loue to vs , and the worke of our loue to him , that warmnesse shall preserue our heart in that temper , that god at no tyme shall want a sacrifice , nor wee a comfort . . gods worship done as his worship . many exercise themselues in the worke of gods worshippe , but not as his worship : the hypocrite doeth it to be seene of men , and to purchase a name of pietie ; the politicke to bee counted a professor , and eschew the suspition of atheisme : and the atheist himselfe to feede his curiositie . it is a good worke in it selfe , but to them who doe it with by respects , it is sinne . their life doe proue how profanelie they act it , they are neuer one whit better , but goe on in their profannesse , they obtaine the end that they intend , and can sute no further : their ende is not edification in the grace of god , but other base respects , the desire whereof cerieth them to the worke , and in it they find their satisfaction , further they looke not , and finde not . the end of gods worshippe is our union with him , to partake his forgiuing goodnesse , in the pardon of sinne , and his giuing goodnesse in all sauing grace : the forme of it , is in giuing diuine homage & honour to him : but they minde none of these . if they can purchase the name of zealous professors , suters of sermons ; though indeede they bee but naturallie or ciuillie disposed in all the worke , and seekers of nouelties , they haue all their desire . but to doe the worke of gods worshippe , as his worship hath vnspeakable profite ; wee doe it so , when the loue of god and his grace allureth vs , and the griefe of our miserie forceth vs to him , when we preasse not to please men , but god , & seeke not any base respect , but his glorie , & the rest & comfort , of our soules in christ : wee take time , occasion , place , texts , & all as gods prouidence doth offer them to vs , & in all we seeke him , & find him , & rest on him . we may both please men , and our selfe , and deceiue vs both therein , in such by-respects : yet god will not bee deceiued , what euer his secrete goodnesse worke in man , yet no spirituall fruite is due to so fleshly a disposition . . gods stamppe in the soule and bodie . god hath reserued the immediate search and knowledge of the heart to himselfe : but so as hee hath left some indices for others to obserue it . gods image is principally seated in the soule , yet it is not inclosed there , but the body hath the owne part in it : election , iustification , sanctifiation , pertaineth to both soule & b●die ; though the soule be both more capable & sēsible of them . gods treasure of grace in his owne , is so laide vp in the soule , that it may bee seene in some measure in the body , and that not onely as the soules instrument , but as a companion : that fellowship in partaking grace with the soule , doeth more affect the bodie , than a naked instrument . the countenance , conuoy of businesse , gesture , and wordes , giue some notice how the heart is sette : though man by education , letters , religion , and grace , be subject to a change from his naturall disposition , yet there is euer some characteristicke thing in nature to bee seene in euery one . hypocrisie ( the fittest visorne for deceat ) cannot hyde that from the discerning eye : as the colour of people testifieth the soyle ; their language , the nation , their accent of speach , their prouence , as a galilean from an iew : so euerie mans character telleth his disposition ; hee must cast off himselfe before hee cast it off : it is the soules lineaments in the body , words and deeds ; if wee find it , wee haue found out the predominant , both in its ●eate , and chiefe instrument : it is matter for our circumspectnesse to eschew mens euill , and of our hope to look for their good : what either good or euill can bee remarkable in them , is marked by , and tasteth of that stamppe . it is good , when the naturall character is stamped with grace ; when god reneweth me to his image in righteousnesse and holinesse , sure i am , hee will make mee a signet on his arme , and his heart ; when hee filleth all the heart with his grace , his name will bee written in the forehead , so that they who can , may read , holinesse to the lord . courtlie attendance giueth men a courtlie countenance : and sathans slaues by their deuilish consulting with him , drawe on their face , a sterne rasednesse , the horrour of that vncleane spirit , deformeth his familiars : and shall not the heauenlie familiaritie with god , giue an holy impression to his daylie attendants : familiar conuersing with god , made moses face to shine . the soule is naturallie both affected with , and affecteth the body with the things that it most loueth . and what is more excellent , or giueth stronger impression in it , than god ? if wee come seldome to him , we are but lightlie touched of him , but if our soules by continuall mynding of him , bee sub-acted by these thoughtes , and kned in them , doubtlesse as our spirit within , so our body without shall giue some testimonies of a diuine disposition . . of great naturall spirits . i saw neuer greater folie , than in these named greatest naturall spirits , odde wits haue as odde gaddes , no great ingyne without some mixture of madnes , and their vyce oft-ten doeth equall or rather exceede their vertues : no moderate thing can cōtent them , but al their worke is in excesse , and that in the worst sense ; their end in intending , their practise in plotting , and they choose rather to hunt an vncertaine , and imaginate contentment , than to enjoye a certaine and present estate . i doe not so wonder at their course & folie , in judging it , as at the world , that counteth them great spirits : alexanders courtiers mocked diogenes , but hee in his hodged , was a greater monarch than alexander : for he commanded pride , ambition , and lust , wherevnto alexander was a slaue . i will leaue reasoning with those spirits , till they come home to themselues : they are not brought home usuallie , but by some great calamitie , and many , not till their death . moderate spirits proue best : with little businesse they doe much , and holding themselues within their reach , they come softlie to their just and desired ends : but the other take great libertie ouer their spirites and states and outreach them both : but prouidence will not bee commanded of them : it c●osseth their desires , and breaketh their purposes in shiuers . what euer spirit wee haue in naturall partes , it is good to haue it sanctified ; our care shall be helped with heauenly prudence , & furthered by gods prouidence : these shall bring to our hand , more than euer wee could dreame . the supposed base spirites of this holie temper , doe infinitely exceede these falslie named great spirits : their greatnesse is more in the worldes style , than in the thing it selfe , but the event will proue them great in miserie , they are great only in humane things , & in mans account : true greatnes is in true goodnesse : it is a base and bastard greatnesse , that is separate from goodnesse : these two are infinitelie and joyntlie in god , who is both optimus & maximus , thee goodest and greatest : there is more true greatnesse in the meanest degree of sauing grace , than in all the humane greatnesse in the world . how euer the world count of their owne greatnesse , and of the basenesse of the godly , yet the saints are gods excellent ones on earth . psal. . . . the worke of conscience . the conscience is the most wonderfull power in our soule ; it is both a parte of it , and a partie in it ; a power created in vs by god , & set ouer vs with diuine authority : an eye looking out on all , and most on god , and returning againe , and reflecting on our selfe ; it hath in it atonce , both a light to see god , and to see him looking on vs : the worke of it is . to direct vs in the right , . to watch ouer vs in obedience of that direction : . to witnesse how wee obey : . to judge our obedience & estate with god : if wee obey , to gladen vs with a sweete testimonie ; if wee disobey to grieue vs with a fearefull checke . these offices are fruitefull , but the last is the strength and force of the other : there may bee watching , direction , and witnessing , and yet but slow and weake judging in it . but when the conscience is brought to some odde exercise in that judging part ; the other offices are more conscientiouslie discharged . after that exercise , her watching is more particular ; her directing more forcible , and her witnessing more sincere . god vseth a great varietie in this exercise : for the measure , some are more heauily pressed down in their sense to the lower hell ; other more easilie passe that burning fire : for matter , some tremble before that fire , for supposed or small sinne , where other are scarcely touched for grosse offences : for tyme , some know it not , to their middle or olde age ; others are preuented by it in their youth . it is in it selfe a fruite of sin , a processe of gods justice , a worke of the law ; and a crosse of crosses , when the charter of our peace with god is turned in a bill of diuorcement from him : and the ordinar applyer of our comfort , applyeth nothing , but wrath to vs : yet it bringeth foorth a glorious fruite in the sainctes , and the sooner wee bee schooled in it , the greater fruite . in our youth it is a notable preparatiō for our effectuall calling : and when grace is weake , and corruption strong to breake foorth at euery occasion , and sathan busie to leade vs in all sinne , it is then a great blessing to bee bridled by these terrors : thereby sinne is restrained , and a way prepared , both for obedience and sinceritie in it : the soule that hath beene burnt with that fire , will neuer doe that which will kendle it againe . hee who hath seene an angrie god , and beareth the markes of his anger , dare not bourd with him : thereafter , our reading , hearing , thinking , and all occasions are turned to a consciencious kno●●edge , and that knowledge is set on worke , to keepe the peace and approbation of god , and god in them both . the sooner wee finde that exercise , wee are the sooner schooled , for keeping our conscience , in walking with god : there goeth nothing to oddes in our deedes , or wordes , or thoughts , but all is called to the touch-stone , and tried how it may stand with the will of god , and peace of our conscience . it is good for a man to beare the yoke of god from his youth . lament . . . hee who so judgeth himselfe daylie , and keepeth himselfe cleane , shall find at the last day , a friendly iudge , a fauourable reckoning , and the greater and sweeter glorie , by resenting his former terrours : though heauen bee infinitelie pleasant in it selfe , it shall bee the more pleasant to them who haue tasted the sorrowes of hell in this life . happie is hee , who is conscious of his owne conscience , and both setteth it to worke , and reporteth the daylie fruite of that worke : and more happie is hee , who knowing the weaknesse of his conscience suteth gods presence to ouerrule his conscience : it is indeed our watch , but that watch hath neede of a better watch-man ; and this is gods spirit , who is that conscience of consciences . whē our bodie waiteth on our soule , our soule on our conscience , and our conscience dependeth on god : then god by our conscience will direct our soule and bodie in the good way , and blesse vs with happie successe therein : and in end eternallie sease on our conscience , soule and bodie , with his full and perfect ioyes . . tendernesse of body , a blessing to the godly . a tender body is an heauie burden : yet it is profitable to the renewed man : health is gods blessing in it selfe , but sanctified infirmities bringeth health to the soule : constant health in many , is taken for a naturall gift , as it is not sought of god , so neither is it holden of him as his blessing , nor vsed to his glorie . their mindes doe neither mark the course of it with joy , nor turne them to god for it . it may seeme grieuous to bee night & day perplexed with a weake body , but the fruite of it is better than all these paines : god giueth not health in a constant tenour , but by partes , hee tapes it so peece and peece , that euerie houre he giueth vs both matter of prayer and praise . when i finde daylie the sentence of death , i haue dayly recouse to god for life , and euerie deliuerie of euerie on-set is a new gift and taker of the life : it is not sought for it selfe , but for god , that it may be imployed to his honour . a godlie soule hath more fruitfull remarkes in one day about his tendernesse , than a secure soule in a constant health in all his lifetime : i had rather vndergoe the bodilie infirmitie , than want the daylie spirituall profite : it is a sort of spiritualizing our bodilie life , when all the hours of it are sought , obtained , possessed , and spent on god ; and these frequent infirmities are tolerable that bring so spirituall a life both to soule and bodie . profane men abuse the strength and health of their bodies to sinne : they take it as an instrument and measure of their iniquitie : so long , and so farre doe they offend , as their bodie serueth them : this is a giuing of their bodie to bee a weapon of vnrighteousnesse , and a sacrificing of themselues to the deuill : heereafter they will wish , that their strong body had beene tyed to the bed continuallie . but tendernesse in the godlie , turneth all their thoughts and care to immortalitie . strength and health of body is gods blessing , but our corruption abuseth it , either to needlesse businesse , or in grosse actes of sin : tendernesse is a cros●e , but where it is sanctified , it is a bridle to hold vs from sinfull workes , and a spurre to deuotion . it sendeth vs oft-ten to god , when possiblie wee would bee worse exercised , as oft as it humbleth it selfe to god , among other sutes , it putteth in the hand of our spirit , the supplication for health and sanctification of that tendernesse . there is no crosse , that either more occasioneth or causeth a serious preparation for death , than bodilie weaknes : whē they find daylie the coards of their tabernacle loosing , and the pillers of it bowing , they deale with god for a mansion in heauen . that weaknesse may possiblie hinder them from some bodilie worke in their calling , but it stayeth them also from many bodilie sinne , and holdeth them euer vpon the maine point , how they may be cloathed after this life , with glorious immortalitie . as abused strength posteth to hell , so sanctified terdernesse creepeth to heauen . . matter of continuall ejaculations . none obseruing spirit can want new matter of continuall prayer to god : if hee be secret , he filleth his heart in reteardnesse : if he goe abroad , it is forced on him . what difficultie shall wee find to converse with men ? what ignorance in our selfe to foresee , and weakenesse to eschew foreseene , or secret inconvenients : when god may desert vs for a time , and leaue vs to the counsell of our heart , like ezechiah ; or sathan surpryse vs by passion , or deceiue vs by allurement : these and the like shall giue vs matter with nehemiah , to send vp pearcing ejaculations to god. it is necessar wee euer bee requesting god , that wee neither offend nor bee offended of other : the least libertie of our thoughts may draw vs to grieuous inconuenients : there is no sure guarde to vs & our heart , but by a speciall guarding grace : and that guard is most close about vs , when wee feele the neede of it , and are earnest with god for it : so long as there is euill in the world , malice in sathan , weakenesse in our selfe , and goodnesse in god , wee cannot want matter of continuall prayer : that same light that seeth the necessitie , directeth vs to the fountaine , where it may bee helped : and the goodnesse of god perswadeth vs of a supplie . our necessitie is great , and god hath promised to heare when wee call , his mercie and trueth in christ , are chiefe grounds of my perswasion : but i am greatlie confirmed by a secondarie meane , when i am conscious in all my doing with man , that i seek nothing , but gods glorie , mans good , & mine owne saluation : wee draw neere to the throne of grace with boldnesse , when our hearts are purged from euery euill conscience . the gift and libertie of feruent ejaculations , are the worke of god in vs : hee will doubtlesse answere that desire , which his owne spirit worketh : wee neede not in such stratnesse of time and businesse looke so much to the shortnesse of our ejaculations , as to their feruencie . pluralitie of businesse , lacke of time , and throng of companie , seeme to cut off the possibilitie of these short prayers ; but indeede they beget and bring them foorth : gods intercourse with the godlie soule , knoweth no such impedimēt : moses distresse at the red sea forced out these secret cryes , and god answered him to his desire : the searcher of hearts heareth these secret and pearcing prayers , and will answere them openlie . they are not so much in voice as in groanes , and these groanes are not separate from the heart , but in it ; and the heart in them immediatelie thrusting it selfe on god : a free desire goeth out in words ; but a restrained and suppressed desire doubleth it selfe , as a sparkle of fire , is hotter when it is couered with colde ashes . . complementing . is a windie fulnesse . complementing in speach , is a verball , idolatrie ; it is counted a perfection in talking , but is indeed the quintessence of pratling , and vnworhtie of a free and ingenuous minde . the giuer and receiuer are both deceiued ; the first speaketh that which hee meaneth not , and the other troweth that which he exspecteth not : at titling men haue armes and facts of hostilitie without wrath , they breake their speares on other , & intend none hurt ; so complementing hath friendly words without loue : as jesters breake their jests on other , so doe polititians their smoakie wishes & praise . they liue by that smoake ; but modest spirits are tormented with it : that mist fleeth moste among men of least true worth : where that flatterie is mutuall , then two birds of one feather ●lee together , and two horse ( of one itch ) doe nippe other . it is a pitie to see men teach their tongs to speake lies , & to labour to be trusted more than vnderstood : but they trow not themselues , how shall other men trust them ? no mā can justly craue more credite to his speach of other , thā himself giueth to it , or if he doe , he must conceat stronglie that hee dealeth with a foole . hee mindreh one thing , and speaketh , or rather soundeth the contrare : hee knoweth his heart thinketh not what hee speaketh , and therefore hee taketh the floorish of faire speech to supplie the want of trueth : his heart must fetch the reasons of his owne perswasion from his mouth , and measuring others by himselfe , hee thinketh that many faire wordes shall beguile them , as well as hee beguileth himselfe with them . they are no more vexed to coyne their wordes , than i am to keepe my countenance when i heare them . ingenuitie of affection goeth plainly to worke : the more care to fill mine eares with officious offers , the lesse credite they finde in mine heart : i thinke their spirit is so spent in that vapour , that there is left neither spirit nor life in their affection . this sort of lying is not vulgare , but with a singular mode : poets haue libertie to lie , and for keeping their rythme , they are licenced to quite reason oft-times . there is none odde veine of poesie , without some degree of abstractnes of spirit , the strictnesse of meeter looseth them from the strictnesse of veritie , and secureth them from rigorous censure for that slippe : and their hyperbolees doe passe for good coyne . but the complementer doe lie without either libertie or licence : and their hyperbolees are none other thing in broad tearmes , than lyes in folio . their speaches run vsuallie on three thinges , . large praises of some excellent worth in them whom they idole : . officious offers of seruice as due to it . . and large wishes of all happinesse to them . in the first , their idoles know they are speaking false , except they be as sensles of flatteries , as there flatterers are shamelesse . in the second , their owne heart giueth them the lie : for they think themselues more worthie of seruice , than hee to whom they offer it . in the third , their conscience checketh them for mocking of god : for they pray for that which they desire not to bee granted : yea , they would bee grieued if it were granted . they are equivocaters , minding one thing , and speaking another : many doe practise the iesuits , mentall reseruation , who know not their doctrine : ( it must bee a cousening religion that teacheth , practiseth , & alloweth such cousening . ) i neuer suspect them more , than when they double their complements . hee is short and shallow witted , who is glosed with these flowrishes ▪ let them paint out their speach and gesture , i wil giue lesse credite to so onerous and insidious speach . i shall trow the heart and the person so affected as it deserueth : an honest meaning simplie expressed , hath more weight , than all these buskinges and fairdings . the heart that god made ( but they abuse ) hath the owne meaning : i trust that , but not the person which they assume , and laye downe , as soone as they haue spent their borrowed breath . the next momēt , and the first man they meete with , findeth them in another , if not in a contrare minde ; it cannot byde in their heart , which bred not in it , nor was neuer in it : their wordes are but carcases of language , and let the credulous beleeuer looke for no more , than carcase of offices . belike , they thinke their words either not to bee idle , or that they shall not giue an accompt of them at the last day . the soule indeede must bee filled with something , but wee may soone choose better substance to fill it withall , ●han that wind of frothie complementing : while they are feeding themselues with their fancies , let the children of trueth , speake the trueth from their heart . let complementing haue the owne due , without a complement : it is the birth of an emptie braine ; the maske of hatred & enuy : refined hypocrisie , with simulation and dissimulation , her twins ingraned ; the breathing of an euill mind vnder hope of good deede . hee who knoweth it , can neither bee moued to offer it , nor patientlie admitte it . . consciencious , knowledge . if our hearts were narrowlie searched , atheisme would bee found in them ; wee know better then wee doe , and we worshippe not god as wee know him : wee can say , that god is good , and yet neither loue nor seeke him , that he is just and powerfull ; yet wee feare not to offend him : that hee is wise ▪ yet wee submit not our selues to his wisedome ; that hee seeth our heart and thoughts afarre of , and yet wee breede and feed wicked thoughts in our hearts , which wee would bee ashamed to shew to our neighbour : wee beleeue there is an hell for euill deedes , and yet goe on in the way of sin : and that there is laid vp a crown of glorie in heauen for well doing , yet we are not moued to doe good . what is then in our heart for all our knowledge , but athiesme and infidelitie : our actions giuing our wordes the lye , and proclaming to the worlde that wee beleeue not the thing that wee speake . the want of the worke of conscience , is a speciall cause of this fleshly disposition : without that worke , christianitie is nothing but a speculation : wee consider all things in abstract , but take them not in our persons and to our heart : wee can abhorre sin in it selfe , and in our neighbours , but excuse it in our selfe , wee magnifie vertue and grace in it selfe , but yet thirst not for it : papists talke mightilie of the worth of faith , but doe scorne the sense & conscience of it : and many christians will heare and read their owne sinnes , convicted by the word of god , and yet not thinke themselues particularlie taxed , nor byde at the conviction . happie is that man whose conscience pulleth all to his heart , & his heart to god , who turneth his knowledge to faith , his faith to feeling , and all to walke worthie of god , and to liue in christ , as hee learneth him daylie : he hath not rest , but in walking according to the light of a well informed conscience : when theorie is turned to practise , and speculatiō to a consciencious sensing , & doing , then wee are christians indeed . gods word is his stamppe , hee hath deeplie sunke his image in it , but it doth not instamp our heart , except some power thrust it vpon vs : when the holy spirit maketh our conscience to set that word to our heart , then wee are stamped , and take deeplie the impression of his holinesse in the inward habits , and expresse it euidentlie in our life and conuersation . god hath blessed vs with many meanes of knowledge , but they doe no more , than propone and open matters to vs : they inlighten the minde , and goe no further : but the conscience worketh mightily on the heart . it letteth nothing abide in generalities , but turneth all to our particular and personall respect , and that not in the minde alone , but most in the heart . as it reduceth all dueties , promises , and threatninges to our persons , so it joyneth affection to light , and moueth the heart according to thinges knowne : and out of all draweth actions that serue to expresse that knowledge , and doeth all as in the presence of god. when conscience bringeth religion to the heart , and from the heart to the life , then wee are truely religious . . the wise mixture of mankinde . how wiselie hath god tempered humane societies ? all are not of one disposition ; some hotte and some co●de , some harsh and headie in their judgement , and violent in their actions , other ryper wits , calmer in their affections , & posed in their doings : some againe as grossely senslesse ; some craue the bridle , and some the spurre . if a man cast his eyes on a multitude , he shall obserue as much diuersitie in their disposition , voyces , & opinions , as in their faces . if all were of a firie humour , the world would fire at once . if all were sluggish , it would fall downe in the pot : stirring wittes as quickning barme , put the dou●nesse of the simple to working : and the slownesse of the other , tempereth their fordwardnesse , and so both these extreamities are brought to mids . if either extreame preuaile , matters goe wrong , but our wise god maketh that counterposing bring the ballance to an equall standing , and so tumultuous meetinges bring oft-ten foorth just conclusions . there can bee no standing of matters , if either witlesnesse or wilfulnesse predomine ; but where contrars by their strife , are brought to a mids , there is the good of mankinde . our complexion is made vp of contrare qualities , of the elements ; and harmonie is a meeting of contrare sounds . it is worth our labour to marke this disposition , and gods prudence bringing all to a temper , and a good end . and withall to incline to a tempered and tempering wit , & moderation , of courses : if there be any fault in such moderatiō , it is both lesse in it selfe , & more curable , than the faults of fleshly extremities . if any consider these extremes a part , hee can not bee without passion ; hee shall offend at the headie and hotter sort as fire-brands , and at the coldnesse of the sluggish , as impediments of good : but beeing joyntlie considered as they are tempered of god , to his owne glorie and the well of mankynde , hee shall lay downe his offence : their nature and action seuerall , is to hurt , but god causeth euery one of them to hemme in another , and so disposeth them to a better temper . but the moderate spirit shall be beaten of both extreames : hee is indeed a friend to both , and yet is counted of both as an enemie : as a land lying far in the sea , is beaten on both sides by waues , yet keepeth the soliditie of earth : so he is assaulted of both , & yet keepeth his moderate temper . both extreames take him for their contrare extreame : fyrie men call him sottish , and soft men call him fyrie , but hee standeth at his stayed posednesse , and enduring their frivolous censure reduceth them ( if they bee curable ) to the golden mids . he rejoyceth in god , who hath giuen him eyes , to see that his diuine contemperation of mankynd , and hath turned his spirit ( of it selfe inclinable to extreames ) to moderation . while both parties stand out against other in the claime of perfection to themselues , and imputing of folie to the other , hee thanketh god , who both at the first , and in the constant cariage of his adoes , hath blessed him with that temper , which they can neuer attaine , but by repentance and amendement . . needlesse feares are fruitfull to the godly . even false and needlesse feares , worke true good in the godly : if they come not as they apprehend , our profite is double ; one in the escaping of the feared euill , the other in the great store of grace , which they produce : it is the best sort of errour , when feares proue false , and the feared euill commeth not , but that errour is recompenced with a true fruite , when it draweth vs neere to god : there is great oddes betweene the true and false feare in their grounds , but not so in their f●uit : for the false doeth shake vs , and bring out repentance , and resolution for death , as well the other . beside , the contempt of the world , the loathing of the vanities of it , holy vowes of better obedience to god , a renouncing of all , come of such feares . it is great mercie in god , to work the same work of grace in vs by false feares , that hee would by true feare , and the greater that our losses are lesse , and our lesson the same . wise captaines can giue false alarmes to their souldiers ; if they goe franklie to their armes , they conceat of their courage : so , if we goe to our spirituall armour , wee are not feeble ; if wee looke to our deseruing , euery appearance of danger may make vs feare , wee are vnder guiltinesse , and god hath vs vnder processe for it , and all creatures are readie to execute his will , how soone may the sentence both come foorth , and bring foorth the executiō against vs : and it is a great mercy that the fray commeth before the stroke . his judgement commeth out in the owne degrees . . we sinne : . and his justice-inquiring fi●deth our sinne worthie of punishment . . our conscience convincing vs , and justifying him , doe apprehend the presage of punishment . if all these can turne vs to repentance , happie are wee , with ninivie we shall eschew the stroke it selfe : wee may call feare needlesse , in respect of the euent which god in mercie with-holdeth but it is not causl●sse , so long as sin remaineth . the best way to mitigate our needlesse feares , is to bee at peace with god ; and if they come , to reape that good fruite of them , repentance , resolution , and obedience . grace so obtained , is well purchased , & the peace that commeth after , is double pleasant , because it is so farre contrarie to our deseruing and expectation . all things worke to the good of these that loue god. rom. . . thirst of newes . all are not borne , or liue in athens , yet wee are all sicke of the athenian disease , in a desire to heare & tell newes : and that not in the younger so●t , who may haue a longer time in this life , but euen in the aged , who are at the end of their race : belike they are prouiding fresh newes to carrie with them out of this life●● but such wares will giue no price th●ae . what● businesse in inquyring for newes and in reporting of them ? scarcely are they heard when they are loathed : they become stale with the first report , and are olde in the verie birth , the desire is full of them at their first noyse , and yet desirous of some other : to tell these same newes ouer and ouer againe , is as tedious as their first report was pleasant . it seemeth to bee a new worke of a new man : to bee euer thus busied about newes , but it will bee found the worke of the olde man. there may bee , and is a fruitfull disposition about newes in the prudent , but that is so new to these nouellers , that they know it not : they seeke onlie newes for newes , and goe n● further , than to heare , and then to 〈◊〉 of them , and that not as they heare them , but as a liberall hoas they send them away with a new porta●● ▪ they giue them a large allowan●● 〈◊〉 passe for newes , that is , newlie ●●●mented lyes . they may haue some ground of trueth for their beginning , but by few reportes it is buried in the multitude of new additions . wee would thinke it strange , to see a booke haue as many editions as it findeth readers : and yet newes haue that current and changing noueltie , that many reporting the same thing , make it still new by some alteration or augmenting : bookes haue that immunitie , because they are a standing report in print ; but newes le●t to a vanishing report , cannot bee secured from change . it is sathans policie to abuse our eares in ●earing , our tongues in speaking , 〈…〉 our heartes in beleeuing lyes , to disabl● vs from the discerning of trueth . but god hath giuen them to bee busied ab●●t trueth . god hath giuen to his owne a souera●●●e remeede of that disease , to bee ful●● possest ●ith the best newes in the worl● , and then to make a spirituall vse of common newes . i finde these good newes : that christ is come to saue sinners : and that i am one whom hee hath saued : the testimonie of mine adoption ; the spirit witnessing to my spirit , that i am one of his children : the testimonie of my justification , son bee of good comfort , thy sinnes are forgiuen thee . the seales of mine election and calling in the ●ruites of the spirit . these and the like are excellent newes , their matter is good and glorious : their delight is great and constant : though they were heard euerie houre , yet they are euer fresh and new to the new man : they fall neither vnder stalenes in themselues , nor loathing to mee ; but their last hearing , delighteth mee as much as the first hearing . as for other matters , i rest not on them as newes , but obserue in them the prouidence of god , how he ruleth the world by ouer-ruling the malice of sathan , and madnesse of man , to his owne glorie , and good of his saintes , to make them new , and to put in their mouth a new song . to bee grieued with nebemiah , when wee heare of ierusalems desolation , and rejoyce when wee heare of her prosperitie , is a marke of grace in the new man : when all trifling newes shall bee ended , god shall put a new song in his mouth ▪ to praise him eternallie . the soule enstamped with newes of grace , turneth all occurrent newes to that better and biding substance . . the comfort of calumnies . acalumnie is the deuils minde in the mouth of man : and his arrow shot by mans bow : hee lendeth him his lyes and malice & borroweth his tongue to vtter them : he hath this name from traducing and thrusting through the fame of the godlie . his first and maine care , is by temptation , to destroy their conscience , and if hee preuaile not in this , hee turneth him to their name , that hee may rent it by calumnies , whose conscience hee could not defile by temptation . this is his policie against gods dearest children , they are most hated of him , who are most beloued of god : hee careth not to make euill reports of his owne , and counteth no great gaine to defile the face of a moore , but all his care is , to blamish the face , and stenzie the name in whom gods grace shineth cleerelie : hee knoweth that treasure in them is giuen for his hurt : hee cannot stay god from giuing it to his beloued , but hee turneth him to the next , to make it fruitlesse to other : hee cannot stay a daylie and fresh increasing of that grace , but hee pr●asseth to make it distastfull to man , that so it may bee fruitlesse . surelie hee loseth not all his labour , though hee be ouercome by the saints , whom hee calumniateth , yet hee ouercommeth them , who doe calumniate them : it is a fearefull thing , to lend to sathan the heart for deuising , the eare for hearing , and the tongue for vttering of calumnies , and in all , to disgrace the grace of god in his children , and make it fruitelesse to themselues . where sathan hath set his porter of prejudice , though christ himselfe were on earth , that soule would take no good of him : it is a deuilish worke , to enuy the grace of god , but more , to deny it , and most of all , to disgrace it . wee finde heerein a great proofe , of that particular worke of conscience , in justifying vs : at other times wee can content vs with common and slender examining of our selues , but being so falslie misconstrued , wee are put to a second and a stricter tryall , which vpon the cace of our tryed innocencie , endeth in a notable seale of the holy spirit : hee both approueth our first innocencie as good seruice to god , and our suffring for it , as a just matter of our gloriation . hee who offereth vp his soule and bodie in a sacrifice to god , must resolue to bee crucified , in his name daylie by calumnies , and these daylie blowes are an argument that his sacrifice is acceptable to god , because sathan rageth at him , who serueth god vprightlie , hee knoweth that conscience within is repleate with god , and his peace , therefore hee laboureth to rent their fame without , whose inward peace hee cannot trouble . it is better to haue him molesting vs without , than possessing vs within . the godlie soule so afflected , goeth to god in the bitternesse of spirit , appealing him as a iudge of their cause , in the conscience of their innocencie : they commit their cause to him , and prayeth for pardon to their injurers : their innocencie is both the occasion & cause of calumnies with the deuill ; and the soueraigne remeede of them with god and their own consciences . herein they haue a triple conformitie with christ : hee was innocent , and yet hee was calumniate , and prayed for his injurers . better it is to endure the scourge of the tongue , than want this triple conformitie . why should we not glory in so cleare an euidence of gods speciall loue ? sathan taketh both the cause of his hatred & the measure of it from the loue of god : hee hateth them most , whom god loueth most : hee had moe calumnies , and euill tales against iob , than against many thousands in his time : hee was a thorne in his eye , because hee was dearelie beloued of god , and acceptable to him . it is then the glorie of the sainctes , to bee calumniat : rejoyce and bee glad , when men revile you , and speake all manner of euill against you , for my sake falslie . mat. ▪ . it is a token sathan hath not preuailed against our conscience , but is now in his flight , when hee renteth our name . as strength of gods grace , keepeth the soule in temptation , so the conscience of innocencie , will comfort the heart vnder calumnies . the haile showre of calumnies , proueth on gods part a speciall loue to vs , and on our part true happinesse , in that his loue and vigour of his grace in vs , ouer-comming● sathan : and on sathans part , a double malice , for that our double happinesse : and in the calumniator , a double miserie ; one , in beeing the deuils instrument in calumniating the saincts , the other in defrauding themselues of the fruite of gods grace in them whom they traduce . the best refutation of calumnies is not by word , but by deede ; god and our conscience seeth our innocencie , let men see it in our life : when gods grace shineth in vs as a light before men , then we refute realy our traducers , and proclaime them lyers to the world . . men are blind and quicke sighted in their owne cause . every man is both blinde & seeth best in his owne cause : hee knoweth the circumstances of his deedes , but is blind in the question of his right : self●-loue maketh him ingrosse his person in his deede , and transchange his deede in his right : and so confounding right and deede in his owne person ; to take all as good . the lawes of god and man must giue place to his opinion and humour , they are either close forgotten , or beeing applyed to him , hee is made the rule , and they must suffer such construction as his selfe-loue appointeth . it is kyndlie to an erring minde to nurish the owne birth : as it erreth in directing a cou●se , so in approuing of it when it is done . it is no more fordward to deuise it , than pertinacious to defend it : & herewith is joyned a more fearefull sinne , that as his humour is put in place of gods law , so himselfe is put in gods steede . if many courses that seeme good , were tryed to this touchstone their appearing equitie would be found iniquitie , and their seeming obedience to god , would proue contemptuous rebellion . selfe-loue is such an enemie to trueth , and righteousnesse , as they can neuer preuaile at her barre : she setteth vs as a center to al her supposed good , & pleadeth greatest iniquity in the termes of our wealth : in just reason , sight should master that blindnesse , but the tyrannie of selfe-loue blindeth our verie light . the speciall remeede of this voluntar and wilfull erring , is to transferre both our deeds and rights to the person of some other : we would judge more vnpartiallie in that case . if wee censure them in other , and apply that our censure to our selfe , we shall be convicted of many infirmities , which wee take for perfections . if wee could drawe our cause , deedes , and persons in the light of gods countenance , such selfe-deceiuing would not haue place in us : mans judgement and our owne may faile vs , but there is no place for deceite , if we can sincerely processe our selues before god , in the person of another . the strength of selfe-deceit is in confusion and assuming an other person than our owne , but the remeede of it is in discerning that confusion , and transferring our person to another . . particulars are mixed with common causes . i saw neuer a common cause without some particulars ; all may seeme to concurre to choose and vse good meanes to a common end : but if all heartes were disclosed , the ends might bee found almost as many and particular , as the persons : by-ends are euer sette vp beside the maine and good end , and for these , either meanes diuerse , or contrare to the wholesome meanes , are inuented . if god did not ouer-rule so diuerse & cōtrare projects , there culd neuer a common course bee happilie prosecute : as day and night make vp time , and heate and moystnesse the life and health of man ; so hee turneth mans cont●are particulars to his good end : hee can suffer them to intend their owne ends , and plotte their owne meanes , but yet wiselie in his owne time , he wosteth all their particular and curious spinning in the great webbe of his prouidence . as little brookes falling from sundrie hilles in a great riuer , keepe no longer their course or channell , but are carried with the riuer to the sea : so mens particular ends and wayes are carried within the source of gods prouidence to his owne end . they may fight one against another , but cannot all resist him : his ouer-ruling power and wisedome , maketh good matter for his end out of them all . it is a wonder to see euery man draw the publicke to his owne particular : but more , how god sustaineth the publicke , in so manifold and manifest direptions of it : and most of all , how he turneth them to the preseruation of the integritie of it it is a griefe indeed to see men spoile the common with their owne particulars , yet shall it bee no prejudice to god : man may propone , but god will dispone : the moe impediments , the greater discouerie , of mans folie , and the more matter for proofe of gods wisedome . there bee some particulars , which agree with the publicke , and are rather partes of it , than particulars : they intend a common good , and quite themselues for sustaining of it , and suffer their owne small streame to fall in the greater riuer , and so come vnder gods blessing to the common . but destroying particulars fall vnder his curse , who is the ranuerser of al crooked wayes : they are the ivie or woodbeane , that draweth out the juce of the tree , which it strictlie embraceth , & turneth the waters of the riuer to their own ditch : though they sucke the marrow of the publicke to themselues , yet god maketh it to drie their bones , and not to feede them . such interuerters like pharaohs leane kyne , are as leane after the deuouring of the fatte kyne , as before . it is a safe proceeding , to haue our end one with god , and our mids , these same which he hath commanded : if we see men vntimouslie broyle with their particulars , let vs not dispare of gods end : whither man prosper , or faile of his purpose , yet the counsell of god shall stand . prov. . . hee hath prouided great furtherance for his adoes , who refuseth particular ends : god who watcheth ouer all thinges for his owne purpose , shall bring it to passe . wee may bee sure that hee will accomplish our desires , when they are closed in his . we should not stay on this only consideration , but ascend more high , to conceiue , that gods mercie from eternall , purposed to determine our will to a conformitie with his , that in time hee might blesse vs in the accomplishment of our will in his . . the remeede of our corruption . ●ho can looke in his owne heart with the light of god without astonishment ? all our naturall powers giuen at the first for our good , are armed for our destruction : these who should sute and rest on good , as our desires , loue , hope , and ioye , &c. are sette on euill : and they which should fence vs from euill , as feare , hatred , dispare , and griefe , &c. are either id●e from their worke , or adhere to euill : and some monstruous passion seasing it selfe in euerie facultie of our soule playeth the tyrrant by course . and all these to bee directed by an ignorant and erring minde , and sweyed by a will free indeed , but all its freedome inclining and captiuate to sin . the den of lyons was no more terrible to daniel , or the fyre to the three children , than these tyrrannous passions in the heart , are to him that seeth and feeleth them : what pleasure can wee haue to dwell among such vipers , and to be daylie stunge by them . this is our state , so long as we sojourne in meshech and dwell in the tents of kedar . psal. . . what joy can our heartes possesse so long as they boyle in these corruptions , ambition in one corner , auarice in another , lust in a third , & miscontment distempering all : wee can neither cast them out of vs , nor separate our selues from them , except we prouide some remeede , wee must bee burnt by that fire and rent by these beasts . if god dwell in our heart , hee will quench that fire , and stop the mouthes of these lyons : hee turneth these powers on their abused passions , in a godly griefe , to bee sorrowfull for them , and a godly feare to eschew them , and by their renouatiō destroyeth their corruption , and that not for their slaughter onlie , but for their buriall : a watchfull conscience ouer their sturring , that they draw vs not to sinne , an in-calling on god for pardon , and assistance against their furie , a striuing to defraude their desires , and crosse them by their contrares , are good remeedes for our corruption . when that worke of restraining and renewing grace is constant & sensible in vs , then the jawes of these lyons are broken , and the just cause of our griefe is turned in as just matter of ioy. i wish curious spirits who neglect their owne calling as too narrow a taske for their large hearts , and busie themselues on the by , to take this cure of their corruption to heart : though they had the power of seuen soules in one , there is here matter of worke for all . but in the godly it is a worke of grace preuailing against nature , when they so curbe their corruptions , that the first motions of it are choaked as the cockatrick egges are broken , before they bring out that serpent . . the godlie heart hath both constant warre and certaine peace . the heart in which god dwelleth , hath both continuall warre and peace , warre with sinne both in others and in it selfe : the world compasseth vs with euill , and is sette on one of two workes , either to infect vs , or to injure vs. it allureth vs with the owne vanitie , to be like it , and if that succeed not , it afflicteth vs , and god moueth vs to renounce it , and it cannot disgest that injurie , at our hand , it hath the owne peace in it selfe , & with its owne , but the godly renouncers of it are noysome to it ; it hath no rest but in their separation or destructio●n as grace in the godlie maketh them withdraw from the world , so satan in the world maketh it to cast them out : god cānot abide the wickednes of it : his spirit moueth them whom hee possesseth to please him aboue all , heere are the grounds of perpetuall warring . as though that were not enough , our owne corruption within molesteth vs , wee may shune the wickednesse of men , but wee are neuer out of the grippes of our owne corruption , and that as an aduersarie , and on the worlds part . wee are no more bitterlie assaulted of the world , than checked and vexed by our owne corruption , for not following the world ; the outward world hath the owne inward extract in vs working vs to a conformitie to the owne paterne . but all this warre troubleth not our peace : to bee so exercised is a just matter of peace vnspeakable : god by his grace guardeth vs from the worlds sin , and by his prouidence secureth vs from their injurie : and that same grace that maketh vs ouercome the world , defeateth also our corruption : when the inward euill is subdued , the outward hath no strength against vs. the sense & conscience of this batteling , is our peace . it is better to endure the worlds violence , in wronging vs , than to bee like them in sinne : and better to finde our corruption in a daylie stur , than in a false calmnesse . god is good to his owne , who by such dealing both maketh them daylie to warre , and yet keepe a solide peace . there can bee no greater joy to the godlie , than to finde outward and inward corruption readie to destroy them , and god deliuering them from both . this is the shame of the outward , and destruction of the inward corruption : the glorie of god in both these works , and our securitie in all . the worlde thinketh that they vndoe the godlie by trouble , but they worke them to their grace : their troubles chase them to god , and god embraceth them louinglie who are troubled for his cause : when babes are affraied , they cast themselues in the armes and bosome of their mother . both these troubles are fortold , and the blessing is promised : as we feele the one , wee shall finde the other : in the world yee shall haue trouble , but in me yee shall haue peace , bee of good comfort , for i haue ouercome the world . ioh. . . . religious religion . it is good to professe true religion , and to practise the exercise of it , but the most part goe no further , and so are voide of religion it selfe ; and the fruits of it : to stand on the outward worke of praying , preaching , praising , &c. is to offer the carcase of our seruice to god. to worshippe god onely with our body , is an irreligious worship ; our bodie may bee busie , but they will neuer fasten vpon god in such a superficiall worke : hee is a spirit , and will bee worshipped in spirit , else none union with him . when hee sendeth out his vertue to our soules , and our soules doe meete him answerablie , that is inward religion , and our binding to him ; hee is most true , wee trust in him ; hee is most gracious , good and mercifull , wee loue him withall our heart : hee is moste powerfull , wee feare to offend him , and confide in his protection : hee is most wise , wee quite our owne will , and reuerence him : hee is most holy , wee adore , admire , and imitate his holinesse . it is a mocking of god ( if hee could bee mocked ) to professe an union with him , and yet bee loose from him . this union is the end , and religion the way to it : the end of gods infusing of sauing grace in vs , is to bring vs to him , and bind vs to him . but he is pitifully selfe-deceiued , who contenteth himselfe with a profession of religion , and neither knoweth nor careth for this union : hee who is not fastened to god in this life , shall haue no fellowshippe with him heereafter . it is a religious religion , when wee become one spirit with god in christ. these and other points make vp our inward religion : god reuealing himselfe in his diuine properties , our soules affecting and adhering to him in their answerable powers ; this tyeth vs not onlie for the space wee are in the worke of his worshippe , but by deth constantlie in vs : the worke of preaching , or praying , or praising , doe end in their time , but these inward bāds are neuer loosed : this inward religion doeth both set vs on worke , and quickneth in vs the outward exercise of it . there is more fruite of one houres seruice in such a disposition , than in yeares businesse without it . hee who keepeth his heart vnder this religious disposition , lacketh neuer a manifest object to worshippe , nor a sacrifice to offer . he is sensible of god , and the verie mouing of his soule in the conscience and sense of these bands , is a sacrifice most acceptable to god , and profitable to himselfe . the fleshlie minded doe wonder at the constant labour of the godly in gods worshippe , but if they knew these religious bands , they would not wonder . naturall actions oft repeated bring habits , and these become another nature : shall not the work of grace , which hath both infused and acquired habits , turne in a constant disposition . this is not obtained in our beginning of christianitie , but after long labours in the lord. the daylie tasting of his good nesse , bringeth our heartes to such a temper , that religious disposition turneth to bee our element for place , and our dyet for refreshment : it is our meat and drinke to conuerse with god , and doe his will. when god bringeth vs to this degree of continuall minding , louing and delighting in him , and to the sense of these religious bonds with him , then our diuorce with the world , and marriage with god , are neere their perfection . . predominant vice and vertue . corruption is spred ouer the whole man , and all in man ; there is neither part nor power of soule or body , which is not defiled therewith : according to the seuerall powers it hath names : originall sinne goeth vnder one name , yet hath many branches : in one power it is avarice , in another lecherie , in a third ambition : all these sinfull powers though they both incline to , and urge their owne worke , yet haue they a predominant among them ; a master vice , or captaine sinne , which commandeth both the man and all other vyces in him : it is euill in it selfe and worst in the kynde . heere is a masse of wonders ; one that so many euill thinges in man can haue their order and respect to other , as a captaine among pyrats by sea , or brigants by land : next , that all of them can submit themselues and suffer the predominant to strengthen it selfe , by their defrauding : prid in the wretch will quite honour to purchase gaine , and avarice in the proud man will quite gaine to purchase honour : thirdlie that it can change with tyme and age , so vncleannesse in youth , pride in midde age , and avarice reigneth in olde age . and most of all that it remaineth in the godlie : nature neither knoweth nor admitteth this , that two contrars shall dwell at once in their greatest degree , and predominion in one power of the soule . this is sathans chiefe fortification against god and his grace in vs : his posterne doore whereby hee entereth our soule at his pleasure : the chaine wherby hee both bindeth and leadeth vs in captiuitie : and the archetratour of our soule yeelding to his temptations . it is good , both to know it , and find remeede : naturall complexion pointeth at it , what euer excelleth in our temperature , is the ordinarie seate of it , but there are more infalible signes to find it out . . frequencie of satans temptations , because he ass●ulteth vs oftenest in our weakest part , and that our strongest corruption , is our greatest weaknes . . the multitude of our thoughts , for what is most in the heart , is most in the thought . . the end of our imaginations : where euer they soare , it is sure , that as a wearie bird after long fleeing , they light on our predominant . but the remeed of it is most necessar : . to watch ouer all the motions of it , with a wake-ryfe conscience . . to exercise our selfe daylie vnder contrare vertue . . to pray to god daylie for his mortifying grace against tha corruption , that thereby wee may ouercome that master sinne . it grieueth god to see vs pestered by sathan in our owne corruption : hee hath prouyded sauing remeede for his owne , and erected a counter-sconse against sathan ; and placed our predominant grace in the seate of our predominant sinne : grace in it selfe euery way is aboue sin ; it is of a diuine nature ; but sinne is deuilish : grace infused , is stronger than corruption , and the new man stronger than the olde ; but the principall spirit dwelling in vs , is aboue all : the meanest grace of god in his hād , is stronger than our predominant vice . this profane age hath multiplied predominants : senslesnesse domineth in the fleshlie men : they know not their predominant in the kind , in the change , nor in the degree . and it is a predomining grace , to know the sorts , changes , & degrees of their vices ; & oppose them by the contrare good , and vertue : it is indeede a wonderfull senslesnesse , that letteth men not feele so many tyrants in them : hee is a slaue of slaues , who hath both losed his libertie , and the feeling of that tyrannie . but hee is gods free-man that remarketh all their changes , and laboureth for the dominion of grace in himselfe : both the sonne and holy spirit haue made that man free . this is a cōfortable experience of the saints , to find their predominant sin subdued , that tyrant that gaue them lawes , to take lawes & admit the owne defrauding : this is an happy change whē grace ouerruleth corruption , and gods spirit subdueth sathan in vs. there is no condemnation to them that are in iesus christ , for the law of the spirit of life in iesus christ , hath deliuered mee from the law of sinne and of death . rom. . . . phantasies tyrannie , and remeede . many count it a foule aspersion , to bee called phantastick ; but nothing to be so indeed : for what is man , but a fountaine of fansies , intending , affecting , desiring , apprehending , absurdittes , impossibilities , impieties . we imagine that which was neuer , can neuer , nor will neuer be : building and casting downe , forming , and reforming , and in all , a strong apprehension of great wisedome . it is hard to determine whither the imagination be more free to fansie folie , or we more confident of the veritie of it . as boyes with their breath , raise bells out of a little water , and then doe pursue them in the winde : either they doe not at all catch them or if they doe , they are nothing in their hand : so is all fansied happinesse , it is the worke of an humorous imagination : and either neuer attained , or if it bee , there is more vanitie in the obtaining , than in the want of it . wee come from imagination of our desires to a possibilitie , and from a possibilitie to a true existing , what wee earnestly desire , wee thinke it possible , and what wee thinke possible , bee time we take it as done indeede : so great is the power of fansie , that though it cannot produce the things themselues , yet it can force vs to thinke that they are produced : the thinges themselues worke no stronger affection , than this fansied apprehension doeth . it is a mould that can forme many strange fashions , and as other things are formed in it , so are wee our selues : though it bee in vs a restlesse power , yet wee are as oft-ten framed in it , as wee grant it libertie to plat-forme and fashion our lot . if guiltinesse were not joyned with the worke of it , it were a matter of sport to see how busie it is to wearie it selfe and vs also : and yet it were something tolerable if it tooke this liberty in trifles , but it ascendeth euen vnto god , and our lot in him : it presumeth both to appoint a course to prouidence , and to judge , and sentence what prouidence hath done . it carueth for vs , according as it conceateth our worth , and giueth a reason to vs how to count of things , as it counteth . wee dreame in our sleepe , and roue in our feuers , but our fansies waking , are worse than both : for wee count our dreaming and rouing to bee such , but wee count our fansies to bee wisedome : how many are dreaming and rouing all their dayes , and yet neither waken of their dreames , nor coole of their feuer , till death or some calamitie come . phantasies haue no fixed ends to bound them : therefore they runne out as water on plaine ground , or aire in an open field . they are extrauagant indeed , & the inter-course betweene a vaine mind and nothing . and what soliditie can there be in a course , betweene such two termes , as vanitie & nullitie ? if we could hold our spirits directlie on god , & hem in all their thoughts within the compasse of his will and prouidence , wee would relieue our selues both of wearisome labour , and disappointment following . they spend our spirit more than serious thoughtes , and their end is at the best , repentance of that fruitlesse labour . they are indeede but fansied errors , yet they bring a reall hurt . they bereaue vs of the vse and comfort of our present lotte vpon the imagination of a better , and so at once worke a double discontent : one , present in not resting on our present lotte : another to come , in counting our lotte , as a losse in respect of that other lotte which we fansied to our selfe : he who taketh libertie to desire much , and then deuoureth that large desire , by as large an hope , will neuer rest content with his present lotte , though it were too good for him . hee hath escaped the tyrannie of fansie , who is full of trueth and humilitie . hee seeketh nothing but true good , and hath drawne the portrate of true happinesse in god , that his fantasies can no more abuse him . his minde cannot fansie so much seeming or conceated good , as hee findeth true good in himselfe alreadie , by the grace of god : to bee a childe of god , an heire of heauen , and a fellow-heire with christ , is more than all the forged birth of out-racked fansies of earthlie things . they may breake in , and scanne some odde excellencies for him , but at once he dasheth out these lines : hee resteth so on god , and the worke of his spirit that fantasies are choaked in their beginning . whom haue i in heauen but thee , and and on earth i haue desired none with thee . psal. . . the christians refuge . wee liue in a dangerous tyme ; the full measure of former sinnes , and the rypenesse of gods wrath maketh euery houre a time for calamities . craft and policie in sathan , wickednesse in the world , and nothing in vs but weakenesse to resist them , driueth vs all to a necessitie of refuge . the most part put the euill day farre from them , and are surprysed by it , they are nearest to it , who put it farrest away . other prouide for it , but doe it amisse : they runne to the bruised reede of egypt , and not to the lord of hostes. it is indeede a tempting of god , to neglect lawfull meanes , but it is a forsaking of him to trust in them . there is no sure refuge in the day of trouble , but vnder the shaddow of the almightie . psal. . . many seeke suretie for their goods and life , but neglect their soule . if the soule bee well secured , all the rest shall bee disponed off by a mercifull prouidence : it is foolishnesse to guard them , and leaue the heart guardlesse , if it bee chocked with feares , what comfort haue wee in the saftie of these thinges ? wee will haue no comfort , but rather griefe of them vnder such astonishment : the more the heart goe out to outward thinges , it is drawen the more from it selfe , and from god , and more guardlesse , than if it had no guard at all . as necessities try our disposition , so danger discouereth our refuge , because we are readie to deceiue our selues with conceate of confidence in god alone , therefore , god sendeth oft-times trouble to try our heartes . rumours of trouble are as the hunters horne , and the trouble it selfe as the noise of dogs in the forrest . what euer wee runne to in our danger , that is our refuge : the soule that hath god for a refuge , runneth the first way to him , and abideth in him . this is our best at all times , to dwell in god and finde him dwelling in vs : if we bee in his secret , wee shall bee secured , hee shall deliuer vs from outward troubles , and inward feares . god is our guard , and the peace of a good conscience is our lurking vnder his shaddow . though all turne vp-side downe , ps. . . yet he will giue rest to his beloued ps. . . i know whom i haue beleeued , and am perswaded that hee will deliuer that to mee which i haue committed to him . . tim. . hee is a faithfull dispositar , & will restore it better than it was committed , we committed to him a fraile and a mortall body , and an infirme spirite , but he shall render it to vs a perfect & glorious soule and body . . mankinds threefold degree . mankind is one spece of creature , but gods wisedome hath disposed them with three considerable degrees , the first in naturall gifts and abilities , and so euerie man hath his owne naturall and humane priuiledges ; as gifts of bodie , of mind , and of estate . the second is ciuill , and so euery man hath his particular calling : some are as the head in this body , as kings : and other as the breast ; some as the hand and feete of this great bodie . the third is spirituall , whereby man is the mysticall body of christ , wherein some are as the eyes directing , as pastours : some the other parts of this bodie according to their spirituall gifts . it is both profitable and comfortable to take vp this triple respect : euerie man hath some place in euery of them : god hath so disposed , that diuersities of gifts , callings , and graces , serue all to make vp a comelie proportion , and so a beautie in mankind in euerie respect , all naturall gifts , though diuerse in kinds and degree make vp a comelie beautie in the first respect : all callings from the king to the grinder at the mill , haue in their varietie and diuersitie , a comelie ciuill beautie , euery one filling his own place , and looking to other with the respects both of necessitie and helpe : as the meanest calling hath neede of the greater , so it helpeth it againe in some necessitie : and all spirituall gifts in christ make vp the heauenly proportion of christs mysticall body . though mankind bee the subject of this wise ranking , yet the most part of men consider it not : they see no more in man , than soule and a body , and outward respects in prosperitie or aduersity . their sight is so short , that they neither see these diuerse degrees , nor the harmonie which is among them all : euery one answering another , and all making vp that beautie : their thoughts heerein are grosse and confused , and their carriage is all for confusion : they disturbe the order established of god , and deface the beautie that commeth of it : and so defraude other and themselues of that fruite that god offereth in the wise ranking of mankind . but there is some in-equalitie in them , for naturall giftes are sufficient furniture for the ciuill callinges , but both the naturall and ciuill giftes doe not so rule the spirituall calling : god in things naturall hath a more presse course , to lay callinges on men , as they are naturally gifted : but in christianitie his worke is more free , therein both the gift and their place in christ goe together , and they haue no ground nor reason from man , but onelie gods most free disposing : consider your calling , not manie mightie , not many noble according to the flesh are called . . cor. . the beste fruite of this consideration is , to know our place in all these three respects , and to vse it to the good of mankinde : to bee thankfull to god , who hath so many wayes blessed vs , and so wee shall bee most respectiue to our selfe , and others in all these respects . as this third is more excellent than the other two , so is it the right disposer of them , god craueth of these lower respects , that all returne to him , but the most part sticke on themselues , and forget god : but this is the blessing of christianitie , that it maketh vs worthily to carie our selfe both in our naturall and ciuill place in mankind . . mans threefold perfection . god hath disgested mankinde in three seuerall rankes , but therewith hee giueth three sorts of perfection indifferentlie to all rankes : and what euer bee our place in nature , in ciuilitie , and christianitie , yet these attend them . the first is naturall , and that is reason , which perfecteth man as man : the second acquired , and is learning , a perfection to reason , and a lifting vp of man aboue himselfe : the third is diuine , and that is the grace of christ , and true sanctification , the perfection of both these perfections . reason is a sort of ground to the other two ; a solide wit is a good substance both for learning and grace : reason enableth the soule fundamentallie , making it capable of good : learning enableth it accessorielie and artificiallie ; what euer bee our naturall gifts , or ciuill calling , wee are the more enabled for them by learning , so a king gouerneth more wisely , the pastour teacheth the word of god more skilfullie , the lawer pleadeth more pertinently : and the meanest callings are done more dexterouslie by learning . but grace enableth vs in both , the other with a transcendent perfection ; the former two may bee in reprobates , and though good in themselues yet hurtfull to the possessour , & his neighbour : great wit without learning , is a good knife , without a whetstone , & learning without solide judgement , is as the edge of glasse , it is sharpe but in brittle mettell ; & wit , and learning without grace , are a bodie without a soule , a carcase of perfection , and a sharpe sword in the hand of a mad mā . they serue to deuise & defend euil , & so to destroy the possessors . grace is merelie transcendent among the blessings of god , it translateth from nature , and maketh vs partakers of the diuine nature . . pet. . reason doth not so farre exalt man aboue beasts , or letters the learned aboue the vnlearned , as grace doeth the sanctified man aboue them both : these other differences may bee counted , but this of grace is as farre aboue them , as heauen aboue the earth . happie is the man whom god hath blessed with sound vnderstanding , light of learning ; and life of grace : all these three perfections doe meete together , and rest in him , to his compleete perfection . all these deserue great respect , but not all alike : and there is a great mistaking of many heerein , grace is incomparablie the most excellent , and most to bee sought , yet least respected of many . it is counted a common and base thing , but the other are admired for their supposed excellencie , yea , riches , honour and the baggage of the world , are counted more excellent , and sought more than they all : the world euer loueth that which is like it selfe , and misliketh true grace . but hee who hath the grace of god , surpasseth the wretch , the ambitious , and the accomplished man in nature and arte : and is exalted to a degree of angelike perfection . the first two may bee in olde adams corruption , but the third is our partaking of the second adam . . prouidence is particular to the saincts . all things are subject to prouidence , & this is the godly mans priueledge , that hee is both sensible and conscious of it : grace in him maketh these fruitfull obseruations , and then disposeth him with loue , and dependance on god , who sweyeth it so sweetly to his good . many blessings it bringeth to vs , we know not how : many are our seene dangers , and our dangers vnseene by manie millions exceede them , but god by his mercifull prouidence deliuereth vs out of them all . though wee see not sathan , yet at euery moment hee would swallow vs vp , if god defended vs not : he either with-holdeth occasions of euil that they come not , or if they come , hee restraineth their worke , that they hurt vs not . it is impossible to see all the goodnes of his prouidence to vs , but hee acquainteth vs with some of them , that wee may see his goodnesse in the rest . the particular respect of prouidence to the godlie may bee seene in two speciall thinges : in the furthering of our designes , and in the crossing of them : for the furtherance , how doeth god tell vs that hee watcheth for vs ? wee haue possiblie some businesse in hand , and haue necessitie of some persons , and occasions , and circumstances , and with all wee are perplexed , how these thinges shall bee brought together : god bringeth them to our hand , wee goe out full of desires , and as full of solicitude how to satisfie them . and hee maketh men , tyme , and occasion to tryst so together , that our desires are satisfieth , and our expectation ouercome . oft-times at the going out of our doores , wee encounter with men , and occasion , longed for and desired , that our verie imaginations could not deuise better opportunitie for our adoes . this commeth neither of our desert nor our disposing , but of gods mercie wy●ding and turning all about to their good , who depend on him . it is his will who ruleth the world , and hath the wayes of all creatures in his hand , to dispose times , wayes , and all , so as may best fitte their desires who are at peace with him . the crossing of our designes haue no lesse proofe of his fatherlie care , how oft doe wee fret in our selfe , and chyde men for their neglects , that bring disappointment to our designes , and yet if wee can haue patience for a time , wee shall finde that disappointment to our greater contentment : hee blesseth vs in a meanes and way knowne to himselfe seuenfold more , than if our first desire had beene accomplished : no , hee turneth our chyding off men vpon our selfe and our miscontentment for the first disappointment , in a thankesgiuing that wee were disappointed : if wee could at such crossings rest on god , and perswade vs , it is for a better in that same point wherein wee are crossed , wee should finde in end our expectation were the worke of his owne grace . scarcelie shall a day goe ouer without some occasion of this obseruation : if wee marke it not , wee are vngrate to so particular and gratious prouidence : if we marke it aright , as furtherences , shall giue vs contentment so these disappointments shall giue vs patience , till a double contentment come . . the sight of a new and a better world in this olde bad one . ●ee are called vnto , and doe professe a pilgramage in this world , but how few doe either vnderstand or practise it ? some professe a contempt of it , and yet oft-times are courting its applause by that contempt . he is as well a slaue of the world , who thirsteth her applause , as he who courteth her vanities , and that far more ; because her applause is her vainest vanities : and others possiblie shift themselues both of her vanitie and loue , and yet are not fastned on a better . hee is foolish who loseth one thing , & findeth not another . but the truelie godly man , seeth and followeth a better world in this wicked one , wee haue in this visible world , an heauen , and starres , earth , aire , and creatures for our temporall vse : but the spirituall eye taketh vp an higher one : hee seeth god for his sunne , and from his face taketh his light , from his loue his warmenesse , from his presence his seasons : it is light and day , when he shyneth on our soule in the face of christ : it is night & horrible darknesse when he hydeth his face . the course of his times , run not as in the world : the heauenly day may fall at the midst of the naturall night , & heauenly summer and haruest in the midst of the naturall winter . euen at mid-night it is mid-day , in that soule where god maketh our reines to teach vs knowledge . all seasons are numbered by his f●ce allcane●lie : the earth of this world , is the rocke of syon , iesus christ. no stabilitie or rest to the soule , but in him : the aire is the sense of his fauour and the comfortable creatures are his saintes , who walke with him in righteousnesse and holinesse . this heauenlie world is better , than that visible one , and will remaine when the other is destroyed . it is a strange conceate in them , who by an odde prospect seeth an earth , and cities , and men in the moone : that fiction and fansie is verified in this trueth : the spirituall man seeth this heauenly world in the temporall one . and with that same light , hee seeth an hellish world in this visible one : for what is sathan abusing the world , and leading it in euill ? but erecting of a world of his owne , in the defacing of this created world . these are solide groundes , to make vs strangers on earth , and burgesses in heauen , when wee take vp these worlds distinctlie : and the more cleerelie wee see them , there will bee lesse difficultie to forsake the euill , and ●eeke the good one : let the men of this world reckon their seasons , tymes , and occasions by this world that they see : our reckoning is better and surer by that supernaturall one . they change their almanackes from time to times : but our sun of righteousnesse shall distinguish our seasons , and shine vpon vs both in this life and in heauen . this sight is the worke of a new light and is to be found only in the new man whom god hath ordained for the new heauen and for the new earth : his calender is neither directed by starres in heauen , nor tydes in the sea , nor horologes on the earth : his sunne and starres is gods face , his tydes are the ebbing and flowing of the influences of grace : and his horologe the secret , yet the strong motions of gods spirit , showing the increase of grace in the owne periods , though the promouing of it bee oft-ten hid from vs. this earth is a sort of mids betweene heauen and hell , and yet both of them haue their image & beginning in it : we are called to forsake the euill , and seeke the good , and what worse than satan , and sin●e , and the wicked ? and what better than god , his grace , and his sainctes , ? if wee see these distinctlie , we shal be the more enabled to moue our selfe from the euill to the good . this sight is the worke of grace , but the naturall man taketh all confusedly , he neither seeth nor seeketh better than the world : and if he make any distinction , it is false , hee forsaketh good as an euill , and cleeueth to euill as his happinesse . ▪ god is the dwelling place of the godly soule . everie creature hath the owne element and rest , for dwelling securitie , and delight ; therein they are both frequentlie , and pleasantlie : it is a meanes to try our state by our resort and rest : the worldling is euer in the world ; there is no difference betweene him and the earth , but that the one liueth , and the other doth not ; and this that liueth is worse than the other , because hee liueth in sinne . the godlie soule resteth on god ▪ in all businesse it looketh to him , and all the thoughts of it end in him ; to him aboue all it returneth , & resteth pleasantlie in him , and from him it can not bee rent : all beeing and businesse out of him , is a vexation , and our greatest labour is sweete by this onelie , that it goeth to him , and is acceptable to him . god dwelleth in that soule that cannot rest but in him ; hee hath loued it from eternall , and called it in time to himselfe , that is so taken with him and his delights : no rendeuous is so known to any creature , and vsed of it , as god is to that soule that resteth in him . a proofe of this rest , is god resting in vs : in all the world he found not rest but in man : when he created the heauen and the earth , all beasts and fowles , he rested not til he created man , his benjamin , his last creature in worke , but his first in affection , there hee rested as in the end of his creation . his delight is to dwell with men , and among men with the godlie , for them onely of all mankinde hath hee assumed to union in christ. if we find him dwell in vs , then surely we dwell in him , & we may easilie know if christ dwell in vs , except we bee reprobats . . cor. . there is great wisdome in choosing the best lodging : we lodge now conuenientlie in our bodie , but at death it will cast vs out , and the worlde our pleasant house will decay : wee rest now in our contentmentes , but must flitte from them . but god can neither decay nor cast vs out , and at death wee shall still abide in him : we neede not then flitte from him , but ascend , and bee more joyned to him : wee cannot haue tabernacles heere , nor abide , no , not in the beginnings and growth of grace , which is now our contentment , but shall bee receiued , and bide in euerlasting mansions that are in him . man naturallie inclineth to two things , his beginning and end : his beginning recalleth him by right of his originall : the fishes will visite the place of their spawning yeerelie : and men of an hurte health , returne to their natiue soyle ; as the aire which they took in at their birth , gaue them the first outward matter of their naturall spirits , so the vse of it may bring them backe againe to their first integritie : the end calleth vs to it , by right of perfection : the pryse of the runner , & the house of the traueller are earnestlie desired . so is it to the godly : our beginning in grace , is in god : the riuer of liuing waters flowe out from the sanctuarie , from vnder the throne of god , and the lambe . the grace of election hath no latter beginning than eternitie , nor lower discent than heauen , and turneth vs vp to it againe : the waters of life which christ giueth vs , shall bee a fountaine in our bellie springing vp to life eternall . how can it in our bellie spring vp to life eternall ? but because it lifteth our heartes to god in heauen . the soule which so adhereth to god , is more in him , than in the body , which it quickneth : both because it goeth gladlie out of it selfe , to bee all in him ; and next , because it cannot dwell in it selfe , but because of him ; it can better dwell among monsters in the desert , that in it selfe without him : and thirdlie , because when it is lost in sinne and securitie , it seeketh and findeth it selfe more in him , than in it selfe : when we may say to him , o thou whom my soule loueth ! all these sorts and degrees of union with him are found . the bosome of the mother is a kindlie rest to the babe , both for sleepe in health , & recouerie in sweruing ; that naturall heate wherein it was formed , doth kindlie cherish that life , that proceedeth of it : whē we lye alwayes in the bosome of god , and are warmed by the sense of that sauing loue in christ , wee are both sensible of the vertue of our beginning , and of the first fruites of our end . the needle of the dyall standeth not but towards the pole , so doeth the godlie soule to god. if the secret vertue of a small stone can so moue yron , shall not the rocke of syon , christ iesus , the miracle of loue , drawe our tender louing hearts vnto him . how securlie shall wee contemne all other things , and rest sweetlie content in him , vnder the sense of this his drawing and vniting vertue , expecting that happines , which his sauing loue procureth to his beloued : returne now , o my soule to thy rest , and abyde in it , for god hath beene , and will bee for euer beneficiall vnto thee . psal. . . amen . finis . a resolvtion for death , written vnder the sentence of death , in the time of a painfull disease . and now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to god : and to assure all that liue the life of the righteous , that they shall die the death of the righteous . by the same author . m. w. s. i desire to bee dissolued , and to bee with christ . philipp . . . edinbvrgh , printed by the heires of andro hart. anno domini . . philipp . . . christ is to mee both in death and in life aduantage . luke . . . lord , now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace , according to thy word . for mine eyes hath seene thy saluation . . cor. . . . . o death , where is thy sting ? o graue where is thy victorie ? the sting of death is sinne , and the strength of sinne is the law. but thankes bee to god , which giueth vs the victorie through our lord iesus christ. a table of the following treatise . the proposition of the resolution . num. . the first ground from present misery . . the miserie of our bodie . . the miserie of the soule . . the miserie of our lott . . the second ground from our happinesse . . the happinesse of our soule . . the happinesse of our body . . the happinesse of our lotte . . the third ground from gods worke in vs concerning our miserie and happinesse . . sense of miserie in the bodie . . sense of miserie in the soule . . sense of miserie in our lotte . . sense of glorie in heauen . . resolution it selfe . . the godlie man dyeth not . . but ouercometh death in christ. . hee preuenteth death in his life . . hee preueneth his buriall in life . . foure ioyfull solemnities . . ioy at birth . . ioy at mariage . . ioy at triumph . . ioy at coronation . . they are all at the death of the godly . . incouragemēts against death from them . . the noyse at death . . fearefull cryes to the wicked . . comfortable cryes to the godly , . a glorious change at death . . manie unions with the bodie necessitie of separation . documents of the sentence of death . . . mortalitie of the body . . . immortalitie of the soule . . . gods loue sauing vs from hell. . . that his loue standeth with affliction . . experience of death . . eight comfor●able contraries in death . , the vvicked tremble at it . . but the godlie reioyce . . incertaintie at death is fearefull . certaintie is comfortable . . it is obtained by faith. . by prayer . . and conuersing daylie with god. . our light clearer in death than in life . acquaintance with death . . sentence of death . . lawfull desires of life . . hope of glorious resurrection . . hope of eternall glorie . , hope of the lords rest. . our rights to that rest. , a catalogue of gods speciall blessings to strengthen these our hopes . . the fearefull death of the wicked . the ioyfull death of the godlie . . the remainders of feare in the best men . . but they are soone ouercome . . the godlie mans testament . . a prayer for an happie death . . and for the sight of christ at death . . confidence to obtaine them both . . and glorie thereafter . . the last and greatest desire . . and last , an eternall delight of the godly soule . . reuel . . . blessed are the dead which die in the lord , for they rest from their labours , and their workes followeth them . a resolvtion for death , written vnder the sentence of death , in the time of a painfull disease . decemb. . and now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to god : why should i feare death when it approacheth ? it is the way that i desire to goe ; i passe natures necessitie in adam that hath subjected me to mortalitie , & come to the priuiledge of grace in christ , which hath deliuered mee from the curse of it ; i say not i make mee for death , because i must die , but because i would die : long haue i thought on it , and earnestlie longed for it ; if i stagger and feare at his reproach , my desire hath either beene foolish , or my spirit is faint . the grounds of my desire are . present miserie . . next future glorie , . and the worke of god in mee , concerning them both . my miseries are great in the weaknes of a mortall body , a lumppe of earth , busying it selfe and mee about it selfe : for eating , & drinking , and clothing , and resting , it spendeth the tyme , and it selfe , and wearieth the spirit . fraile is this lump that hath an hourelie necessitie of so fraile things , and the necessitie so great , that the paine of it is intolerable , & the easing of it by meanes conuenient is wearisome , and that ease beginning with ending , and ending in the beginning : scarcelie is it refreshed , when it hungreth and wearieth againe . one necessitie sendeth it to another , and the satisfying of one bringeth on another , and that same that was now eased , returneth shortlie . if i satisfie hunger and thirst. drowsinesse calleth for sleepe ; if i refresh it by sleepe , nakednesse must bee couered , and scarce haue i couered nakednesse , when new hunger calleth for refreshment , and refreshment sendeth me to sleepe againe . weake is that life , that needeth so weake meanes , clay layed to clay , dust vnto dust , and the shaddow of death a refreshment of wearines . our nourishment is but dust , and our sleepe an image of death , and death in end must dissolue that dust that standeth vpon so base pillers , and is so oft wrapped vp in the image of it . though the first worke of our nourishment , bee to susteene the bodie in life , yet in a second worke it furnisheth matter of diseases , and so of death : and though our sleepe in it selfe refresh vs , yet it is a presage and an earnest of a longer sleepe in death . if sicknesse fasten on the body , for remeede thereof , i take on another disease : medicine is indeede a gift of god , a necessitie to nature , an enemie to the corruption of it , and ha●sh and vnpleasant to the integritie of it ; yet when i render my selfe to it , i embrace a lesser death for avoyding a greater : one dolour is a remeede to another dolour . and all is but an off-putting for a time . mortalitie is so seased in the bodie that our life is stollen through innumerable diseases and deathes , and in end a yeelding to death . this is the miserie of a mortall bodie in the circle of daylie and vnavoydable necessities , and at last in despite of all their supplies a necessitie of death . the soule is more burdensome in this lumpish bodie , rent asunder with corruption and passions , their distresses more oppressing it , than these paines did the bodie : it is now forced with temptation , if it bee strenthened , it is in danger of pride for deliuerie : the remeede of one temptation is turned in the matter of a worse : the naturall powers in their worke doe trouble it , the imaginatiō runneth out in phansies , the mind in inquiring is vexed and tortured by scruples : the will in inclyning , declining , and suspending , is not so much delighted with good , as crossed with the euill object , and that work of it is a toyle to it selfe , and to vs : the affections sette contrare , feare , sorrow , hatred , tormenting , vs ; and hope , ioy , and loue , busying vs more in their object suspended , remoued , hurt , or destroyed , than they doe in the enjoying of it : neuer any of these sweete affections in vs , alone but their cōtrare is fixed on them , while wee are in hope or joye , and enjoying of god , wee feare to lose that joye , and sorrow commeth in with that feare . but the torment of temptatiō is intolerable , that satan doth so far preuaile in vs as to stir vp our inbred cor●uptiō , & that our corruption doth yeeld to him , & we our selues in a perpetuall trouble either watching ouer temptions that they surprise vs not , or resisting them when they are moued , or repenting for them , when they haue preuailed to our insnaring . and the conscience aboue all sette on a continuall worke , to direct vs aright in all our wayes , to try our obedience to her direction , and if wee haue failed to torment vs in our arriegning before gods tribunall , and the feare and sense of his wrath to come . how can i either delight to dwell in this bodie , or carrie about so grieuous a burden as this ? a vile prison , an hole of serpents , and co●katrices : a body of earth , and a bodie of sinne , and death in it , a masse of corruption , euer stirred of sathan , and breaking out of it selfe : heere is a burthen insupportable , a labour without end . the sense of it selfe is enough to the sensible soule , to mourne for abyding in it , and to cry , vvoe is mee that i abide so long in mesech , or dwell in the tents of kedar , and miserable man that i am , who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of death . it is impossible that perfect happinesse can lodge in so miserable a creature : it craueth a soule and bodie perfect and free of all euill , therefore i must bee dissolued ere i bee perfected , the soule purified in god from all sinfulnesse , and the bodie refined in the earth from all frailtie ; and so the whole man freed of all miserie : though fleshly selfe-loue sometimes blind mee , to desire to abide in this body , yet a bett●r loue of my selfe in god , biddeth mee , desire to bee dissolued , that i may bee perfected . the greater light , the greater libertie in visiting these mansions in heauen and adoring my god , who hath prepared them for mee : the greater libertie , the gearter desire to bee out of this bodie , wherein so long as i dwell ▪ i am absent from god , and these mansions where i long to enjoy him : this is the miserie of a sinfull soule . and though our so●le had peace , & our bodie constant health , yet our lot is vnder continuall changes . our husband and wife , parents and children , friendes and familiars , are subject to sicknesse and death : our name is subject to infamie and calumnies : our goods layed open to mans deceit or violence , and to gods most free and just providence . they are either with holden from vs , or taken from vs , or if they remaine with vs , they decay . so wee are either chastened with a simple want of them , or a losse , or a change . our lotte in it selfe , is a blessing of god , but this change and decay is a matter of griefe and feare : as though god did augment our lot for this end , to augment the marke for his arrowes , and the matter of our griefe . there is nothing whereof wee can say , that either wee shall haue it long , or in that same state wherein it is now . it is either subject to want in measure , or change in standing : there is none houre , wherein we are not either vnder a sorrowfull remembrance of bygone calamities , or vnder sense of some present ; or vnder a fearefull foresight of calamities to come . this is the miserie of a changeable lotte . all these miseries god hath layed vpon man , to humble him thereby , ecclesi . . . and to make him wearie of this present life . for man that is borne of a woman is of a short continuance , and full of trouble . iob. . . hee is borne to trouble , as sparkes flee vpward . iob. . . if wee found full and constant prosperitie heere , wee would desire to remaine in this life . there is neither necessitie nor desire of a better life in them who find all things according to their heart in this life : but god hath so tempered the cup to his dearest children , that it hath more gall and worme-wood than honie , and more sowre than sweete . our life is short in it selfe , and made shorter by grieuous calamities : if wee count onlie that tyme for our life , wherin we haue beene free of feare , of sense , or memorie of euill , it will bee shorter than the naturall course of life , if all bee well examined ; scarcelie shall the best liuing finde so many peaceable houres , as his naturall life hath dayes . god knoweth that naturallie wee are giuen to nest in the world as birds : to roote in it as trees , & sit fast in it as rockes . therefore hee changeth our lotte , and crosseth our contentment , that hee may both loose vs and keepe vs loose from the earth . but for all these miseries in this life , god hath prepared a remeede : our life in heauen shall relieue vs of them all . there shall bee no tempter nor temptation without , nor corruption within : no passion nor perturbation for any occurrent : there shall bee none ignorance nor errour to leade vs wrong : no perplexitie , or feare , or sorrow , neither any thing that may trouble the peace or joy of the heart . the soule shall see god immediatelie , and perfectlie , and bee filled with loue and heauenly affection , with that sight , it shall enjoy god , and rejoyce in that perfect enjoying , and rest as in the desired end in a a glorious peace . this is the happinesse of a glorified spirit . this fraile bodie shall bee no more mortall , but cloathed with immortalitie : it shall bee no more grosse and earthlie , but spirituall and pure : no more lumpish and heauie , but light and nimble as the eagle in her flight : no more darke and obscure , but shining in glorie , as the heauen and starres : no sicknesse & death , but a continuall and constant health : there shall be no need of meate to sustaine it , or of physick to restore our hurt health , but all necessities remoued : as they shall bee cleare as the heauen , so more enduring than the heauē according to the body of christ , who shall change our vile bodies , and make them conforme to his glorious bodie . phillipp . . . this is the happinesse of a glorious bodie . our lotte shall bee then secured , because it is all in god , and is god himselfe : there shall neither be lack of any conuenient good , no sorrow for losses , no feare of change , and decay of our estate : no theefe shall be there to steale , no cousner to deceiue , no tyrrant to oppresse . god who hath blessed vs with it , shall maintaine our lotte , and that in a place most secure from violence or changes . vanitie and changes are only vnder the heauen , but aboue it , there is no change at all . this is the happines of an vnchangeable lot : then all things shall agree well : a glorious person , invested in a glorious estate , a glorious place , and that eternallie . thy worke in me about these things , is wonderfull , o lord , thou hast not suffered mee to bee a stranger , either in the miseries of this life , or in the joyes of heauen : thou knowest that feeling is more forcible , than speculation , and experience more strong than consideration , and therefore hast acquainted mee with them . oft-ten haue i found the frailtie of my bodie , but now more than euer , for now my reines are full of burning , & there is nothing sound in my flesh . i am weakned and sore broken , i roare for the verie griefe of mine heart . lord , i powre my whole desire before thee , and my sighing is not hid from thee . mine heart panteth , and my strength faileth mee , and the light of mine eyes , euen they are not mine owne . psal. . . . . . painefull nights haue beene appointed vnto mee . if i layed mee downe , i saide , vvhen shall i arise ? and measuring the euening , i am full of tossings till the dawning of the day . vvhen i say , my couch shall relieue mee , and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation . then fearest thou mee with dreames , and astonishest mee with visions iob. . v. . . . the sorrowes of the graue doe compasse mee about , and the snares of death ouertake mee . psal. . . as for my spirit , i haue found therein great exercise all my life-time . satan euer lying in wait to enter by his allurements & my corruption readie to yeelde to him : my conscience at her best , watcheth ouer sathan to marke his machinations , and ouer my corruption that it yeelde not : and when i fall , checking mee till i repent . since i knew thee , o lord , and the power of thy grace , i haue beene rent by a continuall striuing . . my passions fighting against other . . my passions against my reason . . and my conscience against them all . i know all these discords may be in the naturall man , yet are they stronger in the renewed man , because of greater light discouering ▪ and sathans more bitter persute : and the tendernesse of grace , impatient of sin . . and aboue them all , the battell betweene the flesh and the spirit , euerie one of them lusting against another . this hath beene mine exercise since i renounced the world : because these three childrē , faith hope , & loue , doe not worship the image of popularitie , & vanitie , that is adored by the world : therefore , sathan held them in the furnace , and heateth it seuen folde , both in the worlds reuenging humour , an● in the rage of my curbed corruption , breaking out in passions . as for the lot wherewith thou hast blessed mee , i haue beene continuallie exercised in it : scarcelie can i find any of thy blessinges , wherein thou hast not afflicted mee : there bee few sorts or degrees of crosses , wherein thou hast not schooled mee : what solomon preached of the vanities of the world , thou hast in some measure taught mee by deare experience . so that i may justlie euen in thy presence vse the words of thy deare prophet ieremiah . i am the man that hath seene affliction in the rodde of his indignation : my flesh and skinne hath hee caused to waxe olde , and hee hath broken my bones , hee hath hedged about mee , that i cannot get out : hee hath made my chaines heauie . also when i cryed , hee stopped out my prayer . hee hath bent his bow , and made mee a marke for his arrow . hee caused the quiuer of his arrow to enter in my reines . he hath filled me with drunkennes & made mee drunken with wormwood . thus my soule was farre from peace , i forgot prosperitie , remembring mine affliction and my murning , the wormwoode and the gall , my soule hath them in remembrance , and is humbled in me . i haue borne the yoke from my youth , and sitten alone , and keeped silence , because i haue borne it . lament . . v. . , . . . . . . . . . . . and now i am afflicted and at the point of death : from my youth haue i suffered thy terrors . psal. . . i protest by our rejoycing which we haue in the lord iesus christ , i die daylie . . cor. . . alwayes bearing about in the bodie , the dying of the lord iesus , that the life also of iesus might bee made manifest in our bodie . . cor. . . so thou hast fedde me with the dyet of thy dearest children , both to fitte mee to a publicke ministerie , that i might speake of thee and thy wayes , not from any humane teaching , or abstract speculation , but as being taught of thee by dearest experience . and to worke in me a loathing of this life , wherin euerie day bringeth a newe griefe to the godlie . heerein thou hast giuen mee the just commentar of that text which all of vs can reade or rehearse , but fewe doe practise . hee vvho will bee my disciple , let him renounce himselfe , and take vp his crosse daylie and follow mee . luc. . . is not this enough , to chase thee from the earth , o my soule ? miseries made pegans to desire death , but they saw not a glorie to come : god hath enlightned thee in the face of christ , thou knowest that there is glorie layed vp for thee in the heauen , thou belieuest it , hopest for it ; thou hast tasted it , and is vnder a longing desire of it . call thy selfe to minde of the dayes of olde , when either a sense of mercie , or more usuallie affliction sent thee to god , did hee not then allure thee , to the wildernesse , and speake to thine heart , hosea . . . wast thou not then vnder his liberall hand , as a small vessell vnder a large fountaine ? did not his joyes so abound in thee , that thou could neither receiue them all , nor keep them in the measure that thou receiued them ? tell me what was then thy comfort ? thy god so sensible to thee , in that diffusion of his loue , that thou wast in a sort drawen out of thy selfe , at least drawne out of mee : could thou either holde thine affection off god , or containe it when it returned to thee ? could thou lodge it , or god that it brought with it ? or that sense of him , and joye that it reported to thee ? did not thy bodie partake of that thy joy ? with a sweete complacence it rested on that sense , and was glad to bee so honoured , as to bee a lodging of a spirit , which had so sweete and friendlie an intercourse with god ? when his loue shed abroad in thee , could not abid in these boundes , whither was thy griefe greater , that so good a god should bee at any time displeased by thee , or thy joye , because hee was then reconcealed to thee ? then atonce were the deepe groanes both of griefe and joy , but more of joye than griefe ; and of joye for that holy griefe , for offending so good a father . if thou remember these excessiue joyes , why doest not thou mak good use of them ? they were not giuen thee for that time only , but for this that is now : what were these tastes & first fruits , but as the wine grapes that the spyes broght out of canaan ? they were so great , that they could not beare them in their hand but were a burden to two men : when these two senses of spirituall joy , & sonlie griefe reported their burthen of an excessiue sweetnesse , was not that a taste of the fruite of canaan ? if a cluster of that land be so sweete , so great to thee what shall thou finde when thou enters in that land ? how can thou but loue that land , that hath such fruits , & long for the fulnesse of that fruite that is so sweete to thy taste , when thou wast vnder that sens● , thou was more in god , than in thy selfe , and more in heauen , than on earth : since the remembrance of it doeth both present the image of it , and waken it selfe againe in thee . be of good courage , enter and possesse the land. god hath discouered it to thee off the toppe of nebo and pisgah : thou hast tasted the fruite of it by the report of the spyes : lay hold on it by the hand of thy loue , & longing desire : god hath cast downe the walles of iericho before thee , and hath wounded the world , the sonnes of anake at thy conuersion , and daylie is killing the sonnes of harapha , in thy daylie battells . bee strong , and goe fordward , for god is before thee . consider by the satietie of the tastes , how great a satietie thou shalt haue in heauen , when the smallest blinke of gods face made thee patientlie to beare & forget thy greatest affliction , what shall that full presence worke in thee ? in his presence is fulnes of joy , and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore . psal. . if thy taste bee vpright , thou cannot but long for that fulnesse , thou must welcome the messenger that calleth thee to it . how can i but long for a change betwixt two so contrare estates ; present miserie grieueth mee , and future glorie gladeth me in hope . the earth thrusteth mee from it , and the heauen allureth and draweth mee to it . who can indure such a violence of an out thrusting earth ; and alluring heauen ? sathans snares doe vex mee heere beneath , and the sweetnesse of christ pulleth mee aboue . naturall miseries made naturall men to desire death , and shall i not desire it more , who haue an hope and sight of glorie which they knew not . i will not bee as a meteor in the aire betweene them two , but i resolue to leaue the earth , that i may goe to heauen . who can either delight to abide in such an earth , or refuse to goe to such an heauen ? all things here inforce a remouing : our life a weariesome journey , our walking in it laborious , and it selfe a way , and not our end : and while wee are heere , we are absent from god. but in heauen all is contrare ; our life shall bee pleasant without labour : it is our end , and not the way : our home in the presence of god. this is sufficient to chase thee from earth , and sette thy desires on heauen . art thou walking in the valey of the shaddow of death ? yet feare not euill , for god is with thee ; and in thee , and thou in him . can a man that is in god die the death ? no more than life can die , can that man die that liueth in god : as wee are in christ , wee are in life , and that life of his , euen himselfe can not die so farre art thou from dying in him at death , that thou liueth more by death , and in it , than before it . none can take that frō me on the earth , which god is keeping for mee in heauen : my life is not in this bodie , nor in the world , but in god in heauen . it is hid with christ in god coloss. . . and the life that i liue , i liue by the faith of the sonne of god. galat. . . my death commeth not so much of paines , thrusting mee out of this bodie , as of that life and fountaine of it in god , sucking and drawing my soule to it ; and that not to slay or destroy it , but to quicken and perfect it . consider thy selfe , art thou not dwyning and dying in this life , when sinne liueth in thee , and stayeth thee from good , and compelleth thee to euill ? the bodie though an helpe , as it is boared through by the windowes of fiue senses , yet it is an hinder to thy proficiencie & perfectiō of knowledge & doing . a cage suffereth the bird to looke through the wyres , yet it is a prison to keepe it from libertie : when thou art loosed from that cage , thou shalt haue greater light in libertie . as christ himselfe ouercame death , so will he doe in mee ; sathan did hound it at him as his last and most fearefull mastiue , but he destroyed it ; they went together in others grippes to the graue , but christ did strangle it in the owne dungeon : hee arose , and left it behind him , as a conquered and triumphed enemy , he did not that for himself , but for vs his owne bodie & will doe it in euerie one of vs in our tyme : hee fulfilled the law , tooke away sinne , satisfied gods iustice , and so brak the jawes of death . shall i then feare to follow such a captaine ? hee hath made death but a carcase of an enemie , i haue neither to feare in it , sinne which is pardoned , nor law which is fulfilled , nor iustice which is satisfied : it is a serpent without the sting ▪ a gyant without bones or armes , though it swallow mee vp in a naturall dissolution , it shall cast mee out as the whale did ionah in an immortall condition , when this mortalitie shall bee swallowed vp of life . when dauid had killed goliah , the israelites ranne as fast to see him , as they fledde ▪ before from him , beeing aliue : doubtlesse they contemned that sometimes terrible gyant , they trod vpon him with their feete , and cut him with there swords : they did that securelie , because hee was dead : hee who was euen now the matter of their feare , his lifeles carcase is turned a matter of their contempt , and his death a cause of their joye . death may separate thee from this bodie , but neither from god nor his life in thee , it shall the more vnite thee to him , & this bodie that dyeth by thy departing , shall liue in death . it dyeth as a creature , the part of such a one , but it liueth as a member of christ , and the temple of the holie spirit : both because it is separate from all spirituall corruption of sinne , and quickened spirituallie by the holy ghost , who departeth not from it , and in the spirit of iesus who remaineth our head , euen in death . and lastlie because thou my best part shall bee in libertie with god. death may destroy naturall life , but not the spirituall , neither in grace nor glorie : it can sease on no more than i had , when i sinned in adam , i got nothing then but a sinfull body , but now in christ i haue a new bodie , created to his image , who is life it selfe , & so farre is it from either destroying mee , or dissoluing my union with him , that it both saueth mee , setting mee at libertie from sinne , and perfecteth mine union absolutelie with him . it rusheth indeede furiouslie on mee , but grippeth nothing but my shaddow : i am in god in christ , as i am beloued and chosen , called and sanctified . as i am such , death cannot finde nor grippe mee : while hee grippeth nothing but this bodie of dust , as potiphars wife laying hold on ioseph : i goe to god , and leaue my garment in his hand , i am dead to the world and sinne , and my life is hid with christ in god , and when christ my life shall appeare , then shall i in soule and bodie appeare with him in glorie . resent thine owne estate , and thou shalt finde what i say : hast thou not dyed to the world , and left it , before it left thee ? and hast thou not left the bodie before it leaue thee ? if thou had not come to god , till the world had forsaken thee , and the bodie chased thee out , hee had found just cause to forsake thee , and send thee backe in disdaine to these thy beloued false friends . but now since in thy prosperitie thou renounced the worlde , and in thine health and strength , thou went daylie to god , choosing rather to bee in him , than in the bodie : surelie hee will welcome thee : that is a token of thy liuing in him , and his liuing in thee . marke how thou hast euen in this life preuented the buriall of thy bodie : hast thou not with ioseph of aramathea hewen thee a sepulchre in the rock ? and cropen in by the holes of that rocke that was pearced for thee ? how oft hast thou gone in by these wounds of christ to his heart , by his suffering to his loue , and the loue of god in him , and washen thy selfe in the blood of his satisfaction . hast thou not also prepared the fine linnen , and wrapped thy selfe in the winding-sheete of his righteousnesse ? thy sinnes are buried in the seas of his mercie , and thy selfe is hid in him , before euer thy bodie be layed in the dust . and hast thou not , prouided oyle for thy lampe , that when thou goest out of this bodie , thou wander not in darknesse , but enter streight way in heauen ? all thy care in this life hath beene to get oyle , and to make it shine , to find light , and walke in that light . the rock , thy sepulchrie hath inclosed thee , the linnen of his righteousnesse couered thee , and that burning oyle in thy lampe shall not waste , till thou enter in heauen : since god euen thy god , hath anointed thee with some measure , of the oyle of gladnesse , hee hath prepared thee for his heauenlie buriall , and the smell of his oyntments , powred out on thee , hath wrought a distaste of all worldlie pleasures . foure speciall thinges bring solemne joyes in this life , and if we bee in christ , they all meete in vs at death : birth , mariage , triumph , and coronation . death is my best birth day : if the childe in the wombe knew that hee were comming foorth to a free light , hee would not weepe at his birth , but nature in him taketh his deliuerie for destruction , & so maketh him mourne at the just cause of his joye : my first birth brought me out of the prison of the wombe : my second brought mee out of nature and sinne : this third and last , shall bring mee perfectlie out of the world and all miserie . it is my mariage day with christ mine husband , he hath loued mee with euerlasting loue , and betrouthed mee to himselfe , in righteousnesse and trueth : and our bandes are daylie proclaimed in his worshippe , his gospel preached is the signification of his loue on his part , and our prayers and desires are the signification on our part , since i am glad of the match , and rejoyce at the proclaiming of these bannes , why should i fray at the solemnizing of the mariage ? god sendeth out pastors , as abraham did his seruant to choose a wife to isaak : these messengers haue found me continuallie about the well of liuing waters : the sight of abrahams riches , euen the chose graces of god , haue wone mine heart to isaak , and i haue gladlie condescended to forsake all , and goe to him : though i finde him at the euening and sun-sette of my life , i shall enjoy with him an euerlasting day of heauenlie contentment . esther was not sorrowfull , but rejoyced to be takē by ahashuerosh to wife , and should not i rejoyce when the lambe of god , christ iesus sendeth for mee . it is an glorious triumph : dauid was glad , whē he heard the people sing of his victorie ouer goliah , & shall i not rejoyce when god hath stramped all mine enemies vnder my feete , when the deuils are howling for their defeate , and the good angels● and spirits doe welcome mee with joyfull acclamations : it is more seemelie that i put in my part with the glorious spirits in the heauenly harmonie , than with the euill ones in howling : to bee dashed in death is to let the present victorie goe out of mine hands , sathan shall then ouercome mee when i am triumphing ouer him : and while i am breaking his power , his policie supplanteth mee , if i bee dejected for that which is my glorie . it is my coronation day , why should i be ashamed of it , ioseph and mordecay were not so base minded , as to sorrow at their preferment , and why should i not rejoyce at this my greatest exaltation , to bee taken vp to heauen , and honoured to an equalitie with angels , and conformitie with christ. arise therefore ( o my soule ) and make thee for thy last birth day : come foorth of this bodie wherein thou dwellest , and out of this greater tabernacle from this visible worlde , and goe to god : so long as thou art inclosed in the straite bounds of the creature , thou cannot enjoy freely thy creator . arise and mak thee readie to meete thy bridegroome , hee is comming to thee , and his reward is with him , prepare thy lampe , powre out thine oyle , make thee to meete him , who is comming to thee , and hath wooed thee to himselfe . lift vp thine eares , and heare the howling of euill spirites triumphed and subdued , and the encouraging shouting of the glorious spirites , how all that queere of heauen doe gladlie desire to take thee in their number , to keepe thy part of their harmonie of the new song to the praise of god. and lift vp thine head now full of hope , to receiue that crowne of glorie , which christ hath purchased to thee , and is readie to set vpon thee . o lord , i haue foughten my fight , i haue finished my race , and keeped the faith , hencefoorth is laide vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse , which god the righteous iudge will giue to mee , and not onelie to mee , but also to all that loue his glorious comming . ▪ timoth. . will thou know what is this noyse about thee , it is the hand of thy lord softlie loosing the pinnes , and slakening the coards of thy tabernacle , it is the noyse of his chariots that hee hath sent from heauen to bring thee to him : olde iakob reuiued when he saw iosephs chariots to bring him to egypt , though his posteritie were thereafter in thrall , shall thou not bee glad to goe vp in these coaches to heauen , where thou shalt euer bee with ioseph , and vnder a good king , who knoweth ioseph , and will neuer die . this noyse is nothing but the sound of christs key opening thy prison and fetters : lift vp thine head and rejoyce , for thy redemption is at hand , hee that is to come , will come and not delay : behold hee commeth , and his reward is with him . thou shall heare in due time the voyce of thy beloued crying , arise my spouse , my beloued , arise , and come away , for the winter of thy calamitous life is gone , the raines of thine affliction are passed . cant . fearefull indeede are the cryes which torment the wicked at death : the cry of their sinnes accusing them , the law condemning them , the conscience tormenting them , the gospel testifying their contempt of it ; sathan insulting ouer them , and of a craftie tempter become a ▪ cruell tormenter : the creature cursing them for wearying it with sinne and vanitie : the heauen debarring them , and the hells gapping for them . but i thanke god in christ , i haue a better cry in some measure , and hope to heare it more at the last : my conscience comforting mee in the peace of god : the law absoluing mee , because it is satisfied for mee in christ my cautioner : the gospel testifying my delight in it , and care to beleeue and obey it : sathan and his angels lamenting their disappointment : the heauens opened to receiue my soule , and angels readie to carie it to heauen : so long as thou hearest these sweete voyces , the noyse of death shall not trouble thee . all this noyse of a decaying bodie , is for thy libertie , as it decayeth , thou shalt increase , as it goeth to the earth , thou goest to heauen : you came from diuerse beginnings , the bodie of the earth , and god put thee in it , in your loosing you seeke backe to these beginnings , the bodie to the dust , and thou to god that gaue thee , thou wilt bee stronger , freer , cleanner when thou can not vtter thy selfe to man , than euer thou was before . the ballance are well casten when the more the body returneth to dust , the more thou ascendest to god thy sauiour . i finde a change whereof i neuer thinke to repent , a great change without losse : my bodilie eyes waxe dimme , but my minde seeth god more cleerely : mine eares are slow of hearing men , but my spirit quicke in hearing the consolations of the holy spirit : my taste distasteth meate , but the delight in tasting the sweetenesse of god , increaseth : all my naturall powers are failing , but my spirit is more vigorous in affecting , and more peaceable in resting vpon god and his happinesse . it it a fearefull change which goeth all to the worse , and in end , to destruction , but this change is all to the better , and shall end in saluation . this is a sure token , that as i haue not enjoyed mine happinesse heere , so i haue not lost it heere : but liuing in the hope and beginnings of it , i am now going to the possession of it . this my change tendeth to happinesse , though the body by dissolution seeme to goe farre about , yet it is in the way to its owne perfection . and thy change is directlie for it , from faith , to sight , from hope to possession , and both soule and bodie in their seuerall perfections , shall bee in the last day conjoyned to make vp my compleatest perfection : there shall neither bee sinne , nor paine in bodie or spirit , all miseries of both shall bee gone , and happinesse of both shall bee compleate : that worke of gods grace perfected in glorie , and his hand crowning my desires with enjoying himselfe . many unions hath thou with the bodie , and but one separation : in our creation in adam an union in innocencie , in my birth an union in vncleannes , i am begotten and borne according to the image of adam fallen and sinfull , in the resurrection i shall haue a glorious union in christ , and but onelie one separation in death . this separation is now needefull , it was threatned in paradice , if wee offended , and now i cannot enter in heauen without it , except i either liue till the last day , and be changed , or be translated as enoch and elias . to hold all mankind aliue till the last day , is against gods appointment , who hath drawne our dayes to an hand-breadth : to bee translated , is the priuiledge of a few , and cannot bee the lot of all : therfore the separation is in mercie , that the soule may enter in glorie , and the bodie rest in hope for a time : it is not casten away , but laide vp , and god hath a speciall care of the dust of it , to raise it vp againe : when our friends and neighbours haue laide it in the cold clay , they leaue it there , but god leaueth it not , but keepeth it till the last day . since there can neither goodly be an holding of soule and bodie together , till the last day , neither a translating of the whole man ▪ god hath chosen the mid way to translate the soule the best part , & to dissolue the bodie ; so gods threatning is keeped , thou shalt die , and thou shalt returne to dust , the example of christ in death is followed , our best part is translated for our happinesse and the assurance of the bodies reunion , and a way to all . death in this respect is not penall , but premiall in a sort , not of gods anger for our sinne to punish vs , but of his mercie for our well to perfect vs. oft-times god giueth vs plaine documents heereof if wee would obserue them , euery twenty foure hours we haue cleare proofes of foure things . . our life in the day time , when we are busied in our calling . . our death , at euen , when wee rest from our labours . our buriall , when wee goe to bedde ▪ wee are not casten in them , nor our gar●ments pulled off , but wee goe in quietnesse , and lay our garments downe in order , intending to take them vp againe : . our resurrection , when wee rise in the morning more vigorous to our calling , than when we lay downe , then wee shall behold his face in righteousnesse , and when wee awake , shall bee satisfied with his image . psal. . the sentence of death in bodilie paines , hath taught mee many thinges . the mortalitie of my body which must once bee ouercome , and yeelde to them , and so turne to dust , this cottage of clay so oft and so hardlie beaten , must once fall . many haue a strong desire to liue long , and turneth this naturall desire in a conceate , that as they would , and may , so they shall liue longer : though there bee necessitie of death in a decaying bodie , and the spending of the life , yet that desire and hope of life groweth euen with the decay of life . but the holie desire of immortalitie will eate out that fleshlie desire , and the sense of daylie mortalitie will cut off that false hope . . the immortalitie of my soule , in that vnder such paines , it can haue the own free working on god : if in a body so diseased , it can seeke him , and finde rest in him , shall it not beeing separate from the bodie , haue a more free working . . the loue of god , in deliuering mee from damnation : how often haue i cryed in the midst of my paines , o how farre am i bound to thee my redeemer , who hath deliuered mee from the fire of hell ? if a short and light paine vnder thine hand in loue bee so heauie , how intollerable is that paine of soule and bodie eternallie vnder thy wrath . . that thy loue can stand well with affliction , thou hast made light to arise to mee in darknesse , and caused thy countenance to shine on mee in christ , and giuen me great peace in my conscience in my greatest extremitie . o what a iewell is a good conscience in affliction ! though no man want his slips and infirmities , yet he may eschew the grossest sinnes : though none can attaine to a legall perfection , yet hee may haue an evangelicall perfection , in faith , repentance , and begunne obedience . when the soule darre attest god , as witnesse , and appeale him as iudge to its sinceritie : in intending nothing but his glorie : in inquiring his will as the way to that glorie : and endeuouring to doe according to his knowledge for that good end : then in some measure wee may say with ezechiah , remember , o lord , how i haue walked before thee in trueth , and with a perfect heart . the conscience of these things haue so taken vp my soule , that my paines at the greatest are mitigate ; that holy and heauenly diuerting of my spirit by so sweet and spirituall influence , sometimes beguyleth my bodilie sense , that it doeth but tolerablie affect mee . the present sense of thy loue in mine acceptation in christ , and assurance of glorie to come , are strong ingredients to temper the greatest paines in this life . and it is a profitable paine in the bodie , that both occasioneth the seeking , and bringeth out the feeling , of the health of the soule , in thy sensible loue . it hath also giuen mee a new experience of death ; surelie death to the sainctes is not as the most part take it , not a destruction , but a deliuerie . it is both my last affliction , and my last deliuerance from all miseries . it is both an end of this life , and the beginning of my life of glorie in heauen . in it selfe it is a curse , but to the sainctes a blessing in him who hath ouercome it . i finde it both a dissolution from the world , and of soule and body , and of euerie part of the bodie from other , and my first great union with god , the sainctes and angels . it is both my death and perfect birth day ; i haue now a seeming life , but i liue not perfectlie till i die , the new man shall then come foorth to a glorious libertie in the face of god. it is my last and greatest pollution , my bodie is sometimes and by partes affected with weaknesse , and death turneth all in a lumppe of vyle and lifelesse clay ; and yet it is my first and greatest purgation : many purgations spirituall hast thou giuen mee in this life , in baptisme the laver of regeneration , from sin in euerie act of faith , purifying the heart ; in euerie act of repentance , washing mee in the blood of christ , in euerie exercise of spirituall worship clensing mine handes in innocencie to compasse thine altar : but this is the great and last purgation , when i am cleansed from all sinne : in that same instant when my soule and body doe separate , all spiritual blemishes are separated from mee : that is the worke of thy spirit in mee , hee knoweth no vncleane thing can enter in heauen , and therefore at my last breath he will giue me the last & full cleansing , and last degree of sanctification ; i tremble not at the fire of purgatorie . the enemies of the crosse of christ , are justlie so punished by that their errour ; when christs blood hath cleansed mee from all guiltinesse of all sinne , and his sanctifying spirit hath purged out the nature of it : and his perfect obedience hath relieued mee from all punishment , there is neither place nor use for that purging , or rather tormenting fire after this life : death is in it selfe the most terrible of all terrors , but i find it in christ most desireable . the wicked doe tremble at the thoughts of it , they see it onelie in the fearefull respects , as a destructiō , a curse , an end , a death , a dissolution , a pollution : therefore they abhorre it , and the mention of it , is to them as the hand-write on the wall was to beltashar . but thou shewest to mee these pleasant respects of death , as a deliuerie , a blessing , a beginning , a birth , an union , a purgation : they haue none but fearefull grounds , they are yet in nature , vnder the law vnder sinne , without christ , and vnder an euill conscience , but thou hast layed better grounds in mee , and put mee vnder grace , and vnder the gospel , vnder remission of sinne in christ , and in a good conscience . what wonder that the godlie and wicked vpon so contrare grounds , and respects , haue so contrare thoughts and desires of death . thou hast builded my soule vpon these best grounds , and filled it with consideration of the best respects of death , therefore it is that i loue it , and desire it as thy messenger in mercie , for mine eternall good : as laban welcomed abrahams seruant , and said , come in thou , blessed of the lord ; so i sette mee not to flee , but occure to it , not to shune it , but to welcome it . nothing affrayeth man more at the sight of death , than vncertaintie of his estate after it : euerie one at death is as a man on an edge of an high hill , all must leepe , but euerie one knoweth not where he shall light : to the wicked the valley is darke and mistie , they know not what shall become of them after death , dulefull is the parting of that soule and bodie that part vnder sinne and wrath : at best they are in this confused vncertaintie , not knowing their future estate , and if they haue any knowledge , it is all spent in mutuall accusing & cōdemning at the last day , and mutuall tormenting in hell , as authors and furtherers of sin . their soule curseth their bodie , because it was too readie an instrument to execute the wicked desires of it : and the bodie shall curse the soule , because it was an euill guide to misleede it in sin . they liue now in cōcord & mutuall flatterie of other , which is nothing but their conspiracie against god : but when both are sensible of their estate , they shall curse other mutuallie . as they part at death , so shall they bee joyned at the last day , and curse other eternallie in the hell vpon the same grounds . but to the godlie , all things are contrare : they know whither they goe after death , and their soules and bodies at their parting blesse one another , for their joynt happinesse in the state of grace , and in mutuall testifying of their seuerall labour in the lord , for attaining that happinesse . they part full of the peace of god , full of the desire of their reunion , and full of the hope of it , and eternall glorie thereafter . thou hast blessed mee with this certainetie : for my bygone condition , thou perswadest me of my calling and election , and hast made them sure in me by thy constant working since thou called mee to grace : for my present estate i finde my selfe vnder thy fauour in christ , reconcealed to thee in him , as one of thy called and chosen ones : for my future estate , i know that my redeemer liueth , and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth : and though after my skinne wormes consume this bodie , yet in my flesh shall i see god , whom i shall see for my selfe , and not another for mee , though my reines bee consumed within mee . iob. . . i know that if the earthlie house of this tabernacle were dissolued , i haue a building of god , an house not made of hands , in heauen . . cor. . . many seeke certaintie of vncertainties , to secure their worldlie state on earth , and neglect their spirituall state in thee : but all fastening in the world is loosnesse , and a losing of a better : but i seeke for a certaintie of that better substance . by the grace working faith in mee , thou hast made mee more certaine what shall become of my soule and bodie after death , than i am of my goods in the world , i haue no promise of their particular state , thy prouidence will secure it selfe of them , and they may possiblie fall in the hand of mine enemies . but as for my bodie , i know it shall rest in hope in the dust , till the resurrection , and my soule shall bee carried to abrahams bosome . thou hast tolde mee whither i shall goe , when i die , euen to that land of light and libertie , to these mansions which christ in the heauen hath prepared for mee : and for thy loue , and desire to bee with thee in them , i visite them daylie : when at euening , morning and midday , yea , seuen times a day i call on thee , my father in heauen ; then am i visiting these mansions : i cannot bow my knee religiouslie to thee , but mine heart is then with thee , adoring thee in the heauen of heauens : in the time of thy worshippe when i seeke thy face , though my bodie bee on the earth , yet my soule is beholding thy face , thereby acquainting my selfe with the light of thy countenance , which i hope to enjoye for euer . thou knowest i counted not these for dayes of my life , wherein i did not often draw neare to thee on the throne of grace , almost continuallie setting thee before mee , and disposing my soule and bodie as worthie of thy sight . shall i not then know that way after death , which i daylie haue troden in my life ? or shall that light which now leadeth mee in the darknesse of this life , be put out at death ? i must die , but it will not die to mee : thy face that now inlightneth mee , shall send out a more glorious splendour in the houre of my death , than euer it sent in this life : there is no feare of darknesse in the path of death , when the discouered face of god in mercie shineth on mee , and perfectlie inlighteneth mee in that glorious light . when bodilie senses doe faile , the spirituall sense and sight succeed in their perfection , i haue in this life but a small candle lighted at the meanes of grace in reading , hearing , and meditation : but when these meanes end , and mine outward senses doe cease from their work , i shall take light immediatelie from god himselfe , hee worketh by his ordinance , so long as their necessitie or vse remaineth , but when these end , he commeth in himselfe and worketh more fullie . i neede not bee grieued , nor my friends cry out in the bitternes of heart , when my senses faile : the light that i looke for in death , shall as farre exceed my present light , as the sunne in his full beautie at mid-day exceedeth the light of a small candle . i shall finde no darknesse in the passage of death , since i am in christ : hee who is in him , shall not walke in darknesse , but shall haue the light of life . the immediate ●ight of god , needeth not the use of outward meanes : it shall bee no losse to mee , when perfection supplieth and succeedeth imperfection . thou hast also acquainted mee with death , and made mee feele in some beginnings and resemblance that same which i will finde at his dint ; that sentence of death putteth mee to the hight of resolution , and i am vnder thine hand , as isaak vnder the hand of abraham , bound and layed on the altar , and know nothing but that the stroke will come , i am readie for it , and looke for none other than dissolution . but thou knowest thy thoughts concerning mee . if thou spare mee at this time , this lesson is profitable , that thou hast shewed mee the face of death , and yet brought mee backe againe . as tender and louing parents in this towne , send their sicklie children ouer this firth , not to leaue them on the other shore , but by sea-sicknesse to purge their stomacke , and cure them of their infirmitie : so thou can imbark thine owne in the ship of the sentence of death , and resolution for it , and bring them back againe , and cause them cast out some noysome corruption in renouncing the world . thou knowest , o searcher of hearts , that i neither loue this life , nor desire to abide in it for it selfe , but for thy glorie , though i bee full of dayes , yet if i can honour thee in it , i care not what miseries i vndergoe : i had neuer greater contentment , than when i was most injured for thy cause : as i count of no life but in thee , so i desire not to liue but for thee . if thou bring mee backe againe , serue thy selfe of mee in mercie , and doe with mee as seemeth good in thine eyes . if thou hast decreed that at this time , i shall not die , but liue , then grant that i may declare the mercies of the lord : that in my lent and prolonged dayes , i may magnifie thy glorious grace in christ , in teaching sinners thy wayes , & turning them to thee : that thy vowes may bee on mee , o lord , and i may pay them in the sight of thy people , in the great congregation , that when thou hast redeemed my soule from death , mine eyes from teares , and my feete from falling , i may walke before the lord in the land of the liuing . psal. . and may both feele and say with thine holie apostle , blessed bee god ▪ euen the father of our lord iesus christ , the father of mercies , and the god of all comfort , who comforteth vs in all our tribulation , that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in any trouble , by the comfort , wherewith wee our selues are comforted of god. for as the sufferinges of christ abound in vs , so our consolation also aboundeth by christ. and whether wee bee afflicted , it is for your consolation and saluation : or whether wee bee comforted , it is for your consolation and saluation . . cor. . . . . i looke for a glorious resurrection and eternall day of light , and comfort after it , all my deliueries in this life , hath some night of affliction following , and the verie day of prosperitie may both haue gloumie cloudes of miscontentment , and the eclypses of thy face in some desertion : but that day in heauen shall haue no night following , none obscuritie , by raines or cloudes of affliction : none eclypse by desertion , but the constant enjoying of thy face for euer . thou will wype all teares from mine eyes , both the teares of sorrow vnder temptation to sinne , and vnder guiltinesse for sinne committed , and vnder affliction : as also the teares of joy , i shall then rejoyce without teares , for my bodie shall haue none excrementitious humour , to cast out at mine eyes : and that joye shall not bee by way of passion as now , but of a glorified affection , it shall not bee mixed with feare of ending , but endure eternallie . who can refuse to die for to obtaine such a glorie , death is but short , and that glorie beyond it , is euerlasting and shall wype away all sorowes both of this life , & death . dauids worthies for a litle water of the well bethlehem , brak throgh the armie , and shall not we for the well it selfe of liuing waters , aduenture vpon death ? men sicke of ambition , cast away there life in battells or combats where the victorie is vncertaine ; and the following fame is but smooke : and shall wee not combat with death , where the victorie is certaine , and the following glorie is weightie and eternall . i haue had an longsome toyle in the world , now i am called to the lords rest , i had no rest heere but in him , and it is kindlie that i finde it more in him in the heauen . there i shall rest from my labours . there thy wearisome journey shall end in the owne home ( o my wearie soule ) thou needeth goe no further , than thine home , and thy growth shall end in that thy perfection : there is no way beyond the end , nor growth aboue perfection . though there bee sundrie degree of of glorie in heauen , yet the least degree ( if perfection can bee little ) shall haue fulnesse . it can neither desire more nor receiue more : when desire is satis●ied and capacitie filled that is absolute perfection . goe then to this rest , and sute it of god vpon all these rights , which his mercie hath furnished to thee . thou hast his right of the promise , in the couenant : of his acquisition , in the purchase of christ : of his legacie , in the testament , father , i will that these which thou hast giuen mee bee where i am . of infeftment , by the earnest of the spirit : of begunne possession , by the first fruites , and of perfection by so many fulnesses . thou art full of dayes , and full of labour , both of gods worke in thee , and by thee in other in thy calling , and full of desire of dissolution , and of that better life . what then can hold thee out of it ? god is the donatour , and hath it in his hand . since he hath made thee all these rights , hee will maintaine them , and put thee fullie in the possession . goe , and claime it of his mercie , thy claime will bee admitted of him , who hath both founded and fraimed it in himselfe . how can i but expect the happie end of thy worke in mee , o lord , who haue found thee so mercifull in the bygone course of it : as thou beginnest in thine own , so thou proceedest till thou crown it with glorie : my feeling of it , is by parts and degrees , but in it selfe , and in thee , it is a continued and compleete worke . thou didst begin in it my free election , and seeing mee lye in the lost masse of mankinde didst choose mee in christ : thou broughtest mee in the world , in a time and place where the gospel was preached and grace offered : and scearcely was i borne , when thou washed mee in baptisme in the blood , and renewed mee by the spirit of christ. when i was offered to thee in that sacrament , little did i knowe what grounds of grace thou was laying in mee . thou broughtest mee vp in humane learning vnder good masters , and hemmed in , the folie of my youth with the care and proficience in learning . with these good occasions thou blessed mee with the hearing of godlie pastors , who did sow the seed of godlinesse in mine heart , so that in the verie throng of schoole-studies thou drew me to a set dyet of priuate deuotion , in reading thy word , & in calling on thy name . so soone as i could discerne any thing , thou inclined mine heart to the sacred ministerie , and made mee desire to serue thee in it aboue all callings : and sweyed all my thoughts and studies for the obtaining of the abilities of that worke . in the verie course of humane learning , thou put thine hand in mine heart , and entred mee in the grieuous exercise of conscience , to prepare mee for thy seruice : and gaue me no solide peace till i tooke on mee both the yocke of christ in mine effectuall calling to grace , and of the ministerie of the word . by this doing thou drew all my thoughts to practick diuinitie as to the best sort holding mee euer about the end , and the use , & the fruite of the best meanes to it . for keeping of a good conscience . thou hast joyned foure things in me , that furnisheth daylie exercise to my spirit . . a naturall disposition inclining to pensiuenesse , so that my greatest rest is in the multitude and throng of enquiring thoughts . . the worke of grace in the sanctified exercise of conscience . . and thy prouidence without euerie day furnishing a new crosse , as mine ordinary dyet & a matter both to my naturall disposition , & conscience . . and with all these the assiduous labour of a painefull ministerie , changing the nature of rest and labour in mee : so that my greatest rest is in greatest labour , and a short relaxation doeth wearie mee more , than long bending of my spirit . as thou didst separate me to the gospel , of thy son , and counted mee faithfull , and put mee in the ministerie , thou possest me with a care to bee faithfull in it , and to approue my selfe to thee , in preaching thy word as thy word , and in partaking of that grace which in thy name , i offer to other . thou made mee thinke it a fearefull judgement to feede others and sterue my selfe : to builde the arke of noe to saue others , and perish in the waters my selfe , but to striue to this compleat fruite of the ministerie by faithfull discharge of my duetie , to saue my selfe , and them that heare mee . . timoth . i cānot but count this among thy greatest mercies to mee , that in the midst of my trouble thou fillest my soule with thy peace , & that in the multitude of the thoughts of mine heart , thy comfortes delight mee , psal. . . while i am thy prisoner in this bed of disease , & cannot declare thy mercies in publicke to thy people ; thou giuest mee libertie to speake of thy wondrous workes to them that visite mee , to exhort them to liue the life of the righteous , and in as great confidence in thy name , to assure them , that in that case they shall die the death of the righteous : and to say with thy prophet , come , and heare all yee that feare the lord , and i will declare what hee hath done to my soule . i cryed vnto him with my mouth , and hee was exalted with my tongue . if i regarded iniquitie , in mine heart , the lord will not heare mee , but truelie god hath heard me , and hath hearkened to the voyce of my prayer . ps . ▪ ▪ ▪ . for hee seeth no sinne in iaacob , nor transgression in israel . numb . . but as manie as walke according to this rule , his peace is on them , and his mercie , and vpon the israel of god. galat. . . this i take as a seale of thy loue , that thou hast both accepted mee , and my former ende●ours , and pardoned all my sinnes in the sonne of thy loue : what would be my case , if in those paines my wonted terrours had possessed mee : but thou who comforteth the abject , & knowest my weaknesse , layest no more on mee than i can beare : thou makest thy grace sufficient for mee , to gi●e mee the out gate with the temptation , that thy power may bee manifested in my weakenesse . . cor. . . . blessed bee god , who hath not turned away my prayers , nor his mercies from mee . psal. . . how precious are thy thoughts to mee , o god , how great is the summe of them , if i should count them , they are moe in number than the sand . psal. . . . many , o lord my god , are thy wonderous vvorkes , which thou hast done , and thy thoughts vvhich are towards vs , they cannot hee reckoned vp in order to thee . if i would declare and speake of them , they are moe than can bee numbred . psal. . . but this is a small summe of a greater roll , that i may both testifie to the world my thankfulnesse to thee , who hast ladened mee daylie with thy blessings : and stirre vp others to marke thy mercifull dealing with them in their youth . that finding thy goodnesse in good occasions and education , and the blessing of both in learning and godlinesse , they may bee thankefull to thee . o what a mercie is it in so dangerous a time as youth , to bee brought by thy spirit to true wisedome and godlines : then witte is weakest and corruption is strongest , and we readie euery houre to cast our selfe in sinnes , which may cost vs eternall murning . but thou preuentest sathan , and ingageth vs in thy grace and obedience , before either hee can abuse vs in iniquitie , or wee doe know what good thou art working in vs. thou knowest how forcible the sense and conscience of thy mercie is , both to make vs thankefull for it , and desirous and confident of more : none can feele thy loue in thy fatherlie care ouer him in his youth , but his heart must dissolue in loue to thee , and powring out it selfe on thee , waite vpon the due accomplishment of such good beginnings . when i remember these thy mercies , i finde them mine obligements to thee : how thou didst beare more with mee , than all the world , or i could beare with my selfe : i both wonder at thy vnspeakable loue pursuing with kindnesse so vile a worme : and am confident that thou who hath begunne thy good worke in mee , will also finish it , till the day of the lord iesus : whō thou louest , thou louest to the end . thy calling and gifts are vvithout repentance . vvho shall separate vs from the loue of christ ? for i am perswaded , that neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things presēt , nor things to come nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature , shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of god , which is in christ iesus our lord. rom. . . . vnder this acquaintance with death , and certaintie of these glorious thinges after it , the bitternesse of death is disgested : as the godlie and wicked haue contrare respects of death , and contrare grounds , and contrare desires , so also contrare disposition , and practice when it commeth . i leaue the horrors of it to them that are vnder sinne : their death is like a malefactors execution ; when hee is pannaled , and justlie convicted , one pulleth the hatte doggedlie from him , another his bond , a third bindeth his hands behind his backe , and the poore man ouercome with griefe and feare , is dead before hee die . but i looke for the death of the righteous , and a peaceable ende , that it shall bee as a going to bed of an honest man : his seruants with respect take off his cloathes , and lay them downe in order : a good conscience then playing the page ordereth all , so that it confirmeth and increaseth his peace : it biddeth good-night to faith , hope , and such other attending graces and giftes in the way : when wee are come home to heauen , there is no vse of them : but it directeth loue , peace , ioy , and other home graces , that as they conveyed vs in the way , so they attend vs at death , and enter in the heauens with vs. the first sort beginneth & endeth here their being & vse : the second of a more induring nature , doe beginne and grow here , and shall abide in vs for euer in heauen , as a part of our perfectiō . marke the just man , and consider the vpright , for the end of that man is peace . ps. . . moses after hee had beene all his dayes a faithfull seruant in the house of god , dyed peaceablie on the mountaine , in the armes of god : hee liued all his time in gods obedience , & dyed full of his fauour and peace : god welcometh them kindlie to his joyfull rest , who serue him faithfullie in their life . there is none so throughly sanctified , who at death shall not find some feare : nature is nature in the best men , till soule and bodie separate . . the remembrance of bygane sinnes , though pardoned : . the sight of the great volumes of the compt books of our conscience , though cancelled in the blood of christ. . the skarres and markes of our mortified corruption . . and the weaknes of grace not yet fully perfected . . and the paines of death both then first felt , and last to bee felt , will worke some astonishment in them who are best prepared for death . but so soone as our spirites gather themselues , and seeth god in christ , with the crowne of glorie in his hand , and the good angels come to carrie our soules to heauen , all that amazement shall euanish . god in mercie , both craueth and admitteth those our infirmities : hee giueth grace in some things to correct nature : in some to cure it : in other to sanctifie and perfect it : all these workes of grace doe heerein concure , natures moderate feares are sanctified , her excesses preuented and corrected , and her last worke closed by the succeeding glorious joyes . manie things giue vp their last worke at our death : sathan his last on-sette : the conscience ( if it be not fullie pacified ) her last accusation , & then turneth to be a continuall comforter : the body the last feeling of paine , and all these are greatest , because they are last , and yet doe not argue strength or preuailing but decay : deadlie diseased bodies haue some sort of bettering , immediatelie before death . it seemeth to some a recouerie of health , but is indeede a dying . so all these things at our death cease from their worke by their last on-sette . pharaoh made his most fearefull assault on israel at the red sea , but these men which now yee see , yee shall see no more , said moses . wee may beare with natures last assaulting and braids in death , it shall neuer molest vs againe . i haue put mine house in order , & disposed all things that thou hast giuen me ▪ the world i leaue to the world , thou knowest i neuer loued it , nor counted of it since i saw thee . the first worke of thy life in mee , was the killing of the loue of the world : thy face , the light of thy countenance , and sweetnesse of thy grace , made mee disgust the world , as gall and worme-wood . my bodie i lay ouer to the dust , in hope of a glorious resurrection : my soule i giue to thee who hath giuen it to mee ; since the dayes of mine effectuall calling , it hath beene more in thee than in mee , the desire of it is to thee , and the delight of it in thee alone ; what then remaineth , but that now it bee filled with thy selfe . i haue not much to transport out of this world : my soule in the strongest affection is gone before , and when i come away , i shall bring nothing to heauen , but thy workes in me , and with them a good conscience , my daylie obseruer : as for things worldlie , the baggage of this earth , i leaue it as the house sweepings to them who come after in this great house of the world ; i had none other accompt of it , euen in the time of necessitie , of the vse of it , what shall i count of it now , when that necessitie is ending . as for my sinnes , which thou hast pardoned in christ , i lay them ouer to sathan , as their author , they were mine in their nature , action , and guiltinesse , but they are his in origination : hee spewed that poyson in adam whereby all mankind are originallie defiled . thy sauing grace i render to thee againe , thou hast giuen it to me , to bring mee out of nature : and the natiue course of it is to returne to thee , and in that returning , to carrie mee with it towards thee , the fountaine of grace . so in death i desire to be as a pitcher broken at the well , while the potsheard turneth to the dust , let my soule with thy grace runne backe to the well againe , euen to thee , from whom i receiued them . confirme this my testament , o lord , as thine owne worke , and a part of the meeting of thy testament to mee . nothing but my sinnes can hold mee out of heauen , which receiueth no vncleane thing : cast them behind thy backe , and burie them in the bottome of the sea : seale vp the discharge of them in my conscience , that when i goe out of this life , i may present it as my warrand and thy token to bee admitted within the gates of heauen , assure mee more and more of that remission , that i may also bee assured of all the following blessinges which thou hast purchased with thy blood . thou sanctified our nature , and assumed it in the virgine , to worke the worke of our redemption thereby : to make it a paterne and samplar of our sanctification : a conduit pype to convey grace to vs : and a pledge that in due time , thou wilt make vs like to it in a fellowshippe with thee : sanctifie me throughlie with thine holie spirit , that i may bee fullie receiued in thy fellowshippe , and enjoye all these glorious priuiledges in thee . this saluation thou hast purchased for vs , and promised to vs , and hast wrought in mee both a desire of it , and a particulare perswasion of it for my selfe . this is a true saying , and by all meanes to bee receiued , that christ iesus came into the world to saue sinners , of whom i am the chiefe . . timoth. . . remember therefore thy promise to thy seruant wherein thou hast made mee to trust : this is my comfort in mine affliction , for thy word hath quickened mee . ps. . . now , lord , i am taking vp the other shore and the land beyond the riuer : in mine effectuall calling thou brought mee through the red sea , bring mee now safelie through iordan . then thou drowned mine enemies in baptisme : these waters that washed me , destroyed them : diuide likewise , o lord , these waters of death , that i may safelie enter into thine heauenlie canaan : elias mantle diuided iordan ; wrap me vp in christs righteousnesse , that i may passe through death : for there is no damnation to them that are in christ. rome . . . set the arke of the couenant in the midst of it : where that couenant commeth , these waters diuide themselues : let mee see the high priest of my profession ( who is the arke himselfe ) carying that arke before mee : where hee setteth his feete , there is dry ground to passe through the midst of dangers . o sonne of god , shew thy propitiation to the father , to appease him : to me , to encourage mee : to these waters , that they may flee away , and to mine enemies , that they may bee destroyed , let mee see thee ( as i did long since ) at the like sentence of death interponing thy selfe betwixt the wrath of god and mee , securing me from sinne , punishment , and all that worke of iustice : when thou turned wrath in mercie , and the iustice seate in a throne of grace : and setting thy selfe as a sconse between gods wrath and mee , made mee as posedlie and calmelie to stand before god , vnder the sentence of death , as euer i did in the sweetest meditations & motions of thy spirit . that former proofe ( yet fresh in my minde ) confirmeth mine hope in the expectation of the like peace , when death shall come indeede . all this i know , this i beleeue , and hope for , and feele alreadie begunne in mee in some measure , and perswade my selfe as now i thinke it , and write it , that in due time , i shall finde it , and praise thee in heauen eternallie for it , when thou hast crowned thy mercies in mee . the sense of thy presence doth now delight mee , but i rest not on it : as it giueth mee vnspeakable contentment , so it pouseth mee fordward to thy perfect presence : i must euer bee in mouing , till i bee perfected in thee . though thy presence cōfort me now in these my soules-speaches with thee , a●d refresh my wearie heart both vnder present paine , and foreseene paines of death , yet i stay not there : these cooling tastes doe rather inflame my desire , than quench it , and increase my longing for the well it selfe : that i may bee satisfied aboundantlie with the fatnesse of thine house , and drinke of the riuer of thy pleasures . for with thee is the fountaine of life , and in thy light i shall see light . psal. . . . all my joyes in the way cannot satisfie mee , till i bee in that citie , whereof the lord god almightie , & the lambe is the temple : that new ierusalem that hath no neede of the sunne , nor of the moone , for the glorie of god doeth inlighten it , and the lambe is the light of it . reuelat. . . . i long for that pure riuer of the water of life , cleare as crystall , proceeding out of the throne of god , and the lambe : i long for the fruite of the tree of life , that bringeth fruite euery moneth , ( euer constant and new joyes ) that i may see the face of the lambe , and haue his name written in my forehead , and follow him vvhither soeuer hee goeth . revelat. . . . . till i come to this estate , my soule will euer thirst for thee , more than the thirstie land doth for raine , or the chased hart panteth for the riuer of vvaters : my soule thirsteth for god , euen for the liuing god , oh , vvhen shall i come and appeare before god. psal. . . none hath wrought , or can worke this great desire in me , but thou onelie , & none can , or shall satisfie it , but thou , and that by none of thy giftes but by thy selfe alone : it is a desire of thy selfe aboue all , and cannot rest without thy selfe : it is stronger than all other desires in mee , they are all silent when it raigneth , they cease willinglie , and quite their priuate contentment , and seeke it in the satisfaction of this greatest one. come therefore , o thou , whom my soule loueth , and satisfie my soule in her greatest desire of thee . this is for the present ( by the worke of thy spirit ) & i trust shall be my last & ardent affection to thee in the houre of my death , & mine eternall condition in the heauens . then the greatest satisfactiō of my greatest desire , shall work my greatest delight : sight , and sense , and fruitiō shall then teach mee , that which now the eye hath not seene , not the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued : but when i shall see thee , as thou art , & shall know thee , as i am known , then i shall see that which now i beleeue and hope for , euen mine happinesse in thee perfectlie . when the end of thy loue to mee , and of my desire of thee , doe meete in that glorious perfection , there shall neither be matter nor place for more desire : the infinite weight of glorie : the eternall indurance of it : the constant freshnesse and continuall newnesse of it in my neuer-loathing nor decaying feeling , excludeth both the increase and beeing of any desire : whē thy delight in mee , and my delight in thee doe concurre , then my glorified delight shall rest on thee , and thy delights contentedlie . i cease now to write , but not to think of , and affect thee as mine onelie happines . let thy good spirit , o lord , keepe my soule , vnder the sense of these delights , or vnder the memorie of them , or the fruite of them , that i may walk in the strength of their cōsolations , delighting my selfe in thee , and in that mine happinesse , which is thy selfe , till i perfectlie enjoy thee . into thine hands , i commit my spirit , for thou hast redemed mee , o lord god of trueth . come lord iesvs , and tarie not. amen . finis . the table of these observations . a accidents rare , make many prophets . obser. affections right placed . afflictions great profite . athiesmes poyson . ambitious men die of their disease . b our bodies spiritualitie . the bodies tendernesse , a blessing to the godlie . c callings are our tryall . gods calling a sufficient warrand . fruitefull labour in our calling . calumnies comfort . christian furniture . combat betweene the earth & the wretch . companie usuallie hurtfull . complementing is a windie fulnesse . contemplation and practise ought to bee ioyned . conceate of vvisedome is great folie . conscience exercise . conscientious knowledge . constant inconstancie . corruptions danger . corruptions remeede . credulitie and confidence . d death surpriseth the most part of men . deuotion and obedience are twinnes . e eiaculations continuall . experience fruitfull . f phantasies tyrannie and remeede . faults with the world , but not with god. feares needlesse are fruitfull to the godlie . flesh and spirit discerned . g god alone better than all . god mercifull presence . the sight of a present god-head . gods best giftes . god seeth the heart . gods beggers are best heard . how to please god and man. god the dwelling place of the godlie . god and sathan contrare in ends & wayes . the godlies warre in peace . h concerning happines we are greatest fooles . hearts discouerie . hearts hardnesse . i iniuries inflame our corruption . insolent fittes . iudging wrong . l short life ought a short care . loue of good and hatred of euill . the best lotte hath some want . m mans threefold perfection . man most disobedient of all creatures . man both blind and quicke sighted in his owne cause . mankinds wise temper . best men most iniured . mankinds threefolde respect . meditations profite . the merchant wise and foolish . good motions are of god. n holie necessities are no distractions . thirst of news . o obseruations right vse . operations of the holie spirit . p particulars are mixed with common causes . passions disease and remeede . patrons of grace and nature . peace of god a sweete vade-mecum . perplexities disease , and remeede . politickes secrecie is open . predominant vertue and vice . prayers great profite . prouidence particular to the godlie . rest on prouidence . r religious religion . refuge of the christian. resolution performed . s saluation of god alone . scriptures vnspeakable profite . securitie in god. selvishnesse damnable . sense of weaknesse . sinne an euill guest . proud sinners post to hell. soules life . soules foode . the stamppe of god in the soule , great worldlie spirits . good spirits most free of passions . t our thoughts fruitfull worke the godlie traueller . tryall of trueth . tryall of our tyme . w vvarres fearefull calamities . vvayes of god well expounded . vvorld worse and worse . dead to the world . a new & better world in this old bad one . vvorship of god done as his worship . constant dyet in gods worship . y youth and olde age. finis . faults escaped in the printing , in the obseruations . page . line . fault corrected . . . delate deleete . . . friend frrine . . . adde post. . . wrath worth . . . craueth carueth . . . cōuersatiō couersiō . . . craue carue . . . to in . . ult dele . him . . . calamities calumnies . . taker tacke . . . titling . tilting . in the resolution . . . reproach approach . . . it is . . secure serue . his grace the lord archbishop of canterbury's letter to the reverend dr. batteley archdeacon of that diœcese, to be communicated to the clergy of his archdeaconry tenison, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) his grace the lord archbishop of canterbury's letter to the reverend dr. batteley archdeacon of that diœcese, to be communicated to the clergy of his archdeaconry tenison, thomas, - . , [ ] p. printed by charles bill, and the executrix of thomas newcomb, deceas'd, printers to the kings most excellent majesty, [london : ] lord archbishop of canterbury = thomas tenison. imprint from colophon. reproduction of original in: new college (university of edinburgh). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion his grace the lord archbishop of canterbury's letter to the reverend dr. batteley archdeacon of that dioecese , to be communicated to the clergy of his archdeaconry . reverend sir , my writing to you , at this time , is occasion'd by a sensible growth of vice and prophaneness in the nation : which , to the great affliction of all good men , appears not only in the corrupt practices of particular persons ; but also in the endeavours that are used to subvert the general principles of our holy religion . and this with a boldness and openness , far beyond the examples of past times ; so that if a speedy stop be not put to such national provocations , we have just cause to fear they may bring down the heaviest judgments of god upon us ; the preventing whereof belongs more immediately to us , who are the ministers of christ ; and as such , are obliged to the utmost care and watchfulness in opposing these instruments of satan . i doubt not , but many of the parochial clergy are sufficiently sensible both of their own duty and the danger we are in : in the cities of london and westminster , and other places , i am sure the good effects of their diligence have been very evident of late years . but in some parts that are more remote , all of them may not so well understand either the arts or the industry of these enemies of religion : and therefore i thought it a duty incumbent on the station wherein providence has placed me , to desire of you , to warn the clergy of your archdeaconry , of these attempts against religion and virtue ; and to excite them to a diligence proportionable to the danger ; and to suggest to them such methods as are most likely to work a general reformation . with this request , i send you such particulars as , in my opinion , are very necessary to be pressed upon the clergy for the attaining so desirable an end. as , i. that in their own lives , and the government of their own families , they would make themselves examples of a sober and regular conversation . it is the apostles reasoning , if a man know not how to rule his own house ( and much more his own life and actions ) how shall he take care of the church of god ? the true method of working a reformation abroad , is to lay the foundation at home ; which alone can give our reproofs a just weight and authority : but till that is done , no exhortations , whether in publick or private , can either be offer'd with decency , or receiv'd with reverence . ii. to piety , they should add prudence in all their actions and behaviour : which even in private christians is a great ornament to religion ; but in publick teachers is a most necessary qualification for the due discharge of their ministry . a mildness of temper , with a gravity and calmness in their conversation , will not fail to gain them a general love and esteem among their neighbours : and a discreet caution in their words and actions , will preserve them from those little imprudences that are sometimes so sensible an obstruction to the good endeavours of well-meaning men. persons in holy orders are not only bound , in the conduct of their lives , to consider what is lawful or unlawful in it self , but also what is decent or indecent in them , with respect to their character and function . abstaining from all appearance of evil ; and giving no offence in any thing , that the ministry be not blamed . iii. while our enemies are so very industrious in seeking out objections against the christian religion ; it becomes the clergy ( who are set apart for the vindication of it ) to be no less diligent in their preparations for its defence : by acquainting themselves thorowly with the rational grounds of christianity , and the true state of such points as are the subjects of our present controversies ; together with the objections which are usually made by our adversaries of all sorts , and the effectual answers that have been returned to them by so many eminent writers of our own church : that so they may be ready , on all occasions , to do justice and honour to our religion ; and be able to expose the folly and ignorance of these gainsaying men. the cause which god has put into our hands , is undoubtedly good ; but the best cause may suffer by the weakness of its advocate : and when this happens in the matter of religion , it gives the adversary an occasion of triumph , and is apt to stagger the faith even of sincere and unprejudic'd christians . iv. it were to be wisht , that the clergy of every neighbourhood , would agree upon frequent meetings , to consult for the good of religion in general , and to advise with one another about any difficulties that may happen in their particular cures . by what methods any evil custom may most easily be broken ; how a sinner may be most effectually reclaimed ; and ( in general ) how each of them in their several circumstances may contribute most to the advancement of religion . such consultations as these , besides the mutual benefit of advice and instruction , will be a natural means to excite the zeal of some , to reduce the over-eagerness of others to a due temper , and to provoke all to a religious emulation in the improvement of piety and order within their respective parishes . and these meetings might still be made a greater advantage to the clergy in carrying on the reformation of mens lives and manners , by inviting the church-wardens of their several parishes , and other pious persons among the laity , to joyn with them in the execution of the most probable methods that can be suggested for those good ends. and we may very reasonably expect the happy effects of such a concurrence , from the visible success of that noble zeal wherewith so many about the great cities in my neighbourhood , do promote true piety , and a reformation of manners . and therefore i desire you that you will particularly excite the clergy to the procuring such assistances as these , for the more effectual discharge of their own duty . v. it would very much further and facilitate all their endeavours of this kind , to gain over the persons who have the greatest esteem and authority in their parishes , to a hearty concern for the honour of god and religion : frequently suggesting to them the obligation that god has laid upon them to be examples to others ; and the great good that it is in their power to do , by setting a pattern of regular living , and the unspeakable mischief of their irregular behaviour . for if once the better sort can be brought to such a seriousness and sobriety , the rest will more easily follow ; example being the most powerful instruction ; and experience teaching us that shame and fear , which arise from the authority of such good patterns , are commonly the most effectual restraints upon the meaner sort . vi. where any person is obstinate in his vices , and not to be reclaimed either by teaching or example , by exhortation or reproof ; the ordinary ought to be informed of it , that he may proceed to reclaim such by ecclesiastical censures : and where those are like to prove ineffectual , the civil magistrate must be applied to , and desired to proceed against them according to the laws in those cases provided . which information and request , especially in the case of such incorrigible offenders , can be made by none so properly as by the clergy ; who may best be supposed to understand the necessity there is of having recourse to the civil magistrate . and since our law-givers have enacted these temporal punishments , on purpose to assist us in the discharge of our ministry ; it would be a great failing in us , not to make use of them when all other methods have been tried to little or no effect . vii . every pious person of the laity , should , if need be , be put in mind by the clergy , that he ought to think himself obliged to use his best endeavours to have such offenders punished by the civil magistrate , as can no otherwise be amended . and that when he hears his neighbour swear or blaspheme the name of god , or sees him offend in drunkenness or prophanation of the lords day , he ought not to neglect to give the magistrate notice of it : in such a case to be called an informer , will be so far from making any man odious in the judgment of sober persons , that it will tend to his honour , when he makes it appear by his unblameable behaviour , and the care he takes of himself and his own family , that he doth it purely for the glory of god , and the good of his brethren . such well disposed persons as are resolved upon this , should be encouraged to meet as oft as they can , and to consult how they may most discreetly and effectually manage it in the places where they live . viii . as in reforming the laity , they ought to use the assistance of the civil magistrate ; so if any of their own brethren be an irregular liver , and cannot be reclaimed by brotherly admonition , the neighbouring clergy should be strictly enjoyned to make it known to you , and by you , to me ; if the case requires . that so the offender may be admonisht to live suitably to his character ; and if a bare admonition will not do , he may be proceeded against by ecclesiastical censures ; for the preventing such scandals and mischiefs , as will always accompany the irregular life of a minister of the gospel . ix . and whereas the foundations of piety and morality are best laid at the beginning , in the religious education of children ; i cannot but wish that every one of the parochial clergy would be very diligent in catechising the children under their care ; and not only so , but in calling upon them afterwards , as they grow up , to give such further accounts of their religion , as may be expected from a riper age. that being thus carefully instructed in the faith and duty of a christian , they also may teach their children the same ; and so piety , virtue , and goodness , may for ever flourish in our church and nation . these directions with such others of the same nature as will occur to you , i desire may be transmitted by you to the clergy of my dioecese ; for the religious government of themselves , and their people , in these dangerous times . so commending you and them to the blessing of god , i rest your affectionate brother tho. cantuar. lamb●th . april th . . london , printed by charles bill , and the executrix of thomas newcomb , deceas'd , printers to the kings most excellent majesty . . the government of the tongue by the author of the whole duty of man, &c. allestree, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : a) the government of the tongue by the author of the whole duty of man, &c. allestree, richard, - . fell, john, - . sterne, richard, ?- . pakington, dorothy coventry, lady, d. . henchman, humphrey, - . the fifth impression. [ ], p. at the theater, oxford : [i.e. ] attributed to richard allestree. cf. bm, dnb. variously ascribed also to john fell, richard sterne, lady dortohy pakington, humphrey henchman, and others. cf. dnb. table of contents: p. [ ] both wing and madan distinguish between two "editions" of [ ]: wing a (madan *), which is ", lacks a frontispiece, and has an upper case "f" in "fifth impression" on the t.p., and wing a (madan ), which is ", has a lower case "f" and includes the frontispiece. although the film identifies : as a , it is in fact identical to : with frontispiece, octavo binding, and an "f" on the t.p. reproduction of original in huntington library. item at : a with: the art of contentment / by the author of the whole duty of man, &c. [oxford] : at the theater in oxford, . created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng libel and slander -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion imprimatur , rad. bathvrst . vice-cancel . oxon. januarii . . the government of the tongve the government of the tongue . by the author of the whole duty of man , &c. death and life are in the power of the tongue , prov. . . the fifth impression . at the theater in oxford . m. dc . lxvii . the preface the government of the tongue has ever bin justly reputed one of the most important parts of human regiment . the philosopher and the divine equally attest this ; and solomon ( who was both ) gives his suffrage also ; the perswasions to , and encomiums of it taking up a considerable part of his book of proverbs . i shall not therefore need to say any thing , to justifie my choice of this subject , which has so much better authorities to commend it : i rather wish that it had not the super addition of an accidental fitness grounded upon the universal neglect of it , it now seeming to be an art wholly out-dated . for tho some lineaments of it may be met with in books , yet there is scarce any footsteps of it in practice , where alone it can be significant . the attemt therefore of reviving it i am sure is seasonable , i wish it were half as easy . . indeed that skill was never very easy , it requiring the greatest vigilance and caution , and therefore not to be attain'd by loose trifling spirits . the tongue is so slippery , that it easy deceives a drousy or heedless guard . nature seems to have given it some unhappy advantage towards that . 't is in its frame the most ready for motion of any member , needs not so much as the flexure of a joint , and by access of humors acquires a glibness too , the more to facilitate its moving . and alas , we too much find the effect of this its easie frame : it often goes without giving us warning ; and as children , when they happen upon a rolling engine , can set it in such a carriere , as wiser people cannot on a sudden stop ; so the childish parts of us , our passions , our fancies , all our mere animal faculties , can thrust our tongues into such disorders , as our reason cannot easily rectify . the due managery therefore of this unruly member , may rightly be esteemed one of the greatest mysteries of wisdom and vertue . this is intimated by st. james , if any man offend not in word , the same is a perfect man , and able also to bridle the whole body , ja. . . 't is storied of bembo a primitive christian , that coming to a friend to teach him a psalm , he began to him the thirty ninth , i said i will look to my waies , that i offend not with my tongue ; upon hearing of which first verse , he stopt his tutor , saying , this is enough for me if i learn it as i ought ; and being after six months rebuk'd for not coming again , he replied , that he had not yet learn'd his first lesson : nay , after nineteen years he profest , that in that time he had scarce learn'd to fulfill that one line . i give not this instance to discourage , but rather to quicken men to the study , for a lesson that requires so much time to learn , had need be early begun with . . but especially in this age , wherein the contrary liberty has got such a prepossession , that men look on it as a part of their birth-right , nay do not only let their tongues loose , but studiously suggest inordinaces to them , and use the spur where they should the bridle . by this means conversation is so generally corrupted , that many have had cause to wish they had not been made sociable creatures . a man secluded from company can have but the devil and himself to temt him ; but he that converses , has almost as many snares as he has companions . men barter vices , and as if each had not enough of his own growth , transplant out of his neighbors soil , and that which was intended to cultivate and civilize the world , has turned it into a wild desert and wilderness . . this face of things , i confess , looks not very promising to one who is to solicite a reformation . but what ever the hopes are , i am sure the needs are great enough to justify the attemt . for as the disease is epidemic , so it is mortal also , utterly inconsistent with that pure religion , which leads to life . we may take james's word for it , if any man seem to be religious , and bridleth not his tongue , that mans religion is vain , james . . god knows we have not much religion among us : 't is great pity we should frustrate the little we have , render that utterly insignificant , which at the best amounts to so little . let therefore the difficulty and necessity of the task , prevail with us to take time before us , not to defer this so necessary a work till the night come ; or imagine that the tongue will be able to expiate its whole age of guilt by a feeble lord have mercy on me at the last . tho indeed if that were supposable , 't were but a broken reed to trust to , none knowing whether he shall have time or grace for that . he may be surpriz'd with an oath , a blasphemy , a detraction in his mouth : many have bin so . 't is sure there must be a dying moment ; and how can any man secure himself , it shall not be the same with that in which he utters those , and his expiring breath be so emploied ? sure they cannot think that those incantations ( tho hellish enough ) can make them shot-free , render them invulnerable to deaths darts ; and if they have not that , or some other as ridiculous reserves , 't is strange what should make them run such a mad adventure . . but i expect it should be objected , that this little despicable tract is not proportionable to the encounter to which it is brought , that besides that unskilful managing of those points it do's touch , it wholly omits many proper to the subject , there being faults of the tongue which it passes in silence . i confess there is color enough for this objection , but i believe if it were put to votes , more would resolve i had said too much , rather then too little . should i have enlarged to the utmost compass of this theme , i should have made the volume of so affrighting a bulk , that few would have attemted it ; and by saying much , i should have said nothing at all to those who most need it . mens stomacs are generally so queasie in these cases , that 't is not safe to over-load them . let them try how they can digest this ; if they can so as to turn it into kindly nurishment , they will be able to supply themselves with the remainder . for i think i may with some confidence affirm , that he that can confine his tongue within the limits here prescrib'd , may without much difficulty restrain its other excursions . all i shall beg of the reader , is but to come with sincere intentions , and then perhaps these few stones and sling used in the name , and with invocation of the lord of hosts , may countervail the massive armor of the uncircumcised philistin . and may that god , who loves to magnifie his power in weakness , give it the like success . the contents . sect. . of the use of speech . p. . sect. . of the manifold abuse of speech . sect. . of atheistical discourse . sect. . of detraction , sect. . of lying defamation . sect. . of vncharitable truth . sect. . of scoffing and derision . sect. . of flattery . sect. . of boasting . sect. . of querulousness . sect. . of positiveness . sect. . of obscene talk. the close . of the government of the tongue . sect . i. of the use of speech . . man , at his first creation , was substituted by god as his vicegerent , to receive the homage , and enjoy the services of all inferior beings : nay farther , was endowed with excellencies fit to maintain the port of so vast an empire . yet those very excellencies , as they qualified him for dominion , so they unfitted him for a satisfaction or acquiescence in those his vassals : the dignity of his nature set him above the society or converse of mere animals : so that in all the pomp of his roialty , amidst all the throng and variety of creatures , he still remain'd solitary . but god , who knew what an appetite of society he had implanted in him , judged this no agrecable state for him ; it is not meet that man should be alone , gen. . . and as in the universal frame of nature , he ingraffed such an abhorrence of vacuity , that all creatures do rather submit to a preternatural motion then admit it ; so , in this emty , this destitute condition of man , he relieved him by a miraculous expedient , divided him that he might unite him , and made one part of him an associate for the other . . neither did god take this care to provide him a companion , merely for the entercourses of sense : had that bin the sole aim , there needed no new productions , there were sensitive creatures enough : the design was to entertain his nobler principle , his reason , with a more equal converse , assign him an intimate , whose intellect as much corresponded with his , as did the outward form , whose heart , according to solomons resemblance , answered his , as in water face answers face , prov. . . with whom he might communicate minds , traffic and enterchange all the notions and sentiments of a reasonable soul. . but tho there were this sympathy in their sublimer part , which disposed them to the most intimate union ; yet there was a cloud of flesh in the way , which intercepted their mutual view , nay permitted no intelligence between them , other then by the mediation of some organ equally commensurate to soul and body . and to this purpose the infinite wisdom of god ordained speech ; which , as it is a sound resulting from the modulation of the air , has most affinity to the spirit , but as it is uttered by the tongue , has immediate cognation with the body , and so is the fittest instrument to manage a commerce between the rational yet invisible powers of human souls cloathed in flesh . . and as we have reason to admire the excellency of this contrivance , so have we to applaud the extensiveness of the benefit . from this it is we derive all the advantages of society : without this men of the nearest neighborhood would have signified no more to each other , then our antipodes now do to us . all our arts and sciences for the accommodation of this life , had remain'd only a rude chaos in their first matter , had not speech by a mutual comparing of notions ranged them into order . by this it is we can give one another notice of our wants , and sollicit relief ; by this we interchangably communicate advises , reproofs , consolations , all the necessary aids of human imbecillity . this is that which possesses us of the most valuable blessing of human life , i mean friendship , which could no more have bin contracted amongst dumb men , then it can between pictures and statues . nay farther , to this we owe in a great degree the interests even of our spiritual being , all the oral , yea and written revelations too of gods will : for had there bin no language there had bin no writing . and tho we must not pronounce how far god might have evidenced himself to mankind by immediate inspiration of every individual , yet we may safely rest in the apostles inference , rom. . . how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard , and how shall they hear without a preacher ? . from all these excellent uses of it in respect of man , we may collect another in relation to god , that is , the praising and manifying his goodness , as for all other effects of his bounty , so particularly that he hath given us language , and all the consequent advantages of it . this is the just inference of the son of syrach , ecclus. . . the lord hath given me a tongue , and i will praise them therewith . this is the sacrifice which god calls for so often by the prophets , the calves of our lips , which answers to all the oblations out of the herd , and which the apostle makes equivalent to those of the floor and wine-press also , heb. . . the fruit of our lips , giving thanks to his name . to this we frequently find the psalmist exciting both himself and others , awake up my glory , i will give thanks unto thee , o lord , among the people , and i will sing unto thee among the nations , psal. . , . and o p raise the lord with me , and let us magnify his name together , psal. . . and indeed whoever observes that excellent magazine of devotion , the book of psalms , shall find that the lands make up a very great part of it . . by what hath bin said , we may define what are the grand uses of speech , viz. the glorifying of god , and the benefiting of men . and this helps us to an infallible test by which to try our words . for since every thing is so far approvable as it answers the end of its being , what part soever of our discourses agrees not with the primitive ends of speech , will not hold weight in the balance of the sanctuary . it will therefore nearly concern us to enter upon this scrutiny , to bring our words to this touch-stone : for tho in our depraved estimate the eloquence of language is more regarded then the innocence , tho we think our words vanish with the breath that utters them , yet they become records in gods court , are laid up in his archives as witnesses either for , or against us : for he who is truth it self hath told us , that by thy words thou shalt be justified , and by thy words thou shalt be condemn'd , matth. . . sect . ii. of the manifold abuse of speech . . and now since the original designs of speaking are so noble , so advantageous , one would be apt to conclude no rational creature would be temted to pervert them , since 't is sure he can substitute none for them , that can equally conduce either to his honor or interest . . yet experience ( that great baffler of speculation ) assures us the thing is too possible , and brings in all ages matter of fact to confute our suppositions . so liable alas is speech to be depraved , that the scripture describes it as the source of all our other depravation . original sin came first out of the mouth by speaking , before it entred in by eating . the first use we find eve to have made of her language , was to enter parly with the temter , and from that to become a temter to her husband . and immediatly upon the fall , guilty adam frames his tongue to a frivolous excuse which was much less able to cover his sin , then the fig-leaves were his nakedness . and as in the infancy of the first world , the tongue had licked up the venem of the old serpent , so neither could the deluge wash it off in the second . no sooner was that small colony ( wherewith the depopulated earth was to be replanted ) come forth of the ark , but we meet with cham a delator to his own father , inviting his brethren to that execrable spectacle of their parents nakedness . . nor did this only run in the blood of that accursed person ; the holy seed was not totally free from its infection , even the patriarchs themselves were not exemt . abraham use a repeted collusion in the case of his wife , and exposed his own integrity to preserve her chastity . isaac the heir of his blessing , was son of his infirmity also , and acted over the same scene upon rebecca's account . jacob obtain'd his fathers blessing by a flat lie . simeon and levi spake not only falsly , but insidiously , nay hypocritically , abusing at once their proselytes , and their religion , for the effecting their cruel designs upon the sichemites . moses , tho a man of an unparellel'd meekness , yet spake unadvisedly with his lips , psal. . . david uttered a bloody vow against nabal , spake words smoother then oil to vriah , when he had don him one injury , and design'd him another . 't were endless to reckon up those several instances the old testament gives us of these lapses of the tongue : neither want there divers in the new ; tho there is one of so much horror , as supersedes the naming more , i mean that of st. peter in his reiterated abjuring his lord , a crime which ( abstracted from the intention ) seems worse then that of judas : that traitor owned his relation , cried master , master , even when he betraied him , so that had he bin mesured only by his tongue , he might have past for the better disciple . . these are sad instances , not recorded to patronize the sin , but to excite our caution . it was a politic inference of the elders of israel in the case of jehu , behold two kings stood not before him , how then shall we stand ? kings . and we may well apply it to this ; if persons of so circumspect a piety , have bin thus overtaken , what security can there be for our wretchless oscitancy ? if those who kept their mouths as it were with a bridle , psal. . . could not alwaies preserve them innocent , to what guilts may not our unrestrained licentious tongues hurry us ? those which , as the psalmist speaketh , psalm . . go thro the world , are in that unbounded range very likely to meet with him who walks the same round , job . . and by him be tuned and set to his key , be scrued and wrested from their proper use , and made subservient to his vilest designs . . and would god this were only a probable supposition ! but alas , experience supplants the use of conjecture in the point : we do not only presume it may be so , but actually find it is so . for amidst the universal depravation of our faculties , there is none more notorious then that of speech . whither shall we turn us to find it in its pristine integrity ? amidst that infinity of words in which we exhaust our breath , how few are there which do at all correspond with the original designation of speech ; nay , which do not flatly contradict it ? to what unholy , uncharitable purposes is that useful faculty perverted ? that which was meant to serve as the perfume of the tabernacle , to send up the incenses of praises and praiers , now exhales in impious vapors , to eclipse if it were possible the father of light , that which should be the store-house of relief and refreshment to our brethren , is become a magazine of all offensive weapons against them , spears , and arrows , and sharp swords , as the psalmist often phrases it . we do not only fall by the slipperiness of our tongues , but we deliberately dicipline and train them to mischief . we bend our tongues as our bows for lies , as the prophet speaks , jer. . . and in a word , what god affirmed in the old world in relation to thoughts , is too appliable to our words , they are evil , and that continually , gen. . . and that which was intended for the instrument , the aid of human society , is become the disturber , the pest of it . . i shall not attemt a particular discussion of all the vices of the tongue : it doth indeed pass all geography to draw an exact map of that world of iniquity , as st. james calls it . i shall only draw the greater lines , & distribute it into its principal and more eminent parts , which are distinguishable as they relate to god , our neighbor , and our selves ; in each of which l shall rather make an essay by way of instance , then attemt an exact enumeration or survey . sect . iii. of atheistical discourse . . i begin with those which relate to god ; this poor despicable member the tongue , being of such a gigantic insolence , tho not size , as even to make war with heaven . 't is true , every disordered speech doth remotely so , as it is a violation of gods law ; but i now speak only of those which as it were attaque his person , and immediatly fly in the face of omnipotency . in the higest rank of these we may well place all atheistical discourse , which is that bold sort of rebellion , which strikes not only at his authority , but himself . other blasphemies level some at one attribute , some another ; but this by a more compendious impiety , shoots at his very being , and as if it scorn'd those piece meal guilts , sets up a single monster big enough to devour them all : for all inferior profaneness is as much out-dared by atheism , as is religion it self . . time was , when the inveighing against this , would have bin thought a very impertinent subject in a christian nation , and men would have replied upon me as the spartan lady did , when she was ask'd what was the punishment for adulteresses , there are no such things here . nay even amongst the most barbarous people , it could have concerned but some few single persons ; no numbers , much less societies of men , having ever excluded the belief of a diety . and perhaps it may at this day concern them as little as ever ; for amidst the various deities and worships of those remoter nations , we have yet no account of any that renounce all . 't is only our light hath so blinded us : so that god may upbraid us as he did israel , hath a nation changed their gods which yet are no gods ? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit , jer. . . this madness is now the inclosure , the peculiarity of those who by their names & institutions should be christians : as if that natural aphorism , that when things are at a height they must fall again , had place here also , and our being of the most excellent , most elevated religion , were but the preparative to our being of none . . 't is indeed deplorable to see , how the professors of no god begin to vie numbers with all the differing perswasions in religion , so that atheism seems to be the gulph that finally swallows up all our sects . it has struck on a sudden into such a reputation , that it scorns any longer to sculk , but owns it self more publicly then most men dare do the contrary . 't is set down in the seat of the scorner , & since it cannot argue , resolves to laugh all piety out of countenance ; and having seized the mint , nothing shall pass for wit that hath not its stamp , and with it there is no metal of so base an alloy , but shall go current . every the dullest creature that can but stoutly disclaim his maker , has by it sufficiently secured its title to ingenuity ; and such mesures being once established , no wonder at its sholes of proselytes , when it gives on the one hand licence to all sensual inordinaces , permits them to be as much beasts as they will , or can ; and yet tells them on the other , that they are the more men for it . sure 't is not strange that a hook thus doubly baited should catch many . either of those allurements single , we see has force enough . the charms of sensuality are so fascinating , that even those who believe another world , and the severe revenges that will there attend their luxuries , yet chuse to take them in present with all the dismal reversions . and then sure it cannot but be very good news to such a one to be told , that that after-reckoning is but a false alarm ; and his great willingness to have it true , will easily incline him to believe it is so . and doubtless were atheism traced up to its first causes , this would be found the most operative ; 't is so convenient for a man that will have no god to controul or restrain him , to have none to punish him neither ; that that utility passes into argument , and he will rather put a cheat upon his understanding , by concluding there is no future account , then leave such a sting in his plesures , as the remembrance of it must needs prove . this seems to be the original and first rise of this impiety , it being impossible for any man that sees the whole , nay but the smallest part of the universe , to doubt of a first and supreme being , until from the consciousness of his provocations , it becomes his interest there should be none . . this is indeed , considering the depravation of the world , a pretty fast tenure for atheism to hold by ; yet it has of late twisted its cord , and got that other string to its bow we before mentioned . it s bold monopolizing of wit and reason compels , as the other invited men . this we may indeed call the devils press , by which he hath filled up his troops : men are afraid for being reproached for silly and irrational , in giving themselves up to a blind belief of what they do not see . and this bugbear frights them from their religion ; resolving they will be no fools for christs sake , cor. . . i dare appeal to the breasts of many in this age , whether this have not bin one of the most prevalent temtations with them to espouse the tenet : and tho perhaps they at first took it up , only in their own defence , for fear of being thought fools , yet that fear soon converts into ambition of being thought wits . they do not satisfie themselves with deserting their religion , unless they revile it also ; remembring how themselves were laught out of it , they essay to do the like by others . yea so zealous propugners are they of their negative creed , that they are importunately diligent to instruct men in it , and in all the little sophistries and colours for defending it : so that he that would mesure the opinions by their industry , and the remissness of believers , would certainly think that the great interest of eternity lay wholly on their side . yet i take not this for any argument of the confidence of this perswasion , but the contrary : for we know they are not the secure , but the desperate undertakings , wherein men are most desirous of partners , and there is somwhat of horror in an uncouth way , which makes men unwilling to travel it alone . . the truth is , tho these men speak big , and prescribe as positively to their pupils , as if they had some counter revelation to confute those of moses and christ ; yet were their secret thoughts laid open , there would scarce be found the like assurance there . i will not say to what reprobate sense some particular persons may have provoked god to deliver them , but in the generality , i believe one may affirm , that there is seldom an infidelity so sanguine as to exclude all fears . their most bold thesis , that there is no god , no judgment , no hell , is often met with an inward tremulous hypothesis , what if there be ? i dare in this remit me to themselves , and challenge ( not their consciences , who profess to have none , but ) their natural ingenuity to say , whether they have not somtimes such damps and shiverings within them . if they shall say , that these are but the reliques of prepossession and education , which their reason soon dissipates , let me then ask them farther , whether they would not give a considerable sum to be infallibly ascertained there were no such thing : now no sensible man would give a farthing to be secured from a thing which his reason tells him is impossible ; therefore if they would give any thing ( as i dare say they themselves cannot deny that they would ) 't is a tacite demonstration , that they are not so sure as they pretend to be . . i might here join issue upon the whole , and press them with the unreasonableness , the disingenuousness of embracing a profession to which their own hearts have an inward reluctance , nay the imprudence of governing their lives by that position , which for ought they know may be ( nay they actually fear is ) false , and if it be , must inevitably immerse them in endless ruin . but i must remember my design limits me only to the faults of the tongue , and therefore i must not follow this chase beyond those bounds . i shall only extend it to my proper subject , that of atheistical talk , wherein they make as mad an adventure as in any other of their enormous practices , nay perhaps in some respects a worse . . in the first place 't is to be considered , that if there be a god , he , as well as men , may be provoked by our words as well as deeds . secondly , 't is possible he may be more . our ill deeds may be don upon a vehement impulse of temtation ; some profit or pleasures may transport and hurry us ; and they may at least have this alleviation , that we did them to please or advantage our selves , not to spight god. but atheistical words cannot be so palliated : they are arrows directly shot against heaven , and can come out of no quiver but malice : for 't is certain there never was man that said , there was no god , but he wished it first . we know what an enhancement our injuries to each other receive from their being malicious : and sure they will do so much more to god , whose principal demand from us is , that we give him our heart . but thirdly , this implieth a malice of the highest sort . human spight is usually confined within some bounds , aims somtimes at the goods , somtimes at the fame , at most but at the life of our neighbor : but here is an accumulation of all those , back'd with the most prodigious insolence . 't is god only that has power of annihilation , and we ( vile worms ) seek here to steal that incommunicable right , and retort it upon himself , and by an anticreative power , would unmake him who has made us . nay lastly , by this we have not only the utmost guilt of single rebels , but we become ring-leaders also , draw in others to that accursed association : for 't is only this liberty of discourse that hath propagated atheism . the devil might perhaps by inward suggestions have drawn in here and there a single proselyte ; but he could never have had such numbers , had he not used some as decoies to ensnare others . . and now let the brisk atheist a little consider , what these aggravations will amount to . 't was good counsel was given to the athenians , to be very sure philip was dead , before they expressed their joy at his death , lest they might find him alive to revenge that hasty triumph . and the like i may give to these men , let them be very sure there is no god , before they presume thus to defy him , lest they find him at last assert his being in their destruction . certainly nothing less then a demonstration can justify the reasonableness of such a daring . and when they can produce that , they have so far outgon all the comprehensions of mankind , they may well challenge the liberty of their tongue , and say , they are their own , who is lord over them , psalm . . . but 'till this be don , 't were well they would soberly ballance the hazards of this liberty with the gains of it . the hazards are of the most dreadful kind , the gains of the slightest : the most is but a vain applause of wit , for an impious jest , or of reason for a deep considerer : and yet even for that they must incroach on the devils right too , who is commonly the promter , and therefore if there be any credit in it may justly challenge it . indeed 't is to be feared he will at last prove the master wit , when as for those little loans he makes them , he gets their souls in morgage . would god they would consider betimes , what a woful raillery that will be , which for ought they know may end in gnashing of teeth . . the next impiety of the tongue , is swearing , that foolish sin , which plaies the platonic to damnation , and courts it purely for it self ; without any of the appendant allurements which other sins have : a vice , which for its guilt , may justify the sharpest ; and for its customariness , the frequentest invectives which can be made against it . but it has bin assaulted so often by better pens , and has shewed it self so much proof against all homily , that it is as needless as di●couraging a task for me to attemt it . 't is indeed a thing taken up so perfectly without all sense , that 't is the less wonder to find it maintain its self upon the same principle 't is founded , and continue in the same defiance to reason wherein it began . . all therefore that i shall say concerning it , is to express my wonder , how it has made a shift to twist it self with the former sin of atheism , by which , according to all rules of reasoning it seems to be superseded : and yet we see none own god more in their oaths , then those that disavow him in their other discourse . nay , such men swear not only to swell their language , and make it sound more full and blustering , but even when they most desire to be believed . what an absurdity of wickedness is this ? is there a god to swear by , and is there none to believe in , none to pray to ? we call it frenzy to see a man fight with a shadow : but sure 't is more so , to invoke it . why then do these men of reason make such solemn appeals ( for such every oath is ) to a mere chimera and phantasm ? it would make one think they had some inward belief of a deity , which they upon surprizal thus blurt out : if it argue not this , it does somthing worse , and becomes an evidence how much the appearance of a sin recommends it to them , that they thus catch at it , without examining how it will consist with another they like better . these are indeed wholesale chapmen to satan , that do not truck and barter one crime for another , but take the whole herd : and tho by reason of their disagreeing kinds they are apt to gore and worry each other , yet he still keeps up his old policy , and will not let one devil cast out another . a league shall be made between the most discordant sins , and there shall be god , or there shall be none , according as opportunity serves to provoke him : so assuming to himself a power which even omnipotence disclaims , the reconciling contradictions . and he succeeds it in as far as his concerns reaches : for tho he cannot solve the repugnancies in reason , yet as long as he can unite the sins in mens practice , he has his design ; nay , has at once the gain and the sport of fooling these great pretenders to ratiocination . . a third sort of impious discourse there is , which yet is bottom'd on the most sacred , i mean those profane paraphrases that are usually made upon the holy text , many making it the subject of their cavils , and others of their mirth . some do it out of the former atheistical principle , and i cannot but confess they act consonantly to themselves in it , for 't is but a needful artifice for men to disparage those testimonies , which they fear may be brought against them . but there are others who not only profess a god , but also own the sacred scripture for his word , and yet use it as coursly as the others . and these i confess , are riddles of profaneness , that hang , as some have pictured solomon between heaven and hell , borrow the christian faith , and the atheists drollery upon it : and 't is hard to say in which they are more in earnest . it is indeed scandalous to see , to what despicable uses those holy oracles are put : such as should a heathen observe , he would little suspect them to be own'd by us as the rule of our religion , and could never think they were ever meant for any thing beyond a whet-stone for wit. one tries his logic upon them , and objects to the sense ; another his rhetoric , and quarrels at the phrase ; a third his contrivance , and thinks he could have woven the parts with a better contexture : never considering , that unless they could confute the divinity of their original , all these accusations are nothing else but direct blasphemy , the making god such a one as themselves , psal. . . and charging him with those defects which are indeed their own . they want learning or industry to sound the depth of those sacred tresures , and therefore they decry the scripture as mean and poor ; and to justify their own wisdom , dispute gods. this is as if the mole should complain the sun is dark , because he dwells under ground , and sees not his splendor . men are indeed in all instances apt to speak ill of all things they understand not , but in none more then this . their ignorance of local customs , idioms of language , and several other circumstances , renders them incompetent judges ( as has bin excellently evinced by a late author . ) t will therefore befit them , either to qualifie themselves better , or to spare their criticisms . but upon the whole , i think i may challenge any ingenious man , to produce any writing of that antiquity , whose phrase and genious is so accomodated to all successions of ages . stiles and waies of address we know grow obsolete , and are almost antiquated as garments : and yet after so long a tract of time , the scripture must ( by considering men ) be confest to speak not only properly , but often politely and elegantly to the present age : a great argument that it is the dictate of him that is , the same yesterday , to day , and for ever , heb. . . . but besides these more solemn traducers , there are a lighter ludicrous sort of profaners , who use the scripture as they do odd ends of plaies , to furnish out their jests ; clothe all their little impertinent conceits in its language , and debase it by the mixture of such miserable trifles , as themselves would be ashamed of , were they not heightned and inspirited by that profaneness . a bible phrase serves them in discourse as the haut-goust do's in diet , to give a relish to the most insipid stuff . and were it not for this magazine , a great many mens raillery would want supplies : for there are divers who make a great noise of wit , that would be very mute if this one topic were barr'd them . and indeed it seems a tacite confession , that they have little of their own , when they are fain thus to commit sacriledg to drive on the trade . but sure 't is a pitiful pretence to ingenuity that can be thus kept up , there being little need of any other faculty but memory to be able to cap texts . i am sure such repetitions out of other books would be thought pedantic and silly . how ridiculous would a man be , that should alwaies enter lard his discourse with fragments of horace , or virgil , or the aphorisms of pythagoras , or seneca ? now 't is too evident , that it is not from any speculative esteem of sacred writ , that it is so often quoted : and why should it then be thought a specimen of wit to do it there , when 't is folly in other instances ? the truth is , 't is so much the reserve of those who can give no better testimony of their parts , that methinks upon that very score it should be given over by those that can . and sure were it possible for any thing that is so bad to grow unfashionable , the world has had enough of this to be cloied with it : but how fond soever men are of this divertisement , 't will finally prove that mirth solomon speaks of , which ends in heaviness , prov. . . for certainly whether we estimate it according to human or divine mesures , it must be a high provocation of god. . let any of us but put the case in our own persons : suppose we had written to friend , to advertise him of things of the greatest importance to himself , had given him ample and exact instructions , back'd them with earnest exhortations and conjurings not to neglect his own concern ; and lastly , enforced all with the most moving expressions of kindness and tenderness to him : suppose , i say , that after all this , the next news we should hear of that letter , were to have it put in doggrel rime , to be made sport for the rabble , or at the best have the most eminent phrases of it pickt out and made a common by-word : i would fain know how any of us would resent such a mixture of ingratitude and contumely . i think i need make no minute application . the whole design of the bible do's sufficiently answer , nay out-go the first part of the parallel , and god knows our vile usage of it do's too much ( i fear too literally ) adapt the latter . and if we think the affront to base for one of us , can we believe god will take it in good part ? that were to make him not only more stupid then any man , but as much so as the heathen idols , that have eies and see not , pselm . . and 't is sure , the highest madness in the world , for any man that believes that there is a god , to imagine he will finally sit down by such usage . . but if we weigh it in the scale of religion ; the crime will yet appear more heinous . mere natural piety has taught men to receive the responses of their gods with all possible veneration . what applications had the delphic oracle from all parts , and from all ranks of men ? what confidence had they in its prediction , and what obedience did they pay to its advice ? if we look next into the mosaical oeconomy , we shall see with what dreadful solemnities that law was promulged , what an awful reverence was paid to the mount whence it issued , how it was fenced from any rude intrusions either of men or beasts : and after it was written in tables , all the whole equipage of the tabernacle , was designed only for its more decent repository , the ark it self receiving its value only from what it had in custody . yea such a hallowing influence had it , as transfused a relative sanctity even to the meanest utensils , none of which were after to be put to common uses : the very perfume was so peculiar and sacred , that it was a capital crime to imitate the composition . afterwards , when more of the divine revelations were commieted to writing , the jews were such scrupulous reverers of it , that 't was the business of the masorites , to number not only the sections and lines , but even the words and letters of the old testament , that by that exact calculation they might the better secure it from any surreptitious practices . . and sure the new testament is not of less concern then the old : nay the apostle asserts it to be of far greater , and which we shall be more accountable for , for if the word spoken by angels were stedfast , and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence , how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation , which at the first began to be spoken to us by the lord , and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him ? heb. . . and it is in another place the inference of the same apostle , from the excellency of the gospel above the law , that we should serve god acceptably with reverence and godly fear , heb. . . and certainly 't is but an ill essay of that reverence and godly fear , to use that very gospel so irreverently and ungodly as men now do . if we pass from the apostolic to the next succeeding ages of the church , we find the primitive christians look'd on their bibles as their most important tresure . such was the outward respects they paid to them , ( of which the standing up at the reading of the gospel , still in use among us , is a faint memorial ) that the heathen persecutors made it one part of their examination of the christians brought to their tribunals , what those books were which they adored while they read them ? such was their intimate esteem , that they exposed all things else to the rapine of their enemies , so they might secure those volumes . nor was this only a heroic piece of zeal in some , but indispensably required of all : insomuch , that when in the heat of persecution , they were commanded to deliver up their bibles to be burnt , the church gave no indulgence for that necessity of the times , but exhorted men rather to deliver up their lives : and those whose courage failed them in the encounter , were not only branded by the infamous name of traditors , but separated from the communion of the faithful , and not readmitted till after many years of the severest penance . . i have given this brief narration , with a desire , that the reader will compare the practice of former times with those of the present , and see what he can find either among heathens , jews , or christians , that can at all patronize our profaneness . there was no respect thought too much for the false oracles of a falser god : and yet we think no contemts too great for those of the true . the moral law was so sacred to the jews , that no parts of its remotest retinue , those ceremonial attendants , were to be look'd on as common : and we who are equally obliged by that law , laugh at that by which we must one day be judged . the ritual , the preceptive , the prophetic , and all other parts of sacred writ , were most sedulously , most religiously guarded by them : and we look upon them as a winter nights tale , from which to fetch matter of sport and merriment . lastly , the first christians paid a veneration to , nay sacrificed their lives to rescue their bibles from the unworthy usage of the heathens , and we our selves expose them to worse : they would but have burnt them ; we scorn and vilify them , and outvy even the persecutors malice with our contemt . these are miserable antithesis's ; yet this god knows is the case with too many . i wonder what new state of felicity hereafter these men have fancied to themselves : for sure they cannot think these retrograde steps can ever bring them so much as to the heathens elyzium , much less the christians heaven . . it will therefore concern those who do not quite renounce their claim to that heaven , to consider soberly , how inconsistent their practice is with those hopes . a man may have a great estate conveid to him ; but if he will madly burn , or childishly make paper kites of his deeds , he forfeits his title with his evidence : and those certainly that deal so with the conveiances of their eternal inheritance . will not speed better . if they will thus dally and play with them , god will be as little in earnest in the performance , as they are in the reception of the promises ; nay he will take his turn of mocking too , and when their scene of mirth is over , his will begin . a dreadful menace of this we have , prov. . . which deserves to be set down at large , because i have called , and ye refused , i have stretched out my hand ▪ and no man regarded : but ye have set at noughe all my counsel , and would none of my reproof , i also will laugh at your calamity , i will mock when your fear cometh . when your fear cometh as desolation , and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind : when distress and anguish cometh upon you , then shall they call upon me , but i will not answer , they shall seek me early , but they shall not find me . would god i could as well transcribe this text into mens hearts , and there would need no more to secure the whole canon of scripture from their profanation . could men but look a little before them , and apprehend how in the daies of their distress and agony , they will gasp for those comforts which they now turn into ridicule ; they would not thus madly defeat themselves , cut off their best and only reserve , and with a pitiful contemt cast away those cordials , which will then be the only support of their fainting spirits . as for those who deride scripture upon atheistical grounds , all i shall say , is , to refer to what i have said in the beginning of this section ; they had need be very well assured that foundation be not sandy : for if it be , this reproching gods word will be a considerable addition to the guilt of all their other hostility , and how jolly soever they seem at present , it may be when that question they are so willing to take for granted , is by death drawing near a decision , some of their confidence will retire , and leave them in an amazed expectation of somwhat , which they are sure cannot be good for them , who have so ill provided for it . then perhaps their merry vein will fail them , and not their infidelity , but their despair may keep them from invocating that power they have so long derided . 't is certain it has so happened with some : for as practical , so speculative wickedness , has usually another aspect , when it stands in the shadow of death , then in the dazling beams of health and vigor . it would therefore be wisdom before-hand to draw it out of this deceitful light , and by sober serious thoughts place it as near as may be in those circumstances in which 't will then appear : and then sure to hearts that are not wholly petrified , 't will seem safer to own a god early and upon choice , then late upon compulsion . . however , if they will not yield themselves homagers , yet the mere possibility of their being in the wrong , should methinks perswade them at least to be civil adversaries . a generous man will not pursue even a falling enemy with revilings and reproach , much less will a wise man do it to one who is in any the lest probability of revenging it : it being a received maxim , that there is no greater folly , then for a man to let his to●gue betray him to mischief . let it therefore in this case at least stand neuter , that if by their words they be not justified , yet by their words they may not be condemned . they can be no loosers by it : for at the utmost , 't is but keeping in a little unsavory breath , which ( supposing no god to be offended with it ) is yet nauseous to all those men who believe there is one . to those indeed who have a zeal for their faith , there can be no discourse so intolerable , so disobliging : it turns conversation into skirmishing , and perpetual disputes . the egyptians were so zealous for their brutish deities , that moses presumed the israelites sacrificing of those beasts they adored , must needs set them in an uproar , exod. . . and sure , those who do acknowledge a divine power , cannot contentedly sit by to hear him blasphemed . 't is true , there are some so cool , that , they are of the same mind for god , that gideons father was for baal , judg. . . let him plead for himself , they will not appear in his defence : yet even these have a secret consciousness that they ought to do so , and therefore have some uneasiness in being put to the test : so that it cannot be a pleasant entertainment even for them . and therefore those who have no fear of god to restrain them , should methinks , unless they be perfectly of the temper of the unjust judg , luke . . in respect of men , abstain from all sorts of impious discourse ; and at least be civil , tho they will not be pious . sect . iv. of detraction . we have seen in the last section , the insolence of the tongue towards god ; and sure we cannot expect it should pay more reverence to men . if there be those that dare stretch their mouths against heaven , psalm . . we are not to wonder if there be more that will shoot their arrows , even bitter words , against the best on earth , psalm . . i shall not attempt to ransack the whole quiver , by shewing every particular sort of verbal injuries which relate to our neighbors , but rather chuse out some few which either for the extraordinariness of their guilt , or the frequency of their practice are the most eminent . i begin with detraction , in which both those qualities concur : for as in some instances 't is one of the highest sins , so in the general 't is certainly one of the most common , and by being so becomes insensible . this vice ( above all others ) seems to have maintained not only its empire , but its reputation too . men are not yet convinced heartily that it is a sin : or if any , not of so deep a die , or so wide an extent as indeed it is . they have , if not false , yet imperfect notions of it , and by not knowing how far its circle reaches , do often like young conjurers , step beyond the limits of their safety . this i am the apter to believe , because i see some degree of this fault cleave to those , who have eminently corrected all other exorbitancies of the tongue . many who would startle at an oath , whose stomachs as well as consciences recoil at an obscenity , do yet slide glibly into a detraction : which yet methinks , persons otherwise of strict conversations should not do frequently and habitually , had not their easie thoughts of the guilt smoothed the way to it . it may therefore be no unkind attemt , to try to dis-entangle from this snare by displaying it ; shewing the whole contexture of the sin , how 't is woven with threds of different sizes , yet the least of them strong enough to nooz and intrap us . and alas , if satan fetter us , 't is indifferent to him whether it be by a cable or a hair . nay , perhaps the smallest sins are his greatest stratagems . the finer his line is spun , the less shadow it casts , and is less apt to fright us from the hook : and tho there be much odds between a talent of lead and a grain of sand , yet those grains may be accumulated till they out-weigh the talent . it was a good reply of plato's , to one who murmured at his reproving him for a small matter , custom , saies he , is no small matter . and indeed , supposing any sin were so small as we are willing to fancy most , yet an indulgent habit , even of that , would be certainly ruinous : that indulgence being perfectly opposite to the love of god , which better can consist with the indeliberate commissions of many sins , then with an allowed persistance in any one . but in this matter of detraction , i cannot yield that any is small , save only comparatively with some other of the same kind which is greater : for absolutely considered , there is even in the very lowest degrees of it , a flat contradiction to the grand rule of charity , the loving our neighbor as our selves . and surely , that which at once violates the sum of the whole second table of the law , for so our saviour renders it , luke . . must be look'd on as no trifling inconsiderable guilt . to evidence this , i shall in the anatomizing this sin , apply this rule to every part of it : first consider it in gross , in its entire body , and after descend to its several limbs . . detraction in the native importance of the word , signifies the withdrawing or taking off from a thing : and as it is applied to the reputation , it denotes the impairing or lessening a man in point of fame , rendring him less valued and esteemed by others , which is the final aim of detraction , tho pursued by various means . . this is justly look'd on as one of the most unkind designs one man can have upon another , there being implanted in every mans nature a great tenderness of reputation : and to be careless of it , is lookt on as a mark of a degenerous mind . on which account solon in his ●aws presumes , that he that will sell his own fame , will also sell the public interest . 't is true , many have improved this too far , blown up this native spark into such flames of ambition , as has set the world in a combustion ; such as alexander , caesar , and others , who sacrificed hecatombs to their fame , fed it up to a prodigy upon a canibal diet , the flesh of men : yet even these excesses serve to evince the universal consent of mankind , that reputation is a valuable and desirable thing . . nor have we only the suffrage of man , but the attestation of god himself , who frequently in scripture gives testimony to it : a good name is better then great riches , prov. . . and again , a good name is better then precious ointment , eccles. . . and the more to recommend it , he proposes it as a reward to piety and vertue , as he menaces the contrary to wickedness . the memory of the just shall be blessed , but the name of the wicked shall rot , prov. . . and that we may not think this an invitation fitted only to the jewish oeconomy , the apostle goes farther , and proposes the endeavor after it as a duty , whatsoever things are of good report , if there be any vertue , and if there be any praise , think on these things , phil. . . . and accordingly good men have in their estimate ranked their names the next degree to their souls , preferr'd them before goods or life . indeed 't is that which gives us an inferior sort of immortality , and makes us even in this world survive our selves . this part of us alone continues verdant in the grave , and yields a perfume , when we are stench and rottenness : the consideration whereof has so prevailed with the more generous heathens , that they have cheerfully quitted life in contemplation of it . thus epaminondas alacriously expired , in confidence that he left behind him a perpetual memory of the victories he had atchieved for his country . brutus so courted the fame of a patriot , that he brake through all the obstacles of gratitude and humanity to attemt it : he cheerfully bare the defeat of his attemt , in contemplation of the glory of it . 't were endless to recount the stories of the codri , decii , and curtii , with the train of those noble heroes , who in behalf of their countries devoted them selves to certain death . . but we need no foreign mediums to discover the value of a good name : let every man weigh it but in his own scales , retire to his breast , and there reflect on that impatience he has when his own repute is invaded . to what dangers , to what guilts does sometimes the mere fancy of a reproach hurry men ? it makes them really forfeit that vertue from whence all true reputation springs ; and , like esops dog , lose the substance by too greedy catching at the shadow ; an irrefragable proof how great a price they set upon their fame . . and then , since reason sets it at so high a rate , and passion at a higher , we we may conclude the violating this interest , one of the greatest injuries in human commerce ; such as is resented not only by the rash , but the sober ; so that we must pick out only blocks and stones , the stupid and insensible part of mankind , if we think we can inflict this wound without an afflictive smart . and tho the power of christianity does in some so moderate this resentment , that none of these blows shall recoil , no degree of revenge be attemted ; yet that does not at all justify or excuse the inflicter . it may indeed be a useful trial of the patience and meekness of the defamed , yet the defamer has not the less either of crime or danger : not of crime , for that is rather enhanced then abated by the goodness of the person injured ; nor of danger , since god is the more immediate avenger of those who attemt not to be their own . but if the injury meet not with this meekness ( as in this vindictive age 't is manifold odds it will not ) it then acquires another accumulative guilt , stands answerable not only for its own positive ill , but for all the accidental which it causes in the sufferer , who by this means is robb'd not only of his repute , but his innocence also , provoked to those unchristian returns , which draw god also into the enmity , and set him at once at war with heaven and earth . and tho as to this immediate judgment , he must bear his iniquity , answer for his impatience : yet as in all civil insurrections , the ring-leader is lookt on with a peculiar severity , so doubtless in this case , the first provoker has by his seniority and primogeniture a double portion of the guilt , and may consequently expect of the punishment , according to the doom of our saviour , wo be to that man by whom the offence cometh , matth. . . . indeed there is such a train of mischiefs usually follow this sin , that 't is scarce possible to make a full estimate of its malignity . 't is one of the grand incendiaries which disturbs the peace of the world , and has a great share in most of its quarrels . for could we examine all the feuds which harrass persons , families , nay somtimes nations too , we should find the greater part take their rise from injurious reprochful words , and that for one which is commenced upon the intuition of any real considerable interest , there are many which owe their being to this licentiousness of the tongue . . in regard therefore of its proper guilt , and all those remoter sins and miseries which ensue it , 't is every mans great concern to watch over himself . neither is it less in respect both of that universal aptness we have to this sin , and its being so perpetually at hand ; that for others we must attend occasions and convenient seasons , but the opportunities of this are alwaies ready : i can do my neighbor this injury , when i can do him no other . besides the multitude of objects do proportionably multiply both the possibilities and incitations ; and the objects here are as numerous , as there are persons in the world i either know , or have heard of . for tho some sorts of detractions seem confined to those to whom we bear particular malice , yet there are other kinds of it more raging , which fly indifferently at all . lastly , this sin has the aid almost of universal example , which is an advantage beyond all the others , there being scarce any so irresistable insinuation as the practice of those with whom we converse , and no subject of converse so common as the defaming our neighbors . . since then the path is so slippery , it had not need be dark too . let us then take in the best light we can , and attentively view this sin in its several branches , that by a distinct discovery of the divers acts and degrees of it , we may the better be armed against them all . sect . v. of lying defamation . . detraction being ( as we have already said ) the lessning and impairing a man in his repute , we may resolve , that what ever conduces to that end , is properly a detraction . i shall begin with that which is most eminent , the spreading of defamatory reports . these may be of two kinds , either false , or true ; which tho they seem to be of very different complexions , yet may spring from the same stock , and drive at the same design . let us first consider of the false . . and this admits of various circumstances . somtimes a man invents a perfect falsity of another : somtimes he that does not invent it , yet reports it , tho he know it to be false : and a third sort there are , who having not certain knowledg whether it be false or no , do yet divulge it as an absolute certainty , or at least with such artificial insinuations , as may biass the hearer on that hand . the former of these is a crime of so high , so dis-ingenious a nature , that tho many are vile enough to commit it , none are so impudent as to avow it . even in this age of insulting vice , when almost all other wickedness appears bare-fac'd , this is fain to keep on the vizard . no man will own himself a false accuser : for if modesty do not restrain him , yet his very malice will ; since to confess would be but to defeat his design . indeed it is of all other sins the most diabolical , it being a conjunction of two of satans most essential properties , malice and lying . we know 't is his peculiar title to be the accuser of the brethren : and when we transcribe his copy , we also assume his nature , intitle our selves to a descent from him , ye are of your father the devil , joh. . . we are by it render'd a sort of iacubus brats , the inf●mous progenies of the lying spirit . it is indeed a sin of so gross , so formidable a bulk , that there needs no help of optics to render it discernible , and therefore i need not farther expatiate on it . . the next degree is not much short of it ; what it wants is rather of invention then malice : for he that will so adopt anothers lie , shews he would willingly have bin its proper father . it does indeed differ no more then the maker of adulterate wares , does from the vender of them : and certainly there cannot be a more ignominious trade , then the being hucksters to such vile merchandize . neither is the sin less then the baseness : we find the lover of a lie ranked in an equal form of guilt with the maker , rev. . and surely he must be presumed to love it , that can descend to be the broker of it , help it to pass current in the world. . the third sort of detractors look a little more demurely , and with the woman in the proverbs . chap. . wipe their mouths , and say they have don no wickedness . they do not certainly know the falsity of what they report , and their ignorance must serve them as an amulet against the guilt both of deceit and malice : but i fear it will do neither . for first , perhaps they are affectedly ignorant : they are so willing it should be true , that they have not attemted to examine it . but secondly , it does not suffice that i do not know the falsity ; for to make me a true speaker , 't is necessary i know the truth of what i affirm . nay , if the thing were never so true , yet if i knew it not to be so , its truth will not secure me from being a liar : and therefore whoever endeavors to have that receiv'd for a certainty , which himself knows not to be so , offends against truth . the utmost that can consist with sincerity , is to represent it to others as doubtful as it appears to him . yet even that how consonant soever to truth , is not to charity . even doubtful accusations leave a stain behind them , & often prove indelible injuries to the party accused : how much more then do the more positive and confident aspersions we have hitherto spoken of ? let me add only this concerning this latter sort , that they are greater advancers of defamatory designs , then the very first contrivers . for those upon a consciousness of their falsness , are obliged to proceed cautiously , to pick out the credulous and least discerning persons , on whom to impose their fictions , and dare not produce them in all companies for fear of detection : but these in confidence that the untruth ( if it be one ) lies not at their door , speak it without any restraint in all places , at all times ; and what the others are fain to whisper , they proclaim ; like our new engine , which pretends to convey a whisper many miles off . so that as in the case of stealing 't is proverbially said , that if there were no receivers there would be no thieves ; so in this of slander , if there were fewer spreaders , there would be fewer forgers of libels : the manufacture would be discouraged , if it had not these retailers to put off the wares . . now to apply these practices to our rule of duty , there will need no very close inspection to discern the obliquity . the most superficial glance will evidence these several degrees of slanderers to do what they would not be willing to suffer . who among them can be content to be falsely aspersed ? nay , so far are they from that , that let but the shadow of their own calumny reflect on themselves , let any but truly tell them that they have falsely accused others , they grow raving and impatient , like a dog at a looking-glass , fiercely combating that image which himself creates : and how smoothly soever the original lie slides from them , the echo of it grates their ears . and indeed 't is observable , that those who make the greatest havock of other mens reputation , are the most nicely tender of their own ; which sets this sin of calumny in a most diametrical opposition to the evangelical precept of loving our neighbors as our selves . . thus much is discernable even in the surface of the crime : but if we look deeper , and examine the motives , we shall find the foundation well agrees to the superstructure , they being usually one of these two , malice or interest . and indeed the thing is so dis-ingenuous , so contrary to the dictates of humanity as well as divinity , that i must in reverence to our common nature , presume it must be some very forcible impellent , that can drive a man so far from himself . the devil here plaies the artist : and as the fatallest poisons to man are ( they say ) drawn from human bodies , so here he extracts the venem of our irascible and concupiscible part , and in it dips those arrows , which we thus shoot at one another . . 't is needless to harangue severally upon each . the world too experimentally knows the force of both . malice is that whirl-wind , which has shook states and families , no less then private persons ; a passion so impetuous and precipitate , that it often equally involves the agent and the patient : a malicious man being of like violence with those who flung in the three children , dan. . consumed by those flames into which he cast others . as for interest , 't is that universal monarch to which all other empires are tributaries , to which men sacrifice not only their consciences and innocence , but ( what is usually much dearer ) their sensualities and vices . those whom all the divine ( either ) threats or promises , cannot perswade to mortify , nay but restrain one lust ; at mammons beck will disclame many , and force their inclinations to comply with their interest . . and whilst this sin of calumny has two such potent abettors , we are not to wonder at its growth : as long as men are malicious and designing , they will be traducing ; those cyclops's will be perpetually forming thunder-bolts against which no innocence or vertue can be proof . and alas , we daily find too great effects of their industry . but tho these are the forgers of the more solemn deliberate calumnies , yet this sportive age hath produced another sort ; there being men that defame others by way of divertisement , invent little stories that they may find themselves exercise , and the town talk . this , if it must pass for sport , is such as solomon describes , prov. . , . as a mad man that casteth fire-brands , arrows and death , so is he that deceiveth his neighbor , and saith , am not i in sport ? he that shoots an arrow in jest , may kill a man in earnest ; and he that gives himself liberty to play with his neighbors fame , may soon play it away . most men have such an aptness to entertain sinister opinions of others , that they greedily draw in any suggestion of that kind ; and one may as easily perswade the thirsty earth to refund the water she has soakt into her veins , as them to deposite a prejudice they have once taken up . therefore such experiments upon fame , are as dangerous as that which alexander is said to have made of the force of naptha upon his page , from which he scarce escaped with life . these jocular slanders are often as mischievous as those of deeper design , and have from the slightness of the temtation an enhancement of guilt . for sure , he that can put such an interest of his neighbors in balance with a little fit of laughter , sets it at lower price then he that hopes to enrich or advance himself by it : and tho it pass among some for a specimen of wit , yet it really lists them among solomons fools , who make a mock at sin , prov. . . in the mean time , since slander is a plant that can grow in all soils ; since the frolic humor as well as the morose betraies to the guilt , who can hope to escape this scourge of the tongue , as the wiseman calls it , ec. . . which communicates with all ? persons of all ranks do mutually asperse , and are aspersed : so that he who would not have his credulity abused , has scarce a securer way , then ( like that astrologer , who made his almanack give a tolerable account of the weather by a direct inversion of the common prognosticators ) to let his belief run quite counter to reports . yea so epidemic is this disease grown , that even religion ( at least those parties and factions which assume that name ) has got a taint of it ; each sect and opinion seeking to represent his antagonist as odious as it can . and whilst they contend for speculative truth , they by mutual calumnies forfeit the practic : a thing that justly excites the grief of good men , to see that those who all pretend to the same christianity , should only be unanimous in the violating that truth and charity it prescribes . . and if these be the weapons of our spiritual warfare , what may we think of the carnal ? how are our secular animosities pursued , when our speculations are thus managed ? how easily do we run down the reputation of any who stand in the way either of our spleen or avarice ? when josephs resolute purity had changed the scene of his mistress's passion , she does readily shift that of guilt too , and fixes her crime upon him , gen. . . so when ziba had a mind to undermine mephibosheth in his estate , he first practices upon his fame in a false accusation , sam. . . and alas , how familiarly do we now see both these scenes reacted ? those who will not take vice in their bosoms , shall yet have it bespatter their faces : they who will not run to the same excess of riot , must expect to be evil spoken of , pet. . . nay not only pious men , but piety it self partakes of the same fate , falls under the two-edg'd slander both of deceit and folly . and if men cannot be permitted quietly to enjoy their piety , much less will they those things whereof the world hath more gust , i mean secular advantages . there are still crimes to be discovered in the possessors of honors or estates , and they wonderfully excite the zeal of those who would supplant them . what artifices are there to make them appear unworthy of what they have , that others more unworthy may succeed them ? nor are those storms only in the upper region , in the higher ranks of men ; but if we pass thro all degrees , we shall find the difference is rather in the value of the things , then in the means of pursuing them . he that pretends to the meanest office , does studiously disparage his competitor , as he that is rival'd for a kingdom . nay , even he that has but a merry humor to gratify , makes no scruple to do it with the loss of another mans reputation . . thus do we accomodate every petty temporal interest at the cost of our eternal : and as an unskilful fencer , whilst he is pursuing his thrust , exposes his body ; so whilst we thus actuate our own malice , we abandon our selves to satans , receive mortal wounds from him , only that we may give a few light scratches to one another . for as i have before said , there is nothing does more secure his title to us , then this vice of calumny , it bearing his proper impress and figure . and we may fear , christ will one day make the same judgment of persons as he did of coin , and award them to him whose image and superscription they bear , matth. : . . and now how great a madness is it to make costly oblations to so vile an idol ? this is indeed the worshipping our own imaginations , preferring a malicious fiction before a real felicity : and is but faintly resembled by him , who is said to have chosen to part with his bishopric , rather then burn his romance . alas , are there not gross corporal sins enough to ruine us , but must we have aëreal ones too , damn our selves with chimera's , and by these forgeries of our brains dream out selves to destruction ? . let all those then who thus unhappily employ their inventive faculty , timely consider , how unthriving a trade 't is finally like to prove ; that all their false accusations of others will rebound in true ones upon themselves . it does often so in this world , where many times the most clandestine contrivances of this kind meet with detection . or if they should happen to keep on the disguise here , yet 't will infallibly be torn off at the great day of manifestation , when before god , angels , and men , they will be render'd infinitly more vile , then 't was possible for them here to make others . sect . vi. of vncharitable truth . . in the next place we are to consider of the other branch of defamatory reports , viz. such as are true : which tho they must be confest to be of a lower form of guilt then the former , yet as to the kind , they equally agree in the definition of detraction , since 't is possible to impair a mans credit by true reports as well as by false . . to clear this i shall first observe , that altho every fault hath some penal effects which are coetanous to the act , yet this of infamy is not so : this is a more remote consequent ; that which it immediatly depends upon , is the publishing . a man may do things , which to god and his own conscience render him abominable , and yet keep his reputation with men : but when this stifled crime breaks out , when his secret guilts are detected , then , and not till then , he becomes infamous : so that altho his sin be the material , yet it is the discovery that is the formal cause of his infamy . . this being granted , it follows , that he that divulges an unknown conceled fault , stands accountable for all the consequences that flow from that divulging ; but whether accountable as for guilt , must be determin'd by the particular circumstances of the cause . so that here we must admit of an exception : for tho every discovery of anothers fault be in the strict natural sense of the word a detraction , yet it will not alwaies be the sin of detraction , because in some instances there may some higher obligation intervene , and supersede that we ow to the fame of our neighbor ; and in those cases it may not only be lawful , but necessary to expose him . . now all such cases i conceive may summarily be reduced to two heads , justice and charity . first as to justice : that we know is a fundamental vertue , and he that shall violate that , to abound in another , is as absurd , as he that undermines the foundation to raise the walls . we are not to steal to give alms , and god himself has declared , that he hates robbery for a burnt-offering ; so that no pretence either of charity or piety can absolve us from the duty we ow to justice . now it may often fall out , that by conceling one mans fault , i may be injurious to another , nay to a whole community : and then i assume the guilt i concele , and by the laws both of god and man am judged an accessory . . and as justice to others enforces , so somtimes justice to a mans self allows the publishing of a fault , when a considerable interest either of fame or fortune cannot otherwise be rescued . but to make loud outcries of injury , when they tend nothing to the repress of it , is a liberty rather assumed by rage and impatience , then authorized by justice . nay , often in that case the complainer is the most injurious person ; for he inflicts more then he suffers , and in lieu of some trivial right of his which is invaded , he assaults the other in a nearer interest , by wounding him in his good name : but if the cause be considerable , and the manner regular , there lies sure no obligation upon any man to wrong himself , to indulge to another . . neither does charity retrench this liberty : for tho it be one act of charity to concele another mans faults , yet somtimes it may be inconsistent with some more important charity , which i owe to a third person , or perhaps to a multitude ; as in those cases wherein public benefit is concern'd . if this were not allowable , no history could lawfully be written , since if true , it cannot but recount the faults of many : no evidence could be brought in against a malefactor : and indeed , all discipline would be subverted ; which would be so great a mischief , that charity obliges to prevent it , what defamation soever fall upon the guilty by it . for in such instances 't is a true rule , that mercy to the evil proves cruelty to the innocent . and as in a competition of mischiefs we are to chuse the least , so of two goods the greatest , and the more extensive , is the most eligible . . nay , even that charity which reflects upon my self , may also somtimes supersede that to my neighbor , the rule obliging me to love him as , not better then my self . i need not sure silently assent to my own unjust defamation , for fear of proving another a false accuser , nor suffer my self to be made a begger , to concele another mans being a thief . t is true , in a great inequality of interests , charity ●hose character it is , not to seek her own , cor. . . ) will promt me to prefer a greater concern of my neighbors , before a slight one of my own : but in equal circumstances , i am sure at liberty to be kind first to my self . if i will recede even from that , i may ; but that is then to be accounted among the heroic flights of charity , nor her binding and indispensible laws . . having now set the boundaries , the excepted cases ; as all instances within them will be legitimated , so all without them will ( by the known rule of exceptions ) be precluded , and fall under that general duty we owe to our neighbor , of tendring his credit : an obligation so universally infringed , that 't is not imaginable the breach should alwaies happen within the excepted cases . when 't is remembred how unactive the principles of justice and charity are now grown in the world , we must certainly impute such incessant effects , to some more vigorous causes : of which it may not be amiss to point out some of the most obvious , and leave every man to examine which of them he finds most operative in himself . . in the first place , i may reckon pride , a humor which as it is alwaies mounting , so it will make use of any foot-stool towards its rise . a man who affects an extraordinary splendor of reputation , is glad to find any foils to set him off ; and therefore will let no fault nor folly of anothers enjoy the shade , but brings it into the open light , that by that comparison his own excellences may appear the brighter . i dare appeal to the breast of any proud man , whether he do not upon such occasions , delight to make some pharisaical reflections on himself , whether he be not apt to say , i am not like other men , or as this publican , luke . tho probably he leave out the god i thank thee . now he that cherishes such resentments as these in himself , will doubtless be willing to propagate them to other men ; and to that end render the blemishes of others as visible as he can . but this betraies a degenerous spirit , which from a consciousness that he wants solid worth , on which to bottom a reputation , is fain to found it on the ruines of other mens . the true diamond sparkles even in the sun-shine : 't is but a glow-worm virtue , that ows its lustre to the darkness about it . . another promter to detraction is envy , which sometimes is particular , sometimes general . he that has a pique to another , would have him as hateful to all man-kind as he is to him ; and therefore as he grieves and repines at any thing that may advance his estimation , so he exults and triumphs when any thing occurs which may depress it , and is usually very industrious to improve the opportunity , nay has a strange sagacity it hunting it out . no vultur does more quickly scent a carcass , then an envious person does those dead flies which corrupt his neighbors ointment , ecclesiast . . . the vapor whereof his h●●e , like a strong wind , scatters and disperses far and near . nor needs he any great crime to practice on : every little infirmity or passion , look'd on thro his optics , appears a mountainous guilt . he can improve the least speck or freckle into a leprosy , which shall overspread the whole man : and a cloud no bigger then a mans hand , like that of elisha , kings . . may in an instant , with the help of prejudice , grow to the utter darkning of the brightest reputation , and fill the whole horizon with tempest and horror . somtimes this envy is general , not confin'd to any man persons , but diffused to the whole nature . some tempers there are so malign , that they wish ill to all , and believe ill of all ; like timon the athenian , who profest himself a universal man-hater . he whose guilty conscience reflects dismal images of himself , is willing to put the same ugly shape upon the whole nature , and to conclude that all men are the same , were they but closely inspected . and therefore when he can see but the least glimmering of a fault in any , he takes it as a proof of his hypothesis , and with an envious joy calls in as many spectators as he can . 't is certain there are some in whose ears nothing sounds so harsh as the commendation of another ; as on the contrary , nothing is so melodious as a defamation . plutarch gives an apt instance of this upon aristides's banishment , whom when a mean person had propos'd to ostracism , being askt what displesure aristides had don him , he replied , none , neither do i know him , but it grieves me to hear every body call him a just man. i fear some of our keenest accusers now a daies may give the same answer . no man that is eminent for piety ( or indeed but moral vertue ) but he shall have many insidious eies upon him , watching for his halting : and if any the least obliquity can be espied , he is used worse then the vilest malefactor : for such are tried but at one bar , and know the utmost of their doom ; but these are arraigned at every table , in every tavern . and at such variety of judicatures , there will be as great variety of sentences ; only they commonly concur in this one , that he is an hypocrite : and then what complacency , what triumph have they in such a discovery ? there is not half so much epicurism in any of their most studied luxuries , no spectacle affords them so much plesure , as a bleeding fame thus lying at their mercy . . another sort of detractors there are , whose designs are not so black , but are equally mean and sordid , much too light to be put in ballance with a neighbors credit . of those some will pick up all the little stories they gan get , to humor a patron : an artifice well known by those trencher-guests , who , like rats , still haunt the best provisions . these men do almost come up to a literal sense of what the psalmist spoke in a figurative , psalm . and eat up people for bread , tear and worry men in their good names , that themselves may eat . it was a curse denounced against eli's off-spring , that they should come and crouch for a morsel of bread , sam. . . but such men court this as a preferment , and to bring themselves within the reach of it , stick not to assume that vilest office of common delators . there are others , who when they have got the knowledg of another mans fault , think it an endearing thing to whisper in the ear of some friend or confident . but sure , if they must needs sacrifice some secret to their friendship , they should take davids rule , and not offer that which cost them nothing . if they will express their confidence , let them acquaint them with their own private crimes . that indeed would shew somthing of trust : but those experiments upon another mans cost , will hardly convince any considering person of their kindness . . there still remains a yet more trifling sort of defamers , who have no deliberate design which they pursue in it , yet are as assiduous at the trade as the deeper contrivers . such are those who publish their neighbors failings as they read gazets , only that they may be telling news ; an itch wherewith some peoples tongues are strangely over-run , who can as well hold a glowing coal in their mouths , as keep any thing they think new ; nay will somtimes run themselves out of breath , for fear least any should serve them as ahimaaz did cushi , sam. . . and tell the tale before them . this is one of the most childish vanities imaginable : and sure men must have souls of a very low level , that can think it a commensurate entertainment . others there are who use defamatory discourse , neither for the love of news , nor defamation , but purely for love of talk : whose speech , like a flowing current , bears away indiscriminately whatever lies in its way . and indeed such incessant talkers , are usually people , nor of depth enough to supply themselves out of their own store , and therefore can let no foreign accession pass by them , no more then the mill which is alwaies going , can afford any waters to run wast . i know we use to call this talkativeness a feminine vice ; but to speak impartially , i think , tho we have given them the inclosure of the scandal , they have not of the fault , and he that shall appropriate loquacity to women , may perhaps somtimes need to light diogenes's candle to seek a man : for 't is possible to come into masculine company , where 't will be as hard to edg in a word , as at a female gossiping . however , as to this particular of defaming : both the sexes seem to be at a vie : and i think he were a very critical judg , that could determin between them . . now lest these later sort of defamers should be apt to absolve themselves , as men of harmless intentions , i shall desire them to consider , that they are only more impertinent , not less injurious . for tho it be granted , that the proud and envious are to make a distinct account for their pride and envy ; yet as far as relates to the neighbor , they are equally mischievous . anacreon that was choaked with a grape-stone , died as surely as julius cesar with his three and twenty wounds ; and a mans reputation may be as well fool'd and pratled away , as maliciously betraied . nay perhaps more easily ; for where the speaker can least be suspected of design , the hearer is apter to give him credit : this way of insinuating by familiar discourse , being like those poisons that are taken in at the pores , which are the most insensibly sucked in , and the most impossible to expel . . but we need not dispute which is worst , since 't is certain all are bad , none of them ( or any that hold proportion with them ) being at all able to pretend their warrant either from justice or charity . and then what our savior saies in another case , will be appliable to this , he that is not for us , is against us , matth. . . he that is publishing his neighbors faults , acts not upon the dictates of justice or charity , acts directly in contradiction to them : for where they do not upon some particular respects command , they do implicity , and generally forbid all such discoveries . . for first , if a fault divulged be of a light nature , the offendor cannot thereby merit so much as to be made a public discourse . fame is a tender thing , and seldom is tost and bandied without receiving some bruise , if not a crack : for reports we know , like snow-balls gather still , the farther they roul : and when i have once handed it to another , how know i how he may improve it ? and if he deliver it so advanced to a third , he may give his contribution also to it , and so in a successive transmitting , it may grow to such a monstrous bulk , as bears no proportion to its original . he must be a great stranger to the world , that has not experimentally found the truth of this . how many persons have laid under great and heavy scandals , which have taken their first rise only from some inadvertence or indiscretion ? of so quick a growth is slander , that the least grain , like that of mustard-seed , mentioned matth. . : immediatly shoots up into a tree . and when it is so , it can no more be reduced back into its first cause , then a tree can shrink into that little seed from whence it first sprang . no ruins are so irreparable as those of reputation : and therefore he that pulls out but one stone towards the breach , may do a greater mischief then perhaps he intends ; and a greater injustice too : for by how much the more strictly justice obliges to reparation in case of injuries done , so much the more severely does it prohibit the doing those injuries which are uncapable of being repared . in the levitical law , he that knew his ox was apt so gore , and yet kept him not up , stood responsible for any mischief he happened to do , exod. . . i think there is no considering man can be ignorant how apt little trivial accusations are , to tear and mangle ones fame : and yet if the lavish talker restrain them not , he certainly stands accountable to god , his neighbor , and his own conscience , for all the danger they procure . . but if the report concern some higher and enormous crime , 't is true , the delinquent may deserve the less pity , yet perhaps the reporter may not deserve the less blame : for often such a discovery serves , not to reclame , but to enrage the offender , and precipitate him into farther degrees of ill . modestly and fear of shame , is one of those natural restraints , which the wisdom of god has put upon mankind , and he that once stumbles , may yet by a check of that bridle recover again : but when by a public detection he is fallen under that infamy he fear'd , he will then be apt to discard all caution , and to think he owes himself the utmost plesures of his vice , as the price of his reputation . nay , perhaps he advances farther , and sets up for a reverst sort of fame , by being eminently wicked : and he who before was but a clandestine disciple , becomes a doctor of impiety . and sure it were better to let a conceled crime remain in its wish'd obscurity , then by thus rouzing it from its covert , bring it to stand at bay , and set it self in this open defiance ; especially in this degenerous age , when vice has so many well-willers , that , like a hoping party , they eagerly run into any that will head them . . and this brings in a third consideration relating to the public , to which the divulging of private ( especially if they be novel unusual ) crimes , does but an ill piece of service . vice is contagious , and casts pestilential vapors : and as he that should bring out a plague-sick person , to inform the world of his disease , would be thought not to have much befriended his neighborhood ; so he that displaies these vicious ulcers , whilst he seeks to defame one , may perhaps infect many . we too experimentally find the force of ill examples . men often take up sins , to which they have no natural propension , merely by way of conforty and imitation . but if the instance happen in a crime , which more suits the practice of the hearers , tho it cannot be said to seduce , yet it may encourage and confirm them ; embolden them not only the more frequently to act , but even to avow those sins wherein they find they stand not single , and by discovering a new accessary to their party , to invite them the more heartily and openly to espouse it . . these are such effects as surely do not very well correspond with that justice and charity we owe either to particular persons , or to mankind in general . and indeed no better can be expected , from a practice which to perfectly contradicts the grand rule both of justice and charity , the doing as we would be don to . that this does so , every man has a ready conviction within him , if he please but to consult his own heart . alas , with what solicitude do we seek to hide our own guilts with false dresses , what varnishes have we for them ? there are not more arts of disguising our corporal blemishes , then our moral : and yet whilst we thus paint and parget our own deformities , we cannot allow any the least imperfection of anothers to remain undetected , but tear off the veil from their blushing frailties , and not only expose but proclaim them . and can there be a grosser , a more detestable partiality then this ? god may sure in this instance ( as in many others ) expostulate with us as he did with israel , ezek. . are not your waies unequal ? what barbarism , what inhumanity is it thus to treat those of the same common nature with our selves , whom we cannot but know have the same concern to preserve a reputation , and the same regret to lose it , which we have ? and what shame is it , that that evangelical precept , of doing as we would be don to , which met with so much reverence even from heathens , that severus the emperor preferr'd it to all the maxims of philosophers ; should be thus contemned and violated by christians , and that too , upon such slight inconsiderable motives , as usually prevail in this case of defamation ? . but we are not to consider this fault only in its root , as it is a defect of ju●tice and charity , but in its product too , as it is a seminary of more injustice and uncharitableness . those disadvantageous reports we make of our neighbors , are almost seen to come round : for let no man perswade himself , that the hearers will keep his counsel any better then he does that of the defamed person . the softest whisper of this kind , will find others to echo it , till it reach the ears of the concerned party , and perhaps with some enhancing circumstances too . and when 't is considered how unwilling men are to hear of their faults , tho even in the mildest and most charitable way of admonition , t is not to be doubted a public defamation , will seem disobliging enough to provoke a return ; which again begets a rejoinder , and so the quarrel is carried on with mutual recriminations ; all malicious inquiries are made into each others manners , and those things which perhaps they did in closets , come to be proclamed upon the house top : so the wild-fire runs round , till sometimes nothing but blood will quench it ; or if it arrive not to that , yet it usually fixes in an irreconcilable feud . to this is often owing those distances we see among friends and relations ; this breeds such strangeness , such animosities amongst neighbors , that you cannot go to one , but you shall be entertain'd with invectives against the other ; nay perhaps you shall lose both , because you are willing to side with neither . . these are the usual consequences of the liberty of the tongue : and what account can any man give to himself , either in christianity or prudence , that has let in such a train of mischiefs , merely to gratify an impotent childish humor of telling a tale ? peace was the great legacy christ left to his followers , and ought to be guarded , tho we expose for it our greatest temporal concerns , but cannot without despight to him , as well as our brethren , be thus prostituted . . yet if we consider it abstractedly from those more solemn mischiefs which attend it , the mere levity and unworthiness of it sets it below an ingenuous person . we generally think a tatler and busy-body a title of no small reproch : yet truly i know not to whom it more justly belongs , then to those , who busy themselves first in learning , and then in publishing the faults of others : an emploiment which the apostle thought a blot , even upon the weaker sex , and thinks the prevention of such importance , that he prescribes them to change their whole condition of life ; to convert widow-hood ( tho a state which in other respects he much prefers , cor. . . ) into marriage , rather then expose themselves to the temtation , tim. . . . and if their impotence cannot afford excuse for it , what a debasement is it of mens nobler faculties to be thus entertained ? the historian gives it as an ill indication of domitians temper , that he emploi'd himself in catching and tormenting flies : and sure they fall not under a much better character , either for wisdom , or good nature , who thus snatch up all the little fluttering reports , they can meet with to the prejudice of their neighbors . . but besides the divulging the faults of others , there is another branch of detraction naturally springing from this root , and this is censuring and severe judging of them . we think not we have well plaid the historians , when we have told the thing , unless we add also our remarks , and animadversions on it . and altho 't is , god knows , bad enough to make a naked relation , and trust it to the severity of the hearers ; yet few can content themselves with that , but must give them a sample of rigor , and by the bitterness of their own censure invite them to pass the like : a process contrary to all rules of law or equity , for the plaintiff to assume the part of a judg. and we may easily divine the fate of that mans fame , that is so unduly tried . . 't is indeed sad to see how many private tribunals are every where set up , where we scan and judg our neighbors action , but scarce ever acquit any . we take up with the most incompetent witnesses , nay often suborn our own surmises and jealousies , that we may be sure to cast the unhappy criminal . how nicely and scrupulously do we examine every circumstance ; ( would god we were but half as exact in our own penitential inquisitions ) and torture it to make it confess somthing which appears not in the more general view of the fact , and which perhaps never was in the actors intention ? in a word , we do like witches with their magical chymistry , extract all the venem , and take none of the allay . by this means we confound the degrees of sins , and sentence deliberate and indeliberate , an habit or an act all at one rate , that is commonly , at the utmost it can amount to , even in its worse acception : and sure this were a most culpable corruption in judgment , could we shew our commission to judg our brethren . . but here we may every one of us interrogate our selves in our saviours words , who made me a judg ? luke . . and if he disclaim'd it , who in respect of his divinity had the supreme right , and that too in a case wherein one ( at least ) or the litigants had desired his interposition , what a boldness is it in us to assume it , where no such appeal is made to us , but on the contrary , the party disowns our autority ? nay ( which is infinitly more ) t is superseded by our great law-giver , in that express prohibition , matth. . . judg not , and that back'd with a severe penalty , that ye be not judged ? as god hath appropriated vengeance to himself , so has he judicature also ; and t is an invasion of his peculiar , for any ( but his delegates the lawful magistrates ) to pretend to either . and indeed , in all private judgment , so much depends upon the intention of the offender , that unless we could possess our selves of gods omniscience , 't will be as irrational as impious to assume his autority . until we know mens hearts , we are at the best but imperfect judges of their actions . at our rate of judging , st. paul had surely pass'd for a most malicious persecutor , whereas god saw he did ignorantly in unbelief , and upon that intuition had mercy on him , tim. . . 't is therefore good counsel which the apostle gives , cor. . . judg nothing before the time until the lord come . for tho 't is said , the saints shall judg the world , cor. . . yet it must be at the great assize , and he that will needs intrude himself into the office before the time , will be in danger to be rather passive then active in the judicatory . i do not here advise to such a stupid charity as shall make no distinction of actions . i know there is a woe pronounced as well to those who call evil good , as good evil . surely when we see an open notorious sin committed , we may express a detestation of the crime , tho not of the actor ; nay it may somtimes be a necessary charity , both to the offender , and to the innocent spectators , as an amulet to keep them from the contagion of the example . but still even in these cases , our sentence must not exceed the evidence , we must judg only according to the visible undoubted circumstances , and not aggravate the crime upon presumtions and conjectures ; if we do , how right soever our guesses may be , our judgment is not , but we are as saint james speaks , judges of evil thoughts , chap. . . . indeed this rash judging is not only very unjust both to god and man , but it is an act of the greatest pride . when we set our selves in the tribunal , we alwaies look down with contemt on those at the bar. and certainly there is nothing does so gratify , so regale a haughty humor , as this piece of usurpt soverainty over our brethren : but the more it does so , the greater necessity there is to abstain from it . pride is a hardy kind of vice , that will live upon the barest pasture : you cannot starve it with the most industrious mortifications : how little need is there then of pampering and heightning it , which we cannot more effectually do , then by this censorious humor ? for by that we are so perpetually emploi'd abroad , that we have no leisure to look homeward , and see our own defects . we are like the inhabitants of ai , jos. . so eager upon the pursuit of others , that we leave our selves expos'd to the ambushes of satan , who will be sure still to encourage us in our chase , draw us still farther & farther from our selves , and cares not how zealous we are in fighting against the crimes of others , so he can but keep that zeal from recoiling upon our own . . lastly , this judging others , is one of the highest violations of charity . the apostle gives it as one of the properties of that grace , that it thinks no evil ( i. e. ) is not apt to make severe constructions , but sets every thing in the fairest light , puts the most candid interpretations that the matter will bear . and truly , this is of great importance to the reputation of our neighbors . the world we know is in many instances extremely governed by opinion , but in this 't is all in all ; it has not only an influence upon it , but is that very thing : reputation being nothing but a fair opinion and estimation among others . now this opinion is not alwaies swaied by due motives : somtimes little accidents , and often fancy , and oftest prepossession governs in it . so that many times he that puts the first ill character , fixes the stamp which afterwards goes current in the world. the generality of people take up prejudices ( as they do religions ) upon trust : and of those that are more curious in inquiring into the grounds , there are not many who vary on the more charitable hand , or bring the common sentence to review , with intent to moderate but inhance it . men are apt to think it some disparagement to their acuteness and invention , if they cannot say somthing as sharp upon the subject , as has bin said before ; and so 't is the business of many to lay on more load , but of few to take off : and therefore he that passes the first condemnatory sentence , is like the incendiary in a popular tumult , who is chargeable with all those disorders to which he gave the first rise , tho that free not his abettors from their share of the guilt . . and as this is very uncharitable in respect of the injury offer'd , so also is it in reflection on the grand rule of charity . can we pretend to love our neighbors as our selves , and yet shall our love to him have the quite contrary effects to that we bear our selves ? on self-love lessen our beam into a mote , and yet can our love to him magnify his mote into a beam ? no certainly , true charity is more sincere , does not turn to us the reverse end of the perspective , to represent our own faults at a distance , and in the most diminitive size , and yet shuffle the other to us when we are to view his . no , these are tricks of legerdemain we read in another schole , even in his , whose stile is the accuser of the brethren . we know how frequently god protests against false weights and false mesures . and sure 't is not only in the shop or market that he abhors them , they are no less abominable inconversation then in traffic . to buy by one mesure and sell by another , is not more unequal , then it is to have these differing standards for our own and our neighbors faults , that our own shall weigh , in the prophet jeremiahs phrase , lighter then vanity , yea nothing , and yet his ( tho really the lighter ) shall prove zacharies talent of lead . this is such a partiallity , as consists not with common honesty , and can therefore never be reconciled with christian charity : and how demurely soever such men may pretend to sanctity , that interrogation of god presses hard upon them , shall i count them pure with the wicked balances , and with the bag of deceitful weights ? mich. . . such bitter invectives against other mens faults , and indulgence or palliation of their own , shews their zeal lies in their spleen , and that they consider not so much what is don , as who does it : and to such the sentence of the apostle is very applicable , romans . . therefore thou art inexcusable , o man , whosoever thou art that judgest , for wherein thou judgest another , thou condemnest thy self , for thou that judgest dost the same thing . but admit a man have not the very same guilts he censures in another , yet 't is sure every man has some ; and of what sort soever they be , he desires not they should be rigorously scan'd , and therefore by the rule of charity , yea and justice too , he ought not to do that which he would not suffer . if he can find extenuations for his own crimes , he is in all reason to presume others may have so for theirs : the common frailty of our nature , as it is apt alike to betray us to faults , so it gives as equal share in the excuse ; and therefore what i would have pass for the effect of impotency or inadvertence in my self , i can with no tolerable ingenuity give a worse name to in him . . we have now viewed both these branches of detraction , seen both the sin and mischiefs of them ; we may now join them together in a concluding observation , which is , that they are as imprudent as they are unchristian . it has bin received among the maxims of civil life , not unnecessarily to exasperate any body ; to which agrees the advice of an ancient philosopher , speak not evil of thy neighbor , if thou dost thou shalt hear that which will not fail to trouble thee . there is no person so inconsiderable , but may at some time or other do a displesure : but in this of defaming men need no harnessing , no preparation ; every man has his weapons ready for a return : so that none can shoot these arrows , but they must expect they will revert with a rebounded force : not only to the violation of christian unity ( as i have before observ'd ) but to the aggressors great secular demerit , both in fame , and oftentimes interest also . revenge is sharp-sighted , and over-looks no opportunity of a retaliation ; and that commonly not bounded as the levitical ones were , an eye for an eye , a tooth for a tooth , exod. . . no nor by the larger proportions of their restitutions four-fold , exod. . . but extended to the utmost power of the inflicter . the examples are innumerable of men who have thus laid themselves open in their greatest concerns , and have let loose the hands as well as tongues of others against them , merely because they would put no restraint upon their own ; which is so great indiscretion , that to them we may well apply that of solomon , a fools mouth is his destruction , and his lips are the snare of his soul , prov. . . . and now who can sufficiently wonder , that a practice that so thwarts our interest of both worlds , should come universally to prevail among us ? yet that it does so , i may appeal to the consciences of most , and to the observation of all . what so common topic of discourse is there , as this of back-biting our neighbors ? come into company of all ages , all ranks , all professions , this is the constant entertainment : and i doubt , he that at night shall duly recollect the occurences of the day , shall very rarely be able to say , he has spent it without hearing or speaking ( perhaps both ) somwhat of this kind . nay even those who restrain themselves other liberties , are often apt to indulge to this : many who are so just to their neighbors property , that as abraham once said , gen. . . they would not take from him , even from a thred to a shoe latchet , are yet so inconsiderate of his fame , as to find themselves discourse at the expence of that , tho infinitly a greater injury then the robbing of his coffer : which shews what false mesures we are apt to take of things and evinces that many of those , who have not only in general abjur'd the world in their baptism , but do in many instances seem to themselves ( as well as others ) to have gain'd a superiority over it , do yet in this undiscernibly yield it the greatest ensign of soveraignty , by permitting it to set the standards and estimates of things , and taking its customary prescriptions for laws . for what besides this unhappy servility to custom , can possibly reconcile men that own christianity , to a practice so widely distant from it ? 't is true , those that profess themselves men of this world , who design only their portion in this life , may take it up as somtimes conducing ( at least seemingly ) to their end : but for those who propose higher hopes to themselves , and know that charity is one of the main props to those hopes , how foolishly do they undermine themselves , when they thus act against their principles , and that upon no other autority , but that of popular usage ? i know men are apt to excuse themselves upon their indignation against vice , and think that their zeal must as well acquit them for this violation of the second table , as it once did moses for the breaking both , exod. . . but to such i may answer in christs words , luke . . ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of . meekness and charity are the evangelical graces , which will most recommend and assimilate us to him , who was meek and lowly in heart . but after all this pretext of zeal , i fear it is but a cheat we put on our selves , the elder brothers raiment only to disguise the supplanter , gen. . let men truly ransack their own breasts , and i doubt the best will find there is somthing of vanity that lies at the bottom , if it be not the positive sort mention'd before , of designing to illustrate my self by others blemishes , yet at least the negative , that i am unwilling to incur the contemt incident to those , who scruple at small sins . besides i observe perhaps , that 't is the common entertainment of the world , to defame their neighbors , and if i strike not in upon the theme , i shall have nothing to render me acceptable company ; perhaps i shall be reproched as morose or dull , and my silence shall be construed to proceed not from the abundance of my charity , but the defect of my wit. . but sure they that can thus argue , do hereby give a more demonstrative proof of that defect . he whose wit is so precarious , that it must depend only upon the folly or vice of another , had best give over all pretence to it . he that has nothing of his own growth to set before his guests , had better make no invitations , then break down his neighbors inclosure , and feast them upon his plunder . besides , how pitiful an attestation of wit is it , to be able to make a disgraceful relation of another ? no scolding woman but may set up such trophies : and they that can value a man upon such an account , may prefer the scarabes , who feed upon dung , and are remark'd by no other property , before the bee that sucks flowers and returns hony. . but in the next place , admit this restraint should certainly expose one to that reproch ; methinks this should be no news to those who know the condition of christianity is to take up the cross : and sure it cannot weigh lighter then in this instance . what am i the worse , if a vain talkative person think me too reserv'd ? or if he , whose frolic levity is his disease , call me dull , because i vapor not out all my spirits into froth ? socrates when inform'd of some gating speeches one had used of him behind his back , made only this facetious reply , let him beat me too when i am absent . and he that gets not such an indifference to all the idle censures of men , will be disturb'd in all his civil transactions , as well as his christian : it being scarce possible to do any thing , but there will be descants made on it . and if a man will regard those winds , he must , as solomon saies , never sow , eccl. . . he must suspend even the necessary actions of common life , if he will not venture them to the being mis-judged by others . . but there is yet a farther consideration in this matter : for he that upon such a despicable motive will violate his duty in one particular , lets satan get a main point of him , and can with no good logic deny to do it in others . detraction is not the only sin in fashion : profaneness , and obscenity , and all sorts of luxury are so too , and threaten no less reproch to those who scruple at them . upon the same grounds therefore that he discards his charity to his neighbor , he may also his piety , his modesty , his temperance , and almost all other virtues . and to speak the truth , there is not a more fertile womb of sin , then this dread of all mens reproch . other corruptions must be gratified with cost and industry , but in this the devil hath no farther trouble then to laugh men out of their souls . so prolific a vice therefore had need be weeded out of mens hearts : for if it be allowed the least corner , if it be indulged too in this one instance , 't will quickly spread it self farther . . yet after all , this fear of reproch is a mere fallacy , started to disguise a more real cause of fear : for the greatest danger of reproch does indeed lie on that other side . common estimation puts an ill character upon pragmatic medling people . for tho the inquisitiveness and curiosity of the hearer , may somtimes render such discourses grateful enough to him , yet it leaves in him no good impressions of the speaker . this is well observ'd by the son of sirach , ecclus. . , . whether it be to friend or foe , talk not of other mens lives , and if thou canst without offence , revele them not , for he heard and observ'd thee , and when time cometh he will hate thee . in a word , all considering persons will be ever upon their guard in such company , as fore-seeing that they will talk no less freely of them , then they do of others before them . nor can the commonness of the guilt obviate the censure , there being nothing more frequent then for men to accuse their own faults in other persons . vice is like a dark lantern , which turns its bright side only to him that bears it , but looks black and dismal in anothers hand : and in this particular none has so much reason to fear a defamer , as those who are themselves such : for ( besides the common prudential motive ) their own consciousness gives them an inward alarm , and makes them look for a retribution in the same kind . thus upon the whole matter we see , there is no real temtation , even to our vanity , to comply with this uncharitable custom , we being sure to lose more repute by it then we can propose to our selves to gain . the being esteem'd an ill man , will not be balanced by being thought pleasant , ingenuous company , were one sure to be so . but 't is odds , that will not be acquired by it neither , for the most assiduous tale-bearers , and biterest revilers , are often half-witted people : there being nothing more frequently observed , then such mens aptness to speak evil of things they understand not , jude v. . . o let not then those that have repudiated the more inviting sins , shew themselves philter'd and bewitch'd by this , but instead of submitting to the ill example of others , set a good one to them , and endeavor to bring this unchristian custom out of fashion . i am sure if they do not , they will be more deeply chargeable then others : for the more command they have over their other corruptions , the more do they witness against themselves . their remissness and willing subjection to this , besides their example when ill , is more ensnaring then other mens , and is apt to insinuate easie thoughts of the sin . men are apt to think themselves safe while they follow one of noted piety , and the autority of his person often leads them blindfold into his failings . thus when peter dissembled , st. paul tells us , that the other jews , and even barnabas also , was carried away with his dissimulation , galat. . . and i doubt not in this particular many are incouraged by the liberty they see even good men take . so that such have a more accumulative guilt , for they do not only commit , but patronize the fault : the consideration whereof has kept me , i confess , longer upon this head , then is proportionable to the brevity of the rest ; but i think not longer then agrees to the importance of the subject . . and now since we have consider'd the malignity of this sin of detraction , and yet withal find that 't is a sin , which as the apostle speaks , doth so easily beset us , 't is but a natural corollary that we inforce our vigilance against it . and where the importance and difficulty are both so great , 't will be a little necessary to consider what are the likliest means , the most appropriate antidote against this so dangerous , and yet so epidemic a disease . . and here the common rule of physic is to be adverted to , viz. to examine the causes , that the remedies may be adapted to them . i shall therefore in the first place desire every man seriously to study his own constitution of mind , and observe what are his particular temtations to this sin of detraction , whether any of those i have before mention'd , as pride , envy , levity , &c. or any other which lies deeper , and is only discernible to his own inspection . let him , i say , make the scrutiny , and then accordingly apply himself to correct the sin in its first principle . for as when there is an eruption of humor in any part , 't is not cured merely by outward applications , but by such alterative medicines as purify the blood ; so this leprosy of the tongue will still spread farther , if it be not check'd in its spring and source , by the mortifying of those corrupt inclinations , which feed and heighten it . . this is an inquisition i must leave to every mans own conscience , which alone can testify by what impulses he acts . yet as the rabbins were wont to say , that in every signal judgment which befel the jews , there was some grain of the golden-calf ; so i think i may venture to say , that in all detraction , there is some mixture of pride : and therefore i suppose , a caution against that , will be so generally seasonable , that it may well lead the van of all other advices in this matter . and here 't is very observable , that god who has made of one blood all nations of the earth , acts . has so equally distributed all the most valuable privileges of human-nature , as if he design'd to preclude all insulting of one man over another . neither has he only thus insinuated it by his providence , but has inforc'd it by his commands in the levitical law we find what a particular care he takes to moderate the rigor of judicial correction , upon this very account , lest thy brother be despised in thine eyes , deut. . . so unreasonable did he think it , that the crime or misery of one , should be the exultation of another . and s. paul brands it as a great guilt of the corinthians , that they upon the occasion of the incestuous person were puffed up , when they should have mourned , corin. . . when we see a dead corps , we are not apt to insult over it , or brag of our own health and vigor ; but it rather damps us , and makes us reflect , that it may ( we know not how soon ) be our own condition . and certainly the spectacles of spiritual mortality should have the same operation . we have the same principles of corruption with our lapsed brethren , and have nothing but gods grace , to secure us from the same effects , and by these insulting reflections we forfeit that too ; for he gives grace only to the humble , james . . saint pauls advice therefore is very apposite to this case , gallat . . . brethren , if a man be overtaken in a fault , restore such a one in the spirit of meekness , considering thy self , least thou also be temted . in a word , the faults of others ought to excite our pity towards them , our caution as to our selves , and our thankfulness to god , if he hath hitherto preserv'd us from the like , for who made thee to differ from another ? cor. . . but if we spread our sails and triumph over these wrecks , we expose our selves to worse . other sins like rocks may split us , yet the lading may be preserv'd : but pride like a gulf swallows us up ; our very vertues when so levened , becoming weights and plummets to sink us to the deeper ruine . the counsel therefore of the apostle , is very pertinent to this matter , rom. . . be not high minded , but fear . . but god knows we can insult over others when we are not only under a possibility , but are actually involv'd in the same guilt : and then what are all our accusations and bitter censures of others , but indictments and condemnatory sentences against our selves ? and we may justly expect god should take us at our word , and reply upon us as the prophet did upon david , thou art the man , sam. . . for tho our officious vehemence against anothers crime , may blind the eies of men , yet god is not so mocked . as therefore when a thief or murderer is detected , it gives an alarm to the whole confederacy ; so when we find our own guilts pursued in ot●er mens persons , t is not a time for us to join in the prosecution , but rather by humble and penitent reflections on our selves to provide for our own safety . when therefore we find our selves ( upon any misdemeanor of our brother ) ready to mount the tribunal , and pronounce our sentence , let us first consider how competent we are for the office , calling to mind the decision christ once made in the like case , he that is without sin let him first cast a stone , job . . . and if we did this , many perhaps of our fiercest impeachers , would think fit to retire , and leave the delinquent ( as they themselves finally desire to be ) to the merciful indulgence of a savior . in short , would we but look into our own hearts , we should find so much work for our inquisitions and censure , that we should not be at leisure to ramble abroad for it . and therefore as lycurgus once said to one , who importun'd him to establish a popular parity in the state , do thou , saies he , begin it first in thine own family : so i shall advise those that will be judging , to practice first at home . and if they will confine themselves to that , till there be nothing left to correct , i doubt not their neighbor will be well enough secur'd against their detractions . . another preservation against that sin is the frequent contemplation of the last and great judgment . this is indeed a catholicon against all : but we find it particularly appli'd by st. paul to this of judging and despising our brethren . why dost thou judg thy brother ? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother ? we shall all stand before the judgment seat of christ , rom. . . that is the great day of revelation and retribution , and we are not to anticipate it by our private inquests or sentences : we have business enough to provide our own accounts against that day . and as it were a spightful folly for malefactors , that were going together to that bar , to spend their time in exaggerating each others crimes : so surely is it for us , who are all going toward the dreadful tribunal , to be drawing up charges against one another . and who knows but we may then meet with the fate of daniels accusers , see him we censur'd acquit , and our selves doomed . the penitence of the criminal may have numbred him among the saints , when our unretracted uncharitableness may send us to unquenchable flames . i conclude this consideration with the words of st. james , there is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy , who art thou that judgest another ? jam. . . . a third expedient may be , to try to make a revulsion of the humor , to draw it into another chanel . if we must needs be talking of other peoples faults , let it not be to defame , but to amend them , by converting our detraction and backbiting into admonition and fraternal correption . this is a way to extract medicine out of the viper , to consecrate even this so unhollow'd a part of our temper , and to turn the ungrateful medling of a busy-body , into the most obliging office of a friend . and indeed had we that zeal for vertue , which we pretend when we inveigh against vice , we should surely lay it out this way ; for this only gives a possibility of reforming the offender . but alas we order the matter so , as if we fear'd to lose the occasion of clamor , and will tell all the world but him that it most concerns . indeed t is a deplorable thing to see how universally this necessary christian duty is neglected ; and to that neglect we may in a great degree impute that strange over-flowing of detraction among us . we know the receiving any thing into our charge , insensibly begets a love and tenderness to it ( a nurse upon this account comes often to vie kindness with the mother : ) and would we but take one another thus into our care , and by friendly vigilance thus watch over each others souls , t is scarce imaginable what an endearment it would create : such certainly as would infallibly supplant all our unkind reportings and severe descants upon our brethren ; since those can never take place , but when there is at least an indifference , if not an enmity . . the next cure i shall propose for detraction , is to substract its nurishment , by suppressing all curiosity and inquisitiveness concerning others . were all supplies thus cut off , it would at last be subdued . the king of ethiopia in a vie of wit with the king of egypt , propos'd it as a problem to him , to drink up the sea , to which he repli'd , by requiring him first to stop the access of rivers to it : and he that would drain this other ocean , must take the same course , dam up the avenues of those springs which feed it . he that is alwaies upon the scent , hunting out some discovery of others , will be very apt to invite his neighbors to the quarry ; and therefore t will be necessary for him , to restrain himself from that range : not like jealous states , to keep spies and pensioners abroad to bring him intelligence , but rather discourage all such officious pick-thanks : for the fuller he is of such informations , the more is his pain if he keep them in , and his guilt if he publish them . could men be perswaded to affect a wholesome ignorance in these matters , it would conduce both to their ease and innocence : for 't is this itch of the ear which breaks out at the tongue : and were not curiosity the purveior , detraction woud soon be starved into a tameness . . but the most infallible receit of all , is the frequent recollecting , and serious applying of the grand rule , of doing as we would be don to : for as detraction is the violation of that , so the observation of that must certainly supplant detraction . let us therefore when we find the humor fermenting within us , and ready to break out in declamations against our brethren , let us , i say , check it with this short question , would i my self be thus us'd ? this voice from within , will be like that from heaven to st. paul , which stopt him in the heigth of his carrier . act. . . and this voice every man may hear , that will not stop his ears , nor gag his conscience , it being but the echo of that native justice and equity which is planted in our hearts : and when we have our remedy so near us , and will not use it , god may well expostulate with us , as he did with the jews , why will ye die , o house of israel ? ezek. . . . these are some of those many receits which may he prescrib'd against this spreading disease . but indeed there is not so much need to multiply remedies , as to perswade men to apply them . we are in love with our malady , and as loth to be cured of the luxury of the tongue , as st. augustine was of his other sensuality , against which he praied with a caveat , that he might not be too soon heard . but 't is ill dallying , where our souls are concern'd : for alas t is they that are wounded by those darts , which we throw at others . we take our aim perhaps at our neighbors , but indeed hit our selves : herein verifying in the highest sense that axiom of the wise-man , he that diggeth a pit , shall fall into it , and he that roleth a stone , it shall return upon him , prov. . . if therefore we have no tenderness , no relenting to our brethren , yet let us have some to our selves ; so much compassion , nay so much respect to our precious immortal souls , as not to set them at so despicable a price , to put them in balance with the satisfying of a petulant peevish vanity . surely the shewing our selves ill-natur'd ( which is all the gain detraction amounts to ) is not so enamouring a design , that we should sacrifice to it our highest interest . t is too much to spend our breath in such a pursuit ; o let not our souls also exhale in the vapor ; but let us rather pour them out in praiers for our brethren , then in accusations of them : for tho both the one and the other will return into our own bosoms , yet god knows to far differing purposes , even as differing as those wherewith we utter them . the charity of the one like kindly exhalations will descend in showers of blessings , but the rigor and asperity of the other , in a severe doom upon our selves : for the apostle will tell us , he shall have judgment without mercy , that hath shewed no mercy , james . . sect . vii . of scoffing and derision . there is also another fault of the tongue injurious to our neighbor , and that is derision and mockery , and striving to render others as ridiculous and contemtible as we can . this in respect of the subject matter differs from the other of detraction , as much as folly or deformity do's from vice : yet since injuries as well as benefits , are to be mesured by common estimation , this may come in balance with the other . there is such a general aversation in human nature to contemt , that there is scarce any thing more exasperating . i will not deny but the excess of that aversation may be level'd against pride : yet sure scorn and disdain never sprung from humility , and therefore are very incompetent correctors of the other ; so that it may be said of that , as once it was of diogènes , that he trampled on plato's pride with greater of his own . . nor is this injury enhanced only by the resentment of the sufferer , but also by the way of inflicting it . we generally think those are the severest marks of infamy , which are the most indelible . to be burnt in the hand or pilloried , is a more lasting reproch then to be scourged or confined ; and it is the same in this case , for here commonly wit is the lictor , which is arm'd with an edg'd tool , and leaves scars behind it . the reproch of rage and fury seem to be writ in chalk or lead , which a dispassionate hearer easily wipes out , but those of wit are like the gravers burine upon copper , or the corrodings of aqua-fortis , engrave and indent the characters that they can never be defaced . the truth of this daily experience attests . a dull contumely quickly vanishes , no body thinking it worth remembring , but when t is steel'd with wit , it pierces deep , leaves such impressions in the fancy of the hearers , that thereby it gets rooting in the memory , and will scarce be eradicated : nay sometimes it happens to survive both speaker and hearer , and conveys it self to posterity ; it being not unusual for the sarcasms of wit to be transmitted in story . and as it thus gives an edg , so also do's it add wings to a reproch , makes it fly abroad in an instant . many a poor mans infirmities had bin confined to the notice of a few relations or neigbors , had not some remarkable strain of drollery scatter'd and dispersed them . the jest recommends the defamation , and is commonly so incorporate with it , that they cannot be related apart . and even those who like it not in one respect , yet are many times so transported with it in the other , that they chuse rather to propagate the contumely , then stifle the conceit . indeed wit is so much the diana of this age , that he who goes about to set any bounds to it , must expect an uproar , acts . . or at least to be judged to have imposed an envious inhibition on it , because himself has not stock enough to maintain the trade . but how ever sharp or unexpected the censure may seem to be , yet t is necessary that plain downright truth should somtimes be spoken ; and i think that will bear me out , if i say t is possible men may be as oppressive by their parts , as their power ; and that god did no more design the meaner intellectuals of some for triumphs to the pride and vanity of the more acute , then he did the possessions of the less powerful , as a prey to the rapine and avarice of the mighty . . and this suggests a yet farther aggravation of this sin , as it is a perverting of gods design , and abuse of the talent he has committed to men in trust . ingenuity and quickness of parts , is sure to be reckoned in the highest ranks of blessings , and an instrument proper for the most excellent purposes : and therefore we cannot suppose the divine wisdom so much short of human , as not in his intention to assign it to uses worthy of it . those must relate either to god , our selves , or our neighbors . in respect of god , it renders us more capable of contemplating his perfections , discerning the equity and excellence of his laws , and our obligations to obedience . in regard of our selves it makes us apprehend our own interest in that obedience ; makes us tractable and perswasible , contrary to that brutish stub bornness of the horse and mule , which the psalmist reproches , psal. . . besides it accommodates us in all the concerns of human life , forms it self into all those useful contrivances , which may make our being here more comfortable : especially it renders a man company to himself , and in the greatest dearth of society , entertains him with his own thoughts . lastly , as to our neighbors , it renders us useful and assistant . all those discoveries and experiments , those arts and sciences , which are now the common tresure of the world , took their first rise from the ingenuity of particular persons : and in all personal exigencies wherein any of us are at any time involved , we need not be told the usefulness of a wise adviser . now all these are emploiments commensurable to the faculty from whence they flow , and that answer its excellence and value ; and he that so bestows his talent , gives a good account of his trust . but i would fain know under which of these heads derision of our neighbor comes in : certainly not under that of being assistant to him . it would be a sorry relief to a poor indigent wretch , to lavish out wit upon him , in upbraiding of his misery . and is not this a parallel case ? is it not the same barbarism , to mock and reproch a man that wants the gifts of nature , as him that wants those of fortune ? nay perhaps it may be more , for a beggar may have impoverisht himself by his own fault , but in natural defects there is nothing to be charged , unless we will fly higher , and arraign that providence that hath so dispensed . in a word , as the superfluities of the rich are by god assign'd as the store-house of the poor , so the abilities of the wise are of the ignorant : for t is a great mistake , to think our selves stewards in some of gods gifs , and proprietaries in others . they are all equally to be emploied , according to the designation of the donor , and there is nothing more universally design'd by him , then that mankind should be equally helpful to one another . those therefore whom god hath blest with higher degrees of sagacity and quickness , ought not to look down on others as the objects of their contemt or scorn , but rather of their care and pity , endeavoring to rescue them from those mischiefs , to which their weakness may expose them , remembring still , that god might have changed the scene , and made themselves what they see others . it is part of jobs justification of his integrity , that he was eies to the blind , and feet to the lame , job . . . ( i. e. ) he accommodated his assistances to all the wants and exigencies of others : and sure t is no less the part of a good man to do it in the mental then in the corporeal defects . . but alas many of us would rather put a stumbling block in the way of the blind , pull away the crutch from the lame , that we may sport our selves to see them tumble : such a sensuality we have in observing and improving the imperfections of others , that it is become the grand excellence of the age to be dextrous at it , and wit serves some men for little else . we are got indeed into a merry world , laughing is our main business ; as if because it has bin made part of the definition of man , that he is risible , his man-hood consisted in nothing else . but alas , if that be all the use men have of their understandings , they were given them to little purpose , since mere idiots can laugh with as much plesure and more innocence then they ; and it is a great instance how extremes may be brought to meet , that the excess of wit in the one , and of folly in the other , serve to produce the same effect . . yet so voracious is this humor now grown , that it draws in every thing to feed it . there is not game enough from the real folly of the world , and therefore that which is the most distant from it must be stampt with its mark . t is a known story of the frier who on a fasting day bid his capon be carp , and then very canonically ate it ; and by such a transubstantiating power our wits bid all seriousness and consideration be formality and foppery , and then under that name endeavor to hunt it out of the world . i fear moral honesty fares not better with some of them then moral prudence . the old philosophical vertues of justice , temperance , and chastity are now hist off the stage , as fit only for the antiquated set of actors , and he that appears in that equipage , is by many thought more ridiculous , then he that walks the street in his ancestors trunk-hose . nay indeed vice its self is scarce secure if it have not the grand accomplishment of impudence : a puny blushing sinner is to be laught out of his modesty , tho not out of his sin ; and to be proof against their scorns he must first be so against all the regrets of his own mind . . and if mere ethnic virtue , or shame-fac'd vice have this treatment , christian piety must expect worse : and so indeed it finds , its possessors being beyond all others exposed to their scorn and contemt . nor is it strange it should be so , such men being made , as it is wisd. . . to reprove their waies , they think in their own defence they are to deride theirs . this is it indeed which gives a secret sting and venem to their reproches : other men they abuse as an exercise of their wit , but these in defence of the party . so julian after his apostacy , thought it a more effectual way to persecute the christians by taunts and ironies , then by racks and tortures , as thinking it more possible to shame , then fright them out of their religion . and the stratagem seems to have bin reassumed by many in this age , and i fear with too great success : for i doubt not there are divers who have herded themselves amongst these profane scoffers , not that they are convinced by their reasons , but terrified by their contumelies ; and as some indians are said to worship the devil , that he may not hurt them ; so these chuse to be active , that they may not be passive in the contemts flung upon religion : such men forget the dreadful denunciation of christ against those that shall be ashamed of him and his words , mat. . . . as for those who , upon a juster estimate , find the advantages of piety worthy to be chosen , and take it with all its necessary ignominies , they have the encouragement of very good company in their sufferings . the psalmist long ago had his share , when not only those that sa●e in the gate spake against him , but the drunkards made songs upon him , psalm . . . t was also the prophet jeremies complaint , i am in derision daily , every one mocketh me , jer. . . nay our blessed lord himself was derided in his life by the pharisees , luke . . mocked and reviled at his death by the priests , the elders , the soldiers ; nay by casual passengers , mat. . . and shall the servant think himself greater then his lord ? shall a christian expect an immunity from what his savior has born before him ? ( he that do's so , is too delicate a member for a crucified head . ) no sure , let us rather animate our selves , as the apostle exhorts , by considering him who as well despised the shame , as endured the cross for us , heb. . . and who has not only given an example , but proposed a reward , a beatitude to those who are reviled for righteousness sake , mat. . . and when this is soberly ponder'd , 't will sure make it easy for us to resolve with holy david in a like case , i will be yet more vile , sam. . . . but to return from this digression , to those who thus unhappily employ their parts , let me propose to them , that they would borrow every day some few minutes from their mirth , and seriously consider , whether this be ( i need not say a christian , but ) a manly exercise of their faculties . alas when they have rallied out the day from one company to another , they may sum up their account at night in the wise mans simile , their laughter has bin but like the crackling of thorns under a pot , ecclus. . . made a little brisk noise for the present , and with the sparkles perhaps annoied their neighbors , but what real good has it brought to themselves ? all that they can fancy is but the repute of wit. but sure that might be attainable some other way . we find the world affected to new things , and this of derision and abuse to others is so beaten a road , that perhaps the very variety of a new way would render it acceptable . they are the lighter substances that still swim away with the stream , the greater and more solid bodies do somtimes stop the current : and sure 't were a noble essay of mans parts to stem this tide , and by a more useful application of their own faculties , convince others that theirs might be better emploied . t is said of anacharsis , that at a feast he could not be got to smile at the affected railleries of common jesters , but when an ape was brought in he freely laught , saying , an ape was ridiculous by nature , but men by art and study . and truly t is a great contemt of human nature to think their intellects were given them for no better end then to raise that laughter , which a brute can do as well or better . . i would not be thought to recommend such a stoical sourness , as shall admit of nothing of the cheerful pleasant part of conversation . god has not sure bin more rigid to our minds then to our bodies : and as he has not so devoted the one to toil , but that he allows us some time to exercise them in recreation as well as labors , so doubtless he indulges the same relaxation to our minds ; which are not alwaies to be scrued up to the height , but allowed to descend to those easinesses of converse , which entertain the lower faculties of the soul. nor do i think those are ill emploied in those little skirmishes of wit , which pass familiarly between intimates and acquaintances , which besides the present divertisement , serve to whet and quicken the fancy . yet i conceive this liberty is to be bounded with some cautions : as first in these encounters , the charge should be powder , not bullets ; there should nothing be said that should leave any ungrateful impressions , or give any umbrage of a spightful intent . the world wants not experiments of the mischiefs have happened by too severe railleries : in such fencing , jest has proved earnest , and florets have oft turn'd to swords , and not only the friendship , but the men have fallen a sacrifice to a jest. . secondly this is to have the same restriction with all other recreations , that it be made a divertisement , not a trade . t is an insinuating thing , and is apt to encroch too much upon our time , and god knows we have a great deal of business of this world , and much more for the next , which will not be don with laughing , and therefore t is not for us to play away too much of that time , which is exacted by more serious concerns . t is sure we shall die in earnest , and it will not become us to live altogether in jest. but besides this stealth of our time , t is apt to steal away mens hearts too , make them so dote upon this kind of entertainment , that it averts them from any thing more serious . i believe i may appeal to some who have made this their business , whether it go not against the hair with them to set to any thing else : and having espoused this as their one excellence , they are willing to decry all others , that they may the more value themselves upon this . by this means it is , that the gift of raillery has in this age , like the lean kine , devoured all the more solid worthy qualifications ; and is counted the most reputable accomplishment . a strange inverted estimate , thus to prefer the little ebullitions of wit , before solid reason and judgment . if they would accommodate their diet at the same rate , they shall eat the husk rather then the kernel , and drink nothing but froth and bubbles . but after all , wisdom is commonly at long running justified even of her despisers ; these great idolaters of wit often dashing themselves upon such rocks , as make them too late wish , their sails had bin less , and their ballast more . for the preventing therefore of more such wracks , i wish the present caution may be more adverted to , not to bestow an unproportionable part of our time or value on this slight exercise of mans slightest faculty . . a third caution in this matter , is to confine our selves to present company , not to make absent persons the subject of our mirth . those freedoms we use to a mans face as they are commonly more moderate , so they are more equitable , because we expose our selves to the like from him ; but the back blows are disingenuous , and give suspicion we intend not a fair trial of wit , but a cowardly murder of a mans fame . t was the precept of the philosopher , deride not the absent , and i think it may well be so of the politician : there being nothing more imprudent as to our civil concerns then the contrary liberty . for those things never die in the company they are first vented in ( nay perhaps the hearer is not willing his wit should so soon expire ; ) and when they once take air , they quickly come to the notice of the derided person , and then nothing in the world is more disobliging . t was a sober precept given one , not so much as to laugh in compliance with him that derides another , for you will be hated by him he derides . and if an accessary be hated , sure much more the principal : and i think i may say , there are many can sooner forgive a solemn deep contrivance against them , then one of their jocular reproches : for he that designs seems to acknowledg them considerable , but he that mocks them , seems to think them too low for any thing but contemt : and we learn from aristotle , that the mesure of anger is entirely taken thence ; men being so far provoked , as they imagine they were slighted or affronted . in mere secular wisdom it will therefore become men to consider , whether this trade be like to turn to account , or whethere it be worth the while , at once to make a jest and an enemy . . and if it be imprudent to make man our enemy , t is much more to make god so , by levelling our blowes at any thing sacred : but of that i have already had occasion to speak , and shall not repete ; only give me leave to say , that besides the profaner sort of jests , which more immediately reflect on him , he is concern'd in all the unjust reproches of our brethren , our love to them being confirm'd by the same divine sanction with our reverence to him : and sure nothing is more inconsistent with that love , then the exposing them to that contemt we are our selves so impatient of . in a word what repute soever this practice now has of wit , it is very far from wisdom to provoke god that we may also disoblige man : and if we will take the scripture estimate , we shall find a scorne is no such honorable epithet as we seem to account it . solomon do's almost constantly set it in opposition to a wise man : thus it is , prov. . . and again , chap. . . and many other places ; and on the other side , closely links it with the fool : and that not only in title , but in punishment too , judgments are prepared for scorners , and stripes for the back of fools , prov. . . so that if our wits think not solomon too dull for their cabal , we see what a turn he will give to their present verdict . . and if these reproches which aim only at ostentation of wit , be so unjustifiable , what shall we say to those , that are drawn with blacker lines , that are founded in malice or envy , or some undermining design ? every man that is to be supplanted , cannot alwaies be attaqued with a down-right battery : perhaps his integrity may be such , that , as 't was said of daniel , chap. . . they can find no occasion against him : and when they cannot shake the main fort , they must try if they can possess themselves of the out-works , raise some prejudice against his discretion , his humor , his carriage , and his most extrinsic adherents , and if by representing him ridiculous in any of these , they can but abate mens reverence to him , their confidence of him will not long hold out ; bare honesty without some other adornment , being lookt on as a leaf-less tree , no body will trust himself to its shelter . thus the enemies of socrates , when they could no other way suppress his reputation , hired aristophanes a comic poet to personate him on the stage , and by the insinuations of those interludes , insensibly conveied first a contemt , and then a hatred of him into the hearts of the people . but i need not bring instances of former times in this matter , these being sufficiently verst in that mystery . . it is not strange that men of such designs , should summon all their wit to the service , make their railleries as picquant as they can , that they may wound the deeper : but methinks 't is but a mean office they assign their wit , to be ( i will not say the pander , that being in this age scarce a title of reproch , but ) the executioner or hangman to their malice . christ bids us be wise as serpents , yet adds withall harmless as doves ; mat. . . but here the serpent has quite eat up the dove , and puts a vultur in the place , a creature of such sagacity and diligence in pursuit of the prey , that 't is hard for any art or innocence to escape its talons . . there is yet another sort of contumelious persons , who indeed are not chargeable with that circumstance , of ill employing their wit , for they use none in it . these are people whose sole talent is pride and scorn ; who perhaps have attained the sciences of dressing themselves finely , and eating well , and upon the strength of those excellences , look fastidiously , and speak disdainfully on any that want them ; concluding if a man fall short of their garniture at the knees and elbowes , he is much inferior to them in the furniture of his head. such people think crying , o ridiculous ! is an ample confutation of any thing can be said ; and so they can but despise enough , are contented not to be able to say why they do so . these are , i confess , the most innocent kind of deriders in respect of others , what they say having not edg enough to cause any smart . the greatest hurt they do is to themselves , who tho they much need , yet are generally little capable of a rescue , and therefore i shall not clog the present discourse with any advise to them : i shall chuse rather to conclude with enforcing my suit to the former , that they would soberly and sadly weigh the account they must one day give of the emploiment of their parts , and the more they have hitherto embeazled them , the more to endeavor to expiate that unthriftiness , by a more careful managery for the future ; that so instead of that vain , emty , vanishing mirth they have courted here , they may find a real , full , and eternal satisfaction in the joy of their lord. sect . viii . of flattery . . the last of verbal injuries to our neighbor which i shall mention , is flattery . this is indeed the fatallest wound of the tongue , carries least smart , but infinitly more of danger , and is as much superior to the former , as a gangrene is to a gall or scratch ; this may be sore and vexing , but that stupifying and deadly . flattery is such a mystery , such a riddle of iniquity , that its very softnesses are its cruellest rigors , its balm corrodes , and ( to comprize all in the psalmists excellent description ) its words are smoother then oil , and yet be they very swords , psalm . . . . but besides the mischiefs of it to the patient , 't is the most dishonoring , the most vilifying thing to the agent . i shall not need to empannel a jury either of moralists or divines , every mans own breast sufficiently instructing him in the unworthiness of it . t is indeed a collective accumulative baseness , it being in its element a compound and complex of the most sordid , hateful qualities incident to mankind . i shall instance in three , viz. lying , servility , and trechery , which being detestably deform'd single , must in conjunction make up a loathsom monstrous guilt . now tho flattery has two branches , yet these lie so at the root as equally to influence both : for whether you take it as it is the giving of praise where it is not due , or the professing of kindness which is not real , these properties are still its constitutive parts . . and first we may take lying to be the very corner stone of the fabric ; for take it away , and the whole falls to the ground . a parasite would make but a lean trade of it , that should confine himself to truth . for tho t is possible so to order the manner and circumstances , as to flatter even in the representing a mans real vertues to him , yet commonly if they do not falsify as to the kind , they are forc'd to do it as to the degree . besides as there are but few such subjects of flattery , so neither are men of that worth so receptive of it . such sort of addresses are less dangerous to those who have the perspicacity to see thro them : so that these merchants are under a a necessity of dealing with the more ignorant chapmen , and with them their counterfeit wares will go off best . it is indeed strange to consider , with what gross impudent falshoods men of this trade will court their patrons . how many in former ages have not only amass'd together all sublunary excellences , but have even ransacked heaven to supply their flattery , deified their princes , and perswaded them they were gods , who at last found they were to die like men ? and tho this strein be now out-dated , yet perhaps t is not that the vice is grown more modest , but that atheism has rob'd it of that topic . those that believe no god , would rather seem to annihilate then magnify the person to whom they should apply the title . but i do not find that the practice has any other bounds . a great mans vices shall still be called vertues ; his deformities , beauties ; and his most absurd follies , the height of ingenuity . such a subtil alchymist is this parasite , that he turns all he touches into gold , imaginary indeed as to the deluded person , but oft-times real to himself . nor is lying less natural to the other part of flattery , the profession of service and kindness . this needs no evidencing , and to attemt it would be a self-confutation : for if those professions be true , they are not flattery , therefore if they be flattery , they must needs be lies . it will be almost as needless to expatiate on the baseness and meaness of that sin ; for tho there is no subject that affords more matter for declamation , yet lying is a thing that is ashamed of it self , and therefore may well be remitted to its own convictions . t is aristotles observation , that all elements but the earth , had some philosopher or other , that gave it his vote to be the first productive principle of all things : and i think we may now say , that all crimes have had their abettors and fautors , some body that would stand up in their defence ; only lying is so much the dregs and refuse of wickedness , that none has yet had chymistry enough to sublimate it , to bring it into such a reputation , that any man will think fit to own it : the greater wonder that what is under so universal a reproch , should be so commonly admitted in practice . but by this we may make an estimate , what the whole body of flattery is , when in one limb of it we find so much corruption . . a second is servility and abjectness of humor : and of this there needs no other proof then has bin already given ; this charge being implicitly involv'd in the former of lying , the condescending to that , being a mark of a disingenuous spirit . and accordingly the nobler heathens lookt on it as the vice of slaves and vassals , below the liberty of a free man , as well as an honest . but tho i need no other evidence to make good the accusation , yet every sycophant furnishes me with many supernumerary proofs . look upon such a one , and you shall see his eies immoveably fixt on his patrons face , watching each look , each glance , and in every change of his countenance ( like a star-gazer ) reading his own destiny , his ears chain'd ( like gally-slaves at the oar ) to his dictate , sucking in the most insipid discourses with as much greediness , as if they were the apothegms of the seven sages , his tongue tuned only to panegyrics and acclamations , his feet in winged motion upon every nod or other signification of his plesure : in a word , his whole body ( as if it had no other animal spirits then what it derived from him ) varies its postures , its exercises , as he finds agreeable to the humor he is to serve . and can humanity contrive to debase it self more ? yes it can , and do's to often , by enslaving its diviner part to , taking up not only opinions , but even crimes also in compliance , playing the incarnate devil , and helping to act those villanies which satan can only suggest : and if this be not a state of abject slavery , sure there is none in the world . plutarch tells us , that philoxenus for despising some dull poetry of dionysius , was by him condemed to dig in the quarries : from whence being by the mediation of friends remanded , at his return dionysius produced some other of his verses , which as soon as philoxenus had heard , he made no reply , but calling to the waiters , said , let them carry me again to the quarries . and if a heathen poet could prefer a corporeal slavery before a mental , what name of reproch is low enough for those , who can submit to both , in pursuit of those poor sordid advantages they project by their flatteries ? nor is this baseness more observable in these mean fawnings and observances , then it is in the protestations of kindness and friendship . love is the greatest gift any man has to bestow , and friendship the sacredest of all moral bonds , and to prostitute these to little pitiful designs , is sure one of the basest cheats we can put upon our common nature , in thus debasing her purest and most current coin , which by these frequent adulterations is become so suspected , that scarce any man knows what he receives . but christian charity is yet worse used in the case : for that obliging to all sincerity , is hereby induced to give gold for dross , exhibite that love indeed , and in truth , which is returned only in word and in tongue , joh. . . and so it do's in those who observe its rules : but in those who own , yet observe them not , 't is yet a greater sufferer , by laboring under the scandal of all their dissimulations . it was once the character given christians , even by their enemies , behold how they love one another : but god knows we may now be pointed out by a very differing mark , behold how they deceive and delude one another . and sure this violation we herein offer to our religion , do's not allay but aggravate the baseness of this practice : for if in the other we sell our selves , in this we sell our god too , sacrifice our interest in him to get a surreptitious title to the favor of a man. and this i conceive do's in the second place not much commend the art of flattery , which is built up of so vile materials . . and to compleat this infamous composition , in the third place trechery comes in ; a crime of so odious a kind , that to name it is to implead it : yet how intrinsic a part this is of flattery , will need no great skill to evidence , daily experience sufficiently doing it . t is a common observation of flatterers , that they are like the heliotrope , open only towards the sun , but shut and contract themselves at night , and in cloudy weather . let the object of their adoration be but eclipsed , they can see none of those excellences which before dazled their eies : and however inconstant they may seem in it to others , they are indeed very constant to themselves , true to their fixt principle , of courting the greatness , not the man ; in pursuit whereof their old idol is often made a sacrifice to their new : all malicious discovery is made of their falling friend , to buy an interest in the rising one . of this there are such crouds of examples in story , that it would be impertinent to single out any , especially in an age that is fitter to furnish presidents for the future , then to borrow of the past-times . but supposing the parasite not actually guilty of this base revolt ( which yet he seldom fails to be upon occasion ) yet is he no less trecherous even in the height of his blandishments ; and while he most courts a man , he do's the most ruinously undermine him . for first he abuses him in his understanding , precludes him from that which wise men have judged the most essential part of learning , the knowledg of himself , from which 't is the main business of the flatterer to divert him . and to this abuse there is another inevitably consequent : for this ignorance of his faults or follies , necessarily condemns him to the continuing in them , it being impossible for him to think of correcting either the one or the other , who is made believe he has neither . this is like the trechery of a bribed officer in a garrison , who will not let the weak parts be fortified , and laies the man as open to assaults as that doth the town . yet this is not all , he do's not only provide for the continuance , but the improving of his crimes and errors , which alas are too prolific of themselves , but being cultivated and manured with perpetual soothings and encouragements , grow immesurably luxuriant . and accordingly we see that men used only to applauses , are so swell'd with them , that their insolences are intolerable . and this they are somtimes taught to their cost , when they happen among free-men , who will not submit to all they say , nor commend all they do . and finding these uneasy contradictions when they come abroad , they are willing to retire to their most complaisant company : and so this sycophant devil having once got them within his circle , may enchant them as he pleases , lead them from one wickedness to another , and as caligula and other voluptuous emperors , by being adored as gods , sunk in their sensuality below the nature of man , so these celebrated persons are by that false veneration animated to all those reprochful practices , which may expose them to a real contemt ; their follies , as well as their vices still get head , till they answer the description the wise man gives of the old giants , who fell away in the strength of their foolishness . ecclus. . . . and sure he that betraies a man to all these mischiefs , may well be thought perfidious . but that which infinitly amplifies and enhances the trechery is , that all this is acted under the notion and disguise of a friend ; a relation so venerable , that methinks t is the nearest secular transcript of the treason , which is storied of those who have administred poison in the eucharist . the name of a friend is such an endearment , as nothing human can equal . all other natural or civil ties take their greatest force from this . what signifies an unfriendly parent , or brother , or wife ? t is friendship only that is the cement which really and effectively combines mankind : and therefore we may observe , that god reckoning up other relations , illustrates them by several notes of endearment , but when he comes to that of friendship , t is the friend who is as thine own soul , deut. . . nothing below the highest instance was thought expressive enough of that union . what a legion of fiends then possesseth men that can break these chains mat. . . nay that can hammer and forge those very chains into daggers and stillettoes , and make their friendship an engine of ruine ? this is certainly the blackest color wherein we can view a parasite , his false light makes the shadow the more dismal . as the ape has a peculiar deformity above other brutes by that aukward and ungraceful resemblance he has to a man , so sure a flatterer is infinitely the more hateful for being the ugly counterfeit of a friend . and as this trechery lies at the bottom of the panegyrics , so also do's it of all the caresses and exuberant kindness of a flatterer , which if they aimed not at any particular end of circumvention , must yet in the general be trecherous by being false . a man looks on the love of his friend as one of the richest possessions ( upon which account the philosopher thought friends were to be inventoried as well as goods . ) what a defeat and discomfiture is it to a man when he comes to use this wealth , to find it all false metal , such as will not answer any of those purposes for which he depended on it . there cannot sure be a greater trechery , then first to raise a confidence and then deceive it . but besides this fundamental falseness , there are also many incidental trecheries , which fall in upon occasion of particular designs . a pretence of kindness is the universal stale to all base projects : by this men are rob'd of their fortunes , and women of their honor : in a word all the wolfish designs walk under this sheeps clothing ; and as the world goes , men have more need to beware of those who call themselves friends , then those who own themselves enemies . . these are the lineaments of this vice of flattery , which sure do together make up a face of most extreme deformity . i might upon a true account add another , and charge it with folly too . i am sure according to the divine estimate it is alwaies so : and truly it do's not seldom prove so in the secular also . men of this art do somtimes drop their vizard before they have got the prize , and then there is nothing in the world that appears to contemtible , so silly ; a barefaced flatterer being every bodies scorn . the short is , wherever this game is plaied there is alwaies a fool in the case : if the parasite be detected , it falls to his share : if he be not , to his whom he deludes . but at the best t is but subtilty and cunning he can boast of ; and if he can in his own fancy raise that to the opinion of true wisdom , t is a sign he is come round to practice his deceits upon him self , and is as much his own flatterer as he has bin others . . and now i know not whether it be more shame or wonder , to see that men can so put off ingenuity , and the native greatness of their kind , as to descend to so base , so ignoble a vice : yet alas we daily see it don , and that not only by the scum and refuse of the people , such as job speaks of , who are viler then the earth , cap. . . but by persons of all conditions . flattery like a spring forc'd upwards ascends , as cares are by the wise man said to descend , ecclus. . . from him that weareth a linen frock to him that weareth a crown : all intermedial degrees are but like pipes , which as they suck from below , so transmit it still upwards . there are few so low but find some body to cajole and flatter them . some interest or other may somtimes be to be served even upon the meanest ; and those that find themselves thus solicited for benefits , are easily taught by it how to address to their immediate superiors , from whom they expect greater : and as 't is thus handed from one rank to another , the art still is more subtilized and refined ( god help poor princes the while , who commonly meet with the elixir , and quintessence of this venem : ) and thus it passes thro all states and conditions : as they are passive on the one side , and are flattered by some , so they are active on the other , and flatter others . . i say all conditions , i do not say all persons in those conditions , for no truly generous soul can stoop so low : but t is too evident to what a low ebb generosity as well as christianity is grown , by the numbers of those who thus degrade themselves , every little petty interest being thought worth these base submissions . and truly it is hard to find , by what topic of perswasion to assault such men . the meanness , or the sin will scarce be disswasives to those who have reconciled themselves to both : if any thing can be pertinently said to them , it must be upon the score of interest , for that being their grand principle , they can with no pretence disclame the inferences drawn thence . . let them therefore duly ballance the advantages they project from this practice with the mischiefs and dangers of it . what they expect is commonly either honor or wealth , these they hope may be acquired by their prostrations to those , who can dispense or procure them . t is true , as honor signifies greatness and power , it is somtimes attain'd by it , but then as it signifies reputation and esteem , 't is as sure to be lost . he that thus ascends , may be lookt on with fear , but never with reverence . now i think t is no good bargain to exchange this second notion of honor for the first : for besides the difference in the intrinsic value , t is to be consider'd how tottering a pinacle unmerited greatness is . he that rais'd him to satisfy his humor at one time , can ( with more ease and equal justice ) throw him down at another : and when such a man do's fall , he falls as without pity , so without remedy , has no foundation on which to rebuild his fortune . his sycophanting arts being detected , that game is not to be plaid the second time : whereas a man of a clear reputation , tho his barque be split , yet he saves his cargo , has something left towards setting up again , and so is in capacity of receiving benefit not only from his own industry , but the friendship of others . a sound piece of timber , if it be not thought fit for one use , yet will be laid by for another : and an honest man will probably at one time or other be thought good for something . . as for the other aim , that of wealth , 't is very possible that may somtimes be compassed ; and well it may , the flatterer having several springs to feed it by . for he that has a great patron , has the advantage of his countenance and autority , he has that of his bounty and liberality , and he has another ( somtimes greater then both ) that of his negligence and deceivableness . but yet all these acquisitions are many times like fairy mony , what is brought one night is taken away the next . men of this mold seldom know how to bear prosperity temperately , and it is no new thing to see a privado carry it so high , as to awaken the jealousy of his promoter , which being assisted by the busy industry of those who envy his fortune , t will be easy enough to find some flaw in the gettings , by which to unravel the whole web : an event that has bin oft experimented not only in the private managery of families , but in the most public administrations . and these are such hazards , that laid all together would much recommend to any the moral of horaces fable , and make one chuse the country mouses plain fare and safety , rather then the delicacies of the city with so much danger . this then is the state of the prosperous parasite . but alas how many are there who never arrive to this , but are kickt down ere they have climb'd the two or three first rounds of the ladder , whose designs are so humble , as not to aspire above a major-domo , or some such domestic preferment ( for , in this trade there are adventures of all sizes . ) but upon all these considerations , methinks it appears no very inviting one to any . at the long run an honest freedom of speech will more recommend a man , then all these sneaking flatteries : we have a very wise mans word for it , he that rebuketh a man , afterwards shall find more favor , then he that flattereth with his lips , prov. . . . but after all that hath or can be said , the suppression of flattery will most depend upon those persons to whom it is addrest : if it be not repuls'd there , nothing else will discourage it ; and if it be , 't is crusht in the egg , and can produce no viper . these vulturs prey only on carcasses , on such stupid minds , as have not life and vigor enough to fray them away . let but persons of quality entertain such customers with a severe brow , with some smart expression of dislike , those leeches will immediatly fall off . in sparta when all laws against theft prov'd ineffectual , at last they fixt the penalty on them that were robb'd , and by that did the business : and in the present case , if 't were made as infamous to be flatter'd as 't is to flatter , i believe it might have the like effect . indeed there is pretence enough to make it so : for first as to wit , the advantage is clear on the flatterers side : he must be allowed to have more of that ( which in this age is more then a counterpoise to honesty ; and as for vertue , the balance ( as to the principal motive ) seems to hang pretty even : t is the vice of avarice that temts the one to flatter , and the vice of pride that makes it acceptable to the other . the truth is , there is the bottom of the matter : t is that secret confederate within , that exposes men to those assaults from without . we have generally such an appetite to praise , that we greedily suck in without staying to examine whether it belong to us or no , or whether it be design'd as a kindness or an abuse . other injuries rush upon us with violence , and give us notice of their approch : they may be said to come like water into our bowels ; but this like oil into our bones , ps. . . penetrates easily , undiscernibly , by help of that native propension we have to receive it . t is therefore the near concern of all , especially of those whose quality most exposes them , to keep a guard upon that trecherous immate , not to let that step into the scale to make a base sycophant out-weigh a true friend . and when ever they are attacqued with extravagant encomiums , let them fortify themselves with this dilemma , either they have those excellences they are praised for , or they have not : if they have not , t is an apparent cheat and gull , and he is of a pitiful forlorn understanding that delights to be fool'd ; but if they have , they are too good to be exposed to such worms who will instantly wither the fairest gourd , john. . . for as it is said of the grand signior , that no grass growes where his horse once treads : so we may say of the flatterer , no vertue ever prospers where he is admitted : if he find any he hugs it till he stifles it , if he find none , he so indisposes the soil , that no future seeds can ever take root . in fine , he is a mischief beyond the description of any character . o let not men then act this part to themselves by being their own parasites ! and then t will be an easy thing to escape all others . sect . ix . of boasting . . we have now seen some effects of an ungovern'd tongue , as they relate to god and our neighbor . there is yet a third sort which reflect upon a mans self . so unboundedly mischievous is that petulant member , that heaven and earth are not wide enough for its range , but it will find work at home too ; and like the viper , that after it had devoured its companions , prei'd upon its self , so it corrodes inward , and becomes as fatal to its owner , as to all the world besides . . of this there are as many instances , as there are imprudent things said , for all such have the worst reflection upon the speaker : and therefore all that have given rules for civil life , have in order to it put very severe restraints upon the tongue , that it run not before the judgment . t was the advice of zeno to dip the tongue in the mind before one should permit it to speak . theophrastus used to say , it was safer trusting to an unbridled , horse , then to intemperate speech . and daily experience confirms the aphorism ; for those that set no guard upon their tongues , are hurried by them into a thousand indecences , and very often into real considerable mischiefs . by this means men have proved their own delators , discovered their own most important secrets : and whereas their heart should have kept a lock upon their tongues , they have given their tongue the key of their heart , and the event has bin oft as unhappy as the proceeding was preposterous . there are indeed so many waies for men to lose themselves in their talk , that i should do the like if i should pretend to trace them . besides my subject leads me not to discourse ethically , but christianly of the faults of the tongue , and therefore i have all along considered the one no farther then it happens to be twisted with the other . . in the present case i shall insist only upon one fault of the tongue , which partakes of both kinds , and it is at once a vice and a folly , i mean that of boasting and vaunting a mans self : a strain to which some mens tongues have a wonderful glibness . no discourse can be administred , but they will try to turn the tide , and draw it all into their own chanel , by entertaining you with long stories of themselves : or if there be no room for that , they will at least screw in here and there some intimations of what they did or said . yea so stupid a vanity is this , that it works alike upon all materials : not only their greater and more illustrious acts or sentences , but even their most slight and trivial occurrences , by being theirs , they think acquire a considerableness , and are forcibly imposed upon the company ; the very dreams of such people strait commence prophesy , and are as seriously related , as if they were undoubted revelations . and sure if we reflect upon our saviors rule , that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh , we cannot but think these men are very full of themselves ; and to be so , is but another phrase for being very proud . so t is pride in the heart , which is the spring that feeds this perpetual current at the mouth , and under that notion we are to consider it . . and truly there is nothing can render it more infamous , pride being a vice that of all others is the most branded in scripture as most detestable to god , and is signalized by the punishment to be so . this turned lucifer out of heaven , nebuchadnezzar out of his throne , nay out of human society . and indeed it seems still to have somthing of the same effect , nothing rendring a man so inconsiderable ; for it sets him above the meaner sort of company , and makes him intolerable to the better , and to complete the parallel , he seldom comes to know himself till he be turn'd a grazing , be reduced to some extremities . . but this boasting arrogant humor , tho alwaies bad , yet is more or less so according to the subject on which it works . if it be only on natural excellences , as beauty , wit ; or accidental acquisitions , as honor , wealth , or the like , yet even here t is not only a theft , but a sacriledg ; the glory of those being due only to the donor , not to the receiver , there being not so much as any predisposition in the subject to determine gods bounty . he could have made the most deformed beggar as handsom and as rich , as those who most pride themselves in their wealth and beauty . no man fancies himself to be his own creator , and tho some have assumed to be the architects of their own fortunes , yet the frequent defeats of mens industry and contrivance , do sufficiently confute that bold pretence , and evince , that there is somthing above them , which can either blast or prosper their attemts . what an invasion then is it of gods right , to ingross the honor of those things being don , which were not at all in their power to do ? and sure the folly is as great in respect of men , as the sin is towards god. this boasting like a heavy nurse , over-laies the child : the vanity of that quite drowns the notice of the things in which t is founded ; and men are not so apt to say , such a man is handsom , wise , or great , as that he is proud upon the fancy of being so . in a word , he that celebrates his own excellences , must be content with his own applauses , for he will get none of others , unless it be from those fawning sycophants , whose praises are worse then bitterest detraction . . and yet so sottish a vice is pride , that it can make even those insidious flatteries matter of boast , which is a much more irrational object of it then the former . how eagerly do some men propagate every little encomium their parasites make of them ? with what gust and sensuality will they tell how such a jest of theirs took , or such a magnificence was admired ? t is plesant to see what little arts and dexterities they have to wind in such things into discourse : when alas it amounts to no more then this , that some have thought them fools enough to be flatter'd , and t is odds but the hearers will think them enough so to be laught at . . but there is yet another subject of boasting more foolish , and more criminal too then either of the former , and that is when men vaunt of their piety , which if it were true , were yet less owing to themselves then any natural endowment . for tho we do not at all assist towards them , yet do we neither obstruct ; but in the operations of grace t is otherwise ; we have there a principle of opposition , and god never makes us his own till he subdue that : and tho he do it not by an irresistible force , but by such sweet and gentle insinuations , that we are somtimes captivated ere we are aware : yet that do's not impeach his right of conquest , but only shews him the more gracious conqueror . t is true in respect of the event we have great cause of exultance and joy , gods service being the most perfect freedom ; yet in regard of the efficiency , we have as little matter of boast , as the surprized city has in the triumphs of its victor . . but secondly either this vaunted piety is not real , and then t is good for nothing , or else by being vaunted becomes so . if it be not real , t is then the superadding hypocrisy to the former sacriledg , an attemt at once to rob god and cheat men , and in the event usually renders them hateful to both ; to god ( who cannot be mocked ) it do's so at the instant , and seldom misses to do so at last to men . an hypocrite has a long part to act , and if his memory fail him but in any one scene , his play is spoiled : so that his hazards are so great , that t is as little prudent as t is honest to set up the trade , especially in an age when piety it self is at so low a price , that its counterfeit cannot pass for much . but if the piety be indeed true , the boasting it blasts it , makes it utterly insignificant . this we are told by christ himself , who assures us that even the most christian actions of praier , almes , and fasting , must expect no other reward ( when boasted ) then the sought-for applause of men . mat. . when a man shall make his own tongue the trumpet of his alms , or the echo of his praiers , he carves , or rather snatches his own reward , and must not look god should heap more upon him : the recompence of his pride he may indeed look for from him , but that of his vertue he has forestall'd . in short , piety is like those lamps of old , which maintain'd their light some ages under ground , but as soon as they took air expired . and surely there cannot be a more deplorable folly , then thus to lose a rich jewel , only for the pitiful plesure of shewing it : it s the humor of children and idiots , who must be handling their birds till they fly away , and it ranks us with them in point of discretion , tho not of innocence . . from the view of these particulars we may in the gross conclude that this ostentation is a most foolish sin , such as never brought in advantage to any man. there is no vice so undermines it self as this do's : t is glory it seeks , and instead of gaining that , it loses common ordinary estimation . every body that sees a bladder puft up , knows t is but wind that so swells it : and there is no surer argument of a light frothy brain then this bubbling at the mouth . indeed there is nothing renders any man so contemtible , so utterly useless to the world : it excludes him almost from all commerce , makes him uncapable of receiving or doing a benefit . no man will do him a good turn , because he fore-sees he will arrogate it to himself , as the effect of his merit : and none ( that are not in some great exigence ) will receive one from him , as knowing it shall be not only proclamed , but magnified much above the true worth . there seems to be but one purpose for which he serves , and that is to be sport for his company : and that he seldom fails to be , for in these gamesome daies men will not lose such an opportunity of divertisement , and therefore will purposely give him hints , which may put him upon his rhodomontades . i do not speak this by way of encouragement to them , but only to shew these vaporers , to what scorn they expose themselves , and what advantage they give to any that have a mind to abuse them : for they need not be at any pains for it , they do but swim with their stream ; an approving nod or smile serves to drive on the design , and make them display themselves more disadvantagiously , more ridiculously , then the most satyrical character could possibly do . . but besides these sportive projects , such a man laies himself open to more dangerous circumventions . he that shews himself so enamour'd of praise , that ( narcissus like ) dotes on his own reflections , is a fit prey for flatterers , and such a carcase will never want those eagles : when his weak part is once discern'd ( as it must soon be when himself publishes it ) he shall quickly be surrounded with assailants . the last section has shewed the misery of a man so besieged , therefore i shall not enlarge on it here , this mention being only intended to evince how apt this vain glorious humor is to betray men to it . . these are competent specimens of the folly of this vice : but it has yet a farther aggravation , that it precludes all means of growing wiser . t is solomons assertion , seest thou a man wise in his own conceit ? there is more hope of a fool then of him , prov. . . and the reason is evident , for he discards the two grand instruments of instruction , admonition and observation . the former he thinks superseded by his own perfections , and therefore when any such friendly office is attemted towards him , he imputes it either to envy , and a desire to eclipse his lustre by finding some spot , or else to ignorance and incapacity of estimating his worth : the one he entertains with indignation , the other with disdainful pity . as for observation , he so circumscribes it within himself , that it can never fetch in any thing from without . reading of men has bin by some thought the most facile and expedite method for acquiring knowledg ; and sure for some kinds of knowledg it is : but then a man must not only read one author , much less the one worst he can pick out for himself . t is an old true saying , he that is his own pupil shall have a fool for his tutor : and truly he that studies only himself , will be like to make but a sorry progress . yet this is the case of arrogant men : they lose all the benefit of conversation , and when they should be enriching their minds with foreign tresure , they are only counting over their own store . instead of adverting to those sober discourses which they hear from others , they are perhaps watching to interrupt them by some pompous story of themselves , or at least in the abundance of their self-sufficiency , think they can say much better things , magisterially obtrude their own notions , and fall a teaching when t is fitter they should learn : and sure to be thus forward to lay out , and take no care to bring in , must needs end in a bunkrupt state . t is true i confess the study of a mans-self is ( rightly taken ) the most useful part of learning , but then it must be such a study as brings him to know himself , which none do so little as these men , who in this are like those silly women the apostle describes , tim. . . who are ever learning yet never attain . and 't is no wonder , for they begin at the wrong end , make no inquiry into their faults or defects , but fix their contemplation only on their more splendid qualities , with which they are so dazled , that when you bring them to the darker parts of themselves , it fares with them as with those that come newly from gazing on the sun , they can see nothing . . and now having dissected this swelling vice , and seen what it is that feeds the tumor , the cure suggests it self . if the disease be founded in pride , the abating that is the most natural and proper remedy : and truly one would think that mere weighing of the foregoing considerations , might prove sufficient allaies to it . yet because where humors are turgent , t is necessary not only to purge them , but also to strengthen the infested parts , i shall adventure to give some few advices by way of fortification and antidote . . in the first place , that of the apostle offers it self to my hand , look not every man on his own things , but every man also on the things of others . phil. . . a counsel which in a distorted sense seems to be too much practiced . we are apt to apply it to worldly advantages , and in that notion not to look on our own things with thankfulness , but on other mens with envy . we apply it also to errors and sins , and look not on our own to correct and reform , but on others to despise and censure . let us at last take it in the genuine sense , and not look on our own excellencies , but those of others . we see in all things how desuetude do's contract and narrow our faculties , so that we can apprehend only those things wherein we are conversant . the droiling pesant scarce thinks there is any world beyond his own village , or the neighboring markets , nor any gaity beyond that of a wake or morrice ; and men who are accustom'd only to the admiration of themselves , think there is nothing beside them worthy of regard . the unbred minds must be a little sent abroad , made acquainted with those excellencies which god has bestowed on other men , and then they will not think themselves like gideons fleece to have suckt up all the dew of heaven : nay perhaps , they may find they rather answer the other part of the miracle ; and are drier then their neighbors . let them therefore put themselves in this course , observe diligently all the good that is visible in other men : and when they find themselves mounting into their altitudes , let them clog their wings with the remembrance of those who have out-soar'd them , not in vain opinion , but in true worth . t is nothing but the fancy of singularity that puffs us up to breath , to walk , to hear , to see , are excellent powers , yet no body is proud of them , because they are common to the whole kind : and therefore if we would observe the great number of those that equal , or exceed us , even in the more appropriate endowments , we should not put so excessive a price upon our selves . . secondly if we will needs be reflecting upon our selves , let us do it more ingenuously , more equally : let us take a true survey , and observe as well the barren as the fertil part of the soil : and if this were don , many mens value would be much short of what they are willing to suppose it . did we but compare our crop of weeds and nettles , with that of our corn , we must either think our ground is poor , or our selves very ill husbands . when therefore the recollection of either real or fancied worth begins to make us aëry , let us condense again by the remembrance of our sins and folly : t is the only possible service they can do us , and considering how dear they are to cost us , we had not need lose this one accidental advantage . in this sense satan may cast out satan , our vilest guilts help to eject our pride ; and did we well manage this one stratagem against him , 't would give us more cause of triumph , then most of those things for which we so spread our plumes : i do not say we should contract new guilts to make us humble , god knows we need not , we have all of us enough of the old stock if we would but thus employ them . . in the last place i should advise those who are apt to talk big things of themselves , to turn into some other road of discourse : for if they are their own theme , their tongues will as naturally turn into eulogies , as a horse do's into that inn to which he is customed . all habits do require some little excess of the contrary to their cure : for we have not so just a scantling of our selves , as to know to a grain what will level the scales , and place us in the right mediocrity . let men therefore that have this infirmity , shun ( as far as prudence and interest permits ) all discourse of themselves , till they can sever it from that unhappy appendage . they will not be at all the less acceptable company , it being generally thought none of the best parts of breeding , to talk much of ones self : for tho it be don so as not to argue pride , yet it do's ignorance of more worthy subjects . . i should here conclude this section , but that there is another sort of vaunting talk , which was not well reducible to any of the former heads , the subject matter being vastly distant : for in those the boasting was founded in some either real or supposed worth , but in this in baseness and villany . there are a generation of men , who have removed all the land-marks which their fathers ( nay even the father of spirits ) have set , reverst the common notions of humanity , and call evil good , and good evil , and those things which a moderate impudence would blush to be surprized in , they not only proclame but boast of , blow the trumpet as much before their crimes , as others before their good deeds . nay so much do they affect this inverted sort of hypocrisy , that they own more wickedness then they act , assume to have made practical the highest speculations of villany , and like the devils knights errant , pretend to those romantic atchievements , which the veriest fiend incarnate could never compass . these are such prodigies , such monsters of villany , that tho they are the objects of grief and wonder , they are not of counsel . men who thus rave , we may conclude their brains are turned , and one may as well read lectures at bedlam as treat with such . yet we know that there sharp corrections recover crazed men to sobriety ; and then their cure lies only in the hand of civil justice : if that would take them at their words , receive their brags as confessions , and punish them accordingly , it may be a little real smart would correct this mad itch , and and teach them not to glory in their shame , phil. . . in the mean time let others who are not ●et arrived to this height , consider betimes , that all indulgent practice of sin is the direct road to it , and according to the degrees of that indulgence , they make more or less hast . he that constantly and habitually indulges , rides upon the spur , and will quickly overtake his leaders . nay if it be but this once vice of vanity , it may finally bring him to their state . he that loves to brag , will scarce find exercise enough for that faculty in his vertues , and therefore may at last be temted to take in his vices also . but that which is more seriously considerable is , that pride is so provoking to almighty god , that it often causes him to withdraw his grace , which is a donative he has promised only to the humble , jam. . . and indeed when we turn that grace into wantonness , as the proud man do's who is pamper'd by it into high conceits of himself , t is not probable god will any longer prostitute his favors to such abuse . the apostle observes it of the gentiles , who had in contradiction of their natural light abandon'd themselves to vile idolatries , that god after gave them up to a reprobate mind and vile aff●ctions ▪ rom. . . but the proud now stifle a much clearer light , and give up themselves to as base an idolatry , the adoration of themselves . and therefore t is but equal to expect god should desert them , and ( as some nations have de●fied their diseases ) permit them to celebrate even their fowlest enormities . the application of all i shall sum up in the words of the apostle , rom. . . take heed also that he spare not thee . sect . x. of querulousness . . to this of boasting may not unfitly be subjoin'd another inordinancy of the tongue , viz. murmuring and complaining . for tho these faults seem to differ as much in their complexions , as sanguine do's from melancholy , yet there is nothing more frequent then to see them united in the same person . nor is this a conjunction of a later date , but is as old as st. j●de's daies , who observe ●hat the murmurers and complainers are the very same with those who speak great swelling words , jude . . nor are we to wonder to find them thus conjoined , if we consider what an original cognation and kindred they have , they being ( however they seem divided ) streams issuing from the same fountain . for the very same pride which promts a man to vaunt and over-value what he is , do's as forcibly incline him to contemn and disvalue what he has ; whilst mesuring his enjoiments by that vast idea he has form'd of himself , 't is impossible but he must think them below him . . this indeed is the true original of those perpetual complainings we hear from all sorts and conditions of men . for let us pass thro all degrees , all ages , we shall rarely find a single person , much less any number of men , exemt from this querulous , this sullen humor : as if that breath of life wherewith god originally inspired us , had bin given us not to magnify his bounty , but to accuse his illiberality , and like the dismaller sort of instruments , could be tuned to no other streins but those of mourning and lamentation . every man contributes his note to this doleful harmony , and after all that god has don to oblige and delight mankind , scarce any man is satisfied enough , i will not say to be thankful , but to be patient . for alas what tragical complaints do men make of their infelicity , when perhaps their prosperity is as much the envious out-cry of others ? every little defeat of a design , of an appetite , every little dis-regard from those above them , or less solemn observance from those below them , makes their heart hot within them , psal. . . and the tongue ( that combustible part ) quickly takes fire and breaks out into extravagant exclamations . it is indeed strange to see how weighty every the trivialliest thing is when a passion is cast into the scale with it , how every the slightest inconvenience or petty want preponderates hundreds of great substantial blessings : when indeed were it in an instance never so considerable , it could be no just counterpoise . yet so closely is this corruption interwoven with our constitution , that it has somtimes prevail'd even upon good men . jacob tho he had twelve sons , yet upon the supposed death of one de●pis'd the comforts of all the rest , and with an obstinate sorrow resolves to go mourning to his grave , gen. . . david after that signal victory which had preserv'd his life , reinstated him in his throne , and restor'd him to the ark and sanctuary , yet suffer'd the loss of his rebellious son , who was the author of his danger , to overwhelm the sense of his deliverance , and instead of hymns and praises , breaks out into ejulations and effeminate wailings , sam. . . . but god knows the most of our complaints cannot pretend to such considerable motives : they are not the bowels of a father , the impresses of nature that excite our repinings , but the impulses of our lusts and inordinate appetites . our discontents are usually such as ahab's for his neighbors vineyard , haman's for mordecai's obeisance , achitophel's for having his counsel rejected . every disappointment of our avarice , ambition , and pride , fill's our heart with bitterness and our mouths with clamors . for if we should examine the numerous complaints which sound in every corner , it would doubtless be found that the greatest part of them have some such original : and that , whether the pretended grievances be public or private . for the first : many a man is a state male-content , merely because he sees another advanced to that honor or wealth which he thinks he has better deserv'd . he is alwaies inveighing against such unequal distributions , where the best services ( such you may be sure his own are ) are the worst rewarded : nor do's he ever cease to predict public ruines , till his private are repared . but as soon as that is don , his augury grows more mild : and as if the estate and he were like hippocrates's twins , his recruites give new vigor to that , and till his next suit is denied , every thing is well administred . so full alas men are of themselves , that t is hard to find any the most splendid pretence which has not somthing of that at the bottom : and would every man ransack his own heart , and resolve not to cast a stone till he had first cleer'd it of all sinister respects , perhaps the number of our complainers would be much abated . . nor is it otherwise in private discontents . men are apt to think themselves ill used by any man who will not serve their interest or their humor , nay somtimes their vices ; and are prone in all companies to arraign such an unpliant person , as if he were an enemy to mankind , because he is not a slave to their will. nay many have quarrel'd even with their dearest friends , because they would not assist them to their own ruine , or have striven to divert them from it : so forcible are our propensions to mutiny , that we equally take occasions from benefits or injuries . . but the highest and most unhappy instance of all is our behavior towards god , whose allotments we dispute with the same or rather greater boldness then we do those of men . what else mean those impatient murmurs at those things which are the immediat issues of his providence ? such are our native blemishes , diseases , death of friends , and the like . nay what indeed are our displesures even at those things which we pretend to fasten upon a second cause ? for those being all under this subordination of the first , cannot move but by its permission . this holy job well discern'd , and therefore do's not indite the chaldeans or sabeans for his plunder , but knowing they were but instruments , he submissly acknowledges , that there was a higher agent in his loss , the lord hath taken away , job . . . when therfore we ravingly execrate the rapine of one man , the deceit of another for our impoverishment , when we angrily charge our defamation on the malice of our maligners , our disappointments on the treachery or negligence of our friends , we do interpretatively conclude either that there is no over-ruling providence which could have restrained those events , or else ( which is equally horrid ) we accuse it as not having don well in permitting them . so that against whomsoever we direct our clamors , their last rebound is against heaven : this querulous humor carrying alwaies an implicite repugnance to gods disposals : but where it is indulged to , it usually is its own expositor , and explicitely avows it , charges god foolishly , and by impious murmurs blasphemes that power which it cannot resist . indeed the progress is very natural for our impatiences at man to swell into mutinies against god : for when the mind is once imbiter'd , it distinguishes not of objects , but indifferently le ts fly its venem . he that frets himself , the prophet tells us , will curse his king , nay his god , isa. . . and he that quarrels at gods distributions , is in the direct road to defie his being . . by this we may estimate the danger of our discontents , which tho at first they are introduced by the inordinate love of our selves , yet are very apt to terminate in hatred and blasphemies against god. he therefore that would secure himself from the highest degree , must watch against the lowest ; as he that would prevent a total inundation , must avert the smallest breach in his banks . not but that even the first beginnings are in themselves well worth our guarding : for abstracting from all the danger of this enormous increase , these murmurings ( like a mortiferous herb ) are poisonous even in their first spring , before they arrive to their full maturity . to be alwaies moralizing the fable of prometheus upon one's self , playing the vultur upon one's own entrails , is no desirable thing , tho we were accountable to none but our selves for it : to dip our tongues in gall , to have nothing in our mouth but the extract , and exhalation of our inward bitterness , is sure no great sensuality . so that did we consult only our own ease , we might from that single topic draw arguments enough against our mutinies . . but besides our duty and ease , our credit and reputation make their plea also . fortitude is one of the noblest of moral vertues , and has the luck to appear considerable even to those who despise all the rest . now one of the most proper and eminent acts of that is , the bearing adverse events with an evenness of temper . this passive valour is as much the mark of a great mind as the active , nay perhaps more , the later being often owing to the animal , this to the rational part of man. and sure we must strangely have corrupted the principles of morality as well as religion , if every turbulent unruly spirit , that fills the world with blood and rapine , shall have his ferity called gallantry ; yet that sober courage , that maintains it self against all the shocks of fortune , that keeps its post in spight of the rudest encounters , shall not be allowed at least as good a name . and then on the contrary we may conclude , that to sink under every cross accident , to be still whining and complaining , crying out upon every touch , is a note of a mean degenerous soul , below the dionity of our reasonable nature . for certainly god never gave us reason for so unkind a purpose , as only to quicken and inhance the resentment of our sufferings , but rather to controle those disorders , which the more tumultuous part of us , our senses , are apt to raise in us : and we are so far men and no farther , as we use it to that end . therefore if the dictates of religion cannot restrain our murmurs , if we are not christians enough to submit to the divine precepts of meekness and acquiescence : yet let us at least keep within these bounds which ingenuous nature has set us , and not by our manly impatiencies enter common with brutes and animals . . nay i may farther add , if neither for gods nor our own sakes , yet for others , for humane society sake , this querulous inclination should be supprest ; there being nothing that renders a man more unplesant , more uneasy company . for ( besides that 't is very apt to vent it self upon those with whom he converses , rendring him capricious and exceptious ; and t is a harsh , a grating sound to hear a man alwaies in the complaining key ) no man would willingly dwell within the noise of shreeks and groans ; and the exclamations of the discontented differ from those only by being more articulate . it is a very unwelcome importunity , to entertain a mans company with remonstrances of his own infelicites and misadventures ; and he that will relate all his grievances to others , will quickly make himself one to them . for tho he that is full of the inward sense of them , thinks it rather an ease then oppression to speak them out , yet the case is far otherwise with his auditors : they are perhaps as much taken up with themselves ; as he is , and as little at leisure to consider his concerns , as he theirs . alas we are not now in those primitive daies , when there was as it were one common sense among christians , when if one member suffer'd , all the members suffer'd with it , cor. . . that charity which gave that sympathetic motion to the whole , is now it self benum'd , flows rarely beyond the narrow compass of our personal interest ; and therefore we cannot expect that men should be very patient of our complaints who are not concern'd in the causes of them . the priests answer to judas do's speak the sense of most men in the case , what is that to us ? see thou to that , mat. . . i do not deny but that the discharging ones griefs into the bosome of a true friend , is both innocent and prudent : nay indeed he that has such a tresure , is unkind to himself if he use it not . but that which i would disswade , is the promiscuous use of this liberty in common conversation , the satisfying our spleen , when we cannot ease our hearts by it , the loud declamings at our misery , which is seldom sever'd from as severe reflections on those whom we suppose the causes of it ; by which nothing can be acquired but the opinion of our impatience , or perhaps some new grievance from some , who think themselves concern'd to vindicate those whom we asperse . in a word 't is as indecent as it is unacceptable , and we may observe all men are willing to slink out of such company , the sober for the hazards , and the jovial for the unplesantness . so that the murmurer seems to be turn'd off to the company of those doleful creatures which the prophet mentions , which were to inhabit the ruines of babylon , . . for he is ill conversation to all men , tho the worst of all to himself . . and now upon the force of all these considerations , i may reasonably impress the wise mans counsel , therefore beware of murmuring , wisd. . . and indeed it is not the precept of the wise man alone , but of all who have made any just pretence to that title . for when we consider those excellent lectures of contentation and acquiescence , wherewith the writings of philosophers abound , 't is hard to say whether they speak more of instruction or reproch to us . when their confused notions of a deity had given them such impressions of his wisdom and goodness , that they would not pretend to make any elections for themselves : how do's it shame our more explicite knowledg , who dare not depend on him in the smallest instance ? who will not take his disposals for good , unless our senses become his sureties ? which amounts but to that degree of credit , which the most faithless man may expect from us , the trusting him as far as we see him . this is such a contumely to him , as the ethnic world durst not offer him , and is the peculiar insolence of us degenerated christians , who sure cannot be thought in earnest when we talk of singing hallelujahs in the next world to him , whilst we entertain him here only with the sullen noise of murmurs and repinings . for we are not to think that heaven will metamorphose us on a sudden , and turn our exclamations and wild clamors into lauds and magnificats . it do's indeed perfect and crown those graces which were here inchoate and begun , but no mans conversion ever succeeded his being there : for christ has expresly told us , that except we be converted , we shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven , if we go hence in our froward discontents , they will associate us with those , with whom is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth . sect . xi . of positiveness . . another very unhandsom circumstance in discourse is the being over confident and peremtory , a thing which do's very much unfit men for conversation , it being lookt on as the common birth-right of mankind , that every man is to opine according to the dictates of his own understanding , not anothers . now this peremtoriness is of two sorts , the one a magisterialness in matters of opinion and speculation , the other a positiveness in relating matters of fact : in the one we impose upon mens understandings , in the other on their faith . . for the first , he must be much a stranger in the world who has not met with it : there being a generation of men , who as the prophet speaks , are wise in their own eies , and prudent in their own sight , isa. . . nay not only so , but who make themselves the standards of wisdom , to which all are bound to conform , and whoever weighs not in their balance , be his reasons never do weighty , they write tekel upon them . this is one of the most oppressive monopolies imaginable : all others can concern only somthing without us , but this fastens upon our nature , yea and the better part of it too , our reason ; and if it meet with those who have any considerable share of that within them , they will often be temted to rally it , and not too tamely resign this native liberty . reason submits only to reason , and he that assaults it with bare autority ( that which is divine alwaies excepted ) may as well cut flame with his sword , or harden wax in the sun . . t is true indeed these great dictators do somtimes run down the company , and carry their hypothesis without contest : but of this there may be divers reasons besides the weight of their arguments . some unspeculative men may not have the skill to examine their assertions , and therefore an assent is their safest course ; others may be lazy and not think it worth their pains ; a third sort may be modest and awed by a severe brow and an imperious nod : and perhaps the wiser may providently fore-see the impossibility of convincing one who thinks himself not subject to error . upon these or other like grounds t is very possible all may be silenced when never a one is convinced : so that these great masters may often make very false estimates of their conquests , and sacrifice to their own nets , heb. . . when they have taken nothing . . nay indeed this insolent way of proposing is so far from propagating their notions , that it gives prejudice against them . they are the gentle insinuations which pierce , ( as oil is the most penetrating of all liquors ; ) but in these magisterial documents men think themselves attackt , and stand upon their guard , and reckon they must part with honor together with their opinion , if they suffer themselves to be hector'd out of it . besides , this imposing humor is so unaimable , that it gives an aversion to the person ; and we know how forcible personal prejudices are ( tho t is true they should not be ) towards the biassing of opinions . nay indeed men of this temper do cut themselves off from the opportunities of proselyting others , by averting them from their company . freedom is the endearing thing in society , and where that is control'd , men are not very fond of associating themselves . t is natural to us to be uneasy in the presence of those who assume an authority over us . children care not for the company of their parents or tutors , and men will care less for theirs , who would make them children by usurping a tutorage . . all these inconveniencies are evidently consequent to this dogmatizing , supposing men be never so much in the right : but if they happen to be in the wrong , what a ridiculous pageantry is it , to see such a philosophical gravity set to man out solecism ? a concluding face put upon no concluding argument , is the most contemtible sort of folly in the world . they do by this sound a trumpet to their own defeat : and whereas a modest mistake might slip by undiscern'd , these rodomontade errors force themselves upon mens observation , and make it as impossible for men not to see , as it is not to despise them when they do . for indeed pride is as ill linkt with error , as we usually say it is with beggery , and in this as well as that , converts pity into contemt . . and then it would be considered , what security any man that will be imposing has , that this will not be his case . human nature is very fallible , and as it is possible a man may err in a great many things , so t is certain every man do's in somthing or other . now who knows at the instant he is so positive , but this may be his erring turn ? alas how frequently are we mistaken even in common ordinary things ! for as the wise man speaks , hardly do we judg aright even in things that are before us , wisd. . . our very senses do sometimes delude us . how then may we wander in things of abstruse speculations ? the consideration of this hath with some so prevail'd , that it has produc'd a sect of scepticism , and tho i press it not for that purpose , yet sure it may reasonably be urged to introduce some modesty and calmness in our assertions . for when we have no other certainty of our being in the right , but our own perswasions that we are so : this may often be but making one error the gage for another . for god knows confidence is so far from a certain mark of truth , that 't is often the seducer into falshood , none being so apt to lose their way as those who , out of an ungrouded persumtion of knowing it , despise all direction from others . . let all this be weighed , and the result will be , that this peremtoriness is a thing that can befit no form of understanding . it renders wise men disobliging and troublesom , and fools ridiculous and contemtible . it casts a prejudice upon the most solid reasoning , and it renders the lighter more notoriously despicable . t is pity good parts should be leven'd by it , made a snare to the owners , and useless to others . and 't is pity too that weak parts should by it be condemn'd to be alwaies so , by despising those aids which should improve them . since therefore 't is so ill calculated for every meridian , would god all climes might be purged from it . . and as there are weighty objections against it in respect of its effects , so there are no inconsiderable prejudices in relation to its causes , of which we may reckon pride to be the most certain and universal : for whatever else casually occurs to it , this is the fundamental constitutive principle ; nothing but a great overweening of a mans own understanding being able to instate him in that imaginary empire over other mens . for here sure we may ask the apostles question , who made thee to differ from another ? when god has made rationality the common portion of mankind , how came it to be thy inclosure ? or what signature has he set upon thine , what mark of excellency , that thine should be paramount ? doubtless if thou fanciest thou hast that part of jacobs blessing , to be lord of thy brethren , and that all thy mothers sons should bow down to thee , gen. . . thou hast got it more surreptiously then he did , and with less effect : for tho isaac could not retract his mistaken benediction , god will never ratify that fantastic , thou hast pronounced to thy self , with his real effective one . . but there happens many times to be another ingredient besides pride , and that is ignorance : for those qualities however they may seem at war , do often very closely combine . he who has narrow notions , that knows but a few things , and has no glimpse of any beyond him , thinks there are no such : and therefore as if he had ( like alexander ) no want but that of worlds to conquer , he thinks himself the absolute monarch of all knowledg . and this is of all others the most unhappy composition : for ignorance being of its self like stiff clay , an infertile soil , when pride comes to scorch and harden it , it grows perfectly impenetrable : and accordingly we see none are so inconvincible as your half-witted people , who know just enough to excite their pride , but not so much as to cure their ignorance . . there remains yet a d kind of peremtoriness which i am to speak to , and that is of those who can make no relation without an attestation of its certainty : a sort of hospitable people , who entertain all the idle vagrant reports , and send them out with passports and testimonials , who when they have once adopted a story , will have it pass for legitimate how spurious soever it originally was . these somwhat resemble those hospitals in italy , where all bastards are sure of reception , and such a provision as may enable them to subsist in the world : and were it not for such men , many a fatherless he would be stifled in its birth . it is indeed strange to see , how suddenly loose rumors knit into formal stories , and from thence grow to certainties ; but ' its stranger to see that men can be of such profligated impudence , as knowingly to give them that advance . and yet t is no rarity to meet with such men who will pawn their honor , their souls , for that unworthy purpose : nay and that too with as much impertinence as baseness , when no interest of their own , or perhaps any mans else is to be served by it . . this is so prodigious a thing , as seems to excite ones curiosity to inquire the cause of so wonderful an effect . and here , as in other unnatural productions , there are several concurrents . if we trace it from its original , its first element seems to be idleness : this diverting a man from serious useful entertainments , forces him upon ( the usual refuge of vacant persons ) the inquiring after news ; which when he has got , the venting of it is his next business . if he be of a credulous nature , and believe it himself , he do's the more innocently impose it on others : yet then to secure himself from the imputation of levity and too easy faith , he is often temted to lend some probable circumstance . nay if he be of a proud humor , and have that miserable vanity of loving to speak big , and to be thought a man of greater correspondence and intelligence then his neighbors , he will not bate an ace of absolute certainty ; but however doubtful or improbable the thing is , coming from him it must go for an indisputable truth . this seems to be the descent of this unhappy folly , which yet is often nurst up by a mean or imprudent education . a man that hath converst only with that lower sort of company , who durst not dispute his veracity , thinks the same false coin will pass over the world , which went currant among his fathers servants or tenants : and therefore we may observe that this is more usual in young men , who have come raw into company with good fortunes and ill breeding . but it is too true also that too many never lose the habit , but are as morosely positive in their age , as they were childishly so in their youths . indeed t is impossible they should be otherwise , unless they have the wit to disentangle themselves first from the love of flattery , and after from the company of flatterers : for ( as i have before observ'd ) no vice will ever wither under their shade . i think i shall do the reader no ill office to let in a litle light upon them , and shew him some of those many mischiefs that attend this unworthy practice . . first , it engages a man to oaths , and for ought he knows to perjuries . when he has lancht out boldy into an incredible relation , he thinks he has put his credit upon the forelorn hope , and must take care to relieve it : and there is no succor so constantly ready at hand as that of oaths and imprecations , and therefore whole vollies of them are discharged upon the doubtful . thus do we make god a witness , and our souls parties in the cause of every trifling rumor , as if we had model'd our divinity by the scheme of that jesuitical casuist , who legitimates the killing of a man for an apple . . a second mischief is , that it betraies man to quarrels . he that is peremtory in his own story , may meet with another that is as peremtory in the contradiction of it , and then the two sr. positives must have a skirmish indeed . he that has attested the truth of a false , or the certainty of a doubtful thing , has brought himself into the same strait with baalams ass , he must either fall down flat , or run upon a sword , num. . . for if his hearers do but express a diffidence , either he must sink to a downright confession that he was a liar : or else he must huff and bluster till perhaps he raise a counter-storm , and as he fool'd himself out of his truth , so be beaten out of his pretence to it . indeed there is scarce any quality that do's so temt and invite affronts as this do's : for he that can descend to such a meanness , may reasonably enough be presumed to have little ( as of true worth , so ) even of that which the world calls gallantry , and so every puny sword-man will think him a good tame quarry to enter and flesh himself upon . . in the third place it exposes him to all the contemt and scorn which either good or ill men can fling upon him : the good abominate the sin , the ill triumph over the folly of it . the truth is there can be nothing more wretchedly mean. to be kinght of the post to every fabu●ous relation , is such a sordid thing , that there can scarce be any name of reproch too vile for it . and certainly he that can pawn his faith upon such miserable terms , will by those frequent mortgages quickly be snapt upon a forfeiture ; or however will have his credit so impar'd by it , that no man will think his word a competent gage for the slightest concern . . and this may pass for a fourth consideraton , that this positiveness is so far from gaining credit to his present affirmation , that it destroies it for the future : for he that sees a man make no difference in the confidence of his asserting realities and fictions , can never take his mesures by any thing he avers , but according to the common proverb , will be in danger of disbelieving him even when he speaks truth . and of this no man can want conviction , who will but consult his own observation . for what an allay do we find it to the credit of the most probable event , that it is reported by one who uses to stretch ? this unhappily do such men defeat their own designs : for while they aver stoutly that they may be believed , that very thing makes them doubted , the world being not now to learn how frequently confidence is made a supplement for truth . nor let any man who uses this , flatter himself that he alone do's ( like jobs messenger ) escape the common fate : for tho perhaps he meet with some who in civility or pity will not dispute the probability of his narrations , or with others who for raillery will not discourage the humor , with which they mean ( in his absence ) to divert themselves , yet he may rest assur'd he is discern'd by all , and derided for it . . it therefore concerns men who either regard their truth , or their reputation , not to indulge to this humor , which is the most silly way of shipwracking both . for he that will lay those to stake upon every flying story , may as well wager his estate which way the wind will sit next morning , there being nothing less to be confided in , then the breath of fame , or the whispers of private tale-bearers . wise men are afraid to report improbable truths : what a fool-hardiness is it then to attest improbable falsities , as it often is the luck of these positive men to do ? . certainly there is nothing which they design by this , which may not be obtain'd more effectually by a modest and unconcern'd relation . he that barely relates what he has heard , and leaves the hearer to judg of the probability , do's as much ( i am sure more civilly ) entertain the company , as he that throws down his gauntlet in attestation . he as much satisfies the itch of telling news ; he as much perswades his hearers : nay very much more ; for these over earnest asseverations serve but to give men suspicion that the speaker is conscious of his own falseness : and all this while he has his retreat secure , and stands not responsible for the truth of his relations . nay indeed tho men speak never so known and certain truths , t is most advisable not to press them too importunately . for boldness , like the bravoes and banditti , is seldom emploied but upon desperate services , and is so known a pander for lying , that truth is but defam'd by its attendance . . to conclude , modesty is so amiable , so insinuating a thing , that all the rules of oratory cannot help men to a more agreeable ornament of discourse . and if they will try it in both the foregoing instances , they will undoubtedly find the effects of it : a modest proposal will soonest captivate mens reasons , and a modest relation their belief . sect . x. of obscene talk. . there is another vice of the tongue which i cannot but mention , tho i knew not in which of the former classes to place it : not that it comes under none , but that 't is so common to all , that 't is not easy to resolve to which peculiarly to assign it , i mean obscene and immodest talk , which is offensive to the purity of god , dammageable and infectious to the innocence of our neighbors , and most pernicious to our selves : and yet is now grown a thing so common , that one would think we were fallen into an age of metamorphosis , and that the brutes did , not only poetically and in fiction , but really speak . for the talk of many is so bestial , that it seems to be but the conceptions of the more libidinous animals clothed in human language . . and yet even this must pass for ingenuity , and this vile descent below humanity , must be counted among the highest streins of wit. a wretched debasement of that sprightful faculty , thus to be made the interpreter to a goat or boar : for doubtless had those creatures but the organs of speech , their fancies lie enough that way to make them as good company , as those who more studiously apply themselves to this sort of entertainment . . the crime is comprehensive enough to afford abundance of matter for the most satyrical zeal : but i consider the dissecting of putrid bodies may cast such pestilential fumes , as all the benefits of the scrutiny will not recompence . i shall therefore in respect to the reader dismiss this noisom subject , and thereby give an example with what abhorrence he should alwaies reject such kind of discourse , remembring the advice of st. paul , that all uncleanness should not be once named among those who would walk as becometh saints , eph. . . the close . . i have now touched upon those enormities of speech which i principally design'd to observe , wherein i have bin far from making a full and exact catalogue : therefore i would have no man take this little tract for a just criterion , by which to try himself in reference to his words . yet god grant that all that read it , may be able to approve themselves even by this imperfect essay , and he that do's so , makes fair approches towards being that perfect man st. james speaks of , chap. . . these being such faults of the tongue as are the harder to avoid , because they are every day exemplified to us in common practice ( nay some of them recommended as reputable and ingenuous . ) and it is a strange insinuative power which example and custom have upon us . we see it in every trivial secular instance , in our very habit : those dresses which we laught at in our fore-fathers wardrobes or pictures , when by the circulation of time and vanity they are brought about , we think very becoming . t is the same in our diet : our very palates conform to the fashion , and every thing grows amiable to our fancies , according as t is more or less received in the world . and upon this account all sobriety and strict vertue lies now under a heavy prejudice , and no part of it more , then this of the tongue , which custom has now enfranchized from all the bonds moralists or divines had laid upon it . . but the greater the difficulties are , the more it ought to awake our diligence : if we lie loose and carelesly , t is odds we shall be carried away with the stream . we had need therefore fix our selves , and by a sober recollection of the ends for which our speech was given us , and the account we must one day give of it , impress upon our selves the baseness and the danger of misemploying it . yet a negative innocence will not serve our turns , t will but put us in the condition of him , who wrapt up the talent he was commanded to employ , mat. . . nay indeed t will be impossible to preserve even that if we aspire no farther . the tongue is a busie active part , t will scarce be kept from motion : and therefore if that activity be not determin'd to good objects , t will be practicing upon bad . and indeed i believe a great part of its licentiousness is owing to this very thing . there are so few good themes of discourse in use , that many are driven to the ill for want of better . learning is thought pedantic , agriculture peasant-like , and religion the most insufferable of all : so by excluding all useful subjects of converse , we come together ( as st. paul in another case saies ) not for the better but for the worse , . cor. . . and if the philosopher thought he had lost that day wherein he had not learnt somthing worthy his notice , how many daies do we worse then lose , by having them not only emty of solid useful acquisitions , but full of noxious and pernicious ones ? and indeed if they be the one , they will not miss to be the other also : for the mind is like the stomac , which if it be not supplied with wholesome nurishment , will at last suck in those humors with which the body most abounds . so that if in our converse we do not interchange sober usefull notions , we shall at the best but traffique toies and baubles , and most commonly infection and poison . he therefore that would keep his tongue from betraying himself or others to sin , must tune it to a quite contrary key , make it an instrument , and incentive to vertue , by which he shall not only secure the negative part of his duty , but comply with the positive also , in employing it to those uses for which it was given him . . it would be too vast an undertaking to prescribe the particular subjects of such discourse , nay indeed impossible , because many of them are occasional , such as cannot aforehand be reduced to any certain account . this only in the general we may rest upon , that all speech tending to the glory of god or the good of man , is aright directed . which is not to be understood so restrictively , as if nothing but divinity or the necessary concerns of human life , may lawfully be brought into discourse : somthing is to be indulged to common civility , more to the intimaces and endearments of friendship , and a competency to those recreative discourses which maintain the cherefulness of society ; all which are , if moderatly used , within the latitude of the rule , as tending ( tho in a lower degree ) to the well-being of men , and by consequent to the honor of god , who indulges us those innocent refreshments . but if the subordinate uses come to encroch upon the higher , if we dwell here and look no farther , they then become very sinful by the excess , which were not so in their nature . that inordinacy sets them in opposition to gods designation , in which they were allowed only a secondary place . we should therefore be careful to improve all opportunities of letting our tongues pay their more immediate homage to god , in the duties of praiers and praises , making them not only the interpreters of our pious affections , but the promoters of the like in others . and indeed he can scarce be thought in earnest , who praies , hallowed be thy name , and do's not as much endeavor it with men , as he solicites it from god. . and if we answer our obligations in this point , we shall in it discharge the highest part of our duty to man also : for in whose heart soever we can implant a true reverentialaw of god , we sow the seed of immortality , of an endless happy being , the greatest the most superlative good whereof he is capable . besides in the interim , we do by it help to manumit and release him from those servile drudgeries to vice , under which those remain who live without god in the world . and these indeed are benefits worthy the dignity of human nature to communicate . and it is both sad and strange to see among the multitude and variety of leagues that are contracted in the world , how few there are of these pious combinations ; how those who shew themselves concern'd in all the petty secular interests of their friends , never take this at all into their care ; a pregnant evidence how little true friendship there is among men : . i know some think they sufficiently excuse themselves when they shift off this office to divines , whose peculiar business they say it is . but this is as if one who sees a poor fainting wretch , should forbear to administer a cordial he has at hand , for fear of intrenching on the physitians faculty . many opportunities a friend or companion may have which a divine may want . he often sees a man in the very fit , and so may more aptly apply : for where there is an intimacy of converse , men lay themselves open , discover those passions those vices , which they carefully veil when a strange , or severer eie approches . besides , as such a one may easier discern the disease , so he has better advantages for administring remedies : so children will not take those medicines from the doctors hand , which they will from a nurse or mother : and we are usually too childish in what relates to our souls ; look on good counsel from an ecclesiastic as a divinity potion , and set our stomacs against it ; but a familiar may insensibly insinuate it into us , and ere we are aware beguile us into health . yet if lay persons will needs give the clergy the inclosure of this office , they should at least withdraw those impediments they have laid in their way , by depositing those prejudices which will certainly frustrate their endeavor . men have in these later daies bin taught to look on preaching as a thing of form to the hearers , and of profit only to the speakers , a craft whereby , as demetrius saies , they get their living , acts . . but admit it were so in this last respect , yet it do's not infer it should be so in the former . if it be a trade , t was sure thought ( as in all ages but this ) a very useful one , else there would never have bin such encouragement given to it . no state ever alloted public certain salaries for a set of men that were thought utterly useless : and if there be use to be made of them , shall we lose our advantages merely because they gain theirs ? we are in nothing else so senseless , no man will refuse counsel from a physician , because he lives by the profession . t is rather an argument on his side , that because such an interest of his own depends on it , he has bin the more industrious to fit himself for it . but not to run farther in this digression , i shall apply it to my purpose , by making this equitable proposal , that lay men will not so moralize the common fable , as neither to admonish one another themselves , nor suffer ministers to do it without them . and truly t is hard if neither of these can be granted when both ought . i am sure all is little enough that can be don , tho we should have , as the prophet speaks , precept upon precept , line upon line , here a little and there a little , is. . . mans nature is so unattentive to good , that there can scarce be too many monitors . we see satan , tho he have a much stronger party in our inclinations , dares not rely upon it , but is still employing his emissaries , to confirm and excite them : and if whilst he has so many agents among us , god shall have none , we are like to give but an ill account of our zeal either to god or our neighbor , or of those tongues which were given us to glorify the one , and benefit the other . indeed without this , our greatest officiousness in the secular concerns of others is no kindness . when we strive to advance the fame , to increase the fortune of a wicked man , what do we in it , but enable him to do the more mischiefs , by his wealth to foment his own luxuries , and by his reputation commend them to the practice of others ? he only makes his friend truly rich and great , who teaches him to employ those advantages aright : and would men turn their tongues to this sort of oratory , they would indeed shew they understood for what ends they were given them . . but as all good receives enhancement from its being more diffusive , so these attemts should not be confined to some one or two intimates or relatives , but be as extensive as the common needs , or at least as our opportunities . t is a generous ambition to benefit many , to oblige communities : which can no way so well be don , as by endeavoring to subvert vicious customs , which are the pests and poisons of all societies . the heathens had many ceremonies of lustrations for their cities and countries , but he that could purify and refine their manners , would indeed attain to the substance of those shadows . and because the apostle tells us , that evil words corrupt good manners , cor. . . t would be a fundamental piece of reformation , to introduce a better sort of converse into the world : which is an instance so agreable to my present subject , that i cannot close more pertinently , then to commend the endeavor to the readers ; who , if he have bin by this tract at all convinced of the sin and mischief of those schemes of discourse deciphered in it , cannot be more just to his convictons , then by attemting to supplant them . . it were indeed a design worthy of a noble soul , to try to new model the age in this particular , to make it possible for men to be at once conversable and innocent . i know t will be objected , t is too vast a project for one or many single persons to undertake : yet difficulties use to animate generous spirits , especially when ( as here ) the very attemt is laudable . but as christ saies of wisdom , so may we of courage , the children of this world are more daring then the children of light . the great corrupters of discourse have not bin so distrustful of themselves : for t is visible to any that will reflect , that t is within mans memory since much of this monstrous exorbitancy of discourse grew in fashion , particularly the atheistical and blasphemous . the first propugners of it were but few , and durst then but whisper their black rudiments : yet the world now sees what a harvest they have from their devilish industry . . and shall we give over our clime as forlorn and desperate , and conclude that nothing which is not venemous will thrive in our soil ? would some of parts and autority but make the experiment , i cannot think that all places are yet so vitiated , but that they may meet with many , who would relish sober and ingenuous discourse , and by their example be animated to propagate it to others : but as long as blasphemy , ribaldry , and detraction set up for wit , and carry it without any competition , we do implicitly yield that title we dispute not : and t is hard to say , whether their triumphs be more owing to the boldness of ill men , or the pusillanimity of the good . what if upon the trial they should meet with the worser part of st. paul's fate at athens , that some will mock , acts . . yet perhaps they may partake of the better also , and find others that would be willing to hear them again , and some few at least may cleave unto them . and sure they are too tender and delicate , that will run no hazard , nor be willing to bear a little share in that profane drollery , with which an apostle was , and their god is daily assaulted : especially when by this exposing themselves , they may hope to give some check to that impious liberty . however besides the satisfaction of their own consciences , they may also gain this advantage by the attemt , that it may be a good test by which to try their company . for those whom they find impatient of innocent and profitable converse , they may assure themselves can only ensnare , not benefit them ; and he is a very weak gamester , that will be drawn to play upon such terms as make it highly probable for him to lose , but impossible for him to win . therefore in that case the advice of solomon is very proper , go from the presence of a foolish man , when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledg , prov. . . . but he that will undertake so heroic an enterprize , must qualify himself for it , by being true to his own pretensions . he must leave no uneven thred in his loom , or by indulging to any one sort of reprovable discourse himself , defeat all his endeavors against the rest . those aëry speculators that have writ of the philosophers stone , have required many personal qualifications , strict abstinences and purities in those who make the experiment . the thing may have this sober application , that those who would turn this iron age into gold , that would convert our rusty drossy converse into a purer strein , must be perfectly clean themselves . for alas what effect can that man hope from his most zealous reprehensions , who laies himself open to recrimination ? he that hears a man bitterly inveigh against blasphemy and profaneness , and ( yet in that almost the same breath ) hears his monitor inveigh as bitterly against his neighbor , will scarce think him a good guide of his tongue , that has but half the mastery of his own . let every man therefore be sure to begin at the right end of his work , to wash his own mouth clean , before he prescribe gargarisms to others . and to that purpose let him impartially reflect on all the undue liberties he has given his tongue , whether those which have bin here remarked , or those others which he may find in all practical books , especially in ( the most practical of all books ) his own conscience . and when he has trac'd his talk thro all its wild rambles , let him bring home his stray ; not like the lost sheep with joy , but with tears of penitence and contrition , and keep a strict watch over it that it break not loose again ; nay farther require it to make some restitution for the trespass it has committed in its former excursions : to restore to god what it has rob'd of his honor , by devoting it self an instrument of his service ; to his neighbor what it has detracted from him , by wiping off that sullage it has cast upon his fame , and to himself by defacing those ill characters of vanity and folly it has imprinted on him . thus may the tongue cure its own sting , and by a kind of sympathetic vertue , the wound may be healed by dressing the weapon . but alas when we have don all , the tongue is so slippery that it will often be in danger to deceive our watch : nay it has a secret intelligence with the heart , which like a corrupted goaler is too apt to connive at its escape . let us therefore strengthen our guards , call in him who sees all the secret practices of our trecherous hearts , and commit both them and our tongues to his custody . let us say with the psalmist , try me , o lord , and seek the ground of my heart , psa. . . and with him again , set a watch , o lord , before my mouth , and keep the door of my lips , o let not my heart he inclined to any evil thing , psa. . . and if hand thus join in hand , prov. . . if gods grace be humbly invoked , and our own endeavour honestly emploied , even this unruly evil of the tongue ( as st. james calls it ) chap. . . may be in some degree tamed . if now and then it get a little out by stealth , yet it will not like the demoniac be so raving , as quite to break all its chains . if we cannot alwaies secure our selves from inadvertence and surprize , but that a forbidden word may somtimes escape us , yet we may from deliberate wilful offences of the tongue . and tho we should all aspire higher , yet if we can but reach this , we ought not to excuse our selves ( upon remaining infirmities ) from the christian generous undertaking , i was recommending , the reforming of others . indeed i had made a very impertinent exhortation to that , if this degree of fitness may not be admitted ; for i fear there would be none upon earth could attemt it upon other terms : the world must still remain as it is , and await only the tongues of angels to reduce it . nor need we fear that censure of hypocrisy which we find , mat. . . for the case is very differing . t is indeed as ridiculous as insolent an attemt , for one that has a beam in his own eie , to pretend to cast a mote out of his brothers : but it holds not on the contrary , that he that has a mote in his own , should not endeavor to remove the beam in his brothers . every speck do's not blind a man , nor do's every infirmity make one unable to discern , or incompetent to reprove the grosser faults of others . . yet after all let us as much as is possible clear our eies even of this mote , and make our copy as worth transcribing as we can : for certainly the best instrument of reformation is example : and tho admonition may somtimes be necessary , yet there are many circumstances required to the right ordering of that , so that it cannot alwaies be practicable , but a good example ever is . besides it has a secret magnetic vertue : like the loadstone it attracts by a power of which we can give no account : so that it seems to be one of those occult qualities , those secrets in nature , which have puzled the enquirers , only experience demonstrates it to us . i am sure it do's ( too abundantly ) in ill examples , and i doubt not , might do the like in good , if they were as plentifully experimented . and that they may be so , let every man be ambitious to cast in his mite : for tho two make but a farthing , yet they may be multiplied to the vastest sum . however if a man cannot reform others , yet i am sure t will be worth his while , so to save himself from this untoward generation , act. . . i have now presented the tongue under a double aspect , such as may justify the ancient definition of it , that it is the worst and best part of man , the best in its original and design , and the worst in its corruption and degeneration . in david the man after gods heart it was his glory , ps. . . the best member that he had , psal. . . but in the wicked it cuts like a sharp razor , psal. . . t is as the venem of asps , . . the tongues from heaven were cloven , act. . . to be the more diffusive of good : but those that are fired from hell are forked , jam. . . to be the more impressive of mischief : it must be referred to every mans choice , into which of the forms he will mold his . solomon tells us death and life are in the power of the tongue , and that not only directly in regard of the good or ill we may do to others , but reflexively also , in respect of what may rebound to our selves . let moses then make the inference from solomons premises , therefore chuse life , deut. . . a proposal so reasonable , so agreable to nature , that no florishes can render it more inviting . i shall therefore leave it to the readers contemplation , and shall hope that if he please but to revolve it with that seriousness which the importance exacts , he will new set his tongue , compose it to those pious divine streins , which may be a proper preludium to those allelujahs he hopes eternally to sing . finis . a short treatise of the great worth and best kind of nobility wherein, that of nature is highly commended, that of grace is justly preferred; the one from humane experience, the other upon divine evidence. / by henry whiston, rector of balcomb in sussex. whiston, henry. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) a short treatise of the great worth and best kind of nobility wherein, that of nature is highly commended, that of grace is justly preferred; the one from humane experience, the other upon divine evidence. / by henry whiston, rector of balcomb in sussex. whiston, henry. pearson, john, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by e. cotes for william palmer at the palm-tree in fleetstreet, london : m.dc.lxi. [ ] the first leaf bears a note "to the author" signed: john pearson. running title reads: the great worth, and best kinde of nobility. with two final advertisement leaves. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . christian life -- early works to . grace (theology) -- early works to . good works (theology) -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a short treatise of the great worth and best kind of nobility . wherein , that of nature is highly commended , that of grace is justly preferred ; the one from humane experience , the other upon divine evidence . by henry whiston , rector of balcomb in sussex . eurip. hecub . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ambros. lib. de noah & arc . c. . familiae hominum splendore generis nobilitantur , animarum autem clarificatur gratia splendore virtutis . london : printed by e. cotes for william palmer at the palm-tree in fleetstreet . m. dc . lxi . to the author . having perused your book of , the great worth , and the best kind of nobility ; i desire you would speedily present it to the publique view : for as i find it in it self methodical , perspicuous , and ingenious ; so for these times i judge is very useful : and therefore delay not the publication , if you value the opinion of your faithful friend , iohn pearson . to the right worthy sir william haward of tandridge in the county of surrey , knight : gentleman in ordinary of his majesties honorable privy chamber . right worthy sir , this little treatise speaks somewhat of the great worth and best kinde of nobility ; and as the romans had a double (a) altar amongst them , one for the chastity of the patricians , another for the chastity of the plebeians : so this sets up one altar to the nobility , and honour of the peers and ancient gentry of the nation ; another to virtue and piety , (b) the best kinde of nobility ; and which we shall take leave to call , the nobility of the people or communalty . not that we look upon nobles and gentlemen as strangers to vertue , and aliens to piety , to which they sacrifice dayly , and which shine forth in them more then in any else illustriously ; but that vertue and piety advance the latter to that honour , in which they have no part nor interest naturally . now as our intention is in general to mind the one , that they perfect what they have by nature ; and to perswade the other , to gain what from their birth they have not , by vertue : and as our desire is in special to contribute something to the seasoning of noble youth with vertue and piety , who are ( as (c) he said ) so born , that their good or evil example makes much for the good or hurt of their countrey : so the dedication of all is devolved upon you , not upon a single account , but upon several and different considerations . (d) the divine powers are brought in still by the prince of poets , chusing fit instruments for the designes they take in hand , sutable agents for several actions : and there is such a sutableness betwixt the subject of this treatise , and your self : that as (f) some writers are noted to propose such authors for their imitation ; and (g) some women are said to set the fairest pictures before them for their better conception : so we may seem , in drawing up this piece , to have had our eye upon you ; but that the picture fals much short of the pattern . this is certain , there is not a vertue named in this treatise , as belonging to gentlemen , but is singularly eminent in you . for matter of learning , new and old , you may be styled much better then (g) he of whom it was first spoken , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , secretary and interpreter to the muses , their ambassador or nuntio , to communicate their secrets far and near to their disciples . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sweet cup of pleasant and delightful discourses ; so i take leave to interpret it . neither doth the book disable you as some , but fit you for business . (h) when you look off from that , wisdom doth not look off from you , (i) but guides you with her eye , that you may (k) guide your affairs with discretion . that may be truly said of you , in your station , which was long since spoken of pericles in his generation , (l) you know what belongs to your place , and can deliver your self accordingly ; without troubling , as he did greece , or as others of late , either country or county . and if weightier business were imposed , there would not be wanting in you , either (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a politick capacity ; or , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a rhetorical faculty , to manage them . for matter of religion ; (n) learning and piety , science and conscience are so tempered , that they give to each other lustre and beauty . for humility and courtesie ( which are to every vertue in the soul , what beauty is to health and soundness in the body ; to wit , an ornament and grace to them all ) ; (o) they , as beautiful and fragrant flowers , are so resplendent in you , that they attract the eyes , and hearts of all after you , and make not onely your society , but very name also pleasant and pretious to the memory . what should we speak of other things ? we have called out , in this treatise , some few vertues to insist on ; but you have stored your self with the choysest in every kinde . that not this , or that , but all discover themselves in you in general . so that look what (p) schollars and gentlemen , are to others , that you are unto them , even an oracle , as it were , and ornament unto , both. and (q) whereas many go onely to receive honour and maintenance from the prince ; you carry that to the court , wherewith you are able to do service and honour to your prince , when he shall be pleased to imploy you . (r) we scorn wittingly to stein our credit , or paper , with lies ; or to render your parts suspicious by fabulous reports . (s) per unius or is officium , non unius pectoris profunditur secretum . one pen writes , but every true heart that knows you will give consent , and every ingenuous tongue a testimony to the same truth . this , sir , is the principal cause of our fastening this treatise upon you , that we might present our reader with a fair president , and give him not only dead , but ( as one speaks in another case ) (t) living counsel . again , if it were possible for any honour to accrew unto any by such a worthless piece , we know none deserves it better then your self . the high esteem which you bear to our profession may call for it . (u) you love ( as they said of the centurion ) our nation ; and whereas many are ashamed of our coat and company , you seem rather to chuse our society ; (x) like iupiter and the rest of the gods in the poet , who when they mean to feast go to sea , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and sit down with the blameless , though black , aethiopians , as guests . your special favour to us might challenge it . when we were meer strangers to you● person , though not to your vertues , you offered to commend us to the patronage and protection of a great peer of the realm , a personage of singular worth and honour , son of a martyr ( who resisted unto death for his soveraign then alive , and on (y) whose tomb that may much more deservedly be engraven , then it was upon an old romans statute , pietatis immobilis erga principem ) and himself also of like eminent piety to king and countrey , learning and religion . a favour that could not but have pleased any , and would have been refused by few . (z) indeed the person commended is easily most an end perswaded to forsake him that commends and betroth himself for his interests sake to his service to whom he is commended . (a) but as that princess told her husband ( when he asked her whether cyrus did not seem to be a gallant prince , who treated them both whom he had taken captive , so nobly ) that she did not so much as minde or look upon him ; but her minde and her eyes were upon him ( meaning the prince her husband ) who offered with his life to purchase her liberty . so , sir , let me tell you , we cannot but ( adoratis tamen à longè adorandis ) respect him who did so much respect our advantage and advancement . we have told you , or rather the world , the reasons of of this our dedication . now as we gladly hear you talk in private , so we can as willingly talk of you in publique . (b) the eye is not easily taken off from pleasant objects , nor the tongue from pleasing subjects . but we must make an end , otherwise criticks will tell us that we exceed the limits of an epistle . (c) yet shortness is no more of the essence of an epistle , then it is of a man. (d) it is not the number of lines , but the occasion and businesse , that puts limits to a letter . we have more cause to suspect other objections ; but as little cause , we think , to be troubled with them . some will censure us for writing so preacher-like : we acknowledge it here a fault , but such as we are in (e) love with , and are content the same scoff should passe upon us , which the oratour put upon aristoxenus , for defining the soul to be a harmony , (f) hic ab artificio suo non recessit , this man departed not from his art. others may look upon the multiplicity of quotations , as matter of affection ; but the piece ( as we have mentioned ) was written chiefly for the use of young gentlemen . and , as the title perhaps may somewhat allure them who are such , usually , as stand much on their birth : so we set on , as they commonly on their garments , the more dressing ; desiring to make it as acceptable to them , as they themselves to others ; a thing ridiculous in the pulpit , but not altogether improper for such things as come from the presse . a third sort may think us too satyrical in some passages ; but we have (g) so writ , that none can conceit ill of us , that can rationally entertain a good conceit of themselves . if any be offended for himself or others , that this or that vice is touched : (h) let him plead ( if he list ) for baal ; and sacrifice still , if he think it can stand with his credit and safety , to his vitious humour . we cannot commend that which the scripture condemns , (i) a dumb dog ; nor him that barks without cause . nor do we think that appellation given to ministers , because they should be alwayes (k) brawling ; but we hope ( as he said ) to live and die (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , commending what is commendable , and not afraid to cast a reproof , as salt upon unsavory persons . right worthy sir , we have now done our business , and shall take our leave ; but ( as the manner is at parting ) not without a prayer or good wish . and that shall be , what we conceive is , the highest happiness which a courtier can desire , that you may stand in favour , and with honour in the presence of your prince here ; and may enjoy the beatifical vision of your god hereafter : so he heartily wisheth , who shall alwayes be yours , as he is much obliged to be , in all service , henry whiston . curteous reader , that which the poet looks upon as a sign of a coy and squeamish stomach , let me beg as a favour of thee , which is , that in the first place spectares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that before thou takest notice of mine , thou wouldest correct the printers error in page . in the section of magnanimity , where receiving some few words to insert immediately after the great machabee , in memory of that invincible spirit , which dyed for his late majesty , he hath unluckily thrust it under the letter ( y ) into the margent . and if thou shalt supply my short expressions , to which the former precedents tyed me with such a just estimation as that worthy personage , and his right noble family deserves , i shall look upon the mistake as a happy error , and say of the hand that committed it , as the poet did of his that erred in a higher design : si non errâsset , fecerat illa minus . errata . in the epist. dedic . pag. . lin . . read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ibid. l. . marg . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . m. r. promereantur , p. . l. . r. statue . in the book , p. . l. . m. r. joh. . p . l. . m. r. sacer , p. . l. . m. r. psal. . . p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . m. r. aret p. . l. . m. r. areop . ibid. l. . m. r. chon p. . l. . m. r. orientis , p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ibid. l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . m r. deut. . . p. . l. m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . r. plebeian p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. penul . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . r. threaten . ibid. l. . m. r. liv. p. . l. . . r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a comma between , ibid. l. , . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l penult . ibid. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . m. r. nutu atu , p. . l. . m. r. laphdion , p. . l. . r. worst , ibib . l. . m. r. jubebat . p. . l. . m. r. maliciae , p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . r. saleuci , p. . l. . r. naturâ p. . l. . m. r. adjutus , p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ibid l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . r. the , p. . l. . r. that , ibib . l. , , . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , aud . p. . l. . r. give , p. . l. . r. mare , ibid. l. . r. a light . p. . l. . r. stageplayers . p. . l. . r. irreligious , ibid. l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . m. r. nabuth , p. . l. . r. obscurity . p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. . r. vim . p. . l. . r. meer . p. . l. . m. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . m. r. rom. p. . l. . m. r. mic. p. . l. . m r. mal. . . p. . l. . r. ipsis , p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . m.r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ibid. l. . after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — p. . l. . r. others , ibid. . m. after factus adde è teriâ , p. . l . m. r. jam. . . p. . l. . m. r. mal. p. . l. blot out such . p. . l. . m. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the great worth , and best kinde of nobility . act. xvii . . these were more noble then those in thessalonica — it is an old maxim , (a) whatsoever is received , is received according to the model , capacity or disposition of the receiver . this the present text , and this common experience doth sufficiently confirm . neither did the apostles , nor have their successors found entertainment according to the worth of their doctrine , but according to the temper and disposition of their auditors . the one of old , the other at present finde some (b) fitted for the kingdom of god , (c) taught of god , and (d) disposed for eternal life , who (e) with an honest and good heart hear the word , keep it and bring forth fruit with patience ; others they finde as profane as the high-way , as hard-hearted as rocks , as intractable as thornes , (f) unreasonable absurd persons , which sometimes scoff as they , (g) what will this babler say ? sometimes mock and make themselves merry as they , (h) these are full of new wine ; sometimes grow mad , as mad (i) as tabred tigres , (k) as they who cryed out against st. paul , and cast off their clothes , and threw dust in the air , and are ready to do outrage , or offer some abuse to them while they speak . (l) an historian relates , how constantius the emperour making a speech to a mixt multitude of barbarous people , one of the many , because he could not hear him , went aside , and filled his shoes with dung , and drawing near to him flung it in his face . and what other usage can ministers expect , when they deal with rude people , but to have all manner of filth , and dung cast in their faces ? and such requital ( (m) saith the historian ) they deserve who will play the philosopher or orator before clowns . true it is , that as some slight learning , and learned men too much , so constantius doted so much upon it , and them ; that more nicely then wisely (n) he would chuse none into his counsel , but such as could write both prose and verse ; for which (o) he that as vainly lookt upon himself as a grand signior , a master and tutor to all mankind , doth not unjustly censure him . yet we do not count it such a fault to use both philosophy and oratory to the rudest in a plain , popular , and intelligible way ; and that historian also who was so much in love with antiquity , that (p) he changed his christian name petrus into pomponius upon that account , needed not to have looked far for precedents in that kinde , unless he would have us think that neither xenophon amongst the greeks , nor caesar amongst the romans did ever make use of philosophy and rhetorick in their speeches to their soldiers , or else that there were no rusticks but all were philosophers and orators in their armies . whence arose those stories (q) of amphion , and (r) orpheus drawing woods , stones , tigres , lions and all sorts of beasts after them , and their building towns by their musick , but that they used it to all sorts of people , and none so savage but some of them were civilized by the power of their rhetorique ? (s) hercules also is fabled going about , and conquering all with his club , wherewith he beat down all before him ; we will not say , that he carryed his club in his mouth ; but this we will say , that rhetorical speech , sweet , pleasant , curteous language will , if not knock a man down , yet make a man stoop , yield and conquer him as soon as the roughest club. and he that went about conquering with his club , had his bow also and quiver full of arrows , and was pictured , or faigned at least to be pictured , amongst the galls , drawing all men unto him by the ears , with chains that were fastened to his tongue . and wherefore this ? but to shew that he got the conquest of men , not so much by force , as by eloquence ; and that the arrows which he shot , and which pierced so deep into the sides of his enemies , were his sharp and subtle speeches . but though rhetorique and eloquence , may and hath been used succesfully to all sorts of men , yet it never was , nor will be succesful in all . there are some metals that are not malleable , some rocks that cannot be broken , some beasts that cannot be tamed , (t) some deaf adders that cannot be charmed , let the charmer charme never so wisely . so that the effect still is in general according to the affection of the hearer , except god by his almighty power do break in and subdue all before him . this we know , there was an extraordinary grace in the very speech of our saviour , (u) grace ( saith the psalmist ) is poured out into thy lips , and (x) he taught as one that had authority , and not as the scribes and pharisees . and they that were sent to take him , were so taken with his speech that they forgat their arrant , and thought they had excuse enough , because (y) never man spake ( they said ) as he spake . yet this grace of his could not work an impression upon all , but had various effects according to the variety of persons that he spake unto . (z) some said , he was a good man. (a) others said , nay , but he deceives the people . many said , he hath a devil and is mad , why hear ye him ? others said , these are not the words of him that hath a devil . yea , which is a thing to be wondred at , (b) some wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth ; and yet would in a rage have rid the world of him at once , by casting him down headlong from the brow of the hill whereon their city stood . so st. paul , though his bodily presence were weak , and his speech in some respects ( (c) as it is noted , and himself confesses ) rude , yet was he not rude in knowledge , nor wanting in rhetorique . when (d) barnabas as the more proper person perhaps carryed away the name of iupiter , yet he as the best spokesman was termed mercurius . and his writings shew him to be a great mercurialist indeed , a prime artist ( (e) as he speaks of cicero ) in dealing with mens affections , and a singular (f) crafts-master in managing his disputations . and yet this great artist , this singular craftsmaster , this mercurius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , could not alwayes prevail , except it were with amphion to draw stones after him , (g) once i was stoned ; or with orpheus , the trees , (g) thrice was i beaten with rods ; or brute beasts as at ephesus , (h) after the manner of men i fought with beasts at ephesus . true it is , that the miraculous power of god went along with him , and brake open the doors of mens hearts , and made some way for the word to enter wheresoever he came , but otherwise his entertainment was according to the disposition of the people amongst which he came . (i) at lystra he was welnigh stoned to death by the heathen . indeed at first seeing him cure a lame man , they would have sacrificed to him and barnabas as gods , and could scarse be restrained , but afterward upon the instigation of the iews , they had almost sacrificed them to their own malice . (k) at antioch the vulgus of the iews stir up the devont women and chief men ( who usually stir not in such cases unless stirred by some calumniations ) against him and barnabas . (l) at philippi the magistrate being in like sort incensed by the people , he is whipt , imprisoned , stockt together with silas . (m) at thessalonica he is greatly endangered by certain leud fellows of the baser sort who sought his life . (n) at ephesus demetrius with his fellow craftsmen , brethren in iniquity , raise the city against him , where he met with those beasts he spake off . (o) at hierusalem he had certainly dyed had not lysias the chief captain rescued him , and set him afterward out of the reach of those who had bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink till they had slain him . if he found at any time any better welcome , it was among the better sort . (p) sergius a prudent man desires to hear the word from his mouth . (q) at corinth crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue is converted by him , and when the iews , his constant enemies , laid it before gallio the proconsul against him , he drove them from the judgement seat , and would not admit their (r) bill of complaint . when the beasts of the people came upon him at ephesus , yet the (s) chief of asia were his friends , and stood for him ; and the town-clerk , or recorder rather , a man of (t) no mean office , speaks in the justification of him and his companions . lysias the chief captain of the roman bands secures him ( as we have said ) from open outrage and secret conspiracy . (u) publius the chief man of melita , entertains him three dayes with all curtesie , and curing the father of publius and others , he is honoured there with many honours , and laded with all things necessary for his voyage to rome ; and though he met with (x) a base and wicked sort of people at thessalonica , such as your catchpoles that wait upon courts , who could they have caught him would have made him away , yet at beroea he met with men of a right noble disposition , who entertained him and silas with that respect which was due unto their place , receiving the word with all readiness of mind , and searching the scriptures whether the things they preached were so or not ; and accordingly the spirit of god takes notice of their carriage , and writes down their commendation to all posterity , not without a sharpe reflexion upon those of thessalonica . these men ( to wit , the beroeans ) were more noble then those of thessalonica . we have been too long in our preface , yet the (y) masters of rhetorique do not prescribe any certain limits , but leave the same liberty therein as they do (y) to a commander to make the front of his battail as narrow , broad and deep as he please . and to have large portals or gate-houses with many lodgings in them , is not unusual for noble and gentlemens houses . in the words , there is a commendation given to the beroeans , and a special thing commended in them , which is their nobility . the men of beroea were more noble — now in that the spirit of god is pleased to bestow a commendation upon the men of beroea , we may observe ; that whatsoever is commendable in any , may have its commendation . so many prophets ( said (z) one of the ancients ) so many testimonies of gods divine praescience : so may we say here , so many good men as are mentioned in sacred scripture , so many evidences of this truth . their goodness some way or other is commended still unto us . and as any of them have been eminent in any grace , so there is an eminent mark set upon them in reference to that . noah is reported singular for his godliness amongst the world of ungodly . abraham , as father of the faithful , for his faith. ioseph as a special pattern of chastity , moses of meekness , daniel of temperance , iob of patience , nathaniel of singleness of heart . there were grosse errours , foul misdemeanours amongst the corinthians , and in those things st. paul praised them not , but those did not so far blast their good deeds , but that he did commend them for what they did well . (a) i praise you ( brethren ) that you remember me in all things . whom christ loves he rebukes , and so we finde him reproving almost every one of the seven churches of asia , but yet he forgets not to commend that which was commendable in them . (b) nay the church of philadelphia had but a little strength , and there was but (c) something of good found in abijah the son of ieroboam , and yet the lord passes it not over in silence , but takes notice of it . nay more , though saul were a wicked prince , and davids mortal enemy , yet (d) david , a man after gods own heart , could finde somewhat to lament , and somewhat to comment upon at his death . indeed , a pearl is not to be rejected though lying in a dunghil , or found in a toads head , nor vertue to be misliked , though lodged amongst many vices ; but as it was the custom of the (e) athenians of old , to write the names of such as were fair , handsome persons upon their wals , or doors , or other places as it hapned , thus , such a one is fair , such a one is handsome or comely : so if any do any thing handsomely , or in comely manner , we need not fear to say , this was well or handsomely done . and this , in the first place , is but a piece of justice . as the conception of all things was from the goodness , so the disposition of all was from (f) the justice of god. it was a work of justice to make separation betwixt light and darkness , day and night , heaven and earth : so it is a work of justice to distinguish betwixt good and evil , to separate the pretious form the vile , and set it forth in its proper lustre . it 's an act of justice to give to every one his due , (g) tribute to whom tribute , custom to whom custom , fear to whom fear , honour to whom honour belongs . and praise is a tribute proper for good deeds , and honour for such as excel in vertue . we should offer frankincense ( (h) said the wise heathen ) to the gods , but praise unto men . indeed , though we are called upon and said also to praise god , yet not (i) properly . something greater and better , as confession , honour , blessing and adoration belong unto him . praise is a tribute proper to vertue and vertuous men . and as (k) great ones are more delighted with praises then with tributes , the one being paid even to tyrants , the other to good princes onely : so if they deserve it , it is but just that they should have it . and that not only as a just reward of their deserts , but of gods graces within them . when god , the righteous judge , shall crown at the last day the good deeds of his saints , he shall crown but his own gifts . and when we praise the graces of men , we praise but the goodness of god. (l) whatsoever we see in them , is infused by him . all their vertue and goodness is but a drop from his ocean , a spark of his flame , a beam of that sun . now as he should rob the sun as it were of his glory , who would not delight in and praise its beams : as he should rob the fountain of its excellency , that should not commend its streams : so he should rob the great sanctifier of souls , who should not commend the graces of the saints which he sees shine forth from the souls of the saints . unless a man therefore will be unjust and rob god as well as man , he ought to give men the praise that is due unto their deserts . neither should that great wickedness which many times is mingled with a little vertue in wicked men , rob them of the praise which is due to their vertue . that little vertue , be it what it will , is the work of god ; and as he doth not let go any good works (m) unrewarded in this life , so neither should we . . as this is a piece of justice , so it is a piece of christian wisdom and pious policy . we are not more kindly drawn on by any thing to vertue , then by praise . it is a bait that is sutable to our disposition , and such as we are taken with as soon as with any temptation . (n) there is no better hearing nor sweeter musick can sound in mens ears , then that of their own praise . (o) themistocles confessed , that when the people in the olympick games , left their sports and fell a gazing and pointing at him , that then he received the fruit of his labour for greece . (p) miltiades his trophees would not let him sleep before , he so much thirsted after that honor he saw conferred on him ; and when he had attained the like himself , then he thought himself well apaid . the one stirred up , the other quieted his spirit . as the suggestions which satan casts into our hearts are as fiery darts to inflame them to evil : so the commendations which are given our selves or others , are as (q) fiery darts , as (r) light firebrands to set our hearts on fire with that which is good . (s) the comfortable heat of the fire doth not more affect us when we are a cold , nor doth the fragrant odour of sweet perfumes draw us more after them , then doth the commemoration of the saints graces joyned with their just commendation draw us on to a vertuous imitation . and when men are once onward in the way of vertue , (t) the tender grass or young slips and plants , are not more apt to shoot forth by means of sweet dews and pleasant showers that fall upon them , then they are by continued praises and commendations to grow up to perfection . hence to draw men on they were wont to bestow several honours up-them , crown them according to their several deserts with several (u) garlands , write their names as they did the conquerours at the olympick games (x) on pillars ; to which possibly christ may allude when he saith , he that overcometh will (y) i make a pillar in the temple of my god , and he shall go no more out , and i will write upon him the name of my god , and the name of the city of my god. hence they erected statues and images , set up pictures and such like representations of mens persons , in honour of their noble deeds ; which what were they ? but a (z) kinde of silent praises and encomiums , as encomiums and praises are a kinde of eloquent pictures , and representations of mens persons and deeds , and both encouragements to whet on others to the like actions . and to this end the names of the martyrs in the primitive times were set down in (a) sacred books or tables for that purpose , and read at the altar , which were ( (b) as one saith of history ) as the book of life to preserve their names and vertues , and as the sound of the last trump to raise them from the dead , and bring them upon the stage again , to converse with and animate the living . true it is , as the apostle saith (c) of the law , the commandement which was for life , i found to be unto death ; for sin taking occasion by the commandement deceived me , and by it slew me : so those books which were ordained for life were found to be unto death . (d) for blind ze●l took occasion by the commemoration of the martyrs to bring in quickly a religions invocation , and by it slew men . what then ? was that ( (e) as the apostle saith again ) which was good made death ? no! but that the corruption of men might appear , blind zeal wrought death in men by that which was good , exceeding just and good . as the law is holy , & the commandement in it self holy , just and good : so the commendation of the saints in it self , and the commemoration of the martyrs is holy , just , and good . (f) it being the flower of justice to commend the good , and the (g) choysest of good deeds , to take order for the praising of those things which are well done : praise breeding emulation , emulation vertue , and vertue felicity . this then condemns those who will not themselves , and are unwilling that others should , give men the praise of their due deserts . the evil steward in the gospel is commended because though he diminished his lords revenues by injustice ; yet ( as (h) st. bernard reckons ) he increased his lords subjects by his wisdom : but many as they are unjust in not rendring what is due to their lords servants , so neither have they the wisdom to encrease their lords subjects . the commendation of men to some , is as unpleasant (i) as sweet oyntment to beetles . when the pretious spikenard was poured upon our saviour , some had indignation and said , (k) what needs this waste ? when the children cryed hosanna , the priests and scribes were displeased , and looking that our saviour should check them , cryed , hearest thou what these say ? so the pretious oyntment that is powred on christs members , move some to indignation , and though it be for their burial , as we shall shew anon , yet cannot forbear to cry , to what purpose is this waste ? or , hear you what these flatterers say ? others you shall hear , now and then , commending men , but much to their loss . they will be anoynting men with their oyl , but their pretious balm commonly breaks their pates . their commendations , like scorpions , carry stings in their tails , or are like some deeds of gift that have in the close a reservation which nuls the conveyance , and frustrates the whole donation . what they give by a free confession , they reverse by a malicious exception . some vice is still related to stain the lustre of the vertue before specified . (l) look what kindness seneca reserves for alexander , if any speaking of his valour , should say , he slew thousands of the persians ; he would have it replyed , but he slew callisthenes also . if it were said , he conquered darius a great emperour ; the reply should be again , but he killed callisthenes . if it were added , that he subdued all as far as the great ocean , made an adventure on that also with his navy , and enlarged his empire from a blind corner of thrace , to the sun-rise ; he would have it still answered , but he killed callisthenes . such kinde commendations have many for their friends . such a one is , so and so , a good scholar , a compleat gentleman , a very religious man , but proud , but a good fellow , but covetous . their praises are like the foul or smutty fingers of those which defile the face they stroke ; to which yet they would seem in hypocrisie , to add some singular grace . a third sort commend , and commend highly , and are wholly in mens praises , and speak not a word to their disparagement , yet all for their disadvantage . (m) as eutrapelus in the poet , if he meant to hurt any , was wont to bestow pretious rayment upon them : so many clothe those well , and set them forth highly with their commendations , to whom they intend no little mischief . (n) as ioab complemented , kissed and killed amasa at one and the same instant : so many not by accusations or false aspersions , but ( as the worst kinde of friends ) do , if not kill men , yet work them a great deal of hurt by their subtle commendations . (o) the words of their mouth are smoother then butter , but warre is in their hearts . their words are softer then oyl , yet art they drawn swords . (p) this ( as is observed by historians ) is the art of courtiers who by commending men as fit for such and such employments , do place and displace , call home or send abroad , take near or remove from the princes ear whom they please . a fourth sort will speak somewhat , as it shall happen , to the praise of the living , but cannot away that any thing should be said in the commendation of the dead . (q) nemo me lachrymis decoret . let no man shed a tear for me , said old ennius ; and , away with suneral commendations , say some ; new ( i think ) in their opinions , they fit not the gravity , beseem not the majesty of a pulpit . (q) but mors mea non careat lacrymis , said wise solon : (r) and it is pity that they who are singular for learning , or piety , or any such matter of eminence , should be buryed in silence , and perish without memory , (s) vate quod caruere sacro , because they have wanted a tongue or pen to speak them to posterity : so others . and the judgement of these last must carry our approbation , though the other perhaps may have as pious an intention . to dawb indeed with untempered morter , to guild over a rotten post , to paint over a deformed face , beseems no person , no place ; and some are justly to be blamed in this respect . (u) stratonice though she were bald , yet set the poets on work to commend her hair ; and so some are ready to hire , and others , which is more shameful , to be hired , to commend those who had not so much ( as (x) the oratour speaks ) as the hair of an honest man about them . (y) demetrius his slatterers having nothing else to praise him for , did highly commend him for that having a cold , he coughed and cleered himself handsomely by spitting ; and so again many having nothing to say of abominable , worldly , covetous persons , yet set them out for just men , and such as deal truly and honestly with their neighbours ; which is as much as if we should say , when the charity of men is altogether cold , wholly frozen , that they cough or spit and cleer themselves well nothwithstanding . 't is pity that such abomination should be found in the holy place . but where there is true worth , dignity , and desert , no place fitter for the commendation of it then the pulpit . the practice of the holy ghost , is a sufficient precedent . the scripture seldome speaks of the death of the saints , but it speaks also the praise of the saints . moses hath his praise , and iosiah his praise , and both so high that nothing can be said higher . (z) no prophet like moses . (a) no king like iosiah . sometimes wicked men are commended for some special work , but seldom are the godly laid in the grave , without some notable epitaph , some singular commemoration . so that we cannot but wonder , that good and bad should by some be equally honoured in this kinde , both buryed alike without any distinction , but while we speak of commending , we would not willingly discommend any . the residue therefore which we have to say in this matter we shall deliver by way of instruction . and in the first place , we are so unwilling that any should be defrauded of their just praise , that sometimes we think it lawful even to flatter men , and sooth them up ironically in their owne fond conceits and opinions , so it be done without any hurt to others , or such like dishonesty . (b) that imperial beast caligula , to recruit his treasure which he had foolishly wasted , charges many with high treason , and amongst the rest fals foul upon domitius afer an eloquent orator , whom he no less envyed for his worth in that kinde , then he did for his wealth . and how doth the wise orator redeem himself out of his hands ? why , he replies not a word to his charge , dares not so much as attempt to defend himself , but pretending that he did admire and stand amazed at the eloquence of the emperour , betook himself wholly to prayers and supplications , and professes that he feared him more as an orator , then he did as he was emperour . with which flatteries caligula being much taken , was pacified and persecuted him no farther . (c) the same crackt-brain emperour pretends that he had familiarity with the gods , and brags one day like a lunatique that he lay with the moon , and askt vitellius a witty man , if he did not see him embracing the moon . at which he , as admiring his happiness , casts his eyes downwards as not daring to look up , and with a soft and trembling voice , alas , sir ( quoth he ) t is for you gods to see one another , we mortals dare not behold you . theophilus bishop of alexandria inveighing against those that held god was corporeal , and had bodily shape and members as men have ; the aegyptian monks that were of that opinion , come out of their cloysters with one consent against him , purposing in their fury to dispatch him without more ado : and how does he break their rage ? why as iacob before had done his brother esaus . he comes out voluntarily unto them , and speaks them fairly , (d) when i see you ( saith he ) me thinks i see the face of god. and surely had he carryed him as conscionably in other things , as he did cunningly in this , future ages would have counted him as pious , as he was politick . tell me why should any man lose his life or his estate for the freedom of his tongue ; which as it is otherwise unseasonable , like to his that preached to them that were robbing him , or like that of (e) musonius , who discoursed in the camp of the benefits of peace to the souldiers that were ready armed , and fully resolved for war : so it may sometimes kindle rage , increase suspicions , justifie pretences of tyrants and wicked men , and bring an inevitable danger ; whereas a word wisely spoken , would preserve a mans life , and reserve him for better times . in such cases therefore , a man need not fear to sooth up men ironically in their wayes , and to sprinkle them as he did the people with holy water , and cry , quandoquidem hic populus vult decipi , decipiatur ; since this people will be deceived , let them be deceived . surely had not the king farther conjured him to speak the truth , the prophet micaiah would have gone no farther then that ironical concession , (f) go and prosper : for the lord shall deliver ramoth gilead into thy hands . and (g) what did st. paul aime at when he cryed , men and brethren , i am a pharisee , and the son of a pharisee , but to save his head , by insinuating in a fair way into the hearts of that sect ? and how could he , as he professes , become (h) all things to all all men , a iew to the iews : to them that were under the law as under the law : to them that were without law as without law , weak to them that were weak ; but that he must needs make himself much as they were , and condescended a great way to their customes and carriages , opinions and affections . somewhat therefore even of flattery at some times and in some cases may be admitted . . when we see men well given , or well disposed , or while yet we are uncertain what course they will certainly take , it is not amiss to preoccupy their affection by ( as yet an undeserved ) commendation . to commend them as those of whom we are perswaded well in all things , as those that abhor wicked courses , as those that will do so and so , approve themselves every way to god and men. this is as st. paul speaks , to take men (i) by guile ; to perswade men to be such , while we praise them as such already . and so we suppose st. paul would have taken (k) agrippa , believest thou the prophets ? i know ( saith he ) that thou believest . and yet , if he knew him throughly , he could not but know him to be a wicked man , (l) one that lived in incest ( which the heathen took notice of ) with that bernice which sate with him at that time on the bench , one that by his life did give little testimony of his faith , but this was the first time that st. paul preached to him , and not knowing but his words might work somewhat , he would willingly have perswaded him to be such , as he would have had him . and thus when macrinus was first chosen emperour , a cruel man , one whom his servants called (m) macellinus , butcher for his cruelty , the senatours with great wisdom determined to give him the name of pius , which though it were not taken by him ( but that of felix assumed to his no little (n) contempt , as if he could be happy and not pious ) yet it took off from him the keenness of his cruelty . but as the course is good when we see men well disposed , or are uncertain which way the byas of their affection will carry them : so nothing worse then when we finde them vitiously inclined either to cruelty or debauchedness . as the former will be ashamed not to be such as they are in others estimation , so the latter will satisfie themselves with an empty commendation . the one will seek to deserve , the other will content themselves to have the reputation of good men . the one will grow better , the other worse by being commended . (o) when nero found himself applauded in his cruel courses , he added cruelty to cruelty , drunkenness to thirst , till bloud toucht bloud ; till he had murthered not only the chiefest of other families in rome , but those also of his own , even all his nearest and dearest relations . as therefore praises are like cordials to good hearts : so they are cankers to corrupt affections . as they are antidotes to those that have not tasted of vice , so they are rank poyson to surfeited stomachs . and no lesse traytors are they that puff up cruel tyrants with false praises in publick , then they that poyson vertuous princes in private . true it is , they that wait in gods and princes courts , both the one and the other , may have sometimes a kind of necessity ( if (p) there were any necessity of sinning ) to speak well of that , to which they stand very ill affected . thus burrhus while nero was playing the minstrel on the stage , stands by for fear , (q) & moerens & laudans , mourning and yet commending . (r) thus prexaspes commended that dart , which at once pierced both his childs , and his own heart . but we cannot commend such commendations . (s) that which is wickedly acted , is more wickedly commended . yet as they mourned inwardly , while they commended the tyrants outwardly . so though we censure the commendations of such , yet we cannot but mourn for their condition . . if we praise men that they may do well , then much more those that have done well already , especially the dead , who have run their race and finished their course in all godliness and honesty . (t) then praise is free from flattery , and may be given with most safety . while men live here , and are subject to mutability , they cannot be praised with security . but when god hath set a crown of righteousness upon them in heaven , then may we set a garland of praise upon them on earth . nay t is not good to bury eminent persons in silence ; lest we seem to envy both their vertues and persons . he was a wicked and slothful person that hid his lords money in the ground without labouring at all to bring in some advantage unto his lord ; and we do not think him so good and diligent as he should be , that shall without more ado bury eminent graces , and never labour to bring in any gain or glory to god. to give men their due commendation will be a testimony of our own good meaning , and free us from suspicion of all evill and malevolent affection . but here it will not be amisse to put in a double caution . . that we seek not to nourish , but correct rather , that itch after praise and vain-glory that discovers it self in many . (u) all this matter should be despised by our selves , but not neglected by others . (x) we should not pursue , but be pursued by honour . (y) good hilarion would not stay in the place where he was praised . and indeed it is a (z) swinish passion to stand and suffer ones self to be clawed or scratched : a senseless blockish business to be carryed on to well doing only as (a) pitchers by the ears . (b) true it is , we may seek by well doing for honour and glory , but not from men , but god , nor think any praise any thing , but what comes from god. (c) for he is approved , not whom men but god commends . when he that is lord of all men , doth set out or speak well of any ; such a man is higher then all , though he be dispraised by all ; whereas on the contrary , it will nothing prosit a man , if the lord praise not , though all with one consent do speak his praises . let us teach men therefore to seek chiefly approbation from god in respect of themselves , though we teach them to commend others that god may be glorified , and others , by that means may be gained unto god. . whether we praise the living or the dead , let us keep our selves within (e) the bounds and limits of truth . (f) many are excessive in this kinde , ascribing unto men not what is or was in them when living , but what they themselves desire should seem to be in them . a sort of men that would ( as one saith ) if they could , make christ greater then he is . and such while they would seem learned and pious , do blazon their own folly , and make themselves ridiculous ; and while they endevour to make the praises of those whom they set out highly glorious , render all suspicious if not as wholly fabulous . (g) for this is the nature of men , while the vertues of others go not beyond a possibility of imitation , they are heard with good affection , but when they seem to passe those limits , they are slighted through envy , or cast off with scorn through their incredibility . a wise man therefore will so manage his commendation , that it do not exceed its due proportion . (h) the statues which were erected for the conquerours in the olympick games , might by no means exceed the stature of their persons ; nor should mens commendations be raised a jot higher then their just perfections . . if there be any thing singularly good in wicked men , we know nothing but it may be commended , and their vices at death passed over in silence , as david did sauls . yet lest by commending what was good , we should seem to justifie what was evil in them , we think it not amiss to use some such like expressions , as , that we could wish , that they had discharged their duty in other things as well as in this : that as they abounded in this grace , so they had in others also : that they had acquitted themselves in every kinde as well as in this , or the like . an orator we know should conceal as much as may be the faults of him whom he commends . but (i) it is one thing to speak as an orator , another thing as a censor or minister . or if any one will contend that of the dead nothing is to be said , or nothing but good , we will not contest . only as this was given in charge still by the romans (k) to their commanders , in dangerous cases ; nequid resp . detrimenti capiat ; that howsoever they acted , they should have a care that the common-wealth suffered no dammage ; so howsoever men act in this kinde , let them have a care , that piety do not suffer . (l) as he cryed when he was urged to contribute money to the rebuilding of an heathenish temple which he had puled down , i will not give a half-penny 'to wickedness : so let not half a word be spoken in commendation of wickedness , or that may strengthen the hands of the wicked . (m) we may do nothing against the truth , but for the truth . if there be any thing noble in any , it may , but whatsoever is otherwise , may not be commended . and so i passe from the commendation to the thing commended , the nobleness of the beroeans . these were more noble — the beroeans were more noble then those of thessalonica . some take the words spoken in reference to their stock , birth , parentage , as erasmus who interprets the words not of the beroeans but thessalonians , thus , illi autem erant summo genere nati inter eos qui erant thessalonicae ; these were best born , men of the greatest nobility amongst those of thessalonica . and the words in the original will bear that translation , but the story , as any may soon see , will not bear that construction of the words . others take the words as spoken of the beroeans , and in reference to their manners , conditions , dispositions : thus , these were more noble ; that is , more ingenuous , more receptive of the christian doctrine , as our learned oracle dr. hammond : more vertuous , more religious , as beza . others think they may be referred to both , as gorran , they were more noble ; that is ( saith he ) genere vel animo ; either in respect of their descent , or in respect of their disposition . we conceive they are so called not in reference barely to their birth , but their disposition also . and if they are said to be more noble in reference to their ingenuity ; then we may observe , that they which are well borne , are more ingenuous , better conditioned then others . if they are said to be more noble in reference ( as most think ) to their piety , then we may observe , that piety is the best nobility , or godly ones are the greatest nobles . and if we take the words in this last sense only , yet the former doctrine will nevertheless stand good . for godly men would never be said to be more noble then others , but that it is found even by common experience , and taken for granted , that such are usually better qualified , better conditioned then others . (n) de vacuo similitudo non competit , de nullo parabola non convenit . no man takes a similitude or parable from that which is empty of all likelyhood , and hath no ground of resemblance with that which is spoken of . nothing can be an image of truth , unless it first truly subsist it self . these two doctrines therefore shall be the subject of our future discourse ; the first whereof is as we have said , that the better their birth is , the better men commonly are . they that are well descended , are commonmonly better gifted and better conditioned then others . they that are nobly born , are usually endowed with better abilities , and better qualities . yea the natural birth , if truly noble , is no bad preparation for the spiritual birth . true it is (o) many of mean birth have proved great and good men in their geneneration . many have been great actors in war abroad , great orators at home in peace . (p) many plebean souls have had patritian spirits . many whose parents names have scarse been known , have been of better note then the noblest of their times . (q) 't is noted in two of the roman kings , that the one had no father , the other no mother : yet both famous in their age , and no small founders of the roman greatness and glory . for all arts (r) livy writes of cato the elder , that he exceeded all . that he had so much spirit and wit , that he could have cut out his own fortune wheresoever he had been born . and whereas others were excellent only in one kinde , he was so good at every thing , that you would have thought him born on purpose for that one thing , whatsoever it was , he undertook . for oratory , not to take notice of demosthenes and cicero , whose mean birth (s) all know , and was often cast in their teeth : (t) the great master in his art tels us of one whom yet he names not , who being askt , what such and such a figure was ? answered , he knew not , but if there were any figure belonging to an orator , he was sure he had it . for government of state affairs , a (u) modern historian informes us of one , that by the goodness of his own nature alone , and out of the stock of meer natural wit , without any knowledge , or almost any letters , carryed the credit away from all his fellow counsellours , and passes this judgement withal , that the precepts of wisdom should be framed rather from the excellent parts of nature found in a man , then that an excellent man should be framed from the precepts of wisdom . such copies sometimes nature sets us in common births of excellent abilities . and so for singular qualities , we may see some of mean descent excel (x) in meekness and gentleness ( for which as for his virginal purity some say christ loved iohn above others ) and in (y) goodness of nature , for which the heathen did reverence even the very shadow of isidore . (z) as hales said of bonaventure , some are so excellent , that adam may have seemed almost not to have sinned in them , that very little taint of original perverseness may seem to rest upon them . as there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so there be also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wonders as well as monsiers in nature . but if we look to the common course or (a) wheel ( as st. iames saith ) of generation , mens abilities and qualities , caeteris paribus , are ordinarily according to their births . nature brings not any thing so excellent from a common , as she doth from a noble stock . the old proverb is true , (b) the bounds of the mysians and phrygians are distinct : and the flights of eagles and iayes are different . (c) the natural parts of men of mean condition are commonly weaker and their minds generally more sordid and base . and if any thing singular do put forth it self at any time in them , yet it hath a (d) tang of the stock from whence they came , and carries a taint with it , as good wine that is drawn from a musty cask . if they strive to do better then ordinary , yet many unhandsome carriages are mingled still with their best actions ; and though we shall finde in many of them many good things , yet seldom shall we see them come off in any with that grace as they that are better born and bred shall do . (e) apes , as they say , act as apes , and ants as ants. if they cannot do as eagles or lions , it is by reason of a deficiency in their nature , and for want of sufficiency of discretion which should govern their actions . so that it was not for nought , that thales or plato , or whosoever he were , did blesse himself , that he was born a graecian and not a barbarian . good parentage is a great blessing , and they that are well born ( as plato said ) have (f) gold and silver , special excellencies mingled with their natures . whereas artificers and husbandmen are made up as it were of brass and iron . for instance , we see by manifold experience , that men of noble and gentile birth excel the vulgar sort . . in docility . they have more (g) catching wits , more sudden snatching apprehensions then others . the doctrine that is instilled into them , fals on them as the dew on the tender herb , and as the showers upon the grasse , and not as in others as rain on the high-way which without continual dropping can make no impression . (h) into a malicious soul wisdom ( saith the wiseman ) will not enter , nor dwell in the body subject unto sin : and the thick skin knowledge cannot pierce , nor lodge in the rude and rougher constitutions of the vulgar . the very countenance of noble youths doth seem to smile and allure the muses unto them , and the muses again seem to smile on them , and to be ready to embrace them as their favorites , and afford them all the kindnesses they can as their choysest darlings : whereas they shun the countrey complexions , hate your mechanick companions , and turn away from them , as holding themselves much disparaged by such , when they make love unto them . if true gentlemen court them in earnest , they grow more familiar with them in short time , and dive deeper into their secrets , then others that serve a full apprentiship with them . . in ingeny . as their wit ; are more catching , so they are more fruitful in themselves . as they excel for capacity , so also for fertility . like well manured ground , they bring forth a better crop then your barren soyl or forrest lands . (i) whence ( say they in the gospel ) hath this man this wisdom , and these mighty works ? is not this the carpenters son ? is not his mother called mary ? and his brethren james and joses , simon and judas ? and his sisters are they not all with us ? whence then hath this man all these things ? they might well wonder indeed , that a carpenters son should discover so much wisdom : such mean births can seldom say unto wisdom , (k) thou art my sister , and call vnderstanding their kinswoman . but we know well , he had a divine birth , a more noble generation , and thence did that wisdom , and those works shine forth in him . and what are all the wise sentences and pithy apophthogmes that are extant , but the productions commonly of more noble births , or at least more noble educations . (l) the vulgar sort are not sought for in publique counsel , nor set high in the congregation — nor are they found where parables are spoken . whatsoever savours of ingenuity is suspected as not coming from them . the tyrians were sometimes driven out by their servants , who were resolved at last to set up one to king it over the rest . and who should that be , but he that first spyed the sun-rising . whereupon stratos servant looking westward , by his masters advice , first discovered the beams of the sun guilding the tops of the hils , before the body of the sun could be seen . the fact savoured not of a servile wit , and inquiry being made , the device was found to be the masters and not the mans. (m) and by that they all understood , how much ingenuous dispositions do differ from those of servants . though they may exceed them in malice , yet they must come short of their masters in wisdome . . in magnanimity . though they have better wits then others , and could help themselves many times out of danger , yet they scorn to make use of their brains to save basely their skins . (n) men of mean condition have this advantage , they can in extremities take such courses , and accept of such terms as noble personages cannot without losse , or will not , lest they should in the baseness stain their honour . does the enemy overbear them in number ? though they might do it without diminution of their dignity , yet their spirits are so high , that they will not take an advantage or help themselves by warlike stratagems or policy , lest they should seem (o) to steal a victory . nay , (p) as the horse in iob , they will mock at fear , and looking on a numerous army make themselves merry with the greatness of the company , (q) as having before them the more to kill , the more to take prisoners , the more to run away . (r) do winds and waves oppose them ? yet their spirits are as big as both , and they will (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bear up against both , outface and outbrave both . (t) do great ones , such as think themselves lords of the world , treat ? they have learnt to fear none , but him that is indeed supreme lord of all . may they save their life by flight ? (u) should such a man as i fly ? said nehemiah . (x) god forbid ( said iudas ) that the sun should see me turn my back upon mine (y) enemies . (z) at cannae varro , one of the romane consuls , a butchers son flies , aemylius paulus , a man of more noble descent , having lost the victory chooses rather to die . (a) the lyon is never seen in danger to run ; and howsoever noble spirits may sometimes run away from dangers with their (b) hands , yet they scorne to betake themselves basely to their heels . (c) yea they have vowed rather to march forward presently to certain death , then by going back but a few cubits with dishonour from the enemy to add a hundred years to their life . . in humility . that ( as (d) one saith ) is the sister of nobility . though gentlemen and noble personages have great spirits , and do not love to be humbled , yet they know how to humble themselves . they know how to carry themselves submisly towards god. the coutrey shepherds take only the pains to visit , but the wisemen fall down and worship our saviour . (e) the one had priority in matter of devotion , but the other were more lowly in their adoration . they know how to condescend to men of low estate . (f) placilla the emperour theodosius his wife disdained not to visit the hospitals , to physick the sick , to wash their pots , to tast their broths , and to do all the offices of a common servant . when pompey the great , flying out of the battel at pharsalia wanted servants at supper to tend on him , favonius a gentleman that was with him made no dain to wash him , and anoint him , and to do every thing which servants were wont to do for their masters . which one observing that stood by , cryed out , (g) good god , how every thing beseemes a gentleman . such things beseem them indeed , and true gentlemen do not think they misbeseem them . whereas they that rise high from low estates do think it a foul disparagement to condescend to such base services . the one being great by their own native worth know , they shall not lose but gain by their humility : the other being raised by their wealth , or being the minions of fortune , shun the thought of such services as remembrances of their former servile condition . the one being high of themselves , think nothing better then to condescend to those below them : the other being low of themselves think of nothing but equalling or transcending those which are above them . the one are carefull to give respect , lest they should seem to neglect others : the other are careful to observe what respect is given them , fe●ring to be contemned themselves . the one throw off , that they may not be gazed on : the other put on more ornaments then beseems them , that they may be the more adored . (h) so did marius , so diocletian , both of base beginning . the latter of which , besides what he bestowed on other parts of his body , did deck and adorn his feet with gold and all manner of pretious stones , that men ( as they were commanded ) might with less disparagement fall down and kiss them . a custome which his holiness of rome who professeth himself a servant of the servants of god , and is but perhaps some beggerly monk or fryer till he sit down in st. peters chair , hath taken up and will not be induced to lay it down , though one sometimes ( let (i) him be a protestant , seeing they will have it so ) did ( as such unsufferable pride deserved ) bitingly protest against it . though one of them was wont to laugh it out and say , that (k) he was born domo illustri , in an illustrious house ( the house being poor and uncovered where he was born ) yet in all his actions , he shewed himself as proud and arrogant as any of the rest in good earnest . . in curtesie . a grace proper to gentlemen and noble personages ( as appears by the name ) which follow the court , and such as if it were freed from that hypocrisie and guile , wherewith too often it is mingled , as titus the emperour was called , the delights of mankinde for it , so it might justly be called , the delicacy of humane speech and society . men love to be used like men , and (l) courteous carriage wins more upon them , then a clownish good turn . it was a noble speech of augustus , (m) that a petition should not be delivered to a prince , as provender to an elephant , of which we are afraid . and it is the noble practice of gentlemen and great ones to put off roughness and austerity , and to treat all according as their name prompts them with gentleness and affability . to do this , the countrey man hath not faculty , and the new risen gallant , cannot think it suits with his authority . (n) as unskilful statuaries or carvers of images do imagine the great colosses they make , will be more stately and magnificent , if they make them bear a great breadth , and set them out also stradling and gaping : so some by their commanding voice and great looks , by roughness of carriage and retiredness of life , do labour to draw respect and reverence to themselves , though indeed they make themselves as monstrous and ridiculous as those colosses or statues to wise men . others will not vouchsafe you a single , or at least but a short sight of themselves , (o) like poppaea in the historian , who seldome came out in publick , and then kept part of her face covered , lest men should have too full a sight , or because she thought that posture best became her . others fling away in a rage or storme like (p) another of that sex in the poet who was wont , eftsoon to turn her head away not daigning a salute to stay . and all this to keep up the greater port and majesty , though indeed they get nothing but a jibe or mock thereby . some have highly commended their masters , as not giving them an ill word in long journeys , nay in long service ; and why ? because as proud (q) pallas ( sometimes bondman to claudius ) they scorned to speak to them lest they should profane or make their voice common . . in liberality . as they are magnanimous , so liberal also , and that even to magnificence . (r) as their hands are taught to war , so their fingers also to do good to those that want . (s) such was cymon amongst the athenians , who laid open his grounds , and kept open house , and carryed young men still with him well clad and well monied , that he might relieve those whom he met , if they wanted in either kinde . such was gillius among the agrigentines , who was called , (t) the bowels of liberality . nay , many have been even (u) seas of bounty , abysses of pity , as one speaks of manuel the emperour , who afterwards took up , though uncertain whether voluntarily or of necessity . hence your great and noble personages were called amongst the grecians , (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , benefactors . the kings of the gentiles exercise lordship over them , and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors . (y) and the names of lord and lady amongst us were taken up at first from mens bounty in distributing their bread to those that were in necessity . the houses of such in former times , being , as free schools for learning , so free inns for hospitality , or as (z) one cals them shops of munificence , wherein the religious trade of good works and charity was set up and driven commonly . men of mean condition have not the means , and they that raise their estates by their own industry , or good husbandry , have not the heart to do good in this kinde , but as they get their riches most an end basely , so commonly they keep them as sordidly ; whose wealth is as fast glewed to their hearts , as a (a) spanish dukes wedges of gold were riveted in his coffers , which he kept not only for covertousness , but for sport also , giving any leave to take as much as they would : it being as impossible to writhe or wrest any thing from them , as it was from his crowded chests . such cannot boast (b) with iob , that they eat not their morsels alone , who living most an end retiredly feed homely , cry out upon luxury and prodigality , being much of that (c) covetous wretches minde , who being asked , what noise he liked worse ? replyed , that of cracking of bones between the teeth ; and left means and maintenance rather then he would be at charge to maintain a family . (d) they are alwayes freest who do not get their estates by their own diligence , but receive it by inheritance . for they never feeling do never fear want , and the other getting their wealth hardly , love it and tender it the more dearly , as parents the children begotten of their own body , and poets the works begotten of their own brains . . in mercy . the more noble , the more merciful . cruelty and gentility cannot stand together . the disposition of noblemen and gentlemen is like that of (e) vespasian : who so little joyed in the sufferings and death of any , that he wept and sighed deeply at necessary executions ; like that of the (f) theodosii , the elder of which took it as a courtesie to be petitioned to shew mercy ; and the more angry , was the more ready and willing to pardon : the latter would willingly have raised those that were dead to life , but was altogether unwilling to put any man living to death . indeed , great cruelties have been acted by both sorts , noble and ignoble persons , but the latter generally are more eager in the prosecution , and more savage in the execution of their bloudy designes . the descent of ioseph is well known , and the scripture notes this of him , that he was (g) a just man ; that is , according to the hebrew phrase , a pitiful , a merciful man , of which it sets down this as an evident argument , that he was unwilling to make mary his espoused wife which he took to be guilty of adultery , a publick example , but resolved to put her away secretly , that she might not , though he thought she deserved it , fall into open punishment . generous natures do not love , except it be upon incorrigible persons , or for the prevention of otherwise inevitable dangers , to take the rigour of the law , and have lookt upon it as an office as hateful ( as sometimes that of publican ) to be an informer , accuser or promoter . (h) such in the primitive times , if any were banisht or put to death upon their information , were not admitted , no not at death , to the communion , nor under five years repentance , if the punishment were lighter . and the same crime was held sufficient to keep off for five years the baptisme of those that were not yet baptized , but sued for admittance to that sacrament . and howsoever (i) magistrates do , and may , and must of necessity in some wise make much of informers , yet t is but as we do of dogs , or hawks , that destroy evill beasts and vermin , and bring in the prey . and when they reward them , it is but like our spitting in their mouths , or fleshing of dogs with (k) the paunch . they and all other generous natures do secretly spit at them , and (l) hate them worse then dogs or serpents , that bite of a sudden , unseen , unhurt . but now your vulgar natures ( as my self and many others found of late dayes by experience ) are prone to cruelty , loving , provoked or not provoked , all words that may do mischief , and are ready to fall upon any mischievous practises , glad if by the advantage of the times they can make use of law , and magistrate to flesh their covetous or satisfie their malicious spirits . if the dog-dayes of persecution be in at any time they are senting and coasting straight , hunting after their prey , filling the air with their barkings and clamours , incensing the magistrate to sentence , and provoking many times ( being more savage themselves ) the (m) unwilling beasts to execure , and (n) like dogs eating sometimes the flesh and licking up the very bloud of those which they have massacred . the cruelties of men of better rank have been great enough , but those of the vulgar sort commonly are more (o) fierce and fell because they have nothing at all of knowledge , policy or civil education to take them off from their rage ; but will , and malice , and stubbornness enough to set them on . what (p) solomon said in general of the wicked , we may say , as taught by experience of them , the mercies of the vulgar are cruel . and surely every one may make it a part of his letany , from the mercy of a coward and a clown , good lord deliver me . . lastly , in affection to , and advancement of religion . true it is , at the first going forth of the gospel , such as they embraced it but slowly . (q) not many wise men after the slesh , not many mighty , not many noble . but , as (r) he said of alexander , that the good things which were in him , were to be ascribed unto his nature ; but his vices to fortune or age : so , that they embraced not straightwayes the gospel is rather to be attributed to external causes , matter of fortune , politique respects , worldly concernments , iniquity of the times and age wherein they lived , then to their inherent qualities of nature , which are better in them then in others , and in themselves no bad preparations for the gospel . besides god at first did pass them by , leaving them to walk on still in their own wayes , and choosing those of the (s) meaner sort both for the promulgation and profession of the gospel , that none might think they were chosen for worldly respects , or dignity , or that the gospel was carryed on by humane force and authority . but when once th●ough the mercy of god from on high , the day-spring from above did visit them , they above all became (t) nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the church , (u) and brought in willingly their riches and glory with themselves into it . and as (x) the church is the pillar and stay of truth , so they in special manner became the stayes and pillars of the church . to whom do our material churches , and such like places of gods worship , and our universities the seminaries and nurseries of learning and piety , owe their beginning to , throughout christendom ; but to them , and such as have been raised up by them to share with them in the like honour and dignity ? and who entailed that portion upon the ministers of the gospel ( which god did at first settle upon the tribe of levi ) and that by (y) solemn vow , that it should never be cut off , but they ? and who are they that of late would have pulled down our churches as places of superstition , destroyed our universities as the pests ( which they stuck not to call them ) of the land , and stood ready ( as (z) the dragon in the revelation over the woman ) to devour the holy thing which was left , but the vulgar sort , and such who swallowing down much goods , as (a) the dragon much poyson , do swell thereupon , and reckon themselves great gentlemen who have many times no greater ambition , then to be able to do those a spite that are of our profession . (b) plebs superum , fauni , satyrique laresque . the meaner sort of the gods , the communalty ; the gods that in fields , woods , and chimney corners ly . such is the difference between noble and common births . the one would keep up the church and true religion in lustre and splendor with themselves ; the other would bring them down to as sordid a condition as their own originals . and look as (c) iulian an usurper first of the empire , and afterward an apostate from the church , did not meddle with ministers , as diocletian who thought by killing of them to root out christianity , which lived still and flourished notwithstanding their death ; but by robbing the church , and taking away the maintenance of churchmen , he destroyed the ministry it self , upon which also ignorance and decay of religion presently ensued : so many , usurping the name of gentlemen , and apostatizing from the way of the church , medled not with ministers themselves ( that was against iulians and stood not with their principles ) but by taking away their maintenance , would have rooted out the ministery it self , upon which barbarism and atheism must needs have followed . a work sutable to their upstart nobility , and new-found piety , but such as could never yet finde entertainment by the truly ancient nobility or gentry . (d) pharaoh will make no purchase of his priests lands , but reserves them till better times , and allows them a portion , when their land would not , himself . (e) iesabel entertains four hundred of baals prophets at her own table . (f) the romans richly endowed their priests . (g) and whosoever ( saith the heathen poet ) doth in good earnest worship the gods , the same doth make much also of their priests . and as yet our nobility have thought rather of preserving then robbing their ministry . and thus we see by experience , that men of good descent are better conditioned , and do in many things excel those of the vulgar sort , and that a good natural birth in it self , is no bad preparation for the spiritual . but how comes it to passe that such as are well descended , do so far transcend others ? . this happens by virtue of their generation . (g) the seed is as it were the abstract of soul and body , and carries the qualities of both along with it . (h) the whole tree is in the seed and if the seed be good , the tree is good , if the seed be naught the tree is naught . (i) if the first fruits be holy , the lump also is holy , and if the root be holy so are the branches . (k) the water in the pitcher rellishes of the fountain from whence it springs . the milk savours of the land whereon the cattle feed ; the vinegar of the wine of which it came . every thing hath a smatch of that from whence it takes its original . (l) we see in the ofspring of birds and beasts , the virtue and spirit of the pa●ent ; and we may observe (m) the corn that is sown rising up to its growth according to the quality of the grain . (n) caligula took drusilla to be his own daughter by her curst conditions . and parents have no more certain way to judge of their own title to their children then this , that they are like themselves in their dispositions . (o) men might see ( was it said ) the spirit of living alexander in his dying mother : and we may say as truly , the spirit of the dead ancestors may be discerned in their surviving children . for as (p) the poet speaks of one that was killed in the water , ille manet fundo , rediit pro corpore sanguis . the body lay beneath i th' bottom , but the blood start up , and on the surface of the water stood . so though the remains of mens ancestors lie buried in the dust , yet their blood runs fresh and quick in their childrens veins . as we see ordinarily ( to (q) omit the strange resemblances in the productions of brute beasts ) (r) much of father and mother in the childrens countenance , garb , carriage , and sometimes strange impresses on the body derived from father to childe : ( saleucus (s) had an anchor on his thigh , and so had his sons , and so had all his nephews ) so we may observe the good qualities of the minde , the spirit of magnanimity , hospitality , policy , learning , to be as hereditary in some families (t) as the lance to the spartans , the ivory shoulder to the pelopidae , the grasshopper to the athenians , or the scepter of princes delivered over still by succession to their children . . this happens by education . the (u) virtues which they have radically by generation are completed by education . the (x) metalled horse is made much more serviceable by good training and mannaging . the richness which is in some grounds discovers it self in far greater fruitfulness by good husbandry and tilling of them . (z) the sparks that lie hid in flints , are drawn forth in great abundance by often smiting and striking them . so the metalled disposition , the richness of nature , the many sparks of virtue which are in some noble births , are drawn out to greater perfection , through the care that is taken in their good education . much is ascribed to the seed of which , much to the (a) place where , much to the (b) air wherein , men are born . what vertue there is in the seed , we have said . the place where men are born by reason of the richness or barrenness of the soyl or scituation in reference to the sea , may confer somewhat towards mens manners . the air according to the subtlety or grosseness thereof makes no little difference in wits , colours , complexions , dispositions : but education is all in all , and is sufficient almost of it self alone to alter all . it hath been questioned , though i think no great question need be made of it , which conduces most to good living , a happy brith or good breeding ? as it was said of demosthenes the oratour , (c) that his mother brought forth one demosthenes , and his own labour and travail brought forth another : so may we say here , generation brings a man forth in one sort , and education in another . a happpy birth layes a good foundation , breeding carries on the building to perfection . and great personages having the advantage usually of others in their education do attain thereby to a far more noble and generous disposition . . this happens by reason of good examples which they have about or nearer their eyes then others . the trophies of miltiades would not suffer themistocles to sleep . alexander the great was greatly animated by the gests of achilles . caesars spirit was stirred up by alexanders acts , and he grieved that he had done nothing at that age wherein the world was conquered by him . and if forraign examples have wrought so much , how much more may we imagine , (d) the domestick examples of parents , kindred , alliance will excite us , whom naturally we love and desire to be like , and to whom we are as loath to be a shame our selves , as we are unwilling others should cast shame upon them . (e) the romans did wisely who would by no means suffer those that bought the houses of noble personages to remove or take down their images . they knew the standing of them would be a great spur , a huge incitement to vertuous atchievemēts . the very houses otherwise would upbraid the weak owners for entring upon other mens honours , and doing nothing worthy of honour themselves . and does not the same consideration , think we , work as well , if not much more upon noble issues to keep up the honour of their own houses , as it did upon strangers , that they might not seem unworthy to lodge in those that they purchased from others ? yes surely . and were it not for this , (f) wise governours would not suffer the dignities and titles conferred on the ancestors , to passe and descend at a venture by succession upon their children , but that by this means they would bind them by a kind of necessity not to degenerate from the vertue of their ancestours . . lastly , this happens surely not without some divine influence from above . (f) pearls are not engendred in the sea without a flash of lightning . and these more pretious pearls of the earth are not begotten certainly without some divine flash or influence from heaven . the heathen had their heroes whom they reckoned betwixt gods and men . and we know (g) no divines but are willing to allow heroick motions , by which those whom we may rightly term worthies , were guided in their actions . and what we allow them in their lives , may not without reason be granted in their births also . true it is , the workings of god are free , and not tyed to persons or families ; but yet , as the spirit of god which is tyed to no sort of men , was most commonly poured out upon such as in scripture are called the sons , i.e. the disciples of the prophets , who were trained up in the schools of the prophets , and by the study of the law , were fitted and disposed for the receiving of the spirit ( what (h) else is the meaning of that proverb ? is saul also among the prophets ? but that ( though it sometimes fell out otherwise (i) as in the case of amos , who was no prophet , nor son of a prophet , but an herdsman , and gatherer of sycamore fruits ) it was unusual , that persons never applying themselves to such courses , should be so suddenly and strangely invested with the spirit of prophesie ? ) so i make no doubt nor question at all , but that the divine grace and blessing , though not tyed to any , doth most usually fall in some special manner upon those families whose ancestors have done worthily , and who set themselves after the example of their ancestors to do worthily in the places where they live . and when all these , birth and breeding , special examples below , and special blessings from above , do concur , when heaven and earth do consent and conspire together as it were in one for their good , they must needs excell in matter of abilities , and have a preheminence above others in respect of noble qualities . now this may let us see , first , how justly noblemen and gentlemen are in all places prized , preferred , honoured above others . such are better born and better bred then others ; and so when honour is cast upon them , a lustre is cast upon honour . honour it self being in a sort ennobled , when noble persons are honoured . whereas on the contrary , the advancement of men of mean birth and condition , is a debasement of the dignity to which they are advanced . and (k) look as unskilful mechanicks who set little statues upon great bases or pedistals do shew the smalness and contemptibleness of their statues so much the more : so those that raise men of sordid condition to high places of honour and dignity do lay open their inabilities , and discredit them the more , tottering and shaking this way and that way through their instability . (l) the shechemites raised up abimelech , the son of a maid-servant to be king over themselves : but , as iothan told them , they carryed themselves therein ingratefully ; so the event shewed them , that they dealt therein but impolitickly . (m) when a servant raigneth , the earth is disquieted : neither will it be at rest till it hath vomited him up , as the stomach the meat that offends it . then kingdoms and common-weals are peaceable and prosperous , when places and persons of honour are sorted and suited to each other . true it is , the nobility and gentry have alwayes had many mouths opened against them : but they alwayes (n) won upon the affections , and found favour with good men , both in love to their ancestry , and in hopes to have from them a like generous progeny . (o) herod being an idumaean burnt all the iews genealogies , envying them that antiquity whereof himself could not glory : so many being basely born themselves , would root out the nobility and gentry ; and , like the fox that had lost his tail himself , would have the entailment of honour cut off from their posterity . the peasant ordinarily boasts , how serviceable and useful he is to the common-wealth , and complains as they in the parable , that gentlemen are not only made equal , but set up far above them who bear the burden and heat of the day . but (p) who knows not that gold and silver are deservedly preferred before iron and brasse which yet are more for use and service then they ? (q) the rich man cries up riches above all . and truly where a free , noble , generous and rich minde goes along with rich means , no man can reasonably envy any honour ; and such might be infinitely serviceable to church and kingdom : but when rich men would have themselves , as nebuchadnezzars golden image adored only for their riches , and would have nobility , gentry , ministry , fall down and worship and bow before them , and yet have no more heart or spirit to do themselves or countrey good , then dead images ; those we think deserve as justly to be cast down as images , and they that deal so with them , to be called as deservedly great , as (r) he amongst the romans for casting out the rich slaves that had crept in sometimes into the senat. others would have virtue only honoured in the parent , and no honour at all derived to the children , till it appear they tread in their parents steps , and discover that they are not only , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , well born but well natured , fit for service , fit for action . and , that they would have (s) a passage open for all by virtue to honour , we dislike not . (t) we commend not the custom of the egyptians and spartans , with whom cooks sons must of necessity be cooks , cryers sons cryers , and trumpeters sons trumpeters . nor do we approve the practise of (u) clisthenes , who called the men of his own tribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , rulers of the people ; but nicknamed other tribes by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , swineheards , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , assekeepers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hoggards , and the like . (x) nor do we like the conceit of those of calecut , with whom no tract of time , no favour of prince , no wealth , no office , no virtue , can give one that is not so born , the name of a gentleman . but that honour should not descend from father to son , hath we conceive many inconveniences . this crosseth the common custom of most countries , which usually preserve their genealogies , and keep up the splendour of ancient families : and makes way for sordid equality , which suits not but with a turkish tyranny , or helvetian democracy . this cutteth off the hope and exspectation of a worthy progeny , together with the reverence that is owing to a family . this ministers occasion to lay aside , that which is all in all , the more careful and special manner of childrens education . this wrongs the living and the dead : the dead whose memory by this means doth die with him presently ; the living by depriving them of that honour which their ancestors purchased for them , perhaps with their bloud . (y) what though children do not alwayes patrizare , but sometimes degenerate from the virtue of their progenitours ? the (z) tree which is barren this year may bring forth fruit the next . the ground that lies fallow or brings forth nothing but thorns and thistles may in after-times recompence its former barrennesse with exceeding fertility . and the stock of that family which now seems withered and dead , may sprout forth again and raise up it self , and the land where it is planted , to singular glory . though the heart of davids children were not perfect with god as davids was ; yet for davids sake did the lord his god give him a (a) lamp in ierusalem , to set up his son after him , and to establish ierusalem . the single service of one man may deserve to be kept in perpetual memory , and to be honoured for ever to all posterity . as that of our great albemarle , to whom ( though he did but his duty ) yet , we conceive , the kingdom will be ever endebted . . this should be an admonition to men of good birth , of noble discent that they dishonour not their honorable original : we remember the saying of (b) aesop to solon , that mens discourse with great personages should be very short or very sweet . and we would very unwillingly offend that ranck of men who alwayes befriended , never offended us ; but we judge the (c) wise mans reply to savour , though not so much of policy , yet more of honesty , that our discourse with great men should be short or very soveraign ; very brief , or such as should dictate the best things unto them . it is one thing to be a minister , and another thing to be a courtier ; one thing to be a lover and honourer , another thing to be a flatterer and corrupter of nobility and gentry . we cannot but testifie what hath been observed , and what every man cannot not but testifie to have too much truth in it . first , that men of great birth do seldom make any addition to those honours which they have from their parents by succession , but contenting themselves with the purchase of their ancestours , do live and spend as prodigals upon their reputation . secondly , that coming with ease to place and authority , and being corrupted and drawn aside by flattery , they break out many times into all kinde of luxury ; their very goodness of their nature being a great promoter and advancer of their wickedness . for (c) as it is noted by modern writers of italy , and long since by ancient historians of athens , that no where better hony , nor more killing hemlock ; no where men of better nor worse dispositions . so it is true , and delivered also by plato the divine philosopher , (d) that great natures bring forth great vices , as well as great virtues : even as the richest soil brings forth , not being well dressed , the rankest weeds . and therefore it concerns them that are well-born to look carefully that they disgrace not a noble birth by an ignoble life . and (d) thus whilest they disdain not to be ranked in the number of best men , they little regard to deck and adorn themselves with the best manners . and to this end , as vlysses sometimes said to achilles , when by his mothers counsel , contrary to his birth and breeding , and indeed to his own natural inclination , he found him disguised , and spinning amongst other virgins , that so he might avoid the expedition which was then on foot to troy , and his own fatal destiny which was foretold should be at troy , (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . what wilt thou put out the bright lustre of thy kin , sitting with women , son of stoutest greek , to spin ? so give me leave to put some few questions of like nature to some that already do , and to young men that they may not , degenerate from their noble nature . . thou that art descended from noble and learned parents , wilt thou according to (f) epicurus his counsel take shipping and flee with swiftest sails , and as far as possible may be from all learning ; and , rather then use a little pains and industry , quench the light , and bring in darkness and blackness of ignorance , and barbarism into thy family ? (g) what a blot was it to the son of cicero , that it should passe into a kinde of proverb , that the people of rome could not know cicero's son by his speech , and that his sottishness should be as great as his fathers eloquence . indeed it is a shame for any that bear any place or authority in a state to be altogether ignorant of letters . (h) what a disgrace was it to michael , sirnamed balbus , emperour of constantinople , and to the empire it self , that his best skill should be , to tell which were likely to prove the best pigs : what asses would kick , and how to avoid them : what asses were fit for burden , and what for saddle — and that for matter of learning , he should be so ignorant , that another should sooner read a book , then he write his name . (i) what a ridiculous business was it , though the historian excuse it ? that a question being propounded , who was the better souldier hector or achilles , a prince upon the suggestion of an ignorant fellow , that achilles was a flagitious letcher and no wayes to be compared with hector , should make proclamation , that if any did but name achilles in his house , as the king had forfeited his wits , so he should forfeit his house and all he had to make amends to the king. and is it not a shame also , that gentlemen of great birth and dignity should be so illiterate and ignorant even of the latine tongue , that they understand nothing at all of it , except there be an interpreter , (k) or exorcist , as sometimes he was called , to conjure out the meaning , not altogether unnecessary sometimes for the understanding the devils oracles ? nay , how can many be blamed and shamed enough , who so for cast all knowledge behind their back , that though interpreters do bring out unto them the muses naked as it were , and prostitute them to their pleasures : (l) as lot did his daughters to the men of sodome ( whether with like intention , lest the one should do worse , and as little discretion in betraying the honour of the other , i will not determine ) yet they will not be tempted to meddle with them . they are so chast , that they leave them untouched , unsaluted , unseen . and hence it comes to passe that either they betake themselves wholly to worldly business , raking and scraping together all that may be got without regard of honour many times , or honesty , and gaining to themselves no other name then what caligula gave (m) i. silanus , and diogenes to all illiterate persons , namely , that of golden cattle : or else they gave themselves entirely to sports and pastimes , hawking and hunting , things not unlawful nor unuseful , but pursued most an end with too much expence of treasure , and time the greatest of treasures . for , (n) as mahomet the turkish emperour said when he had greatly lessened the number of those that kept his dogs and hawks , that there were yet enough left for a vain and foolish sport : so some few hours at certain seasons might suffice for such game , and the rest be employed and spent in the pursuit of knowledge , a thing of infinite more use , and far more excellent name ; and yet others , which is worse , having great means , do give themselves up to all manner of riot without measure ( of which more by and by ) and hating all discours that savours never so little of any learning or ingeny , admit none usually but flattering parasites into their company , being like unto nothing so much as (o) those trees which grow on the top of great praecipices , the fruit whereof is eaten by ravens and such like fowl , there being no accesse unto them for men to seise on them for food . (p) now if that roman were lookt upon as sottish , who keeping schollars still about him , was of that opinion , that whatsoever any of his house knew , he knew also ; then much more sottish are they , who know nothing themselves , nor will admit of any willingly that do . for whereas the great (q) prerogative of letters are , that they are an ornament in prosperity , a refuge and protection in adversity , a comfort in age , a solace in solitariness , a remedy for the wearisome burden of idleness , and a cure for crosses , and sometimes also for sickness : the one did or might at least , if he had been capable , enjoyed some shadow of these ; but the other can glory only in sensuality , which sardanapalus counted his chief felicity , whose manners , as his (r) epitaph , suited better with a beast then a man. . thou that art the son of a magnanimous father , wilt thou bring cowardise into thine ancestry , and discredit thine heroick line with a base spirit as with a kind of bastardy ? (s) was it not ominous that a man should bring forth an hare in xerxes army ? and was it not infamous that such (t) slugs should follow after such thunderbolts , such darkness after so great lightning in ninus , cyrus his , and scipios family ? but here many do not fall short , but far exceed both in word and deed , our antient nobility and gentry . the godly in scripture are said (u) to fear an oath , but some gentlemen have too great spirits to be restrained and stand in aw of any such leight matter . (x) when ephraim spake , trembling . and if fearful oaths give men just cause , as indeed they do , they cannot but tremble to hear some of them speak . they thunder and lighten ( as (y) 't was said of pericles ) and when they fall into a passion : as he by his powerful oratory , so they by their dreadful oaths put all into a combustion . or (y) as livy writes of young ceso , that he spake so confidently , as if he carryed the power and vertue of all dictatures and consulships in his own voice and strength : so they swear so stoutly , as if all power in heaven and earth were given unto them , as if their tongues were absolutely their own , and they had no lord over them . it (z) is the command of our saviour , that we should not swear at all ; neither by heaven , because it is the throne of god ; nor yet by the earth , because it is his footstool ; nor by our head , because we cannot make one hair black or white . and so it is , they observe in some sort his command . they swear not by heaven or earth now , but by god himself . they swear not by their own head ; but , oh impiety ! oh horror ! by the head , wounds , heart and bloud of god. they spare themselves , but rend and tear god in pieces with their oaths . it were well , and much to be wished , that as gentlemen of all other are most curteous and civil towards men , so they would learn to be a little more civil towards their god. but the magnanim●ty of some is such , that it makes them forget all civility . and what they are in words , the same we may finde some also to be in their deeds . (a) as cyrus the younger wrote to the lacedemonians , that he was more princelike then his brother , as for other things so for this , that he could bear away his wine much more stoutly : so many now adayes do outstrip their ancestors , in that they can carry away their liquor much more gallantly . the time was when out english gentlemen exercised themselves with military fears , and made themselves and the nation famous by warlick exploits ; but now the daily exercise of many is , whose belly shall hold most , and whose sconce shall bear most ; and he that can get the victory , glories in it as a great mastery . the time was when full feeding , if any , was our fault ; and bacchus was a god that was much served by the dutch and flemmish , and little known in our island ; but we have received the idol long since into our heart and inmost dowels , and every day sacrifice unto it , drinking unreasonably , drinking unmeasurably , drinking (b) as if our parents had begot us when they were drunk , drinking not only the (c) cup of necessity , strength , mirth , sleep , with might sometimes be excused ; but of folly , madness , lust , fury . and indeed many , unless as (d) the poet hath it , they drink damnably , think they shall die unrevenged , die ignominiously . and so they call for greater weapons , and (e) the battel is with confused noise , with tables and garments baptized in the bloud of the grape , and with vapour , and smoak , and burning , and fuel of fire . we have read or heard of the danes , that they think ( and it may be some are of their opinion ) that what entreth into a man defileth not , but what is vomited out : but the musick would sound but harshly in their ears , if we should say , they deserve to be restrained , as some were by (f) tiberius with fidle-strings , lest not sinning in filling they should sin in emptying themselves . we delight not in cruelty , but a restraint surely is necessary , and divers have in several (g) ages thought of , and applyed several remedies . and it is time in this age to think of something ; not only learning , but manhood also , being drowned under this deluge , and nothing of it appearing in many gentlemen , except it be that rising from their benches like (h) gyants ( at least in their own conceits ) refresht with wine , they send out a chartel of defiance for the maintenance of the truth , which they never belyed ; or that they enter the field and fight , as (i) the champions of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for some lady , which was never by themselves nor must by others be abused . an argument not of manhood but of madness , not of courage but of outrage , not of magnanimity but ( to speak the lightest of it ) of youthful bravery and vanity . wisemen abhor such actions and reject such motions , and the supposed (k) blind poet saw clearly this , that it did not stand with the valour and dignity of his achilles to fight for ( though then in stead of wife ) a captive lady . and therefore as he brings in agamemnon in great choler threatning to bereave him of his briseis ; so he brings him in , with much discretion replying : (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . forth ' damsel ! with thee , or other , i will not fight , her you gave : her again to you i do behight . but touch ought else of mine which in my ship doth lie , his bloud spins out about my speer . let who dare trie . we know no other lady any gentleman hath to fight for , but she that begat him and nourisht him , and which ought to be deerly tendred by him , his own native countrey ; but many have been found in all ages and nations that have ravisht and much abused , and made such deep wounds and gashes in her face , that not only strangers but her own children could scarsely know her . few that have with true courage and magnanimity maintained her honour and dignity . . thou that givest thy self out as descended of free and noble parentage , wilt thou dishonour it by wretched covetousness ? was hospitality all thy fore-fathers glory , and dost thou only pleas thy self with sordid parsimony ? did they keep open house for all commers , and doest thou still shut up thy doors , lest others should come and eat up thy commons ? did their liberal hearts devise (m) liberal things , and doest thou practise thy self , and teach also thy children all (n) sordid arts ? so it is that hospitality is well nigh lost , and almost wholly buryed in the dust . the roman censors being wont to take the manners and affairs of their citizens into cognizance , sent sometimes ( as we have somewhere read ) their messenger to the good men of the city to make their appearance . the messenger goes to the tombes and sepulchres of the dead , calling all of repute by their names , and charging them to appear before the censors in their proper persons ; and being demanded the reason , he replyed , that time had worn out the good men of the city , and therefore none being to be found amongst the living , he was forced to seek them among the dead . and surely , if we will find out the good house-keepers indeed , we must go seek them in the grave . the earth , the earth , covetousness and worldlimindedness have long since devoured them . the soul of hospitality is every where almost turned into the body of bravery . in stead of feeding the bellies of the poor , men cloathe their own proud backs ; and whereas the (o) loyns of the poor were wont to speak thanks and blessing to the rich , now the loyns of the rich speak hunger and thirst to the poor . god hath set up the rich ones of the earth to be gods as it were unto the poor to do good unto them , and to distribute to their necessities ; but the graces and favours which are received , do not countervail sometimes the sacrifices and peace-offerings that must be given to these deities . when any petitions are put up to them , they stand as (p) the images of the heathen-gods with the palms of their hands upwards and open , not as willing to give but as ready to receive ; and if any bounty fall from them on solemn times and seasons , it is but as moisture that fals from the heavens , which the sun first drew up from the earth . neither is hospitality only lost , but those other vertues also which we spake of , as proper to nobles and gentlemen . in stead of humility , behold pride ; some scarse daining a word or look to others , and yet as much offended as (q) haman with mordecai for the omission of a knee to them , and ready to fall foul upon a man for lack of some few cringes and congies , as ( they say ) evill spirits are on them that conjure them up , if the least line or figure be omitted in their magick ceremonies . in stead of mercy , behold cruelty ; the condition of divers being like those surrentine wines which some commended , but tiberius called , (r) generosum acetum , generous vinegar , savouring rather of the crab , then of the grape or any such like generous stock . but who are these ? (s) the true vine cannot lose her pleasantness wherewith she cheereth god and man. these grosse failings are seldom in the true , but in those that pretend to , and are climbing up to the gentry . and such may know , that they take not the right course to hit the mark which they aim at . for , what was said of (t) one , is true of all these vertues , hospitality , humility , curtesie , mercy , are each of them a most courtlike quality ; and the contrary savours strongly , and suits best with the countrey . let us make but one demand more and we have done . . thou that art descended of noble parents , such as were great patrons of learning , great advancers of piety ; wilt thou by putting down learning and debasing the ministery pull down religion , and bring an everlasting blot upon thy family ? what ; is not learning worth the countenancing ? one that knew the worth of it will tell thee , (u) that common people should esteem of it as silver , and nobles as of gold , and princes as of pretious pearls : and they have been thought happy , (x) to whose share by the gift of god it hath fallen , to do things worthy to be written , or to write things worthy to be read . but these were schollars , and pleaded their own cause . true ! but we have as much also from noble personages . (y) alexander the great , if it were put to his choice , said , he would rather be great for learning , then for wealth or war. (z) numerianus professed , that he had rather have a statue erected for him as an oraet●r then an emperor . and (a) sigismund of late years preferred schollars before others , as being in his judgement better then others , saying , that , he could create noble men , but god only learned men . or do you think that religion and learning will stand alone without any helps and encouragements ? so thought iustinian an emperour (b) who digested much law into books , but little learning into his brain . and therefore taking away (c) salaries from professors , he fell to building of temples ; but while temples went every where up , which made , he thought much for his glory , learning went down , and barbarism and rusticity overrun the empire , to his no small infamy . or , do you think that true love to learning and religion can stand with the contempt of the professors of the one , and ministers of the other . it was (d) feelingly and fully spoken by themistocles as suffering in that nature , i cannot commend those that have the same cup to drink and to pisse in . can we drink and pisse , pisse and drink in the same cups ? can we prise and despise , use and abuse the same persons ? so some have done , but not (e) sutably to their religion , nor agreeably to their profession . the greeks honoured their gods with obscene and filthy stage-playes , and reckoning them as a great piece of their religion , they had their stage-plaies also in great veneration ; but the romans ( which was strange ) honoured their gods with the same playes , but gave no honour at all to the players ; making use of their art , but rejecting the artificers as infamous . and if st. austin did thereupon wittily reason thus : the greeks lay down this proposition , if such gods be to be honoured , then such persons ought to be honoured . the romans come in with the assumption , but such persons are no wayes to be honoured . the christians make the conclusion , such gods therefore are by no means to be honoured . then we may argue as truly : the christian proposes , if religion ought to be regarded and maintained , then due regard and maintenance ought to be given to the ministers thereof . the sectary assumes , neither maintenance nor regard ought to be given to ministers . the atheist concludes , therefore religion is neither to be maintained nor regarded . but the nobility and gentry of the land have hitherto in the worst times forbid the conclusion , by making another kinde of assumption ; and we are confident , while any true bloud runs in their veins , neither due regard nor due maintenance shall be withdrawn from the ministery . and indeed whatsoever phansies may run in some mens heads , yet assuredly nothing can be carried on in church or state , with good command , till magistrate and minister go together hand in hand . the hydras head of sin will never be destroyed , except the one cut it off as (f) hercules , and the other as iolaus commit it to the fire ; neither will they ever get the mastery over their enemies , except as the (g) two sons of actor in homer guide the chariot , the one holding the reins , the other the whip : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these were twins : the one held the reynes still in his hand , the reynes still in his hand , th' other did with whip command . so they both of them guide the chariot of the church with joynt-authority , and contribute both their power to each other for the gaining of the victory . and truly as the piety of our ancient nobles took up the clergy into the same chariot with them , not only as (h) iehu did ionadab to see , but also to guide and regulate their zeal , and to act with them in the supreme authority : so it will not be an act unworthy their successors to raise them again ( being unexpectedly raised themselves ) to that dignity from whence they were cast down of late , and that in respect of outward distempers , not without some iniquity . a difficult work we confess to bring about , but seeing god hath brought home again our royall soveraign (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary to the oath of his enemies , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond the hope of his friends , we know not but he may raise up also the sacred order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary to the sanction which hath passed against them . this would not be dishonourable for the nation , and ( quicquid aves contrà minores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) not unlawful in religion . the case may in such sort be stated and determined , as it hath been long since by no unlearned (k) or religious person . envy cryes , tolle , tolle , take , take , all from the clergy that is called temporal . (l) no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affaires of this life , that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier . flattery cries , oh quanta sublimitas ecclesiasticae dignitatis ; oh how great is the sublimity of ecclesiastical dignity ! (m) to christ , all power is given in heaven and earth , and none can have any power , but what they receive from his vicars here beneath . but discretion looks to the original of things , distinguishes betwixt dues and favours , considers the differences of times , and circumstances of things , and findes that that may be given , taken , and managed by them now , to the great advantage which could neither be given , nor taken , nor managed by the apostles without the prejudice of christianity . howsoever therefore some may be as good friends to the clergy , as (n) the thebans to the athenians , who would have had them wholly rooted out by the lacedemonians , yet nobler spirits , like (o) the phocians will intercede for them , as they for the athenians , who lookt on graece as wanting an eye , if athens should be wanting . this is certain , whosoever considers the benefits that are derived unto them by the clergy , cannot but say as (p) he that was in his age as great a politician as any . god blesse them by whom god blesseth us , and will not be unwilling to raise them on earth by whom god raises them to heaven . nor can any envy them a seat with them here , who shall be willing to see the apostles of christ sitting with him on twelve (q) thrones , and judging the twelve tribes of israel hereafter . to wind up this admonition , let such as are descended of antient families , take heed they do not bring dishonour upon them by the forenamed , or any such like , enormities . as it is common with them to stand upon their gentility , so let them have a special care that they be not justly charged with grosse crimes in matter of morality . is it not a shame and a grief , to see rare parts of nature either drowned with sottishness , or overrun with vice for lack of tillage ? is it not strange to think that men should run such races , and follow such debauched courses , that if their (r) servants should do the like , they would bestow on them a hundred honorable titles , and think no stocks or houses of correction sufficient to punish their debauchedness , and yet pardon all in themselves , and passe it over as matter of mirth and pleasantness . is it not ridiculous to see men of great birth and wealth , to have little wit or worth ? and that a man should have never a good condition , not one good quality , and yet please himself with that of the poet , (s) ast ego cecropides , but i am a gentleman of great antiquity . a man of mean birth (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither son of lord nor lady , hath all liberal arts under his (u) coat , law , divinity , feats of chevalry , and can a hundred wayes do service to his countrey ; and the other is nil nisi cecropides , nothing but a gentleman of great antiquity . every creature is valued according to its own inherent worth , and must man alone take up his credit from without himself , from his noble birth ? (x) the dull jade is not the better accepted , because his sire hath run many a race ; nor the dog because his dam hath oft won the chace . (y) if thy breath slink , or thou be deformed , wilt thou say , thy father was sweet or fair ? or if thou be weak and sickly , wilt thou plead , thy father was stout and debonaire ? the vertues of our ancestors will not heal our vices ; but the lustre rather of their glory , like a bright shining (z) light , will the more blazon our infamy . what do eminent birth , and eminent vices purchase for men , but more notorious ignominy ? when the meanness and bad manners of others lie both hid in obscurity . suppose the noble acts of mean progenitours do (a) prop up for a while , the defects of their successors , as shores do rotten edifices ; yet as the one , except they be repaired , so the other at last will sink and (b) fall to ground through their own vices . in short , if men of good birth be vicious , they are but as pools which receiving good water from the spring-head do stand and putrifie ; or if , not being given to much vice , yet they be not vertuous , they are at best but like (c) the cedars of lebanon which mount up to a great hight but never fructifie . we laugh at the romanists who glory that they sit in st. peters chair , when god knows they dwell where (d) satan himself hath his throne : and style themselves the successors of the apostles , when they have neither any affinity with the manners , (e) not consanguinity with the doctrine of such predecessors . and is it not also ridiculous for men to take to themselves the honours of noble personages , and allow to themselves such vices as are not sufferable in ignoble persons ? either glory not of the nobility of thy birth , or grace it with the goodness of thy life . (f) this is the credit of nobility and gentry indeed to let the world see cleerly that they inherit not only the honours , but the vertues of their ancestors . . forasmuch as they that are well descended , are better mannered , better conditioned ; men should learn to match themselves into a good house , a good kindred . (g) in other things of nothing so great concernment , we are wisely enough and carefully provident . that we may have a good stock of cattel , we will look to the breed . for the sowing of our ground , we pick the choysest seed . and shall we think in the procreation of our children , that it matters not what the original be , scythian or barbarian , bond or free . * the vertue and goodness of the seed discovers it self both in man and beast . a generous seed , a generous brood . and look as it was said of cato , (h) that cato and continency came both out of the same womb : so may we say , that of the same seed , nobility and ingenuity , nobility and magnanimity , liberality , curtesie , and every good quality doth most an end proceed . and yet howsoever men may praise and commend highly nobility , wealth for all that doth commonly make the marriage and contract the affinity . so men can raise their estates , they care not many times what blots and steins they bring into their houses , to the great (i) dejecting of their childrens spirits when they shall hear them charged upon them in after-times , and themselves be conscions of their parents vices . but a wise man will rather seek a vertuous then a wealthy issue , and chuse rather to leave his children the treasure of (k) an ingenuous confidence arising from the knowledge of his good parentage , then a stained or tainted inheritance . true it is , that some evils ( as , proud and scornful spirits ) do cleave to great births ; and women especially that are derived from great families , do reckon (l) the conquests , triumphs , honours of their ancestours , as a part of their husbands dowries , and a man shall have need of a (m) good god ( as one saith ) and a sea of water to wash away their insolencies . but these are not the vices of nobility it self , but of some few noble personages , and are recompenced generally with eminent vertues . . lastly , this should be for caution to parents , that they set not their children as much backward for lack of education , as they help them forward by conveighing a noble nature to them in their generation . true it is , that as some constitutions of body are stronger , so some dispositions of minde are better then others . so that two being trained up under the same discipline , the same laws , one notwithstanding may surpass the other by many degrees ; and yet for all this , every disposition is (n) helped forth , or hindred much by good or bad education . (o) medea had more wisdome then witchcraft in her , who taught men to bring their soft and effeminate bodies to a better temper by military and manly exercises . hence the report arose , that by boyling anew their flesh , she brought them back from age to youth , and made them look lively again and fresh . whereas this new devised concoction , was nothing else but a better advised institution . it were well , many noble youths were not quite spoiled by their parents witchcrafts and sorceries , or by the inchantments and flatteries of base parasites , which by the parents countenance creep into noble families . (p) but as lycurgus shewed the men of sparta , that of two whelps of the same litter , comming both from one dam and one sire , the one for lack of nurture proved a ravenous cur , good for naught ; whereas the other being better tanght , minded nothing more then what he was bred to , the sport and game . so it fals out too often , that in the same noble families some for lack of good discipline are good for nothing but the pot ; whereas others being better educated , grow either by learning or military arts renowned , and gain for themselves and their countrey a great name . a mean birth may be supplyed by a noble education , and made fit for any great design or notable action ; whereas for lack of discipline and culture , there seldom comes any thing very excellent from mee nobleness of nature . gold it self , the best of metals , is not so good when it comes from the oare , as when it hath passed the fire ; nor yet is it of that worth or price , till it be wrought by the goldsmiths artifice . nature is brought by art to its full perfection : and so should generous births by sutable education . (q) the romans were wont to cloath their children with purple that from the very colour of the cloth which they ware , they might learn bashfulness and modesty , which is the colour of virtue . and it is but fit that by all good wayes ( whether silent symbols which are emblematical , or soveraign discourses which are more emphatical ) the hatred of vice should be wrought in the hearts of noble youth ; that so shame might stein their cheeks , when by vicious courses they stein their noble births . and look , (r) as gardiners are wont with props and stakes to stay up their young plants , that they may shoot forth , grow and fructifie the better : so ought good parents to stay up their children by good precepts , counsels , and instructions ; which growing up with them may engender such vertues , properties , qualities which shall be agreeable to their birth , place , and dignities : and may season their hearts with the fear of god , and true piety ; which is , if not the only , yet , the best kinde of nobility . and so we come to the other point which we observed , that piety is the best nobility ; or , godly ones are the greatest nobles . (s) we finde four several sorts of nobility mentioned by the ancient , who going their several wayes , and following their several conceits , might give occasion to others to multiply divisions ; but we conceive all the kinds thereof may fall under a triple enumeration ; created , natural , acquired . the created again is double . one conferred by god , who stamps some part of his image upon the soul of every man that comes into the world : and so we think either may be said , that all are alike noble , being all are made after the image of god ; or that none are noble at all . as if all men were kings , (t) as cyneas said of the senate of rome , we might truly say , there were never a king in a kingdom . the other conferred by princes ( a kind of gods on earth ) either for love or money , called by nazianzene , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & not amiss termed by another , (u) parchment nobility , which is as far from true nobilility , as painted from native beauty ; and deserves as much to be reverenced , as the ape when he is dressed up to personate the lion. the natural is that which is by descent from parents , by succession from ancestors ; to which one of the three former of those kinds mentioned by plato may be reduced . for whether men descend from those which are good men for their piety , or great men for their rule and authority , or famous men for some special service or excellency , unless they be such as their parents were themselves ; they have onely the matter and not the form , and are heirs onely of a naturall , and no better then a nominal nobility . the acquired is that which is gotten by a mans own vertue and industry , which is therefore called personal also , because it is the purchase of his own deserts , and not his ancestors glory . and this though it cannot be matched with that , which is both natural by succession , & personal by acquisition ; yet if the natural be not accompanied with vertue , which is the form of nobility , the personal and acquired must have the preheminency . now this personal nobility , whether taken by it self , or in conjunctiion with the natural , may be considered , either as consisting in moral vertues onely , and such like qualities as are beneficial to the common-wealth , according to which the nobility of the heathen , and such like is to be reckoned : or else in supernatural graces , the fear of god , and true piety , which make for the glory of god , and the good of the church , according to which christians are to be accounted noble ; and this we say , is the best nobility . though the name ( there is no doubt ) were first imposed upon that which is carnal or civil , and afterward translated to that which is spiritual ; yet as in other things of like nature , not that which is carnal or civil , but that which is spirituall is best . the spiritual kindred is best . (x) he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven , the same is my brother , my sister and my mother . the spiritual food best , (y) my meat is to do the will of him that sent me , and to finish his work , and , my flesh is meat indeed , and my blood is drink indeed . the spiritual fast best . (z) is it such a fast that i have chosen , a day for a man to afflict his soul , to bow down his head like a bulrush , and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him : wilt thou call this a fast , and an acceptable day unto the lord ? is not this the fast that i have chosen , to loose the bands of wickedness , &c. the spiritual ornaments best . (a) put off concerning the conversation in time past the old man , and put on the new man. and as the elect of god holy and beloved , put on the bowels of mercy , gentleness , humbleness of mind , meekness , long-suffering . the spiritual freedome best : (b) if the son shall make you free , you shall be free indeed . the spiritual sacrifices best : (c) the sacrifices of god are a broken spirit , and to do good and to distribute forget not , for with such sacrifices god is well pleased . so the spiritual nobility is best . the fear of god and true piety . though the carnal have the priority in nature in all these , yet the spiritual kindred , food , fasts , cloathing , freedom , sacrifices nobility is best . and for the last however the great ones of the world brag much of their nobility , yet godly men surpass them therein in every respect . . in respect of their parentage ; they are descended from the most high. (d) they are the sons and daughters of the almighty . they are born not of bloud , nor of the will of flesh , nor of the will of man , but of god. that which was the vain ambition of some of the heathen , as (e) of alexander and others , is their happy condition , they are the sons of god. and whereas the great ones of this world , notwithstanding their goodly parentage , are the children of (f) night and darkness , (g) children of wrath , children of death , children of hell ( the (h) rich glutton , that spake himself the son of abraham , was tormented in the flames of the infernal pit ) all the godly are (i) the children of light and of the day , the children of (k) promise , the children of the (l) wedding-chamber , and not only children (m) as wicked men may be , but certain (n) heirs of the kingdom of god. for their mother , the womb wherein all godly men lie , is that of christs spouse ; the (o) lambs wife , who is a great queen , and hath (p) kings daughters and honourable women for her attendants , is their mother . they are all sions children . and as the (q) lycians take their name from their mother , and if their mother be honourable , reckon their children so , whatsoever the father be ; and the children base born , if the mother be so , though the father be never so honourable : so they call no man (r) father on earth , but count it their honour that they are the children of the church ; which though she be on earth , yet is not of the earth , but hath her original from above . (s) ierusalem from above is the mother of them all . so that as they excel all by the fathers side , they surpass also by the mothers side , ierusalems , w ch is their mother , descending also from god. indeed upon a true , account , & at first rise (u) god may be said to be both father and mother to them . (u) by his free goodness a father . (x) by the power and fruitfulness of his grace , a mother . even as also the ministers of god , the inferior and subordinate agents in their generation , are sometimes called fathers , as begetting them ; (y) in christ iesus i have begotten you through the gospel . and sometimes mothers , as bearing them , and bringing them forth ; (z) of whom i travel in birth again , till christ be formed in you . those vertues and excellencies , which in carnal and corporal agents are divided , being more eminently and perfectly in spiritual agents united . . in respect of their divine nature and qualities . they are children of god , and so are born not of (a) corruptible seed , but incorruptible . the word of god is the seed of which they are begotten . and as there is vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a formative vertue in the corruptible seed of man , by which it comes to pass , that one man differs from another in conditions : so there goes a formative vertue with the word of god , even the (b) spirit of grace , which begets in them a disposition above that which is humane , and forms them after the (c) image of god , makes them partakers of the divine (d) nature and (e) holiness of god , and works in them such affections , and conditions whereby they excel all others , which are not born of the same seed , nor have the same seed of god abiding in them , which they have . the spirit works in them the same mind , will , affections , desires , dispositions which are in god , and makes them in all , holy , (f) as he is holy , and (g) pure as he is pure . there are as we have shewed special excellencies to be found in those that are noble according to the flesh , whether christians or others ; truly religious , or not : and they that are spiritually noble come not behind them in any thing , and excell them in all those things , that have any excellency by nature above the rest . they lose not any priviledge which they have by the flesh , but gain over and above that which comes by the spirit . . they are as docil , and ingenious , and as capable of any humane wisdom and learning , as the best . (h) moses was learned in all the wisdom of the egyptians : and we see dayly the children of god come as (i) richly laden out of the schools of men , as ever the israelites did with spoyles out of the land of egypt . iulian a learned emperour , but wicked apostat , saw it , and was grieved at it . (k) we are wounded ( saith he ) with our own quils : out of our own books they take weapons , which in fight they use against us . we may see the learning of those fathers , some of which as living before him , or being contemporary with him , he complained of , and may reap the fruit of that with joy , which was a grief of heart to him . (l) we may see how destructive a pen to error lactantius had . how instructive in good manners hierome . how assertive in doctrine austin is . what a high strain , hialry ; what an humble vein chrysostome hath . how basil reproves . how nazianzen comforts . how fluent orosius is . how short and trusle ruffinus . how eusebius tels his story . how sollicitous eucherius is . how paulinus begins . how ambrose proceeds . (m) how tertullian thunders and lightens . how more (n) stoutly cyprian speaks then eloquenly ; and yet how much more strength there is in his life then in his speech . . pass we from learning and wisdome to matter of courage and magnanimity , and we shall find that the godly fall not short of any . (o) the lord is a man of war , and (p) he teaches their hands to war , and their fingers to fight . (q) he girds them with strength to subdue their enemies . besides what they have by nature , (r) he gives them also a spirit of might and power , as being to wrestle not onely with (s) flesh and blood , but with principalities and the rulers of the darkness of this world , spiritual wickednesses in high places , which do every day vanquish the men of this world , and are every day vanquished by the children of god : who being armed with a double kind of armour , are carried on with as undaunted a courage as any , against their two kind of enemies spiritual and temporal . and indeed to yield them so far as justly we may the preheminence in all things ; some of them have had no peers either for learning or valour , wisdom or courage . all the lawgivers of greece cannot match one moses . nor all the wise men one solomon . nor all their worthies one iosuah or david . nor all their feigned herculesses one true sampson . . if the nobles of the world again think they have wherein they may trust in matter of manners , the children of god more . are the one humble , the other as being born of god , more . (t) the lord is high above all nations , and his glory above the heavens , and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth . so they are high in gods , and in all good mens eyes , and yet low in their own ; and (u) raise themselves higher by their lowly carriage . (x) i am dust and ashes , faith abraham . (y) less then the least of all thy mercies , saith iacob . (z) i am more brutish then any man , and have not the understanding of aman , saith agur. (a) i am not worthy to unty christs shoes , saith iohn the baptist. (b) that he should come under my rook , saith the centurion . (c) i am less then the least of all saints . the (d) chief of sinners , saith saint paul. . are the one courteous , the other as the true children of god , more . (e) the lord is kind to all : (f) he appears not in a rough wind or terrible earthquake , or burning fire , but in a still and soft voice . he (g) speaks good words , comfortable words , he speaks friendly words , he speaks to the (h) heart of the church . so his children are full of kindness ; full of courtesie , their religion doth not make them rude and rustick , but as it teacheth them to maintain good works , so also to keep up good manners . they hate indeed hypocrisie , but they love courtesie ; and account , as we may learn by their (i) practice , the omission of a salutation to be no small sin in civil conversation . . are the one liberal , given to hospitality ; the other as the true children of god , more . as the lord hath manum extensam to help , so he hath manum expansum to give . (k) thou openest thine hand , and satisfiest the desires of every living thing . (l) he giveth richly all things to enjoy . so his children are free-hearted , and open-handed . true it is , there be some gentlemen ( as we said ) and some professors , that have a thrifty , frugal , saving religion : but as the one are mock-gentlemen , so the other are mock-professors . there is not a child of god mentioned in scripture , as touched with covetousness . (m) god abhors it , and they all abhor it ; and whereas other shut that they may keep out , they have still opened , and (n) stood at their doores to take in whom they might relieve who thereby (o) entertained angels , who came not so much to feed on their chear , as to feast upon and reward their charity . . are the one mercifull ? the other , as children like their father , more . (p) the lord delights in mercy above all . he delights in mercy , and rejoyces over the sons of men to do them good : but to the work of justice he proceeds as to a (q) strange work ; and to the act of judgement , as a strange act . (r) his heart is turned within him , and his repentings are kindled together . and while there is any hope he spares , and when there is no remedy yet he doth not stir up (s) all his wrath , nor execute the fierceness of his anger upon his people . and as he is to them , so are his children to others , as willing to impart mercy to others , as they are to receive it themselves ; as ready to pity , as to be pitied ; to pardon , as to be pardoned ; to forbear in expectation of amendment , as they would be forborn ; and while there is hope of cure , dressing and cherishing as their own members , and when all hope is past , as loth to have them cut off , and as sensible of their smart , as if they were a part of themselves . . doth the one stand well affected and seek to advance learning and the nurseries thereof , and the religion which they profess , and if they be christians , the church of god and ministers thereof ? the other as the true children of god more . (t) the lord loves the gates of sion more then all the habitations of jacob : and how he provided under the law both for the safety and livelihood of those that ministred in his courts , is well enough known (u) touch not mine anointed , and do my prophets no harm : and who amongst you shuts a doore for nought , (x) or kindles a fire on mine altar for nought ? and though he hath expressed no quotum for them under the gospel , as having given a sufficient precedent under the law by his own example ; yet he hath spoken (y) enough to that purpose , and in all times made sufficient provision for them . when they had least of all , yet then we find they did not (z) want at all : when i sent you ( saith christ to his disciples ) without purse and scrip , and shoes lacked you any thing ? they replyed , noth●ng . and he that commanded the (a) ravens to feed elias , hath still kept such a commanding power over the hearts of men , that though they be never so covetous , never so ravenous over this worlds goods , they have not quite eaten up all , but afforded his ministers a competent allowance . it was long before prophesied , and we have long since seen it fulfilled , that kings as nursing fathers , and queens as nursing mothers , should make abundant provision for the church of god. constantine begun , aud all christian princes have followed him , and the more religious men have been , whether publick or private persons , the more liberal they have been in this kind : and never any took away the means of the church , but persecutors and apostates , and such as meant to destroy the church it self . as for those who bo●e the sword among us of late , and had it in their mindes to rob and spoil the church , which their predecessors laboured to enrich : we may say of them , to their reproach , what the poet speaks to the honour of clytemnestra , who preserved her husband , when all the rest of her sisters destroyed theirs , that they had (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a single-conceited , and a single-opinioned sword by themselves . the sword of the lord , and the sword of his religious vicegerents , have hitherto been for the defence and maintenance of the church and ministers thereof . . in all these things they excel . but that which sets them cleerly above all , is the dominion which they have over their passions , through the work of mortification , and that divine temper which they have in respect of worldly things by their heavenly conversation . the nobles of the world , though they do worthily and seem to fly high upon the wings of vertue ; yet ( as it is said of birds ) (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they fly still with their passions about them . whithersoever they go , some passion of envy , lust , malice , anger , or the like , goes along with them , which defiles every action : and as birds though they mount high , yet turn their backs to heaven , and (y) look down-ward , and have their eye still upon the earth : so their minds are still upon the earth and earthly things , in their very noblest and highest designes . so that what is said in general of all men , (y) that they are never wholly free , but must serve either the law , or their lust , money or the base multitude ; may be said in special of them , they are servants still to some base lust or corruption , and while they rule over men without them , are slaves to the beasts within them . and look as men of mean birth , though they do many things well , yet still discover their lack of breeding , by some rude and unhandsome action : so the nobles of the world do stein their best actions , and discover still their carnal generation by some base vice or corruption ; to which , if not openly , yet in secret they pay their constant devotion . (a) yea while men glory too much of their birth , we may observe , how they are by gods just judgement given up to looseness of life . while they lift themselves up , and look over others in pride of spirit , they stumble and fall through the (b) slipperiness of the flesh ; while they please themselves with the conceit of their native excellency , they are supplanted by the deceit of their natural concupiscence . we may remember how (c) suddenly the pride of spirit in our first parents , was punisht by the rebellion of the flesh . while they conceited to themselves high things in their minds , they suffered instantly shamefull things in their members . (d) and so the gentiles when they grew vain in their imaginations were given up straight to vi●e affections ; and while they waxed wanton , and played as it were with their natural wits , were delivered up by god for a reward to unnatural wickedness . thus (e) the lust of the flesh humbles them , whom the pride of heart lifts up . thus they fall from the h●gh (e) flight of birds , beneath the sensual appetite of beasts . thus they are cast down below themselves by their inordinate affections , who set themselves up above themselves in their fond imaginations . but now the godly , though they be (f) subject to the same passions with others , yet they are not subjected to the same enormous corruptions . as their carnal birth , wherewith great ones please themselves , leads them on to carnal lusts : so the godly being born again of the spirit , do mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the same spirit . (g) they that are christs , have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts . (h) the whole heard of them is drowned by them like the swine in the gospel (i) not by a monkish profession , but in a dead sea ( if i may so call it ) of mortification . or if any of them live . yet they shut them up as close , as (k) ioshuah the five kings in the cave , and keep them as fast prisoners as tamberlain did bajazet in an iron cage . and for the world , though they be in it , yet they are not of it . though they live on the earth , yet (l) their conversation is in heaven . (m) while other men walk in a vain shadow , and disquiet themselves in vain heaping up riches , and cannot tell who shall gather them : they walk with god , and seeking rest and happiness , seek it only in him whom is centrum quietativum , the only center of all true rest and happiness . (n) while the multitude , as the israelites , stay at the foot of the hill , and fall to idolizing the creatures , doting upon , and dancing about , as they about the golden calf ; the godly are in the mount with moses , talking , and conververfing , and solacing themselves in god. and as they say of (o) some hils , that they are so high , that they are little or nought infested with clouds or winds : so the spirits of the godly are so (p) sublime , that violent passions and turbulent affections do seldom or never discompose or distemper their minds . true it is , that as the mists which rise out of the earth , do many times hang on the brow of high hils : so the mist of some passion may sometimes hang on the brow of their understanding , and obscure and darken for a while their reason : but as of the one , by the beams of the sun ; so of the other , by the beams of gods grace , we soon see a sudden dispersion . true it is again , (q) that as the eagle which sits ( in the poet ) on iupiters scepter , lulled asleep with sweet and delicious musick , doth hang the wing , and seem ready to drop off from her high perch and sublime station : so the children of god being lulled afleep sometimes with the pleasures and delights of this world , do flag and fail much in their wonted devotion , and seem ready to fall quite off from their high calling and heavenly profession ; but (r) the seed of god abiding in them , they recover themselves , and answer again their noble birth , and divine generation . it is with them in such cases , as with men that are intent on their business , though they be surprised sometimes with sleep , yet while they sleep , their (s) heart wakes , and the least warning , check , or call makes them start up , as (t) samson out of daelilahs lap , and break loose from the wit hs and cords of sin and vanity wherewith satan for a time did blind and bind their imagination . t is impossible that the fogs and mists of passion should hang long about their brows , who are clothed with the (u) sun ; or , that inordinate thoughts and cares for this world should trouble their heads , who have the (u) moon and all sublunary things under their feet . and thus both for parentage and divine nature , the godly surpasse all . their nature , by the work of gods spirit upon them , being in a sort divine ; their life pure and holy , as the life of god ; their vertues , as being freed from all violent passions , and inordinate affections , eminent above all other ; and indeed not so much to be termed vertues as graces . whereas the vertues of the heathen and irreligious christians , being tainted still with some lust or secret corruption , are not so much vertues as glittering vices . or if their vertues could be free from that pollution which we now speak of , yet would they not so be free from all aspersion , there being nothing at all of gods glory , either first or last in their intention . (x) as lactantius said of the heathen , that their learning was without a head ; that their religion was a headlesse religion , because they knew not god : so may we say of all vertues which the nobles of the world make shew of , they have no good grace , they are graceless vertues . the original of them being only the dictates of reason , and their end , their own glory ; or at best , the good only of the common-wealth , without any respect to god , and so no better in the judgement of the most high , then treason . but all the vertues of the godly are most properly graces , (y) their beginning being from grace , and their (z) end , as the godly themselves , the praise and glory of god. . they surpasse all others in their relations and priviledges - the nobles of the earth stand much upon these , and will reckon up , if need be , their ancestors (a) to the twentieth and thirtieth generation ; and are so vain sometimes , as to claim kindred with the (b) stars , and write themselves children to the sun and moon ; but when they have gone the highest , they fall yet far short of the godly , who have christ for their elder (c) brother and all the saints , the glorious company of the apostles , the goodly fellowship of the prophets , the noble army of martyrs , all the children of god throughout the world , for their brethren . and for their priviledges , they are the (d) citizens of heaven , and peers ( if i may say ) of the kingdom of god. they (e) have fellowship with the father , and with his son iesus christ ; yea , and with the blessed spirit also . (f) the grace of our lord iesus christ , and the love of god , and the fellowship of the holy ghost be with you all . so that there is not a dram of power in the father , of merit in the son , of comfort in the holy ghost , but they have an interest in it . so that they may alwayes delight themselves in the love of the father , relieve themselves by the grace of the son , and solace themselves in the comforts of the spirit . and having this fellowship with god , and being as it were peers of his kingdom , it is no wonder that they have also tutelam imperii , the guard of the almighty , the ministry and protection of the angels about them . (g) they are all ministring spirits sent forth for to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation . so that there is nothing spoken so highly and vaingloriously of their kindred and priviledges by others , but it is made good in a higher way to the godly in the greatest truth and reality . . and this in the first place letteth us see the reprobate minds and dispositions of those who have the godly in lowest estimation who ought to be in highest repute with them for their piety and devotion . let men be singular for learning , or any art or mechanique profession , they are admired and adored by all ; but good men are lookt upon , and talkt of , but (h) as monsters of nature , or some new mixture or strange composition . they that keep themselves carefully from the filth and off-scouring of the world , are generally reputed (i) as such by those that are the filth and off-scouring of the world indeed . yea , let the great ones of the world busie themselves much in matters of piety , and they shall run presently the hazard of forfeiting , with some of their own rank , the honour of their nobility . that which salvian long since complained of , is as true in our times . (k) if any noble man shall begin to turn towards god , presently he begins to loose the credit of a noble man with men . oh how little is the name of christ esteemed amongst christian people ! when religion makes a man ignoble , and noble men are compelled to be wicked , lest being good , they should be lookt upon as worthless . (l) the turks are of opinion , that learning doth soften and emasculate mens minds : and the like heathenish opinion , have some of piety , that it doth weaken and effeminate mens spirits , and take them off from every thing that is manly . true it is , godly men cannot swear , nor drink , nor drab it so stoutly , nor give a sudden stab , nor enter the lists upon every trifling occasion so desperately , as they that think and speak of them so contemptuously . but , let the glory of god , and service of their countrey require it , and none shall quit themselves more nobly . let iulian the emperour command his christian souldiers saying , (m) producite aciem pro defensione reip . bring forth the battail for the defence of the common-wealth , and every one obeyes : let him change the word and cry , producite arms in christianos , bring forth your weapons against your fellow christians , and they acknowledge another superior , and regard not what he sayes . they are cowards arant cowards to do evil . they can do nothing against , but have spirit and courage enough , for the truth . let sword , fire , beasts , whips , wheels , wracks , be prepared for the martyr gordius , gordius is prepared not to die once , but (h) ten thousand deaths ( if possible ) for christ. let romanus be threatned first with the wrack , and then be spared by reason of his noble birth , he will renounce the honour of his birth , rather then loose the honour of being a martyr . (o) absit ut me nobilem sanguis parentum praestet , aut lex curiae : generosa christi secta nobilitat viros . god forbid that bloud of parents ( saith he ) or court of honour should ennoble me christs generous sect gives nobility . (p) let sanctus , let lucian be tortured and questioned of what countrey they are , they each reply , i am a christian. of what profession ? i am a christian. of what parentage ? i am a christian . to every demand , i am a christian : shewing at once their courage and constancy , and that christianity is the best nobility . did these want valour ? or may they not seem to have drunk of the cup of spirits , which some talk of ? or doth not the spirit and life , which were both in their words and actions , shew clearly , that they had drunk indeed at (q) that fountain , which springs up in gods children to eternal life , and that the (r) spirit of glory , and of god , did rest upon them . and have not women also in like sort played the men , and marched along with them in the same equipage , shewing , that they are indeed not onely flesh of our flesh , but (s) bone of our bone , by their incomparable courage . we have read of a prince , that was called (t) tremblant , by reason of the trembling of his flesh when his armour was wont to be put on , who being demanded the reason by some who had his valour in suspition , told them , you have little knowledge of me ; for if my flesh knew , how far my courage would ere long carry it , it would fall into a flat swound . but surely we have so much knowledge of those that usually vilifie the valour of true christians , that should the same conflicts be presented to them , which were sometimes to the martyrs , not onely their flesh , but their hearts would be tremblant , and they ready for lack of spirit to encounter them , to fall ( as (u) saul in his distress ) flat on the ground . none but the christian spirit could endure the brunts , which the christian hath undergone . well and good may those , which are noble according to the flesh , want , as we see too often by experience , the spirit of piety , but the true christian can never want the spirit of magnanimity ; or if a christian should possibly prove a coward , he hath that , as other infirmities , from the flesh , not the spirit : even as the other , if they prove religious , have it from the spirit , and not from the flesh . . this lets us see , how little cause some have to please themselves with their nobility , who have no regard to godliness , no respect to piety . such are not so happy upon their own account , in respect of their noble birth ; as they are miserable upon a true account in respect of their wicked life . such ( as seneca saith ) are (x) noti magis quàm nobiles , of greater note then nobility . as ishmael is more noted for his (y) scoffing humour , and esau for his (z) profaneness , then that the one was descended from abraham , or the other from isaack . and indeed howsoever some pride themselves in that they are descended from such and such ancient families , yet both (a) sacred , and (b) profane writers fetch usually their pedegrees from other roots , and derive them from other originals , calling as the vertuous from the qualities which are notable in them , children ( as we have said already ) of light , day , wisdome : so the wicked , not from their ancestors but from their manners , children of darkness , envy , murther , death , and the like . and what honour can proceed from a noble birth imbased by a sinfull life ? what credit was it to the jews to be the children of abraham by generation , when they were reckoned by our saviour the just iudge of all men to be (c) the children of the devil by imitation . what advantage was it to ishmael to be born , and by his wickedness to be (d) banished out of the same family ? what benefit to esau to be the first-born in the house of isaack , and by his profaness to lose his (e) birthright first , and afterward , by the just judgment of god upon him , (f) the blessing ? or what comfort was it to the poor woman in the gospel to be the daughter of abraham , when she was bound by satan , and so far bound to the earth , that she could not (g) lift up her self towards heaven . if men will be truly noble , let them not satisfie themselves with this , that they are well-born by nature after the flesh , but let them labour to be born again by grace after the spirit . let them not content themselves that they are descended from antient families , but endeavour ( which few like in any sense ) to be novi homines , new men , new creatures . let them not build upon the good deeds of their ancestors , but see that they lay up a good foundation for eternal life by their own good works . our saviour commanded them silence , that proclaimed him with a loud voice to be the son of god , and why ? if we will believe saint (h) ambrose , because he desired rather to be acknowledged god by his own good deeds , than by other vain words : and this we find certain , that iohn the baptist knowing the humour of the jews to be such as is common with nobles and gentlemen , charges them to give the world some evidence of their own worth , and not to think highly of themselves , only because they were descended from abraham (i) bring forth fruits worthy of repentance , and think not to say within your selves , we have abraham to our father . (k) not the descent from abraham , much less from any other ancestors whatsoever , but the like faith , and piety alone , which was in abraham , will save us it was feelingly replied by polynices to his mother in the tragedy , when she askt him , if his noble birth did not stand him in much stead , did not greatly advance him in his banishment . alas ( (l) said he ) , 't is a a wretched thing to be poor . my noble birth fatted me not , fed me not : it is wealth alone gains honour amongst men , and he that is noble if poor , is as good as no body . so may we say to those that think highly of themselves in regard of nobleness of birth , and have no respect to godliness of life . alas , 't is a wretched thing to be poor in grace . nobility sanctifies not , saves not , keeps no sin from any soul , not any soul from hell. though it may find admission for a man into princes courts on earth , yet it will make no way of it self alone into the court of heaven ; for (m) without holiness , no man can see god. it is piety , and holiness , which god hath respect unto alone , and if a man have all other natural and civil ornaments , and want piety and holiness , he is , though he think himself with simon magus to be some (n) great one , but ( as saint paul professed of himself to be (o) without charity ) just nothing . . this is direction both for noble , and ignoble , how the one may gain that which as yet he hath not , and the other may enhance that , which he hath already . (p) as socrates advised young men , if they were ill favoured to correct their deformity by vertue , and if they were fair , not to stain their beauty with vice . so let men of mean and low birth ennoble themselves by a godly life , and (q) press to the mark for the prize of the high calling of god in christ : and let those that are of an high and honourable birth , take heed how they debase themselves by low and sordid manners ; but adde rather a godly conversation , as a great grace and ornament to that which they have by their birth , a noble disposition . there is a way left open by god for the ignoblest , if they will seek it (r) by well doing , to attain to honour and glory , and they that are of the meanest repute with the world , may yet by a pious life obtain with the saints (s) a good report in the world , and leave a blessing to their posterity , and treasure up a recompence for themselves to all eternity . they that are the least in the world , may become great and glorious by becoming godly and gracious ; and there is no defect in any sort or condition of men , but it may be made up by a religious conversation : the simple by this means may become (t) wise and understanding , the poore by this means may be (u) rich . the weaklings of the world may thus become the (x) the chariots and horsemen of israel . they that have not a rag to their backs may by this means be arrayed in (y) fine linnen , clean and white . they that have not a morsel of bread to eat , may feed every day of (z) manna , angels food they that are servants and slaves may by this means become (a) free . they that are deeply indebted , may thus have their bonds (b) cancelled . they that are reckoned (c) the filth and offscouring of the world may by this means become the (b) lords jewels . they that have not (c) a foot of land may thus have a (d) part in the inheritance of the saints in light . they that are but dust and ashes , may be made partakers of the (e) nature , (f) life , and (g) holiness of god : thus piety doth supply every want , defect , ignominy . thus (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by those forenamed formes , phrases , and expressions as by a glasse darkly may be seen , (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the transcendent prerogatives , priviledges , beauties , excellencies , glories , partly bestowed , and partly prepared , and to be conferred hereafter upon the godly . thus as the very heathen could acknowledge , (k) let a man be godly and religious , and all the victories , trophies and triumphs in the world , shall not make him more conspicuous , more illustrious . true it is , (l) the profane great ones of the world , will still despise those of mean birth , notwithstanding their godly life , and do scorn generally to have any commerce with them , or society in any office , not only if they be low and mechanick persons , which might give just offence ; but though they be as able as themselves in any politick or civil capacity . it hath been observed by naturalists , that there is such such an (l) antipathy betwixt two birds , that though their bloud be mingled together by force , yet they soon sever and divorce themselves again from each other : and it hath been observed also by moralists of the nobility and communalty , (l) that howsoever they sometimes joyn together upon some common services , yet they soon break again , and upon the lest occasion fall quite in pieces . great ones bear themselves commonly so high upon their birth , that they care not that any should come nigh them , though never do well qualified for parts and life . nor can they willingly give others that (m) honour for their own , which for the most part , they arrogate to themselves meerly for the vertues of others . but look now as the profane great ones despise the godly for their mean birth ; so god despises them for their wicked life . as they look upon the godly as a base , so god looks upon them as a black brood . his own people , descended from fair progenitours , he ranks , by reason of their vicious manners , which the foul-faced ethiopians , (n) are ye not as the children of the ethiopians unto me , o ye children of israel , saith the lord ? as they reproach the godly for their mean beginning : so god reproaches them for their wicked living . (o) the princes are rebellious . (p) the princes are revolters . (q) the hands of the princes were chief in the trespass . (r) the nobles of tekoah refused to put to their neck to the yoke of the lord. thus they are branded to eternity , partly for their wickedness , partly for their averseness to the works of piety . and as god , so all good men , though they be honourable by reason of their outward condition , yet hold them as vile persons by reason of their filthy conversation . and satan surely cannot but laugh to see them stand extreamly upon their birth , and yet make themselves the children , yea , the very first-born of hell , by their wicked life ; as if they desired to be chief in the lower , as they are here in the upper world . (s) — crassum ridet vulfenius ingens atque horum centum curto centusse licetur . great vulfenius laughs at such in grossest wise , and hundreds doth scarse at hundred farthings prise . we hate the exposing of any to derision , but we would , not unwillingly , have our words make some impression . we would have great ones and gentlemen see what little cause they have to brag of their nobleness and gentility , while they make themselves the children of the devil , and liable to the same condemnation with the infernal spirits , by their profaneness and impiety . for why ? are not the devils ( if i may so say ) as well-born and descended as the best ? are they not the sons of god , and the children all of them of the highest ? but not keeping their (t) first estate wherein they were created , that is , their holiness , they soon forfeited their happiness , and forsaking their proper station by disobedience at the same instant they lost that excellency which they had over others of gods creatures , and their native preheminence . a wonderful measure of knowledge indeed , and no less (u) power remains in them still ; but , their holiness being gone , the good angel is wholly dead in them , and the evill spirit alone doth survive : and should they now please themselves and be proud of their endowments , having forfeited the honour of their creation , and exposed themselves assuredly to eternal perdition ? our condition is naturally the same with theirs , but that they are fallen without recovery , and there is a way opened for us to redeem our selves from our misery . the only thing that preserves the elect angels , and which must raise lapsed man , is holiness . shall we then content our selves with our present greatness , and not seek to recover by a holy life our former happiness . (x) the righteous , not the greatman , nobleman , gentleman , is more excellent then his neighbour . and shall the godly , though mean of birth , rise up and lay hold of eternal life by righteousness ; and shall the great ones and nobles of the earth perish as the dung of the earth in their dung , their own wickedness ? men aim generally at greatness , and labour to be as high as the best ; and did they seek it by holiness , they would certainly attain it first or last . but now this (y) right hand and left , upper place and lower , precedency and concomitancy turns all things topsie turvey , and brings them in the end , which otherwise might stand like innocent sheep at the right hand , into the place of (z) clambering goats on the left . nothing at the last day will avail us but faith and sanctity when christ shall come to be (a) glorifyed in his saints , and to be admired in all that believe . if men were wise , they would not only as the children of this world provide for the present ; but , as the children of light , look through the present to future advancement . they that minde only the present are like those that see with one (b) eye alone , which seldom see well , and are not very sightly themselves to be seen : but they that look to the present and the future , are like ambidexters and lay hold at once both of this life , and that which is to come . let great ones then and gentlemen look with both eyes to the present and future felicity ; and attaining by their birth , to present dignity , like ambidexters , let them lay hold of the future by godliness and piety . and that they may be assured , let them content themselves with nothing that is less then piety . (c) as christ saith , if you love them that love you , what reward have you ? do not even the publicans do the same ? and if you salute your brethren only , what do you more then others ? do not even the publicans so ? so may we say here , if men have wisdom and learning , and magnanimity , have they more then the heathen ? if they affect the religion which they profess , and seek the advancement both of it , and those that administer thereunto ; do not the heathen do so ? we have shewed , that these things may be in singular manner in natural men , in such as are noble only by nature . let not christians therefore , be they noble , gentlemen , or others , content themselves in going thus far ; but as st. peter after he had reckoned up many vertues , knowledge , temperance , patience , bids , add to all these (d) godlines . as if he had said , let men see that they be all managed by the word of god , and all tend to the glory of god. this is the nature of godliness , to make another alpha and omega , another beginning and end of all that is within us , and all that comes from us . and as all the stars in the firmament cannot make day without the sun , nor an infinite sight of cyphers arise to the smallest number without the addition of some figure : so neither can all the excellencies in the world , without piety , make any thing in christian divinity , nor add any thing of moment to the spiritual nobility . let none therefore , great or small , content themselves , as we have said , with my thing but godliness ; but rather labour ●o winde themselves up to the highest pitch of christian nobleness . to subdue our passions , to mortifie our inordin●te affections , to conquer our lusts , to minde the things which are above , to have the desires of our heart still upon god , and the remembrance of his name , to stand for god in opposition to the world , and depend wholly upon his providence ; to contemn both the profits and pleasures of this world , neither suffering our hearts to be overcharged or besotted with the one or the other , is true godliness , and that which few attain unto , true christian nobleness . we may observe many that stand much upon their gentility , that are infinitely sottish ; and many that pretend much to piety , that are infinitely covetous ; and both of them despising and scorning each other . (e) as bernice the wife of deiotarus , and a certain spartain dame meeting one day , turned their backs to one another suddenly , the one as it should seem abhorring the perfume of sweet powder , the other the smell of rank butter : so these usually keep aloof off ; the first scoffing at the others sordid piety ; the second at the others sottish gentility . and do we not think that there is a third man that may justly scorn both as having nothing in them of true christianity ? do we not think to finde (f) atreiden , priamumque , & saevum ambobus achillem . the drunken sot , and the wretched worldling , and the good man , both alike detesting . he that is master of his passions , that hath command of his affections , that hath his conversation in heaven , and keeps communion still with god ; that infinitely scorns the world , and is wisely temperate in the use of the creatures ; he only is the true christian. and he that is such a one is truly noble . and though his birth be never so mean and low , yet if his parts advance him in the common-wealth to any office or dignity (g) agnosco procerem , and look on him as meet to encrease the number of the gentry or nobility . godliness ( as it is said of the crown ) takes off all taindours of bloud ; and , caeteris paribus , makes any birth passant and good . yea godliness alone hath a crown laid up for it . (h) hence forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness . god hath promised it to piety , and he that hath promised , will one day set it upon the head of the godly , and being set on , there it shall rest to all eternity . . this should make the children of god careful to answer their birth , and to walk worthy of the lord , who is not ashamed to be called their father , and hath bestowed upon them the honour of being called his sons . we see that nobles and gentlemen stand much upon their honour , and are careful not to stein it themselves , and give this , as he in the poet , in charge to their children . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — to excell still others in worth and dignity , and not to stein the honour of their ancestry . how much more then should the sons of god , the children of the most high , stand upon their honour , and be careful to approve and practise the best things , taking heed , lest they do any thing whereby that worthy name , by which they are called , may be blasphemed . (k) yea seeing the earth brings forth grasse and herb , yielding seed after its kinde , and the tree brings forth fruit after his kinde ; they which are the off-spring of god , and of kin ( if i may so speak ) to heaven , should be ashamed not to answer their kindred . it was a foul shame which the son of the great scipio brought upon his family , (l) to have the ring whereon his fathers head was graven , pluckt from his hand , as having nothing of that wisdom in his head , or stoutness in his hands , which gave his father a seat in every noble romans heart . it (m) was a far greater shame , that the trifling spirit of nero , and the cowardly spirit of those that durst not withstand his humour , brought upon the romans , that not only the knights , but the chief senatours of rome , should come into the theatres , and condescend to take upon them the parts of common-players on the stage . that the noble families which had sent forth consuls , commanders , conquerours ; should now send forth fidlers , dancers , and fencers . that they should be now actors of those things whereof their ancestors scorned to be spectators : that they whose trophies and temples were to be seen , as monuments of their noble families , should now be made the mirth and maygame of the common people : that the conquered coming into the city , should point at the conquerers saying . see the sons of those that sometimes conquered kings and kingdoms , and led them in triumph through their streets , become now themselves the grand pageants and pastime of rome . and is it not as foul , though it be not accounted so , because custome hath made it common , that the children of god should prostitute themselves so far , as to play the same parts , which none but the vilest were wont to play upon the stage of the world : that the church which was wont to send forth armies of saints , confessors , martyrs , should now send forth in greater number , swearers , drunkards and covetous worldlings : that they should be actors of those things which sometimes it was a (n) shame to speak of ; and commit those things commonly which heretofore might not be so much (o) as named amongst the saints : that they which were more then conquerours over the devil , the world , and the flesh ; and whose vertues erected so many temples , to the eternizing of their memories , should now be themselves the grand conquests of satan , (p) the habitation of devils , the holds of foul spirits , and cages of unclean and filthy lusts : that men may justly point at them with the finger saying , see the children and successors of the saints , who sometimes conquered and converted the world , become now themselves the shame and scorn of religion . such intimations as these ( we know ) sound harsh in the ears , especially of great ones ( who (q) though they many times act , yet seldome hear of , their dishonourable actions ) and are as unpleasant to us , as we make no doubt it was to the princely prophet to call the great ones of israel , (r) princes of sodome , and rulers of gomorrah . such reproaches cannot so much grate mens ears , as such carriages (s) grieve , and vex , and free ( as the scripture phrases are ) the good spirit of god : the things spoken of , being not only a shame to those that profess themselves the children of god , but an infinite dishonour also to god himself . for what is godliness , but the imitation of god ? and wherefore are we styled , and profess our selves the children of god , but that we ought , and take upon us , (t) to be holy as god is holy ; and to (u) shew forth the vertues of him that called us out of darkness into his marvellous light ? now when a man shall profess himself a painter , and take upon him to make the picture of a king ; if he mishape him , and give him an ill phismony or ill feature , stangers will be ready to judge of the kings person as of an ill-favoured creature : so if the life of gods children ( which be as little pictures or images , visible representations of the vertues of the invisible god ) be wicked and profane , heathen and infidels will be ready to blaspheme the name of god while they judge and speak of him according to his counterpain . thus the cruelties of the spaniards in the indies , who styled themselves , the children of him who is the father of mercies , and yet committed fearful butcheries , gave occasion to that and the like blasphemies ; (x) what a god ( with a mischief ) is this , who hath begotten such impure and wicked sons ? if the father be like the sons , there is little goodness of a certain in him and if pagans should live amongst us , and see how multitudes do abuse the name of god , sometimes for their politique ends , and worldly gain ; sometimes altogether needlesly and in vain : how the most commit the greatest sins constantly , and salute god every day as confidently in his ordinances ; what would they think but that the god which we serve , were a dead idol , a leaden god , such as (y) one of the kings of france was wont to wear in his cap , kissing it and begging pardon of it when he had committed any foul murther , and promising it should be the last , and yet by and by fall to killing and kissing again ? and why should they who keep as constant a course in gods service as they do in sin , be thought to sin lesse grossely though not so ridiculously as he ? what is it to use the ordinances and offices of religion so , but to use them as the ordinances and offices that belong to a dead idol , and not to the living god ? doth not god himself complain of this as of a grosse and ridiculous deportment ? (z) will you steal , and murther , and commit adultery , and swear falsly , and burn incense unto baal , and walk after other gods whom ye know not , and come and stand before men this house which is called by my name , and say . we are delivered to do all these abominations ? is this house which is called by my name , become a den of robbers in mine eyes ? behold even i have seen it , saith the lord. (z) thus they put on religion , a matter of it self of inward excellency , to set a better face upon their outward pomp and glory ; and they which before the supream judge of all , were full of abominable corruptions , stood fair in the eyes of men by a formal profession . and this is a common carriage with men , and passed over as a matter of nothing ; but we may take notice of that ( which the (a) psalmist saith ) that the lord sees , though for a time he be silent , and that he utterly dislikes those actions , wherein hypocrites think him like themselves , and that he will set those things at last in order before their eyes , which they would not set , as they should have done , in right order before his . we should therefore be more careful of our demeanor for the time to come ; and as we call god (b) father , who without respect of persons , judgeth according to every mans work , we should passe the time of our sojourning here in fear . we should take all heed , lest we any wayes dishonour our noble parentage , and labour in all things to be imitators of our father (c) as dear children . our life should answer our name , and our conversation , our profession , lest otherwise the issue be thus : (d) a good name and an ill fame : a fair profession and abominable transgression . we did set before you but now , the wicked practise of an evil prince ; we shall put you now in minde of a better precedent , who used a picture , (e) the picture of his father , to better purpose , taking it out and viewing it when he was to act any thing of great concernment ; that beholding his fathers image in the frame , he might do nothing unworthy his fathers name . let us abominate the former practise , and learn from the latter , to give much more that honour to the father (f) of our spirits , which he did to the father of his flesh. let us do nothing to dishonour him , from whom we derive the greatest honour to be called his children . let the image of his divine vertues be alwayes in our minds , engraven upon our hearts ; and let us carry our selves so holily , so mercifully , so perfectly in all things , that all that see us , may (g) see that we are called by the name of the lord , and that we are a (h) seed which the lord hath blessed . (i) it is a pleasure to parents to see their own resemblance in their children , and it is an honour to children to keep alive the vertues of their dying or deceased parents . and it is no lesse pleasing to god , that the life of his children should answer their birth ; no lesse joy to the almighty to see his sons (k) walking in the truth , after the commandement which they have received from their father ; to see them carrying , like gedeons (l) souldiers , a divine light burning in their earthly pitchers . to see them exercising the graces of his immortal spirit in their mortal bodies . and how signal and triumphant a badge of righteousness , and how great a crown of glory is it for them to behave themselves so holily and obediently , that god shall not have cause to complain of them , as he did of some , i have nourished and brought up children , and they have rebelled against me ? but shall willingly speak to their eternal both commendation and consolation , (m) surely they are my people , children that will not lie , children whose words and works are sutable ; children who will not carry truth in their lips , and a lie in their (n) right hand ; children that will not carry god in their profession , and the devil in their conversation . . hence they that be poor and pious may take solace , though they suffer many times in this life much disgrace ; their nobility is as good as that of the best , though they live here under a cloud of obscurity . what repute great ones have with the world , they have with god and good men ; the one are the onely excellent ones with the sons of men , the other with the (o) children of god : the one are the the worthies of the world , the other are the lords worthies , of whom the (p) world is not worthy . the one are the jewels of kings , the other the (q) jewels of the king of kings . the one are the glory of princes courts , the other the (r) glory of christ and his kingdom . and howsoever there be ( to use the words of the prophet in another sense then he spake them ) upon this glory a (s) covering , so that the world knows not their worth , yet the lord knows it , and shall in due time manifest it to the world , as it was said of (t) cassius and brutus his image , which were concealed in iunia's funeral , when twenty others of less note were brought forth , that they shone the more because they were not seen at all : so may it be said of the godly , the less conspicuous they are with men , the more illustrious they are with god. (u) who more despicable with men , then peter a fisher man and poor ? who more honourable in the sight of god ? what meaner creature then the blessed virgin espoused to a poor carpenter ? who higher in the favour of god her maker ? to the one were given the keyes of heaven ! to the other it was given to be mother to the god of heaven ! and though all attain not here to the like honour and dignity , yet all are greatly beloved of god , and shall partake hereafter of the same glory . (x) now they are the sons of god , and it doth not yet appear what they shall be , but when christ shall appear they shall be like him , then they shall be as he is himself , (y) glorious in holiness : having sanctified and cleansed them , he shall (z) present them to himself a glorious people . though they (a) lie among the pots here , yet shall they be hereafter as the wings of a dove covered with silver , and her feathers with yellow gold . though in this life they be (b) black , like the tents of kedar , yet in the life to come they shall shine as the brightness of the (c) firmament , yea as the (d) stars , yea as the (e) sun in the kingdom of their father . and what then is the glory of the of the nobles and potentates of this world , compared to the glory which shall be revealed in the saints ? what are all the titles , ensigns , and badges of honour , which the various fancies of men have invented to set out the great ones of the earth , to the splendour and lustre , beauty and majesty wherewith the wisdome and power of god shall invest the heirs of heaven . that which the apostle speaketh in honour of the gospel above the law , may we fitly speak in honour of the spiritual nobility above the carnal . (f) that which is glorious hath no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth ; for if that which shall be done away is glorious , much more that which shall remain is glorious : and we may close up this with the words of saint iames a little altered , (g) let the brother of low birth rejoice in that he is exalted , and let him of noble birth rejoice in that he is made low , and taught to seek a new nobility , in a way common to all , by vertue and piety ; for as the flower of the grass he shall pass away , and nothing but his vertue and piety shall remain and make him truly noble and happy to all eternity . . and , in the last place , if men of noble birth be vertuous also and pious , what should be their joy , and what their crown of rejoicing , but this , that they have crowned their nobility with vertue and piety ? it was the speech of dying otho to his nephew (h) , that he should never forget that his uncle was emperour , nor yet let his mind run too much upon it . and so , we think great personages should never wholly forget , nor too much mind their noble birth , but mind this rather ( which will be their onely comfort ) that they lead a religious and godly life . (i) let not the wise man glory in his wisdom , neither let the mighty man glory in his might : let not the rich man glory in his riches : neither ( may we add ) let not the noble man glory in his nobility : but let him that glories glory in this , that he understands and knows the lord. though a noble ancestry be a great honour with men , yet it is onely piety , that procures them honour with god , (k) since thou was pretious in my sight thou hast been hoouurable . though gold be better then other metals , yet it passes not for currant coin in the kingdom , till the kings image and superscription be instampt upon it : and though noble persons be better by descent then others , yet they cannot pass for honourable in the church , the kingdom of god , till righteousness and holiness , the image and superscription of god be graven on them . theodosius therefore rejoiced more that he was a (l) member of the church of god , then that he reigned on earth as emperour amongst men . and howsoever it be all one in some kind for a prince to assume a small title to that of kingl , as it is for him to wear a (m) garland of roses and flowers on his crown of gold ; yet lewis the ninth of france , counted it his greatest honour to be called lewis (n) of poissi , because there he was baptized , and received as a member into christs visible church . to be born of noble parents is , as it were , matter (o) of fortune and chance ; but to be vertuous and pious , matter of divine grace and special providence . the number of noble men every where in comparison is not (p) great : the number of those that are morally vertuous ( though more then can be engraven ( as one scoffingly said , all good princes might ) on (q) a ring ) is lesse ; but the number of those who by true piety seek for glory and immortality , is lesse yet by far . and the greater their paucity , the more eminent and singular is their glory , and as surpassing their felicity . as their birth is noble , so their life being holy , their end must needs be happy . their (r) names by reason of holiness are written in heaven , as an assurance of their happiness . whereas otherwise notwithstanding their noble birth , they should be written , as the prophet speaks , in the (s) earth , and all their glory at their death should be buryed with themselves in the dust . what one noble man that lived an atheist said he would have engraven on his tomb when he was dead , the same may all of them say at their death , which rest only in their noble birth ; (t) this is the door that opens to the regions below ; this is the inlet to the infernal pit . whereas they which add to their nobility vertue , and to vertue piety , may say of death , as iacob did of bethel , (u) this is the gate of heaven ; and with the apostle , (x) by this an entrance shall be administred unto us into the kingdom of christ. and whereas the former , as princes and rulers of the earth , draw multitudes after them to sin and prophaness : the latter as princes have (y) power with god and men , and prevail with many to walk with themselves in the way of vertue and godliness . and as , to the one , power and rule , and authority is given wholly , the world doth (z) wonder and wander also after them to their utter ruine and destruction : so the other , as it was said of constantine , are raised up by god (a) tanquam res quaedam peregrinae , as strange spectacles , to draw others after them for their eternal welfare and salvation . and as great punishments follow the one , sutable to their great profaneness : so great rewards abide the other , answerable to the greatness of their deserts . true it is , both aime at honour , and would not ( as the apostle speaks ) be (b) unclothed , but clothed upon , even with honour upon honour . but to the one , at death , an addition of honour is given to that which they have ; and from the other (c) even that which they have is taken away . wherefore ? because ( as it was with iew and gentile in matter of iustification (d) by faith and works ) the one rest in that honour which comes by nature , and seek not after that which comes by piety : the other minde chiefly that which flowes from piety , and rest not in that which they have by nature . and thus they gain while the other lose , and raise themselves to new , when others fall from their antient dignity . as nature puts a lustre upon them , clothing them with the honour of nobility ; and as they (e) put on righteousness , and cloth themselves with piety , wearing it in their lives as a robe and diadem : so the lord , after death , clothes them with glory and immortality . and as it was wisht in the behalf of one , who was both a good man , and a good bishop , that one crown might be given him for his own piety , another for his pains which he bestowed on his people . (f) vna corona tibi de te tribuatur ab alto : altera de populo vernet adepta tuo . let one crown for thy self be giv'n thee from on high : let another spring from thy peoples piety . so when men are both noble by birth , and notable also for a pious life , god rewards them accordingly : bestowing as it were a double crown upon them , one for their own , another for the illustrious precedents , and singular patterns of piety which they give unto others . the end . these books are printed , and are to be sold by william palmer , at the pa●●tree in fleetstreet . . the parley of beasts ; or , morphandra queen of the inchanted island , wherein men were found , who being transmuted to beasts ; though proffered to be dis-inchanted , and to become men again : yet in regard of the crying sins , and rebellious humours of the times , they prefer the life of a brute animal , before that of a rational creature : with reflexes upon the ●●●sent state of most countreys i 〈…〉 , by j. howel esq in fol. . occul● 〈◊〉 or , the three principles in nat●●● anatomised by philosophical operations taken from experience , in three books , by w. williams , in . . phil-anglus : some sober inspections made into the carriages and consults of the late long parliament , by j. howel esq in . . metamorphosis anglorum ; or , reflections historical and political upon the late change of government in england , by s. d. in . . a sermon preached at the funeral of mrs. dorothy lister , with a character of her , how she liv'd and dyed , by ed. smith . m. a. . monarchy triumphing over traiterous republicans ; or , the transcendent excellency of that divine government , fully proved against the utopian chimera's of our ridiculous commonwealths-men , by g. s. in . . ecclesia restaurata ; or , the history of the reformation of the church of england , by dr. heylyn , in fol. . the parentts blessing their children , and the children begging on their knees , their parents blessings , are pious actions warrantable by the word of god ; with a model of private prayers , or occasional helps of retired devotions , by d. wolly . d. d. and chaplain in ordinary to his majesty , in . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e (a) erat [ antiquitus ] saccellum pudicitiae patriciae in for● boario ad aedem rotundam herculis — posteà , virginia in vico longo ubi habitabat ex parte aedium quod satis esset loci modico sacello exclusit aramque ibi posuit & convocatis plebeiis matronis — hanc ego aram , inquit , pudicitiae plebeiae dedico , vosque hortor ut quod certamen virtutis viros in hac civitate tenet , hoc pudicitiae inter matronas sit , delisque operam ut haec ara quam illa si quid potest sanctius & à castioribus coli ditatur . liv. lib. . (b) nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus . juvenal . (c) ita nati estis , ut bona malaque vestra act remp . pertinea●t . tiber . de neron . & drus. tacit. annal , lib. . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (f) quod mulicres uterum gestantes , quae ut seliciorem de se sobolem gignant , in●uentur subinde oculis fixis & v●hementibus , in imagines exquisitè venustas . ( id quod lacedaemoniis usitalum esse traduat ) . id eucherius quoque fecit ut aliquid laude dignum effiag●ret . videtur sihi duo●um maximè praec●ll●ntium virorum non informes proposaisse imagines , nimirum augustini & hieroaymi ; quorum imitatione sive assiduo aspectu , penitiorique contemplatione suos sic insormavit commentarios , ut nihil illus si● vel ductius vel absolutius . magdeburg . cent . . cap . sic cyprianus , ambrosius , theophylactus proposuerunt sibi tertullianum , basilium , chrysostomum , & alii alios . (g) quod mulicres uterum gestantes , quae ut seliciorem de se sobolem gignant , in●uentur subinde oculis fixis & vehementibus , in imagines exquisitè venustas . ( id quod lacedaemoniis usitalum esse traduat ) . id eucherius quoque fecit ut aliquid laude dignum effiag●ret . videtur sihi duo●um maximè praec●ll●ntium virorum non informes proposaisse imagines , nimirum augustini & hieroaymi ; quorum imitatione sive assiduo aspectu , penitiorique contemplatione suos sic insormavit commentarios , ut nihil illus si● vel ductius vel absolutius . magdeburg . cent . . cap . sic cyprianus , ambrosius , theophylactus proposuerunt sibi tertullianum , basilium , chrysostomum , & alii alios . (g) pindar . olymp. od. . de aencâ chorodidascalo . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pindar . nem. od. . (i) psal. . (k) psal. . . (l) l'aus periclis in multis authoribus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . idem . testatur de seipso in thucid. (m) these two are required in an historian by lucian , and do as well become a statesman . lucian . de conscr . histor. (n) in quo cum pietate doctrina , cum conscientia scientia , cum natura a●s , cum disciplina rerum usus certavit . mom. de hubert . languet . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . niceph. greg. lib. . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . julian . epist de zen. (q) interest inter eos qui in principis gratiam incidunt , & qui ●am promerentur . strad . — vespasianus venerabilis senex & patientissimus veri , benè intelligit coeteros quidem amicos suos niti iis quae ab ipso acceperuit , marcellum autem & crispum attulisse ad amicitiam suam , quod non à principe accepe●●●● , nic accipi po●uit . quintil. de orator . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pindar . olymp. od . (s) sidon . apollinar . epist. l . (t) cassius dicebat alios declamasse , varium geminum vivum coasilium dedisse . senec . suas . . (u) luke . . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hom. ll . . — arcanâ sic fama crumpere porta , caelicolas si quando domus , li●usque rubentum aethiopum , & mensas amor est intrare minores . stat. theb. lib. . (y) statua l vitellii pro rostris hanc habuit inscriptionem , pietatis immobilis erga principem . sucron . in vit . vitel. (z) saepe fit , ut is qui commendatus sit alicui , pluris eum faciat cui commendatus sit , quam illum à quo sit . cicer. de fin . lib. . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . zen. cyr. paed . lib. . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . orat. . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . basil. epist. . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . epist. ad nicob . (e) seneca de ovid. non ignoravit vitia sua , sed amavit , controv. . (f) cicer. tusc. quaest . lib. . (g) spero me secutum in libellie meis tale temperamentum , ut de illis queri non possit quisquis de se benè senserit . mart. epist. ad lect . praefix . lib. . (h) judg. . . (i) es. . . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazianz. orat. . (l) pindar . nem. od. . notes for div a -e (a) quicquid recipitur , od modum recipientis . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. de anim . lib. , cap. . (b) luk. . . (c) joh. . . (d) act. . . (e) luk. . , &c. (f) thess. . . (g) act. . . (h) act. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plutarch . (k) act. . . (l) quum sarmatis , dacis & quadis soedera scriret & in suggestu orationem haberet , barbaris malè audienti●us quod ad hoc opus assueti non erant , unus e quadis sicessit & stercore alterum e calceis replevit , sub veste tulit , & propius accedens in vultum concionantis projecit . (m) id dedecus mereri puto qui inter rusticos aut philosophaeri aut rhetoricè loqui volu●t . ●om●on 〈◊〉 . (n) nec in senatum quenquam admisit nisi eruditum & in dicendi facultate ita exercitatum , ut selutam ligatamque scriberet orationem . zonar . tom . . (o) lyps . not . ad . lib. polit. idem saepe de seipso loquitur ac si esset voce & stylo humani generis quidam paedagogus . (p) tantus suit admirator romanae vetustatis , ut christiano petri nomine rejecto se dixerit pomponium . lud. viv. in bucholcer . (q) movit amphion lapides canendo . horat. car . lib. . (r) sylvestres homines saces interpresque deorum caedibus & victu foedo deterruit orphens : dictus ob hoc lenire tigres rabidosque leones . dictus ●b amphion thebanae conditor arcis saxa mo●ere sono testudinis . id. de art . poet ; (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . luc. herc. gal. (t) psal. . , . (u) psal. . . (x) mat. . v. last . (y) joh. . . (z) joh. . . (a) joh. . , . (b) luk. . , . (c) hieronym . cilicismos in paulo notat . prolog . job . & post eum salmas . (d) act. . . (e) summus in tractandis affectibus artifex . quintil. (f) paulum apostolum proferam , quem quotiescunque lego videor mihi non verba audire sed tonitrua . legite epislolas — & videbitis cum — quàm artifex , quàm prudens , quàm dissimulator est eius quod agit . videntur quidem verba simplicia & quasi innocentis hominis & rustici , & qui nec facere nec declinare noverit insidias , sed quocunque respexeris , fulmina sunt . haeret in causâ , capit omne quod teligerit , tergum vertit ut superet , fugam simulat ut occidat . hier. in apol. pro libr. contra jovin . (g) cor. . . (g) cor. . . (h) cor. . . (i) act. . , , . (k) act. . . (l) act. . — . (m) act. . . (n) act. . . (o) act. . . & . , , . (p) act. . . (q) act. . , . (r) so. dr. hammond interprets . (s) act. . . (t) so the same dr. (u) act. . , . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wicked men of the officers of the court. dr. hamm. (y) quintil. lib. . cap. . est optimum in omni oratione mediam hanc tenere dicendi viam quantum opus est , quantum satis est . nec inor●ata debet esse brevitas , alioqui sit indocta , nam & fallit voluptas & minus longa quae delectant videntur , ut amoenum , & molle iter etiamsi sit spatii amplioris minus fatigat , quam durum aridumque compendium . id. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. rhet. lib. . cap. . (y) quintil. lib. . cap. . est optimum in omni oratione mediam hanc tenere dicendi viam quantum opus est , quantum satis est . nec inor●ata debet esse brevitas , alioqui sit indocta , nam & fallit voluptas & minus longa quae delectant videntur , ut amoenum , & molle iter etiamsi sit spatii amplioris minus fatigat , quam durum aridumque compendium . id. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. rhet. lib. . cap. . (z) de praescientia verò quid dicam ? quae tantos habet testes quantos habet prophetas . tert. lib. . advers . marc. (a) cor. . . (b) rev. . . (c) king. . . (d) sam. . , . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . schol. in arist. ves. and hence plutarch ( as we suppose ) to prevent curiosity , would not have men read so much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because commonly there was nothing written worth reading , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plutarch . de curios . (f) iustitiae opus est quod inter lucem & tenebras separatio pronunciata est , inter diem & noctem , coelum & terram — omnia ut bonitas concepit , ita justitia distinxit . tert. lib. . advers . marc. c. . (g) rom. . . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . socrat. (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. ethic. lib. . cap. . (k) gloriosis dominis gratiosiora sunt praeconia quàm tributa , quia stipendium & tyranno penditur , praedicatio autem nisi bono principi non debetur . cassiod . (l) quicquid in his miramur ab illo est . (m) ezek. . . (n) est ut xenophon ait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , utique si te mereri putes . plin. epist. lib. . (o) when people gazed on themistocles at the olympick games , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. in vit . themist . (p) the same was wont to say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. (q) great examples to generous minds are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . climach . (r) singulorum recordationes quasi scintillae singulae , immo quasi ardentissimae faces devotos accendunt animos . bernard . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . basil. in gord. marty . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p●nd . nem. od . . (u) militares coronae multifariae . triumphalis , obsidionalis , civica , muralis , castrensis , navalis , ovalis , oleagina . agel . lib. . cap. . (x) moris erat in certaminibus olymp. victorum nomina columnis insculpere . arist. in pind. (y) revel . . . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. mer. (a) erant tabulae duae ( vocata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) quarum uni vivorum , alteri desunctorum nomina inscribebantur — cum se mutuò omnes salutaverint , mystica sacrarum tabularum recitatio fit . pamel . ex dionys. ao●ep . in epist. . cyprian . acacius labours to pacifie chrysostomes followers called iohannitae by putting chrysostomes name into those books or tables , though that would not do it . the same man razes the popes name out . mag. cent . . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nicet . chron . praesat . ad annal. (c) rom. . , . (d) etsi initio tantum suit recordatio quaedam martyrum seu testium insignium veritatis , & adhortatio ad similes virtutes , tamen paidatim acc ssit abusus & salsa invocatio . magd. cent . . (e) rom. . . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pind. nem. od. . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . in laud. heron. (h) licet domini suistantiam vacuabat , subditos augebat . bern. (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; aelian . lib. . de animal . (k) matth. . . (l) hoc est alexandri crimen aeternum , quod nulla virtus , nulla bellorum felicitas redimet . nam quoties quis dixerit ; occidit persarum multa millia , opponetur ; et callisthenem . quoties dictum erit , occidit darium penes quem tam magnum regnum erat , opponetur ; et callisthenem . quoties dictum erit , omnia oceano tenus vicit , ipsum quoque tentavit novis classtinus , & imperium ex angulo thraciae usque ad orientes terminos protulit , dicetur , sed callisthenem occidit . senec. natural . quaest . lib. . (m) — eutrapelus cuicunque nocere volebat : vestimenta dabat pret osa — senec. epist. lib. . (n) sam. . , . (o) psal. . . (p) crebra per cos dies apud domitianum absens accusalus , absens absolutus est , causa periculi non crimen ullum aut querela laesi cujusdam , sed infensus virtutibus princeps , & gloria viri , ac pessimum inimicocorum genus laudantes . tacit. de agric. in vit . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . polyb. lib. . (q) cicer. tuscul. quaest . (q) cicer. tuscul. quaest . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pind. nem. od. . (s) horat. (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (x) iccirco capite & superciliis semper est rasis ne ullum pilum viri boni habere dicatur . cicer. de fan. chaerea orat. pro q rosc. comoed . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lucian . de cynetho adulat . (z) deut. . . (a) king. . . (b) domitius afer periculo proximus mirabiliter evasit . nam cum cajus in curia lo igum contra eum orationem habuit ( omnes enim oratores se vincere putabat , & domitium virum eloquentissimum superare conabatur ) neque quicquam contradixit , neque se defendit , sed eloquentiam hominis se mirari eâque obstupescere simulans orabat & supplicabat , seque oratorem magis timere quam caesarem profitebatur . quibus rebus ille delectatus & domitium a se dicendo superatum credens irasci desiit . zon. tom . . annal . (c) cum omnes ei adularentur aliquando ad l. vitellium virum nobilem & cordatum dixit se cum lund rem habere , eumque rogavit an deae congressum vidisser ? is vero humum intuitus instar admirantis exiguâ & tremula voce , vobis inquit divis duntaxat , domine , intucri licet . id. (d) gen. . . legatur histor. in socrat. lib. . this theophilus was a juggling hypocrite . (e) ex●●abat permixtus manipulis bona pacis ac belli discrimina disserens monere . id plerisque ludibrio , pluribus taedia , nec decrant qui propellerent , proculcaremque ni admoni●u modessissimi cu usque & ●liis minita●ibus emisisset intempesti●●m eloque entiam . tacit. hist. lib. . (f) king. . . (g) act. . . (h) cor. . , , . (i) cor. . . (k) act. . . (l) — dcinde adamas notissimus & berenices in digito factus pretiosior , hunc dedit olim barbarus inc●stae , dedit hunc agrippa sorori . juvenal . satyr . . legatur joseph . lib. antiq . . cap. . (m) in vernaculis vel aulicis tam impius , tam pertinax , tam asper , ut servi illum sui non macrinum dicerent sed macellinum , quod macelli specie domus ejus cruentaretur sanguine vernularum . jul. capitol . (n) quum illum senatus pium & felicem nuncupasset , felicis nomen accepit , pii habere noluit . ●●nde in eum epigramma illatum graeci cujusdam poetae videtur extare quod latinè hac sententia continetur . histrio jam senior turpis , gravis , asper , iniquus , impius & felix sic simul esse cupit . ut nolit pius esse , velit tamen esse beatus : quod natura negat , nec recipit ratio . nam pius & felix poterat dici atque videri . cisi imperium infelix est , erit ille sihi . idem . (o) postquam cunctae scelera pro egregiis accipi vidit , exturbat octaviam sterilem dictaas . tacit. annal . lib. . (p) nulla necessitas delinquendi . tertul . (q) tacit. annal . lib. . (r) prexaspes reproves cambyses for his sottishness . he to shew himself sober , cals for bow and arrows , and setting prexaspes son for a mark , fastens an arrow in his heart , asking prexaspes , an satis certam haberet manum . ille negat apollinem potuisse certius mittere . (s) upon this sencca , sceleratius telum illud laudatum est quàm missum . senec. de ir. lib. . cap. . (t) illorum lauda virtutem quorum jam certa victoria est . illos devotis extolle praeconiis quorum securè potes adgaudere coronis . bern. fest . omn. sanct . — quamdiu quis subjacet mutationi , non potest cum securitate laudari — tunc stabilis & firma laus est , quando meritum non poterit jam perire laudati . salv. ad eccles. cathol . l. . (u) totus hic locus est contemnendus in nobis , non negligendus in nostris . cicer. (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . de basil. fun. orat . (y) as soon as he had wrought any miracle he left the place . nam ei haud volupe erat apud eos qui ipsum laudarent commorari . sozom. lib. . cap. . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. (b) rom. . . (c) cor. . . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lucian , pro imag . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ulys. in homer . il. . (f) est illud quibusdam studium in speciem quidem sanctum sed tamen ineptum , sanctorum laudes in immensum a●●ollere , dum illis tribuunt non quantum adfuit , sed quantum illis optant ads●isse . hi christum si queant majorem quam est cupiunt reddere . eras. in vit . hieron . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . thucid. (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lucian . pro. imag . (i) aliter censor loqui debet , aliter rhetor . agel . lib. . c. . (k) forma senatusconsulti , ultimae semper necessitatis habita est ; ut diceretur consulibus , nequid resp . detrimenti caperet . liv. lib. . (l) ad impietatem obolum unum conferre perinde valet ac siquis conferat omnia . theod. lib. . cap. . de marco arethus . he suffered great crueltics , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . orat. . contra julian . (m) cor. . . (n) tertul. de res●rrect . car . cap. . (o) themistocles , marius , eumenes . (p) the decii , plebeiae deciorum animae , plebeia fuerunt nomina , pro totis legionibus hi tamen & pro omnibus auxiliis atque omni plebe latinâ sufficient diis infernis terraeque parenti . juven . . . vide mar. senec. controvers . . (q) romulus . servius tullus patre nullo , matre serva . liv. lib. . (r) in hoc viro tanta vis animi ingeniique fuit ut quocunque loco natus esset , fortunam sibi ipsi facturus suisse videretur — huic versatile ingenium sic pariter ad omnia fuit , ut natum ad id unum diceres , quodcunque ageret . liv. lib. . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plutarch of both . in vit . demost. cicero of himself , me hominem novum consulem fecistis ; orat. in rull . ad pop . item , quemadmodum cum petebam nulli me vobis autores generis mei commendarunt , sic quicquid deliquero , nullae sunt imagines , quae me a vobis deprecentur — et pro plancio , ego huc a me ortus & per me nixus ascendi , istius egregia virtus adjuvabitur a commendatione majorum . (t) interrogatus quid esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; nescire se quidem , sed si ad rem pertineret esse in suae declamatione respondit . quintil. lib. . cap. . (u) franciscus arauda vestitu & barbâ horridiore , quòd viaelicet renunciasset rebus humanis , alioqui ita accommodatus ad domos principum , quibus diu praefuerat , moderandas , ut nusquam non & in consultandis & in administrandis rebus & maturandis primas obtinuerit partes , idque solâ naturae bonitate atque ingenii dotibus , citra ullam scientiam ac citra ullas propemodum literas , ut appareat ex homine nativis bonis excellenti , formari potius praecepta sapientiae , quam ex praeceptis sapientiae formari hominem excellentem . laur. vall. histor. ferd. lib. . (x) dilig●bat dominus iohannem sicut dicit chrysostomus magis familiariter propter ingenitam mansuetudinem , & propter virginalem puritatem , quae etiam caeteris paribus facit hominem diligi magis tenerè . bon. lib. . distinct . quaest . . resol . (y) gentiles umbram ipsius reveriti sunt o● insignem naturae bonitatem . mag. ex pallad . cent . . (z) alexander halensis praeceptor ejus saepe de ipso dicere consuevit , videri sibi adamum in bonaventura non peccasse . sext. senens . bi blioth . lib. . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . jam . . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . carm . iamb . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eurip. in orest. (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . id. in rhes . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pind. olymp. od. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . id. nem. od. . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . niceph. greg. hist. lib. . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aristot. de platon . pol. . cap. . (g) quaedam sunt rapacia virtutis ingenia & ex se fertilia . senec. epist. . (h) wisd. . . (i) mat. . . (k) prov. . . (l) eccl. . . (m) tunc intellectum est quantum ingenua servilibus ingenia praestant , malitiaque servos non sapientia vincere . justin. lib. . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . indecora , aut aliquid simile . eurip. sphig . (o) when parmenio and the rest would have had alexander fall upon darius by night : he replyed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. in vit . latrunculorum & furum ista solertia est quam praecipitus mihi , quippe illorum votum est unicum sallere — malo me fortunae poeniteat quam victoriae pudeat . curt. lib. . (p) job . . (q) henry the v. of england demanding of captain gam at agincourt , what number of frenchmen they had to deal withal . he made him this notable answer , after view of their army , that there were enough to be killed , enough to be taken prisoners , and enough to run away . sir wat. ral. lib. . part . hist. world (r) cesar when the mariner was afraid and would have turned back , b●no animo & securo osto , caesarem enim & caesaris fortunam vehis . zonar . annal . tom . . fisus cuncta sibi cessura pericula caesar , sperne minas , inquit , pelagi , ventoque surenti trade sinum . italiam si coelo autore recusas me pete , sola tibi causa haec est justa timoris vectorem non nosse tuum . lucan . lib. . (s) act. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (t) neminem equidem timeo praeter deos immortales . philippus flamin . lib. lib. . (u) neh. . . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . joseph . lib. antiq . . cap. . (y) i will no longer live if rebels life must give , said : that peerless peer , stout north-hampton whose memory yet lives in his right noble posterity . (z) varro loco non humili solum sed etiam sordido ortus est . patrem lanium fuisse ferunt . liv. lib. . (a) illa nobilior animi significatio quamlibet magna canum & venantium urgente vi contemptim restitansque cedit , in campis & ubi spectari potest , idem ubi virgulta sylvasque penetravit acerrimo cursu fertur velut abscondente turpitudinem loco . plin. lib. . nat. hist. cap. . (b) when one told brutus he must fly , omnino fugiendum respondit , verum manibus , & non pedibus ; & hoc dicto stricto gladio incubuit . zonar . annal . tom . . (c) when one would have had consalvus retired , consalvus aeterna memoria dignis verbis magno animo rejecit , cum diceret optare se potius sepulchrum suum eadem hora pedem unum ulterius habere , quam paucos cubitos retrocedendo vitae suo spatio centum annos addere . guiccard . lib. . (d) nobilitatis soror humilitas . aen . syl. . cons. basil. (e) in illis gratiae prior , in istis humilitas amplior . august . mat. . . luke . , . (f) theod. lib. . cap. . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. in vit . pomp. (h) primus ex auro v●ste quaesita serici ac purpurae gemmarumque vim plantis concupinit . aurel. vict. de dioclet . — compertum habeo humillimos quosque maximè , ubi alta accesserunt , superbia atque ambitione immodicos esse . hinc marius patrum memoria , hinc iste nostrâ communem habitum supergressi . id. diocletianus edicto sanxit uti omnes sine generis discrimine prostrati pedes oscularentur , quibus etiam venerationem quandam exhibuit exornans calciamenta , auro gemmis & margaritis quod fecesse ante c. caligulam memorant . pomp. laet. (i) cranmerus un● cum comite wiltoniensi in italiam contendit , quibus ad papam accedentibus servus servorum dei pedem osculandum extendit ; cunctantibus autem illis pusillus catulus qui comitis wiltoniensis fuit ingressus locum cum pedem vidisset gemmis auroque lucentem , rem tam rarum lascivus dentibus apprehendit atque momordit — fluddus hunc locum citans canem hunc non appellat , canem protestantis , sed canem protestantem quasi , protestantium religio vel in cane esse posset . francis. mas. de minist . anglican . lib. . cap. . (k) sixtus v. dicere solebat se domo natum illustri . domus enim in qua genitus erat cum lacero tecto ex magna parte esset discooperta a sole maximè illustrabatur . cicarel . in vit . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eurip. hippol. (m) augustus quendam joco corripuit ; quòd sic sibi libellum porrigere dubitaret quasi elephanto stipem . suet. in vit . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. (o) rarus in publicum egressus idque velata parte oris ne ●atiaret aspectum , vel quia sic decebat . tacit. annal . lib. . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (q) pallas ( ajebat ) nihil unquam se dominisi ●●u au●u ma●s significasse vel , si plura demonstranda ●ssent scripto usum ne vocem conseciaret . taci●●●nnal . lib. . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nicet . chon . de axucho . lib. . (s) plut. in vit . cym. (t) liberalitis praecordia . val. max. l. . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nicet . chon . lib. . (x) luk. . . (y) lord was written laford , and lafh is that which we call loaf , but signifieth bread in general . so that he was a laford or lord that afforded bread . so lady was written laphdean , that is , a woman dividing or distributing bread . v●rst . (z) domus ejus quasi quaedam munificientiae essicina . valer. de gil. agrig . lib. . (a) habuerat ille à patre relicta scriniae aureis argenteisque pro regionum diversitate numismatis reserta ; & quod sando vix cognitum , mall●o cuneata ; idque non avaritiae modo sed lusûs etiam ac contumeliae gratia . hospites enim qui , permulti ad eum familiariter divertebant , sciscitabatur cujusnam generis pecunia indigerent , respondentes ejus generis , ut in quam quisque provinciam iter haberet , adducebat ad scrinia & quantum v●llent capere jubebant frustraque conaros deridebat & hos sibi de amicis jocos captabat novo genere dissimulandae avaritiae jactandarumque epum. laur. vall. de duce gand. lib. . hist. ferd. (b) job . . (c) interrogatus aliquando , sonorum omnium , quem molestius audiret , maxillarum inquit ossa frangentium . aen . syl. de albico hist. bohem. cap. . — albicus jampridem dignitati cesserat cum familiam edentem bibentemque ferre non posset . cap. . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. ethic. lib. . cap. . (e) non caede cuiusquam unquam laetatus , justis suppliciis illachrymavit etiam & ingemuit . suet. in vit . vespas . (f) beneficium se putabat accepisse cum rogaretur ignoscere ; & tunc proprius erat veniae , cum fuisset major commotio irae : praerogativa ignoscendt erat indignatum fuisse . ambr. de theod. senior . cuidam ex necessariis aliquando sciscitanti , cur neminem qui illi intulisset injuriam morte aliquando multasset sic respondit , utinam potius mihi potestas esset eos qui mortui sunt ad vitam denuo revocandi . socrat. de theod. jun. lib. . (g) dr. hammond annot. cap. mat. v. . (h) delator siquis extiterit fidelis , & per delationem eius aliquis fuerit proscriptus vel interfectus , placuit eum nec in fine accipere communionem . si l●vior causa fuerit , intra quinquennium accipere communionem . si catechumenus fuerit , post quinquennii tempora admittatur ad baptismum . concil . elibert . can. . (i) actum de praemiis accusatorum delendis . thereupon tiberius cries , irritas sore leges — subverterent potius jura , quam custodes eorum amoverent . tacit. annal . lib. . (k) venaticos canes sanguine intestinisque captae ferae illecebrari à venatoribus utile est . blond . lib. . triumph . rom. (l) tacit. ait genus esse hominum publico exitio repertum . ibid. (m) non audebant hominivorae bestiae admodum prolixo tempore ad corpora piorum accedere , sed in alios qui extrinsecus ipsas incitabant ferebantur . euseb . lib. . cap. . eodem tempore gentiles in christianos vialenter insultare qui se philosophos praedicabant , frequentes concursa●e , nefanda quaedam mysteria obire , pueros qui nondum ex ephebis excesserant tum masculos tum foeminas quo exta eorum inspicerent mactare , illorum carnes degustare caeperunt . socrat. lib. . cap. . phamices ventre cyrilli dissecto jecur gustant qui primum dentes deinde linguas amittunt . theod. lib. . cap. . labitur hic quidam nimiâ formidine cursum praecipitans , capiturque : est illum in plurima sectum frusta ac particulas , ut multis mortuus unus sufficeret , lotum corrosis ossibus edit victrix turba — juvenal . satyr . . (n) non audebant hominivorae bestiae admodum prolixo tempore ad corpora piorum accedere , sed in alios qui extrinsecus ipsas incitabant ferebantur . euseb . lib. . cap. . eodem tempore gentiles in christianos vialenter insultare qui se philosophos praedicabant , frequentes concursa●e , nefanda quaedam mysteria obire , pueros qui nondum ex ephebis excesserant tum masculos tum foeminas quo exta eorum inspicerent mactare , illorum carnes degustare caeperunt . socrat. lib. . cap. . phamices ventre cyrilli dissecto jecur gustant qui primum dentes deinde linguas amittunt . theod. lib. . cap. . labitur hic quidam nimiâ formidine cursum praecipitans , capiturque : est illum in plurima sectum frusta ac particulas , ut multis mortuus unus sufficeret , lotum corrosis ossibus edit victrix turba — juvenal . satyr . . (o) populi tyrannis eo forte perniciosior est quo periculosier ignorantia , quae nec pondus nec mensuram nec legem habet , quàm malicia quae tamen ipsa aliqua regula , aliquo fraeno , aliquo termino gubernatur . guicc . lib. . (p) prov. . . (q) cor. . . (r) et herclè justè aestimantibus regem liquet bona naturae ejus fuisse , vitia vel fortunae vel aetatis . curt. lib. . (s) ut mira potentia per praedicatorum linguas claresceret prius mirabilius actum est ut eorum praedicamium meritum nullum esset . greg. mor. lib. . cap. . (t) esa. . . (u) rev. . . (x) tim. . . (y) we have given unto god both for us and our heirs for ever . mag. chart. offero deo atque dedico omnes res quae in hac chartula tenentur insertae — si quis eas inde ( quod fieri nullatenus credo ) abstulerit , sub paenâ sacrilegii , ex hoc domino deo , cui eas offero atque dedico , districtissimas reddat rationes . cont. . cap. . this was the manner of dedication . (z) rev. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nicet . chon . (b) ovid. ib. (c) diocletian sought occidere praesbyteros , iulian praesbyterium . sir edward cook notes it , lib. . report , fol. . (d) gen. . . (e) king. . . (f) sacerdotiorum apud romanos quinlaplex proventus , beneficia , stipes , solutiones , donationes , damnatorum bona seu consiscationes . vid. blond . lib. . triumph . rom. (g) qui bonâ fide deos colit , amat & sacerdotes . stat. epist. praefix . libr. syl. . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epicur . in plut. zeno said that the seed was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . diog. laert. (h) nunquid non in semine tota arbor ? vitium ergo seminis , vitium est totius arhoris . chrysol . (i) andronicus , reproved for his lust , puts it off with a jest , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nicet . annal . lib. . (k) pabuli sapor apparet in lacte , & vini vis existit etiam in accto . senec. natur. quaest . lib. . (l) fortes creantur fortibus & bonis . est in juvencis , est in equis patrum virtus nec imbellem feruces progenerant aquilae columbam . horat. car . lib. . od . . (m) generosa in ortus semina exsurgunt suos . senec. troad . (n) nullo firmiore indicio sui seminis esse credebat quàm scritatis . sueton. vet . cal. (o) alexandrum posses etiam in moriente matre cognoscere . justin . lib. . (p) stat. lib. . thebaid . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. lib. . polit . (r) plurima vultu mater in●st . stat. lib. r achil. amilcarem viventem redditum sibi veteres milites credebant ; c●ndem vigorem in vultu , vimque in oc●lis , habitum oris lineamentaque intueri . l●v. de hannibal . lib. . (s) figura anchorae in faemore salencui nata cum ipso parvulo fuit — sic filii nepotesque anchoram in faemore veluti notam generis naturalem habuêre . justin. lib. . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . — nazian . car . (u) virtutes cardinales radicaliter sunt à natura , sed completivè vel ab operum frequentia & perseverantia , vel à gratiae influentiâ & praesidentia vel ex utraque causa — equues ex sua naturali compositione ap●iudinem ha●et ad benè portandum & ambulandum ; sed illa aptitudo ad complementum potest reduci per ipsius equi assucsactionem , vel per ipsius sessoris industriam , qui scit fraeno equum suum ducere , vel per utraque . bon. dist . . quaest . . resolut . (x) virtutes cardinales radicaliter sunt à natura , sed completivè vel ab operum frequentia & perseverantia , vel à gratiae influentiâ & praesidentia vel ex utraque causa — equues ex sua naturali compositione ap●iudinem ha●et ad benè portandum & ambulandum ; sed illa aptitudo ad complementum potest reduci per ipsius equi assucsactionem , vel per ipsius sessoris industriam , qui scit fraeno equum suum ducere , vel per utraque . bon. dist . . quaest . . resolut . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . (a) carthaginienses fraudulenti & mendaces non genere sed naturae loci , quod propter portus suos multis & variis mercatorum & advenarum sermonibus ad studium fallendi quaestus studio vocabantur . ligures montani , duri & agrestes . docuit ipse , ager nihil ferendo nisi multa cultura & magno labore quaesi●um . campani semper superbi bonitate agrorum & fructuum . cicer. agrar . . sunt tam civitatum quam sin gulorum hominum mores gentesque aliae iracundae , aliae audaces , quaedam timidae : in vinum , in venerem proniores aliae . liv. lib. . legat. socrat. lib. . cap. . flagrat vitio gentisque suoque ovid. de tereo . cui gentile nefas hominem revocare canendo . stat. lib. . thebaid . de thessal . (b) boeotum in crasso jurares aere natum . horat. lib. . epist. athenis tenue coelum ex quo acutiores putantur attici : crassum thebis , itaque pingues thebani & valentes . cicer. de fat . (c) alterum demosthenem mater , alterum industria enixa est . val. max. lib. . (d) disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem fortunam ex aliis . — virgil. aeneid . . sis memor & te animo repetentem exempla tuorum et pater aeneas , & avunculus excitet hector . ibid. — nec externo monitore petendus virtutis tibi pulcher amor , cognata ministrat laus animo . — stat. syl. lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. ethic. lib. . (e) erat haec stimulatio ingens , exprobrantibus rectis cotidiè , imbecillem dominum intrare alienum triumphum . plin. natur . hist. lib. . cap. . (f) nihil aliud video in nobilitate appetendum , nisi quòd nobiles quadam necessitate constringuntur ne ab antiquorum probitate degenerent . hieron . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aelian . de margarit . lib. . de animal . cap. . legatur . am. marcel . lib. . (g) deus excitat peculiares heroicos motus & impetus , in quibusdam etiam non renatis . chemnit . exam . de oper . infid . (h) sam. . . (i) amos . . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plutarch . de alexand . fort . lib. . (l) judg. . . (m) prov. . , . (n) nobilitas blanda conciliatricula — . omnes boni semper nobilitati favemus , & quia utile est reip . nobiles homines esse dignos majoribus suis , & quia valet apud nos clarorum hominum & benè de repub . meritorum memoria etiam mortuorum . cicer. pro s●xt . (o) herodes cui israelitarum genus nihil conserebat , conscientia ignobilitatis impulsus , generum eorum descriptiones exussi● : hoc se pacto nobilem futurum vatus , si nec alius quispium publicis commentariis ad wus , genus suum ad patriarchas , & proselytos , & advenas israeli olim immix●os , referre possit . euseb. lib. . cap. . (p) aestimandum est unde obveniat tanta dignitas auro & argento ; cum & consanguineis quantum ad genus , & potioribus quantum ad utensilitatem , materiis praeferantur . tert. de habit . mul. (q) qui solas exstruere divitias curant , nihil volunt inter homines melius credi quàm quod ipsi tenent . iactantur igitur quacunque ratione possunt literarum amatores , ut videantur illi quoque infra pocuniam positi . petron. quidam omnia prae divitiis humana spernunt , neque honori magno locum , ●neque virtuti putant esse , nisi ubi effusè affluant opes . liv. lib. . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plutarch . in vit. pomp. (s) dum nullum fastiditur genus in quo euiteret virtus , crevit imperium romanum . liv. lib. . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . herod . lib. . (u) id. lib. . (x) montaig . ess. lib. . cap. . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eurip. elect. (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pindar . nem. od. . (a) king. . . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , aesop to solon : he replies , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. in solon . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , aesop to solon : he replies , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. in solon . (c) non alibi fanctiorum virtutum exempla piorúmve facinorism , quàm in italis animis cernas : & quod quidam de attica dicebat , nullibi vel atrocior cicuta est , vel suavius apes exactis digestisque floribus cellas implent . barcl . icon . animor . part . . cap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. in dion . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plat. in plutarch . in vit . demetr . (d) vide ne dum pudet te parum optimatem esse , parum diligenter quid optimum sit eligas . caecil . ciceroni epist. familiar . (e) plutarch adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . de nud . poetis . (f) epicurus fugere omnem disciplinam naevigatione quàm velocissimâ jubet . quintil. lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . idem . in laert. (g) filium m. ciceronis pop. romanus non agnosce● at loquentem . sidon . epist. . lib. . (h) praedicere porcorum recens natorum qui praeclarè adulturi essent , aut contra : posse equis calcitrantibus prope assistere , usinos calcitrantes arte quàm longissime vitare , de mulis optimè judicare qui oneribus qui sessori commodissimè ferendo apti essent — haec eius fuerunt prima aetate studia , quibus & postremis suis se●e jactavit temporibus — adeo in literis componendis tardus erat & syllabis consiciendis ut librum alius facilius perlezeret quam ipse sui nominis elementa recenseret . cedien . in zonar . annal tom . . (i) forte die quodam cum apud ferdinandum inter familiam controversia foret atà , altercatio , uter praestantior in bello extitisset hector an achilles , intervenit iohannes ferandis quaesivitque quaenam tanta omnium altercatio esset ? nemo enim non alterutri parti aderat ubi controversiam audivit , absit , inquit , optime rex , u● hoc apud te quaeri patiaris ; & fortissimum omn●um & longe praeclarissimum hectorem cum faedo & stagitioso achille comparari quâ admonitione adductus rex edixit , siquis domi suae achillem nominaret , continuò cum nunquam reversurum exploderent castè quidem rex & religiose● sed iohannes imperitè sanè & indoctè . val. lib. . hist. ferdinand . (k) epiphanius ait exorcistas fuisse interpretes linguae in linguam , sive in l●ctionibus , sive in colloquiis . magdeburg . cent. . cap. . (l) gen. . . (m) caligula called silanus auream pecudem . tacit annal . l. . diogenes a rich man and unlearned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . diog. laert. (n) aiebat sibi sufficere centum viros qui canes & quingentos qui accipitres curent ; nec se cò stultitiae procossurum , ut velit alere hominum tantam multitudinem propter rem quandam vanam & novam . there were before imployed for that service . chalocond . lib. . (o) diogenes said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . diog. laert. (p) i lle in ea opinione erat ut putaret se ●cire quod quisquam in domo suâ scierit . senec. de clavisio sabin . epist. . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . diog. laert. de aristot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . id. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . diog. laert. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . alexander pindari familiae parfit & haec verba pro aedibus inscribi jussit . ex prolegom . schol. in pindar . literae non dico apud bonos sed mediocriter malos infularum loco sunt . senec. epist. . alphonsus ac ferdinandus . hispaniae & siciliae reges , alter à tito livio , alter à q. curtio valet●dinem amissam , quam à medicis non poterant , recuperarunt . bodin . in proaem . ad method . hist. scripsit gregorius in job , cùm crebris viscerum doloribus torqueretur , ad leniendos cruciatus quos fracta stomachi virtute & continuis lentisque febribus supervenientibus patiebatur . sixt. senensi . lib. . (r) sardanapalus incidi jussit in busto , haec habeo quae edi quaeque exsaturata libido hausit , at illa jacent multa & praeclara relicta . cicer. tusc. quaest . lib. . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . herod . lib. . (t) dii boni ! quas tenebras ex quo sulmine nasci passi estis ? val. de african . filio . l. . (u) eccl. . . (x) hos. . . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aristoph . acarn . (y) hic cum in medio patrum agmine constitisset eminens inter alios , velut omnes dictaturas consulatusque gereas in voce ac viribus suis , unus impetus tribunitios popularesque procellas sustinebat . liv. l. . (z) mat. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pluta . sympos . lib , . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. mor. de pueror . educ . (c) anacharsis made but three cups 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . laert. (d) nos , nisi damnosi bibimus , moriemur multi . — et calices poscunt majores . horat. (e) isa. . . (f) excogitaveret inter genera cruciatus , etiam ut largá meri potione per fallaciam oneratos repente veretris deligatis fidicularum simul urinaeque tormento distende●et . sueton de tiber . in vit . (g) not above three cups allowed in symposiis . ter bibe — auson . excusare caepit morem quod amica se non dimisisset tribus nisi potionibus ex m●re siccatis — synod . nannetens . defined the same number . democritus wrote a book , that four cups were not to be drunken . some would have magistrates look that none drink too much . plato cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the same also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod toti argei & oculei essent in convivarum compotationes . they were called likewise moduperatores . legat. commentator in sedon . apollin . qui nunc non est in manibus . legi etiam alicubide edgard quod clavos argenteos vel aureos v●sis affigi jussit ut dum metam suam quisque cognosceret non plus subserviente verecundia vel ipse appeteret vel alium appetere cogeret . (h) psal. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nazian . car. (k) homerum siquis caecum genitum putet , omnibus sensibus orbus est . paterc . (l) homer . iliad . . (m) isa. . . (n) — cogit minimas ediscere sordes . juvenal . de avar . satyr . . (o) job . . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aristoph . de . imagin . deorum . in concion . (q) esther . . (r) tiberius caesar dicebat consensisse medicos ut nobilitatem surrentino darent ; alioquin esse generosum acetum . ca. caesar qui successit illi , ' nobilem vappam vocabat . plin. lib. . cap. . nat. hist. (s) judg. . . (t) dare , curialissimum est ; auferre autem quod ●i , quod contrarium est , rusticissimum . alan . in perald . (u) pl●beis argemi , nobili●us auri , principibus gemma●am loco , literas esse debere dixit . pius . in plut. (x) equidem beatos puto quibus deorum muncre datum est , aut facere scribenda aut scribere legenda . plin. ad tacit. (y) ego doctrina anteire mallem quàm copiis & opulemiis . agel . lib. . cap. . (z) hujus oratio fertur , ad se●atum missa , tantum habuisse eloquentiae ut illi statua non quasi caesari sed quasi rhetori decerueretur . vopisc . (a) sigismundus interrogatus à principipibu● qui literas oderant , cur homines obscuro generenatos ob literarum commendationem tanti faceret , respondit ; se jure illos colere qui caeteris singularē dono divino autecellerent : illos à deo solo posse creari ; verum in sua potestate esse ut titulis & praediis nobiles faciat quoscunque & quandocu●que velit . bucholcer . (b) fere libros in titulatim digessit operā treboniani , theophili , & dorothei : & uberrimam legum materiam brevissimâ epitome , quae institutionum titulo inseri●itur , contraxit : & ipse tamen , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , omnium literarum expers . magdeburg . cent. . cap. . (c) ad templorum aedificationem cum infinitis egeret pecuniis , stipendia liberalium artium magistris olim constituta in omnibus urbibus sustulit , quas vacan●i●us literarum ludis rusticitas invafit . zonor . in vit . annal . tom . . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aelian . hist. lib. . (e) graeci scenicos actores non parvo civitatis suae honore dignos existimaverunt . aug. de civit dei. lib. . cap. . romani cum artem ludicram scenamque totam probro ducerent , genus id hominum non modo honore civium reliquorum carere , sed etiam tribu moveri notatione censoriá voluerunt , cap. . quomodo autem abjicitur scenicus per quem colitur deus ? et ●heatricae illius turpitudinis qua fronte notatur actor , si adoratur exactor ? — in hac disputatione hujusmodi ratiocinatio summam quaestionis absolvit . proponunt graeci , si dii tales colendi sunt , profectò etiam tales honorandi sunt : assumunt romani , sed nullo modo tales homines honorandi sunt : concludunt christiani , nullo igitur modo dii tales colendi sunt . ibid. (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . epist. . (g) hom. iliad . . (h) kin. . , . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pindar . olymp. od . . (k) gerson — legatur hujus disputationis epitome in nauclero . vol. . gener. . (l) tim. . . (m) mat. . . (n) varii variè hanc rem tradunt . cum multi delendum atheniensium nomen , urbemque incendio consumendam , censerent , negarunt se spartani ex duobus graeciae oculis , alterum eruturos . justin. hist. lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plutarch . in vit. lysandr . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dunaeus in orat. ad reg. jacob. (o) varii variè hanc rem tradunt . cum multi delendum atheniensium nomen , urbemque incendio consumendam , censerent , negarunt se spartani ex duobus graeciae oculis , alterum eruturos . justin. hist. lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plutarch . in vit. lysandr . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dunaeus in orat. ad reg. jacob. (p) will. cecill lord burleigh . (q) matth. . . (r) quid facies talem sortilus pontice servum nempe in lucanos aut thusca ergastula mittas at vos trojugenae vobis ignoscitis & quae turpia cerdoni volesos brutosque decebunt . juvenal . sat. . (s) juvenal . sat. . (t) homer . iliad . lib. . de hectore . (u) omnis liberalitas studiorum quatuor nuis angulis tegitur . tert. de pallio . (x) sed venale pecus corithae : sic posteritas et hirpini si rara jugo victoria sedit . nil i●i majorum respectus , gratia nulla umbrarum — juven . sat. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . basil. de vit. & virt. conc. . non datur nobilitati palma sed cursui : deformior est victus , in quo & nibilitas generis periclitatur . ambros. lib. de nabath . cap. . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . (z) majorum glo●ia posteris quasi lumen est ; neque bona neque mala eorum in becullo patitur . salust . in bel . jugur . incipit ipsorum contra te stare parentum nobilitas , claramque facem praeferre pudendis . juvenal . sat. . (a) majorum virtus nunc vitia nostra sustentat . senec. consol . ad helvid . cap. . (b) — miserum est aliorum incumbere famae ne collapsa ruan● subductis tecta columnis . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . basil. in cap. . es. (d) rev. . . (e) ecclesiae quae nullum ex apostolis vel apostolicis authorem suum proferunt , ut multo posteriores ; quae denique cotidie instituuntur ; tamen in eadem fide conspirantes , non minus apostolicae deputantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae . tert. de praescript . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . naz. in laud. athan. (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eurip. hel. (g) absurda est sophistarum contra nobilitatem calumnia , qui vulgaria etiam & omnibus notissima non considerant , nempe quod generandae sobolis gratia generosi equi & canes emu●tur ; item vitium & olearum & reliquarum arborum optima quaeque semina . homini autem nihil ad futuram successionem generis nobilitatem conferre putant , sed tantundem valere sive barbaram sive graecam originem . stob. serm. . vide sis plura . * de ulysse homerus , instillatae patris virtus tibi , tanquam assereret ad paucas seminum guttas paternae virtutis bona conslucre . ibid. (h) ex eodem naturae utero & continen●●a nata est , & cato . valer. lib. . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eurip. heracl . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . id. herc. sut . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . id. (l) mälo venusinam quàm te , cornelià mater gracchorum , si cum magnis virtutibus affers grande supercilium , & numeras in dotè triumphos . tolle ti●um , preco● , hannibalem , victumque syphacem in castris , & cum to●â carthagine migra . juvenal . satyr . . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . niceph. greg. lib. . (n) doctrina vini promovet insitum , rectique cultus pectora roborant . hor. lib. . car . (o) diogenes dicebat medaeam sapientem non veneficam fuisse : acceptis enim mollibus & effoeminatis hominum corporibus confirmasse ipsa , & exercitiis robusta ingentiaque reddidisse . hinc samam emanâsse quod coquendo carnes in juventutem restitueret . stob. de assiduit . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. de puer . educat . (q) toga praetexta bis addita , ut ex purpurae rubore ingenuitatis pudore regerentur . macrob. saturn . lib. . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. ibid. (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plato in laert. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . orat. . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. in vit. pyr. urbem templum sibi visum , senatum regum esse consessum dixit . flor. (u) charron . (x) mat. . . and . . (y) john . . (z) isa. . , . (a) eph. . . col. . . (b) joh. . . (c) psal. . . heb. . . (d) cor. . . joh. . . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. vit. alex. (f) ephes. . . (g) ephes. . . (h) luk. . , , . (i) thess. . . (k) rom. . . (l) mark . . (m) matth. . . (n) rom. . . (o) rev. . . (p) psal. . . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . herod . l. . (r) matth. . . (s) gal. . . (u) jam. . . (u) jam. . . (x) isa. . . (y) cor. . . (z) gal. . . (a) pet. . . (b) cor. . (c) col. . . (d) pet. . . (e) heb. . . (f) pet. . . (g) john . . (h) acts. . . (i) nonne aspicimus quanto auro & argento & veste sufsarcinatus exierit de aegypto cyprianus , doctor suavissimus & martyr beatissimus ; quanto lactantius , quanto victorinus , optatus , hilarius . august . de doctrin . christian. cap. . (k) propriis pennis vulneramur : ex nostris enim armati conscriptionibus contra nos bella movent . magdeburg . cent. . c. . (l) si ad sanctos patres pro comparatione veniatur , instruit ut hieronymus , destruit ut lactantius , astruit ut augustinus , attollitur ut hilarius , submi●titur ut joannes , ut basilius corripit , ut gregorius consolatur , ut orosius affluit , ut ruffinus stringitur , ut eusebius narrat , ut eucherius sollicitat , ut paulinus provocat , ut ambrosius perseverat . sidon . apoll. de claudiano . epi. l. . (m) his arguments are called fulmina by vincent . lirinens . (n) loquitur diserta , sed magis fortia quam diserta ; neque tàm loquitur fortia , quàm vivit . eras. (o) exod. . . (p) psal. . . (q) psal. . . (r) tim. . . (s) ephes. . . (t) psal. . . . (u) raro genere exempli , altitudinem tuam humilitate sublimas sid. apel. de felice lib. . epist. (x) gen. . . (y) gen. . . (z) prov. . . (a) mark . . (b) matt. . . (c) ephes. . . (d) tim. . . (e) luke . . (f) king. . , . (g) zach. . . (h) hos. . . (i) rev. . per totum . (k) psal. . (l) tim. . . (m) psal. . . (n) gen. . . (o) gen. . . heb. . . (p) num. . . (q) es. . . (r) hos. . . (s) psal. . . (t) psal. . . (u) psal. . . (x) mal. . (y) luke . . cor. . , . gal. . . . tim. . . (z) luke . . (a) kings . . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pindar . nem. od. . (x) climach . (y) mos est aquilae ut irreverberata acie radios solis aspiciat ; sed cum refectionis indigentia urgetur , eandem osulorum aciem quam radiis solis infexerat ad respectum cadaveris inclinat ; & quamvis ad alta evolet , pro sumendis tamen carnibus terram petit . greg. mor. lib. . cap. . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eurip. hecub . hac servo nocebit si ostenderis quis non sit . alius libidini servit , alius avaritiae , alius ambitioni ; omnes spei , omnes timori . macrob. satur. lib. . (a) multis saepe superbia luxuriae seminarium suit , quòd dum cos spiritus quasi in altum erexit , caro in infirmis mersit . hi enim prius in secreto elevantur sed postmodum publicè corruunt ; quod dum occultis intumescunt molibus cordis , apertis cadunt lapsibus corporis . greg. moral . lib. . cap. . (b) simeon accusatus falsô stupri , ita esse assensus est , seque carnem gestare rem sanè quàm lubricam . euagr. lib. . cap. . (c) postquam semel hominis spiritum superbia cepit , mox se ad corruptionem carnis extendit : quod in ipsi quoque hominibus primis agnoscimus , qui dum post perpetratam superbiam pudendae membra co●egunt , patenter indicarunt , quia postquam apud semetipsos intus arripere alta conati sunt , mox in carne foras erubescenda pertulerunt . greg mor. lib. . cap. . gen. . . (d) rom. . , , . (e) ecce earo mersit quos superba scientia sublevavit , & à volatu volucrum ultra appetitum lapsi sunt jumentorum : atque inde sub se prostrati sunt , unde super se ire videbantur . greg. mor. lib. . cap. . diabolus in eis quos ad stultitiae luxuriam excital , jumentum est . in eis quos ad nocendi maliciam inflammat , draco est . in eis quos in fastu superbiae quasi alta sapientes elevat , avis est . id. mor. lib. . cap. . (e) ecce earo mersit quos superba scientia sublevavit , & à volatu volucrum ultra appetitum lapsi sunt jumentorum : atque inde sub se prostrati sunt , unde super se ire videbantur . greg. mor. lib. . cap. . diabolus in eis quos ad stultitiae luxuriam excital , jumentum est . in eis quos ad nocendi maliciam inflammat , draco est . in eis quos in fastu superbiae quasi alta sapientes elevat , avis est . id. mor. lib. . cap. . (f) jam. . . (g) gal. . . (h) mat. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . climach . (k) josh. . . (l) phil. . , . (m) psal. . . (n) exod. . , . (o) some say of atlas , quod elatus sit super nubila atque in viciniam lunaris circuli . plin. lib. . cap. . others deny . id. mons hic verticibus petit arduus astra duobus , nomine parnassus , superatque cacumine nubes . ovid. t is written of olympus , atho , and a●las , that they surmount all winds and clo●ds , and that the pagan priests sacrificing on those mountains , do not finde the ashes remaining of their sacrifices blowen thence , nor washt off by rains , when they return ; yet experience resolves us , that these reports are fabulous . sir walt. ral. lib. . os . part . (p) mentes sanctorum transitoria cuncta despiciunt & sub se labi quicquid superbit , quicquid praeterit contemplantur , & quasi in quodam rerum vertice constitutae tanto sibi omnia subesse conspiciunt quanto semetipsos verius autori omnium subdunt , atque inde cuncta transcendunt , unde creatori cunctorum vera se humilitate substernunt . greg. mor. lib. . cap. . legatur cap. . lib. . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pindar . pyth. od. . (r) john . . (s) cant. . ● . (t) judg. . . (u) revel . . . sancta ecclesia , quia superni luminis splendore protegitur , quasi sole vestitur ; qui cuncta temporalia despicit , lunam sub pedibus premit . greg. mor. . . c. . (u) revel . . . sancta ecclesia , quia superni luminis splendore protegitur , quasi sole vestitur ; qui cuncta temporalia despicit , lunam sub pedibus premit . greg. mor. . . c. . (x) omnis doctrina philosophorum sine capite & — (y) ephes. . . (z) cor. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . morel . in stat. ex libanio . (b) rex regum sapor , particeps syderum , frater solis & lunae ; constantio caesari , fratri meo , salutem plurimam dico . am. marcel . lib. . qui cognata licet sibi astra fingens phoebeâ tumeat propinquitate ; mortalem hic tamen implet obsecrando . sidon . de persa . lib. . epist. (c) hebr. . . (d) ephes. . . (e) joh. . . (f) cor. . . (g) heb. . . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. mor. (i) cor. . . (k) iam vero illud quale , quam sanctum , quod siquis ex nobilibus converti ad deum coeperit , statim honorem nobilitatis amittit ? aut quantus in christiano populo honor christi est , ubi religio ignobilem facit ? — si honoratior quispiam religioni se applicuerit illicò honoratus esse desistit . salv. de gubern . lib. . (l) montaign . ess. lib. . . (m) ambros. (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gord. in basil. (o) prudent . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lucian . in chrys. sanctus nec proprium nomen nec gentem , nec civitatem unde erat , neque servúsne vel liber esset ; sed ad cuncta interrogata romanâ voce respondit , christianus fum . euseb. lib. . cap. . (q) john . . (r) pet. . . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , julitta in basil. (t) th king of ; navarre , montaigne in ess. lib. . cap. . (u) sam. . . (x) seneca de beneficiis lib. . c. . proponit mihi inania nobilitatis , id est , hominum arrogantium nomina ; qui non tam me impediunt quod nobiles sunt , quàm adjuvant quòd noti sunt . cicer. orat . vol. . (y) gen. . . (z) heb. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in psal. . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eurip ; troad . (c) john . . (d) gen. . . (e) gen. . . (f) gen. . . (g) luke . . . . (h) confitentibus . dei filium imperabat lacere , ut operibus magìs quàm sermonibus deus agnosceretur ; & tu nobilem te dicis qui es factus ? ambros. in psal. . (i) mat. . v. . (k) abraham quidem salvatur ; sed te nobilitas generis non salvabit , nisi fidem servaveris . vid. plur . in ambros. ibid. (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eurip. phoenis . (m) heb. . . (n) acts . . (o) cor. . ● (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plutar. praecept . nuptial . (q) phil. . . (r) rom. . . (s) heb. . . (t) deut. . . (u) jam. . . (x) king. . . (y) rev. . . (z) john . . (a) cor. . . (b) col. . . (c) cor. . . (b) mat. . . (c) act. . . (d) col. . . (e) pet. . . (f) ephes. . . (g) heb. . . (h) scribit haec philo de religiosis in aegypto . videtur viris istis universa legis scriptura animanti similis esse , ita ut superficies verborum corporis , sensus vero in verbis reconditus animae sit loco , quem ipsorum religio praecipuè quasi per speculum nominum eximiam sententiarum pulchritudinem relucentem observans contemplari cepie . euseb. lib. . cap. . (i) explica totos fastus , constitue omnes currus triumphales , nihil tamen morum principatu speciosius reperies . valer. max. lib. . haud parvae rei judicium senatunt tenebat , qui vir optimus in civitate ess●t . veram certè victoriam ejus rei sibi quisque mallet quàm ulla imperia honoresve suffragio ceu patrum , ceu plebis delatos . liv. lib. . hic honor habitus scipioni nasicae . vid. lib. . (k) nulla ingenia tam prona ad invidiam sunt , quam eorum qui genus ac fortunam suam animis non aequant , quia virtutem & bonum alienum oderum . liv. lib. . (l) inter agathaltos & achanthides tantum est odium , ut , si sanguis corum vi misceatur , continuò secernat se ac dissiliat : sic inter patricios & plebem , siquando pro rerum usu conjungan tur & conspirent , durat tamen usque odium naturale . cornel. à lapide citat . tanquam ex plutarch . in cap. . proverb . (l) inter agathaltos & achanthides tantum est odium , ut , si sanguis corum vi misceatur , continuò secernat se ac dissiliat : sic inter patricios & plebem , siquando pro rerum usu conjungan tur & conspirent , durat tamen usque odium naturale . cornel. à lapide citat . tanquam ex plutarch . in cap. . proverb . (l) inter agathaltos & achanthides tantum est odium , ut , si sanguis corum vi misceatur , continuò secernat se ac dissiliat : sic inter patricios & plebem , siquando pro rerum usu conjungan tur & conspirent , durat tamen usque odium naturale . cornel. à lapide citat . tanquam ex plutarch . in cap. . proverb . (m) quod ex aliená vir●u●e sihi arrogant ; id mihi ex meâ non concedunt . sic queritur marius in salust . (n) amos . . (o) es. . . (p) hos. . . (q) ezra . . (r) neh. . . (s) et centum graecos curto centusse licetur . sic in poet. pers. sar. . (t) jude vers . . (u) quamvis internae felicitatis beatitudinem perdidit , naturae sa●en suae magnitudi●em non amisit ; cujus adhuc viribus humana omaia superat . greg. mor. de diab . lib. . cap. . (x) prov. . . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nazian . orat. . (z) pendentem summae capream de rupe videbis : casuram speres , decipit illa canes . matt. lib. . (a) thess. . . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . naz. orat . . (c) mat. . , . (d) pet. . . . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (f) virg. aeneid . lib. . accommodat hunc versum etiam seneca catoni : qui talis fuit caesari & pompeio , qualis achilles agamemnoni & priamo . epist. . (g) juven . satyr . . (h) tim. . . (i) homer . iliad . . (k) herba generi respondet suo . tu non respondes tuo ? tritici granum sparsum terrae , generis sui gratiam reddit : & tu degeneras ? fruges non adulterant sui sinceritatem seminis , tu adulteras puritatem animae , vigorem mentis , corporis castitatem . ambros. hexam . lib. . cap. . (l) propinqui à manu ejus annulum , in quo caput africani sculptum erat , detraxerunt . val. maxim. lib. . cap. . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . xiphil . in neron . (n) ephes. . . (o) ephes. . . (p) revel . . . (q) nero ut faciendis scelerihus promptus , ita audiendi quae fecerat insolens erat . tac. annal . lib. . (r) esa. . . (s) ephes. . . es. . . ezek. . . (t) pet. . . (u) ● pet. . . (x) qualis ( malùm ) deus isle est , qui tàm impuros ex se filios & sceleratos genuit ? si pater siliorum similis , minimè profecto bonum esse oportet . benz. (y) sir w●lt raleigh in his preface to the hist. of the world. (z) jer. , , . (z) hypocritae re● . virtuti intimae ad de corem sumunt visioni externae ; & qui ant supernum jud cem nu di conscientiae in in fidelitate consiscunt ante humanos oculos professione sancta ver bo tenus palliantur gregor . moral . lib . cap. . (a) psal. . . (b) pet. . . (c) ephes. . . (d) nomen congruat actioni , actio responde at nomini : ne sit nomen inane & crimen immane , ne sit honor sublimis & vita desormis , ne sit deifica professio & illicita actio . — ne sit gradus exceisus & deformis excessus . ambr. de dig . sacerd. (e) gestabat de collo suspensam in pectus auream laminam , in quâ nomen & imago patris insculpta erat , quâ subinde memoriam ejus refricaret , & quicquid vel faceret , vel loqueretur , sic ageret quasi inspiciente omnia & exaudiente patre . chromer . de bolesho lib. . de reb . polon . (f) heb. . . (g) deut. . . (h) es. . . (i) si hominibus laetum est & gloriosism filios habere consimiles ; & tunc magis generasse delectat , si ad patrem lineamentis paribus soboles subsiciva respondeat : quanto major in deo patre laetitia est , cum quis sic spiritaliter nascitur , ut in actibus ejus & laudibus divina generosilas praedicetur ? quae justitiaē palma est ? quae corona ? esse te talem de qu● deut non dicat , filios genui & exaltavi , ipsi autem spreverunt me . cyp. de zel . & livor . isa . . (k) epist. john , verse . (l) judg. . . (m) es. . . (n) es. . . (o) psal. . . (p) heb. . . (q) mal. . . (r) cor. . . (s) esai . . . (t) viginti clarissimarum familiarum imagines antelatae sunt , martii , quintii , aliaque ejusdem nobilitatis nomina ; sed praefulgebant cassius atque brutus , eo ipjo quod essiigies eorum non visebantur , tacit. annal. lib. . (u) summa apud deum est nobilitas , esse clarum virtu●i●us , quid apud deum ● viris nobilius pe●ro ? qui piscator et ●●●per fuit . quid in ●oeminis beatâ mariá ●llustrius , quae spo●sa ●a●ri ●escri●itur ? sed ●li pisi atori et pau●eri caelesiis r●g●i à ●hristo creduntur cl●es : bac sp●risa sa●i mer●i esse mater ●●ius à quo ipsae cla●s dilae sunt , h●r . p. . ad celant . (x) john . . (y) exod. . . (z) ephes. . , . (a) psal. . . (b) cant. . . (c) dan. . . (d) dan. . . (e) matt. . . (f) cor. . . . (g) jam. . , . (h) non patruum sihi othonem fuisse , aut oblivisceretur unquam aut nimium meminisset , tacit. histor. lib . (i) jer. . . . (k) es. . . (l) theodosius magis se gaudere dixit , quòd membrum ecclesiae dei esset , quàm quod in terris regnaret , ambros. (m) sacrosancta majestas quae ritu sacerdotum ungitur , unde christi vocantur , non necesse habet post haec titulo equerii decorari , exili , frivolo , & ex ignorantiâ nato . ausim dicere , quod pace tum aliorum , tum praecipuè , regum , dictum sit : con●umeliam regiae majestati faciunt , qui ha●c dignitatem , si hoc nomen meretur , suscipiunt ; non secus atque si supra diadema sertum ex rosis , floribusque suspenderent , laur. val. de ferdinand . equerio facto lib. . (n) lewis ix . being askt by his lords , what title of honour he would assume , as the roman emperours and kings of france in remembrance of their acts and victories ; answered , my greatest victory was obtained against the devil when i was baptized in the church of poissi . and in his familiar letters he did not entitle himself king of france , but , king of poissi . (o) generari & nasci à principibus fortuitum , nec ultra aestimatur . galb . ad pisonem in tacit. lib. . histor . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. lib. . polit . (q) vides quàm pauci sunt principes boni , ut benè dictum sit à quodam mimico scurrâ , in uno annido bonos principes posse perscribi atque depingi . flav. vopisc . in vit . arelel . (r) luke . . (s) jer. . . (t) haec verba nobilis quidam qui atheisticè vixerat , voluit monumento suo inscribi , haec mihi porta ad inferos . aen . syl. (u) gen. . . (x) pet. . . (y) gen. . . (z) revel . . , . (a) hic imperator virtute tàm eximius ex dei sapientiá mortali hominum generi donatus fuit , tanquam res quaedam peregrina quae homines in admirationem traduceret . euseb. in vit. const. lib. . cap. . (b) cor. . . (c) mat. . . (d) rom. . , , . (e) job . . (f) fortunatus de felice episcop . gallican . urbis nannet . magdeburg . cent. . cap. . a motion tending to the publick good of this age and of posteritie, or, the coppies of certain letters written by mr. john dury to a worthy knight at his earnest desire shewing briefly vvhat a publik good is and how by the best means of reformation in learning and religion it may be advanced to some perfection / published by samuel hartlib ... dury, john, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a motion tending to the publick good of this age and of posteritie, or, the coppies of certain letters written by mr. john dury to a worthy knight at his earnest desire shewing briefly vvhat a publik good is and how by the best means of reformation in learning and religion it may be advanced to some perfection / published by samuel hartlib ... dury, john, - . hartlib, samuel, d. . [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed by p.l. for michael sparke, senior ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. marginal notes. eng god -- biblical teaching. christian education -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . a r (wing d ). civilwar no a motion tending to the pvblick good of this age and of posteritie. or the coppies of certain letters written by mr. john dury, to a worthy dury, john c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a motion tending to the pvblick good of this age , and of posteritie . or the coppies of certain letters written by mr. john dury , to a worthy knight , at his earnest desire . shewing briefly , vvhat a publik good is , and how by the best means of reformation in learning and religion it may be advanced to some perfection . published by samuel hartlib . for the better information of all those who are willing of themselves , or intrusted by others to set forward pious and learned works . life is deaths seed's time , death lifes harvest , as here we sow ; so there we reape , as here we sett , so there we gather of a blessed life , a death as blisfull . sir , the following discourse is not so fully and accurately expressed as i could wish , for want of time , and by reason of manifold interruptions : but such as it is , you will be pleased to make use of it . perhaps to a pious soule that looketh to god , and his life , it may relish and worke some effect . the grace of god be with you , i rest , sir , your truly respective and most affectionate servant in christ . iohn dury . london , the of decem. . a motion tending to the publicke good of this age and of posteritie . no man can do good to posterity , but he that doth know how to serve his own generation rightly . nor can any man serve his owne generation as he ought , that knoweth not what his own felicity , and that of his generation is ; and how it may be attained unto . for he that is destitute of this knowledge , can neither labour for himselfe to become truly happy , nor can he reach forth the means of happinesse unto others . for how can any impart unto another , that whereof he is not himselfe participant ? a man then that would set forward the publique good , must first know , what it is to be truly good ? by what means goodnesse is attained unto ? and how it may be propagated unto his generation ? of these there , i purpose to discourse a little , before i make the motion , which i intend to propose unto you . of the first . to be truly good , is to partake of the life of god , for none is good truly save god alone , and of the fulnesse of his goodnesse we all partake grace for grace ; because we live , and move , and have our being in him , and so much life , and motion , and being as we have in him , so much goodnesse we have ▪ and no more ; for either goodnesse is denominated from god , or god from goodnesse ; so that either way to be good ▪ is to have a being in god , or to be in god , is to have a being in goodnes : for what hath no being in god , is altogether evill ; and what hath no being in goodnesse ▪ is altogether separate from god ▪ hence it is that the apostle speaking of the corruption of 〈…〉 which is radically in us saith that we are alienated from the life of god . and david describing the wicked saith , psal. . . that they are estranged from the wombe , and go astray as soone as they be born speaking lyes . whence are they estranged ? is it not from god and his life ? and whence go they astray ? is not from his truth ? and is not this the cause they speak lyes , even because they give not way to the motions of his truth , to do that which it suggesteth unto them , and whereof they are convicted in their conscience that it is their duty . for god and his truth is made manifest unto the conscience of all men , rom. . , . and . . and the wicked not taking notice of that which they know of him , but detaining gods truth in unrighteousnesse ; that is to say , suppressing the motions of gods life , and giving way unto the motions of their own lust and sensuall imagination ; by this they are estranged from god , and draw his wrath upon their soules . for the object of gods wrath is nothing else but the life of lust in nature , ephes. . . for there we are said to be by nature the children of wrath , in respect that we have our conversation in the lust of the flesh , fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde . now we know that our flesh and fleshly minde doth embrace only this present world , of which we are taught , that all that is in the world , is but the object of lust , and of pride in lust . for iohn saith , that all that is in the world is the lust of the eyes , the lust of the flesh , and the pride of life ▪ which things the apostle saith , are not of the father , but of the world . for which cause also he disswadeth us from the love thereof , and consequently from the life which may be had therein , for two reasons . first , because if we love these things , and live in them ; the love and the life of the father is not in us . secondly , because the world doth passe away , and the lust thereof , but he that doth the will of god abideth for ever . now he doth , and none but he doth the will of god , which abideth in his love and life , according to christs exhortation , iohn . , , . abide in me , and i in you ▪ as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe , except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye , except ye abide in me : and againe iohn . . . this is the will of the father , that of all which he hath given me , i should lose nothing ; and that every one who seeth the sonne , and beleeveth on him , may have everlasting life ; therefore all things which are , and every one who is not in the love and life of the father , shall perish ; because it is not according to the will of god , whichis onely good , & remaineth for ever . for nothing can be esteemed truly good , but that which doth remaine for ever . for all goodnesse being the life of god in us , and he being in himselfe everlasting and immutable ; his life in us , must also be like unto him , and what is not like to him and permanent with him in us , is none of his ▪ but whatsoever is truly like him , and according to his will , shall also be permanent with him for ever . for he cannot destroy any thing wherein he taketh a liking , and he taketh alikeing in nothing but in that which is truly good , & like unto himselfe . and verily , the perfect estate of our felicity in the life to come , is nothing else but to be like him . for iohn faith , it doth not yet appeare ▪ what we shall be , but we know when he doth appeare we shall be like him , then to be like him , is to be truly happy , and to have a being in him , and to partake of his life is to be good ; and nothing is truly good , but only this . therefore when the worldlings say , psal. . , who will shew us any good ? then the man of god answereth , not unto them , but unto god , to himselfe , and to us , saying ; lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us ; for thereby thou hast put more gladnesse in my heart , then when their corne and wine increased . now we know the cheerfulnesse of a mans life , by the brightnesse of his countenance , and his good or ill will to us , by the cleer or cloudy appearance thereof toward sus . so then , the lightsome countenance of god , is the evident appearance of his favourable life and good purpose towards us ; and if this be lift up upon us , that is , if we finde this shining over our heads , and round about us , or going before us , to direct us in our wayes , then we know that his life is in us ; for none can perceive the countenance of god to be lift up over him , but by the life of god which is in him ; and when we finde this life to be in us , then , and never till then are we truly happie ; because we enjoy a true and permanent good , which is the life of gods presence , wherein is fulnesse of joy , psal. . . this then is that good , which every one should seeke to obtaine for himselfe , and study to procure through the communion of saints unto others . and he that can serve his generation by the procurement and furtherance of this unto it , he doth truly advance the publique good ; but whatsoever else any doth seeke to advance towards his generation , if it be not directly subordinate hereunto , it is not worth his labour ; for all what is done besides this end , is but labour for the fire , and a wearying of themselves for very vanity , as the prophet termeth it ; who also giveth this reason hereof , because the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the lord , as the waters cover the sea : intimating that when the knowledge of gods glory which begetteth in us the powers of his life shall be so abundant in the earth , as the waters are abundant in the sea ; then all humane works and buildings not agreeing with this life of god appearing in the knowledge of his glory shall be over-flown and drowned and swept away , as with a floud ofspirituall waters ; or rather consumed , burnt up with fire , and destroyed as meer vanity . therefore we should take heed how we spend our time , and employ our selves , and bestow the precious talents which god doth give us to profit withall ; lest we weary our selves in the whole course of our life , for a thing of nothing , and bestow cost and labour for that which will be lost , and do at all no profit , either to our selves , or unto posterity . for if that which we do undertake be not lasting , and permanently leading unto this life , which the knowledge of gods glory doth afford , it will not be at all profitable , because it will not endure the firy tryall and judgement , which god in his wrath will kindle in these latter daies , before he raiseth up his owne kingdome , wherein nothing shall be of use , but that which shall be built upon the true foundation of life everlasting , which is christ jesus ; and that which shall be such for substance and matter , which will endure and escape the tryall of the fire . see cor. . , , , . from all which by way of recapitulation , i will gather these conclusions towards the purpose in hand . that a publique good is nothing else but the universall private good of every one in the life of god ; for that which serveth the turne of some only , although they may be many , and even the greater part , is not to be counted truly publique ; but that is properly publique which is common , and reacheth alike unto all ; and that reacheth truly to all , wherein every one hath alike neere interst , and whereof every one may be alike sensible , which is the life of god in men ; for god is the same to all , and is but one life in all , and all may and should challenge alike interest in him . that none can procure this good to others , farre lesse to all , that doth not seeke it for himselfe , and in some measure purchase it , at least by attaining to the true love of it , and by a willingnesse to do any thing that lyeth in his power , for the advancement of it , as well towards others , as towards himselfe . for as it is an universall good , none can engrosse it for himselfe alone , but every one must seeke to partake of it with another . hence it is that there is no truer way to get it for our selves , then by endeavouring , that others also may participate of that which we either haue obtained , or may hopefully obtaine . for gods meaning is not to be possessed as a peculiar to one ; because he doth intend to shew himselfe the god of all , and he , that seeketh god in all and for all , shell at last find him for himselfe , but he that thinketh ( as the custome of some is who despise others as impure and unworthy of their society ) to have him only for himselfe shall loose him in all , and himselfe also . . from whence followeth , that all selfe seeking and the affection of some particular thing and way , whereby men desire to bee taken notice off , amongst other men for procuring a publique good ; which they imagine to be good ; that ( i say ) all such purposes are nothing but carnall hypocrisie , which is inconsistent with the life of god : so that except there be a single purpose to seeke this good absolutely for it self , that it may become common to al ; & to seeke nothing with it besides it self , least it be not entire , but mixed with aimes of another nature ; & to seeke all other things for it , least some other thing be valued more then it , and it become in our minde subordinate unto matters of a base nature ; except ( i say ) all this bee , the indeavour will never reach the end for which it must be undertaken ; nor receive a blessing from god to come to any perfection , because it is impossible that god , or gods worke should be made to serve any mins ends ; or that he should suffer himselfe and his worke to be abused by men for private ends without discovering the deceit of their practises by some manifest judgement or other . and this is the cause why god doth bring the fire triall upon the world , namely to make void and without effect all by-ends and worldly imaginations in his worke , in his great worke which he is about to performe : for we are taught esa. . concerning the kingdome of god when it shall be raised ; that the lofty lookes of men shall be humbled , and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe , and the lord alone shall be exalted in that day , that all height and high things shall stoope , and all idolls ( amongst which our selfe imaginations are to be reckoned ) shall be abolished at the presence of the glory of his majesty , when he shall arise to shake terriblely the earth . therefore in aiming at this good we must cease from all selfe ; and cease from all men , whose breath is in his nostrils , for wherein is he to be accounted in the worke of god ? thus having setled the aime which ought to be had in seeking a publique good : let us consider the meanes that leade thereunto . of the second . the meanes to attaine unto the life of god is none other but christ , for in him alone is the fulnesse of the godhead bodily , and it is the fathers pleasure that in him all fulnesse should dwell . therefore the father will bee scene no where , and cannot bee scene anywhere , but in his sonne , who is the brightnesse of his glory , and the expresse image of his person , now hee hath revealed in the scriptures , the manner how hee is to be knowne in his sonne , and how by that knowledge his life is conveyed unto us : and this we will indeavour to lay open . first then the manner how the father is knowne in the sonne ; is expressed cor. . . thus god commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse ; doth shine in our hearts , to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ , where wee must observe that the apostle doth speake of himselfe , and the rest of the apostles , to declare the manner , how god did make himselfe knowne unto them : and as he made himselfe knowne to them ; so he is this day to be knowne to every one : for god is but one , and the manifestations of his life is the same in all , to whom it is made manifest ; although it may be differenced according to the severall degrees of height by which it is perceived . but here we have the substance of this manifestation in these particulars . first , that god is the authour of it by the power which hee hath to command light to shine out of darkenesse , whereby is intimated , that we are nothing but darkenesse , till it please god to command light to shine in us . secondly , that the light whereby god is made manifest unto us , is the brightnesse of god himself ; for he saith that god doth shine : whereby is also intimated , that it is of the meere free grace of god , imparting himselfe unto us that we come to know him ; and not of any free willing choyse or rationall parts in us that we should bee able to chose out the objects of true knowledge , or when they are proposed unto us by others , that wee should be able to dive into gods nature thereby , or to make better use of the meanes , whereby god is knowne , then others doe . but all this is gods free grace to us . thirdly , that the place where god doth shine is a mans heart ; that is the prime center and seate of this living soule ; where the spirits maintaining his life are begotten . for as there be materiall spirits rising out of the blood , in the materiall heart ; so there are incorporeall spirits arising out of the mindings of the soule in the heart of our spirits , which is conscience ; for in the conscience god hath his seate in all men , and there he doth appeare to all converts at first ; where he also doth ever continue more or lesse shining unto them , according as they deserve to see his bright or his cloudy countenance . therefore if any man will fit himselfe to see god , he must purifie his conscience , for blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see god . fourthly , that the effect for which god doth shine in our heart , is to give a light to us . god is nothing but light , and in him is no darknesse at all ; but he is in himselfe a light , which is inaccessible , which no man hath seene nor can see , except god give him eyes to see it . for christ saith , math. . . no man knoweth the son but the father , neither knoweth any man the father save the son , and he to whom the son will reveale him . therefore although god doth shine both in himselfe and towards us , yet he may be unperceptible and unperceived even by those that are his own , except he be pleased to give the the light of perception . for it is said , that not only the light shineth in darknesse , and that darknesse comprehended it not ; but also that this true light came into the world , and was not known by the world , and that it came unto his own , and was not received by them , but to such as received it , the priviledge of being the sons of god was given by it . now then the ability of receiving or perceiving the light when it shineth , is also the gift of god ; for he must open our eyes to perceive his light , and except this effect follow upon his shining in our hearts . i say , except this reflexive act of perceiving this light be granted by god , and freely given to us , we cannot apprehend his life and being in us , although he should shine otherwise never so brightly . whence again we see , that it is not of him , that runneth or willeth , but of god that doth shew mercy . and that it is not one act of grace that will serve our turne , as to have once begining , and then to be left unto our selves , but there must be a continued act of grace ; for grace that is of one grace , fitted to embrace and make use of another grace ; namely , of a latter grace to make use of the former ; for as we cannot will nor know any thing of the life and light of god at first , so we cannot performe any thing answerable to that life and light , except god also give the performance according to his owne good pleasure . fiftly , that this light is the light of knowledge ; now to know is the act of a mans understanding , and the understanding is the same faculty in the soule , which the eye is in the body . as the eye then , when it is not blinde doth perceive the visible appearance of a thing ; that is , it receiveth the image of the shape there of within it selfe as within a looking-glasse , and keepeth every image which it receiveth distinctly , seperate from each other . so is it not with the understanding when it is not darke and muddy ; it also receiveth with in it selfe , as in a spirituall looking glasse , and keepeth distinctly seperate the intellectuall appearances of the images and shapes of spirituall things . for although spirituall things cannot be said properly to have images and shapes , yet became our understanding in conceiving of the same , doth receive intellectuall notions and ideas , wherein spirituall matters do appeare to it , and in respect that these notions or mindings have something in them like unto the representation of an image , therefore we must speak thus . and so much the rather , because the scripture doth continually expresse the acts of the understanding by the analogie of the eye , as ephes. . , . the apostle prayeth that god nould give the spirit of wisedome and revelation in the knowledge of christ , the eyes of our understanding being enlightned that we may know , &c. thus then to be able to know that is , to receive and distinctly to perceive things represented unto us , we must make use of the faculty of our understanding in spirituall things , as men do of their eyes in bodily matters . and what matters do essentially concurre towards the apprehension of things in their bodily shape within the eye ; such like matters are intellectually also concurrent towards the act of knowledge in the understanding . sixthly , that the object of this knowledge is the glory of god . the glory of god is the manifested excellencie , and the evident appearance of his goodnesse and of his nature . so when moses exod. . . desireth that god would shew him his glory ; god answereth ▪ verse . and saith , i will make all my goodnesse passe before thee , and i will preclaime the name of the lord before thee . by which we see that the apparition of his goodnesse , and the apprehension and knowledge of his name , ( that is of his nature , for the nature of every thing is knowne by the name thereof ) is the manifestation of his glory . seventhly , that this glory of god is to be seen in the face of jesus christ . the face of christ is the expresse appearance of his being and life , by which he is distinguished from all other men ; for men are to be discerned by their faces one from another : now christ is to be difcerned from all other men in this , that he is a spirituall man , and did live in the flesh a spirituall life ; for the apostle saith , that god was in christ reconciling the world unto himselfe . and of his own knowledge of christ he speaketh thus , though we have known christ after the flesh , yet now henceforth know we him no more ; therefore if any man be in christ , let him be a new creature , old things are passed away , behold all things are become new . the new creature is the spirituall creature ; for he that is in christ , is one spirit with him ; because christ is different from the old adam in this , that the old adam was made to be a living soule , but the new was made a quickning spirit . hence then we learn that the face of christ , which is the appearance of his life and being in the spirituall state , wherein he walked in the flesh as god ( for he lived the life of god in the flesh , ioh. . , . ) is the proper subject wherin all the goodnesse and the nature of god doth appeare ; so that if we can see and know the fare of christ ; then we shall evidently also perceive the life of god in his glory , because he that seeth christ ; seeth the father . and christ himselfe desireth us to beleeve him , that he is in the father , and the father in him ; nor will the father be seene in any but in him , in whom only he is well pleased , and whom we should hear on his behalfe , matth. . and because he alone is the expresse image of his person and the brightnesse of his glory , heb. . . therefore also he cannot be feene in any but in him ; for all which causes he is the only means to attaine unto the life of god , for he only can give the light of life to such as come to him and follow him , ioh. . . and ephes. . . and thus we have understood the manner how the life of the father is to be known in the son . now followeth the way , how by that knowledge the life of the father is conveyed through the son unto us . this is expressed , cor. . . thus : but we all with open face , beholding as in a glasse the glory of the lord , are changed into the same image from glory to glory , even as by the spirit of the lord . where we must observe that the apostle doth not speak here of himselfe alone , but of all christians , to show the way and the maner how they become parrakors of the life of god in christ ; which in all christians is but one and the same , although there be differences of degrees , in the participation thereof . but here the substance of the matter is declared in these particulars . first , that all christians are participant of this life ; for he saith we all , meaning himselfe as a christian , and all other beleevers ; for seeing there is but one faith , and one hope , and one spirit : therefore the beleevers are said to have obtained like precious faith with the apostles , and to be baptized with the same spirit ; for he saith , that by one spirit we are all baptized into one body . secondly , that all beleevers have their faces uncovered ; for he saith , that with an open face we behold . that is to say , that the face of our soule , which is our minde , is not now covered with a vaile , as the face of moses and of the iewes was , least they should behold the end of that which was to be abolished ; for to this day the minds of the iems are blinded , and the vaile remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament , which vaile is done away in christ . for the lord is the spirit which causeth the vaile to vanish , for where the spirit of the lord is , there is liberty . that is to say , there is free accesse unto god ; to take notice of his whole life , for the spirit searcheth even the deepe things of god , and we have received the spirit of god , that we should know the things which are freely given to us of god . for now is the prophesie fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet i saiah chap. . , . that god shall make in his holy mountaine ( which is his church ) a feast of fat things unto all people , a feast of wines on the lees ; of fat things full of marrow , of wines on the lees well refined . and that he would destroy in his mountaine the face of the covering cafl over all people , and the vail that is spread over all nations . this prophesie i say , is now fulfilled . for in the church of the gospell the feast of all wisdome , of all knowledge and understanding , and of all promises and comforts unto the wearied soules , is largely set before us in the writing of the evangelists and apostles , and that we should be able to make use of this feast . god hath also taken away the face of the covering , and the vaile that was spread over all nations which kept them in blindnesse , so that now our faces are opened and uncovered before the lord , because he is well pleased with us in christ , whose spirit he hath sent forth in our hearts , to give us the liberty of children , that we should come to him , and call upon him abba father . thirdly , all that have their faces thus uncovered behold the glory of lord as in a glasse . the end wherefore god doth uncover the faces of beleevers , and giveth them his free spirit , is that they should know the things which god hath freely given to them , as the apostle faith ; now those things cannot be known but in the fountain and receptacle where they are which is christ , for in him is all fulnesse ; and the father hath made him unto us ▪ wisedom , righteousnesse , sanctification and redemption , cor. . . therefore the spirit by which our faces are uncovered , doth lead us unto him ; for to know the things of god , he must be known , and that he may be known , he must be seen and lookt upon , for in him all the treasures of life are to be seen and no where but in him . therefore the prophet when he proposeth the greatest of blessings saith , that our eyes shall see the king in his beauty : intimating , that in the sight of him , and his beauty , was our happinesse . and verily those that once have had a true sight of him cannot but continually seeke to behold him . we may see it in david how he stood affected towards him , one thing saith he i desired , and will feeks after , to behold the beauty of the lord , and to enquire in his temple . and psal. , . . as the hart panteth after the water brooks ; so panteth my soule after thee ▪ o god . oh , when shall i come and appeare before god ? but chiefly psal. . , , . early will i seeke thee ; my soule thirsteth for thee ; my flesh longeth to see thy power and thy glory so , as i have seene thee in the sanctnary . because thy loving kindnesse is better than life . if he had never seene him in the sanctuary of the spirit , he could not have ●●●● carnestly desired him ; but having once seene him and tasted of his goodnesse , he could not but long for the continuance and renewing of this sight and and taste . this also may be gathered from the apostle peter , who exhorteth us to desire the ●in●●re milke of the word , if so be we have tasted that the lord is gracious . the tasting of gods graciousnesse will not be soone lost out of the sanctified minde , but will leave a desire after it to looke after him . now this glory of the lord is beheld as in a looking-glasse his outward actions which are regished in the gospel , are the looking-glasse wherein all the divine properties of his goodnesse and loving kindnesse do appeare to the full , when they are spiritually considered . fourthly , those that behold this glory , are changed into the same image . this glory is so excellent in goodnesse , and lovely to all that behold it , that it subdues the soule and drawes it by a sympathy to become comfortable unto it selfe , as it is said , cor. . , . the love of christ constraineth us , to what ? to be conformable unto his death . for when the soule seeth his great love to us , it cannot possibly but it must needs love him again ; and where love is there is a symbolizing of affections , which is the change here mentioned ; for through love , the thing beloved doth receive a being in him that loveth it ; and thus our souls are transformed into the same image which we perceive to be in christ . see concerning this these places , phil. . . ephes. . , . and iohn . . , . and . , . fiftly , this change is from glory to glory , that is from one step or degree of glory to another . for christ is the ladder which iacob saw , gen. . , . wherein were steps reaching from earth unto heaven ; that is to say , from the lowest estate of a temporall , to the highest of an eternall being . and upon these steps the angels ascended and descended ; these angels are our spirituall messengers sent up to god , and his gracious answers sent down upon us . the steps and degrees are in the life which we live in christ jesus . the motions of spirituall growth , wherby in the dayes of his flesh he was daily mortified in respect of the outward man and quickned by the spirit in the inward ; to which mortification and quickning , we become conformable ; by proceeding from one state ▪ of glory to another ; because he also in the dayes of his flesh , went by the same progresse alwayes from earth to heaven , till he came againe to his father , from whence he came forth . sixthly , this change is wrought by the spirit of the lord , in the soule that beholdeth christ . the spirit of christ is the author of the change which is wrought in us ; for when we see and behold christs glory , the love of god is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost which is given to us , rom. . . so the holy ghost proceeding from christ by the knowledge and faith which we have of him , and of his life , ephes. ● . . worketh love in us to him ; by which we sympathi●e , with him , and are changed into the same state of life , wherein he did live after the inward man ; for the spirit which commeth from him , taking hold of our spirits , draweth the same with it selfe up unto christ , to whom it goeth back again by the manifestation of the life of christ in us . for when it prevaileth over the powers of our soule , to bring the same unto the obedience of gods will , then it bringeth us backe to christ ; for this was the life of christ , not to do his own will , but the will of his father , who who sent him into the world , iohn . . thus then , when our will is brought to yeeld it selfe by the spirit wholly unto the will of god in all things as christ did , then we are changed , and by the spirit led from one step of glorious conformity to another . then the soule being betrothed unto christ , through love doth desire to be drawn , that she may run after him ; and then the mistery of the song of solomon is begun in us , that it may also in due time be fulfilled through all the degrees of love therein expressed : which mistery is not to be understood by any , but by such as proceed in the degrees of this change from glory to glory . thus then we see how the life of god is both made known and conveyed to us by the means of christ ; from all which by way of recapitulation , we will gather these conclusions . first , that as the life of god is the only good to be sought for and procured unto all ; so christ , as he is a spirituall man , is the only meanes to purchase that life . secondly , that that life is purchased in christ by none other way , but by the free gift of god , through the illumination of our soules with knowledge . thirdly , that this knowledge doth reflect immediately upon the glory of god , as upon his proper object , which is to be manifested in the heart of man . fourthly , that to make this glory manifest in our heart , the face of jesuc christ must be seen by us . fiftly , that to behold the face of christ , we must have an open face free from the vaile ; and then we must looke upon the glorious excellencies of his spirituall life , in the glasse of his outward conversation amongst men . sixthly , that by this contemplation and apprehension of the life of christ , a new life is begotten in us conformable unto that which is in him , by which we are changed into the same image of glory , and are led from one degree thereof , unto another , seventhly , that this change is brought to passe by the spirit of the lord , which worketh upon our spirits , the manifestation of the life of god , which is the only good thing and happinesse to be sought after , and propagated unto posterity . thus having discovered the true aime of a publique good , and the means by which we must attain thereunto ; let us proceed to the endeavours which may be used towards the propagating of this , unto the men of this generation , that by them it may be advanced unto posterity . of the third . if we have tasted how gracious the lord is , and are truly come unto him as lively stones , to be built up a spirituall house , and a holy priesthood , to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to god , through jesus christ ; then we shall be fit to propagate this life unto others , and not else ; for the means by which it is propagated unto others , is none other but to labour , that the light which is made manifest unto our soules , whereby we are become partakers of the life of god ; may shine also unto others , that they by the grace of god , may partake in like manner of the same . this endeavour hath three chiefe parts . the first is the care of avoyding offences . the second of giving good example , by going before others in godlinesse . the third , of making the rule and doctrine by which we walke , to avoyd the evill and do the good known to every one . these three parts of this endeavour , are expressed phil. . , . thus . be blamelesse and harmles as the sons os god , without rebuke , in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation , amongst whom shine ye as lights in the world , holding forth the word of life . except we study to be in all things without scandall and offence , as it becometh the sons of god , amongst the sons of men ; the good which we do shall be evill spoken of , and become unprofitable , see rom. . , , , . and if we give no good example by our life in the profession of the gospell , all our doctrine shall be blasted , and we justly suspected , and not worthy to be heard or taken notice of for teachers of truth , see math. . . . iohn . , , . thus then , the endeavour to be without offence , is a preparative to make way for the good which is to be intended towards others in our practise , and the good which is to bee intended towards others by our practise ; is a preparative towards the proposall of the doctrine of truth , by which the knowledge of christ is advanced unto the world , that so many as god shall be pleased to enlighten and call out of the world , by that knowledge may be joyned to him , and made participant of his life . these three endeavours comprehend all the objects , which in the profession and preaching of the gospel , are to be studied by our selves , and insisted upon towards others . for in a word , it is by the means of the gospel , that christ is to be made known unto the world ; for the gospel is the power of god unto salvation , to every one that beleeveth , rom. . . and seeing that in the wisedome of god , the world by wisedome knew not god , it pleased god by the foolishness of preaching , to save them that beleeve , cor. . . now in the gospel there be two things . first , there is the doing of the truth for ourselves , and then the publishing of the same for others . the doing of the truth , is the profession of the gospel , and the publishing of it unto others ; is the preaching of the doctrine , by which the profession is regulated . as for the profession , we see it hath two parts ; the first is a care to be blamelesse and harmlesse without offence and rebuke towards all men . the second , is the practise of piety to do good to all , and goe before others , to lead them on towards the life of god . whence we must gather , that all manner of endeavours and undertakings , which tend directly to advance and perfect any of these three objects , should be counted truly good endeavours , and fit to be supported in this age , and transmitted to posterity . and the more neere any endeavour or undertaking doth come to reach any of these ends , the more compleat and perfect it is to be esteemed in goodnesse , as comming neerest unto the life of god . here then the endeavours tending to the advancement of the gospel , should be sought out and ranked according to the subordination and relation , which these matters have one towards another ; and all towards the manifestation of the life of god in us , by the knowledge of jesus christ in the gospell . unto the matter of harmlesnesse and blamelesse conversation , belongeth the endeavour of peaceablenesse , and of becoming all things unto all men in that which is lawfull , as the apostle telleth us he did , cor. . . . the endeavour of peaceablenesse , is a study whereby we are directed how to avoyd the occasions of strife , in respect of our selves , and to bring others who are at variance unto a peaceable and harmlesse disposition . these endeavours , are proper characters of the sons of god ; for in the place forementioned , the apostle maketh the in-offensivenesse of our conversation , to be the property of the sons of god . and christ saith , that the peacemakers are blessed , because they shall be called the sons of god , math. . . thus then we must conclude , that the endeavours tending to take away offences and scandalls from amongst christians , and tending to cause them avoyd strife and debates , and tending to make peace amongst them , and to bring them to the unity of the spirit , by a reconcilement of differences in the truth , are undertakings and endeavours , immediately conducing to the furtherance of the gospel , and consequently to the setling forward of the life of god amongst men . for god , is the god of peace , and hath no fellowship with evill , but is harmlesse and good unto all ; for even unto those that are unworthy of his goodnesse , he causeth his sun to shine . therefore christ exhorteth all his disciples to be like his and their heavenly father in this ; that they should be peaceable , innocent , and do good unto all , even unto their enemies and persecutors , math , . . till the end . unto the second part of the profession , which is the practise of piety , belongeth the zeal of advancing the kingdom of god , and setting forth the image of christ unto the world , in righteousnesse and holinesse : this is somewhat more then to be unblameable , by avoyding scandalls and strife ; for it doth imply moreover a care tending to the edification of many , by way of example , to lead others to perfection , in the duties belonging to our christian calling ; for we are bound to shew others the life of the spirit by our walking , so that they may be able to discerne in us , the powers of another life then that is , whereby this world is upheld ; for this world being led by lust and selfe-conceited greatnesse , and wholy ignorant of the life of god , must be convicted by the life of the spirit ; that there is a better state & more perfect happinesse which the saints of god enjoye in the beauties of holinesse , and in their communion with the father , and with the sonne , then that state wherein worldings take pleasure : when therefore we know , and earnestly study , to walke so as it becommeth the citisens of heaven in our private and publike conversation ; doing all things as in the presence of god by vertue of the covenant made betwixt him and us in jesus christ ; then we fulfill the second part of our profession of the gospel ; and whatsoever undertakings may directly tend to advance the knowledge and the practise of this kind of life amongst men , is most answerable unto the ayme of a publike good , and ought by all meanes to be set forward towards posterity . the third thing belonging to the advancement of the gospel of christ , is the setting forth of the doctrine of truth ; wherein all the grounds of the holy profession are to be laid open unto the world : that they may be taught what the ground of our hope is for which wee walke ; and what the rule is by which we walke in faith & love to avoide offences & to do good . hereunto belongeth fundamentally the pastoral charge over a flock , by preaching of the word in season & out of season , by way of instruction and correction , by exhortation and reproofe , and by comfort and threatning , and more particularly : the doctrinall charge which tendeth to confirme , enlarge , and maintaine the knowledge of divine truth revealed in the scriptures , the object of which charge should not be so much ( as now adayes it is almost wholy ) the refutation ofsome errours , and the handling of certaine common places ; but it should rather tend towards the setting forth of the hidden wisedome of god , which is revealed in the written word , not as it is the ministery of the letter , which many doe onely attend and insist upon , but as it is the ministery of the spirit in the new covenant , wherein spirituall things are with spirituall words explained ; and being compared with the things of their owne nature and property , they unfold the hidden mistery which god hath prepared for our glory before the world beganne , in the opening of this mistery according to the scriptures ; the doctrinall charge should chiefely be employed , and not in agitating with voluminous disputations after a scholasticall way , particular controversies ; for if this wisedome whereof the apostle doth speake , cor. . and the ministery of the spirit whereof hee speaketh ; cor. . were really attended and made knowne ; all petty controversies wherein men spend their whole life scholastically in philosophicall notions without any profit to the gospel , would vanish away , and be decided at an instant ; because the fundamentall truth of the covenant in the spirituall and perfect wisedome of god which is hidden in the mystery of godlinesse , is as a sunne in comparison of a darke lanthorne whereunto the particular straines and notions of learning followed now adayes are to be resembled . whatsoever undertaking therefore may tend directly towards the advancement of this kind of spirituall learning , and the manifestation of the hidden wisedome of god in a mystery according to the testimony of the scriptures ; that must be esteemed a reall furtherance of the gospel , and consequently a publicke good through the manifestation of the glory of god in the life of jesus christ . from whence finally this conclusion is to be inferred . that to partake for our selves , and to impart the life of christ to others the profession and preaching of the gospel must bee maintained and advanced unto this generation and to posterity by the endeavors which tend , first to avoyd and take away offences , by composing of scandalous differences in religlon . secondly to doe good workes in an examplary way that others may bee drawne on to walke after the spirit . thirdly , to make knowne by the true discharge of the pastorall and doctorall duties , the ruies and grounds of our spirituall life and conversation both for avoyding of evill and doing of good , and what is not directly subordinate to some of these ends or to all of them , is no true good , nor a thing to be lookt after ; because it helpeth us not unto any part of our happinesse ; which is to partake of the life of god in the knowledge of christ . having thus opened the grounds of that which i am to propose ; now i will make the motion which i suppose will commend it selfe , as tending directly unto this most eminent publique good of this age and of posterity . first , then if wee beleeve what hath beene said , and know that a man is first naturall , and then spirituall ; i thinke it fit to move that assistance may be given as well by way of councell as by outward support , unto those that labour for the rectifying of mens naturall parts , by reforming and facilitating all the meanes of humane learning for the schooles aswell of old as young schollers . for the great defects and errors in the manner of teaching , & in the matters which are taught , which are inferior and superior schooles , breede evill habits , and make the soules of men unfit for the apprehension of the mistery of godlinesse in the profession of the gospel . therefore to helpe the removeall of these , and to frame aright course for the education of children , and for the perfection of humane learning , is a most laudable publique good worke aswell for this age , as for posterity . secondly , i thinke it fit to move that assistance may be given towards the endeavors of ecclesiasticall pacification , and taking away of scandales and differences amongst protestants first , and then also if it bee possible amongst all other christians , that the first part of our evangelicall profession may be set forward to some perfection : and the assistance to be given to this endeavour , may bee besides the spirituall councell ( which by men of spirituall parts should be suggested to the agents ; ) and unblameable and peaceable conversation towards all men ( which every one is bound to intend for himselfe ) though different in judgement from each other , a supply of meanes to maintaine the correspondency and the printing of treatises and letters ; without which the negotiation of this matter towards divines will bee wholly lame and imperfect . thirdly , i move for the erecting of a professorship of practicall divinity in every university ; and one in london at sion or gresham colledge . that this professor might intend besides the reading of practicall matters , the compiling of a compleate body of practicall divinity taken out of all the practicall writers of this latter age : which is a thing much desired by forraigne divines , as may appeare by their requests to that effect subscribed with many hands and sent to the learned divines , and the patrons of godlinesse and learning in england . by which meanes the second part of our evangelicall profession will bee much advanced towards some perfection , chiefely in those that are desirous to leade a godly life . lastly i move for the erecting of a lecture in london which should intend to teach the common people the way how to make use of scripture by reading and meditating in their ordinary course ; and should shew also unto the more learned the rules of a more exact interpretation of the word , then is hitherto used ; that when a matter of doubt is moved which ought to bee decided by the meaning of the text ; there may be a common and infallible method of interpretation knowne ; for the finding out of the true sense thereof . this lecture should at one time explaine a whole or halfe a chapter , to shew the way of meditating upon the text , andof interpreting the same , by a constant rule of spirituall wisedome . how much these things ( if they could be advanced ) might tend to the good of this age , and of posterity for the propagating of heavenly knowledge in the gospel ; i suppose it is needlesse to declare at large : perhaps the former discourse will suffice to make this apparent ; yet if a more particular deduction of the things belonging to each of these motions , should be required ; for to shew the manner how every one of these propositions might be accomplished . that can easily be done to give satisfaction to such as will concurre to favour these endeavours , and support the furtherance thereof . the lord grant us all his grace , to make of all our talents the best use , which may most tend to his glory , and the felicity of our owne soules , and of our generation ; and suffer us not to be unfaithfull stewards of his manifold gifts and graces . amen . sir c. yours of the second of ianuary comes now to my hand , if this afternoone i had been free , i could perhaps have enlarged my selfe more then now i am able to do . yet to entertain so good a motion i hope time shal never be wanting hereafter to supply what may bee required further of me , towards the advancement of the publicke good . you approve of the objects proposed , but you desire a further rellish and illustration of the scopes and meanes . the two objects which you like most of all , the one for humane , the other for divine learning , i will chiefly now insist upon . the meanes then to advance humane learning , and the reformation of schools ; is to elaborate certain treaties , and to put them forth that they may be made use of by all . the first of these treaties should be a discovery of the defects and of the disorders in teaching and educating children , with the intimation of the remedies thereof , and of the manner of applying the same unto the discase , which should be done briefly and substantially . the second should be a direction for parents , how to implant into their children the seeds of vertue , and to beget in them a disposition towards learning . the third , should be a new alphabetarie , to teach children of five or six years , without any tediousnesse to reade and write , as it were in a continuall course of play and pastime . then the systeme of things obvious to the sences of children , is to be insinuated unto their imaginations , with the proper names thereof ; that they may have a true conceipt of the simplest and outward things of the world , as a rude matter of that whereof afterward they are to receive instructions . these are the first generall preparatives towards learning : then the matters to be taught are to be elaborated . where first there is that which belongeth unto the principles of religion . secondly , that which belongeth to the attainment of languages . and lastly , that which belongeth to the attainment of sciences , whereof the first , viz. concerning religion three treatises are to be put forth . first the abridgement of the history of the bible fitted to the capacity of children . secondly the use of the examples of the bible , and of all things according to the ends for which god created them . thirdly , the marrow of the bible , containing briefly the substance of that which is to be beleeved , done and hoped for , according to the cleére doctrine of the bible , fitted to childish simplicity and yet not without depth , to be enlarged upon towards those that are of riper judgement , then meere children . whereunto a direction is to be annexed , for the information of the teacher ; that he may know how to enlarge himselfe upon matters , and question those that are youths in a deeper sence and way , then children use to be questioned . of the second , viz. of languages , these treaties are requisite . first , a direction for their own mother tongue , to know the true properties therof ; for it is to be the rule of understanding all other tongues . secondly for the latine tongue , or the greeke and hebrew ; foure helps are to be afforded . first , the introduction to the tongue , containing the primitives thereof ; which are to be proposed with their significations , and variations , and their declensions and conjugations . secondly , the body of the tongue , containig all the words thereof in the derivations and compounds , together with an easie grammer and dictionary . thirdly , the periodicall doctrine of the language , containing the sentences & ornat manner of expressions , together with the rules of elegant speech . lastly a direction for the masters of the language , shewing the manner how these helps are to be rightly used . of sciences there are three degrees , whereof every one is to be handled in a severall treaty . the first containing the history of all things , which are the subjects of humane learning . the second , the dogmaticall substance of sciences , which are the principles and fundamentall truths of humane learning . and the third , the body of sciences , containing all the precepts & branches of humane learning , and the deductions which are infallibly evident , and truly drawn already by other mens labours from universall principles . to which three degrees of sciences , a fourth may be added ; shewing the universall method of ordering the thoughts , to finde out by our own industry any truth as yet unknown , and to resolve any question which may be proposed in nature , as the object of a rationall meditation . these are the treaties to be elaborated in the wayes of humane learning , for to bring schollers from the first steps of knowledge , unto the perfection of the use of reason : wherein they may be able to discover by themselves , all things which can be found out in nature . and when by the right use of these treatises , and the prudent manuduction of a good master , the scholler is brought thus far ; then another treatise is to be superadded to shut up all ; for the perpetuall encrease and advancement of sciences , which should containe a full direction concerning the wayes of ordering higher schools , colledges , and universities , and of regulating the exercises , which ought to be set a foot therein ; that men who have attained unto the former degree of perfection , may improve their talents with advantage one towards another , and towards the publicke , without vain-glory , and strife , and superfluous repetitions of matters already discovered ; where the manner of writing books and treatises , either for the ripping up of the hidden secrets of nature , or for the examining and rectifying or compleating of the writings of other men is also to be explained , when first the faults and defects of colledges , and universities are layd open , and the abuses of writing books is made known , with the wayes of taking a speedy course of reformation in the one and the other . thus having given you an idaea of the wayes and means how to advance humane learning ; i will come to the other object which concerneth divine knowledge to be had from the holy scripture , by way of interpretation of the text . here also some matters are fully to be handled for instruction , and direction of those that would come to divine knowledge , and some exercises of the spirit are to be intended by the proficients . the matters to be handled are these . a treatie or discourse should be put forth , to shew the necessitie of reading and meditating scripture , more then men are accustomed to do , and what use is to be made of the knowledge of the words of the text , both for humane and divine learning in all kindes ; as well naturall , tending to discover the properties and true use of things created , as civill and politick , tending to shew the prudencie of mens carriage one towards another , in all states , namely domesticall , republick , monarchicall , and military ; so that it should be made good that no man can be truly wise , either to salvation in spirituall things , or to the right use of reason in outward things ; whether it be to make use of creatures , or to converse with men towards happinesse , without the knowledge of the holy scriptures , which are given to be a generall rule both of all wisedome and reformation . this being made good , that the scripturall knowledge is thus necessary and usefull ; a second treaties must be set forth , wherein the way and manner of making use of scriptures to attain all these ends , is to be shewn partly by private meditation of one by himselfe alone , partly by exercises of more then one together , either in a private , or in a more publicke way ; where a full idaea of the heads of means , and of the degrees of progresse in meditation and exercises towards the infallible attainment of scripturall understanding is to be laid open . these two generalls being made known , the particulars are to be insisted upon ; where beginning from the childish part of scripturall institution , and proceeding to the highest degree of spirituall contemplation , certaine periods of doctrine for scripturall knowledge , are to be distinctly delivered . the first period is that which belongeth to children . the second to young men . the third to such as are great proficients , and may be called fathers . and the fourth and last to doctors and teachers of others . the children when they are in the course of humane learning , and busied to understand their mother tongue , and to read the historicall doctrine of the bible , may be initiated to reade the text it felfe , as soone as they have past through the historicall abridgement , which i have mentioned heretofore . and when they come to make use of their second and third helpe of sacred scripturall knowledge heretofore mentioned , then they must be ( after they have run them over , and in some sort comprehended those treatises ) brought to the morall and doctrinall parts of the scripture it selfe , to learne to observe in the text , that which in their books they have learned . a direction therefore is to be set downe in a briefe treatise , how children should be made to see and observe in the scripture it selfe , that which formerly was gathered out unto them , and delivered in a particular treatise , and this should be done catechetically ; so that as in the course of humane learning , there were three degrees of knowledge in severall treatises to be imparted unto them : so also in the course of divine learning , there must be three degrees of catecheticall exercises , described in a treatise ; to shew how that in reading the history it self , they ought to be examined , and brought to answer concerning the passages mentioned therein ; and in reading the dogmaticall part , they are to be questioned to make them answer from the text it self , unto things therein morrally and doctrinally observeable by their capacity ; so that the text it selfe must be made their catechisme from whence they should learne all doctrine of religion . young men or children of riper age , when they are learning the languages which are to be instruments of learning ; they must be all at once initiated into the historicall science of things that are in the world , and into some principles of arts and sciences , which afterward are more fully to be delivered . and when they are at this taske in humane matters , then in divine matters ( which at their own times must alwaies go along . ) a further period of scripturall knowledge is to be suggested unto them , which is a kinde of analyticall way , of considering the principall sentences of the text , and in learning to distinguish the periods thereof one from another , and in a single sentence to know what the subjectum and praedicatum thereof is , and what the connexive and rationative particles of a discourse meane , and to what use they serve . in which period , there be again severall degrees of matters to be taught ; whereof a particular treatise must be composed , for the direction of those that are to teach youths this part of divine knowledge . when young men are become proficients , and have gotten strength of judgement , then they must be brought further , to the full doctrine of analyticall meditation , wherein are three degrees . first , there is the literall analysis . secondly , the materiall . thirdly , the spirituall analysis . the literall analysis , is the division of all the sentences of the text , according to the true relation wherin they stand in the bare letter , which is to be considered in all the properties thereof ; whereof a particular treatise is to be made , because this is the ground of all true interpretation ; and if an error fall out in this part of the interpretation , it may marre all the rest which followeth . the materiall analysis , is the division of the things which are mentioned in the sentences and words of the text . here the way to finde out the true matter and the scope of a whole discourse , and to observe the parts thereof ( as they stand subordinat to the scope , in the matter to make up the whole , and the coherence of these parts one to another ) with the grounds of their materiall relation , and other things belonging thereunto ; for to take notice of the substance of things delivered , and of their order , will require another treatise to direct those that are proficients in the former degree of analytical knowledge , to advance unto deeper thoughts . the spirituall analysis , is the division of the mystery according to the parts of the matters . for in every materiall substantiall truth of gods word , there is some part of the mystery of spirituall wisedome , and how to discern this according to the rule of the analogie of faith . and how to make use of this rule , to dive into the depth and riches of gods wisedome ; and to know thereby what his working is towards our inward and spirituall man ; and how the materiall truth is to be applyed and exalted with a reflection of the spirit upon christ unto a more heavenly use , then the bare rationall consideration thereof doth afford unto a naturall man ; i say , how to do all this for our owne instruction , and the inlargement of the soule in communion with god ? is the third degree of analyticall doctrine and meditation , whereof a particular treatise should bee elaborated for those that are to be counted experienced , and in some respect fathers in christianity . for none should be initiated into this doctrine , but such as have experience of gods dealing with themselves and others , and are consequently able from their owne observations of gods working , to bear witnesse to the truth , which the scripture doth mention in a mystery ; and which cannot be understood by any , but by such as can discerne the worke of the spirit in themselves , and perceive the degrees of the worke thereof in others , and consequently can judge betwixt the true and false motions of the spirit , and begun clearly to learne and understand the intention of god , in particular proceedings , as they are subordinate unto the main intention of god towards mankinde in the worke of salvation through christ , as he is the head of his church . such i say , as in the study of christianity are come this farre , may be called fathers , and none but they are capable of this third degree of analyticall doctrine . and therefore this treatise is not to be made common , but only should be imparted unto them alone ; and that also by some degrees according to the measure of their capacity in this , because here doth lie the danger of spirituall pride and selfe-conceitednesse , which draweth most men of knowledge headlong into errors and extravagancies , whereby they confound themselves and others ; and draw many sometimes into endlesse perdition , when they are stubbornly bent to flatter themselves in the deceitfull apprehension of spirituall mysteries . thus far all common christians should be led and taught to attaine unto divine wisedome , by way of scripturall meditation . and besides these directions to be given by way of treaties ; certaine exercises of the minde , as well in private solitarily , as in company with others , and publickly should be made use of , and might be described if there were any appearance of hope ; that in these troublesome and unsetled times , a foundation could be laid for the practise and training up of christian soules in such away of learning . for if a lecture were founded in some convenient place , wherein the doctrinall part of this science might be delivered in publicke lectures , and further beaten out in private conferences ; then also such as would addict themselves unto this kinde of study , and give up their children to be instructed by those degrees of humane and divine learning might be not only taught , but actually exercised & inured by some practicall wayes , into the method of knowledge ; for without some exercise fitted to the capacity of him that is taught , wherein he may be brought to apply the rule which he hath beene taught to the use wherefore it is given , all instruction in divine matters , is either unusefull or hurtfull . for unlesse divine instruction end in the fruit of the spirit , which is righteousnesse & holinesse ( which without some reall exercise cannot be received or entertained , when god hath given them in any measure ) all instructions and theoreticall directions , are but to none effect , and rather hurtfull then profitable , because they tend to a greater judgement over him that knoweth the way of truth and doth not follow it . therefore it is expedient to make many discourses and treatises of those things , and to publish the doctrine thereof at adventures , before tryall be made of the practise and before it may be knowne that those to whom the doctrine is to be imparted are not doggs and swine , that is to say , carnall , beastly minded men , that will teare the truth by selfe conceited contradictions into peeces , or if they are led not to contradict so much as to assent that then they will not drowne it in the mire of sensuall lust and swinish worldly mindednesse . therefore these pearles must not be cast before the world , but ought to be dispensed unto the children of the kingdome and that with a great deale of discretion and spirituall prudency , because we have experience , that even the true children of god are not capeable of al things , but that if matters be not suggested to them by degrees , they either get a spirituall surfet thereof , so that their stomack is spoyled and unable to digest necessary foode when it is proposed to them , or else become drunken with them , and so in the heate of their braine they are as it were foolish and mad in using them without sobriety and disorderly , neither to their owne nor other mens edification . as for the doctrine and exercises belonging to teachers , to bring them to a demonstrative way of interpreting of scriptures , they are of two sorts . the first is for the inlarging of knowledge & for the discovery of the mystery of gods kingdome in a doctrinall or hortatorie or consolatorie way to infuse knowledge into others . the second is for deciding of doubts , either arising from the words or from the matter of the text . of each of these waies as they are to be fitted to higher or meaner capacities , some treatises should bee compiled to shew ministers both how to divide the words aright unto their hearers , according to the difference of their auditories disposition , & how to deale one with another in matters of doubts and disputes to come to a full and satisfactorie decision of their controversies . these two treaties are of great concernement and not to be put forth till mens eares be opened by affliction , & the pride of learning be put down in the conceit of the worldly wise , and of the disputers of this age , which god will bring to passe , partly by outward afflictions , partly by the great variety or opinions , and the 〈…〉 of received principles which will be shaken on all sides . the men that are ingenuous and call upon god for light and direction will finde deeper ▪ principles of truth to rest their soules upon then hitherto they have received : and by these god will abolish the wisedome of the wise and the learning and the disputer of this age , and bring those that seeke wisedome in the simplicity of the word , to understand the depths of gods counsell which are hid from the great rabbies of the world , and men rather addicted to bookish learning ( to tell us what this or that author saith ) then to search after the wisedome & demonstration of the spirit of & power , by which the apostles in preaching the gospel were able to bring the spirits of all men captive unto the obedience of christ . and because we neither know the rules of true spirituall meditation , to dive into the things belonging unto the ministerially doctorall and pastorall charge : neither doe wee sincerely seeke after the rules by which our minds should bee led unto knowledge , nor doe wee exercise our selves one with another through the communion of saints without partiality & unblameably in the waies which we know , but we rather adhere to humane doctrines and opinionating disputes found in authors whom we through curiosity seeke after and take up rules at adventure , or by partiall squares , and never impart unto others in spirituall simplicity the truth that god maketh manifest unto us : but hugge our selves in a selfe conceited flattery with it , through the vaine immagination of a more secret knowledge , wherein we should be thought to excell others . therefore we that are ministers are become unprofitable , and to us god hath made his word , as a booke that is sealed so that no man can reade in it , nor knoweth what to make of the sence thereof , which to a simple godly capacity is most cleare and evident , and may be clearely explained also by such as will not suffer their mindes to runne after their owne conceits . thus i have endevoured to let you see some more light concerning the two objects which you chiefely pitch upon : whereof the one is mr. comenius proper taske , and the other is mine , although wee are bound not to doe in publique or to bring to perfection , either of these methods without one anothers advice and consent . because in very deede his taske is no lesse in my aime , then in his owne and mine is reciprocally in his ayme a thing whereunto he doth subordinate his endeavours : so that the meanes of perfecting both were to have us both set apart for our taskes and setled together , in a course of elaborating the same by mutuall communication one with another , and with others that are fit to partake of these thoughts , and by teaching and exercising both our selves and others in these methods , till god shew us the full period of time , when they should be brought forth to the world . i will not mention , as i did intend at first any thing concerning the other two taskes viz. the matter of correspondency for union with forraigne churches , and the matter of practicall divinity , nor will i discribe heere the manner of our setlement , which may bee wished rather then hoped , for the elaborating of these taskes to some good purpose . these things i thinke needelesse to lay open at this time , yet if it should be found requisite to shew the feaseablenesse of what we ayme at , and i have here in some kinde specified , let mee know thereof by your next , and god willing you shall receive satisfaction . the grace of god bee with you and direct you in all things unto the manifestation of his glory , through jesus christ in whom i remaine , london this sixt of ian. . your worship his most faithfull and willing servant , iohn dvrye . sir c. by your last of the ninth of this moneth i am glad to understand that the motions which have beene made unto you , have given some content . the chiefe thing which i aymed at , was to give you some reall satisfaction to so equitable a demand , & so answerable to the ay me of my studies . i must confesse that the universality of that good which is to bee sought for , in the kingdome of god , whereof i labour to approve my selfe a true member ; is so disproportionate to the capacity & affections of most men , that i have hitherto dealt withall ( who are ordinarily bent to a particular of their owne , more then to a reall publike good ) that i could never yet meete with any affectionate patron , who was willing and ready to undertake the advancement of such matters for themselves , and to the ends for which god doth put them in our hearts , who in the midst of straights and infirmities cannot leave the prosecuting thereof , although for love to such objects through neglect of our selves we are put to a non-subsistance , i meane master comenius ▪ mr. har●lib , and my selfe : for though our taskes be different , yet we are all three in a knot sharers of one anothers labours , and can hardly bee without one anothers helpe and assistance . but it is no new thing to such as serve god without respect to private ends , to spend and be spent and receive no incouragement from the world . therefore also we can have patience , and waite upon gods providence till hee shew what use he will make of our talents , which we have dedicated unto his service , to be i mployed and set a worke in any place where wee shall perceive the overture to be made by him , onely our end must alwaies be answerable unto the guift bestowed upon us , viz. publique and universall , because we know that gods intention is , that his goodnesse and glory should not be concealed nor ingrossed by any , but made common to all that can partake thereof , who are not doggs and swine , whose custome is to teare and trample good things under their feete . now the overture which you have made , if it be from him , i make no doubt but hee will make it apparent to us , & then you may be sure , that on our part nothing shall be wanting wherewith god hath inabled us , to further the publique good . for as we professe not to seeke our selves in any thing , & diswade others from such an ayme , so we shal be found no waies difficill to comply to others in any reasonable motions which shall not prejudg the liberty of publique communication of the best things , which in the kingdome of god must alwaies bee inviolably observed . but how these things wherein we think we could bee serviceable unto the publique might be made use of , is not yet apparent unto you partly because you have not as it seemes to me fully conceived the meanes of propagating the good which we aime at , partly because you are not assined of the inclination of those that would contribute their assistance unto the furthering of the same . i then must tell you that which you seeme not rightly to apprehend , concerning the meanes , which is , that besides the elaborating of certeine teatises ( which indeed is but a transent action , & if that were all to be done , then a transient contribution for the elaborating of these treatises might suffice the exercitation of the minds of those that are to make use of the treaties , & the breeding of schollers in our way of knowiedge is no lesse , if not more effectuall for the scope intended , then the elaborating and penning of the treaties . the treaties containe but the material part of the worke , but the excercises of the minds of schollers and the framing of schooles in humane learning , & the actuall introduction & manuduction of the spirits of christians , to scripturall wisedom & meditation is the forme & principall part of the businesse to be intended . bookes though never so well penned are but dead instruments by themselves ( witnesse the holy scriptures , whichfew make good use of now adaies ) but if those instruments be in the hand of an understanding workeman , and applye to a fit subject , then some good effect may be wrought by them . therefore if a setled foundation would be had for the one and the other worke , both to elaborate the treaties , and to apply them to use , by training up schollers by them , then the meanes would be fully answerable to the attainement of the ends , which you allow and we have proposed . from whence you may gather an answer to that which you propose concerning the use of the meanes by publique authority , upon all foundations already made . first , the foundations already made , have their owne orders and constitutions , which are not well alterable . secondly , men that are habituated to a custome of their owne , and thinke themselves to be doctors and masters of sciences , are not easily brought by the sight of any booke , though never so well penned , to alter their course of teaching . and lastly , christs rule is also observable , that new wine should be put into new bottels . and therefore if a new foundation could bee had , it would bee a great deale more answerable to the scope and when the frame of that foundation should appeare , and the usefulnesse of that way of educating schollers , and training up of christians unto heavenly wisedome should be approved ; then other foundations might be induced to follow , and king and state moved to introduce the same in other places . or if upon this motion which you have received the parliament at this time should be moved to apply a foundation which hath no cure , and when it falles voide unto themaintenance of these endeavours : this would bee all one as if a new foundation were raised , and perhaps this might bee done with no great difficulty at this season , if those that have power with parliament men would shew their zeale for the publique good in this kinde , to further the maintenance of such undertakings by allowances from foundations formerly made for the publique good , and now perverted to private ends . from all which you may see that an answer to your doubt concerning actions transient , and of their owne nature not reiterable should be this , that indeede there is something in this worke transient which needeth not to be reiterated , but that is not the principall by which the scope is attained . but some other thing also there is which is not transient , and must be reiterated continually , which is the chiefe part of the worke , and therefore requireth some congant foundation , that the agents of the worke may set themselves apart to attend it without distraction , unto which now for want of setlement they are continually subject , which is a hindrance to both parts of the worke at once . as for him that is to part with the money , i conceive that he should judge with himselfe , what he is able to doe , and whether he thinketh a present helpe or a foundation of perpetuity to bee things of an equall indifferency . as for me i thinke them not of an equall in differency , for the reasons now alleadged ; yet if he that will part with the money , should be more willing to give a present helpe , or more able to doe it then to settle a perpetuall foundation : and if that helpe would reach so farre as to maintaine the agents till they can elaborate the treaties and make all things fully ready for to be applyed to use , i conceive that this might bee well done , and i will propose the matter to master comenius and master hartlib , to whom i have not as yet spoken of this particular : for wee are bound to doe things with mutuall advice . as for that which in the latter end of the letter you say of foundations , that in them there is a temptation of the authors living in them , i doe not well know what you meane thereby , nor doe i conceive any inconvenience in the living of any man with us , if wee bee but set a-part and upheld to intend our businesse cherefully without distraction . thus you see what i thought good to impart further towards your information in this businesse . i beseech the lord to direct both you and us in all our deliberations and intentions , to advance the service which we owe unto him and his church in jesus christ , for whose sake i am sir , your assured friend and faithfull servant , john dury . london , this . jan. . the coppy of a letter to s. h. loving friend , here you have the appendix of that analysis of the epistle to the galathians , which once at elbing i put to paper : i pray you let sir c. see it upon occasion , or others also , that they may judge what the usefulnesse of this kind of study may be , and why that i have affected and loved so much the scripturall meditation and preaching of this nature , which taketh hold of large texts , as whole or halfe chapters at a time . i hope if he or others will try the way which i have followed , that they will finde the same benefit , whereunto i could wish to be an instrument to bring all men aswell as any one or two . the lord enlighten all our eyes in his knowledge , and direct us in the right use thereof . i rest your affectionate friend , i. durye . the appendix to the galathians , as the occasion of resolving this epistle thus at the first was my sincere purpose and indeavour to stir up my auditory to the reading and meditation of the scriptures , so now my sincere affection & wish is to beseech the lord that this may be an occasion to others who intend to edifie their hearers to take the like course in hand : for i have found and doe finde daily by experience that there is no truly and absolutely grounded knowledge of the mysteries of salvation but in the scriptures , and that to apprehend it in them , there is no other meanes but prayer and constant meditation , and that to meditate rightly , there is no sure way , but first to lay aside all prejudicate opinions in giving over ones selfe to bee captived by the evident sence of plaine places . secondly , to lay hold of a quiet minde in suspending and captivating ones selfe from rash resolutions till it please the lord to reveale the sence in doubtfull and obscure places : and thirdly never to settle fully and infallibly the mind to rest in any thing till it be evident that all the parts of the discourse in the scopes and matters of every one of them , answer directly in all respects to establish that truth which is apprehended to be absolutely infallible , when it is found that a place is so confirmed by the joynt coherence and reference of all places of the same treatie unto it , with a mutuall harmony and agreement of altogether to the analogie of faith ; then a man may infallibly conclude of the meaning of a place , ( and as i suppose ) not before then ; now to comprehend the joynt coherence and harmonically dissonant references of all the parts and particles of a treaty , me thinkes it is very necessary to goe exceeding warily and orderly to worke , for we are easily deceived either by philosophicall or rhetoricall conceits of humane wisedome , or else by incident imaginations of our owne to which readily wee are bent to force all to agree , wracking it and wresting it to our purpose , so that if wee once give way to our owne fancy , our preconceived opinion becomes as a torture whereupon wee binde the places of scripture and racking them with violence we make them confesse and speake what we will and not what they meane , therefore a safe and well grounded course must be taken first of all in sanctifying and purifying the heart and intentions from all by respects before a man undertake this meditation , by prayer craving grace , and by grace aiming onely through the love and fear of god to attain to the true knowledge of the testimony of jesus christ , that he may be served and glorifyed according to a good conscience in the obedience of faith . secondly in proceeding in the work it selfe by degrees not casting , first a mould of thine owne , and then framing it afterwards with the tool as aaron did his golden calfe , but framing first all the particulars severally according to the paterne which thou shalt see in the mount of the analogie of faithfull and sound doctrine , and then joynting and connecting all those together every one in its owne place , and so rearing it up to be one body as moses did his tabernacle of the lord , and to frame these particulars conveniently ( if i were to give this my advice how it must be done til the lord enable me more fully for present i only can say thus much , me thinks our best course is to follow the type , as i take it of knowledge , set forth in ezekiel . where it is said , that waters did flow from the house of god by degrees of depth , which i think may be allegorized thus ▪ there be foure degrees of ezekiels passage through the waters , the first is up to the ancles , the second is up to the knees , the third is up to the loynes , and the fourth is up to the head and eares , and above so , that there was no way to passe over but by swimming , let us also wade in the waters of life contained in the scriptures by the same degrees , and i doubt not but we shall go safely without danger : first , let us go with our understandings but up to the ancles , where the waters are shallow , that is let us comprehend the true and plain literall sence and phrase-ology of the text first , then afterwards let us wade in to the knees , that is , let us intend to conceive the severall and evidently distinct sentences , and clear points of instruction , or exhortation or correction , or reproofe , &c. openly offering themselves unto us , taking them as wee finde them , plainely distinguished by themselves . thirdly , let us go from these materiall points and sentences after that they are all conceived to things more materiall which binde up all the distinct parts in one body , and knit them together as it were in the place of conjunction , where superiour and inferiour parts meet together , as in the loynes of a man , and that is done , when we conceive aright of all the rationall connections of these severall sentences in joyning as the words themselves do require one sentence to another to make up of two one conception , and so going on to all the joynts and knots of the severall matters , we must joyn one to one , and two to two by degrees , till we conceive fully of the whole lump of the matter handled throughout the whole treatie , and of the contrall scope and maine intention to which all doth at least in a generall manner aime , when now this is done , it is permitted to a man to go so farre , as to stretch forth his armes and to swimme , then you may come to the waters , which cannot be passed over , because they shall in your mind rise to be a river , and that is , when you shall in the feare of god seek to comprehend the whole drift of the spirit of knowledge , in the whole treaty , and in all the parts of it as they are both separately and conjoyntly disposed in a mutuall course of subordination or coordination , when you shall comprehend in the onely matter and scope both the maine , the direct , and the collaterall respects , aswell of sentences and words for the matter , as of fashions of proposing them and confirming them , and concluding them for the manner , when finally , you shall be able , by the perpetuall collation of all things proposed to see a streame and river of wisedome flowing continually in such a breadth and depth , that none can passe over it , from one beginning to one end by continuall consequences of infinite drops and respects of knowledge which all make up but one body of waters , and thus you must go ( in every passage , whosoever thou art ) not of thine owne motion so much , as by the leading of the man that hath the line in his hand ( of whom look isa. . . . and elswhere ) and thus thou must go betwixt every passage , leaving a convenient distance and not hastily nor rashly , and thus thou must go ▪ not comming to the fourth degree till thou be brought through the three first degrees , for ezekiel was brought through them first , and then he tels us by experience what depth they were of , but when he comes to the last , he confesseth that neither he himselfe , nor any man else could passe over the waters , teaching us by that experience the rule which saint peter sets downe clearly , . pet. . . no prophesie of the scripture is of any private interpretation , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , of proper resolution , so then thou must never be so confident and full in thine owne sence but thou must alwayes in the fear of god be ready to heare others also , for perhaps thy neighbour hath swimmed as far as thou , now the lord of his mercy send unto us the spirit of direction and knowledge , of mecknesse and love to bear one with another , and to learne willingly of him one by another , that so we may become trees of life , planted by the rivers of these waters , to bring forth our fruits in due season , amen . and as for me , beloved , as i have wished at the beginning so do i now wish and pray againe , that it would please the lord to move the hearts of teachers to propose unto their flocks the body of the scripture it selfe , as it were in a lumpe , furnishing unto them sufficient directions and ability to study and meditate in it diligently for themselves , and to propose to others their hearers in lively practice and clear institutions , both evident examples , and manifest rules how to exercise their hearts understandingly in it , to the growth of knowledge and the unity of faith , which now a dayes is so greatly requisite , for all men are now for the most part drunken with their owne opinions , reeling to and fro in uncertainties , and the more ignorant sort , which is oft times such as think themselves the wisest , are so incapeable of true heavenly wisedome that all things delivered unto them out of the scriptures , must be delivered as unto little babes , line upon line , precept upon precept , here a little and there a little , and so we alwaies stay in the very elements of knowledge , and never go forward to perfection , because we cannot bear one with another , and hear one another with patience , because we pray not one for another , that things unknown may be revealed , but we blame one another , and suspect one another , and envie one another to our mutuall destruction , now the lord of his mercy mend these things both in the teachers and in the hearers , that by the faithfull prayers and endeavours of gods people , once at last the divine order of the holy wisedome of god revealed in the scriptures , may be made manifest : for me thinkes , that babilon which is the confusion of the whole world in all things , but chiefly in the originall language of canaan , which is the true sence of the scriptures , will never be overthrown till this generall order of the text in the uniforme sence of all the distinct parts of it be raised up by god , and brought forth as a true zorubbabell to confound this confusion of uncertaine sences , and when this shall be effectuated by the lord of hosts , who is wonderfull in counsels ▪ and excellent in working , then i am sure that the question shall be determined who ought to be judge of controversies , the pope or the scriptures , then atheists mouthes who acknowledge not the divinitie of it shall be stopped , and all those that seek the lord , shall find him , and be fedd with understanding , for there is such an incomprehensible extent of knowledge in a little parcell or book of the scriptures , and so uniforme a sence and light through the manifold parts of it , that i cannot compare the parts of it more fitly then unto the body of the sunne in our worldly firmament , which though in appearance it seemes but a hand breadth , yet it fils the whole world with the glory of one light by the meanes of infinite beames , making up but one stream of resplendencie on every side alike defused , so is it with one epistle even with every one of the epistles , they are but as a hand breadth in substance , but in light of knowledge , through the infinite respects and references of divers parts as of great beames , they are able to fill the whole church , and the heart of every living soule with the resplendencie of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ , and as ideots that wote not what optike or opticall demonstrations mean , cannot beleeve or perceive although it be told them , that there is an orderly dispositions of the beames of the sunne amongst themselves , and a subordinate proceeding of their parts from the body of the sunne , and that there is an unspeakably and incomprehensibly exact order in the disposition of all the parts of light , so the spirituall ideots that have no optike organs , it is no marvaile that they never beleeve nor see any order to be in the body of the scriptures , but so many of you as can make evident demonstrations , or experimentall tryals , in gathering the beames of the light together in your looking glasses , to doe by the meanes of refraction , or reflection , some wonderfull effect , either of representation or of burning in the hearts , and before the eyes of godly soules , you ( i say ) may know and can see , that in this light is not onely an excellent order and disposition of all the parts of it , but also the very cause of all order that is or ever shal be in this world for even as darknes is the mother of all confusion & disorder , because it bears under its wings as it were the shadow of destruction , and the nature of a chaos , and as light is the mother of comlinesse and order , setting forth and making manifest by the onely presence of it selfe , the whole decency , distinction , varietie , unitie , and symmetricall disposition , of every thing in heaven and earth , and of the whole world , so also ignorance hath been hitherto the mother of babel , and knowledge shall beget zorubbabell , now no knowledge is certaine but that which is in the word of god , even as no light is pure light but that which comes from heaven by the same , therefore that light can onely and shall bring all order and righteous disposition of all things in the church and world , for in it onely is the true weight , measure , proportion , and situation of every thing , and by it onely the disposition of the creatour who hath framed every thing most orderly and decently can be made manifest unto mankind , and can any now be so sencelesle as to think , that that word and light , which is and must be the onely cause of order in every thing should want order and be confused in it self ? can any be so confused in judgement , and drowned in foolish and disorderly imaginations , as to think that gods spirit ( who by wisedome hath in the first creation of this temporary world ordered all things in so admirable a manner , that whosoever beholds it cannot but acknowledge the infinite providence of the workman of so strange a frame ) should not in the second creation of an eternall world ( which is his church ) order and expresse in the scriptures , the very decrees and precepts of wisedome it selfe orderly ? if the kingdome of nature which shall perish is established by so wonderfull an effect of wisedome , and stands only by it ( for heaven and earth are naturally subsistant by no other thing but by the pillars and foundation of order ) shall the kingdome of grace , and of the word of god which lasteth eternally be lesse wonderfull in the same effect of that same wisedome ? no surely for if order be one of the most certaine and chiefe effects and consequents of wisedome , then wheresoever wisdome is expressed , there order must be also , and where wisdome is most eminently and highly expressed , there also order must be found in the most eminent and high degree of prudencie , righteousnesse , decencie , and comlinesse , and for this cause i hold for certaine , that in the text of the scripture a divine order and disposition not only of matter but also of words and manner of expressing that matter is to be found , which being perceived and found , will bring a new light to all mens eyes , and will discover hidden things more evidently hereafter , then ever knowne things have been knowne heretofore , which i beseech the lord in his mercie to performe , and to make manifest by his spirit of propheste in the testimony of iesus christ , that in the revelation of his deare sonne , all those that love him may be filled with joy , and that the glory of his wisdome and goodnesse may be knowne in the truth of his word to the praise of his holy and glorious ame both now and evermore , amen , even so come lord iesus , and let him that hear it say come . rev. . and . and . finis notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- mat. ▪ . ●phes . . iohn . . . iohn . . heb. . ▪ . colos. . . &c. . . . . . . . iohn . ● tim. . ● . iohn . ibid. v. ▪ , . phil. . ●●r . . 〈◊〉 . v. , . ●●r . . . ●●r . . . iohn . ; , . pet. . ●● cor. . . cor. . , . ibid. v. . cor . , , . ●●r . . , . 〈…〉 . . per. . . ●nt . . pet. . englands vanity or the voice of god against the monstrous sin of pride, in dress and apparel wherein naked breasts and shoulders, antick and fantastick garbs, patches, and painting, long perriwigs, towers, bulls, shades, curlings, and crispings, with an hundred more fooleries of both sexes, are condemned as notiriously unlawful. with pertinent addresses to the court, nobility, gentry, city and country, directed especially to the professors in london / by a compassionate conformist. compassionate conformist. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing e estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) englands vanity or the voice of god against the monstrous sin of pride, in dress and apparel wherein naked breasts and shoulders, antick and fantastick garbs, patches, and painting, long perriwigs, towers, bulls, shades, curlings, and crispings, with an hundred more fooleries of both sexes, are condemned as notiriously unlawful. with pertinent addresses to the court, nobility, gentry, city and country, directed especially to the professors in london / by a compassionate conformist. compassionate conformist. [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed for john dunton ... london : . numerous errors in paging. imperfect: pages stained with loss of print. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life. conduct of life. great britain -- religion -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - taryn hakala sampled and proofread - taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion englands vanity : or the voice of god against the monstrous sin of pride , in dress and apparel : wherein naked breasts and shoulders , antick and fantastick garbs , patches , and painting , long perriwigs , towers , bulls , shades , curlings , and crispings , with an hundred more fooleries of both sexes , are condemned as notoriously unlawful . with pertinent addresses to the court , nobility , gentry , city , and country . directed especially to the professors in london . by a compassionate conformist . zeph. . . i will punish the princes , and the kings children , and such as are cloathed with strange apparel . entred according to order . london , printed for john dunton , at the black raven in the poultry , . god's voice against pride ; in dress and apparrel . to the court. the design of this treatise is not against in the least to affront the court ; for it seemeth to me , that our saviour hath granted some kind of dispensation to princes , and their retinue , ( for the honour of kingdoms , and governments ) to appear as gloriously as themselves please , or can . and though st. matthew epithets their garments [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ] soft , tender , and smooth , yet st. luke has lin'd them all with tissue and gold. they that are in kings courts [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ] are gloriously and gorgeously apparrelled , as becometh their place . 't is not for a poor preacher in the wilderness , who himself must be an example of the greatest austerity and temperance of life , ( that so he may recommend it to others , and wean them from the pomps and vanities of this evil world , 't is not for such a one ) to flant it out in purple and silkes ( as courteours use ) ; no , a piece of course chamlet will serve his turn well enough , to preach repentance and mortification in . he whose business it is to declaim against the dangers of luxury , and pride , must not hang out the flags of it upon his own body , let courteours do what they please , he must not ; thus our saviour . and who is ignorant that the royal robe is buttoned on the shoulders of kings , by the divine hand , and the richest jewels hang by authority , in the ears of his royal consort . and therefore i think the emperiour severus , answered his name too farr , who when once two vnions of exceeding greatness and value , were presented to his empress by an embassador , he would not suffer her to wear them , but hung them up at the ears of the image of venus , ( as lampridus tells us ) least any ill example should proceed from her , and have too great an influence on the ladies of the court , and he thought them more proper for the levity of so worthy a goddess as venus , than the grave majesty of the wife of severus . however , our queen elizabeth , would never have done as that emperour , whose very picture every where shews us , how great an admirer she was of jewels . 't is fit indeed the representative of him , who is cloathed with light , as with a garment , and who are god's upon earth , should ( at least in their solemn appearances ) dart out some rays of majesty , and lustre ; like him they personate . king herod was not smitten from heaven , for having on his back that glorious robe , against which the sun-beams striking , caus'd it to reflect so divine a splendour , ( as josephus tells us ) which occasion'd that blasphemous acclamation , from the astonisht people ; but because he too greedily swallowed down those vain adulations , and was inebriated with the conceit of being voted a deity . princes have their garments , as well as their ministers of state , which are the appropriate and peculiar treasure of kings ; and may the eye of that subject wax sore , that looks a squint on them , were they as gorgeous , as ever were worne by the lydian cresus , who once vainly demanded of the wise solon , ( a grave philosopher ) whether ever he had seen a more glorious sight than himself , ( being wonderful richly set out , and sitting in state on his throne ) ? yea sir , quoth solon , i have seen woodcocks , phesants and peacocks , and these were graced with a natural beauty , whereas yours is but a borrowed glory , which must vail to time , and shake hands ere it be long with mortality . ) he that thinks the wardrobe too fine , must traiterously fear the exchecquer too full . but never was discourse of this nature , more unseasonably applicable to our english-court , when god has blessed us with a prince , who has given the greatest example of moderation and gravity in attire , of any that ever yet swayed our brittish scepter , when the richest pearls cannot make him , but themselves proud in being honoured to be worn by the soveraign of the seas ; but who perhaps might necessarily enough be addressed , in the words of seneca , to neroes lady , indue te delicate , non propter te , sed propter honorem imperii . ( and indeed the glory of empyre needs the emission of some lusture to keep up its majesty and dread . ) william rufus was of another temper , who when his chamberlain brought him a pair of hose of three shilings , ( which then , might be equal to ten now ) very passionately threw them away , and would have a pair of a mark i marry , those were hose sit for a prince . so also there are robes of distinction which are clasped on subordinate magistrates , both innocent and laudable in themselves , and are expressive of the dignity and office of such as weare them . thus we read that severus allowed his judges gownes to sit in publick judgment , and others to wear at home in their private houses . our very quakers were never so impudent to affront the scarlet of the judge or praetor . and these indeed ( lampred in alex. sever. chap. . ) are rather hung upon them , than girt to them , and are as loose as the golden key that playes on the breast of a lord chamberlain , or the seal that is carried in the hand of a lord chancellour , that is so far from making its impression on his heart , that he knows it may be commanded away to another , and is perfectly at the pleasure of his prince . and 't is observable how our saviour phrases that expression but now mentioned , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] they that that bear soft clothing , others wear it , fast girt , and stiff lac'd ( as our ladies stayes that penn her up as in a torturing prison , to make her look slender and pretty ) ; but these bear it , ( as loose cloaks which are easily off and on : so the famous burleigh when at night coming wea●y home from the croud , and business ●f court , and pulling off his gown , was ●sually heard to say to it , lye there lord treasurer : and indeed when we remember what cares the robe of state are ●●ed with , we shall have little reason to ●uspect those of much pride , that bear them . the same dispensation doubtless extends to each order and decree of the royal household . it being not so honourable for princes ( like him of the ayr ) to be attended on by a black guard ) . when the queen of the south took her tedious journey , to hear the wisdom of solomon , 't is expresly said , the attendance of his ministers , and their apparrel , was so glorious , that it ravish't away her spirit , ( passa est ecstasin saith junius ) there was no more spirit in her . she fell into a trance to view so a glittering a court , where the great king , as the sun ; the chief ministers , as the planets of the first magnitude , and each inferiour officer , as the minor stars ( the very least had his shine ) but altogether were ( as our saviour expresseth it ) solomon in all his glory . surrounded with all his nobles and councellors , and attendants , each one in his sphere contributing to the glory of so great a constellation . indeed god dress'd up solom●● in the brightest robes of royalty with ful● design to make him the most illustrious prince , that he might undress him again and make him the most experienc'd pr●●cher that all princes to the worlds en● might have the word of a king to asure them how much vanity attends the courts of the most magnificent potentates , and how little satisfaction , or soul-acquiescence himself had found in all the grandieurs of state. how charitably therefore may we judg of those , whom rather reason and necessity of state , than any natural inclination or promise to the folly , does exact from them a more gay and splendid appearance and dress . courteours being not alwayes proud , though sometimes poor ( the more is the pitty ) and more ignorantly envied , than cheerfully trusted by the jealous citizen , who yet can love it well enough , when himself has the profit , and they come to buy ; but infinitely more , where he hath it indeed , and they come to pay . these therefore i shall leave to be as fine as they can , and do heartily wish , that of any part of their suits , the pockets may be the most richly faced ; lest the taylor trust them so long , that they are put to the trouble of begging a knighthood for him , in satisfaction of a full discharge . only i begg leave to be their remembrancer of some excellent advice , which once a great prelate of the church delivored to the houshold of king james in the chappel of theobalds , and sure they cannot take it ill from one , who died an archbishop , though i confess no very good subject . as it is fitting you should be adorned for the attendance of your earthly , so there are some ornaments to be thought upon for the service of your heavenly master . oh happy we , of all other creatures , if we were near so mindful of the one , as we are too solicitous of the other . but hearken ye that forget god , this is no proportion at all to allow half a day for the tricking of the body , and grudge the poor half hour for the preparing of the soul. those that glitter in soft clothing , may be respected in kings houses ; but without faith , repentance and true devotion , they are of no reckning in gods house : and such correspondence there is between god & the king , that i could never yet read of any , who neglected the service of their master in heaven , did ever true service to their master on earth ; these two worships therefore conjoyned in the tables of the law , let them not be disjoyned in the tables of our hearts : and so shall god who has made us now attendants on princes here below , make us hereafter fellows and companions with the angels above . dr. williams . to which i heartily add my amen . and do beseech the present gentlemen at court to meditate on so good an instruction . to the nobility and gentry . vvith no less observance and respect do these papers address themselves to you ( the truly honourable and vertuous nobles , and to you the worshipful gentry of the kingdom . whose high birth and blood , whose large demesnes and revenues do justly give you as a precedency by the ordinance of heaven above others in degrees of honour and worship , so certainly a prerogative , and priviledge of expressing them ( by all the lawful , modest , and allowable demonstrations ) to the world. the very laws of honour obliging you to a strict observance , not of the rules only , but very complements of your order , which can never be performed ( like those of the church ) without some external ceremonies to set off the grace and decency of them . the gloryes of birth and state ( like those of the sun ) being shrowded within the cloud of popular ignorance , or more private cognizance , till the several beames of their light and vertue , baffle the shadow , and triumphantly break out into universal joy and observation ; but then , do never fail to attract on themselves the most prostrtae adoration and reverence . see this in religion . the very lustre of the divine image in the soul , is grace in the womb , only , very solitary and indiscernable by any prying eye , while dweling in the dark cell of the heart , [ is faith to self only , and before god , as rom. . . ] but the darting out of those beams from that covert , the piercings of the divine nature through the dark lanthorn of flesh , and emitting its shine into the life , by great and excellent actions , this makes it grace unto others , and brings a glory to god. nor is it enongh for a christian to light his candle and keep it under a bushel , but his light must [ so ] shine , that all in the house may see it , and the great author of it not lose his praise . mat. . , . and what are good works but the garments of holiness , which the true christian clothes himself with every day ( according to his ability ) and which makes him beautiful to god and man ? yet ( like the lustre on moses face ) though they render him lovely and amiable in the eyes of others , still they keep him humble in his own , and he is a mirrour to all but himself . since nature hath lost her eyes , and differs in judgment from her maker ( for he seeth not as man seeth ( sam. . . ) nor yet has attained the light of a rectified reason or knowledge to pry into the value of interiour objects and worth. it will ever be gazing after what it can reach to without , and doting on the surface of superficial vanity and lyes ( prov. . . ) thus pride of life , as the first-born leah , hath gotten the advantage of the beauty of holiness ( the incomparable rachel ) and starts before her into jacobs bed , while the kings daughter ( whose glory is within ) is thrust out to an enforced patience , and made to wait for admirers , who as hardly are perswaded to fall in love with what they cannot perceive so adorable and precious ; and ( like joseph ) tho they will not expose her to dishonour , yet resolve to shift her off with a complement , till an angel from heaven clear up her excellency , and very happyly make up the match . thus may you you find the brutish herd crying up a glistering peece of dust to be god , while they vote the true one , in a plain coat , to the cross . it is your visible glory ( oh ye great and honourable of the earth ) that the idolatrous world ( with the persians ) so superstitiously worship and adore ; take heed therefore while ye paint out your bodies , as so many idols , these purblind votaries mistake you for deities , who never saw any , more illustrious and gaudy than your selves ; and ( alas , ) 't is too low and hystriorick a design for persons of your high station and character to trick up your selves to the acting so mean a comedy , ( like nero fooling in the theatre ) while none but sorry and mechanick eyes are fed with the prospect of so great a degeneracy from the more noble idea's of vertue and glory . this is a game for base and plebejan spirits to pursue , whose only project is for to cover some horrid defects , like caligula's wearing a needlework cloak , embroidered with every colour , and all bestudded with precious stones , to divert his spectators from being affrighted with his crabbed and hideous face . coaches , they say , were first invented by a prince of gouty leggs , and ill shapen feet , from which the upper parts appear in all the decorum of majesty and perfection without the least jealousy of any natural failure below ; but for those who are born to tread on the mountaines of state , ( as you ) 't is fit your paces should be all so honorable , and exemplary , that you scorn to fear the discovery of a wry step to the watchful eyes that trace you . and though the spouses feet are described to be beautiful with shoes , cant. . . yet that still , does but express the majestick gate of those holy pilgrims who are directly passing to an higher glory , to which those feet alone have strength and grace to climb and convey them . and py were it for your honourable ladies , if their embroidered shoes would mind them of a better preparation to which they are exhorted to be shod , ere their delicate feet stumble on the dark mountanis . and why should i doubt it ? since , sure , 't is below the stately cedars to pride themselves in their own shaddows , whose kind branches spreading themselves by so ravishing a dilatation , are ambitious to yield their charitable shelter to succour the distressed , that fly for refuge to them , and not to be only unprofitably gaz'd on . the vine ( in the parable ) scorn'd the promotion to an empyre over the trees . since 't was honour enough for it to yield its lushious clusters to cheer the hearts of men ; and what are the thorny burthens of a crown , to those that overflow ( like god himself ) in all the streams of universal good from their fulness and greatness ? and the simile is no derogation to your honours ; since god himself has dubed the vine into honour , and given it the appellation of noble ( jer. . . ) which i find no other tree of the forrest so happy to enjoy ; and the blessed jesus , calls himself one , by a metaphor . ( joh. . . ) yet of all other , has the vine the least wood , and the most ragged rind , ( will a man make a pin of it to hang any vessel on , ezek. . . ) while all its vertue lyes within ; and that which makes the least shew affords the most good , is most juicy and productive , to acquaint us , that the most liberal , and distributive spirits care not to bear so great a port in the world , while they gratify themselves in pouring out all the communications of their treasure and bounty to others . and even god himself appears only in the rich effluxes of his goodness . o ye vertuous nobles , give no occasion to your great lord to take up that sad complaint ! how art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me ! nor may this jealousy sink , you into any dishonourable meaness of appearance in rind or attire , since it would be as ridiculous for a wealthy noble man to draw on course cloath , as for the poorest of his tenants to swagger up and down in scarlet ; or for his countess to be lapped up in flannel ( while alive ) as for one of her milkmaides to flant in about in cloath of gold. and surely the god of decency and order , who hath required all men to discharge the political debt of honour to whom honour belongs , hath as equally obliged those honuorable personages to all immaginable care , and caution in the furnishing all the rooms of state , and rayling in the bed of honour ; toguard and fence their native immunityes from all the insolen tinvasions of too incroaching usurpations , which the affronting hand of impudence does ( but too commonly ) thrust in to make upon them . god is so tender of the great prerogative of his worship , that he professes , by no means will he part with that glory to another , nor his praise to graven images . and no phantasmes of the highest consideration whatsoever , should tempt a truly generous spirit , to yeild up the sword of his knighthood , which himself is sworn so superstituously to maintain , that he were happier to feel it bathed in the blood of his heart , than ignominously to surrender it with the least tainture of cowardise . as the christian profession is commanded to abstain from all appearance of evil , so will our wise and wary lord , very providently foresee , that no cloud of envy interpose it self to procure an eclips of his glory , nor that dignity wherein the providence of heaven hath so happily fix'd him . nothing that may perhaps ▪ suggest to the observing eye , the least shadow of the ignoble guilt of a law and degenerous spirit , under the profuse largesses of the divine bounty . history tells us of one ardelio , who himself being of an huge , great , and bulky body , delighted in every thing like himself that was great , would live in a great house , lye in a great bed , eat in great platters , drink in great bowles , ride upon a great horse , entertain none but great servants , &c. however the story be true or false , surely 't is the most perfect beauty , when great persons act symmetrically to themselves , when greatness of fortune and generosity of soul are happily concerned together ; and add yet a perfection of felicity , to those that are the lucky heirs of it . but that gentleman , who from the little devil of a narrow and avaricious soul , shall be tempted to shrink himself into the despicable contempt of every bordering clown , is ten times worse than that roman prince , whose name and memory will ever strangely savour of the very pisse of the people . but , i fancy , this to be a needless and unseasonable surmise , since we find so few , under the guilt of ( an unfashionable ) frugality . the ambition of our ladyes being so very high and towring , as speaks them resolv'd to consecrate this age into a perfect jubilee , and make every eve to usher in an holy-day of pleasure and gayness ; and i 'm sure i wrong not some of them , if i say they never knew a working-day these twenty years , and have forgotten the old reverend custome of their grand-mothers , whose wedding gowns , and kirchiefs , never saw light , but on the solemn anniversaries of christmas or easter , while those celebrate an everlasting christmas , and dress on saturdayes for the stage with nicer preparations than the next morning , for the church , and begin the week with the same zeal to their vanity , as they ended it . and were this the grief of great ones only , perhaps it might be less fatal and mischievous . but as memucan , once ( aggravating the crime of the persian queen ) said , this deed of vasthi's will come abroad ( for ill example ) among all the women , and every lady of media and persia will dispise their husbands . his. . , . so from the ill practise of those that are able , ( who can go to the charge of being idle ) is this ruinating custome gone abroad even among others , that undo their husbands by following the pattern . why should not they do as vastis ? but matthew paris , in the life of king john , tells us a story of one hubert , then arch-bishop of canterbury , who , when the king had given his courteours rich liveries ; he to imitate his soveraign , would needs give his servants the like , which gave no small offence , to his majesty . sure 't is too great an arrogance to ape the lyon , and the cestern may not think to make so broad a stream , as the fountain . 't were happy for these minor ladies , if their hearts were lower , and their fortunes higher : but happiest of all , if they would employ what they have to the ends god has given it , and respect more the miseries of the poor , and those below then to imitate the extravagancies of the mighty and the rich , that are so far above them . there are , who believe that superfluity is a necessary evil in a state , the floating of fashions affording a standing maintenance to thousands , which otherwise would be at a loss for a livelihood , and that men maintain more by their pride then by their charity . and surely if armenta be not turned into ornamenta , whole herds and flocks sold off to furnish head and locks , and the very pastures in which they graze follow not to pay for one jewel . if the ancient mannours of the family , have not exchanged their lords , nor are commanded to do homage to a mechannick master . if the accounts of the steward in the city , do but keep even pace with the receipts of him in the country , and terra firma be not boyl'd away into luxurious gellies , and whole acres be not swopped down for a mornings draught : if the courts below can but answer eccho to those above , i know no reason why ruder pens should so loudly exclaim against the prodigalities of the great ones , when we little know or consider what others of the same spheare have acted in ages before us . and ( sure i am ) those have greatly exceeded them , in that one engulphing profuseness of jewels . turtullian tells us , in his time , of twenty three thousand crowns disbursed for one rope of pearl . saltus & insulas tenera cervix fert . one tender neck of a lady bears the burden of whole woods and islands . sir thomas moor to a gentlewoman ( complaining of exceeding heat in her weighty dress ) what wonder ( saith he ) for thou carryest upon thee meadows , vineyards , mills , mansions , and islands in the value of jewels . but prodigious was the luxury of the roman paulina , ( caligula 's widdow ) who ruin'd her father with setting her out in so pompous excess , that she moved about with no fewer jewels then what cost him a million of gold , as plinie and others have given us her story . 't is very observable , that the first jewels we read of in scripture , should be found in the closet of the best lady in the world , ( not but that sure they were common before that time , ) but we read of none till sarahs cabinet is presented to rebeccah , and envy it self will never repine at those armes wearing bracelets , that kneaded cakes for angels . the wife of so great a lord ( as was abraham ) and the lord of so good a wife ( as was sarah ) the one might warrantably wear what the other had cheerfully purchased for her . and oh that our ladies had but sarahs humility and good houswifery with her jewells , whose fingers are i fear , too fine to deal in dough , and the very angels shall fast rather than they will kneel to the kneading-troughs ! so great a difference between sarah , and her daughters . who are so ( saith peter ) so long as they do well , but no longer . yet still i plead for persons of honour to keep up the the glory of their station , and sure i am they might best do it by curious weaving of works of mercy with those of state. nay , somtimes for noble persons to gratify their fancies by unnecessary enterprizes , and seeming acts of prodigallity and vanity , is no great loss to the publick . there goes a proverb , if rich men were not fools , poor men might starve . i will not expound it so grossly , but rather would call it an honourable benificence to poor labourers , should our noble lord distaste the form of his house ( as too antique and unfashionable ) and resolve to pull it down , as well to imploy poor artificers , as to please his own fancy in building it new . so for a good lady ( that has money enough ) to take occasion to pick a quarrel with her wardrobe , as too thredbare and immodish , not from any design of pride , but a pious principle of supplying her self and the mercer together , who might else sit a cold and shiver in his shop for want of custome , cursing more her covetousness , than others her pride . will you call this a vain excess to idle needless superfluity ? no alass , it is a very perfect charity . and such a good lady ( with holy job ) does but put on righteousness as a robe , and clothes her self with compassion , as with a diadem . nay , each lace , and inch of ribband about her ( like the spouses thred of scarlet ) does but fasten her grace the closer to her heart . and her entire dress is nothing else but the herauld ( in his gaudy coat ) that proclaimes her goodness aud charity . nor would i wish a greater punishment on those , whose malice and envy cuts so large slashes in the vestments of the rich , than to pay the shot of those many families , who sit down , and give god thanks for there honest gain , accruing to them from the accoutrements of but one honourable lady , when but attir'd in a sutable garb to her honour . 't is easily apparent , that above twenty honest salesmen make their dinners every day from the allowable advantages of her dress , should you pass from the silkman and exchange , from the millener and the goldsmith , to the inferiour furnitures of her body ; and instance but in the most contemptible and basest of all ; may the reader consider , that the least pin about her , passes throw two or three hands ere it is quallified for the honour to have a place in her head , and i wish it stuck in the fingers of such who bethink the sorry maintenance of those poor wretches that point ; those others that head ; and again , those others that fit them up in due ranks and numbers for sale . it was ( possibly ) from such considerations as these that great st. austin in one of his epistles to possidius , gives him this necessery charge , tom. . epist . ad possid . nolo ut de ornamentis auri vel vestis preproperam habeas in prohibendo sententiam . be not rash in passing too hasty a judgment against the ornaments of the rich ; and some perhaps will but smile at the decree of an ancient councel of the church assembled at gangra . that anathematizes those , who shall be so rude and audacious to censure or control the apparrel of great and superiovr persons . ( qui cum reverentia birrhis usi fuerint ) and the ground of that curse ( saith balsamon ) was this . because such are cloathed , not propter molliciem , sed propter professionem , not from any luxury , but distinction . be not jealous ( reader ) that i have forgotten my design , or am become prides advocate . 't is , every where seen that platoe's rich gown covers a more humble mind , than the cynicks frieze . pride is a disease that breads in course and branney spirits ( the very scrapings of dame natures trough ) and blisters ever from the corruptest blood . 't is humility is the glory of the great and the noble , their only unalterable dress , that is ever in fashion amongst them . the very rubies they wear would wax pale at the draught of that venom , and pearls themselves would blush for shame at the imputation of such a foppery . what need such to swell , that are so great already , or to aspire to a sublime height when they are born on the hills of excellency , and break into life , like , that emperour diadumenus with a diademe of honour on their forheads , and whom the first light salutes into the world as happy , as great . thus while ( right honourable ) i apologize for you , and pay but the tribute your vertue and state calls for , from every humble pen. i have plotted all along to merit from you the innocent liberty of insinuating ( in the most prostrate and submissive posture of address ) the following considerations for good noble minds to contemplate . first , that as you are fixed by the generous and only distinguishing bounty of god ( your great maker & ours ) in the highest orbe , and to a more abstructed degree of happiness and state in the world , than were others ; licenced to bear a greater sway and port ; and to appear with all your pompous traines , drawing , that eyes of the universe after you by your gallantry and splendour of life . so that your honours would ever remember to give all this but its right name , and the same , which the holy ghost gives it [ acts . . ] where an whole bench of great ones ( and one of them a king ) with all their attendants and glory appear'd to dazle the eyes of a poor prisoner at the bar ( who yet by the spirit and power of the god that spake by him , made the best of them tremble as he sate ) calls all that lustre , but a meer phantacy ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) a very gleam and vain shew that appeared and vanished together , and not so much as the shaddow of the truer glory , which has weight indeed and is massie , exceedingly so , and eternal too . and this the royal prophet , well experienced , when he left behind him that very proper lesson for persons of your noble order to meditate on . man in his best estate is altogether vanity . nor is it unworthy your profoundest thoughts to consider , what little courtship the god of glory has used towards some , very eminent personages of the earth , by the contemptible characters he has stamped upon them in the sacred records . the great antiochus who for his magnificence was stiled epiphanes , or the illustrious , passes off the stage with the ignominious impress of a vile person . dan. . . ( such it seems , in heavens accounts notwithstanding his worldly greatness ) herod , gains no more from our saviour than the sutable title of a fox ( who so greedily sucked the blood of the innocent baptist ) : those who push the innocent with the hornes of oppression , are ( very congenially ) termed the bulls of bashan , jehoiakim , jer. . . an ill prince , is shav'd into the despicable cut of coniah , as one unworthy to fill up the leaves of his sacred book with the full sylables of his name . but above all , how remarkable is the crowding of at least forty dukes of the progeny of esau ( whom god hated ) into one short chapter , justling them together , three or four into one line , seven or eight of them into two . duke teman , duke omar , duke zepho , duke kenaz , &c. their whole story lost in the ayre of an empty title , their persons and hopes entred together in the dark vault of eternal oblivion , while yet above a dozen chapters are proved in the deciphering out the excellencies of but one younger son of a plain man that dwelt in tents , and give us the exact memories of his whole life and actions to the grave , gen. chap. . to . and the almighty god make your honours as pious and good , as that famous joseph , and your noble consorts infinitely more virtuous than his impure and unkind mistriss . who , as if his unnatural brethren had not shewn cruelty enough to him , by stripping him of one coat , and sending him into exile , she must conspire too , and tear from him another , dismissing him all cold into prison , ( clad onely in the vest of divine favour , and his , own innocency ) yet anon breaking out into a resplendency , outshining the nobles of the whole court when we find him wrapt in the royal ornaments and the finest linnen of egypt . nor had i mentioned this , had it not been the perfect mirror of your honours own real story . who must ( as certainly ) be devested from all your rich and gay coloured coats ( that creates so great an envy in the eyes of the world ) though the particular cognizances of your great fathers kindness ) and your desolate bodies sent captives into the dungeon of death . if therefore now ye shall carefully buckle on the secure coat-armour of faith , and purity , to fence your glorious souls from the repeated attempts , this egyptian strumpet , the world , shall make upon your chastities . then shall ye undoubtedly most triumphantly appear at the resurrection of the just . cloathed with the bright rayes of your saviours righteousness , and shining as the sun , for ever and ever . but if ( which god forbid ) you shall suffer your noble and more sublimated spirits to melt away in the riots and luxury of a meritorious bewitching world , and this circe to charm you into the killing slumbers of security and death , should you pass into an ungrateful and slighting neglect of him whose goodness hath so deeply oblig'd you , by the many rich demonstrations of his bounty and kindness , then , though you should here exalt your selves as the eagle , and build your nests among the stars ; yet thence will god surely cast you down into contempt , and lay your honour in the dust . though the whole creation ▪ here be rifled for the furniture of your tables , though the indian rocks resign up their sparkling diamonds , to grace your bosomes , though you celebrate an uninterrupted holy day of joy and pleasure , though the whole series of life , yet will a sawcy disease very impudently intrude upon you , and unpin the very foundations of all these ravishing glories , and tumble you into rottenness and the grave . the insolent captain within , will torture your unwilling ears with the dismal tydings of an approaching dissolution , and death it self will hardly be brib'd to the civility of giving respite , while you chaunt out adrians dying notes . o animula , blandula , vagula , quo nunc abibis ! o my miserable darling soul , into what shades art thou now passing ? this ( right honourable ) is the unavoidable decree of heaven , and all the powers of created strength and policy , will never prevail to revoke it . yet ( while you live ) it cannot but be some regret to your honours to see all the badges of your honourable order so impudently invaded by the persons of the basest and most contemptible circumstances and condition . each ranter and ruffian painting up himself into the most perfect hypocrisie of your sate , and hardly any thing wanting , ( save the blew ribbon and the george ) to distinguish them from being knights of the most honourable garter , you 'ld take them all to be lords , ( as the roman senator appeared once to the embassaduor to be no less than an assembly of kings ) but that they have lost their mannours and manners together ; envy would suggest , as if the sparks of this vanity had all proceeded from your palaces , but alas ; every hand hath set the fire to his own thatch , that has scattered into this universal conflagration . pitty a distracted nation that has borrowed your plumes to dress it self up to the acting it's own tragedy . the whole frantick herd runing about with gilded horns , and platted manes , presenting themselves to the angry deity for sacrifice . 't is high time for you ( ye nobles ) to put on your sables , while this mad mummery is thus every where practised , the whole kingdome in masquerade ▪ the distracted mimmix of your grandieur . each pittiful fellow check-by-joleing it with your lordships , and every mechanicks wife apeing your high-born ladies , their heaps of counterfeits not sweating for fear , or shame to vie with the richest carcanets . anciently pearles were called vshers , because they made way for such as wore them ; now every exchange-wench is usher'd in by them into her stalls , and while she calls to others to know what they lack , while her self lacks nothing to make her as fine as a countess , and stands there , but to upbraid others wants . 't is a custome they say , at the creation of knights of the bath , for the kings master-cook to come forth , and present his great knife to the new-made knights , admonishing them to be faithful and valiant , otherwise he threatens them , that very knife is prepar'd to cut off their spurs . but here are such a multitude of knights , and ladies of their own creation , behaving themselves so unworthy of that dignity , that the under scullions of the kitching , would be tyred sufficiently with cutting off the combs of their honour . and sure some sharp-edged instrument or other , must be whetted to do the execution , some severe laws to crop off the monsters head in time . or 't is to be feard , god himself will take it into his own hands , and make but bloody work among them . thus having ended these necessary caveats to take off any prejudice which might arise in great and innocent minds , i shall now betake my self to those whom the guilt and danger does more immediately concern . to both city and countrey . god who at sundry times , and in divers manners , hath spoken in times past to all nations , kingsdoms , and people , as well by the still small voice , of his mercies , as by the direfull thunder of his judgments , hath in this present age , spoken to this sinfull land , in such terrible and astonishing accents as might well have prevail'd to startle and awaken the most drousie and secure people in the world that were not wholly expir'd in a mortal lethargy , and given over to the formidable judgment of an utter insencibility . 't is sign we are perfectly dead flesh , that can suffer the many stroaks of divine vengeance to be repeated on us so often without the least sense of reluctancy or groan , the many stabbs from the sword of justice into our very bowels , while we ( like the late protestant-martyrs body ) are so stark and stiff , that no tears or blood bedew the weapon that pierces us , nothing alas issues from the wounds that are made into us . whence is it , and from what provocation ( o ye unhappy countrey-men ) have we contracted this so perfect an obduration , ( the most infallible presage of our ruine ) ? have you not seen the visions of the prophet , that incorrigible people ( once so dear and near unto god , the very apple of his eye , and dearly beloved of his soul ) but a moment before their national vis●tation and ruine , laugh in the face of an afflicting god , and bearing up themselves bravely under all the wounds of his wrath , and too cunningly baffling all the various methods of his ( unforcedly cruel ) dispensations against them ? o lord thou hast smitten them , but they have not grieved , thou hast consumed them , but they have refused to receive correction , they have made their faces harder than a rock , they have refused to return ? let all mens consciences witness , whether ever the frame of englands spirit could have been pourtraied out to greater life by another pencil . one would prudently suppose , it should be too late for sin and hell to play over again their old games , ( now in this rubbish age of the world ) while we see all the earth almost to have been desolated into rubbish by their cruelty and fallacies . all the nations and kingdoms that were once glorious , to be thrown down into destruction and ruinous heaps . the four great monarchies of the earth gobbled up by the lyons that support the throne of god's justice . the fierceness of his indignation burning up the sanctuary of his holiness , and seizing on the habitation of his glory and delight , and his very people made an hissing and a reproach to the world. god for these five thousand years hath been scattering abroad the arrows of his rage , hunting out after the proud to humble them , and treading down the wicked in their place , where they all lye his prisoners in the dust together , with their faces bound for destruction . and yet we wormes take no warning . why , open thine eyes reader , and consider , how many millions hath sin and judgment sent into the dungeons of darkness , and thou art dancing on the very brink of the same precepice , yet wilt not see it . no , not though god has brought the tragedies of antiquity , and acted them over again at thine own door . thou hast sent the flames of sodom , burning up thine own house , and the pestilence of egypt , raging in thine own streets . the silent murmurs of an hundred thousand souls seeming to mutter out the frustrated end of their being lock'd up in darkness , while there is so little profit in their blood to the living , and the happiness is only to themselves , in being delivered from plagues more infectious than those that destroyed them : and to this day the sword of god reaching to the very soul . the flames of his wrath burning in the spirits of men , ready to devour each other , and enkindle the whole kingdom into flame , while every one strives under the pretences of religion , which ( in truth ) is almost abandoned by all , the marrow and fatness of it quite suck'd away , while we are passionately quarrelling for the bone . and while those that profess , say , here is christ ; and others say , nay , but he is there . the miserable prophane conclude , he is no where . the very life is lost in the contentions for the form , and the substance is so farr from being embraced , that the very shadows are hated and persecuted by most . so little care taken for making up our divisions , that new methods are dayly contrived to widen them . and while we are weakning one another , the enemy fortifyes himself against us all . oh beloved countrey-men ! what shall we do to be saved ? is there no balm in gilead ? nor means to retrieve us ? shall we not at least go hand in hand , and reconcile to prayers and tears ? shall we not weep together for deliverance , without upbraiding each others drops , as hypocriticall ? is not the blessing , a common salvation , which we all so passionately long for ? do we hate each other to that degree , that some are contented to be miserable still , that others may not be happy ? is this the spirit of love ? this the temper of the gospel-charity ? this the way to atone an incensed god ? who because our spirits are burning in hatred , is still enkindling the flames of his vengeance , whose ashes , because we will not lay them on our heads , god ( ere they are quenched ) lays them on our habitations again , and blows them up into fresh fires , and upon our breasts too to encrease the coals there . nay , so far are we from thinking on sackcloaths , or treaties with god for forbearance , so far from bending the stiffknee , and lifting up the humble hand : that there is a danger in the very motion to it , the very exhortation to repentance is maliciously construed into sedition , as a piece of non-conformity , to the happiness and prosperity of the age. as if conversion to god were not the ready way to establishment of peace . come reader , before we breath in the ayre , and after we shall have ceas'd breathing here , will that maxime hold unanswerable in our bibles , there is no peace saith my god to the wicked . god saith so , and he will make us all to know so ! hath he said it , and will he not bring it to pass ? let us lay down our pride , our insolence , our contempts of judgments , our abuse of names , our cursed animosities , our dreadful heart-burnings , and bring our selves into a posture , fit for humiliation , and return to god , then may there be some hope indeed ; but without this , god hath said it , there is no peace . and a mercy of mercies it is , that at such a time as this , the tongues of our prophets do not cleave to the roof of their mouths , nor are dumb. and he assure you , some of them have cried aloud , ( ezech. ) and spared not , yea have lift up their voice like a trumpet , and have not fear'd very roundly to shew the provocations of the age : and the words that they have spoken shall judg us at the last day . instead of many , i will instance but in two ( and those indeed instar omnium ) the very worthy and undaunted witnesses of god , against all the cursed debaucheries , that with such brazen fac'd impudence , do spread and reign every where in the midst of us . and first , arise ( thou chariots of israel , & the horsemen thereof ) the valiant and magnanimous bishop of hereford , ( who in thy discourse to the lords assembled in parliament , february . ( / ) from that above mentioned text , there is no peace to the wicked ) hast uttered these words . pag. . many complaints i heard abroad in the world , but very little to the purpose , not one of an hundred considers matters aright , much less layes to heart the true cause of that whereof they complain . but shall i tell you the true causes of our misery . we have made a league , a most unfortunate evil league ; and we have made a war , a most dangerous destructive war ; a league with satan , and a war with god : these are the radical causes of our destruction , and unless rooted up , will be our confusion . not long since we lamented a plague that destroy'd many thousands ; that ceased , but our sin , the cause thereof , that remained ; therefore another calamity ●oon followed : then we lamented a great and dreadful fire , which consumed our capital city ; that also ceased , but sin still remained . then we lamented a dangerous war , when our enemies sayled up the river so near us , that it struck a terrour into the hearts of all : they likewise are gon , our sin still remaines . so we go on lamenting one calamity after another , and labour still with might and main to redress the present grievance , but the neglect the cause , like men in a feaver pain'd here , and pain'd there , we toss from side to side to find rest ; we call for this & that drink to quench our thirst , but all in vain ; the feaver of lust still burns in our bowels , and till this be cured , no ease , no rest to be had . ( again page . ) the lusts of the flesh are most horribly exorbitant in both the parts of it , voluptuousness of diet , and lasciviousness of body . the business of diet which formerly was the care and talk of women to their cooks , and caterers , is now become the study and discourse of men , even gentry and nobles , whose brains is sunck into their guts , and so are become very skillful in the belly-science ; for they have invented rarities never heard of in former ages , and are so early ripe in this art , that before they have studied philosophy or gramar , they are masters in the art of cookery . nor are they less skilful in drinks than meats : and 't is a thing adds much to their reputation , that there is not a sort of wine growing in any part of france , germany , spain , italy , but they have the particular name thereof more ready than their creed or pater-noster , and will entertain you with a score at least in one meal . ( and page . ) thus having by the lust of voluptuousness , by curious and excessive eating and drinking , procured the lust of lasciviousness . they give themselves up to work all manner of uncleanness with greediness ; fornication , and adultery , not only frequently acted in private , but publickly owned . men in the dark formerly sculk't into lewd houses , and there had their revellings ; but now men , married men , in the light , bring into their own houses most lewd strumpets , feast and sport with them in the face of the sun ; mean while their neglected , scorned , disconsolated wives , are forced to retire to their secret closets , that they may not be spectators of those abominations . and whoever doth not approve , yea , and practise such detestable wickedness , whosoever is not a devil incarnate , is reproached by these as a devillish hypocrite : ( o incomparable bishop , never so great a truth spoken ! ) for they have totally quenched the light of the spirit in their nasty pudle of uncleaness , they have so feared their consciences with burning lust ; they have so metamorphosed themselves into lascivious goats , as they have no more belief of god in them , than these natural bruite beasts , and so conclude . the rest of men have no more conscience or belief of god than themselves , and that all their seeming pity is meer hypocrisy , and cunning designe for some advantage . ( reader , thank god for so faithful a witness . ) and by such scornful reproaches on one hand , and enticeing allurements on the other , they gain many associates , who have not the courage to resist the one , nor constancy to withstand the other ; by which meanes lewdness and atheisme are strangely increased in court , city , and country . how far some grandees of the nation have been a countenance and incouragement to inferiours , is so visible , there needs no discourse to shew it . ( page . ) we are grown so irreligiously civil in this age , that it passes for incivility if any one offer to reprove , or so much as frown ; nay , if you do not shew some complaisance , and smile at their lewd prophane discourses . ( page . ) come now you that wou'd pass for noble and good natur'd men , come you sweet natur'd and tender-hearted women , consider well i pray you with me , what shall we think of this our foul sinful and hateful behaviour towards our blessed saviour jesus christ . let us lay aside our gorgeous apparrel , all our splended pomp & vanity . and totally humble our selves inside and outside , all gallantry must be put off , sackcloth put on ; we must mortify our carnal beastial lust , and let our eyes brake forth into fountains of tears , to wash away the lothsom filth thereof , &c. now judg reader , whether god hath left himself without witnesses , shall not these words pass as good evidence to the confusion of such as go on still in their trespasses ? but because every truth is established in the mouth of two or three , let us adjoyn another to him as nobly valiant for the truth , and zealous for the glory of his god as himself . the right reverend bishop of salisbury , who in this apostatizing age , wherein we have made so universal a revolt from god's covenant , and all goodness , hath thus valiantly born his testimony against the villanies of the kingdomes , in that noble sermon of his , from [ kings . ult . ] this evil is of the lord , wherefore should i wait for the lord any longer ? &c. ( preached also before the lords in the same place , and but a month before the former ) . — page . he raises this observation ( viz ) the most wicked and most distemper'd sinners are forced sometimes to acknowledg the hand of god in the dispensation of his judgments . tho ( page ) they devote themselves to profaneness and debauchery , enter themselves in the academy of athism and irreligion , become very hard studients in the schools of ryoting and drunkenness , of chambering and wantonness , of hectoring and ranting : frequent the brothels and the stage : yet all this will not serve their turns , when the hand of god is lifted up , though they will not see , yet they shall see and be afraid , — page . — come then in the name of god , let us reason a while together : hath this been the case of joram , ( of whom we have been speaking ) ? and is it not the case of us ? plainly ! was it only the case of that king of israel , and is it not the case of this kingdom of england ? ( page ) that a novel and upstart common-wealth of a nation ( he means the dutch ) lately feeble and poor , whyning and submissive , should arrive at the ungrateful boldness to provoke a powerful and mighty kingdom , that they should be permitted to disappoint and baffle their strongest preparations , and come to such an height , as to endeavour to fix upon them marks and characters of perpetual ignomy and dishonour . that a spark should kindle in a corner , and should be permitted to destroy all the stately palaces , publick buildings , and venerable churches , in one of the most considerable cities in the vvorld , besides twelve thousand private habitations ; certainly this evil is from the lord , that after we have seen the end of the lord , the vengeance of god so signally executed upon the principle authors , actors , and promoters ( of his late majesties death ) ( page ) matters should be brought to that pass , that some should fear , and others hope , that the monarchy of england , and that religion , and those laws , and the very persons which uphold it , should now be abandoned ; and that the great interest of religion and government should be delivered up into the hands of the irish or english papists , the scotch or english covenanters , or other sectaries . are not all these things strange and wonderful in our eyes ? is not the hand of god to be seen clearly in all this ? — let us now see the national behaviour , when these judgments have been so many , so grievous , so visible , have the inhabitants of the land learned righteousness ? have they prevailed upon us to break off our sins by repentance , or to continue in them , and encrease them with a brisker and sturdier resolution ? instead of being a religious and praying people , are we not become an atheistical and blaspheaming people ? instead of a sober & fasting people , are we not become a roitous & a drunken people ? instead of being a chast and modest , a meek and humble , a gentle and composed people , are we not become a shameless and immodest , a ranting and tearing , an hectoring and god-damning people ? insteed of turning to the lord with all our hearts , with fasting , weeping , and mourning for our sins , have not we turned from him with all our hearts ; and with laughing , and with scoffing , and with jeering at all humiliation , devotion and religion ? [ page . ] my commission reaches to those who have called me hither , and i hope they will not be offended at me , ( if they be , 't is no great matter , sure i am god is well enough pleased , and therefore , ( reverend man of god ) let us hear it all out . ) i take therefore the boldness in the name of god , and our king and countrey , to enquire of my self and those that brought me hither , whether we also have not fallen into the way of joram ? vvhether we can wash our hands of the universal irreligion and debauchery which seems to have overspread the land ? [ page ] there is one thing i find my self obliged plainly , and clearly , to lay before your lordships , and it is this . — that ( as sure as there is a god in heaven , a lord that is higher than your lordships : as sure as christ is now sitting at his right hand ; as sure as holy men of old , the prophets and apostles were inspired by the holy ghost ) if we do not speedily break out of this way of joram : if we do not our utmost to redeem and rescue the kingdom from it , this our iniquities will be our ruin. that if after so many loud calls to religion , and virtue , we shall resolvedly go on in the wayes of irreligion and debauchery . or , if we shall not do our utmost for the erraducation of them , we must expect a sure and swift destruction . wherefore return now o shunamite ! return . arise and bethink your selves , men , brethren , and fathers . oh ye wise and honourable among the people , consult and consider ! what shall we do that the blood of of jesus may speak better things for us than the blood of the righteous royal martyr ? what shall we do to be saved from ruin and destruction ? wherefore let us trifle no more , let us sin no more , let us fool no more , lest we fall and perish under the condemnation of joram . go your wayes and dye , lay down your sacred heads with peace and comfort , ( oh ye faithful and excellent bishops ! ) in that ye have so fully discharged your consciences in standing up for god and his holy religion , and done what you could towards the setting some bounds , & giving check to the deluge of prophanness that is broken in upon us . i will not dishonour these incomparable persons , by adding any more to strengthen the testimony they have given against that general wickedness , my business calling me rather this time to arraign a particular vice , that is the very mother and nurse of all the rest , and that is pride ; yet will i adventure here to subjoyne one short observation of a bishop too , whose words will evidence for him the integrity of his heart towards god in the late age wherein he lived . the learned bishop downeham in a sermon at the spittle ( called abrahams tryal , ) thus complains . in these times the godly live among such a generation of men , as that if a man do but labour to keep a good conscience in any measure , although he meddle not with matters of state , or discipline , or ceremonies : as for example , if a minister diligently preach , or in his preaching seek to profit rather than please ( remembring the saying of the apostle ; if i seek to please men , i am not the servant of god , gal. . . ) or if a private christian make conscience of swearing , sanctifing the sabbath , frequenting sermons , or abstain from the common corruption of the times , he shall straitwayes be condemned for a purtian , and consequently be less favoured , than either a carnal gospeller , or a close papist . i shall leave the application of this note to the reader to make it as he pleases . when luther began to preach against the popes pardons , a friend of his counselled him thus ; as good hold your tongue , the custom is so strong , you will do no good : get you into your study and pray , domine miserere mei , and get you no anger . so methinks while i undertake a discourse against pride , and the fooleries of women especially , that are rivited into their nature , and have gotten sure hold in their hearts ( besides the plea of possession out of mind ) i were as good hold my peace , for all will be to no purpose . but jacta est alea. let the die run as it will , 't is good to let them see their folly however . i have often wondred why the learned fathers , ( tertullian , st. cyprian , st. jerome , st. austin , these especially , and some other ) have bent their pens so vehemently against the pride and vanity of womens attyre , writing whole tracts and long discourses about them , when now 't is so perfectly out of fashion to deal upon these subjects , and our pulpits so generally silent , as scarce a reproof can be heard in a year : is it because this sin is reform'd , and our ladyes now a dayes grown more modest and christian , and so not properly taxable of the vice ? ah no! i trow , our enquire will find them ten times more guilty than ever were those in the fathers dayes ; or what ? have we not so great a kindness and zeal to the women as they ? and do we abate in care to their souls ? i pray god we have not too great a kindness to them , for which they will curse us another day . but when i hear st. jerome so earnestly protesting to demetrias , that no rayment , ornament , or habit whatsoever would be acceptable to christ , but what she made with her own hands , either for her own use , or to give unto her grand-mother , or mother ; exhorting her therefore that to eschew idleness ( having performed her devotion ) she shall take in hand her flax and spindle , ( as dorcas ) the better to pass the day away , and dress up her self in the cloth of her own spinning ( and yet this demetrias , a lady of fortune and quality ) i cannot but reflect on the idleness of our women , who would huff st. jerome ( were he now alive ) for the advice that should engage them to so tiresome a work ; the good father must excuse them , these have somthing else to do than to spend those tedious hours in so dull an employ . yet i remember a note of bishop babington [ upon gen. . . ] where the great rebeccah came out with her pitcher upon her shoulder to draw water — see ( saith he ) the simplicity and plaineness of those dayes in the education of their daughters ; i beseech you , where were those golden , silken , pearled , idle dames that our dayes yield , when water-pots , and sheep-hookes , were thought no hurter of womens hands , by the very parents themselves : nay , eliezer who was there arrived to fetch her away to be wife to the best heir then in the world , was so farr from liking her the worse , that it was the onely thing that recommended her to his choice , and the woman that could be so courteous and humble to draw water for himself and his camels , would infallably make the best house wife for isaack : when now , poor girles surprised in an unperfect dress , or a foul pair of gloves , are ready to sink down with fear and shame as if that were enough to brake off the match , not considering how far they impose on the folly & indiscretion of such addressers , who should respect more the outward niceties , than the inward virtues , and court rather the cloaths than the woman ; when yet there is not the least pin stuck into head or heart towards a preparation for a better husband who has told them beforehand that he will come when they little think on 't , and commanded them therefore to be alwayes ready , lest they be surprized by him too , and found in such a pickle as will make him abhor them for ever . indeed tertullian hath advized them to more wit , when he tells them , that if they would dress them in the silk of sincerity , the sattin of sanctity , and the purple of modesty , god himself would not fail to be a suitor to them . sir thomas moore once seeing a young lady tricked up in the most excessive curiosity of attire , ( and i was surpriz'd when i found that cornelius a lapide in his comment on timothy , has gotten the story by the end ) mistress , saith he , vnless god give you hell for all this pains and labour of dress ; verily he will do you great injury . but what said old plautus , a woman and a ship are never sufficiently rigg'd up : therefore , said he , if any man want work or business for his mony , let him get him a ship or a wife . yet plutarch tells us , that phocian ( the athenian general ) was singularly happy in this , who when a great lady of jonia came to athens to pass a visit on her , and shew'd her all the rich jewels , and precious stones of her cabinet ; but saith this lady , all my riches , and jewels , is my husband phocion . indeed those athenians were a politick people , and car'd very little that their women should bare away the spoiles of their estate , who therefore had officers on purpose who were to order the apparrel for women , and to take care that no one might wear any thing unbecoming her place or degree , and these were called gyneconomi . a committee that sate on the female affayrs , to keep them in due moderation and order . very much wanted in england . the like power had the ephori to correct the spartan extravagancies , and i confess the laws of licurgus ( for youth especially ) were so choice and remarkable , that the very reading of them would make us reflect on our own impudencies , when ( as my author tells me ) the very young men of the city were reduced to so high a degree of civility and modesty , that passing through the streets on their lawful occasions , they would wrap themselves up in their cloaks , not stand prating to every one they met , nor gaze up and down , but kept their very eyes fixt upon the ground ; by which means , in a while , the masculine sex excelled in all bashfulness and gravity , the very choicest perfections of the feminine . their voices were no more heard , than if they had been statues of stone , neither were the young damosels more chast in their chambers , than were those young men as they walked in the streets . and does not this make thee blush , reader , to consider , the rudeness , the incivility , the insolence , the the wild and immodest gestures , and deportment not of the males only in our city , but the loosness , the staring and gaping , the idle and dissolute carriage of the very virgins and young ladies who set themselves out on purpose to be pick't up , and gaz'd on , and turn their back upon every passenger , as it were to tell him they are freely at his service . not to speak now of the swarmes of these execrable prostitutes ( the plagues of the town ) that have every night their several walks and appartments to ply in ; you may find them as solomon sayes , not in the corner of the streets onely , but thick in the very midst of them , and turning the whole city into a stews . it were well if the like dispatch of some ship-loads of them were made to the forraign plantations , as in the time of the usurper there was . and these too , glittering as so many stars all over in the sparkles of st. martins , the proper lawful dress of their trade by the lacedemonian-law , who allowed none of these gayities to any but vvhores . nor can i but mention another most profitable law of licurgus , who ordain'd , that the young men of sparta should have frequent meetings in some publick place , where they should eat and drink together for a mutual increase of acquaintance and love ; but when assembled , their chiefest discourses were ordain'd to be for the better contrivance and carrying on the prosperity and wellfare of the city , on purpose ( saith my author ) to avoid any idle or impertinent prattle ; and when all finish'd , in due order and civility to depart each one to his proper home , and betimes too , without the least debauchery , by vvine , lest any notice should be taken of any disorder , in their passage home through the streets ( for night was to be no mantle to vice , no more than the day had been ) so as they were under an excellent government , they should take care to honour it by as honest a carriage . what , reader , does the wilderness bring forth better fruit than the garden ! we are every one striving for the honour of the church and the kingdomes . let us at least take example by these heathen , who surely were wiser in their generation than we . is debauchery and sottishness become the true methods of honour to so incomparable a government we lye under ? and the roarings of our taverns at midnight quite drowning the anthems of our church ? alas , when shall we begin with a faithful sobriety ( with these spartanes ) to bring glory to the crown and the miter , whose honour we so passionately contend for , yet suffer its jewels to swim away in our spew , and then only to dispute for a decipline , when we have lost our sences in the draughts of intemperance , and are not able to speak a plain word . and further , they were so farr from pomp of apparrel , that no gain or encrease of estate could tempt them to so vain a superfluity ; they consulted the well-ordering and governing their bodies , more than any exteriour magnificent clothing ; and loved better to have mony in their purses , than to lay it all out on their backs . when thou knowest reader , what a world of byas'es , appear like princes among us , yet carry all they have in the world about them , as he. long-coats and a drivelling-cloth , is the proper demonstrative garbe of a natural , and is not unbecoming for him , who dresses himself up in his whole estate , and has left not a peny to dine on , but is more ridiculous than jack-pudding , who disguises himself to get some . there was once a gallant in a velvet-coat , and a scarlet-cloak over it , walking in paul's , where finding himself very hungry , and over-hearing some others discourse of a feast the ironmongers held that day in their hall , was glad of that news , and resolving to intrude amongst them : no sooner appear'd , then was courteously received and promoted by the stewards to the best seat at the table , ( as one they thought , who might formerly be of the society ▪ or at least descended from a father that was , and now had done them the honour to grace them with his worshipful company ) when dinner was over , and he had lay'd well about him , and brisk'd up his spirits with wine : the chiefest of the company ( with whom he convers'd ) were at length so bold to desire him to discover himself , and what relation he had to their society : to whom he very merrily replyed . o a very near affinity to your trade , for i my self am a monger too . they pray him to explain what he meant . by my troth gentlemen , since you must know , i am a whore-monger , and have wasted my estate in my vocation , so that wanting a dinner , i supposed the contiguity of our callings might well entitle me to the good repast i i have found among you , and so i bid you adieu . i am afraid it will endanger most of the societies in the city to provide for the mnltitudes of his trade and finery , ( that stand in as great need of a dinner as he ) who are breathing vivifications of that notorious truth . by means of an whorish woman , a man is brought to a piece of bread. among the heresies , ( august . de heres . ) that arose very early in the church , there started out a sect , called [ the paterniani ] possibly the spawn of the filthy gnosticks ; whose opinion was , that the upper parts of a mans body were made indeed by god , but the lower parts from the girdle , they held was made by the devil ; and very fond they grew of their fancy , which they thought gave them a liberty to do with the devils part what they pleas'd , so long as they reserv'd the rest unto god. who must excuse them if they imploy that ( wherein he had no title ) unto the service of the devil and lust . 't is to be fear'd , this heresie insensibly has crept in among us , and gotten too generall an hold ; and it were well , if it had not improv'd , and encroach'd beyond it's first limits ; but , sure it seemes to battle here in it's own ordure , and sport it self as in it's own element . while it presumes to invade the poor remains it has left unto god , and hardly left him an eye or a lip for his service . the tongue ( the trumpet of his honour ) is now ( as st. james said ) set on fire of hell , and and belching out the infernal vapours , with aetna , as furiously as the tayle is reaking with the smoak and steames of impurity and filth . and ( which is most pitteous to behold ) our very ladies ( so far , obeying the apostle ) yield the more abundant honour to the less honourable parts ( which these hereticks say , were made by the devil , while they are grown so universally careless of gods , that ( like a solitary mansion ) they desert it all naked and unfurnish'd , and leave it all bare to shift for it's self as it can , and declare to all mankind how ready they are to surrender possession to the devil . 't is pitty : ladies should be hereticks too , out their naked necks and shoulders are undeniable evidences of their apostacy and guilt : and acquaint us how little they fear'd that dreadful judgment denounc'd against the wanton dames of syon ( for the pride of their stretched-out necks , and tinckling feet ) that they hold it a judgment , if that judgment be not frequently repeated upon them , while they are half underess'd already to it , and defie the worst that god or man can do against them . of naked necks and shoulders . an impudenee abominated by the very light of nature . no sooner ( sayes tertullian ) did our first parents perceive themselves naked , but they sought out for some covering , though a poor one : and the very arabian women ( saith he ) will rise up in judgment against this generation [ quod non caput modo , sed faciem quoque ita totam tegunt , ut uno oculo liberato , corteatas sunt dimidia frui luce , quam totam faciem prostituere ] who rather than they will prostitute the honour of their countenances to publick danger ( much less their necks and shoulders ) do furle them in their mantles all over , and allow but a peeping-hole for one eye to guide them in the way . the roman sulpicius was so far affronted to meet his wife in publick without her vail , that he devorced her for that impudence ; so impossible did he think such a looseness could consist with vertue , and she that departed from the grace of her modesty , must take leave of the honour of his bed too . how have the the primitive fathers thundred against this insufferable shamelesness of bare bodies , as if wholly irreconcileable to the reverence and severity of the christian religion ? where is the dispensation we have gotten for it in these days ? can our ladies shew any ? lay down thy pen , tertullian , and prescribe no more rules for womens behaviour and bashfulness . here are a sort of things , called christians of a new form , that scorn thy arguments to the ( unfashionable ) practice and exercise of vertue , tho thou hast told them plain enough , that the nakedness of their breasts is adultery , and that it 's possible such as go so , may be honest , but very few that see them believe it . and thou father jerome , who once most justly didst upbraid the loose jovinian , for entertaining an army of these new fashioned amazons . [ habet in castro amazonas viros ad labadinem provocates , mamma exerta & brachio rado ] who with their naked breasts strutting out , and armes tuck'd up to the very shoulders , did in that posture , seem rather to challenge combatants into the fields of venus , than make any shew of fighting vnder the banner of a crucified saviour . let that passion cease now ( holy father ) for he has gotten all the world into his camp ; who will make thee know , christianity can connive at those libertinisms , indulge against those severities thy froward spirit did ever abound with . and why hast thou rail'd against bare necks , as the flames that comsumed youth , the incentives of lust , and the never failing ensignes of an impudent mind ? what a storm wilt thou raise over thy sacred head , and provoke thy excellent volumes to be doom'd to the fire , their holy leaves to be sacrificed to the humour of womens pride ? and what was thy project ( incomparable chrysostome ) to enter those lists with the ladies of thine antioch , who dared to sit down under the droppings of thy slowing lips , and the showres of thine eloquence , with their naked bodies , as if they design'd to debauch the purity of thy holy affections and soul ! oh what a storm did thy fiery zeal raise to set them in a trembling ! what , do ye come hither into the house of god as to a play ? do you come into the sanctuary of your maker to make your conquests here ? and here to satisfy your sensuality ? do you approach hither to attaque even god too ? what , does all this people , this soft and wanton delicacy , this affected nakedness become the estate and condition of such who could have mercy for their sins ? are these the dispensations and postures of mourners and penitents ? — surely the bloud of their hearts started up into their face and necks , and all purpled their very shoulders , when the astonishing thunder fell upon them ! but yet , why ( golden father ) wast thou so un-courtly and down-right to tell those naked dames , that the very devil sate upon their very shoulders , and pearch'd himself upon the little mounts of their exposed breasts , hopping as a bird from one to tother , and greatly pleasing himself with the rayes they had set out for him . sure thine ayme was to affright them out of their sins . but alas , all this will not do , tho they might well be scar'd out of their wits , with the very thought of having a devil in their bosomes . it were endless reader , to gather up the testimonies of writers both ancient and modern , whose ardency and zeal for the happiness of those , ( who , god knows , are all dead and cold to their own ) seems alas , now very perfectly quench'd by the inundation of the sin and impudence , they so passionatly damned , that the whole church through all the world seems totally to despair of redress , or any tolerable reformation , and betakes it self ( with jeremy ) to weep in secret for the pride of those franticks , leaving god ( if he will ) to work miracles upon their miserable souls , since themselves can effect no good in the well and modest ordering their bodies and habits . yet to these primitive fathers , i shall add the sence of two or three of our modern divines , and shew my reader how fully they accord with the former . how many ( says reverend downeham ) do openly profess their inward uncleanness , by laying open to the common view , their naked breasts , as tho it were a bill affixed to the dore posts , to signify to the passers by , that within that place dwells an unclean heart , and that whosoever will , may there buy honesty and chastity at an easy rate . [ on hosea . . ] and another on the same text. whores use to discover their filthiness much in their breasts , either in the nakedness of their breasts , or in those ornaments they hang about them . reverend mr. perkins hath powred out a flood of zeal , were it possible to drown this madness . the end of attire is to hide the shameful nakedness of the body from the sight of men ; why then are garments made of such a fashion as that the neck and breasts may be left for a great part uncovered ? but such persons as these do hereby express the vanity and lightness of their minds : what do they else but even display and manifest unto men and angells their own shame and ignominy ? nay , what do they else , but glory in that , which is by the just judgment of god reproachful unto them ? let all those that fear god and are humbled in consideration of their sins , be otherwise affected — reader , scorn not the testimony of this holy man from the plainess of his words . the name of mr. perkins is contemptible to none but such as want his humble spirit . come ladies , what is your opinion of these holy fathers ? sure you cannot reproach them as sectaries or phanaticks , who conspire to bring all the world under their girdle , as you think . you hear how boldly they have declared against the very sin you practise and plead for : whose words believe you , will stand the test another day , theirs or yours ? the vice is the same now , as it was in the ages they lived in , and the danger from it the same . what ever prejudice you may idlely entertain ( from the sad distraction of a divided church ) against the present witnesses and ministers of god. sure i am , you can righteously harbour none against these eminent persons ( the very glory and flowers of christianity ) whose piety and memory all the churches upon earth meritoriously celebrate . who dare to retrieve you from the sentence they have passed against your folly ? consult any worthy divine of your acquaintance in the present age , and see whether he do differ in judgment from these : if i have produc'd these few , he will offer you ten times as many to corroborate the strength of the evidence . do but put the question home with earnest and hearty desire to be resolv'd — whether such a guise or fashion becomes the gravity of a christian woman , that really hopes to be saved , and would glorify god in her life to that end ? i have so much confidence in the fidelity of any true servant of jesus , that in this he will faithfully discharge his duty to his master , and your souls , and deliberately tell you , that not this cursed custom only , but a great many more that abound in your sex , are perfectly inconsistent with the very temper and holiness of those laws and religion from which they derive the means and hopes of a future happiness . the truth is , their appears so universal a degeneracy ( in this age ) from the ancient foundation of piety and practise that adorned and gilded the generations of old : that if mighty allowances from the first austerity , be not granted to our present weakness , there may be but cold hopes for the best of professors . and how far one may prudently venture an eternal soul on the presumption that god will allow of those licences we give our selves ( which himself has no where revealed his pleasure to tolerate , and his best servants declare that he never will ) , i must tell you , may make you tremble to think on what ever other profession you make , which the greater it is , the more honour should you give it by an evangelical humility and self-denying spirit , adorning the doctrine of god your saviour in all things . and i direct this especially to the most retire and solemn reflections of your rational soul to consider of and apply : sure i am , we are so far from the complexion of the primitive christians , that neither our faces , nor our breasts , nor our hearts , nor our habits , nor our practises are the same . if the gospel call to the professing women , to apparrel themselves in conformity , to the modesty and simplicity of those that trusted in god in time of old : if those under the law send out their cryes to you under the gospel to be civil and holy , to be meek and chast ; and you can eccho back again to them that you are so , and professors under both are found clad but in the same livory , this will be your glory indeed , and a blessed uniformity . but should you make the gospel to vary in its fashions , and to be as inconstant in its precepts , as you are in your fidelity to them ; this will look but very ill , and the god who formerly would not abide his spouse to be clad in a linsey-woolsey-coat , ( levit. . . ) will very hardly be prevail'd on to approve an obedience of more natures and colours than that . to speak plain , the modern apostacies may not expect the reward of the first faithfulness . nor can the attire and spirit of an harlot look to pass with the same approbation as that of a chast and pure virgin. remember , 't is the wedding-garment of fidelity & love can alone secure you from being expuls'd with shame and confusion from the delicacies of the marriage supper : the har●otry dresse will have no acceptation there . do you know this , ladies , and will you adventure your immortal spi●its under so formidable hazards ; as ( if duely consider'd ) would make your very souls shake with far greater trembling , then do your quivering shoulders under the persecution of the blustering winds ? when the unfortunate thamar so freely ●ass'd to the bed of amnon , shee had let●●e jealousy that her steps posted her to the violent gripes of a ravisher , who was sick and uneasy untill he had perfectly ruin'd her ; and when he had done it , had little ease too , nor glory from the spoiles of her honour : and are not these cursed vanities as so many ravishers , that fall foul on , and violate your virgin affections from god , while some of you ignorantly believe there is little ●anger in those fatal haggs ; and others of you consent heartily to them , and wipe off from amnon the guilt and dishonour of the rape , till at last having marr'd you from ever partaking of the felicities of the celestial nuptials , he first bolt you out from his own embraces , and the shame confine you to a desolate estate , with the mournful thamar , sitting sad and solitary , in some melancholly corner of her brother absoloms house ? but happy were you , if in a provident foresight of so tyrannous cruelty , you would presently do , what she did too late : rend your gawdy coats , and put ashes on your heads , and cry for revenge to heaven against pride , the deflowrer of your souls : your undressing from vanity would be so profitable a nakedness , that were you to walk up and down in the raggs your repentance had rent into tatters , the shame would be infinite glory , if weigh'd with the confusion that will one day surprise you for the guilt of your insufferable impudence and folly. when the israelitish dames gave aaron their jewels to make them a god with , holy writ ( descanting on that act ) saith , that thereby he had made them naked to their shame . but was this nakedness from the want of an neck-lace or an eare-ring ? alas no , they had put off a god to put on a beast , and turned their glory into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay . and those who shall undress from their strength above , and strip off the spirit of glory , that would rest upon them , to prank themselves up in the beauties of created lustre , and shine , shall find their shoulders as naked as yours , bare on purpose to receive the lashes of vengeance , which the executioner , justice , will lay on with severity , and mercilesly multiply upon them . but , ladies , why is mary magdalen set out in the gospel ( the most notorious example of sin and grace ) but to let you know , that her new lover ( who had set into joynt her broken soul , and cag'd up her wandring affections in his own bosome ) is as ready to act miracles for you too , and discover to you the charms of a saviour , which a legion of other pretenders can never pretend to court you with . and though your innocency suggest that you stand in less need of his favour than she , yet if scriptures convince you there are adulteries of the breast , which you repeat every day , and others of the eye and heart which you tempt your admirers , to as frequent guilt of , i fear you will want little less weight of sope to wash away your crimes with ; and while they wear the crimson dye , will require the very heart blood of a god to whiten you into snow . and so far as you rest unconvinc'd of their danger , so long are you still unhumbled for their guilt , and by the same distance kept from the means of a recovery ; so that while the groseness of her lewdness , the festring of her sores , spur'd her on to hasten after remedy and ease , your dead flesh ( for want of anguish ) insencibly betray 's you to hugg your disease , that ( as some drilling consumptions ) still flatters you on into hopes of life ; when ( god knows ) the staring out of your shoulder-bones , tell all the world how near the poor skelleton hastens into dust , and the spirit within it unto judgment . yet ( ere you go ) contemplate on her who so pittied her self , that seven devils could not keep her from addressing a saviour , ( and if you would cover your necks , you might be welcome too , for ought i know ) ; but should you appear in his presence in the lascivious garb you commonly present your selves abroad in , his glorious purer eyes ( that cannot endure to behold iniquity , and are as a flame of fire ) would doubtless flash out wrath and death into your shameless hearts , whose vanity promps you to so profligate a dress , as would infinitely incense even the meekest spirit of jesus , who yet was condiscending enough to the meanest of your sex in the decorums of decency , and due prostration , of humility , and a mortified sence of their wants . and though the poor syrephaenician was a little roughly handled at first , yet the dog was not sent away with crums only , but carried home with her the whole loaf of mercy . history tells us of pope benedict the eleventh , the son of a peasant ( and a catholick is my author ) his mother being brought unto him , in a rich and sumptuous habit , with hopes of being more gratefully received , by the splendid appearance she made before him ; he turning away his eyes , said , he could not acknowledg that woman for his mother : but afterwards returning in her rustick attire , he then acknowledged her , and yeilded her all the rights of a good son. and surely he , who rejecting all the glittering ladies of the earth , respected the low estate of a poor hand-maid , consecrating her virgin womb , ( the dressing-house wherein he swath'd himself up into humanity ) first into a sanctuary for his honour , for nine whole months together , and afterwards blessed her breasts that gave him suck , hath thereby proclaim'd to all the world how far his sacred heart prefers the humble cells of a pure and virtuous mind , before all the tapsteries of state , and the painted breasts of the flaunting gallants , who , ( as father chrysostome says ) are rather the lodges of devils , than a saviour . alas ladies , his holy eyes have been feasted with the glorious prospects of triumphing virgins , courting the very torturing flames , to uncloath them into spirit and immortallity , wherein they might enjoy their dearest lord , while himself has kindly descended into the fiery chariot to them , to drive with greater ease these welcome guests into their eternal palaces . while alas you are so far from the ambition of being clothed upon with that house which is from heaven , that you will not cloath your earthly tabernacle into that decency and holy form as might invite him to mark it up for an habitation of his spirit . and if you will not sacrifice a lust to the glory of his cross , how would you sacrifice your flesh to it ? and if you will not throw off a vain and condemned custome by all the holy saints in the world , how would you put on the pitch'd-coat of martyrdome , which nero clapt on the backs of the more faithful adorers of the blessed jesus , to make them burn the better in ; that was [ tunica molesta ] the troublesome coat indeed unto them . when you cry out for the liberty of your shoulders , because it makes for your ease , they were contented to double their torments , and valued not to be scalded as well by the pitch , as the flames ? with trembling and horrour may you remember the great redeemer hanging naked upon the cross , that very nakedness rendering his death doubly sorrowful and shameful to him , while the rude souldiers were unconcernedly sporting themselves in dividing his garments among them , and throwing dice for his seamless vesture . and must you ladies , needs crucifie him afresh , and put him to a second shame ? make him blush to see your nakedness , and seem as little concern'd for his as your own ; his shame and your own sin , but alike affecting your insencible hearts . and if one end of his being crucified naked , was to redeem you to the blessing of a decent dress , from which the first adam had stripped you , why will you frustrate that part of the redemption , and leave your selves naked in so great a part , since himself has purchased vestures for you , when his own was inhumanely rent from his shoulders ? the pittiful plea of custome for it , will drop as adams figg-leaves did , when his great maker summon'd him to give account wherefore he had made himself naked and miserable , since he had created him so perfect and happy . and ( sure i am ) those who prefer a nakedness , ( the shameful fruit of sin ) before the blessing of a modest clothing , ( the purchase of a saviours blood ) will shortly tremble as adam , as well for the shame they chuse to themselves , as the despite they do to the saviour . and had you that scarfe of innocence , which graced the breasts of your first mother , the fathers might have spared their zeal , and rather have envied your glory : but because she has bared your shoulders by her folly , and brought in the curse of nakedness upon you , 't would be madness in you to hugg the curse , by continuing that nakedness still , when you know how contented she was , to hide her , though but with a beasts-skin . but ladies , shall i send you to the royal-exchange , where a greater than an angel , has kept open shop for these sixteen hundered years and more , and has incomparably the best choice of every thing you can ask for . and because he sells the best peny-worths , himself condescends to call , what do yee lack , what do yee buy ; and advises you to buy of him . lord , hast thou any mantoes for ladies , made after thine own fashion , which shall cover all their naked shoulders , & breasts , and necks , and adorn them all over ? where are they ? revel . . . brings them forth . there they are , ladies , and cheap too , at your own price , and will wear for ever ; with this good property , that they thoroughly prevent the shame of your nakedness from appearing : and if you stoutly pass away , and take them not with you ( if there be a god in heaven ) you 'l pass naked into hell to all eternity . of painting and black patches : though the face of the creation hath its variations of prospect and beauty , by the alternate intermixtures of land and waters , of woods and fields , meadows and pastures , god here mounting an hill , and there sinking a vale , and yonder levelling a pleasant plain ; designedly to render the whole more delectable , ravishing and acceptable to the eyes of men ; ( could they see his wonders in the land of the living ) that he might reap the more free & generous tributes of thanksgiving , and cheerful celebration of his goodness in the works of wonder . yet hath he no where given us more admirable expressions of his infinite power and wisdom than in the little fabrick of mans body , wherein he hath contrived to sum up all the perfections of the greater , that lye here and there scattered about . nor is it possible for the heart of man with all its considerative powers to adore enough the transcendencies of his divine hand , in the perfections that he bears about him . but amongst them all , omitting the curious contexture of the whole frame , raising it up into a stately structure to survey onely the glories of the face , and the admirable graces that god has lodged in each feature of it , and then to remember how many millions of them have passed through his hands already , flourished out with a perfect diversity of appearance , every one discernably varying from all the rest in different feature and meene , and yet every one excellently agreeing with all in the same identity of aspect . all this variegated work miraculously performed within the compass of a span , to let us see what a god can do when ( as the wise potter ) he turneth his wheel , and molds nature into infinite ideas and formes . and though now and then grimness and crabedness find residence in some faces , ( providence foreseeing the necessity of martial countenances as well as spirits ; which history tells us the romans ever did usually wear , or put on ; that the slash of their eyes as lightning , might accompany the thunder of their arms , & both together strike despair and death into their enemies hearts . and one of their emperours was of so very frightful a visage , that speed a countrey-man of our own tells us , it was as bad as high-treason to stand staring on him , which was ever an affront to the terrour of his face ) yet are these rough and impolished pieces but rare , and perhaps necessary too , to set off the beauties of all the rest . ( the soiles of nature have theirs place and office , ( like a fair lady keeping her black ) the bantum courser skins and features , have not i fear , reader , raised in thee so praise-ful a soul for the more liberal graces of their creator to the nations of thy climate , and thy self . who might have cast us all into the same mold with them ; if our eyes gazed on their deformity with astonishment , why do not our hearts reflect on our own frame with admiration of the makers goodness , and our own unthankfulness . some historians would fain have us owe the blessings of the gospel to that providence which brought some english children into the markets of rome to be sold . being carried before the then pope , who ( examining them of their countrey ) was told they were angels . yea angels rather , quoth the good father , and it were a pity such should go to hell. and those that were so happy to be born at deira , must be delivered ( de ira dei ) from gods wrath . and forthwith ( say they ) he dispatched the messengers of salvation to us . indeed we are happy in good faces , but very miserable in ill hearts . now if god has stuck this loveliness on the male cheek , what has he done on female ? what glories ? what transcendences of them ? what adorable perfections of art hath he shown , in the drawing those lineaments which are the stupifaction of angels and men. beauty , when attended on by vertue , create women very angels on earth ; when corrupted by vice , degenerates them into devils of hell. which hath not triumphed in the infinite spoiles of mean and vulgar affections onely ( that is their every dayes tyranny & sport ) unspirited almost the whole creation ; but such as have dragged after them very crowns and scepters into absolute vassalage and chains . the proudest jewels of the diadem have humbly vaild to stick themselves in the more imperial bosom of a woman , the sparkles of her eye have out dazled all their shine . solomon in all his glory thought himself happy in being knight of the most honourable order of the garter , & spun out the very bowels of his luxuriant wit into golden threds to make canopies for his queens to sit under . nay so strong the charmes of these syrens , that a veil must shroud them up in the sanctuary , least ( as some have thought ) the very angels ( who hover there ) should be surprized by their eyes , and they chance make their victories over then too . and yet reader , after all the royalties which the bountiful heart and hand of a creator hath exceeded in , towards them ; after all the largesses , in so profuse a treasure , of his choicest graces ; all the perfections of those rare draughts of his own divine hand upon them ▪ these unhappy daughters of eve ( who , as st. isidore thinks , was cloathed with lustre , as with a garment , before she fell ) must dream of yet higher perfections then what their wise creator hath stamped upon them : the proud ambition of these unsatisfied creatures is not terminated in the issues of his wise and excellent work ; they must be making their essays too , and impudently correcting the lines of their maker . thus you shall have them consulting the mirror , and making a narrow scrutiny into every point of their faces , to hunt after imperfections , where none are apparent , and have a mind to pick quarrels with the complexion that god himself sees very good. here is not enough of the lilly , there not of the rose , but here and there too much of either . and every where is needed a new dash of their own hand . should an eminent limner ( sayes a father ) who had done his utmost to shew his skill in the drawing a figure with his most deliberate and exquisite hand , and brought it to the perfection himself desired , find some pitiful ignorant besoyling his work , and mixing in his dawbing colours with his own ( pictor sacre excundesceret , ( thinks the father ) ▪ into what choler and passion would such an affront throw the brave artist ! and is god less skilful than the limner ▪ the first we find at this work was ? madam jezebel ( not but that it had been an old practice ( very early ) among those daughters of men , gen. . . ) but she bears away the honour of the first publication of this unsufferable insolence , and is chronicled the great marrer of her makers work. she was a lady well fitted with an husband , to her humour , that as ahab , there was none so bad . and he a prince as equally suited with a wife , for then jezabel , there could none be worse . what a condition , reader , was the poor church in that reign , whose priests were shrunk all into one elijah , and whose people so scared into corners , that one prophet knew not where to find any , and was affraid , that himself surviv'd the onely faithful one to god in all israel , and his life sought after too , by the most narrow inquisition ? o praise god for the liberties thou enjoyest from the tyrannies of idolatry . and pray for the prince that shelters thee from them . ) for in those days all israel went whoring with jezebel , and painted their countenances ( with her ) into the hypocritical mummeries of baalisme , till that one prophet washed off the paint from their faces , with the very blood of her chaplains , and a little restored them to their right hew and complexion again . such an influence had a painting queen to sophisticate the very face and profession of the true religion , and dress it up all into black patches with her self . nay the very scantling of god , the poor that were a little more couragious then the whole cringing multitude , and who had no knees for baal , were fain to daub too , and made little appearance for god , they mufled their faith in the dark clouds of obscurity , and passed their visits to heaven with nicodemus by night ; while they bore a fair shew to jezebel all the day . what was this but painting too ? and though ahab was fleet enough to run himself out of breath into ruine . yet does his wife put a spur on his heele , and passes him , through the back door of nabths vineyard , a shorter cut into hell. while her self shortly after follows him thither , and gets her passage quickned as fast as ever the horses heels could do it , whose feet trampled out her miserable guts , and scorned any further execution , but left the carcase to the dogs . and it is observable , that those were somewhat squemish too , for her hands wherewith she used to daub on her paint , so dreadfully stunck on 't , that the very dogs loaths them and left them untouch'd — this is that jezebel . of whose wicked trade & practice of painting , the fathers have not been backward to inform us . its first parentage and rise , others besides st. cyprian have derived from the very devils in hell , apostate-angels ; docuerunt occulos circumducto nigrore fucare ; genas mendacio ruboris inficere , &c. the very devils ( saith he ) first taught the use of colouring the eye-brows , and clapping on a false and lying blush on the cheeks , so also to change the very natural colour of the hair , and to adulterate the true and naked complexion of the whole head and face , with those cursed impostures ; ( and again ) god hath said , come let us make man after our own image . and does any one dare to alter or correct what he hath made ? they do but lay violent hands upon god , while they strive to mend or reform what he hath so well finished already . do they not know that the natural is gods , but the artificial is the devils ? dost not thou tremble ; ( saith he in another place ) to consider , that at the resurrection thy maker will not acknowledge thee as his own creature ? he will then say , this creature is none of my framing . where is my image ? no , no , here is a new complexion clapped on the skin . she hath adulterated her very hair too , and ●er whole face ; the very figure of it is corrupted [ vultus alienus est ] it is quite another countenance . canst thou be so impudent to look on god with those eyes which are so different from those himself made , and are now so marred by the devil ? get thee hence , thou wast but a follower of the devil , thou hast the very red and glozing eies of the serpent in thine head ; as thou hast been thus corrupted by the devil , so now get there into hell-fire with him . thus that excellent father , st. jerome seconds him , quod facit in faciae christianae purpurissum cerussa , &c. what makes the white or red varnish , and paint in the face of a christian ? whereof one sets a false dye and lying tincture on her cheeks and lips , the other an hypocrital fairness on her neck and breasts , and all this onely to inflame young and wanton affections , to blow up the sparks of lust , and to shew what an whorish and impudent heart dwells within those daubed walls ? how can such an one weep for her sins , when the very tears would wash away the colours , and discover the cheat ? the very falling down of them would make long furrows on her face ? the painting the face is the deforming of gods image and workmanship , and is most damnable , saith another . but let those that are ugly and deformed , rather endeavour to fix a grace on their persons , by the lovely exercises of vertue , then think to repair themselves by the stinking collusions of paint : ( saith another ) if we are commanded to endeavour not our own onely , but neighbours salvation [ quomodo fucis licebit uti , qui sunt gladii , venena , & ignes juvenum aspectantium ] with what conscience can men use painting and false dye , which are as so many swords , poisons , and flames to burn up the beholders , saith peter martyr . the french have a good lituny , de trois choses dieu nous garde , &c. from beef without mustard , a servant which overvalues himself , and from a woman which painteth , good lord deliver us ▪ to what purpose are those garments so pompous , those stuffs so costly , those guizes so sought after , those colours so fantastick , so shameless , those curles so extravagant , those patches so abominable , unless it be to cut the throat of chastity , says another . lewis the eleventh , king of france in his melancholly humour , strongly fancied , that every thing stunk about him , all the odoriferous perfumes , or fragrant savours his officers could get for him , did by no means drive away the conceit , but still he smelt a filthy stink . and surely all the perfumes of arabia , ( the united sweets of the whole creation ) reader , were they gathered into bags , and hung under their armholes , will never take away the rankness and fulsomness of those unsavoury creatures , who stink alive , as they move about , infecting the very air , and bringing plagues upon us , nauseous fumes into the very nostrils of god , and his holy angels . i could collect an vniversity of writers that have all damn'd this impudent and graceless practice to the pit of hell , but i hasten from the scent of them . for i begin already to feel the power of lewis his imagination arising from my very pen , and am affraid i have mistaken the complexion-pot for my standish . but hold ! to what purpose is all this daubing and smearing the face , that is so pretty already ? what do the ladies mean by it ? what is their end ? why , to appear desirable , and to win the repute of a celebrated beauty . a glorious conquest ! ( yet not half so fine , as the aiery lady carnation that bears the name , which god himself has painted in the garden . ) but is this all the plot ? can those ruby cheeks be satisfied with the aiery ▪ bloomes of report , and reputation ? wind is but a poor repast for an hungry stomack , sure there is something more at the bottom . yes , to win a gallant ; very well , and what then ? will one content her ? will she leave daubing then ? no , then she daubs to keep him . but this is uncharitable , cannot an honest lady paint ? ask god himself , ezech. . . thou washest thy self , and paintest thine eye , and deckest thy self with ornaments , to what end ? and sitteth upon a bed ( in a readiness against the lover come in ) will she now commit whoredom , verse . that is , without doubt ▪ they went in unto her , verse . and there is the depth of the plot , and what a matter have you ferretted out ? true indeed ! no such matter of wonder now adays , if we consult my lord of hereford , who plainly tells us , they are so far from hiding the plot , that these painted jezebels enter into the very houses of the ( married ) gallants , where their poor wives are forced to lock themselves up , and cry to god against them with bitter tears . so while the whole congregation were mourning before the lord ( on a very humiliation day ) pouring out their brinish tears for the whoredoms they had committed with the cursed danghters of moab , even then comes an insolent prince of israel , zimri , with his painted whore in his hand , flanting it impudently , into the seat of her gallant , in the very sight of all the people , she not affected with the least shame , nor he with the least sence of the plague that ( in that very moment ) was raging iu the camp. which insolence was so insufferable , that god stirred up the spirit of phineas by a sudden inspiration to act execution upon them both , and under the very guilt to dispatch away their filthy souls unto judgment . and for these zimries and cozbe , great and imperious prostitntes , to be thus shameless in a time , when the plagues of god are multiplied so thick upon us , that we cannot tell , whether the next blow may not be the sealing up of our utter destruction , and the whole nation so sick as it seems near to an expiration , fetchi●g its sad and long broken and fainty breaths , at such a time , for these moabitish wenches sent in on very purpose to ruine us with their bewitching eyes and painted cheeks , and gallanting it so shamelesly in our streets , this i confess , england , looks like the kindly effects of the execrable councel of the sorcerer , who knows no other way to confound us , but by whores . vvhose black-patches , are but our blew ones , and the very tokens of death upon us ; toll the bell , sexton , and get the graves ready , for the doleful crie of the fatal carter , calling to us ; bring out your dead , bring out your dead , is sounding in our streets . vvhile these infectious pestilences , vvith the very spots of contagion upon them are suffered to rove up and dovvn ( as you knovv it is the very nature of the disease so enviously to breath out its killing blasts , upon every face it meets vvith ) and not an officer zealous enough to confine 'em to their lodgings ( for prevention of further mischief ) and to charge them to prepare for their graves . and methinks the mourning coach aud horses ( all in black ) and plying in their foreheads , stands ready harness'd to whirl them to acheron , though i pity poor charon for the darkness of the night ; since the moon on the cheek is all in ecclipse , and the poor stars on the temples are clouded in sables . and no comfort left him but the lozenges on the chin , which if he please he may pick off for his cold ; but will find as little comfort in them , as they that wore them , and lesser in the whole voyage , when opening their mouths , he shall find no silver there for his fare , and will discover them ( as we ) but patches still . but what ! am i playing with the pendants of their herse , and profanely sporting , while the miserably dead are hawling into hell ! let me bleed my heart out rather for them . while the very cosins of the proud daughters of jerusalem swim in the river of my saviours tears , because his sighs were too weak to blow off their spots . tertullian , in a prospect of these and other their infinite vaneties cryed out , ( turtul de habit mulier ) o mortuae & damnatae mulieris impedimenta quasi ad pompam funeris , constituta . what are all these but the baggage of a dead creature , and already damned prepared for the pomp of her funeral into torments . for how desperate must the condition of those be , who have wip'd away the graces of the regenerating laver that once beautified their faces with the vertues of that holy water which issued from the crucified saviours wounds , to baptise themselves with the unsavoury vnctions of the devils preferring and devoting their persons preserving them the more unalterably to his service . whose cursed interests they are so superstitiously bigotted to , that ( like the late plotters ) they receive the sacrament every day , and crucifie the church not by their apostacies onely , but heresy too . and because the holy offerings of god by special command were to be without spot their politick master , to ensure their reprobation , has bespotted them all over , and marked them up for his own workmanship ( as well knovving the priest of heaven at a distant discovery of those prohibited blemishes , would rather sacrifice those to the wrath of his god , that should dare present these leopards to the altar . vvho wearing on them the badges of hell , are yet so far from the shame of that horrid relation , that they are first secured from the grace of blessing , and so well seasoned to the sodomitical impudence , that while the show of their countenance does witness against them , they are proud to declare their sin and master . vvhat magical rods have charmed our unfortunate isle into the woful product of such speckled and spotted cattel , as these ? sure i am , they are not the natural issue of our fair and beautiful clymate . stow tells us in his chronicle , that from one spanish ewe brought over and placed among other sheep , there followed so strange a murrain that most of the flocks of england dyed . and is there no danger in these ring-streaks ? jude informs us what a plague the coming in of some black sheep ( that were all spots ) proved to the poor flock of christ that fed among them ; and are not these the very bane of religion professed by us , the very open enemies to the purity and peace of the gospel ? the immaculate lamb , who bled himself to death , to scour away filth with the drops of his heart , that he might make a present to himself of a glorious church , without wrinkle or spot , or any such thing , but holy and without blemish , and offered himself without spot unto god , to that end , and who does dotes on the beauty of her that is all fair , and has no spot in her , hath commanded us to be found without spot and blemish . and though these creatures fancy the scripture-spots to be of a deeper stain than theirs , yet even theirs are not the spots of gods children , but such as ( the fathers assure them ) were first invented by the devil , who hath stuck them faster to their hearts than their foreheads , ( in their love and delight in them ) that they will stab once more , even jesus himself , with the speer of this madness , and throw the very spittle , ( that sticks on these pa●ches ) into the face of god again , rather than be prevailed with , to cast them away , no , not for the sake of his blood : and if that powerful charm hath no efficacy to unseal their ( i fear judiciously ) obdurated hearts , ( yet they can melt into luxury fast enough ) what effect can i look for from my weak and contemptible ink ? let them know though , ( even all ) w●ose painted and spotted faces bear an eye ( yet ) able to light them to the reading of this very paragraph , that one of their sex , ( whose repentance i fear , they will not imitate , whose felicity therefore they can never hope to attain to ) will certainly , confront them in the day of the great judgment ( whose exemplary penitence cannot operate them to the same bleeding remorse , ( no not the shadow of it , that so passionately afflicted her gracious soul ) the great lady paula , who under the lighter guilt of a rare and infrequent practice of these fooleries in the days of her ignorance , with floods of bitter tears and heart breaking sobs and groans , so continually bewayled her sin to her maker , that st. jerome her confessor , who himself tells us the story [ a nobis admonitur , ut panceret oculis ] in a tender compassion to her very eyes , was forced to use arguments to begg her to spare them . no , no , ( saith she ) that face that so often hath been painted contrary to the command of god , does justly deserve to be all befould with tears . that body must be chastened a while on which i have spent so much time in in tricking it up . i have been merry long enough , 't is high time to betake me to weeping : now my fine linnen , and silks and ornaments , are very fit to be changed into haircloth . i that have made it my business to please my husband , and follow the fashions of the world , now should endeavour e● approve my self to my saviour . and never while the works of the holy saint ambrose survive in the world , will the account of the unparalel'd vertue of the famous spurina , be lost in oblivion , who in her gentile and pagan estate , was so great an admirer of purity , that being a virgin of incomparable beauty , and blessed with all the advantages of a desirable face , was therefore sought for and courted by many wanton lovers , and woed to make a sacrifice of all her glories to the lusts of her admirers ; did therefore to allay and extinguish those unlawful fires , all hackle and cut her excellent cheeks , making wounds and scars in them on purpose to be free from the solicitations of those who were even distracted for her . and i will insert the application of the story , which cannot be mended by a better pen , then his that wrote it — o thou christian woman , who dost paint thy self with an ill intention , seeking to gain that by imposture , which thou canst not attain by truth , and not satisfying thy self with adulterating thy beauty , sparest not to discover among company , a scandalous nakedness , to shew in thy breast the impudence of thy fore-head . consider a little what thou wilt answer to this paynim with all thy curiosity , when her blood , her wounds , her scars , her beauty disfigured , which served as a sacrifice to her chastity , shall accuse thee before the inevitable tribunal . saint jerome in his directions to laeta for the right ordering and vertuous education of young women , hath these very words , ( not unworthy to be taken notice of by all christian parents , on whom , the like charge and care is incumbent ) accustome her not ( saith he ) to wear pendants in her ears , nor to paint , nor to load her neck and head with pearles ; neither let her change the colour of her hair , nor curle or crisp it up with irons , least it prove a prediction of infernal flames . beware she go not forth with dinah to see the fashions of the maids of the countrey . let her not be a dancer , nor gawdy in apparel . let her read good books , and never go abroad without the knowledge of her mother . let not a young pretender whisper things into her ears , but cause them to speak aloud , that the rest may hear . the advices of this father are so perfectly out of fashion , & immodish in these days of ours , that it s become even ridiculous and impudency to press them ; and my design of inserting them , is rather for lamentation of the ruins of the primitive piety , then from any great hopes of a careful imitation , or practice of them . while the shameless immodesty of too many of our ladies , makes me more to venerate the memory of the lady margaret , sole daughter and heiress of the great duke of burgundy , who by a fall from her horse having broken her thigh , chose rather to dye then to expose her self to the inspection of the chirurgeons ; yet what that lady did from an innate principle of bashfulness , and perfect respect to the honour of feminine modesty , the same are ours acting too from another of desperate obstinacy ; for though they have long since fallen from all the ideas of vertue and goodness , ( yea from the very pretences to it ) and by that slip have crack'd their honours , wounded their reputations , dislocated their peace , disjoynted their consciences , and endangered their salvations , yet are they so far from thoughts of setting again their broken bones , searching into the bottom of their wounds , applying lenitives to asswage the tumours of their bruised consciences , or corrasives to eat out the dead flesh that is about them , that they desperately take up resolutions of dying too ; even these will be modest forsooth , and keep their gangrenes to themselves , bravely bear the burning of their festring sores , running up and down bleeding inwardly , even to death ; but so they can set a good face on the matter plaister over the orifice of the wound , and daub it with the mortar of a gawdy swathe , and a few fine clouts ; this answers all their projects : their ambition is no higher than the hypocrisy of those who flaunted up and down with a painted profession of a superficial goodness , and appeared like sepulchres , which when open'd yield ( of all other ) the most nauseous stench . and for painted ladies to yield nothing else but mummye and bones , is very melancholy to consider . but this is not all , for amongst some of them , the fury of the distemper hath seized on the very brain , and utterly deprived them of their sences . you may hear them raging as madly as ever did frantick in bedlam , and grown into a perfect insensibleness of any pain or distraction upon them , as god knoweth they feel no more ach , and fear no more danger , than those that have reached the impeceable estate : nay will swear they be the best saints in world , and have done nothing but what they dare answer to their maker ; they rail against others more modest than themselves , and fanatacize the whole church , that in pity and kindness to their lanugishing souls do but offer the benefit of the holy offices to them , and would apply the most probable remedies , whose vertue might prevail to restore them to their wits . the good david once was put to it to counterfeit a madness for the saving of his life ; but these , a cruel one for the damning their souls . therefore as achish said , lo you see the man is mad ; so methinks i hear god say , shall these mad people come into my house ? and what have i to do with them any longer ? of perukes and hair. what a bussle have we had about plots of late , and cries against popery coming in ? when any that had but half an eye might have seen pope joan in the chair , and sitting as head of the church at least twenty full years already . don't you perceive many thousands that have rounded themselves into priest hood , and wearing the mark of the beast very confidently in their foreheads ? nay the devout ladies so obsequious as to travel up and down with her bulls . but the poorer women ( in a flame for her government ) by whole swarms do thwack up the nunneries , and have offered up their hair very humbly to the abbess ( according to order ) in full resolution to take up the veyle . so the streets are full of the monks with their hoods on . and the fryars every where peep out of their coules . not a young fellow that takes pet against his noddle for catching the least cough or cold , but strait in revenge , off goes his locks , and himself is shaved into orders . leaving the kingdom as naked of good subjects to their prince , as poor spain , ( whose souldiers the pope has garison'd up in his monasteries ) that should occasion come for an army to be raised , a third part must consist of holy fathers . the rents of her holiness far exceeds all that ever her predecessors received from this kingdom , and upon strict account taken of her yearly revenues , ( as heretofore ) will be found i fear to vie weight with the kings . her collecters pass boldly up and down through every corner of the land to gather up the materials of her worship , and have authority to break open all the dove-houses and meal-tubs to dig for salt-peter to make powder with ; which is an absolute right to her honour derived from the very first founder of the papacy . nay the poor countrey girls cannot keep their coifes on , for these officers that have commission to dig into the very mould of their souls after oare of all colours , whether or , or argent , or azure , it all serves to make shrines to the glory of the goddess , and t is much the goats escape the inquisition ; and the poor shocks will i fear be brought in for their peter-pence towards the maintenance of the frizzes : thus with the egyptians we are building goodly temples to the honour of a deity . but when the votaries come to pay their devotions there , they find nothing else but the stately pusse in her majesty , who because she changed her coat so often , has at least a thousand taylors and their journey-men , very hard stitching up the pontificals of her dress , which hang up for publick view and sale , ( as diana's shrines ) for very strangers to buy up , and bear away as the medals of her glory into every countrey of the world , whose traders are grown to so prodigious an height , that one of them passing off the stage ( in the pride of his business ) left yet behind him an inventory of some thousands , which far surmounts the hopes of ten poor heretical priests , to attain to , in all the long series of their sweat . so deliciously do these idolaters fare at jezebels table , when the poor prophets of heaven are put to it , to bite a piece of brown cake at a widows . and to speak plainly , forty or threescore pound a year for perriwiggs , and ten to a poor chaplin to say grace to him that adores hair , is sufficient demonstration of the weakness of the brains they keep warm . and let me take the boldness to manifest a few of the ill consequences of this idolatry . first with the womans hair we have put on her art ( not of cookery and the kitchin only , and become hen-housewifes as my lord hereford tells us , but ) of the chamber and the dressing room . tricking up our selves into as delicate starch'd-up a posture as she . some of us have gotten the boddice on , to make us look slender and pretty ; and the epicene sleeves do very well fit both the hee and the she , the sleeve strings are tyed with the same curiosity and the val de chambre that cannot knit the knot allamode , is kick'd away as a bungler in his trade and profession . the ladies point , drawn together serves well for a crevat , with a grace while the poor collars ( to make way for a naked neck too ) that was used when we were boys , to chuckle us under the chinn , and bid us look up to heaven , like severus his tutor , is put to death , for breeding us up too civil . the ribbon at the hilt of our sword , is security against his being drawn , while we fix it there , ( as cupids knights ) with no other design but to help to wound the hearts of the ladies . . and who sees not the happy victory , that we have gotten their very-hearts in our bosoms ; as close as their hair on our heads : not their effeminacy only , but weakness too , and have perfectly shav'd away all our virility and prowess ( which formerly made earthquakes in the world , and the now-formidable france hath trembled at ) our swords lye dangling on our thighs , with the same luxury , as as our wiggs ( of the same length , ) sport themselves on our breasts . and if we pass on at this rate , we may wear the babylonian character , jer. . . the mighty men have forborn to fight , their might hath failed , they became as women . what , car'd the great alexander for six hundred thousand such persian women , who with another army of singers , dancers , perfumers , cooks , butlers and tart-bakers , came to oppose him ? will those eyes dart fire in the face of an enemy , that are dazl'd in the glitters of the theater ? will men hope to prevail while they push with the brissles of a woman instead of a pike ? well may those lances shiver into their own eyes , and muffle up their sight , but never will they pierce terrour or wounds into the heart of an adversary . had the black prince and the brave talbot gone thus accountred into france , the flower-de-luces had never perfumed the royal arms of england . philip de cominis tells us , that after the skirmish which charls the eighth of france had with the venetian forces at fornove , the ground was all strawed with the gilded bourdenasses of the vanquished , which the french picked up in abundance ; but what sport would it make after a battel here to carry away an army of periwiggs ? if his majesty was once justly incens'd against that vvigg that whiffled into the eyes of a schollar , and disturbed his preaching , how much more would he be , and with what zeal would he rattle off the idler humour from the shoulders of his souldiers , which would hinder them from fighting , since the glory of his nation depends on their valour ? . and thirdly with the womans hair , ( we may leave out the r. and find ) we have gotten her heat , and god who hath given us over to shave away our own , to put on her glory , hath justly hardened us to glory in the spoiles of the whole body , as in those of her head , while she with reason and vaunt enough triumphs in the ruines of our strength . is it a wonder to find our selves bald and weak , while we are slumbering in the lap of dalilah ? alass when her curles are twisted about our very heart , and twind themselves there to insnare us , can we marvel if our locks are sheer'd off in our sleep , to make way for the hanging of hers , when our folly puts the scissars in her hand , and we cannot wear hers and our own . and i wish , that treachery may abate our heat , when the mercinary hands are still at work , that receive the price of our bloods , to strip off our honour and strength , and send us poor slaves to the mill. since we have found the women so kind to sell us the hair from their heads , we have encroached on the freeness of their natures , and think they may as well , make a prize of all the rest . and god knows the age hath not found them overshie of trading . history tells us , that in the time of septimus severus his time at rome , there were threethousand indicted of adultery , but were all impeach'd that are guilty here , the clerk of the sessions need not care to change place with the judge . . and 't is no less observable , that since we have worn these coronets on our heads , we have forgotten our obedience to our prince , and thought our selves his very peers . you cannot imagine what fancies it creates in our nodles by its heat . at grand cairo they hatch all their chickens in ovens ; on purpose heat to the degree of production ; but who sees not since our brains have been fired by these furzes what serpents the cockatrices eggs have produced . while our gallants flant along not a step without the graceful attendants of the tall yeoman with their halberts , guarding each side of their shoulders . what can they think themselves less then kings ? the grand seigniour with all his golden peichi's gliding mutely along by his side , can never ravish himself in the lofty conceipts of his glory to that degree , that an empty skull'd squire does now in the dancing of his aubrey tresses about , while he looks out here & there to feast his eyes on the fancied subjects that admire him . mahomets pigeon inspir'd a rebellion which hath envasselled two parts of the world under it : and what know we , what malignant influence the dangerous whispers of these whiffling flatterers into the addle brains of so many hot-spurs , may have upon our peace ? can you distinguish a barber from a justice of peace , who stalkes with a port as stately as he ? and talks as politickly too , as if he had spruc'd himself into the counc●l . it is certain till law oblige us to wear our own wool on our backs , and our own hair on our own heads , we shall never coole into that sence of our due distance from the grandeurs of majesty as we ought . no sooner had israel trim'd themselves up into gallantry and long locks , but they shook off their obedience to heaven it self ; we are lords — we will come no more unto thee , jer. . , . nor is absaloms story any news to us . and who considers the vast contributions that are collected for this usurper through the kingdom ! when princes and nobles have dispatched away their groans over the alpes , to implore a cessation of those loads that have almost crippl'd them from rome , we can suffer these to lie constantly on our shoulders without the least sence of their burden . though christ paid peters tax for him by a miracle , from the mouth of a fish , yet would it be a greater , ( should his successor come to gather here again ) if he abate a farthing for the charges we are at for our poles . our ancestors were wiser than we , who kept this tax in their pockets , which helpt to maintain their tables , and would hardly have eaten a crumm , had they found but an hair in their dish , while we are curling and powdring up ten thousand , that fly into our mouths all dinner , and cannot make a meal in peace for ' um . to better purpose would this hair be employed , should we be put to the shifts that once the poor citizens of bizantium were , when under the extremities of a three years seige by the romans , and almost ready to perish , having occasion to patch up a fleet , under the want of cordage , were fain to make use of the womens hair ; which they poor wretches very cheerfuly cut off , and gave them to inch out their tackle , and though the whole navy miscarried by a storm , yet was not their zeal the less laudable , who did it for the saving of the city or themselves , when ours do it for no good at all . 't is some comfort yet , ( though our city esquires continues their heathenish length , which god hath so damn'd in his word ) that our wiser gentry of the countrey , have of late religiously submitted to circumcision . and though they have done it with sechem in politick design of fair game , yet would they hunt the brave doe still the better , would they quite lay down her artificial nets , to try how nature would weave one . and they need not fear absaloms fate , so long as they hunt not a father . 't was the short cut of that poor princes obedience , that made his very hair turn rebel , and hung him up under an oak , to receive the reward of his king-hunting . but though absalom was graced with a natural perriwigg , that was both his pride and his plague , yet a good head of hair is so vulgar a blessing , that we find it as common to the beggar as the prince , and he that dares not for his ears boast the glory of his blood , may yet compare with the best in the finess of his locks . the truth is , if the house be well furnished within , in every room as it ought , the brain will find wit enough to excuse the unhappy want of a bush without , which seldom prove so fatal to any , as poor aeschilus , whose bald pate , when mistaken by an eagle for a stone , she let fall a crab upon the poor poet and killed him , who had ingeniously written the tragedies of others , but foresaw not that of his skull ; this age would have taught him to have prevented that strange accident by covering it over with moss . and though elisha underwent the reproach of his want of hair , from the children that more wanted grace , yet had he shaggie creatures enough at his call , to punish their insolence with death . 't is strange what plinie records of the romans , that they never knew the use of barber till four hundred fifty four years after the building of their city , when in the time of scipio affricanus , they were first brought in out of sicily . antea intonsi fuerunt . before that it seems they hackled off their locks with their kniyes . but however rough and uncomb'd they were then , sure i am they grew curious and spruce enough afterwards ; for plutarch tells us of the two boundless heroes that admitted no superiour nor equal ; the great pompey was so nice and effeminate , in the formality of his hair and sleek locks , that he was noted , for scratching his head with one finger , & once suffered a publick scoff from the impudent claudus for it , in the midst of the rout of plebeians who joyned with him , to second that reproach . and suetonius witnesseth of the other , that he was so over curious of his head and beard , vt non solum conderetur diligenter , ac raderetur , sed velleretur etiam ; he would not onely be shaven very precisely , but his extravagant hairs even pluck'd . but what shall we think of his successor augustus , who when he felt the assaults of death , invading him , called for his looking-glass , and commanded his hair and beard to be combed [ et malas labentes corrigi ] his rivell'd cheeks to be smoothed up , then asking his friends , if he had acted his part well upon the stage of the world , who told him he had ; well saith he , vos omnes plaudite . sure he went off very trimly . homers lofty quill very often sticks in the long hair of the grecians , whom he almost everywhere epithites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor are our neighbours of france ( from whom i suppose we have derived it ) without the known note of distinction for this vanity [ cometa gallia ] and are fam'd to be the bushy lock'd french. but what the modesty of england hath been in former ages ( however vain enough in other fooleries , yet ) sure the galleries and dining-rooms of our nobility and gentry of the kingdom will abundantly testify from the brave images of their ancestors , whose open ears never valued the coldness of the winds , but which would glow to have heard the monstrousness of their childrens ell-wiggs . to look no further back than k. henries days , ( vvho had face enough for tvvo kings , and wives enough for three , and yet hair little enough too ) vve may easily collect vvhat vvas the general cut , from an act of the lord cromwell , vvho meeting a fellovv in cheap-side vvith his locks somevvhat too long , commanded him avvay to the barbers forthvvith for the execution of his scissars . who also threatned to lay him by the heels , and humble his feet , vvho prided himself so much in his head. and wise king james vvho knevv vvell enough vvhat belonged to his health , had an open ear to the brave cry of his hounds , as vvell as the complaints of his people , & refrained not one hunting-match vvhich gave him hopes of sport , out of dread that he should pay dearly for it the next day by a cold. the noble prince henry ( vvho had he lived , had played the barber ) as sometime commodus the emperour vvas vvont ) & not have shaven the crovvn of popery onely , but even have cut off the very ears and noses of the priests from ever having hopes of smelling out the old monasteries again ; ( and surely chelsey colledge vvas pretended to be the shop for that execution ) this brave prince , follovved his great father , and gave his ears to his councel and cut together . and 't is impossible but the great influence of so illustrious presidents should prevail vvith the vvhole people to follovv the royal example of so great a king , and so good a prince , in that age. and doubtless the same had continued till this day , had not a violation happened to that excellent custom , if i mistake not , from this occasion . the puritans in the reign of the royal martyr , to distinguish themselves from their neighbours , took on them an extraordinary short cut , and their neighbours in opposition to them espoused a long one , because they would not be reputed round-heads ; and in nothing outwardly were the two parties so much differenc'd as in their hair , and happy had it been that the quarrel had ended in the barbers scissars , which we all know brake out afterwards into the long sword , and instead of plucking each other by the ears a little , they fell to stabbing one another in the guts . so that the mischiefs which the barber might have prevented at first , had he kept an even hand on both parties , and sheered them both to an equal cut , all the wit of man could not prevent from running into commodus his bloody shaving , and cutting off ears and noses together with their hair. but as once vespasian upon the apparition of a blazing-star which was thought to portend his death , would needs clap the signification of it on the persian king , for he ( saith he ) hath bushy locks , but i am bald , jeering both him and himself together , though afterwards it fell on himself . so i pray god both parties may take warning by what is past , and take heed of mocking each other , least falling out about even goats-hair , and the smallest matters at first , we break not forth into flames which are not so easily quenched . i cannot pass away from this discourse of hair , without minding the ladies of the best use that ever was made of hair in the world , and that by her too , who had made the worst use of it ; the never to be forgotten magdalen , whose golden locks had been the fetters that had imprisoned so many hearts to her unlawful love , are afterwards weaved into a towel to wipe her saviours feet , whom she had first bedewed with her tears ; not that they had need of cleansing by any tears that she poor creature could shed , but that both water and towel might receive a cleaness from them . and mary by that act did but weep her self into purity — let the ladies that have curled and powdred their tresses into nets to catch poor lovers in , learn ( with her ) to unloosen them again unto the same service , by washing the feet of his indigent members on earth , and wiping away their sorrows by the gentle stroakings of their charity . and for others of them that build towers of arrogance and pride against god , where rather a valley of humility and meekness should be flatted , i wish they would remember , how the great nimrod was bafled in the same design , whom god smote into so perfect an astonishment and confusion that he had not one intelligible word to say in excuse for his folly. and i fear these will be speechless too , when the king of heaven shall come to take a view of the dress of his guests ; and let them not forget the brains of those that were dashed out , upon whom the tower of siloam 〈◊〉 securing their weak heads from such hazards by the politick course that the holy david took , in making god himself his high tower , and not raising others against him . should he send out his angels ( as once he did , and yet every day continues to do ) to mark those in the forehead for safety , that sigh for their own and others sins in the city , the very frizzes would hinder the good angel from setting on gods , when he shall find already the mark of the beast upon them , set on by themselves ; the poor creatures , while they little think on 't , sealing their foreheads to destruction . but i have been too long about the ladies head and necks , and had not i learned this tediousness from themselves , should have dispatched them long ago . dum comantur dum maliuntur annus est . of apparel . there are two things i shall shortly dispatch about habit and apparel . . the veneration and respect that other countries have for their national dress . . the reasons of it , arising especially from some apprehensions of fatality accruing to such as too lightly have assumed the fashions of others . . how england hath been too justly taxed in all ages of this levity . to the first i need say but very little , it being generally known how most nations in christendom ( the french onely excepted ) have been and still are devout and superstitious adorers of their countrey habit. so tender are they of their reputations , that they will not suffer under the aspersion of being accounted giddy and unconstant by their neighbour nations . the very turks as well as the spaniards , giving us an example of an unalterable devotion herein . and very remarkable is an old decree of the russians to this purpose , that [ tam in cultu numinis , quam in apparatu corporis , moribus legibusque uti presentibus , etiamsi deteriores sint ] they were resolved as well in the matter of their religion , as in the manner of their dress and apparel , to stick to the laws and customs then in force , yea notwithstanding perhaps there might be found some defects in both . so loath were they it seems to introduce any new fashion or invention that men of mutable and new-fangled spirits should present unto them yet by the favour of this russian edict , it cannot be denyed , that after-ages have found out those absurdities both in that religion and dress of antiquity , as have well enough justified their modest endeavours in the regulations of both . till popery give us a better testimony of its suitableness and proportion with the grand pattern received from the mount , then of late it hath , we cannot so easily be brought to repent of our departure from the strange and ridiculous extravagancies of it . and it were enough should i hang out to view one of the suits that was generally worn heretofore in england , where you had a dublet all jagg'd and prickt , the wastband coming down but a little below the armholes , guarded with eight long skirts ; to this dublet was clasped a pair of breeches close made to the body , and whose length must make up the defect of the shortness of the dublet , the large and ample cod piss supplied the want of pocke●s , which came up with two wings fastned to either side with two points , which unknit made way to the linnen bags , tyed to the inside between the shirt and codpiss , these bags held every thing they carried about them , except the gloves , which ever hung very reverently at the girdle . where hung a pouch made fast with a ring or lock of iron , weighing at least two or three pound , whether there was any money in it or no. the like i could give of the womens gowns , and shew the madness of the fardingale , and other whimsies — but the galleries and parlours of most old families are set out with such disguising postures , as better will evidence them to the view of the reader , then i care my pen should do at this time . what different cuts have we our selves known from this discribed ? what huge breeches , like petticoats ? what slash'd dublets ? what guarded breeches with such huge sets of points round the knees , that were invented to hide the french-pox , by forceing men to straddle above a yard wide . these and many others are in fresh memory ; but putting them all aside , how more exceedingly decent and graceful is the present cut of our gentlemen , answering all the parts and members of the body to a more civil and proportionable end . always however be excepted the incomparable tunick and vest , so very comely in it self , so very advantageous to the drapers of the kingdom , perhaps the most grave and manlike dress that ever england saw , which had the unhappiness to be brought in too late , and the hard fate to be sent out again too soon . and would have answered all the expectations of publick commodity pretended by the woolen act , so that had our gentlemen pleas'd to have danc'd in them any longer , the farmers would very cheerfully have paid the fidlers . but we can never hold when it is well , such an influence hath the french pipe to make us ca●per after them , in all their follies , to our own dishonour and ruine . i mind therefore in the next place to represent to the reader the dangers of so great a levity . neither is scripture silent in its menaces against so prodigious a folly : we know who hath threatned such as cloath themselves in strange apparel . but because examples are more prevalent to work upon us , i have endeavoured to look into history , which hath furnished me with three or four not unworthy of the readers most serious perusal and application . don sebastian , then king of portugal , what time this humour infected his subjects of attiring themselves after the castillian fashion , all the noble persons and gentlemen practising nothing more than to speak the castilian language ( which it seems is very elegant and expressive ) with the same ambition as we do the french , between whom and them there was no very natural kindness neither , but a very bitter antipathy , hating the persons whose language they lov'd . it pleas'd god that sebastian dying without issue , and the crown lying at stake as the golden ball for every pretender to venture at , who but king philip of castile , run fairest for it , and with an easy stretch got it set on his head , to the general sorrow , but little redress of the discontented subjects . to whom afterwards he proved no very favourable prince . in the year of christ four hundred and twenty , the grecians whose habitations bordered upon the turks , took fancy to cloath themselves after the turkish manner ; they which before were wont to wear long beards , which so very well became them ( quoth my author ) cut off all , and left the mustachioes onely , and practic'd to follow them in all their actions , till anon comes an army of mustachioes and subdued them to a perfect slavery to this day . although we know their ruine was both prophesied and certainly determined as the dreadful punishment for crucifying the lord of life ; yet i find too , that the jews ( for about thirty years before the final destruction of their city and temple by titus vespasian ) had gotten a custom to impose no other names upon their children but such as were roman , nor would wear any garments but after the roman guise ; their very arms for war , and souldiers cassocks , were in all respect like theirs , striving to imitate their fashion and garb very intirely , whom so suddenly after they so dearly suffered under . caesar in his commentaries hath an observation to this very purpose , that divisions and animosities rising up among the gaules , they began to hate each other to that degree , that one party among them separated from the other , by the visible distinction of their dress , betaking themselves , some to the roman fashion , some to the almaine , and left the use of their own short habits and close breeches . which was but as it were , a prediction of the calamity that soon after fell upon them from the arms of those romans whom they had so apishly followed . but remarkable is the story of the great darius , whom several authors affirm to us , to have changed the very fashion of his sword from the ancient persian into the macedenian fashion , but the very year before alexander invaded and ruined him ; which his diviners interpreted truly , into what afterwards came to pass , that those should come to be lords of persia , into whose fashion darius had altered his sword. what application shall i make of all these stories to poor england ? if not onely our mens swords , and cassocks , and perriwiggs , and boots , and breeches ; but our very ladies mantoes , petticoats , points , shoes , hoods and laces , be not of the french fashion onely , but the very productions of the countrey ; if no proper handsome young men can be picked from the sons of our yeomen and inferiour gentry , to make val de chambres to our gallants ; if no hand but a french one can serve to trim and shave our beards ? no cut but a french taylors to shape our cloaths ; no languge but the french to serve our tongues ; no religion but the french to content our souls ; i pray you what will be the end hereof ? there is a disease among us called of that name too , i pray god it be not too epidemical ; if it be not gotten into our bodies , sure i am 't is gotten into our heads , while we set our selve to study and contrive nothing more than to please our fancies with the levities of the french. and how little did he merit the happiness of our good cloth and beef , of our good laws and religion , of our native immunities and happy liberties , who declared he had rather be serv'd by a french dog than by an english-man . what care and prudence hath been used formerly by other nations for the prevention of publick detriment from the extravagancies , and vain excess of apparel , i have already instanc'd from the athenians and others , from the city of venice &c. to which i will onely here adjoyn a memoire ▪ of the law sumptuaria which numa pompilius established , and which prov'd so exceedingly advantageous to the prosperity of the then roman state , vt in exequiis epulisque , &c. it was provided by that law , that all their profuse expence in funerals , and all excessive use of fine cloths at their publick meeting and shows should be utterly laid aside ; by due obedience and execution of which they quickly came to find the present commodity and benefit by extirpating those two voracious gulphes that swallow up the prosperity of any kingdom that is in the world , delicacy of fare and sumptuousness of attire . and to shew you what inconveniences this especially of sumptuousness of apparel , hath at all times brought to poor england , i shall go back to queen elizabeths days , and give you a remarkable survey of it , drawn by a gentleman of good quality and understanding . representing it to king james in his book dedicated to him , ( savouring of the language of that age ) wherein he thus passionately deplored it to the king. our english-men more then any nation of the world hath been shamefully branded among forreigners for their disguised fashions , and sumptuous habiliments beyond the bounds of prudence , moderation and hability . some women after a preposterous fashion attired like men in dublets , and some men like women in petticoats , this excess hath so exceedingly dispersed it self in our nation , that by their exteriour new-fangled robes the wisest of our adversaries in forreign parts have past their judgments of our giddy minds , and unconstant behaviours , inwardly saying , that in wearing dutch hats , with french feathers , french dublets , with collers after the custom of spain , turkish coats , spanish hose , italian cloaks , and valentian rapers , with such like ; we had likewise stollen the vices and excesses of those countries which we did imitate natural . besides what a shame was it for us to be noted for this exorbitant excess , that base tailors , and others which work as hirelings , aspiring to that abominable and indecent singularity , should equal themselves in the cost and fashion of their attire with some of the greatest barons of this land. a fault not to be imputed to the laws , ( for those are precise and strict in such comely considerations , but in the dissolute and intemperate affections of people , which instead of a little liberty , make a licence at large , tyrannizing upon the princes gentle disposition and lenity . hence it was that the nobility to distinguish themselves by this outward aport of their degrees and riches from the rascal rabble and base ruffians , were driven to most extream charge , that they might make a difference of themselves from them , equivolent in proportion . which course if the queen her self had kept , answerable to her state above some ladies and others in the like analogy , she might with ease have consumed an unspeakable mass of treasure ( yet reader , 't is known that queen elizabeth did not spare for cost in her clothes ) by this means the estates and substance of taylors , craftsmen , and other mechanicks , was daily more encreased , and the fortunes of our gentry utterly exhausted . vvhich leprosy did in a little so spread it self in this nation , that divers livings of very ancient demesne and inheritance , which had continued in succession from many grand fathers of one race did hang up in taylors shops , and were piled up in the merchants coffers . this emulation of excess having further prevailed , grew to such outrage , that when proper maintenance fayled in some to support such riot , they violently or secretly took from others , turning open robbers , or secret pilpherers to supply the same . vvhich hath been the demolition and confusion of many noble families , and persons , lately great in worldly reputation , and others in private want , purchased by their own intollerable profuseness , have perished in their pestilent practises , tending to the common ruine , for satisfaction of their unsatiable appetites . this being the testimony of a gentleman , no otherwise concern'd it seems then from the inconveniences arising to the commonwealth , by this profuseness , and lamenting the ill consequences of it on that account , without any respect to the sinfullness of it , as a provocation bringing judgment upon a people where it should thus exceed . i shall therefore to him add a divine living in that very age , that you shall hear breaking out into this complaint . is there any nation this day upon the face of the earth comparable to us in this abominable sin of pride ? ( mr. teins leprosy of pride . ) our excess in apparrel , will say no , wherein both men and women of all estates , and degrees from the highest to the lowest , from the courtier to the carter do monstrously offend . servants are in their apparel more costly then their masters and dames , yeomen and yeomens sons are herein equal to gentlemen of good worship , poor and mean gentlemen compare with lords , lords with kings , and ladies with queens . what will become hereof at the last ? what is now become of that moderation in apparrel that formerly hath been in this land ? when every ▪ one went habited according to their orders and degrees , whereas now gold , silver , velvet , sattin , fine cambrick , and such other costly things are worn by very mean persons , against the laws of god and man , against all common-wealth , and contrary to all good examples of our fore-fathers ; which things rather belong to kings and princes , and to peers of the land , then to mean subjects . as men and women exceed in the substance of apparrel , so also in the form they daily shew forth their abominable pride in their inconstancy ; for no colour , form , nor fashion long contenteth them , one while we imitate the spaniard , another while the french , one while the italian , another while the dutch. every nation is a several pattern for us . — let these proud peacocks but remember to what end apparel was appointed by god at the first , verily for a covering to hide our shame . diogenes seeing a proud young fellow struting and priding himself in his fine clothes , sir , saith he , remember that the sheep hath had your coat on his back before you . what vanity is it for us to be so curious in our apparel , to take such pride herein as we do , we rob and spoil all creatures almost of the world to cover our backs and to adorn our bodies withal ; from some we take their wool , from many their skins , from diverse their furrs , from sundry their very excrements , as the silk which is nothing else , but the very excrement of the worm ; not content with this , we come to fishes , and do beg from them their pearles to hang about us , we go down into the ground for gold and silver , and turn up the very sands for precious stones . and having borrowed all this of other creatures , we jett up and down , provoking men to look upon us , as if all this were now our own , when the stone shineth upon our finger , we fancy our selves to shine with it , when the silver and silks do glister on our very backs , we look big , as if all that beauty came from us . it is reported of athanasius , that when he saw a woman apparrelling her self in proud attire with gorgeous array , he fell a weeping , and being demanded why , because , said he , all this preparation is for her own destruction . but our nice and mincing dames in england whose whole life is spent for the most part , in study and care to deck , paint , and beautify themselves , will hardly be perswaded by that holy athanasius , that they bestow all this cost upon themselves to their own destruction . because these seem to be more private and obscure , i will yet add another , which you must look on as a singular witness for god against the pride and vanity of that age. the most famous edwin sands , who dyed archbishop of york , and who was so faithful to the interest of religion , as mr. fox tells you . i do not condemn all apparrel that is rich and stately , yea such as is costly and gorgeous may be fit for some personages and states , i do not doubt ●ut hester and judeth did wear gold , and were gorgeously deckt , but if paul and peter did live in our days , they would not spare the vanity of our women , much less of our men . the vain and monstrous apparrel of all other countries and nations , england hath scraped together , and in a bravery put it on , the estimation whereof is little , a light wavering mind matched with a vain proud heart , desireth a light , vain , strange , proud , and monstrous apparrel to cover and clad it , but sobriety is content with that which is seemly ▪ and in his sermon before the parliament , recommending this one evil to their prudent considerations as fit to be redress'd , being so dangerous and very grievous — as our principal care must be for the higher matters , sincerity and vnity in religion , so may we not pass over other matters , which need redress gorgeous apparel ; and sumptuous diet may seem small things , but they are the causes of no small evil . they eat up england , and are therefore to be repressed by strait laws — and elsewhere in a sermon before the queen , he expresseth himself pathetically , and it is worth your noting . ezechiel teacheth that the sins of sodom ( that sink of sin ) were idleness , fullness of bread , pride and unmercifulness to the poor . are not these the sins of this land , of this city , of this court , at this day ? half england liveth idly or worse occupied , we be fed to the full , and who is not puffed up with pride ? and who relieveth his neighbours wants ? no man is contented with his own estate , but every one striveth to climb higher and to sit aloft , there is want of the true fear of god in all sorts and estates and ages , yet we please our selves and walk on , as if god either saw not our sin , or else would not punish it ! surely our sins will not suffer his plagues to stay long from us . what plagues , i dare not presume to prophesie , for god hath kept that secret to himself . but i stand in fear that we are the men to whom christ saith , the kingdom of god shall be taken from you . that we are they whose sins will bring the scepter of this kingdom into the hands of an hypocrite , [ know reader , that this was when the papists expected so highly the return of their religion at the death of queen elizabeth . and that made the heart of this good man so bleed in that consideration ; he goeth on ] if god in his justice do this , ●o worth us most wretched men ! the loss of the gospel is the loss of our souls , and the loss of our soveraign , the loss of our lives . truly when i fall into consideration of the wickedness of this world , that all sorts of men fall to sinning with greediness , that in all conditions iniquity doth abound and charity wax cold , that the zeal of god is utterly dried up in the hearts of men , that god is served for fashion sake , and not in truth , what should i think but that god hath gathered his lap full of plagues , and is ready to pour them down upon us ? and thus you see how god hath stirred up his faithful prophets to drop down their testimony against this poor sinful land for the pride and prophaness thereof in that age. let us come down to king james his time , and see whether the matter be any whit amended , and one might justly expect it , because they lay under the obligations of a new mercy , in disappointing the expectations of the enemies of the gospel , by the coming in of a protestant prince , who so zealously by his learned pen contended for the truth . but we shall find this vanity still triumphing in its full vaunt and glory ; and i shall not disparage so holy a witness as bishop sands , by subjoyning a mean or unworthy person to him , but will call forth the sweet spirited and excellent bishop hall to give us his evidence against the pride of that age wherein he lived , and besides others ( which i omit ) i will shew to what height the women were grown at that time , from a sermon of his preached at the spittle . o god to what a world of vanity hast thou served us to ? i am ashamed to think that the gospel of christ should be disguised with such disguised clients ; are they christians or anticks in some carnaval , or childrens puppets that are thus dressed ? pardon i beseech you , men , brethren and fathers , this my just and holy impatience . vvho can without indignation look upon the prodegies , which this mis-imagination produces in that other sex , to the shame of their husbands and scorn of religion , and damnation of their own souls ? imagine one of our forefathers were alive again , and should see one of those his gay daughters walk in cheap-side before him , what do you think he would think it were ? here is nothing to be seen but a vardingale , a yellow ruff , and a perriwigg , with perhaps some feathers waving in the top ; three things for which he could not tell how to find a name : sure he could not but stand amazed to think what new creature the times had yeilded since he lived ; and then if he should run before her , to see if by the foresight , he might guess what it were , when his eyes should meet with a powdred frizzle , a painted hide shadowed with a fan not more painted , breasts displayed , and a loose lock swing wantonly over her shoulders betwixt a painted cloth and skin , how would he more bless himself to think what mixture in nature could be guilty of such a monster . is this the flesh and blood ( thinks he ) is this the hair ? is this the shape of a vvoman ? or hath nature repented of her work since my days , and begun a new frame ? it is no marvel if their forefathers could not know them ; god himself that made them , will never acknowledg that he never made , the hair that he never made theirs , the body that is ashamed of the maker , the soul that thus disguises the body . let me say therefore to these dames , as bennet said to totilaes servant — lay down that you wear , it is none of your own : all the world knows that no man will rough-cast a marble vvall , but mud or unpolished rags ; that false art , instead of mending nature , mars it . but if our perswasions cannot prevail , hear this ye garish popingays of our time , if you will not be ashamed to cloath your selves in this shameless fashion [ see how the spirit of this meek moses raiseth into indignation , against this madness , that all the world knew to be so mild and tender of it self [ god shall cloath you with shame and confusion ; hear this ye plaister-faced jezebels , god will one day wash them off with fire and brimstone , see reader what a faithful witness this holy and excellent man was for god , against the pride and folly of that day . to this famous witness for god , let us adjoin another of his own order , as zealous and faithful as himself , the worthy bishop king , who bears his testimony for god against the rage of this folly that ruffled so proudly . throw away your robes , and costly cap●●isons , you kings and queens of the earth , ( you that are not so by the ordinance of god , but by your own usurpation , that take such honour upon you not being called there to , but bear the bravery of princes , the royalty of solomon upon your backs , throw away your robes ) least he give you a rent that gave you a garment ; and clothe you with worse then leprosy , that hath hitherto cloathed you in honour and beauty . but why do i spend my time in so impertinent an exhortation ? fashion brought them in , and fashion must bear them out . i would to god our preaching were in fashion too , for then we should win both men and women , we use all the fashions therein that our commission can extend to , we preach in season and out of season ; we bring forth old and new , and yet without success : fashion brought in silks and velvets at one time , and fashion brought in russets and grayes at another ; fashion brought in deep ruffs , and shallow ruffs , thick ruffs , and thin ruffs , double ruffs , and no ruffs ; fashion brought in the vardingale , and carried out the vardingale , and hath again revived the vardingale from death , and placed it behind , like a rudder or stern to the body , in some so big , that the vessel is scarce able to bear it . when god shall come to judge the quick and the dead , he wiil not know those who have so defaced that fashion which he hath erected . — what hath undone both gentlemen and mean men in our country , so much as their back and belly ; pride and profusion . vvhat means shall we use to crush these vipers among you ? declaiming will not serve , denouncing of the judgments of god are here found unprofitable by over-long experience ; have we not beaten your ears a thousand times with faithful and earnest detection of these monsters pride and prodigality , strangeness of apparel ; and what have we gained , but as if we had preached but fables ? ninivi repented in sack cloth and ashes , stuff of the coursest vvool , and vvorkmanship of the simplest fashion their wits could invent , but we in our silks and velvets of french , italian , jewish , turkish , barbarian hellish devices , for either we repent not at all , or these are the guises and shews we bring in repentance . these are the weeds we carry , i say not to the theatres to be stared upon , nor to the kings court where rayment is more tollerable to be worn , but with these vveeds we go to the temple of the lord , and as boldly present our selves there , as if the favour of god were soonest won , by such intemperancies , whether we be a people defiled or corrupted as these in niniveh were , we are not so shameless to dissemble , and whether prophets have been among us , as jonas was in nineveh , let their wearied tongues and sorrowful soules for their lost labour witness another day . application to the gallants . see'st thou yon coachful , reader how they glide with all their glittering glories as they pass ? the rich oare spun all into threds of gold , and those wrought into flourishing flowers do seem restore the gallants to their primitive shine . were not a poor neglected soul within , shivering with cold , dishevill'd and all torn , not daring yet to send up one poor groan , to heaven for liberty , but hugs its chaines : le ts go and confidently address e'm reader . they seem the monuments of love divine , all over with characters of grace engrav'd , through ev'ry seam of their embroidered coats , glorious as those who covered all in silk . ( and wore heavens gold & silver too ) were crown'd in all perfections of a stately dress . vvhich only serv'd to court the whorish world in , and threw them into scorn , and base disdain : ' gainst him who clasp'd on all and was so kind . — at last himself came down to visit these gay princes , who took offence at his poor plainer coat , and was not god , because he was not fine . ( yet at his will could send out sparkling beams that turn'd his russet into cloth of gold , could glister too , if that were happiness ) and having nought to do , sat down and wept a pearly showr that would have melted stones , any but those whose hearts were yet more hard . if thou , even thou — the rest swims all in tears . chanting the notes of their sad tragedy , as if himself had been the dying swan . whilst they were jolly all , and soorn'd to sigh but what 's jerusalems to the gallants case ? the very same , they flanted out in lustre , and were as high as he can be for life , ran from their happiness with equal pace , mistook themselves for lords , as he does too , and scorn'd to vail the top-sail of their pride to any god in heaven ; so does he ; their sin , their folly is the very same , a vanity that will bury him in their grave . vvould the great sir , vouchsafe to take a turn in yonder garden , ( gardens are not below him ) where heaven has dress'd up flowers as fine as he : tulips & lillies that baffle the gay solomon , there could i shew him tears pour'd out for him too , and such as never yet were drop'd before . nay of the very colour of his coat , ( fitted on purpose as it were to save him ) and not the issues of a fluid brain , which every vvoman flows with , — but such as dwelt in richer veins and heart , that was resolv'd to bleed it self to death , ' cause his is hard and cannot — there is a blood that can dissolve even adamants i le give a knock or two upon the rock and all besmear it with a saviours gore ; if that prevail not , what can i do more ? sir will you please to lend your vvandring eyes ( rolling ore this and that poor fleeting object ) and fix them here upon a weeping god. ( it is no spectrum , sir , nor idle fancy , if any thing below , were ever truth ) in red apparrel & garments of the crisom blush ( yet took not tincture from the vvorm , as yours ) but streams from his own heart and veins have di'd them when in a cold night they could ill be spar'd , yet flow they must , ( or you had gon to hell sir , ) in curled clots sitting here and there upon him and from the abundance , falling to the ground ; some passing off , but to make way for more ▪ to issue forth , and wash your stained soul. this is no news , sir , have you never prayed for mercy on your miserable soul even by his agony and bloody sweat ? yes sir , he swet and bled , and all for you vvhile weights of sorrow press'd his soul to death , from loads of your guilt , and ingratitude ; yet there he lyes and grovels on the ground , and there resolv'd to lye , till news of mercy should come from heaven for you — trembling till then least you should perish , sir , vvhilst suffering torments equal to the damn'd , vvas cheerful to remember you were free from th' curse and plagues your pride had brought on him vvhere is your sympathy , sir ? what can you sleep , while jesus is in agony , and struggles with all the powers of his diviner soul for ease from th' pressures your self should have born ? which would dissolv'd him had he not been god , and th' whole creation had he not groan'd thus , yet this is but the exordium of his sorrows , while hence he 's hal'd to bleed again afresh , and yields his naked back to cruel hands , which dig long bloody merciless furrows on it , stript as a very malefactor bare , never was thief so whipp'd — and all because you wrap your skin so soft , in silken folds , and pride your self in purple , ( while scarlet 's put in mockery on him ) ' cause yours hath stoln your heart away from god. who cannot have one poor thought fixt upon him . since gawdy clothes have all — you ladies think on this too who bare your selves as he , not to the whip ( yet did that innocent flesh endure the lash ) but to the curs'd effects of luxury . next view his glorious temples , pierc'd with thorns , which taught him what it was to undertake for pride of locks , and huffing perriwigs . ( so gideon once the men of succoth taught ) can you be p●oud of hair when christ were thorns . thus torn and bleeding into fainty weakness yet is his heavy cross laid on him too which he bore humbly , so long as nature could , while you , my gallant throw off every care , and hate religion that but treats of crosses . yet has he left crosses behind for you too , did you not scorn to take and bear them on you , had you love for him , you would ne'r disdain it , but he bears all while you go free to heaven . come view him now , nail'd to the cross he bore , vvith hands and feet pierc'd through & dropping blood the cruel spear making that orifice thro which you easily may perceive his heart surrendring up the poor remains of life ; and had he had ten hearts all should have bled for you , who yet have none to thank him for it . but has commanded you to steep in yours into his vvounds , till it become more supple , and learn to bleed for damning sin , like hi● . come ladies will you not vouchsafe one glance upon a dying saviour on the cross ? ladies are tender hearted ( thought to be so ) and yet to hear this story with drie eyes , to see this rueful spectacle of a god dying for sin , and yours too , which the sun refus'd to gaze on , shut his glorious eye , and hid his face in sable clouds for grief ; and those poor women stood aloof and wept , while you can see him hang , and bleed , and dye , and were it yet to do , should bleed afresh , rather than one poor vanity be abated , is this your love to jesus ? stark dead , & bloodless from the cross he 's taken , and dead as he ( from any power to hurt you ) are all your sins fast nailed to the tree . can yon believe this , gallants ? here 's your pardo ▪ you 'l find it lying sealed in his grave , vvrapt in the cloth that bound his sacred head , vvhence mary fetch'd forth hers — can you believe ? if not , himself can do no more to save you ; nor will do more through all eternity . offer the flanting banners of your pride as trophies to the glories of his cross , die and be crucified with him too , from all the love of painted vanities and hang as naked from them , as did he never true christian triumph'd in his shame , vvhose onely glory is a naked lord. he that wore purple here , is cloath'd in flames , the fool that dotes on rags , deserves them too , vvill curse the false and cheating glories here , that thus betwitch'd him to neglect poor psyche , for whom are robes far whiter than the snow , and such as angels wear , neglected all and worn by poor and mean and lowly souls whilst you my gallants scorn , the crowns abov● and perish in despight of flaming love. finis . institutions, essays, and maxims, political, moral, and divine divided into four centuries / by the right honoura[ble] l. marqu. of h[alifax] enchiridion. quarles, francis, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing q estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) institutions, essays, and maxims, political, moral, and divine divided into four centuries / by the right honoura[ble] l. marqu. of h[alifax] enchiridion. quarles, francis, - . halifax, george savile, marquis of, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for, and are to be so[ld by] josias shaw ..., london : . a reprint of francis quarles' enchiridion with slight differences in arrangement of material -- nuc pre- imprints. includes index. advertisement: p. [ ]-[ ] at end. formerly wing h . imperfect: torn, stained and tightly bound, with print show-through and some loss of print. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. maxims. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion institutions , essays , and maxims , political , moral , and divine ; divided into four centuries , by the right honoura 〈…〉 l. marqu . of 〈…〉 london , printed for , and are to be sol 〈…〉 josias shaw bookseller at 〈…〉 coffee-house on cork-hill , . the index . cent . i. alteration max. auxiliar ambitious men ambitious natures assault advice conquest climatical advantages calumny composition conspiracy correspondency custom conquest civil commotion courage castles clergy covetousness counsellors , commanders , clemency and severity , commission church government confidence . demeanour deliberation disposition discovery design debt discontents delay deserts experiments exactions exuls encouragement fortresses , foolish confidence foreign king foreign humours foreign inclinations hearts of subjects hierarchy hunting invasion just war idleness liberality league love and fear mixt government money manufacture neutrality nobility , necessity new gentry opinion order and turn . piety and policy peace , pillars of state prevention pleasures popular sects power quo warranto rebel rewards and punishments reformation religion , resolution repute strength of parts successor strength to keep scandal state-change secrecy scruples situation sudden resolution times timely war true temper treachery variance virtue war in league war offensive and defensive weighty service cent . ii. action , , affections , , afflictions , anger , , acquaintance , advancement advantage avarice apparel brother charity , care company custom confession censure child , ceremonies daughter death , evil , enemy faith , fancy friendship friend haste god , gift grace giver honour , , , happiness heaven ignorance , love , loss luxury money , moderation mysteries mother news oppression promise pleasing pride possession passion , , prosperity , popularity prayer puritan pride riches reason , religion recreation redemption sinful custom souls progress sin , swearer servant time trembling theology thy self treasure vndertaking vow valour work wrong , cent . iii. argument max. alms actions apparel argument adversity , banishment beauty brother censure , child children conversation copy-book charity conscience consideration discourse , drunkenness danger doubt and opinion eucharist esteem exercise familiars fasting festival gift god , harlot heir honour hope hope and fear idiot journey intention justice innocence and wisdom knowledge , laughter lyer law and physick love , library mysteries mercy money multitude mirth merit magistrate , obloquy pains poor , priest patience palat providence and experience repentance resolution reproof rest riches reproof saviour sin silence , servant sabbath soldier treasure tongue traffick theft table theology truth virtue , vanity vndertaking wife wedlock well-doing words , wages wisdom , cent . iv. action max. affection banquet contentedness content , church confession cross commendations calling circumspection common-place-book complaint child demeanour , drunkenness death , discourse devotion envy example exercise estimation fear , folly forgiveness frugality friend god giver glory gift give and forgive gaming humiliation heaven humility humane writings heir infamy impropriations ignorance idleness jest knowledge , , loss , letters language last sin magistracy man marriage magnanimity misery mysteries name obedience , obsceneness opinion painting praise prayer practice place philosophy praise and censure reputation repentance , recreations rules reversion sin security safety superstition scoffs scripture , style truth theft tapor temperance tuition to day times virgin vain-glory vse of creatures wicked want institutions and maxims political and moral , &c. cent . i. maxim . let not civil discords in a foreign kingdom encourage thee to make invasion : they that are factious among themselves , are jealous of one another , and more strongly prepared to encounter with a common enemy . those whom civil commotions set at variance , foreign hostility reconciles : men rather affect the possession of an inconvenient good , than the possibility of an uncertain better . max. . if thou hast made a conquest with thy sword , think not to maintain it with thy sceptre , neither conceive , that new favours can cancel old injuries : no conquerour sits secure upon his new got throne , so long as they subsist in power that were despoiled of their possessession by this conqueror . max. . let no price , nor promise of honour , bribe thee to take part with the enemy of thy natural prince ; assure thy self whoever wins , thou art lost : if thy prince prevail , thou art proclaimed a rebel , and branded for death ; if the enemy prosper , thou shalt be reckoned but as a meritorious traytor , and not secure of thy self . he that loves the treason , hates the traitor . max. . if thy strength of parts hath raised thee to eminent place in the commonwealth , take heed thou sit sure ; if not , thy fall will be the greater . as worth is fit matter for glory , so glory is a fair mark for envy . by how much the more thy advancement was thought the reward of desert , by so much thy fall will administer matter for disdain . it is the ill fortune of a strong brain , if not to be dignified as meritorious , to be deprest as dangerous . max. . it is the duty of a statesman , especially in a free state , to hold the commonwealth to her first frame of government , from which the more it swerves the more it declines ; which being declined , is not commonly reduced without that extremity , the danger whereof rather ruines than rectifies , fundamental alterations being inevitable perils . max. . there be three sorts of governments , monarchical , aristocratical , democratical ; and they are apt to fall three several ways into ruine ; the first by tyranny , the second by ambition , the last by tumults : a commonwealth grounded upon any one of these is not of long continuance , but wisely mingled , each guard the other , and make the government exact . max. . let not the proceedings of a captain , though never so commendable , be confined : as the times alter , so must they ; if these vary , and not they , ruine is at hand . he least fails in his design , that meets time in its own way ; and he that observes not the alteration of the times , shall never be a conqueror . he is a wise commander , and only he , that can discover the change of times , and changes his proceedings according to the times . max. . if thou desire to make war with a prince with whom thou hast formerly ratified a league , assail some of his allies rather than himself ; if he resent it , and come or send in , then thou hast a fair gale to thy desires : if not , his infidelity in not assisting his allie will be discovered . hereby thou shalt gain thy self advantage , and facilitate thy designs . max. . before thou undertakest a war , let thine eye number thy forces , and let thy judgment weigh them . if thou hast a rich enemy , no matter how poor thy soldiers be , if couragious and faithful . trust not too much the power of thy treasure , for it will deceive thee ; being more apt to expose thee for a prey , than to defend thee . gold is not able to find good soldiers ; but good soldiers are able to find out gold. max. . if the territories of thy equal enemy are situated far south from thee , the advantage is thine , whether he make offensive or defensive war : if north , the advantage is his ; cold is less tolerable than heat ; this is a friend to nature , that an enemy . max. . it is not only uncivil , but dangerous , for soldiers by reproachful words to throw disgrace upon their enemy : base terms are bellows to a slacking fury , and goads to quicken up revenge in a fleeing foe . he that objects cowardice against a failing enemy , adds spirit to him , to disprove the aspersion at his own cost . it is therefore the part of a wise soldier to refrain it , or of a wise commander to punish it . max. . it is better for weak kingdoms , rather to compound an injury ( tho' to some loss ) than seek for satisfaction by the sword ; lest while they weaken themselves by mutual blows , a third decide the controversy to both their ruines . when the frog and the mouse could not take up the quarrel , the kite was umpire . max. . let that commonwealth which desires to flourish be very strict both in her punishments and rewards , according to the merits of subjects , and offence of the delinquents . let the service of the deserver be rewarded , lest thou discourage worth ; and let the crime of the offender be punished , lest thou encourage vice. the neglect of the one weakens a commonwealth ; the omission of both ruines it . max. . it is wisdom for him that sits at the helm of a settled state , to demean himself toward his subjects at all times , so that upon any evil accident they may be ready to serve his occasion . he that is only gracious at the approach of a danger , will be in danger when he expects deliverance . max. . in all designs which require not sudden execution , take mature deliberation , and weigh the convenients with the inconvenients , and then resolve ; after which neither delay the execution , nor betray thy intention . he that discovers himself , till he hath made himself master of his desires , lays himself open to his own ruine , and makes himself prisoner to his own tongue . max. . liberality in a prince is no virtue , when maintained at the subject's unwilling cost . it is less reproach , by miserableness , to deserve the popular love : than by liberality , to deserve private thanks . max. . it is the excellent property of a good and wise prince , to use war as he doth physick , carefully , unwillingly , and seasonably ; either to prevent approaching dangers , or to correct a present mischief ; or to recover a former loss . he that declines physick till he be accosted with the danger , or weakned with the disease , is bold too long , and wise too late : that peace is too precise that limits the justness of a war , to a sword drawn , or a blow given . max. . let a prince that would beware of conspiracies , be rather jealous of such whom his extraordinary favours have advanced , than of those whom his pleasure hath discontented . these want means to execute their pleasures ; but they have means at pleasure to execute their desires . ambition to rule is more vehement than malice to revenge . max. . before thou undertake a war , cast an imperial eye upon the cause . if it be just , prepare thy army , and let them all know they fight for god and thee : it adds fire to the spirit of a soldier to be assured that he shall either prosper in a fair war , or perish in a just cause . max. . if thou desire to know the power of a state , observe in what correspondence it lives with her neighbouring state : if she make alliance with the contribution of money , it is an evident sign of weakness : if with her valour , and repute of her forces , it manifests a native strength ; it is an unfallible sign of power to sell friendship , and of weakness to buy it . that is bought with gold will hardly be maintained with steel . max. . in the calms of peace , it is most requisite for a prince to prepare against the storms of war ; both theorically , in reading heroick histories , and practically , in maintaining martial discipline . above all things , let him avoid idleness , as the bane of honour ; which in peace indisposes the body , and in war effeminates the soul. he that would be in war victorious , must be in peace laborious . max. . if thy two neighbouring princes fall out , shew thy self either a true friend , or a fair enemy . it is indiscretion to adhere to him whom thou hast least cause to fear , if he vanquish . neutrality is dangerous , whereby thou becomest a necessary prey to the conqueror . max. . it is a great argument of a prince's wisdom , not only to chufe but also to prefer wise counsellors , and such are they , that seek less their own advantages , than his ; whom wise princes ought to reward , lest they become their own carvers , and so of good servants , ru●n bad masters . max. . it much conduces to the dishonour of a king , and the ill-fare of his kingdom , to multiply nobility in an over proportion to the common people : cheap honour darkens majesty , and a numerous nobility brings a state to necessity . max. . it is very dangerous to try experiments in a state , unless extreme necessity be urgent , or popular utility be palpable . it is better for a state to connive a while , at any inconveencies , than too suddenly to rush upon a reformation . max. . if a valiant prince be succeeded by a weak successor he may for a while maintain a happy state , by the remaining virtue of his glorious predecessor ; but if his life be long , or dying , he be succeeded by one less valiant than the first , the kingdom is in danger to fall to ruine : that prince is a true father to his country that leaves it the rich inheritance of a brave son. when alexander succeeded philip , the world was too little for the conqueror . max. . it is very dangerous for a prince or republick to make continual practice of cruel exaction : for where the subject stands in sense or expectation of evil , he is apt to provide for his safety , or for the danger he fears : and growing bold in conspiracy , makes faction , which faction is the mother of ruine . max. . be careful to consider the good or ill disposition of the people towards thee upon ordinary occasions ; if it be good , labour to continue it ; if evil , provide against it . as there is nothing more terrible than a dissolute multitude without a head ; so there is nothing more easily reduc'd , ( if thou canst endure the first shock of their fury ) which if a little appeased , every one begins to doubt himself and think of home , and secure themselves either by flight or agreement . max. . that prince who stands in fear more of his own people , than strangers , ought to build fortresses in his land. but he that is more afraid of strangers , than his own people , shall build them more secure in the affections of his subjects . max. . carry a watchful eye upon dangers before they come to ripeness ; and when they are ripe , let loose a speedy hand . he that expects them too long or meets them too soon , gives advantage to the evil ; commit their beginnings to argus his hundred eyes , and their end to briareus's hundred hands , and thou art safe . max. . of all the difficulties of a state , the temper of true government most felicifies and perpetuates it . too sudden alteration distempers it . had nero tuned his kingdom as he did his harp , his harmony had been more honourable and his reign more prosperous . max. . if a prince , fearing to be assailed by a foreign enemy , hath a well armed people , well addrest for war : let him stay at home and expect him there ; but if his subjects be unarmed , or his kingdom unacquainted with the stroke of war , let him meet the enemy in his quarters . the farther he keeps the war from his own home the less danger . the seat of war is always miserable . max. . it is a necessary wisdom for a prince to grow in strength as he encreases in dominions . it is no less virtue to keep than to get ; conquests not having power answerable to their greatness , invite new conquerors to the ruine of the old. max. . it is great prudence in a statesman to discover an inconvenience in the birth , which so discovered , is easie to be supprest . but if it ripen into a custom , the sudden remedy thereof is often worse than the disease ; in such a case it is better to temporise a little , than to struggle too much . he that opposes a full aged inconvenience too suddenly , strengthens it . max. . if thou hast conquered a land , whose language differs not from thine , change not their laws and taxes , and the two kingdoms will in a short time incorporate and make one body . but if the laws and language differ , it is difficult to maintain thy conquest , which that thou mayst the easier do , observe three things ; first , to live there in person , ( or rather send colonies . ) secondly , to assist the weak inhabitants and weaken the mighty . thirdly , to admit no powerful foreigner to reside there . remember lewis xiii . of france , how suddenly he took milan , and how soon he lost it . max. . it is a gracious wisdom in a prince , in civil comotions rather to use juleps than phlebotomy , and rather to break the distemper by a wise delay , than to correct it with too rash an onset : it is more honourable by a slow preparation to declare himself a gracious father , than by a hasty war to appear a furious enemy . max. . it is wisdom for a prince in fair weather , to provide for tempests : he that so much relies upon his people's faith , to neglect his own preparation , discovers more confidence than wisdom . he that ventures to fall from above , with hopes to be catch'd below , may be dead e'er he come to ground . max. . he that would reform an ancient state in a free city , buys convenience with a great danger . to work this reformation with the less mischief , let such a one keep the shadows of their ancient customs , tho' in substance they be new . let him take heed when he alters the nature of things , they bear at least their antient names . the common people that are naturally impatient of innovations will be satisfied with that which seems to be as well as that which is . max. . upon any difference between foreign states , it is neither safe nor honourable for a prince , either to buy his peace , or to take it up at interest . he that hath not a sword to command it , shall either want it , or want honour with it . max. . it is very requisite for a prince not only to weigh his designs in the flower , but likewise in the fruit. he is an unthrift of his honour , that enterprises a design , the failing wherein may bring him more disgrace , than the success can gain him honour . max. . it is much conducible to the happiness of a prince , and the security of his state , to gain the hearts of his subjects . they that love for fear , will seldom fear for love ; it is a wise government which gains such a tye upon the subject , that he either cannot hurt , or will not . but the government is best and most sure , when the subject joys in his obedience . max. . let every soldier arm his mind with hopes and put on courage , whatsoever disaster falls , let not his heart sink . the passage of providence lies through many crooked ways ; a despairing heart is the true prophet of approaching evil. his actions may weave the webs of fortune , but not break them . max. . it is the part of a wise magistrate to vindicate a man of power or state-employment , from the malicious scandals of the giddy-headed multitude , and to punish it with great severity . scandal breeds hatred , hatred begets division , division makes faction and faction brings ruine . max. . the strongest castles a prince can build , to secure him from domestick commotions , or foreign invasions , is in the hearts of his subjects ; and means to gain that strength is , in all his actions to appear for the publick good. studious to contrive and resolute to perform . max. . a kingdom is a great building whose two main supporters are the government of the state , and the government of the church . it is the part of a wise master , to keep those pillars in their first posture irremoveable . if either fail , it is wisdom rather to repair it than to remove it . he that pulls down the old , to set up a new , may draw the roof upon his head and ruine the foundation . max. . it is a necessary wisdom in a prince to encourage in his kingdoms manufacture , merchandise , arts , and arms ; in manufacture , lies the vital spirits of the body-politique ; in merchandise the spirits natural ; in arts and arms , the animal . if either of these languish the body droops ; as these flourish the body flourishes . max. . true religion is a settler in a state , rather than a stickler ; while she confirms an established government , she moves in her own sphere ; but when she endeavours to alter the old , or to erect a new , she works out of her own vineyard : when she keeps the keys , she sends showers of milk : but when she draws the sword , she sails in seas of blood. labour therefore to settle religion in the church ; and religion shall settle peace in thy land. max. . if thou entertain any foreign soldiers into thine army , let them bear thy colours , and receive thy pay , lest they interest their own prince . auxiliary soldiers are most dangerous : a foreign prince needs no greater invitation to seize upon thy city , then when he is required to defend it . max. . be cautious in undertaking a design , upon the report of those that are banish'd their country , lest thou come off with shame , or loss , or both . their end expects advantages from thy actions ; whose miseries lay hold of all opportunities , and seek to be redrest by thy ruines . max. . if thou endeavourest to make a republick in a nation where the gentry abound , thou shalt hardly prosper in that design ; and if thou would'st erect a principality in a land where there is much equality of people , thou shalt not easily effect it . the way to bring the first to pass , is to weaken the gentry . the means to effect the last , is to advance and strengthen ambitious and turbulent spirits ; so that being placed in the midst of them , their forces may maintain thy power , and thy favour may preserve their ambition . otherwise there shall be neither property nor continuance . max. . it is more excellent for a prince to have a provident eye for the preventing future mischiefs , than to have a potent arm for the suppressing present evils . mischiefs in a state are like hectick feavers in a body , in the beginning hard to be known , but easie to be cured . but let it alone a while , it becomes more easie to be known , but more hard to be cured . max. . if a kingdom be apt to rebellion , it is wisdom to preserve the nobility and commons at variance ; where one of them is discontented , the danger is not great . the commons are flow of motion , if not quicken'd with the nobility : the nobility is weak of power , if not strengthen'd by the commons . then is danger when the commonalty troubles the water , and the nobility steps in . max. . it is very requisite for a prince to have an eye , that the clergy be elected , and come in , either by collation from him or particular patrons , and not by the people ; and that their power hold dependance upon home and not foreign authority : it is dangerous in a kingdom where the crosiers receive not their power from the regal sword. max. . it is a perillous weakness in a state , to be slow of resolution in the time of war : to be irresolute in determination is both the sign and the ruine of a weak state. such affairs attend not time . let the wise statesman therefore abhor delay , and resolve rather to do , than advise what to say . slow deliberations are symptoms either of a faint courage , or weak forces , or false hearts . max. . if a conqueror hath subdued a country or a city abounding with pleasures , let him be very circumspect to keep himself and his soldiers temperate . pleasures bring effeminacy and effeminacy foreruns ruine : such conquests , without blood or sweat , sufficiently do revenge themselves upon their intemperate conquerors . max. . it is an infallible sign of approaching ruine in a republick , when religion is neglected , and her establisht ceremonies interrupted . let therefore that prince that would be potent be pious ; and that he may punish loosness the better , let him be religious . the joy of jerusalem depends upon the peace of sion . max. . let that prince that desires full sovereignty temper the greatness of too potent a nobility : a great and potent nobility quickens the people , but presses their fortunes : it adds majesty to a monarch , but diminishes his power . max. . it is dangerous for a prince to use ambitious natures , but upon necessity , either for his wars , or to be skreens to his dangers , or instruments for the demolishing insolent greatness ; and that they may be the less dangerous , let him choose them rather out of mean births than noble , and out of harsh natures rather than plausible , and always be sure to ballance them with those that are as proud as they . max. . let princes be very circumspect in the choice of their councellours , choosing neither by the greatness of the beard , nor by the smoothness of the face . let him be wise , but not crafty ; active , without private ends ; couragious , without malice ; religious , without faction ; secret , without fraud . one better read in his prince's business than his nature ; and a riddle only to be read above . max. . in a mixt monarchy , if the hierarchy grow too absolute , it is wisdom in a prince , rather to depress it than suppress it ; all alterations in a fundamental government being apparent dangers ; but too sudden alteration threatens inevitable ruine . when aaron made a molten calf , moses alter'd not the government , but reproved the governour . max. . before thou build a fortress , consider to what end : if for resistance against the enemy , it is useless ; a valiant army is a living fortress : if for suppressing the subject , it is hurtful ; it breeds jealousies , and jealousies beget hatred . if thou hast a strong army to maintain it , it adds nothing to thy strength : if thy army be weak , it conduces much to thy danger . the surest fortress is the hands of thy soldiers ; and the safest cittadel is the hearts of thy subjects . max. . it is a princely alchymy , out of a necessary war , to extract an honourable peace ; and more beseeming the majesty of a prince , to thirst after peace , than conquest . blessedness is promised to the peace-maker , not the conqueror . it is an happy state , whose prince hath a peaceful hand , and a martial heart ; able both to use peace , and to manage war. max. . it is a dishonourable thing for a prince to run in debt for state-service ; but to pay it in the pardon of a criminal offence , is most dangerous . to cancel the eaults of subjects , with their deserts , is not only the symptom of a disorder'd commonwealth , but also of her ruine . max. . let not a commander be too forward to undertake a war , without the person of his prince . it is a thankless employment , where mischief attends upon the best success : and where ( if a conqueror ) he shall be in danger , either through his own ambition , or his prince's suspicion . max. . it is a great oversight in a prince , for any respect , either actively or passively , to make a foreign kingdom strong . he that gives means to another to become powerful , weakens himself , and enables him to take the advantage of his own weakness . max. . when the humours of the people are stirr'd by discontents or popular grief , it is wisdom in a prince to give them moderate liberty to evaporate . he that turns the humour back too hastily , makes the wound bleed inwardly , and fills the body with malignity . max. . if , having levied an army , thou findest thy self too weak , either thro' the want of men or money , th● longer thou delayest to fight , the greater thy inconvenience grows . if once thy army falls asunder , thou certainly losest by thy delay . where , hazarding thy fortunes betimes , thou hast the advantage of thy men , and mayst by fortune win the day , it is less dishonour to be overcome by force than by flight . max. . it is the part of a wise commander , in wars either offensive or defensive , to work a necessity of fighting into the breasts of his soldiers . necessity of action takes away the fear of the act , and makes bold resolution the favourite of fortune . max. . clemency and mildness is most proper for a principality , but reservedness and severity , for a republick ; but moderation in both . excess in the one breeds contempt ; in the other hatred : when to sharpen the first , and when to sweeten the last , let time and occasion direct thy judgment . max. . it is very requisite for a prince that desires the continuance of peace , in time of peace to encourage and respect his commanders . when brave spirits find neglect to be the effect of quiet , they devise all means to remove the cause ; and by suggesting inducements to new wars , disturb and unsettle the old peace , buying private honour with publick danger , max. . be not covetous of priority in advising thy prince to a doubtful attempt , which concerns his state. if it prosper , the glory must be his ; if it fail , the dishonour will be thine . when the spirit of a prince is stopped in the discharge , it will recoile & wound the first adviser . max. . if , being the commander of an army , thou espiest a gross and manifest error in thine enemy , look well to thy self ; for treachery is not far off . he whom desire of victory binds too much , is apt to stumble at his own ruine . max. . it is the height of a provident commander , not only to keep his own designs indiscoverable to his enemy , but likewise to be studious to discover his : he that can best do the one , and nearest guess at the other , is the next step to a conqueror ; but he that fails in both , must either ascribe his overthrow to his own folly , or his victory to the hand of fortune . max. . if thou be ambitious of honour , and yet fearful of the canker of honour , envy ; so behave thy self , that opinion may be satisfied in this , that thou seekest merit , and not fame ; and that thou attributest thy preserment rather to providence than thy own virtue . honour is a due debt to the deserver ; and who ever envied the payment of a debt ? a just advancement is a providential act ; and who ever envied the act of providence ? max. . it behoves a prince to be very circumspect before he makes a league , which being made , and then broke , is the forfeiture of his honour . he that obtains a kingdom with the rupture of his faith , hath gained the glory of a conquest , but lost the honour of a conqueror . max. . let states that aim at greatness , beware lest new gentry multiply too fast , or grow too glorious : where there is too great a disproportion betwixt the gentry and the common subject , the one grows insolent , the other slavish . when the body of the gentry grows too glorious for a corslet , the heads of the vulgar wax too heavy for the helmet . max. . upon the beleaguering of a city , let the commander endeavour to take from the defendants all scruples which may invite them to a necessity of defence . whom the fear of slavery necessitates to fight , the boldness of their resolution will disadvantage the assailants , and difficilitate their design . sense of necessity justifies the war , and they are hopeful in their arms , who have no other hope , but in their arms. max. . it is good for states and princes ( if they use ambitious men for their advantage ) so to order things , that they be still progressive rather than retrograde . when ambitious men find an open passage , they are rather busie than dangerous ; if well watch'd in their proceedings , they will catch themselves in their own snare , and prepare a way for their own destruction . max. . of all recreations , hunting is most proper for a commander ; by the frequency whereof he may be instructed in that necessary knowledge of situation with pleasure , which by earnest experience would be dearly purchased . the chase is a fair resemblance of a hopeful war , proposing to the pursuer a flying enemy . max. . expect the arms of thy enemy on plain and easie ground , and still avoid mountainous & rocky places and strait passages to the utmost of thy power . it is not safe to pitch any where , where the forces cannot be brought together . he never deserved the name of a good gamester , that hazards his whole rest upon less than the strength of his whole game . max. . it matters not much whether in government thou tread the steps of severe hanibal , or gentle scipio , so thy actions are honourable , and thy life virtuous : both in the one and the other there is both defect and danger , if not corrected and supported by the fair repute of some extraordinary endowments . no matter whether black or white , so the steed be good . max. . it is the safest way , in martial expedition , to commit the main charge to one . companions in command beget confusion in the camp. when two able commanders are joyned in equal commission , each is apt to think his own way best , and by mutual thwarting each other , both give opportunity to the enemy . max. . it is a high point of providence in a prince to observe popular sects in their first rise , and to nip them in the bud ; but being once full aged , it is wisdom not to oppose them with too strong a hand , lest in suppressing one , there arise two . a soft current is soon stopt ; but a strong stream resisted breaks into many , or overwhelms all . max. . it makes very much to thy advantage , to observe strictly the national virtues and vices and humours of foreign kingdoms , whereby the times past shall read useful lectures to the time present . he that would see what shall be , let him consider what hath been . max. . if like manlius thou command stout and great things , be like manlius stout to execute great commands . it is a great blemish in sovereignty when the will roars , and the power whispers . if thou canst not execute as freely as thou commandst , command no more than what thou mayst as freely execute . max. . if one prince desire to obtain any thing of another , let him ( if occasion will bear it ) give him no time to advise ; let him endeavour to make him see a necessity of sudden resolution , and the danger either of denial or delay . he that gives times to resolve , gives leisure to deny , and warning to prepare . max. . let not thine army at the first encounter be too prodigal in her assaults , but husband her strength at a dead lift . when the enemy hath abated the fury of his first heat , let him then feel thou hast reserved thy forces for the last blow . so shall the honour he hath gained by his valour , encrease the glory of thy victory . fore-games when they prove are speediest , but after-games , if wisely plaid are surest . max. . it is very requisite for a prince to keep the church always in proportion to the state. if the government of the one be monarchical , and the other democratical , they will agree like metal joyned with clay . but for a while durable is that state where aaron commands the people , and where moses commands aaron ; but most happy in the continuance where god commands both . max. . let not the covetousness of a captain purloyn to his own own use , or any way bereave his soldiers of any profit due unto their service , either in their means or spoils : such injuries ( being quickned by their daily necessities ) are never forgot : what soldiers earn with the hazard of their lives ( if not enjoyed ) prophesies an overthrow in the next battle . max. . if a prince expect virtuous subjects , let his subjects have a virtuous prince , and so shall he the better punish the vices of his degenerate subjects ; so shall they trulier prize virtue , and follow it being exemplified in their prince . max. . it is the property of a wise commander , to cast an eye rather upon actions than upon persons ; and rather to reward the merits of men , than to read the letters of ladies . he that for favour or reward prefers a worthless soldier , betrays a kingdom to advance a traytor . max. . where order and fury are well acquainted , the war prospers , and soldiers end no less men than they begun : order is quickned by fury , and fury is regulated by order : but where order is wanting , fury runs her own way , and being unthrift of its own strength , failing in the first assault , cravens ; and such beginning more than men , end less than women . max. . it is the quality of a wise commander , to make his soldiers confident of his wisdom , and their own strength ; if any danger be , to conceal it ; if manifest , to lessen it . let him possess his army with the justness of the war , and a certainty of victory . a good cause makes a stout heart and a strong arm. they that fear an overthrow are half conquered . max. . it is requisite in a general to mingle love with the severity of his discipline . they that cannot be induced to fear for love , will never be inforced to love for fear ; love opens the heart , fear shuts it ; that encourages , this compels , and victory meets encouragement , but flees compulsion . max. . it is the part of a well-advised state , never to entrust a weighty service , unto whom a noted injury or dishonour hath been done ; he can never be zealous in performance of service , the height of whose expectation can rather recover a lost name than gain a fresh honour . max. . three ways there be to begin a repute , and gain dignities in a common wealth . the first , by the virtue of glorious parents , which till thou degenerate too much may raise thee upon the wings of opinion . the second , is by associating with those whose actions are known eminent . the third , by acting some exploit , either publick or private , which in thy hand hath proved honourable . the two first may miss , being founded upon opinion : the last seldom fails , being grounded upon evidence . max. . if thou art called to the dignity of a commander , dignify thy place by thy commands , and that thou mayst be the more perfect in commanding others , practise upon thy self . remember that thou art a servant to the publick-weal , and therefore forget all private respects either of kin or friends . remember thou art a champion for a kingdom : forget therefore all private affections either of love or hate . he that would do his country right , must not be too sensible of a personal wrong . max. . it is the part of a wise commander to read books , not so much as men ; nor men so much as nations : he that can discern the inclinations , conditions , and passions , of a kingdom , gains his prince a great advantage both in peace and war. max. . and you most high and mighty princes of this lower world , who at this intricate and various game of war , vye kingdoms and win crowns ; and by the death of your reverend subjects gain the lives of your bold hearted enemies : know there is a quo quarranto , whereto you are to give account of your eye-glorious actions , according to the righteous rules of sacred justice . how warrantable it is to read imperial crowns from off the sovereign heads of their too weak possessors , or to snatch scepters from out the hand of heaven : anointed majesty , and by your vast ambitions still to enlarge dominions with kingdoms ravish'd from their natural princes , judge you . o let your brave designs , and well weighed actions be as just as they are glorious , and consider , that all your wars , whose ends are not to defend your own possessions , or to recover your dispossessions , are but princely injuries , which none but heaven can right . but where necessity strikes up her hard alarms , or wrong'd religion beats her zealous marches , go on and prosper , and let both swords and stratagems proclaim a victory , whose nois'd renown may fill the world with your eternal glory . max. . piety and policy are like martha and mary , sisters : martha fails if mary helps not , and mary suffers if martha be idle , happy is that kingdom where martha complains of mary , but most happy where mary complys with martha : where piety and policy go hand in hand , there war shall be just , and peace honourable . the end of the first century . institutions and maxims moral and divine , &c. cent . ii. maxim . a promise is a child of the understanding and the will : the understanding begets it , the will brings it forth . he that performs it , delivers the mother ; he that breaks it murthers the child . if he be begotten in the absence of the understanding , it is a bastard ; but the child must be kept . if thou mistrust thy understanding , promise not ; if thou hast promis'd , break it not : it is better to maintain a bastard than to murther a child . max. . charity is a naked child , giving honey to a bee without wings ; naked , because excuseless and simple ; a child , because tender and growing ; giving honey , because honey is pleasant and comfortable : to a bee , because a bee is laborious and deserving , without wings , because helpless and wanting . if thou deniest to such , thou killest a bee ; if thou givest to other than such , thou preservest a drone . max. . before thy undertaking of any design , weigh the glory of thy action with the danger of the attempt : if the glory out-weigh the danger , it is cowardise to neglect it : if the danger exceed the glory , it is rashness to attempt it : if the ballances stand pois'd , let thy own genius cast them . max. . wouldst thou know the lawfulness of the action which thou desirest to undertake ? let thy devotion recommend it to divine blessing : if it be lawful , thou shalt perceive thy heart encouraged by prayer : if unlawful , thou shalt find thy prayer discouraged by thy heart . that action is not warrantable , which either blushes to beg a blessing , or having succeeded , dares not present thanksgiving . max. . if evil men speak good , or good men evil of thy conversation , examine all thy actions , and suspect thy self . but if evil men speak evil of thee , hold it as thy honour , and by way of thankfulness love them , but upon condition , that they continue to hate thee . max. . if thou hope to please all , thy hopes are vain ; if thou fear to displease some , thy fears are idle . the way to please thy self is not to displease the best ; and the way to displease the best , is to please the most . if thou canst fashion thy self to please all , thou shalt displease him that is all in all . max. . if thou neglectest thy love to thy neighbour , in vain thou professest thy love to god ; for by thy love to god , the love to thy neighbour is begotten , and by the love to thy neighbour , thy love to god is nourish'd . max. . thy ignorance in unreveal'd mysteries , is the mother of a saving faith ; and thy understanding in reveal'd truths is the mother of a sacred knowledge : understand not therefore that thou mayst believe , but believe that thou mayst understand : understanding is the wages of a lively faith , and faith is the reward of an humbler ignorance . max. . pride is the ape of charity , in shew , not much unlike ; but somewhat fuller of action . in seeking the one , take heed thou light not on the other ; they are two parallels ; never but asunder . charity feeds the poor , so does pride : charity builds an hospital , so does pride : in this they differ ; charity gives her glory to god , pride takes her glory from man. max. . hast thou lost thy money , and dost thou mourn ? another lost it before thou hadst it ; be not troubled ; perchance if thou hadst not lost it now , it had lost thee for ever : think therefore what thou hast rather escaped than lost : perhaps thou hadst not been so much thine own , had not thy money been so little thine . max. . flatter not thy self in thy faith to god , if thou wantst charity for thy neighbour ; and think not that thou hast charity for thy neighbour , if thou wantst faith to god ; where they are not both together , they are both wanting ; they are both dead if once divided . max. . be not too slow in breaking of a sinful custom : a quick couragious resolution is better than a gradual deliberation : in such a combate , he is the bravest soldier that lays about him without fear or wit. wit pleads , fear disheartens ; he that would kill hydra , had better strike off one neck than five heads : fell the tree , and the branches are soon cut off . max. . be careful rather of what thou dost , than of what thou hast : for what thou hast is none of thine , and will leave thee at thy death , or thou the pleasure of it , in thy sickness : but what thou dost , is thine ; and , will follow thee to thy grave , and plead for thee , or against thee , at thy resurrection . max. . if thou enjoyest not the god of love thou canst not obtain the love of god , neither until then canst thou enjoy a desire to love god , nor relish the love of god : thy love to god is nothing but a faint reflection of god's love to thee : till he please to love thee , thy love can never please him . max. . let not thy fancy be guided by thine eye , nor let thy will be govern'd by thy fancy : thine eye may be deceived in her object , and thy fancy may be deluded in her subject . let thine understanding moderate between thine eye and thy fancy ; and let thy judgment arbitrate between thy fancy and thy will ; so shall fancy apprehend what is true , so shall thy will elect what is good . max. . endeavour to subdue as well thy irascible as thy concupiscible affections : to endure injuries with a brave mind is one half of the conquest ; and to abstain from pleasing evils with a couragious spirit , is the other . the sum of all humanity , and height of moral perfection , is bear , and forbear . max. . if thou desire not to be too poor , desire not to be too rich : he is rich , not that possesseth much , but he that covers no more ; and he is poor , not that enjoys little , but that wants too much . the contented mind wants nothing which it hath not ; the covetous mind wants not only what it hath not , but likewise what it hath . max. . the outward senses are the common cinque-ports , where every subject lands towards the understanding . the ear hears a confused noise , and presents it to the common sense ; the common sense distinguishes the several sounds , and conveys them to the fancy ; the fancy wildly discants on it : the understanding ( whose object is truth ) apprehending it to be musick , commends it to the judgment ; the judgment severally and jointly examines it , and recommends it to the will ; the will ( whose object is good ) approves it , or dislikes it , and the memory records it : and so in the other senses , according to their subjects , observe this progress , and thou shalt easily find where the defect of every action lyes . max. . the way to subject all things to thy self , is to subject thy self to reason ; thou shalt govern many , if reason govern thee : would'st thou be crowned the monarch of a little world ? command thy self . max. . tho' thou givest all thou hast for charity 's sake , and yet retainest a secret desire of keeping it for thy own sake , thou rather leavest it than forsakest it . he that hath relinquish'd all things , and not himself , hath forsaken nothing : he that sets not his heart on what he possesses , forsaketh all things , tho' he keep his possessions . max. . search into thy self before thou accept the ceremony of honour : if thou art a palace , honour , ( like the sun-beams ) will make thee more glorious ; if thou art a dunghil , the sun may shine upon thee , but not to sweeten thee ; thy prince may give thee honour , but not make thee honourable . max. . every man is a king in his own kingdom : if reason command , and passion obey , his government bespeaks a good king ; if thine inordinate affection rules , it shews a proud rebel ; which if thou destroy not , will depose thee . there is no mean between the death of a rebel and the life of a prince . max. . a vow , a promise , and a resolution , have all one object , only differ in respect of the persons to whom they are made ; the first is between god and man ; the second between man and man ; the third between man and his own soul ; they all bind , if the object be lawful , to necessity of performance ; if unlawful , to the necessity of sin : they all take thee prisoner ; if the object be lawful , thy performance hath redeemed thee ; if unlawful , blood and fears must ransom thee . max. . if thou hast any business of consequence in agitation , let thy care be reasonable and seasonable : continual standing bent weakens the bow ; too hasty drawing breaks it : put off thy cares with thy clothes ; so shall thy rest strengthen thy labour , and so shall thy labour sweeten thy rest . max. . when thy inordinate affections do flame towards transitory happiness , quench them thus ; think with thy self , if my prince should give me what honour he hath to bestow , or bestow on me what wealth he hath to give , it could not stay with me , because it is transitory ; nor i with it , because i am mortal : then revise thy affections , and weigh them with their objects , and thou wilt either confess thy folly , or make a wiser choice . max. . with three sorts of men enter no serious friendship ; the ingrateful man , the multiloquious man , the coward ; the first cannot prize thy favours ; the second cannot keep thy counsel ; and the third dare not vindicate thy honour . max. . if thou desire the time should not pass too fast , use not too much pastime ; thy life in jollity blazes like a taper in the wind : the blast of honour wastes it ; the heat of pleasure melts it : if thou labour in a painful calling , thou shalt be less sensible of the flux of time , and sweetlier satisfied at the time of death . max. . god is the alpha and omega in the great world ; endeavour to make him so in the little world ; make him thy evening epilogue , and thy morning prologue ; practise to make him thy last thought at night when thou sleepest , and thy first thought in the morning when thou awakest ; so shall thy fancy be sanctified in the night , and thy understanding rectified in the day ; so shall thy rest be peaceable , thy labours prosperous , thy life pious , and thy death glorious . max. . be very circumspect in the choice of thy company . in the society of thine equals thou shalt enjoy more pleasure ; in the society of thy superiours thou shalt find more profit . to be the best in the company is the way to grow worse ; the best means to grow better , is to be the worst there . max. . think of god ( especially in thy devotion ) in the abstract , rather than in the concrete : if thou conceive him good , thy finite thoughts are ready to terminate that good in a conceiv'd subject ; if thou think him great , thy bounded conceit is apt to cast him into a comprehensible figure : conceive him therefore a diffused goodness without quality , and represent him an incomprehensible greatness without quantity max. . if thou and true religion be not as yet met , or met unknown , by these marks thou shalt discover it : first , it is a religion that takes no pleasure in the expence of blood. secondly , it is a religion whose tenents cross not the book of truth . thirdly , it is a religion that takes most from the creature , and gives most to the creator . if such an one thou meet with , assure thy self it is the right , and therefore profess it in thy life , and protect it to thy death . max. . let another's passion be a lecture to thy reason , and let the shipwrack of his understanding be a sea-mark to thy passion : so shalt thou gain strength out of his weakness , safety out of his danger , and raise thy self a building out of his ruines . max. . in the height of thy prosperity expect adversity , but fear it most ; if it come not , thou art the more sweetly possess'd of the happiness thou hast , and the more strongly confirm'd ; if it come , thou art the more gently dispossest of the happiness thou had'st , and the more firmly prepared . max. . to tremble at the sight of thy sin , makes thy faith the less apt to tremble : the devils believe and tremble , because they tremble at what they believe : their belief brings trembling ; thy trembling brings belief . max. . authology is the way to theology : until thou see'st thy self empty , thou wilt not desire to be fill'd . he can never truly relish the sweetness of god's mercy , that never tasted the bitterness of his own misery . max. . is any outward affliction fallen upon thee by a temporary loss ? advise with thy self , whether it be recoverable or not ; if it be , use all lawful means ( the violence and unseasonableness whereof may not disadvantage thee in the pursuit ) to recover it : if not recoverable , endure with patience what thou can'st not recover with pains . he that carnally afflicts his soul for the loss of a transitory good , casts away the kernel because he hath lost the shell . max. . natural anger glances into the breasts of wise men , but rests in the bosom of fools : in them it is infirmity ; in these a sin ; there is a natural anger , and there is a spiritual anger ; the common object of that is the person ; of this , his vice. he that is always angry with his sin , shall seldom sin in his anger . max. . if any hard affliction hath surprized thee , cast one eye upon the hand that sent it , and the other upon the sins that brought it . if thou thankfully receive the message , he that sent it will discharge the messenger . max. . all passions are good and bad , according to their objects : where the object is absolutely good , there the greatest passion is too little ; where absolutely evil , there the least passion is too much ; where indifferent , there a little is enough . max. . when thou dost evil , that good may come thereby , the evil is surely thine ; if good should happen to ensue upon the evil which thou hast done , the good proceeds from god : if therefore thou do evil , thereby to occasionate a good , thou lay'st a bad foundation for a good building , and servest the devil , that god may serve thee . where the end of evil is good in the intention , there the end of that good is evil in the extension . max. . be as far from desiring the popular love , as fearful to deserve the popular hate : ruine dwells in both ; the one will hug thee to death , the other will crush thee to destruction . to escape the first , be not ambitious ; to avoid the second , be not seditious . max. . when thou seest misery in thy brother's face , let him see mercy in thine eye ; the more the oyle of mercy is poured on him by thy pity , the more the oyle in thy cruise shall be encreased by thy piety . max. . read not books alone , but men , and amongst them chiefly thy self : if thou find any thing questionable there , use the commentary of a severe friend , rather than the gloss of a sweet lipt flatterer . there is more profit in a distastful truth than deceitful sweetness . max. . if the opinion of thy worth invite any to the desire of thy acquaintance , yeild a respect suitable to his quality : too great a reservation will expose thee to the sentence of pride ; too easie access will condemn thee to the censure of folly. things too hardly endeavoured discourage the seeker ; too easily obtained , disparage the thing sought for : too easily got , is lowly prised , and quickly lost . max. . when conveniency of time hath ripened your acquaintance , be cautious what thou say'st , and courteous in what thou dost : observe his inclination ; if thou find him weight , make him thine own , and lodge him in a faithful bosom : be not easily exceptious , nor rudely familiar ; the one will breed contention , the other contempt . max. . when passion is grounded upon fancy , it is commonly but of short continuance : where the foundation is unstable , there the building is not lasting . he that will be angry for any cause , will be angry for no cause ; and when the understanding perceives the cause vain , then the judgment proclaims the effect void . max. . if thou desire to purchase honour with thy wealth , consider first how that wealth became thine ; if thy labour got it , let thy wisdom keep it ; if oppression found it , let repentance restore it ; if thy parent left it , let thy virtues deserve it ; so shall thy honour be safer , better , and cheaper . max. . sin is a basilisk whose eyes are full of venom ; if the eye of thy soul see her first , it reflects her own poison and kills her : if she see thy soul , unseen , or seen too late , with her poison , she kills thee : since therefore thou canst not escape thy sin , let not thy sin escape thy observation . max. . if thou expect to rise by the means of him , whom thy father's greatness rais'd from his service to court-preferment , thou wilt be deceived , for the more in esteem thou art , the more sensible is he of what he was , whose servitude will be chronicled , by thy advancement and glory obscured by thy greatness : however , he will conceive it a dead service , which may be interpreted by thee , as a merited reward , rather than a meritorious benefit . max. . trust not to the promise of a common swearer , for he that dare sin against his god , for neither profit nor pleasure , will trespass against thee for his own advantage . he that dare break the precepts of his father , will easily be perswaded to violate the promise unto his brother . max. . let the greatest part of the news thou hearest be the least part of what thou believest , lest the greatest part of what thou believest be the least part of what is true ; where lies are easily admitted , the father of lies will not easily be excluded . max. . deliberate long before thou consecrate a friend , and when thy impartial judgment concludes him worthy of thy bosom , receive him joyfully and entertain him wisely , impart thy secrets boldly , and mingle thy thoughts with his ; he is thy very self and use him so , if thou firmly thinks him faithful thou makes him so . max. . as there is no worldly gain , without some loss , so there is no worldly loss without some gain ; if thou hast lost thy wealth , thou hast lost some trouble with it ; if thou art degraded from thy honour , thou art likewise freed from the stroke of envy ; if sickness hath blur'd thy beauty , it hath delivered thee from pride , set the allowance against the loss and thou shalt find no loss great , he loseth little or nothing that reserves himself . max. . if thou desire to take the best advantage of thy self , especially in matters where the fancy is most employed , keep temperate diet , use moderate exercise , observe seasonable and set hours for rest ; let the end of thy first sleep raise thee from thy repose : then hath thy body the best temper , then hath thy soul the least incumbrance , then no noise shall disturb thy ear , no object shall divert thine eye ; then if thy sprightly fancy transport thee not beyond the common pitch , and shew thee not the magazine of high invention , return thee to thy wanton bed , and there conclude thy self more fit to wear thy mistresses favour than apollo's bays . max. . if thou art rich , strive to command thy money , lest she command thee : if thou know how to use her , she is thy servant , if not , thou art her slave . max. . bring thy daughter a husband of her own religion , and of no hereditary disease ; let his wisdom out-weigh his wealth ; let his parantage excel his person , and let his age exceed hers ; let thy prayers recommend the rest to providence : if he prove good , thou hast found a son , if not thou hast lost a daughter . max. . so use prosperity that adversity may not abuse thee ; if in the one security admits no fear , in the other despair will afford no hopes : he that in prosperity can foretel a danger , can in adversity foresee deliverance . max. . if thy faith hath no doubts , thou hast just cause to doubt thy faith ; and if thy doubts have no hope , thou hast just reason to fear despair ; when therefore thy doubts shall exercise thy faith , keep thy hopes firm to qualify thy doubts , so shall thy faith be secured from doubts , so shall thy doubts be preserved from despair . max. . if thou desire to be truly valiant , fear to do any injury . he that fears not to do evil is always afraid to suffer evil ; he that never fears is desperate , and he that fears always is a coward ; he is the true valiant man that dares nothing but what he may , and fears nothing but what he ought . max. . anger may repast with thee for an hour , but not repose for a night ; the continuance of anger is hatred , the continuance of hatred turns malice , that anger is not warrantable that hath seen two suns . max. . if thou stand guilty of oppression , or wrongfully possest of another's right , see thou make restitution before thou givest an alms ; if otherwise , what art thou but a thief and makest god thy receiver . max. . when thou prayest for spiritual grace , let thy prayer be absolute ; when for temporal blessings add a clause of god's pleasure ; in both with faith and humiliation , so that thou undoubtedly receive what thou desirest , or more or better ; never prayer rightly made was made unheard , or heard ungranted . max. . he that gives , all tho' but little , gives much , because god looks not to the quantity of the gift , but to the quality of the givers : he that desires to give more than he can hath equalled his gift to his desire , and hath given more than he hath . max. . be not too greedy in desiring riches , nor too eager in seeking them , nor too covetous in keeping them , nor too passionate in losing them ; the first will possess thy soul of discontent , the second will dispossess thy body of rest , the third will possess thy wealth of thee , the last will dispossess thee of thy self : he that is too violent in the concupiscible , will be as violent in the irascible . max. . be not too rash in the breaking of an inconvenient custom , as it was gotten so leave it by degrees ; danger attends upon too sudden alterations : he that pulls down a bad building by the great , may be ruin'd by the fall ; but he that takes it down brick by brick , may live to build a better . max. . if thou desire that inestimable grace of saving faith , detest that insatiable vice of damnable covetousness ; it is impossible one heart ( though never so double ) should lodge both : faith possesseth thee of what thou hast not , covetousness disposesseth thee of what thou hast , thou canst not serve god , unless mammon serve thee . max. . beware of him that is slow to anger , anger when it is long in coming is the stronger when it comes , and the longer kept : abused patience turns to fury : when fancy is the ground of passion , that understanding which composeth the fancy qualifies the passion , but when judgment is the ground , the memory is the recorder . max. . he that professeth himself thy open enemy , arms thee against the evil he means thee , but he that dissembles himself thy friend , strikes beyond caution and wounds beyond cure . from the first thou mayst deliver thy self , from the last good lord deliver thee . max. . if thou hast wrong'd thy brother in thought reconcile thee to him in thought , if thou hast offended him in words , let thy reconciliation be in words , if thou hast trespassed against him in deeds be reconciled to him : that reconciliation is most kindly which is most in kind . max. . not to give to the poor is to take from him ; not to feed the hungry if thou hast it is the utmost of thy power to kill him : that therefore thou mayst avoid both sacrilege and murther , be charitable . max. . so often as thou remember'st thy sins without grief , so often thou repeatest those sins for not grieving : he that will not mourn for the evil that he hath done , gives earnest for the evil he means to do ; nothing can asswage that fire which sin hath made , but only that water which repentance hath drawn . max. . look well before thou leap into the chair of honour , the higher thou climest the lower thou fallest ; if virtue prefer thee , virtue will preserve thee ; if gold or favour advance thee , thy honour is pinn'd upon the wheel of fortune , when the wheel shall turn , thy honour falls , and thou remainest an everlasting monument of thy own ambitious folly . max. . we are born with our temptations ; nature sometimes presseth us to evil , sometime provokes us unto good ; if therefore thou givest her more than her due , thou nourishest an enemy : if less than is sufficient , thou destroyest a friend ; moderation will prevent both . max. . if thou scorn not to serve luxury in thy youth , chastity will scorn thy service in thy age ; and that the will of thy green years thought no vice in the acting , the necessity of thy grey hairs makes no virtue in the forbearing ; where there is no conflict there can be no conquest , where there is no conquest there is no crown . max. . thou didst nothing toward thy own creation , for thou wert created for thy creator's glory ; thou must do something toward thy own redemption , for thou wert redeemed for thy own good ; he that made thee without thee , will not save thee without thee . max. . when thy tongue and heart agree not in confession , that confession is not agreeable to god's pleasure ; he that confesseth with tongue and wants confession in his heart , is either a vain man or an hypocrite ; he that hath confession in his heart and wants it in his tongue , is either a proud man or a timorous . max. . gold is caesar's treasure , man is god's , thy gold hath caesar's image , and thou hast god's ; give therefore unto caesar those things which are caesar's , and unto god which are god's . max. . in the commission of evil , fear no man so much as thy own self ; another is but one witness against thee , thou art a thousand ; another thou mayst avoid , but thy self thou canst not ; wickedness is its own punishment . max. . in thy apparel avoid singularity , profuseness , and gaudiness ; be not too early in the fashion , nor too late , decency is the half way between affectation and neglect ; the body is the shell of the soul , apparel is the husk of that shell , the husk often tells you what the kernel is . max. . let thy recreation be manly , moderate , seasonable , lawful ; if thy life be sedentary , more tending to the exercise of thy body , if active , more to the refreshing of thy mind , the use of recreation is to strengthen thy labour and sweeten thy rest . max. . be not censorious , for thou knowest not whom thou judgest ; it is a more dextrous error to speak well of an evil man , than ill of a good man , and safer for thy judgment to be misled by simple charity , than uncharitable wisdom : he may tax others with privilege that hath not in himself what others may tax . max. . take heed of that honour which thy wealth hath purchased thee ; for it is neither lasting nor thine own ; what money creates money preserves ; if thy wealth decays thy honour dies : it is but a slippery happiness which fortune can give and frowns can take , and not worth the owning which a night's fire can melt , or a rough sea can drown . max. . if thou canst desire any thing not to be repented of , thou art in a fair way to happiness ; if thou hast attained it , thou art at thy way's end : he is not happy who hath all that he desires , but that desires nothing but what is good ; if thou canst not do what thou need not repent , yet endeavour to repent what thy necessity hath done . max. . spend an hundred years in earth's best pleasures , and after that an hundred more , to which being spent add a thousand , and to that ten thousand , the last shall as surely end as the first are ended , and all shall be swallowed with eternity : he that is born to day is not sure to live a day ; he that hath lived the longest is but as he that was born yesterday ; the happiness of the one is , that he hath lived ; the happiness of the other is , that he may live , and the lot of both is , that they must die : it 's no happiness to live long , nor unhappiness to die soon : happy is he that hath lived long enough to die well . max. . be careful to whom thou givest , and how ; he that gives him that deserves not , loseth his gift , and betrays the giver ; he that confers his gift upon a worthy receiver , makes many debtors , and by giving receives ; he that gives for his own ends , makes his gift a bride , and the receiver a prisoner ; he that gives often teacheth requitance to the receiver , and discovers a crafty confidence in the giver . max. . hath any wrong'd thee ? bravely reveng'd , slight it , and the work is begun ; forgive it , and it is finisht : he is below himself that is not above an injury . max. . let not thy passion miscall thy child , lest thou prophesy his misfortunes ; let not thy tongue curse him , lest it return from whence it came : curses sent in the room of blessings are sent back with a double vengeance . max. . in all the ceremonies of the church which remain indifferent , do according to the constitution of that church where thou art . the god of order and unity , who created both the soul and the body , expects unity in the one , and order in both . max. . let thy religious fast be a voluntary abstinence , not so much from flesh as fleshly thoughts : god is pleased with that fast which gives to another what thou deniest to thy self , and when the afflicting of thy own body is the repairing of thy brother 's ; he fasts truly that abstains sadly , grieves really , gives cheerfully , and forgives charitably . max. . in the hearing of mysteries , keep thy tongue quiet ; five words cost zacharias weeks silence : in such heights , convert thy questions into wonders , and let this suffice thee ; the reason of the deed is the power of the doer . max. . deride not him whom the looser world calls puritan , lest thou offend a little one ; if he be an hypocrite , god , that knows him , will reward him ; if zealous , that god that loves him will revenge him ; if he be good , he is good to god's glory ; if evil , let him be evil at his own charges . he that judges shall be judged . max. . so long as thou art ignorant , be not ashamed to learn ; he that is so fondly modest , not to acknowledge his own defects of knowledge , shall in time be so foully impudent , to justifie his own ignorance . ignorance is the greatest of all infirmities , and justified , the chiefest of all follies . max. . if thou be a servant , deal justly by thy master as thou desirest thy servant should deal by thee ; where thou art commanded , be obedient , where not commanded , be provident ; let . diligence be thy credit ; let faithfulness be thy crown ; let thy master's credit be thy care , and let his welfare be thy content : let thine eye be single , and thine heart humble ; be sober , that thou may'st be circumspect : he that in sobriety is not his own man , being drunk , whose is he ? be neither contentious nor lascivious ; the one shews a turbulent hcart , the other an idle brain , a good servant is a great master . max. . let the foundation of thy affection be virtue , then make the building as rich and as glorious as thou canst ; if the foundation be beauty or wealth , and the building virtue , the foundation is too week for the building , and it will fall . happy is he , the palace of whose affection is founded upon virtue , wall'd with riches , glaz'd with beauty , and roofed with honour . max. . if thy mother be a widow , give her double honour , who now acts the part of a double parent ; remember her nine months burthen , and her ten months travel ; forget not her indulgence when thou didst hang upon her tender breast ; call to mind her prayers for thee before thou cam'st into the world , and her cares for thee when thou wert come into it ; remember her secret groans , her affectionate tears , her broken slumbers , her daily fears , her nightly frights : relieve her wants , cover her imperfections , comfort her age , and the widow's husband will be the orphan's father . max. . as thou desirest the love of god and man , beware of pride ; it is a tumour in thy mind , that breaks , and poisons all thy actions ; it is a worm in thy treasure , that eats and ruines thy estate ; it loves no man , is beloved of no man ; it disparageth virtue in another by detraction ; it disrewards goodness in it self by vain glory ; the friend of the flatterer , the mother of envy , the nurse of fury , the band of luxury , the sin of devils , and the devil in mankind : it hates superiours , it scorns inferiours , it owns no equals ; in short , till thou hate it , god hates thee . max. . so behave thy self amongst thy children , that they may love and honour thy presence ; be not too fond , lest they fear thee not ; be not too bitter , lest they fear thee too much : too much familiarity will embolden them , too little countenance discourage them . so carry thy self , that they may rather fear thy displeasure than thy correction ; when thou reprovest them , do it in season ; when thou correctest them , do it not in passion . as a wise child makes a happy father , so a wise father makes a happy child . max. . when thy hand hath done a good act , ask thy heart if it be well done ; the matter of a good action is the deed done , the form of a good action is the manner of the doing ; in the first , another hath the comfort , and thou the glory ; in the other , thou hast the comfort , and god the glory . that deed is ill done , wherein god is no sharer . max. . should'st thou purchase heaven , advise not with thy own ability : the price of heaven is what thou hast ; examine not what thou hast , but what thou art ; give thy self , and thou hast bought it : if thy own vileness be thy fears , offer thy self , and thou art pretious . max. . the birds of the air dye to sustain thee ; the beasts of the field dye to nourish thee ; the fishes of the sea dye to feed thee ; our stomacks are th●… common sepulchres . 〈…〉 god! with how many deaths are our lives patch'd up ? how ful of death is the miserable life of momentary man. the end of the second century . institutions and maxims moral and divine , &c. cent . iii. maxim . if thou take pains in what is good , the pains vanish , the good remains ; if thou take pleasure in what is evil , the evil remains , and the pleasure vanisheth : what art thou the worse for pains , or the better for pleasure , when both are past . max. . if thy fancy and judgment have agreed in the choice of a wife , be not too fond , lest she surfeit , nor too peevish , lest she languish : love so that thou may'st be feared ; rule so that thou may'st be honoured ; be not too diffident , lest thou teach her to deceive thee ; nor too suspicious , lest thou teach her to abuse thee . if thou see a fault , let thy love hide it ; if she continue it , let thy wisdom reprove it : reprove her not openly , lest she grow bold ; rebuke her not tauntingly , lest she grow spiteful ; proclaim not her beauty , lest she grow proud ; boast not her wisdom , lest thou be thought foolish ; shew her not thy imperfections , lest she disdain thee ; pry not into her dairy , lest she despise thee ; prophane not her ears with loose communication , lest thou defile the sanctuary of her modesty . an understanding husband makes a discreet wife ; and she a happy husband . max. . wrinkle not thy face with too much laughter , lest thou become ridiculous ; neither wanton thy heart with too much mirth , lest thou become vain . the suburbs of folly is vain mirth ; and profuseness of laughter is the city of fools . max. . let thy tongue take counsel of one eye , rather than of two ears ; let the news thou reportest be rather stale than false , lest thou be branded with the name of a lyar : 't is an intollerable dishonour to be that , which only to be called so , is thought worthy of a stab . max. . let thy discourse be such as thy judgment may maintain , and thy company may deserve ; in neglecting this , thou losest thy words ; in not observing the other , thou losest thy self . give wash to swine , and wort to men ; so shalt thou husband thy gift to the advantage of thy self , and shape thy discourse to the advancement of the hearer . max. . dost thou roar under the torments of a tyrant ? weigh them with the sufferance of thy saviour , and they are no plague . dost thou rage under the bondage of a raving conscience ? compare it to thy saviour's passion , and it is no pain ? have the tortures of hell taken hold of thy despairing soul ? compare it to thy saviour's torments , and it is no punishment . what sense unequally compares , let faith interchangeably apply , and thy pleasure have no comparison ; thy sins are the authors of his sufferings , and his hell is the price of thy heaven . max. . art thou banish'd from thy own country ? thank thy own folly : hadst thou chosen a right home , thou hadst been no exile ; hadst thou commanded thine own kingdom , all kingdoms had been thine own . the fool is banished in his own country ; the wise man is in his own country , though banished : the fool wanders , the wise man travels . max. . in seeking virtue , if thou find poverty , be not ashamed , the fault is none of thine ; thy honour or dishonour is purchased by thy own actions : tho' virtue give a ragged livery , she gives a golden cognizance ; if her service make thee poor , blush not ; thy poverty may disadvantage thee , but not dishonour thee . max. . gaze not on beauty too much , lest it blast thee , nor too long , lest it blind thee , nor too near , lest it burn thee ; if thou like it , it deceives thee ; if thou love it , it disturbs thee ; if thou lust after it , it destroys thee : if virtue accompany it , it is the heart's paradice ; if vice associate it , it is the soul's purgatory : it is the wise man's bonfire , and the fools furnace . max. . if thou would'st have a good servant , let thy servant find a wise master ; let his food , rest , and wages be seasonable ; let his labour , recreations , and attendance , depend upon thy pleasure ; be not angry with him too long , lest he think thee malicious , nor too soon , lest he conceive thee rash , nor too often , lest he count the humorous ; be not too fierce , lest he love thee not , nor too remiss , lest he fear thee not , nor too familiar , lest he prize thee not . in brief , whil'st thou givest him the liberty of a servant , beware thou losest not the majesty of a master . max. . if thou desire to be chast in wedlock , keep thy self chast before thou wed'est ; he that hath known pleasure unlawfully , will hardly be restrained from unlawful pleasure : one woman was created for one man. he that strays beyond the limits of liberty , is brought into the verge of slavery : where one is enough , two is too many , and three is too few . max. . if thou would'st be justified ; acknowledge thy injustjce : he that confesseth his sin , begins his journey toward salvation ; he that is sorry sor't , mends his pace ; he that forsakes it , is at his journey 's end . max. . before thou reprehend another , take heed thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend : he that cleanseth a blott with blotted fingers makes a greater blur. max. . beware of drunkenness , lest all good men beware of thee : where drunkenness reigns , there reason is an exul , virtue a stranger , god an enemy ; blasphemy is wit , oaths are rhetorick , and secrets are proclamations . noah discovered that in one hour , drunk , which sober , he kept secret six hundred years . max. . what thou givest to the poor , thou securest from the thief ; but what thou witholdest from his necessity , a thief possesses . god's exchequer is the poor man's box ; when thou strikest a tally , he becomes thy debtor . max. . take no pleasure in the folly of an ideot , nor in the fancy of a lunatick , nor in the frenzy of a drunkard ; make them the object of thy pity , not of thy pastime , when thou beholdest them , behold how thou art beholden to him that suffer'd thee not to be like them ; there is no difference between thee and them , but god's favour . max. . if being in an eminent place thou hast incurr'd the obloquy of the multitude , the more thou endeavourest to stop the stream , the more it overflows : wisely rather divert the course of the vulgar humour , by divulging and spreading some ridiculous novelty , which may present new matter to their various fancy , and stave their tongues from off thy worried name ; the first subject of the common voice is the last news . max. . if thou desire to see thy child virtuous , let him not see his father's vices : thou canst not rebuke that in them that they behold practis'd in thee . till reason be ripe , examples direct more than precepts : such as thy behaviour is before thy childrens faces , such commonly is theirs behind their parents backs . max. . use law and physick only for necessity ; they that use them otherwise , abuse themselves into weak bodies and light purses . they are good remedies , bad businesses , and worse recreations . max. . be not over curious in prying into mysteries , lest by seeking things which are needless , thou omit things which are necessary ; it is more safe to doubt of uncertain matters than to dispute of undiscovered mysteries . max. . if what thou hast received from god thou sharest to the poor , thou hast gained a blessing by the hand : if what thou hast taken from the poor thou givest to god , thou hast purchased a curse into the bargain : he that puts to pious uses what he hath got by impious usury , robs the spittle to raise an hospital , and the cry of the one , will out-plead the prayers of the other . max. . let the end of thy argument be rather to discover a doubtful truth , than a commanding wit ; in the one thou shalt gain substance , in the other froth : that flint strikes the steel in vain that propagates no sparkles . covet to be truth 's champion , at least to hold her colours : he that pleads against the truth takes pains to be overthrown , or if a conqueror , gains but a vain-glory by the conquest . max. . take no pleasure in the death of a creature ; if it be harmless or useless destroy it not , if useful or harmful destroy it mercifully : he that mercifully made his creatures for thy sake , expects thy mercy upon them for his sake , mercy turns her back to the unmerciful . max. . if thou art called to the dignity of a priest , the same voice calls thee to the honour of a judge : if thy life and doctrine be good , thou shalt judge others ; if thy doctrine be good and thy life bad , only thy self : if both be good , thou teachest thy people to escape condemnation : if this be good , and that bad , thou teachest god to condemn thee . max. . if thou be not a prometheus to advise , before thou dost be an epimetheus to examine what thou hast done , when the want of advice hath brought forth an improvident act , the examination may produce a profitable repentance . max. . if thou desire the happiness of thy soul , the health of thy body , the prosperity of thy estate , the preservation of thy credit , converse not with a harlot ; her eyes run thy reputation in debt , her lips demand the payment , her breast arrest thee , her arms imprison thee , from whence believe it thou shalt hardly get forth till thou hast either ended the days of thy credit , or paid the utmost farthing of thy estate . max. . carry a watchful eye upon those familiars that are either silent at thy faults , or sooth thee in thy frailties , or excuse thee in thy follies , for such are either cowards , or flatterers , or fools : if thou entertain them in prosperity , the coward will leave thee in thy dangers ; the flatterer will quit thee in thy adversity ; but the fool will never forsake thee . max. . if thou hast an estate and a son to inherit it , keep him not too short , lest he think thou livest too long ; what thou givest let him receive from thy hand as gifts , not from thy tenants as rent ; keep the reins of thy estate in thy own hand , lest thou forsaking the sovereignty of a father , he forget the reverence of a child ; let his liberty be grounded upon thy permission , and keep him within the compass of thy instructions : let him feel thou hast the curb , though occasion urge thee not to check : give him the choice of his own wife if he be wise , counsel his affection rather than cross it ; if thou be'st wise let his marriage-bed be made in secret , or depend upon thy grave . if he be given to lavish company endeavour to stave him off with lawful recreations : be cheerful with him that he may love thy presence , and wink at small faults that thou mayst gain him ; be not always chiding lest thou harden him , neither knit thy brow too often lest thou dishearten him : remember the discretion of a father oft times prevents the destruction of a child . max. . if thou hide thy treasure upon earth , how canst thou expect to find it in heaven ? canst thou hope to be a sharer where thou hast reposed no stock ? that thou gavest to god's glory and thy soul's health is laid up in heaven , and is only thine : that alone which thou exchangeth or hidest upon earth is lost . max. . regard not in thy pilgrimage how difficult thy passage is , but whither it tends ; nor delicate thy journey is , but where it ends ; if it be easie , suspect it ; if hard , endure it ; he that cannot excuse a bad way , accuseth his own sloth ; and he that sticks in a bad passage , can never attain a good journey 's end . max. . money is both the generation and corruption of purchased honour ; honour is both the child and slave to potent money : the credit which honour hath lost , money hath found ; when honour grew mercenary , money grew honourable ; the way to be truly noble is to contemn both . max. . give not thy tongue too great a liberty , lest it take thee prisoner ; a word unspoken is like the sword in thy scabbard , thine ; if vented , thy sword is in another's hand : if thou desire to be held wise , be so wise as to hold thy tongue . max. . if thou be a subject to any great vanity , nourish it not : if it will be entertained , encourage it not ; if it grow strong , more strongly strive against it ; if too strong , pray against it ; if it weaken not , joyn fasting to the prayer ; if it shall continue , add perseverance to them both ; if it decline not , add patience to all , and thou hast conquered it . max. . hath any wounded thee with injury , meet them with patience ; hasty words rankle the wounds , soft language dresses it ; forgiveness cures it , and oblivion takes away the scar ; it is more noble by silence to avoid an injury ; than by argument to overcome it . max. . be not instable in thy resolutions , nor various in thy actions , nor inconstant in thy affections ; so deliberate , that thou mayst resolve ; so resolve , that thou mayst perform ; so perform , that thou mayst persevere : mutability is the badge of infirmity . max. . let not thy good intention flatter thee to an evil action ; what is essential evil , no circumstance can make good : it matters not with what mind thou didst that which is unlawful being done ; if the act be good the intention crowns it , if bad it deposeth thy intention ; no evil action can be well done . max. . love not thy children too unequally , or if thou dost , shew it not , lest thou make the one proud , the other envious and both fools ; if nature hath made a difference , it is the part of a tender parent to help the weakest : that tryal is not fair where affection is the judge . max. . in giving of thy alms , enquire not so much into the person as his necessity ; god looks not so much upon the merits of him that requires , as into the manner of him that relieves ; if the man deserves not , thou hast given it to humanity . max. . if thou desire the eucharist should be thy supper , let thy life be thy chaplain ; if thy own worthiness invites thee , presume not to come ; if the sorrowful sense of thy own sins forbid , presume not to forbear ; if thy faith be strong , it will confirm it , if weak , it will strengthen it : he only that wants faith is the forbidden guest . max. . wouldst thou traffick with the best advantage , and crown thy virtues with the best return , make the poor thy chapman , and thy purse thy factor ; so shall thou give trifles , which thou couldst not keep , to receive treasure which thou canst not lose : there is no such merchant as the charitable man. max. . follow not the multitude in the evil of sin , lest thou share with the multitude in the evil of punishment ; the number of the offenders , diminisheth not the quality of the offence ; as the multitude of suiters draws more favour to the suit , so the multitude of sinners draws more punishment on the sin , the number of the faggots multiply the sury of the fire . max. . if thou be angry with him that reproves thy sin , thou secretly confessest his reproof to be just : if thou acknowledge his reproof to be just , thou secretly confessest thy anger to be unjust ; he that is angry with the just reprover , kindles the fire of the just revenger . max. . do well whilst thou mayst ; least thou do evil when thou wouldst not : he that takes not advantage of a good power , shall lose the benefit of a good will. max. . let not mirth be thy profession , lest thou become a make-sport : he that hath but gained the title of a jester , let him assure himself the fool is not far off . max. . in every relative action change conditions with thy brother ; then ask thy conscience what thou wouldst be done to ; being truly resolved exchange again , and do thou the like to him , and thy charity shall never err : it is injustice to do , what without impatience thou canst not suffer . max. . love thy neighbour for god's sake , and god for his own sake , who created all things for thy sake , and redeemed thee for his mercy sake : if thy love have any other object , it is false love ; if thy object have any other end , it is self love. max. . let thy conversation with men be sober and sincere ; let thy devotion to god be dutiful and decent ; let the one be hearty and not haughty ; let the other be humble and not homely ; so live with man as if god saw thee , so pray to god as if men heard thee . max. . god's pleasure is the wind our actions ought to sail by , man's will is the stream that titles them up and down ; if the wind blow not , thou mayst take the advantage of the tide ; if it blow , no matter which way the stream runs ; if with thee , thy voyage will be the shorter ; if against thee , the sea will be the rougher . it is eaffer to strive against the stream , than to sail against the wind. max. . if thou desire much rest , desire not too much ; there is no less trouble in the preservation , than in the acquisition of abundance ; diogenes found more rest in his tub , than alexander on his throne . max. . wouldst thou multiply thy riches , diminish them wisely ; or wouldst thou make thy estate entire , divide it charitably ; seeds that are scattered encrease , but hoarded up they perish . max. . how cam'st thou by thy honour ? by money ; how cam'st thou by thy money ? by extortion ; compare the pennyworth with the price , and tell me truly , how truly honourable thou art : it is an ill purchase that is cumbred with a curse , and that honour will be ruinous that is built on ruines . max. . if thy brother hath privately offended thee , reprove him privately ; and having lost himself in an injury thou shalt find him in thy forgiveness ; he that rebukes a private fault openly , betrays it , rather than reproves it . max. . what thou desirest inspect throughly before thou prosecute ; cast one eye upon the inconveniencies , as well as the other upon the conveniencies ; weigh the fulness of the barn with the charge of the plough ; weigh honour with her burthen , and pleasure with her dangers ; so shalt thou undertake wisely what thou desirest , or moderate thy desires in undertaking . max. . if thou owest thy whole self to thy god for thy creation , what hast thou left to pay for thy redemption , that was not so cheap as the creation ? in thy creation he gave thee thy self , and by thy self to him ; in thy redemption he gave himself to thee , and through him restored thee to thy self : thou art given and restored , now what owest thou to thy god ? if thou hast paid all thy debts , give him the surplusage , and thou hast merited . max. . in thy discourse , take heed what thou speakest , to whom thou speakest , how thou speakest , and when thou speakest : what thou speakest , speak truly ; when thou speakest , speak wisely : a fool 's heart is in his tongue , but a wise man's tongue is in his heart . max. . before thou act a theft , consider what thou art about to do ; if thou take it , thou losest thy self ; if thou keep it , thou disenablest thy redemption ; till thou restorest it , thou canst not be restored ; when it is restored` it must cost the more sorrow and pain , than ever it brought thee profit or pleasure . it is a great folly to please thy palate with that which thou knowest must either be vomited or thy death . max. . silence is the highest wisdom of a fool , and speech is the greatest trial of a wise man ; if thou would'st be known a wise man , let thy words shew thee so ; if thou doubt thy words , let thy silence feign thee so : it is not a greater point of wisdom to discover knowledge than to hide ignorance . max. . the clergy is a copy-book ; their life is the paper , whereof some is purer , some courser ; their doctrine is the copies , some written in a plain hand , others in a flourishing hand , some in a text hand , some in a roman hand , others in a court hand , others in a bastard roman . if the choice be in thy power , choose a book that hath the finest paper ; let it not be too straight nor too loosely bound , but easie to lye open to every eye : follow not every copy , lest thou be good at none ; among them all choose one that shall be most legible and useful , and fullest of just writing : but if the paper chance to have a blot , remember that blot is no part of the copy . max. . virtue is nothing but an act of loving that which is to be beloved , and that act is prudence ; from whence not to be removed by constraint , is fortitude , not to be allured by enticements is temperance , not to be diverted by pride is justice ; the declining of this act is vice. max. . rebuke thy servant's fault in private ; publick reproof hardens his shame ; if he be past a youth , strike him not ; he is not fit for thy service that after wise reproofs will either deserve thy stroaks or digest them . max. . take heed rather what thou receivest , than what thou givest ; what thou givest leaves thee , what thou takest sticks by thee ; he that presents a gift , buys the receiver ; he that takes a gift , sells his liberty max. . things temporal are sweeter in expectation , things eternal are sweeter in the fruition ; the first shames thy hopes , the second crowns it : it is a vain journey whose end affords less pleasure than the way . max. . know thy self , that thou may'st fear god ; know god , that thou may'st love him ; in this thou art initiated to wisdom , in that perfected : the fear of god is the beginning of wisdom ; the love of god is the fulfilling of the law. max. . if thou hast providence to foresee a danger , let thy providence rather prevent it than fear it ; the fear of future evils brings often times a present mischief ; whil'st thou seekest to prevent it , practise to bear it : he is a wise man can prevent an evil ; he is a patient man that can endure it ; but he is a valiant man can conquer it . max. . if thou hast the place of a magistrate , deserve it by thy justice , and dignifie it with thy mercy : take heed of early gifts ; an open hand makes a blind eye . be not more apt to punish vice , than to encourage virtue ; be not too severe , lest thou be hated , nor too remiss , lest thou be slighted : so cute justice , that thou may'st be loved ; so execute mercy , that thou may'st be feared . max. . let not thy table exceed the fourth part of thy revenue ; let thy provision be solid , and not far fetch'd , fuller of substance than art : be wisely frugal in thy preparation , and freely cheerful in thy entertainment : if thy guest be right , it is enough , if not , it is too much . : too much is a vanity ; enough is a feast . max. . let thy apparel be decent , and suited to the quality of thy place and purse : too much punctuality , and too much morosity , are the two poles of pride . be neither too early in the fashion , nor too long out of it , nor too precisely in it ; what custom hath civilized is become decent , till then ridiculous . where thy eye is the jury , thy apparel is the evidence . max. . if thy words be too luxuriant , confine them , lest they confine thee : he that thinks he never can speak enough , may easily speak too much ; a full tongue and an empty brain are seldom parted . max. . in holding of an argument , be neither cholerick nor too opinionate ; the one distempers thy understanding , the other abuseth thy judgment . above all things decline paradoxes and mysteries : thou shalt receive no honour either in maintaining rank falshoods , or medling with secret truths . as he that pleads against the truth makes wit the mother of his error , so he that argues beyond warrant makes wisdom the midwife of his folly. max. . detain not the wages from the poor man that hath earn'd it , lest god withold thy wages from thee : if he complain to thee , hear him , lest he complain to heaven , where he will be heard ; if he hunger for thy sake , thou shalt not prosper for his sake : the poor man's peny is a plague in the rich man's purse . max. . be not too cautious in discerning the fit objects of thy charity ; lest a soul perish through thy discretion : what thou givest to mistaken want , shall return a blessing to thy deceived heart ; better in relieving idleness to commit an accidental evil , than in neglecting misery to omit an essential good ▪ better two drones be preserv'd than one bee perish . max. . theology is the empress of the world , mysteries are her privy council , religion is her clergy , the arts are her nobility , philosophy her secretary , the graces her maids of honour , the moral virtues the ladies of her bedchamber , peace her chamberlain , true joy and endless pleasures are her courtiers , plenty her treasurer , poverty her exchequer , the temple is her court. if thou desire access to this great majesty , the way is by her courtiers ; if thou hast not power there , the common way to the sovereign is by the secretary . max. . it is an evil knowledge to know the good thou should'st embrace , unless thou likewise embrace the good thou knowest : the breath of divine knowledge is the bellows of divine love ; and the flame of divine love is the perfection of divine knowledge . max. . if thou desire rest unto thy soul , be just ; he that doth no injury fears not to suffer injury : the unjust mind is always in labour ; it either practiseth the evil it hath projected , or projects to avoid the evil it hath deserved . max. . accustom thy self to what is most usual : he that delights in rarities must often feed displeased , and sometimes lye at the mercy of a dear market ; common food nourisheth best , delicates please most ; the sound stomack prefers neither ; what art thou the worse for the last year's plain diet , or what now the better for the last great feast ? max. . whoever thou art , thou hast done more evil in one day than thou canst expiate in six , and canst thou think the evil of six days can require less than one ? god hath made us rich in days by allowing six , and himself poor by reserving but one ; and shall we spare our own flock , and sheer his lamb ? he that hath done nothing but what he can justifie in the six days , may play the seventh . max. . hope and fear , like hypocrates's twins , should live and dye together ; if hope departs from fear , it travels by security , and lodgeth in presumption ; if fear depart from hope , it travels to infidelity , and inns in despair ; the one shuts up heaven , the other opens hell ; the one makes thee insensible of god's frowns , the other incapable of god's favour ; and both teach god to be unmerciful , and thee to be most miserable . max. . close thine ear against him that shall open his mouth secretly against another ; if thou ▪ recieve not his words , they fly back , and wound the reporter ; if thou receive them , they fly forward , and wound the receiver . max. . if thou would'st preserve a sound body , use fasting and walking ; if a healthful soul , fasting and praying ; walking exerciseth the body , praying exerciseth the soul ; fasting cleanseth both . max. . wouldest thou not be thought a fool in another's conceit ? be not wise in thine own ; he that trusts in his own wisdom , proclaims his own folly : he is truly wise , and shall appear so , that hath folly enough to be thought not worldly wise , or wisdom enough to see his own folly. max. . desirest thou knowledge ? know the end of thy desire : is it only to know ? then it is curiosity ; is it because thou mayst be known ? then 't is vanity ; if because thou mayst edifie , then 't is charity ; if because thou mayst be edified , it is wisdom . that knowledge turns to mere excrement , that hath not some heat of wisdom to digest it . max. . wisdom without innocency is knavery ; innocency without wisdom is foolery ; be therefore wise as serpents , and innocent as doves : the subtilty of the serpent instructs the innocency of the dove ; the innocency of the dove corrects the subtilty of the serpent . what god hath joyned together , let no man separate . max. . the more thou imitatest the virtues of a saint departed , the better thou celebratest the saint's day : god is not pleased with surfeiting for his sake , who with his fasting so often pleased his god. max. . 〈◊〉 not thy serviceable soldier out of soft apparel , lest he prove effeminate ; nor out of a full purse , lest he grow timorous they are more fit for action that are fiery to gain a fortune abroad , than they that have fortunes to lose at home . expectation breeds spirit , fruition brings fear . max. . god hath given to mankind a common library , his creatures ; and to every man a proper book , himself ; being an abridgement of all the others . if thou read with understanding , it will make thee a great master of philosophy , and a true servant to the divine author ; if thou but barely read , it will make thee thy own wise man , and the author's fool. max. . doubt is a weak child , lawfully begotten between an obstructed judgment and a fair understanding . opinion is a bold bastard , gotten between a strong fancy and a weak judgment . it is less dishonourable to be ingeniously doubtful , than rashly opinionate . max. . as thou art a moral man , esteem thy self not as thou art , but as thou art esteemed . as thou art a christian , esteem thy self as thou art , not as thou art esteemed : thy price in both rises and falls as the market goes ; the market of a moral man is wild opinion ; the market of a christian is a good conscience . max. . providence is an exercise of reason , experience an act of sense ; by how much reason excels sense , by so much providence exceeds experience : providence prevents that danger which ezperience repents ; providence is the rational daughter of wisdom , experience the empirical mistress of fools . max. . hath fortune dealt thee ill cards , let wisdom make thee a good gamester ; in a fair gale every fool may sail , but wise behaviour in a storm commends the wisdom of a pilate ; to bear adversity with an equal mind , is both the sign and glory of a brave spirit . max. . if any speak ill of thee , flee home to thy own conscience , and examine thy heart ; if thou be guilty , 't is a just correction ; if not guilty , 't is a fair instruction : make use of both , so shalt thou distill honey out of gall , and out of an open enemy , create a secret friend . max. . as the exercise of the body natural is moderate recreation , so the exercise of the body politick , is military-discipline ; by that , the one is made more able ; by this , the other is made more active : where both are wanting there wants no danger ; to the one , through a humorous supply ; to the other , by a negligent security . max. . god is above thee , beasts are beneath thee ; acknowledge him that is above thee , and thou shalt be acknowledged by them that are under thee ; whilst daniel acknowledge god to be above him , the lyons acknowledge god to be above them . max. . take heed , whilst thou shewest wisdom in not speaking , thou betrayest not thy own folly in too long silence ; if thou art a fool , thy silence is wisdom ; if a wise man , too long silence is folly : as too many words from a fool 's mouth , gives a wise man no leave to speak , so too long silence in a wise man gives a fool the opportunity of speaking , and makes thee guilty of his folly. max. . consider what thou wert , what thou art , what thou shalt be , what is within thee , what is above thee , what beneath thee , what is against thee , what was before thee , what shall be after thee ; and this will bring to thy self humility , to thy neighbour charity , to the world contempt , to thy god obedience . he that knows not himself positively , cannot know himself relatively . max. . think not thy love to god , merits god's love to thee ; his acceptance of thy duty crowns his own gifts in thee . man's love to god is nothing but a faint reflection of god's love to man. max. . be always less willing to speak than to hear ; what thou hearest thou receivest , what thou speakest thou givest . it is more glorious to give , more profitable to receive . max. . seest thou good days , prepare for evil times ; no summer but hath its winter : he never reapt comfort in adversity , that sow'd it not in prosperity . max. . if being a magistrate thou connivest at vice , thou nourishest it ; if thou sparest it , thou committest it ; what is not by thee punished in others , is made punishable in thee ; he that favours present evils , entails them upon his posterity : he that excuseth the guilty condemns the innocent . max. . truth haunts no corners , seeks no by-ways ; if thou profess it , do it openly ; if thou seek it , do it fairly : he deserves not to profess truth that professeth it fearfully : he deserves not to find the truth that seeks it fraudulently . max. . if thou desire to be wiser yet , think not thy self yet wise enough ; and if thou desire to improve knowledge in thy self , despise not the instructions of another : he that instructs him that thinks himself wise enough , hath a fool to his scholar ; he that thinks himself wise enough to instruct himself , hath a fool to his master . the end of the third century . institutions and maxims moral and divine , &c. cent . iv. maxim . demean thy self more warily in thy study than in the street ; if thy publick actions have an hundred witnesses , thy private have a thousand ; the multitude look but upon thy actions , thy conscience looks into them ; the multitude may chance to excuse thee , if not acquit thee ; thy conscience will accuse thee , if not condemn thee . max. . of all vices , take heed of drunkenness ; other vices are but fruits of disorder'd affections , this disorders , nay banisheth reason ; other vices but impair the soul , this demolisheth her two chief faculties , the understanding and the will ; other vices makes their own way , this makes way for all vices : he that is a drunkard is qualify'd for all vice. max. . if thy sin trouble thee , let that trouble comfort thee ; as pleasure in the remembrance of sin exasperates justice , so sorrow in the repentance of sin mollifies mercy : it is less danger to commit the sin we delight in , than to delight in the sin we have committed ; and more joy is promised to repentance , than to innocency . max. . the way to god is by thy self , the way to thy self is by thy own corruptions ; he that baulks this way , errs ; he that travels by the creatures , wanders : the motion of the heavens shall give thy soul no rest ; the virtue of herbs shall not encrease thine ; the height of all philosophy both natural and moral , is to know thy self , and the end of this knowledge is to know god. max. . infamy is where it is received ; if thou art a mud-wall , it will stick ; if marble , it will rebound ; if thou storm at it , 't is thine ; if thou contemn it , 't is his . max. . if thou desire magistracy , learn to forget thy self : if thou undertake it , bid thy self farewel . he that looks upon a common cause with private eyes , looks through false glasses . in the exercise of thy politique office thou must forget both ethicks and oeconomicks : he that puts on a publick gown , must put off a private person . max. . let the words of a virgin , though in a good cause , and to as good purpose , be neither violent , many , nor first , nor last ; it is less shame for a virgin to be lost in a blushing silence , than to be found in a bold eloquence . max. . art thou in plenty , give what thou wilt ; art thou in poverty , give what thou canst : as what is received , is received according to the manner of the receiver , so what is given is priz'd according to the measure of the giver : he is a good work-man that makes as good work , as his matter will permit . max. . god is the author of truth , the devil the father of lies ; if the telling of a truth shall endanger thy life , the author of truth will protect thee from the danger , or reward thee for thy damage ; if the telling a lie may secure thy life , the father of lies will beguile thee of thy gains , or traduce the security : better by losing of a life to save it , than by saving of a life to lose it . however , better thou perish than the truth . max. . consider not so much what thou hast , as what others want ; what thou hast take heed thou lose not ; what thou hast not , take heed thou covet not : if thou hast many above thee , turn thy eye upon those that are under thee . if thou hast not inferiors , have patience a while , and thou shalt have no superiors ; the grave requires no marshal . max. . if thou seest any thing in thy self which may make thee proud , look a little and thou shall find enough to humble thee ; if thou be wise , view the peacock's feathers with his feet , and weigh thy best parts with thy imperfections : he that would rightly prize the man , must read his whole story . max. . let not the sweetness of contemplation be so esteemed , that action be despised . rachel was more fair ; leah more fruitful ; as contemplation is more delightful , so is it more dangerous : lot was upright in the city and wicked in the mountain . max. . if thou hast but little , make it not less by murmuring ; if thou hast enough , make it not too much by unthankfulness ; he that is not thankfully contented with the least favour he hath received , hath made himself incapable of the least favour he can receive . max. . what thou hast taken unlawfully , restore speedily ; for the sin in taking it is repeated every minute thou keep'st it ; if thou canst , restore it in kind ; if not , in value ; if it may be , restore it to the party ; if not , to god ; the poor is god's receiver . max. . let the fear of a danger , be as a spur to prevent it ; he that fears otherwise gives advantage to the danger ; it is less folly not to endeavour the prevention of the evil thou fearest , than to fear the evil which thy endeavour cannot prevent . max. . if thou hast any excellence which is thine own , thy tongue may glory in it without shame ; but if thou hast received it , thy glory is but usurpation , and thy pride is but the prologue of thy shame ; where vain-glory commands , there folly counsels ; where pride rides , there shame lacquys . max. . god hath ordained his creatures not only for necessity but for delight ; since he hath carv'd thee with a bountiful hand , fear not to receive it with a liberal heart ; he that gave thee water to allay thy thirst , gave thee wine to exhilerate thy heart : restore him for the one , the necessity of thanks ; return him for the other , the cheerfulness of praise . max. . if the wicked flourish and thou suffer , be not discourag'd ; they are fatted for destruction , thou art dieted for health ; they have no other heaven but the thoughts of a long earth ; thou hast nothing on earth but the hopes of a quick heaven : if there were no journey 's end , the travel of a christian were most comfortless . max. . imp not thy wing with the church's feathers , lest thou fly to thy own ruine ; impropriations are bold metaphors , which continued are deadly allegories ; one foot of land in capite encumbers the whole estate ; the eagle snatch'd a coal from the altar , but it fir'd her nest . max. . let that table which god hath pleased to give thee , please thee ; he that made the vessel knows her burthen , and how to ballast her ; he that made all things very good , cannot but do all things very well ; if thou be content with a little , thou hast enough ; if thou complainest , thou hast too much . max. . wouldst thou discover the true worth of a man , behold him naked , distreasure him of his ill got wealth ; degrade him of his dear bought honour ; disrobe him of his purple habit ; discard his pamper'd body ; then look upon his soul , and thou shalt find how great he is : natural sweetness is never scented but in the absence of artificial . max. . if thou art subject to any secret folly , blab it not , lest thou appear impudent ; nor boast of it , lest thou seem insolent ; every man's vanity ought to be his greatest shame ; and every man's folly ought to be his greatest secret . max. . if thou be ignorant , endeavour to get knowledge , lest thou be beaten with stripes : if thou hast attained knowledge , put it in practice , lest thou be beaten with many stripes ; better not to know what we should practice , than not to practice what we know ; and less danger dwells in unaffected ignorance , than unactive knowledge . max. . take heed thou harbour not that vice called envy , lest another's happiness be thy torment , and god's blessing becomes thy curse : virtue corrupted with vain-glory turns pride ; poison'd with malice becomes envy : joyn therefore humility with thy virtue , and pride shall have no footing , and envy shall have no entrance . max. . if thy endeavour cannot prevent a vice , let thy repentance lament it ; the more thou remember'st it without hearts-grief , the deeper it is rooted in thy heart : take heed it please thee not , especially in cold blood , thy pleasure in it makes it fruitless , and her fruit is thy destruction . max. . the two knowledges of god and of thy self , are the high-way to thy salvation ; that breeds in thee a filial love , this a filial fear . the ignorance of thy self is the beginning of all sin ; and the ignorance of god is the perfection of all evil. max. . rather do nothing to the purpose than be idle , that the devil may find thee doing . the bird that sits is easily shot , when flyers ' scape the fowler ; idleness is the dead sea that swallows all virtues , and the self made sepulchre of a living man : the idle man is the devil's hireling , whose livery is rags , whose dyet and wages are famine and diseases . max. . be not so mad , as to alter that countenance which thy creator made thee ; remember 't was the work of his hands ; if it be bad how darst thou mend it ; if it be good , why dost thou mend it ? art thou asham'd of his work , and proud of thy own ? he made thy face to be known by ; why desirest thou to be known by another ? it is a shame to adulterate modesty , but more to adulterate nature ; lay by thy art , and blush not to appear what he blushes not to make thee . it is better to be his picture than thine own . max. . let the ground of all thy religious actions be obedience ; examine not why it is commanded , but observe it because it is commanded ; true obedience neither procrastinates nor questions . max. . if thou would'st buy an inheritance in heaven , advise not with thy purse , lest in the mean while thou lose thy purchase . the widow bought as much for two mites as zacheus did for half his estate . the price of that purchase is what thou hast , and is not lost for what thou hast not , if thou desire to have it . max. . with the same height of desire thou hast sinned , with the like depth of sorrow thou must repent ; thou that hast sinned to day , defer not thy repentance till to morrow . he that hath promised thee pardon to thy repentance , hath not promised life till thou repent . max. . take heed how thou receivest praise from men ; from good men , neither avoid it , nor glory in it ; from evil men , neither desire it nor expect it : to be praised of them that are evil , or for that which is evil , is equal dishonour ; he is happy in his worth who is praised by the good , and imitated by the bad . max. . proportion thy charity to the strength of thy estate , lest god proportion thy estate to the weakness of thy charity : let the lips of the poor be the trumpet of thy gifts , lest in seeking applause thou losest thy reward . nothing is more pleasing to god than an open hand and a close mouth . max. . dost thou want things necessary : grumble not ; perchance 't was a necessary thing thou should'st want ; endeavour lawfully to supply it : if god bless not thy endeavours , bless him that knoweth what is fittest for thee ; thou art god's patient , prescribe not thy physitian . max. . if another's death , or thy own , depend upon thy confession , if thou canst , say nothing ; if thou must , say the truth : it is better thou lose thy life than god his honour ; it is as easie for him to give thee life being condemned , as repentance , having sinned : it is more wisdom to yeild thy body , than hazard thy soul. max. . cloath not thy language , either with obscurity or affectation ; in the one thou discoverest too much darkness , in the other too much lightness : he that speaks from the understanding to the understanding is the best interpreter . max. . if thou expect death as a friend , prepare to entertain it ; if thou expect death as an enemy , prepare to overcome it : death hath no advantage , but when it comes a stranger . max. . fear nothing but what thy industry may prevent : be confident of nothing but what fortune cannot defeat . it is no less folly to fear what is impossible to be avoided , than to be secure when there is a possibility to be deprived . max. . let not the necessity of god's decree discourage thee to pray , or dishearten thy prayers ; do thou thy dury , and god will do his pleasure : if thy prayers make not him sound that is sick , they will return , and confirm thy health that art sound : if the end of thy prayers be to obtain thy request , thou confinest him that is infinite ; if thou hast done well because thou wert commanded , thou hast thy reward , in that thou hast obeyed god's pleasure in the end of our prayers . max. . marry not too young ; and when thou art too old , marry not , lest thou be fond in the one , and dote in the other , and repent for both : let thy liking ripen before thou love ; let thy love advise before thou chuse ; and let thy choice be first , before thou marry : remember that the whole happiness of thy life depends upon this one act ; remember that nothing but death can dissolve this knot : he that weds in haste , repents oftentimes by leisure ; and he that repents him of his own act , either is or was a fool by confession . max. . if god hath sent thee a cross , take it up and follow him ; use it wisely , lest it be unprofitable ; bear it patiently , lest it be intollerable ; behold in it god's anger against sin , and his love towards thee in punishing and chastising the other . if it be light , slight it not ; if heavy , murmur not : not to be sensible of a judgment , is the symptom of a hardned heart ; and to be displeased at his pleasure is a sign of a rebellious will. max. . if thou desire to be magnanimous , undertake nothing rashly , and fear nothing thou undertakest : fear nothing but infamy ; dare any thing but injury . the measure of magnanimity , is neither to be rash , nor timorous . max. . practise in health to bear sickness , and endeavour in the strength of thy life to entertain death . he that hath a will to dye , not having power to live , shews necessity , not virtue : it is the glory of a brave mind to embrace pangs in the very arms of pleasure . what name of virtue merits he that goes when he is driven ? max. . be not too punctual in taking place : if he be thy superiour , 't is his due ; if thy inferiour , 't is his dishonour ; it is thou must honour thy place , not thy place thee . it is a poor reward of worth , that consists in a righthand , or a brick wall. max. . pray often , because thou sinnest always ; repent quickly , lest thou dye suddenly : he that repents it , because he wants power to act it , repents not of a sin till he forsakes it : he that wants power to actuate his sin hath not forsaken his sin , but his sin him . max. . make philosophy thy journey , theology thy journey 's end : philosophy is a pleasant way , but dangerous to him that either tires or retires : in this journey it 's safe neither to loyter , nor to rest , till thou hast attained thy journey's-end : he that sits down a philosopher , rises up an atheist . max. . fear not to sin , for god's sake , but thy own ; thy sin o'erthrows not his glory , but good : he gains his glory not only from the salvation of the repentant ; but also from the confusion of the rebellious . there be vessels for honour , and vessels for dishonour ; but both for his honour . god is not griev'd for the glory he shall lose for thy improvidence , but for the horror thou shalt find for thy impenitence . max. . insult not over misery , nor deride infirmity , nor despise deformity . the first shews thy inhumanity ; the second , thy folly ; the third , thy pride ; he that made him miserable , made thee happy to lament him : he that made him weak , made thee strong to support him ; he that made him deformed , gave thee favour to be humbled ; he that is not sensible of another's unhappiness , is a living stone ; but he that makes misery the object of his triumph , is an incarnate devil . max. . make thy recreations servants to thy business ; lest thou become slave to thy recreations ; when thou go'st up into the mountain , leave this servant in the valley ; when thou goest to the city , leave him in the suburbs ; and remember , the servant is not greater than his master . max. . praise no man too liberally before his face ; nor censure him too lavishly behind his back . the one savours of flattery ; the other , of malice , and both are reprehensible : the true way to advance another's virtue , is to follow it ; and the best means to cry down another's vice , is to decline it . max. . if thy prince command a lawful act , give him all active obedience : if he command an unlawful act , give passive obedience . what thy well-grounded conscience will suffer , do cheerfully , without repining ; where thou may'st not do lawfully , suffer couragiously without rebellion : thy life and livelihood is thy prince's , thy conscience is thy own . max. . if thou givest to receive the like , it is exchange : if to receive more , 't is covetousness : if to receive thanks , it is vanity : if to be seen , 't is vain-glory : if to corrupt , 't is bribery : if for example , 't is formality : if for compassion , 't is charity : if because thou art commanded , 't is obedience : the affection in doing the work , gives a name to the work done . max. . fear death , but be not afraid of death . to fear it what 's thy expectation ; to be afraid of it dulls thy preparation : if thou canst endure it , it is but a slight pain ; if not , 't is but a short pain : to fear death , is the way to live long ; to be afraid of death , is to be long a dying . max. . if thou desire the love of god and man , be humble ; for the proud heart , as it loves none but it self , so it is beloved of none , but by it self : the voice of humility is god's rhetorick . humility enforces , where neither virtue , nor strength , nor reason , can prevail . max. . look upon thy burning taper , and there see the emblem of thy life : the flame is thy soul ; the wax thy body , and is commonly a span long ; the wax , ( if never so well temper'd ) can but last his length ; and who can lengthen it ? if ill temper'd , it shall waste the the faster , yet last his length ; an open window shall hasten either ; an extinguisher shall put out both : husband them the best thou canst , thou canst not lengthen them beyond their date : leave them to the injury of the wind , or to the mercy of a wastful hand , thou hastnest them , but still they burn their length : but puff them out , and thou hast shortned them , and stop'd their passage , which else had brought them to their appointed end. bodies according to their constitutions , stronger or weaker , according to the equality or inequality of their elements , have their dates , and may be preserved from shortning , but not lengthned . neglect may waste them , ill diet may hasten them to their journey 's end , yet they have lived their length ; a violent hand may interrupt them ; a sudden death may stop them , and they are shortned . it lies in the power of man , either permissively to hasten , or actively to shorten ; but not to lengthen or extend the limits of his natural life . he only ( if any ) hath the art to lengthen out his taper that puts it to the best advantage . max. . demean thy self in the presence of thy prince , with reverence and chearfulness . that , without this , is too much sadness ; this , without that , is too much boldness : let thy wisdom endeavonr to gain his opinion , and labour to make thy loyalty his confidence : let him not find thee false in words , unjust in thy actions , unseasonable in thy suits , nor careless in his service : cross not his passion ; question not his pleasures ; press not into his secrets ; pry not in his prerogative : displease him not , lest he be angry ; appear not displeased , lest he be jealous . the anger of a king is implacable : the jealousie of a prince is incurable . max. . give thy heart to thy creator , and reverence thy superiors : give diligence to thy calling , and ear to good counsel : give alms to the poor , and the glory to god : forgive him that ignorantly offends thee , and him that wittingly offended thee , seeks thee . forgive him that hath forcibly abused thee ; and him that hath fraudulently betray'd thee : forgive all thine enemies ; but least of all thy self : give , and it shall be given to thee ; forgive , and it shall be forgiven thee ; the sum of all christianity is give and forgive . max. . be not too great a niggard in the commendations of him that professes thy own quality : if he deserves thy praise , thou hast discovered thy judgment ; if not , thy modesty : honour either returns , or reflects to the giver . max. . if thou desire to raise thy fortunes , encourage thy delights to the casts of fortune ; be wise betimes , lest thou repent too late ; what thou gettest , thou gainest by abused providence ; what thou losest , thou losest by abused patience ; what thou winnest is prodigally spent ; what thou losest is prodigally lost : it is an evil trade that prodigally drives ; and a bad voyage where the pilot is blind . max. . be very wary for whom thou becomest security , and for no more than thou art able to discharge , if thou lovest thy liberty . the borrower is a slave to the lender ; the security is a slave to both : whilst the borrower and lender are both eased , the security bears both their burthens . he is a wise security that recovers himself . max. . look upon thy affliction as thou dost upon thy physick ; both imply a disease , and both are applied for a cure ; that of the body , this of the soul : if they work , they promise health ; if not , they threaten death : he is not happy that is not afflicted , but he that finds happiness by his affliction . max. . if the knowledge of good , whet thy desire to good , it is a happy knowledge : if by thy ignorance of evil , thou art surpriz'd with evil , it is an unhappy ignorance . happy is he that hath so much knowledge of good , as to desire it ; and but so much knowledge of evil , as to fear it . max. . when the flesh presents thee with delights , then present thy self with dangers : where the world possesses thee with vain hopes , there possess thy self with true fear . when the devil brings thee oil , bring thou vinegar . the way to be safe , is never to be secure . max. . if thy brother hath offended thee , forgive him freely , and be reconciled : to do evil for evil is humane corruption ; to do good for good , is civil retribution : to do good for evil is christian perfection ; the act of forgiveness is god's precept ; the manner of forgiveness is god's president . max. . reverence the writings of holy men ; but lodge not thy faith upon them , because but men : they are good pools , but no fountains . build on paul himself , no longer than he builds on christ : if peter renounce his master , renounce peter . the word of man may convince reason ; but the word of god alone can compel conscience . max. . in civil things follow the most ; in matters of religion , the fewest ; in all things ; follow the best ; so shall thy ways be pleasing to god , so shall thy behaviour be plausible with men. max. . if any loss or misery hath befallen to thy brother ; dissemble it to thy self ; and what counsel thou givest him , register carefully ; and when the case is thine , follow it : so shall thine own reason convince thy passion , or thy passion confess her own unreasonableness . max. . when thou goest about to change thy moral liberty , into a christian servitude , prepare thy self to be the world's laughing stock ; if thou overcome her scoffs , thou shalt have double honour ; if overcome , double shame . he is unworthy of a good master that is ashamed of a bad livery . max. . let not the falling of a salt , or the crossing of a hare , or the crying of a cricket , trouble thee : they portend no evil , but what thou fearest . he is ill acquainted with himself , that knows not his own fortunes better than they : if evil follow it , it is the punishment of thy superstition , not the fulfilling of their portent : all things are lucky to thee , if thou wilt ; nothing but is ominous to the superstitious . max. . so behave thy self in thy course of life , as at a banquet . take what is offered with modest thankfulness ; and expect what is not as yet offered with hopeful patience . let not thy rude appetite press thee , nor a slight carefulness indispose thee , nor a sullen discontent deject thee . who desires more than enough , hath too much ; and he that is satisfied with a little , hath no less than enough . max. . is thy child dead ? he is restored , not lost . is thy treasure stoln ? it is not lost , it is restored : he is an ill debtor , that counts repayment loss ; but it was an ill chance that took thy child , and a wicked hand that stole thy treasure : what is that to thee : it matters not by whom he requires the things from whom he lent them ; what goods are ours by loan , are not lost when willingly restored , but when unworthily received . max. . censure no man ; detract from no man ; praise no man before his face ; traduce no man behind his back : boast not thy self abroad , nor flatter thy self at home : if any thing cross thee , accuse thy self ; if any extol thee , humble thy self : honour those that instruct thee , and be thankful to those that reprehend thee . let all thy desires be subjected to reason , and let thy reason be corrected by religion . weigh thy self by thy own ballances , and trust not the voice of wild opinion : observe thy self as thy greatest enemy ; so shalt thou become thy greatest friend . max. . endeavour to make thy discourse such as may administer profit to thy self , or standers by , lest thou incur the danger of an idle word : above all subjects , avoid all those that are scurrilous and obscene , tales that are impertinent and improbable , and dreams . max. . if god hath blest thee with a son , bless thou that son with a lawful calling ; chuse such employment as may stand with his fancy and thy judgment : if his country claims his ability towards the building of her honour ; if he cannot bring a cedar , let him bring a shrub : he that brings nothing , usurps his life , and robs his country of a servant . max. . at thy first entrance into thy estate , keep a low sail ; thou must rise with honour ; thou canst not decline without shame . he that begins as his father ended , shall end as his father begun . max. . if any obscene tale should chance to slip into thine ears , among the varieties of discourse ( if opportunity admit ) reprove it ; if otherwise , let thy silence or change of countenance interpret thy dislike : the smiling ear is bawd to the lascivious tongue . max. . be more circumspect over the works of thy brain , than the actions of thy body ; these have infirmity to plead for them , but they must stand upon their own bottoms ; these are but the objects of few , they of all ; these will have equals to defend them , they have inferiours to envy them , superiours to deride them , all to censure them : it is no less danger for these to be proclaimed at paul's-cross , than for them to be protested in paul's church-yard . max. . use common-place-books , or collections , as indexes to light thee to the authors , lest thou be abused : he that takes learning upon trust , makes him a fair cupboard with another's plate ; he is an ill advised purchaser , whose title depends more on witnesses than evidences . max. . if thou desire to make the best advantage of the muses , either by reading to benefit thy self , or by writing others , keep a peaceful soul within a temperate body : a full belly makes a dull brain , and a turbulent spirit a distracted judgment . the muses starve in a cook 's shop and a lawyer 's study . max. . when thou communicatest thy self by letters , heighten or depress thy stile according to the quality of the person and business ; that which thy tongue would present to any if present , let thy pen represent to him absent . the tongue is the mind's interpreter ; and the pen is the tongue 's secretary : max. . keep thy soul in exercise , lest her faculties rust for want of motion ; to eat , sleep , or sport too long , stops the natural course of her natural actions . to dwell too long in the employments of the body , is both the cause and sign of a dull spirit . max. . be very circumspect to whose tuition thou committest thy child ; every good scholar is not a good master . he must be a man of invincible patience and singular observation : he must study children , that will teach them well , and reason must rule him that would rule wisely ; he must not take advantage of an ignorant father , nor give too much ear to an indulgent grandmother : the common good must outweigh his private gains , and his credit must out-bid gratuities : he must be diligent and sober , not too familiar , nor too reserv'd , neither amorous , nor phantastick ; just , without fierceness ; merciful , without fondness : if such an one thou meet with , thou hast found a treasure , which if thou know'st how to value , is invaluable . max. . let not thy laughter handsel thy own jest , lest whil'st thou laugh at it , others laugh at thee ; neither tell it often to the same hearers , lest thou be thought forgetful or barren . there is no sweetness in a cabbage twice sodd , or a tale twice told . max. . if opinion hath lighted the lamp of thy name , endeavour to encourage it with thine own oyle , lest it go out , and stink . the chronical disease of popularity is shame : if thou be once up , beware ; from fame to infamy is a beaten road. max. . cleanse thy morning soul with private and due devotion : till then admit no business ; the first born of thy thoughts are god's , and not thine but by sacrilege . think thy self not ready , till thou hast praised him , and he will be always ready to bless thee . max. . in all thy actions , think god sees thee ; and in all his actions labour to see him ; that will make thee fear him , this will move thee to love him . the fear of god is the beginning of knowledge , and the knowledge of god is the perfection of love. max. . let not the expectation of a reversion entice thy heart to the wish of a possessor's death , lest a judgment meet thee in thy expectation , or a curse overtake thee in thy fruition ; every wish makes the a murtherer ; and moves god to be an accessary : god often lengthens the life of the possessor , with the days of the expector . max. . prize not thy self by what thou hast , but by what thou art : he that values a jewel by her golden frame , or a book by its silver clasps ; or a man by his vast estate , errs : if thou art not worth more than the world can make thee , thy redeemer had a bad peny-worth , or thou an uncurious redeemer . max. . let not thy father , nor the fathers , nor the church , thy mother's belief , be the ground of thine : the scripture lies open to the humble heart , but lock'd against the proud inquisitor : he that believes with an implicite faith , is a meer empyrick in religion . max. . of all sins , take greatest heed of that which thou hast last , and most repented of : he that was the last thrust out of doors , is the next readiest to croud in again ; and he that thou hast sorest battled , is likest to call more help for a revenge . it is requisite for him that hath cast one devil out , to keep strong hold , lest seven return . max. . in the meditation of divine mysteries , keep thy heart humble , and thy thoughts holy ; let philosophy not be ashamed to be confuted , nor logick blush to be confounded ; what thou canst not prove , approve ; what thou canst not comprehend , believe ; and what thou can'st believe , admire ; so shall thy ignorance be satisfy'd in thy faith , and thy doubts be swallow'd up with wonders : the best way to see day-light is to put out the candle . max. . if opinion hath cryed thy name up , let thy modesty cry thy heart down , lest thou deceive it , or it thee ; there is no less danger in a great name than in a bad ; and no less honour in deserving of praise , than in the enduring it . max. . use the holy scriptures with all reverence ; let not thy wanton fancy carry it out in jests , nor thy sinful wit make it an advocate to thy sin ; it is a subject for thy faith , not fancy : where wit and blasphemy is one trade , the understanding's bankrupt . max. . dost thou complain that god hath forsaken thee ; it is thou that hast forsaken him ; 't is thou that art mutable ; in him there is no shadow of change ; in his light is life : if thy will drive thee to a dungeon , thou makest thy own darkness ; and in that darkness dwells thy death ; from whence if he redeem thee , he is merciful ; if not , he is just ; in both , he receives glory . max. . make use of time if thou lovest eternity ; know yesterday cannot be recalled ; to morrow cannot be assured ; to day is only thine ; which if thou procrastinate , thou losest ; which loss is lost for ever ; one to day is worth two to morrow . max. . if thou be strong enough to encounter with the times , keep thy station ; if not , shift a foot to gain advantage of the times : he that acts a beggar to prevent a thief , is ne'er the poorer ; it is a great part of wisdom sometimes to seem a fool. max. . if thou intend thy writings for the publick view , lard them not too much with the choice lines of another author , lest thou lose thy owngravy ; which thou hast read and digested , being delivered in thy own stile , becomes thine ; it is more decent to wear a plain suit of one intire cloth , than a gaudy garment , chequer'd with other rich fragments . max. . if god hath bless'd thee with inheritance , and children to inherit , trust not the staff of thy family to the hands of one . make not many beggars in the building of one great heir , lest , if he miscarry through a prodigal will , the rest sink thro' a hard necessity : god's allowance is a double portion : when high bloud and generous breeding , break their fast in plenty , and dine in poverty , they often fup in infamy : if thou deny them falcon's wings to prey on . fowl , give them kite's stomachs to seize on garbage . max. . be very vigilant over thy child in the april of his understanding , lest the frost of may nip his blossom ; whilst he is a tender twig , streighten him ; whilst he is a new vessel , season him ; such as thou makest him , such commonly thou shalt find him ; let his first lesson be obedience , and the second shall be what thou wilt ; give him education in good letters , to the utmost of thy ability and his capacity ; season his youth with the love of his creator , and make the fear of his god , the beginning of his knowledge ; if he have an active spirit , rather rectifie than curb it ; but reckon idleness amongst his chiefest faults ; above all things keep him from vain lascivious and amorous pamphlets , as the primer of all vice. as his judgment ripens , observe his inclination , and tender him a calling that shall not cross it : forced marriages and callings seldom prosper ; shew him both the mow and the plough , and prepare him as well for the danger of the skirmish , as possess him with the honour of the prize . if he chuse the profession of a scholar , advise him to study the most profitable arts : poetry and mathematicks take up too great a latitude of the soul , and moderately used , are good recreations , but bad callings ; being nothing but their own reward . if he chuse the profession of a soldier , let him know withal , honour must be his greatest wages , and his enemies his surest pay-master : prepare him against the danger of war , and advise him of the greater mischief of a garison : let him avoid debauchedness and duels , to the utmost of his power , and remember he is not his own man ; and ( being his countries servant ) hath no estate in his own life : if he chuse a trade , teach him to forget his father's and his mother's wing ; advise him to be conscionable , careful , and constant ; this done , thou hast done thy part , leave the rest to providence , and thou hast done well . max. . convey thy love to thy friends , as an arrow to the mark , to stick there ; not as a ball against the wall , to rebound back to thee ; that friendship will not continue to the end that is begun for an end. meditation is the life of the soul , action is the life of meditation , honour is the reward of action ; so meditate that thou may'st do ; so do that thou may'st purchase honour : for which purchase , give god the glory . finis . some books printed for sam. briscoe , at corner of charles street , covent-garden . . the history of polybius the megalapolitan ; containing a geneneral account of the transactions of the world , and principally of the roman people , during the first and s●cond punick wars , &c. translated from the original greek , by sir h. sheres : vol. vo . . the satyrs of titus petronius arbiter , a roman knight ; with their fragments recover'd at belgrade : made engglish by mr. burnaby of the middle-temple . . the young lawyer 's recreation ; being a collection of the most unusual and pleasant customs and passages in the law , as well for the use as diversion of the reader . . letters of love and gallantry , together with the pleasant adventures of a young lady , and nuns memoirs ; with several other letters that passed between ladies and gentlemen both in town and country . in two vol. . the religious stoick , or a brief discourse on these several subjests , viz. atheism , superstition , world's creation , eternity , providence , theology , strictness of churches , of the scriptures , of moral and judicial law , of man and his creation , of the immortality of the soul , of faith and reason , of the fall of angels , and what their sin was , of man's fall , of the stile of genesis , a refutation of the millinaries , &c. with a friendly address to the fanaticks of all sects and sorts . by sir george mackenzey . enchiridion containing institutions, divine contemplative. practicall. moral ethicall. oeconomicall. politicall. written by fra: quarles. enchiridion quarles, francis, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing q ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing q estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) enchiridion containing institutions, divine contemplative. practicall. moral ethicall. oeconomicall. politicall. written by fra: quarles. enchiridion quarles, francis, - . [ ] p. printed for r.f., london : . an edition of: quarles, francis. enchyridion. the words "contemplative. practicall." and "ethicall. .. politicall." are bracketed together on title page. signatures: a⁶ b-k¹² . reproduction of the original in the british library. eng maxims -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . a r (wing q ). civilwar no enchiridion. containing institutions, divine contemplative. practicall. moral ethicall. oeconomicall. politicall. written by fra: quarles. quarles, francis d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion enchiridion : containing institvtions , divine contemplative . practicall . moral ethicall . oeconomicall . politicall . written by fra : quarles . london , printed for r. f. . to the glorious object of our expe●●● charles prince of wales vvhen subjects bring presents to their princes , 't is not because their princes want them ; but that subjects want better waies to expresse the bounty of their unknowne affections ; i know your highnesse wants not the best meanes that all the world affords , to ground and perfect you in all those princely qualities , which befit the hopefull sonne of such a royall father ; yet the boldnesse of my zeale is such , that nothing can call back mine arme , or stay the progresse of my quill , whose emulous desire comes short of none in the expressions of most loyall and un●●ign'd affection . to which end , i have presum'd to consecrate these few lines to your illustrious name , as rudiments to ripen ( and they will ripen ) with your growing youth , if they but feel the sunshine of your gracious eye . my service in this subject were much too early for your princely view , did not your apprehension as much transcend the greenesse of your years ; the forwardnesse of whose spring thrusts forth these hasty leaves , your highnesse is the expectation of the present age , and the point of future hopes : and cursed be he that both with pen and prayers shall not be studious to advantage such a high priz'd blessing : live long our prince : and when your royall father shall convert his ●regall diademe into a crown of glory , inherit his vertues with his throne and prove another phoenix to succeeding generations : so pray'd for , and prophesied , by your highnesse most loyall and most humble servant , fra. quarles . to the reader . all rules are not calculated for the meridian of every state . if all bodies had the same constitution ; or all constitutions the same alteration ; and all alterations the same times , the emperick were the best physitian . if all states had the same temper● and distempers , and both the same conservatives , and the same cures , examples were the best directions , and rules digested from those examples , were even almost infallible . the subject of policy is civill government ; the subject of that government is men ; the variablenesse of those men disabsolutes all rules , and limits all examples . expect not therefore , in these , or any of the like nature , such impregnable generals , that no exceptions can shake . the very discipline of the church● establisht , and confirm'd by the infallible choice , is not ty●d to all times , or to all places . what we here present you with , as they are no rocks to build perpetuity upon , so● they are not rocks to split beleefe upon : it is lesse danger to rely upon them , then to neglect them : nor let any thinke ( in these pamphleting dayes , and audacious times of unlicens'd pasque●ls ) i secretly reflect upon particulars , or looke through a maske upon the passages of these distempered times ; farre be it off from my intention , or your imaginations ; my true ambition is to present these few politicall observations to the tender youth of my thrice-hopefull prince , which like an introduction may lead him to the civill happinesse of more refined dayes , and ripen him in the glorious vertues of his renowned father , when heaven and the succeeding age shall style him with the name of charles the second . a table of the heads of the first century . cent. . chap. alteration● auxiliar . ambitious men ambitiousnatures assault advice conquest climatical advantage calumny composition conspiracy . correspondency custome conquest civill commotion courage castles clergy covetousnesse counsellours commanders clemency and severity commission church govern . confidence clemency and severity commander counsellors demeanour deliberation disposition discovery designe debt discontents delay deserts experiments exaction exuls encouragement fortresse foilish confiden . fortress forreign king. forreign humours forreigne inclination hearts of sub. hierarchy hunting invasion iust warre idlenesse liberality league love & fear mixt governm . mony manufacture neutrality nobility necessity new gentry nobility opinion order and fury piety & policy peace pillars of state prevention pleasures peace popular sects power quo waranto rebell rewards and punishments reformation religion resolution religion repute strength of parts successor strength to keep scandall state-change secrecy scruples situation sudden resolution times timely warre true temper treachery variance vertue warre in league warre offensive & defensive weighty service a table of the heads contained in the second century . cent . chap. action action affections affections affliction affliction anger acquaintance acquaintance advancement advantage anger avarice anger apparell affection action brother charity care company custome charity confession censure child ceremonies child daughter death death evill enemy evill faith fancy friendship friend faith fast god god gift grace giver honour honour honour honour happinesse heaven ignorance ignorance love love losse luxury money money moderation mysteries mother newes oppression promise pleasing pride possession passion prosperity passions popularity passion prosperity prayer puritane pride riches reason reason religion recreation redemption sinfull custome soules progresse sinne swearer sinne servant time trembling theology thy selfe treasure vndertaking vow valour work wrong wrong a table of the heads contained in the third century . cent. . chap. arguument a●mes actions apparell argument adversity adversity banishment beauty brother censure child children conversation ●●●y-book ●●arity censure conscience consideration discourse ●●●●kennesse ●●●●rse danger doubt and opinion eucharist esteem exercise familiars fasting festivall gift god god harlot heir honour hope hope and feare idiot iourney intention iustice innocence and wisdom knowledge knowledge laughter lier ● law and physick love library love mysteries mercy money multitude mirth merit magistrate magistrate obloquie paines poore poore priest patience pal●t providence and experience repentance reso●●tion reproofe rest riches reproofe saviour sinne silence servant sabbath souldier silence treasure tongue traffiique theft table theology truth vertue vanity vndertaking vertue wife wedlock weldoing words wages wisdome wisdome a table of the heads contained in the th . cent. cent. . chap. action affection banquet co●tentednesse conten● . ● church confession crosse commendations calling circumspection common place-books complaint child de●●●●● drunkennesse death death de●eanour discourse ●●●●●tion envy example exercise estimation ●●●re ●●lly feare forgivenesse frugality friend god ● giver ● glory ● gift give and 〈◊〉 gaming humiliation heaven humility humane writings h●ire infamy impropriations ● ig●orance idlenesse ●●●t ●●●wledge ●●●wledge ●●●●ledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●●t●rs ●●●guage last ●●●ne ● magistracy man marriage magnanimity misery mysteries name obedience obedience obsceannesse opinion painting praise ● prayer practice place philosophy praise and censure reputation repentance repentance recreations rules reversion sinne security safety superstition scoffes scripture scripture style truth theft tap●r temperance tuition to day times virgin vaine-glory vse of creatur● wicked w●●●● enchiridion . cent. . chap. i. piety and policy , are like martha , and mary , sisters : martha failes , if mary help not : and mary suffers , if martha be idle : happy is that kingdome where martha complaines of mary ; but most happy where mary complies with martha : where piety and policy , goe hand in hand , there warre shall be just ; and peace , honourable● chap. ii. let not civil discords in a forreign kingdome , encourage thee to make invasion . they that are factious among themselves , are jealous of one another , and more strongly prepar'd to encounter with a common enemy : those whom civill commotions set at variance , forreigne hostility reconciles . men rather affect the possession of an inconvenient good , then the possibility of an uncertaine better . chap. iii. if thou hast made a conquest with thy sword , thinke not to maintaine it with thy scepter : neither conceive , that new favours can cancell old injuries : no conquerer sits secure upon his new got throne , so long as they subsist in power , that were dispoil'd of their possessions by his conquest . chap. iv. let no price nor promise of honour bribe thee to take part with the enemy of thy naturall prince : assure thy selfe who ever wins , thou art lost : if thy prince prevaile , thou art proclaimed a rebell , and branded for death : if the enemy prosper , thou shalt be reckned but as a meritorious traytor , and not secure of thy selfe : he that loves the treason hates the traytor . chap. v. if thy strength of parts hath rais'd thee to eminent place in the common-wealth , take heed thou sit sure : if not , thy fall will be the greater : as worth is fit matter for glory ; so glory is a fair marke for envy . by how much the more thy advancement was thought the reward of desert ; by so much thy fall will administer matter for disdaine : it is the ill fortune of a strong braine , if not to be dignifi'd as meritorious , to be deprest as dangerous . chap. vi . it is the duty of a statesman , especially in a free state , to hold the common-wealth to her first frame of government , from which the more it swerves , the more it declines : which being declin'd is not commonly reduced without that extremity , the danger whereof , rather ruines then rectifies . fundamentall alterations bring inevitable perils . chap. vii . there be three sorts of government ; monarchicall , aristocraticall , democraticall ; and they are apt to fall three severall wayes into ruine : the first , by tyranny ; the second , by ambition ; the last , by tumults a common-wealth grounded upon any one of these , is not of long continuance ; but wisely mingled , each guard the other , and make that government exact . chap. viii . let not the proceedings of a captaine , though never so commendable , be confin'd to all times : as these alter , so must they : if these vary , and not they , ruine is at hand : he least failes in his designe , that meets time in its owne way : and he that observes not the alterations of the times , shall seldome be victorious but by chance : but he that cannot alter his course according to the alterations of the times shall never be a conquerour : he is a wise commander , and onely he , that can discover the change of times , and changes his proceedings according to the times . chap. ix . if thou desire to make warre with a prince , with whom thou hast formerly ratified a league ; assaile some ally of his , rather then himselfe : if he resent it , and come , or send in ayd , thou hast a faire gale to thy desires : if not , his infidelity in not assisting his ally , will be discovered : hereby thou shalt gaine thy ●elfe advantage , and facilitate thy designes . chap. x. before thou undertake a war , let thine eye number thy forces , and let thy judgment weigh them : if thou hast a rich enemy , no matter how poore thy souldiers be , if couragious and faithfull : trust not too much the power of thy treasure , for it will deceive thee , being more apt to expose thee for a prey then to defend thee : gold is not able to finde good souldies ; but good souldiers are able to finde out gold . chap. xi . if the territories of thy equall enemy are situated far south from thee , the advantage is thine , whether he make offensive , or defensive war ; if north , the advantage is his : cold is lesse tolerable then heat : this is a friend to nature ; that , an enemy . caap. xii it is not onely uncivill , but dangerous for souldiers , by reproachful● words , to throw disgrace upon the enemy . base tearmes are bellowes to a slaking fury , and goads to quicken up revenge in a fleeing foe : he that objects cowardize against a fayling enemy , adds spirit to him , to disprove the aspersion , at his owne cost : it is therefore the part of a wise souldier to refraine it ; or of a wise commander , to punish it . chap. xiii . it is better for two weake kingdomes rather to compound an injury ( though to some losse ) then seeke for satisfaction by the sword ; lest while they two weaken themselves by mutual blowes , a third decide the controversie to both their ruines . when the frog and the mouse could not take up the quarrell , the kite was umpire . chap. xiv let that common-wealth which desires to flourish , be very strict , both in her punishments , and rewards , according to the merits of the subject , and offence of the delinquent : let the service of the deserver be rewarded , lest thou discourage worth ; and let the crime of the offender be punish't , lest thou encourage vice : the neglect of the one weakens a common-wealth ; the omission of both ruines it . chap. xv . it is wisedome for him that sits at the helme of a setled state , to demeane himselfe toward his subjects at all times , so , that● upon any evill accident , they may be ready to serve his occasion : he that is onely gracious at the approach of a danger , will be in danger , when he expects deliverance . chap. xvi . in all designes , which require not sudden execution , take mature deliberation , and weigh the convenients , with the inconvenients , and then resolve ; after which , neither delay the execution , nor bewray thy intention . he that discovers himself , till he hath made himselfe master of his desires , layes himselfe open to his owne ruine , and makes himself prisoner to his own tongue . chap. xvii . liberality in a prince is no virtue , when maintained at the subjects unwilling cost . it is lesse reproach , by miserablenesse , to preserve the popular love , then by liberality to deserve the private thankes . chap. xviii . it is the excellent property of a good and wise prince , to use war as he doth physicke , carefully , unwillingly , and seasonably , ● either to prevent approaching dangers , or to correct a present mischiefe , or to recover a former losse . he that declines physicke till he be accosted with the danger , or weakned with the disease , is bold too long , and wise too la●e . that peace is too precise , that limits the justnesse of a war to a sword drawne , or a blow given . chap. xix . let a prince that would beware of conspiracies , be rather jealous of such whom his extraordinary favours have advanced , then of those whom his pleasure hath discontented : these want meanes to execute their pleasures ; but they have meanes at pleasure to execute their desires : ambition to rule is more vehement , then malice to revenge . chap. xx . before thou undertake a war , cast an impartiall eye upon the cause : if it be just , prepare thy army ; and let them all know , they fight for god and thee : it adds fire to the spirit of a souldier , to be assured , that he shall either prosper in a faire war , or perish in a just cause . chap. xxi . if thou desire to know the power of a state , observe in what correspondence it lives with her neighbouring state : if she make allyance with the contribution of money , it is an evident signe of weaknesse : if with her valour , or repute of forces , it manifests a native strength : it is an infallible signe of power , to sell friendship ; and of weakenesse to buy it : that which is bought with gold , will hardly be maintained with steele . caap. xxii . in the calmes of peace it is most requisite for a prince , to prepare against the stormes of warre , both theorically , in reading heroick histories ; and practically , in maintaining martiall discipline : above all things , let him avoid idlenesse , as the bane of honour ; which in peace , indisposes the body ; and in warre , effeminates the soul : hee that would be in war victorious , must be in peace laborious . chap. xxiii . if thy two neighbouring princes fall out , shew thy selfe , either a true friend , or a faire enemy ; it is indiscretion , to adhere to him whom thou hast least cause to feare , if he vanquish : neutrality is dangerous , whereby thou becomest a necessary prey to the conquerour . chap. xxiv it is a great argument of a princes wisedome , not onely to chuse , but also to prefer wise councellors : and such are they , that seek lesse their own advantages , then his ; whom wise princes ought to reward , lest they become their owne carvers ; and so , of good servants , turne bad masters . chap. xxv . it much conduces to the dishonour of a king , and the ilfare of his kingdome , to multiply nobility , in an overproportion to the common people : cheape honour darkens majesty ; and a numerous nobility brings a state to necessity . chap. xxvi . it is very dangerous , to try experiments in a state , unlesse extreame necessity be urgent , or popular utility be palpable : it is better for a state to connive a while , at an inconvenience , then too suddenly to rush upon a reformation . chap. xxvii . if a valiant prince be succeeded by a weak successour , he may for a while , maintaine a happy state , by the remaining vertue of his glorious predecessour : but if his life be long ; or dying he be succeeded by one lesse valiant then the first , the kingdome is in danger to fall to ruine . that prince is a true father to his country , that leaves it the rich inheritance of a brave sonne . when alexander succeeded philip , the world was too little for the conquerour . chap. xxviii . it is very dangerous for a prince , or republike , to make continuall practice of cruell exaction : for , where the subject stands in sense , or expectation of evill , he is apt to provide for his safety , either from the evill he feeles , or from the danger he feares ; and growing bold in conspiracy , makes faction ; which faction is the mother of ruine . chap. xxix . be carefull to consider the good , or ill disposition of the people towards thee upon ordinary occasions : if it be good , labour to continue it ; if evill , provide against it : as there is nothing more terrible then a dissolute multitude without a head ; so there is nothing more easie to be reduc'd ; ( if thou canst endure the first shock of their fury ; ) which if a litle appeas'd , every one begins to doubt himselfe , and think of home , and secure themselves , either by flight , or agreement . chap. xxx . that prince who stands in feare more of his own people , then strangers , ought to build fortresses in his land : but he that is more afraid of strangers then his own people , shall build them more secure in the affections of his subjects . chap. xxxi . carry a watchfull eye upon dangers before they come to ripenesse , and when they are ripe , let loose a speedy hand : he that expects them too long● or meets them too soon , gives advantage to the evill : commit their beginnings to argus his hundred eyes , and their ends to briareus his hundred hands , and thou art safe . chap. xxxii . of all the difficulties in a state , the temper of a true government most felicifies and perpetuates it : too sudden alterations distemper it . had nero turned his kingdome as he did his harp , his harmony had been more honourable , and his reign more prosperous . chap. xxxiii . if a prince , fearing to be assail'd by a forreigne enemy , hath a well-arm'd people , well addrest for war , let him stay at home , and expect him , there : but if his subjects be unarm'd , or his kingdome unacquainted with the stroke of war , let him meet the enemy in his quarters . the farther he keeps the warre from his own home , the lesse danger . the seat of war is alwayes miserable . chap. xxxiv . it is a necessary wisdome for a prince to grow in strength , as he encreases in dominions : it is no lesse vertue to keep , then to get : conquests not having power answerable to their greatnesse , invite new conquerors to the ruine of the old . chap. xxxv . it is great prudence in a statesman , to discover an inconvenience in the birth ; which , so discovered , is easie to be supprest : but if it ripen into a custome , the sudden remedy thereof is often worse then the disease : in such a case , it is better to temporize a little , then to struggle too much . he that opposes a full-ag'd inconvenience too suddenly , strengthens it . chap. xxxvi . if thou hast conquer'd a land , whose language differs not from thine , change not their lawes and taxes , and the two kingdomes will in a short time incorporate , and make one body : but if the lawes and language differ , it is difficult to maintain thy conquest ; which that thou maist the easier doe , observe three things : first , to live there in person , ( or rather send colonies : ) secondly , to assist the weak inhabitants , and weaken the mighty : thirdly , to admit no powerfull foreigner to reside there : remember lewis the thirteenth of france ; how suddenly he took milan , and how soon he lost it . chap. xxxvii . it is a gracious wisdom in a prince , in civill commotions , rather to use iuleps , then phlebotomy ; and better to breath the distemper by a wise delay , then to correct it with too rash an onset : it is more honourable , by a slow preparation to declare himselfe a gracious father , then by a hasty warre to appeare a furious enemy . chap. xxxviii . it is wisdome for a prince in faire weather to provide for tempests : he that so much relies upon his peoples faith , to neglect● his own preparation , discovers more confidence then wisdome : he that ventures to fall from above , with hopes to be catcht below , may be dead ere hee come to ground . chap. xxxix . he that would reform an ancient state in a free city● buyes convenience with a great danger : to work this reformation with the lesse mischiefe , let such a one keep the shadowes of their ancient customes , though in substance they be new : let him take heed when hee alters the natures of things , they bear at least the ancient names . the common people , that are naturally impatient of innovations , will be satisfied with that which seems to be as well as that which is . chap. xl . vpon any difference between forreigne states , it is neither safe nor honourable for a prince , either to buy his peace , or to take it up at interest : he that hath not a sword to command it , shall either want it , or want honour with it . chap. xli . it is very requisite for a prince , not onely to weigh his designes in the flower , but likewise in the fruit : he is an unthrift of his honour that enterprizes a designe , the failing wherein may bring him more disgrace , then the successe can gain him honour . chap. xlii . it is much conducible to the happinesse of a prince , and the security of his state , to gain the hearts of his subjects : they that love for feare , will seldome feare for love : it is a wise government which gaines such a tye upon the subject , that he either cannot hurt , or will not : but that government is best and most sure , when the subject joyes in his obedience . chap. xliii . let every souldier arme his mind with hopes , and put on courage : whatsoever disaster falls , let not his heart sinke . the passage of providence lyes through many crooked wayes ; a despairing heart is the true prophet of approaching evil : his actions may weave the webs of fortune , but not break them . chap. xliv . it is the part of a wise magistrate to vindicate a man of power or state-imployment from the malicious scandals of the giddy-headed multitude , and to punish it with great severity : scandall breeds hatred ; hatred begets division ; division makes faction , and faction brings ruine . chap. xlv . the strongest castles a prince can build , to secure him from domesticke commotions , or forraigne invasions , is in the hearts of his subjects ; and the meanes to gaine that strength is , in all his actions to appeare for the publike good , studious to contrive , and resolute to performe . chap. xlvi . a kingdome is a great building , whose two maine supporters are the government of the state , and the government of the church : it is the part of a wise master to keepe those pillars in their first posture , irremoveable : if either faile , it is wisedome rather to repaire it , then remove it : he that puls downe the old , to set up a new , may draw the roofe upon his head , and ruine the foundation . chap. xlvii . it is necessary wisdome in a prince to encourage in his kingdome , manufacture , merchandize , arts , and armes in manufacture lye the vitall spirits of the body politique : in merchandize , the spirits naturall ; in arts and armes , the animall : if either of these languish , the body droopes : as these flourish , the body flourishes . chap. xlviii . true religion is a setler in a state , rather then a stickler ; while shee confirmes an establisht government , she moves in her own spheer : but when she endeavours to alter the old , or to erect a new , she workes out of her owne vineyard : when she keepes the keyes , she sends showers of milke : but when she drawes the sword , she sayles in seas of bloud : labour therefore to settle religion in the church ; and religion shall settle peace in thy land . chap. xlix . if thou entertaine any forraig●e souldiers into thine army let them beare thy colours , and be at thy pay , lest they interest their owne prince : auxiliary souldiers are the most dangerous : a forraigne prince needs no greater invitation to seize upon thy city , then when he is required to defend it . chap. l. be cautious in undertaking a designe , upon the report of those that are banished their countrey , lest thou come off with shame or losse , or both . their end expects advantages from thy actions , whose miseries lay hold of all opportunities , and seeke to be redrest by thy ruine . chap. li. if thou endeavourest to make a republique in a nation where the gentry abounds , thou shalt hardly prosper in that designe : and if thou wouldest erect a principality in a land , where there is much equality of people , thou shalt not easily effect it . the way to bring the first to passe , is to weaken the gentry : the meanes to effect the last , is to advance and strengthen ambitious , and turbulent spirits ; so that being placed in the midst of them , their forces may maintaine thy power ; and thy favour may preserve their ambition : otherwise there shall be neither proportion nor continuance . chap. lii . it is more excellent for a prince to have a provident eye for the preventing future mischiefes , then to have a potent arme for the suppressing present evils : mischiefes in a state are like hectique feavers in a body : in the beginning hard to be knowne , but easie to be cured ; but , let it alone a while , it becomes more easie to be knowne , but more hard to be cured . chap. liii . if a kingdome be apt to rebellion , it is wisedome to preserve the nobility and commons at variance : where one of them is discontented , the danger is not great : the commons are slow of motion , if not quickned with the nobility ; the nobility is weake of power , if not strengthened by the commons : then is danger , when the commonalty troubles the water , and the nobility steps in . chap. liv. it is very requisite for a prince to have an eye that the clergy be elected , and come in , either by collation from him , or particular patrons , and not by the people ; and that their power hold dependance upon home , and not forreign authority : it is dangerous in a kingdome , where the crosiars receive not their power from the regall sword . chap. lv . it is a perillous weaknesse in a state , to be slow of resolution in the time of warre : to be irresolute in determination is both the signe , and the ruine of a weake state : such affaires attend not time : let the wise statesman therefore abhor delay , and resolve rather what to doe , then advise what to say : slow deliberations are symptomes , either of a faint courage , or weake forces , or false hearts . chap. lvi . if a conquerour hath subdued a country , or a city abounding with pleasures , let him be very circumspect to keepe himselfe and his souldiers temperate . pleasures bring effeminacy ; and effimenacy fore-runs ruine : such conquests , without blood or sweat , sufficiently do revenge themselves upon their intemperate conquerours . chap. lvii . it is an infallible signe of approaching ruine in a republike , when religion is neglected , and her establisht ceremonies interrupted : let therefore that prince that would be potent , be pious ; and that he may punish loosenesse the better , let him be religious : the joy of ierusalem depends upon the peace of sion . chap. lviii . let that prince that desires full soveraignty , temper the greatnesse of too potent a nobility : a great and potent nobility quickens the people , but presses their fortunes : it adds majesty to a monarch , but diminishes his power . chap. lix . it is dangerous for a prince to use ambitious natures , but upon necessity , either for his warres , or to be skreens to his dangers , or to be instruments for the demolishing insolent greatnesse : and that they may be the lesse dangerous , let him chuse them rather out of meane births then noble ; and out of harsh natures , rather then plausible . and alwayes be sure to ballance them with those that are as proud as they . chap. lx . let princes be very circumspect in the choyce of their councellours , chusing neither by the greatnesse of the beard , nor by the smoothnesse of the face : let him be wise , but not crafty : active , without private ends : couragious , without malice : religious , without faction : secret without fraud ; one better read in his princes businesse , then his nature : and a riddle onely to be read above . chap. lxi . in a mixt monarchy , if the hierarchy grow too absolute , it is wisdome in a prince , rather to depresse it then suppresse it : all alterations in a fundamentall government bring apparent dangers ; but too sudden alteration threatens inevitable ruine : when aaron made a moulten calfe , moses altered not the government , but reproved the governour . chap. lxii . before thou build a fortresse , consider to what end : if for resistance against the enemy , it is uselesse ; a valiant army is a living fortresse : if for suppressing the subject , it is hurtfull : it breeds jealousies , and jealousies beget hatred : if thou hast a strong army to maintain it , it adds nothing to thy strength : if thy army be weake it conduces much to thy danger : the surest fortres●e is the hands of thy souldiers , and the safest citadell is the hearts of thy subjects . chap. lxiii . it is a princely alchymie , out of a necessary warre to extract an honourable peace , and more beseeming the majesty of a prince to thirst after peace , then conquest : blessednesse is promis'd to the peace-maker ; not to the conquerour : it is a happy state , whose prince hath a peacefull hand , and a martiall heart , able both to use peace , and to manage warre . chap. lxiv . it is a dishonourable thing for a prince to ●unne in debt for stateservice ; but to pay it in the pardon of a criminall offence , is most dangerous . to cancell the faults of subjects , with their deserts , is not onely the symptome of a disordered common-wealth , but also of her ruine . chap. lxv . let not a commander be too forward to undertake a warre , without the person of his prince : it is a thanklesse imploiment , where mischiefe attends upon the best successe ; and where ( if a conquerour ) he shall be in danger , either through his owne ambition , or his princes suspition . chap. lxvi it is a great oversight in a prince , for any respects , either actively , or passively to make a forreigne kingdome strong : he that gives meanes to another to become powerfull , weakens himselfe , and enables him to take the advantage of his own weaknesse . chap. lxvii . vvhen the humours of the people are stirr'd by discontents , or popular griefe , it is wisdome in a prince to give them moderate liberty to evaporate : he that turnes the humour backe too hastily makes the wound bleed inwardly , and fil● the body with malignity . chap. lxviii . if having levyed an army , thou findest thy selfe too weake , either through the want of men or mony ; the longer thou delayst to fight , the greater thy inconvenience growes : if once thy army falls as●nder , thou certainly loosest by thy delay : where hazarding thy fortunes betimes , thou hast the advantage of thy men , and mayst by fortune wi●●e the day : it is lesse dishonour to bee overcome by force then by flight . chap. lxix . it is the part of a wise commander in warres , either offensive or defensive , to work a necessity of fighting into the brests of his souldiers : necessity of action takes away the feare of the act , and makes bold resolution the favourite of fortune . chap. lxx . clemency and mildnesse is most proper for a principality , but reservednesse and severity for a republique ; but moderation in both : excesse in the one breeds contempt : in the other , hatred ; when to sharpen the first , and when to sweeten the the last , let time and occasion direct thy judgement . chap. lxxi . it is very requisite for a prince that desires the continuance of peace , in time of peace to encourage , and respect his commanders : when brave spirits finde neglect to be the effect of quiet times , they devise all means to remove the cause , and by suggesting inducements to new warres , disturb and unsettle the old peace , buying private honour with publique danger . chap. lxxii . be not covetous for priority in advising thy prince to a doubtfull attempt , which concernes his state : if it prosper , the glory must be his ; if it faile , the dishonour will be thine : when the spirit of a prince is stopped in the discharge , it will recoyle and wound the first adviser . chap. lxxiii . if being the commander of an army , thou espiest a grosse and manifest error in thine enemy , look well to thy selfe , for treachery is not farre off : hee whom desire of victory binds too much , is apt to stumble at his owne ruine . chap. lxxiv . it is the height of a provident commander not only to keep his own designes indiscoverable to his enemy ; but likewise to be studious to discover his : he that can best doe the one , and nearest guesse at the other , is the next step to a conqueror . but he that failes in both , must either ascribe his overthrow to his owne folly , or his victory to the hand of fortune . chap. lxxv . if thou be ambitious of honour , and yet fearfull of the canker of honour , envy ; so behave thy self , that opinion may be satisfied in this , that thou seekest merit , and not ●●me ; and that thou attribute●t thy preferment rather to providence , then thy own vertue : honour is a due debt to the deserver ; and who ever envied the payment of a debt ? a just advancement is a providentiall act , and who ever envied the act of providence ? chap. lxxvi . it behoves a prince to bee very circumspect before hee make a league ; which , being made , and then broke , is the forfeiture of his honour : he that obtaines a kingdome with the rupture of his faith , hath gain'd the glory of a conquest , but lost the honour of a conquerour . chap. lxxvii . let states that aym at greatnesse , beware lest new gentry multiply too fast , or grow too glorious ; where there is too great a disproportion betwixt the gentry and the common subject , the one growes insolent ; the other slavish : when the body of the gentry growes too glorious for a corslet , there the heads of the vulgar waxe too heavy for the helmet . chap. lxxvii . vpon the beleaguering of a city , let the commander endeavour to take from the defendants , all scruples which may invite them to a necessity of defence : whom the feare of slavery necessitates to fight , the boldnesse of their resolution will disadvantage the assaylants , and difficilitate their design : sense of necessity justifies the warre ; and they are hopefull in their armes , who have no other hope but in their armes . chap. lxxix . it is good for states & princes ( if they use ambitious men for their advantage ) so to order things , that they be still progressive , rather then retrograde : when ambitious men finde an open passage , they are rather busie then dangerous ; and if well watcht in their proceedings , they will catch themselves in their own snare , and prepare a way for their own destruction . chap. lxxx . of all recreations , hunting is most proper to a commander ; by the frequency whereof he may be instructed in that necessary knowledge of situation , with pleasure ; which , by earnest experience , would be dearly purchas'd . the chase is a faire resemblance of a hopefull warre , proposing to the pursuer a flying enemy . chap. lxxxi . expect the army of thy enemy on plain and easie ground , and still avoyd mountainous and rocky places , and straight passages , to the utmost of thy power : it is not safe to pitch anywhere , where thy forces cannot be brought together : he never deserv'd the name of good gamster , that hazards his whole rest , upon lesse then the strength of his whole game . chap. lxxxii . it matters not much whether in government , thou tread the steps of severe hannibal , or gentle scipio , so thy actions be honourable , and thy life vertuous : both in the one , and the other , there is both defect and danger , if not corrected , and supported by the faire repute of some extraordinary endowments : no matter , whether black or white , so the steed be good . chap. lxxxiii it is the safest way in a martiall expedition , to commit the maine charge to one : companions in command beget confusion in the campe : when two able commanders are joyned in equall commission , each is apt to think his own way best , and by mutuall thwarting each other , both give opportunity to the enemy . chap. lxxxiv . it is a high point of providence in a prince to observe popular sects in their first rise , and with ● severe hand , to nippe them in the budde : but being once full ag'd , it is wisdome not to oppose them with too strong a hand ; lest in suppressing one , there arise two : a soft current is soon stopped ; but a strong streame resisted , breaks into many , or overwhelmes all . chap. lxxxv . it makes very much to thy advantage to observe strictly the nationall vertues , and vices , and humours of forrein kingdomes , whereby the times past shall read usefull lectures to the times present : he that would see what shall be , let him consider what hath been . chap. lxxxvi . if , like manlius , thou command stout and great things , bee like manlius stout to execute great commands : it is a great blemish in soveraignty when the will roares , and the power whispers : if thou canst not execute as freely as thou commandst , command no more then what thou maist as freely execute . chap. lxxxvii . if one prince desire to obtaine any thing of another , let him ( if occasion will beare it ) give him no time to advise : let him endeavour to make him see a necessity of sudden resolution , and the danger either of deniall , or delay ; hee that gives time to resolve , gives leasure to deny , and warning to prepare . chap. lxxxviii . let not thine army at the first encounter be too prodigall in her assaults but husband her strength for a dead lift : when the enemy hath abated the fury of his first heat ; let him then feel thou hast reserved thy forces for the last blow ; so shall the honour he hath gained by his valour encrease the glory of thy victory : fore-games when they prove are speediest , but after-games , if wisely play'd , are surest . chap. lxxxix . it is very requisite for a prince to keep the church alwayes in proportion to the state . if the government of the one be monarchicall , and the other democraticall , they will agree , like metall joyned with clay , but for a while . durable is that state , where aaron commands the people , and where moses commands aaron : but most happy in the continuance , where god commands both . chap. xc . let not the covetousnesse of a captaine purloyne to his owne use , or any way bereave his souldiers of any profit due unto their service , either in their meanes or spoyles : such injuries ( being quickn'd by their dayly necessities ) are never forgot : what souldiers earne with the hazard of their lives , ( if not enjoy'd ) prophesies an overthrow in the next battell . chap. xci . if a prince expect vertuous subjects , let his subjects have a vertuous prince ; so shall he the better punish the vices of his degenerate subjects ; so shall they trulier prize vertue , and follow it , being exemplified in their prince . chap. xcii . it is the property of a wise commander , to cast an eye rather upon actions , then upon persons ; and rather to reward the merits of men then to read the letters of ladies : he that for favour , or reward , preferres a worthlesse souldier , betrayes a kingdome , to advance a traytor . chap. xciii . vvhere order and fury are well acquainted , the warre prospers , and souldiers end no lesse men then they begunne : order is quickened by fury , and fury is regulated by order : but where order is wanting fury runs her own way , and being an unthrift of its owne strength , failing in the first assault , cravens ; and such beginning more then men , end lesse then women . chap. xciv . it is the quality of a wise commander , to make his souldiers confident of his wisdome , and their own strength : if any danger be , to conceale it ; if manifest , to lessen it : let him possesse his army with the justnesse of the warre , and with a certainty of the victory . a good cause makes a stout heart , and a strong arme . they that feare an overthrow , are halfe conquered . chap. xcv . it is requisite in a generall to mingle love with the severity of his discipline : they that cannot be induced to feare for love , will never be inforced to love for feare : love opens the heart , feare shuts it : that encourages , this compelles : and victory meets encouragement , but flees compulsion . chap. xcvi . it is the part of a well advised state never to entrust a weighty service , unto whom a noted injury or dishonour hath been done ; hee can never bee zealous in performance of service , the height of whose expectation can rather recover a lost name , then gaine a fresh honour . chap. xcvii . three wayes there be to begin a repute , and gain dignities in a common-wealth : the first by the vertue of glorious parents , which , till thou degenerate too much , may raise thee upon the wings of opinion : the second is by associating with those , whose actions are known eminent : the third , by acting some exploit , either publique or private , which in thy hand hath proved honourable . the two first may misse , being founded on opinion : the last seldome failes , being grounded upon evidence . chap. xcviii . if thou art cal'd to the dignity of a commander , dignify thy place by thy commands : and that thou maist be the more perfect in commanding others , practice upon thy selfe : remember , thou art a servant to the publike weale , and therefore forget all private respects , either of kin or friend : remember thou art a champion for a kingdome ; forget therefore all private affections either of love or hate : he that would do his country right , must not be too sensible of a personall wrong . chap. cxix . it is the part of a wise commander to read books , not so much as men ; nor men so much as nations : he that can discerne the inclinations , conditions , and passions of a kingdome , gaines his prince a great advantage both in peace and warre . chap. c. and you most high and mighty princes of this lower world , who at this intricate and various game of warre , vye kingdomes , and winne crownes ; and by the death of your renowned subjects , gaine the lives of your bold-hearted enemies ; know there is a quo warranto , whereto you are to give account of your eye-glorious actions , according to the righteous rules of sacred justice : how warrantable it is to rend imperiall crownes from off the soveraign heads of their too weak possessours ; or to snatch scepters from out the conquer'd hand of heaven-anointed majesty , and by your vast ambitions still to enlarge your large dominions , with kingdomes ●avisht from their naturall princes , judge you . o let your brave designs , and well-weighed actions , be as just as ye are glorious ; and consider , that all your warres , whose ends are not to defend your own possessions , or to recover your dispossessions ●a●e but princely injuries , which none but heaven can right . but where necessity strikes up her hard alarmes , or wrong'd religion , beats her zealous marches , go on , and prosper , and let both swords and stratagems proclaim a victory , whose noys'd renown may fill the world with your eternall glory . the end of the first century . enchiridion . the second book . to the faire branch of growing honour , and true vertue , mrs elizabeth vsher , onely daughter and heir apparent to the most reverend father in god , james , arch-bishop of armagh , lord primate of all ireland , his grace . sweet lady , i present your faire hands with this my enchiridion , to begin a new decade of our blest accompt : if it adde nothing to your well-instructed knowledge , it may bring somewhat to your well-dispos'd remembrance : if either , i have my end ; and you , my endeavour : the service which i owe , and the affection which i bear your most incomparable parents , challenges the utmost of my ability ; wherein , if i could light you but the least step towards the happinesse you ayme at , how happy should i be ? goe forward in the way which you have chosen : wherein , if my hand cannot lead you , my heart shall follow you ; and where the weaknesse of my power shewes defect , there the vigour of my will shall make supply . w●oam covetous of your happinesse in both kingdomes and worlds . fra. quarles . enchiridion . cent. . chap. i. a promise is a child of the understanding and the will : the understanding begets it , the will brings it forth : he that performes it , delivers the mother : he that breakes it , murthers the child . if he be begotten in the absence of the understanding , it is a bastard ; but the child must be kept . if thou mistrust thy understanding , promise not ; if thou hast promised , break it not : it is better to maintain a bastard then to murther a child . chap. ii. charity is a naked child , giving hony to a bee without wings : naked , because excuselesse and simple ; a child , because tender and growing : giving hony , because hony is pleasant and comfortable : to a bee , because a bee is laborious and deserving ; without wings , because helplesse , and wanting . if thou deniest to such , thou killest a bee ; if thou giv'st to other then such , thou preserv'st a drone . chap. iii. before thy undertaking of any designe , weigh the glory of thy action with the danger of the attempt : if the glory outweigh the danger , it is cowardize to neglect it : if the danger exceed the glory , it is rashnesse to attempt it : if the balances stand poiz'd , let thy owne genius cast them . chap. iv. vvouldest thou know the lawfulnesse of the action which thou desirest to undertak ? let thy devotion recommend it to divine blessing : if it be lawfull , thou shalt perceive thy heart encouraged by thy prayer : if unlawfull , thou shalt finde thy prayer discourag'd by thy heart . that action is not warrantable , which either blushes to begge a blessing , or having succeeded , dares not present thanksgiving . chap. v. if evill men speake good , or good men evill of thy conversation , examen all thy actions , and suspect thy selfe . but if evill men speake evill of thee , hold it as thy honour , and by way of thankefulnesse , love them , but upon condition , that they continue to hate thee . chap. vi . if thou hope to please all , thy hopes are vaine ; if thou feare to displease some , thy feares are idle . the way to please thy selfe is not to displease the best ; and the way to displease the best , is to please the most : if thou canst fashion thy selfe to please all , thou shalt displease him that is all in all . chap. vii . if thou neglectest thy love to thy neighbour , in vain thou professest thy love to god : for by thy love to god , the love to thy neighbour is begotten , and by the love to thy neighbour , thy love to god is nourisht . chap. viii . thy ignorance in unrevealed mysteries , is the mother of a saving faith ; and thy understanding in revealed truths , is the mother of a sacred knowledge : understand not therefore that thou maist believe , but beleeve that thou maist understand : understanding is the wages of a lively faith , and faith is the reward of an humble ignorance . chap. ix . pride is the ape of charity ; in show , not much unlike ; but somewhat fuller of action . in seeking the one , take heed thou light not upon the other : they are two parallels ; never but a ●under : charity feeds the poore , so does pride : charity builds an hospitall , so does pride : in this they differ : charity gives her glory to god ; pride takes her glory from man . chap. x. hast thou lost thy money , and dost thou mourne ? another lost it before thou-hadst it ; be not troubled : perchance if thou hadst not lost it now , it had lost thee for ever : thinke therefore what thou rather hast escaped then lost : perhaps thou hadst not been so much thy own , had not thy money beene so little thine . chap. xi . flatter not thy selfe in thy faith to god , if thou wantst charity for thy neighbour ; and thinke not thou hast charity for thy neighbour , if thou wantest faith to god ; where they are not both together , they are both wanting ; they are both dead , if once divided . chap. xii . be not too ●low in the breaking of a sinfull custome : a quick couragious resolution is better then a graduall deliberation : in such a combate , he is the bravest souldier that layes about him without feare or wit . wit pleades ; feare disheartens ; he that would kill hydra , had better strike off one necke then five heads : fell the tree , and the branches are soone cut off . chap. xiii . be carefull rather of what thou dost , then of what thou hast : for what thou hast is none of thine , and will leave thee at thy death , or thou the pleasure of it , in thy sickenesse . but what thou dost , is thine , and will follow thee to thy grave , and plead for thee or against thee at thy resurrection . chap. xiv if thou enjoyest not the god of love , thou canst not obtaine the love of god , neither untill then canst thou enjoy a desire to love god , nor relish the love of god : thy love to god is nothing but a faint reflection of gods love to thee : till he please to love thee , thy love can never please him . chap. xv . let not thy fancy be guided by thine eye ; nor let thy will be governed by thy fancy : thine eye may be deceived in her object , and thy fancy may be deluded in her subject : let thy understanding moderate betweene thine eye , and thy fancy ; and let thy judgement arbitrate between thy fancy and thy will ; so shall thy fancy apprehend what is true : so shall thy will elect what is good . chap. xvi . endeavour to subdue as well thy irascible , as thy concupiscible affections : to endure injuries with a brave minde , is one halfe of the conquest ; and to abstaine from pleasing evils with a couragious spirit is the other : the summe of all humanity , and height of morall perfection , is bear , and forbear . chap. xvii . if thou desire not to be too poore , desire not to be too rich : he is rich , not that possesses much , but he that covets no more : and he is poore , not that enjoyes little , but he that wants too much : the contented minde , wants nothing which it hath not : the covetous mind wants not onely what it hath not , but likewise what it hath . chap. xviii . the outward senses are the common cinque-ports where every subject lands towards the understanding . the eare heares a confused noyse , and presents it to the common sense . the common sense distinguishes the severall sounds , and conveys it to the fancy : the fancy wildly discants on it : the understāding ( whose object is truth ) apprehending it to be musicke , commends it to the judgement . the judgement severally and joyntly examines it , and recommends it to the will : the will ( whose object is good ) approves it , or dislikes it ; and the memory records it , and so in the other senses according to their subjects observe this progresse , and thou shalt easily find where the defect of every action lyes . chap. xix . the way to subject all things to thy selfe , is to subject thy selfe to reason : thou shalt govern many , if reason governe thee : wouldst thou be crowned the monarch of a little world ? command thy selfe . chap. xx . though thou givest all thou hast for charity sake , and yet retainest a secret desire of keeping it for thy owne sake , thou rather leavest it then forsakest it : he that hath relinquisht all things , and not himselfe , hath forsaken nothiug ; he that sets not his heart on what he possesses , forsaketh all things , though he keepe his possessions . caap. xxi . search into thy selfe before thou accept the ceremony of honour : if thou art a palace , honour ( like the sun-beames ) will make thee more glorious : if thou art a dunghill , the sun may shine upon thee , but not sweeten thee . thy prince may give thee honour , but not make the honourable . chap. xxii . every man is a king in his owne kingdome . ●f reason command , and passion obey , his government speakes a good king : if thine inordinate affection rules , it shews a proud rebell ; which ; if thou destroy not , will depose thee : there is no meane betweene the death of a rebell , and the life of a prince . chap. xxiii . a vow , a promise , and a resolution , have all one object , onely differ in respect of the persons to whom they are made ; the first is betweene god and man . the second , betweene man and man ; the third , between man and his owne soule ; they all bind , if the object be lawfull , to necessity of performance : if unlawfull , to the necessity of sinne : they all take thee prisoner : if the object be lawfull , thy performance hath redeem'd thee ; if unlawfull , blood and teares must ransome thee . chap. xxiv . if thou hast any businesse of consequence in agitation , let thy care be reasonable , and seasonable : continuall standing bent weakens the bow : too hasty drawing breaks it . put off thy cares with thy cloathes : so shall thy rest strengthen thy labour ; and so shall thy labour sweeten thy rest. chap. xxv . vvhen thy inordinate affections do flame towards transitory happinesse , quench them thus : thinke with thy selfe ; if my prince should give me what honour he hath to bestow , or bestow on me what wealth he hath to give , it could not stay with me , because it is transitory ; nor i with it , because i am mortall : then revise thy affections ; and weigh them with their object , and thou wilt either confesse thy folly , or make a wiser choice . chap. xxvi . vvith three sorts of men enter no serious friendship : the ●ngratefull man ; the multiloquious man ; the coward : the first cannot prize thy favours ; the second cannot keep thy counsell ; the third dare not vindicate thy honour . chap. xxvii . if thou desire the time should not passe too fast , use not too much pastime : thy life in jollity blazes like a tapour in the wind : the blast of honour wasts it , the heat of pleasure melts it ; if thou labour in a painfull calling , thou shalt be lesse sensible of the flux of time , and sweetlier satisfied at the time of death . chap. xxviii . ggd is alpha and omega , in the great world ; endeavour to make him so in the little world ; make him thy evening epilogue , and thy morning prologue ; practice to make him thy last thought at night when thou sleepest ; and thy first thought in the morning when thou awakest : so shall thy fancy be sanctified in the night , and thy understanding rectified in the day ; so shall thy rest be peacefull , thy labours prosperous , thy life pious , and thy death glorious . chap. xxix . be very circumspect in the choise of thy company . in the society of thine equals thou shalt enjoy more pleasure ; in the society of thy superiours thou shalt find more profit : to be the best in the company , is the way to grow worse : the best meanes to grow better , is to be the worst there . chap. xxx . thinke of god ( especially in thy devotion ) in the abstract , rather then the concrete : if thou conceive him good , thy finite thoughts are ready to terminate that good in a conceiv'd subject ; if thou thinke him great , thy bounded conceipt is apt to cast him into a comprehensible figure : conceive him therefore , a diffused goodnesse without quality , and represent him an incomprehensible greatnesse without quantity . chap. xxxi . if thou and true religion be not as yet met ; or met , unknowne ; by these markes thou shalt discover it . first , it is a religion that takes no pleasure in the expence of blood . secondly , it is a religion whose tenents crosse not the booke of truth . thirdly , it is a religion , that takes most from the creature , and gives most to the creatour : if such a one thou meet with , assure thy selfe it is the right , and therefore professe it in life , and protect it to thy death . chap. xxxii . let anothers passion be a lecture to thy reason , and let the ship-wracke of his understanding be a seamarke to thy passion : so shalt thou gaine strength out of his weaknesse ; safety out of his danger ; and raise thy selfe a building out of his ruines . chap. xxxiii . in the height of thy prosperity expect adversity , but feare it not ; if it come not , thou art the more sweetly possest of the happinesse thou hast , and the more strongly confirmed ; if it come , thou art the more gently dispossest of the happinesse thou hadst , and the more firmely prepared . chap. xxxiv . to tremble at the sight of thy sinne , makes thy faith the lesse apt to tremble : the devils beleeve , and tremble , because they tremble at what they beleeve ; their beliefe brings trembling : thy trembling brings beliefe . chap. xxxv . authology is the way to theology : untill thou seest thy selfe empty , thou wilt not desire to be fil'd : he can never truly relish the sweetnesse of gods mercy , that never tasted the bit●ernesse of his owne misery . chap. xxxvi . is any outward affliction fallen upon thee , by a temporary losse ? advise with thy selfe , whether it be recoverable , or not : if it be , use all such lawfull and speedy meanes ( the violence and unseasonablenesse whereof may not disadvantage thee in the pursuit ) to recover it ; if not recoverable , endure with patience what thou canst not recure with paines : he that carnally afflicts his soul for the losse of a transitory good , casts away the kirnell , because he hath lost the shell . chap. xxxvii . naturall anger glances into the breasts of wisemen , but rests in the bosome of fooles : in them , it is infirmity ; in these , a sinne : there is a naturall anger ; and there is a spirituall anger ; the common object of that , is the person ; of this , his vice : he that is alwayes angry with his sinne , shall seldome sinne in his anger . chap. xxxviii if any hard affliction hath surprized thee , cast one eye upon the hand that sent it ; and the other , upon the sin that brought it ; if thou thankefully receive the message , he that sent it will discharge the messenger . chap. xxxix . all passions are good or bad , according to their objects : where the object is absolutely good , there the greatest passion is too little : where absolutly evill , there the least passion is too much : where indifferent , there a little is enough . chap. xl . when thou dost evil that good may come thereby , the evill is surely thine : if good should happen to ensue upon the evill which thou hast done ; the good proceeds from god ; if therefore thou doe evill , thereby to occasionate a good , thou la●●t a bad foundation for a good building ; and ●ervest the devill that god may serve thee : where the end of evill is good in the intention , there the end of that good is evill in the extention . chap. xli . be as farre from desiring the popular love , as fearefull to deserve the popular hate : ruine dwels in both : the one will hug thee to death ; the other will crush thee to destruction : to escape the first , be not ambitious ; to avoid the second , be not seditious . chap. xlii . vvhen thou seest misery in thy brothers face , let him see mercy in thine eye ; the more the oyle of mercy is powr'd on him by thy pity , the more the oyle in thy cruse shall be encreased by thy piety . chap. xliii . reade not bookes alone , but men , and amongst them chiefly thy selfe : if thou find any thing questionable there , use the commentary of a severe friend , rather then the glosse of a sweet-lipt flatterer : there is more profit in a distastfull truth , then deceitfull sweetnesse . chap. xliv . if the opinion of thy worth invite any to the desire of thy acquaintance , yeeld him a respect sutable to his quality : too great a reservation will expose thee to the sentence of pride ; too easie accesse will condemne thee to the censure of folly : things , too hardly endeavour'd , discourage the seeker : too easily obtain'd disparage the thing sought for : too easily got , is lowly priz'd , and quickly lost , chap. xlv . vvhen conveniency of time hath ripen'd your acquaintance , be cautious what thou say'st , and courteous in what thou dost : observe his inclination : if thou find him weight , make him thine owne , and lodge him in a faithfull bosome : be not rashly exceptio●s , nor rudely familiar : the one will breed contention ; the other contempt . chap. xlvi . vvhen passion is grounded upon fancie , it is commonly but of short continuance : where the foundation is unstable , there the building is not lasting ; he that will be angry for any cause , will be angry for no cause ; and when the understanding perceives the cause vain , then the judgement proclaimes the the effect voyd . chap. xlvii . if thou desire to purchase honour with thy wealth ; consider first how that wealth became thine : if thy labour got it , let thy wisdome keep it : if oppression found it , let repentance restore it : if thy parent : left it , let thy vertues deserve it : let thy vertues deserve it : so shall thy honour be safer , better , and cheaper . chap. xlviii . sinne is a basitiske whose eyes are full of venome , if the eye of thy soule see her first , it reflects her own poyson and kills her : if she see thy soule , unseen , or seen too late , with her poyson , she kills thee : since therefore thou canst not escape thy sinne , let not thy sinne escape thy observation . chap. xlix . if thou expect'st to rise by the means of him whom thy fathers greatnesse rais'd from his service to court preferment , thou wilt be deceiv'd : for the more in esteem thou art , the more sensible is he of what he was , whose former servitude will be chronicled by thy advancement , and glory obscured by thy greatnes : however he will conceive it a dead service , which may be interpreted by thee , as a merited reward , rather then a meritorious benefit . chap. l. trust not to the promise of a common swearer , for he that dare sin against his god , for neither profit nor pleasure , will trespasse against thee for his own advantage . he that dare break the precepts of his father , will easily be perswaded to violate the promise unto his brother . chap. li. let the greatest part of the newes thou hearest be the least part of what thou beleevest , lest the greatest part of what thou beleevest be the least part of what is true . where lies are easily admitted , the father of lies will not easily be excluded . chap. lii . deliberate long , before thou consecrate a friend ; and when thy impartiall judgement concludes him worthy of thy bosome , receive him joyfully , and entertaine him wisely : impart thy secrets boldly , and mingle thy thoughts with his : he is thy very selfe ; and use him so : if thou firmly think him faithfull , thou mak'st him so . chap. liii . as there is no worldly gain , without some losse , so there is no worldly losse without some gaine . if thou hast lost thy wealth , thou hast lost some trouble with it : if thou art degraded from thy honour thou art likewise freed from the stroke of envie ; if sicknesse hath blurr'd thy beauty , it hath deliver'd thee from pride , set the allowance against the losse , and thou shalt find no losse great ; he loses little or nothing , that reserves himselfe . chap. liv. if thou desire to take the best advantage of thy selfe ( especially in matters where the fancy is most imploy'd ) keep temperate diet , use moderate exercise , observe seasonable , and set houres for rest ; let the end of thy first sleep raise thee from thy repose : then hath thy body the best temper ; then hath thy soule the least incumberance : then no noyse shall disturbe thy eare ; no object shall divert thine eye : then , if thy sprightly fancie transport thee not beyond the common pitch , and shew thee not the magazin of high invention , return thee to thy wanton bed , and there conclude thy selfe more fit to wear thy mistresses favour , then apolloes bayes . chap. lv . if thou art rich strive to command thy mony , lest she command thee : if thou know how to use her , she is thy servant : if not , thou art her slave . chap. lvi . bring thy daughter a husband of her own religion , and of no hereditary disease ; let his wisdome outweigh his wealth : let his parentage excell his person , and let his yeares exceed hers : let thy prayers recommend the rest to providence : if he prove , thou hast found a sonne : if not , thou hast lost a daughter . chap. lvii . so use prosperity , that adversity may not abuse thee : if in the one , security admits no feares ; in the other , despaire will afford no hopes : he that in prosperity can foretell a danger , can in adversity foresee deliverance . chap. lviii . if thy faith have no doubts , thou hast just cause to doubt thy faith ; and if thy doubts have no hope , thou hast just reason to feare despair ; when therefore thy doubts shal exercise thy faith , keep thy hopes firme to qualifie thy doubts ; so shall thy faith be secured from doubts : so shall thy doubts be preserved from despaire . chap. lix . if thou desire to be truly valiant , feare to doe any injury : he that feares not to doe evill , is alwayes afraid to suffer evill : he that never feares is desperate : and he that fears alwayes , is a goward : he is the true valiant man , that dares nothing but what he may , and feares nothing but what he ought . chap. lx . anger may repast with thee for an houre , but not repose for a night : the continuance of anger is hatred , the continuance of hatred turns malice . that anger is not warrantable , which hath seen two sunnes . chap. lxi if thou stand guilty of oppression , or wrongfully possest of anothers right ; see , thou make restitution before thou givest an almes : if otherwise , what art thou but a thief , and makest god thy receiver ? chap. lxii . vvhen thou pray'st for spirituall graces let thy prayer be absolute ; when , for temporall blessings , adde a clause of gods pleasure : in both , with faith , and humiliation : so shalt thou undoubtedly receive what thou desirest , or more , or better ; never prayer rightly made , was made unheard , or heard , ungranted . chap. lxiii . hee that gives all , though but little , gives much ; because god looks not to the quantity of the gift , but to the quality of the givers : he that desires to give more then he can , hath equall'd his gift to his desire , and hath given more then he hath . chap. lxiv . bee not too greedy in desiring riches , nor too eager in seeking them : nor too covetous in keeping them ; nor too passionate in losing them : the first will possesse thy soul of discontent ; the second will dispossesse thy body of rest ; the third will possesse thy wealth of thee ; the last will dispossesse thee of thy selfe : he that is too violent in the concupiscible ; will be as violent in the irascible . chap. lxv . bee not too rash in the breaking of an inconvenient custome : as it was gotten , so leave it by degrees . danger attends upon too sudden alterations : he that pulls down a bad building by the great , may be ruin'd by the fall : but he that takes it down brick by brick , may live to build a better . chap. lxvi . if thou desire that inestimable grace of saving faith , detest that insatiable vice of damnable covetousnesse : it is impossible , one heart ( though never so double ) should lodge both : faith possesses thee of what thou hast not ; covetousnesse dispossesses thee of what thou hast : thou canst not serve god , unlesse mammon serve thee . chap. lxvii . beware of him that is slow to anger : anger when it is long in comming , is the stronger when it comes , and the longer kept . abused patience turns to fury : when fancy is the ground of passion , that understanding which composes the fancy qualifies the passion ; but when judgement is the ground the memory is the recorder . chap. lxviii . hee that professes himselfe thy open enemy , armes thee against the evill he meanes thee , but he that dissembles himself thy secret friend , strikes beyond caution , and wounds above cure : from the first , thou maist deliver thy selfe : from the last , good lord deliver thee . chap. lxix . if thou hast wrong'd thy brother in thought , reconcile thee to him in thought ; if thou hast offended him in words , let thy reconciliation be in words : if thou hast trespassed against him in deeds , by deeds be reconciled to him : that reconciliation is most kindly which is most in kind . chap. lxx . not to give to the poor is to take from him : not to feed the hungry , if thou hast it , is the utmost of thy power to kill him : that therefore thou maist avoid both sacriledg and murther , be charitable . chap. lxxi . so often as thou remembrest thy sinnes without griefe , so often thou repeatest those sinnes for not grieving : he that will not mourne for the evill which he hath do●e , gives earnest for the evill he meanes to doe ; nothing can asswage that fire which sinne hath made , but only that water which repentance hath drawne . chap. lxxii . look well before thou leap into the chaire of honour : the higher thou climbest the lower thou fallest : if vertue preferre thee , vertue will preserve thee : if gold or favour advance thee , thy honour is pinn'd upon the wheele of fortune : when the wheele shall turne , thy honour falls , and thou remain'st an everlasting monument of thy own ambitious folly . chap. lxxiii . vvee are born with our temptations : nature sometimes presses us to evill , sometimes provokes us unto good ; if therefore thou givest her more then her due , thou nourishest an enemy ; if lesse then is sufficient , thou destroyest a friend : moderation will prevent both . chap. lxxiv . if thou scorne not to serve luxury in thy youth , chastity will scorne thy service in thy age ; and that the will of thy green yeares thought no vice in the acting , the necessity of thy gray haires makes no vertue , in the forbearing : where there is no conflict , there can be no conquest ; where there is no conquest , there is no crowne . chap. lxxv . thou didst nothing towards thy own creation , for thou wert created for thy creators glory ; thou must do something towards thy own redemption , for thou wert redeemed for thy own good : he that made thee without thee , will not save thee without thee . chap. lxxvi . when thy tongue and heart agree not in confession , that confession is not agreeable to gods pleasure : he that confesses with his tongue , and wants confession in his heart , is either a vaine man , or an hypocrite : he that hath confession in his heart , and wants it in his tongue , is either a proud man , or a timerous . chap. lxxvii . gold is caesars treasure , man is gods : thy gold hath caesars image , and thou hast gods ; give therefore those things unto caesar which are caesars ; and unto god , which are gods . chap. lxxviii . in the commission of evill , feare no man so much as thy own selfe : another is but one witnesse against thee : thou art a thousand : another thou maist avoid , but thy selfe thou 〈◊〉 not ; wickednesse is its owne punishment . chap. lxxix . in thy apparell avoyd singularity , pro●usenesse and gaudinesse ; be not too early in the fashion ; nor too late : decency is the halfe way between affectation and neglect : the body is the shell of the soule ; apparell is the huske of that shell ; the huske often tels you what the kirnell is . chap. lxxx . let thy recreation be manly , moderate , seasonable , lawfull ; if thy life be sedentary , more tending to the exercise of thy body ; if active , more to the refreshing of thy mind : the use of recreation is to strengthen thy labour , and sweeten thy rest. chap. lxxxi . bee not censorious , for thou know'st not whom thou judgest ; it is a more dextrous errour to speak well of an evill man , then ill of a good man . and safer for thy judgement to be missed by simple charity , then uncharitable wisdome : he may taxe others with priviledge , that hath not in himselfe , what others may taxe . chap. lxxxii . take heed of that honour which thy wealth hath purchased thee , for it is neither lasting , nor thine own . what money creates , money preserves : if thy wealth decayes , thy honour dyes ; it is but a slippery happinesse which ●ortunes can give and frowns can take ; and not worth the owning which a nights fire can melt , or a rough sea can drown . chap. lxxxiii . if thou canst desire any thing not to be repented of , thou art in a fair way to happinesse ; if thou hast attain'd it , thou art at thy wayes end ; he is not happy who hath all that he desires , but that desires nothing but what is good ; if thou canst not doe what thou need not repent , yet endeavour to repent what thy necessity hath done . chap. lxxxiv . spend a hundred yeares in earths best pleasures ; and after that , a hundred more ; to which being spent , adde a thousand ; and to that , tenne thousand more ; the last shall as surely end , as the first are ended , and all shall be swallowed with eternity : he that is born to day , is not sure to live a day ; he that hath lived the longest , is but as he that was born yesterday : the happinesse of the one is , that he hath liv'd ; the happinesse of the other is , that he may live ; and the lot of both is , that they must dye : it is no happinesse to live long , nor unhappinesse to dye soon : happy is hee that hath liv'd long enough , to dye well . chap. lxxxv . be carefull to whom thou givest , and how : he that gives him that deserves not , loses his gift , and betrayes the giver . he that conferres his gift upon a worthy receiver , makes many debtors , and by giving , receives . he that gives for his owne ends , makes his gift a bribe , and the receiver a prisoner : he that gives often , ●eaches requittance to the receiver , and discovers a crafty confidence in the giver . chap. lxxxvi . hath any wronged thee ? be bravely reveng'd : sleight it , and the work 's begun ; forgive it , and 't is finisht : he is below himselfe that is not above an injury . chap. lxxxvii . let not thy passion miscall thy childe , lest thou prophesie his fortunes : let not thy tongue curse him , lest thy curse returne from whence it came : curses sent in the roome of blessings are driven back with a double vengeance . chap. lxxxviii . in all the ceremonies of the church which remaine indifferent , doe according to the constitution of that church where thou art : the god of order and unity , who created both the soul and the body , expects vnity in the one , and order in both . chap. lxxxix . let thy religious fast be a voluntary abstinence , no● so much from flesh , as fleshly thoughts : god is pleased with that fast which gives to another , what thou deniest to thy selfe ; and when the afflicting of thy own body , is the repairing of thy brothers . he fasts truly that abstains sadly , grieves really , gives cheerfully , and forgives charitably . chap. xc . in the hearing of mysteries keep thy tongue quiet : five words cost zacharias forty weeks silence : in such heights , convert thy questions into wonders ; and let this suffice thee , the reason of the deed , is the power of the doer . chap. xci . deride not him whom the looser world cals puritane , lest thou offend a little one : if he be an hypocrite , god , that knowes him , will reward him ; if zealous , that god that loves him , will revenge him : if he be good , he is good to gods glory : if evill , let him be evill at his own charges : he that judges , shall bee judged . chap. xcii . so long as thou art ignorant , be not asham'd to learn : he that is so fondly modest , not to acknowledge his own defects of knowledge , shall in time , be so fouly impudent to justifie his own ignorance : ignorance is the greatest of all infirmities ; and , justified , the chiefest of all follies . chap. xciii . if thou be a servant , deal just by thy master , as thou desirest thy servant should deale with thee : where thou art commanded , be obedient ; where , not commanded , be provident : let diligence be thy credit ; let faithfulnesse be thy crowne : let thy masters credit be thy care , and let his welfare be thy content : let thine eye be single , and thy heart , humble : be sober , that thou maist be circumspect : he that in sobriety is not his owne man , being drunk , whose is he ? be neither contentious , nor lascivious : the one shewes a turbulent heart ; the other an idle brain . a good servant is a great master . chap. cxiv . let the foundation of thy affection be vertue , then make the building as rich , and as glorious as thou canst : if the foundation bee beauty , or wealth , and the building vertue , the foundation is too weak for the building ; and it will fall : happy is he , the pallace of whose affection is founded upon vertue , wal'd with riches , glaz'd with beauty , and roof'd with honour . chap. xcv . if thy mother be a widow , give her double honour , who now acts the part of a double parent . remember her nine mone●hs burthen , and her tenth moneths travell : forget not her indulgence , when thou didst hang upon her tender breast . call to minde her prayers for thee before thou cam'st into the world ; and her cares for thee when thou wert come into the world . remember her secret groans , her affectionate teares , her broken slumbers , her dayly feares , her nightly frights . relieve her wants ; cover her imperfections ; comfort her age : and the widowes husband , will be the orphans father . chap. xcvi . as thou desirest the love of god & man , beware of pride : it is a tumor in thy minde that breakes and poysons all thy actions ; it is a worm in thy treasure which eates and ruines thy estate : it loves no man ; is beloved of no man ; it disparages vertue in another by detraction ; it disrewards goodnesse in it selfe , by vain glory : the friend of the flatterer , the mother of envy , the nurse of fury , the baud of luxury , the sinne of devils , and the devill in mankinde : it hates superiours , it scornes inferiours , it owns no equals : in short , till thou hate it , god hates thee . ●hap . xcvii . so behave thy selfe among thy children , that they may love and honour thy presence : be not too fond , lest they fear thee not : be not too bitter , lest they feare thee too much ; too much familiarity will embolden them ; too little countenance will discourage them : so carry thy selfe , that they may rather feare thy displeasure , then thy correction ; when thou reprov'st them , do● it in season ; when thou correct'st them , do it not in passion : as a wise child makes a happy father , so a wise father makes a happy child . chap. xcviii , vvhen thy hand hath done a good act , aske thy heart if it be well done : the matter of a good action is the deed done ; the forme of a good action is the manner of the doing : in the first , another hath the comfort , and thou the glory ; in the other , thou hast the comfort , and god the glory : that deed is ill done wherein god is no sharer . chap. xcix . vvould'st thou purchase heaven ? advise not with thy owne ability . the pr●ze of heaeen is what thou hast ; examine not what thou hast , but what thou art : give thy selfe , and thou hast bought it : if thy own vilenesse be thy feares , offer thy selfe and thou art precious . chap : c. the birds of the aire dye to sustaine thee ; the beasts of the field dy to nourish thee ; the fishes of the sea dye to feed thee . our stomacks are their common sepulcher . good god! with how many deaths are our poor lives patcht up ! how full of death is the miserable life of momentary man ! the 〈◊〉 of the second century . the third century . chap. i. if thou take paines in what is good , the paines vanish , the good remains : if thou take pleasure in what is evil , the evill remaines , and the pleas●●e vanishes : what art thou the worse for paines , or the better for pleasure , when both are past ? chap. ii. if thy fancy , and judgement have agreed in the choice of a fit wife , be not too fond , lest she surfeit , nor too peevish , lest she languish : love so , that thou mayst be fear'd ; rule so , that thou mayst be honour'd : be not too diffident , lest thou teach her to deceive thee , nor too suspicious , lest thou teach her to abuse thee : if thou see a fault , let thy love hide it ; if she continue it , let thy wisdome reprove it : reprove her not openly , lest she grow bold : rebuke her not tauntingly , lest she grow spitefull : proclaim not her beauty , lest she grow proud : hoast not her wisedome , lest thou be thought foolish ; shew her not thy imperfections , lest she disdaine thee : pry not into her dairy , lest she desprise thee : prophane not her eares with loose communication , lest thou defile the sanctuary of her modesty ? an understanding husband , makes a discreet wife ; and she , a happy husband . chap. iii. wrinckle not thy face with too much laughter , lest thou become ridiculous ; neither wanton thy heart with too much mirth , lest thou become vaine : the suburbs of folly is vaine mirth , and profusenesse of laughter , is the city of fooles . chap. iv. let thy tongue take counsell of one eye , rather then of two ears ; let the newes thou reportest be rather stale then false , lest thou be branded with the name of lyer . it is an intolerable dishonour to be that which onely to be call'd so , is thought worthy of a stabbe . chap. v. let thy discourse be such , as thy judgement may maintaine , and thy company may deserve . in neglecting this , thou losest thy words ; in not observing the other , thou losest thy selfe . give wash to swine , and wort to men ; so shalt thou husband thy gifts to the advantage of thy selfe , and shape thy discourse to the advancement of thy hearer . chap. vi . dost thou roar under the torments of a tyrant ? weigh them with the sufferance of thy s●viour , and they are no plague . dost thou rage under the bondage of a raving conscience ? compare it to thy saviours passion , and it is no paine have the tortures of hell taken hold of thy dispairing soule ? compare it to thy saviours torments , and it is no punishment : what sense unequally compares , let faith enterchangeably apply ; and thy pleasures have no comparison . thy sinnes are the authors of his sufferings ; and his hell is the price of thy heaven . chap. vii . art thou banisht from thy owne country ? thanke thy owne folly : hadst thou chosen a right home , thou hadst been no exul : hadst thou commanded thy owne kingdome , all kingdomes had been thy owne : the foole is banisht in his owne country ; the wiseman is in his owne country , though banisht : the foole wanders the wiseman travels . chap. viii . in seeking vertue , if thou find poverty , be not ashamed : the fault is none of thine . thy honour , or dishonour is purchased by thy owne actions . though vertue give a ragged livery , she gives a golden cognizance : if her service make thee poore , blush not . thy poverty may disadvantage thee , but not dishonour thee . chap. ix . gaze not on beauty too much , lest it blast thee : nor too long , lest it blind thee ; nor too near , lest it burne thee : if thou like it , it deceives thee ; if thou love it , it disturbs thee ; if thou lust after it , it destroies thee : if vertue accompany it , it is the hearts paradise ; if vice associate it , it is the soules purgatory : it is the wisemans bonefire , and the fooles furnace . chap. x. if thou wouldst have a good servant , let thy servant find a wise master : let his food , rest , and wages be seasonable : let his labour , recreations , and attendance depend upon thy pleasure : be not angry with him too long , lest he thinke thee malicious ; nor too soone , lest he ●onceive thee rash ; nor too often , lest he count thee humorous . be not too fierce lest he love thee not ; nor too remisse , lest he feare thee not ; nor too familiar , lest he prize thee not . in briefe , whil'st thou giv'st him the liberty of a servant , beware thou losest not the majesty of a master . chap. xi . if thou desire to be chast in wedlocke , keepe thy selfe chast before thou wedd'st : he that hath knowne pleasure unlawf●lly , will hardly be restrained from unlawfull pleasure . one woman was created for one man . he that straies beyond the limits of liberty , is brought into the verge of slavery . where one is enough , two is too many , and three is too few . chap. xii . if thou would'st be justified acknowledge thy injustice : he that confesses his sinne , begins his journy towards salvation : he that is sorry for it , mends his pace : he that forsakes it , is at his journies end . chap. xiii . before thou reprehend another , take heed thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend . he that cleanses a blot with blotted fingers , makes a greater blur . chap. xiv . beware of drunkennesse , ●lest all good men beware of thee ; where drunkennesse reigns , there reason is an exul ; vertue , a stranger ; god an enemy ; blasphemy is wit , oathes are rhetoricke , and secrets are proclamations . noah discover'd that in one houre , drunke , which sober , he kept secret six hundred years . chap. xv . what thou givest to the poore , thou securest from the thiefe , but what thou withhold'dst from his necessity , a thiefe possesses . gods exchequer is the poore mans box : when thou strik'st a tally , he becomes thy debtor . chap. xvi . take no pleasure in the folly of an idiot , no● in the fancy of a lunaticke , nor in the frenzie of a drunkard . make them the object of thy pity , not of thy pastime ; when thou behold'st them , behold how thou art beholding to him that suffered thee not to be like them . there is no difference between thee and them but gods favour . chap. xvii . if being in eminent place , thou hast incur●'d the obloquy of the multitude , the more thou endeavourest to stop the streame , the more it over●owes● wisely rather divert the co●●e of the vulgar humour , by divulging and spreading some ridiculous novelty , which may present new matter to their various fancy , and stave their tongues from off thy worried name . the first subject of the common voice , is the last news . chap. xviii . if thou desire to see thy child vertuous , let him not see his fathers vices : thou canst not rebuke that in them , that they behold practis'd in thee ; till reason be ripe , examples direct more then precepts : such as thy behaviour is before thy childrens faces , such commonly is theirs behind their parents backs . chap. xix . vse law and physicke onely for necessity ; they that use them otherwise , abuse themselves into weake bodies , and light purses : they are good remedies , bad businesses , and worse recreations . chap. xx . be not over curious in prying into mysteries ; lest , by seeking things which are needlesse , thou omittest things which are necessary : it is more safe to doubt of uncertaine matters , then to dispute of undiscover'd mysteries . chap. xxi . if what thou hast received from god thou sharest to the poore , thou hast gained a blessing by the hand ; if what thou hast taken from the poore , thou givest to god , thou hast purchased a curse into the bargaine . he that puts to pious uses , what he hath got by impious usury , robs the spittle to raise an hospitall ; and the cry of the one , will out-plead the prayers of the other . chap. xxii . let the end of thy argument be rather to discover a doubtfull truth , then a commanding wit ; in the one , thou shalt gaine substance ; in the other , froth : that flint strikes the steele in vaine , that propagates no sparkles ; covet to be truths champion , at least to hold her colours : he that pleads against the truth , takes paines to be overthrown ; or , if a conquerour , gaines but vain-glory by the conquest . chap. xxiii . take no pleasure in the death of a creature ; if it be harmelesse or uselesse , destroy it not : if usefull , or harmefull destroy it mercifully : he that mercifully made his creatures for thy sake , expects thy mercy upon them for his sake . mercy turns her backe to the unmercifull . chap. xxiv . if thou are call'd to the dignity of a priest , the same voice cals thee to the honour of a judge ; if thy life and doctrine be good , thou shalt judge others : if thy doctrine be good , and thy life ba●● , onely thy selfe : if both be good , thou reachest thy people to escape condemnation : if this be good , and that bad , thou reachest god to condemne thee : chap. xxv . if thou be not a prometheus to advise before thou dost ; be an ep●metheus to examine when thou hast done : when the want of advise hath brought forth an improvident act , the act of examination may produce a profitable repentance . chap. xxvi . if thou desire the happinesse of thy soule , the health of thy body , the prosperity of thy estate , the preservation of thy credit , converse not with a harlot : her eyes runne thy reputation in debt ; her lips demand the payment : her breasts arrests thee ; her armes imprison thee ; from whence , beleeve it● thou shalt hardly get forth till thou hast either ended the dayes of thy credit , or pay'd the utmost farthing of thy estate . chap. xxvii . carry a watchfull eye upon those familiars that are either silent at thy faults , or sooth thee in thy frailties , or excuse thee in thy follies ; for such are either cowards , or flatterers , or fooles : if thou entertain them in prosperity , the coward will leave thee in thy dangers , the flatterer will quit thee in thy adversity : but the foole will never forsake thee . chap. xxviii . if thou hast an estate , and a sonne to inherit it , keep him not too short , lest he thinke thou livest too long ; what thou allowest him , let him receive from thy hand , as gift ; not from thy tenants , as rent : keep the reines of thy estate in thy owne hand , lest thou forsaking the soveraignty of a father , he forget the reverence of a child : let his liberty be grounded on thy permission , and keep him within the compasse of thy instruction : let him feele , thou hast the curbe , though occasion urge thee not to checke . give him the choise of his owne wife , if he be wise . counsell his affection rather then crosse it , if thou beest wise ; lest his marriage-bed be made in secret , or depend upon thy grave . if he be given to lavish company , endeavour to stave him off with lawfull recreations : be cheerfull with him , that he may love thy presence ; and wink at small faults , that thou maist gain him : be not always chiding , lest thou harden him ; neither knit thy brow too often , lest thou dishearten him : remember , the discretion of a father oft times prevents the destruction of a childe . chap. xxix . if thou hide thy treasure upon the earth , how canst thou expect to finde it in heaven ? canst thou hope to be a sharer where thou hast reposed no stocke ? what thou givest to gods glory , and thy soules health , is laid up in heaven , and is onely thine ; that alone , which thou exchangest , or hidest upon earth is lost . chap. xxx . regard not in thy pilgrimage how difficult the passage is , but whither it tends ; nor how delicate the journey is , but where it ends : if it be easie , suspect it ; if hard , endure it : he that cannot excuse a bad way , accuseth his owne sloth ; and he that stickes in a bad passage . can never attaine a good journies end . chap. xxxi . money is both the generation and corruption of purchas'd honour : honour is both the child and slave of potent money : the credit which honour hath lost , money hath found : when honour grew mercenary , money grew honourable . the way to be truly noble , is to contemn both . chap. xxxii . give not thy tongue too great a liberty , lest it take thee prisoner : a word unspoken is like the sword in thy scabberd , thine ; if vented , thy sword is in anothers hand : if thou desire to be held wise , be so wise as to hold thy tongue . chap. xxxiii . if thou be subject to any great vanity , nourish it not : if it will be entertained , encourage it not : if it grow strong , more strongly strive against it ; if too strong , pray against it ; if it weaken not , joyne fasting to the prayer ; if it shall continue , adde perseverance to both ; if it decline not , adde patience to all , and thou hast conquered it . chap. xxxiv . hath any wounded thee with injuries ? meet them with patience ; hastie words ranckle the wound , soft language dresses it , forgivenesse cures it , and oblivion takes away the scarre . it is more noble , by silence to avoid an injury , then by argument to overcome it . chap. xxxv . be not instable in thy resolutions , nor various in thy actions , nor inconstant in thy affections : so deliberate , that thou maist resolve ; so resolve , that thou maist performe ; so performe , that thou maist persevere : mutability is the badge of infirmity . chap. xxxvi . let not thy good intention flatter thee to an evill action ; what is essentially evill , no circumstance can make good ; it matters not with what mind thou didst that , which is unlawfull , being done : if the act be good , the intention crowns it ; if bad , it deposes thy intention : no evill action can be well done . chap. xxxvii . love not thy children too unequally ; or , if thou dost , shew it not , lest thou make the one proud , the other envious , and both fooles : if nature hath made a difference , it is the part of a tender parent to help the weakest . that triall is not fair , where affection is the judge . chap. xxxviii . in giving of thy almes , enquire not so much into the person , as his necessity : god looks not so much upon the merits of him that requires , as into the manner of him that releives : if the man deserve not , thou hast gien it to humanity . chap. xxxix . if thou desirest the eucharist should be thy supper , let thy life be thy chaplain ; if thy own worthinesse invites thee , presume not to come ; if the sorrowfull sense of thy own sinnes forbid thee , presume not to forbeare : if thy faith be strong , it will confirme it ; if weak , it will strengthen it : he onely that wants faith is the forbidden guest . chap. xl . vvouldst thou traffick with the best advantage , and crown thy vertues with the best return ? make the poor thy chapman , and thy purse thy factor : so shalt thou give trifles which thou could'st not keep , to receive treasure which thou canst not lose : there 's no such merchant as the charitable man . chap. lxi . follow not the multitude in the evill of sin , lest thou share with the multitude in the evill of punishment : the number of the offenders diminisheth not the quality of the offēce : as the multitude of suiters drawes more favour to the suite ; so the multitude of sinners drawes more punishment on the sin : the number of the faggots multiplies the fury of the fire . chap. lxii . if thou be angry with him that reproves thy sinne , thou secretly confessest his reproof to be just : if thou acknowledge his reproof to be just , thou secretly confessest thy anger to be unjust . he that is angry with the just reprover , kindles the fire of the just revenger● chap. xliii . doe well while thou maist , lest thou do evill when thou wouldst not : he that takes not advantage of a good power , shall lose the benefit of a good will . chap. xliv . let not mirth be thy profession , lest thou become a make-sport . he that hath but gain'd the title of a jester , let him assure himselfe , the fool 's not farre off . chap. xlv . in every relative action , change conditions with thy brother ; then aske thy conscience what thou wouldest be done to ; being truly resolved exchange again , and doe thou the like to him , and thy charity shall never erre : it is injustice to do , what without impatience thou canst not suffer . chap. xlvi . love thy neighbour for gods sake , and god for his owne sake , who created all things for thy sake , and redeemed thee for his mercy sake : if thy love have any other object , it is false love : if thy object have any other end , it is self-love . chap. xlvii . let thy conversation with men , be sober and sincere : let thy devotion to god be dutifull and decent : let the one be hearty , and not haughty ; let the other be humble , and not homely : so live with men , as if god saw thee ; so pray to god , as if men heard thee . chap. xlviii . gods pleasure is the wind our actions ought to say 〈◊〉 : mans will is the streame that tydes them up and down ; if the wind blow not , thou maist take the advantage of the tide ; if it blow , no matter which way the streame runs , if with thee , thy voyage will be the shorter ; if against thee , the sea ●ill bee the rougher : it is safer to strive against the stream , then to sayle against the wind. chap. xlix . if thou desire much rest. desire not too much : there is no lesse trouble in the preservation , then in the acquisition of abundance ; diogenes found more rest in his tub then alexander on his throne . chap. l. wouldst thou multiply thy riches ? diminish them wisely : or wouldst thou make thy estate entire ? divide it charitably : seeds that are scattered , encrease ; but hoarded up they perish . chap. li. how cam'st thou by thy honou● ? by mony : how cam'st thou by thy mony ? by extortion : compare thy penny worth with the price , and tell me truly , how truly 〈◊〉 u●able thou art ? it is an ill purchase that 's encumbred with a curse , and that honour will be ruinous that is built on ruines . chap. li. if thy brother hath privately offended thee , reprove him privately , and having lost himselfe in an injury , thou shalt find him in thy forgivenesse : he that rebukes a private fault openly , betrayes it , rather then reproves it . chap. liii . what thou desirest , inspect througly before thou prosecute : cast one eye upon the inconveniences , as well as the other upon the conveniences . weigh the fulnesse of the barne with the charge of the plough : weigh honour with her burthen , and pleasure with her dangers ; so shalt thou undertake wisely what thou desirest ; or moderate thy desires in undertaking . chap. liv. if thou owest thy whole selfe to thy god for thy creation , what hast thou left to pay for thy redemption , that was not so cheap as thy creation ? in thy creation , he gave thee thy selfe , and by thy selfe to him : in thy redemption hee gave himselfe to thee , and through him restor'd thee to thy selfe : thou art given and restor'd : now what owest thou unto thy god ? if thou hast paid all thy debts , give him the surplusage , and thou hast merited . chap. lv . in thy discourse take heed what thou speakest , to whom thou speakest , how thou speakest , and when thou speakest : what thou speakest , speak truly ; when thou speakest , speak wisely . a fools heart is in his tongue ; but a wise mans tongue is in his heart . chap. lvi . before thou act a theft , consider what thou art about to doe : if thou take it , thou losest thy selfe ; if thou keep it , thou disenablest thy redemption ; till thou restor●st it , thou canst not be restored ; when it is restor'd , it must cost thee more paine , and sorrow , then ever it brought thee pleasure or profit . it is a great folly to please the p●late with that which thou knowest , must either be vomited , or thy death . chap. lvii . silence is the highest wisdome of a fool , and speech is the greatest criall of a wise man ; if thou would'st ●e known a wise man , let thy words shew thee so ; if thou doubt thy words , let thy silence seign thee so . it is not a greater point of wisdome to discover knowledge , then to hide ignorance . chap. lviii . the clergy is a copy book their life is the paper , whereof some is purer , some courser : their doctrine is the copies , some written in a plain hand , others in a flourishing hand , some in a text hand , some in a roman hand , others in a court hand , others in a bastard roman : if the choise be in thy power , chuse a book that hath the finest paper , let it not bee too straight nor too loosely bound , but easie to lye open to every eye : follow not every copy , lest thou be good at none : among them all chuse one that shall be most legible and vse●ill , and fullest of instructions . but if the paper chance to have a blot , remember , the blot is no part of the copy . chap. lix . vertue is nothing but an act of loving th●t which is to be beloved , and that act is prudence● from whence not to be removed by co●● straint is ● ortitude ; not to be allu●●d by enticements is temperance ; not to be diverted by pride is justice . the declining of this act is vice . chap. lx . rebuke thy servants fault in private : publique reproof hardens his shame : if he be past a youth , strike him not : he is not fit for thy service , that after wise reproofes will either deserve thy strokes , or digest them . chap. lxi . take heed rather what thou receivest , then what thou givest ; what thou givest leaves thee , what thou takest , sticks by thee : he that presents a gift buyes the receiver , he that takes a gift sels his liberty . chap. lxii . things temporall , are sweeter in the expectation : things eeternall are sweeter in the fruition : the first shames thy hope , the second crownes it : it is a vain journey , whose end affords lesse pleasure then the way . chap. lxiii . know thy selfe that thou maist fear god : know god , that thou maist love him ; in this , thou art initiated to wisdome ; in that , perfected : the feare of god is the beginning of wisdome : the love of god is the fulfilling of the law . chap. lxiv . if thou hast providence to foresee a danger , let thy prudence rather prevent it , then feare it . the feare of future evils , brings oftentimes a present mischiefe : whilst thou seek'st to prevent it , practice to beare it . he is a wise man can avoyd an evill ; he is a patient man that can endure it ; but he is a valiant man can conquer it . chap. lxv . if thou hast the place of a magistrate , deserve it by thy justice , and dignifie it with thy mercy : take heed of early gifts : an open hand makes a blind eye : be not more apt to punish vice , then to encourage vertue . be not too severe , lest thou be hated , nor too remisse , lest thou be sleighted : so execute justice , that thou mayst be loved : so execute mercy , that thou mayest be feared . chap. lxvi . let not thy table exceed the fourth part of thy revenue : let thy provision be solid , and not farre fetcht , fuller of substance then art : be wisely frugall in thy preparation , and freely cheerfull in thy entertainment : if thy guests be right , it is enough ; if not , it is too much : too much is a vanity ; enough is a feast . chap. lxvii . let thy apparell be decent , and suited to the quality of thy place and purse : too much punctualitie , and too much morositie , are the two poles of pride : be neither too early in the fashion , nor too long out of it , nor too precisely in it : what custome hath civiliz'd , is become decent , till then , ridiculous : where the eye is the jury , thy apparell is the evidence . chap. lxviii . if thy words be too luxuriant , confine them , lest they confine thee : he that thinks he never can speake enough , may easily speake too much● a full tongue , and an empty braine , are seldome parted . chap. lxix . in holding of an argument , be neither cholericke , nor too opinionate ; the one distempers thy understanding ; the other abuses thy judgement : above all things decline paradoxes and mysteries : thou shalt receive no honour , either in maintaining ranke falshoods , or medling with secret truths ; as he that pleads against the truth , makes wit the mother of his errour : so he that argues beyond warrant , makes wisedome the midwife of his folly . chap. lxx . detaine not the wages from the poor man that hath earn'd it , lest god withhold thy wages from thee : if he complaine to thee , heare him , lest he complaine to heaven , where he will be heard : if he hunger for thy sake , thou shalt not prosper for his sake . the poore mans penny is a plague in the rich mans purse . chap. lxxi . be not too cautious in discerning the fit objects of thy charity , lest a soule perish through thy discretion : what thou givest to mistaken want , shall returne a blessing to thy deceived heart : better in relieving idlenesse to commit an accidentall evill , then in neglecting misery to omit an essentiall good : better two drones be preserv'd , then one bee perish . chap. lxii . theology is the empresse of the world ; mysteries are her privy councell ; religion is her clergy ; the arts her nobility ; philosophy her secretary ; the graces her maids of honour ; the morall vertues , the ladies of her bedchamber ; peace is her chamberlaine ; true joy , and endlesse pleasures are her courtiers ; plenty her treasurer ; poverty her exchequer ; the temple is her court : if thou desire accesse to this great majesty , the way is by her courtiers ; if thou hast no power there , the common way to the soveraigne is the secretary . chap. lxxiii . it is an evill knowledge to know the good thou shouldst embrace , unlesse thou likewise embrace the good thou knowest : the breath of divine knowledge , is the bellowes of divine love , and the flame of divine love , is the perfection of divine knowledge . chap. lxxiv . if thou desire rest unto thy soule , be just : he that doth no injury , fears not to suffer injury : the unjust mind is alwayes in labour : it either practises the evill it hath projected , or projects to avoid the evill it hath deserved . chap. lxxv . accustome thy palat to what is most usuall : he that delights in rarities , must often feed displeased , and sometimes lie at the mercy of a deare market : common food nourishes best , delicates please most : the sound stomacke preferres neither . what a●t thou the worse for the last yeares plaine diet , or what now the better for thy last great feast ? chap. lxxvi . vvho ever thou art , thou hast done more evill in one day , then thou canst expiate in six ; and canst thou thinke the evill of six dayes , can require lesse then one ? god hath made us rich in dayes , by allowing six , and himselfe poore by reserving but one ; and shall we spare our owne flocke , and sheare his lambe ? he that hath done nothing but what he can justifie in the six dayes , may play the seventh . chap. lxxvii . hope and feare , like hippocrates twins , should live and dye together : if hope depart from feare , it travels by security , and lodges in presumption ; if feare depart from hope , it travels to infidelitie , and innes in despaire , the one shuts up heaven , the other opens hell ; the one makes thee insensible of gods frownes , the other , incapable of gods favours ; and both teach god to be unmercifull , and thee to be most miserable . chap. lxxviii close thine eare against him that shall open his mouth secretly against another : if thou receive not his words , they flye back , and wound the reporter : if thou receive them , they flee forward , and wound the receiver . chap. lxxix . if thou wouldst preserve a sound body , use fasting and walking ; if a healthfull soule , fasting and praying ; walking exercises the body , praying exercises the soule , fasting cleanses both . chap. lxxx . vvouldst thou not be thought a foole in anothers conceit ? be not wise in thine owne : he that trusts to his owne wisedome , proclaimes his owne folly : he is truly wise , and shall appeare so , that hath folly enough to be thought not worldly wise , or wisedome enough to see his owne folly . chap. lxxxi . desir'st thou knowledge ? know the end of thy desire : is it only to know ? then it is curiosity : is it because thou mayst be knowne ? then 't is vanity : if because thou mayst edefie , it is charity : if because thou mayst be edefied , it is wisedome . that knowledge turnes to meere excrement , that hath not some heate of wisedome to digest it . chap. lxxxii . vvisedome without innocency is knavery ; innocency without wisedome is foolery : be therefore as wise as serpents , and innocent as doves : the subtilty of the serpent , instructs the innocency of the dove : the innocency of the dove , corrects the subtilty of the serpent : what god hath joyn'd together , let no man seperate . chap. lxxxiii . the more thou imitatest the vertues of a saint departed , the better thou celebrat'st that saints day . god is not pleased with surfetting for his sake , who with his fasting so often pleas'd his god . chap. lxxxiv . chuse not thy serv'ceable souldier out of soft apparell , lest he prove effeminate , nor out of a full purse , lest he grow timorous : they are more fit for action , that are fiery to gaine a fortune abroad , then they that have fortunes to lose at home . expectation breeds spirit ; fruition brings feare . chap. lxxxv . god hath given to mankinde a common library , his creatures ; and to every man a proper booke , himselfe , being an abridgement of all the others : if thou reade with understanding , it will make thee a great master of philosophy , and a true servant to the divine authou● : if thou but barely reade , it will make thee thy owne wise man , and the authours foole . chap. lxxxvi . doubt is a weake childe lawfully begotten between an obstructed judgement , and a faire understanding . opinion is a bold bastard gotten betweene a strong fancie , and a weak judgement ; it is lesse dishonourable to be ingenuously doubtfull , then rashly opinionate . chap. lxxxvii . as thou art a morall man , esteem thy selfe not as thou art , but as thou art esteem'd . as thou art a christian , esteeme thy selfe as thou art , not as thou art esteem'd : thy price in both rises and fals as the market goes . the market of a morall man is wild opinion . the market of a christian is a good conscience . chap. lxxxviii . providence is an exercise of reason ; experience an act of sense : by how much reason excels sense , by so much providence exceeds experience . providence prevents that danger , which experience repents : providence is the rationall daughter of wisedome : experience the empiricall mistresse of fooles . chap. lxxxix . hath fortune dealt the ill cards ? let wisedome make thee a good gamester : in a faire gale , every foole may sayle ; but wise behaviour in a storme commends the wisdome of a pilot : to bear adversity with an equall minde , is both the sign and glory of a bave spirit . chap. xc . if any speake ill of thee , flee home to thy owne conscience , and examine thy heart : if thou be guilty , 't is a just correction : if not guilty , 't is a faire instruction : make use of both , so shalt thou distill hony out of gall , and out of an open enemy , create a secret friend . chap. xci . as the exercise of the body naturall is moderate recreation , so the exercise of the body politicke , is military discipline : by that the one is made more able , by this , the other is made more active : where both are wanting , there wants no danger to the one , through a humorous superfluity , to the other , by a negligent security . chap. xcii . god is above thee , beasts are beneath thee : acknowledge him that is above thee , and thou shalt be acknowledg'd by them that are under thee : whil'st daniel acknowledg'd god to be above him ; the lions acknowledg'd daniel●o be above them . chap. xciii . take heed whil'st thou she west wisedome in not speaking , thou betrayest not thy folly in too long silence : if thou art a foole , thy silence is wisedome ; if a wise man , too long silence is folly ; as too many words from a fooles mouth , gives a wise man no leave to speake ; so too long silence in a wise man , gives a foole the opportunity of speaking , and makes thee guilty of his folly . chap. xciv . consider what thou wert , what thou art , what thou shalt be : what 's within thee , what 's above thee , what 's beneath thee , what 's against thee : what was before thee , what shall be after thee ; and this will bring to thy selfe humility , to thy neighbour charity , to the world contempt , to thy god obedience : hee that knowes not himselfe positively , can not knowe himselfe relatively . chap. xcv . thinke not thy love to god merits gods love to thee : his acceptance of thy duty crowns his owne gifts in thee : mans love to god is nothing but a faint reflection of gods love to man . chap. xcvi . be alwayes lesse willing to speake then to heare ; what thou hearest thou receivest ; what thou speakest thou givest . it is more glorious to give , more profitable to receive . chap. xcvii . seest thou good dayes ? prepare for evill times : no summer but hath his winter : he never reap'd comfort in adversity , that sow'd it not in prosperity . chap. xcviii . if being a magistrate , thou connivest at vice , thou nourishest it ; if thou sparest it ; thou committest it : what is not , by thee , punisht in others , is made punishable in thee . he that favours present evils , en●tayles them upon his posterity : hee that excuses the guilty , condemnes the innocent . chap xcix . truth haunts no corners , seeks no by-wayes : if thou professe it , do it openly : if thou seeke it , do it fairely : he deserves not to professe truth , that professes it fearefully : he deserves not to finde the truth that seekes it fraudulently . chap. c. if thou desire to be wiser yet , think not thy selfe yet wise enough : and if thou desire to improve knoweledge in thy selfe despise not the instructions of another : he that instructs him that thinkes himselfe wise enough , hath a foole to his schollar : he that thinkes himselfe wise enough to instruct himselfe , hath a foole to his master . the end of the third century . the fourth century . chap. i. demeane thy selfe more war●y in thy study , then in the street . if thy publique actions have a hundred witnesses , thy p●i●●t have a thousand . the mul●●●●de lookes but upon thy actions● 〈◊〉 conscience lookes into them 〈◊〉 multitude may chance to excuse thee , i● not acquit thee , thy conscience will accuse thee , if not condemn thee . chap. ii. of all vices take heed of drunkennesse ; other vices are but fruits of disordered affections : this disorders , nay , banishes reason : other vices but impaire the soule , this demolishes her two chiefe faculties ; the understanding , and the will : other vices make their owne way ; this makes way for all vices : hee that is a drunkard is qualified for all vice . chap. iii. if thy sinne trouble thee , let that trouble comfort thee ; as pleasure in the remembrance of sinne exasperates justice , so sorrow in the repentance of sinne mollifies mercy : it is lesse danger to commit the 〈◊〉 we delight in , then to delight in the sinne we have committed , and more joy is promis'd to repentance , then to innocency . chap. iv. the way to god is by thy selfe ; the way to thy selfe is by thy owne corruptions : he that baulkes this way , erres ; he that travels by the creatures , wanders . the motion of the heavens shall give thy soule no rest : the vertue of herbs shall not encrease thine . the height of all philosophy , both naturall and morall , is to know thy selfe , and the end of this knoweledge is to know god . chap. v. infamy is where it is receiv'd : if thou art a mudde-wall , it wil stick ; if marble , it will rebound : if thou storme at it , 't is thine : if thou contemne it , 't is his . chap. vi . if thou desire magistracy , learne to forget thy selfe ; if thou undertake it , bid thy selfe farewell ; he that lookes upon a common cause with private eyes , lookes through false glasses . in the exercise of thy politique office , thou must forget both ethickes and oeconomickes . he that puts on a publique gowne , must put off a private person . chap. vii . let the words of a virgin , though in a good cause , and to as good purpose , be neither violent , many , nor first , nor last : it is lesse shame for a virgin to be lost in a blushing silence , then to be found in a bold eloquence . chap. viii . art thou in plenty ? give what thou wilt : art thou in poverty ? give what thou canst : as what is receiv'd , is receiv'd according to the manner of the receiver ; so what is given , is priz'd according to the measure of the giver : he is a good workeman that makes as good worke as his matter will permit . chap. ix . ggd is the author of truth , the devill the father of lies : if the telling of a truth shall endanger thy life , the authour of truth will protect thee from the danger , or reward thee for thy dammage . if the tell 〈◊〉 lye may secure thy life , the father of lyes will beguile thee of thy gaines , or traduce the security . better by losing of a life to save it , then by saving of a life to lose it . however , better thou perish then the truth . chap. x. consider not so much what thou hast , as what others want : what thou hast , take heed thou lose not . what thou hast not , take heed thou covet not : if thou hast many above thee , turne thy eye upon those that are under thee : if thou hast no inferiours , have patience a while , and thou shalt have no superiours . the grave requires no marshall . chap xi . if thou ●eest any thing in thy self , which may make thee proud , look a little further , and thou shalt find enough to humble thee ; if thou be wise , view the peacocks feathers with his feet , and weigh thy best parts with thy imperfections . he thar would rightly prize the man , must read his whole story . chap. xii . let not the sweetnesse of contemplation be so esteem'd , that action be despis'd , rachel was more faire , lea more fruitfull : as contemplation is more delightfull , so is it more dangerous : lot was upright in the city and wicked in the mountaine . chap. xiii . if thou hast but little , make it not lesse by murmuring : if thou hast enough , make it not too much by unthankefulnesse : he that is not thankfully contented with the least favour he hath receiv'd , hath made himselfe incapable of the least favour he can receive . chap. xiv . vvhat thou hast taken unlawfully , restore speedily , for the sinne in taking it , is repeated every minute thou keep'st it : if thou canst , restore it in kinde : if not , in value ; if it may be , restore it to the party ; if not , to god : the poore is gods receiver . chap. xv . let the fear of a danger be a spur to prevent it : hee that feares otherwise , gives advantage to the danger : it is lesse folly not to endeavour the prevention of the evill thou fearest , then to feare the evill which thy endeavor cannot prevent . chap. xvi . if thou hast any excellence which is thine owne , thy tongue may glory in it without shame ; but if thou hast receiv'd it , thy glory is but usurpation ; and thy pride is but the prologue of thy shame : where vain-glory commands , there folly counsels ; where pride rides , there shame lacquies . chap. xvii . ggd hath ordained his creatures , not onely for necessity , but delight ; si●ce he hath carv'd thee with a bountifull hand , feare not to receive it with a liberall heart : he that gave thee water to allay thy thirst , gave thee wine to exhilarate thy heart . restore him for the one , a necessity of thankes , returne him for the other , the chearfulnesse of praise . chap. xviii . if the wicked flourish and thou suffer , discourage not : they are fatted for destruction ; thou art dieted for health ; they have no other heaven but the hopes of a long earth ; thou hast nothing on earth but the hopes of a quicke heaven : if there were no journies end , the travell of a christian were most comfortlesse . chap. xix . impe not thy wings with the churches feathers , lest thou flie to thy owne ruine : impropriations are bold metaphors ; which continued , are deadly allegories : one foot of land in capite , encumbers the whole estate : the eagle snatcht a coale from the altar , but it fired her nest. chap. xx . let that table which god hath pleas'd to give thee , please thee : he that made the vessell knows her b●rthen , and how to ballast her ; he that made all things very good , cannot but doe all things very well ; if thou be content with a little , thou hast enough : if thou complainest thou hast too much . chap. xxi . vvouldst thou discover the true worth of a man ? behold him naked : distreasure him of his ill-got wealth , degrade him of his deare bought honour● disrobe him of his purple habit● discard his pamper'd body ; then looke upon his soule , and thou shalt finde how great he is , naturall sweetnesse is never sented but in the absence of artificiall . chap. xxii . if thou art subject to any secret folly blab it not , lest thou appeare impudent ; nor boast of it , lest thou seem insolent . every mans vanity ought to be his greatest shame : and every mans folly ought to be his greatest secret . chap. xxiii . if thou be ignorant , endeavour to get knowledge , lest thou be beaten with stripes : if thou hast attain'd knowledge , put it in practice , lest thou be beaten with many stripes . better not to know what we should practice , then not to practice what we know ; and lesse danger dwels in unaffected ignorance , then unactive knowledge . chap. xxiv . take heed thou harbor not that vice call'd envy , lest anothers happinesse be thy torment , and gods blessing become thy curse : vertue corruted with vain-glory , turnes pride : pride poyson'd with malice , becomes envy : joyne therefore humility with thy vertue , and pride shall have no footing , and envy shall finde no entrance . chap. xxv . if thy endeavour cannot prevent a vice , let thy repentance lament it : the more thou remembrest it without hearts griefe ; the deeper it is rooted in thy heart : take heed it please thee not , especially in cold blood . thy pleasure in it makes it fruitfull , and her fruit is thy destruction . chap. xxvi . the two knowledges , of god , and thy selfe , are the high way to thy salvation ; that breeds in thee a filiall love ; this a filiall feare . the ignorance of thy selfe is the beginning of all sinne , and the ignorance of god is the perfection of all evill . chap. xxvii . rather do nothing to the purpose , then be idle , that the devill may finde thee doing : the bird that sits is easily shot , when fliers scape the fowler : idlenesse is the dead sea that swallowes all vertues , and the selfe-made sepulcher of a living man : the idle man is the devils hir●ling ; whose livery is rags● whose diet and wages are famine , and diseases . chap. xxviii . be not so madde as to alter that countenance which thy creatour made thee : remember it was the worke of his hands ; if it be bad , how dar'st thou mend it ? if it be good , why dost thou mend it ? art thou asham'd of his worke , and proud of thy owne ? he made thy face to be knowne by , why desirest thou to be knowne by another : it is a shame to adulterate modesty , but more to adulterate nature . lay by thy art , and blush not to appeare , what he blushes not to make thee . it is better to be his picture then thy owne . chap. xxix . let the ground of all thy religious actions be obedience : examine not why it is commanded , but observe it , because it is commanded . true obedience neither procrastinates , nor questions . chap. xxx . if thou would buy an inheritance in heaven , advise not with thy purse , les● in the meane while thou lo●e thy purchase : the widow bought as much for two mites , as zaccheus did for halfe his estate : the prize of that purchase is what thou hast , and is not lost for what thou hast not , if thou desire to have it . chap. xxxi . vvith the same height of desire thou hast sinn'd , with the like depth of sorrow thou must repent : thou that hast sinn'd to day , deferre not thy repentance till to morrow : he that hath promised pardon to thy repentance , hath not promised life till thou repent . chap. xxxii . take heed how thou receivest praise from men : from good men neither avoid it , nor glory in it . from evill men , neither desire it , nor expect it : to be praised of them that are evill , or for that which is evill , is equall dishonour : he is happy in his worth , who is praised by the good , and imitated by the bad . chap. xxxiii . proportion thy charity to the strength of thy estate , lest god proportion thy estate to the weakenes●e of thy charity : let the lips of the poore be the trumpet of thy gift , lest in seeking applause , thou lose thy reward . nothing is more pleasing to god then an open hand , and a close mouth . chap. xxxiv . dost thou want things necessary ? grumble not : perchance it was a necessary thing thou should'st want : endeavour lawfully to supply it ; if god blesse not thy endeavour , blesse him that knoweth what is fittest for thee . thou art gods patient : prescribe not thy physitian . chap. xxxv . if anothers death , or thy own depend upon thy confession , if thou canst , say nothing : if thou must , say the truth : it is better , thou loose thy life , then god , his honour : it is as easie for him to give thee life , being condemn'd ; as repentance , having sinn'd : it is more wisdome to yeeld thy body , then hazard thy soule . chap. xxxvi . cloath not thy language , either with obscurity , or affectation : in the one thou discover'st too much darknes , in the other , too much lightnes : he that speaks from the understanding , to the understanding , is the best interpreter . chap. xxxvii . if thou expect death as a friend , prepare to entertaine it : if thou expect death as an enemy , prepare to overcome it : death has no advantage , but when it comes a stranger . chap. xxxviii . feare nothing , but what thy industry may prevent : be confident of nothing but what fortune cannot defeat : it is no lesse folly to feare what is impossible to be avoided , then to be secure when there is a possibility to be depriv'd . chap. xxxix . let not the necessity of gods decree discourage thee to pray , or dishearten thy prayers ; doe thou thy duty , and god will doe his pleasure : if thy prayers make not him sound that is sicke , they will returne , and confirme thy health that art sound : if the end of thy prayer be to obtain thy request , thou confinest him that is infinite : if thou hast done well , because thou wert commanded , thou hast thy reward in that thou hast obeyed . gods pleasure is the end of our prayers . chap. xl . marry not too young , and when thou art too old , marry not , lest thou be fond in the one , or thou dote in the other , and repent for both : let thy liking ripen before thou love : let thy love advise before thou choose ; and let thy choice be fixt before thou marry : remember that the whole happinesse or unhappinesse of thy life depends upon this one act. remember nothing but death can dissolve this knot . he that weds in haste , repents ofttimes by leisure : and he that repents him of his owne act , either is , or was a foole by confession . chap. xli . if god hath sent thee a crosse , take it up and follow him : use it wisely , lest it be unprofitable ; beare it patiently , lest it be intolerable : behold in it gods anger against sinne , and his love towards thee ; in punishing the one , and chastening the other : if it be light , sleight it not ; if heavy murmure not : not to be sensible of a judgement is the symptome of a hardned heart ; and to be displeas'd at his pleasure , is a signe of a rebellious will . chap. xlii . if thou desire to be magnanimous , undertake nothing rashly , and feare nothing thou undertak'st : feare nothing but infamy : dare any thing but injury ; the measure of magnanimity , is neither to be rash , nor timorous . chap. xliii . practise in health , to beare sicknesse , and endeavour in the strength of thy life to entertaine death : he that hath a will to die , not having power to live , shewes necessity not vertue : it is the glory of a brave mind to embrace pangs in the very a●mes of pleasure : what name of vertue merits he , that goes when he is driven ? chap. xliv . be not too punctuall in taking place : if he be thy superiour , 't is his due ; if thy inferiour , 't is his dishonour : it is thou must honour thy place ; thy place , not thee . it is a poor reward of worth that consists in a right hand , or a brick-wall . chap. xlv . pray often , because thou sinn'st alwayes : repent quickly , lest thou die suddenly . he that repents it , because he wants power to act it , repents not of a sin , till he forsakes not : he that wants power to actuate his sin , hath not forsaken his sin , but his sin him . chap. xlvi . make philosophy thy journey , theology thy journeyes end : philosophy is a pleasant way , but dangerous to him that either tires or retires : in this journey it 's safe , neither to loyter , nor to rest , till thou hast attained thy journeyes end : he that sits downe a philosopher , rises up an atheist . chap. xlvii . feare not to sinne , for gods sake , but thy owne ; thy sinne overthrowes not his glory , but thy good : he gaines his glory not only from the salvation of the repentant , but also from the confusion of the rebellious : there be vessels for honour , and vessels for dishonour , but both for his honour . god is not grieved for the glory he shall lose for thy improvidence , but for the horror thou shalt finde for thy impenitence . chap. xlviii . insult not over misery , nor deride infirmity , nor despise deformity . the first , shews thy inhumanity : the second , thy folly ; the third , thy pride : he that made him miserable , made thee happy to lament him : he that made him weake , made thee strong to support him : he that made him deform'd , gave thee favour to be humbled : he that is not sensible of anothers unhappinesse , is a living stone ; but he that makes misery the object of his triumph is an incarnate devill . chap. xlix . make thy recreations , servants to thy businesses , lest thou become slave to thy recreations : when thou goest up into the mountaine , leave this servant in the valley : when thou goest to the city , leave him in the suburbs . and remember , the servant must not be greater then his master . chap. l. praise no man too liberally before his face , nor censure him too lavishly behind his backe , the one favours of flattery ; the other , of malice ; and both are reprehensible : the true way to advance anothers vertue , is to follow it ; and the best meanes to cry downe anothers vice , is to decline it . chap. li. if thy prince command a lawfull act , give him all active obedience : if he command an unlawfull act , give him passive obedience . what thy well-grounded conscience will suffer , doe chearfully without repining ; where thou maist not do lawfully , suffer couragiously without rebellion : thy life and livelihood is thy princes , thy conscience is thy owne . chap. lii . if thou givest , to receive the like , it is exchange : if to receive more , it is covetousnesse : if to receive thanks , it is vanity : if to be seen , it is vain-glory ; if to corrupt , it is bribery ; if for example , it is formality ; if for compassion , it is charity ; if because thou art commanded , it is obedience . the affection in doing the work , gives a name to the work done . chap. liii . fear death , but be not afraid of death . to feare it , whets thy expectation : to be afraid of it , duls thy preparation : if thou canst endure it , it is but a sleight pain ; if not , it is but a short pain : to fear death is the way to live long ; to be afraid of death , is to be long a dying . chap. liv. if thou desire the love of god and man , be humble ; for the proud heart , as it loves none but it selfe , so it is beloved of none , but by it self : the voice of humility is gods musick , and the silence of humility is gods rhetorick . humility enforces , where neither vertue nor strength can prevaile , nor reason . chap. lv . look upon thy burning taper , and there see the embleme of thy life : the flame is thy soule ; the wax , thy body , and is commonly a span long ; the wax , ( if never so well tempered ) can but last his length ; and who can lentghen it ? if il tempered , it shall wast the faster , yet last his length ; an open window shall hasten either ; an extinguisher shall put out both : husband them the best thou canst , thou canst not lengthen them beyond their date : leave them to the injury of the winde , or to the mercy of a wastfull hand , thou hastnest them , but still they burn their length : but puffe them out , and thou hast shortned them , and stopt their passage , which else had brought them to their appointed end . bodies according to their constitutions , stronger or weaker , according to the eequality or inequality of their elements , have their dates , and may be preserv'd from shortning , but not lengthened . neglect may wast them , ill diet may hasten them unto their journies end , yet they have liv'd their length ; a violent hand may interrupt them ; a sudden death may stop them , and they are shortned . it lies in the power of man , either permissively to hasten , or actively to shorten , but not to lengthen or extend the limits of his naturall life . he onely , ( if any ) hath the art to lengthen out his taper that puts it to the best advantage . chap. lvi . demean thy selfe in the presence of thy prince , with reverence and chearfulnesse . that , without this , is too much sadnes ; this without that is too much boldnesse : let thy wisdome endeavour to gain his opinion , and labour to make thy loyalty his confidence : let him not find thee false in words , unjust in thy actions , unseasonable in thy suits , nor carelesse in his service : crosse not his passion , question not his pleasures , presse not into his secrets ; pry not into his prerogative : displease him not , lest he be angry ; appeare not displeas'd , lest he be jealous : the anger of a king is implacable : the jealousy of a prince is incurable . chap. lvii . give thy heart to thy creator , and reverence to thy superiors : give diligence to thy calling , and eare to good counsell : give almes to the poor , and the glory to god : forgive him that ignorantly offends thee , and him that having wittingly offended thee , seeks thee . forgive him that hath forcibly abused thee & him that hath fraudulently betray'd thee : forgive all thine enemies , but least of all , thy selfe : give , and it shall be given thee ; forgive , and it shall be forgiven thee ; the sum of all christianity is , give , and forgive . chap. lviii . bee not too great a niggard in the commendations of him that professes thy own quality : if he deserve thy praise , thou hast discovered thy judgement ; if not , thy modesty : honour either returns , or reflects to the giver . chap. lix . if thy desire to raise thy fortunes , encourage thy delights to the casts of fortune , be wise betimes , lest thou repent too late ; what thou gettest , thou gainest by abused providence ; what thou losest , thou losest by abused patience ; what thou winnest is prodigally spent ; what thou losest is prodigally lost : it is an evill trade that prodigality drives : and a bad voyage where the pilot is blind . chap. lx . bee very wary for whom thou becomest security , and for no more then thou art able to discharge , if thou lovest thy liberty . the borrower is a slave to the lender : the security is a slave to both : whilst the borrower and lender are both eased , the security beares both their burthens : he is a wise security that secures himselfe . chap. lxi . look upon thy affliction as thou doest upon thy physick : both imply a disease , and both are applyed for a cure ; that , of the body ; this of the soule : if they work , they promise health health : if not , they threaten death : he is not happy that is not afflicted , but he that findes happinesse by his affliction . chap. lxii . if the knowledge of good whet thy desire to good , it is a happy knowledge : if by thy ignorance of evill , thou art surpriz'd with evill , it is an unhappy ignorance . happy is he that hath so much knowledge of good , as to desire it , and but so much knowledge of evill , as to feare it . chap. lxiii . when the flesh presents thee with delights , then present thy selfe with dangers : where the world possesses thee with vain hopes , there possesse thy selfe with true feare : when the divell brings thee oyle , bring thou vinegar . the way to be safe , is never to be secure . chap. lxiv . if thy brother hath offended thee , forgive him freely , and be reconciled : to doe evill for evill , is humane corruption : to doe good for good is civill retribution : to do good for evill is christian perfection : the act of forgivnesse is gods precept : the manner of forgivenesse is gods president . chap. lxv . reverence the writings of holy men , but lodge not thy faith upon them , because but men : they are good pooles , but no ●ountaines . build on paul himselfe no longer then he builds on christ : if peter renounce his master , renounce peter . the word of man may convince reason ; but the word of god alone can compell conscience . chap. lxvi . in civill things follow the most ; in matters of religion , the fewest ; in all things follow the best : so shall thy wayes bee pleasing to god ; so shall thy behaviour be plausible with men . chap. lxvii . if any losse or misery hath befalne to thy brother , dissemble it to thy self : and what counsell thou givest him , register carefully ; and when the case is thine , follow it : so shall thy owne reason convince thy passion , or thy passion confesse her own unreasonablnes . chap. lxviii . when thou goest about to change thy morall liberty into a christian servitude , prepare thy selfe to be the worlds laughing-stock : if thou overcome her scoffs , thou shalt have double honor : if overcome , double shame : he is unworthy of a good master , that is asham'd of a bad livery . chap. lxix . let not the falling of a salt , or the crossing of a hare , or the crying of a cricket trouble thee . they portend no evill , but what thou fearest : he is ill acquainted with himselfe ; that knowes not his own fortunes more then they . if evill follow it , it is the punishment of thy superstition ; not the fulfilling of their portent : all things are lucky to thee , if thou wilt , nothing but is ominous to the superstitious . chap. lxx . so behave thy self in thy course of life , as at a banquet . take what is offer'd with modest thankfulnesse : and expect what is not as yet offer'd with hopefull patience : let not thy rude appetite presse thee , nor a sleight carefulnesse indispose thee , nor a sullen discontent deject thee , who desires more then enough , hath too much : and he that is satisfied with a little hath no lesse then enough : be●●●st cui deus obtulit parcâ , quod sat is est , manu . chap. lxxi . is thy child dead ? he is restor'd , not lost : is thy treasure stolne ? it is not lost , it is restored : he is an ill debtor , that counts repayment losse . but it was an evill chance that took thy child , and a wicked hand that stole thy treasure : what is that to thee ? it matters not by whom he requires the things from whom he lent them : what goods are ours by loan , are not lost when willingly restored , but when unworthily receiv'd . chap. lxxii . censure no man , detract from no man : praise no man before his face ; traduce no man behinde his back . boast not thy selfe abroad , nor flatter thy selfe at home : if any thing crosse thee , accuse thy self : if any one extoll thee , humble thy selfe . honour those that instruct thee , and be thankfull to those that reprehend thee . let all thy desires be subjected to reason , and let thy reason be corrected by religion . weigh thy selfe by thy own ballances , and trust not the voice of wild opinion : observe thy selfe as thy greatest enemy , so shalt thou become thy greatest friend . chap. lxxiii . endeavour to make thy discourse such , as may adminster profit to thy selfe , or standers by , thou incurre the danger of an idle word : above all subjects , avoid those which are seurrilous , and obscene ; tales that are impertinent , and improbable , and dreams . chap. lxxiv . if god hath blest thee with a son , blesse thou that son with a lawfull calling : chuse such employment , as may stand with his fancie , and thy judgement : his country claymes his ability toward the building of her honour . if he cannot bring a cedar , let him bring a shrub . hee that brings nothing usurps his life , and robs his country of a servant . chap. lxxv . at the first entrance into thy estate , keep a low saile : thou maist rise with honour ; thou canst not decline without shame : he that begins as his father ended , shall end as his father begun . chap. lxxvi . if any obscene tale should chance to slip into thine ears , among the varieties of discourse ( if opportunity admit ) reprove it : if otherwise , let thy silence , or change of countenance interpret thy dislike : the smiling ear is baud to the lascivious tongue . chap. lxxvii . bee more circumspect over the works of thy braine , then the actions of thy body : these have infirmity to plead for them : but they must stand upon their own bottomes : these are but the objects of few ; they , of all : these will have equals to defend them : they have inferiours to envie them ; superiors , to deride them ; al to censure them : it is no lesse danger for these to be proclaim'd at pauls crosse , then for them to be protested in pauls church-yard . chap. lxxviii . vse common place-books , or collections , as indexes to lig● thee to the authours , lest thou be bus'd : he that takes learning up on trust , makes him a faire cup-board with anothers plate . he is an ill advised purchaser , whose title depends more on witnesses then evidences . chap. lxxix . if thou desire to make the best advantage of the muses , either by reading to benefit thy selfe , or by writing , others , keep a peacefull soul in a temperate body : a full belly makes a dull brain ; and a turbulent spirit , a distracted judgement : the muses starve in a cooks shop , and a lawyers study . chap. lxxx . vvhen thou communicates thy selfe by letters , heighten or depresse thy stile according to the quality of the party and businesse ; that which thy tongue would present to any , if present , let thy pen represent to● him , abse●t : the tongue is the mindes interpreter , and the pen is the tongues secretary . chap. lxxxi . keep thy soule in exercise , lest her faculties rust for want of motion : to eat , sleepe , or sport too long stops the naturall course of her naturall actions : to dwell too long in the employments of the body , is both the cause , and signe of a dull spirit . chap. lxxxii . be very circumspect to whose tuition thou committ'st thy childe : every good schollar is not a good master . he must be a man of invincible patience , and singular observation : he must study children that will teach them well , and reason must rule him that would rule wisely : he must not take advantage of an ignorant father , nor give too much ●ar to an indulgent grandmother : the cōmon good must outweigh his private gaines , and his credit must out-bid gratuities : he must be deligent , and sober , not too familiar , nor too reserv'd , neither amorous nor phantasticke : just , without fiercenesse , mercifull , without fondnesse : if such a one thou meet with , thou hast found a treasure , which , if thou know'st how to value , is invaluable . chap. lxxxiii . let not thy laughter handsell thy owne jest , lest whilst thou laugh at it , others laugh at thee : neither tell it often to the same hearers , lest thou be thought forgetfull , or barren . there is no sweetnesse in a cabage twice sod , or a tale twice told . chap. lxxxiv . if opinion hath lighted the lampe of thy name , endeavour to encourage it with thy owne oyle , lest it go out and stinke : the chronicall disease of popularity is shame : if thou be once up , beware : from fame to infamy is a beaten roade . chap. lxxxv . clense thy morning soule with private and due devotions ; till then admit no businesse : the first-borne of thy thoughts are gods , and not thine , but by sacriledge : thinke thy selfe not ready till thou hast prais'd him , and he will be alwayes ready to blesse thee . chap. lxxxvi . in all thy actions thinke god sees thee ; and in all his actions labour to see him ; that will make thee fear him ; this will move thee to love him ; the feare of god is the beginning of knowledge , and the knowledge of god is the perfection of love . chap. lxxxvii . let not the expectation of a reversion entice thy heart to the wish of the possessours death , lest a judgement meet thee in thy expectation , or a curse overtake thee in thy fruition : every wish makes thee a murtherer , and moves god to be an accessary ; god often lengthens the life of the possessour with the dayes of the expectour . chap. lxxxviii . prize not thy selfe by what thou hast , but by what thou art ; hee that values a jewell by her golden frame : or a book by her silver claspa , or a man by his vast estate , erres : if thou art not worth more then the world can make thee , thy redeemer had a bad penny worth , or thou an un●●rious redeemer . chap. lxxxix . let not thy fathers , nor the fathers , nor the church thy mothers beleef , be the ground of thine : the scripture lies open to the humble he●●●● but lockt against the proud inquis●●●● he that beleeves with an implicate faith is a meer empericke in religion . chap. xc . of all sinnes , take greatest heed of that which thou hast last , and most repented of : he that was last thrust out of doores , is the next readiest to croud in againe : and he that thou hast forest baffled , is likeliest to call more helpe for a revenge : it is requisite for him that hath cast one devill out , to keep strong hold lest seven return . chap. xci . in the meditation of divine mysteries , keep thy heart humble ; and thy thoughts holy ; let philosophy not be asham'd to be confuted , nor logick blush to be confounded ; what thou canst not prove , approve ; what thou canst not comprehend , beleeve ; and what thou canst beleeve , admire ; so shall thy ignorance be satisfied in thy faith , and thy doubts swallowed up with wonders : the best way to see day-light , is to put out thy candle . chap. xcii . if opinion hath cried thy name up let thy modesty cry thy heart down , lest thou ceceiveit ; or it thee : there is no lesse danger in a great name then a bad ; and no lesse honor in deserving of praise , then in the enduring it . chap. xciii . vse the holy scriptures with all reverence ; let not thy wanton fancy carve it out in jests , nor thy sinfull wit make it an advocate to thy sin : it is a subject for thy faith , not fancy ; where wit and blasphemy is one trade , the understanding 's banckrupt . chap. xciv . dost thou complaine that god hath forsakē thee ? it is thou that hast forsaken him : 't is thou that art mutable : in him there is no shadow of change , in his light is life ; if thy will drive thee into a dungeon , thou mak'st thy own darknesse , and in that darknesse dwels thy death ; from whence , if he redeem thee , he is mercifull ; if not , he is just ; in both , he receives glory . chap. xcv . make use of time , if thou lov'st eternity : know , yesterday cannot be recall'd , to morrow cannot be assured : to day is onely thine ; which if thou procrastinate , thou losest , which lost , is lost for ever : one to day , is worth two to morrows . chap. xcvi . if thou be strong enough to encounter with the times , keep thy station ; if not , shift a foot to gain advantage of the times . he that acts a begger to prevent a thiefe , is ne're the poorer ; it is a great part of wisedome , sometimes to seem a fool . chap. xcvii . if thou intend thy writings for the publique view , lard them not too much with the choice lines of another authour , lest thou lose thy own gravy : what thou hast read and digested being delivered in thy owne stile becomes thine : it is more decent to weare a plaine suit of one entire cloth , then a ga●dy garment checquer'd with divers richer fragments . chap. xcviii . if god hath blest thee with inheritance , and children to inherit , trust not the staffe of thy family to the hands of one . make not many beggers in the building up of one great heir , lest if he miscarry through a prodigall will , the rest sink through a hard necessity . gods allowance is a double portion : when high blood , and generous breeding breake their fast in plenty , and dine in poverty , they often sup in infamy : if thou deny them faulcons wings to prey on fowl , give them kites stomachs to seize on garbage . chap xcix . be very vigilant over thy childe in the april of his understanding , lest the frosts of may nippe his blossomes . while he is a tender twig , strengthen him ; whilst he is a new vessell , season him ; such as thou makest him , such commonly thou shalt finde him . let his first lesson be obedience , and the second shall be what thou wilt . give him education in good letters , to the utmost of thy ability , and his capacity . season his youth with the love of his creatour , and make the feare of his god the beginning of his knowledge : if he have an active spirit , rather rectifie then curbe it ; but reckon idlenesse among his chiefest faults . above all things , keep him from vain , lascivious and amorous pamphlets , as the primmers of all vice . as his judgement ripens , observe his inclination , and tender him a calling , that shall not crosse it : forced marriages and callings seldome prosper ; shew him both the mow , and the plough ; and prepare him as well for the danger of the skirmish , as possesse him with the honour of the prize . if he chuse the profession of a schollar , advise him to study the most profitable arts : poetry , and the mathematicks , take up too great a latitude of the soule , and moderately used , are good recreations , but bad callings , being nothing but their owne rewrd : if he chuse the profession of a souldier , let him know , withall , honour must be his greatest wages , and his enemies his surest paymaster . prepare him against the danger of a warre , and advise him of the greater mischiefes of a garrison ; let him avoid debauchnesse , and duels to the utmost of his power , and remember he is not his owne man , and ( being his countries servant ) hath no estate in his owne life . if he chuse a trade , teach him to forget his fathers house , and his mothers wing : advise him to be conscionable , carefull , and constant : this done , thou hast done thy part , leave the rest to providence , and thou hast done it well . chap. c. convey thy love to thy friend , as an arrow to the marke , to stick ●here , not as a ball against the wall , to rebound back to thee : that friendship will not continue to the end that is begun for an end . meditation is the life of the soul ; action is the soule of meditation , honour is the reward of action : so meditate , that thou maist do ; so'do , that thou maist purchase honour : for which purchase , give god the glory . finis . christian moderation in two books. by jos: exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc b estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) christian moderation in two books. by jos: exon. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by miles flesher [and r. oulton?], and are to be sold by nathaniel butter, london : mdcxl. [ ] "oulton app[arently]. pr[inted]. bk. "--stc. the second book begins on *aar with new pagination. the title page is conjugate; chain lines are approximately mm apart. variant: title page is a cancel, but same setting as above, with chain lines approximately mm apart; rest of quire as above. reproduction of the original in yale university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng moderation -- religious aspects -- christianity -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christian moderation . in two books . by jos : exon . london , printed by miles flesher , and are to be sold by nathaniel butter . mdcxl . to all christian people wheresoever : but especially to those of this westerne diocese : and therein to the honorable nobility , the reverend and learned clergy , the worshipfull gentry , the honest and faithfull commonalty of the counties of devon and cornwall . j. exon wisheth the continuance , and increase of ( that whereof hee treates ) all christian moderation both in opinion , and practice . the contents . the first book . moderation in practice . § . . of the use and necessity of moderation in generall . § . . practicall moderation in matter of pleasure . wherein first of the pleasures of the palate . . of the excesse of them . . of the other extremity of defect . § . . of some extremities in other usages of the body . § . . of the extreames in the cases of lust . § . . the liberty that god hath given us in the use of his creatures , both for necessity and lawfull delight . § . . the just bounds of moderation in the liberall use of gods creatures . and therein our limitation , in our respects to god. § . . the limitation of our liberty in respect of the pleasures themselves : first for the kind , then for the quantity , and quality of them . § . . the moderation of the pleasure of conjugall society . § . . the limitation of all our pleasures in the manner of using them . § . . motives to moderation in the use of all our pleasures . § . . of the moderation of our desires in matter of wealth , and honor , &c. motives to that moderation . § . . of the moderation of our passions : and therein first of our sorrow . the cautions requisite thereto . of the kinds of sorrow : and first of worldly sorrow . the temperaments thereof . § . . of spirituall sorrow ; and the moderation thereof . § . . of the moderation of the passion of feare . the dangerous effects of that passion . particularly of the feare of death . strong motives for the remedy of it . § . . of the moderation of the passion of anger ; the ill effects of it . the distinction of zealous and vicious anger . arguments for the mitigation of our anger . the second book . moderation in matter of iudgement . § . . of the danger of immoderation in matter of judgment , and of the remedy in generall . § . . lukewarmnesse to be avoided in religion . § . . zeale required in the matters of god , but to be tempered with discretion and charity . § . . rules for moderation in iudgement . the first rule : to distinguish of persons . § . . second rule : to distinguish of truths and errors . § . . third rule : the avoidance of curiosity in the disquisition of truths . therein of the simplicity of former times , and the over-lashing of ours . § . . fourth rule : to rest in those fundamentall truths which are revealed clearly in the scriptures . § . . fifth rule : to be remisse and facile in un-importing verities . first in our opinion . § . . and then also in our censure of the otherwise minded . § . . sixth rule : not to relie upon the trust of an opposite in relating the state of an opinion , or person . examples of the injurious practices this way . § . . seventh rule : not to judge of an adversaries opinion by the inferences pretended to follow upon it ; which are commonly very hainously aggravated . the ingenuous proceedings of the ancient churches herein . § . . eighth rule : to keepe opinions within their owne bounds ; not imputing private mens conceits to whole churches . § . . ninth rule : we may not draw the actions or manners of men to the prejudice of their cause . § . . tenth rule : that we must draw as neare as we safely may to christian adversaries in lesser differences . the cautions of complying with them . § . . eleventh rule : to refraine from all railing termes , and spightfull provocations of each other in differences of religion . § . . twelfth rule : that however our judgements differ in lesser verities , wee should compose our affections towards unity and peace . finis . recensui dissertationem hanc de moderatione christiana , duabus partibus absolutam , quarum altera de moribus agit , altera de doctrina ; utraque & bonis moribus , & doctrinae ecclesiae anglicanae consentanea . octob. . . imprimatur . jo : alsop . christian moderation . the first book . of moderation in matter of practice . §. . of the use and necessity of moderation , in generall . i cannot but second , & commend that great clerk of paris , who ( as our witty countryman bromiard reports ) when king lewes of france required him to write down the best word that ever he had learnt , call'd for a faire skin of parchment , and in the midst of it , wrote this one word , measure , and sent it sealed up to the king : the king opening the sheet , and finding no other inscription , thought himself mocked by his philosopher , and calling for him , expostulated the matter ; but when it was shewed him that all vertues , and all religious and worthy actions were regulated by this one word , and that without this , vertue it self turned vicious , he rested well satisfied : and so he well might ; for it was a word well worthy of one of the seven sages of greece ; from whom indeed it was borrowed , and onely put into a new coat . for , whiles he said of old ( for his motto ) nothing too much , hee meant no other but to comprehend both extreames under the mention of one : neither in his sense is it any paradox to say , that too little is too much ; for as too much bounty is prodigality , so too much sparing is niggardlinesse : so as in every defect there is an excesse ; and both , are a transgression of measure . neither could ought be spoken , of more use or excellency ; for , what goodnesse can there be in the world without moderation , whether in the use of gods creatures , or in our own disposition and carriage ? without this , justice is no other then cruell rigour ; mercy , unjust remisnesse ; pleasure , bruitish sensuality ; love , frenzy ; anger , fury ; sorrow , desperate mopishnesse ; joy , distempered wildnesse ; knowledge , saucy curiosity ; piety , superstition ; care , wracking distraction ; courage , mad rashnesse ; shortly , there can be nothing under heaven , without it , but meere vice and confusion : like as in nature , if the elements should forget the temper of their due mixture , and incroach upon each other by excesse , what could follow but universall ruine ? or what is it that shall put an end to this great frame of the world , but the predominancy of that last devouring fire ? it is therefore moderation , by which this inferiour world stands : since that wise and great god , who hath ordained the continuance of it , hath decreed so to contemper all the parts thereof , that none of them should exceed the bounds of their owne proportion , and degree , to the prejudice of the other . yea , what is the heaven it selfe , but ( as gerson compares it well ) as a great clock regularly moving in an equall sway of all the orbes , without difference of poyse , without variation of minutes , in a constant state of eviternall eavennesse , both of beeing and motion : neither is it any other , by which this little world of ours , ( whether of body or minde ) is upheld in any safe , or tolerable estate ; when humours passe their stint , the body sickens ; when passions , the minde . there is nothing therefore in the world more wholsome , or more necessary for us to learne , then this gracious lesson of moderation : without which , in very truth a man is so far from being a christian , that he is not himselfe . this is the center , wherein all both divine , and morall philosophy meet ; the rule of life , the governesse of manners , the silken string that runs through the pearl-chain of all vertues , the very ecliptick line , under which reason and religion moves without any deviation : and therefore most worthy of our best thoughts , of our most carefull observance . §. ii. practicall moderation in matter of the palate : and therein , first of the excesse : and then , of the other extremity in defect . what then is there incident into the whole course of humane life , but matter of practice , or matter of speculation and judgement ? and both these are swayed and ordered by moderation . practicall moderation shall lead the way , as that which is most worthy ; and whereto the speculative is for the most part , reduced ; and whereby it is mainly governed . this , howsoever it reacheth to the managing of all the inward dispositions of the soule , and all the outward carriages of life , and may therefore admit of so many severalties of discourse , as there are varieties of desires , inclinations , actions , passions of man : yet shall , for the tractation of it , be confined to some few of those noted heads , which we meet with in every turne of this our earthly pilgrimage . the chiefe imployment of moderation is in the matter of pleasure , which like an unruly and headstrong horse is ready to run away with the rider , if the strict curb of just moderation doe not hold it in ; the indiscreet check whereof , also , may prove no lesse perilous to an unskilfull manager : pleasures , whether in matter of diet , and other appurtenances of life , or in matter of lust . we begin with the first ; wherein the ex●reams of both kindes are palpable , and worthy both of our full consideration , and carefull accordance . how prone we are to excesse in these pleasures of the palate , appeares too well , in that this temptation found place in paradise it selfe : the first motive that inclined our liquorous grandmother eve , was , that shee saw the tree was good for food ; and then followes , that it was pleasant to the eyes ; her appetite betraid her soul : and after , when in that first world men began to be multiplyed , that giantly brood of men-eaters ( if we may beleeve berosus ) procured abortions , to pamper their gluttony with tender morsells : afterwards , even in the holy seed , we finde an isaac apt to misplace the blessing for a dish of venison , and his son esau selling his birth-right for a messe of broth . we finde israel tempting god in the desart , and longing to be fed with flesh , and cramming it in till it came out of their nostrils . we finde too many under the gospell , whose belly is their god , and therein , their bane . by unsatiable greedinesse have many been dead , saith ecclesiasticus ; and how many doe we see daily that digge their graves with their teeth ; and doe therefore perish , because they doe not put their knife to their throat ? and as for immoderation in drinking , the first newes that we heare of wine , is in noahs drunkennesse , he was the true ianus , the inventer of the scruzing of the grape to his cost ; whom if the heathens celebrated , we justly censure , as beginning this glory in shame : the next was in lots incest and stupidity ; and ever since , wine is a mocker , as wise solomon well styles it . the heathen have made a god of it , and give it the title of freedome ; abuse hath made it a divell and turned that liberty into licentiousnesse ; whereupon some foolish hereticks have absurdly ascribed it to that hellish originall ; wine , saith the apostle , wherein is excesse ; how many have our eyes beene witnesses of , whom their unruly appetite , this way hath turned into beasts , how many into monsters of wickednesse ? certainly , a drunkard is , in , at all . neither is there any vice under heaven , from which he can secure himselfe : it is memorable that our jewish doctors tell us of a certaine gentile king , who lighting upon eleven of their learned , and holy rabbins , put them to their choyce , whether they would eate swines flesh , or drink of their ethnick wine , or lie with harlots ; swines flesh they hated , harlots they professed to abhorre , wine they yeeld unto ; but , by that time they had awhile plyed that bewitching liquor , all came alike to them , both the flesh of swine , and of harlots were easily admitted . experience yeelds us so wofull instances of the lamentable effects of drunkennesse , every day , that we need not dwell upon particulars . the other extreame , is more rare , and though faulty enough , yet lesse bruitish : how many have all ages afforded who out of a feare of complying too much with their appetite , have not stuck to offer hard measure to nature ; not thinking they could be godly enough , except they were cruell to themselves . it is hard to beleeve the reports of the rigorous austerity of some of the ancient ; one of whom , macarius could professe to euagrius that in twenty yeares he had not taken his fill of bread , or water , or sleep . another , arsenius would not give himselfe so much ease as to sit , or stand in taking repast , but was still wont to eate walking : professing that he would not gratifie his body so much , as to yeeld it so much ease , and holding the time , but lost , which he bestowed in feeding . and for the quality of their sustenance ; what shall we say to the diet of some votaries ? amongst whom laurence bishop of dublin was wont to eat no other bread , then that which was mixed with lie , in emulation of him that said , i have eaten ashes as bread . fryer valentine went beyond him , who for ten yeares together did eate nothing but only bread dipt in the juice of wormwood . i shall not need to presse any other instance of this kinde , then that which st. ierome gives of paul the first hermite , who living in a cave , within the desart , was beholden to a palme-tree both for his diet and cloathes ; whereto he addes , quod ne cui impossibile , &c. which that it may not seeme impossible to any man , i take the lord iesus , and all his angells to witnesse , that i have seene monkes , whereof one shut up for thirty yeares together , that lived only with barly bread , and muddy water . thus he . had not these men placed a kinde of holinesse in crossing their palate , they might have fared otherwise . when francis of assise was bidden to the great cardinall hostiensis to dinner , he poures downe upon that curious damask cloth ( spread for better viands ) before them , all those scraps of almes out of his sleeve , which his good dames of the city had given him ; and could say , that if the cardinalls cheare were better , yet his was holyer . yet even these parcells might bee delicate ( panis desideriorum ) in comparison of daniels pulse , or the baptists locusts , or the fuilletans salads . that which eusebius casts upon st. iames , we see now practised by the carthusians , and minimes , abstinence from flesh : some antiquity of tradition hath dieted st. peter with lupines , st. matthew with berries , and herbs ; howsoever , i know those saints had fared better ; the one feasted his master at his owne house ; the other fed on fish and hony-comb at his masters last table , and saw the sheet let dovvne with all varieties of dainties ; and heard , arise peter , kill and eate . and if we yeeld so much to baronius as to grant that st. paul was alvvaies abstemious , ( though it follovves not , as lorinus well , because for thirty dayes he complyed with nazarites in the temple ) it is more then we ovve him ; since it is not like he that prescribed wine to timothy , a younger man , would forbear it himselfe , upon the like or greater necessities . this we are sure of , that this chosen vessell was carefull to beat dovvne his body ; and that many of those ancient worthies , the great patternes of mortification , stinted their flesh with the straitest . good hilarion in stead of barly , could threaten to feed this asse of his with chaffe : and devout bernard professes how much wrong hee had done to himselfe , by this well-meant rigor , in disabling him for better services ; complaining that he had by this meanes turned a vertue into vice , and killed a subject , whiles hee meant to subdue an enemy : and even their st. francis himselfe at his death could confesse too late , that he had used his brother body too hardly . a faint imitation of which severity , we finde in those , who now adayes turne religious abstinence into change of diet ; and therein place no little merit . for my part , i cannot yeeld there is more delicacy in flesh then in other dishes ; i remember it was the word of that wise states-man of rome , that it was never well with them , since a fish was sold for more then an oxe ; and that famous glutton could say of old ; that is the best flesh , which is no flesh ; and all experience shewes that oyle , wine , shell-fishes , are more powerfull to stir and inflame nature then other duller liquors ; and viands of flesh , which are of more grosse , and heavy nourishment ; neither was it for nothing that the mythologists fained venus to be bred of the sea. the ingenuity of lindanus can confesse how little these kindes of fasts differ from the most exact gluttonies . let the fond ebionites , encratites , manichees , hate the very nature of some meates ; i am sure they are all alike to their maker ; there is one flesh of fish , saith the holy apostle : that which goes into the body defiles not the man , saith our saviour . how ever therfore these differences are fit for civill considerations , and in that regard are in all due obedience to be strictly observed , yet in spirituall respects they come not within any view , as those which the creator of sea and land hath left both in themselves , and to him equally indifferent . §. iii. of some extremities in other vsages of the body . the like austerity hath beene affected of old in other usages of the body , whether in apparell , lodging , restraint of recreations . it is well knowne how some over-devout amongst the seaven kindes of pharisees , garded their fringes with thornes , and knockt their heads against the walls , till the blood issued forth . and even amongst the manichees ●n st. austins time , there were some more strict then their fellowes , which called themselves mattarios , who gloryed to lye upon hard mattes , not envying faustus his featherbeds . it was a great competition betwixt two pretended saints , st. francis and st. clare , whether should have the rougher coate : although all was one to that incurious saint of assise , for had his coat beene better , it had gone to the next begger ; wherein i cannot but wonder at the difference of humors in two that goe for their saints : it is spoken to the praise of anthony the hermite that he never saw himselfe naked ; whereas to the wonder of the others mortification , it is said , that other forenamed saint of theirs , stript himselfe stark naked , before the bishop of assise , and in that forme ( like a mahumetan dervis ) ran through the streets . yet these are but small self-penances in comparison of some others : our story tells us that the monke acepsemas lay threescore yeares close hid in a blinde roome , where he never spake with any man , never was seene of any man. but didymus went yet beyond him who in his whole life of ninety yeares never conversed with any . yet these might passe their time with ease , in comparison of an hilarion , who put himselfe into a little-ease ; so penall a lodging that he could neither stand upright for the height , nor stretch out his legges for the length : or a symeon stylites , that chained himselfe to an hollow pillar of the like in capacity . yet all this taske was tolerable , in respect of the cruell piety of those men , that stuck not to tew & lancinate their bodies ; like that superianus the scholar of lacharis , of whom suidas speakes , that would scourge himself into learning ; such were the famous whip-stocks in the time of gregory the tenth , which out of italy passing into germany , astonished the beholders with their bloody shoulders , affecting glory and merit in that selfe-martyrdome . and though the dangerous opinions which attended this practice in the first authors , were condemned , as hereticall , yet the usage itselfe is continued in spain , and some other parts ; and , not without a secret kind of horrour , applauded by the multitude , as an undoubted argument of serious and deep mortification : and what marvell , when that which is acted in the streets but once , by a few muffled penitents , is pretended to be done in cells and closets as in a set course of discipline , by the most of their strict votaries : but all these , and what ever acts of penance , must yeeld to that of goderannus , ( a souldier of christ , as our capgrave styles him ) who when the host , given by his st. hugh to a leprous man in the height of that loathsomness , was rendred again , with the interest of some other odious ejections , did that , which in favour of the queasie stomack of my reader , i must conceale : onely this , that their saint which beheld it , could say , that s. laurence his gridiron was far more tolerable . to shut up all , s. martin would needs die in sackcloth and ashes . such hard usages have some zealous self-enemies put upon their bodies ; no doubt in a mis-grounded conceit of greater holinesse , and higher acceptance at the hands of god ; from whom they shall once heare that old question in the like case to the jews , who required this of you ? as if god took pleasure in the misery of his best creature , and had so ordered it , that grace could not consist with prosperity and contentment . we have seene then both those extremities wherewith men are mis-carried in matter of the palate , and some outward usages of the body . §. iv. of the extreames in the cases of lust . as for the delight of the marriage-bed which some salacious spirits have thought fit in an eminence or propriety to call pleasure , how far it hath bewitched men it is too apparent . how many are thus drunk with their own wine ! spending their bodies to satisfy those sensuall desires wherwith they are impotently transported ; like that bird of whom suidas speaks , which dies in the very act of his feathering . certainly , there is no such tyran in the world as lust , which , where it prevailes enslaveth the soule , and sendeth his best subjects , not to the mill with sampson , or to the distaffe with hercules , but to the chambers of death , to the dungeon of hell . the witty athenians could enact a law for bigamie ; and socrates himself , who was by the oracle named for the wisest man of his time , and the greatest master of his passions , could be content to practice that , wherein he was well punished ; and how their famous philosophers were affected , i had rather s. ierome should speak then i : and the turks at this day , whom their alcoran restraines from wine , yet are by their law let loose to this full scope of sensuality . what speak i of these , when the very patriarks , and princes of gods peculiar people were palpably exorbitant in this kinde ; the man after gods own heart ( in respect of the sincerity of his soule ) divided himself betwixt sixe partners of his bed ; the mistaking of which permission hath drawne the modern jews into a false opinion of no lesse then eighteen wives allowed still to their princes : but for his son solomon ( in other things the wisest under heaven ) from whom the east●rne potentates have borrowed their seraglio's , what stint was there of his bedfellowes ? he could not so much as know all their faces . neither was it for nothing that the all●wise god saw it fit in his royall law , to give us two commandements against lust , and but one onely against murder or theft ; doubtlesse ( as gerson well observes ) because he saw us naturally more prone to these wanton desires , then to those violent . contrarily , there have not wanted some , who out of a strong affectation of continency , & an over-valuation of the merit of virginity , have poured too much water upon the honest flames of their lawfull desires , and have offered a willing violence to nature ; not to speak of origen , and some others that have voluntarily evirated themselves ( a practice justly cryed downe by some councels ) such were amnon the heremite , and pelagius the monk in the ecclesiasticall history , who the first day of their marriage took up a resolution of the continuance of a virginall chastity ( a fashion which some improbable legends have have cast upon s. iohn the beloved disciple in his mis-imputed marriage in cana ) and retired to an agreed solitarinesse . many formall votaries have made profession of no lesse continency , but with what successe i take no pleasure to relate : let an indifferent man speak ; erasmus in an epistle to his grunnius : who tels us of store of monasteries , such , as in comparison vvhereof the stews were more sober , more modest . out of their owne ingenuous casuists , out of the vvofull complaints of their alvarez , pelagius , s. brigit , gerson , others , it were easie to tell shamefull tales if we made disgrace our ayme ; it shall be enough to desire any reader to informe himselfe of the reason alledged in the councel of ments , under pope stephen , of so strict an inhibition to their clergie , not to admit of so much as their sister to come within their doors ; and to take notice of that old by-word , in hispania preti &c. i take no joy to discover the miserable nakednesse of christians ; inordinate minds where is no restraint of grace , are apt to run thus wilde , whether amongst them , or us ; but there , so much more , as there is lesse allowance of lawfull remedies ; a point , which some of the most ingenuous spirits of the roman correspondence have seriously wisht to have recommended to wiser consideration , and redresse . §. v. the liberty that god hath given us in the use of his creatures . i meant to dwell only so long in the extreams , as to make my passage to the meane , which is the sole drift of our indeavour . there is therefore betwixt excesse and defect , whereof we have spoken , a lawfull and allowed latitude of just pleasure , which the bounty of our good god hath allowed to his dearest creature , man ; whereof it is meet for us to take knowledge . to begin with the palate . he who is the author of appetite , hath provided , and allowed meanes to satisfie it , not with asparing hand , as for meere necessity ; but sometimes also liberally , for delight . i have oft wondred to see how providently the great house-keeper of the world hath taken seasonable order for the maintenance of all his creatures ; so as , their mouthes are not sooner ready then their meat . whether in man or beast , conception is immediately seconded with nourishment , neither is the issue brought forth into the light of the world , before there be bottles of milk ready prepared for the sustenance . the birds ( except some domestick ) hatch not their young in the dead of winter , but when the growing spring hath yeelded a meet meanes of their food . in the very silk-worme i have observed , that the small , and scarce-sensible seed , which it casts , comes not to life and disclosure untill the mulbery ( which is the slowest of all trees ) yeelds her lease for its necessary preservation : and the same god , who hath given the creature life , appetite , meat , hath by a secret instinct directed them to seeke it ; so as the whelp , even before it can see , hunts for the teat ; ●nd those shell-fishes to which ●ature hath denyed meanes of ●ight or smelling , yet can follow , ●nd purchase their food . and if ●ll thy creatures , o god , vvait upon thee , that thou maist give them ●heir meat in due season ; if thou openest thy hand , and they are filled vvith good ; how much more magnificent art thou to that creature , for whom thou madest all the rest ? thou , vvho at the first broughtst him forth into a vvorld furnished before-hand vvith all varieties , hast beene graciously pleased to store him stil● vvith all things that might serve for the use of meat , medicine , delicacy : hadst thou only intended our meere preservation , a little had beene enough ; nature is neithe● vvanton nor insatiable . we know vvhat those brachmanni are reported to have said , to the great conqueror of the world , in shamin● his conquest by their owne : w● know vvhat the romane commander said to his souldiers in ● just indignation at their nicenesse ; ye have the river nilus running by you , and doe you aske for vvine ? and how he upbraided them vvith this scornfull taxation ; blush for shame , those that overcome ●ou , drink water . we know vvhat ●he vvise and just socrates returned ●o archelaus , tempting his fidelity vvith large proffers : goe , said he , ●ell your master , that foure gilles of floure are sold at athens for an ●alf-peny , & that our vvells yeeld ●s vvater for nothing : but now , ●ince our liberall creator hath ●hought good to furnish our ta●les , vvith forty kindes at the least of beasts , and foules ; vvith two hundred ( as they are computed ) of fishes , besides the rich , and dainty provenues of our gardens , and orchards , and the sweet juice of our canes , and the cells of our hives , what should this argue , but that he ( vvho made nothing in vaine , and all for man ) intended to provide , not for our necessity only , but for our just delight ? the father of the faithfull , though he promised only to comfort the hearts of his great , and divine guests with a morsell of bread , yet he entertaines them with a tender and fat calfe , with butter and milk , the delicates of those homelyer times . but this , in all likelihood , was but small cheare in comparison of that which he prepared for the celebrity of his son isaacs weaning , which is by moses styled a great feast : after this , when his son isaac feasted a king , doe we not think there were all the choice services , the times would afford ? sampson , though by gods destination a nazarite , yet kept his wedding feast seaven daies long : samuel , a prophet of god , feasted thirty persons , and reserved a choyce bit for his best guest : what speak i of this ? when every new moone was wont to be celebrated with a solemne feast by gods people : and david shelters himselfe under this excuse , for his absence from the table of saul . i might well have silenced all the rest , if i had only mentioned great solomons both practice , and counsell . there is nothing better ( saith he ) for a man , then that hee should eat and drink ; and that hee should make his soule enjoy good in his labour ; this also i saw that it was from the hand of god ; for who can eat ? or who can hasten hereunto more then i ? certainly this challenge is unanswerable ; neither hath the spirit of god thought it unfit to give us a bill-of-fare of that mighty king ; and to record in those holy archives , the particulars of his daily expences of meale , floure , oxen , sheep , besides harts , roe-bucks , fallow-deere , and fatted fowles , which the monarches of all ages may admire , none can emulate . what speak i yet of this , when he that was greater then solomon , sanctified feasting by his owne blessed example ? he , the lord of glory that took up wi●h a manger for his cradle , and ( after the carpenters cottage ) owned no house but heaven , is invited to a bridall feast , ( the jolliest commonly of all meetings ) carries his traine with him , helps on the cheere by turning water into the richest wine . had he beene so sowre , as some sullen hypochondriaques ( who place holinesse in a dull austerity ) would fancy him , it had been an easie answer , they want wine ; all the better , water is more fit ; this safe liquor wil send the guests home coolely tempered ; but now , as one that would be known to be a favourer of honest and moderate delight , he bids , fill the water-pots with ( that which hee would make better ) wine . neither was it any rare or strange matter for our saviour to honour , and blesse other feasts with his presence ; matthew the publican , when he was called from his tole-booth to a discipleship , and was now to be matriculated into the family of christ , entertained his new master with a sumptuous banquet ; himselfe ( now an evangelist ) speakes modestly of his own cheer , as if it had beene but common fare , but s. luke tells us , it was a great feast . what should i speak of the tables of zacheus , of simon the pharisee , of martha and mary ? so did our saviour in a sweet sociablenesse of carriage , apply himselfe to a free conversation with men , in the cheerefull use of gods good creatures , that his envious maligners took occasion hereupon to slander him with the unjust and blasphemous imputation of ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a wine-bibber , a friend to publicans and sinners . he that made the creatures , can best tell how to use them ; his practice is more then all laws ; those men therefore are not more injurious to themselves , then to the divine beneficence , who in an opinion of greater sanctity , abridge themselves of a moderate participation of those comfortable helps , god hath allowed them ; and sit sullenly at a liberall board with their hat pulld over their eyes , not so much as removing their napkin from their trencher , unjustly scrupling their conscience with touch not , taste not , handle not . there are times of abstinence ; and not of a private fast only , but much more of a bannitum j●junium , as that councel styled it ; solemne and sacred ; there are out of civill grounds , wholsome laws for either forbearance , or change of diet ; far be it from us to detrect our strict obedience to these . surely , unlesse we will take up that lawlesse resolution of disrumpamus vincula , ( let us break their bonds , & cast their cords from us ) we must be content to be tyed by the teeth ; and in these cases to determine with frier giles , that the best diet is to eate nothing ; but where we are left open from all just restraint of divine and humane lawes , to pine our selves in an affectation of holinesse , and so partially to carve unto our selves , as if all things were not cleane unto the cleane : it is but a wayward and thanklesse austerity . the like may be said for other usages of the body , in matter of attire , sleep , lodging , recreation . socrates the historian tells of sisinnius the witty bishop of the overstrait-laced sect of the novatians , a man of singular temperance , and moderation , yet somewhat more spruce , liberall , and costly in his apparel , and more nice in his frequent bathings , then ordinary ; that being asked where hee found it written that a priest for his daily array should be suted in white , answered , yea , tell me first , where you find it written that a bishop should be clothed in black ; you cannot shew me this , i can shew you the other , for solomon sayes , let thy garments be white : how fitly the text is applyed , i labour not ; sure i am that no wise man need to be more nice then a novatian ; and that the kingly preacher in that liberall concession of his gives large scope to our lawfull liberty , in the use of gods blessings ; hee allowes ( within the compasse of our callings ) rich sutes to the back , sweet oyles for the head , comfortable drinks for the stomach : neither ought we to be scant , where god meant to be bountifull . and , if he have made us the lords of the world , why are we wilfull beggers ? wherefore hath he given the warme fleece to the sheep , the rich hides to the bever and ermin , the curious case to the silk-worm , the soft and faire feathers to the fowles of the aire , but , after their owne use , for ours ? wherefore hath he clothed the trees with cotton , or the fields with flaxe ? wherfore hath hee enriched the earth with variety of sweet and delicate flowers , with precious metals , and with more precious stones , the sea with beautifull and costly pearles ? why hath he treasured up such orient and pleasing colours in graines and fishes , if not for the use and behoofe of man ? what other creature knows wherefore they serve ? or , how can our blessed creator be any other then a greater loser by our either ignorance or willing neglect ? as for the comfort of conjugall society , what other did our good god intend in the making of that meet helper ? he that made those creatures , could have made many more , & having set this stint to his creation , he that made the woman of the man , could as well have made man of man , and could in the infinitenesse of his wisedome have appointed thousands of waies for the multiplication of mankinde ; but now having thought meet to pitch upō the traducing of man , by this living rib of his owne , he hath holily ordained that they two shall be one flesh ; not onely , as two bodies animated with one soule , but rather , as one body animated with two united spirits ; so as it is equally lawfull for them to enjoy each other in a mutuall , and holy communion , and to enjoy themselves in their single and personall contentments . how safely then may we take wise solomons vvord , for this innocent and sweet conversation : let thy fountaine be blessed , and rejoyce with the wife of thy youth ; let her be as the loving hinde , and pleasant roe , let her brests satisfie thee at all times , and be thou ravisht alwayes with her love : and when towards the latter end of his daies , he had found more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets , and her hands as bands ; yet even then , he renues this charge in the height of his mortification . live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest , all the dayes of the life of thy vanity , which he hath given thee under the sun all the dayes of thy vanity ; for that is thy portion in this life , and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. §. vi. together with our liberty , the just bounds of our moderation , in the liberall use of gods creatures : and therein our limitation in respects to god. so then that god , who hath given us meat , drink , apparell , wife , children , recreations , and what ever other conveniences of this life , intended no other , but that we should make our use , and have the fruition of these comforts ; and if he meant not that we should take some pleasure in the fruition of them , wherefore are they given us as blessings ? or what place is there for our thankfulnesse ? if i may take no pleasure in one food above another , what use is there of my taste ? what difference doe i make betwixt a course crust , and the finest of the wheat ? why am i more bound to god for giving me wine then water , many dishes then one , better then worse ? or how can i be more sensible of my obligation ? if i may not take contentment in the wife of my youth , wherefore is she mine ? what is left to me to counterpoyse those houshold distractions , which doe unavoidably attend the state of matrimony ? if i may not joy in my children , what difference is there to me betwixt my owne , and other mens , save that my care is more without hope of requitall ? and if i may not take pleasure in my recreation , how is it such ? what difference is there betwixt it and work ? yea , if i may not take pleasure in the works of my calling , what difference is there betwixt a slave and me ? but the same god who hath allowed us to take pleasure in all these hath also thought good to set bounds , and stints to our pleasure , which we may not exceed ; he hath indulged to us a lawfull freedome , not a wilde licentiousnesse : if wee passe our limits , we sin . now because in our naturall pronenesse to excesse there is nothing more difficult , then to keepe within due compasse , and to be at once delighted and holy , it highly concernes us to take notice of those just boundaries , within which our freest pleasure must be ranged . first then , we cannot offend in our delectations , if we be sure to take god with us ; more plainly , we shall safely partake of our pleasures , if we receive them as from god , if we enjoy them in god , if we referre them to god : from god , as the author and giver of them ; in god , as the allower and sanctifier of them ; to god , as to the end , and scope of them : the least deviation from any of these , makes our delights vicious . wee receive them as from god , when we know them to be allowed of him , and granted to us , by him : herein therefore lawfull pleasures differ from sinfull ; we have his vvarrant for the one , for the other his inhibition . the act may be alike in both , but differs both in the subject , and ground of it ; gods institution justifies that act in a lawfull conjugall society , which he abhorres and condemnes in a stranger : marriage is made in heaven , adultery is brewed in hell . the teeth kept the same pace under the law in eating the cleane flesh , and the uncleane ; and still doe , in the morsells of sufficiency , and surfet ; the first draught of the wine , vvhich is for refreshing , goes downe the same vvay , vvith the lavish , and supern●●erary carowses of drunkennesse : that holy god , whose will is the rule of goodnesse , cannot give any approbation of evill ; if then i can boldly present my pleasure in the face of god , and say , lord , this is the delight thou hast allowed me , the liberty thou givest , i take ; here is thy word , and my deed ; my heart cannot but sit downe in a comfortable assurance . we enjoy them in god , whiles we can enjoy god in them , not suffering our selves so to be possessed of them , as that we should let goe the sweet hold of the divine presence , and complacency : the very thought whereof must necessarily exclude all disorder , and excesse . it is the brand which st. iude sets upon the sensuall false-teachers of his time , feeding without feare ; and the prophet esay to the same purpose , the harp and the viole , the tabret and the pipe , and wine are in their feasts ; but they regard not the work of the lord , neither consider the operation of his hands . if then we be so taken up with any earthly pleasures , that they doe either banish god from our hearts , or steale our hearts from god ; our tables are made snares to us , and our wives in stead of ribs become thornes in our sides . for me , let me rather want delights then be transported by them from better joyes ; they shall not passe with me for pleasures , but for torments , that shall rob me of the fruition of my god. we referre them to god , when we partake of them with an intuition of the glory of him , from whom we receive them , and in whom we enjoy them ; not making any pleasure its owne end , wherein we shall rest , but the way to a better ; whether ye eate or drink , or whatsoever ye doe , ( saith the apostle ) doe all to the glory of god. we doe well to look up to heaven , and to say grace at our meales , but i have read of an holy man , that was wont to give thankes for every morsell that he put into his mouth ; and i could envy his holy and free thoughts ; but sooner could i take up the resolution of that votary , who professed that he did in every creature of god finde both edification , and matter of devotion ; and when one shewed him a lewd , and debaucht ruffian , and askt him what good he could pick out of such a prospect ? yes , said he , i can so farre enjoy his wickednesse , as to be thankfull to god , for giving me that grace which he wants . shortly , let me never have any pleasure , upon which i cannot pray to god for a blessing , and for which i cannot returne my thanks-giving . §. vii . the limitation of our liberty , in respect of the pleasures themselves , first for the kinde , then for the quantity , and quality of them . our pleasures cannot be amisse , whiles they have these respects to god. there are also considerable limitations , which they have within themselves . the first whereof must bee , that they be in their very kinde lawfull ; for as there is no dish whereof we may warrantably surfet ; so there are some whereof we may not taste : for our first parents to but set their teeth in the forbidden fruit , yea to touch it , was not free from evill : any morsell of an uncleane meat , under the law was no lesse sinfull , then the whole dish : the wholsomest of all foods , if taken in excesse , may destroy nature ; in so much as we finde one that dyed of strawberries , the most harmlesse fruit that the earth beareth ; but the least measure of poyson is too much : whereto we may also adde , that the same thing may be poison to one , vvhich to another is either meat or medicine , even as it is in bodily diets : a turk eates in one day so much opium vvith pleasure , as vvould be the bane of many westerne christians ; and erasmus professes that fish vvas death to him , vvhich to others is both nourishing and delicate . for a socrates to ride upon a stick , or to learne to fiddle , or dance in his old age , was a sight as uncouth , as it vvas in his boyes becomming , and commendable . it is said of thales milesius , one of the great sages of greece , that he was pressed to death in a throng at their gymnick sports ; any vvise man would presently ask , vvhat that vvise man did there ? to personate an history on an academicall theatre may be a mutuall delight to the actor , and beholders , but for a professed divine to doe it , can be no other then unmeet , and that which is justly forbidden in some synodes . the vvilde carnevalls abroad , however they may be tolerated in the young laity by their indulgent confessors , yet for persons that professe to be clerks , or religious votaries ( what pretences soever may be set upon it by favourable casuists ) cannot but be extreamly faulty . the kinde yeelded to be lawfull , and meet , both in it selfe , and to the person using it , there must be due consideration had of the quality , quantity , manner , circumstances that are able to make even good things evill . for the first , both religion and right reason require , that we should not be wanton , and over-delicate in our contentments ; that our pleasures should be like our selves , masculine , and temperate . it was a check that fell seasonably from vespasian , and recorded to his great honor by suetonius , that when a yong man came to him curiously perfumed , i had rather ( said he ) thou hadst smelt of garlick : and that praise is no meane one , which gerson the chancelor of paris gives to king lewis the saint , that he regarded not of how dainty composition his excrement were made , neither meant to be a cooke for the wormes . surely that curiosity of mixture , whereby not the eye and the palate , but the sent also must be feasted , is more fit for sybarites , then for christians ; dissolved pearles are for the draught of aesop the tragedians son , or anthonies great mistris : let a vitellius or heliogobalus hunt over seas and lands for the dainty bit of this birds tongue , that fishes roe , or that beasts sweet bread ; the oysters of this coast , the scollops of that other , this root , that fruit : what doe christians with this vaine apician like gluttony ? it was a fit rule for that monster of the gut ( whom even the romane luxury censured ) that those dishes please best , which cost most . i have both heard and read , that when some of our english merchants in germany , entertained martin luther with some other of his dutch friends , at their table , when amongst other liberall dishes , he saw a pastie at the first cutting up , reeking upwards , and filling the roome with an hot and spicy steame , in stead of thanks , he frowned , and angerly said , now woe be to them that bring these delicacies into our germany . it is not easie to set stints to the quality or price of diets : for that which to one nation , or person may passe for meane and course , may to another be costly and delicious . if we may beleeve relations , in angola dogges flesh is held for the daintiest meat , in so much as one mastive hath beene exchanged there for twenty slaves , the price of ▪ ducats ; our frogges , snailes , mushroms , would somewhere be accepted for a good service : and we know what the tartars are wont to esteeme of their cosmo , whiles we make a face at the mention of it . laercius tells us , that when plato in a thrifty discourse with rich aristippus was saying , that an half-peny was enough to furnish a temperate mans dinner , well then , said he , and fifty drachma's are no more then so , to me . custome of the place , care of health , regard to our ability , are fit moderators of every mans palate ; but the true christian is governed by an higher law , giving only such way to his appetite , as may well consist with due mortification . it was the rule which columbanus ( of whom there are many monumēts in these westerne parts ) gave to his followers ; let the diet of monkes bee course , and late , so as it may sustaine , and not hurt . we are no rechabites , no votaries , free from all yokes ( of this kind ) save the almighties , which is no other then an holy temperance : he hath allowed us the finest of the wheat , and wine that makes glad the heart , we are not tyed to prodicus his sawce , which is the fire ; nor to bernards , which is salt and hunger ; we may with old isaac call for savoury meat , such as we love . happy are vve , if vve know how to use our blessings , and have learned so to order our appetite , as that vve make it neither a slave nor a vvanton . for the quantity , pleasure is hony ; eat not too much hony , saith solomon ; that is to be tasted on the top of the finger , not to be scoped up with the vvhole hand ; we may be too great niggards to our selves this vvay , denying those helps to nature vvhereby it may be more cheerfully inabled unto good : ionathan complained justly that sauls rash vow of not tasting any food , that day , had troubled the land ; see i pray you how mine eyes are enlightned , because i tasted a little hony ; how much more , if the people had eaten freely to day had they prevailed ? it was the rule of a great p●●terne of strict devotion , if abstinence goe beyond the bounds of a vertue , it turns vice : and our alensis vvell , if our fast must be afflictive , yet with due moderation ; neither is it required that a man should fast his utmost , but so much as may well stand with the conservation of nature in her meet vigour : neither are we tyed to the old mans dyet in suidas , salt and two barly-cornes ; or to the liberall allowance which francis of assise made to his st. clare , an ounce and halfe of bread in a day : neither need vve be driven ( as socrates counselled poore eschines ) to borrow of our selves : but on the other side , vve may not let loose the reines of our appetite , and as gluttons are vvont to doe , cram in so much to breakfast , that vve have no stomach to supper . not in surfetting and drunkennesse , saith the blessed apostle . it seemed a strange thing to anacharsis the scythian , as laertius observes , to see the greeks drink in small cruzes at the beginning of their feasts , and in large bowles at the latter end , ( an order ill imitated by the lavish healthists of our time ) as if they intended not satisfaction , and refreshing of nature , but wilfull excesse . if the bounty of god allow us to bee sometimes merry , in our moderate feasts , yet never mad ; he is so far from crowning any man for drinking ( as it is said alexander the great did his promachus ) that he hath passed a woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine , and men of strength to mingle strong drink : well may we say of our cups as was wont to be said of the ionians , they are good servants , ill free-men , and masters . too much oyle puts out the lamp ; both reason and health are drowned in over-deep cups : our body is as a well-set clock which keeps good time ; if it be too much or indiscreetly tamper'd with , the larum runs out before the houre . the like care of avoiding extremity must be had in all other delights . the very heathen orator could say , he is not worthy of the name of a man , that would be a whole day in pleasure . sleep and recreations are as necessary as meat , but both must know their stint . if a beare or a dormouse grow fat with sleep , i am sure the minde of man is thus affamished : slothfulnesse , saith solomon , casteth into a deep sleep , and an idle soule shall suffer hunger . it was a dead sleep wherein adam lost his rib , ishbosheth his life , the harlot her sonne , the foolish virgins their entrance . how long then wilt thou sleep , o sl●ggard ? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep ? yet a little sleep , a little slumber , a little folding of the hands to sleep ; so shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth , and thy want as an armed man. as for sports , when they take up so much time and labour as to turne trades , they have lost themselves , and perhaps marr'd their masters . it was a just exception that salustius tooke to sempronia , not that she danced , but that she danced too well : and our story tells us , when rich clisthenes would choose a fit match for his only daughter , and amongst other suitors the sonne of terpander ▪ the athenian was most likely to speed , the young man to ingratiate himselfe the more , after dinner danced some attick jigges , with much cunning and activity ; well , well , said clisthenes , terpanders sonne , you have danced away your marriage . if the iron be blunt , the edge must be whetted , saith solomon ; but if we shall weare away all the steele with too much whetting , the toole must needs be left unprofitable . §. viii . the limitation , and moderation of the pleasure of conjugall society . but the greatest danger of immoderation is in matter of lust ; an impetuous passion , and that which commonly beares downe reason before it ; and too often even there , where the strongest resolutions , and most religious vowes have made head against it : insomuch as alvarez pelagius sticks not to confesse , that there was scarce any of the holy sisters in his time sine devoto carnali ; and dominicus a soto professes he cannot deny , that their clergy abounds with concubinaries and adulterers . what should i mention the toleration and yearly rent of publique stewes ? these known curtizans in spaine , and italy , pay to their great land-lords for their lust ; whereas amongst the abassines , wages are given them out of the common purse ; yea , even those , who are allowed lawfull remedies , shall finde it taske enough , so to order their desires , as they may not offend in their application . to deny the lawfulnesse of matrimoniall benevolence were to cast mire in the face of our creator ; yet there may be such deordination in the acts thereof , as may draw sin into the marriage-bed ; in so much as gerson can tell us , there is lesse difficulty in forbearing these desires , then in curbing , and moderating them once admitted : for pleasure ever , as both s. ambrose and hierome have observed , drawes on a strong appetite of it selfe ; and ( as chrysologus well ) is like a dog , beat him off , he flees away , make much of him , he follows us the more . the jewes note that in foure places of the law they are admonished to increase and multiply ; and therefore hold , that after twenty yeares of age , who so finds ( the iezer ) in himselfe , is bound under paine of sin to marry ; somewhat of kin to the divinity of that old physician at basil , of whom erasmus speaks , who taught in his publique lecture , that this ( increase and multiply ) was our saviours last legacy to the world , which we had thought had been ( pacem meam do vobis ) my peace i give to you , and that it were pitty that any fruitfull soile should lie fallow ; positions wildly licentious , and such as leave no place for a gracious eunuchisme for the kingdome of heaven . virginall chastity is a grace worthy of our fervent prayers , worthy of our best indeavors . i hear the great apostle of the gentiles say , he that gives his virgin in marriage doth well , but he that gives her not in marriage doth better ; and why should not every one ( where there is a difference of meliority ) strive towards the best ? all may strive , but all can not attaine . he that is able to receive it , let him receive it , saith our saviour . but he that cannot receive the blessing of single chastity , may receive the blessing of chaste marriage : an institution , which if it had not been pure and innocent , had never been made in paradise , by the all-holy maker of paradise , both in earth , and heaven . in the managing , and fruition vvhereof , we may not follow bruitish appetite , and lawlesse sensuality ; but must be over-ruled vvith right reason , christian modesty , and due respects to the ends of that blessed ordinance . our strictest casuists will grant , that for the conservation of mankind , even a votary may , yea must marry , and we have in our times known those , who for the continuation of a lineall succession of some great families , have been fetcht from their cells to a bride-chamber : as for the remedy of incontinency , our apostle hath passed a plaine ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) come together againe . as for the pleasure of conjugall society , i doe not find a more clear decision , then that of the voluminous jesuite salmeron . to a faithfull man ( saith he ) unto whom christ hath made all things cleane , that turpitude , and absorption ( of reason ) which commonly attends the act of matrimoniall knowledge is not a sin ; for as the apostle teacheth , all things are cleane unto the cleane , as clemens in the third book of his stromata worthily expounds it ; moreover , that pleasure or delectation which doth naturally follow the act of generation , which is by god naturally inbred in every living creature , and is not desired meerly for its owne sake , is no sin at all ; even as the delight which accompanieth eating , & drinking , and sleeping , is not judged unlawfull : so therefore it is not onely to be granted that marriage is no sin ; but he that is at liberty , and free from any vow , and hath not a will to contain himself , shall not acquit himselfe of a grievous sin , if he seek not a wife ; for of such like s. paul saith , if they doe not containe , let them marry ; for it is better to marry then to burne : that is , as s. ambrose interprets it , to be overcome of lust . thus far salmeron . and to the same purpose the learned chancelor of paris determines , that however those meetings which have no other intuition but meer pleasure , cannot be free from some veniall offence ; yet that he who comes to the marriage-bed , not without a certaine renitency and regret of minde that he cannot live without the use of matrimony , offends not . shortly then , howsoever it be difficult , if not altogether impossible to prescribe fixed limits to all ages and complexions ; yet this we may undoubtedly resolve , that we must keepe within the bounds of just sobriety , of the health , and continued vigour of nature , of our aptitude to gods service , of our alacrity in our vocations ; not making appetite our measure , but reason ; hating that messaline-like disposition , which may be wearied , not satisfied ; affecting to quench , not to solicit lust ; using our pleasure as the traveller doth water , not as the drunkard , wine ; whereby he is enflamed and enthirsted the more . §. ix . of the limitation of our pleasures in the manner of using them . thus much for the just quantity of our lawfull delights ; the manner of our using them remaines ; whether those of the boord , or of the bed , or of the field ; one universall rule serves for them all : we may not pursue them either over-eagerly , or indiscreetly . if wee may use them , we may not set our hearts upon them ; and if wee give our selves leave to enjoy them , yet wee may not let our selves loose to their fruition : carelesnesse is here our best posture ; they that rejoyce , as if they rejoyced not ; they that have wives , as if they had none ; they that buy , as if they possessed not ; they that use the world , as if they used it not , saith the blessed apostle . far be it from a christian heart so to be affected with any earthly delight , as if his felicity dwelt in it , his utter dejection and misery in the want of it : that as phaltiel did his wife , he should follow it weeping . it was a good charge that the holy man gave to his votary , that he should not totus comedere ; and the spouse in the divine marriage-song can say , i slept , but my heart waketh : thus , whiles we shall take our pleasure , our pleasure shall not take us . discretion must be the second guide of our pleasure : as in other circumstances , so especially in the choice of meet places , and seasons . it was a shamelesse word of that brutish cynick , that hee would plantare hominem in foro ; the jews made it a matter of their . lashes , for a man to lie with his owne wife in the open field : and if it were notoriously filthy for absalom , to come neare to his fathers concubines in the darkest closet , surely to set up a tent upon the roofe of the house , and in the sight of the sun , and all ●srael to act that wickednesse , was no lesse then flagitious villany . the very love-feasts of the primitive christians were therefore cryed downe , by the apostle , because they were misplaced ; have yee not houses to eate and drink in ? and so were the vigils in the succeeding ages . if markets , if sports , be never so warrantable , yet in a church , not without a foule profanation : so likewise there are times , which doe justly stave off even those carnall delights , which else would passe with allowance : the priests under the law whiles they did eate the holy bread , ( which was in their severall courses twice in the yeare ) must abstaine from the society of their wives ; the like charge doth the apostle impose upon his corinthians , defraud not one another , except it be with consent for a time , that ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer . it was a commendable resolution of good vriah , the ark of god , and israel , and iudah abide in tents , and my lord ioab , and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields , shall i then goe in to my house , to eat and to drink , and to lie with my wife ? as thou livest , and as thy soule liveth , i will not doe this thing . when a solemne fast is indicted , for a man to entertaine his friends with a feast , is no better then an high impiety and disobedience ; neither can it be worthy of lesse then a just mulct and censure in those , who cast their liberallest invitations upon those daies which by the wholsome lawes both of church and common-welth are designed to abstinence ; and it is a strange charge that alfonsus de vargas layes upon the jesuites , that , upon a sleight pretence , made no bones of a fat capon on good friday : there is a time for all things , saith wise solomon ; there is a time to embrace , and a time to refraine from imbracing ; a time to mourne , and a time to dance . if then our pleasure shall be rightly differenced , for the kinde , and where that is allowable , ordered aright for the measure , quality , manner of enjoying it , we shall be safely cheerfull , and our life holily comfortable . §. x. motives to moderation in the use of all our pleasures . but , because it is no easie task to keep our hearts in so meet a temper , and to curb in our appetite from a lawlesse immoderation , it will be necessary for us seriously to consider , first , the shortnesse of them ; they are like to that time , on whose wings they are carried , fugitive and transient ; gone whiles they come , and as the apostle speaks , in their very use perishing . lysimachus , when in his extremity of drought he had yeelded himselfe and his crowne to the scythians , for a draught of water , good god ( saith he ) how great a felicity haue i forgone for how short a pleasure ? who ever enjoy'd full delight a day ? or if he could , what is he the better for it to morrow ? he may be worse , but who ever is the better for his yesterdayes feast ? sweet meats , and fat morsels glut the soonest ; and that which was pleasant in the palate , is noysome in the maw , and gut . as for those bodily delights wherein luxurious men place their chief felicity , alas ! what poore abortions they are , dead in the very co●ception , not lasting out their mention , what vanishing shadows , what a short nothing ? and how great a madnesse is it to place our contentment upon meere transitorinesse , to fall in love with that face which cannot stay to be saluted ? the unprofitablenes of them : it is easie to name thousands that have mis-carried by the use of pleasures , who , with vlysses his companions have been turned into swinish beasts , by the cups of this circe ; but shew me the man that ever was the better for them : we have known want , like to the hard soil of ithaca , breed good wits ; but what can fulnesse yeeld , save fat guts , ill humours , dull braines ? the observation is as true as old , that the flesh is nourished with soft , but the minde with hard meats : the falconer keeps his hawk sharp that would flye vvell ; and the horses are breath'd , and dieted , that vvould vvin the bell , and the vvager . sampson vvas not so strong , nor david so holy , nor solomon so vvise , as not to be foyled vvith these assaults . it vvas one straine in moses his song , iesurun is waxed fat and kicked ; thou didst drink of the pure blood of the grape : thou art waxen fat , thou art grown thick , thou art covered with fatnesse : then he forsook god that made him , and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation . how many brave hopes have vvee knovvn dashed vvith youthly excesse ? how many high , and gallant spirits effeminated ? hannibal could complaine that he brought men into campania , but carryed women out againe . who ever knew any man that by the superfluity of earthly contentments grew more wise , more learned , more vertuous , more devout ? whereas it is no rare thing to finde those , whom a strait and hard hand hath improved in all these ; it is better to goe to the house of mourning , saith solomon , then to goe to the house of feasting : sorrow is better then laughter , for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better . if iobs children do but meet at a kinde banquet , their father is faine to expiate their feast with sacrifice ; for seldome is ever jollity without excesse ; whereas in a sad austerity there is no feare of over-lashing . thirdly , as there is no profit in the immoderation of these momentany pleasures , so no little pain in the loose : this hony-bagge hath ever a sting attending it ; so as we are commonly plagued ( as bernard well ) in that wherein we were mis-delighted . fishes and fowles are well pleased with their baites , but when the hook or gin seizeth them , they are too late sensible of their misery . i have known potions , that have been very pleasant in the mouth , which have wrought churlishly in the guttes ; such are these pleasures : what fruit have you ( saith the apostle ) in those things whereof ye are now ashamed ? the world deales with too many ( as our bromiard observes ) like a bad neighbour , that makes a man drunk purposely , to defeat him of his purse or patrimony , when the liquor is evaporated , the man awakes , and findes himselfe a beggar : could we foresee the issue of these sinfull delights , we durst not but fall off . had any man before-hand said , death is in the pot , which of the children of the prophets durst have been so hardy as to put in his spoone ? it vvas a good answer of a vvell meaning novice , vvho vvhen he vvas told because that hee was tender and delicate , he could never indure the hardship of a strict profession , answered , yes , i will therefore indure it the rather , for being so tender and delicate , much lesse shall i be able to indure the paines of hell . could vve then fore-consider the everlasting torments , vvhich attend the momentany pleasures of sin ; we vvould say to the best and most plausible of them , as sir thomas is reported to have said to his vvife , gentle eve i will none of your apple : and would be loth ( as that philosopher said in the like case ) to buy repentance ( yea torment ) at so deare a rate . §. xi . of the mo●eration of our desires in matter of wealth and honour , &c. next to the moderation of our pleasures is that of our desires , if not rather before it ; for whereas there are three acts of our sensitive appetite , in respect of good , loving , desiring , delight : love makes way to our desires , and delight followes it ; but because the desires we now speak of , are rather covetous , then love-some ; of outward abilities , rather then bodily pleasures , we cannot repent of this order of their tractation . and surely , of the two , our desires are much more insatiable and boundlesse then our delights . a gluttons belly is much sooner filled then his eye : for that only can quiet the appetite of an intellectuall nature , which is all and infinitely good ; all other things doe rather whet then satiate our longings . all this sensible world ( as gerson well ) is but as one little morsell to the stomach of the soul , and if a thousand worlds could be let downe they cannot fill it ; for the minde is by receiving enlarged to receive more ; and still cryes like the daughters of the horse-leech , give , give . every soule ( as st. austin wittily ) is either christs spouse , or the divels harlot : i adde , if christs spouse , she takes up with him , and accounts all things in the world but dung , yea but losse in comparison of him : if the divells harlot , she runs wilde after every gaudy pleasure , and profit ; like the barren womb , in solomon , which never saith , it is enough . so then the true christian soule , as it can say with david , whom have i in heaven but thee , and there is nothing in earth that i desire besides thee ; so it can say with st. paul , i have learned both to want and to abound , to be full and to be hungry , and in whatsoever estate to be therewith content . our desires therefore are both the surest measures of our present estate , and the truest prognosticks of our future : vpon those words of solomon , as the tree falls so it shall lie , bernard wittily , how the tree will fall thou shalt soone know by the store , and weight of the boughes ; our boughes are our desires , on which side soever they grow and sway most , so shall the soule fall . it was a word too good for him that sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage , i have enough my brother : iacob himselfe could have said no more ; this moderation argues a greater good then it selfe ; for as nothing comes amisse to that man who holds nothing enough , ( since the love of mony is the root of all evill ) so he that can stint his desires is canon-proofe against tentations ; whence it is that the best and wisest men have still held themselves shortest : even he that had more then enough , could say , give me not over-much . who knowes not the bare feet and patched cloaks of the famous philosophers amongst the heathen ? plutarch wonders at cato , that being now old , and having passed both a consul-ship and triumph , he never wore any garment that exceeded the worth of an hundred pence . it was the wish of learned erasmus , after the refused offers of great preferments , that he might so order his expences , that he might make all eaven at his death ; so as when he dyed , he might be out of every mans debt , and might have only so much mony left , as might serve to bring him honestly to his grave : and it was little otherwise ( it seemes ) with the painfull and eminent master calvin , who after all his power and prevalence in his place , was found at his death to be worth some forty pounds sterling ; a summe which many a master gives his groome for a few yeares service : yea , in the very chaire of rome , ( vvhere a man vvould least look to meet vvith moderation ) vve finde clement . vvhen he would place out his two daughters , gave to the one thirty pounds in a nunnery , to the other three hundred in her marriage ; and alexander the . who was chosen pope in the councell of pisa , had vvont to say he was a rich bishop , a poore cardinall , and a beggarly pope : the extreame lowlinesse of celestine the . who from an anachorets cell was fetcht into the chaire , ( and gave the name to that order ) was too much noted to hold long ; he that would onely ride upon an asse ; ( whiles his successors mount on shoulders ) soone walks on foot to his desert , and thence to his prison . this man was of the diet of a brother of his , pope adrian , who caused it to be written on his grave , that nothing fell out to him in all his life more unhappily , then that hee was advanced to rule : these are , i confesse , meer heteroclites of the papacy ; the common rule is otherwise ; to let passe the report which the archbishop of lions made in the councel of basil of those many millions , which in the time of pope martin came to the court of rome out of france alone ; and the yearely summes registred in our acts , which out of this iland flew thither , above the kings revenues : we know in our time what millions of gold sixtus . who changed a neat-heards cloak for a franciscans cowle , ( and therefore by vertue of his order might touch no silver ) raked together in five yeares space . the story is famous of the discourse betwixt pope innocent the . and thomas aquinas ; when that great clerk came to rome , and looked somewhat amazedly upon the masse of plate , and treasure which he there saw ; lo , said the pope , you see , thomas , we cannot say as s. peter did of old , silver and gold have i none ; no , said aquinas , neither can you command as he did , the lame man to arise and walk . there was not more difference in the wealth of the time , then in the vertue . it was an heroicall word of s. paul ; as having all things , yet possessing nothing ; and a resolution no lesse , that rather then he would be put down by the brag of the false-teachers among the corinthians , he would lay his fingers to the stitching of skins for tent-making . what speak i of these meannesses , when he tells us of holy men , that wandred about in sheep-skins , and goats skins , in deserts , and mountains , and caves of the earth ? yea what doe i fall into the mention of any of these , when i heare the lord of life , the god of glory , who had the command of earth , and heaven , say , the foxes have holes , and the birds of the ayre haue nests , but the son of man hath not where to lay his head ? it was a base and unworthy imputation , that hath been cast upon him by some ignorant favourers of wilfull poverty , that he lived upon pure almes . if our blessed saviour , and his train had not a common stock , wherefore was iudas the purse-bearer ? and why in that office did he repine at the costly oyntment bestowed upon his master , as that which might have been sold for , pence to the use of the poore , if himselfe had not wont to be a receiver of the like summes in a pretence of distribution ? wherein had he been a thiefe , if he had not both wont , and meant to lurch out of the common treasury ? certainly , he that said , it is better to giue then to receive , would not faile of the better , and take up with the worse : and he who sent his cators to sichem to buy meat , would not goe upon trust with samaritans : now , he that shall aske how this stock should arise , may easily think that he vvho commanded the fish to bring him tribute-mony , had a thousand vvayes to make his owne provision : amongst vvhich , this is cleare and eminent ; his chosen vessel could say , even so the lord hath ordained that they which preach the gospell , should live of the gospell . lo this was christs owne ordination , was it not therefore his practice ? and if any man would rather cast it upon our saviours care for the provision of succeeding times , he may soone learne , that when the blessed son of god sent his disciples as legates from his own side , to preach the gospell , without scrip , or mony , the word was , dignus est , the labourer is worthy of his wages : he saith not , the begger is vvorthy of his almes : this maintenance vvas not of beneficence , but duty : so as salmeron observes well , neither christ nor his apostles were in any vvant ; they earned what they had , and they had what was sufficient : and if that gracious messiah beg'd water of the samaritan woman , at iacobs vvell , it vvas because he thirsted after the salvation of her , and her neighbours ; and vvould take this occasion to bestow upon them the vvaters of life , vvhich they had not othervvise knowne , or desired ; i heare vvhere he askt for vvater , a common element , and that for vvhich the giver vvas no whit the poorer , i vvould faine heare vvhere hee askt for bread , vvhere for meat : i find vvhere he gave bread more then once , to thousands , and fish to boot ; but where ever did he ask a morsell , or finne ? shortly then , he vvho could have commanded all the pomp and royalty of the whole world , would appeare in the forme of a servant , that he might sanctifie a meane and moderate condition to us . it is true , there can bee no certaine proportion of our either having , or desiring ; since the conditions of men are in a vast difference ; for that coat which is too bigge for a dwarfe , will not so much as come upon a giants sleeve : and it is but just and lawfull for every man to affect so much , as may bee sufficient , not only for the necessity of his person , but for the decency of his estate ; the neglect whereof may be sordid , and deservedly taxable . it is said of gregory the great , that he sharply reproved paschafius bishop of naples ; for that he used to walk down to the sea-side , attended only with one or two of his clergy , without that meet port which his place required . surely , he that goeth below himself , disparageth his vocation , and whiles he would seeme humble , is no other then carelesse : but all things considered , he that can cut eavenest betweene want and excesse , is in the safest , easiest , happiest estate : a truth , which if it were duely entertained , would quit mens hearts of a world of vexation , which now they doe willingly draw upon themselves ; for he that resolves to be rich , and great , as he must needs fall into many snares of sin , so into manifold distractions of cares . it was a true word of wise bion , in laertius , who when he was asked , what man lived most unquietly , answered , he that in a great estate affects to be prosperous : in all experience , he that sets too high a pitch to his desires , lives upon the rack ; neither can be loosed , till he remit of his great thoughts , and resolve to clip his wings and train , and to take up with the present . very seasonable and witty was that answer , which cyneas in the story gave to ambitious pyrrhus , when that great conqueror began speech of his designes : well , said cyneas , when thou hast vanquished the romans , vvhat vvilt thou then doe ? i will then ( said pyrrhus ) saile over to sicily ; and vvhat wilt thou doe , said cyneas , vvhen that is vvon ? then vvill vve said pyrrhus , subdue africk ; well , and when that is effected , vvhat vvilt thou ( said cyneas ) then doe ? why then , said pyrrhus , we vvill sit downe and spend the rest of our time merrily , and contentedly : and vvhat hinders thee , said cyneas , that vvithout all this labour & perill , thou canst not now doe so before-hand ? certainly , nothing lies crosse the vvay of our contentation , but our owne thoughts ; and those the all-wise god leaves there on purpose for the just torture of great hearts . it vvas a truly apostolicall , and divine counsell that the chosen vessell gives to his hebrewes ; let your conversation be without covetousnesse ; and be content with such things as ye have : vvhich unto his timothy he limits to food and rayment ; and backs it irrefragably with a reason fetcht from our first and last estate ; for we brought nothing into this world , and it is certaine wee shall carry nothing out . lo , wee begin and end vvith nothing ; and no lesse then all can sate us vvhile vve are : oh the infinite avarice and ambition of men ! the sea hath both bottome , and bounds , the heart of man hath neither . there are those , as our bromiard observes , who in a faire pretence of mortification , like soaring kites , flie up from the earth , and cry , fie , fie , in their flight , as if they scorned these lower vanities , and yet when they have done , stoop upon the first carrion that comes in their eye : false pharisees that under the colour of long prayers devoure widowes houses ; pharisaicall votaries that under colour of wilfull poverty , sweep away vvhole countries into their corban . amongst the very mahumetans under the name of sanctity , the scirifii in africk , in our very age , the sonnes of scirifius hascenus , desire no more patrimony from their father , but a drum , and an ensigne ; and thus furnished , ( religion being their sole pretext ) they run away with the large kingdomes of fez , and morocco . and what other spirit possessed fryer campanella , a poore dominican in our time , who durst think of changing his cowle for a crowne , ayming at no lesse in his secret treaty with the turks , then the now divided empire of italy ? how no lesse rise then insatiable are these desires of men ? one plots for a lordship , another for a coronet . one hath swallowed a crozier , another a scepter ; a third a monarchy , and a fourth all these : of all the ambitions that have come to my notice , i doe most wonder at that of maximilian the first , who being emperour affected also to be pope ; and for that purpose , in his letter written to the baron of lichtenstein , offered the summe of three hundred thousand ducats , besides the pawne of foure rich and preciously stuffed chests , together with the sumptuous pall of his princely investiture ; vvhereof ( said he ) after we are seized of the papacy , vve shall have no further use : though vvhy not ( saith waremundus ) as vvell as pope boniface the eight , vvho girded vvith his sword , and crowned vvith an imperiall diadem came abroad magnificently amongst the people and could openly professe , i am both caesar and pope . vaine men ! whither doe our restlesse desires carry us , unlesse grace and wiser thoughts pineon their wings ? which if vve doe seriously affect ; there is a double remedy of this immoderation ; the first is the due consideration of our owne condition , both in the shortnesse and ficklenesse of our life , and the length and vveight of our reckoning . alas , if all the vvorld were mine , how long could i injoy it ? thou foole , this night shall they take away thy soule , as vvas said to the rich projector in the parable , and then whose shall all these things bee ? were i the great king of babylon , vvhen i see the hand writing my destiny upon the vvall , vvhat should i care for the massie bowls of my cupboord , or the golden roofe of my palace ? vvhat foole vvas ever fond of the orient colours of a bubble ? vvho ever vvas at the cost to gild a mud-vvall ? or to embroyder that tent vvhich he must remove to morrow ? such is my condition here ; i must alter , it cannot . it is the best ceremony that i could note in all the pack of those pontificall rites , that an herald burnes tovve before the nevv pope in all the height of his pomp , and cryes holy father , thus passes the glory of the world : thus , even thus indeed , the glory passes ; the account passes not so soon : it is a long reckoning that remaines to be made for great receipts : for vve are not the owners ; vve are the baylifes or stewards of our vvhole estates : in the day of our great audit , there is not one peny but must be calculated ; and vvhat can the greatnesse of the summe ( passed through our hands ) then availe us , other then to adde difficulty to the computation , and danger to the accountant ? when death shall come roughly to us in the style that benedict did to totilaes servant , lay downe that thou bearest , for it is not thine owne ; and the great master of the universall family of the world shall call us to a redde rationem , for all that we have received ; woe is me , what pleasure shall it be to me that i had much ? what is the poore horse the better for the carriage of a rich sumpter all day , when at night he shall lie downe with a galled back ? i heare him that wished to live croesus , wishing to die a beggarly cynick , that was not worth his shroud : the cheare goes downe well , till it come to the shot ; when that goes too deep , vve quarrell at our excesse . oh our madnesse to doat upon our future repentance ! the second remedy , is the due consideration of the object of our desires : alas , vvhat poore stuffe is this vvherewith vve are transported ? what is the most preciovs metall of either colour , but thick clay , as the maker himself calls it ? what is the largest territory but an insensible spot of contemptible earth ? what are the greatest commands , but a glorious servitude ? what the highest offices , but golden fetters ? vvhat the highest titles , but aire and sound ? and if the fond minds of worldlings can set other glosses on these bewitching contentments , yet , as when a man that hath eaten saffron , breathes upon a painted face , he presently descryes and shames the false complexion ; so when the truly rationall and judicious shall come to spend his thoughts upon the best , and all of these garish and glittering allurements , he shall speedily detect their vanity , and bewray their dissembled unworthinesse . §. xii . the moderation of our passions : and therein first of our sorrow . the moderation of our passions challengeth the next roome ; in the pursuit whereof ( since their variety is great ) it were easie to passe our bounds ; but we shall moderate our discourse , and select some of the most impetuous : as for love and joy , they have so much affinity with pleasure and delight whereof we have already treated , that we shall spare the labour of their further mention . sorrow shall take the first place ; a passion that hath beene guilty of much blood . we have read and heard of some few , that have dyed of joy ; as chilon of sparta , when he imbraced his sonne returning with honour ; and clidemus the athenian , when he was crowned by the players ; these tertullian instances in ; so pope leo the tenth ( if we beleeve iovius ) is said to dye for the joy of taking millaine ; so senas the generall of the turkish gallies , dyed for the joy of the returne of that sonne , whom he had given for lost ; it was with these , as with them , whom we have seene choaked with those cordiall waters , which they have received for the remedy of their qualmes : but our experience tells us of a thousand for one , that have beene kill'd with griefe : not perhaps in a sudden violence ( which kinde of death caesar esteemed more easie ) but in a lingring , and languishing forme of murder ; for a broken spirit dryeth and bones , saith solomon ; and by the sorrow of the heart , the spirit is broken . this is our childs part which was beset us in paradise before we were : by the mothers side , in sorrow shalt thou bring forth ; by the fathers , in sorrow shalt thou eat of it , all the dayes of thy life : sorrow in birth , sorrow in life , and in death sorrow . the shadow doth not more inseparably follow the body , then this doth our existence ; so as he that meant to say thrice miserable , mistooke not much , when he said , thrice man. if we look upon those who have had the greatest share in gods love , we shall finde them to have drunk deepest of this cup. the great mirrour of patience can say , my bowels boyled and rested not ; the dayes of affliction prevented me . i went mourning without the sun ; i am a brother to dragons , and a companion to owles . and the sweet singer of israel warbles out sad straines of complaint , in this kinde ; the sorrowes of death compassed me about , and the paines of hell gat hold on me ; and againe , my soule melts for very heavinesse . esay cryes out of his loynes ; ieremy of his bowells ; and good ezekiah chatters like a crane or swallow , and mournes like a dove . what speak i of these , when i hear the lord of life and glory say , my soule is exceeding heavy , even to the death . now this sorrow is ever out of the sense of some evill : evill , whether of sin , or of punishment ; of sinne , whether of others , or our owne . punishment , as bodily sicknesse , death of friends , worldly losses ; all these are just grounds of sorrow . rivers of waters run downe mine eyes , because they keep not thy law , saith holy david . and doe we not think he sorrowed more for his owne sinnes ? there is no rest in my bones , saith he , because of my sinne , and all the night long i make my bed to swim ; i water my couch with my teares . punishment doth not more necessarily follow upon sinne , then sorrow followes punishment ; davids eye is consumed because of his griefe . ezekiah turnes him to the wall and weeps ; and whiles st. paul chargeth not to mourn immoderatly for the dead , he supposeth just teares due : garments were allowed to be torne by gods people at the death of friends ; and at the parents death , after thirty dayes wearing , it was their guise to lay downe those rent garments , never to be sowne up againe ; wee pitty and grieve at the childishnesse of those innocent babes , that can play at wink and hide about their fathers hearse : and for afflictions , whether of body or estate , how are they such , if we feele them not ? and how doe we feele them , if we sorrow not ? the sense of paine argues life , as st. ambrose well . it is ill taken by the almighty from his people that he had striken them but they grieved not ; this is ( what lyes in us ) to disappoint god of his purpose ; and to put our selves into the posture of solomons drunkard ; they have striken me ( doth he say ) and i was not sick , they have beaten me , and i felt it not ; we are wont to censure that child for stubborne and gracelesse , that sheds no teares when he is whipped : it cannot be well with us , if vve sorrow not ; blessed are they that mourne . but there are certaine just conditions and cautions of our griefe , vvhich vve cannot exceed or neglect , vvithout offence both to god , and to our selves . whereof the first shall be , that the cause of our sorrow be just : not fancied , not insufficient ; for vve have knowne some that have brew'd their owne griefe , vvho vvith simeon stylites have voluntarily chained up themselves in their owne pillar , vvhen they might have enjoyed free scope of comfortable liberty . how many melancholique peeces have vvith meere imaginations made their lives miserable , and vvorne out their dayes in the bitternesse of their soule ; only out of those conceits vvhich the by-standers have hooted at , as either impossible , or ridiculous ? one thinkes himselfe loathsomly deformed , another disgraced and infamous ; a third dying or dead : one thinks himselfe transmuted into some beast : another possessed by some ill spirit . what forme cannot this humour put on ? i leave these kind of complainants to good counsell and ellebore . others there are , who have indeed reall crosses , but farre below their sorrow , passionately lamenting even small afflictions : so we have seene a child , when he hath taken a heedlesse and harmlesse fall , bewray his griefe with loud crying , and in a foolish anguish knocking his head against that ground , which he accuseth for his miscarriage : thus we finde certain armenians , styled of old by the name of chazinzarii , who kept a yearely fast , called arzibur , in the sad memory of the dogge of sergius , their martyr , ( of that name ) devoured by a wolfe ; which attendant of his , was wont to goe before his master , and by some dumb signes , call forth the disciples to their devotions : it was an affliction to rachel that she had no children , but she had no reason so to be affected with it , as to say , give me children , or else i dye : ionah had cause to be sorry for the losse of his gourd , but he had no reason to say , it is better for me to dye then to live : these dispositions are like unto a new cart , which screaks , and cryes , even whiles it hath no burden but his owne wheeles , whereas that which is long used , and well liquored , goes silently away with an heavy load . our second caution therefore must be , that even our just sorrow be moderate ; for the quantity , not more then enough . it was a rule of the lycians ( as st. ambrose tells us ) if a man would mourn above his stint , to put him into a womans habit ; we may mourne for the dead , but not as men without hope : david mournes , at least enough , for his sick childe , but when hee perceives it once dead , he riseth up , and washeth , anointeth and refresheth himselfe , and changeth his apparell , and comes into the lords house to worship . hath good melaina lost her husband , and her children at once ? her teares are just , but she dries them up at last with this resolution , that she shall now the more freely betake her selfe to her devotion . have we lost our worldly goods ? they had not beene goods , if they vvere not vvorth our griefe for their miscarriage ; if , as our riches have wings , they be flowne up to heaven , ( being taken away by the same hand that gave them ) it is good reason our sorrow should give way to our submission and obedience : and we should say vvith iob , the lord hath given , and the lord hath taken , blessed bee the name of the lord. as then on the one side we may not so obdure our selves , as to be like the spartan boyes , vvhich would not so much as change a countenance at their beating ; so on the other side , vve may not be like to those anticks of stone , vvhich vve see carved out under the end of great beams in vast buildings , vvhich seeme to make vvry and vvrencht faces , as if they vvere hard put to it , vvith the vveight , vvhen as indeed they beare little or nothing . our third caution is , that the measure of this sorrow be proportioned , vvhether it be more or lesse , according to the cause of the sorrow ; for it may be so moderate , as to be unproportionable . griefe for crosses should be small , and impassionate ; griefe for sin can hardly be too much : and as those crosses , and those sins differ in degree , so should the degrees of our sorrow ; he therefore that grieves more for a crosse , then for his sinne ; or grieves equally for a small crosse and a greater , offends in the undue proportion of his sorrow : shortly then , there is a worldly sorrow , and there is a spirituall ; both which must know their just limits ; right reason and true philosophy teaches the one , the other divinity . i have lost my goods ; were they mine first ? perhaps i was but their keeper , or bearer , not their owner ; i see the groom that keeps the horse is not much troubled to flea him ; what doth he lose but his labour in tending him ? what was the mule in plutarch , after his lying down in the water , troubled with the melting of that burden of salt , which he carryed ? or what paines is it to the silly asse , that the treasure which he bore is taken off , and laid up in his masters chest ? i see many sweating in the mint upon severall imployments , they have money enough under their hands , what are they the richer ? or doe they greeve to see it carryed away in full sacks from their fingering ? my goods are lost ; were they not only lent me for a time , till they should be called for ? were they not delivered into my hands , only to be paid back upon account ? if the owner require them at his day , what harme is done ? so that my reckoning bee eaven , how can i complaine to be eased of a charge ? i have lost my goods by shipwrack ; it is well that my selfe have escaped ; how have i heard and read of philosophers , who have voluntarily cast their gold into the sea ; the windes have done that for me , which their hands did for themselves ? perhaps that very wealth had beene my undoing , which at least , can doe no harme where it is ; why did i trust such friends as winde and water , if i did not looke to be disappointed ? i have lost my goods by casualty of fire ; even that casualty was not without a providence : he that sent that fire , meant to try me by it ; he had not sent it , but that he knew there was drosse of worldlinesse and corruption to be thus purged out of me : it is a worse flame that i have deserved ; and if by this lesser and momentany fire , the mercy of god hath meant to prevent that greater , and everlasting , i have reason ( as the martyrs were wont ) to embrace the flame . i have lost my goods by robbery , cosenage , oppression ; i would be loth to be in his case that hath thus found them : let him mourn that hath thus purchased a curse : for me , i have but forceably transferred my charge , where it will be wofully audited for . it is all one to me whether it be fire , or water , or fraud , or violence that hath robbed me ; there is one and the same hand of god in all these events : let me kisse that hand which strikes me with these varieties of rods , and i shall say , it is good for me that i was afflicted . my friend , my wife , my child is dead ; say rather they are departed : i can scarce allow it to be a death , where they decease well : prosectio est , quam tu putas mortem , as tertullian of old . it is a meere departure of those partners which must once meet , and from those friends which must soone follow and overtake us . sorrow is so proper for a funerall that the jews were wont to hire mourners , rather then they would want them : even our blessed saviour bestowed teares upon the exequies of him , whom he meant presently to raise : it is not for us to be too niggardly of this warme dew ; but those teares which are shed at the decease of good soules , should be like those drops of raine which fall in a sun-shine , mixed with rayes of comfort . let them put no stint to their sorrow who think there is no rest , no happinesse after death : but for us , who know death to be only the end of our life , not of our being ; yea rather the change of a better life for worse ; we have reason to dry up our teares , and in some sort to imitate the patterne of those nations , which were wont to mourne at the birth of their children , and rejoyce and feast at their death : a practise , which in part was taken up by the jewes themselves , who with their mourners mixed also musitians in their funerall banquets , and countenanced by great and wise solomon , the day of death is better then ones birth day . shortly then , i have parted with a good child , but to a better father , to a more glorious patrimony : whether now is the childs gaine , or the fathers losse greater ? and what can it be but selfe-love that makes me more sensible of my owne losse , then my childes glory ? it is my weaknesse therefore , if i doe not either swallow , or stifle my sorrow . i have lost my health and am seized with sicknesse and paine : this , this , next to death is the king of sorrowes ; all earthly crosses vaile to it , and confesse themselves trifles in comparison : what ease can i now find in good vvords more then callicon found to his head in that chaffe , vvherewith he stuffed his earthen pitcher , vvhich he made his pillow ? vvhiles the thorne is ranckling in my foot , vvhat ease can i finde in a poultesse ? know , o weak man , there is that in a christian heart vvhich is a more then sufficient cordiall against sicknesse , paines , death , and that can triumph over the vvorst extremities . this is the victory , vvhich overcomes a vvorld ( of miseries ) even our faith . not so only ( saith the chosen vessell ) but we glory or rejoyce in tribulations : for , lo , our faith is it vvhich puts true constructions upon our paines . health it self vvould not be vvelcome to us , if we did not know it good ; and if vve could be perswaded that sicknesse were good , or better for us , vvhy should not that be equally vvelcome ? it vvas a good speech of that hermite , vvho vvhen he heard a man praying vehemently for the removall of his disease , said , ( fili , rem tibi necessariam abjicere audes ? ) alas , sonne , you goe about to be rid of a necessary commodity . the christian heart knowes it is in the hands of him who could as easily avert evill , as send it ; and whose love is no lesse , then his power ; and therefore resolves , he could not suffer , if not for the better . the parent is indulgent to his child , were his love well improved ; if he would not suffer his son to be let blood in a plurifie , whiles the physitian knowes he dyes if he bleed not ? an ignorant pesant hath digg'd up a lump of pretious ore , doe we not smile at him , if he be unwilling the finer should put it into the fire ? the presse is prepared for the grapes and olives , and ( as austin well ) neither of them will yeeld their comfortable and wholsome juyce without an hard strayning ; would not that fond manichee make himselfe ridiculous , that should sorbid to gather , much more to wring them ? shortly then , am i visited with sicknesse ? it is not for me ( like a man that is overloaded with too heavy a burden ) to make ill faces ; but to stir up my christian resolution , and to possesse my soule in patience , as well knowing that the vessell that would be fit for gods cup-board , must be hammered with many stroakes ; the corne for gods table must passe under the sickle , the flayle , the mill ; the spices for gods perfume must be bruised and beaten . in ●umme ; worldly crosses cannot affect us with too deepe sorrow , if we have the grace and leasure to turne them round , and view them on all sides ; for if we finde their face sowre , and grisly , their back is comely and beautifull : no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous , but grievous ; neverthelesse , afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby : wherefore lift up the hands which hang downe , and the feeble knees . §. xiii . of spirituall sorrow and the moderation thereof . not so rise , but more painfull is the spirituall sorrow , vvhether for the sense of sinnes , or the vvant of grace . this is that which the apostle styles ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a godly sorrow , vvorking repentance to salvation , not to be repented of : the tears vvhereof , the almighty puts up in his bottle , and keeps them for most pretious , it is seldome vvhen this griefe exceeds ; too many are so afraid of enough , that they are vvilling to learne of their confessors , that a meere velleity of sorrow is sufficient to true repentance : but give me not an attrition , but a contrition of heart ; give me a drouping head , red eyes , blubbered cheeks , a macerated body met vvith a pensive soule , give me sackcloth and ashes , fastings , watchings , prostrations , ejulations , vvhen i have offended my god ; and let me bee let loose to my free sorrow : let me be in bitternesse ( as zechariah expresses it ) as one that is in bitternesse for his only sonne . not , but that it is possible to drink too deep of this bitter cup : we have known those , who have pined themselves away , in a continuall heavinesse , refusing all possible meanes of comfort , out of a sense of their sinnes , vvhose vvhole life hath beene like a gloomy winters day , all over-cast vvith clouds , vvithout the least glimpse of a sun shine ; vve have seene them that have thus lived and dyed disconsolate , raving , despairing : experience makes this so true , that we may well conclude , that even the best spirituall sorrow must be moderated , the worst shunned ; every sorrow for sinne is not good : there is a sorrow that lookes at the punishment through the sinne , not regarding the offence ; but the smart of evill ; this would not care for the frowne of god , if he vvould not strike , as that vvhich indeed feares not god ; but hell ; as that vvhich apprehends only lashes and torm●nts : this is incident even to divells , and damned soules ; all vvhich cannot but naturally abhorre paine and torture : what malefactor vvas ever in the vvorld , that vvas not troubled to thinke of his execution ? there is a sorrow that lookes not at the punishment , but the sinne , regarding , not so much the deserved smart , as the offence ; that is more troubled with a fathers frowne , then with the whip in a strangers hand ; with the desertions of god , then with the feare of an hell : under this sorrow , and sometimes perhaps under the mixture of both , doth god suffer his dearest ones to dwell for a time , numbring all their teares , and sighes , recording all their knocks on their breasts , and stroakes on their thighes , and shakings of their heads , and taking pleasure to view their profitable , and at last happy self-conflicts . it is said of anthony the holy hermite , that having beene once in his desart , beaten and buffeted by divells , he cryed out to his saviour ( o bone iesu ubi eras ? ) o good iesus where wert thou , whil●s i was thus handled ? and received answer , iuxta te , sed expectavi certamen tuum : i was by thee , but stayed to see how thou wouldest behave thy selfe in the combat . surely , so doth our good god to all his : he passeth a ( videndo vidi ) upon all their sorrowes , and will at last give an happy issue with the temptation ; in the meane time it cannot but concerne us , to temper this mixed sorrow of ours with a meet moderation : heare this then thou drouping soul , thou are dismayed with the haynousnesse of thy sinnes , and the sense of gods anger for them ; dost thou know with whom thou hast to doe ? hast thou heard him proclaim his own style ? the lord , the lord , mercifull and gratious , long suffering , and abundant in goodnesse and truth , keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquities and transgressions , and sinnes ; and canst thou distrust that infinite goodnesse ? lo , if there were no mercy in heaven , thou couldst not be otherwise affected ; looke up and see that glorious light that shines about thee ; with the lord there is mercy , and with him is plentious redemption . and is there plentious redemption for all , and none for thee ? because thou hast wronged god in his justice , wilt thou more wrong him in his mercy ? and because thou hast wronged him in both , wilt thou wrong thy selfe in him ? know , o thou weak man , in what hands thou art . he that said , thy mercy o lord is in the heavens , and thy faithfulnesse reacheth unto the clouds ; said also , thy mercy is great above the heavens , and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds . it is a sure comfort to thee , that he cannot faile in his faithfulnesse and truth ; thou art upon earth , and these reach above thee , to the clouds , but if thy sinnes could be so great and high , as to over-look the clouds , yet his mercy is beyond them , for it reacheth unto heaven ; and if they could in an hellish presumption reach so high as heaven , yet his mercy is great above the heavens ; higher then this they cannot . if now thy hainous sinnes could sink thee to the bottome of hell , yet that mercy which is above the heavens , can fetch thee up againe : thou art a grievous sinner ; we know one that said he was the chiefe of sinners , who is now one of the prime saints in heaven : looke upon those whom thou must confesse worse then thy selfe : cast back thine eyes but upon manasseh , the lewd son of an holy parent ; see him rearing up altars to baal , worshipping all the host of heaven , building altars for his new gods , in the very courts of the house of the lord ▪ causing his sonnes to passe through the fire , trading with witches , and wicked spirits , seducing gods people to more then amoritish wickednesse , filling the streets of jerusalem with innocent bloud : say if thy sinne can be thus crimson ; yet , behold this man a no lesse famous example of mercy then wickednesse : and what ? is the hand of god shortned that he cannot now save ? or , hath the lord cast off for ever ? and will he be favourable no more ? is his mercy cleane gone for ever ? hath god forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies ? o man , say justly , on : this is mine infirmity ; thine infirmity sure enough ; and take heed , if thou persist to distrust , that it be not worse : these misprisons of god are dangerous ; the honour of his mercy is justly deare to him ; no marvell if he cannot indure it to be questioned ; when the temptation is blowne over , heare what the same tongue sayes , the lord is mercifull and gratious , slow to anger , and plentious in mercy . he will not alway chide , neither will he keep his anger for ever : he hath not dealt with us after our sinnes , nor rewarded us after our iniquities : for as the heaven is high above the earth , so great is his mercy towards them that feare him . oh then , lay hold on the large , and illimited mercy of thy god , and thou art safe : what cares the debtor for the length of a bill that is crossed ? what cares the condemned person for the sentence of death , whiles hee hath his pardon sealed in his bosome ? thou art an hainous sinner : wherefore came thy saviour ? wherefore suffered he ? if thy sinne remaine , wherefore serves his bloud ? if thy debt bee still called for , wherefore was thine obligation cancelled ? if thou be still captive to sin and death , wherefore was that deare ransome paid ? why did he stretch forth his blessed hands upon the crosse , but to receive thee ? why did he bow downe his head but to invite thee ? why vvas his precious side opened , but that he might take thee into his heart ? thou despisest him , if thou trustest him not ; iudas and thou shall sin more in despairing , then in betraying him . oh then , gather heart to thy selfe , from the merits , from the mercies of thine all-sufficient redeemer , against all thy sinfulnesse : for , who is it that shall be once thy judge ? before what tribunall shalt thou appeare , to receive thy sentence ? is it not thy saviour that sits there ? he that dyed for thee , that he might rescue thee from death ; shall he , can he doome thee to that death from which he came to save thee ? comfort thy self then with these words , and if thou wouldst keep thy soule in an equall temper , as thou hast two eyes , fixe the one of them upon gods justice to keep thee low and humble , and to quit thee from presumption : fixe the other upon his transcendent mercy , to keepe thee from the depth of sorrow and desperation . §. xiv . of the moderation of the passion of feare . sorrow is for present and felt evils ; feare is onely of evils future : a passion so afflictive , that even the expectation of a doubtful mischief that may come , is more grievous to us sometimes , then the sense of that mischiefe , when it is come . that which torquemade reports of a spanish lord in his knowledge , i could second with examples at home , of some , who have been thought otherwise valiant , yet , if they had been but locked up in a chamber , would either break the doores , or offer to leap out of the windows ; yet not knowing of any danger imminent : and if in an imaginary , or possible evill , feare have these effects , what shall we expect from it in those which are reall and certaine ? it is marvellous , and scarce credible , which both histories and eyes can witnesse in this kinde ; iames osorius , a young gentleman of spaine , born of a noble family , one of the courtiers of charles the fift , being upon occasion of a wicked designe of lust to an honourable lady , emprisoned , with an intent of his execution the next day , was suddenly so changed with the feare of the arrest of death , that in the morning when he was brought forth , none of the beholders knew him ; his haire was turned so white , as if he had been fourescore years old : upon sight whereof , the emperour pardoned him , as having been enough punished with the fear of that which he should have suffered . levinus lemnius a late philosopher ( in whom my younger age took much delight ) recounts the story , and discourses probably upon the naturall reasons of this alteration . the like report is made by iulius scaliger , of a kinsman of franciscus gonzaga , in his time imprisoned upon suspition of treason , who with the feare of torture and death , was in one nights space thus changed . and coelius rodiginus tells us of a falconer , who climbing up to a rocky hill for an hawks nest , was with the breaking of a rope ( wherewith he was raised ) so affrighted , that instantly his haire turned . what need we more instances ? my selfe have seene one , to whom the same accident was said to have befalne , though now the colour were ( upon the fall of that weak fleece ) altered . what speak we of this ? death it self hath followed sometimes , upon this very fear of death ; so as some have dyed lest they should dye . montague gives us an instance of a gentleman , at the siege of s. paul , who fell downe stark dead , in the breach , without any touch of stroke , save what his owne heart gave him : yea , how have we knowne some , that have dyed out of the feare of that , whereof they might have dyed ; and yet have escaped ? a passenger rideth by night over the narrow plank of an high and broken bridge , and in the morning dyes to see the horror of that fall hee might have had . there is no evill whether true or fancyed , but may be the subject of feare : there may be a pisander so timorous , that he is afraid to see his own breath : and our florilegus tels us of a lewes king of france , so afraid of the sea , that he said it was more then an humane matter to crosse the water ; and durst not passe betwixt dover and vvhitsands , till he had implored the aid of st. thomas of canterbury : but all these feares have a relation to that utmost of all terribles ; and if other evils , as displeasure , shame , paine , danger , sicknesse , be the usuall subjects of feare also , yet death is the king of feare : i am of the mind of lucretius therefore , although to a better purpose , that if a man would see better dayes , he must free his heart from that slavish fear of death , wherewith it is commonly molested . in what a miserable servitude are those men , whereof erasmus speaketh to his grunnius , who so abhorre the thought of death , that they cannot abide the smell of frankincense , because it is wont to bee used at funeralls ? they who are ready to swound at the sight of a coffin ; and ( if they could otherwise choose ) could be content not to lie in a sheet , because it recalls the thought of that , wherein they shall be once wrapped ? it concerns a wise man to obdure himself against these weak feares , and to resolve to meet death boldly , in the teeth : nothing is more remarkable in all the passages of our blessed saviour , then that which s. luke records of him , that when he was to go up ( his last ) to jerusalem , where he must die , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) he stedfastly set his face to that fatall journey : the word implyes a resolution of courage against some evill to be conflicted with . maldonate would have the metaphor fetcht from the custome of bulls , who when they must fight , are wont to fetch up a kind of sprightly terrour into their countenance ; at least , it imports a firme purpose of an undaunted spirit to grapple with some fore-expected evill : thus must wee learne to doe against our last enemie . tell me then , thou weak man , thou fearest death : will it not come if thou feare it not ? will it come the later for thy feare ? is not thy life thus made miserable before it come ? is not this the condition , upon which thou receivedst life , to part with it when it should be called for ? art thou discontent at thy being ? dost thou murmur that thou art a man , because therein thou art mortall ? doth any thing befall thee different from the best , and all of thy kind ? look back upon all that have been before thee , where are those innumerable numbers of men which peopled the earth but in the last century of yeares ? see whether the great monarches of the world speed any otherwise : & couldst thou expect lesse , upon the many and sensible warnings of thy mortality ? what language have thy sicknesses , and decayes of nature spoken to thee , but this ( of a true harbingers ) death is comming ? and how well shouldst thou be pleased with his approach ? say that thou were sentenced to live some hundreds of yeares , with thine infirmities to boot , what a burden wouldst thou be to thy selfe ? how more discontented wouldst thou be that thou mightst not die ? why art thou not as well displeased that thou must be old ? and when wouldst thou part that thou mightst avoid it ? thou fearest death ; how many heathens have undergone it with courage ? shall i see a bold roman spurring his horse , to leap down into a dreadfull gulfe , for the benefit of those from whom he cannot receive thanks ? shall i see a cleombrotus , casting himselfe resolutely from the rock , to enjoy that separate life of the soule which plato discoursed of ? shall i heare a canius ( of whom seneca speaks ) jeering his tyran , and his death together , and more regarding the victory of his game , then the losse of his life ? shall i hear of some indian wives , that affect and glory to cast themselves into the fire with the carcasses of their dead husbands ? shall i see turks filling up ditches with their wilfully-slaughtered bodies , for the fruition of their brutish paradise ; and shall i bee cowardly , where pagans are valiant ? yea , how many have i known that have eagely sought for death and cannot finde it ? how many , who upon frivolous occasions by self-dispatches have cast away that life , which they could not otherwise be rid of ? what conceit soever i have of the price of life , their undervaluation of it hath beene such , that they have parted with it for nothing ; they have run to meet that death , which i flie from , as formidable and ugly ? thou fearest death : look upon the examples of those holy men , who have tendered themselves to the painfullest martyrdome ; see ignatius resolving to challenge the lions ; see the tender virgins , daring the worst cruelty of tyrants , and embracing death in his worst formes ; see silly mothers , in an ambition of a crowne of life , running with their children in their armes , to overtake death ; see those resolute saints that might have been loosed from their wheels , and racks , with proffers of life and honour , and scorned the exchange ? doe i professe their faith , doe i looke for their glory , and shall i partake nothing of their courage ? thou art afraid of death : what a slaughter dost thou make every houre of all other creatures ? what meale passeth thee , wherein some of them doe not bleed for thee ? yea , not for need , not for use , but for sport , for pleasure , dost thou kill them dayly , without pitty , without scruple : alas , we made them not , they are our fellowes ; he that made us , made them too : how much are we lesse to god , then they are to us ? doe we see so many thousands of them then dye for us , and shall we think much to returne our life to our creator ? thou art afraid of death : thou mistakest him ; thou thinkest him an enemy , he is a friend ; if his visage be sowre , and hard , he is no other then the grim porter of pararadise , which shall let thee into glory : like unto peters good angell , he may smite thee on the side , but he shall lead thee out of thy prison , through the iron gates into the city of god. were there an absolute perition in our dissolution , we could not feare it too much ; now that it doth but part us a while for our advantage , what doe we feare but our gaine ? the stalk and eare arises from the graine , but it must rot first : oh our foolishnesse , if we be unwilling that one grain should putrifie for the increase of an hundred ! thou art afraid of death : hast thou well considered from how many evills it acquites thee ? all the tumults of state , all the bloudy cruelties of warre , all the vexations of unquiet neighbours , all secret discontentments of minde , all the tormenting paines of body are hereby eased at once ; thou shalt no more complaine of ; racking convulsions , of thy wringing collicks , of the dreadfull quarry that is within thy reynes , and bladder , of thy belking goutes , of thy scalding feavers , of thy galling ulcers , of the threats of thine imposthumes , the stoppings of thy strangury , the giddinesse of thy vertigo , or any other of those killing diseases , wherewith thy life was wont to be infested : here is a full supersedea● for them all ; what reason hast thou to be affraid of ease ? lastly , thou fearest death ; is it not that thy saviour underwent for thee ? did thy blessed redeemer drink of this cup , and art thou no willing to pledge him ? his was a bitter one in respect of thine ; for it was besides , spieed with the wrath of his father due to our sinnes ; yet he drank it up to the very dregges for thee , and wilt thou shrink at an ordinary drought from his hand ? and why did he yeeld to death , but to overcome him ? why was death suffered to seize upon that lord of life , but that by dying he might pull out the sting of death ? the sting of death is sinne ; so then , death hath lost his sting , now thou mayest carry it in thy bosome ; it may coole thee , it cannot hurt thee . temper then thy feare with these thoughts ; and that thou mayest not be too much troubled with the sight of death , acquaint thy selfe with him before-hand ; present him to thy thoughts , entertaine him in thy holy and resolute discourses : it was good counsell that bernard gave to his novice , that he should put himselfe ( for his meditations ) into the place where the dead body● were wont to be wash● , and to settle himselfe upon the beare , whereon they were wont to be carryed forth : so feeling and frequent remembrances could not but make death familiar ; and who can startle at the sight of a familiar acquaintance ? at a stranger we doe ; especially if he come upon us on a sudden ; but if hee bee a dayly and entire guest , he is at all houres welcome , without our dismay , or trouble . §. xv. of the moderation of the passion of anger . of all the passions that are incident to a man , there is none so impetuous , or that produceth so terrible effects , as anger ; for besides that intrinsecall mischiefe , which it works upon a mans owne heart , ( in regard whereof hugo said well , pride robs me of god , envy of my neighbour , anger of my selfe ) what bloudy tragedies doth this passion act every day in the world , making the whole earth nothing but either an amphitheater for fights , or a shambles for slaughter ? so much the more need is there , of an effectuall moderation of so turbulent an affection : our schoole hath wont to distinguish it ; there is a zealous anger , and there is a vicious : the great doctor of the gentiles , when hee sayes , be angry , and sin not , showes there may be a sin-lesse anger ; he that knew no sinne was not free from this passion , when he whipped the money-changers ( twice ) out of the temple : surely , if we be not thus angry , we shall sinne . if a man can be so coole , as without any inward commotion to suffer gods honour to be trod in the dust , he shall finde god justly angry with him for his want of anger . i know not whether it vvere a praise that was given to theodosius , that never any man saw him angry ; so as it may fall , an immunity from anger can bee no other then a dull stupidity : moses was a meek man , as any upon earth ; yet , vvas he not angry vvhen he smote the egyptian ? vvas he not angry , vvhen upon the sight of israels idolatry , hee threw downe and brake the tables of god , vvhich he had in his hand ? there is so little need of quenching this holy fire , that there is more need of a bellowes to blow it up , that it might flame up to that perfect height , of the psalmist , my zeale hath consumed me , because mine enemies have forgotten thy words : oh the truly heavenly fire that burnt in that sacred bosome ! he doth not say , my zeale hath warmed me , but hath consumed me ; as if it were his highest perfection to be thus sacrificed and burnt to ashes ; neither doth he say , because my friends have forgotten thy words , but , because my enemies : every man can be troubled with a friends miscarriage , but to be so deeply affected for an enemy , must needs be transcendently gracious . it is the vicious anger we must oppose in our selves : in it selfe that passion is neither good nor evill : it is either , as it is used : like as we are wont to say of the planet mercury , that the influences are either good or evill , according to his conjunction with starres of either operation ; our anger then proves vicious , when it offends , either in the cause , or the quantity ; when the cause is unjust , or the quantity excessive : the cause is unjust , when we are angry with a man for a thing that is good , for an indifferent thing , for a thing that is triviall : kain is angry , because his brothers sacrifice is accepted ; pharaoh was angry with israel , because they vvould be devout , and goe serve god in the wildernesse : vvhen the man of god reproves ieroboam and his altar , he in a rage stretches forth his hand for a revenge ; iehoiakim when he heares some lines of ieremia●s scroll , cuts it vvith a pen-knife and casts it into the fire in a fury ; and ahab professes to hate michaiah because he never prophesied good to him ; whiles he should have hated himselfe , that would not deserve any newes but evill : so that tyran cambyses , because praxaspes reproved him for his drunkennesse , shoots his son to the heart , and sayes , see what a steddy hand i have when i am drunk ! this we feele every day ; let a man never so discreetly reprove a swearer , or drunkard , or uncleane person , or any other enormious sinner , hee straight flyes out into a raging anger , and verifies the old word , veritas odium : am i become your enemy , because i told you the truth ? saith s. paul to the galathians : it may be possible ( which wise solomon observes ) that he who rebukes a man , afterwards , may finde more favour , then he that flattereth : but in the meane time whiles the blood is up , that anger which a man should turne inward upon himselfe for his sin , he spends outwardly upon his reprover : to be angry for good , is devilish ; to be angry for that which is neither good nor evill , or that which is sleight and frivolous , is idle and absurd : for whereas anger is a kindling of the blood about the heart , how unfit is it that it should be set on fire with every straw ? and wherefore serves our reason , if not to discern of those objects , wherewith it is , or is not , meet for us to be affected ? thus the jewish doctors tell us , that pharaoh was angry with his baker and butler , for no other cause , but for that there was a fly in his cup , and a little grain of gravell in his bread : it is our saviours word upon the mount , he that is angry with his brother without a cause , shall be in danger of the iudgement : the well governed heart must be like a strong oake , which is not moved but with a blustering winde ; not like an aspen leafe , that shakes with the least stirring of the ayre . now , even where the cause is just , yet the quantity may offend : and the quantity shall offend , if it be either too long , or too vehement . those leaden angers can never be but sinfull , which lye heavy , and goe slowly away . what shall be done to thee , thou false tongue ? saith the psalmist : even sharp arrowes of the mighty , with codes of iuniper : and why of juniper ? s. ierome tells us , that of all wood , that keeps fire the longest ; in so much that the coales raked up in ashes , will ( as he saith ) hold fire for a whole yeare : those therefore which were formerly turned ( carbones desolatorii ) are now translated justly , coals of iuniper . it must be onely a lying , false , slanderous tongue that is a fit subject for coals of juniper ; even the same that is no lesse fit for the fire of hel : what should these juniper fires doe in christian hearts , against offending brethren ? i find in suidas , certain fishes that are called ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which carry their coler in their heads : such should christians be , not letting it settle in their hearts , but venting it at their tongues . the charge of the apostle is , that we should not let the sun goe down upon our anger ; much lesse may we let it rise againe : nightly anger is like the serene in other countryes , unwholsome , if not deadly ; but to yeare and day our wrath , is more then brutish , and partakes too much of him that is a man-slayer from the beginning . and as our anger may not be too long , so not too intense , & vehement , whiles it lasts : it is not for a christians wrath to be like the dog-star , which when it rises , scorches the earth , and burnes up the fruits ; or like a comet , that still portends war and death : but rather , like unto one of those gliding starres , that we see in a winters night , which , as it is , blazes not long , and hurts nothing , so ends in a coole , and not unwholsome moisture . our anger therefore must be tempered with mercy , and charity , otherwise , it is like to a fire under an empty kettle , which burnes the vessell to no purpose : such wrath is cruell , such anger outragious . now , for the moderation of this dangerous passion , it is not for me to prescribe athenodorus his alphabet , that remedy is so poore , that the very prescription is enough to move anger ; rather let me commend that of bernards , consideration ; and that not so much when wee are once provoked , for that is too late ; and the assaults of this passion are too sudden : but as wise princes are wont in the midst of peace , to provide for warre ; so must we in the calmest state of our mindes , prepare against this inward turbulency . art thou therefore subject to choler ? look upon that passion with sober eyes ; see whether it be any other but a short fit of madnesse : look upon the person of a man thus transported , see his eies red , glaring , sparkling ; his cheekes now pale as ashes , then fiery and swolne up as with a poyson ; his head and hands shaking , his lips quivering , his mouth foaming , his tongue doubling , his feet unconstantly shifting , and the whole man ( which hippocrates notes as the effect of a most desperate disease ) become utterly unlike himselfe : see in another , how well this forme doth become thy selfe ; look upon thy selfe , be sensible of thine owne distemper , thou shalt finde anger justly fetcht from angor , vexation : thou shalt finde it ( it is austins comparison ) like to vinegar , vvhich discolours the vessell it stands in ; thou shalt finde thou canst not take up a coale to throw at another , but thou shalt burne thy owne fingers ; thou shalt finde that , while thou stingest others , thou shalt make a drone of thy selfe ; and that of solomon shall bee verified of thee , anger resteth in the bosome of fooles . look to the effects of it , thou shalt finde it utterly disables thee from good ; the wrath of man do●h not work the righteousnesse of god , as st. iames : thou shalt finde it exposes thee to all mischief ; for he that hath no rule over his owne spirit , is like a city that is broken downe , and without walls , saith solomon . what enemy may not rush into such a city at pleasure ? just such advantage doth thine anger give to thy spirituall enemies ; and therefore st. paul , when he charges us not to suffer the sun to goe downe upon our anger ; addes , give no place to the divell ; as if this continuing passion did open the gates of the heart , for satans entrance and free possession . thou shalt finde this the great make-bate of the world , the beginner of all quarrells ; for as the churning of the milke bringeth forth butter , and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood , so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife , saith wise solomon . wrath then brings forth quarrels , and quarrels bloodshed , manslaughter , murders : what is it that hath so drowned christendome in bloud , but the anger of discordant princes ? what but this is guilty of so many brutish duells , so many bloody massacres ? and where thine anger shall stay when it is once broke loose , it is not in thy power to determine ; i am sure if it staies not the sooner , it ends in a curse . cursed bee their anger for it was fierce , and their wrath for it was cruell . look but upon the the temper of well governed heathens , and be ashamed to heare an archtyas say to his bayly , i had punisht thee if i had not been angry ; or that philosopher say to xenocrates , whip this boy , for i am angry : or to see a greater philosopher then hee , who when he had discoursed against anger , and shewed how unfit the passion is for a wise man ; one of his auditors purposely spit in his face , from whom he received no other answer , but this , i am not angry , but i doubt whether i should not be so : or to see a pisistratus not more troubled with rayling words of an adversary , then if an hood-winkt man had reeled upon him heedlesly in his way : or to heare a socrates professe himselfe no more affected with the scolding of his xantippe , then with the creaking of a cart ▪ wheele ; and when he was uncivilly washed from her chamber , to say only , after such thunder , i lookt for raine : or to heare a cato say , that he could and did pardon all offenders but himselfe : and when lentulus spat in his face , to heare no other language fall from him , then , i will now say those men are deceived , that deny lentulus to have a mouth : or to heare a cleanthes , when one called him asse , to say only , he should be then fit to carry zenoes budget : or to see a crates , when nicodromus struck him with his fist , onely to put a board before his forehead with a jeering inscription . it were easie to weary a reader with instances of this kind : and shall meer pagans that were without god in the world , have such rule over their passions , and shall a christian , who professeth a more divine philosophie , and whose first lesson is to deny himself , & to mortifie all evil and corrupt affections , give the reyns to the wild and unruly eruptions of his rage ? how shall these heathens in profession , justly condemn us professed christians , who are in practice heathenish ? lastly , look but upon the termes wherein thou standest with god ; how grievously dost thou provoke him every day to his face ? one of thy offences against that infinite majesty , is more then thou canst be capable to receive from all thine enemies upon earth : yet , how silently doth he passe over all thy hainous affronts , and bids his sun to shine , and his raine to fall , as well upon thy ground , as the holiest owners ? how graciously doth he still invite thee to repentance ? how sweetly doth he labour to win thee with new mercies ? and dost thou call thy self the son of that father , whom thou wilt not imitate ? dost thou pray daily to him to forgive thee , as thou forgivest others , whiles thou resolvest to forgive none , whom thou canst plague with revenge ? looke upon thy deare redeemer , and heare him , whiles his cruell executioners were racking out his hands and feet , and nailing them to the tree of shame and curse , crying , father forgive them , for they know not what they do ; and canst thou give thy self out for a disciple to this saviour , if for every offence of thy brother , thou break forth into raging imprecations , railing speeches , furious actions ? lay all these seriously to thy heart in the middest of thy greatest tranquillity , and have them ready before thine eyes , for the next onset of thy passion ; and withall , plie thy god with thy prayers , that hee who moulded thy heart at first , would be pleased to temper it aright ; to coole these sinfull inflamations by the power of his grace , that so he may make good in thee that happy word of the psalmist ; surely , the wrath of man shall praise thee ; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restraine . amen . finis . the second booke . of moderation in matter of iudgement . §. i. of the danger of immoderation in matter of iudgement , and of the remedy in generall . as it would be an hard competition betwixt intellectuall errors , and practicall , whether are the more hainous ; so would it be no lesse difficult to determine , whether moderation in matter of judgement , or of practise be more necessary ; and whethers neglect be more dangerous ; for surely , if the want of moderation in practise doe most distract every man in his owne particular , the want of moderation in judgement distracts the whole world from it selfe ; whence it is , that we finde so miserable divisions all the earth over ; but especially , so wofull schismes and breaches in the christian world ; wherein we see one nation is thus d●vided from another , and each one nation no lesse divided from it selfe . for it cannot be , since every man hath a minde of his owne not lesse different from others , then his face , that all should jump in the same opinion ; neither can it stand with that naturall selfe-love , wherewith every one is possessed , easily to forsake the childe of his owne brayne , and to preferre another mans conceit to his owne ; hereupon , therefore , it comes to passe , that whiles each man is ingaged to that opinion , which either his owne election , or his education hath feoffed him in , new quarrels arise , and controversies are infinitly multiplyed ; to the great prejudice of gods truth , and to the lamentable violation of the common peace ; would to god we could as well redresse , as bewayle this misery , wherewith christendome is universally infested ; howsoever it shall not be utterly thankelesse to indeavour it ; the remedy must goe in the same pace with the disease ; whereas therefore there are two things which are guilty of this mischiefe , error in doctrine , and distemper in affection ; the former i must leave to the conviction of those polemicall discourses , which have beene so learnedly written of the severall points of difference , as , i suppose , no humane wit or industry can give any further addition thereto ; onely i shall touch some such generall symptomes , as are commonly incident into these controversies of religion ; my maine drift is to dwell upon the latter ; and to labour the reducing of mens to a wise and christian moderation concerning differences in judgment . §. ii. luke-warmenesse to be avoyded in religion . farre be it from us to allow luke-warmenesse in the matters of god ; a disposition , which the almighty professeth so much to hate , that he could rather be content the angell of the church of laodicea should be quite cold , then in such a mambling of profession ; and indeed , what temper is so offensive to the stomach as this meane ? fit onely for a medicinall potion ( whose end is ejection ) not for nourishment ; those , whose devotion is onely fashionable , shall in vayne hope to be accepted ; it is a true word of saint austen , there is no love where there is no zeale ; and what cares god for heartlesse followers , that are led only by example and forme ? such there are , that yawne not out of any inward cause , but because they see others gape before them ; as they say in the abassine churches , if one man neese , all the rest do , and must follow . men like unto mosse , which takes still the property of the barke , it growes upon ; if upon the oke , it cooles and bindes , if upon the pine and firre , it digests and softens ; or like unto the herborists dodder , which is no simple in it selfe , but takes both his name , and temper from the herbe out of which it arises ; if out of time , it is epithimium : if out of the nettle , it is epiurtîca ; that great lawgiver of old would have a punishment for neuters ; and well are they worthy , when the division is maine and essentiall ; such men are meerely for themselves , which have the truth of god in respect of persons ; not caring so much what is professed as by whom ; suidas tels us of musonius , so well reputed of ; that no further question was made of any man , if it appeared he was musonius his friend ; too many affect no other worth in themselves , then a dependance upon others , holding it enough that they are the clients of this famous doctor , of that great saint : such men like as we have heard of some apothecaryes , which onely by taking the vapor of some drugge in the stamping of it , have beene wrought upon , hold it sufficient for them to have received in , the very ayre , and empty titles of disciples , without respect to the grounds , and substance of the doctrine . the rule which the blessed apostle gave for our settlement in some cases is wont by a common misconstruction to be so expressed , as if it gave way to a loose indifferency ; the vulgar reads it , let every one abound in his owne sense , as leaving each man to his owne liberty , in those things of middle nature ; whereas his words , in their originall , run contrary ; let every one be fully perswaded in his owne minde ; requiring a plerophory of assurance , and not allowing an unsettled hesitation in what we doe ; and if thus , in matters of the least importance , how much more in the great affaires of religion ? here it holds well ( which is the charge of the apostle ) it is good to be zealously affected in a good thing alwayes ▪ nothing is more easie to observe , then that , as ●t uses to be with stuffes , that in their first making , they are strongly wrought , afterwards , in processe of time they grow to be slight , both in matter and work , so it falls out in religious professions ; in the first breaking out of a reformation , there appeares much heate and forwardnes , which in time abates , and cooleth , so as the professor growes to the temper of our baldwin , archbishop of canterbury , whom pope vrban of old , greets in the style of a fervent monkea , warme abbot , a luke warme bishop , a key-cold arch-bishop , or like unto those kites , of whom our writers say , that in their first yeares they dare prey upon greater foules , afterwards they sieze upon lesser birds , and the third yeere fall upon flyes . whence it is that melancthon could fore-guesse , that the time should come wherein men should bee tainted with this errour , that either religion is a matter of nothing , or that the differences in religions are meerely verball ; farre bee it from us thus to degenerate from our holy ancestors , whose zeale made them true holocausts to god , and sent up their soules in the smoake of that their acceptable sacrifice , into heaven , that , those truths which they held worthy bleeding for , wee should sleight as not worth pleading for . wee cannot easily forgive that wrong which our late spalatensis did to our freshbleeding martyrs , whom even before by revolt , hee blamed of lavishnesse , as if they might well have spared that expence of blood ; although wee may well suppose hee redeemed his errour by dying , for the same truthes , for which they fryed alive , as hee dead , wee know what saint basill answered to that great man , who would have perswaded him to let fall his holy quarrell : those saith hee , that are trayned up in the scriptures , will rather dye then abate a syllable of divine truth . it is said of valentinian , that when the rude scythians made ●n incursion into the territories of the romane empire , hee , so ore-strayned his lungs , in calling upon his troupes , that hee presently dyed ; so vehement must wee bee , when any maine thing is in question , neither voyce nor life must bee spared , in the cause of the almighty . the glosse that is put upon the act of innocent , the . in the councell of lyons , who graced the dignity of cardinall-shippe with a redde hatte , is that it was done with an intention ( as martinvs polonvs construes it ) to signify they should bee ready to shed their blood for christ , and his gospell , might well fitte every christian , perhaps somewhat better , then those delicate mates of princes ; whom should wee imitate , but him , whose name wee beare , who fulfilled that of the psalmist his type , the zeale of thine house hath even eaten me up ? §. iii. zeale required in the matters of god ; but to bee tempered with discretion and charity . we must bee zealous , we must not bee furious : it is in matter of religion , as with the tending of a still ; if we put in too much fire , it burnes ; if too little , it workes not ; a middle temper must bee kept , an heat there must bee , but a moderate one ; we may not be in our profession , like a drowzy iudge upon a grecian bench , who is fayne to bite upon beanes , to keepe himselfe from sleeping ; neither may we bee like that grecian player , who acted mad ajax , upon the stage ; but wee must bee soberly fervent , and discreetly active ; s. paules spirit was stirred within him , at athens , to see the idol-altars amongst those learned philosophers ; & it breaks out of his mouth , in a grave reproofe ; i doe not see him put his hand furiously to demolish them , and if a iuventius and maximinian in the heat of zeale , shall rayle on wicked iulian at a feast , hee justly casts their death not upon their religion , but their petulancy : it was a wel-made decree in the councell of eliberis , that if any man did take upon him to breake downe the idols of the heathen , and were slaine in the place , hee should not be reckoned amongst the martyrs . there must be then , two moderators of our zeale ; discretion , and charity , without either , and both of which , it is no other then a wilde distemper ; and , with them , it is no lesse then the very life blood of a christian , or the spirits of that blood ; from the common acts of both these , joyned together , shall result these following maximes , as so many usefull rules of our christian moderation . §. iiii. rules for moderation in iudgement . the first is , that wee must necessarily distinguish betwixt persons that are guilty of errors ; for , as saint austen well , it is one thing to bean heretick , another thing to be misled by an heretick ; and , i may well adde , ( according to our construction ) it is one thing to be an hereticke , another thing to be an haeresiarch : these three degrees there are , even in the most dangerous errors of doctrine . there is a broacher , and deviser of that wicked opinion ; there are abettors and maintainers of it once broached ; there are followers of it so abetted ; and all these , as they are in severall degrees of mischiefe , so they must all undergoe an answerable , whether aggravation , or mitigation of our censure ; those , who by false teachers are betrayed into that error , wherein now , either by breeding , or by misinformation they are settled , are worthy of as much pitty , as dislike . those , who out of stiffenesse of resolution , and stomach of side-taking , shall uphold , and diffuse a knowne error , are worthy of hatred and punishment ; but those , who out of ambition , or other sinister respects , shall invent , and devise pernicious doctrines , and thereby pervert others , for their owne advantages , are worthy of a maranatha ; and the lowest hell ; we doe easily observe it thus , in all reall offences of an high nature ; absalom contrives the conspiracy against his father ; the captaines second , and abet it ; the common-people follow both of them in acting it ; he should be an ill judge of men and actions ; who should but equally condemne the author of the treason , and those , that follow absalom with an honest and simple heart ; neither is it otherwise in the practise of all those princes , who would hold up the reputation of mercy and justice ; whiles the heads of a sedition are hang'd up , the multitude is dismissed with a generall pardon : and , if in all good and commendable things , the first inventor of them is held worthy of a statue , or record , when as the following practisers are forgotten , why should there not be the like difference in evill ? those poore soules therefore , who doe zealously walke in a wrong way , wherein they are set by ill guides , may not be put into the same rank with their wicked mis-leaders : as we have reason to hope god will be mercifull to the well-meant errors of those filly ones , so must we enlarge the bowels of our compassion to their miscarriage ; whiles in the meane time , we may well pray with the psalmist , that god would not be mercifull to those that offend of malicious wickednesse . §. v. the second rule for moderation , secondly , wee must distinguish betweene truthes necessary , and truthes additionall or accessory , truthes essentiall , and accidentall truthes , truthes fundamentall , and truthes superedified ; and in them truthes weighty and important , and truthes slight and meerely scholasticall ; for these are worthy of a farre-different consideration ; those truthes which are of the foundation , and essence of religion are necessarily to be knowne , beleeved , imbraced of all men , and the obstinate opposers of them are worthy of our carefull avoydance , and hardest censure : truthes important ( though not fundamentall ) are worthy of our serious disquisition and knowledge . all other truthes are commendable , and may be of good use in their kinds and places , but so , as that hee who is either ignorant of them , or otherwise minded , concerning them , hath his owne freedome ; and must not , ( so he trouble not the common peace ) forfair our charitable opinion . we see it is thus in the body ; there are some vitall parts ; a wound received in them , is no lesse then mortall , there are other which , though usefull and serviceable , and such as make up the integrity of the body ; yet such as wherein the mayne for t of life doth not consist ; these cannot be hurt without payne , but may be hurt without much perill ; there are yet besides these , certaine appendances to the outward fabrick of the body , which serve both for decency and convenience ; the losse whereof may be with lesse danger , but not with lesse smart then of some limme ; to teare off the hayre , or to beat out a tooth is farre from man-slaughter , yet an act of violence ; and a breach of peace : it is no otherwise in the body of religion ; a limme may be maymed , or a joynt displaced , yet the heart whole , some appendance may be violated , and yet the body whole ; it is a true word that of columbanus of old , that necessary truthes are but few : not many stones need to make up the foundation of christian faith , twelve will serve ; whereas many quarreis , perhaps may be laid in the superstructure . there are some things ( saith gerson ) which are de necessitate fidei ; whereof wee may not doubt , other things are de pietate , vel devotione fidei , wherein there is more scope of beleefe ; that which he speakes of historicall verities , is no lesse true in doctrinall ; i know no booke so necessary for these times , as that de paucitate credendorum ; nor any one article of our beleefe more needfull , then that we need not beleeve more then the apostles ; other points may be the care of schollers , need not be of christians . it was the observation of wise and learned erasmus , which hath runne oftentimes in my thoughts ; the doctrine of the church , saith he , which at the first was free from quarrels , began to depend upon the aydes , and defences of philosophy ; this was the first degree of the churches declination , to the worse , wealth began to come upon her , and power grew with it ; the authority of emperours , taking upon them to intermeddle in the affaires of religion , did not much helpe to further the sincerity of the faith ; at last , it came to sophisticall contentions ; thousands of new articles brake forth ; from thence it grew to terrors and threats ; and since to blowes ; lo , the miserable degrees of the churches disturbance ; we have almost lost religion and peace in the multiplicity of opinions ; it is worth observing , by what degrees it pleased god to communicate to us men , his will and our duty ; at the first , we heare of no charge given to our first parents , but of refrayning from the tree of knowledge : afterwards , ( as the iewish doctors teach ) there were sixe only precepts imposed on adam , and his seed ; the first , against idolatry , that hee should worship no other gods : the second , of his veneration of the only true god : the third against blood-shed : the fourth against wild and incestuous lusts : the fifth , against stealth : the sixth , concerning due administration of iustice. after these , one yet more was added to noah , and his sonnes of not eating flesh alive , viz. in the blood of it ; yet after this , one more was given to abraham , concerning circumcision ; at last the complete law is given , in ten words , to moses in horeb ; the judicials are for commentaries upon those morall statutes . with these gods people contented themselves ; till traditions began to be obtruded upon them , by presumptuous teachers ; these , our saviour cryes downe , as intolerable , insolent depravations of the law ; the messiah is come : with how few charges doth hee load his people ? that they should beleeve , repent , deny themselves , constantly professe him , search the scriptures ; follow peace , love one another , and communicate in his remembrance . and his apostles with only , go , teach and baptize ; and strive who shall serve best . after his glorious ascension into heaven , the apostles assembled in their councell at hierusalem , lay no other new weight upon the gentile-converts , but to abstaine from pollutions of idols , from fornication , things strangled , and blood ; when the church was well enlarged , and setled , what did the foure generals councels offer to the world , but the condemnation of those foure heresies , which then infested the church ? time and busie heads drew on these varieties of conclusions , and deductions , which have bred this grievous danger , and vexation to gods people ; in so much , as , it is now come to that passe , that as he said of old , it is better to live in a common-wealth where nothing is lawfull , then where every thing ; so , it may no lesse justly be said , that it is safer to live where is no faith professed , then where every thing is made matter of faith ; the remedy must be , that our judgements revert to that first simplicity of the gospell , from which , the busie and quarrelsome spirits of men have drawne us ; and that wee fixe and rest there . §. vi. the third rule of moderation , viz. the avoydance of curiosity . to which end it shall be requisite , thirdly , to avoyd curiosity in the search , or determination of immateriall , and superfluous truthes . i know not whether the minde of man be more unsatiable in the desire of knowledge , or more unweariable in the pursuit of it ; which we are all apt to affect upon severall grounds ; for , as bernard well , some would know that they might be knowne , this is vanity ; others , that they might sell their knowledge , this is basenesse ; some , that they may edifie others , this is charity ; some that they may be edified , this is wisedome ; and some , lastly , would know only that they may know , this is fond curiosity ; a vicious disposition of the soule , which doth not more shew it selfe in the end , then in the object of our knowledge ; for surely , to seek after the knowl●dge of those things , which are necessary or usefull , can be no other then praise-worthy ; there are ( saith saint austen ) two kinds of persons very commendable in religion : the former , those who have found the truth , the latter , those who do studiously inquire for it : it is most true of those truthes which are important , and essentiall ; but to spend our se●ves in the search of those truthes , which are either unrevealed , or unprofitable , it is no other then a labour ill lost ; yet alas , these are they which commonly take up the thoughts of men ; how busily have some disputed whether adam if hee had continued in his inocence , should have sl●pt , or no ; or whether hee would have needed that repose ? others , whether if adam in his innocency had known his wife , after she was conceived of child , he had in this sinned ; or no : others , if he had begotten children in the state of innocence , whether they should immediatly upon their birth , have had the use of their limmes , and members , for their present provision , as other creatures have ? others ; whether in that first estate there should have been more males or females , borne ? others what space there was betwixt the creation of angels and man , and their fall ? thus a peter lombard is devising a distinction betwixt mo●o quodam , and quodam modo ; and a io : maior disputed whether a man may equitare fine equo ; and matreas ( as suidas hath it ) in a poeme that he frames of aristotles doubts ; makes this one , how the sunne should in his setting go downe into the ocean , and not swim . thus an overleasured italian hath made a long discourse ; how a man may walke all day through the streets of rome in the shade : thus , a licentiate of paris takes upon him to defend , that there is something god really , which is not formally god ; another , that there are other priorities and posteriorities in the divine persons , besides those of their origination ; another , that the divine persons are distinguisht per absoluta : another , as our bradwardine and io. maior and vasquez , that god is in vacuo : and , in our dayes , hurtado de mendoza , a spaniard , straines his wit to prove the possibility of an infinity of magnitude ; and what subtile disq●isitions , and long volumes are spent upon a certaine middle knowledge in god , betweene his knowledge of simple intelligence , ( which is of what may be or is fit to be ) and that of vision ( which is his knowledge of what shall be ) betwixt which two some have placed a third , a mid-knowledge of future-conditionate-contingents . and lastly , what a world of worke is on foot , betwixt the scotists on the one side , and the thomists and dominicans on the other , concerning gods foreknowledge of evill ; and concerning the reall existence of future things in eternity , and other the like sut●leties . good lord ! where will the minde of man take up ? how restlesse , how boundlesse , are the brayn●s of curious men ? and especially in this last age ; for , surely , it is a true word of gerson , mundus senescens patitur phantasias ; the world now in his old age is full of fancies ; it is with it , as it is with u● ; the sleepe of the aged must needs be so much fuller of imaginations , as they have lived to see more obj●cts to furnish them ; justly may wee take up that complaint of alvarez pelag●us : he is nobody for knowledge now a dayes that devises not s●me novelty : festus sclandered saint paul , when he said , too much learning had made him mad : certainly , it is no sclaunder to say of too many , that too much learning ( as it is used ) hath made them foolish and wanton in their speculations ; there cannot be a truer sentence then that of the grecians ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) wisdome consists not in the knowledge of many things , but of things profitable ; our fore-fathers , as they came short of us in knowledge , so they went beyond us in piety , and peace ; the iewish doctors say of father abraham , that hee had no master but his owne reynes ; those ( holy david said ) were his teachers also ; and devout bernard tells his friend murdach , with an experto crede , that he shall find more in the woods , then in his bookes ; the trees and stones ( saith he ) shall teach thee that , which thou canst not heare from thy masters , thinkst thou not , thou maist suck hon●e from the rock , and oyle out of the hardest stone ? marvelous is the improvement both of the meanes and measure of knowledge , in these last dayes , in comparison of the former ; of old ( saith erasmus ) there were no schooles of divinity , and augustine was held an invincible logician , for that he had read aristotles categories ; at last , divinity came to the height , if not beyond it ; the sacred scriptures , with the ancient authors , were layd aside , &c. the time was , when synodes were faine to enact , that none should be promoted to ecclesiasticall benefices , but those which could competently read , and sing ; nor to canon-ships in cathedrals but those which could read , sing , and competenly construe ; not to holy ord●rs , but those that could literaliter loqui . the world is w●ll mended with us , since our king alured translated gregories pastorale , out of latin , into saxon ; that it might be understood of the bishops , and priests ; and in his preface to it , writes thus : knowledge was so utterly lost from among the english nation , that there were very few on this side of humber , that could so much , as understand their owne common prayers , in the engl●sh tongue ; or transl●te any writing out of latin in●o english ; surely there were so ●ew , that i do not remember one on the south-part of thames , when ●●●gan to raigne . thus alured : before whose time , w●●●redus king of kent was faine to su●signe his characters , wi●h a cros●e , professing to doe it pro●gror●ntia literarum ; and the 〈…〉 wa● , a ●●shop that is i●●●ran● of his grammar is to b● d●p●●●● . now ( blessed be g●d ) k●●w●●dge abounds every 〈◊〉 ▪ the pr●sse hath help● 〈…〉 it all the world over ; whi●● whiles it was only tran●m●tted by the labour of a single penne , must needs be more sparingly imp●rted ; and as it uses to b● in other cas●s ) plenty hath bred wantonnes , & prodigall expence of w●● ; wherby we are growne to such excesse , ●hat it were happy ( except men had more rule of their 〈…〉 there vvere lesse 〈…〉 the vvorld , and 〈…〉 : vve have reason in this regard to envy the safe and quiet simplicity of our fore-fathers , vvho contented themselves vvith the honest plaine-song of that , vvhereof vve affect to run upon infinit descant ; it is vvell observed by gerson , that it falls out oftentimes , there is more fervour of devotion , where there is lesse naturall knowledge ; whence we finde great praise of sanctity given to some eminent persons , who came short even of ordinary skill : bernard saith of his devout brother gerard , that he had no learning at all ; but that he had a cleare understanding , and an illuminated spirit : and sozomen , when hee speakes of antony the hermite , says , he neither had any skill in learning , neither did greatly esteeme it ; but cared only to have a pure and holy minde , as that which was more ancient , and more worthy then any learning in the world ; and paul the simple , a man famous both for sanctimony , and miracles , had so little knowledge , as that ( which i have stood amazed to read ) hee askt whether the prophets were before christ , and his apostles , or after : the truth is , religion ( as the chancelor of paris well ) is not a schoole of learning , but a discipline of living , and he is much more acceptable to god , that hath so much knowledge as doth inable him to worship and serve that di●ine majesty devoutly , and to live ●olily , then he who with bere●g●t●u● could dispute of omne scibt●e , 〈◊〉 , with salomon , could d●scou●●● of all things from the moss● 〈◊〉 the wall , to the highest cedar ; gregory s●id truly , nothing can be offered to god more rich and precious then a good will : and phocyons law is magnified for a divine one ; let vertue and goodnesse take place , and let all other things passe for trifles . that therefore which was wont to be said of pythagoras , that h●e reduced the speculative philosophy to use , and , that which was said of the cynicks , that without regard of logicke , and naturall philosophy , they were all for morality ; i could be apt to wish in our divine philosophy ; it were happy for the church of god , if laying aside all curious disquisitions of impertinent truthes , wee would apply our selves wholly to the knowledge and maintenance of those only points , which are necessary to salvation ; and to the zealous practise of those things which we assuredly know ; leaving the rest to those schoole-divines , who have both faculty , and leasure to discusse them . §. vii . the fourth rule of moderation ; to rest in those fundamentall truthes which are revealed clearely in the scriptures . now that we be not left upon uncertaineties in this quest of saving truth , it will be requisite for us to know , and resolve , fourthly , that all these fundamentall verities , necessary to salvation , are clearely layd before us , in the sacred monuments of divine scriptures : in them is the full , and easie direction of a christians both beleefe , and practice ; it is the question appointed by our church to be proposed to every candidate of holy orders , whether he beleeve this truth ; and his ingagement thereupon punctually followes ; and if here be enough to make the man of god perfect , much more an ordinary christian ; there are indeed unfadomable depths in that ocean , wherin we shall vainly hope to pitch our anchor ; but all necessary truthes need not much line : in those things which are clearely layd downe in scripture , ( saith saint austen ) are found all those points which containe faith , and rules of living , viz. hope and charity ; and need we care for more then these ? let me beleeve well , & live well , let who list take thought for more : what a madnesse were it to forsake the living waters , and to dig for our selves cisternes that will hold no water ? what a disease in our appetite , when wee have wholesome provision laid before us , to nauseate all good dishes , and to long for mushromes , whereof some are venemous , all unwholesome ? it was the iustice of lacedaemon , that when terpander the musitian added one string more to his harpe then ordinary , banisht him the citty ; the great doctor of the gentiles could say ; if wee or an angell from heaven preach any other gospell to you , let him be accursed ; hee doth not say a contrary gospell , but another ; such as that evangelium aeternum of the friers , such as that symbole of the twelve new articles , in pius his profession ; it had some colour that tannerus the iesuite held in the publique disputation with hunnius ; who stoutly defended it to be a matter of faith that tobye had a dog ; because it rested upon the authority of that , which hee supposed canonicall scripture , the indubitate truth whereof , is the first principle of christianity ; how ever some particular clauses , in themselves considered , may carry no such weight ; but to obtrude a necessity of new and traditionall truthes , besides those which god hath revealed , what is it but to make our selves more wise and carefull then our maker ? wo be to those men , on whose heads lyes so much innocent blood of orthodox christians , which hath beene shed for those causes , which god never owned ; wo be to those anathemaes which are spent upon true-beleeving soules : such as can say in sincerity of heart and clearenesse of judgement with erasmus , either acquit me with the apostle , or condemne the apostle with me . §. viii : the fifth rule of moderation , to be remisse and facile in unimporting verities , both in our opinion and censure . now , as we cannot be too stiffe and zealous for the maintenance of those truths , which are necessary and pure de fide , as gerson stiles them ; so fiftly , it is required to christian moderation , that in all collaterall , and unimportant verities , wee should be remisse , and easie both in our opinion , and censure ; not too peremptorily resolving , not too eagerly pressing , not too sharpely judging : in maine matters it is good to take up that resolution of gregory , commended by gerson , that it is more profitable to indure a scandall ( through breach of peace ) then an abandoning of truth ; and that honour of roterdam , i had rather be torne in peeces by the furious abettors of both sides , then be safe and quiet on the wrong part ; but in points of a baser alloy , saint austens rule is not more wise then modest ; i may thinke one thing , another man may thinke another , i doe neither prescribe to him nor he to me ; learned and wise erasmus observed well ; there are many things which doe no harme , while they are neglected , but when they are once stirred , raise up grievous tragedies in the world ; even in the poorest matters , what broyles are raised by contradiction ? what fearefull blood-sheds hath this iland yeelded , for but the carrying of a crosse ? what stirs have beene in the whole christian church for the difference of an easter day ? what broyles for a few poore harmelesse ceremonies ? as for the sacramentarian quarrels , lord , how bitter have they beene , how frequent , how long , in six severall successions of learned conflicts ? as if wee christians meant to imitate those heathens which dwelt about the marshes of triton , the auses and machlyes , amongst whom the manner was , when they kept their anniversary feast to the honour of minerva , that their virgins divided themselves into troopes , and intertained each other , with stones and clubs ; and if any of them received a deaths-wound , in the fray , shee was straight cry'd downe , as no mayd ; in these cases , the very victory is miserable , and such ( as pirrhus said of his ) as is enough to undoe the conquerer ; as good physitians then , when they desire to recover their patient , labour to make peace amongst the humours , so must wee doe in a sicke church ; and , if we cannot compose them by a discreet moderation ; yet , at least , it will be fit to hold off from a passionate side-taking , it is noted by suidas , that heber was not amongst the builders of babels tower , and therefore his language was not altered ; and it is worth observing , that corahs sonnes perished not in the common destruction of their parents , and kinsfolkes ; for that they fled from the conspirators , to moses ; if we would find favour as storkes , we must not consort with cranes . now that wee may be capable of this peaceable temper we must be free from these two vices , pride and pertinacy ; whereof the one , forestals the heart with an over-weening of our selves , and our opinions ; not induring a contradiction ; the other obdures it against any meanes of reformation ; resolving to hold the conclusion in spight of the premises ; for the first ; only by pride commeth contention , saith wise salomon ; this is it , that makes a man scorne the common tracke ; and lifts him up with the conceite of his owne abilities , and of the validity of his owne grounds ; not without a contemptuous undervaluing of all others ; wee finde it thus in all experience ; for my part , i never met with any ( as worthy master green-ham hath noted before me ) if but a schismaticall spirit , whom i have not sensibly discerned thus tainted ; take but a separist , a blew-aporn'd man , that never knew any better schoole then his shop-bord ; if he doe not thinke himselfe more truly learned , then the deepest doctor , and a better interpreter of scripture , then the greatest divine , i am no lesse mistaken , then he ; hence it is , that they affect a singularity , and keepe aloofe from others , both in practise and opinion ; wherein a proud man is like unto oyle , which will ever swim aloft , and will by no meanes mixe with water ; contrarily , the only disposition that fits the heart for peace , ( indeed all other graces ) is humility : that cloth which the fuller would perfectly whiten , yeelds it selfe to be trampled upon ; they are low pits , wherein the starres may be seen by day ; they are the valleyes , and not the shelving hills that soke in the waters of heaven : the iewish doctors say well , that in a true disciple of abraham , there must be three things ; a good eye , a meeke spirit , an humble soule , the first frees him from envy , the second from impatience , and the third from pride ; these two last will teach him to acknowledge , and admire other mens better faculties , and to abase his owne , to be ready to submit to clearer reason , and irrefragable authority ; and modestly to distrust his owne . it was a word worthily commended in potho a good bishop neare yeares agoe . are we more learned , and more devout then the fathers ? or doe wee presume proudly to determine of those things , which their wisedome thought meet to be praetermitted ? surely , hee that beares this minde cannot easily erre , cannot erre dangerously : ●t is possible i confesse to goe too farre , in our relyance upon others judgements ; i cannot like that of erasmus , who professeth to his bilibadus , that hee ascribed so much to the authority of the church , that if she had thought meet to have allowed the opinion of arius , or pelagius , hee should have assented thereunto ; this is too much servility ; in these manifest and maine truthes , we have no reason to make flesh our arme . if all the world should face me downe , that the sunne shines not , i would be pardoned to beleeve my eyes : and if all the philosophers under heaven should with zeno defend , that there is no motion , i would with diogenes , confute them by walking ; but in all those verities which are disputable , and free for discourse , let me ever be swayed by the sacred authority of that orthodoxe church wherein i live . pertinacy is the next , which indeed is the onely thing that makes an hereticke ; let the error be haynous , yet if there be not a perverse stiffenesse in the maintenance of it , it amounts not to the crime of heresie : much lesse is it so in case of a relenting schisme ; it was a good speech of erasmus : i cannot be an hereticke unlesse i will ; and since i neither am , nor will be so , i will endeavour to use the matter so , as that i may not be thought to be one . the course is preposterous , and unnaturall , that is taken up by quarrelsome spirits ; f●rst , they pitch their conclusion , and then , hunt about for premises to make it good , this method is for men that seeke for victory , not for truth ; for men , that seeke not god , but themselves : whereas the well-disposed heart , being first , upon sure grounds , convinced of the truth which it must necessarily hold , cares only in essentiall verities , to guard it selfe against erronious suggestions ; and in the rest is ready to yeeld unto better reason ; hee is not fit to be a gamester , that cannot be equally content to lose and winne ; and in vaine shall hee professe morality , that cannot with socrates set the same face upon all events , whether good , or evill : in all besides necessary truthes , give me the man that can as well yeeld as fight ; in matters of this nature , i cannot like the spirits of those lacedemonian dames which gave the shields to their sonnes , with the peremptory condition of ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ) surely , hee is better accepted of god , that in these frayes of indifferency doth peaceably lay downe the bucklers , then hee , that layes about him with the greatest ostentation of skill , and valour : in things of this kinde , meeknesse may doe god more service then courage ; they say milke quenches wild-fire better then any other liquor : and wee finde in all experience , that the pores are better opened with a gentle heat , then with a violent . the great apostle was content to become all things to all , that hee might winne some : how was hee all to all if hee did not sometimes remit of his right to some ; he that resisteth peter , the prime apostle , to his face , in the case of a perillous temporizing , yet gave way to iames , and the other brethren , to purifie himselfe , with the foure votaries in the temple : shortly then as he is a wise man that knowes when it is time to yeeld , so is hee a peaceable sonne of the church , that yeelds when hee sees it time , and by this meanes provides for his owne comfortable discharge , and the publique tranquillity : that can be in necessaries truthes an oake , and a reed in truthes indifferent . §. ix . remissenesse in matter of censure . in matters of this nature , whereof wee treat , true moderation requires the peaceable christian to be not more yeelding in his opinion , then favourable in his censures of the contrary-minded : for it is a fearefull violation both of charitie and justice , to brand an adversarie in matter of slight opinions , with the odious note of sect , or heresie ; and no lesse presumption , to shut that man out of heaven , whom god hath enrolled in the booke of life . in all other things ( sayth the chancelour of paris ) besides those which are meerely matters of faith , the church may either deceive , or be deceived , and yet hold charitie still : and as it is a good rule that is given to visitors , that they should be sparing in making decrees , lest the multitude of them should bring them into contempt ; so it is a rule no lesse profitable to spirituall governours , which erasmus relates out of gerson , that they should not rashly throw about the thunder-bolts of their censures . we cannot be too severe in the maine matters of religion ( though not without that wise item of cicero , that nothing that is cruell can be profitable ) the remissenesse wherein may be no other , then an injurious mercie ; but in things of slighter condition , we must be wiser then to draw a sword to kill flyes ; neither is it for us to call for scorpions , where a rod is too much . it is remarkable , that of galienus , who when his wife had complained to him of a cheater , that had sold glasse-pearles to her for true , made as if hee would have cast him to the lions ; the offender looking for those fierce beasts , was onely turn'd loose to a cock. in some cases , shame and scorne may be a fitter punishment then extreme violence . wee may not make the tent too bigge for the wound , nor the playster too broad for the sore . it was grave counsell that s. austin gave to his alipius , that heed must be taken , lest whiles wee goe about to amend a doubtfull complaint , wee make the breach wider . and that rule was too good for the authour , iohn . that in a case uncertaine , wee should rather determine within the bounds , then exceede them . even in plaine convictions , violence must be the last remedie ; as in outward bodily extremities ( by hippocrates his prescription ) ignis and ferrum must be last tryed ; for generous spirits ( as erasmus well ) desire to be taught , abide not to be forced ; it is for tyrants to compell , for asses to be compelled ; and as seneca observes , a good natur'd horse will be govern'd by the shadow of the wand , whereas a sullen restie iade will not be ordered by the spurre . s. paul puts it to the choyse of his corinthians ; will ye that i come to you with a rod , or with the spirit of meekenesse ? as loth to use the rod , unlesse he were constrained by their wilfull disobedience . much have they therefore to answer for , before the tribunall of heaven , who are apt to damne christians better then themselves ; sending all the clyents of the north-westerne grecian , russian , armenian , ethiopick churches , downe to hell , without redemption , for varying from them , in those opinions , which onely themselves have made fundamentall . and herein are wee happy , that wee suffer for our charitie , rather chusing to incurre the danger of a false censure from uncharitable men , then to passe a bloudie and presumptuous censure upon those , who ( how faultily soever ) professe the deare name of our common saviour . let them , if they please , affect the glory of a turkish iustice , in killing two innocents , rather then sparing one guiltie ; let us rather chuse to answer for mercie , and sooner take then offer an unjust or doubtfull violence . §. x. the sixt rule of moderation : not to beleeve an opposite , in the state of a tenet , or person . sixtly , to a man of peace , nothing is more requisite then a charitable distrust , viz. that wee should not take an adversaries word for the state of his opposite . they were , amongst the rest , two necessarie charges that erasmus gave to his goclenius , to be sober , and incredulous : for as there is nothing that rayses so deadly hostilitie as religion , so no criminations are either so rife , or so haynous , as those which are mutually cast upon the abettors of contrarie opinions : wee need not goe farre to seeke for lamentable instances ; let a man beleeve andrew iurgivicius , hee will thinke the protestants hold no one article of the apostles creed ; let him beleeve campian , hee shall thinke wee hold god to be the authour of sinne ; that the mediator betweene god and man ( jesus ) dyed the second death ; that all sinnes are equall ; and many more of the same bran. if hee shall beleeve cardinall bellarmine , he shall condemne erasmus as a patron of arrians ; luther as an enemie to the holy trinitie , and to the consubstantialitie of the sonne of god ; melanctbon and scheckius , as fautors of the tri-theists ; calvin , as an advocate of samosatenians ; bullinger of arrianisme , beza of nestorianisme : if hee will beleeve our countrey-man gifford , hee shall thinke calvins doctrine in no thing better , in many things worse then the alcoran ; if hee will beleeve i. gualterius , a iesuite divine , hee shall thinke never any heresie hath , since the first noyse of the gospel , arisen in the church of god , whereof the reformed part is not guilty ; here hee shall suppose to finde symon magus , falsly pretending the churches reformation ; cerinthus destroying the use and utilitie of baptisme ; ebion impugning the integritie of the blessed virgin ; in beastly licentiousnesse , nicholaitans ; in mutilation of scripture , saturnians ; in the vaine jactation of scripture , basilides ; in the contempt of the divine law , carpocrates ; in condemning of fastings , gnosticks ; in maintaining the impossibility of keeping the law , ptolomeus ; secundian hereticks , in allowing uncleannesses ; marcosian heretickes , in a proud boast of perfection ; montanists in dissolving the bonds of wedlocke , and corrupting baptisme : what should i blurre too mu●h paper , with the abridgement of so uncharitable a discourse ; shortly he shall beleeve that all our learned divines have done nothing , but patcht together all those old ragges of obsolete errors , which they have raked up out of the dunghils of antiently damned hereticks ; and to make up his mouth , shall goe away with an opinion of an hundred severall foule errors in iohn galvin ; and seventy eight no lesse haynous in martin luther . should a stranger come now , to take up this booke , which hee supposes penned by a christian divine ( and one therefore , which should not dare to lye ) how can hee conceive other , then that the reformed doctrine is nothing but a chimericall monster , composed of divellish lyes and hellish heresies ? to looke neerer home ; what tearmes and imputations some rigid followers of luther have ( in imitation of their over-blunt and passionate master ) cast upon their opposers , i doe purposely forbeare to specifie , as willing rather to lay my hand upon these scarres , then to blazon the shame of brethren . now as it will become every man ( according to s. hierome's counsell ) to be impatient in the suspition of heresie , if any of the parties accused shall be called forth , and charged with these prodigious crimes of opinion , hee is streight readie to flye in the face of the slanderer , and calls heaven and earth to be witnesse of his utter detestation of those errors , which are maliciously affained to him ; and is readie to say as our learned whitakers sayd in the same case to campian ; nisi omnem , &c. unlesse thou hadst utterly cast off all , both religion to god , and reverence to men , and hadst long since made shipwracke of thy conscience , and had'st put off even all humanity it selfe , thou would'st neve suffer thy selfe to be guilty of such horrible wickednesse , as to upbrayd such monstrous opinions to us . it is a true word of gerson , that in a penny-worth of strife there is not an halfe-penny-worth of love ; and we say truly , ill will never say'd well ; god forbid that the same man should be in the same cause , accuser , witnesse , and judge ; what would become of innocence , where malice and power should be met ? how short a cut is that , which the spightfull authour of the warre of the fifth gospell takes , ●o convince all gainesayers : westphalus , saith he , calls calvin hereticke , calvin calls westphalus hereticke , therefore they are both heretickes . schlusselburgius brands the calvines for sacramentarian heretickes ; the calvinists brand schlusselburgius for an vbiquitarian hereticke , therefore both are heretickes : and may not any mahumetan thus refell the whole profession of christianity ? those that style themselves catholicks , call the reformed hereticks ; the reformed call them hereticks ; therefore both are heretickes : the roman christians brand the greeke church with heresie , the grecians equally cen●ure the roman , therefore they are all hereticks ; and cannot wee as easily pay him againe in his owne coyne : the turkish mahumetan calls the persian hereticke , the persian calls the turkish so ; therefore both are in their owne religion , hereticks : god forbid , that a man should be ever such , as an enemie would have him seeme to be : would wee thinke it faire and just , to be so dealt with before the awfull tribunall of heaven ? would wee have the arch-enemie of mankind beleeved in all his suggestions against our innocence ? why should wee then admit of this wrong in each other ? at a contentious barre , where wrangling fomentors of quarrels are wont to aggravate all advantages , this liberty ( i know not how justly ) hath been given , that they commonly frame large bills of complaint , and suggest wrongs that were never done : but for divines in the causes of god , who pretend to plead for truth , before god and his angels , to be thus lavish in their criminations , it is an high violation of christian charity , and justice . surely this practice is no more ●e● , then justifiable ; should i fetch it so farre as from the times of our blessed saviour , whose divine perfection could not free him from the imputation of a conjurer ; of a wine-bibber and glutton ; of a friend to publicans and sinners , of an enemy to cesar ; should i follow the times , and deduce it to his proto-martyr , saint steven ? we shall finde him loaded with the accusation of blasphemy against god and moses , against the law and the temple . after him we shall find the chosen vessell , saint paul , charged by tertullus , for a pestilent fellow , and a mover of sedition ; and even among the christians themselves , what foule charges of libertine doctrine are layd upon them by false teachers ; as for the succeeding ages of the primitive church , had we either leisure , or will , to swell up our discourse with an abridgement of ecclesiasticall history , wee might easily weary the reader with wofull varieties in this kinde : who knowes not the impossible crimes that were cast upon the primitive christians , of promiscuous lust , of worshiping an asses head , and such absurd calumniations . amongst christians themselves , to let goe all the rest , it is memorable what quarrels there were in the synode of ephesus , betwixt cyrill bishop of alexandria , and iohn of antioch : the churches subject to these eminent pastors , stuck not to strike each other with mutuall anathemaes ; theodoret , something unhappily , thrusts his sickle into the harvest of antioch ; against whom ( by the instigation of euoptius ) cyrill bitterly inveighes ; theodoret accuses cyrill of apollinarisme : cyrill accuses theodoret of nestorianisme ; this broyle drew the easterne world into parts ; so as afterwards when theodoret would have entred into the synode of chalcedon , the egyptian bishops and other reverend prelates , cryed out , we eject cyrill , if we admit theodoret ; the canons disclaime him , god opposes him . the same violence was againe renued in the eighth action ; the bishops loudly crying out , he is an hereticke , he is a nestorian ; away with the heretick : but at the last , when the matter was throughly scanned , and it was found that the good bishop had subscribed both to the orthodoxe creeds , and to leo's epistle ; with one unanimous consent they received him in ▪ with this acclamation , theodoret is worthy of his place in the church ; let the church receive her orthodoxe bishop . it is worthy of immortall memory , that wee finde reported of athanasius : there was a great quarrell betwixt the easterne , & westerne churches , about the persons and subsistences in the deity ; each upbraided other with heresie : the westerne would professe three persons in the blessed trinity ; but would not endure to heare of three subsistences ; and were thereupon by the easterne churches , censured for suspition of sabellianisme : contrarily , the easterne would yeeld three subsistences , but would not abide three persons , and were therefore accused by the westerne churches of arianisme : the breach was fearefull , till wise and holy athanasius found a way to let them see they were good friends , and knew not of it . and if we should goe about to instance in particular men , the catalogue would be endlesse . how chrysostome and epiphanius , ierome and ruffinus , blurr'd each other , all the world knowes : saint austen , besides all his other wrongs , complaines that sixteene articles were sclanderously imposed upon him , by the pelagians , on purpose to draw envy upon the doctrine of divine praedestination : what foule and grosse opinions were by adversary pennes cast upon the waldenses , and albigenses ; and our wicklef , and his followers , is shamefully apparent in too many histories . and still as satan is ever himselfe in these last times , ( wherein by how much the more charity freezeth , malice burnes so much the more ) how familiar it is , even for christian adversaries , to speake nothing of each other , but sclanders : erasmus reckons up amongst many false imputations cast upon him by some spightfull fryers , this for one , that hee had said , all the miracles our saviour did , upon earth , were done by magicke ; and that ( which yet bellarmine seriously charges him withall ) he held all warre whatsoever absolutely unlawfull ; a slander which himselfe punctually refutes . how trivially common it is , that luther was the sonne of an incubus , the disciple of the divell , and that hee who had beene his master , proved his executioner ▪ that calvin was stigmatiz'd for a buggerer ; beza ( upon occasion of some yong poems for meere tryall of wit ) a profligate lover of his andibertus ; and , at last ( which hee lived to confute ) a revolter from his profession . did i list to rake in the sinkes of staphilus , surius , bolseck , gualterius ; i could both weary , and amaze my reader with nasty heaps of , as tedious , as false criminations of this kind . amongst our owne : how doe the opposites in the five belgick articles , cast inke in each others faces , while the one part , upbrayds the other with manicheisme , and stoicisme , the other them againe with pelagianisme , and socinianisme : within our owne territories ; one objects arianisme perhaps too justly on some hands ) to the opini●n of p●rity ; another ( too wildly ) antichristian●sme , to the only ancient and true government of the church . now god forbid , that either church , or man should be tryed , and judged by his adversary : this were no other then that the arraigned innocent should be sentenced by the executioner . and if in a civill judicature there be required sworne and able iudges , just lawes , cleare evi●en●e , select jurors , recorded proceedings ; how much more ought this to be expected in those pleas of religion , which concerne the eternall state of the soule , the safety of the church , and the glory of our creator and redeemer . it is the rule of the apostle , that charity thinkes not evill : if therefore an ingenuous adversary shall out of an inward selfe conviction , acquit his opposite of an unjust charge , wee have reason to take it for a granted truth ; and to make our advantage of it : if then , an erasmus shall say , that it cannot be denyed , that luther hath intimated monitions of divers things , which it were happy for the christian world to have reformed , and which , indeed , were not longer to be indured ; as he doth to his laurinus : if hee shall say , that many things passe currant in the ancient fathers , which in luther are condemned as errors , as in his epistle to if hee shall say , that those things which luther urges , if they be moderatly handled , come nearer to the vigour of evangelicall prescriptions , as hee doth to his iodocus iulius . if a ferus , or cassander ; if a cusanus , or contarenus ; if a caietan or montanus , or cudsemius , or franciscus a sancta clara , or any other temperate adversary , shall set favourable states to our controversies , and give ju●tly-charicable testimonies to our personall innocences , we have no lesse cause to accept their suffrages , then their partners have to credit them : still waters represent any object in their bottome , clearely ; those that are either troubled , or agitated , dimly and imperfectly . but as for matter of crimination , surely , an enemies tongue is no sclander ; and if a cruell inquisitor shall send a martyr to his stake , ugly dressed , & painted over with divels ; a wise and charitable spectator thinks never the worse of the man , for a forced disguise , but sees in that hereticke a saint , and in those divels , beautifull angels of god ; as wee may not beleeve an adversary in reports , so not in the pretended consequences of opinion . §. xi . the seventh rule of moderation , not to judge of an adversaries opinion by the inferences pretended to follow upon it . seventhly therfore , there cannot be a more usefull rule for our moderation in judgement , then this , that we may not take that for a mans opinion , which an adversary will say , doth by necessary inference follow upon it ; but only that , which himselfe professes to maintaine : it is that which , with worthy and moderate bucer , the learned bishop of sarisbury hath also intimated in his grave advise concerning the lutheran differences ; and the like occurrences in the judgement o● the foure learned french divines , concerning the peace with the lutheran churches , and meet to be througly considered . for the force of consecutions is many times very deceitfull , and such , as may easily betray our discourse . there are indeed such consequences as are plainely necessary , and those which in their first sight , carry in them no lesse certainty then the principles from which they were immediatly derived : of this nature are they which are reciprocally deduced from their certaine , and intrinsecall causes , to their effects ; such as , the sunne is risen , it is therefore day : he is god , therefore omnipotent , omniscient . there are others , which may perhaps seeme to us no lesse necessary , as following upon some premisses by an undoubted force of reason ; which yet , another thinks hee can by some cleanly distinction , commodiously evade , and yet hold that ground which we layd for that ratiocination ; such is that of gualterius the iesuite : theodore beza denyes that the body of christ can be substantially in many places at once ; therefore he denies gods omnipotence . the protestant ascribes to god more then a meere permission of evill , therefore hee makes him the author of sinne . contrarily , no meane one of ours , inferres a papist makes christ a creature , therefore hee is an arrian ; makes christ of meale , therefore not of the blessed virgin , therefore an apollinarist . consequences , which the disputant thinks to make good , but the accused , on either part detests . thus the honest and ingenuous christian is drawne from a commendable search of necessary truthes , into a wild chase of envious inferences : and now the quarrell is , indeed , fallen off from divinity , and is removed to the schooles of logique , naturall philosophy , metaphysicks ; and not hee that hath the most truth must carry it , but he that can bring the most skilfull sophistry . what is it , that distracts the reformed churches of christendome , but this injurious conceit of inconsequent inferences ? the humanity of christ , saith one part , is omnipresent , therefore saith the other , no humanity at all , sith this is onely proper to the deity . the ubiquity of christs humane nature is denyed , saith the other ; therefore the personall union is destroyed . away with these rigid illations , when wee have to doe with brethren ; each holdeth his owne ; both disclayme the inferences , and in their sence may . for as learned bucer gravely ; it is our part to see not what doth of it selfe follow , upon any opinion , but what followes in the conscience of those , who hold that opinion , which wee thinke contrary to a fundamentall article . were this rule held , how happy were the church , how certaine our peace ? when we have done our best , there will be errours enow in the church ; wee need not to make them more . this was not the fashion in the plaine dealing world of the first ages of christianity ; no heresie was then feoffed upon any man , but upon open and acknowledged conviction ; and if he cleared himselfe from the maine crimination , hee was pronounced innocent . looke into the records of times . the contagion of arrius , beginning at the obscure church of baucalis , soone reach't to alexandria , and there instantly infected seaven hundred virgins , twelve deacons , seaven priests , and offered to diffuse it selfe into the very episcopall throane ; at last by miletus his relation , the archbishop alexander is made acquainted with the rumor of that heresie ; he presently sends for arrius , and charges him with the crime ; that impudent mouth sticks not to confesse his wicked error , but there openly casts up the poyson of his damnable doctrine before his governour . the holy bishop , no lesse openly reproves him ; urges and aggravates the sacrilegious impiety of his opinion ; and finding him to second his error with contumacies , expels him from his church , followes him ( as was meet ) with seventy letters of caution to other churches ; yet still the mischiefe spreds : the godly emperour constantine is informed of the danger ; hee calls a synode ; arrius with his all wicked pamphlets , is there cryed downe , and condemn'd to banishment . i doe not finde those holy fathers nibling at consequences , strain'd out of his thalia , or some other of his abhominable papers , but charging him with the right-downe positions of heresie ; such as these blasphemies , concerning christ ; time was , when hee was not ; hee was made of things that were not ; he was not begotten of the substance of the father ; in time , not from eternity ; not true god of god , but created of nothing . here were no tricks of inferences , no quirkes of sophismes , no violent deduction of unyeelded sequels ; the heresie proclaymed it selfe , and was accordingly sentenced . such were the proceedings with the apollinarists , in the third councell of rome ; and in the first generall councell of constantinople , with the macedonians ; and where not in the cases of heresie ? and if ( for all the rest ) we would see a modell of the old theologicall simplicity , in the censures of this nature , we need but to cast our eye upon that profession of faith , and anathemat●me , which damasus ingeniously wrote to paulinus , whether bishop of thessalonica , as theodoret would have it , or , as others , of antioch ; wee pronounce anathema , saith he , to those who doe not with full liberty proclaime the holy ghost to be of one power , and substance with the father , and the sonne . we pronounce anathema to them who follow the error of sabellius , saying , that the father is one and the same person with the son. wee pronounce anathema to arrius , and eunomius , who with a like impiety , but in a forme of words unlike , affirme the sunne and the holy spirit to be creatures . we pronounce anathema to the macedonians , who comming from the stocke of arrius , have not varyed from his impiety , but from his name . we pronounce anathema to photinus , who renuing the heresie of ebion , confesses our lord iesus christ made only of the virgin mary . wee pronounce anathema to those , that maintaine two sonnes , one before all worlds , the other after the assuming of flesh from the virgin : thus he . is there any man here condemned for an heretick , but hee who dirctly affirmes , confesses , maintaines opinions truly damnable ? neither indeed is it just or equall , that a man should , by the malice of an enemy , be made guilty of those crimes , which himselfe abhorres : what i will owne , is mine ; what is cast upon me , is my adversaries ; and if i be by deductions fetch 't into such errour , the fault is not in my faith , but in my logick ; my braine may erre , my heart doth not . away then , ye cruell tortors of opinions , dilaters of errours , delators of your brethren , incendiaries of the church , haters of peace , away with this unjust violence ; let no man beare more then his owne burden ; presse an ●●ring brother ( if ye please ) in way of argument , with such odious consectaries , as may make him weary of his opinion ; but hate to charge him with it as his owne ; frame not imaginary monsters of error with whom you may contend : hee that makes any man worse then hee is , makes himselfe worse then hee . §. xii . the eighth rule of moderation , to keepe opinions within their owne bounds , not imputing private mens conceits to whole churches . eightly , it will be requisite to a peaceable moderation , that we should give to every opinion his owne due extent , not casting private mens conceits upon publicke churches , not fathering single fancies upon a community ; all men cannot accord in the same thoughts , there was never any church under heaven , in which there was not some ahimaaz , that would run alone . in all waters , lightly , there are some sorts of fish that love to swim against the streame , there is no reason that the blame of one , or few should be diffused unto all . if a pope john the shall maintaine that the soules of the blessed shall sleep till the resurrection ; if a dominicus a soto shall hold , that the whole christian faith shall be extinguished in the persecutions of antichrist ; shall wee impute these opinions to the see , or church ? if an alphonsus a castro shall hold hereticks and apostates , after they are once baptiz'd , to be true members of the catholicke church ; or a catharinus , or vasquez shall teach the commandement that forbids worshipping of images , to be meerely temporary ; if a durant shall revive pelagianisme , in denying that there is any need of the divine ayde , either of generall or speciall concourse in humane actions ; if a richardus armachanus shall second the novatians , in teaching that there is no pardon to be obtained by the penitent , for some haynous sinnes ; if an occham shall teach that the visible signes are not of the essence of a sacrament ; or a iohannes parisiensis , or cornelius a lapide ( little differing from the condemned error of rupertus tuitiensis ) shall teach , that the sacramentall bread is hypostatically assumed by the word . is there any so unjust arbiter of things , as to upbrayd these paradoxes to the roman church , who professeth their dislike ? thus if a knox , or buchanan , or goodman , shall broach exorbitant and dangerous opinions , concerning the successions and rights of kings , and lawlesse power of subjects ; why should this be layd in our dish , more then a suarez , or mariana in theirs ? if a flaccius illiricus shall uphold a singular error concerning grace , and originall sinne ; if some ill-advised followers of zuinglius shall hold the sacramentall elements to be onely bare signes , serving meerely for memory , and representation ; if some divines of ours shall defend the rigid opinions concerning predestination ; if some phantasticall heads shall crye downe all decent ceremonies , and all set formes of devotion ; why should the church suffer double in those things which it bewayles ? surely , as the church is a collective body , so it hath a tongue of her owne speaking by the common voyce of her synodes ; in her publicke confessions , articles , constitutions , catechismes , liturgies ; what she sayes in these , must passe for her owne : but if any single person shall take upon him ( unauthorised ) to be the mouth of the church , his insolence is justly censurable ; and if an adversary shall charge that private opinion upon the church , he shall be intolerably injurious : indeed , as it is the best harmony where no part , or instrument , is heard alone , but a sweet composition ; and equall mixture of all , so is it the best state of the church , where no dissenting voyce is heard above , or besides his fellowes ; but all agree in one common sound of wholesome doctrine . but ( such as mans naturall selfe-love is ) this is more fit to be expected in a platonicall speculation , then in a true reality of existence : for whiles every man is apt to have a good conceit of his owne deeper insight , and thinkes the prayse , and use of his knowledge lost , unlesse he impart it ; 〈◊〉 commeth to passe , that not contayning themselves within their owne privacies , they vent their thoughts to the world , and hold it a great glory to be the authours of some more then common-piece of skill ; and to say truth , the freedome and ●ase of the presse hath much advanced this itching , and disturbing humour of men whiles only the penne was imployed , bookes were rare ; neither was it so easie for a man either to know anothers opinion , or to diffuse his owne ; now , one onely day is enough to fill the world with a pamphlet , and suddainly to scatter whatsoever conceit , beyond all possibility of revocation . so much the more need there is , for those that sit at the helme , whether of church , or state , to carry a vigilant eye , and hard hand over these common tel-tales of the world , and so to restraine them ( if it were possible ) that nothing might passe their stampe , which should be prejudiciall to the common peace , or varying from the received judgement of the church . but if this task be little lesse then impossible , since by this meanes every man may have ten thousand severall tongues at pleasure ; how much more happy were it , that the sonnes of the church could obtaine of themselves so much good nature , & submissive reverence , as to speake none but their mothers tongue ? the forme of tongues in the first descent of the holy ghost , was fiery and cloven ; and that was the fittest for the state of the first plantation of the gospell , intimating that fervour , and variety , which was then both given , and requisite : now , in the enlarged and setled estate of his evangelicall church , the same spirit descends , and dwels in tongues , coole and undivided , cor unum , via una , one heart , one way , was the motto of the prophet , when he foretels the future coalition of gods people : and one mind , one mouth was the apostles to his romanes . let us walke by the same rule . let us mind the same thing ; is his charge to his philippians . but if any wrangler affect to bee singular , and will needes have a minde of his owne , let him stand but for what hee is , let him goe only for a single figure , let him not , by a misprision , take up the place of thousands . §. xiii . the ninth rule of moderation : the actions and manners of men must not regulate our judgements concerning the cause . ninthly , neither doth it a little conduce to moderation , to know , that the facts and manners of men may not be drawne to the prejudice of the cause : for , howsoever it commonly holds , that impious opinions and loose life goe still together ; yet it is no trusting to this rule , as if it did not admit of exceptions . there have been those , whose errours have beene foule , and yet their conversation faultlesse . i remember what bernard said of peter abailardus , that hee was iohn without , and herod within : and of arnoldus of brixia , would god his doctrine were so sound , as his life is strict : and elsewhere ; whose conversation is honey , his opinion poyson ; whose head is a doves , his tayle a scorpions . epiphanius , when he speakes of the hereticke hierax ( an hereticke with a witnesse , who denyed the resurrection of the flesh , which he granted to the soule ) could say , he was a man truly admirable for his exercise in pietie , and such an one , as besides the governance of his owne , could draw other mens soules to the practise of godlinesse . and augustine speaking somewhere of pelagius and some others of his sect ( i remember ) acknowledgeth , that the carriage of their life was faire , and unblamable : and those that are the bitterest enemies to the waldenses , or poore men of lyons , give great testimonie to the integritie and inoffensivenesse of their conversation . so on the contrarie , there are many whose religion is sound , but their life impure . as caesar said of old , wee have enow of these birds at home . such , as like ants , follow the track of their fellowes to their common hillocke ; going on those right wayes of opinion , whereinto example & education have put them , yet stayning their profession by leud behaviour . i have read , that a rich iew being askt why hee turn'd christian , laid the cause upon the vertue of our faith. and being askt , how hee did so well know the vertue of such faith ; because ( said hee ) the nation of christians could not possibly hold out so long , by vertue of their workes , for they are starke naught ; therfore it must needs be by the power of their faith. certainely it were woe with us , if lives should decide the truth of religion , betwixt us and unbelievers , betwixt us and our ignorant fore-fathers : these are not therefore fit umpires betwixt christians competitioning for the truth . the iew was the sounder for religion , yet the samaritan was more charitable , than either the levice , or priest. it were strange , if in the corruptest church , there were not some conscionable ; and no lesse , if in the holyest , there bee not some lawlesse and inordinate ; there is no pomgranate wherein there is not some graines rotten . the sanctity of some few cannot boulster out falsehood in the common beleefe ; neyther can the disorder of orthodox beleevers , disparage that soundnesse of doctrine , which their life b●lyes . and if our saviour give us this rule for discerning of false prophets ; by their fruits you shall know them ; doubtlesse , that fruit was intended chiefely for their doct●ine ; their lives were fayre , their carriage innocent ; ( for they came in sheepes cloathing . ) what was that other then honest simplicity ? yet their fruits were evill : but withall , as a good and holy life is ( as hee said well ) a good commentarie to the sacred volume of god ; so their out-breaking iniquities were a good commentarie upon their vicious doctrines ; both wayes were their fruits evill . and if meere outward carriage should be the sole rule of our tryall , nothing could be more uncertaine then our determination : how many dunghills have wee seene , which whiles they have beene covered with snow , could not be discerned from the best gardens ? how many sowre crabs , which for beautie have surpassed the best fruit in our orchard ? as in matter of reason , experience tells us , that some falsehoods are more probable then some truths ; so is it also in matter of practice ; no face seemes so purely faire as the painted . truth of doctrine is the test whither wee must bring our profession for matter of tryall ; and the sacred oracles of god are the test , whereby wee must trie the truth of doctrine . §. xiiii . the tenth rule of moderation : that wee must draw as neere as wee safely may , to christian adversaries , in cases of lesser differences . it will perhaps seeme a paradox to some , vvhich i must lay downe for a tenth rule of moderation , viz. that wee must endeavour to draw as neere as wee may to christian adversaries , in the differences of religion : for some men , whose zeale ●● carryes them beyond knowledge , are all for extremities , and thinke there can never bee distance enough betwixt themselves and those that oppose them in the controversies of doctrine , or discipline . for the righting of our conceits in this point , we shall need a double d●stinction ; one of the persons , the other of the limits of our approach , or remotenesse . of the persons first ; for there are hostes , and there are inimici . the former are they , who professe open hostilitie to the whole cause of christianitie ; as iewes , and turkes : the latter are adversaries within the bosome of the church ; such as , according with us in the maine essentiall truths , maintaine stiffe differences in matters of great consequence , both in the judgement and practice of religion . to the first of these , wee doe justly professe publique and universall defiance ; hating all communion with them , save that of civill commerce , which is not unlawfull with the most savage infidels . and in this name , doe wee deservedly crie downe those favours , which these avowed enemies of christ receive at rome , even from the hands of him , who pretends to succeed the most fervent apostle , that once said , lord , thou knowest i love thee : besides the benefit of a favourable entertainment , wee know the pope on his coronation day vouchsafes to receive a present from their hands ; no lesse then that holy booke of god , which their cursed impietie prophaneth , and which , in requitall , condemneth their impietie ; whiles those that professe the same creed more sincerely then himselfe , are rigorously expelled , and cruelly martyr'd . our stomach doth not so farre exceed our charitie , but wee can pray for those miscreant iewes : they once for all cursed themselves , his bloud be upon us and our children ; wee are so mercifull to them , that wee can blesse them , in praying that his bloud may be upon them for their redemption . and as wee can pray for their conversion , so wee cannot but commend the order , which is held in some parts of italy , that , by the care of the ordinarie , sermons are made on their sabbaths in those places , where the iewes are suffered to dwell for their conviction ; but whiles wee wish well to their soules , wee hate their societie . i like well that piece of just prohibition , that christian women should not bee nurses to the children of iewes , in their houses ; but i cannot brooke the libertie following , that out of their houses , by licence from the ordinarie , they may : my reason is but just , because their proud detestation goes so high , as to an absolute forbiddance of any office of respect from theirs to us , and yet allowes the same from ours to them . so , by their law , a iewish woman may not be either midwife , or nurse to one of ours ; yet giving way to our women , to doe these services to theirs . not to speake of the same fashion of garments ( which however forbidden by the law , they have now learned for their own advantage , to dispence with ) what a curiositie of hatred it is , that if one of us gentiles should make a iewes fire on their sabbath , it is not lawfull for them to sit by it : and why should wee bee lesse averse from that odious generation ? they have done violence to the lord of life , our blessed redeemer ; what have wee done unto them ? bloud lyes still upon them ; nothing upon us , but undue mercie . but as to the latter kind of adversaries , wee must be advised to better tearmes ; if any of them who call themselves christians , have gone so farre , as directly and wilfully to raze the foundation of our most holy faith ; and being selfe-condemned , through the cleare evidence of truth , shall rebelliously persist in his heresie ; into the secret of such men , let not my soule come , my glory be thou not joyned to their assembly . i know no reason to make more of such a one , then of a iew or turke in a christians skin . i cannot blame that holy man , who durst not endure to be in the bath with such a monster ; or those of samosata , who in imitation of this fact of saint iohn , let forth all the water of that publike bath , wherein eunomius had washed , and caused new to be put therein . i cannot blame theodosius a bishop of phrygia , ( however socrates pleaseth to censure him ) that hee drove the macedonian hereticks , not out of the citty onely , but out of the country too . i cannot blame gratianus the emperour , that hee interdicted all assemblies to the manichees , photinians , eunomians ; and if he had extended his banne against those other forenamed hereticks , it had beene yet better for the church . hierom's word is a good one ; it is not cruelty that wee thus doe for gods cause , but piety . but if there be any , who with full consent embrace all the articles of christian belee●e , and yet erre ( not contumaciously ) in some such dangerous consequences , as doe in mine understanding ( though not their owne ) threaten ruine to the foundation by them yeelded ; as i dare not exclude them from the church of god , so i dare not professe to abhorre their communion . god forbid wee should shut up christian brother-hood in so narrow a compasse , as to barre all misbeleevers of this kind , out of the family of god. doe but turne over that charitable and irrefragable discourse of christianography . let your eyes but walke over those ample territories and large regions , which in most of the parts of the habitable world ( but especially in europe , africa , and asia ) professe the blessed name of god , our redeemer , and looke to be saved by his blood ; and then aske your heart , if you dare entertaine so uncharitable a thought , as to exclude so many millions of weake , but true beleevers , out of the church below , or out of heaven above : you shall there see grecians , russians , georgians , armenians , iacobites , abassines ; and many other sects serving the same god , acknowledging the same scriptures , beleeving in the same saviour , professing the same faith in all fundamentall points , aspiring to the same heaven ; and like bees , though flying severall wayes , and working upon severall meadowes , or gardens , yet in the evening , meeting together in the same hive . now , if i liv'd in the community of any of these diverse sects of christians , i should hold it my duty to comply with them in all ( not unlawfull ) things ; and if any of them should live in the community of our church , i should labour by all good meanes to reclaime him from his erroneous opinion , or superstitious practice ; & when i had wrought upon him my utmost , rather then let goe my hopes and interest in him , i would goe as farre to meet him ( without any angariation , save that of charity ) as the line of a good conscience would permit me ; herein following the sure patterne of our blessed apostle , whose profession it is , though i be free from all men , yet have i made my selfe servant unto all , that i might gaine the more : unto the iewes i became as a iew , that i might gaine the iewes ; and to them under the law , as under the law , that i might gaine them that are under the law ; to them that are without law , as without law , ( being not without law to god , but under the law to christ ) that i might gaine them that are without law. to the weake , i became weake , that i might gaine the weake . i am made all things , to all men , that i might by all meanes save some . i doe much feare the church of rome hath a hard answere to make one day , in this particular ; who imperiously , and unjustly challenging unto it selfe the title of the church catholike , shutteth all other christian professions out of doores , refusing all communion with them , and so neglecting them , as if they had no soules ; or those soules cost nothing ; amongst the rest , i shall give but two instances . the great prince of the abassine christians having heard of the fame of the europaean churches , sends some of his nation , of whom he had a great opinion , to rome , to be informed of the substance and rites of religion there professed ; zago zaba was one of the number ; they with great labour and hazard arrived there , made knowne their great errand ; but were so farre slighted , that they were not so much as admitted to christian society , and after many yeares vayne hope , were turn'd home disregardfully , not much wiser then they came , without any other newes , save of the scorne and insolence of those , who should have instructed them . a carriage much sutable to that , which they still beare to the greeke church ; a church which , as for extent , it may compare with theirs ; so for purity of doctrine , i dare say ( if that be her voyce , which her last patriarch cirill of constantinople hath acquainted the world with all ( as i was also confidently assured , by the late learned bishop of saribaris ) as far exceeding the roman church , as the roman doth the russian , or ethiopick , which it most contemneth : let any the most curious eye trave●l over that learned confession of faith , which after all devises , and illusions is proved sufficiently to be the genuine act of that worthy patriarch , and by him published in the name of the whole greeke church , and let him tell me what one blemish , or mole hee can finde in that faire body ; save onely that one clause , concerning the third person of the blessed trinity ; the holy spirit proceeding from the father by the sonne ; wherein there can be no danger , whiles he addes , in the next words , being of the same substance with the father and the sonne ; and concludes ; these three persons in one essence we call the most holy trinity , ever to be blessed , glorified and adored of every creature . this errour of his greek church , as it is now minced , is rather a problem of scholasticall divinity , then an heresie in the christian faith . in all the rest , shew me any the most able , and sincere divine in the whole christian world , that can make a more cleare , and absolute declaration of his faith , then that greeke church hath done , by the hand of her worthy , and renouned prelate ; yet how uncharitably is she barred out of doores by her unkinde sister of rome ? how unjustly branded with heresie ? in so much , as it is absolutely forbidden to the grecian priests to celebrate their masses , and divine services , in the roman fashion : neither may the romans officiate in the grecian manner , under the payne of perpetuall suspension ; and if a woman of the latine church be given in marriage to a greeke , shee may not be suffered to live after the grecian fashion ; a solaecisme , much like to that of the russian churches , who admit none to their communion ( be hee nver so good a christian ) if he doe not submit himselfe to their matriculation , by a new baptisme . sure , those christians that thus carry themselves towards their deare brethren ( dearer perhaps to god then they ) have either no bowels , or no braynes , and shall once finde by the difference of the smart , whether ignorance , or hard-heartednesse , were guilty of this injurious measure . next to the persons , the limits of this approach or remotenesse are considerable , which must be proportioned according to the condition of them with whom we have to deale . if they be professed enemies to the christian name , beware of dogs , beware of the concision , saith the apostle of the gentiles . iustly must wee spit at these blasphemers , who say they are iewes and are not , but are the synagogue of satan . if they be coloured friends , but true hereticks ; such as doe destroy , directly , and pertinaciously , the foundation of christian religion ; the apostles charge is expresse , haereticum hominem devita , a man that is an hereticke , after the first and second admonition avoyd and reject ; and such an one as he may be , that addes blasphemy to heresie , it might be no reall mistaking ( though a verball ) of that wise and learned pontifician , who misreading the vulgar , made two words of one , and turned the verbe into a noune , de vita ; supple , tolle : put an hereticke to death : a practise so rise in the roman church , against those saints , who , in the way , which they call heresie , worship the lord god of their fathers , beleeving all things which are written in the law , in the prophets , in the apostles , that all the world takes notice of it ; seeming , with the rap't evangelist , to heare the soules , from under the altar , crying aloud , how long lord , holy and true , dost thou not judge and avenge our blood , on them that dwell upon the earth ? surely were wee such as their uncharitable 〈◊〉 mis-construction would make us , their cruelty were not excusable before god , or men : but now , as our innocence shall aggravate their condemnation before the just tribunal in heaven ; so our example shall condemne them , in the judgement of all impartiall arbiters here on earth : for what client of rome was ever sentenced to death by the reformed church , meerely for matter of religion ? what are wee other to them , then they are to us ? the cause is mutually the same ; only our charity is more , our cruelty lesse . neither is this any small testimony of our sincere innocence ; it is a good rule of saint chrysostome , if wee would know a wolfe from a sheep ( since their clothing ( as they use the matter ) will not difference them ) looke to their fangs , if those be bloody ; their kinde is enough bewrayd ; for who ever saw the lips of a sheep besmear'd with blood ? it is possible to see a campian at tiburne , or a garnets head upon a pole ; treasonable practises , not meere religion , are guilty of these executions : but however , our church is thus favourable in the case of those heresies , which are either simple , or secondary , and consequentiall ; yet in the cases of hereticall blasphemy , her holy zeale hath not fear'd to shed blood : witnesse the flames of ket , and legat , and some other arrians in our memory ; and the zealous prosecution of that spanish cistertian , whom wee heard and saw ( not long since ) belching out his blasphemous contumelies against the sonne of god , who after hee was given over to the secular power for execution , was by the spanish embassadour master gondemor , carryed , backe into spaine by leave from king iames , of blessed memory : in which kind also master calvin did well approve himselfe to gods church , in bringing servetus to the stake at geneva ; as for those which are heretickes onely by consequence , and interpretation , heedlesly undermining that foundation which they would pretend to establish , as we may not , in regard of their opinions in themselves , utterly blot them out of the catalogue of brethren , so we must heartily indeavour all good meanes for their reclamation ; strive to convince their errours ; labour with god for them in our prayers , trye to win them with all loving offices , neither need we doubt to joyne with them in holy duties , untill their obdurednesse and wilfull pertinacy shall have made them uncapable of all good counsell ; and have drawne them to a turbulent opposition of the truth : for , as it is in actuall offences , that not our sinne , but our unrepentance damnes us ; so it is in these matters of opinion , not the errour , but the obstinacy incurres a just condemnation . so long therefore , as there is hope of reformation , wee may , wee must comply with this kind of erring christians ; but not without good cautions . first , that it be only in things good or indifferent . secondly , that it be with a true desire to win them to the truth . thirdly , that we finde our selves so throughly grounded , as that there be no danger of our infection : for we have knowne it fall out with some , as with that noble grecian of whom xenophon speakes , who whiles hee would be offering to stay a barbarian , from casting himselfe down from the rock , was drawne down with him for company , from that precipice . saint austen professes that this was one thing , that hardned him in his old manicheisme ; that hee found himselfe victorious in his disputations , with weake adversaries , such men in stead of convincing , yeeld ; and make themselves miserable , and their opposites foolishly proud , and mis-confident . fourthly , that we doe not so farre condescend to complying with them , as for their sakes to betray the least parcell of divine truth . i● they be our friends , it must be only , usque ad aras , there we must leave them . that which wee must be content to purchase with our blood , we may not forgoe for favour , even of the dearest . fiftly , that we doe not so far yield to them , as to humour them in their errour , as to obfirme them in evill ; as to scandalize others . and lastly , if wee finde them utterly incorrigible , that wee take off our hand and leave them unto just censure . as for differences of an inferiour nature ; if but ( de venis capillaribus & minutioribus theologicarum quaestionum spinetis , as staphilus would have theirs : ) or , if of matters rituall , and such as concerne rather the decoration , then the health of religion ; it is fit they should be valued accordingly ; neither peace , nor friendship should be crazed for these , in themselves considered . but if it fall out through the peevishnes and selfe-conceit of some crosse dispositions , that even those things , which are in their nature indifferent , ( after the lawfull command of authority ) are blazon'd for sinfull , and haynous , and are made an occasion of the breach of the common peace , certainly it may prove that some schisme ( even for triviall matters ) may be found no lesse pernicious , then some heresie . if my coat be rent in peeces , it is all one to me whether it be done by a bryer or a nayle , or by a knife . if my vessell sinke , it is all one whether it were with a shot , or a leake : the lesse the matter is , the greater is the disobedience , and the disturbance so much the more sinfull . no man can be so foolish , as to thinke the value of the apple , was that which cast away man-kinde ; but the violation of a divine interdiction . it is fit therefore that men should learne to submit themselves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake : but if they shall bee wilfully refractary , they must be put in minde , that korahs mutiny was more fearefully revenged , then the most grievous idolatry . §. xv. the eleventh rule of moderation ; to refrayne from all rayling termes , and spightfull provocations in differences of religion . it shall be our eleventh rule for moderation , that wee refraine from all rayling termes , and spightfull provocations of each other in the differences of religion . a charge too requisite for these times ; wherein it is rare to finde any writer , whose inke is not tempered with gall , and vineger , any speaker , whose mouth is not a quiver of sharpe , and bitter words . it is here , as it is in that rule of law ; the breach of peace is begun by menacing , increased by menacing , but finished by this battery of the tongue . wherein wee are like those egyptians of whom the historian speakes ; who having begun their devotion with a fast , whiles the sacrifice was burning , fell upon each others with blowes , which having liberally dealt on all hands , at last they sat downe to their feast : thus doe we ; after professions of an holy zeale , wee doe mercilesly wound each other with reproaches , and then sit downe , and enjoy the contentment of our supposed victory . every provocation sets us on , and then ( as it useth to be with scolds ) every bitter word heightens the quarrell ; men doe , as we use to say of vipers , when they are whipt , spit out all their poyson . these uncharitable expressions , what can they bewray , but a distempered heart , from which they proceed , as the smoake and sparkes flying up show the house to be on fire ; or as a corrupt spittle showes exulcerate lungs : by this meanes it falls out that the truth of the cause is neglected , whiles men are taken up with an idle , yet busie , prosecution of words ; like as in thrashing the straw flyes about our eares , but the corne is hid . and it hath beene an old observation , that when a man falls to personall rayling , it argues him drawne utterly dry of matter , and despayring of any farther defence ; as we see and find that the dogge which running back , falls to bauling , and barking hath done fighting any more . i have both heard and read that this practice is not rare amongst the iewes , to brawl in their publike synagogues , and to bang each other with their holy candlesticks and censers ; in so much that this scandall hath indangered the setting off some of theirs to mahometisme : and i would to god it were only proper unto them , and not incident unto too many of those , who professe to be of the number of them , to whom the prince of peace said , my peace i leave with you . it is the caveat which the blessed apostle gives to his galathians , and in them to us ; if yee bite , and devoure one another , take heed yee be not consumed one of another . lo here , it is the tongue that bites ; and so bites , as that ( after the fashion of a mad dogges teeth ) both rage and death followes . and if any man thinke it a prayse ( with the lacedaemonian in plutarch ) to bite like a lion , let him take that glory to himselfe , and be as he would seeme , like a lion that is greedy of his prey , and as a young lion , that lurketh in secret places : but withall let him expect that just doome of the god of peace , thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder , the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet . certainely it is in vaine for us to expect any other measure from the exasperated , and unruly mindes of hostile brethren , whose hatred is commonly so much greater , as their interest is more : they whose fires would not meet after death , are apt in life to consume one another . this is the stale and knowne machination of him , whose true title is , the accuser of the brethren . that old dragon , when he saw the woman flying to the wildernesse to avoyde his rage ; what doth hee ? hee casts out of his mouth water , as a flood after the woman , that hee might cause her to be carryed away of the flood : what are these waters which he casts out of his mouth , but sclanderous accusations , lyings , detractions , cruell persecutions of the tongue ? and shall wee that professe the deare name of one common saviour , so farre second the great enemy of mankinde , as to derive some cursed channels from those hellish floods of his , for the drenching of the flourishing valleyes of gods church ? shall wee rather imitate him then the blessed archangell of god , who contending with the divell , and disputing about the body of moses , durst not bring against him a rayling accusation , but sayd , the lord rebuke thee : nay , shall wee dare to doe that to brethren , which the angell durst not doe to the divell ? when we heare and see fearefull thundring , and lightning , and tempest , we are commonly wont to say , that ill spirits are abroad ; neither doubt i but that many times ( as well as in iobs case ) god permits them to rayse these dreadfull blustrings in the ayre , right so when wee see these flashes , and heare these hideous noyses of contention in gods church , wee have reason to thinke that there is an hand of satan in their raysing , and continuance . for , as for god , we know his courses are otherwise . when it pleased him to make his presence knowne to elijah ; first there passed a great and strong wind , which rent the mountaines , and brake the rockes in peeces , but the lord was not in the winde . after that winde , came an earthquake , but the lord was not in the earthquake : after the earthquake a fire , but the lord was not in the fire ; but after the fire , came a still small voyce , and therein was the almightie pleased to expresse himselfe ; loe , as saint ambrose observes well , the divell is for noyse , christ for silence . hee that is the lyon of the tribe of iuda , delights in the style of the lambe of god ; and is so tearmed , both by iohn the baptist , his forerunner , in the dayes of his flesh , and by iohn the evangelist , his apostle , in the state of his glory : neither was the holy spirit pleased to appeare in the forme of a falcon , or eagle , or any other bird of prey , but of a dove ; the meeknesse and innocence whereof , our saviour recommended for a patterne to all his followers : if there be any therefore , who delight to have their beakes or tallons imbrued in blood , let them consider of what spirit they are ; sure i am , they are not of his , whose so zealous charge it is ; put on ( as the elect of god , holy and beloved ) bowels of mercy , kindnesse , humblenesse of mind , meeknesse , long-suffering ; forbearing one another , forgiving one another ; if any man have a quarrell against any , even as christ forgave you , even so also doe yee : and above all things put on charitie , which is the bond of perfectnesse ; and let the peace of god rule in your hearts . §. xvi . the twelfth rule of moderation : that how-ever our judgements differ , wee should compose our affections towards vnitie and peace . which divine counsell of the blessed apostle leades me to the twelfth and last rule of moderation , viz. that if wee cannot bring our judgements to conspire in the same truth with others , yet wee should compose our affections to all peace , to all tender respects and kind offices to our dissenting brethren . what if our braines be divers ? yet let our hearts be one . i cannot but commend the exemplarie disposition of the christians of constantinople , in the dayes of constantius ; when the famous church of the resurrection was there to be erected ; the novatians , men , women , children , ( though a sect diversly affected ) brought stones and mortar to the building of it ; joyning with the orthodox christians , against the arrians ; communicating with them in three other churches ; and were upon the point of a full unitie and concord , had not some few wrangling spirits , of the novatian partie put in a claw , and cross'd so faire hopes . had the matter been so slight as he conceived , it was good counsell which the emperour gave to bishop alexander , ac tametsi &c. although you , saith he , differ from each other in a point of small moment ( as wee cannot all be of one minde in every thing ) yet it may be so ordered by you , that there may be a sincere concord betwixt you ; and that there be a mutuall communion and consociation betwixt all your people . and the same temper hath beene laudably observed and professed by diverse late worthies in the church . concerning the administration of the sacrament to the sick in case of extremitie , calvin in an epistle to olevianus , gives reasons of that practice , but withall addes ; scis , frater , alium esse apud nos morem ; you know , brother , the fashion is otherwise with us ; i beare with it , because it is not availeable for us to contend . luther , though a man of a hot and stiffe spirit , yet writing to the cities and churches of helvetia , hath thus ; insuper ut dilectio & amicabilis concordia , &c. moreover , that there may be a perfect and friendly love and concord betwixt us , wee shall not fayle to doe whatsoever lyes in our power , especially i , for my part , will utterly blot out of my thoughts , all the offence that i had conceived , and will promise all love and fidelitie to you : and shuts up with a fervent prayer ; that god , by the grace of his holy spirit , would glew their hearts together , through christian love ; and purge out of them all the drosse and dregs of humane diffidence , and divellish malice and suspition , to the glory of his holy name , the salvation of many soules , to the despight of the devill , of the pope , and all his adherents . and before that time , in the conference of the divines on both parts at marpurge , oct. . . passing through all the points wherein there seemed any difference , and sticking onely at the last , concerning the sacrament , they shut up thus , quanquam verò , &c. and although wee could not at this time agree , whether the true body and bloud of christ be in the bread and wine corporally , yet each part shall hold and maintaine ( so farre as his conscience will allow ) true christian love with other , and both parts shall continually pray unto almightie god , that he will by his spirit confirme us in the true sense and understanding thereof : to which were subscribed the names of those ten eminent divines following ; luther , melanchton , iustus ionas , osiander , brentius , agricola , oecolampadius , zuinglius , bucer , hedio . thus , thus it should be amongst divines , amongst christians , who hope to meet in one heaven . if it must be with us , as with the sava and danuby , two famous rivers in the east , that they run threescore miles together in one channell , with their waters divided in very colour , from each other ; yet let it be ( as it is in them ) without noyse , without violence . if wee be children , as wee pretend , of our father abraham , let us take up his peaceable suggestion to his nephew ; let there be no strife , i pray thee , betwixt thee and mee , betwixt thy heard-men and my heard-men , for wee are brethren . macarius was , in his time , accounted a very holy man ; yet i reade , that after hee had macerated himselfe with long devotion , hee had an answer from god , of the acceptance of his prayers ; but withall an intimation , that after all his endeavours , hee came short of the merit of two women in the citie , which were two wives of two brethren , which had lived fifteene yeeres together in one house , without the least discord . this sweet and peaceable disposition cannot but be graciously accepted of god , betwixt us that are brethren , in the wide house of his church . it is not for christians to be like unto thistles , or tazels , which a man cannot touch , without pricking his fingers ; but rather to pitosella , or mouse-eare in our herball , which is soft and silken in the handling , although if it be hard strained , it yeelds a juice that can harden metalls to cut iron . but if wee meet with a kind of men , who are disposed to be quarrelsome , like to that cercyon in suidas , who would needs wrestle with every man he met ; the best way is to doe as some have advised , when we are provoked to fight with women , to runne away . shun prophane and vaine babling , ( saith the apostle ) as for peace , if it flye from us , wee must run after it ; follow peace with all men , as he to his hebrewes : but if after all our quickest paces , it will not be overtaken ; if we still fall upon those , who are enemies to peace ; rabid children , who love to heare themselves crie ; salamanders , who love the fire of contention ; muddie eeles , who delight most in troubled waters , be they such as are under our power , wherefore are censures , but for such spirits ? even he that could say , shall i come to you with a rod , or with the spirit of meekenesse ? said also , i would they were even cut off that trouble you . it is well commended by the historian in proclus , bishop of constantinople , that hee shewed himselfe mild and gentle to all , and by this meanes woon more then others did by roughnesse and severitie ; and it is a sure rule , that it is an easier account that shall be given for mercie , then for crueltie : and certainely , this course is first to be taken ; the chirurgian stroakes the arme , before hee open's the veine : but where lenitie prevailes not , wee are cruell to the church , if wee strike not home ; when singing will not still the childe , the rod must : if they bee such as are without the reach of our authoritie , wee must first doe our best , to make them sensible of the wounds they give to our common mother , and those rubs which they lay in the way of the gospel ; since it cannot be otherwise now , then the historian noteth in those first ages of the church , that the difference of opinions , whereof one arose out of another , was a great hinderance to many , in pitching upon our holy profession : and as optatus , of old , betwixt our licet and their non licet , christian soules cannot chuse but stagger , and be distracted ; and withall , to minde them of the palpable wrongs wee doe to our selves , and the advantages wee give to common enemies . it was a worthie and just intimation , which saint gregorie nazianzene gives , to this purpose , unto the synod of constantinople ; what can be more absurd ( saith he ) then whiles we decline the enemies fight , to betake our selves to mutuall assaults of each other , and by this meanes to waste and weaken our owne forces ? or what can be a greater pleasure to our adversaries , then to see us thus bickering with our selves ? but if neither the respect to the glory of the god of peace , nor to the peace and welfare of the deare church and spouse of christ , nor of themselves , can prevaile any thing ; what remaines , but to mourne in silence for the irreparable breaches of the sacred walls of ierusalem , and together with our zealous prayers for the opposed peace of sion , to appeale to the justice of that holy and righteous lord god of israel , with increpa domine bestias calami , rebuke , o lord , the beasts of the reed , and scatter the people that delight in warre . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e brom. sum . praedic . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne●uid nimis . so pythagoras ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . non est ergo temperātia , in solis resecādis superfluis , est & in admittendis necessariis . bern. de consid. l. . c. . gen. . beros . baylonic . psa. . . num. . . ●cclus . . ● . prov. . . prov. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . liber pater eph. . . schicard . de jur. reg hebr. v. bell. gentilis rex pirg●ndicus , &c. socrat. l. . c. . vita . laur. ps. . . lib. confor . . hieron . in vit . pauli . panis eleemosynae panis sanctus . confor . fruct . separatur . de se petrus . solo pane & olivis , raroque oleribus ator . clem. de gestis petri. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . socrat. l. . c . bern. meditat . devotiss . conform . l. . fruct . ● . p. . o quantum distamus ab his qui tempore antonii suere monachi ! bern. apolog . ad gul. abbat . jesunia nostra vini copia natant , pis cium varietate carnium superant deliciat ▪ cor. . . genus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex thalm. drus. t●ihaeres . august . l. . contr . faustum . conform . p. . vidi tunicā b. francis. & s. clarae , grossi●r & rudior erat tunica s. clarae . socr. l. . c. . con●o●m . p. . theod. l. . c. . socrat. l. . c. . sozom. l. c. . binius anno. . jo : capgrave de s. henrico herem . cinore & cilicio recubabat agrotus , rogarunt discipuli ut si●eret villa stramenta supponi , respondit , non decet christia●●m nisi in ci●ere & cilicio mori . sever. sulp. l. . cig●lus . prov. . . in tan●um graci & romani hoc quondam vicio labo●arun● , ut & clarissimi philosophorū graecia haberen● publicè concubinos , &c. hieron . in illa es. . & pu●ris alienis adhaeserunt . sam. . munster in praecept . mosaica . schicard . de jur. reg. hebr. non 〈◊〉 adducam quanta sit turba monasteriorum 〈◊〉 quibus 〈◊〉 nulla viget disciplina pietatis , ut prae his lupanaria si●● , & magis sobri● , & magis pudica . illustr . ep. grunnio . concil . mogunt . sub stephano . c. . bin. rivet . resp . ad sylv. s. petra . ambros. pescen . niger . gen. . . gen. . . viz. abimelec . gen. . jud. . sam. . . eccles. . , . mat. . . luk. . . concil . salegunstad . anno . sivis be●e comedere jejuns . confor . . socrat. l. . c. . prov. . , . eccl. . . eccles. . . jude . ●say . . gen. . . melchior suerinensis episc. ex ducibus brunswic . krantz . metrop . l. . c. . gers. serm de b. ludovico . heliogab . aelius lamprid. jo : pory , append. to leo's hist. of africk . cibus sit vilis monachorum & vespertinu● , ut & sustineat & non noceat . reg. columb . c. . gen. . . p●●●i● est non 〈◊〉 frequenti●●●●c ga●diorum , &c. b●rn . ep. ● . sam. . . qui carnem suam supra modum affligit , civem suum occidit : si plus quam oportet alimentis reficit , hosiem nu●rit . hugo . instit . monast . in reg . d. august . c. . alens . to. . q. . mem . et si jejunium , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suid. es. . . quaet . si ex toto cor de ridere non licet ? negatur . reg. basilii c. . prov. . . gen. . . sam. . king. . . mat. . . vix ●l●qua sanctimonialium sine devoto carnali . alv. pel. de planctu . l. . . curent in unaqu●que civitate locum meretricibus assignandum ab hominum frequentia , & a majoribus ecclesiis remotum . in concil . mediolan . ● . habito a carolo boromaeo . jo. pory 〈◊〉 supra . tatianus , nihil d●fferre a ●a●rimonio scortationem s●d idem esse . epiph. h●eres . de tatianis . facitior est saepe , &c. ficut ●●bri● , pot●s , & ignis 〈…〉 magis succenduntur . gers. reg. morales de luxuria . munster . in praecept . mos. erasm. epist. da●eli stibaro . medicus senex basileae in publica professione docui● , &c. cor. . . cor. . . salm●ron tom. . tract . . de temporibus luctus . fideli , cui christus omn●a mundavit , iila turpitudo & absorp●io non est peccatum , nam ut ait apostolus , omnia munda mundis u● egregiè expon●t clem l. . strom. in fine . ad haec volupta● aut d●lectatio quae na●uraliter censequi●●a opus generationis quae omni animan●i ingenita est à deo , nec prop●er se c●petitur , pecc●●ū ullum non est ; quemad●●●dū & delecta●io quae consequ●●●● ed●ntē & biben●ē , aut somnū capien●ē non censetur illicita ; non solū erg● nuptiae non sunt peccatū , sed ille qui esset solutus & liber à vo●● , nec velle● se continere , crim●u non effugeret , si uxorem ●on quaereret , potius qu im ●ri , i. vinci a libidine , &c. salmer . to. . tract . . &c. b. ambr. to. . non sine renitentia , & dolore quodam animi , quòd sine usu matrimonii vivere non possit , &c. cor. . , , . ber● ▪ cant. . . nullo modo placuit bis in die saturum fieri . cic. tuscul . l. . schicard . de jure reg . hebr. ● cor. . cor. . . sam. . . alphons . varg. stratagem . jes. c. . eccles. . , . onerat quippe talis cibus voluptatis , irritatque famem non sa●ia● . gers. serm . ad eccles . cautelam . paupertas nemini malum nisi repugnanti . senec. ep. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deut. . . quan●o inferius delectamur , āto à supern● amore disjungimur . bern. de inter . domo . c. . eccles. . , . brom. sum p●aed . v. gula. cambdēs remaines . jo : de neapoli q. . to●us iste mundus sensibilis ad animae ventrem quid est nisi b●lus exiguus , &c ger. serm. ad eccles . cautel . cor vix ad unius milvi r●fectionem sufficere posset , & totus mundus ei non sufficit . bern. de interiore domo . c. . aug. gun. ad literam . phil. . . prov. . . ps . . phil. . ▪ . cui nihil satis est , nihil rurpe est . timo●heus in aristophontum prodigum . aelian . tim. . . si vis cum laetitia animi vivere , nol● multa habere . bern. ubi supra . c. . plut. in vit . laz. bayf . de re vest . bin. in vita clem. . anno. . bin. anno. . bin. in vita celestini electi . ann. . adrian . nihil si●i in vita infoelicius accidisse , quam quod imperárit . henr. a token in sylv. loc . com . hoppin . de orig . templ . reditus romani computati ab henrico . ad tantumascenderunt quantum reditus regis , viz. l. x. millia marcarum puri reditus , praeter alia emolumenta . florilegus . ann. . ciracella in ejus vit . cit . a rivetio contr . sylv. s. pet●a . sicut paulus ditissimus pauper dicebat , sicut nihil habentes , & omnia possidentes . ambros . de vitiorum , virtutumque conflictu . heb. , . joh. . cor. . . salmer . tom. . tract . . senec. de tranquillit . heb. . . tim. . . tim. . vnder the antiochi the levites took upon them to be kings , and turned saduces , and died violently . b●ought . ex fen gers. tertullus patric us romanus locuples , pa●rimonium dedi● benedicto , &c. regn●● po●ius quam coenobia vir sanctus posteris 〈◊〉 volater . mendicantes autem fratres et si praedia non sunt iustituti habere , tamen nihil haben●es omnia possident . krantz . metrop . l. . c. . caesar a branchedoro monita polit. an. . sept. . ut waremundus de erenb●rgh in ve●isimil . de regni subsid . idem branchedorus ibid. vrspergens cuspin . in vita alberti . vide orationem praemonitoriā caes. branchedori . m●gnitudo non habet cer●um modum . sen. epist. . depon● quod portas , nam non est tuum . melius est minus ege ▪ e quam plus habere . una ex reg . aug. habac. . . tertul. de anima . c. . pro . pro. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . job . . , . ps. . . ps , . . ps. . es. . . jer. . . esa. . . mar. . ps. . . ps. . . psal. . . jer. . . pro. . . . caution of sorrow . prateol . elench . haeres . v. chazinzarii . gen. . . caution of our sorrow . ambros. de obitu satyri fiatris . thes. . . sam. . . hieron . epist. non mihi peri● , sed praei● , &c. bern. epist . nullas habeant lachrymarum ferias , nullam ●ristitiae requiem consequantur , qui nullam putant requiem , mortuorum . nobis vero quibus mors non na●urae sed vitae istius sinis , &c. amb. de obitu frat . satyri . monumentarii ceraulae . apul . mat. . . eccl. . . aut absorbendus , aut premendus omnis dolor . ambros. ut supra . suidas . rom. . . aug. in psal. . torcul●ria paran●ur avis , & olivis , nec ●va vinum , &c. heb. . cor. . fr● a vict. relect. zech. . . exod. . . cor. . . exod. . , . ps. . . ps. . . ps. . . king. . , , , , , . , . psal. . ps. . , , , . anth. torquemade . journee . sim. gou●art hist. memorab . levin . lemnius de miraculiox citat . simone goulart . hist●ire memorab . suid. florilegus an. . lucret. inprimis timor est acheron●is agendus , funditus humanam qui vitam turbat ab imo . ea gensita mortem horret , ut ad thuris odorem efferentur , quòd in ▪ funeribus solet accendi . erasm. epist. grunnio . luk. . . vultum corrugan●es obfirmant . mald. in loc . cor. . . ira per zelum , ira per vicium . eph. . . socrat. l. . c. . psal. . . jer. . . herod . seneca . gal. . . mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ●lum● cas i●as g●runt . plaut . ps. . , prov. . . eccles. . jam. . . prov. . . eph. . . pr. . . gen. . . ps. . . notes for div a -e ●●ta cs● ut dic : solet differentia i●ter artifices , sicut inter incologices doctores . g●● . de propos . ab ep. hae r●t●candis . dispendio litis carcre non mediocre est lucrum . amb. de offic. l. . c. . non amat qu● no● zelat aug. contr . adimant . c. . s. por. prolegom . to the ●frian hi●t . gerard. her . p. . suid. verbo musonius . rom. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gal. . . girald . cambrens . itinerar . thaum●turg . nat . c. ● . melanct. postil . de baptist . christi , metuendum est etiam in postrema mundi aetate magis hunc errorem grassaturum esse , quòd aut nihil sint religiones , aut differant tantum vocabulis &c. spalat . part . ● . qui divinis innutriti sunt eloquiis &c. suid. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . bin. in vita innocentii . psal. . . io. . . suid. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theodor. l. cap. . cancil . eliber . c . miles q. praesidiarius rom ▪ felem quam aegyptii colebant . ut deum interfecit hinc tantus exortus tumultus ut militum praesidiariorum trucidati sint . melanct. postill . fer. . post advent . ex diodoro sic. the first rule . to distinguish of persons . aug. de utilitate cred . c. . to distinguish of tru●hes & errors . columban . c. . pauca sunt necessaria vera . doctrina christi quae prius nesciebat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coep●t a philosophie praesidiis pendere , hic erat primus , &c. eras praefat . ad opera hilarii . gen. . . nunquam audivimus petrinos aut paulinos aut bartholomaeanos , &c. sed ab initio una praedicatio apostolorum . epiph. l. . bern. serm. in cant. . aug. de utilitat . cred. c. . nesciunt necessaria , quia superflua did●erunt . f. senec. gars de neglig . pra●latorum . alens . tom. . q. . m. . ibid. q. . ibid. q. . ibid. q. . ibid. memb . . am●s . ●e resist . gratia . c. . mela●ct . ●polog . advers . p●ri● . sophi●l . suid. v. matreas . gers. epist. ad quendam fratrem minorem . quis non horreat profanas noc itates & verbo●um & sensuum ? bern. epist. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ut de nugatore hermippus . d. twiss de s●t●ntia media , &c. gers. contra superstitiosos . q. observ . non est s●●ens hodie qui novitates n●n inv●nit . de planct . eccl. l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . praestat pro●â igno●atione d●tin●ri quam falsa opinione mancipori . chrysost. in math. . hom. . experto crede , aliquid amplius invenies , in sylvis quàm i● l●bris . b●rn . epist. he●●t●o murdach . epist. . erasm. epist. l. . ioan. episc. concil . raven . concil . sabin●n , in hisp. . alured praefat adversum a se lib. pastor . greg. d. henr. spelman volum . . synod . brit. anno c. . d. henr. spelm. conc. brit. episcopus ignorans grammaticam deponatur . gers. tract . de cantichordo . bern. serm. in cant . . sozom. l. . c. . gers. tract . super magnif . sed mu●tos videostudiosos , paucos religiosos : amant lectionem , non religionem ; imo amore lectionis in odium incidunt religionis . hugo . l. . miscel. c. . tempore ●eteris ecclesiae romanae , populus non curs●abat ad videndum illud quod sacerdos ostendit , sed prostratis humi corporibus , animis incoelum erectis , gratias agebaut christo redemptori , qui nos suo san guine lavit , sua morte redemit , &c. eras. de amabilitate concordiae eccles. basil. . vid. libr. ordinat . aug. de doctr . christ. l. . c. . plut. customes of laced . gal. . . vide relat . colloq . chamier . eras. epist. colleg. so●bon . gers. declar . defect . gers. assert : ●o . parui utilius rasci scandalum permittitur quam veriritas deseratur . eras. senatui paris . malui nempe solus ab utriusque partis insanioribus dilace●ari quam esse tutus in parte damnata . aug. in psa. . eras. l. colleg. sorb . vide act. & mon. & bromiard . v. honor. io. i●slerus scaphus de diuturnitate belli eu●harist , hospin . de sestis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suidas v. hebraei . num. . . prov. . . pirke aboth . potho prunie●sium episcopus , . i●●ib . de statu dom. dei hospin . de orig. f●st . christ. eras. epist. illustr . quantum apud alios valeat ecclesiae authoritas nescio : certe apud me tantum valet ut cum arianis & pelagianis sentire possim , si probass●t ecclesia quod illi docuerunt , bilibaldo . laert. eras. ep●st . l. . coll. sorb . a literato quodam & experto viro accepi perniciosam esse in omni arte vel doctrina assertionem audacem & extremam gers. de vita , spir . animae &c. lect . . corol . . suidas . cal. . act. . ▪ , . non turpe est sententiam mutare , sed in malo perseverate funestum & exitiosum . gre naz. orat . . gerson . declar . desect . gavant . praxis compend . visit . ne temerè vibret fulmen excommunicationis nihil quod crudele , utile . offi● . . . aug. alipio , epist. . iohn . apud navar . ●n man. c . erasm. godes●cho . m. blunts observation in his journey to the levant . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , suid. vide & martin . cromerus de falsa relig . luther . l. . whitak . respons . ad campian . gers. de praecept . decalogi , c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor. ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. . . siquis a bellis quae jam seculis aliquot obres nihili , plus quam ethnicè geruntur , deterreat , notatur à sycophantis quasi sentiat cumiis qui negant ullum b●ll●m gerendum christianis . eras. l. epist. . paulo volezio . citat . a d. davenant sent. de pace procur . ●in . conci● . p. . rom. . sub damas● . non debet plurimorum malum tendere in aestimationem cunctorum . greg. moral . l. . . this is seasonably and happily done by an order of the starre-chamber lately made . rom. . cor. . . philip. . . sententia impia , vita luxuriosa . non bene vivit qui non rectè credit . calixtus . benedict . episc. bernard . epist. . epist. . epist. . epiphan . haeres . . bromiard . v. fides . nullum malum punicum in quo non aliquod gra num supput●e . ma● . . , , . salmeron . . ●rolegom . lib. sacrar . ceremon . in locis italiae & adjacentium insularum nullus haereticus quovis praetextu domicilium contrahere , habitare , aut morari possit . greg. . anno . pro iudaeis est orare , sed non st●cten●do genua . greg. fer. . post palman . gav●nt . enchirid. tit . conc●o . gavant . ex silvio . v. haebr . ex provinc . mediol . munster . praecept . mosaica negat . ib. munst. ib. munst. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gen. . . theed . lib. . c. . & cassiod . l. . c. . socrat. l. c. . islud aggressus non de more catholicae ecclesiae . sozem. l. . c. . sozom. ibid. c. . cor. . . . . . dam. à goes . histr . ethiop . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . see this question shortly but fully handled by my l. grace of canterb. in his late convictive answer to a. c. sect . . p. . . . and largely discussed by the archbish. of spalat . de repub. eccles. l. . c. . num . à . ad . ne graeci latinomore , &c. ex pio . anno . gavant . gavant . ex congr . episc. . febr. . philip. . . revel . . . tit. . . act. . . revel . . . staphil . desens contra illiricum . pet. . . psal. . . h●spin . de festis ethnic . ex utraque p●rte suut qui pug●are cup●●tus cic. tyroni suo epist. l. . erasmus taxat hilarium quod arrium appellat satanam & antichristum . praefat. ad hilar. mr. blunts voyage to the levant . gal. . . psal. . . psa. . eteocles & polynices . revel . . . iude . kings . . ambro. in psal. . ● nunquid ovis lupum persequitur ? non , sed lupus ovem , &c. chrys. hom. . in matth. coloss. . . . . . contra quam lutheranus , q. apud prolaeum . a calviniana fraternitate libera n●s domine . p●olaeus . fascic . c. . q. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . so●rat . l. . c. . socr. l. . c. . epist. . honestis , ac prud . dom. consulibus , &c. tiguri , bernae , basileae , schafhusii , saugalli , &c. an . vid. hosp. & d. paraeum in iren. subs●ripti . v. p. add●ctus . mart. iucherus . gen. . . suidas . v. cercyon . tim. . . heb. . . gal. . . socr. l. : c. . mesius est propter misericordiam rationem reddere quà propter crudelitatem . quinetiam dogmatum discrepantia , quorum alia ex aliis nascebantur , impedimento fuit , quo minus complures , qui fidem christianam recipere animum induxerant , eam recip●rent . the counsell of a father to his sonne, in ten seuerall precepts left as a legacy at his death. burghley, william cecil, baron, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the counsell of a father to his sonne, in ten seuerall precepts left as a legacy at his death. burghley, william cecil, baron, - . sheet ([ ] p.). printed for iosepth [sic] hunt, and are to be sold at his shop in bedlem, neere moore-field gate, london : [ ] date of publication from stc ( nd ed.). reproduction of original in: society of antiquaries. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . broadsides -- london (england) -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the counsell of a father to his sonne , in ten seuerall precepts . left as a legacy at his death . the induction or preface . sonne , the vertuous inclination of thy matchlesse mother , by whose tender and godly care thy infancy was gouerned , together with thy education vnder so godly and zealous a tutor , puts me rather in assurance then hope , that thou art not ignorant of that summary bond , which is onely able to make thee happy , aswell in thy life as death . i meane the true knowledge of thy creator and redeemer , without which all things are vaine and miserable . so that thy youth being guided by so al-sufficient a teacher , i make no doubt but he will furnish thy life both with diuine and morall documents ; yet that i may not cast of the care beseeming a parent towards his child , or that thou shouldest haue cause , to deriue thy whole felicity and welfare rather from others , then from whom thou receiuedst thy birth and being , i thinke it fit and agreable to the affection i beare , to giue thee such aduertisements and rules for the squaring of thylife , as are gayned rather by long experience , then much reading , to the end , that thou entring into this exorbitant age maist be the better prepared to shun those cautelous courses , whereinto this world , and thy lacke of experience may easily draw thee . and because i will not confound thy memory , i haue reduced them into ten precepts , if thou imprint them in thy mind , thou shalt reape the benefite , and i the contentment . and these are they . the first pecept . first , when it shall please god , to bring thee to mans estate , vse great prouidence and circumspection in the choice of thy wife : for from thence may spring all thy future good or ill . and it is an action like to a stratagem in warre , where man can erre but once . if thy estate bee good , match neere home and at leasure : if weak , then farre off and quickly , enquire diligently of her disposition , and how her parents haue bene inclined in their youth . let her not be poore , how generous soeuer : for a man can buy nothing in the market with gentility . neither choose a base or vncomely creature : for that will breed contempt in others , and loathing in thee . make not choice of a dwarfe or a foole : for from the one thou maist beget a race of pigmies , the other may be thy daily disgrace . for it will yrke thée to heare her talke , and thou shalt finde ( to thy great griefe ) that there is nothing so fulsome as is a shee foole . touching the gouernment of thy house , let thy hospytality bee moderate , according to the measure of thine owne estate , rather plentifull then sparing , ( but not too costly ) for i neuer heard nor yet knew any man grow poore by keeping an orderly table , but some consume themselues with secret vices , and their hospitality must beare the blame . banish swynish drunkards out of thy house , which is a vice that impaires health , consumes much , and makes no shew , besides i neuer heard any commendations ascribed to a drunkard more then the well bearing of his drinke which is a commendation fitter for a brewers horse or a dray-man ▪ then for either a gentleman or seruingman . beware that thou spend not aboue three of the foure parts of thy reuenewes , nor aboue one third part thereof in thy house , for the other two parts will but defray thy extraordinaries , which will alwaies surmount thy ordinaries by much , for otherwise thou shalt liue like a rich beggar in a continuall want , and the needy man can neuer liue happily nor contented , for then euery least disaster makes him ready to morgage or sell . and that gentleman that then sels an aker of land , looseth an ounce of credit , for gentility is nothing but auncient riches , so that if the foundations do sinke , the buildings must needs consequently faile . the second precept . bring thy children vp in obedience and learning yet without austerity , praise them openly , reprehend them secretly , giue them good countenance , and conuenient maintenance according to thy ability , for otherwise thy life will seeme their bondage , & then what portion thou shalt leaue them , they may thanke death and not thee for it . marry thy daughters betimes least they marry themselues . suffer not thy sonnes to passe the alpes , for they shall learne nothing but pride , blasphemy , and atheisme . and if by chance they attaine to any broken languages , they will profite them no more , then to haue one meate serued in diuers dishes , neither by my aduise shalt thou traine them vp to warres , for he that sets vp his rest to liue by that profession , can hardly be an honest man , or a good christian , for euery warre is of it selfe vniust , the good cause may make it iust , besides it is a science no longer in request then vse , for souldiers in peace , are like to chimnies in sommer , the third precept . liue not in the country without corne and cattell about thee , for hee that must present his hand to his purse , for euery expence of houshold , may be likened to him that keepes water in a siue , and for thy prouision , lay for to buy it at the best hand , for there may bee a peny saued betweene buying at thy neede , or when the market , or the seasons do serue fittest for it . be not willingly attended or serued by kinsmen or friends , or men intreated to stay , for they will expect much , and do little , neither by such as are amorous , for their heads are commonly intoxicated , keepe rather two too few , then one too many , feede them well and pay them with the most . so maist thou demand seruice at their hands , and boldly require it . the fourth precept . let thy kindred and allies be welcome to thy table , grace them with thy countenance , and euer further them in all their honest actions for by that meanes thou shalt double the bond of nature , so as thou shalt find them so many aduocates to plead an apology for thee behind thy backe but shake of those glowormes , i meane parasites and sycophants , who will feed and faune on thee in the sommer of thy prosperity , but in any aduerse storme , they will shelter thée no more , then an arbour in winter . the fift precept . be sure thou alwaies keepe some great man to thy friend , but trouble him not for trifies , complement him often , present him with many , yet small gifts and of little charge , and if thou hast cause to bestow any great gratuity , then let it be some such , as may bee daily in sight , for otherwise thou shalt liue like a hop without a pole , liue in obscurity , and be made a footeball for euery insulting companion to spurne at . the sixt precept . vndertake no suite against a poore man without receiuing of great wrong , for therein making him thy competitor , besides that it is held a base conquest to triumph where there is small resistance , neither vndertake law against any man , before thou be fully resolued that thou hast the right on thy side , and then spare not for money nor paines , for a cause or two beeing well followed and obtained , may after frée thée from suits a great part of thy life . the seuenth precept . beware of suertiship for thy best friend , for he y t payeth an other mans debts , seekes his owne decay , but if thou canst not otherwise choose rather then to lend that money from thy selfe vpon good bonds , ( though thou borrow it ) so maist thou pleasure thy friend and happely secure thy selfe . in borrowing of mony bee euermore pretious of thy word , for he that cares to keepe day of payment , is lord commander many times of another mans goods . the eighth precept . towards thy superiours be humble yet generous , with thy equals familiar , yet respectiue , towards inferiours shew much humility and some familiarity , as to bow thy body , stretch forth thy hand , vncouer thy head , and such like popular complements . the first prepares a way to aduancement , the second makes thée knowne for a man well bred , the third gaines a good report , which once gained may easily be kept , for high humilities take such roote in the mindes of the multitude , as they are easilier wonn by vnprofitable curtesies , then by churlish benefits , yet doe i aduise thee not to affect nor to neglect popularity . the ninth precept . trust no man with thy credit or estate , for it is a méere folly for a man to enthrall himselfe to his friend further then if iust cause be offered , he should not dare to become otherwise thy enemie . the tenth precept . be not scurrilous in conuersation nor stoicall in thy iests , the one makes thee vnwelcome to all companies , the other puls on quarrels , and makes thee hated of thy best friend , jests when they doe sauour too much of truth , leaue a bitternesse in y e minds of those y t are touched . and although i haue already pointed al these inclusiue , yet i think it necessary to leaue it thee as a caution , because i haue seene so many proue to quip and gyrd , as they had rather loose their friend , then their iests . and if by chance their boyling braine yeld a quaint scoffe , they will trauell to be deliuered of it as a woman with child , those nimble apprehensions , are but the froth of wit. london . printed for iosepth hvnt , and are to be sold at his shop in bedlem , neere moore-field gate . finis . a testimony for truth against all hireling priests and deceivers with a cry to the inhabitants of this nation to turn to the lord before his dreadful judgments overtake them : also a testimony against all observers of times and dayes. boulbie, judith. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a testimony for truth against all hireling priests and deceivers with a cry to the inhabitants of this nation to turn to the lord before his dreadful judgments overtake them : also a testimony against all observers of times and dayes. boulbie, judith. boulbie, judith. a testimony against all observers of times and dayes. p. s.n., [london : ?] signed at end: judith boulbie. imprint suggested by wing. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng freedom of religion -- england. fasts and feasts -- england. conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - celeste ng sampled and proofread - celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a testimony for truth against all hireling-priests and deceivers : with a cry to the inhabitants of this nation , to turn to the lord , before his dreadful judgments overtake them . also a testimony against all observers of times and dayes . o ye priests and bishops of this nation , the lord god that made heaven and earth is a witness for me this day , i have no evil in my heart to any of you , but in love to your souls ; and in the bowels of tender compassion am i constrained to cry out against your ungodly gaines ; for gods day is come , and wo to all the workers of iniquity . o ye bishops and priests of this nation , ye have for a long time covered your selves with the name of christ's ministers , but now your covering is too narrow , and your profession will not hide you ; for the light of christ is risen , and with it you are judged and condemned , and seen to be enemies to the the cross of christ , and strangers to the covenant of promise ; being in cains way , who slew his brother about religion ; and in balaams way , who loved the wages of unrighteousness , therefore i say , leave off your deceit , and keep the people no longer in your dark forms ; but let them have liberty to worship god in spirit and truth ; for the time is come , that every man need not teach his neighbour or his brother , saying , know the lord ; for every one must know him from the least to the greatest . yea , gods second covenant of light and glory is made manifest , i will forgive their sins , and remember their iniquities no more ; i 'll be to them a god , and they shall be my people : o ye blind guides , will ye seek to dissannul this ? will ye seek to stop the lords work in this the day of his power ? ye are but as bryars and thorns , who are setting your selves together against him , who is a consuming fire , and is risen to consume you , and all your false doctrine ( if ye repent not . ) therefore i say again and again , leave off your deceit , and come to the teaching of gods witness in your own perticulars : for this is the day that god is pouring forth of his spirit , and his sons and his daughters do prophesie ; for there is no more room for deceit . why take ye christs words in your mouths , and hate to be reform'd ? why talk ye of the scriptures , and are err'd from the spirit that gave them forth ? ye are gone from the practice of christ , and of the apostle : did ever peter , paul , james , john , or any of christs ministers , keep curates to get money ? did they ever sue any man for lambs , piggs , hens , or geese ? did they ever hale any to the courts , and to prison ? nay , was not this the testimony of him that was called to the ministry , cor. . . ( saith he ) a necessity is laid upon me to preach the gospel , and wo be unto me if i preach it not ; i have coveted no mans silver , nor gold , nor apparrel ; but have laboured with these hands , day and night , that i should not be chargeable to any man ? and was not this christs doctrine , do good to them that hate you , bless them that curse you ; if any sue thee at the law , and take away thy coat , let him have thy cloak also ; he that smites thee on the one side , turn to him the other ? matthew . . . oh! blush for shame , and t●ade no more with the scriptures ; for they testifie against you , to your condemnation , ye hireling-shepherds : have you brought any lambs to christs fold ? have ye brought any of your hearers into the pleasant valleys , where the springs of life are to be felt ? nay : are they not wandring in the imaginations of their own hearts , and many of them dissatisfied , thirsting after the bread of life , but know not where to find it , while you are eating the fat , and clothing your selves with the fleece ; and putting the day of the lord far from you , when many of gods faithful servants , whom he hath called to labour in his vine-yard , are exercised with strong cryes to the god that made heaven and earth , that he may turn away his judgments , and revoak his destroying angel , and spare this nation , which otherwise will feel an heavy stroke of gods hand ▪ if they repent not . and though you live in pride and excess , spending your pretious time in vanity and pleasure , eating and drinking with the drunken , and say in your hearts , the lord delays his coming ; but know , that for all these things ye must come to judgment : for of a truth , ye priests and people of this nation , the lord will turn your feasting into fasting , and your mirth into lamentation ; he will fill you with terror , and amazement : though you have had plenty and fulness , your barns and store-houses must become empty ; because of these things i weep , sorrow hath filled mine heart , and mine eyes run down with water : what shall i say to prevail with thee , o england ? must thou needs be left desolate ? where are thy wise and prudent ? where are thy divines ( so called ? ) there is a seed raised , and a birth brought forth , which will confound them all ; the promised seed is come , christ is risen , and unto him must the gathering of the people be : for though the world cry out , no perfection ( and the hireling-shepherds , no redemption on this side the grave ) yet i say , there is a birth brought forth , which will naturally do the will of god , as ever man did his own will. but o ye people of this nation , are ye willing to receive him ? are not your hearts filled with pleasures and delights ? are they not filled with cares and incumbrances of this present life , while there is no room for your christ : o man and woman , is not every thing in thine heart , and christ in the stable : o ye inhabitants of this nation , its hard for ye to kick against that which pricks you ; for in the dread of god almighty do i declare it , there 's not another way , in which god will be worshiped , but by the light which shines in your inward parts ; neither is there another gospel to be preache but this ; gods power made manifest in the heart . o ye professors , my heart is a little enlarged to you , i being once with you in the same dark profession : o how doth my soul breath for you in secret , that you may all come to the substance , the one thing that is needful , and witness the redemption of your souls , to serve the living god no longer in the oldness of the letter , but in the newness of the spirit ; for you have a form , but the life and power is wanting ; you are crying up scriptures , and crying up ordinances , you are crying up baptism and the lords-supper , while you know nothing of the faith which works by love ; and because of these things , saith the apostle , many are sick and weak among you , and many are faln asleep , not discerning the lords body , cor. . . for you discern not the body of whom christ jesus is the head , nor the gospel which is the power of god unto salvation ; you discern not the glad-tidings of life and salvation , which is freely tendered without money or price ; let every one that thirsteth come to the waters , and he that hath no money , let him come buy wine and milk without money and without price , isa . . , , . why do you spend your money for that which is not bread , and your labour for that which satisfieth not ? learn of me , saith christ , heark●n diligently and your souls shall live ; and i will make an everlasting covenant with you , even the sure mercies of david . o england , thy teachers have deceived thee ; they have spoken lyes unto thee , and the divinatien of their own brains , but not one word from the mouth of the lord ; they have cryed peace , peace , when sudden destruction was ready to enter into thy bowels : mic . . thy priests preach for hire , thy heads judge for reward , thy prophets divine for money , and the people love to have it so , but what will ye do in the end thereof ? consider your wayes and your doings , and turn spedily unto the lord by a true and unfeigned repentance , before the decree be sealed , which must never be revok'd again ; rev. . . he that is filthy , let him be filthy still , he that is holy , let him be holy still ; and behold i come , saith christ jesus , to render unto every man according to his works . o land though fruitful thou hast been , thy glory must decay ; the thing thy heart takes pleasure in , must wither like the hay . o england , wilt thou still forget , god's kindness unto thee ? a little time is left thee yet , that happy thou may'st be . but if perversly thou go'st on , then mark what i do say ; i do thee tell ere it be long , the lord will bring a day , of bitter howling unto thee , of anguish , and of smart ; in which the deceit thou shalt see , that lodgeth in thine heart . a testimony for truth against all observers of times and dayes . oye that live in pleasures and vanities , and spend your pretious time in sin and transgression , as carding and dicing , drunkening and feasting , in pretence of keeping christs-day : o my friends consider where you are , and what you are a doing : are you indeed come to christs-day ? or are you not rather in the night , wherein gross darkness surrounds you about ? you are making provision for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof : o starved souls , lean , dry , and barren ! you are making provision for the flesh whilst your souls lie in death and darkness , unredeemed to god : alas my friends ! to what purpose is your feastings , to what purpose is your observations of dayes and times , so long as the babe lieth in the manger , and the seed of life is unredeemed to god ? ah friends , if ever you would be witnesses of christs day , and of his glory , which he is now revealing , ye must all come to the light , which you are enlightened by , as the apostle said , we have a more sure word of prophesie , unto which you do well to take heed , as unto a light which shineth in a dark place , until the day-dawn , and the day-star arise in your hearts , pet. . . now friends , if the day-star were risen in you , there would be no need of observing dayes and times , there would be no keeping a day in twelve moneths , but every day would be a holy day , so that gods glory would fill his temple : but if the day-star be not risen in you , then ye are in the night and in darkness , and he that walks in darkness knoweth not whether he goes : and thus the parable comes to be opened , and the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations , comes to be revealed , even by him who was found worthy to open the book which was sealed with seven seals , reve. . . who is the lion of the tribe of judah , whose everlasting day is dawned , and his glory is risen ; he hath filled our hearts with praise and thanksgiving , glory , honour , everlasting praise , saith my soul , be unto him forever . judith boulbie . the end . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e gen. . . num. . jer. , vers . , , . jo. . . a preservative of piety in a quiet reasoning for those duties of religion, that are the means and helps appointed of god for the preserving and promoting of godliness. namely, i. of four christian-duties, viz. . reading the scriptures. . preparation for the lords supper. . estimation of the ministry. . sanctification of the lords-day-sabbath. ii. of four family-duties, viz. . houshold-catechising. . family-prayer. . repeating of sermons. . singing of psalms. with an epistle prefixt, to inform and satisfie the christian reader, concerning the whole treatise. by william thomas, rector of the church at ubley in the county of somerset. thomas, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ; : ) a preservative of piety in a quiet reasoning for those duties of religion, that are the means and helps appointed of god for the preserving and promoting of godliness. namely, i. of four christian-duties, viz. . reading the scriptures. . preparation for the lords supper. . estimation of the ministry. . sanctification of the lords-day-sabbath. ii. of four family-duties, viz. . houshold-catechising. . family-prayer. . repeating of sermons. . singing of psalms. with an epistle prefixt, to inform and satisfie the christian reader, concerning the whole treatise. by william thomas, rector of the church at ubley in the county of somerset. thomas, william, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for edward thomas, and are to be sold at his shop at the adam and eve in little-brittain, london : m.dc.lxii. [ ] the words " . reading .. lords-day-sabbath." and " . houshold-catechising. .. psalms." are bracketed together on title page. variant: imprint has "edward thomaas". identified as wing t a (variant) on reel . reproduction of the original at the union theological seminary library (reel ) and the congregational library, london (reel ). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a preservative of piety , in a quiet reasoning for those duties of religion , that are the means and helps appointed of god for the preserving and promoting of godliness . namely , i. of four christian-duties , viz. . reading the scriptures . . preparation for the lords supper . . estimation of the ministry . . sanctification of the lords-day-sabbath . ii. of four family-duties , viz. . houshold-catechising . . family-prayer . . repeating of sermons . . singing of psalms . with an epistle prefixt , to inform and satisfie the christian reader , concerning the whole treatise . by william thomas , rector of the church at ubley in the county of somerset . acts . . and they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship , and in breaking of bread and prayer . with , rev. . . i was in the spirit on the lords-day . aug. de trin. lib. . cap. . utile est plures libros à pluribus fieri , diverso stylo , non diversâ fide ; etiam de quaestionibus iisdem , ut ad plurimos res ipsa perveniat , ad alios sic , ad alios autem sic . london , printed for edward thomaas , and are to be sold at his shop at the adam and eve in little-brittain . m. dc . lxii . to my dearly beloved , the church and congregation belonging to my charge , inhabiting within the parish of ubley in the county of somerset : grace and peace . dearly beloved in the lord , it was for your sakes that i first set my thoughts on this ensuing treatise ; for , having lived and laboured so many years amongst you already , i cannot look to abide long with you , and therefore have thought it meet to do my endeavour , that you may be able , after my decease , to have those things alwayes in remembrance which you have been formerly and continually taught (a) : divers of which you will meet with in the reading of this book , whereof , because i am willing to give you a taste , i shall reckon them up unto you in that order wherein you shall find them hereafter handled . first , you know i have laboured much with you for the reading of scripture , and to train up your children to be able to read it ; let me now leave it with you , not only to set your eyes upon this word of god , but to set your hearts unto it , and ( as much as in you lies ) to draw and win the hearts of those belonging to you to it ; for it is your life , and their life (b) . secondly , i have taken much pains , ( both publikely , and from house to house (c) , ) to teach you , admonish you , and perswade you to a reverent receiving of the lords supper : and now shall desire you to keep in mind that which you often have been minded of , which is , that they who come to that sacrament should be before god twice ; the first time , preparing , the second time , receiving : neglect not to prepare for sermons ( especially on the lords-day ) but double your preparation at sacraments , because there is a double work to be done , in regard of the meeting of two distinct ordinances , that is , the word and sacrament to be partaked in together . wash your hearts , ( as you do your vessels every day ) , but scour them , and make them bright for the lords use on sabbath , and sacrament-dayes . thirdly , you have heard ( especially in late times , wherein the shameful and shameless misusing of ministers , hath enforced them to plead for their calling , i say , you have heard ) many things to move you to a due estimation of the ministry ; concerning which i shall say no more here , but only this ; take heed of esteeming too much of such teachers as are not lawfully called , or too little of such as are . if painful teaching be not continued unto you , remember you had it ; if it be , do not despise it ; if you cannot have it at home , be not content to be without it ; look not one upon another , but where you see there is corn , repair thither (d) . better stir , then starve . fourthly , of our lords sabbath-day , very much hath been spoken to you ; the holy observation thereof being the seed-plot and support of all piety . it is not a day of idleness , but of spiritual action (e) . and you that have need to work for your bodies and families all the six dayes , have the more need to lay all other work aside on the sabbath-day , and to look after your souls ; making it your great , and even your only work then , to labour , not after the food that perisheth , but the meat that endureth to everlasting life (f) . to be very diligent all the week-dayes , and to idle out the lords-day , is , to be good husbands and bad christians ; and such bad christians are never good husbands , for they will be undone at last (g) . fifthly , you have still seen that i have made catechising your children and servants , one part of my work , of which i shall say but a word now , namely , that it is so hard a thing to get any knowledge and sense of religion into the heads and hearts of ancient people , that therein all may see , ( and you that are parents and housholders should take notice of it ) what a necessary thing it is , to begin betimes with those that are young , and to instruct them in that knowledge and fear of god , which is the beginning of wisdom . sixthly , family-prayer hath been often taught and sought amongst you ; for , how can housholders expect the protection and success of their persons and labours in the day , or the safe keeping of themselves , their children , servants , and substance in the night , yea , comfort and welfare day or night , without god ? or , how can they look to enjoy god without prayer ? for , he will be sought by the house of israel (h) , and ( we may say ) by every house in israel , zech. . . seventhly , repetition of sermons amongst you hath been my continual custom ; that the things publikely delivered might be better understood , better remembred , better settled in your hearts ; and that the power thereof might be more and better expressed in your lives ( which , you know , hath been the usual prayer before repetition ) . lastly , i have encouraged and excited you to the duty of singing of psalms ; and of late , it hath been my manner , in publike , to give you a short exposition of every psalm , before the singing of it , that you might better understand and mind the matter contained in it . now , all these things i do here recommend unto you , and again s●t before you , because spiritual things , though delivered often to weak hearers , are not quickly understood , are hardly committed to memory , are soon forgotten , or mistaken ; when a printed paper may easily be looked upon , seriously thought upon , and by often recourse to it , a fruitful and more full use , may be made of it . and whatsoever the things i here communicate ( and do , as it were , bequeath to you , as my dear children in the lord ) shall be found , in themselves ; yet the relation of pastor and people under which we stand ( and which is now of forty and four years standing ) , hath ( i trust ) such an endearment in it , as to render what i have written more profitable to you , by being more acceptable ▪ more helpful , by being more grateful , and by your looking upon it with an eye of love. having mentioned the time of my abode among you , it shall not be tedious to me , nor wil it ( i hope ) be grievous to you , to review , and run over , in a generality , what hath passed in it ; and therein will be found , something to be observed and marked ; something to be humbled for ; and something to praise god for . that which i invite you to take notice of , may be reduced to two heads : first , the lords casting my lot amongst you , and calling me to you by a more then ordinary providence : for it was by the free , and ( as far as i know ) unsollicited naming of me to it by a person of honour (i) in whose gift it was ; and the news of it was sent unto me then , when ( being a student in oxford ) neither this , nor any other ministerial charge , was by me , either sought or thought of ; which i mention ( and mind you of ) the rather , because , though i have had divers earnest invitations to remove to other places of more publike imployment ; yet gods more then usual call to this place , hath ever made me to fear to forsake it , and i have still found much inward satisfaction in forsaking all other , and cleaving to this . for god is the wisest disposer of his servants , and he knows best in what part of his vineyard to place his labourers . yet i condemn not all removals ( if they be not self-removals ) , but set a mark upon special disposals . secondly , you may not pass over , without serious observation , another remarkable providence which is , that whensoever i have been forced from you , god hath provided otherwise for you . twice ( you remember ) i have been taken off ; . by suspension for three years space , because i could not be resolved to read the book of liberty for sports on the lords-day . . by the distractions of the late sad times of civil war , about so many years more . yet in both these separations from you , god ordered it so , that such were present with you in all the time of my absence and restraint , by whom you were diligently and profitably instructed ; which , as it is to be marked on the one side , to shew how god provides supplyes in the necessitated absence of pastors ; so , on the other side , it concerns you , ( unto whom this benefit hath been vouchsafed ) to take notice , that , though you have not still had the same husbandman , yet god hath not suffered you to want that spiritual husbandry , which , if it be lacking but for a time , bryars and thorns grow up , and the envious man suddenly sows his tares . remember how much you are bound to that god that hath not left you without a teaching minister , and without law (k) ; how much you are bound to be thankful , who have had the heavenly manna in the wilderness of this world forty years , and upwards ; how much you are bound to be fruitful , who have had dressers of the lords vineyards so many years to dig and dung , and by all means to seek for fruit (l) ; and , lastly , how inexcusable you will be , if the door of your hearts be not opened , at which christ hath still stood knocking , four and forty years together . in the next place , i must not dissemble , that there is matter of humiliation for us on both parts : for , as on my own part i willingly acknowledge much weakness , and want of bestirring my self among you , with that care , courage , compassion , diligence , and resolution that belongs to a pastor ; so you , on the other part , have cause to take to heart that unteachableness , whereby , though there hath been precept upon precept , line upon line (m) , yet so little is learned ; not but that i think , and hope that ( for the generality ) it will be found , that there is more acquaintance with religion in this , then in divers other congregations that consist of poor and unlearned people ; but yet it is to be lamented , that divers know so little in comparison of what they should and might have known , and have much need of milk still , because of their unskilfulness in the word of righteousness (n) . but , besides this want of knowledge , i may say , my god hath humbled me (o) among you , and given cause of bewailing the great want of the power and practise of godliness . i confess , you have comforted me with a conformity to the ordinances and the exercises of religion . the matter of grief is , that there hath not been , in some , that sobriety in company ; in others , that diligence and laboriousness in their callings ; and in many , that christian patience that there ought to have been , but in stead thereof , many angry , and unbrotherly contentions , which is observed to be the disease , and is indeed , the great sin (p) and dishonour of this place , albeit i grant , there have been , of late , more occasions then ordinary of it ; and it 's true also , that the devil is very busie to make them worst that are taught most : hence it is , that it is not to be wondered at , neither is religion , or the profession thereof , to be worse thought of for it , if here , or otherwhere , where the gospel is preached , there be breakings forth not only into anger and bitterness , ( which yet is very bad , and a giving a place to the devil (q) , who plays his pranks , and works his will very much in a passionate heart ) but also into far fouler evils , as swearing , cursing , drunkenness , uncleanness , going to witches and wisards , ( which is a going to hell for help , when people be under the hand of heaven ) . these more hainous offences i only name to you , because i believe divers , that have been guilty of some of them , have truly repented , and am willing to hope that others that are yet faulty in any of them , ( being convinced in their consciences of the evil and danger of things so horrible , and forbearing them more then heretofore ) will not only leave them altogether , but abhor them and themselves for them : which i desire the lord to give them grace to do before it be too late . i am weary of this sad work , and therefore shall add only this ; it had been a happy thing ( my brethren ) both to you and to me , if divers aged persons had ( as i perswade my self some have ) become young christians , and grown so wise , as not only to live soberly and righteously ( which makes them good neighbours , but not good christians ) , but also to live godly , that is , to live according to the word of god , and to aim in all things at the glory of god ; o how little is there of this in many that are going into their grave ? nay , in stead of this comfort in older people , i have often , with much grief , observed , that by sundry of the younger sort , who have given some good hopes , in the beginning of their time , of their doing well , by their appearing in catechising , hearing , and noting sermons , and reading something of scripture at home , as they have been call'd to it ; yet afterwards being grown up , and come to discover their dispositions , reading scripture hath been laid aside , catechising shaken off , noting sermons neglected , the vain fashions of the world followed ; and so the upshot and conclusion is , the living of a dull worldly life , with little sense of religion , and losing that acquaintance with god which they seemed to have , or which it was hoped they would have had . the lord open the eyes of such ; and , blessed be god , there are divers young ones that are not such . after all this , i shall say , and may truly say with the apostle , i write not these things to shame you , or as if i thought there were not the like ( or greater ) cause of complaint in other places ; but i write them as to my beloved sons and daughters to warn you (r) , and to stir up both my self and you , that it may be yet better , by our making the best use we can of the little , and uncertain remainder of time of our being together as pastor and people . i gladly pass from this , ( which is displeasing to me , but i thought needful for you to affect you with your estate , that you might never rest till you be in a good estate ) ; and come now to the third , and more comfortable thing , which is matter of praising god , whereof there is much ; and that , not only because i hope , and know , that the great god , ( without whom , ministers can do nothing , are nothing (s) , ) hath been pleas'd to make my ministry profitable to divers neighbouring parishes ( at my first coming hither , less provided for ) — but especially for the good effect of it among you of this congregation ; the same lord of the harvest that hath brought ( i may say ) laborious preaching into this place , ( where there was so little so long time before ) , hath blessed it here also so far as that , i doubt not , divers are gone to heaven that have enjoyed it , and are going thither who now enjoy it ; not so many ( god knows ) as were to be wished , but so many , as that it sufficiently appeareth that god had a gracious work to do when he sent his word hither , upon the souls of poor people in this place . i shall not here forget that which may confirm what i have said , and be a sign of the hearty entertainment of the gospel , which is , that you did so generally , lovingly , and earnestly desire my return unto you , after i had been for some longer time absent , and when i was much desired otherwhere ; this new invitation i took as a second call , and a new encouragement to settle with you : and therefore forsaking all other , i have kept my self ( or rather , god hath kept me ) only unto you , to spend and be spent for you (t) . here also , i do with comfort remember , your greater respect to the lords-day , more knowledge of , and preparation for the lords-supper , then is to be found in every place where the word hath been , together with some more reverence of the presence and service of god in the publike assembly ; you do not use to over-run the blessing ( as divers that make it a common , but it is a very profane custom , to go away before the blessing be pronounced ) but abide the whole time of divine service ; jacob said , i will not let thee go from me (u) . they do well , that say , and resolve , lord , i will not go from thee , before thou blesse me . but amongst , and above divers other things , there is great cause of blessing god for your constancy in attending gods word and ordinances in the late erroneous and congregation-scattering times , wherein so many christians have lamentably and fearfully faln from the truth and wayes of god , from whom , i know you have not wanted tentations to depart with them ( upon the pretence of greater light , and more holiness ) from that written word of god , which they that leave , or cross and contemn , have no morning-light in them (x) , and with a reverend and unfained respect whereunto , the greatest godliness and holiness is ever-joyned , for it is a doctrine according to godliness (y) , that is , which requires true godliness , and stirs up and brings men thereunto : but by such tentations many have departed . to that god be glory , who is able to keep you , and hath kept you from so falling , jude , v. , . i have little more to say , o that i could take off some of that which i have said , that is , all former complaints , by seeing that done at last , which hath not been done at first ; i mean , by seeing those that have lien in ignorance , become at length , knowing christians : those that have been worldly minded , spiritual christians , those that have been loose and given to drinking , sober christians ; and those who have been only sober , truly godly christians ! o that they that are old , ( too like nicodemus that dreamed of entring into his mothers womb again ) might be so far awakened and enlightened , as to enter ( as it were ) into the womb of the church (z) , and know experimentally what the great mystery of regeneration means by having christ , through the travail of the ministery formed in them (a) to the glory of god , the sealing of the ministry , and the salvation of their pretious souls in the day of jesus christ , unto which they do so much hasten , and for which they must prepare now , or perish then . and ( to speak yet again ) o that you that are younger , would make conscience of remembring your creator in the dayes of your youth (b) , and make it your business to grow in grace as you grow in years , not being ever the elder , the lower , but the taller christian ! it 's a miserable thing when a young man grows in nothing but in height , or in hair , ( o how that grows in these dissolute dayes ! ) , or in strength , or in wit , without having the wit to grow in the knowledge and fear of god : i say , this is a miserable and most dangerous thing ; for young men may die as well as old ; if the tower of siloe fall , it kills the youngest on whom it falls , as well as the oldest (c) . in those lead-mines wherein many of you labour , how many younger and stronger men have perished on a sudden ? now , if they that dye ( whether they be old or young ) do not live in jesus while they live , how shall they die in jesus (d) when they die ? and then , how shall they live with him when they are dead ? and , is it your mind , that the lord jesus should be in one place and you ( when you are dead , and may die to morrow ) in another , and that a contrary place , he in glory , and you in torment , and that for evermore ? beloved , i am perswaded better things of you , and pray for better things in you ; even things that accompany salvation ; though ( because i would have you to hear ) i thus speak (e) . i shall speak but once more , and i hope they that hear worst will hear me ; are you sure there is an heaven ? do you believe there is an hell ? do you know the soul is immortal and never dieth as the body doth ? and are you further perswaded , that where this never-dying soul lodgeth and lyeth the first night after your death , ( whe●her it be in heaven or in hell ) there it and you must lodge for ever ? i say , do you think all these things to be true ? let me then beseech you to shew your selves christians , or to shew your selves men (f) , and live not securely in that loose course , walk not stubbornly in that wide way , which will certainly bring to the worse place ; but , on the contrary , strive to enter in at the straight-gate , and go in that narrow way ( though it be against the hair , i mean , your own corrupt and undoing hearts ) by walking wherein , you shall assuredly come at last to the better place , and possess that everlasting life , which is the gift of god , through jesus christ (g) our lord. for this purpose i have written these following directions and admonitions , as not knowing what guides , or goads (h) you will have , unto that which is good , when i am gone ; but the better you observe these and all other godly instructions , the more hope you may have to have more of them , mean-while i leave these with you : which , if you have not other helps , will be the more needful ; and , if you have other helps , will make them the more useful . that i might be more profitable to you , i have endeavoured plainness ; yet , i confess , there is not so much of it as i intended or desired : for all men have not that gift of making known their mind to others in a plain and familiar way ; and , ( besides that ) , something must be yielded to more ripe readers ; and , in divers things , the matter hath carryed me above the capacity of many of you ; but the better use you make of that which you do understand , the sooner you will understand the rest ; and you being acquainted so long with my way of teaching , and manner of speaking , may know and find out ( better then others ) what my meaning is . to conclude , remember , that what our saviour long since said to prove himself the messiah , is fulfilled to you , which is this , the poor have the gospel preached to them (i) , or they are the persons that are gospel-lized , that is , the gospel is theirs with all the comforts of it ; but know also , that this is not meant of the poor in state only , but ( which a poor state oft is , and ever should be , an help unto ) of those that are poor in spirit (k) , that ( though they have lived honestly among their neighbours ) see themselves undone without a saviour ; and therefore when they have little or nothing else ( or whether they have or no ) make sure to have him ; labour you to be in the number of those that are thus spiritually poor , ( as by the providence of god , many of you are outwardly low ) . it 's a lamentable thing when they that have little in this world , shall have nothing in the world to come , not so much as a drop of water to cool their tongue in that place of torment (l) . that it may not be so with you , let me beseech you to study your souls , to esteem the words of gods mouth ( whether you read them , or hear them (m) , ) more then your necessary food (n) ; to account one thing necessary , which is to sit at jesus feet , and hear his word from those whom he sends to speak to you (o) . this will not hinder you from labouring for your living , for the word of christ binds you to it (p) , but it 's necessary to know there is a more necessary labour , that is , to know what god would have done first , and to do it after ; for your assistance wherein , i desire you to make conscience of the holy exercises of religion which are here commended unto you , that so you may be furnished for bringing forth the fruits of godliness in your whole conversation ; consider what i have said , and the lord give you understanding in all things (q) , and so bless unto you these , and all other instructions , that you may thrive in knowledge , grow in grace , and persevere in faith and obedience , that i may rejoyce in you , and you in me in the day of the lord jesus (r) . unto whom i commend you , and to the word of his grace , which is able to build you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified (s) . and so remain , your intirely-well-wishing pastor , willing to spend , and be spent , and now almost spent , with and for you , william thomas . the epistle to the christian reader . dear christians , albeit , the ensuing instructions were purposely framed for my own charge , yet finding them to grow under my hand to a more full treatise then was at first in my thoughts , and that now they are like to come into many hands , i conceive it needful to say something by way of preface , that what i have written may be more useful to any that shall think fit to read it . that which i have to say , concerneth the matter handled , and the manner of writing . the matter is wholly practical , save that necessity hath compelled me for the establishing of practical truths , to mixe here and there that which is something controversal . all ( as you may see ) is referred unto two heads , that is , christian , and family-duties ; of each sort there are four . i shall , before-hand , give you a tast of them all . the first , of the first sort , is the reading of the scriptures , which may well be put in the first place , because the written word , is not only the foundation of our faith (a) , and the well-spring of saving wisdom (b) , but also the ground of godliness (c) , the guide of practise (d) , and a divine directory for the performance of every good duty , whereby not only the minister and man of god , but the people of god , the sons and daughters of the lord god almighty , are educated unto , and throughly furnished for , every good work (e) . for the scriptures are composed , not as the writings of heathens , for vain-glory , but for mens salvation ; and the spirit of god hath written them in a plain language , that all may easily see what is said ( at least , as far as sufficeth for the guiding of their faith and carriage , and the safety of their souls , ) and that no simple men ( as chrysostom speaks (f) , ) might make this excuse that the scriptures are hard : for though there be difficulties therein , to take down mens pride ; yet there is enough so plain , that not only gods workman (g) , ( that is , the minister ) but any workman may see the way to heaven , if he have eyes to see it ; for , to see , requires sight as well as light . in the next place , there is more particular instructions given concerning the sacrament of the lords supper , and that not without need ; for where salvation lies at the one end , and damnation at the other , there 's great need of direction ; that where we seek for the better of these , we may not find the worse . in the handling of this subject , i have been constrained unto a little further search , both to give an account of my own sollici●ousness about that sacrament ; and withall , by reason of the different perswasions of some learned and godly men , who i hope , will candidly interpret my discourse , because i have endeavoured to speak according to the sense of scripture , the consentient judgement of the church of god , and with declaration of due respect to those from whom i somewhat dissent . this sacrament-doctrine i have , in the close , digested into questions and answers ; not only because that way of teaching is most easie and familiar , but also to lend some assistance unto godly christians for the better preparing of those belonging to their charge for that great ordinance , by the instructing and catechising of them before-hand in those things which it concerns such as would be worthy communicants to be acquainted with ; what i have now published for this end , i have long since framed , and have still used in the visiting of the families of those committed to my care , that they might come to the sacrament with more knowledge and conscience : but that which i conceived fit for them , will not be , ( i shall hope ) , unprofitable to others . how many wayes have painful pastors used to acquaint the people of this nation , with god and his ordinances , and to work in them a reverent respect thereunto , some one way , and some another ? but whether it be i or they (h) , it 's the same thing for substance , and ( perhaps ) some may think so well of this way as to receive some benefit by it , and then i have what i aim at in it . the third chapter concerneth the ministry , and may serve also as an help and incitement to a religious and profitable hearing of the word , albeit i make not a distinct head of that argument ; for neglect of serious hearing of sermons ariseth from a low or no account of those that preach them : as the preaching of the word by men formed out of the clay (i) , and called to that high office is gods ordinance for mans salvation (k) ; so the holding of such in reputation is mans assistance for the receiving of the benefit of it , it being very unlikely that men should be guided and ruled by those whom they do not regard . as long as there was any hope of the jews , the preface to their profiting was this , they will reverence my son (l) ; and a base opinion of him , or his being without any honour among them , made him useless to them (m) . the thing much thought of in this part of the treatise , was , and is , to help to reduce ( if god please so far to bless poor endeavours ) those many christians , who , by reason of the distemper of the times ( for i am more willing to fix it upon that , then to think that so dismal a thing as their departure is , should arise out of their own hearts ) , i say , who by reason of the distemper and tentation of the late times , have so dangerously forsaken a duely called ministry , whi●h god hath in singular mercy and compassion to mankinde (n) appointed , and , to the worlds end (o) constituted in his church , for the perfecting of the saints , by their work , and for the edification of the body of christ , and in particular , for the preventing of their being tossed to and fro , and carried about with every wind of doctrine , by the sleight of men , and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive (p) . into which evil of being wafted away from god and his wayes , they have sadly fal'n , who have fal'n away from an ordained ministry , and therewithall from all gods ordinances ; but if god love them , and they love god , he will certainly bring their hearts back again , (q) . if they be children they cannot alwayes want bread , nor refuse to receive it from those officers and stewards , whom the lord hath made rulers of his houshold , to give them their portion of meat in due season (r) . but howsoever it fall out with some of them , who under a pretence of being more perfect saints , disdain that ministry , whereby ( if god speak true ) saints are to be perfected , and that till they come to a perfect man (s) or to a perfect manly knowledge , which will never be till they come to heaven (t) ; i say , however it be with some such ( as namely , those that have forsaken the written word of god , of whom there is least hope ) yet , the things here laid down will serve ( i trust ) to confirm those who through the great goodness of god have been upheld , and held in a right and regular way , notwithstanding all solicitations and tentations to the contrary . as for others , all i shall say , is this , that perhaps some right church-government , or some grievous church-chastisement , will at length , bring those professors of religion , and godliness together , whom a vast and too-unlimited a liberty , ( good both for doing and undoing , as men were right or light ) hath set so far and fearfully asunder . it 's more then time for me to hasten to the fourth general head , wherein i have treated of the christian or lords-day sabbath purposely , but in order thereunto have spoken something of the sabbath in generall . the great difficulty that there is in this argument , i do with all humility , and deep sense of my own weakness , acknowledge , and therefore desire not that any thing here affirmed should be received but according as by scripture , and scripture-reason , it shall be found confirmed . but withal , i must crave leave to put the reader in mind , that to judge rightly of , to reverence , rellish and receive , this , and divers other practical truths , ( namely those mentioned in this treatise ) , two things are very needful , . a due respect to the general rules of holiness laid down in the word of god. and . a principle of grace in the heart ( for the natural man receiveth not spiritual things (u) , ) that so there may be a consenting and closing with the reason of scripture , and the wisdom of god in the generalities thereof . let all christians therefore in the fear of god , and setting the word of god before their eyes , indifferently and conscientiously consider those four things which i shall now propound , and present unto them . . whether it be not more for gods glory , the preserving and perpetuating of religion , and the interest and commodity of the souls of men , to have a set and intire day wherein to meet together in publike worship for the knowing , acknowledging , serving and enjoying of god , then it is to have no such day ? . if such a day be granted , whether it be not needful and best , that it should be within that proportion of time , which god himself hath described and prescribed in the fourth commandement , that is ; whether it must not be a weekly day , or whether it will serve as well ( for the aforenamed ends ) to have it left to men to lay out for their god , a day of their own devising , and within such a circuit of time as they think fit ? if any will rest a matter of so great a moment upon ecclesiastical constitution , i wonder what company of men may or will assume so much to themselves as to appoint a day in their own devised distance , and impose it to be observed on the whole community of christians ▪ and if there be not in all the christian world the same set day , how will the honour of god be diminished , which by the meeting of all the people of god together , to do homage to him , at one and the same time , is so remarkably heightened ? . if there must be a weekly day of gods own institution , whether there be any other day of the week that can lay so good a claim to that sacred institution , and that hath such a divine character put upon it , as the first day of the week , on which our saviour rested from all his work ; and compleated the redemption of man-kind in his glorious resurrection , on which our great lord hath set his own name , and that recorded in scripture (x) , wherein also the holy observation thereof is presented in christian meetings , and such acts and exercises as suit with the solemn time of christians assembling themselves together (y) , and which is generally confest to be an apostolical ptescription , and so amounts to a divine institution (z) ? . this day being divinely instituted , whether god will not be , that day , better served , and the spiritual profit of christians better provided for , by making it an intire day of rest holy to the lord and to spiritual uses ; or by mixing our work with gods , and play with piety . such things as these , ( and more weighty communications of better writers ) being seriously considered , will , i doubt not , work on those who desire to walk with god , willingly and thankfully to sequester themselves from all other things to enjoy a blessed communion with their lord every lords-day , and one day in seaven to be ( as it were ) in heaven . thus of the first part of this little tractate , and of the christian duties therein contained . the second part treateth of family-duties . i begin with family-catechising , an exercise exceeding needful & useful , that they that are young may be acquainted with god betimes , and thereby , if they die sooner , may be fitter for his kingdom , and fitter for his service , if they live longer . god would have all to be saved , and come to the knowledge of the truth (a) ; but , as blind pastors and people , so blind housholders and housholds , fill hell (b) ; and mean-while make the world much worse then else it would be ; for , families are the original of all other greater societies ; and want of religious education there , is the cause why there are so few good servants ; for how shal an ignorant son or daughter that hath no knowledge or conscience , be a good servant ? and why there are so few good wives and husbands ; for how shall they be good together , that were never bred up to be good asunder ? yea , is it not from hence , that there are so many less sound , or less godly ministers , namely , because they have not been so trained up as young timothy was , who from a child had known the holy scriptures (c) ? it s true , that sometimes religion is in the house , and yet not in the heart ( at least , of most in the house ) but , if it be in the heart , i am sure it will be in the house (d) : yea , ( as there shall be occasion ) in every house (e) ; for , the grace that is in a sincere and right heart , is like the oyntment of ones right hand , which bewrayeth it self (f) , being ever un-satisfied , unless it disperse and send abroad the sweet savour of the knowledge of christ in every place (g) , especially , the vicinity , but most of all the family . i proceed from this , to the thing i principally aimed at , and indeed , only intended when i first set upon this work , namely , to set forward the duty of family-prayer ; for , though god will do much for the house of israel , and for every house in israel , yet his will is , to be sought that he may do it for them (h) . heaven is a rich storehouse , and we have a joseph there that is willing to nourish us , lest we and our houshold , and all that we have come to poverty (i) ; yet it s necessary for us to go thither with our suits and supplications ( as the sons of jacob went into egypt with their sacks ) that so opening our mouths wide , the lord jesus may fill them (k) . ther 's treasure enough in god's house for us and for our houses ; but when god hath put a key into our hand ( that is , prayer ) to open the door , we must either turn the key , or not expect the treasure ; men lust , and have not ; labour , and have not ; fight and scramble for the world , and yet they have not ( or have not in mercy , hos. . . ) because they ask not (l) . now because some weak christians may say with jeremy , behold , i cannot speak ( i cannot pray ) for i am a child (m) , therefore i thought it would be profitable for their help , and education ( as it were ) to the duty of prayer , to put some prayers into their hands ( though it be god only that must put a spirit of prayer into their hearts (n) . ) this is a course that heretofore hath found acceptance , but now it needs an apology , considering that in late times , forms have been so much out of request , that god's external ordinances and holy institutions , of one kind and another , have passed and suffered reproach , and that with divers of better report heretofore ( but none but god knows who are his (o) , ) under the contemptible name of forms of religion , too low for christians of the upper form. now , if any yet there be , that count themselves above ordinances , i must leave them , as far above my persuasions . but as for modest christians , who , howsoever they may be somewhat doubtful about the use of forms of prayer , yet are teachable and capable of satisfaction , i shall endevour to give it them ; and therefore i willingly acknowledg ▪ ( and would have both those of my own charge , and other christians to know ) that such forms are not so properly intended for grown and exercised christians ( albeit ( they being humble ) will know they may receive help , and improvement from them ) but they are composed for young beginners ; and for them also , not to tie them up , but to train them up ( as they use to do little children ) to go first by a form , that leaving the form , which was a great help at first , they may go , at length , on their own legs , without leaning on such supports . blessed bradford , that high and humble martyr , when he was in prison , wrote a prayer for his mother that she might learn how to pray for him , and desired her to get it by heart , and to say it dayly ; and he wrote another for all her house , to make use of in their evening prayer (p) . unto which i add , that although poor and low , yea , the lowest , christians may and should take more liberty in private between god and themselves , and not be afraid o● backward to groan out their desires before the lord ; yet the assistance and supplies of prayers made to their hands , is , for such , needful to enable them to appear before others , and to be their mouth in the duty of prayer : i say , needful , that neither the service may be contemptible to those that be bad , nor unprofitable and tedious to those that be better . briefly , formes of prayer ( whereof there are many in scripture (q) , ) being framed according to scripture , cannot be justly condemned ; but i must add one thing more , and that is , that formal praying which idle christians , by the abuse of forms , may soon fall into , can never be justified . the third family-duty is repetition of sermons , which , being carefully done , is the preservative of a right religion ; for why are people ever learning ▪ and never come to the knowledge of the truth , or are easily carryed from it but because they take ministers words , without ministers grounds ? and so , when other teachers bring them a new doctrine , they like the last and the new teacher , and sell the former and the old truth ; whereas , if they did review what they hear , and ( as the noble bereans (r) , ) search the scriptures , quoted by ministers , and so find by examination , that what they have heard , is founded on the word of god , and upon the credit of a divine testimony , they would not change their mindes ( having grace in them ) because it is impossible for god to change his ; nor can any word come from him that is not perfect , and of perpetual verity . this recalling and repeating of sermons , and endevouring that the houshold may see how they agree with scripture , hath ever been the character of more religious families , and a great means to make all in it ( especially if they be called to give account of what they have heard , and heard again ) to profit in religion ; for , as he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends (s) , to wit , because the repetition makes it fresh in memory , causeth a greater observation , and leaveth a greater impression ; so he that repeateth profitable matters , edifieth very weaklings , and helpeth much the hearers , to understand , mark , and mind what hath been formerly delivered . but whilest i thus persuade you to repetition , the saying of an excellent servant of god (t) comes to my remembrance , which is this in effect , that as kine and sheep return not to their owners , grass and hay , but , milk , and fleece , and flesh ; so sermons are not to be returned and represented only by reading notes , but christians are to repeat them in their lives , by being sound in opinion , growing in grace , and godly in all their cariage . the last duty is , singing of psalms , to be used principally on our lords sabbath day (u) , but every other day , needful ; because every day hath its mercy , for which god is to be praised ; or if it hath its affliction , in that also god is to be blessed (x) , and there are psalms sutable to every affliction — to sanctifie it unto us by ministring matter of instruction — and to bear up our spirits in it , by affording matter of consolation . it is every day likewise , a profitable exercise , because the book of psalms containeth in it abundant matter of heavenly meditation , and spiritual edification . and as it is both needful and profitable ; so it is an exercise very pleasant , for it awakeneth the soul , quickneth the spirits , cheareth up the heart , and generally reviveth both the inward and the outward man other duties are a christians work , this is his holy recreation , begun here , and to be compleated in heaven . i cannot leave this , without reciting what mr. beza ( that hath done such eminent service to the church of god ) relateth of himself ; it 's this , when by the goodness of god , i hnd willingly forsaken my countrey , and all that i had that i might freely serve christ , it came to pass at my first entry into the publick assembly of the christians , that the company did sing this ( that is , the ) psalm ; by the singing whereof , as though i had heard god himself calling me particularly , i felt my self so comforted that i have kept it since that time most dearly-graven in my heart : and i may truly witness this before god , that i have received marvellous comfort by it , both in sickness and in sorrow , not only by meditating it when i was smitten with the pestilence , and the same plague had infected my family , even four times , but also in other most grievous tentations (y) . let all profit by his experience , and observe their own . thus have i given ▪ summary account of the matters handled in this treatise : concerning each of which , i earnestly desire the reader to cast his eye upon the margent , to search the scriptures alleaged , and weigh the reasons annexed : for i shall easily grant that a mans constitution is apt to insinuate it self into his meditation and discourse , perhaps too much ( for in every constitution , as there is a vertue , or an help to vertue ; so a danger also ) and divers other things may lead a man aside before he is aware ; albeit therefore , i am not conscious to my self of offering any thing , but that which ( as far as my understanding reacheth ) is right , and do abhor to impose upon the consciences of men , which god alone can bind ; yet , let the reader , in the reading of mine , or any mans words else , set still before him the word of god. the manner of writing ( which is the other thing i mentioned ) i have spoken somewhat to in the former epistle . it is not so plain and perspicuous as ( in regard of the common sort of christians ) i intended , but the babes of christ will here find milk ; that is , many things fitted to their capacity , and if there be any stronger meat , it will suit better with more mature christians . all men know , or may know , that ministers are necessitated to extend such abilities as god hath given them , to the utmost ( which is hardly done without some obscurity ) for the pleading of the causes of god : and that because , as flesh and bloud riseth up in arms , & mustereth all its forces against the truth of god ; so doth it also against the way of godliness ; whereby , tho the adversaries thereof , cannot destroy it , yet they prevail so far as to darken it , and to cast so many mists before mens eyes , that it is not easie for the ordinary traveller to discern the right way , nor for their guides to clear it up unto them . however , i hope they that have good and honest hearts , will hereby receive some good ; and from others , that write of the same things , they may receive more ; and by humble and faithful prayer to god , with diligent studying of his word , most of all . i crave pardon for being so tedious in this epistle , which because it may serve , not only for an introduction , but as a supplement also to that whi●h followeth ; the reader may please the rather to bear with it . i have nothing now to do , but to leave with christians this one necessary admonition ; that is , not to content themselves with those outward exercises of religion that they shall here find urged , but to study , and by these helps , to strive after the power of godliness . for though a man cannot be pious and religious , without observing the external means of godliness , the p●in●ipal whereof , was the sanctification of the sabbath ( as one that was not so good a friend to the sabbath as he should have been notes well (t) ) yet all outward duties lose their end and their estimation , yea , they serve as sad witnesses against them that use them most , if the reality of religion , and the power and exercise of grace , doth not appear in their conversation ; for , the exercises of religion , are for the exercise , and are not to be performed ( much less to be rested on ) in stead of godliness (u) , but to nourish godliness , and to stead us in the way of holiness . when paul plants , and apollo waters , the lord give the increase ! and so sanctifie unto you these poor labours , that thereby one cubit may be added to your spiritual stature . may i attain that end , and obtain your earnest prayers for the passing of the little remainder of my pilgrimage here in fear , and faith , and faithfulness ; you will abundantly recompence him , who is , and shall remain , yours sincerely , in the service of the gospel , as long as god shall think fit to imploy so unworthy a servant , william thomas . the contents of the several parts and chapters of this treatise . the first part. of christian-duties . chap. i. a call to reading of scripture , which is urged , . from scripture-commands . pag. . . from scripture-reasons , drawn from the end , nature , use and profit of the written word of god. pag. . . from scripture-examples , and the efficacy of that duty . pag. . from that blessedness , whereunto the reading of gods word , is gods way . pag. . . by answering objections made against it . pag. . to . . by two motives provoking to it . pag. . chap. ii. instructions about the lords supper . wherein . reasons of sollicitousness for sacrament-preparation are rendred , viz . imitation of the antient church . pag. . . christs strict command for it . pag. ibid. . the distinction of that sacrament from other ordinances . pag. . . the judgement of the church of god. pag. . . a short catechism followeth of the general grounds of religion . pag. . a larger catechism is added concerning the lords supper . pag. . chap. iii. of the estimation of ministers . where the scripture on which it is grounded , to wit , thess. . , , is , . recited and explained briefly . . more largely insisted on , by declaring how ministers are , . to be known in their places , viz. by a knowledge , . of observation . pag. . to . . of approbation . pag. . to . of imitation . pag. . to . . to be esteemed , viz. . for the degree [ very highly ] set forth in seven evidences of it . pag. . to . . for the nature and quality of it [ in love ] . pag. . . for the ground of it [ for their works sake ] . where is shewed , . that men seem to esteem ministers , when it is neither in love , nor for their works sake . pag. . . what reason there is why they should be esteemed for their works sake . pag. . . the grounds and motives to this estimation . pag. . to . chap. iv. of the lords-day sabbath . where , pag. . . the scripture chosen to treat upon , viz. neb. . , . is , . vindicated . pag. . . explained . pag. . . the sabbath-subject is treated on in general . and therein three things handled , . the rest required on the sabbath , and why , and with what allowances . pag. . . the thing intended in that rest , viz holiness both in publike and private duties . pag. . . the extent of the rest and holiness , viz. for a whole day , notwithstanding objections . pag. . . how the fourth commandement is in force for observing one day in seven for ever , is declared , with objections answered . pag. . to . . the lords day is proved to be of divine institution , pag. . to . . an exhortation is annexed for the due esteeming and observing of the lords-day-sabbath , urged . from . the necessity of it . pag. . . the commodity . pag. . . the commendation . pag. . to . . the judgements of god on sabbath-profaners . pag. . to . . the blessing of god on observers . pag. . to . . a conclusion inciting to lords-day-love . pag. . to . the second part. of family-duties . chap. i. of family-catechising . and therein , pag. . . several texts of scripture in the old and new testament are brought to prove it . and the common objection of taking gods name in vain by catechising little children , is answered , pag. , . arguments are added to confirm it . as . the necessity of it . pag. . . the profit both in regard of ( . ) children . pag. . ( . ) the church of god. pag. . . and the motives to perswade to it , viz. . examples of godly parents in scripture . pag. . . the benefit of children — pag. . & . . the profit of parents themselves . pag. . & . chap. ii. of family-prayer . where there is , p. . . proofs for it , and the establishing of it . . on scripture-grounds in four propositions , viz. . the general doctrine of scripture binds in all particulars rightly deduced from it . which proposition is , . confirmed by divers instances . p. . to . . made use of by reciting general scripture-grounds for family-prayer , viz. . gods greater glorry . p. . . our greater good . p. . wherein an objection is answered , drawn from the incapacity of several members of family for that duty . p. , . . approved examples of scripture are binding in those things wherein the case is alike , whereof use is made by reciting and illustrating divers scripture-examples tending to the confirmation of family-prayer . p. . to . . every promise of scripture contains in it a virtual command . p. . . and every threatning a real prohibition of the thing threatned , which is made use of by opening that scripture-threat , jer. . . p. . . on scripture-reasonings , viz. because . god requires society-service as well as single . p. . . there are many common concernments of families that require joynt prayer . p. . . the persons neglecting , and causes of the neglect of , this duty , are both sad . p. . to . . a declaring of the time to be allotted to it , where is shewed that it should be , . every day . p. . . more particularly , morning and evening . p. . chap. iii. of family-repetition of sermons . where are laid down , pag. . . grounds of scripture for sermon-repetition . the first scripture , jer. . , . where writing sermons ( as an help to repetition ) is argued for . pag. . to . the second scripture , col. . . pag. . . reasons thereof , . in general . pag. . . more particularly , in regard of our selves and others . pag. . chap. iv. of singing psalms , namely , in families . wherein pag. . . objections against singing of psalms are answered . pag. . to . . the exercise it self is pleaded for , . more generally , from scripture , which , . declareth it to be necessary and profitable . pag. . . giveth rules that it may be profitable . pag. . . sheweth it to be used in christian meetings . pag. . . more particularly , and with respect to families , . because the use of it is so profitable . pag. . to . . no where limited to publike meetings . pag. . to . . confirmed by our saviours example pag. . to . . called to by family-mercies . pag. . to . . justified from ephes. . , . pag. . to . . with reasons annexed , it being an exercise , . making much fo● the glory of god. . for the spiritual profit of right performers . for it is an exercise , . teacching . pag. . to . . quickning pag. . to . . comforting . pag. . to . . commended to christians in way of exchange for all other delights . pag. . . some advice is given that singing may be more p●ofi●able , viz. . by marking the matter of the psalm while it is singing pag. ● . . by conferring of it , after . pag. ibid. . lamentation for the neglect , and negligent performance of this duty : with a close quickning thereunto . pag. to in the close . a family-prayer for the morning . pag. a family prayer for the evening . pag. a shorter prayer for the morning . pag. a shorter prayer for the evening . pag. . prayers for children for morning and evening . pag. . to errata . pag. . marg . ( r ) , for c. . read c. . & ( t ) read joh. . . and ( u ) dele . p. m. ( b ) r. thess. . . p. . line . r gen. . m. ( a ) r. tim. . , . p. . l. . for marks r. mark & l. . r. act . p. . l. . r. joh. . , . p. m. ( g ) r. job . . p l. . for ( we ) r. ( you ) . p. . m. ( h ) r. lam. . p. . l. for discerning , r. not discerning p . m. ( r ) r. matth. . p. . l. . for ordinance , r. ordinances p. . m. ( c ) r. gen. . . p. . l. . r. [ more generally ] . p. . m. ( g ) r. pet. . . & ( h ) pet . . p. l. . for ▪ ( him ) r. ( them ) . p. . l. . for ( sixth ) r. ( six ) . p. l. . put out [ not ] . p. . l. . put in [ and of ] chapters read , &c. p. l. . for ( rifled ) . ( ruled ) . p. l. . r. ( in a manner ) . p. . l. . put in ( meerly because ) , &c. p. . l. . r. ( particular housholds ) . p. . l. . for ( in ) r. ( at ) . p. . l. . for ( and ) r. ( i ) . p. . l. ▪ for ( nourishing ) r. ( nourisheth ) . p. . l. . for ( was ) r. ( as ) . the preface . it is one of those faithful and joyful sayings of scripture that are worthy of all acceptation (a) , that , godliness is profitable to all things , having the promises of the life which now is , and that which is to come (b) . but then we must consider , that as godliness hath the promises , so the promises will have godliness ; and bind those that have them , to cleanse themselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit , and to perfect holiness in the fear of god (c) . the promoting of this holiness is the purpose of this treatise ; which propoundeth , recommendeth , and pleadeth for , divers such christian , and family-duties , as are the wayes and means appointed of god for the improving of godliness . thereunto the reading of the word , ( which in the first part and place is mentioned ) much availeth , because the doctrine of the word is the doctrine which is according to godliness (d) ; it is the ground and guide of godliness . — as also an often and prepared receiving of the sacrament of the lords supper , the spiritual nourishment whereof is for the growth of godliness ; the ministry likewise makes much for piety , for that 's the school of godliness (e) . — and the religious observing of the lords-day-sabbath , for that 's the support of the trade of godliness ; as market , and fair-dayes are of ordinary trading . the four houshold duties , described in the second part , aim at no other but the very same end , that is , the advantage and advancement of godliness ; for , by family-catechising , godliness spreadeth (f) ; by family-prayer , it ( and every thing else ) prospereth : by repetition of sermons ( as by whetting (g) , ) it is sharpened ( hath a better edge ) ; — and by singing of psalms it is sweetned , for thereby not only the heart is more holy , but all other good exercises and assistances of godliness are less heavy . i hope therefore that they that look after godliness ( and in vain do they look for heaven who look not after it ) , will accept of these helps ; for , albeit i willingly grant , that some of these means of godliness may be used by those that are not truly godly ( hypocrisie being the ape of sincerity ) , yet i may boldly affirm ( on the other side ) that all that are truly good , will be afraid to omit (h) them , and none but they can well use them , joh. . . i shall not detain the reader with a longer preface , having said so much already in the precedent epistles , but hasten to that which comes first in order to be handled . the first part. chap. i. the sum of this chapter is nothing else but — a call to christians , &c. ( as in the next page ) . — part i. chap. i. a call to christians to the reading of scripture . it is a true and a useful observation that , every man hath ( as it were ) two men ; one inward , the other outward . the inward man is the soul made after the image of god ; the outward man is the body made out of the dust of the earth . these two men live and subsist by a different nourishment ; the body , by receiving natural food ; the soul , by reading and receiving the word of god , which goes in scripture under the name of nourishment ; for it speaks of being nourished up in the words of faith , and of good doctrine (a) . he that neglects the nourishment of his body , neglects himself , and his life ; he that neglects the nourishment of his soul , neglects his god whose image shines most especially in the souls of men . shall we take so much care of the body , which is to be laid in the grave and devoured of worms ? and suffer the immortal soul ( as the basest slave ) to pine away for want of the food of the word of god ? that you that are of my charge , ( wherein also i speak to every other christian reader ) may not be guilty of so unreasonable a sin , i shall endeavour to stir you up to the reading of the soul-sustaining word of god , by setting before you both scripture-commands , and scripture-reasons , perswading and pressing you thereunto . . scripture-commands . reading scripture is injoyned on magistrates , ministers , and all christians generally . first on magistrates , for , this is the charge recorded in scripture concerning the king , when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom , he shall write him a copy of this law , out of that which is before the priests , the levites . and it shall be with him , and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life (b) . object . that command is for the king , not for me . answ. . it 's more wise to say , if a king must read the law , whose imployments are so many and weighty ; then i much more who may gain time better . . wheresoever a command is confirmed by a general reason that binds all , there the command it self hath a general binding force , and reacheth as far as the reason doth . now the reason of the kings reading the law is of that nature ; for this it is , that he may learn to fear the lord his god , to keep all the words of the law and the statutes to do them ; that his heart be not lift up above his brethren , ( which though it concern magistrates more then others , yet all have need enough to nourish humility , especially that are in any higher place and order ) — and that he turn not aside from the commandement to the right hand or the left (c) . these being the reasons why kings are required to read scripture , who shall exempt himself from it ? for , are not all bound to fear the lord ? yea all the inhabitants of the world are to stand in awe of him (d) . and doth not the scripture require of all to walk in all the wayes that god hath commanded , without turning aside to the right hand or the left (e) ? what is spoken therefore to the king , doth , for the same common reasons , concern all ; as , if a king be perswaded to eat and drink that he may have strength when he goeth on his way (f) , ( as saul sometimes was ) ; no man sayes , that belongs to a king , and not to me , but every man for the same reason eats and drinks likewise ; this is put out of question , because there is an express command to gather men , women , and children , to hear the law read upon the very same account that the king is called to read it , that is , that they might learn to fear god and observe to do all the words of that law (g) . it 's true , that great-men and gentlemen have some greater cause , in regard of their greater tentations , to exercise themselves in the reading of scripture , as that their hearts may not be lift up (h) , ( though god knows that divers of them who need it most , use it least , the more they have to answer for ) : but it no way followeth , that because a man that hath a great journey to go had need to eat more , ( as elijah had (i) , ) that therefore he may let eating and drinking alone that stayes at home . . it may further be added , that a motive to perform a duty , if it be common to all , is a good plain proof that the duty belongs to all and so it is here ; for the king is encouraged to read the law and to observe it , by proposing to him this end , that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdom , he , and his children in the midst of israel (k) : which is otherwhere assured to all the people of god on the same ground , according to their place and quality , and in the land which they possess , deut. . . & . . secondly , the reading of scripture is enjoyned on ministers , for to them it is said , give attendance to reading (l) . it is not said indeed , to the reading of scripture : but though that be not expressed , yet that it is meant , appears by the following words , — to exhortation , to doctrine ; that ( therefore ) is the reading ( principally at least ) intended , which is helpful to a minister for the two great parts of his ministery , exhortation and doctrine : and what that is , we find by the apostle writing to titus , which applyeth it to the faithful word ; and tells him , that that word is to be held fast , ( and therefore to be read ) that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers (m) . object . great reason a minister should read scripture , but that proves not that people are bound to do it : his work lies there ; theirs ▪ other-where . answ. it proves not indeed that they should give such , and so much , attendance to reading as a m●nister ought to do ; but yet it proves sufficiently they should attend it , because it belongs to all christians as well ( though not as much ) as to a minister , to exhort and admonish (n) , ( which is done best in the words of scripture ) yea , they that have spent some good time in religion , ought to be teachers of others also (o) . i do not mean as intruding to the office of preaching , but in a way of charity and brotherly assistance ; and moreover , since it belongs to saints to contend for the faith committed to their trust (p) , it will follow from thence , that they should have some convincing skill also for the better maintaining of the truth of god , which is to be had by reading and searching the word of god , by which aquila and priscilla , were enabled to instruct apollo (q) ; and that old confessor ( spoken of in the ecclesiastial story ) to convince that subtile philosopher that opposed christianity in those times (r) . thirdly , the reading of scripture is commanded the people of god generally , for unto them it is said , remember the law of moses my servant , which i commanded unto him in horeb , for all israel , with the statutes and judgements (s) . the intent of which scripture is this , that since they were to be many years , without prophets to preach to them ( malachi being the last prophet of the old testament ) : therefore , that they might neither lose their religion , nor forget their consolation , they should diligently read and study the scriptures , which are called the law of moses , not as excluding the ptophets , ( for under the name of the law the prophets are also contained , insomuch that what was written in the psalms , and in the prophet isaiah , is said to be written in the law (t) ; but as making the law ( whereof the prophets were the interpreters and appliers ) the sum of the old testament-doctrine , to be remembered ( and therefore to be read , the often reading thereof being the best way to keep it in mind ) and that by the generality of gods people when their teachers were gone . unto this we may add , that when there were again teachers in israel , yet our saviour saith , ( and he saith it to the jews generally (u) ) search the scriptures , joh. . . meaning the scriptures of the old testament ; and they that are bound and commanded to search a book , are — ( sure ) therewithal , bound and commanded ( if they can ) to see and read it ; we say , he 's well read in a book that hath well searched it . and for the new testament , and gospel-word , the apostles counsel and command to christians is , let the word of christ dwell in you richly (x) . now , though the word may dwell plentifully in a good hearer , yet by hearing and reading both , it must needs dwell in him more richly ; experience shews that religious readers are rich and ripe in scripture-knowledge . thus for scripture-commands ; now for scripture-reasons for scripture-reading . first , the scriptures are written for the use of the whole church ; either for their use , or to leave them without excuse : and therefore it 's urg'd as a great aggravation of israels sin , i have written to him the great things of my law , but they were counted as a strange thing (y) . god might have continued to make known his mind ( as at first he did ) by tradition and delivering his will by word of mouth from one to another , had it not been for this ( as for one reason ) , that by writing , the word of god might be more exposed to the veiw of ministers and people , that both might read it , and so the better study it , and meditate upon it . and wherefore did the apostles write their epistles to several churches , if it were not the duty of christians to whom they wrote to read them ? hence the apostle paul ( after he had written to the ephesians ) speaks thus , whereby when ye read ( which shews they were to read ) ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of christ (z) . unto this purpose the same apostle otherwhere saith , when this epistle is read among you , cause that it may be read also in the church of the laodiceans ; and mark what follows , and that ye also read the epistle from laodicea (a) . now it 's t●●e , that those epistles were to be read before the churches in their publick meetings : but fo● the same reason for which they were to be read to them ▪ they were ( if they could have them in private ) to be read by them , that is , that they might the better make use of them : of this nature also is that other scripture wherein the apostle chargeth the thessalonians that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren (b) : whence calvin observes that the papists are more stubborn then the devils , because by so high an adjuration they will not be charmed from forbidding the people the reading of scriptures . secondly , the nature of this writing is such as strongly requires the reading of it ; for what is scripture but a letter of the creator to the creature , hos. . . when adam sinn'd ( saith austin ) we in him were cast out as exiles into this world ; accordingly david saith , i am a stranger upon earth (c) . heaven is our countrey , from thence christ ( the essential word ) hath in these last dayes come to us , and from thence god hath still sent , and a long time written , his letters to his church and people . now the law of friendship imposeth upon every man the reading of a friends letter , and duty and loyalty exacts from every subject the reading of the letters of his prince ; and the highest duty , the reading of the letters of the highest god. many in these dayes , are eager , ( i mean , a great deal ●ore forward then fit ) to receive the token , that is , the lords-supper , who are careless of reading the letter with which that token is sent , and to which it is annexed : now , to contend in a stomachful way , for the token , and to be altogether remiss ( as divers such are ) in reading the letter , is not only an unkind thing , but unreasonable ; for the letter directs to the end and the profitable use of the lords tokens , that ( being well used ) they may be truly love-tokens to us , when ( otherwise ) a sacrament may be ( like jud●hs pledge (d) , ) a condemning token . i speak not this to diminish the sincere desires of any to the sacrament , but to kindle their desires to the word , that by the reading and observing thereof they might come fitly and freely to the lords table . thirdly , the use and profit of scripture perswadeth much to the reading of it ; and that , both in regard of others , and our selves . . in regard of others , that we may teach and admonish them better , which is the duty of christians one towards another ( as paul sheweth , col. . . ) : but especially , of governours ( as ●arents and masters ) . these words that i command thee shall be in t●ine heart ( saith the lord by moses , deut. . . ) and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children , and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house , and when thou walkest by the way , when thou liest down , and when thou risest up . now , how shall this be done ( the memories of most being so frail ) unless they that are over others do by often reading keep those things in mind themselves whi●h they are , and ought , to teach those under them ? ephes . . gen. . . . in regard of our selves , this the apostle minds us of , when he te●ls us that the scriptures known , ( we may say ▪ the scriptures read , that being a special way whereby to know them , ) are able to make a timothy , and so any other man , wise to salvation ; and more particularly , they are p●ofitable , for d●ctrine , that is , to teach the truth ; — for reproof , that is , to convince , and check error ; — f●r correction , that is to curb vice ; — for instruction in righteousness , that is , for direction to a good life (e) ; and ( in another place ) for consolation , rom. . . never would so many be damned for want of wit ; be so destitute of the truth (f) ; be so bewitched ( as they are ) with errors (g) ; be such incorrigible servants to sin ; be so free from ( and void of ) all righteousness and goodness (h) : and lastly , at such a loss for comfort , when any waves arise , but that scripture is so little read and reverenced . for the last of these that is , matter of comfort , austin (i) w●iting to one in a time of great calamity , thus concludes his epistle . god will comfort you much more abundantly , if you read his scriptures most earnestly ; with which we may joyn that of chrysostom , who writing on those words of paul , let the word of christ dwell in you richly , first cals to his hearers , and saith . you whose imployment lies in the world ▪ and that have wife and children to govern , hear how the apostle enjoyns 〈◊〉 especially to read scriptures , and that not barely to read them ▪ and as by the way , but with great diligence ; and afterwards he adds , even as a rich and monyed man is able to bear a loss , so a man rich in scripture-knowledge (k) can easily bear poverty or any calamity , yea , he can better bear it ( saith he ) then a rich man can bear worldly losses : for if he have many of them , his riches will be more and more diminished : but he that is rich in heavenly knowledge , is never the less rich though he suffer never so much . the same holy father is very full in shewing , in general , the great profit that is to be had by the reading of scripture , as that it clears and calms the heart , reforms the tongue , gives wings to the soul to flie up even into heaven it self ; do not lose ( saith he ) so great gain , nor bring your bibles hither only , but take time to read the scriptures at home . and in another place , if thou wouldest know how great advantage ariseth from divine scripture , then diligently examine what a vast difference there is in thy heart and soul , when thou standest in the church , and when thou ( art at a play , or ) standest in the theatre ; it s the same soul , and yet h●w well is it affected in the one place , and how much corrupted in the other (l) ? i am the more willing to recite these things , that christians may see in these sad dayes wherein so many slight scriptures ; what a reverent and honourable account there was of them , ( yea , and of the reading of them ) by the most eminent men in ancient times . fourthly , the examples of gods servants recorded and recommended in scripture is a reason of reading scripture , for we may read their piety in the reading of it ; the eunuch , a man of so great authority under the queen of aethiopia , and that had the charge of all her treasure , yet had another treasure : for sitting in his charet , he read the prophet i saith (m) ; something ( no doubt ) he understood , and read that he might understand more . the noble beroeans are commended for searching the scriptures (n) : and how shall christians when they have heard a sermon , search the scriptures best , but by taking a bible into their hands and reading them there ? how shall a thing be searched that is not viewed ? unto which we may add the example of timothy , from a chila ( saith paul ) thou hast known the holy scriptures (o) , which knowing was ( in all probability ) by reading as one special means (p) ▪ still the scripture hath been dear to gods dear children , as being accounted better then gold or silver , ( though never so much ) , better then thousands , psal. . . — sweeter then honey ( though never so good ) , and which drops of it self from the honey-comb , psal. . . — more valuable then their food , yea , then their necessary food , job . . see what a reader joshua was , though a prince , josh. . , . and amongst us , christians heretofore ( though now that first love be lamentably lost ) were inquisitive how much they should read every day , that so the scriptures might be read over in a year , which shewed they were in the way to be truly good , because the scriptures make wise to salvation ; and if they did read them with reverence and delight , that shewed them to be good already ▪ 〈◊〉 being used as a good reason to prove the scriptures are the word of god , because there was never any book that had wisdom in it , but natural wise men liked it , unless it were gods book ( or books framed out of that ) : which shews that none can like the word of god but by the spirit 〈…〉 and that they that like it , have that spirit ; yea 〈…〉 it a clearer sign of grace to delight in reading 〈…〉 in hearing sermons , viz. in this respect , 〈…〉 ●ermons there is a mixture of humane sufficiency , and 〈◊〉 it is not so easily discerned whether that which draws the ear and heart of the hearer , be gods word or mans wit ; but to read , and to be satisfied ( as it were with marrow and fatness ) with the pure word of god ( who though he condescends to readers weakness , yet never condescends to their wantonness ) , this shews a man or woman to be much after gods heart . fifthly , the efficacy of scripture read , is an effectual argument for the reading of scripture . famous is the story of austin ▪ whose conversion was wrought , or at least compleated in this way ; for he on a time , full of grief , and lifting up his heart to god , saying , how long lord ? how long wilt thou be angry with me ? why shall not this hour put an end to my f●lthiness ? at length he heard a voyce ( as from heaven ) calling to him in these words , take up and read , take up and read ; thereupon , he took the book , opened it , and read , in th●t chapter which he first cast his eye upon , these words , not in rioting and drunkenness , not in chambering and wantonness , not in strife and envying ; but put ye on the lord jesus christ , and make no provision for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof (q) , and then read no further , nor was there ( saith he ) any need : for as he had made an end of reading that sentence , all his doubts and darknesse did ( as by a light cast into , and clearing up , his heart ) suddenly vanish away . upon this occasion he remembred and relates the story of antonius , who happening to read some part of the gospel , was admonished that what he read was spoken to him , and it was this , go sell that thou hast , and give to the poor , and thou shalt have treasure in heaven , and come and follow me , and upon this he was forthwith converted . aug. confess . lib. . cap. but we need not go further then scripture to be perswaded of the power of scripture , being reverently read . upon the reading of the law , by shaphan the scribe , josiah rent his clothes (r) , and his tender heart was much humbled , for his ear affected his heart (s) , and so may their eyes that read it themselves : yea , in so bad a time as that was wherein jeremiah lived , yet the princes , hearing the words of the lord read by baruck , were afraid both one and other (t) . and ( after they were come out of the captivity ) we find that all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. it 's true , the sense was given , and they were made to understand the reading : but that hinders not the business in hand , but sheweth the power of the word when it is read with understanding , and that the better it is understood , the more powerful it is . now if the word so work upon the heart when it is read by others , why may not the same effect be wrought when a man reads it himself ? yea , rather then ; because he may read it over and over again , and hath more time to ponder upon it . hereunto we may add , that when christians heard that read which the apostles decreed for the churches resolution , they rejoyced for the consolation (u) . — and o how many in our dayes , dwelling in the dust , and in a most dejected condition , have found themselves strangely revived by reading some place of scripture which the hand of providence hath directed them unto ? and what did the martyrs in queen maries dayes , for their mutual comfort , but write over and over in their letters those scriptures that made most for consolation and constancy , that by the reading of them they might hold up and hold out in their honourable but hard condition ? sixthly , it makes much for reading and studying scripture , that it is gods way to blessedness ; for , blessed is he whose delight is in the law of god , and that doth meditate in his law day and night (x) , yea , blessed is he that readeth (y) . it 's true , it is not only said , blessed is he that readeth , but also , they that hear and keep the words of that prophesie ; but yet the reading is named , and hath a part in the blessedness pronounced , to wit , as it is ( together with hearing ) a means of keeping . and this we see god made to be the way to the eunuchs blessedness . the reading - eunuch that could not at first see christ in the scripture he read ; yet saw so much by the help of philip ( whom god sent to him when he was reading ) that he believed with all his heart (z) , and came to jesus ( by baptism ) unto eternal life ; for believing and blessedness , comming to christ and life , go together , luk. . , joh. . . & . . after these reasons of reading scripture , i shall proceed to the answering of some objections , the first whereof concerns those that are higher ; the other such as are meaner and lower . object . . men that have their heads and hands full of business , may ( perhaps ) plead that they have no time to read scripture , in regard of their many and pressing imployments . answ. . they who frame this objection had need to take heed , that it be not made a protection for omitting prayer also , and so letting pass some dayes without having any thing to do with god ; such may know , that it is to be but peny-wise to be so thrifty of time for worldly business as to have no leisure to look up to god ; if they did re●d scripture well , they would find such good husband●y put under the head of vanity ; for , except the lord build the house , keep the city , ( and so , carry on and prosper mens affairs ) it is in vain to rise early , to sit up late , or to bestow a mans labour in them (a) . a man had better gain some time from his sleep , then to have no time for the service of god ; and to leave some business undone , then to have all ill-done ; or to be undone , because he prospers so well without god , prov. . . . i answer , that although christians will find it both profitable and needful to set apart certain times ( and that ( ordinarily ) every day ) for reading scripture , lest there be a loss of the duty for want of an appointed time to do it in ; yet i shall not prescribe any particular time , nor how much of scripture any should read at that time , ( the division of the scriptures into chapters will help that way ) : but that which i press as necessary , is the thing it self , and that every christian be a serious reader of scripture . i deny not , but some are so hurryed with the necessary occasions of their calling , that it is not easie for them to have a time ( perhaps in a whole day ) to read a chapter ; i mean , to have a time at times , and on some days : but yet at other times they may , ( and by enjoying a freer opportunity ) make themselves and their souls some recompen●e in regard of former omissions ; which i advise them to do , and withal , wish them to remember , that it is ( as hath been said ) the mark of a blessed man to meditate in gods word day and night , and that david ( that was still taken up with the persecutions of a king , ( that is , of saul ) or with the imployments of a king , when he was king himself and a man of war also , yet was very much in the meditation of the law of god , yea , it was his meditation all the day (b) , that is , he took all occasions to exercise his thoughts in it ; reading it ( no doubt ) as kings were commanded to do , deut. . . and then reading it in his heart in his recurrent meditations according to all opportunities . there is but one thing that hinders davids imitation , and the following of so good an example , and that is , the want of davids affection , which breathes and breaks out in this holy exclamation , o how i love thy law (c) , and thence follows his meditation all the day : love desires union , and longs to be much with the thing loved . gods great complaint is , i have written to him the great things of my law , but they were counted as a strange thing (d) . divers now a dayes look strangely upon scripture , their countenance ( as it is said of laban in regard of jacob ) is not towards it as it was yesterday and the day before (e) ; but would they claim kindred of it , and say unto wisdom , thou art my sister , and to vnderstanding , thou art my kinswoman (f) , and so grow into an holy familiarity with it , ther , as neer kinred love to look much one upon another , so would they look often and with delight into the book of god ; and by the frequent reading of it , supply themselves with the matter of that heavenly meditation which the scripture marks in , and makes the marks of , the choisest servants of god. i come now to the objections of the other sort , and which ordinary people use to make , to whom i do especially direct this discourse . object . . we hear the scriptures r●ad in the congregation , and may not that suffice for us who must of necessity follow our callings that we may live in the world ? answ. . we cannot but think that the eunuch coming to jerusalem to worship , act. . heard the scriptures read there , that being one part of the service performed at their feasts , as is expresly declared at the feast of the passover , when it is said that hezekiah spake comfo●tably to the levites that taught the good knowledge of god (g) . in which teaching , reading is presupposed , for we find it express'd otherwhere , and namely , that in the feast of trumpets , the law was brought before the congregation , and was read from the morning until the mid-day (h) . and it is more like it was read at the feast of pentecost to which the eunuch came , because in that feast , they remembred the singular benefits of the lords giving of the law in m●unt sinai unto them at that very time , and their freedom from the cruel laws of the egyptians (i) , under which they had lived before . but though the law were thus read , and heard read in publick ; yet a good man ( though a great man ) is not content to sit and hear the word read in the congregation ( which is , i grant , a great duty (k) , neh. . . but he reads also in private : yea , the eunuch returning from the feast , and the reading there , reads also sitting in his charet , and philip is sent to joyn himself to the reading-charet (l) . answ. . as for those that say , they are imployed all the week in worldly business : they ought to know that they have so much the more need to read scripture , that in the crowd of earthly cares and concernments they may not lose their god and their souls . it 's true , that ruder people are ready to resolve that it is to be left to ministers and monks ( as chrysostom relates their words ) to read scripture , i have wife and children , and houshold care (m) ( sayes one and another ) , why do you press me to read it ? now it 's true , that it doth most and very highly concern ministers to read scripture ; and that not only for guarding themselves against those errors which ( men of better parts then hearts ) ensnare novices in , by abusing their own reason and gods word , but also , that they be throughly furnished for every good work belonging to them as they are men of god (n) , for which though they may be competently enabled ( and so as to make a good shift ) by searching the scripture ( as they have occasion ) for their business ; yet they will never be so compleatly habituated for it , unless the ordinary reading and study of scripture be made their business . ministers therefore are in special bound to give themselves to reading and meditating scripture , that their profiting may appear to all , yea , that 's ( in a manner ) their whole work (o) ; but this will not excuse people for not reading scripture , unless their mind be , that ministers should be wise to salvation , and not themselves (p) . men that are every day abroad in the world , and still receive wounds , have more need of medicines (q) , laid up in the soul-healing scriptures . answ. . now for that part of the objection , wherein living in the world is spoken of , all christians are to be admonished to take heed that they cloke not their negligence and listlesness to the reading of the word by the pretence of necessity , nor shut out piety by the argument , or rather the imagination of poverty : all such things are answered in our saviours counsel and direction for the best way of thriving in the world , which is this , seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness , and all these things shall be added unto you (r) . they that say , give us this day our dayly bread , before they say , thy kingdom c●me , may thank themselves if they want the comfort both of that bread and that kingdom , neither of them being sought in their due place . object . . but what shall we do that are altogether unlearned , and cannot read ? answ. . if you might have learned to read ( when you were little ) and would not , account it your sin , and repent of it , and pray god to supply that want otherwise ; but if you had no means to enable you to read , look upon that as your affliction ; which affliction those careless parents provide for their children who will not learn them to read in their childhood , when they may so easily do it . answ. . many there are that being grown up , and desirous to read have learned and do learn to read that blessed book of god. if it be more hard for them to learn then for children , ( as indeed it is ) yet desire , and pains , & prayer , may and do overcome the difficulty ; say with tears , lord , though i be not worthy to open and to read the book , neither to look thereon (s) , yet let free grace help ; and by weeping and praying out of ardent desire to see with thine own eyes the wonders of gods word , thou mayst well hope god will satisfie thine hungry and thirsty soul , mat. . . answ. . if thou canst not attain to read thy self , yet hear those that can ; yea , strive and take a course to hear them , like that poo● blind woman * in the book of martyrs , that ( being uncapable of learning to read her self , because she was blind ) gave a peny or two pence to one & another , telling them aforehand how much they should read to her upon a price , whereby she so profited , that she was able to recite many chapters of the new testament , and to plead for that true religion for which she was at last a blessed sufferer in those popish flames (t) . they that cannot attain to read , have this comfort , that it is said not only , blessed is he that readeth , but it is added also ; and blessed are they that hear the words of this prophesie (u) . hear therefore diligently and write ( yea , desire god to write ) what thou hearest , in thy heart ; and when it is there , read it over and over again by serious meditation , psal. . . object . . though i do read , yet i cannot understand : what profit is there in it then ? answ. so the ●unuch might say , and did say , how can i understand without a guide (x) ? but first , this is an argument ( to thee ) against hearing it read , as well as against reading thy self , and so thou will shut out both , secondly , many things in scripture thou mayest and doest understand . thirdly , there are two reasons of reading ; the one is , because thou doest understand ; the other , that thou maist understand ; know therefore , that reading what thou doest not understand , with a desire to understand , is a good way to have a philip sent unto thee , or to move the lord to move thee to go to a philip , that so thou mayest understand ; yea , ministers are every where sent to help thee , and cause thee ( by giving the sense ) to understand the reading (y) . and fourthly , if christ know thou art desirous to know , he will help thee to learn ; and that so , as thou shalt see cause to say at last , lord , now speakest th●u plainly to me ( in thy word ) and speakest no proverb , john . , — . object . . but i come weary home with work : will you put me to reading then ? answ. first , our saviour shews us , that a servant that comes weary from work is call'd to wait upon his master , before he eat and drink himself , luk. . , . and that may teach us , that we may not neglect the service of our great lord , though we come from the field weary . secondly , reading some part of scripture is a work of another kind ▪ and may be accounted a recreation , in regard of hard bodily labour . thirdly , there is also a time ( after labour ) of refreshing ( in the use of the creatures ) by which nature may be so recovered as to be fitted for reading . fourthly , he works very hard that will not read a letter from his friend , from his prince , before he takes his rest . if any say , the case is not alike ; for such letters as come to our hand day by day , we have not seen before , and therefore we read them without delay , but having once perused them , we do not still read them ; now the bible we read sometimes our selves , and we hear it read often , no need therefore to be ever reading it . to this i answer , that they that read the book of god well , and they that read it most , will never make this objection : for they know by good experience , that the holy scripture is so full and fathomless , that every new reading of it ( with reverence and lifting up their hearts to god , that he would open their eyes to see wonders out of his word (z) , ) i say , every such new reading of it , brings a new light into the understanding ; a new heat into the heart and affections ; and puts a new life into an holy life . as for those who know not this , let them betake themselves to the diligent and dutiful reading of scripture , that they may at length know it . and they that look upon reading as the receiving of their food , will be ready to read often , as they receive often the same sort of food : the truth is , mens fasting takes away their stomack ; i mean , it is their not reading that makes them unwilling to read : for duties well performed bring in that delight which will make them still , and make them easily performed . to him that hath shall be given , luk. . . lay aside therefore ( dear christians ) all carnal excuses , and do not use your bible as you do your better clothes , that is , on the lords-day , and then lay it aside till the next lords-day ; but look upon the words of gods mouth as job did , that is as upon , yea , esteeming them more , then your necessary food (a) ; and that will be a motive to you to use it as you do your food , to read ordinarily as you feed ordinarily , that is , twice a day , though something may arise extraordinarily to hinder the one or the other . i know there is a difference between servants , and those that be masters of their time ; they that are at their own hand ( as they say ) may take a time as they please ; but they that are under the power of others , must do as they may ; and yet they also , though they cannot take , yet should make a time , that is , make hard shift for a time to see what the lord god sayes * , and learn to be so provident as to place themselves there where the governours , knowing the benefit of the word themselves , will therefore give those that belong unto them the more liberty to look into it . i shall conclude all that i have to say concerning this argument , with the adding of two motives ( which the times wherein we live may much mind us of ) to this necessary duty of being well-read in scripture ; the one drawn from our doubtful condition ( in this world and in this land ) outwardly ; the other from our dangerous condition spiritually . the first of these the scripture it self points unto , giving this as a reason why it is a blessed thing to read and hear and keep it , to wit , because the time is at hand (b) , that is , times will come ( and how near they be at any time none can tell ) wherein there will be so great affliction , that they only will be found blessed persons , who have read , observed , and laid up scripture-consolations : vnless thy law had been my delights ( saith david ) , i should have perished in my affliction (c) . the later of these also the same word of god layes before us , foretelling that in the last dayes ( which were come then , cor. . . and are come much more now ) perilous times shall come (d) , and that in special by seducing teachers , who will certainly prevail over poor silly creatures that are ever learning , for they be the hearers of many and different teachers , and desirers of new things , but are never able ( because they take not the right course to settle , but the right course to unsettle * ) to come to the knowledge of the truth . now , how shall this be helped ? that paul tells us , by recommending the scriptures in the later part of the chapter , as the armour and antidote in infecting and truth-resisting-times , minding timothy therefore of his knowing of them from a child ( which was ( as is shewed before ) by the reading of them , though other means be not excluded ) . that of our saviour , ye err , not knowing the scriptures (e) , is a perpetual truth ; that is , all error ariseth from want of right scripture-knowledge : hence enemies to truth , and they that would draw others into errors , are very angry at scriptures . what base thoughts papists have of them , appears by their words ; for they call the scriptures , a cold , uncertain , unprofitable , dumb and dead letter ; yea , like a nose of wax that can be turned any way , and be made to serve every mans purpose , — yea , beggerly elements , and that the labour is in vain that is bestowed on them ; these blasphemies they belch out , well knowing that their counterfeit commodities pass best in the dark , and therefore the morning light (f) of the word is to them as the shadow of death (g) . and hereticks generally , either disclaim them ( in a great degree (h) , ) or else , tamper with the divine witnesses , and handle the holy scriptures so as to make them their own word , not gods word . as for sectaries , their common character is , that they care little for gods ministers : the true meaning whereof is , that they care little for the word of god rightly understood , and therefore have ( and labour with others to have ) low thoughts of ministers , because it belongs to their office to give the right sense of scripture , neh. . . mal. . . such may not for shame grosly deny and reject scripture ; but let all observe whether that which they be most real in , and magnifie most , be not extraordinary revelations , and that which they call a light within , reporting the scriptures * to be ink and paper ( as if ink and paper could make men wise to salvation , tim . . ) . the tru●h is , there is one grand error that rears up and bears up all other , and that is , a light estimation of the word of god , eminently appearing in the dislike , yea , ( in many ) in the ( formerly unheard of ) detestation of those whom god hath called to be the ministers of the new testament for the truth of god , rom. . and let all observe , that they that turn their hearts from ministers first , grow to a contempt of scripture it self at last . i shall not doubt , to put all this upon the account of neglecting to read , or of the negligent reading of , the word of god ; else would never so many christians have run away from god and his ordinances , as in these dayes they do . if any shall say , they be the bible-bearers that are fallen away ( for so some profane persons will be ready to scorn the professors of religion ) : to this i answer , that it is one thing to bear a bible , another to read it with reverence , and to search it with diligence , and to pray ( when they read ) for the knowledge of gods mind in it , with all humility and sense of their own weakness and unworthiness ; it is such , and not every reading that will serve the turn . i grant , that christians have brought their bibles to sermons ; but when they have done that , they have not ( as the beroeans did ) brought sermons to their bible ; but have taken preachers words without the grounds which they brought out of gods word , and therefore have been carryed away by the pleasing ( but poysoning ) wo●ds of contrary teachers . my advice therefore in conclusion ( to such christians as are yet capable of counsel , and specially to those of my own charge ) is briefly this ; as you hear with your own ea●s , so see with your own eyes , and be much conversant with god in the serious reading of scripture : and seeing there were never so many helps for a right understanding of scripture as there are now , by sundry sound expositions and annotations published ( of late ) in our own language ; do we that are able , make use of such helps , that so being prepossessed with the word of christ dwelling ri●hly in you in all wisdom (i) , that is not only richly , but rightly , and in the true sense and meaning of it ; there may be no room for the contradictions of subtile and seducing men , but such a resolute retaining of the truth of god as may render you capable ( however it go with us in this land , or in this world ) of that heart-securing promise , because thou hast kept the word of my patience , i will keep thee from the hour of tentation , that is , either from being in it , or from being hurt by it ; unto which i add that which followeth , behold i come quickly , hold that fast which thou hast , that no man take thy crown , revel . . , . finally , remember that the word of god is the food wherewith all saints are fed , both men and angels * , for even the angels desire and stoop low to look into it , pet. . . and a table is ( as it were ) spread for them in the church by which the manifold wisdom of god is known unto them (k) . take therefore every day some part of this heavenly manna , this angels food (l) , to support you in the wilderness of this world , till you come to eat it new , ( as our saviour saith of the sacrament (m) ) , that is , in a new and glorious manner to partake in the life that is held out in it , in the heavenly canaan . chap. ii. instructions for a profitable receiving of the lords supper . i now come to the second thing , that is , plain instructions for a reverent and profitable receiving of the sacrament of the lords supper . it may ( perhaps ) seem much to some , that i should be so sollicitous about this ordinance ; and therefore , for their satisfaction , and the confirmation of the duty of sacrament-preparation , i shall give account of it in the ensuing reasons . first , preparation to the lords supper is to be stood upon , because it is very needful ( and suitable to the care of the church of god in ancient and purer times * ) that they who have not at all ( as yet ) received that sacrament , should give an account of their knowledge and faith before they receive it : for though a necessary , fundamental , and more remote right thereunto , be presupposed in their baptism ; yet , because they themselves were then uncapable of making any promise and profession in their own persons ; therefore their clear , full , and next right to partake in the lords supper , ariseth from their declaration , with their own mouths , of their knowledge of , consent unto , and true purpose to perform what their baptism bindeth them unto , or was then promised by others in their behalf . without this ( though i grant it may be in several wayes required and performed ) how shall their fitness for this ordinance we speak of , be discerned ? or the church ( whereof they are members , and with which they are to communicate ) be so well satisfied ? but in this , ( it being learnedly and largely spoken to by others * ) i shall not need to move any further : this only i add , that for the help of the weaker sort of those of whom i here speak , to give a reason of their faith and fitness for the lord table ; i have composed these ensuing directions . secondly , another reason may be taken from the weight that the scripture lays on this work of sacrament-preparation , in cor. . , , , . where may be noted first , a precise precept for examination , let a man examine , and so ( and not otherwise ) let him eat of that bread , and drink of that cup ; which shews that a special & distinct preparation is required for that bread , and that cup , that is , that distinct ordinance . secondly , this command is charged upon the conscience , by laying before the unworthy communicant , two heart-affecting and affrighting things . . on the one side , the greatest sin , and the most horrible guilt . for whosoever shall eat this bread , and drink this cup of the lord unworthily , shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the lord. how high is that lord ? how dreadful therefore is that guilt ? . on the other side , there 's the greatest danger , and saddest doom ; for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily , eateth and drinketh damnation to himself , not discerning the lords body ; that is , eternal damnation ( without repentance ) , and temporal judgement , though that be prevented : for this cause many are weak and sickly among you , and many sleep . thus is that great precept of examination , before sacrament-participation , environed ( as it were ) on both hands , that it may be more effectually guarded against all gain-sayers , urged on all communicants , and observed by all christians to strike into their hearts a reverence of that ordinance . here i do not deny , but there are the same things ( for substance ) set before us in regard of the hearing of the word , whilest it is said , he that believeth not , shall be damned , mar. . . and he that heareth and lets it slip shall not escape , heb. . , , . ( and therefore people had need not only to hear , but to take heed how they hear , and prepare for it , eccles . . ) : but yet i do not find that so much is spoken ( all at once ) , and so fully spoken , and so fearfully spoken concerning mis-hearing only , as concerning this mis-receiving ; the reason whereof may be ( as i humbly conceive ) because in unworthy partaking of the lords supper there is a cumulative abuse or a double sin ; that is , not only the sacrament is abused , but that word of god also is contemned which makes it a sacrament * ; as also because the body and bloud of christ ( though offered also in the word , yet ) are not in such a manner presented as in the lords supper , as will further appear in the next reason . mean while ( to close up this ) christians may consider , that when god is pleas'd to speak more plainly , precisely , distinctly , more fully and dreadfully ; then he justly expects , that what he saith should affect us more , and be of more effect with us . read jer. . . amos . . . deut. . , . with numb . . . to the end . thirdly , a serious preparation , proper to the sacrament of the body and bloud of our lord jesus christ , is the rather urged ; because the same thing , that is , christ with all his benefits is offered unto us in a different way in the word and sacrament , which makes it a distinct ordinance , and so imposeth a peculiar preparation for it ; which , i do not at all speak to set one ordinance of god against another ; or to lessen the reverence of the word preached ( which is that great ordinance of god whereby men are converted and sayed ) or to give way to an unprepared coming to the word ( which i fear is the fault of many , who seem to come with high reverence to the sacrament ) : but what i say , is only to put christians in mind , that every distinct ordinance of god is to have its due and distinct respect , and therefore that there is some other and further good frame of heart to be endeavoured , when the sacrament is to be received , then when the word only is to be heard ; and that because ( that i may come to the matter i intend ) christ with all his benefits is offered in the sacrament very particularly or singularly , and very plainly and sensibly . first , there is a peculiar particularity , or particular dealing and distribution , in sacrament-administration (a) . in preaching we speak generally , yet comprehending particular persons , but not singling them out ; whereas in the sacrament christ is offered personally , that is , to particular persons , and is put as it were ( sacramentally ) into every ones hand . now when god deals with particular persons hand to hand , offering them so great a gift as christ is (b) , there is therefore more reason of reverence , and of care that such a gift from such a giver , be not taken with unwashen hands and hearts . we find that when joseph and esther were to appear personally before kings , he shaved ▪ himself , and changed his rayment (c) ; and she put on her royal apparel (d) . and shall we make our personal approach to god without some special testimony of the low thoughts we have of our selves , and the high thoughts we have of him ? well may it ( then ) be said , offer it now to thy governour (e) . when that poor woman , that was heal'd of her bloudy issue , was hid amongst a great company , it was well enough ; but when she saw she was not hid , but singled out to look jesus christ in the face , then she came trembling and falling down before him (f) . much cause have we to do the like , considering what we are ; and what christ is , from whose hands ( as it were ) though by the ministry of mean men , we come ( each of us ) to take into our own hands things of so high a nature . secondly , in the sacrament christ is offered more plainly and sensibly then in the word , though in the substance both ordinances agree . indeed in the sound of the gospel christ appears , and is set forth to the sense of hearing , by faithful teachers very evidently , and as it were to the eye (g) , but not properly to the eye as in the sacrament : for when paul tels the galatians , that christ was set forth before their eyes , his meaning is only this , that jesus christ was clearly held forth to them by his preaching , as that is which is set before mens eyes ; which shews that things exposed to the eye are most evident and most operative ; for it is the eye that ( in a more special manner ) affects the heart (h) . whence it is that moses makes this a great argument to move the people to obedience , that he did not speak to them that had not seen , but to such as had seen the great acts of the lord , deut. . . . now , god offering himself to us in the sacrament in a more plain and familiar way , setting us ( as it were ) at his table , and setting before our eyes all the good things of his house ; this ministreth an argument of more abundant reverence : for , whence was it that moses and joshua were commanded to put off their shoos from off their feet , exod. . . josh. . . but only because god shewed himself , and set himself before their eyes in a more plain and perceptible manner then at other times (i) ? unto which may be added that other command given to moses when the law was to be delivered , go unto the people , and sanctifie them to day and to morrow , and let them wash their clothes ; for the third day the lord will come down in the [ sight ] of all the people , exod . . see chron. . . when they saw the fire , they bowed themselves , &c. but before i let this pass , i have two things to subjoin , that i may not be mis-understood . first , when i say , that christ doth in a special manner appear in the sacrament to our senses (k) , so that we may be said ( in a sort ) to see him , touch him , and taste him , and that therefore he expects from us an answerable preparation ; i do not here separate the word and the sacrament , but take in the word with it , and the sacrament as an appendix and an additional ordinance to it , and that such an ordinance as hath its dignity , working and being in and from the word of institution and promise . for what 's the seal without the writing ? but as affixed to it , it is of much value . the pressing therefore of special sacrament-preparation no way derogates from the word , but rather heightens the estimation of it , inasmuch as the sacrament is founded on it . and yet this dependance of the sacrament on the word hinders not the truth of that which calvin affirms , ( and confirms out of austin ) , which is , that the sacraments have this peculiar to them above the word , that they do represent unto us to the life the promises of god , even as if they were pictured in a table before our eyes (l) . secondly , when i plead for sacrament-reverence , i am far from allowing any thing which ( sheltering it self under the head of an high estimation of this ordinance ) ariseth from , or tendeth to , superstition ; or any way countenanceth , or cometh near unto , the idolatrous worship of the papists , wherewith they deifie and defile the sacrament . all that i move for , is , a reverent carriage of the body , an aweful frame of heart , and a knowing and affectionate preparation , suited and fitted to this ordinance . fourthly , the judgment of the church of god in all ages perswades to a special care and consideration about this ordinance ; scarce any christian church in the world in any age since christ ( as a learned man observes * ) that hath not impaled it . in the ancient church there was much strictness used , and such sent away , when the communion was to be administred , who had committed notorious sins , and not sufficiently testified their repentance . and when the minister was about to reach out the sacrament of the lords supper to the people , he cryed with a lowd voyce , holy things to holy persons . accordingly our own church , ever since the reformation , hath provided that open and notorious livers should not presume to come to the lords table till their open declaring of their true repentance and amendment . and if malice and hatred were perceived to reign betwixt any persons , they were not to be suffered to partake of the lords table , till it was known they were reconciled (m) . thus it was formerly : and ( of late ) further care hath been taken for the preventing of sacrament-profanation , and that jesus christ might have wise and holy guests at his table , though satan ( the arch-enemy of reformation ) hath used all his art to pervert or frustrate such endeavours , whom we hope god will out-work in his good time . now , howsoever the prescripts and practise of the most eminent men in the church of god (n) be not a rule to any man , yet they shew what the judgment of discretion was , about this ordinance , in their time , which it is reasonably expected should so far prevail as to impose a modesty upon others that differ from them in their judgements , especially , coming far short of their attainments . chrysostom exceeds others in his holy zeal , and professeth , he will rather give up his soul ( and life ) then the lords body to any unworthily ; and will rather suffer his own blood to be poured forth , then give up the most sacred blood of christ unless to a worthy r●ceiver (o) . i confess his words are very high , and yet there are two things that may preserve that height of zeal from being contemned by those that are worse , or censured by those that are better ; for he declares himself , . to speak of very notorious sinners that in all things are like dogs and swine . and . moving this objection against himself , how can i know , what this or that man is ? he answers , they are not unknown men that i thus discourse or dispute of , but such as are known . now , put these two together , that he speaks of the foulest sinners , and that known to be such ; and then ( perhaps ) upon serious consideration he will rather be thought wo●thy of imitation , then guilty of exuberancy and straining too far , in such expressions . sure calvin thought him so , and therefore being much put to it by the opposition of a notorious person (p) , that for many wickednesses was interdicted , and forbidden to come to the lords table ; and yet had prevailed so far against the discipline , as that ( it seems ) he meant to have rushed in ; i say , calvin being thus put to it , he breaks out , in his sermon , with much vehemency into these words , (q) but i ( saith he ) following chrysostom , will rather suffer my life to be taken from me , then endure that this hand of mine should reach forth these holy things to the judged contemners of god ; i observe that he saith , [ to such as are judged so ] . but suppose things be at that pass , that church government is wanting , or interrupted , or so corrupted , as that the purging of the church , in an orderly way of discipline , cannot be obtained ; must a minister ( therefore ) deliver the body and bloud of christ to evident and eminent contemners of god ? or ought he not rather to suspend his act , and to forbear the administration of the supper to such , while such ? i shall leave the answering of this to those that be very free for free-admission , upon whose spirits notwithstanding ( they being men of understanding and piety ) , i find such a convincement as concerning this necessary restraint , that in the upshot it comes to this ; though professors must not be debarred from their right , or the use of their right by any single minister ; yet ( saith a learned man ) we require in h●m so much piety that , in prudence , discretion and charity to the soul of a notorious and scandalous person , he withdraw the sacrament from him for a time , till he give in evidence of his amendment (r) . such another saying the same reverend author hath concerning those who are very grosly ignorant (s) , closing in both ( and much in words ) with one that wrote before him on the same subject ( a man of parts , and ( i believe ) so well minded , that he meant not to do any hurt in his plea for general admission to the sacrament , ( save that a m●n may quickly be a means of that evil which he doth not mean ) . his words ( as to the matter of gross ignorance ) are these , (t) i must confess , if you will say , that some are so grosly ignorant , that they are not capable for the present to learn , or be instructed by publick teaching , then may you have the liberty for me to number them amongst ideots , and such as have not the use of reason , and so deal with them accordingly ▪ that is ( as he saith after ) except , and exclude them . it 's true , that the author ( in relation to these ignorant persons ) seems to build much upon their receiving instruction when they are at the sacrament ; but the question he●e is not , what they may possibly attain when they be there , but , what they have attained befo●e , that they may be regularly there . will not present gross ignorance weigh more to refuse them , then possible knowledge to receive them ? i say possible ▪ but not probable ; for it is not like they should learn much by being at a sacrament , who have heard many sermons concerning sacraments , and yet have learned ( in a manner ) nothing . unto this , i must further add , that the question here , is not , whether these grosly ignorant persons are so far uncapable as to be numbred among idio●s ( for they are wise enough in their generation and element ) ; but , whether they are not so far unteachable and intractable , as that they cannot be justly numbred among discerners of the lords body ? to wit , because they know not , neither [ will ] they understand (u) . indeed if they would yield themselves to instruction , and endeavour to attain sacramental knowledge ( suitable to their parts and breeding ) then ( though dismissed formerly ) they might be received freely . but that being not done , ( when as discerning and damnation are so near (x) ▪ ) who can bid them draw near ? the words of the same author (y) , concerning a scandalous cariage , are these ; i am willing to grant , where there are scandals , . n●torious that they offend the congregation . . so open , that they need no proof nor debate . . in the present fact , so that no repentance can be pleaded , such may be dealt withal , as [ ipso jure ] excommunicate . thus ingenuous he is , and thus much he yields , out of the reverence he bears to the reason of the church , that shuts out such from the sacrament : whereby he confirms with me this present reason for sacrament-restraint , taken from the judgment of the church of god. yet i do not find , that the church excludes such as he doth , that is , as accounting them ( presently ) the objects of excommunication , but as not thinking them fit subjects ( in that stare ) for sacrament-reception . that clause therefore [ as , ipso jure , excommunicate ] would be a little further weighed ; which ( if i mistake not ) the author adds to keep intire his tenet of free-admission to the lords supper , that is , of all that are church-members ; he was provident ( therefore ) in declaring those scandalous offenders ( which he describes ) to be excommunicate , that is , to be indeed , or in right , no members (z) , and so his free-admission of all members will stand the better . but here i have these things to reply . . that the before-described notorious persons are ( notwithstanding ) members , because not yet actually cast out ; for , was not the incestuous person , notwithstanding his horrible sin , and the common same thereof ( when paul wrote (a) , ) i say , was not he yet a member ? how could he be put away and cast out , if he were not with in (b) ? . to punish him actually [ de facto ] as one not reputed a member , who is excommunicate only [ de jure ] , that is , is under such an offence as may be a cause of excommunication , and which hath a tendency in it to that censure , is not fair , but like punishing a malefactor before a tryal ; which the above-named author (c) wisely considering , gives this account of it , even ignorant and profane , till convicted and excommunicate [ not only de jure , but de facto ] , have a right ; for , that not keeping company with fornicators , covetous , &c. cor. . is intended no otherwise but upon a sentence , and judgement fore-going , afore which they might ; for its unreasonable , a punishment should be inflicted before a judgment . thus he . . neither is he that hath committed a notorious act before the sacrament , excommunicate [ de jure ] : for it is not just to put him under so dreadful a sentence , before tryal be made whether he will obstinately persist in his sin or no ; which there is no time for , supposing the crime to be committed but a little before the sacrament . now , if this be not justly fastened upon scandalous offenders , that they are presently excommunciate [ de jure ] , then so much is yielded as that some church-members may be secluded ( at this or that time ) from the sacrament of the lords supper : which serves to confirm what i intended to shew , which is , that it is agreed upon , on all hands , that there may be a restraint in sacrament-admission , notwithstanding church-membership , in case of gross ignorance and notorious scandal : and that 's all i aim at , it being not in my thoughts to press such a strictness as will hinder access to the sacrament in its just extent ; but only to repress such profuse concessions as tend to the abuse of that ordinance , and the danger and discomfort both of receivers and admitters . i have enlarged thus far ( much beyond my first purpose ) partly to clear my way to that which followeth , and partly to make tryal ( being necessitated thereunto by the process of this discourse ) whether my weak thoughts might contribute any thing to a right sense in this much-debated argument . it 's high time now to mind my intended business , which is to apply my self to those that are babes in christ ; unto whom i shall offer in the most plain way , that is , in a way of catechism , some sacrament-instructions . and therein shall speak something more generally , to acquaint them with the principles of the doctrine of christ (d) ; and then proceed to such things as do more particularly and immediately concern the sacrament of the lords supper . general questions and answers for the acquainting of the unlearned with the foundations of religion . . question . what is the first thing in religion needful to be known by every christian , and especially by every commmunicant ? answer . that the holy scriptures contained in the old and new testament (e) are the word of god (f) ; and a perfect rule of faith and life (g) , necessary to be known and believed of all that will be saved , tim. . . joh. . . & . . . quest. what do the scriptures principally teach us as more neerly concerning our salvation ? answ. something concerning god , and something concerning our selves . . quest. what are we to know concerning god ? answ. that there is one (h) only (i) true , and everliving god (k) , who hath made (l) and doth govern all things in heaven and in earth (m) . . quest. is there nothing else necessary to be known concerning god ? answ. yes , we are to know also , that though there be but one god , yet in this one god-head there are three distinct persons (n) , the father , the son , and the holy ghost ; each of which is god (o) , and yet they are not three gods , but one god , of one substance , power , and eternity (p) . . quest. what are we to know concerning our selves ? answ. something is to be known concerning our condition whilest we live in this present world ; and something concerning our state after death . . quest. concerning our state here , and namely the estate of our souls , what is there more especially to be observed ? answ. we should especially know and consider of our good creation ; miserable fall , and gracious redemption . . quest. how was man at first created ? answ. very good (q) ; for he was made after the image of god , in knowledge (r) , righteousness , and true holiness (s) . . quest. how comes it to pass ( then ) that men are so bad now ? or , whence ariseth our miserable fall ? answ. from adam's disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit (t) , whereby he cast himself and all his posterity into a state of sin and death , both temporal and eternal , inasmuch as in him all men sinned (u) . . quest. how could they that were un-born , and far from any being when adam sinned , be guilty of his sin , and fall with him into so sad a state ? answ. even as levi is said to pay tithes in abraham to melchisede●k , ( though he were not born when abraham paid them , but long after ) because he was in the loyns of abraham when melchisedeck met him (x) ; so may all man-kind be said to sin in adam , because they were all in his loyns when he sinned . . quest. but what reason can be given , why it should be so ? answ. because the covenant which god made with adam was made with him as a common person (y) ; and so it bound not him alone , but took in all his posterity , who being rooted and reckoned in him , did therefore fall in , and with him , cor. . , . with rom. . . . quest. man being thus faln , shew now what is to be known concerning his redemp●ion , and restoring ? answ. that when , in regard of th● frailty of faln man , life could not be obtained by the righteousness of works (z) , god did not leave him to perish , but entred into a new covenant of grace (a) , for the restoring of him into an estate of righteousness and salvation by a redeemer , rom. . , . . quest. who is the redeemer ? answ. the lord jesus christ , god and man in one person , isa. , . luk. . . tim. . . & . . — . quest. why must christ our redeemer and mediator be man ? answ. that he might , in the nature of man that had offended (b) , being himself without (c) sin ) , do (d) , and suffer (e) , whatsoever was necessary for the satisfaction of gods justice (f) , and the salvation of sinful and lost man (g) . . quest. why must he be god ? answ. that he might stand under the infinite wrath of god , overcome death (h) , with all other enemies of our salvation (i) , and that he might give worth and efficacy to his satisfaction (k) , and obedience (l) , for the perfect purchasing and redeeming of us to himself (m) . . quest. what is more particularly to be known concerning jesus christ our redeemer ? answ. we are to know that for the performance of the work of our redemption , he was in the fulness of time conceived by the holy ghost (n) , born of the virgin mary (o) ; that he dyed for our sins , rose again for our justification (p) ; that he ascended into heaven (q) , and there sitteth at the right hand of god to make intercession for us (r) ; from whence he shall come ( at the day appointed of god ) to judge both the quick and the dead (s) . . quest. are all men made partakers of the saving benefits of this redeemer ? answ. not so ; because christ and his saving benefits are applyed and received only by faith (t) , which all have not (u) , but the elect only (x) ; and which they that want , are condemned already , because they believe not in the name of the only begotten son of god (y) . . quest. is there not something also to be known and believed concerning the church ? answ. yes , we are to believe that there is an holy (z) catholick ( that is , universal ) church (a) or congregation , gathered out of all quarters (b) of the world ; wherein forgiveness of sin , ( in the name of christ ) is preached (c) , communion of saints exercised (d) , and eternal life obtained (e) . . quest. is nothing required in christians but faith ? answ. yes , we are to know also , that we are bound to lead a godly life (f) , that is , a life ordered according to the word of god (g) , in righteousness and holiness (h) , without which none shall see the lord (i) . . quest. but in many things we offend all ; what are we therefore to mind further in regard of our sin , and manifold disobedience ? answ. in regard of our sinful estate naturally , and our f●ilings continually , we are further to know , that repentance is necessarily required (k) , for without that we must perish ; and is to be still renewed , for in that way we must look for pardon (l) , and yet ever come to christ for procuring life , joh. . . mat. . . . quest. what are we to know concerning our estate after death ? answ. that the souls of the faithful do immediately after death , live with christ in blessedness (m) , but the souls of the wicked go immediately into hell-torments (n) . . quest. and what shall become of the bodies of both ? answ. there shall be a resurrection of the bodies (o) of the just and the unjust (p) at the last day ; at which time all shall appear before the judgment seat of christ (q) , in their own persons , to receive the things done in their bodies , according to that they have done , whether it be good or bad . . quest. what doth the scripture declare concerning the last and everlasting disposal of the persons of men at that day ? answ. as they are , and as they die , so they shall be disposed of hereafter ; the wicked , therefore , and such as would do nothing for christ , shall go away into everlasting punishment , but the righteous into life eternal (r) . having spoken thus far concerning the general doctrine of scripture ; and the main points of religion , the knowledge whereof is more necessary to salvation ; i shall now proceed to speak more particularly of the sacraments , and ( in special ) of the sacrament of the lords supper , of which i should have made mention , and inserted them , in the fore-going general instructions , but that i purposely reserved them to a peculiar and larger explication in the now ensuing questions and answers . an help for unlearned christians that they may not be unworthy receivers . . quest. what is mans chiefest happiness , and only blessedness ? answ. to approach unto god (s) in and through jesus christ (t) , and to partake in a near (u) acquaintance and fellowship with him , job . . . quest. why should all happiness be summ'd up in the enjoyment of god ? answ. if they were blessed who continually stood before solomon (x) , how much more they who enjoy the only wise god (y) , with jesus christ his son (z) , and together with him , all things also (a) , which are laid up in him (b) ; which we shall have here ( as is needful ) from him (c) , and shall have for ever hereafter in all fulness with him (d) . . quest. who are they that are partakers of this blessedness ? answ. they whom god is pleased to choose (e) , and to take into covenant with himself (f) , not only as persons called , but as persons chosen (g) . . quest. what are the means whereby we are partakers of the benefit of the covenant of grace for our everlasting blessedness ? answ. this is done by the ordinance of god , and more especially by the word (h) , and the sacraments (i) . . quest. what difference is there between these two ordinances ? answ. the word is the writing , reporting (k) and declaring (l) ; and the sacraments are the seals (m) confirming and assuring the benefits of the covenant unto us . . quest. shew , more fully , what a sacrament is ? answ. it is a special ordinance of god (n) , signifying and setting before our eyes (o) , sealing unto our hearts (p) , and conveying into our souls (q) , through the spirit , the singular and saving benefits of the covenant of grace (r) . . quest. what be the parts of a sacrament ? answ. the outward sign which we see (s) ; and the inward grace which we do not see (t) , unless by the eye of faith . as in our bodily sustenance , there is the food upon the table which we see ; but the strength and life which that food gives us , we see not , but yet feel , and find it afterward (u) . . quest. how many sacraments be there ? answ. no more then christ hath appointed for sacraments , that is to say , two only , baptism and the lords supper (x) . . quest. what is the difference between these two ? answ. by baptism there is an ingrafting into jesus christ (y) , and a right ( solemnly manifested (z) , ) unto the covenant ; and so the whole benefit thereof is , in gods good time , enjoyed by every infant that belongs to him , and by all them that keep the vow of their baptism : by the sacrament of the lords supper , the same covenant is renewed , and the good things thereof are more abundantly afforded to all that are by baptism received into christ , and his church (a) for their spiritual nourishment and increasing with the increases of god (b) . . quest. since there is so much good continually coming in by the sacrament of the lords supper , what course is to be taken that we may enjoy it ? answ. the course which god hath prescribed , and which ( therefore ) shall certainly be blessed to make this sacrament beneficial to us , is this , let a man examine himself , and so let him eat of that bread , and drink of that cup , cor. . . . quest. what are the things belonging to this examination ? answ. we are to be taught and to learn these two things especially ; what we are to receive , and how we are to receive it : and then to examine whether those things be in us that are in worthy receivers of so great mysteries . . quest. what is it that we do receive in the sacrament of the lords supper ? answ. we receive bread and wine as the outward signs ; and together with them ( if we receive as we ought ) the body and bloud of christ as the thing signified . . quest. since christ's natural body and bloud are not to be looked for in the sacrament (c) , shew more plainly what is meant when it is said , we receive his body and bloud ? answ. the meaning is , that every worthy communicant receiveth jesus christ with all his benefits . he receiveth not only the benefits , but christ himself crucified ; for , as in our bodily nourishment , we have not only sustenance by it , but receive into our bodyes the substance of it ; and , as the graffe wholly lives the same life with the stock to which it is united ; so we , being united to christ , do so eat his flesh and drink his bloud , and ( by our faith ) feed so upon him , as to live the same life with him (d) , partaking in all his benefits for our spiritual relief , because we have communion with [ him ] first . for , we must have the son before we have life , joh. . . . quest. declare yet more fully how we can receive christ , since we are here on earth , and he is in heaven ? answ. though we receive christ really and t●uly , yet not corporally and carnally , but spiritually . we take not his flesh and bloud into our mouths and stomacks as we do the bread and wine (e) , but into our souls by faith through the spirit of god whereby we dwell in him , and he in us (f) . and thus we may receive him , though he be in heaven , and we here ; for faith goes ( as it were ) from earth to heaven , and there fastens on him , and the spirit ( on the other side ) descends down from the head , still to supply us with more and more of that fulness which is in jesus christ for us (g) . . quest. declare more particularly those benefits of the death of christ which we receive in this sacrament . answ. they are principally ( and plainly ) these ; forgiveness of sin (h) ; strength to do god service ; and to overcome our spiritual enemies , the devil , the world , and the flesh ; and nourishment for our souls to eternal life . . quest. how doth it appear that forgiveness of sin is to be expected and enjoyed in the holy use of this sacrament ? answ. because i see the wine on the lords table , which shews that ( if i receive as i ought ) i receive the bloud of christ which is shed for me and for many for the remission of sins (i) . . quest. what is there that sheweth , that we receive strength also to do god service ? answ. that both the bread and wine may put us in mind of ; for , even as bread strengthens mans heart , and wine makes it glad (k) , and both make a man fit and able for his ordinary business ; so doth the grace of christ ( reached forth in this ordinance ) strengthen the soul for the performance of every part of gods service ; for his flesh is meat indeed , and his blood drink indeed (l) , and therefore doth what meat and drink do , in a spiritual and soul-sustaining way . . quest. how appeareth it , that strength is received here against spiritual enemies ? answ. we may easily conceive it , because we find that bread and wine , and such ordinary food , do not only enable a servant and any other man , to labour ; but a souldier also to fight (m) , who otherwise would soon faint (n) : whence we may collect , that there is such a vertue in the body and blood of christ received by faith , as not only to make us able to do god service , but also to fight with , and get victory over , all the enemies of our salvation , whom by the strength of christ , we overcome (o) . . quest. how is it made plain , that we receive at the lords table that food which nourisheth our souls to eternal life ? answ. because bread and wine , and such ordinary food maintain the life of the body for many years together ; as therefore this perishing food maintains a perishing life (p) , so the meat which the son of man gives unto us , in the word and sacrament , nourisheth the soul to eternal life , for it is not a food that perisheth , but which indureth in us (q) unto everlasting life , joh. . . . quest. what reason have we to gather from the signs in the sacrament , that these several benefits are in it , and by it ( as by an ordinance of god ) bestowed upon us ? answer . because god sets such familiar signs before our eyes for this purpose , that we ( who are othe●wise weak to conceive of heavenly things ) may collect and gather what in this blessed sacrament is done for the soul , by what we know by experience this our ordinary food doth for the body . christ speaks ( and that in his sacrament-institutions ) earthly things , to lead us ( and that in our own way ) to the understanding of things heavenly , joh. . . . quest. open this a little more fully . answ. it will be yet more clear by considering that as john the baptist was a prophet , and more then a prophet (r) , so the sacraments are signs , and more then signs ; that is , they are appointed of god to be a means of conveying those heavenly things which they do represent unto us , and of putting us into actual possession thereof : cor. . . & . . (s) yet not by any power in themselves , but only by the working of the holy ghost , and the blessing of christ on his own institution , act. . . with ver . . . quest. thus much for what we do receive in the sacrament : declare now , how we ought to receive it ? answ. these five things , knowledge , desire , repentance , faith , and charity , are things needful for a right and worthy receiving . . quest. what is that we ought to know , when we come to communicate in this sacrament ? answ. it is needful for us to know , in general , two things ; first , our selves , and our own estate ; that is , that we are all by nature , and in our selves vile and wretched creatures , deserving nothing but death and damnation (t) . secondly , that there is no way to be saved but only by christ (u) , and that therefore we come to the word and sacrament to receive him , because we cannot be saved without him (x) . . quest. in what manner must we know this ? answ. we must know both these not sleightly , but feelingly : we should know our sin with such feeling and sorrow , as a wounded man knows his wound ; who knows it ( as we say ) with a witness : and we should know christ with such feeling , desi●e , and joy , as the wounded man knows the surgion by whom he is to be cured , whom he knows with another kind of knowledge then he doth an ordinary man. in these two , to wit , the feeling knowledge of sin as the worst thing , and of christ as the best and only desirable thing , consists the substance of saving religion . . quest. is there nothing else to be known ? answ. yes ; we should ( more particularly ) know in some measure the nature of a sacrament , and be able to discern what we have to do withall in the lords supper , to wit , not only with bread and wine , but with the body and blood of christ , that we may not dishonour him , nor indanger our selves by an unworthy medling with it (y) . . quest. what is the next thing required in a worthy receiver ? answ. that which is the mark and fruit of the former knowledge , and which shews the necessity of it , that is , desire , or an holy hungring and thirsting after that bread , and that cup (z) . for none are invited but the thirsty (a) , none can be thirsty but the knowing (b) , and none can know the gift of god , but they will thirst and seek after it ; and in that way , there is a promise they shall have it , joh. . . . quest. what else is required of us when we come to the lords table ? answ. another , and a special thing is , repentance (c) ; for every sinner coming to the lords supper in his sin , pollutes [ unto himself ] the lords holy table (d) , and provokes the lord to abhor and plague him by that sacrament-service , wherein he expects he should approve and bless him , cor. . , , , . . quest. by what m●ans , or in what way , may this repentance be attained ? answ. by seeing what , and how great , our offences are [ by the law (e) ; ] and whom , and how gracious a god we have offended [ by the gospel ] : whereupon ariseth , through the grace of god , ( for repentance is his grant (f) , ) a true trouble and grief of heart , for so great offences committed against so gracious a god (g) , look'd upon with the eye of faith (h) , which ( together with a real purpose of amendment for time to come ) is the sum of true repentance . . quest. how shall i know that i do truly , and in an acceptable measure , mourn for my sin ? answ. by three things . first , if i grieve for sin , as i use to do for an outward cross , or some lamentable loss (i) . secondly , if , when i cannot reach that sorrow that i find in my self in outward afflictions , i mourn over the hardness of my heart , and am sorry that i can be no more sorrowful (k) . thirdly , if there be such a measure of sorrow as makes christ precious (l) , and sin odious (m) . . quest. how shall i know , whether i do really and stedfastly purpose amendment of life ? answ. i may know by this that i have stedfastly purposed to turn to god before the sacrament , if no perswasion be able to draw me away from god after the sacrament (n) ; or , if there be any failing , i find it to be extreamly bitter (o) . . quest. what is further required in us , when we come to partake in the lords supper ? answ. a chief thing required , is , that excellent and necessary grace of faith (p) , whereby being able , upon good grounds , to apply unto our selves the writing and promises of gods word ( summed up in christ (q) ) we may boldly come and take the sacrament , which is the seal of the promises (r) , that thereby we may be further assured and possessed of all the good things which god hath promised (s) . . quest. what marks are there of this faith ? answ. faith , when it is exercised about gods ordinances , works in the believer ; first a longing after them (t) . secondly , a purifying of the heart that he may be fit for them (u) . thirdly , a great rejoycing in them (x) . . quest. is there yet any other thing required that the sacrament may be worthily received ? answ. in regard of men , there must be charity (y) , that as we meet together ( in one house , and ) at one table (z) , and eat together of one bread and body (a) , and drink together into one spirit (b) , so we may be all united together in love (c) , yea be of one heart and soul , act. . . . quest. what special mark is there of this charity ? answ. prayer for all , shews love to all (d) . in particular , for those who have wronged us formerly ; it will be great proof of our love , if , when we come to the sacrament , we can pray for them heartily (e) . . quest. what necessity is there of making it such a business to prepare for this sacrament ? answ. because they who , through neglect of preparation , eat and drink unworthily , eat and drink judgement , and ( without repentance ) damnation unto themselves , cor. . . and preparation is better then damnation . . quest. but what ( on the other side ) shall men gain by it if they do thus religiously prepare themselves ? answ. who so eateth the flesh and drinketh the bloud of the son of god ( as in a spiritual manner every worthy and well-p●epared receiver doth ) (f) he shall have yea , he hath , that which every man so much desires to have , even eternal life , joh. . . chap. iii. of the estimation due to the ministers of christ. considering the great dishonour that hath been poured upon ministers of late , i mean , not only a rude reproach of their persons ( such as there hath ever been by profane men ) but a deliberate and studied contempt both of their persons and their calling : not only vomitted ( as it was wont to be ) out of the tavern , or alehouse ; but vented from the pulpit and press , and that by men professing godliness ; there will therefore be need enough ( after i have spoken of the word and sacrament ) to write something to reduce and compose the mindes of christians to that reverence that is due to the lords officers , who are by his appointment and authority to preach the word , administer the sacraments , and ( generally ) the persons to whom the dispensation of church-ordinances is committed . for which purpose , my work shall be only to open and treat upon one text of scripture , which fully and powerfully sets forth the honour due from the people of god unto the ministry , and ( in special ) such as labour amongst them . the text is , th●ss . , , — and we beseech you , brethren , to know them which labour amongst you , and are over you in the lord , and admonish you . and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake . in which words we have set down both ministers office and peoples duty . the office of ministers is described and set forth in three things . . they are such as labour , which is principally in the word and doctrine (a) . . they are over the people of god , that is , it is their office to rule over them , to wit , in the lord , which shews , that it is by autho●ity from the lord (b) , and that it must be acco●ding to gods word and will (c) , unto which all their ruling power ( whether in doctrine , or discipline ) is to be conformed , and thereunto to be confined . . they are to admonish ; to wit , for the better speeding of their work , in the two former parts of their office , that is , preaching and ruling ; for , . teaching shews the right and the good way (d) ; and then , admonition is as a goad , and a nail (e) to hasten the travellour , and fasten the truth in the heart of the hearer ; teaching informs , and admonition forms the minds and manners of the people of god to what is taught them from god. . ruling chargeth and presseth upon people the command of christ , with presenting (f) , and inflicting ( if there be a necessity of it ) church-censures (g) . now in this case , admonition is of use to prevent rigor (h) , ( as parents warnings are to prevent correction ) or to sweeten severity if it be not prevented , by letting men know the good and gain that is in it (i) , as the sweet words of parents heal the stripes of children ; and lastly , it serves to procure the better success to any severer course , john . . thess. . . of the office of ministers i shall say no more , but ( to make the better way to peoples duty ) must needs grant , that if a minister perform not , takes no care to perform , makes no conscience of performing these parts of his office , then ( though honour be alwayes due to his calling , yet ) he deprives himself of that honour which otherwise would accrue and be due to his person in reference to that calling ; for the honour is tied to the well-performing of the office : the elders that rule well , are they that are worthy of double honour (k) ; there 's a sad saying for bad ministers , and that is , that they are made contemptible and base before all the people by the lord of hosts himself (l) . i shall now somewhat more largely insist on the duty of people towards ministers , which is . more general , viz. to know them . . more particular , so to know them as to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake . this precept of knowing the lords labourers , may be laid open in three particulars , . know them with observation , . with approbation , . with imitation . first , know them with observation ] or with good consideration , for they are said not to know , that do not consider ; first , god sayes , they regard not , they consider not , and then they have no knowledge (m) : so that this knowledge hath in it , a considerate taking notice of those that labour in the work of the ministry , as ( to name some particulars ) there should be an obse●ving of their calling , doctrine , and carriage : . of their calling ] : for a right and religious respect to ministers , is founded in knowing and observing that god hath called them to an office distinct from all other offices , and which it is not lawful for any to meddle with , but such as are duly called (n) . to omit other parts of a ministers calling , it were well if it were known , that the preaching of the word belongs to them only ; yet , i shall not deny , but that in some extraordinary cases , ( as in time of persecution , and when ministers cannot be had ) and on some special occasion ( as for t●yal of those that are towards the ministry ) and with some extraordinary caution , that is , there being hearers able and appointed to judge of what they speak ; i say , in such cases something may be granted , and there may be some allowance to speak in publick given to persons uncalled , or not yet called (o) . but ordinarily and when there is a setled state of things , a ministers calling is distinct from all other callings as to the matter of publick preaching ; as appears evidently by those scriptures which present the preaching of the word as the principal and most considerable part of a ministers work ; for to them it is that jesus christ ( who hath all power given him ) giveth out power and commission to go and teach , as well as administer the sacraments (p) ; so that others may no more teach ( as gods officers do ) then baptize ; yea , paul saith , christ hath sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel (q) , that is , not chiefly to baptize : for ( otherwise ) the apostles were both to teach and baptize (r) , but preaching was their chief work . and the name of those whom christ hath given to his church ( for continuance ) are pastors and teach●rs (s) , that 's their distinct office ; all saints are not such , but there are some such for the perfecting of the saints and the work of the ministery , so that their work lies in teaching ; they are men that labour in the word and doctrine (t) , that 's their great business ) . and to them the word of reconciliation is committed ; not to all , nor any other ( unless they can prove themselves the lords ambassadors (u) . against this , it may be objected , that christians also are to teach and admonish (x) . unto which i answer , . that it doth not appear in scripture , that it is committed to them to declare all the counsel of god to the people of god ( which yet is a ministers work , act. . . ) nor can they be ( ordinarily ) able to do it , being not educated to it , and having ( or being such as ought to have ) other callings , so that they cannot give themselves wholly to this work ( as a minister is bound to do (y) ; and the●efore cannot sufficiently and constantly perform it : especially considering that when it comes to be looked upon as a common priviledge to appear in publick teaching , the more insufficient will step up first . . nor is it any where required of private christians to open and apply scripture to a congregation met together for the solemn worship of god (z) : for then it were a sin in them not to do it , and would cast many under a great and long guilt . . though they may and ought to teach as it is a christian duty , yet they neither may nor can preach with ministerial authority , and as in christ's stead (a) , because they be not ambassadours ; they have no call to it , nor commission for it : and others being commanded to whom it appertaineth , even that excludes them . it may be said , it pertaineth not to thee [ o private christian ] , though a king (b) , thou art not separated from the congregation of israel (c) , to preach to a congregation . if it be said , that they profess they preach only as gifted brethren , and challenge not to themselves the calling and authority of ministers . to this i answer , that ( notwithstanding this ) there are two evils attend their preaching , a loss and a danger . . there is a loss in it ( if there be any in office to teach ) and that because they have no such promise of direction , assistance , and blessing as called ministers have (d) , for doing good to those to whom they speak ; so their hearers are losers . . and a danger also ; for if they happen to deliver any thing unsound , as such divers times do ( either through ignorance or faction ) then common hearers ( as we see by sad experience in these late times ) will be more ready to receive an error from them then a truth from a minister ; and when they have received it , they do so eagerly run away with it , that there will hardly be any prevai●ing means to get it out : fo● , such is the corruption of nature , and so doth satan put on , because it makes for his kingdom , that an uncalled person is by many better accepted then one called , and the novelties and curiosities which such use to vent , take more with them , then the solid doctrine , and plain and saving truths , delivered by the lords messengers . but ( may some say ) ; it is not good that the church should want the ben●fit of their gifts . i answer , that besides the making use of them in their families ( a duty , i fear , too much neglected by those that are forward to shew themselves in publick ) they have further liberty and opportunity to exercise them in christian meetings and conferences , ; and yet the●e also is a danger , for weak christians that have honest hearts are soon misled by men high in their parts ( but not right in their judgement , nor low in their hearts ) , if there be not ministers , or others sound in the faith , present in the meeting to prevent infection . unto this i add , that if there be ( indeed ) any private christians that are eminently gifted , the press is open , though the pulpit be shut . thus far of the first thing , that is , of knowing ministers with a knowledge of observation in regard of their calling , wherein i have been more large , because of the experience we have had ( of late ) of the extreme evils of arbitrary and li●entious preaching , which hath fill'd the l●nd wi●h absurd and dangerous errors , from the one end of it to the other ; yea , and other countries also . i come now to speak of the observing . of their doctrine ; the apostle is plain in this , when he saith ▪ consider what i say (e) ; yea , our saviour himself , who saith , take beed what you hear (f) ; christians are so to heed what they hear , as to search it ( ●s the bereans did (g) ; and finding it by search ▪ to be sound and good , to hold it fast (h) . this shews prophesying is not de●pised thess. . . . there should be an observing of their carriage ; of this knowledge the apostle speaks , when writing , to timothy , he tells him , th●u hast fully known , not only my doctrine ( which belongs to the former branch ) , but also my manner of life , &c. (i) . and in another place , mark them that walk so as ye have us for an ensample (k) , of which this construction may be made , take it for an assured sign (l) of good pastors , when they study to conform themselves to mine example in all things . and so one good use of observing their car●iage is discovered , which is thereby to be confirmed in this , that they are faithful ministers , and accordingly to be respected . hi●herto of the knowledge of observation . secondly , ministers are to be known with a knowledge of approbation ; and thus this word [ know ] is often used in scripture , as when it is said , the lord knoweth the way of the righteous , that is , approves it (m) ; and david , i will n●t know a wicked man , that is , shew him any countenance (n) : so saith paul , that which i do , i know not , that is , i allow not (o) . in like manner , the word used here , doth not signifie simply to know , ( that 's soon done ) but to acknowledge (p) , own them , and to see that be given them every way which is due to them in their places . in such a sense the original word here used , is taken cor. . . we know no man after the flesh , that is , do not esteem , reckon or judge of him according to his outward and carnal relations : in like sort , a minister is not to be judged of according to the outward appearance (q) , but to be known and look'd upon with all approbation , in regard of his office , if he be duly called ; and of his doctrine , if it be the word of god (r) , and his carriage , if it be according to that word , sam. . . thirdly , there should be also a knowledge of imitation : thus timothy was to know paul's manner of life (s) , or , so as to imitate it , and make paul his pattern ; thus all christians are to remember and observe church-guides , so as to follow their faith (t) , and mark them so as to be like them in an holy and heavenly life , phil. . . one way wherein ministers are over their people , is to go before them as good examples , their hearers therefore should hasten after them . i come now to the next duty of christians to their ministers , which is to esteem them highly in love for their works sake , which yet may be comprehended under the knowledge already spoken of (u) : because a right , affectionate , and effectual knowledge brings forth this estimation . concerning which observe , that , for the degree of it , it must be very high ; for the nature and quality of it , it must be in love ; and for the ground of it , for their works sake . . the degree . the due esteem of ministers appears to be great and high ; for it is expressed and required in very high words in the original (x) , shewing they are to be esteemed exceedingly , as the same words are translated , thess. . . one sayes , more then exceedingly , as you would say , excessively (y) ( not as excess is a vice , but as it implies an height , and exuberancy of respect ) . that which comes nearest the l●●ter of the text , is ; esteem them above that which is abundant (z) , or which most exceeds ; or ( as beza ) above redundantly (a) . this high estimation is seen and shewed in many particulars . . in looking upon them as servants of the most high god , which shew unto men the way of salvation (b) , for although those words were spoken from the devil ( who neve● meant that god should be a gainer by his being a professor ) yet they do ( as others in such sort spoken of christ ( luk. . . ) contain in them a clear truth ; and the spirit of god also speaks in scripture of the ministers of christ to the same effect , mark. . , . rom. . . . servant of the lord , is a ministers name , tim. . . and to shew the way of salvation , that 's his office , luk. . , , . cor. . , . tim. . . . in giving them reverence ; so it is said that the corinthians received titus with fear and trembling (c) , that is , with mu●h reverence . the titles and usage of the old te●tament may shew this , where one p●ophet is called , an honourable man , sam. . . another , an holy man of god , king. . and respect was shewed unto them accordingly , ●n● very a bundantly (d) , king. . . king . . not but that there is a difference between extraordinary officers and ordinary , ( and therefore we press not the same expressions of reverence ) ; but yet the calling and substance of the office being the same , to wi● , inasmuch as both are sent of god to deliver his mind and message to his people , a suitable reverence is still required , that is , in the generality , and for the reality of it . in the new testament , ministers are called stewards , and that 's an high office (e) , and ambassadors , and that 's an honorable office , especially it being in christs stead , cor. . . in the old and new testament both , the ordinary title is , a man of god (f) . now , all are men of god ( i. e. ) of his making ; and good men more , because they are twice made , ephes. . . but ministers most , being not only of god by creation , or sanctification ▪ but by separation and de●●gnation to a peculiar office , whe●ein their whole work is to deliver those errands , and do those acts between god and man , which are charged upon them by their highest lord. is a minister thus , a man of god ? then , reverence the man , because of the god. . in seeking and having recourse to them . it 's an honor to have patients and clients , and hearers , king. . . & . . this address to ministers may be , . for counsel , instruction , and resolution , because g●d gives pastors to feed with knowledge and understanding (h) , and people should seek the law at their mouth (i) . thus did the woman of samaria , when she perceived christ was a prophet , joh. . , . thus were the apostles sought , when ch●istians dissen●ed , act. . . and thus paul was written unto by the corinthians , cor. . . . for comfort , so did the elders of samaria come to elisha his house , when the famine was so extream in samaria , and sate with him ; no doubt , to hear what comfort he could give them (k) . and this is an honour , to be looked upon , as one of a thousand , job . . as one that hath the tongue of the learned , to know how to speak a word in season to the weary soul , isai. . . . for prayer , jam. . . as they did to isaiah (l) , that he might midwife them ( as it were ) when they knew not what in the world to do , nor was there any strength to bring forth . this is an honour , to be esteemed masters of requests ; such as ministers are , or ought to be , gen. . . isa . , . ezek. . . . in yielding obedience , and being subject to them in the lord : this god expresly requireth , heb. . . cor. . . and not to hear obediently , is to despise (m) , he that despiseth you ( saith christ ) to wit , in not hearing , despiseth me . if ministers speak not according to the word , nor they , nor an angel from heaven , is to be esteemed and obeyed (n) : but if they give commandements by the lord jesus , then , he that despiseth , despiseth not man but god (o) . it was a great kings , great unhappiness and sin , that he humbled not h●mself before jeremiah the prophet , speaking from the mouth of the lord (p) . how much better did they that so obeyed the words of the lord , delivered by a man of god , ( even when they had gathered an army of an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men , and that , to regain a kingdom ) as utterly to desist f●om that design (q) . i grant , such messages were extraordinary , but gods word , is gods word still . . in incouraging and c●mforting them , as hezekiah did the levites , chron. . . and godly men , paul , col. . . this is done more particularly , . by a christian receiving and entertaining of them , as there is occasion , with gladness ; such receiving and holding in reputation go together , phil. . . so it is said of timothy , see he be with you without fear , and then , let no man despise him (r) . . in looking to them , especially in their low estate , as obadiah hid , and fed the lords prophets (s) . . in standing by them when they are in suffering condition for the church of god , which when some did not , paul prayes for a pardon (t) , for it was a great sin ; but , when onesiphorus did it (u) , he prayes for a reward , for it was a great duty and honour to paul. . in giving them maintenance , which is expressed in scripture by the name of honour (x) . to honour father and mother , is to do for them , to relieve and maintain them , mar. . , , . this ought to be an encouraging maintenance , that they may be encouraged ( as hezekiah speaks ) in the law of the lord ; ( i. e. ) in doing their duty . to with-hold dues is but to be peny-wise (y) , for it makes god to shut up windows , even the windows of heaven ; yea , it raiseth a cry which reacheth to heaven : for , sure , the hire of the labourer , which reapeth down the lords fields (z) if it be kept back by fraud , cryeth , and the cry entreth into the e●rs of the lord of sabboth , jam. . . and the return from heaven is , ye are cursed with a curse , for ye have robbed me , mal. . . here 's no room (a) to dispute whether tithes be due by divine right ; an incouraging maintenance is due , by divine right , and tithes with us , are that maintenance , and that may suffice . . in not receiving , lightly and hastily , any accusation against them , tim. . . they should rather be pleaded for ( as michaiah was by jehosap●at , when a king spake against him ) , and in that way christians should save ministers , and ought to discharge them of , a more unhandsome pleading for themselves , cor. . . . in shewing a regard , and doing honour to those that have deserved well of the church of god , even after their death (b) , as they buryed j●h●iada in the city of david among the kings , because he had done good to israel , both towards god , and towards his house , chron. . . so the old worse prophet , laid the carcass of the young better prophet in his own grave (c) , with mourning and lamentation , and gave order that himself might be buryed in the same sepulchre ; concerning whom also josiah ( of whom he prophesied ) gave this charge , let no man move his bones (d) . a convincement of this may be observed in the hypocritical honour that the scribes and pharisees did the dead prophets in garnishing their sepulchres (e) . and in others ( like them ) who commen●●●me faithful ministers when they are dead , that they may save their credit ; whilest they hate those like them , being yet alive . if any think much , that so much is spoken of this argument and ministerial advancement , they may please to remember whose words they are that are recorded & written in this text , ( are they the words of god , or are they not ? ) and withall , to consider , that ( howsoever the lords labourers know it to be their lot to be made the filth of the world , and the off-scouring of all things (f) and therefore prepare for , and submit to , such a condition , yet ) christians edification and salvation is laid up in ministers estimation ; for , who will be advised by him that he thinks to be a fool ? or ruled by him whom he takes to be a tyrant , or one that loves to take upon him ? or be admonished by him whom he accounts one that affects to be a fault-finder ? now if the counsel and instructions of ministers be not reverenced , nor their directions obeyed , nor their admonitions regarded ; how shall people be edified or saved ? i proceed now , to the next thing , viz. . the nature and quality of this estimation ; it must be , in love . that general precept may be applyed to this purpose , let all your things be done with charity (g) , but that in titus comes nearer , greet them that ( do not only prize us , but ) love us in the faith (h) , so did they that wept sore over paul , and kissed him (i) , both signs of love (k) . not is it without cause that love is put in as an ingredient into the estimation of ministers , for there may be a great estimation without a gracious affection ; for it may arise , . from convincement , to wit , of the respect due unto them in their places , especially if they be men ( above others ) dignified . or , . from contentment , and satisfaction , in regard of their greater parts and abilities , if they be men better gifted , and more accomplished . . from morality ▪ and a love of vertue , to wit , if they be men of an unblameable life , of an ami●ble carriage , given to hospitality , &c. thus even herod feared , that is , reverenced john (l) , and was an observant hearer of him ; no marvel , he being a man famous among the people and of great account ; and one of an excellent spirit and rare ability and power ●n preaching ; and withal , a just and holy man , and of known integrity in his life . but , notwithstanding all his high esteem of him , he had so little love to him , that he cut off his head at last ; for he could not abide him as an admonisher , luk. . . honour on such grounds as these ( as that which is given out of fear rather then love and good will ) may ( as ambrose saith (m) , ) be beneficial , for the present , to him that receives the honour ( he may be encouraged by it , and it may be some advantage to him in his work ) ; but it will never be profitable for the future to him that gives it . all done out of by-ends , is like hypocrites alms , all the reward is here (n) ; a man loseth his end , if he think to have it rewarded , at that last and great day , tim. . . true estimation is like that of jonathan , who had not only high thoughts of david , but loved him also as he loved his own soul (o) . now they who esteem out of love , will do it heartily , fully , and constantly . . heartily : for , if i can say , one loves me truly , i can say also , his heart is with me (p) . . fully : love gives good measure (q) , and saith ; whatsoever thy soul desireth , i will even do it for thee (r) . . constantly : for love cannot leave off , ruth . . cant. . , . is not the doctrine of the gospel an amiable doctrine ? let the teachers ( therefore ) be amiable , and account their feet beautiful (s) . they never loved god , that do not love his word ; nor his word , that do not love his work ; nor his work , that do not love his workmen (t) . all this appears in ahab , who being a man that did not love the lords true prophets , nor their work , nor gods word , is therefore declared by god himself , ungodly , and one that hated the lord , chron. . . . the reason and ground of the estimation , which is , for their works sake . this is the great and the good reason of respecting ministers ; hence paul , speaking of timothy , saith , he worketh the work of the lord , as i also do ; let no man therefore despise him (u) . this is the more considerable , because divers seem to esteem good ministers much , when , as it is not from love , so neither is it for their works sake ; for , it may be , . for fear , and to comply with them when the times and present powers favour them ; or when it is , some other way , dangerous to disdain them : so haman did mordecai the greatest honour (x) , for he durst do no other ; so the devils give christ fair words , for fear of torment before the time ; and that great testimony of the unclean spirit (y) ( mentioned before ) might be given , either to make their doctrine the more suspected , because they had the devils testimonial ; or else to flatter with the apostles , for fear they should marr his market , as they quickly did (z) . thus that third captain fell upon his knees before the prophet elijah , for fear of losing his own life , and the lives of the fifty with him (a) . . for their better grace , because some good ministers of great parts , have a general fame , and are had in honour with the people : so that , if they favour them also , they shall be the better thought of . no marvel if many of the pharisees came to john's baptism , for jerusalem and all judea went out to him , mat. . , . . out of civility and courtesie ; so men use to invite the preacher to dinner ( which is an argument of respect ) ; and thus simon the pharisee ( none of the worst : it seems , nor of the best ) desired christ to eat with him , luk. . . . out of zeal to this or that opinion , which makes men extol that minister that maintains it . there 's much estimation in a way of faction . thus when there arose a dissension between the pharisees and the sadduces , paul having declared himself to be a pharisee , the scribes that were of the pharisees part , arose , and took pauls part (b) , and present him as a man , to whom ( haply ) a spirit or an angel had spoken , and consequently , such a person as to whom if any offer violence , he shall be found to fight against god. thus they that hated paul to the death , plead for him , because he stood for that which they held , and contended with the other side about . . out of malitious subtilty , to draw something from a good minister by fla●tery and fair words that will hurt or undo him . thus the p●arisees speak highly of christ , thou art true , teachest the way of god in truth , carest not for any man (c) , not because they meant to commend him , but to catch him : for if he say , tribute is to be paid , he shall be looked upon as a betrayer of the liberty of his countrey , and be hated of the people ; if he deny the payment , then they have him in caesars trap . . out of a private grudge against some zealous minister or faithful pastor , who desires the good of his hearers rather then their good will , and therefore deals plainly and ●oundly with them that they may be reformed and saved . in this case , hypocrites pay ( in full ) to paul in their honour , that they may rob peter ; that is , they commend the minister of some parish near them , or one eminent in the county , that they may the better rebel against and debase their own pastor , or some other that preaches among them and cometh closer to them then they are willing of ; thus the jews magnified abraham , jacob , moses , but the use of it was , to cast a slur upon christ himself . and some speak highly of dead ministers , to lay low the living . in brief , carnal men ( as one observes ) can never esteem ministers in love as they should ; because their work that should procure them honour , works with corrupt men to their dishonour . but to speak now on the other part , the lords labourers are to be honoured for their work sake ; and that because it is work , and such a work , and their work . first , it is a work : and in any good work , men diligent and laborious have been still esteemed (d) . hence pharoah enquires whether josephs brethren be men of activity , for then he will make them rulers over his cattel (e) : and jeroboam being observed by solomon to be industrious , or one that did work (f) , he was therefore made ruler over the charge of joseph . secondly , it 's a worthy work (g) , fair , honourable , not a vulgar , but an eminent work . this appeareth three wayes , . by the author , and end of it . it is from god , and for god ; from god as the author , it 's he that brings men nea● to himself to do tabernacle-work (h) . and the commission of gospel-ministers is issued forth out of christs own charter , unto whom all power is given both in heaven and in earth , mat. . , . and it is also for god as the end of it ; when david would set out the work of the temple , and speak honourably of it , it 's a great work ( saith he ) ; for it is not for man , but for the lord god (i) : such is the wo●k of the ministry , it is , to bear the name of god (k) , before the children of men ; and by sowing the seed of the word , to be instruments of bringing forth those fruits of righteousness that are for the glory of god , luk. . . phil. . . col. . . thus is god the alpha and omega of the ministers office. . by th● subject matter of it , for the work of a minister of the gospel , is , to preach the high , hidden , and manifold wisdom of god , and that among those that are perfect (l) , who alone can receive & are capable of such heavenly mysteries ; it is , to preach the unsearchable riches of christ. in sum , it is to preach christ , that mens eyes may see that king in his beauty (m) . this is angels work , luk. . , , . yea , angels wonder , and sweetest study , eph. . . pet. . , . . by the object of it , ( as to men ) and that is , their everlasting salvation , tim. . . obad. v. . how did men honour ( in the old testament ) their temporary saviours (n) ? how have men still honoured physitians (o) and bodily saviours ? hence paul was honoured with many honours , act. . . if they be thus esteemed ( out of the principles of nature ) that save mens lives , how much more should they be reckoned of , out of the principles of grace , that are instruments to save mens souls ? unto which soul-salvation bodily cures do but hold the candle , to shew in a small degree how great it is : as we see our saviours own bodily healings , which were but obscure expressions to mens sense of his soul-healing vertue , mat. . . thirdly , it 's [ their ] work ; that is , besides the work and worth thereof , they are called to it . if others ( uncalled to that office ) do the work , the honor is not due ; it appertaineth not to them any more then the work doth (p) . who commends a busie body in other mens matters (q) ? but if they be duly called , and the word of reconciliation be committed unto them as the lords ambassadours ; then they are to be highly esteemed both because of the work , and the right they have to administer it . all this is cold comfort for such as are call'd to the ministry , and yet are careless of doing their office ; for the worth is joyned to the work and the doing of the work : insomuch that idol-shepheards fall under the most heavy and dishonorable judgements . (r) and unsavoury salt is neither fit for the land , nor yet for the dunghil , when it hath once lost its savour , it is thence-forth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot . so great is the infamy of ministers that are the salt of the earth , when they are quite destitute of ministe●ial vertue , mat. . . luk. . . yet , let all take heed of contemning the office because of the person ; say not ( if you see some ( or many ) bad ) these be your ministers . but so manage the dis-estimation of ill-deserving ministers , as alwayes to preserve the estimation of the ever-honourable ministry , having thus opened the text , i shall shut up all with an earnest exhortation to christians to make conscience of performing the duty which it doth so manifestly and fully mind them of . in this exhortation , because our desire is not to have an estimation forced , but flowing from light and love , i shall therefore speak in the apostles language , we beseech you brethren , know those that labour among you , and are over you in the lord , and admonish you . know them — . as the great gift of christ , who when he ascended up on high , gave gifts unto men (s) . amongst the rest , he gave some to be pastors and teachers , to continue to the end of the world ; not only the abilities of ministers are christs gift to his church , but their office , according to the old prophesie , i will give you pastors (t) . let none therefor call in question the wisdom or love of christ ( as if he knew not what was best for his church , or were loth to give it ) but prize the gift for the giver , and consider how much they are like to stead you ▪ whom he hath left in his stead (u) . christ is the great gift of god (x) , and ministers the great gift of christ. . as ambassadours for christ (y) : in whom god is pleased to treat with you , and by them ( in christs name ) to offer conditions of peace unto you ; yea , god doth ( as it were ) beseech you by us to accept of his terms , and to be reconciled to himself . unto ministers is committed the word of reconciliation , that you may enjoy , and be happy in , the work of reconcil●ation ; o how beautiful ( to a sin-sick-soul , that labours under the sad sense of gods anger ) are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace ? . as your great comforters in your most grievous afflictions : it is the misery of misery , that there is no more any prophet (z) ; but , though the lord give you the bread of affliction , and the water of affliction , and your teachers be not removed into a corner , but your eyes behold your teachers (a) , how great cause is there to say , blessed are your eyes , for they see , and your ears , for they hear ? m●t. . . the sight of christ in the gospel-ministry (b) makes believing souls not only desirous to depart out of the wo●ld in peace (c) , but willing to live in the world in trouble , phil. . . . as your soul-guard and defence , against false teachers , who ( like subtile foxes ) deceive first , and ( like grievous wolves ) devour after (d) . a minister is an over-seer , that people may not be over-seen and over-reached by church-cheaters , that by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple , rom. . . even as of old the serpent beguiled eve , cor. . . . as the chare●s and horsemen of israel , as your life-guard and the best militia of the nation : who do not only prevail in the behalf of a weak church over every amal●k (e) , and so procure their peace ; but so wrestle , as to prevail with god ( it is not hainous to say , over god , hos. . ) in the behalf of a sinful church , and so obtain their pardon (f) . how often had israel been burnt up by the fire of gods anger , had not moses stood in the gap (g) , and the ministers of the lord wept and prayed , between the porch and the altar ? the last and best refuge is , go to isaiah , isai. . . . as the angels of the churches , and the glory of christ , cor. . . yea , the galatians did not over-do ( their fault was to give over ) when they received paul as an angel of god , even as christ jesus , gal. . . o how far short do ministers now come of paul ? ( which makes us tremble to speak of these high things ) but yet the gospel-ministry being ( for substance ) common to them and him , let none think it arrogance in us to mention them , nor themselves discharg'd of imitating them . more particularly ( that i may go on with the text ) look on ministers ; . as labourers ; do not think their calling an idle calling ; they are husbandmen , ( whose work is never ended ; yea , harvest-labourers (h) , whose work is never easie ) : yea , such as labour for your souls , a work of all other the hardest , if it be done well ; and the happiest , if it succeed well ; and to you the unhappiest , if through your fault , it succeed ill , cor. . . . as those over you ; in the lord ; not as triumphing in their superiority , but as trembling at their charge , and rejoycing in the lowest condescentions to take you up and win you to jesus christ (i) . they are such as preach not themselves but jesus christ the lord , and themselves your servants for jesus sake (k) . he spake reason , that said , there is but one servant in an house , and that 's the master (l) , for he must take care for all , and take pains for all , that every one may have what is fit , and what is due ; so there is but one servant in the congregation , and that 's the pastor , who ( upon peril of his soul ) is to guard and guide the sheep , and according to their several and various necessities to provide for them ; a painful and careful work . i would christians knew what conflicts conscientious and zealous pastors have for their charge (m) , and how our god humbles us among them , ( while we stand higher on our watch-towe● ) in beholding those horrible evils of one sort and another , which we know not how to reform , cor. . , . . as admonishers of you ; and therefore suffer the words of exh●rtation (n) , make conscience of receiving and obeying admonition : remember , that better is a poor and wise child , then an old and foolish king that will no more be admonished (o) ; and forget not what an high place , an admonishing abigail had in davids heart , sam. . . see prov . , , . & . . in all these regards , hold faithful ministers in reputation , phil. . . and that for their works sake ] wherein observe , that he that honours any minister for his work , will honour every minister that doth that work well ; — though of poor parentage and presence (p) , though of meaner gifts and parts (q) : great difference between paul and timothy , yet , he worketh the work of the lord as i also do , ( saith paul ) , therein we agree , let no man therefore despise him (r) ; yea lastly , though there be some failings and personal infirmities . that great luther had his faults , and some of gods servants suffered by his vehemency ; yet , i often use to say ( saith calvin (s , ) though luther should call me [ devil ] yet i shall give him that honour to account him an eminent servant of god. it 's a great antidote against faction , to esteem ministers for the right and proper reason , that is , for their works sake , not for their wits sake . that i may draw to a conclusion of this discourse , think not ( beloved christians ) that it is out of an affectation of self-advancement that this estimation is thus urged ; we desire to speak the apostles words with the apostles spirit , it is not that we should appear approved ; but , that ye should do that which is honest , though we be as reprobates , that is , in mens account , ( for otherwise ) i trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates (t) . it is not for our selves we plead , ( as men and poor earthen vessels ) but for our calling ( as officers ) and that for your sakes . we beseech you therefore ( again ) esteem ministers very highly , for you are concerned in it very deeply . if you regard them not , remember how far the disesteem reacheth : for our saviour saith , he that d●spiseth you despiseth me , and he that despiseth me , despiseth him that hath sent me (u) . he that offereth an affront to an officer ( discharging his office according to law ) offers an indignity to the king in whose name he executes his office , and from whom he hath it ; and so they that offer abuse unto , and put sleights upon , ministers ( discharging their office according to the gospel ) , they offer a dishonour to him , that is the prince of the kings of the earth (x) , and that goes very high ; how is it that ye are not afraid (y) ? for so far is christ from suffering this to go unpunished , that disestimation and contempt of the ministry ends ( without repentance ) in deprivation , desolation , damnation . . it is for this that people are deprived of the gospel . the kingdom of god shall be taken from you ( saith our saviour ) and ( to make that good ) lo , saith paul , we turn to the gentiles (z) . and it 's a sad thing ( to them that know what it is ) to see pauls face no more , act. . . . this ends in desolation ; mocking gods messengers , dispising his words , misusing his prophets , was the immediate fore-runner , and reason of the jews dismal destruction by the chaldaeans (a) . and for the same reason , worse came upon them after , and is on them to this day , even wrath to the utmost , thess. . , . . this ends in that which ends not , even in damnation ; for , how can a generation of vipers escape the damnation of hell ? mat. . . yea , how shall we escape ( though we be not such vipers ) if we neglect so great salvation ? to wit , as it is offered in the gospel-ministry , heb . . o fear , you that live under the droppings of gods ordinances , lest by not caring for them ( as dispensed in gods way ) the heavens over you become brass , by taking away those over you whose doctrine drops as the rain (b) , and then the earth will be iron (c) : your hearts will be iron-hearts ; what hope of fruit , without rain , without husbandry ? or of heaven , without fruit ? luk. . , . but ( on the contrary ) , if ministers be esteemed for their work , and for him that sets them awork ; then . god will be pleased ; for it is christ himself that is received , luk. . . and it must needs please the father well , that the son is honoured , joh. . . . the gospel will be continued ; for as the loss of first love , causeth the candlestick to be removed (d) ; so where there is an estimation in love , more light is vouchsafed . when philip was reverenced in samaria , peter and john were sent after him (e) . and christ himself went from those that were weary of him to those that waited for him (f) , the salvation of god is sent to the gentiles , for they will hear it , act. . . o ye parents , rob not your children of the light of the gospel , by your light account of it , mat. . . . as when gods kingdom is sleighted , outward comforts are removed (g) , and destroying armies introduced (h) : so when it is sought , outward comforts are added , matth. . . how hath england flourished under gospel-dispensations , and estimations ? and our eclipses have arisen ( and will arise ) from despising and persecuting a faithful ministery : of which ( therefore ) let all beware that love the common peace , psal. . . . as it shall be easier for tyre and sidon , and sodom at the last day then for gospel-contemners (h) , so they that receive and reverence it , shall find mercy at that day (i) , when christ shall come to be glorified in his saints , and to be admired in all them that believe , and mark why , because our testimon● ( the testimony of labourers among them ) was beleived (k) . in that day ▪ shall we rejoyce in christians ( and so they in us ) if we have not run in vain , nor laboured in vain , phil. . . to conclude this : let it be your care ( dearly beloved christians ) now god hath wrought such wonders for our peace and settlement , to make some amends for that shameful contempt that hath been poured on the ministers of christ of late , by your double honour (l) . and as for those many that have departed ( we are more willing to say , have been carryed from us , and against us ) by the distemper of the times , what shall we say , but ( as the holy prophet sometimes did , though with some alteration ) , lord god of abraham , isaac , and of israel , — let it be known that we are thy servants ; and that thou hast brought the heart of this people back again , king. . , . chap. iv. of the observation of the lords-day , or the christian sabbath . the christian sabbath ( as our church calleth it (m) , ) that is , the lords-day , being a matter of so g●eat importance , both in respect of christians and of christianity , as that the name of the lord of glory is imprinted upon it (n) . and the primitive christians accounted it their glorious character (o) . and the catholick church hath still owned it , and in the best of times most acknowledged it to be a day wholly dedicated to the remembrance and service of god our saviour , i shall therefore ( after what hath been already spoken concerning other parts of godliness ) , endeavour ( according to my ability ) to add something briefly and summarily concerning this great day , and the duties thereof ; and that so , as to stir up christians to the due observation of that day , and performance of those duties . for this purpose i shall make choice of a portion of scripture that fully declares the danger of profaning the lords holy-day ; it is that which is written neh. . , , then i contended with the nobles of judah , and said unto them , what evil thing is this that yee do , and profane the sabbath day ? did not your fathers do thus , and did not our god bring all this evil upon us , and upon this city ? yet ye bring more wrath upon israel by profaning the sabbath . it is easie here ( before i go any further ) to foresee this objection , that a text in the old testament , speaking of the jews sabbath , is improper for the establishing of the observation of the new testament sabbath . unto which i answer : . more generall , that whatsoever things were written afore time , they were written for our learning (p) ; and examples of divine justice ( such as this scripture declareth to be inflicted for profaning that which was gods holy day then ) are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come (q) , to terrifie all men from offending in the like kind ; as here , from abusing and applying to common use his consecrated time , and solemn day . . more particularly , the fourth commandement being ( as a remarkable part of the moral and eternal law of god ) still in force , for the holy observation of a sabbath every week , of gods appointment unto the end of the world ; it will from thence follow , that any thing spoken in the old testament concerning the weekly sabbath in use then , if it be not proper to the jewish people , nor to the jews sabbath day , but be prescribed in the fourth commandement , as common to each weekly sabbath of gods institution , doth still remain in its full strength to bind the people of god in all ages ; briefly , what belonged to the jews sabbath , as [ a ] sabbath , and not as [ that ] sabbath , is still in force for every sabbath , i mean , for any weekly day which god appoints for his day of rest and holiness . hence it followeth also , that what we find in the old testament , about the sabbath , approved , that 's for our imitation ; what we find reproved and punished , that 's for our restraint and warning . this morality of the fourth commandement , and its common aspect , both on the old and new testaments weekly day , being purposely and strongly proved by others (r) , i shall not ( here ) speak further of it , but hasten to a brief opening of the scripture before recited ; wherein it appeareth , that amongst other gross abuses , ( mentioned in the former and latter part of this chapter ) the sabbath also was very provokingly profaned , and that in jerusalem it self ; ( the lords city ) ; wherein the temple was , ( the lords house ) ; and wherein god himself so resided , that they hid their eyes from the sabbath , in his eye-sight , and by the profanation thereof he was profaned among them , ezek. . . if any ask , how all this came to pass ? nehemiah himself gives an account of it , when he saith , all this while was not i at jerusalem , v. . the presence of a good governour prevents impiety (s) ? and nehemiah being once come ; sabbath profanation is non-pluss'd , and overcome , they came no more on the sabbath , v. . but , as when moses was absent , the calf was made ; so nehemiah going ( after his first coming to jerusalem , and the building of the walls thereof ) into persia again , there were , in that his absence from jerusalem , many profanations crept in , which he , when he returneth , most zealously reformeth . in particular ; when he saw in judah the violation of the sabbath , and that it was made a very market-day , v. . his eyes affected his heart , and his zeal discovers it self . . in vehement speaking ; for he testified , and contended against the profaners of that day , v. . and with the nobles that should have prevented and obviated such profananation , v. , . . in resolute acting ; taking order , . for the shutting and guarding of the gates of jerusalem , against buyers and sellers within the city , v. . . for restraining them that lodged about the wall , who might continue buying and selling in the suburbs , v. . . . he gave charge to the levites also to keep the gates , to wit , of the temple ( nehemiah's own servants being appointed to keep the city-gates ) , that so nothing might be wanting , on their part , to keep the day and house of god from profanation , v. . the result and conclusion of all which , is , an humble applying of himself to the mercy of god for the remembring of him , as he , by the grace of god , was zealous in remembring the lords holy day ; where his confidence is also implyed , and this contained , that , the lord will mercifullly remember them , who remember dutifully the lords day . in the two verses before te●ited , ( v. , . ) is contained nehemiah's contending ( or arguing the case by strong and solid reasons , (t) with the nobles , who either had a hand in this evil , as being acto●s in it themselves (u) , or at least , were under the guilt of it for want of being the restrainers of it (x) , being ( it's like ) intrusted with the care of such things in nehemiah's absence . this contention is made good , by the great evil that there is in profaning the sabbath day , which is twofold . . the evil of sin , v. . what evil thing is this that ye do ? . the evil of punishment , did not your fathers do thus , and did not god bring all this evil upon us , v. . the former of these sheweth , that , it is an evil thing to profane the sabbath day . i use the word sabbath , not as intending to speak of , or to give any countenance to the observation of the jews sabbath ( now ) ; but as purposing to speak of the christian sabbath , and to take in that only of the jews day , which sometime belonged to it in the general nature and no●ion of a sabbath , and with respect to that observation of a sabbath , which ( being prescribed in the fourth commandement ) belongs to every sabbath of gods appointment . nor do i ( while i make use of the name [ sabbath ] ) deny the lords day to be the more evangelical name ; but i call it a sabbath , because it will never be the lords day , unless it be a sabbath day , that is , it will never be a day of holy rest , unless it be a day of rest , which the word sabbath signifieth (y) . concerning which , i shall mention these three particulars , . the rest enjoyned . . the thing intended in that rest , to wit , holiness . . the extent both of the rest and the holiness ; it is for the whole day . first , in a sabbath , rest is required , and that so as to do no manner of work ; the meaning is not , that we are to abstain from sinful works only , which though they be eminently unlawful on that day , yet are truly unlawful any day , and 〈◊〉 ●●rbidden in all the other commandements , nor is it the meaning , that we should abstain f●om servile work only , that is , worldly works painful and gainful , ( which are allowed on other days ) ; for howsoever such works be in special manner forbidden , as being named in the fourth commandement , yet that 's but by a synechdoche , or a figure , whereby more is meant : for if they only were forbidden , then the sabbath might be spent in things easie , liberal , and ingenuous without blame ; and then god should have the day no more , or little more , then if it were spent in servile works , when yet it must be a sabbath of , or to the lord ; the thing therefore required , is , that all manner of work be forborn , ( by what name or title soever it be called ) that is ours (z) , and not gods ; that depriveth god of his day , or is an hinderance of that holiness which is intended in the sabbath or day of rest . of this rest there are divers reasons . as . the solemnity of the day ( for it 's one of gods solemn dayes , psal. . . ) that the celebration thereof may be more fair and full by laying aside all work , and the whole creation ( as it were ) to wait on the creator , levit . . . . as in point of solemnity , so , in point of mercy , for the relief , refreshing and taking breath of the toiled creature after six dayes labour ; which is said of god himself , after his work , but it is spoken after the manner of men , exod. . . on the seventh day he rested , and was refreshed . . and especially , in point of piety , for the sanctification of the day , in the holy services thereof ; and that not without need : for , if we look to innocent adam , albeit some question , whether the law of the sabbath were given to him before the fall ; yet there 's no cause to question , but that it would have been useful to him , though he had not faln : because he could not , at once , dress and keep the garden , and have that compleat and indistracted communion with god , which it was easie for him to enjoy , in a time of rest and separation from all such earthly and heterogeneal imployment . but now , man being faln , this rest is of more absolute necessity , because both humane infirmity and corruption so compass and cleave to us , that we cannot with full intention of mind be in heaven and earth both at once ; that is , we cannot , at the same time , apply our selves intirely to matters of so different a nature and operation as heavenly and earthly things are , which apparently carry our hearts contrary wayes : whereof there needs not further proof then the dayly experience we have of the dividing of our hearts , and the withdrawing of them from things spiritual , or , at least , the eclipsing of them , by the interposition of earthly things ; which , if they be earthly thoughts , hinder spiritual thoughts , and disturb heavenly meditations ; if they be earthly words , they cool spiritual communications ( a man cannot speak two different languages both at once ) ; and if they be earthly actions , they weaken spiritual exercises , and thrust aside heavenly transactions . for this reason , play also and sports are forbidden : for god forbids not work for the thing , ( he likes work better then play ) , but for the end ; to wit , because it hinders the intire imploying of the day in holy things , which play doth much more , because of a greater delight in it , and for that the heart is more taken up with it , and stollen ( as the hearts of the men of israel were by absaloms kisses , sam. . , . ) from the son of david , the lord of the sabbath , by it . now , albeit there might be some rest ( out of the fourth commandement ) appendant to the jews day , and proper to them , as appertaining to their education , ( which , i conceive , it will be hard to find ; that which is produced for it , being as probably answered as urged (a) : ) yet all that rest which is enjoyned in the commandement , and is necessary for sabbath-sanctification , belongeth to us as well as to them : for , as the observation of the sabbath ( prescribed in the fourth commandement ) being spiritual , argueth the law that requireth it to be both moral and eternal ; so , with respect thereto , the bodily rest also becometh moral (b) , and therefore a common and continuing thing to us as well as to the jews . nor need this rest seem tedious , if we consider what works god requireth and alloweth on the sabbath-day ; as . works of religion ] six dayes shalt thou labour , and do all [ thy ] work , saith the commandment (c) , but on the sabbath-day , we may and must do gods work . hence , it 's said , the priests profane the sabbath , that is , materially , by doing those works that would profane it , if god had not commanded them for his service : but being that he hath so done , those priests are blameless (d) , because those works , though servile in their nature , yet were sacred in their end and application . such a work was the infirm mans carrying his bed on the sabbath when christ had healed him (e) . the bearing of burthens , on that day , for worldly lucre , is one of the things that nehemiah here contends against ; but that mans carrying his bed became a religious action , by being an appurtenance of the miracle , and an open declaration to all men ( who on that day did more flock together ) , of the grace and power of god by which he was cured ; under this head may be comprehended those bodily provisions that are truly needful and helpful for our more able and vigorous performance of religious duties , or for the glory of god some other way . . works of necessity ] to wit , real , not feigned ; and present and apparent , not possible only , and which may be or not be : to this we may refer the disciples plucking and eating the ears of corn (f) , whom christ excuseth , because , at that time , they ( as david ) needed sustenance (g) . and add thereto the other plain instance of a sheeps falling into a pit , matth. . . which they that so quarrel'd with our saviour , made no scruple to pull out on the sabbath day . . works of mercy ] as the healing of the woman bound by satan , lo eighten years , luk. . , . a saviour so merciful would not stand upon healing on the sabbath day in a case so pitiful ; for , the sabbath is made for man , mar. . . that is , the rest of the sabbath is to give place to mans relief ; and though god propound to us his example of rest on the seventh day for our resting , yet we have his example of working also for mans benefit ; for ( saith christ ) my father worketh hitherto (h) , ( no sabbath day excepted ) to wit , in the preservation , government , and for the good of his creatures . thus of the first thing belonging to a sabbath , to wit , rest . secondly , the thing further and chiefly required , and which is intended in this rest , is holiness , remember the sabbath day , to keep it holy ; wherein is contained , . a reverent opinion of it ] to wit , as the lords holy and honourable day (i) , there will never be a good observation of it in our practise , without an estimation of it in our judgement . men will not leave the world ( with which nature closeth ) nor close with god in those holy things which nature is opposite to , and in the best , too averse from ; i say , they will not do this on a day ( and that every week ) which they ▪ care not for ; on which they see no divine character ; and in the service whereof they expect no divine blessing . . a dear affection to it ] calling it a delight (k) , and loving to be in the spirit on that day , revel . . . [ no delight ] is the companion of contempt (l) , but delight is so far from despising service , that it doubleth it (m) . . an holy imploying of the rest ] and bestowing of our selves in the duties belonging to such a day . this is well express'd , in those considerable articles of ireland , thus , the first day of the week , which is the lords day , is wholly to be dedicated to the service of god ; and therefore we are bound therein to rest from our common and daily business , and ( mark what followeth ) to bestow that leisure upon holy exercises both publike and private (n) . publike exercises are the principal ; in reference to which publike worship especially , the sabbath is ( as i conceive ) , said to be a sign , that is , an open de●laration , whose we are , and whom we serve , jona . . . act. . . for it doth not follow from the word [ sign ] that the weekly sabbath is a typical ceremony : if it were so , then it should be a sin to observe a sabbath now , since all ceremonies end in christ , in whom ( notwithstanding ) the christian sabbath begins ( as to the day ) and by whom it is confirmed as it is a weekly day , ( which the fourth commandement requireth ) because he declareth that he came not to destroy the law , but to fulfill it (o) . it is not therefore a ceremonial sign ( any more then the signs in the sacraments are ceremonial ) but rather a moral and real sign and demonstration how things stand between god and his people , which will further appear by looking more narrowly into that place of ezekiel , where it is called a sign , for thus the prophet expresseth it , i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them , that they might know that i am the lord that sanctifie them (p) , which words are also mentioned and applyed to the weekly sabbath , exod. . . , , . when the sabbath is said to be a sign , the meaning is ( as some do most probably expound it (q) , ) that it is a document or an instructing sign , and that between god and his people [ me and you ] (r) , saith the lord ; it teacheth and sheweth that which is common to us both , to wit , on my part , that i am your creator and sanctifier ; on your part , that you are a people , by me created and sanctified ; and that it is thus an instructing sign , appears by the words following , that ye may know ; as if the lord had said , look on the sabbath as a monument of the relation between me and you ; i would have you know and observe it so to be . upon a nearer view of the words , it will be found a teaching sign of these three lessons : . that god is the lord (s) , that is , that lord who is the only true god , ( jer. . . ) and that , because he hath made the heaven and the earth , v. , . which the observation of a sabbath , that is , resting a seventh day every week in relation to six dayes work , clearly holdeth forth ; for it is in imitation of that god , who in six dayes made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh , who can be no other then the true god , and lord of all . the second lesson is , that this great lord , is the god of his church , or a god in covenant with them : for thus the lord speaks ; (t) i am the lord [ your god ] — hallow my sabbaths , and they shall be a sign between me and you , that ye may know ( and learn this lesson ) that i am your god ; for , why do they wait upon him a whole day , every week , but to shew that they own him as their god , and that they believe he owns them as his people ? hence the scripture saith , they sit before thee [ as my people ] and hear thy words (u) . the third lesson is , that he is the lord that sanctifieth them ; which may be understood two wayes ; . of a sanctification to himself by a separation from the world (x) , so as to enjoy the priviledg of his covenant ; and so the scripture speaks , ye shall be holy to me , for i the lord am holy , and have severed you from other people that ye should be mine , lev. . . exod. . . . and also of an internal renovation , and sanctification in spirit , and soul , and body , thess. , . by the word preached on that day through the operation of the spirit , pet. . . act. . . & . . so that god hath not only made the sabbath an holy day , but also makeeth men holy by his ordinances , on that day ( principally ) dispensed . i have been the longer in this , because hereby it appeareth what a necessity there is of a weekly sabbath , as being a most signal declaration and representation of what god is in himself , that is , the maker of heaven and earth ( his distinguishing character (y) , and what he is to his church , that is , a god in covenant with them , and every way , a sanctifier of them , and that 's their distinguishing character , exod. . . isa. . . now ( to return to the thing in hand ) since the sabbath becomes of this use , especially by the general and solemn meeting of gods people together to publike service , ( as prayer , reading the scripture , preaching , administration of the sacraments , &c. ) therefore the rest and leisure we have on that day , is principally to be bestowed in , and sanctified by , such duties ; and therefore , the sacrifices appointed for the sabbath day were full double to those appointed for every day , (z) for the sabbath being a sign of more then ordinary favour from the lord , he required greater testimonies of their thankefulness and sanctification (a) ; and the prophet ezekiel , speaking of the state of the church in the time of the messiah , under the figure of legal ordinances , mentioneth a yet greater oblation , to be offered on the sabbath day (b) signifying that in the time of the gospel , the spiritual service should exceed the legal , the grace of the new testament being greater then that of the old : now if we bring this greater service to the great day of service , that is , the lords day , it will fairly follow , that the rest of that day should be fill'd up with holy duties , especially in publique ; for in those duties the sabbath is most a ( sign ) of the relations betwen god and us . private duties also are necessary , because the whole day cannot be spent in publike service conveniently , and yet it is to be spent holily ; before we come to the congregation therefore , ( considering how holy a god that is before whom we come , and how serious a service that is about which we come ) there is great need to spend some time in repentance , especially of the sins committed the week before (c) , for how can we stand before god in our sin ? ezra . . and since god requires the heart , how much need is there to purge it ? for he endures not a filthy heart , but cryes out upon it mat. . . (d) ; nor will the seed of the word prosper in it (e) : how much need also to adorn it with humility , faith , fear of god , holy desires and affections ? for god likes not an empty heart , but requires to be greatly feared in the assembly of his saints (f) , to come with hungring , thirsting , and the desire of new-born-babes (g) , and especially with faith , without which neither gods word to us , nor our words ( in prayer ) to him , can ever profit , heb. . . james . , . o how empty do we go away from ordinances , either because full of that which we ought to lay aside (h) ? or void of that which we ought to provide when we come into gods presence ! what need therefore of preparation ? and , after we have been before god in publike exercises , we are not left at liberty to do and speak as we please , for it is the sabbath of the lord our god still ; and therefore must have continued in it that rest , which is the body of it ; and that holiness , which is the soul of it ; as therefore , before the publike service , we are to get a stomack , and then feed on the heavenly manna at it ; so we are to ruminate and chew the cud after it , that is , we are to consider what god hath said to us , meditate and ponder upon it (i) . we should be in the spirit on the lords day , that is , taken up with spiritual meditations , rev. . . or spiritual conference , such as our saviour used with the men of emmaus on the day of his resurrection (k) , sutable to what he did before on the jews sabbath , when going into the house of one of the chief pharisees to eat bread , he teacheth one good lesson to the guests that were bidden , another to him that bade him ▪ them he teacheth humility , and him , charity (l) ; and a third that sate at meat with him ( and in him all other men ) , piety ; and providence that no worldly encumbrances hinder from spiritual ordinances . it 's true , that christ spake of good things every day , but we ( being taken up with other things on our ordinary dayes ) have the more need to follow his holy example in speaking of things godly on the sabbath day wherein we are not so free to talk of what we list , as some may imagine : for if there be a liberty for working-day words , and any every-dayes discourse , how will the rest of that day be holy ? if two or three hours be spent in worldly talk or tales , and not in christian colloquies , and communications ( such as paul so persisted in on the lords day (m) , ) where will the holiness of those hours be found , and , what distinction will there be ( for that time ) between that and the working dayes ? unto these godly meditations and conferences , are to be added holy actions . as , . works of piety ; reading , praying , admonishing , singing psalms , catechising child●en and servants ; and ( in special ) repeating the sermons preached for the good of the family , or of other christians ; who finding how frail their memories are , will be glad of such an assistance . . works of charity , as laying up , or laying out , for the use of the poor , as god prospereth us (n) , visiting and helping the sick , spiritually and outwardly , as our saviour used to heal on the sabbath day ; yet not so as to make more work then we need , but doing any good to poor creatures , which will not be so much for god's glory , and the winning of others to religion ( who are at leisure to look out that day ) or for their comfort that are in distress , if it be not on the lords day , done and dispatch'd . hitherto of the rest and holiness of the sabbath . thirdly , there remaineth to be considered the extent of this rest and holiness , which is , for a whole day ; for the commandement saith , remember the [ day ] of rest , to keep it holy . there is some question when the christian sabbath begins ; some will have it to begin in the evening (o) , and so the night shall be first , and the day after ; others ( i conceive ) more probably hold that it beginneth in the morning (p) , because then , and that very early , when it was yet dark , joh. . . our saviour was risen , and in his resurrection , that work which gave occasion of the institution of the day was finished ; and so the lords day is reckoned from morning to morning , or ( as some account it ) from midnight to midnight (q) , conceiving that the morning begins at midnight , and that christ rose not much after midnight . referring this to the authors ( mentioned in the margent ) that are large in it , i shall only speak to the thing in hand , which is , that whensoever it begins , it must be a day , and such a day as our six dayes are ; for gods dividing of the week into six dayes of labour , and one intire day of rest must ever stand : as therefore we may take the whole six for our labour , so we must give the whole seventh to god (r) . there are still seven dayes in the week , of which god never alloweth us more then six for our ordinary and earthly occasions . quest. may not a man read a letter , or answer a question , or a messenger on that day ; or do something in an earthly business falling in occasionally ? answ. . i shall not say that 's unlawful ; for sometimes such a necessity may arise about these earthly things , or such a work of mercy may fall in to be performed on that day , as may not be deferred ; in which regard there may be cause to speak and do such things as ( in themselves ) are not proper on that day ( out of such cases ) not permitted . it 's one thing to yield to an extraordinary occasion ; another , to make a common practice of turning aside securely from holy to common things upon the lords day . . yet it belongs to our piety , on that day , to sabbatize , as much as we may , those things which are , in their nature , earthly ; and to get and use an holy art and skill to turn them heaven-ward (s) , which we still find in our saviour , who therefore saith of himself , that he spake earthly things , joh. . . not that he did use to talk of the world , but he set forth heavenly things under earthly similitudes , and did weave spiritual instructions within worldly resemblances ; what our saviour did every day , and every way he went , that we should endeavour to do on the lords day . in which diversion and coming off from earthly things to heavenly , and setting off heavenly with earthly , though some be more happy , yet all , whose hearts are holy , may ( if they mind it , and will make a business of religion ) speak one good word or another , to let those know that interrupt them by some earthly occasion , that even in the managing of such a business , they put a difference between gods day , and their own days . and so they that come with a worldly message to them , may go away with a more heavenly mind from them ; and an heart better affected to the lords day , then they brought with them . and lest any should think that this is a preciseness which an understanding man would not own , i shall relate here the words of a foraign and very learned divine , on the text we have in hand , which are these ; the foolish wisdom of mortal men , thinks it a small matter , if some work ( especially some lighter work ) be done on the sabbath , ( better do so , then worse ) ; but gods will is , that mens minds should be taken up on the sabbath day with other ( i doubt not , but he understands , holy and heavenly ) cares : which cares , ( saith he ) , if thou do never so little a thing of another kind (t) , are interrupted , and by this very thing all use of religion would be exploded , and thrust out of dores ; unto which he further adds , that those things are to be done on the sabbath which are sutable to the sabbath , and ( on the other side ) things vile and evil , are to be taken heed of at all times . wolph . comment . in nehem. . , . quest. but if the sabbath must continue for a natural day of hours , what is to be done in the night of that day ? how shall that be sanctified , or what can be done to distinguish it from other nights belonging to our common dayes ? answ. . i doubt not , but that they that are conscientiously careful to observe our gospel-sabbath all the day , will find out wayes to resolve themselves as concerning the night : and all christians would be advised , if they propound such a question as this is , to see they do it out of conscience , and as seeking resolution , not out of curiosity , and as glad of an objection to make an opposition . . let the question be turned from the sabbath to the working dayes , thus ; since i ought to labour in my ordinary calling on the six dayes , what shall i do in the night ? here this answer may be returned ; i may , and should , when the dayes are shorter , work part of the night ; and if there be extraordinary occasion , i may work all the night , but if i should do so ordinarily , i should quickly be unable to do any thing in the day : god therefore so requires labour six dayes , as to give us leave ( yea , to imply it is our duty ) to rest in the night , because he hath given the night for that end . now , if this answer will hold , then may the like be said concerning the sabbath day , that is , that the sabbath night as well as other nights , is appointed of god for rest ; but yet , if it so fall out , that we do not rest that night , or in any part of it wherein we do not rest , we are to remember , that it is a part of time belonging not to a working day , but to the lords day , and therefore that it is to be used accordingly , that is , in one thing or other sutable to a sabbath ; and so , as that what we do in the light and in the night of such a day , may agree together : which shall be further opened in the ensuing answers . . it is well expressed , that the time of observing the sabbath is our waking time (u) ; for , though we say , that the whole hours of that day be taken in of god ; and set a part for his use , yet he may give us again what he pleaseth , and he giveth us the night to rest in , which may be reckoned among the works of necessity and mercy allowed on that day ; and that both in regard of the holy labours of that day ( for it is not an idle day ) which require rest the night before , that we may serve god with more strength and vigour , and the night after , because of the expence of strength in such service ; and withall , because of the labour of our ordinary callings the next day , which necessarily requireth the rest of the sabbath night , that for want thereof we may not be weakened in our worldly work ; for as god would not have us to trench on his day of rest , so it is not his mind that we should return faint and feeble to our day of labour . . i add bes●des , that , though we are not to prevent rest and sleep that night , by setting our hearts ( when we lie down ) upon serious and retentive thoughts ; yet if we cannot sleep ( god holding our eyes waking ) it appertaineth to the holiness of that t●me , to resume ( and call to mind , ) some godly meditations : which is more easily done that night , because of the help we have had for better thoughts the day before . yea , i shall not fear to say further , that in them that have observed the day as they ought , there will be such an holy habit and frame of heart left behind ▪ as that , ( though they sleep and take their rest , yet ) even the dreams of that night ( i do not say alwayes will , but divers times ) will be like to relish of the holiness of the day ; which though some are willing to make sport with , and to count worthy of derision ; yet herein they call in question , not only their piety , but their reason ; for , nature it self , and common experience teacheth , that things acted and most affected in the day , leave such impressions , as that they are ordinarily represented by the phansie in the dreams of the night (x) . i have thus far enlarged in describing the sabbath , out of a desire to establish the holy observation of the lords day , which will best be discerned by that respect , reverence and observance that is due to the weekly sabbath according to the fourth commandement . now , when we know what is meant by [ sabbath ] , and by the observation of it ; it 's easie to know what is meant by the profanation thereof ( mentioned before ) ; which is , the applying of it to common use as we do the other six dayes , when god hath set it a part for holy and heavenly imployments : see act. . . this profanation must needs be ( as i have said ) an evil thing , because it is a transgression of the moral law of god (y) , which law , though it be short , yet the precept concerning the sabbath is full and large . if that law be holy , and just , and good (z) , then the profanation opposite to it must needs be evil : hence the lord himself said of old , when that which was commanded on the sabbath was not obeyed , how long refuse ye to keep my commandements and my laws ? exod. . . & ezek. . . thou hast profaned my sabbath , is in the catalogue of their sins . but because there are two things about the christian sabbath much disputed ; one , the divine institution and appointment of a sabbath day in every week , for all ages , by vertue of the fourth commandement ; the other , the divine constitution , or gods ordaining of that weekly day for a sabbath which we now observe , that is , the first day of the week , commonly called the lords day : i shall therefore endeavour ( as i am able ) to speak something , in way of resolution , to these two proposals , that so , sabbath-doubts may not hinder sabbath-duties . for the former of these i propound this question . quest. how doth it appear that the law of the sabbath , contained in the fourth commandement , continueth , and is in force in gospel times , for the observing of one day in seven as a sabbath , or day of holy rest ? answ. if it be not of any force , then we have not now a decalogue , that is , there are not now in the time of the gospel , ten commandements , but nine only . if it be said , that doth not follow , because something of that commandement remains , and is in force for ever , to wit , that some time should be set a part for the publike worship of god. to this i answer , that it is manifest to him that reads the fourth commandement , that the thing required in it , is not a time at large ( which the second commandement , that prescribeth the worship of god , supposeth ; because nothing can be done , unless there be a time set apart for the doing of it ) but that which is enjoyned , is a day ; nor is it a day at large , but a day in every week , for it is opposed to six working dayes ; nor is it a day in a week at large , but such a day as may challenge this title , the sabbath of the lord thy god , that is , it must be a day of gods appointment , when a master saith to his servant , wait on me every week in the day i appoint you , and lay before him great reason for it ; if the servant should say , my master looks for no more but that i should wait on him one time or other , it would be but a poor account . . if any of the ten commandements be taken away , it must be taken away by christ , that is , by his order , or by some declaration from him ; but , he saith , he came not to take away , but to fulfil the law (a) . and to prove that , he instanceth in divers precepts of the moral law , which he presseth in the greatest height of spiritual observation . why should the fourth commandement be taken away any more then the fifth ? which yet the apostle urgeth strongly upon children , and that from the moral and perpetual reason thereof , which though it be delivered in a jewish phrase relating to the land of canaan , yet for the substance of it , it concerns all men that live on the earth , ephes. . , , . object . there is this difference between the fourth and fifth commandement : that nature teacheth men to obey their parents ; but to observe a sabbath one day in seven , it teacheth not . answ. in regard of a day of holy rest in general , nature is not silent ; for it granteth a god ; and that that god is to be worshipped ; and therefore that a time must of necessity be set a part for it ; and that , a convenient time , and in such a distance , that we may neither neglect our god , nor our affairs ; and , taking it for granted , that the creation is known , that is , that god did make the world in six dayes , and rest the seventh ; nature hath a fair copy to write by , and a glorious example before it to work upon , and to take a light from , to work and to rest in such a proportion of time ; i say , to rest , for nature speaks out this fully , that the time consecrated to god must be a time of rest ; because , we cannot serve god in holiness , and be about profane and common imployment , both at once . . if we take in , to the light and principles of nature , the assistance of divine revelation , then nature will say all that needs to be said for a sabbath , to wit , that it is fit god should appoint his own time for his own service , and therefore he in his word having appointed a weekly time , such a time ought to be observed . . setting aside all the natural morality that may be pleaded for a weekly sabbath , it sufficeth that the spending of one day in seven in holy rest , is enjoyned by the positive law of god ; for , why shall not the law of the god of nature ( revealed from gods mouth , or ) written in the word , bind as well , and as much as the law of nature written in the heart ? especially considering that what is spoken or written by god ( especially by his own finger , as the ten commandements were ) , is pure and incorrupt , as that is not which is written in mans heart , though it were so when it was first written . yea , why may we not say ( in some respect ) that it is worse to disobey a positive law , then a law of nature ? and that because , where nature saith nothing , but god saith all ; there 's a greater tryal whether gods word , his naked will , and prerogative royal , is of any weight with us or no ; and in the despising of such a command , a greater indignity is offered to the supream law-giver ; as if a law of his mouth were not worth the marking , unless nature and reason open their mouths also ; unto which we may add , that he who disobeyeth a positive law , alwayes disobeyteh a natural , to wit , this , that it is meet and necessary , that god should have his will , and retain his soveraignty , which by transgressing a plain precept , wherein nature can say nothing , is more violated . hence , that first sin , in eating the forbidden fruit , for the forbearing whereof ( being considered in it self ) nature had not what to say , did undo us all , there being thereupon , this charge drawn up against all mankind , in the first man , hast thou eaten of the tree whereof i commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat (b) ? ( the like whereof we find in the business of the sabbath (c) , but ) i instance in the former , because of the weight that lay upon it , and because of the resemblance there is between forbidden work , and forbidden fruit , by which the disobedience receives a great aggravation , namely thus ; was there liberty for all the trees of the garden , and couldst thou not fo●bear one upon my precise command ? so , have i given thee six dayes to work for thy self , and canst thou not rest with me one day (d) ? object . but if the fourth precept stand still established , yet all it commands , is , the observing of the seventh day from the creation ? answ. . if it be supposed , that the fourth commandement enjoyneth the seventh day from the creation ( which i grant not , save only in that sense which i shall afterward express ) yet , that hindereth not , but that it remaineth also firm , and in force for one day in seven , as well as the reason of the fifth commandement is a moral and perpetual reason , though it be delivered in a jewish phrase , and concern , in the first place and in the form of words , the jewish people , and therefore the apostle ( to extend the force of the reason to all places and persons thus explaineth it , (e) that it may be well with thee , and that thou mayest live long on the earth , ( as was touch'd before ) . . i answer , that the fourth commandement layes down and prescribes how god would have his sabbath observed , but it doth not command or institute any particular or individual day , save only in the generality , that is , as it falls under the general notion of being a day of gods appointment ; which day of gods appointment was well known to the jews , otherwhere , and before the fourth commandement was delivered ; and therefore it is spoken of in the sixteenth of exodus as a known law (f) , and the people on the sixth day gathered twice so much bread , two omers for one man ; when on other dayes they gathered but one , as being accustomed to observe the sabbath (g) , at least , as knowing that god required it should be observed , that day being set a part for a sabbath ever since , and by reason of the creation of the world , gen. . . heb. . . (h) . and as the day the jews observed and spent in holy rest , was known otherwise , and needed not to be expressed in the fourth commandement ; so also , the day that we christians observe , though it be not mentioned in that commandement , yet is otherwise sufficiently made known to be the day that god hath ordained for his weekly sabbath in gospel-times , as shall appear hereafter . . this being premised , i shall grant ( as others do , who have with much diligence and satisfaction , searched into this argument ) , (i) that the seventh day sabbath was to be observed by vertue of the fourth commandement , yet not as instituted there directly , but as belonging to it reductively ; that is , by way of argument and consequent , namely , thus : one day in seven , of gods appointment is directly and for ever required to be observed as a sabbath by the fourth commandement ; now , the seventh-day-sabbath , ( that is , the seventh from the creation ) is , that one of seven that god appointed from the foundation of the world till our saviours coming , suffering , and rising again ; it therefore followeth , that that seventh was for all that time , to be observed as the lords sabbath , and that by necessary collection from the fourth commandement . as , in like manner our first-day-sabbath is grounded on the fourth commandement , because it is that one of seven which god hath appointed to be observed since christs resurrection . the sum is ; the genus , or general name of sabbath is common to each sabbath day of gods institution , and so comprehends both the jews sabbath and ours . . i answer , ( as before ) , that , otherwise then thus , the fourth commandement requireth not any particular day ; but that which it commandeth , is , ( to come more closely to the question ) one day in seven in relation to six working dayes , as the commandement it self expresseth , saying , six days shalt thou labour , — but the seventh is the sabbath ; — as if it had been said , divide the week , and there being seven dayes in it , take thou the sixth , and give me the seventh , and namely , that seventh , which i appoint and give order for . and that the commandement is thus to be interpreted , may appear both by the first words thereof , remember the sabbath day to keep it holy ; ( he saith not , the seventh day , but the sabbath day ) : as also , by the last words , wherein it is said , the lord blessed , and hallowed , ( not the seventh day , but ) the sabbath day , which sheweth , that the main drift and intent of the commandement , was not the institution of the jews seventh , or any other particular day , but of a weekly sabbath , or of one day in every week : such as then was , or afterward was to be , specified , and declared of god to be his day of rest ; yet such as may be called the seventh day , because it must be the seventh part of the weekly time . object . but it is said in the latter part of the commandement , and brought in also as a reason to observe it , that god rested the seventh day , whence it is thus argued : that day is meant , in the body of the commandement , as the day enjoyned to be the sabbath or day of rest , wherein god himself rested ; but that was the seventh in order from the creation ; therefore that 's meant by [ seventh day ] in the body of the commandement , yea , in the whole commandement , for god blessed and sanctified that day for the sabbath whereon himself rested . answ. i grant that god rested that seventh day ; and that he blessed and sanctified it , but how ? not meerly as that particular seventh , but as a sabbath , for so ( as it was but now said ) the commandement expresseth it (k) ; only the blessing and sanctification was , at first , fixed on the seventh from the creation , because that was the day set a part to be the lords sabbath for that first age of the world . i grant also , that gods resting is brought in as a reason of the commandement . but then , the question is , wherein the force of that reason lyeth ? to which i say , that it is not brought in as a reason of resting on that individual and precise day , wherein god rested , ( save only under this notion and consideration , that it was the day at that time , and for that first world , appointed of god to be his sabbath ) for , it is not a cogent , or inforcing argument , we must rest one day in every week , and never work more then six , because god rested the last day of the week : but this is a strong and convincing reasoning , we must rest one day in seven perpetually , and work but six , because god , our great lord and maker , did only work six dayes , and make the remaining day ( which was then the seventh in order ) a sabbath , holding forth that his example for our imitation . i shall say this over again in some other words , more fully to open my mind , and the matter in hand , and therefore express it thus , the argument drawn from gods example , is not for the same day , that is , for that very seventh ( wherein he rested ) determinately , as if it reached and extended it self to no other day in the week ; but it is for [ a ] seventh , or for the day wherein god rested , as a seventh comparatively , that is , in relation to his six working dayes , and therefore they are compared together both in the body of the commandement , where it is said , six dayes shalt thou labour , but the seventh , is the sabbath ▪ and , in the conclusion , wherein it is not barely said , god rested the seventh day , but it is brought in with this , in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , that is , ended his work (l) , and rested the seventh ; sanctifying that day as his sabbath for those times , and therein , any other seventh which himself should appoint for his sabbath in after-times ; for any other day of the week may be called the seventh day , as it is set against six working dayes (m) . to conclude , the reason is not for that peculiar portion of time wherein god rested , as if god meant no more but to reason men into the observation of that seventh day ( for then the fourth commandement is gone , or else the saturday-sabbath is to be observed still ) : but it is for the proportion of time , that is , for a weekly day , or one day in a week ; and for the portion and particular day , only according to gods appointment : which appointed time , to the jews was saturday ; to us now , it is the lords day . of the christian sabbath-day , or the lords-day . having spoken thus far of the sabbath in general , and in its common nature , or of the christian sabbath [ as a sabbath ] : i come now to speak of that particular day , which we call the christian sabbath , that is , the first day of the week , about which this great question ariseth ; why should this day be so much stood upon , when we find not in scripture , when we find not in all the new-testament , any divine institution of it ? in answer unto this i shall be brief , both because i have been so large already , and because others have written so largely and so convincingly concerning the lords-day , and the divine institution thereof , with a full answer to the objections made to the contrary (n) : yet it being needful to say something , and other books not coming to the hands of all ; i shall endeavour to give some satisfaction to christians ( as to the former proposal ) in the ensuing particulars . answ. . it hath been declared before , that the proportion of time , that is , the observing of a sabbath weekly , or one day in seven , is required of god in the fourth commandement , wherein also hath been shewed the manner how it is to be observed , and that we are not to spend it as we do the six working-days , in our ordinary , and earthly imployments , but in religious exercises , as a day of holy rest to the lord. i mention this , though it be not so proper to the question , yet as pertinent to it ; for , if it be once granted , that by the commandement of god himself , one day in a week must be kept as a sabbath , it will quickly be found that the ( lords-day ) will make the best plea for that priviledge — . but i go on . answ. . as to the portion of time , and the particular day , about which the question is moved , to that i answer , that a thing may be said to be commanded of god , two wayes ; . in express words , as if it should be said , i require all men to observe , in the time of the new-testament , the first day of the week for my sabbath . we do not say , that the lords-day is thus commanded to be observed as a sabbath . . by necessary collection , or collation , and comparing one scripture with another ; and so a divine command and institution is divers wayes gathered , and by strong arguments and consequences concluded ; as our saviour proves the resurrection (o) and as it is proved that there was a precept for sacrifices before the law , and before any such precept is found , because god accepted the sacrifice offered by abel , which shews it was not will-worship , but word-worship (p) , that is , guided by a word known to them , though not revealed to us . after this manner , and by sound reasoning from things revealed in scripture , the divine institution of the first day of the week for the christian sabbath , sundry wayes appeareth , namely by these ensuing evidences . . a divine ground and foundation of setting apart that day in special , and above all other dayes , for that use ; and that is , the divine work of rai●ing up the lord jesus from the dead (q) . as the first sabbath had its rise from the work of creation , and gods resting on that day ( as the fourth commandement declareth ) ; so hath the new-testament-sabbath its rise from the work of redemption , and our saviours rising and resting when that work was finished , wherein we may be the more confirmed , because the scripture so highly extolleth our saviours resurrection , that being the great thing which the apostles , in their preaching were to stand upon , ( act. . ) and did stand upon , and stand for , ( act ) as that without which all preaching and faith is vain , and the apostles would be found false witnesses , who made it their business to publish and testifie it (r) ; declaring the promise to the fathers to be fulfill'd in raising up jesus again , as it is written in the second psalm , thou a●t my son , this day have i begotten thee (s) , that is , that was the great day ( like the day when the crown was set on david's head ) wherein ( notwithstanding all his humiliation in his life and death ) he that was made of the seed of david before , was declared to be the son of god with power (t) , and so , that person in and by whom that which god had promised before in the holy scripture was fulfilled , and that 's it which makes the mercies of david , sure mercies (u) . we find also a [ yea rather ] put upon the resurrection (x) , christ being thereby a conquerour , and our justifier ( rom. . . ) when as , if christ were not risen , we were yet in our sins , cor. . . all this may shew , of how great weight the resurrection is in the work of our redemp●ion , and therefore how worthy it is to have a day set a part for the rememberance of it , and therein for the remembrance of the redemption it self , and of our glorious redeemer . and that it was , for that reason , so set apart , the testimony of st. augustine is clear , who thus witnesseth , the lords-day was declared to christians ( or declared to be the christians day ) by the resurrection of our lord , and from that time it began to have its festivity , or to be the christians festival (y) . . we find , a divine name or denomination ; the first day of the week being generally agreed upon to be that day which is called , the lords-day , rev. . . if we would know why it is called the lords-day , the like name (z) given to the sacrament of the body and bloud of christ , may inform us . it s true , it may be said to be the lords-day , because our lord rose on it ; and so the eucharist , the lords supper , because our lord is remembred in it : but besides this , as we know the sacrament to be the lords supper , because he instituted it for the remembrance of his passion (a) ; so we have great cause to think , that the first day of the week is called the lords-day , because our lord appointed and took order to have it set apart for the remembrance of his resurrection and our redemption ; for the lords-day doth not only imply an acting on it , but an owning of it for his use (b) : even as the old sabbath day , being said to be the sabbath day of the lord , exod. . , . was so called , because god did appropriate it to himself as the special time of his service : and this is the more confirmed , because the service of god was already used among the christians on that day instead of the sabbath , as all the ancients doctors witness , and is to be gathered besides from act. . . & cor. . . (c) , in which places we find christians assembling together , and provision made for collections for the poor , as on the day already known to be consecrated to god for such uses ; yea , it is very probably conceived , that since john could not be ( in his banishment ) present in body in the publick congregation , he therefore set himself to holy meditations , that he might be present with them in spirit , and whilest he was thus intent on soliloquies with god , as he was most fit for , so he was suddenly taken with that divine rapture , wherein those heavenly revelations that the scripture records , were communicated to him (d) . in brief , nothing hath this title ( dominical ) in scripture , but either christs day or supper , to shew that is taken alike in both ( saith a bishop of great (e) note ) ; now ▪ we know that being applyed to the supper , it implies an institution , and why it should not do so also ( being applyed to the day ) we know not . . we find ( as hath been touched in that next before ) a divine practice and observation : for it was observed , as the noted day for christian assemblies and exercises , by the apostolical churches , ( act. . . cor. . . ) and therefore it was ordained to be so by the apostles : for who else guided those churches ? i have given order ( saith the apostles (f) , for those collections , that were on that day , because their meetings were on that day for publike wo●ks of piety and charity : now , if it were ordained by the apostles , then was it ordained by the infallible spirit of christ ; for what else guided the apostles in their church-constitutions (g) ? i add lastly , that if the apostles directed the churches to this day , as being guided by that extraordinary and un-erring spirit that they had , then it was ordained and appointed by christ himself ; for of that guiding spirit it is , that our saviour saith , he shall not speak of himself , ( that is , not of himself only without the father and the son ) but , whatsoever he shall hear , that shall he speak ; and again , he shall receive of mine , — take o● mine , and shew it unto you , joh. . . , . so that athanasius , ( that excellent light in the church of god ) is like to be found as right as resolute in pronouncing roundly and plainly , that the lord translated the sabbath into the lords-day (h) . for the confirming of which , that the translation of the sabbath from the jewish day to the first day of the week , was by the lord himself , or divine authority , i thus argue : the seventh-day sabbath ( from the creation ) was expresly commanded the people of god in the old-testament (i) , therefore the people of god , in the new-testament , could not desist from the observation of that day ( making it a working-day ) and take up a new day , and make it , of a working-day , a perpetual holy day , and that in all the churches ( as this day hath been still continued in the church-catholick ) ; i say , this could not be done , unless by a new command of like authority either formal , or virtual ; that is , either in express words , or collected by necessary and convincing arguments and evidences (k) . and this appears , because every law bindeth till it be repealed , and repealed it cannot be but by an authority equal to that by which it was first made ; especially with taking another day into its place and priviledge : who could so change the sabbath , but christ himself the lord of the sabbath ? unto this i add ( for further confirmation of the divine authority of the christian sabbath ) the constant observation of the lords-day ( unto this day ) by the christian church , which christian church if it have not observed a right day ( that is , a day appointed of god for his sabbath ) every week , then hath it neglected in all this time , and stands guilty of not observing the fourth commandement ; for that commandement requireth ( as hath been proved ) a weekly day of gods appointment to the end of the world (l) . that which remaineth for the closing up of this necessary part of christianity , is , an exhortation to the reverent estimation and observation of the christian sabbath ; from . the necessity . . the commodity . . the commendation of it . . the threats and judgements of god , denounced , and executed on profaners of the sabbath . . the promises , priviledges , and blessings assured to the reverent observers thereof . . the necessity of a sabbath . wherein , it might suffice to say , that the only wise god , ( who never did any thing whereof there was no need ) instituted in the beginning of the world , and afterwards prescribed in the law written with his own finger ( in full force to the end of the world ) a weekly sabbath . if any ask , and would know further , what need there is of it ? the answer may be , . that the lord hath need of it (m) , that the work of creation and redemption may be remembred , and our creator and redeemer , publiquely and solemnly served and glorified . . that man hath need of it : for , the sabbath was made for man (n) , that is , both for his spiritual , and corporal good . it was not without need , that god made the sabbath either for himself , or for us . indeed , but one thing is needful (o) , and that is , to sit at christs feet , and hear his word (p) , ( as it ought to be heard (q) . ) which though it may be done other dayes , yet not so fully and hopefully , as on that day when all other things are laid aside to apply our selves wholly to the concernments of our souls : on other dayes , there is more of martha , that is , the world is mixt , and is a partner ; but on this day , with mary , we choose ( if we have maries grace ) the good part , and provide to attend upon the lord without distraction (r) . on other dayes , our hearts ( like the jews garments ) hang loose ; on this day , ( if we mind our duty ) , we gird up the loins of our mind (s) , and so may run ( as elijah , before ahab , when he had girded up his loins ) the way of gods commandements , king. . . psal. . . on other dayes , the moon is between us and the sun , i mean , earthly and sublunary things stand between us and the sun of righteousness (t) , whereby there is an eclipse , that we can not so fully enjoy him : but now on the lords day , if we be christians , we should ; if wise , we will ; if good and faithful , we shall , tread the moon under our feet (u) : and as in solomon's royal and incomparable throne , the footstool was of gold (x) , so , ( being taken up on that ascension-day , to mount tabor ) we shall make the most golden world , our foot-stool , and the necessary supports thereof , like zacheus his sycomore-tree (y) , helps ( being under us ) to see jesus the better ; that having a full view of him , and fellowship with him , of his fulness we may receive grace for grace (z) . some men talk of an every-dayes sabbath ; but as to make every man a magistrate , is to take away magistracy ; and to let every man be a minister , is to take away the ministry : so to make every day a sabbath , is to say , no day shall be a sabbath . they may call every day a sabbath , because we are to rest and abstain from sin , every day ; but herein they deceive themselves in that they do not consider , that on the sabbath day , we must not only abstain from sinful things ( albeit then we should abhor them most ) ; but , from those things that are not sinful on other dayes , but lawful and needful , and which , it is a sin not to look after , as the works of our ordinary callings ; for , look how a subject that is called to wait on his prince , is not only to leave his good fellows , and that loose and vain company ( which he ought alwayes to separate himself from ) but also his wife , children , whole family , and all his domestick affairs , which , out of this case , and when there is no such call , it is his sin to be unnecessarily absent from , and his duty to abide with , and take care of ; and so when our lord calls us to wait on him a whole day together , ( as he doth on the lords day ) all other things are , for that time , to be laid aside ( save only those which our lord alloweth us ) though at other times lawful and necessary : when two good things are to be done , and both cannot be done , our reason will tell us , that it is necessary , for that time , to leave the less , and apply our selves to the greater : which being well considered , will amount to this , that it is necessary , that these earthly things should be for a convenient time , with-drawn from ; that is , that there should be a weekly sabbath , ( for that 's the most convenient time ) , to give up our selves intirely to those things that ought to be highest in our account ; to wit , the honour and service of our god , and the salvation of our souls . it 's a poor plea to say , i must needs go see my ground ; (a) , ( when god calls to his supper ) but it 's a good pleading of necessity , to say , i must needs goe see my god , psal. . . now whereas , on working dayes , the world doth ( as it were ) cover our faces with a vail , and cast dust on the divine glass ; on the lords day , ( by laying aside earthly things and thoughts ) the covering is put away from our face ( as from moses face , when he left all to appear before the lord ) that we may see the king in his glory (b) , yea , so see him as to become glorious our selves , with that sight . for we all ( to wit , who by admirable grace have received the spirit of god ) with open face , beholding as in a glass , the glory of god are transformed into the same image from glory to glory , cor. . . . the commodity of the christian sabbath . what is said of godliness , may be said of the day of god , ( which is the nurse of godliness ) that it is profitable to all things (c) , i mean , being spiritually observed , for ( otherwise ) the bodily exercise profiteth little . the weekly sabbath ( like the vine , whose wine cheareth god and man (d) , ) yeeldeth much assistance for the performance of the duties of the first and second table . . of the first table . of the first commandement ] (e) for therein is an acknowledgement of god our creator ( as the only true god , maker of heaven and earth ) in the proportion of time , that is , in observing a sabbath every seventh day after our six dayes work . and , an acknowledgement also of god our saviour , in our particular sabbath-day in these gospel times . that of the prophet (f) is very observable , they have hid their eyes from my sabbaths , that is , they slight them , as hos. . . and what followeth ? and i am profaned among them , that is , dishonoured , accounted as nought among them , as if i were not a god. dutch annot. of the second commandement ] because the worship of god , required in that commandement , is on that day , most improved and heightened : as being , . more extended , because all ( both superiours , and those under them , and within their gates ) are then to wait on god in the way of his worship ; hence it is conceiv'd , that whereas these two , ye shall fear every man his mother , and his father , and shall keep my sabbaths (g) , are joyned together , the reason thereof may be this , because fathers and mothers , and governours , to whom the fourth commandement is directed ( not only , but eminently ) are to see that their children and servants keep the lords sabbaths : and children and servants should so far fear and reverence them , as herein to be ruled by them ; and so there will be a general appearing to do homage to god , which is one improvement of worship on that day . . it is more attended , because a sabbath is a day of rest , and receding from worldly works , that we may better apply our selves to divine worship . and though there be a necessary use of natural supports , yet the fear of god w●ites holiness to the lord upon them (h) , and takes care they be so used , that the service of god may be better attended . . it is more intended , or performed with more power and vigour , because our minds are , or should be , discharged of all those creature-cares and cogitations , wherewith on other dayes ( on which , though we leave the world a little , yet we do not so take leave of it as on the lords day ) our hearts use to be ( and that in the worship of god ) encumbred and weakened , yea , ( besides this ) the private religious exercises of that day , both before and after the publike service , ( namely , meditation and prayer , ) make us come with better affections to it , lay an ingagement upon us , to stir up the grace of god in us when we are about it , draw from god vertue in it , and a blessing of heaven upon it . of the third commandement ] because the sabbath is a day appointed for the honour of god (i) , and the greatning of his name in the publike ordinances (k) , god is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his saints , and to be had in reverence of all that are about him (l) . hence it is , that on the day of publik and solemn assemblies , that is ▪ on the sabbath , ( now , the lords day ) , the name of god 〈◊〉 most set up , because by most , and among most ; in the multitude of people , is the kings honour (m) , and then the multitude (n) go to the house of god , to the temple , to the congregation , wherein every one speaks of his glory (o) . thus doth the fourth commandement assist for the performance of the first table . . of the second table . to speak to every commandement thereof , would be too long . it may suffice , to say , what all men may see and hear , that is , that on the weekly lords day , all sorts of persons are acquainted with their duty towards men , by the instructions then ( especially ) delivered ; and are also , stirred up thereunto by the exhortations added . and are , or may be , much furthered therein by the repetition of , meditation , and prayer for , a blessing upon such instructions and exhortation . the fourth commandement standeth in the middle ( as it were ) between the two tables , to be a bond of perfection , and to link together piety towards god , and charity towards men . what is said of the magistrate , may be truly also said of the sabbath ; he is , and it is , the keeper of both the tables . thus of the commodity of the christian sabbath . . the commendation . the sabbath hath a preheminence above other dayes , in regard of gods institution of it , for each sabbath is the sabbath of the lord our god (p) ; and that makes it glorious in it self , and hath the blessing of god annexed and assured to the observers of it . and that , as it maketh also for the advancement of it in it self , so it giveth a reason why it should be precious to us ; yea , the very largeness of the law of the sabbath , and the lords using so many words about it , may shew ( as our weakness , who need it , so ) the weight of that law , and worth of that day , in asmuch as in a law of ten words , so much is said of this one word and particular precept . it is observed out of the hebrew doctors , that the sabbath , and the precept against idolatry , each of these two , is as weighty as all other the commandements of the law : for confirmation whereof they add this , the sabbath is a sign between god and us for ever ; and that other place of isaiah (q) , blessed is the man that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it . aynsworth exod. . . and ( sure ) that weekly day of our solemn appearing before our god , ought to be honourable in our account : that is a sign and assurance that we are gods covenant-people , and peculiar treasure ; for therein lies our safety (r) , our glory (s) , and our felicity (t) . who is it that desires not to be known by his attendants that he is kings the servant ? well may we say also , that 's a blessed and glorious day , that makes the observers thereof blessed ; yea , if by [ keeping the sabbath from polluting it ] be insinuated , or described a respect to all religion , even that also makes greatly for the honour of the sabbath , that godliness ( in the genera●ity ) is thereby set forth , because thereby so much set forward . it 's very observable , that gods people , reckoning up in their miseries , gods mercies , do mention ( as the chief thereof ) gods commandements , and among those laws and commandements , single out the sabbath , speaking thus honourably of it , in reference to their fathers , and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath (u) , as if there were an eminency in that above other laws ; as indeed there is , in this regard , because as on fairs and markets men are furnished with commodities of all sorts , so on this day principally , all spiritual good things are offered with an invitation to the buying , and for the enjoying of them (x) , and that good knowledge of god is more aboundantly dispensed , whereby all other commandements are better performed . o , how little is god known to them to whom no sabbath is made known , or that will not be made to know any sabbath ? the reason whereof is , because on that day of rest and religion , there is an opportunity offered of the freest , fullest and highest communion with god , without those interruptions that we have on other days , by the crowding in of our earthly occasions , yea , and that into the inner chamber and closet of our hearts , which is the retiring room , wherein god is pleased to communicate himself abundantly to the faithful soul when all worldly things and thoughts are had out , and dismissed for that day ; yea , charged , and ( as it were ) conjured , not to disturb the intimate society of the lord jesus with the soul that hath found him , and fastened on him (y) . thus of the sabbath in general . as to the christian sabbath , a great glory is put upon it in the scripture-title , it being called the lords day (z) , and that name and title being continued and applyed unto it , to this day , the lord jesus hath put his own name and stamp upon it , it is the day of that lord who is the prince of the kings of the earth , rev. . . of the jews sabbath , and of our lords day , there is ( as st. austin speaks (a) , ) one and the same lord : but now is the lords-day prefer'd before that sabbath , ( as the same father speaks ) by the faith of the resurrection (b) . unto this resurrection day is that honour given , to have this said of it , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee , act. . . for by his resurrection on that day , he was manifestly and mightily declared to be the only-begotten son of god , rom. . . unto this may be added , that this day hath been ever of high account in the christian church . let every one ( saith ignatius , that holy martyr ) , that loveth christ , keep the lords day holy , the queen and supreme of all dayes (c) . hierom saith , among all dayes , this day hath the primacy , or holds the preheminence ; this is the day ( saith he ) that the lord hath made , let us rejoyce , and be glad in it (d) . if we celebrate our birth-dayes , ( saith chrysostom ) , how much more is this day to be observed ? which if any shall call the birth-day of all mankind , he shall not erre therein : for we were lost and are found ; were dead , and are alive ; were enemies , and are reconciled . but it is with spiritual honour that this day is to be honoured , not with feasting , profuse drinking of wine ; much less with drunkenness and dancing , &c. chrysost. serm. de eleemosyna . i shall close up this , with a later witness of the worth of the sabbath ; yet not to be contemned , it being the testimony of a very learned man , and martyr (f) of jesus christ : his words are these ; the sabbath is the school-day wherein we are to come to the lords school , to be acquainted with the lords law and will — . when therefore the sabbath is so much commended in the old testament , the lords school is especially commended ; the vniversity not of plato , or aristotle , but of the omnipotent god , is commended ; the knowledge of the law , and the understanding of the covenant of god with man , is commended . what was spoken ( therefore ) of the city of god , we may apply to his sabbath , glorious things are spoken of thee o thou day of god (g) . nor is there any thing on earth liker heaven , then the enjoyment , and ( we may say ) the beat fi●al vision , of god (h) on that day , in those publike ordinances , and private spiritual exercises and addresses , unto which devout christians devote themselves ; which may be confirmed unto us by this , that the heavenly state , and the weekly day of publique and private worship , go under one and the same name , that is , both are said to be a keeping of a sabbath (i) , heaven being in this here , as that shall be in heaven hereafter . there followeth , . the judgements of god , threatned against , and inflicted upon , sabbath-profaners . here i shall make use of the text in hand , and nehemiahs relation , v. . which sheweth , that their sabbath-profanation was not only evil in them , but was , and they might fear it would be , very evil to them . the judgement described in this scripture , hath four sad things in it . . it is hereditary ] as when a disease is hereditary , and passeth from father to child , the pain of that disease is hereditary also : so is it in this case ; did n●t your fathers do thus ? and where the sin is continued , the judgement is entailed , yea , it is said further , did not god bring this evil upon us ? when there is a generation of sabbath-breakers , they pay for their fathers sin , and their own both together , as it was in this long captivity ; and now they had cause to fear further judgement , they being risen up in th●ir fathers stead , an increase of sinful men , to augment yet the fierce anger of the lord toward israel , numb . ● . . . it is very harmful ] it is not only said , this evill , but [ all ] this evil for god chastiseth his people , as their congregation hath heard , (k) and they had heard ( besides what they heard at other times , (l) ) a little before these utmost miseries , that the lord , for not hallowing the sabbath , would kindle a fire in the palaces of jerusalem , wh●ch should burn ( seventy years together ) and not be quenched , (m) we find in former times how severe the sentence of god himself was upon him that did but gather sticks on the sabbath day , (n) : and about the same time , when they greatly polluted the lords sabbaths , he said , he would p●wr forth his fury upon them , to destroy them in the wildernesse (o) ; wherein there were mighty slaughters made of them (p) but all that evill was little to all this evill , neh. . . , . for the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people , ( saith the prophet ) is greater then the punishment of the sin of sodom that was overthrown in a moment (q) . and again , behold and see , if there be any sorrow like my sorrow . godly magistrates make laws , for the holy observation of gods holy day , and ungodly officers leave them unexecuted : but the supream power will look to it , and the highest god will animate his laws by executions , which should make all of us fear , and tremble , and say , if we rebell to day ( and sabbath-breaking is rebellion , ezek. . . exod. . . ) god will be wroth to morrow (r) yea , and that with the whole congregation : for , . it is diffusive ] it spreads far ; here is wrath [ upon israel ] woe to him that commits folly in israel (s) . for , that 's a people near to god , and therefore should not be defiled . so woe to him that brings trouble on israel ( which achan found ) (t) : for israel is a people dear to god , and therefore he would not have them to be wasted and consumed by those sins that send for general judgments . an ague is one thing , the pestilence another ; he that brings the plague into a city , may be an instrument of much mortality and misery ; now sabbath-pollutions , are pestilential , that is , they destroy many , and make havock in israel . they that set a city on fire , are most mischievous persons ( to be an incendiary is a name of infamy ) but sabbath-breakers set the whole nation on fire (u) , and for their sakes , ( amongst other notorious and israel-ruining sinners ) zion is plowed as a field , and jerusalem becomes heaps (x) : for by reason of this sin , god threatens such fury as shall consume his people , and that he will accomplish his anger against them , ezek. . , . . it is cumulative ] that is ; profaning the sabbath layes on more weight on those who are heavy laden with the b●r●hen of judgement already : for here it is said ( by them that had been very long in a very sad condition ) ye bring m●re wrath upon israel by profaning the sabbath-day . there 's never so much affliction , but god can send more ; and being further provoked by this sin , he will send more , seven times more (y) . they that be in a prosperous estate , should keep the sabbath , that they may keep well when it is well (z) : and they that be in an evil case , should keep it , to prevent their being in a worse . the wrath of the king ( of heaven ) is as the r●aring of a lyon (a) , and more wrath is as a more dreadful roaring , the fore-runner of renting , judg. . . with hos. . . in all this , it is to be remembred , that ( the fourth commandement still continuing ) as there is now also a weekly sabbath-day , so there is a like sabbath-danger ; we may not therefore shift or shake off the former threats and judgements as not belonging to these times ; but rather consider , that , whatsoever things were written ( or acts of divine justice recorded ) aforetime , were written for our learning (b) , and all those things that which befel the transgressors of the law of the ten commandements , in former ages of the world , happened to them as types , that is , they are our examples and warnings ; and plainly lay before us what we also must expect to suffer if we do as they did , even we upon whom the ends of the world are come (c) , for like sin , like judgement : nor can any just reason be given why judgements of old for the breach of the fourth commandement , should not be our admonitions , as well as those for the breach of the second commandement ( which paul mentioneth ) , because there is not only much of that which is positive , and not so clearly natural , belonging to the second , as well as to the fourth commandement : but also it is evident , that as the second precept for the way of religion ; so the fourth for the day , is written , among the ten words of the moral and ever-abiding law of god , with the finger of god himself , ex●d . . . that which remaineth to incite to sabbath-sanctity , is , . the blessing and promises of god ann●xed and assured to that day and the observers ther●of . it is said in the command●ment ; the lord bless●d the sabbath day ; it 's true , that he blessed that seventh day whereon he rested , but not as a seventh day , but as a sabbath day , and so the blessing is entailed ( as it were ) and passeth from the jews sabbath on the christian sabbath . now what is the meaning of this blessing , but that it was gods mind , that it should be honourable and glorious amongst , and have singular priviledge & preheminency above other days ? (d) for which end therefore he sanctified it , that is , set it apart to be wholly consecrated to him and to his holy service : in which way , it is not only lift up and honored above other dayes , and so , a blessed day ; but is a blessed day also to the people of god by the use and benefit of his ordinances , psal. . . wherein a blessedness is laid up . in regard of this prerogative of the day of rest and holiness , a christian seeing that day approach , hath great cause to say , with an holy chearfulness , come in thou blessed of the lord (e) . and they that appear before god on that day to receive soul-sustenance from him , may say within themselves ( as david's servants that sought bodily relief ) let us now find favour in thine eyes , for we are come in a good day (f) : in the lords great feast-day , wherein they of his family even the whole houshold of faith are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house , and are made to drink of the river of his pleasures (g) . it 's a day , wherein we may be spiritually enriched , for it is a blessed day , & the blessing of the lord maketh rich (h) . it is a day , wherein the people of god meeting , and being united together in his service , god commandeth the blessing , psal. . . and wherein from our great lord , and head & glorious high priest , the oyl of grace runs down abundantly ( as aarons oyl sometimes did ) to the very skirts , that is , to the very lowest of his true members , to make them joyful , ( for it is the oyl of gladness , psal. . . ) and as the dew of hermon to make them fruitful , psal. . , , . the pre●ious promises inviting to , and incouraging in , the sanctification of the sabbath , are presented to us from the mouth of the lord by the prophet isaiah , chap. . ▪ . which text of scripture is so often made use of in this argument of the sabbath , that i cannot leave it ( though i have spoken much more then i thought to have done already ) without looking a little into it . for which purpose i shall . speak something to both the verses in general . . and something to that sabbath-piety described , v. . . and then come to the sabbath-promises , v. . . of the text in general . wherein two things lie in the way to hinder the use that divers godly and learned writers have made of it for establishing the lords sabbath-day , ( now ) the lords day . . some hold (h) that the sabbath is here named by way of allusion ▪ and by a synechdoche , and that the thing intended and designed in that description , v. . and so in the promise , v. . is to take men off from their own wits and wayes , and to stir them up to obedience and holiness in the whole course of their lives . and the truth is , that in the sabbath all religion is wrapt up ; for god is eminently acknowledged , worshipped , professed and praised ( as the three first commandements require ) upon that day ; and all other commandements are better observed by the good knowledge of god (h) dispensed and dispersed then especially in the ministry of the word , acquainting men with their duties towards god and man. but we may not mistake here ; for albeit it be supposed , that all religion is spoken to , yet it doth not follow from thence , that the sabbath day ( in the setting forth whereof the text is so full ) is to be excluded ; nay rather , it is thereby the better established . as when a father takes order in his last will , that his son shall go to the university , his meaning is , that his son shall be a scholar : but ( withall ) his mind is , that he shall go to the university , because that 's the way to make him a scholar , and therefore he expresseth nothing but that , for that contains the other . so it is here . we may observe , ( casting our eye upon this whole chapter ) that as in the former part of it , the prophet shewed their religion was not to be placed in fasting ; so here he declareth that the observation of the sabbath , is not to be placed in resting ( to which the jews used to ascribe so much ) but in the spiritual sanctification of that rest , which ( indeed ) hath and ought to have an influence , and to extend its vertue , into our whole life , to make it the more holy : but now mark , that as the prophet before , in his doctrine of a fast , and his disciplining of their fast , did not exclude the day of their fast ( and the observation thereof ) ; but saith plainly [ in the day of your fast , v. . ] so neither doth he here , where he delivereth the doctrine of the sabbath , shut out the day of the sabbath , but only sheweth that the rest and leisure of that day , is to be bestowed in spiritual things appertaining to the substance , and tending to the furtherance of true religion . . some others may say , that if the text to be understood of the weekly sabbath , yet it speaks to the jews only , not to us ; and of their day , not of ours : unto which , it may suffice to say , that as the fourth commandement belongs to us ▪ as well as to jews , and the holy observation required there , belongs to us , in regard of our sabbath , as well as to them , in regard of theirs ; so in this scripture , and in the whole scripture of the old testament , whatsoever thing is spiritual and of an evangelical nature , it belongeth to us as well as to them , and may upon just accounts be more pressed on us then on them , because it is our happiness to have more means for , and therefore our duty to make further progress in , all things appertaining to godliness . it were very strange to say , or think , the jews were to abstain from their own , self-pleasing thoughts , words , and actions on their sabbath ; and yet that christians may think , speak , and do as they please on the christian sabbath . what , must the sabbath be the jews delight , and not ours ? there is so much of gospel in these things , that a learned divine saith , what can be spoken more like then this is , to the perfect precepts of christ (i) ? this will further appear by what follows to be spoken . . of the sabbath-duty , as it is prescribed ( in way of supposition ) vers . . if thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath , or ( as some render it ) for , or because of the sabbath , — that is , if thou keep the sabbath from polluting it , as it is before , chap. . . to wit , by doing any act ( treading any step ) unsutable to it , and tending to the profanation of it , as we find otherwhere , the lifting up of ones hand and foot (k) , to be a proverbial expression of enterprizing or attempting any thing ; here the foot is named , and in isa. . . the hand , and both put together , may shew that both hand and foot ( the great instruments of action ) are to be kept , for the sabbath sake , from doing any evil (l) . ask therefore , whatever thou art about , is this a fit walk , or work for the lords sabbath day ? else , turn hand and foot from it . what followeth , will confirm this exposition , which is this , from doing thy pleasure on my holy-day , that is , any thing which pleaseth thy self , and pleaseth not god on that day : so that to turn away the foot , is to keep from doing , that is , from doing any thing agreeable to our wills and not to gods ; it 's true of things sinful ( which on that day are out of measure sinful (m) , ) but there is no cause to restrain it , and apply it only to things sinful in themselves , for the six dayes work is not so , which yet the commandement will have us to set aside . there are divers things not evil in their nature , which yet ( like the counsel of ahitophel , sam. . . ) are not good at that time ; it is not enough , that things done on that day be good , for their matter , but they must be some way or other for god , whose day it is , it must be [ his ] work , and not a product of , not a thing arising from , and done for , thine own pleasure ; one writing upon this , saith , whatsoever shew of holiness there is in any work , yet if thou aim at thy own commod●ty in it , it is a servile work , and violates the sabbath of the lord (n) . every day , but especially on the lords day , we should be like the angels , and those ministers of his that do his pleasure , psal. . . for then , we wait on our lord , at his own appointed time ; it cannot be well therefore to do what we please our selves when we attend our lord , not on our working-day , but on his holy-day , or the day of his holiness (o) . but negative holiness , or to forbear evil is not enough : it is further added , — and call the sabbath a delight , that is , as one speaks (p) , making the holy things of that day our delight , and exercising our selves about those delightsom things with delight of heart ; such as we see in david , unto whom the tabernacles of god were amiable , and he most glad to go to him and them , psal. . . & . , , &c. the meaning of this , and the former part of the verse , is well and plainly expressed thus , (q) if thou restrain thy foot on the sabbath , so as that thou do not whatsoever pleaseth thee ; and if thou take delight in keeping it according to the law , and will of god , calling it the holy , ( that is , the holy day ) of the lord , or a day consecrated unto him , and therefore honourable , or glorious . as a man of god is an honourable man (r) ; so is the day of god , an honourable day . every day may be said to be glorious , because a pleasant thing it is to the eyes to behold the sun (s) ; but this , among other dayes , is like solomon's queen among other honourable women (t) , that is , it excels in glory (u) , because on that day , the sun of righteousness (x) shines forth in his brightness , & that into our hearts , ( in the use of ordinances , to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ (y) , ) so that our eyes may see the king in his beauty (z) , and so be our selves beautiful (a) , — and shalt honour him ] that is , by honouring it , for when the holy things of god are profaned , he is profaned (b) , whence it is said in the case of eli his sons , them that honour me , i will honour (c) . that which followeth is but a repeating of what went before , yet so , as that what was laid down in the former part of the verse more generally , is laid forth in this later part more distinctly , a law being laid on our wayes , wills , and words , on the lords holy-day . . on our wayes ] — not doing thine own wayes , ] for , how is god honoured , if we do what we list ? when eli his sons would have , and do , what they pleased , not observing gods order in his own institutions , the lords interpretation of it is , a despising of him (d) . now in proper spee●h , we are said rather to go , rhen to do (e) , our wayes ; but , because by a mans wayes ( in scripture , and in our common speech also ) are meant mens actions and course of life ; therefore , this fitly expresseth unto us , that gods mind is , that we should not act according to our own minds , nor do our own acts on gods day . i say , on gods day : for albeit it be true , that god binds us out from walking according to the world , and the flesh , any day ; yet speech being made here of a special day which god appropriateth unto himself , therefore another interpretation seems more proper , which is this , not doing thine own ways , that is , not doing thy usual works (f) . on the six dayes we may do what we our selves have to do , but on gods day we must do what god hath for us to do ; all done on gods day , must be gods , not our own . . on our wills ] — not finding thine own pleasure , or thine own will (g) ; but the hebrew word signifieth such a will as wherein there is a delight and complacency (h) . this is before applyed to the fast ; and this reproved , that on the day of their fast , they found their pleasure , v. . and it is easily transfer'd , and by the same reason applyed to the weekly sabbath ; for howsoever the fast was a day of soul-affliction , and the sabbath of soul-delight , and so , there was a difference between them ; yet they were also so much alike , that their solemn fast-day hath the name of sabbath imposed upon it (i) . and all their fasting dayes , were separating days , wherein they separated & sequestred themselves , not only so as not to do any sin , but so as that they were also precisely required not to do any work (k) ; no , not to give way to their own will , or find their own pleasure , on the sabbath : therefore it is gods will , that we should not only watch over our wayes without , but look to our wills within , which as far as they are our own ( and not god● ) should not be sought or found by us , or with us , on that day : they are on that day , as other creatures to adam , not found meet companions for us , but too low , gen. . . in sum , no self-delight is to be admitted , that is against sabbath-delight ; ne diem sanctum domini suis commaculet voluntatibus . hieron . in isa. . . our words ] — not speaking a word , which is well explained from the words going before , where [ our own ] is expressed , by the supplying of the same here , and saying our own words , for the meaning is not on that day we should be mutes (l) , and say nothing . now our own words may be said to be of two sorts . . such as are simply unlawful in themselves , which are evil any day , and worse on that day , , such as are relatively unlawful , that is , in relation to that day , as being unsutable to it , and opposite to that holiness , and godly communication that is required on it . and that this is here comprehended , ( for i do not exclude words simply evil , but reckon them on this day most abominable ; i say , that this is here comprehended , to wit , the prohibition of common as well as condemned words ) may appear , because here is a day , evidently separated and marked out from common dayes , on which ( notwithstanding ) there must be none of our own , that is , no sinful words , and therefore it 's reasonable and congruous to conceive the meaning in this place to be , that we must speak none of our own words , that is , of our every dayes words (m) , but that a more holy and refined language is to be used on that holy day . briefly , no words are to be spoken that day which are meerly our own , and not some way gods , and relating to his honour and service , whose day it is : it is not a day to make bargains , take accounts , to talk of kine , horses , hawks , hounds , &c. ( which on other dayes there 's liberty to do ) , but all the leisure we have for communication , ( or otherwise ) should be sanctified ; for the rest must be holy the whole day . yet , i do not mean , that every word is unlawful on the sabbath that is in its nature earthly , or an expression of some worldly thing ; for our necessities require some such words : and works also , as are in themselves , of a worldly and common nature ( as about apparel and dyet , or other incidental things ) . but that which i humbly conceive is required , is this , that on that day , our discourse and conference generally should be of a more holy and heavenly strain ; and that if other working dayes words be used , it may truly be put on the account of necessity , mercy , christian civility , tending to the honour of religion , the doing of good , the winning of others to goodness , or some other end fit to be intended on that day , and which cannot be so well attained but in that way , that is , by using vulgar and common words , no way to be numbred among spiritual expressions , unless in regard of the end , which an heart wherein there is an habit of holiness directs them unto . and whosoever give themselves leave to talk of what they please ( assoon as they are out of church ) will be like to find less good by their having been in it , and less fitness to return again profitably unto it (n) , or to be about any private religious exercise , which that holy day calleth them unto ; for as evil communications corrupt mens minds and manners (o) , so worldly discourse useth to make the heart more worldly , and less apt for things heavenly , because prepossessed with earthly : which agreeing better , then that which is berter , with our natures , the heart is therefore more hardly won from them to a due attending to , and affecting of , the things of god. thus this later pa●t of the verse expounds the former ; for he truly tu●ns not away his foot from the sabbath , who in word , thought , and work , doth not his own will , but the will of god. now all this easily passeth from the day to the way of god , and that substance of piety which is every day a necessary duty ; yet so , as that the spiritual observation of gods holy day , is a special means thereof , and help thereunto ; i say , the spiritual observation , and desire that should be observed , because they who speak more meanly of the sabbath day , do seem to take the word sabbat● in a strict sense , and to mean thereby an exact ( but idle ) observing of a day of ●est , without further reference , and due respect to that sanctification of the rest which the fou●th precept plainly expresseth (p) . i say , i suppose they that speak less honourably of the day of the sabbath , look at that empty sabbatizing ; for ( otherwise ) if any man shall plead for a resting from sin , and the practise of holiness every day , with the sleighting of the weekly sabbath ( as it ought to be observ'd ) he plainly destroys what he pretends to build , and weakeneth religion every day by weakning the reverence of that day ; the which sabbath-reverence and real respect to all religion , are so linked together , that ( howsoever there is a difference in regard of the degree , yet ) few or none are found to regard either , who regard not both ; as they regard not learning that regard not schooling , nor house keeping , that keep not market-dayes ; so they regard not godliness any day , who regard not the sabbath-day wherein it is taught , and wherein all provisions are laid up for a godly life ; and ( on the other side ) , as they go not to school as they should , but loiter there , that get no learning ; nor spend their time well at the market , that bring home no provision ; so they never keep the sabbath day rightly , whose desire and care is not to live every day religiously and christianly . i shall add only this , they who carry this text to mens general carriage , say , there is an allusion in it to the sabbath-day ; and saying so , they must needs ( i think ) grant that the sabbath , to which the prophet alludeth , had these things in it ( that is , holiness of heart , tongue , and carriage ) as in the epitome , which are ( afterward ) to be spread forth at large , in all godliness of life , all the days of the week and of our life ; only with this difference , that things lawful on other days , by the allowance of scripture ( and needful also , ) are on the sabbath-day , unlawful , because of the distinction made in the fourth commandement , between the rest and holiness of that weekly day , and the work and imployment of the six working-days ; on all days we should be sober , righteous , and godly (q) ; but on the lords-day we should be in the spirit (r) , more high , more ghostly , more heavenly ; and , as moses when he was with god in the mount (s) , more resplendent by the beauty of holiness . thus of the sabbath-duty . i come now as the text leads me . . to the sabbath promises , ver . . in the opening of these promises , i shall proceed the better , by taking along with me an observation brought to my hand (t) , which is this , as the precepts ( before ) are evangelical ; so the promises ( here ) are not jewish , or earthly , but heavenly : for the good things mentioned in the former verse , are the operations of the spirit of god , unto which the good things of this world being far inferior , they are not so sutable a reward ; nor is it for him that is most liberal , so to reward them . yet , there is no cause of excluding those outward comforts , which the letter of the text in the latter part of the verse layeth before us , and which are ( other-where ) promised to those that hallow the sabbath-day (u) , the contrary evils whereunto came ( as hath been shewed ) on the jews when they did profane it (x) . but it 's true , that worldly commodities and contentments , are not here promised only , ( the first promise is very spiritual ) , nor chiefly ; but rather , when these outward things are mentioned ( sutable to the ear and to the heart , and to the state of a jew , and which god was ready to perform to them in the letter , ) i say , when these things are mentioned in the old testament ) higher and more spiritual things are usually meant ; yea , a reward reaching to eternity , which through jesus christ our lord (y) is given to the sincere and spiritual observers of gods commandements , whereof this of the sabbath is one : and therefore the good promises laid down here , may well be taken in that extent ; whereof there is the more reason , because the later promises here specified , are , in the tenour of them , and as they stand in the letter , proper to the jewish people ; and therefore , either this scripture must not be for our use , or else , some other thing must be meant then the words in themselves express : i shall therefore take the promises as they lie in the text , and take in all the commodity and comfort , whether outward or spiritual , that may be truly collected from them , to encourage all men in the sabbath duty , and consequently in the pursuit of all religion ; which is the thing that is intended in , and which ariseth from , the holy observation of the sabbath-day . now whereas pleasure , and preferment , and profit are the great motives to make men to do willingly what is desired or required of them ; all these are here set before us as the reward of sabbath-piety . . pleasure ] then shalt thou delight thy self in the lord ; this is a special and most spiritual (z) promise ; unto that man to whom the study of vertue , and sanctification of the sabbath is a delight , the lord himself shall be in stead of all delights (a) ; which may be said to be ( especially ) by a more abundant fellowship with god on that day , wherein we lay all aside , that we may associate and solace our selves with him. this delightsom communion with god is enjoyed three wayes . . in the ministery of the word , whereby we have fellowship indeed with ministers , but truly their fellowship , ( and so that fellowship ) is with the father , and with his son jesus christ , and what 's the effect of it , but delight , and full joy (b) ? for the goodness of gods house is very satisfying (c) , and by hearing the word , we eat that which is good , and the soul delights it self in fatness (d) . . in the duty of private meditation , wherein the faithful soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness by the remembrance of god (e) . in prayer ; for delight in the almighty is accompanyed with lifting up the face to god , to look for every good thing from him , when ( on the contrary ) the hypocrite that delighteth not himself in him , will not always call on him (f) , but others are joyful in the house of prayer , isa. . . in such wayes as these , god makes his faithful servants to drink of the river of his delights (g) , having to do with god their exceeding joy , psal. . . and the delight is more large and full , by those many considerations ( of one kind and another ) by which this great lord makes himself most amiable and wholly delectable (h) to those that are acquainted with him ; as , the great benefit of his providence , which makes them resolve to own him , and set up their rest in him (i) , ) together with his safe and sweet protection , not only from outward but spiritual enemies and evils , which makes them fit under his shadow with great delight (k) : unto which we may add their outward enjoyments , the comfortable use whereof ( being well sum'd up ) is nothing else but a delighting themselves in the great goodness of god (l) . briefly , the light of gods countenance (m) , the benefit of his counsel here , and the assurance of his glory hereafter , make his most afflicted servants ( upon serious consideration , and sanctuary (n) information ) exceedingly to rejoyce and glory in him , and to do as they do who would take their fill of delight one with another ; and that is , to shut all others out , and say , none but thee , psal. . , . thus the duty and reward have both one name ; delight in the sabbath of the lord , is the duty ; and delight in the lord of the sabbath , is the reward ; o how poor and base are the delights of those men , unto whom the holiness of the sabbath-day ( yea , by the same reason , of any day ) is a heavy and ill-belov'd business ? they can delight in a dinah (o) ; they have what they would have (p) , when they walk in lasciviousness , lusts , excess of wine , revellings , banquetings ; and they that are something better , yet rejoyce and delight , in a thing of nought , as wealth , power , policy (q) ; their delights ( at best ) are but the delights of the sons of men , eccles. . . not of the sons of god : for they say , the desire of our soul is to thee , and the remembrance of thee (r) . this is a well-grounded , well-placed , and hopeful delight ; ( for it is in him that is almighty (s) , al-sufficient ) a profitable delight ; for it 's a very great absurdity and atheism , to say , it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with god (t) , ( i say , to say so deliberately , and not in some great tentation ) : it is a sweet delight : for it is in him that is altogether lovely (u) , the infinitely most amiable object ; and it is a satisfying delight , because that 's a true saying , delight thy self in the lord , and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart , psal. . . . here is preferment ] i will cause thee to ride on the high-places ; which being applyed to the jews , seems to allude unto what god had already done for them , in throwing down , and making them , by way of conquest (x) , to ride over the high places of the earth , and namely of canaan , the cities whereof were walled up to heaven (y) . but ( taking it as it stands here ) it doth withal assure them , that god would cause them to do the like in times to come , succeeding this prophesie , ( as jer. . , . ) and yet the jews found little of this in later times , but rather for their sins , ( among which we may put sabbath-profanation as one principal one , neh. . . ) they found and felt that enemies did ride over their heads (z) , and high places . unto which we may adde , that in gospel-times , ( wherein this promise is not useless or truth-less ) the church ( oft ) finds little of these outward preheminencies , and much of the contrary ; which considerations give just reason of reaching out further for the fulfilling , and benefit of this promise , and to make it common to others with the jews , by interpreting it thus ; thou shalt overcome all that shall lie in thy way to hinder thy prosperity (a) . god will honour those who honour him and his holy day (b) ; yea , why may not this be applyed to , and verified in , the subduing of spiritual enemies , and casting down strong holds , ( like those of canaan ) with every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of god (c) : especially since this is done by the lords ordinances eminently dispensed on the lords-day , and so is a reward sutable to the holy observers thereof : nay , why shall we not extend it yet further ( to make the promise fuller ) even to a treading ( at last ) on the necks of all enemies (d) , and a resting and residing in heaven that high and holy place (e) , whereof that mountain-countrey , canaan , was a type ? and where sabbath is ( at last and everlastingly ) to be kept . heb. . . i shall not ( for all this ) exclude , but a little touch upon , that outward and visible honour , which is agreeable to the letter of the text. this may be observed in two things : . the advancing of that state wherein the sabbath is best kept , expressed by kings and princes sitting upon the throne of david , and riding in charrets , and ●n horses (f) : no marvel ; for the well observing of the fourth commandement is a great help to the keeping of all the rest , unto the keeping whereof this promise is made , the lord shall make thee the head , and not the tail , and thou shalt be above only , and thou shalt not be beneath , deut. . . how hath this nation flourished under the increase of sabbath-piety by the godly laws of our religious princes ▪ and how low have we lately faln , upon the breaking forth afresh of sabbath-prophaness , followed with the saddest civil war ? . in the adorning of those persons who reverence and carefully observe this day of god , and so thrive in godliness and the fear of god ; there is no reason ( here ) to lay aside the prophecy of isaiah , chap. . . — to v. . especially considering that it hath a respect to the times of the new-testament , wherein gentile-strangers were received into the church (g) . now in that prophesie the lord saith to strangers and eunuchs , that keep the sabbath , and chuse the things that please him , and lay hold on his covenant , ( all which are like a golden chain , of divers links , inseparable the one from the other ; the keeping of the sabbath from the rest , and the rest from that ) ; i say , the lord saith to such , ( though they be strangers , and have no name in the church ; though they be eunuchs , and so can have no children to preserve their name , nor be honoured by the name of fathers ) even unto them will i give , in my house , and within my walls , ( that is , in the church , the house of the living god , tim. . . and within the wals of the spiritual jerusalem , psal. . ▪ . — ) a name better then of sons and daughters , that is , better then that which ariseth from the begetting of sons and daughters . for what is the name of fathers of sons , unto the name of sons of god , of the lord god almighty (h) ? yet strangers and eunuchs shall have this name given them , which is an everlasting name ( for a son of god once , and a son of god ever , rom. . . joh. . . ) and which gives in with it an everlasting fame and honour , psal. . . rev. . . how honourable is the name of the aethiopian eunuch unto this day , after that by believing he was made the son of god ? act. . . joh. . . yea , such shall be glorified at the last day , by jesus christ , before hi● father and the angels , thes. . , . i say again , ( after the explication of this prophesie ) that there is no just reason to lay it aside in this argument of the sabbath : for as the covenant ( mentioned there ) and the condition of that covenant , to wit , laying hold of it by faith , do still continue ; so ( albeit the jews sabbath be gone , yet ) a sabbath still remains , wherein as the spiritual duties of the old sabbath are to be performed , so the honou●s and priledges attending on , and promised to , tha● pe●formance may be expected ; i mean , being interpreted a●cording to the spiritual state of the gospel . however , it is a clear truth , that honour and estimation still followeth the fear of god , i say , that fear of god , which is learned , and still better learned , by sabbath-instructions and exercises (i) ; and it so far followeth it , that every one that will be accounted a citizen of zion , and heir of heaven , is bound to honour those in whom this fear of god is found (k) ; as on the contrary , a vile person , ( which is a name that falls heavily , on sabbath-profaners , and profane livers , which two use to go together (l) , ) is , and ought to be , of all such , contemned : not so , as to cast any reproach upon them , or that any should be wanting in doing all right to them , but so , as that they cannot have such an honourable place in an holy mans heart as others have . and if we look on the state of things amongst our selves , it 's easie to observe that they have not taken a good course , either for their comfort or honour : unto one and another of whom , the sabbath may say , thou hast thrust sore at me that i might fall , but the lord helped me (m) , yea , they themselves from whom the christian sabbath hath received but hard measure , yet , confess it meet , that christians on the lords day should abandon all worldly affairs , and dedicate it wholly to the honour of god (n) . and again , that they that are so piously affected on the lords-day , as to retire from secular business , and ordinary pleasures and delights , that they may more freely attend the service of christ , are to be commended and incouraged (o) . whatever disputes therefore there be , yet the conclusion is , that the holy observation of the lords-day , ( now , the weekly sabbath-day ) is a commendable thing , and redounds to the honour of those that so observe it . and it will ever be the honour of the nation and church of england , that there have been so many rel●gious acts and actings for the holy and intire observation of the lords-day . it may be said , i suppose , truly , and i hope , in regard of this matter of the sabbath , inoffensively ( because other churches may excel in other things ) i say , it may be said of the church of england ; many daughters of that jerusalem , which is the mother of us all , ( gal. . . ) have done vertuously , but thou excellest them all , prov. . . to come now to the last thing . . here is profit and provision . i will feed thee with the heritage of jacob thy father . this refers plainly to the jews , ( whose father jacob was (p) ) who while they observed gods holy sabbath , and other of his commandements well , were well fed and fill'd (q) , and so , if they had kept the sabbath from polluting it , and kept their hand from doing any evil , might still have been (r) , but for want of that , and by reason of their profaning the sabbath ( among other sins ) neh. . . they did pine away for want of the fruits of the field , lam. . . thus it concerns the jews properly . but abraham is our father also , rom. . . and , by the same reason , jacob or israel is so likewise (s) : for the same covenant of grace which was formerly theirs only (t) , is now ( for substance ) ours , and we laying hold on it by faith , have the same priviledges and promises ( albeit with some difference in regard of the diversity of the state of the church under the law and the gospel ) ; so that we may claim , being such as carefully observe the sabbath , and the covenant on our parts , the benefit even of this outward promise , and the comfort of outward provisions as far as they are needful , or good for us (u) : hence a learned divine doth thus expound and enlarge this promise ( as i have given to the seed of jacob a very rich inheritance ; so if thou be a godly observer of the sabbath , nothing shall be wanting unto thee of those things that are necessary for thee (x) . the same author affirmeth , that this and the like promise in jeremy (y) , are understood also of spiritual gifts , which exposition suiteth well with gospel-times , wherein they that hunger and thirst after righteousness , are called to hear the word , and so , to eat that which is good , and to let their soul delight it self in fatness (z) . yea , if we shall follow this promise further , and take it in its utmost extent , it may lead us into heaven it self , and the reward of inheritance there ; for ( otherwise ) how was canaan the heritage of abraham , isaac , and jacob , as to their persons ? when it is said of abraham , that god gave him none inheritance in it , no , not so much as to set his foot on (a) , and isaac and jacob sojourned with him in the land of promise as in a strange countrey (b) , and place of pilgrimage ; but they had the promise of it , and their posterity possessed it , when , in the mean time , they entered themselves into a better countrey ( which they looked most at ) even the heavenly canaan , whereof the earthly canaan was a type , heb. , . (c) . it 's a comfort to those that fear god , and love any thing that hath his name upon it , that the lords-day being dear to them , in order to the upholding of godliness ; and gods kingdom being first sought , other things shall be added , and easily fall in ( mat. . . ) : when they that steal away sacred time , that stir and stickle on the lords-day in their worldly affairs and designs for their own advantage , get as gehazi did a booty without a blessing ; for is that a time to look after olive-yards and vine-yards , and sheep and oxen ? king. . . as it is said of the sabbath of the land enjoyned the jews , that it should be meat for them , lev. . . because they might on that seventh year feed on the fruits , which through gods blessing grew of themselves ; so it may be said ( not without warrant from this text and present promise which hath its truth still ) that the weekly sabbath also shall be meat to them , who in the fear of god and faith observe it ; for they that are willing and obedient , shall eat the good of the land isa. . . and in the keeping of every commandement of god there 's great reward , psal. . . that is , such shall find benefit and gain by their godl●ness one way or other , and shall thrive in worldly things if god see it good for them ; ( nor are profaners of the sabbath any of the richest men . ) but yet because in gospel-times , which excel in spiritual blessings , god is pleas'd to keep his servants short in things temporal , and they have ( oft ) but little of the world , of whom the world is not worthy (c) ; therefore we must go on , and look to that land of rest and heavenly canaan , which yet remaineth to be enjoyed , wherein when christians ( poor in state , but rich in grace ) shall keep sabbath , sitting and resting with abraham , isaac , and jacob (d) , then shall they ( sure ) be fed with their heritage ; then shall they eat and be for ever satisfied , for they shall eat and drink with christ at his table in that his kingdom . now , it 's true , that all these good things are promised to godliness : but , of that godliness which hath the promise (e) , the holy observation of the lords-weekly-day , is both a part , and a promoter ; yea , not only an effectual furtherer , but a continual and constant maintainer , as both reason and experience shews . mr. perkins is herein very full , giving this reason of his affirming , that there is no fear of god where sabbath-profanation reigneth , for ( saith he ) the keeping of the sabbath is the maintaining , increasing and publishing of religion , serm. of repentance (f) on zeph. . . af●er all this , i shall only add something in the close , to prevail ( if it may be ) with christians ( and with teachable and conscientious christians , i hope , i shall prevail ) , for the delightsom , honourable , and profitable observation of the lords-day . oh that we that know our selves bound to give unto caesar that which is caesars , would carry our selves so , as that all men might see we account our selves bound to give unto god that which is gods , that is , his appointed weekly-day . i am very apprehensive of divers difficulties in this sabbath-argument ; and therefore humbly submit all i have spoken to the search and censure of the learned and godly ; and desire nothing that i have said should be received , but as it is found to agree with the word of god , and the general doctrine of religion as it hath a just influence into this particular sabbath-subject : but withal , let it be observed , that if a man will lean to his own understanding (g) , and entertain a conference with flesh and bloud (h) , with an accounting of the great things of gods law as a strange thing (i) , he may easily ( and think he doth it very substantially ) dispute god out of his time ; and make himself believe that he hath more days in a week , for his own use ( in worldly thoughts , words and actions ) then six (k) ; yea , and that , pleading so much for the lords-day , is but preciseness , and rather a weak then a wise mans work , arguing ( at best ) only a good meaning , but a shallow brain ; whereas , on the contrary , he that saith unto scripture - wisdom , thou art my sister , and calleth ( spiritual ) vnderstanding his kinswoman (l) ; he that feareth to be disobedient to the heavenly vision (m) ; he that counteth godliness , gain , and knoweth how much godliness gaineth by a godly observation of the lords-day , will soon see cause of being of another mind , considering how much the word of god pleadeth for sabbath-holiness , and how , on , and by that day , and the duties thereof , the interest , cause , and concernments of godliness , are principally promoted . i wish all good christians therefore , that are of doubtful mindes in this matter , to try the ( more strict ) doctrine of the sabbath , whether it be of god or no , by betaking themselves to the holy practise of those things that are taught them concerning that day : experience useth to put an happy end to endless disputes about practical truths , and things ( otherwise ) hardly determinable : for the result , and good effect thereof is this , behold , now i know , &c. (n) . some may say , as nathaniel , can there any good thing come out of nazareth ? so , out of such sowre sabbath-strictness ? this , is a question that may be long under the debate of humane reason , ( that is as proud as blind ) : the easiest way to decide it , is , come and see (o) . let every sincere nathaniel put it to the trial , and then the conclusion will be like to be such a resolution about the lords-day , as there was in nathaniel about the lord of that day , which , in allusion to what he said , may be expressed thus , thou art the day of god , thou art the queen of dayes ; could we but call the sabbath a delight , did we but know it to be so experimentally , the comfort of it would soon answer all ( lion-like ) arguments that rise up and roar against it (p) , and rent them as one would rent a kid : if not by just solutions and formal answers , ( which belongs to the learned , who have done it , and will do it ) ; yet by firm resolutions and just detestations , and that not without reason enough , ●ounded on the sense of the sweetness they have found in their conversing with the holy god on his holy day ; so that an advocate for the sabbath shall never be wanting till the godly man ceaseth (q) , whose delight it is ; i say , whose delight it is ; not that i think it an easie or common thing to call the sabbath a delight ; or that all that fear the lord , have the like delight in the lords-day ; affectionate christi●ns feel it most , and in old disciples , it lies deepest ; the more maturity , the more complacency ; and the more acquaintance with god , the more delight in him : for the delight followeth the acquaintance (r) . nor do i mean , that they who do delight in it , delight alike in it , at all times , and on all sabbath-days ; corruption , and tentation , yea , and the various operations and incomes of the spirit , who bloweth where and in whom it listeth (s) and ( in them ) when it listeth , make a great difference : besides that age (t) or distemper of body , or oppression of spirit by some heavy burthen that lies upon it , are great impediments to delight : and they that are in affliction , and need gods ordinances most , rellish them best ; to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet (u) , and so every sweet thing is more sweet and delightsom ; such things as these must be granted that the doctrine of sabbath-delight may not be rejected , nor they dejected who reach not so far as others do in their rejoycings on that day . but yet , that there is truly a delight in that day , and the service thereof , in those that truly fear the lord and think upon his name (x) , sufficiently appeareth , in that they bless the lord with all their hearts and souls for appointing such a day , ( for when should we have set a part a whole day ( in any due distance ) for god , and for the enjoying of god , if god had not done it himself ? ) and in that they would not for all the world be without it ; for what 's the world without the sun , or without the sabbath wherein the sun of righteousness shineth out , and that the day throughout , and that with a special blessing of god following and improving the beams thereof for our spiritual benefit ▪ and soul-refreshing ? we may very well say , that no sabbath passeth without some delight and satisfaction to the true disciples of jesus christ : but [ at times ] they are taken up with christ on that day ( as it were ) into an high mountain apart (y) , where they see his face shine as the sun , and are so extraordinarily taken and delighted with what they see and feel , that they say feelingly , it is good for us to be here . in brief , the sabbath with the prescribed ordinances and exercises of that day ) is ( towards their latte● end especially ) like mount abarim (z) to 〈◊〉 , wherein they see much of the heavenly canaan ; 〈◊〉 , at any other time , when they that walk with god ( bei●g log'd and dull'd with corruption , sorrow , affliction , tentation ) delight less in it , they do then and therefore , delight less in themselves : but that there should be any true delight in god and his ordinances , and no delight in that day , wherein they are most dispensed and best attended , is as unlike as that a jew should be without rejoycing at their great festival days (a) ; or that it should not be merry when friends meet ; or that simeon should not take pleasure in that day , wherein he took up the child jesus in his arms (b) ; for the lords-day is christians feasting-day (c) , christians gladsom (d) meeting-day , and the day wherein they being met together , christ ( who is the consolation of israel ) promiseth to be in the midst of them (e) . is 't possible , that on the day wherein they sit under the shadow of their dear lord , wherein they tast of his sweet fruit , wherein he brings them to the banqueting-house , and spreads his banner of love over them (f) , they should then be without cordial-content ? that they are not without such content , appears , because all the six days sollicitors , that is , all worldly things , and carnal company , are kept off on that day of retiredness with god ; yea , and charged , and even adjured (g) not to disturb their sweetest fellowship with the father and with his son jesus christ (h) . albeit therefore i shall easily grant , that we have great cause to desire god to be merciful to us in this thing , that our delight in sabbath-duties is so dim , yet it doth not follow from thence , that there is none . if god should take away sabbaths from us , i doubt not , but that in all good christians , the grief would prove the delight ; for no man is grieved to lose what he never lov'd nor took any pleasure in ; i say , it is thus in all good and truly godly , and especially , greatly-godly persons ; for , as the man is , so is his delight ; no marvel if the men of the world say , when will the sabbath be gone (i) ? no wonder , if the holy and strict observation thereof be unto carnal people and persons that savour not the things of god ; like saul's armour to david , they cannot tell how to go with , or undergo , matters of so spiritual a nature , for they never prov'd them (k) , they were never us'd to such things ; but ( on the other side ) the same spiritual observation of the lords-day , unto a spiritual christian is like jonath●n's robe , and his garments , even his sword , his bow , and his girdle , to the same david ; which , no doubt , he us'd and wore with much delight , they being great testimonies of jonathan's singular love to him , and signs and symbols of the covenant made with him (l) : as also the lords-sabbath , and the ordinances thereof , are great tokens of his speci●l love to us (m) , and a sign of his holy covenant made with us , ezek. . . o why should not the lords-day be our delight ? is there not full joy (n) in fellowship with god the father and with jesus christ , in the preaching , and with the preachers , of the gospel ? is not christ ( who is observed to appear on that day again and again to his disciples after his resurrection , and is still in the assemblies of the saints , and in the ministry of his servants (o) , i say , is not he ) the desire and the delight of all nations (p) ? and who is it that is the comforter and solace of saints but that holy spirit , with whom the servants of god have much to do , on that day (q) , in heavenly meditations ? so , that if the whole trinity , father , son , and holy ghost , can minister any delight unto us , then may we call the sabbath a delight , for therein god our creator , redeemer , and sanctifier , doth eminently appear and operate . this is a day very useful and subservient to all the necessities of our souls . if we be ignorant in any thing , or in many things , on this day we are all taught of god (r) , it 's a soul-enlightning day (s) : if we be ( as we are ) strangers in the earth (t) , on this day we are ( most ) taught the way to our countrey (u) . it 's a soul-guiding day , psal. . , . if we hunger and thirst after righteousness , the spiritual manna falls from heaven , and water comes out of that rock which is christ , principally upon this day ; it 's a soul-satisfying day (x) . if we languish under spiritual diseases , or lie low under outward calamities ; on this day the lord offereth medicines in the ministry for all our maladies . it 's a soul-restoring-day (y) ; christ heals still on sabbath-days . and ( that i may once conclude ) could we be in the spirit upon the lords-day (z) as we ought to be , or as we might be , ( for i do not mean extraordinarily , as john was , but having our hearts taken up with , and heightned in , the pure spiritual observation of it ) we might have then a fair sight ; yea , a sweet sense of that ( unspeakably ) glorious sabbath , which right and real saints shall shortly celebrate all-together in the heavenly canaan , where there remaineth a rest ( or the keeping of a sabbath ) to the people of god , heb . . the second part. chap. i. of family-duties . after the four christian-duties spoken of in the fore-going part ; i shall now proceed to four other family-duties : the first whereof ( because religion is rooted in knowledge ) may well be family-catechising ; i say , family-catechising , for i shall not here speak of catechising in its general extent , but only apply my self to it as it is a duty belonging to christians in their several families ; which godly exercise i shall endeavour to assist and perswade unto , by texts of scripture first , and some arguments and motives after . texts of scripture to prove catechising in families a duty . it is not my purpose here to mention every text of scripture that gives strength to this necessary duty , but shall content my self with the naming ( and with the opening ) of two texts in the old-testament , and one in the new. the first in the old testament is , deut. . , . these words which i command thee this day shall be in thy heart , and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children , and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house , and when thou walkest by the way , and when thou liest down , and when thou risest up . for the opening of this scripture , and the awakening of conscience to a due consideration of it , there comes to be considered in the first place , who it is that speaks in it , even the eternal god by his servant moses , that was faithful in all his house . remember that it is he that saith , keep these words that i command thee this day (a) . but , how must parents keep them ? ( for , to parents , and every parent , god here speaks , and , in answer to that question , saith ) these words shall be in thine hea●t : yet are they not only to be in the hearts of those that have families , but in their houses , therefore it is added , thou shalt teach them thy children . nor was this a ceremonial p●ecept , or a commandement given peculiarly to the jews for their assistance in the remembrance of the law of god , as their phylacteries-fringes and fastning the law to their door-posts (b) ; but it was , and is , a moral , and perpetual precept , binding us in gospel-times as well as them , and therefore the very same things that we read in this text , we find also in the new-testament : that is , . that the word of christ must dwell in us (c) , which is all one with this here , let it be in thine heart . and , . that it must be in our houses also , for parents are required to bring up their children in the nurture and information of the lord (d) . in obedience therefore to this standing command , they to whom god hath given children , should say as the psalmist doth , come ye children hearken to me , i will teach you the fear of the lord (e) . and when the children be come together , the spirit of god in the text we have in hand , teacheth in what manner they are to be taught , saying , thou shalt teach them diligently ; and in the margent of our bibles it is , thou shalt whet , or sharpen , which is well and plainly expressed in the text by teaching diligently , but , yet the word in the original doth more particularly note out a teaching by way of repetition (f) , and going over and over again , ( as men do with knives when they whet them ) that so as the knife , by such whetting is more keen , and fit to cut , so religious instructions , by often turning and returning them on the ears and tongues of children , may pierce more deeply into their hearts for their better understanding and affecting of them . parents , and those over others , like the heavens over our heads , should be still , as there is occasion and opportunity , distilling and dropping down heavenly instructions from their own understandings and hearts , into their houses , and upon their children and inferiours (g) , that so they may sink & soak , by little and little , into their hearts for abundant after-fruit . and i mention inferiours , that is , others that are under the care and charge of housholders , together with children , because of that which is observed on this place out of the hebrew doctors (h) , to wit , that though only children or sons are here named , yet under this name they understand not the natural sons only , but scholars also , or disciples , because in scripture disciples are called sons , as , the sons of the prophets (i) ; so solomon , in the book of the proverbs , still saith , my son. and the extending of the command thus far is favoured by the words following , thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house , walkest by the way , sittest down , risest up ; and why thus in the house , but that the whole house may be edified ? whilest the holy light of knowledge in parents and housholders is not put under a bushel , but , by their catechising , set up in a candlestick that it may enlighten the whole house ; which is further also confirmed by the approved example of abraham in the story of whose catechising , not only his children are mentioned , but his houshold also is added , gen. . . the other text that i shall alleadge out of the old testament , is , prov. . . train up a child in the way he should go , or ( as it is in the margin ) in his way . this precept is well and plainly expressed , thus , teach a boy in the first principles (k) , to wit , of the doctrine of christ (l) ; train him up , or , as it is in the margent of our bibles ) catechise him . the hebrew word signifieth the doing of the first things , in any thing (m) , more particularly , it is used for the instructing of others , or the entring of them in , or delivering to them , the first elements and grounds , especially of religion , to which it is here applyed . it is rendred therefore by some , initiate a child (n) , or dedicate him to god being yet a child . for further opening hereof , it may not be amiss to observe , that in former times , they did use to dedicate unto god holy things by a sacred dedication , with certain sacred rites and ceremonies , as the house of god ( chron. . . ) the wall of jerusalem ( neh. . . ) especially , the altar ( numb . . . chron. . . ) so judas and his brethren , with the whole congregation of israel , ordained , that the feast of dedication for the altar they had newly set up , should be kept from year to year , ( mac. . . ) which we find in our saviou●s time observed , and countenanced with his presence ( joh. . . ) yea , of old , they did use to dedicate their own houses also , with a m●re common , but yet , religious and pious , dedication (p) , ( as we see david did , psal. . title ) to wit , as accounting god himself the lord of their houses , and themselves his tenants at will , who were therefore to use their houses as his , and according to his will. the substance of this , we may say , concerns us in these times also . now , to apply this ; as godly men in former times , have dedicated both holy things , and their houses , unto god when they were first made and set up : so should christian parents look upon their children when they are newly brought into the world , as those whom by their timely teaching and catechising , they are to dedicate and consecrate unto that god from whom they have them . yet , there is no cause so to limit it to little children , or to parents children , as that it should not be extended to other young ones ( though not so young ) in the family , since the word that is rendred a child here , is translated well otherwhere (q) , a young man. and ( indeed ) housholders are not only the fathers of their children , but of the family . the servant doth , by good reason , call the master father (r) , and that father should instruct such sons in a way beseeming their age (s) however , the duty will further appear by (t) proceeding further in the forecited text , which teacheth to train up a child in the way he should go , or ( as it is in the hebrew ) in the mouth of his way , that is , in the beginning or entry of his worldly race ; for so the gate through which persons first enter into the city , is called in scripture , the mouth of the city (u) . others explain it thus , according to the mouth of his way ; that is , that measure of apprehension , and that degree of capacity (x) which he hath in his first ●ntry into his way , without delaying till he be grown up , or pressing him above that which his age is able to reach : begin with him then ( as he is able to receive , and conceive of things ) in those beginnings , ( heb. . . ) which hold forth the first light to guide him in his way ; for understanding , piety , and godly behaviour , is the way even of younglings (y) , and being so , it is good to set them forward , in so happy a journey , in the morning , that they may take the whole day before them (z) . object . but a child hath not so much understanding as to receive , and repeat with reverence the things of god , and so the catechising of him will be the taking of gods name in vain , which is a plain sin . answ. if this must hinder catechising , who knows how long it will be hindred ? for even children well grown up , ( being not catechised before ) are not like , at their first teaching , so to understand what is said to them , as to recite and repeat it , with due reverence . it may something help in this , that we find christ himself instructing nicodemus in the mystery of regeneration , when he was able to return him only this sorry and unbeseeming answer , how can a man be born again when he is old ? can he enter the second time into his mothers womb (a) ? yea , after that , we find our saviour delivering a divine truth to those that were known to be his disciples , and who still accompanyed him , and repeated themselves what he spake to them in the very same words wherein he delivered it ; and yet , when all was done , confessed they could not tell what he said (b) : yet we may not say , that by reason of that their ignorance they took that name of god in vain , ( which is imprinted on every word of god , and so was on those words of christ ) , i say , this was not a vain business ; for in this way they understood the words of christ at last , the meaning whereof they knew not at first . if it be said , that persons grown up may be first taught to use the name and things of god reverently , ( which children cannot be ) , and by that means when they come to take them into their mouths themselves , the dishonour of god may be prevented . i answer , . that if we will consider of this rightly , we must set one thing against another ; and then it will be found that the more they that are young , grow in years , the more they will surely grow in corruption , being left without instruction ; and thereby by how much they are more capable in regard of their natural understanding , by so much they will be less capable of any good thing through their grown corruption . . i answer further , that , parents may and should find out wayes to frame the spirits of their children to a greater reverence when they are catechised , then at other times , and in other things . now it 's true , that if they be very little , this must needs be less done ; but yet it may still be in doing , and something may be done in it , because they understand , even then , what parents say , or else they would not be capable of making them reasonable answers ; and the more they grow up , the more will this holy reverence grow up with them and in them . but to the main objection propounded , i shall give a second answer , which is this ; catechising is considered two wayes ; . in regard of the present action . . as it is an introduction and preparation to the future and further knowledge of god. now , though little ones do not at first , so understand as to use with due reverence the name and things of god ; yet it followeth not , that they take gods name in vain , because they repeat good things in order to , and for , the gaining of such a knowledge of god and of those holy things , as whereby afterward they come to use them more reverently ; and therein , the first use of them , ( though not so reverent ) hath a part , as being preparatory to it , and having an influence into it , and working , as a good means for the begetting of it . as when parents teach very little children their letters by signs , and certain pretty devised sayings and resemblances , which put their little ones in mind of them , this is not a vanity , but a way suited to their littleness , to make them learn them the sooner : so it is in this and the like cases ; for , the first rudiments are still to be taken and judged of , not in a way of separation from what follows after , but as a preparation to it , and being so taken , they are not vain , but material things , because they serve to very considerable ends . this shall suffice for the old-testament . the precept , prescribing catechising in the new-testament , is laid down ephes. . . in these words ; and ye fathers , provoke not your children to wrath , but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the lord. — of the precept contained in these words there are two branches ; . parents are warned , not to abuse their office , power , and authority by provoking their children . . not to neglect to make use of it in instructing their children ; and both these are not without great reason mentioned : for in parents there is not only nature , and natural affection , but natural corruption , by reason whereof , if they watch not well , it will be very incident unto them to be curious ; yea , and furious with their children , that their own will may be fulfilled : there is need therefore to say , provoke not . and , on the other side , there is a danger of being too indulgent , and careless , to bring up children to such courses as are necessary for the knowing and doing of the will of god : hence it is that there is as much , or much more need of the latter branch of the exhortation , which is , but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the lord. the first word [ but ] serves well to joyn together the two branches of the precept , or parts of the verse : for it holds fo●th a cure of the provocation spoken of in the former part ; and a care of the instruction prescribed in the latter part ; do not provoke , but instruct ; yea , instruct , and you wi●l not , or , at least , you shall not have cause , to provoke ; for a well-instructed child is in gods way to be an obedient child , and very tractable to the instructing parents , so that there shall not be any occasion of provoking from him , or being provoked against him . a care of the duty in the latter part of the verse , will be a good prevention of the fault in the former part ; for thy child knowing from thee gods mind ( o christian parent ) will not ( god blessing the instruction , of which the precept to give it , giveth the hope ) ; i say , he will not do contrary to thy mind , if thy mind agree with gods mind . after this connecting and conjoyning particle , followeth the precept concerning childrens nurture , which nurture , howsoever , in it self , it comprehends good and wholsom instruction of every kind ; yet the last words [ of the lord ] fasten it on that religious nurture , and admonition , which is , of all other the principal , and of which it belongs to this place to speak . now whilest i come to the further opening of this precept , it may be noted that there are ( in the original ) three words offered to our observation , the explaining whereof will serve for a more full discerning of what is here prescribed . the first word is , nourish or feed them (c) , and so it is translated otherwhere (d) . do not provoke your children , ( saith the apostle ) but nourish them ; and that , not only so as to give them bread , and food for their bodies ( wherein passionate and provoking fathers may be defective ) but ( which is here meant ) to supply them with soul-nourishing-sustenance ; or ( as the apostle speaks of himself ) to be soul - nurses (e) , imparting with all dearness for their spiritual good and growth , the soul-sustaining gospel of god ; this is , indeed , to bring up ( as our english translation hath it ) well , and most hopefully , for their welfare . the second word in the text (f) , signifieth , in general , a child-like nurture ; but , yet there may be found , and hinted in it more particularly these three things . . it contains , in a large sense , all profitable instruction ( sutable to a childes age and state ) for the composing and framing of him , by knowledge , unto a commendable and vertuous carriage (g) , or for the doing of greater good in humane society in time to come ; but , in this place , it is to be more properly applyed , to instruction in religion , and ( as paul speaks ) in righteousness (h) . . it contains correction also (i) , which is a part of good nurture , for the moving and making of a child the better to mark what is taught him , and for the getting out of that foolishness which is too fast bound in him , prov. . . (k) , correction is the urging of instruction . . this word ( which calls fathers to look upon their children ( as ) children , and accordingly to teach them ) may contain in it a restraint of that provoking before spoken of : for it signifieth that the nurture he gives , must be a fatherly feeding of such a one as is his child , and yet , but a child ; and therefore it must be with that gentleness which is sutable to , and agreeth best with , the relation and affection of a father , and the tenderness of a child ; for , angry catechising quickly becomes an act of provocation . the third word ( which is used in the text ) carries and commands parents , unto , the best and highest kind of nurture , to wit , that which is drawn and fetch'd from the word of the lord , and so , will be most accepted of him , and most profitable to their children ; this the apostle , speaking to timothy (l) , sets forth plainly in some other words , but to the same effect , calling it , a nourishing in the words of faith , and of good doctrine . but ( besides this ) paul here goes to the bottom and beginning of all good nurture , which is information , or an informing admonition ; the word signifies an instilling , or putting a thing into the mind ; and this infusing or dropping instruction into the understanding of a child , helps the child to help the father , and to carry on his own good education by his own light , because his well-informed reason enableth him to see the necessity and benefit of it . the life and manners cannot be good , unless the mind be good (m) ; the mind cannot be good without knowledge (n) ; nor will knowledge be had without teaching and admonishing (o) . in that therefore , as in a golden mine , the riches of religious education lyeth , and is laid up . o that so plain and full a precept might so convince the understandings , possess and press the hearts , of christian parents , as to prevail with them for the bringing up of their children , not only in arts and sciences , to make them wise ; nor only in mysteries of trading and worldly imployment , to make them rich ; nor only in matters of morality and civil honesty , to make them vertuous : but in mysteries of religion , in the nurture and information of the lord , to make them truly godly and happy . i shall only add this , ( which i touched a little before ) which is , that though children only be named in the text , yet this should not cause housholders to think themselves discharged , if they catechise their children and never instruct other young ones that are a part of their houshold : for , he that is the master of the house , is the father of the whole family , and may speak to all the youth in it , as eli to samuel (p) , whom he called his son , and accordingly should disperse knowledge among them that they may not live under his roof , care , and charge without some acquaintance with god , and without being bredd up to do some homage and service to him. it would be a poor business for mothers to say , we need not bring up our children in any good nurture , for the scripture in the new-testament , ( that especially requires it ) names only fathers : no more will fathers be excused , because none are named here to be instructed by them , but only their children . it 's true , that under the notion of fathers of children ( of whose duty the apostle here properly speaketh ) they are called to catechise their own children ; but as they are masters and fathers of families , a further care and charge lies upon them in regard of other young ones , and namely , of servants under them , and with them . yet i do not say , that housholders are bound to walk in the same way with those that are elder in the family , as they do with their children ; or to bestow the same time in instructing servants and children . it 's true , that to appoint some day or dayes in a week , to examine and go on with servants , in some sound and plain catechism , ( as namely , the assemblies short catechism ) is a godly exercise , and a provident way to preserve the duty of family-instruction , and to make it the more minded : but , yet , if housholders did but upon the sabbath-day call those that be grown up to give account of the sermons they hear ; chapters read in the family on the week-days ; and further , if having ( as they ought ) an eye upon their carriage , and seeing any neglect or fault in them , they did take them to task , question with them about it , reprove and admonish them , that for time to come they might amend it ; and , then observe whether they do so or no ; even this i say , ( with some acquainting them with the very first principles of religion in way of conference ) might pass for that which we call ( catechising ) that word in scripture (q) , being divers times applyed to a more general kind of teaching ; but , if such a concession as this , and yielding to any thing , be abused ; if nothing be done in this duty , or nothing to purpose ; then may one servant and another ( if it be possible for an uncatechised servant to have so much grace ) , come and say seriously and sadly , ( i say sadly , both in regard of themselves and the houholder ) , master , carest thou not that we perish ? and let the master consider , how he will answer it . mean-while that i may return to the text , as it stands clear for parents catechi●ing , let it be ( in the last place ) observed , that parents instruction of their children is of so great importance , that if they therein did their duty , then the work concerning servants were already ( in a good part ) done ; for they should deliver ( in this way ) to every master a catechised servant , and so the master should have nothing to do , but to preserve and carry on that which is already brought to his hand . but , if for want of this godly care ( o christian master ) , a catechized servant be not brought to thee ; let there be so much goodness in thee , and so much love to his soul , as that he may go a catechized-servant from thee . so much for texts of scripture commanding catechising ; i now proceed to arguments or reasons to confirm catechising to be a necessary duty . although the former precepts might fully suffice , because all reason resides , and is summ'd up in the commandements of the only wise god : yet , because too much can hardly be spoken in a duty wherein many do nothing , and all do too little ; therefore ( for a further assistance ) i shall adjoyn these ensuing arguments drawn from the necessity , and benefit of this exercise . . the necessity ] which i lay upon this ground , because all that will be saved in gods ordinary way , must come to the knowledge of the truth (r) . to open this further , i shall take in two questions . . how is this knowledge to be attained ? answ. saving knowledge is not had by nature ; nature ( without divine revelation ) knoweth nothing of christ , by whom alone we can be justified and saved (s) , that 's revealed from heaven . and if it cannot be had by nature , how shall it be had but by nurture and information of the lord ? and , how shall children have it so well as by parents pains , and provision ? . when is it to be endeavoured ? or , when is this knowledge to be communicated ? answ. reason teacheth to do it betimes ; for , as all that desire to have knowing children in any kind of learning , begin with them in the beginning of their time ( i. e. ) , assoon as they come to be capable of the first principles thereof : so the morning of life , the first of childrens time ( after they are come to any competent capacity ) is the best season for the exercising and improving of their understanding in the knowledge of religion . no marvel therefore , if we find that timothy from a child had known the holy scripture (t) . and that our saviour honoured this course of timely instruction , by conversing himself ( when but twelve year old ) among the doctors in a kind of catechetical way , both hearing them , and asking them questions (u) . if any say , let children grow up , and then be brought to the ministry , and hear sermons , and that may suffice . i answer , if it be supposed , that they are left to the ministry ; yet , ( being not catechized before ) they are left to it unprepared for it ; and i add further , what if they die before that time ? then , they must die un-instructed , and that ( i think ) must needs be a sad death to the negligent parents , and a dangerous death to the neglected child ; whereas it is found by comfortable experience , that divers , very young , have dyed with very considerable , and some , with very rare , expressions of knowledge and godliness , attained by timely teaching . if it be further said , that children may be delivered over to catechising-school-masters and ministers ; i answer , that 's a good help to , but no good discharge from , parents instruction , on whom it lies as a duty , ( for it is not said , you fathers send them to others , but , bring them up your selves ) ; and who should , more naturally , care for their childrens souls ; who may begin sooner to exercise that care ; who have a shorter work , ( having to do only with their own not others children ; ) and have a larger and better opportunity to carry it on , by those frequent times they may allot to it , and those parental wayes that are in their hands to promote it . parents do something for their children when they put them forth to nurse , but they shall do better to nurse them up themselves with their own more kindly milk , and more natural attendance . the second argument to move parents to the duty of catechising is the singular profit thereof , and that both in regard of their children ; and the church of god. as to their children ; there is a profitable , and prevailing power in it , in regard of the time , manner , and good effects of the careful performing of it . . in regard of the time ] for when children are young and tender , they are then most capable , ( though not by the ripeness of their understanding , yet by the flexibleness of their age ) as of any evil that they see or hear , so of any good that shall be discreetly infused and put into them ; like young twigs easily bowed ; or like soft wax (x) , that easily receives any impression , when ( being grown harder , especially if better things be fore-stall'd by worse , as they will surely be ) it will be much more hard to imprint the image of god , and godliness upon them . . in regard of the manner ] catechising propounds the question , and puts the child to answer it , as the eccho doth the voyce (y) . now , the readiest way to make any instruction to take , is to require returns from those that are instructed : whence it is , that in all schools of learning , that course is taken , whereas , if you speak never so well , or so long ( yea , the longer the worse ) in a set and continuate speech , it useth to vanish in the air , without any observable notice , or after-fruit . . in regard of the effect ] for , . this makes them fit to hear sermons fruitfully ; and that both because the words that ministers use in preaching , are , before-hand made familiar to them ; and , because the grounds of religion , whereon they build their preaching , are laid open to childrens understandings , and in some measure , laid in their hearts by their religious breeding : whereas , if a minister be the first teacher , the language of canaan is so strange to a young hearer , that ( unless god work upon the heart , and bring in a light from heaven into it ) he hardly knows what to make of heavenly words or matter . now , though godly education will not be savingly effectual without regenerating grace , yet this we may say of it , that children religiously bred up , are not far from the kingdom of heaven , to wit , in comparison of others not so educated ; for they can answer , more discteetly , mark. . . . this is the way to make them greatly good ; as obadiah is said to fear the lord greatly (z) , which ( with good reason ) may be ascribed ( in a way of means ) to his fearing the lord timely , and ( as is expressed ) from his youth . o how much sin is , in this way , prevented ? which entring in quickly , because it is not kept out by good nurture , will ( afterward ) either grieve the soul by an heart-renting repentance ( and that 's the best of it ) or ruine the soul for want of repentance . and ( on the other side ) , how much good is done by this first goodness ? even to others ; for , how eminent a reformer was that glorious josiah , who being yet young , began to seek after the god of his father david (a) ? which seeking is ( ordinarily ) set on in david's way , that is , by parents instruction and warnings (b) ; yea , we find a little captive maid , bred up ( as appears ) to a reverence of the lords prophet , to be the instrument of an happy cure of her great masters both body and soul (c) . but , besides the good of others , how great is the comfort which ariseth to themselves , who are taught to know and serve god early ? and that by the sweet remembrance ( when they are old ) of their remembring their creator when they were young , and in those days wherein they had most pleasure , whereby they may confidently conclude , that their god and faithful creator will remember them in their old age , and those decaying days wherein there is no pleasure , eccles. . . . this is the way to make them constantly good , and that by an assurance from the mouth of god himself , who saith , that , when he is old he will not depart from it (d) ; not that it is ever so , but it is truly so , for the god of truth hath said it ; and something is gained by it , even in those that go quite from god at last , viz. that they do ( for a time ) very good offices for the people of god , and keep in an orderly way , as joash did whilest jehoiada instructed him , and trained him up in the wayes of god , chron. . . indeed , the proverb of the prophane and godless world is , a young saint and an old devil ; when they should say , ( if they had any grace to say it ) , a young saint , and an old angel : for they that , by good education are planted in the courts of the lords house , bring forth fruit in old age , and even then they shall be fat and flourishing , psal. . . by these things it may somewhat appear , that it is suitable to religious reason as well as to scripture , to urge those that have children and charges , to instruct them in the things of god in their tender and youthful time ; but if there were no other argument , yet conscience might be hereunto moved and perswaded by the great unwillingness which we find in our evil natures to spend half an hour in catechising ; and the many devices that the devil hath to divert it , when many half hours are wasted either in vanities or impertinencies ; and yet we cannot but know ( if religion be of any value with us ) that no time can be better spent then that which is bestowed with young ones in bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the lord. but to drive this further home , i shall add the second branch of this argument , and that is the benefit that ariseth from this exercise , to the church of god , for therein religion is preserved and increased by this labour of love in respective families ; hence it was that god commanded the fathers of old , to make known the law of god to their children , (e) , that the generation to come might know the law and testimonies of the lord , even the children which should be born , which should arise and declare them to their children , and so successively , (f) that they might set their h●pe in god , and not forget the works of god but keep his commandements . it hath been an old saying , [ rex non moritur ] though kings die , yet not the king , whereof we may make this use ; that though godly persons die , yet godliness should not die : and the instruction of young ones in families is the way to keep it alive , for thereby children and servants , being bred up in religion themselves , and setting up other families , spread it abroad , and keep it up in their families also , and by them , in those that come of them . and this god observed in abraham , that he would command his children , and his houshold after him , that is , so as that the●e might be a religion after him , and surviving him ; for it is added , and they shall walk in the way of the lord to do justice and judgement (g) ; even as men plant trees for posterity , ●o in every family there should be a nursery , and religious plantation , that when they are glorified in heaven , god may be glorified on earth by those young plants whom they nurse up in piety . and so i come to the motives . motives and perswasions to the duty of catechising . . the example of godly parents , all along the scripture . ] a learned man observes (h) , that gods instruction of our first parents in the knowledge of christ , in that first gospel-promise , ( gen. . . ) i say , he observes that that was the first catechism , in pursuance whereof the succeeding fathers of families persisted , whereby he proves the antiquity of the true christian religion ; this eftsoons appears in adam , whose sons ( cain and abel ) we find sacrificing , which could not have been done in faith , ( as ●n abel it was (i) , ) but that it was bottomed on a word (k) , and , how came they to be acquainted with that word , but that adam ( unto whom it was revealed ) in that first promise of christ ( the true sacrifice ) repeated it to them , and instructed or catechised them in it . the example of abraham is famous , who as he instructed and trained up his servants every other way ( as for civil affairs and war , if need were (l) , ) so we are sure he taught and informed them in the ways of god (m) . how careful and fearful job was of his children , appears by his sending and sanctifying , and sacrificing for them , and solicitousness , lest god should receive any dishonour from them (n) ; all which , we cannot ( in reason ) conceive to be done without his acquainting them with the knowledge of god and of jesus christ , by whose real sacrifice alone all those ritual and ceremonial sacrifices were made effectual ; now , ( as chrysostom speaks ) , if job were so careful before grace , how inexcusable shall we be , if we be careless of his piety living under grace , and having the helps that we have in gospel-times (o) ? if we pass on to joshua , his resolution is , that his houshold shall serve god with himself , which serving of god hath the knowledge of god going before it , as we see in david's counsel to his son solomon (p) , it 's presupposed therefore , that joshua did therein instruct them : and , how came ruth to be so deeply in love with the god of israel , but that her mother in law naomi brought her into acquaintance with that god when she was bred up to worship the gods of moab (q) ? but this is more manifest in the example of david , that with all wisdom and gravity tenders to his son solomon the admonition of the lord , saying (r) , and thou solomon my son , know thou ( if he ask , what god ? ) the god of thy father , ( if he ask , is that all ? no , but ▪ ) and serve him , ( if he ask , in what manner ? ) with a perfect heart and willing mind ; ( if he ask , why with such a heart and mind ? the answer is , ) for the lord searcheth all hearts , and understandeth all the imagination of the thoughts , ( lastly , if he ask , what shall i win , or lose , if i take , or take not , this counsel , and course ? the conclusion , and confirmation of all is , ) if thou seek him , he will be found of thee , there 's the gain , nothing succeeding ill but when god is out of the way (s) : but if thou forsake him , he will cast thee off for ever ; there 's the loss , which comes at last ( unless there be a timely return to a forsaken god ) to that punishment of loss , and that depart ye cursed (t) , which shall for ever grate upon the spirits of lost souls and cast-aways in the place of torment . having digressed thus far , because this may serve in families as a short and summary catechism ; i return to david again , and come to another clear testimony of his instructing care , for of him it is that solomon speaks , when he saith , i was ●y fathers son , tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother ; he taught me also — (u) , david had many sons (x) , but we find not any so much taught as solomon , and , that because he was most tenderly loved , to shew that the child that is loved best , should be taught most ; and that parents do not love their children if they leave them in the dark , without helping them to the light of the knowledge of god , which should guide their feet in the way of peace (y) . besides , we find here , that instructing parents are patterns , to teach their children , by their example , to be instructing persons ; for solomon brings in his fathers instruction with a [ for ] , and as a reason why he ( now ) instructs , others . nor was bathsheba the mother wanting in this duty , but is , ( for the same reason , that is , because solomon was the dear and most desired son of her womb ) very eminent and affectionate , in commending to him several seasonable counsels ( suitable to his calling ) and setting them home upon his hea●t (z) ; not to mention more , how came timothy to know the scriptures of a child (a) , but that he had a believing grand-mother , and mother ( when his father was a greek ) and ( god blessing good education ) the faith that was in them , was in him , and his carriage such , that he was well reported of by the brethren , which is set down as arising from this , that his mother was a jewess and believed , to wit , breeding him up accordingly (b) . and ( indeed ) it concerns mothers to have a special care of catechising , not only because the father● , may perhaps be a greek , that is , one unacquainted with religion himself ; but also , because mothers use to love their children more tenderly , and therefore ( as was said before ) should teach them more diligently ; besides , when fathers are ( oft ) abroad , mothers are ( ordinarily ) at home , and having their children with them , have greater advantages , and more and better opportunities , to be dropping still some good things into them ; yea , mothers have a peculiar skill , to take , with all sweetness , the most taking courses with them ; and the child feeling more of the mothers love , the mother ●herefore hath the more power on the childes heart to win it and bow it to all better things , king. . . now , as christ said to the jews sadly , this did not abraham (c) ; so parents on the other side , may suppose christ to say seriously to them , this did abraham , i know he did , and would catechise his family (d) . and shall the lord have cause to say to father and mother , and master , i know you will not : o take heed ; in all good and approved things , and wherein one is concerned as well as another , every good example is to be look'd upon as followed with a precept binding to follow it , and christs conclusion in such a case , is , go and do thou likewise , luk. . . the second motive concerns children themselves , and their benefit ; and that , not only in regard of their souls ( to which i have spoken before ) in reference whereunto chrysostom saith to every parent , thou shalt never gain thy child so much by teaching him the art to get money , as by teaching him the art to contemn money (e) , but also in regard of their outward estate ; for to make them godly , is to bring them within the promise of this life (f) . and to make them knowing persons , ( of which , as of the former , catechising is the means ) is to bring them under gods protection ; for the eyes of the lord preserve knowledge (g) , and follow it , and those in whom it is , with prosperous and establishing providences of every kind , when the same god over-throweth the words ( or matters ) of ( foolish ) transgressours . excellently therefore saith the fore-named father , then have we our children most , and most truly ours ; when we have delivered them up to our god , for he will nurture , govern , and take care for them a great deal better , and more excellently then we can ; dost thou not see ( saith he ) even in rich mens houses , that they that stay at home with their parents are nothing so glorious , of such place or power , as they are that princes take from their parents and set about their own service , whom they prefer to great offices , honour them with their favours , and trust them with their affairs ? if it be thus in the court of princes , by reason of their good will and liking ; sure , that infinite goodness ( which god is ) will do that which shall be of more worth and excellencie ) for those that are bred up in the courts of his house , and are ( by good education ) put into his family (h) , cor. . , . no need of parents further care . the third motive shall be taken from parents themselves , and that benefit , and acceptance with god which they shall reap by their godly care to breed up their children in godliness . . their own benefit ] w●uldst thou have a child to be obedient ? ( saith the same chrysostom ) then bring h●m up from the beginning in the instruction and nurture of the lord ; do not think it a superfluous thing , if he hear from thee the divine scriptures : for the first thing he shall hear there is , honour thy father and thy mother (i) , and that 's for thy advantage ; do not say , shall i make him solitary and mopish ? there 's no nee● of that ; fear not that which is so gainful ; once resolve to make him a christian. chrysost. in ephes. . serm. . . their acceptance and reward with god : where i shall again make use of the aforesaid fathers moving words , which are these , if they who make the statutes of princes , and paint their images , obtain so much honour , shall not we who adorn a kingly image , ( for man is the image of god ) enjoy good things innumerable , while we restore unto him that wherein his similitude doth consist , which is the vertue of the soul (q) ? col. . . but i shall conclude all ( as i began ) with scripture , which lets us know that in this way of houshold-instruction , god promised to bring upon abraham that which he had spoken of him (l) , which concerned both him and his family (m) , who were made capable of the benefit of gods promises in this way ; that is , he , by instructing and stirring in his family for god , and godliness ; and they by walking after him in that way of god wherein they were instructed by him . now , though all that god spake of abraham belong not to other men ; yet , if we look on it in the generality , to wit , as it reveals and assures from god , a blessing ( according to the common covenant of grace ) on catechising , and catechized persons and families ; and that , because they are taught to perform the condition of the covenant , whereby they are capable of what god hath spoken in it for their comfort ; i say , these things being considered , we may say , and easily see , that as the duty of houshold catechising belongs unto others as well as to abraham (n) , so doth the encouragement , which may be called the reward of family-religion . and , who would want themselves , or have their children and family to want the good of that which god hath spoken , for want of speaking for god and goodness ? and thereby fitting themselves and theirs for the favour of that god who , though he doth good to all , yet especially he doth it ( and more especially he speaks it ) to the houshold of faith , and their housholds . gal. . . psal. . . chap. ii. of family-prayer . forasmuch as in this ( and things of the like nature ) carnal-reason stands upon its guard , and will yield to no more then needs it must ; and men , devoted to the world , and the flesh , are very witty to keep out of their houses this kind of devotion , in as much as it seems to be a disadvantage and impediment to their better beloved wayes : i shall ( therefore ) lay before the religious reader , such considerations , as i conceive most material for the urging and establishing of this holy exercise . wherein , all i have to say , may be summed up into grounds of scripture ; and reason agreeing with scripture . scripture-grounds i shall put into the four following positions . the first position . general rules and doctrines of scripture , are binding in all those particulars that are rightly drawn and deduced from them . in this way our saviour proves the resurrection of the body (a) , to wit , from this general ground of scripture , that god is the god of abraham , isaac , and jacob (b) ; and he is not the god of the dead , but of the living . hence it followeth , that abraham , isaac , and jacob , must of necessity live , and that everlastingly , god being their god for evermore , because the covenant is an everlasting covenant (c) ; yet , their bodies are now dead , therefore to make good the promise of their eternal enjoyment of god in their living persons ( consisting of body and soul ) their bodies shall certainly and unquestionably be raised . in the same manner also paul resolveth the corinthians , in the matter of mariage , putting a difference (d) between what god spake from himself by express command , and what he spake by him ( as a faithful minister , according to the mind of christ ) (e) in a case where there was no precise and special precept . concerning the first , he saith , not i , command , but the lord (f) , that is , it is the plain will of christ ( as appears by his words mat. . , . & . , . ) that they that are marryed should not part ( unless for that adultery which god declares , dissolves the marriage-bond ) one from another . but now coming to another question , to wit , whether the unmarried should marry ? and , whether they that had virgins were bound to bestow them in marriage ? he expresseth himself thus , i say , v. . ( not the lord , and not i , as v. . ) and more plainly v. . i have no commandement of the lord ; that is , there is no particular and certain precept in the word of god , to bind any particular man ( simply ) to marry , or not to marry , ( a single life being no where either commanded or forbidden ) ; yet ( saith he ) i give my judgement ; that is , in a thing which ( in it self ) is indifferent , i give my advice and counsel ; but withal signifyeth , that , what he saith , is not to be looked upon as the judgement of an ordinary man ( that may be taken or left as men list ) but as the determination of a minister and apostle of christ , who obtained mercy of the lord to be faithful ; that is , faithful to teach and declare ( as the doctor of the church ) the mind of god , ( and that by the spirit of god , v. . ) to those that sought to him for his advice ; and therefore whilest he advised them unto that which ( in regard of the circumstances ) was most expedient , they were bound to reverence and observe it , from which counsel ( notwithstanding ) out of that case , and if not clothed with such circumstances as he mentioneth , they might recede without sin : which cannot be said of an express commandement of god (g) . but that which i would more especially observe , is , that paul ( being sought by the corinthians to inform them about mariage ) doth not resolve them absolutely , and enjoyn them either to marry , or not to marry , because he had no special word of god for it ; but he gives his judgement for taking the one course or the other according as he stated it ; and ( to come to my purpose ) he stated it according to those general grounds of scripture ; by which as he was guided to give them a sound answer , so they were bound to a ready and reverend receiving of it . for , what doth he say ? or , what grounds doth he lay , but that christians are not to enter into the marryed estate , . wantonly , fancying an high felicity in it , and so longing vainly after it ; nay ( saith the apostle ) you must make account to have trouble in the flesh (h) , you must not think there 's all comfort in that estate , and nothing else . . inconsiderately : never weighing ( though perhaps , they be put in mind of them , and acknowledge them ; yet i say , never pondering nor weighing wisely ) the cares and crosses attending that estate (i) , especially in a time of persecution , which the apostle looked much at in what he speaketh (k) , and would have them ( before whom it now was ) to look at it also ; for in such a time , the church is so tossed to and fro , that the very present necessity , cries loud for their withdrawing from any thing that will add to their bu●then ( as marriage will ) if they may be without it without sin (l) . . irreligiously ; that is , without a serious and godly thinking of this own main thing , that it is our duty to design and dispose our selves into , that estate wherein we may attend upon the lord without ( or with least ) distraction (m) . now , all these things are so sutable to the sense of scripture , and to reason also ( enlightened by divine revelation ) that if men will not be thus ruled , it shews , they are not willing god should rule them . it 's true ( indeed ) that ministers ( now ) are not infallible , nor to be compared with paul ( as an apostle ) ; but yet this may be inferred from paul's way of answering the corinthian questions , that any thing is binding truly , that is deduced from the generals of scripture rightly ; else could no use be made at all ( now ) of general scripture-truths ( as to the deciding of particular cases ) ; because no man ( now ) is infallible , and so men must be left to do what they list , in those things that are not particularly and punctually defined and determined by the word of god. and , how many such things are there ? wherein , if we set aside the general ▪ sayings and declarations of the word , it will be hard for ministers to know what to say ? to mention some familiar instances . we cannot tell christian women ( particularly ) , what clothes they should wear , or how they should dress themselves ; but we can tell them from god (n) , that they must adorn themselves in modest apparel , with shamefastness and sobriety , which shuts out ( as absolutely unlawful ) platted hair , or gold , or pearls , or costly aray : i say , as absolutely unlawful , so far ( and so used ) as they crosse that general rule of modesty , shamefastness , and sobriety ; and arise from pride , lightness , luxury and intemperance . again , we cannot say , just how much men should eat and drink at a meal , or a meeting ; but , we may and must tell them ( and our selves ) that whether we eat or drink , it must be to the glory of god (o) ; which strikes strongly at , and argues unanswerably against , the ungodly , unsober , and worse then heathenish (p) drinking of healths , and clean cuts off dis●olute and drunken meetings , and all such use of the creatures as is either dishonorable to the creator , or bringeth no glo●y at all to him . lastly , ( that i may speak of one thing more , because it is in every ones eye ) we cannot tell men , just how long they ough● to wear their hair , but it doth not therefore follow , that , if in stead of wearing their hair on their heads or necks , they wear it ( as far as they can get it to go ) on their backs , shoulders , and breasts , that they may do this without any divine controul : for we can tell them , that things indifferent , are to be governed and limited by those things that are not indifferent ; if therefore mens long hair arise from pride , vanity of minde , and an affectation of being fine ( as they think ) that way , then its sure unlawful ; for though there be an indifferency in the cutting and ordering of the hair , yet pride is no indifferent thing . or , if men do it in compliance with others , that in these dayes use so much to exceed ; that general rule , be not conformed to this world (q) will , in the just extent thereof , give a check to it . or , if it be of ill report , and an offence to the wise and godly , it doth ( in that regard ) thwart with those rules , which require us to do things of good report (r) , and , in things indifferent , to give no offence to any (s) . and moreover , we can tell them what the apostle saith , and what question he propounds for better order amongst the christians at corinth , which is this , doth not even nature it self teach you , that if a man have long hair , it is a shame to him (t) ? let men consider how they will answer ●he apostle , whose words ( whatsoever shuffle men m●ke ) are , at least , thus far convincing , that men are not to wear their hair so long as to confound the sexes , and transform themselves into women , wearing an ornament , which ( take it in such a length and extent ) is proper to women ; and so , as it were , deny their sex , which god forbad in the law (u) . if it be said , for men to wear hair as long as women is ( indeed ) a fault , but not otherwise . to that i answer , . that men cannot wear , because they cannot have ( ordinarily ) hair so long as women . nature will not afford it them , having given women a moister temperature to nourish that hair , which is their distinguishing ornament and glory . . i answer further , that it is a very bad character for any man to come next to that ( though he come not fully up to it ) , which is absolutely naught and unnatural . if it be said again , that the apostle speaks of that which is against nature , not absolutely , but according to the custom of those times and places unto which he directs his speech ; when in other countreys it was otherwise . to this i answer , . that it doth not follow , that it is not against nature ( strictly taken ) to wear very long hair , because some nations have let their hair grow extreamly long ; for who knows not , that not only heathens , but divers christians do that which is against the dictate and direction of nature (x) ? . i add further ( with beza ) (y) , that the jews and people of god did not use so to nourish their hair , as appears by the law of the nazarites , not to cut their hair ; which shews that others usually did so ; and therefore that of absolom was extraordinary (z) , and his way and end , makes his example sad . . if we have recourse to custom only , yet , we may very well say , it hath not been the custom in england for men to wear their hair so excessively long : as appears by the lord comwel's imprisoning a serving-man meerly for such excess (a) : but now ( indeed ) it grows to be a custom , and so invades the whole nation , that not only every youth ( in a manner ) , but every child is put into that fashion ; i speak not of what is moderate , and modest , but of a general excess this way ; evidently declaring , that though we have been so long of late , under the hand of god , and still are under such hazzards ( notwithstanding gods admirable working for our settlement , by the return of our gracious king ) as should humble our hearts , and keep them in a modest frame ; yet , we are become more bold , more high , and a more distempered , and dissolute people , then heretofore . and here , let it be observed , that at the same time , ( that is , in the late times ) when men grew to be so horrid and illimitable in their hair , they were extreamly extravagant also in their heads , and conceits ; and as they would have such a length , and latitude of hair granted them , as should only not quite raze out the distinction of sexes ; so they pleaded for such a liberty of opinion , as should only not raze and force up the very foundations of religion : as if it were injustice to tie subjects to any laws of the nation , save only to fundamental laws ; or else , as if every law of men and of states were to be obeyed , and the laws of god and of conscience , to be dispensed with according to every mans several sense and interest . but , as prodigals that sell their woods , will shortly sell their lands ; so they that will sell truths of superstruction ( when they should buy every truth , and sell none (a) ) will be like to sell all at last , even the truths of the foundation ▪ ( as divers of late have done ) and leave themselves nothing to live upon , and walk by , but false lights , and true fancies . if this be a digression , the exorbitances of the times , yea , the excesses and offences that present themselves in every poor countrey-congregation , have drawn it from me . howsoever , i am sure , i am not altogether gone beyond my purpose , which was , and is , to shew , that the general rules of scripture , and the determinations of ministers according to , and in vertue of , those general rules , are binding in particular cases ▪ this being ( before hand ) observed ; we may take notice of some general scripture-grounds , tending to the establishing of family-prayer ; particularly , gods glory , and , our own good . . gods glory ] all we do , should be as much as may be for the glory (b) of god. now , it is more for gods glory , that a whole family should be on their knees together , then that the●e should be here and there , a single suitor ; for as , in the multitude of people is the kings honour (c) ; so , in the multitude of praying people , is the honor of the king of heaven : hence david ( studying the glory of god ) saith , o magnifie the lord with me , and let us exalt his name together (d) . and paul is still earnest for saints joynt-supplications , because when they help together in prayer , then , for the gift bestowed by the means of many persons , thanks is given by many (e) . and , as he that offereth praise to god , glorifieth him (f) ; so , by many thanksgivings to god , he is more abundantly glorifyed , cor. . , . . our own good ] god would have us to be wise for our selves (g) , and to know things for our own good (h) . now , the more suitors there be , the more like they be ( other things being alike ) to have their suit granted ; else , why are the people of god call'd upon ( on more important occasions ) to seek him together (i) ? it s true , there cannot be so solemn an assembly in a private house , as when the trumpet is blown in zion ; but yet a christian-housholder , kneeling before the lord , with his wife , and children , and whole family , is ( in some part , and with a religious resemblance ) like jehosaphat and judah , standing before the lord with their little ones , their wives , and their children (k) ; a thing which the lord likes so well , that he undertakes that himself (l) which is by so many cast upon him . go , gather together all the jews ( saith esther ) and fast ye for me , and if i perish , i perish ; i 'le venture my life upon that concurrent course (m) . we finde also in the new testament , that the prayer of the christian company , made the house shake where they were assembled together (n) . and church-prayers , bring peter out of prison ; in witness whereof , he comes to that very house where many were gathered together praying (o) . nor is the joyning of the family in prayer , beneficial only for the better hearing of the petitions presented to god in the generality ; but , in special , for the better speeding of all houshold-affairs ; for , as our nourishment , so our imployment , is sanctified by the word and prayer (p) ; which is the more considerable in a family , because the scripture lets us know , how much the prosperity thereof depends on the blessing of god (q) ; which is , ( as was said before ) like to be more obtained , when it is sought by more , and when god is wrestled with , by an united strength of faith and fervency . if it be here objected ( as it is like enough to be ) that in ordinary families , there are divers persons in whom there is little appearance of faith , and grace ; and then , what strength can they give to the duty of prayer ? to this i answer , . that the same objection might have been made against all judah that stood before god with their little ones , their wives , and their children (r) : for ( sure ) they were not all israel ( that is , truly gracious and clean in heart (s) ) that were of israel (t) . and yet we find that of that general appearing , there was a great acceptation ; yea , god will have gathered together children , and those that suck the breasts (u) . besides that , it is required , that in the church ( which will always be a (x) mixt company ) [ amen ] should be said by the whole assembly , which notes such a conjunction , as makes the prayer common to all ; yea , and commodious also : for god requires no unprofitable thing . now the reason why god requires and accepts this joyning together is , because he is honoured ; yea , his honour is heightened by the submission and seeking of his people when they are gathered together , though divers or many of the company are not persons truly gracious . and howsoever infants and sucklings cannot pray , ( and so , sorry men and women are like to pray very poorly themselves ) ; yet ●thers , by looking on them , and taking to heart their hazzardous condition , may thereby be stirred up to pray much mo●e earnestly and effectually . yea , the beasts of niniveh may lowden their cry , jonah . . . i answer , that it is too high and hard for us , to pronounce who ( in a family ) have true grace , and who have not ; and we are not to reason away conjunction in religious exercises by uncertain conjectures . nay , though they do by their outward and ill carriage , give great occasion to judge them bad and unregenerate men , and they be ( indeed ) such ; yet , the having and holding of them to a course of religion in the family , may ( through the blessing of god ) prevail for their reformation ; yea , we do not know , but that the prayers of the company and houshold ( wherein there be some that have grace ) may be a means ( through grace ) of the working of grace in those that joyn with them , though as yet , they have no grace : so sauls conversion is supposed to be given in of god , by the prayer of steven (y) . and the conversion of augustine ( who was , as saul , much corrupted in opinion ) , by the prayers and tears of his ever-weeping and seeking mother . august . confes● . lib. . . & . . (z) . . i answer further , and grant , that the●e is not the same acceptance of prayer from persons that want the grace of god , as from them that have it ; for gracious persons , being in christ , are in him accepted (a) , as having a ●ight to all the promises of god , which in him are yea , and in him amen (b) , and whereof they are the heirs (c) . but though they that want grace , faith , and interest in our high-priest , cannot come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy , and find grace (d) , as believers may ; yet , they may be so far accepted , as to be helpers for the obtaining of outward blessings . we find , pilgrims , and prisoners ; sickmen , and seamen ; crying to god in their distress , and he ( who takes notice of the voice of nature and necessity ) sa●eth and delivereth them in that way , out of all their troubles (e) . nor were the ninevites deceived in the hope they had of preventing perishing by praying , and crying mightily unto god : for in that way they prevailed , though we cannot say , for the pardon of their sin , and saving of their souls ; yet , for the saving of their city , ( at least , at that time ) . . to shut up this ; if this objection will hold , we must exclude all men that are not good men , from the duty of prayer ; yea , of private prayer ; when yet we know that prayer is a general duty (f) . and unto simon magus ( that had no pa●t nor lot in gospel●saving priviledges , but ●ay in the gall of wickedness , and bond of iniquity , unto him , notwithstanding ) peter saith , repent of this thy wickedness , and pray god if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart ●ay be forgiven thee (g) . it s true that peter bids him repent first , and then pray ; for prayer cannot be heard for pardon of sin , ( unless by pardon , we ●nderstand , the removal of some outward judgement ) ▪ i say , prayer cannot be heard for the pardon of sin ( as i●●inds over do everlasting condemnation ) , unless in a way of true repentance , and yet god is so full of compassion as to forgive iniquity : so as not to destroy (h) even those who seek him , because he slaies them , whose professions and fair promises are but flatteries ; and whose hearts are not right with him , nor stedfast in his covenant , in their returnings to him . having been so long in the first position , i shall be shorter in those that follow . the second position . approved examples are binding to the end of the world , in those things wherein the case is alike . for why are they written and recorded in scripture , but for our learning ? rom. . . and why are they approved and commended in scripture , but for our imitation (i) ? sure , it is a duty to follow the servants of god , in any thing that is a part of their heavenly conversation (k) , such as family-piety is , act. . . now , we find in scripture , divers examples of governours of families , joyning with their houshold in the duty of prayer . and on that only i shall now insist , to wit , mens praying with their families ; the time when they should do it , i shall speak to afterwards . . then , we find , that abraham ( journying with all his family ) did build an altar unto the lord , who appeared unto him , and called on the name of the lord (l) . the like we find in jacob with his houshold , gen. . , , . . we have the example of job , who sent and sanctified his sons (m) , which some understand thus ; he prep●red them , not only ceremonially , but spiritually , and namely by prayers , and then it sheweth that they joyned together in praying (n) . others understand it thus , that he sent a messenger to them , and required them to sanctifie themselves , that they might be present in an holy and pure manner at those sacrifices which he ( as the father , and priest of the family ) intended to offer for them (o) ; and if we take it so , then it holds forth thus much , that job and his sons joyned together in sacrificing , with which sacrificing , prayer was adjoyned , as we see sam. . . & king. . . also we read (p) of david's excusing himself by an yearly sacrifice for all his family : of which howsoever david made a plea for the appeasing of saul , yet it shews , that in those days family-conjunction in sacrificing and praying , was no● unusual . and when it is said , thus did job continually (q) , or all the days , ( to wit , wherein his sons feasted , every one his day (r) ; beza ( thereupon ) gives us this note , there 's no doubt ( saith he ) but that the dayly worship of god was also diligently observed in this most holy family , and that every seventh day at least was , as god from the beginning of the world had ordained , gen. . . exactly sanctified . . the example of joshua is remarkable , who thus declares his resolution , as for me and my house , we will serve the lord (s) : which he speaks not of , as his duty only , but as proposing himself an example of that which was the peoples duty generally in their several houses and dwellings , from whence ariseth this argument , every family in israel was , and by the same reason every christian family is , bound to do with their housholds what he did with his , that is , to serve the lord , or the only true god. if any ask , what is this to the duty of prayer ? i answer , he that saith , i will serve god , saith also , i will pray to him (t) , as ( to take an homely similitude ) , he that saith , i will be your hinde , saith , i will plough your ground , for the one comprehends the other as the main thing in it ; and so it is here ; prayer is so special , and comprehensive a service , that it is put in scripture , for the whole worship of god (u) ; therefore they that resolve to come in to be the servants of god , express themselves thus ; let us go to pray before the lord , and to seek the lord of hosts (x) : and when atheistical men say , what is the almighty that we should serve him ? their next word , ( wherein they explain themselves ) is , and what profit shall we have , if we pray unto him ? and ( indeed ) there is no other service wherein the whole family is so reverently , seriously , and solemnly , conjoyned , and so directly make their address to god ( whose servants they profess themselves to be ) as in the ▪ duty of prayer ; for that 's a looking of god in the face (y) . it is expresly said of david , that after he had been about the solemn service of god , that is , the carrying of the ark in publick , he returned to bless his houshold (z) : and what is that , but , in the name of the lord , to desire the blessing of the lord upon them (a) ; as when isaac prayed earnestly for jacob , departing from him (b) ; esau resolves it into this , that he had blessed jacob. . we have the example of esther , who saith , i also ( not resting there , but ) i , and my maidens , will fast likewise (c) , which fasting is still joyned with prayer , sam. . . mark. . . . of the nation of the jews in gospel-times , of whom it is said , that the land shall mourn , every family apart (d) , that is , there shall not only be mourning in a publick way , but there shall be also ( with respect to the crucifying of christ ) private and h●ushold-humiliation , ( families laying to heart their horrible sin ) which implyes confession and prayer (e) , and the bringing home of the national provocation to their own doors ; yea , this is spoken of , as that which shall be the practice of the most eminent persons , the family of the house of nathan , of levi , and of shimei , shall mourn apart (f) ; and so , all other families generally . it hath regard to the jews mourning , as then was in use amongst them , as the dutch annotations observe . we read , in divers scriptures , of the church in such and such an house (g) . this is understood two ways ; . that such houses are called churches , because therein the church , in those times used to meet for the worship of god. a learned man excepts against this , and saith , it is not like that paul ( in that place of the romans ) meaneth the saints which met there for the publike service of god , by reason of the particular salutation of divers of them following (h) . but if we take that meaning , it will not hinder but help in what we have now in hand ; it being very unlike , that they who entertained others into their houses to pray , ( for prayer was a main thing in their publike meetings , act. . . ) would suffer their houses to be without prayer when they were absent . . many others understand it thus (i) , to wit , that by [ church in the house ] is meant the inhabitants of the family , called a church . because of the largeness and numerousness of the family making up a little church . . and because of the duties of reading , catechising , prayer , singing of psalms , and godly discipline , whereby the private family resembleth the church in their publike church-worship . if thus we understand the words , then here is a plain example of performing the duty of family-prayer in the first christians families ; their houses being ( like gods house ) houses of prayer , isa. . . perhaps that of erasmus ( in his annotations on rom. . . ) might rightly compose the former difference ; for he tells us , that the christian family ; and any other that came to them and joyned themselves with them ( as we find in the house of mary , many gathered together praying , act. . . ) are called by the name of church ; and then it will shew that it was then the use of christians to perform religious duties in their families , wherein they were glad to have others accompany them ( as it is with godly housholders at this day . ) the third position . every promise of scripture ( made to any duty ) contains in it a vertual command , ( as every command contains a promise (k) ) : else , if that be not done , which is the condition of the promise , the promise will lie unperformed , and so come to nothing . now the promise is , that , if two agree together on earth , as touching any thing that they shall ask , it shall be done for them in heaven ; for where two or three are gathered together in my name , ( saith christ ) there am i in the midst of them (l) . it 's true , that as the words stand in the context , they have a respect to church-discipline , and are ( in their more particular application ) a confirmation of that ; but , yet the words ( being general ) they are justly applyed to the religious meetings of gods people in a generality ; as otherwhere therefore ( saith calvin (m) , ) god promiseth to lend a gracious ear to the private prayers of every one of his servants ; so here christ ad●rns , and honours publike prayers with a singular promise , that thereby he may more earnestly draw us to a regard of them ; which may appear , because christs speech is so large , as that he saith [ touching any thing they shall ask ] : so that he doth not appropriate the promise to that particular case which is there spoken to ; but extendeth it to any other thing which shall be presented to god , ( according to his will ) in the united petitions of his united servants (n) . hence i argue , that if there be two or three ( more or fewer ) in a family , if they will challenge the benefit of this promise , they must come together , ( yea , by this gracious promise , they are call'd together ) to pray and seek god together ; for it is union in duty , and particularly in prayer , that our saviour in that text and promise doth allure and encourage us unto . and what two or three are there ( who have any acquaintance with god ) that would be without more of god for want of coming and praying together , the more to enjoy him ? the fourth position . every dreadful threatning , contains in it a real and a moving forbidding of that which will bring upon us the thing threatened . now the scripture saith , pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not , and the families which call not upon thy name (o) , who if they be not heathens , yet in that , they are like heathens . here it may be said , ( and i shall grant it ) that the word [ families ] in scripture , is an expression of nations ; for at one time it was said to abram , in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed (p) , and at another time , all the nations of the earth (q) ; but withall i add , that it is an expression and description of nations as they are distributed ( as all nations are (r) , ) into families and housholds , and so the curse lies ( as upon such nations , so ) on all families ( not calling upon god ) as the subordinate bodies of those nations , yea , therein it lies most heavily upon the whole nations . object . the prophet jeremiah speaks there of idolaters that call not on the true god. answ. i deny not that ; but here let it be observ'd , that the thing which the prophet mentions , is not the worshipping of false gods , but the not-worshipping , or the not-calling upon , the true god , which is a thing that not only ●e●thens are guilty of , but b●d men in the church also (s) ; withal , it is to be marked , that he names families , and fixeth the curse on them under this title of not calling on the name of god. if then , other families ag●ee with them in their description , that is , that they do not know and own god in calling upon his name ; let them consider , whether they be not under the danger of this imprecation . i know , there is a further reason of the curse added in the conclusion , that is , because they eat , devour , and consume jacob (t) ; but , yet the subjects of the curse are such as know not god , and call not on his name ; and this , and opposing and oppressing the servants of god go together , not only out of the church , but in it : i am loth to speak over-severely of families , wherein , for want of instruction and acquaintance with the necessity of such a duty , prayer is wanting ; but let all men mark , ( when there is a persecution ) , whether prayerless-families , be not the persecuting-families ( though all of them be not such . ) in this , the scripture is clear , which speaks of corrupt men in the church , just as jeremy speaks of heathens here , describing them to be such as know not god ; for they say , there is no god (u) , and that eat up gods people as bread , and call not upon the lord (x) ; so that the neglecting of all religion ( set forth by calling on god ) and the hatred and opposition of godly men , go together . to conclude this , what are the housholds of christians ? are they not , or should they not be , families fearing god ? and the fear of god with all a mans house , and praying to god alway , are joyned together (y) , as the casting off fear , and restraining prayer before god , ( though ill applyed to job ) elsewhere are (z) : again , should not the particular houshold of christians be ( like the whole household ) housholds of faith (a) ? and if they be so , then ( surely ) they will be praying-famil●es ; for trusting in god , and pouring forth the heart before him , go together (b) . from all this , it followeth , that calling on the name of the lord , is not only that which putteth a difference between the church and heathens (c) , and between persons converted and unconverted (d) ; but , ( which we may observe at this day ) that which makes a remarkable difference between housholders fearing god , and acquainted with religion , and those that are not such . i do not say , that all that have prayer in their family , are truly good ; but cert●inly , their goodness is very young , and very immature , that have it not , and they have very much cause to inquire whether they have any at all , that care not to have it . in such ways as these , god calls upon us to call upon him , together with our family . though it be not said in so many words , that every christian housholder is to pray with his houshold , yet this is really said in scripture , that they are to glorifie god in their families ; and , that they are to serve god in their families , by performing that duty of prayer wherein the whole service of god is held forth ; and that they should bless their housholds , and take the best course ( which is the course of prayer ) with them ▪ to procure gods blessing upon them (e) . if such things as these will not serve to make housholders godly , they will ( sure ) serve to make them inexcusable for their ungodliness . as it will never serve to excuse the excess of intemperate and immodest men and women , that god hath not told them how much they shall eat , or what clothes they shall put on ; so neither will it serve to excuse their defects in prayer , or any other christian duty , that god hath not spoken particullarly and punctually of it ; for they ought to reverence the general rules , and , as neer as may be , to mould their carriage according to the mind of god , and herein be like the angels , who do not only obey the precise precepts of their glorious lord and god , but delight to fulfill all his pleasure (f) , and what they conceive , by any hint they have from him , to be acceptable to him. beneplaciti nomine laetum & hilare ●bsequium exprimit , ac si dixisset ; angelos non solum dei praeceptis obsequentes esse , sed libentèr , & cum summa oblectatione accipere ejus nutus , ut ejus bene placitis obtemperent . calv. in psal. . . thus for the grounds of scripture , whereon family-prayer is founded . i come now to some reasons ( agreeable unto scripture ) which may further perswade to this duty . i shall insi●t upon three only . first , god requires homage and service not only from single persons , but from societies and companies of men ; as . from a land and nation , as appears from the lords calling of his people the jews , to the three solemn feasts ordinarily (g) , ( besides the new-moons , wherein families used to joyn together in sacrificing (h) ) ; and , to the duty of fasting , both yearly (i) and on extraordinary occasions , joel . , . . from particular churches in the new-testament , which ( according to the will god ) were to joyn in spiritual worship , and in the duty of prayer , tim. , , . cor. . . with cor. . , , . . from particular companies partaking in the same favour . if ten lepers be cured , and but one return to give thanks ; christ saith , where are the other nine ? being not content that less then ten should joyn together in thanksgiving for the mercy that ten receive (k) . experience tells us how agreeable this society-service is to right reason ; for , a king coming to the vniversity , looks for vniversity , ( and a kind of universal ) entertainment ; and coming to a town-corporate , expects not only significations of love and loyalty from single persons , but humble addresses also from the corporation . since therefore every family is an united body , that body and society should own and acknowledge god in the performance of united service : else the lord may say , this and that person served me , but i had no service from the family . secondly , this reason , and this duty is the rather to be urged from a further reason , which is this ; wheresoever there are common concernments , or common causes of seeking to god , there should be a common and joynt seeking , and therefore in families : for there are there , sins , wants , mercies , and afflictions , wherein the whole family in concern'd . . sins ] which though committed by some , or by one only , yet endanger the whole houshold , as we know achan's sin did ; and therefore for the glorifying of god (l) , and the preventing of their general suffering , it behooves all of them , with one consent , to acknowledge the sin committed by any of them : in which way they may hope for reconciliation , such as abigail found with david , when ( being not guilty her self ) she confessed the folly of her guilty husband , sam. . , — , . it 's wisdom for the father of a family to be like aaron ; that is , to take a course for an atonement for himself and his houshold (m) , which will be best done in job's way , that is , by calling the family together , sanctifying them , offering the sacrifice of a broken heart , and flying to the sacrifice of a broken christ , job . . . wants ] family-wants there are , and ever will be , as want of health , of strength , of ease , perhaps of bread (n) : here all should joyn together to beg of god what is wanting , because there will be a common comfort in the enjoying of it (o) , and by their common prayer they are the more like to obtain it ( as hath been shewed before . ) . mercies ] as peace , protection , health , plenty , wherein ( the whole family partaking ) the governour thereof hath great reason to say to all that are under his roof , o magnifie the lord with me , and let us exalt his name together (p) . god loves to hear the voyce of rejoycing , not only in the closets and chambers , but in the tabernacles of the righteous (q) . and therefore gave this command to his people of old . thou shalt rejoyce in every good thing which the lord thy god hath given unto thee , and [ unto thine house , ] deut. . . . afflictions ] if but one person in a family , being under the hand ( especially an heavier hand ) of god , the whole family suffers ; the more reason therefore there is to joyn together , that by the joynt petition of all , that may be removed which is grievous to all . even nature will teach that coming with one accord , is the most likely way to remove high displeasure (r) . this may ( in part ) shew that to omit family-prayer is not only an ungodly thing , but an unreasonable , and a great disadvantage as well as a defect . thirdly , i reason further for this duty , from the persons that neglect calling upon god with their housholds , and from the reason of that neglect . . the persons neglecting this duty are usually men less fearing god (s) , less acquainted with religinn , and cold in the profession and practice of it ; for as for gracious and grown christians there is ( we may say ) a common instinct of piety (t) , and holy impulsion of heart that puts them upon this duty ; insomuch , that the looking up of housholders , with their houshold , unto god , seems not so much to require reason to inforce it , as a vigorous religion which will certainly infer it . . as to the causes of the neglect , they are the more considerable , because the truth is , that this question , whether housholders ought to perform the duty of prayer with those belonging unto them ? will be most plainly answered by another question , which is this , what good reason can any man give , why he doth not ( especially , why he will nor ) pray in his family ? now the causes of the neglect , will ( as i conceive ) be found such as these ; . in lower and poorer people , ignorance and unacquaintedness with religion . they are loth to be persuaded to do , what they find it will be hard to do , and which they see , in themselves little ability to perform ; and , yet this will not excuse them , because there are so many helps fo● prayer , as will prove their fault to be , want of hearts to that duty ; that ( therefore ) which such are to do , is to follow on to know the lord ; and then , they shall know (u) and get such ability from that which god speaks to them , as to be able themselves competently and comfortably to speak ( in prayer ) unto god ; for , revelation is the rise of supplication● , sam. . . . in worse persons , profaneness is an enemy to prayer , and an aversness from rhe service of god ; yea , not only a loathness , but a loathing to look after religious duties . wicked men leave off to be wise and to do good (x) , and say of the offering of spiritual sacrifices to god , behold what a weariness is it (y) ; yea , perhaps , they are loth to stoop so low as to be so much disciples (z) , and to bow down and kneel before the lord their maker in the presence of those belonging to their charge , psal. . . being therein of michals haughty mind , sam. . . . spiritual sloth , and a lazy listlesness , makes people unwilling to buckle with such a duty , and to take the pains to furnish themselves for such a service . they could find in their heart to pray in their family , but the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing (a) . unto this backwardness in many , bashful●ess is added in divers others , and a natural fear and diffidence , making them very ●napt to appear and act in any solemn religious duty when they are in company . this disease , and holding off from so good an action , should be corrected ( for the present ) by conscience of the duty , and consideration of his calling to it , who is the governour of a family ; and the using of the exercise will ( through gods blessing ) in a short time work the cure , and take off the difficulty . nicodemus , that comes in the night , at first ; appears at length , in the light , and owned a crucified christ , john . , . . in many men , worldliness is a great impediment , for so eager are men on their earthly occasions and advantages , that they cannot afford time for spiritual duties (b) : but let such consider , that in this they are peny-wise and pound-foolish ; like a man that hath a journey to go , and is so hasty , that he will not stay the making ready of his horse ; or like saul , that said to the priest , with-draw thine hand (c) . he was so hasty , and looked upon his occasions as so urgent , that he thought it no wisdom to abide with god to wait his answer . and ( again ) , like saul that was so eager of pursuit and revenge , that he adjured the people that not a man of them should eat any food till the evening , and so they were faint , and could not make that slaughter they might have done among the philistins (d) ; he was so greedy of his ends that he lost his ends . even so they that are so greedy after the world , that god can have none of their attendance , either have not what they look for , or have it not in mercy . god is very gracious unto us , but it is , at the voyce of our cry , isa. . . . in some men , atheism is the hinderance , whereby men use to make light (e) of such heavenly things as hearing and praying are . a farm , a wife , or a yoke of oxen may be the next reason , but atheism lies at the bottom ; for let all men examine ( namely when they cannot afford god a prayer morning and evening , ) whether this thought do not lodge in the heart of one and of another of them ; to go about my business will do me some good , but praying in my family will do me none , but only hinder me of so much time . now this wicked thought , to wit , that all time is lost that is bestowed in the service of god ; and that they that pray not , do as well as they that do , i say , this is down-right atheism . the bottom-cause of not calling upon god , is , that , the fool saith in his heart , there is no god. see for this , psal. . , , . job . . mal. . . upon the whole , let every man enter into his own heart , and consider , what comfort there can be in refraining houshold-worship , and restraining prayer on such reasons as these ; which yet ( upon sincere and serious consideration ) will ( no doubt ) be found the ordinary pul-backs from so good a duty . it remaineth now to enquire ( after the former proofs for family-prayer ) what time is to be allotted to this duty , wherein i shall endeavour to shew two things , . that it is to be used every day . and that . morning and evening . first , the duty of prayer is to be performed every day : whereof while i speak in general , it will have an influence into , and ( by parity of reason ) argue for , family-prayer . reasons of dayly prayer , are many ; and they are already given and published (f) ; i shall only recite some of them . viz. . because our saviour christ in that prayer which we call the lords-prayer , directs and commands us to ask our dayly bread every day ; nor is there less , but the same ( or a greater ) reason to desire every day , other things that we dayly and dearly need , as [ the forgiving of our dayly trespasses ] — the not leading us into tentation , when satan layes dayly snares for us : as also , to give thanks ( which the conclusion of that prayer teacheth ) for every days mercy . every day supplyeth new matter both of petition and thanksgiving (g) ; and therefore it calleth us to make supplication to the lord , that he may do for us at all times as the matter shall require , king. . . and to give him thanks , who [ dayly ] loadeth us with benefits , psal. . . because every day hath its evils and vexations , which are to be sweetned with prayer , and made tolerable , mat. . . and its comforts also , and contentments , which are to be sanctified by prayer and made profitable , tim. . . . because we know not whether we shall live till to morrow , and therefore should not neglect god to day , which may be our last day . men would pray all day long to day , if they knew they should die to morrow ; and they do not know they shall not , and therefore should not live as if they did , and let alone god. . though we were never so sure of our lives , yet we are to know that we live alwayes in the presence of god ; and , shall a child be in the presence of his father all day long , and shew him no special reverence , neither in the morning when he seeth him first , nor when he leaves him last in the evening ? . we find in scripture that god hath had better children , who have come before him , twice , thrice , yea seven times ( that is , very often ) in a day (h) : daniel was eminent in this ; whose custom it was to pray three times (i) a day ; and as he used to do , so he did , though he knew ( yea , because he knew ) he was to be thrown into the lions den for so doing . he was so far from dissimulation , that he seems glad of an occasion to own and acknowledge his god , in the duty of prayer , though he perish himself . . the command of praying without ceasing (k) , will not permit a days ceasing ; i speak not here of so much , or so long , ( which , occasions may vary ) ; but , to live a whole day without god , and without any intercourse with god by prayer ( unless in case of inability of body or mind , whereby a christian is not himself ) is that which the spirit of god in scripture will not bear with , and which the spirit of a godly man cannot bear ; which may be discovered in daniel , ( though his were a special case ) who , when there was a decree for thirty days , could not forbear his praying to god three times a day for one day , dan. . . thus in general , for dayly prayer ; which conscience will easily carry ( and help these reasons to reach ) to family-prayer ; the rather because the faults and wants of families are laid on the governour of the family (l) , and the charge is drawn up against the house , as we see in the case of eli's sons , sam. . . . besides that , a true worshipper of god , is loth god should be from home , from his home , a whole day together (m) . it is enquired secondly , when this duty is to be performed ( whether it be by single persons , or by societies ) wherein , it is granted that christians are not tyed to any set hours in the day ; and , yet it is profitable ( as calvin speaks ) to have some certain hours consecrated to prayer , lest prayer should be forgotten , which ought to be preferred before all other cares and concernments (n) ; set-hours do not bind , but mind conscience , and give it the advantage of pleading prescription . the occasions and frame of every family will point at the fittest times for family-duty , wherein , if any hindrance arise at the ordinary fixed time , the next convenient time is to be chosen ; but the common season for this service will be comprehended within the general names and times of morning and evening ; at which times , both scripture and reason , and the common custom of persons professing any religion , call us to this duty of calling upon god. . scripture ] to wit , by the legal sacrifices enjoyned the people of god morning and evening under the law (o) ; whereunto incense ( a type of prayer (p) , ) was added , which may shew that we are to offer unto god the fruit of our lips , and spiritual sacrifices day by day , continually (q) . hereunto agreeth the example of david , who directed his prayer to god in the morning (r) , and the lifting up of whose hands were the evening sacrifice (s) , which thing is prophesied of also concerning the gentiles ( after the jewish manner of speaking , but to be understood spiritually ) as that whereby the name of god should be greatned from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same (t) . unto this it may be added , that whereas it was commanded the jews to offer two lambs day by day continually the one in the morning , the other at evening (u) ; the hebrew doctors say thereupon that , the continual sacrifice of the morning made atonement for the iniquities that were done in the night , and the evening sacrifice made atonement for the iniquities that were by day (x) . and ( sure ) in all families there 's great need of such an atonement . ( & for all persons ) which is no way to be had but by the sacrifice of jesus christ (y) . nor is the benefit of that to be had but in the publicans way (z) , that is , in a way of prayer , and humble suing for it ; nor can there be a fitter time to seek it , and come to the sacrifice , then in the morning for the sins of the night , for which ( otherwise ) we may be smitten before night ; and in night , for the sins of the day , for which ( otherwise ) we may be destroyed before the morning . yea , this is one thing whereby ( according to the old-testament usage , the holy substance whereof still continueth ; ) i say , this is one thing whereby our houses may be dedicated to god , ( whose tenants at will we are ) , to wit , by dayly prayer (a) . . reason and the light of nature ] which leads all sorts of people to use some kind of prayer , when they rise up and lie down , and that upon great reason ( extending it self to family-prayer ; ) that is , because it is god that makes men and their families prosper by day (b) , and to sleep safely in the night . great reason hath every man in his dwelling , to say , i will kneel down and pray , before he say , i will lie down and sleep ; and that , because he must needs say , ( if he will speak truth ) , thou lord only makest me dwell in safety , psal. . . the mercies of this god are new every morning , great is his faithfulness , lam. . . and therefore great reason there is , to shew forth his loving kindness in the morning , and his faithfulness every night , psal. . . i shall say no more but this , use family-prayer conscionably and faithfully ; observe the effect of it diligently and wisely ; and then , it will plead for it self abundantly . as knowledge hath no enemy but such as do not know ; so prayer hath no enemy but such as do not pray , or pray only for a fashion , and , because they cannot either for fear or shame omit it : or , because they think to make god indebted by it , and obliged to prosper them in their affairs (c) ; otherwise , the holy and happy use of prayer , will sufficiently apologize for it , and perswade to it : and , that in the family , the houses of those wherein god ( in that way ) is entertained , being ( unless god see cause of doing otherwise for a greater good then outward prosperity is ) like the house of obed-edom (d) , all whose houshold was blessed whilest the ark continued there , spiritual exercises being accompanyed , not only with spiritual but even with outward advantages ; and god being ( where he abides ) like the sun , to make chearful , and the rain to make fruitful , hos. . . (e) . thus far of family-prayer , referring a short form of prayer for morning and evening for the use of weak christians , unto the end and close of this treatise . and shall , in the mean time speak very briefly ( having spoken so largely of the things already handled ) of two other holy houshold-exercises , to wit , repeating of sermons : and singing of psalms . chap. iii. of repetition of sermons in families . the repeating of sermons , i shall endeavour to move christians unto , ( as i have done in other things before-mentioned ) both by scripture and reason . grounds of scripture for sermon-repetition . the first scripture i shall mention , is , jer. . , . where the lord first commands jeremy to write all the words which he had spoken from the days of josiah unto that day ; and thereupon , jeremy calls baruch to write them from his mouth , and then commands him to read what he had written in the ears of the people , that so they might be brought to serious repentance for the preventing of their ruine ; which sheweth , that things preached by ministers ( as jeremie's sermons were in the temple ) , or instructions delivered from ministers mouths ( as these words were now from jeremie's mouth ) , being written and repeated , are of special use ; and so may serve to recommend unto us both the writing and repeating of sermons . . the writing ; that being here prescribed , and being so needful , that what is preached , may be rightly and fully repeated . and therefore , though the repeating be that which i intend to perswade here , yet i shall speak something of and for the writing of sermons , because that is of such use for the repetition ; and answer what is most considerably objected against it . object . writing hindereth hearing , that is , hearing with such attention and affection , and giving up the whole man to it , as there may be , if noting be laid aside , and hearing be the only work . whereunto i answer , that as it is not in my thoughts to bind every one to noting , so neither is it my mind and sense , that any should be taken off from hearing with the best advantage , ( i say , with the best advantage , all things considered ) ; for i look upon hearing as a necessary duty , and a special part of our obedience , but upon repeating as an auxiliary exercise , and a part of our beneficial assistance . besides , that divers cannot write , and all that can write , are not so able and apr for writing of sermons . nor doth this , prejudice and take off the present business , which is repetition : for a diligent hearer may ( if he please , and be so provident ) write what he hears immediately after he hath heard it , and so repeat it ; or , if he write not at all , yet , being able to retain it in his memory , he may communicate it in repetition , by that ability ; as the words which the man of god had spoken to jeroboam against his altar were told , and ( we may say ) repeated , by the sons of the old prophet unto their father , king. . . (a) . but here i shall offer ( to prevent the neglect of so great an help as writing is ) these considerations , and advertisements . . let every man deal truly ; for the heart is deceitful above all things (b) , and whilest one pretends ( or perhaps , intends ) a better hearing ; yet he may , through the secret workings of corruption , forbear noting , because he is loth to take the pains which noting requires ; yea , ( it 's possible ) because he is not willing to be noted to be a sermon-noter , that being a thing which some will look upon , as too low for higher and more considerable persons . . repetition is here spoken of ( in special ) as it is a family-edifying exercise , which if it be left to memory , useth to be as defective as the memory is slippery ; or , ( where there is less zeal , and piety is less pleasing ) to be altogether omitted , and that by the omission of writing ; which would both furnish the hearer for repetition , and make it minded , and make it easie , and so make it more willingly undertaken . . writing shews an estimation of what we hear , and a resolution to preserve the remembrance of it ; as when hezekiah would shew how he prized his cure , and that it was in his heart to preserve the memory of it , there was the writing of hezekiah (c) . . as hearing without noting , may more stir up affection ; so noting with hearing more prevents distractions , which satan , by the variety of objects , more easily raiseth and multiplyeth when the mind is not kept to the matter by the intention of the writer . . though by hearing without writing , the heart may be more moved , yet writing so imprints there that which is heard as that it is not so soon removed ; for writing hath with it a multiplyed thinking of , and running over and over again ( in the inward thoughts ) that which is preached and heard , till it be written down , and so it sinks more deeply , and leaves in the heart a more lasting impression . . we are to hear for the time to come (d) . now , hearing alone , is for present use ; but , accompanyed with writing , for after-use . the sermon written may be read and reveiwed a month , or twelve months after ; yea , it may remain for the use of others many years after we are dead . hence the scripture when it would express the continuance of things , and the way of that continuance , saith , this shall be written for the generation to come , psal. . . (e) . i do not say , it will be thus , if book after book be fill'd with notes , which few or none can read but the writer himself ; but , thus it will be , if , what is written ( for present ) hastily , be after written out legibly , which , because leisure will not permit many to do ( if we speak of copying out whole sermons , ) therefore i would advise christians to an easier and shorter course , and that is , when they have noted largely , to observe the whole , and then cull out , and write out fair the choisest passages (f) , which may be done more fully or more briefly , as time will give leave , and as the sermons and christians condition give cause and occasion . by this means , posterity ( when they are in heaven ) may reap the benefit of that which they heard delivered , and were so careful to lay up ; yea , by writing out briefly profitable and acceptable words of all sorts , the surviving godly reader will be a great gainer by things so useful , and be much refresh'd al●o with the variety of them . if it be objected , that the case here was a special cas● , because jeremy was shut up , and could not go to the house of the lord ; and therefore is not to be drawn to common use . to this i answer two things , . that the case may quickly be such at any time , as that which is described here ; for . no man knows how soon ministers may be shut up , ( as jeremy here was ) , that they cannot speak to their ordinary hearers . and , . hearers know not how soon they may be shut up , either by sickness or restraint , that they cannot come to ministers , and therefore , it 's wisdom to make use of the present liberty , in writing down , and laying up , present instructions ; that so , though intercourse with ministers be interrupted or removed , yet their sermons being ( as they say ) in black and white , their former intercourse with them , and hearing of them , may in this way , make some comfortable amends , and serve for a profitable supply : whereas , if old sermons be forgotten , and new sermons cannot be gotten ; christians are like to be at a sad loss , yea , though there be printed sermons to be had ; for , howsoever they may be very profitable , yet they may not be so sutable to the times and their state as those which they have heard , and which ( perhaps ) were prepared at first with respect to their condition . . i answer , that in the course taken here , to write from the mouth of jeremy what was to be read by baruch , we are not only to consider the occa●ion , but the end and use , which was , that by reading the words written in the ears of all judah , they might thereby be moved to such humiliation and reformation , as that the evil they heard pronounced might not come upon them (g) : now , albeit , that occasion was a more special occasion , yet this end is a common end : which , whilest it lets us see that the writing and reading of sermons preached , is a good means ( yea , gods means ) to work the heart to goodness , it doth thereby perswade us to imitation , and , 〈◊〉 attaining the same end , to take the same course ; which if it be done more solemnly in a day of humiliation ( as then it was ) , it is probable it will prevail the more . thus far i have spoken ( by occasion of this scripture ) with special respect to the writing of sermons : and now i shall briefly add that here is recommended , . the repeating of them ] because , for that reason it was that the words spoken by the mouth of jeremy must be written by baruch , to wit , that they might be read and repeated to those to whom they were first delivered , by the mouth of baruch , and the remainder of the chapter sheweth also that they were again read and repeated before the nobles and the king. and this declareth the use of noting sermons , which is not to lay them up in books , and there leave them ; but to repeat and communicate them to others : indeed , it 's true , that what was done here , was done by the lords direction ; and , what was read here , was read in the lords house ; but , there being no just cause to appropriate this course ( for the substance of it ) to any time or people , we have reason to say , that this divine direction , at this time , casts an honour and an approbation upon the same course ( in the generallity ) at all times ; and gods end in this reading and repeating in his house , justly mindes us of the benefit that may be had from it in our own houses ; i mean , according as the matter is which is preached , written , and repeated ; for , it is not always of that kind that these words here were ; but , whatever sort of matter it be , this writing and repeating is a way to make it more familiar to us , and fruitful in us . thus of this scripture . the second scripture that i shall mention , is ( col. . . ) where the apostle ordereth first , that the epis●le written to the colossians should be read among them ; and then that they should cause it to be read also in the church of the laodiceans ; for , it was not written ( as one saith ) (h) to colossians as colossians , ( for the substance of it ) but to the colossians as christians , and so , it was for the use of christians generally , albeit , there was ( it's like ) a special respect in it to other churches in the same countrey , and namely , that of laodicea : which , it is conceived , laboured under the same spiritual diseases that the colossians did , and sure were in danger of being taken with those errours that are mentioned in the second chapter of that epistle . now , as this scripture makes much for the reading of scripture ; and for the communicating of holy instructions by one church to another : so ( by the like reason , and for the same ends ) it recommendeth also the imparting of the things of god , once delivered by ministers ( as this epistle was by paul ) by one christian to another ; and that especially , where their interest , opportunity , and charge lies most , which we know to be in their respective families . unto the two former scriptures , i shall add one general sentence more , which though i intend not to insist upon , yet ingenuity and piety will make it helpful to this holy exercise ; the words are these , god hath spoken once , twice i have heard this (i) , which howsoever it may be understood of our hearing twice , because god speaks to us twice (k) , yet it is also a good interpretation , and very suitable to the words ( as they are rendred in our translation ) which ca●vin ( writing upon those words ) reciteth ; to wit , that , though god speak but once , yet , we should hear it twice ; that is , revolve it , ponder it (l) , and make our selves to hear it again and again ; which will be aptly applyed to the matter in hand , if we say , that when god speaks once , that is , by his minister in preaching , then we are to hear twice ; that is , ( as by meditation in our hearts , so also , by repetition ) wherein there is apparently a second hearing ) in our houses . hitherto of scripture-grounds for family-repetition . i proceed now to the reasons that may be given of this labour of love , and whereby the minds of godly persons may be confirmed in this practise of piety . in the first place , i shall lay down a general reason drawn from the manifold profit that ariseth from sermon-repetition ; for thereby . the sermon is better understood by a second skanning (m) . . better remembered , by a new recalling (n) . . better digested , and nourishing better by chewing the cud (o) , that is , by fetching up that spiritual food again which is already received , but not sufficiently prepared ; and therefore it must be gone over again , that being well concocted the soul may prove the better by it . . better laid up in the heart , by harrowing after the first sowing , unto which meditation and repetition may be compared , whereby any thing harder is broken , and the seed sown is covered and kept safe . writing without reciting , lays the sermon up in the book , and there leaves it ; but repetition houseth it in the heart , which is the proper place where it ought to dwell (p) . . better expressed in the life , by those fresher and stronger impressions in the heart , which the calling of that we have heard to mind and to a new consideration , leaves behind it . now the better impressions there be within , and the more the word is wrought into the heart , the better expressions and the more holy fruit there will be without ; for , out of the abundance of the heart , the mouth speaketh ; matth. . . and so the hand worketh , the foot walketh , and the whole man acteth . thus in general . in the next place i shall make use of some more particular reasons of repetition , and that , both in regard of our selves , and others . in regard of our selves , there are three things considerable . . that this reviewing of sermons , and spending more of our time and thoughts upon them is an effectual means of growing up in a right knowledge of religion ; for , the abilities and studies of ministers ( especially their scripture-studies ) are much sum'd up in their sermons , which ( therefore ) being first attentively heard , ( which writing ties the hearer unto ) , and afterward more deliberately considered of , in the repetition , do thereby possess the hearer in a good degree with the ministers sufficiency ; besides that , he freeth himself also from that sad imputation of being ever learning , and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (q) . hence it is , that the beroeans were so careful of , and are so much commended for , not only an hearing with all readiness of mind , but also a taking up of what they had heard into their thoughts afterward , searching the scriptures whether those things were so (r) ; yea , hence also ministers themselves , do write and preach the same things again and again , because ( whatsoever tediousness there be in it in it self , and to themselves , yet ) they are sure it is safe for their people (s) , and a great preservative against the infection of errour , which is so much against christians safety and salvation , cor. . , . . it is to be carefully considered and weighed , that faithful ministers and provident pastors speak to the diseases (t) of their people , as paul did to the disease of the romans , which was a backwardness in receiving the faith ; and so the apostle james , to the disease of those to whom he wrote , which was , though they received and professed the faith , yet to be careless of a godly life , and those good works wherein faith ( if it be not a dead faith ) is fruitful ; upon this ground , i infer , that albeit there be many printed sermons which christians may very profitably read ( and ought so to do ) yet , the matter of them is not like to be so proper to , and fitted for , their spiritual condition as the sermons of their own pastor , who ( being such a one as he ought to be ) is ( like paul (u) , ) diligent to know their particular state , and constitution , and sollicitous to dispense and administer that instruction which is most suitable thereunto . . and every hearer should very seriously take this to heart , that he is to give a special account of the sermons which himself heareth , as being therein more concerned and more charged , then in those that are preached to other hearers . as the great works of god should , in that very respect , move us the more , because our own eyes have seen them (x) . so the words of god also , because our own ears have heard them . a kings charge in the subjects own hearing , works much for obedience (y) , notwithstanding all ●entations to the contrary . the sermons preached to us , are our talents which we are to trade withall , as those of whom it shall shortly be demanded what we have gained . now every mans reason will tell him , that of that whereof he is to give a special account , it behoveth him to take and make a special account , which easily falleth into noting , and repetition . in regard of others also , this course is very considerable , it being much for the spiritual good and growth of those who have not heard , to hear and have ( though at second hand ) the things heard by others . hence godly and devout christians have ever been careful of this communication (z) . as bees bring what they have gotten abroad , home to their hi●e , so do good hearers , to their house and family ; and , as they that go to the market , bring with them bodily provision for the rest of the houshold that have not been there , so doth a provident hearer spiritual provision ; by which means , the same good effect may arise which we find wrought upon the samaritans , by what the woman of samaria testified unto them concerning the messiah , which was that many of the samaritans believed on him for the saying of that woman (a) ; that is , that was a good preparation and excitation to their after full and firm believing ; of which they give this account to the woman , now we believe , not because of thy saying , for we have heard him our selves (b) . accordingly , christians communicating and repeating in the ears of others the good instructions they have heard and noted themselves , may stir up in others holy affections , and prepare their hearts unto the lord ; but then , all comes to perfection and to a solid setting of the soul in frame by hearing in their own persons from the ministers of christ , that which hath been before repeated and testified to them by the hearing of others . to conclude , i doubt not , but divers have found by their experience , ( i am sure , i have found it by my own ) that sermons have divers times come nearer the heart , and under more observation in the repetition then in the first hearing . not but that the word preached by the messenger of the lord of hosts , is the principal and highest means of edification and salvation ; but yet , ( besides , that every man sees more by a review then at first sight ) , god is pleased so far to shew his liking of the conscientious use of every christian exercise and assistance , as to follow it with a sensible addition of spiritual profit ; so that , the searching hearer is the noble and the thriving hearer (c) . and to this experience i shall leave the religious reader thereby to make up what might be further spoken , for the confirmation , and commendation of this godly family exercise (d) . chap. iv. of singing of psalms , and namely , in families . the last duty that i shall speak of ( in some generality , but with respect also to the respective families of christians ) is , singing of psalms ; for the better establishing whereof , i shall in the first place endeavour to take out of the way what is objected against it ; i say , objected against it , not so much in our days formerly , as in these latter days wherein many have so cast off all forms of godliness , and ( under that name ) gods own institutions , and amongst them , this holy exercise , that , though they be afflicted , yet it is a question , whether they will pray , or , though they be merry ; whether they will sing psalms (a) ; albeit the scripture exp●esly requireth both , jam . . i shall not meddle with many objections but only with two more usual , and that seem to be more material . object . many that joyn in singing of psalms , cannot say truly what they sing , as psal. . . preserve my soul , because my ways , and doings holy be , &c. and such like . answ. . this objection , whatsoever colour there is in it , yet carries this weakness with it , that it is against the reading of the psalms as well as the singing , for they that read utter the same words when they read ( at least for substance ) which they do when they sing ; yea , this objection is against the reading of the histories of scripture generally , because , therein other men speak otherwise then we can . . to speak more directly to the thing it self , i answer , that the words of scripture , which men recite when they read or sing , are not to be taken as their own words , but as the words of them whose words the scripture declareth them to be : it is david , or some other holy man of god , who speaks those words that are written in the psalms , which whosoever repeateth ( whether in reading or singing ) he doth only declare what another sometime 〈◊〉 , which , if he cannot say of himself truly , yet he truly saith that such or such a person ( speaking in the psalm ) , said so o● himself . . i add , that we should so put on the persons of those that speak , or are spoken of in scripture , as to think that every thing spoken ( though of others ) , yet some way or other belongs to us ; for , whatsoevr things were written afore-time were written for our learning (b) , and profit in every kind (c) ; yea , our duty is to labour to be so far like the holy servants of god , whose gracious speeches are recorded in scripture , as to be able to say truly ( in our measure , and in regard of the saving substance of religion ) , the same things that they spake ; which they that cannot yet do , or can less do , by observing such sayings in their singing of psalms , have an help to do , and by often repeating of them in their minds and mouths , may come at length ( through the blessing of god ) truly and sincerely to profess in their own persons , the like piety . object . there are in divers psalms , heavy imprecations and curses pronounced against sundry persons , must we ? how can we sing such things , and curse enemies ? answ. . although it should be acknowledged , ( as in part it is to be granted ) that such imprecations , or praying fearfully against evil men , be not for our imitation , yet they are for our instruction . for , . they shew us the woful estate of the enemies of god , and of his people , which such prayers ( proceeding from the spirit of god ) are a prophesie of . . they serve to nourish patience , and preserve comfort and constancy in the hearts of gods people , by observing that such men as have been found desperate enemies to god and to them , are mentioned in the book of god as a cursed generation . . some imitation there may be ( in these times ) of the imprecations that we find in scripture in former times , ( though with much caution , charity , and jealousie over our own spirits ) and that with respect not only to the churches safety (d) , but gods glory (e) ; and the rather , because of scripture-promises and declarations , which are the grounds of our prayers , deut. . . psal. . . yet we should still remember that we are not to pray personally ; that is , to fix such fearful prayers on such and such particular men ( albeit they in scripture that had an extraordinary spirit of discerning , did so (f) , as the church also did against julian , seeing so much in him of the sin against the holy ghost ) ; i say , we are not to single out par●icular persons , and pray against them ; and , especially , we are not to turn religion into revenge , and to direct our prayers against our private enemies , though they have done us never so much wrong (g) ; nor must we be hasty in judging , and then hard-hearted in praying ; but , yet all this hinders not , but that , in a gen●rality , we may pray , that god would exercise his justice ( as he seeth good ) in cutting off the implacable and irreconcileable enemies of himself and of his church (h) . albeit , the thing in question here is , whether we may not in reading or singing , take into our mouths , the imprecations recorded in scripture , making thereof that holy use which god would have us to make of that part of his word ? which none that understand will doubt of . in all such cases , the duty of reading and singing is not to be left ; but they that perform it , are to be instructed , and if they are out of the way , be rectified . having endeavoured to remove these rubs , i shall now proceed to enquire what may be gathered from scripture ; and , what arguments agreeable to scripture may be produced to establish this heavenly exercise . first , the scripture will inform us , that singing of psalms is a necessary and profitable duty . . a necessary duty , because god requires it , ephes. . , , . it is the will of god , that ( on the one side ) christians should not be drunk with wine ; and , on the other side , be filled with the spirit , speaking to themselves in psalms , &c. (i) . it is the spirit of god that saith to the afflicted , pray ; and to the merry , sing psalms , jam. . . . and a profitable duty , because the spirit of god declares unto us the benefit of it , prescribing that the word of god should dwell in us richly , and then adding further , teaching and admonishing one another in psalms , &c. (k) . now it 's true , that teaching and admonishing may be referred either to the word of god going before ; or to psalms and hymns following after ; but , it comes all to one , if the psalms , hymns , and songs spoken of there , be such as are recorded in scripture , for then they are a part of the word of god : and so the intent of the apostle may be to shew that of every part of the word of god , and in particular of the psalms and songs thereof ( the rejoycing part ) use is to be made for our edification ; thereby something may be ●dded to our light in a te●ching way , and to our life and vigor in piety in an admonishing way . secondly , the s●ripture gives excellent rules also for singing , that it may be a profitable duty ; as that it be , . with understanding , psal. . . cor. . , . . with the heart and affection ; not without the voyce : but the meaning is , that we should not please and content our selves with the outward sound without an inward sense . . with grace in the heart , col. . . that is , ( as i conceive ) , with a godly and gracious frame of heart inwardly , ( according as the matter of the psalm is ) , shewing it self in a graceful and dexterous demeanour in that duty outwardly ( as in a comely and reverent gesture , a decent tune and tone ) , so as that it may tend most to the edification of the company , and the reputation of the duty , and of such as perform it , so the word [ grace ] seems to be taken , ( act. . . col. . . ) . vnto the lord , ephes. . . that is , to the glory of god , psal. . isa. . . thirdly , the sc●ipture sets it forth as a congregational duty , or a duty to be performed in the publike meetings of christians , because we find the people of god still called to it by the commands of the old-testament , ( pointing to the new ) , psal. . , , . . & . , , . & . . sing his praise in the congregation of saints . and also we find it used in the new-testament , and in the apostle paul's time , in the church of corinth , ( cor. . , . ) which appears also to be practised by christians when they met together in after-times , the end of their meeting being ( however many grievous accusations were rais'd against them ) to sing to christ and to god , and by a confederation among themselves to establish all good discipline , and suppress those wickednes●es which were most falsely laid to their charge . tertul. apol. cap . now , as to the performance of this duty in families ; it is not my meaning ( nor ought to be ) to impose any thing further then the grounds of scripture will conclude it ; and it 's possible , there may be some families , at present , or at some times , not in a capacity for it ; yet , that none may slight such a service , ●nd shut their doors against it , i shall offer ( out of scripture ) not only to invite , but to induce christians to set and keep it up in their families ; these considerations , . the duty it self ( as hath been shewed before ) is evidently commanded as a duty much tending to christian edification (l) . . the command of singing is no where limited to publike meetings , but rather given forth in such a generality , as to comprehend ( in the command ) the use of it in christian meetings of all kinds , whether church-meetings or family-meetings (m) ; yea , it is extended to every particular person , ( jam. . . is any ? &c. ) besides , that the profit and benefit of this holy exercise argueth for the use of it every where , where that profit may be had by it . zanchius therefore is resolute , and saith , he makes no doubt , but that what the apostle speaks both in the fifth to the eph●sians , and in the third chapter to the colossians of this duty , is to be understood as well of those things that were to be sung in the publike meeting of the faithful , as within their private wals , and their private families ; where it is to be ob●erved that this learned man speaks this , as arguing for singing in the publick congregation , taking it for granted , that the forecited places make for the use of it in private families (n) . and how much good might be done in families , if the word of christ did so dwell in us as to be made use of in a way of conscientious domestical teaching (o) ? for which the psalms of david would supply much assistance . but christians have learned ( of late ) to preach in publick without a calling , with neglect of teaching their families where their calling and charge lieth ; and divers shake off singing both in publick and private . . we find our savio●r singing with his family after the eating of the passover (p) , which is the more to be observed , because the passoever was eaten in private houses , the family and fraternity joyning together in the whole celebration of it ; in the conclusion whereof , they did use to sing from the . psalm to psalm . which they called their great hallelujah (q) . this may mind us of doing the like in our private houses , especially , when god shall minister unto us more special occasion of glorifying his name . and godly housholders have ( accordingly ) accustomed themselves to the use of this holy exercise in their families ; why should nor others go , and do so likewise (r) ? it being so suitable to , and such a declaration of , the spirit of holy and lively christians ? . private families enjoy many mercies , god makes them laugh and be merry , ( as he did sarah , ( gen. . . ) and the rule is , let such as are merry , sing psalms , jam. . . agreeable hereunto is that of the psalmist , ( psal. . . ) the voyce of rejoycing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous . that psalm speaks of the joy and salvation brought to zion (s) and the people of god by david's government , which made them greatly to rejoyce : and that not only in publick , and in gods tabernacle (t) , but in their own tabernacles and private habitations . and what a mercy is it , when god so orders things in publick , that we need not wander about weeping , but may sit in our own houses singing ? this should make us to make the lord our song , psal. . . . the apostle ( writing to the ephesians of this exercise (u) , ) doth not speak of publick meetings , or of singing in the publick assembly ( at least , appropriating his speech to that , though it may be extended and applyed to that ) , for , he saith first , be not drunk with wine , wherein is excess ; as alluding therein to immoderate feasting in those times ( especially ) among unbelievers , ( pet. . . ) which used to be in their houses ; not , but that there was feasting also in their idols temples , ( cor. . . ) and ( for some time ) in christian church-meetings , ( cor. . , , . ) but ( ordinarily ) they feasted in private , ( cor. . . ) and were then likest to exceed . now , if the apostle reason from excesses in private banquettings , and the vain mirth there , for a contrary carriage in christians , and a making of themselves merry with godly hymns & psalms ; then it will follow , that it is the purpose of the apostle here to speak to families , and to such christians as had families , requi●ing them to refresh themselves in their meetings and feastings there with spiritual and heavenly mirth ; which hath been ( especially heretofore , when the times and hearts of christians were better setled ) a very usual thing , amongst godly and knowing christians , when they ente●tained their friends . thus doth this scripture bring singing of psalms into families according to the occasions of rejoycing which god offereth them , which though ( at times ) they more abound , yet are never wanting ; no more should christians be in this duty , phil. . . thess. . , . thus for grounds of scripture serving to set forward the service of singing of psalms . i come now , to scripture-reasons confirming this duty . first , it is an exercise making much for the glory of god ; that usual preface , [ let us sing to the glory of god such or such a psalm ] sheweth that to be the intent of singing , and of those who seriously apply themselves to it : besides , the thing it self , that is , the action of singing speaks so much ; because it is exercised about that matter which makes much for the glory of god , that is , about the word of god , which setteth forth , to the praise of god , . his names and attributes , as his power , truth , mercy , psal. . . & . , . & . . . his promises and threats , psal. . , , . & . . & . , . . his works , which they speak of , speak of the glorious honour of his majesty (x) , because all his works praise him : and therefore they set forth his praise , because what he hath spoken in his word (y) was of promise or threatning , those works make good , and thereby he magnifieth his word above all his name (z) , shewing how upright he is , and that there is no unrighteousness in him , psal. . . secondly , it makes much for the spiritual benefit of those who rightly and religiously perform it ; hence also , the ordinary introduction to this duty hath been , [ let us sing to the praise of god , and our own edification . ] particularly , it edifieth and assisteth three ways ; for . it is ( as hath been shewed before out of scripture ) a teaching exercise ; teaching and helping us , to know rightly ; believe firmly ; live holily ; and pray wisely and effectually . . to know , because many of the psalms are doctrinal , wherein divine doctrine , ( as moses saith in his song , deut. . . ) drops as the rain , psal. . , . more particularly , the psalms will teach us , . what god is ; which is fully shewed by the descriptions of his greatness , from psal. . to psal. . as also by the relation of his works , psal. . . & . . & . . & . . . what christ is , of whom divers psalmes speak glorious things , as psal. & . & . . & . & . . what the holy ghost is , to wit , the holy spirit (a) , the heart rejoycing and upholding spirit (b) , and the leading spirit into the land of vprightness , psal. . . and that the book of psalms generally , is an instructing part of scripture , may appear by the title of thirteen psalms , wherein they are said to be psalms giving instruction (c) , which is plain in the first psalm that hath that title , wherein we are instructed in the way to blessedness (d) , and in another psalm , which saith , i will instruct thee (e) . . to believe , for to that , psalm-singing ( if the matter be minded , and we speak to one another therein , col. . . ) traineth us up ; and that . by the many sweet promises dispersed , in that part of scripture , as psal. . , , . & . . & . . & . , , . . , . & . . by the examples of holy men going before us in a way of faith , and resting and rolling all upon god , together with the great success and satisfaction that they have found in that course , as psal. . , . & . , . & . , . & . . & . . & . , , . & . , , . . to live holily . . by many rules and directions laid down there for an holy life (f) , as psal. . , . & . , . & . , , . . , . & . , . . by many declarations of the blessedness of a godly life , psal. . & . & . & . , . & . , . & . & . , , . & . . & . . to pray wisely and effectually , there being in the psalms very many prayers made to our hands , whereby we may go to the lord , and take with us words (g) , to express before him our necessities and desires of every kind : as . for vnderstanding , psal. . , , , . psal. . . . for grace , psal. . . & . , , . psal. . . & . . . for comfort , whether in outward afflictions , or in troubles of conscience ; see psal. . . in the title , and in all the psalm , & psal. & . with many others full of prayers , in regard of outward troubles ; and , for inward sorrows , see psal. . . & . & . & . thus may singing ( with setting our hearts on the psalms ) be a very teaching duty . . as it is an exercise helping the understanding , so doth it also ( in special manner ) work upon the affections ; it is an heart-quickning exercise ; it is so spiritful a duty , as that it is said to flow from such as are filled with the spirit (h) : the reason is , because in scripture-songs there is lively matter , expressed , and set forth to the life : in psalms , the soul speaks , and all within (i) , is set a work ; now he that elevates , and sets a work his own soul , speaks most feelingly to another mans soul. as iron sharpneth iron (k) , so doth one lively soul recreate , affect , and sharpen another . as in ordinary songs and poems , there is all that height and quintessence of wit , which they that compose them are able to reach unto ; so in scripture-psalms and songs , there are the highest notions , and rarest invention , followed with , and set forth by , the stirrings of the sweetest and most inlarged affections ; and both , clothed and recommended with the most vigorous and taking expressions . insomuch , that singing of psalms is the holy recreation of christians , renewing their strength , and the vigor of their spirits when they are tired or grown flat with other exercises . . singing psalms is a solacing exercise , ministring co●fort , as in all troubles generally , so especially in troubl●s of conscience , and for conscience . to instance in some afflicting things . i shall say first , who can but be sad ( in the want of ordinances ) that sings the . & . psalms ? but i add also , who can be dejectedly sad , even in that want , that sings ( as he should ) psal. . . , ? for therein david sheweth , that when he was banished , and bereft of the tabernacle-ministry (l) , yet , he had singular comfort in the thoughts of god , and of his providence , and in following god with his prayers on his bed ; and in those several stations , which in his exile he was forced to betake himself unto . to go on , who can be dismayed with a doeg , that sings seriously the . psalm ? for , that psalm shews , not only the malice , but the madness and misery of the dogged enemies of gods people ; or , who can be afraid ( with a fear of amazement ) of an absalom , that observes the third psalm ? yea , or of any adversaries , that sings well the forty six , and seventy six , psalms ? nay , ( to go further ) , how can they that have grievously sinned , be altogether comfortless , and give way to despairing thoughts , who sing ( with david's penitent and faithful spirit , ) the one and fiftieth psalm ? thus , as the scriptures generally (m) , so the psalms especially , serve for consolation , being filled with the afflictions , sorrows , and supports of the faithful servants of god. and something it is for the honour and heavenliness of this exercise , that when godly men refresh themselves with it , profane men are so grieved at it ; they cannot well and with patience ( at least , without some reluctancy ) pass by the houses where they hear singing of psalms , much less go into them ; for , the mirth and recreations of godliness are heavy to them as well as the rules , especially to persecutors ; singing of psalms hath been still the pleasure of martyrs ( as it was to paul and silas (n) in prison ; ) but their tormenters were tormented with it , and used them the worse for it ; yet , such was the comfort of that exercise , that they would not leave it ; and when forcible restraints were put upon them , yet their hearts were full of it . thirdly , it is observable , that this duty is commended to christians in way of exchange , or in opposition to the vain delights of unregenerate men , or of themselves in their unregenerate estate (o) whence ariseth this argument for it , that it is a distinguishing exercise , putting a difference between heathens and christians , between sensual and spiritual men . profane-spirited men sport themselves with their excessive cups , abusive songs , carnal and vain catches , wanton and unclean mirth , and so make melody to the devil in their houses ; when ( on the contrary ) it becomes ( and is the manner of ) christians and godly persons to converse one with another in holy hymns , therewith recreating themselves in their houses and entertainments , and therein making melody to the lord , in their hearts . i say [ in their hearts ] ; for an hypocrite may sing , and that with a very good will , ( especially if he have a very good voyce ) , but his pleasure is in the action of singing rather then in the holy frame of his heart ; and he makes melody to himself and those that like him , rather then to the lord that looks at the inner man. so that this exercise ( taken with its qualifications ) puts a difference between men pious and profane , sincere and hypocrites , and so is like the rain-bow , a pleasant sight and a better sign ; i say , such is singing psalms , a sweet exercise in it self , and as it is an act of godliness ; and a better sign , if well acted , that is , of a godly pe●son ▪ and one filled with the spirit of god (p) , and ( b● the same reason ) it will mark out a spiritual , and di●ting●ish it from a carnal family ; not , but that a family wherein there is the fear of god , may be , by reason of some impediments , at a time , or for a time , without it ; but , that 's a carnal family that doth not like to have it , and that cannot dwell pleasantly with it . now that these reasons may be of more weight , and this exercise of more use , i would advise christians to two things . . before they sing , to view and weigh , and ( by one or other of the company ) mention and declare the matter of the psalm they intend to sing , for which mr. beza his argument on every psalm , together with his paraphrase , opening the meaning thereof ( both which are set forth in english ) would be a singular help . and as for such as cannot procure it , let them at least consider the contents of the p●alm , which contents ( though they may in some places , need a reveiw , ) yet for the generality ) are so advisedly composed , th●oughout the bible in our last translation , that they give a great light to the chapter or psalm which they are set before ; to all those that discreetly observe them . . when they have sung , a little to discourse together ( as their ability will serve , and time give leave ) of what they have sung : by which means , they will better both know and shew the meaning of that passage of the apostle , [ teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns (q) , ] because , matter both of teaching and admonishing will be supplyed , by observing wh●t the psalm offers to their considerations for the one , or the other ; so shall this be sound an edifying exercise , when as ( othe●wise ) a bare singing passeth without profit and spiritual commodity , because without pondering , and ch●istian-conference . and here i cannot ( before i leave ) but lament . the great neglect of this duty by many , whereby it comes to pass that it is so little regarded ; for the omi●sion of duty is the enemy of the duty , and the observation of it preserves the estimation . . the negligent performance of it by many others that do not neglect i● , but seem to affect it rather . o how rare a thing is it in those that sing psalms , not to delight ( yea not to terminate their delight ) in themselves , if there be a greater sweetness in their voyce , or if they excel in skill in that vocal musick , when all the melody should be , to the lord ? but , ( to speak of that which is most usual ) , how many content themselves with keeping tune , and carrying on the exercise with others in a formal way , without understanding the matter of the psalm , when they should sing with understanding , or with seeking to understand ; and , yet there is another fault ( which the best ( i think ) are not free from , or , if they be , they may be well reckoned amongst the best ) and that is , the not minding in their singing that which they do understand , or ( at least ) not keeping their hearts to it [ still ] ; but contenting themselves to mark what they sing now and then , and to do that at times , and by starts , which they ought to do at all times whilest such holy services are performed , and the thing they have in hand , is , the holy scripture . it is easily observed , that the devil makes great gaps in duties by distractions , and in this more then in other exercises , by the advantage he hath from the nature of the service : wherein they that are imployed do so attend the tune , and mark the singers , so please themselves with the outward and natural part of it , ( if it be well performed , ) and have such various and turbulent thoughts , ( if there be any thing not decent in it , ) that they are easily drawn from the substance of what they sing , their hearts are alienated from what their mouths utter ; and so there is a failing in that main rule , which is , to make melody to the lord in their hearts (r) : when better it is , to be out of tune with the voyce , then out of frame , in the heart . it 's necessary that the eye and the ear should be so far watched and disciplined , as that they may not draw away the mind from meditation on the matter of the psalm ; this meditation and heart-holding to the thing in hand , is of such use in praying and praising god , that both of them are expressed by the word meditation ; hence isaac is said to go out to meditate in the field at even-tide , or to pray (s) : the same word is also used when david speaks of singing and praising god , i will sing to the lord , i will sing praise to my god , and then , it followeth , my meditation of him shall be sweet , i will be glad in the lord (t) . nor is this meditation requisite only in those prayers and praises which we conceive and compose our selves , that we may frame them the better ; but we are also to be thoughtful in , and to attend unto , those that are already framed to our hand , especially out of scripture , for which we have this rule given us , to set our hearts to all the words thereof (u) ; whether we hear them , or read them , or sing them , still , that 's the rule ; and the rather to be observed in singing , because the words spoken of in the fore-cited scripture , are the words of moses song (x) . bernard speaks excellently to this purpose (y) , when thou singest ( saith he ) in the sight of god , psalms and hymns , let thy mind be busied about , ( handle , or have a hand in ) that which thou singest with thy voyce ; do not sing one thing , and think another ; agreeable to which is the godly advice of another holy man ; let them that sing ( saith he ) attend , not to the sound and noise , but to the spirit of the words ; let the words be the leaders of their minds and souls to god (z) . and austin plainly confesseth his sin , when it so fell out , as that he was moved more with the singing , then with the thing sung ; and professeth that when it is so , he had rather not hear him that sings . aug. confess . lib. . cap. . but i must hasten ; were these things searched , considered , what is amiss reformed , and this exercise conformed to scripture-rules , what sweetness would there be in it ? how much would knowledge , holiness , and comfort be improved by it ? in a word , what strong arguments might christians make for singing , by making conscience how they sing ? i confess , exactness in this duty is an hard work to the best , but would be an happy work to all , and is ( in some measure ) attainable by all . to conclude the whole ; let me beseech all serious christians , to look upon singing of psalms , as the soul-support of david , ( the sweet psalmist of israel (a) , ) in all his afflictions : as the cordial of wounded consciences (b) ; as the holy fire to enkindle heavenly affections ; as the perfume of prisons (c) ; the musick of martyrs ; yea , the work and pleasure of saints and angels in the paradise of god (d) . and then , how will they , how can they neglect it ? after all , i shall put down those short prayers , which i mentioned before , when i spake of the duty of family-prayer ; but have thought it fittest to place them here , that the treatise might not be interrupted ; and that such as need them , might more easily find them : i say , such as need them , for they are framed only for the help of weak and well-minded christians that would pray in their families if they knew how ; and these forms are put down , not to tie them , ( as if they should use no other , or needed no more ) but to teach them , that by this assistance they may set upon this duty , and do something in it , and by doing a little at first , may be able to do more after ; and most , and best , at last . a family-prayer for the morning . father of mercies , and god of all comfort (a) ; all thy works praise thee , and thy saints bless thee (b) ; of that number we that are here before thee desire to be , and therefore come into thy presence , to acknowledge that all the good we have cometh from thee ; and therefore , that all our praises are due unto thee . help us , we beseech thee , in an acceptable manner to pay this debt , and to perform this duty of thanksgiving ; wherein , in the first place , we wonder at the riches of thy free grace , whereby thou hast been pleased , from all eternity , to elect and choose a company of the sons and daughters of men for thine own portion , fore-ordaining and appointing them to grace here , and to everlasting glory in heaven (c) : and we bless thee exceedingly for any testimony we have , that we are in the number not only of the called , which are many , but of the chosen , which are few (d) . we praise thee also for creating us after thine own image , and giving us life and breath (e) : for , how could we have had an everlasting well-being hereafter , if we had not had a being here ? but amongst , and above all , we give thee all possible thanks for that great and admirable work , of redemption (f) , wrought by the lord jesus christ for the salvation of mankind , utterly lost and undone in and by the sin of our first parents : whereupon it is come to pass , that whereas , at first , we were made righteous (g) , now there is none righteous , no not one (h) , but our understandings are full of darkness ; our consciences , of deadness and defilement ; our wills , of perversness ; our affections , of distemper ; our conversation , of disorder ; yea , every way we carry about with us naturally abundant matter of condemnation , nor can men or angels help us ; but , blessed be thy name ( o god ) that thou hast been so pitiful and of so tender mercy , as to lay help upon . one that is mighty (i) , and that is able to save to the uttermost , those that come unto god by him (k) . o how many be there , that neither have , nor hear of , this mercy ? great is thy goodness therefore , ( which we do with all our hearts acknowledge ) that we live in thy church , and therein enjoy those lively oracles and ordinances , wherein , as , all other truths , necessary to salvation , are made known unto us ; so , more especially , the doctrine , and benefit of the great work of redemption , is fully revealed , and freely offered , and that with all powerful motives to perswade our hearts , to accept of that gracious offer for our own good ; yet , considering , how many there are in the church unto whom the lord jesus may say [ i would , and ye would not ] we cannot but reckon it a singular favour that any grace is bestowed on any of us by the means of grace vouchsafed unto us , and for any gratious change which thou hast wrought in us ; for it is god that worketh in us both to will and to do , of his good pleasure (l) . but , besides all these , our hearts are glad , our glory rejoyceth , and our tongues ( that should be our glory , by setting forth thy glory ) do , with all our hearts , praise thee for the unconceiveable glory and happiness reserved in heaven for all those , who through the abundant mercy of the god and father of our lord jesus christ , are begotten again unto a lively hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead (m) , which assureth us that all is done and suffered which was necessary to keep us from being undone , and to recover us unto a state of perfect blessedness . meanwhile , we confess unto thy praise ( o thou that inhabitest the praises of israel ) how good thou art unto us even in this present evil world , in that we have the benefit of our understandings , senses , and members , ( which divers want ) and of health , liberty , credit , maintenance , success in business , recovery from sickness , vouchsafed to us above many other of thy dear servants ; we bless thee for preserving us in so many dangers , for removing so many of our fears , for granting so many of our desires , and for not granting what we have desired amiss . we praise thee for watching over us by thy good providence from time to time ; in particular , for the late mercy of the night past , and the new mercy of the present morning (n) , for we are less then all thy mercies , then a nights rest , or a mornings refreshing ; yea , our sin , and unworthy walking before thee , is such , ( which here we freely confess unto thee ) as that it were just with thee , that all thy favours should be turned into frowns , and that thou shouldest do us hurt and consume us , after thou hast done us good (o) . but with thee there is mercy that thou mayest be feared , let us have occasion to fear thee , reverence thee , and admire thee ; and to say [ who is a god like unto thee (p) ? ] , how incomparably good is our god ? by pardoning the transgressions and continuing the comforts of such sinful and worthless creatures as we are ? let it ever repent us ( o lord ) of our ill dealing with thee ; but let it never repent thee of thy gratious dealing with us . this day , in special , let thy goodness towards us appear , in keeping us from any evil thing to which we shall be more inclined or more tempted ; and in making us ready to , and able for , every good word and work , to which of our selves , we shall be more unable , indisposed , and unprepared ; or wherein , by tentation , we shall be more hindred . guide us ( o lord ) in the right way , and therein guard us : let us undertake no business , but , what thou approvest , and in that do thou bless and prosper us : especially , we humbly crave thy protection , all the day , in those works and wayes wherein there are more dangers , and hazards . preserve us ( we beseech thee ) from vile and vain thoughts when we are alone (q) , from idle words when we are in company (r) , and from an empty carriage and unprofitable expence of time (s) , whether we be alone , or in company . and since thou hast appointed man to labour (t) , and the day , to labour in (u) : keep us ( we pray thee ) from idleness and neglect of our callings ; from infidelity , and depending on our labour and industry ; from discontent , if we live hardly by it ; and from intemperance , state-pride , covetousness , and worldly confidence (x) , if we thrive and prosper in it . let all our dealings ( through thy grace , o god , that art the god of all grace ) be just and equal , without over-reaching (y) ; and , as there shall be occasion , let us be charitable , according to our ability , without grudging (z) ; and be pleased to set and keep our hearts in so good a frame , that , notwithstanding our worldly occasions , we may be watchful to do , and ready to receive any spiritual good ; and let our desire be to be in that company that will give occasion of both , with the shunning not only of wicked , but unprofitable society . enable us , we humbly pray thee , to adorn our profession , by providing for honest things , not only in the sight of the lord , but in the sight of men (a) . let thy fear ( o god , who art great and terrible ) be upon our hearts , and before our eyes all the day long (b) , that so we may presume to do nothing which it will , or should , grieve us to think upon at night ; let there be cause rather to bless thee in the evening , as for thy goodness toward us , so for some goodness in us , and that the day hath not passed without using our talents so , as to bring in some advantage to our great lord ; mean-while , being here before thee , to confess how good thou art , every way , unto us , we would not go out of thy presence without praising thee our most merciful god , for ordaining such peace for us (c) , as that we may with safety both abide at home , and go abroad , about all our occasions . it is of thy great goodness , that we are not forced to go in by-ways for fear of violent men , but the high-wayes are freely occupyed , and we have cause to rehearse the righteous acts of the lord towards the inhabitants of his villages (d) , who now dwell without fear , in such undefenced places . in special , we bless thee our gracious god for that government whereby we enjoy this peace and liberty ; humbly beseeching thee to settle still amongst us , and ever to preserve over us , a religious and righteous and rightful magistracy for our present tranquillity and felicity . and ever to establish amongst us an able and faithful ministry , for the saving of our souls and our everlasting happiness in the day of the lord jesus ; for whom we bless thee ; in whom we enjoy , and joy in thee (e) ; and to whom with thee , o father , and the holy spirit , we acknowledged to be due , and desire from our souls to give all glory , majesty , dominion and power , now and evermore , amen . a family-prayer for the evening . o most holy and most glorious lord god , we poor and polluted creatures acknowledge our selves altogether unworthy to be admitted into thy presence so much as to confess our sins ; yet since thou art pleased to offer thy self unto us in jesus christ under the name of a father , assuring us , that if we confess our sins , thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins (f) ; we are therefore bold , in him , to come before thee , confessing ( o father ) that whereas , at first , we were made very good (g) , and very like god : now , through our own fault and fall , every one of us is shapen in iniquity , and in sin did our mother conceive us (h) ; and besides this corruption of nature ( enough , of it self , to condemn us ) , against thee , against thee only (i) ( for there is but one law-giver (k) , ) have we sinned in the whole course of our lives . justly , ( o lord ) mayest thou draw up an heavy charge against us for our sins of omission ( upon which our saviour will pass his last sentence (l) , ) for we cannot but acknowledge that we have left , made light of (m) , and ( like leaking vessels ) let slip (n) , many sermons ; our fruits ( after much seed sowen ) have been so few , that we deserve our stripes should be many (o) ; unto which this other evil is added , that we have often sleighted the lords supper , either by not caring to receive it , or by neglecting to prepare for it . we have idled away also , or profaned many sabbaths ; at least , we have gone heavily under the service of that day which we should call a delight (p) : and whereas heart-searching is exceeding needful for the well-ordering of our hearts and lives , we confess , that many examinations of our hearts and wayes , for which thou hast hearkened (q) , we have neglected ; yea , though this duty of prayer ( by our selves , and in our families ) be so needful , so beneficial , and such an al-sanctifying (r) service , yet , for a long time , either we have been very careless and mindless of it , or else , careless and heartless in it ; but besides all these omissions and neglects of duty , we do further confess , that we have committed much evil , and been guilty of much rebellion against thy majesty ; yielding ordinarily unto satans temptations ( who never ceaseth to put fair colours upon the forbidden fruit ) ; rushing ( often ) into evil company , and partaking with them in the unfruitful works of darkness ; and , when we have been alone , sadly and securely satisfying the lusts of our evil and distempered hearts , especially , in the evils more pleasing and sutable to our sinful natures ; in regard of all which , and all other our many and great transgressions , we deserve ( o most just god ) to be deprived of all thy blessings , and to be laden with thy judgements as we have laden thee with our sins . but whilest we are displeased with our selves for them , and it is in our hearts desire , not only to confess them , but forsake them , and turn to thee from them ; we beseech thee ( o father of mercies ) in the name , and for the merits of jesus christ , to be merciful to us sinners (s) , laying every one of our sins ( for we are not able our selves to bear the least of them ) upon that lamb of god on whom the lord hath laid the iniquity of us all (t) , freeing us also ( of thy free grace ) from all those evils which are either on us , or due unto us for the same ; and , that we may be hereof assured , give us , we pray thee , that most excellent grace of faith ( without which the word ( of promise and of pardon ) cannot profit (u) , ) that thereby receiving the forgiveness of our sins , our spirits may rejoyce in god our saviour (x) , which since we cannot do but in the publicans way , who said , god be merciful to me a sinner , that is , in a way of repentance , therefore , do thou ( o lord ) work , and ( if any thing of godly sorrow be already wrought ) do thou more and more work so upon our ever too-hard-hearts , as that we may remember our former evil wayes , and doings , that have not been good , and lothe our selves in our own sight for all our iniquities (y) , nor let us lothe our sins only , and our selves for them , but leave them also ; and settle it in our hearts , after thou hast spoken peace to us , not to turn again to folly (z) . and , because our own resolutions are soon altered , and by our own strength we cannot prevail (a) , therefore we beg of thee our god to whom power belongeth (b) , ) so much strength , as that , though sin while we a●e here , dwell within us , yet it may not have dominion over us : especially , let us be strong in the lord , and the power of his might , for the subduing of our special sins , and those goliahs that seem to set at defiance the whole army of the graces of god in us . neither let it suffice us , to depart from evil , unless also we do good , and live soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world (c) ; and that this may be better done , good lord make us mindful of the use of all good means of a godly life , such as are the hearing of thy word heedfully (d) , the receiving of thy holy sacrament preparedly , the keeping of thy sabbath conscionably , praying to thy majesty often and earnestly , together with conversing with good company ( as there shall be liberty and occasion ) ; and a gaining of time to commune with our own hearts , and so to think on our wayes , as that we may turn our feet to gods testimonies (e) : thus , and every other good way ( o our god ) , lead us by thy good spirit into the land of uprightness (f) , and into a state of blessedness . and ▪ because it is our duty to pray for thy church , whereof we are members , as w●ll as for our selve● ; yea , and our honour also ( who art but dust and ashes ) to be admitted so to do ; therefore we beseech thee , do well in thy good pleasure unto sion , build thou the wals of jerusalem (g) ; make it the study of those that are thy people to be an holy people , as thou their god art an holy god (h) : where thy church hath rest , make them careful to walk before thee in the fear of the lord , and in the comfort of the holy ghost (i) , that so their peace may be continued , or they prepared for trouble if their quiet state be altered ; where thy church is in trouble , make them mindful of , and able for , that truly penitent humbling themselves before thee , and faithful seeking unto thee , whereby their peace and prosperity may be restored . strengthen , in all parts , their hearts and hands , that stand in the just defence of religion and right . in special manner , we beseech thee , to have a gracious respect to this sinful nation , ( with the adjoyned dominions ) . enable with all eminent gifts , and especially sanctifie mo●e and more with saving grace the kings most excellent majesty , our supreme and most gracious governour ; and so pour forth thy spirit upon all in higher authority , that they may with all wisdom , diligence , faithfulness , and good success , manage the great affairs of state. be pleas'd to establish , and ever to preserve , and stand by the two great ordinances of magistracy and ministry , that by the preaching of the one , the power of the other , and thy blessing on both , errour and ungodliness may be restrained , truth and holiness may be promoted , and in that way all outward good things may be ministred . bless ( we humbly pray thee ) outwardly ( as thou seest meet ) , but especially spiritually , all that fear thy name , ( yea , have mercy on them , call them , and put thy fear into them , that yet fear thee not ) ; in special , we desire thy favour in behalf of those to whom we have any relation , and whom we are desired or ought to pray for ; more particularly this family . in singular mercy , vouchsafe thy grace to any in it that yet want it , and encrease thy grace in those that have it . extend thy compassion ( o thou that art the father of mercy ) to those that be any way afflicted , with sickness , pain , poverty , injustice , reproach , restraint ; and , ( more especially , ) to those that suffer , either in conscience , or for conscience ; give them all wisdom to see what thou intendest ; grace to give thee what thou expectest ; strength to bear what thou inflictest ; and in thine own way and time make them glorious by deliverance (k) . and now ( o lord ) we return humble thanks unto thy majesty for the mercies of this day , in regard of our souls , and bodies , and businesses ; desiring that we may still make a good use of all our crosses . and so , craving pardon in jesus christ for the sins of this day , for which we are here before thee to judge our selves , we resign up our persons , and all we have , into thy gracious hands , beseeching thee so to watch over us this night , as that our souls may be kept from sin , our bodies from sickness , our goods from loss , and those decreasings that we deserve (l) . and ( withal ) so to bless our rest unto us , that we may awake with cheerfulness in the morning , well enabled for thy service , and the duties of our callings the day following ; and all this for jesus christs sake , in whom we beseech thee to accept these our poor and weak prayers , which we conclude with his absolutely perfect prayer , saying (m) as he hath taught us ; our father which art in heaven , &c. a shorter prayer for the morning . most gracious god , we do here humbly present our selves before thee , to offer unto thee the sacrifice of praise , that is , the fruit of our lips ; and to give thanks unto thy name (a) for the rest of the night past , and the mercies of this morning ; we confess , thou mightest justly have awakened us out of our sleep at mid-night ( as thou didst the egyptians ) with a great cry ; or else have made our sleep ( as when thou smotest their first-born , ) the sleep of death (b) : but we have lien down in peace ▪ and slept , because thou lord only makest us dwell in safety (c) . truly , the light is sweet , and a pleasant thing it is to the eyes to behold the sun (d) ; but , how excellent is thy loving kindness in causing the sun of righteousness to arise unto us with healing in his wings (e) ? blessed be thy name for giving the lord jesus to be a light to lighten us gentiles , as well as to be the glory of thy people israel (f) , and that we have together with him and not without him ) all things also (g) ; we praise thee for the health of our bodies , the peace of our mindes ; for our understanding , and all the powers of our souls ; for our sight and hearing , and all the parts of our bodies ; for the liberty of our persons , the blessings of our estate , and all the comfort we enjoy in our friends and relations ; yea , for all those fatherly corrections , whereby thou hast sought to drive our foolishness far from us (h) , and to make us mend our pace in the wayes of wisdom (i) : in special , we thank thee for any well-grounded hopes we have of a better life , and that inheritance which is incorruptible , undefiled , and that fadeth not away , reserved in heaven for us , and for which also we are preserved (k) . o lord , we are less then the least of all thy mercies (l) , and if thou lay upon us the heavyest of thy judgements , we have no right to complain (m) , being men of death , and such as have deserved everlasting condemnation ; for we brought into the world with us a corrupt nature wherein is the seed of all sin (n) , and by reason whereof in the whole course of our lives , we have neglected , or done negligently what thou requirest , and have ( moreover ) too too carelesly rusht into those evils both in thought , word , and deed , which thou forbiddest . but since thou art a god that delightest in mercy (o) , and that hast been pleas'd out of thine infinite love to mankind , to lay upon thine only son the iniquity of us all (p) ; we that are the sheep that have gone so far astray , come boldly unto the throne of grace in his name , intreating thy majesty , that by that lamb of god that hath taken away the sins of the world (q) , our many and great sins , our day-sins and our night-sins may be so taken away , that if they be sought they may not be found (r) , being removed from us as far as the east is from the west (s) , that so in all the sorrows of this world , we may joy in god ( through our lord jesus christ ) by whom we have now received the atonement (t) . make us able ( we pray thee ) by thy grace , to prove that our sins are forgiven , because they are forsaken (u) , and that we have right to the promises of the tree of life , because we do thy commandements (x) , and walk sincerely in the duties of christianity , and of our particular callings , that thereby though we cannot procure , yet we may assure our happiness , and in that way of thine may come to be possessed of it (y) . that we may the better perform the duties belonging to us in our several places , help us ( we beseech thee ) to take heed both of idleness and ill company that are enemies to imployment . and if we do labour diligently , let us shew the power of godliness in not aiming at our own advantage and self-ends . set our hearts ( o god ) in so good a frame as that we may follow our business , day by day , in obedience to thy word , with respect to thy glory , and to the doing of good to those that we live amongst , and ought to be helpful unto . for these ends and purposes , we beg of thee ( as of a god al-sufficient ) to preserve us from danger by thy providence ; to enable us for what we are to do by thy power ; and to make all we do to thrive and prosper by thy blessing , without which it is in vain , to rise up early , to sit up late , and to eat the bread of sorrows (z) . have a gracious respect ( we humbly pray thee ) unto all thine and ours , according to all thy wisdom and goodness , and according to all their need and occasions ; be pleas'd to look with special favour upon the churches of the saints in all places , especially in this and the neighbour-nations . herein , pour forth thy choysest blessings on the head , and thy choisest graces into the heart of the kings majesty , with the rest of the royal family . furnish those with ability and fidelity that are in authority in the state , and that watch over the souls of thy people in the church . as for our selves and all that are under authority , make us ever ready to render unto caesar the things that are caesars , and unto god the things that are gods (a) . let thy fear ( o lord ) be upon our hearts all the day long (b) , that walking conscionably as in thy presence , we may present our selves comfortably before thee in the evening with the sense and feeling of thy grace in us , and goodness towards us in jesus christ , through whom we glory in thee (c) , and to whom ( with thee o father , and the eternal spirit , ) we acknowledge to be due , and desire to give all honour and glory now and evermore . amen . a shorter prayer for the evening . most glorious god , and in jesus christ our most loving fat●er , it is of thy great mercy that we have been preserved and followed with many fatherly favours this day , and that we are in so good a condition before thee to offer up this evening sacrifice unto thee . we must needs confess ( and we come unto thee to confess ) that thy gracious dealing with us is altogether undeserved , and that any evil that is , or shall come upon us in this world , is far less then we deserve ; for , if we look to our beginnings , we that ( at first ) were made good and like our god , have by our sin ( in our first parents ) forfeited and lost that holiness in which , and that happiness unto which we were created ; so that thou mayest justly call us transgressors from the womb (a) , we having procured this unto our selves , that we are every one of us shapen in iniquity , and in sin did our mother conceive us b) : and this corruption that over-spreads our natures , so declareth and disperseth it self also in our whole carriage , that as there is no day of our life wherein we do not many wayes partake in thy mercy , so no day passeth over our heads wherein we do not in many things provoke thy justice ; in regard whereof , we do not more need our daily bread for our bodies and being , then a daily pardon of sin for our souls and for our well-being . and blessed be thy name ( o gracious god ) w●o art so far from leaving us without hope of a pardon , that thou callest us unto thee , and teachest us to seek it from thee as from our heavenly father ; unto thee therefore we come , acknowledging , o father , that we have sinned against heaven and against thee , so that we are not worthy to be called thy children ; but though we forget to be towardly children , yet do not thou forget to be a compassionate father , but be pleased to come forth and meet us , and kiss us with the kisses of thy love (c) . declare thy self in jesus christ a god reconciled unto us , and that our sins and iniquities thou wilt remember no more (d) ; so shall we remember thy loves more then wine (e) , and thou shalt put gladness into our hearts more then can possibly be had from all worldly enjoyments (f) ; nor do thou kiss us only , but clothe us (g) : take away our filthy garments , ( which by our prodigality we have brought our selves unto ) , and clothe us with change of rayment (h) ; for , as our great desire is , that the righteousness of christ ( which is the righteousness of god ) may be put upon us to shelter us from thy justice ; so we beg also for the clothing of the new man (i) , that we may be meet to partake in thy mercy , and may walk worthy of thee our lord unto all pleasing , being fruitful in every good work (k) : give us , ( we beseech thee ) , that knowledge which is the light of the soul (l) ; that faith , which is the life of the soul (m) ; that love , which is the heat , and holy fire of the soul (n) ; that holiness and meekness which is the beauty and ornament of the soul (o) : and that hope which is the anchor of the soul (p) : and thus prepare us for that glorious place , whither our fore-runner is for us entred (q) , and who hath given us assurance , that where he is , there shall also his servant be (r) . nor do we pray for our selves only , but ( as in duty we are bound (s) , ) for thy whole church : thy church is thy treasure (t) , lord , where thy peculiar treasure is , there let thine heart and peculiar favour be also ; cast thine eye of compassion on those therein that are under any special affliction ; yea , look ( o thou all-seeing , and all-pitying god ) into all corners of the world , and shew thy self the god that comforteth those that are cast down (u) . in special manner , let the eyes of the lord our god be alwayes on this land , and the adjoyning kingdoms , from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year (x) . make our gracious king a glorious defender of the faith , worship , wayes , and servants of jesus christ ; let the spirit of wisdom and the fear of the lord rest on those eminent persons of his majesties privy council ; ennoble with grace the whole nobility . give a spirit of government and of godliness to all in authority , that under his majesty and his magistracy we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (y) . let thy ministers ( o lord ) be clothed with righteousness , and ( so ) let thy saints shout for joy (z) . as for our selves and others that live under the light ; give us grace ( we beseech thee ) to live as lights in the world , holding forth the word of life ( in our life ) , that so thy faithful labourers may rejoyce in the day of christ , that they have not run in vain , nor laboured in vain (a) . bless we pray thee all our friends , and all we ought to pray for , ( whether friends or enemies ) , especially bless those belonging to us with spiritual blessings in heavenly things ; yea , minister to them and us , and all thine , all those good things of any kind , which we have , or should have , asked either for our selves or them (b) . and now ( o lord ) , with humble thanks for the mercies of this day , we commend our selves and all we have into thy gracious hands , intreating thee to preserve us from the sins , and sorrows of the night , and to grant us that safe and quiet rest , whereby our bodies may be restored , and our spirits revived for the service of the day following ; and that for christs sake thine only son , and our alone mediator and advocate : in whose name therefore , and in the confidence of whose intercession we come unto thee ; and to whom with the father and the holy ghost , three persons and one god , we render ( as is most due ) all honour , obedience , and thanksgiving , now and evermore . amen . i shall only add two short prayers for children , whereby they may be trained up to this necessary duty , that so they may get much acquaintance with god ( by beginning betimes ) if they live longer , and may not be without all acquaintance with god and godliness if they die sooner . a prayer for children for the morning . most high and holy god , who hast set thy glory above the heavens , and yet out of the mouths of little children , yea , of sucklings , hast ordained strong and powerful praise (a) ; i bless and magnifie thy name ( which is so excellent ) ; for that , out of thine unspeakable love , thou hast given to thy children and to their children (b) , jesus christ , and together with him , all things (c) ; that i am born in thy church (d) , that thou hast so provided for my bringing up , that i may know of a child the holy scriptures , which are able to make me wise unto salvation (e) , that by thee i have been holden up from the womb (f) , who have been no way able to look to my self ; and in particular , for that thou hast kept me in safety this last night , and raised me up comfortably this morning ; o lord , i confess , i am a transgressor from the womb (g) , for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one (h) : and , though i have lived but a while in the world , yet i have sinned much ; so that it were just with thee , suddenly to seize upon me , and to take me out of this world before i am prepared for a better . but , lord look upon me not as i am in my self , but in jesus christ , and in and through him , pardon me who am so sinful ; teach me who am so ignorant ; sanctifie me who am so corrupt ; make me to remember thee my creator in the dayes of my youth (i) : help me to hide thy word in mine heart , that i may not sin against thee (k) , but may thereby , even while i am young , clense and amend my wayes ; order my steps in thy word , that no iniquity may have dominion over me (l) . and that i may not be wanting in any duty that thou requirest of me : grant me thy grace , ( o god ) , that i may be subject and obedient to my parents and governours ; tractable to my teachers , diligent in my business , humble and gentle in my behaviour , fearful to learn of any that which is evil , and careful to learn of all that which is good : be pleased ( o lord ) to strengthen and perfect my natural parts ; but especially vouchsafe that as i grow in years , so i may grow in grace . protect and bless me ( i beseech thee ) this day throughout , that in the evening i may praise thee for thy great goodness in christ jesus . to whom , with thee o father , and god the holy ghost , be rendred all glory , dominion , and service , now and evermore . amen . a prayer for children for the evening . o most wise and gracious god , i acknowledge my self a simple and sinful creature ; i was shapen in iniquity , and in sin did my mother conceive me (a) : that foolishness which is bound in the heart of a child (b) , is fast bound in mine ; and that corruption ▪ which abides in all , abounds in me , which sadly shews it self in my backwardness and unwillingness in better things , and my self-will and earnestness to walk in the wayes of mine heart , and in the sight of mine eyes (c) , though for all such things thou wilt bring me to judgement . notwithstanding all this ; be pleas'd ( o blessed father ) to look upon me in thy christ , as thy child ; unto me and into me , let every good and saving gift come down from the father of lights (d) ; give me so much understanding as to know my sin , and judge my self for it (e) ; so much repentance as to feel my sin , and abhor my self for it (f) , and so much faith as to flie to christ for pardon and power against it ; lord , refuse not to give me that pardon (g) ; lord , deny not to give me that power (h) . give me grace to know thee the god of my fathers , and to serve thee with a perfect heart and a willing mind ; for the lord searcheth all hearts , and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts ; if i seek him , he will be found of me , but if i forsake him , he will cast me off for ever (i) . bless ( o god ) all thy people , especially those whom thou hast made neer unto me ; more especially , my parents and those that have the care of me ; make them wise , and willing , to do me good ; and me humble and careful to receive it . i praise thee ( o thou that art the keeper of israel (k) , ) for keeping me this day : be pleas'd ( o lord , who doest neither slumber nor sleep ) this night to watch over me , and to raise me , with health and strength , to do thee service the day following ; and all this for jesus christs sake thine only son , and my alone saviour , in whose name i call upon thee as he hath taught me . our father which art in heaven , &c. finis . some books , printed and sold by edward thomas at the adam and eve in little-brittain . all the printed works of ●illiam bry●ne esq bencher of lincolns-inne , ●eing . one hundred and sixty several treatises . guilliam's herauldry . festivous notes on don quixot , folio . phioravants three pieces , in quarto . a rich closet of physical secrets , in quarto . bakers arithmetick , in octavo . private devotions , by d. valentine , in twenty fours . a little handful of cordial comforts , by rich. standfast , master of arts , the third edition , in twelves . railing rebuked ; or , a defence of the ministers of the nation , against the quakers , by william thomas , minister of the gospel of ubley , in quarto . a vindication of the scripture and ministry , by william thomas , minister of ubley , in quarto . practical husbandry improved , by g. platts , in quarto . satan inthroned in his chair of pestilence ; wherein the whole business of james nayler , his coming into bristol , and his examination , is related , by ralph farmer , minister of the gospel , in quarto . also the life of james nayler , with his parents , birth , education , actions , and blasphemies , is exactly set forth , by william deacon , in quarto . hypocrisie unmasked ; or , the defin●t●on and characters of the natural , moral , civil , praying hypocrite ; and how they differ from the sincere christian , by mr. s. crook , late rector of wrington , in somme●se●shire the way step by step to sound and saving conversion , by robert pur●ell , in octavo . smith's sermons , in quarto . farnaby's phrases , in twelves . — on juvenal , in twelves . francis spira , in twelves . bulke●ey on the covenant , in quarto . palmerin de oliva , in quarto . christian and conjugal counsel applyed to the marryed estate , by william thomas minister of ubley , in twelves . wadsworth exhortation to a holy life , in twelves . common prayers of all sorts . the true christ fasly applyed , discovered . . how far his person . . the expectation of receiving christ in the spirit . . the operation of christ received . . the predestination . and . his merits and free-grace , are not truly apprehended ; from whence some conclude to cast off all ordinances , pretend , and expect to prophesie , and work miracles ; all which , with twenty more false applications of the true christ , are discovered , by w. kaye , minister at stokesley . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e (a) pet. . , , . (b) deut. ● . , . (c) act. . . (d) gen. . . (e) sabbatum , non ocii , sed spi●itualis actionis materia est . chrysost. conc. . de lazaro . (f) joh. . . (g) amos . , , . (h) ez●k . . ● . (i) l. chancellor ellesmere . (k) chr. . . (l) luk. . , , . (m) isa. , . (n) heb. . . (o) cor. . . (p) eph. . . (q) eph. . . (r) cor. . . (s) joh. . cor. . . (t) cor. . . (u) gen. . . (x) isa. . . (y) tim. . . tit. . . (z) isa. . , . (a) gal. . . (b) eccl. . (c) luk . . (d) thess. . . — . (e) heb. . . (f) isa. . ● . (g) rom. . . (h) eccl. . . (i) mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with luk. . . (k) matth. . . (l) luk. . . (m) chr. . . (n) job . . (o) luk. . , . with luk. . . (p) eph. . . (q) tim. . . (r) cor. . . phil. . . (s) act. . . notes for div a -e (a) eph. . . (b) tim. . . (c) tit. . . (d) prov. . , . (e) tim. . . (f) concione . de lazaro . (g) ttm. . . (h) cor. . . (i) job . . (k) cor. . . cor. . , . (l) mat. . . (m) ma●k . . , , . (n) chron. . . (o) mat●h . . . (p) ephes. . , , . (q) king. . . (r) luk. . . (s) ephes. . . (t) cor. . . (u) cor. . . (x) rev. . . (y) act. . . & cor. . , (z) cor. . . (a) tim. . . (b) mat. . . (c) tim. . . (d) deut. . , . josh. . act. . , . (e) act. . . (f) prov. . . (g) cor. . . (h) ezek. . . (i) gen. . . (k) psal. . . (l) jam. . . (m) jer. . . (n) zech. . . (o) tim. . . (p) acts and mon. vol. . p. . so p. . a prayer to be said at the stake by those that god shall account worthy to suffer . (q) numb . . . hos. , chron. . . luke . . mat. . . (r) act. . . (s) prov. . . (t) dr. preston . (u) psal. . title . (x) job . . (y) see this and more in beza his argument of the psalm prefixed before his paraphrase upon it . (t) prim● . (u) sicut hodiè concionum au litum , cujus finis est pietas , multi pro ipsa pietate habent , &c. scult . & bockstad . in epist. ad rom. cap. . v. . notes for div a -e (a) tim. . . (b) tim. . . (c) cor. . . (d) tim. . . ●it . . . (e) psal. . sam . (f) gen. . . tim. . . (g) deut. . . (h) what is said of prayer , is true of all the rest , every one that is godly will pray , psal. . . notes for div a -e augustines observation ad fratres in eremo . serm. . cor. . . (a) tim. . . (b) deut. . , . object . answ. . answ. . (c) deut. . , . (d) psal. . . (e) deut. . , . (f) sam. . . (g) deut. . , , . (h) deut. . . (i) king. . . answ. . (k) deut. . . (l) tim. . . (m) tit. . . object . answ. (n) heb. . . col. . . (o) heb. . . (p) jude v. . (q) act . . (r) osiand . epitom . hist. eccles . cent . . l. . c. . (s) mal. . . (t) joh. . . cor. . . (u) (x) col. . . reasons of reading scripture . reas. . (y) hos. . . (z) ephe. . . (a) col. . . (b) thes. . . cal● in l●c. reas. . (c) ps. ▪ . vid. augustin in psal. conc●● . — & ad fratres in e●emo conc. . (d) gen. . , , . reas. . s●e a●●●wo●th on deut. . . this place of scripture is one of the four paragraphs wh●ch the j●ws read in th●● h●uses t●ic● a day . (e) tim. , (f) tim. . (g) gal. . . (h) rom . (i) mul●ò u●reriùs v●s ●ominus 〈…〉 , si scripturas 〈…〉 aug. epist. . (k) div●s 〈…〉 . (l) chrysost. in gen. . homil. . & in mat. . homil. . reas. . (m) act. . . (n) act. . . (o) tim. . . (p) a pueritia iss●uefactus erat scripturae lectioni , calv. reas. . tolle lege , toll . lege . (q) rom. . , . (r) king. . , , . — (s) lam. . . (t) jer. . . (u) act. . . reas. . (x) psal. . . (y) revel . . . (z) act. . . object . . answ. . (a) psal. . answ. . (b) ps. . . (c) ps. . . (d) hos. . (e) gen . . (f) prov. . . object . . answ. . (g) chron. . . (h) neh. . . , . (i) deut. . . (k) deut. . . (l) act. . , . answ. . (m) chrysost. in mat. homil . . non sum , inquit , ego monachus ; uxorem habeo & filios & curam domús . (n) tim. . . (o) tim. . , , . (p) tim. . . (q) chrysost. ubi supra . answ. . (r) mat. . . object . . answ. . answ. . (s) rev. . . answ. . * joan waste . (t) acts & monuments , . vol pag. . (u) rev. . . object . . answ. (x) act. . . . (y) neh. . . object . . answ. (z) ps. . . (a) job . . * psal. . . (b) rev. . . (c) ps. . . , . (d) tim. . . , , , . * tim. . , . (e) mat. . . pighius in hierarchia . vid ju●l : apolog . eccles . anglicanae . (f) isa. . . (g) job . (h) as montanus and marciom did , affirming that they knew more and better then either christ or his apostles . * as the papists do , that call i● theologiam atramentarian , and d●ad ink , go●seq●ils , &c. see dr. favour , antiq . cap. . p. . (i) col. . . * bernard in assump . b. mariae serm. . (k) eph. . . (l) psal. . . (m) mat. . . reason . * there shall none be admitted to the holy communion , until such time as he can say the catechism , and be confirmed ; rubrick after confirmation , and the rubrick before the catechism concerning confirmation . * see mr. hanmers exercitation upon confirmation : and mr. baxter . reas. . * accedat verbum ad elementum , & fit sacramentum . (a) sacramenta sigillatim communicantur , ac applicant ac restringunt promissiones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ad singulos legitimè ut●ntes istis ritibus . bucan . de sacramentis quaest . . chemnit . exam. parte . pag. . (b) joh. . (c) gen. . . (d) esth. . . (e) mal. . . (f) luk. . . (g) gal. . . (h) lam. . . segniùs irritant animos demissa per aures , &c. (i) calv. in exod. . . ubicunque aspicimus signum aliquod gloriae dei , hunc admira●ionis sensum elicit ex cordibus nostris pietas . idem in jos . . non quòd pedum nuditas perse censeatur in dei cultu ; sed quià ejusmodi su●sidiis adju vanda est hominum infirmitas , quò se meliùs ad venerationem excitcut & comparent . (k) ri●us sacramentorum in oculos & cae●eros sensus incurrunt , & nos veluti in rem praesentem adducunt ; quasi christum ipsum quod ammodo manibus jam palpemus , oculis cernamus , gustu percipiamus , & toto pectore sentiamus . bucan . de sacramentis . q. . (l) calv. institut . l. . c. . sect . , . * mr. vines treatise of the sacrament . vid. zepper . tractat . de sacramentis . lib. . c. . item chemnitii exam. de praeparat . ad eucharistiam . item cyprian . in explicatione . petitionis orationis dominicae . (m) rubrick before the communion . (n) vid. cyprian . serm. de resurrect . ad finem : & de coena domini propè finem . (o) vid. chrysost in mat. homil . . & de com . punct . cordis , lib. . (p) rertilerius . (q) vid. calvini v●tam à theod. beza descriptam . (r) mr. nicholson in his answ . to an admonitory epistle , pag. . (s) pag. . (t) mr. humf●ys s●cond vindication , pag , . (u) psal . . (x) cor. . . (y) in his rejoynder to dr. drake , pag , (z) see pag. . the excommunicate i account no members . (a) cor. . . (b) cor. . , . (c) mr. nicholson . (d) heb. . . (e) eph. . . (f) tim. . . john . . th●s . . . (g) tim. . , . (h) deut. . . (i) isa. . , . (k) jer. . , . (l) gen. . . (m) mat. . . john . . (n) joh. . mat . , . & . . (o) john . . act. . , . (p) joh. . tim. . with pet. . . inspired of god , and moved by the holy ghost are all one , for they are one god. (q) gen. . , . eccl. . . (r) col. . . (s) eph. . . (t) gen. . , . & . . (u) rom . , , . & . . (x) heb. , . (y) cor. . [ first man , and second man ] as if there were none but those two men in the world , viz. because common persons , in whom others are comprehended . (z) rom. . , . (a) gen. . . rom. . , . gal. . , . (b) heb. . , , . (c) joh. . . pet. . . (d) gal. . , . (e) phil. . , . (f) tim. . , . (g) mat. . . luke . . (h) psal. . . mat. . , . act. . , . cor. . , . rom. . . (i) col. . . luk. . , , . (k) heb. . . (l) rom. . . phil. . . (m) act. . . (n) luk. . , . (o) luk. . , . (p) rom. . . (q) act. . . (r) rom. . . (s) act. . . & . . cor. . . — (t) joh. . . (u) thes. . . (x) joh. . . tit. . . (y) joh. . . (z) heb. . . (a) ephes. . . (b) isa. . . john . . & . . (c) luk. . (d) act. . . . (e) act. . . (f) tit. . . (g) rom. . . (h) luk. . . (i) heb . . (k) luk. . . act. . . (l) joh. . . (m) luk. . . (n) luk. . , . (o) john . , . (p) act. . . (q) cor. . . (r) mat. . , . (s) psal. . . (t) joh. . . ephes. . . (u) p● . . . (x) king . . (y) tim. . . (z) john . , . (a) rom. . . (b) col. . , . (c) cor. . , . phil. . . (d) psal. . . thes. . . (e) psal. . . (f) ps. . . (g) mat. . . sam. . . (h) isa. . . act. . , , , , , . (i) joh. . . gen. . , , , . cor. . . (k) isa. . . (l) job . . (m) rom. . . (n) cor. . . (o) exo. . gen . . (p) rom. . . (q) cor. . . (r) act. . . cor. . . (s) act. . . (t) joh. . . (u) acts . . (x) cor. . . (y) rom. . . (z) for every child of a believer hath a right before ; a christian-childs right before : but ( being baptized ) it hath a church right , that is , a right shewed and sealed in the face of the church . (a) exod. . . (b) cor. . . with eph. . , . cor. . . joh. . . & . , . (c) acts . . (d) cor. . (e) see joh. . . the flesh of christ separated from the deity , and eternal spirit , heb. . profits nothing . (f) john . . & . . (g) eph. . , , . & . , , . (h) that is , to shew , and seal , and help to the sense of , forgiveness of sin : for christ speaks that mat. . . . to those whose sins were forgiven already . (i) mat. . . luke . . (k) ps. . . (l) joh. . . (m) ps. . · (n) sam. . , . (o) eph. . . (p) cor. . . sam. . . (q) joh. . . see gen. . , , , . with isai. . . jer. . , . (r) mat. . . (s) see j. usher's sermon professor in divinity in the university of dublin , preached before the commons house of parliament , the . of february , . (t) ephes. . . (u) act. . . (x) act. . , , , & . . (y) cor. . . (z) cor. . . (a) isai. . . (b) rev. . , . (c) psal. . . jam. . . (d) numb . . . hag. . , . (e) king. . . . rom. . , . (f) act. . . (g) psal. . . ezra . , . rom. . . (h) zec. . . (i) sam. . . zech. . . (k) isa. . . (l) mat. . . act. . , . (m) hos. . , , . (n) ruth . . (o) mat. . , — . (p) joh. . . (q) rom . cor. . . (r) act. . . (s) cor. . . (t) pet. . , . tast , tempts , (u) act. . . heb. . . (x) act. . . & chr. . , . (y) cor. . , . (z) cor. . . ps. . . (a) cor. . . (b) cor. . . (c) ephes. , , , . (d) love praies , ps. . . gen. . . (e) mat. . . act. . . (f) cor. . . (a) tim. . . (b) cor. . . (c) ephes. . . both these scriptures shew what [ in the lord ] notes . (d) sam. . . (e) eccl. . . (f) cor. . . (g) & . . (h) cor. . . & cor. . . (i) mat. . . (k) tim. . . (l) mal. . , . (m) isa. . , & . . deut. . . (n) heb. . . (o) and yet none of these speak with that authority that an ordained minister hath ; so there is a difference in that still . (p) matt. . , . (q) tan●um indicat quid esset in sua vocatione praecipuum , calv. in cor. . . (r) mat. . (s) ephes. . , . (t) tim. . . (u) cor. . . object . (x) col. . . answ. (y) tim. . . tim. . . (z) see , jus d●vinum ministerii evangelici . p . (a) cor. . . (b) chr. . . (c) num. . object . answ. (d) joh. . . matth. . . object . answ. (e) tim. . . (f) mar. . . (g) act. . . (h) th●ss . , . (i) tim . . (k) phil. . · (l) di●lat . in loc . (m) psal. . ult . (n) psal. . . (o) rom. . . (p) cor. . . (q) joh. . . (r) thes. . . (s) tim. . . (t) heb. . . (u) officium auditorum primum indicat obscurè metalepsi , dum inquit rogamus ut agnoscatis : post cla●è , inquiens ut habeatis in summo pretio . hemming . in loc . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (y) leigh . crit. sacr. (z) ar. mont. super ex abundan●i . (a) beza schol. in ephes. . . (b) act. . . (c) cor. . . sam. . . (d) the king comes to v●sit the prophet , king. . . and weeps over him . (e) mat. . . rule●s over his houshold . (f) sam. . . king . , . tim. . . tim. . . (h) jer. . . (i) mal. . . (k) king. . . (l) king . , , . (m) prov. . , . luk. . . act. . . (n) gal. . . (o) thess. . , — . (p) chr. . . (q) chr. . , , , . (r) cor. . , . (s) king. . . mat. . . . (t) tim. . (u) tim. . , . (x) tim . , . , . (y) mal. . . (z) joh. . , . (a) see railing rebuk'd , and therein arguments for tithes in answer to a quaker , p. . (b) not using them as the papists did bucer , phagius , and divers others ; whom they took out of their graves , and burned . (c) king. . , . (d) king. . , . (e) mat. . . . (f) cor. . . (g) cor. . . (h) tit. . . (i) act. . . (k) luk. . , , . joh. . . (l) mar. . . (m) bulling . in thes. . . ex ambros. (n) mat. . , . (o) sam. . , . & . . (p) judg. . . (q) gen . . (r) sam. . . (s) rom. . . (t) tim. . . (u) cor. . , . (x) esth. . . (y) act. . · (z) act. . . (a) king. . . (b) act. . , . (c) mat. . . (d) prov. . . tim. . . (e) gen. . . (f) king. . . (g) tim. . . (h) num. . . (i) chr. . . (k) act. . . (l) cor. . , , , . eph. . . (m) cor. . . isa. . . (n) sam. . . & . . (o) eccl. . . (p) chr. . . (q) pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (r) zec. . . (s) ephes. . . . (t) jer. . . (u) cor. . . (x) joh. . . (y) cor. . . (z) psal. . . (a) isa. . , . (b) cor. . . (c) luk. . . . (d) eph. . . act. . , . . (e) exod. . . (f) numb . . . (g) ps. . . (h) mat. . . (i) cor. . . (k) cor. . . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plato . (m) col. . . (n) heb. . . (o) eccles. . . (p) amos . . matth. . . john . . (q) rev. . . (r) cor. . , . (s calv. epist. . h●●oviae , . an . (t) cor. . , . (u) luk. . . (x) rev. . . (y) num. . . (z) mat. . . acts . . (a) chr. . , , . (b) deut. . . (c) deut. . . (d) rev. . , . (e) act. . . (f) luk. . , . (g) mat. . . with . . (h) mat. . , , . (h) mat. . , . (i) tim. . . (k) thes. . (l) tim. . (m) homil. of the place and time of prayer . (n) rev. . . (o) it was the constant question of the persecuting heathens , what ? hast thou kept the lords-day ? to which the answer was ; i am a christian , and therefore i cannot intermit it , and the law of god prompteth me to it . bishop of winchester in his speech against trask . object . answ. . (p) rom. . . (q) cor. . . a quatenus ad ad on●ne valet argumentum . (r) d. ames . d. bound . mr. caud●ey , & mr. palmer , &c. mr. shephard . (s) prov. . . (t) wolph . in v. . avenar . diction . in radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (u) ezra . . (x) sam. . . & . . (y) hence we read of the sabbath of the land , that is , the rest of the land , lev. . . . so , the land is said to keep sabbath , chron. . . (z) ut admoneret eos quae opera sabbati lex prohiberet , h●m●na scilicet ; & quae p●aeciperet , divina scili●et , tertul. advers . ma●c . o ecolamp . in isa. . . opus factum in fide ad utilitatem proximi , sabbatum non violat , hoc enim est opus dei ; sed si proprium in eo commodum spectes sabbatum violas . (a) dr. bownd book p. . cawdr . part. . p. , &c. (b) mr crookes characters , p. . (c) exod. . . (d) mat. . . (e) joh. . . (f) mar. . , , , . (g) discipulos excusat , quoniam humanam opponit necessitatem quasi deprecatricem . tertul. advers . marc. lib. . (h) joh. . . (i) isa. . . (k) isai. . . (l) jer. . . (m) chr. . . (n) articles of religion agreed upon , in the convocation at dublin , anno . art. . just so , chrysost. tom . . hom. de lazaro ; judaei putant sihi sabbatum ocii gratia suisse datum ; verum non ista est causa , sed potius ut abducti à cu is rerum temporalium ocium omne consumerent in spiritualibus . (o) mat. . . (p) ezek. . . (q) jun. & trem. in exod. . . (r) exod. . . (s) lev. . . ye shall keep my sabbath , i am the lord. (t) ezek. . , . (u) ezek. . . (x) thus sanctific●tion is conceived to be taken , heb. . . [ sanctified ] from the world , and dedicated to god by calling and covenant , common to all visible members , dickson in loc . (y) jer. . , . (z) num. . . (a) aynsw. on numb . . . (b) ezek. . , . vid. chrysost. conc . . de lazaro . (c) agnoscenda peccata per septimanam commissa , scultet . in isa. . . (d) ezek. . . (e) jer. . . (f) psal. . (g) math. . . isai . . pet. . . (h) pet. . . (i) luk. . . (k) luk . . (l) luk. . , , , . (m) act. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colloq●utus . (n) cor. . , . (o) shepheard thes. (p) dr. bownd . p. . beza in mat. . . bifield expos. creed . p. . dutch annot. on joh. . . (q) mr. cawdr . palm . part. . ch . . & ex chrysost. p. . (r) legem hanc nobis scribamus immobilem , nec nobis modò , sed conjugibus etiam , liberisque nostris , ut unum hunc totius hebdomadis diem , quo ad audiendum concurritur , totum in eorum quae dicuntur meditatione ponamus . chrysost. in cap. mat. . in hom. . quest. answ. . (s) exigua & brevis aliqua occupatio , quae circa res temporales ex occasione versatur , ita potest dirigi , & meditatione piâ temperari , ut religionis officia non impediat sed potius iuvet . ames . cas . l. . cap. . n. . (t) si vel tantillum aliud agas — . quest. answ. . answ. . answ. . (u) d. cawdrey h. palmer , . part. p. . answ. . (x) vid. k●ck erman . system . phys. l. . c. . ple●aq , somnia oriun ur ex imaginibus earu● actionum quas interdiu exercuimus . hinc claudianus ; omnia quae sensu volvuntur votae diurno , pectore sopito reddit amica quies . venator desessa thoro dum membra reponit , mens tamen ad sylvas & sua lustra redit . me quoque musarum studium sub nocte silenti , artibus assiduis sollicitare solet . (y) joh. (z) rom . . see perkins serm of repentance on zeph. . , . prophanation of the sabbath is a common , yet so great a sin ; that where it reigns , in that countrey , congregation , family , man , or woman , there is no fear of god , nor any true grace in them . quest. answ. . answ. . (a) mat. . . object . answ. . answ. . answ. . (b) gen. . . (c) exod. . (d) as mat. . what , could ye not watch with me one hour ? object . answ. . (e) ephes. . . answ. . (f) exod. . . the lord [ hath ] given you the sabbath , not doth [ now ] give . (g) piscat . in exod. . . ut qui assueti erant sabbato observando . diodat on exod . . . (h) rivet . in explicat . decalogi , p. . answ. . (i) d. cawdr . & h. palmer , sabb. vindicated , . part. p. . answ. . object . answ. (k) god rested the seventh , and blessed the sabbath . (l) gen. . , . (m) suarez de dieb . festis deputare septimum diem inhebdomade , est fo●maliter deputare septimum diem ; licet materialitèr non idem dies semper fuerit deputatus . see haman l'estrange of gods sabbath , p. . the seventh is the sabbath . the seventh , what seventh ? he saith not , the seventh from the creation , he nameth no day ; if he had , it would have restrained the law to that day : but because he meant the day should change , and yet the law continue , he saith only , the seventh , that is , the seventh after six , or one in a week . quest. (n) ames . medul c. . lib. . num. . &c. dan. cawd . & hen. palm . . part . c. . & . ham l'estrange p. . &c. & p. . answ. . answ. . (o) mat. . , . (p) col. . . (q) cujus beneficii comm●morat o successit memoriae creationis , non traditione humana , sed christi ipsius observatione atque instituto . jun. prael●ct . in gen. . (r) cor. . , . (s) act. . , . vid. camer . myrothec . in loc . (t) rom. . , & v. . (u) act. . . (x) rom. . vid. piscat . in rom. . . in analysi . (y) aug. epist. . ad januar . c. . (z) cor. . . (a) cor. . . (b) it being not called dies domini , but ( which is more ) dominicus , not of the lord , bu● , which is the lords . (c) dutch annotat . on revel . . . apostoli illum diem haud dubie tanquam ex domini instituto observarunt ad agendum in eo conventus ecclesiasticos . piscat . in luc. obs. (d) see marlorat . in rev. . . ex seb. mayer . (e) bishop of winch. opuscula . his speech against trask in star-chamber . (f) cor. . . (g) cor. . . & . . matth. . . act. . . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. hom. de semente . (i) exod. . , . (k) to change the lords day , the church hath no authority : for it is not a matter of indifferency , but a necessary prescription of christ himself by his apostles . fulk against rhem. on rev. . . (l) see the constant observation of the lords day by the primitive and successive churches , proved in a treatise entituled , dies dominica , lib. . cap. . & lib. . cap. . edit . an. . in quart . (m) mat. . . (n) mar. . . (o) luk. . . (p) vers. . (q) luk. . . (r) cor. . . (s) pet. . . (t) mal. . . (u) rev. . . (x) chr. . . (y) luk. . . (z) joh. . . (a) luk. . . (b) isa. . . (c) tim. . . (d) judg. . . (e) lev. . . (f) ezek. . . (g) lev. . . (h) zec. . . (i) isa. . . (k) mal. . . (l) psal. . . (m) prov. . . (n) psal. . . (o) psal. . . & . . . (p) ineplè faciunt qui observationem diei dominici ex traditione , non ex scriptura sacra , in ecclesia perdurare asserunt . jun. praelect . in gen. . (q) isa. . . (r) jer. . . deut. . . (s) luk. . . (t) deut. . . (u) neh . . (x) isa. . , . mat. . , , . rev. . , . (y) cant. . , . vid. mercer . in loc . (z) rev. . . (a) et sabbati & dominici unus est dominus . aug. epist . . ad casulam . (b) praeponitur dies dominicus sabbato ; fide resurrectionis . ibid. (c) ignat. ad magnes . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (d) hieron . com . in marc. . post sabbata tristia soelix irradiat dies , quae primatum in diebus tenet , &c. item . quomodo maria virgo inter omnes mulieres principatum tenet , ita inter caeteros dies haec dies omnium dierum mater est . (f) p. ramu● in comment . de relig. christiana . lib. . c. . sabbatum siquidem scholasticus dies est , quo nobis est ad domini scholam accedendum , ad legem ejus & voluntatem cognoscendum , &c. (g) psal. . . (h) psal. . . (i) heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ut v. , . (k) hos. . . (l) levit. . . (m) jer. . . (n) numb . . . . (o) ezek. . . (p) numb . . . & . . (q) lam. . . & . . (r) josh. . , . (s) judg. . . sam. . . (t) josh. . (u) jer. . . (x) mic. . . (y) lev. . . (z) jer. . , . (a) prov. . . (b) rom. . . (c) cor. . . . (d) mercer . in gen. . . benedictio , ( ut inquiunt hebraei ) est accessio boni ; faustum & felicem , augustum & in signem intercaeteros hunc diem esse voluit , & praecipuo eum favore & honore dignatus est . (e) gen. . . (f) sam. . . (g) psal. . . (h) prov. . . see aynsw. on gen. . . it is the abundant wealth of the world . (h) calv. in locum . (h) chr. . . (i) oecolampad . in loc . (k) gen. . . vid. jun. tr●m (l) isa. . . (m) as cruel exactions are bad any day , but worst on the fast-day , isa. . . see ezek. . . sins are worse by holy time and place , king. . . (n) oecolampad . in loc . (o) so the hebrew hath it . (p) bullinger in loc . (q) dutch annotations on isai. . . (r) sam. . . (s) eccl. . . (t) psal. . · (u) cor. . · (x) mal. . . (y) cor. . (z) isa. . . (a) cor. . . (b) ezek. . . (c) sam. . . (d) sam. . , , . (e) bulling . in loc . (f) dutch annot . (g) voluntates tuas . pagnin . (h) see gen. . . psal. . . where the same word is used : so king. . . (i) lev. . . (k) — v . (l) non requirit silentium harpocraticum . bulling . (m) see dr. bownd , doctrine of sabbath , i. book , p. , &c. (n) thus by giving way to ordinary words , the most confessed du●ies of the day are either marr'd or maim'd . (o) cor. . . o ecolampad . (p) calv. in isa. . altiùs spectavit quàm ad externam cae●emoniam , hoc est , otium & quietem ; in quo judaei sanctitatem summam sitam esse putabant , — quod nimis crassum est ; admonet enim propheta psal. . titulo : & v. , , . sabbatum non rectè coli feriando , sed ordinatum esse ut celebretur dei nomen , calv. in psalm . . . (q) tit. . . (r) rev. . · (s) exod. . . (t) o ecolampad . in loc . (u) jer. . , , . (x) neh. . . (y) rom. . . psal. . . (z) vid. scultet . in locum , & mercer . in job . . (a) bulling . in loc . (b) joh. . . (c) psal. . . & . . (d) isa. . . (e) psal. . , . isa. , . (f) job . . & . . (g) psal. . torrente deliciarum tuarum . (h) cant. . . (i) gen. . , . (k) cant. . · (l) neh. . . (m) psal. . , . (n) psal. . . (o) gen. . . (p) pet. . . the will of the gentiles . (q) amos . . (r) isa. . . (s) job . . (t) job . . (u) cant. . . (x) psal. . . revel . . . (y) deut. . . & . . & . . ride on their necks . septuagint . as psal. . . (z) psal. . . with lam. . , , . & neh. . . (a) dutch annot . (b) sam. . . (c) cor. . , . (d) rom. . . psal. . . (e) isa. . . (f) jer. . , . (g) compare isa. . , , . with joh. . . & rom. . , , . eph. . , . (h) see joh. . . cor. . . joh. . . rev. . . & . , . (i) psal. . . deut. . . with act. . , , . (k) psal. . . (l) prov. . , . (m) psal. . . (n) mr. breerwood tract . . sab (o) bishop of ely , p. . of his treatise of the sabbath-day . this is something like bellarmines [ tutissimum est ] lib . de justificat . c. . proposit. . (p) joh. . . (q) neh. , , . (r) isai. . . psal. . , . (s) gal. . . (t) rom. . . ephes. . . (u) phil. . . psal. . . & . , . (x) bulling . in loc . (y) jer. . , . (z) isa. . , , . (a) act. . (b) heb. . . , , , . (c) nos in typo haereditatem patris jacobi intelligimus vitam aeternam . scultet . in isa. . . bona terrae quae in excelsis sita est sunt illa , cor. . . & heb. . . hieron . in isa. . (c) heb. . . (d) luk . . (e) tim. . . (f) or , an exhortation to repentance . (g) prov. . . (h) gal. . . (i) hos. . . (k) accessit animus ad sententiam . (l) prov. . . (m) act. . . (n) king. . . (o) joh. . , , , . (p) judg. . , . (q) psal. . . (r) job . , . (s) joh. . . (t) wherein desire fails , eccl. . . (u) prov. . . (x) mal. . . (y) mat. . . (z) numb . . . deut. . . (a) deut. . . with chr. . , . (b) luk. . . (c) isa. . . & . , , . (d) psal. . , . (e) mat. . (f) cant. . , , . (g) cant. . (h) joh. . (i) amos . . (k) sam. . , . (l) sam. . , . (m) neh. . . with psal. . , . (n) joh. . , . (o) mat. . . & . . (p) cant. . . (q) rev. . . (r) joh. . . (s) act. . . (t) ps. . . (u) isa. . , . (x) isa. . , . (y) ps. . , . (z) rev. . . notes for div a -e (a) vers. . (b) exod. . , . deut. . , . (c) col. . (d) ephes. . . (e) psal. . . (f) vid. schindler . lex . in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proverbium , quòd in ore fit , & inculcetu● . (g) deut. . (h) see ainsw . on deut. . . (i) king. . . (k) dutch. annotat . (l) heb. . . (m) schindler lexic . in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide mercer . in loc . sephar chiniuc est liber de prima pueror um institutione ( i. ) catechismus . (n) so va●ablus which he explains thus , erudi ab incunabulis . (p) vid. ames . in psal. . tit . (q) psal. . . nagaar . (r) king. . . (s) see chr. . . (t) see ezra . . from mouth to mouth . (u) prov. . . vid. lav. in prov. . . simplicissimus sensus est . initia , & doce puerum in ore , ( i. ) in ingressu . (x) so the word is taken numb . . . king. . . (y) psal. . . (z) cleaver on prov. . . object . answ. . (a) joh. . . (b) joh. . , , . object . answ. . answ. . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (d) eph. . . tim. . . (e) thes. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) vid. zanch. in loc . & musculum . (h) tim. . · 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (i) heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . septuag . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (l) tim. . . (m) act. . . tit. . , . (n) prov. . . (o) act. . . (p) sam. . . (q) luk. . . cor. . . gal. . . (r) tim. . . quest. . answ. (s) rom. . . quest. . answ. (t) tim. . . (u) luk. . , . (x) udum & molle lutum es : nunc nunc properandus , & acri fingendus sine fine rota . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (z) king. . . & v. . (a) chr. . . (b) chr. . . (c) king. . , , , . (d) prov. . . (e) psal. . , , . (f) voluit hoc deus per con●inuas aetatum series promulgari , u● per singulas familias de manu in manum transmissa , ad ul●imos usque pervenirent . calv. in loc . (g) gen. . . (h) pareus com· in gen. c. . . prima post lapsum catechesis . (i) heb. . (k) rom. , . (l) gen. . . initiavit , as prov. . . (m) gen. . . (n) job . . (o) chrysost. aversus vitu peratores vitae monasticae : sub finem . (p) chr. . . (q) ruth . . & . . (r) chr. . . (s) judg. . . & . . hos. . . (t) mat. . . (u) prov. . , . (x) chr. . . (y) luk. . . (z) prov. . , &c. (a) tim. . . (b) act. . , . with tim. . . (c) joh. . . (d) gen. . . (e) chrysost. in eph. . serm. . (f) tim. . . (g) prov. . . (h) chrysost. adversus vi●uperatores vitae monast. prope finem . (i) ephes. . . the [ first ] commandement with promise . (q) chrysost. in ephes. . serm . moral . (l) gen. . . (m) gen. . . (n) sub unius persona , communis omnibus piis regula traditur . nam qui hac in parte torpent , abjiciunt quantum in se est , vel supprimunt , dei gratiam . calv. in loc . (a) mat. . , . (b) exod. . . (c) gen. . . (d) vid. beza d. k●pud p. . (e) cor. . . (f) cor. . . (g) vid. camero● . myrothec . in cor. . . (h) cor. . . (i) cor. . . (k) ver. . (l) ver. . (m) ver. . (n) tim. . , ▪ (o) cor. . . (p) esth. . . (q) rom. . (r) phil. . . (s) cor. . . (t) cor. . . docet hoc natura etiamsi pauci observent aut alcujus faciant . musc. in loc . (u) deut. . . see dutch annot . on cor. . . (x) a natura deciderunt , sicut multis aliis rebus comprobatur . hieron in cor. . . (y) beza annot . in cor. . . (z) sam. . . & . . it is said , his head caught hold ; that is , his hair ; for that was more like to catch hold : his head might be caught , but his hair was liker to catch , which may be understood by his head ; as when it is said , he polled his head , sam. . . ( i. e. ) he cut off his hair : so vatab. in sam. . . adhaesit caesaries ejus in ramis perplexis quercus — so god met with verticem comatum , psal. . . (a) see how the l. cromwel in k. henry . his reign , disciplined a serving-man , that , as one weary of his old english fashion , wore his hair excessively long , whom he committed to the marshals●y for it . fox vol. . pag. . (a) prov. . . (b) cor. . . (c) pro. . . (d) psal. . . (e) cor. . . (f) psal. . (g) prov. . . (h) job . . (i) joel . , . (k) chron. . . (l) chron. . . (m) esther . . (n) act. . , . (o) act. . , , . (p) tim. . . (q) psal. . , . (r) chron. . . (s) psal. . . (t) rom. . . (u) joel . . (x) mat. . . (y) act. . , (z) mater mea , majori sollici tudine me parturiebat spiritu , quam carne pepererat . (a) ephes. . (b) cor. . . (c) heb. . . (d) heb. . , . (e) psal. . , , , , &c. (f) luk. . . thess. . . jam. . . (g) act. . , , . (h) psal. . , to ver . . (i) luk. . . (k) phil. . , . (l) gen. . . & . , . (m) job . . (n) see va●ablus and diodates annotations on the place . (o) so mercer and beza on the place . (p) sam. . . (q) job . . (r) ver. . (s) josh. . . (t) indefinenter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adorate ( i. e. ) deum orate zanc. in thes. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utrumque significat . erasm . in act. . . (u) rom. . . (x) zech. . , , . see dan. . . the forbidding of prayer , was to forbid the owning of the true god. (y) chron. . . zec. . . (z) sam. . . (a) psal. . , . & . . (b) gen. . , , . (c) esth. . . (d) zech. . . heb. family , family . (e) hos. . . (f) zech. . , . (g) rom. . . cor. . . col. . . philem. v. . (h) elna●han parr on rom. . . (i) see chrysost . on phil. v. . zanc. in col. . . calv. in col. . . bez. in cor. . . piscat . in philem . v. . in observationibus . vid. calv in act. . . non leviter praeterire hanc laudem decet , quòd domesticam habuerit ecclesiam cornelius . (k) psal. . . (l) mat. . , . (m) mat. . . (n) auxesin habet quod dicit [ de omni re ] q. d. non solum in eo casu de quo jam loquutus sum , sed in re quacunque ; musculus in loc . (o) jer. . . (p) gen. . . (q) gen. . ● . (r) josh. . . object . answ. (s) psal. . . isa. . . mal. . . (t) jer. . . (u) psal. . . (x) vers. . (y) act. . . (z) job . . (a) gal. . . (b) psal. . . (c) jer. . . (d) act. . . psal. . , . (e) lavat . in chron. . , . solomon precatur ut deus familiam suam conservet : ita & nos orare debemus ut deus magistratus nostros , item familias nostras , tueri & conservare dignetur . (f) psal. . . reasons for family-prayer . reason . (g) deut. . . (h) sam. . , , . (i) lev. . . (k) luk. . . cor. . , . reas. . (l) josh. . . (m) lev. . . (n) gen. . . (o) ruth . , (p) psal. . . (q) psal. . . (r) act. . . reas. . (s) act. . . (t) communi instinctu piorum omnium qui non sunt in religione tepidi , praxis ista nobis commendatur . an●es . in psal. . docum . . (u) hos. . . (x) psal. . . (y) mal. . . (z) joh. . . (a) prov. . . rom. . . (b) luke . , , . amos . . (c) sam. . . (d) sam. . . . prayer hinders not our business , no more then tithes take from our substance . dr. preston . (e) mat. . . (f) ames . in psal. . doc. . (g) see what things are fixed and fall out on particular days , giving occasion to look up to god in prayer , and praise . king . , . sam. . . sam. . . psal. , . ● & . . (h) psal. . . & . . & . . . . (i) dan. . . nisi quis nost●ûm prae●igat sibi certas horas ad precandum , facilè nobis excidet memoria . calv. in loc . (k) thess. . . we are to serve god all the days of our life , luk. . . and therefore to serve him as we may ( and by prayer we may ) every day . (l) matth. . . christ is questioned about his disciples not fasting and praying : so mat. . . (m) et certè , verus dei cuttor non patietur , quoad in se erit , eum exulare à domo sua . calv. in act. . . (n) calv. in act. . . see act. . . the hour of prayer . (o) numb . . , , . (p) psal. . . (q) heb. . . (r) psal. . . (s) psal. . . (t) mal. . . (u) exod. . , . (x) aynsw. on exod. . . (y) rom. . . (z) luk. . . ezek. . . king. . , . (a) vid. ames . in psal. . . quest. . (b) psal. . . . — ames . cas . l. . c. . n. . communis hic est instinctus omnium qui speciem aliquam habent religionis , ut inter pon●ificiòs , & etiam mahumetanos . (c) isa. . . (d) sam. . . (e) deus non est ingratus hospe● . p. mart. in sam. . . object . answ. (a) and it is said jer. . . that micaiah declared unto the princes all the words that he had heard . (b) jer. ● . . (c) isa. . . men will not trust their memory with matters of importance , but put them down . (d) isa. . . (e) calv. in jer. . . quoniam labuntur sermones ex ore hominis , ergò major est scribendi utilitas . — quod hodiè quispiam legerit , poterit iterum cras legere & post annum & plures annos . (f) it was observed in the late ( and eminently hopeful ) princess elizabeth , though so young , yet that she was so provident , as not only to write down every sermon as it was presently delivered ; but , at special times , to pick out the choysest sentences , and transcribe them in a book on purpose with her own royal hand . john bachiler , epistle dedicatory to the royal bud of our english hopes , princess elizabeth , prefixed to his [ golden sands ] . object . answ. (g) jer. . . (h) musc. in loc . (i) psal. . . (k) job . . (l) luk. . . (m) si quod statim no● fuerit intellectum repetitur , plus habet lucis . calv. in jer. . , . (n) pet. . , , (o) lev. . (p) col. . . psal. . . (q) tim. . . (r) act. . . (s) phil. . . (t) ezek. . . (u) eph. . . phil. . . coloss. . , . thess. . . (x) deut. . , , . judg. . . (y) sam. . . for in our hearing the king charged — (z) for governours to speak to their families out of gods word , is good ; but to repeat what ministers speak , is safe , and likelier to be free from mistake . (a) joh. . . (b) ver. . (c) act. . , . (d) non oportet à coetu ecclesiae recede●ttes contrariis huic studio negotiis implicari , sed domum continuò revertentes , s●●ros replicare libros , & conjugem-pariter , liberosque ad eorum quae dicta sunt , collationem vocare . chrysost. in cap. . mat. homil. . (a) perhaps this ( as other things ) may h●ve something of popish suggestion in it , with whom it is accounted hainous for common people to sing psalms , vid. musc. in ephes. . . in hac senecta mea cogor audire de quibusdam papisticis magistrati●us quod subditos suos usum psalmorum abjurare cogunt : eò insan ae evadit caeca pervicacia . object . . answ. . (b) rom. . . (c) tim. . . object . . answ. . (d) psal. . . , . (e) psal. . , . gal. . . vid. ames . in psal. . doc. . (f) tim. . . chron. . . (g) rom. . . (h) judg. . . psal. . . (i) phrasis scrip●u●ae ●st loqui vo●is ipsis ( i. e. ) inter vos ipsos . h●ming . in loc . (k) col. . . beza ( in loc . ) shews that the three greek words that are translated psalms , hymns , and songs , are the same that are used by the septuagint to render the hebrew words , which are the titles of divers psalms , which we call the psalms of david . (l) cum reminiscor lachrymas meas quas fudi ad cantus ecclesiae tuae & nunc ipso commoveor non cantu , sed rebus quae cantantur , liquida voce & convenientissima modulatione , magnam instituti hujus utilitatem agnosco . aug. confess . lib. . c. . (m) davenant . in col. . . corol. canendi consuetudo u●ilis est , & tum in publicis tum in privatis christianorum coetibus usurpanda . (n) zanch. in ephes. . de musica in ecclesia . (o) non ecclesiasticè duntaxat , sed & domesticè . musc. in col. . . (p) mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hymniphying . (q) beza in matth. . . (r) luk. . . (s) psal. . . (t) psal. . . (u) eph. . . . nihil hic agitur de cantu templorum , sed de eo qualia esse debent christianorum convivia . bulling . in loc . (x) ps. . . (y) vers. . (z) psal. . . read the places of scripture , which it is more tedious to write out . (a) psal. . . (b) vers. . (c) maschil . (d) rom. . . (e) psal. . . askilecha . (f) psal. , , . & . . (g) hos , . (h) ephes. . , . (i) psal. . . (k) prov. . . as the voyce added to the prayer , so singing added to the voice , makes the exercise more lively and energetical . (l) vid. tremel . & jun. in psal. , , , . (m) rom. . . (n) act. . . (o) eph. . , . pet. . . (p) eph. . . (q) col. . . (r) eph. . . (s) gen. . . so psal. ▪ . (t) psal. . . (u) deut. . . (x) deut. . . (y) bernard . de modo benè vivendi ad so rorem . c. . (z) heming . in col. . . (a) sam. . . (b) psal. . . & . . & . title , & . , . (c) act. . . (d) rev. . . notes for div a -e (a) cor. . . (b) psal. . . (c) ephes. . . . (d) mat. . . (e) act. . . (f) ephes. . . pet. . . (g) eccles. . . (h) rom. . . (i) psal. . . (k) heb. . . (l) phil. . . (m) pet. . , . (n) lament . . . (o) josh. . . (p) mic. . . (q) jer. . . (r) mat. . . (s) ephes. . , . (t) gen. . . (u) psal. . . (x) psal. . . (y) thes . (z) cor. . . (a) cor. . . (b) prov. . . (c) isa. . . (d) judg. . . . (e) rom. . . (f) joh. . . (g) gen. . . & v. . (h) psal. . . (i) vers. . (k) jam. . . (l) mat. . , , &c (m) mat. . . (n) heb. . . (o) luk. . . (p) isa. . . (q) jer. . . (r) tim. . . (s) luk. . . (t) isa. . . (u) heb. . . (x) luk. . . matth. . ● (y) ezek. . . (z) psal. . . (a) sam. . . (b) psal. . . (c) tit. . . (d) heb. . . (e) psal. . . & (f) ps. . . (g) psal. . . (h) pet. . (i) act . (k) psal. . . (l) psal. . . (m) luk. . . (a) heb , . . (b) exod. . . . (c) psal . (d) eccl. . . (e) mal. . . (f) l●k . . . (g) rom. . . (h) prov. . . (i) rev. . . (k) pet. . ● (l) gen . (m) sam. . (n) job . psal. . . (o) mic. . . (p) isa. . . (q) joh. . . (r) jer. . . (s) psal . . (t) rom. . . (u) prov. . . (x) revel . . (y) jam. . . (z) psal. . · (a) mat. . . (b) prov. . . (c) rom . . (a) isa. . ● . b) psal. . . (c) luk. . . (d) jer. . . (e) cant. . . (f) psal . , . (g) luk. . . (h) zech. . . (i) eph. . (k) col. . . (l) luk. . , . cor. . . (m) gal. . . (n) cant. . (o) psal. . . prov. . . pet , . (p) heb. . (q) heb. . . (r) joh. . . (s) isa. . , . (t) exod. . (u) ● cor. , . (x) deut. . . (y) tim. . , . (z) psal. . . (a) phil. . . (b) eph. . . (a) psal. . . matth. . . (b) act. . . (c) rom. . . (d) psal. . . (e) tim. . . (f) psal. . . (g) isa. . . (h) job . , . (i) eccl. . . (k) psal. . . & v. . (l) psal. . . (a) psal. . . (b) prov. . . (c) eccl. . . (d) jam. . . (e) cor . . (f) job . . (g) luk. . , . (h) psal. . . rom. . . (i) chr. . . (k) ps●l . . , . the ladies calling in two parts / by the author of the whole duty of man, the causes of the decay of christian piety, and the gentlemans calling. allestree, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the ladies calling in two parts / by the author of the whole duty of man, the causes of the decay of christian piety, and the gentlemans calling. allestree, richard, - . pakington, dorothy coventry, lady, d. . sterne, richard, ?- . fell, john, - . henchman, humphrey, - . [ ], , [ ] p., [ ] leaf of plates : ill. printed at the theater, oxford : . written by richard allestree. cf. dnb. also variously ascribed to lady dorothy pakington, richard sterne, john fell, humphrey henchman, and others. cf. dnb. reproduction of original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng women -- conduct of life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . christian life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the ladies calling the ladies calling . in two parts . by the author of the whole duty of man , the causes of the decay of christian piety , and the gentlemans calling . favor is deceitful , and beauty is vain : but a woman that feareth the lord , she shall be praised . prov. . . oxford , printed at the theater . m. dc . lxxiii . the editor to the reader . it is a popular reproach usually cast upon writers in morality , and persuaders to devotion , that while they with pompous words represent vertu as a sufficient reward to ●…er self , and exhort to the contemt of glory ; they prefix their names to their labors , and make the title-page a confutation of the book that follows it . our author has effectually averted this objection , having bin so far from seeking a name from others , as not to have left a possibility for the discovery of his own : but like the river nilus that gives fertility and blessing wheresoe're he passes , hides his head ; and permits himself to be only known in the benefits which he dispenses . by what methods the other most useful works of this excellent author have st●…ln themselves into the world , i am not enabled to relate ; but having been made a party to the publication of this present , it may be expected that i render some account thereof . for altho the curiosity of inquiring into that which is industriously conceled , be such a rudeness , and injustice also , as by no means deserves to be encouraged ; yet where a benefit has bin receiv'd , for those who are oblig'd , to desire to acquaint themselves with the person unto whom they stand endebted , that they may pay a respect at least , if they can reach at no more equal retribution ; this has such a pretence to gratitude , as may justly demand to be considered . and it will be some satisfaction to the ingenuous enquirer , that tho he have not enform'd himself in the particulars which he desires , he has not been deficient in the inquest , & knows as much as is possible . the reader therefore may please to understand , that somwhat more then two months since , i receiv'd a letter , accompanied with a roul of papers ; opening the which , i found it was written by a hand which i was utterly a stranger to , and that had no name subscribed ; the purport thereof was as follows . sir , the general report of your candor persuades me you will not reject an address , tho from an unknown hand , which encourages me to the sending these papers to you , with a desire you would please to peruse them , and commit them either to the press , or the fire as you find them worthy . i shall not need to tell you who i am , for if my suit be accepted , i have what i desire without it if it b●… not , 't is my interest you should not know who 't is that has thus importun'd you . your charity i assure my self will at a venture pardon , sir , your humble servant . 't will be superfluous to say how much i was surpriz'd with this so unusual address , how much affected with the singular modesty and humility which it ex●…rest : and after all how much transported upon viewing the treasure , which was thus ●…s from the clouds dropt into my hands ▪ nor was i long to determine which of the two waies of disposal proposed unto me , was to be made use of : and indeed i should much so●…ner have perform'd my trust , and taken care that this excellent tract ●…ad immediatly seen the light , had it not bin needful to transcribe the whole , before it could safely be committed to the press . this i mention not only to excuse the delay of the edition , but more especially to beg a pardon for the misadventu●…es of it . it being not easy in a written copie where a recourse is not to be had unto the author , to do him justice ; and avoid faileurs and mistakes : which in the present instance was the more hazardous , in that every departure from the authors i●…itable pattern , would certainly be for the worse . but excuse and complement are any where a very insipid foolish thing , and most intolerable in a serious concern : i shall not therefore say ought that looks that way ; only offer a short request ▪ which i suppose will be equally in-the behalf of the ▪ author of this tract ▪ the editor ▪ and the readers of it , which is , that whoever takes this book in hand would seriously consider it ; and doing so , receive the infinite benefits of uniform vertu , and sincere pie●…y ; the documents whereof , are herewith all possible advantages propos'd : and thereby give the author , that greatest of blessings , the being an instrument to the eternal happiness of souls : and as to us who deal in the affair of printing ▪ afford some share in this most desirable event ▪ absolving us from the charge of having don mischief , instead of service to the world . for , to say the truth , no book is so fatally destructive as that which convinces of duty ▪ but fails of persuading to it . and if the best books can do harm , 't will certainly be difficult to make a plea for the mul●…tudes of a contrary kind ▪ which now especially 〈◊〉 upon the age ▪ the preface tho the smalness of this tract will scarce justifie the solemnity of a preface ; yet remembring 't is design'd for those who are accustomed to ceremonious addresses , i think it not best to approch them too abruptly . and indeed besides the civility , there seems som use of it in order to my design . to advise , or reprove , is so ungrateful an office , that he that undertakes it , had neee●… use all previous arts to vindicate the sincerity of his purpose , and to convince the person admonished , that 't is neither spleen no●… prejudice , but the mo●…t real exuberant kindness which promts him to inflict those wounds of a friend , prov. . . and that he is never less an enemy , then when he thus tells them the truth , gal. . : therefore , tho they may in the ensuing leaves meet with som things which may have a shew of severity , yet let me assure my reader , they have indeed a design of the greatest service , by correcting the extravagance of som , to rescu the whole sex , as from the contagion of the example , so from the community of the blame . for such is either the inadvertence , or malice of a great part of mankind , that ( against all rules of discourse ) they deduce generals from particulars , make every woman so far an eve , that her depravation shall forfeit her whole kind ; and because there are foolish and scandalous women , will scarce allow there are any other . the truth is , the error seems in many men to be affected ; they propose to themselves unworthy ends on women , and make all their observations wholly in order to those . he that is upon a base pursuit , takes particular notice of all that he thinks for his turn ; the rest fall not within his sphere : and 't is too probable he is so abundantly supplied for that absolute consideration , that he never descends to the comparative . nay , perhaps there may be a yet deeper original of the scandal : the world is much governed by estimation ; and as applause encourages & exalts , so a universal contemt debases & dejects the spirit . if it can once pass into a maxim , that women are such silly or vicious creatures , it may put fair for the making them so indeed . themselves may imbibe the common opinion , charge all their personal faults on their sex , think-that they do but their kind , when indeed they most contradict it , and no more aspire to any thing worthy , then a man can pretend to the excellencies of an angel. and indeed this seems to be the practical inference of som women , who could hardly have descended to such dishonors , had they not before bin as vile in their own eies , as they have afterwards rendred themselves in others . it may therefore upon this account be a necessary charity to the sex , to acquaint them with their own valu , animate them to som higher thoughts of themselves ; not to yield their suffrage to those injurious estimates the world hath made of them , and from a supposed incapacity of nobler things to neglect the pursuit of them ; from which god and nature have no more precluded the feminine , then the masculine part of mankind . in reference to secular considerations , their advantages are most important ; women have a very powerful influence upon all sorts of transactions in the world : the engaging of the delilah , and plowing with the heifer , judg : . & . being ever the surest way to undermine the counsels , and master the force of the stoutest samson . and accordingly , hictories of all kinds assure us , that gyneceum has still had a rival suffrage with the senate . i might urge the more regular powers which appertain unto that sex ; that all mankind is the pupil and disciple of female institution : the daughters till they write women , and the sons till the first seven years be past ; the time when the mind is most ductile , and prepar'd to receive impression , being wholly in the care and conduct of the mother . and whereas ' is observ'd by aristotle in his politics , ( and is a proof of his being as wise , as he was a learned man ) that the estate of republics entirely hangs on private families , the little monarchies both composing & giving law unto the great ; 't is evident that the disposal of families and all domestic concerns therein lies chiefly on the wife ; whence the same aristotle declares , that the spartans notwithstanding their ready address to empire by their great frugality , industry , and military virtue , could have but half a happiness , as failing on the part of their wives . but waving these reflexions i shall fix only on the personal accomplishments of the sex , and peculiarly that which is the most principal endowment of the rational nature , i mean their understanding . where ▪ first it will be a little hard to pronounce , that they are naturally inferior to men ; when 't is considered how much of extrinsic weight is put in the ballance to turn it on the mens side . men have their parts cultivated and improved by education , refined and subtilized by learning and arts , are like an inclosed piece of a common , which by industry and husbandry becomes a different thing from the rest , tho the natural turf own'd no such inequality . and truly had women the same advantage , i dare not say but they would make as good returns of it ; som of those few that have bin tryed , have bin eminent in several parts of learning . to omit the modern instances , theano after the death of pythagoras kept up his school ; socrates confesses himself to have bin instructed not only in rhetoric by aspatia , but even in the highest points of philosophy by diotime : the roman story enforms us of the deep wisdom of tanaquil , cornelia , livia , to pass by others . and were we sure they would have ballast to their sails , have humility enough to poize them against the vanity of learning , i see not why they might not more frequently be intrusted with it ; for if they could be secured against this weed , doubtless the soil is rich enough to bear a good crop . but not to oppose a received opinion , let it be admitted , that in respect of their intellects they are below men ; yet sure in the sublimest part of humanity , they are their equals : they have souls of as divine an original , as endless a duration , and as capable of infinit beatitude . that spiritual essence , that ray of divinity owns no distinction of sexes ; so that in this sense also that aphorism of the apostle holds good ; there is neither male nor female , but all are one , gal. . . and sure this is the one transcendent excellency of human nature . for alas , what valu can comparatively be s●…t upon all other qualifications , which will finally-leave us but like the beasts that perish . and this as it is the highest pitch of their worth , so it is the safest subject of their contemplations : other knowledg , as the apostle speaks , cor. . . may puff-up , this only will edify . as therefore when we would pride our selves , we use not to boast our meaner , but our best'qualities : so let me solicit ladies to be so just to themselves , as not to take their own mesures by any thing below this . why should they take so low a level of greatness , as to valu themselves upon a title which is but a bigger blast of air , when they may derive their descent from above the stars , claim cognation with divinity ? why should they dote on the fictitious image , of a perhaps more fictitious beauty , which their glass presents them , when they need but look inward to see an infinitely fairer idea , an emanation of the eternal brightness ? indeed did they make a just estimate of themselves in this respect , it would overwhelm the vanity of those inferior things wherein they now have such complacency , nor would they suffer their nobler part to be affronted by the unequal competition of their meaner . but there is also another consequent which would flow from that esteem ; they would solicitously preserve what they so highly prize , it being natural for us to proportion our care to our valu . they would be jealously vigilant against every thing , that might eclipse the radiancy or contaminate the purity of their souls . 't was the advice of a heathen moralist , revere thy self ; and 't was very wholesom counsel : for next our due veneration to god , a reverence to our selves is the most severe controller of all exorbitancies . how can a soul that remembers its celestial extraction , wallow it self in the mire , sto●…p to any sordid degenerus practices ? 't is said of themistocles , that seeing once a rich booty about the dead corpses of his enemies , he touch●… it not , but pointing to another , said , take thou that , for thou art not themistocles . if then a little military fame could so elevate his thoughts , t is a shame that any who carry an immortal spirit about them , should not be raised above all the contemtible baits of this sublunary world. why should they not with the like disdain turn over all sensual inordinacies to meer animals , and creatures that have no higher principle then that of sense , whilst themselves soar up to those more sublimated plesures , which are at god's right hand for evermore , psal. . . we may therefore conclude , that what ever vicious impotence women are under , it is acquired , not natural ; nor derived from any illiberality of god's , but from the managery of his bounty . he has placed within them a pillar of cloud and fire , sufficient to shelter and conduct them through all the storms , all the intricacies that can occur in their journy to canaan ; if they will forget that more intrinsic part of their being , live as if they were all body , reject the manna , and rave after the quails , that destruction which will thereby be induced they must own to spring from themselves . let them not charge god foolishly , or think that by making them women , he necessitated them to be proud , or wanton , vain , or peevish ; since 't is manifest he made them to better purposes , was not partial to the other sex , but that having , as the prophet speaks , abundance of spirit , mal. . he equally dispenc'd it , and gave the feeblest woman as large and capacious a soul as that of the greatest hero. nay give me leave to say farther , that as to an eternal well being , he seems to have placed them in more advantagious circumstances then he has don men . he has implanted in them som native propensions , which ( as i shall hereafter have occasion to observe ) do much facilitate the operations of grace upon them . besides , there are many temtations to which men are exposed that are out of their road . how hard is it for a man to converse in the world , but he shall be importun'd to debauchery and excess , must forfeit his sobriety to maintain the reputation of a sociable person ? again , how liable are they by a promiscuous conversation among variety of humors , to meet with affronts , which the maxims of honor will tell them , must ( in spight of all christ's interdicts ) be reveng'd ? and this engages them in quarrels , somtimes in murders . now none of these are incident to women : they must in these and som other instances attaque temtation , violently ravish guilt , and abandon their sex , the whole economy of their state , e're they can divest themselves of their innocency . so that god seems in many particulars to have closelier fenced them in , and not left them to those wilder excursions , for which the customary liberties of the other sex afford a more open way . in short , they have so many advantages towards vertu , that tho the philosopher made it one of his solemn acknowledgments to god , that he had made him a man , and not a woman : yet i think christian women have now reason enough to invert that form , and to thank god that he made them women , and not men . but we know advantages which are only in speculation , are lookt on with som diffidence , till there have bin som practical experiment made of them ; i shall therefore evidence the problem by demonstration , and instance ; desiring my readers to mesure the possibilities of their arriving to eminent degrees of vertu and piety , by what others have attained to . i shall not fetch examples of morality from heathen women , because i am now upon a higher strain ; ( yet many such might be brought to the reproach of many women , who pretending to more , fall infinitly short of that : ) 't is christian vertu that i am now recommending , and which has bin eminently exemplified in many of their sex. how ●…any women do we read of in the gospel , who in all the duties of assiduous attendance on christ , liberalities of love and respect , nay even in zeal and courage , surpassed even the apostles themselves ? we find his cross surrounded , his passion celebrated by the avowed tears and lamentations of devout women , when the most sanguine of his disciples had denied , yea forswore , and all had forsaken him . nay , even death it self could not extinguish their love ; we find the devout maries designing a laborious , chargeable , and perhaps hazardous respect to his corps . and accordingly 't is a memorable attestation christ gives to their piety , by making them the first witnesses of his resurrection , the prime evangelists to proclaim those glad tidings ; and as a learned man speaks , apostles to the apostles . nor is the devotion of that sex to be found only in the sacred records ; the primitive times have left us many memorials of the like , and the martyrologies are full of female sufferers of all ages and conditions , who by the fervor of their zeal had overcome the timorousness of their nature , and wearied the cruelty of their persecutors . and as women help to augment the number of martyrs , so did they of confessors also , in a stout owning , & diligent practice of christianity . queens and empresses knew then no title so glorious as that of a nursing mother to the church , have often exchanged their palaces for little cells and oratories , and valued not their own diadems in comparison with their savior's crown of thorns . and tho by a perpetual declination from that pristine zeal , the instances have in every age grown less numerous , yet none has wanted som very illustrious examples . nay even in our dregs of time , in this common decay of all good , there are , i doubt not , many who ( according to their opportunities ) transcribe the former copies , live like people that know they must live hereafter , and present us yet with som specimen of ancient vertue . nay , to speak an impartial truth , 't is not to be denied , but the reputation of religion is more kept up by women then men ; many of the one countenancing it by their practice , whereas more of the other do not only neglect , but decry it . and now since women are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses , who by doing the thing , give the surest evidence that 't is not unfeasible , why should any plead an impossibility ? in matters of vanity and pomp they they are not so easily disheartened , no pattern of that kind can be ●…et which will not be industriously imitated ; nay in ●…he greatest inequality of materials for it . why ●…hen should their emulation leave them where only it could do them good ? how comes it , that of those who have equal principles of a spiritual being , som live according to the dignity of it ; and others who see them do so , do yet live as if they assented to that philosophers paradox , who said , women had no souls ; or at least were of the pythagorian sect , and lookt upon themselves only as the jails and prisons of former offending spirits , which they resolved to fit for a yet viler transmigration ; give them the appetites of beasts before they assume the bodies ? this is indeed an unlucky humility , that those who in all other instances are apt to overween , should here sink so much below themselves . and i hope 't will not appear an uncivil address , to perswade them to a juster estimate of their own worth . and if what has bin said to that end may have any effect , i shall not desire a better preparative to the ensuing tract ; since she that duly considers her own capacity of eternal bliss , and withal , the possibility of as endless a misery , according as she performs or neglects the several parts of duty , will sure need no other incentive to the diligent pursuit of it . the ladies calling part i. sect. i. of modesty . . it is now many years since an address was made to the gentry of this nation , to perswade them to that vertue , which would be both their pleasure and reward . i cannot , i confess , boast any such effect of that , as should much inspirit the hopes of a new attemt ; yet since we see in our proper secular concerns , defeats do may times animate no less then success , i know not why in this more charitable design i should sit down discouraged . men usually raise not a siege upon the first repulse , but reinforce their batteries , observe more curiously which are the most assailable accessible parts , and accordingly dispose their assault : it will then be no unreasonable imitation in the present case , if , after a succesless attemt upon the more impregnable masculine part of the gentry , i now essay the feminine , whose native softness and gentleness may render them less apt for that resistance of good counsel , wherein too many men place their gallantry . . i presume those to whom that little tract was at first design'd , will be so willing to relinquish their title , that i might without imputation of robbery , exchange my patrons , and by a new dedication supersede the labor of a new book . and indeed , since what was there said was founded more on the distinction of qualities than of sex , there would not need many razures to render it as proper for the one as the other ; and i shall take so much advantage of it , as to assure the female gentry , that they may there find much of the duty incumbent on them , in respect of that rank and condition they hold in the world : and therefore , tho i shall somtimes make some reflexions on it ; yet , as to the main , i shall think it the easiest course , as well for them as my self , to direct them thither . . but it may seem to have too much of the pedant , to entertain new scholars only with the cast or nauseated learning of the old ; and when i remember i write to ladies , who use to think the newness of any thing a considerable addition to its valu ; i conceiv my self oblig'd aswell in civility to their humor , as charity to their needs , to give them somthing which they may own as their peculiar . and to render it the more unalienable , i shall affix it to their sex ; and make it the subject of my present inquisition , what in respect of that , are the proper and distinct obligations , under which , by the assignment of god and nature , they are placed . . that the obligation to moral & christian vertues is in it self universal , and not confin'd to any sex or person , is not to be denied : yet , as in human constitutions there are often precepts , which ( tho not exclusive of any , do yet ) more peculiarly and eminently level at som particular rank or order of men ; so in the laws of god and nature , there appears the like distinction . that all-wise creator , who hath put peculiar proprieties and inclinations into his creatures , hath accordingly design'd their actuating and improving them : and altho in mankind , which differs nor in species but in gender , the variety may seem less ; yet there is still enough to found som diversity , either in the kind or degree of duty . this sure is shadowed to us in that particular caution given to the jews , not to confound the habit of the several sexes , deut. . . and yet more clearly evinced in the precept which the apostles address to women , tim. . and . pet. . nay , this is so granted a truth , that all ages and nations have made som distinction between masculine & feminine vertues , nature having not only given a distinction as to the beauties of their outward form , but also in their very mold and constitution implanted peculiar aptnesses and proprieties of mind , which accordingly vary the mesure of decency ; that being comely for the one sex , which often is not ( at least in the same degree ) for the other . it will therefore be no absurd attemt to decipher those excellencies , which are the genuine and proper ornaments of women : which tho in som instances they may perhaps prove coincident with those of men ; yet even those which are equally inclusive of both , by the divine command may have som additional weight on the female side , in respect of decency , fame , or som other ( not despisable ) consideration . . for the better directing our present inquisition , it will be most regular , first to inquire what those vertues are which are universally necessary to women in all ages and circumstances of their lives : such which , like the first matter , are pre-requir'd for all forms ; which , like a firm and solid basis , must support all various events , all changes of their condition or relations . and secondly , we shall consider them in those changes , track them through the several stages and periods of life , through those several states which create the most considerable mutations to them ; and in each of those consider , what are the new and proportionate accessions of duty . . as in the outward accommodations of life ▪ the things of most daily and indispensible use deserve the greatest valu ; so in moral or divine endowments , the benefit of possessing is best mesured by the misery of wanting them . this first rank therefore of female vertues which we are to treat of , will have that to recommend them ; they being so strictly necessary , that their absence is not only a privative ill , but also exposes to a deluge of all positive mischiefs consequent to that privation . . this will be found true in all the severals we are to pass through , but in none more eminently then in that we shall chuse to begin with , the vertue of modesty ; which may be considered in a double notion , the one as it is opposed to boldness and indecency , the other to leightness and wantonness . in the first acception , zeno has not ill defin'd it , to be the science of decent motion , it being that which guides and regulates the whole behavior , checks and controles all rude exorbitancies , and is the great civilizer of conversations , it is indeed a vertu of a general influence ; does not only ballast the mind with sober and humble thoughts of ones self , but also steers every part of the outward frame . it appears in the face in calm and meek looks , where it so impresses it self , that it seems thence to have acquir'd the name of shamefacedness . certainly , ( whatever the modern opinion is ) there is nothing gives a greater luster to a feminine beauty : so that st. paul seems , not ill to have consulted their concerns in that point , when he substitutes that as a suppletory ornament to the deckings of gold & pearl and costly array , tim. . but i fear this now will be thought too antiquated a dress , and an apostle be esteemed no competent judg in this science ; which is now become so solemn a thing , that certainly no academy in the world can vie numbers with the students of this mystery . yet when they have strein'd their art to the highest pitch ; an innocent modesty , and native simplicity of look , shall eclipse their glaring splendor , and triumph over their artificial handsomness : on the other side , let a woman be decked with all the embellishments of art , nay and care of nature too , yet if boldness be to be read in her face , it blots all the lines of beauty , is like a cloud over the sun , intercepts the view of all that was otherwise amiable , and renders its blackness the more observable , by being plac'd neer somwhat that was apt to attract the eyes . . but modesty confines not its self to the face , she is there only in shadow and effigie ; but is in life and motion in the words , whence she banishes all indecency and rudeness , all insolent vauntings and supercilious disdains , and what ever else may render a person troublesom , or ridiculous to the company . nor does she only refine the language , but she tunes it too , modulates the tone and accent , admits no unhandsome earnestness or loudness of discourse , the latter whereof was thought so undecent in carneades ( tho in his public lectures ) that the gymnasiarch reproved him for it : and sure , if 't were not allowable in a philosopher in his school , 't will less become a woman in ordinary converse ; and if we consult prov. . . and . we shall find loudness and clamor in women coupled with such other epithets , as will surely not much recommend it . a womans tongue should indeed be like the imaginary music of the sphers , sweet and charming , but not to be heard at distance . . and as modesty prescribes the manner , so it does also the mesure of speaking ; restrains all excessive talkativeness , a fault incident to none but the bold ; the monopolizing of discourse being one of the greatest assumings imaginable , and so rude an imposing upon the company , that there can scarce be a greater indecency in conversation . this is ingeniously exprest by our divine poet herbert , a civil guest , will no more talk all , then eat all the feast . he that engrosses the talk , enforces silence upon the rest , & so is presumed to look on them only as his auditors & pupils , whilst he magisteriously dictates to them : which gave occasion to socrates to say , it is arrogance to speak all , and to be willing to hear nothing . it is indeed universally an insolent unbecoming thing , but most peculiarly so in a woman . . the ancient romans thought it so , much so ▪ that they allowed not that sex to speak publicly , tho it were in their own necessary defence ; insomuch that when amesia stood forth to plead her own cause in the senate , they lookt on it as so prodigious a thing ; that they sent to consult the oracle what it portended to the state : and tho these first severities were soon lost in the successes of that empire , valerius maximus could find but two more , whose either necessity or impudence , perswaded them to repete this unhandsom attemt ▪ . and this great indecency of loquacity in women , i am willing to hope is the reason why that sex is so generally charged with it ; not that they are all guilty , but that when they are , it appears so unhandsom , as makes it the more eminent and remarkable . whether it were from that ungracefulness of the thing , or from the propension women have to it , i shall not determin ; but we find the apostle very earnest in his cautions against it ; cor. . . he expresly enjoins women to keep silence in the church , where he affirms it a shame for them to speak : and tho this seems only restrain'd to the ecclesiastical assemblies , yet even so it reaches home to the gifted women of our age , who take upon them to be teachers ; whereas he allowed them not to speak in the church , no not in order to learning , tho a more modest design then that of teaching . but besides this , he has a more indefinit prescription of silence to women , tim. . . let women learn in silence ; and again , v. . to be in silence . the apostle seems to ground the phrase , not only on the ●…feriority of the woman in regard of the crea●…ion and first sin , v. , . but also on the presumtion that they needed instruction ; towards which , silence has alwaies bin reckoned an indispensible qualification , the introductory precept in all schools , as that wherein all attention is founded . if som women of our age think they have outgon that novice state the apostle supposes , and want no teaching ; i must crave leave to believe , they want that very first principle which should set them to learn , viz. the knowledg of their own ignorance : a science which so grows with study and consideration , that socrates after a long life spent in pursuit of wisdom , gave this as the sum of his learning , this only i know , that i know nothing . this proficiency seems much wanting to our female talker , who , in this , seem to confute the common maxim , and give what they have not , by making their ignorance visible to others , tho it be undiscernable to themselves : and to such we may not unfitly apply the sarcasin of zeno to a talkative youth ; their ears are faln into their tongue . . but besides this assuming sort of talkativeness , there is another usually charged upon the sex , a meer chatting , pratling humor , which maintains it self at the cost of their neighbors , and can never want supplies as long as there is any body within the reach of their observation . this i would fain hope is most the vice of th●… vulgar sort of women ; the education of the nobler setting them above those mean entertainments . yet when 't is remembred that st. paul ▪ tim. . . makes tatling the effect of idleness , it may not unreasonably be feared , that where there is most of the cause , there will be som of the effect . and indeed , it would puzzle one to conjecture , how that round of formal visits among persons of quality should be kept up without this : that their visits should be only a dumb shew , none will suspect among women ; and when the unfashionable themes of houswifery , piety , &c. are excluded , there will not remain many topics of discourse , unless this be called into supply . and this indeed is a most inexhaustible reserve , it having so many springs to feed it , that t is scarce possible it should fail . and when 't is farther considered , how apt a minister it is to envy , spleen , revenge , and other feminine passions , we cannot suppose it can be unacceptable where any of those bear sway . but i believe it is not more frequently introduc'd by any thing then the vanity of wit , which has no where a more free and exorbitant range than in censuring and deriding ; nay , finds not only exercise but triumph too , vain persons seldom considering the infirmities or follies of others , without som complacencies , and assuming reflections on themselves ; which how unagreeable it renders this liberty of talking to that modesty we recommend , is obvious enough , and would god 't were only oppo●…t to that ; but it is no less so to all the obligations of justice and charity also , which are scarce so frequently violated by any thing , as by this licen●…iousness of the tongue . . there yet another vice of it , for which ●…he female sex has bin generally accus'd , and that ●…s reveling of secrets ; an infirmity presum'd so ●…cident to them , that aristotle issaid tohave made ●…t one of the three things he solemnly repented of , that he had ever trusted a secret with a woman . but by how much the greater prejudice ●…hey lie under in this respect , the greater ought to be their caution to vindicate not only their persons , but their sex , from the imputation , which is indeed extreamly reprochful : this blasting humor being a symptom of a loose , impotent soul , a kind of incontinence of the mind , that can retain nothing committed to it ; but as if that also had its diabetic passion , perpetually and almost insensibly evacuating all . and indeed however we are willing to appropriate this to the sex , yet the fault is owing only to this ill constitution of the mind , which is oft-times no less visible in men ; as on the contrary , those women who by reason and vertu have acquir'd a solidity and firmness of mind , are as sure repositories of a secret , as the most masculine confident : and such i have no intent to involve in this charge , but rather , by proposing their example to the rest , shew that nature has put them under no fatal necessity of being thus impotent . a secret is no such unruly thing , but it may be kept in : they may take the wise mans word for it , ecclus. . . if thou hast heard a wordlet it die with thee , and be bold , it will not burst thee . . this is a piece of daring manliness , which they may affect without breach of modesty ; would god they would take it in exchange for that virile boldness , which is now too common among many even of the best rank . such a degenerous age do we now live in , that every thing seems inverted , even sexes ; whilst men fall to the effeminacy and niceness of women , and women take up the confidence , the boldness of men , and this too under the notion of good breeding . a blush ( tho formerly reputed the color of vertu ) is accounted worse manners then those things which ought to occasion it , and such as nothing but the simplicity of a country girl can excuse . but the infirmity for the most part proves very corrigible ; a few weeks of the town discipine wears off that piece of rusticity , and advances them to a modish assurance . nor is that design'd to terminate in it self , but it is to carry them on , till they arise to a perfect metamorphosis , their gesture , their language , nay somtimes their habit too being affectedly masculine ; so that what tacitus speaks of vitellius in relation to his being a prince , we may apply to them and say , that if others did not remember them to be women , themselves could easily forget it . . yet , were this affectation confin'd only to the more innocent indifferent things , 't were more tolerable ; but alas it extends farther , and there are women who think they have not made a sufficient escape from their sex , 'till they have assumed the vices of men too . a sober modest dialect is too effeminate for them : a blustring ranting stile is taken up , and ( to shew them proficients in it ) adorn'd with all the oaths and imprecations their memory or invention can supply ; as if they meant to vindicate their sex from the imputation of timerousness by daring god almighty . 't is true indeed , an oath sounds gratingly out of whatever mouth , but out of a womans it hath such an uncouth harshness , that there is no noise on this side hell can be more amazingly odious ; yet this is a music this discordant age hath introduc'd , no former having i think ever heard it in places at all civiliz'd : so that the female swearers want that poor shadow of excuse the men pretend to , it having bin so far from customary , that the unwontedness could not but force them to some industry and pains , ere they could acquire the habit , and set up for female hectors ; an essay , wherein they have been very kind to the masculine , by shewing the world there can be somthing worse . . 't is said there want not some who compleat the demonstration by the other parallel quality of drinking also ; a vice detestable in all , but prodigious in women , who put a double violence upon their nature , the one in the intemperance , the other in the immodesty ; and tho they may take their immediate copy from men , yet ( to the praise of their proficiency ) they outdo their exemplar and draw near the original : nothing human being so much beast as a drunken woman . this is evident enough if we look only on the meer surface of the crime ; but if we dive farther into its inferences and adherencies , the assirmation is yet more irrefragable . she who is first a prostitute to wine , will soon be to lust also ; she has dismist her guards , discarded all the suggestions of reason , as well as grace , and is at the mercy of any , of every assailant . and when we consider how much fuller the world is of amnons then josephs , it will not be hard to guess the fate of that womans chastity , which has no other bottom then that of mens . so that unless her vice secure her virtue , and the loathsomness of the one prevent attemts on the other ; 't is scarce imaginable a woman that loses her sobriety should keep her honesty : so that indeed i might more properly have made this reflection when i come to speak of modesty in the second notion of it , as it is oppos'd to lightness and wantonness , but it falls not much amiss now , to be the introduction to it . . and if we consider modesty in this sense , we shall find it the most indispensible requisite of a woman ; a thing so essential and natural to the sex , that every the least declination from it , is a proportionable receding from womanhood , bu●… the total abandoning it ranks them among brutes , nay sets them as far beneath those , as an acquir'd vileness is below a native . i need make no collection of the verdicts either of the philosophers or divines in the case , it being so much an instinct of nature , that tho too many make a shift to suppress it in themselves , yet they cannot so darken the notion in others , but that an impudent woma●… is lookt on as a kind of monster ; a thing diverted and distorted from its proper form . that there is indeed a strange repugnancy to nature , needs no other evidence then the strugling , and difficulty in the first violations of modesty , which always begin with regrets and blushes , and require a great deal of self-denial , much of vicious fortitude , to encounter with the recoilings and upbraidings of their own minds . . i make no doubt but this age has arriv'd to as compendious arts of this kind , as industrious vice can suggest , and we have but too many instances of early proficients in this learning ; yet i dare appeal even to the forwardest of them , whether at first they could not with more ease have kept their vertu then lost it . certainly such are the horrors and shames that precede those first guilts , that they must commit a rape upon themselves ( force their own reluctancies and aversions ) before they can become willing prostitutes to others . this their seducers seem well to understand , and upon that score are at the pains of so many preparatory courtings , such expence of presents too ; as if this were so uncouth a crime , that there were no hope to introduce it but by a confederacy of some more familiar vices , their pride or covetousness . . the best way therefore to countermine those stratagems of men , is for women to be suspiciously vigilant even of the first approches . he that means to defend a fort , must not abandon the outworks , and she that will secure her chastity , must never let it come to too close a siege , but repass the very first and most remote insinuations of a temter . therefore when we speak of modesty in our present notion of it , we are not to oppose it only to the grosser act of incontinentcy , but to all those misbehaviors , which either discover or may create an inclination to it ; of which sort is all lightness of carriage , wanton glances , obscene discourse ; things that shew a woman so weary of her honor , that the next comer may reasonably expect a surrender , and consequently be invited to the assault . indeed they are such , that one would rather think them the result of many acts , then meerly the prologue to one , and yet nothing but a custom of private sin , could supply impudence enough to do what is so publicly scandalous ; and where this is found in those of any considerable age , charity it self can scarce pass a milder censure . yet possibly in those of the youngest sort , they may at first be taken up ( as their dress is ) meerly in imitation of others , embrac'd implicitly upon the autority of those , whose examples govern the modes . when a poor girle , who has still so much of the child as to admire every thing that glitters , sees these things used by the gay people of the world , 't is no wonder if she take these as part of their accomplishments , and , upon peril of that formidable calamity of being unfashionable , conform to them : which yet does not so much extenuate the guilt of those few seduced persons , as it aggravats that of the seducers , and attests the strange corruption of the age , that those things which the less hardned sort of prostitutes were formerly ashamed of , should now pass into the frequency and avowedness of a fashion , become a part of discipline and institution of youth ; as if vice now disdain'd to have any punies in its school , and therefore by a preposterous anticipation , makes its pupils begin where they were wont to end , initiates them at first into that shamelesness , which was wont to be the product only of a long habit : what the end will be of these piqueerers in impudence , who thus put their vertu on the forlorn hope , is easie to divine . yet is not this the only state of danger : they who keep their ranks , and tho they do not provoke assaults , yet stay to receive them , may be far enough from safety . she that lends a patient ear to the praises of her wit or beauty , intends at first perhaps only to gratify her vanity ; but when she is once charm'd with that sirens song , bewitcht with that flattery , she insensibly declines to a kindnefs for that person that values her so much ▪ and when that spark shall be blow'd up by perpetual remonstrances of passion , and perhaps little romantique artifices of pretending to dye for her , with a thousand other tricks , which lust can suggest , 't will like the naptha naturalists speak of , in a moment grow to an unquenchable flame , to the ruine both of her vertu and honor . . let no woman therefore presume upon the innocence of her first intentions ; she may as well upon confidence of a sound constitution , enter a pest-house and converse with the plague , whose contagion does not more subtily insinuate it self , then this sort of temtation . and as in that case she would not stay to define what were the critical distance , at which she might approch with safty , but would run as far from it as she could ; so in this , it no less concerns her , to remove her self from the possibility of danger , and ( how unfashionable soever it be ) to put on such a severe modesty , that her very looks should guard her , and discourage the most impudent assailant . 't is said of philopemen , that the lacedemonians finding it their interest to corrupt him with mony , they were yet so possest with the reverence of his vertues , that none durst undertake to attaque him ; and sure 't were not impossible for women to arrive at the same security : such an autority there is in vertu , that where 't is eminent , 't is apt to controle all loose desires , and he must not be only lustful but sacrilegious , that attemts to violate such a sanctuary . . but perhaps that sex may fear , that by putting on such a strictness , they shall lose the glory of their beauty , which is now chiefly estimated by the number of those who court and adore them . to this in the first place i must say , that they are miserable trophies to beauty that must be built on the ruins of vertu and honor ; and she that to boast the length of her hair should hang her self in it , would but act the same folly in a lower instance . . but then secondly , 't is a great mistake to think their beauty shall be the less prized , since 't is incident to mans nature to esteem those things most that are at distance , whereas an easie and cheap descent begets contemt . so long as they govern themselves by the exact rules of prudence and modesty , their lustre is like the meridian sun in its clearness , which tho less approchable , is counted more glorious ; but when they decline fromthose , they are like thatsun in a cloud , which tho safelier gazed on , is not half so bright . but besides these collateral advantages , 't is certain that modesty gives an immediat and direct improvement to beauty ; for tho men for their own vicious ends wish them sever'd , yet they cannot but think they are the most amiable when united , and you shall hear them often commend the aspect of that modesty , which they would fain circumvent . . but in the d. place , there is nothing but such a reservedness that can indeed make their beauty triumphant . parly and conquest are the most distant things ; and she that descends to treat with an assailant , whatever he may tell her of his being her captive , 't is but in order to the making her his ; which when she once is , there is no state of servitude half so wretched , nothing in the world being so slavishly abject as a prostitute woman . for besides all the interest of another life which she basely resigns , the sacrifices all that is valuable in this : her reputation she puts wholy in his power that has debauched her , and which is worse her reformation too . if she should have a mind to return to vertu , she dares not for fear he should divulge her former strayings from it : so that , like catiline , she is engag'd to future evils to secure the past . yea she subjects her self not only to his lust , but to all his humors and fancies , nay even to all those who have bin instrumental to their privacies , none of them all being to be displeas'd for fear of blabbing : and when 't is remembred , what a sort of cattel they are , which are the engines in such affairs , there can fearce be any thing more deplorable then to be within their lash . 't is true indeed , some have found a way to cure this uneasiness by being their own delators , not only confessing but boasting their crime , and by an impudent owning prevent all accusations : yet even this serves but to attest the intolerableness of the former condition , when this worst of mischiefs is chose as a rescue . their impatience of being alwaies in awe , makes them take up that resolution for infamy , which cesar did for death , who said 't was better to dye once then to be alwaies in fear . and tho this desperate remedy may cure the fear , yet it ascertains the reproch ; for whereas in the impeachment of others there is place for doubt , and charity may promt some to disbelieve it , yet when the fact is justified by the offender , the evidence is uncontrolable , and withall doubles the infamy . for , besides that which adheres to the crime there is a distinct portion due to the impudence ; yet like the scorpion it must cure its own sting , and tho it increases the obloquy , yet it deadens the sence of it . . but when they have thus steel'd their forheads against all impressions of shame , they are still liable to many other painful effects of their sin . what fears of being abandoned , what jealousies of rivals , do often torture them ? and indeed not without ground : for they cannot but know , that the same humor of variety which engaged their paramors in their love , may do the same for another , and another , and so on ; it being as possible to grasp the air , as to confine a wandring lust . besides , what anxious apprehensions have they of the approch of age , which they are sure will render them loathed and despicable , as also of all intermedial decaies of beauty ? how critically do they examine their glass ? and every wrinkle that it represents in their face , becomes a deep gash in the heart . but if they have at any time the lesure ( or indeed the courage ) to look inward the view is yet more dreadful , a deform'd foul , spoild of its innocence , and rendred almost as brutish as the sin it hath consented to . but tho it be in some respects like the beast that perisheth , it is not , it cannot be , in that which would most avail it ; an endless being it cannot lose , nor can it expect any thing from that preeminence of its nature , but an infinity of misery . this is such an amazing contemplation , as , methinks , were it insisted on , should allay the hottest blood ; no impure flames being so fierce as to contest with those of unquenchable fire . it is therefore tho a very impious , yet no unskilful artifice of those , who would vitiate women in their manners , to corrupt them in their principles , and by extinguishing all hopes or fears of another world , perswade them to immerse boldly into all the abominations of this . 't is said , this is now an art of wooing , the modern preludium to the basest proposals : it seems this age dares not trust only to the former waies of seducement , fears there will not be women enough that will forget the interests of another world ; and therefore is fain to set up a new party of others to disbelieve it . and i fear that design has bin too prosperous ; many women are so much more concerned for their bodies then their souls , that they are contented the one should be elevated upon the depression and debasement of the other ; and whilst with a vain transport , they can hear their outward form applauded as angelical , or divine , they can very tamely endure to have their better part vilified and despised , defin'd to be only a puff of air in their nostrils , which will scatter with their expiring breath , or , in the atheist's phrase , wisd- . . vanish as the soft air . whereas they should consider , that they who preach this doctrin to them , design it only to infer a pernicious use . 't is a maxim in politics , that those counsels are suspiciously to be scan'd , which carry in their front the advisers interest ; which certainly is never more visible then in this case , he that once gains this point , never needing to contest for all the rest . for he that can perswade a woman out of her soul , will soon command her body , and then what was at first his interest , becomes hers at last ; and her wishes of the mortality of her soul , are much stronger then 't is possible her belief of it could be : which confirms abundantly my affirmation of the servile , wretched condition of such a person . for if we judg that a very severe slavery , which makes people desirous to resign a temporal being , what shall we think of that which provokes them to renounce an eternal ? . and now by this gradation of mischiefs we may judg of the deplorable state of those who have abandoned their vertu ; wherein i doubt not the consciences of many cannot only attest , but much improve the description ; and all i shall say to such , is , only to consult that bosom monitor , which till they do all homilies will be insignificant . my design was not therefore to tell them what they too well feel , but only to point out their wracks as warnings others . . let those therefore who are yet untainted , and by being so , have their judgments clear and unbiast , consider soberly the misery of the other condition , and that not only to applaud , but secure their own ; and when ever the outward pomps and gaudy splendors of a vitiated woman seem , like that of cresus , to boast their happiness , let them look through that fallacy , and answer with solon , that those only are happy who are so at their end . their most exquisit deckings are but like the garlands on a beast design'd for sacrifice ; their richest gems are but the chains , not of their ornament but slavery ; and their gorgeous apparel , like that of herod , covers perhaps a putrid body , ( for even that doth not seldom prove their fate ) or however , a more putrid soul. they who can thus consider them , will avoid one great snare ; for 't is not alwaies so much the lust of the flesh , as that of the eyes which betrays a woman . 't is the known infirmity of the sex , to love gaiety , and a splendid appearance , which renders all temtations of that sort so connatural to them , that those who are not arrived to a more sober estimate of things , will scarce be secure . it will therefore be necessary for them to regulate their opinions , and reduce all such things to their just valu , and then they will appear so trifling , that they can never maintain any competition with the more solid interests of vertu and honor. for tho those terms seem in this loose age to be exploded ; yet where the things are visible they extort a secret veneration , even from those who think it their concern publicly to deride them : whereas on the other side a defection from them exposes to all the contemt imaginable , renders them despis'd even by those who betraid them to it , leaves a perpetual blot upon their names , and their family . for in the character of a woman , let wit and beauty , and all female accomplishments stand in the front ; yet if wantonness bring up the rear , the satyr soon devours the panegyric , and ( as in an echo ) the last words only will reverberate , and her vice will be remembred when all the rest will be forgot . but i need not declame upon this theme ; the son of syraeh has don ittomy hand , in many passages , but especially ecclus. . to which i refer the reader . , what hath bin already said , is i suppose , sufficient to convince every woman how much it is her concern to keep her self strictly within the bounds of modesty and vertu . in order to which , there is nothing more important then a judicious choice of their company ; i mean not only for men , but women also : vice is contagious , and this especially has that worst quality of the plague , that 't is malicious , and would infect others . a woman that knows her self scandalous , thinks she is reprocht by the vertu of another , looks on her as one that is made to reprove her waies , as it is , wisd. . . and therefore in her own defence strives to level the inequality , not by reforming her felf , ( that she thinks too hard a task ) but by corrupting the other . to this end , such are willing to screw themselves into an acquaintance , will be officiously kind , and by all arts of condescention and obliging , endeavor to ensnare a woman of reputation into their intimacy . and if they succeed , if they can but once entangle her into that cobweb-friendship ; they then , spider-like , infuse their venom , never leave their vile insinuations till they have poisoned and ruined her . but and if on the other side they meet with one of too much sagacity to be so entrapped ; if they cannot taint her innocence , they will endeavor to blast her fame ; represent her to the world to be what they would have made her ; that is in the psalmists phrase ; such a one as themselves , psal. . . so that there is no conversing with them , but with a manifest peril either of vertu or honor , which should methinks be a sufficient disswasive . 't is true , 't is not alwaies in ones power to shun the meeting with such persons , they are too numerous , and too intruding to be totally avoided ; unless , as st. paul says , cor. . . one should go out of the world. but all voluntary converse supposes a choice , and therefore every body that will may refrain that , may keep on the utmost frontiers of civility , without ever suffering any approach towards intimacy and familiarity . . and sure were this distance duly observed , it might be of excellentuse , a kind of lay excommunication , which might come very seasonably to supply the want of the ecclesiastic now out-dated . and this seems very wel to agree with the sense of solon , the wise athenian law-giver , who , besides that he shut the temple-doors against them , interdicted them the sacred assemblies ; made it one of his laws , that an adulteress should not be permitted to wear any ornaments , that so they might in their dress carry the note of their infamy . should we have the like distinction observed , i sear many of our gaiest birds would be unplumed , and tho the same be not now an expedient practicable ; yet the former is , and might be of very good use . for beside that already mentioned of securing the innocent , it might perhaps have a good effect on the guilty , who could not but reflect with som shame on themselves , if they were thus singled out and discriminated ; whereas whilst they are suffered to mix with the best societies , ( like hurt deer in a herd ) they flatter themselves they are undiscernable . . but indeed the advantage of this course is yet more extensive , and would reach the whole sex , which now seems to lie under a general scandal , for the fault of particular persons . we know any considerable number of smutty ears casts a blackness on the whole field , which yet were they apart , would perhaps not fill a small corner of it ; and in this uncharitable age , things are apt to be denominated not from the greater but worser part : whereas , were the precious severed from the vile , by som note of distinction , there might then a more certain estimate be made : and i cannot be so severe to womankind , as not to believe the scandulous part would then make but a small shew which now makes so great a noise . . besides this i can suggest but one way more for women of honor to vindicate their sex , & that is by making their own vertu as illustrious as they can ; and by the bright shine of that draw off mens eyes from the worser prospect . and to this there is required not only innocence , but prudence ; to abstain , as from all real evil , so from the appearance of it too , thess. . . not , by any doubtful or suspicious action , to give any umbrage for censure but as the apostle saies in another case , cor. ii. . to cut off occasion from them that desire occasion ; to deny themselves the most innocent liberties , when any scandalous inference is like to be deduc'd from them . and tho perhaps no caution is enough to secure against the malicious , and the jealous ; tho 't is possible some black mouth may asperse them , yet they have still plato's reserve , who being told of some who had defam'd him , 't is no matter said he , i will live so that none shall believè them . if their lives be but such , that they may acquit themselves to the sober and unprejudiced , they have all the security can be aspir'd to in this world ; the more evincing attestation they must attend from the unerring tribunal hereafter ; where there lyes a certain appeal for all injur'd persons who can calmly wait for it . sect . ii. of meekness . . in the next place we may rank meekness as a necessary feminine vertu ; this even nature seems to teach , which abhors monstrosities and disproportions , and therefore having allotted to women a more smooth and soft composition of body , infers thereby her intention , that the mind should correspond with it . for tho the adulterations of art , can represent in the same face beauty inone position , and deformity in another , yet nature is more sincere , and never meant a serene and clear forhead , should be the frontispiece to a cloudy tempestuous heart . 't is therefore to be wisht they would take the admonition , and whilst they consult their glasses , whether to applaud or improve their outward form , they would cast one look inwards , and examine what symmetry is there held with a fair outside ; whether any storm of passion darken and overcast their interior beauty , and use atleast an equal dilligence to rescu that ; as they would to clear their face from any stain or blemish . . but it is not nature only which suggests this , but the god of nature too , meekness being not only recommended to all as a christian vertu , but particularly enjoin'd to women as a peculiar accomplishment of their sex , pet. . . where after the mention of all the exquisit and costly deckings of art , this one ornament of a meeek and quiet spirit , is confronted to them , with this eminent attestation , that it is in the sight of god of great price , and therefore to all who will not enter dispute with god , and contest his judgment , it must be so too . now tho meekness be in it self a single entire vertu , yet it is diversifi'd , according to the several faculties of the soul , over which it has influence ; so that there is a meekness of understanding , a meekness of the will , and a meekness of the affections ; all which must concur to make up the meek and quiet spirit . . and first for the meekness of the understanding , it consists in a pliableness to conviction , and is directly opposite to that sullen adherence observable in too many ; who judg of tenets not by their conformity to truth and reason , but to their prepossessions and tenaciously retain'd opinions , only because they ( or some in whom they confide ) have once own'd them ; and certainly such a temper is of all others the most obstructive to wisdom . this puts them upon the chance of a lottery , and what they first happen to draw , determines them meerly upon the priviledg of its precedency , so that had mahomet first seiz'd them , his tenure would have bin as indeses●…ble , as christs now . how great the force of such prejudices are , we may see by the oppositions it raisd against christian doctrine in gross at its first promulgation ; the jews blind zeal for the traditions of their fathers , engaging them in the murder even of that very messias whom those traditions had taught them to expect , and after in the persecution of that doctrine which his resurrection had so irrefragably attested . and to justifie the propriety of this observation , to those i now write to , 't is expresly affirm'd , acts. . . . that they made use of the zeal of the female proselites for that purpose . the jews stirred up the devout and honorable women , and rais'd a persecution against paul and barnabas . so that 't is no unseasonable advice to such , to be sure they see well their way before they run too fierce a carriere in it ; otherwise the greatest heat without light , does but resemble that of the bottomless pit , where flames and darkness do at once cohabit . . but whilst i decry this prejudicate stifness , i intend not to plead for its contrary extreme , and ●…ecommend a too easie flexibility ; which is a temper of equal , if not more ill consequence then the former . the adhering to one opinion can expose but to one error , but a mind that lies open to the effluxes of all new tenets , may successively entertain a whole ocean of delusions ; and to be thus yielding , is not a meekness but servileness of understanding . indeed 't is so great a weakness of mind , that the apostle sinks it somwhat below the impotence of women , and resembles it to that of children , eph. . . yet it seems the folly of some women had levell●…d them with children in this matter , for the same apostle takes notice of such , to whom as he gives the epithet of silly , so the latter part of the character speaks them incorrigibly so , ever learning , and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth , tim. . . a description which if we compare with our times , we must think prophetic . for how many instances hath this age given us of women so led captive ; who being either affected with the novelty , or seduced by the pretended zeal of a new teacher , have given up their understanding to him : and for a while this strong man has kept possession , but when a stronger then he hath come it has fared as with him in the gospel , a louder zeal or a newer doctrine soon divides his spoils ; and that by force of the very same principle , on which he set up , which within a while undermines the latter also , and so successively ; till the poor proselite has bin huried through all the mazes of wild error , and at last perhaps ( like a palate distracted by too much variety ) she fixes upon that which at first she most decried . this has bin eventually true in some , who setting out in the fiercest detestation of popery , have wandred so long like the blinded syrians , king. . . that they have at last found themselves in the midst of samaria ; by an insensible circular motion bin brought about to that religion , from which alone they designed to fly . so little do itching ears know whether they may be carried : and indeed the ear when infected with that prurienthumor ▪ may ▪ vie mischiefs with the tongue , which st. james tells us , chap. . . is ( tho a little member ) a world of iniquity . . 't is therefore the most important concern of all , to fortifie that so assailable part ; but 't is especially so of women , not only in respect of that natural imbecillity , which renders them liable to seducement , but also because the opinion of their being so , makes them particularly aim'd at by seducers . for as he who is to put off adulterated wares , will chuse the most unwary chapmen , so these sophisticators of divinity , desire the most undiscerning auditors . and truly that so many of that sex are so , i do not so much impute to any natural defect , as to the loose notions they have of religion , of which they have perhaps some general confused apprehensions , but have so little penetrated the depth of it , that they know not why they are christians , rather then turks , why of the church of england , rather then of that of rome , or geneva . and while they are thus unfixt , and have no better principle then custom and compliance ; they have nothing to answer to any the grossest deceit that can be obtruded upon them , which for ought they know or have consider'd , may be as true as any thing they formerly profest . now when any one in this condition shall be assaulted , not only by the repeated importunities of false teachers , but also by ingeminated threatnings of hell and damnation , she is like one awaked by the out●…ry of fire , and in that amaze will be apt to run where-ever the first discoverer of her danger shall lead her . . i shall therefore most earnestly recommend it as the best antidote against the poison of novel doctrins , to examin well the grounds of the old ; for want of this it is that our church has bin exposed to so many frivolous cavils , it being too incident to the perverse pride ofhumane nature , to speak evil of things we understand not . and had our she-zealots first consulted som sober guides , and from them understood upon what grounds the practice as well as doctrin of our church was founded , they could not so easily have bin carried away by every wind of doctrine , as the apostle phrases it , eph. . . . indeed this is no more then common justice exacts , which forbids the condemning even the vilest malefactor unheard , ( & unheard and not understood , are in this case terms equivalent ) yet sure they owe somthing more to that church from whose ministry themselves must confess to have derived their christianity , in whose bosom they have bin cherisht , and consequently may plead a mothers right in them ; so that unless possession , which fortifies civil rights , destroy the ecclesiastic ; she may challenge besides that natural justice , ( which is the common due of humanity ) a parental respect and reverence , a debt which is sure very ill answered by those , who cast off her obedience before they have at all considered what it is she commands . and if the abdicating a child be a thing so unnatural , as needs som very important cause to justifie it ; the renouncing of a parent must require a reason as far transcending that , as the guilt does , if it be causless ; and such it must inevitably be in all , who for want of due examination , suffer themselves to be led intogroundless prejudices and disgusts . . to prevent that guilt , and a multitude of others which spring from it ; i must again repeat my proposal , that women of quality ( who are presumed to want neither parts nor lesure for it ) would a little look into the inside of the religion they profess ; if it be a true one , 't will bear the inspection , truth never shunning the light ; if it be not , the discovery cannot be too early . and indeed among the many remarkable impresses of truth our church bears , this is one , that she does not blindfold her proselites , leaves them the use of their discerning faculty , and does not by obtruding upon them an implicit belief , force them to lay down their reason when they take up their faith. and now why should not ladies spend a few of their many idle hours in this inquisition , i mean not to embark them in a maze of controversies , but only to discern those plain grounds of truth on which our church builds ; which if well digested , will prove a better amulet against delusion then the reading whole tomes of disputations , more apt to distract then fortify their understandings . and had they thus don , had their minds bin ballasted by sober principles , so many of them had never made up the triumphs of so many and so various seducers . and tho to such this advertisement may come too late ( like assistance after a defeat ) yet it may be a seasonable caution to others ; and to those i offer it , as that very temper wherein consists that rational meekness of the understanding i would recommend to them , which is equally violated by a blind obstinacy , or as blind a flexibility . . a second sort of meekness is that of the will , which lies in its just subordination , and submission to a more supream autority , which in divine things is the will of god ; in natural or moral right reason ; and in human constitutions the command of superiors : and so long as the will governs it self by these in their respective orders , it transgresses not the meekness requir'd of it . but experience attests , that the will is now in its depravation an imperions faculty , apt to cast off that subjection to which it was design'd ; and act independently from those motives which should influence it . this god knows is too common in all ages , all conditions , and sexes : but the feminine lies more especially under an ill name for it . whether that have grown from the low opinion conceived of their reason , less able to maintain its empire , or from the multipli●…d habitual instances themselves have given of unruly wills , i shall not undertake to determin ; but either way 't is , i am sure , so great a reproch , as they should be very industrious to wipe off . and truly i know nothing more incentive to that endeavor , then the having a right estimate of the happiness as well as vertu of a governable will. how calmly do those glide through all ( even the roughest ) events , that can but master that stubborn faculty ? a will resign'd to god's , how does it enervate and enfeeble any calamity ? nay indeed it triumphs over it , and by that conjunction with him that ordains it , may be said to command even what it suffers . 't was a philosophical maxim , that a wise moral man could not be injured , could not be miserable . but sure 't is much more true of him who has that divine wisdom of christian resignation , that twists and inwraps all his choices with god's , and is neither at the pains nor hazard of his own elections ; but is secure , that unless omniscience can be deceived , or omnipotence defeated , he shall have what is really best for him . . proportionable ( tho not equal ) to this , is the happiness of a will regulated by reason in things within its sphere : 't is the dignity of humane nature , and that which distinguishes it from that of beasts . yea , even those grow more contemtible in their kinds , the farther they are removed from it . the stupid sturdiness of an asse has render'd it proverbial for folly , when the tractableness of other animals has temted som to list them among rationals . besides , reason affords somthing of a basis and foundation for the will to bottom on . he that governs himself by reason ( that being still the same ) will act equally and consonant to himself ; but he that does a thing this moment , only because he will , may the next have as weighty an argument to do somthing quite contrary ; and so may spend his whole time in unravelling his spiders webs , as the prophet rightly calls the vain designs of such brutish men , isa. . . not to speak of those recoilings and upbraidings of the rational faculties , which are the uneasie attendants of those who resist its more directadmonitions ; there is nothing exposes to more secular ruins . an ungovernablewill is the most precipitous thing imaginable , and like the devil in the swine , hurries headlong to destruction , and yet deprives one of that poor reserve , that faint comfort of the miserable , pitty ; which will not be so much invited by the misery , as averted by that wilfulness which caused it . nay indeed , so little can such persons expect the compassion of others , that 't will be hard for them to afford themselves their own : the consciousness that their calamities are but the issues of their own perverseness , being apt to dispose them more to hate then pitty . and this is no small accumulation of wretchedness , when a man suffers not only directly , but at the rebound too ; reinflicts his miseries upon himselfby a grating reflection on his own madness . yea , so great an aggravation is it , that even hell it self is enhaunced and compleated by it ; all the torments there being edged and sharpned by the woful remembrance , that they might once have bin avoided . . in the last place a will duly submissive to lawfull superiors , is not only an amiable thing in the eies of others , but exceedingly happy to ones self ; 't is the parent of peace , and order both public and private . a blessing so considerable , as is very cheaply bought with a little receding from ones own will or humor , whereas the contrary temper is the spring and original of infinit confusions , the grand incendiary which sets kingdoms , churches , families , in combustion ; a flat contradiction not only to the word , but even the works of god ; a kind of anticreative power , which reduces things to that chaos from whencegod drew them . our age has given us too many and too pregnant instances of its mischievous effects , which may serve to enhaunce the value of that governable malleable temper i now recommend . and as a will thus resign'd to reason and just autority , is a felicity all rational natures should aspire to ; so especially the feminine sex , whose passions being naturally the more impetuous , ought to be the more strictly guarded and kept under the severe discipline of reason ; for where 't is otherwise , where a woman has no guid but her will , and her will is nothing but her humor , the event is sure to be fatal to her self , and often to others also . . and the hazard of this renders that other restraint of the will , i mean that of obedience to superiors , a very happy imposition , tho perhaps 't is not alwaies thought so , for those who resist the government of reason , are not very apt to submit to that of autority . yet sure god and nature do attest the particular expediency of this to women , by having placed that sex in a degree of inferiority to the other . nay farther 't is observable , that as there are but three states of life , through which they can regularly pass , viz. virginity , marriage , and widowhood , two of them are states of subjection , the first to the parent , the second to the husband ; and the third , as it is casual , whether ever they arrive to it or no , so if they do , we find it by god himself reckon'd as a condition the most desolate and deplorable . if i should say this happens upon that very score that they are left to their own guidance , the sad wracks of many would too much justifie the gloss ; but however it evinces , that god sets not the same valu upon their being masterless , which some of them do , whilst he reckons them most miserable , when they are most at liberty . . and since gods assignation has thus determined subjection to be the womens lot , there needs no other argument of its fitness , or for their acquiescence . therefore when ever they oppose it , the contumacy flies higher then the immediat superior , and reaches god himself . and i am apt to think there would not many of that timorous sex dare so far , were it not for some false punctilioes of honor , which ( like those among our duellists ) have imposed themselvs . these represent meeknes and submission as a silly sheepish quality unfit for women of breeding and spirit : whilst an imperious obstinacy passes for nobleness and greatness of mind . but alas they are wofully mistaken in their notion of a great spirit , which consists in scorning to do unworthy and vile things , and couragiously encountering the adverse events of life , not in spurning at duty , or seeking to pull themselves from that sphere where the divine wisdom hath placed them . no sure , stubbornness is the mark only of a great stomac , not of a great mind ; and the cruelty of a coward may as well denominate him valiant , as the ungovernableness of a woman can speak her generous . . in this i presume i speak the common sense of all , for what value soever they put upon themselves , nothing renders them less acceptable to others ; an imperious woman being a plague to her relatives , and a derision to strangers , yea and a torment to her self . every the least contradiction ( which a meek person would pass over insensibly ) inflaming such an unruly temper , and transporting her to such extravagances , as often produce very mischievous effects . on the other side if she be humor'd and complied with , that serves only to make her more insolent and intolerable ; makes her humors grow to such a height , that she knows not her self what would please her , and yet expects that others should●… : so that to such a one , we may apply what hannibal said of marcellus , that if he were vanquished ; he never gave rest to himself , nor if he were victorious , to others . certainly the uneasiness of a perverse spirit is so great , that could such come but to compare it with the calm and happy serenity of meekness and obedience , there would need no other lecture to commend them to their esteem or practice . . the last branch of meekness is that of affections , and consists in reducing the passions to a temper and calmness , not suffering them to make uproars within to disturb ones self , nor without to the disquieting of others , and to this regulation meekness is generally subservient . yet because the correcting of som particular passions are more immediatly assignable to other vertues , i shall insist only upon that , on which this has a more direct and peculiar influence , i mean anger , a two edged passion , which whilst it deals it blows without , wounds yet more fattally within . the commotion and vexation which an angry man feels , is far more painful then any thing he can ordinarily inflict upon another : herein justifying the epithet usually given to anger , that it is a short madness , for who that were in his right wits , would incur a greater mischief to do a less . it is indeed so great a distemper of the mind , that he that is possest with it , is incompetent for any sober undertaking , and should as much be suspended from acting , as one in a phrensy or lunacy . this was the judgment and practice too of plato , who going to chastise a servant , and finding himself grow angry , stopt his correction , a friend coming in and asking what he was doing , punishing replies he , an angry man , as thinking himself unfit to discipline another , till he had subdued his own passion . another time his slave having offended him , i would beat thee , saies he , but that i am angry . it were endless indeed to recite the black epithets given by all moralists to this vice . it shall suffice to take the suffrage of the wisest of men , one that had acquainted himself to know madness and folly , ecl. . . and we find it his sentence , that anger rests in the bosom of fools , ecl. . . . and what is thus universally unbecoming to human nature , cannot sure be less indecent for the gentler sex : 't is rather more so , every thing contracting so much more of deformity , by how much it recedes from its proper kind . now nature hath befriended women with a more cool and temperat constitution , put less of fire and consequently of choler , in their compositions ; so that their heats of that kind are adventitious and preternatural , rais'd often by fancy or pride , and so both look more unhandsomly , and have less of pretence to veil and cover them . besides women have a native feebleness , unable to back and assert their angers with any effective force , which may admonish them 't is never intended they should let loose to that passion , which nature seems by that very unability to have interdicted them . but when they do it , they render themselves at once despised and abhor'd ; nothing being more ridiculously hateful , then an impotent rage . . but as the most feeble insect may somtimes disturb , tho not much hurt us , so there is one feminine weapon which as 't is alwaies ready , so proves often troublesom , i mean the tongue , which , tho in its loudest clamors can naturally invade nothing but the ear , yet even that is a molestation . the barking of a dog , tho we are secure he cannot bite , is a grating unpleasant sound ; and while women seek that way to vent their rage , they are but a sort of speaking brutes , and should consider whether that do not reflect more contemt upon themselves , then their most virulent reproches can fix upon others . . but some things have had the luck to acquire a formidableness no body knows how , and sure there is no greater instance of it , then in this case . a clamorous woman is lookt on , tho not with reverence , yet with much dread , and we often find things don to prevent or appease her storms , which would be denied to the calm and rational desires of a meeker person . and perhaps such successes have not bin a little accessory to the fomenting the humor ; yet sure it gives them little cause of triumph , when they consider how odious it makes them , how unfit ( yea intolerable ) for human society ; let them take the verdict of solomon who declares it better to dwell pro. . . in a corner of a house top , then with a brawling woman in a wide house . nor does the son of sirach speak less sharply tho more ironically , ecl. . . a loud crying woman and a scold , shall be sought out to drive away the enemy . and tho he taxes the feminine vices impartially enough , yet there is scarce any of them which he more often and more severely brands then this of unquietness . it seems 't was a thing generally lookt on , as very insufferable ; as appears by socrates , who when he design'd to discipline himself to perfect patience and tolerance , knew no better way of exercise , then to get a shrew to his wife , an excellence that may perhaps again recommend a woman , when we fall to an age of philosophers ; but at present 't will be hard for any of our xantippes to find a socrates ; and therefore that quality is as destructive to their interests in getting husbands , 〈◊〉 it is to the husbands quiet when he is got . 〈◊〉 i presume i need not declame farther against this fault , which i suppose cannot be frequent among that rank of women to whom this tract is intended : for if neither moral nor divine considerations have prevented it , yet probably civility and a gentile education hath : a scold being a creature to be lookt for only in stalls and markets , not among persons o●… quality . yet if there be any that have descended to so sordid a practice , they have so far degraded themselves , that they are not to wonder if others substract that respect , which upon other accounts they might demand . . and to such i should recommend the usual method of physic , which is to cure by revulsion , let that sharp humor which so habitually flows to the tongue , be taught a little to recoile , and work inward ; and instead of reviling others , discipline and correct themselves : let them upbraid their own madness , that to gratifie an impotent , nay a most painful passion , have degenerated from what their nature , their qualities , their education , design'd them . and if they can thus reverse their displesures , 't will not only secure others from all their indecent assaults , but it will at last extinguish them : for anger is corrosive , and if it be kept only to feed upon its self , must be its own devourer ; if it be permitted to fetch no forrage from without , nor to nourish it self with suspicions and surmises of others , nor to make any sallies at the tongue , it cannot long hold out . . and how much they will herein consult their interest and their reputation too , they may be taught by solomon , who makes it the distinctive sign of a foolish woman to be clamorous , prov. . . whereas when he gives the character of his excellent woman , he links wisdom and gentleness together , she openeth her mouth with wisdom , and in her tongue is the law of kindness , prov. . . if this verdict may be admitted ( as sure it ought , whether we consider his wisdom , or dear bought experience in women ) it will confute the common plea of querulous spirits , who think to seem insensible of any the least provocation , is to appear silly and stupid ; tho truly if it were so , 't would be full as eligible as to appear mad and raving , as they commonly do in the transport of their fury . . to conclude , meekness is so amiable , so indearing a quality , and so peculiarly embellishing to women , that did they but all consider it with half the attention they do their more trivial exterior ornaments , 't would certainly be taken up as the universal mode , in all the several variations of it this section has presented . sect . iii. of compassion . . of near affinity to the vertu of meekness , is that of mercy and compassion , which indeed can scarce thrive in any place where the former hath not prepared the soil : anger and obstinacy being like that rough east-wind which brought the egyptian locusts , exod. . . to eat up every green thing in the land. a mind harrassed with its own impatiency , is not at lesure to observe , much less to condole the calamities of others . but as a calm and clear day befriends us with a more distinct prospect of distant objects ; so when all is quiet and serene within us , we can then look about us , and discern what exigencies of others invite our pitty . . i need not say much to raise an estimate of this vertu , since 't is so essential to our nature , so interwoven in the composition of humanity , that we find in scripture phrase , compassion is generally seated in the most inward sensible part of our frame , the bowels , so col. . . put on therefore bowels of mercy ; and phil. . . bowels and mercies . so that a cruel ruthless person unmans himself , and is by the common vote of mankind to be listed among brutes ; nay , not among the better , but only the more hateful , noxious sort of them . . but this is yet more unnatural in the female sex , which being of softer mold , is more pliant and yielding to the impressions of pitty , and by the strength of fancy redoubles the horror of any sad object ; yea so remarkable is this tenderness , that god , when he would most magnify his own compassion , illustrates it by that of women , as the highest human instance . indeed such a propension have women to commiseration , that they are usually taxed with an excess in it ; so that any imprudent lenity is proverbially called , a womanish pitty , and therefore it may be thought an impertinence to exhort them to that which they can scarce avoid . but to this i answer ; first , that in this degenerous age , 't is no news to see people violate their instincts , as well as their duties , and be worfe then their nature inclines them ; many sins being committed even against the grain , and with violence to constitution . . yet secondly , 't is not a meer melting of the eyes , or yerning of the bowels i design to recommend : alas , their tears will not be drink to a thirsty soul , nor will shivering at his nakedness cloth him , this is such an insignificant mercy as st. james describes , saying to a brother or sister , be ye warmed , be ye filled , but not giving them ●…hings needful to the body , c. . . indeed , she that weeps over those distresses she will not relieve , might have bin fit to be enter'd in the list of the mourning women among the jews and heathens , who were hired to make up the tragic pomp of funerals with their mercenary sorrow , but had no real concern in that loss they seemed to bewail . 't is therefore a more active sort of compassion to which i would invite them ; and yet for method sake , i shall consider it under two distinct heads , giving , and forgiving . . by giving , in this place , i mean not a general liberality , ( tho that prudently bounded , is an excellence well becoming persons of fortune ) but only such a giving as terminates upon the needy , and is applied to succor their indigencies . to give to those from whom they may expect returns , may be a design , but at the best can be but generosity and frankness of humor . 't is only then mercy ( as christ himself has defined it ) when it is to those from whom they can hope for nothing again . . and in this vertu women have in forme●… ages eminently excelled , yea so essential was it , that we find solomon thought not their characte●… compleat without it , but numbers it among the properties of his vertuous woman , prov. . . she stretcheth forth her hand to the poor , & reacheth her hand to the needy . and it is a little observable , that after he has describ'd her industry and diligence for the acquiring of wealth , this is se●… in the front of her disbursments , as the principa●… use she made of it ; and precedes her providing scarlet for her houshold , or fine linnen and purple for her self , v. , . the application is very obvions , and admonishes all that own the same title of vertuous women , to prefer the necessities of others before their own superfluities and delicacies . nay , if they look farther ; and consider who it is that is personated in the poor , that begs in every needy distrest suppliant , and that will finally own every act of mercy as don to himself : methinks they should somtimes think fit to sacrifice even their most moderate enjoiments to their charity ; be ashamed to serve themselves before their savior , or let him stand naked and hungry , whilst they are solacing with that which would relieve him . . but how then shall they answer it , who suffer him to be supplanted , not by their needs , but excesses ; who have so devoted their hearts and purses to vanity and luxury , that they have neither will nor power to succor the wants of others ? how unequal and disproportionate is it , that those who study to fling away mony upon themselves , cannot be temted by any opportunity and distress , to drop an alms to the poor ? what a preposterous sight is it to see a lady , whose gay attire gives her the glittering of the sun , yet have nothing of its other properties , never to cheer any drooping , languishing creature by her influence ? 't is the counsel of the son of sirach , not to give the poor any occasion to curse thee . ecclus. . . but sure such persons do it , if the poor happen not to have more charity then they exemplify to them . for when they shall find such ha●…d hearts under such soft raiment , see them bestow so much upon the decking their own bodies , and do nothing towards the necessary support of theirs ; 't is a shrewd trial of their meekness . poverty is apt of it self to imbitter the spirit , and needs not such an additional temtation . . nay farther , when a poor starving wretch shall look upon one of these gay creatures , and see that any one of the baubles , the loosest appendage of her dress ; a fan , a busk , perhaps a black patch , bears a price that would warm his emty bowels ; will he not have sharp incitations not only to execrate her pride , and his own poverty , but consequently to repine at the unequal distribution of providence , and add sin to his misery ? the denial therefore of an alms may be a double cruelty , to the soul as well as to the body . 't is said of xenocrates , that a chased bird flying to his bosom , he rescued it with much satisfaction , saying he had not betraid a suppliant ; but this is in that case reverst , and in an higher instance ; for what can be more the betraying of a suppliant , then instead of supplying his wants , to rob him of his innocence , and be his snare in lieu of his refuge ? this is a consideration i wish more deeply imprest upon the women of this age ; and truly 't is their concern it should be so ; for since at the last day the inquest shall be so particular upon this very thing , 't is but necessary they should examin how they are fitted to pass that test . . let them therefore keep a preparatory audit within their own brest , reflect upon the expences of their vanity , what the delicacy of their food , what the richness and variety of their cloths , nay what the meer hypocrisies of their dress , in false hair , and complexion has cost them ; to which they may also add the charge of their recreations and divertisements , those costly arts of chasing away that time , which they will one day wish to recal : let them i say compute all this , and then confront to it the account of their charity , and i much fear the latter will with many of them be comparatively as undiscernible , as socrates found alcibiades's lands in the map of the whole world , be so perfectly overwhelm'd , that it will appear little in their own sight and nothing in gods. . for if the poor widows mite acquired a valu meerly from her poverty , that she had no more ; by the rule of contraries we may conclude , how despicable the scanty oblations of the rich are in gods account . if even their liberality who gave much , was outvied by a farthing , mar. . - to what point of diminution must their niggardly offerings , who give little , be reduced ? especially when they shall be compared with the numerous and costly sacrifices they make to pride and luxury ; nay i wish some were not guilty of more then the disproportion , even the total omission of charity , that in a multitude of taylors bills cannot produce the account of one garment for the poor , that amidst the delicacies of their own diet ( nay perhaps of their dogs too ) never order●…d so much as the crumbs of their table to any hungry lazarus . but let all such remember , that there will come a time , when one of tabitha's coats acts . . will be of more valu then all their richest wardrobes , tho they could number gowns with lucullus's cloaks , which the roman story reports to be , and that when their luxurious fare shall only feast the worms , and render them passive in that epicurism they acted before , they will wish they had made the bellies of the poor their refectory , and by feeding them nurished themselves to immortality . . let this i say be seriously remember'd now , l●…st hereafter they fall under the same exprobrating remembrance with the rich man in the gospel , luke . . remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things , and lazarus that which was evil , but now he is comforted and thou a●…t tormented . a text which st. gregory professes was ever sounding in his ears , and made him look with suspicion and dread upon that grandeur to which he was advanced , as fearing it might be design'd as his final reward . with what terror then may those look upon their present good things , who by ingrossingthem wholly to themselves , own them as their entire portion , and implicitly disclaim their share of the future ? for to that none must pretend , who receive their transitory goods under any other notion , then that of a steward or factor : as we may see in the parable of the talents , where those that had the reward of the five and ten cities were not such as had consumed their talents upon their own riot and excesses , but suchas had industriouslyemploied them according to the design of their lord : and if it there fared so ill with the meer unprofitable servant , who had horded up his talent , what shall become of those , who squander away theirs , and can give no account either of use or principal ? . were these considerations duly laid to heart , we might hope to see some of the primitive charity revive , when women of the highest rank converted their ornaments and costly deckings into clothing for the poor , and thought no retinue so desirable , so honorable as a train of alms-folks : but i speak improperly , when i make the poor their attendants , for indeed they rather attended the poor , did not only order the supply of their wants , but were themselves their ministers , waited about their sick beds , drest their most loathsom ulcers , and descended to all the most servile offices about them . . but these were such heights , such transcendendies of mercy , as required a deeper foundation of humility then will now be often met with : yet let me take the occasion to say , that it may be a good managery of a charity to act ( as far as they can ) personally in it . for besides that it prevents some abuses and frauds , which deputed agents may somtimes be temted to ; they pay god a double tribute in it , of their persons as well as their fortunes ; next they ▪ bring themselves into acquaintance with the poor , and by that means correct those contemts and nice disdains , which their own prosperity is too apt to create farther yet , they excite their own compassion , which being a motion of the sensitive part of the mind , cannot be stirr'd so effectually by any thing , as by the presence of the object , the most pathetic tragical description of a distress , being not able to affect us half so much as one ocular demonstration . lastly 't is an apt means to increase their thankfulness to almighty god , whose bounty to themselves must needs make a deeper impression , when 't is compared with the necessito us condition of others : for things are best illustrated by their contraries , and 't is too observable in our depraved nature , that we valu not things by their real positive worth , but comparatively as they excell others , nor ever make a right estimate of what we enjoy , till our own or others wants instruct us . . upon all these considerations it may be a very becoming useful circumstance in any charitable ministery to be themselves the actors ; and to that end 't will be a very commendable industry to qualifie themselves to be helpful to the poor in as many instances as they can ; not only opening their purses , but dispensatories too , providing medecines for such as either by disease , or casualty want that sort of relief . a charity which i doubt not is practised by many , and i wish it were by more , that our nicer dames who study only cosmetics for themselves , would change the scene , & instead of repairing or disguising their own complexions , study the restauration of their decrepit patients limbs . and sure tho it be a less fashionable , 't is a much better sight , to see a lady binding up a sore , then painting her face ; and she will cast a much sweeter savor in gods nostrils , with the smell of unguents and balsoms , then with the most exquisit odors and perfumes . for since god professes esay . that that very incense which was design'd as a part of his worship , was an abomination to him , because not accompanied with the acts of mercy , we cannot think he will better like of those , which have no higher aim then delicacy and sensuality . . but besides this part of mercy in giving , there is another , that of forgiving ; which may happen to be of a larger extent then the former : for whereas that was confin'd to the poor , this has no such limits , but as it is possible to be injured by persons of all ranks , so this pardoning mercy is to reach equally with that possibility . this is that part of charity which we peculiarly call clemency , a vertu which not only christianity but morality recommends . the ancient romans had it in such veneration , that they number'd it not only among vertues but deities , and built it a temple : and they were somwhat towards the right in it , for it was , tho not god , yet so eminent an attribute of his , that nothing can more assimilate man unto him . . there are many heroic acts of this kind to be met with among the vertuous hethens . lycurgus not only forgave alcander who had struck out his eye , but entertain'd him in his house , and by his gentle admonitions reclaim'd him from his former vicious life . aristides being after signal services and without crime , unjustly banished by his citizens , was so far from acting or imprecating against them , that at his departure from athens he solemnly praied the gods , that they might never by any trouble or distress be forced to recal him . so phocion being unjustly condemned , left it as a solemn charge to his son phocas , that he should never revenge his death . a multitude of the like examples might be produced , but we need not borrow light from their faint tapers , when we have the sun beams , i mean the sun of righteousness our blessed savior , who as he has recommended this grace by his precept , so he has signally exemplified it to us in his practice ; the whole design of his descent to earth being only to rescu his enemies from destruction , and as every part of his life , so the last scene of it was particularly adapted to this end , and his expiring breath expended in mediating for his crucifiers ; father forgive them , luk. . . and this copy of his was transcribed by his first followers , the primitive christians in their severest martyrdoms praying for their persecutors . . thus are we in the apostles phrase compassed about with a cloud of witnesses , heb. . . of eminent examples , which ought to have a forcible influence upon all , but methinks should not fail to have it on that sex , whose native tenderness predisposes them to the vertu , and who need but swim with the stream of their own inclinations . how can we think that their melting eyes should ever sparkle fire , or delight in spectacles of cruelty , that their flexible tender hearts should turn into steel or adamant , be uncapable of all impressions of pitty ? yet god knows such changes have too often bin seen : women have not only put off that softness peculiar to them , but the common instincts of humanity , and have exceeded not only savage men , but beasts in cruelty . there have bin too frequent instances of the implacable malice , and insatiable cruelties of women : i need not call in the aid of poetique fiction and tell them of clytemnestra , medea , or the belides , with hundreds of others , celebrated as instances of heroic wickedness . there are examples enough in more authenticstories , the roman tullia , the persian parysatis ; and that we may not pass by the sacred annals , jezebel , and athalia . i forbear to multiplyexamples of this kind , of which all ages have produced some so eminent , as have render'd it a common observation , that no cruelty exceeds that of an exasperated woman : & it is not much to be wonder'd at , since nothing can be so ill in its pristine state as that which degenerates from a better . no enmity we know so bitter , as that of alienated friends ; no such persecution as that of apostats , and proportionably no such ferity as that of a perverted mildness . so that the poets were not much out , who as they represented the graces under the figures of women , so the furies too : and since 't is in their election which part they will act , they ought to be very jealous over themselves . the declinations to any vice are gradual , somtimes at first scarce discernable ; and probably the greatest monsters of cruelty , would at the beginning have detested those inhumanities which afterwards they acted with greediness . . it concerns them therefore to ward those beginnings whose end may be so fatal . she that is quick in apprehending an affront perhaps will not be so quick in dismissing that apprehension ; & if it be permitted to stay , 't will quickly improve , twenty little circumstances shall besuborn'd to foment it with new suspicions , till at last it grow to a quarrel ; from thence to hatred , from that to malice , and from that to revenge : and when that black passion has overspread the mind , like an egyptian darkness it admits no gleam of reason or religion , but hurries them blindfold to their own ruine often as well as others . . let none think this only a fancy or scheme of discourse : there have bin too many tragical experiments of its truth : how many men have bin mortally engaged upon no weightier original , then the spleen of a woman ? the frantic notion of honor among our duellists fitly corresponding with the as frantic impulses of feminine revenge , and any imaginary injury ( or perhaps but just imputation ) to the lady , obliging her gallant to rush upon the most real sin and danger . a madness somthing beyond that which the romances describe of knight errantry ; for that generally is for the relief of distressed damsels , but this is only to humor the too prosperous ones , the insolent and the proud . those therefore that have observed the common occasions of duels , have not unfitly divided them between wine and women ; it being hard to say which is the most intoxicating and besotting . the son of sirach couples them together , ecclus. . . wine and women will make men of understanding fall away . the many modern examples of this mischief , as it should strike an extreme terror into those women who have bin any way accessary to the death , or but danger of any man ; so it is just matter of caution to all , so to regulate their passions , that they never come within distance of implacability ; for if once they arrive there , themselves can give no stop . . in order to this , 't will be well to consider at the first incitation , what the real ground is ; perhaps somtimes they are angry ( as the galatians were at st. paul , gal. . . ) at those that tell them the truth ; som scandalous , or at least suspicious behavior , may have engaged a freind to admonish them ; ( an office that has somtimes proved very fatal ; those commonly that have most guilt having less patience to hear of it . ) and if this be the cause , 't is the greatest injustice in the world to make that a quarrel which is really an obligation : and therefore instead of maligning thei●… monitor , they ought to thank and reverence him . nay , tho the accusation be not with that candi●… design , but be meant as a reproch ; yet if it b●… true , it should not excite anger at their accusers ▪ but remorse , and reformation in themselves . . it was the saying of a wiseman , that h●… profited more by his enemies then his friends because they would tell him more roundly of hi●… faults : and this is excellently improved by plutarch , in his tract , of the benefits to be reap'●… from enemies : so that even a malicious accusation may be a kindness , and consequently oug●… not to be repaid with an injury . but suppo●… in the last place , that the aspersion be not onl●… unkind , but untru , it will not even then be safe t●… let loose to their indignation : first , in respect●… prudence , an angry vindication serving the d●… sign of the enemy , and helping to spread the c●… lumny ; whereas a wise neglect and dissembli●… does often stifle and suppress it . secondly , respect of duty , for all that own themselves ch●… stians , must confess they are under an obligati●… to forgive , and not to revenge . now if they i●… tend to pay a real obedience to this precept , ' tw●… be the more easie , the sooner they set to it . he th●… sees his house on fire , will not dally with the flam●… much less blow , or extend it , resolving to quen●… it at last . and anger is as little to be truste●… which if once throughly kindled , will scarce expire but with the destruction of the subject it works on . . let therefore the disoblig'd not look back upon the injury , but forward to those mischiefs which too sharp a resentment may betray them to : let them consider , that the boiling of their blood may finally cause the effusion of anothers , and wrath may swell into murder . if they would do thus , and instead of those magnifying optics wherein they view the wrong , make use of the other end of the perspective , to discern the dismal event at distance ; it would sure fright them from any nearer approch , would keep them within those bounds which their duty prescribes them ; and thereby acquaint them with a much greater , and more ingenious plesure then their highest revenge can giv●… them ; i mean that of forgiving injuries , and obliging the injurious . this is a plesure so pure and refined , so noble and heroic , that none but rational natures are capable of it ; whereas that of spight and revenge ( if it can be called a plesure ) is a meer bestial one ; every the most contemtible animal can be angry when 't is molested , and endevor to return the mischief . . it should therefore , methinks , be an easie determination , whether to embrace that clemency and compassion which we see exemplified in the wisest and best of men , nay in the omniscient , immortal god , or that savage fierceness of the ignoblest creatures . this is certain , that no woman would be content toassume the outward form of any of those ; why then should they subject their nobler part , the mind , to such a transformation ? for , as there are no monsters so deformed , as those which are compounded of man and beast : so among them all , nothing can be more unnatural , more odious , then a woman-tiger . i conclude all with the advice of solomon , prov. . . the beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water : therefore leave off contention before it be medled with . when once a breach is made upon the spirit by immoderate anger , all the consequent mischiefs will flow in , like a rapid stream when the banks are broken down ; nor is there any way to prevent it , but by keeping the bounds entire , preserving that tenderness and compassion which god and nature do equally inforce and recommend . sect . iv. of affability . . in the next place we may reckon affability and courtesie , which as it is amiable in all , so it is singularly so in women of quality , and more universally necessary in them then in the other sex ; for men have often charges and emploiments which do justifie , nay perhaps require somwhat of sternness and austerity ; but women ordinarily have few or no occasions of it , and those who havewell digested the former lectures of meekness and compassion ; will not be apt to put it on unnecessarily . now affability may b●… considered either as a meer human accomplishment , or as a divine vertu ; in either notion 't is commendable ; but 't is the latter that gives it the highest excellence and perfection . . to begin with the first notion of it , we may take an estimate of its worth by its cause , and by its effects . for its cause , it derives itself either from a native candor , and generosity of mind ; or from a noble and ingenious education , or somthing jointly from both ; and these are as good originals as any thing meerly moral can flow from . and that these are indeed its sources ; common ▪ experience will attest : those of the greatest minds , & best extractions , being usually most condescending and obliging ; whereas those of most abject spirits and birth , are the most insulting and imperious . alexander the great , tho terrible in the field , yet was of a gentle , compla●…sant conversation , familiarly treating those about him : yet crispinus , narcissus , nymphidius , and other enfranchised bondmen , we find insolently trampling upon the roman senators and consuls . 't is therefore a great error for persons of honor , to think they acquire a reverence by putting on a supercilious gravity , looking coily and disdainfully upon all about them ; 't is so far from that , that it gives a suspicion that 't is but a pageantry of greatness , som mushrome newly sprung up , that stands so stiff , and swells so much . but instead of teaching others to keep their distance , this fastidious d●…in invites them to a closer inspection , that if there be any flaw either in their life or birth , 't will be sure to be discovered , there being no such prying inquisitor as curiosity , when 't is eggd on by a sense of contemt . . on the other side , if we consider the effects of courtesie , they are quite contrary ; it endears to all , and often keeps up a reputation in spight of many blemishes : a kind look or word from a superior , is strangely charming , and insensibly steals away mens hearts from them . this the wise man refers to ecclus. . . when he prefers a word before a gift . and 't is plutarch's observation of cleomenes king of sparta , that when the grecians compared his affability and easiness of access with the sullen state and pride of other princes , they were so enamored with it , that they judged him only worthy to be a king. and as their is no certainer , so also no cheaper way of gaining love : a friendly salutation is as easie as a frown or reproch ; and that kindness may be preserved by them , which if once forfeited , will not at a far greater price be recovered . . besides , when human vicissitudes are considered , it may be a point of providence too ; the greatest persons may somtimes want assistance from the meanest ; nay somtimes the face of affairs is quite changed , and the wheel of fortune turns them lowest that were uppermost , and proportionably elevates the meanest . 't is wisdom therefore so to treat all , as to leave no impressions of unkindness , since none is so despicable , but may possibly at one time or other have an opportunity to retaliate . t was therefore a prudent as well as an equitable resolution of the emperor , who said he would so entertain the addresses of his subjects ; as , if he were a subject , he would wish the prince should entertain him . a rule very worthy to sway all persons of honor in their entercourse with others . and since even among persons in command there are degrees , and she which is superior to one , is inferior to another ; they have a ready way to compare the civility they pay , with that they expect . let therefore one who meets with a cold , neglectful treatment from any above her , examin her own resentments , and then reflect , that if she give the like to those below her , they will doubtless have the same sense ; and therefore let her resolve never to offer what she so much dislikes to bear : and she that does thus , that makes such inferences , will convert an injury into a benefit ; civilize her self by the rudeness of others , and make that ill nurture her own discipline . . but hitherto we consider affability only in its ethnic dress , as it is a human ornament ; 't will appear yet more enamoring upon a second view , when we look on it as bearing the impress of the sanctuary , as a divine vertu . and that it is capable of being so , we have the autority of st. paul , who inserts it in the number of those christian graces which he recommends to his roman proselites ; condescend to them of low estate , rom. . . and that we may the better discern its valu , 't is observable that he links it with the most eminent vertu of humility ; for it immediatly follows his precept of be not high minded . indeed 't is not only joined with it as a friend or allie , but derived from it as its stock and principle : and certainly a more divine extraction it cannot have , humility being the alpha and omega of vertues , that which laies the foundation , ( without which the most towring structure will but crush it self with its own weight ) and that which perfects and consummates the building also , secures and crowns all other graces ; which when they are most verdant●… and flourishing , are like jonas his gourd , that may afford some shadow and refreshment for a while , but are apt to breed that worm which will destroy them . when once they are smitten with pride , they instantly fade and wither ; so necessary is humility both for the acquiring and conserving , all that is good in us . . we may therefore conclude ; that courtesie and obligingness of behavior which proceeds thence , is in respect of its spring and original , infinitly to be preferr'd before that which descends from no higher stock then natural or prudential motives ; and since 't is natural for every production to have some similitude to that which produces it , we shall find it no less excellent in respect of its properties then its descent , i shall instance only in two , sincerity and constancy . . for the first as far as affability partakes of humility it must of sincerity also , that being a vertu whose very elements are plainness and simplicity : for as it has no designs which want a cover , so it needs none of those subtilties and simulations , those pretences and artifices requisite to those that do . t is the precept of the apostle , phil. . . in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better then himself , where we see 't is the nature of a lowly mind to transfer that esteem to others which he substracts from himself : how where such an esteem is planted into the heart , it verifies all the expressions and outward significations of respect , and renders the greatest condescentions ( which to an insolent humor may seem extravagant and affected ) real and unfeigned . . on the contrary that courtesie which derives no higher then from meer human principles , is not much to be confided in . 't is the psalmists affirmation that all men are liars . and therefore there is more then a possibility of deceit in their fairest shews . somtimes we know smooth & plausible addresses have bin designed as the stale to vile and trecherous practices . the extraordinary blandishments and endearing behavior of absolom to the people , was only to steal their hearts , and advance his intended rebellion , sam. . and david tells us of some , whose words were softer then butter , having war in the heart , whose words were smoother then oil , and yet were very swords , psal. . . and god knows this age has not so much improved in sincerity , that we should think the same scenes are not daily acted over among us . . but besides all the blacker projects of this kind , which nothingbut the event can detect , there is a lower sort of this treachery , which is visible , nay so avowed , that it is one of the most common subjects of mirth and entertainment , i mean that of scoffing and derision , a thing too frequent among all , but i fear i may say very peculiarly so among ladies , those at least of the modish sort , their very civilities and caresses , being often design'd to gain matter of scorn and laughter . mutual visits we know are an expression of respect , and should flow from a real kindness , but if those now in use br sifted , how few will be found of that make ? they are at the best formal , a tribute rather paid to custom then friendship , and many go to see those , for whom they are perfectly indifferent whether they find them alive or dead , well or sick . nay very often they are worse then thus , design'd only to make observations , to bolt out somthing ridiculous wherewith to sport themselves as soon as they are gone ; and least the inquest should return with a non inventus , they will accept of the slightest discoveries , the least misplacing of a word , nay of a hair shall be theme enough for a comedy . . but if a poor country gentlewoman fall within their circuit , what a stock of mirth does she afford them , how curiously do they anatomise every part of her dress , her meen , her dialect , nay perhaps to improve the scene , will recommend yet greater absurdities to her , under the notion of the mode , that so she may be the more ample subject of their scorn . such visits as these are but insidious intrusions , the insinuations of a spy rather then the good office of a neighbor ; and when 't is remembred how great a portion of some womens time is spent in this kind of diversion , we must conclude there have a multitude of acts gon to make up the habit . i wish they would seriously reflect on it , and unravel that injurious mirth by a penitential sadness , and either spend their time better then in visiting , or else direct their visits to better purposes : and this they would certainly do if they would exchange their meer popular civilities ( that kind of paint and varnishing manners ) for that tr●… christian condescension ; which admits of no dece●… , but is as transparent as drusus wisht his house ●…ld be , that has no secret scrues and spring , to move the eyes or tongue a contrary way from the heart , but is in reality all that it pretends to be . . a second property of it is constancy , for as it is true to others , so it is to its self ; 't is foundid on the solidest of vertues , and is not subject to those light and giddy uncertainties , that the vulgar civilities are . for he that out of a disesteem of his proper worth , has placed himself in a state of inferiority , will think it not an arbitrary matter , but a just debt to pay a respect to those he thinks his betters ; and an humble mind will in every body find somthing or other to prefer to himself . so that he acts upon a fixt principle , and is not in danger of those contradictions in his manners , which shall render him one day sweet and affable , and another sowre and morose . but such mutations are frequently incident to those who are swaied by other motives , somtimes an interest changes , and then the most fauning sycophant can transplant his flatteries , and court a new patron ; yea many times to the despight and vilifying of the old . . somtimes again , fortune may change ; a man may fall from a prosperous to an adverse state , and then those who were prodigal of their civilities whilst he needed nothing else , will withdraw even those from him , least they should incourage him to demand somthing more ; an experiment of this job made in his friends ( or rather flatterers ) whom he fitly compares to winter brooks , running over when not needed , but quite dry when they are . . but the most frequent change is that of fancy and humor , which has a much more general sway then reason and judgment . this is so observable in the vulgar rabble , that often in an instant they will shift passions , and hate this hour what they doted on the last . of this all popular states , have afforded many costly experiments , but we need not go farther then the sacred story , where we find the acclamations and hosannahs of the multitude , quickly converted into crucifie him , crucifie him . this levity of mind has bin observed so incident to women , that 't is become almost proverbial ; for by how much their passions are more violent , they are commonly the less lasting , and as they are reckon'd among those colder bodies that are particularly influenced by the moon , so they seem to bear a great resemblance to her in her vicissitudes and changes ; yet still with a greater degree of uncertainty , for she in all her revolutions observes some constant periods , and we can tell in her wain when she will be at full , so that she has a kind of certainty even in her planetary errors ; but what ephemerides can be framed for some womens humors ? who can tell how long the present will last ? and what will be the next that will succeed ? . i need not bring instances of their inconstancy from that common place of passionate widows , whohave let a newlove sail even through those flouds of tears wherewith they bewailed the old : for ( besides that that is a case wherein possibly they may find matter enough for retortion ) it is here a little wide from my purpose , which designs no farther inquisition then into their ordinary conversation , wherein that love o●… variety which is so remarkable in their habit , their diet , their diversions , extends it self often to their company , their friendships also and converse . those intimacies which they cherisht lately , quickly grow despicable , and at last nauseous , and consequently their behavior falls from kind and civil , to cold and disdainful . i doubt not this has often bin proved by many of those humble companions , which officiously attend them , who cannot alwaiesfix themselves , no notby those flatteries that first introduced them ; some new comer perhaps has better refined the art , and do's the same thing more acutely and ingeniously , and then the old one is to be turned off as too gross a sycophant ; or if they have bin so happy as to light upon some of a more generous temper , who instead of a servile compliance with their humor , and high characters of their worth , entertain them with the true images of themselvs , and endeavor to make what others only speak them , this is that unpardonable crime which forfeits all degrees of favor , and does not only avert , but incense . a faithful monitor is as unacceptable as a true looking-glass to a deformed person , which at the best will be set aside , and escapes well if not broken ; and while great persons dispence their favors or their frowns by such perverse mesures as these , they will be sure to do it unjustly , as well as unconstantly . . i am far from making this an universal charge , i know there are women of the highest quality , that guide themselves by other rules , that are deaf to all the songs of sirens , and have the prudence to valu a seasonable reproof before the most extravagant panegyric ; but this is owing to that humility which i am now recommending , without which 't is as impossible for greatness to be proof against flattery , as it is for a pinnace with spreading sails , and a violent gust of wind , to sail steddily without ballast . and the frequent want of this is it which makes it no less frequent ●…o see those unevennesses and inequalities in be●…avior ; those partialities in dispensing even the ●…ommonest civilities , which i have now repre●…ented . . and sure 't is none of the meanest attri●…utes due to that excellent vertu of humility that ●…t can thus fix and poise the mind , cure those ver●…igoes and giddy humors , incident to those who ●…re mounted aloft : and above all that it is a sure antidote against the most insinuating poison of flattery , a holy spel or amulet against the venom of a parasite , which the philosopher justly calls the worst of tame beasts , as a detractor is of wild : he being indeed a kind of vulture , in the way of seizure , noless than ravine , who firstpicksout the eies of that which he designs to prey upon ; suffering not the person concern'd , to see any thing of that destruction which he is to feel . and certainly none of the ominous birds , no night-raven or screech-owle can abode half so dismally as these domestic birds of prey , which are not only presages , but instruments of ruine wheresoever they haunt . . 't is therefore the universal concern o●… those that are great and prosperous , to chase them away , as abraham did the fowles from his sacri 〈◊〉 , gen. . . but yet more peculiarly so o●… those to whom fortune hasgiven a sudden rise , and unexpected grandeur , they being of all others th●… most obnoxious to this sort of harpies . the surprizes of prosperity do no less disturb the judgment then those of adversity : and as one who i●… in an instant snatcht up to some high tower , is s●… amazed to see himself there , that he has no ju●… mesure of the altitude , but thinks every thin●… farther below him then it is : so they that ascen●… to greatness by swift and rapid motions , hav●… their heads so turned that they are apt to over ▪ valu it ; and to look with contempt on those wh●… before perhaps they thought worth their envie●… and on a mind thus prepared , flattery may mak●… any impressions , it suborning even providence as a witness on its side , and inferring from the dignities obtained , the transcending merit of the obtainer . a piece of sophistry which the slightest observer may easily confute , all ages giving instances of those whose vices have preferred them , and by a strange chimistry have extracted honor out of infamous acts . yet to a mind possest with its own admiration , this shall pass for a demonstration : so trecherous a thing is pride , that it combines with all who design to cheat us : and indeed 't is not only an accessary , but the principal ; none being in danger by others flatteries , who are not first seduced by their own , . it will therefore be a point of wisdom for all persons of honor to encrease their caution with their fortune , and as they multiply their retinues without , so especially to inforce their guard within , that they become not slaves to their own greatness , fix not themselves in such a posture of state , as to become immovable to all the offices of humanity and civility ; nor think that their admission to greatness is upon the same terms on which the jews were wont to receive their proselites , that they must renounce all their former relations ; but to remember that they differ no more from others then as a counter set in the place of thousands or hundreds , does from one set in the place of tens or units . a little transposition may quite alter the case ; or however , when they are all taken off the score , they are then indiscriminatly tumbled together , and one has no precedence of another , either in place or valu . so undiscernible will be the difference between the greatest queen , and the meanest servant , when death , that great leveller , shall have mixt them ; there will be no inquisition in the grave who came embalmed , or perfumed thither . and , as a learned man says , the ulcers of lazarus will make as good dust as the paint of jezebel . . but i shall be thought to have out-run my subject , or instead of that amiable image of affability , and universal obligingness , the great ornament of life , introduce the grim figure of death , that sullen executioner , whom no gifts , no praiers can mollifie . yet i cannot yield it wholly impertinent ; for , as its final stroke cures all the infirmities of the body , so the foresight and contemplation of it is , as much a catholicon for all the maladies of the mind ; especially that of insolence and disdain . for sure they cannot much pride themselves in any exaltation , that remember they must finally fall into the dust : nor arrogantly despise others , who consider that themselves shall one day be insulted over by worms and insects . such mental descents into the vault or charnel-house , are the best disciplines for the demeanor in other places , according to the admonition of the wise man , remember thy end , and thou shalt never do amiss . sect . v. of piety . . lastly , to compleat and crown all other excellencies , nothing is so proper , so necessary as piety and devotion . this is the salt which seasons all sacrifices ; yea , the altar which sanctifies the gift , no good ( how splendid soever in the sight of men ) being acceptable to god , till it be thus consecrated , and have the seal of the sanctuary upon it . this is a vertu truly divine , as well in its original as its end ; for as it comes from heaven , ( is an afflation of the blessed spirit ) so it tends thither also , and thither raises its votaries . this is it which sublimates and spiritualizes humanity , defecates and refines it from all the dregs of morality ; and so wings our earthly lumpish nature , that we can soar aloft to the region of spirits , and by its raptures make som essay of that state of separation , even while we are linked to the body . this is it which combines us so with god , that we have the same interests , the same choices ; nay it does in a sort communicate and enterchange properties with him ; the all-powerful god seems impotent and unable to resist its influence , whilst it invests us feeble wretches in a kind of omnipotence , by engaging him for us who can do all things . . now this piety may be considered either in a larger , or more limited sense : in the former 't is as wide as the whole scheme of duty , not confined to any one act , but extended to all the commands of god. for as the animal spirit diffuses its self into all the most distant members of the body ; so this more vital principle has as universal an influence on the mind , stamps that with such an admiration and reverence of god , such a love and complacency in him , that every act is ( at least habitually ) design'd to obey and glorifie him . . in the more limited sense , piety is taken for our more immediate entercourse with god , in things purely divine , as adorations , praiers , aspirations , and all pantings and breathings of the soul after him ; and in this notion 't is more particularly called devotion . and this is comprehended it : the other , as a part in the whole ; nay indeed , as an effect in its cause ; for where piety has not first formed and modelled the soul , there can be no true devotion . external forms of it there may be , but that is but ceremony and pageantry , the most submissive prostrations are there but like that of dagon before the ark , the fall of a liveless trunk ; the most elevated eyes but a kind of convulsive motion ; and the most rigid mortifications , but like the cuttings and launcings of baal's priests . of this the very heathen had som notion , and therefore in their worships had many preparatory ceremonies of lustration , and purifying , as being conscious of the incongruity , that unholy persons should be admitted to sacred things . and accordingly socrates has excellently ( i had almost said evangelically ) defined , the best way of worshipping god , to be the doing what he commands . indeed without this , our devotion is meer stratagem and design : we invoke god as we use to cajole men , only to serve a present turn ; and of such disingenious addresses , 't is easie to read the event ; or , if we cannot , solomon will instruct us , prov. . . the praiers of the wicked are an abomination to the lord. . to treat of the several branches of piety in the first notion , is not agreeable to the intended brevity of this treatise ; nor necessary , because there are so many distinct tracts extant on that subject ; yet i shall the more closely to adapt it to my female readers , observe the propriety of it to women , not only as it is their greatest ornament and advantage , but especially as they have somwhat more of predisposition towards it in their native temper . god's laws , which are the rule of piety , have this common with mens , that they are inforced upon us by the proposalt both of punishments and rewards , by that means engaging two of our most sensible passions , fear and love ; and the female sex being eminent for the pungency of both these , they are consequently the better prepared for the impressions of religion . . this is so much acknowledged , that our masculine atheists make an ill use of it , and are willing to think that religion owes its force only to the impotence of the subject on which it works , that 't is only an imposition upon the easie credulity of women , and are content to allow them the inclosure of it ; wherein , tho they sufficiently shew their contemt of piety , yet they unawares give a greater honor to that sex then they intend , whilst they confess it more capable of an assimilation to the supreme goodness , and of the renewal of god's image ( for to that all piety is design'd ) then their own . and therefore women have so little reason to be ashamed , that they ought to glory in the concession , and gratefully to celebrate the goodness of god to them , who , as he brings light out of darkness , so converts their natural infirmities into a means of spiritual strength , makes the impotencies and defects of their nature subservient to the operation of grace ; and by consecrating their very passions , makes even those gibeonites serviceable to the tabernacle . but then 't is to be remembred , that the greater is their obligation to comply with this design of gods , to let their passions run in the channel he has cut for them ; so to confine their fear and love to spiritual objects , that they make no inordinate eruptions to any thing else , but in all their estimations of things dreadful or desirable , to give still the just deference to that which is eternal . . and , as women in general have this advantage towards piety , and obligation to it ; so particularly those of quality , who we may subpose to have generally a more early institution and instruction in it then those of a meaner rank : and besides , have afterwards more opportunities of being built up in the knowledg of their duty , and ( by the help of an ingenious education ) clearer apprehensions to discern it ; and when they do so , have greater obligations to perform it , both in respect of god , of others , and themselves . . in respect of god they have the greatest tie of gratitude , not only for the common mercies which they partake with the rest of mankind , but for those peculiar , by which they are differenced from others ; of which , if they want a just valu , let them ask themselves how willing they would be to part with them , how she that has fed delicatly , would like to be desolate in the street , or she that has bin brought up in scarlet , to embrace the dunghil , lam. . . and according to the aversion they find to such a change , let them estimate their present enjoiment , and the thankfulness it exacts . . secondly , in regard of others , their piety backt with their secular advantages , may be of a more extensive benefit ; they have many opportunities of doing good by their influence on others ; or if no way else , yet the splendor of their example , will by the eminency of their conditions shine ( as a light on som high tower ) more perspicuously , and guide many into the same path of vertu . and certainly 't is no small obligation that lies on them in this respect ; for god , who does nothing without an end worthy of his wisdom , can never be thought to have selected som persons as the objects of his bounty , meerly that they may swill and glut themselves with sensual plesures . no doubtless , he who is the great master of the universe , disposes all things for common benefit ; and therefore , if he have placed som in an higher orb then others , it is that they may have an auspicous influence on those below them ; and if they fail in this , they are no longer stars but comets , things of ominous and unlucky abode to all about them . i might enlarge on this subject , but having don it already in the gentlemans calling , i suppose it unnecessary , since that part is equally adapted to both sexes . . in the last place , they have all obligation to piety , in respect of themselves , and that in two considerations ; the first , of their present danger ; the second , of their final account . for their danger , 't is evident they do not more out-number their inferiors in any thing then in the opportunities , nay sollicitations to sin . weal●… and honor have many snares , and which is worse , do often dispose the mind to such an heedless security , that it takes no care to avoid them : and as in the body , the diseases of repletion are fa●… more numerous then those of emtiness , so th●… mind is oftner vitiated by affluence and prosperity , then by indigence and adversity . it becomes therefore those who are so surrounded with enemies to fortifie themselves : and that they can no way do , but by a sincere piety , that whole armor of god which the apostle describes , eph. . . by which alone they may repel all the darts of temtations ; nay not only ward the blow , but wrest the weapon out of satans hand , so that when he urges to them the opportunities , the impunity which their wealth and greatness gives them to be bad , they may retort his argument , & by a wholsomer inference collect thence their great obligation to be good , and that not only upon the score of gratitude ( tho that were enough to an ingenious soul ) but in the second place of interest also , in respect of that account they must finally give . for tho god be not an unjust exactor to reap where he has not sowed , yet he is not so negligently profuse , as to do that which no prudent man will do , scatter his goods promiscuously , without taking notice where they fall ; but as he dispences all things by particular providence , so he does it to a particular end , and will exact as particular an account how that end has bin complied with . . it is a smart exprobration of gods to israel , ezek , , , , . that she had sacrilegiously emploied his silver and gold , his oil , his flower and hony which he had given her in the service of her idols , by which as we may see he takes notice how we dispose of our temporal possessions , so it shews us how the enditement will proceedagainst all thosewho so pervert their use : with what confusion must they appear at the great audit who can give no other account of their receits , but that they consumed them upon their lusts , wagedwar against god with his own tresure , and bin as well thieves as rebels ? what a luciferian fall will they have from their honors , who have endevored to undermine gods ? thought themselves too great to pay him homage , and by their prophane and vicious example , induced acontemt of him ? in short what a retaliation of inversions will there then be ? those that have turned gods grace into wantonness , converted his bounty into the fuel of their pride and luxury , shall then have their glory turn●…d into sham , their riots and excesses into the want of a drop of water , and shall retain nothing of their greatness , but the guilt , the grating remembrance of having abused those temporal blessings , which if well managed might have received them into everlasting habitations . how necessary then is it for all who have receiv'd so much upon account , to be often reflecting on it , examining what charges , the great owner has imposed upon so ample an income ? what god requires of them for whom he hath don so much ? and this is particularly the business of piety , which in all the forementioned respects , is as the usefullest , so the noblest accomplishment of greatness . and such it hath bin accounted till this prophane age of ours , which has removed all the boundaries of the former , reverst even the instincts of nature , and will not leave us so much of religion as had the very worst of heathens . for how erroneous soever their were in the choice of their deities , they alwaies honored and reverenc'd those they chose , committed most of their enormities in obedience not in affront to them : did not assign the votaries as jeroboam did his priests of the meanest of the people , but thought themselves dignified by their service , but esteemed it an infamy not to be pious . but alas now we adaies make other estimates , religion is so abject so contemtible a thing , as is thought fit to influence none that are great either in parts or quality : and therefore tho too many are willing to appropriate it to women , upon the first account , as the gospel is the foolishness of preaching , cor. . . yet they make exceptions upon the latter , and are not willing to afford it any of the nobler proselits even of that sex. . i doubt not there are many lectures read to such , to fortifie them against all impressions of piety , to raise out the common notion of a god , & in order to that to depose his vicegerent within them , discard their conscience , that unmannerly inmate , which is still speaking what they have no mind to hear , and will be apt somtimes to question their grand principle , and tell them they have souls . and truly 't is no wonder if the abetters of athism take this course ; for since they have no solid foundation of truth or reason , 't is but necessary they support their party by autority ; the countenance and applause of great persons , & god knows they have too much succeeded in the design . but , in the mean time , what security do they give for the truth of their pretensions ? we know 't is still required of those that will practise upon other peoples concerns , that they put in caution to secure the owner from damage , but alas , what gage can they give for a soul ? who can contrive a form of indemnity where that is the thing hazarded ? . 't is easy indeed for one of these apostles of sathan , to tell a lady that she has nothing to do but to indulge to her plesure ; that 't is the extremest folly to be frighted from a present enjoiment , by a fear of i know not what future smart ; that god , and sin , and hell , are but names , certain mormos and bug-bears conjur'd up by divines , to work upon her fear , and abuse her crudelity . this , and much more of this kind may be said , and i doubt often is ; but all this while the question is begg'd , and a strong affirmation must pass for proof : for i defie all the doctors of atheism to make any demonstration of their tenet ; and yet , though they pretend to no demonstration themselves , religion must be condemned meerly for the want of it : that is for not making spiritual things liable to sense , for distinguishing between belief and science ; which is indeed for doing the most reasonable thing in the world , viz. the remitting every object to the trial of its proper faculty : and they who suspect it upon that account , may by the same kind of logic wrangle us out of all our senses , may perswade us we hear nothing because the eye discerns not sounds , that we tast not , because the ear understands not gusts and ●…apors , and so on to the rest . . and yet this is the bottom of those arguments which the great pretenders to reason make against religion , and in the mean time have so little ingenuity as to exclaim on the light credulity of fools and women , that embrace the dictates of faith , whilst the same instant they exact a more implicit assent to their negative articles , their no religion . a strange magisterial confidence so to impose on this age , what is so universally contradictory to all former , and to the common verdict ▪ of mankind . for 't is observable through all the successions of men , that there were never any society , any collective body of atheists ; a s●…gle one perhaps might here and there be found ( as we sometimes see monsters or mishapen births ) but for the generality they had alwaies such instincts of a d●…ety , that they never thought they ran far enough from atheism ; but rather choose to multiply their gods , to have too many then none at all : nay were apt to descend to the adoration of things below themselves , rather then to renounce the power above them . by which we may see that the notion of a god is the most indelible character of natural reason , and therefore whatever pretence our atheists make to ratioci●…ation and deep discourse , it is none of that primitive fundamental reason coetaneous with our humanity ; but is indeed a reason fit only for those who own themselves like the beasts that perish . . but admit we could be more bountiful to them , and allow their opinion an equal probability with our faith , yet even this could never justifie any body in point of prudence , that should adhere to them . common discretion teaches us that where two propositionshave an equal appearance of truth , there is no rational inducement to prefer one before the other , till we have examined the consequences , and find somthing in the one which may over-poise and outweigh the contrary . now in all things that concern practice , there are no motives so considerable , either to invite or avert , as advantage or danger . . let us apply this to the present case , and examine the pretensions of the atheist and the christian in both respects . but first we are to remember , that both advantage and danger are to be viewed under a double notion , either as present or as future . the former is the atheists most proper subject , and indeed all he can pertinently speak to , who professes himself only a man of this world . here he wil tell us that the disbelief of god and another life , is the great enfranchiser of mankind , sets us at liberty from that thraldom , those bonds wherewith our superstitious fears had fetter'd us , that it supersedes all those nice and perplexing inquiries of lawful and unlawful , and reduces all our inquisitions only to this one , how we shall most please our selves . the glutton need not put a knife to his throat , but is only to put an edge upon his palate . the drunkard need not refrain his cups , but only take care that the be filled with the most delicious liquor . the wa●…on need not pull out his eye , but only cont●…ve to possess what that temts him to desire●… and in a word none of our appetites need ●…e restrain'd , but satisfied . and this uncontrol●… licentiousness , this brutish liberty , is that su●…mum bonum , that supreme happiness which they propose to themselves , and to which they invite others . . on the other side the christian is not without his claim to a present advantage , tho of a far differing n●…ture : he is not so preposterous as to think it a preferment to sink below his kind ; to aspire to an assimilation with meer animals , which is the utmost the former amounts to , but he proposes to himself the satisfaction of a man●… ; those delights which may entertain his reason not his sense ; which consist in the rectitude of a well inform'd mind . his religion is the perfectest scheme of morality , and makes him a philosopher without the help of the schools , it teaches him the art of subduing his appetites , calming his passions , and in a word makes him lord of himself ; and by that gives him all the plesures which result from such a soveraignty , nor is he totally void even of the plesures of sense , which in many instances are greater to him then to those that most court them . temperance cooks his coursest diet to a greater gust , then all their studied mixtures ; chastity makes one lawful embrace more grateful to him , then all the nauseating variety of their unbounded lusts ; and contentment swells 〈◊〉 mite into a talent , makes him richer then the ind●… would do if he desired beyond them . nor is it a ●…ntemtible benefit that his moderation gives him 〈◊〉 immunity from those sensitive pains which oft bring up the rear of inordinate sensual plesures . so that his condition even set in the worst light in that very particular wherein the atheist most triumphs over him , is not so deplorable as 't is represented . . but if it were , he has plesures that would infinitly overwhelm that smart , and that not only in his reason ( as hath bin said before ) but in his more sublime diviner part , such irradiations from above , such antepasts of his future bliss , such acquiescence in a calm & serene conscience , as isvery cheaply bought with all he can suffer here . i know the profane laugh at these things as chimera's and the illusions of a prepossessed fancy ( & truly if they were so , they mightyetcome in balance with many of their plesures which are as much owing to opinion and imagination : ) but if we consider what supports they have given under the heaviest pressures , how they enabled the primitive martyrs , not only to suffer , but even to court all that is formidable to humane nature , we cannot think that a meer phantastic imaginary joy could deceive the sense of such real , such acute torments . and tho in this great declination of zeal , there be perhaps few that can pretend to those higher degrees of spiritual raptures , yet certainly were the votes of all devout persons collected , they would all concur in this testimony , that even in the common offices of piety , the ordinary discharge of a good conscience , there is an infinitly greater complacence , a higher gust and relish then in all the plesures of sense . but of this the most irrefragable witnesses are those who from great voluptuaries have turned devotes , and i dare appeal to their experience , whether of the two states is the most plesant . i wish those who will not believe this on others words , would themselves make the trial , and till they do so they are notoriously unjust to pronounce that a fiction , of whose reality they refuse to make proof . . by what hath bin said , some estimate may be made which bids fairest ) the atheist or christian ) as to present temporal felicity : but alas what an allay , what a damp is it to felicity to say 't is themporal , yet we may give it a term below that , and say 't is momentary . for since our life is so , nothing that depends on that can be otherwise , and yet in this shallow bottom the irreligious embark their all . for , as to all future advantage , 't is their principle to disclaim it , they discer●… no reward for blameless souls , wisd. . . so that in this particular the christian does not compare with , but triumph over them . he knows that if his earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved , he hath a building of god ; an house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens , cor. . . that when he parts with his life , he does not resign his happiness , but shall receive it infinitly improved both in degree and duration . and now certainly 't is visible enough which opinion proposes the fairer hopes , and consequently which ( supposing but an equal probability of truth ) is the most inviting . . but som spirits there are so ignoble , that the most glorious prize cannot animate them ; that like a swine , the muscles of whose eies , they say , permit him not to look upwards , is not concerned in all the felicities above , but would at a venture resign his share in those , so he may securely enjoy his husk and draff . but yet even these who are uncapable of the more generous resentments , may be apt enough to the more servile ; and danger may fright , tho glory cannot allure them . it concerns such therefore to compare the mischiefs which each opinion threatens to their opposits , and from thence make an estimate which is safest to be chosen . and here let the atheist himself cast up the account of the dangers consequent to christianity , and it can all amount but to this , the deprivation ( or rather moderation ) of som present sensual plesures , or the incurring of som present sensitive pains ; the former in the daily exercise of temperance , and mortification ; the latter , ( more rarely and ostner in purpose then act ) the suffering for righteousness sake . and both these the christian ballances , nay out-weighs by two more important present hazards on the other side . to the former , he opposes the danger of being enslaved to the brutish part of a mans self , a thing so deplorable even in the judgment of humanity , that all writers of ethics have uniformly declared no servility to be so sordid and intolerable as that of the vicious man to his passions and lusts. to the latter , he confronts the mischief of being a slave to every man else ; for such he certainly is , whom the fear of suffering can baff●…e outof any thing he thinks just and honest . for if all the men in the world could successively have the power to afflict him , they wouldalso have to command and rule him ; and what can be more abject , more below the dignity of human nature , then to have a spirit alwaies prepared for such a servitude ? besides , even the utmost sufferings which christianity can at any time require , is outvied daily by the effects of luxury and rage ; and for one that has opportunity to be a martyr for his god thousands become so to their vices . . if from the present we look forward to futuredangers , the atheist must here be perfectly silent ; he cannot say that the christian after this life shall be in any worse estate then himself , since he concludes they shall both be the same nothing . but the christian threatens him with a more dismal state , he allows him indeed a being , yea an eternal one ; but it is only such as qualifies him for a misery as eternal ; the worm that never dies , the fire unquenchable , where all the excesses of his short plesures shall be revenged with more excessive , endless torments : his senses which were here the only organs of his felicity , shall then be ( tho not the only ) the very sensible mediums of his wretchedness ; and that conscience which he here suspended from its office , shall then take our its arrears , and return all it s stifled admonitions in perpetual horrors , and desperate upbraidings . i need not now sure ask on which side the greater danger lies . . to conclude , the result of all is , that the transitory plesures of the atheist are over-poised even by the present satisfactions of the pious and the eternity of unbounded , unconceivable joies he expects hereafter , comes in ex abundanti , having nothing on the other side that offers at a competition with it . and at the very same rate of proportion we have seen the dangers also are so , that we can easily compute the utmost mischief our christianity can do us , if it should be false ; but the damage of the other is inestimable , both for the penalty of loss , and sense . i may now appeal to common prudence to judg of the vast inequality , and to pronounce , that sure there had need be som great evidence of truth on the atheists side , to preponderate all these disadvantages . indeed , nothing much below a demonstration can justify the choice of so dangerous principles ; i am sure an equal probability can never do it , where the danger is so unequal ; and were the veriest atheist consulted in a secular case of the like circumstances , he would certainly pronounce him a mad man that should make such an election . how desperate a phrensy then is it to do it , without so much as that equal probability : nay indeed , without any probability at all ? and yet this madness sets up for the monopoly not of wit only , but reason too ; and by confidence and clamor , seeks to run down those arguments it can never confute . . i may be thought here to have made too long a d●…gression from my proper subject , but i cannot confess it so ; for since my present business is to recommend piety , i can no way do that so effectually as by shewing its consonancy to right reason , especially considering the busie industry is now used to represent it under another form , and to alienate from it those persons whose greatness may give it any luster or repute in the world ; of which sort i suppose there are few more frequently attaqued then women of quality , that converse among those who call themselves the wits of the age ; who living in so infectious an air , had need of som antidotes about them ; and if what i have now offered , appear not forcible enough , ( for it pretends not to the tith of what may be said on the subject ) yet it may at least do them this service , to put them in mind of what they need , and send them to the fuller dispensatories of others . . and that is the thing . i should earnestly beg of them , that they would be so just to their own interest , as not to combine with seducers against themselves ; but if they have bin so unhappy as to lend one ear to them , yet at least not to give up both to be forced in a slavish submission to their dictates , but hear what may be said on the other side . and sure 't is but a low composition for god thus to divide with sathan , yet 't is that of which his emissaries are so jealous that 't is one of their grand maxims , that none who professes divinity is to be advised with ; and therefore by all arts they are to be rendred either ridiculous , or suspected ; to which methinks may by applied that fable ( which demosthenes once recited to the athenians , when alexander demanded of them to deliver up their orators ) of the wolves and the sheep , who coming to a treaty , the first article of the wolves was , that the sheep should give up their mastives which guarded them : the resemblance is too obvious to need a minute application . . but this is manifestly to reverse all former rules , and to trust a man rather in any faculty then his own , and would never have prevailed in any thing but where the soul is concern'd , that poor despicable thing whereon alone we think fit to make experiments . 't is sure , that if any should dispute their title to an earthly possession , they would not so tamely resign it , nor would trust their own selves in its defence , but would consult their ablest lawyers , and , by them , sift out every circumstance that might establish their claim . why should they then suffer themselves to be talk'd out of an heavenly inheritance , without so much as once proposing their doubts to those whose study and profession it is to resolve them ? but as in all other ills , so in this , prevention is better than cure ; and therefore to those that are yet untainted , the securest course will be to stop both ears against all profane insinuations . and to use those who temt them to be disloial to their god , that spiritual adultery , as they should do those who solicit them to the carnal , not so much as to enter parly , but with the greatest indignation detest and reject them . 't is the saying of the wise man , prov. . . that an angry countenance driveth away a back-biting tongue . and certainly , would great persons look severely on such defamers of religion , they would give som check to that impudence of profaneness which has given it such a vogue in the world. . and sure this is much their duty to do , if they own any relation to that god who is so dishonored . they would think it a very disingenious thing to sit by to hear a friend or benefactor reviled , and express no displesure ; and is god so friendless among them , that only his traducers and blasphemers can be patiently heard ? among the jews , at the hearing of any blasphemy , they rent their clothes ; but i fear we have som of our nice dames that would be much more concern'd at a rip in their garment , then at the rending and violating gods sacred name ; and could more patiently behold the total subversion of religion , then the disorder or misplacing of a lock or riband . but 't is to be hoped there are not many so impious , and those that are not , will surely think themselves obliged with all their power , to discountenance all the fautors of irreligion , whether they be the solemn sedater sort that would argue , or the jollier that would rallery them out of their faith. . but when they have thus provided against the assaults of others , and secured the speculative part of religion , they have only established a judicatory against themselves , stored up matter of conviction and accusation , if they answer it not in the practic . i must therefore after this long excursion , return to my first point , and beseech them seriously to weigh the obligations they have to piety in the general notion of it , as it comprehends all the duties of a christian life , of which as i intend not to speak particularly ; so i know not where to find a better summary , then that which s. james has drawn up , chap. . vers . . pure religion and undefiled before god even the father is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and to keep himself unspotted from the world . . but besides this general , there is ( as i said before ) another more restrained notion of piety , as it relates to our more immediat entercourse with god in divine ordinances and worship , in which respect it commonly passes under the name of devotion , and thus consider'd it has a great propriety to the female sex. for devotion is a tender plant , that will scarce root in stiff or rocky ground , but requires a supple gentle soil , and therefore the feminine softness and pliableness is very apt and proper for it . and accordingly there have bin very eminent growths of it in that sex. i need not he●…p up examples of former ages , but rather perswade this to leave som at least to the following ; and the more considerable the persons are the more conspicuous will be the example , which seems themore toadapt it to those i now speak to . devotion in a cloister is as recluse as the votary , a light rather under a 〈◊〉 then on a candlestick : and in an obscure cottage 't is either not observed , or else thought to be but the effect of destitution and secular wants a reserve rather then a choice : but when those who are in the ei●… of the world , the most eminent actors on the theater of human life , shall chuse the part of a saint , when those who want none of the divertisments or blandishments of earth , shall have their conversation in heaven , this recommends it to the spectators , as the true and greatest object of human choice ; since 't is chosen by those who know the utmost pretence of all its competitors . . nor is devotion only more excellent in them in regard of its effects , but 't is also more necessary in respect of their obligation . devotion is an abstraction from the world , and therefore cannot in any eminent degrees , be practised by those whose necessities or business do much entangle them in it . so that from such , a far less proportion will be accepted , then from those whose plenty and ease give them no other want but that of emploiment . and certainly if there be any of whom that can truly be said ; women of quality are the persons : for they in this respect exceed even men of the like rank , for the men are often engaged in public emploiments , and must l●…nd most of their time to the use of others ; or however all have the care of their own privat affairs , the managery of their fortunes to employ them . but of women the utmost that is ordinarily required , is but a little easie inspection within their own walls , the oversight of a few children , and servants , and even from this how many are by their condition of life exemted ? and how many more do by their niceness and delicacy exemt themselves ? and surely so perfect a vacancy is neither happy nor safe . and therefore god who projects we should be both , never design'd it for any of mankind : but where he gives so much liberty from secular , he expects a greater diligence in spiritual emploiments . . and indeed 't is an amazing thing to see , that any into whom he has breathed the breath of life , on whom he has stamped the image of his own eternity , can think those immortal souls were given them only to serve the mean and abject uses of their corruptible bodies , ( for which the soul of the dullest animal would have don as well ; ) that eating and drinking , sleep and recreations , which are only useful to the supporting us in this world , are the only things for which we were sent hither . and yet if we may mesure their opinions by their practice , this seems to be the perswasion of many of our female gentry , who look upon it as a degrading , a kind of attainder of their blood , to do any thing but please their senses . an error sure of the most pernicious consequence imaginable . we know a lady of plesure is in one sense a very scandalous epithet , and truly 't is no very laudable one in the other , nay which is worse , they are often coincident , and fall in with each other . she whose sole universal aim is plesure , will not think her self much out of her road , in the pursuit of any particular . and she that thinks she lives for no other purpose , will so often be at a loss for innocent plesure , that she is almost under a necessity to call in the nocent , to serve the very end ( as she supposes ) of her being . aut indeed were they sure to confine themselves to such as are harmless in their kind , yet the excess of them renders them sinful , and the doting pursuit denominates them lovers of plesures more then lovers of god , a character so black that the apostle compleats his catalogue of the worst vice ; of the worst times with it , tim. . . . it is therefore the great goodness of god to design a rescu for those whose condition exposes them to that danger , and by exacting a liberal expence of time in their devotion , divert them from lavishing both it and their souls together . neither does he by this defeat their aim of a plesant life , but rather assist it : for whereas sensual delights are vagrant , and must be chased through a hundred turnings and wild mazes , the spiritual are fixt , and one may alwaies know where to find them . how often are the voluptuous in pain to know which plesure to choose ? like a surfeited stomac the greater variety is set before it , the more it nauseats all . what difficulties hath a lady many times to resolve whether an afternoon shall be spen at the court , or at the theater ; whether in dancing or at cards , in giving or receiving visi●…s , as not knowing which will best please her ? but she that knows the delights of devotion , knows withall that there is no other fit to come in competition with it ; and so is not distracted in her choice , nor need go farther then her closet for the most agreable entertainment . i know this will sound a little incredible to those that know no other use of closets then as a conservatory of gauds and baubles ; that aspire to no plesure there above that of children , the playing with the pictures and popets that adorn it . nor indeed do i pretend that such shall find those satisfactions i speak of . those whose errand is to beelzebub the god of flyes , must not expect to be treated by the god of israel . an ingenious man will scorn to obtrude himself on those who desire not his company , and sure god will not make himself more cheap . those that will meet him in their closets , must come with that design , resort thither as to an oratory ; nay more then so , they must come frequently . spiritual joies know not the way to a place where they are not often invited : and as men seek for each other not in places where they seldom or never come , but where they daily frequent ; so god contrives , not to meet us in that place where we appear rarely and accidentally , but where we usually resort . . i shall not need to branch out devotion into the several parts , that being don already in a multitude of other treatises , of which if they please to consult any one , they cannot want a directory for their worship , whether privat or public . only let me observe the order and connexion of those two , that they are neither to be sever'd , nor yet to be ranged preposterously . the privat must not justle out the public , for god expects his solemn homage : and their hudling it up in privat , as it may give men ground to suspect they pay none at all ; so neither god nor man can collect any thing better from it , then that they are ashamed of the deity they pretend to serve . on the other side the public must as little swallow up the privat , and where it does , there may be ajust doubt of its sincerity , many attractives there may be to church besides that of piety , and indeed where that is really the motive , it teaches so much reverence to that awful presence they are to approch , as not to come without some preparation . what solicitude , what critical niceness will a lady have for her dress , when she is to appear at a solemn meeting at court , and shall she take no care how sordidly , how undecently she appear when the king of kings gives audience ? shall many hours , days , nay perhaps weeks , be taken up in contriving for the one , and shall there never be a minute allotted for the other ? this were sure very unequal , and yet this is the case where the devotion of the closet does not prepare for that of the church . if the mind be not tuned first there , it will be very ill qualified for that harmony of souls , which is the only thing god regards in our public offices . so that were there no other use of privat devotion , but as it relates to the public , that were enough to speak the necessity of it . , but indeed 't is not only a needful preparative to that sacred commerce , but to our civil . the world is but a larger sort of pesthouse , in every corner of it we meet with infectious airs , and those that converse in it had need of this antidote . how many temtations does every place , every hour , every interview , present to the shocking even of that moral integrity which a sober heathen would judg fit to preserve ; much more of that strict piety our christianity exacts . . 't was the observation that origen made of himself , that the day in which he so shamefully fell by sacrificing to idols , he had ventured out in the morning before he had compleated his usual praiers ; the devil finding him so unarmed took advantage to assault him , as knowing he had then but a single impotent man to wrastle with , who had forfeited , by not invoking , the protection of god. and indeed since praier is the most powerfull exorcism to eject him , we may well conclude the omission of it is a likely means to invite him : for if god have not the prepossession , if we do not by hearty praier surrender our souls to him in the morning , they are then all the day after like that emty house mention'd in the gospel , a fit receptacle for as many evil spirits as please to inhabit there . nor are these spiritual the only dangers that attend us , we are liable to a multitude of secular ones also : our persons , our fortunes , our reputations , every thing wherein we can receive a benefit , renders us equally capable of a prejudice . what multitudes of accidents are there to which we lie open , and nothing to guard us from them but the divine providence ? which if we neglect to solicit we are sure very unworthy of its defence . and this is a consideration that methinks should bring even the most sensual persons upon their knees : for tho too many may be found that despise the former danger , and can contentedly enough expose their souls , yet such are usually the most tender of their temporal concerns it being commonly the excessive love of those which makes them neglect the other . she that fears not the fall into sin , will yet fear the tumbling into a precipice , and tho she care not for the spotting of her innocence , would be very loth any accident should blemish her face , disparage her fame , or impoverish her fortune , and yet from any or all of these she is utterly unable to guard her self . so that if piety will not , yet interest me thinks should render her an homager to that omnipotent power , from whence alone she can derive her safety . . and now methinks a duty that is thus bound on with the cords of a man , with human as well as divine perswasives , should not easily be shaken off . i wish i could say it never is , but i fear there are some of those i now speak to , who neglect it in spight of all these inducements ; who tho they can pretend nothing serious enough to own the name of business , do yet suffer a succession of i know not what impertinencies to divert them . and indeed were the expence of some ladies daies calculated , we should find every hour so full of emtiness , so overladen with vanities that 't is scarce imaginable where an office of devotion should croud in . . the morning is divided between sleep and dressing , nor would the morning suffice , but that they are fain to make a new computation to mesure it not by the sun , but by their time of dining , which is often as late as the stationary hours of the primitive fasts , tho upon a far differing motive . the afternoons being by this means reduced , are too short for those many divertisements that await them , and must therefore borrow as much of the night as they lent to the morning . and when the meer fatigues of plesure send a lady to her rest , 't is not imaginable that she will permit devotion to induce a yet greater , and more disagreeable lassitude ; so that the whole round of her time seems to be a kind of magic circle , wherein nothing that is holy must appear . and indeed 't is none of the highest stratagems of sathan thus to forestal their time ; and by a perpetual supply of diversions , insensibly steal from them the opportunities of divine offices ; an artifice by which i presume he prevails on som , who would startle at his grosser and more apparent temtations . . nor needs he more then the success of this project ; for if this habitual neglect of piety should not finally end in great and criminal commissions , ( as 't is naturally very apt to do ) yet his interest is sufficiently secured by such a customary omission , which amounts to no less then the living without god in the world : a state so hopeless , that when the apostle recollects to the ephesians the wretchedness of their gentile state , he does it in those very words , eph. . . and sure , those that live so under christianity , are not in a better , but worse condition , by how much contemt of god is more unpardonable then ignorance . . it therefore infinitly concerns those who are in danger of so fatal a snare , to look about them , and endevor to countermine sathan , and be as industrious to secure their duty , as he is to supplant it ; and to this purpose , one of the usefullest expedients i know , is to be aforehand with him ; i mean , to make their devotions the first business of the day ; by which i intend not only those ejaculations wherewith we all should open our eyes , but their more set and solemn praiers ; a practice so highly expedient to the persons forementioned , that it falls little short of necessary ; and that upon several reasons . . first , in relation to one of the great ends of morning praier , which is to supplicate the guidance and protection of god for the whole day . now if this be not don till som ladies dressings be finished , 't will be half a mockery , a most preposterous request , as to the greatest part of the day , which will be past before ; and besides absurdity , there is danger in it ; for all the preceding time is as it were outlawed by it , put from under the divine protection . alas , are god's safeguards to be only meridional , to shine out only with the noon-day sun ; do they suppose satan keeps their hours , and stirs ●…ot abroad till the afternoon , that there is no danger either of corporal or spiritual mischiefs before that time of the day ? certainly , if the noise of the harp and the viol which isa. mentions , chap. . . do not drown it , they may often hear a morning as well as evening passing-bell ; with how many others does the glass of life run out , whilst they are at their looking-glasses ? how many bodies are maimed and wounded in the time they are trimming and decking theirs ? and who made them differ from others , cor. . ? or what tenure have they in the safety of one moment , save what they owe to god's providence ? and what rational expectation can they have of that , when they do not invoke it ? . nor are the spiritual dangers less , but rather much more ; & they must be very slight observers of themselves , if they do not discern that snares may be laid for them in their recesses in their chambers , as well as in places of the most public resort . indeed , were there no other than what relates to their dress , and curiosity thereof , it were enough to evidence their danger ; scarce any part of that but carrying a temtation in it : to pride , ifit hit right , and please their fancy , to ▪ anger and vexation , if it do not . they had need therefore to put on their armor before their ornaments , by a prepossession of praier and meditation to secure their vitals , lest by an internal death of grace , their bodies ( in their utmost luster ) prove but the painted sepulchers of their souls . . in the second place , this appears requisit in opposition to the indecency and incongruity of the contrary . how inverted an estimate do they make of things that postpone the interests of their souls , to themeanest member of their bodies , pay●… supererrogating attendance to the one , before the other comes at all into their care . but what is yet worse , how vile a contumely is offered to the majesty of god , who is used as they do their dunning creditors , posted off with an excuse of no lesure yet to speak with him ; whilst in the mean time all the factors for their vanitycan have ready access , and full audience . god must attend till their tailor , their shoomaker please to dismiss them , and at the best , can be allowed only to bring up the rear of a whole shole of artificers . . but thirdly , 't is very doubtful whether he shall obtain so much from them ; for it may often happen that he shall be quite precluded : so numerous are the parts of a modish equipage , and so exact a symmetry is required in the whole , that 't is the business of many hours to compleat it ; when as 't was said of the roman ladies , a counsel must be called about the placing of an hair that sits irregularly , when one thing after another shall be tried , and again rejected , as not exact , or not becoming ; time all the while insensibly steals away , and tho that will not stay for them , yet dinner doth , and then their bellies begin to murmur to pay any longer attendance on their backs , and claim the next turn ; and between these two competitors , 't is odds devotion will be quite excluded , or reduced only to a grace before meat : ( and well if that , considering how unfashionable even that is grown ) in the mean time what a wretched improvidence is it , to reduce the one necessary business of the day to such uncertainties , nay almost to a certain disappointment . . yet suppose this hazard were only imaginary , and a lady were infallibly sure not to lose the time for her praiers ; yet in the fourth place , she will be likely by such preceding diversions to lose much of her zeal in them , so that if they be said at all , they will scarce be said in a due manner . there ●…s alas such a repugnancy in our nature to any thing spiritual , that we cannot close in an instant ; but as a benummed , frozen body will need som rubbing and chafing before it can be fit for motion ; so our more frozen souls require som previons incitations before they can with any vigor exert themselves in devotion . now sure the dressing time ( i mean such a dressing as we now suppose ) is not very proper for such preparations . 't is ; on the contrary , extreme apt to indispose and unfit them ; for when the fancy is possest with so many little images of vanity , they will not easily be ejected . that ranging faculty is , god knows , too apt to bring in even the remotest diversions ; but when it has such a stock ready at hand , how will it pour them in upon the mind , to the great allaying , if not utter extinguishing of devotion . . when all these considerations are put together , 't will sure appear wholsom counsel , that such persons should not trust so important a duty to so many casualties , but in the first place secure a time for that , repair to their oratory before their dressing room , and by an early consecration of themselmes to god , defeat sathan's claim , and discourage his attemts for the rest of the day . we know there is a natural efficacy in a good beginning , towards the producing a good ending : but in spiritual things the influence is yet greater , because it draws in auxiliaries from above , and engages the yet farther assistances of grace . upon which account i am apt to believe , that where this duty is sincerely and fervently performed in the morning , it will not totolly be neglected in the succeeding parts of the day . 't will be easy to discern the same obligation , the same advantage of closing the day with god , that there was to begin it ; and when those two boundaries are secured , when those are lookt upon as strict duty , and constantly observed , 't is not unlikely but their piety may grow generous , and with david , ps. . . add to the evening and morning a noon-day office ; for where devotion is real , 't is apt to be progressive ; and the more we converse with god , the more we shall desire to do so . thus we see how this little cloud like that of elijah , king. . . may over-spread the heavens , and this handful of first-fruits may hallow the whole day . . nay indeed , when it has advanced thus far , 't will probably go farther , 't will not keep it self only on the defensive part , but invade its opposits , get daily ground of those vanities by which it was before opprest . for when a lady has in her closet washt her cheeks ▪ with penitential tears , she cannot sure when she comes out think them prepared for the varnish of the paint and fucus . when she has attentively examined her conscience , that impartial mirror , and there discern'd all the blemishes of her nobler part , she will sure with somwhat a more cold concern consult her looking-glass . and when she has bin pious vows and resolutions put on the lord jesus christ , rom. . . 't will be impossible for her to be very anxiously careful about her garments . this devout temper of her mind will by a holy leger-demain shu●…fle the romances out of her hand and substitute the oracles of truth ; will not let her dream away her time in phantastic scenes , and elaborate nothing , but promt her to give all diligence to make her calling and election sure . in a word , when she once understands what it is to spend one hour devoutly , she will endeavor to rescue all the rest from trifles , and impertinent entertainments ; and employ them to purposes more worthy the great end of her being . thus may she almost insensibly wind her self out of the snare , disintangle her self from those temtations wherewith she was enwrapt ; and by having her heart so set at liberty , may run the waies of god's commandments , ps. . . but privat devotion , tho of excellent effect , cannot commute for the omission of public , nor indeed can it long maintain its vigor , unless somtimes cherished by the warmth of christian assemblies ; and if god please to visit them in their closets , they are ( even by their own laws of civility ) obliged to return his visits , and attend him in his house , i fear too many adapt the instance in the formality too , and come as unconcernedly to him as they do to one another . 't is true , those that pay him a cordial reverence at home , will certainly do it at the church ; and therefore by the little we see performed by som there , we may doubt god sees as little in their retirements . but what speak i of an hearty reverence , when 't is visible that there are those who pay none at all ? how rare a sight is it for som ladies to appear at church ? how many times ( i had almost said hundreds ) do we see their coaches stand at the play-house , for once at god's ? they seem to own no distinction of daies , unless it be , that sunday is their most vacant season to take physic , or to lie a-bed ; and if such do ever come to church ; devotion is like to be the least part of their errand ; some new garment perhaps or dress is to be shew'd , and that thought the place where the most critical judges of those things will be most at lesure to observe them ; or if they come not to teach new fashions , it may be they come to learn ; and such documents will be surer to be put in practice then any in the sermon . possibly they expect to see some friend or acquaintance there , and as if christ were to be served ( as he was born ) in an inn , make his house the common rendezvous in which to meet their associates . if they have any more ingenious attractives , 't is commonly that of curiosity , to hear some new celebrated preacher , and that rather for his rhetoric then his divinity ; and this motive ( tho the best of the set ) is but like that which prevail'd with those jews st. john mentions , who came to jesus that they might see lazarus , jo. . . i shall not rank among these motives , that of hipocrisie and seeming holiness ; for from that all the rest do acquit them . indeed 't is the only sin which this age has seemed to reform , and that too only by way of antiperistasis , not by the vertu but the iniquity of the times . religion is grown so unfashionable , so contemtible ; that none can now be temted to put on so ridiculous a disguise . and altho as to single persons i confess hypocrisie one of the deepest guilts , such as has a peculiar portion assign'd it by christ in the place of torment , mat. . . yet as to communities , i cannot but think it better to have a face of religion then profaneness . the example of the former may work beyond it self , and the form of godliness in some may produce the power of it in others ; but a pattern of profaneness , the farther it operates the worse , and all the progress it can make , is from one wickedness to another , so that i fear as st. bernard wisht for his feaver again , so the church may ere long for her hypocrites . . but to recal my self from this digression , let us a little enquire how those whom the foremention'd motives bring to church behave themselves there , and that is indeed with great conformity to the ends of their coming , their errand is not to be suppliants , neither do they put themselves in the posture , kneeling is impertinent for them who mean not to pray , but as the apostle describes the idolatrous service of the israelites , they sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play ; so these sit down to talk and laugh with their pew-fellows , and rise up to gape and look about them . when they should be confessing their sins to almighty god , they are apologizing ( perhaps ) to one another for the omission of a ceremonious visit , or some other breach of civility ; when they should be observing the goings of god in the sanctuary , psa. . they are inquiring when this lady came to town , or when that goes out ; nay perhaps the theater is brought into the temple , the last play they saw is recollected , and quotations enough brought thence to vie with the preacher . 't is impossible to reckon up all their topics of discourse , nay it were indeed scandalous for one that reproves them to pretend to know , by how many impertinencies ( to say no worse ) they profane that holy place and time. . but that all seeing eye in whose presence they are , keeps an exact account , and will charge them not only with the principal but the product ; not only with their own irreverences , but with those which by their example or incouragement they have occasion'd in others , nay farther even with that scandal which redounds to christianity by it . for when one that is to chuse a religion , shall read the precepts of pythagoras enjoining that the gods must not be worshipt in passing by , as it were accidentally , but with the greatest solemnity and intention , when they shall consider the care of numa in instituting officers , who at sacrifices , and all divine services , should call upon the people to keep silence and advert to devotion , or but the practice of the present mahometans , who permit none to sit in their moschos , nor to pray without prostration . when i say this is considered , and compar'd with the scandalous indecency observable in our churches , he will certainly exclude christianity from all competition in his choice ; not allow that the name of a religion , whose very worship appears so profane , and whose votaries mock the god they pretend to serve . . yet how severe soever the charge may lie against some , i am far from including all under it . i know there are many ladies whose examples are reproches to the other sex , that help to fill our congregations when gentlemen desert them , & to who somtimes we alone own that our churches are not furnished like the feast in the parable , luke . . meerly out of the high waies and hedges , with the poor and the maimed , the halt and the blind ; yet som even of these may be liable to some irregularity , which may be the effects of inadvertence or misperswasion , tho not of contemt or profaneness . . and first 't is observable in some who com constantly , that yet they come not early , so that a considerable part of praiers is past ere they enter the church . this first causes some disturbance to others , the successive entry of new comers keeping the congregation in a continual motion and agitation , which how unagreable it is to devotion , numa a heathen prince may teach us , who plutarch tells us took a particular care , that in the time of divine worship , no knocking , clapping , or other noise should be heard ; as well knowing how much the operations of the intellect are obstructed by any thing that importunes the senses . what would he have said , should he come into one of our city congregations , where often during the whole time of praier , the clapping of pew-doors does out-noise the reader . . but besides the indecency of the thing , and the interruption it gives to others , 't is very injurious to themselves ; a kind of partial excommunication of their own inflicting ; which excludes them from part of the divine offices , and from that part too , which is of the most universal concern , i mean the confession of sins , which the wisdom of our church has fitly placed in the beginning of her service , as the necessary introduction to all the rest . for considering how obnoxious we all are to the wrath and vengeance of god , our first business is to deprecate that by an humble confession of our guilt . would any malefactor that had forfeited his life to justice , come boldly to his prince , and without taking notice of his crimes , importune him to bestow the greatest favors & dignities upon him ? yet 't is the very same abrupt impudence in us , to supplicate the divine majesty before we attemt to atone him , to ask good things from him before we have acknowledged the ill we have doe against him . and to such god may justly make such a return as augustus did to one that entertained him much below his greatness , i knew not before that we were such familiars . . it will much better become them to anticipate the time , to wait at the posts of his doors , pro. . and contrive to be there before the service begins , that so by previous recollection they may put their minds in a fit posture of address at the public audience : which ( by the way ) speaks it to be no very laudable custom which almost universally prevails , that those few who do come early , spend the interval before service , in talking with one another , by which they do not only lose the advantage of that time for preparation , but convert it into the direct contrary , do thereby actually unfit and indispose themselves . godknows our hearts even in their most composed temper , are too apt to create diversions ; we need not start game for them to chase , and by prefacing our praier with secular discourse , make a gap for the same thoughts to return upon us in them . besides in relation to the place , it has a spice of profaneness , 't is the bringing the moabite and ammonite into the temple , deut. . . a kind of invasion on gods propriety , by introducing our worldly concerns or divertisments into the house which is called by his name , solemnly dedicated to him , and therefore dedicated that it might be his peculiar . so that with a little variation , we may to such apply the expostulatory reproof of the apostle to the corinthians , cor. . . what , have ye not houses to talk and converse●… in , or despise ye the church of god ? but this is 〈◊〉 confess a reproof that will not reach to many , there being so few of the better sort that come early enough to talk before service , and as for those who talk at it , we have already rankt them under another classis . yet give me leave to add that those fall not much short of that degree of profaneness , who come late only because they are loth to rise , or to abate any thing of the curiosity of their dress . for she that prefers her sloth or her vanity before gods service , is like ( how decently soever she behave her self ) to give but an unsignificant attendance at it . . but i guess this may in many proceed from another cause , which tho less ill in their intention , is not so in respect either of its unreasonableness or its effects , and that is an unequal estimate they make of the parts of gods service . this last age has brought in such a partiality for preaching , that praier seems comparatively ( like sarah to hagar ) despicable in their eyes : so that if they can but come time enough to the sermon , they think they have discharged the weightier part of the law , and of their own duty . this misperswasion , tho it have too generally diffused it self through both sexes , yet seems to have bin very especially imbibed by the female . and besides the evidence that sunday gives ; the week-daies afford no less . let there be a lecture tho at the remotest part of the town , what hurrying is there to it , but let the bell tole never so loud for the canonical hours of common praier , 't will not call the nearest of the neighbor-hood . i speak not of those who are at defiance with our service , ●…nd have listed themselves in separate congregations ( for i intend not to trace them through their wild mazes ) but of those who yet own our church , and object not to its offices , but only have suffered their valu for them to be insensibly undermined by their greater zeal for preaching . god sure intends a harmony in all sacred ordinances , and would not have set up a party against another , but mutually assist each others operation upon us : thus praier disposes us to receive benefit by preaching , and preaching teaches us how to pray aright , and god grant we may long enjoy the public opportunities of both . yet since this age has brought themto a competition , i must take leave to say , that if we come impartially to weigh praier and preaching , the ballance will incline another way then it seems with many to do , and we shall find praier the more essential part of religion . . the end of preaching is twofold , either to teach us what we know not , or to excite us to practise what we already know : now in relation to the first of these ends , i suppose there is a wide difference between preaching at the first promulgation of the gospel , and now : 't was then the only way of revealing to the world the whole mystery of our salvation , so that the apostles inference was then irrefragable , how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard , and how shall they hear without a preacher ? ro. . . but where christianity is planted , and the new testament received , we have therein the whole doctrine of christ ; nay we have not only the matter but the very form of many of those sermons which christ and his apostles preached ; so that unless we think them not sufficiently gifted , we cannot but acknowledg , we have in them ampl●… instruction both for faith and manners ; enough , as the apostle speaks , to make us wise unto salvation , tim. . . and the reading of those being a considerable part of our churches service , we have the most genuine preaching even before the minister ascends the pulpit . besides , for the help of those whose youth or incapacity disables them from making collections thence for themselves , our church has epitomiz'd the most necessary points of belief and practice in the catechism , not ( as the roman ) to preclude their farther search , but to supply them in the interim till they are qualified for it ; and by that early infusion of christian principles , to secure them of that knowledg which is simply necessary to their salvation . . now sure , to people in this state , preaching is not of so absolute necessity in respect of instruction , as it was to those who from heathenism and idolatry were to be brought first to the knowledg , and then to the faith of christ. we seem therefore now more generally concern'd in the other end of preaching , the exciting us to practice ; for alas , there are few of us who stumble on sin for ▪ want of light , but either through heedlesness , and want of looking before us , or else by a wilful prostration of our selves to it ; so that we often need to be roused out of our negligence , to be frighted out of our stubbornness , and by a close application of those truths we either forget or suppress , be animated to our duty . and for this purpose preaching is doubtless of excellent use , and the nauseating of it shews a very sick constitution of mind ; yet sure the over-greedy desire may be a disease also . he that eats more than he can concoct , does not so much assist as oppress nature , & those that run from sermon to sermon , that allow themselves no time to chew , much less to digest what they hear , will sooner confound their brains then better their lives . nay , it oft betraies them to a very pernicious delusion , it diverts them from many of the practical parts of piety , and yet gives them a confidence that they are extraordinarily pious ; and by their belief that religion consists principally in hearing , makes them forget to try themselvs by that more infallible test of doing god's will. so that whereas god never design'd preaching for more then a guide in their way , they make it their way , and their end too ; and hearing must , like a circle , begin and terminate in it self . . i am sure in secular concerns , we should think him a very unprofitable servant , that after his lord had given him directions what to do , should be so transported with hearing his instructions , that he should desire to have it infinitly repeated , and so spend the time wherein he should do the work . and we have reason to think god will make the same judgment of those who do the like in his service . . one would now think that this ravenous appetite of hearing should supersede all niceness in it , yet we find it does not , but that som make ▪ a shift to be at once voracious and squemish . if this spiritual food be not artificially drest , 't is too gross for their palats ; the phrase must be elegant , the words well accented , and the inticing words of mans wisdom which st. paul disclaims in his preaching , cor. . . is that which they principally regard . nay the memory of the preacher becomes the most material point of his sermon , and the first glance on his book prejudges him . i need not add the extravagances of an uncouth tone , a furious vehemence , or phantastic gesture , wherein the soul and vital efficacy of preaching has bin solemnly placed . now 't is evident all these are but trivial accomplishments ; so that thosewho insist so much on them , do make preaching much less sacred and divine then indeed it is ; and therefore cannot without absurdity lay the main stress of religion upon it , or make that the highest of god's ordinances , which owes all its gratefulness with them to the endowments of men . som may think i pursu this subject too far , but i am sure i do it not with design to derogate from the juct respect due to preaching ; only i would not have it monopolize our esteem , or justle out another duty , which is of more constant use , and indispensible necessity . . and such certainly is praier , that respiration of the soul , which is so necessary , that it admits not of long intermission , and therefore seems to carry the same proportion to hearing , which breathing does to eating : we may make long intervals of feeding , and yet subsist ; but if we should do so in breathing , we cannot recover it . praier is the morning and evening sacrifice under the law , which god ordained should be perpetual ; whereas preaching is but like the readings in the synagogues on sabbaths and festivals . indeed , however we have confounded the terms , 't is praier only that can properly be called the worship of god ; 't is that by which we pay him his solemnhomage , acknowledg his soveraignty , and our own dependence . when we hear , we do no more then what every disciple does to his master ; but when we pray , we own him as the spring and source of all the good we expect , as the author of our being , and the object of our adoration , in a word , we do by it profess him our god ; it being an impress of meer natural religion to supplicate the deity we acknowledg . . and as by praier we render the greatest honor to god , so likewise do we procure the greatest advantages to our selves . praier is the powerful engin , by which we draw down blessings ; 't is the key which lets us into the immense storehouse of the almighty ; nay 't is that upon which the efficacy of preaching depends . the word is but a dead letter without the spirit ; and god has promised the spirit to none but those that ask it , luk. . , so that praier is that which enlivens and inspirits our most sacred actions ; and accordingly in scripture she find it still a concomitant in all ecclesiastical concerns . when an apostle was to be substituted in the room of judas , we find , they referred it not to the decision of lots , till god , who had the sole disposing of them , prov. . . had bin invoked by solemn praier , act. . . so when barnabas and saul were to be separated to the ministry , tho the appointment were by the holy ghost , yet that superseded not the necessity of praier ; the apostles praied , ( yea , and fasted too ) before they laid their hand on them , act. . . nay , our blessed savior himself , tho he knew what was in man , and needed no guidance but his own omniscience in this choice : yet we find that before his election of the twelve apostles , he continued a whole night in praier to god , luk. . . doubtless , to teach us how requisit praier is in all our important interests , which like the pillar of cloud and fire to the israelites , is our best convoy through the wilderness , through all the snares and temtations , through all the calamities and distresses of this world , and our most infallible guide to the land of promise . . and sure when all these are the properties of praier , tho privat , they will not less belong to the public ; such a conspiration and union of importunate devotion , must have a proportionable increase in its effect ; and if heaven can suffer violence by the fervor of one single votary , with what storm , what batteries will it be scaled by a numerous congregation ? we find the church is , by christ , compared to an army with banners , cant. . . but sure never is this army in so good array , in so invincible a posture as upon its knees . the ecclesiastical story tells us of a legion of christians in aurelius's camp , who in that posture discomfited two assailants at once , the enemy and the drought ; that breath which they sent up in praiers , like a kindly exhalation return'd in rain , and relieved the perishing army : and had we but the same fervor , and the same innocency , could we lift up but as pure hands as they did , there would be no blessing beyond our reach . but the less any of us find our selves so qualified , the more need we have to put our selves among those that are . . there is an happy contagion in goodness ; like green wood , we may perhaps be kindled by the neighboring flame ; the example of anothers zeal may awake mine . however , there is som advantage in being in the company : those showers of benediction which their praiers bring down , are so plentiful , that som drops at least may scatter upon those about them . we find elisha for jehoshophat's sake , endured the presence of jehoram , whom otherwise he professes he would not have lookt towards , king. . . and god may perhaps do the like in this case ; and as he prospered potiphar for joseph's sake , gen. . . so the piety of fome few may redound to the benefit of all . from all these considerations i suppose may sufficiently be evinced the necessity and benefit , of public praier , and consequently the unreasonableness of those , who upon any pretence neglect it . i shall now only beseech those to whom i speak to make the application to themselves , and to shew they do so by their more early and more assiduous attendance on it . . there is also another duty to which many of these to whom i write seem to need some incitation , and that is communicating , a part of devotion which the looser sort scarce ever think in season till their death beds , as if that sacrament like the romanists extreme unction , were only fit for exspiring souls , but to such we may apply the words of the angel to the woman , lu. . . why siekye the living among the dead ? why think ye that the sun of righteousness is only to shine in the shades of death , or that christ is never to give us his flesh , till we are putting off our own ; 't is one principal end of that sacrament to engage and enable us to a new life ; how preposterous then is it , how utterly inconsistent with that end to defer it to the hour of death 't is true 't is a good viaticum for such as are in their way towards bliss , but it is too bold a hope , to fancy that it shall in an instant bring them into that way , who have their whole life posted on in the contrary : the roads to heaven and hell lie sure too far asunder to be within distance of one step , nor can it with any safety be presumed that once receiving at their death , shall expiate so many wilful neglects of it in their life . . but i shall suppose these total omissions are not a common guilt : yet with many others the fault differs only in degree , they do not wholly omit , but yet come so infrequently as if they thought it a very arbitrary matter whether they come or no. and this truly is observable in many who seem to give good attendance on other parts of divine worship , for indeed 't is a sad spectacle to see , that let a church be never so much crouded at sermon , 't is emtied in an instant when the communion begins , people run as it were frighted from it , as if they thought with those in malachy , that the table of our lord is polluted , mal. . . that some pest or infection would thence break forth upon them . a strange indignity to the majesty , and ingratitude to the love of our redeemer . let a king , or but some great man make a public entertainment , how hard is it to keep back the pressing multitude : many officers are necessary to repel the uninvited guests , and yet here there needs more to drive us to it , tho the invitation be moregeneral , and the treat infinitly more magnificent . . i know this fault ( like many other ) shrouds it self under a fair disguise , and this barbarous neglect pretends to the humblest veneration . people say 't is their great reverence they have for the sacrament that keeps them at so great a distance ; but sure that is but a fictitious reverence which discards obedience ; and when christ commands ou●… coming , our drawing back looks more like stubborness and rebellion , then awe and respect . i suppose we pretend not to exceed the primitive christians in humility and godly fear , and yet they communicated daily , and therefore sure our reverence is of a much differing make from theirs , if it produce such contrary effects . indeed 't is to be feared that many put a great cheat upon themselves in this matter . the eucharist is justly accounted the highest of divine ordinances , and those who think of no preparation in other , yet have some general impressions of the necessity of it in this ; but the uneasiness of the task discourages them , they dare not come without a wedding garment , and yet are loth to be at the pains to put it on , so that all this goodly pretext of reverence , is but the devil in samuels mantle , is but sloth clad in the habit of humility . . and to this temtation of sloth , there is another thing very subservient , and that is the easie and slight opinion which is commonly taken of sins of omission , many are startled at great commissions think them to carry a face of deformity and horror , who in the mean time look on omissionsonly as privations and meer nothings , as if all the affirmative precepts were only things of form , put in by godrather to try our inclinations , then to oblige our performance ; and so were rather overtures and proposals which we may assent to or not , then injunctions which at our peril we must obey . a fancy no less absurd then impious . that god should be content so to compound with his creatures ( and like a prince overpower'd by his vassals ) consent to remit all their homage , absolve them from all positive duty , so they would be but so civil as not to flie in his face , or to commit outrage on his person . but this wild imagination needs no other confutation , then that form of inditement our savior gives us as the model of that which shall be used at the last day , mat. . where the whole process lies against sins of omission , and yet the sentence is as dismal and irreversible , as if all the commissions in the world had bin put into the bill . . and certainly of all omissions none is like to be more severely charged then this of communicating , which is not only a disobedience , but an unkindness , which strikes not only at the autority but the love of our lord , when he so affects a union with us that he creates mysteries only to effect it , when he descends even to our sensuality , and because we want spiritual appetites , puts himself within reach of our natural ; and as he once veil'd his divinity in flesh , so now veils even that flesh under the form of our corporal nourishment , only that he may the more indissolvably unite , yea incorporat himself with us . when i say he does all this , we are not only impious but inhuman if it will not attract us . nay farther , when he does all this upon the most endearing memory of what he has before don for us , when he presents himself to our imbraces in the same form wherein he presented himself to god for our expiation , whenhe shews us those wounds which our iniquities made , those stripes by which we were healed , that death by which we are revived , shall we to compleat the scene of his passion , force him also to that pathetic complaint , lam. . . have ye no regard all ye that pass by ? shall we instead of smiting our breasts ( as did other witnesses of his sufferings ) turn our backs ? if we can habitually do this , 't is to be feared the next degree will be to wag our heads too , and we shall have the profaneness toderide , what we have not the piety to commemorate . . and this seems to be no improbable fear , for in religion there are gradual declinations as well as advances , coldness and tepidity will ( if not stopt in its progress ) quickly grow to lothing and contemt . and indeed to what can we more reasonably impute the great overflowings of profaneness among us , then to our ill-husbanding the means of grace ? now certainly of all those means there is none of greater energy and power then the blessed sacrament , . were there no other benefit derived from it save that which the preparation implies , 't were very consider able . it brings us to a recollection , fixes our indefinit purposes of searching and trying our waies , which else perhaps we should infinitly defer , stops our carreer in sin , and by acquainting us with our selves , shews us where our danger lies , and how we are to avert it , what breaches are made in upon our souls , and how we must repair them , all which are with many seldom thought of , but when the time of communicating approches . we live so far off from our selves , know so little what is don in us that we answer the description the prophet makes of the surprize of babylon , of which the king knew nothing till post after post run to inform him that his city was taken at one end , jer. . . we often lie secure while the enemy is within our walls , and therefore they are friendly alarms which the sacrament gives us to look to our defence . but if when the trumpet sounds none will prepare himself to the battel , if when the minister give ▪ warning of a sacrament , and the preparation it requires , we go our waies , and with gallio care for none of th●…se things , or with felix , acts . . put it off to a convenient time , we wilfully expose our selves , and 't is but just christs dreadful menace should be executed upon us , that we die in our sins , who will frustrate such an opportunity of a rescu from them . . but 't is not only this remoter and accidental advantage ( this preventing grace ) which the holy eucharist affords , it contains yet greater and more intrinsic benefits , is a spring of assisting grace also , 't is a magazine of spiritual artillery to fortifie us against all assaults of the devil , the great catholicon for all the maladies of our souls , that which if duly received , will qualifie us to make st. pauls boast , phil. . . i can do all things through christ which strengthens me . in a word 't is to us whatever we need , wisdom , righteousness , sanctification , and redemtion , because it possesses us of him who is so , cor. . . so that whenever we neglect it , we manifestly betray our own interest , and do implicitly chose death whilst we thus run from life . . thus we see there is a concurrence of all forts of arguments for this duty , oh that some ( at least ) of them may prevail ! if we are not tractable enough to do it in obedience ▪ yet let us be so ingenious as to do it for love , for gratitude , or if for neither of those , let us be at least so wise as to do it for interest , and advantage . i know people are apt to pretend business , the farm and the oxen must excuse their coming to the feast , but alas what business can there be of equal necessity or advantage with this ? yet even that apology is superseded to those i now speak to , who as i observed before have lesure more then enough , so that it would be one part of the benefit , its taking up some of their time : let me therefore earnestly beseech them , not to grudg a few of their vacant hours to this so happy an emploiment . . did any of their near friends and relations invite them to an interview , they would not think him too importune , tho he repeated the summonsweekly , nay , daily , but would punctually observe the meeting : and when their savior much seldomer entreats their company , shall he not obtain it ? must he never see them but at two or three solemn times of the year ? and shall they wonder at any intervening invitation ( as the shunamites husband did at her going to the prophet when it was neither new moon nor sabbath , ki. . . ) and tell him 't is not yet easter or christmas , this were not only to be irreligious but rude ; and methinks those who stand so much upon the particulars of civlity to one another , should not then only lay aside their good manners when they are to treat with their redeemer . certainly he is not so unpleasant company that they need shun his converse : if he do appear so to any , 't is that shunning that is the cause of it . he does not open his tresures to strangers : they that come now and then for form sake , no wonder if their entertainment , be as cold as their address . they that would indeed tast how sweet the lord is , psa. . . must by the frequency of their coming shew the heartiness of it , and then they would indeed find it a feast of fat things , as the prophet speaks . . in a word , let them but make experiment , resolve for a certain time ( be it a year or thereabouts ) to omit no opportunity , ( and withall no due preparation ) of co●…nicating , i am a little confident they will afterwards need no other importunity but that of their own longings : the expiration of that definit time will prove the beginning of an indefinit , and their resolutions will have no other limit but their lives . for certainly there is not in all the whole mystery of godliness , in all the oeconony of the gospel , so expedite , so infallible a means of growth in grace , as a frequent and worthy participation of this blessed sacrament ; i cannot therefore more pertinently close this section , then with this exhortation to it , by which they will not only compleat all their devotions , crown and hallow the rest of their oblations to god , but they will be advanced also in all parts of practical piety ▪ for tho this and other sacred offices be perform'd in the church , the efficacy of them is not circumscribed within those walls , but follows the devout soul through all the occurrences of human life . . she that has intently consider'd the prefence of god in the sanctuary , has learn'd so much of his ubiquity , that she will not easily forget it in other places , and she that remembers that will need no other guard to secure her innocence , no other incentive to animate her endeavors , since she is view'd by him who is equally powerful to punish or reward , who regards not the persons of the mighty , nor can be awed into the connivance of a crime . indeed a serious advertence to the divine presence , is the most certain curb to all disorderly appetites , as on the contrary the not having god before their eies , is in scripture the comprehensive description of the most wretchless profligated state of sin . it concerns therefore all those who aspire to true piety to nurish that awful sense in their hearts , as that which will best enable them to practice the apostles advice , cor. ▪ . to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit , and to perfect holiness in the fear of god. . i am sensible that this section is spun out to a length very unproportionable to the former ; but as the principal wheel in an artificial movement may be allowed a bulk somwhat answerable to its use , so upon the same account , the size of this is not unjustifiable ; the piety which this designs to recommend being the one necessary thing , which must influence all other endowments . we know the course resemblance solomon makes of a fair woman without discretion , that she is like a jewel of gold in a swin●…s sn●…ut , prov. . . but even that discretion ( if any such could be ) without piety were but the adding one jewel more , exposing another valuable thing to the same despicable ridiculous use . but to speak truly there is no real discretion , where there is no religion : & therefore solomon seems in this place to understand by it that practical wisdom , which in the sacred dialect ( his writings especially ) is equivalent to the fear of the lord. 't is true , there may be a rallying wit to scoff and abuse , a serpentine wiliness to undermine and deceive , but that sort of wisdom ( like that of achitophel ) finally converts into foolishness , does very often appear to do so in this life , but most certainly in the next , because it builds upon a falsebottom , prefers temporal things before eternal . and as neither beauty or wit ( the two celebrated accomplishments of women ) so will neither greatness and honor give any advantage without piety , 't will only ( as hath bin already observed ) make them more exemplary sinners , inflame the account , and so expose them to a greater degree of condemnation , for sure 't is not their sex that will rescu them from the dismal denunciation of the wise man. wisd. . . mighty men shall be mightily tormented , i conclude all with another irrefragable maxim of the same author , whether one be rich , noble , or poor , their glory is the fear of the lord. the ladies calling . part ii. sect. i. of uirgins . . vve have taken a view of those general qualifications , which are at once the duty and the ornament of the female sex , considér'd at large . these like the common genius involve all ; but there are also specific differences , arising from the several circumstances and states of life , som whereof may exact greater degrees even of the former vertues , & all may have some distinct & peculiar requisits adapted to that particular state and condition : and of these our proposed method engages us now to consider . human life is full of vicissitudes and changes , so that 't is impossible to enumerate all the lesser accidental alterations to which it is lyable . but the principal & most distinct scenes , in which a woman can be suppos'd regularly to be an actor , are these three , virginity , marriage and widowhood ; which as they differ widely from each other , so for the discharging their respective duties , there are peculiar cautions worthy to be adverted to . . virginity is first in order of time , and if we wil take s. pauls judgment in respect of excellence also , cor. . and indeed she that preserves her self in that state upon the account he mentions v. . that she may care for the things that are of the lord , that she may be holy both in body and in spirit , deserves a great deal of veneration , as making one of the nearest approaches to the angelical state , and accordingly in the primitive time , such a virginity was had in a singular estimation , and by the assignment of the schoolmen , hath a particular coronet of glory belonging to it . nay even among the heathens , a consecrated virgin was lookt on as a thing most sacred . the roman vestals had extraordinary privelidges allowed them by the state ; and they were generally held in such reverence , that testaments and other depositums of the greatest trust were usually committed to their custody , as to the surest and most inviolable sanctuary . nay their presence was so to convicted malefactors ; the magistrates veiling their fasces when they appear'd , and giving up the criminal to the commanding intercession of virgin innocence . . as for the religious orders of virgins in the present roman church , tho some and those very great abuses have crept in ; yet i think t were to be wishd , that those who supprest them in this nation , had confind themselves within the bounds of a reformation , by choosing rather to rectify and regulate , then abolish them . . but tho there be not among us such societies , yet there may be nuns who are not profest . she who has devoted her heart to god , and the better to secure his interest against the most insinuating rival of human love , intends to admit none , and praies that she may not ; does by those humble purposes consecrate her self to god , and perhaps more acceptably , then if her presumtion should make her more positive , and engage her in a vow she is not sure to perform . . but this is a case does not much need stating in our clime , wherin women are so little transported with this zeal of voluntary virginity , that there are but few can find patience for it when necessary . an old maid is now thought such a curse , as no poetic fury can exceed ; lookt on as the most calamitous creature in nature . and i so far yeild to the opinion , as to confess it so to those who are kept in that state against their wills : but sure the original of that misery is from the desire , not the restraint of marriage : let them but suppress that o●…ce , and the other will never be their infelicity . but i must not be so unkind to the sex , as to think 't is alwaies such desire that gives them aversion to celibacy ; i doubt not many are frighted only with the vulgar contemt under which that state lies : for which if there be no cure , yet there is the same armor against this which is against all other causeless reproches , viz. to contemn it . yet i am a little apt to believe there may be a prevention in the case . if the superannuated virgins would behave themselves with gravity and reservedness , addict themselves to the strictest vertu and piety , they would give the world some cause to believe , 't was not their necessity but their choise which kept them unmarried ; that they were preengag'd to a better amour ; espoused to the spiritual bridegroom : & this would give them among the soberer sort at least the reverence and esteem of matrons . or if after all caution and endeavor , they chance to fall under the tongues of malicious slanderers ; this is no more then happens in all other instances of duty : and if contemt be to be avoided , christianity it self must be quitted , as well as virgin chastity . but if on the other side they endeavor to disguise their age , by all the impostures and gaieties of a youthful dress and behavior , if they still herd them selves among the youngest and vainest company , betray a yong mind in an aged body ; this must certainly expose them to scorn and censure . if no play no ball , or dancing meeting can escape them , people will undoubtedly conclude that they desire , to put off themselves , to meet with chapmen , who so constantly keep the fairs . i wish therefore they would more universally try the former expedient , which i am confident is the best amulet against the reproch they so much dread , and may also deliver them from the danger of a more costly remedy , i mean that of an unequal and imprudent match , which many have rush'd upon as they have ran frighted from the other , and so by an unhappy contradiction , do both stay long and marry hastily , gall their neck to spare their ears , and run into the yok rather then hear so slight and unreasonable a reproch . they need not , i think , be upbraided with the folly of such an election , since their own experience ●…s ( to many of them ) but too severe a monitor . i shall not insi●…t farther on this , but having given the elder virgins that ensign of their seniority as to stand first in my discourse , i shall now address more generally to the rest . . and here the two grand elements essential to the virgin state are modesty and obedience , which , tho necessary to all , yet are in a more eminent degree requir'd here ; and therefore , tho i have spoken largely of the vertue of modesty in the first part of this tract , yet it will not be impertinent to make som farther reflections on it , by way of application to virgins , in whom modesty should appear in its highest elevation , and should come up to shamefacedness . her look , her speech , her whole behavior should own an humbl distrust of her self ; she is to look on her self , but as a novice , a probationer in the world , and must take this time , rather to learn and observe , then to dictate & prescribe . indeed there is scarce any thing looks more indecent , then to see a young maid too forward and confident in her talk . 't is the opinion of the wiseman , ecclus. . . that a young man should scarce speak tho twice asked : in proportion to which , 't will sure not become a young woman , whose sex puts her under greater restraints , to be either importunate or magisterial in her discours . and tho that which former ages called boldness , is now only assurance and good breeding , yet we have seen such bad superstructures upon that foundation , as sure will not much recommend it to any considering person . . but there is another breach of modesty as it relates to chastity , in which they are yet more especially concern'd . the very name of virgin imports a most critical niceness in that point . every indecent curiosity , orimpure fancy , is adeflowring of the mind , & every the least corruption of them gives some degrees of defilement to the body too : for between the state of pure immaculat virginity & arrant prostitution there are many intermedial steps , and she that makes any of them , is so far departed from her first integrity . she that listens to any wanton discourse , has violated her ears ; she that speaks any , her tongue ; every immodest glance vitiates her eye , and every the lightest act of dalliance leaves somthing of stain and sullage behind it . there is therefore a most rigorous caution requisit herein : for as nothing is more clean and white then a perfect virginity , so every the least spot or soil is the more discernible . besides , youth is for the most part flexible , & easily warps into a crookedness , and therefore can never set it self too far from a temtation . our tender blossoms we are fain to skreen and shelter , because every unkindly air nips and destroies them ; and nothing can be more nice and delicate then a maiden vertu , which ought not to be expos'd to any of those malignant airs which may blast and corrupt it , of which god knows there are too many , some that blow from within , and others from without . . of the first sort there is none more mischievous then curiosity , a temtation which foil'd human nature even in paradise : and therefore sure a feeble girle ought not to trust her self with that which subdued her better fortified parent . the truth is , an affected ignorance cannot be so blamable in other cases as it is commendable in this . indeed it is the surest & most invincible guard , for she who is curious to know indecent things , 't is odds but she will too soon and too dearly buy the learning . the suppressing and detesting all such curiosities is therefore that eminent fundamental piece of continence i would recommend to them , as that which will protect and secure all the rest . . but when they have set this guard upon themselves , they must provide against forreign assaults too ; the most dangerous whereof i take to be ill company , and id'eness . against the first they must provide by a prudent choise of conversation , which should generally be of their own sex ; yet not all of that neither , but such who will at least entertain them innocently , if not profitably . against the second they may secure themselvs by a constant series of emploiments : i mean not such frivolous ones as are more idle then doing nothing ; but such as are ingenuous , and som way worth their time , wherein as the first place is to be given to the offices of piety , so in the intervalls of those , there are divers others , by which they may not unusefully fill up the vacancies of their time : such are the acquiring of any of those ornamental improvements which become their quality , as writing , needle works , languages , music , or the like . if i should here insert the art of oeconomy and houshold managery , i should not think i affronted them in it ; that being the most proper feminine business , from which neither wealth nor greatness can totally absolve them ; and a little of the theory in their parentshouse , would much assist them towards the practic when they come to their own . in a word there are many parts of knowledg useful for civil as well as divine life ; and the improving themselves in any of those is a rational emploiment . . but i confess i know not how to reduce to that head many of those things which from divertisements are now stept up to be the solemn business of many young ladies , ( & i doubt of som old ; ) such is in the first place gaming , a recreation whose lawfulness i question not , whilst it keeps with the bounds of a recreation : but when it sets up for a calling , i knownot whence it derives its license . and a calling sure it seems to be with some , a laborious one too , such as they toil night and day at , nay do not allow themselvs that remission which the laws both of god and man have provided for the meanest mechanic : the sabbath is to them no day of rest , but this trade goes on when all shops are shut . i know not how they satisfy themselves in such an habitual wast of their time , ( besides all the incidental faults of avarice and anger ) but i much doubt that plea , whatsoever it is , which passes with them , will scarcehold weight at his tribunal , who has commanded us to redeem , not fling away our time . . there is another thing to which some devote a very considerablepart oftheir time , and that is the reading romances , which seems now to be thought the peculiar and only becoming study of young ladies . i confess their youth may a little adapt it to them when they were children , and i wish they were alwaies in their event asharmless ; but i fear they often leave ill impressions behind them . those amorous passions , which 't is their design to paint to the utmost life , are apt to insinuate themselves into their unwary readers , and by an unhappy inversion , a copy shall produce an original . when a poor young creature shall read there of some triumphant beauty , that has i know not how many captiv'd knights prostrate at her feet , she will probably be temted to think it a fine thing ; and may reflect how much she loses time , that has not yet subdu'd one heart : and then her business will be to spreadher nets ; lay her toils to catch somebody , who will more fatally ensnare her . and when she has once wound her self into an amour , those authors are subtil casuists for all difficult cases that may occur in it , will instruct in the necessary artifices of deluding parents and friends , and put her ruine perfectly in her own power . and truly thisseems to beso natural a consequent of this sort of study , that of all the divertisements that look so innocently , they can scarce fall upon any more hazardous . indeed it is very difficult to imagine what vast mischief isdon to the world , by the false notions and images of things ; particularly of love and honor , those noblest concerns of human life , represented in these mirrors : but when we consider upon what principles the duellists and hectors of the age defend their outrages ; and how great adevotion ispaid to lust , insteadof vertuous love ; we can not be to seek for the gospel which makes these doctrines appear orthodox . . as for the entertainments which they find abroad , they may be innocent , or otherwise according as they are managed . the common entercourse ofcivilityis adebt to humanity , and therefore mutual visits may often be necessary , and so ( in some degree ) may be several harmless and healthful recreations which may call them abroad ; for i write not now to nuns , and have no purpose to confine them to a cloister . yet on the other side to be alwaies wandring , is the condition of a vagabond , and of the two 't is better to be a prisoner to ones home , then a stranger . solomon links it with som very unlaudable qualities ofa woman pro. . . that her feet abide not in her house , and 't is an unhappy impotence not to be able to stay at home , when there is any thing to be seen abroad ; that any mask , or revel , any jollity of others must be their rack and torment , if they can not get to it . alas such meetings are not so sure to be safe , that they had need be frequent , and they are of all others least like to be safe to those , who much dote on them : and therefore those that find they do so , had need to counterbiass their minds , and set them to somthing better , and by more serious entertainments supplant those vanities , which at thebest are childis●… ; and may oftenprove worse ; it being tooprobable that thosedinah's which are stillgadding , tho onpretence to see only the daughters of the land gen. . may at last meet with a son ofhamor . . there is also another great devourer of time subservient to theformer , i mean dressing : for they that love to be seen much abroad , will be sure to be seen in the most exact form . and this is an emploiment that does not steal but challenge their time ; what they wast here is cum privilegio , it beingby the verdict ofthis age theproper business , the one science wherein ayounglady is to be perfectly verst ; so that now all vertuous emulation is converted into this single ambition , who shall excel in this faculty . a vanity which i confess is more excusable in the younger then the elder sort ; they being supposable not yet to have out-worn the reliques of their childhood , to which toies andgaiety were proportionable . besides 't is sure allowable upon a soberer account , that they who design marriage should give themselves the advantage of decent ornaments , and not by the negligent rudeness of their dress bely nature , and render themselves less amiable then the has made them . but all this being granted , 't will by no meansjustify that excessivecuriosity andsolicitude , that expence of time and mony too which is now used ; a verymoderate degree of all thosewill serve for that ordinarydecency which theyneed provide for , will keepthem from the reproch of an affected singularity , which is as much as a sober person need take care for . and i must take leave to say , that in order to marriage , such a moderation is muchlikelier to succeedthen the contraryextravagance . among theprudenter sort of men i am sure it is , if it be not among the loose and vain , against which 't will be their guard , and so do them the greater service : for certainly he that chuses a wife for thosequalities for which a wise man would refuse her , understands so little what marriage is , as portends nogreat felicity toher thatshall havehim but if they desireto marry men of sobriety and discretion , they are obliged in justice to bring the same qualities they expect , which will be very ill evidenced by that excess and vanity we nowspeak of . . for to speak a plain ( tho perhaps ungrateful truth , this ( together with some of the modish liberties now in use ) is it , which keeps so many young ladies about the town unmarried 'till they lose the epithet of young . sober men are afraid to venture upon a humor so disagreeingto their own lest whilst ( according to the primitive reason of marriage ) they seek a help , they espouse a ruine . but this is especially dreadful to a plain country . gentleman , who looks upon one of these fine women as a gaudy idol , to whom if he once become a votary , he must sacrifice a great part of his fortune , and all his content . how reasonable that apprehension is , the many wracks of considerable familiesdo too evidently attest . but i presumesome ofthe of the nicer ladies havesuch a contemt of anything that they please to call rustic , that they will not much regret the averting of those whom they so despise . they will not perhaps while they are in pursuit or hopes of others ; but when those fail , these will be lookt on as a wellcome reserve , and therefore 't will be no prudence to cut themselves off from that last resort , lest they ( as many have don ) betake themselves to much worse . for as in many instances 't is the country which feeds and maintains the grandeur of the town , so of all commerces there , marriage would soonest fail , if all rural supplies were cut off . . but i have pursued this speculation farther than perhapsmy virgin readerswill thankme for , i shall return to that which it was brought to inforce , and beseech them that if not to men , yet to approve themselves to god , they will confine themselves in the matter of their dress within the du limits of decency and sobriety . ishall not direct them to those strictrules which tertullian and some other of the ancient fathers have prescribed in this matter ; my petition is only that our virgins would at least so take care of their bodies , as persons that also have a soul ; which if they can be perswaded to , they may reserve much of their time for more worthy ●…ses then those of the comb , the tuillets , and the glasse . and truly 't is not a little their concern to do so , for this spring of their age is that critical instant that must either confirm or blast the hopes of all the succeeding seasons . the minds of young people are usually compared to a blank sheet of paper , equally capable of the best or the worst impressions ; 't is pitty they should be fill'd with childish scrawls , and little insignificant figures , but 't is shame and horror they should be staind with any vicious characters , any blots of impurity or dishonor . to prevent which let the ●…everestnotions of modesty and honor be early and deeply impest upon their souls , graven as with the point of a diamond , that they may be as indelible as they are indispensibly necessary to the virgin state . . there is also another very requisite quality , and that is obedience . the younger sort ofvirgins are supposed to have parents , or if any has binso unhappy as to lose them early , they commonly are left in the charge of some friend or guardian , that is to supply the place ; so that they cannot be to seek to whom this obedience is to be paid . and it is not more their duty then their interest to pay it . youth is apt to be foolish in it its designs , & heady in the pursuit of them ; and there can be nothing more deplorable then to have it left to its self . and therefore god , who permits not even the brutes to destitute their young ones till they attain to the perfection of their kind , has put children under the guidance and protection of their parents , 'till by the maturing of their judgments they are qualified to be their own conductors . now this obedience ( as that which is due to all other superiors ) is to extend it self to all things that are either good or indifferent , and has no clause of exception , but only where the command is unlawful . and in so wide a scene of action there will occur so many particular occasions of submission , that they had need have a great reverence of their parents judgments , and distrust of their own . and if it should happen that some parents are not qualified to give them the former , yet the general imbecillity of their age , will remain a constant ground of the later : so that they may safelier venture themselves to their parents misguidance , then their own ; by how much the errors of humility and obedience , are lesse malignant then those of presumtion and arrogance . . but this is a doctrine which will scarce pass for orthodox with many of the young women of our daies , withwhom 't is prejudice enoughagainst the prudentest advice that it comes from their parents . 't is the grand ingenuity of these times to turn every thing into ridicule ; and if a girle can but rally smartly upon the sober admonition of a parent , she concludes she is the abler person ; takes her self for a wit , and the other for a fop ; ( a bugbear word devised to fright all seriousness and sobriety out of the world ; ) and learns not only to disobey but to contemn . indeed the great confidence thatyouth now seems to have of its self , as it is very indecent , soisit extremely pernicious . children that will attemt to go alone before their time , oft get dangerous falls ; and when those who are but little removed from children , shall cast off the wiser conductof others , they oft sadly miscarry by their own , . i know this age has so great a contemt of the former , that 't is but matter of scorn to alledg any of their customs , else i should say that the liberties that are taken now , would then have bin startled at . they that should then have seen young maid rambling abroad without her mother or some other prudent person , would have lookt on her as a stray , and thought it but a neighborly office to have brought her home ; whereas now 't is a rarity to see them in any company graver then themselves , and she that goes with her parent ( unless it besuch a parent as is as wild as her self ) thinks she does but walk abroad with her jailor . but sure there are no small mischeifs that attend this liberty , for it leaves them perfectly to the choise of their company , a thing of too weighty an importance for giddy heads to determin ; who will besure to elect such as are of their own humor , with whom they may keep up a traffic of little impertinencies and trifling entertainments ; and so by consequence condemn themselvs never to grow wiser which they might do by an ingenuous conversation . nay 't is wel if that negative ill be the worst , for it gives opportunity to any that have ill designs upon them . it will be easy getting into their company , who have no guard to keep any body out , and as easy by little compliances & flatteries to insinuate into their good graces , who have not the sagacity to discern to what insidious purposes those blandishments are directed ; and when they once begin to nibble at the bait , to be pleased with the courtship , 't is great odds they do not escape the hook . . alas how many poor innocent creatures have bin thus indiscernibly ensnared ; have at first perhaps only liked the wit and raillery , perhaps the language and address , then the freedom and good humor ; 'till at last they come to like the person . it is therefore a most necessary caution for young women , not to trust too much to their own conduct , but to own their dependance on those , to whom god and nature has subjected them , and to look on it not as their restraint and burden , but as their shelter and protection . for where once the autority of a parent comes to be despis'd , tho in the lightest instance , it laies the foundation of utmost disobedience . she that wil not be prescrib'd to in the choise of her ordinary diverting company , will less be so in chusing the fixt companion of her life ; and we find it often eventually true , that those who govern themselves in the former , will not be govern'd by their friends in the latter , but by pre-engagements of their own prevent their elections for them . . and this is one of the highest injuries they can do their parents , who have such a native right in them , that 't is no less an injustice then disobedience to dispose of themselves without them . this right of the parent is so undoubted , that we find god himself gives way to it , and will not suffer the most holy pretence ▪ no not that of a vow , to invade it as we may see his own stating of the case numb . how will he then rese●…t it , to have his so indispensible a●…aw violated upon the impulse of an impotent passion , an amorous inclination ? nor is the folly less then the sin : they injure and afflict their parents , but they generally ruine and undo themselvs . and that upon a double account , first as to the secular part . those that are so rash as to make such matches , cannot be imagined so provident as to examine how agreable 't is to their interest ; or to contrive for any thing beyond the marriage . the thoughts of their future temporal conditions ( like those of the eternal ) can find no room amidst their foolish raptures ; but as if love were indeed that deity which the poets feigned , they depend on it for all , and take no farther care . and event does commonly too soon instruct them in the deceitfulness of that trust ; love being so unable to support them , that it cannot maintain its self ; but quickly expires when it has brought the lovers into those straits , from whence it cannot rescu them . so that indeed it does but play the decoy with them , brings them into the noose and then retires . for when secular wants begin to pinch them , all the transports of their kindness do usually convert into mutual accusations , for having made each other miserable . . and indeed there is no reason to expect any better event , because in the second place they forfeit their title to the divine blessing ; nay they put themselves out of the capacity to ask it , it being a ridiculous impudence to beg god to prosper the transgressions of his law . such weddings seem to invoke only som of the poetic romantic deities , venus & hymen , from whence they derive a happiness as fictitious as are the gods that are to send it . let all virgins therefore religiously observe this part of obedience to their parents , that they may not only have their benediction but gods. and to that purpose let this be laid as a fundamental rule , that they never harken to any proposal of marriage made them from any other hand ; but when any such overture is made , divert the address from her self and direct it to her parents , which will be the best test imaginable for any pretender : for if he know himself worthy of her , he wil not fear to avow his design to them ; and therefore if he decline that , 't is a certain symptom , he is conscious of somthing that he knows wil not give a valuable consideration ; so that this course will repel no suitor but such as it is their interest not to admit . besides t is most agreeable to the virgin modesty , which should make marriage an act rather of their obedience then their choise ; and they that think their friends too flow paced in the matter , and seek to outrun them , give cause to suspect they are spurr'd on by somwhat too warm desires . . but as a daughter is neither to anticipate , nor contradict the will of her parent , so ( to hang the ballance even ) i must say she is not obliged to force her own , by marrying wher she cannot love ; for a negative voice in the case is sure as much the child 's right as the parent●…s . it is true she ought well to examine the grounds of her aversion , and if they prove only childish and fanciful , should endeavor to correct them by reason and sober consideration ; but if after all she cannot leave to hate , i think she should not proceed to marry . i confess i see not how she can without a sacrilegious hypocrisie , vow so solemnly to love where she at the instant actually abhors : and where the married state is begun with such a perjury , 't is no wonder to find it continued on at the same rate , that other parts of the vow be also violated ; and that she observe the negative part no more then the positive , and as little forsake others , as she does heartily cleave to her husband . i fear this is a consequence wherof there are too many sad instances now extant ; for tho doubtless , there are some vertues which wil hold out against all the temtations their a versions can give , nay which do at last even conquer those a versions , and render their duty as easie as they have kept it safe ; yet we find there are but some that do so : that it is no inseparable property of the sex , and therefore it is sure too hazardous an experiment for any of them to venture on . . and if they may not upon the more generous motive of obedience , much less may they upon the worse inducements of avarice and ambition ; for a woman to make a vow to the man , and yet intend only to marry his fortune , or his title , is the basest insincerity and such as in any other kind of civil contracts , would not only have the infamy but the punishment of a cheat . nor will it at all secure them , that this is only liable to gods tribunal , for that is not like to make the doom less but more heavy , it being as the apostle witnesses , a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living god. heb. . . in a word , marriage is gods ordinance , & should be consider'd as such ; not made a stale to any unworthy design . and it may well be presum'd one cause why so few matches are happy , that they are not built upon a right foundation . some are grounded upon wealth , some on beauty , too sandy bottoms god knows to raise any lasting felicity on : whilst in the interim , vertu & piety , the only solid basis for that superstructure , are scarce ever consider'd . thus god is commonly left out of the consultation . the lawyers are resorted to , to secure the settlements all sorts of artificers to make up the equipage , but he is neither advis'd with as to the motives , nor scarce supplicated as to the event of wedding . indeed t is a deplorable sight to see with what lightness & unconcernedness young people go to that weightiest action of their livs , that a mariage day is but a kind of bacchanal , a more licensed a vowed revel , when if they duly consider'd it , 't is the hinge upon which their future life moves , which turns them over to a happy or miserable being ; & therfore ought to be enter'd upon with the greatest seriousness and devotion . our church advises excellently in the preface to matrimony , & i wish they would not only give it the hearing at the time , but make it their study a good while before : yea and the marriage-vow too , which is so strict and awful a bond , that methinks they had need well weigh every branch of it , ere they enter it ; and by the ferventest praiers implore that god , who is the witness , to be their assistant too in its performance . sect . ii. of wives . . and now having conducted the virgin to the entrance of another state , i must shift the scene and attend her thither also . and here she is lanched into a wide sea , that one relation of a wife drawing after it many others : for as she espouses the man s●…she does his obligations also ; and wherever he by ties of nature or alliance ows a reverence or kindness , she is no less a debtor . her marriage is an adoption into his family , and therefore she is to every branch of it to pay what their stations there do respectively require : to define which more particularly , would be a work of more length then profit . i shall therefore confine the present consideration to the relation she stands in to her husband , & ( what is usually concomitant with that ) her children , and her servants , and so shall consider her in the three capacities of a wife , a mother , and a mistress . . in that of a wife her duty has several aspects , ●…s it relates , first to his person , secondly to his reputation , thirdly to his fortune . the first debt ●…o his person is love , which we find set as the ●…rime article in the marriage vow ; & indeed that ●…s the most essential requisite ; without this 't is ●…nly a bargain and compact , a tyranny perhaps on the mans part , and a slavery on the womans . 't is love only that cements the hearts , and where that union is wanting , 't is but a shadow , a carcass of marriage . therefore as it is very necessary to bring some degree of this , to this state ; so 't is no less to maintain and improve it in it . this is it which facilitats all other duties of marriag ; makes the yoke sit so lightly , that it rather pleases then galls . it should therefore be the study of wives to preserve this flame ; that like the vestal fire it may never go out : and to that end carefully to guard it from all those things which are naturally apt to extinguish it ; of which kind are all frowardness and little perversness of humor ; all sullen and morose behavior , which by taking off from the delight and complacency of conversation , will by degrees wear off the kindness . . but of all i know nothing more dangerous then that unhappy passion of jealousy , which th●… 't is said to be the child of love , yet like the viper , its birth is the certain destruction of the parent as therefore they must be nicely careful to give their husbands no color , no least unbrage for it ▪ so should they be as resolute to resistall that occurs to themselves , be so far from that busy curiosity that industry to find causes of suspicion ; that eve●… where they presented themselves , they should avert the consideration ; put the most candid construction upon any doubtful action . and indee●… charity in this instance , has not more of the dov●… then of the serpent . it is infinitly the wises●… course , both in relation to her present quiet , and her future innocence . the entertaining a jealous fancy , is the admitting the most treacherous the most disturbing inmate in the world , & she opens her breast to a fury that lets it in . 't is certainly one of the most enchanting 〈◊〉 imaginable , keeps her alwaies in a most restless importunate search after that which she dreads and abhors to find , and makes her equally miserable when she is injured , and when she is not . . and as she totally loses her ease , so 't is odds but she will part also with some degrees of her innocence . jeolousy is commonly attended with a black train ; it musters all the forces of our irascible part , to abet its quarrel ; wrath and anger , malice and revenge : and by how much the female impotence to govern those passions is the greater ; so much the more dangerous is it to admit that which will so surely set them in an uprore . for if jealousy be as the wise man saies the rage of a man prov. . . we may well think it may be the fury the madness of a woman ; and indeed all ages have given tragical instances of it , not only in the most indecent fierceness and clamor but in the solemn mischeifs of actualrevenges . nay 't is tobedoubted therehave bin somewhose malice has rebounded , and have ruined themselves in spight ; have bin adulterous by way of retaliation : and taken more scandalous liberties then those they complained of in their husbands . and when such enormous effects as these are the issues of jealousy ; it ought to keep women on the strictest guard against it . . but perhaps it may be said that some are not left to their jealousy and conjectures ; but have moredemonstrativeproofs . in thisage ' tisindeedno strange thingfor men to publish their sin as sodom , and the offender does somtimes not discover but boast his crime . in this case i confess 't will be scarce possible to disbelieve him ; but even here a wife has this advantage , that she is out of the pain of suspence ; she knows the utmost , and therefore is now at lesure to convert all that industry which she would have used for the discovery , to fortify her self against a known calamity ; which sure she may as well do in this as in any other ; a patient submission being the one catholicon in all distresses ; and as the slightest can overwhelm us if we add our own impatience towards our sinking ; so the greatest cannot , if we deny it that aid . they are therefore far in the wrong , who in case of this injury pursue their husbands withvirulencies and reproches . this is as solomon saies pro. . . thepowringvinegar upon niter , applyingcorrosives whenbalsoms are most needed ; whereby they not only increase their own smart , but render the wound incurable . they are not thunders and earthquakes , but soft gentle rains that close the scissures of the ground ; and the breaches of wedlock will never be cemented by storms and loud outcries . many men have bin made worse , but scarce ever any better by it ; for guilt covets nothing more then an opportunity of recriminating ; and where the husband can accuse the wives bitterness , he thinks he needs no other apology for his own lust . . a wise dissimulation , or very calm notice is sure the likeliest means of reclaiming , for where men have not wholy put off humanity , there is a native compassion to a meek sufferer . we have naturally some regret to see a lamb under the knife ; whereas the impatient roaring of a swine diverts our pitty ; so that patience in this case is as much the interest as duty of a wife . . but there is another instance wherein that vertu has yet a severer trial , and that is when a wife lies under the causeless jealousies of the husband , ( i say causeless , for if they be just 't is not so much a season for patience , as for repentance and reformation . ) this is sure one of the greatest calamities that can befall a vertuous woman , who as she accounts nothing so dear as her loialty and honor ; so thinks no infelicity can equal the aspersing of those ; especially when 't is from him , towhomshe has bin the most solicitous to approve her self . yet god who permits nothing but what he directs to some wise and gracious end , has an overruling hand in this as well as in all other events of life ; and therefore it becomes every woman in that condition , to examine strictly what she has don to provoke so severe a scourge ; for tho her heart condemn her not of any falseness to her husband , yet probably it may of many disloialties to her god , and then she is humbly to accept even of this traducing of her innocence , as the punishment of her iniquity , and bear it with the same temper wherewith david did the unjust revilings of shimei kings . . let him curse , for the lord hath bidden him . . and when she hath made this penitent reflection on her real guilts , she may then with more courage encounter those imaginary ones which are charged on her ; wherein she is to use all prudent and regular means for her justification , that being a debt she ows to truth , and her own fame ; but if after all , the suspicion remains still fixed ( as commonly those which are the most unreasonable are the most obstinate ) she may still solace her self in her integrity , and gods approbation of it . nor ought she to think her self desolate , that has her appeal open to heaven . therefore whilst she can look both inward and upward with comfort , why should she chuse to fix her eies only on the object of her grief ; and whilst her own complaint is of defamation , why should she so dishonor god and a good conscience , as to shew any thing can be more forcible to oppress , then they are to relieve and support ? and if she may not indulge to grief , much less may she to anger , and bitterness . . indeed if she consider how painful a passion jealousie is , her husband will more need her pitty , who tho he be unjust to her , is yet cruel to himself ; and as we do not use to hate and malign those lunatics who in their fits beat their friends , and cut and gash themselves , but rather make it our care to put all harmful engines out of their way ; so should the wife not despitefully ruminate upon the injury , but wisely to contrive to avert his temtations to more ; by denying her self even the most innocent liberties , if she see they dissatisfy him . i know there have bin som of another opinion , and as if they thought jealousy were to be cured by majoration , have in an angry contemt don things to inflame it ; put on an unwonted freedom and jollity , to shew their husbands how little they had secur'd themselves by their distrust . but this as it is no christian , so i conceive it is no prudent expedient ; it serves to stengthen not only the husbands suspicion , but his party too , and make many others of his mind ; and 't is a little to be feared , that by using so to brave the jealousy , they may at last come to verify it . i have bin the longer on this theme , because as jealousie is the most fatal pest of a married life , so i think it more ordinarily occurs among people of quality , and with the worst and most durable effects ; yet what ever pretences people may take hence , the marriage vow is too fast a knot to be loosened by fancies and chimeras ; let a woman therefore be the person suspecting or suspected , neither wil absolve her from that love to her husband she has sworn to pay . . but alas what hope is there that these greater temptations shall be resisted , when we see every the slightest disgust is now adays too strong for the matrimonial love , nay indeed it does of course fall off of it self , which is an event so much expected , that 't is no wonder to see it expire with the first circuit of the moon ; but it is every bodies admiration to see it last one of the sun ; and sometimes it vanishes so cleerly , as not to leave so much as a shadow behind it , not so much as the formalities of marriage ; one bed , one house cannot hold them , as if they had bin put together like case-shot in a gun , only that they might the more forcibly scatter several waies . nay as if this were designed and intended in the first addresses unto marriage ; a separate maintenance is of course aforehand contracted for , and becomes as solemn a part of the settlement , as a jointure is . plutarch observes of the ancient romans , that f r . years after founding of their state , there never was one example of any married couple that separated ▪ it is not likely they could have a more binding form of marriage then ours is , the difference must lie between their v●…racity and our falsness . . but even amongst those who desert not each other , too many do mutually fall from that entireness and affection which is the soul of marriage ; and to help on the declination , there are fashionable maxims taken up , to make men and their wives the greatest strangers to each other : thus 't is pronounced a piece of ill breeding , a sign of a country gentleman , to see a man go abroad with his own wife ( i suppose those who brought up these rules are not to seek what use to make of them ) and were the time of most of the modish couples computed , itwould be sound they are but few of their waking hours ( i might say minutes ) together ; so , that if nothing else , meer desuetude and intermission of conversation must needs allay , if not quite extinguish their kindness . but i hope there are yet many who do not think the autority of a fashion greaterthenthat of a vow ; & such will still think it ▪ their duty both to own and cherish that kindness and affection they have so solemnly promis'd . . another debt to the person of a husband is fidelity : sor as she has espoused all his interests , so she is obliged to be true to them , to keep all his secrets , to inform him of his dangers , yea and in a mild and gentle manner to admonish him of his faults . this is the most genuine act of friendship ; therefore she who is placed in the neerest and most intimate degree of that relation , must not be wanting in it . she that lies in his bosom should be a kind of second conscience to him , by putting him in mind both of his duty and his aberrations , and as long as she can be but patiently heard 'tis her sin to omit it ; 't is the greatest treachery to his noblest , to his immortal part , and such as the most officious cares of his other interests can never expiate . nay indeed she is unfaithful to her self in it , there being nothing that does so much secure the happiness of a wife as the vertu and piety of the husband . yet , tho this is to have her chiefest care , as being his principal interest , she is to neglect none of the inferior , but contribute her utmost to his advantage in all his concerns . . beyond all these the matrimonial fidelity has a special notion as it relates to the bed ; & in that the wise is to be most severely scrupulous , & never to admit so much as a thought or imagination , much lesse any parly or treaty contrary to her loialty . t is true wantonness is one of the foulest blots that can stain any of the sex ; but 't is infinitly more odious in the married , it being in them an accumulation of crimes ; perjury added to uncleanness ; the infamy of their family superstructed upon their own ; and accordingly all lawes have made a difference in their punishments . adultery was by gods own award punisht with death among the jews , levit. . . and it seems it was so agreable to natural justice , that divers other nations did the like ; and i know no reason , but the difficulty of detection , that should any where give it a milder sentence . the son of sirach has excellently describ'd the several gradations of the guilt ecclus. . . which i shall desire the reader to consult : which who so does must certainly wonder at the alchimy of this age , that from such a mass of shame and infamy can extract matter of confidence , that those who lie under so many brands and stigmas , are so far from hiding their faces , that none shew them with so much boldness ; and the assurance of the guilty far exceeds that of the innocent . but impudence is a slender shelter for guilt ; and serves rather to betray then hide ; so that theyare not able to outface the opinions of men ; much lesse can they the judgments of god ; who as he was solemnly invok'd as witness to their vow , so by his omnipresence is against their wills a witness too of its violations . . another duty to the person of the husband is obedience , a word of a very harsh sound in the ears of some wives , but is certainly the duty of all : and that not only by their promise of it , tho that were sufficient ; but from an original of much older date , it being the mulct that was laid upon the first womans disobedience to god , that she ( and all derived from her ) should be subject to the husband ; so that the contending for superiority , is anattemt to reverse thatfundamentallaw , which is almost as ancient as the world. but surely god with whom there is no shadow of change , will not make acts of repeal to satisfie the petulancy of a few masterless women . that statute will stillstand in force , and if it cannot awe them into an observance , will not fail to consign them topunishment . and indeed this fault is commonly its own lictor , and does anticipate ( tho not avert ) its final doom . theimperiousness ofawomandos oftenraise those storms , wherein her self isshipwrack'd . how pleasantly might many women have lived if they had not affected dominion . nay how much of their will might they have had , if they had not strugled for it . for let a man be of never so gentle a temper ( unless his head be softer then his heart ) such a usurpation will awake him to assert his right . but if he be of a sowr severe nature ; if he have as great a desire of rule as she , backt with a much better title , what tempests what hurricanes must two such opposite winds produce ? and at last 't is commonly the wives lot , after an uncreditable unjust war , to make as disadvantageous a peace ; this ( like all other ineffective rebellions ) serving to straiten her yoke , to turn an ingenuous subjection into a slavish servitude : so that certainly it is not only the vertue , but the wisdom of wives to do that upon duty , which at last they must ( with more unsupportable circumstances . ) do upon necessity . . and as they ow these severalls to the person of the husband , so there is also a debt to his reputation . this they are to be extremely tender of , to advance it , by making all that is good in him as conspicuous , as public as they can ; setting his worth in the cleerest light , but putting his infirmities in the shade ; casting a veil upon those to skreen them from the eies of others , nay ( as far as is possible ) from their own too ; there being nothing acquir'd to the wifeby contemplating the husbands weakness , but a temtation of despising him ; which tho bad enough in itself , is yet renderd worse by that train of mischievous consequences which usually attend it . in case therefore of any notable imperfections in him , her safest way will be to consider them no farther then she can be instrumental to the curing them ; but to divert from those , and reflect upon her own ▪ which perhaps if impartially weighed , may ballance ▪ if not overpoi●… his . and indeed those wives who are apt blaze their husbands faults , doe shew that they have either little adverted to theirown , orelse find them so great , that they are forced to that art of diversion , and seek in his infamy to drown theirs . but that project is a little unlucky , for nothing does in sober judges create greaterprejudice to a woman , then to see her forward in impeaching her husband . but besides this immediate tenderness of his reputation , there is another by way of reflection , which consists in a care that she her self do nothing which may redound to his dishonor : ther is so strict union between a man and his wife , that the law counts them one person , and consequently they can have no divided interest , so that the misbehavior of the woman reflects ignominiously on the man ; it therefore concerns them as well upon their husbands as their own account , to abstain even from all appearance of evil , and provide that themselves be ( what caesar is said to have requir'd of his wife ) not only without guilt but without scandal also . another part of the wives duty relates to her husbands fortune , the management whereof is not ordinarily the wives province , but where the husband thinks fit to make it so , she is oblig'd to administer it with her best care and industry ; not by any neglect of hers to give others opportutunity of defrauding him , yet on the other side not by an immoderate tenacity or griping , to bring upon him and her self the reproch , and which is worse the curse that attends exaction and oppression . but this is not usually the wives field of action , tho he that shall consider the description which solomon gives of a vertuous wife prov. . will be apt to think her province is not so narrow and confin'd , as the humor of the age would represent it . he tells us that she seeks wool and flax , and works diligently with her hands , that she is like the merchants ships , and brings her food from far . that she considers a field and buyes it , and with the fruit of her hands plants a vineyard , &c. and least this should be imagin'd to be the character of a mean country dame , he addes that her houshold is clothed in scarlet , and that her husband sits among the elders of the land . it were easy to give instances from history of the advantageous menage and active industry of wives , not only in single persons , but whole nations . but nothing can be more pregnant , then that among the romans : in the very height and flourish of the empire austus himself scare wore any thing but of the manufacture of his wife , his sister , daughters , and nieces , as suetonius assures us . should the gay lilies of our fields , which neither sow nor spin , nor gather into barns be exemted from furnishing others , and left to cloth themselves , t is to be doubted they would reverse our saviors parallel of solomons glories , and no beggar in all his rags would be araied like one of these . luc. . . . but we will be yet more kind , and impose only negative thrift on the wife , not to wast and embezle her husbands estate , but to confine her expences within such limits as that can easily admit ; a caution which if all women had observed ; many noble families had bin preserv'd , of which there now remains no other memorial but that they sell a sacrifice to the profuse vanity of a woman ; and i fear this age is like to provide many more such monuments for the next . our ladies , as if they emulated she roman luxury ( which seneca and pliny describe with so much indignation ) do sometimes wear about them the revenues of a rich family ; and those that cannot reach to that , shew how much 't is against their wills they fall lower , by the vast variety and excess of such things as they can possibly compasse ; so much extravagance not only in their own dress , but that of their houses and apartments , as if their vanity like the leprosy we read of lev. . had infected the very walls . and indeed 't is a very spreading fretting one , for the furniture oft consumes the house , and the house consumes the land : so that if som gentlemen were to calculate their estates , they might reduce all to the inventory of scopias the thessalian , who profest his all lay only in such toies as did him no good . women are now skillfull chymists , and can quickly turn their husbands earth into gold : but they pursue the experiment too far , make that gold too volatile , and let it all vapor away in insignificant ( tho gaudy ) trifles . . nor is it ever like to be otherwise with those that immoderatly affect the town , that forge of vanity , which supplies a perpetual spring of new temtations . 't is true there are some ladies who are necessarily engaged to be there : their husbands emploiments orfortuneshave markt that out as their proper station , and where the ground of their stay is their duty , there is more reason to hope it will not betray them to ill , for temtations are most apt to assault stragglers , those that put themselves out of their proper road . and truly i see not who can more properly be said to be so , thenthosewomen whose means of subsistence lies in the country , and yet will spend it no wherebut at london , which seems to carry something of opposition to gods providence , who surely never caused their lot to fall , as the psalmist speaks , in a fair ground , in goodly heritages psalm . . with an intent they should never inhabit them . the tribes of israel had their peculiar portions in canaan assign'd them by lot jos. . . and every one acquiesced in his part , dwelt in his own inheritance : had they bin impatient of living any where but in the metropolis , had they all crouded to jerusalem , all the rest of the land would have bin as desolate before the capt●…ty as it was after ; none would havebin left but such as nabuzaradan permitted to stay jer. . . some of the poor to dresse the vines , and to till the ground . and truly the same is like to be the fate of this nation , if this humor goes on as it has begun ; which may in time prove as mischievous to the public as it daily is to private families . . but besides this 't is yet farther to be consider'd , that where god gives an estate , he as the supreme landlord affixes something of duty , laies a kind of a rent charge upon it , expects it should maintain both hospitality and charity ; and sure both these are fittest to be don upon the place whence the ability of them rises . all public taxes use to be levied where the estate lies , and i know not why these which are gods assesments upon it , should not be paid there too . when a gentlemans land becomes profitable unto him by the sweat and labor of his poor neighbors and tenants , t will be a kind of muzling of the ox . cor. . . if they never tast of the fruit of their pains , if they shall never have the refreshment of a good meal , or an alms ; which they are not very like to meet with , if all the profits be sent up to maintain an equipage , and keep up a parade in town . but alas 't is often not only the annual profits that go that way , not only the crop , but the soil too ; those luxuries usually pray upon the vitals , eat out the very heart of an estate , and many have stay'd in the town 'till they have nothing left in the country to retire to . . now where this proceeds from the wife , what account can she give to her husband , whose easiness and indulgence ( for that must be suppos'd in the case ) she has so abus'd ? as also to her posterity and family who for her pride must be brought low , reduc'd to a conditiod beneath their quality , because she affected to live above it ? but she will yet worse answer it to her self , on whom she has brought not only the inconvenience but the guilt . 't is sure a lofty mind will feelsmart enough of a fall , a diminution , much more an indigence will be sufficiently greivous to a vain and lavish humor ; yet here it will farther have an additional sting , from the conscience that she ows it only to her own pride and folly ; a most imbittering consideration , and such as advances the affliction beyond that of a more innocent poverty , as much as the pain of an envenom'd arrow exceeds that of another . . but the saddest reckoning of all is that which she is to make to god , who has declar'd he hates robbery tho for a burnt offering to himself . how will he then detest this robbery this impoverishing of the husband , when 't is only to make an oblation to vanity and excess ? it should therefore be the care of all wives to keep themselves from a guilt for which god and man , yea & themselves also shall equally accuse them , and to keep their expences within such limits , that as bees suck but do not violate or deface the flowers , so they as joint proprietaries with the husbands , may enjoy but not devour and destroy his fortune . . i have now run through the duties to be perfrom'd unto the husband , wherein i have not used the exactness of a casuist in curiously anatomizing every part , and shewing all the most minute particulars reducible to each head . i have only drawn out the greater lines , and insisted on those wherein wives-are most frequently deficient . i shall only add this caution , that whatever is duty to the husband is equally so , be he good or ill , the apostle commands the subjection & fidelity , even to heathen husbands , pet. . . and 't is not now their defect , either in piety or morality , that can absolve the wife . for , besides the inconvenience of making her duty precarious & liable to be substracted upon every pretence of demerit , she has by solemn contract renounc'd that liberty , & in her marriage-vow taken him for better for worse ; & it is too late after vows to make enquiry , prov. . . to seek to break loose from that bond of her soul ; and how uneasie soever the perversness of the husband may render it , he cannot thereby mak it less , but more rewardable by god : for what the apostle speaks in the case of servants , is no less appliable to this , pet. . . for this is than worthy . if for conscience towards godye endure grief , suffering wrongfully . whatever duty is perform'd to man with aspect on god , he owns as to himself ; so that how unworthy soever the husband may be the wife cannot misplace her observance , whilst she finally terminates it on that infinit goodness and majesty to whom no love or obedience can be enough . . from this relation of a wife , there ordinarily springs another , that of a mother , to which there belongs a distinct duty , which may bebranched into many severals : but i shall at present only reduce them to two heads love and care. a mother is a title of so much tenderness , that we find it borrowed by our common dialect to express the most exuberant kindness ; nay , even in sacred stile it has the same use , and is often set as the highest example our weaknes can comprehend of the divine compassions . so that nature seems sufficienly to have secur'd the love of mothers to their children , without the aid of any positive law ; yet we find this ( as other instincts of nature ) is somtimes violated , and oftner perverted and applied to mistaken purposes : the first is by a defect of love ; the other , by an imprudent excess of t : the defect does , i presume , more rarely occur then the other ; yet it doth sometimes happen , and that either from a morosesowrness of humor , or else from too vehement an intention on somthing else . . some women have such a ruggedness of nature , that they can love nothing ; the ugly passions of anger and envy , hav , like pharaoh's lean kine , eat up the more amiable , of love and joy. plato was wont to advise crabbed austere tempers , to sacrifice to the graces ; and such as these had need have a great deal of christian philosophy , to allay and sweeten their native bitterness . but there are others that are not void of the affection of love , but 't is forestall'd by some other object , and so diverted from their children ; and 't is a little to be doubted , those objects which so divert are none of the best , for the wisdom of god has disposed all duty into such a harmony and consent of parts , that one interferes not with another . if we love no prohibited thing , all the regular objects of our kindness will agree well enough , and one need never supplant another . and indeed 't is oft observable , that those women who immoderatly love their own plesures , do lest regard their children ; they look on them as clogs to keep them within doors , and think their adverting to them , will hinder their free range abroad ; those are turn'd off to the care of a nurse or maid , whilst perhaps a dog or a monkey is thought worthy their own attendance . . plutarch relates it as a sarcasm of caesars to some foreigners whom he saw ( at rome ) strangely fond of such little animals , that he asked them whether the women in their country had no children ; thereby intimating , how unreasonable it was for those that had , to bestow their caresses on such creatures . and surely he would not have given a milder reprimand to som of our ladies , who not only please , but pride themselvs in those little brutes , shew them to all comers , when perhaps you may converse with them divers daies , before you shall , by any mention of theirs , know that they have a child . . to this defect of love , many are apt to impute the mothers transferring the nursing her child to another . i am not forward to pronounce it , being loth to involve so many as i then must in the imputation of unnaturalness ; i rather think it is taken up as a piece of state and greatness ; for no other motive , but what is sounded in their quality , could so universally prevail with all that are of it . but sure this is one of the vain punctillio's wherwith this age abounds ; for what-ever rank the mother is of , the child carries proportion to it , and there is the same equality between the greatest lady and her own child , as is between the meanest beggar and hers : tho indeed if there were any condescension in it , the aversions of that ought not to outweigh the impulses of nature , and the many advantages the child may receive by taking its nourishment whence it derived its substance . and therefore , tho i will not be too positive in asserting the necessity , yet i confess , i cannot but look with reverence upon those few persons of honor , who have broke through an unreasonable custom , and preferred the good of their children before that fantastic privilege of greatness . and such must in all justice be acknowledged to have given a much better evidence of their love to their children , then the others . . there is in a. gellius , in his fourteenth book so fine a discourse on this subject , where favori●…us the philosopher is introduced , perswading a noble lady , notwithstanding the usual excuses , to nurse her child ; that nothing besides the length , could temt me to omit the transcribing it : unless happily the little success , which a noble person of the same sex here concern'd i mean the countess of lincoln , in the ingenious book wrote by her , and call'd her nursery , be a sufficient ground of despairing to convince by any thing that can be said . however let these delicate ones consider the severe words of the prophet , lament . . . the sea monsters draw out the breast , they give suck to their young ones , the daughter of my people is become cruel like the ostrich in the wilderness , who is hardned against her young ones , as tho they were not hers : her labor is in vain without fear , because god hath deprived her of wisdom , neither hath he imparted to her understanding , job . . . . but as there may be a fault in the defect , so there may be also in the excess of love . god is the only unlimited object of our love , towards all others 't is easy to become inordinate , and in no instance more then in this of children . the love of a parent is descending , and all things move most violently downwards , so that whereas that of children to their parents commonly needs a spur , this of the parent often needs a bridle , especially that of the mother , which ( by strength of feminine passion ) does usually exceed the love of the father . now to regulate this affection , she is to advert to these two rules , first that she hurt not her self by it , and secondly that she hurt not her children : of the first she is in danger if she suffer that humane affection to swell beyond its banks , so as to come in any competition with the divine , this is to make an idoll of her child ; for every thing is so to us , which rivals the love of god in our hearts , and he who owns the title of a jealous god , may be provoked as well by the bowing our souls to a living image , as the prostration of our bodies to a dead . accordingly we oft see the effects of his jealousy in this particular , the doting affection of the mother is frequently punish with the untimely death of the children , or if not with that 't is many times with a severer scourge : they live ( but as it was foretold to eli ▪ sam. . . ) to grieve her eies and to consume her heart , to be ruinous to themselves , and afflictions to their friends , and to force their unhappy mothers to that sad acclamation lu. . . blessed are the wombs which bare not . and as this proves often true , when the dotage is generall upon all the children , so does oftner when 't is more partial and fixt upon any one ; that darling which she makes the only object of her joy usually becomes that of her sorrow . it is an ordinary infirmity in parents toheap all their kindness upon one , to the defrauding of the rest , and too many times upon very undue motives : a little excelling in point of beauty turns the scales , when perhaps many more solid excellencies are the counterpoise . and surely this is not only unjust but irrational in the parent : for all peculiarity of favor in a superior , should be dispenc'd either by way of reward or encouragement ; and neither of those ends can take place where 't is only the outward form that is consider'd , for that cannot be rewardable , to which the party has contributed nothing , and the psalmist will tell us that t is god ▪ that hath made us and not we our selves psalm . . . and as little room is there for the other end , that of encouragement . for as our savior tells us ma. . none can adde a cubit to his statute , nor make one hair white or black : 't is certain themselves cannot really doe either , tho by the aid of artificial hypocrisy they frequently appear to do both ; but those are arts which neither deserve nor want encouragment , the natural beauty must have its increase from the same source whence it derived its being : there is therefore no reasonable account to be given why a child should be preferr'd for any such exterior excellency . . the only justifiable ground of partiality to children is their vertue , for to that their own choice concurs , and so may intitle them to reward , and 't is also in their power to advance , and so encouragements are not cast away upon them : nay the influences of those may extend farther , and provone a vertuous emulation in the rest ; but then the mother must so manage it , as to evidence that 't is no inequallity in her own inclination , but meerly the force of the others desert , not the person but the goodness , that biasses her , and when vertue is known to be the only ingratiating quality , they will at once learn the way to become hers & gods favourites . and unless it be upon this one design , 't is a very unsafe thing for a parent to make any partial discrimination among children , which is sure to tempt the more neglected both to repine at her , and envy her darlings ; and oftentimes such seeds of rancor have bin by that means sowed in children , as have bin hard to eradicate in their riper years . nor is the mifchief less which she does to her fondlings , who besides that they are expos'd to the malice of the rest , are usually spoild by it , made insolent & untractable perhaps their whole lives after , for where the mothers affection is unbridled , commonly the childs will is so too , her fondness superseding that discipline and correction , which should , as the wise man speaks ; bow down its neck from its youth . . and the like may be said where the indulgence is more universal to all the children , which is in one respect worse then the partial , because it spoils more , not one or two but all the brood . the doting love of a mother blinds her eyes , that she cannot see their faults , manacles her hands that she cannot chastise them , and so their vices are permitted to grow up with themselves : as their joints knit and gather strength , so do their ill habits , 'till at last they are confirm'd into an obstinacy ; so setting them in a perfect opposition to to that pattern they should imitate , for as christs childhood increast in wisdom , and the divine favor , lu. . so do theirs in all those provoking follies , which may avert both the love of god and man. and alas what recompence can the little blandishments and caresses of a mother make her children , for such important such inestimable mischiefs ? so that she that will be really kind must temper her indulgence with a prudent severity , or els she eminently violates the second rule , by which she should regulate her love , and does that to her children which jocob fear'd from his father gen. . brings a curse upon them and not a blessing . . indeed the best way of approving their love , is by well discharging the other branch of their duty , that of care ; without this all the most passionate rapturesof kindness , are but an airy apparition , a fantastic scene , and will no more advantage a child , then the whole shambles in picture can feed and nurish it . now this care is not a temporary , momentary duty , for some one critical instant , but is to attend the child through the several stages of its minority , viz. infancy , childhood , and youth . the very first part of their infancy is a season only for those cares which concern their bodies , providing for their careful attendance , and all other things conducing to the strengthening their constitutions , and laying a foundation for future health and vigor ; which is their interest not only upon a bodily , but upon an intellectual account , the good temperature of the body being a great aid towards the free operations of the mind . and therefore socrates and other philosophers much recommend to their disciples the care of health , as that which freed the soul from many incumbrances in its pursuit of knowledg : and it was the comprehensive praier of the poet , that the gods would grant a sound mind in a healthful body . . but this health is not always the consequent of a very nice and tender breeding but is very oft overthrown by it ; and if ladies could but find in their hearts to try it , they would , i doubt not , find , that the inuring them to moderate hardships , would much more conduce to the establishing and fortifying their constitutions . . beyond all this , the care for their exterior is soon overtaken by a more important one , that of their interior , in the timing of which there seems to be a very common mistake in the world. we look upon the seven years or infancy , as the life meerly of an animal , to be spent only in the entertainments of sense ; and as we use not to yoak calves , or back young colts , so we think our children are for a while to be left at the same liberty ; to have no restraint put on any of their passions . nay many times we excite & foment them , teach children to be angry and envious , proud and sullen , as if we fear'd their natural propensions to all these were too faint , and wanted the help of institutions . but surely this is a great and pernicions error , and this supposing children to be so long brutes , is the way to make them so longer . the patrons of atheism make it a most constant topic in the disparagement of religion , that 't is owed to the prejudices infused in the first infancy : 't wer to be wisht , that this objection might so far be complied with , that the fear of god , the love of vertue , and hatred of vice , might have the first possession of the soul ; and they be made to moderate their passions , as soon as they are in a capacity to have them excited and engaged . . and truly , if we will observe it , we may see very early dawnings of reason in infants , which would sooner come to a brightness , if we would betimes set to the scattering of those passions which eclipse and darken it . a child will quickly be taughtto knowwhat pleases ordispleases a parent , and by a very little tast of reward or punishment , will learn to do the one , and avoid the other : and when this is don , the parent has gain'd the fundamental point , that of obedience ; and may superstruct on it what she pleases , & then 't is her fault if the child be not by easie and insensible degrees moulded into a right form . 't is at first all one to the child , whether he name god in an oath or in his praiers ; but a mother by punishing the one , and rewarding the other , will quickly bring him to know there is a difference , and so proportionably in other instances . as to the way of discipline , it may not be amiss to observe , that when thereis occasion for severity , 't is better to awe by actual punishment then terror , and never to make use of infinite and invisible affrightments , the beloved methods of nurses and servants , such as are the menacing of sprights and mormo's , and leaving in the dark ; that frequently make dastardly & timerous impressions , which a long age scarcely wears off . . a sober sense of things , is to be impressed by treatable means , and this will be don with most ease , both to the parent and child , the sooner t is set upon . the will of a tender infant , is like its limbs , supple and pliant , but time confirms it , and custom hardens it ; so 't is a cruel indulgence to the poor creature , to let it contract such habits , which must cost him so dear the breaking ; or dearer , i●… never broken . and if this early care be taken of the infancy , 't will much ease the next part , that of the childhood ; for where the iron sinew in the neck is broken , where the native stubbornness is subdued so early , the yokewill sit easie , all succeeding parts of discipline will comewith more facility and profit . the care proper to this age , is , the instructing in all parts of useful knowledg , of which , as the divine for the excellency both of its nature and its end , must be first ranked , so should it be first and most industriously cultivated , and by all endearing methods imprest , not only on the understanding , but the heart . piety and virtue should be propos dasthemost amiable , as well as necessary things , and they would be invited not only to know , but love them . . this part of learning is equally competent to both sexes , and therefore , when the sons are removed from under the mothers tuition , and sent to more public places of erudition , her provinceis still the same as to her daughter ▪ to whom she shouldnot only preach , but exemp●…ifieit inher own practice , no precepts penetrating so much into youth , as those that are so inforc'd . and in order to this , i should commend to mothers , the being as much with them as they can , and taking the personal inspection of them ; not to turn them off wholly to servants , no nor yet governesses , but frequently themselves to examin how they proceed in the speculative part of knowledg , and no less frequently exhort them to the practic . . marcus cato would not let his son learn of his slave , as disdaining a child should owe so considerable a benefit to so servile a person ; and if he thought the meer teaching of grammar , too great a charge for such a one , surely the whole institution of youth is a much greater , it being that on which , not only a few outward accomplishments , but even their eternity depends . the great cornelia , mother of the gracchi , and aurelia the mother of augustus , thought it worth their pains to be governesses . and the truth is , the soul of a child is a little too precious a trust to commit wholy to the diligence & care of a mercinary servant ; or if they happen not to want those qualifications , yet 't is very possible they may prudence , of which there is no small degree requisite to the instructing of youth , too great a remissness or severity being equally destructive in that affair . and indeed , besides this immediate , there are some other collateral benefits consequent to the mothers performing that office , 't will bring her and her children into an intimacy and conversation , give her an acquaintance with their several capacities and humors ; for want of which , many parents have erred in their conduct , one sort of treatment being not fit for all children ; and the distinguishing that depending wholy on their discerning their particular tempers , which cannot well be don without-som converse with them . . besides by this they will be witnesses how they dispose their time , that they neither lose it by doing nothing , nor yet mis-employ it by doing ill . and indeed there is scarce any part of the parents care more important then this , idlenessbeing no farther removed from vice , then a cause is from its immediate effect . therefore if children be permitted to trifle avay their time , they will soon learn to trifle avay their innocence also : so that 't is highly necessary that they be provided of a succession of emploiments , that by the variety they may be insensibly drawn on : nay methinkes , it might verywell be contrived that their recreationsmight somtimes consist of such ingenious exercises , that they may at once both play and learn. . there is yet another good effect of the mothers presence with the children ( which is perhaps no less material then any of the former ) 't is , that by this associating them with her self , she prevents the danger of worse society . children if the parents allow them not their company , are necessarily cast upon that of servants , than which there is scarce a greater danger that attends youth ; for besides that that low sort of converse debases their minds , makes them mean and sordid , it often corrupts their manners too ; children usually not receiving more pestilent infusions from any then such . servants that desire to ingratiate themselvs , and having no laudable quality whereby to do it , must first endeavor to ingratiate vice to them , and then by their officious ministries in that , have a ready way of introducing themselves into favor . perhaps this will be thought to concern only the masculin part of children , and that the female who are commonly in a distinct appartment , and converse only with their own sex , are more secure . but i would not advise mothers to depend too much on that , for they are no surer that their daughters shall not converse with men , nay men of the meaner sort too , then that their maids and attendants shall notdo so ; and when 't is consider'd , how apt those are to entertain , if not to invite amours , 't is not very probable the rooms where they quarter shall be inaccessible to those they affect . and it were much safer for children to bee in the most public concourse of m●…n , then to be witnesses and observers of the private intrigues of such lovers ; the memories of youth are very tenacious , & if they once be tainted with any indecent thing will be apt to recollect it , 'till at last perhaps they come to transcribe it . 't is therefore in this respecta very useful part of the mothers care , to make her self company to her daughters , to prevent the dangers of a more unequal and infectious converse . . but if this be useful in childhood , 't is no less then necessary in the next period of their time , when they arrive neer the growth and age of women : then indeed the mother should not only make them her companions , but her friends , allow them such a kind , yet modest , freedom , that they may have a complacence in her company , and not be temted to seek it among their inferiors ; that the belief of her kindnes may supplant the pretensions of those meane●… sycophants , who by litle flatteries endeavor to seru themselves into their good opinion , & become their confidents ; then which there is nothing more mischievous , those private caballs that are held with such , serving only to reader them mutinous against their parents : these family incendiaries like those in the state and church , still inculcating the one grand principle of liberty , a word so charming to our depraved nature , and especially to youth , that they should not be trusted with such lectures . besides those intimacies are often introductions toworse ; many scandalous amours and unequal matches having had their rise from them . it should therefore be the business of mothers to prevent all such pernicious leagues , by preingaging them in more safe familiarities , either with her self , or some other , of whose vertue she has reason to be confident . . but the most infallible security against this & all other mischeifs is the bringing them into an intimacy and conversation with their maker , by fixing a true sense of religion in their hearts , if that can be effectually don , t will supersede all other expedients . she that duely considers she is allwaies in gods presence , will want no other inspector ; nor will she much need monitors , who attends to the advices of her own conscience . neither will it only tend to the securing her innocence but her reputation too ; it being one part of the christian law to abstain from all appearance of evil . thess. . to do things that are of good report phil. . . so that piety is the 〈◊〉 compleat armor to defend both their vertu and fame . and 't is extremely necessary they should be furnisht with it , at this age especially , when they do at first enter into the world , which we may well look on as a taking the field , considering how many assaults they are there like to meet with ; and if they go without this armature , they may , none knows how soon , be incurably wounded , of which there want not many sad instances , some whereof might probably have bin prevented , had the parent taken care to have better fortified them . . and indeed t is not a little sad to see how much this their most important concern is neglected . many mothers who are nicely curious in other parts of their daughters breeding , are utterly inconsiderate of this ; they must have all civil accomplishments , but no christian. those are excluded out of the scheme of education , & by that means lye under the prejudice of being not only unnecessary , but ungentile , below the regard of persons of quality . 't is much to be fear'd , that this neglect toward their children , is founded in a previous contemt of piety in themselves , yet i suppose 't is often increas'd by a little vanity they have of seeing them excel in som of those exterior qualities , which may recommend them to the humor of the world upon the improving whereof they are so intent , that more material things are overlookt ; and when those are acquired , the pride of shewing them betrays them to other in onveniencies . the mother oft not only permits , but incites the daughter to the oportunities of boasting her excellencies sends her so oft abroad on that design , that at last perhaps she cannot when she would keep her at home , as i believe too many have found experimentally true . in a word , this interval between childhood & majority , is the most critical point of a womans life , and therefore should be the most nicely and warily attended ; and a mother had need summon not only all her care and diligence , but her prudence too , well to discharge this part of her obligation . . i shall not insist more minutely upon particulars : i have in the former section spoken somewhat of what 't is fit these young virgins should do and avoid , and whatever by that , or by any more exact rule appears their interest or duty ; 't is the mothers to see it be not neglected by them : but where kindness alone will not prevail to employ their autority too , and by a discreet mixture of each , secure their observance by both the tenures of love and reverence . yet i shall a little reflect upon one particular i mention'd before i mean that of marrying wher they have aversion , which tho i there charg'd as the crime of the daughter ▪ yet i must here say the original , and more inexcusable guilt is usually in the parents , who are sometimes such idolaters to wealth and honor , that they sacrifice their children to them ; a more barbarous immolationthen that to moloch ; for tho that were very inhumane , yet it had this alleviation , that the pain was short : but a loathed bed is at once an acute and a lingring torment , nay , not only so , but a temtation too ; so that 't is a tyranny of a most unlimited kind , extends its effects even to eternity ; and sure that mother must have very petrified bowels , have lost all natural compassion , that can so impose on her child . . i shall add no more concerning this relation of a mother , but only one short advice , that those who groan under the frustration of their hopes , whose children by any scandulous misbehavior become objects of their shame and grief , would soberly consider , whether it have not bin som way owing to themselves , either by neglect in their education , or by their own ill example : 't is usually one , and sometimes both . they that upon recollection can assure themselvs 't is neither , may bear the affliction with much the greater cheerfulness ; but they that cannot , i am sure ought to bear it with much the more patience & submission , take it as gods lecture of repentance , and look on their childrens faults as the product of their own . and because satisfaction is an indispensible part of repentance , they are with their utmost industry to endeavor the repairing those ruins they have made , by recalling those to virtu , who by their means have straied from it . t is true , the errors of education , like a subtile poison , do so mix with the blood , so incorporate into the humors and manners , that t will be very difficult to allay their effects ; and therefore the less they are themselves able to do towards it , the more earnestly they must importune a higher power . he who divided the light from the darkness , can separate the effects from the causes ; and as he restrained the natural property of fire , in the case of the three children , dan. . so he only can rescu theirchildren from that destruction to which their negligence has exposed them . but as to the influence their example has had , theymay do somthing towards the redress of that , by setting them a new copy , making their own change so visible , so remarkable , that they mayhave the very same means of reclaiming , which there was of seducing them . and this is a peice of justice , which seems to call aloud upon many mothers . the irregularities of youth could hardly have grown to the present height , had they not received warmth and shelter from the practice of their elders , which does at once give incouragement & take of restraints , the mother loses not only her autority , but her confidence to admonish or reprove . with what face can she require that strict and severe modesty of a young girl , which she who should be a matron will not practise ? or tye up the giddy wandring humor of youth , within those bounds she thinks too strait for her own ? and how ready a retortion will even scripture it self afford for such an imposer ? thou that teachest another , teachest thou not thy self ? rom. . . let it therefore be the care of all mothers to live a perpetual lecture to their children , so to exemplifie to them all virtu and piety , that they may contribute somthing to their spiritual , as wel as their natural life , that however they may at least deliver their own souls , and not have their childrens guilt recoile upon them as the unhappy originalls of it . . the last relation of a married woman is that of a mistriss , the inspection of the family being usually her province ; and tho she be not supreme ●…here , yet she is to improve her delegated autority to the advantage of all under it ; and her ●…nore constant residence gives her more opportunities of it , then the frequent avocations of the husband will perhaps allow him . st. paul sets it as the calling , and the indispensible duty of the married women , that they guide the house , tim. . . not thinking it a point of greatness to remit the manage of all domestic concerns to a mercinary house-keeper . and indeed since it has bin a fashionable thing for the master to resign up his concerns to the steward , and the lady hers to the governant , it has gon ill with most great families , whilst these officers serve themselves instead of those who employ them , raise fortunes on their patrons ruines , and divide the spoil of the family , the house-keeper pilfering within doores , and the bailiff plundering without . . now to the well guiding of the house by the mistress of it , i know no better or more comprehensive rule , then for her to endeavor to make all that are hers to be gods servants also ; this will secure her of all those intermedial qualifications in them in which her secular interest is concerned , their own consciences being the best spy she can set upon them , as to their truth and fidelity , and the best spur also to diligence and industry . but to the making them such , there will need first instruction , and secondly discipline . it is a necessary part of the rulers care to provide that none in their family should want means of necessary instruction . i doe not say that the mistress should set up for a catechist , or preacher ; but that they take order they should be taught by those who are qualified for the emploiment . and that their furnishing them with knowledg , may not serve only to help them to a greater number of stripes , luk. . . they are to give them the opportunities of consecrating it to prayer & devotion , to that end to have public divine offices in the family ; and that not by starts or accidents ( when a devouter guest is to be entertained , and laid by when a prophane ) but daily and regularly , that the hours of praiers may be fixt and constant as those of meals , and ( if it may possibly be ) as much frequented ; however that toward it she give both precept and example . . a christian family should be the epitome of a church ; but alas how many among us lye under a perpetual interdict , & yet not from the usurpation of any forreign power , but from the irreligion of the domestic . one may go into divers great families , and after some stay there , not be able to say that the name of god was mentioned to any other purpose than that of blasphemy and execration , nor a text of scripture unless in burlesque & prophane drolery . and sure we need not wonder at the universal complaint that is now made of ill servants , when we reflectupon this ill government of families . they that are suffer'd wholy to forget their duties toward god , wil not alwais remember it towards man. servants are not such philosophers that upon the bare strength of a few moral instincts they will be vertuous , & if by a customary neglect of all things sacred , they are once taught to look at nothing beyond this world , they will often find temtation enough here to discard their honesty , as the most unthriving trade . and indeed when the awe of religion is quite taken off from the vulgar , there will scarce any thing else be found to keep them within any tolerable bounds ; so that 't is no less impolitic then prophane to slacken that reine . . but it is not only the interest , but the duty of all that have families , to keep up the esteem and practice of religion in them . 't was one of the greatest endearments of abraham to god , that he would command his houshold to keep the way of the lord gen. . . and joshua undertakes no less for the piety of his houshold then himself , as for me and my house we will serve the lord jos. 〈◊〉 and sure 't is but reasonable , that where we our selves owe an homage , we should make all our dependents acknowledg the same . besides , it is a justice in respect of them ; for where we entertain a servant , we take the whole person into our care and protection , and are salse to that undertaking if we suffer his soul the most precious part of him to perish ; and god who keeps account even of his meanest creatures , will not patiently resent such a neglect of those who bear his own image , and were ransomed with as great a price as their masters were , for there is no respect of persons with god eph. . . . but when piety is planted in a family , 't will soon wither , if it be not kept in vigor by discipline : nay indeed , to have servants seemingly devout in the oratory , and yet really licentious out of it , is but to convert ones house into a theater , have a play of religion , and keep a set of actors only to personate and represent it . 't is therefore necessary to inquire how they behave themselves when they are off the stage , whether those hands which they elevate in praier , are at other times industriously appli'd to work ; or those mouths wherewith they there bless god , are not else where filled with oaths and curses , scurrilities and revilings ; in a word , whether that form of godliness be not design'd in commutation for sobriety and honesty . indeed the governors of families ought to make a strict inspection into the ●…anners , of their servants , & where they find them good to affix som special mark of favor , by which they may both be encouraged to persevere and others to begin ; butwher they discern them vicious there as eminently to discountenance , severely to admonish them , and use all fit means for their reclaiming , and when that seems hopeless , to dismiss them that they may not infect the rest . a little leven saith the apostle leveneth the whole lump , gal. . . and one ill servant ( like a perisht tooth ) will be apt to corrupt his fellows . 't is therefore the same in families that it is in more public communities , where severity to the ill is mercy and protection to the rest ; and were houses thus early weeded of all idle and vicious persons , they would not be so overgrown , nor degenerate into such rude wildernesses , as many ( nay i fear most ) great families now are . . but as servants are not to be tolerated in the neglect of their duty , so neither are they to be defeated of any of their dues . masters are to give to their servants that which is just and equal , col. . . and sure , 't is but just and equal that they who are rational creatures should not be treated with the rigor or contemt of brutes : a sufficient & decent provision , both in sickness and in health , is a just debt to them , besides an exact performance of those particular contracts upon which they were entertain'd . laban had so much of natural justice , that he would not take the advantage of jacobs relation to him , to make him serve him gr●…tis , because thou art my brother shouldst thou the●…fore serve me for nought ? tel me therefore what shall thy wages be ? gen. , . but alas now a daies where servants have bin told , nay expresly articled for their wages , 't is with many no easy thing to get it : nay 't is thought by som masters an insolence , a piece of ill manners to demand it ; and when they have worn out a servant , they either pay him not at all , or with the same protraction and regret , which they do their tailors for the old clothes they have cast off . i fear there are many instances of this , especially among great persons , it being a received mode with too many of them to pay no debts to those who are too mean to contest with them . but however they may ruffle it out with men , it will one day arraign them before god as most injurious oppressors ; there being no crime of that kind more frequently or severely branded in scripture , then this of detention of the wages of the servant and hireling . besides , this examples of injustice , wherein the servant is passive , is often transcrib'd by him in acts of fraud and deceit , and he is apt to think it but an equal retaliation , to break his trust where the master breaks his covenant , and when he once attemts to be his own pay-master , 't is not to be doubted but he will allow himself large use ▪ for the forbearance of his wages ; so that the course is no less unprofitable to the master then unjust and dishonorable . . i am not sure 't is alwaie's in the wives power to prevent this or any of the former faults 〈◊〉 the menage of the family . for her authority being but subordinat , if the husband who is supreme suspend her power , he does by that vacating her rule take off the duty consequent to it ; so that what i have said can be obligatory to none that are so impeded : but to those who either can do it themselves , or perswade their husbands to it , the omission will be their sin , all the profaneness and disorder of the family will be charg'd upon their account , if it came by their default . . and this methinks is a consideration that may much mortify one usual peice of vanity , i mean that of a multitude of servants . we shall all of us find burden enough of our own personal miscarriages , and need not contrive to fetch in more weight from others . and in families 't is generally observable , that the bigger they are the worse ; vice gains boldness by numbers , is hatcht up by the warmth of a full society ; and we daily see people venture upon those enormities in consort and in a croud . which they would not dare did they think they stood single . besides the wider the province is , the more difficult it is well to administer it ; and in a heap of servants many faults will scape undiscern●…d , especially , considering the common confederacy there is usually amongthem , for the eluding of discipline : so that what the wiseman speaks of not desiring a multitude of unprofitable children , i think may very well be appli'd to servants , whose unprofitableness usually increases together with their number . i have now run through these several obligations consequent to the maried state , wherein even upon this very cursory view , there appears so many particulars , that if they were all duly attended , ladies need not be much at a loss how to entertain themselvs ; nor run abroad in a romantic quest after forreign divertisements , when they , have such variety of engagements at home . sect . iii. of widows . . the next state which can succeed to that of marriage is widowhood , which tho it supersedes those duties which were terminated meerly in the person of the husband , yet it endears those which may be paid to his ashes . love is strong as death , cant. . . and therefore when it is pure and genuine cannot be extinguisht by it , but burns like the funeral lamps of old , even in vaults and charnel houses , the conjugal love transplanted into the grave ( as into a finer mould ) improves into piety , and laies a kind of sacred obligation upon the widow to perform all offices of respect and kindness which his remains are capable of . . now those remains are of three sorts , his body his memory , and his children . the most proper expession of her love to the first , is in giving it an honorable enterrment ; i mean not such as may vye with the poland extravagance ( of which 't is observed that two or three neer succeeding funeralls ruin the family ) but prudently proportion'd to his quality & fortune , so that her zeal to his corps may not injure a nobler relique of him , his children . and this decency is a much better instance of her kindness , then all those tragical furies wherwith som. women seem transported towards their dead husbands , those frantick embraces and caresses of a carcass , which betray a little too much the sensuality of their love. and it is somthing observable , that those vehement passions quickly exhaust themselvs , and by a kind of sympathetic efficacy as the body ( on which their assection was fixt ) moulders , so does that also , nay often it attends not those lesurely degrees of dissolution , but by a more precipitate motion seems rather to vanish then consume . . the more valuable kindness therefore , is that to his memory , endeavoring to embalm that , keep it from perishing ; and by this innocent magic ( as the egyptians were wont by a more guilty ) she may converse with the dead , represent him so to her own thoughts , that his life may still be repeated to her : and as in a broken mirror the refraction multiplies the images , so by his dissolution every hour presents distinct ideas of him ; so that she sees him the oftner , for his being hid from her eies but as they use not to embalm without odors , so she is not only to preserve , but perfume his memory , render it as fragrant as she can ; not only to her self but others ; by reviving the remembrance of whatever was praise-worthy in him , vindicating him from all calumnies and false accusations , and stifling ( or allaying ) even true ones as much as she can . and indeed , a widow can no way better provide for her own honor , then by this tenderness of her husbands . . yet there is another expression of it , inferior to none of the former , and that is , the setting such a valu upon her relation to him , as to do nothing unworthy of it . 't was the dying charge of augustus to his wife livia , behave thy self well , and remember our marriage . and she who has bin wife to a person of honor , must so remember it as not to do any thing below her self , or which he ( could he have foreseen it ) should justly have bin ashamed of . . the last tribute she can pay him is in his children . these he leaves as his proxies to receive the kindness of which himself is uncapable ; so that the children of a widow may claim a double portion of the mothers love , one upon their native right , as hers ; the other , as a bequest in right of their dead father . and indeed , since she is to supply the place of both parents , 't is but necessary she should put on the affections of both , and to the tenderness of a mother , adde the care and conduct of a father . first , in a sedulous care of their education : and next , in the prudent managery of their fortu●…e ; an order that is somtimes unhappily inverted , and mothers are so concern'd to have the estate prosper in their tuition , that the children cannot ; whilst ( by an unseasonable frugality ) to save a little expence , they deny them the advantages of an ingenious and gentile breeding , swell their estates perhaps to a vast bulk , but so contract and narrow their minds , that they know not how to dispose them to any real benefit of themselves or others . and this is one of the most pernicious parsimonies imaginable , a mother by this seems to adopt the fortune , and abdicate the child , who is only made the beast tobear those loads of wealth she will lay on , and which she evidently owns as the greatest tresure , since in tenderness to that she neglects him . . yet somtimes the same effect springs from another cause , and children are ill bred , not because the mother grudges the charge , but out of a feminine fondness , which permits her not to part with them to the proper places for their education ; like jacob to benjamin , her soul is so bound up in them , that she cannot lend them a while even to their own most necessary concerns ; and this , tho not so ignoble a motive as the other , is of no less mischief , at least to her sons , who being by it confin'd to home , are consequently condemn'd to be poyson'd ( if with nothing else , yet ) with the flatteries of servants and tenants , who think those the best expedient to secure their own station . and with these the young master or landlord is so blown up , that as if his manors were the confines of the world , he can look at nothingbeyond them ; so that when at last he breaks loose from his mothers arms , and comes abroad , he expects scarce to find his equals , much less his betters ; thinks he is still to receive the samefawning adorations which he was used to at home : and being possest with this insolent expectation , he will scarce be undeceived , but at the price of many affronts , nay , perhaps he may buy his experience with the loss of his life ; by his ill maners draw on a quarrel , wherein he finally perishes . that this is no impossible supposition , some unhappy mothers have found to their unspeakable affliction . . 't is not to be denied , but there are also dangers consequent to the breeding children abroad , vice having insinuated it self even into the places of erudition , and having not only as many , but the very same academies with vertu & learning ; so that the extreme depravation of the times new states the question , and we are not to consider which is best , but which is theleast ill disposure of children . and in that competition sure the home education will be cast ; for there they may suck in all the venom , and nothing of the antidote ; they will not only be taught base things , but ( as i before observ'd ) by the basest tutors , such as will add all the mostsordid circumstances to the improving of a crime . whereas abroad they are first not like to meet with any whose interest is so much to make them vicious : and secondly , they may ( as ill as the world is ) meet with many who may give them both precepts & examples of a better kind . besides , the discipline used in those communities makes them know themselves ; and the various sorts of learning they may acquire , will not only prove usefuldivertisement ( the wantofwhich is the great spring of mischeif ) but will , if rightly apply'd , furnish them with ingenious & vertuous principles , such as may set them above all vile & ignoble practises . so that there seems a conspiration of motives to wrest the child from the relucting mother , & to perswade her for a while to deny her self that desire of her eies , that so he may at last answer the more rational desire of her heart . . as to the other part of her obligation , the managing of their fortune , there is the same rule for her as for all other persons that have a trust , viz. to do as for themselves ; that is , with the same care and diligence ( if not a greater ) as in her own peculiar concern . i do not say that she shall confound the property , and make it indeed her own by applying it to her particular use . a thing i fear which is too often don , especially by the gayer sort of widows , who to keep up their own equipage , do somtimes incroach upon their sons peculiar , & i wish even that ( tho bad enough ) were the only case wherein it were don . but 't is sometimes to make her a better prize to a second husband : she goes into another family , and as if she were a colony sent out by her son , he must pay for the planting her there ; indeed the oft repeating this injury , has advanc't it now into a custom , and the management of the minors estate is reckon'd on as part of the widows fortune . but i confess i see not what there is in the title of a mother , that can legitimate her defrauding her child ; it rather envenoms the crime and adds unnaturalness to deceit . besides 't is a preposterous sort of guilt . orphans and widows are in scripture link't together as objects of gods and good mens pitty , and of ill mens oppression , and how ill alas does civill war look among fellow sufferers ; the widow to injure the orphan is like that uncouth oppression solomon speaks of prov. . . apoor man that oppresseth the poor , is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food . such kind of rapins are as excessive in their degree as prodigious in their kind , and i believe there are many instances of sons , who have suffer'd more by the guardianship of their mothers , then they could probably have don by the outrage of strangers . . how well such mothers answer their obligations to their dead husbands , i must leave it to their own consciences to discuss : i shall only offer them these steps of gradation by which to proceed . first , that injustice of any sort is a great sin ; secondly that when 't is in a matter of trust t is complicated with treachery also , thirdly that of all trusts those to the dead have allwaies bin esteem'd the most sacred : if they can find any allay to these by the two remaining circumstances , that t is the trust of a husband , and the interest of a child , i shall confess them very subtil casuists . . i have hitherto spoke of what the widow ows to her dead husband ; but there is also somewhat of peculiar obligation in relation to her self . god who has pla●…d us in this world to pursue the interests of a better , directs all the signal acts of his providence to that end , and intends we should so interpret them . so that every great change that occurs , is design●…d either to recall us from a wrong way , or to quicken our pace in the right , and a widow may more then conjecture , that when god takes away the mate of her bosome , reduces her to a solitude , he does by it sound a retreat from the lighter jollities and gaieties of the world . and as in compliance with civill custom she immures her self , sits in darkness for a while ; so she should put on a more retir'd temper of mind , a more strict and severe behavior , and that not to be cast off with her veil , but to be the constant dress of her widowhood . indeed that state as it requires a great sobriety and piety , so it affords many advantages towards it : the apostle tells us , that she who is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband cor . . there are many things which are but the due compliances of a wife , which yet are great avocations , & interrupters of a strict devotion ; when she is manumitted , from that subjection , when she has less of martha's care of serving , she is then at liberty to chose mary's part , luk. . . she has her time and her fortune at her own command , and consequently may much more abound in the works both of piety and charity . we find god himself retrench the wive's power of binding her own soul num. . her vows were totally insignificant without her husbands confirmation ; but the widow might devote her self to what degree she pleas'd , her piety has no restraint from any other inconsistent obligation , but may swell as high as it can . those hours which were before her husbands right seem now to devolve on god the grand proprietor of our time : that discourse and free converse wherewith she entertain'd him , she may now convert into colloquies and spiritual entercourse with her maker ; and that love which was only human before , by the change of its object acquires a sublimity , is exalted into divine ; from loial duty and conjugal affection becomes the eternal work and happiness of angels , the ardor of a cherubim . thus may she in a ●…gher sense verify sampsons riddle , judg. . fetch hony out of a carcasse , make her husbands ashes ( like those of the heifer under the law , heb. . . ) her purification ; his corruption may help to put on incorruption , and her loss of a temporary comfort may instate her in an eternal . . and as her self so her fortune may also be consecrated ; and indeed if she be , that will also if she have made an escape out of egypt , there shall not a hoof be left behind her , exod. . . no part of her possessions will be assign'd to vanity and exccss . she who hath really devoted her self to piety , fasted and praied with anna luk. . . will also be full of good works & alms-deeds with tabitha , act. . . thus she may be a mother when she ceases to bear ; and tho she no more increase one family , she may support many ; and certainly the fertility of the womb , is not so valuable as this of the bowels . fruitfulness can be but a happiness , compassion is a vertue . nay indeed 't is a greater and more certain happiness ; a child is not brought forth but with pangs & anguish , but a work of mercy is produc'd not only with ease , but delight . besides , she that bears a child , knows not whether it may prove a blessing or a curse ; but charity gives certain title to a blessing , and engages the most solvent paymaster , even god himself , who owns all such disbursments as a loan to him . he that hath pity upon the poor , lendeth unto the lord : and that which he hath given will he pay him again , prov. . . . there was in the primitive times an ecclesiastical order of widows , which st. paul mentions tim. . whose whole ministry was devoted to charity . they were indeed of the poorer sort , fit rather to receive then give alms ; yet the less they could do with their purses , the more was required of their persons , the humbler offices of washing the saints feet , the careful task of bringing up children , and a diligent attendance on every good work . and sure there is parity of reason , that those who upon the score of their wealth , exemt themselvs from those laborious services , should commute for it by more liberal alms. in the warmth and zeal of christianity , women of the higest quality performed both sorts of charity , forgot their greatness in their condescensions , yet assum'd it again in their bounty ; founded hospitals , and yet with a labor of love , as the apostle stiles it , heb. . . disdain'd not sometimes to serve in them . but these are examples not like to be transcrib'd in our daies , greatness is now grown to such an unweildiness , that itcannot stoop tho to the most christian offices , and yet can as little soar up in any munificent charities : it stands like nebuchadnezzars golden image , a vast bulk only to be ador'd . . now certainly , if any women be qualified to avert this reproch , it must be the dowagers of great families and fortunes , they have none to controul their visits to the sick and afflicted , or to resent a disparagement from their humility , neither have they an account to give of their possessions to any but god and themselves ; to him sure they can bring none so like to procure them the eulogy of well don thou good and faithful servant , matth. . . as a catalogue of their alms. nor indeed can they any other way dispose their fortune so much to their own contentment ; they may indeed cloy and satiate their senses , make provision for the flesh ; but that no way satisfies their reason , much less their conscience . the soul , which is the superior part ; is quite left out in that distribution , nothing is communicated to it but the guilt of those dear bought excesses . the only way it has to be a sharer in their wealth , is by a charitable dispensing . the poor are its proxies as well as gods , and tho in all other respects we may say to the soul , as the psalmist does to god , ps. . . my goods extend not to thee : yet by this way , it becomes not only a partaker , but the chief proprietor , and all is laid out for its use . the harboring an out-cast , builds it an everlasting habitation , lu. . . the clothing the naked , arrays it in pure white linen , rev. . . and the feeding the hungry , makes it a guest at the supper of the lamb. v. . nay , it gains not only an indefeisible title to these happy reversions , but it has a great deal in present possession , a huge rational complacence in the right applying of wealth , & doing that with it for which 't was design'd ; yet more , it gives a sensitive delight , nothing being more agreeable to human nature , then the doing good to its own kind . a seasonable alms leavs a greater exultation & transport in the giver , then it can ordinarily raise in the receiver ; so exemplifying the maxim of our blessed lord , that it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive , act. . . this indeed is a way to elude the severe denuntiation of the apostle , tim. . . a widow that liveth in this plesure , is not dead whilest she liveth ; but on the contrary , shall live when she dies ; when she resigns her breath , shall improve her being ; the praiers of the poor , like a benign gale , shall assist her flight to the region of bliss ; and she who has here cherish'd the afflicted members , shall ther be indissolubly united to their glorious head. . and now methinks widow-hood , under this aspect , is quite transform'd , is not so forlorn ; so desolate an estate as 't is usually esteem'd . and would all widows use but this expedient , thus devote themselves to piety and charity , it would ▪ like the healing tree , exod. . . sweeten the waters of marah , render the condition not only supportable ; but plesant ; and they would not need to make : such affrighted ; such disadvantageous escapes , as many do , from it . 't is true , the apostle's affirmation is unquestionable , that the wife , when her husband is dead , is at liberty to be married to whom she will , cor. . . but the advice he subjoins is authentic too , she is happier if she so-abide . she that may solace her self in the society , in the love of her god , makes an ignoble descent to human embraces ; she that may purchase heaven with her wealth , buys a very dear bargain of the best husband on earth ; nay indeed , upon a meer secular account , it seems not very prudent to relinquish both liberty and property , to espouse at the best a subjection , but perhaps a slavery ; it a little resembles the mad frolicks of freed gally-slaves , who play away their liberty as soon as they regain it . . marriage is so great an adventure , that once seems enough for the whole life ; for whether they have bin prosperous or adverse in the first , it does almost discourage a second attemt . she that has had a good husband , may be suppos'd to have his idea so fixt in her heart , that it will be hard to introduce any new form : nay farther , she may very reasonably doubt , that in this commond earth of virtu , two good husbands will scarce fall to one womans share , and an ill one will become more intolerable to her , by the reflections she will be apt to make on the better . on the other side , if she have had a bad , the smart sure cannot but remain after the rod is taken off ; the memory of what she has suffer'd should , me thinks , be a competent caution against new adventures . yet experience shews us that women ( tho the weaker sex ) have commonly fortitude enough to encounter and baffle all these considerations . it is not therefore to be expected that many will by any thing that hath or can be said be diverted from remarrying : and indeed she that does not preserve her widowhood upon the accounts fore-mentioned , may perhaps better relinquish it . st paul we see advises that those widows who found no better emploiment then going from house to house , that grew by their vacancy to be tatlers and busy bodies tim. . . should marry again ; it being the best way to fix these wandring planets , to find them business of their own at home , that so they may not ramble abroad to intermeddle with that of others . and the truth is they that cannot brook the retiredness and gravity which becomes a widow , had better put themselves in a state that less requires it ; and , if they resolve not to conform their minds to their condition , to bring their condition to their minds ; but in the doing that there will be some cautions very necessary to be observ'd . i shall reduce them to two , the one relating to the times , the other to the equality of the match . . first in respect of time , common decency requires that there be a considerable intervall between the parting with one husband & the chusing another , this has bin so much observed by nations that were at all civiliz'd , that find numa made it a law , that no widow should marry under . months , and if any did she was to sacrifice as for the expiation of a crime ; and this continued in force many ages after , in somuch that when upon reasons of state augustus found it usefull to marry his sister octavia to antonius , nothing less then a decree of the senate could license the anticipating the time ; so zealous observers were they of this point of civility , that they thought the whole state was concern'd in the violation . 't is true we have no law in the case , but we have somewhat of custom , i know not how long we shall have , since the frequent breaches of it threaten quite to cancell it : yet a woman that is ten er of her honor will scarce give her example towards the rescinding it . the wounds of grief are seldom heal'd by any hand but that of time , and therefore too sudden a cure shews the hurt pierc'd not deep ; and she that can make her mourning veil an optic to draw a new lover neerer to her sight , gives cause to suspect the sables were all without . . the next thing considerable is the equality of the match . marriage is so close a link , that to have it easy 't is good to have the parties as even proportion'd as may be . and firstin respect of quality and fortune , 't is to be wisht there should be no eminent disproportion . those that meet most upon a level , are least subject to those upbraidings that often attend a great descent of either party ; it is therefore no prudent motive , by which some widows are swai'd , who marry only for a great title ; who often do not meet with so much of obeisance from strangers , as they do with contemt from their husbands and his relations . there have bin many examples of lords , who have used rich , but inferior , widows like spunges , squeez'd them to fill themselves again only with the air of a big name . on the other side for a woman to marry very meanly and too much below her self is rather worse ; those kind of matches are ordinarily made in a transport of passion , and when that abates and leaves her to sober reflections , she will probably be so angry with her self , that she will scarce be well pleas'd with her husband . a state of subjection is a little sweetned by the worth and dignity of the ruler : for as it is more honorable , so 't is also more easy ; the serviler spirits being of all others the most imperious in command . and sure 't will not a little grate a woman of honor , to think she has made such a one her master , who perhaps would before have thought it a preferment to have bin her servant . nay farther , such marriages have commonly an ill reflection on the modesty of the woman , it being usually presum'd that where the distance was so great , as to discourage such an attemt on his part , there was some invitation on hers . so that upon all accounts she is very forlorn who thus disposes of her self : yet 't is too well known such matches have oft bin made , and the same levity and inconsideration may betray others to it ; and therefore 't is their concern well to ballast their minds and to provide that their passion , never get the ascendant over their reason . . another very necessary equality is that of their judgment as to religion . i do not mean that they are to catechize each other as to every minute speculative point ; but that they be of the same profession , so as to join together in the worship of god. it is sure very uncomfortable that those who have so closely combin'd all their other interests , should be disunited in the greatest ; that one church cannot hold them , whom one house , one bed does ; and that religion which is in it self the most unitingthing , should be the only disagreement between them . i know 't is oft made a compact in such matches , that neither shall impose their opinion upon the other : yet i doubt 't is seldom kept , unless it be by those whose carelesness of all religion abates their zeal to any one . but where they have any earnestness in their way , especially where one party thinks the other in a damnable error , t will scarce be possible to refrain endeavoring to reduce them ; and that endeavor begets disputes , those disputes heats , those heats disgusts , and those disgusts perhaps end in aversion ; so that at last their affections grow as unreconcilable as their opinions , and their religious jars draw on domestic . besides if none of these personal debates happen , yet the education of the children will be matter of dispute ; the one parent will still be countermining the other , each seeking to recover the others proselytes . nay it introduces faction into the inferior parts of the family too : the servants , according to their different perswasions bandy into leagues and parties ; so that it endangers , if not utterly destroies all concord in families : and all this train of mischiefs , should methinks be a competent prejudice against such matches . . there is yet a third particular wherein any great disproportion is much to be avoided , and that is in years . the humors of youth and age differ so widely , that there had need be a great deal of skil to compose the discord into a harmony . when a young woman marries an old man , there are commonly jealousies on the one part and loathings on the other ; and if there be not an eminent degree of discretion in one or both , there will be perpetual disagreements . but this is a case that does not often happen among those i now speak to : for tho the avarice of parents sometimes forces maids upon such matches , yet widows who are their own choosers seldom make such elections . the inequality among them commonly falls on the other side , and old women marry young men . indeed any marriage is in such a folly and dotage , they who must suddenly make their beds in the dust , what should they think of a nuptial couch ? and to such the answer of the philosopher is apposite , who being demanded what was the fittest time for marrying , replied , for the young not yet , for the old not at all . . but this dotage becomes perfect frenzy and madness when they choose young husbands : this is an accumulation of absurdities and contradictions . the husband and the wife are but one person ; and yet at once young and old , fresh and wither'd . 't is a reversing the decrees of nature , and therefore 't was no ill answer which dionysius the tyrant gave his mother , who in her age design'd such a match , that tho by his regal power he could dispense with positive laws , yet he could not abrogate those of nature ; or make it fit for her an old woman to marry a young man. 't is indeed an inversion of seasons , a confounding the kalender , making a mungrel month of may and december : and the conjunction proves as fatal as it is prodigious ; it being scarce ever seen that such a match proves tolerably happy . and indeed 't is not imaginable how it should , for first 't is to be presum'd she that marries so must marry meanly , no young man who does not need her fortune will take her person . for tho some have the humor to give great rates for inanimate antiquities , yet none will take the living gratis . next she never misses to be hated by him she marries : he looks on her as his rack and torment , thinks himself under the lingring torture devis d by mezentius , a living body tied to a dead . nor must she think to cure this by any the little adulteries of art : she may buy beauty , and yet can never make it her own ; may paint , yet never be fair . 't is like enameling a mud-wall , the coursness of the ground will spoil the varnish ; and the greatest exquisitness of dress serves but to illustrate her native blemishes . so that all she gains by this is to make him scorn as well as abhor her . . indeed there is nothing can be more ridiculous , then an old woman gaily set out ; and it was not unaptly said of diogenes to such a one , if this decking be for the living , you are deceived ; if for the dead , make hast to them : and i doubt many young husbands will be ready to say as much . naybecause death comes not quick enough to part them , there is few have patience to attend its loitering pace : the man bids adieu to the wife tho not to her fortune , takes that to maintain his luxuries else where , allows her some little annuity , and makes her a pensioner to her own estate . so that he has his design , but she none of hers : he married for her fortune , and he has it ; she for his person , and has it not : and which is worse buies her defeat with the loss of all ; he commonly leaving her as emty of mony as he found her of wit. . and truly this is a condition deplorable enough , and yet usually fails even of that comfort which is the last reserve of the miserable , i mean pitty . 't is the wise man's question , eccles. . . who will pitty a charmer that is bitten with a serpent ? he might have presum'd less on his skill , and kept himself at a safer distance ; and s●…re the like may be said of her . alas , what are her feeble charms , that she should expect by them to fix the giddy appetites of youth ? and since she could so presume without sense , none will regret that she could be convinc'd by smart . besides , this is a case wherein there have bin a multitude of unhappy presidents which might have caution'd her . he that accidentally falls down an undiscover'd precipice is compassionated for his disaster ; but he that stands a great while on the brink of it , looks down and sees the bottom strew'd with the mangled carcasses of many that have thence fallen ; if he shall deliberately cast himself into their company , the blame quite extinguishes the pitty ; he may astonish , but not melt the beholders . and truly she who casts her self away in such a match , betraies not less but more wilfullness . how many ruins of unhappy women present themselves to her , like the wracks of old vessells , all split upon this rock ? and if she will needs steer her course purposely to do the same , none ought to grudg her the shipwrack she so courts . nor has she only this negative discomfor to be depriv'd of pity , but she is loaded with censures and reproch . the world is apt enough to malicious errors , to fix blame where there is none , but 't is seldom guilty of the charitative , does not overlook the smallest appearance of evil , but generally puts the worst construction on any act , that it will with any probability bear ; and according to that mesure women in this condition can expect no very mild descant on them . indeed such matches are so destitute of any rational plea , that 't is hard to derive them from any other motive then the sensitive . what the common conjectures are in that case , is as needless as it is unhansom to declare : i will not say how true they are , but if they be , it adds another reason to the former , why such marriages are so improsperous . all distortions in nature are usually ominous ; and sure such preternatural heats in age , may very well be reckond'd as dismal presages , & very certain ones too , since they create the ruine they foretell . and truly 't is not only just , but convenient , that such motives should be attended with such consequences ; that the bitterness of the one may occasion some reflexion on the sordidness of the other . 't is but kindly , that such an alhallontide spring should meet with frosts , and the unplesantness of the event chastise the ugliness of the design ; and therefore i think those that are conscious of the one , should be so far from murmuring , that they should be very thankful for the other ; think ●…t gods discipline to bring them again to their wits , and not repine at that smart which themselves have made necessary . . and now i wish all the ancienter widows , would seriously weigh how much 't is their interest not to sever those two epithets ; that of ancient they cannot put off , it daily grows upon them ; and that of widow is sure a more proprotionable adjunct to it , then that of wife ; especially when it is to one to whom her age might have made her mother . there is a veneration due to age , if it be such as disowns not it self : the hoary head , says solomon , is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness , prov. . . but when it will mix it self with youth , it is disclaim'd by both , becomes the shame of the old , and the scorn of the young. what a strange fury is it then which possesses such women , that when they may dispose their fortunes to those advantageous designs before mention'd , they should only buy with them , so undecent , so ridiculous a slavery ? that when they may keep up the reputation of modesty and prudence , they should expose themselves to an universal contemt for the want of both ; and that they who might have had a reverence , put themselves even out of the capacity of bare compassion . . this is so high a frenzy , as sure cannot happen in an instant ; it must have some preparatory degrees , some rooting in the constitution and habit of the mind : such widows have sure some lightness of humor , before they can be so giddy in their brains , and therefore those that will secure themselves from the effect , must substract the cause ; if they will still be wishing themselves young , 't is odds but within a while they will persuade themselves they are so . let them therefore content them selves to be old , and as fashions are varied with times , so let them put on the ornaments proper to their season ; which are piety , gravity , and prudence . these will be not only their ornament , but their armor too ; this will gain them such a reverence , that will make it as improbable they should be assaulted , as impossible they should assault . for i think one may safely say , it is the want of one or all of these , which betraies women to such marriages . . and indeed it may be a matter of caution , even to the younger widows , not to let themselvs too much loose to a light frolic humor , which perhaps they will not be able to put off , when it is most necessary they should . it will not much invite a sober man to marry them while they are young ; and if it continue with them till they are old , it may ( as natural motions use ) grow more violent towards its end : precipitate them into that ruinous folly we have before consider'd . yet , should they happen to scape that , should it not force them from their widow-hood , it will sure very ill agree with it : for how preposterous is it for an old woman to delight in gauds & trifles such as were fitter to entertain her gran-children ? to read romances with spectacles , & be at masks and dancings , when she is fit only to act the antics ? these are contradictions to nature : the tearing off her marks , and where she has writ fifty or sixty , tolessen ( beyond the proportionof the unjust steward ) and write sixteen . and those who thus manage their widow-hood , have more reason to bewail it at last then at first , as having more experimentally found the mischif of being left too their own guidance . it will therefore concern them all to put themselvs under a safer conduct , by an●… assiduous devotion to render themselvs up to the leading of the one infallible guide , who , if he be not a covering of the eyes , gen. . . to preclude all second choices , may yet be a light to them for discerning who are fit to be chosen ; that if they see fit to use their liberty and marry , they may yet take the apostles restriction with it , cor. . . that it be only in the lord. upon such sober motives , and with such due circumstances as may approve it to him , and render it capable of his benediction . the close . . i have now gone through both parts of the propos'd method . the former has presented those qualifications which are equally necessary to every woman : these , as a root , send sap and vigor to the distinct branches , animate & impregnate the several successive states through which she is to pass . he that hath pure ore or bullion , maycast it intowhat form best fits his use , nay may translate it from one to another ; and she who has that mine of virtues , may furnish out any condition ; her being good in an absolute consideration , will certainly make her so in a relative . on the other side , she who has not such a stock , cannot keep up the honor of any state ; like corrupted liquor , emty it from one vessel to another , it still infects and contaminates all . and this is the cause thatwomen are alike complain'd of under all forms , because so many want this fundamental vertu : were there more good women , there would be more modest virgins , loyal and obedient wives , and sober widows . . i must therefore intreat those who will look on this tract , not only to single out that part which bears their own inscription , but that they think themselves no less concern'd in that which relates indefinitely to their sex ; endeavor to possess themselvs of those excellencies which should be as universal as their kind : and when they are so stor'd with matter , they may leave providence to diversifie the shape , and to assign them their scene of action . . and now would god it were as easie to persuade , as it is to propose ; and that this discourse may not be taken only as a gazet for its newness , & discarded as soon as read ; but that it may at least advance to the honor of an almanac , be allowed one year ere it be out of date : and in that time , if frequently & seriously consulted , it may perhaps awaken some ladies from their stupid dreams , convince them that they were sent into theworld for nobler purposes , then only to make a little glittering in it ; like a comet , to give a blaze , and then disappear . and truly , if it may operate but so far as to give them an effective sense of that , i shall think it has don them a considerable service : they may , i am sure , from that principle , deduce all necessary consequences , and i wish they would but take the pains to draw the corollaries ; for those inductions they make to themselves , would be much more efficacious then those which are drawn to their hands . propriety is a great endearment , we love to be proselytes to our selves ; and people oft resist others reasons , who would upon meer partiality pay reverence to their own . . but besides this , there would be another advantage , if they could be but got to a custom of considering , by it they might insensibly undermine the grand instrument of their ruine . that careless incogitancy , so remarkably frequent among all , and not least among persons of quality , is the source of innumerable mischiefs ; 't is the delilah , that at once lulls and betrays them ; it keeps them in a perpetual sleep , binds up their faculties , so that , though they are not extinct , yet they becom useless . plato used to say , that a man asleep was good for nothing : and 't is cretainly no less true of this moral drousiness then the natural . and as in sleep the fancy only is in motion , so these inconsiderate persons , they rather dream then discourse entertain little trifling images of things , which are presented by their senses , but know not how to converse with their reason . so that in this drousy state , all temtations come on them with the same advantage , with that of a thief in the night ; a phrase by which the scripture expresses the most inevitable unforeseen danger , thess. , . we read in judges , how easily laish became a preyto a handful of men , meerly because of the supine negligent humor of the inhabitants , which had cut them off from allintercourse with any who might have succor'd them , jud. . , . and certainly it gives no less opportunity to our spiritual assailants , leaves us naked and unguarded to receive all their impressions . how prodigious a thing is it then , that this state of dulness and danger should be affectedly chosen ? yet we see it too often is , even by those whose qualities & education fit them for more ingenious elections ; nay , which is yet more riddle , that very aptness disenables , sets them above what it prepares them for . labor is lookt on as utterly incompatible with greatness , and consideration is lookt on as a labor of the mind ; and there are some ladies , who seem to reckon it as their prerogative , to be exemted from both ; will no more apply their understandings to any serious discuffion , then their hands to the spindle and distaff ; the one they think pedantic , as the other is mean. in the mean time , by what strange measures do they proceed ? they look on idiots as the most deplorable of creatures , because they want reason , and yet make it their own excellence and preheminence , to want the use of it ; which is indeed so much worse then to want the thing , as sloth is worse then poverty , a moral defect then a natural . but we may see by this , how much civil & sacred estimates differ : for we find the bereans commended , not only as more diligent , but as more noble too , act. . . because they attentively consider'd , and strictly examin'd the doctrine preach ' a to them . by which they may discern , that in gods court of honor , a stupid oscitancy is no ennobling quality , however it comes to be thought so in theirs . . and if this one point might be gain'd , if they would but so far actuate their reason , as deliberatly and duly to weigh their interest , they would find that so strictly engaging them to allthat is vertuous ; that they must have a very invincible resolution for ruine , if that cannot perswade them : and i hope all women are not medea's , whom the poet brings in avowing the horridness of that fact , which yet the resolv'd to execute . they are generally rather timorous , and apt to start at the apprehension of danger ; let them but see a serpent tho at a great distance ; they will need no homilies or lectures to be perswaded to fly it . and sure did they but cleerly discern what a sting there is in those vicious follies they embrace , their fear would make them quit their hold ; put them in such a trembling , as would , like that of belshazzars , slacken their joints , and make those things drop from them , which before they most tenaciously grasped . for indeed in sin there is a conspiration of all that can be dreadful to a rational being , so that one may give its compendium by the very reverse of that which the apostle gives of godliness , tim. . . for as the one has the promises , so the other has the curses of this life , and of that to come . . in this life every deprav'd act ( much more habit ) has a black shadow attending it ; it casts one inward upon the conscience in uncomfortable upbraidings and regrets . 't is true indeed , some have the art to disguise that to themselves by casting a yet darker over it ; suppressing all those reluctings byan industrious stupefaction ; making their souls so perfect-night , that they cannot see those black images their consciences represent . but as this renders their condition but the more wretched ; so neither can they blind others tho they do themselves . vice casts a dark shadow outwards too , not such as may conceal but betray its self : and as the evening shadows increase in dimension , grow to a monstrosity and disproportion ; so the longer any ill habit is continued , the more visible , the more deform'd it appears , draws more observation and more censure . . 't were indeed endless to reckon up the temporal evils to which it exposes its votaries ; immodesty destroi's their fame , a vain prodigality their fortune , anger makes them mad , pride hateful , levity renders them despis'd , obstinacy desperate , and irreligion is a complication of all these , fills up their mesure both of guilt and wretchedness , so that had vertue no other advocate , her very antagonist would plead for her : the miserable consequences of vice , would like the flames of sodom send all considering persons to that little zoar , which how despicable soever it may have appear'd before , cannot but look invitingly when safety is inscrib'd on its gates . . but it must infinitly more do so , if they please to open a visto into the other world , make use of divine perspectives to discern those distant objects which their grosser senses do here intercept . there they may see the dismal catastrophe of their comedies , the miserable inversion of all unlawful or unbounded plesures : there that prophetic menace concerning babylon which we find , rev. . . will be literally verified upon every unhappy soul , according as she exalted her self and lived delicately , so much the more tribulation give her ; the torment of that life will bear proportion to the pride and luxuries of this . it wil therefore be necessary for those who here wallow in plesures , to confront to them the remembrance of those rivers of br●…mstone , and ask themselves the prophets question , who can dwell with everlasting burnings ? we find esay , when he denounces but temporal judgments against the daughters of zion , he exactly pursues the antithesis , and to every part of their effeminate delicacy he opposes the direct contrary hardship ; instead of sweet smels there shall be a stink , instead of a girdle a rent , in stead of well-set hair baldness , in stead of a stomacher a girding with sackcloth , and burning in stead of beauty , esai . . . . it were well the daughters of our zion would copy out this lecture , and prudently forsee how every particular sin or vanity of theirs will have it s adapted punishment in another world. and sure this consideration well digested , must needs be a forcible expedient to cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , as the apostle speaks cor. . . for is it possible for her to cherish and blow up her libidinous flames here , who considers them but as the first kindlings of those inextinguishable ones hereafter ? can she make it her study to please her appetite , that remembers that dives's unintermitted feast ends in as unallaied a thirst ? or can she deny the crumbs of her table to that lazarus , to whom she foresees she shall then supplicate for a drop of water ? in fine can she lay out her whole industry , her fortune , nay her ingenuity too , in making provision for the flesh , who considers that that flesh will more corrupt by pampering , and breed the worm that never dies ? certainly no woman can be so desperately daring , as thus to attaque damnation , resist her reason and her sense , only that she may ruine her soul ; and unless she can do all this , her foresight will prove her escape , and her viewing the bottomless pit in landskip and picture will secure her from a real descent into it . . but now that this tract may not make its exit in the shape of a fury , bring their meditations to hell and there leave them , it must now at last shift the scene , and as it has shew'd the blackness of vice by that outer darkness to which it leads , we also will let in a beam of the celestial light to discover the beauty of vertue ; remind the reader that there is a region of joy as well as a place of torment , and piety and vertue is that milky way that leads to it ; a state , compar'd to which the elyzium of the heathen is as inconsiderable as it is fictitious , the mahometan paradise as flat and insipid as it is gross and brutish ; where the undertaking of the psalmist shall be compleatly answer'd , those that fear the lord shall want no manner of thing that is good , ps. . . and this happy state is as accessible as excellent , god is not unsincere in his proposals , offers not these glories only to tantalize and abuse us , but to animate and incourage mankind . he sets up an inviting prize , and he not only marks out , but levels the way to it ; makes that our duty which is also our plesure , yea and our honor too : so has he contriv'd for our ease , that knowing how hardly we can divest our voluptuousness and ambition , he puts us not to it ; all he demands is but that he may choose the objects , and in that he is yet more obliging , for by that at once he refines and satisfies the desires . he takes us us off indeed from the fulsom plesures of sense , which by their grosseness may cloy , yet by reason of their emtiness can never fill us ; and brings us to tast the more pure spiritual delights which are the true elixir of plesures ; in comparison whereof all the sensual are but as the dregs or feces in an extraction , after the spirits are drawn off . in like manner he calls us from our aspiring to those pinnacles of honor , where we alwaies sit totter ●…gly and often full down , but yet invites us to soar higher , where we shall have the moon with all her vicissitudes and changes under our feet rev. . . and enjoy a grandeur as irreversible as splendid . . thus does he shew us a way to hallow our most unsanctified affections ; thus , according to the prophesie of zeehariah , may holiness be writ even upon the bells of the horses , zec. . . upon our most brutal inclinations ; and thus may all those feminine passions which now seduce women from vertu , advance them in it . let her that is amorous , place her love upon him who is ( as the spouse tells us , cant. . . ) the chiefest among ten thousand ; she that is angry , turn her edg against her sins ; she that is haughty , disdain the devils drudgery ; she that is fearful , dread him who can destroy both body and soul in hell , matt. . . and she that is sad , reserve her tears for her penitential offices . thus may they consecrate even their infirmities ; and tho they cannot deifie , or erect temples to them , as the romans did to their passions , nay their diseases ; yet after they are thus cleansed , they may sacrifice them as the jews did the clean beasts in the tabernacle . only irreligion and profaneness is exemt from this priviledg , no water of purification can cleanse it , or make it serviceable in the temple ; that , like the spoils of jericho , is so execrable , that it must be devoted to destruction , as an accursed thing , jos. . . for tho god do not despise the work of his own hands , have so much kindness to his creatures , that he endeavors to reduce all our native inclinations to their primitive rectitude , and therefore does not abolish , but purifie them ; yet atheism is none of those , 't is a counterblast from hell , in opposition to that mighty wind in which the holy spirit descended . tho the subject in which it subsists may be reform'd , the person may turn christian , and the wit that maintain'd its blasphemousparadoxes may be converted to holier uses : yet the quality it self is capable of no such happy metamorphosis ; that must be extirpated , for it cannot be made tributary ; which shews how transcendent an ill that is which cannot be converted to good : even that omnipotence which can out of the very stones raise children to abraham , attemts not any transmutation of this ; which ought therefore to possess all hearts with a detestation of it , and to advance them in an earnest pursuit of all the parts of piety . . and that is it which i would now once more ( as a farwel exhortation ) commend to my female readers , as that which vertually contains all other accomplishments ; 't is that pearl in the gospel for which they may ' part with all and make a good bargain too . the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom saies the wisest of men prov. . . and by his experience he shews that it is the compleating end of it too ; for he no sooner declin'd from that , but he grew to dotage and dishonor . let all those therefore to whom god has dispenst an outward affluence , given them a visible splendor in the eies of the world , be careful to secure to themselvs that honor which comes from god only , joh. . . unite their souls to that supreme majesty who is the fountain of true honor who in his bestowing the crown of righteousness proceeds by the same mesures by which he disposed the crown of israel , when he avow'd to samuel that he lookt not on the outward appearance but beheld the heart , sam. . . if god see not his own image there , all the beauty and gaiety of the outward form is despicable in his eies , like the apples of sodom only a kind of painted dust . but if piety be firmly rooted there , they then become like the kings daughter all glorious within too ; a much more vanluable bravery then the garment of needle-work and vesture of gold , psalm . . . and this is it that must enter them into the kings palace , into that new jerusalem , where they shall not wear , but inhabit pearls and gems rev. . . be beautiful without the help of art or nature , by the meer reflection of the divine brightness ; be all that their then enlarg'd comprehensions can wish , and infinitly more then they can here imagine . finis . the contents . part. i. sect. . of modesty . p. . sect. . of meekness . p. . sect. . of compassion . p. . sect. . of afsability . p. . sect. . of piety . p. . part ii. sect. . of virgins . p. . sect. . of wives . p. . sect. . of widows . p. . the close . p. . the necessity of serious consideration, and speedy repentance, as the only way to be safe both living and dying. by clement elis, m.a. rector of kirkby in nottinghamshire ellis, clement, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing e estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the necessity of serious consideration, and speedy repentance, as the only way to be safe both living and dying. by clement elis, m.a. rector of kirkby in nottinghamshire ellis, clement, - . [ ], p. printed, and are to be sold by william rogers at the sun over-against st. dunstans church in fleet-street, and thomas elis in mansfield, london : . preliminary leaf bears imprimatur: august . . ra barker. reproduction of the original in the christ church library, oxford. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng repentance -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion imprimatur , r a. barker . august . . the necessity of serious consideration , and speedy repentance , as the only way to be safe both living and dying . by clement elis , m. a. rector of kirkby in nottinghamshire . psalm . , . i thought on my ways , and turned my feet unto thy testimonies . i made haste , and delayed not to keep thy commandments . london : printed , and are to be sold by william rogers at the sun over-against st. dunstans church in fleet-street , and thomas elis in mansfield . . to my children . my dear children , tho this plain discourse of the necessity of serious consideration and speedy repentance , seem to me very needful to many , and is therefore published , that all who need it , and please to make use of it , may have by them a friendly rememebrancer to put them in mind to take all due care of themselves : yet because of the special love and care i ought to have for you , as i am your father , i do in a more special manner commend it to you , as the very best advice i am able to give you ; and seeing my life cannot now be much longer , it may be the last . if i have expected from you the duty of obedient children , it hath been always more for your sakes than mine own ; that you might be sharers in that special promise which st. paul tells you belongs to them that honour their father and mother , ephes. . , . and i shall always reckon , that you very fully pay all that honour which you owe to me , so long as i see you make it your chief business to fear god , and keep his commandments , which is your whole duty , eccl. . . honour always your father which is in heaven ; and be sure you can do no greater honour than that to your parents upon earth . and as you may justly expect from me the love and care of a father ; so you ought to think , that i never better express either of them towards you , than when , as the same st. paul hath commanded me , i endeavour to bring you up in the nurture and admonition of the lord , v. . for whatever else god shall enable me to do for you , in this i take care at once both of your souls and bodies ; godliness having the promise of the life that now is , and of that which is to come , tim. . . i dare not be confident , that i have not much fail'd you in this duty of a father , whilst you were all at home with me , and under my eye . neither can i now hope to have you again much with me whilst i live , or indeed that i shall live much longer to take any care at all of you . the only way therefore that is now left me , either to make you amends for such neglects of you , as i may have been at any time guilty of ; or to testify my earnest desire , that you may be always happy in the service , and under the blessing of almighty god , the father , son , and holy ghost , to whom you were in your baptism dedicated ; is first , daily so long as i live to pray for his grace to guide and govern you in the ways of truth and holiness to eternal life ; and then to put into your hands the substance of all those pious instructions which i could ever be able to give you , were we to live here together to the world's end . this , if i mistake not , i have already in some good measure done in three small books , viz. christianity in short ; the scripture-catechism , and the communicant's guide . if you be perfect in these , you will understand reasonably well both what you are to believe , do , desire , and hope for ; and will be able to reap more benefit by the reading of other more excellent books , and chiefly that book of books , the book of god , which i do charge you with all the authority of a father , to read so long as you live , when not unavoidably hinder'd ( some part of it daily ) ; and that with the greatest seriousness and attention of mind , with the devoutest reverence to the great god , whose word it is , and with most earnest prayers to him , to enlighten your understandings by it , and to conform your wills wholly unto it . consider well all that you read or hear , and speedily put in practice all that is your duty to do , and cast off every sin without delay ; as this discourse will , i hope , convince you , it is altogether necessary for you to do . having therein said so much to you and others joyntly , i shall not need to say much more now to you alone . only let me advise you to bear this always in remembrance , that if you will be saved , it must be by obeying the gospel of jesus christ , our only saviour , which you cannot do , but by denying your selves , by doing his will and not your own ; following his rules , and not the customs and fashions of the persons , great or small , amongst whom you live . our wills are corrupt and perverse , and the multitude is always in the broad way to destruction . you have need of much christian courage to save your selves from this untoward generation . o , as you love god and your selves , be neither ashamed nor afraid to live as the few do , which are in the narrow way to life . stoutly resolve to be as indifferent for the world , as you see many zealous for it ; and as zealous for god and heaven , as you see others regardless of them . pray fervently for strength to do as you resolve ; and then i doubt not , but you will be a comfort to me whilst i live , and an honour to me when i am dead ; and when you are dead too , we shall all live together again in the eternal joys of heaven , through jesus christ our lord. amen . the necessity of serious consideration . the introduction . that exhortation which st. peter hath given unto christians , pet. . . to give diligence to make their calling and election sure , must needs appear at the very first hearing of it , so very reasonable , and so much for our advantage every way , that one would think it should be most readily embraced , and immediately put in practice by every one that loves himself . can any one , who hath any love for himself ( as who hath not in some sense or other ? ) rest himself content and well satisfied , so long as he apprehends himself to be in an unsafe and dangerous condition , and knows a way how to come out of it ? is it not natural to all men in such a case to bestir themselves , and to seek out diligently all the means of safety , and never to cease from so doing , till they think themselves as sure as men can be , that all the danger is over ; and that they need no longer to fear , either to lose the good they love , or to suffer the evil they abhor ? yes , it is natural enough to us all , to use as much , and oftentimes a great deal more diligence , than it is either needful or fit for us to use , that we may secure the safety of our bodies , and even of the least valuable parts of our estates in this world ; which yet it is not in our power to do , tho we do all that ever we can to that purpose . but alas ! we are so far from using any such diligence in endeavouring to make sure to our selves our eternal happiness , ( tho we may be always as sure , that we shall have power to do this , as we are that we sincerely endeavour it ) that we hardly once consider , that we are in any danger of losing it . surely it will be granted by all , that a blessed life for ever in heaven , after this very short and very troublesome life on earth shall be at an end , is a very desirable thing ; and such as one cannot but desire , when he hath well consider'd , that there it may be had , but here it cannot . and tho' there may be some , who do not yet believe , that such a life of eternal blessedness is to be had in heaven after death ; yet i dare say , that even these , seeing they know they must shortly die , could heartily wish it might be so . i cannot easily be persuaded to think , that any one can hate life for any thing else but the troubles and the miseries which he finds it cannot be without : and therefore i believe , that no man would willingly die , and be no more for ever , supposing it possible that he may live again for ever without any such troubles or miseries . now every one knows , that he must die , and that it cannot be long ere he must live no more here ; and therefore no man can chuse but wish , that , if it be possible , he may live again : especially if he may be sure , both to live a happy life , and to die no more . and blessed for ever be our lord jesus christ , who hath given us assurance , that there is such a life prepared for all that are his faithful followers ! he hath abolished death , and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel , tim. i. . and being himself the way , the truth , and the life , joh. xiv . . hath pointed out unto us the narrow way which leadeth unto life , mat. vii . and this is no other but the way of god's commandments , rev. xxii . . blessed are they that do his commandments , that they may have right to the tree of life . whosoever therefore desires an eternal blessed life after death , and has a mind to make it sure unto himself , must make haste to get into this way , and be very careful to keep it so long as he lives . he must get into this way , because there is no other way to life ; and he must make haste to get into it , because death follows him every day at his heels ▪ and he knows not how soon it will be upon him ; and if he get not into the way of life before it overtakes him , he must die and be miserable for ever . and he must be sure to keep it all the days of his present life , because whenever he goes out of it , he is in the way to eternal death . the time of this present life ( how short soever it may be ) is to be look'd upon as the only time of making an eternal life sure unto us . if we let this time pass over us before we are prepared for that eternity , it is like to prove unto us an eternity of sorrows . now are we travelling toward god our happiness , and those heavenly mansions , which the eternal son of god , and our only saviour is gone before to prepare for us ; and where we hope to be for ever with the lord. whilst we live , we are but in the way , and not at home in our country : here have we no continuing city , but we seek one to come , heb. xiii . . and the same blessed jesus , who hath open'd the gate of life unto us by his own death and resurrection , and is our only sure guide unto it , hath acquainted us with two ways , and no more , that we can walk in whilst here we live ; the broad way to destruction , wherein go the multitude ; and the narrow way to life , wherein but few walk : if then we step out of the one way , we must needs be in the other ; for there is no middle path to be found , wherein we may walk , and neither go to life nor destraction . the broad way is that of men's lusts , wherein there is latitude enough ; and the narrow way is the way of god's commandments ; and a man must be very strict and upright in his walking therein , and must not swerve either to the right-hand or to the left , if he have a mind to be safe . it seems ( i must needs say ) one of the strangest things in the world to me , that we all should be so exceedingly concern'd , as at every turn we shew our selves to be , about our living safely and comfortably in this present world ; so that we cannot hear the least ill news , but it puts us quite out of humour ; and we are all in fears what will become of us : and yet so very few amongst us seem to have any concernment at all upon them , what shall become of them when they die ! i confess , if men could be any way assured , that there is nothing at all to be expected after death , i should the less wonder , that their whole concern should be for this life ; because i know nothing else that they should be concern'd for . but seeing it is an impossible thing , that any one should be assured of that ; and seeing we have all the assurance that men can have of the contrary , to wit , that an endless state of either happiness or misery shall follow our short life here ; what an unaccountable madness seems this to be , which has so generally possess'd us , to be so concern'd , how we shall fare for a few days here , and altogether as regardless ( for so the most of us seem to be ) how it shall go with us for evermore ! whence can this proceed , but from inconsideration , or want of thinking on things as men should do ? if we did really think in earnest , what we are , whence we came , what we have here to do , how soon we may and must go hence ; whither we are to go , and what shall finally become of us ; we must needs become a little more serious and provident both , than now we are ; and how little assurance soever we had of what is to come , we would be concern'd a little , so to behave our selves in this world , as we might go out of it with this comfort at least , that if we can be sure of no good after death , yet we should not need to fear any evil . any one that is wise , if he have no hopes to he happy , would yet take a course to be safe . and yet ( god knows ! ) the generality of people are far short of this wisdom . all we seem to mind , is some little thing that we take pleasure in for the present ; and all our care is , not to lose that , whatever it be , so long as we live . but we so little think of what either shall be , or may be after death ; yea , and ( what 's stranger , considering we know it so well ) we so little think , that we are every moment stepping towards the grave , and that the next step we take , for ought we know , may be into it ; that death surpriseth most of us , when ever it comes ; and how slowly soever , through god's wonderful forbearance , it come ; yet it steals upon us unaware , and takes us unprepared , and so proves ( what we are well-taught to pray against ) a sudden death to most of us ; and if there be any thing worse than another after death ( as certainly there is both a better and a worse than any thing can be in this world ) we are sure of it . to make us a little more sensible of this great folly , and to shew us what course we are to take , if we have any mind to do our selves good , or have no mind to make our selves miserable for ever , is the design of this discourse . and i shall divide it into two parts . in the former of which i shall shew the necessity of a serious consideration , and give some few directions for it . in the later shall be shewn the danger of delaying our repentance , and an exhortation given to make haste to live well , that we may be always ready to die well ; and so make sure of life eternal . part i. of consideration . he that would make sure of eternal life , and escape everlasting torments , must take care to do it in this world , before he be call'd out of it by death : for the time of this present life is the only time which god hath given us to prepare our selves for eternity ; and as we behave our selves now , so must we expect to fare for ever . and the best course that we can be directed to take , that we may be sure of eternal blessedness , is the same which david tells us he took , psalm cxix . , . in these words : i thought on my ways , and turned my feet unto thy testimonies : i made haste , and delayed not to keep thy commandments . where we are to observe both what he did , and what he did not . . that which he did was this : first , he thought on his ways . he enter'd into a serious consideration of his own course of life , that he might understand thereby , what his present state and condition was ; and whether such a life was agreeable to the law of god or no ; and consequently , whether it would bring him to happiness or misery . and , secondly , having considered this well , he turned his feet unto god's testimonies ; and he made haste to keep his commandments . whatsoever he found amiss in himself , he immediately corrected it by a speedy repentance , regulating his whole conversation henceforward by the right rule thereof ▪ the commandments of god. . that which he did not , was this : he delayed not to keep god's commandments . or , as some render it , he was not troubled , or disturb'd in mind about it ; or he had no dispute within himself , whether he should , or he should not ; or whether he should do it just now , or stay till some other time ; but without any delay , or driving it off from day to day , or so much as one moment longer , he presently set himself to the keeping of god's commandments . he did not , as felix did , acts xxiv . . who when he had heard st. paul reasoning of righteousness , temperance , and iudgment to come , was so far concern'd , as that he fell a trembling ; but yet put off the farther consideration of what he had then heard , to a more convenient time : go thy way , saith he , for this time ; when i have a more convenient season , i will call for thee . a season which , as far as we know , he never found . david was wiser for himself than so : he had not only consider'd his ways , but also the uncertainty of his life . he knew that he had not time at his command , he could not make it stay his leisure ; therefore he took it whilst it was there ; considering withal , that the time present is always the most convenient season for doing that , which if it be not done before he die , he must perish everlastingly . we have these two things then in this good example to imitate . . his consideration . . his reformation . the later of these is the sure way to god and blessedness ; but we are never like to come into it , but by the former . and therefore i shall commend this , in the first place , to all that have a desire to be safe . concerning consideration , i shall shew , . what it is . . what are the evils of inconsideration . . what chiefly causeth the neglect of it . . what are the things we should consider . sect . i. what consideration is . designing this discourse principally for the less-understanding sort of people , i find it necessary , in the first place , to tell them , what is meant by consideration . and , i suppose , such persons will best understand me , when i say , that to consider a thing , is very seriously to think of it . i say , it is to think of it very seriously , as much as the thing deserves to be thought of . to understand this more perfectly , let us enquire into two things . . what kind of things they are which deserves our serious thinking on . . what kind of thinking it is that deserves the name of consideration . . what kind of things they are which deserve our serious thinking on . it is not every thing that deserves to have a man's serious thoughts , or which can be thought worthy of his care , and fit for him to busie his head much about . but the things which a man should seriously think upon , are such things , as we are wont to call considerable things ; matters of some weight , and of some concernment to him one way or other ; and especially such as are of greatest concernment . they should be such as it may do one some good to think on ; and the serious thinking of which , may make him the wiser , the better , or the happier . there are some things of so little worth or concernment to us , that they are not worth much thinking on ; and there are some things so unintelligible to us , that it is to no purpose to think much of them ; and there are some things that are so wholly above our power of ordering , that it can no way avail us to be much concern'd in our thoughts about them . but there are , besides these , things , whereof if we do not think much , we must needs be fools , or wicked , or miserable ; and these ought to be much and seriously thought on . yet such is the vanity of our minds , that we are aptest to trouble our heads most about those things , the much thinking whereof brings us nothing but trouble and vexation . how happy were it for us , if we could never think of many of those things , which our thoughts do usually run most upon ! and in thinking whereof we waste the far greater part of our life , either to little , or to a bad purpose ! it would be our great ease , and advantage too , to think no more on these things , than only to consider that they deserve not , and therefore should not have our serious thoughts . as any thing is of more or less use and concernment to us ; as it may more or less conduce to make us wise , or good , or happy ; as the thoughts of it may more or less help us to live as we ought to do , in our duty to god or man in this life , or to come to eternal life when we go out of this ; so is it more or less to be seriously thought on . and in like manner , whatever things may make us worse or more miserable , and may be hindrances and obstructors either of our duty or happiness , are accordingly to the hurt more or less which they may do us , to be more or less made the objects of our serious thoughts : so that whatever things they be , that may not be either useful or hurtful to us , and the more or less so , as we either do , or do not think upon them , are to be look'd on as things not at all considerable ; and therefore no more to be thought on , than must needs be , when they come into our heads whether we will or no ; and then are they to be thought on with all indifferency imaginable . the things then that are of concernment to us , and for that considerable , are all such as we may be better or worse for , such as god may be honour'd or dishonour'd by ; such as may help or hinder us to be good , and to do good in this world ; or may prepare or unfit us for everlasting blessedness . hence the concerns of the soul are more to be thought on than the concerns of the body ; publick concerns more than private , relating to this world only ; spiritual and heavenly things more than things carnal and earthly ; eternal concerns more than temporary ; and god , who is infinitely above all , and whose both honour and favour is of nearer concernment to us than all things , is to be thought on more than all things . such are the things which most deserve our serious thinking on . . let us now see , what kind of thinking it is , that can deserve the name of consideration . or , how are these considerable things to be thought upon so , as that we may be truly said to consider them . it is certain , that every sort of thinking is not to be accounted considering . we have all of us a thousand rambling thoughts of many things , which we take so little into consideration , that we can give very little account how we came to think of them ; and often can hardly remember that we did so at all . whilst we are awake always , and sometimes when we are asleep , our heads are full of thoughts , which are very busie , or rather playing , even whether we will or no , about a multitude of little things , which we never thought worth one hours consideration . as in a market-crowd a man may see a hundred faces , and give every one he meets with a slight good-morrow , or a how-d ' you ; and he hath some thoughts ( such as they are ) of every one , and yet takes no farther notice of them , these being persons he is not then concern'd with . his business which brought him thither , is the only thing he thinks of then in good earnest : so most of the things we think of , we do but remember at most , or occasionally and accidentally they come into our minds ; but as they come , so they go : like to a thing that passeth by us in haste , we see it as it passes , and think but very little of it ; but as we lose the sight of it , so do we the thoughts of it too ; and are no more concern'd about it , than as if we had never seen it , or as if there had never been such a thing . the thinking of a thing which may be call'd consideration , is a designed , concern'd , leisurely , serious and thorough thinking of it . . it is a designed thinking , with a full purpose of mind to inform our selves better about it ; a summoning up of our thoughts , and a diligent setting them on work . it is not a thought that a man hits on by chance , and which stays with him a while , tho' he never intended it ; but that which is sought , chosen , and invited . as 't is said , plal. ii. . the kings of the earth set themselves , and the rulers take ●ounsel together . so a man must set himself to consider , to advise with , and take counsel of his own reason . this is an usual thing with most men in any great difficulty or danger which they apprehend , to set themselves to think and contrive what course is fittest for them to take . neither will any wise man neglect this . and why should not we set our selves to consider and contrive for our safety , who meet with daily so many difficulties in our way to heaven , and are in so great danger to come short of it ? . it is a concerned thinking , as about that , the near and great concernment whereof to our selves we are very sensible of . we often think of things without any reflection on our selves , as upon matters that no way touch us . but we are not apt to be very serious about them , unless we apprehend our selves some way or other concerned in them . when david had determined evil against nabal , abigail's servants desired her to consider well of it , sam. xxv . . now therefore know and consider , what thou wilt do ; for evil is determined against our master , and against all his houshold . she was to think of it as a matter that concern'd the safety and welfare of her self and family . and thus the psalmist speaking in god's name to the wicked , psal. l. . now consider this , ye that forget god , lest i tear you in pieces , and there be none to deliver . if we will pass our time in peace and comfort , we must not forget , but think much and very concernedly of god ; considering well what it lieth us upon to live conformably to his will , that we may never fall under his displeasure . . it is a leisurely thinking , a taking time to view and observe a thing exactly , together with all its circumstances , its conveniences or inconveniences , and all the evils or goods which attend it . sudden thoughts little deserve the name of consideration . it is a laying things in order in our thoughts , with a design to conclude from them what may be , or ought to be done or expected by us . consider of it ▪ take advice , and speak your minds , say the israelites one to another in the levites case , iudg. xix . . and so said elihu to iob , hearken unto this , o iob , stand still , and consider the wondrous works of god , job . xxxvii . . there is implied in it , first , a preparing the mind for it , by awakening it , and stirring it up from the bed of security , and an unthinking temper ; such as the mind of habitual sinners is even always in , in relation to spiritual things , and of eternal concernment . rise up balak , and hear , said balaam to him , num. xxiii . . put the mind into an attentive and considering posture . and then , secondly , a laying aside all other business which may disturb our thoughts , or interrupt them ; shunning all distracting or diverting objects , silencing all troublesome affections and unruly passions ; give the mind leave to do its own work ; it must not be let to run at random upon other things , it must not be disturb'd by any passion , nor confounded with any throng of business , but there must be calm within , and a quietness round about it : commune with your own hearts upon your bed , and be still , saith david , psalm iv. . we must resolve to be deaf to the world , and our own lusts , if we will consider to purpose the things that belong unto eternity . . it is a serious and earnest thinking ; we must not be in jest , or indifferent in a matter of such weight and importance , that requires our greatest intention , care and diligence , no less than eternal life or death depending on the result of our thoughts and self-consultations . trivial matters may be slightly thought on , but matters of moment call for serious debates . and hence consideration is usually express'd by such words as import a seriousness . god , 't is certain , because of his divine perfections , needs not to consider of any thing ; yet when he is spoken of in holy scripture , as observing the behaviour of men , in order to reward or punishment , as tho' he were considering of them , he is said to weigh , ponder , examine , or try , &c. the lord weigheth the spirits , prov. xvi . . he pondereth the hearts , prov. xxi . . the ways of man are before the eyes of ihe lord , and he pondereth all his goings , prov. v. . doth not he see my ways , and count all my steps ? job xxxi . . and the wise king , speaking of the arts of the strange woman to entice a man , saith , they are to divert him from considering ; lest he should ponder the path of life , prov. v. . 't is said of the blessed virgin mary , that she kept all these things , and pondered them in her heart , luke ii. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , she preserved and kept them safe together in her memory ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , conferring and disputing within her self about them . and of the scribes and pharisees we read , mark ii. . that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , reasoning in their hearts ; discoursing within themselves , as tho' two persons had been in their breasts discoursing dialogue-wise the one with the other . it was an excellent precept which pythagoras gave to his scholars , sleep not till thou hast run over in thy mind all thy works of the day past , and ask thy self , whither have i gone ? what have i done ? what have i left undone ? consideration is a man's posing himself , examining his heart , advising with his own reason very seriously . it is a bethinking ones self , kings viii . . a laying a thing to heart , isaiah lvii . . an applying ones heart to a mateer , hag. i. . . it is a thorough thinking , leaving nothing unthought on , neither ceasing to think on , till one come to the end of thinking ; that is , to a right understanding of the matter , and a stedfast resolution about it : it is such a reasoning and discoursing , as bring one to his conclusion and final determination . otherwise all is to no purpose , and a man hath nothing but his labour for his pains , and had as good never have begun , as never come to an end . resolution is the end of consideration , and practice of resolution . and herein lies all practical wisdom or prudence , not rashly , inconsiderately and blindly , and at all adventures to rush on , whatever it is we have a mind to do ; or which way soever our natural inclinations and affections would carry us ; but to consult with our reason , and be well advised in all things , deliberating and debating the matter well with our selves , and with calm and serious thoughts , rationally concluding what is best to be done , and how it may be done to good purpose . a thinking on some few things relating to a business , is not enough , but all considerable circumstances are to be thoroughly pondered . nothing is to be left out of our consideration , which may alter the case in hand , or hath any weight in it , which may turn the scales either the one way , or the other . the nature of the thing what it is , necessary or unnecessary , profitable or hurtful , weighty or light , lawful or unlawful , expedient or inexpedient : the ends and uses of it , the arguments persuading to it , or dissuading from it ; the rules and measures whereby all is to be regulated , the agreement with , or swerving from such rules ; the benefits , advantages and gains on the one side , and the dangers , disadvantages and losses on the other ; the necessary preparations , helps , instruments and encouragements ; together with the difficulties , hinderances and discouragements that we may meet with ; and the ways and means of removing or overcoming them ; and whatever else may have any influence upon the matter to be considered . thus whatever the things be which fall under consideration , whether they be past , present , or to come , consideration is such a designed , concerned , leisurely , calm , serious and thorough thinking on them , and an inward reasoning , or a mental discoursing about them , and about all things pertaining to them , as may help us to order all things prudently , and to the best advantage ; so as we may reap as much good , and sustain as little hurt by every thing as may be . that whatever we do , or whatever befals us , may as little hinder , and as much promote our happiness as it is in our power to make it ; and that if we cannot keep our selves from all evil or hurt , yet at least we may not do any thing to make our selves miserable by what hath been here said , we may understand , what that inconsideration is , which god complaineth of , and is indeed the sin of a great many . it is a careless and unthinking temper of mind ; and they who are of this temper , venture boldly , rashly , and unadvisedly upon any thing , as it falleth in their way ; never inquiring how pleasing or displeasing it may be to god , or what it may bring upon themselves in the end . they review not what is past , to find out wherein they have erred or offended , and what stands in need of mending , or blotting out , and undoing again by repentance . they think not wisely on what they go about at present , to observe its fitness or unfitness to be attempted , or to do it by a right rule , and to a right end , and to take care that they neither do any hurt , nor lose their labour . they think not providently on the future , what either must or may come , so as to prepare and provide as they ought for it , but are without either fear or forecast . and what the evil of this is , i am next to shew . sect . ii. the evils of inconsideration . it is so visible to all the world , that inconsideration is a very ill thing , that in the most common concerns and affairs of this life , there is hardly any one that seems not very sensible of it . there are few tradesmen , or husbandmen , or artificers , how mean a trade soever they drive in the world , but they are aware of it : and all seem satisfied , that nothing can ordinarily succeed well under our hands , and that there can be small hopes of thriving by what we undertake , if we do not wisely consider of it . if an unconsidering man speed well , 't is only by chance ; and it 's not above once or twice , it may be , in a hundred times ; and few men are willing to venture any thing they prize , upon the success of such blind and giddy doings . men therefore , in all matters of moment , set themselves seriously to think , what they have to do , and to what end they do it ; how it is to be done , and what helps they stand in need of , and how to have them ; what letts and rubs there are in their way , and how they may be removed ; what they may hope for , as the fruit of their care , skill , and industry ; and what they may fear , as the consequent of their negligence , ignorance , idleness , or any miscarriage . if any one do not consider these things , men count him a fool ; and every one is ready to read his fortune for him , and say , he is not like to thrive . which of you ( saith christ , luke xiv . , . ) intending to build a tower , sitteth not down first , and counteth the cost , whether he have sufficient to finish it ? or what king going to make war against another king , sitteth not down first , and considereth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand ? what husbandman goeth to plow , and sitteth not down first , and considereth whether his ground be in good heart , and like to bear any burden ; whether the season be proper for his work , and all his instruments in good order ; whether his oxen be tractable , and in good plight ; and his servants well vers'd in the work they go about ; whether his seed be sound , and himself of sufficient ability to manage all to good advantage . so wise are the men of this world in their generation for their worldly ends , that they think not fit to venture all at random without due consideration . and shall we be so foolish as to imagine , that the great business we are to do , to secure unto our selves a blessed eternity , should either deserve or require less consideration , than the things which relate to our short continuance in this world only ? let the miscarriage we are guilty of in our worldly concerns be what it will , the evils which we incur by it will shortly have an end ; and we shall no more remember them : but if we miscarry in the business we are now to do for eternity , it is that which draws after it evils both endless and intollerable . and this is enough of it self to rouze us up to the consideration of these things . an affright will often bring a man to serious thoughts , when nothing else will ; and can there be any thing more terrible , than a prospect of eternal torments ? but this is not all the evil of inconsideration , tho' it be that which is most apt to awaken the inconsiderate . i do no more but mention it now , in hope that the fear of being everlastingly miserable , which will certainly be the end of unconsidering people , bringing us to some degree of seriousness , we may be capable of discerning other great evils in it , such as are these following : . not to consider the things on which our eternal state depends , is not to behave our selves like men , but to act quite contrary to our nature . reason is a thing essential to man , and only man , of all inferior creatures , is able to make this use of it ; i mean , to consider things . to this end is it given us , and if we make not this use of it , we had as good have been without it . trees and plants grow , and bear fruit ; but they cannot consider how they do so , nor what they do . beasts and other animals live and move , eat and drink , and do such things as are agreeable to their nature : but they consider not , they do not deliberate within themselves about their actions , or their ends ; but are carried on by their senses , and a natural appetite , without pondering of circumstances , and debating in their breasts what is most fit or unfit to be done , or what is like to follow upon the doing or omitting of any thing . only man , of all earthly creatures , hath reason and vnderstanding , and thereby is fitted for deliberating , consulting , and discoursing things over within himself , and for contriving , forecasting , and ordering all he doth to good ends and purposes . and if he doth not make this use of his understanding and reason , he acts contrary to the nature which god hath given him . yea , and in effect , he seems to impute vanity and impertinency to the all-wise god ; as tho' he had given him so noble a faculty , as reason is , in vain , and for no use at all ; for what else is the use of reason , but consideration ? if a man may act like a beast , without consideration , why should not god have made him like a beast too , without reason ? if any say , we have the important affairs of this life to consider , and this is to use our reason well : i readily grant it ; but deny withal , that this is either all the use , or the chief use for which our reason was given us . had god made us for this world only , and if there were nothing for us to enjoy , or to suffer , but in this short life ; the use of our reason might well be confined to things of this present world and life . but seeing god has design'd us to be immortal , and hath made our life on earth to be but a time of probation , and preparation for eternity ; to use our reason either only , or chiefly about the affairs of this world , is as unnatural an abuse as we can make of it . can there be any thing more against reason , than to think it was given us to consider least , the things that are most considerable ? and can there be a more unreasonable thing , than to consider more how we may make a shift to spend a few days here upon earth , than how we may be sure of living an eternal life of happiness with god in heaven ? nay , to what purpose shall we consider what to do in this world , and how to make the best advantage of it for the very short time that we are to continue in it ; if in the mean time , we consider not , what shall become of us when we go out of it , nor how to improve our being in this world , so as to save our selves from being eternally miserable in the world to come , when ever we depart hence , which may be , for ought we know , the very next moment ? if self-preservation be that which all men naturally desire and aim at , it must be most of all things against nature , to consider least the things whereby we may be eternally preserved from the torments of hell-fire , and in a state of everlasting joy and blessedness . certainly , if god have given us reason for any thing , it must be chiefly , and above all things , for this ; to consider how we may best serve and honour him , and promote our own eternal happiness . if we do not make this use of our reason ; it will be hard to say , what advantage we have by our reason above the most unreasonable creatures : for beasts have less trouble without reason in this life , than men have with it . and had men the same end that beasts have , and there were nothing at all to be considered , but what concerns this life ; possibly it had been better for the world , if all men had had as little reason as they ; for all the good it seems to do , is to make men more sensible of their own miseries , and more able to make others miserable . without this use of reason , what difference can there be betwixt us and mad-men ? the greatest difference between a man that is sober , and one that is mad , seems to be this ; that the one hath the right use of reason , and the other hath lost it : the one acts considerately , and the other rashly without consideration . and certainly he is the maddest of all mad-men , whatever he considers as to this life , that runs laughing into hell-fire , never considering what he shall endure there . such an vnnatural thing is it for men to lead an inconsiderate life . . without serious consideration , all the means of happiness , which god hath been graciously pleas'd most plentifully to afford us in christ jesus , are lost upon us , and we can have no benefit by them . none of the means of grace and salvation , which are given us of god , work on the hearts of men , as plaisters and salves do upon their bodies , whether they think of them or no. but all these things work morally by our consideration , and mental application of them . the word of god affects not the heart , nor works any change in the man , by being heard alone , but by being considered . read the scripture a thousand times over , whatever we may know or remember more , yet shall we not be made better by it without considering it . the sacraments , how often soever received , seal no good at all unto us , if they be not considered ▪ the things that were spoken of paul , had had no more operation upon lydia's heart , than they had upon many of the hard-hearted iews , if the lord had not opened her heart to attend unto them , and consider them . the good seed falling into the good and honest heart , is therein cherished by consideration , and so it brings forth fruit. therefore said st. paul well , consider what i say , and the lord give thee understanding in all things , tim. . . whatsoever methods god useth to bring us to happiness in himself , he brings us first to our selves , with the prodigal son in the parable , luk. . . he awakens us some way or other to a serious consideration , or all will be lost upon us . his word and sacraments , his iudgments and mercies , nor any thing else , hath any effect upon our souls , unless it be to the greater hardening of our hearts , without setting our thoughts on work about them . and this is the reason why notwithstanding the abundance of means we enjoy , so few are sanctified and saved . . the want of consideration makes all that ever we do , even our most religious exercises , all our most charitable deeds , and whatever is by god's command , or in its own nature otherwise good and profitable to men , altogether unprofitable to us , and vnacceptable to god. god always expects from us a reasonable service , and a spiritual worship , such as is suitable both to his nature and our own ; which we can never give unto him , without much serious consideration . all things , even to our very eating and drinking , or whatsoever else we do , must be done to the glory of god , cor. . . all our thoughts , words and actions , must be regulated , as well as we can , by the rule of his commandments : and this is certainly a thing impossible to be done , without a very serious exercising of our mind about every thing . therefore did god reject as an abomination and a weariness to him , all the sacrifices and religious worship of the iews ; and whatever they did to honour him by ; because they did all in a formal and customary way , not considering the ends and significations of them ; nor the qualifications requisite in the worshippers to render them acceptable , isa. i. and our blessed jesus hath assured us , that all our fastings , and alms , and prayers , shall lose the reward promised , as often as they are done without due consideration of the right end and manner , matt. vi. , &c. now what a wretched condition is that man in , all whose addresses to heaven , and all whose good deeds on earth can do him no good ? and such is the case of every unconsidering person . . through inconsideration it is , that all temptations , even such as had we our wits about us , we would be ashamed to be foiled by , prove too strong for us , and have power enough to draw us from our duty into sin. a weak child may kill a man that 's fast asleep . a very little thing in a man's way , will give him a fall , that minds not where he steps : and he whose reason is asleep , or busie about impertinencies , is easily surprized by any little temptation . it 's no hard matter to beguile one that is careless and secure , and never thinks himself in any danger of being deceived . it would not be so easy , as most of us find it to our cost , for many of those temptations whereby we are daily overcome , to prevail against us , had we our eyes always open to see what they are , and what reason we have to withstand them . would we seriously think with our selves , how little it is that the temptation promiseth , and how much less it performeth ; how little we shall gain , and how much we shall lose by yielding ; we would even scorn to be so soft , as to be wrought on by most of those things , whereby we are now without much ado drawn into the vilest sins . why doth the young man so easily yield to the flatteries and enticements of the impudent whore , prov. vii . but that he goes on without consideration ? he goeth after her straightway , as an ox goeth to the slaughter , and as a fool to the correction of the stocks . v. . as a bird hasteth to the snare , and knoweth not that it is for his life . v. . whoso is simple ( saith the foolish woman ) let him turn in hither : and as for him that wanteth understanding , she saith to him , stolen waters are sweet , &c. but he knoweth not , that the dead are there ; and that her guests are in the depths of hell , prov. ix . , , . that inconsideration giveth the greatest strength they have to most temptations , is very plain from those excuses men are wont to make for themselves when they have sinned . what is it which they commonly plead for themselves but this , that they did not think it to be a sin ; that they hoped there had been no great evil in what they did ; if they had thought there was so much evil in it , they would not have done it ? now if they speak truly , 't is plain that they had not been tempted but through inconsideration . and indeed it is hardly imaginable , how the number of wicked people should be half so great as it is , were it not for this , that they consider too little what they do . we cannot think that in a christian church people should live many years , and yet never hear of the things which are daily taught therein ; and yet these are enough , one would think , to make them fearful to live wickedly , and to arm them sufficiently against all temptations , were they duly considered . when we hear how strictly a most iust , good , almighty , and omniscient god hath forbidden all wickedness upon pain of eternal damnation ; and how the same great god hath commanded holiness , and encouraged us to it with the gracious promises of pardon for all past sins , and acceptance of weak , if sincere , endeavours and performances of duty through jesus christ , and for his sake of the reward of eternal life : how were it possible for us , for the sake of a little short and often filthy pleasure ; for the shadow of honor , or for a little dirty and uncertain wealth , and all but for a very few days , to venture upon sin , did we ever consider things seriously ? no , we see it , that when men are at any time awakened into serious consideration by some sharp affliction , by an apprehension of some great and imminent danger or sickness ; they can despise all these temptations , and resist them ; and if when the danger , fear , or pain is over , they are again enticed by the like baits , 't is only because through their ease , their consideration is fallen asleep again . so plain is it , that the greatest advantage that any temptation can have over us , is that which we give it , by not considering things as we ought to do . . nothing more certainly ruines us eternally , than inconsideration , and that both because it keeps us in ignorance , and hinders us from that exercise of grace , which by faith in christ jesus should bring us to heaven . inconsideration holds us ignorant both of god and our selves ; and so never well understanding , because never throughly considering what we hear and read , what we see and feel , the goodness and other attributes of god ; our obligations to him , and dependance on him on the one side , nor our own needs , our weakness and miserable condition , when our selves alone , on the other side ; we rush on blindly and boldly , and the more blindly always the more boldly too , fearing nothing , because we see nothing ; and seeing nothing , because we will not open our eyes to see and consider what lies plain and visible before us . a prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself , but the simple pass on and are punished , prov. xxii . . a wise man feareth and departeth from evil , but the fool rageth and is confident , prov. xiv . . they consider not that they do evil , eccl. v. . the harp , and the viol , and wine , are in their feasts ; but they regard not the work of the lord , neither consider the operation of his hands , isa. v. . they consider not in their hearts , that i remember all their wickedness , hos. vii . . the ox knoweth his owner , and the ass his master's crib ; but israel doth not know , my people doth not consider , isa. i. . again , inconsideration hinders all those exercises of grace , whereby through faith in christ , we might escape death , and be prepared for life eternal . who can repent of the sins which he hath not duly considered , with all their aggravations ? he that examineth not himself often , he that never reviews his conversation , nor inquires into the temper of his own heart , is like to prove a sorry penitent . he that considers not the law of god , knoweth not wherein he hath transgressed ; and he that considereth not his own life , cannot lay his sin to heart . he that thinketh not much both of the vileness and danger of his sin , will hardly bring his heart to be sorry for it , or to hate it . whilst we are secure and careless how we spend our days , what can be expected , but that we lie still in our filth , and hold on confidently dishonouring god to our own destruction ? i hearkned and heard ( saith god ) but they spake not aright ; no man repented him of his wickedness , saying , what have i done ? every one turned to his course , as the horse rusheth into the battel , isa. viii . . who can have any comfort in his life past , that considers not how he hath spent it , whether sinfully and vainly , or virtuously and piously ? who can chear up his soul in god , and rejoyce in the lord ? who can arm himself against the terrors of death , and in hope expect the great judgment to come ; who never yet cast up his account , nor considered what he hath been doing all his days , nor how far he is run in arrear with god ? how shall an unconsidering man ever be able to say with st. paul , acts xxiii . . i have lived in all good conscience before god unto this day ? or as he again , cor. i. . our rejoicing is this , the testimony of our conscience , that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world ? who can be thankful to god for all the mercies he hath received , and all the wonders of his goodness vouchsafed to him in all the parts of his life , that hath not consider'd them well ? who can improve the blessings of god to god's honour , and the good of himself and others , that seldome thinks of them ? what obligations to god can we be sensible of in all the great things which he hath wrought for us , whilst we mind them not ? how can we live and act any otherwise but loosely and irregularly , running headlong into all wickedness , and upon any danger ; so long as we consider not what a god we have over us , and what rules he hath given us , and how much we are concerned to observe them ? for want of considering it is , that we do all things at random , without any regard to the ends or consequents of our actions . our love , our fear , our desire , our hope , our trust , our obedience , are all misplaced ; we keep to no rules , nor tye our selves up to any laws ; we omit our duties to god , our neighbours and our own souls : we commit things abominable and hurtful ; dishonourable to god , and destructive to our selves ; most unbeseeming both our nature and our profession ; against our own comfort and happiness ; we consume our time in idleness , folly , and vanity , because we consider not for what we live , nor whose we are , nor what we are to account for : and by all this we lose our hope , and confidence , and assurance , and all that might stand us in any stead , in the hour of death , and day of judgment . o that we were wise , that we understood this , that we would consider our latter end ! deut. . . sect . iii. the causes of inconsideration . having seen some of the evils of inconsideration ; we will , if we be wise , labour to be cured in time of so dangerous a distemper ; but this will not be done , unless the causes of it be removed . let us therefore next inquire into these , and endeavour to put them away . amongst others , we are especially to take notice of these which here i shall point out . . the first is ignorance : for i doubt not but many would consider more than they do , if they knew either what to consider , or how to consider , or what it lieth them upon to consider . but alas ! we may to as good purpose bid a blind man see , or a deaf man hear , as exhort an ignorant man to consider any thing at present , but his ignorance . consideration is the exercise of knowledge , and the improving of it to practice ; but no man can exercise what he hath not : a brutish man knoweth not , neither doth a fool understand this , psal. . . therefore the way of a fool is right in his own eyes , prov. . . because he knoweth no better . ignorance therefore must be removed in the first place , that a man may be able to consider : and yet , tho this in many may be the cause of inconsideration , these many are but few in comparison of those who have eyes and see not ; who know , and yet consider as little as if they knew nothing . we must therefore seek out other causes of this evil. . and the next i shall name , is presumption ; which i take to be as common a cause of inconsideration , as any other whatsoever . men generally presume too much upon their skill and knowledge , and are too confident to see their need of consideration . and there is a manifold presumption which causeth a neglect of due consideration . a man , as but now was said , may presume too much of his own knowledg , and wisdom , and dexterity , as one that is so ready and expert in the right management of his affairs , that he can do all things off-hand , without any puzzling thoughts about it : now there is more hope of a fool , than of one that is thus wise in his own conceit , prov. xxvi . . the greatest miscarriages in the world are owing to a conceited and confident ignorance , and a presumption of a man 's own wit and vnderstanding , thinking himself too wise and knowing , to take advice of others ; and scorning to seem so dull , as to need much consulting with his own reason . a man may presume too much upon the easiness of the work he hath to do , and take the way to heaven to be so open , and plain , and safe , that he needs not be at the trouble of much enquiry and circumspection in his walking . he may imagine god requires no such accuracy and strictness in framing our whole conversation by his laws , as the more scrupulous sort of men do think . there needs not , saith he , so much ado about the business of salvation , that a man must be always busying his mind about it . we have a round of duties to run , and when we have done that , all 's done : as tho god did consider as little as we are apt to do ; he hath said to god in his heart , thou wilt not require it , psal. x. . one may presume , that all is well with him already , and that he hath already made his calling and election sure : he hath already got , as he thinks , into the right and sure way , and hath no more to trouble his head about , but only to go on the same way still , without any further thinking of it : there is a way that seemeth right unto a man , but the end thereof are the ways of death , prov. xiv . . some may possibly presume , that they do consider things well enough ; even when they never have any such thought of them , as can deserve to be call'd consideration . now and then , it may be , they think a little of the things that ought to be considered ; and it would be strange if they did not , when they are so often put in mind of them ; but alas ! that thorough weighing and pondering of things in their minds , which before was shewn to be consideration , they are mere strangers to , and never once went about it . and in this vain confidence , of having done what they never in earnest endeavour'd to do , they pass their time without considering , till considering can do them no good . others presume , that they have day enough before them , and they will consider of it sometime before night . they will , and they will , but they will not yet ; because they presume it will be time enough to do it anon ; and it is always too soon , till it be quite too late . and thus through a foolish presumption of one thing or other , many of us are kept from considering , till there be nothing left us to consider , but this one sad thing , that we have lost our opportunity ; 't is now too late , and consideration is become a great part of that torment , which it should have prevented . . another cause of inconsideration , is our long neglect of considering , and an unthinking habit of mind . hence consideration , when we are call'd to it , is an uncouth thing to us ; and we have been so long strangers to it , that we know not how to come acquainted with it , nor how to entertain it . we have used our selves to another course a great deal more easie , and have got a custom of doing things inconsiderately . we do as we have been bidden to do by others , or as we see others do , or as our own inclinations and affections lead us to do ; but we have not been used to think for our selves , what is rational or our duty ; what is lawful , or what is fit , and becomes or behoves us to do . we go down with the stream of custom or inclination , and we slide smoothly and pleasantly away ; but we have not been wont to consider to what purpose we do so , or into what gulfs we may be carried , or how we shall get out again . when we have been , it may be , the greatest part of our age accustomed to act all things like children , to suffer our thoughts to run loosely , wildly , and rovingly without check , we know not which way to get them together again , or to fix them in seriousness upon any thing , nor how to get into any method of thinking ; hence it is very uneasie to us to consider , and we are soon weary of it . . another cause therefore of our continuing inconsiderate , is our sloth and laziness . we cannot endure the pains of confining our thoughts to the things which should be considered ; and the less can we away with it , because this would , as we conceive , abridge us of much , not ease only , but liberty and pleasure too , which we have been wonted to , in thinking on every thing that we have most mind to , or on any thing that falls in our way . to tye up our thoughts to rules , to restrain them within a certain compass , to direct them to a certain mark , is a task of too much trouble to most of us : especially spiritual and eternal things afford the sensual man no delight at all , they are very melancholly subjects , and he is soon weary of them . it requires much pains and attention of mind , to drive away those wanton and frolick thoughts , which our lusts and vanities commend unto us , and are always sending in to disturb us . and who of a thousand , especially if young and lively , hath patience to endure this ? . there is also another cause , and that not uncommon , of inconsideration , which is , an vnwillingness to see our own sins in their own colours . every considering person must needs quickly discover his own filthiness , shame , and guilt ; and not these only , but the great danger he is in because of his sins : and we had most of us rather be blind , than see such a melancholly and frightful sight . alas ! such a sight would mightily disturb us , and break off our sweet slumbers , spoil our pleasant dreams , and make us a terror to our selves . our consciences would be thus awakened , and fly angrily in our faces , and be continually reproaching us with our folly and wickedness . this most of us are apt to look upon as a very uncomfortable , and even an intolerable condition ; and therefore madly chuse to venture all , and to go on quietly , with sleeping consciences that cannot check us , tho we drop unawares into hell by doing so ; than by consideration to awaken them , and endure their rebukes , tho we can no otherwise be safe , and arrive at eternal blessedness . . the last cause of inconsideration i shall mention , is our busying our selves too much other ways , so that we grudge our selves time and leisure to consider . our thoughts are almost constantly otherwise engaged , and cannot break loose from such things as have got the mastery and command of our affections . with martha they are troubled about many things , and hardly ever at leisure for the one thing necessary . what one of a hundred of us , makes religion his business ? we account the matters of the world our business , that calls for seriousness ; and religion a thing only now and then to be thought on a little by the by ; and when we have nothing else to do , or rather are forced to it . or 't is , if a business at all , only like that of dressing our selves on some certain days , a little finer than ordinary ; a festival or holidays work , little better than a play. now what we make our main business is always the thing that we most consider , be it never so trivial and needless : to dress our meat daintily , to fit fashionable cloaths on our bodies , to beautifie our houses at home , and visit our idle neighbours abroad ; this we can make our business , consider , and contrive , and often break our sleep to think how all may be done most modishly , and with the best grace for our credit : but the business of religion , as tho it were a matter to be done , as they say , with a wet finger , it 's enough to think of it when the bell rings , or it may be , when we are indisposed for company , and have a mind to be alone , and can think of nothing else to divert our selves with . and this thoughfulness about all things else , even tho of least concernment , is one main cause why so few consider the things that belong to their everlasting peace . if then we will root out the causes of this evil disease , we must take care in time , to furnish our selves with a competent stock of divine knowledg ; we must pass the time of our sojourning here in fear , and beware of presumption . and an ill-grounded confidence ; we must apply our selves to learn the art of considering , and accustom our selves to seriousness and serious company ; we must shake off sloth and laziness , and watch against all sin , which makes us afraid to know our selves ; and lastly , we must not plunge our selves too deep into worldly business ; and we must lay aside all needless curiosity , and affectation of modish vanity . in short , we must labour to understand , that the business of serving god , and saving our souls , is a thing of nearer concernment to us , than all other businesses whatever : and resolve to make it so ; and then be sure it will be consider'd accordingly , and our most serious thoughts will be employ'd about it . sect . iv. what things we are to consider . when we are sensible of the evils of inconsideration , and understand the causes of it ; no more can be needful to teach us either why , or how we are to avoid it . and certainly we can need no motive to practice any thing , which we know it is so necessary for us to practice , that if we do it not , we must be eternally miserable . supposing therefore , that enough hath been said to convince us , that consideration is altogether necessary ; lest any one should be at a loss how to find out fit matter for it ; i shall now point out to him some few of those things , which ought principally to be considered ; and for want of considering whereof , our lives are generally so unanswerable to our profession , and so displeasing to almighty god. now whatsoever things it hath pleased god , in much goodness and mercy to reveal , and make known unto us , in relation either to his own honour , or to our salvation , we must needs acknowledge to deserve our very serious consideration . for to this end hath god revealed them to us , that they may be considered by us , and by consideration have that influence upon us , which they ought to have . that knowing god , we may glorify him as god ; and knowing our selves , we may behave our selves like men ; that is , like the rational creatures of god , to whom he hath given reason and understanding to know our dependance on him , and our duty to him . wherefore hath god been pleas'd to reveal unto us the history of the creation of the world , and of his admirable providence over it in all the ages of it , but that we might know and consider the work of his hand , and the method of his government ; that we might see his infinite power , and wisdom , and goodness ; his truth and purity , his iustice and his mercy : whom we are to praise for our being and subsistence ; to whom we are to pray for needful supplies of all our wants ; whom we are to serve and obey , and in whom we are to trust and put our confidence ; and to whose will and ordering we ought to submit , and resign our selves ? wherefore hath god been pleas'd to reveal unto us so many divine truths in his word , concerning his own nature , and his gracious designs for us , the eternal state of happiness provided for us , and the methods he is pleas'd to use to bring men into it through the redemption and mediation of jesus christ , and by the illumination and sanctification of the holy ghost ; but that we might understand and believe these things ; and considering them wisely , bring our selves to an humble and thankful compliance with all his gracious designs for our blessedness , wherein he delights to be glorified ? wherefore hath god given us so many holy precepts and rules of living ; but that we should learn them , and consider them , and rule our whole conversation by them ? wherefore hath he made so many gracious promises to the faithful and obedient , and threatned such terrible things to unbelievers and wicked persons ? wherefore hath he executed such severe iudgments on the stubborn and rebellious ; and shewn such mercy , and given such deliverances to the humble and penitent ? is not all this done , to the end that we should diligently observe and consider all these things ; and by his promises and mercies encourage our selves in his worship and service ; and by his menaces and iudgments , learn to stand in awe of him , and tremble to offend him ? indeed there is nothing in god's word or in his works , but calls for our serious consideration ; and we can never do our duty , or come to the blessedness we desire , without a due considering of them . but that which i would here do , is to shew and point out some special matters of consideration , which it chiefly concerns us , even daily , to bear in mind , and to exercise our thoughts upon : such as these . . that we are not our own , neither is any thing at all absolutely ours : but we are his who made us , and placed us here ; and all things in the world , who ever possesseth and enjoyeth them , are always his. it is god that made us , and not we our selves ; therefore , we are his people , and the sheep of his pasture , psal. c. . yea , will some say , who knows not this ? indeed we all either do , or may know it ; but alas ! who considers it ? i fear hardly one of a hundred . the careless and dissolute lives of a great many , tells us very plainly , that whatever they know of this , they consider it not . if we send our servants into the field to labour for us , and to do our work ; and they do nothing there but play and idle away their time , and after they are told of it again and again , they take no farther notice of it , but follow their old wont : will we say , that they consider whose servants they are , and what they have to do ? if we trust them with our money , and direct them how to lay it out for our use ; and they game and drink it away , and give us no better account of it , but that they have spent it on their own lusts and vanities : will we say , they consider whose stewards they are , and what their duty is ? do such servants consider , that they are not their own , and that the money they have is not their own ? how then doth that man consider that he is not his own , but god's , who serveth not god but himself , and who wasteth what he hath on his own sins , instead of improving it to god's glory ? if we will be kept within any bounds of duty , or in the way to life , this must be much in our thoughts . the reason why men take to themselves so much liberty , as most of us do , is , because we too little consider , that we are god's creatures and servants . for want of considering this , we live and do as we list , follow our own wills , and take our own pleasure , as much as we dare for the laws of man. indeed we generally behave our selves , as if god had nothing to do with us or ours , and as if we had none to please but our selves , and men that have more power than we . but if we would be safe and happy , we must take another course , and frequently think thus every one within himself . who made me but god ? who placed me here on the earth but god ? who gave me what i have but god ? whose am i , but the same god's that made me ? whose work have i here to do , but his who sent me hither ? by whose order am i to dispose of what i have , but by his who gave it me ? whose servant am i , but his who feeds me , and who alone can reward or punish me ? and who feeds me , or can reward or punish me , but he who is lord of all things ? whom have i to please , but him whose work i am to do ? whose work have i to do , but his whose i am , and who can and will call me to account ? whom am i to praise and glorifie , but him , from whom i and all things came , by whom i and all things are preserved ? what am i to do with my self and what i have , but that for which i was made , and for which all that i have was given me ? whose orders am i to follow in spending my time , my estate , my strength of mind or body , but his who hath committed all these things to my trust ? who will call me to a reckoning for all i have , and all i do , but he who gave me all , and hath given me rules whereby to dispose of all ? whose will am i to do ? mine own , or his whose i am , and who alone can make me happy ? who can make me happy , but he who made me and all things ? how then should i hope to be happy , and not miserable , but by pleasing and honouring him in doing his will , and obeying him in all things ? o what a reformation would such a consideration as this work in the lives of men ! and unless we thus exercise our thoughts , we shall never learn to live like men . . consider , that as we are god's , and all we have is his , and his work it is which we are to do : so we are always , and work always under his alseeing eye ; and are to consider , what that great god is whom we serve , and in whose presence we always are . the eyes of the lord are in every place , beholding the evil and the good , prov. xv. . all things are naked , and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do , heb. iv. . the ways of man are before the eyes of the lord , and he pondereth all his goings , prov. v. . o consider this all you that forget god , because you see him not ! he always sees you , and cannot forget you . if any thing will make a servant diligent in his business , and careful not to do amiss , this will , that his master is always with him ; and he who will certainly either reward or punish him according to his deeds , has his eye constantly upon him , and nothing can be hid from him . this therefore we should much consider , that where-ever we are , and whatever we are about , god is always with us , and sees us . let every one say to himself , i am now in the presence of the great god , whose i am ; he is now here with me , and hath his eye upon me , though i see him not ; observing my whole behaviour , and taking notice of all my thoughts , words , and actions ; from whomsoever i can hid● them , i can never hide any of them from him . i had need therefore to take heed what i do , that all may please him , that every thing may be right in his eyes , and such as he approveth of . for he is a most holy god , of purer eyes than to behold evil , and cannot look on iniquity , hab. i. . the way of the wicked is an abomination to the lord , prov. xv. . he is an almighty and most powerful god , and is able to cast both soul and body into hell , matt. x. . he , even he is to be feared , and who may stand in his sight , when he is angry ! psal. lxxvi . . he is a most iust god , and the righteous iudge of all the world. he will not at all acquit the wicked , nah. i. . seeing this most holy , powerful and iust god is the judge of all , and will render to all according to their works ; and seeing the same god who is to judge us , is always a present eye-witness of every thing that we are to be judg'd for ; certainly nothing can more deserve our consideration than this ; and no other consideration can more over-awe us into a due carefulness to do always such things as we are sure are acceptable to him . . a third thing that we are much to consider is this , that nothing in the world but a sincere holiness of heart and life , can please this most holy and alseeing god. without holiness no man shall see the lord , heb. xii . . blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see god , mat. v. . o how little is this considered by the generality of men ! how few have this in their thoughts , that to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , and to perfect holiness in the fear of the lord , is the very work that the promises of god should put us upon ? yet so it is , cor. vii . . and no otherwise can we ever hope to be made partakers of the blessings promised . o that we would think well of this , and seriously consider , if this be the business that we are continually a doing ! if it be not , alas , what is it that we live for ? what are we all our life long a labouring for ? what , is it the business of our lives , to make our selves everlastingly miserable ? are we hard at work , as most of us are one way or other , to no better purpose , than to vex and provoke our holy and righteous god , and to heap up wrath unto our selves , against the day of wrath ? o what pains do we take to undo our selves , when we know that nothing but we our selves can undo us ! whatever we are a doing , if this be not our chief work , to perfect holiness , the one thing necessary is still left undone ; and we have yet done nothing to please god , and so had as good been doing nothing at all ; seeing we are toiling all our days , without any reason to hope that we shall be happy , and reap any thing but bitterness from all our labour , when our days are ended . for every man that hath this hope in him , purifieth himself even as he is pure , joh. iii. . o consider it in good earnest , for it is a matter of moment ! shall we be so mad as to live to no other end , but to have time enough to make our selves intollerably wretched ? how ! shall we tire and wear out our selves , merely to destroy our selves ? shall we toil like oxen in the dirt of this world , merely to defile our selves , and make our selves odious in the sight of our heavenly father ? shall we trifle away all our time in sin , and folly , and vanity , to this good end , that we may be the surer of an eternity of torments and sorrow ? alas , the world passeth away , and the lusts thereof , to which we enslave our selves ; and we draw near to hell , and the flames which are unquenchable . could we consider this , we would soon discern what manner of persons we ought to be , in all holy conversation and godliness , pet. iii. . . consider often what a price god almighty has set upon us ; how wonderfully he hath manifested his love towards us ; and what great astonishing things he hath already done to make us happy in himself . the angels of god , those glorious and holy spirits , desire to look into these things ( pet. i. . ) with admiration and delight : beholding therein the manifold wisdom of god , eph. iii. . what more obliging course can we imagine god could have taken to bring sinners in love with him , and their own happiness ? how could he testify his love and care of us more convincingly than he hath done ? how many notable ways doth he daily exercise his loving-kindness towards us ? is nothing of this worth our serious consideration ? no not this , that when by the breach of the first covenant we were faln under the curse ; instead of executing the judgment upon us which had been threaten'd , he was graciously pleas'd to make a new one with us , and a much easier too ? nor this , that when we had done enough to destroy our selves , rather than let us perish , the most wonderful thing that ever was , must be contrived by infinite wisdom to procure us a saviour ? had we deserved to die ? god's own eternal , only begotten , and beloved son , the immortal god , and eternal life , must be brought into a capacity of dying , to redeem us . were we become weak ? omnipotence it self must be cloath'd with the weakness of our nature , and in that bear our sins and sorrows . the creator of all things must be made man of a woman ; the king of the whole world must be made under the law , to redeem them that were under the law , that we might receive the adoption of sons , gal. iv. , . are we ignorant , and wicked ? the holy spirit of god must be sent to be our teacher and guide , our sanctifier and our comforter . have we , after all , need still of bodily succours and sustenance , of wordly delights and refreshments in our way to blessedness ? good god! what plenty and variety of all these doth he daily afford us ! 't is plain , god would restrain us from nothing , but from doing our selves a mischief . how often have we broken his new covenant of grace , and sinned against the greatest of mercies ? and yet god spares us , and grants us time to repent in , and earnestly invites us to be happy ; and loads us with all encouraging blessings , both spiritual and temporal , every day . o consider all this , how wonderfully , how many ways , how often and long god hath shew'd himself gracious unto us in jesus christ ! and despise not the riches of his goodness , and forbearance , and long-suffering , not considering , that the goodness of god leadeth us to repentance , rom. ii. . . another thing which we should daily be thinking on so long as we live , is our latter end ; how soon it may come , and what it is like to be . o that they were wise , that they understood this , that they would consider their latter end , deut. xxxii . . an end will come ; and it seems strange , that we should all know it , and few of us consider it to any purpose . we see every day in one or other , what is the end of all our pleasures , and honours , and riches , and every thing that we here delight in . all these are at an end when death comes ; and it is coming , and at hand , none of us knows how near . we are sure it cannot be very far off ; and every day we are sure it is nearer than it was the day before ; and the longer we live , the nearer it is still . and though all the things we are now so fond of , end in death , yet death will not make an end of us ; for after death is the judgment , when we must all appear before the judgment-seat of christ , that every one may receive the things done in his body , according to that he hath done , whether it be good or bad , cor. . . neither is there an end of us then , but according to the sentence which shall then pass upon us , some shall go away into everlasting punishment , but the righteous into life eternal , matth. . . now did we seriously consider this , that our end is like to have no end , but is an endless state of blessedness or misery , surely we would come a little sooner to our selves , and learn the wit to ask our selves some questions , such as these . what is it that i am a doing in this world ? what am i spending my time and labour in ? am i sure what my end will be ? have i made my self ready for a blessed eternity ? i have been labouring for the things of this world , as if i could never have enough of them ▪ and yet i must shortly dye , and all i have laboured so hard for , will be gone , and i shall carry nothing away with me . i am continually caring for this body , and making a very idol of it ; my business from morning to night is to feed it , and to adorn it . and am i not a very fool for this ? must not this idolized body of mine by and by rot in the earth ? and am i taking all this pains to entertain the worms ? who can dwell with everlasting burnings ? and what care have i taken that i may not ? how stand my accounts against the day of judgment ? do i nothing now but what i shall be able to answer for then ? or have i blotted out by repentance all that will not pass then for good ? o let what will become of this world , which is but for a moment ; and of this body , which will quickly be all rottenness and putrefaction ; my great care , if i be not quite mad , must be , by a holy and vertuous life on earth , to be fitted for an eternal glorious life in heaven . my days consume apace , and when my lamp of life will be extinguished , i know not . this day is here , but to morrow 's uncertain : 't is therefore high time for me to live well , that i may live for ever . . consider , as holy david did , ps. cxix . . and as we are often call'd upon to do , our own ways . thus saith the lord of hosts , consider your ways , hag. i. , . a man's ways are his thoughts , desires , designs , delights , hopes , confidences , loves , fears , or hatreds ; all his words and actions , callings , professions , customs ; and in short , his whole conversation privately with himself , or abroad in the world. this it concerns us much to think upon ; not as too many do , with delight and pleasure in the very thoughts of their sins , endeavouring thus when the act is over , to taste over the pleasure again in their thoughts of it , and to continue the gust and relish of it as long as they can : neither must we consider and contrive in our thoughts new ways of sinning ; how we may get into them , how we may walk on most securely and most pleasantly in them , or how we may compass our worldly , carnal and devillish ends by them : this kind of thinking on our own ways , is ( god knows ) too common ; and many are so perfect in this art of considering their own ways , that they can hardly do any thing else . but this we are to consider , that we walk by the rule that god hath given us ; that we carefully mind what we do , and how , and to what end we do it ; and taking a review of our ways past , examine whether they be such as god approves of . we should be as vigilant over our selves , and have as close an eye to all our doings , as a most wary master or mistress are wont to have over their servants , whose either skill or faithfulness they most suspect . every night it would well become us to call our selves to an account for all our doings , and let nothing escape us , if it be possible , without trial . thus might we discern what our present spiritual state and condition is , and whither the ways we now walk in , will bring us in the end . would we indeed well consider all our own ways , and observe well whether they be the ways of god , or the ways of the devil and our own lusts , and whither they tend , to life or death ; it were to be hoped we should see the world in time reformed , and the ways of piety and holiness come in request again . but alas ! whilst men consider so little what they do , and live so carelesly and negligently , as tho their doings in this life had no relation at all to their future state ; or as if they had no god to give an account to of what they do ; 't is no wonder that so many run headlong to destruction in the ways which they have chosen , and persist in , without any consideration , what they are , or whither they lead . sect . v. the conclusion . having pointed out some few things very considerable , for the help of those who have not been accustomed to this most necessary duty of consideration ; i shall now conclude this part with an earnest exhortation to it . let us all , as we love god and our own souls , awaken our selves to this work. nothing can be of greater concernment to us , than the things we ought to consider ; and therefore we must be every way inexcusable if we do not very seriously consider them ▪ can it seem all one to us , whether we have a god over us , or none ? is it all one whether we be under his government , or our own masters ; under his power , or at our own command ? are we no way concern'd in god's infinite wisdom , power , goodness , justice , faithfulness , holiness , his providence , or his laws ? are his works and word , his blessings and his curse , his favour and displeasure , his mercies and his judgments , all one to us ? can we be wholly unconcern'd whether he see us , or see us not ; whether he regard , or neglect us ? can we think it all a case , whether we behave our selves towards him as subjects , or as rebels ; whether he reward , or punish us ? is it no matter , whether we live like men , or beasts ; whether we use our reason , or not ; whether we do what we were made for , or act contrary to our nature , and the ends of our creation ? is it the same thing , whether we be holy or unholy ; lovely or abominable in the pure eyes of god ? can we be indifferent , whether god take any care for our salvation , or none ? whether we have a saviour , or no saviour ; be reconciled to god , or at enmity with him ? is it all one to us what our end shall be , whether we shall be acquitted , or condemned in the day of judgment ? whether it shall be then said to us , come ye blessed , or depart ye cursed ? whether we shall for ever rejoice in heaven , or burn in hell ? makes it no matter , whether the time of this life be wisely improved , or vainly wasted ? whether we be fitted in time for mercy , or stay till it be too late ? if none of all these things be of any concernment to us , then are they not worth our thinking on ; neither are we our selves worthy of our own thoughts ; and it 's no matter what becomes of us , whether we shall be saved , or damned . nay , 't is plain , we think not our souls worth the saving . but if there be any weight in these matters , and if it be not all one to us , whether we be in glory , or in torment ; then are these things well worth our serious considering ; and it cannot be all one to us , whether we think much of them ▪ or no. our meat will not keep us from famishing , or alive , if we do not eat and digest it . no means of salvation will keep us from perishing , if they be not consider'd . god's word and sacraments , his judgments and mercies , his promises and threatnings ; all the merits of christ , and all the gracious invitations of the gospel , and all the helps of the ministry , are quite lost unto us , without serious consideration ; and we go to hell when heaven is set open to us , for want of considering whither we are going . how can we possibly excuse our selves for this gross neglect ? it is no hard matter for one to think of himself , and his own concerns . it is natural and unavoidable to us to think of something ; and is it not reasonable then to think on something to some purpose ? when we cannot hinder our thoughts from being busie , is it not fit we should set them on work for our good ? can we excuse our selves for not thinking most on the best things , which will do us most good ? can our own consciences acquit us , for not thinking how we may escape eternal misery ? can any one pity us , or shall not we curse our selves , if we perish only for want of considering how we may be saved ? are the things which belong unto our peace hid from us , so that we can have no thoughts of them ? hath not god laid them plain and open before us , so as he that runs may read them ? have we not yet well learn'd them ? and can we excuse our selves for such a sin and folly ? have we no teachers to instruct us ? have we no capacity of learning ? have we no eyes to see with , no light to see by ? are we forgetful ? and have we not daily remembrancers of what we are so apt of our selves to forget ? alas ! all comes to this at last ; we are idle and negligent , we are sturdy and obstinate ; we are wicked and perverse ; we take no delight in god ; we care not for spiritual things . o how shall we then escape for neglecting so great salvation ? have we no reason to consider ? are we not in the greatest danger by not considering ? may we not be surprized by death , before we have learn'd to live ; by judgment , before our accounts be ready ; by hell-fire , before we so much as fear'd it ? may we not be tempted out of the way to life , ere we are aware of it , by a thousand temptations for want of considering ? may we not fall asleep , and sleep on securely , till all be in flames about us , and there shall be no escaping , nothing but terror and amazement ? good god! that nothing should make us sensible of this danger who are otherwise so apt to be afraid , even where no fear is ! what , will we not be safe at so easie a rate as a little timely thinking of our danger ! what can sweeten and smooth unto us all the sour , rough , and melancholly passages of this life , and make them in any measure tolerable to us , but consideration ? what is it that can strengthen us either to prevent , or remove , or bear the cross , and all afflicting accidents ; the losses and disappointments , the sicknesses and pains , the griefs and vexations of this life , but serious consideration ? such may any man's condition be in this world , that nothing in the world , but the consideration of his own integrity , of god's love , and the joys of heaven , can give him the least comfort or ease of mind . his whole refreshment is this , that he is in the right , though it be a rugged way ; that he shall shortly be at his journeys end , and out of this uneasie way , at home in his father's house , where he shall rest in blessedness for ever . nothing but this consideration can keep up his spirits , or prevent his fainting in the way . and shall we not , to make our life easie to us , and our burthen light , be at the pains of a few timely serious thoughts ? whether we will consider or no , god doth always consider us , and all our ways , and doings , and that in order to an eternal reward or punishment . if god would not regard what we do , we needed the less to consider what we do . were it all one to god , how we live , and he made no difference between the sheep and goats , we should need the less to consider unto which flock we belong . but we know 't is otherwise , he numbers our steps , and watches over our sins ; our transgression is seal'd up in a bag , he sows up our iniquity , job xiv . , . though we consider it not in our hearts , he remembreth all our wickedness ; our doings beset us about , they are before his face ; hos. vii . . the devil and his angels consider us , and watch all opportunities , which our inconsideration makes them in abundance , to take us at unawares , and as it were fast asleep . when the husbandman sleepeth , then is the proper season for the enemy to sow his tares . when we are at rest in our minds , secure , and consider little ; then is it satan's opportunity to sow the seed of wickedness in our hearts . we must be on our watch against this devouring lion , if we would not be devoured by him : and our only security is serious consideration . o how much misery would a seasonable considering of things prevent ! misery , which will make us at length sadly consider , when it will be too late . now consideration will do us much good , ' then 't will do us hurt . when 't will do us good , we will not consider ; when 't will do us hurt , we cannot chuse but consider . o folly of all follies ! what a madness is this , not to do to our comfort now , what if we do not now , we must do hereafter to our sorrow ? what would the damned in hell now give , that either they had consider'd when they would not , or could not now consider when they must ? now consideration would prevent hell-torments , then it will in a great part make them . had the rich glutton consider'd what he must endure in hell , he would not have delighted in the way to hell ; thither he came because he consider'd not , that thither he was going ; and that being there , no consideration could bring him back again . yea , how many severe judgments might we escape in this life , did we well consider ? these things hast thou done ( saith god ) and i kept silence , thou thoughtest that i was altogether such an one as thy self ; but i will reprove thee , and set them in order before thine eyes . now consider this , ye that forget god , lest i tear you in pieces , and there be none to deliver , psal. l. , . what a folly is it to sleep on , 'till god be forced by his rod to awake us ! but what a madness , not to awake when his ro is upon us , but to sleep on still , till we awake in everlasting burnings ! part ii. the sin and danger of delaying repentance . i hope there hath been enough said in the former part of this discourse , to convince us of the necessity of serious consideration ; and if consideration be so very necessary , it is to this end , that we may live well here , and happily hereafter . it appears , by what hath been said , that none but serious , thinking , and considering persons , can live well ; and 't is certain , that none , but they who live well , have any reason to hope , that they can die well , or that they can be happy after death . therefore was it needful in the first place , we should be put in mind of this important duty , which is so generally neglected , and the neglect whereof draws so great an evil after it , as that of living only to dishonour god , and to destroy our selves eternally . but now 't is also as evident from all that hath been said , that the deepest and most serious consideration , even of the best and most considerable things , is but a great deal of trouble to no purpose ; and indeed a very idle thing , if it bring us not to a stedfast resolution , and a strenuous endeavour to behave our selves , throughout the whole course of this life , so as may best please god , and most conduce to our own eternal happiness . resolving is the end of considering , and doing is the perfecting of resolution . without constant practice , 't is neither considering nor purposing that will bring us to blessedness . to think much , merely for thinking's sake , is just to as much purpose , as to think of nothing at all ; a man may possibly become more knowing by it , but he is not one jot the better . if then we will improve our consideration to our advantage , we must take the same course , which , as we have seen before , david took ; who no sooner had consider'd , but forthwith he turn'd his feet unto god's testimonies ; yea , he made haste , and delayed not to keep god's commandments . this must be the fruit of our consideration , if we consider to any purpose . as the prodigal son in the parable , luk. xv. no sooner came to himself , and consider'd things well ; but straightway he resolved to return to his father ; and having resolved , away he went without delay ▪ so are we to do , if we would be safe and happy ; considering well , repent immediately of all our sins , and without stop enter upon a new course of life . and this is the business of this second part , to shew the necessity of a speedy repentance , and the absurdity of delaying it . it is a work that requires all the haste that we can make , and admits of no delay at all . first , we cannot repent too soon . secondly , we may defer repentance till it be too late . these are the two things i shall now make very plain . sect . i. no man can repent too soon . repentance , is a turning from our own sinful ways , into the ways of god's commandments ; out of the way of death , into the way of life ; it is a leaving off to be bad , and a growing good : 't is a change of the whole man for the better , both of the inward temper of his heart , and of the outward course of his life and conversation . and can it now be needful to prove , that this cannot be done too soon ? can one too early get out of danger and be safe ? can one too soon begin to grow happy ? need i use arguments to convince us , that one cannot make too much haste to be a good man ? and yet so strangely bewitch'd and blinded are sinners , such an almost inncredible power hath satan got over men , to blind their eyes , and darken their minds , that they dote on nothing so much as on their own foulness and deformity ; and nothing is harder to convince them of , than that it is better for them to be clean than filthy , well than sick , good than bad , wise than fools , happy than miserable . who would think , that a reasonable creature should be so senseless ? and yet almost all the work , and i am sure , the hardest part of that which the ministers of christ have to do , is to make men sensible of this , that a man cannot too soon be good ; the thing which i am now to shew ; and shew it i can , but to make men see and believe it , is the work of god alone ; and we must humbly and earnestly in fervent prayer beseech him to do it ; i mean to make us effectually sensible of these three things . . that we cannot too soon do , what is at all aimes our duty to do . . that we cannot too soon do , what alone can set us in safety . . that we cannot too soon do that , without which our life is very uncomfortable . . we cannot too soon do that , which is at all times our duty to do ; and there is no part of our life , how early soever it be , that it is not our duty to repent in it , and keep the commandments of god. what we cannot do sooner than it is our duty to do it , cannot be done too soon ; and what it is our duty always to be doing , cannot be begun too soon . we are always sinners , therefore we cannot repent too soon ; because it cannot be sooner than we have sins to be repented of . were repentance no more , than what too many i fear take it to be , a being sorry that we have sinned ; it could not be too soon ; for so soon as we have sinned , we have cause to be sorry that we have sinned ; and we have all sinned even from our infancy : and so soon as we have offended god , it is our duty to be sorry that we have offended him. were it no more , but a hatred of sin , a confessing of it , or resolving against it , yea , or any sort of actual forsaking it , and begging god's pardon for it : nothing of all this could be done too soon ; because it is our duty to do all this so soon as we have sinned ; and we have always had sins to be hated , confess'd , resolv'd against , pardon'd and forsaken . and yet , were this all that is meant by repentance , though we could not but confess it very reasonable , that all this should be done so soon as we are sensible that we are sinners ; yet i fear we should not think it altogether necessary ; but would rather flatter our selves , that it would be enough to do it in our last sickness , or some few days or hours before we die ; because all this , if we have but so much time , and so much sense and understanding left us as to think of it , may then be done ; and i doubt not , but it is done by a great many , who yet do not repent unto life , as will be shewn anon . but seeing repentance is all this , and a great deal more than all this ; even a through change of life , not for death , but for a more holy life , and that , not in heaven , but on earth ; seeing it is a leaving of sin , not to do nothing , but to do our duty ; a turning from our own wicked ways unto god's testimonies , and the keeping of his commandments ; it is a duty , that we are always to be doing so long as we live , and can only be done whilst we live ; and is in great danger not to be done at all if it be not soon begun ; and cannot be done too soon , because the doing of it soon , even so soon as we can , is a part of the duty . to make this plainer , let us first briefly consider what the duty of repentance is , as in the holy scripture it is described unto us ; and secondly , what time the same scripture directs us to , for the doing of it ; and by both we shall easily perceive , that we cannot repent too soon ; because no sooner than it is our duty . first , observe how the duty of repentance is described unto us in the holy scripture . ezek. xviii . . it is a turning from all our sins which we have committed , and a keeping of all god's statutes , and doing that which is lawful and right . and v. . a casting away from us all our transgressions , whereby we have transgressed ; and making us a new heart , and a new spirit . it is an amending of our ways and our doings , jer. vii . . a returning every man from his evil way , and making our ways and our doings good , jer. xviii . . it implieth a godly sorrow for sin , yet that godly sorrow is not repentance ; but worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of , cor. vii . . it implieth a hatred of every false way , psal. cxix . . a being ashamed , and confounded for our own ways ; a loathing our selves in our own sight , for our iniquities , and for our abominations , ezek. xxxvi . , . a confessing and forsaking our sins , prov. xxviii . . and yet all this is not the whole duty of repentance . but as we must cease to do evil , so must we learn to do well also , isa. i. , . we must both eschew evil , and do good , pet. iii . neither is this to be thought a work , on which it may be enough to bestow some small part of our life , when it grows near to an end ; for repentance is thus express'd , tit. ii. . a denying ungodliness and worldly lusts , and living soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world . can we think the apostle meant no more by these words , but that we should do this for some few years or days of our old age before we die ? certainly no man can be so foolish as to think so ; but rather , that even so long as we live in this present world , and whilst we are a looking for that blessed hope mention'd v. . that is , so long as we live , we should do this , as zacharias clearly expresseth it , luk. i. . that we should serve god in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life . and by patient continuance in well doing , seek for glory , and honour , and immortality , rom. ii. . i am confident , that no body can now imagine , that such a repentance as in these places of holy scripture is commended to us , can be the work of a dying man , or that it is not work enough for one's whole life , how long so ever . however 't is plain , that it is our duty in all the several ages of life , and at all times whilst we live , and therefore no point of our time can be too soon to begin it in ; but every moment that we wilfully neglect it , we add to our sins by leading so long an unholy life , contrary to the command of god. but this will more fully be proved afterwards . secondly , observe what time the same scripture directs us to for the setting upon this duty . and we shall hardly find , that it commends to us any other time but the present ; there is no to morrow , that i know of , allow'd us to depend upon ; not the least countenance or encouragement to procrastination or driving off to another time . therefore now , saith the lord , turn ye even unto me , joel ii. . now it is high time to awake out of sleep , rom. xiii . . behold now is the accepted time , behold now is the day of salvation , cor. vi. . to day if ye will hear his voice , harden not your hearts , heb. iii. . remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth , eccl. xii . . no part , no day of our age too soon . we are always call'd upon to repent , presently , to day , just now ; and not told we may stay till to morrow , or bid to do it sometime hereafter . whenever therefore we are called to repent , and that is as soon soever as we are made to understand that we are sinners , and that repentance is our duty ; then is it our duty to set about it ; and to put it off longer , is a violation of our duty , and a new sin ; and therefore 't is certain , we can never begin to repent too soon . . we cannot too soon do that , without the doing whereof we can never be in a safe condition ; no man thinks he can make too much haste to be safe : and nothing can be plainer than this , that we are never in a safe condition , till we be sincere penitents ; therefore we cannot repent too soon , unless we can be safe too soon . can any one think he hath too soon got out of the lion's mouth , out of the snares of the devil , and from the borders of hell ? can any one think it too soon to be within view of heaven and eternal joys ? then indeed he may think it too soon to repent of his sins , and walk in the ways of god's commandments . did we but really believe , and well consider , that we are always in danger of eternal destruction ; and every moment ready to fall into the bottomless pit of fire and brimstone , out of which there is no redemption , so long as we go on in any of the ways of sin ; tho we had no sense of our obligations and duty to god , and tho we had no love to him , which should constrain us to do any thing for his sake ; and lest we should be wanting in our duty to him ; yet one would think the apprehension of the danger we are in of perishing , should make us afraid to go on , and fear should constrain us , for our own sakes , to change our course of life , lest we should be wanting to our selves and our own safety . our blessed jesus , who came to save us from death and destruction , came to call us to repentance , that we may be saved ; that being the only door that god , for his sake , hath opened unto us to salvation . he himself it was that said , except ye repent , ye shall all perish , luke xiii . . and when st. iohn the baptist saw the pharisees and sadduces coming to his baptism , which was the baptism of repentance , he thus saluted them , o generation of vipers , who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance , matth. iii. , . shewing them , that there is no other way of escaping the wrath of god , which always burneth against sin and wickedness , but such a repentance as brings forth the fruits of righteousness . till we unfeignedly repent of our sins , we are in a state of sin ; and so long are we the children of wrath , eph. ii. . the wrath of god is revealed from heaven , against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men , who hold the truth in unrighteousness , rom. i. . whilst we know what is our duty to god , and yet do it not , there are many stripes ready for us ; and god hath declared both by many threatnings , and by many examples of his just indignation , that his wrath is kindled against us . god spared not the old world , but saved noah the eighth person , a preacher of righteousness , bringing the flood upon the world of the ungodly . and turning the cities of sodom and gomorrah into ashes , condemned them with an overthrow , making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly , pet. ii. , . they suffering the vengeance of eternal fire , jude . what safety can the impenitent sinner promise himself , or whither will he fly , and take sanctuary from the fiery indignation of provoked justice and omnipotence ? whilst we presumptuously continue in our sins , we heap up wrath against the day of wrath , rom. ii. our sins cry aloud to the almighty , for his vengeance upon us . his judgments hang over our heads , like the naked sword over the head of the tyrant , by a single hair of mercy ; and if our sins once break that , we are suddenly cut off from the land of the living . god will wound the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses , psal. lxviii . . for god is angry with the wicked every day . if he turn not , he will whet his sword ; he hath bent his bow , and made it ready . he hath prepared for him the instrument of death , psal. vii . , , . god hath made all things ready for the execution of his wrath whensoever it pleaseth him ; and no sinner knoweth how soon god will smite him down to hell. if he stay yet a while longer , it is to give us time to repent ; and if we repent not ere long , he is the mean while but whetting his sword , and bending his bow to its full bent , that whenever he pleaseth to take his own time for it , his sword may pierce deep , and his arrow flye home , and wound mortally . indeed he hath declared himself to be very gracious , and slow to wrath ; and our own daily experience assures us that he is so ; and this wicked use we are too apt to make of it , that by his long-suffering and forbearance we embolden our selves to sin the longer , and to delay our repentance , in hope of longer forbearance still . yea , because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily , therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil , eccles. viii . . a strange and most unreasonable presumption this , as tho a man could be the safer , the longer he abused god's patience , and turn'd his grace into wantonness , and even dared him to do his worst . oh that we would consider how unadvisedly we act for our selves ! how ill we consult for our own safety ! and what fools we are to think we can be safe , whilst we are provoking god by our sins , and by this sin especially , of presuming he will yet forbear us longer , because he hath forborn much longer already than we deserv'd . not considering the goodness of god in his forbearance and long-suffering , which should lead us to repentance ; after our hardness and impenitent hearts , we treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath , and the revelation of the righteous judgment of god , rom. ii. . how foolishly secure soever we may be in our sinful courses , yet certain it is , we are never safe . ionas may sleep , and fear nothing , but the winds and seas are not quiet for all that while ; and he is in no less danger because he thinks not of it . whilst we sin , god's anger is pursuing us , and we know not how soon it will overtake us . seeing therefore we are never safe till we repent , we cannot repent too soon , unless it can be too soon to be safe . . we cannot too soon do that , without which our life can never be comfortable to us . comfort is the very life of life ; and a life without comfort , is worse than death . and truly a life of sin is a life without any true comfort at all ; and false comfort is not worth the having , unless it can be worth ones while to go laughing into the fire of hell , which never shall be quenched : we cannot therefore too soon repent , except we can think it too soon to lead a comfortable life : and that the impenitent sinner can have no true comfort , is plain enough from what was last consider'd , that he can have no safety ; for certainly an unsafe condition is also a very uncomfortable condition ; and i know not what can comfort him that sees himself every moment in greatest danger of perishing everlastingly . what ? can there be any place for comfort in that man's breast , that knows himself to be at enmity with god , and god to be incens'd against him ? can he find comfort , who walks whereever he goes , under a full-charg'd cloud of vengeance , ready whenever god gives the word , to break upon his head ? can there be any comfort in a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation , which shall devour the adversaries ? and yet this is all he hath any reason to look for , who sins wilfully , after he hath received the knowledge of the truth , and holds on without repentance , heb x. ▪ . indeed we see it too often , that the most abominable sinners can so harden themselves in sin , that they grow insensible of their danger : and not only so , but they can find much pleasure , too ( such as it is ) in serving their lusts ; nay , and whilst they do so , can flatter themselves with a foolish conceit that all 's well enough with them . and just so may a man in a swoon , or in any stupifying disease , be insensible that he is in danger of death ; and a man in his sleep , may not perceive that the house over his head is on fire : yea , he may have many pleasant dreams in the midst of his danger ; and a mad-man may take pleasure in his madness , and yet he 's as mad as he , that thinks such a pleasure to be a comfort . such a comfort may an impenitent sinner have in his wicked life , whilst his sins keep him too busie to think of his danger . but whenever he shall begin to think seriously , ( which such a one is very unwilling to do , and which unwillingness of his is a manifest sign that he can find nothing comfortable in his present state , else would he be more willing to think of it ) he will find his pleasure quickly vanish . let him apprehend himself in present danger of dying , and let him think whither death is about to convey him , and what he can plead if he shall be called to the great iudgment ; and then even his uncertainty of what shall become of him , or what he shall find in another world , will soon detect the vanity of all his present comforts . but now on the other side , how sweet and pleasant are the thoughts of that happy person , who hath repented unfeignedly of his sins , and walks before god in the ways of his commandments with a perfect heart ! he lives in a constant friendship with the father of mercies , and god of all consolation ; with the blessed jesus in whom he is reconciled unto the father : and who hath said unto his disciples ; ye are my friends , if ye do whatsoever i command you , john xv. . hence was abraham called the friend of god , jam. ii. . now saith christ , i say unto you my friends , be not afraid , luke xii . . this is the penitent man's comfort , he is at peace with god , and there is no condemnation to them that walk not after the flesh , but after the spirit , rom. viii . . yea , he hath this comfortable promise , v. . all things work together for his good . were there no more in it but this , that the penitent is freed from the fear of eternal punishment , and that his sins are forgiven ; that he is free from the stings and smartings of a guilty conscience , which is now purified and healed ; certainly this alone is so great a comfort , that no man of any sense can think he can get too soon into such a condition . is it not an exceeding comfortable thing to a man , that he can go about his honest business , or lawful refreshments ; and quietly , after all , betake himself to his rest , without the angry rebukes of his own conscience , and without any dreadful apprehensions of god's being displeased with him ? is it not very comfortable to be confident of god's love and favour , of his fatherly blessing , and of his special care and providence ? is it not very comfortable to be able in the psalmist's words , psal. iv. . to say after all the hard labours and troubles of the day past , i will both lay me down in peace , and sleep ; for thou , lord , only makest me dwell in safety . let it thunder and lighten , let the winds blow , and the waves beat , let all the world be in tumult and confusion , the penitent is got into his safe harbour , his strong tower , his inviolable sanctuary . let mens tongues be whetted like swords , let the devil and his suborned tools bring thousands of calumnies and false accusations ; his own conscience still acquits him , and his rejoycing is this , the testimony of his conscience , that in simplicity and godly sincerity he hath had his conversation in the world , cor. i. . let dangers and enemies encompass him round about on all sides , his god is his protector ; and who , saith he , can hurt me , if i be a follower of that whch is good ? pet. iii. . nothing can separate me from the love of god which is in christ jesus my lord , rom. viii . . finally ; so long as he lives , he can rejoice in hope of the glory of god ; yea , and glory in tribulation also , rom. v. , . and when he comes to dye , he can without any disturbance take leave of this world , and triumph over death ; saying , o death ! where is thy sting ? o grave ! where is thy victory ? blessed be god who hath given us the victory through jesus christ our lord , cor. xv. , . i have fought a good fight , i have finished my course , i have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness , tim. iv. , . is it now possible that any one can make too much haste to get into this comfortable condition ? no man that considereth aright his duty , his safety , or his comfort , can think it at any time too soon to repent . sect . ii. the sin of delay . though it can never be too soon for a sinner to repent of his sinful course of life ; yet i dare not say that it can never be too late ; a man therefore cannot make too much haste , because he knows not whether any other time after this , will not be too late ; and because the longer he delays it , the more cause he hath still to fear that it will be so . indeed every delaying of this duty is sinful ; and therefore look how long it is delay'd , so much always in one sense it is too late ; because it was not so soon as it ought to have been , or not soon enough to prevent a sin. it hath been already proved , that it cannot be done sooner than it is our duty to do it ; because it is our duty at all times , and we ought always to be doing it : and therefore , if it be delay'd at all , we do it later than in duty we were bound to do ; and that 's too late in respect to god's command . it hath also been proved , that it cannot be done sooner than it is our interest and near concern to do it ; because we can never be safe , nor enjoy any true comfort till it be done ; and therefore again , if it be delay'd at all , it comes later than we stood in need of it , and that 's too late in respect to our own welfare . god , all the time we delay it , wants his right , the honour due unto him ; and we all the while lose much good , our safety and comfort ; and so in both respects it is too late , if it be at all delay'd . but now , it may be be too late too ( i will not say in a worse , but to us ) in a sadder sense ; that is , we may drive it off so long , that it will be too late to repent at all , and till there be neither time nor power left us to repent ; and what will become of us then ? how long any one may delay his repentance before it be too late in this sense , no man living can tell him : and therefore whoso is wise , will not delay his repentance at all . of this i shall say more afterwards : at present , i shall endeavour to make us all a little more sensible of the sinfulness of delaying , and driving off our repentance , and the keeping of god's commandments , from day to day ; how contrary it is to all scripture and reason . and truly this delay is so contrary to both these , that it seems very wonderful , how any one should not be ashamed , as well as afraid to use it . there can be nothing in the world more absurd , than for a man at once to profess he believes the gospel , and owns the duty of repentance as necessary ; and to delay this duty : for this delay seems no less than a bold attempt to cancel and blot out the whole gospel at one dash , and to change the order and method which god hath prescribed for the bringing of sinners to salvation , for a new one of our own contriving . it seems , i say , the making of a new gospel for our selves , and a new way to blessedness , which god never approved of , nor allow'd . and is not this as absurd , as to set our selves in our saviour's stead , and a taking upon us to make for our selves a new and easier way to heaven ? that i may not seem to say this without good reason , let it seriously be consider'd ; that repentance is not only a duty , but the special priviledge of the gospel . the good news which the angels brought from heaven was , that god had sent us the saviour , whom he had in the beginning promised to sinners ; and the good news that our saviour brought us , was , that god would for his sake accept of the sinner's repentance , and faith in him . and this was blessed tidings indeed to a sinful world ; told ( 't is true ) before in the old testament , and shadow'd forth in the law ; but now most fully declared , and gloriously confirm'd by jesus christ in the new testament . the law of innocence , and covenant of works made with adam , allow'd of no such thing as repentance . all it said was this , do this , and live ; do it not , and dye . in the day thou eatest thereos , thou shalt surely dye , gen. ii. . the first breaking of the law , was death . there could be no safe delaying to keep it , because every delay of keeping it , was a breaking of it ; for it was a not doing of the commandment , and that was death ▪ and it must be kept from first to last ; for every ceasing to do what was commanded , was a not doing of what was commanded ; and to this death was threaten'd . no repentance therefore could have place under this covenant . it was the new covenant of grace that made way for repentance ; and this is the gospel-grace , that sinners who have broken god's law , and for that are by the sentence of the law doom'd to die , shall yet , if they repent , find mercy with god through jesus christ . this is the gospel , which the apostle saith was preached before to abraham , gal. iii. . and therefore was before the law of moses , so long , that it was first preach'd by god in that gracious promise of the seed of the woman , gen. iii. . if repentance had not been allow'd of from the first man 's sinning , even all along to the coming of our saviour into the world , as well as after his coming ; then had all men , during that long tract of time , for about four thousand years , perished in their sins . but to prevent this , it pleased god , that so soon as the law was broken , the gospel should be preach'd ; that men might believe , and repent , and be saved . in a most astonishing condescension to the weakness of sinners , he mitigated the rigor of the law , and was pleas'd to accept henceforward of a sincere obedience to it , instead of a perfect fulfilling of it . heartily a man must endeavour to do the whole will of god ; and whatever failings he finds in himself , he must as heartily repent of them , and believe that god for christ his sake , will not only forgive him his repented failings , but also reward his sincere obedience with eternal life . this is the grace of the gospel ; but this admits of no delay of our sincere obedience , or of our repentance : but makes it our duty every day sincerely to obey , and unfeignedly to repent ; and he that doth not so , daily sinneth against the gospel of grace ; and he that hopeth for salvation whilst he thus daily sinneth against the gospel of grace , must needs frame to himself in his imagination some other gospel than that which christ hath preach'd , as the foundation of his hope . the gospel of christ gives no man leave to continue one moment in sin and impenitence . it shews an easier way to heaven than the law did ; and assures us of pardon and salvation upon our repentance , which the law did not : but it hath not left sin to be any part of our way to heaven ; nor assured any one that delayeth to repent , that he shall ever come thither . our blessed saviour came not to call sinners immediately to heaven , or to assure them of blessedness , whether they lead a life of repentance or no ; but he came to call sinners to repentance , matt. ix . . and so to put them into the new way to life , which was opened unto them through him . his forerunner , iohn the baptist , he sent before to prepare his way , by his preaching and baptism . the substance of whose preaching was this , the kingdom of god is at hand ; repent ye , and believe the gospel , mar. i. . he preached the baptism of repentance , for the remission of sins , v. . and the first preaching of our holy jesus was to the same purpose . he began to preach , and to say , repent , for the kingdom of heaven is at hand , matth. iv. . and sending out the twelve to preach , we find the business they were sent about , was the very same , mar. vi. . they went out and preached , that men should repent . for this was god's will , that repentance and remission of sins should be preach'd in christ's name among all nations , luke xxiv . . when st. peter's auditors were moved with his discourse on the day of pentecost ▪ and began to be inquisitive what course to take for themselves ; he thus directs them , acts ii. . repent and be baptized every one of you , in the name of iesus christ , for the remission of sins . now what doth all this signify , but that as many sinners , as hearing this comfortable gospel , believe it , and are thereupon willing to leave their former sinful course of life , and to bind themselves in a new covenant by baptism , to live a holy life in all sincerity and uprightness of heart , always as they find themselves failing , repenting of their faults , and endeavouring to do better , shall , through the merits of christ , in whom they have believed , be pardon'd and saved ? that therefore which the gospel calls , and admits us to , is a state of repentance , whereinto we enter by baptism . adult persons , already come to the use of reason , must repent ; that is , bid adieu to their old wicked way of life , and resolve upon a new and holy one , before they be baptized . and christian infants by baptism covenant to lead a life of repentance when they come to understanding . and none are to delay this wilfully , but always as they are able to understand the state whereunto they are called , and wherein they are engaged , to make good their part of the new covenant ; which is to live in sincere obedience to christ , and always to repent of their failings , as they are able to discover them . thus he that believeth , and is baptized , shall be saved , mar. xvi . . how ! shall he be saved , though he live as long as he will in his sins after he is baptized ! no ; but if he die after baptism before any actual sin , and in a purpose not to commit any such , he shall be saved ; and if he do commit sin afterward , and speedily repent of it , not wilfully continuing therein , he shall be saved : but if he wilfully continue in his sins , which in baptism he renounced , 't is no-where told him that he shall be saved . baptism saveth us ( saith the apostle , pet. i. , . ) but then he saith too , 't is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh , but the answer of a good conscience towards god. if our consciences , being examined , can answer us truly , that we covenanted sincerely , and keep covenant faithfully , baptism saveth us . but what was it we promised ? to repent , and begin to live an holy life at such or such an age ; or when we grow old , and are going to dye ; or after we have had our fill of sinning , some time or other when we shall think it most convenient ? was it not this we promised , to keep god's holy will and commandments all the days of our life ? was it not this charge that christ gave his apostles , when he gave them authority and command to baptize ; teach them to observe all things that i have commanded you ? matth. xxviii . . what , for some few days of their life , or for the whole remaining part of it ? st. paul shall answer this question , rom. vi. . shall we ( saith he ) that are dead to sin , live any longer therein ? what means he by saying , we are dead to sin ? is it not , that we are by our baptism engaged to live in sin no longer ? know ye not ( saith he again ) that so many of us as were baptized into iesus christ , were baptized into his death ? v. . and what will follow thence ? this is that which he tells us , v. . therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death ; that as christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father , even so we also should walk in newness of life . and then he adds , v. . our old man is crucified with him , that the body of sin might be destroy'd , that henceforth we should not serve sin . henceforth we are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies , that we should obey it in the lusts thereof . neither to yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin ; but to yield our selves unto god , as those that are alive from the dead , and our members as instruments of righteousness unto god , v. , . henceforth then , that is , from the time that we are called to repentance by the gospel , and are baptized into christ , we are to lead a life ( as st. paul saith , eph. iv. . ) worthy of the vocation wherewith we are call'd : and that 's a life of sincere obedience , and unfeigned repentance . to sin at all , is a transgression of the law , and that 's mortal in it self ; but that the gospel comes in to our succour , and gives us the privilege of repentance ; if then we delay our repentance , so graciously indulged unto us , we sin against the mercy of the gospel , as well as against the righteousness of the law ; we reject our pardon , most lovingly tender'd unto us , by our unwillingness to comply with the terms on which it is offer'd us : and if we be sick unto death , and will not in time apply the only remedy provided for us in our otherwise desperate case , what can we expect but to dye ? and what pity can we deserve if we die ? and yet too many are apt enough to encourage themselves , to hold out still longer against all calls and invitations to a speedy repentance , upon the most deceitful grounds imaginable : because they read in the prophet , ezek. xviii . . when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed , and doth that which is lawful and right , he shall save his soul alive . and because many have lived a long time very wickedly , and yet have been converted at length , and accepted of god upon their conversion and repentance ; they are apt to think it no such ill thing , as they are told it is , to delay their repentance a-while longer ; and therefore venture on it , in hopes they may be accepted hereafter , as well as others have been . now for men to flatter themselves thus upon so very slender grounds , is so very foolish a thing , that one who considers not how much the love men have to sin , is become too hard for their reason to answer , how weakly soever it plead for it self ; would exceedingly wonder how any reasonable creature should be guilty of it . it is indeed very true ( and god's holy name be for ever blessed for it ) that god will accept of the true repentance of great sinners , who have lain long in their sins without repentance ; and this is a good reason why one that hath continued long in sin , should not despair ; but if he yet repent , he may hope to be saved : but is it therefore as good a reason why he should delay his repentance , in hopes to repent hereafter ? i have not yet said , that no man who hath been long an impenitent sinner , can never repent , or shall not be pardon'd if he repent ; though i am in doubt , whether or no a sinner that repents not till he come to die , can have a pardon upon so late a repentance . but that which i have said is this , that all delay of repentance is exceedingly sinful ; and therefore nothing ought to be pleaded for it ; no man should dare to encourage himself in it . it is a sin against the gospel of christ , which is the only foundation sinners have to raise their hope of salvation upon ? 't is , i think , beyond all dispute , that though the gospel of christ assure salvation to the penitent , yet it hath not assured repentance to him who delayeth it . it calleth sinners to repentance without exception , whether they have been so a longer or a shorter time , and promiseth acceptance ; but doth it allow them to take what time they please for it , after they are called ? doth it tell them , that they may safely stay as long as they have a mind to sin , and yet repent at last ? neither ezekiel , nor any other prophet , no nor apostle , hath left us one syllable in the holy scripture to encourage delay ; though they have left much to encourage him that hath long delay'd to repent . to do the former were to encourage men to sin. to do the later , is to encourage them to give over sinning , though it be late . the former were to allow men to sin that grace may abound , which the apostle abhors , rom. vi. . the later , is but to dehort men from continuing in sin through despair of mercy . in short , though an old sinner may repent , yet was it his sin to stay till he was old ; and he hath that sin , as well as others , to repent of ; and no scripture encourageth him to grow older in sin before he repent , or to take what day he pleaseth for it before his death , or to hope he shall ever repent at all if he do it not now . we are call'd immediately to put off the old man , and to put on the new , eph. iv. . i need say no more , but that he who delays his repentance , imagining that to repent afterwards will be enough , must needs account an holy life a needless thing ; as though that were not the principal thing that god requires , but it would satisfie him if a man died well , how ill soever he had lived ; when on the contrary , god hath often commanded us to live well ; and indeed all his commands are to that purpose ; but hath never commanded us to die well ; and reason good , for there is no other way to die well , but to live well ; and as little danger that he who lives well , should not die well . alas ! to what purpose was a great part of the scripture written , containing so many rules of holy living , if one may delay to live holily as long as he will ? had it not been enough to have told us thus : you that are sinners must be sure one time or other to repent that you have been so . though it be your duty to live an holy life , yet you need not make all the haste you can to do it ; only you must take heed of this , that you die not before you have repented that you have lived wickedly . a man that understands any thing of god , or of the gospel of christ , would tremble to hear such a sense as this put upon it ; and yet no better doth he use it , that delays his repentance in hopes of repenting time enough hereafter . and yet after all , would the gospel bear such a sense as this , it would not excuse the delaying sinner's either sin or folly : for were he sure , that a late repentance would be accepted ; yet he cannot be sure , that he shall live long enough to repent , if he delay it never so little ; and 't is a foolish thing to venture all upon an uncertainty : and though he could be sure of this , yet would it still shew the greatest basenss of spirit , and the meanest sense of god , and of all those obligations of duty and gratitude which he hath laid upon us , that a man can have ; both which i shall endeavour to make very plain in these following periods . sect . iii. the baseness of delay . to delay our repentance and our keeping of god's commandments , is an exceeding base , unworthy , and shameful thing ; and such as i am confident , when any one throughly considers , he cannot without blushing , and great indignation at himself think he should be guilty of it . i know we are all witty enough to invent excuses for our folly ; and to find covers for our nakedness , and something or other we have always at hand to hide our filthiness and vileness . but we are not the less fools for being so wise as to deceive our selves ; and when we once have the wit to consider what we do , we shall be ashamed of it . when we have said all we can for our selves , our consciences ( if ever they awake ) will tell us , that we have no regard either to the dignity of our own nature , as we are men , nor to the good of others , as we are neighbours and brethren , nor to the honour of god , as we are his rational creatures , whilst we delay our repentance ; but that all our delight is to live like beasts , and all that we value is earthly and vile , and all our care is how to feed our swinish lusts , and to humour corruption ; and can a man perceive this to be his own temper , and not be ashamed of himself ? yea , can any one chuse but see , that what he doth must needs be altogether as odious and abominable to god , as it is base and reproachful to himself ? in the first place ; how shall a man be able to pardon himself for dealing so basely with his own soul , as for a great part of his life , not to allow it the benefit of its reason ; but to enslave it to the tyranny of the flesh ? how shall he be reconciled to himself for dishonouring his own nature , and esteeming of it so vilely , as tho it had no pre-eminence above that of the meanest animals ? all the while that we delay our repentance , we chuse for our selves a condition below the worst condition that any of them can be in , a state of sin , and enmity with god ; wherein not the vilest of them ever are or can be . how sensible are we in the mean time , of the dignity of our nature , as we are men ? how can we chuse but blush to continue any time , so very unlike to that which god at first made man to be ? we cannot chuse but know what filthy leprous creatures sin hath made us : and why are we in no more haste to be cleansed and made whole ? why are we no more ambitious to retrieve the honour and glory which by sin we have lost ? when god himself , to shew the value of our humane nature , was pleas'd to send his own eternal son to take it upon himself ; and he who was ever god , was not ashamed to be found in fashion as a man , what a baseness is it in us , to defile that same nature in the drudgeries of sin , which god thought not unworthy of a personal union with the divine nature in his only begotten son ? what 's the reason we should delay to have christ formed in us , to be made partakers of a divine nature in holiness ? doth not god in jesus christ most graciously invite us to this high honour ? hath he not open'd unto us a fountain for sin and for uncleanness , wherein the foulest sinner may wash freely , and become as white as snow ? what a vile degeneracy is this that we are sunk into , that we should fall so deeply in love with our own dishonour , as to be loth to part with it ? we love our sickness more than our health ; our filthiness , more than purity ; our weakness , more than strength ; our deformity , more than beauty ; our chains of slavery to the devil , more than the liberty of the children of god. we had rather obey our passions than our reason , and live like beasts than like men ; be earthly than heavenly , carnal than spiritual , like devils than like angels , yea , than like god. what else can be the reason why we should delay one minute to keep god's commandments ? do not they all visibly tend to our health , and our honour , and our happiness ? is it not the design of them all to make us wise and good , and every way perfect in our nature , and like unto god in holiness ; the brethren of christ , and children of god , and heirs to the glorious inheritance of the saints in light ? why then make we no more haste to keep them , and to enter into this most honourable and blessed condition ? can it be for any other reason , but that we love to be as we are ; and take more pleasure in our wretched slavery , and loathsom corruption , than in all that blessedness and glory which god so freely offers to restore us to ? and truly if we be thus madly in love with our own shame and wretchedness , it must needs be very just with god to leave us in them , and never once more to make us those tenders of mercy , which we cannot yet find in our hearts to thank him for , or to count worth our acceptance . suppose a very poor beggar were very kindly invited by some extraordinary charitable person of a great estate , to throw away his nasty rags , and to accept of a rich suit instead of them ; and to leave off his wandring trade , and come and live in his family ; with a farther promise and assurance , that he should be heir to a goodly inheritance ; and the beggar should give him no other answer but this ; i thank you , sir , with all my heart , and i will do as you would have me ; but i will take my own time for it : i love these rags exceedingly , and i cannot part with them yet ; and i am so accustom'd to wander , that i cannot yet endure to be confin'd , tho it were to a palace : but some time or other i will accept of your kindness ; when these rags will hang about me no longer , and when i am so old or lame , that i can wander no more , i will come to your house , and expect to have your good apparel and estate . or suppose some leprous creature should meet with a charitable physician , who should very kindly desire him to accept of his help , promising perfectly to cure him ; and this filthy wretch should reply , sir , i very heartily and thankfully accept of your kindness , and am resolved to make use of it whenever i think fit ; but i have a great mind to be leprous a while longer ; it 's so pleasing a thing to scratch this foul skin of mine , that i cannot endure to think of being well just now ; but whenever i shall grow weary of this filthy disease , at least , when i am almost kill●d with it , and afraid to dye , i will call for you , and you shall heal me . i think there 's no body that would say such persons deserv'd to have such kindnesses offer'd them any more ; but that they were right serv'd , if they were left to perish by their own base folly . how then shall we think our blessed jesus , who hath tendred us greater kindnesses than these , in our far greater necessities , will resent our baseness in delaying to accept of his love , whilst we have as little to plead for our delay , as these wretches had ? indeed we need not guess at this ; for himself hath told us , in the parable of the feast , luke xiv . 't is god himself that is represented there by the certain man that made a great supper , and bade many ; 't is he , i say , that graciously condescends to bid sinners to a feast of fat things ; but alas ! one hath a piece of ground to go see , and another hath his oxen to prove , and another hath a new-married wife to cherish ; and for these reasons they cannot come when they are bidden : well , they may stay away then for ever ; for so saith god , v. . none of those men that were bidden , shall taste of my supper . if we will be so base as to delight in filthiness , why should not god with indignation say , let them be filthy still ? secondly , whosoever delayeth his repentance , behaveth himself as basely in reference to others , as to himself ; and shews very plainly , that he cares not what becomes of the whole world , so he might be left freely to enjoy his sins , without any disturbance . can any man that professeth religion , be ignorant , that it is the breaking of god's commandments , that brings upon the world of mankind , all the evils it at any time laboureth under ? all the troubles and disturbances which men have one from another , and all the terrible iudgments of god , which light upon whole kingdoms , towns , and families , are owing to mens continuance in their sins , and delaying their repentance . he 's not only too great a stranger to the word of god , but a man of very little experience or observation , that understands not this . and truly he that understands it , and delayeth his repentance , declareth himself thereby too base to make a member of humane society ; and the world may well be both ashamed and afraid to afford him entertainment any longer . the very rabble could hardly be too much enraged , or vent its fury too freely , on so unnatural a wretch , as chuseth rather to continue one of them , for whom , and by whom , a nation is in continual danger of being destroy'd , than to be one of those few righteous persons , for whose sake god often spareth a very wicked generation . would we not account that man one of the worst-natur'd men in the world , and fit to be trampled down to dirt by all that met him , who should be so malignantly bent against the welfare of mankind , and bear such a spite against all men , that rather than the world should want some noisom vermine , and poisonous creatures to molest and hurt it , would be content himself to be turn'd into a venomous toad or viper ? and yet , when we well consider things , how much worse than either of these , and how much more mischievous in all kinds , is that man , who delayeth his repentance ; and by his wilful continuance in sin , not only disordereth the world , and makes it a very uneasie and dangerous place to live in , but provokes god daily to pour down fire from heaven on the neighbourhood wherein he is suffer'd to live and do wickedly ? what punishment could be too great for that man , who being sick of the plague , and assured of his cure , if he would stay within doors , and be ordered by his physician , will not hearken to any advice , in order to his health , unless he may be allowed first to run abroad to and fro , infecting all the countrey , as far as his strength will carry him ? and how much worse than this , doth he who will not accept of the cure of his sins , till he have had time enough to fulfil all his lusts , and to corrupt all his neighbours , and make all about him , as much as in him lieth , fit objects of god's just wrath and indignation ? this is all the respect that the delaying sinner hath to the good of mankind ; that rather than want the vile pleasures of sin , as long as he is able to serve his lusts , he is resolv'd never to regard what evils any number of men fall under , and endure . and what greater baseness of mind and temper can there be in any one , than this ? yes , lastly , the delaying sinner is come to a degree of baseness far exceeding all that hath yet been said of him . for by his delaying to keep god's commandments , he declares , that he hath as little sense of god's honour , and of his own manifold obligations to god , as of his own primitive dignity , or of the world's happiness . to delay our repentance , after that god hath been graciously pleased , in the greatest wonder of mercy , by his only beloved son to call us to it ; and by him to open unto us a new door to salvation , after that sin had wall'd up the old one against us ; what less can this be , than , as they are said to do in the parable , matth. xxii . . to set light by the gospel of peace ? what is it , but to slight all god's gracious tenders of peace and reconciliation , as things we think as yet needless , and not at all to be valued ? to puff at the goodness , and loving invitations of god , and to turn scornfully away from his call , whilst he beseecheth us to return unto him , and be saved : one of us preferring his farm , another his merchandise before the kingdom of god ? we cannot but be sensible how great a baseness it is to deal , as delaying sinners do , with almighty god , when we shall have well consider'd the condition wherein his mercy overtakes us . we cannot but confess , that as his creatures , we are naturally obliged to be entirely obedient to his will in all things : and that as sinners , who have disobey'd his will , he may justly punish us as he pleaseth . and we know , that for sin we all lie under the curse of death , and 't is justice in god to execute the sentence of death upon us at any time , when he thinks it fit . but instead of doing so , he is pleased in much goodness to offer us a pardon , and that upon such terms , as had all been left to our own choice , we our selves could not reasonably have desired easier ; though one would think no terms of salvation should seem hard to those who were under a condemnation to eternal torments . all that our good god requireth of us , is but to repent of our sins , and to come in at the hearing of his gracious proclamation , and to submit our selves to the government of that blessed saviour , who in his love hath provided for us ; and to conclude our selves safe , whilst we continue under his conduct . and this is it that the delaying sinner thinks it not yet time to accept of . now if any of us be of this mind , pray let us well consider , what it is that we do . our offended god is willing not only to pardon us , and rid us of the fear and danger of eternal misery ; but also to reward us with eternal blessedness , on condition that we will come in at his call , and take the easie yoak , and light burthen of jesus christ upon us : but we will not yet . is not this then as much as to say thus unto god — good god be content , and have patience a-while longer , there 's no such haste . thou mayst be sure we have no mind to perish , and therefore need'st not to question it ; but one time or other , before we die , we will come and accept of thy kindness . be not then so hasty with us , but let us alone a-while to mind our own business that we have set our selves to do ; and think it time enough if we hearken to thy call , when we shall be a little more at leisure . the world calls us , and our lusts call us , and we cannot do all things at once ; these must be serv'd in the first place ; and when we have done what we can for them , we will serve thee . let us now consider , what we would think of those men , whom we should over-hear uttering such words as these to god with their mouth . and then consider again , whether this must not be the secret language of every one's heart that wilfully delayeth to repent , and keep god's commandments . i know there may be many causes of mens putting off , and neglecting their duty to god. some of us are either so ignorant , or so regardless of god , and of all things that shall be after this life , that they never think to any purpose , or seriously , and concernedly , of any such thing : and we must needs confess this to be a most horrid indignity offer'd to god , as well as a most stupid senselesness of our own good or evil . some may have foolishly perswaded themselves , either that repentance is a far slighter thing , than really it is ; or that there is no such indispensable necessity of it as is pretended : and how can we excuse such as these for the affront they put upon god , in not believing his word ; or in taking so little pains to understand it ? but whatever causes may be assign'd why some men repent not , this is certain , that whosoever is convinced that repentance is a duty , without which he cannot be saved , nor god honour'd by him , and yet delayeth it ; delayeth it for this reason , that he is in love with some sin or other , which he is not yet willing to part with ; the love whereof is greater in him , than his love of god , and bears it down . otherwise his love to god would constrain him to make as much haste to serve and honour him , as his love to sin now doth to disobey and dishonour him . how long hath god already waited to be gracious ? how much patience hath he had already to see himself dishonour'd by us ? how many calls and warnings hath he already given us to repent ? what then do we in putting off our repentance yet longer , but in effect bid him stay a little longer yet ; as though we thought him bound to wait our leisure , and observe our time , and not our selves to observe his ? yea , what is this , but , as st. paul saith , rom. ii. . to despise the riches of his goodness , and forbearance , and long-suffering , not knowing ( or not considering ) that the goodness of god leadeth us to repentance ? god calls upon us in good earnest , in great compassion , in much patience and long-suffering ; and all this purely for our own eternal welfare . all day long ( saith he ) have i stretched out my hand unto a disobedient and gain-saying people , rom. x. . isa. lxv . . and what saith the delaying sinner to all this , when he is told of it ? i hear you ( saith he ) but let him stay a-while longer , no haste yet , i have something else to do first . why ? what is it that should hinder us from making what haste we can to be happy , in hearkning to so good and gracious a god and father ? why not now , as well as hereafter ? i am yet too young , saith the young sinner ; 't is yet but the time of blossoming with me ; let me flourish a-while in the days of my vanity ; to think too much of god , and the other world , of death and iudgment , would make my flower fade too soon , and blast all my youthful delights ; to be religious so soon , is to be old before my time ; would you have me turn my spring into autumn ? i will bear fruit to god , when fruit-time comes . i am too busie yet ( saith the man of full-growth ) my strength is but just come , and fits me for man-like exercises , and the business of the world : these are the things it now becomes men of my strength and vigour to be wholly employ'd in . i must not yet unfit my self for the management of worldly affairs , by entertaining the melancholly thoughts of preparing my self to go out of the world. what trade can a man drive on thrivingly in this world , if he make his conscience too soon tender and delicate ? my head is yet too full of cares ( saith the old sinner ) and i must not neglect the present opportunity of making all sure to posterity , seeing i have one foot already in the grave . so soon as i have set all straight for this world , which i now make haste to do , i will think of the next . o how wise and provident are we all for this world , and for our lusts ! let us seriously consider now , what 's the plain english of all this : are we not afraid , lest god should understand it ? and yet understand it he doth , much better than we . god is greater than our hearts , and knoweth all things , john iii. . he knoweth very well , that the meaning of all we can say for our delaying to keep his commandments is this , with what fine words soever we would cover it . we will give the first-fruits , and every choice part of our time , our health , our strength , our wealth , our parts , and all we have , to sin and satan ; and the vile and refuse , and what we cannot tell how otherwise to dispose of , we will give to god , who gave us all things . whatsoever good thing he hath bestow'd upon us , we will spend as much of it as we can upon his enemies ; and then throw him back their leavings . we are resolved to have our own will , and to do our own pleasure whilst we are able ; and when we know not how to take our pleasure in any thing , we will do what we can to please god. we will do , and submit to his will , when we can no longer do what we would our selves . it 's enough to bestow that upon god , which is good for nothing else , or whereof we can make no other use . we may come , ere we die , to be deprived of all the delightful things which this world affords ; we may come to be old , and past all youthful pleasures , and worldly business too ; we may come to be sick , and cannot rellish any longer what before we loved ; and then will it be time enough to serve god. we resolve to part with all our sins at last for god's sake , but we cannot endure to do it so soon ; that is , in truth we cannot endure to part with them at all ; and will never do it for his sake , nor at all , as long as we can keep them . we perfectly hate god's service , and are resolved to keep out of it as long as we can , or dare : in plain terms , we will never serve him , if we can help it ; and when we talk of resolving to serve him hereafter , we can mean no more but this ; we are resolved to keep out of his service as long as ever we can , and to venture as far as ever we dare in the way to death . now when we consider , what god is in himself ; and what he hath always been , and would be to us ; i think it may be safely concluded , that there cannot be imagined any higher degree of baseness , whereof 't is possible for man to be guilty , than this amounts to . and therefore nothing can be more odious and provoking to almighty god , than this foul sin of delaying our repentance . sect . iv. the first danger of delaying . i am sensible how hard a thing it is to make one who loves his sin , to see the baseness of it . if he be young , it 's hard to bring him to that degree of seriousness , as is needful to such a thorough consideration , as must make him understand it : and if he be old , long custom hath harden'd him in it , and taken away the sense of baseness . but he that is grown too impudent to be ashamed , may possibly be made afraid ; and an apprehension of danger may move him that hath lost the sense of baseness . let us therefore now consider the great danger we are in by delaying our repentance , and the keeping of god's commandments ; and we shall find it to be no less , than that of perishing everlastingly . we must repent before we die , or at death we sink into eternal misery ; and therefore 't is certain , that seeing none of us knoweth how soon he must die , every delay of our repentance , which must be before we die , or never , is extremely dangerous . we say , we are resolved to repent ; and it behoves us to do more than resolve upon it ; for without doing it , how fully soever we resolve to do it , we must perish for ever . when therefore will we repent , that we may be out of danger ? not yet , but sometime hereafter . well , but now consider it in earnest ; is there not a great deal of danger in driving it off till hereafter ? run we not a great hazard in doing so ? all we can hope for , and all that we can fear , our attaining to the one , our escaping the other , depends upon our actual repentance ; and will we yet venture all upon hereafter ? suppose that hereafter never come , but we die before ; then farewell to all possibility of repentance and salvation too . suppose we live till hereafter , but be then as unwilling to repent as we are now ; then shall we be no better , but much worse than we are now ▪ and in more danger of dying in our impenitence , and of perishing . suppose we shall hereafter have some kind of willingness to repent , but shall not be able to repent so , as that god will accept of our repentance ▪ then is there no remedy , but we are undone for ever . here then lieth the danger of delaying till hereafter . we know not whether we shall have an hereafter or no to repent in ; we know not , if we have an hereafter , whether we shall repent in it or no : we know not , if we shall in some sort repent hereafter , whether our repentance then will be accepted , and do us any good , or none . how dangerous then must it be to put it off till hereafter ! what assurance can any of us have , that we shall have an hereafter to repent in ? how know we , that we shall not die before ? god hath not assured us of any such thing , and man cannot ; on what then do we build our hopes of living to any time hereafter ? we are well assured , that it is appointed for all men once to die , and after that , the judgment , heb. ix . . we are well assured , that except we repent , we shall all perish , and die the second death , and go into everlasting punishment . but who hath assured us , that we shall have any time at all , after this that now is , to repent in ? and if we be not assured of this , what can it be to put off that which must be done before we die , to another day , which we have no assurance at all that we shall live to see , but a rash hazarding of our souls to all eternity ? what is our life ? st. iames hath told us , and we all know it ; it is even a vapour , that appeareth for a little time , and then vanisheth away , jam. iv. . and thence that apostle very rationally dissuades men from the great folly of confidently resolving , any otherwise than conditionally , to do any thing hereafter ; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow : how foolish a thing is it to say , to morrow we will do this or that ? ye ought to say , if the lord will , we shall live , and do this or that , v. . when we say , we will repent to morrow ; do we know whether we shall be alive or dead to morrow ? if we do not , what can we mean by saying so , but this ; that if we live , we will repent to morrow ? and are we content then to be damned if we die to night ? if not , why are we so mad as to put it to the venture ? boast not thy self of to morrow , for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth , saith the wise man , prov. xxvii . . alas ! a day , an hour , the least moment of time may lay the strongest and most confident of us all upon our backs in the dust ; and why are we confident we shall repent to morrow , when we know so little what changes one single minute may produce ? is it possible that any of us , whilst we see so many every day dropping down into the grave round about us , should need a monitor to mind him , that this life is a very ticklish thing to trust to ? what though we be young , and lusty , and healthful ? were not some of them so too , who died the other day ; and thought they not themselves as likely to live as any of us can be ? all their confidence is swallowed up of death in a moment ; and i am sure we are all of us so many days the nearer to death , as we have out-lived them . how many hundreds yearly die in the heat and wantonness of their youthful blood ? how many in the very fulness of strength and vigour ? how many in the very throng of their worldly business , and whilst they are as busy as the bee in gathering for old age ? how many in the midst of their mirth and jollity , yea , in the very acts of sin , in their drunkenness and gluttony , their fornication and adultery , their theft and robbery , their anger and revenge ? how many in the height of their security and confidence , sleeping in their beds , riding merrily on the rode , going busily about their common affairs ? it 's no news to hear of sudden and unexpected deaths of many sorts ; and less strange can it be to any one to see those young people cut off by death , who thought it too soon to become good and serious ; and were unwilling to marr their juvenile pleasures with many thoughts of piety and religion . let us but think , how many are already dead , who delay'd their repentance with as much confidence as we can do , to repent hereafter , till they had no time left them to repent in : and how fruitlesly they now lament their folly in doing so . think but what they would now be content to give , that they might have their life to begin again on earth ; and whether they would , were that granted them , venture again to delay their repentance , and hazard another sudden fall into those intollerable torments , which now they feel ! o let us not stay , till thinking of this will do us no good ; let us not go on till we fall into their condition , and experience the torments of vain and fruitless wishes . let us not indulge our infidelity as to these things , till some come from the dead to make us believe ; lest we be made , before we fear it , to see and feel , what we make no more haste to escape . we say still , we will repent and become new men to morrow : but alas , we know not yet whether we shall live till then ; nay , we know not but that our bodies may be in the grave , and our souls in hell to morrow ; and for this very reason , because we repent not to day . who then that is wise will venture one moment longer on such an uncertainty ? but suppose we may live , and have the time we at present presume so groundlesly upon ; we may not be one jot the better for it when we have it . we are to consider yet farther , how many things may happen to us at that time or before , which may as much disable us to repent , as death it self . we may live , and yet be as good as dead unto all manner of religious duty and exercise : we may be , we know not how soon , in such a condition , as we may not be able either to reflect on what is past , or understand what is present , or consider what is to come . we cannot be ignorant , how many diseases suddenly surprise men , which , though they do not immediately deprive them of life , yet destroy their memory , and understanding , and reason ; or so weaken them , that they can be of little use for the exercise of repentance . may we not be suddenly taken with an apoplexy or a lethargy , with a phrenzy , or melancholy , or dotage ? may we not become mad or foolish , and so distracted and crazed in our heads , that we cannot at all consider either what we do , or what we should do ? yea , suppose none of these things befall us , yet are there other diseases and pains , whereunto we are subject , and which we may labour under a very considerable time before they kill us ; by which yet we may be brought into such a condition , as we shall find it very hard to perform any religious duty as we ought . we may lie under such continual , and even intollerable pains of body ; under such daily languishings , and faintings , and decays of strength and spirits , that we shall have very little freedom or strength of mind left us to consider , and do all that is needful to repentance , which till then hath been delay'd . why do not we think our selves concern'd to prevent all these evils ? are we not sensible that such things often befal men , who as little fear'd them as we do ? and may they not , for ought we know , befal us as well as any others ? if we are surprized by any of these after we are become sincere penitents , they do us but little hurt ; they are god's visitations indeed ; and for what , he ( it may be ) only knows ; but the worst that comes to us by them , is only this , that we are long a dying , and in such a manner as it pleaseth god. but if we have not sincerely repented before these evils seize us , it is greatly to be feared , we shall never be able to repent ; and god only knows , what will become of us . let us then be so wise , as to make good use of our strength and health , our senses and understanding , whilst we have them . why make we not all sure now whilst we can , seeing we know not how soon it will be , that we cannot ? now we are young , we are too jovial and airy ; and we put all off to those years , which we suppose will of course bring with them more seriousness , and when we think it will better become us to look gravely and religiously . when those years , which we are wont to call the years of discretion , are come ; we find that a great deal of other business comes with them ; and now we are men and women , we are engaged in the world ; and if we have got loose from the vanities of youth , which do not seldome hold us fast even till we die , we are become intangled in things that are but a little better ; and we put off all yet till old age come and make us more leisure . old age is all this while stealing insensibly upon us , and we perceive it not for the throng we are in , till we find our selves on a sudden grown too heavy and dull , and our faculties too much decay'd , and too feeble for much business . and then instead of serious reflections on the state of our souls , we are rather apt to reflect with too much concern on our present bodily weakness , as we are become unable to do any longer as we have done , and yet have as great a mind to do as ever . and hence also instead of being penitent for our sins , we are apt to grow passionate , peevish , and impatient ; and our repentance is still put off to our last sickness . after all these delays , it may be we have no sickness at all , death gives us no warning at all of its approach , but knocks us down with a sudden blow ; or else it sends such a messenger for us , as will not allow us to know or consider , whither we are going , by reason of either the stupefaction or torment which it lays us under . what remains then , but that we take the preacher's advice , ecc. xii . . remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth , while the evil days come not , nor the years draw nigh , when thou shalt say , i have no pleasure in them . but besides the uncertainty of the term of our life , as to us ; and many disappointments , which not unusually befal us in it ; we ought farther to consider , that it is very iust in god to cut our lives the shorter , for our delaying to keep his commandments . neither can we take a more likely course to provoke god to take us away in the midst of our days , or to render them by his iudgments intollerable to us , than this bad use which we make of them . when by delaying our duty to god we make it appear , that we grudge him any considerable part of our time ; and that we are resolved to dishonour him with as much of it , and to bestow upon his service as little of it as we can ; what readier way can we take to provoke him , either to cut our thread of life very short , or to make it very knotty to us ? can we our selves when we think well of it , judge it fit , that he , to whose goodness we owe our life , and being , and in whose hands our times are , psal. xxxi . . in whose hand is the soul of every living thing , and the breath of all mankind , job xii . . should allow us just as much time as we desire , to dishonour and affront him in ? i confess , i know not what greater presumption we can be guilty of , than to resolve to rebel against god as long as we can think it safe to do so , and to expect he should give us from day to day more time to do so in . o let us take heed , lest he take away our breath , and we return to our dust ere we have begun to serve him ; for then be sure all these vain thoughts shall perish . psal. cvi. . the youngest of us is not sure to live one day longer ; and we who grow old are very sure , that we cannot have many days more , if any , to live in this world : nor what kind of days , be they many or few , they will prove to us . let us then no longer delay our repentance , because we are so little sure that we shall have any hereafter to repent in . sect . v. the second danger of delay . as it is a dangerous thing to drive off our repentance , in hopes that we may have time enough hereafter to repent in : so is it altogether as dangerous upon another account , because we know not , if we have an hereafter , whether we shall repent in it , or no. i have already mention'd some things , which may disable us to repent hereafter ; but besides this , it may well be fear'd , that we may be also as unwilling , and every way as much indisposed to repent hereafter , as we are now . is there not as much reason now to move us to keep the commandments of god , as ever there will be hereafter ? is he not the same god now , that he will be then , one and the same , unchangeable for ever ? are not our obligations , and our dependances on him the same ? and is not the danger of dying impenitent , the same now , that it will be then ? what reason then can we have to hope , that if the consideration of these things will not move us now to repentance , it should prevail more with us hereafter ? how difficult , or how easie soever the duty may now seem to us ; or whatever it is that now affrights us from it , or encourageth us to delay it : we have little cause to think that it will become more easie by delay ; that we shall meet with fewer difficulties the longer we drive it off , or fewer temptations to defer it still longer . nay , 't is very certain , that the longer we delay , the difficulty daily more and more increaseth , and very probably , so will our unwillingness too ; for 't is not very likely , that we shall be more willing to set our selves about a harder work hereafter , seeing we dare not venture on it now that it is much more easie . would to god all impenitent sinners could be brought to consider this ; that all the good they do themselves by delaying their repentance , is to make it every day harder for them to do a thing , which they must do , or else they perish . that we may be convinced of this folly , let us observe but these few things . . that the causes of delay will hereafter be the same , and as forcible upon us , as now . . that the work will hereafter be greater . . our strength for it , is like to be less . . our time to do it in , will be shorter . . our assistances are like to be fewer . and , . our impediments and discouragements are like to be more . and when all this hath been well thought on , we cannot but see , that though all that time , which we very groundlesly presume upon , should be granted us ; yet cannot we be sure that we shall , nay , we are more sure of the two , that we shall not make so good use of it , as we may do of the time which is present . . look what causes we think we have at present to delay our repentance till another time ; the same , or more , and more powerful to work upon us , are we like to have hereafter ; and it is like to be as hard , or harder then not to be tempted to delay , than now it is . is it now a careless , negligent and unconsidering temper of mind that is the cause of our delay ? and is it not likely , the longer we delay , that this same supine and regardless temper will be the more fixed and confirm'd ? what is it that we think will alter it ? the temper we are of is such , as admits of none , or very slight thoughts of any such future alteration of it ; these thoughts consist not with such a careless and inconsiderate temper , as we suppose to be the cause of our delay . however , such a change of it hereafter is not to be depended on . what makes men more careless and secure in their sinful courses , than long impunity and forbearance ? he that was a little afraid to venture on sin at first , lest he should be punish'd for it , and lest the wrath of god should light suddenly upon him in some severe judgment ; and he that was at first somewhat ashamed to sin , and unable to conquer his natural modesty , or to endure the reproaches of his natural conscience : after he has with some strugling broke through these bars of fear and shame , the further he ventures forward , the farther he leaves them both behind him . when the sin is become customary , and yet he finds that he suffereth nothing by it ; he is the more emboldened to continue in it . the longer he escapeth what at first he was afraid of , the less apt is he to fear it ; and the more hope he hath to escape it still . the prosperity of fools destroyeth them , prov. i. . how , but by making them the more careless and resolute to go on in the ways wherein they thrive , as we find it by daily experience in all sorts of sinners ? because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed ; therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil , eccl. viii . . is the cause of our delay a secret root of atheism or infidelity , a disbelief of god , and of his word ? the longer we go on in any sin , the more likely are we to be harden'd in our unbelief . for whilst we hold on offending god , and disobeying his word ; and yet find , that notwithstanding all his terrible threatnings , he doth not seem to take any notice of us , but letteth us alone , and stretcheth not out his hand to execute vengeance upon us ; we are apt to take as little notice of god , as we foolishly imagine he taketh of us ; and because we continue to do these evil things , and god keeps silence , we conclude the more confidently , either with the fool , psal. xiv . . that there is no god : or with another as foolish as he , psal. l. . that he is altogether such an one as our selves . the prosperous sinner is apt to say in his heart , god hath forgotten ; he hideth his face , he will never see it . he contemneth god ; he saith in his heart , thou wilt not require it , psal. x. , . the lord shall not see , neither shall the god of iacob regard it , psal. xciv . . to such a brutishness doth our continuance in sin ordinarily bring us ! is it an unwarrantable presumption of the greatness of god's mercy , or of his unwearied forbearance , that is the cause of our delay ? and is it not then too natural to men of this presumption , to presume still the more confidently , the longer god forbeareth them ? certainly he that delayeth at first , presuming on that patience , whereof he hath yet had comparatively but little experience ; will be the more apt to delay still longer , after he hath long experienced the patience , and long-suffering of god. is it the love of our sins wherewith we are bewitched , so that we are not able to part with them , and therefore delay our repentance ? and what reason have we , if we now love them so well , to think , that we shall not love them as well hereafter , as now we do ? what can we imagine should bring us out of love with sin more then , than now ? we may not be able to commit some sins hereafter , which now we commit ; but i see not , why we may not have the same love for them hereafter , which we have now . nay , i see , that usually it is so ; and that few sins are less loved for becoming habitual . the more we practise them , the more we love them ; and the longer we have tasted the sensual sweetness of them , the less can we endure to be without them . and if our inclinations and tempers so alter with our age , that some juvenile sins do not relish with us as they were wont ; yet we do but change them for others ; and we are as averse from goodness , and as much inclin'd to evil as ever . the sins which suit with all ages of man , we commit with as much greediness as ever , and as things which by custom are become natural ; and we sin even as we eat and drink ; being as unable ( as it seems to us ) to live without the one , as without the other . and though , it may be , some sorts of sins grow stale , and we find hereafter no temptation to them ; yet is there one thing , which , the longer we delay our repentance , grows still the more strong ; and that is an inordinate self-love ; and the less we have been used to deny our selves in the things we love , the harder still shall we find it to do so . we have been used to humour our selves , and to feed corrupt nature in all things which it craves ; and then it 's all a case , how the appetite changes as to this or that sin ; seeing what it desires , it must have ; and we have lost all power to resist it . but these things 't is needless to prove , being too notorious to be denied . only they ought to be more consider'd , that when we think well how there will be hereafter as many temptations to delay , and as powerful too , as there are now ; we may discern our folly in delaying our repentance now , in hopes to repent hereafter . . but this is not all ; for we shall certainly find , that the longer we delay , the greater will the work be . and then , whatever the causes be that now persuade us to delay it , they are more likely to persuade us to delay hereafter than now . if they can prevail with us to neglect a necessary work , when 't is less ; they will more easily prevail , when the very greatness of the work seems enough of it self to dishearten us from going about it . let us then consider , how much greater a work it will be to repent hereafter , than now . first , it is very certain , that the longer we have neglected to learn the will of god , the more we have to learn. and the longer we have neglected to do the commandments of god , the more we have to do . the longer we stay before we repent , the more sins we have to repent of . he that hath long since begun his work , and hath made a considerable progress in it , will not hereafter find so much to do , as he that hath done nothing at all of it , but hath then all to begin . all those omissions and neglects we have been every day guilty of , come then to be repented of ; as well as the things which have been neglected and omitted , as far as 't is possible , to be done ; and all this labour had been saved , had we repented , and done our duty in due time . we every day sin , even though we do all that we can to avoid it ; ( which yet we seldom do ) and every day we ought to repent of the sins of the day ; and therefore till we repent , every day much increaseth the labour of repentance , because every day adds to the number of our sins to be repented of . and our delay to repent , when we have sinned , is one of the greatest sins of all ; and every day's delay is such a new sin added to that of the former day . and indeed , so long as a man delayeth his repentance , he doth nothing else but heap up sin upon sin ; and every thing he doth , is full of sin . and what a task doth he thus make himself , to repent of all these sins hereafter ? yea , every conviction that we have sinned , and ought to repent ; and every purpose , and resolution , and thought of repenting , not speedily put in execution , is an aggravation of our guilt , and makes our sins the more sinful , the less excusable , and more hardly pardonable ; because 't is a sign , that we go on in sin against knowledg , against conscience , against the good motions of god's holy spirit , and against the rebukes of our own hearts ; the delay is throughly wilful , and sin is freely chosen ; and thus our sins become as great as can be , and are a striving against conscience , a resisting and grieving of the spirit , a quenching of its holy motions , and a daily fighting against god , or a resolute maintaining our ground against him . and must not all this make repentance a much harder work , than otherwise it might have been ? how much easier is it to pluck up two or three weeds daily in a garden , as we perceive them shooting forth ; than to weed one that , through neglect , is quite overrun with them ? and to how much better purpose too were it so to do ? for by that means , the good plants have liberty to thrive and flourish ; whilst by neglect all that 's good is choaked up , and rarely turns to any advantage . so much easier is it , and to far better purpose and advantage to repent early than late . when one hath gone on but a few steps in a wrong way , and will not then turn back , because he thinks it too much pains for him to do so ; how much more unwilling is he like to be to go back again , when he is gone on many miles ? he that is afraid to encounter two or three enemies at present , will hardly be so stout afterwards as to set upon an army of many thousands : especially when by his delay he hath given them time to strengthen themselves . and this is the second thing that we are here to consider , that by our delay we suffer our sins to grow not only in number , but in strength too : and as it is easier to repent of a few sins than many ; so must it needs be a far harder task to conquer many sins in their full strength , than a few , and weaker too . every one knows by woful experience , if ever he have attempted to get the mastery of his sin , what strength every sin gains in us by our long accustoming of our selves to it ; and how much easier it is to leave off the practice of any sin , after but once or twice committing it ; than after that by frequent committing of it , it is become habitual , and in a manner natural to us ; and , when we have by custom brought our selves to that pass , that we seem to our selves to stand in as much need of our sin , as we do of our food and raiment , and can as little be content without it . 't is easie to pluck up a tender sprout of the first or second years growth ; but this , by letting it stand and grow , is every year harder and harder to do ; and at last , when 't is become a strong tree , impossible for the strongest man to do . 't is easie to quench a small spark that 's but just taking hold of the thatch ; but 't is not so easie to extinguish the fire , when the whole house is on a flame . it may be no difficult matter to cure a little sore at first ; but it will be more hard to do it , when by delay 't is grown into a hollow and filthy ulcer ; and hardly possible , if it come to a cancer , or a gangreen . how strange a thing is it then , that we should delay our repentance , the only cure of a diseased and ulcerous soul , till by delay we become almost past possibility of being cured ! can the ethiopian change his skin , or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good , that are accustomed to do evil , jer. xiii . . . as our work by delay grows greater , so our strength for such a work , grows less ; and that makes it still harder . the more sick a man groweth , or the longer he lieth under his disease , the weaker he groweth too , and the less strength he hath to help himself . tho we are all corrupt enough by nature ; and as we are so of our selves , by much too weak to conquer any lust without the help of supernatural grace : yet our giving way to our natural corruption , and our indulging our selves in our own weaknesses , makes us still weaker and weaker . he that exerciseth not his strength , by degrees loseth it . and he that instead of resisting his enemy as well as he can , layeth himself down at his feet to be trod upon , will find that he hath then less strength to raise himself up , than he had at first to stand his ground . in like manner , he that , instead of making what defence he is able , stands still , and lets his enemy give him wound after wound as long as he will ; if he have a mind to save himself at last , may find that he hath not strength enough left him , either to fight , or run away . in three things principally a man's natural strength to withstand a temptation to wickedness , or to change an ill custom for a better , may seem to consist , . in the conduct of natural conscience . . in the vertue of deliberate consideration . . in the hope of success . but by delaying our repentance , we lose more and more of this strength daily . first , though our natures be strongly biassed towards evil , and we do mightily of our selves incline that way ; yet is there such a thing in us as the light of nature ; whereby we see , in many things , that we go wrong , and walk so , as it very much misbecometh us to do . we yet retain some principles of morality , and natural notions of good and evil , honesty and dishonesty , decency and indecency , which are not quite erazed , nor worn out . and our consciences are ready to check us for doing contrary to our nature , and to reproach us with the unreasonableness and shamefulness of acting some evil things . but when we long neglect to heaken to our reason , and to obey the dictates of it ; yielding to our brutish affections , and giving them the sole command of us : we by degrees forget we have any such thing as reason to direct us , and our consciences fall asleep , having nothing to do ; our unruly lusts ruling us in every thing . we can see nothing unhandsome in what we are fondly in love with , nor can we any more be ashamed of what we have long accustomed our selves unto ; especially when we find we are not alone in any of our sins , but find companions enough to embolden us in any wickedness . were they ashamed when they had committed abomination ? nay , they were not at all ashamed , neither could they blush , jer. vi. . the sinner , after a little time , begins to think it a piece of bravery to be impudent , and to glory in his shame ; and nothing must be thought unreasonable , or undecent , that he hath a mind to do . thus our foolish hearts are more and more darken'd , and our conscience seared as with a hot iron , tim. iv. . and when it is so with us , that our reason bears no sway for the tyranny of our lusts ; there can be no help from consideration , because there can be no such thing to any purpose ; this being the proper work of reason uningaged by affection , and at liberty to do its office . or if sometimes conscience be a little startled upon any occasion , and begin to be restless , and set our thoughts on work a-while ; yet alas , the condition , which by delaying our repentance we bring our selves into , is so sad and frightful , that we cannot indure to think much of it ; but presently turn our thoughts another way , and busie them about something more pleasant to us . indeed most of us have learn'd well enough , how to keep our selves from all serious consideration of either the unreasonableness , shame , or danger of our sinful ways ; being always so busie about the affairs of the world , or our vanities , or in making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof , that we are seldom at leisure to think much on any thing else . lastly , by long continuing in our sins , and giving way to our lusts , we give them so much the mastery and dominion over us , that when at any time we are able to consider a little in what a wretched state we are , and begin to have some thoughts of getting into a better ; we find our selves so fast hamper'd by them , and that they have taken such strong hold of us , that an extraordinary strength is necessary to break loose from them . hereupon our courage quite fails us , and we have no hopes at all , that ever we can be able to recover our selves out of the snare , wherein we have suffered our selves to be so much intangled ; all our spirits therefore sink down into despair ; and we are not willing to labour ( as we fear ) in vain , or to disquiet our selves any longer , about what we imagine past all help . o that we could be brought in time to consider , how by delay we are apt to be perfectly infatuated , and as it were , inchanted , having no use of reason or consideration ; no courage left us to attempt our freedom , or hope to obtain it ; but lye in our slavery without any sense of our vile condition , and without either wit or strength ever to come out of it . . as by delay our work grows greater , and our strength less ; so our time is every day shortned ; and tho we have both more to do , and less skill and ability to work , yet have we less time for our work . the more time we have already sinned away , the less we are sure is behind to repent , serve god , and provide for our souls in . tho we may know how much we have had already to an ill purpose as we have abused it , yet we know not how little , or whether any at all , will be granted us for a better . we are sure , that what is yet to come , cannot be very long , because so much is already gone ; and yet put both together , were it possible , all would have been short enough for the work we had to do in it . now if a work be so great , that it cannot be done perfectly , and as well as it should be done , tho a man take the whole day to it , is it not a madness to drive it off , hoping it may be done well enough in one or two of the last hours of the day ? he that hath the lost time of many years to redeem , had need to ply his business very close indeed , if he hope to do it in a few days . can we think that our corrupt hearts and minds will be throughly changed and cleansed , all our sinful desires and affections quite altered , our whole conversation reformed , every evil habit broken off , every lust mortified , and the whole man renew'd , all graces acquired , sanctification compleated , and every necessary duty perform'd all on a sudden , in a moment of time ? if the work be so easie , and so little time will serve to do it in , the more is our shame and guilt both , and the less excusable are we , that we have done all no sooner , having had so much time already to do it in . and yet supposing all might be done in so little time , and we might repent sufficiently and savingly , of a long wicked life , in some small part of it towards the end ; it ought to be considered , that a little time will hardly be enough for a man to try and be well assured of the sincerity of his repentance ; and yet we know , that if it be not since●e , it will do us no good ; and till we know it is sincere , it can afford us little comfort . he that repents earliest , shall now and then meet with temptations to doubt whether he hath sincerely repented or no ; and it will cost him some pains to search into his own heart , and to make himself in any good and comfortable measure sure of it . and to find this , is the only thing that must be the comfort of his old age , and the sweetness of his dying thoughts . but he that defers his repentance to the later part of his life , if then he may repent unto salvation , yet may he find the time much too short for him very comfortably to assure himself that he hath done so indeed ; and therefore though he may repent , possibly he may not be able so well to know it , as not to go out of this world with many fears and doubts , and much uncomfortable distraction of thoughts about it . and though this may possibly be the case of some , who have lived a life of repentance ; yet is it not a thing a man would choose , or that he should not do what he can to prevent , as i am sure he that delayeth his repentance doth not . he that lives well , may through the tenderness of his conscience , and jealousy of himself , die somewhat uncomfortably ; but he that lives ill almost as long as he lives , i think must needs do so , if he be not so dozed or stupified with his disease , that he cannot be sensible that he is a dying ; or else have the favour of some extraordinary revelation , which such an one of all men hath least reason to hope for . . for he that long delayeth his repentance , hath reason enough to fear , that he shall have less assistance hereafter for this great work , than now he may have . all the helps we can hope for , come from the holy spirit of god , without whose special grace we shall never do any thing that is acceptable to him , or available to our own salvation . we are too weak of our selves to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , and to perfect holiness : it is god that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure . now that man must have a strange measure of unreasonable confidence , that thinks he hath the grace of god at his command ; and can make himself sure to have it just when he shall call for it ; or that the longer he hath rejected it , the greater measures of it should be bestow'd upon him . is this the way to oblige god to be more liberal of his grace unto us hereafter , to turn his grace already given us into wantonness ? is to dishonour him as long as we can , the best way to assure us of his help in time of need ? what is it then , whereby any one can possibly provoke god to withdraw or withhold his grace from him ? what needs any one care how he lives , if he can be sure of grace enough to save him at any time before he die ? and if he cannot be sure to have grace enough at any time when he pleaseth before he die , how dare he delay his repentance any one day of his life , lest he should die before the next day ? certainly that person that delayeth his repentance in expectation of grace , when he sees his own time to call for it ; hath a confidence grounded on something else than the holy scripture , far be it from us to limit the infinite goodness of god. his mercies as well as his iudgments are unsearchable , and his ways past finding out . extraordinary favours may be granted to some , but are not to be relied on by any . i hope god doth give grace at last to many who have long refused it ; but i know not where he hath promised that he will offer it again to them that refuse it when 't is offered . if therefore he that delays his repentance in hope of grace to repent hereafter , meet with the grace he hoped for , he hath cause to be extraordinary thankful for an unpromised mercy ▪ but if any one expect to have such an extraordinary mercy , he hath great reason to be humbled for so groundless a presumption . for this is not the ordinary method of saving sinners , which god hath made us acquainted with : and certainly he makes too bold with god almighty , that expects he should bring him to heaven by any other way than by that which he hath pointed out unto him to walk in ; or who hopes for that assistance which he never promis'd , refusing to make use of that which he hath assured him of if he will now accept it . god hath said , that whosoever hath , or makes good use and improvement of the grace already given , to him shall be given , and he shall have more abundance : but whosoever hath not , or makes not a wise improvement of what god hath given , to the donor's glory and his own salvation , from him shall be taken away even that he hath , matth. xiii . . god ordinarily , as well as justly , leaves such men to grow worse hereafter , who are not willing to grow better now . he withdraws his holy spirit from them , who have long resisted and grieved him . they who are not now willing to recover themselves out of the snare of the devil , having been taken captive by him at his will , are deservedly left in the slavery they delight in . god saith unto them , hearing ye shall hear , and not understand ; and seeing ye shall see , and shall not perceive , matth. xiii . . he leaves them to satan to blind their eyes , and harden their hearts , lest they should be converted , and christ should heal them , joh. xii . . what a madness then must it be to delay our acceptance of the grace which is now freely tender'd unto us , in hope of having it tender'd to us again , when we think it a fitter time for it ; when god hath declared that we do thereby provoke him to withdraw his grace from us for ever , and never to make us another offer of it so long as we live . . lastly , our impediments and discouragements are like to be more and greater the longer we delay : as a stone that 's tumbling down the hill , the longer it continues rouling downwards , goes with the greater force , and is more hardly stopped ; so our own corrupt inclinations , the longer we give way to them , carry us on with the more earnestness in the old beaten paths of sin towards hell beneath , and the more difficult is it for us to recover our selves . our old acquaintance and brethren in iniquity , the longer we continue in their society and friendship , cling so much the closer unto us ; and use all their art and power to hold us fast ; so that 't is always harder to break from them . the devil , who before emboldened us to rush headlong upon any wickedness , without any check , or restraint of conscience , now fills our heads with fears and jealousies , that our case is already become desperate ; and he that before persuaded us it was too soon , now persuades us 't is too late to think of providing for our safety . the longer we continue in our folly , the more foolish we grow ; and the less capable of being taught how to grow wise unto salvation . and the wickeder we have been , and the more shamfully we have behaved our selves , the more ashamed we grow to confess , that we have so long been mad , and base , and brutish , and to change our course of life for that which we have so long scorn'd as foolishness . there are so many restitutions , reparations , satisfactions , and confessions to be made to our injured neighbours ; so much humbling of our selves , and pardon to be begged both of god and of all men whom we have offended ; there is so much more pains to be taken and diligence to be used in redeeming our mis-spent time , and fitting our souls for heaven , that very few who have lived long in wickedness , have courage to venture upon , and go through all this . besides , there are not very many persons who by living long have less business , or fewer cares and troubles upon them of one sort or other ; however , they have thereby more bodily infirmities , and usually less vigour , and activeness of mind . and how then can any one judg it fit to delay a most necessary duty , which might before have been done with less disturbance , to such a time as this , when we cannot hope for fewer hindrances and discouragements than we formerly had , if we find not many more , as is not unusual ? from all this , i suppose , it must now be very plain to every one ▪ that as we are not sure of any time at all hereafter to repent in , so neither can we be sure if we shall have time , that we shall repent in it . nay , i think 't is plain enough , that it is more likely of the two , that we shall not . sect . vi. the third danger of delay . a third danger of delaying our repentance is this , that we know not , if in some sort we shall repent hereafter , whether our repentance then will be accepted , and do us any good , or none . and certainly this is a point which any wise man would be well satisfied in , before he venture to defer his repentance one moment longer . let us therefore consider well of it . shall we defer our repentance till it will do us no good ? and are we sure , that if we defer it now , it will do us good hereafter ? if god will not accept of it , it can do us no good . and how are we sure that god will then accept of it ? whether he will accept of it or not , i know not any one in the world besides himself that can tell ; and i do not remember that god himself hath any-where told us that he will. he hath told us , that without repentance he will not save us ; and he hath told us , that if we repent we shall be saved : but i cannot remember where he hath told us , that though we repent not now , but put it off to another time , we may then so repent , that he will accept of our repentance , and save us . it will be said by those who have no mind to repent yet , that god hath told us , that all who repent and believe the gospel shall be saved : and that if any man shall turn from all his wickedness which he hath committed ▪ he shall live . and therefore , whether one repent early or late , if he repent at all , he shall be saved . now i very readily and gladly grant what god in his word hath told us to our great encouragement and comfort , if we will make a right use of it : that christ jesus came into the world to save sinners , and those very great sinners too ; and such as had continued very long in a state of sin ; and that we have no reason in the world to fear , that any one , how great a sinner soever he hath been , shall be rejected of him , if he unfeignedly repent and believe the gospel . all this is a most comfortable truth , and we have great reason to be heartily thankful for it . but after all this , we had need to be very careful that we be not mistaken in the meaning of those two words , believing and repenting : and that we do not understand by them any other things , than that very faith and repentance unto which salvation is promised . now as some , i fear , take a faith , that implieth not a holy life , for a saving faith ; so some may take repentance , that implies not a holy life , for a saving repentance . and it is to be greatly fear'd , that both these are mistaken . and whoso considereth those descriptions of repentance which have been already given from the words of the holy ghost himself , will , i doubt not , see cause enough to fear the same that i do . i doubt not , but many who have long delay'd their repentance , do at length repent in very good earnest that they have done so foolishly ; and i hope that some of them are accepted of god : but i do not think that all who repent in earnest , of their wicked life past , and of their long and foolish delay , repent unto salvation ; and it is hard for any one to know certainly whether any do or no. god hath not told us how long any of us may hold on in our sins , and not finally exclude our selves thereby from the benefit of repentance ; neither hath he told us , that i know of , that he will accept of the repentance of that man , who hath to the latter end of his life wilfully delay'd it , in hopes of finding then both time and grace enough for it . but he hath told us enough to make us fearful , lest he should not . there are several passages of holy scripture that may well afright us from presuming on it ; but not one that gives the least encouragement or countenance to it . god frequently threatens wilful delayers of their repentance , either to cut them off suddenly , or to deliver them up to a hardened heart ; but i cannot find , that he promiseth them grace hereafter , who will not hearken to his present call ; or that he will accept of them in their own time . thus we read , — he that being often reproved , hardeneth his neck , shall suddenly be destroy'd , and that without remedy , prov. xxix . . happy is the man that feareth always ; but he that hardeneth his heart , shall fall into mischief , prov. xxviii . . he that despiseth the riches of god's goodness , and forbearance , and long-suffering , not knowing that the goodness of god leadeth him to repentance , after his hardness and impenitent heart , treasureth up unto himself wrath against the day of wrath , rom. ii. , . those who liked not to retain god in their knowledge , god gave them up to a reprobate mind , rom. i. . but very terrible indeed are these following sayings of the holy ghost in scripture , heb. vi. , &c. it is impossible for those who were once enlightened , and have tasted of the heavenly gift , and were made partakers of the holy ghost , and have tasted the good word of god , and the powers of the world to come ; if they shall fall away , to renew them again unto repentance : seeing they crucify to themselves the son of god afresh , and put him to an open shame . for the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it , and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed , receiveth blessing from god : but that which beareth thorns and briers , is rejected , and is nigh unto cursing ; whose end is to be burned . add hereunto that other place of the same epistle , heb. x. , &c. if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the truth , there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin , but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries . he that despised moses's law , died without mercy under two or three witnesses ; of how much sorer punishment , suppose ye , shall he be thought worthy , who hath trodden under foot the son of god , and hath counted the blood of the covenant , wherewith he was sanctified , an unholy thing ; and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace ? 't is true , these places of this epistle are commonly interpreted of apostacy from the faith of christ to iudaism or idolatry ; and it may be they were some such apostates that gave the apostle an occasion of writing this ; yet i think , that hardly any considering man will deny , that they are to be extended as well to all those who resolutely lead a life quite contrary to the gospel of christ , notwithstanding that in words they profess themselves to be christians ; seeing all such do equally , with the other , despise and trample on the gospel and covenant of christ. the same apostle , heb. iii. , &c. propounds unto christians the example of the israelites in the wilderness , to take warning by in this case . to day if ye will hear his voice , harden not your hearts , as in the provocation , in the day of temptation in the wilderness : when your fathers tempted me , proved me , and saw my works forty years . wherefore i was grieved with that generation , and said , they do always err in their heart ; and they have not known my ways . so i sware in my wrath , they shall not enter into my rest . take heed , brethren , lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief , in departing from the living god : but exhort one another daily , whilst it is call'd to day ; left any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin . let us moreover read with trembling what we find to this purpose in the first chapter of the proverbs . there we shall see the method that god usually takes with sinners . first , he graciously and earnestly invites them to repentance , v . how long ye simple ones , will ye love simplicity ; and the scorners delight in scorning , and fools hate knowledg ? turn you at my reproof ; behold i will pour out my spirit unto you , i will make known my words unto you . but sinners turn their deaf ear to this , and make no haste to return , though they see god in haste to do them good . how long ? saith he . 't is yet time enough , say they . but how doth god resent such an answer ? v. . he tells them this ; because i have called , and ye refused ; i have stretched out my hand , and no man regarded : but ye have set at nought all my counsel , and would none of my reproof ; i will also laugh at your calamity , i will mock when your fear cometh . well , but suppose they begin now at last to consider , what danger they are in ; and repenting of their simplicity , folly and obstinacy , call upon god for help ; hear now what god saith to this too ; v. . then shall they call upon me , but i will not answer ; they shall seek me early , but they shall not find me . for that they hated knowledg , and did not chuse the fear of the lord. they would none of my counsel , they despised my reproof ; therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way , and be filled with their own devices . what saith iob of the hypocrite , iob xxvii . . will god hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him ? he asks the question , and god himself hath answer'd it ; ezek. viii . . though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice , yet will i not hear them . and saith micah , cap. iii. v. . he will even hide his face from them at that time , as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings . yea , saith god , isa i. . when ye spread forth your hands , i will hide mine eyes from you ; when ye make many prayers i will not hear . so the psalmist tells us it fared with some that he was too well acquainted with ; they cried , but there was none to save them ; even unto the lord , but he answer'd them not . and all this is very just and equal , and sinners cannot expect to find any better treatment with god ; zech. vii . . as he cried , and they would not hear ; so they cried , and i would not hear , saith the lord of hosts . why should he ? must vile sinners have the command of god's ear ? and must the glorious majesty of heaven and earth wait on every filthy wretch as long as he pleaseth ? and alway be ready at his beck , and come at his call ? hath not god waited to be gracious to us , begged and beseech'd us from day to day , even from our infancy to this hour ; and must he yet be made to wait longer , and even as long as we please ; and after we have slighted his favours , and abused his patience , and put what affronts we can upon his divine majesty ; can we expect that he should not turn away from us in anger and indignation , and swear in his wrath , that we shall not see his face , nor hear his voice any more ? i conclude with those words of the holy ghost , pet. ii. . if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the lord and saviour iesus christ they are again intangled therein , and overcome ; the latter end is worse with them than the beginning . for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness , than after they have known it , to turn from the holy commandment deliver'd unto them . when such scriptures as these are well consider'd , we shall find , that a man hath great reason to doubt , whether a late repentance will be accepted or no. wonderful indeed is the infinite goodness of god to sinners ; he doth often more , but never less than he promiseth ; and he doth often a great deal less than he threatneth , and granteth unto us that time of repentance , which we had no reason to expect from him : but whilst we magnify , as we are bound , the patience , and long-suffering of god ; we must take heed how we forget his iustice and truth ; or how we speak so of those , that we know not how to reconcile what we say of them with what he himself hath said of these . a very late convert may be at last converted , and upon his late conversion shall be accepted : and i dare not say , that if he do not come in at the first or second call , the door of salvation shall be shut against him . i dare not say positively , that god will never grant repentance unto life , to any one , who hath a long time delay'd his repentance , after he is convinced of the necessity of it ; or to keep the commandments of god , after he hath covenanted and engaged himself in his baptism so to do ; or after he hath been often put in mind of his engagement , and hath had many warnings to do his acknowledged duty ; yea , or that hath presumptuously delay'd his repentance , purposing , and hoping for time to repent afterward . i know not how much mercy god may have in store , that he hath not acquainted us with : but i dare not rely upon what i know not of . i know not what extraordinary things god's infinite goodness may bring to pass ; but because they are extraordinary , i dare not venture so great a thing as my salvation upon them , seeing what is extraordinary , may , for ought i know , never be . because god extraordinarily fed the israelites with manna , and can feed me so too if he please ; i dare not neglect my common bread when i may have it , in expectation of such another miracle . and i cannot see , but it is altogether as foolish a thing as that would be , to presume on the extraordinary favours of god to long-impenitent sinners ; neglecting to follow the common rules of holy life , and of keeping in god's favour , which he hath given me in his word . shall we neglect the express conditions of his gracious promises , presuming on an extraordinary thing never promised , which is , that the thing promised shall be given to him , that never observed the conditions on which it was promised to be given ? if we repent when we are called to it , and continue all our life-long in a state of repentance , repenting always of our sins as we commit and discover them , and endeavouring as much as we can to avoid them for the future ; we may be very sure of mercy and acceptance , because it is promised to all that do so ▪ but this i most confidently say , that he who being call'd often to repentance , wilfully delayeth it from time to time , thinking it always soon enough to leave off sinning hereafter , and to serve god towards the end of his life ; and that his repentance will come time enough then to find acceptance ; reckons , as we say , without his hoste , and presumeth on that which he cannot find that god hath promised him ; and therefore hath cause enough to fear that his repentance may come too late , and it will not prove the repentance which god made the condition of his promise : especially , when he considers withal , how god hath express'd his dislike of all delays , and what severe things he hath said against the delaying sinner in his word . is it not strange , that one who sees that there is no promise of salvation , but to the penitent liver ; and hears many threatnings denounced against such as delay to accept of the invitation of god to repentance ; should yet be confident , that after he hath by his wilful delays , declared as much as a man can do without saying it with his mouth , that he hath no mind at all to serve god , but accounts any little portion of his time , not knowing how short it will prove , enough , if not too much for him ; he shall yet be accepted of god at last , and rewarded by him too ? he holds out as long as he can against god , and yet hopes that god will readily grant him his own terms , when he can hold out no longer . i would to god we could be persuaded to consider a little impartially with our selves , what kind of thing such a late repentance , after long and wilful delays , is like to prove : especially when it hath been delay'd till our last sickness , and we begin to fear we have but some few days , or weeks at most , to live . what reason can we find to persuade us , to think such a repentance to be the true repentance , to which pardon and salvation are promised ? when we would by no means be persuaded to repent so long as we saw it probable we might live some years longer , how is it imaginable that we then repent upon any other motive , than a present fear of speedy damnation ? and can this be thought a saving repentance ? god's great love and kindness a thousand ways exercised towards us ; his soveregn authority over us , and commands laid upon us ; his mercy and bounty , his wooings and beseechings , his invitations and promises , the wonderful love of our blessed jesus , witnessed by his humiliation , sufferings , and bloody death , for our redemption ; nay , all the most dreadful threatnings of an almighty and most righteous offended god against impenitent sinners , had no force at all upon us , so long as we had either youth , or health , or prosperity : nothing could prevail with us , till we found our selves declining apace towards the grave , and fear'd we were just about to sink down into hell : and what else could it be that then put us upon thoughts of repenting more than at other times , but fear of being tormented ? and then what can our repentance at such a time signify more than this , that as we had always loved our sin better than god , as long as we were in a capacity of enjoying it ; so now that we cannot enjoy it any longer , and fear we are going to be punish'd for it , though we love it as well as ever , and would act it over again , were we able ; yet we are sorry we have been so foolish , as to bring our selves into this danger that we now apprehend our selves to be in . and seeing we can have no more pleasure in this world , which we are now leaving much against our will ; yet we love our ease still , and are willing to do what we can to escape eternal pains , and we startle at the thoughts of going impenitent , as we have always been , to meet with our provoked judge in the other world ; and we would fain step back again from the mouth of hell ; and therefore we fall a praying and begging god with sad sighs , and sorrowful tears , either to pardon us , and take us to heaven , if we must go hence ; or else to spare us a-while longer ; which if he will do , we resolve to live in obedience to his laws as long as we live ? are not most malefactors thus penitent , after a severe sentence is given , and they see no remedy but it must be presently executed upon them ? and yet it is not because their hearts are changed , but because they are terrified with the punishment they are to bear ; not that they are on a sudden faln in love with a vertuous life , but because they must now live no longer . how a man should attain to such a degree of confidence , as to hope that god will accept of a repentance which is not at all for his sake , but merely for our own ; which hath nothing of the love of god or goodness in it , but only a fear of iudgment and hell-fire ; no change at all of our affections from sin to holiness , from earth to heaven , from our carnal selves , to god ; but only a change of our security into fear , and of our pleasure into sorrow ; and it may be of our minds into a very serious resolution to live better , if we shall live any longer ; and that merely because we are afraid that we shall live no longer : how any one should think such a forced change as this , an acceptable repentance , i must confess i know not , unless he have forgotten , not only his bible , but his reason too . there are some things , as useful as they are easie , to be observed in dying people , who have spent their days in wickedness . and i think they are enough to afright any one from thinking any longer of having the benefit of a death-bed repentance . first , it is too easie to observe , that often such a sinner's conscience is quite dead within him ( i speak of some , not of all ) a long time before he dieth , and never reviveth again so long as he liveth . he is given up to a reprobate mind , and his heart turn'd to stone , and nothing that should move him to repentance can make any impression upon it . yea , 't is somewhat a rare thing , to see an old , habitual , customary sinner ever come to any true sense of religion , his duty , his sin , or his danger ; or ever to concern himself at all about eternity . even upon his death bed , whatever care he takes about his body , estate and family , his soul seems as much forgotten by him , as if he had none at all to take care of . it is no uncommon thing to see an old sinner die thus unconcerned what shall become of him . secondly , it is as easie to observe in some of these dying persons , who seem to make some little ado about their future state when they are about to die ; that though they are desirous of good advice , and send for the minister to talk to them , and pray for them ; and confess to him some few of their most notorious faults ; yet are they the confidentest persons in the world of their pardon ; 't is not easie to persuade them that their case is very dangerous ; but after they have confess'd they are great sinners , and have been pray'd for , as though all were done , they pass off the stage of this world as unconcernedly , as if they had never acted any ill part thereon . thirdly , it hath been very often observ'd , that those of them who in some very dangerous sickness have made more ado than ordinary , have cried out very bitterly of their past wickedness and folly ; have shed many tears , and poured out many earnest prayers , and have made many vows to god , and promises to men of leading a new and holy life , if god would restore them to health ; have yet very shortly after their recovery , forgotten all this , as if it had never been ; returning with the dog to his vomit , and with the sow that was washed , to her wallowing in the mire . shewing plainly , that though they might be in earnest , yet was it but for fear ; and how little credit is to be given to such forced repentances ! fourthly , 't is to be observed , that whatever else these old and hardened sinners are wont to do upon their death-beds , which may look like repentance ; they are not easily persuaded to confess any very foul sin , which is not so notorious , that they cannot deny it ; and then too , it shall be excused as well as they can , instead of being aggravated as it ought to be . with much more difficulty can they be persuaded to make restitution of all they have ill gotten , or so much as to confess their frauds , and wicked arts of injuring others . rarely do they send for those whom they have offended , humbling themselves , confessing their faults , begging their pardon , and making them all the satisfaction they can before they die . and what kind of penitents are these ? lastly , if any of these old sinners at last be touch'd to the quick , and pricked at the heart with a sharp sense of their sinful vileness ; it is not hard for the malicious and cunning tempter , to bring them into despair , so as it shall be impossible for any one to comfort them , and in vain to counsel them . their own long-abused consciences do now begin to revenge themselves upon them , for neglecting them so long ; and they know 't is so just a thing for god now to serve them , as they have served him , that they conclude it in vain to seek for pardon and mercy . he that stands by the bed-side of these old sinners , when they are on their last bed ; may easily observe all this that i have said of them : and that but a few of them , in comparison , die so , as that one has any great encouragement to say their repentance was any thing else , but the grief and remorse of a heart oppress'd with fear of imminent danger , whereinto they find themselves brought by their own folly and perverseness . it is easie on the other side to observe the death of the truly pious christians to differ very much from the death of this sort of men ; i mean , as often as in their sickness they have time and freedom of mind to shew what kind of spirit they are of . in many respects , as the one dieth , so dieth the other : these may be cut off by a sudden stroke , they may die of a distracting or stupifying disease , as well as the other ; and the frame of their hearts is to be seen only in their life , and not in their death . however , only those few dying persons , who have in their health conscientiously endeavour'd to live a truly christian life , and have their repentance not to begin , but only to finish with their life upon their death-bed , shew , if they have time , and strength , and liberty to shew it , that they die indeed like sincere christians : for either they end their days of trouble in much spiritual joy and comfort , reflecting sweetly on the mighty powers of divine grace , whereby they have been carried victoriously through all the temptations of the devil , the world , and the flesh , and in the ravishing expectation of entring speedily into the joy of their lord : or being persons of tender consciences , and deeply wounded in spirit with the sense of all their own imperfections and failings , they shew all the signs of an humble , broken and contrite heart ; and close up their time with the prayers and tears , sighs and groans of a devout soul , longing to be made perfectly holy in heaven with god ; and endeavouring to that end , thus to compleat and perfect all their repentances on earth . some will possibly ask , if there be so little trust to be put in a very late , and death-bed repentance , why the ministers of christ , when they are call'd to assist the sick , do so earnestly exhort even the most notorious sinners , who have spent their whole time past in wickedness , to repent of their sins ; and comfort them with the promises of salvation , if they do repent ? this question , i confess , deserves to be consider'd ; both that the minister may take heed that he go not beyond his commission in comforting the sick ; and that we may all learn in due time , how far we may build and rely on such comforts as men in such a case can administer unto us . and therefore i here in answer to it , say these things . first , we very earnestly exhort the worst of sinners , even to the last gasp , to repent of their sins ; because , though we cannot assure them , that god will now at the last hour accept of their late repentance , seeing he hath no-where , as was said before , declared that he will ; and though , by reason of what is said in his word concerning his ordinary method of dealing with sinners , we are rather afraid that he will not : yet we do not know the depth of god's mercy , nor the riches of his infinite goodness ; nor what he may be pleas'd to do in an extraordinary way , if sinners at last use extraordinary endeavours . and if by such motives , and arguments , and prayers as we can use , god seem to work mightily on the spirit of the dying sinner ; though we dare not assure him of the life which god hath not promised to a death-bed repentance , and therefore we cannot be sure that he will give it : yet dare we not leave him to despair , because we know not but god may give it . secondly , we therefore exhort the worst of dying sinners to repentance , and declare unto them the gracious and comfortable promises which god in christ hath made to all true penitents ; because god hath commanded us to preach repentance unto sinners without exception ; and herein , as we obey , so we imitate our lord and master jesus christ , who ceased not to invite all sinners to repentance , or to promise good things to the penitent , even when he who knew the hearts of all men , knew that many of them to whom he preach'd , would never repent , nor become capable of the good things promised . god hath bidden us exhort to repentance ; but he hath not told us , that we are to cease from exhorting any one that will hear us , so long as he liveth . we cannot therefore excuse our selves , if we do not all we can to render them who will not repent , inexcusable ; it will not be safe for us to leave them this plea , that they wanted any means or helps at any time , that we could afford them . thirdly , we hold on to exhort , even to the last , because how near unto death soever the sinner may seem to be , we know that the lord of life and death can raise him up again ; and we know not but he may do so , and let him live yet longer , to compleat the repentance which may now be begun . god is pleased sometimes by severe chastisements , and heavy afflictions , to awake sinners to repentance , who had lived in sin securely , many years ; and now when the sinner seeth himself at the pit's brink , and hell opening its mouth to swallow him up , he may possibly think it fit to hearken to counsels of safety ; tho no more can be said , but possibly he may yet be saved . we know not , but now he may enter upon a repentance , which tho it would do him no good , should he now dye , may prove unto salvation , if he recover , and live to bring forth the fruits of it ; which god is yet able to make him do , and hath not told us that he will not do . lastly , we to the very last exhort to repentance , and mind dying sinners of the promises of god to penitents ; because that whether it will then avail to salvation , or no , yet we are sure enough it can do them no hurt . it is certainly their duty to repent , and ours to exhort them to it ; and as it would hurt us to neglect our duty , so can it not hurt them to be minded of theirs : for sinners to be made sensible of their sins , and of this aggravation of them , that they have despised the comforts and promises of mercy to the penitent , is a good thing , whatever the end may be of such sinners . god is glorified by mens being brought to a sense and acknowledgment of his authority and goodness , and of their own wickedness and baseness , by their confessing , that in all that is brought upon them , he is righteous , and they are wicked . by mens acknowledging at last , that god hath been always good , especially in his great patience and long forbearance hitherto ; and that he is now very just in his punishments , for our obstinacy , glory is given to god. and this ought to be done ; and if this will not qualifie sinners for pardon and salvation , 't is however a part of their duty , and may , for ought we know , mitigate the severity of their sentence , and lessen their torments . but now after this is said , it is a very sad thing , that men should by wilful delays bring themselves into this uncomfortable condition . and it is a very afflicting thing to every good minister of christ , to stand by the bed-side of those dying persons to whom he is able to speak no more comfort than all this amounts to . for first , he can speak no comfort at all , to the sick person , but upon supposition that he is , what he finds too much cause to fear he is not , a sincere penitent ; and this is very sad . and secondly , he can speak no comfort , but on supposition of such a repentanee as the sick person himself cannot know , ( without some extraordinary means ) that he now hath ; and therefore cannot tell how to apply the comfort to himself . and this is very sad again . the sincerity of ones repentance cannot ordinarily be known to himself , but by the fruits of it in a holy life ; and by these , he that 's now dying , can never know it . it is only such a repentance as would produce holiness of life , if the sick person should recover , that is repentance to salvation ; and when the sinner on his death-bed calls to mind how often his heart hath in this point deceived him ; when he remembers how his love to sin hath hitherto conquer'd all such purposes and resolutions of holy living ; how often he hath heretofore upon the same , or some other occasion , very seriously ( as he thought ) resolved , as now he doth , and yet never kept his resolution ; how shall he be able to assure himself , that he would keep it any better now , should he yet live ? i hope what hath been already said , is abundantly enough to convince us all , both that a sinner can never repent too soon , and that he may drive it off till it be too late . and therefore seeing repentance is altogether necessary to salvation , it is a work that requires great haste , and admits of no delay . the conclusion . from what we have now proved , it may be too easie , i fear , for many of us to reflect very sadly upon our selves . it is certainly , if these things be so as hath been said , high time for us all to think , what we have been doing all the while we have already lived in the world , that we may know what we have yet to do , before we go out of it . 't is high time for us to remember , that we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ , that every one may receive the things done , in his body , according to that he hath done , whether it be good or bad , cor. v. . we must appear , that 's certain , there is no flinching or evasion ; all of us , without exception ; and there will god render to every man according to his deeds , rom. ii. . when we call this to mind , do we not think our selves concern'd to enquire , how we are prepared to answer for our selves , at that most dreadful tribunal ? we see , that according to our deeds or behaviour in the body , or whilst we here live , so we must then be doom'd to receive , either eternal reward , or eternal punishment ; as is elsewhere plain enough . are we able to plead for our selves , that we have lived a life of repentance , faith , and new obedience ? then all will be well ; through the rich mercy of god , and merits of our blessed jesus , eternal life is assured unto us . but if we cannot plead this , what will become of us ? know we how soon we must dye , or how we must dye ? as we dye , so must we rise to the iudgment . if we dye before we have lived a life of holiness , our deeds have been wicked , and according to them , we shall receive indignation and wrath , tribulation and anguish ; this is the reward of all that do evil . will it excuse us to say , lord , we have lived wickedly 't is true , but we were sorry for it when we saw our selves like to dye , and resolved to live a better life , if thou wouldst have spared us a while longer ? or will it suffice us to say , lord , we were always resolved to repent and to live well , but thou didst cut us off by death , before we had begun to do as we had resolved , if thou wouldst have let us live long enough ? alas , enough hath been already said , to convince us of the folly of pleading thus ; and it concerns us to grow wiser very quickly , for we know not how little time we have to learn wisdom in . we can many of us say already , that our glass is almost run out ; and he whose glass is but newly turn'd up , doth not know how few sands are yet to run , e're it stop for ever . we that grow old , know , that if we have not repented , it 's more than full time for us to begin ; for begin now as soon as we will , we are sure it is very late ; and a late repentance is a very uncertain thing to trust to . if we have not by so long a delay , lost our salvation , it may be fear'd we have quite lost the comfort of being sure of it as long as we live . they who are young , cannot but know , that every day they live , they grow older ; what any day adds to the time past , so much it takes from the time to come ; and the more they have lived , the less they have to live ; and they are always ignorant , whether they have a day more to live or no. if then the young person have not yet repented , 't is high time for him too , now to begin . if he stay any longer , his repentance will be late too , and so much the less comfortable ; and possibly it may be too late ; for it is ten to one he shall dye before he be old ; and if not , why should he grudge himself the best of comforts in old age , a conscience that can testifie that he hath repented , and kept god's commandments from his youth up till then ? i doubt not , but whether we be old or young , we are so well satisfied , at least many of us , that repentance is necessary to salvation , that we would not willingly dye without it . and we could not be so easie within our selves , as we are , did we not either think our selves already penitent , or presume we shall be so sometime e're we go hence . i shall therefore now close this discourse with a necessary caution , lest we mistake that for repentance , which is not ; and an earnest exhortation to make more haste to repent . . let us take heed that we be not mistaken in this great and necessary duty . a mistake in a matter of so great importance , is very dangerous , and , i fear , as common , as dangerous . corrupt nature is so averse from it , that it easily persuades us to take something that looks a little like it , for it , because we find it more easie , and not wholly inconsistent with our sin . and hence it comes to pass , that we never repent to purpose , because we persuade our selves we have done so , when we have not . we are sensible that we are guilty of many sins ; and who is not so , that believes what he reads in scripture ? can a drunkard , or a swearer , or a fornicator , or adulterer , or any prophane and debauch'd person chuse but be sensible that he breaks the laws of god , which there he reads ? we are sometimes a little troubled in our minds for such sins , and are sorry that we have been guilty of them , and this moves us to fall down on our knees , and confess them to god , and to beg his pardon for them , and to promise we will no more commit them . and it may be , we are then in good earnest , and seriously purpose to perform our promises , and we receive the sacrament upon it , and so seal up our repentance ; and so our hearts are at rest , and we conclude our peace is made ; and by this hasty conclusion , we leave the most considerable part of the work undone ; and we grow too soon confident , ever to be sure ; and presume so quickly , that our condition is good , that we never use diligence enough to make it good . he that thinks his repentance quite finish'd , so long as he lives , is deceiv'd : it is the work of our life , and is not finish'd but with it : whenever it was begun , it must continue till we dye : and it implies all this that here follows , which seems to be too little thought on by many , who think themselves true penitents . first , there must be a very serious resolution to live a godly life after the commandments of god : and such a resolution supposeth a due consideration of such things as are the proper motives to it . a man must consider the nature of god , and his own nature as he is man , made in the image of god ; whence it became his natural duty to continue holy as god is holy. he must consider god's absolute authority over him as his creator , owner , governour and preserver ; and the natural obligations that are upon him as god's creature , to serve and honour him according to his will. he must consider that the design of his creation was , that god might glorifie his own goodness in making him a creature capable of understanding so much of god as might enable him to glorifie god on earth , and be perfectly blessed in the enjoyment of god for ever . all this must make him sensible both how vile and degenerate , how unworthy and wretched , how filthy , and how miserable , sinning against god hath made him : and how being fallen from his holiness and obedience , so long as he continues in this sinful state , he can have no hope ever to be happy , but must lie under the wrath of god : and unless he be renewed unto holiness , the curse which god laid on sinners , which is that of eternal torments , must needs fall upon him . he must consider the admirable love of god in sending him in this sinful and miserable state , a saviour to redeem him from destruction by the sacrifice of his own most precious blood ; and to invite him by his gospel to repentance and faith , and to promise him the assistance of his holy spirit of grace to restore him to holiness , and to fit him for the benefits of redemption , the pardon of his sins , and eternal happiness with god in his kingdom of glory . such considerations as these must beget in us a deep and humble sense of our vileness and wretchedness ; a godly sorrow for behaving our selves so unworthily towards god , sinking much below the dignity which he gave us ; a holy shame and indignation against our selves for this ; a judging and condemning our selves as worthy to perish , and to be punished everlastingly ; and a most earnest desire of god's mercy and favour ; a firm belief of all that he hath already done for us in christ ; fervent prayer for the renewing and sanctifying grace of the holy ghost , to qualifie us for a full pardon and eternal salvation : and lastly , an unfeigned resolution to endeavour henceforward to mortifie all our lusts , to resist all temptations to sin , to use all the means of holiness , to serve god according to the rules of the gospel ; and so doing , to cast our selves upon the mercy of god through the merits of our blessed saviour . now all this is but our first entrance into a state of repentance , which is also the only sate of salvation on earth . this is that which qualifieth persons of ripe age for baptism ; and this is that which baptized infants are obliged to by baptism as soon as they come to years of understanding . and this , tho but the beginning of a penitent life , is enough for those who live no longer : and implieth in it a great deal , too little thought on by many . as first , a change of mind and judgment ; our understanding being so far enlightned , that we judge otherwise of god and our selves , of heaven and earth , of good and evil , than we did before . we prise and value god , and heaven , and holiness above all things whatsoever , even life it self : and we cannot think well of our selves , nor value any thing in the world without these . secondly , such a change of desirc and will , that all our desire is to please and honour god , and by that means to be restored to , and continue in his favour ; and not to please our selves in any thing wherewith we know god is displeased . our wills , are resolved to consult no longer with flesh and blood , nor to be guided by our own corrupt inclinations and judgment , but wholly by the will of god , the gospel of jesus christ , and the grace of the holy spirit . thirdly , such a change of life and endeavour , that just now we set our selves in good earnest on the great work , daily mortifying and crucifying the flesh with its corrupt affections and lusts , and cleansing our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , perfecting holiness in the fear of the lord. this is the first beginning of repentance ; and if we have not done this , whatever we flatteringly think of our selves , we have it all yet to begin . and yet is this , i fear , a great deal more , than many who have a long time pleas'd themselves with a conceit that they are sincere penitents , have at any time yet well thought on . secondly , after this unfeigned resolution to live a godly life , there must be a constant care upon our souls to make good this resolution , and to carry on this change , thus happily begun , unto perfection . we must enter upon an habitual course of governing our thoughts , words and actions , by the word of god ; of denying our selves in all the vile desires , sinful inclinations and lustings of corrupt nature ; and of using all fit means of subduing the flesh unto the spirit , and of growing in grace and in the knowledg of our lord jesus christ. and here again is much more than is , i fear , by all of us well thought on . as first , a constant fixing our thoughts upon god as much as we can , as always present with us , seeing and observing our whole behaviour ; an eye in all things to his will and commandments ; being careful to leave nothing undone that he hath enjoined us , to do nothing that he hath forbidden ; to observe the prescribed method and manner of doing every duty , as being always under his eye . secondly , a very diligent and frequent searching into , and reviewing of all these things ; observing narrowly what has been defective or amiss any way , that we may be duly humbled , and all may be for the future amended . thirdly , a constant watching and standing upon our guard against all temptations , whereby we may be drawn to commit evil , or neglect the good which is our duty , or to be slight and careless in the doing of it . lastly , a daily using of the helps of reading , hearing , meditating , praying , conversing with pious company , or whatever may be a means of preserving our hearts in a penitent and holy temper , and of encreasing our love to god and holiness , and our hatred of sin. he that is not careful to do this , as well as he can , is far from true repentance . lastly , after all our utmost care , because of the weakness of our nature , through incogitancy , and surprize , and a multitude of unavoidable business of this life , we shall find , that in many things we offend all . and therefore we must often examine our selves , and discovering our failings as well as we can , we are still as we discover them , to repent of them ; and concluding with our selves , that many of them may have slipt away , and escaped our observation ; we are , together with those we have found out , to pray for the pardon of our secret faults . and here first , the sense of our numerous infirmities must make us continually more and more humble and vile in our own eyes , and take down all that confidence we are too apt to have of our selves , more and more convince us of the necessity of grace , and send us to god to implore , in the most humble and fervent manner , his strength in our weakness . and secondly , we ought to give glory to god in humbling our selves before the world ; and confessing by our whole behaviour , that we esteem of our selves as vile sinners , unworthy of god's blessings , and such as think it becomes us to humble our selves to all whom we have offended , to make them all the satisfaction we can , to ask them forgiveness , and beg their prayers to god for his forgiveness of us . all this is necessarily implied in the duty of repentance . and how easie is it then to see , that many who think themselves penitents , are mistaken in their duty ? yea , how many of them who seem to be persons not of the worst temper , but far better than the most of us are , never repent at all , merely because they never yet well consider'd what repentance is . it is no less than hath been said ; so that no one that hath not well considered , and unfeignedly resolved , and is not always careful to avoid sin , and lead a holy life ; no one that loveth not god more than all things , or that hateth not sin more than all evils ; no one that is not more desirous to honour god , than to please himself ; none that examines not his own heart and his ways often , or that studieth not the word of god constantly , or shuns not all temptations carefully , or resists them not stoutly ; none that is proud of himself , or is not deeply and humblingly sensible of his own vileness ; none that continueth in any known sin , or wilfully and ordinarily omitteth any known duty : none , i say , that labours not as much as he can , to be a good christian in all things according to the gospel of christ , is to account himself a true penitent . . and now , if we find not our selves true penitents yet , let us , as we value god's honour , and our own salvation , make haste to be so . oh what a wretched piece of folly is it to to cast our whole happiness upon a mere uncertainty ! what an unaccountable madness is it , instead of making our calling and election sure , to make them every day we live more and more uncertain to us ? is this all the kindness that we can afford our selves , that we will rather venture to be miserable for ever , than take a little pains in time to prevent it ? had we rather weep fruitlesly for our torments , than weep savingly for our sins ? for a little brutish pleasure , which though we have to day , we are not sure we shall have to morrow , shall we hazard the unexpressible pleasures of eternity , which we may make sure of to day , but make it a very doubtful point , if we delay to make sure of them to day , whether we shall ever enjoy them , do what we can hereafter ? do we any of us know , how soon the door will be shut upon us , and there shall be no entrance for us into heaven ? why then will we imitate the foolish virgins , and rather chuse to sleep away the opportunity , than seek to have our lamps furnish'd with oil in due season ? if we be taken unprovided , we know it will be in vain at last to cry , lord , lord , open unto us ; christ's answer will be ready , verily i say unto you , i know you not , matth. xxv . . those who have worn the devil's livery so long , christ will not own at last for persons of his retinue . o why will we deal worse with god , and our own souls , than we are wont to do with any thing else of the meanest concern to us ? when we are in any trouble of body or estate , we are in great haste to be relieved ; neither delay we to accept of help when 't is first tendered to us . when any one offers us a good gift , or other considerable kindness , we are not wont to bid him stay till to morrow . what an untoward humour is this in us ? god made haste to restore fallen man , and to comfort him with the promise of a saviour ; our saviour made haste when the time was come to shed his precious blood for our redemption ; the holy ghost hath not delay'd by the word and ministry to beseech us to be reconciled to god. but we delay still , as though , whatever else be , yet nothing that is meant to bring us towards heaven and happiness were worth regarding . whilst we delay our repentance , we give the devil , our adversary , all the advantages he can desire to have of us . the holy angels of god would rejoice to see one of us repent , luke xv. , . and had we rather gratify the devil by our damnation , than have the holy angels rejoice at our salvation ? whilst we delay , the devil needs not tempt us , nor seek to devour us ; we take care to save him that labour , by wilfully continuing in his power ; and if hereafter we shall think of repenting , we have already taken care that he shall not want matter for a temptation from our long impenitence . yea , we give him so sure hold of us , that we shall not easily break loose from him . we have given him so long experience of our yielding temper , that he is never to seek how to fit our humour with a suitable temptation , neither can he doubt of always prevailing , where he hath prevail'd so often . hitherto he hath befool'd us , by persuading us 'tis always too soon to grow wise ; and having been fools so long , he will the more easily persuade us hereafter , because with a fairer colour of reason , that it is then too late . how many of our temper hath the devil got into hell already , by persuading them 't is already too soon , till they find it too late ? what would those miserable souls , who have been thus befool'd into torments , now give , if they had it , for such an opportunity of repenting as we now have ? o why then should we now lose the opportunity we have , and giddily venture thereby suddenly to fall into that remediless condition they are now in ? the next day , or hour , for ought we know , may lodge us for ever with them in hell ; and then shall we have weeping , and wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore . those tears of repentance , which will not then quench , might now prevent those unquenchable flames from taking hold of us . o that we could every day really imagine our selves just under the stroke of death ! and that the apprehension thereof might awake us into a serious consideration of that eternal state we then must enter into ! what haste would we then be in to make as sure as we could of escaping those dreadful torments , the very thoughts whereof seem torment enough ? what strange agonies of soul have many dying sinners fallen into , who have lived jovially all their days ? what thoughts have some of us , it may be , had , when in some fit of sickness we apprehended death approaching near us ? how penitent , how religious seem'd we then to grow all on a sudden ! how came we to be of such a different temper then , from that which we were in before ? o , we saw our selves , in all appearance , then just on the very brink of eternity ; we thought our selves just stepping into hell , if we repented not ; and then we thought it time to repent indeed , and that it stood us upon as much as our souls were worth to make haste . and may we not be this moment , for ought we know , in the very same danger that we then thought our selves in ? do we know , any of us , that there is so much as one day , or one hour , betwixt this moment and eternity ? and why then are we not now in as great haste to repent , as we were in then ? how many that delay from time to time , are , when they least fear it , knock'd down with a sudden blow ? how many are cut off in the very act of sin , when secure in themselves , and thinking on no such thing as dying , they were in hell before they thought that death was near them ? is not our delaying our repentance the likeliest way in the world to provoke almighty god to send out one of these swift arrows to destroy us ? o let us be ready , for it may come in an hour that we think not . whilst we so confidently promise our selves to morrow , and flatter our selves with purposes of repenting then , a sudden destruction , a phrenzy , a stupidity , or we know not what , may arrest us , and not give us leave so much as to think that we are sinners ; or to say , lord have mercy on us . doth not god seem , for this very reason , to conceal both the time , and the manner of our death from us , that we may be the more watchful , and take the more care to be always ready for dying at whatever hour , or in whatever way it shall please him to take us hence ? did we certainly know before-hand , just when , and how we must die , we would venture the more boldly to spend our time in sin and vanity , till we knew the time was near ; and then it may be some few days before , become a little more serious ; just as it is the custome of too many at this time to do before a sacrament . therefore god will not have us to know the time of our death , that we not knowing but it may be to morrow , may be every day ready ; and so he may have the honour , and we the comfort of a pious life . moreover , as was before said , to continue in sin , in hopes that we may repent hereafter , as it is to sin that grace may abound , which is a thing ( if we believe the apostle ) greatly to be abhorred , rom. vi. . so is it the most effectual course we can take to shorten our days , and to prevent the benefit we hope for . the fear of the lord prolongeth days ; but the years of the wicked shall be shortened : the hope of the righteous shall be gladness , but the expectation of the wicked shall perish , prov. x. , . again , we can hardly give any rational account , why god should so strictly , and under so severe penalties enjoin us the practice of many excellent vertues , and forbid us many foul sins , if we may hope to please him , and be saved by a very late , or death-bed repentance . can such vertues as sobriety , temperance and chastity , and many more , be thought commanded us as the proper exercises of a sick and dying man ? can the sins of gluttony and drunkenness , chambering and wantonness , murther , theft , ambition , covetousness , and more such like , be forbidden upon pain of damnation , left a man should be guilty of them on his death-bed , or in his last sickness ; when 't is somewhat hard to conceive , how a man should have any thoughts of them ? or can we conceive , that the meaning of such commands is no more but this ; you must either do these duties , and avoid these sins , while you live , or repent that you have not done so , when you are about to die ? what were this but to say , that all the commands of holy living signify no more , but this , that a man may safely break them all whilst he liveth ; if he can but keep them , when he can break them no more ; or be sorry that he hath broken them , when he is afraid he is just going to be damn'd for it ; or resolve to keep them , when he thinks he can live no longer ? what probability is there , that any resolution of repenting hereafter , is sincere ? we cannot absolutely resolve to repent hereafter , because we cannot certainly know that we shall live hereafter ; and if we resolve but conditionally , to repent hereafter , that is , on supposition that we shall live to repent , we must seem content to be damn'd , if we dye before that time come , because we know , that without repentance we must be damn'd . i think one cannot in good earnest resolve to repent , unless he immediately do repent , when he resolves upon it . how can any one imagine it too soon to do what he knows necessary to be done , and yet may never be done , if not just now ? no man can with any colour of reason be thought in earnest , when he saith he resolveth to do that another day , which he knows is to be done every day , and must of necessity be done sometime , and yet he knows not whether he shall have another day or no. it 's plain , such a man doth not resolve at all to repent , for he loves it not , and that 's the reason he doth it not now , and will still be as good a reason not to do it then ; but in truth , all he resolves upon , is , not to repent now , or to drive it off yet longer , and that 's no resolution at all to repent . what folly is it to drive off our repentance , till we be scourged and lash'd unto it ? if we make not haste of our selves , and god have yet any kindness left in store for us , he will whip us to it . if we will not otherwise awake out of sleep , god , if he have not already determin'd we shall sleep on unto death , will awake us with his rod. and whether had the prodigal better have staid in his father's house , and continued in his love , and under his constant care and providence , by obeying him at first ; or have wandred abroad , as he did , till extreme want and ill usage drove him home ? if we will be saved , we must repent ; and is it not a very foolish thing to stay till the whip drive us to it ? especially when 't is doubtful , whether or no the repentance which begins in fear , will end in love , which yet if it do not , it will never bring us to salvation . and now after all this , i hope none will be so foolish as to flatter themselves with a vain conceit of their being penitents , when they are not ; or to encourage themselves with as vain hopes of repenting hereafter , whereof they can have no certainty . we find indeed one example of a dying penitent in the scripture , who was accepted of god , and we find no more but one , that of the thief upon the cross. but alas ! he hath afforded but very small encouragement to any delaying sinner , by his own happiness in being crucified by the side of his saviour . here is , as i said , but one single example , and yet had there been ten thousand such as this one was , i do not see how they could any more encourage a considering man to delay his repentance one hour , because no one knows whether after that hour he shall have so much time as that malefactor had to repent in , tho it was very short , or whether in that short time he shall repent as he did . had never any offender but one , been pardon'd by any king , could this be any reasonable encouragement to all the rebels and malefactors in the countrey to hold on rebelling , robbing , stealing , murthering , and committing all sorts of capital crimes in hopes of a pardon ; only because once it fell out that some such offender was pardon'd ? indeed it will follow hence , that such a pardon may possibly be obtain'd , because it was obtain'd : but it follows not that it may ordinarily or probably be obtain'd , because it never was any more than once obtain'd , that we know of . besides , this is indeed an example of a late repentance ; and many examples of a late repentance there are besides this , though hardly another of one so late : but we are not sure it is an example of a delayed repentance ; for we cannot find that this late penitent ever one minute delayed his repentance after he was called to it , and convinced that it was his duty . and indeed , seeing this man's case was very extraordinary , he that would encourage himself by it , ought first to see that his own case , in all considerable circumstances , be like unto it . if any one ask , what course is to be taken by those who have long delay'd their repentance , but are not yet in appearance near unto death ? i know not what better advice to give him than this : that he delay it no longer , but make all the haste that possibly he can to repent now : and by how much the more time he hath already lost , let him use so much the more care and diligence to improve that little which is yet behind , to his best advantage . such an one had need to give himself , in a manner , wholly henceforward to this great work , and should not suffer any business that he can well shun , to disturb him in it . he should not now grudge to pinch himself of time in relation to all bodily and worldly concerns , as much as he did god and his own soul before ; or to bestow as much upon these , if he can possibly , as he used to do upon those . no self-examination , no humiliation , no prayers , no tears , no striving to do good , can be too much . he had need to do almost nothing else but bewail his sinful life , denying himself all the pleasures , and all the comforts of this world , save only the necessary supports of life . this seems to me the least he can do , to satisfy himself of the sincerity of so late a repentance , or to lay a foundation for a comfortable hope of god's acceptance . i shall now conclude the whole discourse with those words , isa. lv. , . seek ye the lord while he may be found , call ye upon him while he is near . let the wicked forsake his way , and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the lord , and he will have mercy ; and to our god , for he will abundantly pardon . finis . the sixty sixe admonitory chapters of basilius, king of the romans, to his sonne leo, in acrostick manner that is, the first letter of euery chapter, making vp his name and title. translated out of greeke by iames scudamore. basilii imperatoris constantinopolitani exhortationum capita sexaginta sex ad leonum filium, congomento philosophum. english basil i, emperor of the east, ca. - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the sixty sixe admonitory chapters of basilius, king of the romans, to his sonne leo, in acrostick manner that is, the first letter of euery chapter, making vp his name and title. translated out of greeke by iames scudamore. basilii imperatoris constantinopolitani exhortationum capita sexaginta sex ad leonum filium, congomento philosophum. english basil i, emperor of the east, ca. - . scudamore, james, - . [ ], , [ ] p. [s.n.], printed at paris : m. dc. xxxviii [ ] includes index. running title reads: basilius his precepts to his sonne leo. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the sixty sixe admonitory chapters of basilius , king of the romans , to his sonne leo , in acrostick manner : that is , the first letter of euery chapter , making vp his name and title . translated out of greeke by iames scvdamore . * ⁎ * printed at paris . m.dc.xxxviii . quod foelix , faustúmquesit , serenissimo principi carolo vvalliae principi , potentissimi regis caroli , magnae britanniae , &c. regis filio . haec basilii imperatoris ad suum filium leonem capita admonitoria ex graeeis anglica facta . dicat consecrátque iacobvs scvdamorvs . of the author . basilivs the author of this treatise , ( vvho calleth himselfe king of the romans , as their manner vvas ) succeeded michael in the easterne empire ; and is sayd to haue restored the state of the empire , vvhich vvas much decayed by the ill gouernment of michael . he raigned vvith michael one yeare , and after him nineteene . he dyed in the yeare . basilivs his precepts . sixtie sixe admonitory chapters of basilius , king of the romans , to his sonne leo , in acrostick manner ; that is the first letter of euery chapter , making vp his name and title . basilivs by christ , king of the romans , to leo his beloued sonne , and coemperour . chapter i. of instruction . instrvction is a thing , that doth much profite the life of man , and is much to be esteemed , not only of kings , but also of priuate men . for it greatly benefits them that haue it , both in respect of the body and soule . it benefits the one , by the meditation of diuine oracles , and the other by the exercise of laudable workes : or by the vse of laudable exercises . therfore i thy father and coemperour doe exhort thee , my beloued sonne , to be guided by it in the gouernment of thy kingdome . for it is both an ornament to royalty in present , and doth make the rulers to be renowned for euer . for as the sunne not shining vpon the earth , all things are obscure , and vndiscernable : so the soule being without instruction , all things are confused , and out of order . embrace th●rfore instruction , and thou shalt attaine to a vertuous life . for vertue only of all possessions is immortall . chap. ii. of right faith. make sincere faith in christ the principall and sure foundation of all thy life , that is , account true faith the principall of all things in this life , and the groūd of thy hapinesse here and hereafter . worship the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost , the consubstantiall trinitie , one and the only god , without diuiding or confounding the same . and beleiue the dispensation or incarnation of god the word in the flesh , by which the world was deliuered from the bondage of corruption , as the lawe or doctrine of thy mother the church doth teach thee . this faith is the perfection of all vertues . this faith is the summe and cheife of all good things . therfore keepe this faith safe , as a speciall thing committed to thy charge , with which thou hast bene brought vp from thy swadling clothes . i taught thee it : doe not shame mee thy louing father by being vnlike to mee . for it is the worke of paynters indeed to draw in colours the portraits of princes : but the children of kings ought to prooue liuing images and portraits of the vertue of their fathers . chap. iii. of the honour which is to be giuen to preists . keepe thy vnderstanding sound in orthodoxe opinions , and exceedingly honour thy mother the church , which by the holy ghost hath bene a noursing mother to thee , and by the grace and fauour of god in christ by my meanes hath set a crowne vpon thy head . for if thou oughtst to reuerence and honour thy parents according to the flesh , much more oughtst thou to honour with exceeding honour those that haue begott thee by the spirit of god. for they doe impart but a temporary life to their children ; but these doe procure vnto vs an euerlasting life by regeneration . honour therfore the church that thou mayst be honoured of god ; and reuerence the preists as our spirituall fathers and mediators towards god. for the honour of preists redounds to god. for as for thy sake , it is reason , that thy seruants should be honoured , so it is a holy and religious worke for gods sake to honour his preists ; and as the honour which is done vnto them , doth reach vnto god ; so the dishonour which is done vnto them , doth exceedingly prouoke god to anger . chap. iv. of the iudgment and retribution to come . beleive that the world is subiect to corruption , seeing it had a beginning , but that after corruption it shall be changed againe into incorruption . for none of those things , that are made by god , shall returne into nothing , although the trangression of sinne hath togeather with vs condemned euery creature to dissolution : but expecting againe the creature , i meane , the world to be incorruptible , confesse also the resurrection of the dead , and expect that there shall be a iust iudgment and tryall of the things that haue bene done of euery one . for no euill shall escape the diuine iudgment without punishment , neither shall any good lye hid vnrewarded . neither thinke that the rewards of good workes are mortall , nor that the punishments of euill workes shall euer haue an end . for both haue euerlasting continuance , and in both there shall be eternity . chap. v. of almes . almes doth oftentimes , according as the scripture saith , repriue from death , and life seemes as it were to be bought for mony , when god for our life and saluation suffers himselfe , as it were , to be bribed . therfore scattering mortall riches vpon earth , thou dost gather immortall riches in heauen : and besides , it procureth vnto thee the blessings euen of this world also . and in very deed , doing good to others , is wealth inexhaustible . for by scattering it is gathered , and by giuing it is againe receiued ; and not only with blessings of this life doth it make them rich that possesse it , but also it doth make them happy with blessings of the world to come . chap. vi. of care and vigilance . keepe continually in thy mind the manners of thy parents , and according vnto them diligently perfect and square thy life . for wee doe neither carelesly or negligently carry our selues , in those things which we striue to effect , but doe labour to set our selues before thee , as examples and patternes of vertue , thinking negligence worthy of reprehension , and esteeming labour praise-wortly . and vse not things of this life out of season , and vnfitly , but exercise thy selfe to enjoy the seeming good things of this life , as one that must dye at last ; and mind the obtayning of the good things to come , as one that is to liue euerlastingly : that is , vse the things of this life , so as a mortall man should vse them , that by the right vsing of them , thou mayst gett eternall good things . he that vseth them otherwise , doth , as our author saith , vse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of season , or vnfitly . chap. vii . of conuersation with good men . be conuersant often with thy ghostly physicians , that thou mayst be well and healthy in thy soule . for thou mayst learne of them , what thou oughtst to desire , and from what things thou oughtst to abstayne , and with what men to be conuersant , and whom to auoyd and abhorre , and how thou shouldst order thy life , that thou mayst not fall into many inconueniences . and if thou wilt take this course , thou mayst truely attayne to the full perfection of vertue . chap. viii . of vertue . all the desirable things of the world doe not soe much adorne a king , as the riches of vertue . for beawty and comelinesse is withered either by diseases or by time ; and wealth doth begett idlenesse and pleasures : and strēgth doth adorne the body with victories , but doth hinder the faculties and indeauours of the soule . but the possession of vertue is more profitable to them that haue it , then riches , and greatnesse of birth : and those things , that seeme impossible to others , by the helpe of god , it makes them to be possible . chap. ix . of lust . let not lust and the desire of a faire body ouercome thee , because such a thing is to be esteemed but as a little dust . therfore be not proud of bodily nobility , nor despise meannesse of birth , neither be taken with beauty , nor abhorre these that are hard fauoured : but consider the beauty of the soule , and spiritually loue the soule . for that loue is only true and immortall , not which as soone as it is obteined , doth presently decrease and vanish , but which after it is obtained , doth dayly increase more and more . chap. x. of goodnesse of manners . thov hast receiued a kingdome of god , keepe it safely , as a pretious thing committed to thy charge . doe not seeme an ill keeper of that , which is giuen vnto thee , neither doe any thing ignoble or vnworthy of it ; but as thou wert preferred in dignity before other men , to raigne , so labour to excell all thy subiects in vertue also . for vertue is better then all dignity . if therfore in respect of dignity , thou hast dominion and soueraignty ouer all other men , but in respect of vertue art excelled by any , thou art a king in respect of that which is lesse ; but in very deed thou art not a king in respect of that which is greater , but art a subiect to others . be not therfore a king only in name , by being excelled by others ; but be a true king indeed , by ouercomming all , in respect of vertue . chap. xi . of temperance . god will then giue thee victories and trophyes ouer thy enemies , when thou thy selfe shalt set vp trophyes and gaine victories ouer thy passions . for ouercomming thy inuisible enemyes , that is , thy passions , thou shalt without doubt ouercome also thy visible ennemyes . but he , that like a slaue is ouercome and carryed away with pleasures , god will not honour him with any noble and braue victory : whereas he which by his owne labour shall gaine the victory ouer his passions , for a manifest signe of retribution of the good things to come , shall receaue from god , as a due vnto him , victory also ouer his visible enemyes . chap. xii . of faithfull freinds . delight more in freinds that striue to expresse their affection towards thee , in that they are true freinds , then in that they are neare of kinne vnto thee . for the freindship which kindred maketh , proceeds not from vertue , but from nature , which may iustly be accounted such loue , as commeth not from volontary choice ; but the freindship of good freinds proceedeth from free election and vertue . and the one hath nature for its lawe , and the other , god. and goodnesse in true freinds , is better then consanguinity , in any occasion , wherin one hath need to vse a freind : and that which is voluntary , as is freindship , is better then that which is necessary , as is consanguinity . for kinsmen haue oftentimes supplanted kinsmen for small matters : but true freinds not weighing the gaine of the whole world , haue not preferred euen their very life , before the loue of their freinds . chap. xiii . of valour , and prudence . both honour and approoue bodily strength , if it be adorned with prudence . for , as much as it is able to profitt , being ioyned with wisdome ; so much without wisdome it vseth to hurt them that haue it . for strength ioyned with wisdome , makes the character of a man. but if foolishnesse accompanieth it , it is the character of a wild beast . therfore doe not aprooue those , that haue strēgth not guided with discretion ; but those that doe gouerne it with wisdome . for strength without wisdome is to be named audaciousnesse ; but strength with wisdome is termed valour . chap. xiv . of humility . vvovld'st thou haue god gracious towards thee , be thou also gracious towards thy subiects . for although thou art made their lord , yet thou art their fellow seruāt . for we haue all of vs , one and the same lord , euē the lord of the whole world ; and we haue one and the same originall of all our kindred , namely earth , although we little clotts of earth are puffed vp one against another . therefore thou , that art but higher dust , remember thy selfe , and knowe certainly , that howsoeuer thou art lifted vp on high from the earth , thou shalt surely againe be brought downe to the earth , and then thou wilt neuer be lifted vp against lower dust . remember thine owne offences against god , and thou wilt forgett thy neighbours offences against thy selfe . chap. xv. of prudence . consider with thy selfe that prudence is most pretious to all men ; and that it is procured to all men by diligence . all men doe praise it as a good thing , but all men doe not labour to gaine it , wherefore thou wilt rarely find one , that hath attained it . therefore , doe not thou thy selfe onely labour to be indued with wisedome , but reuerence and honour also him that hath it ; be conuersant with him day and night . for such a one onely is able to doe thee very much good in respect of thy soule , and those things which seeme vnto thee oftentimes impossible to be done at a pinch , these things by his means , with the helpe of god , thou shalt easily bring to passe . for either thou must be wise thy selfe , or followe wise men , in whom god indeed doth take delight to be as vpon his throne . chap. xvi . of trueth and lying . let the grauity of thy manners be of no lesse credit , then thy words , that not onely when thou speakest , but also when thou holdest thy peace , thou mayst haue reuerence . but doe not approoue of those , that are plausible in speech , and that doe not confirme their words by deeds . for there are some , that can speake fairely , but in doing are very cold . therefore neither be thou such a one , nor admitt others that are such to be about thee : but make much of them , and make them neere vnto thee , which doe not so much adorne their manners with their words , as their words with their manners . and be not so shamelesse to talke of those things , that thou hast done , which thou art ashamed againe to doe : neither thinke to doe those things , which thou art ashamed to talke of . chap. xvii . of meditation of diuine oracles . as tender plants being watered , doe flourish and bring forth fruit ; so also thy vnderstanding ( my sonne ) being watered with the meditation of diuine words shall yet more and more increase , and bring forth the fruits of vertue . for fitting nourishments doe fatten the body : but spirituall sayings doe nourish the soule . and whereas the delight , that proceedeth from bodily food , reacheth but to the throat , and doth but increase corruption : the nourishment of the soule bringeth euerlasting delight , and doth procure incorruption , and is turned into incorruption . meditate therfore such profitable sayings , that thou mayst take pleasure in the fruits of them , and mayst well order thy kingdome . chap. xviii . of counsell . nothing is more safe then good counsell , and nothing more dangerous then execution of an action without taking aduice before . therfore that thou mayst safely doe those things that thou would'st , take aduice before thou doest them . for after the action , there is no place for that consultation , vhich should haue gone before : but betweene former consultation and action , thou mayst by after consultation change thy aduice . consider therefore the end of euery thing , and so proceed to action . but make vse of those counsellers , which haue with good aduice ordered their owne affaires ; but not of such , as haue ill and vnaduisedly managed their owne businesses . for he which hath ill carryed his owne businesse , will neuer giue good counsell concerning other mens affaires . but doe not aske aduice of them , that are vnseene in those things , whereof thou would'st be aduised , nor yet of those that doe vse to flatter thee . for the one sort , like blind men will giue aduice without knowledge , and the other sort will assent to thy opinion , to please thee . but especially consult vith them , which haue a right knowledge in businesse , and which are wont to find fault with those things , which thou dost amisse . for these only are worthy to be put in the number , and to be intrusted with the place of freinds and counsellers . chap. xix . of chastity . keepe thy selfe chast not only in thy body , but also euen in thy very mind . for as an impure life doth separate vs from god , so also a chast life doth bring vs neare vnto god. therfore let thy light shine forth before those that are vnder thy subiection , and be a good example to thy subiects . for if thou thy selfe wilt not keepe thy selfe chaste ; vith what face wilt thou commaund it to thy subiects ? for they also will be brought to doe the same things , as they shall see thee doe . for subiects naturally in a manner vse to be changed , and conformed to their gouernours . therfore , as , if thou dost not liue well , thou shalt be a cause of the hurt of thy subiects , so exercising chastity , with other vertues , thou shalt procure good to all thy people , and shalt gaine from thence a great reward to thy selfe , by making not only thy selfe , but also all thy subiects to be temples of god. chap. xx. of the honour which is to be giuen to parents . thov hast receaued a crowne from god by my hand , requite him that gaue thee it , with a present worthy of it . honour god , who hath honoured thee , by honouring him that begate thee . and thou shalt honour mee , not , as some of my subiects , either kneeling to mee , like them , or wayting in such manner vpon my person , or vsing acclamations towards mee , ( for these things doe not become one that is a king , ) but by making high account of vertue , and exercising temperance , and adorning thy mind , and affecting learning , by which the minds of yong men are much adorned , and in a word , so making thy selfe to be a worthy king on earth , and to resemble the king of heauen . for he only that can attaine to vertue , shall be iustly accounted the image of god , who hath raised him vp to that honour , and next after god , shall iustly be beloued of his subiects , and shall be worthily honoured , as a common benefactour , that doth good both to himselfe , and to his people . chap. xxi . of iustice . that thou mayst preserue thy maiesty and gouernment without blame , doe not thou thy selfe goe about to doe those things , which thou wilt find fault with others for doing . for subiects doe vse shrewdly to weigh the actions of their gouernours . but if thou wilt obserue this rule , thou shalt effect these two great things , that is , thou shalt both keepe thy selfe free from all blame , and thou shalt teach thy subiects , both when thou holdest thy peace , and when thou speakest , to exercise all vertue . but if thou doest doe contrary to those things which thou speakest , thou shalt haue thy conscience to be thy accuser ; whereas if speaking good things , thou doest also doe the same , thou shalt haue those that shall weigh thy life , to be both witnesses and imitators of thy goodnesse . chap. xxii . of bounty . be ignorant of none of them , that doe make suites vnto thee , or that doe seeke dignityes of thee , and when thou knowest what they are , doe good to those that are good . for by this means thou shalt alwaies gaine loue , and that which is more , thou shalt gaine loue that is stable , and subiect to noe changes or chances . for doing of good is a sure treasure layd vp in good men as in a safe treasurie ; and manyfold thankes are in them stored vp for thee , as a debt to be paid thee in due time . but he which doeth good to euill men , nourisheth a serpent in his bosome , which for a while being there cherished , when it findeth its fitt time , doth requite its benefactor with a venemous bite . for as strange doggs doe barke at strangers , though they giue them meate , so euill men doe wrong those that doe them good , as if they did hurt them : whereas doeing good to good men , thou shalt , as it were , multiply thy selfe , by making many freinds , and shalt haue one soule guarded about with the eyes of many freinds about thee . chap. xxiii . of freinds . make them thy freinds , and nearest seruants , which haue before beene good to other freinds or masters . for what they haue done to them , they will not thinke much to doe for thee . for he which hath bene good and affectionate towards his former freinds , it may be thought he will be good and affectionate towards thee also . but he which hath bene naught and negligent , and vnwilling to doe any thing for his former freinds , or masters , will scarse euer prooue himselfe affectionate and profitable towards thee . chap. xxiv . of contempt of riches . not soe much greatnesse of dignity , as contempt of riches , doth she we the high and free mind of a king. for in this the loftinesse of his mind is most apparent . but this is contempt of riches , not in vaine to hoard them vp in bagges , but to distribute them bountifully vpon necessary occasions . but these things are necessary for a king , and more then for others , namely to doe good to his freinds , and to take reuenge of his enemies ; both which things the way to effect , is by expence of money . therfore if thou would'st shewe thy selfe high in all things and especially in vnderstanding , be a contemner of riches , seeing that euen those things which thou hast , are not onely thine owne , but doe belong also to thy fellow-seruants , and especially to the poore and to strangers . therfore of things , which thou oughtst to esteeme common , make particular benefitt to thy selfe , by doeing good to others , and so thou shalt be highly accounted , and much esteemed for vnderstanding . chap. xxv . of drunkennesse . avoide drinking companies . for drunkennesse is a contrary thing , and an enemie to wisedome . for when wine tyrannizeth ouer the mind , it is in like case as vnkilfull coachmen , who being not able to gouerne the charriot , doe let the horses turne with them this way , and that way , and doe cause great laughter to those that behold them . so the vnderstanding being in this case , it is necessary that the soule also should continually fall in to many mischiefes . chap. xxvi . of making a freind . thov mayst easily make a freind whomsoeuer thou wilt , if thou dost speake good of him in his absence , to them that shall tell him of it againe . for praise vseth to be the beginning of freindship , but dispraise is the beginning of enmity . but if thou would'st more assure vnto thee those freinds , which thou hast already gotten , praise those that are absent , before those that are present . for so thou mayst seeme to praise those that are present , in those that are absent . but trie freinds in straights and hard times . for many are the freinds of those that are in prosperity . and esteeme those true freinds , which doe loue , not for gaine , but for the very vertue it selfe of loue . for other freindship then this , which serues its owne turne , is accounted in this respect a kinde of merchandise , and not freindship . chap. xxvii . of riches and couetousnesse . doe not tinke much to vse lawfull meanes , for the increasing of that whereby thou mayst aduance thy state and kingdome . but thou shalt best preserue thy subiects , if thou shalt diligently aduance the publik treasure , but such as is gathered by iust , not raked together by vniust means ; nor raised out of the teares of the oppressed . for riches , if they be iustly gathered will much benefitt the possessour , and will procure strength to the kingdome . but if they be raked togeather vniustly and out of the teares of the oppressed , they doe both frett away that which is gathered together iustly , and doe drawe on the vengeance of god , who by his lawe commaundeth vs to obserue that which is iust . for fire doth not so destroy stubble , as wealth wikedly and vniustly gathered together doth destroy euen that also which is iustly gathered . chap. xxviii . of patience . be not too forward to pick quarrells with thy subiects , for that will be grieuous to them , neither be thou forward to find fault with those , with whom thou dost conuerse , for this will be odious vnto them . neither delight in immoderate laughter , for this is not becomming a well bred man , but be patient towards them that doe amisse , and be gentle in punishments , be graue in thy manners and behauiour , be mild in thy speech , be of a courteous and affable disposition . for all these things will make thee to be dearely beloued of thy subiects , and will make thee to be called rather a father , then a king. chap. xxix . of truth , and lying . make greate esteeme of true speech , both to vse it thy selfe , and to make others neere to thee , that vse it . for soe thou shalt seeme to be sure , and constant in all things which thou doest speake and doe , and shalt preserue firme , and free from suspicion the loue that men beare vnto thee . for if thou art suspected to vse false speeches , although thou art exalted to be a king ; yet being found to doe things vnworthy of such a dignity , thou wilt make thy subiects to be alwaies fearefull and full of doubts of thee . for ; as much as truth doth make the man that hath it to be beloued , soe much false and deceitfull speech doth make him , that doth practise it , to be hated . chap. xxx . of gouernment . he is the best physician , which doth apply fitting medicines to diseases . and he is a good king , which doth set ouer his subiects such magistrates as shall defend them when they are wronged . for as it belongs to a horse-man to knowe the vertue of euery horse , and to a hunts-man perfectly to knowe his best hunting doggs , and to a captaine to knowe his souldiers , what vertue euery one of them hath , that in pitching a battell he may haue the best of his souldiers to sett out , soe it belongs to a good king to knowe the manners , and conditions , and vertues , and dispositions of the magistrates that are vnder him , that being ignorant of none of them , he may fitly assigne euery one to the place , that is fitt for him , and that he may put out such as are the pests of the state , and that he may intrust godly and vertuous men to order the gouernment of the common-wealth . chap. xxxi . of counsell and consideration . as to agree with ones selfe is the character of a wise man , and one that is praise-worthy , so to be contrary to ones owne words and deeds , is a thing to be dispraised , and not becomming a generous man , and farre from the way to get a good reputation . therfore those things , which thou would'st either speake , or doe , neuer vtter without consideration , that thou mayst neuer be found to be contrary to thy selfe . for want of aduice is the roote of this mischiefe . but if thou doest all things with good aduice , and so cuttest vp the roote of it , thou wilt neuer be found to be contrary to thy selfe . chap. xxxii . of making good lawes . thov shalt make thy owne disposition an vn written lawe to thy subiects , and thou shalt preserue an euerlasting memory of thy gouernment , if thou thy selfe shalt followe the lawes that haue bene well made by the kings that haue beene before thee , and if thou shalt inuiolably obserue them in thy gouernment . and whatsoeuer thou shalt compell thy subiects to obserue , much more impose vpon thy selfe a necessity of obseruing the same . for it thou thy selfe doest not gouerne by the lawes of emperors that haue beene before thee , neither will others obserue thy decrees . and so lawes being ouerthrowne by one another , will fill the vhole life of man with trouble and confusion , by which oftentimes whole nations haue fallen vnto ruine . chap. xxxiii . of naughty men . cast out such men as are the pests of the state , and neuer intrust to such men a place of gouernment , least thou also should'st seeme to be like vnto them , and to delight in their iniustice . for men will lay the blame on thee for those euills which they doe , and will thinke thee a partaker of their euill disposition , and thou shalt render an account of them to god. for the preferring of naughty men doth truely shewe the nature of them by whom they were preferred , and the euill that they doe , all men doe impute to them that preferred them . therfore take especiall care of aduancing good men to be magistrates , that their good report may be thy honour , and that thy subiects may impute vnto thee the good which they doe . for to be praised of the people is better then greate riches . chap. xxxiv . of mercy , or almes . desire wealth , not for pleasure , but for necessary vses , either that thou mayst helpe those that are in aduersity , or that thou mayst giue to them , that are willing to dye for others . for all other desire of wealth doth not onely not profitt , but doth rather procure hurt . for wealth , which a man hath , not to doe good withall , is the minister rather of vice , then of vertue ; but that which a man imployeth in good vses , may much profit them that haue it , both in respect of their soules and bodyes : partly , when it is bountifully bestowed on those that want it , and partly when it is distributed to good freinds . for both are bounty , although they are called by different names . chap. xxxv . of the loue of freinds . nothing seemes to be stronger then loue . and there is nothing in the world to be valued to a true freind . doe thou therefore obserue the lawes of freindship with thy true freinds in all times , and places , that they also may hold their loue to thee firme and sure whithout suspicion . and be not of an vnthankefull disposition . for it is a part of piety , to requite them that haue done thee good . and he which is vnthankefull , is an enemie to himselfe . for a good turne being requited , is multiplied , but being not requited , it doth destroy euen the fauour , that was first bestowed . therfore if thou wilt be thankefull thou shalt haue many , that shall striue to shewe their affection towards thee , and many that shall seeke to doe thee gratefull seruice . but if thou be vnthankefull , thou wilt get noe freind at all , with whom thou mayst liue a pleasant life , though all men faine freindshipp towards thee . chap. xxxvi . of speech and silence . be wise and prudent in learning the conditions of euery one , and in approouing good men , and in abhorring naughty men . but consider before in thy mind , whatsoeuer thou would'st speake , least that thy tongue running before thy witt , thou should'st be vpbraided to speake at randome . for in any company , when thou hast considered , that , which thou would'st say , is yet in thy power , if perhaps after thy first opinion , thy second seemes better : but when thou hast spoken once , thou canst not speake contrary to those things , which thou hast already spoken , if thou desirest to speake and conuerse , so as no man may find fault with thee . but the matters , whereof it is necessary thou should'st speake , are these , either those things which thou dost knowe ; or those things which the time requires . but in all other things , it is better to be silent , then talkatiue . chap. xxxvii . of almes . give almes bountifully to them that neede ; that thou mayst gaine mercy of god the lord of all . for piety is properly a giuing part of our goods to them that want . and thinke that day lost , in which thou doest not doe good to some body , in lieu of those good things which thou hast receaued of god. gett therfore the habit of giuing almes , that thou mayst receaue againe the like of god. incline thine eare to suppliants ; receaue with a tender heart , and a fauourable eye those that make suites vnto thee . pitty the teares of widowes , and doe not reiect the mournings of orphans . for as wee doe to others , the same also shall be done to vs , and as wee heare the poore , so wee shall be heard of god , and with the same eyes , as wee see the afflicted , god will behold vs. therfore as thou would'st wish god should be towards thee : be thou also such towards thy seruants . for what measure thou shalt giue , with the same measure it shall be measured vnto thee againe . chap. xxxviii . that all things here are vnstable . knowe , my child , that this life hath nothing stable , nor firme , nor vnchangeable . for things doe change this way , and that way , and like a wheele , that is rolled vp and downe , that vhich is vpward is carried downeward , and that which is downeward is carried vpward . therfore neither be lifted vp with prosperity , nor be cast downe with aduersity . but be in both , stable and vnchangeable ; setting thy mind onely to doe that which is good , and committing the rest to god. for when thou art in prosperity , thou ought'st not to be bifted vp for feare of aduersity : and when thou art in aduersity , suffer not thy selfe to be deiected , in hope of prosperity . for that is pusillanimity , and not becomming the courage of a king. for that which is to come , is vnknowne . therfore neither be thou euer foūd immoderately mourning , or laughing . for so thou wilt seeme to be wise , and may'st escape the euils , which doe proceede from both the extremes . and they which doe talke of thy actions , shall haue no cause to find fault with those things , which happen vnto thee . chap. xxxix . of care. impose vpon thy selfe this necessity , of hauing a will to ouersee all things thy selfe , and not to suffer thy selfe to neglect any thing . and this i say because that thou being a king , hast noe body ouer thee vpon earth , which can compell thee . but although thou doest raigne ouer all on earth , yet euen thou also hast a king in heauen . if therefore he as being god hath a care of all things , so also thou ought'st to neglect nothing , as being a king vnder god. for , as those things , which are diligently ouerseene and ordered by thee , doe receaue from thence great benefitt , so those things that are neglected , doe insensibly fall to ruine . for if in all matters , litle things are not to be neglected , then much more doth that prouerbiall sayng hold in that , which concernes a king. chap. xl. of guard. how sure a guard to a kings person , with the fauour of god , is the good will of his subiects ? when all men receaue good of him , and doe expect the suffering of noe tyrannie at his hands . but as , thou ought'st to preserue thy maiestie , that the treacherous practises of thy enemies may not preuaile against thee , so , thou ought'st to keepe thy selfe free from passions . for reason defineth , that from both of them there is feare of treachery , and great danger . but the treacherous practises , which thy enemies make against thy body , can bring but a temporary death ; but the treachery against the soule , that proceeds from passions , doth procure punishment , which ouer-liues euen death it selfe . chap. xli . of the kingdome of heauen . many kings haue inhabited this earthly court , but fewe haue dwelt in the kingdome of heauen . labour therefore , my beloued sonne , that thou mayst not onely rightly order this kingdome by the goodnesse of thy manners , but that thou mayst inheritt the kingdome of heauen by good workes , and vertues . for to day , this is thy court , and to morrowe , perhaps it shall not be thine , and after to morrowe , it shall be another bodies , and the day after that , another bodies , soe that indeede it is neuer any bodies . for if it so often changeth its masters , it hath indeede noe true master . therfore seeing that wee must passe from this power here , let vs labour by vertue to get in exchange that kingdome , which hath onely immortality and perpetuity , without need of a successor . as for all other things , they are fading and transitory . chap. xlii . of remembring god. if thou makest thy conscience thy lawe , and wilt not suffer that to be done to others , which thou would'st not haue done to thy selfe , thou wilt neuer incurre the blame of doing amisse . and if thou shalt thinke vpon god also , as one , that ouerseeth , and weigheth all thy actions , as indeede he doth , thou wilt not dare to sinne , either openly , or in priuate . for although thou thinkest those things , which thou doest in secret , are hidden from others ; yet thou wilt be ashamed to doe ill before thine owne conscience , and before god the ouerseer euen of the secret places of the soule . for men may perceaue our bodily actions , but the onely eye of god , to which nothing can be hid , doth see the things that are in the depth of the soule , and as , the sunne shining , nothing is hid in the open aire ; soe , god beholding our actions , nothing can be concealed . chap. xliii . of receauing gifts . give dignities freely , and doe not sell places of honour for gifts . for he which buyes a place of gouernment for a price , doth much more buye those that he is to gouerne , that trusting on thy receauing bribes , he may without feare looke to take bribes himselfe also . but diligently enquire , and aske , and preferre them to places of honour ( if thou wilt cast corruption and bribery out of the state ) which doe seeke those places freely , and not with bribes . for he which giues any thing for a place of honour , doth looke to gaine by his place , as one that by giuing gifts , buyes a power to receaue gifts , and so buyes a power to doe iniustice . for he which comes to a place by bribes , will neuer learne to doe any thing without taking of bribes ; and hauing thee for a teacher of bribery , who ought'st to be a punisher of it , he will not onely take bribes himselfe , but also will compell others that are vnder him , to doe the like . chap. xliv . of iniustice . he which doth wrong , doth not committ so great a sinne , as he which permitts wrong . when therefore any one that is wronged , comes vnto thee , doe not neglect his affliction , that thou mayst not giue way to those that would doe wrong . for he which is wronged , doth repose all his hopes in thee onely , and vnder the protection of thee , whom he thinkes to haue for a reuenger of iniustice , he seekes for reason of him , that did the wrong . and there is great reason , that the suppliant should obtaine his right by thee , seeing that it is iust , that wrong should be repressed . but if thou doest permitt iniustice , and giuest way to him that doth wrong , and doest neglect him that is wronged , and when thou alone art able to take reuenge of him that hath done the wrong , doest make no regard of iustice , where then shall the poore soule hope for refuge ? of whom shall he receaue iustice , but from god , who wil require an account of thee for thy negligence ? therfore doe iustice to him that hath suffered wrong , and take reuenge of him that hath done the wrong , least that in those things , which thou dost neglect , thou thy selfe should'st seeme to consent with those that doe wrong , and make thy selfe guilty and accountable for other mens offenses . chap. xlv . of mortality and immortality . in respect of thy body , thou art mortall , but in respect of thy soule , thou art immortall . therfore prouide mortall things for thy flesh ; but thinke of immortall things for thy soule . put ornaments on thy body , as things that are mortall , vpon that which is mortall ; but put on immortall happinesse vpon the soule , as it being immortall . for although thou art set on high vpon a throne , yet after a time thou shalt come downe from it . and though thou doest striue to subdue the whole earth , yet after thy death , thou shalt not inherit more space of ground , then three cubits . therefore as one that art mortall thy selfe , mind thy royalty that is but mortall : but as one that art immortall , purchase and procure vnto thy selfe an immortall kingdome , by vertue , and good workes . for , for this cause thou wert preferred to mortall power , that by it thou mightst gaine an immortall . kingdome . chap. xlvi . of magistrates . have the same thought of those that are vnder thee as thou would'st haue of thy selfe , if thou wert a subiect in their place . and doe what thou canst , that they may be well iffected to thy gouernment . for they reigne most sweetly , which doe most gently vse their subiects , and who most esteeming those that are worthy , doe good vnto them , and doe no wrong to those that are vnworthy : but thou shalt get most creditt and glory , if thou shalt assigne to euery one their proper place , and if thou shalt appoint places of gouernment to those that are worthy to be gouernours , and if likewise thou shalt cause those that are vnder their gouernment , neither to carrie themselues insolently towards their gouernours , not yet to be insolently vsed by them . therfore knowe euery one , and so fitly order the matters belonging to gouernors , and to those which are vnder gouernment , that harts may not , seeme to rule ouer lyons but lyons ouer harts . chap. xlvii . of peace . thov shalt make thy selfe happy euen without paines , if thou dost endeauour to settle peace in those parts of thy kingdome , that are at odds , and if thou dost cast all enmity and contention out of the state , and if thou doest teach thy subiects , to embrace peace , and loue ; and if thou shalt make them to be contemptible , that doe begett enmitie , and make them neere vnto thee , that doe loue peace . for being the sonne of mee an earthly king according to the flesh , if thou obeyest my words , thou wilt be called also the sonne of the heauenly king ; thereby procuring vnto thy selfe the kindred of god according to the spirit , being a disciple of christ , that was gentle and peaceable . for blessed ( saith he ) are the peace-makers . for they shall be called the children of god. chap. xlviii . of praise . tovching them that are conuersant with thee , approoue not those that doe praise all thy actions , but rather those that doe find fault with thy errors . for i knowe that those doe beare more affection towards thee , and are wiser then the others . for trueth is to be preferred before falshood . but grant freedome of speech vnto them that are wise , and wish thee well ; that thou mayst haue some , with whom thou mayst take good aduice of those things , whereof thou art ignorant . and being thus affected , thou shalt see , that thou ought'st not alwaies to giue eare to them , which doe with art flatter thee , but to those that doe serue thee with good will and affection . for hauing had good experience of the good which is done thee by the one , and of the hurt which is done thee by the other , thou wilt auoyd the one , and obtaine the other . chap. xlix . of the care to be had of thy selfe . adorne thy youthfull age , not so much with bodily , as with vertuous exercises ; neither suffer thy whole selfe ( body , soule and name ) quite to perish . for although thou hast a mortall body , yet thou hast obtained an immortall soule . therfore indeauour to gett immortality by leauing a good name and remembrance of thee . but thou shalt gaine a good name , if thou dost imitate those that haue left a good name behind them . see therfore , that thou dost indeauour to speake good things , and that thou dost accustome thy selfe to doe the like . and whatsoeuer thou shalt professe in thy words , thou shalt haue a care to practise the same in thy deeds . chap. l. of compassion . as there is not a body , which hath not a shadow accompanying it ; so there is not a man without sinne . for our nature is apt to slippe and prone to doe amisse . therfore be gentle towards those that offend , and mixe clemency with iustice . for although thou dost call to an account , others that offend , yet thou thy selfe hast god to call thee to an account for thy offences . and euery day promise this to thy selfe : as thou shalt forgiue , so hope , that thou also shalt be forgiuen of god. seeing therfore ( in the lords prayer ) thou dost pronounce iudgment of thy selfe , forgiue thy debtors their trespasses , and thy offences shall be forgiuen thee . for what thou shalt doe to thy fellow-seruants , the same thou shalt receiue againe of him , that is the lord of all . for with what iudgment thou shalt iudge , with the same also thou shalt be iudged . chap. li. of gentlenesse or mildnesse . incline thine eare to him that needeth , and answere him peaceably . for although by reason , of thy earthly power , thou art not a person to whom men may haue easy accesse , yet be easy of accesse , by reason of that power that is aboue thee . comfort those that are greiued , if not with gifts , yet at least with good words . for i haue knowne by experience , that one word may be better thé many gifts ; and that one good word from the mouth of a king , doth more preuayle for consolation , then many other things . for abundance of wealth is not of so much force to comfort a greiuing soule , as one gentle word of a king. so thou shalt be most beloued of thy subiects , and without cost thou shalt gaine the good will of all men , and they will proclaime thee to be rather a father to them then a lord. chap. lii . of returning thankes to god. know that so much the more good , as thou hast receiued of god , so much the greater thankes thou ought'st to returne vnto him , that doth not receiue that which is due vnto him , as a duety and debt that is payed to him , but as if he had receiued a courtesy or fauour , doth for it repay double . returne therefore vnto god , who hath done thee so much good , a thankefull requitall for the good things which he hath giuen thee . and as for that power , which thou hast receiued of him , vse it in doing good to others : and thinke , that they are richer then thee in good workes , which are lesse then thee in their power ( that is , if they doe more good then thee . ) for thou hast not receaued good things , that thou might'st keepe them to they selfe , but thou hast receiued them , that as a steward thou might'st dispose of them to the good of others , and so receiue of him that gaue them vnto thee , a reward for well disposing of them , and an incorruptible crowne for a corruptible . chap. liii . of bodily beawty . bodily beawty makes him worthy that hath it , to stand before a king. but the beawty of the soule doth make a man beloued of the king of heauen . and the one procureth the enioying of dignityes but for a time , whereas the other doth cause euerlasting neerenesse to our heauenly lord. but thou hast not any one aboue thee , whose fauour thou need'st to seeke by the beawty of thy body ; but thou hast god aboue thee , who doth not seeke the beawty of the body , but the nobility of the soule . wherefore labour by all meanes to please him , preseruing his image in thy selfe , pure and vndefiled , by temperance and purity . chap. liv. of the curing of the soule . the labour of the physician is in vayne , if the medicine which he giues , doth not cure the body ; and in vayne is the discourse of the philosopher , if it cannot heale the affections and passions of the soule . for as it is necessary for physicians to shew their skill in the body , so it is necessary , that philosophers should cure the soule . thinke them therefore to be true physicians , which by their art doe expell diseases from the body : and iudge them to be true philosophers , which by their discourses doe expell the diseases of the soule , if so be they haue patients , that will absolutely be ruled by them . chap. lv. of backbiters and slanderers . be not apt to receiue idle tales or tale-tellers , neither make much of slanderers , neither lightly giue creditt to naughty men . for the first haue oftentimes ruined good men , out of a suspicion , that they were naught : and the second , vomiting out the anger , which proceeds from their owne malice , will make thee guilty of innocent blood : and the third , will make thee suspected to be one that delighteth in euill men . for thou mayst iustly be thought to be of the disposition of them , with whom thou delightest to be conuersant , and to whom thou dost passionately giue creditt . chap. lvi . of reading good bookes , and histories . doe not thinke much to runne ouer ancient histories . for in them thou shalt find without paynes , that which others haue gathered togeather with paynes . and thou may'st learne from thence the vertues of good men , and the vices of naughty men , and the diuerse vicissitudes of our life , and the changes of things therein , and the instability of the world , and how prone empires are to fall , and in a word , the punishments of euill actions , and the rewards of good ; where of thou shalt doe well to auoyd the one , that thou may'st neuer come to feele the punishments of hell ; and thou shalt doe well to indeauour to compasse the other , that thou may'st deserue and obtaine the rewards to come . chap. lvii . of bounty or doing good . i will teach thee a point of wisdome ; a point , perhaps not practised of those that vse to giue aduice , but not vnbesitting the affection of mee , that am both a father and a king. approue rather , my sonne , those that aske fauours of thee , them those that doe striue to bring thee the greatest presents . for thou shalt make the one thy debtours , that will pray to god for thy prosperity ; and by that means thou shalt also make god himselfe to be thy debtour , who , as for a thing lent vnto him , doth requite them that doe such things : but thou shalt be a debtour to the others , and shalt be forced to giue them an vnseemely reuerence , as to thy benefactors . therefore be willing to oblige all men , but to be obliged by none , but god alone . for this truely is befitting one , that is an absolute king indeed . and giue to those that aske thee , and make much of them : but approoue lesse of them that present gifts vnto thee . for the whole ayme of these , is to receiue a recompence from thee : but all the care of the other , is to shewe themselues thankefull , for the fauours they haue receiued , if they can , here in this life , if not , by praying to god to render vnto thee manifold in the world to come . chap. lviii . of nobility . he doth extremely dishonour the nobility of the body , which hath not also the nobility of the soule . therfore doe thou togeather with the princely nobility of the body , which thou hast , gett also the most high and perfect nobility of the soule . for that of the body , is by nature , and deserueth no thankes ; but this of the soule , dependeth of our owne will , and is thanke-worthy . and doe not approoue of those that are noble , only in respect of the body , but those that are gracious in their soules . for a man ought not like other creatures , to haue only the bare nobility of the body . for the noblenesse of a horse is statelinesse and surenesse of pace , and the noblenesse of a hound is to haue a good mouth , and to hunt well , and so likewise of other creatures ? but the nobility of a man , is to haue his soule adorned with all manner of vertues . for the ornament of the body is beawty and strength , and a strong and healthfull constitution ; but the ornament of the soule is reason and good conditions , and the perfection of vertues . chap. lix . of patience . never be angry with god , ( my sonne ) vpon any occasion . for this vseth oftentimes to proceed from pusillanimity : but receiue with a thankefull mind all things that befall thee , and stick not to submitt thy selfe to all things , which god would haue to happen vnto thee . if he would haue thee to reioyee , be merry ; and if he would haue thee to mourne , be thou sad ; and if he would haue thee to be in prosperity ; enioy thy prosperity ; and if he whould haue thee to be in aduersity , be willing to beare aduersity ; submitt to all things , and be pleased and contented with all things , that god would haue : only keepe thy selfe farre from sinne ; for that only thou ought'st neuer to admitt , as being a thing , which proceedeth not from god , but from negligence . therfore , neither when thou art in prosperity , be lifted vp ; nor when thou art in aduersity , be thou ouer much cast downe . for if bearing thy felfe patiently in all things , thou shalt giue thankes to god for thy afflictions ; thou shalt doubt lesse receiue the reward of patience : but if vexing thy selfe , thou shalt resist gods disposing hand ; thou shalt euen against thy will , suffer no lesse , being forcibly carried , and made to yeeld to his prouidence , and so thou shalt no whit benefit thy selfe , nay thou shalt loose the reward , which thou might'st haue gained by patience . chap. lx. of instruction and education of children . it is a thing most becomming a king , not only to care for that which concernes himselfe , but also to looke to that , which concernes the good of his subiects . for it is not sufficient to be himselfe good to his subiects , but he ought also to leaue his children , images and patternes of his vertue . for as that king which bringeth vp good children , doth good to all the kingdome : so he which letts them be debauched for want of good breeding , doth wrong to the whole realme . therefore , my sonne , obey thy fathers instructions , that thou may'st both doe good to thy selfe , and prosperously rule thy kingdome , and may'st require mee for bringing thee vp , by leauing a good memory and name after thee . chap. lxi . of the hurt that comes from the tongue . heare all things and learne of all men ; but approoue of some things , and abhorre other things . approoue of those things , which will bring profitt and honour to thee , and will doe no hurt to thy subiects : but abhorre those things , which will hurt thy subiects , and doe thee no good . for a deceitfull tongue , if it meet with a powerfull hand , will be a cause of many euills both to it selfe , and to them that are led by it : but a faire-spoken mouth , that obserueth trueth in all that it speaketh , doth much good to them that heare it , and to him that hath it . therfore doe not delight in naughty men , but approoue of good men , and preserue peace amongst thy subiects , and suffer them not , to be sett on , or enraged one against another . for god is farre of from that place , where strifes and contentions are : but where peace and loue and concord is , they make god very neere and fauourable to those that liue in peace , and make peace-makers to be called the children of god. chap. lxii . of goodnesse . accovnt a good conscience to be the crowne of royalty , by which thou shalt more adorne thy selfe , then with a thousand other ornaments . for wealth is a deceitfull and slippery thing , and glorie is transitory , and victory passeth away , and pleasures are fading . but thy goodnesse only will endure for euer , and procure vnto thee an immortall memory , and will make , as it were , a wholsome antidote of thy example for thy posterity , making all men both praysers and imitators of thy life and gouernment . chap. lxiii . of restraining and gouerning pleasures . know my sonne , that men will then account thee a king indeed , when thou dost not only rule and keepe in awe thy subiects , but also when thou dost restraine and gouerne all thy pleasures . for let thy crowne indeed be a signe of royalty ; but let iustice accompany it : and thy purple will then adorne and become thee , if thy temperance also shall equally shine with it ; and thy red shooe will then be an honour vnto thee , if with it , thou shalt tread vnder foot the glittering of pride . for these things are but the markes of temporall royalty ; but those other will deliuer thee from euerlasting punishment , and will procure vnto thee an immortall kingdome . chap. lxiv . of perfect reason . be very diligent in perfecting thy reason , which is the perfection of a man. for by it earthly royalty or an earthly kingdome , doth ressemble the order and harmony of heauen . for reason doth gouerne all humane things , without which all things in this life are out of order . gett therfore vnto thy selfe the possession of reason , not in an vnperfect manner , but in perfection . for neither is the safety of a ship to be intrusted to the guiding of one , that hath not skill to guide it ; neither is kingly power to be committed to a king , vnlesse he hath the experimentall reason of affaires . for that which makes a lyon ( as they say ) to beare rule among other beasts , is his strength , or courage ; and that which doth giue the eagle command ouer other birds , is her high and swift flying and actiuity : but reason is the only thing vpon earth , that doth giue a man power ouer other men . chap. lxv . of being not lifted vp in mind . be neuer lifted vp in mind with thy victories ouer thy aduersaries , neither insult ouer the calamities of thy enemies , neither reioyce at the fall of any that oppose thee , neither mock at the aduersity of another ; neither shew signes of ioy at the destruction of any man. for we haue all the same nature , and no man knowes that which is to come . therfore consider those kings , or emperors that haue bene before thee ; and then shalt thou learne , what things hereafter may fall vpon thee . for the course of mans life worketh many changes , and that which those that haue bene before vs , haue suffered , may serue for an instruction to those that are now liuing . therfore be not , i say , lifted vp too high , that thou mayst not haue the greater fall . and doe not thinke any of the trophies , which thou hast atcheiued , to be the worke of thy selfe alone ; and thou shalt neuer know by thy owne experience the extremity of aduersity . but bewayle other mens calamityes , and haue compassion on those men that doe suffer afflictions , seeing that thou thy selfe also art a man. and the solemnities , which thou dost celebrate for thy victoryes thankefully dedicate vnto god only , that remembring aduersity , in the midst of thy prosperity ; and in aduersity , incouraging thy selfe with hope of prosperity , thou may'st neuer forgett , that thou art a man. chap. lxvi . of reading good bookes . and that thou may'st euery way adorne thy mind : thinke not much to reade ouer the sayings of the ancients ; for thou shalt find many things profitable in them : and aboue all , reade the sayings of solomon , and the precepts of isocrates , and if thou wilt , meditate also on the counsells of iesus the sonne of sirach , for so much as from thence , thou may'st learne and gather politick and kingly vertues . as for all other the sauing oracles of holy scipture written by diuine inspiration , it is altogeather necessary , that they should be infused into thee , togeather with the rest . and when thou shalt be perfected in vnderstanding , thou shalt both make mee thy king and father , and teacher glad ; and then thou thy selfe shalt be thought worthy to exhort others , and thou shalt more perfectly knowe the proper end of thy creation , and being man , and that no man is without sinne , and that no man shall escape the tryall of those things which he hath done , and that no man knowes the vncertaine end of his owne life . finis . a table of the matter , vvhich is contained in this booke . a almes . p. . . . b backbiters and slanderers . p. . beavvty , that is bodily beavvty . p. . bookes . i. of reading good bookes and histories . p. . . bountie . p. . . c care . p. . . chastitie . p. . compassion . p. . conuersation . p. . counsell . p. . . d drunkennesse . p. . e education . i. instruction and education of children . p. . f faith . p. . freinds . p. . . freinds . i. of the loue of friends . p. . freindship . i. of making freinds . p. . g gentlenesse or mildnesse . p. . gifts , viz. of receauing gifts . p. . god , viz. of remembring god. p. . goodnesse . p. . gouernment . p. . guard. p. . h heauen , viz. of the kingdome . of heauen . p. . humilitie . p. . i iniustice . p. . instruction . p. . iudgment to come . p. . iustice . p. . l lavves . i. of making good lavves . p. . lust. p. . m magistrates . p. . manners . p. . men. i. of naughty men. p. . mind . i. of being not lifted vp in mind . p. . mortalitie and immortalitie . p. . n nobilitie . p. . o oracles . i. diuine oracles . p. . p parents . i. of the honour vvhich is to be giuen to parents . p. . patience . p. . . peace . p. . pleasures . i. of restraining and gouerning pleasures . p. . praise . p. . preists . p. . prudence . p. . r reason , viz. of perfect reason . p. . riches . i. contempt of riches . p. . riches and couetousnesse . p. . s soule . i. of curing the soule . p. . speech and silence . p. . t temperance . p. . thankfulnesse , that is , of returning thankes to god. p. . tongue . i. of the hurt that commeth of the tongue . p. . trueth . p. . truth and lying . p. . v valour . p. . vertue . p. . vigilance . p. . vnstablenesse , viz. that all things here are vnstable . p. . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e he meaneth money . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich phrase i am told vvas vsuall in that age . he meaneth souldiers . by philosopher he meaneth the diuine or christian philosopher . this is a kind of shooe , vvhich the emperors vvore ; i haue seene one of them in paris . that is , ascribe them vnto god. the fathers legacie vvith precepts morall, and prayers diuine: fitted for all sorts, both yong and old, times and seasons: morning, noone, and night. norden, john, - ? approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the fathers legacie vvith precepts morall, and prayers diuine: fitted for all sorts, both yong and old, times and seasons: morning, noone, and night. norden, john, - ? [ ] p. printed [by m. flesher] for iohn marriot, in saint dunstans church-yard in fleetstreet, london : . by john norden. printer's name from stc. signatures: a¹² b⁶. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the fathers legacie . with precepts morall , and prayers diuine ▪ fitted for all sorts , both yong and old , times and seasons : morning , noone , and night . london , printed for iohn marriot , in saint dunstans church-yard in fleetstreet . . the fathers receipt to cure the sonnes soules sicknesse . take early in the morning of thy life a quart of true and vnfained repentance of niniuie , and put to it both your hands full of feruent faith in christs blood , which was shed for you ; with asmuch hope and charity of the purest that you can purchase with teares vnfained , from the garden of gods word , of each of these a like quantity , and put them into the vessell of a cleare and vnspotted conscience , and let them boile well in the fiery flames of true and hearty loue , till you see by the perfect eye of your faith , and feele by your zeale illuminated , the black fome of the loue of the world to stinke in your stomacke . then scumme it off with the spoone of faithfull prayer : that done , take the immaculate cloath of christs pure innocency , and couer you warme with as many cloathes of the amendment of life as god shall strengthen you to beare : and then lie downe on your bed , ioyned with the peace of god , and sweat out all the vile poison of couetousnesse , idolatry , and the participation thereof , with alkind of pride , oppression , extortion , deceit , sedition , sects , enuie , swearing , adultery , theft , drunkennesse , sloth , and the like , let this bee distilled through the limbeck of a clean heart : then apply the sweet ointment of a good conuersation , and lay it to your nose , for feare you smell after your neighbors goods : and when you feele your selfe clensed from all these fore-named diseases , then take the powder of say-well , and lay it on your tongue to sauour your mouth , and the eares of the hearers ; but drink three times as much doe-well . and anoint your hands with the oyle of gladnesse , to doe good workes , that they may be supple and ready to minister to the poore distressed members of christ as you see good occasion and are able : but beware of taking the wind of vaine-glory in the giuing , lest the daily gusts therof do you much harme , let these bee incorporated all into one body with the iuyce of the herbe of grace , of which if thou faile , all the rest will doe thee little pleasure , neither can they bee operatiue to either soule or body . and then arise from sin willingly , & walk out your course worthily : and take vp christs crosse patiently and beare it thankfully : obserue these precepts carefully , and be mindfull of them daily , and pray these prayers following zealously , and god will blesse thee continually , and so shalt thou liue euerlastingly : which god grant , amen say i. probatum est , by thy father . the fathers legacy . in certaine morall precepts for the better ordering of his life . concerning thy selfe . begin the day in the seruice of god , continue it in his feare , that thou mayest end it in his fauor . when thou canst not spend the day in honourable actions , thou maiest in vertuous contemplations , but bee sure to put thy knowledge into practice . in all things shew a noble mind , and aboue all things auoid basenesse ; if thy birth be noble shame it not , if meane , let thy vertues raise it . neuer striue to please all men , or indeed any man whom thou needst not feare , since whateuer thou doest will displease some body , if thou canst please thy selfe and not offend god , it is no matter whether others be pleased or no. be neither seruile , nor officious to any ( though greater then thy selfe ) from whom thou neither regardest fauour , nor fearest wrath : giue them no occasion of offence , nor take iniury at their hands . with thy superior in degree shew thy selfe neither too awfull nor familiar , with thy equall bee both courteous and familiar , with thy inferiour though courteous yet not too familiar . bee sparing to praise or dispraise thy selfe in any quality : the first sauour of vaine-glory , the other of folly , neither meddle with others actions either in way of approbation , or contumely ; for as the one will get thee neuer the more loue , so the other , will will get thee much more hatred . auoide rather those that flatter thee , then those that reproue thee : one loues thy purse , the other thy person . intrude not thy selfe into any company where the place is priuate , nor enter into counsell vnrequired , and let thy aduice sauour rather of wisdome , then wit , for so thou shalt saue thy credit and thy friends . let thy company where thou mayest haue welcome be waies of the best sort , but shun all those that shall intice thee to any base action . marry not till thou beest thy owne man , to dispose of thy estate thy selfe , neither marry till thou hast a competent estate to defray that charge which mariage of necessity brings with it . if thou be poore marry late and far off , if rich , quickly and neer home , let thy wife be either vertuous , noble , rich , or faire , for without these or one of these , there can be no loue . nobilitie and riches may be a meanes to aduance posteritie , vertue and beauty will adde to thy selfe pleasure and content , but neuer marry for beauty onely , lest time or sicknesse shew thee thy folly . as neere as thou canst chose one better qualified in mind then body , whose soule is faire as her face , hansome and neat in her apparell , not gay , nor sluttish ; silent , yet not dumbe when occasion serues to speake , with a blushing cheeke , rather then a brazen forehead , milde and gentle spirited , and one that cannot bee angry , free-hearted , yet not lauish , louing to all , familiar to few , alwaies mery , seldome wanton . if thou hast children bring them vp in all noble qualities , to make them worthy instruments either for church or common-wealth : but constraine none of them to apply themselues to any thing against nature , and winne them rather by loue and gentlenesse , then harsh seuerity . let thy house be rather necessary and neat , then large and rude , yet if thy estate and calling be great , let thy house bee answerable without and within . let thy house-keeping be alwaies bountifull , neuer prodigall , rather abounding then wanting , but neuer to win credit stretch thy purse beyond its bounds , nor let thy charge bee greater then thy reuenues , and take heed of paying vse-mony . let all thy house funiture be of the best , not only to shew but for vse also , so shalt thou not onely content but pleasure thy friends , whose loue if thou wilt gaine , let thy house be to him alwaies as his own , freely , without grudging , the signe of a base nature . inuite not any man , especially great men ) to thy house , vnlesse thou haue exercise to recreate them abroad aswell as within , hunting , hawking , bowling , &c. for without these he will quickly be weary ; and let me aduise thee , if thou be able , alwaies to keepe a stable of good horses , excellent for some qualitie , which will not onely please all men , but shall get thee the name of generous . let thy seruants bee so many as thou mayest imploy in honest offices , such as will neither be idle nor ill imployd : for thy house affaires choose aged & well experienced men , rather profitable then hansome , but such as waite on thy person or thy friends , gentle-men-like in body or mind , neither let drudges , as horse-keepers or labourers , or such like come neere thy person , or thy table , for either their rude behauiour or ill smell will bee offensiue . for thy maidseruants take this rule , let thy house bee well deckt with them ( such i meane as be hansome ) for they grace a house more then all thy other furniture , and let thy wife haue alwayes a couple of gentlewomen to attend her person at the least , and remember that sluts and foule sowes will haue alwaies sluttish conditions . finally , banish from thy house all rude and ruffian-like fellowes , with ignorant and hypocriticall puritans . a morning prayer . o lord god , our most gracious , louing and mercifull father in christ iesus , we thy poore and most vnworthy seruants do here prostrate our selues , both soules and bodies , before the throne of thy heauenly maiesty , humbly acknowledging and confessing from the bottom of our hearts , that we are most vile , miserable , and sinfull wretches , conceiued in sin , brought forth in iniquitie , and so haue continued all our life time : not worthy o lord , of the least of all thy blessings , but deserue iustly for our sinnes eternall death and damnation , and to be cast for euer from thy presence . heauenly father , wee confesse freely against our owne soules , that our sins are moe in number then the hairs of our heads , or the sands of the sea , or the stars of heauen ; and that we haue broken and transgressed al thy holy commandemēts , both in thought , word , and deed , from our infancy to our youth , from our youth to our riper age , from the day of our birth to this present day . the euil , o lord , which we should not doe , we haue done , and the good which we should haue done , we haue omitted . we haue made no conscience of our wayes , no regard of thy promises , no feare of thy threatnings . we haue made vs other gods in thy sight , a god of our gold , a god of our belly , a god of euery affection : we haue blasphemed thy holy name : wee haue profaned thy sabbaths : we haue polluted thy sanctuary : wee haue despised thy word : we haue done all manner of euill in thy sight , and the feare of thy maiesty hath not beene before vs. thy mercy hath not allured vs , thy iudgements haue not terrified vs ; but with a high hand we haue heaped sinne vpon sinne , and gone on still in all manner of wickednesse , vntill wee haue made it too heauy a burden for vs to beare . what then belongs vnto vs thou iust iudge of all the world , but eternall confusion both of soule and body . neuerthelesse , appealing from thy iustice , wee implore thy mercy , and intreat thee in iesus christ to be reconciled vnto vs ; for his sake to pardon and forgiue vs all our sins , to naile them on his crosse , to bury them in his graue , and to warn them away in his most pretious bloud . wash vs o lord , and wee shall be clean : clense vs , and wee shall passe the snow in whitnesse : good lord be mercifull vnto vs , pardon and forgiue vs all that is past , and giue vs grace to leade a more holy life then we haue done hitherto . and to this end , o blessed lord god , because our hearts are the sinkes of all our sinnes , and the fountaines of all our vncleannesse , sanctifie our vncleane hearts , mortifie our sinfull affections , pacifie our impure thoughts , clense our wicked cogitations : o lord renew a right spirit within vs , o lord giue vs grace to conceiue aright of the wonderfull things of thy law , & to practice the things that concerne thy glory . and because o lord wee should be the more vnworthy to receiue any good thing from thee , if we should not be truly thankfull for those many good things which we haue already receiued , we render vnto thy diuine maiesty all possible praise and thankes for all those blessings which thou hast so mercifully from time to time bestowed vpon vs. we thanke thee o lord for our election before we were : for our creation and what we are : for our redemption when we were lost : for our iustification , and sanctification in this life , and for our assured hope of glorification in the life to come . we thanke thee deare father , for whatsoeuer good concerns either soule or body : for our liues , and for our liberty : for our peace , & for our plenty : for our health , and our prosperitie : and aboue all , for the sweet and inestimable iewell of thy holy word . thou hast been more gracious to vs , then to other nations . o lord we were a people that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death , but thou hast opened our eyes , and giuen vs a lanterne for our feete , and a light for our paths : let not our sins we beseech thee , remoue this candle-sticke from vs. wee thanke thee o lord , that thou hast sealed vnto our consciences the free , and full remission of all our sinnes in christ iesus . wee thanke thee that thou hast kept vs from many sinnes which our fraile nature might haue committed , and for sauing vs from many dangers whereinto we might haue fallen : lord keepe vs both from sinne and danger . and because both of the weaknesse of our nature , and the number of our enemies , how busie they are to tempt , & how ready we are to yeeld , lord shield vs with thy grace , and protect vs with thy spirit against all the assaults & temptations both of the world , the flesh , and the deuill . let not the flesh allure vs , let not the world bewitch vs , let not the deuill vanquish vs ; but grant good god , that by the mediation of christ , and the assistance of thy blessed spirit , against all these we may be more then conquerours . wee thanke thee o lord that thou hast preserued vs to this present houre ; and because the time of our pilgrimage here on earth is but short , lord giue vs grace to spend it in thy feare : teach vs to number our dayes , and that little time we haue to liue to bestow it wisely . and for as much as thy kingdome o christ is not of this world , neither consisteth in meat , or drinke , but in righteousnesse , and peace , and ioy in the holy ghost , grant o heauenly father , that we renouncing this world , and crucifying the lusts of this sinfull life , and being borne anew by thy word and holy spirit , setting our affections vpon things aboue , and hauing our conuersation in heauen , may after this life ended obtaine the inheritance of eternall life , and rest with thee and thy sonne christ in the kingdom of heauen for euer and euer . amen . our father which art &c. an euening prayer . oh eternall and euer-liuing god ; most holy , and iust ; most omnipotent , gracious , mercifull , and louing father , and my only lord and sauiour ; i a wretched and sinfull creature , thy vnworthy seruant , yea , rather the seruant of sinne , and bondslaue of iniquitie , the sonne of adam , yet through christ my sauiour and his righteousnesse , thy adopted childe , and a member of his mysticall body : doe here humbly prostrate my soule , and cast down my self before thy footstoole & mercy-seate ( oh euer-liuing redeemer ) acknowledging and confessing from the bottome of my heart mine owne vnrighteousnesse , and manifold sinnes and transgressions , my disobedience and rebellion this day committed against thy holy and sacred maiesty , my contempt of thy word & commandements , my vaine conuersation and corrupt affections , my continuall breach of thy most holy and reuealed will , in thought , word , and deed , whereby i haue deserued thy iust iudgements and wrathfull indignation to be poured downe vpon me , vile and wretched sinner , and vtterly to be cast out of thy sight , and to be deliuered to satan my deadly enemy , who daily and hourely laboureth to win me from thee , and to cast me into vtter darknesse , where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth . o lord my deseruings doe astonish my heart , and dazell mine eyes , that i dare not looke vp to heauen ; my sinnes doe presse me downe to the depth and bottomlesse pit of hell ; my conscience doth challenge mee a thousand waies , for offending thee so good and so gracious a god : my ghostly enemie is a roareing and a ramping lyon , ready euery minute to deuoure me , is busie with me day and night , he casteth a mist before mine eyes , that i cannot see thy holy will reuealed in thy word , and still vrgeth my sins vnto my conscience , driuing me into despaire of thy mercy in christ iesus , and feedeth my fantasie with manifold visions , he troubleth my minde with dangerous assaults , deludeth my senses , and striueth to draw me aside from euery good exercise , and from the fellowship of thy saints here militant vpon earth . oh lord my god , iust are thy iudgements , great are my sinnes , but thy mercy is far aboue all thy workes : for thou desirest not the death of a sinner , nor takest pleasure in the damnation of soules ; thou hast ordained life , and health , and all saluation is from thee . oh god most high , thou hast giuen vs thy dearely beloued sonne iesus christ , that who soeuer beleeueth in him , should not perish , but haue life euerlasting . and how can it be , but with him thou shouldest giue vs all things necessary for this life , and the life to come ? in him , and for his sake , i thy poore afflicted creature groaning vnder the burthen of my sinnes , and altogether tyred through the manifold temptations of satan and this wicked world , doe most humbly intreat thee to forgiue and pardon all my iniquities and sinnes whatsoeuer , committed against thy diuine maiestie ; most mercifull father , for christs sake , lay them no longer to my charge ; for i am not able to beare thy threatning hand against mee . suffer not satan to delude me any longer , nor abuse my weakenesse , not to deceiue my senses and fantasie ; suffer him not ( o lord ) to deuoure my soule . oh sweet sauiour christ , thou fountaine of liuing waters , and that true brazen serpent that healest all infirmities , and the sting of that fiery serpent that hath wounded my conscience : thou which callest vnto thee all those that trauell and are heauie loaden with the burthen of their sins and feeling of their infirmities , promising them ease in conscience , and rest vnto their soules : i most wretched and vile sinner , meekely beseech thee , euen for thy promise sake , that thou wilt receiue me , and ease my burthen which is too heauie vpon me day and night . oh thou sweet samaritan , poure thy wine and oyle of gladnesse into my wounded heart ; giue me to drinke of the water of life , that whoso drinketh freely shall neuer thirst againe , euen of the fountaine of euer-liuing waters . ( oh sweet iesu ) thou lyon of the tribe of iuda , preserue my soule , and deliuer it from the mouth of the rouring lyon. oh holy spirit , proceeding from the father and the sonne ; thou comforter of gods elect , worke in my heart a true and liualy faith , whereby i may quench all the fiery darts of the deuill , and may with-stand all his assaults . ( oh lord ) i doe confesse it is my weaknesse that maketh him so strong ; my cowardlinesse that maketh him so ventrous ; my bashfulnesse that maketh him bold . and therefore ( o lord ) i humbly poure out my soule before thee this night , praying thee to increase my faith , to strengthen me in the inward man , to arme me with thy spirituall armour ; giue mee strength and power i beseech thee most blessed trinitie , to fight valiantly against satan , and wisely to preuent all his practises against me . and here ( o lord ) according as i am bound , i render vnto thee all possible praise and thankes for all those blessings and benefits which thou so graciously and plentifully hast bestowed on my soule and body , for this life , and that which is to come ; namely , for my election , creation , redemption , vocation , iustification , sanctification , and continuall preseruation vntill this present day and houre , and for the firme hope of glorification ; and likewise , for my health , wealth , foode , raiment and prosperity : more especially , for that thou hast defended me this day now past from all dangers both of soule and body ; defend me , o lord , this night , and likewise all the rest of my daies and nights , i haue to liue in the pilgrimage of this sinfull world , that so hauing victory through christ i may sing vnto thee the blessed trinitie , all honour , praise , glory , power , might and maiesty , be to the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost , both now and for euer . amen . our father which art in heauen , &c. and so my soule , this night , into thy hands i commit . the fathers repentant teares . if that a sinners sighes be angels food , or that repentant teares be angels wine : accept o lord in this most pensiue mood , these hearty sighes and faithfull teares of mine , that went with peter forth most sinfully . but not as peter wept most bitterly . if i had dauids crowne to me betide , or all his purpled clothes that i might weare . i would lay then such honor all aside . and onely seeke a sackcloth weed to beare : his palace would i leaue that i might show with him in cell for such offence my woe . there should these hands beat on my pensiue brest , and sad to death for sorrow rent my haire . my voice to call on thee should neuer rest , whose grace i seeke , whose iudgements i doe feare : vpon the ground all groueling on my face . i would beseech thy fauour , and thy grace . but sith i haue no meane to make the show of my repentant mind , and yet i see , my sinnes to greater heapes then his doe grow , whereby the danger more it is to me ; i put my trust in his most pretious blood , whose life was sold to purchase all our good . thy mercy greater is then any sin : thy greatnesse none can euer comprehend : wherefore o lord let mee thy mercies winne , whose glorious name no time shall euer end . wherefore i say , all praise belongs to thee : whom i beseech be mercifull to me . finis . miscellanies upon moral subjects by jeremy collier ... collier, jeremy, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) miscellanies upon moral subjects by jeremy collier ... collier, jeremy, - . [ ], p. printed for sam. keeble ... and jo. hindmarsh ..., london : . published in parts. the first pt. was published as: miscellanies, in five essays. . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ethics -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - marika ismail sampled and proofread - marika ismail text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion miscellanies upon moral subjects . the second part. by ieremy collier , m. a. london : printed for sam. keeble at the turks-head in fleet street , and io. hindmarsh at the golden-ball over against the royal-exchange in cornhill . . the contents . of fame , pag. of musick , p. of the value of life , p. of the spleen , p. of eagerness of desire , p. of friendship , p. of popularity , p. a thought , p. of the entertainment of books , p. of confidence , p. of envy , p. of the aspect , p. against despair , p. of covetousness , p. of liberty , p. of old age , p. of pleasure , p. to the reader . i easily foresee some people will be disobliged with the freedom of these papers , and think themselves treated with too little ceremony ; but unless they can disarm their pretended adversary , and confute his arguments , i would desire them by all means to smother their resentments : for as bad as the world is , to appear in defence of pride , and turn advocate for the devil , looks like an untoward sort of an employment . however , to sweeten this humour as much as may be , they may please to consider that there was no good to be done in this case without plain dealing : this malady of all others must be well examined , otherwise it 's in vain to expect a cure. 't is to no purpose to declaim in general against a proud man , and to give him a great many hard names ; for unless you point directly upon his vice , distinguish its nature , and discover the weakness of that which he builds upon , every one will be sure to avoid the charge , and parry against the application . farther , to abate their censure i think it not improper to acquaint them that here are no particular characters attempted , nor is there the least intention to provoke or expose any person living . besides when a piece like this is drawn from so many different faces ; the mixing of features and complexions , will keep the originals from being discover'd . in short , the design of this small discourse is only to make men more useful and acceptable to society , and more easy to themselves than they generally are : and that those who over-top their neighbours upon any considerable account ; may manage their advantage with that modesty and good humour , that none may have any just occasion to wish them less . of fame . in a dialogue between philalethes and philotimus . philal. your servant . i 'm afraid i may disoblige your business : you seem to sit in a posture of thinking . philot. i am so : and without more ceremony for that reason am glad to see you : for 't is in your power to assist me in the argument i am upon . philal. i dare not say so . but pray what is it ? philot. i was considering the shortness of life , and what ill husbands we are of so slender a fortune . we manage at that rate of sluggishness and neglect , as if we had a thousand years for leisure and improvement . the greater part enter only like mutes , to fill the stage . sure they think themselves born to shew their insignificancy : why else do they make the voyage of life to so little purpose , and spend their taper in smoke and smother ? philal. look you ! all metals will not shine alike . besides , the generality want opportunity to brighten and burnish . they are disabled by labour and indigence , and cannot distinguish themselves with that advantage you seem to expect . philot. however if they would put on , they might be remarkable in their own way . glow-worms will shine though under a hedg ; and when the wine is generous the least drop will sparkle . but , like beggars , people are willing to dissemble their ability , and charge their sloth upon their impotence : whereas if they would rowse their spirits , and awaken their vigour , they might probably in a short time command the force of nature , reduce their business to the art of clock-work , and make it strike of its own accord . for if you observe , the drudging part of life is chiefly owing to clumsiness and ignorance ; which either wants proper tools , or skill to use them . but this is not all : for in my opinion the credit of the improvement would exceed the convenience . philal. if every body did their best , and strain'd to the extent of possibility , i grant you things , and persons , would be really valuable , and admiration an argument of worth : but now , considering the degeneracy of mankind , the common cry signifies not much . if a man does well , let him think so , and reward himself . to creep after applause , is a servile and precarious satisfaction . philot. without reflection ; those who despise fame seldom deserve it . we are apt to undervalue the purchase we cannot reach , to conceal our poverty the better . philal. what if 't is held too high , or i don't need it ; is it any harm to say so ? philot. it argues a tincture of conceit ; for we cannot lessen the common opinion , without preferring our own . philal. you know i am not singular ; but if i were , i might modestly enough appeal from numbers to reason ; for there the cause must be tryed at last . philot. i am willing to cast it upon that issue . and to my thinking the general desire of fame , if we had nothing more for 't , proves it reasonable . people of all conditions have a regard for publick esteem , and are willing to be remember'd as long , and to as much advantage as may be : now nature does not use to spread an inclination so wide but for significant purposes . it seems to be given for an incitement to industry , a ferment thrown into the blood to work it up to action . it reconciles men to labour and hazard , supports their constancy , and helps them to shake off sloth and despair . and as there are few unaffected with it in some measure , so it takes the firmest hold of generous minds . 't is a spark which kindles upon the best fuel , and burns brightest in the bravest breast . wealth and pleasure are vulgar aims , but 't is glory which is the ambition of a hero. and when honour has once gained the affections , they scorn to admit a rival . ease , and luxury , and love and all , must give way to the favorite desire . the man is not to be engaged by any diversions , excepting those which second his passion , and serve him in his design . and it must be granted the world has not been a little obliged this way : the famous generals , historians , poets , and painters of antiquity , whence were they produced but from this generous principle ? this was the passion that pushed on themistocles and brasidas , that raised the stile of thucydides ; that formed the greatness of philip and alexander . this is that which gives the heart and the head their last improvement ; sharpens the invention , and the sword ; and shews us all the wonders of art , of conduct , and courage . had it not been for this noble ardour . men would have stop'd at bare convenience : the growth of science and ingenuity had been check'd , and life not graced with so much ornament and magnificence . the rhodian colossus had been lost ; the carian mausoleum , and the egyptian pyramids unbuilt . now why a quality thus beneficial may not be cherished and admired , is past my understanding . philal. after all your magnifying of fame , i 'm afraid 't will not hold up to your standard . 't is a rich soil i grant you , but oftener cover'd with weeds than grain . you say it produces heroes ; so much the worse . 't was well if there were fewer of them : for i scarcely ever heard of any , excepting hercules , but did more mischief than good. these overgrown mortals commonly use their will with their right hand , and their reason with their left. their pride is their title , and their power puts them in possession . their pomp is furnished from rapine , and their scarlet dyed with human blood. to drive justice , and peace , and plenty before them , is a noble victory ; and the progress of violence goes for extent of empire . to mention some of your own instances : pray how did philip's glorious humour discover it self ? why mostly by debauching , outraging , and murthering his neighbours . 't is true , the man was brave ; and had been severely handled by shewing it . he had fought himself almost to the stumps , but still he went on : and had rather have neither limbs , nor senses , than greece should have any liberty . and am i to admire a man because he will use himself ill , to use me worse ? and as for alexander , what extent of country did he ravage , and how many thousands were sacrificed to his caprice ? what famine , what inundation , what plague , could keep pace with him ? did he not burn the capital of an empire in a frolick ? if his power had been equal to his ambition , god could scarcely have made the world faster than he would have destroyed it . if wrecks , and ruins , and desolations of kingdoms , are marks of greatness ; why don't we worship a tempest , and erect a statue for the plague ? a panegyrick upon an earthquake is every jot as reasonable , as upon such conquests as these . as for the active and pressing industry of these men , and the hardships they submit to ; what is it , in plain english , but indefatigable ill-nature , and laborious malice ? and are we in love with a wolf for his diligence , or a highway-man for being on the road late , and in bad weather ? but they have courage too . what then ? courage , when 't is only a second to injustice , and falls on without provocation , is a disadvantage to a character . is a tyger to be courted for its fierceness ? does the strength of a poyson make it the more glorious ? or is a fire to be commended for being so bold as to burn a house down ? if you say they hazard their persons , let them take what follows ; that will not mend the matter , unless their quarrel was more defensible . he that will venture the cutting his own throat rather than not cut mine , shall ne're be a hero of my making , i promise you . in a word ; this thirst after glory often transports men into very dangerous excesses , and makes them the bane of the age they live in . 't is true , it helps to keep the world from being over-stock'd , and if that be a credit let them make their most on 't . your improvement of arts and sciences i grant deserves commendation , provided they were laboured to oblige the world. but if men beat their brains only to be talk'd of ; i think their skill can hardly exceed their vanity ▪ and as for those magnificent structures you mentioned , i conceive them but small additions to those who built them . for what connexion is there between a great heap of stones , and a great man ? or how can you infer the one from the other ? philot. certainly such a stupendous pile bespeaks the power of him that raised it . philal. yes . it proves a prince had men and money in abundance ; and is that such a wonder ? philot. i thought the nobleness and curiosity of the work had proved something more . philal. it does so . but the credit of that does not belong to the monarch , but the mason . philot. however the prince has the name on 't . now methinks 't is a glorious privilege to have one's memory honorably handed down to after ages ; and to stand upon record to the latest periods of time. to be contented with three or fourscore years of breath , looks like a vulgar satisfaction . philal. as much breath as you please : but pray let it come from my own lungs , not from the trumpet of fame , for that 's too thin to live on . philot. 't is life at second hand , and in some degree preferable to the first ; because 't is freer from envy , and lasts longer into the bargain . philal. a man is longer dead than living ; therefore it seems he had better be the first . this logick won't do . and as for your second hand living , before you depend too much upon it , you would do well to try it in a parallel instance . philot. how is that ? philal. why by second hand eating and drinking , or doing it by proxy . be not surprized , the cases are plainly alike : for if another man 's talking can give me a sort of life , why not his eating too , especially when 't is done upon my account ? now if you please i will act for you in this later business , and then see how you will thrive upon the representation . philot. well! when you have said all ▪ i would not have my name thrown into my coffin , if i could help it . oblivion methinks looks like annihilation : and not be talk'd of , is almost not to be. philal. your name ! a chimerical advantage ! i 'm sorry you are so solicitous to immortalize a sound . what is cesar the better for our knowing he was called so ? was it worth his while to charge in fifty battles , only to leave a few letters of the alphabet behind him ? — si decora novimus vocabula , num scire consumptos datur ? a name is but a weak representation : and if the piece was never so well finished , what signifies that which is never seen ? you mean by him for whom it was drawn ? philal. yes . for supposing a man's memory never so honorably treated at iapan , if he was not to come there , nor receive intelligence of the respect , what could he make on 't ? such an unknown ceremony would signify just as much as adoration to a statue : he that is insensible of the fact , must be insensible of the pleasure . philot. why cannot the presumption of what is done give him some satisfaction ? philal. the certainty of such an advantage cannot be reasonably presumed . many a one dyes and makes a large provision for his memory , and leaves it very rich in tomb-stones , pictures , records , and such other chattels of reputation : but he is no sooner gone , but comes a fire , a deluge , or an earthquake , sweeps away all the distinctions of condition , and buries the great and small in a common obscurity . now the concern , for fear of such an accident , must spoil the pleasure of your presumption . besides , take things at the best , you must expect your memory will be much confined , and as it were banished from the greater part of the world. you are absolutely lost to all the ages before you . and as for the rest , if you were a prince , you would be farther unknown than known ; which makes your obscurity greater than your renown . what tribute of honour had the four empires from china , or america ? how many nations have there been which never so much as heard of the roman name ? alass ! what can a private man expect at this rate ? what a slender portion must fall to his share , and that without security ? the customs of his country may be changed , the notions of honour renversed , and the language which should commend him worn out . thus the conquering goths altered the state of things , defaced the monuments of antiquity , rifled the living and the dead , and suffered no marks of greatness but their own . philot. these casualties must be ventured ; what may be , may be otherwise . let us overshoot the grave as far as we can , and make the most of our materials . philal. what are those ? philot. they are those advantages of person , fortune , or improvement , which every one values himself most upon . philal. let 's see then how durable and shining they are . now take them in general , and you 'll find them no more than some little progress in art , some smatterings in science , some pretensions in figure and station ; something remarkable it may be in eating , dressing , or diversions . these are the inclinations of no small number : these are the qualities they strive to excel in ; and this oftentimes is the true inventory of their glory . and can they think it worth their while to be remember'd by such tokens as these ? i 'm sorry they think their understandings will be no better improved by dying . philot. after all , there must be something more in the matter : for every one is striving to fortify against the assaults of time. you see artificers , men of learning and fortune , get their names wrought into their works , and estates , as far as they can : and for this reason the bulk of the inheritance is cast upon a single person . philal. the vanity of some parents makes them unnatural , and act as if they were of kin to none but the eldest son. 't is true , their project of perpetuating is common and antient too . the scripture ( psal. . ) mentions some who called their lands after their own names , out of the same fanciful prospect : but mark what follows , this is their foolishness , and yet their posterity praise their saying ; that is , they did as foolishly too . not that 't is a folly for a man to leave his name upon his estate : but to imagine that this provision will do him any service when he is dead , there is the weakness . people may talk what they please of titles for ever , and fees simple ; but to speak properly , there is none a tenant longer than for life . if this be not law , 't is sense , and that is as good . to come closer . when people dye , 't is either very well , or very ill with them . if they miscarry they will take but little pleasure in the ceremony and civilities of the living . then they will understand themselves too well to be flattered . pray what would the respect of the company signify to a man stretched upon the rack ? alass ! he is not to be relieved with such fooleries . all the homage and rhetorick in the world can ne're perswade him out of his misery . he that is contemn'd by the wise , and punish'd by the mighty ; what comfort can he receive by the applause of the little and insignificant ? the acclamations of an infant , or a parrot , would be a slender satisfaction to one that lay bleeding under the sentence of his prince ; that was degraded and stigmatiz'd , tortured with pain and ignominy . now this is the fate of those who raise themselves upon the ruins of conscience , wrest their figure from law and justice , and seize a greatness god never meant them . and as for those who land on the right side of the shore ; they will have much bigger company , much better entertainment , than this world affords . they 'll leave their childish fancies behind them , out-grow the stature of mortal desires , and scorn those little amusements which pleased them here . all this is said on supposition that departed spirits have the knowledg of human affairs , which is not very probable . the other world , and this , seem too far asunder to be within hearing . and for the liberty of returning incognito , i believe 't is no common privilege . when we are once dead , in all likelihood the scene of this world is wholly withdrawn : and that we either have not the curiosity , or the power , to recover it . philot. i must repeat , that this earnestness for recommending the memory to posterity , is an unexstinguishable desire . it governs in all places , times , and conditions . and to think a little philosophy can check the force and damm up the current of nature , is a fanciful undertaking . you might as good attempt to lay a storm by reasoning ; and stop a sea-breach by proving the water gets nothing by overflowing . philal. there are several diseases as universal as the desire you mention , and as much fixed in the constitution ; but because they are natural , it seems we must not go about to cure them . — philot. one word and i have done . i say then , to baffle the expectations of fame is to discourage desert . it strikes industry almost dead , damps the spirits , and makes the pulse beat lazily . if your maxims should take place , mens understandings would grow downwards ; their courage and capacity shrink up ; and a little time would return us into the unpolish'd ignorance of the first ages . philal. no. present necessity , and convenience , would prevent that consequence . and to silence your fears more effectually , there are a great many other motives to merit still remaining . a man may affect an excellency for the sake of improvement ; for the satisfaction of significancy . he may do it to excite an emulation in others , to oblige his posterity , to serve his country ; and to furnish out life to the best advantage . discoveries of truth , defence of justice , examples of courage , and such other distinguishing qualities , are allowed to entertain the owner , and reward him for the expence of the practice . we may please our selves by considering that our good deeds will survive us ; and that the world is , and is likely to be , the better for our coming into it . and if this will not satisfy you , as indeed it ought not , you may carry your ambition to a nobler height . i say , to a nobler height ; for i cannot help reminding you that the opinion of poor mortals signifies not much . they pronounce upon imperfect views , shoot their bolt at random ; and want either strength or steadiness to hit the mark. their partialities spoil their judgment , and make them praise and censure without reason or measure . like some spectators in a play , they are apt to laugh and admire in the wrong place : to commend a man for his follies and his faults ; or for that which is not properly his own . but to speak familiarly , there are great people in the other world : for rank , for merit , and sufficiency , extreamly valuable . the respect of these i confess is worth the working for . their commendation is a title indeed ; enough to affect the most mortified humility . but if we expect this honour , we must live as it were under their observation ; and govern our behaviour by their maxims . taking this for a rule , that with them , there is no being great , and good for nothing ; no possessing without purchase ; and nothing current , but honesty and virtue . good night . of musick . i shall say nothing concerning the theory of musick : those who have a mind to inform themselves about it , may consult boethius , glareanus , galtruchius , and others , who have written upon this subject . my business shall only be to touch a little upon the antiquity , the reputation , and the force of this science . the antiquity of musick reaches beyond the flood : iubal , noah's brother , is said to be father , or first teacher , of those who handled the harp , and the organ . and how far a genius which lay that way might improve his invention , in seven or eight hundred years of life and vigour , is not easy to imagine . so that for ought we know , an antediluvian air might as far exceed all the later performances of greece and italy , as that world is supposed to have done the present . and how much soever this , as well as other entertaining arts , might suffer by the flood , by the shortness of life , and the necessity of labour ; it was not long before it emerged again : as we may learn from the song of moses , and the timbrel of miriam . iob likewise , who is supposed no less antient than the other , mentions several sorts of musical instruments , ( cap. . ) and which is observable , neither of these divine authors speak of them as things newly invented . as for the heathen , they did not forget to divert themselves this way in those earlier ages : linus , and amphion , and orpheus , and chiron , who all lived before the trojan war , were famous musicians in their times . some of these heroes were at the head of the argonautick expedition . and therefore i cannot see why the welch harp , if it was dubbed , might not make as honourable a knighthood as the golden fleece ; especially since they would have apollo for the sovereign of their order . to come a little lower : ho●er brings in achilles relieving his melancholy with his lute . and tully tells us , that the antient grecians , the most polished nation at that time , did not think a gentleman well bred , unless he could perform his part at a consort of musick . insomuch that themistocles , though otherwise a great person , was taxed for being defective in this accomplishment . 't is true , he turn'd off the censure with a rough sort of a jest. he knew how to take a town , he said ; but as for thrumming upon a fiddle , he left it to such finical sparks as they were . musick was antiently used in the best company , and upon the greatest occasions . 't was the entertainment of people of quality : it bore a part in the magnificence of triumphs , and in the solemnities of religion . the heathen liturgy consisted partly in hymns , and their sacrifices were offer'd up with musick , as plutarch informs us : the jewish service , though with a proper diversity , was likewise thus regulated . and by the scripture-descriptions seems to be performed with that exquisiteness , as if nothing but the new ierusalem could reach the harmony of the old. the best poets thought this entertainment great enough for the elysian fields . and st. iohn has brought it into heaven , or into the millennial paradisiacal earth , which is next to it . ( rev. . ) indeed musick , when rightly order'd , cannot be prefer'd too much . for it recreates and exalts the mind at the same time . it composes the passions , affords a strong pleasure , and excites a nobleness of thought . but of this more afterwards . the manner of the conveyance of sounds , which is as it were the basis of musick , is unintelligible . for what can be more strange , than that the rubbing of a little hair and cat-gut together , should make such a mighty alteration in a man that sits at a distance ? but this wonder of perception is not peculiar to the ear : for the operations of all the senses are in some respect incomprehensible . the sense of hearing , as well as that of sight , seems to be of a superior order to the rest . it commands a satisfaction at a greater distance , strikes a finer stroke , and makes a single object divide it self without lessening . for instance : a man may see the light of a candle , and hear a voice or instrument , as well if there be ten in the room , as if he was there alone . the stream of sounds , though cut into several rivulets , comes as full to the ear as if it had but one chanel to feed . the taste and touch are , if one may say so , more narrow spirited . they engross an object to themselves , and won't let the company share with them . they take faster hold 't is true , but then they do not salute so ceremoniously . they are , comparatively , a sort of robust , peasantly senses . and those who indulge them are , in reality , of the lowest rank of mankind . the force of musick is more wonderful than the conveyance . how strangely does it awaken the mind ? it infuses an unexpected vigour , makes the impression agreable and sprightly , and seems to furnish a new capacity , as well as a new opportunity of satisfaction . it raises , and falls , and counterchanges the passions at an unaccountable rate . it charms and transports , ruffles and becalms , and governs with an almost arbitrary authority . there is scarcely any constitution so heavy , or any reason so well fortified , as to be absolutely proof against it . ulysses , as much a hero as he was , durst not trust himself with the syrens voices . he knew , if he had not waxed up his ears , they would quickly have spoiled his philosophy . i believe the softer musick may be the more irresistible of the two ; because the soul has a sort of generosity in it , which loves rather to be courted than stormed . however , the rougher sounds are not without their effect . have you not observed a captain at the head of a company , how much he is alter'd at the beat of a drum ? what a vigorous motion , what an erected posture , what an enterprizing visage , all of a suddain ? his blood charges in his veins , his spirits jump like gunpowder , and seem impatient to attack the enemy . the antients were much our superiors in this mystery . they knew how to arm a sound better , and to put more force and conquest in it than we understand . to give an instance or two : timotheus , a grecian , was so great a master , that he could make a man storm and swagger like a tempest . and then , by altering the notes , and the time , he would take him down again , and sweeten his humour in a trice . one time , when alexander was at dinner , this man play'd him a phrygian air : the prince immediately rises , snatches up his lance , and puts himself into a posture of fighting . and the retreat was no sooner sounded by the change of the harmony , but his arms were grounded , and his fire extinct , and he sat down as orderly as if he had come from one of aristotle's lectures . i warrant you demosthenes would have been flourishing about such a business a long hour , and may be not have done it neither . but timotheus had a nearer cut to the soul : he could neck a passion at a stroke , and lay it a asleep . pythagoras once met with a parcel of drunken fellows , who were likely to be troublesom enough . he presently orders the musick to play grave , and chop into a dorion : upon this , they all threw away their garlands , and were as sober and as shame-faced as one would wish . that the musick of the antients could command farther than the modern , is past dispute . whether they were masters of a greater compass of notes , or knew the secret of varying them more artificially : whether they adjusted the intervals of silence more exactly , had their hands or their voices farther improved , or their instruments better contrived : whether they had a deeper in-sight into the philosophy of nature , and understood the laws of the union of the soul and body more throughly ; and from thence were enabled to touch the passions , strengthen the sense , or prepare the medium with greater advantage : whether they excell'd us in all , or in how many of these ways , is not so clear. however this is certain ▪ that our improvements of this kind are little better than alehouse-crowds , with respect to theirs . 't is likely this declension of musick has laid some powers of the soul perfectly asleep , for want of an occasion strong enough to call them up ▪ but possibly we are no great loosers by it : for the heathens often made an ill use of this advantage . the fathers declaim against their theatre musick , as lewd and licentious . no doubt 't was capable of being reformed to manly and religious purposes . and , on the other hand , 't is no less probable we might have misemploy'd it as much as they did . and here it may not be improper to consider , whether there may not be some counter sounds ; which may give the mind as high a disgust , as the other can a pleasure . for the purpose : i believe 't is possible to invent an instrument that shall have a quite contrary effect to those martial ones now in use. an instrument that shall sink the spirits , and shake the nerves , and curdle the blood , and inspire despair , and cowardise , and consternation , at a surprizing rate . 't is probable the roaring of lions , the warbling of cats and schritch-owls , together with a mixture of the howling of dogs , judiciously imitated and compounded , might go a great way in this invention . whether such anti-musick as this might not be of service in a camp , i shall leave to the military men to consider . to return . though the entertainments of musick are very engaging ; though they make a great discovery of the soul ; and shew it capable of strange diversities of pleasure : yet to have our passions lye at the mercy of a little minstrelsy ; to be fiddled out of our reason and sobriety ; to have our courage depend upon a drum , or our devotions on an organ , is a sign we are not so great as we might be . if we were proof against the charming of sounds ; or could we have the satisfaction without the danger ; or raise our minds to what pitch we pleas'd by the strength of thinking , it would be a nobler instance of power and perfection . but such an independency is not to be expected in this world , therefore we must manage wisely and be contented . one word of church-musick , and i have done . the end of church-musick is to relieve the weariness of a long attention ; to make the mind more chearful and composed ; and to endear the offices of religion . it should therefore imitate the perfume of the iewish tabernacle , and have as little of the composition of common use as is possible . there must be no voluntary maggots , no military tattoos , no light and galliardizing notes ; nothing that may make the fancy trifling , or raise an improper thought . this would be to prophane the service , and bring the play-house into the church . religious harmony must be moving , but noble withal ; grave , solemn , and seraphick . fit for a martyr to play , and an angel to hear . it should be contrived so as to warm the best blood within us , and take hold of the finest part of the affections : to transport us with the beauty of holiness ; to raise us above the satisfactions of life , and make us ambitious of the glories of heaven . and without doubt if the morals of the quire were suitable to the design of the musick , it were no more than requisite . to come reeling from a tavern , or a worse place , into a church , is a monstrous incongruity . such irregular people are much fitter for the exercises of penance , than exultation . the use of them disserves the interest of religion : and is in effect little better than singing the praises of god , through the organ of the devil . of the value of life . to quarrel with the present state of mankind , is an ungrateful reflection upon providence . what if the offices of life are not so fine , and great , as we can fancy ; they are certainly much better than we can challenge ▪ what pretence could nothing have to insist upon articles ? as long as the conveniences of being may , if we please , exceed the inconveniences , we ought to be thankful : for the overplus of advantage is pure unmerited favour . he that repines because he is not more than a man , deserves to be less : indeed the very complaint makes him so . but the errours on this hand are not so common : people are not so apt to be too big to live , as too little to dye . they are much more frequently over-fond of the world , than asham'd on 't . not that there is a perfect indifferency required . the laws of self-preservation , the long acquaintance of soul and body , the untry'd condition of a separation , and respect to our friends , are sufficient reasons not to turn our backs upon life out of an humour . the very uneasiness of taking leave , is a fair excuse to stay , when it may be done handsomly : for no-body is bound to put himself to pain to no purpose . now 't is odds but that there will be a pang at parting . for though a man is born into this world with his mothers labour , yet 't is his own that must carry him to the other . besides , he that does not go off with a good conscience , must expect a very bad reception . this consideration was overlooked by most of the heathen philosophers . they thought annihilation was the hardest of the case . that death would make a man caesar aut nullus , happy or nothing . this mistake made their arguments bear up with a more negligent romantick sort of bravery , than otherwise they would have done . but religion , which gives us a prospect of horror beyond the grave , should make us careful how we go thither . life was given for noble purposes ; and therefore we must not part with it foolishly . it must not be thrown up in a pet , nor sacrificed to a quarrel , nor whined away in love. pride , and passion , and discontent , are dangerous diseases to dye of . we are lifted under providence , and must wait till the discharge comes . to desert our colours will be of more than mortal consequence . he that goes into the other world before he is sent for , will meet with no good welcome . on the other side , a man may be too backward , as well as too forward , in resigning . life may be overvalued , as well as other things ; and he that buys it at the expence of duty , purchases too dear . some people seem resolved to spin out life as long as they can : they are for going to the utmost extent of nature : and will not venture a single pulse upon any consideration . but to dote upon breathing ( for 't is little more ) at this rate , is to turn slave to all sorts of meaness and vice. fright such a one but with the fear of death , and you may make him say or do what you please , though never so infamous or ridiculous . and if his cowardize is not tryed thus far , yet this lean principle will be sure to keep him servile and insignificant . he will never touch at a great proposal ; nor run any generous hazards for his friends , or country . and is it worth ones while thus to value life , above the ends and purposes of living ? the resolution of pompey was much more becoming ; who when he was disswaded from embarking because the weather was tempestuous , replied very handsomely , gentlemen , make no more words on 't . my voyage is necessary , my life is not so . the true estimate of being is not to be taken from age , but action . a man , as he manages himself , may dye old at thirty , and a child at fourscore . to nurse up the vital flame as long as the matter will last , is not always good husbandry . 't is much better to cover it with an extinguisher of honour , than let it consume till it burns blew , and lies agonizing within the socket , and at length goes out in no perfume . if the sun were not to rise again , methinks it would look bigger for him to tumble from the sky at noon , with all his light and heat about him , than to gain a course of four or five hours , only to languish and decline in . when a noble occasion presents ; an occasion that will bear a cool debate , and stand the test of reason , and may be pleaded to advantage in the other world ; when a man is called upon to offer up himself to his conscience , and to resign to justice and truth : in such a case , one would think , he should be so far from avoiding the lists , that he should rather enter with inclination , and thank god for the honour of the opportunity . he should then be more solicitous about his behaviour than his life . then , fortem posce animum & mortis terrore carentem . let him pray for resolution to act up to the height of the occasion . that he may discover nothing of meaness , or disorder ; nothing that may discredit the cause , tarnish the glory , and weaken the example of the suffering . there are some opportunities of going out of the world , which are very well worth ones while to come in for . the last act of life , is sometimes like the last number in a sum , ten times greater than all the rest . to slip the market when we are thus fairly offer'd , is great imprudence : especially considering we must part with the thing afterwards for less . but is it not a sad thing to fall thus plumb into the grave ? to be well one minute , and dead the next ? not at all ! if we are prepared , the shorter the voyage is , the better . is it not more eligible to come in with a smooth gale , than to be tossed at sea with a storm , and then throwna shore when the vessel is wrack'd ? is it so desirable a condition to run through a long course of pain , to consume by inches , and loose ones blood by drops ? a death-bed figure is certainly the most humbling sight in the world. to set in so dark a cloud , and to go off with languor , convulsions , and deformity , is a terrible rebuke to the dignity of humane nature . besides , people are frighted by phantoms of their own raising , and imposed on by words and things ill joyned together . a natural death is generally the most violent . an executioner does the business more gently than a disease . he that can conquer his imagination , may possibly dye easier of a faggot than of a fever . and had better chuse to have the fire kindled without , than within him . to say flesh and blood cannot be reconciled to this , is a mistake . people have sometimes too much courage this way : how often does revenge , and poverty , and disappointment , make men force their passage into the other state ? a slave has stomach enough to kill himself : and he that is not master of his liberty , will be master of his life . there is no age nor sex , no passion or condition , so dispirited and low , but affords instances of the contempt of death . the old goths , from whence the saxons are probably descended , were so hardy , that it was part of their discipline and religion to scorn their lives . if they were afraid of any thing , it was of dying in their beds . in alexander's time , the indian philosophers , when they were weary of living , used to lye down upon their funeral pile , without any visible concern . and afterwards , about the reign of adrian , lucian mentions one peregrinus , who jump'd into a fiery furnace at the olympick games , only to shew the company how far his vanity could carry him . at this day , the heathen women under the mogul , offer themselves to the flames at the death of their husbands . 't is true , the mahumetans won't always let them have their will : but they think they are hardly dealt with , when refused ; and make all the interest they have for the honour . i need not mention the primitive christians , whose fortitude was both general and extraordinary . insomuch that lactantius , and others , observe , that the women and children did not shew the least signs of complaint , either in looks , voice , or motion , when they seemed to lye under the extremity of torture . but it may be replied , and that truly , that these were supported by supernatural strength . however , the former instances may suffice to shew , that there is a greatness in humane nature not to be over-awed by death . the way to be possess'd of this quality to purpose , is to live well . there is no such bravery as that of a good christian. he that can look the other world in the face , needs fear nothing . but as for the courage of bullys and town-sparks , who are so hardy as to risque body and soul , upon a point of pretended honour , there is no language can reach their extravagance . they are distempered beyond the lunacy of bedlam , and should be taken care of accordingly . of the spleen . the spleen is oftentimes nothing but a nice and exceptious temper , which takes check at every little disappointment . a tincture of conceit , will make a man subject to this distemper . those who overvalue their pretensions are apt , upon every little occasion , to think they are ill used . that quality should grow thus cheap , and merit be thus over-look'd ! who could have imagined people so strangely stupid and unacknowledging ? well! i 'll lock up my face , and draw in my good humour , and do my self the justice of a private resentment . these expostulations in words would be ridiculous , and therefore they are suppressed ; but they seem to be the thoughts of some persons . you need not provoke their spirits by outrages , either in fame or fortune , or by any injury of a greater size . a careless gesture , a word , or a look , is enough to disconcert them . such a supposed neglect , spreads a gloominess upon their humour , and makes them grow sullen and unconversable . and when they are disturbed only by their own weakness , and doing penance for their vanity , they lay the fault upon their constitution . 't is commonly said the spleen is a wise disease , which i believe makes some fond of catching it . 't is possible it may be the only symptom of sense they have about them . but if a man can show his understanding no better way , than by troubling himself and the company , let him e'en pretend to it no longer ; but rather make it his business to be a fool. however , it must be granted that these fits of chagrin proceed sometimes from natural causes . the fumes of indigestion , insensible abatements of health , sudden changes of weather , affect the brain , though they make no sensible impression elsewhere . this disturbs the imagination , and gives a new and melancholy complexion to the appearances of things . wise thinking and good humour , unless people look to it , are precarious advantages ; a cloud is enough to over-cast them ; they rise and fall with the mercury in the weather-glass . some men can scarcely talk sense , unless the sun shines out . understanding requires a kind climate , as well as plants . and if a man would make nice remarks , he might almost tell in what latitude , season , and circumstances , a book was writ in . generally speaking , northern and southern wit differ almost as much as fruits ; by consequence , summer and winter must have a proportionable influence . ovid de tristibus has nothing of the air of his metamorphosis ; and tully offer'd to prove himself not depressed by a misfortune , by the spirit he wrote with under it . when outward causes concur , the idle , the anxious , and the unfortunate , are soonest seized by this infection . at such a time , a man should awaken himself ; and immediately strike off into business , or innocent diversion . next to religion , there is nothing like a vigorous mind . resolution , and spirit , will quickly repel the malignity , and discuss the humour . now every one is bound in honour , as well as interest , to do his best . for to lye at the command of so many little accidents , can be no pleasing discovery . to lose the comforts of life in a few vapours , and to be smoked and smothered out of ones reason , are far from circumstances of credit . what wise man would bring the night-mare upon his fancy ; and conjure up apparitions to frighten himself ? who would double his misfortunes , and spoil the habit of his body and his mind , if he could help it ? the evils of necessity are numerous enough , without being multiplied by those of choice . and as the spleen has great inconveniences , so the pretence of it is a handsom cover for many imperfections . it often hides a man's temper , and his condition , from breaking out to disadvantage . for the purpose : one man is press'd with unusual poverty , and looks , as he has reason , somewhat odly upon it . what makes this alteration ? why his blood is over-run with melancholy ; whereas if you examine farther , you will find the seat of the distemper lies in the pocket . another is severely mortified by some great disappointment , but this must not be owned : no. the man is impregnable , he has his mind in a string , but no body can command a constitution . he that has dispirited himself by a debauch , drank away his good humour , and it may be raised his conscience a little upon him , has this pretence to guard against censure : a civil guesser will believe him hypocondriacal , and all is well . if he is silent and unentertaining to a visiter , the spleen is his excuse , and conveys his pride or disaffection out of sight . in short , the spleen does a great deal of service in conversation : it makes ill nature pass for ill health , dulness for gravity , and ignorance for reservedness . the way to prevent this distemper , and cure it when it lies in the mind , is not to be over expecting . if we take it amiss that our acquaintance are not always ready to solicit our business , to study our inclinations , and to compliment our humour , we are likely to have work enough . to look for so obliging a world as this comes to , is to miscalculate extreamly . when all 's done , most people will love themselves best . therefore we should not be surprized when we see them prefer their own interest , break a jest at our cost , or raise themselves by our depression . 't is possible they may only make reprizals , and return our own usage upon us . however 't is good not to build too much upon the fairness of others . more especially ; those who would be easy , must not be nice in trivial matters , nor insist on punctualities in behaviour , nor be afflicted at the omission of a little ceremony . all people do not love to be tyed down to forms , nor to walk in trammels . if a man values regard , he needs not ask the company , he may give it himself if he pleases . these disputes commonly disorder none but weak and fantastick minds , who have taken a surfeit of prosperity : and since god has sent them no crosses , they are resolved to make some out of their own indiscretion . to conclude : he that would live at ease , should always put the best construction on business , and conversation . he should not suppose there was malice , or contempt , meant him in every action he does not understand . to interpret up to this rigour , will make him often mistaken , and always upon the fret : and is the way neither to be just to others , nor kind to himself . of eagerness of desire . desire is a conscious emptiness , an unsatisfied capacity : it implies want in the very notion , and supposes the absence of the thing desired . was our power equal to our will , desire would be a short-lived passion ; it would generally begin and end at a single thought . for then we should put our selves in possession , at the first sight , of whatever we believed agreable . every intelligent being , if its force was not limited , would soon be master of all known perfections . and as desires are the consequence of imperfection , so 't is likely they are naturally enlivened to awaken our industry , and make us pursue an advantage . did our wishes keep a due proportion to the goodness of things , and not mount above the probability of success , all were well enough . but men are apt to miscalculate , both upon the value , and the event : and then wrong judgments , and visionary hopes , always produce extravagant desires . and how gay soever the fancy may be made this way , yet there is great reason for caution and reserve . to desire with eagerness is a beggarly condition : it argues a keen sense of want , and makes the mind run strolling after foreign objects , and grow clamorous and importunate . and he that begs hard , is either very poor , or very covetous . a wise man should be satisfied with himself , and live upon the fund of his own sufficiency . he should keep his inclinations within the compass of his power , and wish himself always just what he is . there is freedom , and greatness , and pleasure , in such a management as this . but to over look the entertainment before him , and languish for that which lies out of the way , is sickly and servile . to say , he must have such a thing , is to say , he must be a slave . it lays him at the mercy of chance and humour , and makes his happiness precarious . now he that cannot give himself leave to be easy , will hardly ever be so long together . if we examine these violent pursuits , we shall find they have more of heat than light in them . the object is over-flourished by the fondness of fancy , which usually paints beyond the life , and sticks in the outward varnish , without having either leisure or capacity to discover the coarsness underneath . how happy should i be , crys one , if i had such an estate , such a place at court , or post in the army ? 't would suit my genius , and my humour exactly . give me but that , and i have done wishing for my life time . you have it already , ten times finer than 't is any where else . make much of your imagination , for you 'll scarcely ever pattern it . 't is not possible to build up to the model of the brain : nature does not furnish so fast as we can think . for oftentimes the scenes of fancy are richer than those of creation . gold shines no where so gloriously as in the miser's head : and ambition makes a crown sparkle , more than the jewels of the indies . nothing draws so finely as affection : there must be some colouring extraordinary to justify the ardour , and reconcile the dotage to sense . and thus things are often half spoiled before they are gained , and grow cheap under use and experiment . he that would relish success to purpose , should keep his passion cool , and his expectation low ; and then 't is possible his fortune might exceed his fancy . now an advantage always rises by surprize , and is almost doubled by being unlooked for . farther : strong desires are commonly attended with fears proportionable . the man is kept waking , and solicitous : he starts at the least check in motion ; every cloud over-casts him with the spleen ; and he is equally anxious both how to get and secure . and what can be expected in this region of inconstancy , where accidents are so numerous , where hopes appear and vanish like phantoms , where neither things nor persons continue the same long together ? besides , to wish violently for things , unless we understood our selves and them better , is like running in the dark ; a man may happen to justle a post. however , the hurry of the pursuit will make but a shuffling pace , and spoil the gracefulness of the motion . but the lustre of the surface dazles the sense , and conceals the more inward defects . people don't consider that the best metal is not without alloy , and that there are spots in the sun. to this we may add , that the name of misfortune is often misapplied : there are many adventures would plague more than please , if they were driven home . and yet when men are rescued from the danger of their own choice , they commonly want the discretion to be either easy or thankful . but let the event be never so lucky , the satisfaction will wither , and the appetite wear off in time. diamonds grow dim , by being long look'd on : and musick may play till the ears are almost grated . to proceed : strong desires are temptations to the use of ill means . in the tumults of passion , reason is seldom heard . he that will have a thing , will have it , right or wrong . when covetousness or ambition are in their full career , there is no stopping them with notions . si violandum est jus regnandi causa , violandum est , and there is an end. ahab could neither eat nor drink , till he had the vineyard . and therefore e'en left it to iezebel's conscience to put him in possession . and if the pursuit were never so innocent , the purchase is not tanti : the mind is over-proportioned to the advantages of life ; they will not hold out to the length of desire . and since they are not big enough to satisfy , they should not be big enough to dissatisfy . solomon tells us , all is but vanity , and vexation of spirit . and does any man think to make more of the world than solomon ? can he expect to command , or improve it farther than that wise and mighty prince ? we do but disturb our quiet , and mispend our thoughts , and make our selves mean , by throwing away our inclinations upon these things . to make short work on 't : let a man desire to be wise : and if he has this wish , 't is likely he may ne'er be troubled with another . of friendship . in a dialogue between philander and sophronius . phil. sir , you are welcom to town . methinks 't is almost an age since i saw you last . soph. sir , i thank you : i had been here sooner at your service , had i not been detained by a misfortune . phil. i am sorry for the occasion : pray what is it ? soph. i have lost my old friend , on whose acquaintance you have heard me value my self so much . phil. is he dead ? that is a misfortune indeed ! he was a most admirable person , by the report of all that knew him . soph. yes . his character could scarcely be raised too much . were i not well assured he was removed to advantage , i should pass my time extreamly ill without him . but now i am almost ashamed to grieve , because it looks more like self-love , than friendship . phil. truly , to be sorry a friend is not with us , when he is better from us , is a sign we rate our convenience highest ; and mourn more for the living than the dead . however , 't is customary to do so ; and it passes for affection well enough , and i believe is so in a less perfect degree . soph. i am glad you have made me an excuse ; for i was carried off my philosophy a little at first , do what i could . phil. be not concern'd . a sigh , or a tear , just at parting , is natural and generous . but you have quickly conquer'd the common infirmity , and resign'd your self to the happiness of your friend . i 'm confident , he that acquits himself so handsomly , must have a just idea to form his practice : and i heartily wish you would please to lay it before me . soph. you are resolved to treat people in mourning with ceremony . i thank you for your civility , and for proposing so agreable a subject . were i qualified to describe the offices of friendship , none could undertake it more willingly . such an employment would affect me to that degree , that i should almost fancy my friend alive again . but i think i had better decline the task , than injure the argument . however , if you please to assist , and set me in : i will endeavour to recollect my self for a short conference , as well as i can . phil. to begin then , since you will have it so . i remember t is a famous saying in aristotle , that he who is pleas'd with solitude must be either a wild beast , or a god. this sentence , though it favours what we are upon in the application , yet methinks it is a strange paradox in the position . but for the credit of the author , if it can be made serviceable , i should be glad to see it . soph. i confess it looks somewhat surprizing at first sight ; that two such different natures should agree in any disposition , or branch of life . but with submission , the saying carrys a very significant meaning : and imports , that those beings who can live without a sociable correspondence , are extraordinary either in their defects , or perfections . they must be under the standard of humane nature , or above it : and have something that is either savage , or divine , in their composition . the first is not generous enough to relish such a communication ; the other is above the use of it . that humane friendships are partly founded upon the wants and imperfections of nature , may be said without disparagement to so noble a relation . a man has not every thing growing upon his own soyl ▪ and therefore is willing to barter with his neighbour . this exchange of offices , when 't is managed with frankness and fidelity , excites native generosity , and improves into confidence and affection . but god is all things to himself : he needs no foreign commerce to furnish his happiness . and as he cannot receive an advantage , so neither does his satisfaction depend upon giving one . phil. as to what you remark upon the divine nature , i agree with you . but for the rest , if it is the author 's meaning , i am not over-fond of it . to derive friendship from indigence , is in my opinion to mistake its original , and assign it too mean an extraction . inclination , and esteem , and generosity , seem more creditable and likely causes of so noble a production . 't is worth , and bravery , and good humour , which engages one vertuous person to another . these qualities excite admiration , and admiration improves into love , and love proceeds to intimacy and union . and all this , without any little expectations of advantage . to give interest a share in friendship , is in effect to sell it by inch of candle . he that bids most , shall have it . and when 't is thus mercenary , there is no depending on 't . 't will be always shifting from one point to another , and desert upon danger and distress ; and when a man has most need of his friend , he may go look him . soph. don't mistake me . i am far from giving interest the ascendant . i would have honour and inclination manage the affair , over-rule the choice , and govern in the progress . but after all , i must say a prospect of advantage may come under a lower consideration , without doing either damage or discredit . for why should not a just regard be allow'd to that which betters my condition ? the appearance of good moves the will by natural necessity : and that which excites desire , will have a weight in consultation , and help to determine for the design . phil. if profit is at all concern'd . i wonder those who have least need of it , and seem most above it , should be most forward to engage ? are not the greatest men oftentimes strongly dispos'd for friendship ? do they not invite fairly to it , and reward it liberally ? to give an instance : what occasion had laelius and africanus for assistance ? persons of their fortune and quality could well have stood upon their own legs , and needed not to lay in for countenance and support : and yet none closed more heartily , or carried their friendship to a nobler height . soph. under favour , great men want supporters as well as others , and wise men will provide them . but allowing your instance : i grant you money , or protection , may not be always projected in friendship . a man may engage to entertain himself with a wise and agreable acquaintance . now pleasure is an interest of the highest kind . 't is the last end of action and desire . why does any man take pains , but to live easier either in his mind , or some way else ? why is he fond of wealth , of power , or company , but only to please himself ? now 't is almost impossible to live pleasantly without friendship . humane nature is imperfect . it has not fund enough to furnish out a solitary life . paradise , barr'd from all commerce , would be in●upportable , and make a man run mad with his happiness . but without a friend a man is almost alone in company . reserve , and suspicion , and guarding against misconstruction , cramp the freedom of strangers , and dilute the entertainment . i may add , that vertue it self is not sufficient to attain its end single . a good man often wants an assistant to direct his judgment , and quicken his industry , and fortify his spirits . insomuch that the very inclination to an intimate correspondence , seems contrived for advantage . phil. as i take it , a friend is called , alter idem . from whence i conclude the motives to friendship and self-love should be the same . now a man does not expect to make a penny of himself . 't is not the prospect of reward which makes him affected to his person , but stark love and kindness . and how then can we be just to the relation we are treating , unless our inclinations go upon the same generous ground . soph. with submission , your objection goes upon a mistake . for there is a great deal of interest in self-love . a man is considerably paid for his pains . the case stands thus . every one is more intimately sensible of pleasure or pain , in his own person , than in that of another . for this reason he will find himself extreamly concerned to cherish that , which entertains him so well . and unless he takes care , will give him the greatest disturbance . now interest lies only in a proportion of loss , or gain : and where these run highest , as they do at home , interest is most concern'd . from whence it follows , that self-love , is one of the most mercenary actions in nature . phil. 't is the first time i have heard so . i perceive , you are resolved to stick to your point of interest : but since you have allowed it so moderate a share , refined the notion , and corrected the malignity , i shall e'en let it pass . and before we go any farther , give me leave to add , that conformity of judgment and temper , seems no inconsiderable motive to begin a friendship . soph. right . a resemblance in humour or opinion , a fancy for the same business or diversion , is oftentimes a ground of affection : men love to see their thoughts and inclinations approved . this confirms them in the good opinion of themselves : and therefore they seldom fail of being grateful to the occasion . nature , like narcissus , is strangely taken with its own reflexion . a conformity of opinion and desire , looks like a multiplication of ones self . a man sees his own being , as it were , doubled and extended in his friend ; and then 't is no wonder if he loves him . phil. i think now , we may have accounted for the ri●e of friendship ; i wish you would run over the means of cul●ivating and preserving it , the extent of the offices , and the advantages of the relation . for now i have you engaged , i shall leave you to your self . soph. then briefly to observe your order . there goes a great many qualifications to the compleating this relation . there is no small share of honour , and conscience , and sufficiency , required . there will be occasion for largeness of mind , and agreableness of temper . for prudence of behaviour ; for courage and constancy ; for freedom from passion , and self-conceit . a a man that 's fit to make a friend of , must have conduct to manage the engagement , and resolution to maintain it . he must use freedom without roughness , and oblige without design . cowardise will betray friendship , and covetousness will starve it . folly will be nauseous , passion is apt to ruffle , and pride will fly out into contumely and neglect . pride is so unsociable a vice , and does all things with so ill a grace , that there is no closing with it . a proud man will be sure to challenge more than belongs to him . you must expect him stiff in his conversation , fulsom in commending himself , and bitter in his reproofs . 't is well if his favours are not turn'd into injury and affront ; spoiled either by the contemptuous way of doing , or by upbraiding after they are done . such behaviour as this frights away friendship , and makes it stand off in dislike and aversion . friendship , though not nice and exceptious , yet must not be coarsely treated , nor used with distance or disdain . a correspondence managed at this rate , may be supported by necessity , but never by inclination . the man may be kept for some time , but the friend is lost . friendship , to make it true , must have beauty as well as strength : charms to endear , as well as power to supply . an obliging air is a circumstance of great moment . 't is a good sign of a benevolent mind , which to speak properly gives the whole value to a courtesy . to improve the relation , there must be a willingness to receive a kindness , as well as to do one . he who always refuses , taxes the profferer with indiscretion , and declares his assistance needless . an inoffensive pleasantness is another good quality for the same purpose . this talent enlivens conversation , and relieves melancholy , and conveys advice with better success than naked reprehension . this guilding of the pill , reconciles the palat to the prescription , without weakening the force of the ingredients . and he that can cure by recreation , and make pleasure the vehicle of health , is a doctor at it in good earnest . phil. spare me a word , or i shall lose the opportunity of a question . 't is said , that friendship either finds people equal , or makes them so : do you think it so much a leveller as this comes to ? soph. no. there is no more necessity for an equality of condition , than that their knowledg , or stature , should be of the same proportion . i confess where the difference is considerable , the invitation must be the fairer . a man must stoop his hand for his friend , and raise him up towards his own ground . the advantage must be laid asleep . there must be no challenge of superiority , or discountenancing of freedom , on the one hand : nothing of envy , or repining , on the other . in my opinion , disparity in age , seems a greater obstacle to an intimate friendship than inequality of fortune . for the humours , business , and diversions , of young and old men , are generally very different . so that if they use a full freedom , and let their inclinations strike out , they will displease ; if they balk them , they 'll be uneasy . besides , the occasion of these different thoughts , is not to be removed . a wealthy person may cure the indigence of his friend , and make him as rich as himself , if he pleases . but age and youth cannot be made over , or adjusted . nothing but time can take away years , or give them . however , this impediment does not always take place : socrates and alcibiades may serve for an instance . and old laelius professes he had an extraordinary kindness for several young people . phil. now if you please to the extent of the office. how far is a man obliged to serve his friend ? soph. as far as he is able , and the interest of the other requires it . as far as opportunity , discretion , and former preingagements will give leave . to break upon the score of danger , or expence , is to be mean and narrow spirited . provided always the assistance may be given without undoing a man , or prejudice to a third person ; without violations of conscience , or honour . where the thing is unlawful , we must neither ask , nor comply . all importunities against justice , are feverish desires , and not to be gratified . where vertue is not made the measure of a correspondence , 't is no better than that of thieves and pyrats . 't is a scandalous excuse to say , i murther'd a man , or betray'd my country , at the instance of a friend . when principles and duty lie thus at the mercy of a little ceremony , we are likely to have a good time on 't ! he that would engage me unwarrantably , takes me for an ill person . his motion is an affront , and i ought to renounce him for the injury of his opinion . phil. i am perfectly of your mind ; and shall go on to another question . is it fair to conceal any thing from a friend ? or must the communication be entire , and without limitation ? are not secrets in reserve , ungenerous suspitions ; and inconsistent with the confidences of friendship ? soph. 't is possible some people have strain'd courtesy in this point : and made their good nature over-ballance their caution . my answer , since you are pleased to ask it , is this : whatever my friend is concerned to know , i ought to acquaint him with , and stand the hazard of the discovery . but in other cases , a man may be allowed to keep a corner of his soul to himself . while the secret is lodged at home , it can never hurt me . for 't is certain i shall always be true to my own interest , and have a kindness for my self : but i cannot so well ensure the constancy of another . and why then should i put my self in his power to no purpose ? to dispatch the whole point . as far as prudence and justice will permit , we ought to use a friend with all the frankness and generosity imaginable . there must be no stinting of inclination , no computing upon favours , for fear we should do more than we receive . this is to state accounts , and looks more like merchandize than friendship . exactness , and management , and observation , is a sign of indifferency and distrust . it may do well enough among strangers , but a friend should be treated at a nobler rate ; and used with more confidence and affection . we should examine his occasions , and prevent his desires , and scarce give him time to think he wanted an assistance . a forwardness to oblige , is a great grace upon a kindness , and doubles the intrinsick worth. in these cases , that which is done with pleasure , is always received so . to pass on to the advantages of friendship : now these are so noble , and so necessary , that empire it self is insipid without it . augustus , and tiberius , had loftiness enough in their temper , and affected to make a sovereign figure ; and had their nature been more independent , would have liked a solitary pride very well . but this distance would not do their business . they were glad to part with the singularity of their state in some measure ; to lay their majesty aside , and to purchase freedom and familiarity at the expence of prerogative . where they saw the disposition agreable , they made no scruple to raise mean subjects to the highest honours , to qualify them for intimacy and conversation . they found the satisfactions of greatness imperfect , without the additions of friendship . they thought themselves unsafe without the supports of trust , and uneasy without the permissions of freedom . to appear in their robes always , would be a troublesom piece of state. unless they can be contented with the happiness of a pageant , they must to some persons at least condescend to the habit , and wear the humour of other mortals . 't is somewhat remarkable what commines observes of charles duke of burgundy : this prince was so very reserv'd , that he would impart his secrets to no-body ; especially those which troubled him most . whereupon the historian tells us , that this closeness did impair , and a little perish his understanding . pompey's ambition was as great as cesar's ; his project was the same , but his over-reservedness undid him . he might have been master of the enterprize prize before cesar's competition : but he was so mysterious , that his party knew not what he would be at . and their having no aim to direct and proportion their assistance , was the cause of his miscarriage . but besides the disappointments attending this humour , the uneasiness of it must be almost insupportable ; especially to those who are in business , or trouble . those who have no friend to discharge their cares , and their grievances upon , are ( if one may use so hardy an expression ) a sort of cannibals to themselves , and prey upon their own vitals . a swelling discontent is apt to suffocate and strangle , without passage . whereas those who live within the communication of friendship , have a vent for their misfortunes . they may safely go to the bottom of the matter , report the nicest case , and expose the affected part to cure and compassion . friendship has a noble effect upon all accidents and conditions : it relieves our cares , raises our hopes , and abates our fears . it doubles our joys , and divides our griefs . a friend who relates his success , talks himself into a new pleasure . and by opening his misfortunes , leaves part of them behind him . friendship , like some universal medicine , works contrary ways , but always to the benefit of nature . and as the union of bodies fortifies the action at home , and weakens the impressions of violence , so there is a proportionable improvement from the union of minds . neither is friendship only serviceable to heighten our pleasures , and compose our passions : 't is likewise of sovereign use to the understanding . the benefit of conversation , if there was nothing else in it , would be no inconsiderable improvement . discourse ( without enthusiasm ) creates a light within us , and dispels the gloom and confusion of the mind . a man by tumbling his thoughts , and forming them into expressions , gives them a new kind of fermentation ; which works them into a finer body , and makes them much clearer than they were before . a man is willing to strain a little for entertainment , and to burnish for sight , and approbation . the very presence of a friend , seems to inspire with new vigor . it raises fancy , and reinforces reason ; and gives the productions of the mind better colour and proportion . conversation is like the discipline of drawing out , and mustering ; it acquaints a man with his forces , and makes them fitter for service . besides , there are many awakening hints and rencounters in discourse ; which like the collision of hard bodies , make the soul strike fire , and the imagination sparkle : effects not to be expected from a solitary endeavour . in a word , the advantage of conversation is such , that for want of company a man had better talk to a post , than let his thoughts lie smoking and smothering in his head. another advantage of friendship , is the opportunity of receiving good advice : 't is dangerous relying upon our own opinion . affection is apt to corrupt the judgment . men , like false glasses , generally represent their complexion better than nature has made it . and as they are likely to over flourish their own case , so their flattery is hardest to be discover'd . for who would suspect such treachery at home ? who would imagine his reason suborn'd against his interest , and that himself was guilty of putting tricks upon himself ? now nothing is so effectual to rescue a man out of his own hands , as the plain dealing of a friend . for instruction from books , strikes the imagination more faintly , than that which is delivered viva voce . and observing resembling miscarriages in others , may mislead us by the disparity of the instance . besides , people are not fond of searching after their own faults . to lie poring upon their imperfections , and deformities , is a dull entertainment . a man has no pleasure in proving that he has play'd the fool : and therefore had rather go upon any other discovery . accordingly we may observe , that they who are too big , or too wise , for admonition , do a great many ill , unbecoming , and ridiculous things . as for business , the assistance of of a friend is most useful ; to form the undertaking , and secure the steadiness of the conduct . in matters of moment , our hopes and fears are commonly ill ballanced . a man is apt to be too eagerly engaged , to make just remarks upon the progress and probability of things . nothing so proper as a judicious friend in such a case ; to temper the spirits , and moderate the pursuit : to give the signal for action , to press the advantage , and strike the critical minute . foreign intelligence may have a spy in it , and therefore should be cautiously received . strangers ( i call all such excepting friends ) are often designing in their advice , and make a property of their client . and though their inclinations are hearty , they may give wrong measures , by mistaking the case . an old friend has the whole scheme in his head. he knows the constitution and the disease , the strength and the humour of him he assists : what he can do , and what he can bear . and therefore none so fit to prescribe ; to direct the enterprize , and secure the main chance . farther : friendship is not confined to the consulting part , it comes in likewise at the execution . some cases are so nice that a man cannot appear in them himself , but must leave the soliciting wholly to his friend . for the purpose : a man cannot recommend himself without vanity , nor ask many times without uneasiness . but a kind proxy , will do justice to his merits , and relieve his modesty , and effect his business ; and all without trouble , blushing , or imputation . these considerations ought to make friendship sacred , and guard off all injury and misunderstanding . 't is great folly , as well as injustice , to break off so noble a relation ; especially one which has stood the test of a long experience . for friendship is one of those few things which are the better for the wearing . alphonsus the wise , king of aragon , tells us , that all the acquisitions and pursuits of men , excepting four , were but bawbles ; i. e. old wood to burn , old wine to drink , old books to read , and old friends to converse with . to part with a tryed friend without great provocation , is unreasonable levity . it looks as if a man's spirits were turned eager , and his good humour worn out . such inconstancy of temper , seems to be govern'd by caprice , and curiosity ; and to turn more upon interest than affection . an ambiguous expression , a little chagrin , or a start of passion , is by no means enough to take leave upon . the best people cannot be always even , awake , and entertaining . no person performs at this rate of exactness , and therefore should not require it . the accidents of life , the indispositions of health , the imperfections of reason , ought to be allow'd for . a paradisiacal temper is not to be expected from postdiluvian mortals . the bare inequality of the seasons , is enough to give one the spleen . and therefore your islanders ought to bear with their friends , more than those that live upon the continent . a man that would make the best on 't , must live under the aequator : and in that steady climate , he may possibly find people always in the humour . to be serious : nothing but plain malevolence can justify disunion . malevolence shewn either in a single outrage unretracted , or in habitual ill-nature . such behaviour , i confess , is a notorious breach of articles ; it strikes at the fundamentals , and makes a correspondence impracticable . when the engagement proves thus unlucky , the way is to draw off by degrees , and not come to an open rupture . let the acquaintance be decently buried ; and the flame rather go out , than be smother'd . for as cato well observes , though in the phrase of a taylor , friendship ought not to be unrip'd , but unstitch'd . of popularity . popularity , is a courting the favour of the people by undue practices , or for unwarrantable ends. by the people , i mean those who are under the government of false reasoning , or vitious inclinations , let their condition be what it will. the popular man's designs are power , wealth , reputation , or all together . he that is conscious how much his vanity exceeds his force , and that his merit will never carry up to his ambition ; if he gets but a favourable juncture , and a rising ground , to work he goes . he pretends a great concern for his country , and a more than ordinary insight into matters . now such professions as these , when they are set off with somewhat of gravity and figure , especially when they are recommended by a treat , are very proper to dispose an audience to hear reason . so that now he ventures to acquaint them with the secret of their privileges . that the people are the original of power : that government is always convey'd with an implication of trust , and reservation : that governours are only the executors and administrators of the peoples will : that in strict reasoning , 't is a nobler prerogative to give a crown than to wear it : that the pomp of princes is nothing but the livery of the subjects bounty ; and that the greatness of their wages , ought not to exempt them from the condition of a servant . this , with a little flourish about miscarriages and arbitrary designs , is strangely taking . he that has such a burning zeal , and springs such mighty discoveries , must needs be an admirable patriot . what can a civil people do less than resign themselves up to his conduct , and present him with their understandings ? to come from the state to the church : he that would be an agreable ecclesiastick , must survey the posture of things , examine the ballance of interests , and be well read in the inclinations and aversions of the generality . and then his business will be to follow the loudest cry , and make his tack with the wind. let him never pretend to cure an epidemical distemper , nor fall out with a fashionable vice , nor question the infallible judgment of the multitude . let him rather down with a sinking faction , charge a stragling party , and hang upon a broken rear . let him declaim against a solitary errour , and batter a publick aversion , and press the people upon those extremes , ●o which of themselves they are too inclinable . and when fears and jealousies become clamorous , when discontents run high , and all grows mutinous and mad ; then especial care must be taken not to dilate upon the authority of princes , or the duties of obedience . these are dangerous points , and have ruined many a good man , and are only to be handled when there is least occasion . there are other nice , though inferior cases , in which a man must guard , if he intends to keep fair with the world , and turn the penny. for the purpose : if he is in the city , he must avoid haranguing against circumvention in commerce , and unreasonable imposing upon the ignorance or necessity of the buyer . if you meddle with diana of the ephesians , you must expect to lose demetrius's friendship . the dues will come in but heavily at this rate : but to be sure all the voluntary oblations in presents and respect , are absolutely lost . we are a trading people , ( say some of us ) and must have no interfering between business , and religion . if the pulpits and the exchange will not agree , we must live , and there is an end on 't . to proceed : if his cure lyes among the lawyers . let their be nothing said against entangling property , spinning out of causes , squeezing of clients , and making the laws a greater grievance than those who break them . no rhetorick must be spent against defending a known injustice , against cross-biting a country evidence , and frighting him out of truth , and his senses . 't is granted that touching sometimes upon these heads , is the only way to improve the audience : such plain dealing would either recover , or disarm them : reform the men , or expose the practice . but then you 'll say , this method goes too much to the quick. this divinity may bring the benchers upon the preacher , and make him fall under censure and discountenance . now a person of discretion will take care not to embarras his life , nor expose himself to calumny , nor let his conscience grow too strong for his interest , upon any account . to speak generally . a popular man always swims down the stream : he never crosses upon a prevailing mistake , nor opposes any mischief that has numbers , and prescription on its side . his point is to steal upon the blind side , and apply to the affections : to flatter the vanity , and play upon the weakness of those in power , or interest ; and to make his fortune out of the folly of his neighbours . not that 't is a commendation to be of a morose and cynical behaviour ; to run counter to the innocent humours and customs of mankind ; to be coarse or unseasonable in admonition ; or to avoid the good opinion of people , by rustick incompliance , by peevishness or singularity . but then neither ought a man to please another to his prejudice , to fortify him in an errour by an over-officiousness , and to caress him out of his safety , and discretion . and after all , the success is no such mighty matter . if one considers , he 'll find as little credit as conscience in the purchase . for what sort of reputation must that be , which is gained by methods of infamy ? to debauch men's understandings in order to procure their good word , is a most admirable testimony of our worth ! a blind man must needs be a fit judg of proportions and colour . these patents of honour , which are granted thus by surprize , are always recalled when the party is better advised . the esteem gained this way , like a love-potion , works more by the strength of charm , than nature ; and if ever the person recovers , the hatred will be much greater than the affection . the truth is , if there was no foul play used , or the artifice undiscovered , there would not be much to brag of . for a universal applause , is seldom little less than two thirds of a scandal . a man may almost swear he is in the wrong , when he is generally cryed up . either incapacity or prejudice , negligence or imposture , disorders the judgment of the multitude . their understandings are often too weak , or their passions too strong , to distinguish truth , or pronounce upon the right of the case . if a great man happens to make a false step , and strikes out into a sudden irregularity , he needs not question the respect of a retinne . how is an exploit of this nature celebrated by the crowd , and shouted home with the pomp of a roman triumph ? in fine : to endeavour not to please , is ill-nature ; altogether to neglect it , folly ; and to over-strain for it , vanity and design . a thought . in a dialogue between hylarchus and lucretianus . hyl. i have often thought what it is to think ; and the more i press the enquiry , the farther i am from satisfaction . the operations of the mind are so peculiar , so foreign to all the other appearances of nature , that 't is hard to assign them a proper original . without thinking , we can have no sense of being ; and with it , we are we cannot tell what . so that the same faculty seems to make us acquainted with , and strangers to our selves . luc. i am surpriz'd to find you entangled in so slender a difficulty . thinking every body knows is the work of the brain : that is the forge in which all the speculations of the understanding , and the appetites of the will , are hammer'd out . hyl. i confess possibilities go a great way . but in my opinion , the brain has a very unpromising aspect for such a business . it looks like an odd sort of bog for fancy to paddle in . when i can see people tread sense out of mud , as they do eels , then i may be enclined to believe that brains and reasoning are of kin ; in the mean time i desire to be excused . luc. i 'm sorry your conceptions are so unphilosophical . you seem to forget that the brain has a great many small fibres , or strings in its texture ; which according to the different strokes they receive from the animal spirits , awaken a correspondent idea , and give us those notices of things which we call thoughts . hyl. a little clearer , if you please . luc. you must know then , that the nerves , which have their origin in the brain , are branched into a great many fine subdivisions , and spread upon all the surface of the body . these are the chanels in which the animal spirits move : so that as soon as any foreign object presses upon the sense ; those spirits which are posted upon the out-guards , immediately take the alarm , and scowr off to the brain , which is the head-quarters , or office of intelligence , and there they make their report of what has happen'd . hyl. i suppose they return loaden like bees , and disburthen themselves in the cells much after the same manner ? luc. i have told you the information is convey'd by striking upon the fibres , and giving them a particular bent ; which imprints the character of the object upon the mind . hyl. i should almost as soon imagine , that the striking a viol with the bow , should entertain the instrument with its own musick . but as i remember , some say the spirits tilt so violently , that they make holes where they strike ; which are no sooner open , but the ideas run into them as fast as may be . and after they have lain there a little while , grow as drowsy as dormice , unless they are rowsed by a new summons . by the way , what are animal spirits ; methinks they perform strange things ? luc. they are a kind of little pellets , wrought off the finer parts of the blood. hyl. then i perceive they are bodies all this while . luc. yes . but admirably furnish'd for dispatch and intelligence . hyl. let them be as sleek , and well timber'd , as those atoms epicurus made his soul of ; yet i 'm afraid they are not altogether qualified for that office you have put them in . for supposing a bird sits before me ; these mercurys immediately run up to the center of sensation , to give an account of what is arrived . now in doing this , either every single animal spirit must convey a whole representation , which would multiply the object , if not over-load the carrier ; or else they must divide the image among them ; and so lug off every one his share . this i confess is the more equal way : but then when they have taken the object to pieces , how they will set it toge-again , is hard to imagine . for they cannot strike all upon one point ; and if they could , they would jumble the proportions , and run the object all on heaps ; where the later impression would go near to deface the former . but if they impinge upon different parts , and make every part sensible with the stroke ; 't is true then they have it among them , but which way the whole should emerge , is still incomprehensible . for supposing the image was painted in order , without any dislocation , vacant intervals , or interloping ; yet the parts of the fibres being distinct , and impregnated by distinct spirits , they can account no farther than their share of motion reaches : and therefore how they should club their particular informations into a common idea , is inconceivable . for instance : if a cake is broken among twenty people , though there may be nothing lost in the division , yet 't will be next to impossible for each person , from the view of a single fragment , to understand what relation either in site , or magnitude , his proportion bears to the whole . besides , if any of the returning spirits should happen to fall foul upon others which are outward bound ; ( which is not unlikely : ) these counter-motions would over-set them , or occasion a later arrival ; either of which accidents would maim the image , and make it imperfect . these rubs you see will lie in the way of sensation : but then in the business of imagination , the difficulty is still greater . for here are no external impressions to begin the motion . 't is true , outward objects will make us perceive them , whether we will or no. but the exercises of imagination are oftentimes purely voluntary . when the passions are not violent , we may check or quicken , change or extinguish , the operation as we please . now i would gladly know the main spring of the motion . what power it is which opens the scene , and gives direction to the whole management ; which chalks out the course of the spirits , and limits their commission , both as to time , and other circumstances of action ? luc. i perceive you imagine a mechanical solution impossible . but if you examined the exquisite fineness of the animal spirits , and the exact proportion between them and the fibres , to give and receive impressions , i believe you would alter your opinion : especially considering this hypothesis is supported by matter of fact. hyl. we 'll examine your matter of fact afterwards . at present let me tell you , since both the fibres , and spirits , are material ; i think it impossible for them to produce effects , so much above the vigour of the cause . you may as well expect that two bowls should grow sensible by rubbing , as that the rencounter of any bodies , should awaken them into perception and reasoning . the whole force of mechanism , consists in matter and motion . matter is nothing but extention , that is , length , breadth , and depth . and motion implies no more than a change of situation in the parts of matter . now these two ingredients , though never so well mix'd , will not rise into the composition of a spirit . thoughts , and dimensions , are the most incompatible , unresembling things in nature . to make the first out of the later , is a harder metamorphosis than any is in ovid. who ever heard of an ounce of pain , an inch of desire , or an ell of contemplation . luc. i suppose you fancy if matter and motion can make a thought ; a thought may make matter and motion . hyl. why not ? what should hinder this mercury from being fixed after sublimation , and thrown back into its former state ? but as this won't do , so neither will the other . take a body and run it through all shapes , and changes ; force it into all climates , and b●ndy it through the universe ; yet , like some young travellers , 't will come home as dull , and unthinking , as it went out . for all this bustle amounts to no more than making the parts and motion greater , or lesser , than they were before ; and giving them a new neighbourhood . luc. i should have fancied that when the parts were broken fine , and curiously filed , a brisk touch of motion would have quickned them into thinking . ●●●hyl . motion make them think ! you may as well expect discourse from a tempest , or consgration . and as for the fineness of parts , if that signifies any thing , a mite would have more sense than a man. and to carry on the improvement : one would think we might beat spice till it felt the pestil ; and with a good flint and steel , strike consciousness into a tinder-box . luc. what makes you so positive against the sensibility of matter ? hyl. because 't is nothing but extension variously figured . luc. do you know all the affections of bodies ? if not , why do you confine their operations ? hyl. if you ask me whether i know all the effects which may result from all the possible combinations of matter , and motion : i answer , no ; neither is it necessary . but this i know , that all your transmutations can never hunt a body out of extension . you may divide , or consolidate ; alter the superficies , the bulk , or place ; quicken the motion , or interrupt the quiet ; but after all 't will have longitude , latitude , and profundity , in spight of fate . the consequence is , that all the revolutions in nature , can give it nothing more than different degrees of these dimensions . and what affinity has thinking with such attributes as these ? no more than there is between a syllogism and a yard-wand . in a word : if thinking is essential to matter , than all matter must think ; and if so , stocks and stones will come in for their share of privilege . but if all matter does not think , none can ; for the essence of all matter is the same . luc. does it imply a contradiction for matter to think ? hyl. truly , in my opinion , as much as for a man to be a horse . luc. why so ? does thinking extinguish extension ? hyl. it extinguishes the idea if you will ; and that is sufficient proof it does not belong to the thing . luc. because extension and cogitation are unallied in their ideas , and this later is not implied in the notion of matter , you conclude this faculty does not belong to it . hyl. yes ; and with good reason . for how can the distinction of substances be known , but by the different proprieties and operations which proceed from them ; and which way can these be discovered , but by the distinct notions , and sentiments , we have of them ? luc. are you sure your idea of matter is compleat ? hyl. that the full notion of corporeity is comprized within the three dimensions , is as clear as that two and two makes four. to these dimensions add what dose of motion you please , and then you have raised the whole posse of mechanism . and when you have disciplined it in all postures , and figures , 't will be matter and motion still . for you may better suppose , that a mouse may produce an elephant , than that matter and motion should propagate out of their own species . now these two principles fall vastly short of the notion of consciousness ; and are no more like perception , than colours resemble sound . luc. you take the differences of ideas , for demonstrations of distinction in things ; will that hold ? hyl. yes ; or else we have nothing to trust to . if clear and distinct perception is not the infallible mark of truth , 't is impossible to know any thing . for all reasoning is at last resolved into self-evident principles : now these magisterial propositions don't dispute for belief , but demand it . they flash conviction so powerfully that 〈◊〉 there is no resisting them , unless you will suppose our faculties are false : and then it will be madness to argue about any thing . to return : don't you think the whole is greater than any part of it ? luc. i allow it an indisputable axiom ; what follows ? hyl. why as plain and as primary a truth as it appears , 't is but a consequence of what i mentioned before . luc. what , that a distinction of ideas infers a distinction in things ? hyl. yes . for do but attend , and you 'll find that the reason why you pronounce the whole bigger than a part ; is because the first takes up a greater room in the notion , and includes a more comprehensive reality , than the later . luc. it seems then the functions of life and reasoning , proceed from an immaterial substance ; and that the body and spirit , are perfectly distinct . hyl. nothing more certain . and if a spirit has no extension , it can have no parts ; from hence it becomes indivisible , and thence immortal . luc. i own these consequences are very clear ; but then they are embarrassed with some appendant difficulties which shock a man's understanding . hyl. look you ! we must not let go manifest truths , because we cannot answer all questions about them . objections are no good evidence against positive proofs . this scrupulous way would make us deny our senses : for there is scarcely any thing we meet with , but puts our reason to a stand , in some circumstance or other . but pray where does the pinch lye ? luc. why , by this scheme all communication between soul and body is cut off ; and yet nothing is more certain than that these two maintain a large correspondence . you see we move our limbs at our pleasure , and receive various impressions according to the objects of sense , and the habits of constitution . but how the soul can move the body , or be affected by it , without extension , is past my comprehension . for all motion is perform'd by resistance , and resistance supposes contact , and contact requires a superficies , and this implies extension ; so that where extension is absent , the other requisites must fail of course . at this rate , a soul may as soon push down a church steeple , as stir a single atom . hyl. i confess i can't tell you how this affair is managed . 't is possible the soul does not move the body at all . luc. how then comes it to pass that motion is so perpetually consequent to our will ? for the purpose : when i have a mind to walk , the muscles are immediately put into a posture of travelling , and do their office at the least notice imaginable . hyl. i believe this mysterious correspondence depends on the laws of the union ; which by sovereign appointment are order'd to consist in a certain reciprocation of thoughts and motions , and so vice versa . luc. you mean , when i would move my finger , god directs the organ for such a performance : and on the other hand , gives me ideas suitable to the presence of sensible objects , and to the state of the union . hyl. right . luc. but why do you make use of this supposition ? do you believe the power of exciting motion exceeds the force of the soul ? hyl. 't is not improbable it may . for if this privilege lay within our reach , one would imagine we should know something more of the manner of using it . but i don't pretend to determine any thing . luc. you don't think it impossible for a spirit to move matter ? hyl. by no means : if it were , there would be no such thing as motion . for extension implies no necessity of being moved : it supposes no more than a bare capacity for such an event . now that power which brings this possibility into act , must be something distinct from matter . besides : the regularity of motion , visible in the great variety and curiosity of bodies , and the constant and even revolutions of some of them , is a demonstration that the whole mass of matter is under the conduct of a mighty intelligence . luc. by your reasoning , i conceive you believe that the power of motion , is either an incommunicable perfection of the supreme being , or else a sort of prerogative royal , which he is pleased to keep in his hands , that we may be the more sensible of our dependance . hyl. i think that opinion not improbable . you know the apostle tells us , that in him we live , move , and have our being : which words 't is likely will bear a more literal sense than is usually imagined . luc. may be so . but to return : if matter be so uncapable of thinking , as seems to have been proved ; how comes it about that the operations of sense , and reason , vary so much according to the disposition of the organs ? for if the musick does not depend on the instrument , what 's matter whether 't is in tune , or not ? now you know any considerable degrees of sickness , or age , flat the senses , extinguish the memory , and weaken the understanding : so that the vigour of the mind seems almost stifled under these corporeal oppressions . hyl. i grant the powers of sensation are contracted or enlarged , made keen or languid , according to the temper of the body . but 't is likely these circumstances are no more than occasional causes of this variety . my meaning is , that there is no natural connexion between thought , and matter and motion : or that the soul and body do not act by direct force upon each other . 't is true , sensations and passions , seem to depend upon a particular set of motions : and the body , on the other hand , seems to fall into different postures by the orders of the mind ; yet these effects may not result from any mutual agency , but meerly from the will of a third power . that this supposition is possible , needs no proof . ' that 't is matter of fact , seems likely ; because the two parties are so essentially foreign and dissimilar , that they seem uncapable of entertaining any commerce by virtue of their own strength . luc. if the operations of life have no immediate dependance on the quality of the organ ; why are our senses worn up with age , and decay with the visible parts of the body ? hyl. when the common period of the union is almost expired , 't is likely providence gives us notice of it by such sensible declensions ; that we may disengage from the world by degrees , and prepare the better for so great an alteration . luc. why does pain follow from obstructions , dislocation , discontinuity , &c. and pleasure from those actions which support the frame ? hyl. to encourage us to keep the body in repair , and to prevent dissolution . luc. your answering in the final cause , makes me believe you are at a loss for the efficient . hyl. as to that , 't is probable the divine oeconomy has settled such an interchangeable train of thoughts , and motions , between soul and body ; that as soon as the occasional hints spring out , the other will as constantly follow , as if they were produced by the most immediate causality . for instance : if i cut my finger , i shall as certainly feel pain , as if my soul was co-extended with the limb , and had a piece of it sawn through . so when i am disposed to strike , the action will be performed with the same force and regularity , as if it was conducted , and pushed on by the will , in the most corporeal manner . i mention this both to illustrate the point , and to shew that we ought to guard upon both parts of our composition : that there may be nothing done which is unbecoming , or disagrees with the intendments of providence . luc. if the soul and body have no intrinsick or essential aptness to take or receive impressions from each other ; why is the structure of the later so curiously framed ? why is there such variety of parts , and such admirable proportion ? by your scheme the soul might have the same compass of sentiment and perception , and do every jot as well , if it were united to a clod. hyl. so it might , though it had never an atom belong to it . however your question about the curiosity of the body , may be answer'd by saying , that 't is probably so framed to shew the wisdom and power of the architect , and to heighten the beauty and dignity of the creature . luc. do you say the soul may be as happy without a body , as with it ? hyl. i say 't is possible to be so . though god may order it otherwise , if he pleases ; as in effect he has done with respect to the resurrection . but let this last dispute lie undecided . and before i take my leave , i can't but observe to you , that there are a great many strange appearances in thoughts . methinks , if it might be , i would gladly understand the formation of a soul , run it up to its punctum saliens , and see it beat the first conscious pulse . these thoughts ! whence do they arise ? what stuff are they made of ? and what vigour is it that gives them such an instantaneous production ? they are conceived in full maturity , and step into perfection at first . they scorn the gradations of bodies , and the heavy successions of motion . they gain the race at a start , out-stretch the speed of gunpowder , and distance light and lightning . luc. if they come up in that perfection , why are some thoughts said to be unfinished , and to require the working off with labour and time ? hyl. i grant you projects , harangues , and chains of reasoning , are not so quickly wrought up . they include multitude , and order , and choice ; and therefore must have some leisure for ranging , and invention . but as to single ideas , inconnexions , and slight touches , my observation holds good . for pray what time does it take to raise the notion of a mountain ? or to think from england to iapan ? a man may set both the poles together in his head , without trouble ; and clutch the whole globe at one intellectual grasp , if he pleases . to go on : methinks the conveyance and disposition of things in the mind , is very extraordinary . what faculty is it which takes the model of the largest objects , and draws the picture in little ? that reconciles all disagreing qualities , and lodges sympathy and antipathy , fire and water , together without disturbance ? that contracts the intervals of space , unites the distances of time , and draws past , present , and future , into a single view ? how comes it to pass that such an infinite number of things are placed with such order and distinction in the memory ; notwithstanding the tumults and confusions , marches and counter-marches , of the animal spirits ? what room is there for such variety of characters , and length of records ? what is the reason some remarkable passages will remain fresh and entire for sixty years together ; when all the furniture of the head has been often renewed in that period ? luc. i confess i can't explain the how to you , unless the impregnated fibres , or spirits , at their going off , deposit their charge with those that remain . hyl. they are very just if they do so : but i am afraid this handing of notions from one piece of brain to another , is somewhat unintelligible . in short , if you reflect upon the liberty of thought , the extent , the abstractions , and all the singularities of its operations ; you 'll be obliged to assign it a nobler original than matter , and motion . luc. i am satisfied with what you say ; and upon a through view , i find the system of a mechanical soul , wretchedly ridiculous . hyl. all the branches of scepticism are so . if the success of our hobbists were no better than their reasoning , they would have few disciples . but some people are willing to be imposed upon . for loose practises must have supporting principles , otherwise there will be no quiet . adieu . of the entertainment of books . the diversions of reading , though they are not always of the strongest kind , yet they generally leave a better effect than the grosser satisfactions of sense . for if they are well chosen , they neither dull the appetite , nor strain the capacity . on the contrary , they refresh the inclinations , and strengthen the power , and improve under experiment . and which is best of all , they entertain and perfect at the same time ; and convey wisdom and knowledge through pleasure . by reading a man does as it were antedate his life , and makes himself contemporary with the ages past . and this way of running up beyond ones nativity , is much better than plato's pre-existence ; because here a man knows something of the state , and is the wiser for it , which he is not in the other . in conversing with books we may chuse our company , and disengage without ceremony or exception . here we are free from the formalities of custom , and respect . we need not undergo the penance of a dull story , from a fop of figure ; but may shake off the haughty , the impertinent , and the vain , at pleasure . besides , authors , like women , commonly dress when they make a visit. respect to themselves makes them polish their thoughts , and exert the force of their understanding more than they would , or can do , in ordinary conversation . so that the reader has as it were the spirit and essence in a narrow compass ; which was drawn off from a much larger proportion of time , labour , and expence . like an heir , he is born rather than made rich ; and comes into a stock of sense , with little or no trouble of his own . 't is true , a fortune in knowledg which descends in this manner , as well as an inherited estate , is too often neglected , and squandered away ; because we do not consider the difficulty in raising it . books are a guide in youth , and an entertainment for age. they support us under solitude , and keep us from being a burthen to our selves . they help us to forget the crosness of men and things ; compose our cares , and our passions ; and lay our disappointments asleep . when we are weary of the living , we may repair to the dead ; who have nothing of peevishness , pride , or design , in their conversation . however , to be constantly in the wheel has neither pleasure nor improvement in it . a man may as well expect to grow stronger by always eating , as wiser by always reading . too much over-charges nature , and turns more into disease than nourishment . 't is thought and digestion which makes books serviceable , and gives health and vigour to the mind . neither ought we to be too implicit or resigning to authorities , but to examine before we assent , and preserve our reason in its just liberties . to walk always upon crutches , is the way to lose the use of our limbs . such an absolute submission keeps us in a perpetual minority , breaks the spirits of the understanding , and lays us open to imposture . but books well managed afford direction and discovery . they strengthen the organ , and enlarge the prospect , and give a more universal insight into things , than can be learned from unlettered observation . he who depends only upon his own experience , has but a few materials to work upon . he is confined to narrow limits both of place , and time : and is not fit to draw a large model , and to pronounce upon business which is complicated and unusual . there seems to be much the same difference between a man of meer practise , and another of learning , as there is between an empirick and a physician . the first may have a good receipt , or two ; and if diseases and patients were very scarce , and all alike , he might do tolerably well . but if you enquire concerning the causes of distempers , the constitution of human bodys , the danger of symptoms , and the methods of cure , upon which the success of medicine depends , he knows little of the matter . on the other side : to take measures wholy from books , without looking into men and business , is like travelling in a map ; where though countrys and cities are well enough distinguished , yet villages and private seats are either over-looked , or too generally marked for a stranger to find . and therefore he that would be a master must draw by the life , as well as copy from originals , and joyn theory and experience together . of confidence . confidence as 't is opposed to modesty , and distinguished from decent assurance , proceeds from self-opinion , occasioned by ignorance or flattery . when a man over-rates himself by his own folly , or the knavery of others , he is presently for falling to work with his privileges ; and takes care upon all occasions to do justice to his merit . this extravagance makes him over-forward in business , assuming in conversation , suddain and peremptory in his answers , and afraid of nothing so much as to seem within the possibility of a mistake . 't is true , it sometimes happens that people who have the wit to know they are good for little , set up notwithstanding for men of sufficiency . they are for trying if they can serve a turn upon the weakness of the company . but this trick seldom succeeds long together . for if a man wants a good opinion of himself , and is not sincere in his vanity , he will be apt to want spirits , and presence of mind , to do his business : a diffidence of himself will make the paint fall off , sink his figure , and betray his meaness ; especially when he meets those who are his superiors in quality , or sense . a man must first put a cheat upon himself , before he can expect to do any good with other people : for he that is not conceited in his conscience , is never likely to make a coxcomb worth a groat . but when the mind is throughly tinctured , the face will hold the same colour ; and the man will be proof against all oppositions of sense and difficulty . for as malbranche observes , peoples opinions of themselves , are commonly legible in their countenances . thus a kind imagination , makes a bold man have vigour and enterprize in his air and motion . it stamps value and significancy upon his face , and tells the people he is to go for so much ; who oftentimes being deceived by the wash , never examin the metal , but take him upon content . not that men are bound to look as sheepishly as they can , for fear of an imputation : for sometimes a consciousness of worth ; a nobleness and elevation of mind , together with fineness of constitution , gives lustre and dignity to the aspect ; and makes the soul , as it were , shine through the body . but to return : a man of confidence presseth forward upon every appearance of advantage ; and thinks nothing above his management , or his merit . he is not easily discouraged by the greatness of an attempt , by the quality of rivals , or the frequency of miscarriage . he is ready to rally after a defeat ; and grows more troublesom upon denial . thus where his force is too feeble , he prevails by dint of impudence : thus people are stormed out of their reason and inclinations ; plagued into a compliance ; and forced to yield in their own defence . these men of forehead , are magnificent in their promises , and infallible in their prescriptions . they love to ensure a cause , and seldom talk under certainty and demonstration . this talent makes them often succeed against modest men of much greater sufficiency , where the competition is governed by a popular choice . for though there is reason in many cases to decide controversies by the vote ; yet 't is no less true , on the other hand , that the majority of mankind is seldom the wisest . the multitude are more smitten with appearances , than things . the noise , and glitter , and parade of a pretender , calls up their attention ; and flashes upon their weakness , at an irresistable rate . it surprizes their imagination , and subdues their judgment : so that a bold undertaker gains mightily upon the people , especially at his first setting out . nay , wise men are sometimes over-born , or imposed on this way , when they are taken at a disadvantage . indeed this faculty is of great use to play a prize with , or carry on an imposture ; and therefore your quacks , figure-flingers , petty-foggers , and republican plotters , cannot well live without it . it enables a man to flourish , rail , and romance , to admiration . it makes impertinencies shine , impossibilities seem credible , and turns rats-bane into elixir vitae . and when matters are brought to a pinch , and the crowd drawn out , in expectation of something extraordinary ; then if the mountain will not come to mahumet , he will for once condescend to go to the mountain . and thus by entertaining the company with a jest ; the prophet's disengaged , and the miracle adjourned to a more convenient season . however , these spar●s meet with their mortifications : for when they happen to fall among people of judgment , they are looked through immediately ; and then the discovery spreads apace . for confidence is apt to expose it self ; to over-grasp business ; to talk without thinking ; and to fail in the decencys of conversation . now when a bold man is out of countenance , he makes a very wooden figure on 't . he has no hand at blushing for want of practise : and acts modesty with so ill a grace ; that he is more ridiculous in the habit of vertue , than in that of vice. to go on with him a little farther : one of this character , is like an out-landish show ; most admired at first sight . he has gloss , but without either fineness , or substance . and therefore , like cloath ill made , he looks better in the shop , than he wears in the suit. in a word , he is the jest of wise men , and the idol of fools : and commonly his patent runs for his life-time . of envy . envy is a displeasure for some supposed advantage in another . the object of this passion is something desirable . and though excellency , precisely considered , cannot occasion dislike ; yet excellency misplaced may . the envious believes himself eclipsed by the lustre of his neighbour . that which is good in it self , becomes an evil to him ; which makes him wish it either removed , or extinguished . the discovery of the rise and unreasonableness of envy , and the way to prevent being either active in it , or passive under it , will comprehend the argument . to begin with the first . envy lies mostly between beings equal in nature , though unequal in circumstances . we don't envy brutes , though they exceed us in many respects not inconsiderable . no body is angry with a bird because she can fly. we are not offended with the strength of an elephant , or the speed of a horse ; or with a dog , for having a better nose than his master . these are all foreign commodities , they are not look'd on as the growth of our soil ; which makes them neither expected , nor desired . besides , we excel these creatures in other qualitys more valuable . so that upon the whole comparison , we remain their superiours ; which is sufficient to lay our envy asleep . on the other hand , men are not subject to repine at the higher condition of an angel. they know there is a comparative disadvantage in their first composition : the model of humanity was drawn less . our capacities , if they were all fill'd , are not large enough to hold so much happiness . to this i may add , that the angelick grandeur is seldom seen . by being thus conceal'd , it does not awaken our poverty , nor mortify our littleness so much , as if it was always display'd before us . and lastly , our hopes of rising to this height hereafter , makes us bear our present inferiority well enough . but where the essential properties are alike , pretensions are apt to mount , unless seasonably check'd . " i am ( crys the envious ) of the same nature with the rest , and why then should such a man top me ? where there is an equality of kind , there should be no distinction of privilege . i am as near of kin to god almighty as the best ; and he is certainly the noblest ancestor . i am cast in the same mould , made up of the same matter , and stamp'd with the same impression ; and why should i not pass equally in general esteem ? in taking gold and silver , 't is not enquired what mines they came from , nor how long they have been dig'd ; if they answer the qualities of the metal , that 's enough . why then should one piece of human nature be thought so much worse than another ; since it keeps within the species , and shines true upon the touch-stone ? " in answer to this expostulation ; i shall only say , that though the metal is the same , yet the figure , the quantity , and the fineness , is often different , which makes a difference in the value . to proceed . those antiently possess'd of honour , are apt to envy others newly raised . the reason is , this later promotion takes away the former difference between the persons . the singularity of a man's greatness is in some measure destroy'd . he has fewer to look down upon than he had before : he has lost an inferiour ; which , without being well considered , will make him uneasy , like a prince who has part of his dominions won from him . but this practice how common soever is unreasonable , where the later rise is creditable . for all quality that is good for any thing , is originally founded upon merit . now when a man purchases honour at as great an expence of deserving as my self ; why should not his title be as good ? and if so , why should i grudge him the possession ? to value worth in my self , or my family , and over-look it in another , is plain partiality ; and partiality is always injustice . when two start into the world together , he that is thrown behind , unless his mind proves generous , will be displeased with the other . for the success of the first , seems to press upon the reputation of the later . for what will the world say ? why could not he hold up ? what made him come on so heavily , but that he wanted either management or metal ? with submission , this inference is not good , and therefore one should not grow peevish about it . success does not always attend desert . sometimes favour , and opportunity , and fortune , run most on one side . sometimes a man cracks his conscience as a horse does his wind , by straining up the hill. but if the advantage was fairly gained , 't is unbecoming to complain . if my friend charges in the post of honour , while i am sleeping in my tent , 't is great injustice to envy him the reward of his bravery . in all likelihood i brought all my limbs out of the bed , which 't is probable he has not done off the breach . and if he has , his merit should not be lessen'd by his good fortune . he that hazards his life upon an honourable score , deserves the same regard as if he had lost it . envy among persons of the same trade , is common . the competition of interest occasions this malevolence . they glean up custom from their neighbours ; and so what one gets , the other loses . but why should i grudge a man the common advantage of his employment ? why should i desire more than my share of business , and be sorry to see another thrive by his industry ? here can be nothing but covetousness at the bottom , and that is never to be satisfied . however , it must be granted that all concurrences of this nature , whether for money , favour , or power , are in danger of being displeased with a fortunate rival . the pinch lyes here ; the matter in competition is often indivisible . an office , or a mistress , can't be apportion'd out like common , and shared among distinct proprietors . the case is like a lottery with one prize , a single ticket is only enrich'd , and the rest are all blanks . so that they 'll tell you , 't is not so much ill nature as disappointment , which sowres the humour . where the objects of desire are more communicative , there is no exceptions taken . people don't like a prospect the worse , because others have the pleasure of it . they are seldom disturb'd , because their neighbours hear the same musick , or smell the same perfumes with themselves . for here is enough for them all . the satisfaction is so noble , that it spreads without lessening ; 't is not the thinner for being beaten : but if there was any interfering , if the senses should engross , or balk one another , as in the case of eating and drinking , you would quickly see the tables turn'd . if a fine object should tarnish by having a great many see it ; or the musick should run mostly into one man's ears , these satisfactions would be made inclosure as well as the rest . farther . those advantages , which 't is no discredit to want , are not usually envied in another . for instance : he that does not pretend to painting , is not touched at the commendation of a master in that profession . a woman does not envy a man for fighting courage ; nor a man a woman for her beauty . an old man is not uneasy at the strength and activity of those who are younger ; neither does youth envy the knowledg and experience of age. in these cases , reputation is unconcerned , and the esteem of the person is not sunk by being unfurnish'd . for either the advantage is foreign to the condition of life , or sex ; either we have been possessed already , or have time enough to gain it afterwards . the absurdity of this passion has partly been discover'd already , and may be farther enlarged . envy is an ill-natured vice ; 't is made up of meaness and malice ▪ it wishes the force of goodness restrain'd , and the measure of happiness abated . it laments over prosperity , and sickens at the sight of health . had envy the governing of the creation , we should have a sad world on 't . how would it infect the air , and darken the sun ; make the seas unnavigable , and blast the fruits of the earth ? how would the face of nature be over-cast ? how soon would peace be banish'd , and pleasure languish and expire ? we should see confusion without settlement , madness without intervals , and poyson without antidote . discord , and disappointment , and despair , would then be the only blessings and entertainments of life . could the envious prevail , all noble undertakings would be crush'd , and invention nip'd in the bud. nothing extraordinary in industry , sense , or bravery , would be endured . whatever was shining would soon be eclipsed . beauty would be deform'd , and courage turn'd into cowardize . to excel either in art or nature would be a crime : and none could be safe , but the ill , and the useless . emulation is a handsom passion , 't is enterprizing , but just withall : it keeps a man within the terms of honour , and makes the contest for glory fair and generous . here is nothing malevolent and insidious . the advantage is gained by improvement , not by injury . the man strives to excel , but then 't is by raising himself , not by depressing another . but envy oftentimes wants spirit , as well as good-nature . like a cold poyson , it benumns and stupifies . and thus as it were conscious of its own impotence , it folds its arms in despair , and sits cursing in a corner . when envy conquers , 't is commonly in the dark ; by treachery and undermining , by calumny and detraction . the envious are always ungrateful ; they hate a noble temper , though shewn upon themselves . if you oblige them , 't is at your peril : they 'll fly in the face of a good turn , and out-rage where they ought to reward . has not many a brave man been ruined , by being over-charged with merit ? what banish'd themistocles , and sent belisarius a begging , but doing too much for their country ? the comfort is , envy is no less foolish than detestable ; 't is a vice which they say keeps no holy-days , but is always in the wheel , and working upon its own disquiet . envy , strictly considered , is a mark of inferiority . it supposes some excellency in another which is wanting in it self . this is a cruel mortification ; for the envious are generally proud. 't is a strong desire to be above , which makes people uneasy beneath . now to see a hated person superior , and to lie under the anguish of a disadvantage , is far enough from diversion . envy is of all others the most ungratifying and disconsolate passion . there is power for ambition , and pleasure for luxury , and pelf even for covetousness ; but envy can give nothing but vexation . 't is made up of impotence and malice ; and where these two qualities are well compounded , there needs no other ingredients of misery . envy how carefully does it look ? how meager and ill-complexioned ? it preys upon it self , and exhausts the spirits : 't is a disease in its constitution , and every pulse is a pain . ease must be impracticable to the envious : they lie under a double misfortune ; common calamities , and common blessings , fall heavily upon them : their nature gives them a share in the one , and their ill-nature in the other . and he that has his own troubles , and the happiness of his neighbours , to disturb him , is likely to have work enough . envy looks ill under every aspect . for if a man be good , he ought to be loved ; if bad , to be pitied . to envy a superior , makes the odds more smarting , and the distance more sensible . to envy an inferior , is to lose the higher ground , and to set him upon a level . to grudge any man an advantage in person or fortune , is to censure the liberalities of providence , and be angry at the goodness of god. and since envy is so odious , and every way unlucky ; and does so much mischief to it self , and others , it may not be improper proper to offer something more particular to prevent it . first then let us consider , that providence has given the least of us more than we can pretend to . if we could make out a title to more privilege , to complain were not unreasonable . but i suppose no one is so hardy as to say , god is in his debt ; that he owed him a nobler being , or a better subsistance . for existence must be antecedent to merit . that which was not , could not oblige ; and nothing can claim nothing . you 'll say such a one is much better furnish'd than my self . besides , i want several conveniences which i could mention . and if i must not have them , i wish they had not come in my way . look you ! are we to cry , like ill-managed children , for every thing before us ? if i give a beggar six-pence , has he reason to grumble beause he has seen a shilling , or knows how to spend a crown ? let him give me leave to be master of my charity , and do what i please with my own . if bare knowledge would give possession , and our senses could challenge all they lay hold of ; there would be a strange world quickly . but these are wild and impracticable suppositions . there is neither justice , nor convenience , nor possibility , in such an expectation . let us remember we are well dealt with ; and then we shall not be troubled to see another in a better condition . to consider we have more than we deserve , will help our reason to silence our murmuring , and make us ashamed to repine . just thoughts , and modest expectations , are easily satisfied . if we don't over-rate our pretensions , all will be well . humility disarms envy , and strikes it dead . secondly , we should endeavour to improve our respective abilities . men naturally desire to stand fair in the opinion of others : and to have something of value to support them in their own thoughts . when they are the worst of their way , and fixt in the fag-end of business , they are apt to look not kindly upon those who go before them . he that can be reconciled to the character of an insignificant person , has a mean soul. to be easy , a man should examin his genius , and exert his spirits , and try to make the most of himself . 't is true , every one cannot expect to distinguish himself in the highest posts ; to command an army , or ride admiral in a fleet , or be at the head of iustice , or religion : ( neither is it material to the point . ) notwithstanding there are few but may shine in their own orb , and be remarkable in their station ; so far at least as to guard off contempt , and secure a moderate repute : and those that are easy at home , will not be envious abroad . those that are good for something themselves , will be contented that others should be so too . all things considered , they have their share of regard , and let who will take the rest . thirdly , the proportioning reward to merit , ( which will be done hereafter ) is a sufficient expectation to remove envy . the perswasion of such a regulation of honour , is certainly the most solid principle for this purpose imaginable . for this way all the seeming partialities of birth , and fortune , are set aside . and to speak familiarly , every one has a fair turn to be as great as he pleases . here all people are upon equal terms of advantage : the temple of honour stands open to all comers ; and the peasant has an opportunity of being as great as a prince . thus station and happiness lies in every ones power : the management of the will determines the precedency . a slender share of present advantage , will do no prejudice to future pretensions . for men will not be valued by the size of their understandings , but their honesty . not consider'd by the height of their character , but for the decency of personation . when the scene of life is shut up , the slave will be above his master , if he has acted better . thus nature and condition , are once more brought to a ballance : and as all men were equal at first , so they may be at last ; if they take care. this consideration digs up envy by the roots ; because no man can be less than another , without his own fault . the way to prevent being envied , ( for that should be thought on too , ) in a privilege , is to shew it not undeserved . that 't is either transmitted from worthy ancestors , or acquired by qualities extraordinary . he that rises above a common performance , and goes far in an honorable danger , may be thought to earn the distinction of his circumstances . in such cases , people are more inclined to commend the merit , than repine at the success : especially if the advantage be civilly managed . conceit , and arrogance , and ostentation , spoils all . pride , and ill nature , will be hated in spight of all the worth in the world. but he that is obliging in his exaltation , and makes a modest use of his superiority , may sit secure , and have the odds of good wishes on his side . of the aspect . the countenance seems designed not only for ornament , but information . the passions there displayed make way for commerce and communication ; and help to let one man into the sentiments and affections of another . 't is true , the soul is not altogether discovered . if the thoughts lay open to observation , there would great inconveniences follow . many good designs would be defeated : many improper aversions and desires would appear : the business of life would be disturbed , and conversation made almost impracticable . in such cases , people would chuse to converse in the dark , rather than trust themselves with the sight of each other . however , though the soul can't be all forced into the face , yet there is no small part of it to be seen there ; especially when it comes of its own accord . here the different apprehensions of the mind discover themselves . i grant , they are not always fully distinguished in their causes , and their kind . but though they are not drawn at length , you have something of the colour , and proportion . here joy and grief , resolution and fear , modesty and conceit , inclination , indifferency and disgust , are made legible . the character is fairest and best marked in children , and those who are unpractised in the little hypocrisies of conversation . for when nature has learnt to put on art , and disguise , the forehead is not easily read . now 't is very surprizing to see the image of the mind stamp'd upon the aspect : to see the cheeks take the dye of the passions thus naturally , and appear in all the colours and complexions of thought . why is this variety of changes confined to a single place ? what is the reason a man's arm won't smile and frown , and do all the intellectual postures of the countenance ? the arm seems to have a finer skin than the face : 't is less exposed to the weather ; the veins are larger , and more visible , and the pulse beats stronger . in short , if matter and motion would do the business , the arm , excepting the eye , seems to have the advantage , and might put in for the index and interpreter of the mind . and yet we see 't is strangely uniform and unaffected upon every accident and turn of thought ; and nothing but a blow , or a pinch , can make it change colour . but the face being design'd to be uncloath'd , and in view , god has there fixed the seat and visibility of the passions ; for the better direction of conversation . the suddain alteration of the countenance , is very remarkable . a forcible object will rub out the freshest colours at a stroke , and paint others of a quite different appearance . a vigorous thought , or a surprize of good fortune , dispels the gloom , and brightens the air , immediately . to metamorphose the blood and spirits thus extempore , is not a little strange . it argues an amazing fineness and curiosity in the parts ; that the least touch of the imagination can alter them into almost what appearances it pleases . the strength of the representation , is another circumstance worth considering . the inward motions and temper , are sometimes drawn with wonderful life . the advantages of youth and complexion , the particular force of the mind and occasion , answer to the fineness of the colours , and the skill of the painter . when all these causes meet , the passions are marked with extraordinary clearness , and strength . what can be more significant than the suddain flushing and confusion of a blush ; than the sparklings of rage , and the lightning of a smile ? the soul is as it were visible upon these occasions ; the passions ebb and flow in the cheeks ; and are much better distinguished in their progress , than the change of the air in a weather-glass . some people have an air of dignity and greatness , and an unusual vigour , in their aspect . others have a sweetness and good humour printed upon them , which is very engaging : a face well furnish'd out by nature , and a little disciplined , has a great deal of rhetorick in it . a graceful presence bespeaks acceptance , gives a force to language , and helps to convince by look ; and posture . but this talent must be sparingly used , for fear of falling into affectation ; than which nothing is more nauseous . of all the appearances , methinks a smile is the most extraordinary . it plays with a surprizing agreableness in the eye ; breaks out with the brightest distinction , and sits like a glory upon the countenance . what sun is there within us that shoots his rays with so suddain a vigour ? to see the soul flash in the face at this rate , one would think might convert an atheist . by the way , we may observe that smiles are much more becoming than frowns : this seems a natural encouragement to good humour . as much as to say , if people have a mind to be handsom , they must not be peevish , and untoward . another thing remarkable , is the obsequiousness of the aspect . it goes as true to the mind , when we please , as the dial to the sun. the orders are publish'd as soon as given . 't is but throwing the will into the face , and the inward direction appears immediately . 't is true , a man cannot command the standing features and complexion ; but the diversities of passion are under disposal . the image of pleasure is never seen , when anger was intended . no. the sentiments are painted exactly , and drawn by the life within . and since 't is in our power not to give a wrong sign , we should not pervert the intendments of providence . to wash over a coarse or insignificant meaning , is to counterfeit natures coin. we ought to be just in our looks , as well as in our actions ; for the mind may be declared one way no less than the other . a man might as good break his word , as his face , especially upon some critical occasions . it may so happen that we can converse no other way , for want of an interpreter . but though i cannot tell what a man says , if he will be sincere , i may easily know what he looks . the meaning of sounds are uncertain , and tyed to particular times and places : but the language of the face is fixt , and universal . its consents and refusals , are every where alike . a smile has the same form and sense in china , as with us . if looks were as arbitrary as words , conversation would be more in the dark : and a traveller would be obliged to learn the countenances , as well as the tongues of foreign countries . and as the language of the face is universal , so 't is very comprehensive . no laconism can reach it . 't is the short-hand of the mind , and crowds a great deal in a little room . a man may look a sentence , as soon as speak a word . the strokes are small , but so masterly drawn , that you may easily collect the image and proportions of what they resemble . whether honesty and dishonesty are discernable in the face , is a question which admits of dispute . king charles the second thought he could depend upon these observations . but with submission , i believe an instance might be given in which his rules of physiognomy failed . 't is true , the temper and inward disposition is sometimes visible in the countenance . thus salust tells us , cataline had rage and defiance in his looks , even after he was dead . however , here the impression was partly design'd , and voluntary . he had a mind no question to appear as fierce and formidable as he could . but in insincerity the case is otherwise ; for no man is willing to be known for a knave . whether men , as they say of plants , have signatures to discover their natures by , is hard to determine . some people fancy an honest man looks plain , and open , and all of a piece . and therefore when they see a shy and compounded air , a remote and absconding kind of countenance , they conclude it cain's mark. this , in their opinion , is either a caution given us by providence , or the natural effect of a crafty and suspicious mind . a knave , say they , is apprehensive of being discover'd ; and this habitual concern puts an odness into his looks . but after all , no man's face is actionable . these singularities are interpretable , from more innocent causes . and therefore though there may be ground for caution , there is none for censure . against despair . the trouble of despair always rises in proportion to the evil that is feared . by consequence , the greatest agonies of expectation , are those which relate to another world. but i shall leave this consideration to the pulpits , and proceed upon a lower object . now despair , as it respects the business and events of life , is an uneasy and impolitick passion : it antedates a misfortune , and torments a man before his time. it spreads a gloominess upon the soul , and makes her live in a dungeon beyond the notion of pre-existence . it preys upon the vitals , like prometheus's vultur ; and eats out the heart of all other satisfactions . it cramps the powers of nature , and cuts the sinews of enterprize , and gives being to many cross accidents , which otherwise would never happen . to believe a business impossible , is the way to make it so . how many feasible projects have miscarried by despondency , and been strangled in the birth , by a cowardly imagination ? if things will not do of themselves , they may let it alone ; for he that despairs is resolved not to help them : for who would work upon an impossibility ? such an expectation , crys one , will never come to pass : therefore i 'll e'en give it up , and go and fret my self . how do you know that ? can you see to the utmost limits of nature ? and are you acquainted with all the powers in being ? is it an easy matter to pronounce upon all the alterations of time , and accident ? and to foretell how strangely the ballance of force and inclination may be turned ? pray let us see whether 't will or no , before we grow too positive , and give sentence against our interest . a very pretty device you 'll say ! for at this rate , a man must never despair while he lives ! and pray where is the harm on 't , if it should be so ? is despair so entertaining a companion ? are the pleasures of it so inviting , and rapturous ? is a man bound to look out sharp to plague himself ? and to take care that he slips no opportunity of being unhappy ? as long as there is life , there is hope : and if so , 't is prudence not to desert it . hope is a vigorous principle . 't is furnish'd with light and heat , to advise and execute : it sets the head and the heart on work , and animates a man to do his utmost . and thus by perpetual pushing , and assurance , it puts a difficulty out of countenance , and makes a seeming impossibility give way . at the worst , if the success happens to fail ; 't is clear gains , as long as it lasts . it keeps the mind easy , and expecting ; and fences off anxiety and spleen . 't is sometimes so sprightly and rewarding a quality , that the pleasure of expectation exceeds that of fruition . it refines upon the richness of nature , and paints beyond the life : and when the reality is thus out-shined by the imagination , success is a kind of disappointment ; and to hope , is better than to have . besides , hope has a creditable complexion . it throws a generous contempt upon ill usage , and looks like a handsom defiance of a misfortune . as who should say , you are somewhat troublesome now , but i shall conquer you afterwards . and thus a man makes an honourable exit , if he does nothing farther . his heart beats against the enemy when he is just expiring , and discharges the last pulse in the face of death . but despair makes a despicable figure , and descends from a mean original . 't is the off-spring of fear , of laziness , and impatience . it argues a defect of spirits , and resolution ; and oftentimes of honesty too . after all , the exercise of this passion is so troublesome , that methinks nothing but dint of evidence , and demonstration , should force it upon us . i would not despair unless i knew the irrevocable decree was past . unless i saw my misfortune recorded in the book of fate , and signed and sealed by necessity . indeed where the act is unmanly , or the expectation immoral , or contradictious to the attributes of god ; we ought to drop our hopes or rather never entertain them . and therefore i would neither hope to play the fool , or the knave , or be immortal . but when the object is defensible and fair , i would not quit my hold , as long as it was within the reach of omnipotence . what then , must we hope without means ? yes ; why not ? when we cannot work them out of our own industry . pray what means was there to make the world with ? there was neither timber nor tools to raise the building , and yet you see what a noble pile it is . why should we suppose a miracle so strange a thing , since nature herself was produced this way ? he that made second causes , can as easily work without , as with them . — quicquid dii voluere peractum est . to will , and to do , is the same thing with an almighty power . if we could cure a fever with a wish , decree up a house , and make what we would , consequent upon inclination : in such a case , we need not tye our selves to application , and materials . the bare fiat of our will would give birth to the idea : and make it start out into existence without any more ado . to use the ministrations of subordinate causes , looks like a going about . for where there is matter and motion , there must , in humane apprehension , be succession of parts , and resistance , and time , for the performance . the powers of nature seem too heavy , to keep pace with thought , and to drive out an instantaneous production : so that one would almost imagine , the acting by immediate omnipotence , was the most disencumber'd , as well as the most magnificent method . but is it not extravagant to expect a miracle ? not at all . i believe we are assisted with many more miracles than we are aware of . for the purpose : a man in a storm prays that he may escape being wreckt . i desire to know , whether he thinks it possible for him to be the better for his devotions . if he does not , he is an impertinent atheist for using them : if he does , he must believe that providence will interpose , and disarm nature , or divert her violence . now to check second causes in their career , to change their motion , or lay them asleep before they are spent , is no less a miracle than to act without them . let no man therefore disquiet himself about the future , nor quit a just undertaking , out of despondency . honest people ought to be chearful , if it was only for the credit of their vertue : let us not grow melancholick upon a superficial view of things ; for that is as far as we can discover . 't is a much better way to do our own parts carefully , and rest the event with god almighty . of covetousness . between demeas and mitias . dem. i thought i should have dined with you to day ; what made you fail your usual eating-house ? mit. i ask your excuse . i have been at a miser's feast : i went thither to entertain my curiosity rather than my palat ; for you know that is a sight which is not every day to be met with ? dem. and was it as great as the proverb makes it ? mit. every jot . i have not had my senses so regaled this long time : 't was so inviting , that i 'm afraid the founder has taken a surfeit . dem. you mean of the expence . fear it not , he will have a lent after his carnival ; that will cure him . mit. this fit of feasting comes upon him once a year . if you did not know him , you 'd think it was an ague ; he looks so desperately pale , and thin , for a great while after . and now , as you say , he will go into a course of abstinence , but i wish we could prevent the return of the distemper ; for in my opinion , he is well neither full , nor fasting . in short , the disease lies in his mind , and how to reach it with a recipe , i can't tell ; for covetousness is generally incurable . dem. i own 't is difficulty removed , and uncreditable into the bargain ; and therefore i hope you will not report it upon any person , unless the symptoms are very clear , and undisputed . give me leave to tell you , there are often great mistakes in this matter . some think to screen their own profuseness from censure , by reproaching the frugality of their neighbours . and others pronounce rashly out of ignorance . with their good favour , wise men will look beyond their nose , and take care of the main chance , and provide for accidents and age. they know that poverty is unfashionable , and dependance uneasy , and that a generous mind cannot live upon curtesy , with any great relish . besides some people do not decline expence out of parsimony , but because they do not care for the trouble of a figure . they do not care to be crowded with visitors , to have their table pestered with flies and flatterers , and to be always yoked in ceremony . they don't believe any master the more considerable by keeping a great many idle people about him ; or that any true greatness can be made out of that which is little. and because a man is willing to have his house and his head cool , and to keep his time and his liberty to himself , must he be called covetous upon this account ? mit. i have no intention to condemn a just value for money . and if any man has more sense and sobriety than his neighbours , i think it great injustice to burlesque his prudence , or represent him in any character of disadvantage . but then i must say , that some people have the misfortune to fall into the extremes , and that covetousness does not lie only in satyr , and speculation . dem. i perceive you have a mind to say something upon this argument : with the precautions above-mentioned , i am willing to hear you . take your method , and draw out into what length you please ; you will have no interruption , for at present i am not in the disputing humour . mit. to begin then . there is no need of giving a close definition of this vice ; 't will be sufficiently discovered in the description . covetousness has a relation to wealth , or fortune . whether a man has no more than a just value for this advantage , is seen in his getting , keeping , and using it . a short survey of the mismanagement in these three particulars , will take in the compass of the case . but least you may think this method somewhat too loose , i shall come a little nearer in a word or two ; and affirm , that he is covetous who balks any part of his duty , for fear he should grow the poorer ; and chuses rather to save his money , than his conscience . he that denies himself the conveniences of life , without either necessity or religion . he that is anxious in riches . he that sets his interest above his honour ; and values insignificant gains , which hold no proportion with his fortune , as for the getting part , a covetous man never troubles himself with the niceties of morality . his business is to secure the end , not to distinguish upon the means . let the project be but rich and practicable , and he enquires no farther . honour and conscience are fine things , but they seldom fill the pocket . when they will purchase any thing , a good manager can counterfeit them ; but to be tyed down to a set of notions , is the way to be a begger . he that resolves to thrive , won't be discouraged by a few hard names . his industry is not to be check'd by fancys , and common mistake . he will scarcely believe himself , when it makes against him . inward reluctance , passes for spleen , and vapours ; shame , for an infirm vanity that hangs too servilely upon foreign opinion ; generosity , is nothing but a ceremonious prodigality ; and pity , a foolish tenderness . these maxims remove the difficulties of business , and open the way for expedition and success . reason and religion 't is likely will interpose sometimes , but the covetous man goes on for all that . and though he can't command his principles , he is master of his practise . sometimes a man gets only to spend : in that case , covetousness is but a ministerial vice ; and serves under luxury , or ambition . but here i shall consider it as having the ascendant . now to recount the disorders of life , the knavery , and little practices that flow in upon us from this spring , were almost infinite . whence comes all circumvention in commerce , adulterating of wares , vouching and varnishing against all good faith , and honesty ? 't is covetousness that brews and dashes ; gives you false lights , and false language ; and shews many other dexterities to get your money . now what can be meaner , than to make over-reaching a part of a profession ? and to impose upon the ignorance , or necessity , of a neighbour ? let an apprentice be bound to a miser , and he might as good be becalmed , or besieged ; for he is sure to be put to short allowance . one would think hunger was put in his indentures , he is so constantly held to it . his master will not let him grow to his ioynts , nor set up , with all the flesh and bones which nature design'd him ; but is resolved to put part of his limbs in his pocket . what is the reason of racking of tenants , and rigorous seizures , that the rich oppress the poor , and the poor steal from the rich , but because they are not contented with their own ? whence come souldiers of fortune , and lawyers of fortune ; men that will fight and be fee'd of any side , and sometimes of both ? what makes the courtier supplant his friend , and betray his master , and sell his country ? why 't is oftentimes nothing but the love of money , which makes the court , and the camp , and the bar , thus mean , and mercenary . how many trusts are abused , wills forged , orphans and widows rob'd and ruin'd , upon this score ? where avarice rules and rages , there is nothing of humanity remaining . hence it is that those who recover from the plague dye sometimes of the nurse ; that the shipwreckt are dispatched on shore , that they may not claim their goods ; that travellers are murther'd in the houses of protection and entertainment . things so bloudy and barbarous , that the guilty are sometimes as it were discovered by miracle , prosecuted by apparitions , and pursued by hue and crys from the other world. to leave these extremities of wickedness , and proceed to instances of a lower nature . what can be more ridiculously little , than to see people of figure , and fortune , weigh an interest to the utmost grain ? haggle away time and credit about trifles , and part with a friend to keep a shilling ? 't is not unentertaining to see men how they can make their state truckle to their p●rsimony . how they will draw in their figure upon the road , sink their titles to save their purse , and degrade themselves to lye cheaper at an inn. covetousness is a most obliging leveller ; it mingles the great and small with wonderful condescention ; and makes l — ds , and valets , company for one another . but these are but petty indecencies . covetousness will sink much lower , if there be but any oar at the bottom . it will solicit in the meanest office , and submit to any infamous disguise . it turns lions into jack-calls ; engages honour in the most scandalous intrigues , and makes it under-pull to cheats and sharpers . and as the drudgery of this vice is mean , so 't is constant too . it keeps a man always in the wheel , and makes him a slave for his life-time . his head or his hands are perpetually employ'd : when one project is finish'd , his inclinations roll to another ; so that his rest is only variety of labour . this evil spirit , throws him into the fire , and into the water ; into all sort of hazards , and hardships : and when he has reached the tombs , he sits naked , and out of his right mind . neither the decays of age , nor the approach of death , can bring him to his senses , nor shew him the extravagance of his passion ; on the contrary , his folly commonly encreases with his years . wolves , and other beasts of prey , when they have once sped , can give over and be quiet till the return of appetite . but covetousness never lies down ; but is ever hungry , and hunting . 't is perpetually harrassing others , or it self , without respit , or intermission . the miser enlarges his desires as hell ; he is a gulph without a bottom ; all the success in the world will never fill him . sometimes the eagerness of his appetite makes him snap at a shadow , and drop the substance . thus crassus lost himself , his equipage , and his army , by over-straining for the parthian gold. thus the mareschal balagny was outed of the sovereignty of cambray , by the covetousness of his lady , who sold the spaniards the stores which should have maintained the garison . and thus the bait of a cheap bargain , or a large interest , often helps a man to stolen goods , and crackt titles . and if he has better luck than he deserves , the possibility of a miscarriage keeps him uneasy . the miser is seldom without pain : the shortness of humane foresight , and the uncertainty of accidents , and the knavery of men , haunt his imagination with all the possibilities of danger . he starts at every new appearance , and is always waking and solicitous for fear of a surprize . like a night centinel , the least noise alarms him , and makes him apprehensive of the enemy . and let a man's fright be never so visionary in the cause , the trouble will be real in the effect . but sometimes the anxiety does not lye altogether in a romance , but comes out of life and business . and then you may be sure his fears will encrease with his danger . the loss of a battle , or the revolution of a kingdom , don't affect him half so much , as the news of a goldsmith's , or money scrivener's , going aside . here , though the misfortune is remote , he is not insensible . indeed 't is the only sympathy he seems capable of . but then the agonies he lies under , when he comes to be touched in his own case ! when a bond or a mortgage fails , there is nothing can support his spirits , or keep him within the compass of decency . how passionately does he lament over the parchment carkass , when the soul of the security is departed ? his humour and his face is put into mourning , and so would the rest of his person were it not for the charge . however , a covetous man is not easily baffled : he has a great many tools to work with . if deceit makes for his purpose , he will use it to the best of his skill . if cruelty will save a penny , he will not stick to flay a poor debtor for the price of his skin . no turn either in state or religion can hurt him : he receives any impression ; and runs into any mould the times will cast him . he is a christian at rome , a heathen at iapan , and a turk at constantinople . what you will without , and nothing within . 't is a jest in a miser to pretend to be honest. to resolve against poverty , is in effect to forswear justice and truth . the knavery of such people , is as indisputable as an axiom ; and ought to be supposed as a postulatum in business . they are false by necessity of principle , and want nothing but an occasion to shew it . conscience and covetousness are never to be reconciled : like fire and water , they always destroy each other , according to the predominancy of the element . now one would think he that takes such pains for a fortune , and purchases so dear , should know how to use it . one would think the covetous man had refined upon the satisfactions of life ; and discovered some unheard of mysteries of epicurism . one would imagine his appetites were more keen and lasting ; his capacities enlarged ; and that he could please himself faster , and farther , than his neighbours . for why should we put our selves to an uncommon trouble , for a common advantage ? but how can this be ? how can anxiety and ease stand together ? strong pleasures and strong fears are incompatible . a constant dread of death , makes life insipid . and he that is always afraid of losing , has little leisure to enjoy . besides , a continual load of cares depresses the vigour of the mind , and dulls the inclination , and clouds the chearfulness of the spirits . like a labourer worked down , he is too much tired for entertainment . but alass ! were he never so much dispos'd , he has not the courage to recreate his senses , and reward his industry . no. he has more respect for his wealth , than to take those freedoms . he salutes it at an humble distance , and dares not be too familiar with an object of worship . his gold might as good have stay'd at peru , as come into his custody ; for he gains nothing by possession , excepting the trouble of looking after it . 't is true , he can command the sight on 't this way ; but if seeing an estate would make one rich , there 's few but the blind would be poor . he calls it his own too ; but with great impropriety of language . my own ? what is my own ? why 't is something that i eat , or drink , or put on . something which makes my body , or my mind , the better . something with which i serve my friend , or my country , or relieve the poor . property without application to advantage , is meer cant , and notion . the best metals will rust , by lying under ground , and lose their colour , unless brightned by use. but where covetousness governs , the appetite is tyed up , and nature is put under penance . like a malefactor , a man has just enough to keep him alive in pain ; enough to suffer with , but not to please . the covetous guards against himself , as well as against thieves loves to step short of necessity , and hates convenience no less than a wise man does excess . and he that dares not enjoy , wants that which he has , as well as that which he has not . the encrease of his fortune , is but an addition to his trouble . the more he has , the more he has to take care for ; and an ass is as much enriched by his burthen , as such a one is by his estate . he may , like a sumpter , carry things of value ; but he never wears them . he is only tired , and galled , with his furniture . nothing is more uneasy when 't is on , nor looks more wretchedly when 't is off . if a man lays his meat upon his shoulder instead of putting it in his stomach , the quantity may load him if he will , but never nourish . and as 't is easier , it would be more reputable for the miser to be poor . the pretence of necessity might cover a narrow soul. a coward will pass , when there is little tryal for courage . wealth does but serve to expose covetousness , and make it more ridiculous . for what can be a more wretched sight , than to see a man mortify without religion ? to submit to such voluntary hardships to no purpose , and lose the present , without providing for the future . but thus covetousness revenges the quarrels of others upon itself , and makes a sort of reprizals at home . the truth is , if the covetous did not make their neighbours some amends , by using themselves thus ill , they were scarcely to be endured . but they are generally fair enough to give satisfaction this way . this disease sometimes rises up almost to lunacy and distraction : sometimes it over-casts them with gloom and melancholy ; and sometimes breaks out in the clamours of despair and impatience . they are tortured with raging fears of want ; and the greatest abundance is not able to keep them in tolerable humour . to eat , or wear any thing , till 't is past the best , is luxury and profuseness . they must have their meat tainted , and their bread mouldy , and their cloaths moth eaten , before they dare venture on them . it would be great charity to take them out of their own unmerciful hands , and put them under wardship . but 't is likely the laws leave them to their liberty for a punishment . for as this vice ought to be severely corrected , so there is scarce any discipline sharper than its own . and if the rigour should abate at home , the censures of the neighbourhood would help to do justice . the covetous man is homo illaudatus , a man that you can say no good of . he abuses all his advantages either of person , or fortune . his inclinations are ungenerous , his understanding cheats , and his power oppresses his neighbour . he is not big enough to love , to pity , or assist ? neither bloud , nor honour , nor humanity , can take any hold , where interest comes in competition . so far from doing any good , that he desires none . his wishes are often malevolent ; for blasting and mildew , for rots and murrain , for storms and shipwrecks ; that he may put off his stock , and his stores the better . upon these accounts he generally receives as little kindness as he does , and finds as few friends as he deserves . every one think themselves authorised to execute his credit , to palt and lash him ; and make him either the subject of their anger , or their scorn . to sum up the evidence . a covetous man loves to be boring in the earth , like an insect ; and lives always in a creeping and inglorious posture . his satisfactions are as mean as his figure . he has not the heart to oblige any body , no not himself ; and therefore is both hated and despised . dem. enough said . i think your correction is neither excessive , nor misplaced . if those concerned will not mend their manners , they may e'en take it for their pains . of liberty . by liberty , i mean a latitude of practise within the compass of law , and religion . 't is a standing clear of inferiour dependances , and private jurisdiction . he who is master of his time , and can chuse his business and diversions ; he who can avoid disagreable company , and be alone when his humour or occasions require it ; is as free as he ought to wish himself . 't is true , as the world stands , general liberty is impracticable . if one had nothing but a soul to keep , he need not go to service to maintain it . but a body at present is a very indigent sort of a thing ; it can't subsist upon its own growth , but stands in want of continual supplies . this circumstance of eating , and drinking , is a cruel check upon many a man's dignities ; and makes him hold his life by a servile tenure . however , he that lies under this incumbrance should make his best on 't , and not quarrel with the order of providence . at the worst , death will knock off his chain shortly : in the mean time his business is to play with it . but where the necessaries of life may be had at a cheaper rate , 't is folly to purchase them this way . he that will sacrifice his liberty to his palat , and convey over his person for superfluities , is a slave of his own making , and deserves to be used accordingly . dependance goes somewhat against the grain of a generous mind , and 't is no wonder it should be so , considering the unreasonable advantage which is often taken of the inequality of fortune . the pride of superiors , and the wanton exercises of power , make servitude much more troublesome than nature intended . some people think the life of authority consists in noise and imperiousness , in menacing and executions . to let their servants live easy , is in some measure to make them their equals : therefore they love to be always brandishing their advantage , to part with nothing without a stroke of discipline ; and to qualify their favours with penance , and mortification . but the being enfranchised from arbitrariness and ill humour , is not the only convenience of liberty . this state affords great opportunities for the improvement of reason . it gives leisure for reading and contemplation ; for an acquaintance with men and things ; and for looking into the history of time and nature . he that has the business of life at his own disposal , and has no body to account to for his minutes but god and himself , may if he pleases be happy without drudging for it . he needs not flatter the vain , nor be tired with the impertinent , nor stand to the curtesy of knavery , and folly. he needs not dance after the caprice of an humourist , nor bear a part in the extravagance of another . he is under no anxieties for fear of displeasing , nor has any difficulties of temper to struggle with . his fate does not hang upon any man's face : a smile will not transport him , nor a frown ruin him : for his fortune is better fixed , than to flote upon the pleasure of the nice and changeable . this independance gives easiness to the mind , and vigour for enterprize , and imagination . a man has nothing to strike a damp upon his genius , to over-aw his thoughts , and check the range of his fancy . but he that is embarrassed in his liberty , is apt to be unassured in his actions ; palled and dispirited in his humour and conceptions ; so that one may almost read his condition in his conversation . 't is true , a peculiar greatness of nature , or the expectations of religion , may relieve him ; but then every one is not furnished with these advantages . the reason why parmenio could not rise up to alexander's height of thinking , was possibly because he was under his command . longinus observes , that there were no considerable orators in greece , after their government was altered by the macedonians and romans . according to him , their elocution and their freedom seem'd to languish and expire together . when they were once enslaved , the muses would keep them company no longer . the vein of rhetorick was seared up , the force of demosthenes spent , and no sublime to be had for love , nor money . now though freedom within a rule is very desirable ; yet there is scarcely any one thing has done more mischief than this word misunderstood . absolute liberty is a jest ; 't is a visionary and romantick privilege , and utterly inconsistent with the present state of the world. the generality of mankind must have more understanding , and more honesty too , than they are likely to have as long as they live , before they are fit to be at their own disposal . to tell people they are free , is the common artifice of the factious and seditious . these state-gypsies pick the pockets of the ignorant with this specious cant , and with informing them what mighty fortunes they are all born to . and what is this fine freedom after all that these sparks can help them to ? why they are free to be out of their wits , and to be undone , if they take their advice ; to lose their conscience , their credit and their mony , and to be ten-times more press'd than they were before . there is still a more extravagant notion of liberty behind . some people are for repealing the laws of morality , for throwing open the inclosures of religion , and leaving all in common to licentiousness and violence . they are for making their inclinations the rule , and their power the boundary of their actions . they hate to let any opportunity slip , or any capacity lie idle : but are for grasping at all possibilities of pleasure , and playing their appetites at whatever comes in their way . to tye men up from enjoyment , and cramp them with prohibitions , is an encroachment upon the rights of nature . these ungenerous impositions are it seems the dotages of age , the results of spleen and impotence ; or at best the pretences of designing power , which lays an embargo upon some branches of trade , to engross the advantages to it self . i wonder why these men don't improve their principle farther . why they don't dance upon the battlements of houses , vault down the monument , and jump into a furnace for diversion . to forbear these things are great restraints upon the liberties of motion , and make many of the faculties of nature insignificant . they ought to step in to the rescue of feavers and phrensy , and not let their acquaintance lie under such an ignominious confinement , especially when their spirits are up , and they are so well disposed for satisfaction . why do they not draw up a remonstrance against goals , pillorys , and executions ; what! have they no sense of the grievances of their fellow subjects ? can they see their own generous principle suffer , their very magna charta violated , and do nothing towards a relief ? they ask your pardon ; to embark in such expeditions might endanger their interest , and come home to them at last . and to speak truth , they are for having this arbitrary privilege in no hands but their own . for touch them in their honour or property , and you 'll find them sensible enough . a small injury to themselves seems intolerable , and fires them with a zeal for justice and restitution . then the laws are defective , and give too little damages ; and therefore though they venture their necks for it , they must have a supplemental satisfaction . their own case , one would think , might shew them the unreasonableness of their scheme ; and that a liberty against virtue and law , is only a privilege to be unhappy ; and a license for a man to murther himself . of old age. in a dialogue between philebus and eutropius . phil. your servant , this visit is very obliging . if so good a friend as you are can be more welcom at one time then another , you are so now . i was just going to send to you , to beg a little of your conversation . eutrop. sir i thank you , you are always contriving to give your friends a pleasure , one way or other . but methinks you seem somewhat concern'd . i hope no accident has happen'd ? phil. nothing but what i 'm affraid you 'll smile at ; and yet it sits pretty hard upon my spirits . eutrop. i 'm sorry for that ; pray what 's the matter ? phil. then without any farther preamble , i must challenge you upon your last promise . you may remember we were talking about old age , and the inconveniences attending it . this speculation has hung cruelly in my head ever since . i think my fancy is grown quite grey upon 't . eutrop. if that be your case , 't is somewhat unlucky ; i have no receipt against that distemper . what would you be exempted from the common fate , and have nature alter'd , for your single satisfaction ? phil. with all my heart , if i knew which way . not but that i could wish the advantage was universal , as much as any man. to be plain , i don't think my self over-furnish'd , and should be glad to keep up my person in repair as long as it lasts . in earnest , it troubles me to consider the greatest part of life is no better than a slow consumption ; that we must shortly sink into a state of weakness and insignificancy , and grow unacceptable both to others , and our selves . when our limbs and our memory , and it may be our understanding too , will fail us ; when nothing but a feaver will warm our blood ; and all the lively perceptions are forced out of pain . we begin life with a slender stock , and yet it improves strangly . i wonder when we are well-furnished we can't hold it : what! turn bankrupts when we have more effects to trade with , and more skill to manage ? a flame well kindled and supplied , will burn for ever . when a man is rich , a little care keeps him so . but life , like an ill gotten estate , consumes insensibly , in despight of all imaginable frugality . infancy is a state of hope ; and has the tenderness of parents , or the compassion of strangers , to support it . youth , like a blossom , gives us beauty in hand , and fruit in prospect . but age grows worse and worse upon the progress ; sinks deeper in sorrow and neglect , and has no relief to expect but the grave . eutrop. i think you are too tragical upon the occasion ; health , and vigour , and sense , hold out sometimes to the length of a long journey . plato enjoyed them all at . and so if , you 'll take his word for 't , did cato major ; and reckons you up a great many more . tully was more than when he wrote his famous philippicks : in which his rhetorick is not only more correct , but more moving and tempestuous , than in his younger orations . the poetick fire , which is soonest extinct , sometimes rages beyond that period . of this i could give modern proof , were it necessary . to go on ; old father le moin writes now with all the force , and spirit , and pleasantness of . and a gentleman of our own country , has the same happiness . now those that can entertain others , are never ill entertain'd themselves . phil. one swallow makes no summer . one had need have a body and soul made on purpose , to do these things you talk of . i am sure it is otherwise with the generality : and since age seems a common penance imposed upon mankind , i could almost wish we had it sooner ; and that the sweet morsel of life was left for the last . eutrop. that might engage your appetite too much . what! you would be old when you are young , would you ? phil. no ; it may be i would be young after i am old . eutrop. not in this world if you please ; all old people have had their time , they were young once , let that suffice . phil. were young once ! that is in plain english they have lost the advantage ; a very comfortable reflexion ! were , serves only to trouble what we are. fuimus may make a good motto , but in life it is stark naught . eutrop. if the whole business was as bad as you represent it , there is no help for 't , therefore we should be contented . phil. under favour , therefore we should not be contented . what! is despair an argument for satisfaction ? eutrop. for patience it is , when we have other considerations to support us . besides ; are no favours valuable but those which last a man's life time ? does nothing less than an annuity , deserve thanks ? certainly we ought to be of a more acknowledging temper than this comes to ; especially where we have nothing of merit to plead . upon the whole , i conceive the consequence may be work'd another way to better advantage . phil. how so ? eutrop. why , since we can avoid old age by nothing but death ; our business is to make it as easy as may be . if you ▪ ask me which way ? my answer is , we must guard against those imperfections , to which old age is most liable . by imperfections , i mean , moral ones ; for the other are not to be fenced off . in the second place , let us consider , that age is not altogether burthen and incumbrance . there are several peculiar privileges and dignities annext to this part of life . a short view of the reason of these advantages , will help to relieve us under the decays of the body . phil. i am glad to hear it ; pray go on with your method . eutrop. to begin then with the imperfections . not that they are as unavoidable as grey-heirs ; or to be charged upon age without exception . my meaning only is , that without care people are more in danger of them when they are old , than at any other time . the first i shall mention , is a forwardness to be displeased upon little occasions ; to take things by the wrong handle ; and to put severe constructions upon words and actions . this unhappy temper may be assigned to several causes . st . old persons , may be over-suspitious of being contemn'd . long experience has taught them that the world is generally unbenevolent and narrow-spirited ; that self-love , and ill-nature , are extreamly extreamly common , and that the pleasures of too many are drawn from the misfortunes of their neighbours . these remarks confirmed by repeated instances , make no kind impression . so that when a man is conscious of his own decay , when he grows less active and agreeable , when he can neither oblige , nor punish , with the usual advantage : when this happens , he is apt to fancy younger people are more ready to divert themselves with his declension , than to pity it . this apprehension makes him interpret with rigour , conclude himself injur'd upon a remote appearance , and grow disgusted upon every ambiguity . phil. by the way , is mankind capable of such barbarity as this jealousy supposes ? can they misapply their passions at so scandalous a rate ? can they insult an unavoidable infirmity , and trample upon the venerable ruines of humane nature ? this insolence is foolish , as well as unnatural . he that acts in this manner , does but expose his own future condition , and laugh at himself before-hand . eutrop. you say well . but very ill things are often done . and those who have seen most of them , are most apprehensive . on the other side , those who are less acquainted with the vanity and vices of the world ▪ and have met with fewer disappointments , are inclin'd to a kinder opinion . phil. a very charitable ignorance ! however i think your remark not ill founded , for i have observed an unusual sweetness of temper in children . nature usually makes a very obliging discovery of her self in them . they throw themselves with entire confidence upon conversation . they act without artifice or disguise ; and believe others as kind and undesigning as themselves . but when they once understand what a sort of world they are come into : when they find that easiness of belief betrays them , and that they are losers by the openness of their carriage ; then they begin to be upon their guard , to grow cautious and reserv'd , and to stand off in jealousy and suspition . like birds that are shot at , nature grows wild by ill usage ; and neither loves , nor trusts , so much as before . eutrop. most certainly , unless care be taken . for this reason , if a man does not use to reflect upon his temper ; if he does not shake off his spleen , and check his disgusts ; if he does not strive to sweeten his blood , and refresh his generosity , his esteem of mankind will abate too fast . this humour , unless prevented , will slide into indifferency and disinclination ; and make him have a kindness for nothing but himself . and because odd discoveries , ruffles and discouragements , encrease upon him in his journey , the farther he travels , the less he will like the company . and since the world has lost his good opinion , a slender presumption will be apt to awaken his jealousy , make him suspect hard measure , and put the worst interpretation upon things . phil. may nor this forwardness to be disobliged , proceed from the infirmities of age ? the last part of life is a perpetual indisposition ; you are seldom free from the pain or the weakness of a disease . the feaver of the fit may sometimes intermit , but then your best days are short of health . such uneasy discipline is apt to make the spirits turn eager . when a man is loaden a feather is felt , and the least rub will make him complain . eutrop. i believe the difficulty of some humours may be thus accounted for . and where this reason fails , i think i could assign another . phil. what is that ? eutrop. with submission ; i 'm affraid old persons may sometimes over-rate their own sufficiency . 't is true , generally speaking , knowledge is the consequence of time , and multitude of days are fittest to teach wisdom . but this rule , like others , has its exception . for all that , people are apt to fancy their understandings move upon an ascent , and that they must grow wiser of course , as their grow older . thus they often take their improvement upon content , without examining how they came by it . as if the meer motion of the sun , or the running of an hour-glass , would do the business . now a mistake in this case makes them impatient of contradiction , and imagine themselves always in the right . to argue the point , and debate their opinions is to injure them . younger men ought to believe hard , and take authority for the last proof . to proceed . resting too much upon the privilege of their years , may be the occasion of a second imperfection ; i. e. incompliance with the innocent demands and satisfactions of those who are younger . their opinions are the standard of truth , and their desires the measure of agreeableness . this partiality of thought , this indulging their own inclinations , makes them firm to prepossession , and difficultly removed from those customs which first engaged them . the bare novelty of a thing is enough to cast it : they condemn the prudent alterations of the present age , and are too kind to the errors of the former . phil. under favour , i conceive this method scarcely defensible . 't is true , they are old when they maintain these opinions , but were they not young when they took them them up ? and why should they prefer the judgment of their own youth , to that of a later generation ? is it such an advantage to stand first upon the roll of time ? or does sense and understanding wear out the farther a line is continued ? that a succeeding age is born with the same capacity with the former , that it may use the same industry cannot be deny'd : why then should we be barr'd the privilege of our fore fathers ? why may we not pronounce upon the state of truth , upon the decency of custom , and the oeconomy of life , with the usual liberty ? is humane nature improved to the utmost , or was infallibility the gift of those before us ? if not , what harm is it to chuse for our selves ? why should we be servilely ty'd to their reason , who used the freedom of their own ? those who come last , seem to enter with advantage . they are born to the wealth of antiquity . the materials for judging are prepar'd , and the foundations of knowledge are laid to their hands ; why then may they not be allowed to enlarge the model , and beautifie the sructure ? they view in a better light than their predecessors , and have more leisure to examine , to polish and refine . besides , if the point was try'd by antiquity , antiquity would lose it . for the present age is really the oldest , and has the largest experience to plead . eutrop. if you please i 'll go on to a third misfortune incident to old age , and that is covetousness . this , i confess , looks like so great a paradox , that nothing but matter of fact could force me to believe it . i have less time to stay in the world , and less capacity to enjoy it ; therefore i must love it better than ever : what sort of reasoning is this ? to what purpose should a man grasp so hard when he can take the least hold ? why should he make himself uneasy with so ill a grace ? who could imagine that appetite should thus exceed digestion , and that the age of wisdom should make so preposterous a judgment ? if there were any just fears of poverty , or the provision was moderate , 't was something . fore-sight and frugality are good things . but alas ! covetousness in old people is often unfurnished with these excuses phil. had you thought fit , i could have liked a reason upon the cause , as well as a declamation upon the effect . eutrop. to satisfie you , i 'll give you my conjecture ; you know age is not vigorous enough for business and fatiguing . 't is no time to work up an estate in , or to repair a misadventure . a strain in an old man's fortune , like one in his limbs , is seldom out-grown . and where labour is impracticable , and recovery despaired of , parsimony has the better colour . old persons are apt to dread a misfortune more than others . they have observed how prodigality is punished , and poverty neglected : these instances hang like executions before them , and often fright them into the other extream . they are sensible their strength decays , and their infirmities encrease ; and therefore conclude their supplies should encrease too . they are best acquainted with the uncertainty of things , and the deceitfulness of persons . they know people won't do their duty out of meer good will , that observance must be purchased , and that nothing engages like interest and expectation . now the natural diffidence , and anxiousness of age , is apt to press the reasons of frugality too far , to be over-apprehensive of an accident , and guard with too much concern . their blood grows cool and dispirited ; and unless they relieve themselves by generous thinking , they 'll be in danger of falling into excessive cares , unnecessary provisions , and little management . i have now laid the hardest of the case before you . these are the worst diseases of age ; and yet not so formidable neither , but that prudence and precaution may prevent them . phil. i hope so too . however your inference from the decay of constitution , does not please me ; because , i doubt , there is something more in it than what you mentioned . eutrop. pray what do you mean ? phil. why , i 'm affraid a man may live so long till he wants spirits to maintain his reason , and to face an honourable danger . some people will undertake to bleed , or fast a man into cowardice . now if this may be done , the consequence may be untoward . for the disadvantages of age seem no less than either of these experiments . this thought has sometimes made me uneasy . for what can be more wretched than to survive the best part of our character , and close up our lives in disgrace ? eutrop. a concern so generous as yours needs not fear the event . resolution lies more in the head than in the veins . a brave mind is always impregnable . true courage is the result of reasoning . a just sense of honour , and infamy , of duty and religion , will carry us farther than all the force of mechanism . the strength of the muscles , and the ferment of the humours , are nothing to it . innocence of life , and consciousness of worth , and great expectations , will do the business alone . these ingredients make a richer cordial than youth can prepare . they warm the heart at , and seldom fail in the operation . socrates was advanced to the common period of life at his tryal . but the chilness of his blood did not make him shrink from his notions . he acted up to the height of his philosophy , and drank off his hemlock without the least concern . eleazar , a jewish scribe , was an older man than he , and yet behav'd himself with admirable fortitude under extremity of torture . ( maccab. ) st. ignatius and polycarp were martyrs after , and as fearless as lions . in military men instances of this kind are numerous ; though i don't think courage altogether so well try'd in a field , as at a stake . phil. the reason of your opinion . eutrop. because in a battle , the encouraging musick , the examples of resolution , the universal tumult , will scarcely give a man leave or leisure to be a coward . besides , the hopes of escaping are no ordinary support . of this we have a famous instance in mareschal biron . no person living could be braver in the field than he. and when he was afterwards tryed for treason , his spirit seem'd rather too big than otherwise . he used the king roughly , and out-raged his judges , and appear'd fortified at a wonderful rate . but when death came near him , and he saw the blow was not to be avoided , he sunk into abjection ; and dyed much to the disadvantage of his character . now as to outward appearance , the case of martyrdom is the same with that of the duke of biron's , and oftentimes much harder . here is the certainty of death , the terror of the execution , and the ignominy of the punishment . and besides all this , leisure and cool thoughts to contemplate the melancholy scene . in earnest , these are all trying circumstances , and make the disparity of the proof very visible . phil. i can't deny what you say . but tho' a soldier can't distinguish himself so well as a martyr , he may do enough to shew himself no coward . if you please , let us have an instance or two from the camp , to the point in hand . eutrop. that you may a hundred , were it necessary . i shall mention a few . to come to our own times . the basha of buda , when it was last taken , was upwards of . but this did not hinder him from any military function : like aetna , he was snow a top , but all fire within , for after a noble defence he dy'd fighting upon the breach . the late prince of conde , the duke of luxemburgh , and mareschal schombergh , were old generals . for all that , upon occasion , they would charge at the head of the army with all the heat and forwardness of the youngest cavalier . in short , courage is at no time impracticable . providence has dealt more liberally with mankind , than to make any action necessary , which is mean. phil. i am glad to hear it ; you have reconciled me to age much better than i was before . to deal freely , cowardise makes a man so insignificant , and betrays him to such wretched practises , that i dreaded the thoughts of it . if you please now , let 's go on to the privileges of honour , and examine how the claim is made out . eutrop. that age has a peculiar right to regard , is past dispute : nature teaches it , religion enjoins it , and custom has made it good . and in my opinion , the reasons of the privilege are very satisfactory . for first , old age is most remarkable for knowledge and wisdom . when we first come into the world , we are unimproved in both parts of our nature : neither our limbs , nor understandings , are born at their full length , but grow up to their stature by gradual advances . — phil. so much the better : for if we were infants in our bodies , and men in our souls , at the same time , we should not like it . the weakness , the restraints , the entertainment , and the discipline of the first years , would relish but indifferently : a spirit of age could hardly bear such usage . methinks i should be loath to transmigrate into a child , or lie in a cradle , with those few things i have in my head. eutrop. you are safe enough . but to return : for the reasons above-mentioned ; those who have had the longest time to furnish and improve in , must be the wisest people : i mean , generally speaking , where care and other advantages are equal . men of years have seen greater variety of events ; have more opportunities of remarking humours and interests . who then can be so proper to draw the model of practise , and strike out the lines of business and conversation ? the history of themselves is not unserviceable . the revolutions at home will open the scene in a great measure . thus they may trace their actions to the first exercises of reason . this will shew them the distinctions of life , and the complexion of every period : how novelty pleases , and inclinations vary with the progress of age. and thus with some regard to the diversities of circumstance ; with some allowance for custom and government , for fortune and education , for sex and temper ; they may give probable guesses at the workings of humane nature : they may reach the meaning , and enterpret the behaviour , and calculate the passions of those they converse with . these lights will almost force a prospect into the heart , and bring the thoughts into view . this advantage is of great use , it helps us to discover , and to please ; it directs us in our application , and often prevents us from doing , or receiving an injury . farther ; old persons have the best opportunities for reviewing their opinions , and bringing their thoughts to a second test. for trying what they took upon trust , and correcting the errors of education . and thus their judgment becomes more exact : they may know more things , and know them better , and more usefully than others . this will appear farther by considering a second advantage of old age ; and that is , freedom from violent passions . this advantage is partly the effect of conviction and experience . the danger is consider'd better , and the indecency more discover'd than formerly . the constitution likewise contributes its share . the current of the blood moves more gently , and the heat of the spirits abate . this change makes the mind more absolute , and the counsels of reason better regarded . the object and the faculty are easier parted . and thus the excesses of anger and desire grow less intemperate . whereas younger people , as they are apt to contrive amiss , so they often fail in the execution . their prospect is too short for the one , and their passions too strong for the other . either they are impatient to wait , or pursue too far , or divert too soon : and thus the design often miscarries . but age views the undertaking on all sides , and makes fewer omissions in the scheme : it computes more exactly upon hopes and fears , and weighs difficulty and success with better judgment . now men have temper to stay for the ripeness of things ; they don't over-drive their business , nor fly off to unseasonable pleasure . they can attend with patience , and hold on with constancy . in short , this is the time in which the mind is most discerning and dispassionate ; furnished with the best materials for wisdom , and best disposed to use them . for these reasons men of years have generally been thought the most proper to preside in councils , and to have the direction of affairs . aristotle , as i remember , observes , that odds in understanding seems to give a natural right to command . corporal force is a ministerial talent , and ought to be under government . if this privilege needed prescription ; we have all the advantage of time and place . age has set at the helm so long , that the name of office and authority is derived from thence ; witness the jewish elders , the spartan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the roman senate , and the saxon aldermen . not , but that younger people were sometimes join'd in the commission . this favour was sometimes earlier bestowed , either as a reward to extraordinary merit , or indulged to quality , for discipline and improvement . matters of moment especially should be managed with conduct and temper ; brought under the best regulation ; and put into the wisest hands . 't is true , order and right must not be disturb'd ; but where there is liberty to chuse , age has the clearest pretences , and stands fairest for the honour . there is a great deference due to the judgment of years ; their bare affirmation and authority should have its weight ; especially when they pronounce upon their own experience and employment . here the incompliance of our reason ought to be suspected , and nothing but evidence should make us dissent . ly . old persons deserve a more than ordinary regard , because their performances are supposed to have been more than ordinary : when nothing to the contrary appears , justice as well as charity will report kindly , and conclude in favour of another . in such cases we should presume people have understood their opportunities , and managed their talent , and their time to advantage . upon this equitable supposition 't will follow , that those who have lived longest , have done most good. and is it not reasonable that returns and benefits should keep a proportion ; and that those who have obliged most , should receive the fairest acknowledgment ? old persons have been upon duty a great while , and served the publick upon many occasions . they are the veterans of the state , and should be particularly consider'd . the reasons of order and discipline , and merit , require no less . and since power must be kept in a few hands : since property won't reach a general distribution ; since they can't be all gratified with offices and estates , let them be paid with honour . methinks their very infirmities look not unhandsomly . they carry something of dignity in them , when well understood . they are not to be wholly attributed to the force of time : but partly to their generous labours , to that constant fatigue of business , to that expence of thought and spirits , for the publick advantage . let not the alterations in their person be meerly thrown upon age , and resolved into decay . let 's rather consider them as honourable scars , marks of hardship and repeated action , in the service of their country . under this notion they 'll shine upon the understanding , and move more for respect than pity . i might now assign a reason of a lower kind to the same purpose . and that is , meer decency and breeding , and good nature , should make us respectful to age. an old man must shortly take his final leave , and imbark for a foreign country ; and therefore should be treated with the ceremony of a departing friend . we should do something to shew that we are loath to lose him , and wish him happy in his removal . besides , something of regard is due to his condition : we should divert the sense of his declension , support his spirits by observance , and keep him easy by obliging behaviour . phil. i confess , i think you have done some justice to age : you have proved its privileges , and settled the preference , upon grounds not unsatisfactory . but supposing the young people should not do us right , can't we relieve our selves without standing to their courtesy ? eutrop. yes ; there are two things will do us a kindness . first we may consider , that the declensions of age are commonly very gradual . like the shadow of a dial , the motion is too slow for the eye to take notice of . could the decays in us be mark'd through all their progress , life would be more uneasy . but a man looks at night , as he did in the morning . he does not see that when he is past his prime ; his vigour is perpetually wearing off , that the blood grows less florid , and the spirits abate : that no day comes but pairs the strength , and cramps the motion , and tarnishes the colour , and makes us worse for service and satisfaction than we were before . but our senses are not fine enough to perceive the lessening , and so all goes tolerably well . if we were thrown out of our youth , as we are sometimes out of our fortune , all at once ; it would sensibly touch us . to go to bed at thirty , and rise with all the marks of eighty , would try one's patience pretty severely . but we walk down the hill so very gently , that the change of situation is scarcely perceiv'd , till we are near the bottom . this advantage lies ready to our hands , and wants little improvement . but the other which remains , and is the most considerable , depends upon conduct . phil. pray let 's hear it . eutrop. why , if we would enter upon age with advantage , we must take care to be regular and significant in our youth . this is the way to make both the mind and the body more easy . i say the body , for intemperance antedates infirmities , and doubles them . it revenges its own excesses , and plunges us sooner and deeper in the mire , than otherwise we should fall . he that would have his health hold out , must not live too fast . a man should husband his constitution , and not throw away till he has done living , if he can help it . not to provide thus far is to betray our senses , and prove false to the interest of ease and pleasure . and as to the mind , a well managed life will be of great service . such a person will be more disengag'd from the entertainments of sense , and not miss his youth so much as another . he won't be troubled with impracticable wishes , but strength and desire will fall off together . the powers of reason will improve by exercise ; and he that has govern'd a stronger appetite , will easily govern a weaker . in short , if we would be well provided we must begin betimes . habits of virtue , and handsom performances , are the best preparatives . le ts lay in a stock of good actions before-hand . these will secure our credit without , and our peace within . are the spaces of life not ill fill'd up ? is the world the better for us ? have we any ways answer'd the bounties of providence , and the dignity of our nature ? these questions well answer'd , will be a strong support to age ; they 'll keep off a great part of the weight of it ; and make a man's years sit easy upon him . the mind has a mighty influence upon the body ; and operates either way , according to the quality of reflexion . the disorders of passion or guilt , enflame a distemper , envenom a wound , and boil up the blood to a feaver . they often baffle the vertue of drugs and the prescriptions of art. on the other-hand ; when the review pleases , when we can look backward and forward with delight ; to be thus satisfied and composed , is almost a cure of it self . 't is true , a good conscience won't make a man immortal . but yet the quiet of his mind often keeps him from wearing out so fast . it smooths his passage to the other world , and makes him slide into the grave by a more gentle and insensible motion . and when the body is shaken with diseases , when it bends under time or accident , and appears just sinking into ruine ; 't is sometimes strangely supported from within . the man is prop'd up by the strength of thought ; and lives upon the chearfulness and vigour of his spirit . even vanity , when strongly impress'd , and luckily directed , will go a great way . thus epicurus in tully tells us , that the pleasure of his writings , and the hopes of his memory , abated the sharpness of his pains , and made the gout , and the stone , almost sleep upon him . phil. epicurus had a strong fancy : though i must own that pleasant retrospections , and easy thoughts , and comfortable presages , are admirable opiates : they help to asswage the anguish , and disarm the distemper ; and almost make a man despise his misery . however i 'm still a little concern'd that i must go less and less every day , and do the same things over again with abatements of satisfaction . to live only to nurse up decays , to feel pain , and wait upon diseases , is somewhat troublesom and insignificant . eutrop. pardon me there ! not insignificant , if it should happen so . to bear sickness with decency , is a noble instance of fortitude . he that charges an enemy does not shew himself more brave , than he that grapples handsomly with a disease . to do this without abject complaints ; without rage , and expostulation , is a glorious combat . to be proof against pain , is the clearest mark of greatness : it sets a man above the dread of accidents . 't is a state of liberty and credit . he that 's thus fenced , needs not fear nor flatter any thing . he that distinguishes himself upon these occasions , and keeps up the superiority of his mind , is a conqueror , though he dyes for 't ; and rides in triumph into the other world. and when we are engag'd in these honourable exercises , and proving the most formidable evils to be tolerable ; are we insignificant all this while ? thus to teach resignation and greatness , and appear in the heights of passive glory , is , i hope , to live to some purpose . other performances , i grant , are more agreeable ; but possibly none more useful . besides every one has not this tryal . sometimes the senses are worn up , and the materials for pain are spent , and the body is grown uncapable of being pleased , or troubled in any great degree . to relieve you a little farther ; give me leave to add , that the more we sink into the infirmities of age , the nearer we are to immortal youth . all people are young in the other world. that state is an eternal spring , ever fresh and flourishing . now to pass from midnight into noon on the sudden : to be decrepid one minute , and all spirit and activity the next , must be an entertaining change. call you this dying ? the abuse of language ! to fly thus swiftly from one extream to another ; to have life flow in like a torrent , at the lowest ebb , and fill all the chanels at once ; this must be a service to the case in hand . for this reason old people will go off with advantage . at their first arrival they seem likely to bemore sensible of the difference . they seem better prepar'd to relish liberty , and vigour , and indolence , than others . the hardship of their former condition rewards its own trouble . it burnishes their happiness , and awakens the mind to take hold of it . health after sickness , and plenty upon poverty , gives double pleasure . in short , philebus to be affraid of growing old , is to be affraid of growing wise , and being immortal . as if we could be happy too soon ! pray what is there in this world to make us fond of ? none yet were ever fully pleased with it . if the the publick interest was generally pursued , and men did their best to make each other happy , it would not do . our ideas of satisfaction can meet with nothing to answer them . and as long as fancy out-shines nature , and thoughts are too big for things , we shall always be craving . i could draw up a scheme of happiness , if i could have it as easily , that should mortifie the most fortunate ambition ; kill alexander with envy , and make caesar pine away at his own littleness and do we imagine god would make an appetite without an object ? must we be always wishing for impossibilities , and languish after an everlasting nothing ? no , philebus , the being of happiness is more than a dream . there are entertainments which will carry up to desire , and fill up all the vacancies of the mind . but these things are not to be met with here . one would think we should be glad to go upon a farther discovery ; and that curiosity should almost carry us into the other world. happiness is sure well worth our enquiry . who would not try the most unknown paths in search of so noble an object ? who would not look into all the regions of nature ; travel over the sky , and make the tour of the universe ? and can we then be sorry to see our voyage fixt , and start back when we are just embarking ? this is to be over-fond of our native country , and to hang about life a little too meanly . phil. i thank you . i perceive my apprehensions were unreasonable . age has no such formidable aspect , as i supposed . i am now convinced , that if the other parts of life have been well managed , this will prove tolerable enough . of pleasure . that pleasure , precisely consider'd , is an advantage , must be granted by the most severe philosophy : 't is the principal intendment of nature , and the sole object of inclination . every thing good , is so far desirable . and why is it so ? because it affords a satisfaction to him that has it . the only reason why being , is better than not being ; is because of the agreeable perceptions we have in the first , which are impossible in the latter . without pleasure either in hand , or in remainder , life is no blessing , nor existence worth the owning . were i sure never to be pleased , my next business should be to unwish my self , and pray for annihilation . for if i have nothing which delights me in my being , the very sense of it must be unacceptable ; and then i had better be without it . he that can prove himself something , by no other argument than pain , will be glad to be rid of the conclusion . for the suppose that misery is preferable to not being , is , i believe , the wildest thought that ever entred the imagination . a very short fit of torture , and despair , would convince the most obstinate : now though there are degrees of happiness or misery , there is no middle between them . a man must feel one or the other . that which some philosophers call indolence , is properly a state of pleasure . for though the satisfaction may be somewhat drowsy , yet , like the first approaches of sleep , it strikes smooth and gently upon the sense . to return ; 't is pleasure , which is the last and farthest meaning of every reasonable action . 't is upon this score that the husband-man labours , and the soldier fights ; and all the hazards and difficulties of life are undergone . wealth and honour , and power , as topping as they seem , are but ministerial to satisfaction . they are supposed to furnish a man's person , and fix him in a place of advantage . they feed his appetites , and execute his will , and make him valuable in his own opinion , and in that of his neighbour's . these services they promise at least , which makes them so earnestly desired : 't is pleasure which reconciles us to pain . who would submit to the nauseousness of medicine , or the torture of the surgeon ; were it not for the satisfaction of receiving our limbs , and our health ? pleasure is pursued where it seems most renounced , and aimed at even in self-denial . all voluntary poverty , all the discipline of pennance , and the mortifications of religion , are undertaken upon this view . a good man is contented with hard usage at present , that he may take his pleasure in the other world. in short , to dispute the goodness of pleasure , is to deny experiment , and contradict sensation , which is the highest evidence . but there needs no more to be said in recommendation of pleasure . the greatest danger is , least we should value it too much . the season , the object , ahd the proportion , are all circumstances of importance : a failure in any of them spoils the entertainment . he that buys his satisfaction at the expence of duty and discretion , is sure to over purchase . when virtue is sacrificed to appetite , repentance must follow , and that is an uneasy passion . all unwarrantable delights have an ill farewel , and destroy those that are greater . the main reason why we have restraints clap'd upon us , is because an unbounded liberty would undo us . if we examine religion , we shall find few actions forbidden , but but such as are naturally prejudicial to health , to reason , or society . the heathen philosophers , excepting some few of the cyrenaicks , and epicureans , were all agreed in the folly of forbidden pleasure . they thought the very question scandalous ; and that it was in effect to dispute , whether 't were better to be a man , or a beast . the general division of pleasure , is into that of the mind , and the other of the body . the former is the more valuable upon several accounts . i shall mention some of them . st . the causes of these satisfactions are more reputable than the other . corporeal pleasures are comparatively ignoble . they seem founded in want and imperfection . there must be something of uneasiness to introduce them , and make them welcom . when the pain of hunger is once over , eating is but a heavy entertainment . the senses are some of them so mean that they scarce relish any thing , but what they beg for . but rational delights have a better original . they spring from noble speculations , or generous actions ; from enlargements of knowledge , or instances of virtue ; from something which argues worth , and greatness , and improvement . ly . the satisfactions of the mind are more at command . a man may think of of a handsom performance , or a notion , which pleases him at his leisure . this entertainment is ready with little warning or expence . a short recollection brings it upon the stage , brightens the idea , and makes it shine as much as when 't was first stamp'd upon the memory . thoughts , take up no room . when they are right , they afford a portable pleasure . one may travel with it without any trouble , or incumbrance . the case with the body is much otherwise . here the satisfaction is more confin'd to circumstance of place , and moves in a narrower compass . we cannot have a pleasant taste or smell , unless the object and the sense , are near together . a little distance makes the delight withdraw , and vanish like a phantosm . there is no perfuming of the memory , or regaling the palate with the fancy . 't is true , we have some faint confused notices of these absent delights , but then 't is imagination , and not sense , which giveth it . i grant the eye and ear command farther , but still these have their limits . and besides , they can only reach an object present , but not make it so . whereas the mind , by a sort of natural magick , raises the ghost of a departed pleasure , and makes it appear without any dependence upon space , or time. now the almost omnipresence of an advantage , is a circumstance of value ; it gives opportunity for use and repetition , and makes it so much the more one's own . dly . intellectual delights are of a nobler kind than the other . they belong to beings of the highest order . they are the inclination of heaven , and the entertainments of the deity . now god knows the choicest ingredients of happiness ; he can command them without difficulty , and compound them to advantage . omnipotence and wisdom , will certainly furnish out the richest materials for its own contentment . 't is natural for every being to grasp at perfection , and to give it self all the satisfactions within thought and power , since therefore contemplation is the delight of the deity , we may be assured the flower and exaltation of bliss , lies in the operation of the mind . to go no higher than the standard of humanity . methinks the satisfactions of the mind are of a brighter complexion , and appear with a distinguishing greatness . there is a nothing of hurry and mistiness in them . the perceptions are all clear , and stay for perusal and admiration . the scene is dress'd up like a triumph , the fancy is illuminated , and the show marches on with dignity and state. if the senses have any advantage , it lies in the strength of the impression . but this point may be fairly disputed . when the mind is well awaken'd , and grown up to the pleasures of reason , they are strangly affecting . the luxury of thought , seems no less than that of the palate : the discovery of a great invention , may be as moving as epicurism . the entertainments of plato were as high-season'd , as those of apicius . and archimedes , by his behaviour , seems to have passed his time as pleasantly , as sardanapalus . the charms of authority , made cato aver , that old age was none of the most undiverting periods of life . and in all likelihood the victory at pharsalia , transported caesar beyond all the delights of the roman court. the senses seem not to be built strong enough for any great force of pleasure . a sudden excess of joy has sometimes prov'd mortal . 't is as dangerous as gun-powder , charge too high , and you split the barrel . it flashes too hard upon the tender organ , and stupifies more than pleases . to look upon the sun strikes us blind . thus a glorious appearance from the other world , has often over-set the best men. nature sunk under the correspondence , and was too weak to bear the lustre of the object . the body was not made to be master in this affair . this may appear from self-denial , which has a mixture of something agreeable . 't is a pleasure to refuse one . to arrest an importunate appetite , to silence the clamour of a passion ; and repel an assault upon our virtue , is a noble instance of force , a handsom proof of temper and discretion . a brave mind must be entertain'd by surveying its conquests , and being conscious of its soveraignty . and thus by frequent resistance , and generous thinking , the forbearance grows an equivalent to fruition . and that which at first was almost too big for opposition , is at last too little for notice . these satisfactions of restraint , are a fair proof of the distinction of soul and body . and that we are made up of something greater than matter and motion . for that atomes should discipline themselves at this rate , check their own agreeable progress , and clap one another under hatches ; is very unconceiveable . atomes don't use to be so cross as this comes to . pleasure , of what kind soever , is nothing but an agreement between the object and the faculty . this description well applied , will give us the true height of our selves , and tell us what size we are of . if little things will please us , we may conclude we are none of the biggest people . children are as well known by their diversions , as their stature . those satisfactions which require capacity and understanding to relish them , which either suppose improvement , or promote it , are of the better sort . on the other side : to be pleased with gawdiness in habit , with gingles and false ornament in discourse , with antick motions and postures , is a sign that the inclinations are trifling , and the judgment vulgar and unpolish'd . there should be some what of greatness and proportion , and curiosity in things , to justifie our appetite . to be gain'd by every little pretending entertainment , does but shew our meaness . 't is some what surprising to observe how easily we are some times engag'd , and one would think , when we were least in humour . for the purpose . here 's a man that has lately buried his only son , and is embarrass'd with debts and disputes in his fortune : how comes it about that he is so airy and unconcern'd on the sudden ? no longer ago than this morning , he was extreamly sensible of his misfortune ; what has made him forget it in so short a time ? why nothing , but he is just chop'd in with a pack of dogs , who are hunting down a hare , and all opening upon the view . the man needs no more to change his passions . this noise has drown'd all his grief : he is cured and made happy extempore . and if it would last , 't was something . but alas , 't is quickly over . 't is a happiness without a fond : 't is no more than a little mantling of the spirits upon stirring : a childish exultation at the harmony of a rattle . it proceeds not from any thing rich or solid in nature : 't is meer levity of mind , which snatches him a little from his misery . the cause of the intermission is uncreditable . the entertainment is not big enough for the occasion . 't is true , the trouble is remov'd , and so far the point is gain'd . but then the satisfaction is so fantastick and feaverish , that the cure it self is an ill symptom , and almost worse than the disease . upon the whole , i think , we ought to be concern'd , that such trifles can provoke our appetite . and that we may be toss'd from one state to another , by so weak a motion . the truth is , as we manage the matter , our diversions are oftentimes more uncreditable than our troubles . however , since health is kept up , and melancholy discharg'd by these amusements , they may be tolerable enough within a rule . but to pursue them with application , to make them our profession , and boast of our skill in these little mysteries , is the way to be useless and ridiculous . a discourse of constancy in two books chiefly containing consolations against publick evils written in latin by justus lipsius, and translated into english by nathaniel wanley ... de constantia. english lipsius, justus, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing l estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse of constancy in two books chiefly containing consolations against publick evils written in latin by justus lipsius, and translated into english by nathaniel wanley ... de constantia. english lipsius, justus, - . wanley, nathaniel, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by j. redmayne, for james allestry ..., london : . reproduction of original in cambridge university library. index: p. [ ]-[ ] at end. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse of constancy , in two books . chiefly containing consolations against publick evils . written in latin by ivstvs lipsivs , and translated into english by nathaniel wanley , m. a. london , printed by i. redmayne , for iames allestry , at the sign of the rose and crown in st. pauls church-yard . . to his very worthy friend iohn harewell in the middle temple esquire . as soon as my spare houres were delivered of this birth ; i resolved it should be yours . not that you cannot converse with lipsius when you please , without the help of an interpreter : nor that i pretend by so slight a present as this , to discount with him ; who ha's ever been ready to perform me all the best offices that can be expected from a generous and disinterested friendship . but , to speak truth , i have done it in a kind of tenderness to my self : i know you will look upon my prefixing your name to this essay with other eyes than some others would ; and will interpret that to be the fruit of a well-meaning affection ; which perhaps they would have called the bold effects of an unpardonable presumption . being also conscious to my self , in what manner i have humbled that mighty genius , which moves it self ( with a peculiar and happy elegancy as well as reason ) throughout almost every page of our authour , by the cheap and base allay i have brought unto it : i determined to appease his manes , and make him some amends at least by the choice of such a patronage as possibly himself would not have refused : i am sure i do not flatter you , when i say you are none of those degenerate brittains , whom gildas their own country-man calls aetatis atramentum ; but such a one as lipsius himself dothelse where describe . — in quo , veteris vestigia recti et mores , video , ductos meliore metallo . in whom the prints of ancient worth appear , and the choice draughts of manners are as clear . go on sir , and as you have hither to very happily avoided those rocks , whereupon some others ( in an age like yours , and through the dangerous allurements of a fortune at command ) have fatally split themselves : so let every new accession of years , bring along with it such improvements , as may force us to acknowledge , that you have more than acquitted your self of all that your youth had so liberally promised . these are such wishes as he shall ever be prone to ; who is coventry , octob. . sir , your most obliged friend and servant , n. wanley . to the noble and magnifique consuls , and to the senate and people of antwerp . these books of constancy , which i both began and finished in the midst of the troubles of my country , i thought meet to dedicate , and devote to you ; the great senatours of so great a city . your dignity , prudence , and virtue , were the motives to it ; together with that humanity of yours which i have often experienced , and which is peculiar to you ; towards all that are good and learned . you will not i suppose disdain the gift ; which though small in it self , will derive a kind of value from the mind of the donour : seeing i have given you the very best , and greatest of such things , as my scholastical stores would at this time afford . to conclude , possibly the novelty of it may some way recommend it . for ( if i am not mistaken ) i am the first , who have attempted the opening , and clearing of this way of wisdom , so long recluded , and overgrown with thorns ; which certainly is such , as ( inconjunction with the holy scriptures ) will lead us to tranquility , and peace . for my own part , i wanted not a desire , to render my thankful acknowledgments to you ; and to contribute to the profit of others ; if i have not had the ability , it is but reasonable , that you should be as equal to me , as i am to the great god ; who i know hath not given all things to any one . farewell . ivstvs lipsivs to the reader , touching the design and end of this treatise . reader , i am not ignorant of those new judgments and censures i am likely to undergo in this new way of writing : partly , from such as will be surprized with the unexpected profession of wisdom from him , whom they believed had only been conversant in the more pleasing and delightful studies ; and partly from such as will despise and undervalue all that can be said in these matters , after what the ancients have written . to both these ; it is for my concern , and no less for thine , that i should briefly reply . the first sort of persons seem to me to miscarry in two most different respects : in their care , and their carelesness . in the former that they assume to themselves a liberty of enquiring into the actions and studies of others : in the latter , that their enquiries are yet so overly and superficial . for ( that i may give them an account of me ) the hills and springs of the muses did never so intirely possess me ; as that i should not find frequent opportunities to turn back my eyes and mind upon that severer deity : i mean philosophy . the studies of which ( even from my childhood ) were so pleasing to me , that in this youthful kind of ardour i seemed to offend , and to stand in need of the bridle of restraint my tutors at ubich know how all those kind of books , were as it were forced out of my hands together with those writings and commentaries which i had laboriously composed out of all the best ranks of interpreters . nor certainly did i after ward degenerate ; for i know that in all the course of my studies ; if not in an exact and straight line , yet at least in the flexure , i have tended towards this mark of wisdom . not after the rate of most here that deal in philosophy : who doting upon some thorny subtilties , or snares of questions , do nothing else but weave and unweave them with a kind of subtile thread of disputations . they rest in words , and some little fallacies ; and wear away their dayes in the porch of philosophy , but never visit its more retired apartments . they use it as a divertisement , not as a remedy , and turn the most serious instrument of life , into a sportage with trifles : who amongst them seeks after the improvement of his manners , the moderation of his affections ; or designs a just end and measure for his fears or hopes . yes , they suppose that wisdome is so little concerned in these things , that they think they do nothing , or nothing to the purpose that look after them , and therefore if you consider of their life , and sentiments , amongst the vulgar themselves you shall find nothing more foul than the one , nor more foolish than the other . for as wine ( though nothing is more wholsome ) is yet to some no better than poyson : so is phylosophy to them that abuse it . but my mind was otherwise ; who always steering my ship , from these quick sands of subtilties , have directed all my endeavours to attain that one haven of a peaceable and quiet mind . of which study of mine ; i mean these books as the first and undeceivable instance . but say some others , these things have been more fully and better treated of by the ancients . as to some of them i eonfess it : as to all i deny it . should i write any thing of manners or the affections after seneca and the divine epictetus : i should have ( my self being judge ) as little discretion as modesty : but if such things as they have not so much as touched upon , nor any other of the ancients ( for i dare confidently affirm it ) then why do they despise it , or why do they carp at it ? i have sought out consolations against publick evils : who has done it before me ? whether they look upon the matter , or the method ; they must confess they are indebted to me for both : and for the words themselves ( let me say it ) we have no such penury , as to oblige us to become suppliants to any man. to conclude , let them understand i have written many other things for others ; but this book chiefly for my self ; the former for fame , but this for profit . that which one heretofore said bravely and acutely ; the same i now truly proclaim . to me a few readers are enough , one is enough , none is enough . all that i desire is , that whosoever opens this book , may bring with him a disposition to profit , and also to pardon . that if possibly i have any where slipt ( especially when i endeavour to climb those steep places of providence , iustice and fate ) they would pardon me . for certainly , i have no where erredout of malice and obstinacy : but rather through humane ignorance and infirmity . to conclude , i desire to be informed by them , and i promise that no man shall be so ready to convince ; as i to correct . the other frailties of my nature , i neither dissemble nor extenuate ; but obstinacy and the study of contention , i do heartily pray i may never be guilty of , and i do detest it . god send thee good health , my reader ; which i wish may be in part to thee through this book . a discourse of constancy . book i. chap. i. the preface and introduction , a complaint of the troubles of belgia . some few years since travelling towards vienna in austria ; not vvithout a signal providence , i turned aside to the city of liege ; which as it was not much out of my vvay : so i had some friends there , whom both custom and affection did oblige me to salute . amongst these vvas charles langius ( to say nothing but vvhat is truth ) the very best and most learned man of all the belgians , i vvas receiv'd by him at his own house ; vvhere he sweetned my entertainment , not only by the expresses of a civil and friendly respect ; but also by such kind of discourses ; as i shall doubtless find advantageous to me , during the remainders of my life . this , this i say vvas the man , vvho by the dissipation of some mists of vulgar opinions , vvas the first that open'd my eyes ; and shew'd me the vvay , vvhereby without intricacy i might active at those desireable places , vvhich lucretius calls the high-rais'd temples which the vvise by learning make to top the skies . for one hot afternoon ( as being towards the end of iune ) vvhile vve vvalk'd in the court before his house : in very obliging termes he ask'd me concerning my journey , and the reasons that had mov'd me to it . after i had spoken many things vvith equal freedom and truth , concerning the troubles of belgia : i told him at last , that howsoever i had pretended another ; yet this vvas the very reason of my departure . for vvho , o langius said i , is there to be found of so flinty and hard a heart ; as longer to endure these evils ? we are toss'd as you see , for so many years together in the stormes of a civil war : and are vvhirl'd up and down in a tempestuous sea vvith the different winds of trouble and sedition . doth my temper incline me to ease and quiet ? the hoarce accents of trumpets , and the clashings of armes , do speedily interrupt me . do i seek my divertisements in the country or gardens ? the souldier and swash-buckler soon fright me into the city . and therefore , o langius , leaving this infested and unfortunate belgia ( pardon me o thou genius of my country ) i am resolv'd ( as he saies ) to shift my habitation ; and to fly into any part of the earth , where i may neither hear of the name or actions of this race of pelops . langius admiring and somewhat mov'd ; is it true then lipsius , saies he , that you will needs depart from us ? either from you or most undoubtedly from this life , reply'd i. for what sanctuary is there from these evils , but only in the flight of them ? for to behold them and endure them daily i am not able langius , as being one whose heart you may be sure is not composed of adamant . langius sigh'd at this discourse ; and feeble young man said he , what kind of delicacy is this ? or what may be thy meaning to seek for safety by flight ? i acknowledge your country is full of trouble and turmoile ; but vvhat part of europe is that which is at this day free ? insomuch as you may truly praesage according to that of aristophanes , things that are high with awfull frown high-thundring jove will tumble down . and therefore not so much our country ( lipsius ) as our passions are to be fled : and this mind of ours is to be so fram'd and establish'd , as that vve may find repose in the midst of troubles , and peace in the midst of warrs . they are rather to be fled , langius , ( reply'd i with an ardour youthfull enough ) for certainly those evils that vve hear of , do more lightly affect us , than those vve behold : and withall our selves ( as they say ) are out of gun-shot and the dust of this contention . do you not hear how craftily homer advises ? get out o' th compass of the arrows flight , lest a new wound upon the former light . chap ii. that travaile availes not against those diseases which are within us . it is rather a symptome than a cure : unless in some first and light motion of the affections . yes i hear him , said langius , vvith a kind of nod : but i had rather you would hear the voice of wisdom and reason . for those clouds and mists vvhich enwrap you lipsius , are ingendered by the vapours of opinion . and therefore in this case ( as diogenes saies ) you have more need of reason than a rope : i mean such a ray as may enlighten the darkness of your understanding . you are about to leave your country , but tell me seriously , vvhen you forsake it , can you also forsake your self ? take heed lest you experience the contrary ; and carry with you even in that bosome of yours , the source and fountain of all your evils . as those who are sick of a feaver do continually toss and tumble , and shift their beds , with a vain hope of finding some ease thereby : in the same manner it is vvith us , who do in vain pass from one climate to another ; vvhile the sickness is in our minds . for this is to manifest , not to remove the disease : to make a discovery of this internal heat ; but not at all to asswage it . the wise roman speaks excellently vvell . 't is the property of the sick not to endure any thing long : and to make use of change it self , instead of a remedy . hence are those straggling peregrinations , and those wandring voyages upon the shores undertaken : now by land , and anon by sea ; vvith a levity that is ever disgusted vvith vvhatsoever is present . you do therefore rather fly than escape troubles , after the manner of that hind in virgil vvhich ( while unwary she at distance feeds among the craetan woods and nothing beeds ) some shepherds arrow strikes ; away she hyes , and through dictaean woods and groves she flies : but all in vain ; for as the same poet addes . — the fatall reed sticks in her side , for all her speed . 't is thus with you , who being invvardly smitten vvith this dart of passion ; do not by travell shake it out : but rather carry it elsewhere . he that ha's broke an arm or leg does not use to call for a horse or coach , but for a chirurgion : what kind of vanitie then is that of yours ; that causes you to seek the cure of an inward vvound , by motion and gadding up and down ? for certainly it is the mind vvhich is sick ; and all this outward vveakness , despair and langour , arises from this one fountain , that it languishes and is cast down . that princely and diviner part hath cast away the scepter ; and hath humbled it self to that degree of baseness ; as to become a voluntary slave to its own vassailes . tell me now in this case ; vvhat advantage is to be hop'd for , from place or motion ? unless possibly there is any such region , vvhich can temper our fears , or bridle our hopes ; or make us discharge our selves again of that filthy matter of vices , vvhich we have so liberally taken down . but there is alass no such , no not in the fortunate islands themselves ; or if there be , be so kind as to shew us it , and vve vvill all embody and forthvvith march thither . you vvill say that very motion , and change of place it self hath that force ; and that those daily sights , that variety of customes men and places , vvhich vve meet vvith in travell ; doth recreate and rouse afresh the dejected mind . you are deceiv'd lipsius , for ( to speak seriously and as the matter doth require ) i do not so far forth depress travail as to grant it no kind of povver over man , and his affections . yes , let it be yielded that it hath , but hitherto only , that it may possibly remove some lighter taedium ; or as it vvere loathings of the mind : but as for the diseases of it , they have lodg'd themselves so deep therein , as to mock the virtues of any external medicines . musick , wine , sleep have frequently cur'd those first and lesser motions of anger , grief , or love : but never the disease , vvhen once it hath been fix'd and hath fastned its roots deep . the case is the same here ; travail vvill possibly heal some lighter languors , but it can never cure the true ones . for those first motions vvhich do arise from the body , do after a sort still remain in the body ; or at most ( if i may say so ) in the superficies of the mind : and therefore it is no marvail , if some lesser spunge be able to vvipe them out . but it is not so vvith those inveterate affections ; vvhich have their seat , yea throne in the very soul of the mind . when therefore you have gone far , and spent much time in travail , vvhen you have circled both sea and land : yet no seas vvill suffice to vvash them out , nor any earth to overvvhelme them . they vvill follovv you , and vvhether on foot or on horse-back , that i may use the phrase of the poet ; these black cares vvill sit behind you . when socrates vvas ask'd by one vvhat might be the reason that he had no better accomplish'd himself by travail : he answer'd him pertinently ; because said he you did not travail from your self . somewhat like unto this i shall now say : even vv●ithersoever you shall betake your self ; you vvill have in your company a corrupted and a corrupting mind ; none of the most desireable associates . i wish it an associate only , but i fear it may prove a leader : for your affections vvill not so much follow you ; as they vvill dragg you after them . chap. iii. that the true diseases of the mind are not removed by travail ; but are thereby the more exasperated . that it is the mind which is sick ; a remedy for which is to be sought for from vvisdom and constancy . you vvill say then : doth not travail call us away from those truer evils ? vvill not the prospect of fields , rivers , and mountains place us beyond the sense of our grief ? they may possibly call you off ; and place you beyond : but neither for any time not vvith any firmness . as the eye is not long delighted with a picture how excellent soever : so all that varietic of men and places , may affect us vvith the novelty ; but it vvill not last long . this is indeed a kind of vvandring from evils ; but not the flight of them : nor is it in the power of travail to break ; all it can do is to lengthen , this chain of our griefs . what advantage is it to me for a vvhile to behold the light , and then forthvvith to pass into some comfortless dungeon ? such is the case ; and verily the vvhole body of these outward pleasures do lie in ambush for the soul ; and hurt us the more securely , vvhile they pretend to assist us . as the vveaker sort of medicines do rather exasperate than draw forth the peccant humour : so this vain complacencie doth encrease and svvell the tide of these desires in us . for the mind doth not long vvander from it self ; but by and by how unvvilling soever is compell'd to return home , unto its old familiaritie vvith evils . those very cities and mountains vvhich you go to see ; vvill reduce to your thoughts the memory of your country : and in the midst of all your delights ; you vvill either see or hear of something , vvhich vvill unclose afresh the vvounds of your griefes : or if possibly you may rest avvhile ; it vvill prove but like to one of those shorter slumbers ; that leave the avvaked party , in the same or a greater feaver . for there are a sort of desires which being interrupted do increase the more : and are sensibly the stronger for having had vacations . away then lipsius vvith these vain yea dangerous experiments ; more like to poysons than remedies : and betake your self to those , vvhich how severe soever , are yet the true ones . are you about to change your soile and climb ? o rather let it be your mind : vvhich you have unhappily withdrawn from the obedience of right reason : for no other purpose than to make it a slave to your affections . the unsound temper of that is the root of this despair ; and thence are your languors because that is corrupted . it behoves you then rather to endeavour a change of that , than of the place ; and to strive not so much to be else where , as to be another . you long now to see the fruitfull austria , the loyal and stout vienna , that king of rivers the danubius , and those other rare and strange things vvhich men so delightfully listen to the relations of . but hovv much better were it for you , if you had the same ardour and eagerness after wisdome ? if you vvould foot it in those fertil fields ; if you would search out the springs of humane perturbations ; in fine , if you vvould erect such bulvvarks and forts ; as might render you impregnable to all the storms and assaults of such desires as are illegitimate ? for these are the grand remedies for your disease ; and every thing besides are but as lint and lavatory . your departure vvill nothing help you ; it vvill be small advantage to you that you have escap'd to many graecian cities , and through squadrons of arm'd ships get safe to land. you vvill find an enemy vvithin your self ; and claying his hand on my brest ) in that so private an apartment . what matter is it how peaceable those places are to which you shall arrive : so long as you carry a war along vvith you ? or how quiet ? when troubles not only surround you ; but are got vvithin you . for this disagreeing mind of ours , vvill ever be piquering vvith it self : desiring and flying ; hoping and desparing . and as those flying cowards do most of all expose themselves to danger ; that discover their unarmed backs to their enemies : so those errants and fresh-vvater souldiers also do : vvho as yet did never maintain a fight vvith their affections but alwayes fled before them . but thou young man , if thou vvilt hearken unto me , shalt stand , and fortifie thy self against this enemie of grief . for above all things it is constancy you stand in need off : and there are some vvho have commenced conquerours by fighting , but not a single person by flying . chap. iv. the definitions of constancy ; patience ; right reason and opinion : the difference betwixt obstinacy and constancy , and betwixt patience and stupidity . somewhat rais'd vvith this discourse of langius , there is much of noble and gallant ( said i ) in these advices of yours : and now am i endeavouring to raise up my self and stand : but to as little purpose as persons that attempt the same thing in their sleeps . for not to dissemble , langius , i tumble back into my former seat ; and as vvell publick as private cares stick fast in my perplexed mind . drive from me ( if it is possible ) these vultures vvhich are continually pecking , and take from me these ligatures of anxiety vvith vvhich i feel my self bound unto this caucasus . i shall doubtless take them away reply'd he , and as another hercules , set at liberty this prometheus : do you only attend and consider . i did before invite you to constancy , lipsius , and it is in that i have placed the hope and sanctuary of all your safety . this therefore in the first place is to be understood by us . now by constancy i here understand ; an upright unmoved strength of the mind ; neither elevated nor depress'd by external or accidental occurrences . i said a strength , and i thereby understand such a firmness as is begot in the mind , not by opinion , but by judgement and right reason . for above all things i would exclude from hence pervicaciousness ( or vvhether i may better call it pertinaciousness ) vvhich it self is the strength of an obedient mind , but such only as is engender'd by the vvind of pride and vain glory ; and is but in one part of it only . for those pervicacious persons though they are not ( swollen as they are ) easily to be depress'd : yet a light matter doth lift them up . not unlike unto a bladder vvhich being fill'd vvith vvind vvill not sink vvithout difficulty ; but appears aloft , and bounds upon the water of its own accord . such is the flatulent hardness of these men ; vvhich as i said arises from pride , and too high an estimate of self , and by consequence from opinion . but the true mother of constancy , is patience and lowliness of the mind ; vvhich i define ; a voluntary and complaintlesse endurance of all those things whatsoever they be , that fall out to , or fall upon a man from elsewhere . which being taken up , upon the actount of right reason , is that only root , from vvhence the height of this excellent oak-like strength doth vvear it self . for here also it is requisite that you should be heedfull , lest opinion should impose upon you , vvhich frequently in the room of patience doth subrogate a kind of abject and stupid temper of the mind ; a very vice , and vvhich arises from too low an estimate of our selves . as for virtue she ever marches in the middle path , and is cautiously heedfull lest there should be any thing of excess or defect in any of her actions . for still she directs her self by the ballance of right reason , and hath that alone for the rule and square of her test. now this right reason is nothing else but , a true apprehension and judgement of humane and divine matters , as farr as they appertain to us : contrary hereunto is opinion vvhich is a futile and fallacious judgement concerning the same things . chap. v. the originals of reason and opinion . the power and effects of each . that leads to constancy ; this to levity . but forasmuch as from this double spring ( i mean of reason and opinion ) doth arise not only the strength or vveakness of the mind : but also every of those things for vvhich vve are accounted praise-worthy , or reproveable amongst men : i suppose i shall not do amiss , if i go about a little more copiously to discourse of the original and nature of them both . for as wools must have a previous tincture and preparation by some other juices ; before they are capable of receiving as they should that last and more excellent colour they are intended for : after the same manner , lipsius , your mind is to be prepared by a preceding discourse ; before i shall be able ( as i vvould ) to dye it in the last purple of constancy . there are therefore ( as you vvell know ) two parts in man , soul and body : the one more noble as resembling spirit and office ; the other is more base as it respects the earth : these two are joyn'd together , yet vvith a kind of disagreeing concord , nor do they easily accord vvith one another , especially in those matters wherein soveraignty , or subserviency is concern'd . for both have a desire to sway ; but that especially that ought not . earth strives to advance it self above its own fire ; and clodds are ambitious to get above the clouds . from hence are those broils and troubles in a man ; and as it vvere a continual fight , betwixt two parties that are alvvayes skirmishing vvith each other . the chief leaders , and as it vvere generalls unto these are reason and opinion . the one is for the soul and warres therein ; the other is for the body , and in the body it fights . reason derives its pedigree from heaven ; yea from god himself , and very highly doth seneca extoll it , as a part of the divine spirit infused into man. for this is that most excellent faculty of understanding and judging , vvhich is no less the perfection of the soul , than the soul it self is the perfection of the man. the greeks call it the mind , and so the latines , or else the mind of the soul. for ( that you be not mistaken ) the vvhole soul is not right reason ; but that only therein vvhich is simple , uniform , unmixed , sever'd from all lees and dreggs , and ( in a vvord ) that vvhich is in it of sublime and coelestial . for the soul it self ( howsoever it is lamentably corrupted and infected , vvith the stain of the body , and the contagion of the senses ) doth yet invvardly retain some certain footsteps of its original : and there are in it ( very clearly discernible ) some sparkling remainders of that first and purer fire . hence are those stings of conscience even in the vvorst and most profligate persons : hence are those invvard scourges and gnawings ; and hence is that approbation of a better life , vvhich is frequently extorted from them , though not vvithout a reluctancy in themselves . for that sound and holyer part vvithin us , may possibly for a time be suppressed , oppressed it cannot . and that burning flame may be cover'd ; but cannot be extinguished . for those little fires do alwayes shine forth , and sparkle out , to enlighten us amongst these shades , cleanse us from these stains ; guide us in our vvandrings ; and to shew us the vvay to constancy and virtue . as the heliotrope and some other flowers do by a natural instinct bend towards the sun : so doth reason turn it self to god and the original of its self . firm and immoveable in vvhat is good , one and the same in its censures ; ever desiring or flying one and the same thing , the very source and fountain of right councel and sound judgement . to obey this is no less than to command , and to be subject here is to svvay the scepter of the universe . who ever hearkens unto this hath already subjugated the rebellious desires and motions of the mind : and he shall never be wildred in the labyrinths of this life , vvho remits himself to the guideance of this theseian clevv . god himself by this his image comes unto us ( nay vvhich is yet more ) into us . but that baser and unsounder part ( i mean opinion ) it owes its original to the body ( that is to say ) to earth , and therefore savours nothing besides it . for the body howsoever it is immoveable and senseless of it self ; yet it derives both life and motion from the soul ; and on the other side presents to the soul , the images of things through the windowes of the senses . thus there is a kind of communion and society cemented betwixt the soul and the body : but such a communion , as if vve attend the event , proves unfortunate to the soul. for through this it is that the soul , by almost insensible degrees , is led from the nobler place of its residence , becomes addicted to and is mingled vvith the senses , and from this impure mixture , is the birth of opinion ; vvhich is no other than a vain shaddow , and resemblance of reason . the true seat of it is sense , the parent , earth ; and therefore abject and base as it is , it advances not it self , it aspires not , nor so much as regards any thing that is lofty and aetherial . it is ever vain , uncertain , deceitfull , ill-advising , and as perversly judging : and that vvhich it chiefly aimes at , is at once to deprive the soul of constancy and truth . it languishes for this thing to day , and on the morrow despises it , this it approves and this it condemnes ; nothing vvith judgement , but gratifying the body and indulging the senses in every thing . as the eye makes but a false measure of those things vvhich it beholds through some cloud or in the water : so doth the mind but perversly judge of vvhat it beholds through the misty mediums of opinion . this ( if you consider vvell ) is to man the mother of his evils ; and this is the author of that confused and perturbed life vvithin us . that cares do disquiet us , it is from hence ; that the passions do distract us , it is from hence ; and if vices do reign over us , it is also from hence . and therefore as those vvho are resolv'd to abolish tyranny in any city , do first of all demolish the castle : so if vve are serious in the prosecution of a good mind , vve must subvert this citadel of opinions . for vve shall fluctuate vvith them for ever : anxious , plaintfull , discompos'd , and never ( as vve ought ) assigning vvhat is equall either to god or man. as a void and empty ship , is tossed in the sea , vvith every wind : so vvill that vagrant mind of ours be , vvhich the vveight , and ( as it vvere ) the ballast of reason hath not established . chap. vi. the praise of constancy , and a serious exhortation to pursue it . levity therefore lipsius ( as you see ) is the comrade of opinion , and the property of it is alvvayes to change and to repent . but the associate of reason is constancy ; to the putting on of vvhich i do very seriously exhort you . to vvhat purpose is it to have recourse unto things vain and external ? this is that only helena vvhich can present you vvith that true and rich nepenthe , in vvhich you may drown the memory of all your cares and griefs ; which if once you have tasted and taken down ; proof against every chance , in the same equal tenour , and not vvavering after the manner of a ballance ; you may challenge to your self that great and god-like property of immoveable . have you not observed in the scutcheons and impresses of some of the princes of this age ; that high and envy'd motto , neither by hope nor fear ? it shall be yours ; vvho being truly a king , and truly free ; shall be a subject unto god alone , exempt from the bondage both of affections and fortune . as there are some certain rivers which are said to pass through the middle of seas ; and yet preserve themselves intire : so you shall travel through surrounding tumults in such a manner , as not to contract any saltness from this sea of sorrowes . do you fall ? constancy will lift you up . do you stagger ? it vvill support you . shall you hasten to some pond or halter ? it vvill solace and reduce you from the very portalls of death . do you only deliver , and raise up your self : steere the course of your ship unto this haven , where peace and security dwell : in vvhich there is a refuge and a sanctuary from troubles and perplexities . whereunto ( assuredly ) if you are once arriv'd ; should your country not only totter , but fall into ruines ; your self should stand unshaken . when storms and tempests , and thunder-bolts fall about you ; yet then you shall cry out vvith as true , as loud a voice , in midst of all these vvaves i stand secure , as if upon the land. chap. vii . vvhat it is and how manifold , that opposes constancy : they are external good and evil things . those evils are twofold , publick and private ; those which are publick seem the most grievous and dangerous . when langius had spoken these things vvith a voice and air more earnest than he used : a spark of this desirable fire did seise on me also . and my father said i ( for i call you truly not feignedly so ) lead me wheresoever you please , and instruct , correct and direct me . you have a patient prepared for any method of operation vvhether you shall determine to make use of the caustick , or shall proceed to amputation . both these reply'd langius , in as much as in some places the stubble of idle opinions is to be set on fire , and elsewhere the shrubs of passions are to be grubb'd up by the very roots . but shall vve continue our vvalk ; or whether is it not better and most convenient for us to sit ? to sit reply'd i , for i begin to be hot , and that upon divers accounts : so assoon as langius had caus'd chairs to be brought into the same court , and that vve vvere both sate ; turning himself towards me , he again thus began . hitherto lipsius i have been laying the foundations vvhereupon i might safely erect my discourse : now if you vvill i shall draw a little nearer to you , enquire out the causes of your grief , and as they say , lay my finger upon they very sore . there are two things that lay battery to this fort of constancy vvithin us . false goods and false ills. both vvhich i thus define . things not within but about us and which properly do neither damage nor advantage this our inward man that is our soul . and therefore i vvill not call them good or evil ; as if they were so absolutely and simply : but only from opinion and the common mistake of the vulgar . amongst the first they ranke riches , honours , power , health , long-life . amongst the last poverty , infamy , vvant of power , diseases and deaths ; and in a vvord vvhatsoever is accidental and external . from these two stocks those four chief affections grow up in us vvhich compass and perplex the vvhole life of man. desire and joy , fear and grief . the two former of these respect some imagined good ; and thence are bred : the two last respect supposed evils . each of them do equally hurt and molest the mind : and unless care be taken to dethrone it ; though not after one and the same manner . for vvhereas the repose and constancy of the mind is placed in a kind of even and equall ballance ; they force it from this poise , the one by hoisting , and the other by depressing it . but these false goods together vvith the elation of the mind by them , i shall purposely pass over ( as not concerning your disease ) and hasten to those i call false evils ; the brigade of vvhich is also twofold : publick and private . the publick i thus define ; such as the sense of which , doth at one and the same time extend to many . the private ; such as reach but to single persons . amongst the former i reckon warrs , pestilence , famine , tyranny , slaughter , and such other things as spread abroad ; and do respect the community : amongst the latter i put grief , poverty , disgrace , death ; and what ever is enclos'd within private vvalls , and is the concernment of some particular person . it is not upon any frivolous account that i thus distinguish . forasmuch , as indeed that man mourns otherwise and in a different fashion vvho laments the calamity of his country , the exile and destruction of many ; than he vvho only sighs for his own misfortunes . add to this , that from each of these do arise different distempers , and if i mistake not , the more grievous and durable from the former . for most of us are concern'd in publick calamities ; vvhether it is that they rush upon us vvith an impetuous vehemence : or as it vvere in a form'd battalia do overwhelm the opposer , or rather that they flatter us vvith a kind of ambition , that keeps us ignorant and insensible , that through them a sickness is bred in our minds . for vvhoever he is that bows under a private grief , he must of necessity acknowledge his vice and vveakness ; although he amend it not , for vvhat excuse hath he ? but he vvho falls under this other ; so farr is he many times from the acknowledgement of his fall and fault , that he often makes it his boast , and esteems it a praise-worthy thing . for it is styl'd piety and commiseration , and there vvants but little ; that this publick feaver is not consecrated not only amongst the virtues ; but the very deities themselves . the poets and oratours do everyvvhere extoll and inculcate the servent love of our country : nor do i my self desire altogether to erase it , but to temper and moderate it ; this is all that i contend for . for assuredly it is a very vice , a disease , the very fall of the mind , and the casting of it down from its seat . but vvithall on the other side , it is a very grievous disease , inasmuch as therein there is not a single grief only , but your own and anothers confounded , and that other is also double , respecting the men , or the country . that you may the better apprehend what i have more obscurely deliver'd take this instance . you see your belgia is at this time press'd vvith more than a single calamity ; the flames of this civil vvar doth enwrap it on every side : you see on all hands that fields are vvasted and spoiled , towns are burnt and overturned ; men are taken and slain ; matrons are defiled ; virgins ravished , and vvhatsoever inhumanities use to accompany vvarr . is not here matter of grief to you ? grief indeed ; but a various and divided one ( if you consider it vvell ; inasmuch as at one and the same time , you lament your self , and your countrymen , and your country besides . in your self your losses , in your countrymen their various fortune and death , in your country , the change and overthrow of its state. here you have cause to cry out ; o miserable man that i am ! there so many of my countrymen must stand , the shock of plagues brought by a hostile hand ! and lastly elsewhere : my father ! my country ! so that he vvho is not affected vvith these things : he on whom the vvedge and vveight of so many invading evils can vvork nothing , must certainly be either a very temperate and vvise person , or exceedingly hard hearted . chap. viii . publick evils oppos'd . three affections restrain'd : and of these ; first , a certain ambitious simulation , by which men lament their own misfortunes as publick evils . what think you lipsius have i not seem'd sufficiently to prevaricate vvith my constancy , and to plead the cause of your grief ? yet i have done but as couragious and brave chieftains use ; i have dar'd out your vvhole forces into the field ; and now i mean to deal with them , in a skirmish first and then a joyned battail : in our skirmish , there are three affections ( great enemies to constancy ) vvhich at the first onset are to be thrown under foot , these are simulation , piety and pitty : i 'le begin vvith simulation . you are not able you say to endure these publick evils , that they are not only grievous to you but death it self . are you in good earnest , or vvhether is not there here some imposture and cousenage ? at this a little heated : nay said i do you ask this in earnest , or vvhether is it mockery of my grief , and on purpose to provoke me ? i am serious reply'd he , for there are not a few of this spittle of yours that impose upon their physicians , and counterfeit a publick grief vvhich yet in reality is but a private one . i demand therefore vvhether you are certain that this care , vvhich deeply rooted in your brest doth you so grievously molest , be taken up by you , upon your countryes account , or only upon your own ? what do you doubt it said i ? i mourn solely upon the account of my country , my country langius . he shaking his head as unsatisfyed ; consider of it again and again young man said he ; i shall vvonder to find in you so excellent and sincere a piety , for certainly it is to be met vvith , but in a very few . i acknowledge it is usuall for men to complain of publick evils ; nor is there any grief so common , and ( as i may so say ) that doth sooner shew it self in the forehead : but if you examine it a little more nearly ; you shall soon discover some disagreement betwixt the heart and the tongue . the calamity of my country doth affect me ; are vvords more ambitious than true : born in the lips rather than in the reines . that vvhich is reported of polus the famous actour , that vvhen he was to play such a part at athens as required to be presented vvith a remarkable passion ; he privily brought in the urne and bones of his dead son , and so fill'd the vvhole theatre vvith unfeigned lamentations and tears ; the same may be said of most of you . you play your parts in a comedy ( my friends ) and disguised in the masking face of your country ; you lament your private losses vvith the truest and most lively tears ; the vvhole world saies arbiter are employ'd in a stage-play : i am sure it is so here . this civil warr ( say they ) torments us , the shedding of innocent blood , and the decease of liberty and the laws . say ye so ? i perceive indeed your grief , i now ask and enquire of the cause of it . is it because publick matters are but in an evil case ? away vvith thy vizzard thou stage-player ; for it is because thy own concernments are so . we have often seen the rusticks tremble and throng together unto the temples , upon the approach of some sudden and unexpected calamity ; but so soon as it is over , call aside those very men ; examine them apart , and you vvill find that each of these vvas in fear only for his corn , and some little close of his own . let them cry fire , fire , in this city , and i may almost affirm that the very blind and the lame vvill run to quench it . but vvhat think you ? is it for the love of their country ? inquire of themselves i pray , and the answer vvill be because the loss , or at least the fear of it doth extend to every man in particular . it is in this case , after the very same manner : publick evils do generally afflict and disquiet men ; not because many are concern'd in those losses : but because themselves are amongst those many . chap. ix . a clearer discovery of this simulation by examples ; something ( by the way ) of our true country . of that malice in men , which occasions them to rejoyce in the evils of others , when themselves are secure . be you therefore the judge , and let this cause be pleaded before your own tribunal ; only ( as i said before ) let the disguise be taken off . as thus . do you indeed feare this warre ? you do feare it . upon what account ? because pestilence and slaughter are the companions of warre . to whom comes that pestilence ? to others indeed for the present , but it may also in time reach unto you . behold there the true source of your grief ; and ( if without the rack you will confesse the truth ) it hath no other fountain . for as when the lightning hath strook down some one ; even those also tremble who are near : so in those great and common calamities , the losse arrives unto few ; but the fear unto all . now take but that away , and together with it this grief also is removed . if warre be amongst the aethiopians or indians , you are not mov'd at all ( for you are in no danger ) but if in belgia , then you lament and take on , and deliver up your self to all the expressions of sorrow . but if you bewaile publick evills as such ; where lyes the difference ? you will say that is not my country . thou fool ! are not they also men ? of the same stock and original with they self ? under the same canopy of heaven ; and on the same globe of earth ? suppose you that this little horizon which these mountains terminate , and these rivers bound , is your country ? you are mistaken ; it is the whole world , wheresoever there are men sprung from that celestial seed . socrates of old reply'd excellently to one that ask'd him of what country he was : of the world said he . for a great and lofty mind includes not it self within the narrow limits of opinion : but in its apprehension and thought embraces this whole universe as its own . we have seen and derided the folly of such ; whose keepers have tyed them in a nooz of stravv only ; or some slender thread : and yet they have stood as if they vvere shackl'd in fetters of iron : such a kind of madnesse is this of ours : vvho by the vain bond of opinion are restrain'd to a certain part of earth . but to omit these stronger vvayes of reasoning ( in regard i fear you are not yet able to concoct them ) i shall adde this farther . suppose that some god should promise you , that during this vvar , your fields should be untouch'd ; your house and mony safe , and your self set on some mountains top , folded in one of homers clouds : vvould you grieve still ? i vvill not say it of you , but there are a sort of men , that vvould even rejoice , and greedily feed their eyes vvith the confused slaughter of dying men . what do you deny this , or seem to vvonder at it ? i tell you there is a kind of inbred malice in the disposition of mankind ; vvhich as the old poet speakes ioyes at another mans calamities . and as there are a sort of apples , vvhich to the tast are svveetly sovvre : such are other mens perplexities vvhen our selves are secure . set me but a man on such a shore of the ocean vvhere he may behold a shipvvrack , he vvill possibly be affected , but not vvithout a certain pleasing titillation of the mind ; as one that beholds other mens extremities vvithout his ovvn : but place the same man in the same endangered ship , and then hee 'l grieve ( i 'le vvarrant ye ) after another fashion . it is the same here vvhen vve have said and done all that vve can : and vve do bevvaile our ovvn miseries truly and unfeignedly ; vvhile vve lament those that are publick only to be talk'd of , or because it is a custom . excellently pindar our own misfortunes when they light they wound us very near ; but let another feel the spite our hearts are quickly clear . wherefore at the last lipsius , dravv aside this scenick tapestry , fold up this veile of the stage , and vvithout simulation , shevv us your self in the genuine countenance of your ovvn grief . chap. x. a complaint of langius his so liberall reproof . that it is the part of a philosopher . endeavours of refuting what was before said . our obligation and love to our country . this first skirmish seem'd to me somevvhat sharp , and therefore interposing , vvhat kind of liberty ( said i ) or rather , vvhat sharpness of speech is this ? you are so smart that i may vvell call unto you vvith euripides , adde not affliction to a soul distrest , i am already but too much opprest . langius smiling , and what said he do you then expect at my hands , wafers or muscadell ? it is not long since you call'd for the sharpest methods of chirurgery ; and rightly , for you hear a philosopher lipsius and not a minstrel ; vvhose design is to teach , not to entertain , to profit , and not to please . i had rather you should blush and be asham'd , than laugh : and that you should repent rather than triumph . the school of a philosopher , o yea men ( said rufus of old ) is the shop of a physician , vvhereunto men hasten for health and not for divertisement . this physician neither flatters nor smooths up any , but pierces , tents , and searches the vvound , and vvith a kind of sharp salt of speech , fcoures away that scurfe that cleaves to our minds . and therefore lipsius dream not ( no not hereafter ) of roses , pulse , and poppyes , but of thorns and poynards , of worme-wood and vinegar . but said i langius ( if i may say it ) you deal with me in an ill and malicious manner : nor do you as a skilfull vvrastler cast me upon a right lock ; but supplant me by a cheat . in a counterfeit manner ( say you ) vve lament our country . do i ? it is not so . for to grant you this ( as one that means ingeniously ) that i have therein a respect unto my self , yet not unto my self alone . for i do lament langius , i do lament my country in the first place , and i vvill lament it , although in the midst of its hazzards , there should be no danger to me . and that upon the justest grounds , for this is she vvhich hath entertain'd , foster'd , and nourish'd me ; and is according to the common sence of nations our most reverend and venerable parent . but in the mean time you assign me the whole universe as my country . who doubts it ? but yet even your self vvill confess , that besides this vast and common one , i have another more limited and peculiar country ; unto vvhich by a certain secret bond of nature i have a nearer obligation . unless you do imagine that there is no force in our being swath'd and suckl'd in that our native soil , vvhich vve have first greeted vvith this body of ours ; and first set foot upon , vvhose air vve have breath'd ; in which our infancy hath cri'd , our childhood play'd , and in vvhich our youth hath been educated and trained up . where the skies and rivers , and fields are familiar with our eyes : wherein in a continued order , are our kindred and friends , and associates : and so many other invitations unto joy ; as vve in vain hope to meet vvith in any other place of the earth . nor are these tyes ( as you seem to assert ) from the slender threads of opinion , but from the strong chains of nature it self . go to the creatures themselves and behold the vvildest among them do love and own the places vvhere they lodge , and the birds their nests . the very fishes themselves , in that vast and boundless ocean , do yet delight in the enjoyment of some certain part of it . for what should i speak of men ? who vvhether they are civiliz'd or still in barbarisme ; are yet so glew'd to their native earth , that whosoever is a man will never doubt to dye for , and in it . and therefore langius this new and rigid wisdom of yours , ( for the present ) i neither embrace nor comprehend , i am rather the disciple of euripides more truly affirming , that necessity it self commands all men to love their native lands . chap. xi . the second affection of too much love to our country refuted . that it is falsly call'd piety . as also whence this affection hath its original . what is properly and truly our country . langius smiling at this discourse ; young man ( said he ) your piety is vvonderful , and now it concernes the brother of marcus antonius to look after his sir-name . notwithstanding it falls out vvell , that this affection doth so readily present it self and advance before its colours , vvhich i had before determin'd to charge and to overthrow with some light endeavour . but in the first place i must seize upon as spoil that very beautiful garment wherewith it hath unhappily attyr'd it self : for this love unto our country is commonly call'd piety ; vvhich for my part as i do not understand , so neither am i able to endure . for how comes it to be piety ? which i acknowledge to be an excellent virtue , and properly nothing else but a lawful , due , honour and love to god , and our parents . with vvhat fore-head now doth our country seat it self in the midst of these ? because say they it is that vvhich is our most ancient and reverend parent . ah silly souls ! and herein injurious not only to reason but also unto nature it self . is that a parent ? upon vvhat account , or in vvhat respect ? for i profess i see not , if you lipsius are any sharper sighted , help to enlighten me . is it because it hath entertain'd us ( for that you seem'd to insinuate but now ) the like hath been done to us often by an host or inkeeper . hath it cherish'd us ? so have our nurses , and those women that , vvhen time vvas , bare us too and fro , vvith a farre greater tenderness . hath it nourish'd us ? this office it performs daily to beasts and trees , and all sorts of grain , and so do also those great bodyes ; heaven , air and vvater , as vvell as the earth . to conclude , transport your self , and any other soil vvill performe the same . these are frothy light vvords , from vvhich nothing can be extracted besides a certain vulgar and unprofitable juice of opinion . those are indeed our parents , vvho have conceiv'd , begot , and gone vvith us ; to vvhom vve are seed of their seed , blood of their blood , and flesh of their flesh . of all vvhich if there is any thing vvhich in any degree of comparison , may be fitly spoken of our country : i am willing that all my attempts , against this kind of piety , should prove but lost labour . but ( say you ) there are many learned and great men , who every vvhere have spoken after this fashion . i acknowledge it , but it vvas then vvhen they had respect to fame only , not to truth ; vvhich if you vvill follow , you shall restore back that sacred and august name unto god ; or ( if you please ) to your parents , and command this affection ( vvhen it is corrected ) to be contented vvith the honest name of charity . but thus far concerning the name only , let us now consider the thing ; vvhich truly i shall not vvholly remove , but moderate , and pare ( as it vvere ) vvith the pen-knife of right reason . for as the vine unless you prune it , vvill very vvidely extend it self : so vvill those affections more especially , vvhose sails are swell'd vvith any gust of popularity . and i readily confess to you lipsius ( for i have not so put off at once , both the man and the citizen ) that there is in every one of us , a kind of inclination and love to this lesser country of ours : the causes and original of vvhich i perceive are not so clearly understood by you . for you vvill have it to be from nature , vvhereas it is indeed from a kind of usage and custome . for after that men from that rude and solitary life , vvere forc'd from the fields into towns , and began to build houses and fortifications , to grow into societies , and informed bodies , to make or repell invasions : from that time there did of necessity commence amongst them , a kind of communion and partnership as to divers things . they together possess'd such a part of earth vvith such and such limits : they had their temples , market-places , treasuries and courts of judicature in common ; and ( vvhich is the principal bond ) their rites , statutes , and lawes . which things yet our covetousnes , did so begin to love and care for ( nor did it therein altogether erre ) as its own peculiar , for there is indeed unto every particular citizen , a true right as to those things , nor do they farther differ from private posessions than in this , that they are not the propriety of any person alone . now that community doth express ( as it vvere ) a kind of forme and face of a new state , vvhich vve call a common-wealth , and the same thing ( properly ) our country . in vvhich vvhen men did understand how much of moment there vvas in reference to the safety of every particular person , there vvere then also lawes made concerning the improvement and defence of it , or at least a custome derived from our ancestours , vvhich hath the force of a law. hence it comes to pass , that vve rejoyce in its advantages , and grieve in its calamities : forasmuch as in very deed our private substance is safe , in the safety of it , and perishes in the devastations of it . hence is charity or love towards it , vvhich our ancestours ( upon the account of the publick good , vvhereunto also a certain secret providence of god doth attract us ) have encreased , vvhile they endeavour'd in every of their vvords and deeds to advance the majesty of their country . this affection therefore in my opinion is from custom , but if from nature ( as you did lately insinuate ) vvhat is the reason that it diffuseth not it self into all alike , and in equal measure ? why do the nobility and vvealthier sort love and care for their country more , and the vulgar and meaner sort less ? whom you may behold ( for the most part ) full of their own cares vvith a palpable neglect of the publick , vvhich yet doth most certainly fall out otherwise in every such affection as proceeds from the peremptory injunctions of nature . to conclude , vvhat reason vvill you assigne why so light an occasion should oftentimes diminish or remove it ? see how this man revenge , a second love , and others ambition hath allur'd from their country ; and in our dayes how many hath the god mammon in the same manner seduced ? how many italians are there , vvho quitting italy the queen of countrys for gain alone have transported themselves into france , germany , yea into sarmatia and there fixed their habitations ? how many thousand spaniards , doth avarice and ambition yearly draw into remote lands and of a different climate ? certainly a great and strong proof , that this vvhole obligation is but external and opinionative ; seeing some one or other lust can vvith that facility dissolve or break it . but you erre also to purpose lipsius , in the bounding of that country , for you restrain it to that native soil of ours vvherein vve have settled , and whereupon we have walk'd , and such other things as you tinckle with a vain sound of words . for you will seek in vain from thence the natural causes of this love. for if only our native soil may challenge that name , then only bruxells is my country , isca thine , a cottage or a hut vvill be some other mans : yes there are many that vvill not have so much as a cottage for theirs , but must seek it in the woods or open fields . shall then my love and care be shut up vvithin such narrow limits ? shall i embrace and defend this village or that house as my country ? you are sensible of the absurdities ; and oh how happy ( according to your determination in these matters ) are those wood-men and rusticks , vvhose native soile is ever in its flourish , and almost beyond all the hazzards of calamity or ruine ! but certainly that is not our country ; no , but ( as i said before ) some one state , and as it vvere a common ship under one lord , or under one law ; vvhich if you vvill have ( of right ) to be beloved by its natives ; i shall confess it : if to be defended i shall acknovvledge it , if death to be undergone for its sake , i shall not be against it ; but shall never yield to that that vve should also grieve , be cast dovvn , lament , if once our country for it cry 't is sweet and glorious then to dye . said the poet of venusia vvith the loud applause of the vvhole theatre ; but then he said to dye , not to vveep . for vve ought so to be good citizens , as that vve may also be good men ; vvhich vve cease to be , as oft as vve decline to the ejulations and laments of children or women . finally , lipsius , i impart that to you vvhich is lofty , and knovvn but to some few . that these are vain and counterfeit countryes , if you consider the whole man. that possibly for the body there may be one found out here , but not any for the soul , which descending from that celestial and upper region hath the whole earth as its prison and place of restraint ; while heaven is its true and proper country . after which let us breath that with anaxagoras vve may cordially reply to the sottish multitude as oft as it shall ask , hast thou no care of thy country ? there is my country pointing at once vvith our fingers and minds unto heaven . chap. xii . the third affection which is commiseration rectifyed to indulge it over much , a vice. its difference from mercy . how and with what respects it is to be admitted . this discourse of langius vvithdrew ( methought ) a cloud from my understanding ; and , my father ( said i ) you still better me both by your reproofs and instructions . so that ( methinks ) i am now able to keep under that affection which respects the place and state in which , but not as yet that which respects the men themselves amongst whom i have been bred . for how is it possible that the losses of my country should not touch and deeply affect me for my country-mens and companions sakes , vvho are toss'd in the ocean of these calamities , or perish by a different and unhappy destiny . langius interrupting me ; but this lipsius said he is not properly grief , but pitty ; which yet it self is to be despis'd , by a wise and constant person . for nothing is more suitable to such a one than firmness and strength of mind , which cannot be , in case not only his own , but also anothers calamity shall overturn and discompose him . here i interrupted him , and vvhat thornes of the stoicks are these said i ? do you forbid me to pitty too ? yet this is look'd upon as a virtue by all good men ; at least amongst us vvho are season'd vvith the true religion and piety . langius immediately , but i said he do forbid it , and if i shall remove this sickness from the minds of men ; there is no man who is really good that vvill resent it amiss . for it is certainly a sickness , nor is he far distant from misery , whoever he is that pitties one who is miserable . as it is a signe of a vveak and bad eye to grow blood-shot at the sight of one that is so : so is it of a vveak mind to grieve at the sight of one that grieves . pitty is rightly defin'd , the vice of a slender and mean mind fainting at the appearance of anothers misfortune . what then ? are vve so rigid and severe as not to suffer that any should be mov'd or affected vvith the grief of another ? yes , to be affected i approve , but then it must be so as to assist , not so as to lament . i am for mercy , but not for pitty . for thus i am willing to distinguish at this time , and a while to recede from our porch the better to instruct . i call mercy an inclination of the mind to lighten the poverty or anguish of another . this is that virtue lipsius vvhich you discover as it vvere through a mist , and in vvhich pitty creeps to , and imposes upon you . but you vvill say it is humanity to be affected vvith pitty and compassion : be it so ; yet is it not therefore right . suppose you that there is any virtue in the effeminacy and stoopage of the mind ? in sighs , or sobbs , or in the mingling of broken and disjoynted vvords with a mourner ? you are mistaken . if you think not , i can produce a sort of covetous old women and some fordid euclio's from whose eyes it is much more easie to extract a thousand tears , than one single penny from their purses . but now that truly mercifull man ( of vvhom i have been speaking ) he vvill not indeed be pittiful ; but yet he vvill performe the same , or better offices , than he that is so . he will behold other mens evils with a humane , but yet with a right eye . he will discourse with the sufferers , with a serious , but not vvith a mournfull or dejected countenance . he vvill comfort couragiously , he will assist liberally , and vvill do more nobly , than he vvill speak , and vvill more readily lend his hand than vvords to a necessitous or fallen man. and all these things he vvill performe vvith caution and circumspection ; lest as in some very mischievous contagion ; the disease of another should transferre it self to him : or lest ( as they say of gladiatours ) a vvound surprize him through anothers side . what is there here ( i beseech you ) of severe and rigid ? and such is the whole body of wisdom , vvhich to them that look upon it at a distance , seems to be sterne and lowring : but as many as make nearer approaches , it is found to be so gentle and complaisant , as that the goddess of love her self is not more amicable and obliging . but enough of these three affections ; vvhich i have partly put to the foyle vvithin you ; it vvill prove of no inconsiderable advantage to me , in the restof the combate . chap. xiii . these impediments remov'd , publick evils themselves are seriously considered . four arguments propounded against them . of providence ; that it is interested in , and presides over all humane affairs . i come now at length from our velitation to a true and serious fight , and laying aside these light and jocular armes , unto such vveapons as shall finally decide the matter . i shall lead up my souldiers and forces in order ; and range them under their several ensignes , vvhich i also forme into four squadrons . the first , shall evince that publick evils are sent unto , and dispers'd amongst us by god himself . the second , that they are necessary , and from fate . the third , that they are advantageous to us . and the last , that they are neither over-pressive nor new . now if these forces of mine shall , from their several posts , dextrously charge and recharge ; shall all the powers of your grief dare any further to resist , or so much as to face me ? they dare not . i have conquer'd , and with this omen , let the signal be given . whereas therefore lipsius all those affections vvhich do so variously rush upon , and disturb the life of man , do spring from a distemper'd mind : so also ( in my opinion ) doth that grief especially vvhich vve espouse upon the publick account . for vvhereas the rest of the affections have some end and scope as it were ; ( as the lover to enjoy , the angry to revenge , the covetous to heap up , and so in the rest ) to this alone you shall find nothing proposed besides it self . but lest my discourse should be too loose and forward ; i shall curbe and restrain it vvithin this compass . you lament you say your falling country . but to vvhat end i beseech ye ? for what hope you , or vvhat do you expect thereby ? is it that thou mayest repair it in its decayes , and underprop it vvhere it yields ? or is it that by grieving you may keep off that plague and mischief under vvhich your country labours ? none of all these : it is only that you may use that thredbare saying , it troubles me ; as to any thing else this lamentation is but vain and unprofitable . for it concernes a thing past ; vvhich to recover again , and to render undone ; the gods themselves would not have it in their own power . but is your grief only vain ? yes , possibly it is impious also , if you shall rightly consider it . for ( as you know ) there is an eternal mind vvhich vve call god , vvhich rules , orders and governs the lasting orbs of heaven ; the different courses of the stars ; the interchangeable variations of the elements ; and ( in a vvord ) all things vvhatsoever , as vvell above as below us . suppose you that any chance or fortune bare rule in this beautifull body of the world ? or that humane affairs are hurried on , and blended together by a rash and blind impetuosity ? i know you do not believe it , nor doth any other , vvho hath any thing ( not to say ) of wisdom , but sobriety . for it is the voice of nature , i say of nature , and vvheresoever you shall turne your eye or mind : things mortal and immortal , superiour and inferiour , animate or inanimate , they all speak out and proclaim , that there is something above us , vvhich hath created and made those so vvonderful , so great , and so numerous things ; and being so created and made , doth also still continue to direct , and preserve them . this now is god , to whose superexcellent and most perfect nature , there is nothing more agreeable , than that he should be at once both able and vvilling to undertake the care and guardianship of all that he hath made . and how shall he not be vvilling vvho is the best ? or how should he not be able vvho is the greatest ? so farr are any forces from being superiour to his , that all are derivative from him . nor doth this vastness or variety of things either molest , or remove him from their inspection : for that eternal light doth every vvay emit its rayes , and vvith one and the same dint ( as i may say ) doth pierce all the retirements and abysles of heaven , earth , and sea. nor doth this divinity only preside over all things , but it abides vvith ; yea resides vvithin them . why do ye vvonder at this ? what a part of the world doth this sun at once survey , and inlighten ? what a mass of things doth this mind of ours vvith one thought embrace and compass ? and fooles that vve are do vve not believe that more things can be seen into , and comprehended by him vvho hath created and made this very sun , and mind ? excellently , or rather divinely said he , who hath not said much in matters divine , i mean aristotle ; what the pilot ( saith he ) is in the ship ; the charioteer in the chariot ; the chief chaunter in the quire ; the law in a city ; or a general in the army : such is god in the world , with this only difference , that to them indeed their government is laborious , toylsome , and perplexing ; but that of gods is without grief or labour , and severed from all bodily pains-taking . there is therefore in god , lipsius , there vvas , and shall be that very vvatchfull , and active care ( yet a care vvhich is secure ) vvhereby he looks into , visits , and knowes all things ; and doth guide and govern them so known , in an immoveable , and ( to us ) incomprehensible order . now this is that vvhich i here call providence ; of vvhich there are not a few , vvho through vveakness may complain , none that can doubt , unless they are such as have stopp'd their ears , and hardned themselves against every voice , and the very sense of nature it self . chap. xiv . nothing done here below but by the providence of god. calamities upon people and cities from thence . it is not therefore piously done to complain of , or lament them . an exhortation to obey god , with whom it is vanity and rashness to contend . which if you have throughly imbib'd , if you do in good earnest and from your heart believe that this governing power doth thus insert and insinuate it self , and ( to speak vvith the poet ) — doth when it please pass through all lands and seas : i do not see vvhat further place there can be for your grief or complaint . for that very provident being vvhich daily moves and turnes about this heaven , vvhich leads forth and recalls the sun ; vvhich discloses and shuts up all sorts of fruits : hath brought to the birth all those changes and vicissitudes vvhich you do either repine , or vvonder at . do you think that only pleasant or profitable things are sent to us from heaven ? yes , those also that are sad and distasteful are from thence : nor is there any thing at all in this grand frame of the world , vvhich is transacted , discomposed or confounded ( sin only excepted ) vvhose cause and original proceeds not from that first cause : pindar said vvell , in heaven they are that do dispense to us below . there is ( as it vvere ) a certain golden chain let down from above ( as homer gives it us in a fable ) unto vvhich all these inferiour things are fastned . that there , an opening of the earth hath swallow'd up some townes ; it is from providence . that the pestilence elsevvhere hath mowed down so many thousands of men ; is from the same . and that warre and slaughter is amongst the belgians ; is from the very same . it is from heaven , heaven lipsius , that all these calamities are sent , and therefore they are aptly and vvisely styl'd by euripides — calamities sent by the dieties . every ebbe and flow ( i say ) of humane affaires depends upon that moon ; and the rise and sett of kingdomes upon that sun. as oft therefore as you give scope to your grief , and seem to resent it , that your country is thus harrass'd , and overturn'd ; you do not so much as consider , either vvho you are that repine , or against vvhom your murmurs are directed . what are you ? a man , a shaddow , dust. and against vvhom do you murmur ( i tremble to speak it ) against god himself . it vvas the fiction of antiquity ; that certain giants did attempt to dethrone the gods. to omit fables , you complainants are those giants . for if all these things are not only by the permission , but also by the immission of almighty god : you vvho fret and resist , vvhat do you but ( as much as in you lyes ) seise his scepter , and intrench upon the prerogative of his empire ? blind mortality ! the sun , moon , starrs , elements , and all the successive orders of creatures , do vvillingly obey , and submit themselves to this supream law ; only the noblest piece of the creation , man lifts up his heel against , and replyes upon his creator . had you hoisted sailes into the jurisdiction of the winds , you must then go not vvhither you vvould but vvhither they list . and shall you in the ocean of this life refuse to follow the conduct of that spirit by vvhom the vvhole universe is swayed ? in vain notwithstanding is this refusal , for either you shall vvillingly follow , or be forc'd along ; and those heavenly decrees shall preserve their efficacy , and order , vvhether you shall comply or rebel . we should smile at that man vvho having ty'd his boat to some rock , and pulling at the cord , should rather think he pulls the rock to him than that his boat moves to it . and is not our folly every vvay as remarkable , vvho being chain'd to that rock of eternal providence , do yet by our struggling and resistance seem to desire that it should obey us , rather than vve it ? let us free our selves at the last from these vanities ; and ( if vve are vvise ) let us follow that power vvhich attracts us from above , and think it nothing but equal that vvhatsoever is pleasing to god , should ( for that very reason ) be so also to man. the souldier in the camp upon notice of a march , gets on his knap-sack ; but if it sound to armes , he layes it aside , as one vvho vvith his mind , and eyes , and ears , is intent upon , and prepared for any command . let it be thus vvith us , and in this warfare of ours , let us chearfully and resolvedly march after our general , vvhich vvay soever he shall command us . vve are sworn to this , saith seneca , to endure such things as mortality is liable to , and not to be disturbed in case some things fall out , which it is not in our power to prevent . vve are born in a kingdom , and to obey god is liberty it self . chap. xv. the second argument for constancy , drawn from necessity . it s force and efficacy . necessity deriv'd from two grounds ; and first from the things themselves . this lipsius is a firme and vvell temper'd shield , against all external evils . these are those golden armes vvith vvhich being cover'd , plato vvould have us to fight against chance and fortune , to be subject to god , to think upon him , and in all kind of events , to bend this mind of ours , unto that great mind of the world , i mean providence , whose pious and fortunate forces , forasmuch as i have already made sufficient proof of ; i shall now draw forth and lead up another squadron , vvhich marches under the standard of necessity . a valiant , stout , and steel temper'd squadron it is ; and such as i may not unfitly compare to that legion vvhich the romans call'd fulminatrix : the stubborn and unbroken force of it is such , as doth conquer and subdue all things , and i shall vvonder lipsius if you should be able to resist it . thales vvhen one ask'd him vvhat vvas the strongest , answered rightly , necessity ; for that conquers all things . there is an old saying too , about the same thing ; although not so advised , that the gods themselves cannot force necessity . this necessity i annex to providence , because of its near relation to it ; or to speak truly , because it is born of it . for this necessity is from god , and his decrees ; nor is it any other thing than as the greek philosopher hath defin'd it : a fir me sanction and immutable power of providence . now that it doth intervveave and twist it self vvith publick evils ; i shall evince two vvayes , from things themselves ; and from fate . from things themselves , because it is the nature of all created beings , to hasten unto their change and fall , from a certain inward proneness , vvhich they have thereunto . as there is a kind of fretting rust , vvhich doth naturally cleave to iron , and a consuming scurffe or worme that followes wood : in like manner both creatures , cities , and kingdomes , have their internal and proper causes vvhereby they perish . look upon things above or below , great or small , the vvorkes of the hand or mind ; they have perished from the first ages ; and shall persist so to do unto the last . and as all rivers journey towards the ocean vvith a prone and hasty current : so all humane things slide along by this channel ( as i may call it ) of miseries , unto their utmost periods . that period is death and destruction ; and thereunto pestilence , vvarr , and slaughter are as subservient instruments : so that if death is necessary to these things , upon the same ground are calamities also . that this may appear to you the more evidently by examples : i shall not refuse for a vvhile to enlarge my thoughts and travel vvith you through this great universe . chap. xvi . instances of necessary mutation and death throughout the whole vvorld . the heavens and elements change , and shall pass away . the same is discernable in cities , provinces , and kingdomes . all things here are wheel'd about , and nothing is stable or firme . there is an eternal law vvhich from the beginning hath equally passed upon every thing in this vvorld , that it shall be born and dye ; rise and set. nor vvould the great moderatour of things , have any thing firm and stable besides himself . from age and death only the cods are free , the rest of things under times sickle be . cryes out the tragical poet. all those things , vvhich you behold and vvonder at , do either perish in their courses ; or are certainly changed . do you see that sun ? he is sometimes ecclipsed : the moon ? she suffers in the like kind , and has her vvaines . the starrs ? they shoot and fall ; and howsoever the vvit of man may seek to palliate and excuse the matter ; yet there have and vvill be such accidents amongst those celestial bodies ; as may pose the skill , and stagger the minds of the ablest mathematician . i omit to speak of commets of various form , and different scituation and motion ; concerning vvhich , that they all have their birth from , and motion in the air , is a thing vvhich philosophy it self cannot easily perswade me to believe . but behold ( of late ) there are certain new kinds of motion and starrs found out , vvhich have cut out vvork for the astrologers . there arose a starr in this very year , vvhose increment and decreases vvere throughly observ'd ; and we then saw ( vvhat will scarcely be believ'd ) that in heaven it self , there may be something born and dye . behold even varro in st. augustine cryes out and asserts , that the planet venus vvhich plautus calls vesperugo and homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hath chang'd its colour , magnitude , figure , and motion . next to the heavens look upon the air , it is daily changed , and passes into vvinds , clouds , or showres . look to the vvaters , and those rivers and springs vvhich vve call everlasting : some are lost , and others have altered their course , and found out new channels . the ocean it self that great and abstruse part of nature , is sometimes swell'd vvith stormes , and at others smooth'd vvith calmes , and though those stormes vvere not , yet it hath its own ebbs and flowes ; and to convince us that it may totally perish ; it doth daily increase or decrease in its parts . look now upon the earth vvhich alone some vvould have immoveable ; and to stand by its own strength : behold there it totters , and is shaken into a palsy fit , by the struggling of those vapours that are pent up in the bowels of it , and elsewhere it is corrupted by waters or fires . for even these are at contest vvith one another ; and that you may not resent it over deeply , that there are vvarrs amongst men : the very elements have theirs also . how many countryes , hath a sudden deluge , or inundation of the sea , either lessen'd , or intirely swallowed up . of old that great island atlantis ( for i think it no fable ) afterwards helice and bura : and ( that vve may not have recourse only to ancient and remote times ) amongst us belgians ( in the memory of our fathers ) two islands ; together vvith their townes , and inhabitants . even at this very day that blew deity , is forcing open to it self new creeks ; and daily frets and vveares away the unfaithfull shores of the frisians and hollanders . nor doth the earth her self alvvayes give vvay by a womannish sloth ; but doth sometimes vindicate its losses , and in the midst of the sea frames islands for its self ; to the vvonder and displeasure of that hoary god . now if those great ( and in our imagination eternal ) bodies , are destined to their destruction and change ; vvhat shall vve think of cities , common-wealths , and kingdomes ; which must needs be as mortal as the founders of them ? as particular persons have their youth , maturity , old-age , and death : so these , they rise , grow , stand , flourish ; and all these to that very purpose that they may fall . in the reign of tiberius one single earth-quake overthrew twelve famous cities of asia , and another did the like to as many townes in campania , in the reign of constantine ; and one vvarre of attila more than an hundred . fame scarce retains the ancient thebes of egypt , and vve scarce believe the hundred cities of creet . but let us come to more receiv'd instances . the ancients have seen and vvondered at the ruines of carthage , numantia and corinth , as vve do at the ignoble , inglorious rubbish of athens , sparta , and those other once renovvned cities . that lady of sovereignty , and queen of nations falsely styled the eternal city , vvhere is it ? overturned , rased , burnt , overwhelmed : she has undergone more than a single fate , and is at this day curiously sought for , but not to be found vvhere she formerly stood . you see that constantinople proud of its being the seat of a double empire : and venice that glories in its continuance for a thousand years ? their fate attends them . and thou also our antwerpe the eye of cities , there vvill come a time when thou shalt be no more . for that great architect pulls down and sets up , and ( if vve may say it ) doth even sport himself in the affairs of this world : and as a potter at his pleasure , doth mold and unmake divers forms and representations out of this clay . i have hitherto discours'd only of townes and cities ; but even kingdomes also and provinces are dragg'd unto the same destiny . in old time the east flourish'd ; assyria , egypt , and iudea vvere famous for arts and armes ; that happiness of theirs hath pass'd over into europe , and even she methinks ( as bodies upon the approach of a disease ) trembles and seems to have some sore apprehensions of her great fall . that vvhich vve may more ( though never sufficiently ) vvonder at ; this world vvhich hath been inhabited this five thousand and five hundred years , doth now grow old , and that vve may again applaud , the old exploded fable of anaxarchus ; there arise now elsewhere , and are born new men , and a new world. o the vvonderful and incomprehensible law of necessity ! all things turn about in this fatal circle of begining and ending : and there may be something in this vvhole frame that is long liv'd ; but nothing that is eternal . lift up your eyes ; and look round vvith me ( for i am not vvilling as yet to desist ) and contemplate the alternate courses of humane affaires ; not unlike the ebbings and flowings of the sea. thou shalt arise ; and thou fall : thou shalt command , and thou serve ; be thou obscure and thou glorious ; and let this round of things hastening into themselves , vvhirle about , as long as the world it self shall endure . were you germans savage of old ; be ye now civil beyond most of the nations in europe ; vvere you brittons rude and poor ? do ye now emulate the egyptians and sybarites in riches and luxury . did greece heretofore flourish ? let her now lye vvast . did italy sway the scepter ? she shall now obey . you goths , you vandalls , you refuse of the barbarians ; forsake your dens , and in your successive courses command the nations . come hither also you pelted scythians , and for a vvhile , vvith a strong hand , rule both asia and europe : but do you your selves after a vvhile depart , and resigne the scepter to the nation bounded by the ocean . for is it my fancy only ? or do i indeed desery i know not vvhat sun of a new empire arising from the west ? chap. xvii . of the necessity that is from fate . fate asserted , the universal assent both of the learned and of the people to it ; though some difference about its parts . how the ancients distinguished of fate . langius had finished ; and this discourse of his had almost drawn tears from my eyes , so clearly did it seem to represent those mockeries that are in humane affairs . insomuch that i cryed out ; alass ! vvhat are even vve our selves ; or vvhat are all these things vve sweat so much in the pursuit of ? what 's he that ha's a brighter fame ? or he that 's of obscurer name ? man when summ'd at highest , he is but as dreams of shaddows be ? as the lyrick poet said truly of old . langius replyes ; young man ; look then upon these things not as above , but beneath you ; and labour to establish constancy in your mind , by reflecting upon the inconstant and unsteady levity of all things . inconstant ( i say ) as to our sense and apprehension of them : but if vve respect god and his providence , than all things succeed in an admirable and immoveable order . for now laying swords aside , i come to my ensignes , and shall assault that grief of yours , not with arrowes , but more formidable inventions . i shall inforce against it the ramme of fate , an ensigne of that strength and firmness ; as no humane power or policy shall be ever able either to elude or resist . and howsoever the ground is slippery enough to endanger a fall : yet i shall adventure upon it , though vvith a cautious slowness , and as the greeks say vvith a modest foot . in the first place therefore , that there is a fate in things , neither you lipsius , nor ( as i conceive ) any nation or age did ever doubt . here i interpos'd ; pardon me ( said i ) if as a remora i stop you in this course . do your oppose me vvith fate ? weak is this ramme , langius , and such as is directed by the enervate and languid forces of the stoicks . i speak freely , i despise at once , both it and the destinies : and vvith the souldier in plautus , i can blow away this feeble troop vvith a single breath , as vvinds do leaves from the trees . langius vvith a severe and threatning eye ; rash and inconsiderate young man ( said he ) do you imagine you can elude or take away fate ? you cannot , unless together with it , you deny the very power and being of a deity : for if god is , providence is ; if providence , than a decreed order of things ; and if so than a firme and establish'd necessity of events ; how do you vvard this blow ? or vvith vvhat ax do you sever the links of this chain ? for vve cannot otherwise conceive of god that eternal mind ; than that there should be in him an eternal knowledge and prevision of things : vvhom vve believe to be fix'd , firme , and immutable , alwaies one and the same ; not at all varying , or altering in those things , vvhich he hath once willed , and beheld . the eternal gods are not inclin'd , to variations of the mind . vvhich if you acknowledge to be true ( as of necessity you must , unless you have divested your self of all reason and sense ) you vvill then also acknowledge , that all the decrees of god are firme and immoveable from eternity to eternity . now from thence doth necessity derive it self together vvith that fate vvhich you so despise . the truth of vvhich is so very obvious and clear ; that amongst all sorts of men , there is not a more ancient or receiv'd opinion . and look to how many the light of a deity , and providence hath shin'd to vvell nigh as many hath this of fate . insomuch that those very same privative fires vvhich discovered the knowledge of a god to men ; seem also to have guided man in the knowledge of this other . consult homer that first and vvisest of all poets . there is not any one path vvherein that divine muse hath so frequently pass'd and repass'd , as this of fatality : nor hath the vvhole race of the poets dissented from their ancestour . look upon euripides , sophocles , pindar , and our virgil . look upon historians ; their common language is , such a thing fell out by fate , and kingdomes owe their ruine , and establishment to fate . look upon philosophers , vvhose charge it vvas to ransome and defend truth against the encroachments of the vulgar : howsoever these have in most other things dissented from one another ; ( transported thereunto , by an over eager itch after contention and dispute ) yet 't is maryellous to observe , vvhat a universal accord , there is amongst them as to the beginning of this vvay vvhich leads to fate . i say in the beginning of the vvay : for i am not about to deny , but that soon after it vvas trod out into divers paths . all vvhich notvvithstanding seem to be reducible to these four , mathematical , natural , violent and true fate . each of these i shall briefly explain , and ( as it vvere ) set a foot in each : forasmuch , as commonly much of confusion , and errour doth arise from hence . chap. xviii . the three first kinds of fate briefly explained . the description of them . the stoicks in part excused . mathematical fate i call that , vvhich chaines and fastens all actions and events vvhatsoever , unto the influences of the starrs , and the positions of heaven . of vvhich the chaldeans and astrologers vvere the first authors ; and amongst the philosophers that profound and sublime vvriter mercurius trismegistus ; vvho subtilly and not altogether idlely , distinguishing of providence , necessity , and fate ; hath these vvords . providence ( saith he ) is the perfect , and absolute counsel of the heavenly god ; to which there are two faculties nearly ally'd ; necessity , and fate . fate doth administer , and is subservient at one and the same time , both to providence and necessity ; and the stars are subject to fate . for no man can ev●de the force of fate , nor with all his caution prevent the powerful influence of the starrs . for these are the artillery , and weapons of fate , by whose direction they cause and conclude all those things which are in nature or amongst men. and in this ship of folly are ( at this day ) embarked ; the most of the astrologers amongst us to the great reproach of christianity . natural fate ; i call such an order of natural causes vvhich ( unless they are hindred ) do by their own nature , and efficacy produce alwayes a certain and the same effect . aristotle is for such a fate if vve may credit alexander aphrodisiensis one of the most faithful of his interpreters ; and of the like mind vvas theophrastus ; vvho plainly asserts that fate is nothing else , but every mans nature . agreeable to those mens opinions it is , that a man's begetting a man , is by fate ; that if a man arrive to his death ; by internall causes ; vvithout the accession of such as are forreigne , and outward ; this is by fate : on the other-side that a man begets a serpent or some other monster this is not by fate , neither if he perish by the sword or fire . an opinion truly not very peccant ; inasmuch as it rises not to the force and height of fate : and how can that be in danger of falling vvhich never adventures to climb ? and such is aristotle almost every vvhere in divine matters ; i except only that little book of his , de mundo ; vvhich is a golden one indeed ; and such as seems to me , to be inspired by some other and more heavenly genius . i read also farther in a greek writer ; that aristotle vvas of opinion : that fate it self is not a cause , but a certain accidental mode to the cause ; in such things as proceed from necessity . o the courage of a philosopher ! who durst seriously number , fortune and chance amongst the causes , but not fate . but i pass him , and return to my stoicks ( for not to dissemble i have a great affection and esteem for that sect ) vvho are the authors of violent fate ; vvhich i define vvith seneca , such a necessity of all things and actions ; as no power is able to interrupt : or vvith chrysippus ; a spiritual power that doth orderly govern this vvhole universe . nor are these definitions very remote from that vvhich is right and true : if they may have a sound and modest interpretation : as neither is their vvhole opinion perhaps ; vvere it not that it hath been already murthered by the retorted thumbs of the whole hand of the vulgar . these charge them vvith two crimes ; that they subject god himself to the disposal of fate : and that they place also , the internal actions of our vvill , under the same power . nor vvill i over-confidently undertake to clear them of either of these faults . for amongst those few of their vvritings vvhich are yet extant , there are such , from vvhence these tenents may be collected ; as there are others , from vvhence , vvee may receive that vvhich is sound and orthodox . it must be confess'd that seneca ( no mean trumpet of that school ) seems to dash upon that first rock , in that book ( vvhere he had least reason to do so ) of providence . the same necessity saith he doth bind even the gods themselves , that irrevocable decree doth equally carry along with it , both humane and divine things . the great creator and ruler of all things ; did indeed write down this law of fate : but he followes it himself ; and ever obeys , what he once commanded . and that indissoluble chain , and twist of causes , vvhereunto they fasten all things and persons , seems ( and that not obscurely neither ) to offer violence to the vvill of man. but the genuine and true stoicks , did never openly avouch these things . or if any such matter , did fall from them ( as it is possible enough ) in their heat of writing and dispute ; you shall rather find it in vvords , than in their sense and meaning . chrysippus himself vvho first corrupted and enervated that masculine sect , vvith the intricate niceness of questions , he in agellius sufficiently cleares them from attempting upon the liberty of the vvill . nor doth our seneca subject god to fate ( he vvas better advised ) but ( in a certain mode of speech ) god to god. for those amongst them , vvho came nearest to the truth , do by fate sometimes understand providence , and at others , god. and therefore zeno when he defines fate to be a power moving the matter according to the same respects , in the same manner , he adds ; it matters not , if i had called it , either providence or nature . and chrysippus from the same principle , doth elsewhere call fate , the eternal purpose of providence . now panetius the stoick , affirm'd that god himself vvas fate ; and the same thing is clearly the opinion of seneca : you may ( saith he ) as you please , vary the title of this author of things , and natures : you may lawfully call him , either the best and greatest jove ; or the thunderer , or the stayer : nor for that reason which historians assigne ; because after a vow made to him ; he stayed the flying army of the romans , but he is therefore the stayer and establisher , because all things do stand , and consist by his goodness , neither shall you erre , if you call him . fate . for since fate is nothing else but an implexed series of causes , he is the principall cause of all things , on which the rest do depend . which last vvords are so piously spoken , that even calumny it self , is not able to calumniate them . nor did that great vvriter ( unto alexander the great ) in this at all dissent from the stoicks . i conceive ( saith he ) that necessity , ought not to be call'd any thing else than god , as an unchangeable nature : and so also fate it self ; because it knits together all things , and is moved and carryed on , without any impediment . which speeches though possibly they may have something in them vvhich is not so advised : yet they contain nothing that is impious ; and by modest interpreters vvill be thought not farr distant from that true fate , vvhich i am about to assert . the truth is , i do heartily applaud the stoicks in this : that there is not any sect , vvhich hath more studiously asserted the majesty , and providence of god ; or more earnestly endeavoured to incline the minds of men , to things heavenly , and eternal , than they . and if in the performance of this fatal race , they have at any time stumbled : i believe it occasioned , by a good and praise-vvorthy desire ; to recall blind mortalls from their blind goddess ; i mean fortune , not only vvhose deity , but name too , was by them very manfully exploded . chap. xix . the fourth , true fate explained . of its name , its definition . how it differs from providence . but i have said enough of the sentiments and dissents of the ancients , for why should i over curiously or subtilly search into the mysteries of hell ? my business is vvith true fate ; this i shall now propound and illustrate . and i here call it , an eternal decree of providence , vvhich is as inseparable from things , as providence it self . nor let any one cavil at the name ; for i do confidently affirm that the latine language doth not afford any other that is proper to the thing . did the ancients abuse it ? let us use it nevertheless ; and inlarging the vvord from the prison of the stoicks , let us bring it forth into a better light . for certainly fate is derived a fando from speaking : nor is it properly any other than the divine sentence and injunction , vvhich is that very thing i here mean by it . for i define the true fate either vvith the illustrious picus mirandula , a series and order of causes depending upon divine counsel , or in my own termes ( though not so plainly , yet more exactly ) an immoveable decree of providence inherent in things moveable , vvhich surely disposes every of them in its own order , place and time. i call it a decree of providence ; for i am not altogether of the same mind , vvith the divines of our dayes ( i crave leave for a free investigation of truth ) vvho confound it as vvell in name as thing vvith providence it self . i know it is a high and rash presumption to enterprize the comprisal and limitation of that supersubstantial and supercelestial nature ( i mean god ) or vvhatsoever pertains to him , vvithin the compass of definite termes : yet according to our humane capacity ; i am sensible that providence is one thing properly , and this fate i am speaking of is another . for i apprehend not , nor conceive of providence any otherwise , than that it is a faculty and power in god , by vvhich he sees , knows and governs all things ; such a power ( i mean ) as is universal , undivided , guarded , and as lucretius faith firmly united . but now the notion of fate , seems rather to descend to things themselves , and in each of them to be observed : that so there may be such a digestion and explication of common providence , as is distinct and agreeable to its parts . providence therefore is in god , and is ascribed unto him alone : fate is in things , and to them it is ascribed . it is possible i may seem to you to trifle , and as ( one saith ) to drill millet . no lipsius i have these things from the common discourses of the vulgar , amongst whom nothing is more usuall than to say , this or that came to pass , by my good or evil fate : this is the fate of that kingdom or city . but of providence no man vvill speak after this manner : i mean none can attribute it to things themselves without impiety or folly . i have therefore justly said that providence is in god : fate is indeed from god , but is understood in things . i add further , that howsoever providence is really inseparable from fate , yet it seems to be something more excellent , and superiour to it , as vve commonly say in the schools , the sun excells light , eternity time ; and the intellect reason . not to enlarge my felf any farther about these serious ( though uncommon matters ) by what hath passed , you may readily apprehend the reason of my distinction ; as also of my retaining the old name , against the new senate of divines . for those ancient and heretofore conscript fathers ; do not at all oppose me , but that i may very freely use this word fate , in the found and true notion of it . but to return to the clearing of my definition , i call'd it an inherent decree ; to shew that fate is to be observed in those things to vvhich , not in him from vvhence it comes . i added in moveable things ; signifying thereby , that howsoever fate it self is immoveable , yet it doth not destroy the infixed nature , and proper motion of things but acts in a mild and gentle vvay , according as those marks and characters do require vvhich god hath engraven upon every thing : in causes ( i understand second ones ) necessary , necessarily ; in natural ones naturally ; in contingent , contingently . in respect therefore of things , it is no vvay violent or compulsory , but bends and leads on every thing , according as the nature of it is to do or suffer . but if you reduce it to its own original , that is to say to providence and god : then i must affirm vvith the greatest constancy and boldness , that all things vvhich are by fate , do necessarily come to pass . i added in the last place somewhat of the order , time , and place , confirming vvhat i had before asserted ; that providence is of all things taken together , but fate is by vvay of distribution of particulars . by order i understand a series of causes vvhich fate defines . by place , and time i understand that vvonderfull and inexplicable power , by vvhich all events are ty'd to certain circumscriptions of place , and moments of time . is it the fate of tarquine to be expell'd his kingdom ? let it be done , but vvithall let adultery precede . you see the order : is it the fate of cesar to be slain ? be it so ; but be it also in the senate-house , and at the foot of pompey's statue . you see the place . shall domitian be murther'd by his servants ? let him fall , but let it be in that very hour , which he sought in vain to decline , viz. the fifth , you see the time . chap. xx. it s difference from the stoicks fate ; in four respects . that it offers no violence to the will. that god is neither a copartner in , nor the author of evil. are you sufficiently apprehensive of these things young man , or do you yet stand in need of a further and a clearer light ? i ( shaking my head ) a clearer langius , a clearer said i , or you will leave me for ever in the midst of this night . for vvhat means the subtile thread of distinctions ? what captious snares of questions are these ? believe me , i vvas in fear of some stratagem ; and began to be as suspitious of these your vveigh'd and vvary vvords , as of so many enemies . langius smiling ; you may be confident ( said he ) no hanibal is here , nor are you fallen into an ambush , but into a safe place of retreat . i shall very vvillingly enlighten you ; declare only vvhere and in vvhat part it is you desire a further satisfaction . there langius ( said i ) vvhere you speak of force and necessity . for i am not able to apprehend , vvhich vvay you dissever this fate of yours , from that of the stoicks . for howsoever you have excluded it in vvords , and ( as they say ) at the portall ; yet in reality and at the postern , you seem to me to readmit it . langius readily , farr , farr be it from me lipsius said he ; i vvould not so much as in my dreams introduce that fate of the stoicks ; nor do i endeavour to revive those long sinceexpired beldames the destinies . it is a modest and pious fate i contend for , and vvhich differs from the violent one these four vvayes . the stoicks subject god to fate ; neither was iupiter himself in homer able to exempt his sarpedon from its bonds , when he earnestly desired it . but we on the contrary subject fate to god vvhom vve acknowledge to be a most free author , and independent agent in all things : who vvhen he pleases can surpass , and break through all the strengths , and intricate foldings of fate . they also constitute a series and flux of natural causes from eternity ; vve admit not such a series of these causes vvithout interruption ( for god makes prodigies , and worketh miracles , oftentimes besides , yea contrary to nature ) nor can this series of causes be from eternity . for second causes are not eternal , as having ( most certainly ) their beginings vvith that of the world . thirdly , they seem to have remov'd contingency from things ; vve restore it , and as often as second causes are such , vve admit contingency and accident in events . lastly , they seem to have brought in a violent force upon the will ; this is farr from us , vvho as vve do assert fate , so vve reconcile it with the liberty of the will. for vve so avoid the deceitfull gust of fortune and chance , as that yet vve do not force our ship upon the rock of necessity . is there fate ? that fate is the first cause , which is so farr from removing the second and subordinate ones , that ordinarily , and for the most part , it acts not but by them . now amongst these second causes is the will , vvhich never believe that god vvill either enforce or destroy . here is all the errour , and cloud in this matter , no man knowes or thinks that he wills what fate vvills , and yet that he wills it freely . for that god who created all things , employes those things , vvithout the destruction of them . as the highest heaven doth so carry along with it all the inferiour orbs , as not to stop , or break off the proper motion of any of them : so god by the force of fate disposes of all things ; but destroyes not the peculiar power or motion of any of them . is it his vvill that trees , and fruits should grow ? they do so by nature , without any compulsion . is it his pleasure that men should deliberate , and choose ? they deliberate without any inforcement , and they choose vvith their own vvill . and yet god from eternity foresaw that very thing in which their choice vvould determine : but he only foresaw , he did not inforce ; he knew , but did not enjoyn ; he foretold it , but he did not prescribe it . why stumble our curioso's at this ? poor wretches ! there is no point , that seems to me , to carry a greater evidence of truth vvith it ; vvere it not for that vvanton mind of ours vvhich ( being infected vvith an evil itch of wrangling and dispute ) is ever and anon urging and exasperating it self . for ( say they if god foresaw that i should sin ; and this foresight of his is no vvay to be deceiv'd : how can it otherwise be , but that i should sin necessarily ? i acknowledge it is necessarily , but not in respect of your mind ; since your own free vvill doth here intervene . for he foresaw that you should sin the same vvay he foresaw ; but he foresaw you should do it freely , and therefore of necessity you must sin freely . is not this sufficiently clear ? but they urge again ; that god is the author of all motions in us . he is indeed ( i confess ) the author of all motions in common , but the fautor , and favourer of nothing but vvhat is good . do you prepare your self to an action that is virtuous ? he knowes and assists it . or to one that is vitious ? he knows , and permits it , nor is he herein chargeable vvith any fault . i ride upon , and spur a dull and lame horse , that i spur him is from me , that he is dull is from himself . i play upon a harp that is out of tune , and ill strung : you vvill easily acknowledge , that the discordancy of the instrument is not imputable to me , but to it self . this very earth doth feed all sorts of trees and plants vvith one common juice ; and yet some of these bring forth vvholesome fruits , and some others poysons . what vvill you here say ? that this is from the earth ? or rather in that inbred nature of the trees , which converts the good nourishment , into their own poyson ? in like manner it is here : that you move is from god ; from your self , and in your self , that you move to evil. finally , that i may at last finish my discourse about this liberty ; fate is as it were the leader of the dance , in this masque of the world : but so that we also have our parts to act , of alwayes vvilling or nilling ; but not further of effecting . for it is only a will that is left unto man whereby he may be desirous to oppugne and resist god : but he hath not a power whereby he is able . as i may vvalk up and dovvn the decks and hatches of a ship ; but this little motion doth not at all avail to hinder its course : so in this fatall ship , in vvhich vve are all embark'd , though our vvills move this or that vvay , they are not able to divert , or put a stop to it . for that supream will will alwayes hold and manage the reines , and guide this chariot , with a gentle kind of government . chap. xxi . the conclusion of the discourse about fate ; that it is dangerous and doubtfull , not curiously to be pry'd into . an exhortation to strengthen our minds from the consideration of necessity . but vvhy should i dwell longer upon these things ? i shall now alter my course , and vvithdravv my self from this charybdis in vvhich the vvits of so many have been svvallovved up . i behold here the vvreck of cicero who had rather destroy providence , than derogate in the least from the freedom of the vvill . who ( as the bishop of hippo said elegantly ) vvhile he made men free , made them sacrilegious . hovv many even at this day are swimming in this sea ; and at length carry'd away vvith the waves of disputation . by vvhose dangers lipsius vve being vvarned let us rather choose to coast about the shore , than to hazzard our selves too farr in the depths of this ocean . euclid to one that ask'd him many things concerning the gods , made this apposite reply : other things i know not ; but this i know that they hate the curious . think the same of fate , vvhich vvill be look'd upon , but not pry'd into ; believ'd , but not known . i think it is the saying of bias ; of the gods say that they are , vvhich i may pertinently apply unto fate , of vvhich i advise you , that it is enough if you knovv it to be : in other matters about it , it is no sin to be ignorant . that properly belongs to our province ( for i novv return from this intangled path into the old and beaten vvay ) that you believe there is a necessity annex'd to publick evils : and that you derive from thence some consolation in your griefs . what doth it concern you , curiously to enquire about the liberty or servitude of the will ? wretch ! thy syracuse is taken , and thou art drawing lines in the dust . warr is about thee , tyranny , slaughters , death , which certainly are sent from above , and not at all under the disposal of thy will. these things you may fear but not prevent : fly , but not be able to evade . arme your self therefore against them , and catch up this fatal weapon , which will not only pierce , but kill ; not only diminish , but destroy all your griefs . as if you slightly touch a nettle it stings ; but if hard , it hath no such power : so doth the asperity of your grief encrease upon you if you ply it with gentle remedies , but gives back in the use of those which are more forcible and severe . now there is nothing more forcible than necessity ; whose first onset doth rout and conquer these feeble troops . for what does your grief aim at ? there is no place for it in those things which not only may , but must come to pass . what would your complaints ? you may struggle vvith a yoke vvhich heaven hath impos'd ; but not be able to shake it off . by our complaints we hope in vain to frustrate what the gods ordain . there is no other evasion of necessity , than to vvill that which it self will compell . that excellent wise man said excellently ; thou may'st be unconquerable if thou never enter into such a combat , vvherein it is impossible for thee to overcome . and such is the conflict with necessity , vvhich vvhosoever undertakes , falls under it , and vvhich is the greater wonder , he falls even before the fight . chap. xxii . a pretence for sloth usually drawn from fate . it s detection . fate acts by second causes , and therefore they not to be idle . how farr we are to help our country , and when to forbear . the close of the first discourse . and here langius pawsing a little ; i cheerfully broke out , and thus interrupted him . if ( said i ) the wind shall continue thus to fill the sail ; i shall quickly arrive at the haven . for now i dare follow god , i dare obey necessity , and methinks i may say vvith euripides . i 'le rather sacrifice to mighty jove than with vain rage combat the powers above . but i am yet tossed vvith the vvave of one troubled thought , and this langius i pray you calme : for if publick evils are from ●ate , and that can neither be overcome nor avoided : why do we further concern our selves or labour for our country ? wh do we not resign up all , to that great and uncontroulable governour , and ( as they say ) sit down vvith our hands folded ? since as your self do confess ; all contrivance and power is but vain , when the fates do oppose . obstinacy and perverseness said langius smiling , have set thee at distance young man from that vvhich is right and true . is this to obey fate , or to contemne and elude it ? i vvill sit ( say you ) vvith my hands folded ; 't is well ; i vvish you had done so vvith your lips too . for vvho ever assented , that fate acts singly vvithout the intervention of middle and assisting causes ? it is fate that your children dye : yet so , as that they shall first be begotten . it is fate that you recover of a disease : but then you must employ the physitian , and make use of remedies . in like manner it is fate , that the fluctuating sinking ship of your country , shall be preserv'd : it is then also fate , that it shall be supported and defended . if you vvill arrive at the haven , you must apply your hands to the oare , and hoise the sailes ; not idlely gaping after , or expecting a wind from above . on the other side if it is fate that this country of yours shall perish ; by fate also those things shall come to pass , vvhich shall promote and further the ruine of it . the commons shall be at variance vvith the peers , and amongst themselves none shall know how to command , or to obey . many shall be valiant in the tongue ; all shall be sluggish in action : and to conclude amongst the commanders themselves , there shall be found neither prudence nor integrity . velleius said vvell ; the irresistible force of fate , doth corrupt the councells of him , vvhose fortune it is determin'd to change : and again it comes to pass for the most part that god perverts their councels , vvhose fortune he is about to alter ; and ( vvhich is the greatest unhappiness ) so orders things , that those calamities vvhich happen to such persons , seem deservedly to have fallen upon them , neither ought you presently to conclude , that the last and fatal revolution is now come upon your country . for how do you know it ? or vvhich vvay can you be certain , vvhether it is some light distemper , or a disease unto death ? assist her therefore , and vvhile the patient hath yet breath ( as they say ) hope . but if by certain and infallible discoveries , it shall appear , that its fatall change is upon it ; then ( in my judgment ) that is vvholsome advice ; fight not against god. that example of solon i may here safely commend , vvho vvhen pisistratus had seised athens ; and he saw that all endeavours for liberty vvere vain , laying down his shield and armes at the doors of the curia : o my country said he , i have assisted thee both vvith my councells and actions ; and so vvent home , resolving for the future to be quiet . do you thus , give place to god , give place to the times ; and if you are a good common-wealths man , reserve your self to better and more gentle fates . that liberty which is now perish'd , may revive ; and your country vvhich is now fallen , in process of time may yet arise : why do you unadvisedly despond , and cast avvay your courage ? of those two consuls at cannas i esteem varro a gallanter person vvho fled , than paulus that fell : nor did the senate and people of rome judge otherwise , who gave him publick thanks , that he did not despair of the common-vvealth . but vvhether your country do only totter , or vvhether it fall ; vvhether it languish only , or vvholly perish : afflict not your self overmuch , but espouse that noble courage of crates , vvho vvhen alexander asked him , if he could vvish his country might be restor'd ? to vvhat purpose reply'd he , possibly another alexander vvill overturn it again : these are the speeches of great and wise men. let griefs ( though sad ) within the best repose ; vvhat gain is 't to awake our sleeping woes . as achilles vvas vvell advised in homer ; for otherwise as creon in the fable , embracing his burning daughter , freed her not ; but himself perished vvith her in the same flames : so lipsius , you vvill sooner drown your self in your own tears , than vvith them extinguish these publick fires of your country . while langius vvas yet speaking , the door opened ; and a boy from levinus torrentius came to tell us it was supper time ? langius as one awak'd , vvhat sayes he , has this discourse so farr impos'd upon me ? and is the day thus privily slipp'd away ? and with that rising and taking me by the arme ; let 's go lipsius said he to this my wish'd supper . let us rather sit still , said i ( being unwilling to go ) for this to me is preferrable to all other food ; which i may justly call the banquet of the gods. in these entertainments i alwayes hunger and can never be satisfy'd . but langius compell'd me , and said he , let us now performe our promise ; to morrow if you will we vvill finish our sacrifice to constancy . a discourse of constancy . book . ii. chap. i. the occasion of renewing the discourse ; the going to langius his gardens . their commendations . the next day it pleased langius to conduct me to his gardens which vvith a great deal of cost and curiosity he had planted in two places , the one upon a gentle rise of ground opposite to his house : the other somewhat farther off , in a lower place , and close by the river maes whose christall streams do gentle slide along the pleasant city's side . surprising me therefore in my chamber very early in the morning shall vve vvalk lipsius say'd he , or vvhether had you rather repose upon a chair here vvithin doors ? walk langius ( said i ) provided it be with you ; but whither shall vve go ? if you approve it ( reply'd he ) to my gardens which are by the waters side , they are not farr distant , and by the way you shall exercise your body ; see the city , and besides we shall there meet with a cool and desirable air ; in the midst of this heat : with all my heart ( said i ) nor in your company is it possible that any vvay should seem tedious to me , though it vvere to the utmost indies . and with this we called for our cloakes , cast them upon us , went forth , and got thither . assoon as i entred i took their prospect , with a wandring and curious eve ; and really wondring at the elegancy , and culture of the place ? my father ( said i ) what pleasantness , what splendour is this ? you have here langius a heaven rather than a garden : nor certainly do those starry fires above , shine out more illustriously in a clear and open night ; than these your flowers , do even sparkle and glitter in a most delectable variety . talk we of the gardens of adonis or alcinous ? compar'd with these , they are doubtless inconsiderable trifles , and such things as are next to nothing . and with this being come somewhat nearer , beholding some ; and smelling to others : oh! said i , which should i rather wish the eyes of argus or the nose of catullus ? so equally doth this pleasure even tickle and delight both senses . hence , hence all ye odours of arabia which serve only to provoke a loathing , in respect of that pure and truly celestial sweetness that breaths from hence : langius gently wringing my hand , and not vvithout a smile or too ; fair fall my gardens , lipsius saies he ; for neither i nor this rustical flora of mine can pretend any title to so skilfull and ingenious a commendation . it is yet a true one , langius ( reply'd i ) suppose you that i flatter ? i speak it vvith all the seriousness imaginable , the elysian fields , are less so than these gardens of yours . for see vvhat a comeliness and order is every vvhere ? how fitly all things are disposed in their beds and borders ? that the different coloured marbles in a pavement are not placed vvith a more becoming beauty and exactness . what plenty of herbs and flowers ? what rarity and strangeness ? insomuch as vvithin the narrow limits of this one place , nature seems to have enclosed all those excellencies , vvhich either this of ours , or that other world is able to boast off . chap. ii. the praise of gardens in general . delight taken in them is ancient , and from nature . kings and other excellent persons addicted to them . the pleasures of them . and truly langius this your divertisment is a praise-worthy and commendable one ; a pleasure vvhereunto ( if i am not deceived ) the more excellent and ingenuous persons are by nature it self inclin'd . i am rather induc'd to believe this ; inasmuch as it is not very easie to think of any one pleasure , in vvhich the most eminent amongst the nations have in all ages so vvillingly consented . if vve turne over the sacred volume , vve shall there find that the world and gardens vvere made together , vvhich god himself bestow'd upon the first man , as the seat of a blessed life : if vve search into prophane stories , proverbs and fables every vvhere tell us of the gardens of adonis and alcinous , tantalus and the hesperides : and in true and credible histories , vve meet the mention of king cyrus his orchards , that were planted with his own hands : the airy and pendulous gardens of semirdmis , and that new and celebrated plat of masanissa vvhich affrick vvondred at . amongst the ancient greeks and romans , how many illustrious persons am i able to name ; vvho casting off all other cares , have betaken themselves only to this ? amongst the former , it vvill suffice to say in short , that most of the philosophers and sages , removing from cities and the wild clamour of the courts ; have cloystred up themselves vvithin private limits and bounds . and amongst the latter , methinks i see king tarquine ( in that then ancient rome ) diverting himself in his gardens , and smiting off the heads of the poppyes . cato the censour applying himself to this study , and vvriting books vvith all seriousness about these matters . lucullus retiring to his gardens , after all his asiatique triumphs . sylla having lay'd down his dictatorship doth here more contentedly grow old ; and dioclesian the emperour preferres his sallads and lettuce at salona ; before the imperial purple , and all the scepters of the universe . nor have the vulgar receded from the judgement of their superiours ; but even amongst them the honester sort , and such as vvere free from ambition ; vvere generally this way addicted . for certainly there is a kind of secret impulse , that vvith us is born ; the hidden causes of which i cannot easily explicate ; which thrusts into this innocent and ingenuous delight ; not only us vvho bend that vvay , but even those serious and severe persons ; who both resist and deride it . and as none do behold the heavens , and those eternal fires ; without a secret kind of horror and religion ; so neither do any take a view of the sacred treasures of the earth , and the beautiful ornaments of this lower world , without a silent kind of gust and titillation of delight . enquire but of your mind and soul , and it will confess it self not only to be surpriz'd ; but even fed with such a prospect . ask your eyes and senses and they will acknowledge , that they do not any where more willingly repose themselves . look round about i beseech you for a while , and observe the several troops of flowers , together vvith the manner of their growth . behold how this uncupps , and that unsheathes , and this other swells it self out of the rich inclosure of it's gemm-like bud. see how suddenly the one expires , and the other shoots out to succeed it ; to conclude , observe in any one kind of them , the beauty , forme , and appearance , a thousand vvayes divers and the same . what mind is there so rigid , that in such entertainments as these , vvill not vvithdraw and melt it self , into soft and pleasing meditations ? let the curious eye dwell awhile upon those orient and dazeling colours : behold this native purple , this blood , this ivory , this snow , this flame , this gold , and such diversity of colours ; as a skilful pencil may possibly emulate , but can never be able to express ? to conclude vvhat exhaling odors , vvhat subtile and piercing spirit , and i know not what part of the heavenly air breathed from above ? so that our tribe of poets seem not in vain to have feign'd , that most flowers are born of the blood and juice of the immortal gods. o thou true fountain of dissolved pleasure ! o thou happy seat of venus and the graces ! may i ever pass my dayes , and repose my self in these your shades ; may it be lawful for me ( thus remote from popular tumults ) vvith a cheerful yet unsatisfy'd eye ; to wander amongst the plants and flowers of the known and unknown world ; busying my self now vvith t●e rise of this , and than vvith the set of that , and vvith a vvandring kind of deceit here to lose the memory of all my cares and sorrows . chap. iii. against some curious people , who abuse their gardens to vanity and sloth . their proper use . that they are places fit for wise and learned men ; and that vvisdom it self is bred and cherished there . when i had spoken this somevvhat earnestly , and vvith a kind of ardour both in voice and countenance ; langius looking mildly upon me : certainly said he lipsius , you are enamour'd of this florid and purple nymph ; and i am solicitous , lest you should love her immodestly . for you praise gardens , but yet so , as to admire only those things vvhich are vain and external ; vvhile you omit to speak of the true and lawful pleasures of them . you greedily behold the colours , and repose in the beds , and enquire after flowers from the known and unknown world ? but for vvhat purpose i pray ? is it to assure me that you also are one of that newly sprung up sect of curious and idle persons ; vvho have converted the most excellent and simple delight , into the instrument of a couple of vices ; vanity , and sloth ? for to this end have they their gardens , vvith an ambitious curiosity they search after a few forraign plants and flowers ; and vvhen they have them , they cherish and attend them , vvith the same anxiety and passion , as a mother doth her son. these are they vvhose letters vvander into thrace , greece , india , for some little parcel of seed , a clove , or off-set of a flower : who more passionately lament the vvithering of some new fashioned slipps ; than the death of an old try'd friend . does any man laugh at that roman , who put on mourning for the death of his lamprey ? after the same manner bewail they the funerals of their flowers . now if any of these candidates of florae have got any thing more new or rare , o how he boasts it ! how do his corrivals emulate and envy him ? some of vvhom return no less pensive to their houses than sylla or marcellus vvhen they vvere rejected in their suit for the pretorship . what shall i call this but a merry kind of madness ? not unlike to that of children turning pale , and quarrelling for their topps and counters . understand also how these men imploy themselves in their gardens ; they sit , they vvalk round about , they gape and sleep , and nothing else ; as if they intended them not as places of retirement , but as sepulchres of sloth . a prophane generation , and such as i may justly exclude from the orgyes of the true and sacred garden , vvhich i know to be consecrate to modest pleasure , not to vanity , to ease , but not at all to sloth . should i be of so feeble a temper , that the gain or loss of a poor flower , should either exalt or depress me ? no , i esteem things at their just rates , and setting aside the meretricious advantage of novelty : i know they are but plants ; i know they are but flowers : that is , short-liv'd and transitory things ; of vvhich the prince of poets hath pertinently spoken , when the soft vvestern winds abroad do flye , some flowers they make to spring , and others dye . i do not then despise these elegancies and delights ( as you see ) but herein i differ from these delicate hortensii ; that as i get such things as these vvithout anxiety , so i keep , and so i lose them . nor am i so stupid , or rather so dead , that i should cloyster up , and ( as it vvere ) bury my self in these garden shades : for even in these retirements , i find business , and my mind doth here meet vvith something vvhich it may performe vvithout action . i am never less alone than vvhen alone ( said one ; ) nor ever less at leisure than when so . an excellent saying , and vvhich i dare affirm had its birth in such gardens as these , vvhich are intended for the mind , not the body ; to recreate that , not to dissolve and soften this ; and for a safe retreat both from company and cares . is company troublesome ? here you shall be vvith your self : have employments exhausted your spirits ? here they shall be repayr'd , vvhere the mind shall be refresh'd vvith its proper food of quiet , and vvhere from this purer air , you shall have as it were the inspiration of a new life . if you look therefore upon the ancient sages , they dwelt in gardens ; or upon the more learned and improved spirits of our times , they delight in gardens : and in those for the most part are those divine pieces compos'd , vvhich are the wonder of mankind , and vvhich no age , or successions of time shall ever abolish . to this green lycaeum do we stand indebted for so many lectures upon nature : to this shady academy vve owe those discourses about manners , and from the apartments of these gardens are those abundant springs of wisdom diffus'd , vvhich we drink of , and vvhich vvith their fertill inundations have enrich'd the world. for the mind doth raise and advance it self to higher and greater things ; vvhen free and at large ; it beholds its own heaven , then vvhen 't is cloyster'd up within the prison of a house or city . here o ye poets frame an everlasting and immortal verse ; here let the learned meditate and write ; here o ye philosophers dispute of tranquility , of constancy , of life , and death . see lipsius the true end and use of gardens ; it is rest , secession , meditation , reading , vvriting ; and yet all these by way of recreation only , and divertisement . as painters vvho by long poring have vvearied and dimm'd their sight , call it off to certain glasses and green objects , thereby to quicken and refresh it ; so do vve the mind when it either straggles or is tyred . and why should i conceal my custome from you ? do you see that arbour set out vvith topiary vvork ? 't is the place i have consecrated to the muses . it is my school of wisdom . there i either satisfie my mind with serious and retir'd reading , or improve it vvith the seeds of profitable meditation ? and as arms are lay'd up in a magazene : so do i from them , store up precepts in my mind , vvhich are alwayes ready by me , against every battery and impression of fortune . as oft as i enter there , i forthwith command all base and servile cares to absent themselves ; and ( asmuch as i may ) vvith an elevated mind , i despise the studies of the prophane vulgar , and this great vanity in the affairs of men. yes , i seem to my self to be wholly divested of humanity ; and to be transported into heaven it self , in the fiery chariot of wisdome . do you think it there troubles me , what the french or spaniard are designing ? who keeps , or loses the scepter of belgia ? that the tyrant of asia , now threatens us by land or by sea ? or to conclude ; vvhat plots that king is forging in his brains , that in the north and frozen climate raigns ? none of all these i vvill assure you . securely fortify'd against all that is external ; i retreat within my self , free from all sorts of cares except this one , how i may subject this broken and subdued mind of mine to right reason , and to god : and all other humane things to my mind , that vvhensoever that fatal day shall come that must put a period to my life ; i may receive it vvith a compos'd , and unsadded countenance ; and may so depart out of this life , not as he that is forc'd into exile , but as one that is set at liberty . these are my musings in my gardens lipsius ; and these the fruits which ( so long as i am my self ) i shall not vvillingly exchange for all the persian and the indian treasures . chap. iv. an exhortation to vvisdom ; thereby a man may attain to constancy . an admonition to youth , to conjoyn the more serious studies of philosophy to the more pleasant and liberal ones . langius had finish'd , and i confess seriously that this last generous and constant speech of his , had cast me into some amazement , vvhich vvhen i had recovered , o happy man ( said i ) both in your business and retirements ! o that more than humane life ; vvhich i have met with in a man ! would to god i vvere able in any measure to imitate , and to creep along after these footsteps ; though it vvere at a considerable distance . langius as reprehending me ; imitate sayes he ? yes excell . you have right here not only to follow , but to lead the vvay . for in this path of constancy and vertue lipsius , vve have made but a small , a very small progress . as yet vve are not comparable to the more heroick and excellent persons , though possibly a little more assured than the utterly enfeebled and debauched sort . but you vvhose youthfull inclinations are generous and lofty , prepare your self ; and agreeable to my instructions , assay that path which doth directly lead to firmness and constancy . the vvay i speak of is wisdom , whose smooth and even path , i beseech and advise you no longer to decline : hath learning and the nine goddesses hitherto delighted you ? i approve it . for i know the mind ought first to be subacted and prepar'd with this more pleasing and external knowledge , as being before unfit to have divine seeds intrusted vvith it . but vvithall i approve not that you should so farr dote upon this as to make it both the beginning and end of your studies . these are to be our rudiments but not our vvork ; our vvay but not our goale . in a feast ( i suppose ) you vvould not feed only upon quelk-choses or junkets ; but would gratifie your stomach vvith something that is more solid . in this publick banquet of learning , why do you not the same ? why add you not the firmer food of philosophy , to those delicious viands of oratours and poets ? for ( mistake me not ) i vvould not that the one should be deserted , but that the other should be superadded , and that those looser , and by themselves more fluid nymphs should be tempered and mixed , vvith this ( as i may call it ) severer bacchus . penelope's suitors in homer are justly laughed at ; vvho deserting the mistress fell to courting the maids : take heed you do not the same , that despising the great and excellent princess , you should remain enamour'd of her handmaids . it is a desirable purchase to attain the praise of a learned man ; that of a vvise man is beyond it , but that of a good man surpasses all . hereafter let us aim at these ; and by all our labours endeavour not only to know , but to be vvise and do : how vaine's that knowledge where no vvisdome doth appear ? sayes that old and true verse . how many are there in this our assembly of the muses , vvho dishonour both themselves , and the very name of learning ? some in that they are even covered with the black spots of detestable impieties ; and the most because they are vain , light meteours only , and of no worthy designment . do they learn languages ? yes , but languages alone . do they understand the greek and latine authors ? yet they do but understand them , and as anacharsis faid vvell of the athenians heretofore ; they used money only to count it : so these their knowledge only to know . so utterly regardless are they of their lives , and of what they do , that ( even in my judgement ) the vulgar seem vvith some reason to look upon learning as the mistress of vice : but it is indeed the directress to vertue ; if we use it as we ought , and conjoyn it with wisdom ; to which learning should prepare our minds , but not seize upon them , and detain them to it self : for as there are some forts of trees , that will bear no fruit , unless they are planted by other male ones ( as i may call them ) so will the virgin muses remain barren , unless wedded to the masculine strength of wisdom . to what end dost thou correct tacitus ? and at the same time suffer so many errata's in thine own life ? why dost thou illustrate tranquillus ? and yet permit thy self to be benighted vvith errour ? dost thou carefully expunge the faults out of plautus , vvhen thou sufferest thy mind to be over-grown and neglected ? espouse at the last more worthy designs , and look after such a kind of learning as may serve , not only for austentation and applause , but also for use . betake your self unto wisdom which may reforme your manners ; calme and enlighten your troubled and dark soul. for 't is she alone that can fix upon you the impress of vertue ; and consigne you to constancy , and give you a free admission into the temple of a good mind . chap. v. wisdom is not acquir'd by wishes , but endeavours . the discourse of constancy renew'd . the desire of knowledge , a happy presage in a young man. this admonition so inflam'd me , that not able to dissemble it ; my father said i , with my mind i follow you already ; but when shall i with my actions also ? when shall that day appear , which releasing me from these cares , shall place me in the path of true vvisdom ; that thereby i may attain to true constancy ? langius as one reproving me . do you then ( said he ) choose rather to wish , than to act ? it is to no purpose at all ; and as the vulgar use to do . however ceneus in the fable was transformed from a woman to a man by wishing : yet hope not you after the same manner , to pass from a fool to a wise , or from a wavering to a constant man. it will concern you to use your utmost endeavour , to turn every stone , and that vvith an industrious diligence ; you must seek , read , and learn : here interrupting him , i know it langius reply'd i ; but do you also i beseech you lend me your assistance , and continue the thread of yesterdays discourse , vvhich our summons to supper did unhappily break off . return i say unto constancy , vvhose intermitted rites , it vvill be dangerous to deferre . langius as refusing , shall i again said he be shut up in that school ? i vvill not lipsius , at least not in this place , vvhich you should consider i have devoted to my recreations and not to business , another time vve will attend it . yes at this time reply'd i , for vvhat place is more fit for a discourse of vvisdom , than this her dwelling ? i mean that arbour , vvhich to me seems a temple , and the little table in it , no other than an altar , at vvhich sitting down let us sacrifice to the goddess . besides i take an omen from the very place . what omen ( sayes langius ? ) 't is this faid i , that as he who sits in a place where odors and sweet unguents are , carrys along with him in his garments the perfume and scent of the place : so i am not without hope , that some air and odour of wisdom may adhere unto my mind , by sitting in this her store-house . i am afraid ( sayes langius smiling ) there is but little of vveight in so light an omen : howsoever lipsius let us set forward , for not to dissemble with you , this so ingenious heat of yours does excite and vvarm me too . and as the searchers after springs , when in the morning they observe a certain vapour exhailing from the earth , do forthwith conclude that there they shall meet vvith vvater : so have i hopes of a plentiful spring of vertue , wheresoever i observe in youth an early desire of knowledge to betray it self : and vvith this he , led me into the arbour , and seated himself at the table . but i first turning my self and calling to the boyes ; stay there said i and vvaite , but be sure you lock the door , and observe vvhat i say ; upon your lives see that no man , nor dog , nor woman enter ; no though good fortune her self should come ; and vvith that i sat down . but langius laughing out-right , did you ever sway scepter lipsius ( said he ) so princelike and so severe are your edicts ? yesterdays misfortune ( reply'd i ) has dictated to me this necessary caution , and now in gods name proceed . chap. vi. a third argument for constancy drawn from utility : calamities are good both in their original and end. their original is from god ; who being eternally and immutably good , cannot be the cause of any evil. langius without any considerable pawse thus began . in my discourse of constancy it is fit i be constant , i shall therefore observe the same order and method vvhich yesterday i propounded . then ( as you know ) i form'd four squadrons ( as i call them ) to fight in its behalf against grief and dejectedness , the two former of these , from providence and necessity ; i have already drawn forth , and have sufficiently evinc'd that publick evils are sent down from god ; as also that they are necessary and impossible to be declin'd . i shall now therefore bring up my third squadron led by utility ; vvhich i may truly call the legion adjutrix , a valiant and subtile power , vvhich i know not how doth convey and insinuate it self into the minds of men , and with a pleasing kind of violence so overcomes them , as that themselves are not unwilling to be conquer'd . it rather gains upon us by degrees , than by violent impressions , and rather perswades than compells us . for we as readily permit our selves to be led by utility , as drawn by necessity . this lipsius i now oppose against you and your failing troops . for these publick evils vvhich we suffer are profitable , and contribute much to our inward advantage . did i call them evils ? they are rather goods ; if removing this veil of opinion , we have a due recourse unto their original and end ; of vvhich the former is from good , and the latter is for good . for the original of these calamities ( as yesterday i sufficiently prov'd ) is certainly from god : that is , not only from the chiefest good it self , but from the author , cause , and fountain of all other good vvhatsoever ; from vvhom it is as utterly impossible that any evil should proceed , as that himself should be evil . that power is only benign and healthful , equally despising to receive and to do vvrong , and vvhose sole and chief prerogative it is to benefit . and therefore those ancient and blinder sort of men , conceiving something of the supream being in their minds ; did rightly give him his name from helping . suppose you that he is exasperated , and that as one in a passion , he hurles down these evils as so many deadly arrows upon mankind ? no. anger and revenge are humane affections , and being the effects of vveakness , are found only amongst the infirme . but that excellent being doth eternally persever in its benignity , and those very severities vvhich vve tast off from him , are only as medicines ; sharp and bitter to the sense , but healthful in their issue and events . that homer of philosophers said rightly god doth no evil , and therefore cannot be the cause of any . but better and more fully that wise one of ours . what is the cause of the ods doing good ? their nature . he errs that imagines they are either desirous or able to do hurt . as they cannot receive , so neither can they do an injury . the first honor that we owe to the gods , is to believe that they are , the next is to ascribe majesty to them , and goodness without which there is no majesty . to know they are those , who preside over the world ; who govern all things as their own ; who are the guardians of mankind , and of every particular person , and that no evil is in them , neither doth any proceed from them . chap. vii . the end of calamities alwayes directed to good ; though often administred by wicked men , and for their evil ends . the force of them is broken and allay'd by god. all things are guided to our advantage . vvhy god uses wicked men as his instruments therein . calamities then are good in their original ; they are so also in their end , because they are alwayes directed to our good . you vvill say vvhich vvay ? is not mischief and ruine the manifest end of warr and slaughter ? it is i confess if you look at men , but not if you look upon god. that you may the more clearly apprehend this , it vvill be requisite thus to distinguish of divine punishments ; some are simple and others are mixt : those i call simple vvhich are immediately from god ; vvithout the intervening of any humane contrivance or assistance : the mixt , are such as are from god too ; but acted and performed by men. of the former kind are famine , barrenness , earth-quakes , inundations , diseases , and death : of the latter , tyrannies , warres , oppressions , slaughters . the first sort are pure and innocent , as being deriv'd to us from the purest fountain : in the other i vvill not deny , but there is some mixture of filth , inasmuch as they pass through , and are convey'd to us by the impure channels of affections . man intermeddles therein , and then vvhat vvonder is it , if sin and corruption do discover it self ? that is the vvonder that such is the merciful providence of god , as can convert that poyson into medicine , and that sin into good . see you that tyrant there , who breaths out nothing but threatnings and slaughter , vvhose delights are in doing mischief , and vvho could be content to perish himself , provided he might thereby accomplish the destruction of others : let him alone a while , he shall fail in his designes ; and god by a secret and indiscernible thread ( vvhile he thinks and vvills nothing less ) shall guide him to his end . as the arrow vvithout any sense of its own , arrives at that mark vvhich the archer intended ; so do vvicked men. for that supream power doth inhibit and restrain all humane powers , directing and disposing all their vvandring steps unto that best end of his . as in an army the souldiers are variously affected ; spoile encourages this , glory him , and hatred that other ; but all fight for their prince and victory : so every of these wills of ours , whether they are good or evil , serve under , and fight for god , and amidst the greatest variety of their own designed ends , do at last touch upon this ( as i may so call it ) end of ends. but you vvill say vvhy does god use the help of the vvicked ? why does not he himself send that better sort of calamities amongst us ; at least the worser by more desirable instruments ? thou art over curiously inquisitive o man : neither am i certain vvhether i am able to explain these mysteries of providence . but this i know , that he sufficiently comprehends the reason of his actings ; even at such times as we are not able to discern the least of it in them . but vvhat is it that appears so strange , and unusual to us ? the ruler of a province condemnes a malefactour according to the laws ; and commits the execution of his sentence to brutianus or the lictor . the father of a great family sometimes corrects his son himself ; at others commits it to the care of a servant or tutor . why should not god have the same liberty ? why should not he vvhen he so pleases chastise us vvith his own hand ? and when he sees it good vvith anothers . there is no wrong or injury done to us in all this . does that servant hate you ? doth he come vvith a mind to do you a mischief ? it matters not , overlooking the instrument of vvhat you suffer : look back to the mind of him that hath commanded it . for assuredly the father that requires it stands by ; nor will he suffer one stripe to be superadded to what himself hath prescribed . but you ask again ; why is sin here immixed ? and why are these divine arrowes dipp'd in the poyson of affections ? you put me upon a difficult task , which yet i shall adventure upon ; and my answer is , that god may declare his wisdom and power . they are st. austine's words ; he judg'd it better to make evils good , than to permit no evills at all . for vvhat greater instance can there be of wisdom and goodness , than to bring good out of evil , and to make those things conspire our welfare , which were found out for our ruine . you commend that physitian who successefully mixes his treacle with a viper . and why should you resent it in god , if vvith this plaister of calamities , he shall intermixe something that is hurtfull , vvithout any damage of yours . for he doth certainly decoct and evaporate all the adhering poyson , by the secret fire of his providence . lastly , this magnifyes his power and glory ; to vvhich all things are by himself of necessity referr'd . for vvhat can more lively express his power than this ? that he not only overcomes those enemies that wrastle with him ; but also overcomes them in such a manner , as brings them over to himself , and causes them to take armes in the pursuance of his victories : which every day comes to pass , vvhen the vvill of god is done by evill men , though not of them ; since he so manages all those things which the vvicked do in opposition to his vvill ; that none of them are besides his will. and vvhat greater miracle can there be , than that vvicked men should make vvicked men good ? approach thou cajus caesar , and at once tread under foot the two sacred names of thy county , and son in law. this thy ambition vvithout thy knowledge shall be subservient to god ; yes to thy country it self , against vvhich it vvas taken up : for it shall prove the reparation and establishment of the roman state. thou attila fly from the remotest parts of the world , and thirsting after blood and spoile , sack , kill , burn , and wast ; all this cruelty shall fight for god , and prove nothing else but an awakening of the christians from slumbring in the beds of pleasure and security . you two vespasians what do you ? ruine iudea and the jews : take , and raze the whole city ; but for what end ? as you indeed intend it ; for the glory and enlargement of the empire , but you mistake your selves , you are only the lictours and executioners of the divine vengeance upon an impious nation . go ye vvho possibly have martyr'd the christians at rome , and revenge the death of christ in iudaea . all ages are full of such examples , how god by the sinful desires of some men hath accomplished his own good pleasure ; and by the injustice of others , hath executed his own just and righteous judgments . let us therefore lipsius rather admire than busily pry into this recluded power of his wisdom , and let us know , that all sorts of calamities are good in their events : although this mind of ours be so blind as not to discern it , or so flow in its apprehensions as not to reach and comprehend it . for their true ends are oftentimes obscure as to us ; to vvhich notwithstanding ( though vve are ignorant ) they at last arrive : not unlike those rivers vvhich though they retire from our sight , and creep under ground , do nevertheless find the vvay to pour themselves into the bosoms of their own seas . chap. viii . more distinctly of the ends themselves . they are three-fold ; and to whom each belongs . of the first end , vvhich is for the exercise of the good. it is advantageous three wayes . it strengthens them ; tryes them , and fits them to be exemplary to others . if i may therefore hoise sail and pass on further into this depth of divine matters ; i may possibly discover some things more fully and distinctly concerning the ends themselves . but it is fit i should preface an attempt of this nature vvith that of homer , if it may be done by me , or the thing it self can be . for there are some of them , which methinks i am able with some certainty to comprehend and point out , but there are others vvhich i can only rove and guess at . of the more apparent ones , are these three ; to exercise , chastise , and punish us . for if you observe it , the most usual and ordinary calamities do either exercise the good , or chastise the offending , or punish the wicked ; and all this for our good . for ( to illustrate and dwell awhile upon the first end ) we daily see the best men either press'd by calamities singly and apart by themselves ; or else inclosed by them , in society with the wicked . we observe and vvonder at it ; as neither sufficiently comprehending the cause ; nor rightly considering the end. now the cause is the love of god towards us , not his hate ; and the end is not our hurt , but our benefit . for this exercise doth advantage us more wayes than one : it strengthens us , it tryes us , and it fits us to lead on others . it strengthens us , being ( as it vvere ) that school ; vvherein god trains up his in fortitude and virtue . we see vvrastlers inure themselves to sharp tryals ; that they may overcome at last : think the same of us in this school of afflictions . for that great master of ours is a sharp and severe exerciser of us ; and exacts our labours and patience not only unto sweat but blood : suppose you that he fondly trains up his , and that he eherishes them in the soft blandishments of pleasure and delight ? no. they are mothers vvhich soften and enervate their children , by an over-tenderness in their education ; but fathers vvho preserve them , by acquainting them vvith hardship . now god is our father , and therefore as he doth truly so he severel loves us . if you would be a pilot , you must be brought up amongst stormes ; if a souldier , you must be trained up in dangers ; and if you would be truly a man , vvhy do you start at afflictions , since there is no other vvay to acquire strength . do you see those languishing and retir'd bodies , whom the sun seldom looks upon , the vvind never assails , and the more piercing air never lights upon ; the minds of those soft and ever happy men , are such as the least gust of an angry fortune vvill overturn and dissolve . afflictions then do strengthen us , and as trees fasten their roots the deeper by how much the more they are shaken with the winds ; so good men become the more fixed in vertue , when attempted by the storms of adversity . afflictions do also prove and try us ; for otherwise how shall any man be able to judge of his firmness and proficiency ? if a prosperous vvind do ever fill the sail , the pilot has no opportunity to display his skill ; and if all things still evenly and happily succeed to man , he shall lose the glory of his vertue ; for the only undeceivable touch-stone of it , is affliction . it was a gallant speech of demetrius : nothing seems to me more unhappy than that man who ha's never tasted of adversity , and it is most true . for our great general doth not exempt such men , but distrusts them ; he doth not indulge , but discards and contemns them . he rases i say their names out of the muster rolls of his legions , as a sort of feeble and unserviceable persons . lastly , they adapt us to lead on others ; for the courage and patience of good men in their sufferings , is a light to this benighted world. they invite others by their example to the same things , and as it were trace out a path of vertue for them to walk in . bias lost at once his fortunes and his country ; but he yet calls out to men , that they be sure to carry all their treasure about them . regulus in the midst of his torments unworthily expir'd ; but that excellent and noble example of promise keeping doth yet survive . papinianus is slain by the tyrant ; but his axe hath taught us securely to abide it , when we must dye in the maintenance of justice . to conclude , there are a number of most admirable persons , that through violence or injustice , have been banished or slain : but from those rivers of blood ; we daily suck and drink in our improvements in constancy and vertue : all which notwithstanding would for ever have been concealed in darkness , were it not for this torch of afflictions . for as spices do every way emit and disperse their odours when they are pounded ; so vertue doth then chiefly display her glories , when she is oppressed . chap. ix . of chastisement , the second end. that it avails us two wayes . the second end is to chastise us , than vvhich there could not be a more gentle or effectual means found out for our preservation . for it benefits and preserves us two wayes , either as a scourge , vvhen vve have offended , or as a bridle lest vve should offend . as a scourge , since it is the hand of a father vvhich often corrects an offendor for his faults ; but it is an executioner , that slowly and only once punishes . as vve use fire or vvater for the cleansing and purging away of filth and dross : so doth god make use of afflictions to take away that of our sins . and it is deservedly a scourge upon us at this time lipsius ; for vve belgians had before offended ; and being corrupted vvith vvealth and pleasures , vve ran on headlong in the way of vice. but our god gently warnes and recalls us ; and scourges us with some stripes , that forewarned by these , we may return to our selves and to him . he takes away our estates , we abused them to luxury ; our liberty , because we enlarg'd it to licentiousness ? and vvith this gentle ferula of calamities , he doth ( as it were ) expiate and purge away our offences . a gentle one indeed , for how slight a satisfaction is this ? they say the persians when they are to punish some illustrious and great person , use to stripp him of his robes and tiara ; and hanging them up they scourge these instead of the man : so doth this father of ours , vvho in every of his chastisements overpasses us , and touches onely upon our bodies , our lands , our goods , and our ourward enjoyments . this chastisement serves us also for a bridle , vvhich he opportunely casts over us , when he sees vve are about to offend . as physitians do sometimes advisedly breath a vein , not because we are sick , but that we may not be ; so by these calamities god doth vvithdraw from us some such things , as would otherwise become incentives and fewel to our vices . for he vvho gave a being to all things doth vvell understand their natures ; nor doth he judge of their diseases , by the complexion and pulse ; but by the heart and reins . doth he see the genius of the hetrurians to be over-haughty and raised ? he rules them by a prince : the helvetians easy and quiet ? he indulges them liberty : the venetians of a temper betwixt both ? he fits them vvith a middle vvay of government ; and vvill possibly change all these hereafter ; as the persons shall vary their conditions . nevertheless , we complain , and vvhy ( say vve ) are vve longer harras'd vvith vvar than others ? and vvhy are vve crush'd under a heavier yoke of servitude ? thou fool , and now really sick ! art thou vviser than thy maker ? tell me vvhy doth the physitian prescribe more wormwood or hellebore for this than for that man ? is it not because his disease or constitution requires it ? think the same here ; possibly he sees this people more stubborn , and therefore to be subdued by stripes ; that other more tractable and apt to be reduced with the shaking of the rod. but you do not think so : it may be so . our parents vvill not trust a knife or sword in the hand of their child ( though he cry for it ) as foreseeing his hurt . why then should god indulge us to our destruction ; since vve are truly children , and neither know how to ask those things which are expedient for us ; nor how to part vvith those that will be fatal to us ? you may therefore lament if you please , and as much as you please , but you shall notwithstanding drink of that cup of sorrowes , vvhich that heavenly physitian presents you with , and vvhich he hath ( not unadvisedly ) filled so full for you . chap. x. of punishment the third end ; that it is good both in respect of god , men , and him that is punished . punishment i confess respects evil men , but is no evil it self . for first , it is good if you respect god , whose eternal and immoveable law of justice doth require that the crimes of men be either amended , or removed out of the vvay . now chastisement amends those that can be vvashed out ; and those vvhich cannot , punishment takes away . it is good also in respect of men , amongst vvhom no society could stand and continue ; if all things vvere permitted vvith impunity to turbulent and desperate spirits . as the punishment of petty thieves and murtherers , conduces to every mans private security : so does that of the greater and most famous ones to that of the publick welfare . those divine animadversions upon tyrants , and the great riflers of the world ought necessarily sometimes to intervene , that there may be examples to admonish us , — that there is a wakeful eye of justice , which doth all descry . and vvhich to other potentates and people may cry out , — thus warn'd by others miseries , learn justice and the gods not to despise . it is good : thirdly , if you consider those very persons that are punished . for it is for their sakes ; since it is not so properly a revenge , or an utterly destroying judgement , as a gentle cohibition and restraint from sin , or to speak it fully vvith the graecians a punishment not a revenge , for that gracious diety never consults his anger that from thence he may severest punishments dispense . as that impious poet said piously . as death is sometimes sent in mercy to good men before they sin : so to the incorrigeable vvicked in the midst of their sins , because they are so devoted to them , that unless they be cut off , they cannot be divorced . god therefore stops their unbridled course , and vvhile they are commiting sin for the present , and designing others for the future ; he mercifully takes them away . to conclude all punishment is good , as it respects justice , as on the contrary impunity is evil , which makes men sinful , that is miserable men to continue so longer . boetius said well , wicked men are more happy under punishment , than if iustice should inflict none at all upon them ; and he gives this reason , because some good is come amongst them ( to wit ) punishment , which in all the heap of their other crimes they never yet had . chap. xi . of a fourth end ; which pertains either to the conservation and defence of the vniverse , or its ornament . the explication of each . these are the three certain evident ends , vvhich i have pass'd vvith a sure and steady foot : the fourth remains vvhich i must adventure upon with a doubtful one . for it is more remov'd and obscure , than that our humane capacities should perfectly reach it . i discover it only through a cloud , and i may guess and offer at it , but never certainly know and attain to it . the end vvhich i mean hath a double respect and regards either the conservation or the beauty of the universe . i therefore suppose it is for its conservation ; because that god who made and disposed all things by an excellent wisdom ; did so make them , that he bounded every of them within a certain number , measure , and weight : nor can any particular creature transgress these limits , vvithout the weakning or ruine of the vvhole . thus those great bodies the heavens , the earth , the sea have their bounds ; thus every age hath its appointed number , and thus both men , cities , and kingdomes have their stated accounts . will they exceed these ? it is necessary that some storme and tempest of calamities do check and retard them : for otherwise they vvould endanger and bring damage to , this beautiful frame of the world. but those things especially vvould exceed these bounds very often , that are under the command of encrease and multiply . look upon men , who can deny that by nature vve are born faster , than we naturally dye ? so that in a few years from two persons a family of a hundred may be propagated ; of vvhich in that space not above ten or twenty may dye . look upon a flock of sheep ; how numerous would the encrease be , if the shepheard should not yearly choose out and set apart some to the slaughter ? the birds and fishes vvould in a short time fill the air and waters , if there vvere not certain dissentions ; and ( as it vvere ) vvarrs amongst themselves , and the endeavours of men to diminish them . every age is building of cities and towns ; and if fire or other wayes of destruction should not interpose ; neither this vvorld of ours , nor the other vvorld vvould be able to contain them . the same may vve imagine of the vvhole creation . what wonder therefore is it if our saturn doth sometimes thrust his sickle into this over-grown field ; and reap thence some superfluous thousands , either by the pestilence or vvarr ? which if he should not do , vvhat country vvould be able to hold us , or vvhat land could afford us sustenance ? it is therefore requisite that something should perish from the parts ; that so the vvhole may be eternal . for as to rulers in states the safety of the people is the supream law : so is it to god in respect of the world. for the beauty or ornament of the world i conceive calamities make two vvayes . first , because i apprehend no beauty any where in this great frame without variety , and a distinct succession and change of things . i acknowledge the sun is exceedingly beautiful , but he becomes more acceptable to us at his return ; through the interposition of the dew-engendring night ; and those black curtains vvhich she shuts him out vvith . the summer is a most pleasant season , but yet the vvinter sets it off , vvith it's icy marbles , and hoary frosts : which if you take away , you really destroy the true rellish , and that particular gust of joy , which it's light and warmth afford us . in this country of ours , one and the same face of things delights me not ; but i am pleasingly affected to behold the valleys and hills , and rocks , fruitful and vvast places , meadows and woods , for satiety and loathing are alwayes the companions of equality . and vvhy then in this scene of life ( as i may so call it ) should the same dress and countenance of things delight us ? in my mind it should not : let there be sometimes some smooth and halcyon calmes ; and let those after a while be discompos'd and ruffled vvith the vvhirlevvinds of warr , and the boysterous stormes of succeeding tyrannies . for who would wish that this universe should be like the dead sea ; without wind or motion ? but there is also another ornament vvhich i guess at vvhich is more serious and inwardly fruitful . histories informe me , that better and smoother times , do still succeed storms . do warrs molest any people ? yet for the most part they refine and sharpen them ; by introducing the arts , and a various culture of ingenuity . the romans of old impos'd a heavy yoke upon the world ; but vvithall it prov'd a happy one in the event ; for as the sun chases away darkness from our eyes : so did that ignorance and barbarisme from their minds . what had the gaules or we germans now been , if the light of that great empire had not risen to us ? a sort of wild and inhumane savages , glutting our selves with our own and others blood ; and despisers both of god and man. and if i rightly divine , the same will befal this new world ; vvhich the spaniards with an advantageous kind of cruelty have exhausted ; but vvill again restore , and otherwise replenish . and as those vvho have great plantations ; remove some trees elsewhere , and cut down others : skilfully disposing all things , to make them more fruitful and to prosper the better : so doth god in this vast field of the world. for he is the most excellent improver , in some places he prunes and cuts off the luxuriant branches of some families , and in others ( as i may so say ) he plucks off some leaves of persons . this helps the stock , though the branches fall , and the leaves that drop off , become the mockery of the vvinds . he sees this nation scorched and vvithered away ; as having out-liv'd their vertues , and he casts them out . that other he observes to be vvild and unfruitful ; he therefore transfers them ; and others he mingles together , and engrafts them ( as it vvere ) into one another . you italians in the declining of the empire , being now decayed and enfeebled : why cumber you any longer that choice part of earth ? depart and let those hardy and unbroken lombards more happily improve that soil . you vicious and effeminate graecians perish and let the harsh and sowre scythians be mellowed there . so also by a kind of confusion of nations , you french possess gaul , you saxons brittain , you normans belgia and the places adjoyning . all which and more lipsius will readily occurre to him that is versed in histories and the events of things . let us take courage then and know , that whatever private calamity comes upon us ; is some way or other advantageous to some part of the universe . the setting of this nation or kingdom shall be the rise of another . the ruines of this city , the foundation of a new one , nor can any thing here be properly said to dye , but to change only . shall we belgians think to be the only choice ones with god ; that shall be perpetually wedded to felicity ; and the only white boyes of fortune . fooles that we are . that great father hath many more children whom ( because he will not all at once ) permit to cherish , and receive by turnes into his bosome . we have already had our sun-shines ; let the night succeed awhile , and let those beauteous rayes withdraw to the western nations . seneca ( as he uses ) speaks aptly and wisely to this purpose . let a wise man repine at nothing that befalls him ; but let him know that those very things under which he seems to suffer ; do make to the conservation of the visiverse , and are of that number which fullfil that law and order which the world is confin'd to . chap. xii . an old and common objection against the divine iustice ; why punishments are unequal . it s inquisition remov'd from man ; and therefore unlawful . langius paws'd here ; and thus i broke forth . what a spring of water is to the thirsty traveller in the heats of summer : such is this your discourse to me . it refreshes , it enlivens , and vvith its cooling juice , it mitigates and allayes my heat and feaver . but it doth but allay ; it does not quench it ; for that thorne which also molested the ancients ( about the inequality of punishments ) remains still fixed in my breast . for langius , if that ballance of justice be even ; how comes it to pass that this arrow of calamities , so oft the nocent passes , but is sent amongst the virtuous still and innocent ? why ( i say ) are some guiltless people rooted out ? and what have our wretched posterity done , that they should rue the crimes of their ancestours ? this is that thick and troublesome mist that is got before my eyes ; which ( if you can ) i pray dissolve and scatter with some ray of reason . langius frowning upon me , young man ( said he ) dost thou thus again begin to wander from the path i set thee in ? i may not suffer it ; for as skillful huntsmen , suffer not their doggs to change ; but force them to persist in the chase of that first buck they were lay'd into : so i am resolved you shall follow me in that track which i first trac'd out to you . i was discoursing you the ends of calamities ; that if you are good , you may know your self exercised by them , if offending corrected , if wicked punish'd , and you forth with hale me away to speak of the causes . and vvhat vvould that vvandring mind of yours , by its so curious an inquisition ? would you touch those heavenly fires ? they will melt you . would you scale that tower of providence ? you vvill fall headlong . as moths and other little vvinged insects , towards night , vvill fly round about a candle till they are burnt : with the same danger doth the mind of man , sport it self and vvanton about that secret fire . assign the causes ( say you ) vvhy divine vengeance overpasses these ; and seises upon these ? the causes ? i may lawfully say i know them not . for that heavenly court never admitted me , nor i its decrees . this only i know , that the chief cause of all other causes is the vvill of god : beyond vvhich if any man enquire , after any force or power ; he is ignorant of the divine nature . for it is necessary that every cause be both before and greater than its effect ; but than god and his will , there is nothing either before or greater . there is therefore no cause of it . god strikes , and god passes by ; vvhat would you have more ? as salvian sayes piously and truly ; the vvill of god is the perfection of justice : but you vvill say , vve desire some reason of this inequality from , vvhom ? from god ? to vvhom alone it is lawful to do vvhatsoever he pleases , and vvho is pleased to do nothing but vvhat is lawful ? shall a servant call his master ; or a subject his prince to account ? the one vvould call it an affront ; and the other rebellion : and vvill you be more insolent against god himself ? avvay vvith this perverse curiosity ! this reason doth not otherwise appear to be one , than because it may be rendred to none . and yet vvhen you have all done , you shall never be able to disingage your self from these shades ; nor ever arrive to the knowledge of those ( truly so called ) privy councels . sophocles said excellently ; divine decrees thou shalt not know though thou knew'st all beside ; for those from us who are below the gods themselves do hide . chap. xiii . yet to satisfie the curious , three usual objections are answered : first , of that ; that evil men are not punished . to which is reply'd ; that though their punishments are deferred , they are not remitted . and this comes to pass either for mans sake , or from the nature of god which is slow to revenge . this rude and simple vvay lipsius is here the only safe one ; the rest are slippery and deceitful . in superiour and divine things , the only acuteness is to discern nothing ; and the only knowledge is to be ignorant . but forasmuch as this cloud hath heretofore , and doth still rest upon the minds of men ; in a few words ( if possible ) i shall endeavour to remove it , and vvaft you ( now at a-stand ) over this river also . pardon me , o thou heavenly mind said he ( lifting up his eyes ) if i shall deliver any thing of these secrets ( yet vvith a pious intention ) less pure and pious than i ought . and first of all lipsius methinks i am able in general to vindicate the justice of god vvith this one argument . if god doth behold humane things , he doth also care for them , if he cares for them , he governs them , if he governes them it is with judgement , and if vvith judgement , how then unjustly ? for vvithout judgement there is no government , but a meer heap , confusion and tumult . what have you to oppose against this javelin ; what shield or vvhat armes ? if you vvill confess it , nothing but humane ignorance ; i cannot conceive ( say you ) vvhy these should be punish'd , and those other escape . be it so ; vvill you therefore add impudence to your imprudence ; and carp at the power of that divine lavv , vvhich you cannot conceive of ? what more unjust way of proceeding against justice can there be than this ? if any stranger should take upon him to judge of the laws and constitutions of your country ; you vvould command him to desist and be silent , because he understands them not , and shall you vvho are the inhabitant of earth , presume rashly to censure the laws of heaven , you understand not ? or you that are the vvork to question your maker ? but it matters not , go on , for i shall now come up more close to you , and distinctly examine ( as you desire me ) these misty calumnies of yours by the sun of reason . three things you object , that god doth not punish the vvicked ; that he doth punish the innocent ; and that he substitutes and and exchanges offendours . you say first divine vengeance doth ill to pass by vvicked men . doth it then overpass them ? in my apprehension it doth not , but rather deferrs their punishment . if divers men owe me money ; and i require it of this debtour assoon as it becomes due , and allow to that other a longer time of payment : am i therefore culpable ? or are not these things at my own dispose ? the same does our great god ; to vvhom all vvicked men owe a punishment : he requires it presently of these , but gives day to others ; yet to be paid with interest , and what injustice is this ? unless ( possibly ) you are solicitous for god , and fear he should lose part of his debt , by his merciful forbearance : but you need not fear it ; no man ever prov'd bankrupt to this supream creditour . we are all under his eye vv●eresoever we betake our selves ; nay already in his shackles and custody . but i vvould ( say you ) have such a tyrant immediately punished , that by his present slaughter , he may satisfie so many as he hath oppressed . for this vvay the justice of god vvould shine out the more illustriously to us . rather your stupidity in my mind . for vvho art thou that not only presumest to lead on the judgements of god , but also to prescribe him his season ? do you think him your judge , or rather your lictour or executioner ? dispatch , lead him off ( say you ) scourge him , cover his face , and hang him up : for it is my vvill it should be so . o impudence ! but god vvills it otherwise , vvho ( you ought to know ) sees more clearly into these matters , and punishes for other ends . the heats of passion , and a certain desire of revenge transport us ; from all vvhich god is most remotely distant , and intends the vvarning and correction of others : for he best knowes to vvhom and vvhen these things may be useful . the choice of times is of great moment , and for vvant of a due and seasonable administration , the safest medicines do oftentimes prove fatal to us . he took away caligula in the first setting out of his tyranny : he suffered nero to run on longer , and tiberius beyond either ; and this no doubt for the good of those very men , vvho then also complain'd . our vicious and uncorrected manners , do often stand in need of a lasting and continued scourge , though vve vvould have it straight remov'd , and thrown into the fire . this is one cause of the forbearance of god , vvhich respect us ; the other respects himself . to vvhom it seems natural to proceed on to his revenge vvith a slow pace ; and to recompence the delay of his punishment vvith the vveight of it . synecius said vvell , the divine inquisition moves on slowly and by degrees : and so did the ancients vvho from this property of his ; feign'd god to have feet of wool. so that although you are passionately hasty of revenge ; you cannot yet accuse this delay , since it is so only a respite of punishment ; that it may be also an encrease . tell me , vvere you present at a tragedy ; vvould you stomach it that the atreus there , or the thyestes ; in the first or second act , should in a glorious garbe , and vvith a stately tread , pass through the scenes : that they should rule there , threaten and command all ? i suppose you would not , for you know that felicity is but short-liv'd : and expect that all this grandeur should finish in a fatal catastrophe . in this play and fable of the world , vvhy are you more offended vvith god , than you vvould be vvith any poet ? that wicked man flourishes , and that tyrant lives happy . be it so ; but think vvithall that this is but the first act : and before possess your self inwardly vvith this , that tears and forrows press on hard to overtake those joyes . this scene shall shortly flow vvith blood , and then those robes of gold , and purple shall be rowled up and down , and trampled in it . for that great master of ours is a good poet , and vvill not rashly exceed the lawes of his tragedy . do vve not vvillingly bear with discords in musick for some time ; because vve know that the last closures vvill end in comfort ? do so here . but you vvill say those miserable creatures that have suffered under this tyranny , do not alwayes see the punishment . what wonder is it ? for the play is oftentimes somewhat long ; and they are not able to sit it out in this theatre . but others see it and fear ; because they see that though ( in this severe court of judicatory ) some men are reprieved ; yet they are not pardoned : and though the day of execution is prolonged , yet it is not forgot . wherefore lipsius remember this ; that vvicked men are sometimes forborne , but never acquited : nor is there any man that entertains a crime into his brest , but vvho also hath a nemesis at his back ; for that goddess is in pursuit of him and as i may say vvith euripides , vvith silent unsuspected pace she doth the guilty sinner trace . and though he strive with utmost hast to scape ; she seiseth him at last . chap. xiv . that there are divers sorts of punishments ; some occult and internal , which accompany the crime it self ; and which the wicked never escape . that such are more grievous than any external ones . which notwithstanding that you may more clearly apprehend ; and that i may once lead you into the height of this cause : you must know ; that divine punishments are threefold ; internal , posthumous , and external . those i call internal vvhich are inflicted on the soul , vvhile it is yet in the body ; such are anxiety , penitence , fears , and a thousand pangs and stings of conscience . those are posthumous ; vvhich are inflicted upon the same soul , but then vvhen it is freed and separate from the body . such are those torments which even the ancients ( most of them ) vvere of opinion did await the vvicked after death . the third sort are such as touch upon the body , or the things that belong to it ; as poverty , banishment , pain , diseases , death . all vvhich do ( sometimes ) by the just judgment of god concurr against the wicked ; but the two former alwayes . to speak of internal punishments ; vvhere shall we find the man , so profusely and audaciously wicked ; that hath not sensibly felt in his soul some of these sharp scourges , and stripes either in the commission of his crimes or at least after he hath acted them . so true is that vvhich plato said of old ; that punishment treads upon the heels of sin : or as hesiod more properly , it is coeval and twinns with it . the punishment of evil is not only ally'd to ; but is bred vvithin that evil , nor is there any thing in this life , that can pretend to calmness and security ; besides innocence alone . as the roman custome did enforce the malefactour to bear that cross which vvas streight to bear him : so hath god impos'd upon all wicked men , this cross of conscience ; on vvhich they shall begin to suffer , before their further and vvorse sufferings do begin . do you suppose that only to be punishment , which we can look upon , and which this body doth sensibly undergo ? no. all those external things do but lightly , and for no long time touch upon us ; they are the internal that more exquisitely torment us . as we judge them to be more desperately sick , who languish away under an inward waste ; than those that are seised vvith some visible inflammation , or preternatural hearts , though these last are more apparent : so are vvicked men under a more grievous punishment , vvho vvith so low and indiscernible procedures are lead on to their eternal death . it used to be the cruel command of caligula ; so strike as that he may feel he dyes ; the same befalls these men , vvhom their conscience as an executioner , doth daily torture , and even kill by these slow degrees of lesser and repeated stripes . nor let the splendour or the inlarged power and vvealth of those men impose upon you : since they are no more happy and fortunate for these than they are healthful , whose gout or feaver rests it self upon a purple couch . do you see a beggarly fellow represent in some play the person of a prince , all pompous and brave ? you behold him yet vvithout envy ; for you know how under those golden robes his sores and filth , and poverty lye hid : think the same of all those great and proud tyrants : in whose minds if they lay open to us saith tacitus , we might behold gashes and wounds : for as bodies are torn with stripes ; so are the souls of men miserably dilacerated vvith blood , lust , and other impious contrivances . they laugh i confess sometimes , but it is no true laughter : they rejoyce , but their joyes are not genuine and kindly ; but it fares vvith them as vvith condemned vvretches in a prison , who endeavour with dice and tables to shake out of their memories the thoughts of their execution , but are not able : for the deep impression of their approaching punishment , remains with them ; and the fearful image of pale death is continually before their eyes . look now upon the sicilian tyrant , vvith-dravving only the veil of his outward happiness . a drawn sword hangs in a twine thread over the wretches impious head . hear that roman lamenting , let the god's and goddesses destroy me worse then i every day perceive my self to perish . hear that other thus sighing ; am i then that only one , vvho have neither friend nor enemy ? these lipsius are the true torments and agonies of souls ; to be in perpetual anguish , sorrow , dread , and which are incomparably beyond any racks ; or other invented wayes for the torture of the body . chap. xv. that punishments after death do await the wicked , and that for the most part they are not acquitted from external ones , is proved by examples . adde to these those posthumous and external pains vvihch vve have learned from divinity ; and which vvithout further discussion it will be sufficient only thus to mention . adde to those also external punishments ; which yet if they should be wanting , since the former are inflicted , who could reasonably blame the external justice ? but they are not vvanting . nor was it ever , at least very seldom , but that publick oppressours , and men openly wicked ; do undergo publick and open punishments ; some sooner , others later ; some in their own persons , and others in those of their posterity . you complain of dionysius in sicily that for many years with impunity , he exercises his lusts , rapine , and murthers : forbear awhile , and you shall behold him inglorious , exiled , pennyless ; and from a sceptre ( vvho would believe it ) reduc'd to a ferula . the king of that great island shall teach school at corinth , being himself become the mockery of fortune : on the other side you resent it vvith passion that pompey and his army of patricians should be vanquished in the plains of pharsalia ; and that the conquerour for some time , doth wanton and even sport himself with civill blood . i do not wonder at you : for i see here the helm of right reason wrested out of the hands of cato himself , and this faltering expression falls from him : divine things have much of obscurity in them . but yet thou lipsius , thou cato , turn your eyes this way a little . one sight shall reconcile you both to god. see that ambitious caesar ; that prov'd commander in his own opinion , and in others too almost a god ; see him slain in the senate house , and by the hands of senatours ; not falling by a single death , but secured by three and twenty vvounds ; like some vvild beast , weltring in his blood ( and vvhat vvould you more ) in pompey's own court , and at the foot of pompey's statue falling a great sacrifice to that great shade . so methinks i pitty brutus slain for and vvith his country in the fields of philippi ; but vvithall i am some what satisfyed , vvhen not long after i behold , those victorious armies like gladiatours slaughtering one another at his sepulchre ; and one of the generalls marcus antonius vanquished both by sea and land ; in the company of three women , vvith that effeminate arme of his scarce finding the death he sought . where art thou now thou once lord of all the east ; thou butcher of the roman armies ; the pursuer of pompey and the common-vvealth ? see how with thy bloody hand , thou hangest in a cord ; how being yet alive thou creepest into thy monument , and how even in death it self thou art unwilling to be divorc'd from her that vvas the cause of thy death ; and then judge whether dying brutus spent his last breath and vvish in vain . iove suffer not to scape from thee the cause of this calamity . no brutus , he vvas not hid ; neither did he escape . no more did that other general vvho smarted for his youthful crimes , not obscurely in his own person , but most evidently in all his posterity . let him be the fortunate and great caesar , and truly augustus , but vvithall let him have a iulia for his daughter , and another for his grandchild . let him lose some of his grandchildren by fraud , others by force , and let himself force others into exile : and out of the impatience of these crosses , let him attempt to dye by a four dayes abstinence but not be able . to conclude let him live vvith his livia dishonestly married , and dishonestly detain'd , and let him dye an unworthy death by her , on vvhom he so unworthily doted . in summe saith pliny that diety , and who i know not more vvhether he attain'd heaven , or merited it : let him dye and leave the son of his enemy to succeed him . these and such like are to be thought of lipsius as oft as complaints of injustice are ready to break from us : and the mind is presently to reflect upon these two things ; the slowness and the variety of punishments . is not that offendour punished now ? but he shall be . not in his body ? yet in his conscience and soul. not vvhile he lives ? yet most certainly , when he is dead . seldome slow punishments lame feet forsake , the wicked wretch what hast soe're he make . for that divine eye doth alwayes vvake ; and vvhen vve suppose him to sleep , he doth but vvink : only see you entertain not any prejudice against him : nor go about rashly to judge him by whom shortly thy self is to be judged . chap. xvi . the second objection answered , that all have deserved punishment ; in regard all have offended : that man cannot judge who is more or less culpable . 't is god only that clearly discerns betwixt crimes , and therefore most justly punishes . buut ( say you ) there are some people punished that are guiltless , and have no vvay deserved it : for this is your second complaint or rather calumny . unadvised young-man ! are there then any punished vvho have not deserved it ? where i beseech you are those innocent nations to be found ? it is an excess of confidence , yes absolute rashness and presumption to assert thus much concerning any one single person ; and shall you dare to justifie whole nations . but to small purpose this ; for i am satisfyed that all of us have sined , and do still every day repeat it . we are born in sin , and so we live in it ; and to speak vvith the satyrist the magazeens of heaven had been long since emptyed , if its thunder-bolts had alwayes fallen upon the heads of such as deserved them . for vve must not think that as fishes , though encreas'd and bred up in the sea , do yet retain nothing of its saltness ; so men in the filthiness of this world should contract nothing of uncleaness . if then all are in fault ; where are those guiltless people you speak of , who have not deserved the punishments they undergo ; since it is most righteous that punishment should be the inseparable companion of unrighteousness but you vvill say it is the inequality of it that displeases me : for vve see them heavily scourged that have but lightly offended ; vvhile those that are outragiously vvicked , do continue and flourish in the height of all their grandeurs . would you then vvrest the ballance out of the hands of the heavenly justice , and poise it vvith your own vveights agreeable to your own apprehensions ? for vvhat else can you mean by that bold pronouncing upon the equality or inequality of crimes , otherwise than god hath done before you ? you are therefore here lipsius to consider of two things : first , that a true estimation of the crimes of others , neither can nor ought to be attempted by man : for how shall he do it ; that not so much as observes them ? and vvhich vvay shall he put an exact difference , betwixt those things vvhich he hath not so much as seen ? for you will easily grant it me that it is the mind that sins ; by the body and senses indeed as its instruments , but yet so as that the main business and vveight of the crime , doth in the mean time depend upon it self . this is so exactly true ; that if it appear any one hath unwillingly sinned ; he is clear of the sin . and if this be so how is it possible i beseech you , that you should throughly discern of sin , who are not able to reach to the residence and seat of it . for so farr are you from seeing into the heart and soul of another ; that you cannot attain to the knowledge of your own : it is therefore a wonderful vanity ; and no less a temerity , to pretend to the censure and arbitration of such things , as are neither fully seen , nor to be seen ; neither known , nor to be known . consider secondly , that if what you say were true , there were yet neither evil nor injustice done to them . no evil ; because it s done for their good , who are presently punished , even for smaller offences . 't is rather the love of god to them ; since that punishment vvhich is delayed is justly to be suspected ; as portending a heavier judgment is to come . neither is it unjust ; because ( as i said ) we have all deserved punishment : nor can the best of us pretend to so unblemished a purity ; but there vvill be found some such spots in it , as are to be vvashed out ( as i may say ) vvith this salt water of affliction . forbear therefore young-man this intricate pursuit of the respects and proportions of crimes : and since thou art but an earthly and pedaneous judge ; leave it to god , who from his higher tribunal vvill determine of it ; vvith greater equity and certainty . 't is he only that can distinguish of our deserts ; and 't is he alone vvho ( notwithstanding all artificial disguises ) can behold both vice and vertue in their proper countenances . who can impose upon him vvho equally searches into things internal and external ; that sees at once the body and the mind , the tongue and the heart : and ( to conclude ) those things that are open , vvith those that are recluded and retyred ? who doth not only most clearly behold our actions themselves , but also their causes , and the vvhole progress of them . when thales vvas ask'd , vvhether a man might hide his evil actions from god : he answered truly ; no nor his evil thoughts neither . whereas on the contrary vve are here so benighted ; that vve do not only not see those close sins commited in the bosome , and ( as they say ) vvithin the buttons ; but scarcely those vvhich are open and dragged into the light . for vve cannot behold the crime it self , and the vigour of it ; but some certain footsteps of it , vvhen it is already committed , and upon its departure : they oftentimes are the best men to us , vvho are the worst in the sight of god ; as on the contrary they are reprobates in our esteem , vvho are the choicest to him . forbear therefore ( if you are vvise ) to discourse or judge of persons that deserve or deserve not their punishments ; for such obscure causes as these are not to be decided , by some light and superficial appearances . chap. xvii . the third objection ; that punishments are transferred , answered . that men do the same ; why god doth so ? but you have cast another cloud upon justice ; vvhich i must disperse : it is concerning substitutes . for say you it is not so just that god should transferre punishments ; and 't is somewhat hard that posterity should rue the crimes of their ancestours . but vvhere is the wonder and strangeness of it . i rather vvonder at these vvonderers that they can find a wonder in that which is every day done by themselves here on earth . pray tell me ; do not those honours , vvhich for his vertue a prince hath conferred upon the ancestours , descend to his posterity ? yes they do ; and so also do those mulcts and punishments , vvhich are inflicted on him for his offences . in attaindours for treason or rebellion it is manifest that these are guilty ; but others share in the punishment vvhich humane cruelty doth so farr enlarge ; as to make lawes that follow the innocent children vvith perpetual vvants ; such as make life a burthen , and death a comfort . perverse minds , who will permit that to be lawful to a prince or magistrate ; which you forbid to god : who yet if you examine it rightly hath a juster reason for his severity . for all of us in one have sinned , and rebelled against this great king ; and through so many successive generations that first blot hath been derived to the unhappy children : so that there is to god a continued twist and chain of crimes . for instance ; my father or yours did not begin to sin , but all the fathers of our fathers : what vvonder then is it if he punish in their posterity not ( properly ) divers offences ; but such as by a kind of communion of seed , have been still linked and coupled together , and never discontinued . but to omit these higher speculations , and to deal with you , in a more popular way of reasoning . you must know this that god joynes those things , vvhich vve ( through ignorance and unskilfulness ) use to sever , and that he considers families , cities , and kingdomes ; not as divided but as one body and nature : the family of the scipio's or the caesars is one thing to him . rome or athens , for the whole time of their duration , were but one to him ; and so was the roman empire , and that very justly , for the society of the same laws , and priviledges , is that bond vvhich unites these great bodyes , and intitles them though in several ages , to a communion in partaking of rewards and punishments . were then the scipio's of old good ? that heavenly judge vvill remember it to the advantage of their posterity . were they evil ? it shall be hurtful to them . were the belgians some years ago ; lascivious , covetous , impious ? we shall suffer for it . for in every external punishment , god not only beholds the present , but also looks back upon pass'd times ; and vvith the vveights of them both , doth most equally poise the ballance of his justice . i sayd in external punishments and i vvould have you to observe it . for crimes themselves are not transferr'd , nor is there a kind of confusion of them : god forbid there should . but certain punishments and corrections only , such as are about us not in us ; and which properly respect the body , or estate ; but not this inward mind of ours . and in all this where is the injury ? we are doubtless willing to be heirs of those advantages , and rewards ( if any ) that are due to our ancestours : and if so ; why do we refuse the burdens , and punishments ? those plagues for which the former times did call on thee poor roman undeservedly fall ; sings the roman poet , and truly ; had he not added undeservedly . for 't is most deservedly , since our ancestours did deserve it . but the poet could only see the effect : he ascended not to the cause ; but as in one and the same man , we justly punish in his old age , that offence , which he committed in his youth : so doth god the elder crimes of empires and kingdomes , because in respect of their outward communion , they are to him but one conjoyned thing . these intervalls of time do not divide us with him who comprehends all eternity in the vastness of his mind . should those martial wolves , heretofore rase so many cities , and break so many scepters vvith impunity ? should they broach so much blood by the slaughters of others ; and themselves never bleed for 't ? i should then indeed confess that god to be no avenger , who yet hears and sees all that we do . but they shall not scape so , at length of necessity they must undergo punishments at least in their posterity ; such as are slow indeed , but not too late . nor is there a conjunction of time only vvith god but of parts too . i mean thus , that as in a man the whole body suffers , when possibly only the hand , or groin , or belly has offended : so is it in great societies . all many times do account for the faults of a few : especially if those that have sinned are ( as it were ) the more principal members ; as kings , princes , and magistrates . hesiod spake truly , and from the most inward recess of wisdom it self . for one mans crime , oft the whole city smarts for his oppressive sacrilegious arts ; jove from high heaven his dreadful vengeance sheds of plague or famine upon all their heads . so the vvhole navy of the graecians perished . for ones offence what ajax did commit in the distemper of a brain-sick fit . thus in iudea threescore and ten thousand were slain with a single pestilence ; for the unlawful pleasure of their king. and sometimes on the other side ; god singles out one or but some few ; to be the expiatours of a general sin . in which if he recede something from the rigid law of parity ; yet out of that very disparity a new equity is raised ; and that is a merciful act of justice towards many ; which seems cruelty upen a few . does not the school-master give the ferula to some one of his wantonizing scholars ? and does not a general chastize his cowardly army , by the decimation of them ? and both these upon the safest considerations : because the punishment though but of those few does terrify and amend all . i have often seen the physitian strike a vein in the foot or arm , vvhen the whole body was distempered : how know i but it may be thus here . these are secrets lipsius , secrets i say , and if vve are vvise let us presume no nearer unto this sacred fire , some sparkling emanations and bright emissions of which men may possibly behold , but it self they cannot . as they lose their sight that too daringly gaze upon the sun ; so they all the light of their minds , who too intentively fix it upon this more glorious light . let us therefore abstain from that which is at once of so curious and so dangerous a disquisition : and let us rest satisfied at least in this , that crimes neither can nor ought to be estimated by men , that the ballance and tribunal of god is different from that of ours ; and that how abstruse soever those judgments are , yet they are not to be blamed , but patiently undergone and trembled at by us . this one sentence i shall immind you of , and with it , shall both close this discourse and shut the mouths too of all those curioso's . the judgments of god are many of them hidden ; but none of them unjust . chap. xviii . a transition to the last argument for constancy , from examples . that sometimes it is adviseable to mix harsher physick with such things as are pleasant . this is that lipsius which i thought meet to say in the behalf of divine justice against these unjust cavillers . and though ( i confess ) it doth not directly lead on my discourse : yet neither is it at all besides it . for we shall doubtless undergo our calamities with greater cheerfulness and patience ; when once we are throughly satisfyed that they are not unjust . and here langius pawsing awhile , he suddenly broke forth again . 't is well ( said he ) i have recovered breath ; i have got beyond all those rocks of objections ; and now ( methinks ) i may with full sails spoom away into the haven . i discover my fourth and last brigade ; which i shall very cheerfully lead up . and as marriners in a tempest when they behold the twins are full of hopes and mirth : so also am i ( after all these storms ) at the appearance of my twinny legion . i may safely call it so after the old custom since it is double . and two things i shall evince by it ; that these miseries which we now suffer are neither grievous , nor new . which while i shall dispatch in those few things that remain yet to say ; see lipsius , that you be attentive . never more langius ( reply'd i ) for it joyes me to have passed these difficulties ; and after these serious and severer medicines , i greedily long after this gentle and more popular one ; for so the title promises me it is . nor are you mistaken said langius , for as physitians after they have sufficiently made use of causticks and incisions ; do not so cast off and relinquish their patients ; but apply some gentle fomentations , and other remedies to asswage their pains : so will i deal vvith you ; whom ( because i have enough followed with the sharper methods of wisdom ) i will now cherish with milder discourses , and handle ( as they say ) vvith a ladies hand . i shall descend from that steep hill of philosophy ; and take a turn or two vvith you , in the pleasant plains of your philology , and that not so much to recreate you as to compleat your cure . as they say demochares the physitian did to the lady considia since she refused all har●her prescriptions he caused her to drink the milk of goats ; but yet such as he had fed vvith the branches of the lentisk tree : so i vvill administer to you , historical and pleasing things , vvhich yet shall have a secret tincture of the juice of wisdom . what matter is it how vve cure our patient , so vve make a perfect cure of it . chap. xix . that publick evils are not so great as they seem , proved first by reason . that we fear the circumstance and dress of things rather than themselves . march on then my legion ; and before the rest , let that cohort first advance , vvith vvhich vve shall maintain that these publick evils are not grievous , this shall be performed vvith the double vveapon of reason and comparison of reason . first , for if vve respect that , all those evils which are either present or imminent , are not really either great or grievous , but are so only in appearance . it is opinion that heightens and aggravates our calamities , and presents them to us in so tragical a garbe . but ( if you are wise ) disperse this circumjected cloud , and examine things by a clearer light . for instance , you fear poverty amongst these publick evils , banishment , death : all which notwithstanding , if you look upon them vvith a perfect and setled eye , vvhat are they ? if you examine them by their own just vveights , how light are they ? this warr or tyranny by multiplyed contributions vvill exhaust you ; vvhat then ? you shall be a poor man. did not nature it self bring you into the world so ? and vvill it not hurry you thence in the same manner ? but if the despised and infamous name of it , displease you ; change it , call your self free and delivered . for fortune ( if you know it not ) hath disburdened you and placed you in a securer station , vvhere none shall exhaust you any more : so that vvhat you esteemed a loss , is no other than a remedy . but say you i shall be an exile ; call it ( if you please ) a stranger . if you change your affection ; you change your country . a vvise man vvheresoever he is , is but a sojourner ; a fool is ever banished . but i daily expect death from the tyrant : as if you did not do the same from nature . but that is an infamous death that comes by the ax or halter : fool ! nor that nor any other death is infamous : unless your life be so . recall to your thoughts all the excellent and more illustrious persons since the vvorld began ; and you shall find them snatched away by a violent and untimely death . thus lipsius you must examine ( for i have given you but a tast ) all those things vvhich have so frightfull an appearance , you must look upon them naked and apart , from those vizards and disguises ; vvhich opinion hath put upon them . but alass poor creatures ; vve gaze only upon the vain outsides of t●ings : nor do vve dread the things themselves , so much as we do the circumstantial dresses of them . if you put to sea , and it swell high , your heart fails , and you tremble at such a rate , as if ( should you suffer shipwrack ) you were to swallow it all ; vvhen alass one or two sextaries would be sufficient . if there be a sudden earth-quake ; what a cry , and vvhat fears it raises ? you apprehend immediately , that the vvhole city ( or house at least ) vvill fall upon you : not considering how sufficient any single stone is to perform the vvork of death . 't is thus in all these calamities ; in vvhich it is the noise and vain image of things that chiefly affrights us . see that guard ; these swords . and what can that guard , or those swords do ? they vvill kill . and vvhat is that being kill'd ? 't is only a single death ; and lest that name should affright you : it is the departure of the soul from the body . all those military troops , all those threatning swords , shall perform no more than vvhat one feaver , one grapestone , or one insect can do . but this is the harsher vvay of dying . rather it is much the milder , for that feaver vvhich you vvould preferr , does often torture a man for a year together ; but these dispatch him vvith a blow , in an instant . socrates therefore said vvell ; vvho vvas vvont to call all these things by no other name than that of goblins and vizzards , vvhich ( if you put on you ) will fright the children ; but if you take them off again , and appear vvith your own face , they 'l come again to you and embrace you . 't is the very same vvith these evils ; vvhose vizzards if your pluck off , and behold them apart from their disguises ; you vvill confess you vvere scared vvith a childish fear . as hail falling upon a house dashes it self in pieces : so if these calamities light upon a constant mind , they do not break it but themselves . chap. xx. a second proof by way of comparison . but first the calamities of the belgians , and of the age heightned . that common opinion refuted . and proved that the nature of man is prone to aggravate our own afflictions . i did not expect so serious a discourse from langius and therefore interrupting him ; vvhether go you said i , was this it you promised ? i expected the sweet and delicious vvines of history ; and you bring me such harsh and unpleasant ones , as scarce all the stores of wisdom vvill afford their like . suppose you that you are speaking to some thales ? 't is to lipsius a man ; and that of the middle rank ; vvho desires remedies that are somewhat more humane than these . langius vvith a mild countenance and tone , i acknowledge ( said he ) you justly blame me . for vvhile i followed that pure ray of reason ; i perceive i am got out of the common road , and unawares again fallen into the path of wisdom . but i return now ; to vvalk vvith you in a vvay that is better known ; since the austerity of that wine doth displease you ; i shall quallify and allay it vvith the sweets of examples . i come now to comparison ; and i vvill clearly shew you that in all these calamities vvhich every vvay surround us , there is nothing great or grievous , if you compare them with those in times past , for those of old vvere greater by many degrees , and more truly to be lamented . i replyed vvith a gesture that discovered something of impatience . will you averre this said i — and hope you to perswade me to believe what you have said ? never langius so long as i am master of my reason ; for vvhat former age ( if you rightly consider it ) vvas ever so calamitous as this of ours , or vvhat after one shall be ? what nation ? what country ever endured , so heavy miseries and manifold grievous , or to be suffered , or be told ? as vve belgians do at this day ? you see vve are involved in a warr ; not in a forreign one only , but a civil ; and that in the very bowels of us . for there are not only parties amongst us , but ( o my country vvhat hand shall preserve thee ) a subdivision of those parties . add to this the pestilence , add famine , add taxes , rapines , slaughters , and the height of all the tyranny and oppression , not of our bodies only , but our souls too . and in the rest of europe vvhat is there ? either warr or the expectation of warr , or if there be peace , it is conjoyned with a base subjection to petty rulers ; and not a vvhit eligible before warr it self . which way soever you turn your eyes or thoughts , you vvill find all things full of suspition and suspense : and as in a house that is ill underpropt ; many visible signes of an approaching ruine . to conclude langius as there is a general rendezvous of all rivers at the ocean : so all sorts of calamities seem to centre in this age. and yet i now speak only of such as are at present upon us ; what are those that await us ? of vvhich i may justly sing that of euripides , such spacious seas of ills i see as cannot safely passed be . langius looking severely upon me ; do you again ( said he ) cast your self down vvith these complainings ? i thought by this time you had stood firme ; and that your vvound had been closed : but you relapse . if ever you vvill recover , it is requisite , that there be a kind of calmness in your mind . this age say you is the most unhappy . it is an old complaint ; i know your gransier said the same , and so likewise your father ; i know also your posterity vvill have the same complaint . nature has rivered this into the disposition of man ; to look fixedly upon his evils ; and to shut his eyes upon his mercies . as flyes and other insects , do not rest long upon smooth and polished places , but stick to those that are rough and soiled : so this querulous mind of ours , lightly overpasses our better fortunes : but vvill not be vvithdrawn from its contemplations of that vvhich is vvorse . it handles and pryes into its evils , and for the most part shews it self vvitty , in the aggravating comments that it maks upon them . as lovers ever find something in their mistress ; for vvhich she must needs surpass all others in excellency : so do those that are afflicted , vvith their miseries . yes vve fancy to our selves vain additions , and lament not only our present , but future calamities . and vvhat is the reward of this too too inquisitive genius of ours ? no other , than as some armies are frighted out of their camp , by the dust that is raised afarr off : so vve are often cast down , by the false shaddow of a future danger . chap. xxi . a more strict confutation of it , by comparing the present evils , with those of former times . first , of warrs , of the wonderfull slaughter of the jews . leave then those vulgar things lipsius , and follow me to that comparison vvhich you challenge me to make . by this i shall clear it to you , that as to all the sorts of calamities , not only the like have happened of old , but also greater ; and that the age we live in , ha's rather matter of triumph than complaint . we are engaged in a warr say you . what ? were there then no warrs amongst the ancients ? yes lipsius they vvere begun vvith the vvorld ; nor are they like to end but vvith it . but possibly they were not so great , so grievous as ours . so farr are you from the truth ; that ( i speak seriously ) these vvars of ours , are onely pastime and sport , if compar'd vvith those of the antients . i cannot easily find an entrance or an exit , if i should once lanch forth into this depth of examples . nevertheless , vvill you that vve travel through the parts of the world ? let us s●r forward then , and begin vvith iudea , that is to say , vvith the holy land and nation . i omit what they suffered in aegypt , and what after their departure from thence ; for those are recorded , and easily to be met with in the scriptures . i come to their later sufferings , and such as did accompany their funerals ; which i will place severally as in an index . they suffered vvhat by civil and what by forreign warres , all that followes . viz. slaine at ierusalem by the command of florus six hundred and thirty . at caesaraea by the inhabitants out of hate to the nation and their religion ; twenty thousand . at scythopolus a city of caelosyria , thirteen thousand . at ascalon in palestine by the inhabitants also , two thousand five hundered . at ptolemais in like manner , two thousand . at alexandria in aegypt under tyberius alexander the then governour ; fifty thousand . at damascus , ten thousand . all this was done seditiously , and by vvay of tumult ; but there were slain besides in a just and open warr by the romans at the taking of ioppa by caesius florus , eight thousand and four hundred . on a mountain called cabulon , two thousand . in a fight at ascalon , ten thousand . besides by stratagem , eight thousand . at the taking of aphaca ; fifteen thousand . at mount garizim vvere slain ; eleven thousand six hundred . at iotapa where iosephus himself was present , about thirty thousand . at the second taking of ioppa there vvere drowned , four thousand and two hundred . amongst the tarychaeans vvere slain , six thousand and five hundred . at gamala that vvere killed , and that precipitated themselves , nine thousand . nor vvere any of that city saved , besides two vvomen that were sisters . in the desart of giscala vvere killed in flight two thousand , and taken of vvomen and children , three thousand . slain of the gadarens , thirteen thousand , taken two thousand two hundered . besides infinite numbers of those that perished in the vvaters . in the villages of idumaea ten , thousand . at gerasa , one thousand . at machaerus , one thousand seven hundred . in the wood iardes , three thousand . in the castle of massada vvhich slew themselves , nine hundred and sixty . in cyrene by catulus the governour vvere slain , three thousand . but in the city of ierusalem throughout the whole time of the siege , the number of them that dyed or were slain is , ten hundred thousand . taken ninety seven thousand . the whole number amounts to ( besides infinite omitted ) twelve hundred and forty thousand . what say you lipsius ? do you cast down your eyes at these things ? look up rather ; and ( if you dare ) compare with the massacres of this one nation , the warrs of the christian world for some years . and yet how small and inconsiderable is either this country or people ; in comparison of all europe ? chap. xxii . of the calamities of the graecians and romans too occasioned by vvarr , the vast number of men slain by some particular commanders . the desolations of the new found world , and the miseries of captivity . not to stay here any longer ; let us pass over into greece , to recount orderly all those warrs they maintained both against forraigners and amongst themselves ; would be too tedious and to little purpose . this i say it was so exhausted and lop't with a constant continued ax of calamities ; that plutarch tells us ( which i never read without wonder and indignation ) all of it in his age was not able to muster up three thousand souldiers ; which number yet , the one small city of megara ( saith he ) had formerly set forth in the persian warr. ah! whither art thou fallen , thou once the glory of the earth , the light and leader of the nations ? there is scarce a town at this day ( of any name ) in this our vvasted belgia , but is able to raise such a number of men fit to bear armes . let us take now a view of italy and the romans . augustine and orosius have already eased me of this trouble . consult them and there you vvill meet vvith seas of evils . the second punick vvarr it self , in less than seventeen years ( for i have exactly computed it ) consumed in italy spain and sicily only , above fifteen hundred thousand men . the civill vvar betwixt pompey and caesar three hundred thousand . and the arms of brutus , cassius , and sextus pompcius a greater number . but why should insist upon such warrs , as were managed by the conduct of several commanders ? that one caiuis caesar ( the plague and poyson of mankind ) confesses and that in a vvay of triumph , that there fell by him in several batails , eleven hundred ninety and two thousand men ; not reckoning into this number the slaughters of the civil warrs ; but only those of forraign nations , which he had made in those few years wherein he had the government of spain and gaul . in which notwithstanding ( greater in this too ) the great pompey out-went him ; who wrote in the temple of minerva that there were by him vanquished , put to flight , slain and taken one and twenty hundred , and eighty three thousand men . to these ( if you will ) you may adde quintus fabius vvho slew one hundred and ten thousand gauls . caius marius two hundred thousand cimbrians . and in the latter ages aetius vvho in that memorable catalaunican field slevv one hundred sixty two thousand hunnes . and lest you should think that in these warrs , there vvere only carcases of men ; there vvere those of cities too . that cato the censour boasts that he took more towns in spain than he continued dayes there . sempronius gracchus ( if vve may believe polybius ) raised three hundred in the same spain , nor hath any age ( as i think ) any thing to add to these examples ; unless it be our own , though acted in another world. a few spaniards about eighty years ago ; passing over into those vast and nevv found lands : good god! vvhat funeralls , vvhat slaughters did they make ? i do not discourse the causes and justness of that warr ; but only the events . i see that huge space of earth ( vvhich certainly vvas a great enterprize to discover , not to say to overcome ) overrun by twenty or thirty souldiers , and those unarmed multitudes every vvhere mow'd down as corn is by the sythe . where art thou cuba the greatest of islands , haytus or you iucayans ? which heretofore were each of you guarded vvith six or ten hundred thousand men ; but have now ( some of you ) scarce preserved fifteen of them for seed . shew thy self avvhile thou peru and thou mexico . o vvonderful and miserable face ! that immense tract , and such as may vvell be called another world , appears vast and desolate , in such a manner as if it had been blasted vvith a fire from heaven . my tongue and heart fail me lipsius , as oft as i remember these things ; and i look upon all that hath befallen us ( in comparison of these ) to be but pieces of strawes ( as the comaedian vvords it ) or little mites . nor do i here represent to you , the condition of captivity , than vvhich nothing vvas more bitter in the warrs of the ancients . free , noble , men , women and children , all sorts vvere hurried away by the victour ; and vvho knowes but it vvas into eternal slavery ? into slavery it vvas . the footsteps of vvhich , i justly rejoyce , have not been nor yet are in the christian world. 't is true the turks practise it , nor is there any thing that ought to render that scythian tyranny more detestable or dreadfull to us . chap. xxiii . wonderful examples of plagues and famines in former times . also of excessive taxes and rapines heretofore . but you goe forward in your complaints , and speak of the plague and famine , of taxes and rapines . will you then that we proceed vvith each of these in our comparison , though briefly . tell me in these five or six years , how many thousands , hath this plague snatched away in all belgia ? as i guess fifty or at the most one hundred thousand . but in iudaea a single plague in the reign of king david , swept away seventy thousand in less than a day . when gallus and volusianus vvere emperours , a plague beginning in aethiopia passed through all the roman provinces ; and for fifteen years together did incredibly exhaust them . nor did i ever read of a mortality that lasted so long , or that spread it self so vvide . but that vvhich seised upon constantinople and the neighbouring places in the reign of iustinian the emperour is more remarkable for the fury and fierceness of it : vvhich vvas such that it made every day five thousand funerals and sometimes ten . i should not be forward to speak this ; but should my self remain doubtful of the credit of this report : vvere it not confirmed by unquestionable vvitnesses , that lived in the same age . nor vvas that african plague less vvonderful , vvhich began upon the ruine of carthage and destroyed in numidia alone eighty thousand men , in the sea costs of africa two hundred thousand : about vtica thirty thousand souldiers left there as the guard of those parts . again in greece in the reign of michael ducas there was so raging a plague that ( they are zonaras his vvords ) the living did not suffice to bury the dead . to conclude in petrarchs time ( as himself reports it ) so direful a one sate brooding upon italy , that of every thousand men scarce ten survived . i come now to speak of famine : certainly vve of this age have seen nothing , if vve consider the times past . when honorius vvas emperour , there vvas such a dearth and scarcity of all sorts of provisions , that men vvere ready to eat one another , for it vvas openly cried at the cirque , set the price of mans flesh . in the reign of iustinian throughout italy ( after the goths had vvasted it ) there vvas one so great , that in picenum alone , there vvere fifty thousand men famished to death : and all about , they eat not only the flesh of men , but their own excrements . two vvomen ( i tremble to speak it ) had at several times by night treacherously killed seventeen men and eaten them : and vvere themselves slain by the eighteenth who had discovered their practise . i forbear to relate the famine in ierusalem and the vvell known examples of it there . if i must say something of taxes also ; i deny not but they are heavy ones with which we are pressed . but they are such only , vvhen you look upon them by themselves ; not when you compare them vvith those of old . all , most all the provinces of the roman empire , payed yearly the fifth part of the profits of their pasture , and the tenth of their arable . nor did anthony and caesar forbear to exact the tributes of nine or ten years to be payed in one . when iulius caesar vvas slain , and armes were taken up for their liberty , every citizen was commanded to pay down the five and twentyeth part of all their goods . and more than this all that were senatours payed for every tile of their house six asses . an immense contribution , above the reach of our senses as vvell as of our estates . but octavianus caesar ( probably vvith some reference to his name , ) exacted and received of all freed men the eighth part of their estates . i omit vvhat the triumvir's and other tyrants have done , lest i should teach those of our times , by the recitall of them . let that one of colonies , be instead of all examples of exactions and rapines . an invention then vvhich nothing did more contribute to the strength of the empire : and nothing could be devised more grievous to the subject . veterane legions and cohorts were drawn out into towns and fields , and the miserable provincials , ( in a moment of time ) were thrust out of all their estates and fortunes , and that for no offence or unlawful attempt , their riches onely and plentiful possessions vvere their crimes . in vvhich certainly the sum of all calamities is comprized . it 's a great misfortune to be robbed of our money , vvhat is it then to be deprived of our houses and lands ? and if it is grievous to be driven thence : vvhat is it to be forced from our country , our temples and altars ? you might see some thousands of woful people hurryed away , children from their parents , masters from their families , wives from their husbands , and thrown out into divers countryes , as their lot designed them . some amongst the thirsty affricans , and as the poet saith in this very case , others were into scythia hurl'd , or brittain sever'd from the world . one single octavianus caesar placed eight and twenty colonies in italy only ; and in the provinces as many as he pleased . nor vvas there any thing ( i know ) that vvas more destructive to the gauls as germans , and the spaniards . chap. xxiv . a rehearsall of some strange cruelties and murthers in time past , above the guilt of this age. but yet ( say you ) there are such cruelties and murthers at this day , as the like have not been heard of . i know vvhat you point at , and vvhat vvas done of late , but i appeal to your conscience lipsius , vvas their no such thing amongst the ancients ? how ignorant are you if you know it not , and how vvicked if you dissemble it ? for there is such a plenty of examples in this matter , and they lye so ready , that it is some trouble even to choose . know you not the name of sylla the fortunate ? if you doe , you remember that infamous and cruel prescription of his , by vvhich he cast out of one city four thousand seven hundred citizens . nor were they of the meaner sort ; but one hundred and forty of them vvere senators . nor do i touch upon those infinite slaughters that were usually acted either by his permission or command . so that not undeservedly those words burst from quintus catulus vvith vvhom at length shall vve live ; if in warr vve kill armed men , and in peace the disarmed . but shortly after ; this same sylla vvas imitated by his disciples : i mean the triumvirs , vvho in like manner proscribed three hundred senators , and above two thousand roman knights . o vvickedness ! a greater cruelty than this the sun in all its travels from the east unto the west , did never yet behold ; not is like to do hereafter . if you please you may look into appianus , and there you may behold the various and deformed condition of those times : of those that lay hid , and fled ; of those that stopped their flight , and halled them forth : the vvoful vvailings of wives and children ; so that you vvould believe humanity itself had perished and fled from that savage and inhumane age . these cruelties were acted upon the persons of senatours and knights , that is to say , upon so many little less than kings and princes ; but possibly the commons were more favourably dealt with . no such matter . look upon the same sylla , who commanded four legions of the contrary party ( for whose security he had given his faith ) to be murthered in the publick villa ; they in vain imploring the mercy of his treacherous right hand : whose dying groans reaching the curia and the senate being startled and amazed at it : let us mind our business conscript fathers , ( said he ) a few seditious fellows are punished by my command . i know not vvhich i should most vvonder at ; that a man could do so , or that he could speak so . will you have more examples of cruelty ? take them . servius galba in spain summoning the people of three cities together ; as if to communicate to them something to their advantage ; suddenly commanded seven thousand of them to be slain ; amongst vvhich vvas the flower of their youth . in the same country lucius licinius lucullus the consul sent his souldiers into the city of the caucaeans , and slew twenty thousand of them contrary to the articles agreed upon at their yielding octavianus augustus vvhen he had taken perusia ; chose out three hundred of the chiefest of both orders , and though they had yielded themselves , he slew them as sacrifices before an altar vvhich he had erected to d. iulius antonius caracalla , ( being offended vvith those of alexandria ; for i knovv not vvhat jests upon him ) enters that city in a semblance of peace , and vvhen he had commanded all their young men into the field ; he surrounds them vvith his souldiers , upon a signal given he kills them every one , and using the same cruelty to the remaining multitude , he utterly exhausted that populous and most frequented city . king mithridates by one letter caused eighty thousand roman citizens to be slain ; that were dispersed throughout asia about their mercandise . volesus messalla the proconsul of asia , in one day caused three hundred to be beheaded ; and strutting amongst the dead bodyes with his armes on his sides , as if he had done some glorious act ; cryed out aloud ; o princely deed ! hitherto i have only spoken of prophane and impious persons ; but behold amongst those that are devoted to the service of the true god : you vvill find it of the emperour theodosius that having by the highest vvickedness and deceit , betrayed seven thousand innocent people of thessalonica into the theatre , under pretence of exhibiting some playes ; he sent his souldiers amongst them , and murthered them all : than vvhich fact nothing is to be found more impious in the records of all the heathen impieties . go now my belgians , and after all this , accuse the cruelty and treachery of the princes of this age. chap. xxv . of the present tyranny . that it is from humane nature or malice . oppressions external and internal were heretofore . lastly , you complain of the tyranny that is now adayes , and the oppressions at once both of our bodies and souls . my purpose is not ( at this time ) to applaud , or condemn our own age ; for to what end were it ? my business is to compare only . i ask you therefore when ever those evils vvere not ; and where that place was . assign me any one age , any one nation , without a remarkable tyranny in it ; and ( for i 'le run the hazzard ) i will then confess , that we are the most wretched do all that are miserable . why do you not reply ? i see that old sarcasme is true ; all the good princes may be registred in a ring . for it is natural to man to use authority insolently , and hardly to keep a mean in that which it self is above it . even we our selves who complain of tyranny , do yet carry the feeds of it inclosed in our bosoms : nor is there a will wanting in most of us to discover them , but the power . a serpent vvhen he is benummed with cold , hath poyson within him , though he do not exert it ; 't is the same in us , whom only weakness keeps innocent , and a kind of winter in our fortunes . give but power , give means , and i fear that the most of those that accuse would transcend the example of their superiours . this is every dayes instance ; see that father stern with his children , that master with his servants , and that school-master with his scholars . each of them is a phalaris in his kind , and raise the same waves in their brooks , as kings do in their greater seas . the same nature is discernible in other creatures ; most of which prey upon their own kind , both in the air , the earth , and the water : so greater fish devaour the smaller fry , and weaker fowle under the goshauks die . sayes varro truly ; but you will say these are the oppressions of bodies only : but this is the peculiar of our age , that ours are of the soul also . take heed you speak not this with more malice than truth . that man seems to me to be little skilled in the knowledge of himself , and the heavenly nature of the soul ; that thinks it can be forced or compelled . for no outward violence whatsoever can make you will , that which you do not will ; or to yield to that which you do not assent to . some have power over the bond and tye of the soul ; but none over it self . a tyrant may loose it from the body , but he cannot dissolve the nature of it , which being pure , eternal , fiery , dispises every external or violent attempt . but we may not speak our own thoughts . be it so . the bridle then curbs your tongue only , not your mind ; your actions , but not your judgment . but even this is new , and unheard of . good man ! how are you mistaken ? how many can i point you out , who have suffered under tyrants , for their opinions ? through the heedlesness of their tongues ? how many of those tyrants have endeavoured to compel mens judgements , and their judgements too in matters of religion ? it vvas the common custom of the persians and the eastern nations to adore their kings , and we know that alexander challenged to himself that divine adoration , with the ill will of his ruder macedonians . amongst the romans that good and moderate emperour augustus had in the provinces , yes in every house , flamens and priests as a god. caligula cutting off the heads from the statues of the gods , with a ridiculous impiety , caused his own to be placed upon them . the same instituted a temple , priests and chosen sacrifices to his own deity . nero would be taken for apollo , and the most illustrious of the city were slain , under this accusation ; that they had never sacrificed to the heavenly voice . domitian was openly called our lord and god. which vanity or impiety if it were found at this day , in any of our kings ; what would you then say lipsius ? i vvill sail no nearer this scylla , into which no vvinds of ambition shall either betray or force me : for a secure old age is the reward of silence . i will bring in only one testimony of the ancient slavery , in this respect ; and that shall be out of an author you are well acquainted vvith , and i vvould have you to attend him . 't is tacitus in the reign of domitian : we read ( sayes he ) that when petus thrasea was praised by arulenus rusticus , and priscus helvidius by herennius senecio ; it was capital to them both . nor did the cruelty extend it self only to the authors , but also to their works . charge being given to the triumvirs , that the monuments of those excellent wits should be burnt in the forum and comitium , supposing by that one fire , to have suppressed the voice of the people of rome ; the liberty of the senate , and the conscience of mankind . the professours also of wisdom were banished ; and all ingenious arts proscribed , lest there should any where appear the least footsteps of honesty . we gave certainly a grand example of our patience ; and as the foregoing ages saw the utmost height of liberty , so did we of slavery , the commerce of hearing and speaking being barred ; and in danger by informers . vve had certainly lost our memories together vvith our speech if it had been as much in our power to forget , as it was to be silent . chap. xxvi . lastly , that these evils are neither strange nor new . but common to all nations and men ; whence we may derive comfort . i have done vvith comparison ; and now i bring up the other brigade of my legion , vvhich opposes the novelty of these calamities : but briefly and by vvay of triumph . for it rather takes the spoiles of the already conquered enemy ; than fights vvith him . and to speak truth , vvhat is there in these things , that can appear new to any man , that is not himself a gross ignaro in humane affairs ? crantor said excellently and vvisely ; who alwayes had this verse in his mouth . — ah me ! and why ah me ? vve suffered but a humane misery . for these calamities do daily move in a circle , and in a kind of round pass through this round world. why do you sigh that these sad things fall out ? why do you vvonder at it ? o agamemnon thou wert not to pleasing things alone begot , but to equal hopes and fears interchange of joys and tears . for thou art mortal humane born , and though thou should'st refuse , the gods will have it so . it vvere rather a vvonder that any should be exempted from this common law ; and should not have his part in that burthen , vvhich lyes upon the backs of all . solon vvhen a friend of his at athens was sadly be wailing himself ; he brings him into the tower , and from the top of it shews him all the houses of that great city . think vvith your self ( sayes he ) how many sorrows have heretofore been under these roofs ; now are , and hereafter shall be : and then cease to lament the evils of mankind , as if they vvere your own only . i vvish i could give you the like prospect of this vvide world lipsius , but since it is not to be done actually , let us imagine it . i place you upon the top of some high mountain ( olympus if you please ) look down now upon all those cities , provinces and kingdoms beneath : and think that you see but so many inclosures of humane calamities ; the amphitheatres , and ( as it vvere ) the sands , in vvhich the bloody sports of fortune are exhibited . you need not look farr from hence ; do you see italy ? it is not yet thirty years since it rested from sharp and cruel vvarrs on every side . see you the spacious germany ? the dangerous sparks of a civil discord were there but of late , vvhich threaten to break forth afresh ( and if i am not deceived ) into a more destructive flame . do you see brittain ? warrs and slaughters are perpetually in it , and that peace vvhich it now awhile enjoyes ; it owes to the government of the middle sex. see you france ? behold and pitty it . even now the gangrene of a bloody warr , creeps into all the joints of it : nor is it otherwise in all the rest of the world. think upon these things lipsius , and let this communion in miseries help to alleviate those of yours . and as they used to place a slave behind the triumpher , who in the midst of all the joyes of the triumph , vvas often to cry out to him ; thou art yet but a man : so let this monitour alvvayes stand by to remember you , that these are humane things . for as labour in society vvith others is more easy ; so is also our grief . chap. xxvii . the conclusion of the whole discourse , and a short exhortation to consider seriously of it . i have drawn forth all my forces lipsius ; and you have had vvhat i thought meet to say for constancy against grief : vvhich i wish may not onely be pleasant to you , but healthful , not only delight you , but ( vvhich is more ) be helpful to you . this it vvill doubtless be if you admit it not only into your ears , but into your mind ; and if you suffer not vvhat you have heard to lye and vvither as seed that is cast upon the surface of the ground . lastly , if you seriously digest and ruminate upon it : for as fire is not forced from the flint vvith one stroke ; so in these cold bosomes of ours , that retired and failing spark of goodness , is not enkindled by a single admonition . that at last it may truly flame in you ; not in vvords and appearance only , but in reality and deed ; i humbly beg and beseech of that divine fire . when he had thus said , he rose up hastily ; i go lipsius ( sayes he ) the sun at this noon height remembers me it is dinner time ; do you follow . that i vvill readily and cheerfully ( said i ) justly making that acclamation , vvhich they use to do in their mysteries ; i have the evil fled , and the good discovered . finis . the table . a. abjectness of the mind , a vice , and whence . achilles , how advised . affliction , the touch-stone of vertue . the ends of it . affrica , a great plague there . anaxagoras , his reply . antonius , taxes by him . the manner of his death . antonius caracalla , his cruelty . arbiter , his saying . aristophanes , his saying . aristotle , his opinion of fate . atlantis , drowned . augustine , his censure of cicero . augustus , flamens and priests to him . colonies placed by him his endeavour to dye taxes imposed by him , vnfortunate in his family . b. belgia , its troubles . bias , his saying boast , of iulius caesar of pompey the great ibid. of csato the censour boethius , his saying brutus , his wish . c. caius caesar , where slain calamities , are good how their original whene . , , , their end what the force of them broken , caligula , his saying captivity , the miseries of it cato , his saying ceneus , his story chance , ha's no rule in the world change , all things tend to it , , instances of it , , , . chastisement , it avails us circumstances , more feared than the things themselves , to cities , raised at once colonies , placed by augustus the strength of the empire ibid. comets , not all in the air complaint , of tiberius of nero ibid. considia , how cured constancy , a remedy in the sickness of the mind its definition ibid. the praise of it , opposed by what country , what which the true one our obligation and love to it not from nature but custom how to be assisted by us crantor , his saying crates , his reply to alexander creon , his story ibid. cruelties , in times past , &c. custom , of the romans . d. david , the plague in his reign death , punishment after it to the wicked demetrius , his saying demochares , his prescription to a lady desires , some the stronger for being opposed dioclesian , his retirement dyonysius , his story domitianus , at what hour slain his blasphemous title his cruelty . e. earthquakes , wonderful ones . , euripides , his saying . evil men , not punished why . evils present compared with those of former times . , &c. evils not grievous , nor new . evils publick and private what euclid , his apothegme . f. famines , in former times . , &c. fate asserted . vniversally aseended to some difference about its parts . how distinguished of by the ancients . ibid. mathematical fate what natural fate what violent fate how defined true fate , its definition how it differs from providence how from the stoicks fate it offers no violence to the will it acts by second causes no ground for sloth . g. galba , his cruelty gardens , those of langius the praise of them , kings and other excellent persons addicted to them how abused by some how to be used ibid. god , orders and rules all things not to be murmured at by us his unchangeableness not the authour of sin , , not the cause of evil punishes most justly he onely discernes the difference betwixt crimes why he transferres punishment , he joines those things we sever ib. he loves his , but severely he hath appointed all things their bounds greece , its calamities by war. , &c. h. helice , and bara swallowed up by water hesiod , his saying , , homer , his advice , honorius , the famine in his reign horace , his saying hunnes , how many stain at once . i. jewes , their wonderful slaughter , &c. instruments , why god useth the wicked as his internal punishment , the most grievous inundations , the mischiefs by them italy , slain there in the punick war julius caesar , the manner of his death . justice , of god wakeful justinian , the great plague in his reign . the famine in his time k. knowledge , the desire of it a happy presage in youth l. langius , praised his gardens how used by him lucullus , his cruelty m. man , at variance with himself , &c. an in bred malice in him pindars account of him vnable to judge of crimes he hath a will but not the power to resist god prone to aggravate his own afflictions masanissa , his famous plat . mercy , what it is how it differs from pitty ib. michael ducas , the great plague in his reign , mithridates , his cruelty murthers , in times past , mutations , several instances of them , &c. mysteries , the acclamation usual therein , n. nature of god , slow to revenge nature of man , prone to aggravate afflictions necessity , what it is publick evils from it its force and power , from what grounds derived ibid. new found world , its desolations , o. obstinacy , how it differs from constancy opinion , what it is it s original whence , &c. it s power and effects ibid. it leads to levity ibid. oppressions , internal and external heretofore . , p. passions , whence they rise patience , the mother of constancy its definition ibid. how it differs from stupidity ibid. petrarch , a great plague in his time polus , his story . pompey , his boast philosophy , how it workes pindar , his saying pitty , what it is how it differs from mercy ibid. how it may be used plagues , wonderful examples of them , , plato , his councel his saying proscriptions , , providence , what nothing done below but by it publick evils , why they afflict us not so great as they seem punishment , all have deserved it good for us for the safety and ornament of the universe . why unequal vvhy wicked men are not punished , deferred why ib , transferred why divers sorts of punishments q. quintus catulus , his saying quintus fabius , how many gaules slain by him . r. rapines , regulus , how he dyed right reason , what it is it s original whence its power and effects , it leads to constancy romans , their calamities by war , &c. s. salvian , his saying semiramis , her pendulous gardens senatours , of rome how taxed how many at once proscribed &c. seneca , his seeming errour his sayings , simulation , in mens griefs , . socrates , his reply to a question propounded sloth , no excuse for it from fate , solon , his story ibid. his prospect to his friend sophocles , his saying stoicks , commended the authors of violent fate sylla , his cruelty , t. tacitus , his saying tarquinius why expelled rome thales , his apothegme his saying theodosius , his cruelty travail , helps not diseases within a symptome rather than cure it removes only the lighter motions of grief rather exasperates the greater tributes , examples of them in former times , trismegistus , his opinion of fate , providence and necessity tyranny , whence . v. variety , delights us , varro , the consul praised velleius paterculus , his saying venice , its antiquity venus , hath changed its colour magnitude and situation violent fate , how defined vertue , how she is directed , volesus messalla , his cruelty . w. warres , of the ancients , , warres , in iudea how many slain in them , &c. wicked men , why used by god as his instruments what punishments they never escape punished after death not exempt from external punishments ibid. wisdom , seems stern at a distance an exhortation to it the way to attain to constancy not acquired by wishes ibid. the greatest instance of it , what . y. youth , advised in their studies a good presage in youth , what z. zeno , how he defines fate some fruits of solitude in reflections and maxims relating to the conduct of human life. licens'd, may . . penn, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing p estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) some fruits of solitude in reflections and maxims relating to the conduct of human life. licens'd, may . . penn, william, - . [ ], p. printed for thomas northcott, in george-yard in lombard-street, london : . by william penn. the first leaf is blank; last leaf blank?. caption title on p. reads: reflections and maxims. errata on verso of final leaf. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng maxims -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion some fruits of solitude : in reflections and maxims relating to the conduct of human life . licens'd , may . . london : printed for thomas northcott , in george-yard in lombard-street , . the preface . reader . this enchiridion , i present thee with , is the fruit of solitude : a school few care to learn in , tho' none instructs us better . some parts of it are the result of serious reflection ; others the flashings of lucid intervals ; writ for private satisfaction , and now publisht for an help to human conduct . the author blesseth god for his retirement , and kisses that gentle hand which lead him into it . for tho' it should prove barren toth ' world , it can never do so to him . he has now had some time he could call his own ; a property he was never master of before ; in which he has taken a view of himself and the world ; and observed wherein he hath hit and mist the mark ; what might have been done , what mended , and what avoided ; together with the omissions and excesses of others , as well societies and governments , as private families , and persons : and he verily thinks were he to live over his life again , he could , with god's grace , serve him , his neighbour and himself , better than he hath done , and have seven years of his time to spare . and yet perhaps he hath not been the worst or the idlest man in the world ; nor is he the oldest . and this is the rather said , that it might quicken thee , reader , to lose none of the time that is yet thine . there is nothing of which we are so lavish as of time , and about which we ought to be more solicitous . without it we can do nothing in this world. time is what we want most , but what , alas ! we use worst ; and for which god will certainly most strictly reckon with us when time shall be no more . it is of that moment to us in reference to both worlds , that i can hardly wish any man better , than that he would seriously consider what he does with his time : how and to what ends he employs it ; and what returns he makes to god , his neighbour and himself for it . will he never have a leger for this ? to come but once into the world , and trifle away our true enjoyment of it , and of our selves in it , is lamentable indeed . this one reflection would yield a thinking person great instruction . and since nothing below man can think ; man , in being thoughtless , must needs fall below himself : and that , to be sure , such do , as are unconcern'd in the use of their most precious time. this is but too evident , if we will allow our selves to consider , that there is hardly any thing we take by the right end , or improve to its just advantage . we understand little of the works of god , either in nature or grace . we pursue false knowledg ; and mistake education extreamly . we are violent in our affections ; confused and immethodical in our whole life ; making that a burthen which was given for a blessing ; and of little comfort to our selves hending the true notion of happiness , and so missing of the right use of life and way of happy living . and till we are persuaded to stop , and step a little aside , out of the noisy crowd and incumbering hurry of the world , and calmly take a prospect of things , it will be impossible we should be able to make a right judgment of our selves , or know our own misery . but after we have made the just reckonings , which retirement will help us to , we shall begin to think the world in great measure mad , and that we have been in a sort of bedlam all this while . reader , whether young or old , think it not too soon or too late to turn over the leaves of thy past life : and be sure to fold down where any passage of it may affect thee ; and bestow thy remainder of time , to correct those faults in thy future conduct ; be it in relation to this or the next life . what thou wouldst do , if what thou hast done were to do again , he sure to do as long as thou livest , upon the like occasions . our reflections seem to be vigorous , as often as we survey our past errors . but , alas , our resolutions are apt to be flat upon fresh temptations to the same things . the author does not pretend to deliver thee an exact piece ; his business being not vanity , but charity : 't is miscellaneous in the matter of it , and by no means artificial in the composure . but it contains hints , that may serve thee for texts to preach to thy self upon ; and which comprehend much of the course of human life ; since whether thou art parent or child ; prince or subject ; master or servant ; single or married ; publick or private ; mean or honourable ; rich or poor ; prosperous or improsperous ; in peace or controversy ; in business or solitude ; whatever be thy inclination or aversion ; practice or duty ; thou wilt find something not unsuitably said for thy direction and advantage . accept and improve what deserves thy notice . the rest excuse , and place to account of good will to thee and the whole creation of god. reflections and maxims . i. it is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into , and go out of the world , ignorant of themselves , and of the world they have lived in . . if one went to see windsor-castle or hampton-court , it would be strange if he did not observe and remember the situation , the building , the gardens , fountains , &c. and yet few people know themselves ; no , not their own bodies , the houses of their minds , the most curious structure of the world ; a living walking tabernacle ; nor the world out of which it was made , and in which it is fed ; which would be so much our benefit , as well as our pleasure , to know . . the world is a great and stately volume of natural things ; but how very few leaves of it do we seriously turn over ! this ought to be the subject of the education of our youth , who , at , when they should be fit for business , know not any thing of it . . we are in pain to make them scholars , but not men ; to talk , rather than to know ; which is true canting . . the first thing obvious to children is what is sensible ; and that we make no part of their rudiments . . we press their memories too soon , and puzle , strain and load them with words and rules ; to know grammar and rhetorick , and a strange tongue or two , that it is ten to one may never be useful to them ; leaving their natural genius to mechanical and physical knowledge uncultivated and neglected ; which is of exceeding use and pleasure to them through the whole course of their life . . to be sure , languages are not to be despised or neglected . but things are to be preferred . . children had rather be making of tools and instruments of play ; shaping , drawing , framing and building , &c. than getting some rules of propriety of speech by heart : and those also would follow with more judgment , and less trouble and time. . it were happy if we studied nature more in natural things ; and acted according to nature ; whose rules are few , plain and most reasonable . . let us begin where she begins , go her pace , and close always where she ends , and we cannot miss of being naturalists . . the world would not be longer a riddle to us , the heavens , earth and waters , with their respective , various and numerous inhabitants ; their productions , natures , seasons , simpathies and antipathies ; their use , benefit and pleasure , would be better understood by us : and an eternal wisdom , power , majesty and goodness , very conspicuous to us , through those sensible and passing forms : the world wearing the mark of its maker , whose stamp is every where visible , and the characters very legible to the children of wisdom . . it is pity books have not been composed for youth , by some curious and careful naturalists and mechanicks , in the latin tongue , to be used in schools , that they might learn things with words : things obvious and familiar to them , and which would make the tongue easier to be attained by them . . many able gardiners and husbandmen are yet ignorant of the reason of their calling ; as most artificers are of the reason of their own rules that govern their excellent workmanship . but a naturalist and a mechanick of this sort , is master of the reason of both , and may be of the practice too , if his industry keep pace with his speculation ; which were very commendable ; and without which he cannot be said to be a compleat naturalist or mechanick . . finally , if man be the index or epitomy of the world , as philosophers tell us , we have only to read our selves well to be learned in it . but because there is nothing we less regard than the characters of that power that made us , and can best tell us what we are and should be , we are even strangers to our own genius ; the glass in which we should see that true , instructing and agreeable variety , which is to be observed in nature . . and yet we are very apt to be full of our selves , instead of him that made what we so much value ; and , but for whom , we can have no reason to value our selves by . for we have nothing that we can call our own , no not our selves : for we are all but tenants ; and at will too , of the great lord of our selves , and the rest of this great farm , the world that we live upon . . man is become a strange contradiction to himself , but it is of himself ; not being by constitution but corruption such . . he would have others obey him , even his own kind ; but he will not obey god , that is so much above him , and who made him . . he will lose none of his authority ; no , not bate an ace of it : he beats his children , is angry with his servants , strict with his neighbours , revenges all affronts to extremity , and forgets all the while that he is the man ; and is more in arrear to god , that is so very patient with him , than they are to him with whom he is so strict and impatient . . he is curious to wash , dress and perfume his body , but careless of his soul. the one shall have many hours , the other not so many minutes . this shall have or new suits in a year , but that must wear its old cloaths still . . if he be to receive or see a great man , how nice and anxious is he that all things be in order ? and with what respect and address does he approach and make his court ? but to god , how dry and formal and constrained in his devotion ? . in our prayers we say , thy will be done : but mean our own : at least act so . . it is too frequent to begin with god and end with the world. but he is the good man's beginning and end ; his alpha and omega . . such is now become our delicacy , that we will not eat ordinary meat , nor drink small , pall'd liquor ; we must have the best , and the best cook't for our body , while our soul feeds on empty or corrupted things . . in short , man is spending all upon a bare house , and hath little or no furniture within to recommend it ; which is preferring the cabinet before the jewel , a lease of seven years before an inheritance . so absurd a thing is man , after all his proud pretences to wit and understanding . . the want of due consideration is the cause of all the unhappiness man brings upon himself . for his second thoughts rarely agree with his first , or pass without a considerable retrenchment or correction . and yet that sensible warning is , too frequently , not precaution enough for his future conduct . . well may we say our infelicity is of our selves ; since there is nothing we do that we should not do , but we know it , and yet do it . . for disappointments , that come not by our own folly , they are the tryals or corrections of heaven ; and it is our own sault , if they prove not our advantage . . to repine at them does not mend the matter : it is only to grumble at our creator . but to see the hand of god in them , with an humble submission to his will , is the way to turn our water into wine , and engage the greatest love and mercy on our side . . we must needs disorder our selves , if we only look at our losses . but if we consider how little we deserve what is left , our passion will cool , and our murmurs turn to thankfulness . . if our hairs fall not to the ground , less do we or our substance , without god's providence . . nor can we fall below the arms of god , how low soever it be we fall . . and tho' our saviour's passion is over , his compassion is not . that never fails his humble , sincere disciples : in him , they find more than all that they lose . . is it reasonable to take it ill , that any body desires of us that which is their own ? all we have is the almighty's : and shall not god have his own when he calls for it ? . discontentedness is not only in such a case ingratitude , but injustice . for we are both unthankful for the time we had it , and not honest enough to restore it , if we could keep it . . but it is hard for us to look on things in such a glass , and at such a distance . and yet it is our duty , and would be our wisdom and glory to do so . . we are apt to be very pert at censuring others , where we will not endure advice our selves . and nothing shews our weakness more , than to be so sharp-sighted at spying other mens faults , and so purblind about our own . . when the actions of a neighbour are upon the stage , we have all our wits about us ; are quick and critical ; can split an hair to find out every failure and infirmity : but are without any , or have but very little , sense of our own . . much of this comes from ill nature , as well as from an inordinate value of our selves : for we love rambling better than home , and blaming the unhappy , rather than covering and relieving them . . in such occasions some shew their malice , others their justice , but few or none their charity ; especially if it be about mony-matters . . you shall see an old miser come forth with a set gravity , and so much severity against the distressed , to excuse his purse , that he will , ' ere he has done , put it out of all question , that riches is righteousness with him . this , says he , is the fruit of your prodigality ; ( as if , poor man , covetousness were no fault ) or of your projects , or grasping after a gread trade : while he himself would have done the same thing , but that he had not the courage to venture so much ready mony out of his own trusty hands , tho' it had been to have brought him back the indies in return . but the proverb is just , vice should not correct sin. . they have a right to censure , that have a heart to help : the rest is cruelty , not justice . . lend not beyond thy ability , nor refuse to lend out of thy ability ; especially when it will help others more than it can hurt thee . . if thy debtor be honest and capable , thou hast thy mony again ; if not with encrease , with praise ; if he prove insolvent , don't ruin him to get that , which it will not ruin thee to lose : for thou art but a steward , and another is thy master and judge . . the more merciful acts thou dost , the more mercy thou wilt receive ; and if with a charitable imployment of thy temporal riches , thou gainest eternal treasure , thy purchase is infinite ; thou wilt have found the art of multiplying indeed . . frugality is good , if liberality , be join'd with it . the first is leaving off superfluous expences ; the last bestowing them to the benefit of others that need . the first without the last begins covetousness ; the last without the first begins prodigality : both together make an excellent temper . happy the place where ever it is found . . were it universal , we should be cur'd of two extreams , want and excess ; and the one would supply the other , bringing both nearer to a mean ; the just degree of earthly happiness . . it is a reproach to religion and government to suffer so much poverty and excess . . were the superfluities of a nation valued , and made a perpetual tax or benevolence , there would be more alms-houses than poor ; schools than scholars ; and enough to spare for government besides . . hospitality is good , if the poorer sort are the subjects of our bounty ; else superfluity . . if thou wouldst be happy and easy in thy family , above all things observe discipline . . every one should know their duty , and there should be a time and place for every thing : and whatever else is done or omitted , be sure to begin and end with god. . love labor : for if thou dost not want it for food , thou mayest for physick . it is wholsom for thy body , and good for thy mind . it prevents the fruits of idleness , which many times comes of nothing to do , and leads too many to do what is worse than nothing . . a garden , an elaboratory , a work-house , improvements and breeding , are pleasant and profitable diversions to the idle and ingenious : for here they miss ill company , and converse with nature and art ; whose variety are equally grateful and instructing ; and preserve a good constitution of body & mind . . to this a spare dyet contributes much . eat thereforeto live , and do not live to eat . that 's like a man , but this below a beast . . have wholsom but not costly food , and be rather cleanly than dainty in ordering it . . the receipts of cookery are swell'd to a volume , but a good stomach excels them all ; to which nothing contributes more than industry and temperance . . it is a cruel folly to offer up so many lives of creatures , as make up the state of our treats ; as it is a prodigal one to spend more in sawce than in meat . . the proverb says , that enough is as good as a feast : but it is certainly better , if superfluity be a fault , which never fails to be at festivals . . rarely drink but when thou art dry ; nor then , between meals , if it can be avoided . . the smaller the drink , the clearer the head , and the cooler the blood ; which are great benefits in temper and business . . strong liquors are good at some times , and in small proportions ; being better for physick than food , for cordials than common use . . the most comon things are the most useful ; which shews both the wisdom and goodness of the great lord of the family of the world. . what therefore he has made rare , don't thou use too commonly : lest thou shouldst invert the use and order of things ; become wanton and voluptuous ; and thy blessings prove a curse . . let nothing be lost , said our saviour . but that is lost that is misused . . neither urge another to that , thou wouldst be unwilling to do thy self ; nor do thy self what looks to thee unseemly and intemperate in another . . all excess is ill : but drunkenness is of the worst sort . it spoils health , dismounts the mind , and unmans men : it reveals secrets , is quarrelsom , lascivious , impudent , dangerous and mad . in fine , he that is drunk is not a man : because he is so long void of reason , that distinguishes a man from a beast . . excess in apparel is another costly folly. the very trimming of the vain world would cloath all the naked one . . chuse thy cloaths by thine own eyes , not anothers . the more plain and simple they are , the better . neither unshapely , nor fantastical ; and for decency , not for pride . . if thou art clean and warm , it is sufficient ; for more doth but rob the poor , and please the wanton . . it is said of the true church , the king's daughter is all glorious within . let our care therefore be of our minds more than of our bodies . . we are told , with truth , that meekness and modesty are the rich and charming attire of the soul : and the plainer the dress , the more distinctly , and with greater lustre , their beauty shines . . it is great pity such beauties are so rare , and those of jezabel's forehead are so common : whose dresses are incentives to lust ; but bars , instead of motives , to love or vertue . . never marry but for love ; but see that thou lov'st what is lovely . . if love be not thy chiefest motive , thou wilt soon grow weary of a married state , and stray from thy promise , to search out thy pleasures in forbidden places . . let not enjoyment lessen , but augment affection ; it being the basest of passions to like when we have not , what we slight when we possess . . it is the difference betwixt lust and love , that this is fixt , that volatile . love grows , lust wastes by enjoyment : and the reason is , that one springs from an union of souls , and the other from an union of sense . . they have divers originals , and so are of different families : that inward and deep , this superficial ; this transient , and that permanent . . they that marry for mony cannot have the true satisfaction of marriage ; the requisite means being wanting . . men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children . . those must be of the best sort , for shape , strength , courage and good conditions : but as for these , their own posterity , mony shall answer all things . it makes the crooked streight , sets squint-eyes right , cures madness , covers folly , changes ill conditions , mends the skin , gives a sweet breath , repairs honour , makes young , works wonders . . o how fordid is man grown ! man , the noblest creature of the world ; as a god on earth , and the image of him that made it ; thus to mistake earth for heaven , and worship gold for god! . covetousness is the greatest of monsters , as well as the root of all evil. i have once seen the man that dyed to save charges . what! give ten shillings to a doctor , and have an apothecary's bill besides , that may come to i know not what ! no , not he : valuing life less than twenty shillings . but indeed such a man could not well set too low a price upon himself ; who , tho' he liv'd up to the chin in bags , had rather die than find in his heart to open one of them , to help to save his life . . such a man is felo de se , and deserves not christian burial . . he is a common nusance , a weyr cross the stream , that stops the current : an obstruction , to be remov'd by a purge of the law. the only gratification he gives his neighbours is to let them see that he himself is as little the better for what he has , as they are . for he always looks like lent ; a sort of lay minim . in some sense he may be compar'd to pharaoh's lean kine , for all that he has does him no good . he commonly wears his cloaths till they leave him , or that no body else can wear them . he affects to be thought poor , to escape robbery and taxes ; and by looking as if he wanted an alms , excuses himself for giving none . he ever goes late to markets , to excuse buying the worst : but does it because that is cheapest . he lives of the offal . his life were an insupportable punishment to any temper but his own ; and no greater torment to him on earth than to live as other men do . but the misery of his pleasure is , that he is never satisfied with geting , and always in fear of losing . . how vilely had he lost himself , that becomes a slave to his servant ; and exalts him to the dignity of his maker ? gold is the god , the wife , the friend of the mony-monger of the world. . but in marriage do thou be wise ; prefer the person before mony , vertue before beauty , the mind before the body : then thou hast a wife , a friend , a companion , a second self ; one that bears an equal share with thee in all thy toyls and troubles . . chuse one that measures her satisfaction , safety and danger , by thine ; and of whom thou art sure , as of thy secretest thoughts : a friend as well as a wife , which indeed a wife implies : for she is but half a wife that is not , or is not capable of being such a friend . . sexes make no difference ; since in souls there is none : and they are the subjects of friendship . . he that minds a body and not a soul , has not the better part of that relation ; and will consequently want the noblest comfort of a married life . . the satisfaction of our senses is low , short and transient : but the mind gives a more raised and extended pleasure , and is capable of an happiness founded upon reason ; not bounded and limited by the circumstances that bodies are confin'd to . . here it is we ought to search our pleasure , where the field is large and full of variety , and of an induring nature : sickness , poverty or disgrace being not able to shake it , because it is not under the moving influences of worldly contingences . the satisfaction of those that do so is in well-doing , and in the assurance they have of a future reward ; that they are best loved of those they love most ; and that they enjoy and value the liberty of their minds above that of their bodies ; having the whole creation for their prospect , the most noble and wonderful works and providences of god , the histories of the antients , and in them the actions and examples of the vertuous , and lastly , themselves , their affairs and family , to exercise their minds and friendship upon . . nothing can be more entire and without reserve ; nothing more zealous , affectionate and sincere ; nothing more contented and constant than such a couple ; nor no greater temporal felicity than to be one of them . . between a man and his wife nothing ought to rule but love. authority is for children and servants ; yet not without sweetness . . as love ought to bring them together , so it is the best way to keep them well together . . wherefore use her not as a servant , whom thou would'st , perhaps , have serv'd seven years to obtain . . an husband and wife that love and value one another , shew their children and servants , that they should do so too . others visibly lose their authority in their families , by their contempt of one another ; and teach their children to be unnatural by their own example . . it is a general fault not to be more careful to preserve nature in children ; who ( at least in the second descent ) hardly have the feeling of their relation ; which must be an unpleasant reflection to affectionate parents . . frequent visits , presents , intimate correspondence and intermarriages , within allowed bounds , are means of keeping up the concern and affection that nature requires from relations . . friendship is the next pleasure we may hope for : and where we find it not at home , or have no home to find it in , we may seek it abroad . it is an union of spirits , a marriage of hearts , the bond , of virtue . . there can be no friendship where there is no freedom . friendship loves a free air , and will not be penned up in streight and narrow enclosures . it will speak freely , and act so too ; and take nothing ill where no ill is meant ; nay where it is , 't will easily forgive and forget too , upon small acknowledgments . . friends are true twins in soul ; they sympathize in every thing ; have the same love and aversion . . one is not happy without the other , nor can either of them be miserable alone . as if they could change bodies , they take their turns in pain as well as in pleasure ; relieving one another in their most adverse fortunes . . what one enjoys , the other cannot want . like the primitive christians , they have all things in common , and no property but in one another . . a true friend unbosomes freely , advises justly , assists readily , adventures boldly , takes all patiently , defends couragiously , and continues a friend unchangeably . . these being the qualities of a friend , we are to find them before we chuse one . . the covetous , the angry , the proud , the talkative , cannot but make ill friends , as well as the false . . in short , chuse a friend as thou dost a wife , till death separates you . . yet be not a friend beyond the altar : but let virtue bound thy friendship : else it is not friendship , but an evil confederacy . . if my brother or kinsman will be my friend , i ought to prefer him before a stranger ; or i shew little duty or nature to my parents . . and as we ought to prefer our kindred in point of affection , so too in point of charity ; if equally needing and deserving . . be not easily acquainted ; lest finding reason to cool , thou makest an enemy instead of a good neighbour . . be reserved , but not sour ; grave , but not formal ; bold , but not rash ; humble , but not servile ; patient , not insensible ; constant , not obstinate ; chearful , not light ; rather sweet , than familiar ; familiar , than intimate ; and intimate with very few , and upon very good grounds . . return the civilities thou receivest , and be ever grateful for favours . . if thou hast done an injury to another , rather own it than defend it . one way thou gain'st forgiveness ; the other , thou doubl'st the wrong and reckoning . . some oppose honour to submission : but it can be no honour to maintain , what it is dishonourable to do . . to confess a fault , that is none , out of fear ; is indeed mean : but not to be afraid of standing in one , is brutish . . we should make more haste to right our neighbour , than we did to wrong him : and instead of being vindicative , we should leave him to be judge of his own satisfaction . . true honour will pay treble damages , rather than justifie one wrong by another . . in such controversies , it is but too common for some to say , both are to blame ; to excuse their own unconcernedness ; which is a base neutrality . others will cry , they are both alike ; thereby involving the injured with the guilty ; to mince the matter for the faulty , or cover their own injustice to the wronged party . . fear and gain are great perverters of mankind , and where either prevail , the judgment is violated . . avoid company , where it is not profitable or necessary ; and in those occasions speak little , and last . . silence is wisdom , where speaking is folly ; and always safe . . some are so foolish as to interrupt and anticipate those that speak , instead of hearing and thinking before they answer ; which is uncivil as well as silly . . if thou thinkest twice , before thou speakest once , thou wilt speak twice the better for it . . better say nothing than not to the purpose . and to speak pertinently , consider both what is fit , and when it is fit to speak . . in all debates , let truth be thy aim , not victory , or an unjust interest ; and endeavour to gain , rather than to expose thy antagonist . . give no advantage in argument , nor lose any that is offered . this is a benefit which arises from temper . . don't use thy self to dispute against thine own judgment , to shew wit ; lest it prepare thee to be too indifferent of what is right : nor against another man , to vex him , or for meer trial of skill ; since to inform , or to be informed , ought to be the end of all conferences . . men are too apt to be concerned for their credit , more than for the cause . . there is a truth and beauty in rhetorick ; but it oftner serves ill turns than good ones . . elegancy is a good meen and adress given to matter ; be it by proper or figurative speech ; where the words are apt , and allusions very natural . certainly it has a moving grace : but it is too artificial for simplicity , and oftentimes for truth . the danger is , lest it delude the weak , who in such cases may mistake the handmaid for the mistress ; if not error for truth . . 't is certain , truth is least indebted to it ; because she has least need of it , and least uses it . . but it is a reproveable delicacy in some that despise truth in plain cloaths . . such luxuriants have but false appetites ; like those gluttons , that by sawces force an appetite where they have no stomach ; and sacrifice to their pallate , not their health : which cannot be without great vanity , nor that without some sin. . nothing does reason more right , than the coolness of those that offer it : and truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders , than from the arguments of its opposers . . zeal ever follows an appearance of truth , and the assured are too apt to be warm ; but 't is their weak side in argument ; zeal being better shewn against sin , than persons , or their mistakes . . where thou art obliged to speak , be sure to speak the truth : for equivocation is half way to lying ; as lying , the whole way to hell. . believe nothing against another but upon good authority : nor report what may hurt another , unless it be a greater hurt to others to conceal it . . it is wise not to seek a secret ; and honest not to reveal one . . trust thy self , and another shall not betray thee . . openness has the mischief , tho' not the malice of treachery . . never assent meerly to please others . for that is , beside flattery , oftentimes untruth ; and discovers a mind liable to be servile and base : nor contradict to vex others , for that shews an ill temper ; and provokes , but profits no body . . do not accuse others to excuse thy self , for that is neither generous nor just . but let sincerity and ingenuity be thy refuge , rather than craft and falshood : for cunning borders very near upon knavery . . wisdom never uses nor wants it . cunning to wise , is as an ape to a man. . interest has the security , tho' not the virtue of a principle . as the world goes , 't is the surer side : for men daily leave both relation and religion to follow it . . 't is an odd sight , but very evident , that families and nations , of cross religions and humors , unite against those of their own , where they find an interest to do it . . we are tied down by our senses to this world : and where that is in question , it can be none with worldly men , whether they should not forsake all other considerations for it . . have a care of vulgar errors . dislike , as well as allow , reasonably . . inquiry , is human ; blind obedience , brutal . truth never loses by the one , but often suffers by the other . . the usefullest truths are plainest : and while we keep to them , our differences cannot rise high . . there may be a wantonness in search , as well as a stupidity in trusting . it is great wisdom equally to avoid the extreams . . do nothing improperly . some are witty , kind , cold , angry , easie , stiff , jealous , careless , cautious , confident , close , open , but all in the wrong place . . it is ill mistaking where the matter is of importance . . it is not enough that a thing be right , if it be not fit to be done . if not prudent , tho just , it is not adviseable . he that loses by getting , had better lose than get . . knowledge is the treasure , but judgment the treasurer of a wise man. . if thou wouldst be obeyed , being a father ; being a son , be obedient . . he that begets thee , owes thee ; and has a natural right over thee . . next to god , thy parents ; next them , the magistrate . . remember thou art not more indebted to thy parents for thy nature , than for their love and care. . rebellion , in children , was therefore death by god's law ; and the next sin to idolatry ; which is renouncing of god , the great parent of all . . obedience to parents is not only our duty , but our interest . we received our life from them , and prolong it by obeying them : for obedience is the first commandment with promise . . the obligation is as indissolvable as the relation . . if we must not disobey god to obey them ; at least , we must let them see , when we do disobey them , that there is nothing else in our refusal . for some unjust commands cannot excuse the general neglect of our duty . . a man in business must put up many affronts , if he loves his own quiet . . we must not pretend to see all that we see , if we would be easie . . it were endless to dispute upon every thing that is disputable . . a vindictive temper is not only uneasie to others , but to them that have it . . rarely promise : but , if lawful , constantly perform . . hasty resolutions are of the nature of vows ; and to be equally avoided . . i will never do this , says one , yet does it . i am resolved to do that , says another , but flags upon second thoughts : or does it , though awkardly , for his word's sake ; as if it were worse to break his word , than to do a miss in keeping it . . wear none of thine own chains ; but keep free whilst thou art free . . it is an effect of passion that wisdom corrects , to lay thy self under resolutions that cannot be well made , and must be worse performed . . avoid all thou canst being entrusted : but do thy utmost to discharge the trust thou undertakest : for carelesness is injurious , if not unjust . . the glory of a servant is fidelity ; which cannot be without diligence , as well as truth . . fidelity has enfranchised slaves , and adopted servants to be sons . . reward a good servant well : and rather quit than disquiet thy self with an ill one . . mix kindness with authority ; and rule more by discretion than rigour . . if thy servant be faulty , strive rather to convince him of his error , than discover thy passion : and when he is sensible , forgive him . . remember he is thy fellow-creature , and that god's goodness , not thy merit , has made the difference betwixt thee and him. . let not thy children domineer over thy servants : nor suffer them to slight thy children . . suppress tales in the general : but where a matter requires notice , encourage the complaint , and right the aggrieved . . if thou art a child , thou art to entreat , and not to command ; and if a servant , to comply where thou dost not obey . . tho' there should be but one master and mistress in a family , yet servants should remember that children have the reversion . . indulge not unseemly things in thy master's children ; nor refuse them what is fitting : for one is the highest unfaithfulness ; and the other indiscretion as well as disrespect . . do thine own work honestly and chearfully : and when that is done , help thy fellow ; that so another time he may help thee . . be not fancifully jealous : for that is foolish ; as , to be reasonably so , is wise . . he that superfines upon other men's actions , cozens himself , as well as injures them . . to be very subtle and scrupulous in business , is as hurtful as being over confident and secure . . in difficult cases , such a temper is timorous ; and in dispatch , irresolute . . experience is a safe guide : and a practical head , is a great happiness in business . . we are too careless of posterity ; not considering that as they are , so the next generation will be . . if we would mend the world , we should mend our selves ; and teach our children not what we are , but what they should be . . we are too apt to awaken and tune up their passions by the example of our own ; and to teach them to be pleased , not with what is best , but with what pleases best . . it is our duty , and ought to be our care , to ward against that passion in them , which is more especially our own weakness and affliction : for we are in great measure accountable for them , as well as for our selves . . we are true turners of the world upside down : for mony is first ; and vertue last , and least in our care . . it is not how we leave our children , but what we leave them . . to be sure vertue is but a supplement , and not a principal in their portion and character . . the country life is to be preferr'd : for there we see the works of god ; but in cities little else but the works of men. and the one make a better subject for our contemplation than the other . . as puppets are to men , and babies to children , so is man's workmanship to god's : we are the picture , he the reality . . god's works declare his power , wisdom and goodness ; but man's works , for the most part , his pride , folly and excess . the one is for use , the other , chiefly , for ostentation and lust . . art is good , where it is beneficial . socrates wisely bounded his knowledge and instruction by practice . . have a care therefore of projects : and yet despise nothing rashly , or in the lump . . ingenuity , as well as religion , sometimes suffers between two thieves ; pretenders and despisers . . though injudicious and dishonest projectors often discredit art , yet the most useful and extraordinary inventions have not at first escap'd the scorn of ignorance ; as their authors , rarely , have escap'd cracking of their heads , or breaking their backs . . undertake no experiment , in speculation , that appears not true in art ; nor then , at thine own cost , if costly or hazardous in making . . as many hands make light work , so several purses make cheap experiments . . industry is certainly very commendable , and supplies want of parts . . patience and diligence , like faith , remove mountains . . do good with what thou hast , or it will do thee no good . . seek not to be rich , but happy . the one lyes in bags , the other in content ; which wealth can never give . . we are apt to call things by wrong names . we will have prosperity to be happiness , and adversity to be misery ; though that is the school of wisdom , and oftentimes the way to eternal happiness . . if thou wouldst be happy , bring thy mind to thy condition , and have an indifferency for more than what is sufficient . . have but little to do , and do it thy self : and do to others as thou wouldst have them do to thee . so , thou canst not fail of temporal felicity . . the generality are the worse for their plenty . the voluptuous consumes it ; the miser hides it ; 't is the good man that uses it ; and to good purposes . but such are hardly found among the prosperous . . be rather bountiful than expensive . . neither make nor go to feasts : but let the laborious poor bless thee at home in their solitary cottages . . never voluntarily want what thou hast in possession ; nor so spend it as to involve thy self in want unavoidable . . be not tempted to presume by success : for many that have got largly , have lost all , by coveting to get more . . to hazard much to get much , has more of avarice than wisdom . . it is great prudence both to bound and use prosperity . . too few know when they have enough ; and fewer know how to employ it . . it is equally adviseable not to part lightly with what is hardly gotten , and not to shut up closely what flows in freely . . act not the shark upon thy neighbour ; nor take advantage of the ignorance , prodigality or necessity of any one : for that is next door to fraud , and at best makes but an unblest gain . . it is oftentimes the judgment of god upon greedy rich men , that he suffers them to push on their desires of wealth to the excess of over-reaching , grinding or oppression ; which poysons all the rest , they have gotten : so that it runs away as fast , and by as bad ways , as it was heaped up together . . never esteem any man , or thy self , the more for mony ; nor think the meaner of thy self or another , for want of it ; vertue being the just reason of respecting , and the want of it , of slighting any one . . a man , like a watch , is to be valued for his goings . . have a care of more sail than ballast . . in all business , it is best to put nothing to hazard : but where it is unavoidable , be not rash ; but firm , and resign'd . . we should not be troubled for what we cannot help : but if it was our fault , let it be so no more . amendment is repentance , if not reparation . . have a care of that base evil , detraction . it is the fruit of envy : as that is of pride ; the immediate off-spring of the devil ; who of an angel , a lucifer , a son of the morning , made himself a serpent , a devil , a beelzebub , and all that is obnoxious to the eternal goodness . . dislike what deserves it ; but never hate : for that is of the nature of malice ; which is ever to persons , not things ; and is one of the blackest qualities sin begets in the soul. . it were an happy day , if men could bound and qualify their refentments with charity to the offender : for then our angerwould be without sin , and better convict and edify the guilty ; which only can make it lawful . . not to be provok'd is best : but if mov'd , never correct till the fume is spent : for every stroke our fury strikes , is sure to hit our selves at last . . if we did but observe the allowances our reason makes upon reflection , when our passion is over , we could not want a rule how to behave our selves by , in the like occasions . . we are more prone to complain than redress , and to censure than excuse . . it is next to unpardonable , that we can so often blame what we will not once mend . it shews , we know , but will not do our master 's will. . they that censure , should practise : or else let them have the first stone , and the last too . . vertue is not secure against envy . men will lessen what they won't imitate . . nothing needs a trick but a trick ; sincerity loaths one . . we must take care to do right things rightly : for a just sentence may be unjustly executed . . circumstances give great light to true judgment , if well weigh'd . . never chide for anger , but for amendment . . whipping out of passion , is like eating only to gratify the pallate . . reflect without malice , but never without need . . despise no body , nor no condition ; lest it come to be thy own . . never rail , nor taunt . the one is rude , the other scornful ; and both evil . . be not provoked by injuries , to commit them . . upbraid only ingratitude . . haste makes work , which caution prevents . . tempt no man ; lest thou fall for it . . have a care of presuming upon after games : for if that miss , all is lost . . opportunities should never be lost : because they can never be regain'd . . it is well to cure , but better to prevent a distemper . the first shews more skill , but the last more wisdom . . never make a tryal of skill in difficult or hazardous cases . . refuse not to be inform'd : for that shews pride , or stupidity . . humility and knowledge in poor cloaths , excels pride and ignorance in costly attire . . neither despise , nor oppose , what thou dost not understand . . we must not be concern'd above the value of the thing that engages us ; nor raised above reason , in maintaining what we think reasonable . . it is too common an error , to invert the order of things ; by making an end of that which is a means , and a means of that which is an end. . religion and government escape not this mischief : the first is too often made a means instead of an end ; the other an end instead of a means . . thus men seek wealth rather than subsistence ; and the end of cloaths is the least reason of their use . nor is the satisfying of our appetite our end in eating , so much as the pleasing of our pallate . the like may also be said of building , furniture , &c. where the man rules not the beast , and appetite submits not to reason . . it is great wisdom to proportion our esteem to the nature of the thing : for as , that way things , will not be undervalued , so neither will they engage us above their intrinsick worth . . if we suffer little things to have great hold upon us , we shall be as much transported for them , as if they deserv'd it . . it is an old proverb , maxima bella ex levissimis causis , the greatest feuds have had the smallest beginnings . . no matter what the subject of the dispute be ; but what place we give it in our minds : for that governs our concern and resentment . . it is one of the fatalest errors of our lives , when we spoil a good cause by an ill management : and it is not impossible but we may mean well in an ill business ; but that will not defend it . . if we are but sure the end is right , we gallop over all bounds to compass it ; not considering that lawful ends may be very unlawfully attained . . let us be careful to take just ways to compass just things ; that they may last in their benefits to us . . there is a troublesom humor some men have , that if they may not lead , they will not follow ; but had rather a thing were never done , than not done their own way , though other ways very desirable . . this comes of an over-fulness of our selves ; and she ws we are more concern'd for praise , than the success of what we think a good thing . . affect not to be seen ; and men will less see thy weakness . . they that shew more than they are , raise an expectation they cannot answer ; and so lose their credit , as soon as they are found out . . avoid popularity . it has many snares , and no real benefit to thy self ; and uncertainty to others . . remember the proverb , bene qui latuit bene vixit , they are happy that live retiredly . . if this be true , princes and their grandees , of all men , are the unhappiest : for they live least alone . and they that must be enjoy'd by every body , can never enjoy themselves . . it is the advantage little men have upon them ; they can be private , and have leisure for family comforts ; which are the greatest worldly comforts men can enjoy . . but they that place pleasure in greatness , seek it there : and we see rule is as much the ambition of some natures , as privacy is the choice of others . . government has many shapes : but 't is sovereignty , tho' not freedom , in all of them . . rex & tyrannus are very differing characters : one rules his people by laws , to which they consent ; the other by his absolute will and power . that is call'd freedom , this tyranny . . the first is endanger'd by the ambition of the populace ; which shakes the constitution : the other by an ill administration ; which hazards the tyrant and his family . . it is great wisdom in princes of both sorts , not to strain points too high , with their people : for whether the people have a right to oppugn them or not , they are ever sure to attempt it , when things are carried too far ; though the remedy oftentimes proves worse than the disease . . happy that king who is great by justice , and the people who are free by obedience . . where the ruler is just , he may be strict ; else , it is two to one it turns upon him : and though he should prevail , he can be no gainer , where his people are the losers . . princes must not have passions in government , nor resent beyond interest or religion . . where example keeps pace with authority , power hardly fails to be obey'd , and magistrates to be honour'd . . where the magistrate serves ill turns , he loses his authority with the people ; and gives the populace opportunity to gratify their ambition ; and so lays a stumbling-block for his people to fall . . it is true , that where a subject is more popular than the prince , the prince is in danger : but it is as true , that it is his own fault : for no body has the like means , interest or reason to be popular as he. . it is an unaccountable thing , that some princes encline rather to be fear'd than lov'd ; when they see , that fear does not oftner secure a prince against the dissaffection of his people , than love makes a subject too many for such a prince . . certainly service upon inclination is like to go farther than obedience upon compulsion . . the romans had a just sense of this , when they plac'd optimus before maximus , to their most illustrious captains and caesars . . besides , experience tells us , that goodness raises a nobler passion in the soul , and gives a better sense of duty than severity . . what did pharaoh get by increasing the israelites task ? ruin to himself in the end. . kings , chiefly in this , should imitate god : their mercy should be above all their works . . the difference between the prince and the peasant , is in this world. but a temper ought to be observ'd by him that has the advantage here , because of the judgment in the next . . the end of every thing should direct the means . now that of government being the good of the whole , nothing less should be the aim of the prince . . as often as rulers endeavour to attain just ends by just mediums , they are sure of a quiet and easy government ; and as sure of convulsions , where the nature of things are violated , and their order over-rul'd . . it is certain , princes ought to have great allowances made them for faults in government ; since they see by other people's eyes , and hear by their ears . but ministers of state , their immediate confidents and instruments , have much to answer for , if to gratify private passions , they misguide the prince to do a publick injury . . ministers of state should undertake their posts at their peril . if princes over-rule them , let them shew the law , and humbly resign : if fear , gain or flattery prevail , let them answer it to the law. . the prince cannot be preserv'd , but where the minister is punishable : for people , as well as princes , will not endure imperium in imperio . . if ministers are weak or ill men , and so spoil their places , it is the prince's fault that chose them : but if their places spoil them , it is their fault to be made worse by them . . it is but just that those that reign by their princes , should suffer for their prince's : for it is a safe and necessary maxim , not to shift heads in government , while the hands are in being that should answer for them . . and yet it were intolerable to be a minister of state , if every body may be accuser and judge . . let therefore the false accuser no more escape an exemplary punishment , than the guilty minister . . for it profanes government to have the credit of the leading men in it , subject to vulgar censure ; which is often ill-grounded . . the safety of a prince therefore consists in a well-chosen council : and that only can be said to be so , where the persons that compose it are qualified for the business that comes before them . . who would send to a taylor to make a lock , or to a smith to make a suit of cloaths ? . let there be merchants for trade , seamen for the admiralty , travellers for foreign affairs , some of the leading men of the country for home business , and common and civil lawyers to advise of legality and right , who should always keep to the strict rules of law. . three things contribute much to ruin governments ; looseness , oppression and envy . . where the reins of government are too slack , there the manners of the people are corrupted : and that destroys industry , begets effiminacy , and provokes heaven against it . . oppression makes a poor country , and a desperate people , who always wait an opportunity to change . . he that ruleth over men , must be just , ruling in the fear of god , said an old and a wise king. . envy disturbs and distracts government ; clogs the wheels , and perplexes the administration : and nothing contributes more to this disorder , than a partial distribution of rewards and punishments in the sovereign . . as it is not reasonable that men should be compel'd to serve ; so those that have employments should not be endured to leave them humourously . . where the state intends a man no affront , he should not affront the state. . a private life is to be preferred ; the honour and gain of publick posts , bearing no proportion with the benefits of it . the one is free and quiet ; the other servile and noisy . . it was a great answer of the shunamite woman , i dwell among my own people . . they that live of their own , neither need nor often list to wear the livery of the publick . . their substance is not during pleasure ; nor have they patrons to please or present . . if they are not advanced , neither can they be disgraced . and as they know not the smiles of majesty , so they feel not the frowns of greatness , or the effects of envy . . if they want the pleasures of a court , they also escape the temptations of it . . private men , in fine , are so much their own , that paying common dues , they are sovereigns of all the rest . . yet the publick must and will be served ; and they that do it well , deserve publick marks of honour and fortune . . to do so , men must have publick minds , as well as salaries ; or they will serve private ends at the publick cost . . governments can never be well administred , but where those entrusted make conscience of well discharging their places . . five things are requisite to a good officer , ability , clean hands , dispatch , patience and impartiality . . he that understands not his employment , whatever else he knows , must be unfit for it ; and the publick suffers by his inexpertness . . they that are able , should be just too ; or the government may be the worse for their capacity . . covetousness in such men prompts them to prostitute the publick for gain . . the taking of a bribe or gratuity , should be punished with as severe penalties , as the defrauding of the state. . let men have sufficient sallaries , and exceed them at their peril . . it is a dishonour to government , that its officers should live of benevolence ; as it ought to be infamous for officers to dishonour the publick , by being twice paid for the same business . . but to be paid , and not to do business , is rank oppression . . dispatch is a great and good quality in an officer ; where duty , not gain , excites it . but of this too many make their private market and overplus to their wages . thus the salary is for doing , and the bribe for dispatching the business ; as if business could be done before it were dispatched ; or what ought to be done , ought not to be dispatched ; or they were to be paid a part , one by the government , t'other by the party . . dispatch is as much the duty of an officer , as doing ; and very much the honour of the government he serves . . patience is a virtue every where ; but it shines with great lustre in the men of government . . some are so proud or testy , they wont hear , what they should redress . . others so weak , they sink or burst under the weight of their office , tho' they can easily run away with the salery of it . . business can never be well done , that is not well understood : which cannot be without patience . . it is cruelty indeed not to give the unhappy an hearing , whom we ought to help : but it is the top of oppression to brow-beat the humble and modest miserable , when they seek relief . . some , it is true , are unreasonable in their desires and hopes : but then we should inform , not rail at and reject them . . it is therefore as great an instance of wisdom as a man in business can give , to be patient under the impertinencies and contradictions that attend it . . method goes far to prevent trouble in business : for it makes the task easie , hinders confusion , saves abundance of time , and instructs those that have business depending , both what to do and what to hope . . impartiality , tho ' it be the last , is not the least part of the character of a good magistrate . . it is noted as a fault , in holy writ , even to regard the poor : how much more the rich , in judgment ? . if our compassions must not sway us ; less should our fears , profits or prejudices . . justice is justly represented blind ; because she sees no difference in the parties concerned . . she has but one scale and weight , for rich and poor , great and small . . her sentence is not guided by the person , but the cause . . the impartial judge in judgment , knows nothing but the law ; the prince no more than the peasant ; his kindred , than a stranger . nay , his enemy is sure to be upon equal terms with his friend , when he is upon the bench. . impartiality is the life of justice ; as that is of government . . nor is it only a benefit in the state , but private families cannot subsist comfortably without it . . parents that are partial , are ill obeyed by their children ; and partial masters not better served by their servants . . partiality is always indirect , if not dishonest : for it shews a byass where reason would have none ; if not an injury , which justice every where forbids . . as it makes favourites without reason , so it uses no reason in judging of actions ; confirming the proverb , the crow thinks her own bird the fairest . . what some see to be no fault in one , they will have criminal in another . . nay how ugly do our own failings look to us in the persons of others , which yet we see not in our selves ? . and but too common it is , for some people , not to know their own maxims and principles in the mouths of other men , when they give occasion to use them . . partiality corrupts our judgment of persons and things , of our selves and others . . it contributes more than any thing to factions in government , and fewds in families . . it is a prodigal passion , that seldom returns till it is hunger-bit , and disappointments bring it within bounds . . and yet we may be indifferent , to a fault . . indifference is good in judgment , but bad in relation , and stark naught in religion . . and even in judgment , our indifferency must be to the persons , not causes : for one , to be sure , is right . . neutrality is something else than indifferency ; and yet of kin to it too . . a judge ought to be indifferent ; and yet he cannot be said to be neutral . . the one being to be even in judgment , and the other not to meddle at all . . and where it is lawful , to be sure it is best to be neutral . . he that espouses parties , can hardly divorce himself from their fate ; and more fall with their party , than rise with it . . a wise neuter joins with neither ; but uses both , as his advantage leads him . . a neuter only has room to be a peace-maker : for being of neither side , he has the means of mediating a reconciliation of both . . and yet , where right or religion gives a call , a neuter must be a coward or an hypocrite . . in such cases , we should never be backward ; nor yet mistaken . . when our right or religion is in question , then is the fittest time to assert it . . nor must we always be neutral where our neighbour is concerned : for tho' medling is a fault , helping is a duty . . we have a call to do good , as often as we have the power and occasion . . if heathens could say , we are not born for our selves ; surely christians should practice it . . they are taught so by his example , as well as doctrin , from whom they have borrowed their name . . do what good thou canst unknown ; and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt , than seen . . the humble , in the parable of the day of judgment , had forgot their good works . lord , when did we so and so ? . he that does good , for good 's sake , seeks neither praise nor reward ; tho sure of both at last . . content not thy self that thou art virtuous in the general : for one link being wanting , the chain is defective . . perhaps thou art rather innocent than vertuous ; and owest more to thy constitution , than religion . . innocent , is not to be guilty : but virtuous , is to overcome our evil inclinations . . if thou hast not conquered thy self in that which is thy own particular weakness , thou hast no title to virtue , tho' thou art free of other men's . for a covetous man to inveigh against prodigality , an atheist against idolatry , a tyrant against rebellion , or a lyer against swearing , and a drunkard against gaming , is for the pot to call the kettle black . . such reproof would have but little success ; because it would carry no authority with it . . if thou wouldst conquer thy weakness , thou must never gratifie it . . no man is compelled to evil ; his consent only makes it his . . what man , in his right mind , would conspire his own hurt ? men are besides themselves , when they transgress their convictions . . if thou would'st not sin , don't desire ; and if thou would'st not lust , don't embrace the temptation : no , not look at it , nor think of it . . thou would'st take much pains to save thy body : take some , prethee , to save thy soul. . religion , is the fear of god , and its demonstration good wooks ; faith , the root of both : for without faith we cannot please god , nor can we fear what we do not believe . . the devils also believe and know abundance : but in this is the difference ; their faith works not by love , nor their knowledg by obedience ; and therefore they are never the better for them . and if ours do so too , we shall be of their church , not of christ's : for as the head is , so must the body be . . he was holy , humble , harmless , meek , merciful , &c. when among us ; to teach us what we should be , when he was gone . and yet he is among us still , and in us too , a living and perpetual preacher of the same grace , by his spirit in our consciences . . a minister of the gospel ought to be one of christ's making , if he would pass for one of christ's ministers . . and if he be one of his making , he knows as well as believes . . that minister whose life is not the model of his doctrin , is a babler rather than a preacher ; a quack rather than a physician of value . . of old time they were made ministers by the holy ghost : and the more that is an ingredient now , the fitter they are for that work. . running streams are not so apt to corrupt ; nor itinerant , as settled preachers : but they are not to run before they are sent . . as the ministers of christ are made by him , and are like him , so they beget people into the same likeness . . to be like christ then , is to be a christian . and regeneration is the only way to the kingdom of god , which we pray for . . let us to day hear his voice , and not harden our heart ; who speaks to us many ways ; in the scriptures , in our hearts , by his servants and his providences : and the sum of all is holiness and charity . . s. james gives a short draught of the matter , but very full and reaching . pure religion and undefiled before god the father , is this , to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction , and to keep our selves unspotted from the world. which is compriz'd in these two words , charity and piety . . they that truly make these their aim , will find them their attainment ; and with them , the peace that follows so excellent a condition . . amuse not thy self therefore with the numerous opinions of the world , nor value thy self upon̄ verbal orthodoxy , philosophy , or thy skill in tongues , or knowledg of the fathers ; ( too much the business and vanity of the world ) but in this rejoice , that thou knowest god , that is the lord , who exerciseth loving kindness and judgment , and righteousness in the earth . . publick worship is very commendable , if well perform'd . we owe it to god and good example . but we must know , that god is not tyed to time or place , who is every where , at the same time : and this we shall know , as far as we are capable , if where ever we are , our desires are to be with him . . serving god , people generally confine to the acts of publick and private worship : and those , the more zealous do often repeat , in hopes of acceptance . . but if we consider that god is an infinite spirit , and as such every where ; and that our saviour has taught us , that he will be worshipp'd in spirit and in truth ; we shall see the shortness of such a notion . . for serving god concerns the frame of our spirits , in the whole course of our lives ; in every occasion we have , in which we may shew our love to his law. . for as men in battle are continually in the way of shot ; so we in this world are ever within the reach of temptation . and herein do we serve god , if we avoid what we are forbid , as well as do what he commands . . god is better serv'd in resisting a temptation to evil , than in many formal prayers . . this is but twice or thrice a day ; but that every hour and moment of the day . so much more is our continual watch , than our evening and morning devotion . . wouldst thou then serve god ? do not that alone , which thou wouldst not another should see thee do . . don't take god's name in vain , or disobey thy parents , or wrong thy neighbour , or commit adultery , even in thine heart . . neither be vain , lascivious , proud , drunken , revengeful or angry ; nor lye , detract , backbite , over-reach , oppress , deceive or betray : but watch vigorously against all temptations to these things ; as knowing that god is present , the overseer of all thy ways and most inward thoughts , and the avenger of his own law upon the disobedient , and thou wilt acceptably serve god. . is it but reason , if we expect the acknowledgments of those to whom we are bountiful , that we should reverently pay ours to god , our most munificent and constant benefactor ? . the world represents a rare and sumptuous palace , mankind the great family in it , and god the mighty lord and master of it . . we are all sensible what a stately seat it is ; the heavens , adorned with so many glorious luminaries ; and the earth with groves , plains , valleys , hills , fountains , ponds , lakes and rivers ; and variety of fruits and creatures , for food , pleasure and profit : in short , how noble an house he keeps , and the plenty and variety and excellency of his table ; his orders , seasons and suitableness of every time and thing . but we must be as sensible , or at least ought to be , what careless and idle servants we are , and how short and disproportionable our behaviour is to his bounty and goodness . how long he bears , and often he reprieves and forgives us ; who , notwithstanding our breach of promises , and repeated neglects , has not yet been provok'd to break up house , and send us to shift for our selves . should not this great goodness raise a due sense in us of our undutifulness , and a resolution to alter our course and mend our manners ; that we may be for the future more worthy communicants at our master 's good and great table ? especially since it is not more certain that we deserve his displeasure , than that we shall feel it , if we continue to be unprofitable servants . . let us then not cozen our selves with the shels and husks of things ; nor prefer form to power , nor shadows to substance : pictures of bread will not satisfy hunger , nor those of devotion please god. . this world is a form ; our bodies are forms ; and no visible acts of devotion can be without forms . but yet the less forms , in religion , the better , since god is a spirit : for the more mental our worship , the more adequate to the nature of god ; the more silent , the more suitable to the language of a spirit . . words are for others , not for our selves : nor for god , who hears not as bodies do ; but as spirits should . . if we would know this dialect ; we must learn of the divine principle in us . as we hear the dictates of that , god hears us . . there we may see him too in all his attributes ; tho' but in little , yet as much as we can apprehend or bear : for as he is in himself , he is incomprehensible , and dwelleth in that light which no eye can approach . but in his image we may behold his glory ; enough to exalt our apprehensions of god , and to instruct us in that worship which pleaseth him . . men may tire themselves in a labyrinth of search , and talk of god : but if we would know him indeed , it must be from the impressions we receive of him ; and the softer our hearts are , the deeper and livelier those will be upon us . . if he has made us sensible of his justice , by his reproof ; of his patience , by his forbearance ; of his mercy , by his forgiveness ; of his holiness , by the sanctification of our hearts through his spirit ; we have a grounded knowledge of god. this is experience , that speculation : this enjoyment , that report . in short , this is undeniable evidence , with the reality of religion , and will stand all winds and weathers . . as our faith , so our devotion should be lively . cold meat wont serve at those repasts . . it s a coal from god's altar must kindle our fire : and without fire , true fire , no acceptable sacrifice . . open thou my lips , and then , said the royal prophet , my mouth shall praise god. but not till then . . the preparation of the heart , as well as answer of the tongue , is of the lord ; and to have it , we must make our prayers powerful , and our worship grateful . . let us chuse , therefore , to commune where there is the warmest sense of religion ; where devotion exceeds formality , and practice most corresponds with profession ; and where there is at least as much charity as zeal : for where this society is to be found , there shall we find the church of god. . as good , so ill men are all of a church ; and every body knows who must be head of it . . it is a sad reflection ; that many men hardly have any religion at all ; and most men have none of their own ; for that which is the religion of their education , and not of their judgment , is the religion of another , and not their own . . to have religion upon authority , and not upon conviction , is like a finger-watch , to be set forwards or backwards , as he pleases that has it in keeping . . it is a preposterous thing , that men can venture their souls where they will not venture their mony : for they will take their religion upon trust , but not trust a synod about the goodness of half a crown . . they will follow their own judgment when their mony is concerned , whatever they do for their souls . . but to be sure , that religion cannot be right , that a man is the worse for having . . no religion is better than an unnatural one. . grace perfects , but never sours or spoils nature . . to be unnatural in defence of grace , is a contradiction . . he that is without bowels , is not a man. how then can he be a christian ? . it were better to be of no church , than to be bitter for any . . bitterness comes very near to enmity , and that is the devil ; because the perfection of wickedness . . a good end cannot sanctify evil means ; nor must we ever do evil , that good may come of it . . some folks think they may scold , rail , hate , rob and kill too ; so it be but for god's sake . . but nothing in us unlike him , can please him . . god has replenisht this world with abundance of good things for man's life and comfort ; but they are all but imperfect goods . he only is the perfect good , to whom they point . but alas ! men cannot see him for them ; tho' they should see him in them . . it is as great presumption to send our passions upon god's errands , as it is to palliate them with god's name . . zeal dropt in charity , is good ; without it , good for nothing : for it devours all it comes near . . they must first judge themselves , that presume to censure others : and such will not be apt to overshoot the mark. . we are too ready to retaliate ; rather than forgive , or gain by love and information . . and yet we could hurt no man , that we believe loves us . . let us then try what love will do : for if men did once see we love them , we should soon find they would not harm us . . force may subdue , but love gains : and he that forgives first , wins the lawrel . . if i am even with my enemy , the debt is paid ; but if i forgive it , i oblige him for ever . . love is the hardest lesson in christianity ; but , for that reason , it should be most our care to learn it . difficilia quae pulchra . . it is a severe rebuke upon us , that god makes us so many allowances , and we make so few to our neighbour : as if charity had nothing to do with religion ; or love with faith , that ought to work by it . . i have often wondred at the unaccountableness of man in this , among other things ; that tho' he loves changes so well , he should care so little to hear or think of his last , great , and best change too , if he pleases . . being , as to our bodies , composed of changeable elements , we , with the world , are made up of , and subsist by revolution : but our souls being of another and nobler nature , we should seek our rest in a more enduring habitation . . i find all sorts of people agree , whatsoever were their animosities , when humbled by the approaches of death : then they forgive , then they pray for , and love one another : which shews us , that it is not our reason , but our passion , that makes and holds up the feuds that reign among men in their health and fulness . they , therefore , that live nearest to that which they should die , must certainly live best . . did we believe a final reckoning and judgment ; or did we think eno ' of what we do believe we would allow more love in religion than we do ; since religion it self is nothing else but love to god and man. . he that lives in love , lives in god , says the beloved disciple : and to be sure a man can live no where better . . it is most reasonable men should value that benefit , which is most durable . now tongues shall cease , and prophecy fail , and faith shall be consummated in sight , and hope in enjoyment ; but love remains . . love is indeed heaven upon earth ; since heaven above would not be heaven without it : for where there is not love ; there is fear : but perfect love casts out fear . and yet we naturally fear most to offend what we most love. . what we love , we 'll hear ; what we love , we 'll trust ; and what we love , we 'll serve , and suffer for too . if you love me ( says our blessed redeemer ) keep my commandments . why ? then he 'll love us ; then we shall be his friends ; then he 'll send us the comforter ; then whatever we ask , we shall receive ; and then where he is we shall be also . behold the fruits of love , the power , vertue , benefit and beauty of love ! . love is above all ; and when it prevails in us all , we shall all be lovely , and in love with god and with one another . amen finis . errata . p. . l. . del . by p. . l. . r. in daring . p. . l. . r. of the p. . l. . r. bond , vertue . p. . l. . by by del . p. . l. . r. shift heads . l. . r. hands are . p. . l. . r. is not . a faithful warning to out-side professors, and loose pretenders to christianity of all sorts taylor, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a faithful warning to out-side professors, and loose pretenders to christianity of all sorts taylor, thomas, - . p. s.n., [london : ?] caption title. signed: thomas taylor. place and date of publication from wing. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng society of friends -- doctrines. conduct of life -- early works to . admonition. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a faithful warning to out-side professors , and loose pretenders to christianity of all sorts . come all ye professors of scripture upon the face of the whole earth under what form soever , what have ye learned hitherto of all that ye profess ? have ye learned to fear god and keep his commandments ? have ye learned thus to love god ? and do you love your neighbour as your selves ? do ye not profess to love god above all things , and your neighbour as your selves ? is this done ? what ? will a profession of words commend you to god , where the obedience is awanting ? o thou that art called christendom , how art thou fallen ! how art thou become the plant of a degenerate vine ! how are thy grapes become as those of sodom ! who shall bring healing to thee , who hast rejected the balm of gilead , that the father brought to thee . o thou foolish child ! how hast thou triffled out thy precious time about toyes and triffles , and hast not regarded the voyce of thy maker , who hath waited all day long to gather thee , and to do thee good ; but thou wouldst not ! thou hast chosen the worse part , in that thou hast forsaken the lord the fountain of living waters ; and hast hewed and chosen to thy self a cistern , that will hold no water . thou art gone into the wayes of the old world , upon whom the flood came : and which of those sins , for which sodom burned , are a wanting in thee ? o! the pure river of life , that would quench thy thirst , how is it slighted and neglected by thee ! and therefore art thou utterly unsatisfied , in whatsoever thou dost , or attempts to do . thou art never able to sati●te thy soul with husks : thou must come into the fathers house before thou hast bread enough . but thou sayst in thy heart , thou art a queen , yea , that thou art rich , and indued with goods , and hast need of nothing : when as alas in the true light , that loves thy soul , thou art seen to be miserable , poore , wretched , blind and naked . a long course hast thou run ; but the promised end thou hast not reached : thou hast been like a bewildred sheep , running from mountain to hill to find a resting place , where no rest is . thou camest indeed a little out of aegypt : but o! how soon didst thou turn back again thither , from whence thou came , and loved the flesh-pots of aegypt , yea , the onyons and garlick better , then god's manna in the wilderness : thou shouldest have followed the lord perfectly unto the land of rest in patience , and silence of spirit under his voice , and teachings . but thou grew weary of waiting upon thy god , and saw images of things on earth , and images of things in heaven , and bowed thy heart to them , and didst not keep thy heart to the power that broke through the darkness for thee . nor didst thou keep thy eye to the light of life , that freely shined out of darkness for thee to have guided thee through the dark-howling wilderness to sion . but thou being careless , and selfish , thou lend thy ear to the voyce of the stranger , that cryed , lo here and lo there : and so wast thou led out of the way into by-pathes of sin and death , where thou hast been lost from the true life , and true light , and spirit , that wrought in thee in the beginning . and thou hast not to this day throwly considered thy loss ; nay very little is thy nakedness and wretchedness laid to heart in thee . and now therefore thou , that art called christendom , what is the wood of thy vine ( seeing thou hast lest off to bear fruit to the lord ) better , then the wood of another tree ? nay , it is not so good as any . for , if the salt , that should season other things , have lost its savour , wherewith shall it be salted ? and of what use is it , but even to be trodden under feet of men . o! that thou wert wise to consider , at least in this thy day the things of thy peace in this great day , wherein the bridegroom , which hath been as one travelled into a far country , is come again , and is appeared in his antient love , power and perfection to visit thee , and to seek thee up out of every place , where thou hast been scattered from sin in the long night of apostacy , to see , if any of the pure love , that was in thee in the day of thy espousals , may be recovered to himself out of thee : that he may know , how to do thee good , and how to make manifest his antient love unto thee , which burned the hearts of his simple israel into such love of his goodness , as to follow the lamb wheresoever he went in the beginning . but o thou polluted woman , how art thou wandred away from the true sheep-fold ! how art thou gone a whoring from under thy god! how art thou covered with the shades of night ! and how art thou lost amongst the countries , and mingled with the heathen ! yea , thou hast chosen thy own wayes , and worshipped the works of thy own hands , and hast cast the pure law of god behind thy back . yea , the light of the glorious gospel of christ , which hath shined to thee , and would have gathered thee up to god , thou hast rejected , and hast not liked to retain god , nor his light in thy knowledge . and so thou art become vain in thy mind , and thy foolish heart is become so dark , that thou worships thou knows not what , like those that know not god ; and art become a prey to every beast of the field , and art bowed in thy heart to the creatures , more then to the living god the creator . and therefore will he arise in thee in great majesty , and dreadful power , and will yet again bring to pass his act , his strange act in thee . and he will not meet thee as a man , but as a consuming fire : because thou hast rejected his goodness , patience and forbearance . and hast heaped to thy self teachers after thy own heart , who have rocked thee asleep with their false voices crying peace , peace , when t●eir was no peace : for their is no peace to any wicked on , saith the true god , forever , profess what they may . for the lord is come to look for fruits . and now wo , wo to the fruitless trees , to the briers and thorns ! for the fire of the lord god will consume them . and now will the lord god bring to nothing all thy might , wisdom , glory , and greatness , whereby thou hast exalted thy self , and dishonoured him ; and the meek shall inherit heaven and earth . and blessed is he , that overcometh that evil and wicked spirit , that so much reignes and rages in thee , for he shall be called god's son and shall inherit all things , as saith scripture . for the end cometh : and who shall stop the course of the everlasting sun of righteousness , whose day is dawned , blessed for evermore . o thou corrupted earth , who wallowes in the blood of thine iniquity ! who art become deaf to the heavenly voice , and art become an enemy to nothing so much , as to that good thing that would unburden thee of thy corruptions ! o! o how hath hell inlarged it self for the multitude of those wilful transgressors in thee , that are posting on in their sins this day to the chambers o● death ! who are making provision for the fleshly lusts , which war against the soul ! who will not believe , what their miserable state shall be , though one come from the dead to declear it in true experience to them . but o thou little remnant of wheat amongst such a heap of chaff ! o thou lovely seed of god , which brings forth fruit of righteousness to his glory , and so shines forth as lights in the sore said dark world . do thou rejoice , and be thou glad forever in the lord thy saviour , who hath loved thee with an everlasting love , and by his arm of power hath raised thee up to be his servant , and hath gathered thee into his bosom of safety to lie down , and rest in peace with himself for evermore . so be it , even so be it , saith the spirit and the bride . so do thou , o lovely , holy seed begotten to god in righteousness ; do thou trust and rejoice in the lord thy god for ever . and be not troubled nor dismay'd at the roarings of the waters of babilon ; but be still , be still , be at rest and peace in the arms of the lord god almighty , blessed blessed for evermore . from a lover of god's everlasting truth , thomas tayler . people , this know , that the entrance into righteousness is the only and alone entrance into the kingdom of god , and there is not another . christ is gods righteousness , and so the door : he that entreth not in by me , saith christ , is a thief and a robber . so , see all people , where you are ? i am the way , the truth , and the life , also saith christ , and no man cometh to the father , but by me . so consider all people : is christ your way ? and is nothing truth to you , but christ ? and have you a life in nothing at all , but in christ ? deal honestly with your own souls , and deceive not your selves ; for god will not be mocked . bring your deeds to the light , and seek not to hide your sins from the lord : for their is nothing secret , which shall not be made manifest . drunkard , bring thy deeds to the light . thou knowest by the light , thou shouldst not be drunk , nor spend god's creatures upon thy lust. here thou hast learned thy condemnation , and the wrath of god abides upon thee in this condition , profess what thou mayst . and all thy prayers and performances are abomination to the pure god , whilst thou abidest in the lust of drunkenness ; for it defiles . and all ye unclean-hearted ones , who burn in your lusts one towards another , and are as the bruit beasts , who know neither guide nor rule over your minds ; but are in the evil liberty , to follow your own evil hearts . bring your deeds to the light , and it will let you see , you should not be so : it will tell you , that the unclean shall not enter god's kingdom ; and without holiness none can see god. here ye may see your way to be to the chambers of hell and death , and not to christ. and all ye swearers , vain and obscene talkers , and foolish jesters , whose tongues run through the world : and as you know no limit to your lusts , so you know no bridle to your tongue . your religion is vain , jam. . . bring your deeds to the light ; there you may read your condemnation . for there is that in your conscience tells you according to scripture , that for every idle , vain , unclean or prophane word , that men shall speak , they must give account thereof to the pure and just god in the day of judgment . howl then ye guilty , and be humbled for your sins , lest that day come suddenly upon you , as a thief in the night , and sweep you all away ; as it did the old world , who regarded not the day of their visitation , but went on in their sins , until there was no remedy . awake , awake , ye dead and careless-hearted , who put the day of the lord afar off , and cry peace , when there is no peace . for , what peace to the wicked ? there is no peace to the wicked , saith the true god ; but peace only upon zion , and to such as turn from iniquity in jacob. so let not one take the name of christ in their mouth any more , until they depart from iniquity . for such , as go on in the custom and daily practice of sin , and yet think to cover themselves with an outward profession of christ , do but deceive themselves , and increase their condemnation , adding sin to sin. this is god's truth , which he that hath an ear , let him hear ; and he that hath any desire in him to return to god , let him consider of , and give glory to god by repenting of that , which doth any way dishonour god. also this know for truth , that your invented , licentious gaming for vain delights and pleasures is not of god ; but an invention of that wicked one , who is called the devil and satan , invented to please the vain and empty minds of his children and servants , which are out of the law and truth of god. but the children and servants of god are full of goodness , and are exercised in the law and truth of god day and night ; and so deny the devil and his works . so let no man deceive any of you , neither be deceived in your selves ; for the judge is at the door . and the true light is arisen , which makes manifest every work , and the reward of it forever . and all ye stage-players , puppit-players , and the authors and inventors of such things , with all that love such heathenish things , yea , and give your money for them , that thereby ye may feed the covetous lusts in the players , that thirst after money ; and the vain lust of your own defiled eyes and ears , which are after pleasures more then the lord god , that made you . know this , that your works are all weighed in an equal ballance , and by the light of christ you are all seen to be out of the doctrine of christ in the heathenish nature , upholding and practising those things , which christ came to destroy . yea , and by the light of christ in your own consciences , when you are a little sober and still in your minds , you know , you should not do such things : here you also have learn'd your condemnation , and cannot in this state stand before the lord , because of your sins . and all ye , that can please your selves with beholding one creature hurt , and torment another , yea , sometimes even to death , as at bull-baitings , bear-baitings , cock-fightings , and the like . o! what minds have ye , and how contrary are ye herein to the tender nature of christ , and all christians , truly so call'd , who could never rejoyce in any such things , by reason of their tender , pittiful and merciful nature ! o ye children of cruelty ! when will your hearts break , your stony hearts melt into tears before the lord for all your mighty sins ? and when will you bring your deeds to the light , that ye may see the ugliness of your sins , and repent of them ; lest the judgments written fall upon you for them , as it did upon all such from the beginning of the world , and there be no escape ? o england , england ! how hast thou defiled thy self by thine iniquities ! how is the flood-gate of sin broken open in thee to the polluting of thy land ! o , how art thou wholely over-spread with bryars , and thorns , and weeds ! so that the lord must arise to purge thee by fire ; seeing thou hast refused to wash in that pure water of life , that sprung up in thee . so if thou hast an ear , hear , before it be too late , and the door be shut . t. t. ye feasters , ye gamesters , ye drunkards and gluttons , ye false christians , whose god is your belly , and whose care is how you may satisfie your ungodly lusts ; you are enemies to the cross of christ. yea , you crucifie christ afresh to your selves , and put him to open shame by your lewd living . the hand of the lord is against you , ye prophane esaus , who have sold and are selling your birth-right for a mess of pottage . when will ye awake , when will ye arise from off your sinful bed , where you cry peace to your selves in your sins . when will ye lay to heart the apostle's doctrine , ye common sinners , who proudly boast of your common prayers , and yet depart not from your iniquities ? is not the sacrifice of the wicked an abomination to god ? and will god regard your prayers , whilst you so love and regard your iniquities , and walk so contrary to the doctrine of christ ? doth not the appostle say , make no provision for the flesh , to satisfie it in the lusts thereof ; and ye in a direct opposition and hatred to this doctrine , make all provision for the flesh to fulfil and satisfie it every way in the lusts thereof . and so your table is the table of devils , and not of saints ; and ye cannot both partake of the table of devils , and the table of christ , the apostle being witness . so howl ye sinners , and ungodly people , and be humbled for all your lewdnesses ; and repent of all your whoredoms , whereby ye have gone away a whoring from the life of christ , and his saints . and let your feastings be turned into fastings , and your laughters and merriments be turn'd into lamentations and bitter mournings for the misery that is to come upon you from the presence of the lord , in the day of his fierce wrath , which is ●igh to come , and be revealed upon you in flames of fire for all your mighty sins . o ye , that are so contrary to christ , be humbled before the lord for all your hypocrisies , who say , you are come out of popery , and yet continue in some of their idolatrous customs , as this prophane keeping of the time , which ye in imitation call christmas ( among other superstitions ) whereby ye shew your selves to be too near of kin to that whorish woman , which hath defiled the earth with her abominations . ye make haste to fill up the measure of your iniquities , as though the time would fail you to make your selves perfect in wickedness . and ye seem to entertain christ as the heathens of old did their idols , who thought , the more vain , lustful and wanton that they were , the more they pleased their idols , and offered a more acceptable sacrifice to their gods. but o! be humbl'd for these things , lest the lord carry you back again into the belly of egypt and blackness of babylon's darkness , whither ye have manifested too much a mind to return . and as a just recompence for all your unrighteousness , he swear in his wrath , that ye shall never enter into his rest , thomas tayler . the end . instructions to a son by archibald, late marquis of argyle ; written in the time of his confinement. argyll, archibald campbell, marquis of, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) instructions to a son by archibald, late marquis of argyle ; written in the time of his confinement. argyll, archibald campbell, marquis of, - . [ ], p. : port. printed for j. latham, london : . caption title reads: "the marquiss of argyl's instructions to his son." reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. youth -- conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion lo here , the genius of the great arguyle whose politicks and ethicks in one pyle like anchor buoys , appeare to teach thee wit to shun those rocks on which himselfe was split instructions to a son. by archibald late marquiss of argyle . written in the time of his confinement . london , printed for j. latham at the mitre in saint pauls church-yard , . the publisher to the reader . that the author of this ensuing treatise , was an able states-man , and of excellent natural endownments , a master of reason , and the most accomplish'd scholar of experience , will without scruple be allowed to his ashes : from them , this product of his notable spirit , these posthuma ( he having envyed the uncharitable world other remains of his choise literature and observation , ) have taken wing into the world , and by your candid acceptance may surmount his fate : he hath not at all herein consulted his reputation and esteem of learning or abilities , which were very eminent in him , but hath descended to the plainness which affections require , without any art or elegancy of ornament , as more becoming the sincerity of his paternal love . this was judged fit to be premised , that the expecting reader might not be stumbled at the easiness and common language , with which he hath cloathed his most difficult cares and thoughts for his children ; and withall to let you know that this copy was transmitted hither by a worthy hand , and saving the alteration of some scoth words , which would puzzle the english reader , is faithfully printed ; to them i commend it , and remain , your friend . the contents . the marquess of argyls instructions to his son. fol. the marquess of argyls instructions to his children . fol. chap. i. of religion . fol. chap. ii. of marriage . fol. chap. iii. of the court. fol. chap. iv. of friendship . fol. chap. v. of travail . fol. chap. vi. of hous keeping and hospitality . fol. chap. vii . tenants and other concerns of estate . fol. chap. viii . of study and exercise . fol. chap. ix . of pleasure , idleness , &c fol. chap. x. considerations of life . fol. maxims of state. fol. miscellaneous observations . fol. the marquiss of argyl's instructions to his son. son , i know there are several books in print , written prudently , politickly , and piously of this very title of late years . i confess , most of them were of particular entendment to their own relations , the reason probably that they are not of such general observation and use ; others designed out of presumptuous ambition , of exceeding by imitation such rare patterns as went before , in the accessions of wit and elegant discourse , discoloured sometime with urbane , facete prophaness . ido acknowledge 't is a singular and the right way of transmiting of a mans memory to posterity , especially to his own ; it argues a kind of reverence that men bear to themselves when they can so impartially unbosome themselves in the account and register of all their actions , and can shew no disliked experience of them , as to their own proper guilt . i do not hereby understand what concerns religion , who can excuse or extenuate his failings ? but of moral transient acts , to the evil of which no man is so strongly inclinable , but by the bias of a corrupt education . many very sententious pieces are extant among ancient authors of this subject , but i know none testamentary but among the moderns , and of them we have some excellent princes , and renowned statesmen . my care of you , whom i would have to consider your self , as the prop of an ancient honorable family , is no way less then theirs , however i am inferiour to them in dignity and judgment : and therefore i will trace a beaten way , rather then lose my self and you in a general discourse ; what i come short of here , you cannot misse in their common places , and so i may be sure i shall attain my end . probably men may think i can adde nothing to that store , but if they consider my station , and how far concerned in these times , they may rather expect novel politicks from me , such a variation of the latitude of the most approved and received maximes of state lying in the sphere in which i acted ; but the managery of the counsels of those times , were by success , or the monstrous guilt and fraud of the politicians so irregular , that i cannot if i would bring them under heads , though up and down as they occur i may point at them . i confess , 't was my great misfortune to be so deeply engaged in these fatal times ; i know the nobility of scotland , have always bickered with their princes , and from the insolency of that custome , not any of our kings have been free . 't is also true , the perpetual family feuds among us , which by all the industry and authority of our princes , could never be so pacified , but that they revived again , and took upon themselves as they had advantage to revenge their quarrel ; ( and yet like sudden floods which violently over-run , and as peacably return within their banks , abated to their due allegiance , ) did easily perswade me that there was no such apparent danger in the first beginnings of the contest , betwixt the king and my nation of scotland . i had laid it for a maxime , that a reformation was sooner effected per gladium oris , then per os gladii ; and certainly true religion is rather a setler , then stickler in policy , and rather confirms men in obedience to the government established , then invites them to the erecting of new ; which they neither do nor can know , till it be discovered and declared . wherein i did not look upon our intended reformation as any way taxable , since it had the whole stream of universal consent of the whole nation ; i never thought of those dire consequences which presently followed , till by that confusion my thoughts became distracted , and my self incountred so many difficulties in the way , that all remedies that were applyed did the quite contrary operation ; whatever therefore hath been said by me and others in this matter , you must repute and accept them as from a distracted man , of a distracted subject , in a distracted time wherein i lived : and this shall serve to let you know how far i waded unwarily in that business . i will not however counsel you , if any such lamentable commotions ( which god forbid ) should break out , for my unhappiness , to withdraw your self , from interposing to quench and allay them as much as by your authority you can , ( however i was mistaken by some in my actions , i did labour for a right understanding , ) but be sure let your allegiance keep the ballance ; by no means stand like a neuter in the cause of your king and country . that decree of solons , that every man that in a general commotion was of neither party , should be adjudged infamous , is rightly decreed of great men . popular furies would never have end , if not awed by their superiours , who supinely neglecting such outrages , not ordinarily , are rnined and depress'd in their own estates and honours , a late example whereof we had in our neighbour nation ; the people will soon learn their own strength , that summa potestas radicatur in voluntatibus hominum ; and from thence inferre , that the popular power excels the power of the noblesse . great men therefore , are in some sort as necessary as good men , as power is as requisite as wisedome , where they are both wanting , imperium in imperio quaerendum est . your famous ancestors by both these , have kept their vassals ( and what is well done in one canton of the kingdome is like to be imitated throughout , ) in a quiet subjection , and good comportment many generations , and i question not but you will find the same reverence from them , if you do not degenerate . do not content your self with the bare titles of greatness , principis tantum nomen habere non est esse princeps , that power is vain which never exerts it self forth into act. the loosness of these late times will require at first a gentle hand , while you have got the bridle in the mouths of your family , dependants and vassels , then you may curbe them , and reduce them to the former obedience they once willingly paid . i have had a difficult task with them , yet by one means or other i kept them in order ; nor will they be ever serviceable to their supreme , if they be not in a due subjection to you , their immediate lord. take all fair occasions of doing your soverain service , let that be your only emulation with other noble houses , supply the great and necessary distance of your prince from this his native kingdome , by a close application of your self to his concerns , if not in a publick capacity , yet in your private sphear , which will soon advance you to higher trusts . you have a great task to do , you must from the bottome climb up to the mount of honour , a very abrupt and difficult ascent ; which yet , nevertheless by observing the sure footings of some of your progenitors , and the slips of others , particularly those recent slidings of mine own , ( for other they are not ) you may at last attain the top , and by your own merit and your princes favour , your house may be culminant again . if it shall so happen , as i despair not of it , ( ancient merit with good princes ( such as without flattery i may say the most of ours were and are like to be , ) will out-last their longest displeasure , ) have a care then of that precipice ; let no revenge or ambition blind you into destruction ; you may poise your self with your wings of honour and greatness , but venture not , nor presume to fly . covet not with immoderate hast lands , riches , honour , for it is seldom that men whose rash desires and designs are laid out that way , compass their full content , and for the most part meet with a destiny far other then they expected ; and when they are once so disappointed , fortune or rather providence so much amazeth the judgment even of wise men , as in time of danger they know not what resolution is best to be taken . you will not be necessitated through the want of these three , so as to reach at them unlawfully , and endanger what you have in possession , and your self together . i do not much regret your private life , nor should i labour to bring you into state employment , for there is no course more comely , nor any resolution so well beseeming a wise man , having made proof of his own vertue , as to retire himself from court and company , for so he shall shun the inconveniencies of contempt , and the discommodity of a perpetual trouble . i have tryed and found the many perplexities that attend that life , and have reaped nothing but calumny and envy , though i do not say this is the fate of all statists ; this i am sure , the best way of coming there , is without popular fame or over-vogued merit , especially by the interest of a favourite . but who so cannot endure the envy and hate that are the attendants thereof , must set down with his present condition , and not meddle with , or enterprise great matters ; for great honours being desired of many , it is of necessity that he that aspireth unto them , must be for his advancement thereunto envied , and for his authority hated ; which , although they be well managed and used , yet those who hate and envy , perswading themselves they might be better handled , endevour to oppress that power as fearing it might be worse . you will have time after the setling of your own private fortunes to cast about for some honorable advantages for your self . time is the best counsellour , rather let magistracy want you , then you want it ; which you may effect , if by a wise moderation you can slight those insignia which the world knows your ancestors have born with commendation and honour , and who have added more lustre to them , then the want of them can take from you . keep a firm and amicable correspondence with your neighbours howsoever , but so that it be far from giving any suspition of making parties or factions ; this is chiefly attained by a generous compliance and noble familiarity , that 's the way to be loved and honoured , which works so many good effects , as daily experience sufficeth without any express example to prove them of great force . if you be happy in this particular , this will be your certain repose , and may not be reckoned within the externa bona fortunae . to compass this , take an exact care that your actions be just , be not offended at every injury , wink sometimes at your wrong , but beware of unnecessary revenges . i leave you enemies enough , 't will be meat and drink ( as the english proverb ) to them , to see you froward and quarrelsome ; bear off all the affronts that be put upon you with an inviolable invincible mind , and let them see you are above them ; master all your pasfions and affections , and so discipline them that they may become your most necessary servants . you will be freed , by this your retirement from publique employment , of adulation and flattery , and by that means will the better and more plainly and sincerely converse with your self , and be able to give a near judgment what you are , and of your abilities and defects , which is the most necessary knowledge in the world , and which will recompense the disuse of other policy . e coelo descendit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demean your self in an equality of mind , that may show fortune hath no power over you , that her excesses and recesses , her over-flows nor her low ebbs , can either drown or dry up your vertue . 't is but common fate ; as the sea loseth in one place it gets in another ; so contrarily , such shakings as these which through me befall my family , may by your prudence rivet it faster . this i thought fit in general , as to the condition i shall leave you in , to direct and advise you ; only one word more : i charge you to forget , and not harbour any animofity or particular anger against any man concerning me . such heart-burnings have been the destruction of many a noble person in this kingdom , and i know not of any person so given , but the very same measure hath been meeted unto him again . the cup is gone round , and therefore content your self ; but above all i require you to have more regard to christianity , then covertly or basely to kill a particular enemy by secret assault or practise , it being altogether most unwarrantable either by faith or honour . and this by way of praemise . to the rest of his children . children , as you are the greatest part of me , and in whom i may promise to my self a continuance of succession , so have i also a paternal care ( more incumbent on me now ) towards you : i shall therefore in some particular directions to you , as the monuments of my affection , advise and counsel you , in what shall be necessary and expedient for your several conditions . first , therefore make not hast to put your selves out of the government or charge of those to whose care and tuition i have committed you ; if any thing happen that shall offer you advantage in another station of life , then i leave you , i require you to consult with them first . i have laid a sacred obligation upon them to assist and aid you in all matters , which if you neglect or contemn , you will soon find your selves left to the world , as a ship to the raging sea , without furniture or anchors . above all , bear that constant filial duty to your mother , which her piety and tenderness in your education , most justly call for at your hands ; her great indulgence towards you , and her entire affection to me in all my suffering of late , deserve very much at my hand ; and therefore i charge you to shew that respect to her for me , which i would have done my self , and in which , in all the time of our wedlock you have known me to have continued . fail not in any outward circumstance of honour and reverence to her , that so by your dutiful behaviour and carriage towards her , some of the harshness and asperity of her present condition may be alleviated . to your eldest brother , who is the prince of your family , shew your selves obedient and loving ; he is my substitute , your honour is bound up in his , in him it now rests , and may for a while not appear in its lustre ; take heed therefore you do not by any dis-respect quite extinguish it ; your due observance of him will preserve it in the minds of all men , who are not strangers to the ancient worth and merit of our house . with one another maintain a mutual love and confidence : this happiness you may have by my adversity to indear your selves more to one another , lay out no affection upon the world , but keep the entire stock for your selves . let that equal love which i bear you , and which i leave with you , be communicated among you , by a constant amity to one another ; which will be the better cemented by your religious and godly conversation , wherein i trust you have been so well instructed , that my memory shall not be charged or blamed for your education . keep a decorum in your present condition , value not your selves the worse for one riot or attempt of fortune made upon me ; mind not her temporary outrages ; vertue is the true standard , such allays pass not with her , fix your self upon your own worth , and no engine of fate can remove you from that basis. pusill animity is a vice almost needless to be warned of , because noble minds do always niti contra , and bear up against their extremities , till they have either surmounted them by their bravery , and ascended to their first height , or levelled them by their patience and equanimity , plain'd their difficulties , and made them even with their contented minds . the small portions i have left you , ( though the world miscounts them as great matters , and i could wish they amounted to their sums ) you must improve as talents , serve your necessities with them , not your pleasures ; what the royal bounty may hereafter do by way of restitution , you may do with it as may be most subservient to your honour ; you will not be liable to great expences , you are free from any dependency on court , where men spend money , on a vanity called hope . as for marriage , ( of which i shall speak more largely hereafter and of which in the beginning of this monition , i gave you a caution , ) your vertue must supply dower , though i trust i have left a competency ( with your vertues ) to match you to any family in scotland . behave your selves therefore prudently , decently , and warily to all people , that so you may gain the general good will and benevolence of all ; imitate the example your mother hath set before you ; stand upon your guard against all pleasures , or other baits or allurements that shall tempt you to any unlawful actions or desires , which may practise upon you either in your conscience , or in your reputation : and resolve this as a sure rule with your selves , that no person is wise or safe , but he that is honest . fear your creator , and serve him with all your might , begin all your works and actions with him , 't is he onely can succeed and prosper them . if you pursue your own designs upon your own bottome , the conclusion will be your own ruin , for he can wither and blast at his pleasure sinful undertakings . i shall never despair of gods blessing upon you , nor doubt his all-sufficiency for you , if you apply your self to him , and make his fear the rule of your lives . you , see that to be descended of great personages , is no exemption from the strokes of fortune ; but to be descended of a heavenly race , will carry you out of the reach of those misfortunes which are incident to humanity . imploy therefore your time in renewing your alliances there , probably your consanguinity and relations here , may stand off from you , like jobs friends in his adversity . desertions are usual in this case ; you need however not much care for this worldly friendship , as long as you have dependance on the favour of heaven . what is abated here to you in the transitory felicites and pleasures of the world , ( from which you have no such cause to wean your selves altogether ) will be easily recompenced in your enjoying him who is the foundation of all good , and from whom all happiness is derived to his creatures . to whose protection i commit you and your ways , beseeching him to bless and prosper them , to his glory , and your comfort . chap. i. religion . this being your greatest concernment the director of all your actions , i cannot use my paternal authority to better purpose , then in adjuring you and straightly charging and requiring you , to be constant and zealous in the religion now left established in this kingdome . i will not take upon me now to decide controversies arisen betwixt ours and the church of england in matters of discipline , they agreeing altogether in doctrine ; all that i shall say is , that their ceremonies have not been used here , and you have been bred up without them , and the nation of scotland otherwise affected , and therefore , you shall do well to continue in this kirk , though i would rather have it your own choice , then any other consideration whatsoever . diversity in any thing distracteth the mind , and leaves it waving in a dubious perplexity , and then how easy is it to sway the mind to either side ; this is most true and experienced in religion ; you must therefore obfirmate your eares , and confirm your judgment , being once satisfied of the excellency of your profession , and having received the true and sincere doctrine . neither would i have you only fixt and constant in your religion , but also very devout in the practise of it ; that as heretofore your ancestors have been eminent for honour , you that come short of them by this deliquium or eclipse of it in me , may nevertheless exceed them in the true way to it , by your zeal and piety : and remember this , that he that is not truly religious , will hardly be esteemed such , since nothing is of less continuance then hypocrisie and dissimulation , and if your religion be such , such will your greatness and honour be , a fained thing and a meer shadow . the observance of religion , and the exercise of good manners , do become none so much as illustrious persons , other glories have lifted them beyond the pitch and reach of men , but this is a ray of the divinity which advanceth them neer to the diety , and like the diamond out-shines the lustre of all other jewels . a religious heart and a clear conscience will make you truly conspicuous ; it is as the mother of all other vertues ; what brave effects of obedience to princes hath it wrought in subjects ? look back to the primitive times and the emperors , how courageous were they in all enterprises , hardy and resolute in dangers , liberal to their necessities , ready to do their utmost devoir in the distrest affairs of the empire ? and this from one pious principle , that in serving their prince , they served god , whose leiutenant he is , nor was there any difficulty over which their faith did not triumph . nevertheless , some have taxed , and it hath been along and strong imputation , that this kirk of scotland , doth teach sedition against , or at least the diminution of the authority of their princes . for my part i know no such matter , nor did i ever embrace or adhere to such opinions , though censured for them ; if any mans entemperature hath vented such dangerous tenets , or his rash presumption ventilated such questions , i have nothing to do with them , i disown and disclaim them ; and therefore to remove this prejudice from you also , i charge you to make your duty to your soveraign one of the chief points of your religion , so far forth as it may consist with your obedience to god , who ought to be served best , and in the first place . there is such a reciprocation between both those services , that commonly they go together . whatever the late miscarriages have been by the peoples strugling for their liberty of conscience , as they are past , so they have left the means whereby they may be prevented for the future : and no doubt the good temperament of the king , with an easie indulgent hand of his ministers , will keep religion from the scandal of a civil war. 't is a maxime of state , that where princes and people are of a different religion , they will not well agree ; yet modern experience , and since the reformation arrived to a setled constitution and church government , evinceth the contrary ; as at present in the kingdome of france , and in germany , where the quite opposite religions are peaceably and quietly profest . but god be thanked , there is no such contrariety in the religion professed in these two neighbouring kingdomes , which may not ( without animosity and interest keep the breach open , ) be reconciled , all impatient zeal being turned into an aemulation of loyalty to the king. cherish and maintain the ministers of the gospel , especially , painful able preachers . nothing brings more contempt upon , or aviles religion , and the service of god , in the eyes of the vulgar , then the necessities , wants and miseries , of church-men ; what esteem you confer upon them , will soon redound and reflect again upon you . what the heathen said of their poets , that by their means and writings , famous men ▪ were transmitted to immortality , who otherwise would have lain un perpetual oblivion ; is very true of evangelical doctors , their prayers , and their instructions , and their recommendations of you , together with your own endeavour after holiness , which is the only fame and glory , will transmit and place you hereafter in heaven , and establish you here living and dead in the good will and praise of all men . let charity be a chief ingredient in your religion , both in giving and forgiving . as you shall have abilities , indulge the poor , and let them in some measure partake with you in your outward blessings and enjoyments . for the other , as you are always liable to offences , so be always as apt and prone to pardon or pass them by , which in the greatest adversities you can undergo , will never be out of your power to do . frequent the church and the houses of god , let no business invade or intrude upon your religious houres ; what you have destined to the service of god , is already sacred to him , and cannot without great profaness be alienated from him , and conferred upon others ; use private prayers , as well as go to the publick ordinances . for other duties necessary for a christians practise , i refer you to the discipline and instructions of the kirk , it being needless to repeat them here , being so exactly laid down by her , whom i take to be the purest church . for search all religions through the world , and you will find none that ascribes so much to god , nor that constitutes such a firm love among men , as does the establish'd doctrine , ( i except the schisms amongst us ) of the protestant church among you : in whose armes i leave you , and her to the everlasting protection and guidance of god. chap. ii. of marriage . having devoted your self principally to the service of god , and subordinatly to your prince which includes your country ; the next duty or affection , you owe to your self in the ordering or governing of your life , according to your several inclinations and dispositions . and among the most important and strong sways of nature , i reckon marriage , especially in great and noble families , where interest forbids perpetual virginity ; nor ever since the suppressing of nunneries , and such monastick privacies and renunciations to the world , have we had in this kingdome , many , if any of the daughters of jephtha . marriage no doubt was one of the greatest favours that god conferred on mankind , and when he bestows a vertuous mate , whose humility , chastity and affection , are eminently great , he doth renew his first intentions of kindness to man , and gives grace upon grace , and infinitely happy is he that can find and make such a choice . 't was therefore well said by him , that discoursing of this subject , affirmed that god did oftentimes reward the good works , the honesty and piety of a man , by the offer and tender of a good wife ; for parents could only give wealth and riches , lands and estates to their children , but god only could give them prudent and discret women . in the contracting therefore of marriage , vertue is more to be considered then money , beauty will rivall with either of them , and oftentimes gets possession sooner then both ; but then it quickly loseth it again , as having not those stays and supportations which each of the other have in themselves . i acknowledge , vertue is first to be courted , and the primitia , the first fruits of our love should be offered up at her shrines ; but yet reserving the stock to sacrifice to the numerous contingencies and accidents , which befall the wedded state , by the additional helps of handsomness and wealth . but be not overblinded with beauty , 't is one of the greatest deceits nature is guilty of ; not that it is so in those persons to whom she is graciously and liberally pleased to bestow it , ( for 't is the most exact copy of her illustrious self , ) but in the fascination and witchery it darts through the eyes into the minds of men ; you cannot but pay homage to it , but let that tribute redeem yon from a total conquest : remember , that it is but clay , more refined and set off with a better varnish , and being all on the outside , lies open to weather and consuming time , and sometimes to present misfortunes ; while that which is internal stands the shock , and endures all brunts , like a strong fortified garrison , when the other shews like a weak gay army in the field , ready to be vanquisht at the first encounter . money is the sinew of love , as well as war , you can do nothing happily in wedlock without it ; the other are court-cards , but they are not of the trump-suit , and are foiled by every sneaking misadventure ; vertue is supprest , and cannot emerge and dilate it self in the streights of a narrow fortune ; and beauty is betrayed to the necessity of keeping it so , otherwise in a pinching condition , leanness and deadpaleness would usurp the place where full blown roses sate , with love before nor was it ever known , that a beautiful woman driven to want , escaped the offers and importunities of men , who under the pretence of pitying and supplying her distresses , by degrees have gain'd upon her honour and pudicity , while she satisfies her self , that out of ( miserable ) gratitude she could do no less . i do much approve of crosse marriages between families , which have been so allied for many descents together , so as they be not in that proximity in which the house of austria matches . by the race we guess of the production , — de fortibus creantur fortes — and that adds a firm monument to both houses , being so incorporated into one another . however men reckon it for glory in heraldry , to bear almost the whole armes of the kingdome in one escutcheon . methinks honour there looks like a river , which branched into several rivolets loseth it self in them ; whereas streams that take in another large confluent , carry all before them , and run directly into the ocean , and disembogue themselves with a name . if you are not affected that way , there is variety enough in scotland ; but whatever you do , consult with your honour first , do not embase your blood by matching below you , it will soon breed distast and dislike in your self , which will cause malice and revenge in her , and entail contempt upon your issue and posterity . such embraces will be like the twining of the ivy about the oake , suck up moisture from the root , while the branches are withered , and the stock falls to the ground , never like to reflourish again . as you match your peer in honour , let her be so in years , a difference in age is a secret fire raked up for a time , which will afterwards break out and consume your quiet : when either of your desires and strength answer not the vigour of the youngest , then the sparkles will fly by such violent collisions and clashings that will soon set your family in combustion . after your choice made and pitch'd upon , and a vow passed , keep your self religiously to it , ( the breach whereof , is a vulgar common sin in scotland , and therefore the more detestable to you ) knowing there can be no dispensation from it , and nothing but misery after it joyned with shame and repentance . in the state of marriage carry your self affectionately and discreetly , and keep strictly the rites of it , that no jealousie , that canker worm of conjugal love fret that silken knot which tied you together . owe nothing to one another in zeal and fervency of affection , which will soon beget such a mutual confidence , that the rest of your life will be but an advantagious repetition of your first joys , and adde number to your contents and pleasures , as to your years . let not the secrets of marriage pass beyond the chamber , for he little regards his own honour or his wives chastity , who blazes or discovers what is done there , and no slyer debauchery is there to women , then what by such luxuriant freedome of their husbands tongues , is prompted to their wandring and strong imaginations . i pray for , and wish your good success in this great affair , and commend you to him , who is only able to grant it you . chap. iii. of the court. you are not thither bound , and i am not sorry you are forbidden resort thither , as to any employment or traffique ; 't is a place difficult of access , shut up with rocks , shallows , and sands , and not one adventurer in twenty comes off a saver . besides , 't is a place of a most incertain air , full of damps and exhalations , spread with clouds and over-cast , and sometimes again scorching hot in the sudden rise and depression of favourites . but if your curiosity shall invite you to the danger , when time may look with a better aspect upon you , remember these observations of mine own , who both at distance , and at close view have well considered it . first then , as to the favour of your prince , which is the most desirable thing in the world ; 't is rather an illustrious care , then a contentful possession ; nor do wise men ever busie themselves about it , because the tranquility of spirit , which they seek for , is not to be found amidst the confusions of the court : and to guard a mans self from the misfortunes there , and the envy which the graces of princes do contract upon their favourites ; there is no way better then privacy and retiredness . you must know that 't is meer humane weakness , which causeth princes to raise favourites , to aid and support them in the weight and multitude of affairs , and sometimes in such secrets which are heavier upon the mind then all the rest ; the sad effect whereof every age hath given an example . you must at your entrance , resolve to encounter the accosts of contempt , scorn , discontents and repulses , with a bold forehead , and take no notice of slightings and injuries done you by the great ones . a thing i always judged grievous to a generous mind , and yet these are ordinarily the steps to preferment . if you shall find favour at court , beware your covetousness after new boons , make you not forget the old ones ; and if then you receive denials , guard your self , that the distaste be not more prevalent to run you into actions of dangerous consequence , then reason can be to keep you in your duty . extraordinary diligence and affected assiduity are to no purpose , whereby men think to prevene their advancement ; on the contrary , if men neglect and seem careless of promotion , attending when the merit of their actions shall offer it them , time or fortune seldom fail to conduct them to true and permanent glory . it hath been an old adage , a young courtier , an old beggar ; men spending estates in riot in such consuming places as cities , in a fruitless expectation , and then carry home nothing but repentance . a cholerick person is not fit to be a courtier , for if he should go about to revenge himself of the indignities , bravado's , deceits , and tricks put upon him , he shall suffer more in an hour , then he shall be satisfied for in ten years . you must do at rome , what others do there , be sure to fing no other aires then which most please the prince . 't was solons comparison of courtiers , who resembled them to counters , with which men use to cast accounts ; for as in changing their places , they stand sometimes for more , sometimes for less ; so princes do the same with them , now advancing them in honour and dignity , and presently debasing them at their pleasure to the scorn and derision of all men , so that it is truly sad , that men have an opportunity of losing themselves at court , and finding of themselves at home . old courtiers are like old ships , brought into harbors and there laid up , never to be put to sea to any new adventure . 't is a tart sarcasme or satyrical pass upon the court that one said ; at the court are bishops and priests to baptise , and change names ; for there , the vain-glorious ambitious man , is called honourable ; the prodigal , magnificent ; the coward , wise ; the wise , hypocrite ; the malicious , subtle ; the adulterous , amorous ; the covetous , temperate ; and what confidence can any man repose in friends there , whose greatness renders them the more intractable . 't is very difficult to find vertue at court , but it is more difficult to keep it . he that sins and repents , and returns again to his sin , sins more grosly then at first ; so to leave the court , and return again , is such an errour that is not excusable ; save with this , that the return was to sell vertue , and gain wealth , since it is a great kindness of fortune or puissance of vertue , to escape that gulf . against the envy of the court as against the plague , there is no better preservative , then retreat and eloingment ; a remedy practised very often but with different success ; it being very dangerous for popular persons , and such as have had great commands to absent themselves without leave or dismission ; for it not only breeds suspicions and jealousies of their disaffection , and consequently of the danger of a rebellion , but likewise exposeth them to the unobstructed designs and malice of their enemies , which seldome end but in ruin . this is generally the complaint of courts , wherein you must understand there is not the least concurrence of the prince to give any such cause for it , but that by tradition the grandees walk by as by a rule ; and since monarchy was , court arts have been , and can vie precedency with any mystery . i never knew any great favourite , who practised any new ways of his own : some have been nobler and more magnificent then others , freer in access and more affable , but yet still kept close to their court-lessons , nor could ever their private vertues gain upon their publick concerns . it is possible a man may get an estate at court , but it is more probable he may lose one ; that which is got there , through how many curses and imprecations it passeth ; that which is lost , with how many woos , and tears , and deprecations goes it ! so much is a court worse then a lottery . while you can therefore pay your devotion , your loyalty to your prince at home , and probably be better accepted ; what need have you of a dangerous unnecessary pilgrimage to the shrine , to pay a personal adoration ; your oblation there can be nothing less but your quiet and estate in lieu , whereof they will present you with a trinket or some other bauble , which you will be ashamed to carry home again . fear god , honour the king , live at home , and love your neighbours . chap. iv. of friendship . son , as you have not that ranging freedome of choice of your society ; suspicion on the one hand , and reason of state on the other hedging you up , and impaling you within a narrow scantling ; so neither can the iniquity of any the worst fortune leave a man in such a solitude , in which a guide , a friend , ( by whose counsels and sweet converse either , he may extricate himself from , or avoid the tediousness of his troubles , ) may not be had . what therefore you shall lack in the multitude of friends , who like flies fasten on the sweets of honour , fame , riches , &c. you will find no great loss in , if it be your happiness to find out but one or two , such an oligarchy of friendship , whose unity in affection and fidelity , will richly compensate the many cyphers that attend on greatness . to make a right choise therefore , you must first propose to your self the inconstancy of man , the most changeable , alterable creature in the world . every breath of wind fans him to a various shape , think not therefore of making a friendship fixt and eternal . how ardently have men loved some , even beyond the desire of dying for them , when in a moment , as it were one hasty ebullition of choler hath rendred them exceeding offensive , nay , hath sunk them into our hate and execration ? see the fast hold which man doth take of man ! 't is let go and unfastned in a moment , by the clacking of the tongue , a nod , a frown , or such like nothing ; we cancel leagues with friends , make new ones with enemies , and break them ere concluded . the consideration of this will keep you from overw●ning any man , and from a total trust and confidence in him , and beget in you a severer exercise , and consequently a firmer reliance on your own vertues and abilities . nothing sooner corrupts or rottens friendship , then an over-hasty entertaining of it , like praecoce fruit that 's ripe before its season . jndgement is the only cement that closeth and binds the affections of men : where that 's wanting , 't is like building with untempered mortar , the structur's like to fall on our own head . i never knew any yet so good , but some have thought him vile , and hated him ; nor contrarily , any so bad but some have thought him honest , and loved him ; either the ignorance , the envy , or the partiality of those that judge do constitute a various man : in some report hath foreblinded judgment , in some , accident is the cause of disposing us to love or hate . the soul is often led by secrete uninvestigable ways and motions to love , she knows not why . but 't is time alone and long probation , which seldome fail to give right information ; when nature , art and report , may deceive you . every man may keep his mind if he lists in a labyrinth . ▪ t is a room by us inscrutable , into which nature has made no certain window , but as he himself shall please to give you light , which is in such transient glimmerings that it rarely strikes any thing but the eye , leaving us immediately to grope again in the dark . i remit you to your own experience , you have converst in the world ( troublesome enough for many years ) with all sorts and all humours of persons ; but for your better guidance herein , i shall give you these properties of friendship , which my longer observation hath found to be true characters of it . he who is really your friend , will give you counsel before you ask it , and that 's the reason a man cannot keep a friend by constraint , nor oblige secrecy by coercion . most men regard their profit , and therefore use their friends as men use beasts , carefully attend and look to them , from whom they receive increase and advantages , and so deny themselves , and want the most desirable fruition in the world , which is natural and reciprocal amity ; which all the creatures maintain among themselves , and yet know not nor are able to consider , what and how great the force of that friendship is ; for every one loves it self , not out of hope of any reward and recompence to it self for it , but , because of the nearness and dearness it owes it self . which if the samething be not done in friendship , it is impossible to find a true friend . he that loves you extremely , will hate you most deadly , therefore sober , moderate friendship is the best ; and since friends must be had , if your happiness be to find good ones , beware you incur not that unhappiness of changing them : remember , that he is in the best condition who is best furnished with the best men for his friends , nevertheless , let no obligation to them , make you dispence with your conscience or religion ; have always a care not to trust any thing to your most intimate privado , but what you cannot keep from time : a small distast will discover those faults , which a heap of years have covered . 't was bias his counsel that men should so love , as if every day were a renewed enmity , and not to affect repentance . let no man ( which is the chief law of friendship , ) command any thing of you , which is not lawful , or which is not within your power ; nor do you use friends as men use flowers , smell to them as long as fresh , and green , and fragrant , and then lay them aside , for so commonly friendships conciliated by interest or fancy , usually terminate . beware especially of mercenary love , when your money fails , that leaves you , when true affection follows beyond the grave . your vertues will make and get you friends throughout the world , love has armes which will joyn the distant corners of the universe ; out the good offices you do at home , as they keep mens eyes upon them , and serve as well as remembrancers , will afford you a continued content . believe it , nothing will gain you so much respect , ( the first and best ingredient to friendship ) as your uprightness and sincerety , greatness was always suspicious , without any conspicuous proofs of a more then ordinary integrity ; nor will true glory wait long on a false person , observance is her maidof honour , & what recommendation she gives must be founded on desert . in a word chuse such friends as i have left you , they will be the more yours , because of your own affiance to them , and so you will have a double interest in them , your election and mine . chap. v. of travel . this is in some men a humour and curiosity only , in others wisedome and design , and accordingly they make their different returns ; it hath been all along the practise of this nation , and with very good successe : ( to go to a forraign war is rather a transplantation then travel , passing only out of the bounds of one country , into the confinements and limits of another ; so i reckon i have said nothing to you concerning this subject in my maximes of war , ) and i cannot conceive any better divertisement ( besides the advantage it will afford you ) for your present condition . homer begins his odysseis in the praise of ulysses , with this title and character . — qui mores hominum multorum vidit & urbes , as the most apparentest demonstration of his wisedome . some men there are , that have seen more with their eye , then some ambitious princes did ever comprehend in their thoughts , 't is a pleasure and felicity when the mind embraces but a glancing thought of the beauteous fabrick of the universe , and is with a kind of delight transported to some peculiar part of it , whose felicity and pleasures or wealth , have won upon its running fancy ; if this be so in the imagination , what delight and fruition is there , in the corporal view , and passage , and abode in the most remarkable countries of the world . men expect rich returns in east-india ships , and men that are far travellors , beget great expectation of their wealth ; if they come home empty , they bankrupt their credit , and dye in their countries debt , and that narrow dark prison of their pride , buries them in utter oblivion , who might have made the wide world their monument . the story of the wandring jew was a pleasant fiction , the punishment consisted only in his not having a centre , and certainly he could as well want it as the rest of his nation . the moral would hint , what an improved man must he be who hath so often gone the circumference , crost the lines , and visited the most remote and abstruse corners of the world ; seen so many varieties in nature and providence , reconciled by the tract of time . one journey will shew a man more , then twenty descriptions , relations or maps ; what a desolate life do tortoises live , who cannot be rid of their shells ? no man can endure confinement ; and he that hath lived lock'd up in one kingdome , is but a degree beyond a country-man , who was never out of the bounds of his parish . nevertheless all men are not fit for travel , wise men are made better , and fools worse . this inquires after nothing but the gue-gaws , the antick-fashions , and gestures of other lands , and becomes the shame of all nations , by disgracing his own in carrying nothing of worth or esteem from thence , and by bringing censure and imputation upon forraign places where he conversed , by importing nothing but their vices . they vent abroad their domestick vices , and utter here , them beyond sea . if you would advantage your self by travail , you ought to note , and then comment upon your observations , remembring as well the bad to avoid it , as applying the good into use ; without committing of these things to the pen , they will pass from your memory without leaving any profitable results behind them . let no hast therefore hurry you through any considerable or remarkable place , but stay and view what is worthy in it , and be sure to register it with your pen , it will very much fasten it in your memory ; the charactering of a thought in paper , will fix it ready for your use ; he that doth this , may when he please rejourney all his travails at home . solid persons are the best proficients by travail , they are not so prone to be inquinated by the dross and feces of the vices , and taking vanities of forraign countries , being abler to compose themselves to such manners , which may sooner facilitate their inquisition . pliance and outward freedome , and a seeming carelesseness is the readiest way to get into strangers , and to learn from them . policy and negotiation i commend far before book-learning , though never so deep and knowing . when you are abroad , the best way is to converse with the best , and not to chuse by the eye but the ear , ( which your own inexperience will soon warn you of ) but follow report . for the government , and things relating to the state , your advice and instruction is no where to be had but at court , for the trade , commerce and traffick , in great cities among marchants ; for their religion and church affairs amongst the clergy , but i rather chuse the universities , where you may happly meet with an addition of the rest . for the laws , customes and manners , the lawyers ; and for the country and rural knowledge , the husbandmen and such as we call the yeomanry . all rareties are to be seen , and therefore i advise you not to travail without store of money to be ready at all occasions ; especially antiquities , for these shew us the science and abilities of those times before us ; ( the moderns always preferring their arts and inventions to former ages ) that by comparing of them with the present , we may be able to give a judgment , how the world thrives or goes less in all such learning . above all , think no travail too far nor discommodious to see and visit rare and eminent men , there is no monument like a vertuous learned person ; living by him we shall be sure to be something the better , we shall find somewhat in him to inflame and excite our minds to strain to the like pitch , and so extern them , in a brave imitation of his excellent qualities . to such men you must carry your self with all submiss reverence befitting the dignity of those excellencies that are relucent in them ; and that awe you seem to stand in , will soon invite his candour to a free reception and neer entertainment of you , for learned men are rarely proud or stately . judgment is the onely thing that is necessary for a travailor and therefore i approve not of your going abroad , nor permitting your children if god shall send you any , till they have grown to a good competency of discretion , which yet i would have seconded by the assistance of a tutor , when it shall be any of your inchnations this way . i pray god bless you abroad , and return you as an honour to your king , country and friends . chap. vi. of housekeeping and hospitality . this is a generosity very requisite in noble persons , and the greatest demonstrations they are so : 't is as well respected for the quality of it as the quantity , and according to the condition of every man ; you may be as free in a moderate entertainment as in all the excesses and superfluities of your table , which then becomes a snare , where it should be a kindness . nevertheless , the greater extreme is that of niggardliness , and but a little less then vileness or baseness , in the eyes of your neighbours , which will soon bring contempt and dis-esteem upon you , which you must by all means ( as reckoning it the worst evil can befal noble persons , ) avoid and decline . the english are so careful of their honour in this point , that they do abridge themselves of other grandezza's which their estates would afford them , in coming to court , masquing , &c. to sacrifice with the due rites to their penates their houshold-gods , to whom their ancestors had devoted their prime substance , and which the genius of their neighbouring people as by a religious custome expected from them . so much was not required at the hands of any scotch noble man , as from an esquire there of l . per annum , the difference lies in the condition of our vassals , and their tenants and neighbours ; which being perhaps now to be more assimilated , both by some use and understanding our nation hath of the english customes , and the greater correspondency and mutual friendship , that is likely toarise between them , ( which is now more advanced by the war , then by the long projected union ; ) i would advise you as far , and as soon , as you are able to comply with the english manners in this particular . it will beget you a good respect ; and favour purchased from hence is most durable . to this purpose , keep constantly at home , without urgent and necessary occasions call you from thence . the entertainment your house will afford strangers , though it be never so ample and abundant , will want that condiment and sauce of hospitality , your own company . men usually affect their landlords company , though they pay for it ; much more will the honour of your presence commend your frank and liberal treatments , to the gratitude of all persons who shall resort to your house and table . be not only courteous your self to all comers , but see your servants be so too . kind reception and admittance is as necessary before meat , as digestion afterwards ; and he that would have thanks for his entertainment when it is past must bespeak it before it begin at his board , that his victuals and chear be but a rumination of his first kindnesses , and that his porch be as free as his hall. keep about you therefore no morose , cross conditioned servants , and as near as you can retain men of a good aspect , and as far as you can be assured of them to be of fair and civil demeanour . such will not only be an ornament and honour to you , but of much advantage ; for as it will invite persons of quality and civility to you , which will be credible for you , so will it shame and deter the ruder , and more ungoverned sort of people , who meeting with such dissonant humours , will soon abstain or soon be civilized . let not your entertainments be tedious , knowing that is not the way to keep them all along the year , and therefore substantial dishes must make up your bill of fare , in stead of french quelque choses . money and time is fruitlessely spent in those vanities , and are for no masculine contentment and palate ; and if such be not your guests , your expences will be thrown away , when others reckon them laid out . above all things avoid intemperance in drink . luxury in feeding seldome carries men beyond their stomack and discretion , though never so many provocations be used to lure them on ; but in the abundance of wine men are sottishly transported beyond themselves , and the excess in it , makes them the more covetous and raging after it ; especially where they think or find they cannot be welcome , unless they comply with your humour , and can requite your charges no other ways , then by the loss of their sense and modesty . i would have you therefore detest that barbarous german mode of drinking to victory , by a beastly subduing of those , whom you have invited , and humanely welcomed , and bid to your table , 't is one of the greatest vices our gentry hath brought from thence , amidst all those trophies which they deservedly gained there , and therefore the more caution is to be used , lest it insinuate it self easily by their converse , whose company you shall do well always to esteem as an honour ; but yet use your discretion and my experience as an antidote against that humour , which you may do plausibly and indiscernible enough . suffer no person to depart your house in discontent that shall not by rudeness or some other unhospitable way deserve your dis-respect ; on the other side , permit no tumultuous disorderly persons to stay within your dores . every ordinary mans house is his castle , but a noblemans is that and a palace both , where there is reverence due to you as well as a bare power and command . on publique anniversary thanksgiving days , you must expend above your ordinary provisions . the solemnity due to those festivals , takes it's weight from the observation of the nobility , whose magnificences at those times are the most forcible impressions to make the people remember and call to mind , ( which will also keep them in their duty , ) the mercy's and favours of such days . this will more especially concern you , who by all means and ways must endeavour to reconcile your self to the government . but be surest , that the poor whose condition will not suffer them within your doors , may not be out of your heart , but that a constant care and provision be made for them : from whom i assure you , you shall find the greatest return and thanks , if not by them , yet for them . chap. vii . of tenants and other concerns of estate . you will be at a loss in this particular , by reason of the difficulties i shall leave upon my estate , and the several claims made by pretended titles , besides that which will be escheated to the crown ; it will therefore require your utmost diligence and circumspection , having so many enemies about you . i look upon your old demeans of the family , as the most likely to continue in your possession , and therefore you must retain and caress with all manifest demonstrations of kindness , the present and ancient possessors and enjoyers of those lands , who by their long dependance on your family , are so addicted to it , that they will not desire upon any ordinary conditions to be alienated from you , if you seem not to slight them or your own interest . it is utterly impossible you should be totally deprived of your inheritance among them , so long as you bear my name ; nor do i know my self every part of my estate there , so far is it out of the reach of confiscation : many were the homages and services done me , which were without book . for my novel acquists and purchases , they have so much envy of the state already upon them , that i would not advise you by stirring on them to draw more upon you : your old rents will be estate enough for you , if you can secure them . i never look'd upon any thing i had from the estates of scotland , other then as a present satisfaction for what i had expended ; what it wants or exceeds therein was never intended to be put to your account . 't is no time now , nor is it your interest to stand at that distance formerly maintained ; many have been the forfeitures of the scotch nobility , yet i never knew any so dangerous as yours is like to prove ; for i will not dissemble that odium and envy against me , how justly i have said elsewhere . so there lies upon you a necessity of counterwalking all ways to your ruine : you must move pity , ( and that i think no hard matter in your case ) and you will soon find affection which will easily be improved into trust and condence , the ready way to secure your estate . if by such means , or any other ( as i do not , as i said before ; despair of your total restitution , if not to your dignities and honour , yet to your lands and revenues , ) you shall be possest , remember you deal gratefully with such , as have dealt honestly and faithfully with you ; and consider you may not strain thiugs to that heigth , which usually great men do in scotland , for that the wings of your greatness are clipped , and cannot grow out again suddenly ; and that your safety now instead of mightiness , consists altogether in the love , and not in the fear of your tenants . redeem that hard censure laid upon me , of being a cruel rigid landlord , and strive to vanquish those difficulties by a complacent carriage , which to my best disposed temper ( as times were ) proved insuperable . avoid as much as in you lyeth all suits and controversies , such collisions will give light to discoveries ; set down by any losses or injuries , which you cannot remedy without publick trial , and give place to such violence as will overbear you . recollect first your scattered fortunes , and let a sedentary quiet life have confirmed you in the possession of what you have , so shall you not be endangered ( if then you be put to vindicate your right to what you enjoy ) by that which you have not . contract your estate into as few mens hands as possible , change not those to whom you have let your lands formerly , or used or dealt with other ways ; especially displace not such servants , who are acquainted in the managing of it , for besides the ease , you will find security in so doing . as i would not have you suffer under that great depression of worth , a base poverty , so neither would i have you to be abused by the chargeable report of being very rich , to avoid both , you must live in a free and open way , neither like diogenes nor dives : but yet the more men are inquisitive after the secrets of your estate , the greater will your wisedome be , the closer to conceal it , and that you may do without danger , for it is in your own defence . your estate will be safer however , in the reputation of things past , ( men looking on my disposal and ordering of it to be providential and munite enough ) then by your own wisedome or any new present , foundation or conveyance , which takes off a great deal of envy from you , keep within the compass of what fortune soever god shall bless you with ; if you can be content you shall frustrate the ruinous designs of your enemies against you ; who can tell but all this may be for the better : greater shocks have been given to estates , which have but riveted and rooted them the faster , instead of overturning them . whomsoever you intrust with the stewardship of your estate , be sure to trust your self most , and keep a strict account of your disbursements and receipts , besides , that it is a good divertisement , yon will find it very profitable , and will contain and preserve your servants in their duty , and consequently in your favour . make not any necessity by your imprudence or prodigality , whereby yon must be compelled to borrow money by security or mortgage , or anticipate your revenues , the first will engage you to do the like courtesies for your friend , and that 's never without danger ; and the other two are basely dishonorable , and will soon bring contempt upon your person , and be a moth in your estate . nullum numen abest , si sit prudentia tecum . chap. viii . of study and exercise . the times succeeding i devine to be very happy and peaceable , and therefore a course of life befitting the tranquillity of the age you live in , will be to betake your self to your studies . you have read men a good part of your life , and are pretty well versed in that deep and profound knowledge , that will be of use you in the bustles and encounters of the world ; you must also have some provision to pass away the quiet ; and blessed calme of life : but herein pray observe these cautions . . that the study of vain things is a laborious idleness . . that there is no way which leads ingenuous spirits more easily , and with more certain appearances of honour and goodness , to delicacy , softness and unmanliness , then learning and study . . that to study only to pass away time , is a most inept curiosity , and an unthrifting of time , and very misbecoming active and noble spirits . . though good letters be the best informers , yet company and conversation are the best directors for a noble behaviour and deportment . you must therefore so order your studies , that you make them subservient to the concerns of your honour , estate , and interest , and that they entrench upon no time , which should be employed about them . your vacant and spare hours , you cannot better afford to any thing then to books ; nay , there is a necessity of making such leasure time , if the multiplicity of business press to fast upon you ; remembring that of a great emperour , whose affairs were not only urgent , but full of trouble and care in a new attained empire , — nulla dies sine linea , not a day must pass without some improvement in your studies . your own choice and judgement will best direct you what books you shall read , and to what science you shall chiefly apply your self , though i think it pedantical , and unworthy and unhandsome for a nobleman or person of honour to be affectedly excellent in any one , it seems as ridiculous as nero's mad ambition of being counted the chief fidler and best singster the world . history and the mathematicks , ( i may say ) are the most advantagious and proper studies for persons of your quality , the other are fit for schoolmen , and people that must live by their learning ; though a little insight and tast of them , will be no burden to you ; your knowledge in them joyned with your authority may be of good use to your conntry in awing of pragmatick professors , either of law or divinity . i do not reckon the laws of the kingdome any particular study , for they must be your constant practise , your place many instruct you in them , as to the executory part of them , for the pleading part of them that 's below you . keep always an able scholar for the languages in your house , besides your chaplain , who may be ready at hand to read to you out of any book , your fancy or judgement shall for the present pitch upon , you will find him to be of great use and service to you , and give him salary accordingly . thinke no cost too much in purchasing rare books ; next to that of acquiring good friends i look upon this purchase ; but buy them not to lay by , or to grace your library , with the name of such a manuscript , or such a singular piece , but read , revolve him , and lay him up in your memory where he will be far the better ornament . read seriously whatever is before you , and reduce and digest it to practise & observation , otherwise it will be sysyphus his labour to be always revolving sheets and books at every new occurrence which may require the oracle of your reading . trust not to your memory , but put all remarkable , notable things you shall meet with in your books sub salva custodia of pen and inke , but so alter the property by your own scholia and annotations on it , that your memory may speedily recur to the place it was committed to . review frequently such memorandums , and you will find you have made a signal progress and proficiency , in what ever sort of learning you studied . after your studies give your mind some relaxation by generous exercises , but never use them afer fulness , sleep , or oscitancy , for then they abate much of the recreation and delight they afford after intentness of the mind on any business ; otherwise it is but a continuation of the dream in the stirring slumbers of sport and play . in the choice of your exercises , affect none that are overrobust and violent , that , instead of remitting , unbending the bow , will break it ; but let them be moderate , and withall virile and masculine , such as is riding the great horse , shooting at marks out of crosse-bows , calivers or harquebuse . tennis is not in use among us , but only in our capital city , but in leiu of that , you have that excellent recreation of goff-ball , then which truely i do not know a better . do not make a toil of a pleasure , by over-exercising your self ; play not to wearisomness , which may nauseate the recreation another time to you . as near as you can , play with companions your equals , but if they are not at hand , pleasure will dispence with any play-fellow , nor are you tied there to any strict rules of honour . let your exercises be designed to this end , to settle your mind , to beget you a stomack and appetite , and fit you for other succeeding business . chap. ix . of pleasure , idleness , &c. by your recess from all publique business , you will be apt and prone to fall into some supiness and negligence , and indulge your self inordinate pleasures , if you keep not a strict guard over your incli●ation and bent that way to which most men naturally are very subject . remember therefore , that great actions were never founded in vain delights , and nothing is less generous then pleasure , and nothing more corrupting the seeds of vertue , and that finally it ends in dislike and regret . i acknowledge , that youth the time of delight , is so transient and momentary , and man such a slave to himself , that notwithstanding all the troubles that beset him , he will find time , and space to bestow on his voluptuousness ; but you have past those heats of youth , and are arrived to a staid age , in which your debordery to vice , would be most shameful and odious . but of all pleasures take heed of gaming , that 's the vainest and yet the most bewitching temptation . a vice which hath got footing amain among us , and alienated many fair lands and possessions from ancient families ; you may guess at its goodness by its extraction , born ( as i may say ) in a dissolute camp , where its first stake was the price of life , though contented here with livings and livelihoods . you have losses more then enough already , do not therefore put any more to the injurious disposal of fortune , by dicing or carding , or any other game . that 's the greatest sign of dissoluteness you can give the world , which will proclaim you a vicious as well as bankrupt person . give not your mind to company or drinking , these bacchanalia are as bad a game as the former . this will presently bestialize you , and take away the signature god hath stamp'd upon you . a drunkard ! i cannot name it without abhorrence , if it devest you of your nature , it will not leave you a spark of honour , but sink your estate and all together , in that deluge of ebriety . ▪ t was observed by cato , that none came sober to the destruction or overthrow of that state but only caesar ; most certain it is , that none shall ever be called to the maintaining of a state , whose debaucheries have made him uncapable of governing himself . avoid converse with women of ill report , that you be not fascinated by their beauty or arts , to the lessening of that conjugal love you owe your wife ; men take it for a felicity to enjoy the favour of the company of fine women , but they reckon not to what dangers they oblige themselves , and what burdens they impose upon themselves to the secret ruin of their estates , for nothing is so chargeable as an imperious beauty . neither seek nor entertain pleasures when they present themselves in their gaudy bravery , but with a noble constancy keep your mind fast shut against their charmes and allurements ; but find some other diversion , the business whereof may send those vagrants packing . i do much commend hunting and hawking , and other field pastime . 't is a dispute and an argument , whether to do ill or to do nothing , male agere aut nihil agere , is the worst , and therefore in the next place shun idleness . the life of man resembles iron , which being wrought into instruments and used , becomes bright and shining , else unwrought the rust eats and consumes it ; so is it with noble persons , if they exert themselves , and put forth their parts to the service of their country or in other honourable employments , they become conspicuously glorious ; better , industry should wear out and so polish a man , then to lye by of no use and service , and wast away in sloth and idleness . nothing in the universe stands still , the heavens and those orbes of light are in perpetual motion , and though the earth move not sphaerically , ( as copernicus fancied ) yet there is a continual motus in that too in her productions : an idle man is a mare mortuum , whose infectious company spoils and ruins all that come near his example . i do not admire to see gentlemen given over to vicious courses of life , seeing they affect a lazy greatness , without the props of employment to support it . 't is action that keeps the soul sweet and sound . i would have you keep no retainers neer you meerly for show , but onely as many as you can well employ in their several offices ; if you do , you must expect no service nor attendance , till they have first served their own pleasures , and besides you will have to answer for their lewdnesses . you will have such a fragrancy and sent from any business you have been diligent in , as those that stir amongst perfumes and spices , shall when they are gone , have still a grateful odor with them . if you grow not better by employing your self , yet this benefit will surely accrue to you , that you both keep your self from being worse , and shall not have time to entertain any suggestions of evil from without . there is a kind of good angel waiting upon diligence , that ever carries a laurel in his hand to crown her ; and fortune according to the ancients was not to be prayed unto , but with the hands in motion . how unworthy was that man of the world , or the enjoyments of it that never did ought , but only lived and died ; and it is none of the ordinariest happiness , to be endued with a mind that loves noble and vertuous exercises . life and honour consist both in action , nor can they find a worse sepulchre then in the sluggards field . 't is by such slothful men that the monuments of their ancestors crumble into dust , and tombe-stones are obsolited by the speechless lives of their successors and children . chap. x. considerations of life . no man is so miserable as he whose life is hated by all , and his death desired by as many . i have known men that have suffered by fortune unexpectedly , and having the calamity in their view , have been so far transported beyond themselves , that their rage and fury even before justice , hath proved their sufficient defence . our trouble will never be at an end , if we interest our selves in other mens businesses . great deliberation and slow resolution is required in the affairs of the world , for as in the trade of navigation , the impetuousness of the sea is decryed and charged with several shipracks , so is it not otherwise in the affairs of men , where passion and unruly violence have overset many gallant designs and enterprises . in matters in which you seem to have right on your side and justice also , a speedy dispatch is more needful then to languish through the delay of the remedy ; on the other side , if you suspect the justice of your cause , the dispute and continuance of the difference is most profitable , and hesitation is better then resolution , the disease better then the cure . be not dejected by knowing you are constrained to begin with small designs , for great affairs often begin from occasions far disjoyned and remote from the end to which their undertakers aspired , for the beginning of designes reaches not so far as the issue . many small troubles are like letters of a small print they trouble and offend our eyes , without the help of the spectacles of reason and judgement ; but great adversities we read presently and more easily . sundry affections and passions of men may conceal themselves , but gladness is of the nature of fire , which manifests it self the more it is stifled and smothered . follow not the fashion of the world , who , rather delight in praising of vertue then in imitating of it . no life is so full of content as to live by ones self , and meddle not with other mens matters . it is impossible for any man to live by such a rule of reason , which the fresh occurrences of things , time and custome , may not innovate upon , and withall have informed him so much , that in what he pretended to be well skill'd , he is a meer novice , and that which he esteemed rare and excellent , to be unworthy of his most undervaluing considerations . most happy are those , who keeping a constant tenour of life pass through it without any danger , in the managery of business , or else live in a continual quiet and repose in privacy and retirement . it is a demonstration of the greatness of spirit and of prudence , to forget that which is lost and cannot be recovered , to give way to thoughts designing the amends other ways . the body is pleased and recreated only , during the time only of its pleasure , whereas the mind of man foresees future contentments and enjoyments , and suffers not the memories of past felicities to slip her repetition . youth giveth a tast and indication of what may be expected from men ; the rest of our time and seasons of our life , are appointed and designed to reap , gather and receive the profits of what was sown in that age . 't is folly to complain of life , more to be troubled at the end of it , by the reason we ought more to complain of our birth , that made and produced us mortal , then of our death , which will render us immortal . to be long or short lived is no more then this , we come either sooner or later ( no great choice ) to our grave . he is very desirous of life , who is unwilling to dye when all the world is weary of him . 't is not white or gray hairs , nor wrinckles in the face , beget a present respect for men , but a life honourably passed , conferrs glory and renown , and places the deserved wreaths on their temples , 't is a strange insatuation in man , that he never takes thought how to l ve vertuously , but is very careful how to prolong his life from a loose principle , that it lies in the power of a man to live well , but it is out of his power to live long . a life among roses , ends in a death among thornes and thistles , which proceeds always from those intemperances and disorders our pleasurers sway us to . life is a continual longing , and a continual nauseating , and all humane reason , judgement , and art cannot by any ways remedy it , and who would be a slave to such vicissitudes ? they are very miserable who have nothing but a heap of years to prove they have lived long , but infinitely unhappy are they who survive their credit and reputation . there is no better defence against the injuries of fortune and vexation of life , then death . make your estate the bound of your desires , and not your desires the limits of your estate , but the best and equalest boundary to both is death . maxims of state , by the marquis of argyle . chap. i. the prince . there is nothing in the world which wins more upon the affections of men , or makes a prince more reverenced and desired then clemency ; it is also necessary , that he keep himself in a constant tenour , duely tempering that gravity ( which majesty requires ) with debonarity and sweetness ; that all accesses to him be easie , that he caresse and esteem , and give kind reception to all persons of worth , discountenancing the vicious , and casting out flatterers , lyers , and such like , of whom no service may be expected . 't is the excellence of a prince to use his clemency in pardoning such as offend , and for which offence any reasonable , equitable excuse may be alledged , as also in abating the rigour of the law to such , who transgress not out of custome , and are otherways persons of repute and of vertue , and whose faults are not atrocious ; for if he exercise his clemency other then so , without these considerations , he will be rather cruel , and unjust , then merciful ; whereas counterpoising it with equity ; his justice is no way interessed against it , being reduced and applied to its true cause . it is less dishonourable for a prince to be vanquish'd by armes , then by munificence and bounty . that revenge which a prince takes from his sense of a personal injury is always esteem'd rigorous and too severe though never so just . 't is fatal to all princes , who have swayd scepters in their minority , to be embroyled with troubles and seditions in the beginnings of their raign , and tormented by some of their subjects desirous of novelty ; but when they have attained to age and the full exercise of their power , they have quickly learned to chastise and punish those insolencies and outrages committed against them in their youth . ordinarily princes do not use to love such , who are acquainted , see and reprehend their vices ; nevertheless , they cannot so carry them , but that notice will be taken ; nor avoid the censure which is become the town-talk . neighbour princes must not go see or frequent campagnia's of war , lest in so doing , they draw upon themselves hatred and envy . a prince must be constant in retaining his good friends and servants , and entertain no sinister opinion of them , without great , just , and apparent cause ; to govern himself by his own counsel , and to be master of himself , that is , of his affections and opinions , by reducing them to sage and mature advice . the prince who is too cruel in the punishment of crimes , whether supposed or true , gives occasion of censure , that it is out of covetousness after the condemneds goods , and that he is swayed more by avarice then justice . princes must have a care they suffer not any subject , to grow near them in such grandeur and puissance , which , their boldness may soon make redoubtable to them ; but must cut them in the root : for if that greatness once be radicated , it is almost impossible to pull it up without the absolute ruin of those who attempt it , as of late experience wallenstein duke of freidland . it hath often happened that the memory of a good prince deceased , hath been of good stead to his vicious successors , degenerating from his vertues , and hath made their government tolerable . a prince ought to be vigilant and careful , that he be not surprized by the ordinary importunity of craving courtiers , in pardoning faults which he ought to have punished . princes must not make use of ( like private men ) artifices and slights , which will soon hazard their persons and estates . couragious princes are most commonly subject to love mars and venus , which are oftimes link'd together . kings must sometimes visit the remotest parts of their country , that their subjects may see by their care of them , that they are truly the pastors of the people . the children of kings are to be taught to speak low and gravely . it is necessary that a great monarch should be universally knowing . private men for their direction , content themselves with one single vertue , but a soveraign must have all ; for who hath more need of prudence and wisdome , then he who deliberates , and resolves , such great and important affairs ? who ought to be more just , then he who governs the laws ? who ought to be more reserved , then he to whom all is permitted ? and who hath more need of courage and valour , then he who protects and defends all ? truth never or seldome approaches the ears of princes without a disguise , or blemish'd by the injury and cunning of those , who would indirectly gain the favour of the prince without deserving it . a prince ought to take counsel when it pleases himself , and not at the will of another ; if he be not sufficient of himself , he will hardly be well advised if he be not committed to the conduct of one particular person , who is solely and entirely to govern him , and whatever good shall be effected by his counsels ought to be ascribed to the prudence of the prince , rather then his counsellours . the best counsel that can be given to princes , who are well advanced in years and in extreme old age , and who must leave unexperienced raw successors , is to treat rather of peace and alliances with their neighbours , then to enterprise a war. a king is obliged as diligently and carefully to keep the goods of his crown , as a tutor those of his pupil . a prince must be punctual in his religion , for nothing so sadly presages his ruin , as his negligence in that , and therefore his most lively thoughts must be intent on it , and in serving god without hypocrisie . it much imports a prince , to preserve union and friendship with his brothers , as being the dearest part of himself , and as ready to his assistance , as his own eyes , his hands , and his feet . princes must beware of attempting what 's above their strength , or to enterprise any thing in which they are not sure to come off with honour . kingdomes , treasures , the robe of purple , the diadem , are not such splendid ornaments of a prince , as vertue and wisdome ; for a prince that knows himself to be but a man will never be proud . those princes then begin to lose their estates , when they begin to break the ancient laws , manners and customes , under which their subjects have long lived ; for princes must have as much regard to the safety of their subjects , ( which consists in the protection of the laws ) as of their lives . a prince newly come to the crown , must especially avoid giving any occasion to his subjects , to wish and sigh for the government of his predecessor , as the people of rome did under tiberius , after augustus caesar. when princes send ambassadors , they must chuse such whose manners and qualities are suitable and agreeable to the court whither they are sent . a good prince does not only do good to the good by making them better , but also to the bad by restraining them from being worse ; and the felicity of subjects , is the true glory of kings . princes are mistaken that think to raign over men , without permitting god to rule over them . the request of a prince is equal to a commandement . princes sometimes disgrace their favourits for their good , and restore them again for their hurt . a prince who truly is and effectually appears to be religious , is always feared and reverenced by his subjects , who will never rebell or revolt from him , believing that he is under the particular protection of god. offences which princes take are like fixed pillars , but their love like the spokes in a running wheel . princes bestow offices , favorites give admission , nature good extraction , parents patrimony , and merits give honour , but w●sedome and discretion come from god alone , and are not in mans disposing . kings have diverse sorts of thunder as well as jupiter , that which tears and rends all that resist it in solid bodies ; and that which passes the soft and pliable . the science which we learn by books , is water out of a cistern , that which we gain by experience is living water , and in its spring ; so though among scholastick men we find couragious and refined polite spirits , yet princes take not usually such as they intend for their service from the schools though they be knowing and able persons ; for 't is business and action that strengthens the brain , while contemplation weakneth it . 't is dishonorable for a great prince or monarch to defend and maintain with his quill , which his prodecessors have acquested with their lance. a prince that would get much , must pardon much ; though 't is a maxime among grandees , especially such as are raised from obscurity , that though they be mortal , yet the indignities done them are immortal . 't is folly to solicite tediously great men , for a thing which cannot be obtained . the good words of a prince , accompanied with promises are most forcible and powerful engines . 't was a precept of the emperour charles the fifth , to his son king philip the second , to exercise himself always in some vertue befitting and convenient for a king , to the end that holding his subjects in admiration of his actions , no time should be given their thoughts to entertain other affections . he must never see the picture of fear any where , but on the shoulders and backs of his enemies . it is not only a sign of modesty and clemency , but also of a superlative courage , when kings take no notice of ungrateful mens speeches . nothing can please a good king so much as concord among his subjects , whereas that makes a tyrant to fear them . a prince must by all means prevent , ( flighting not the smallest things ) and obviate factions and conspiracies ; for as the loudest storms and tempests , are caused by secret exhalations and insensible vapours ; so seditions and civil wars , begin often from light occasions , and which no man would think could come to such an issue . the retinue and train of a prince , let it be never so retrench'd and ordered , is always very troublesome to the places through which they pass . 't is a true foundation and principal maxime of state , to have an eye , to the growing greatness of a neighbour prince , and to have always a jealous fear of his power ; this makes the friendship between them more firm and durable ; for when they have reason alike to dread one another , either of them will but coldly attempt a breach . the will of a prince is to be executed , not interpreted . princes commonly pay flatterers in their own coin , for they dissemble the vices of the princes , and they dissemble the lies of the flatterers . at the death of a prince , 't is discretion to seem neither sorrowful nor glad . a prince cannot be said to be potent , who is not strong at sea , and cannot joyn maritime to his land-forces . when mean princes pass the limits of mediocrity , they are neer past the bounds of security . it is necessary , that a prince defer nothing to the deliberation of his council of estate , which hath not first past the counsel of his conscience . it is not good to frequent the presence of a prince whom you have offended ; he was well advised , who having provoked his soveraign , protested , that he would never see his face more but in picture . they must be strong and down-right blows , that can batter down a puissant crown . the treaties between princes should resemble drusus his building or templum fidei , which were constantly clear , nothing of obscurity , nothing feigned , and without any coverture . this should be a lesson and rule for all princes , that the faults which they suffer and tolerate in their subjects , are as so many burdens laid upon their own shoulder , and of which they must give account to the majesty of him to whom they as much as other men are subjected . great princes ordinarily endeavour to bring petty ones into their snares , or to do their affairs at their expence ; they embarck themselves in their quarrels , and forget and leave them out in the accomodation of them , and under colour of defence and assistance keep those places for their own , which were put into their hands for gage and caution . nothing renders a prince more contemptible then niggardliness , for 't is odious in all men , but specially in them , who as they are placed in an ampler and more opulent fortune then other men , ought to be more liberal and free from base , parsimony and covetousness . the greatness of that prince is sure and stable , which his subjects know to be as much for them , as above them . a prince mounted on high will have high aspiring thoughts . 't was great alexanders speech , that it was proper to good princes to do well , and to hear ill . it were very expedient that a prince who inherits his realm , should inherit also the ministers of state , to aid him in the government ; those that have been used to the managery of affairs , are of more knowledge then those that newly enter upon the administration , who being ignorant of the causes and first designes , either spoil all presently , or so turn the course of the policy of the state , that confusion follows . chap. ii. of courage . it hath been the glory of scotland , that she hath sent forth as many famous warriours into the world as any nation whatsoever ; of later years more especially , in the swedish and imperial war under that great captain gustavus adolphus , as also in russia , poland , pruss , and most parts of europe . most of those hero's were persons of very good extraction and noble families ; neither should i mislike it if any of you , except my son lorne should undertake an honourable expedition . his necessitudes and affairs at home , will require more of thè gown then the sword : for truly i do count glory so atcheived , to be the more solid and durable , as having that stiffe composition of the steel in it , whereas the other comes by the plume , and is apter to take wing and be gone . besides , our name challengeth you into the field , our ancestors were eminent for the military way , and therefore i shall here lay you down some maxims of approved use , taken from the most experienced caplains , and some of my own observations . courage is an innate moral vertue placed in the mind , whereby it overlooks and contemns all difficulties and dangers standing in its way , to the attainment of glory ; 't is the sublimer of all other vertues , by means whereof they do exert themselves in their greatest strength and beauty . courage is an exposing of the body to the utmost hazards and dangers , and venturing through the most invincible hardships ; for of how little concern is that man that cannot elevate himself above common discourse ? the laurels and the coronets are not half so glorious , as the slashings of the sword , the explosion of the musquet , and those wounds which men fairly gain in the service of their princes . in a generous soul age enfeebles not courage . nothing more touches a valiant man to the quick , then to see the event not answer expectation , and that fortune gives law to vertue . matters of danger , not dispair , are the true objects of valour , every vertue is tyed to rules , and bounded with limits , not to be transgressed , the extremes alter all goodness if they be pitch'd upon . courage loseth its merited honour , if willfullness and overguided petulancy overbear it ; a well grounded reason , without prejudice to a mans honour may justly countermand a rash and inconsiderate resolution . nothing in the world can truly be said to be great , if that heart be not so , that despiseth great things . 't is natural for brave spirits , not to hold their tongues in the very face of danger , or or in fear of servitude . a great heart neglects ceremonies , fot by how much the more generous it is , the less it regards the lustre and splendor of exteriour things , esteeming it self its own theatre . bees turn not droanes , nor courages ever abate or degenerate . by the way , i observe that none have ever arrived to an eminent grandeur , but who began very young . there 's no place where a man cannot enter into which a sun-beam can penetrate ; nothing so constant and so firm , but what a firmer courage can beat and shake it . noble souls are ashamed to see that thing which they cannot remedy . they are to be esteemed valiant and magnanimous , who repell injuries and not those that do them . 't is better to trust in valour , then in policy . as the light is open to all eyes , so nothing can be shut against valour and magnaminity . chap. iii. of war. vvar is either forraign or intestine , civil war always hath been , and for ever will be the most destructive and ruinous , more pernicious then all the other evils of famine and pestilence , which angry heaven can inflict upon cities or kingdoms designed for utter ruin ; so passionately livy expresses its unnatural fury . men enterprise a war , either relying on the strength and assistance of god , or else upon humane power ; when men therefore are provided with neither of these , when trial is made , captivity , or some such misfortune is the conclusion , nor are the best armed both these ways , sure of the victory . in a war that 's just , ( for i allow no other , ) the ancient men ought to counsel , and the young to execute . to do nothing out of course or without orders in war , is of very ill consequence ; for while time is spent in waiting for them , occasio res gerendae perditur , many noble designs are lost ; the reason is , because directions being to be had at a great distance , they usually come too late for execution ; and 't is the nature of war to produce every moment some unlook'd for difficulties . 't is better to attain if possible by peace the half of our demands , then by war the whole , for a war is sooner kindled then extinguished . war proceeds from the ambition and malice of men , but the success of it depends on the good will of god. in domestique broils , the greatest victory is never to be victorious , rather to level demands by a peace then mount to them by a conquest . by prevention , revulsion and diversion , oftentimes men have gained by the war , when nothing but confidence makes men losers . a civil war is nothing but the flux and reflux of conquests and losses . in war it 's punishable with death to hold a place , which is not cenable by the military rules , else every hen roost would make an army stay in its march . in a fair war , a man may see from whom to guard himself , but in a slubbered peace , a man knows not in whom to trust . when the heart of the souldiery fails , all commands are to no purpose ; for fear casts a mist over their memory , and the practique without courage is to no purpose in times of necessity . the events of war are uncertain , small skirmishes end in a set battle , which is fought oftentimes more out of eagerness and heat of blood , then prudence . mischief in the beginning of a civil war , though not well supported at first , grows higher like the luxuriant branches of a fruit-bearing tree ; but if a good patriot like a gardner put in his pruning hook , the suckers are soon cut off , and the stock remains entire . all manner of stratagems are lawful in war , though not practicable in state-policy . the sight and shew of new engines of war to the besieged , hath been the only cause of their surrender . money is the sinew of the war , but without the fomentation of a large treasure will soon shrink . chap. iv. of command . vvho commands in any place , ought to put a sentinel upon his mouth , that nothing unadvised slip from him ; & bear such a countenance , that the fair out-side may varnish his severity within . men that are cholerick , though they may be apt for learning , yet are not fit to command . negligence is no point of excuse in a governour of a strong important place , for if a truce or ( may be ) a peace be concluded on , yet he ought to consider that he is not concerned in that peace , having in his custody that which is well worth the breaking of it . never think of governing others , till you have the government of your self . to command and obey that which is commanded , is the most exquisitest art ; these two keep a city free from sedition , and preserve concord . diversity of commands is dangerous , for that the execution of them cannot be semblable , sor when one sees his counsel or command is not followed , he grows regardless , and may be out of emulation is the cause of hindring the others ( though better ) counsel to take effect . it is convenient and necessary , that those who command , keep a distance from their inferiours , to beget in them a reverence and awe towards him . merit is the only lawful ascent to places of trust , and he who thinks to climbe without it , may at the return miss the steps , and precipitate himself . chap. v. of victory . by the bloody sword victory is obtained in an hour , but to keep up the reputation of it is matter of trouble through the whole life . there is no victory so glorious , as that which is got with the least effusion of blood on the conquerors side , and which conserves the honour and justice of his cause . he only accounts himself vanquished , who is satisfied that neither stratagem , nor treachery , nor fortune , had any thing to do in his overthrow , but only clear valour in a noble and just war. he that hath vanquished his enemies , may make no difficulty of subduing himself . it is of no great moment , with what provisions or furnitures of men and armes a victory is atchieved , for that conquer rour is more renowned , who by a handful of men attain'd it , being succoured and seconded by his valour alone . when the original is lost , men must be content with the copy ; and to take all in good part what the conqueror pleaseth without replying a word . seldome men know how to make advantage of their victories , with that of the carthaginian general , — vincere scis hanibal uti victoria nescis . anger and victory omit no kind of revenge . the vanquished have this solace in their overthrow when it is done by the armes and by the valour and conduct of a noble person . that 's the best and compleatest victory , which is without destruction . chap. vi. of fortune . fortune hath more force then reason in the decision of war , yet it can do little harm to us , so long as it takes not away our honour . it is not enough to know how to remove the machine of a great design , nnless we know also when to let it alone , and to comply with time and necessity . 't is god that dissipates the devices of the nations , and brings to nothing the designs of the people ; the king is not saved by the strength of his arms , nor shall the mighty man escape by his great power . as the understanding of a man is not always in vigour , nor the body in health , so many times men enterprizing great things , fall and hazard themseves , lose their hopes and designs , and sometimes their lives . idleness and luxury have subdued more armes , then ever were vanquished by plain force : what a fatal intemperance and sloth was that of the carthaginians after the battle at cannae , to suffer the romans to make head again ? mature deliberation ought ever to be used ; but when armes are to determine , speedy execution is best : because no delay in that enterprise is fit , which cannot be commended before it be ended , and victory has determined it . souldiers must be encouraged in all fortunes to stand resolved ; that which was the enemies good luck to day , to morrow may be theirs ; they must not be daunted with any passed misadventure , ever attending a time and opportunity of revenge , which commonly cometh to pass where mens minds are united ; for common danger must be repelled with union and concord . some conquests are of such quality , as albeit a victorious captain merit triumphal honour , yet a modest refusal becomes his greatest glory ; as some noble romans did out of bravery of mind before the emperours , and some for the envy of it , did forbear it afterwards . to enter into needless dangers was ever accounted madness , yet in times of extreme peril and apparent distress , bold and hazardous attempts are the greatest security , and are usually seconded with good events . to conclude , melior tutiorque certa pax quam sperata victoria . miscellaneous observations . great personages may preserve their honour without taint or crime , but not free from suspition ; the first is in their own power , the second depends in the ill will of others . toleration is the cause of many evils , and renders diseases or distempers in the state , more strong and powerful then any remedies . it most commonly proves true , that a council composed of divers nations , ( such as was projected by cromwell in england , during his usurpation , in constituting a representative of three kingdomes in one body , ) are of different judgments and tempers , though never so well pack'd together : but yet that is a far worse diversity , which proceeds from the variety of particular passions , that corrupt the fountain and source from whence the advice and counsel of publique affairs is to be drawn . 't is a received maxime among conspirators , not to have any thing pass between them in writing , but orally and by word of much . men would seem to be very jealous of their honour , when for words spoken in prejudice or diminution of it , they commence fuits and processes against the speakers of them , but there is nothing so below agenerous spirit , and which argues more weakness of mind , then that they cannot contemn words that are vain and uttered in hast . i can set my approbation to this , that i never knew any man that got advantage by so doing . for men who have high thoughts and low fortunes , 't is better to live privately and meanly in a village , then beggarly and disrespectedly at court. men of vertue and honour steer a course contrary to that of the world , as do the planets above . nothing is so sociable or dissociable as man , the one is caused by nature , the other by vice . the pleasure or grief of present things takes up the room in our thoughts of what is past , or what is to come , so infirm is the most sublimate humane reason subjected to the attempts of fortune . prudence ought to begin all affairs , for that repentance is to no purpose in the end , wisedome rather prepares then repairs . wise men walk not always in the same way , not keep always the same pace , they advise according to the occurrence of affairs , and vary according to the alterations of time and interest . it belongs to prudent men to foresee that adversity and misfortunes come not before their time , ●then all the wisedome of the world cannot stay them and it appertains to valiant men , when they are come , to bear them couragiously . prudence without vertue , is rather subtilty and malice , yea is quite another thing then prudence . nothing ought to be done violently or precipitantly in reformation , you must wind up the strings gently to make them tunable , the musick sounds a great deal sweeter , when they are looser , then when straighter wound . he is sure not to fail , who has vertue for his guide , and fortune for his companion ; but he that travails such away , must begin young , else he will come late to his journeys end . 't is certain , that he who deviates from truth , is in the ready way to all sorts of mischief , and it hath often been seen , that such who have laid their hopes in lying and dissembling to others , have deceived themselves , to their own ruin . the most absolute perfection of men cannot be resembled better then to a pomegranate , which is never without some rotten kernels . nothing more grieves subjects to pay subsidies and taxes , then when they see their money wasted or ill employed , who otherwise where they pay a penny would willingly give a crown , for they take notice that when once the door is opened to impositions , under pretence of continuing but so long time , it is seldome shut again , this is true in all tyrannical or absolute governments . nothing appeases or quels a sedition sooner then the presence of the prince , nor ought he for any fear or cause whatsoever absent or hide himself , our late troubles speak this too evidently . it is an ill practise , that they who have been the greatest sticklers in state troubles and commotions , should be the greatest gainers by the accommodation of them . seditions whose originals cannot be traced , are always the most dangerous . the due correction of a mutinous people brought again to obedience , ought to be regulated by examples and means accommodated to the time , and disposition and humour of the country ; the laws must give place to policy . always observe , that a paltry ordinary fellow in a great sedition is commonly the chief , and such an one is harder to be spoken or treated with , then any prince or general . in a civil war betwixt subjects of the same prince , misery follows the vanquished , cruelty and impiety , haunts the conquerors , ruin and destruction both the one and the other . that people can never be at ease , whose prince is indebted . let this be a lesson to the people to contain themselves within the bounds of their duty , for by engaging in the quarrels of the great ones , they are commonly plunged in the mire , while their leaders trample over them to security . nothing is impossible or unfasible , for an enslaved people to do against tyrants and usurpers . he that keeps himself strictly to the observation of the divine laws , cannot erre in the humane , and he that is a good servant of god , will never be an ill subject to his prince . such a prince , and such a people , i pray god for ever to maintain and continue in these nations . finis . christian counsel and advice unto the rulers and people of england even unto all such who have not yet sinned out their day of blessed visitation from god, which he in his infinite love and mercy hath held forth, and is holding forth unto the children of men, throughout all kingdoms of this world : with christian counsel and good advice, against that grievous crying sin, and most abominable transgression of persecuting men about religion for the answer of a good conscience towards god : presented unto all that bear rule in ecclesiastical affairs now in the church of england / by ... john higgins. higgins, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) christian counsel and advice unto the rulers and people of england even unto all such who have not yet sinned out their day of blessed visitation from god, which he in his infinite love and mercy hath held forth, and is holding forth unto the children of men, throughout all kingdoms of this world : with christian counsel and good advice, against that grievous crying sin, and most abominable transgression of persecuting men about religion for the answer of a good conscience towards god : presented unto all that bear rule in ecclesiastical affairs now in the church of england / by ... john higgins. higgins, john, - . [ ], p. s.n.], [s.l. : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christian counsel and advice unto the rulers and people of england ; even unto all such who have not yet sinned out their day of blessed visitation from god , which he in his infinite love and mercy hath held forth , and is holding forth unto the children of men , throughout all kingdoms of this world. with christian counsel , and good advice , against that grievous crying sin , and most abominable transgression of persecuting men about religion , for the answer of a good conscience towards god. presented unto all that bear rule in ecclesiastical affairs now in the church of england . by a servant of the lord ( whom he hath raised up among many brethren to make mention of his name in righteousness , and to hold forth the testimony of his everlasting gospel unto all nations , as the lord orders . ) john higgins . precept upon precept , line upon line , hath the lord in his infinite mercy sent unto you , oh ye rulers and people of england . printed in the year , . christian counsel and advice unto the rulers and people of england , &c. let a christian spirit of moderation appear among you all , oh ye rulers and people of england ; for not in our own name , but in the name and spirit of the lord god everlasting is my appearance unto you all at this time , that you may come certainly to be informed , and come to know and understand what the lord our god hath done , and what he is a doing in this the day of his blessed appearance and visitation , even with the tender of eternal salvation unto all the sons of men in general . be ye therefore moderate , oh ye wise men and flourishing in knowledge , that the nobility of your understandings may come to be opened , and ye come in the light of the lord jesus christ to see , and to behold this most excellent mystery of eternal salvation unto all your immortal souls , and also the blessedness , peace , and prosperity of you all ( as men ) throughout all the kingdoms of this world . and now in this the lord hath opened my heart , and i shal make mention of his name in righteousness , shewing unto all people of the large and universal love of god unto all the sons of men in general ; that as all have followed the first adam into sin and transgression against god their creator , and so are become degenerated into a strange spirit , and a contrary nature against god ; even so in like manner , christ jesus the son of god , the second adam , the lord from heaven , who is a quickening spirit , he is appeared , and is appearing to lead all his followers back again out of the sin , out of the transgression , and out of the state of degeneration , and to give unto every one a right spirit , and make them partakers of his heavenly divine nature ; and this is he whom the father hath freely tendered unto all the sons of men , and hath sent him a light into the world , that whosever believs in his name , and follows him ( who is the light , and the truth , and the way to the father ) shall not abide in darkness , and captive under sin and transgression , and in the state of degeneration ; but all that through faith and obedience comes to follow him who is the true light and power that proceeds from the father , he is unto them all the author of eternal salvation , and that through faith and obedience unto his spiritual rule and government , which is to be known in every one ; and thus he is become the captain of our salvation , our leader and commander , and by his spiritual rule and government in all them that believe , he eads them out of sin and transgression , and out of the state of degeneration , and so from under the wrath and condemnation , and brings into favor with god again . now then , unto his name and power and spirituall goverment must every soul be subject , and this is that which the lord god everlasting requires of every one , to be made conformable in faithful obedience unto the rule and goverment of christ's spirit , and light and life manifested in measure in every man ; for behold this is the day wherein he is , and is to be proclaimed lord of lords , and king of kings , and under his rule and goverment spiritually must all the kings and princes , and great potentates of the earth be made subject , and his kingdom shall be over all the kingdoms of this world , and he is come and coming to rule and to reign in his kingdom in truth and in righteousness , and he rules according to the good will and pleasure of the father in all things , even in all who are faithful and obedient to the rule and goverment of his righteous scepter ; so that by him kings must reign , and princes decree justice , and he is to be head & to have the preheminence in all things , and this is his priveledge , & perogative given unto him of the father , and he wil not give it unto another ; wherefore it was said in a certain place — bring those mine enemies that would not that i should reign over them , and slay them before me . and now ( certainly ) this is the day of god's controversie with his enemies , and the seed of the serpent , the power of darkness , who is called the divel , is to be cast out ; for in the night of darkness and day of apostasie he has been exalted , and has ruled in the hearts of all the children of disobedience , in all unrighteousness and sin against god ; and this is he who hath been the author of all mischiefs , wickedness , and abominations both in publique and in private , that hath been , and that is committed among all the sons of men ; for his rule and goverment in the hearts of the children in disobedience , has been continually in the enmity against god , and against all the real appearances of godliness ; and this is he who hath led all the sons of men into the errour from god , and hath exalted himself in the temple of god , and shewing himself as if he were god , by his rule and authority in the hearts of all the children of disobedience , who have been and are disobedient to christ the true light and power of god , who is the captain of eternal salvation unto all that obey & follow him in righteousness . and this is he who hath appeared to set up his kingdom in these latter daies in the hearts of the children of men , that from his throne righteousness , and truth , and equity may flourish and be advanced throughout all nations , and in all the kingdoms of men upon the face of the whole earth . now it is most certain , clear , and evident , how that the power & kingdom of darkness and antichrist hath been advanced among all the sons of men , and that the hearts of all the children of disobedience have been subjected to the power of darkness , the prince of the power of the air ; this needs no further proof then the sad and grievous abominations which have been , and are committed in this part of the world called christendom , which are the evident signes and tokens , that the power of darkness ( who is the devil ) rules in the hearts of all the children in disobedience , whose souls are not subject to the light and power of god ; and so it is he that hath been the author and original cause of all transgression and abominations , and blindness of heart that is among the sons of men , through subjecting the mind unto his power , who hath wholy corrupted man's ways before the lord ; and in this state man is holy dis-inabled to do any thing for his maker , untill his mind and his heart comes again to be turned from the darkness , and from the power of it unto the true light and power of the lord jesus christ , who is onely and alone ( through faith and obedience to his name and power ) sufficient for to ransom men from the bondage and servitude of the devill , the power of darkness ; and to give and to inable men with ability , power , and sufficiency to serve to worship the lord god acceptably . so now for this end is repentance preached unto all the sons of men , that their hearts may be turned and converted from the darkness , and from the power of it , unto the light and power of the lord jesus christ manifested in them , thereby to be led and ordered in their duty , and obedience , and worship towards the lord , and in love and unity and fellowship one towards another . and behold this is he that comes to work a reformation in the nations , and among the sons of men , through converting their hearts from the darkness and power of it , unto the power of god in the light , whereby men's hearts which have been clouded with darkness and ignorance , comes to be opened , and to be brought to an understanding in the light of the knowledge of god , and to be gathered into favor and communion with god , through the working and operation of the sanctifying spirit and life in christ jesus , who is the power of god unto salvation , unto all them that believe . and thus , and after this manner will the lord replenish nations ; even by the word of his power manifested in them , thereby to be converted and changed in heart , and mind , and soul unto god again , into his image in truth and righteousness and true holiness , without which none shal see the lord. now then , this is christian counsel and advice , and sound doctrine unto the rulers and people of these nations , and that which shal be answered by gods witness in all consciences , whether men wil hear or forbear ; all are called to repent of their disobedience against god in the measure of his spirit & power manifested in them which is the great and universal sin and transgression which men are guilty of , from the highest , to the lowest ▪ rich , and poor , bond , and free , professors , and prophane are found guilty of this sin of disobedience against the light and power of god made manifest in them oh! how have men ( in the darkness of ignorance ) sleighted , contemned , and blasphemed the worthy name of the lord by which we are called ; and so far have men been erred from the good order and goverment of the true light , and power of god , that it hath been even a derision in their hearts , and their tongues have uttered blasphemy against god , and them that dwell in heaven . wel , but surely it shall not always be thus , for the lord our god is daily making himself manifest in his light , and power , and glory , and wisdom among all them that believe ; and so at the brightness of his appearance shall the wicked be ashamed and confounded , and break their idols to peeces , and many shall come trembling with broken hearts before the lord , because of their disobedience to the true light and power of god manifested in them . and this is the humility that goes before the honour , even the humility of mans heart and soul unto the power of god in the light ; and this is that which shall be the glory of all scepters , & the beauty of all kingdoms , & the establishing of nations in universal peace , and men shall be abundantly blessed of god , and they shall be a blessing one unto another in the new and everlasting covenant of god , from generation to generation . oh ye rulers and people of england , that ye had an ear to hear , and heart to understand the blessed visitation of gods eternal love , and bowels of infinite mercy towards you all ; for behold , god hath sent salvation unto you , and among you ; & now every one that turns from his iniquity unto the lord , such , even such are received into favour with god , and their former sins and transgressions comes to be blottted out , and to be remembred no more . and this is the free love and infinite mercy of the lord our god , unto all the sons of men without exception , that all through faith and obedience unto god in christ , the light and the truth , might receive remission of sins , and a portion and inheritance among the saints in light ; and herein the lord god the creator of heaven and earth , who formed man for a purpose of his own glory , thus he comes to be glorified in the work of his own eternal power , and man comes here to be blessed with the inheritance of eternal life , both in this world , and in that which is to come . and this was even the intent and purpose of god in the first creation , who hath given unto man ( above all other creatures which the lord hath made ) a measure of his divine light and spirit , for to order man aright in all holy obedience unto his maker ; but this , even this spirit of light and life from god , the sons of men has even lost , and so has forgotten the lord , days without number ; and this spirit of god is grieved and daily oppressed , as a cart is pressed with sheavs ; and now this is man's degeneration , erring from the light and spirit of his maker , and so is become dead unto god in all his ways and courses : and here man having lost his guide , runs on in the darkness of ignorance into sin and trangression against his maker , and so posts on unto eternal perdition , and perishes worse then the beasts , without an understanding . and now , though sin hath thus abounded , yet behold the love of god in christ doth much more abound , who has given him for a covenant , and a light to the gentiles , and the glory of his people israel ; and him hath the lord appointed for a leader and commander unto all the children of men , for ▪ to lead them by his eternal light and spirit out of the fall , and out of the state of degeneration , and to be regenerated in truth and righteousness unto god again , wherein god is glorified , and man blessed with the light of god's countenance in the everlasting covenant of endless life , and blessings for ever and ever . and unto this state of heavenly blessedness , is the lord god freely inviting all the sons of men , that they may turn from the darkness unto the light , and from satan's power unto the power of god the creator of all , that man through faith and obedience may come to be blessed , with the blessing of eternal life . furthermore , the lord god of heaven and earth , for his glory and honours sake , doth now command and require all men , as well the king on the throne , as the lowest of men , to bow their hearts , and submit their souls in all holy obedience , and conformity unto the guidance , rule and government of the light and spirit of christ , that he may rule as king in the hearts of all the children of men , in all nations and countries upon the face of the whole earth , and his kingdom is to reach over all the kingdoms of this world . and now my friends and countrymen , both high and low , rich and poor , &c. this obedience and conformity unto the light and spirit of christ , doth the god of heaven command & require of us all , even from the highest to the lowest , upon pain and peril of eternal condemnation , and an utter separation from god , and all the saints in light. and these things ( oh ye rulers and people of england ) have deeply entered into the hearts of many thousands in this our native countrie , even in this kingdom , and in the ilands & dominions thereunto belonging ; and god hath given us an absolute command , and a perfest sence and feeling in our hearts of that which he requires of us all ; and so in obedience to his heavenly calling , many are they who love not their lives unto the death , that god may be glorified , and our souls rest in his heavenly blessings from hence forth , and for evermore . and now since the lord god hath thus called us to serve and to worship , and reverence his holy name , in faithful obedience unto christ the light and the truth , oh! how hath the seed of the serpent raged , and raised war against the lord , and against his annointed ; but the lord our god is with us , and his blessed presence dwells in us , and among us ; so that in the godly resolution of our soules we are purposed in the name , and power , and spirit of the lord jesus christ to go on and follow the lamb in righteousness wheresoever he goes ; and thus we are the lords , and at the disposings of his blessed spirit to serve , and to worship him , in all godly fear and reverence , even all the dayes of our appointed time . and behold , this is but our reasonable duty so to do , and as the lord our god hath engaged us through his infinite love & mercy , thus to walk in all holy duty and obedience unto him , even the same obligation comes upon all , as they wait for an understanding in the light of the lord jesus christ . but now this is that which grieves the spirit of the lord , and is the greatest of abominations , that when a man , or a people , doth not onely neglect their own duty and obedience unto god , but are also smiting & ready to devour the obedient children of the lord , who fears and reverences his holy name and power , and dare not sin against him . oh this grieves the spirit of the lord , and is that crying sin and grievous abomination which draws down wrath and vengeance from god upon the wicked , and world of ungodly , as it did in generations past , oh remember sodom , and what became of the inhabitants thereof , when they persecuted righteous lot. and this is of concernment for the king and rulers of this our nation , to consider and remember , least they also perish in gods wrath and indignation ; but for as much as god hath put it into their heads to do justice and to execute judgment in the earth , oh that they might serve god in their generation , and set a stop to the violence of the wicked , who are like unto the wild beasts , often ready to rent and devour the innocent and harmless people that feares the lord , and dares not sin against him , nor lift up a hand with carnall weapons for to defend themselves , but commits their innocent-cause singly and wholly unto him , who will certainly render recompence , and vengeance unto his enemies , either in this world , or in that which is to come ; oh sad to consider ! where shall the wicked and the ungodly appear , who do not onely neglect their own duty and obedience to god but are beating their fellow-servants , and smiting with the fist of wickedness , even those that fear god , and walk humbly before him ▪ and cannot run with the wicked into the abominable excess of riot . oh! consider these things ye that forget god and work wickedness , least he tear you to pieces , and there be none to deliver you ; for that for which you cause the ineocent to suffer buffetings , beatings , and persecution , with great , and grievous , and long imprisonments ; that for which you cause them thus to suffer , ought to be your own duty and obedience unto your creator , even to fear and to walk humbly with your god , and to wait upon him in his light , and counsell , and to hate and deny every false way of the wicked , and to be led , and ruled , & ordered by the light and spirit of christ ( the beloved of the father ) in all your waies and exercise ; th●● i say ought to be your obedience and practice also , who are causing the innocent , faithful , and obedient children of the lord to suffer for these things , even for their obedience and duty unto the name , and power , and spirit of our lord jesus christ . wel , now is the day of the patience and long suffering of the lord our god , not willing that any should perish in their sins , but that all might repent , & come to the knowledge of the truth , and be saved from the wrath which is to come . and now god in his infinite love and mercy hath lifted up a standard in the nations that all may flow unto him , and may be saved with an eternal salvation , which he hath prepared before the face of all people , and unto him must the gathering of all be , for all the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of the lord , in the new and everlasting covenant of god , where sin and transgression comes to be blotted out , and man renewed into the image of god again , where he shall give glory and honour unto him that is the ancient of days , whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom , and of his dominion there shall be no end. christian counsel , with good advice , against that grievous crying sin , and most abominable transgression of persecuting men about religion , for the answer of a good conscience towards god ▪ presented unto the view and consideration of the bishops and priests , and to all that bear rule in ecclesiastical affairs now in the church of england . hearken , and be moderate , oh ye bishops , and priests , and all that bear rule in eecclesiastical affaires , or spiritual matters about religion , and the worship of god. it is a christian spirit of moderation that would be a comely ornament for you all , that ye might shew forth christian moderation unto all men , not in shew onely , or in a feigned humility before men , for that is indeed hypocrisie ; but this we mean is the true christian moderation , and it is really so in gods account , for you all to be humble and low in heart before the lord , and to do unto all men as you would be done unto ; not to lay any yoakes , or bondage upon the consciences of any in matters of religion , or ecclesiastical affaires whatsoever ; for in so doing , this spirit of christian-moderation would indeed be a very comely ornament upon you , and would more beautifie , and advance you in the hearts of all true christian — people , then all your laws , and carnall commandements , and ungodly impositions , which many of you hitherto have defiled and polluted your selves withall ; and this is such a monsterous and filthy garment , not indeed fit for a bishop in the church of christ to be cloathed withall . now then , this is the thing that lyes chiefly in my heart towards you all , oh ye bishops and priests in england , &c. is it a light thing with you to curse them whom god hath blessed , and to shut out and excommunicate those whom the lord gathers into his favor , and into union , and communion with the saints in light ; behold this , and much more , hath been the practice of some of you ; and many of god's dear children and servants have been and are cast into prisons , dungeons , and holes ; and many suffer the spoiling of their goods and estates because they fear gods name , and cannot violate their consciences in bowing down to your inventions and carnal commandements , and abominable impositions , which we know in our hearts , and that by the spirit of the lord , that he does not require such things at our hands , which are imposed upon us , upon great pain and penalties , oh what renting , and tearing , and knocking down ( and casting into prisons , and holes ) has been of late in our christian-meetings in and about this city of london , when not a hand hath been lifted up on our part to defend our selves , being kept out of our own hired houses and meeting-places , and this we have taken patiently , some having been beaten and knocked down with clubs and staves ; and yet this has not been all , but men , of war hath been sent amongst us , with their swords drawn in the-hand ▪ and their guns charged against a harmless and peaceable people as aforesaid . and this cruel , violent dealing , has been to the great terror and astonishment of the people , who has been spectators , for to see quiet , peaceable , and honest people , so wickedly and maliciously disturbed and abused by armed men as aforesaid , who without haveing regard either to age or sex , have laid on with their naked swords , sometimes with the back and broad side , and sometimes with the edge , and divers has been wounded at horsly-down in southwark , and at bull and month , london ; and the souldiers maliciously , wickedly , and on purpose to disturb , discharged their muskets against a company of innocent and peaceable people ( men and women ) as if they had been charging an enemy in the field ; oh what sad , inhumane , wicked , and malicious disturbances are these ! i do now remember that once there wa● a law , ( an act of parliament ) against such who came into peaceable meetings , wickedly , maliciously , and on purpose to disturb , &c. but who knowes what is become of it now . wel , is this the way to settle religion , oh ye bishops and overseers of the church of england , and is this the means to bring into a vniformity in the worship of god , for to plant the gospel , and to convert soules to god! surely if this be so , then are ye become more wiser then paul and his companions in the gospel of peace , who said , the weapons of their warfare were not carnal , but spiritual , and mighty through god , &c. and this indeed is our beleef , that all true christian-ministers are yet of the same spirit and mind , and judgement , as paul and the primitive ministers of the gospel were in this , to wit , concerning propogating the gospel , not by carnal weapons , nay , nor according to the wisdom of this world , by carnal laws , and commandements of men , but by the spirit and power of the lord jesus christ . now then the contrary way and practice not running paralel with the saints of old , with the bishops and true christian ministers in the primitive time , i say not running paralel with their's , it 's to be judged , denyed , and condemned , as false and erroneous ; and runs paralel with cain , who slew his brother , and was the first persecutor about religion that ever we read off ▪ and so here all persecutors may read and understand their descent , and of what stock and linage they are , even all along from cain downward , unto this very day . and now , oh ye priests and bishops , &c. who are flourishing in the pomp and glory of this world , and think not upon the afflictions of the afflicted , but are rather adding tribulation unto the bonds of the righteous . well , god , even the living god , wil avenge the cause of his own elect ; and we are to suffer patiently , continuing in well doing , and he that shall come , will come , and wil not carry , onely in the mean time , in love unto all your immortal souls , we cannot but tel you of these things , that by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance , yet may escape the wrath which is to come , and to this faithful testimony gods witness in all consciences shall answer , whether men will hear or forbear . london the th month , . j. h. the end . patience and its perfect work under sudden & sore tryals goodwin, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) patience and its perfect work under sudden & sore tryals goodwin, thomas, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by s. simmons, for rob. duncomb, to be sold at his shop ..., london : . attributed by wing and nuc pre- imprints to thomas goodwin. errata: p. [ ] at end. imperfect: tightly bound and torn. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng patience. conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion patience and it s perfect work , under sudden & sore tryals . london , printed by s. simmons , for rob. duncomb , to be sold at his shop in duck-lane , . patience and its perfect work : meditated , and written that week the deplorable fire was at london , and upon that occasion , upon this scripture chap. . james a servant of god , and of the lord jesus christ , to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad , greeting . my brethren , count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations , knowing this , that the trying of your faith worketh patience . but let patience have he●… perfect work , that ye may b● perfect and entire , wanting n●thing . if any of you lack wisdom , 〈◊〉 him ask of god , that giveth all men liberally , and up●●●●… not : and it shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him . christian patience is m● subject : and the pe●fect work of patience 〈◊〉 . but as an introduct●on thereunto , i must first ope● some things of the words in 〈◊〉 , . § . as to the persons 〈◊〉 writes to , they were [ the twelve tribes scattered ] that had bee● and were bereft of their inheritance , in their native countrey and quitting that , had betak●● themselves to banishment ; mu●titudes of them , ( i doe not sa● all ) as appeares acts . . and at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at jerusalem , and they were [ all scattered ] abroad thorowout all the regions of judea & samaria , except the apostles . and acts 〈…〉 . we find them travell'd as far as phaenice , cyprus , antioch ; who went from thence afterwards into other countreys . the other apostle who wrote to the same persons comforts them with this : ( epistle . v. . ) that they were begotten again to a better inheritance , then that of canaan , which now they were deprived of . . i observe , that though these had been made , thus sufficiently destitute , and desolate already , and driven from house & home , to seek their livelyhoods , with their families , in forraign countreys , that yet still , great and pressing troubles and miseries did follow them , as one wave doth after another ; they were continually falling into divers and sundry tentations of all sorts . god tryes us every moment , as in job ; we are chastned every morning , and killed , ( that is , in danger of death ) all day long , as rom. . god had not yet done with these . . he utters the strongest paradox upon this occasion that ever was , or can be uttered . and begins with it v. . my brethren , count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations . thus bluntly and abruptly without any mollifying preface , or sweetning introduction ( unless that of [ my brethren ] ) to make way for it . the fore part [ count it all joy ] seems to carry a morall contradiction in the face of it unto the latter part [ when ye fall into divers tentations . ] and this latter seems to put an impossibility upon the former ; which is the duty exhorted unto . let us consider every word of each . § . . were it simply , that they are called upon to rejoyce : how uncouth is this to men in that posture and circumstance they are suppos'd fallen into ! well , but yet count it joy ( sayes he ) : not only moderate , keep in , and smother your contrary passions ; which was the highest lesson , that phylosophy , and the stoicks , the best of philosophers , had taught . but the gospel calls upon us therefore &c. or [ for ] and upon these [ tentations ] to rejoyce . [ count it joy ] that 's the first . . all joy . the highest joy : for so all joy must needs be supposed to be . . and this , not when they should see by experience , the glorious issue and event these tentations doe produce : but to account it all joy , afore hand ; as if they were possessed of what god promiseth shall be the assured and expected end ; and to be aforehand as sure of it , as if they had it already . . 't is not when they are assaulted with troubles , but when tentations are actually broken in upon them , and they lye under them . . nor yet , when they are led into them by steps ; or had met with them as in their way : but when they fall into them . 't is a downfall he speaks of , and that suddenly ; at once ; and utterly unexpected , by them . . not when you fall into one or two , but into many tentations : as elsewhere , the word [ divers ] here , is translated , pet. . . manifold : and many is imported in manifold . . and those not of one sort , or kinde , but [ divers ] and so of severall sorts , as in good name , reproach , revilements : divers also asto their bodyes , souls : their relations , and families , friends , wives , children : inward , outward man. . when you fall into them : as into a pit and snare , and so they falling round about you ; so as you have nothing to stand or leane upon , but all about you , falls with you , and under you , so as in all outward appearance , ye are sunk , and overwhelmed with the ruines . in this case to count. it all joy , to shout as men in harvest , or that have gotten great spoyles : when their miseries are so great , that they cannot be endured , that yet their joy must be so great , as more cannot be expressed . this is the hardest duty , that ever was required of the distressed hearts of men . and yet god would not require it , if it were not attainable ; and it is attainable by no other principles , but of christianity . and argues , that our christian religion ( which is the only true wisdom , v. . ) hath so spiritfull and soveraign a vertue in it , that it is able to raise spirits up , unto thus high and glorious a pitch , and perfection in this life . § . but they might say , you have propounded this hard and strange duty to us : what ground is there , that may rationally , and effectually perswade , and bring our hearts to it ? what considerations , that may procure us this joy ; and how may we be wrought up to it ? for god never gave any commandment , but there was a full and sufficient ground , and reason to enforce it . he gives them two grounds : one at the . and . v. knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience . but let patience have it's perfect work , that ye may be perfect and entire , wanting nothing . this is a ground , from what , in this life . the other is at the . v. blessed is the man that endureth tentation : for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life . this is the reward that follows in the life to come . in the hope , and expectation of which , you may count it all joy , that now you are tryed : for the end and issue of them is a crown of glory , which these doe work , as cor. . . for our light affliction , which is but for a moment , worketh for us , a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory . § . i begin with the first , what ground there is in this life , to cause us to rejoyce in such tentations . this , in the. . and . verses . [ knowing ] that is deeply considering and weighing this principle , of our christian profession , that the trying of your faith works patience . that 's one and the first . in which , the apostle tacitely supposeth this maxime , and builds upon the supposition of it ; it lyes at the bottom , and yet is enough implyed . it is this : that to have our graces , especially to have our faith and patience , tryed , and drawn forth and exercised in us , to the glory of god , is the greatest blessedness of a christian in this life . that this is the bottom ground , is evident : for why else should he propose and hold forth this , of all other , with a [ for ] or particle that gives the reason , of what he had now said ? that seeing their faith and other graces , as patience &c. would be tryed thereby , that therefore they should count it all joy . ( my brethren ) if we had eyes to see , & to consider it , we might know , that as to have grace that accompanies salvation , is the greatest mercy can befall any one in the world : so to have that grace tryed and exercised , and drawn forth to the utmost , is a thing of the greatest moment , the greatest spiritual priviledg that can come to us , after that we have that grace . and therefore when trials come , we are to think with our selves , now , will my graces be tryed ; now , is that befal'n me which will do it : this ought to be matter of the greatest joy to me . for from this ground , and reason it is , that the apostle bids them count it all joy . and hereupon it is , ( for no other doth he mention here ) this alone being the greatest advantage , that a christian is capable of , in this life : and in this life , only it is , that grace is exercised . and the reason of it lyes in this , that for grace to approve it self to god in a way of the greatest well-pleasing to him ; and so as to come to be approved of by god. and for a mans sincerity , to have gods approbation and testimonial , as to abraham , now i know thou fearest me ; this is the greatest priviledge , a saint can have : and this ought to be matter of the greatest comfort . and is our greatest glory , according unto that , cor. . . he that glorieth , let him glory in the lord , which he there speaks in reference unto what follows in v. . for not he that commendeth himself is approved , but whom the lord commendeth . both which the apostle spake , as that which he comforted himself , withall , yea and gloried in , even the lords approving of him . job also comforted himself with this : chap. . . when he hath tryed me i shall come forth as gold . the apostle saith , the tryal of your faith is more precious then gold : and he speaketh it of the very instrument , or meanes , by which , your graces are tryed ; the very chalcining pot , or the fire , whereby it is tryed ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his word is ) even that is more precious then gold . then much more the graces that are tryed . and therefore the apostle by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intends , and means , these very afflictions , and tentations , by which we are tryed : they are the refiners pot , and fire . you would rejoyce , if you had so much gold given you : then rejoyce , that you have so much affliction , to try your gold. that your graces are so highly valued by god , is the reason , why he tryes them ; he would not be at the pains and cost of it , else . and they being tryed , and holding to be right , and true gold indeed , they have thereupon his approbation upon that tryal ; and he sets his royal tower stamp , and mark upon them ; secretly in this life , and the same will openly appear , to all the world , at latter day , so in pet. chap. . , . wherein ye greatly rejoyce , though now for a season ( if need be ) ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations . that the tryal of your faith , being much more precious then of gold , that perisheth , though it be tryed with fire , might be found unto [ praise , and honour , and glory , ] at the appearing of jesus christ . it will be found unto praise , then : but it is unto praise , afore god , now , as much as it will be , then . he mentions faith [ for the tryal of your faith ] in the first and chief place , as that grace , which is the most tryed ; and as that , which being tryed , sets all the rest on work . ( i need not much insist on it ) it is faith , that shall be counted for honour and glory at that day , having been tryed . it is faith which bears , and by which we bear the stress of all tentations . it is faith , by which we overcome , john . this is the victory which we have over the world , v. . even our faith. who is he that overcomes the world ? he that believeth , &c. v. . § . a second and more particular principle , or maxim ( which concerns this life , and should cause us to rejoyce ) is , that faith , being tryed , works patience , and that if patience have its perfect work , it will make us perfect christians . [ but let patience have her perfect work , that 〈◊〉 may be perfect and entire wanting nothing . ] he enlargeth no further upo● faith. onely gives it , the honour , that it is the mother grace and of patience especially , whe● it self is tryed . but he ha● no sooner mentioned patience but he runs out upon that and falls upon the greate●● encomium , and praises of it ▪ let patience have its perfec● work , and it will make you perfect now there is no occasion , o● room nor work for patience , unless there be tentations . an● patience its work is but so far as the affliction proves to be . s● then , his second argument run upon this principle . that the ful● work of patience in our souls is of all other graces , the highest perfection of a christian : and therefore count it all joy to fall into tentations : for thereby you will have that grace , drawn forth to the fullest length , wound up to the highest peg ; which is not done , unless tentaons be answerable . and in all your tryals let it but have its swindge , its perfect work , and it will make your persons perfect , that is , as perfect , as in this life , you can be made . § . quest . but in what respect doth it make us perfect ? answ . not only in this sence ( for there is a double sence of that speech ) either , . as if when we had exercised all other graces , but yet have not had occasion for this one ; that when this shall be added , that then , they should be perfect christians . but this is not the meaning , for this may be said of any other grace : as if a man hath exercised all other graces , if he begins to exercise any one new grace , it may be said there is a perfection in this respect . as when he says to the corinthians , as you have abounded in every other grace , so abound in this also . but there is another sence , and that is his scope here , which is not to extol a perfection in common with other graces , but a singular perfection to be attributed to patience , that in this respect , it makes a man eminently perfect . for his scope is to comfort them against the greatest trials , and occurrences of their lives , [ tentations : ] and therefore a singular and special encomion is attributed herein , unto patience , which is the shield against them . my brethren , to give the full sence of this , i will make a supposition . suppose a christian to have had the priviledge , to have lived in the exercise of all graces , in a way of acting , or of an active life ; as to have lived in sweet communion with god , and to have walked in the light of gods countenance all the day : and withall to have had the opportunity of doing good , and accordingly to have done much good , in an active way : as having been abundant in good works , holy duties , praying , reading , holy conference , &c. but yet all this while with a freedom from suffering ; so as he hath not had the suffering part yet ; so as there hath been no need for , or use of patience : suppose another christian , who hath been obstructed , & hindred , and kept from such an active life of doing good , with that freedom spoken of , but the dispensation of god , hath disposed him to a suffering life , all his days , and confined him thereunto , and therein his patience hath been exercised under all sorts of tentations : and then withall suppose that patience , with all those gracious dispositions of heart that are proper to it , hath had its free and full passage , thorow his heart ( such as i shall hereafter describe ) hath had its operations , all sorts of ways , according as his afflictions have been . thi● alone would so draw out and exercise all graces , and head them that you would say , this man is perfect christian ; shall i say mor● perfect then the other ? at leas● the text says , that this makes him a perfect man. or again , if you will suppose one that hath been very active i● the foregone part of his life , and done god great service , with a● enlarged heart ; and that at last after he hath done the will o● god , further to crown all , god will exercise this mans patience with great sufferings ; and draweth it forth according to these his tryals , that man is perfect every way : and he lack't till then , that which is his greatest perfection : and he was not before , every way accomplish't . for proofe : that patience is the eminent perfection of a christian . § . itake the instance of our lord and saviour jesus christ . what was christs perfection ? he had been perfect in all active obedience , compleat in all graces , yet the glory of his perfection is put upon his sufferings and his patience , heb. . . for it became him for whom are all things , and by whom are all things , in bringing many sons unto glory , to make the captain of their salvation [ perfect through sufferings . ] this of patient enduring was , that , which enhaunsed and exalted his obedience so , phil. . he humbled himself and was obedient to death , &c. this of patient enduring was obedience learned , heb. . . though he was a son , yet he [ learned obedience ] by what he suffered . the active part of obedience was natural to him , he being as the natural son , the holy one of god : having the law of god in his heart , and it was his delight , his meat and drink to doe his will. that is , this was natural to him : but for him to suffer , who was the son , and so to be patient in suffering , who was so great a person , this was to be learned , as that which was improper for such a person , the son : and yet ( as i may say ) this perfected the natural accomplishments of him ; this was a lesson out of the rode , utterly uncouth , and extravagant ; he must goe to schoole therefore to learn this : for so that text implyes , this he was to learn , as that which would perfect him , above all . and so indeed to this purpose , it follows in the . ver . being made perfect , that is by what he suffered ( as in the verse afore , and chap. . he had also said . ) and as that which did perfect him , more then all his other obedience , and rendred him more acceptable to his father : now it was his patience , and enduring , wherein , that his obedience principally lay : which accordingly is so often spoken of him , as heb. . , . he endured the cross , and v. . he endured such contradictions of sinners , v. . the same word that here is used for patience : that the verb , this the nown . enduring is put to express patience : and is the word used up and down the new testament , and in this epistle most , to express patience by , as chap. . v. . chap. . v. , , . now christ did so endure . he was led as a sheep to the slaughter , he opened not his mouth . hogs cry , but sheep make no din , when led to the slaughter ; or when their throats are cut . and this was christs proper , and super perfection , who is therefore proposed as an example of suffering and patience , to us , and likewise of that glorious end and issue , of it , in these words of that chap. . . ye have heard of the patience of job . [ and you have seen the end of the lord ] namely of the lord christ . which many of these jews , he wrote to , had seen with their eyes ; or it was transacted in their times , and so in their view : they saw him suffer , and they see him crowned with glory and honour , heb. . that was the end of our lord , and his sufferings , which made him perfect . and as it was jesus christs perfection , so it was of the most eminent saints . look again into this epistle , chap. . v. . and you find the primitive principle that was in vogue to be , [ behold we count them happy which endure ] ( it is still the same word which is used for patience , as was said ) that is , we christians generally esteem them the happiest men in the world , that are most exercised with sufferings , and armed with patience to endure them . they are happy to a [ behold ! ] and so to a perfection , in our common esteem . behold wecovnt them happy . it was a common cryed up maxim , amongst them in those times , and the thing it self in greatest request . then . take the prophets for an example ( says he ) chap. . . he commends them also for their patience , as well as for their prophecies : and though he describes them by this character , and periphrasis , that have spoken in the name of the lord : yet that was but to set out and celebrate the example of their sufferings and patience , the more . he sets the crown upon the head of that grace : nor doth he mention any of the good they had done ▪ nothing of that , but their sufferings only . and then by name , he instanceth in job . god boasted of him to satan , for his former active life in holiness : but you have no mention of that by the apostle , nor in the new testament , but he cryes him up for his suffering , and his patience , only , as that which had endeared him to god , more then all the former part of his life . lastly , take the apostles : the apostle in the revel . puts it into his coat of armes , as a piece of his nobility , and a part of his herauldry . i john who am your brother and companion in tribulation , and in the kingdom [ and patience ] of jesus christ . now upon all these grounds , if you be true , and right christians , and know ( as the apostles word is ) how to put a due estimate upon what is your greatest interest and priviledg in this life , ( viz. the proof and tryal of your graces , and of this grace of patience above all , as the highest perfection of a christian ; yea of christ himself ; and which was the most eminent praise of prophets and apostles ) if you value your being rendred , most pleasing unto god , then count it all joy when you thus fall into tentations . for now you have god and christ , the great , the chief master orderer and designer of these consticts , setting his most gracious eye upon you , pleasing himself to behold how valiantly , wisely , and gallantly , you be have , and acquit your selves : he sits in heaven , as the great spectator of these justs and turnaments , which are to him as spectacles which are sports to us : to which the apostle alludes , cor . . for i think that god hath set forth vs the apostles last , 〈◊〉 it were appointed to death , fo● we are made a spectacle unto th● world , and to angles , and to men rejoyce therefore as good soldiers would , to enter into these lists , in the sight of their grea● general , and emperour , whom they have given themselves up to please . thus tim. . . 〈◊〉 man that warreth entanglet● himself with the affairs of thi● life , that he may [ please him , who hath chosen him : to be a soldier . ] therefore get your hearts free and loose from all those entanglements , that arise from adherency to the things of this world ; from inordinate passions ●hat cleave unto the things of this ●ife , which will hinder and wea●en you , as to a bearing●he ●he losses and crosses you meet with , in it : knowing also , that ●ou cannot please the captain of ●our salvation , nor approve your ●elves , more to him , then by a ●atient endurance , which is , in ●he words afore that passage , in ●hat place to timothy , exhorted ●o , v. . therefore endure hardness ●s a good soldier of christ . and ●n its coherence , this follows , [ it ●leaseth your general to see it . ] and in the . of col. he first , in the general , prayes , v. . that they might walk worthy of the lord ●nto all pleasing . which pleasing , as it consisteth in fruit fulness in good works , or the active life of a christian , [ being fruitful in every good work ] in the same verse : so , i● being strengthened with all might unto all patience , and long-suffering ; as that , which is the second , and chiefest , and most glorious part , that a christian is to perform , to consummate the other ; and which therefore requires a more glorious power to work it , then the former , the active part did , as verse shewes : strengthned with a might , [ according to his glorious power , ] unto all patience , and long-suffering . thus much for the opening o● the words , in order to that i am more setly to handle , which followeth . i i. section . i have three general heads to treat of . . what patience is . . how patience is wrought . . what it is for patience to have a perfect work. i. head . what the grace of patience is . § . take it at large , that is , in the full comprehension of it . it is a constant persisting , whether to doe the will of god without fainting , or to suffer the will of god with submission , and quietness , and cheerfulness , to the end of a mans dayes . and thus taken , it respects doing as well as suffering . the good ground is said to bring forth its fruit , all its fruit with patience , in the parable of the sower . it respects , § . first , doing the will of god rom. . . to them who by patient continuance [ in well doing ( the greek is the patience of good work ) seek for glory and honour , &c. and the reason , why patienc● is required to every good work is because there is a difficult● that accompanies every duty , and to the putting forth of every grace : that we need have patienc● to perform the duty constantly and to continue in the practice o● that grace : there is a difficulty not only from our own corruption , unto which the commands o● god are grievous ; but from th● circumstances of times , places , persons , we live in , and amongst , though they should not persecute . as not to run into the same excess of riot , to speak or doe what , we know , doth not please the company we are in : thus to be chast in sodom , was to lot a tryal : to condemn the world , by a different carriage ; as in being stricter then others on the lords day , or in family duties , &c. to cross the stream : to be singular , and the like . heb. . . lift up the hands which hang down , and the feeble knees : wherein i observe , that in doing good in any kind , we are not only lame creatures , and walk as those that halt , which breeds an aukerness , unto any duty : but further , we are apt by reason thereof to turn out of the way ( as there ) if rugged : the members we should walk withall are feeble : our hands we should act with , are hanging down : and so the performance hath a difficulty . to goe up the hill of good duties ( though private and personal ) without weariness , to keep strait paths , not to pick and choose our way , and not to baulk the way , or work , which god finds us to doe : especially not to faint , towards the end , when we come to the brow of the hill . these all have a wearisomness in them . now that which principally heartens and strengthens us to all this , is patience , as in v. . he had prefaced , let us run with patience the race that is set before us : we need patience , for every step of it , in doing as well as in suffering ; and in the verse immediately afore that exhortation now opened , ( 't is verse . ) the apostle puts and devolves an even and quiet walking , upon patience , obtained first by suffering , in these words . now no chastening , for the present seemeth to be joyous , but grievous : nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth [ the peaceable fruits of righteousness ] unto them which are exercised thereby . so as a quiet resolute and strong performance of all the duties of righteousness , is from patience , and is much the fruit of that patience we get by chastisements . the suffering life helps and contributes much to the active life : for as there is a patience required in doing gods will , so suffering his will fits the heart for it . but this of patience in well doing , is not in strict sence , that patience , which is here , in my ●ext , to be understood . patience is therefore , second●y , god●n ●n any kind . and this , doth patience eminently respect : and that is the renowned patience which we almost every where meet with , and which the text calls for ; such , as when sudden and unexpected tryals and tentations ( which they fall into ) fall out , as v. . and so is not meant of the difficulties , that accompany our ordinary constant way of personal walking , in performing the duties of our holy profession . § . object . but you will say , my sufferings are not for the gospel ( as theirs here intended were ▪ but they are meer providenti●● accidents , that have fallen upo● me , out of common providence , and but such as befa●● wicked men : they are not from outward persecution , for christ sake , or my profession , but from gods hand . answ . i shall answer this here , once for all . . the words of this ver● text , may somwhat relieve us hereion : for it is [ tentations ] at large , that are spoken of ; and tentations arising from sudden downfalls into miseries , and so of any kinde : he doth not altogether restrain it , to temptations by persecution : ( though they are mainly intended : ) but it may , and ought to be extended , to other providential occurrences : and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for patience , signifieth a remaining under any pressures unbroken , and whole ; be they of what kind soever . it respects indeed afflictions mainly , for the gospel , yet not exclusively , to afflictions in common . . in the prosecution of this argument , the apostle doth , manifestly , carry in his eye , other tentations , or sufferings , then from persecution , as appears from the examples he alledgeth , to press them , to this patience . for among others , and above all others , he brings the instance of job and his , by name only , as well as of the prophets in general , ( whom christ says , they persecuted . ) thus chap. . . ye have heard of the patience of job . his alledging the prophets , is but a general , v. . take the prophets ( not naming any ) for an example of suffering , and of patience . but that of job singularly , and by name : now surely he would not cite his most eminent example , to confirme his exhortation to this patience he intended , of one , whose case did not come within the compass , and dint of his exhortation . let us therefore have recourse to jobs case , and story . his losses were but providential from god. the sabeans , and chaldeans plundred him of his goods , and slew his servants . and the fire of god , ( or from god , ) is fallen from heaven , so his messengers tell him , chap. . v. . 't is true , 't was the devil out of spight , that moved them that did it : but they did it , not in a way of persecution , but as common enemies ; as when the clangs of one countrey break in upon another . but it was god , and the devil agreed it together : yea , and 't was god gave first occasion to the devil , to move him to have leave to doe it . so as that was not , for the gospels sake in way of persecution : nor did job at all know of that transaction between god and satan , not all that while his patience was in the exercise of it : but took all as the hand of god , though extraordinary . § . if you now ask a description of patience , as it thus respects suffering the will of god. we must give it , as it is in the word of god , in the height , for that is the rule it self that directs to it : and not lown it , to what is found in our hearts . and yet that which afterwards followes , and will confirm every tittle of it , is drawn mostly , from examples of the saints , either in the old or new testaments : which shew that it is attainable , though with allowance to defects , which accompany all graces in this life . it is a constant , thankfull , joyfull enduring , with perseverance to the end of a mans life , all the tryals that are grievous ; how great , how long , how hopeless soever as to coming out of them : mortifying and compescing the inordinacy of opposite passions , as fear , grief , care , anxiety , which will arise upon such afflictions : with submitting to gods will , for gods glory , and his good pleasure , sake : still blessing and sanctifying god , in all : waiting on god , and relieving ones self by faith , in what is to be had in god , and from god , in communion with him , and from his love , in this life : in expectation also of that glory , which is the reward , after this life ended . i might , in this place , confirm every word and tittle of this description : either , out of examples of holy men , or the rules which the word gives . but i omit the set collection of such proofs here : because that , scatteredly , up and down , in the particulars that follow , this will be found performed . ii. general head . how patience is wrought . § . brethren , while i shew you how patience is wrought , i do withall shew you the way and means to obtain it . for by th● same , it is wrought , by the sam● it is nourished , and maintained and i shall not goe out of th● text , for this . there are two principles here that work patience . the first i● faith , verse the d , knowin● this , that the trying of your [ fait● worketh ] patience . and becaus● in gal. . . it is said , fait● worketh by love : that is , fait● worketh by love whatever i● worketh : therefore we mus● find also , that love work● patience . and that you have in the . v. too , blessed is the man that [ endureth temptations ] for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life , which the lord hath promised to them [ that love him . ] why doth ●he put in [ to them that love him ] whilest he speaks of him that endureth tentations ? but because it is love inables a man to endure temptation . so that faith in the first place , and then faith working by love in the second place , works patience , or enduring . and the confirmations of these two , will give proofs to the ●atter parts of that description i gave of patience , to wit , those of the souls relieving it self by faith , by what is to be had in god , &c. § . first , how doth faith work patience ? answ . first , in the general , faith is the substance of things hoped for : and indeed of all things that are revealed in the word . that is , it makes them subsistent and real to a mans soul. faith does this , as the eleventh to the hebrews shews . and thereupon faith hath all the motives , and considerations , that the whole word affords , all which it brings in to the soul , and makes them subsistent to it , to support it in tryals . all is let in by faith : that is the tunnell that fills the vessell . and by thus bringing home to a mans soul , all the considerations the word affords , which may induce a man to patience , it works it . this is but general . § these considerations , in the word , are infinite . and i cannot ●tand to instance . i will only give what are most proper to faith. first of all , faith hath a pri●ative emptying work : it empties ●he soul , of all its own worth and ●ighteousness , and excellency in ●s own eyes ; and gives a ●hrough sight , unto the soul , of ●he sinfulness of sin , of its spiri●ual sins , and contrarieties of ●ll in its self , unto holiness●nd ●nd faith : and withall fully ●onvinceth it , of its just deserved●ess , to be utterly destroyed : and ●herefore much more of its due ●esert of all , or any afflictions , whatever ; they being any , or all●f ●f them far less then destruction it ●elf . and in the sight and sense of ●hese , faith lays the soul a poor ●mpty , naked wretched creature , in all spiritual respects both in the sight and presence o● god , and in its own eyes . and thi● helps greatly towards workin● patience . you shall observe● in that golden chain of grace● whereof each latter link depends upon the former , ma● . v. , , . how poverty of sp●rit is plac'd first , blessed are 〈◊〉 poor in spirit , that is , that 〈◊〉 emptyed of themselves , loo● upon themselves , as having n●thing , deserving nothing , able 〈◊〉 do nothing , spiritually . and th● true poverty of spirit , the● have from faith wrought : f●● blessedness is only pronounced 〈◊〉 them that believe , and of th● fruits of faith , in them ; accor●ing to that , rom. . , , ▪ then secondly follows , bless●● are they that mourn , namely , 〈◊〉 their sins ; that in the second pla●● ▪ and then thirdly , blessed are 〈◊〉 meek , that is , those who in th● sight of their poverty and sinfulness , lye at gods feet , so subdued and affected , as god may doe what he will to them , or with them . thus it is with them , when , they are thus emptied , which is when they have seen their sins , and deservedness to be destroyed , and are humbled for them , and mourn for them . these foregoing dispositions work meekness , submission to god : they have nothing to ●ay against whatever he shall doe ; but to justifie god in all , and to condemne themselves . and all these make them willing ●nd patient to take any thing well , at the hands of god. it is ●n excellent speech ( to our purpose ) of the church in that humbled frame of heart , you ●●nd her in , lam. . . where●ore doth a living man 〈…〉 , a man , for the 〈…〉 of his sin ? the church expresseth it as the mos● brutish improper incongruity , unbecoming a man , such as ther● could not be imagined a greater what ? for a man to complai● and think much at the punishment of his sins ; a man , to murmur ( as the word is ) against god a sinful man , against the ho● god , his righteous judg ! ( and 〈◊〉 is certain that thinking much the ground of all impatiency : an● on the contrary , a submiss temper of spirit unto god , is th● ground of all patience . ) but wh● doth she put in , besides , to co●vince such an one , of the foll● injustice , and iniquity of it , th●● he is a living man , why do● [ a living ] man complain art thou alive ? art a living 〈◊〉 still in this world ? then hast th●● little cause to complain , wha● ever thy misery be . whilst th● art alive , thou art not destroye● consider , how hell , and destr●ction is thy portion , and the due punishment of thy sins : and so thou hast infinitely less then thou deservest ; and therefore ●hou hast no reason to complain . the church , out of her own sense ●nd apprehension of this , had ●aid before , v. . it is of the ●ords mercies that [ we ] are not ●onsumed . she saith not , that our ●oods are not consumed , or that ●ur houses are not burnt ( for in●eed , that was the churches very ●●se when she spake this : jerusa●●m was burnt , their women ra●●shed , their goods plundred , 〈◊〉 bodies famished , as you ●ad in the same lamentations , most every where . ) but yet ●ere was a remnant of persons , 〈◊〉 were not consumed , and this 〈◊〉 she , is of the lords mercies , 〈◊〉 his tender mercies , out of his wels , as the word there is : and is being less then destruction being consumed , is her reason for that expostulation forementioned , v. . as also of that her so great submission , from that v. . unto the . verse . you find the very same to this , as a ground of patience , expressed els●where , after the captivity ended ezra . . thou our god has● punished us [ less then our iniquities deserve ] after all that is com● upon us for our evil deeds ( sa● they ) and for our great trespasses shall then a living man complai● for the punishment of his sin when it is so infinitely , far le●● then he deserves ? this consideration works patience , as it hat●… reason : if a man deserves to b●… hang'd , drawn and quartered and he is but burnt in the hand shall this man complain ? let th●● man down on his knees at th● bar , and thank the judge , o● prince , that he had not his du●… desert ; the gallows . and th● consideration of this is that also which makes a man accept the punishment of his iniquity , as you have it in levit. . . if ●e accept the punishment , &c. that is , if ye kiss the rod. and what makes a man come to accept the punishment of his iniquities ? oh the punishment of my iniquity , is infinitely far less then i deserve , for ( thinks he ) damnation is my portion . this is the first thing that works patience , the consideration of our own deservedness to be destroyed , and this is from the emptying work of faith. secondly , faith brings home to a mans soul the dominion of god , and the soveraignty of that dominion , over a mans soul and person , to doe what he will with them ; and that may very well hush and quiet a man. in the ninth of job . behold he taketh away ( destroyes city , a nation , suppose , as in the . chap. v. . he increaseth the nations and destroys them , enlargeth the nations and straitens them again ) and who can hinder him ? ( as in that chap. . ) and who will say unto him , what dost thou ? as it followes , if god will not withdraw his anger , the proud helper● stoop under him : or the helper● of strength ( as in the margin ) they bow under him . he took away your goods , and who could hinder him ? the fire burnt thi● city , notwithstanding all th● inhabitants that were interested and able to have quencht it ; ye● the strong helpers , stood helpless looking on , weeping , shakin● their heads , and crying alas , fo● why ! who could hinder him they all bowed under him . an● again , job . . surely it is mee● to be said unto god , i have bor● chastisement , i will not offend an● more . for as v. . should [ it ( the evil , or the good , he is pleased to bring on thee ) be according to thy minde ? ( hebr. should it be from with thee ) that is , from what is in , and with thee ? must he ask counsel first of thee , & know what thy mind is ? he will recompence it ( or dispence it as he pleaseth ) whether thou refuse , or whether thou choose , that is , whether thy mind be for , or against it : and not i. ( this , is the speech of elihu , in the person of god , and on his behalf ) that is , should'st thou dispose of all these things for me , [ and not i ] my self ? ( says god. ) this may , and must silence all , and every man , as well as it did job there : for it follows , therefore speak ( if thou hast any thing to say against this ) what thou knowest : as if he had said , this is not to be contradicted , but to be wholly submitted to . but my brethren , faith brings home to the heart , a message of an higher soveraignty , even of love from god born to you , and tels all you , that sincerely profess an interest in god , that god hath shewn his absolute dominion already , towards you , in saving your souls . ( it is an absolute dominion , that , as rom. . shews . ) and what else is the meaning of that speech , i will be merciful to whom i will be mercifull ? it is a speech of dominion . well : hath god shewed his dominion in saving thy soul with difference , hath he shewn it on this , the good side ? then truly thou maist very well give him leave to exercise his dominion over all else that thou hast ; thou maist very well be content , he shew his dominion upon thy lumber , and thy appurtenances . he might have shewn his dominion in destroying both your goods , and souls too , as he did the sodomites , when he burnt their city . but thirdly , faith brings home the love of god , the souls interest in god , with a communion and fellowship with god ; which may well serve to strengthen patience in the greatest distresses . this you see in david , at ziglag , when the city was burnt , ( i therefore instance in it ) and his goods all plun●red , and his wives carryed away : and david was greatly distressed , the people talking of stoning him : then , it is said , but david encouraged himself in the lord his god : his interest in him , and the coming in of his love , as being his god , did hearten and strenthen him against all , sam. . . likewise , in extreamity of famine , when there was not bread , nor oyle , nor wine , nor meat to eat , this wrought the like , hab. . , . although the fig-tree shall not blossom , neither shall fruit be in the vines , the labour of the olive shall fail , and the fields shall yield no meat , the stock shall be cut off from the fold , and there shall be no herd in the stall . here are all those things enumerated , as wanting , that are the means to support life and nature , ( and it is the want of food and raiment for you and yours , is that you fear in the loss of y●●r goods , and loss of your lively-hoods ) yet ( says he ) i will rejoyce in the lord , i will joy in the god of my salvation . a man hath all in god , afore him still . and faith brings home all in god , or carries the heart out unto god , to fetch in comfort from him , in these the greatest extreamities . there are two things there distinct . he first , says , he will rejoyce [ in the lord , ] even in what the lord is in himself : a god blessed for ever , amen! and , if god be happy and blessed for evermore , i cannot be miserable , says that soul , that can rejoyce in this , that however god enjoyes a perfect blessedness ; and i doe so rejoyce in that , that whilst god continues to be god , and these apprehensions and disposition of heart , doe but continue in me , i have enough . the second is , that he is my god , the god of my salvation ; so habbakuk , i will joy in the god of my salvation : and then to be sure , while he is happy , i shall be happy indeed ; the lord is my portion saith my soul , lam. . in the midst of those troubles . the lord help us to faith ! my brethren , the love of god brought in by faith , will help a man to bear up under any condition . you know that place , rom. . he had triumphed in the love of god , v. . if god be for us , who can be against us ? and v. . who shall separate us from the love of christ ? shall tribulation , or distress , or persecution , or famine , or nakedness , or sword ? mark his resolution , expressed thereupon , in v. . nay , in all these things we are more then conquerours [ through him that loved us . ] that speech , nay in all these things , &c. is a triumphant slighting of all he had reckoned up , and it was , all any way formidable , or that might be judg'd opposite to our comforts in this world . and yet speaks at that rate , as if faith on the love of god and christ , scorned such low , and weak , and poor adversaries , as not enough , or not of might enough for them to try their strength upon : and is , as if he had said , are these all , that come out against us , and threaten to hurt us ? but are these all , indeed ? nay , then says he , if these be all , we are safe enough , we are more then conquerours in all these : but how comes this to pass ? 't is added , through him that loved us . not only in that he loving us , joyns his strength to ours , to support us : but it is also meant objectivè , that the love of god and christ coming in fresh upon our hearts , the apprehension of that is sufficient ; and in that respect he says through him that loved us : 't is objective spoken , of christs love , as it is the object of our faith , and not only assistenter : we are more then conquerours , through his love taken in , by us , and shed abroad in our hearts ; and by reason that his love comes in , and supports us under all , and helps us to conquer all . as faith hath all in god to rejoyce in , and so helps the soul to patience : so especially it hath his love , in all sorts of distresses . fourthly , faith tells us that there will be a good issue of all , as to the other world ; yea and in this world also , in such things that relate to that world. luke . , . he had spoken afore in that chapter , of the greatest distresses that could befall men ( as , if you read the verses before , appeareth ) and also of such as should fall upon the people of god amongst them personally , as well as upon the nation of the jews in their finall desolation : and besides that common calamity which befell the people of god with the rest of that nation , he says , over and above , they shall first lay their hand on [ yov , ] v. . and persecute [ you , ] delivering you , up to the synagogues , and into prisons , and shall [ put some of you to death ; ] ( it is in all three evangelists . ) and in the . v. ye shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren , and kinsfolks and friends , and ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake . but says he , comfort your selves with what will certainly be the issue . v. . there shal not an hair of your head perish . how ? not an hair of your head perish ! what a strange saying is this ! when he had said just afore , they should be persecuted and put to death . how doth he say then , not an hair of your head shall perish ? why , because the issue shall be such as should make amends for every hair ; the soul shall say , i have not lost an hair : nay besides those of you , they cannot put to death , shall have an hundred fold , and that in this life , ( as elswhere ) in spiritual blessings . and faith eying these things , relieves the soul. observe but what follows there as to our purpose in hand ( for which i quote this place ) in v. . ( the very next v. ) in your patience possess your souls , the meaning from the coherence , is , you may well possess your souls in patience , for i have told you , the issue will be most blessed and glorious . fifthly , faith brings in heaven as the reward of patient enduring , thus in chap. first v. . of our apostle . blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; for when he is tryed , he shall receive the crown of life , which the lord hath promised to them that love him . and this is the conclusion of his persent discourse about patient enduring : [ when he is tryed ] that is , when his tryals are finisht and gone through with : and his faith hath all along , wrought patience in his course : t is persevering patience , or endurance receives this crown . other graces strive , but faith and patience , they are crowned . and further in proportion is holds , that as mans tryals and temptations have been , and his patience suitable , such shall the greatness of his reward be ; and accordingly measured forth unto him . and faith in the intuition of that glory heartens patience , rom. . faith having caused us first to rejoyce in the [ hope of the glory of god ] v. . causeth us also to glory in tribulations , v. . in the strength of our hope in that glory . which hope is said further to be encreased in us , through tribulations their working patience , v. . as thus , patience works experience , v. . that is , many a fresh experiment of our own graces , and gods dealings in those tryals : and those experiences do work up an hope or assurance of glory ( as i john . ● . ) to that degree of firmness , that maketh us not ashamed , not in respect only of the real disappointment of that glory , at death , but not in a mans own hope thereof , in his own heart , ( for in respect to that hope of his this is spoken ) because that over & above , and besides those foresaid experiments , the love of god is shed abroad in our hearts , by the holy ghost , himself immediately , who is given to us : which shedding , &c. of gods love , is no other then the earnest , and prelibation of that glory . and this is given as the reward of our patience and tribulations , which are but the loss of things earthly , in exchange for which we receive this hope and beginning of glory . if thou hadst had all the brass and pewter that was in thy house , and hath been melted by this fire , therewithall turn'd into gold ; & the stones that paved thy yards , or the bricks or lime that raised thy walls , all changed into precious stones ; thy glass windows , that were dissolved , converted into diamonds ; thou hadst little cause to complain at the loss . now read is . . , . o thou afflicted , tossed with tempest , and not comforted , behold , i will lay thy ●tones with fair colours , and lay by foundations with saphirs ; i ●ill make thy windows of agats , ●●d thy gates of carbuncles , and 〈◊〉 thy borders of pleasant stones . and if thou hast gotten any encrease of grace by these losses , then hath much of this in isaiah been truly and spiritually fulfilled in thee . and these repaires are in this life . but besides that , thou hast a building made without hands , eternal in the heavens , cor. . . which stands ready for thee . those believing hebrews , might well suffer the spoiling of their goods with joy , whilst they found sealed , and put into their hearts , bills of exchange to receive all again , in eternal treasures in heaven . but this was their very case , ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods , knowing in your selves , that ye have in heaven 〈◊〉 better and an enduring substance , heb. . . and this happy lot will come to be thine , if thou exercisest upon thy losses , faith and patience : it follows in that heb. . the following verses cast not away therefore your confidence , which hath great recompence of reward : for ye have need of patience , that after ye have done the will of god , ye migh● receive the promise . this fo● faith's working patience . ii. our love to god , works patience . § . love to god in us , works patience , or faith by love , a● i shewed out of v. . love to god makes us cleave to god , and so to follow him through all weathers and endurances . that great convert ( in whom at his conversion , faith and love were so abundant , as tim. . . ) his heart through love to the name of christ , caused him , in the highest passion , to utter , what mean you to weep and break my heart ? for i am not ready to be [ bovnd ] only , but also [ to dye ] at jerusalem , for the name of the lord jesus , acts . v. . it was love to that name that fired him ; yea his love was wrought up to such an intense degree , as he could have wisht to have been accurst from christ for gods glory , in the conversion of his brethren , rom. . i wonder how he would have done for patience under that curse , if in hell : but that love which wisht that curse , would have wrought it ; and so thought he , or he would never have wisht this . upon the like account of love to this name , those two apostles rejoyced to suffer shame for his name , as acts . . love makes the glorifying of god , and christ , and the will of god , which is alwayes for his glory , dearer then all things to us . yea , that god should have his will , for his own glory , ( if it be the will of god ) says the apostle , of our sufferings , abundantly stils the heart in all . t is true , i may be punish● in my afflictions for my sin , and i humble my self for that : but beyond that , it is the good pleasure of god so to have it , and i rejoyce in [ that ] says love , that his will is done . as truly that 't is done upon me , as that by me . and , good is the word of god , in both ; and hallowed be his name ▪ in that rom. . where ( as you heard ) we are more then conquerours in all these things , [ through him that loved us ] that love of his , to us , is alone indeed , openly or expresly mentitioned , yet withall it is our love to him , that , tacitly , is insinuated to be a concurrent cause therewith ; you must take that in , too : for the intent of those very words is , that the soul apprehending his love ( who is that lover ( as that word imports ) out of a reciprocated love to him again , doth hearten us in the conflict , unto this conquest . and yet there is one small word , put in , that further argues this , 't is in v. . [ for thy sake ] we are killed all the day long . our lives being in jeopardy every hour , and we are counted as sheep for the slaughter ; and this [ for thy sake ] you have in the . psal . and he quotes it out from thence , as it is written ( says he ) for thy sake , &c. now therefore it is evidently , the love that is in us , to him , and our cleaving to him therewith , that is there held forth , as that which makes us willing to suffer and endure ; in that it is for his sake . and although the apostle in his discourse runs upon the magnifying gods love , and christs love to us , as that , which ( apprehended and taken in by us ) doth principally work this effect : yet the psalmist on the other side , sets out the love of the church to god , as the concurrent cause , v. . all this is come upon us , yet have we not forgotten thee , neither have we deal● falsly in thy covenant . and v. , , , , . our heart is not turned back , neither hav● our steps declined from thy way ▪ though thou hast sore broken u● in the place of dragons , and covered us with the shadow of death ▪ if we have forgotten the name o● our god , or stretched out ou● hands to a strange god , shall no● god search this out ? for h● knoweth the secrets of the heart . yea [ for thy sake ] are we killed all the day long ; we are counted as sheep to the slaughter . if faith and love , once but says , it is for thy sake , oh god , why then says patience , i can bear it , yea rejoyce in it , for his sake that loved me . and look as the apostle says , he could do all things [ through christ ] that strengthened him , so love can doe all things [ for christ ] that loved him , and gave himself for him . and ( to conclude this ) if love to our brethren , which springs from love to god , works so great a patience towards them : as in that scripture , love suffereth long , and is kind , envieth not , rejoyceth not in evil : bears all things , hopes all things , endures all things , cor. chap. . all which is spoken of ( as in those words ) of our love to man : though it was our love to god , that is urged , and spoken of in all the words afore ; and is the spring of this our love to man. now if love ( i say ) unto man , works so much patience , in things , perhaps that are yet injurious to us , and not only burthensome , from them . and in a manner all those elogies of love there , doe run upon , and speaks patience ; that patience being the proper fruit of that love . what else doe suffering long , bearing , and enduring all things , with the rest , sound and signifie ? then much more ( i say ) will love unto god , ( the cause of this love to our brethren ) enable us to doe the like towards him , who can doe us no wrong , nor hurt , but is holy , & righteous in all his works ; and all whose wayes ( and goings forth to us ) are mercy , and truth : and for whose sake also it is , that we bear so with our brethren ; and who hath loved and given his son for us . it was a great speech of an holy soul , in an unkindly trial from man. that man should deal thus with me , i should have much adoe to bear it ( as david said ) but it is god , and i can take any thing well at his hands . and this for the second general head. iii. section . iii. general head . what is the perfect work of patience . § . in general , a thing then is perfect , when all the parts that belong to it are finished : as then , the creation of the world , is said to be perfect , when , as gen. . , . the heavens and the earth were finished , and the hosts of them : so , when all the whole of the work of patience , in its several parts , &c. is accomplished , then patience hath its perfect work . there are four branches of this head , that compleat it . . it s privative work . . it s positive acts. . it s positive fruits . . its adjuncts of perfection . all which go to make patience perfect : and the proofs thereof will confirm every tittle of the forepart , and body of that description i gave of patience , pag. . i. branch . it s privative work. § i begin with its privative work . and that lies in this : when faith by patience , doth mortifie turbulent passions that still arise , and are opposites thereto . and as love , when perfect , casts out fear , ( joh. . ) so then patience is perfect , when it expells those contrary passions : or else likewise , too intense thoughts , or porings upon our misery , and crosses ; so as our minds are chained and tyed to those objects , and taken off from all other . i take thoughts in , because christ says , luke . . why doe [ thoughts ] arise in your hearts ? why are you [ troubled ? ] for when troubles sink deep , they send thoughts up fast : as when weights are hung upon a clock , or jack : they make the wheeles run swiftly : and so inordinate affections cause an ●nordinacy of thoughts ; and a fixing our minds to one thing ; as upon what we have lost , or are ●ike to suffer . now perfect patience corrects and orders the ex●ravagancies of all these , reduceth a man to possess his own soul : as christs phrase is , in luke . . in your patience possess ye your souls , and thereby to dwell in ae mans self : whereas the violence of such affections , hurry us out of our selves ; and throw our soul out of doors ; that we are not within , or our selves . to instance in some particular passions . . inordinate grief . you know how jobs patience is cryed up ▪ and that by our apostle . fo● when he suffered the loss of all both his children and estate , &c yet he expressed no grief , n● trouble at all , that we read of upon the hearsay and tiding thereof ; and sure if there had been any , upon those occasions the story would have told it , as 〈◊〉 doth his other impatiences ( whic● were upon other and highe● pressures of another kind ) after wards : but all you read of hi● upon occasion of those outwar● losses in chap. . is all meer patience , and submission to god. th● lord ( says he ) gave , and the lor● hath taken away , and 't is th● lord who hath done both , an blessed be the name of the lord , for both . and in all this charged not god foolishly , says the last verse . . envy and passionate anger : . envy , which is apt to rise , when others have no such afflictions , or losses . as that such and such an one , and of my rank , should escape with his goods , &c. when the loss falls heavy on me , saith the sad heart : this secretly regreets . good people are greatly apt to this . the spirit that is in [ vs ] ( in us saints ) lusteth to envy . but god , in the end , gives more grace , that is , when men are humbled ( as there , t is said ) and broken ; which is usually , when they have been exercised with great sufferings . the different condition of the holy apostles , and some other christians , in those primitive times , gives demonstration of such a patience in this case . there were no men so eminent for sufferings and patience , next the lord christ , as the apostles were , who yet viewing other christians , ( as take the corinthians , cor . , . ) how they were full , &c. now ye are full , now ye are rich , ye have reigned as king● without us . it was a cit● very rich , and the christian● in it , had a fulness of outward things , when he wrote this they were full and rich : bu● as for us , ( says he ) god hath 〈◊〉 forth us apostles last , as it wer● appointed to death , &c. ye are honourable , but we are despised ; 〈◊〉 both hunger and thirst , and ar● naked , and are buffited , and hav● no certain dwelling place , and labour working with our hands : being reviled , we bless : being persecuted , we suffer it : being defame● we intr●at : we are made as th● filth of the world , and are the off-scouring of all things unto thi● day . and yet he did not at all envy this their fulness in the least ; no , he wisheth them all true prosperity , would to god ye did reign , v. . that is , in true and spiritual respects ; he wisheth them all good rather , in all inward enjoyments , of god and christ , together with their outward riches , &c. now what was it , that had so much rooted up envy , &c. in him , and the other his fellow apostles ? it was his sufferings , and wants , and their being made spectacles to angels and men ( as there ) : this had wrought his , and their spirits to this . in the old testament , joshua , though he proved a man of a choice spirit , yet when he was young in years , and but a young beginner in grace , envy rose up in him , for his good master , moses sake . eldad and medad prophesie , ( says he ) num. . . but moses said to him , enviest thou for my sake ? and so reproved him ; and thereupon expresseth his own heart , thus ▪ would god , that all the lords people were prophets ; and that the lord would put his spirit upon them . now whence arose thi● blessed disposition of heart , thu● free from envy in him ? in the very next chapter you meet with another instance , which give● a true account both of his not envying others , as also in bearing the envy of others against himself sharpned with the highes● provocations unto anger , ( which was the second . ) it being as unkindly , as unreasonable . 't was the envy of his own , only brother and sister , for this , that god had chosen him to utter his mind by , unto his people , and reveal himself , so as never to any man , ( as gods testimony of him is in that . chap. ) whereupon they had said , v. . hath the lord indeed spoken only , by moses ? hath he not spoken by us ? thereupon follows the account , or bottom disposition , of spirit , which made him bear both this and the former , v. . now the man moses was very meek , above all the men which were upon the face of the earth . and so good man , he would himself have passed this ●y , and have taken no notice at ●ll of this affront : but that god ( 't is there said ) heard it , as noting ●hat he would not put it up so , for moses sake . now what was ●t , had tamed , and made moses●hus ●hus meek and calm , and passive ? certainly his great afflictions . and his faith , having been exercised thereby had wrought pati●nce in him . heb. . by faith , ( v. ) . he chose ( v. . ) rather ●o suffer afflictions , &c. and accordingly had lived forty years , ● mean shepheard , a servile life , ●n exile , a banished man , from pharaohs court-honors , and pleasures of it , as an underling , i● hardship and durance . and i● was a sudden tryal , for he fle● for his life at an hours warning as well as a sore and long trya● of forty years ; and these sufferings ( as great as any mans in tha● age ) made him meek [ ver● mee● ] , which word the dutc● annotators render , [ patient . the hebrew word hath affini●● with afflictions ( saith ainswort● which had taught him patienc● as sufferings did christ , who●● type he was . these had subdue● anger and envy in him , unto th●● so high a degree : and patienc● had its perfect work . for , otherwise we find he could be angr● at times , exod. . . and . and . . lev. . . nu● . . and . . and chap● . , . as ainsworth hath collected them . jesus christ hath taught us lesson , against this envy , mat. . . shall i not doe what i will with mine own ? are not all things mine ? and wilt thou envy that i have taken them from thee , and not done so , from another ? shall thine eye be evil because i am good ? shall a man be sick , that another is in health ? . inordinate fears . when too much trouble comes upon us , we use to fear too much , at the present : and are apt to project a thousand things for the future ; as that poverty and beggary will follow : many such fears lay hold upon us , because we see gods anger hath begun , and we know not the worst , nor when or where●twill ●twill end . but saith christ , rev. . . [ fear ] none of those [ things ] that thou shalt [ suffer . ] be thou [ faithful ] unto death , and i will give thee a crown of life . faith and faithfulness unto god , or constancy in enduring unto death , he here opposeth to fear : and faith works patience , and patience eats out fear . fortitude and courage differs from patience in this : that a stout courage in a man of a great spirit , will indeed overcome fear , i● so be he sees any hope of evading : and so will rouse a mans spirit up to resistance , and defence . but patience , though it sees no hope ▪ as to this life , yea nothing but present death afore it , it will yet strengthen the heart to bear it and make a man [ faithful unt● death ] and constant , without prevailing fears , even unto death . . murmuring against god● patience workes out that . as i● job : the devil projected hi● blaspheming : he will blasphem● thee to thy face : he made sure account of it ; and would needs turn prophet , and prophesie what job would doe , and that before god. but the devil was befool'd , and proved a lying prophet : job instead of blaspheming god , he blesseth god [ in all this job charged not god foolishly . ] i may say of it as in the revelation , twice , 't is said of the saints , here was the patience of job . and it was that patient frame of spirit , that god had wrought in him , which the scripture so extolls , that enabled him hereunto . . faith by patience mortifies inordinate cares . against the times of those great distresses , that were to come upon the jewish nation , and among them , upon the christian jews in that nation , afore the destruction of jerusalem , ( which would try every vein in their hearts ) christ gives two special exhortations , besides divers others , luke . the first , in yovr patience ( that is , that patience , which is truly christian , and properly yours ) possess your own souls , v. . the second , take heed to your selves , least at any time your hearts be overcharged with [ the cares of this life , ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cares do ( as the word imports ) distract the soul , scatter it into wilde thoughts and wandring anxieties : but patience ( which christ first exhorts to ) calls all in , and orders all to keep home , and not stir out of doors , abroad ; composeth all so , as a man possèsseth his own soul. in phil. , , . be careful for nothing , but in every thing by prayer and supplication , with thanksgiving , let your requests be made known unto god : and the peace of god , &c. i instance likewise for this , in the difference of the two grounds in the par●ble of the sower , luke , . of the thorny ground , 't is said , that the word was choaked by the cares of the world . but of the good ground oppositely , that it brings forth fruit with patience . patience is contrary unto cares , as well as unto vnquietness , or to other inordinate affections . this for patience , its privative work. ii. branch of the iii. head . i come secondly to positive acts , and workings of patience , which are many . to begin with the lowest , and so rise to the higher . § . . patience includes , and comprehends an act of [ waiting ] upon god , and his good pleasure . waiting is an act of faith continued , or lengthened out : and where faith would of it self be short-winded , patience eeks it out . the daughter helps the mother , with an expectation of anhappy issue . . jam. you find waiting involved in patience as an eminent act thereof , v. . be [ patient ] therefore , brethren , unto the coming of the lord : behold the husbandman [ waiteth ] for the precious fruit of the earth , and hath long [ patience ] for it , until he receive the early , and latter rain . look how and in what manner the husbandman waits , so he sets out , and exhorts a christian patient man should doe . mic. . . therefore i will look unto the lord , [ i will wait ] for the god of my salvation , my god will hear me , &c. vntil he plead my cause , and execute judgement for me , &c. v. . . it is a waiting with quietness . and that 's patience work too . patience is not an enduring simply by force , ( which we call patience per force ) but with quietness . in the third of lament . the church , in her doleful condition , expresseth the actings , and workings of her own soul : although she speaks in the third person , ( which is usual in the scripture ) yet means her self , v. . it is good that a man should bothhope and quietly wait for the salvation of the lord. this was uttered when she was under the yoak , and so was a fruit of patience , v. . it is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth . it is the nature of faith to quiet the heart in god , isaiah . . thou wilt keep him [ in perfect peace , ] whose mind is stayed on thee : because he [ trusteth in thee . ] and chap. . . in quietness and [ confidence ] shall be your [ strength . ] and when faith hath wrought patience , it quiets the heart much more . patience speaks quietness in the very sound of it . and the reason is , because it hath a strength accompanies it , col. . [ strengthened ] with all might unto [ all patience ] and long-suffering . and thence so far forth as faith and patience doe strengthen the heart , so far we are able to bear , and that with quietness . let not your hearts be troubled , saith christ , john . why ? you believe in god , believe also in me , faith on them will cause trouble to fly away . which is a great part of christs meaning , when he says , in patience possess your souls , that 〈◊〉 dwell quietly in your own spirits , as a man doth in his house , which our law tearms his castle . . patience carries on the heart without fain●ing or discouragement . isaiah . . the meekness and patience of christ is there first set forth , v. . he shall not cry , nor list up his voyce to be heard in the streets . th●n follows v. . he shall not fail , nor be discouraged [ not be broken ] ( as the hebrew is ) that is , in spirit , so as to cease from what god had given him to do , or suffer ; he should goe on with his work , till he had perfected it . . patience in all sufferings , submits to god , and the will of god. the apostle sedulously puts in [ if it be the will of god ] when he had occasion to mention their sufferings ; and he doth it twice , pet. . . if it be the will of god that ye suffer . and chap. . v. last , wherefore let him that suffers according to the will of god , &c. and in chap. . . [ if need be ] that is , if god see it requisite , to bring them on you : and the apostle would needs bring these clauses in , though by way of parenthesis ; so in two of these places mentioned . the stronger the sufferings are , the stronger is the will of god in bringing those sufferings . and it is patience in the soul , that works the heart to submission to that will , psal . . v. . i was dumb , i opened not my mouth ; [ becavse thov didst it . ] then , when he confest his sin of bathsheba , and murdering vriah , he considered not the wrong done them , in comparison of that he had done against god ; therein : against thee , against thee only have i sinned , and done this evil in thy sight . and now , when a retaliation for that sin , in the rebellion of his own son absolon , came upon him , and shimei had likewise bitterly cursed and reviled him ( which some latter expositors have deemed to have been the occasions of that psalm . ) * he in like manner , in this his punishment , layeth aside the consideration of all instruments , that had brought those evils on him , ( whoever they were , whether it were these or some other ) and looks only unto god , and submits , [ because thou hast done it . ] and though he confesseth , that he was in a fume at first , notwithstanding his fixed resolution to have been dumb as for speaking any thing that should savour of murmuring , afore men : yet his flesh and corruption boyled within him , ( as that useth to rise and work in us first ) so v. . . i was dumb with silence , i held my peace , even from good : and my sorrow was stirred , or my distemper wrought the more , my heart was hot within me ; whilst i was musing , the fire burned . then spake i with my tongue : and what he spake , savors of a man weary of life it self : for he would needs know of god when his life should be at end , thus v. . so impatient was he : yea , but then when his grace came more deeply and throughly to be stirred , and patience to have in perfect work ; he then considers gods hand alone in it ; how that it was he , had stirred up the spirits of these wicked one● against him ; and found tha● himself had to doe with go● alone : and then , he was 〈◊〉 and silent indeed , to purpose . an● truly his heart at that time ( 〈◊〉 the occasion were , that of shime● and absalom ) had been wrough● up into as blessed a frame of submission to god , as ever afore , 〈◊〉 after , in all his life time , as hi● words ( in that chapter afore mentioned ) doe declare , sam● . , . and david said , if shall find favour in the eyes o● the lord , he will bring me agai● and shew me both it , ( viz. th● ark ) and his habitation : bvt if he thvs say , i have no delight in thee : [ behold here i am , let him doe to me , as seemeth good vnto him . ] he herein perfectly gives up himself to gods good pleasure . and it is as if he had said ; if it be good in his eyes so to deal , it shall be so in mine ; i wholly give my self up unto whatever his design is upon me : yea , he casts away himself into the supposition of gods having no delight in him ; which is the most afflicting supposition , a godly man can make to himself , of all other : so perfectly did his will apply it self to god his will. he had professed his waiting on god just before in that psalm ; now lord , what doe i wait for ? my hope is in thee . and now he adds [ i am ] dumb , so for the present , and [ i will be dumb ] so for the future : i will never open my mouth about it . piscator and the dutch annotator read it thus , in both tenses . . patience makes a man not dumb only , or not to open his mouth through submission : but it makes him put his mouth in 〈◊〉 dust : whereby a deeper humiliation and submission is yet expressed . 't is a farther humiliation to lye at gods feet , with hi● face on the dust , which is as low , 〈◊〉 the person can goe : that if go● will tread and trample upo● him , there he is ; and in the posture , presents , and declare himself ready for that , or an● dispensation from god. lam. 〈◊〉 the church did not only wai● v. . and wait quietly , v. and then sit down , and keep 〈◊〉 lence , v. . but did put 〈◊〉 mouth in the dust , v. . but you will say , all this 〈◊〉 done , when the soul 〈◊〉 hope , as appears in those words , in that . of lam. v. . it is good that a man should hope and wait quietly , and v. . he puts his mouth in the dust , if so be , there may be hope . and indeed david in the . psal . and likewise in those places cited of him , out of samuel , he had hope concerning that particular thing he yet submitted unto god in , as at the seventh verse of that psalm appears . and now lord what doe wait for ? [ my hope is in thee . ] and then mentions the deliverance where in his hope lay , in v. , , . and thus when shimei curst him , his soul in like manner did gather up hope the more upon it , that god would bless him , sam. . . it may be the lord will look on mine affliction , and that the lord will requite me good for his cursing this day . but yet i confess his hope here , and the churches afore , did each rise up but to an [ it may be . ] . but gospel patience ( sixthly ) will work an effect , when there is no hope , as to the things and concernments of this life . david and the church said , if there may be hope ; but patience will say , if there be no hope , that is in this life that ever i should come out of this trouble , ( i differenced patien●● from christian fortitude afore , by this . ) the apostles did put primitive christians over to the day of the restitution of 〈◊〉 things , and the refreshing , that should be then . thus jam. . ▪ . be patient therefore , brethren , [ vnto the coming of the lord . ] behold the husbandma● waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth , and hath long patience for it , till he receive the early and latter rain . beye also patient , stablish your hearts , fo● the coming of the lor● draweth nigh. as if he had said ; as for your pressures , i can give you no hope of release out of them , during this life : but let your hearts , fixedly make account of no other outward refreshment , but that which shall be then , by the coming of christ , which will be spiritual . and his similitude of the husbandmans waiting for the harvest declares thus much , v. . behold , the husbandman waits for the precious fruits of the earth , &c. poorman , he doth not reap this precious fruit of the earth , until the harvest . he parts with precious seed : and as unto him , it is until the harvest time , as good as lost . the psalmist hath the same comparison , they sow precious seed , and they goe weeping ( as loth to part with it ) but shall return rejoycing , bringing their sheafs with them . brethren , there is an har●est a coming , and joy sown for the upright in heart , against that time . it is now but sown , but must come up one day . but although the husbandman in all appearance looks upon all , as lost , until the harvest : yet however he hath afore then , in the mean while , the early and the latter rain : and they give hope of an harvest , whilst he sees , and finds god blessing , and following his corn , with rain upon his ground . this as to the husbandmans hope ( which is the apostles similitude . ) and as to the christians hope , i understand by the early and latter rain , according to the course of the similitude , to be signified , those illapses from heaven , those refreshing bedewments , which the holy ghost vouchfafeth , all along to such an expectants soul , as earnests of heaven , and pledges of gods certain intending to give him his expected harvest , accord ing to the proportion of his patience and waiting : but still all these hopes wholly respect that other life : but as to this life , the apostle gives no other hopes for them . nor no more doth the apostle to the hebrews , chap. . . whilst he thus speaks , ye have need of patience ( even to the end of your lives . ) for it follows , that after you have done the will of god , you may inherit the promises : still you will need patience , to your very last . we use to speak the same , to a man , whose case is remediless , y 'ad need of patience ; for your condition is not like to be bettered . these had suffered the spoiling of their goods already , v. . and had endured a great sight of afflictions ( as there . ) well , but the storm is not yet over : you have need of patience still , you are like never like to have your goods and estates again , and i can give you ( says he ) no other hope but that you would patiently wait for the restitution of all things , which is to be at the day of judgment , for so it follows v. . for yet a little while , and he that shall come , will come , and will not tarry . and therefore cast not away your confidence , which hath great recompence of reward , verse . so that , all the hope in this life is , that the time will not be long . § . a seventh act , or work of patience is , it causeth the soul to sanctifie god in a mans heart , all sorts of ways . i shall still instance ( as i have done ) more specially in job's carriage , whose patience is so cryed up , by our apostle : when his outward losses of children , &c. had their full accomplishment , and the sad tidings thereof had filled his eares , and heart , ( chap. . ) by messenger after messenger , till he had no more to lose , the text tells us , v. . he fell down on the ground , and worshipped . he had been frequent in worshipping afore , and that upon occasion of his children , that they might not sin , so you read v. . but all those , his foregone worship , sacrifices , and prayers , could not prevaile with god , to preserve them , nor his goods neither . but now when they are all gone , the first thing he does , is , he falls down and worships . quest . what may that contain in it ? answ . i shall limit my self unto what his speech thereupon doth utter : and the posture of his worshipping doth signifie : both plainly shewing , what was in his heart , that moved him so to doe ; and moved within him , in the doing it . . he adores god in his soveraignty , both in his falling down , as also in those words , the lord hath given , and the lord hath taken . he is lord ( says he ) the lord of all : all was his own ; and shall he not doe what he will with his own ? as mat. . i am the clay , he is the potter : he is the lord of me , and all . job had prayed for his sons ( as we did for the city ) so far as he had then in his view , what might then concern them : but for all his good prayers for them , god took them away , by a violent death ; and herein god seemeth angry with his prayers ( as with ours for the city ) yet job begins to worship him afresh , and adores him after all : and 't was the first thing he applyed himself unto . ( faith and patience , will cause the heart to apply it self to god in all sorts of dealings , and will vent and utter gracious dispositions , some way or other . ) and to adore god ( which was most suitable to this condition he was in ) is an higher act then to pray , simply considered , though it be done , mostly in prayer . and as thus at first , so he retained this practise and principle , all along , although he did grow very unquiet , when his sins , and gods wrath came in upon him . yet however impatient he otherwise were , he still afterwards continued in this manner to adore , and fall down afore god at times . thus in chap. . , . you shall see how this poor man falls down before god , and submits to him . he first professeth his integrity , at v. . and his faith , as to the issue of his tryals , that all would be for good . he knoweth the way that i take : when he hath tryed me , i shall come forth as gold. my foot hath held his steps , &c. as if he had said : but yet for all my holy walking with him , his resolution and design upon me , thus to tri● me , went on : and all my prayers aforehand could not turn him therefrom , as follows v. , . but he is of one mind , and who can turn him ? and what his soul desireth even that he doth , for he performeth the thing that is appointed for me : ( what is my lot from him , ( as this was ) i must take it , and submit to it : and many such things are with him : many such strange and wonderful unusual dealings are with him , and we must magnifie him in all . it is gods soveraignty , you see , which he here adores and falls down afore . and this passage you may set upon the score of those eminent speeches , wherein he expressed his patience , which the scripture commends it for ; and in the issue of his worst fits , we find him still adoring , and submitting to god. § . secondly , he humbles himself to the dust [ falls down to the ground . ] first , as himself was a creature , poor and emptied of all . alas ! what am i ( says he ) or what have i to challenge , or assume to my self as mine ? what have i , or am i , that i have not received ? a poor naked thing , i came into the world at first ; and but as poor and naked am i now , when bereft of all my goods ; and as naked i must return : i had nothing at first , and i have but nothing now , and i shall carry nothing with me into the other world. thus spake he. when jacob was in hazzard of , and thought he should lose his goods , and children , and all , ( as job here , actually lost both , ) see how aforehand he humbles and debaseth himself , ( as you read gen. . ) and how greatly , before the lord , i am less then the least of thy mercies : i am not worthy of a bit of bread , and thou gavest me all i have . and what was i once ? he considers ( as job ) his original condition , both as to matter of estate , and children . i came over jordan but with this staff . i had no more ( says he ) and now i have two bands , both of cattell and children : and if god take all , i am but where i was , and where he once found me . and truly jacob his best policy , and design was to have compounded the matter , and if he could but save half of either , v. . if he might have half his estate , and half his children , he should have been , considering the hazzard of all , somthing well appeased : but now he puts in with god for the whole . his thus humbling of himself was afore he had lost any thing , to the end to preserve it ; and jobs was when he had lost all , but both express the same humility . and as you find him here humbled , as a poor creature , ( as poor as ever any was ) so elsewhere as deeply broken for his being a sinner , and professing himself to be as naked and empty in respect of any righteousness of his own , or of any thing he had to stand upon in the sight of god. the great apostle doth not more divest himself thereof , in ph. . then holy job doth in chap. . . i know it is so of a truth : but how should man be just with god ? if he will contend with him , he cannot answer him one of a thovsand . and yet more deeply and expresly , v. , . if i jvstifie my self , mine own mouth ( i sinning in all my speeches , and even in this now whilst i speak it ) shall condemn me : if i say i am perfect , it shall also prove me perverse . his meaning is , had i never so perfect an inherent holiness , yet if i come afore god , to be justified , i know not mine own soul , as he there adds ; that is , i look at nothing in my own soul , i utterly renounce all in it ; yea , i would despise my life , that is , all that holiness i have in the course of my life exercised , and had in me , i dispise it , i count it dross and dung . though as for an integrity , in point of sanctification , he stood upon his points with god himself . we find other saints in their distresses to have been patient in the sense of their sins . i might instance in david , how he humbled himself in that great distress which we spake of , and which silenc'd him so , as you heard in that forecited . psalm . deliver me from all my transgressions ( saith he ) verse . the remembrance of those struck him dumb afore god ; for that speech immediately follows , v. . so the church , micah . i will bear the indignation of the lord , for i have sinned against him . a third act comprehended in jobs worshipping god , is his blessing god , as his words therewith also uttered shew : which blessed frame and disposition of spirit , his faith by patience had wrought , in him upon this occasion : lo ! his high sufferings cause him to bless the lord : blessed be the name of the lord , ( says he ) . he blesseth him , that he had given him at first , and that he had afforded him those blessings of children and goods so long : and he was thankful for that ; and thought it but reasonable , that if he received good , he should also receive evil , as the pleasure of god was , chap. . . he blesseth god also , because he found that god had blessed him with such things and blessings , heavenly , which could not be taken away . he found the love of god the same still . it is a sure rule , we never bless god , but when we find , that god blesseth us first : as we doe not love god , but , because god loves us first . now when the soul finds that in afflictions and tentations god doth bless it , this draws out from the soul , a blessing of god again . and then doth the soul say , it is not only the will of my father , & therefore shall i not drink the cup he gives me ? but it is the blessing of my father , and shall not i bless him for it ? in every thing give thanks , saith the holy apostle , thes . . . that is , whatever the condition be , still there is matter of thanks , and so of blessing god. iii. branch of the ii. head . the fruits of patience . these , the apostles tearms , the peaceable quiet fruits of righteousness , which chastning yieldeth , after ye have been exercised thereby ; and that is through patience gained by those afflictions . § . the . fruit , it works contentment : an holy contentment : and that adds a perfection to the other former works of this grace , phil. . . i have learned in whatsoever state i am , therewith to be content . i know how to be abased , and i know how to abound : every where , and in all things i am instructed , both to be full , and to be hungry , both to abound , and to suffer need . and he had learned it , as christ learnt his obedience , through sufferings ; and by his having run thorow so great a variety of conditions . a man may be content when he is not fully satisfied : when god frames a mans estate to his will , then he is satisfied , as psal . . whose belly thou fillest with thy hidde● treasure . but to be content is another thing : it is not when have an estate , according to my will , but my will is brought to my estate : and then , i have as much content , in that , as in the greatest estate ( for , life ( says christ ) that is , the comfort of life , lyes not in abundance . ) 't is true , such a man would choose rather , as the apostle speaks , a full estate ; yet patience boweth his judgment , to such an approbation of his present condition , as that , which is best for him ; as being that , which out of gods judgement and wisdom is allotted to him : he so , bends his will unto such a correspondency with gods will , as he rests content . . a second fruit of patience is self-sufficiency ; the word is so , tim. . . but godliness with contentment is great gain . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated contentment , is a more reaching word by far . to say [ contentment ] that 's too bare and scant a word ; but this more amplysignifies [ self-sufficiency ] — in cor. . . the same word is there translated [ sufficiency ] , but still in the greek it hath [ self ] added to sufficiency , which imports [ a sufficiency within a mans self ] that he needs not go abroad for any thing ; he is sufficiently supplyed from what is within . the words of that verse are , and god is able to make all grace abound towards you , that ye always having all self-sufficiency in all things , may abound to every good work : which let us consider . 't is true , that in the word [ all grace ] he includes an outward grace , of giving such an abundance of external blessings , as they might [ alwayes ] and [ in all things ] have enough for themselves , and to spare ; yea to abound in every good work to others : but yet the main of that grace h● centers in , is an [ inward self-sufficiency ] in a mans own heart , as without which , they would never have satisfaction at home , much less an heart to scatter abroad : but a mans natural self-unsufficiency ( as oppositely i call it ) would make his heart clung and narrow , never contented in himself , much less abounding to others , though he had all the whole world . so as indeed that is the grace , which the apostle puts the weight upon ; that i● the grace , he predicates . so as the inference or corrolary ( as to our purpose ) from thence may justly be . that if ( on the other hand ) a true christian be in never so great want , or fallen into a condition of extream poverty ; comparatively , either unto what himself once had ( which is the case of many a good soul now ) or unto others , who still abound ; yet if god give him this [ all grace ] of inward self-sufficiency , he may be , and is still as content and sufficient within himself , as those in that abounding condition which the apostle wisheth unto those corinthious . and the reason is , that the self-sufficiency of him that hath the most of such things , lyes not in those things , but depends utterly upon that inward grace spoken of , or that inward frame of spirit , which this grace composeth his soul unto . and this is evident from that place to timothy ( first cited ) where it is , that the apostle ufoth the same word , on purpose to comfort the saints , that were in a scant and bare condition , as to this world , as the coherence of verse , , , shews , godliness with self-svfficiency ( says he ) is great gain , ( even virtually as much , yea infinitely more then gaining all the world , as christs speech is ) which moreover is spoken with a connexion to these words : for 〈◊〉 brought nothing into this world , and it is certain we carry nothing on t . and therefore , if we hav● nothing [ but food and rayment , let us therewith be content ] ; so it follows : and for so much god hath undertaken . and the holy apostle verifies this in himself , that he had learned thus to be as content when he wanted , as when he abounded and in this frame we find , elsewhere , his mind to have been in the midst of all , not wants only , but pressures of all sorts : which also shews , that patience and endurance , through sufferings , had been his tutours and instructiours thereunto : for in a cor. . chapter , he having first reckoned up his sufferings , v. . and made a catalogue of them , then in his final conclusion , v. . he sums up all in this . as sorrowfvl , yet alwayes rejoycing : [ as poor ] yet making many rich : as having nothing , yet possessing all things . in which few words he compendiously speaketh , what either out of that to the corinthians . chap. i have now insisted on , or that paradox in my text doth amount unto . for those words [ as sorrowful ] in respect of divers temptations [ yet alwayes rejoycing ] , are all one with [ count it all joy when ye fall into divers tentations ] as in the text. and his [ having nothing , yet possessing all things ] there , is adaequate and aequivalent to the corinthian● supposed , outward abounding alwayes , and in all things . but then his [ being poor , yet making many rich ] therein he exceeded and transcended , what they , or any the most liberal-hearted rich man that ever was in the world , could boast of , in any of their , or his abounding in any or every good ( or charitable ) works , in relief to others . so we see it is possible and attainable , that a christian may in the want of all have an all-self-sufficiency : super abounding the fulness of him in outward things , who aboundeth most . and all this was the fruit of his patience , and continual abiding under sufferings : for he speaks this of himself , whilst he is enumerating his sufferings , which in that chapter he doth at ●arge . thus perfect will patience make you , that as here the apostle in my text speaks , you ●hall want nothing , even in outward things , when you have lost ●ll . § . if you ask me , whence hath a a christian this self-sufficiency , within himself ? and wherein lyes it ? i answer , if god , and christ dwell in the heart ; if i have the earnest of the spirit for my salvation : or am partaker of his holiness , and that grace , which accompanies salvation ; and doe delight in the will and glory of god , and in pleasing him , and the like to these ; then i have a self-sufficiency within me . if , as in the joh. . . we have known and believed the love that god hath to us . god is love , and he that dwelleth in love , dwellet● in god , and god in him : the we have all within our selves and is like as a man that hath 〈◊〉 provisions in and about his ow● house , so plentifully , as he need not goe forth for any thing ; s● is it , and will it be with us . § . a third fruit is joy , i colos● . srengthened with all might unto all patience and long suffering with jorfvlness . you have it also in the text , 〈◊〉 it all ioy , &c. and rom. . [ we glory in tribulations ] knowing that tribulation worketh patience . you will say to me how can this be , doth not the apostle say , heb. . . no chastning seems to be for the present joyo●● but grievous . and our saviou● you shall weep when the world shal● rejoyce . and many the like . i give these answers . . the object of your joy is not simply your afflictions : no , no man can delight in them alone , they ( indeed ) are grievous , as saith the apostle . but your joy lyes in looking unto , what is the issue and event , the end and reward of your tryals by them ; and that is it you are to count the matter of your joy , and all ioy . to rejoyce in the thing , or the affliction it self , is one thing : and to rejoyce in the expectation of the event and issue , is another . then secondly , if you observe it , the word in the text is favourable : says he [ count ] it all joy ; that is , esteem it so . he doth not say , you shall have all joy ( at present ) ; but though you have not , you may count it all joy , that is , you may reckon it [ as matter of all joy , ] as many interpreters par●phrase the words , and so reason yourselves into joy in your judgements , and so esteem it all joy , appretiativè , as the school speaks : though the passion of joy be wanting . thirdly , jesus christ himself , when he did endure the cross , and whilst he hung upon it , and likewise afore , whilst within the garden , he was not in a joyous frame of spirit , at that present , as to the passion of joy ; nay , his soul was heavy unto death , that while : yet it is said , heb. . . that for the joy that was set before him he did endure the cross , &c. and he therein is set forth as an example unto us , in the same verse , let us run [ with patience ] the race that is set before us , looking unto jesus , &c. it is well , if you look to the joy set before you , as that which you certainly expect to come , although you want the passion of joy in that which you expect to come . fourthly , you may perhaps not rejoyce at present with great joy , yet afterwards through much exercise of patience it may grow up in you . and this answer , the apostle himself gives in that heb. . distinguishing between what for [ the present , ] and what for [ afterwards , ] in time , v. . now no chastning [ for the present ] seemeth to be joyous , but grievous : nevertheless [ afterwards ] it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them [ which are exercised ] thereby : and upon the hopes of that , he bids them to lift up the hands that hang down , and strengthen the feeble knees . yet , fifthly , some christians have had , and you may have actual joy at that present in the midst of your afflictions . these two , great tryals , and great joyes , may well meet and stand together , in the heart at once , as in divers respects : for the apostle hath reconciled those two , pet. . . wherein ye [ greatly rejoyce , ] though [ now ] for a season ( if need be ) ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations . that speech [ wherein ye greatly rejoyce ] reacheth and riseth higher then to an accounting it matter of joy , about what is to come ; but doth further absolutely , speak of joy for the present . and therefore to have the affection of inward joy it self greatly raised up ; and yet at that instant , in the same [ now ] as he speaks , in outward respects , to be in heaviness , are compatible . and col. . the apostle speaks of such a glorious power , accompanying the saints in tryals , as shall work patience and long-suffering with joyfvlness : and why else doth the apostle , also say , rejoyce in the lord alwayes , and again i say rejoyce . he contents not himself to have said it once , as if to have them rejoyce , a little ; but he professeth to say it again , because they should rejoyce abundantly ; and this [ always ] and therefore in all times and in all conditions . of the coexistence of which two himself proposeth himself an example : as sorrowful , yet alwayes rejoycing . iiii. branch . some eminent properties , or adjvncts of patience , which added , do make it , and its work , perfect . § . when a mans spirit is brought to doe these things with ease : so as he shall not need to chide his spirit into a patient frame , nor force himself into it . but like as ezra is said to be a ready scribe , ezra . . that is , he was perfect at his work ; his heart was prepared for it , and inured to it , v. . thus patience hath had a perfect work , when it frames the heart to a readiness to those actings forementioned . thus the apostle , acts . . i am not only [ ready ] to be bound , but i am [ ready ] to dye at jerusalem , for the name of the lord jesus . his heart was so fully prepared , as he stuck not at all at it ; yea , it was an heart-breaking to him , that his friends should offer to disswade him . what mean you to break my heart ? &c. 't was his being inured to endurance , and patience , that had begotten that habit of it in him : his heart was not to seek for it . § . a second adjunct or property which adds a perfection to all these , is when the practice of it is dvrable , and hath some constancy in it . as first , not by fits only . that was jonahs fault . oh he was a broken humble man when in the whales belly : but how outragious , when out ! in moses , patience had its perfect work , in respect of the constant exercise of that grace : and therefore it was he had the honour to be stiled the meekest man on earth : and truly it was not that meek●ess of his natural temper ; nor meerly as a moral virtue in him , ●or which he is so extolled : though these might contribute thereto : but it was a grace that was spiritual in him , the grace ●f meekness , and consequently ●f patience , which the holy ghost had wrought in him , and which he by sufferings had learned . and my reason among others , principally is , that he was a type of christ therein , according as gods promise was t● raise up a prophet like unto moses ; like , as in other eminencies , so especially in this grace ; for which as moses is commended there , so christ in the evangelists ; and therein proposeth himself as an example , learn of me for i am meek , &c. now how constantly did moses , bear 〈◊〉 along with that perverse , murmuring , and rebelling nation both against god and himself with an invincible patience and still interceded for them and thus christ doth with us , and for us . and although we rea● how moses was , and could b● sometimes angry , yea , exceedin● wroth , as the words are , ( where●● i gave the collection out of ainsworth ) yet it was often in gods cause ; and still but so as the usual and constant frame of his spirit was otherwise , for which he had that renowned denomination ; and never was greatly out , or overcome with impatiency ( we read of ) but once , num. . , . compared with psal . . , . secondly , patience is then perfect , when it continues to the end . as a colour is said to be perfect , when 't is durable , as a dye in grain ; or as the indy colours , which while the cloth remains , they endvre . now it is he that endures to the end , math. . that shall be saved . you shall therefore find that unto long-svffering , patience is added in two several places , col. strengthened unto all patience and long-svffering . patience there respects the weight or grievousness and heaviness of the affliction , we are under : and long-suffering respects the duration , and time . the other is in an instance of the apostle of himself , tim. . . thou hast known my long-suffering , charity , patience . in jam. . 't is said of the husbandman ( whose case is made the perswasive unto patience ) he hath [ long ] patience . this is a perfection indeed to bear long , and to the end . be thou faithful to death , revel . . . to carry a great burden a quarter of an hour is an effect of some patience ; but to carry it a day , or more , or for a week , there is long-suffering ? why is it said , that when you have done the will of god , you have need of patience : but because , still , in the last part of your life , after an active life for a long while ran through , even then when you are near the promise , your patience may be then at last , most of all put to it . § . a third property or requisite to perfect patience , is , that it be universal ; which is either , when a man hath been every way tryed , and hath past thorow all sorts of tentations : or when he hath still come off with patience in some good measure , in all those , wherein he hath been tryed , although his tryals have not been of all sorts . a mans natural spirit will help him to be patient in some things , but in other things his heart is weak , and cannot bear ; oh not such such a cross , of any other . but it is certain , as god tried abraham in his isaac , so god will the sons of abraham , in what is dearest to them : and yet enable them to bear it , ( as i cor. . ) and goe thorow therewith . hence in the epistles you meet with [ all ] added to patience , and long-suffering , both when patience is prayed for , as col. and exhorted unto , as tim. . . but though this universality is to be prayed for , and exhorted unto , as that which makes it perfect ; yet it is well , if in the great trials of our lives , we come off with some patience sutable ; and from henceforth resolve with endurance so to do ; and so much is expected : and it may seem strange , that many that should be able to bear great trials between god and them , with much quietness and submission , are yet easily disadvantaged , upon smaller occasions between men and them : for which some reasons might be given . iiii. section . although i have dispatched the subject i first intended , yet i find my self obliged to proceed a little further in the opening the fifth verse , in order unto a relieving against a great discovragement , which i know hath or may have been in many readers hearts , whilst i have been thus discoursing these great things , about the perfect work of patience , &c. and also to leave behind me , the most apposite direction , how to obtain this patience , in the perfect work of it : and i will not goe out of my text for these things , neither . an exposition of the . verse . if any of you lack wisdom , let him ask of god , that giveth to all men liberally , and upbraideth not , and it shall be given him . § . the discouragement , i know is , oh how remote are , and have our hearts been , from this perfect work of patience ! which yet some saints have in so great a measure attained , as those great examples given have shewn , both of saints out of the old and new testaments : what then shall i think of my self for the present ? ( will such a soul say ) or for the future , what shall i doe ? why truly , god hath provided sufficiently in the text for answer to these queries and complaints of yours , whereby both to relieve you against your discouragement , at your want of the exercise of these things : and also to direct you to the most proper and effectual ( if not the only ) means to obtain them . . as to this present discouragement about your want , and so great falling short of this hitherto , ( which you are so sensible of ) those first words in the text [ if any of you lack wisdom ] will be found greatly speaking to your relief therein . . as to a direction what you should doe for the future to obtain it , those other words , let him ask of god , point us to the most proper and effectual remedy and way of supply in the case . . with this great encouragement added ; first drawn from the nature of god , [ ask of god that giveth to all men liberally , and upbraideth not ] then seconded with this promise , [ and it shall be given him . ] of these three heads of what follows , briefly . i. to the discouragement , § . the opening of these words [ if any of you lack wisdom ] will greatly conduce to ease your heart as to that : the effect of which , is , that the apostle plainly supposeth , that true believers may both , really , and in their own apprehensions especially , be found greatly lacking in point of patience when trials doe befall them . and this i am sure hath reason to relieve you in what is like to be the great discouragement that usually falls out . this to be the supposition of the apostle , is made good by opening four things . . that by wisdom , here , is plainly meant patience ; together with the perfect work of it , which he had spoken of . . that he speaks this unto those that were true believers . [ if any of [ you. ] . how it may or can be said , that true believers , who have all grace and the principles thereof in them , to lack such or such a grace . . the intimate reason and occasion , upon which the apostle utters himself in this supposition , [ if any , &c. ] § . for the first , wisdom , sometimes is taken largely for all grace and gracious actings , whatsoever : sometimes strictly for a particular grace . to find out the difference of which , the measure is to be taken from the scope of the place , where either of these is mentioned . now wisdom , in this place , is to be taken strictly , that is , for that particular grace , or piece of gracious wisdom , whereby to know how to be able to manage a mans self under trials , especially great , sore and sudden ones , patiently : ( which is done when we have taken in , and digested by faith , such principles as our christianity affords ( plenty of ) as grounds , that instruct , and enable the soul , joyfully to entertain such trials and tentations , and to endure and goe thorow them , with a constancy of joy ) . for look as the word [ grace ] is taken , either strictly or largly , that is either for all grace , and yet again for any or every particular grace , each of which are called grace also : as ye abound in every grace , so ye abound in [ this grace also ] . thus , all grace is called wisdom in a large sense , ( as usually throughout the book of proverbs , ) but withal , a particular grace is called wisdom too , as the third chapter of this epistle , ver . . shews . the grace of meekness , shewn in speech , and conversation , he stiles it [ meekness of wisdom ] or a wise meekness , or a meekness accompanied with , and proceeding out of wisdom . and thus calvin , and most others , understand wisdom , here , in this my text , of this special grace : the scope and coherence with the former words carrying it thereunto . true patience being from such a wisdom , as whereby the soul hath the skil and ability to manage a mans self patiently under tentations , to such an issue , as that patience should have a perfect work in us ; and unto this , it is here to be restrained : for this grace , it is , he had been , and still is discoursing of . and there is a special and more peculiar reason , why this skill of patience should be stiled wisdom , in a more eminent sense . for what he had before uttered of rejoycing in afflictions and tentations , and exhorted unto , that patience should have it's perfect work ; these things being the hardest lessons in christianity , do there fore need and require the highest principles of divine wisdom , both doctrinal and practical , to be deeply inlayed and fixed in the soul , so as to bow and frame the heart unto a real practice , and willing performance of such dictates , and conformity thereunto . for then it is that knowledge is tearmed wisdom ; and for that reason it is , that our whole religion is stiled wisdom , because it rests not in bare notional knowledge , ( which is a differing thing from wisdom ) but makes men proportionably wise , to the practise of the things , in which it instructs . and particularly , this skill of renduring tentations ( such as hath been described ) doth deserve this stile more eminently , for it so far outvies , and is above the sphere of all principles , whether of philosophy , or what other profession , or professors of patience whatsoever , who whilst in a sullen patience ( for all of theirs was no better ) they professed to be wise , they became foolish : and christianity infinitely out-shoots them in what they most gloried in . § . secondly , that he speaks this to them whom he supposeth true believers , and unto them as such , is evident : although at the first blush ( as we say ) the words would seem to poynt at and speak to unregenerate men , who wholly want all true wisdom and grace : and so the drift should be an intended direction to , or for such , to seek true grace , which they lack , at the hands of god , by prayer . but the coherence manifestly shews , that he speaks to such , whom he supposeth to be already true believers : for in the next words , he exhorts the same persons , whom he speaks to in these words , to ask in faith ; and therefore supposeth them to have true faith already , whom he directs this exhortation unto . and otherwise it had been more proper , yea requisite to have exhorted them ( if he had intended it of unregenerate men , ) first , to seek faith it self , and then out of faith and in that faith to seek for this wisdom , or grace of endurance . and again he speaks to them that were brethren ; so he calls them . and in this passage , says ; if any of [ yov ] and such , who being true professors of christianity were exposed unto those sundry tentations from persecutions , especially : and 't is such , also whom he exhorts to count it all joy , &c. and here to ask a wisdom of god , whereby to be able to suffer for their holy profession . furthermore , this wisdom lying in patience having its perfect work in them , it supposeth the persons such , as had some work of patience , and of other graces begun in them already . and indeed , to have exhorted vnregenerate men , that were as yet utterly destitute of all grace , and so out of harms way , as to any sufferings , for the gospel ; and to direct them to make this the first of their addresses to god , and of their requests , that they might be able to endure tentations , and that patience should have a perfect work in them ; and so to have taught them , that , which is the hardest lesson in christianity , afore ere they had learnt the first letters thereof , this had been utterly improper , and a lesson at too great a distance , for men in their natural state , first to learn. thus much for the persons , viz. that he speaks it unto men already regenerate , and supposed in the faith. § . the third thing proposed , was , how it could be , he should speak in this manner of believers , that they should lack this grace of wisdom ; whenas , if such , they must be supposed to have all true graces in them : why then should he yet say , even of them , if any of you lack , &c. answer , this expression , to say , such and such a christian , [ lacks ] such or such a grace , is not uncouth , nor unusual in the scriptures ; when he , ( or they ) have wanted the exercise of it . for though christians doe receive the principles of all graces , as pet. . . yet they may neglect to stir up all graces , or may have been disused to the exercise of some . why else , and to what end doth the apostle in the same place stir them up to add grace to grace , as in verse . and in those cases , a christian may be said , yea charged to lack that grace or graces , which he wants the exercise of . for so in the same chapter , ver . . speaking of a dozed negligent professor , though true , he useth this very language of him , he that lacks these things ( as i have elswhere opened that scripture ) ; for idem est non esse , et non uti : 't is all one for a thing not to be , and not to be used , when the being of a thing is wholly ordained for use and operation : now such a thing is grace ; and such a thing if not used , is as if it were not . and the opposition that is between adding grace to grace , v. . ( that is the exercise of one grace after another ) & the lacking grace , in that v. . evidently shews , that phrase to be so understood , not of the utter want of the grace , but of the exercise . § . the fourth thing is , the intimate reason or occasion , whereupon the apostle doth utter himself in such a supposition [ if any of you lack . ] this will appear by considering these three things . first , in respect that the had exhorted to so hard and difficult a practice : to count it all joy , &c. which requireth such high principles , to be drunk in , about the good and benefit of tentations , in the issue and end of them ; which principles must also have been thorowly concocted in their hearts , first , who shall attain to this . and secondly , there being many poor souls ( as of such that were weak , and some new converts ) amongst them , whom he wrote to , who might and did then ( as many now-a-days , that yet are sincere-hearted ) in the sense of their own weakness , find and apprehend themselves so far off , and remote from such high principles , and attainments ; and therefore upon his thus discoursing , were like to be utterly discouraged ; thinking with themselves , ( judging themselves by the present frame of their infirme spirits ) both that their hearts had never yet , nor would ever be wrought up to this pitch . what to count it all joy ! ( think they ) is that it , you exhort us unto ? alas ! our hearts tremble at the very thoughts of entering into such sudden , and so great tentations , as you here forewarn us of and of all graces else , it is this , of a patient suffering frame , and strength of ● spirit thereto , that is and hath been our want . this is it [ we lack ] nor doe we know how to mannage our selves wisely , under such trials ; so as to glorifie god ; yea , and not shamefully to dishonour him : nay , if we should fall into such trials , and sufferings , we are liker utterly to fall away under them , rather then to rejoyce , when we fall into them . further , thirdly , there might be many strong christians ( as to the active part of the life of christianity ) who yet might be to seek as fresh souldiers , at the first , when such trials come unexpectedly , and thick and threefold upon them ; and that they fall into them as down-fals and precipices . ( and in this dreadful a manner he had set them out to them , as impendent on them , as was opened ) and even such christians being surprized , might be at a loss at first , in respect of that confidence of spirit to bear them , till by prayer and faith recollecting themselves , they should anew obtain or regain this wisdom . even strong christians are apt to be stounded at first , as men are with a greatblow , and cannot well stand or keep their ground . now unto such ( either of these ) doth the apostle in this language [ if any of you lack ] apply himself ; and therein speaks to their very hearts : but especially to the first sort of weak christians . and indeed speaks their very fears , and most inward thoughts and apprehensions , they had or might have of themselves : and so utters their misgivings of heart in their own language . oh i lack these things , says the soul : [ if any of you lack ] says the apostle . and it is no small comfort to such , to hear an apostle , from the immediate inspiration of the holy ghost , to suppose , that very true and sincere christians may thus be lacking , and thus surprized . thus as to the removal of their main discouragement , which was the first thing proposed . ii. the direction . let him ask of god. having thus spoken their hearts , as to the fears & apprehensions of themselves in respect of their falling short , of this high duty of joy and patience , &c. he now directs them to the most proper and soveraign means , for the obtaining of it , of all other , and that is faithful instant prayer . [ let him ask of god , ] &c. and herein also he speaks the hearts of all true christians also , even of the weakest : whose refuge in all their wants is to cry to god , for a supply of what they lack : especially , when they feel or are apprehensive of their lack , and want in any grace , that should help them in time of need . and look what effectual supply of this grace in tentations , all the apostles perswasions alone , would not have effected , that , faith venting it self , in constant and fervent prayer , will bring in and obtain ; and their hearts will in the end , be raised and wrought up unto : so as they shall be able to abound in this grace also . weak faith , when it cannot find in its heart to suffer , or so much as to enter into trials , can yet pray ; and so doth beg with desires unutterable , to have this grace , to be able to suffer these trials , in this joyful manner , as the apostle exhorts unto . and the weak heart continuing so to pray and importune god , in the end , this shall be given him : as here he promiseth . i shall not enlarge on this further : for when an apostle shall single forth a meanes , and that one single one , whereby to obtain any eminent grace one needs , that means ought to be with all diligence put into use and practice : and so there needs no more to urge it . only observe how in this directive part , he puts them not upon praying , chiefly to have tentations and trials averted , or kept of ; nor to ask deliverance out of them , ( though that is lawful and may be done : ) not a word of these , in this his exhortation : but he draws the main , and great intention of their souls , unto praying for grace , how to be patient and joyful , &c. this as to the direction . iii. his encovragements to pray . § . his encovragements , that by seeking , a believer shall obtain , are drawn , first , from that gracious wont and disposition of god , that giveth to all men liberally , &c. as being a god , . [ that giveth to all men . ] and this also is to be limitedly understood , of all those men who thus doe , have , or shall apply themselves unto god by faithful and importunate prayer . for he had said first , let him [ ask ] of god : and therefore gods [ giving ] here , must be supposed to be a giving to him that asketh . again , although it be said , that faith works patience , yet it is prayer , that fetcheth and brings down the power from god into the heart , that works both faith and patience , and all . prayer is the midwife , by which , faith the mother , brings forth patience in the heart . ii. his gracious disposition in giving , is further set out . . that he giveth liberally . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , both signifies a free hearted giving , in a pure way of simplicity of heart ; as being neither moved by any respect in us , as of worthiness , or the like : but singly , and simply out of such motives and considerations , as are in his own heart , and which his own great and gracious divine nature prompts him to : freely . we generally use to say , [ out of his free grace , ] which comes all to one , with the import of the word , which the apostle useth here . therefore make that grace , as thy plea to him in thy prayers for it , or whatever else thou seekest at his hands . . it signifies largely , abundantly , liberally , [ richly ] as the word is used in cor. . . and so translated there . you have both in that passage of davids , sam. . . according to thine own heart ( there 's freely or simply ) hast thou done all these great things . ( there 's liberally . ) and vpbraideth not. that 's a second property or disposition in god & his giving : the sense where of is , first , that when he hath given liberally , never so often , nor so much , yet he upbraideth not , as men are wont to doe . among men , he that is most liberal , yet if the same man he hath formerly given unto , will come often to him to be relieved , in the end he ( at least ) will excuse himself , or else say , why do you come so often , thus again and again ? which is a tacite and implicite way of upbraiding or insinuation of foreg on benefits . surely , calvin , and aestius , from him , have hit it : who put this scope and drift upon this clause , that no man should be afraid , or solicitour to come , though never so often , to this free and generous giver : nor be discouraged within himself , that he should need to come so often to him ; nor forbear to continue his incessant importunities , though it be never so long a time , ere he obtains . and thus understood , it is as if he had said , god is so free , so simple-hearted and liberall in giving , as the oftner you come , the welcomer ; especially when for grace : yea , he hereby inviteth us of his own free heart to come alwayes ; to ask , and pray continually and incessantly , as that parable , luk. . . made on set purpose , shews . so then , a frequent , constant , importunate continuing in prayer to obtain , is hereby exhorted unto . a second scope in his adding this clause , is , that though we find , that god doth indeed upbraid impenitent men for their sins ( as christ those cities ) yet he never did , or ever will do any sinners , in this case wherein it is proposed , namely , when they shall come and humble themselves for their sins , seeking for more grace , to help in time of need against their corruption ; and this , much rather then for deliverance from or out of troubles : in this case , he will not twit them with any of their unworthiness that hath been past : he will pass by their iniquity , and not upbraid them . and this is a great encouragement indeed . for the guilt of sin , and former ingratitude , do above all things , deter men , from coming to god , least he should remember their iniquities , and upbraid them , with them . and it shall be given him . he follows and confirmes this hope of obtaining with this sure and certain promise [ and it shall be given him . ] for when the souls of men , being made thorowly apprehensive of their own wants of a grace , are carryed forth ( to choose ) to seek for grace , or such or such a gracious disposition , and that before , and above all deliverance out of the trials they are in ( as was afore observed , the apostle had directed ) : in this case , god that is the god of all grace , is the most ready giver of grace , that he is of any thing else . there are no requests more pleasing to him , or that suit his divine , and blessed disposition , so , as this doth of praying for grace as thus stated . for the bestowing and giving of grace , thus prayed for , doth tend , above all things else , to the glorifying of himself : and it is the ayming thereat , that must and doth carry out such an heart , to make this , to be the top and chief of its most earnest petitions . the god of grace , is the most free of grace . thus christ sayes , if ye then , being evil , know how to give good gifts unto your children : how much more shall your heavenly father give [ the holy spirit ] to them that ask him ? our apostle hath also told us , that though the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy , that yet god gives more grace ; that is , a counterpoise of grace unto that lust , unto all them that humbly seek for it , as chap . , , . do ye think that the scripture saith in vain , the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy ? but he giveth more grace . he resisteth the proud , but giveth grace to the hvmble . § . i shall now go forth of my text , but to fetch in one thing . i observe when the apostle particularly comes to that part of his prayer made for the colossians , that they might have all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness ( which exactly agrees with what is the matter exhorted unto in this text ) he implores the gloriovs power of god , in these words , col. . that ye may be strengthened with all might [ according to his gloriovs power ] unto all patience and long-svffering with joyfvlness . and to draw and fix your hearts on this glorious power of god , and point your prayers thereto , is the thing , which i mean & intend . and indeed the consideration of this one thing will have a general influence into all those three heads , have been treated of in this last fourth section . as first , it may be no great wonder if many of us have been so deficient , and lacking in this grace : for it is not an ordinary power , such as in ordinary walkings holily , doth assist us , but a gloriovs power is requisite to perfect this grace : which argues this to be so difficult an exercise above any other ; and that our natures are infinitly remote from it , of our selves ; which we not minding , nor considering , have not perhaps , with answerable vehemency implored the aid of so great a power . and secondly , this gives us a clear reason , why prayer , of all other means should be directed by the apostle , and extraordinarily set upon by us , as the most effectual , yea , as an only means to obtain this . for seeing that power lyes out of our selves , in god , which must effect this in us ; then surely nothing can be judged so prevailing as faith and prayer , which are the graces in , and by which the soul going out of it self , in a sence of its utter insufficiency , supplicates the grace in gods heart , to exert this power , of his good pleasure ; and so do draw it forth , and bring it down into the heart . and then thirdly , this gives us the highest encouragement , that we may obtain this perfect work of it ; however remote from it , the present temper of our spirits may seem to be to us : seeing that no less then such a glorious power is requisite to effect it in the strongest christians ; and a power so glorious is able to work it in the weakest . let us pray therefore with all vehemency , for our selves , as the apostle did for those colossians , that this glorious power may come upon us , and strengthen our inward man , ( as 't is elfwhere ) with all might , which might in us , is the effect of that power in god , as the cause . for as this patience is to be an [ all patience , ] or else it hath not its perfect work : so this might , it must be an [ all might ] you must be strengthened with , unto such a patience , of you will not be perfect at it . that might you had in such or such a triall will not serve to strengthen you against the next triall that shall come : but you must still have a new speciall might for every new triall . your dependance , therefore is great upon god , for this perfect work of patience : and yet your encouragements are great . for as it must be , that , if god will please to strengthen us , under any great unusual tentations , that he should put forth no less then this [ glorious power : ] so we have heard , how , in our apostle , he hath promised , he will give it ; and give it freely and liberally to them , that make it their main , constant , earnest business , to ask it : and therefore , his grace ( if applyed to ) is engaged to put this power forth . it cannot but be a great support , to a weak heart , that finds it self so remote and distant from such a work of patience ; and weak also in comparison of finding such an inward might , that it should have ground and cause to think and to believe , that gods glorious power is engaged most sreely , to be abundantly and readily put forth , if continued to be sought unto . why , this ( says the weak heart ) will do it : namely , this glorious power : and i have found by some tryals already , that the strong god and a weak heart will be too hard for any thing ; yea , for the whole world. and therefore , when you think your present trials , that are come upon you , far greater then you can bear , think withall of the glorious power of god , that is at hand to help you . 't is a great word , that , his [ gloriovs power ] : a greater attribute could not have been named or found out for our comfort . and is a word of vertue , force and power , to hearten to , or against anything whatever . 't is true , thy present trial may be , and is above that in ward strength , which serves and hath served hitherto , to act thy graces , in thy ordinary walkings with god , holily and sincerely . a child may by its ordinary strength be able to walk up and down a room , by stooles ( suppose ) supporting it , without any other extraordinary help : but if it be to goe up a pair of staires , the strength that enabled it to these lesser performances , will not be sufficient thereunto : he must be carryed and held up in the arms of one who is strong and mighty . and so it is here . that other part , of our christian obedience , the active ●ife of a christian ( prayed for by the apostle in that place to the ●olossians also ) whereby he walks ●ruitfully , &c. as in the seventh ●erse of that chapter , requires indeed gods power , for by it , it is , we are kept unto salvation , all-a-●ong : but when it comes to pati●nce , and long-suffering , and all patience ; and that such ● trial comes , as will try all pati●nce in you , then it is he makes ●ention of that glorious power , ●nd not afore : for it must be no ●ess that must go to that , then gods gloriovs power . and ●he promise therefore is ( in such case ) that the spirit of glo●y shall rest upon us , and not ●he spirit of grace only , as i pet. . . relieve and comfort therefore your selves with these things , and specially with this : that as your trials abound , so this glorious power of god will abound also , towards you , for your support . amen . finis . some slips and omissions . page . line . for strongest , read strangest . page . line . after to patience , read let patience have but its perfect work , and that alone will make you eminently perfect . and his scope , &c. page . line . for and they , read and now they . page . line . after in the world , read which he had reckoned up . page . line . after discouragement , read for this cause we faint not . page . line . for sp●ritual , read in glory . page . line . for but yet for all my , read but for all he knew my . page . line ult . read his meaning further a. page . line after so long , read the lord gave , and the lord hath taken : blessed , &c. page . line . after sums up , read the frame of his spirit . page . line . read vnto patience , long-svffering is added . page margin . for toibi sibi tentum , read tr●bui sibi sensum . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e job . . psal . . . ps . . . jer. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the same word here , and there . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est id per quod sit explaratio , grotius in verba : and so it differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes the issue , the experiment , or fruit upon tryal ( see the same grotius on rom . . ) even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ● cor. . . psal . . pf. . . heb. . rev. . . patientia it a dei rebus proposita est , ut nullum prae●eptum obire quis possit à patientia extraneus . tertul. de patientia . mat. . . eclesiast . . . mat. . . the description of patience admonet victores omnium tentationum fore , qui deum amant . nec aliâ de ●●usâ nos animo defici cum tentamur , nisi quia prevalet mvndi amor. calvin : in verba . omnes virtutes certant , sola patientia vincit & coronatur . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal . . heb. . 〈…〉 habet vim quietativam . psal . . * see piscator and the dutch annotat . and the ground why it may be so judged , is the conformity which these pass●ges in the psalm , verse . make me not the reproach of the foolish , and this specially , v. . i opened not my mouth , because thov didst it , doe hold with that story , sam. . , . when shimei did curse him , upon occasion of which , david , simularly , spake thus . the lord hath said to him , curse david ; who shall then say , wherefore hast thou done so ? let him alone , the lord hath bidden him . which is just as here [ the lord hath done it . ] 't is such a phrase as when christ says i know you not . heb. . sapientiae nomen ad circumstantiam praesentis loci restringo . calvin in verb. siquis vestrum non potest intelligere v●ilitatem tentationum , postulet a deo toibui sibi tentum . beda in locum . cum dicat omnibus , intelligit , qui petunr , calvin in virba . necexprob●t ] hoc additum est , ne quis deum sepi us adire metuat ; ●ui ex hominibus maximè sunt liberales , rametsi identidem quispiam juvari se postuler , priora beneficia commemorant : at que ita excusant in posterum . calvin in verba . vel certe ideo addit nequis deum sepius adire vereatur ( calvins very words ) nonne enim dicit , jam toties dedi ; quid adhuc me obtundis ? ut solent homines , etiam qui maximè sunt liberales ( calvins very words again ) sed deus ut est fons inex●austus ita ad dandum , modo pet●ssicut oportet , paratissimus , imo i●●e ultro nos invitans ad semper petendum , &c. aestius in verba . head. head. head. ephes . . . a vindication of a late undertaking of certain gentlemen in order to the suppressing of debauchery and profaneness. fowler, edward, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a vindication of a late undertaking of certain gentlemen in order to the suppressing of debauchery and profaneness. fowler, edward, - . p. [s.n.], london : . attributed to edward fowler--nuc pre- imprints. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. ecclesiastical law -- england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a vindication of a late undertaking of certain gentlemen , in order to the suppressing of debauchery , and profaneness . london , printed in the year , . the preface . that which follows , had , for the substance of it , appeared abroad before now , but for the strange imprudence of a printer , and base treachery of a certain licenser ; who was intrusted by him ( wholly unawares to the writer ) with an imperfect copy , and , as to the latter part , a first draught ; which was promised to be returned home again , to have added or altered what should be thought fit . and whosoever shall be offended at what is here published , as taking themselves to be disobliged by it , i assure them it is not written from the least ill-will to any person in the world , but from the greatest good-will ; and that not onely to the best of causes , but also to those men who are most like to be incensed . methinks i hear now our cautious politico's asking , what ayls this person to be thus busily interposing in the behalf of those , who must needs by their extraordinary zeal be exposing themselves to the high displeasure of some , and the censures of others , as a sort of hot-headed and rash men ? but if they 'll vouchsafe to read what is here written , i hope they 'll see no just c●use to accuse him of being over-busy . but indeed , tho' the apostle saith , it is good to be always zealously affected in a good thing : and tho' their cool wisdomships can be as hot as their neighbours in their own concerns , yet 't is ordinary with many of them , to pass sly reflexions upon all religious zeal . but why zeal should not best become a cause , wherein the honour of almighty god is most highly concerned , and our country-mens happiness in the world to come , and this world too , they are too wise to offer at a reason . but they 'll object , that the ill-timeing of a good thing will make it chargeable with indiscretion . and who knows not this ? but how can zeal for so good a thing as the reformation of our manners , be ever ill-timed ? what is absolutely necessary , 't is impossible should be set about unseasonably . and it argues a mighty distrust of the divine providence , to fear , from the angering of the vicious part of the kingdom , any evil that can be greater , than the good of suppressing vice , or so great . nay , this savours of downright infidelity and irreligion . nor seems it much less culpable to think , that the disobliging of wicked men will be a weakning of this government . for 't is so far from being true , that the governments giving all possible discouragement to vice , may be a means to endanger it , that nothing can conduce more to the strengthening and securing thereof , nor so much neither ; and that naturally , as well as through the blessing of god almighty . h●nest tully hath told us as much as this comes to . the offence which profane and vicious men may take at the government , is a meer scare-crow ; for so long as they see it for their interest , to adhere to it , there is no fear but they will ; and they 'll put on a shew of being reformed , nay and ape a zeal too for reformation , rather than hazard their preferments under it , or their prince's favour : and 't is certain that the government can be secure of such no longer , than their interest holds them fast to it , tho' their vices should be never so much connived at . but it hath been much observed both in city and country , that those whose conversations are none of the strictest , did upon the late execution of the laws , with some briskness , express great liking of it , in hopes of having for the future , their children and servants , under better government . and the truth is , the height of viciousness , to which the youth of this nation , and especially of this city , are arrived , is a most melancholly subject to reflect upon ; but not to be wondred at any more , that that bad examples should be more powerful than good precepts . and this presents us with as sad a prospect , of the age's being still more and more corrupted , and of the next ages proving worse than this , if more time should be lost ; and the setting in great earnest on the work of reformation be longer delayed . and i need not add , that the longer it is so , the work will every year be the more difficult . a vindication of a late undertaking of certain gentlemen , &c. the most deplorable degeneracy of this nation in its morals , occasioned by the encouragement , which for many years together , ( for a well-known reason ) was given to vice , raised in the minds of serious people , very strong apprehensions of approaching judgments ; and accordingly very great ones came down upon us ; and two such , as no age hath parallel'd in these kingdoms , within a few years after the return of king charles . but those having produced nothing of reformation , they were followed with others from time to time ; and these likewise being lost upon us , at length we had all the reason in the world to look for the heaviest calamities that could befal us , viz. popery and slavery ; but when these were at the door and just entering , so infinitely merciful was he to us , whose ways are not as our ways , nor whose thoughts as ours , as strangely to surprize us with a happy deliverance . and the blessed instrument thereof , with his most virtuous consort , being by god's wonderful providence plac'd on the throne , never were so great hopes conceived as now , of an effectual reformation . but alas , in a short time it was too apparent , that this deliverance came too soon , to be much valued by such a people , as generally we were . it found us miserably unqualified to receive it , and the returns we have made to the divine goodness for it , speak us no less unworthy of the continuance of it . for neither hath the first part of the deliverance , nor the many amazing things god almighty hath since done , both at home and abroad , towards the perfecting and securing thereof , had any visible good effect upon us . but those vices which before reigned , and cryed to heaven for vengeance , do reign still as much as ever ; and those who were filthy before , let god use never so powerful means for the cleansing of them , will be filthy still ; as if , to speak in the prophets language , they had made a covenant with death , and were at an agreement with hell. and whereas we have very good laws for the suppressing of vice , i will not say how very few have hitherto shewed , any thing of zeal or an hearty concern ( notwithstanding the highest obligation ) for the execution of them : nor from how many nothing is to be expected , but an extream averseness to a reformation . but to come to the business of these papers : certain pious gentlemen , all of the church of england , laying greatly to heart these things , resolved to make tryal , whether any thing could be done , towards the giving a check to debauchery and profaneness ; and joyntly pitch't upon this following method for the reforming of offenders in those two most scandalous instances , by due course of law , viz. first , to endeavour the procuring of a letter from the queen ( the king being then absent ) to the justices of the peace for the county of middlesex , requiring them to put the laws in execution against drunkenness , vncleanness , swearing , cursing , profanation of the lords day , &c. secondly , to endeavour the obtaining a good order of sessions to be made thereon . and her majesty having ( like her self ) most chearfully granted the humble request of the lord bishop of worcester , for such a letter ; and having accordingly sent a very pious and pressing one to those justices ; and the justices having thereupon publish't an exceeding good order , these gentlemen , encouraged with this good success , thirdly , made it their request to many of their acquaintance , ( and all of the church of england too ) whom they knew to be sober and religious persons , to give information to some justice of the peace , of all offences of the forementioned nature , which they should observe to be committed ; as by the order of sessions they are encouraged to do . and that all possible ease might be given to the informers , the iustices , and their clerks : . they printed blank-warrants against the several offences . . they procured divers persons ( to the number of eighteen or twenty ) inhabiting in convenient places of the city and suburbs , to fill up such warrants , as the case should happen to be ; for the informers , who should carry the same to the justice ; by which means he would have nothing more to do , but to examine them upon oath , and sign and seal the said warrants . and , . to ease the justices servant of the trouble of carrying every warrant to the proper officer , the informer was to take his warrant back with him to the person who filled it up ; with whom care was taken to have it executed ; as will appear presently . that the penalties might be duly applyed to the use of the poor , and not imbezel'd by the constables or church-wardens , they took this method . . they directed every person who filled up the warrants , to keep an account or register of the several offenders names , the offence of each , the time when , and place where each offence was committed : and , when the informer had brought him back the warrant , to insert also the name of the magistrate , before whom each conviction was made ; . they appointed a special messenger , and paid him well for his pains , to collect all the said warrants and registers weekly ; and , after they were sorted , to carry them out again to the proper officers of the several parishes where they were to be executed ; and to insert the names of the several constables , to whom each of the said warrants should be delivered , in the said registers . . they prepared an abstract of these registers , to be presented to the justices at their petty-sessions , for the enabling them to call every constable to an account , how he had executed the several warrants he was charged with in that register ; and to what church-warden he had payd the penalties by him levyed . . a short account was to be taken out of all those abstracts , by which to charge the several church-wardens , at the making up of their accounts with all the money by them received on those warrants , in order to their sending it to the several vestries once a year . and lastly , to awaken all good christians throughout the kingdom , whether magistrates or private persons , to a vigorous endeavour for a reformation of manners , they set the good example of the justices of middlesex , and the following as good a one , of the lord mayor of london , and court of aldermen , before the rest of the nation . for which purpose they caused the orders of the said sessions and court , to be printed in a smaller character ; and of these they sent several thousands throughout the kingdom , viz. to most parliament-men , mayors , bayliffs , iustices of the peace , ministers , coffee-houses , &c. and the printing and postage too were wholly at their own charge . and , thanks be to god , they quickly saw extraordinary good effects hereof , in the excellent orders of the like nature , made by the cities of york , gloucester , &c. and by the counties of hertford , buckingham , bedford , sussex , gloucester , the north-riding of yorkshire , and divers others . and there was perceived very good success of their endeavours at home , by the manifest ceasing in a great measure of the profanation of the lords day ; and the awe that appeared upon many common swearers and drunkards , who either felt , or had notice of , the execution of the laws against such o●fenders . but for as much as another sort of informers , who had been so busie a few years since , hath made that name odious to inconsiderate people ; and that the restraining of licenciousness , is ever extreamly grievous to the licencious , 't was necessary that the justice should be desired by the informer to conceal his name from the offender : there having been too many instances of late , not unknown to the justices , of those , who , instead of amending by the gentle punishment of one sin , have added more to it , by reeking their revenge on such as informed against them , with great barbarity . i say the concealing the informers name , for this reason , ought to be judged necessary ; especially when he is ready to appear , and prove the fact to the face of the offender , in case he persists in the denial of it . and care was taken , that in this case the informer should adventure to appear , although the law doth not oblige to it ; as will be seen anon . this is an exactly true , but imperfect narrative of the undertaking of these gentlemen ; and is it possible it should need a vindication ? who would not now wonder that such a word as this should be seen in our title-page ? for can there be a nobler design laid , than that which is directly and solely for the advancement of the publick good ? and is not that good , which comprehends both the spiritual and temporal interest of the publick , the incomparably greatest publick good ? and is not he a brute who needs to be told , that the reformation of mankind , and running down of vice , is such a good as contains in it both these interests ? but this was the onely design of this undertaking . and it hath been shewed , that it was not limited to the reformation of one city , or one county , but it extended to the whole kingdom . and a due countenance from those who are principally obliged to encourage it , must needs cause it to have in time , an happy influence upon both the other kingdoms . and then , how much farther in the world it may by gods blessing reach , he 〈◊〉 knows . moreover ; these gentlemen were so far f●●m designing to serve themselves by this undertaking , that , as they were not capable of getting one penny for their pains , so they expended in the carrying of it on , considerable sums out of their own purses . nor can they with any justice or charity be censured , as designing the applause of the sober and virtuous part of the nation , ( as highly as they deserve it ) for we are wholly beholden to their enemies for our knowledge of so much as one of the undertakers , or of the undertaking it self . and those who received the printed orders all over the kingdom , were perfectly ignorant from whose hands they came . and as to the foresaid method they agreed on , for the managing of this design , it as little needs a uindication as the design it self ; and is so far from being lyable to be taxed with imprudence , that i ( for my part ) must needs profess , i greatly admire the wisdom of the contrivance . i challenge those who dare to reproach it , to shew any project better fitted for the attainment of its end , than this throughout is . 't is scarce civil to desire them to mend it themselves , since there is no employment they can be more averse to . in short , 't is a lamentable instance of the debauchery of the age , that it is not a piece of great impertinence to publish a vindication of such an undertaking . but so it is , that the clamours of delinquents , which , where they are readily received , shall never be wanting ; served for an occasion to certain gentlemen , whose own conversations will not suffer them to be reconciled to the thoughts of a general reformation , to calumniate it , with the persons concerned in it ; and to do their utmost to overthrow it . all the tales of punish'd ale-house-keepers and other criminals , were by them immediately received as gospel , since they were told by such dis-interessed and unbyast people ; and hereupon they fall to work. and no wonder , for if the prince of darkness had not now bestirr'd himself , to baffle a design so directly levelled against his kingdom , this would doubtless have been the very first time of his being unconcern'd upon such an occasion . and first these persons satisfied themselves a while with playing at small-game ; and among other most notorious untruths , they gave it out with great assurance , that there was a wonderfully gainful office lately set up in lincolns-inn , where hundreds of pounds were already gotten by the erecters of it . and what great pity is it , provided the tempting wages could have reconciled them to such loathsom work , that themselves had no interest in the stock going there ? by my consent , they should have had shares gratìs upon that condition ; nay , could they have been hyred thereby not to hinder business , the founders of the office should have done all the drudgery , and they should have all the gains , but that the poor ran away with every farthing . and , by the way , the informers too who were engaged in this undertaking , refused to receive a penny of the penalties in those cases wherein the law alloweth them the third part . they desired no other reward for so good a work , than what they are sure to have in the other world , and would have only their labour for their pains in this. and when it appeared to every body by the form of the warrants , that the constables were to pay the money they had levyed upon offenders , to the church-wardens , for the use of the poor , the foresaid persons found that a lye could do them very little service , which was every whit as easily detected as told . and now from talking they proceed to action ; and 't is well known how the first blow was given to this undertaking ; though several worthy justices of the peace , to their honour be it spoken , heartily interposed for the prevention of it . in order to it , they in the first place fell very heavily on mr. hartley , a virtuous person , who had given as a justice , all possible encouragement to this best of works . he was loaded with diverse accusations of injustice in his proceedings ; and those on which the greatest weight was laid , were the two following , whereby the reader may judge of the rest . and perhaps they were both true as to matter of fact , whatever they were as to their faultiness . one was , that the name of the landlord of an ale house was inserted in one of his warrants , instead of the tenant's who kept the house . the other , that a woman was called in another warrant by the name of her dead husband , after she was again married . now as to the former , it is said , that the landlord also liv'd in the house ; so that 't was unknown to many which of them was master of it : however , the house was ascertained in the warrant , and the offence against the law , there committed , positively sworn to . and as to the latter , 't is ordinary among the meaner sort , to call women , at least for some time after their second marriages , by the names of their former husbands : and those who had not heard of the husbands death , might without any great offence presume him to be still living . nor was it necessary that all who knew of his death , should know that his widow was a wife again . these are the only objections which we find particularly assign'd against mr. hartley's proceedings , and therefore unpardonable faults no doubt ! but the best of it is , they were the informers not the iustices . but can any one of those who have made such ado with these two trifles , make any body believe that his justiceship ( if he be in commission ) was never so imposed on ? he hath had very little custom , or very great luck , if it never was . but old aesop hath helpt us to a true proverb : it is an easie thing to find a staff to beat a dog. but suppose these two were culpable mistakes , for want of due caution , as those who have made such mighty matters of them , can't think them so in the iustice , and scarcely in the informers : i wish they would seriously consider , what means that question of our blessed saviour ; why beholdest thou the mote which is in thy brothers eye , and perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye ? o how happy would it be for , especially some of them , were they chargeable with no worse mistakes , or lay they under the scandal of nothing worse than mistakes ! such little things as these , and which are as soon rectified as perceived , would be easily over-look't for the sake of the greatness and nobleness of the undertaking , by all such as heartily desire a reformation ; nay , by those who are but able to bear the thoughts of it : nay , one would think too , by those who , though they would fain have none , have so much modesty remaining , as to be ashamed openly to oppose it . which sure none can have the impious bravery to do , but such as would make a true story of the fiction of the giants , by designedly fighting against god himself , if they believe there is one . and as it is eminently his cause in which these pious gentlemen engaged themselves ; so no christian can doubt , nor scarce a hearty theist , whether god hath a special hand in all undertakings of this nature ; nor whether those who are employed in them are his instruments ; called , spirited and assisted by him : i mean on supposition , that they carry on their work by lawful means , and transgress not the bounds of those stations in which providence hath placed them . but malice it self may be defyed to shew any one instance , wherein these persons ( the undertakers i mean ) have not strictly kept to the observance of humane , as well as the divine laws ; or acted out of their own sphere . it is evident by the foresaid narrative , that there was nothing in their undertaking , but what they had at least liberty from our laws to do , nay , a commission ( i mean a general one ) from god to do ; and the queens commission too , may be easily made out of her majesties most gracious letter , for what they have done ; could they stand in any need of it . as to the particular charges against two of the undertakers , and divers of the imformers , the world will quickly be satisfied they are mere forgeries by a better hand ; and therefore i will wholly wave them . mr. hartley will be also vindicated from the other misdemeanours objected against him in the execution of his office ; but i cannot forbear to touch upon two more of these . one was , that he play'd the busy-body in acting out of his own division . and 't is true , that he did so act , but not that he was a busy-body in so doing . for , as he did it not but when 't was necessary , so he had expresly violated his justices oath , if he had refused it . the other was , his convicting offenders , without bringing them and their accusers face to face . now , besides what hath been said to this already , which shews the necessity of his frequently so doing , so the law ought not to be understood as being against it : for the same magna charta which saith , that no man shall be condemned vnheard ; saith also , that no man shall be disseized of his goods or life , but by a tryal per pares . in which latter , if an act of parliament hath dispensed as to goods , it may well be construed so to do in the former clause ; especially when there is no proportion between the crime and the punishment : i mean , when the former is very great , and the latter as little ; and this not to be inflicted but by a solemn conviction upon the oath of a credible person , and in some cases of two ; and the oaths likewise of such , as get not one farthing of the penalty . this is as much as we design to say , relating to the first blow that was given to this undertaking . a second soon followed it , and this proved a home one . and gods will be done , if there is no remedy to be had . but there is little likelihood of any , should good men be so sheepish , as to conceal , or only vent to one another , their sorrowful resentment of fierce oppositions to reformation , and such an open contempt as is now cast upon the best of queens , in baffling a design so well adapted to the promoting of the business of her excellent letter . and of the great encouragement given to licencious publick houses ; of several instances of which , diverse bishops , to their no small trouble , have been ear-witnesses . there is an objection which have been too often made against the restraining of such houses , viz. that their majesties excise will be greatly lessened by this means . but who is able to think it can be grateful to such a king and queen as we are now bless't with , to have their revenue enlarged by the sins of their people ? who can be ignorant , that there is nothing they would more abominate ? or that their majesties do not need to be told , that their revenue must most certainly be exceedingly diminished by the poverty of their subjects ; and nothing is more observed , than that multitudes of them do every year bring themselves and families to a morsel of bread , by being permitted so much drink ; expresly contrary to our laws , which lay great restraints upon drinking-houses , and drinkers in them ; not only on sundays , but the week-dayes too . possibly some may object against the matter of these pages , that advice of the poet : dum furor in cursu est , &c. when you see fury ride full speed , get out o' th' way of fury's steed . and censure it as too heady an act , now vice is so rampant , thus to expose our selves to the rage of the vicious . but it may be replyed , that whosoever is heartily concerned at vice's being now so rampant , must have the soul of a nit , if he fears looking it in the face in such a reign as this . if he be more afraid of debauchees and profane persons in king william's and q. mary's reign , than many were of papists and jesuites in king iames's . or apprehends more danger in attacquing those now , than these then , without the leave of a licenser . and as to the governments having any reason to be afraid of provoking them , i add to what is said in the preface , that vice is a dastardly cow-hearted thing , and always sneaks when bravely born up to ; having nothing to plead in its own defence . but could vicious men invent any thing to say for themselves , they are still self-condemned . their vices also make them too soft and effeminate , to carry on with any vigour a dangerous design . nor can they confide in one another , in laying a conspiracy , as having no principle to secure fidelity : so that there is not the least fear of their being too hard for the sober part of the nation ; of which i hope there are an hundred to one on the side of the government . were those who bear an implacable enmity to any thing of reformation , onely injurious to their own souls , the charity we have for them , might have forbidden us to be silent , upon such an occasion as is now given us ; much less then can we have any temptation to be shy of offending them , when we consider how extreamly the publick , and their majesties great affairs have suffered by them , and are still like to suffer ; and what heavy judgments ought to be expected from a most highly provoked god , for the toleration of so much wickedness , after as great obligations as ever were laid upon a nation . now the third time draws on a pace , when he , who is the light of our eyes , and the breath of our nostrils , designs to expose his sacred person for our safety , and the well-fare of all christendom , to such dangers as nothing but the courage of a matchless hero could encounter : and therefore 't is more than time , that a more effectual course than ever be taken to run down those enemies at home ( our reigning sins ) which may do , through god's just judgment , our potent enemy abroad more service , than all the preparations he hath made against us . and in order thereunto , to take all possible care , that none be intrusted with the business of reforming others , who need as much as any to be reformed themselves . as also to give all encouragement to those , whose hearts god hath inclined to give their helping hand to a work of such absolute necessity , we may be much afraid to think of the king 's again leaving us , before this be done , or at least a doing . and , thanks be to god , and their majesties , since this was written comes the happy news , of this work 's being again set on foot , by a most pious proclamation . finis . lessons moral and christian, for youth and old age in two sermons preach'd at guildhall chappel, london : chiefly intended for the use of this city / by john stryp ... strype, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) lessons moral and christian, for youth and old age in two sermons preach'd at guildhall chappel, london : chiefly intended for the use of this city / by john stryp ... strype, john, - . [ ], p. printed for j. wyat ..., london : . imperfect: pages stained. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- n.t. -- titus ii, -- sermons. bible. -- n.t. -- titus ii, -- sermons. conduct of life. sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion lessons moral and christian , for youth and old age . in two sermons preach'd at guildhall chappel , london . chiefl● intended for the use of this city . published at request . by john stryp , m. a. vicar of low-leyton in essex london , printed for i. wyat at the rose in s. paul's church-yard , . to the reader . tho the publishing of discourses of this nature need no apology , being designed for so good an end , to reclaim , if possible , this degenerate age of ours ; yet in truth the cause of the author 's printing these sermons , was a letter sent him from some well-disposed person , wholly unknown to him : which is as follows : sir , hoping that you will not be offended at my resolution , i make bold to acquaint you therewith ; which is as follows . that whereas you did preach before the honorable the lord mayor on sunday last , it so fell out that i was then your auditor . and truly i want words to express the satisfaction i took in that discourse , and withall do judge , that it would be of mighty advantage to aged persons to have that sermon made publick , there being not as i know of , any discourse of that nature made publick ; especially in words so plain and expressive of the duty and demeanour incumbent on them . and therefore sir , i am bold to tell you , that as that sermon was then taken in characters , so i intend to make it publick , unless your self prevent my so doing , by causing it to be printed by your own order . which indeed i rather desire , since it must needs come more perfect out of your hand , than it can out of the hands of one , who writing in haste cannot but commit some oversights : and especially since you mentioned another sermon before preached in that audience , which was addrest to young persons . which sermon i did did not hear ; but if there be in it those marks and tokens of a christian spirit as appeared in that other which was addrest to aged men , it is pity but the same should be made publick with it . and i hope you will do it , if you think fit to prevent this my resolution , which i shall forbear to put in execution , till about a month be past , that i may understand your determination . sir , i humbly beg your pardon for this boldness , and hope you will not take it in ill part , since it is the good of mankind , that constrains me thereunto , who am yours i. this letter induced me to make these two discourses publick , hoping they may prove as useful as they were by that gentleman supposed to be . tho i confess i have not been hasty to do it , till now a good while after , upon a particular occasion , preaching one of them again , some that heard it thought it so seasonable for their own spiritual needs , that they desired to have it to read , consider , and make their better use of ; which is the true cause of hastening this impression . and thus wishing god's blessing to accompany the reading of this little book , i bid the reader farewell . j. stryp . admonitions to youth . tit. ii. . young men likewise exhort to be sober minded . this honourable auditory will excuse the subject i have taken for my present discourse , when they shall consider , how much the future good of the universe depends upon the sobriety of youth . if they that are to come next upon the stage of the world , to act their parts there , would but avoid the folly and wickedness of the present age , and frame themselves to better and wiser courses than are now commonly taken , how much happier would the condition of mankind be ? for 't is a very bad world we live in , ( that we all feel , and as many as are good , lament ) . and such root have vices got in the hearts of men , that there is little hope to see any amendment in our days . and there is no way but one to mend this degenerate world under the mighty grace of god ; and that is , that care be taken , that the next generation be made better . and to make that so , youth must be better principled , and better minded . extraordinary care must be taken of the education of the younger sort ; that they imbibe in their tender years sobriety and virtue ; that their souls may be imbued with a true fear of god , and with right apprehensions of virtue and vice. they must be taught from their earliest days to hate sin ; and they must be shewn the baseness , the disorders , the irregularities and mischievousness of it . and they must be inwardly convinced of the amiableness , and the rectitude , and the profitableness of a sober and just life and conversation . they must be learned to have a great sense and awe of almighty god upon their minds , and to make a great conscience to love their neighbours , and to do them all exact justice and equity ; and to be willing to be at pains and charges to do offices of friendship and compassion to men in their necessities . could young men , who are the expectation of the next generation , and who must act and bear their parts in that ▪ could they , i say , be thus disciplined , what a golden age would return after this cruel iron age of ours ? this will be sufficient to justify the subject i have taken in hand to treat of before you . worthy citizens , namely , to give some seasonable admonitions to youth ; which is such a considerable part of this great city : some thousands of young persons being transplanted hither every year from all parts of the nation , to learn trades and ocupations , and for the necessary services of it . and these are in the next generation to supply your places , and to be the traders , members and magistrates of london . the wisdom and sobriety of the inhabitants whereof hath such a notable influence upon the welfare and prosperity not only of the city it self , but of the whole nation . let us therefore review the text , and the occasion of it . young men exhort to be sober-minded . st. paul had sent forth titus to be a preacher of the gospel , and to instruct men in the ways of christian piety and peace . and here in this epistle to him he is instructing the instructer , and directing him in a faithful discharge of his ministry . and particularly he admonisheth him to apply himself and his instructions to the people with respect unto their age. to those that were well grown in years : aged men , ver. . that he should exhort those to be sober , grave , temperate , &c. aged women , ver. . that he should remind them to be in behaviour as became holiness , not false accusers , &c. and then ver. . the apostle directs him also to suit his instructions to the young as well as to the old : young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded . there be various vices incident to persons according to their several ages . the elder sort is addicted to such and such evil ways and evil qualities : and the younger and more gay , to many other sorts of folly. and particularly as their spirits are more hot and vigorous , so they are more violently carried out towards external objects , that promise them pleasure in the enjoyment . and they cannot bear any restraint . they must have their desires , however inconvenient or unlawful they be . their lusts , and their appetites and passions , must be satisfied . and they will break through all bars and impediments whatsoever for the gratification thereof . the pleasures and vanities of the world impetuously assault them ; and they cannot withstand . and they want an ear to listen to reason and good counsel , whensoever these would stop them in their careers . their humours must be gratified , whatever come of it . and it is not counsel and consideration , nothing but force , can keep them in . and therefore it is so necessary for such to be under tutors and governours . and this is the proper weakness and frailty of young men ; great addictedness to pleasure , and violent pursuits of it . now the contrary to this is modesty or sobriety . which therefore titus is bid here to take care to exhort them to . to be sober-minded , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it signifies to use a bridle , to be modest , and to keep in our lusts and our passions within their due bounds and limits . that we gratify them not at any time , or in any thing , whatever cravings they make , if god forbid it , if reason disallow it , if it draw sin or inconveniency after it ; if god should be thereby disobeyed , or religion dishonoured , or if it bring a guilt upon conscience . and thus you have seen what it is to be sober-minded , and what reason the apostle had to advise titus to exhort young men so to be . my business now shall be only i. to do that which the apostle here exhorts titus , and in him all gospel ministers to do , namely , to instruct young men to be sober-minded . ii. that my exhortation may take the better effect , i shall propound to them divers motives and considerations . and iii. i shall conclude all with some short address to them . i. to exhort young men to be sober-minded . and they have certainly great need of it , because there are so few that are so . the younger sort is sadly corrupted , and vitiated ever from their tender age. they have imbibed loose principles , that may best comport with loose inclinations , and suit to their lusts. and as they grow up in years , they grow up as fast in folly and rashness . they do not love advice , and detest sober counsel , and hate to be checked in their pursuits and appetites : and are apt to despise and scoff at their elders , and to think themselves far wiser than they : that they may the more securely and uncontrollably follow their vanities . and so they commonly stain their souls with grievous blots of sin and wickedness . it is a sad consideration indeed to observe how viciously disposed the youth of our age for the most part is . and it is a rare thing to see a man young in years , sober , and modest in his manners , ingenuous in his behaviour , choosing good courses , and treading in the steps of virtue . this i say is somewhat rare to see ; scarce one in a thousand . and this i speak , not only of the youth of the common sort , but of the superiour ranks and degrees among us : the children of worshipful and honourable families : who , if they live , must have a great influence upon many their dependents , their servants , tenants , and inferiours , that will follow their example . so that whole towns , whole counties , the whole kingdom is in danger to be corrupted and spoiled by their means . and therefore surely there is high reason most earnestly to deal with youth by all the ways and means possible , to season their early years with sobriety , to excite them to be wise , and to lay restraint upon themselves , and to prevail upon them not to run out into those excesses of riot and wantonness that others do . to all young men therefore , i say , as st. paul did to young timothy ; flee also youthful lusts. but follow righteousness , faith , charity , peace with them that call on the lord out of a pure heart , tim. ii. . flee these lusts , as ye would flee from a serpent . for they have as much deadly venom . but that my exhortation may take the better effect , ii. i shall in the next place propound divers motives and considerations for this purpose . . let young men consider seriously what obligations lye upon them from god. oh! let them remember how peculiarly good and gracious he hath been to them . and will not they express their sense of gratitude to this their good god , by being sober , and keeping his commandments ? it was his goodness that brought them into the world , and provided them kind and indulgent parents , that cherished them , and most tenderly brought them up in their helpless infancy . their helpless infancy i say . for a humane creature of all others , when it is first born , is most unable to help it self , and must inevitably perish from the very womb , without the mere mercy of god encline others to interpose their tender care of it , to feed , and cloath , and keep it warm , and defend it from injury . this is god's goodness , thus to incline the hearts of others to us in this poor forlorn state wherein we are cast , when we first come into the world. and it is god's goodness still to us , that under all the troubles and sorrows we create our parents and friends , and our many unhansome and disobliging carriages towards them , while we are thus young , their tenderness and patience towards us still perseveres and holds out . and as we grow up in days and months , and years , they take care of our youth , to educate and instruct us , and to supply us with whatsoever we need , streightning themselves for our accommodation ; and procure to have us informed in such knowledge , arts and sciences , as may enable us to provide for our selves , and to live comfortably when they are dead and gone , and can take no more care of us . these instincts of love , tenderness and kindness , are all owing to god , that inspired our friends and relations with these indulgences towards us . moreover , 't is his goodness to thee , o young man , that he hath made thee a rational creature ; given thee reason and understanding , and advanced thee above the rank of inferiour creatures ; that teacheth thee more than the beasts of the earth , and maketh thee wiser than the fouls of heaven , job xxxv . . it is elihu's contemplation . again , it is his goodness to thee , o young man , that when thou hast not remembred thy creator , but hast so often , and so sadly forgotten him , he hath spared thee , and not punished thee with some grievous judgment in the act and commission of thy sin. thou hast broken his holy and awful commandments ( it may be from the first commandment to the last ) notwlthstanding thou hast known them , and been taught them by thy parents , and by thy instructers . nay , and in the mean while thou hast been so far from repentance , that thou hast hardly been sensible what a young rebel thou hast been to thy great and good god. and yet he hath forbore to strike thee , as he justly might . this , and a great deal more might be added to shew , what mighty obligations young men lye under to their maker . and should not this stir them up to love and fear him , and to restrain themselves from doing any thing to offend and anger him ; but rather to lead their future lives in that sobriety , care and watchfulness , that would be so acceptable to him ? . young men have a prospect of a longer tract of time to live , than the more elderly . and therefore sobriety is necessary for them , that they may order and dispose themselves , that the series and course of their lives may be comfortable and happy to them . which it cannot be , if men begin with vice and licentiousness . man's life is a race . now if a man were to run a race , and should set out with all the violence and irregularity that ever he could , he were like to tire before he were got half way : and so should render all the rest of his way very wearisome and irksome to him . but if he began with more deliberation , and set out with more sobriety , he would with more ease and comfort hold out all along the rest of the way he was to go . and just so it is with our lives . most men set out this race of humane life with a violent propension to evil , and a continual gratification of the lusts and desires of the flesh ; spend their health , and their credit , and their estates oftentimes too , in debauchery and disorder . and so the thred of their lives is either cut off in the midst , or if it be not , all the rest is spent in vexation and trouble , in sickness & sorrow , in poverty , and a thousand miseries , that our first and early follies have drawn upon us . and therefore , o young man , as thou wouldst pass that life that god hath allotted thee in this world , ( how long or how short soever it be ) with peace and comfort , the best way is to begin it well , and to avoid those follies and errors that are so apt to defile that age. for . consider further , how the sins of our youth will create much uneasiness and sorrow afterward , when we grow further into years . and this will appear in these two respects . first , god sometimes punisheth a man many years after for the iniquities of his youth . there be many afflictions and calamities that befall us from the hand of god , which make our lives not seldom very grievous unto us . and in our search into the causes of them , one rank of them must be the sins of our youth . to this it was that iob attributed his present extremities , iob xiii . . thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth . iob was a good man. he set god's fear before his eyes , and particularly he was a man of great charity and large compassion to all poor , necessitous people . and that made him speak so largely in his own justification . but yet he was it seems , in his early age carried away as well as others with youthful lusts and pleasures , and did not remember his creatour as he should have done in those days . and this he concludes was a reason why god laid his hand so heavy upon him : thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth . and that is the observation that zophar one of iob's friends , makes of those that begin early in sin , that their bones are full of the sins of their youth , job xx . . it seems to mean , those diseases that the sins of men's youth oftentimes leave behind them in their bodies . it sticks to their very bones ; and is appointed by god to be a severe remembrancer , as long as they live , of the vile and wretched courses that they took when they were young . why did david pray to god not to remember the sins of his youth ? remember not , lord , the sins of my youth , psal. xxv . . remember them not now , o lord , in mine elder age to punish me for them . david had left the vanities of his youth , and was become a man after god's own heart ; and yet david met with very great afflictions and sufferings ; and god seemed ●n them to have remembred the sins and follies of his youth . for god , tho he pardoneth sins , and imputeth not unto us our former iniquities , where he sees a penitent and reformed heart and life , yet it is seldom but he takes some temporary punishments upon man for them first or last . as he pardoned the sin of the golden calf , yet when he visited , he would visit upon the israelites that sin. and therefore a good man as long as he lives in his prayers and devotions , among the rest of his sins , prays for the pardon of his youthful sins , and that god would be merciful to him , and not punish him for them ; which he very often doth , to the rendring the christian's life bitter unto him , it may be as long as he lives . secondly , the sins of your youth will create much uneasiness and sorrow to you , in respect of the reflexions that your consciences will make against you many years after . the remembrance of your former sins will be like a heavy burden upon your conscience . conscience will put you in mind , it may be twenty , or thirty , or forty years after , of the wickedness of your youth ; of your lyes and shifts to conceal your extravagances , of your disobedience and obstinacy to your indulgent parents , of your scoffing at their good counsels , of your stealing from them to spend upon your lusts , of the griefs and afflictions you have caused to their gray heads ; and of all the rest of your uncleanness , of your debaucheries and excesses . and if you have any grace in you , and have not utterly sinned away conscience , these things will now and then fly in your face , and be like so many worms , to bite and sting your very hearts . i dare appeal for the truth of this unto your selves , ( as many as god hath given grace unto afterward to grow wiser and better ) how your youthful lusts and sins do rise up sometimes and reproach and upbraid you ; and the thoughts that you have been so bad , and committed so much sin in secret , do still by fits molest and trouble you . i have known a person that hath condoled to me some particular follies and errors of his youth thirty or forty years after , with excessive bitterness and anguish of mind . and tho , as he told me , he had most heartily repented of those rashnesses and sins , yet the conscience thereof made his whole life uncomfortable to him , and so interrupted his devotions and services of god , that he could not look up to him with any comfort , but was so self-condemned , that he was afraid that god would throw all his service like dung back into his face , because they proceeded from so unworthy a wretch as he had been . and therefore let that be another motive to young people to take heed now to themselves , that they preserve themselves in sobriety and virtue , that they may not afterward have such severe reckonings , and lay a foundation of so much trouble and sorrow to imbitter their future days . . on the other hand , consider the comforts that will arise to age from an innocent well-spent-youth . when we come to years , and begin to grow gray , and our age puts us in mind of our mortality , and that we must not , can not tarry much longer in this world then we begin , i trust , to think seriously what sort of entertainment we are like to meet with in the other world , and how god will look upon us when we come to dye ; and how it is like to fare with us to all eternity . and this will put us upon thinking on our past lives . and our thoughts will run back to our early years ; how we led our lives then ; how god was sought and served by us from our youth . and if after this search we find , that god's grace restrained us from youthful follies , and that we remembred our creator in the days of our youth ; that we were just and honest , sober and clean , then there cannot happen a greater comfort to us : it will mightily strengthen our hopes , that we are among the number of god's elect , and that our lot is among the just. besides , the comfort of our youth spent soberly and well , appears in this , that a man hath kept up his credit and reputation throughout his whole life ; that from his youth to his old age he hath constantly walked as became a good man ; that he hath never stained nor bespotted his life with deliberate and habitual sins and evils : that his life hath been all of a piece , and his youth hath not shamed his old age. what a comfort and a rejoycing will this be ? there were two sorts of old men among the jews : one sort were such as had lived loosly in their younger days , and afterwards took up , and grew sober and wise. but there was another sort among them , whose youth and old age both were well spent . they began well , and so they continued . these two sorts of old men in one of the great feasts at the temple , used to stand in one of the courts , and pronounce these words : the former sort said thus , blessed be our old age , that hath made amends for the sins of our youth . but the latter said with more comfort , blessed be our youth , that hath not shamed our old age. for indeed there is a shame belongs to a man as long as he lives , for the intemperance and vices of his younger years . but when any of us have had the grace to spend our young days well , it will be a reputation and honour unto our old age. and the consideration of it , as it is matter of thankfulness to god , that hath given us such grace in our youth , so it is matter of peace and comfort unto us , that we have kept up a fair name in the world all our days . . young men are subject to death as well as the elder . nay , sometimes the younger are taken off , when those that are gone further into age and years remain behind . and therefore ought not they to be sober , that whensoever they dye , they may not be taken unprovided ? it is a foolish thing to put off the purposes of a good life on this score , that men are young , and may have many years more to live , because nothing is so uncertain as the life of man. and we see thousands of instances of men , young in years , strong in body , vigorous in health , cut down suddenly by fevers , or some accident or other : and they dye and go to their long home , as well as such who have lived to gray hairs . and what a sad thing would it be for a young man to suffer himself to be so cheated out of heaven and happiness , because of the conceit that he was young , and might have lived many years more ? oh! it ought to be every man's care above all his other cares , to think of death , and to prepare for the main chance ; that when he goes out of this world , he may pass into a better , and leave a good name behind them . and of all the madnesses of youth , certainly this is one of the greatest , that they are so apt to put away the day of their death from them ; and to indulge to all sensuality , as tho they were sure of many future years ; and to cry , that it will be time enough hereafter to grow sober . and then ( alas ! ) death comes on a sudden , and surprises them with all their sins and faults , and follies about them . and so they are undone to all eternity . and therefore it is the only wise course for young men to take , viz. to fear god in their youth , and to depart from evil at this present time , that in case death should overtake them , as it hath done others as young and flourishing as they , it may not endanger their everlasting well-being . . to name no more , in order to a sober conversation , let young men consider some notable instances , of persons that have been exemplarily good from their youth . for , thanks be to god , however corrupt the generality of youth are and have been , yet there have been some admirable instances , of young men that have begun , and held out well in a holy , chast , wise and godly conversation . and methinks these examples should inflame youth to labour to imitate them , and to live and to do as they have done . youth is apt to aspire , and to be ambitious , and to reach after high things . certainly there is no ambition , no aspiring , like that of endeavouring to come up to that perfection and glory , that some young men like themselves , have done . what a brave young person was obadiah , one of ahab's courtiers . a wicked prince , and a wicked court ; but yet obadiah was not infected by either ; but feared the lord from his youth , when almost all the rest had cast him behind their backs . he would not turn idolater , when the king and every one else did . no , he feared the lord from his youth . so he tells elijah ; but i thy servant fear the lord from my youth , kin. xviii . . and that made him do such an adventurous act , to hide god's prophets by fifty in a cave , and feed them with bread and water , when iezabel had slain so many as she could find ; and probably had made it death to conceal them . and what a world of good did that single good man in those wicked times ? and that chiefly , because of that fear of god which possessed his mind from his youth ; and so influenced all his after-age . again , what an incomparable person was young king iosiah ; and what admirable service did he do for god and his honour , when his kingdom had been by the default of former kings , so polluted with idolatry ? what a reformation did he make in iudah , when he was very young ? what zeal for god was he endued withall ; and how sweet is the remembrance of him unto this day , through so many successive generations of the world ? that a man so young in years should have such a great sense of god upon his soul , and have the courage to do so much for him . of him thus doth iesus the son of syrach speak , ecclus. xlix . , . the remembrance of josias is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary . it is sweet as hony in all mouths , and as musick at a banquet of wine . he behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of his people ( he means from their idolatry ) and took away the abominations of iniquity . he directed his heart unto the lord , and in the time of the vngodly he established the worship of god. and that which was the glory of all the rest , this he did even in his young and tender age. in the eighth year of his reign ( that is when he was but sixteen years old ) while he was yet young , he began to seek after the god of david his father , chron. xxxiv . . and in the twelfth year ( that is , being but twenty years of age ) he began to purge judah and jerusalem from the high places and the groves , &c. iob also from his tenderest age was disposed and addicted to piety . he loved , and was tender of the poor even from his childhood ; as he tells us himself : if i have with-held the poor from their desire , or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail : or have eaten my morsel my self alone , and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof , job xxxi . , , . and then observe what followeth , for from my youth , he ( that is , the fatherless ) was brought up with me as with a father . ( from his youth he was as a father to the fatherless . ) and i have guided her ( that is , the widow before spoken of ) from my mother 's womb. from my mother's womb ; he means , from his very first age , when he was very young , he had a love and a compassion for poor widows ; and when he was but a child , he shewed himself a father to orphans . and as he grew on in years , still he persevered in the same charitable , compassionate sense of their wants ; and according to his large ability and authority , relieved them . such another early good man was iesus the son of syrach , who was the compiler of that excellent book of ecclesiasticus , so replenisht with sentences of great wisdom , and rules of admirable morality and good life . this man from his youth thirsted after wisdom , ( that is , the fear of god ) and prayed to god to bestow it on him ; and added his own endeavour , and obtain'd it . which he thus relateth to us himself , ecclus. li. , &c. when i was yet young , or ever i went abroad , i desired wisdom openly in my prayer . i prayed for her before the temple , and will seek her out even to the end. even from the flower till the grape was ripe , ( that is , from the spring of his years till the autumn of his age ) my heart delighted in her ; my foot went the right way . from my youth up i sought after her . and so he goes on relating his youth spent in the pursuit of virtue . i purposed to do after her , and earnestly i followed that which was good . my soul hath wrestled with her , and in my doing i was exact . i stretched forth my hands to the heavens above , and bewailed mine ignorances of her . i directed my soul unto her , and i found her in pureness ; ( that is , in my pure age , before the defilements of age corrupted it ) i have had my heart joyned with her from the beginning . and this excellent young man was iesus the son of syrach . but there was another young iesus , greater than this iesus , even our ever blessed lord and master christ jesus . we have not much recorded to us of his young years , till he came to display himself for the messiah about the age of thirty . but what is set down in holy writ before that time concerning him , sheweth , how early his piety appeared . it is said of the days next after his infancy , that the child grew , and waxed strong in spirit , filled with wisdom , and the grace of god was upon him , luk. ii . . however weak in body , young in years he was , yet he was strong in spirit , and filled with wisdom . and the next news you have of him was , that being but twelve years old , when he and his parents came to ierusalem to worship god , he goes into the temple , and sits among the doctors to confer with them upon points of religion ; and thought himself obliged so early to be occupied about his father's business . as he tells his parents that had lost him , and found him at last in the temple ; wist ye not that i must be about my father's business ? to all these admirable examples of excellent young men in former times , i will add one modern one ; and that is of k. edward vi. our english iosiah . of his rare parts , and extraordinary learning even in his childhood , i shall not speak : but of his good disposition and religious mind , i shall make a little mention , for the enflaming of youth , ( especially youth of nobility and blood ) to labour as much as they can to be such as he was . he was addicted to a fear of god from his youngest years . and that appeared in the mighty reverence he bore to the holy scriptures . when something he was minded to have was somewhat higher than he could well reach , and one of his play-fellows brought him a great bible to stand upon , he refused it with indignation , abhorrring to shew any such irreverence towards that holy book , as he conceived it would be , if he should have trod upon it . he came to the crown at the age of nine years , and two or three months ; and there is an author , that lived in those times , and knew that young king well , that at his coronation , when three swords were presented to him , in token of the three kingdoms to which he was advanc'd , the royal youth said to the nobles about him , that there was one sword yet wanting . and when they asked him what that was , he answered , the bible . that book , added he , is the sword of the spirit , and much to be preferred before these other swords . he that rules without it , is not to be called god's minister , nor ought to bear the name of king. under that we ought to live , to fight , to govern. and when he had said these , and the like words , he commanded the bible to be brought and with the greatest reverence to be carried before him . when he was between eleven and twelve years of age , he wrote , without the help of any instructor , an ingenious tract in french , against the abuses put upon the world by popery . wherein by reason and variety of places of scripture , he confuted most of the popish errors . throughout his short reign , he had a peculiar care of religion , and gave all encouragement to the right reforming and settling of it on scripture foundations . he gave free invitation and gracious reception to all forreign professors of the gospel , persecuted at home for their religion . so that tho he were but a child , he was a father , a true nursing father , to god's church and people . and truly it was not without a notable providence of god , not to be forgotten , and which under god was the great cause of the preservation of the reformed religion , that while the gospel at that time was miserably opprest , almost in all parts of the world , in flanders , in germany , in france , in spain , in italy , in poland ( for in all these countries the religion had already taken sooting ) and combinations were entred into by the rulers of the world to extirpate it every where ; england was in this king's reign the common asylum for religious and learned men to fly unto . and hither they flocked daily both for shelter and subsistence . and abundance of annuities and pensions did the young godly king grant unto them out of his own treasures ; and bestowed many of these exiles in places in the church , and in both the universities . and such was his care for the education of youth in good and christian manners , that during his short reign , which was not seven years , he founded more schools throughout all places of the nation , than i believe did all the norman kings that reigned before him put together . and i find that in little less then the space of twelve months he founded at least twelve free-schools . and his care of the education of youth , further appeared in the order he took in his own family for his henchmen , that is his pages , and other youths attending him . for whom he appointed a school on purpose , and retained a schoolmaster . and for his encouragement assigned him a salary for life . and as for his charitable mind , it was scarce to be paralell'd . and this city feels the good effect of it to this day , and will do i hope to the world's end. for excited by a sermon , which was preached before him by ridley the martyr , then bishop of london , he settled upon your city for the relief of your poor , the hospital of st. bartholomew , the gray-friars church near newgate , now called christ's hospital , and bridewell the antient mansion of the english kings , and the savoy too , with the lands thereof . but this last gift he lived not to finish . yet he had such a real intention to pass it to the city , that he left it in his will , that the grant made to the mayor and city of london touching the savoy and the lands thereof , should be performed . and as he lived so he dyed , most piously and devoutly , recommending most heartily himself and his kingdoms to god. he had a grave and manly mind in a young body . all foreigners that saw or heard of him , admired him , and wrote vast characters of him . cardanus the great philosopher , who saw and talked with him , reported in a printed book , that all the graces were in him , and that he lookt like the miracle of a man. caelius secundus curio , another great learned foreigner of basil , called him a prince of divine hopes , and a godlike youth , adding , that had he lived to adult years , and had come to the government of the kingdom , freed from the tuition of his courtiers , ( which were none of the best ) what realm on earth had been happier , what nation ever more blessed ? but god was minded only to shew him to the world , and suffer him no longer to abide in it . but i must refrain , begging your pardons for saying so much , it being hard in such a pleasant subject to contain my self . to hasten to a conclusion . are not young men stirred up by these brave examples that i have set before them ? can they consider these men , how well they began their lives , how serviceable and zealous they were for god and his glory , and what attainments they made in virtue and goodness , even in their tender years ; and are they not inflamed to follow such notable patterns ? is it not more for their reputation and honour , for their comfort and the satisfaction of their consciences , than to run with the heard of youth in this our evil age towards all loosness and licentiousness , filthiness and uncleanness in their words and deeds , to the pollution of their souls , and the drawing down the anger of god upon them . iii. and now to make an end , i cannot think but that all ingenuous youth , after all that i have said , will feel strong inclinations in themselves to take the apostles counsel , to be sober-minded : to watch their affections , to lay upon themselves the bridle of continency and modesty , to curb and rein up their passions and their unruly desires ; to chuse the fear of god rather than the pleasures of sin for a season . if you want direction in this work ; if you would know how you should keep your selves clean , david will teach you : who asketh this needful question , and answereth it full well : wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way ? by taking heed thereto according to thy word , psal. cxix . . or , according to the old translation , by ruling himself after thy word . oh! let god's word be thy guide and thy rule . and then thou hast god himself and his holy spirit to be thy directer : who is best able to instruct thee , and shew thee the courses thou oughtest to take , and which will prove most advantagious to thee . stir not an inch from the prescriptions of god's word . let that be thy maxim and thy principle . 't is a dangerous world we live in , and we ought to have our wits about us , how to behave our selves in all the various circumstances of humane life : lest by some slip or error , or inadvertency in the beginning of our setting out , we draw misery and trouble upon our selves ever after . and we ought to have some wise person to be our counsellor for this purpose . but there is no counsellor so safe as god himself . and then we have him for our counsellor , when we take his word for our rule , and ask counsel there . oh! therefore let all young men diligently read the scriptures , and make them their study and their practice . and let them never doubt to follow most strictly the counsels and admonitions thereof , however at first sight they may seem inconvenient or dangerous to take . for be assured integrity and righteousness , truth and innocency , and an awe of god , upon which all the precepts of holy scripture are founded , will bear a man out best at the last , and give our lives the best conclusion . i conclude all therefore with the son of syrach's exhortation to young folks to get the true wisdom ; draw near unto me ye unlearned , and dwell in the house of learning . buy her for your selves without mony. put your neck under the yoke , and let your soul receive instruction . she is hard at hand to find — work your work betimes ( that is , while you are young ) and in his time he will give the your reward , ecclus. li. , , , . unto which reward god almighty bring us all , amen . admonitions to the aged . tit. ii. . that the aged men be sober , grave , temperate , sound in faith , in charity , in patience . the last time i was called to speak in this audience , i took upon me to be a remembrancer to young men , and exhorted them with many arguments to virtue and goodness , from the sixth verse of this chapter , where the apostle bids timothy exhort young men to be sober-minded . now i shall carry over my discourse from the young unto the old , and speak , if i can , something in season to you that are the grave magistrates and citizens ; on whom lyes the government of this great city , and the present good estate of it so much depends : you that have lived in former days , and are able to tell of the times that are past ; you , to whom god hath shewn many noble acts of his power and providence . give me leave now to be your monitor also , that joyning with your experience a prudent , a sober and a godly conversation , you may in your places and callings , contribute to the bringing down god's blessing upon your selves , and upon us all . and truly it is sad to consider , what very slaves to vice and sin many aged men are . their passions and their follies are grown up with them . the sinful frailties of their youth are turned into the very habits of their old age : and the longer they have lived the worse they have been , instead of growing better and wiser . they have smarted many times past of their lives for their vices and iniquities , and yet have not had the grace to mend them , nor to forsake those things that have cost them dear . their bought experience hath not made them wiser . they have felt god's hand many a time upon them for their sins , and yet they remain as bad as they were before . and so they grow old and gray-headed in their evil courses , as tho they resolved to live and dye in them . days should teach wisdom , saith the spirit of god somewhere ; but neither days nor years have taught them wisdom . vanity and folly hath been bound up in their hearts from their childhood ; and it is so fast bound up there , that it remains with them even to their old age ; and none of god's rods of correction have driven it out . how many men and women have we known , nay perhaps do know , far gone in years , that have spent forty or fifty , or threescore winters in the world , and are passionate and hasty , covetous and worldly minded , unclean in their desires , blasphemous and vain in their speeches , wofully negligent of god and their souls to this day . they draw near to eternity , and yet little think of it . they are going to their long homes , and have one foot in their graves , and yet take no care to make themselves fit for that other world : and have little regard of putting their souls in such a posture as they may be able with comfort to stand before god. gray hairs are here and there upon them , and they consider it not . well then , be you judges , whether even aged men have not need to be called upon , and to have a monitor as well as the younger . st. paul knew this well enough ; and therefore he instructs titus to exhort the aged to be sober , grave , temperate , sound in faith , in charity , in patience . in all which respects the aged in his time were oftentimes too defective , and perhaps were neither sober , grave nor temperate , however old they were , nor sound in faith , in charity nor patience . but sure it is , these things are mighty becoming years , and are proper lessons and practices for elder age ; namely , sobriety , gravity , temperance , soundness in faith , in charity and in patience . these , o fathers and brethren , will be very great ornaments of your age ; and not only ornaments of your age , but of your holy profession too . now that i may discourse suitably and profitably upon this argument , i shall do these two or three things . i. i shall shew you what that behaviour is that is suitable unto aged men. ii. unto this holy behaviour i shall excite and stir them up by some considerations . iii. i shall make a practical conclusion of my discourse . i. i shall shew elderly men what that good behaviour is that they should follow after , and make their practice : and for that i shall refer my self unto the apostle in the text. i shall not offer mine own conceptions here to the aged , but what paul the aged , nay paul the saint , the inspired , offers to them . he it is that would have them instructed to be . sober , . grave , . temperate , . sound in faith , . sound in charity , . sound in patience . and that you may know the full import and meaning of each of these , which will make a very accomplisht old age , i shall speak of them distinctly . i. aged men must be sober . this word our translaters do interpret sometimes , to be watchful , and sometimes , to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sober . and therefore bullinger in his exposition of this place useth both words , vigilantes ac sobrios . which two expressions may inform us of the full sense and meaning of it . first , they must be sober , that is , abstemious in drink ; avoiding all excess in that . that it may not impair their health , nor their understanding : both which age renders so infirm , and places in so uncertain and ticklish a condition . and therefore especially men in years should not be drunkards or sots , but use wine or strong drink moderately . which if they ( especially ) take in too great quantity , it will soon wear their bodies out , and weaken their minds , memories , judgments and understandings . which age of it self will do at last , and needs not to be helped and furthered by our own vices . and indeed to see an old man a drunkard , to see him intoxicating himself , and falling into all the frantick and foolish frolicks that that sin draws with it , how odious is it ; how unbecoming that gravity that years call for ? and what an abominable ill example will this give unto children , and the younger sort ? and what a sport and pastime will an old drunkard render himself unto such , who are called upon to reverence the aged , and to respect gray-hairs ? and what an aggravation and weight of guilt will it add unto the old man's drunkenness , that he who by his age ought to excel others , and to go before them in a vertuous and sober demeanour , should hereby invite them to sin , and tempt them to follow him in these excesses ? a thing which young people are very apt to do , viz. to follow such examples ; especially if they have a dependence upon the elder : if they be their masters , or fathers , their landlords , or superiors . this then is one sense of the word sober , that is , not addicted to too much wine , and to use no more than may tend to the supportation of nature , and preserving the body in health . secondly , they must be sober , that is , they must be watchful . for so the word also signifies . and therefore watch , and be sober , are the phrases that the scripture puts together , as being very near of kin , or all one . therefore let us not sleep , as do others ; but let us watch , and be sober : so st. paul. and so the apostle st. peter , be sober , be vigilant , or watchful . but in other places , this very word , be sober , is translated be watchful . so st. paul exhorts timothy , watch thou in all things . and so st. peter , watch unto prayer . where the word watch is of the same original , with the word sober , in the text. hence we may infer , that the meaning of this word , and perhaps the chief meaning and sense of it , relates to watchfulness . a great and a proper duty and exercise for aged men above all others , to watch for their lord 's coming , whose time is so near spent in the course of nature . to watch , and be in expectation of their departure into another world. to watch unto prayer , in the place before mentioned , or in prayers , as the words may be rendred . that is , to be always praying unto god ; lifting up their hearts to him in holy and devout ejaculations , spending much of their time in converse with their maker , and in earnest addresses to him , to forgive unto them all their past errors ; to beg and implore his grace to be their comfort in their old age , and that he would not leave them in the needful time of their trouble , their sickness , their pain , their dying hour . again , they must be watchful , to keep themselves clear and free of sin , to preserve themselves in a holy , blameless behaviour ; that they may be fit to meet the lord , and to make their personal appearrance before their judge , which they are so suddenly to do . and therefore let not them sleep as do others , but let them ( especially ) watch , and be sober , as the apostle advises all christians , thess. v. . this watchfulness also consists in their diligent attendance upon all god's holy ordinances . as for example , in a conscientious celebrating of god's sabbaths , resorting unto the places where his honour dwelleth , with all devotion and seriousness of soul ; and and there hearing god's word read and explained by his ministers , with an humble , obedient ear ; joyning their hearts and their mouths in the prayers and supplications that are put up there , for our selves , and for all the wants and necessicities of our fellow-christians ; in an universal spreading charity : and as often as the holy communion is administred , repairing unto god's table , with earnest minds , and holy affections , to partake of that comfortable commemoration of christ's death , and passion ; whereby he hath procured of his father the pardon and remission of our sins , to our endless comfort and benefit . and by these ordinances , we draw near to god , and acquaint our selves with him against the time we hope for ever to dwell with him , and to enjoy his blessed face . in these ordinances we hold a communion with god , and god with us ; and we do accustom our selves to those very exercises , that , if ever god vouchsafe to bring us to glory , shall be in effect our great employment there . thus the aged men should watch. and what a happy thing would it be for them , if death should find them thus watching . they should ( and i hope they do ) consider , that god will e're long send for them . and therefore it should be their endeavour , that whensoever he doth send , he may find them upon their knees , or at their devotion , or busied in some holy , good , charitable , or at least warrantable , exercise . and this is the first great point of that behaviour , that is so sutable to the aged , that the aged men be sober , or watchful . ii. the aged man must be grave ; that is , his carriage and outward deportment must be managed in that decency and reverence , as may bespeak the inward goodness of his mind . he must so demean himself , that it may appear , that there is within him a true sense of god and goodness , and an aversion to every thing that is foul , unjust and dishonest . all lightness , idleness , vanity of behaviour , frothiness of speech , playing , toying , sporting , chamberring and wantonness in words and actions , and such like , so contrary to the decorum of their age ; these things are by all means to be avoided by men of age and years , so dissonant to gravity . there must be a severity in their behaviour : they must not endure to see or to hear any thing that is immodest , or unseemly , much more that is vile and wicked . and if they are magistrates , they must shew their dislike of it , by punishing and correcting it : if of more ordinary rank and quality , they must reprove it , or withdraw themselves from it , or give some plain evidence of their disallowance and disapprovement of it . there is a lightness , and frothiness of conversation , which this present generation of ours is too much addicted to . and it is this in a great measure , ( more than most are aware of ) that doth so indispose and prejudice men against religion ; which indeed will not away with it . for that is a serious and solid thing . it will not allow of that airiness of behaviour , that vanity and idleness of speech , and trivial conversation , that is in too great fashion and vogue among us . it was a saying of one of the fathers , even the sportings of christians ought to have a kind of seriousness in them . every man should do that which becomes him . and there is nothing becomes a christian , but what is virtuous , what is just , what is innocent , and what is modest , and what hath the stamp of truth and goodness on it . a heathen gave us this advice : reckon that nothing becomes you , but what is good . and it is the apostle's admirable councel to his philippians , in the conclusion of his epistle to them ; whatsoever things are true , whatsoever things are honest , ( the word in the text ) i. e. whatsoever things are grave , or decent , or agreeable to your most holy profession ) think on these things , this then ought to be the deportment of all christians , all that have taken on them christ's holy name ; but chiefly all elderly people . their years call upon them to be grave ; countenancing what is good , discountenancing what ever is evil. which will shew the inward good , and godly temper of their minds and spirits . the aged men must be grave , or serious : that is their second qualification . iii. they must be temperate . an aged man must be a man of temper . temper in his passions . he must not be testy , morose , and froward : a vice to which old men are wont to be addicted . he must not be a demea , as he in terence , a peevish , fretful , captious man. he must not be a nabal , as he in the book of samuel , such a son of belial , that a man cannot speak to him . there must be a temper also in his wrath. he must not let that impotent passion rule him , and carry him beyond all the bounds of reason and decency , and hurry him away into transports . which commonly make a man utter many blasphemous oaths and curses , take up wicked and ungodly resolutions , and put him forward to unchristian revenges , and implacable animosities . this also an aged man must take heed of . there must also be a temper in his desires of earthly things . it is highly disbecoming a man that is going into another world , to be griping and scraping for the things of this . to oppress and vex his creditors , his tenants , his underlings ; to prog and cark for wealth , and to fill his bags , and to labour night and day for more and more of these fading riches , and in the mean time to neglect the true riches , that will make a man rich to god , and furnish him with treasures that will do him good in another world. thus the aged must be temperate . the word indeed signifies , and is often translated sober ; and is the same word with that in the sixth verse , where young men are exhorted to be sober-minded . it seems sobriety is a duty necessary to be urged both upon old and young : that is , both ought to lay restraint upon their lusts and passions , to govern their appetites , to keep themselves within due bounds , and to be temperate in all things : which is the true notion of sobriety . for the old as well as the young are apt to fly out , and to go beyond their due limits , that god and nature hath set them : and so to draw misery , trouble , guilt and destruction in the end , upon themselves . that is the third : the aged must be temperate , or sober . the three other directions for aged men that remain , do more particularly respect them as they are professors of christian religion : which mainly consists in faith , in charity , in patience . and therefore aged christians should be sound in all these graces . age hath rendred them frail , and weak in their bodily strength ; but they must not be so in their graces , but sound in them . and the longer they live , to the more healthfulness in spirit , and soundness in all christian vertues they must aspire : and especially they must be sound in these three . i. in faith : that is , in the christian doctrine . they must hold fast christ's truth ; that which is call'd sound doctrin , in the first verse of this chapter . this they must hold fast , and maintain in their old age , and not let go those holy doctrines , that they have been taught , that form of sound words , wherein they have been instructed . and not as some are wont to do in their elder years , to apostatize and backslide , and to forsake the ancient truth for new doctrines , and be carried away with errors , by the subtile invention of deceivers and false prophets , that come in sheeps cloathing . but the aged who are come to maturity of years , should be of mature judgment , and to be too well grounded and principled in the truth , to be inticed away by such as lay in wait to deceive unstable souls . thus the aged must be sound in faith. or else he must be sound in faith , taking faith to signify more particularly faith and trust in god. when age comes upon us , and various infirmities , pains and sicknesses attend it , and troubles and cares do now more than ever oppress our minds ; and the reflexions it may be upon the infinite miscarriages of our past lives deject us , what need have we then of this faith in god , to enable us to rely upon him , and his goodness , and his promises ? what need to put a firm trust and confidence in him ? to have an eye of faith to see him that is invisible , and a hand of faith , to take fast hold of him , and not to let him go ? i mean to be possest with a good and well grounded assurance , that he will not leave us in our old age , nor lay to our charge the sins and follies of our past life , since we have repented of them , and forsaken them . and this is to sound be in faith. ii. in charity . aged men above all , who are going into another world , must not harbour malice in their hearts against any ; but reduce themselves to an hearty love , and good-will to every man universally . the man of years must be endued with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that well-pleasedness of mind to others , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that friendly affection to mankind , that god hath declared himself to have towards us all . for he is going , as he hopes , to that god. and if he be not of that gracious , kind temper that he is of , he must never expect to see his face , nor to dwell in his presence . for we must be like him , if ever we intend to live with him . iii. lastly , he must be sound in patience . in faith , in charity , and in patience . patience in the new testament often signifies perseverance in the faith of christ , and persistance in well-doing , notwithstanding all the discouragements and persecutions of an evil world : upholding a man's self by the strong and vigorous expectation of the infinite rewards to be bestowed in god's good time. and this patience , or patient expectation , the aged should be sound in : waiting for the time when his god shall call him to himself to bestow upon him a crown of life , and say to him , well done , good , and faithful servant , enter into the ioy of thy lord. he must be sound and strong in this patience . or else , he must be sound in patience , as it importeth a quiet bearing of sufferings and pains , and afflictions : which in old age are wont to be more and greater than at any other time. he must not be fretful and peevish under the weakness and infirmities of old age. he must not be angry , and displeased , and froward under the calamities that lye upon him : but bear them with an even and constant spirit , with equanimity and silence , not opening his mouth in impatience : as remembring that it is but the condition of humane nature ; and that it is what comes from god , for the correction of our faults , and for the exercise of our patience , and the tryal of our graces . and after this manner should the aged be sound in patience . and thus i have , under the direction of this excellent text , shewn what that becoming and truly christian behaviour is , that men should exercise , when age and years are come upon them . ii. i am now to endeavour by arguments and considerations to excite the aged to this wise and good demeanour . and for this purpose i shall lay before them these five or six things . i. age expects honour and reverence to be pay'd it . and that deservedly ; and the scripture requires it : thou shalt rise up before the hoary head , and honour the person of the aged . and god did most signally once punish a parcel of loose youths , for despising an aged , holy man , and crying to him in derision , go up , thou bald pate , go up , thou bald pate , king. ii . . they were torn in pieces , forty two of them at once by bears out of the wood : a warning to all succeeding generations of the world , that the younger are to respect and reverence the aged . there is in truth a deference to be given to years : and we do with good reason require it from the younger sort. but alas ! mere age without some other qualifications , will reconcile to us little honour . an old drunkard , an old sot , an old humorist , an old sinner ; who can honour such , who have in that manner dishonoured themselves , and treasured up shame to their old age ? but when age is accompanied with gravity and wisdom , and the fear of god , that makes age to be truly honourable ; and all men will rise up to such an hoary head. his hairs are a crown of glory to him . the hoary head is a crown of glory , if it be found in the way of righteousness , prov. xvi . . when a man walks in the way of righteousness , and holds out therein unto old age , that is the way to make men revere and honour him : and that not only in the body and the outward deportment to give them respect , but inwardly , to love and affect them . ii. we expect to find wisdom and counsel with the aged . years teach wisdom ; and men that have lived a great while in the world , and seen changes and vicissitudes in towns , in cities , in families , in kingdoms , make observations hence , and learn much experience , and treasure up to themselves understanding , and are able to give advice , counsel and instruction . and therefore princes usually make use of the aged for their counsellors , to consult with them about their weighty matters , as they do of the younger sort for action . and surely that man hath spent his years to little purpose , that is a child in his old age ; and tho he wears a gray head , hath still but a boys understanding ; that is rash and foolish , vain and frothy still , after he hath lived it may be fifty or sixty years . what will ye never be wise ? never know how to govern your tongues , and your appetites ? never be men , capable to counsel and avise your selves as long as ye live ? to what purpose have ye spent so many a fair year , and seen so much ? to be fools at last , and to dye as fools dye , in their sins and follies ? we use to say , every man at thirty years of age is either a fool or a physitian : that is , by living so long he hath learned by experience the state and condition of his own body ; so that he is become in a tolerable sort able to be his own physitian , to know what is good and what is bad for him ; or else he is a fool. but how many are there that have lived to thirty years of age twice told , that are very sorry physitians to their souls , and but mere fools still ; void of all understanding to take the proper courses for their souls welfare ? to such elderly fools i may , i think , cry out as wisdom doth , o ye simple ones ! how long will ye love simplicity ? prov. i. . how long ? what ? to old age ? what ? to the day of your death ? this ye see , o ye aged men , reflects closely upon your understanding at this time of day . for with the aged we all look for wisdom and counsel . but iii. to pursue this argument a little further . aged men and women have lived long enough to be thorowly convinced of the vanity of the world , and of the miserable issues of sin. and will they not yet be sober , grave , temperate ? first , they have seen by long experience the vanity of this world. so that methinks they should be able to say as david did , i have seen an end of all perfection , psal. cxix . . and as solomon , i have seen all the works that are done under the sun , and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit , eccl. i. . all these things that men are apt to set their hearts upon , to mind too much , to the neglect of their duty to god and to their neighbours , and to themselves : to pursue night and day by right and by wrong : imagining honour & wealth , and these fading pleasures of the world to be brave things . and alas ! in the end they are but mere vanity , and vexation of spirit . they are vanity . they are vain , they are false , they are lying . they deceive us : they promise us more than they can perform . or else they are vain , they fly away from us , and leave us in a fools paradise . and they are vexation of spirit . they vex and disturb us ; they gall and chafe us a thousand ways ; and our spirits find no rest , no satisfaction in them . doth not every aged person , that hath lived any considerable time in this world , perceive and learn this by the observations he hath made in himself and in others ? and therefore is it not time now for him , ( if he hath not hitherto been so ) to be sober , grave and wise , considering the long experience he hath had of these vanities of the world , and how it hath frustrated his expectations . secondly , aged men have also seen by long experience , the miserable issues of sin : and will they still continue in it , and never forsake it ? have they in their time seen hundreds and hundreds undone and ruined by it , and yet will they follow them , and take no warning still ? have they in their days seen thousands of sinners fall on their right hand , and ten thousands on their left , by their own follies and vicious practices ? have they beheld , how god hath met with those that have set themselves against him by wicked works , and hath struck them down with his mighty hand ? and this done sometimes in such a manner , as if god had intended that all might see it and take warning . have they not seen , how god hath cut off the posterity of the wicked ; and how riches got by wrong , knavery and oppression , have not continued ? have they not had abundance of experience of these and the like remarkable conclusions of sin and violation of god's most holy laws and precepts ? what advantages are these administred to the aged to make them sober and wise , to leave those follies that to their knowledge others have so smarted for ? and it ought to be look'd upon by them as the wonderful grace of god to them , that he hath spared them so long , to see and be convinced of these things ; that they may repent , and dedicate their old age unto god and his service . iv. how many remarkable providences hath god exercised the aged with through the long course of life they have lived ? and to what purpose , but to remind them of him , to reclaim them from some evil ways they have chosen , to make them recollect themselves , repent and amend , to grow wise and good ? it is religious , to look upon all the notable accidents of our lives as peculiarly coming from god for holy and good ends towards us . and it is a great fault in men , when they have escaped some imminent danger , or obtained some extraordinary benefit , or fallen into some sad sickness , or calamity , i say , it is a great fault in any , when it thus happens to them , not to acknowledge god in this , nor to see his hand ; but to pass it over stupidly , without any particular contemplation of god , or remembrance that this was his doing ; this is highly blameworthy . as iacob spake in another case , surely god was in this place , so ought we to say upon any extraordinary providence , surely god was here ; the finger of god was in this deliverance . in this emergence god called me to remembrance . this severe stroke was god's rod : this loss was god's correction , to bring me from such or such sins , to which i have been too much addicted . of these remarkable providences of god we have all partook , but most of all they that have lived long in the world. if they would but bethink themselves , what a vast number of them hath happened in their lives ? what long stories may they tell of the dealings of god with them ; what a train of mercies hath followed them ; what straits he hath delivered them out of ; what preservations he hath wrought for them even in the very jaws of destruction ? how hath he brought them up even from the valley of the shadow of death ? how hath he sometimes given them that which they have most earnestly sought for and desired , to the infinite comfort and satisfaction of their lives ? and how hath he it may be sometimes not granted them that which they desired , out of mercy and goodness . which desire if they had had fulfilled to them , would have proved their undoing , or their perpetual affliction . such ill choosers we oftentimes are for our selves . how many , sundry and various have these dispensations of god been to aged men ? and should not all this make them turn to god , love him , and fear him , and adhere to him , and frame the last scene of their lives to such courses as may please him ? v. what a sad sign will he give of desperate stupidity and final impenitency , that still even in his old age lyes soaking in his sins , and wallowing in the mire of his unclean lusts and passions ? i know that god hath determined to destroy thee , because thou hast done this , and hast not hearkened unto my counsel , said the prophet to amaziah , chron. xxv . . and we may say to the same effect , we know too , that god hath purposed to destroy a man , when his wickedness continues with him in his old age ; and the last days he hath to live in this world are even of the same thred with the former : and negligently enough spent . one may conclude it some judicial obduration sent from god upon a sinner , when his old days are his worst days , and the longer he lives the worse he is . when under all the means of grace , and the calls of god by his ministers for many hundred of sabbaths that he hath lived , he remains like a stock or a stone , and hath not left a sin , nor parted with one folly , to which he was addicted before . oh! lay this to heart , and tremble all you aged people , that are aged in sin too . it looks i say like a desperate stupidity , or a judgment of impenitency sent upon you by god in terrible justice . vi. lastly , antient folks are drawing near that solemn day , when they must depart out of the world , and give up to their judge an account of the spending of their lives . they are as st. paul speaks of himself , ready to be offered up , and the time of their dissolution draweth nigh . should it not therefore be their care to bring themselves to such a frame as to be able to say , as he doth upon the same occasion , i have fought the good fight , i have finished my course , ( or my race ) i have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness , tim. iv . , . o happy that antient man that can sustain his soul in these contemplations ! that can look back upon his past life with comfort , and that can look forward upon the life he is entring into without fear . whose sincere love to god casts out that fear that hath torment in it , that tormenting fear of hell , and of going into everlasting perdition , the sure reward of a loose exorbitant life . the aged are waiting till their change cometh . the sands of their glass are wasted : their strength and vigour abated : diseases and infirmities creep upon them ; and they know their time here cannot be long : and they have one foot , as we say , in the grave already . doth it not infinitely concern them to be sober , grave , temperate , sound in faith , in charity , in patience ? that when god comes and calls for them , they may be found in him , and receive his well done , good and faithful servant . and thus i have finished those considerations that i had to recommend unto the aged in order to the rendring them sober and virtuous . iii. and nothing now remains , but to make some conclusion of this discourse . which must be by way of address to those elderly persons that hear me this day . you o fathers and brethren ! are by the great patience and favour of god , arrived to maturity of years ; you have seen abundance of chances and changes in your days . you have seen wonderful revolutions in kingdoms and states . you have seen the policies of the world baffled , and strange disappointments happening to humane affairs : and even there where men have been most confident : and many other things of such a nature , that you cannot but acknowledge an almighty hand and wisdom therein . you must own that there is a great king that sits above , and that controuls all sublunary things , and exerciseth a notable providence among us ; and takes particular notice of men and their doings . and do not you fear and adore this great and mighty god ? and whatsoever others do , those that have not seen so much of god's wondrous works as you have , yet for your part , you , i hope , sanctify him in your hearts , and make him your fear and your dread . i write unto you fathers , ( or antient men ) because ye have known him that is from the beginning , ioh. ii . . st. iohn takes it for granted , that fathers , men of years and experience , know him ●hat is from the beginning . they know him , that is , they so know him and have experience of his doings , as to fear , serve and obey this god that is from the beginning , from all eternity . o take you heed to your selves ; and you that are gray in hairs , be not gray in sin. carry not your guilt with you to your graves . but let your years remind you of the years of eternity . make amends for the vanities of your youth , by the sobriety and discretion , and godliness of your old age. serve the lord now at last with the most vigorous affections , and dedicate the remaining sands of your life t● his glory . let an aged mi●●● be in an aged body . and th● nearer you come to the end of your days , make your selves the fitter for god. become more devout , more serious ▪ more frequent in prayer and meditation , and the more willing to depart and to be with christ. which god of his mercy grant that we may do through jesus christ our lord , amen . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e bal de vir. illustrib . notes for div a -e thess. v. . pet. v. . tim. iv . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pet. iv . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ludicra christianorum debent esse seria . quod bonum est , hoc tantum te decere puta . phil. iv . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philosophicall fancies. written by the right honourable, the lady newcastle. newcastle, margaret cavendish, duchess of, ?- . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing n ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing n estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) philosophicall fancies. written by the right honourable, the lady newcastle. newcastle, margaret cavendish, duchess of, ?- . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by tho: roycroft, for j. martin, and j. allestrye, at the bell in st. pauls church-yard, london : . partly in verse. the last leaf is blank. annotation on thomason copy: "may. .". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng conduct of life -- early works to . mind and body -- early works to . knowledge, theory of -- early works to . good and evil -- early works to . virtue -- early works to . a r (wing n ). civilwar no philosophicall fancies. written by the right honourable, the lady newcastle. newcastle, margaret cavendish, duchess of a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion philosophicall fancies . written by the right honourable , the lady newcastle . london , printed by tho : roycroft , for j. martin , and j. allestrye , at the bell in st. pauls church-yard , . a dedication to fame . to thee , great fame , i dedicate this peece . though i am no philosopher of greece ; yet do not thou my workes of thoughts despise , because they came not from the ancient , wise . nor do not think , great fame , that they had all the strange opinions , wich we learning call . for nature's unconfin'd , and gives about her severall fancies , without leave , no doubt . shee 's infinite , and can no limits take , but by her art , as good a brain may make . although shee 's not so bountifull to me , yet pray accept of this epitome . an epistle to time . swift , ever-moving time , i write to thee , to crave thy pardon , if ill spent thou be . but i did chuse this way , thinking it best : for by my writing i do none molest . i injure none , nor yet disturb their way , i slander none , nor any one betray . if i do wast thee in a musing thought , yet i take paines , my braines constantly wrought . for in three weeks begun , and finisht all these philosophicall fancies , which i call . if thou thinkst much , that i should spend thee so , to write of that , i can but guesse , not know ; i le tell thee time , thou mayst bee worser spent , in wanton waies , which some call merriment . let me tell thee , this better pleaseth me , then if i spent thee in fine pageantry . a request to time . time , prethee be content , and let me write ; i le use thee better then the carpet knight , or amorous ladies , which doe dance , and play , casting their modesty , and fame away . i humbly cast mine eyes downe to the ground , or shut them close , while i a fancy found . and in a melancholy posture sit , with musing thoughts , till i more fancies get . besides , deare time , nature doth not me give such store of health , to hope i old shall live . then let me give my youth the most content , which is to write , and send it to the print . if any like my fancies when they 'r read , my time 's rewarded , though my body's dead . if they do not , my son'e will lye at rest , because my life did think , what 's harmlesse , best . an epistle to my braine . i wonder , braine , thou art so dull , when there was not a day , but wit past , through the yeare . for seven yeares 't is , since i have married bin ; which time , my braine might be a magazine , to store up wise discourse , naturally sent , in fluent words , which free , and easie went . if thou art not with wit inrich'd thereby , then uselesse is the art of memory . but thou , poor braine , hard ftozen art with cold , words seales , of wit , will neither print , nor hold . an epistle to a troubled fancy . fancies in sleep are visions , dreames we call , rais'd in the braine to sport themselves withall . sometimes they take delight to fright the minde , taking strange shapes , not like to natures kinde . after the soule they hunt , and run about , as from the body they would thrust it out . but if they are in humour kind , and good , in pleasing shapes before the minde they stood . an epistle to contemplation . i contemplating by a fires side , in winter cold , my thoughts would hunting ride . and after fancies they do run a race , if lose them not , they have a pleasant chase . if they do catch the hare , or kill the deere , they dresse them strait in verse , and make good cheere . an epistle to my musefull thoughts . thoughts , trouble not the soule with falling out , siding in factions , with feare , hope and doubt . but with the muses dance in measur'd feet , taking out all the fancies as you meet . some fancies are like wilde , and toyish girles , and some are sober , grave ; others are churles . let those that sober , sad , a pavin measure , corantoes are the lighter fancies pleasure . let churlish fancies dance with crabbed feet , in numbers odd , not even , smooth , nor sweet . another to the thoughts . my thoughts lye close imprison'd in the minde , unlesse through strange opinions passage finde . but when they finde a way , they run so fast , no reason can perswade to stay their hast . then they strait seek a credit for to win , perswading all they meet to follow them : and with their rhetoricke hope they to grow strong , striving to get beleife , as they go on . if contradiction chance to stop their way , they strait flye out , and oft times run away . and seldome they do back return again , to rally , or to muster in the brain . but the weak braine is forc'd more thoughts to raise , striving to get a victory of praise . reason , and the thoughts . thoughts , run not in such strange phantastick waies , nor take such paines to get a vulgar praise . the world will scorne , and say , you are all fooles , because you are not taught in common schooles . the world will think you mad , because you run not the same track , that former times have done . turn foolish thoughts , walke in a beaten path , or else the world ridiculously will laugh . reason forbeare , our study not molest , for wee do goe those waies that please us best . nature doth give us liberty to run , without a check , more swift far then the sun . but if we jar , and sometimes disagree , by thy disputes , we run unevenly . but prethee reason trouble us no more , for if you prate , wee 'l thrust you out of doore . to sir charles cavendish , my noble brother-in-law . sir , to forget to divulge your noble favours to me , in any of my works , were to murther gratitvde ; which i will never be guilty of : and though i am your slave , being manacl'd with chaines of obligation , yet my chaines feele softer then silke , and my bondage is pleasanter then freedome ; because i am bound to your selfe , who are a person so full of generosity , as you delight in bounty , and take pleasure to relieve the necessitated condition of your friends ; and what is freely given , is comfortably receiv'd , and a satisfaction to the minde . for , should a bountifull hand be joyn'd to repining thoughts , it would be like a gilded statue made of rotten wood . but your minde is the mint of virtues , which makes them currant coyne ; which i will never clip with a silent tongue , nor change with an unthankfull heart ; but locke it up with the key of admiration , in the chest of affection . i shall not feare to be turn'd out of your favour , though my deserts make me not worthy to dwell therein ; because you are so constant to charity , and so compassionate to misery ; so adverse to covetousnesse , so arm'd against mis-fortunes , so valiant in friendship , so victorious in naturall affections , as you are the conquerour of all merit . and may you ride in triumph on fame round the vniverse , untill the expiring thereof . thus doth your humble servant joy in your love , proud of your favour , glorie in your fame , and will die in your service . m. n. to the reader . noble readers , if this worke is not so well wrought , but that you may finde some false stitches ; i must let you understand it was huddl'd up in such hast , ( out of a desire to have it joyned to my booke of poems ) as i took not so much time , as to consider throughly ; for i writ it in lesse then three weekes ; and yet for all my hast , it came a weeke too short of the presse . besides my desire ( to have those works printed in england , which i wrote in england , before i leave england ) perswaded me to send it to the presse , without a further inlargement . but i imagine my readers will say , that there is enough , unless it were better . i can only say , i wish it were so good , as to give satisfaction : howsoever i pleased my selfe in the study of it . the table . of matter , and motion , page . of the forme , and the minde , . of eternall matter , . of infinite matter , . there is no proportion in nature , ib. of one kinde of matter , . of infinite knowledge , ib. there is no judge in nature , ib. of perfection , . of inequalities , ib. of unities , . of thin , and thick matter , ib. of vacuum , . the unity of nature , ib of division , the order of nature , ib. of war , and no absolute power , . of power , ib. similizing the spirits , or innate motion , of operation , . of natural , or sensitive war . . of annihilation , ib. of life , . of change , . of youth , and growth , . of increasing , . of decay , . of dead , and death , . of locall shapes , . this visible motions in animals , vegetables , and minerals , . of the working of the severall motions of nature , . of the minde , . of their severall dances , and figures , . the sympathy , and antipathy of spirits , . the sympathy of sensitive , and rationall spirits in one figure , . the sympathy of the rationall , and sensitive spirits , to the figure they make , and inhabit , . of pleasure , and paine , . of the minde , ib. of thinking , or the minde , and thoughts , . of the motions of the spirits , . of the creation of the animall figure . . of the gathering of the spirits , . the moving of innate matter , . of matter , motion , and knowledge , or understanding , . of the animall figure , . what an animall is , . of sense , and reason , exercis'd in their different shapes , . of the dispersing of the rationall spirits , . of the senses , . of motion that makes light , . of opticks , ib. of the flowing of the spirits , . of motion , and matter , . of the braine , . of darknesse , ib. of the sun , . of the clouds , ib. of the motion of the planets , . of the motion of the sea , ib. i speak not here of deiaticall infinites , but of grosse infinites , such , as philosophers call chaos . of matter and motion . there is no first matter , nor first motion ; for matter and motion are infinite , and being infinite , must consequently be eternall ; and though but one matter , yet there is no such thing , as the whole matter , that is , as one should say , all . and though there is but one kinde of matter , yet there are infinite degrees of matter , as thinner and thicker , softer and harder , weightier and lighter ; and as there is but one matter , so there is but one motion , yet there are infinite degrees of motion , as swifter and slower ; and infinite changes of motion : and although there is but one matter , yet there are infinite of parts in that matter , and so infinites of figures : if infinite figures , infinite sizes ; if infinite sizes , infinite degrees of higness , and infinite degrees of smalnesse , infinite thicknesse , infinite thinnesse , infinite lightnesse , infinite weightinesse ; if infinite degrees of motion , infinite degrees of strengths ; if infinite degrees of strengths , infinite degrees of power , and infinite degrees of knowledge , and infinite degrees of sense . of the form , and the minde . as i sayd , there is but one matter , thinner and thicker , which is the forme , and the minde , that is , matter moving , or matter moved ; likewise there is but one motion , though slower or swifter moving severall wayes ; but the slower or weaker motions are no lesse motion , then the stronger or swifter . so matter that is thinnest or thickest , softest or hardest , yet it is but one matter ; for if it were divided by degrees , untill it came to an atome , that atome would still be the same matter , as well as the greatest bulk . but we cannot say smallest , or biggest , thickest or thinnest , softest or hardest in infinite . eternall matter . that matter which was solid , and weighty from all eternity , may be so eternally ; and what was spungie , and light from all eternity , may be so eternally ; and what had innate motion from eternity , may be so eternally ; and what was dull without innate motion from eternity , may be so eternally : for if the degrees could change , then there might be all thin , and no thicke , or all thicke , and no thin , all hard , no soft , and fluid , or all fluid , and no solidity . for though contracting and dilating may bring and joyne parts together , or separate parts asunder , yet those parts shall not be any other wayes , then by nature they were . of infinite matter . infinite matter cannot have exact forme , or figure , because it hath no limits : but being divided by motion into severall parts , those parts may have perfect figures , so long as those figures last ; yet these parts cannot be taken from the infinite body . and though parts may be divided in the body infinite , and joyned severall wayes , yet infinite can neither be added , nor diminished ; yet division is as infinite , as the matter divided . no proportion in nature . in nature there is no such thing , as number , or quantity ; for number , & quantity have only reference to division : neither is there any such thing as time in eternity ; for time hath no reference but to the present , if there be any such thing as present . of one kinde of matter . although there may be infinite degrees of matter , yet the nature , and kind of matter is finite : for infinite of severall kindes of matter would make a confusion . of infinite knowledge . there can be no absolute knowledge , if infinite degrees of knowledge ; nor no absolute power , if there be infinite degrees of strength : nor present , if infinite degrees of motion . no judge in nature . no intreaty , nor petition can perswade nature , nor any bribes an corrupt , or alter the course of nature . justly there can be no complaints made against nature , nor to nature . nature can give no redresse . there are no appeales can be made , nor causes determined , because nature is infinite , and eternall : for infinite cannot be confined , or prescribed , setled , or altered , rul'd , or dispos'd , because the effects are as infinite as the causes : and what is infinite , hath no absolute power : for what is absolute , is finite . finite cannot tel how infinite doth flow , nor how infinite matter moveth to and fro . for infinite of knowledge cannot guess of infinite of matter , more , or lesse : nor infinite of causes cannot finde the infinite effects of every kinde . of perfection . in infinite can no perfection be , for why ? perfection is in unity ? in infinite no union can combine , for that has neither number , point , nor line ; though infinite can have no figure , yet not lye all confu'sd in heaps together . of inequalities . if infinites have infinite degrees , and none a like to make equalities . as if a haire be cut with curious arts , innumerable , but unequall parts , and that not any part alike shall be , how shall we joyn , to make them well agree ? if every one is like it selfe alone , there cannot be , unlesse three equal ones . if one , and one make two ; and two , and two make foure , yet there must be two equall ones to make two , and two equall twos to make foure . and as two and one make three , yet there must be two equall ones joyned to a single one , to make three , or three equall single ones to joyn in three . the like is in weight , and measure , in motion and strength . of unities . in infinite if infinite degrees , then those degrees may meet in unities . and if one man should have the strength of foure , then foure to equal him will be no more . as if one line should be in four parts cut , shall equall the same lino together put ; so two and one , though odd , is three ; yet three and three shall equall be . like those that equall spaces backwards go , to those that 's forward , equalls them we know . like buckets in a well , if empty be , as one descends , the other ascends , we see so motions , though they 'r crosse , may well agree , as oft in musick make a harmony . there is no vacuity . in nature if degrees may equall be , all may be full , and no vacuity . as boxes small , & smaller may containe , so bigger , and bigger must there be again . infinite may run contracting , & dilating , still , still , by degrees without a separating . of thin , and thick matter . thus may thin matter into solid run , and by its motion , make thick matter turne . in severall wayes , and fashions , as it will , although dull matter of it selfe lye still : t is not , that solid matter moves in thin , for that is dull , but thin which moves therein . like marrow in the bones , or bloud in veines . or thinner matter which the bloud containes . like heat in fire , the effect is strait to burne , so matter thin makes solid matter run . of vacuum . if infinite inequallity doth run , then must there be in infinite vacuum . for what 's unequall , cannot joyned be so close , but there will be vacuity . the unity of nature . nature tends to unity , being but of a kinde of matter : but the degrees of this matter being thinner , and thicker , softer , and harder , weightier , and lighter , makes it , as it were , of different kinde , when t is but different degrees : like severall extractions , as it were out of one and the same thing ; and when it comes to such an extract , it turnes to spirits , that is , to have an innate motion . of division . the severall degrees of matter cause division by different motion , making severall figures , erecting , and dissolving them , according as their matter moves , this makes motion , and figure alwayes to be in war , but not the matter ; for it is the severall effects that disagree , but not the causes : for the eternall matter is allwayes in peace , as being not subject to change ; but motion , and figure , being subject to change , strive for superiority : which can never be , because subject to change . the order of nature . the reason , that there is not a confusion in nature , but an orderly course therein , is , the eternall matter is allwayes one , and the same : for though there are infinite degrees , yet the nature of that matter never alters . but all variety is made according to the severall degrees , & the severall degrees do palliate , and in some sense make an equality in infinite ; so as it is not the severall degrees of matter , that strive against each other , but severall motions drive them against one another . of war , and no absolute power . the reason , that all things make war upon one another , is , the severall (†) degrees of matter , the contradiction of motion , and the degrees , and the advantage of the shapes of (†) figures alwayes striving . of power . there is no absolute power , because power is infinite , and the infinitenesse hinders the absolutenesse : for if there were an absolute power , there would be no dispute ; but because there is no absolute power , there would be no dispute ; but because there is no absolute power , therefore there are disputes , and will be eternally : for the severall degrees of matter , motion , and figure strive for superiority , making faction by (†) sympathy , and fraction , by (†) antipathy . similizing the spirits , or innate matter . the spirits , or essences in nature are like quick-silver : for say it be fluid , it will part into little sphaericall bodyes , running about , though it be nere so small a quantity : and though they are sphaericall , yet those figures they make by severall , and subtle motion , may differ variously , and infinitely . this innate matter is a kind of god , or gods to the dull part of matter , having power to forme it , as it please : and why may not every degree of innate matter be , as severall gods , and so a stronger motion be a god to the weaker , and so have an infinite , and eternall government ? as we will compare motions to officers , or magistrates . the constable rules the parish , the mayor the constable , the king the mayor , and some higher power the king : thus infinite powers rule eternity . or againe thus , the constable rules the hundred , the mayor rules the city , the king the kingdome , and caesar the world . thus may dull matter over others rule , according as 't is † shap'd by motions tool . so innate matter governs by degree , according as the stronger motions be . of operation . all things in the world have an operative power ; which operation is made by sympatheticall motions , and antipatheticall motions , in severall figures . for the assisting operation is caused by one , the destructive operation by another ; like poyson , and cordialls , the one kills , the other cures : but operations are as infinite , as motions . naturall , or sensitive war . all naturall war is caused either by a sympatheticall motion , or an antipatheticall motion . for naturall warre , and peace proceed from selfe-preservation , which belongs only to the figure ; for nothing is annihilated in nature , but the particular prints , or severall shapes that motion makes of matter ; which motion in every figure strives to maintaine what they have created : for when some figures destroy others , it is for the maintenance or security of themselves : and when the destruction is , for food , it is sympatheticall motion , which makes a particular appetite , or nourishment from some creatures to others ; but an antipatheticall motion , that makes the destruction . of annihilation . there can be no annihilation in nature : not particular motions , and figures , because the matter , remaines hat was the cause of those motions and figures . as for particular figures , although every part is separated that made such a figure , yet it is not annihilated ; because those parts remaine that made it . so as it is not impossible but the same particular figures may be erected by the same motions , that joynd those parts , and in the matter may repeat the same motion eternally so by succession : and the same matter in a figure may be erected , and dispersed eternally . thus the dispersing of the matter into particular figures by an alteration of motion , we call death ; and the joyning of parts to create a figure , we call life . death is a separation , life is a contraction . of life . life is the extract , or spirit of common matter : ( † ) this extract is agile , being alwayes in motion ; for the thinnesse of this matter causes the subtelty of the quality , or property which quality , or property is to work upon all dull matter . this essence , or life , which are spirits of sense , move of themselves : for the dull part of matter moves not , but as it is moved thereby . their common motions are foure . atractive . retentive . digestive . expulsive . atractive is that which we call growth , or youth . retentive , is that we call strength . digestive is that we call health , that is an equall distribution of parts to parts , and agreeing of those sprits . expulsive is that which we call death , or decay . the attractive spirits gather , and draw the materialls together . the digestive spirits do cut and carve out every thing . the retentive do fit , and lay them in their proper places . the expulsive do pull down , and scatter them about . those spirits most commonly move according to the matter they worke on . for in spungy and in porous light matter , their motion is quick ; in solid , and weighty , their motion is slower . for the solid parts are not onely dull , and immoveable in themselves , but they hinder and * obstruct those spirits of sense , and though they cut and peirce through all , yet it is with more labour , and slower motion ; for their motions change according to the quantity and quality of that matter they meet with ; for that which is porous and spungy , the figures that they forme that matter in , are sooner made , and suddenlier destroyed , then that which is more combustible . this is the reason mineralls last longer then vegetables and animals , because that matter is both tougher and harder to worke on , then vegetables and animals are . these sensitive spirits we may similize to severall workmen , being alwayes busily imployed , removing , lifting , carrying , driving , drawing , digging , and the like . and although these spirits are of substance thinner then dull matter , yet they are stronger by reason of their subtlety , and motion , which motion gives them power : for they are of an acute quality , being the vitrioll , as it were , of nature , cut and divide all that opposeth their way . now these spirits although they be infinite , yet we cannot thinke them so grosse an infinite , as combustible matter , yet those thinner infinites may cut , and carve the thicker infinites all into severall figures : like as aqua-fort is will eate into the hardest iron , and divide it into small parts . as i have sayd before , the spirits of life worke according as the matter is , for every thing is shap'd according to the solidity of the matter ; like as a man which builds a house , makes the beames of the house of such wood , which is tough , and strong , because he knows otherwise it will breake , by reason of the great weight they are to bear ; but to make laths he takes his wood and cuts it thin , that the nayls may easier passe through , so joyning and fitting severall forts to proper uses to build his house . or like a cooke when he 's to raise a pye , must take stiffe dough ; for otherwise it will not onely fall before it be finished , but it cannot be raised , and to make the lids to cover his pye , hee must use a softer paste , otherwise it will not rowle thinn ; thus a stiffe paste is not fit for a lid , nor a thinner paste for to raise a pye ; it may make a cake , or so . so the spirits of life must make figures , as the matter is fit , and proper thereto , for the figure of man or the like ; the spirits of life take the solid and hard matter for the * bones : the glutinous matter for the sinews , nerves , muscles . and the like ; and the oyly matter for flesh , fat , marrow . so the fluid for blood , and such like matter . and the spirits themselves do give this dull matter , motion , not onely in the building of the figure , but to make the figure move when it is built . now the spirits of life , or lively spirits do not onely move dull and in moving matter , but makes that matter to move , and worke upon others ; for some kinde of figures shall make † another to resemble it selfe , though not just be as it selfe is made , but as the shadow like the substance ; for it workes as a hand that is guided by another , and not of its owne strength : that is the reason , arts have not so much persection as nature . the copy is not so lively as the originall ; for the spirits of life move , and work of their own strength , and the dull matter by the strength of the spirits . of change . the change of motion in severall figures makes all change and difference in the world , and their severall properties and effects thereto . and that which we call death , or corruption , is not * an absence of life , but an expulsive motion which doth annihilate those figures , that erecting motion hath made . so death is an annihilation of the print , not of the mould of figures ; for the moulds of those figures of mankinde , beast , or plant , of all kinds whatsoever , shall never be annihilated so long as motion and matter last , which may alwayes be ; for the mould of all figures is in the power of motion , and the substance of matter . of youth , or growth . thus spirits of sense work according to the substance of the matter : for if the matter be porous and light , they form those figures quicker , and dissolve them suddenly : but if their matter be solid and hard , they worke slower , which makes some figures longer ere they come to perfection , and not so easily undone . and if their strength be too weake for the matter they worke upon , as wanting helpe , then the figure is imperfect , and mishapen , as we say . this is the reason animals & vegetables , which are young , have not so great strength as when they are full growne ; because there are fewer spirits , and the materialls are loose and unsetled , not knockt close : but by degrees more spirits gather together , which helpe to forward their worke , bring in materialls by food , setling them by nourishment , carrying out by evacuations that matter that is unusefull , and that rubbish and chips , as i may say , which would hinder their motion . if they bring in unusefull matter , their figure increases not , as we say , thrives not . and if they carry out the principall materials , the figure decayes , and falls downe . but those parts of matter which are not spirits , do not carry that part of matter which is spirit , but the spirits carry the dull matter . thus the spirits , the innated matter , move in dull matter , and dull matter moveth by the spirits ; and if the matter be fine , and not grosse , which they build withall , and their motion be regular , then the figure is beautifull and well proportioned . of increasing . the reason that the corruption of one figure is the cause of making of another of the same kinde , is , not onely , that it is of such a tempered matter that can onely make such a kinde of figure ; but that the spirits make figures according to their strength : so that the spirits that are in the seed , when they have undone the figure they are in , by a generall expulsion , which we call corruption , they begin to create againe another figure of the same kinde , if no greater power hinder it . for the matter that is proper , to make such like figures , is fitted , or temper'd to their strengths . so as the temper of the matter , and the strength of the spirits , are the erectors of those figures eternally . and the reason , that from one seed , lesse , or more numbers are increased and raisd , is , that though few begin the work , more will come to their help ; and as their numbers are increased , their figures are more , or lesse , weaker , or stronger . of decay . when spirits of life have created a figure , and brought it to perfection ; if they did not pull it down again they would be idle having no work to do ; and idlenesse is against the nature of life , being a perpetuall mption . for as soon as a figure is perfected , the spirits generally move to an expulsive motion . this is the reason , that age hath not that strength as full-growth : but like an old house falling down by degrees , shed their haires or leaves , instead of tiles , the windowes broke downe , and stopped with rubbish . so eyes in animals grow hollow and dimme . and when the foundation of a house is loose , every little wind shakes it . so when the nerves being slack , and the muscles untyed , and the joynts unhing'd , the whole body is weak , and tottering , which we call palsies : which palsies , as the wind , shakes . the blood , as the springe dries up , rheumes as raine fals down , and vapours , as dust , flye up . of dead , and death . dead is , where there is a generall alteration of such motion , as is proper to such figures . but death is an annihilation of that print , or figure , by an expulsive motion : and as that figure dissolves , the spirits disperse about , carrying their severall burthens to the making of other figures . like as a house that is ruin'd by time , or spoyled by accident ; the severall materials are imployed to other uses ; sometimes to the building of an house again . but a house is longer a building then a pulling down , by reason of the cutting , carving , laying , carrying , placing , and fitting every part to make them joyn together ; so all the works of nature are sooner dissolv'd then created . of locall shapes . some shapes have power over others , but t is not alwaies in the size , or bulck of the figure , but in the manner of their formes that gives advantage , or disadvantage . a little mouse will run through the snowt of a great elephant : a little flye will sting a great figure to death ; a worm will wind through a thick body ; the lions force lies in his clawes , the horses in his hoofe , the dogs in his teeth , the bulls in his hornes , and mans in his armes , and hands ; birdes in their bills , and talons : and the manner of their shapes gives them severall properties , or faculties . as the shape of a bird causes them to flye , a worm to creep , the shape of a beast to run , the shape of fish to swim ; yet some flye swifter , and higher then others , as their wings are made : so some run nimbler then others , according as their limbs are made ; and some swim glider then others , according as their fins are made . but man surpasses the shape of all other creatures ; because he hath a part , as it were , of every shape . but the same motion , and the same matter , without the shape , could not give such externall properties ; since all internall properties are wrought out of dull matter . so as it is their shapes , joyned with such motions proper thereunto , that give strength , & agilenesse . but the internall qualities may be alike in every figure ; because rationall spirits worke not upon dull matter , but figures themselves . the visible motion in animals , vegetables , and minerals . the externall motions of animals are , running , turning , winding , tumbling , leaping , jumping , shoving , throwing , darting , climbing , creeping , drawing , heaving , lifting , carrying , holding , or staying , piercing , digging flying , swimming , diving . the internall motion , is , contriving , directing , examining , comparing , or judging , contemplating , or reasoning , approving , or disapproving , resolving . from whence arise all the passions , and severall dispositions . these , and the like , are the visible , internall motions in animals . the internall motions of vegetables , and minerals , are in operation ; as , contracting , dilating ; which is attractive , retentive , digestive , expulsive . the vegetables externall motion , is , increasing , decreasing , that is enlarging , or lasting ; although there may be matter not moving , yet there is no matter , which is not moved . of the working of severall motions of nature . motions do work according as they finde matter , that 's fit , and proper for each kinde . sensitive spirits work not all one way , but as the matter is , they cut , carve , lay . joyning together matter , solid light , and build , & form some figures streight upright ; or make them bending , and so jutting out : and some are large , and strong , and big about . and some are thick , and hard , and close unite ; others are flat , and low , and loose , and light . but when they meet with matter , fine , and thin , then they do weave , as spiders when they spin : all that is woven is soft , smooth , thin things , as flowry vegetables , & animall skins . observe the graine of every thing , you le see , like inter-woven threads lye evenly . and like to diaper , & damask wrought , in severall workes , that for our table 's bought . or like to carpets which the persian made , or sattin smooth , which is the florence trade . some matter they ingrave , like ring , and seale , which is the stamp of natures common-weale . t is natures armes , where she doth print on all her works , as coyne that 's in the mint . some severall sorts they joyn together glu'd . as matter solid , with some that 's fluid . like to the earthly ball , where some are mixt of severall sorts , although not fixt . for though the figure of the earth may last longer then others ; yet at last may waste . and so the sun , and moon , and planets all , like other figures , at the last may fall . the matter 's still the same , but motion may alter it into figures every way : yet keepe the property , to make such kind of figures fit , which motion out can find . thus may the figures change , if motion hurles that matter of her waies , for other worlds . of the minde . there is a degree of stronger spirits then the sensitive spirits , as it were the essence of spirits ; as the spirit of spirits : this is the minde , or soule of animalls . for as the sensitive spirits are a weak knowledge , so this is a stronger knowledge . as to similize them , i may say , there is as much difference betwixt them , as aqua fortis , to ordinary vitrioll . these rationall spirits , as i may call them , worke not upon dull matter , as the sensitive spirits do ; but only move in measure , and number , which make figures ; which figures are thoughts , as memory , understanding , imaginations , or fancy , and remembrance , and will . thus these spirits moving in measure , casting , and placing themselves into figures make a consort , and harmony by numbers . where the greater quantity , or numbers , are together of those rationall spirits , the more variety of figure is made by their severall motion , they dance severall dances according to their company . of their severall dances , or figures . what object soever is presented unto them by the senses , they straite dance themselves into that figure ; this is memory . and when they dance the same figure without the helpe of the outward object , this is remembrance when they dance figures of their owne invention , ( as i may say ) then that is imagination or fancie . understanding is when they dance perfectly ( as i may say ) not to misse the least part of those figures that are brought through the senses . will is to choose a dance , that is to move as they please , and not as they are perswaded by the sensitive spirits . but when their motion and measures be not regular , or their quantity or numbers sufficient to make the figures perfect , then is the minde weak and infirme , ( as i may say ) they dance out of time and measure . but where the greatest number of these , or quantity of these essences are met , and joyn'd in the most regular motion , there is the clearest understanding , the deepest judgement , the perfectest knowledge , the finest fancies , the more imagination , the stronger memory , the obstinatest will . but sometimes their motions may be regular ; but society is so small , so as they cannot change into so many severall figures : then we say he hath a weak minde , or a poor soule . but be their quantity or numbers few or great , yet if they move confusedly , and out of order , wee say the minde is distracted . and the reason the minde , or soule is improveable , or decayable , is , that the quantity or numbers are increaseable , or decreaseable , and their motions regular , and irregular . a feaver in the body is the same motion amongst the sensitive spirits , as madnesse is in the minde amongst the rationall spirits . so lkewise paine in the body is like those motions , that make griefe in the minde . so pleasure in the body is the like motions , as make delight , and joy in the minde , all convulsive motions in the body , are like the motions that cause feare in the minde . all expulsive motions amongst the rational spirits , are a dispersing their society ; as expulsity in the body , is the dispersing of dull matter by the sensitive spirits . all drugs have an opposite motion to the matter they work on , working by an expulsive motion ; and if they move strongly , having great quantity of spirits gathered together in a little dul matter , they do not only cast out superfluous matter , but pul down the very materials of a figure . but al cordials have a sympatheticall motion to the matter they meet , giving strength by their help to those spirits they finde tired : ( as one may say ) that it is to be over-power'd by opposite motions in dull matter . the sympathy , and antipathy of spirits . pleasure , and delight , discontent , and sorrow , which is love , and hate , is like light , and darknesse ; the one is a quick , equall , and free motion ; the other is a slow , irregular , and obstructed motion . when there is the like motion of rationall spirits in opposite figures , then there is a like understanding , and disposition . just as when there is the like motion in the sensitive spirits , then there is the like constitution of body . so when there is the like quantity laid in the same symmetry , then the figures agree in the same proportions , and lineaments of figures . the reason , that the rationall spirits in one figure , are delighted with the outward forme of another figure , is , that the motions of those sensitive spirits which move in that figure agree with the motion of the rationall spirits in the other . this is love of beauty ; and when the sensitive motions alter in the figure of the body , and the beauty decaies , then the motion of the rationall spirits alter , and the love , or goodliking ceases . if the motion of the rationall spirits are crosse to the motion of the sensitive spirits , in opposite figures , then it is dislike . so if the motion be just crosse , and contrary , of the rationall spirits in opposite figures , it is hate ; but if they agree , it is love . but these sympathies , which are made only by a likenesse of motions without an intermixture , last not longe ; because those spirits are at a distance , changing their motion without the knowledge , or consent of either side . but the way that the rationall spirits intermix , is , through the organs of the body , especially the eyes , and eares , which are the common doors , which let the spirits out , and in . for the vocall , and verbal motion from the mouth , carry the spirits through the eares down to the heart , where love , and hate is lodged . and the spirits from the eyes issue out in beames , and raies ; as from the sun , which heat , or scorch † the heart , which either raise a fruitful crop of love , making the ground fertile , or dries it so much , as makes it insipid , that nothing of good will grow there , unlesse stinking weeds of hate : but if the ground be fertile , although every crop is not so rich , as some , yet it never growes barren , unlesse they take out the strength with too much kindness ; as the old proverb , they kill with too much kindnesse ; which murther is seldome committed . but the rationall spirits † are apt to take surfet , as wel as sensitive spirits , which makes love , and good-will , so often to be ill rewarded , neglected , and disdain'd . the sympathy of sensitive , and rationall spirits in one figure . there is a stronge sympathy , and agreement , or affection ( as i may say ) betwixt the rationall spirits , and the sensitive spirits joyned in one figure : like fellow-labourers that assist one another , to help to finish their work . for when they disagree , as the rationall spirits will move one way sometimes , and the sensitive spirits another ; that is , when reason strives to abate the appetite of the senses ; yet it is by a loving direction , rather to admonish them by a gentle contrary motion for them to imitate , and follow in the like motions ; yet it is , as they alwayes agree at last ; like the father , and the son . for though the father rules by command , and the son obeies through obedience , yet the father out of love to his son , as willing to please him , submits to his delight , although (†) it is against his liking . so the rationall spirits oftimes agree with the motions of the sensitive spirits , although they would rather move another way . the sympathy of the rationall and sensitive spirits , to the figure they make , and inhabit . all the externall motion in a figure , is , by the sensitive spirits ; and all the internall , by the rationall spirits : and when the rationall , and sensitive spirits , disagree in opposite figures , by contrary motion , they oft war upon one another ; which to defend , the sensitive spirits , and rationall spirits , use all their force , and power in either figure ; to defend , or to assault , to succour , or to destroy , through an aversion made by contrary motions in each other . now the rationall spirits do not only choose the materialls for their defence , or assault , but do direct the sensitive spirits in the management thereof ; and according to the strength of the spirits of either side , the victory is gain'd , or lost . if the body be weak , there is lesse sensitive spirit , if the direction be not advantageous , there is lesse rationall spirit . but many times the alacrity of the rationall and sensitive spirits , made by moving in a regular motion , overcomes the greater numbers , being in a disorder'd motion . thus what is lost by scarcity , is regain'd by conformity and unity . of pleasure , and paine . all evacuations have an expulsive motion ; if the expulsive motion is regular , t is pleasure , if irregular , t is paine . indeed , all irregular , and crosse motion , is paine ; all regular motion is pleasure , and delight , being a harmony of motion , or a discord of motion . of the minde . imagine the rationall essence , or spirits , like little sphericall bodies of quick-silver several ways (†) placing themselves in several figures , sometimes moving in measure , and in order , and sometimes out of order : this quick-silver to be the minde , and their severall postures made by motion , the passions , and affections ; or all that is moving in a minde , to expresse those severall motions , is onely to be done by guesse , not by knowledge , as some few i will guesseat . love is , when they move in equall number , and even measure . hate is an opposite motion : feare is , when those small bodies tumble on a heap together without order . anger is , when they move without measure , and in no uniforme figure . inconstancy is , when they move swistly severall wayes . constancy is a circular motion . doubt , and suspition , and jealousie , are , when those small bodies move with odd numbers . hope is when those small bodies move like wilde geese , one after another . admiration is , when those sphericall bodies gather close together , knitting so , as to make such a circular figure ; and one is to stand for a center or point in the midst . humility is a creeping motion . joy is a hopping , skipping motion . ambition is a lofty motion , as to move upwards , or * higher then other motions . coveting , or ambition is like a flying motion , moving in severall figures like that which they covet for ; if they covet for fame , they put themselves into such figures , as letters do , that expresse words , which words are such praises as they would have , or such figures as they would have statues cutt , or pictures drawne : but all their motion which they make , is according to those figures with which they sympathize and agree : besides , their motion and figures are like the sound of musick ; though the notes differ , the cords agree to make a harmony : so several symmetries make a perfect figure , severall figures make a just number , and severall quantities or proportions make a just weight , and severall lines make an even measure : thus equall may be made out of divisions eternally , and infinitely . and because the figures and motions of the infinite spirits which they move , and make , are infinite , i cannot give a finall description : besides , their motion is so subtle , curious , and intricate , as they are past finding out . some naturall motions work so curious fine , none can perceive , unlesse an eye divine . of thinking , or the minde , and thoughts . one may think , and yet not of any particular thing ; that is , one may have sense , and not thoughts : for thoughts are when the minde takes a particular notice of some outward object , or inward idea ; but thinking is only a sense without any particular notice . as for example ; those that are in a great feare , and are amazed , the minde is in confus'd sense , without any particular thoughts : but when the minde is out of that amaze , it fixes it selfe on particulars , and then have thoughts of past danger ; but the minde can have no particular thought of the amaze ; for the minde cannot call to minde that which was not . likewise when we are asleep , the mind is not out of the body , nor the motion that makes the sense of the minde ceast , which is thinking ; but the motion that makes the thoughts therein work upon particulars . thus the minde may bee without thoughts , but thoughts cannot be without the minde : yet thoughts go out of the minde very oft , that is , such a motion to such a thing is ceast ; and when that motion is made again , it returns . thus thinking is the minde , and thoughts the effect thereof : thinking is an equall motion without a figure , or as when we feele heat , and see no fire . of the motions of the spirits . if it be , as probably it is , that all sensitive spirits live in dull matter ; so rationall spirits live in sensitive spirits , according to the shape of those figures that the sensitive spirits form them . the rationall spirits by moving severall waies , may make severall kindes of knowledge , and according to the motions of the sensitive spirits in their severall figures they make , though the spirits may be the same , yet their severall motions may be unknown to each other . like as a point , that writes upon a table-book , which when the letter that was writ thereon , is rub'd out , the table is as plain , as if there was never any letter thereon ; but though the letters are out , yet the table-book , and pen remaine . so although this motion is gone , the spirit , and matter remaine ; but if those spirits make other kindes of motions , like other kindes of letters , or language , those motions understand not the first , nor the first understands not them , being as severall languages . even so it may be in a sound ; for that kind of knowledge the figure had in the sound , which is an alteration of the motion of the rationall spirits , caus'd by an alteration of the motion of the sensitive spirits in dull matter : and by these disorderly motions , other motions are ru'bd out of the table-book , which is the matter that was moved . but if the same kind of letters be writ in the same place again ; that is , when the spirits move in the same motion , then the same knowledge is in that figure , as it was before ; the other kind of knowledge , which was made by other kind of motion , is rub'd out ; which severall knowledge is no more known to each other , then severall languages by unlearned men . and as language is still language , though not understood , so knowledge is still knowledge , although not generall ; but if they be that , we call dead , then those letters that were rubbed out , were never writ again ; which is , the same knowledge never returnes into the same figure . thus the spirits of knowledge , or the knowledge of spirits , which is their severall motions , may be ignorant , and unacquainted with each other : that is , that some motion may not know how other motions move , not only in several spirits , but in one and the same spirit ; no more then every effect can know their cause : and motion is but the effect of the spirits , which spirits are a thin , subtle matter : for there would be no motion if there were no matter ; for nothing can move : but there may be matter without selfe-motion , but not selfe-motion without matter . matter prime knowes not what effects shall be , or how their severall motions will agree . because † t is infinite , and so doth move eternally , in which nothing can prove . for infinite doth not in compasse lye , nor hath eternall lines to measure by . knowledge is there none , to comprehend that which hath no beginning , nor no end . perfect knowledge comprises all can be , but nothing can comprise eternity . destiny , and fates , or what the like we call , in infinites they no power have at all . nature hath generosity enough to give all figures case , whilst in that form they live . but motion which innated matter is by running crosse , each severall paines it gives . of the creation of the animall figure . the reason , † that the sensitive spirits , when they begin to create an animal figure , the figure that is created feels it not , untill the modell be finished , that is , it cannot have an animall motion , untill it hath an animall figure ; for it is the shape which gives it locall motion : and after the fabrick is built , they begin to furnish it with † strength , and inlarge it with growth , and the rationall spirit which inhabits it , chooseth his room , which is the head ; and although some rationall spirits were from the first creating it , yet had not such motions , as when created : besides , at first they have not so much company , as to make so much change , as to take parts , like instruments of musick , which cannot make so much division upon few strings as upon more . the next , the figure being weak , their motions cannot be strong ; besides , before the figure is inlarged by growth , they want room to move in . this is the reason , that new-borne animalls seeme to have no knowledge , especially man ; because the spirits do neither move so strong , nor have such variety of change , for want of company to make a consort . yet some animalls have more knowledge then others , by reason of their strength , as all beasts know their dams , and run to their dugs , and know how to suck as soone as they are borne ; and birds and children , and the like weak creatures , such do not . but the spirits of sense give them strength , and the spirits of reason do direct them to their food , (†) & the spirits of sense give them taste , and appetite , and the spirits of reason choose their meat : for all animall creatures are not of one dyet , for that which will nourish one , will destroy another . the gathering of spirits . if the rationall spirits should enter into a figure newly created , altogether , and not by degrees , a childe ( for example ) would have as much understanding and knowledge in the womb , or when it is new-borne , as when it is inlarged and fully grown . but we finde by experience there are severall sorts and degrees of knowledge and understanding , by the recourse of spirits : which is the reason , some figures have greater proportion of understanding and knowledge , and sooner then others ; yet it is increased by degrees , according as rationall spirits increase . like as children , they must get strength before they can go . so learning and experience increase rationall spirits , as food the sensitive : but experience and learning is not alwayes tyed to the eare ; for every organ and pore of the body is as severall doores to let them in and out : for the rationall spirits living with the sensitive spirits , come in , and go out with them , but not in equall proportion , but sometimes more , sometimes fewer : this makes understanding more perfect in health then in sicknesse , and in our middle age , more then in the latter age : for in age and sicknesse there is more carryed out , then brought in . this is the reason , children have not such understanding , but their reason increaseth with their yeares . but the rationall spirits may be similized † to a company of good fellows , which have pointed a meeting ; and the company coming from severall places , makes their time the longer ere their numbers are compleated , though many a braine is disappointed ; but in some figures the rooms are not commodious to move in , made in their creation , for want of helpe : those are changelings , innocents , or naturall fooles . the rationall spirits seem most to delight in spungy , soft , and liquid matter ; as in the blood , brain , nerves , and in vegetables ; as not only being neerest to their own nature , but having more room to move in . this makes the rationall spirits to choose the head in animals , for their chiefe room to dance their figures in : (†) for the head is the biggest place that hath the spungy materialls ; thus as soon as a figure is created , those rationall spirits choose a room . the moving of innate matter . though motion makes knowledge , yet the spirits give motion : for those spirits , or essences , are the guiders , governours , directers ; the motions are but their instruments , the spirits are the cause , motion but an effect therefrom : for that thin matter which is spirits , can alter the motion , but motion cannot alter the matter , or nature of those essences , or spirits ; so as the same spirits may be in a body , but not one and the same knowledge , because not the same motion , that made that knowledge . as for example ; how many severall touches belong to the body ? for every part of the body hath a severall touch , which is a severall knowledge belonging to every severall part ; for every severall part doth not know , and feele every severall touch . for when the head akes , the heele feels it not , but only the rationall spirits which are free from the incumbrance of dull matter , they are agile , and quick to take notice of every particular touch , in , or on every part of the figure . the like motions of a paine in the body . the like motion of the rationall spirits , we call a griefe in the mind ; for touch in the body , is a thought in the mind ; and to prove it is the like motion of the rationall spirits to the sensitive , which makes the knowledge of it , is , that when the rationall spirits are busily moved with some fantasmes , if any thing touches the body , it is not known to the rationall spirits , because the rationall spirits move not in such a motion , as to make a thought in the head , of the touch in the heele , which makes the thoughts to be as senselesse of that touch , as any other part of the body , that hath not such paines made by such motions . and shall we say , there is no sense in the heele , because no knowledge of it in the head ? we may as well say , that when an object stands just before an eye that is blind , either by a contrary motion of the thoughts inward , by some deep contemplation , or otherwise : we may as well say there is no outward object , because the rationall spirits take no notice of that object ; t is not , that the stronger motion stops the lesse , or the swifter , the flower ; for then the motions of the planets would stop one anothers course . some will say , what sense hath man , or any other animall when they are dead ? it may be answered , that the figure , which is a body , may have sense , but not the animall ; for that we call an animall , is such a temper'd matter joyn'd in such a figure , moving with such kind of motions ; but when those motions do generally alter , that are proper to an animall , although the matter , and figure remain , yet it is no longer an animall , because those motions that help it to make an animall are ceas'd : so as the animall can have no more knowledge of what kind of sense the figure hath , ( because it is no more an animall ) then an animall , what sense dust hath . and that is the reason , that when any part is dead in an animall , if that those motions that belonged to the animall , are ceas'd in that part , which alter it from being a part of the animall , and knowes no more what sense it hath , then if a living man should carry a dead man upon his shoulders , what sense the dead man feels , whether any , or no . of matter , motion , and knowledge or understanding . whatsoever hath an innate motion , hath knowledge ; and what matter soever hath this innate motion , is knowing : but according to the severall motions , are severall knowledges made ; for knowledge lives in motion , as motion lives in matter : for though the kind of matter never alters , yet the manner of motions alters in that matter : and as motions alter , so knowledge differs , which makes the severall motions in severall figures , to give severall knowledge . and where there is a likenesse of motion , there is a likenesse of knowledge : as the appetite of sensitive spirits , and the desire of rationall spirits are alike motions in severall degrees of matter . and the touch in the heel , or any part of the body else , is the like motion , as the thought thereof in the head ; the one is the motion of the sensitive spirits , the other in the rationall spirits , as touch from the sensitive spirits : for thought is only a strong touch , & touch a weake thought . so sense is a weak knowledge , and knowledge a strong sense , made by the degrees of the spirits : for animall spirits are stronger ( as i sayd before ) being of an higher extract ( as i may say ) in the chymistry of nature , which makes the different degrees in knowledge , by the difference in strengths and finenesse , or subtlety of matter . of the animall figure . whatsoever hath motion hath sensitive spirits ; and what is there on earth that is not wrought , or made into figures , and then undone again by these spirits ? so that all matter is moving , or moved , by the movers ; if so , all things have sense , because all things have of these spirits in them ; and if sensitive spirits , why not rationall spirits ? for there is as much infinite of every severall degree of matter , as if there were but one matter : for there is no quantity in infinite ; for infinite is a continued thing . if so , who knowes , but vegetables and mineralls may have some of those rationall spirits , which is a minde or soule in them , as well as man ? onely they want that figure ( with such kinde of motion proper thereunto ) to expresse knowledge that way . for had vegetables and mineralls the same shape , made by such motions , as the sensitive spirits create ; then there might be wooden men , and iron beasts ; for though marks do not come in the same way , yet the same marks may come in , and be made by the same motion ; for the spirits are so subtle , as they can passe and repasse through the solidest matter . thus there may be as many severall and various motions in vegetables and mineralls , as in animals ; and as many internall figures made by the rationall spirits ; onely they want the animall , to expresse it the animall way . and if their knowledge be not the same knowledge , but different from the knowledge of animalls , by reason of their different figures , made by other kinde of motion on other tempered matter , yet it is knowledge . for shall we say , a man doth not know , because hee doth not know what another man knows , or some higher power ? what an animall is . an animall is that which wee call sensitive spirit ; that is , a figure that hath locall motion ; that is , such a kinde of figure with such kinde of motions proper thereunto . but when there is a generall alteration of those motions in it , then it is no more that we call animall ; because the locall motion is altered ; yet we cannot knowingly say , it is not a sensitive creature , so long as the figure lasts : besides when the figure is dissolved , yet every scattered part may have sense , as long as any kinde of motion is in it ; and whatsoever hath an innate motion , hath sense , either increasing or decreasing motion ; but the sense is as different as the motions therein , because those properties belonging to such a figure are altered by other motions . of sense and reason exercised in their different shapes . if every thing hath sense and reason , then there might be beasts , and birds , and fish , and men : as vegetables and minerals , had they the animall shape to expresse that way ; and vegetables & minerals may know , as man , though like to trees and stones they grow . then corall trouts may through the water glide , and pearled menows swim on either side ; and mermayds , which in the sea delight , might all be made of watry lillies white ; set on salt watry billows as they flow , which like green banks appeare thereon to grow . and marriners i th' midst their shipp might stand , in stead of mast , hold sayles in either hand . on mountaine tops the golden fleece might feed , some hundred yeares their ewes bring forth their breed . large deere of oake might through the forrest run , leaves on their heads might keepe them from the sun ; in stead of shedding hornes , their leaves might fall , and acornes to increase a wood of fawnes withall . then might a squerrill for a nut be crackt , if nature had that matter so compact : and the small sprouts which on the husk do grow , might be the taile , and make a brushing show . then might the diamonds which on rocks oft lye , be all like to some little sparkling flye . then might a leaden hare , if swiftly run , melt from that shape , and so a (†) pig become . and dogs of copper-mouths sound like a bell ; so when they kill a hare , ring out his knell . hard iron men shall have no cause to feare to catch a fall , when they a hunting were . nor in the wars should have no use of armes , nor fear'd to fight ; they could receive no harmes . for if a bullet on their breasts should hit , fall on their back , but strait-waies up may get . or if a bullet on their head do light . may make them totter , but not kill them quite . and stars be like the birds with twinckling wing , when in the aire they flye , like larks might sing . and as they flye , like wandring planets shew , their tailes may like to blazing comets grow . when they on trees do rest themselves from flight , appeare like fixed stars in clouds of night . thus may the sun be like a woman faire , and the bright beames be as her flowing haire . and from her eyes may cast a silver light , and when she sleeps , the world be as dark night . or women may of alabaster be , and so as smooth as polisht ivory . or , as cleer christall , where heartes may be shown , and all their falsehoods to the world be known . or else be made of rose , and lillies white , both faire , and sweet , to give the soule delight . or else bee made like tulips fresh in may , by nature drest , cloath'd severall colours gay . thus every yeare there may young virgins spring , but wither , and decay , as soon agen . while they are fresh , upon their breast might set great swarmes of bees , from thence sweet honey get . or , on their lips , for gilly-flowers , flies drawing delicious sweet that therein lies . thus every maid , like severall flowres shew , not in their shape , but like in substance grow . then teares which from oppressed hearts do rise , may gather into clouds within the eyes : from whence those teares , like showres of raine may flow upon the bancks of cheeks , where roses grow . after those showres of raine , so sweet may smell , perfuming all the aire , that neer them dwell . but when the sun of joy , and mirth doth rise , darting forth pleasing beames from loving eyes . then may the buds of modesty unfold , with full blown confidence the sun behold . but griefe as frost them nips , and withering dye , in their owne (†) podds intombed lye . thus virgin cherry trees , where blossomes blow , so red ripe cherries on their lips may grow . or women plumtrees at each fingers end , may ripe plummes hang , and make their joynts to bend . men sicomores , which on their breast may write their amorous verses , which their thoughts indite . mens stretched arms may be like spreading vines , where grapes may grow , soe drinke of their own wine . to plant large orchards , need no paines nor care , for every one their sweet fresh fruit may beare . then silver grasse may in the meadowes grow , which nothing but a sithe of fire can mow . the wïnd , which from the north a journey takes , may strike those silver strings , and musick make . thus may another world , though matter still the same , by changing shapes , change humours , properties , and name . thus colossus , a statue wonderous great , when it did fall , might strait get on his feet . where ships , which through his leggs did swim , he might have blow'd their sailes , or else have drown'd them quite . the golden calfe that israel joy'd to see , might run away from their idolatry . the basan bul of brasse might be , when roare , his mettl'd throat might make his voice sownd more . the hil , which mahomet did call , might come at the first word , or else away might run . thus pompey's statue might rejoyce to see , when kill'd was caesar , his great enemy . the wooden-horse that did great troy betray , have told what 's in him , and then run away . achilles armes against ulisses plead , and not let wit against true valour speed . of the dispersing of the rationall spirits . some think , that the rationall spirits flye out of animals , ( or that animall we call man ) like a swarm of bees , when they like not their hives , finding some inconvenience , seek about for another habitation : or leave the body , like rats , when they finde the house rotten , and ready to fall ; or scar'd away like birds from their nest. but where should this swarm , or troop , or flight , or essences go , unlesse they think this thin matter is an essence , evaporates to nothing ? as i have said before , the difference of rationall spirits , and sensitive spirits , is , that the sensitive spirits make figures out of dull matter : the rationall spirits put themselves into figure , placing themselves with number , and measure ; this is the reason when animals dye , the externall forme of that animall may be perfect , and the internall motion of the spirits quite alter'd ; yet not absent , nor dispersd , untill the annihilating of the externall figure : thus it is not the matter that alters , but the motion and forme . some figures are stronger built then others , which makes them last longer : for some , their building is so weak , as they fall as soon as finished ; like houses that are built with stone , or timber , although it might be a stone-house , or timber-house , yet it may be built not of such a sort of stone , or such a sort of timber . of the senses . the pores of the skin receive touch , as the eye light , the eare sound , the nose scent , the tongue tast . thus the spirits passe , and repasse by the holes , they peirce through the dull matter , carrying their severall burthens out , & in , yet it is neither the burthen , nor the passage that makes the different sense , but the different motion ; † for if the motion that comes through the pores of the skin , were as the motions that come from the eye , eare , nose , mouth , then the body might receive sound , light , scent , tast , all over as it doth touch . of motion that makes light . if the same motion that is made in the head did move in the heele , there would appeare a light to the sense of that part of the figure ; unlesse they will make such matter as the braine to be infinite , and onely in the head of an animall . opticks . there may be such motion in the braine , as to make light , although the sun never came there to give the first motion : for two opposite motions may give a light by reflection , unlesse the sun , and the eye have a particular motion from all eternity : as we say an eternal monopoler of such a kind of motion as makes light . of the flowing of the spirits . the spirit 's like to ants , in heapes they lye , the hill they make , is the round ball , the eye . from thence they run to fetch each object in , the braine receives , and stores up all they bring . and in the eares , like hives , as bees they swarm , buzzing , and humming , as in summers warm . and when they flye abroad , they take much paine , to bring in fine conceits into the braine . of which , as wax , they make their severall cells , in workes of poetry , which wit still fills : and on the tongue , they sit as flowres sweet , sucking their honey from delicious meat . then to the nose , like birds they flye , there pick up sweet perfumes , in stead of spices stick . of which within the braine they build a nest , to which delight , or else to take their rest . but in the porous skin , they spread as sheep , and feeding cattell which in meadowes keep . of motion , and matter . why may not vegetables have light , sound , taste , touch , as well as animals , if the same kind of motion moves the same kind of matter in them ? for who knowes , but the sappe in vegetables may be of the same substance , and degree of the braine : and why may not all the senses be inherent in a figure , if the same motion moves the same matter within the figure , as such motion without the figure ? of the braine . the braine in animals is like clouds , which are sometimes swell'd full with vapour , and sometimes rarified with heat , and mov'd by the sensitive spirits to severall objects , as the cloudes are mov'd by the wind to severall places . the winds seem to be all spirits , because they are so agile , and quick . of darknesse . to prove that darknesse hath particular motions which make it , as well as motion makes light , is , that when some have used to have a light by them while they sleep , will , as soon as the light goeth out , awake ; for it darknesse had no motion , it would not strike upon the optick nerve . but as an equall motion makes light , and a perturb'd motion makes colour , which is between light , & darknesse : so darknesse is an opposite motion to those motions that make light ; for though light is an equall motion , yet it is such a kind , or sort of motion . of the sun . why may not the sun be of an higher extract then the rationall spirits , and be like glasse , which is a high extract in chymistry , and so become a (†) shining body ? if so , sure it hath a great knowledge ; for the sun seemes to be composed of purer spirits , without the mixture of dull matter ; for the motion is quick , and subtle , as wee may finde by the effect of the light , and heat . of the cloudes . the cloudes seem to be of such spungy , and porous matter , as the raine , and aire , like the sensitive spirits that form , and move it , and the sun the rationall spirit to give them knowledge : and as moist vapours from the stomack rise , and gathering in the braine , flow through the eyes ; so do the clouds send forth , as from the braine , the vapours which do rise in showres . of the motion of the planets . the earth , sun , moon , the rest of planets all are mov'd by that , we vitall spirits call . and like to animals , some move more slow , and other some by quicker motion go . and as some creatures by their shapes do flye , some swim , some run , some creep , some riseth high . so planets by their shapes about do wind , all being made , like circles , round we find . the motion of the sea . the sea 's more quick , then fresher waters are , the reason is , more vitall spirits are there . and as the planets move still round about , so seas do ebb , & flow , both in , & out . as arrowes flye up , far as strength them lend , and then for want of strength do back descend . so do the seas in ebbes-run back againe , for want of strength , their length for to maintaine . but why they ebb , and flow , at certain times , is like the lungs that draw , and breath out wind . just so do seas draw back , and then do flow , as constant as the lungs do to and fro : alwaies in motion , never lying still , the empty place they leave , turn back to fill . we may as well inquire of nature , why animals breath in such a space of time , as the seas ebb , and flow in such a space of time . i could have inlarged my booke with the fancies of the severall motions , which makes the several effects of the sun , planets , or the suns ( i may say ) as the fixed stars : and whether they have not cast knowledge , and understanding by their various , and quicke , and subtle motions ; and whether they do not order and dispose other creatures , by the power of their supreamer motions . what motions make civil wars , and whether the aire causes it , or not ? whether the stars , and planets work not upon the disposition of severall creatures , and of severall effects , joyning as one way ? what motion makes the aire pestilent , and how it comes to change into severall diseases ? and whether diseases are just alike , and whether they differ as the faces of men do ? why some figures are apt to some diseases , and others not ? and why some kinde of drugs , or cordialls , will worke on some diseases , and not on others ? and why some drugs have strong effects upon some humours , and not upon others ? and why physicke should purge , and how some cordials will rectifie the disorderly motion in a distemper'd figure ? why some ground will beare some sorts of seeds , and not others ? why same food will nourish some figures , and destroy others ? how naturall affection is bred in the wombe . what makes a naturall aversion from some creatures to others , and what causes an unnaturalnsse to their owne kind and breed ? what motion makes thunder , lightning , vvinde , earthquakes , cold , ice , snow , haile , rain , what motions makes drought , heat . why the sun should give light , and not the other planets . what motions make fire , aire , water , earth . what manner of motions make sense . why some have haire , some wool , some feathers , some scales , and some onely skin . and why some vegetables beare some leaves , some none , some fruit , some none . and what motion makes particular taste , scent , colour , touch ; and why all do touch , not taste alike : and whether they be inherent , or not ; and how they may be inherent in every figure proper thereto , and yet another figure receive them in another sense : and how it comes , that some figures have more of some sense , then others , and what makes the society of every kinde of figure , and what makes the war with others , and amongst themselves : and how such degrees of matter with such kinde of motions , make the difference in vegetables , minerals , and animals ; and why such shapes must of necessity have such properties , and why some shapes have power over other shapes ; and why some shapes have power over some motions , and some motions over some shapes , and some motions over other motions , and what the severall effects are of severall shapes , and severall motions . what makes that which is fulsome , and nauceous , pleasant , and savory ; whether they are inherent , or not , whether they are in the contained , or the containing ; or whether a sympathy or likenesse from both , and so of all the senses ; whether the outward motition cause the sense , or the inward motion ; or whether the inward motion moves to the inward matter , or with the outward matter , and inward matter , agreeing in the like motions . and what the reason may bee , to make some creatures agree in some element , and not in others : as what 's the reason a beast , or a man , or fowles , cannot live in the water , or fish live long out of the water . and whether there may not bee a sympathy naturally betwixt some beasts , to other , although of a different figure , more then to others , by some secret , and obscure motions ; and whether the severall dispositions of men , may not have a naturall likeuesse , or sympathy to the severall dispositions , and natures of beasts . what causes the severall sorts of creatures to keep in particular societies , as in common- wealths , flocks , heards , droves , flights , covies , broods , eyes , swarmes , sholes , and of their particular enmity from some sorts to others , and their affections , love to others , their factions , side-takings , and disagreeings in their owne society , their craft and policies of selfe-love , and preservation , and their tender love and assistance to their young . what makes superstition : and many more . but fancy , which is the effect of motion , is as infinite as motion ; which made me despaire of a finall conclusion of my booke ; which makes my booke imperfect , and my fancies unsettled : but that which i have writ , will give my readers so much light , as to guesse what my fancies would have beene at . a dialogue between the body , and the minde . i write , and write , and 't may be never read ; my bookes , and i , all in a grave lye dead . no memory will build a monument , nor offer praise unto the soules content . but howsoever , soule , lye still at rest , to make thy fame to live , have done the best . for all the wit that nature to me gave , i set it forth , for to adorne thy grave . but if the ruines of oblivion come , t is not my fault , for what i can , is done . for all the life that nature to me lends about thy worke , and in thy service spends . but if thou thinkst , i take not paines , pray speake , before we part , my body is but weak . soule . braine thou hast done thy best , yet thou mightst go to the grave learned , their subtle tricks to know : and aske them , how such fame they do beget , when they do write , but of anothers wit . for they have little of their owne , but what they have from others braines , and fancies got . body . o soule ! i shall not need to take such paines , the labour will be more then all the gaines : for why ! the world doth cosen and so cheat , by railing at those authors wits they get ; muffling & hiding of their authors face , by some strange language , or by some disgrace . their wit into an anagram they make , that anagram for their owne wit they take . and here , & there they do a fancy steale , and so of strangers make a common-weale . tell to the world they are true natives bred , when they were borne all in another head . and with translating wit they march along , with understanding praise they grow so strong , that they do rule , by conquering fames great court : from whence they send out all their false report . this is the way my soule that they do use , by different language do the world abuse . therefore lye still thou troubled restless spirit , seek not for fame , unlesse thou hast a merit . soule . body , when thou art gone , then i dye too , unlesse some great act in thy life thou do : but prethee be not thou so wondrous nice , to set my fame at a great merits price . body . alas , what can i do to make thee live , unlesse some wise instructions thou canst give ? can you direct me to some noble act , wherein vain-glory makes no false compact ? can you direct me which way i shall take , those that are in distress , happy to make ? soule . no , that 's unpossible , unlesse all hearts could be divided into equall parts . body . then prethee be content , seek thou no more ; t is fortune makes the world to worship , and adore . a request to my friends . when i am dead , and buried lye within a grave ; if friends passe by , let them not turn away their sight , because they would forget me quite : but on my grave a teare let fall , and me unto remembrance call . then may my ashes rise , that teare to meet , receive it in my urne like balsome sweet . o you that are my dearest friends , do not , when i am dead , lye in the grave forgot , but let me in your mind , as one thought be ; so shall i live still in your memory . if you had dyed , my heart still should have been a room to keep , and hang your picture in . my thoughts should copies pencill every day , teares be the oyle , for colours on to lay . my lips shall mixe thy severall colour'd praise , by words compounded , various severall waies . innocent white , and azure truth agree , with modest red , purple in grain to bee . and many more , which rhetorick still can place , shadowes of griefe , to give a lively grace . an elegy . her corps was borne to church on gray goose wing , her sheet was paper white to lap her in . and cotten dyed with inke , her covering black , with letters for her scutcheons print in that . fancies bound up with verse , a garland made , and at the head , upon her hearse was laid . and numbers ten did beare her to the grave , the muses nine a monument her gave . i heare that my first booke was thought to be none of mine owne fancies ; onely , i owne it with my name . if any thinke my booke so well writ , as that i had not the wit to do it , truely i am glad , for my wits sake , if i have any that is thought so well of ; although mistrust lies betwixt me , and it ; and if it be so little wit in it , as they mistrust it was not mine ; i am glad they thinke me to have so much , as i could not write so foolish . and truely for any friend of mine , as i have none so cowardly , that dare not defend their honour , so i have none so foolish , as to be affear'd , or asham'd to owne their owne writings . and truely i am so honest , as not to steale anothers work , and give it my owne name : nor so vaine-glorious , as to straine to build up a fame upon the ground of another mans wit . but be it bad , or good , it is my owne , unlesse in printing t is a changeling grown . which sure i have no reason for to doubt , it hath the same mark , when i put it out . but be it faire , or brown , or black , or wilde , i still must own it , 'cause it is my childe . and should my neighbours say , t is a dull block , t is honestly begot , of harmlesse stock . by motion in my braine t was form'd , and bred , by my industrious study it was fed . and by my busie pen was cloathd , though plain the garments be , yet are they without stain . but be it nere so plain , not rich , and gay , phantasticall t is drest , the world will say . the world thinks all is fine , that 's in the fashion , though it be old , if fashion'd with translation . they nere consider what becomes them best , but think all fooles , that are not courtly drest . o nature , nature , why dost thou create so many fooles , and so few wife didst make ? good nature , move their braine another way , and then as beasts as beasts , perchance they may . lord how the world delight to tell a lye ! as if they thought they sav'd a soule thereby . more lyes they tell , then they will prayers say , and run about to vent them every way . some bragging lyes , and then he tells how free the ladies were , when he 's in company . or else what such a lord did say to him , and so what answer he return'd to them . or any action which great fame hath won , then he saies streight , t was by his counsell done . when any wit , that comes abroad in print , then he sayes strait he had a finger in 't : how he did rectifie , and mend the same , or else he wrote it all , or gav 't a name . thus in the world thousands of lyes are told , which none , but fooles , their words for truth will hold . but in the world there are more fooles then wise , which makes them passe for truth , when all are lyes . j begun a booke about three yeares since , which i intend to name the worlds ollio , and when i come into flaunders where those papers are , i will , if god give me live , and health , finish it , and send it forth in print . i imagine all those that have read my former books , wil say , that i have writ enough , unless they were better : but say what you will , it pleaseth me , and since my delights are harmlesse , i will satisfie my humour . for had my braine as many fancies in 't , to fill the world , would put them all in print . no matter whether they be well exprest , my will is done , and that please woman best . a farewell to the muses . farewell my muse , thou gentle harmlesse spirit , that us'd to haunt me in the dead of night . and on my pillow , where my head i laid , thou sit'st close by , and with my fancies play'd : sometimes upon my eyes you dancing skip , making a vision of some fine land-skip . thus with your sportings , kept me oft awake , not with your noise , for nere a word you spake : but with your faiery dancing , circling winde , upon a hill of thoughts within my minde . when t was your sport to blow out every light , then i did rest , and sleep out all the night . great god , from thee all infinites do flow , and by thy power from thence effects do grow . thou order'dst all degrees of matter , just , as t is thy will , and pleasure , move it must . and by thy knowledge orderd'st all the best ; for in thy knowledge doth thy wisdome rest . and wisdome cannot order things amisse , for where disorder is , no wisdome is . besides , great god , thy wil is just , for why , thy will still on thy wisdome doth rely . o pardon lord , for what i here now speak , upon a guesse , my knowledge is but weak , but thou hast made such creatures , as man-kind , and giv'st them something , which we call a minde ; alwaies in motion , never quiet lyes , untill the figure of his body dies . his severall thoughts , which severall motions are , do raise up love , hopes , joyes , doubts , and feare . as love doth raise up hope , so feare doth doubt , which makes him seek to finde the great god out . selfe-love doth make him seek to finde , if he came from , or shaell last to eternity . but motion being slow , makes knowledge weake , and then his thoughts 'gainst ignorance doth beat . as fluid waters 'gainst hard rocks do flow , break their soft streames , and so they backward go . just so do thoughts , and then they backward slide unto the place where first they did abide . and there in gentle murmurs do complaine , that all their care , and labour is in vain . but since none knowes the great creator , must man seek no more , but in his goodnesse trust . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- reason . thoughts . notes for div a e- i mean of forme , dull matter . some think there was a chaos , a confused heap . the readers may take either opinion . severall motions , and severall figures . (†) not the matter , but the degrees (†) not the bigness of figures , but the manner of shapes : which makes some shapes to have the advantage over others much bigger , as a mouse will kill an elephant . (†) which is in likenesse . (†) unlikenesse . one shape hath power over another ; one minde knowes more then another . either by growth , or sense , or reason . for when matter comes to such a degree it quickens , that it begins to move , & motion is life . * i meane when i say obstruct , that it either turnes their motion another way , or makes them move slower . * i do not say that bones are the solid'st matter in nature . † as the figure of man. * all motion is life . i mean the figure of dul matter as a plentifull crop , or a great brood . these degrees are visible to us . dancing is a measur'd motion . † scorching is , when the motion is too quick . † that is , when there come so many spirits , as they disagree , pressing upon one another . (†) those degrees that are neerest , have the greatest sympathy . (†) like chess-men , table-men nine-pins , or the like . * i say higher , for expressions sake . † nothing can bee made or known absolute out of infinite and eternall . † though it may have other motions , yet not the animall motion . † the figure might bee without an animall motion , but an animall motion cannot bee untill there is an animall figure (†) which food is when such materialls are not proper for such a figure . † the greater the number is , the more variety of motion is made , which makes figures in the braine . (†) in animall shapes . (†) a pig of lead . (†) the huske . † to prove that it is the several motion , is , that wee shall have the same sense in our sleep , either to move pleasure , or feele paine . (†) like glass . a serious and pathetical description of heaven and hell according to the pencil of the holy ghost, and the best expositors: sufficient (with the blessing of god) to make the worst of men hate sin, and love holiness. being five chapters taken out of a book entituled, the whole duty of a christian: composed by r. younge, late of roxwell in essex, florilegus. whole duty of a christian. selections. younge, richard. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing y a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing y a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a serious and pathetical description of heaven and hell according to the pencil of the holy ghost, and the best expositors: sufficient (with the blessing of god) to make the worst of men hate sin, and love holiness. being five chapters taken out of a book entituled, the whole duty of a christian: composed by r. younge, late of roxwell in essex, florilegus. whole duty of a christian. selections. younge, richard. p. printed at the charge of christs-hospital, according to the will of the donor, [london : ] caption title. imprint from colophon. copy imperfect; closely trimmed with some loss of print; print fade; print show-through. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng heaven -- biblical teaching -- early works to . hell -- biblical teaching -- early works to . calvinism -- early works to . christian life -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . a r (wing y a). civilwar no a serious and pathetical description of heaven and hell, according to the pencil of the holy ghost, and the best expositors: sufficient (wit younge, richard c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a serious and pathetical description of heaven and hell , according to the pencil of the holy ghost , and the best expositors : sufficient ( with the blessing of god ) to make the worst of men hate sin , and love holiness . being five chapters taken out of a book entituled , the whole duty of a christian : composed by r. younge , late of roxwell in essex , florilegus . chap. xix . section i. t●us as the unbeliever and disobedient is cursed in every thing , and where-ever he goes , and in whatsoever he does : cursed in the city , and cursed also in the held ; cursed in the fruit of his body , and in the fruit of his ground , and in the fruit of his cattel : cursed when he cometh in , and cursed also when he goeth out ; cursed in this life , and cursed in the life to come ; as is at large exprest , deut. . so the believer that obeys the voice of the lord , shall be blessed in every thing he does , wherever he goes , and in whatsoever befals him , as god promiseth in the former part of the same chapter , & as i have proved in the eleven foregoing sections . yea , god will bless all that belong unto him , for his children and posterity , yea , many generations after him , shall fare the better for his sake exod. . . gen. . . isai. . . and . . rom. . . gen. . . , , . and . . and . . kings . , , . and . . kings . . and . . isai. . . & . . mat. . . yea , the very place where he dwells , perhaps the whole kingdom he lives in , gen. . to . chap. whereas many , yea multitudes , num. . . deut. . . & . . psal. . . even a whole army , josh. . , to . yea , his childrens children , unto the third and fourth generation , fare the worse for a wicked man , and an unbeliever , exod. . . besides his prayers shall profit many ; for he is more prevalent with god , to take away a judgment from a people or a nation , than a thousand others , ex. . , , . and he counts it a sin to cease praying for his greatest and most malicious enemies , sam. . . though they , like fools , would ( if they durst , or were permitted ) cut him off , and all the race of gods people , ps. . . esth. . . , . which is as if one with a hatchet should cut off the bough of a tree upon which he standeth . for they are beholding to believers for their very lives : yea , it is for their sakes , and because the number of christs church is not yet accomplisht , that they are out of hell . but to go on , as all things ( viz. ) poverty , imprisonment , slander , persecution , sickness , death , temporal judgments , spiritual desertions ; yea , even sin and satan himself , shall turn together for the best unto those that love god , as you have seen : so all things shall turn together for the worst unto those that hate god , as all unbelievers do , rom. . . joh. . . even the mercy of god , and the means of grace , shall prove their bane , and enhaunce their damnation : yea , christ himself that only summum bonum , who is a saviour to all believers , shall be a just revenger to all unbelievers ; and bid the one , depart ye cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the devil and his angels , mat. . , . which shall be an everlasting departure , not for a day , nor for years of days , nor for millions of years , but for eternity , into such pains as can neither be expressed nor conceived , iude . . rev. . . mat. . . heb. . sect. . wickedness hath but a time , a short time , a moment of time ; but the punishment of wickedness is beyond all time : there shall be no end of plagues to the wicked man , prov. . . their worm shall not die , neither shall their fire be quenched , isai. . . & . . mat. . . mark . . and therefore it is said , the smoak of their torment doth ascend for ever and ever , rev. . . and . . so that if all the men that ever have or shall be created , were briareus-like , hundred-handed , and should at once take pens in their hundred hands , and do nothing else for ten hundred thousand millions of years , but sum up in figures as many hundred thousand millions as they could ; yet never could they reduce to a total , or confine within number , this trissyllable word [ eternal ] or that word of four syllables [ everlasting ] . now let such as forget god , but seriously consider this : it will not be an imprisonment during the kings pleasure , but during the king of kings pleasure : it is not a captivity of seventy years , like that of the children of israel in babylon ; for that had an end : nor like a captivity of seventy millions of generations ; for that also would in time be expired : but even for ever . the wicked shall live as long in hell , as there shall be a just god in heaven . here we measure time by days , months , years ; but for eternity , there is no arithmetician can number it , no geometrician can measure it : for suppose the whole world were turned into a mountain of sand , and that a little wren should come every thousandth year , and carry away from that heap but one grain of the sand , what an infinite number of years would be spent and expired , before the whole heap would be fetcht away ? but admit a man should stay in torments so long , and then have an end of his wo , it were some comfort to think that an end will come : but alas ! when she hath finished this task a thousand times over , he shall be as far from an end of his anguish , as ever he was the first hour he entred into it . now , suppose thou shouldst lie but one night grievously afflicted with a raging fit of the stone , strangury , tooth-ach , pangs of travel , or the like ; though thou hadst to help and ease thee , a soft bed to lie on , friends about to comfort thee , physicians to cure thee , all cordial and comfortable things to asswage thy pain ; yet how tedious and painful would that one night seem unto thee ? how wouldst thou toss and tumble , and turn from one side to another ? counting the clock , esteeming every minute a month , and thy present misery unsupportable . what then will it be to lie in flames of fire ? ( to which our fire is but air in comparison ) fire and brimstone kept in the highest flame by the unquenchable wrath of god , world without end ; where thou shalt have nothing about thee but darkness and horrour , wailing and wringing of hands , desperate yellings and gnashing of teeth : thy old companions in vanity and sin , to ban and curse thee ; the devils insulting over thee with cruelty and scorn ; the never dying worm of conscience , to feed upon thy soul and flesh for ever and ever . o everlasting eternity ! a never-dying life , an ever-living death ! which yet is but just with god ; for if thou mightest have lived for ever , thou wouldst have sinned for ever . if god would everlastingly have spared thee , thou wouldst have everlastingly hated and provoked him . what then can be more equal , then that thou shouldst suffer everlastingly ? o then bethink thy self of this word eternal and everlasting , and ponder upon it : yea , do but indeed believe it , and it will be enough to break thine hard heart , and make it relent and repent , and thereby prevent the wrath to come . it will put thee to a demur , what have i done ? what am i now aabout ? whether will this course tend ? how will it end ? what will become of me if i go on , in chambering and wantonness surfeiting and drunkenness , strife and envying , swearing , prophaneness , earthly-mindedness , and the like ? for indignation and wrath , tribulation and anguish , shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evil , and continueth therein , as the apostle witnesseth , rom. . , . o then , break off thy sins without delay , and let there be an healing of thy errours . sect. . neither is the extremity of pain inferiour to the perpetuity of it ; it is a place full of horrour and amazedness , where is no remission of sin , no dismission of pain , no intermission of sense , no permission of comfort : its torments are both intolerable , and interminable , and can neither be endured nor avoided , when entred into , rev. . . and . . and . . mat. . . pet. . . heb. . . jude . the pangs of the first death are pleasant , compared with those of the second : for mountains of sand were lighter , and millions of years shorter , than a tithe of those torments , rev. . . jude . it is a death which hath no death ; it hath a beginning , it hath no ending , mat. . . isa. . . the pain of the body , is but the body of pain , the anguish of the soul , is the soul of anguish : for should we first burn off one hand , then another , after that each arm , and so all the parts of the body , it would be deemed intolerable , and no man would endure it for all the profits and pleasures this world can afford ; and yet it is nothing to the burning of body and soul in hell . should we endure ten thousand years torment in hell , it were grievous , but nothing to eternity : should we suffer one pain , it were miserable enough ; but if ever we come there , our pains shall be for number and kinds , infinitely various , as our pleasures have been here ; every sense and member , each power and faculty , both of soul and body , shall have their several objects of wretchedness , and that without intermission , or end , or ease , or patience to endure it , luke . . and . . mat. . . and . . and . . the schools affirm , that the least torture in hell , exceeds the greatest that can be devised by all the men on earth ; even as the least ioy in heaven , surpasseth the greatest comfort here on earth . there is scarce any pain here on earth , but there is ever some hope of ease , mitigation , or intermission ; of some relief or deliverance : but in hell , their torments are easeless , endless , and remediless ; unsufferable , and yet inevitable , and themselves left hopeless , helpless , pitiless . it were misery enough to have the head-ach , tooth-ach , collick , gout , burning in the fire ; or if there be any thing more grievous : yea , should all these and many more meet together in one man , at one instant , they would come infinitely short of the pains of hell . yea , they would all be but as the stinging of ants , to the lashes of those scorpions ; but as drops , to those vials of wrath ; as sparks to that flame , as chrysostome speaks . the furnace of babel , was but a flea-biting to this tormenting tophet , prepared of old , isai. . he hath made it deep and large , the pile thereof is fire and much wood ; the breath of the lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it , ver. . so that it were happy for reprobate spirits , if they were in no worse condition , than so many toads or serpents . as consider , if a dark dungeon here be so loathsom , what is that dungeon of eternal , of utter darkness ? if material fire be so terrible , what is hell-fire ? here we cry out of a burning fever , or , if a very coal from the hearth do but light on our flesh , o how it grieves us ! we cannot hold our finger for one minute in scalding lead , but there both body and soul shall fry in everlasting flames , and be continually tormented by infernal fiends , whose society alone would be sufficiently frightful . sect. . now consider , is one hours twitche of the worm of conscience here ? yea , is one minutes twitch of a tooth pulling out so unsufferable ? what is a thousand years ? what is eternity of hell torments ? if the glutton being in hell , in part only ( viz. in soul ) yet cryed out , that he was horribly tormented in that flame ; what think we shall that torment be , when body and soul come to be united in torment ? since the pains of hell are more exquisite than all the united torments that the earth can invent . yea , the pains and sufferings of the damned , are ten thousand times more than can be imagined by any heart under heaven , and can rather ( through necessity ) be endured , than expressed . it is a death never to be painted to the life ; no pen , nor pencil , nor art , nor heart , can comprehend it , mat. . , . and . . luke . , . pet. . . isai. . . and . . prov. . . yea , were all the land paper , and all the water ink , every plant a pen , and every other creature a ready writer , yet they could not set down the least piece of the great pains of hell-fire . now add eternity to extremity , and then consider hell to be hell indeed . for if the ague of a year , or the collick of a month , or the rack of a day , or the burning of an hour be so bitter here ; how will it break the hearts of the wicked , to feel all these beyond all measure , beyond all time ? so that it is an evil and bitter thing to depart from the living god . we poor mortals ( until god does bring us from under 〈◊〉 power of satan unto himself ) do live in the world as if 〈◊〉 were not so hot , nor the devil so black as indeed they are : in hell and heaven were the one not worth the avoiding , the other not worth the enjoying : but the heat of fire was never painted , and the devil is more deformed than represented on the wall . there are unexpressible torments in hell , as well as unspeakable joys in heaven . nor will this be their case alone that are desperately wicked ; cursing and blaspheming drunkards , and shedders of blood , but of all , impenitent persons . as for instance , they who have lived in the fire of lust here , must not think much to be scorched in the flames of hell hereafter , heb. . . rev. . . and . . the detractor is a devil above ground ; his tongue is already set on fire from hell , jam. . rev. . , . which does sadly presage , what will be his portion for ever , unless repentance quench those flames ; and so of the like offenders , ps. . . rev. . . as what says the apostle ? neither fornicators , nor thieves , nor murtherers , nor drunkards , nor swearers , nor raylers , nor lyars , nor covetous persons , nor unbelievers , nor no unrighteous person shall inherit the kingdom of heaven , but shall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone , which is the second death , cor. . , . rev. . . which did they well consider , they durst not continue in the practice of these sins without fear or remorse , or care of amendment . sect. . now what heart would not bleed , to see men run headlong into those tortures that are thus intolerable ? dance hoodwinkt into this perdition ? o that it were allowed to the desperate ruffians of our days , that swear and curse , drink and drab , rob , shed blood , &c. ( as if heaven were blind and deaf to what they do ) to have but a sight of this hell ! how would it charm their mouths , appall their spirits , strike fear and astonishment into their hearts ? yea , if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell , or be suffered to look one moment into that fiery lake , he would rather chuse to die ten thousand deaths , than wilfully & premeditately commit one sin . nor can i think they would do as they do , if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day ( without serious and unfeigned repentance ) 〈◊〉 and indeed , therefore are we dissolute , because we do not think what a judgment there is after our dissolution : because we make it the least , and last thing we think on ; yea , it is death , we think , to think upon death : and we cannot endure that doleful hell which summons us to judgment , lam. . . deut. . . oh that men would believe and consider this truth , and do accordingly . oh that thou wouldst remember , that there is a day of account , a day of death , a day of judgment coming , heb. . . mat. . wherein the lord jesus christ shall be revealed from heaven , with his mighty angels , in flaming fire , to render vengeance unto them which obey not his gospel ; and to punish them with everlasting perdition from the presence of the lord , and from the glory of his power , as the apostle speaks , thes. . , , . jude . isa. . . mat. . . as consider seriously , i beseech you , whether it will not be worth the while , so to foresee the torments of hell , that you may prevent them : or if otherwise , will you not one day wish you had , when death comes and arrests you to appear before the great and terrible iudge of all the world ? luke . . to . mat. . , . at which time an assizes or quarter-sessions shall be held within thee , where reason shall sit as judge , and satan shall put in a bill of indictment , as long as that book in zachary ; chap. . . ezek. . , . wherein shall be alledged all the evil deeds that ever thou hast committed , and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted , with their several circumstances that may aggravate them , eccles. . . and . . cor. . . and all the curses and judgments that are due to every sin . thine own conscience shall accuse thee , and thy memory shall give bitter evidence against thee ; and thou shalt condemn thy self , before the just condemnation of thy judge , who knows all thy misdeeds better than thy self , john . . which sins of thine will not then leave thee , but cry unto thee , we are thy works , and we will follow thee , rev. . . and then who can sufficiently express what thy grief and anguish will be , when the summons both of the first and second 〈◊〉 do overtake thee at once ? prov. . . and when at once thou shalt think of thy sins past , the present misery , and the 〈◊〉 of thy torments to come ; and how thou hast made earth 〈◊〉 paradise , thy belly thy god , and lust thy law ; so sowing 〈◊〉 and reaping misery , and finding , that as in thy prosperity thou neglectedst to serve god , so now in thy adversity god refuseth to save thee , prov. . . to . ezek. . . when thou shalt call to mind the many warnings thou hast had of this doleful day , from christs faithful ambassadors , and how thou then madest but a mock or jeer at it , prov. . . and think how for the short sinful pleasures thou hast enjoyed , thou must endure eternal pains , luke . , . and rev. . . to . which yet thou shalt think most just and equal , saying , as i have deserved , so i am served : for i was oft enough offered mercy , yea , intreated to accept thereof ; but i preferred the pleasing of my senses , before the saving of my soul , and more regarded the words of wicked men , and the allurements of satan , than the word of god , or the motions of his holy spirit , prov. . . &c. mark . . and ( which i would have thee think upon ) hell-fire is made more hot , by neglecting so great salvation , heb. . . this is the condemnation ( saith our saviour , none like this ) that light is come into the world , and men loved darkness rather than light , because their deeds were evil , john . . now salvation is freely offered , but men reject it ; hereafter they would accept of salvation , but god will reject them . yea , then a whole world ( if thou hadst it ) for one hours delay , or respite , that thou mightest have space to repent , and sue unto god for mercy : but it cannot be , because thy body , which joyned with thy soul in thy sinful actions , is now altogether unfit to joyn with her in the exercise of repentance ; and repentance must be of the whole man . besides , death will take no pity ; the devil knows no mercy , and the god of mercy will have utterly forsaken thee . then wilt thou say , o that i had been more wise , or that i were now to begin my life again ; then would i contemn the world with all its vanities ? yea , if satan should then offer me all the treasures , pleasures , and promotions of this world , he should never entice me to forget the terrors of this dreadful hour , and those worse which are to follow , luke . . &c. and . . but , oh wretched caitiff that i am ; how hath the devil and my own deceitful and devilish heart deluded me ? an● how am i served accordingly ? for now is my case more m●serable than the most despised toad or serpent , that peris●●● when it dieth ; in that i must go to answer at the great judgment seat for all my sins , that am not able to answer for one of the least of them , eccles. . . mat. . . that i who heretofore gloried in my lawless liberty , am now to be enclosed in the very claws of satan , as the trembling partridge within the griping tallons of the ravening and devouring falcon . oh , cursed be the day when i was born , and the time when my mother conceived me , &c. job . sect. . and so death having given thee thy fatal stroke , the devil shall seize upon or snatch away thy soul , so soon as it leaves thy body , luke . . and hale thee hence into the bottomless lake that burneth with fire and brimstone ; where she is to be kept in chains of darkness , until the general judgment of the great day , jude , . pet. . . rev. . . thy body in the mean time being cast into the earth , expecting a fearful resurrection , when it shall be re-united to thy soul ; that as they sinned together , so they may be everlastingly tormented together , heb. . . at which general judgment , christ sitting upon his throne , john . . shall rip up all the benefits he hath bestowed on thee and the miseries he hath suffered for thee ; and all the ungodly deeds that thou hast committed , and all the hard speeches which thou hast spoken against him , and his holy ones , jude . eccles. . . and . . within thee shall be thine own conscience , more than a thousand witnesses to accuse thee ; the devils , who tempted thee to all thy lewdness , shall on the one side testifie with thy conscience against thee , and on the other side shall stand the holy saints and angels approving christs justice , and detesting so filthy a creature : behind thee an hideous noise of innumerable fellow-damned reprobates , tarrying for thy company : before thee all the world burning with flaming fire ; above thee an ireful judge of deserved vengeance , ready to pronounce his heavy sentence upon thee : beneath thee the fiery and sulphureous mouth of the bottomless pit , gaping to receive thee , isa. . . . and in this woful and doleful condition , thou must stand forth to receive , with other reprobates , this thy sentence , rom. . . cor. . [ depart from me ] there is a separation from all joy and happiness , [ ye cursed ] there is a black and direful excommunication , [ into fire ] there is the extremity of pain , [ everlasting , ] there is the perpetuity of punishment , [ prepared for the devil and his angels , ] there are thy infernal tormenting and tormented companions , mat. . . o terrible sentence ! from which there is no escaping , withstanding , excepting , or appealing . then , o then shall thy mind be tormented to think , how , for the love of abortive pleasures , which even perished before they budded ; thou hast so foolishly lost heavens joys , and incurred hellish pains , which last to all eternity , luke . , . thy conscience shall ever sting thee like an adder , when thou callest to mind , how often christ by his ministers offered thee remission of sins , and the kingdom of heaven freely , if thou wouldst but believe and repent , and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those days . how near thou wast many times to have repented , and yet didst suffer the devil and the world to keep thee still in impenitency ; and how the day of mercy is now past , and will never dawn again . thy understanding shall be racked to consider , how for momentany riches thou hast lost eternal treasure , and exchanged heavens felicity for hells misery : where every part and faculty , both of body and soul , shall be continually and alike tormented , without intermission or dismission of pain , or from it : and be for ever deprived of the beatifical sight of god , wherein consists the soveraign good and life of the soul . thou shalt never see light , nor the least sight of joy ; but lye in a perpetual prison of utter darkness , where shall be no order but horrour , no voice but howling and blaspheming ; no noise but screeching and gnashing of teeth ; no society but of the devil and his angels , who being tormented themselves , shall have no other ease , but to wreak their fury in tormenting thee , mat. . . & . . &c. where shall be punishment without any pity , misery without any mercy , sorrow without succour , crying without comfort , malice without measure , torment without ease , rev. . , . where the wrath of god shall seize upon thy soul & body , as the flame of fire does on the lump of pitch , or brimstone , dan. . . in which flame thou shalt ever be burning , and never consumed ; ever dying , and never dead ; ever roaring in the pangs of death , and never rid of those pangs , nor expecting end of thy pains . so that after thou hast endured them so many thousand years as there are blades of grass on the earth , or sands in the sea , hairs on the heads of all the sons of adam , from the first to the last born ; as there have been creatures in heaven and earth ; thou shalt be no nearer an end of thy torments , than thou wast the very first day that thou wast cast into them : yea , so far are they from ending , that they are ever beginning . for if after a thousand times so many thousand years , thy damned soul could but conceive some hope , that those torments should have an end : this would be some comfort , to think that at length an end will come ; but as often as thy mind shall think of this word never ( and thou shalt ever be thinking of it ) it will rend thy heart in pieces with rage and hideous lamentation : as giving still new life to those unsufferable sorrows , which exceed all expression , or imagination . it will be another hell in the midst of hell . wherefore , consider seriously what i say , and that while the compassionate arms of jesus christ lye open to receive you ; and do thereafter , prov. . . &c. take warning by pharaoh's example . we in the rich mans scalding torments , have a discite à me , learn of me , luke . . &c. for he can testifie out of woful experience , that if we will not take warning by the word ( that gentle warner ) the next shall be harder , the third and fourth harder than that ; yea , as all the ten plagues did exceed one another , so the eleventh single exceeds them altogether . innumerable are the curses of god against sinners , deut. . but the last is the worst , comprehending and transcending all the rest . the fearfullest plagues god still reserves for the upshot : all the former do but make way for the last . hell in scripture is called a lake , that burneth with fire and brimstone ; and , than the torment of the former , what more acute ? than the smell of the latter , what more noysome ? chap. xx . sect. . thus , i say , shall they be bid depart ye cursed into everlasting fire , &c. while on the contrary the same christ shall say unto the other , come ye blessed of my father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world , mat. . . which kingdom is a place where are such joys as eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive , cor. . . a place where there shall be no evil present , nor good absent , heb. . . mat. . . in comparison whereof , all the thrones and kingdoms upon earth , are less than the drop of a bucket , deut. . . cor. . , . isai. . . heaven in scripture is compared to a kingdom for soveraignty , to a throne for preheminency , to a crown for state and majesty , to an inheritance for perpetuity , to a marriage-feast for plenty , pleasure , and delicacy , and to whatsoever else may set forth its excellency ; though indeed in these comparisons , there is little or no comparison , as i might shew you in many particulars , if i would be large : for instances in this case would be endless . there death shall have no more dominion over us , rom. . . the sun shall not burn us by day , nor the moon by night , ps. . . there all tears shall be wiped from our eyes , rev. . . there shall be no sorrow , nor pain , nor complaint , there is no malice to rise up against us ; no misery to afflict us ; no hunger , thirst , wearisomness , temptation , to disquiet us , mat. . , . heb. . . there is no death nor dearth , no pining nor repining , no fraud , sorrow , nor sadness , neither tears nor fears , defect nor loathing , rev. . , . and . . heb. . . there , o there , one day is better than a thousand ; there is rest from our labours , peace from our enemies , freedom from our sins , &c. john . . heb. . . , , . rev. . . heb. . , . sect. . unto which negative priviledges , there are also added positive of all sorts , as i might plentifully prove , but i study brevity . do we delight in good company ? what pleasure shall we take in the company of saints and angels ? in whom there is nothing but amiable , comfortable , delectable ? nothing in us that may cool the fervour of our love and affection to them . and so of all other enjoyments . as , dost thou desire beauty , riches , honour , pleasure , long life , or whatever else can be named ? no place so glorious by creation , so beautiful with delectation , so rich in possession , so comfortable for habitation , nor so durable for lasting , heb. . . pet. . . cor. . , . rom. . . and . . there are no estates but inheritances , no inheritances but kingdoms , no houses but palaces , no meals but feasts , no noise but musick , no rods but scepters , no garments but robes , no seats but thrones , no coverings for the head but crowns , rom. . . tit. . . heb. . . mat. . . . tim. . . gal. . . pet. . , . mar. . , , . rev. . , , . & . . there we shall see the blessed face of god , which is the glory of all sights , the sight of all glory . yea , we our selves shall out-shine the sun in brightness , mat. . . for if the brightness of the body shall match the sun , what will the glory and splendour of the soul be ? and yet such honour shall all the saints have . for when christ , which is our head and life , shall appear , then shall we also appear with him in glory . and he shall change our vile and mortal body , that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body , col. . . phil. . . briefly , our joy shall there be full , and none shall be able to take it from us , or diminish it , john . . and . . there is fulness of joy , and pleasures for evermore , psal. . joys and pleasures never ebbing , but ever flowing to all contentment . there we shall rejoyce ; for the pleasantness of the place we possess , for the glory of our souls and bodies , which we have put on ; for the world which we have overcome ; for hell which we have escaped ; for the joys of heaven which we have attained to . we shall have joy above us , by the beatifical vision and sight of god ; joy within us , by the peace of conscience , even the joy of the holy ghost ; and joy round about us , by the blessed company and fellowship of our associates , the holy saints and angels . sect. . and in reason , if a christian-soul in this tabernacle of the body , wherein we see but as in a glass , be so delighted to see the face of god manifested in jesus christ : if it so glads a child of god , when he can but in the least measure master his corruptions , or hath occasion to manifest the sincerity of his affectionate love to his maker and redeemer , and to serve his brethren in love ; how joyful will he be , when these graces shall be perfected , and he freed from all grievances inward & outward ? yea , if the communion and enjoyment of gods spirit , and christ in his gospel and ordinances , be so sweet here , that one day with us , is better than a thousand with the ungodly , psal. . . what will it be to enjoy the immediate presence , and glory of god our father ? christ our redeemer and elder-brother ? the holy ghost our comforter ? the angels and saints our comforts and companions ? our condition there will be so joyful , that look we outwardly , there is joy in the society , heb. . . if inward , there is joy in our own felicity , cor. . . look we forward , there is joy in the eternity , pet. . . mark . . so that on every side we shall be even swallowed up of joy , isai. . . and . . mat. . . and . . heb. . , . psal. . . as , oh the multitude and fulness of these joys ! so many , that only god can number them ; so great , that he only can estimate them ; of such rarity and perfection , that this world hath nothing comparable to them , cor. . . as , oh the transcendency of that paradise of pleasure ! where is joy without heaviness or interruption ; peace without perturbation ; blessedness without misery ; light without darkness ; health without sickness ; beauty without blemish ; abundance without want ; ease without labour ; satiety without loathing ; liberty without restraint ; security without fear ; glory without ignominy ; knowledge without ignorance ; eyes without tears ; hearts without sorrow ; souls without sin : where shall be no evil heard of to affright us , nor good wanting to chear us : for we shall have what we can desire , and we shall desire nothing but what is good , deut. . . isai. . . kings . . mark . . luke . . pet. . . john . , and . . mat. . . sect. . while we are here , how many clouds of discontent have we to darken the sunshine of our joy ? when even complaint of evils past , sense of present , and fear of future , have in a manner shared our lives among them . here we love and loath in an instant ( like amnon to his sister tamar ) in heaven there is no object unlovely , nothing which is not exceeding amiable and attractive : and not attractive only , but retentive also ; for there we shall not be subject to passion , nor can we possibly there misplace our affection . here we have knowledg mixed with ignorance , faith with doubting , peace with trouble , yea , trouble of conscience . or in case we have peace of conscience , alas , how often is it interrupted with anguish of spirit ? now rejoyce we with joy unspeakable and glorious , pet. . . but alas , anon it falls out that we need to pray with david , restore unto us the joy of thy salvation , psal. . . but there is peace , even full without want , pure without mixture , and perpetual without all fear of foregoing , dan. . . there shall be no concupiscence to tempt , no flesh to lust against the spirit , no law in our members to rebel against the law of our minds . now abideth faith , hope , and charity , these three now abide : but in heaven , vision succeeds in the place of faith : attainment in the place of hope , and perfect fruition and delectation in the room of charity . there promises shall end in performances , faith in sight and clear vision , hope in fruition and possession : yea , time it self shall be swallowed up in eternity : these are the souls dowries in heaven , where god shall be all in all to us ! now he is but as it were something single ; as righteousness in abraham , temperance in joseph , strength in sampson , meekness in moses , wisdom in solomon , patience in job ( for it is rare to find all these graces compleatly to meet in any one subject ) but then and there he shall be omnia in omnibus ; all these in every of his servants ! god shall be all in all , even the fulness of him that filleth all in all things , as the apostle speaks , eph. . . the only knowledge of god , shall fill up our understandings ; and the alone love of god , shall possess our affections . god shall be all in all to us ; he will fill up our rational part with the light of wisdom ; our concupiscible part or appetite , with a spring of righteousness ; and the irascible part with perfect peace and tranquillity , as bernard expresseth it . that is a blessed state perpetual and unchangeable . there is eternal security , and secure eternity , as bernard speaks : or as austin hath it , there is blessed eternity , and everlasting blessedness . let the end of our life then be , to come to a life whereof there is no end ; unto which the lord in his good time bring us , that we who now sow in tears , may then reap in joy , the which he will be sure to do , if we but for a short time serve him here in righteousness and sincerity . but otherwise , look we not for eternal happiness , but for everlasting misery : for it is an everlasting rule , no grace , no holiness here ; no glory , no happiness hereafter . to sum up all in a word ; there is no joy here comparable to that in heaven : all our mirth here to that is but pensiveness : all our pleasure here to that , but heaviness : all our sweetness here to that is but bitterness . even solomon in all his glory and royalty , to that , was but as a spark in the chimney , to the sun in the firmament . absaloms beauty , to that , is but deformity . sampsons strength , to that , is but infirmity . methuselahs age , to theirs , is but minority and mortality . asahels speed , and swiftness , but a snails pace to their celerity . yea , how little , how nothing , are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this life , to those we shall enjoy in the next ? cor . . yea , paradise , or the garden of eden , was but a wilderness , compared with this paradise . and indeed , if the gates of the city be of pearl , and the streets of gold ; what then are the inner rooms , the dining and lodging chambers ? the presence chamber of the great monarch of heaven and earth ? what then may we think of the maker and builder thereof ? in fine ( that i might darkly shadow it out , sith the lively representation thereof is meerly impossible ) this life everlasting is the perfection of all good things . for fulness is the perfection of measure ; and everlastingness the perfection of time ; and infiniteness the perfection of number ; and immutability the perfection of state ; and immensity the perfection of place , and immortality the perfection of life , and god the perfection of all , who shall be all in all to us , meat to our taste , beauty to our eyes , perfumes to our smell , musick to our ears . and what shall i say more ? but as the psalmist saith , glorious things are spoken of thee , thou city of god , psalm . . see rev. . , . and . . to the end . sect. . the glory of heaven , cannot be comprehended here ; only god hath vouchsafed to give us some small glimpses in the scripture , whereby we may frame a conjecture , considerable enough to make us sell all we have to purchase that pearl of ●rice . it hath pleased god , out of his fatherly condescension , to ●oop to our capacity , in representing heavenly things under ●arthly types : shadowing out the joys thereof , by whatsoever is precious and desirable in this life ; as cities , kingdoms , crowns , pearls , jewels , marriages , feasts , &c. which supereminent and superabundant felicity , st. paul , that had been an only witness , when he had been caught up in the third heaven , not able to describe , much less to amplifie , sums up all in these words ; a sure , most excellent , exceeding and eternal weight of transcendent glory , cor. . . and . . but alas , such is mans pravity , that he is as far from comprehending it , as his arms are from compassing it , cor. . . heaven shall receive us , we cannot conceive heaven . do you ask what heaven is ? faith one : when i meet you there i will tell you ; for could this ear hear it , or this tongue utter it , or this heart conceive it , it must needs follow , that they were translated already thither , cor. . , . yea , who can utter the sweetness of that peace of conscience , and spiritual rejoycing in god , which himself hath tasted ? if then the beginning and first fruits of it be so sweet , what shall the fulness of that beatifical vision of god be ? if the earnest penny be so precious and promising here ; what shall the principal , and full crop and harvest of happiness in heaven be ? so that a man may as well with a coal paint out the sun in all his splendor , as with his pen , or tongue express , or with his heart ( were it as deep as the sea conceive the fulness of those joys , and sweetness of those pleasures , which the saints shall enjoy at gods right hand for evermore , psal. . . in thy presence is the fulness of joy , and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore . for quality , they are pleasures ; for quantity , fulness ; for dignity , at gods right hand ; for eternity , for evermore . and millions of years multiplyed by millions , make not up one minute to this eternity , cor. . . john . . the eye sees much , the ear hears more , the heart conceives most ; yet all short of apprehension , much more of comprehension of those pleasures . therefore it is said , enter thou into thy masters joy ; for it is too great to enter into thee , mat. . . neither will i any further exercise my self in things too high for me , psal. . . for as st. paul tells us , the heart of man is not able to conceive those joyes ; which being so , how should i be able to express them in words ? and yet though we cannot comprehend this glory , this far most excellent , exceeding , and eternal weight of transcendent glory ; yet may and ought we to admire the never enough to be admired bounty and goodness of god and our redeemer , in crying out , o the depth , &c. o the sweetness of his love , how unsearchable are his thoughts , and intendments to man-ward ? ( once miserably forlorn , lost and undone ) and his ways past finding out , rom. . . chap. xxi . sect. . but for the better confirming of this so important a truth , in these atheistical times , see some reasons to confirm it . as , first , if the sun , which is but a creature , be so bright and glorious , that no mortal eye can look upon the brightness of it , how glorious then is the creator himself ? or that light from whence it receives its light ? if the frame of the heavens and globe of the earth be so glorious , which is but the lower house , or rather the foot-stool of the almighty , as the holy ghost phraseth it , isa. . . mat. . . acts . . how glorious and wonderful is the maker thereof , and the city where he keeps his court ? or if sinners , even the worst of wicked men , and gods enemies , have here in this earthly pilgrimage , such variety of enjoyments to please their very senses , as who can express the pleasurable variety of objects for the sight ; of meats and drinks to satisfie and delight the taste , of voyces and melodious sounds , to recreate the hearing ; of scents and perfumes , provided to accommodate our very smellings , of recreations and sports , to bewitch the whole man : and the like of honour and profit , which are idols that carnal men do mightily dote upon , and take pleasure in : ( though these earthly and bodily joyes are but the body , or rather the dregs of true joy ) what think we must be the soul thereof , viz. those delights and pleasures , that are reserved for the glorified saints , and gods dearest darlings in heaven ? again , secondly , if natural men find such pleasure and sweetness in secular wisdom , lip-learning , and brain-knowledge ; for even mundane knowledge hath such a shew of excellency in it , that it is highly affected both by the good and bad ; as , o the pleasure that rational men take therein ! it being so fair a virgin that every clear eye is in love with her ; so rich a pearl , that none but swine do despise it : yea , among all the trees in the garden , none so takes with rational men as the tree of knowledge ( as satan well knew , when he set upon our first parents ) insomuch that plato thinks , in case wisdom could but represent it self unto the eyes , it would set the heart on fire with the love of it . and others affirm , that there is no less difference between the learned and the ignorant , than there is between the living and the dead , or between men and beasts . and yet the pleasure which natural and moral men take in secular and mundane knowledge and learning , is nothing comparable to that pleasure , that an experimental christian finds in the divine and supernatural knowledge of gods word : which makes david and solomon prefer it before the hony and the hony-comb for sweetness : and to value it above thousands of gold and silver ; yea , before pearls and all precious stones for worth . how sweet then shall our knowledge in heaven be ? for here we see but darkly , and as it were in a glass , or by moon-light ; but there we shall know , even as we are known , and see god and christ in the face , cor. . . thirdly , if meer naturians have been so taken with the love of vertue , that they thought if a vertuous soul could but be seen with temporal eyes , it would ravish all men with love and admiration thereof ; yea , if the very worst of men , drunkards , blasphemers , and the like ; though they most spightfully scoff at , and back-bite the people of god ; yet when they know a man sincere , upright , and honest , cannot choose but love , commend , and honour him in their hearts ; as it fared with herod touching john , and king agrippa touching paul . sect. . or rather if gods own people are so ravished with the graces and priviledges which they enjoy upon earth , as the assurance of the pardon of sin , the peace of a good conscience , and joy of the holy ghost ; which is but glorification begun : what will they be , when they shall enjoy the perfection of glory in heaven ? as see but some instances of their present enjoyments here below . first , if we were never to receive any reward for those small labours of love , and duties we do to the glory of god , and profit of others , we might think our selves sufficiently recompensed in this life , with the calm and quietness of a good conscience , the honesty of a vertuous and holy life ; that we can do and suffer something for the love of christ , who hath done and suffered so much to save us ; that by our works the majesty of god is magnified , to whom all homage is due , and all service too little . for godliness in every sickness is a physician , in every contention an advocate , in every doubt a schoolman , in all heaviness a preacher , and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes , making the whole life as it were a perpetual hallelujah . yea , god so sheds his love abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost , that we are in heaven before we come thither . insomuch , that as the fire flieth to his sphere , the stone hastens to the center , the river to the sea , as to their end and rest , and are violently detained in all other places ; so are the hearts of gods people , without their maker and redeemer , their last end and eternal rest and quietness , never at rest : like the needle touched with the loadstone , which ever stands quivering and trembling until it enjoys the full and direct aspect of the northern pole . but more particularly : how doth the assurance of the pardon of sin alone , clear and calm all storms of the mind , making any condition comfortable , and the worst and greatest misery to be no misery ? to be delivered of a child , is no small joy to the mother : but to be delivered from sin , is a far greater joy to the soul . but to this we may add the joy of the holy ghost , and the peace of conscience , otherwise called the peace of god which passeth all understanding . these are priviledges that make paul happier in his chain of iron , than agrippa in his chain of gold : and peter more merry under stripes , than caiaphas upon the judgment-seat ; and stephen the like under that shower of stones . pleasures are ours , if we be christs : whence those expressions of the holy ghost , the lord hath done great things for us , wherefore we rejoyce . be glad in the lord , and rejoyce ye righteous , and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart . let all that put their trust in thee rejoyce , let them even shout for joy . rejoyce evermore ; and again i say , rejoyce . rejoyce with joy unspeakable , and full of glory . our rejoycing is this , the testimony of our conscience . your heart shall rejoyce , and your joy shall no man take from you , &c. so that it is a shame for the faithful , not to be joyful ; and they sin if they rejoyce not , whatsoever their condition be . the eunuch no sooner felt the pardon of sin , upon his being baptized into the faith of christ , but he went on his way rejoycing , acts . . he then found more solid joy , than ever he had done in his riches , honours , and great places under candace , queen of the aethiopians . at the same time when the disciples were persecuted , they are said to be filled with joy , and with the holy ghost , acts . . and as their afflictions do abound , so their consolations do abound also , cor. . . for these are comforts that will support and refresh a child of god in the very midst of the flames , as the martyrs found : for maugre all their persecutors could do , their peace and joy did exceed their pain ; as many of them manifested to all that saw them suffer . sect. . where observe , before we go any further , what sots they are , that cry out , it is in vain to serve god , and unprofitable to keep his commandments , as it is in malachy . . for had these fools but tasted the sweet comforts that are in the very works of piety , and that heaven upon earth , the feast of a good conscience , and joy of the inward man , they could not so speak . yea , then would they say , there is no life to the life of a christian . for as the priests of mercury , when they are their figs and hony , cryed out , oh how sweet is truth ! so if the worst of a believers life in this world be so sweet , how sweet shall his life be in that heavenly jerusalem and holy city , where god himself dwelleth , and where we shall reign with christ our bridegroom , and be the lambs wife ? which city is of pure gold , like unto clear glass ; the walls of jasper , having twelve foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones ; the first foundation being jasper , the second saphir , the third a calcedony , the fourth an emerald , the fifth a sardonyx , the sixth a sardius , the seventh a chrysolite , the eighth a beryl , the ninth a topaz , the tenth a chrysoprasus , the eleventh a jacynth , the twelfth an amethyst : having twelve gates of twelve pearls , the streets thereof of pure gold , as it were transparent glass : in the midst of which city , is a pure river of the water of life , clear as chrystal , and of either side the tree of life ; which bears twelve manner of fruits , yielding her fruit every moneth ; the leaves whereof serve to heal the nations : where is the throne of god and of the lamb ; whom we his servants shall for ever serve , and see his face , and have his name written in our foreheads . and there shall be no night , neither is there need of the sun , neither of the moon to shine in it : for the glory of god doth lighten it , and the lamb is the light thereof . into which nothing that defileth shall enter ; but they alone which are written in the lambs book of life ; as is exprest , rev. . and . chap. the holy ghost speaking after the manner of men , and according to our slender capacity , for otherwise no words can in any measure express the transcendency of that place of pleasure . only here we have a taste , or earnest-penny , one drop of those divine dainties , of those spiritual , supernatural , and divine pleasures , reserved for the citizens of that heavenly jerusalem ; some small smack whereof we have even in the barren desert of this perillous peregrination . god letting out as it were , a certain kind of manna , which in some sort refresheth his thirsty people , in this wilderness , as with most sweet hony , or water distilled from out of the rock . as what else are those jubilees of the heart ; those secret and inward joys which proceed from a good conscience , grounded upon a confident hope of future salvation ? as what else do these great clusters of grapes signifie , but the fertility of the future land of promise . sect. . true it is , none can know the spiritual joy and comfort of a christian , but he that lives the life of a christian , john . . as none could learn the virgins song , but them that sang it , rev. . . no man can know the peace of a good conscience , but he that keeps a good conscience . no man knows the hid manna , and white stone , with a new name written in it , but they that receive the same , rev. . . the world can see a christians outside , but the raptures of his soul , the ravishing delights of the inward man , and joy of the spirit for the remission of his sins , and the infusion of grace , with such like spiritual priviledges more glorious than the states of kingdoms ; are as a covered mess to men of the world . but i may appeal to any mans conscience , that hath been softned with the unction of grace , and truly tasted the powers of the world to come ; to him that hath the love of god shed abroad in his heart by the holy ghost ; in whose soul the light of grace shines , whether his whole life be not a perpetual hallelujah , in comparison of his natural condition ? whether he finds not his joy to be like to the joy of harvest ? or as men rejoyce when they divide a spoil ? isa. . . whether he finds not more joy in goodness , than worldlings can do , when their wheat , wine , and oyl aboundeth , psalm . . and . . yea , he can speak it out of experience , that as in prophane joy , even in laughter the heart is sorrowful : so in godly sorrow , even in weeping , the heart is light and chearful . the face may be pale , yet the heart may be calm and quiet . so st. paul , as sorrowing , yet always rejoycing , cor. . . our cheeks may run down with tears , and yet our mouth sing forth praises . and so on the contrary , where ( o god ) there wants thy grace , mirth is only in the face , cor. . . well may a careless worldling laugh more , as what will sooner make a man laugh than a witty jest , but to hear of an inheritance of an hundred pounds a year , that is faln to a man , will make him more solidly merry within . light is sown to the righteous , and joy for the upright , psal. . . my servant , saith god , shall sing and rejoyce : but they shall weep , &c. isai. . . indeed we are not merry enough , because we are not christians enough , because sin is a cooler of our joy , as water is of fire . and like the worm of jonah his gourd , bites the very root of our joy , and makes it wither : yea , sin like a damp , puts out all the lights of our pleasure , and deprives us of the light of gods countenance , as it did david , psalm . . and . . so that the fault is either ; first , in the too much sensuality of a christian , that will not forego the pleasures of sin , or the more muddy joyes and pleasures of this world , which are poysons to the soul , and drown our joyes , as bees are drowned in honey , but live in vinegar . men would have spiritual joy , but withal they would not part with their carnal joy : yet this is an infallible conclusion , there is no enjoying a worldly paradise here , and another hereafter . or secondly , the fault is in the taste , not in the meat ; in the folly of the judgment , not in the pearl , when a grain of corn is preferred before it . to taste spiritual joyes , a man must be spiritual ; for the spirit relisheth the things of the spirit ; and like loveth his like . between a spiritual man , and spiritual joyes , there is as mighty an appetite and enjoying , as between fleshly meat , and a carnal stomack . therefore the want of this taste and apprehension condemneth the world to be carnal , but magnifies the joyes spiritual , as being above her carnal apprehension . or , thirdly , herein lies the fault ; few feel these joyes in this life ; because they will not crack the shell , to get the kernel : they will not pare the fruit , to eat the pulp ? nor till the ground , to reap the harvest . they fly the wars , and thereby lose the glory of the victory ▪ they will not dig the craggy mountain to find the mine of gold : nor prune the vine , therefore enjoy not the fruit . they fly mortification , and therefore attain not the sweet spiritual consolation , which ever attends the same . and so much for the reasons . the use may be manifold . chap. xxii . sect. . first , is it so , that the torments of hell are so exquisite ? even worse than the pangs of death , or child-birth , scalding lead , drinks of gall and wormwood , griping of chest-worms , fits of the stone , gout , strangury , flames of fire and brimstone ? yea , are all these , and all other pains that can be named put together , but shadows and flea-bitings to it ? and are they to be endured everlastingly ? and are all fornicators , idolaters , thieves , covetous , drunkards , swearers , raylers , fearful and unbelieving persons , murtherers , sorcerers , lyars , and all unrighteous persons to have their part and portion in that lake ? and withal lose their part and portion in the kingdom of heaven , as the word of god expresly tells us ? rev. . , . and . , . how is it that we are not more affected therewith ? the only reason is , most men are so far from believing the word of god in this point , that they do not believe there is a god . the fool , says david , hath said in his heart there is no god , psalm . . they , meaning the wicked , think always there is no god , psalm . . to . and the reason follows , his ways always prosper , psalm . . to . and hence it is , that they live like beasts , because they think they shall die like beasts , without any answer for what they have either acted or left undone ; and accordingly resolve , let us eat and drink , for to morrow we shall die , as the holy ghost hath acquainted us with their inmost thoughts , cor. . . whereas if men did believe either heaven or hell , they could never so carelesly hazard the losing of the one , or the procuring of the other . as , oh the madness of these men ! that cannot be hired to hold their finger for one minute in the weak flame of a farthing candle , and yet for trifles will plunge themselves body and soul into those endless and infinitely scorching flames of hell-fire . if a king but threatens a malefactor to the dungeon , to the rack , to the wheel , his bones tremble , a terrible palsie runs through all his joynts : but let god threaten the unsufferable torments of burning tophet , we stand unmoved , undaunted . and what makes the difference ? the one we believe as present , the other is , as they think , uncertain and long before it comes , if ever it do come . otherwise it could not be , since the soul of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soul ; since as painted fire is to material , such is material to hell-fire . men may say , they believe there is an hell , and a heaven , but surely they would never speak as they speak , think as they think , do as they do , if they thought that their thoughts , words , and actions should ever come to judgment . if men believed that heaven were so sweet , and hell so intolerable as the word makes them , they would be more obedient upon earth . the voluptuous and covetous would not say , take you heaven , let us have mony , pleasure , &c. sect. . true , there are none so confirmed in atheism , but some great danger will make them fly to the aid of a divine power , as plato speaks , extremity of distress , will send the prophanest to god : as the drowning man stretcheth out his hand to that bough , which he comtemned whiles he stood safe on shore . even sardanapalus , for all his bold denying of a god , at every hearing of a thunder , was wont to hide his head in a hole . yea , in their greatest jollity , even the most secure heart in the world , hath some flashes of fear , that seize on them like an arrest of treason . at least on their death-beds , had they as many provinces as ahashuerosh had , they would give an hundred six and twenty of them , to be sure there were no hell , though all their life they supposed it but a fable . and this makes them fearful to die , and to die fearfully . yea , how oft do those russians that deny god at the tap-house , preach him at the gallows ? and confess that in sincerity of heart , which they oppugned in wantonness ? and certainly , if they did not at one time or other believe a god , a day of judgment , a heaven and an hell , they should be in a worse condition than felix or belshazzar ; yea , than the devils themselves ; for they believe them , yea , quake and tremble to think of them , as being still in a fearful expectation of further degrees of actual torments , matth. . . however , admit their lethargized consciences be not awakened , until they come into hell , as god not seldom leaves them , to be confuted with fire and brimstone , because nothing else will do it , yet in hell they shall know , there is a righteous judge that will reward every man according to his deeds ; and confess that what they once vainly imagined was but imagined . there may be atheists on earth , there are none in hell . shall make them wise , whom sin hath made and left foolish . a pope of rome being upon his death-bed , said to those about him , now come three things to tryal , which all my life i made doubt of ; whether there be a god , a devil , and whether the soul be immortal . 't was not long ere he was fully resolved with a vengeance : and so shall you , o ye fools , when that hour comes , though you flatter your selves for the present . when you feel it , you will confess it ; and when it is too late , you will like a fool say , alas i had not thought . for this is the difference between a fool and a wise man , a wise man , ( saith solomon ) foreseeth the evil ( the evil of hell , says bernard ) and preventeth it ; but fools go on and are punished , prov. . . acknowledge thy self a fool then , or bethink thy self now , and do thereafter , without delaying one minute : for there is no redemption from hell , if once thou comest there . and there thou mayest be ( for ought thou knowest ) this very day ; yea , before thou canst swallow thy spittle : thy pulse may leave beating , before thou canst fetch thy breath . sect. . but to speak this to the sensualists , is labour in vain : for their consciences are so blinded , that they ( as they think ) do believe an heaven and an hell , yea , in god , and in christ , as well as the precisest , joh. . , , , . for it is hard for men to believe their own unbelief in this case . they that are most dangerously sick , are least sensible of their being sick . a very likely matter thou believest in christ , and hopest to be saved by him , when thou wilt neither imitate his actions , nor follow his precepts . how does this hang together ? let me ask thee a question or two , that may convince thee of thy unbelief : if a physician should say to his patient , here stands a cordial , which if you take , will cure you ; but touch not this other vial , for that is deadly poyson ; and he wittingly refuseth the cordial to take the poyson , will not every one conclude , that either he believed not his physician , or preferred death before life . if lots sons in law had believed their father , when he told them the city should suddenly be destroyed with fire and brimstone , and that by flying they might escape it , they would have obeyed his counsel . if the old world had believed that god would indeed , and in good earnest , bring such a flood upon them as he threatned , they would have entred the ark , and not have scoft at noah for building it . so if you did firmly believe what god in the scriptures speaks of hell , you would need no entreaties to avoid the same . sect. . but alas , men of thy condition are so far from believing what god threatens in his word against their sins , that they bless themselves in their hearts , saying , we shall have peace although we walk according to the stubbornness of our own will ; so adding drunkenness to thirst , deut. . . yea , they prefer their condition before others , who are so abstemious , and make conscience of their ways , thinking that they delude themselves with needless fears and scruples , kings . , , , . alas , if they did in good earnest believe , that there is either god or devil , heaven or hell , or that they have immortal souls , which shall everlastingly live in bliss or woe , and receive according to what they have done in their bodies , whether it be good or evil , cor. . . they could not but live thereafter , and make it their principal care how to be saved . but alas , they believe that they see and feel , and know they believe the laws of the land , and know that there are stocks and bridewels , and goals , and dungeons , and racks , and gibbets , for malefactors ; and this makes them abstain from murther , felony , and the like ; but they believe not things invisible and to come : for if they did , they would as well , yea much more fear him that hath power to cast both body and soul into hell , as they do the temporal magistrate , that hath only power to kill the body ; they would think it a very hard bargain , to win the whole world , and lose heaven , and their own souls , luke . . men fear a gaol , more than they fear hell ; and stand more upon their silver or sides smarting , than upon their souls ; and regard more the blasts of mens breath , than the fire of gods wrath ; and tremble more at the thought of a sergeant or bayliff , than of satan and everlasting perdition : else they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth , multiplyed as many times as there be sands on the seashoar , to hazard , in the least , the loss of those everlasting joys before spoken of , or to purchase and plunge themselves into those easless and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell , there to fry body and soul , where shall be an innumerable company of devils and damned spirits to affright and torment them , but not one to comfort or pity them . confident i am , thou wouldst not endure hereto hold thy hand in a fiery crucible the space of a day , or an hour , for all the worlds wealth and splendour : how then ( if thou bethinkest thy self ) wilt thou hereafter endure that , and ten thousand thousand time more for millions of millions of ages ? look rev. . . and bethink thy self , how thou wilt brook to be cast into a doleful disconsolate dungeon , to lie in utter darkness in eternal chains of darkness , in a little ease , at no ease for ever and ever . canst thou endure to dwell with the devouring fire , with the everlasting burning . sect. . wherefore let me , my brethren , beseech you not to be such atheists and fools as to fall into hell before you will fear it , when by fearing it , you may avoid it , and by neglecting it , you cannot but fall into it . what though it be usual with men , to have no sense of their souls till they must leave their bodies ? yet do not you therefore leap into hell to keep them company , but be perswaded to bethink your selves now , rather than when it will be too late , when the draw-bridge will be taken up , and when it will vex every vein of your hearts , that you had no more care of your souls . yet there is grace offered , if we will not shut our hearts and wills against it , and refuse our own mercy : but how long god will yet wait thy leisure , or how soon he will , in his so long provoked justice , pronounce thy irrevocable sentence , thou knowest not ; nor canst thou promise thy self one minutes time . oh that men would believe the god of truth ( that cannot lye ) touching spiritual and eternal things , but as they do these temporary and transitory ? oh that thou who art the sacred monarch of this mighty frame , wouldst give them hearts to believe at least thus much , that things themselves are in the invisible world , in the world visible , but their shadows only ! and that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here , it is but as in a dream ; their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure , before a river of sorrow and displeasure : and whatsoever the godly feel , but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory . that though thou , the great and just judge of all the world , comest slowly to judgment , yet thou wilt come surely . as the clock comes slowly and by minutes to the stroak , yet it strikes at last . that those are only true riches , which being once had , can never be lost . that heaven is a treasure worthy our hearts , a purchase worthy our lives : that when all is done , how to be saved is the best plot . that there is no mention of one in the whole bible that ever sinned without repentance , but he was punished without mercy . for then there would not be a fornicator , or prophane person , as esau , who for a portion of meat sold his inheritance , heb. . . then they would not be of the number of those , that so doted upon purchases , and farms , and oxen , that they made light of going to the lords supper , luke . , , . nor of the gadarens mind , who preferred their hogs before christ . then would they know it better to want all things , than that one needful thing ; whereas now they desire all other things , and neglect that one thing which is so needful . they would hold it far better , and in good sadness to be saved with a few , as noah was in the ark than in good fellowship , with the multitude , to be drowned in sin , and damned for company . nor would they think it any disparagement to their wisdoms , to change their minds , and be of another judgment to what they are . chap. xxiii . sect. . secondly , are the joys of heaven so unspeakable and glorious ? how then should we admire the love and bounty of god , and bless his name , who for the performance of so small a work , hath proposed so great a reward ? and for the obtaining of such an happy state , hath imposed such an easie task . yea more , is heaven so unspeakably sweet and delectable , is hell so unutterably doleful ? then let nothing be thought too much that we can either do or suffer for christ , who hath freed us from the one , and purchased for us the other . though indeed , nothing that we are able to do or suffer here , can be compared with those woes we have deserved in hell , or those joys we are reserved to in heaven . and indeed , that we are now out of hell , there to fry in flames of fire and brimstone , never to be freed ; that we have the free offer of grace here , and everlasting glory hereafter in heaven , we are only beholding to him . we are all by nature , as traytors , condemned to suffer eternal torments in hell-fire , being only reprieved for a time : but from this extremity , and eternity of torment , jesus hath freed and delivered us . o think then ! yea , be ever thinking of it , how rich the mercy of our redeemer was in freeing us ; and that by laying down his own life to redeem us . yea , how can we be thankful enough for so great a blessing ? it was a mercy bestowed , and a way found out , that may astonish all the sons of men on earth , and angels in heaven . which being so , let us study to be as thankful as we can . hath christ done so much for us , and shall we deny him any thing he requireth of us ? nor can any one in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love , and not study and strive for an answerable and thankful demeanour . if a friend had given us but a thousandth part of what god and christ hath , we should heartily love him all our lives , and think no thanks sufficient : what price then should we set upon jesus christ , who is the life of our lives , and the soul of our souls ? do we then for christs sake , what we would do for a friends sake . yea , let us abhor our selves for our former unthankfulness , and our wonderful provoking of him . hearken we unto christs voice , in all that he saith unto us , without being swayed one way or another , as the most are ? let us whom christ hath redeemed , express our thankfulness , by obeying all that he saith unto us , whatever it costs us , since nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which shall endure for ever . as , who would not obtain heaven at any rate , at any cost or trouble whatsoever ? in heaven is a crown laid up for all such as suffer for righteousness , even a crown without cares , without rivals , without envy , without end ; and is not this reward enough for all that men or devils can do against us ? who would not serve a short apprenticeship in gods service here , to be made for ever free in glory ? yea , who would not be a philpot for a month , or a lazarus for a day , or a stephen for an hour , that he might be in abrahams bosome for ever ? nothing can be too much to endure , for those pleasures that endure for ever . yea , what pain can we think too much to suffer ? what little enough to do , to obtain eternity ? for this incorruptible crown of glory in heaven ? pet. . . where we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes ; where we shall cease to sorrow , cease to suffer , cease to sin , where god shall turn all the water of our afflictions , into the pure wine of endless and unexpressible comfort . you shall sometimes see an hired servant , venture his life for his new master , that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end ; and can we suffer too much for our lord and master , who giveth every one that serveth him , not fields and vineyards , as saul pretended , sam. . . &c. nor towns and cities , as cicero is pleased to boast of caesar , but even an hundred-fold more than we part withal here in this life , and eternal mansions in heaven hereafter , john . . st. paul saith , our light affliction , which is but for a moment , causeth us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory , cor. . , . where note the incomparable and infinite difference , between the work and the wages ; light affliction , receiving a weight of glory ; and momentany affliction eternal glory . suitable to the reward of the wicked , whose empty delights live and die in a moment ; but their unsufferable punishment is interminable and endless . their pleasure is short , their pain everlasting ; our pain is short , our joy eternal . blessed is the man that endureth temptation , for when he is tryed , he shall receive the crown of life , james . . folly is it then , or rather madness , for the small pleasure of some base lust , some paltry profit , or fleeting vanity ( which passeth away in the very act , at the taste of a pleasant drink dieth so soon as it is down ) to bring upon our selves in another world , torments without end , and beyond all compass of conceit ? fourthly , is it so ? that god hath set before us life and death , heaven and hell , as a reward of good and evil ; leaving us as it were to our choice , whether we will be compleatly and everlastingly happy or miserable : with what resolution and zeal should we strive , to make our calling and election sure ? not making our greatest business , our least and last care . i know well , thou hadst rather when thou diest , go to reign with christ in his kingdom for evermore , than be confined to a perpetual prison or furnace of fire and brimstone , there to be tormented with the devil and his angels : if so , provoke not the lord , who is great and terrible , of most glorious majesty , and of infinite purity : and who hath equally promised salvation unto those which keep his commandments , and threatned eternal death and dest●uction to those who break them . for as he is to all repentant sinners a most merciful god , exod. . . so to all wilful and impenitent sinners , he is a consuming fire , and a jeaious god , heb. . . deut. . . there was a king , who having no issue to succeed him , espied one day a well favoured and towardly youth , he took him to the court , and committed him to tutors to instruct him , providing by his will , that if he proved sit for government , he should be crowned king ; if not , he should be kept in chains , and he made a galley slave . the youth was misled , and neglected both his tutors good counsel , and his book , so as his master corrected him , and said , o that thou knewest what honour is prepared for thee ! and what thou art like to lose by this thy idle and loose carriage ! well , thou wilt afterwards , when 't is too late , sorely rue this . and when he grew to years , the king died , whose council and executors perceiving him to be utterly unfit for state government , called him before them , and declared the kings will and pleasure , which was accordingly performed ; for they caused him to be fettered , and committed to the galleys , there to toil , and tug at the oar perpetually , where he was whipt and lasht , if he remitted his stroke never so little ; where he had leisure to consider with himself , that now he was chained , who might have walked at liberty ; now he was a slave , who might , if he would , have been a king ; now he was over-ruled by turks , who might have ruled over christians . the thought whereof could not but double his misery , and make him bewail his sorrow with tears of blood . now this hereafter will be the case of all careless persons , save that this comes as short of that , as earth comes short of heaven , and temporary misery of eternal . wherefore if thou wouldst have this this to become thy very case , go on in thy wilful and perverse impenitency ; but if not , bethink thy self , and do thereafter , and that without delaying one minute : for there is no redemption from hell , if once thou comest there : and there thou mayst be ( for ought thou knowest ) this very day , yea before thou canst swallow thy spittle , if thou diest this day in thy natural condition . many men take liberty to sin , and continue in a trade of sin , because god is merciful : but they will one day find that he is just as well as merciful . there is mercy with god ( saith the psalmist ) that he may be feared , not that he may be despised , blasphemed , &c. psalm . . yea , know this , and write it in the table book of thy memory , and upon the table of thy heart . that if gods bountifulness and long suffering towards thee ; does not lead thee to repentance , it will double thy doom , and encrease the pile of thy torments . and that every day which does not abate of thy reckoning , will encrease it : and that thou by thy hardness and impenitency , shalt but treasure up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath , and the declaration of the just judgment of god , rom. . , , . now this judge hath told us , that we must give an account for every idle word we speak , mat. . . much more then for our wicked actions ; therefore beware what thou dost against him . men may dream of too much strictness in holy courses , but they do not consider the power , the purity , and strictness of the judge . he who brings even idle words to judgment , and forgets not a thought of disobedience , how will he spare our gross negligence and presumption ? how our formality and irreverence in his service , much more our flagitious wickedness , heb. . . sect. . wherefore , as you ever expect or hope for heaven and salvation , as you would escape the tormenting flames of hell-fire , cease to do evil , learn to do well . for sanctification is the way to glorification , holiness to eternal happiness . if we would have god to glorifie our bodies in heaven , we also must glorifie god in our bodies here on earth . and now for conclusion : are the joys of heaven so unspeakable and glorious ? the torments of hell so woful and dolorous ? then it behoves all parents and governours of families , to see to their childrens and servants souls , and that they miscarry not through their neglect . as tell me , will not their blood be required at your hands , if they perish through your neglect ? will it not be sad to have children and servants rise up in judgment against you , and to bring in evidence at the great tribunal of christ ? saying , lord , my father never minded me , my master never regarded me ; i might sin , he never reproved me ; i might go to hell , it was all one to him . will not this be sad ? secondly , if it be so , let children and servants consider , that 't is better to have lust restrained , than satisfied : 't is better to be held in , and restrained from sin , than to have a wicked liberty . be not angry with those who will not see you damn your souls , and let you alone : they are your best friends . fear the strokes of gods anger , be they spiritual or eternal , more than the strokes of men . what 's a fetter to a dungeon ? a gallows to hell-fire ? give not way to imaginary , speculative , heart-sins : murther in the heart , uncleanness in the eye , and thoughts given way to , will come to actual murther , and bodily uncleanness at last . keep satan at a distance ; if he get but in , he will be too hard for you . and let so much serve to have been s●oken of heaven and hell . upon the one i have stood the longer , that so i might , if god so please , be a means to save some with fear , plucking them out of the fire of gods wrath , under which , without repentance , they must lye everlastingly . and for the other , i have , like the searchers of canaan , brought you a cluster of grapes , to give the reader a taste thereby , of the plentiful vintage we may expect , and look for in the heavenly canaan . now if any would truly know themselves , and how it ●ill fare with them in the end , let them read the whole book , out of which this is taken , viz. the whole duty of a christian . which book is licensed by john dewname and thomas gataker . finis . london , printed at the charge of christs-hospital , according to the will of the donor , . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- vengeance the felicitie of man, or, his summum bonum. written by sr, r: barckley, kt discourse of the felicitie of man barckley, richard, sir, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the felicitie of man, or, his summum bonum. written by sr, r: barckley, kt discourse of the felicitie of man barckley, richard, sir, ?- . heywood, thomas, d. . [ ], , - , - , [ ] p. printed by r. y[oung] and are sold by rich: roystone at his shop in ivie lane, london : ao . editor's dedication signed: t. heywood. variant: editor's dedication signed: h.t. [sic]. printer's name from stc. the title page is engraved. with eight final contents leaves. d or d is a cancel. first published in as: a discourse of the felicite of man. reproduction of the original in cambridge university libraray. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the illustration to the frontispice . of these two sorts , all common-weales sub●…st , the naturall man , and the tbeologist : the pious good man vanitie forsakes , the f●…esh , the world , and d●…vill his footstoole makes . the naturalist , things heavenly doth disgust , his summum bonum , pleasure is and lust. observe : the zealous mans supporters bee , firme faith , fixt hope , and liberall cbaritie the morall mans dejecters likewise three , wone , woman , and the love of vanisie . all worldly gaine , the one doth count his losse : save death , the decade , holy book●… , and crosse. the other what 's celestialldoth deryde : his god's the throate , the belly , gold , and pryde . one ; both his hands to heaven uplifts ; the same makes this his motto ; heaven , not earth's my a●…me . th' other ; with one , poynts upward , but his minde the pompe and frailties of this world doth bli●…de . his inscript is , ( who terrene things doth love , ) i see , but understand not things above . a burning ●…eave , the one's zeale doth expresse , the others by a bubile , you may ghesse . the ble●…ed s●…nt above denotcstru●… bl●…ry , the stars and p●…mets things mee●… transitory . those then that would 〈◊〉 sover 〈◊〉 attaine . must know , allthings beneath the moone are vaine . the felicitie of man , or his summum bonum written by sr , r : barckley , kt in caeli summum permanet arce bonum . boeth . de consol philos lib. london printed by r.y. and are sold by rich : roystone at his shop in ivie lane. aº . to the right honovrable robert , earle of somerset , viscount rochester , kt. of the most honourable order of the garter , &c. right honourable , most requisite it is , that all bookes should bee protected by such noble patrones , whose dispositions and indowments have a sympathy & correspondence with the arguments on which they intreate . the title of this , is summum bonum : to the attaining of which , those which best know you , can give assured testimony , that your matutini , and lucubrationes , i. your mornings meditations , and night studies are devoutly intended . what the true felicitie of man is , ( or at least ought to bee ) and the directest way to arrive unto it , is in this worke learnedly and religiously discoursed : and therefore desirous to bee shadowed under your wing , who are as able to appceh●…nd , as judicially to censure . this booke ( right honourable ) at the request of divers noble and well disposed gentlemen , is brought to expresse it selfe after a long silence : at whose importunity i have added unto the originall such needefull ornaments ( in the former edition omitted ) as best suit with the humour and fashion of the time ; selecting you the sole mecanas of so weighty and worthy a worke ; whose serious contemplations are ●…ymed a●… reality , not forme , as studying to be actually that , which others strive to seeme in appearance . accept i intreat your honour the perusall and patronage , as an humble tender of his observance and service , who as hee wisheth you the fruition of all the felicities enjoyed by man here on earth , so hee implores for you all the eternall happinesse ordained for him in heaven . your honours humbly dev●…ted h. t. to the reader . a philosopher having invited his friends to dinner , and seeing them sit at the table , looking about as though they lacked something , forbearing to eate the meat that was set before them ; and perceiving at last they looked for bread , which hee had forgotten to provide ; yee may see , quoth he , how little the study of philosophie serveth to the making of a feast . even so when i had taken occasion to write of the felicitie of man , and layd before me the goodly reasons and perswasions of the philosophers , i seemed to bee invited to their opinion , as to a plentifull feast , that wanted nothing to satisfie mine appetite . but when i had more considerately perused their reasons and arguments , whereby they would prove it to bee in the power of a wise man to attaine to felicitie , i perceived there wanted , as it were bread to a feast ; the chiefe thing that should make their dainty meat or plausible reasons savorie to their guests : which is she grace of god , from whom all good things commeth , without which all that can bee produced and said in this matter hath no taste . so that it is easily to be seenc how little the stndy of philosophie serveth to the finding out or attaining of the felicitie of man. for though a man bee fortified with much w●…sdome and vertue , yet he is in the whole o●…r of his l●…fe subject to so many infirmities of bodie and passions of minde , and variable accidents of fortune ( as the philosophers use to speak ) which draw men into calamity and 〈◊〉 ; that no mortall man hath in himselfe power sufficient to a●…aine to felicitie ; which must come by the enjoying of gods graces and benefits : whereunto the philosophers for the most part as heathens , had no great regard : which made them fa●…le of the marke they sh●…t at . and to let thee know ( that i may not be mistaken ) the cause which moved mce to take this matter in hand : after the experience of many years , in which i have lived and runne a great part of my race at random with the multitude feeking for i know not what , nor where to finde that i sought ; estimating things rather by a common custome , than an upright judgement , i beganne at length with more vigilancie to observes he states of life and condition of men . and musing within my selfe to what end and purpose , and whereof it should come to passe , that men were so earnestly occupied in such varictic of labours and exdle●… travels , to seeke after that they could never finde , and the more they had gotten of that they saught , the lesse they found of that they desired to have : i compared learned mens opinions and precepts with worldly mens lives and manners ; whereby i perceived that an erroneous opinion , and wrong estimation of things , was the chiefe cause that bindered their attnining to the end of their desires . for every man desireth an happy estate , but because they doe not ad●…sedly consider wherein felicitie or happinesse consisteth , nor direct the course of their life the next way to it , b●…t mistake some other thing for that they seeks after , they never finde that they would have . the consideration whereof , joyned with the calamities and troubles with which men are arrested so soone as they enter into this world , and the perils and alterations to which they are subject , and with griefe suffer in this life , both in bodie and minde , in goods and possessions , some by their owne fault , others by gods crosse , ( whereof i have not onely beene in others oculatus testis , but also in my selfe in some part a sensible witnesse ) brought forth such as it is , this discourse of mans felicitie for being desirous to remove out of my head the cogitations that distempered my minde , i could finde no better meanes , than after seneca his counsell to his friend lucilius , to write of something for my exercise , simplicistilo , that my head might be possessed with better matter . and as i was considering with my selfe what to write , the occasion that moved me to take my penin hand , min stred also matter whereof to write . for medisating with my selfe upon the variable and uncertaine state and condition of men , calling to minde many things written thereof by divers authors , and being wi●…ing for my ease , as a woman in travell , to bee delivered of the burde●… wherewith my head was overladen , i could not find a more apt subject for my purpose , than to discourse crassiori minerva upon the felicitie of man. which kinde of exercise i perceived might be profitable to me , as well by the comfort i should receive by perusing the sayings and opinions of wise and learned men , as also by renewing the memory of divers things which i had long sinceread , & almost forgotten , and of a multitude of matter , to draw out so much as i thought necessarie , and the same for my recreation : and to make it more favoric to my taste , sometimes to interlarde with mine owne opinion and conceit : and joyning to the things i have read , the observation of mens maners , and experience i have had of worldly matters , i might see 〈◊〉 in a glasse , that besides the ●…cles to which by externall causes and the ord●…nery course of nature , men are subject , much unquietnesse both of body and mind happencth to them by then owne fault , by an unsatiable desire of such things as are h●…nderance to the happinesse they seeke after ; their minds many times being tormented with a suspended hope of that which when they have obtained , utterly overthroweth them . some desire to passe their life in epicures pleasures , others would have croesus riches , the rest caesars fortune , all nestors years , which varietie of motions in mens minds , having undertaken to discourse upon this subject , occasioned mee to use the helpe of learned authours in searching out wherein the felicitie and summum bonum of man doth consist . and as i was seeking for this felicitie and the way to it , i fell into the company of certaine philosophers , who directed me to the branch that riseth on the right side out of pythagoras letter ; which said they , would conduct me to the path that leadeth to the thing i sought . but some of them better advised , taught that the felicitie of man , his soveraigne good and beatitude , is to bee joyned with god in the life to come , & cannot be enjoyed in this life , & the meanes thereunto is the purgation and perfection of life , by entring into our consciences , and searching our sins , and confessing them to god : which caused me not a little to wonder , how men by reason only and by instinct of nature , could bee capable of so divine knowledge . but when i saw them there to stay , and could proceede no further , and except i left their companie and followed a better guide , they would leave me in the middle of the way ( for of the confession of our sinnes followeth damnation , except god bee pacified and made mercifull to 〈◊〉 ) i tooke my leave of the philosophers , and followed another path , unknown to them , which leadeth directly to felicity and beatitude , by the grace of god through his sonne our saviour christ iesus . i have therefore rejected the philosophers opinions ( of whom neverthelesse i think reverently ) as not sufficiently conformable to christianity , though i have applid many of their sayings to my purpose . and i have laboured to discover the error of them by many examples , that in the course of their life seeme to set their felicity in those things that bring men to infelicity . and i have enlarged the narration of some histories more than the due method of writing requireth , which i might with lesse labour have abridged : it may serve neverthelesse to that common end of the poets , either to profit or delight : aut prodesse volunt , aut delectare poetae . every man hath not been brought up in the knowledge of tongues . and it chanceth often to the reader , as it d●…th to diceplayers , that gaine more by the bye than by the maine . it may bee profitable also to see the errours and passions of them discovered , by the disordered course of their life , and extraordinary kinde of death that have set their felicity in pleasures , riches , honour & glory , and such like worldly vanities , which to all , except they be well used , are hinderance to feli●…ty , and have brought many to extreme misery . i have omitted the names of many authors , whose a●…thority and sayings i do vouch and alledge , not with meaning to decke my selfe with stolen feathers , but because many of them are fallen out of my memory , and to avoid a confusion of superfluous words by the multitude of names : and yet divers were noted by me in the margent , that are left out by the writer , i wish they were all knowne to you , that their authority might give the more credit to the matter . i desire rather to be taken for a relator of other mens sayings and opinions , than to arrogate such sufficiency as to be author of any thing my selfe . many things written by divers authors , dispersed into sundry volumes , serving to divers ends , i have simply collected and applyed to my purpose , without any affected stile . for as terence saith , nothing is spoken that hath not been spoken before ; so men use to alter the forme and order , and set forth the matter with other words and diversity of application ; which maketh their writings seeme to bee a new invention , wherc●… : ndeed hardly can any thing bee written that hath not beene , though in another sort and application , written before . for how is it possible among such an infinite number of bookes , which daily increase beyond measure , that any thing can be alledged , though it come to him from his owne invention , but the same by some man hath been written before , though in another forme & order , and to another purpose ? but a collection of things that lye dispersed in many authors with an apt application to one speciall purpose , may be both profitable and delightfull to the reader . the cooke , the a●…oshecary , the servant , goe all to one garden , where one gathere●…h hearbes and flowres for his pot , the other for his po●… , the third to dresse up the house , all making the same thing serve to severall purposes : so have i walked in the muses garden , and perusing divers sorts of things , applyed by the authors to divers uses , i have gathered together some of those which i thought most fit to serve my purpose : and although they were good as they lay scattered , yet being gathered together and applyed to some speciall use , they are made more profitable than as they lay dispersed . for this is not the least fruit that may bee gathered of learning , to select the sayings and opinions of learned men , with examples of life out of histories that lye dispersed , and apply them to some speciall use and purpose . hee bath a great advantage to the providence and foresight of things to come , that joyneth the knowledge of things past with his experience of the time present . nothing is more ava●…eable to suppresse the inordinate desire and estimation of worldly vanities , and to discover the false 〈◊〉 of rep●…ted happ●…sse , than to observe the course of mens lives , and counsels of other ages , and compare them with the manners present . by which we shall see a cortaine kinde of confer 〈◊〉 and continued order from age to age , of the variable and tragicall events , with the fat all end of them that have aspired to high dignities , and set their felicitie in vaine pleasures , reputation and pompe of the world . cicero reprehend●…ng mens negligente in seeking after such kinde of knowledge , saith , to bee ignorant of the things that have happened before thou wer●… borne , is alwayes to bee a childe . and seneca for the like cause saith , there are none , ore unhappy than those old men that have ●…ber argument to prove their long life , but their yeares . if any man take occasion of offence , because they finde the abuses and imperfections of themselves , their estate or profession discovered , by which they are subject to reprehension : let them consider that my intent and scope is to search for the felicity of man ; and to see whether it hath any part in this life . in doing whereof i was driven to examine the principall estates of life , not in any particular countrey or common wealth but generally through the world , and to discover the evill i found in them ; and yet not all that i have found written in other authors , nor that may truly be spoken , but so much as i thought sufficient to make for my purpose . for whon i note the abuses of some estates of life and manners of men , as not sufficiently furnished with the things that should lead men to felicity , my meaning is , the abuses of other countries , reported by credible authors , and not of mine owne , saving when i name our nation , ( where neverthelesse i wish that all things were so well as there were no cause to finde any fault . ) and yet nothing is so generally spoken , but it doth admit some exception . but he that shall walke in so large and spacious a field , as to treate of this subject wherein he must be enforced to looke into the condition and manners of men , and to unfold , for the truths sake , the abuses and 〈◊〉 accidents that befall the estates of life , which are disguised and lye covered under faire shewes , as the serpent 〈◊〉 under sweet flowers , shall find the weedes to overcome the corne , and the evill so farre to exceed the good , that it is not possible for him to passe through so great a throng and multitude of people , to seeke for a happy man , but he must shoulder some and give occasion of offence , or leave the thing unfound he goeth about to seeke . the consideration whereof 〈◊〉 these verses often into my mind ; at melius fuerat non scribere : namque tacere tutum 〈◊〉 crit . the truth ( as it is commonly sayd ) purchaseth displeasure , and soothing or flattery winneth good will. caius lucilius , a learned man is reported to say , that he wished the things which hee had written , might neither be read of them that bee altogether unlearned , nor of them that were very well learned because the one sort understand nothing , the other know per adventer more than hee . but i 〈◊〉 not so much the qualitie of their learning that shall reade that which i have written ( if it chance to be seen of more than i meant ) as i wish them to bee of a disposition inclined to vertue and honesty : for such will eyther finde matter there to benefit themselves , or at least not blame the author for his good meaning . some like nothing but new matter that commeth from the authors owne invention : others delight to have it intermingled with examples of antiquity , and the opinions and sayings of learned men : which agreeth so aptly with my disposition , that it occasioned mee to collect many histories and examples , with grave sayings and sentences out of learned authors , as it were of old stuffe to help erect a new building , not naming alwaies the authors , because they were 〈◊〉 forgotten , or sufficiently knowne to mee , that had none other meaning but to bee the end of mine owne labours ; . to repre●…d vies , to exci●…e to vertue , to know our 〈◊〉 by nesse and ●…ferable ●…state can bee hurtfull to none , it may bee profitable to 〈◊〉 in these 〈◊〉 sifte●… the 〈◊〉 of all our discourse . i wish it may turn to the benifit of them that sbalread it . i have dividded this treatise into fix bookes . in the third , not in honour and glory : in the fourth , not 〈◊〉 morall vertue , or in the action of vertue , after the academickes and peripateticks , nor in philosophicall contemplation : in the fift , i have declared mine owne opinion of the felicity and happinesse of this life : in the 〈◊〉 , i have shewed wherein consisteth the true felicity and summum bonum of man , and the way to attaine to it . in which discourse if i have missed the marke i shot at , as it may well be , the same per adventure being out of my reach , let him that followeth take a better levell , & beware he shoot not as much too wide on the other side . that i goe before and stand besides the prick , will helpe his aime that shall follow and 〈◊〉 at the same marke . i may seeme presumptuous , if my 〈◊〉 bee taken as they lye in some places , though meant for 〈◊〉 only and order of writing , in taking upon 〈◊〉 to shew the 〈◊〉 to felicity ; so 〈◊〉 a matter as hath moved much controversie betweene the ancient wisemen and philosophers , and the best learned of all ages , and as it were to make my way through them by violence , allowing and rejecting of theirs at my pleasure , as though i were ; nullius astrictus 〈◊〉 in verba magistri . for to offer only the pen to the book among so many grave and learned men , in a matter also of such importance , may bee attributed to rashnesse ; and to touch the monuments of so many and profound authors , whose opinions have beene so many ages allowed , may be taken for a kind of sacriledge . but the reverence and love of antiquity ought to be no barre to posterity to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opinion and conceit in searching for the truth . and because i tooke the matter in hand for mine owne 〈◊〉 onely without any meaning to publish it , i was the more bold to give my selfe a warrant freely to utter my conceit , 〈◊〉 any prejudice to the authority of antiquity . but for that i have not followed the path which they and others have trodden before me , but rather in a sort have broken the yee in a new place , to make my way through after 〈◊〉 owne fancy , and refused to 〈◊〉 by another mans compasse ; me thinkes i heare the sound of virgil his verse in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes ? that i have written , though i may seeme to have given my selfe a liberty to think as i list , and not to hang mine opinion upon any mans sleeve , i protest to have done it with 〈◊〉 , without arrogancie , or meaning to detract from any man his 〈◊〉 , having drawn mine opinion in a great part from them , whom in all things i have not thought good to follow : neither is mine intent to take upon me to teach any man , having 〈◊〉 my selfe ( as the proverbe is ) with mine owne foot , by which i know my insufficiency ; but to discourse onely , leaving to every one his free censure . if any thing hath escaped me by want of diligence or lack of knowledge , or by committing overmuch trust to memory , it shall agree with your modesty , 〈◊〉 to excuse my ignorance , than to blame my negligence , seeing the matter was taken in hand for my exercise only . 〈◊〉 non omnia possumus omnes : an errour will easily slip through a mans fingers whilest he is writing , though he bee very circumspect ; and a fault is sooner espyed in another , than amended in himselfe : bonus aliquando dormitat homerus . take it now as it is , and if it be to your liking , give god the thankes to whom they are due , that directed my pen to your benefit ; if otherwise , yet my labour is not 〈◊〉 , because i bestowed it upon my selfe , and not for you . farewell , and speake well , and thinke as ye list . that wisheth happinesse to them that secke the right way for it . ri. barkeley . courteous reader ( amongst some others ) help this mistake page . . omnia sunt hominum tenui pendentia filo , et subito casu quae valuere ruunt . which distick , reade thus interpreted . all humane things depend by a small thread , and those most strong are soone demolished . a discovrse vpon the felicitie of man. the first booke . chap. i. the opinions of the ethnick philosophers concerning the summum bonum . the difference betwixt the fclicitie of the soule and the bodic : and that no man by his owne wisedome or industrie can attaine to either of them . that there is no happinesse in the delights and pleasures of this world : and these illustrated by the histories of sardanapalus , the last monarch of the assyrians ; and by heliogabalus , and nero , emperours of the romanes . the ancient philosophers and learned men of divers ages , among the things whereof they were inquisitive , found no greater difficultie , than in searching out what the felicitie of man should bee , which they called summum bonum ; his greatest or 〈◊〉 good or happinesse . this 〈◊〉 ministred such 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 among them , and 〈◊〉 them into so many 〈◊〉 opinions , that the further they waded , the more they 〈◊〉 themselues , and , as if they had been in a 〈◊〉 , they knew not how to wynde themselues out . 〈◊〉 in his time collected out of the philosophers bookes two hundred eightie eight things , wherein , according to the inclination of their seuerall conceits , they would haue this felicitie to consist . and no maruell : for how was it possible that they that knew not god , but as it were in a dreame , from whom all good things commeth , should know or teach the way to attaine to the greatest good thing that god giueth to men ? that may bee applyed to these philosophers that was spoken by one , of euill spirits , damones non 〈◊〉 benedicere , quia non possunt benefacere : the diuell , saith he , cannot blesse , nor speake well , because he cannot doe well . so may it bee said of them , that they cannot speake well , or reason aptly of felicitie , because they cannot doe the things that appertaine thereto . for though our vnworthinesse bee such , that we are not able of our 〈◊〉 to deserue so great a benefit without gods speciall fauour and free gift , yet wee must 〈◊〉 to doe the things that are pleasing and acceptable to him , to make our selues capable and apt to receiue it . and although god hath distributed among the 〈◊〉 many goodly gifts , yet they can doe nothing , though morally good , that is acceptable in his 〈◊〉 , and therefore they are not capable of that great blessing which he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his elect . this argueth the error of those philosophers , that held it to 〈◊〉 in the power of a wise man to attaine to felicitie , which onely said they , was also a good man. but such a wise or good man was 〈◊〉 doubt as rare as the 〈◊〉 of arabia , and might bee sought as diogenes sought for a man at noone daies in the streets with a candle . for whether it bee the felicitie of this life , or that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no man is able by his wisedome or vertue , or any power of his owne , to attaine to either of them ; 〈◊〉 our nature was corrupted by the fall of our first parents , our force is so 〈◊〉 and weake , that the wisest man is not able to make sufficient resistance against the assaults of the world , the flesh , and the 〈◊〉 , which conspire together against vs , as mortall 〈◊〉 to our felicitie . the things that were made to obey vs seeme now , through the curse that followed our fall , to rebell against vs. reason should rule our affections , but now contrariwise our affections beare rule ouer reason . the cause of which alteration in mans nature , because the philosophers knew not , they thought a man was able of himselfe to attaine to felicitie , which none can doe without the helpe and 〈◊〉 of gods holy spirit . but whosoeuer will take vpon him to seeke for the felicitie of man , hee must haue respect to the whole man , and not to any part . and forasmuch as man consisteth of two principall parts , that is , of body and soule , he cannot be said to bee in the state of perfect felicitie , except both parts bee partakers of it . then can it not bee in the power of man , as the philosophers taught , to attaine to this summum 〈◊〉 , or soueraigne good , but in his power only that hath giuen men the 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 from perpetuall miserie , and to enjoy in this world and in the world to come , the things wherein the 〈◊〉 of man consisteth . which graces god hath not giuen to all sorts of men , but to such onely as beleeue in him whom he hath sent to bee our redeemer from that miserable estate , into which wee are fallen by the disobedience of our first parents . and if it were as the philosophers thought , in the power of a wise man to doe the things whereby he might attaine to felicitie in this world , ( for that was the felicitie which some of them treated of ) yet were that but one part of felicitie , to which neuerthelesse they are not able to attaine : the other , and that faire the greater part , is to bee enioyed in the other life to come ; which to bring to passe of himselfe is not in the power of any mortall man. and that our meaning may bee the better conceiued , let vs suffer a little digression . when god had determined to create natures of vnderstanding after his owne image , of whom hee would be knowne and worshipped in the same sort as he would appoint them ; some he made of a spirituall essence without bodies , others of a spirituall essence and a bodily substance ; the body being made of clay , most excellently compact together with a wonderful and vnspeakeable wisedome , in which hee inclosed with a maruellous league of societie , another spirituall nature , that is the soule ; the one sort hee called angels , the other men. both which he endued with a singular wisdome & knowledge . to this man he gaue for his habitation this goodly great theater , adorned with such variety of excellent things ; and placed him in the most delectable and pleasant place of all the earth , which in respect of the florishing and fertile soyle , beautified with goodly riuers and fountaines ; was called paradise , not to bee an inhabitor onely of this lower part of the world , but to bee a spectator of his creators wonderous works , thereby first to know the great glory of his parent and progenitour , and then to loue him aboue all things ; and the time being expired in which hee had appointed him here to liue , hee should passe from hence to him , where hee should continually enioy his glorious presence and life euerlasting . but some of those angels being puffed vp with pride through the goodly gifts wherewith god had adorned them , so much forgot their due obedience , that they thought themselues equall with him that made them . whereby they so greatly prouoked his displeasure , that he expulsed them from the number of his ministers , and reiected them from his presence . this fall was so grieuous to them , and the hatred so great which they conceiued against god for the same , that they presently began to doe all things contrary to his commandement , by all manner of meanes to offend him , to derogate from his glory what they could , and as much as they might to deface and corrupt this goodly frame of the world , which hee with so great wisedome had made . and when man persisted yet in the same estate in which he was placed from aboue , supposing they had no better meanes to detract from the glory of god , than if they could lay a plat to take man from him , and draw him into their societie ; they presently put their deuice in practice , and fraudulently deceiuing him with false promises and hope of greater preferment , they made him reuolt from god , and breake his commandement , which he had giuen him to make proofe of his obedience , and to follow that course and counsell which they had framed against god , to his own ouerthrow . when man had thus shaken off his obedience , where before he led in this pleasant paradise a most happy life , free from all euill and hurtfull things , the earth of its owne accord bringing forth all things plentifully , hee was driuen out of this delectable place , and with heauie cheare enforced to seeke another dwelling , where hee must get his liuing with the labour of his body , and with the sweat of his browes ; and fell into the punishment appointed by god for breach of his commandement , that is , death and damnation , bereft of that rule and dominion , and of all the principall ornaments which he had bestowed vpon him . and where all the meane causes of things , euen from the vppermost heauen vnto the lowest part of the earth , depended each vpon other in such an exact order and vniformitie to the production of things in their most perfection and beauty , so as it might well bee likened to that aurea catena , as homer calleth it , by the grieuous displeasure , which god conceiued against man , hee withdrew the vertue which at the first hee had giuen to things in these lower parts , and now through his curse the face of the earth and all this elementatie world , doth so much degenerate from his former estate , that it resembleth a chaine rent in peeces , whose links are many lost and broken , and the rest so slightly fastened as they will hardly hang together ; by meanes whereof the heauens and second causes do now farre otherwise work in mans corrupt nature , and in this elementary world , than they did before . but the son of god , hauing compassion vpon man that had thus grieuously sinned and was fallen into this miserable estate , though by his own will , yet not through pride or ambition , nor by contempt of gods commandement , but was deceiued by the fraud and subtilty of the diuell ; cast himselfe down before his father with all humilitie , and besought him for mankinde , and obtained this fauour , that they should not be condemned to perpetuall punishment . and yet to satisfie the iustice of god which was immutable , hee offered himselfe to fulfill all that obedience which god required of man : and so pacified his father , that hee procured him to make a decree to send him to bee a protector and defendor of mankinde against the tyrannie of the diuell . when man was thus restored into fauour againe , yet not with recouery of those goodly gifts and ornaments which he had lost , the diuell beginneth to rage , and to practise all manner of meanes to intrap him againe : and when he perceiued that hee could not deceiue all , hee handled the matter so , that the benefit of this promise might come to a very few , and that the greater part of the world should perish with him , by drawing them from the true knowledge and worshipping of god to superstition and idolatrie . now to returne from whence we digressed , seeing the felicitie or soueraigne good wee seeke for , concerneth not the body only , but the soule also , and that the soule dyeth not , but after it hath woond himselfe out of this prison , it eyther liueth in perpetuall felicitie , or infelicitie ; this happinesse cannot be taken for a temporall thing , that is enioyed during this mortall life only , but must be euerlasting and without end . for what profiteth it a man to haue all the world , saith christ iesus , if hee lose his soule ? whereby it appeareth that the philosophers and heathens that had not the true knowledge of god , nor beleeued in him nor his promise , could not attain to the felicity of man , which in farre the greatest part consisteth in the ioyes of the heauenly life . but contrariwise by their infidelitie , they suffer eternall damnation and extreme misery . and then it followeth necessarily that none but christians , and those which beleeued in the promise of his comming , can attaine to this felicitie or soueraigne good , which haue an assured hope to bee saued by the merits and passion of christ. for they only that are regenerate , and not the heathens , after the passage from this life are to enioy the heauenly life ; and then they to whom the things are giuen , wherein that part of felicitie confisteth whilest we are in this world , both being ioyned together , are in the estate of perfect felicitie . but first , before wee come to shew our opinion of this soueraigne good or felicitie , let vs peruse the course of mens liues , that by obseruing what the things bee that men most desire in this life , they may the more plainely discouer their errour , and direct themselues to a better course . diogenes in a great assembly of people going backward of purpose , and seeing euery one laughing him to scorne , asked them alowd if they were not ashamed to mocke him for going backward when hee walked , whereas they did so all the daies of their life . as if hee should say , that no man followed the right course of life , but rather that all liued contrary to that they ought . for all men desire to be in a happy estate . hecopus , hic labor est . but few take the right course to attaine to it . it is commonly said , that wise men differ from fooles in this , that they set vp a marke to shoot at , these shoot their arrows vp into the ayre at random , without any certain marke . and again , that good men differ in this from the wicked , that some propose to themselues a good end , others an euill end ; some that which is good indeed ; others that which is good in shew only . many set vp no marke or end at all , to which they should direct the course of their life , but fall from one kinde of life into another , as chance offereth , without any certaine end or purpose . some direct the course of their life to some end as to a marke , but because they mistake one thing for another , they neuer attaine to that they desire . others , though they see what the marke or end is to which they should direct the course of their life , which is felicitie , yet as men who vse to take vpon them blind-folded to finde out a post or hillocke , or such like , wander vp and down , without finding that they secke : so they , being made blinde by their affections , which ( as plato saith ) bee very euill counsellers , and clogged with worldly cares , and carried away with vnsatiable desires , bestow their labour in vaine , and can neuer finde that they seeke for . and though all men desire one thing , that is , a happy estate , yet the great difference we see in the course of their liues , argueth their mistaking some other thing for that they secke after ; by meane whereof they can neuer attaine to the end of their desires . let vs looke into mens labours , and consider what the things bee , for the obtaining whereof they imploy all their trauell and study : for that seemeth the thing which they take for felicitie , or a great meane to the attaining of it . for euery man naturally desireth that which he thinketh to be good . three things i obserue that the most part of men greedily hunt after , and leaue no stone vnturned , as the prouerbe is , to attaine to them . some desire to liue in pleasure , many seeke for riches , others labour for honour and glory ; in these things according to their seuerall inclinations they put their felicitie . but how farre they are from the true felicitie , shall hereafter ( if god will ) appeare , rather by the common iudgment of men that will vse reason for their guide , than by logicall arguments , and by examples of them whose miserable estate and vnfortunate end hath discouered the error of their disordered and licentious life ; that by seeking felicitie where it was not , they found in felicitie where it was . by whose example after diogenes counsell , wee may become wise by another mans harme , for he is wise very late that is made wise by his own harme . for as seneca saith , longum iter per praecepta , brene & efficax per exempla , the way by precepts is long , by examples short and pithy . and first to beginne with pleasure , wherein some learned men of account among the ancient philosophers , as epicurus , and others , seeing how willingly men are drawne to pleasures , held that felicitie or soueraigne good should consist . they reasoned thus : that action is the end or felicitie of man , to which by nature of his own accord he is most willingly ledde : but all men of their owne accord are most willingly led to pleasures : therefore pleasure is the end or felicitie of man. but the epicures were in this greatly deceiued : for man , as in the substance of his body , participateth with brute beasts ; so in his spirituall essence , which is a reasonable soule , hee participateth with angels . and though hee be by the worst part of his nature giuen to pleasure , yet reason reprehendeth and blameth his brutish affections . but the cause of this dissention in mans nature the philosophers saw not , only christian religion sheweth why his affections are repugnant to reason . if felicitie ( as the philosophers affirme ) bee the proper action of man , then can it not bee in pleasure ; for that is common with him and brute beasts , but after them it must bee an action peculiar and proper to him alone . and seeing that man is made of two distinct natures , though by the great wisedome of the creatour wonderfully vnited together , it is more reason that his felicitie should bee agreeable with the best part of his nature , which is a reasonable soule , and resembleth the angels that are made after the image of god ; than with the worst part of his nature , which resembleth , and is of the like substance to brute beasts . but he that will enter into the due consideration of mans felicitie , must haue respect to both his natures , the body and the soule , both which it must in a sort touch ; yet according to the proportion and difference of excellencie that is betweene them , the one representing the image of god being immortall , the other participating with brute beasts , being subiect to death and corruption . such a felicitie as consisteth in the momentany pleasures of this life , the indian captiues may challenge . the indians haue a manner , when they haue taken one of their enemies prisoner , whom they meane not presently to cate , not to imprison him , as the vse is in these parts of the world , but they bring him with great triumph into the village , where hee dwelleth that hath taken him , and there place him in a house of some man that was lately slaine in the warres , as it were to re-celebrate his funerals , and giue vnto him his wiues or sisters to attend vpon him , and to vse at his pleasure . they apparel him gorgeously after their manner , and feede him with all the daintie meats that may be had , and giue him all the pleasures that can be deuised . when hee hath passed certaine moneths in all manner of pleasures , like an epicure , and is made fat with daintie and delicate fare , like a capon , they assemble themselues together at some festiuall day , and in great pompe bring him to the place of execution , where they kill him and eate him . this is the end of this poore captiues pleasures , and the beginning of his miseries ; whose case is nothing inferiour to theirs , who , enioying the pleasures of this life for a small time , wherein they put their felicitie , are rewarded with death and perpetuall torments . for as he was taken prisoner by his enemies , so are they captiued by the diuell , who feedeth their humours with variety of pleasures , that he may at length deuoure and destroy them both body and soule . many examples are registred in histories of the miserable estate and vnfortunate end of those that haue put their felicitie , and passed their time in voluptuousnesse and pleasure , which change was so much the more grieuous and painefull to them , as it was diametrally contrary to their former delicious life . but of an infinite number let vs draw out a few , wherewith he that will not be satisfied , to him more will be insufficient . sardanapalus , king of the assyrians , was so much addicted vnto voluptuousnesse and pleasure , that besides his excesse in delicate meats and pleasant drinks , wherewith by all manner of meanes hee sought continu●…lly to satisfie his vnsatiable appetite , forgetting all humanity he would neuer be seene abroad among men , but leading his life like a woman , alwayes kept himselfe close in the company of harlots , attired in womans apparell , counterfeiting also in his speech a womans voyce . in filthy pleasures and incontinencie he exceeded the most infamous strumpets , his luxuriousnesse ( reported by credible authors , wherein hee went beyond all his predecessors ) was such , that it cannot bee vttered without offence to modest eares . the monarchie of the assyrians , that was gotten with great labour and industrie , and increased and continued with like vertue and valour , was by the licentious life of this lasciuious man , cleane ouerthrowne . for arbaces his lieutenant generall of the medes , a man of great courage , determined to reuote from him ; and being desirous to see how he spent his time , by the fauour of an eunuch whom he had corrupted , he was let in to sardanapalus , vnder pretence to conferre with him of weighty affaires , where hee found him spinning among a company of women , apparelled like them , in a more vndecent sort than the common fame went of him . which gaue arb●… occasion to disdaine him , and encouraged him the more to shake off the yoke of subiection to such an effeminate man. and conspiring with diuers others , whom he had drawne to his societie , he came with a great armie towards sardanapalus , who , hearing of the multitude of people that had reuolted against him , had prepared sufficient force to encounter with them . and after certaine battels fought , wherein sardanapalus was victor , presuming vpon the co●…nnance of his good fortune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secure and carelesse of his enemies ; and againe to his accustomed luxurious 〈◊〉 which he thought himselfe to haue been long weaned , he falleth to his old manners , luxuriant animi vebus plerunque facyndis . mens minds are often surfeited with prosperity . and maketh a feast to all his army : so the day being spent in banquetting and carowsing , when night came , their heads laden with wine , nothing mistrusting their enemies , whom they had before vanquished , they gaue themselues to rest : which being knowne to arbaces by his spials , he assailed the kings campe in the dead of the night , and finding them vnarmed , and vnready to fight , put so many of them to the sword , that the riuer of euphrates was made red with their bloud . the king with a few fled into the citie of nyna , where hee thought himselfe safe , by reason of the answer of an old oracle made to some of his progenitours , that nyna could neuer be wonne , vntill the riuer became an enemy to the city , which hee thought could neuer come to passe . the towne was so fortisied with wals , that with little resistance the king held out the siege the space of two yeares : the third yeare the riuer was so increased with continuall raine , that it ouerthrew the walls of the citie , and made a breach of very great breadth ; then sardanapalus perceiuing the time of the oracle was come , 〈◊〉 to despaire , and finding no place where to hide himselfe , left hee should fall into his enemies hands , hee caused a great tabermacle of wood to be set vp , and compassed it round about with store of dry wood , into the which after he had put all his gold and 〈◊〉 and sumptuous apparell , he placed his 〈◊〉 and eu●…ches in the midst , and lastly shut himselfe in among them , and causing his seruants to put fire to the frame , they were all burnt together . arbaces hearing of the kings death , entred the city at the breach , and by a generall conse●… was made king. thus miserably ended sardanapalus his pleasures , through whose voluptuous life the empire of the assyrians , which was the first monarchie of the world , was no doubt by the iust iudgment of god translated from the assyrians to the medes . but such monsters of nature sometime the world hath brought forth : as heliogabalus the romane emperour , abandoning all vertue and honesty , gaue himselfe to follow his beastly appetite , that he seemed to surmount all before him , and as possibility would suffer , all that should succeed him , in vice and volup●…ousnesse . this heliogabalus , of whom graue authors write such matter as seemeth incredible , whereof a great part shall be passed ouer of me with silence , not 〈◊〉 to be written . he erected a councell of women , who should determine what manner of attire the matrones of rome should weare ; and laying aside all mod●…y , he caused to bee brought into his palace great companies of common women for his friends , in whose company hee was so much delighted , that hauing gathered together all the harlo●… and bawd●… could bee found , hee commeth in person into the place where they were assembled , apparelled in a womans 〈◊〉 , and made vnto them a very eloquent and well studied ●…tion , calling them 〈◊〉 , a 〈◊〉 by which the noble cap●…ines and 〈◊〉 of the romanes , when they would giue their souldiers an honourable title , were vsee to call them , which signifieth companions in warre . the matters which the strumpets were there to treate of with him , was new inuentions and deuices of ribaldrie . hee would somtimes sit in his chariot starke naked , which should be drawne through the citie of rome with foure of the fairest yong women naked likewise that could be found . he was in his expences about his person , his diet , and his house , and other superfluous toyes vnmeasurably sumptuous ; which to declare will hazzard the credit of the reporter . all his care and imaginations were , how to exceede in wastesull expences , to passe his time in all manner of deliciousnesse , such as was neuer heard of before . hee neuer sate downe but amongst most sweet and pleasant flowers , with which were mixt diuers kindes of odoriferous things , wonderfull costly , and of most delectable sauour . hee would neuer eate but of that which was of excessiue price , and deuised all manner of meanes that whatsoeuer he did eate should be most costly . he would say , that no sawce made his meate taste so well , as the greatnesse of the price . his ordinarie dinners or suppers neuer were of lesse charge than one thousand markes ; sometime aboue ten thousand pounds . his apparell was alwaies of purple and cloth of gold , beset with pearle and precious stones of inestimable price , euen to his shooes . hee would not weare a garment twice , or drinke twice of one cup , whether it were gold or siluer , but he should haue it that waited that day vpon his cup. and what ring soeuer he once drew from his finger , he would neuer put it on againe . the tables , stooles , coffers , and whatsoever else belonged to his chamber , kitchin , or any other part of his house was of pure gold , even to that thing which serveth to the most base use . in place of oyle for his lamps , he used excellent balme brought from iurie and arabia . not so much but his urinals were made of rich precious stones . when he was disposed to take the ayre in the fields , he would have with him sixe hundred chariots and litters driven with infamous yong wenches and boyes , and with bawdy rascals . when he was neare the sea coast , he would never eate fish , but daintie birds that were brought farre off . and when he was far from the sea , then he would eate nothing but fish brought alive by post with an excessive charge . whensoever he tooke his horse to ride , the ground from his doore to his horse must bee covered with the dust or scraping of pure gold & silver , because he disdained to touch the ground with his feet as other men did . neither did he make this provision of dainty meats for his own mouth only , but for all his houshold ; who should feede upon egges , and heads of partridges , popingayes , fesants and peacokes . his dogges , whereof he had a great number , should feede upon nothing but the flesh of geese . his lions were fed with popingayes and feasants . all things were done by this emperour in such disorder , that it is not possible to set it down in order . he commanded for the better government of rome , that all those works which were used to be done in the day time , should be done in the night : and those which were used to bee done in the night , should bee done in the day . and himselfe used to rise from his bed when the sun went down , & had morning salutations accordingly : so that the world seemed to go backward . his baths were filled with precious oyntments , wherof he had great store , because he would never bathe himselfe but once in any of them . if he chanced to be in any haven of the sea , hee would cause all the ships there with their merchandise to be sunke ; & being reprehended of one of his friends , that told him these excessive expences were sufficient to bring him into povertie ; he asked him what could happen better to a man , than to be heire to himselfe ? hee wasted in these kinds of expences all the revenues which now all the princes christian and heathen doe possesse . amongst the rest of his vaine toyes , he delighted greatly in jugglers and jesters . and as there chanced , the even before a festival day , a cart-loade of roses to be brought to the court , and cast into a chamber , he commanded these jugglers and jesters to be throwne among these roses , wherein they were all strangled and stifled . another of his pastimes was , he caused secretly an hundred pitchers of flies to be taken , and brought to the court in the hottest time of summer , and having invited certaine romanes to a feast , in the midst of their dinner he caused his hungry slies to be let loose , who gave so sharpe a charge upon his guests , that they were all put to flight , & the flies fell to their meat . he had also a manner to invite to his supper eight bald men , eight that had but one eye , eight that had the gout , eight that were deafe , eight blacke men , eight very tall men , eight exceeding fat men . many other notorious things were cōmitted by this monster , which for wearines i wil forbeare to recite , & draw towards his end , that it may appear to what passe these pleasures brought him . and as he exceeded all men in the maner of his life , so he thought to doe in his death . for which purpose hee had prepared halters made of silke to hang himselfe , when occasion served . he prepared also poyson which hee enclosed in vessels made of emerauds , and other precious stones . hee also made a very high tower , covered and compassed about with gold & silver , & within were sharp points of rich & inestimable precious stones , to throw himselfe headlong upon them , if it chanced him to bee driven to that extremity . he prepared also swords and daggers of gold & silver wherewith to be slaine ; & a pond full of rose-water wherein to be drowned . but all these preparations served not his turne , for the souldiers of his guard having long before conspired his death , after they had slaine all those of his adherents that were in his palace , they found him hidden in a privie , where without giving him leave to chuse his own death , they slue him ; & after they had drawn him like a dog through the streets & lanes of rome , they cast him into the river of tiber , that his body might never be found again , nor have any other buriall : which was done with the content of all the people . such another was nero , many of whose ontragious actions so far exceeded the bounds of humanity , that they are not meet to bee spoken . after he had reigned certaine years with good fame , he could no longer dissemble his vile nature , addicted to all manner of dissolutenesse ; as the poet saith , naturam expellas furca licet usque recurret : though thou expellest nature with a forke , it will returne to the againe . but songht all means with excessive charge & intolerable villanie to passe his time in luxuriousnes & pleasure . he cooli such delight in shedding of bloud , that besides a great many innocents of the nobility and others , he put his owne mother to death , & caused nor to be opened , that he might see the place where he lay . the city of rome where he dwelt , head of the romane empire , w th was then the goodliest , & most flourishing , and best peopled citie in the world , he caused to bee set on fire , & would suffer none to quench it in sixe daies & seven nights ; he in the meane time beholding this lamentable spectacle , with great pleasure in a high tower singing certaine verses of homer , w th contained the burning of troy ; to whom the poets saying may be wel applied ; libertas scelerum est virtus & summa potestas . the libertie to sinne , and to offend as soveraigne power , and vertue we commend . and as one of his pleasures consisted in unmeasurable prodigalitie , hee built an house that contained a great part of the citie of rome , in which were galleries of a mile in length ; the stuffe and the workmanship of such curiositie and charge , as it was inestimable ; the house gilded with pure gold , it was of that circuit , that there was within the compasse of the house , lakes representing a gulfe of the sea , environed round about with buildings ; and besides orchards & gardens , there was within that compasse of the house hils & woods representing a forest replenished with divers kinds of wilde beasts : it had also within it hot bathes & cold , & many other wonderfull things , which argueth the monstrous largenesse and sumptuousnesse of the house , and the outragious minde of the maker ; whereof to avoyde profixitie , i will surcease further to speake . besides the inestimable expence of this house , and many other buildings , hee was as sumptuous in his apparell , and unmeasurably wastefull in all things wherein he tooke any delight . when for his pastime hee would walke by the sea or rivers to see fish taken , the threeds of his nets must bee of gold , and the lines of excellent filke . when he went out of rome , which was often , besides an infinite number of followers , he had never lesse than a thousand chariots of mules , for his provision , wonderfull costly furnished , and those that drave them apparelled in cloth of silver , and gold , and silke , in all extremitie of charge , even to the shooes of the mules , which were of silver . his pastimes , feastes and gifts which he bestowed upon the people , were of such ineestimable charge , that it surmounteth all imagination : at such vanities the poet might well cry out ; o curas hominum ! o quantum est in rebus inane ! oh mens vaine cares ! how great 's their vanitie ? hee was in all things given to please his senses ; and above all the rest of his abominable vices , extremely addicted to the pleasure of women , and to lecherie , which because it will abhorre all modest eares , i will forbeare to recite , and draw towards his end , which was as miserable and shamefull , as his life was dissolute and beastly . his tyrannous and licentious life was become so odious to all men , that divers of his lievtenants in sundry countreyes revolted against him at one time . the senate likewise by common consent determined to forsake him , and to deny him their obedience . which things being known unto him , hee beganne to despaire , and to be utterly out of hope to be able to make head against them . and as a guiltie conscience easily falleth into extreame feare and desperation : so hee , supposing the time was at hand in which hee must suffer condigne punishment for his lewd life , like a man almost franticke , rent his clothes , beat his head against the walls , and would receive no couasell nor comfort . after some pawse , that he was come to himselfe , he tooke a boxe of gold , wherein he had put poyson , and walked into his gardens , where hee deliberated with himselfe , what course were best for him to take to escape from this imminent mischiefe . but as guicei●…rdin saith , nibil difficilius viract pocest quam fatum , & adversus imminentia & impendentia malanullum valet remedium : there is nothing more difficult to be avoyded than fate , and against imminent and impendent mischiefe there is no remedy . sometimes hee thought best to flie to some forraine prince , sometimes to yeeld himselfe to some of them that were comming against him , and to desire mercy , other-while to shew himselfe openly to the people , arrayed in base apparell like an abject , and to desire pardon for his wicked life past ; and if they would not suffer him any longer to bee emperour , yet that they would give him the governement of egypt . and to this purpose there was found among his writings after his death an excellent oration . notwithstanding , he durst not put this device in practice , fearing to bee slaine of the people , who were now all in an uproare . thus having passed that day , and part of the night in this perplexitie and feare , tossed up and downe betweene hope and despaire , hee withdrew him into a chamber , though with very small rest , determining the next day to follow that course which then should fall into his head . and after a little sleepe , about midnight , newes was brought him that the bandes of souldiers that guarded his palace had forsaken him . this newes so much amazed him , that hee sent presently for some of his best friends ; but as in such cases faithfull friends are no whereto be found , ( neither did nero deserve it ) so had hee no good answer from any of them . and therefore with a few of his servants , covered with the darkenesse of the night , hee wear in person to divers of their houses , but the doores would not bee opened , nor any answer made him . thus hee that a little before was feared and adored of all the world , returned with sorrow in contempt and feare of every man. and when hee came to his palace againe , hee found it risted , and all his goods stolen away , even to his boxe of poyson , which hee had reserved for his last refuge . which when he saw , he despaimed altogether of life , and was desirous of death ; and calling a gladiator , prayed him to kill him : which when hee and others also refused , he cryed out , saying , " thus now he had no friend nor enemy ; and in a fury ready to cast himselfe into the river of tiber , " he asked of some few that were with him , where hee might hide himselfe , untill he might bee advised who were best to doe : whereupon a servant of his undertooke to convay him forth of the citie in the night and with much feare and trauaile , hee brought him to a house toure miles from rome : where he cast himselfe upon a simple bed , and being hungry and thirsty , there was nothing to bee had but a little browne bread and water . the bread he refused , the water he dranke in wonderfull sorrow and feare , to see himselfe in that place . whilest nero was thus occupied , as soone as it was day the senace caused his flight to hee published , and by common consent hee was adjudged an enemy on his countray , and conden●…ed to death , and men fem to seeke and to execute him . which heavie newes being brought him , and perswaded by his followers to kill himselfe , hee tooke two daggers in his hands , and f●…lt whether the points were tharpe enough , as though hee meant to doe the act , but being timorous , and reprehended of the standers by of cowardize , hee desired one of them first to kill himselfe , by whose example he might bee the better taught to follow . but they refusing so to instruct him , gave him leave to be his own carver ; and hearing the noyse of the horsemen that were sent by the senate to kill him , seeing no remedie , hee thrust his dagger into his throate , and so , with the helpe of one of them that were present , slew himselfe , whose vgly countenance , representing his monstrous conditions , was terrible to the beholders . this was the miserable end of this monster and enemie of mankinde , in the flower of his youth , whose felicitie was set upon all manner of pleasures and voluptuousnesse , by whose example men may learne to follow the poets counsell ; non tibi quod liceat , sed quid fecisse decebit , occurras , mentemque domet respectus honesti . give not thy lawlesse will the reine , but serve the decent meane , and vertue 's rules ne're swerve . chap. ii. the incomparable ryots of vitellins a romane emperour . of peter de ruere a cardinall . and of muleasses king of tunis , &c. against voracitie and immoderate drinking , instanced by sundry histories . divers motives perswading into abstinence and temperance . with the singular profit , arising from thence . with examples and histories to shat purpose , &c. 〈◊〉 , another emperour of rome , was among divers other his notorious vices so luxuriously given , that at one supper he was served with two thousand fishes of divers kindes , and seven thousand flying foules ; who was afterward drawne throughthe streets with a halter about his neck , & shamefully putto death . but what shall wee wonder at emperours prodigalities , when of later yeares a simple franciscan frier , peter de ruere , after hee had attained to the dignitie of cardinall by the favour of the pope his kinsman , hee spent in two years , in which he lived at rome , in feasts and banquets , two hundred thousand crownes , besides his debts , which were as much more . in our time muleasses king of tunis was so drpwned in pleasures , that being expelled from his kingdome for whoredome , after his returne from germanie , being denyed of ayd hee sought of the eraperoue charles the fifth , he spent an hundred crownes upon the dressing of a peacocke for his owne mouth . and that hee might with more pleasure heare musicke , hee used to cover his eyes . but the judgement of god fell upon him ; for his sonne or brother dispossessed him of his kingdome , & provided him a remedic that his sight should be no longer annoyance to his hearing , causing his eyes to be put out with a burning hot iron . he that is given to please his senses , and delighteth in the excesse of eating & drinking , may , as salust saith , bee called animal , for hee is unworthy the name of a man. for wherin can a manmore resemble brute beasts , & degenerate from his angelicall nature , than to serve his belly and his senses ? but if our predecessors exceeded us in superfluitie of meats , wee can compare and goe beyond them in drinking and quaffing . there bee carowsets that wll match nero , and vitellius , and heli●…gabalus if they were living , in that facultie . vahappie are they , and farre from felicitie , that think it a glorious thing to co●…tend for the superioritie in carowsing , and to carry away the victory in such a bacchandian combate : which pestiferous disease beginneth so to creepe into our nation by the infection of our neighbours , that if it be not pi●…bmed by outboritie or lawes , it is to bee fearedlest it will grow to bee habituall , and take such roote , that it will bee on possible to bee removed , and so consequently that they which last received itwill goe beyond them from whom they first had it . for , the imitation of evill alwayes exceed●… the example . king edgar so much detested this vice of drunkennesse , that hee fet an order that no men should drinke beyond a cert●… ring , made round about the glasles & cups , of purpose for a marke . anacharsis saith , that the first draught is to quench the thirst , the second for nourishment , the third for pleasure , the fourth for madnesse . augustine lurchcimer renorteth a strange historie of three quaffers in germany , in the yeare one thousand five hundred fortie nine : these three companions were in such a ●…ollity after they had taken in their cups , according to the br●…ish manner of that countrey , that with a coale they pai●…d the divell in the wall , and dranke freely to him , and talked to him as though hee had been present . the next morning they were found strangled , and dead , and buried under the gallowes . i remember a pretty experiment prastised by the emperour charles the fifth upon a drunkard . as this emperour on a time entred into gaunt , there lay a 〈◊〉 fellow worth wast the streetes , as though hee had beene dead , who , lest the horsemen should ride over him , was drawn out of the way by the legs , and could by no meanes be wa●…ed , which when the emperour saw , he caused him to be taken up & carried home to his palace , and used as he had appointed . he was brought into a faire chamber hanged with costly arrasse , his clothes taken off , and laid in a 〈◊〉 bed meet for the emperour himselfe . he continued in sleep untill the next day almost noone . when he awaked and had lyen wondring a while to see himselfe in such a place , and divers brave gentlemen attending upon him , they took him out of the bed , and apparelled him like a prince , in very costly garments ; and all this was done with very great silence on every side . when hee was ready , there was a table set & furnished with very dainty meats , & he set in a chaire to eat , attended upon with brave courtiers , & served as if the emperour had been present , the cupboard full of gold plate , and divers sorts of wines . when he saw such preparation made for him , he left any longer to wonder , and thought it not good to examine the matter any further , but took his fortune as it came , and fell to his meate . his wayters with great reverence and duety observed diligently his nods and becks , which were his fignes to call for that he lacked , for words he used none . as he thus sate in his majestie eating and drinking , he tooke in his cups so freely , that he fell fast a sleep againe as he sate in his chaire . his attendants stripped him out of his fresh apparel , & arrayed him with his own ragges againe , and carried him to the place where they found him , where he lay sleeping untill the next day . after he was awakened , and fet into the company of his acquaintance , being asked where he had been , he answered , that he had been asleep , and had the pleasantest dreame that ever he had in his life , and told them all that passed , thinking that it had been nothing but a dreame . the like peradven●…e would happen to the carowsers of these dayes , if they would clense their minds from this notorious vice of excessive quaffing , even to drunkennesse , and somtimes to death , and consider that god hath made them creatures after his own image , they would thinke , or for shame wish , that the time they had in that sort spent , had been but a dreame . but black is no deformitie among the moores . a long inveterate custome hath made that vice familiar , and turned it into manners . s. paul saith ; non in ebrietatibus , neque in impudicitiis , nec in contentionibus , sed induinoins iesum christum ; passe not your time in drunkennesse , neither in chambering , nor in contentions , but put on iesus christ. olaus magnus maketh report of a beast in the north part of suetia called a ierffe , whose propertie is , when he hath killed his prey , or found some carkasse , hee devoureth so much , and never leaveth feeding , untill his belly bee puffed up , and strowteth like a bag-pipe ; then not being able to hold any more , hee goeth presently between two narrow trees , and straineth out backward that which hee hath eaten , and so being made emptie , returneth againe to the carkasse , and filleth himselfe as before , and then straineth it out between the two trees , and returneth to the carkasse to eate againe , and thus he continueth to do , untill he hath devoured all : which being consumed , he hunteth after more , in this sort continually passing his life . this beast it seemeth god hath created to the shame of gluttonous men , that passe whole daies and nights in eating and drinking , & when they have filled themselves so full that their bodies wil hold no more , they vomit up that they have taken , and returne to their carowsing againe , as though it were their felicitie and end for which god hath made them : as the poet saith , plusque cupit quò plura suam dimittit in alvum . — cibus omnis initto causacibi est , semperque locus fit inanis edendi : the more he eates , he askes , his meat is of his eating cause , and be his belly ne're so full , still empty are his jawes . which kinde of surfeits maketh worke many times for the physician , who turning r. into d. giveth his patient sometime a decipe for a recipe ; and so payeth deerely for his travell that hastneth him to his end . horace calleth such men that give themselves to their belly , a beast of arcadia that devoureth the grasse of the earth . cornelius celsus giveth this counsell when men come to meat ; nunquam utilis nimia satietas , saepe inutilis nimia abstinentia ; over-much satiety is never good , overmuch abstinence is often hurtfull . mahomet desirous to draw men to the liking of him & his doctrine , & perceiving the pronenesse of men to luxuriousnes & fleshly pleasures , yet dealt more craftily in his alcaron , than to perswade them that felicitie consisted in the voluptuousnesse & pleasures of this life , which he knew would not be beleev'd nor follow'd but of a few , and those the more brutish sort , but threatned them with a kind of hell , and gave them precepts tending somewhat more to civilitie and humanitie , and promised his followers a paradise in the life to come , wherin they should enjoy all maner of pleasures which men desire in this world ; as faire gardens environed with pleasant rivers , sweet flowers , all kinde of odoriferous savours , most delicate fruits , tables furnished with most daintie meats , and pleasant wines served in vessels of gold , with beautifull damsels which every man might use at his pleasure . the egyptians had a custome not unmeet to bee used at the carowsing banquets ; their manner was , in the middest of their feasts to have brought before them anatomic of a dead body dried , that the sight and horror thereof putting them in minde to what passe themselves should one day come , might containe them in modesty . but peradventure things are fallen so far from their right course , that that device will not so well serve the turne , as if the carowsers of these later daies were perswaded , as mahomet perswaded his followers when hee forbad them the drinking of wine , that in every grape there dwelt a divell . but when they have taken in their cups , it seemeth that many of them doe feare neither the divell nor any thing else . lavater reporteth a historie of a parish priest in germanie , that disguised himselfe with a white sheete about him , and at mid-night came into the chamber of a rich woman that was in bed , and fashioning himselfe like a spirit , hee thought to put her in such feare , that shee would procure a conjnrer or exorcist to talke with him , or else speake to him her selfe . the woman desired one of her kinsmen to stay with her in her chamber the next night . this man making no question whether it were a spirit or not , in stead of conjuration or exorcisme brought a good cudgell with him ; and after hee had well drunke to encrease his courage , knowing his hardinesse at those times to bee such , that all the divels in hell could not make him affraide , hee lay downe upon a pallat , and fell asleepe . the spirit came into the chamber againe at his accustomed houre , and made such a rumbling noyse , that the exorcist ( the wine not being yet gone out of his head ) awaked , and leapt out of his bed , and toward the spirit hee goeth , who with counterfeit words and gesture , thought to make him affraid . but this drunken fellow making no account of his threatnings , art thou the divel , quoth he ? and i am his damme ; and so layeth upon him with his cudgell , that if the poore priest had not changed his divels voyce , and confessed himselfe to be hauns , and rescued by the woman that then knew him , he had bin like not to have gone out of the place alive . this vice of drunkennesse , wherein many take over-great pleasure , was a great blemish to alexanders vertues . for having won a great part of asia , he laid aside that sobrietie hee brought forth of macedon , and gave himselfe to the luxuriousnesse of those people whom he had conquered . and passing his time in feasting and banquetting in the company of hariots , hee was so overcome many times with drunkennesse , that he wanne more infamie by the outrages hee committed through that vice , than commendations by his vertuous acts . as hee sate on a time banquerring among those strumpets , one of them called thais , being drunke , told alexander , that hee should greatly win the favour of the greekes , if he would command the palace of the goodly citic of persepolis to bee set on fire , the chiefe seat of the kings of persia , which in times past had beene the destruction of so many great cities . the same being confirmed by others as drunk as she , alexander that then had in him more inclination of heat than of patience , why doe not we then ( quoth he ) revenge greece , and set this citie on fire ? wherewith being all chafed with drinking , they rose immediately to burne that citie in their drunkennesse , which the men of warre had spared in their fury . and the king himselfe first , and after his guests and concubines set fire on the palace , by whose example others burnt the whole citie . thus the famous citie of persepolis , head of the east countries , from which so many nations had before fetched their lawes , the royall seat of so many mighty kings , the only terror somtimes of greece , the sender forth of navies and armies that overflowed all europe , that had done many notable acts , was utterly destroyed by the enticement of a drunken strumpet , to the perpetuall shame of the king , and all his nation . but when alexander had taken his rest , and was become better advised , hee repented him of this foule act , as he did also the killing divers of his noble men in the like drunkennesse ( without judgement ) which helped him to conquer so many nations . iohn baptist that holy prophet was killed by herod in a drunken banquet . that great king cambyses tooke over-great pleasure in drinking of wine ; and when he asked prexaspes his secretary , what the persians said of him , he answered , that they commended him highly , notwithstanding they thought him over-much given to wine ; the king being therewith very angry , caused prexaspes sonne to stand before him , & taking his bow in his hand , now ( quoth he ) if i strike thy sons heart , it will then appeare that i am not drunk , but that the persians doe lye : but if i misse his heart , they may be beleeved . and when he had shot at his son , and found his arrow had pierced his heart , he was very glad ; and told him that he had proved the persians to be lyars . fliolmus king of the gathes was so addicted to drinking , that hee would sit a great part of the night quaffing and carowsing with his servants : and as on a time he sate after his accustomed and beastly manner carowfing with them , his servants being as drunke as he , threw the king in sport into a great vessell full of drinke that was set in the middest of the hall for their quaffing , where he ridiculously and miserably ended his life . ciness being ambassador to pyrrhus , as he arrived in egypt , and saw the exceeding height of the vines of that country , considering with himselfe how much evill that fruit brought forth to men , sayd , that such a mother deserved justly to be hanged so high , seeing she did beare so dangerous a child as wine was . plato considering the hurt that wine did to men , sayd , that the gods sent wine downe hither , partly for a punishment of their sinnes , that when they are drunke , one might kill another . paulus diacrius reporteth a monstrous kinde of quaffing between foure old men at a banquet , which they made of purpose . their challenge was , two to two , and he that dranke to his companion must drinke so many times as hee had yeares ; the yongest of the foure , was eight and fiftie yeares old ; the second threescore and three ; the third fourescore and seven ; the fourth fourescore and twelve : so that he which dranke least , dranke eight and fifty bowles full of wine , and so consequently according to their yeares , whereof one dranke fourescore and twelve bowles . the old romanes when they were disposed to quaffe lustily , would drinke so many carowses as there were letters in the names of their mistresses , or lovers ; so easily were they overcome with this vice , who by their vertue some other time , became masters of the world . but these devices are peradventure stale now ; there be finer devices to provoke drunkennesse . against such gluttons that make their belly their god , the prophet esay crieth out ; cursed bee yee that rise early in the morning to follow drunkennesse , and to sit quaffing untill evening , that the wine may heat you . the citie of — boing sometime a famous and well governed citie , and head of hetruria a country in italy , fell into such luxuriousnesse that they became subject to their own slaves , who 〈◊〉 presuming onely to make themselves of the number of the senatours , shortly after possessed the whole common-wealth : & ordering all things at their pleasure , they would marry their mistresses daughters against their will , and made a law that all their ravishments of widowes and married women should goe unpunished , and that no virgin should marry a free man , except one of their number had first defloured her . into such a shameful servitude , that which was before one of of the chiefest cities in italie , by the just judgement of god , through their voluptuous and delicious life , was fallen , and were commanded by their owne slaves , and enforced continually to suffer all manner of villanies . in the time of antonius pias , the people of rome being given to drinke without measure , hee commanded that none should presume to sell wine but in apothecaries shops , for the sicke or diseased . cyrus of a contrary disposition to the gluttons and carowsers , in his youth gave notable signes , and afterward like examples of sobrietie and frugalitie when he was monarch of the persians . for , being demanded when hee was but a boy , of his grandfather astyages , why he would drinke no wine . because , said hee , i observed yesterday when you celebrated the feast of your nativitie , so strange a thing , that it could not be but that som man had put poisoninto all the wine that ye drank ; for at the taking up of the table there was not one man in his right minde . by this it appeareth , how rare a matter it was then to drinke wine , and a thing to be wondered at to see men drunke . for when the use of wine was first found out , it was taken for a thing medicinable , and not used for a common drinke , and was to be found rather in apothecaries shops than in tavernes . what a great difference there was betweene the frugalitie of the former ages , and the luxuriousnesse of these latter dayes , these few examples will shew . this cyrus as hee ma●…ched with his army , one asking him what hee would have provided for his supper , hee answered , bread ; for i hope , sayth hee , wee shall find a fountaine to serve us of drinke . when plato had beene in sicilia , being asked what new or strange thing hee had seene ; i have seene , sayth hee , a monster of nature , that eateth twice a day : for dionysius whom he meant , first brought that custome into that country . for , it was the use among the hebrewes , the grecians , the romances , and other nations , to eat but once a day . but now many would thinke they should in short time bee halfe famished , if they should eat but twice a day ; nay rather whole dayes and nights , bee seant sufficient for many to continue eating and quaffing . wee may say with the poet ; tempora mutantur & nos 〈◊〉 in illis : the times are changed and we are changed in them . by the historie of the swine ( which by the permission of god , were veked by the divell ) we be secretly admonished that they which spend their lives in pleasures and deliciousnesse , such belly-gods as the world hath many in these daies , that live like swine , shall one day be made a prey for the divell : for seeing they will not be the temple of god , and the house of the holy ghost , they must of necessitie be the habitation of the divell . such swine , sayth one , be they that make their paradise in this world , and that dissemble their vices , lest they should bee deprived of their worldly goods , their offices , benefices , prebends and dignities , fearing lest they should lose their carnall pleasures . such swine be some flatterers , that all their life time doe nothing but entertaine princes and great states in their errors and pleasures , and that hold for the first article of their fayth , that their is no other god but their belly : for all their religion is turned into carnall libertie . as for the law of iesus christ , they will none of it , it is too ful of prickes , too heavy and hard for them . they will not drinke of this cuppe , the drinke seemeth to them to be bitter , they must have a iesus christ apparelled in velvet , more soft , sweet , and delicate : they will none of the austeritie of iohn baptist ; they seeke nothing but kings courts , where all manner of pleasures and delights are : and they have none other care , but how they may live in this world at their ease and pleasure . but howsoever they cover their wickednesse , and disguise their conceipts , the time will come that all shal be discovered before the face of god : which was well understood of david , when he sayd ; lord whether shall i withdraw my selfe from thy power ? where shall i hide mee from thy face ? if i climbe up to heaven , thou art there ; if i goe downe to hell , thy hand is there , &c. what sodome and gomorrah suffered for their filthie pleasures , is to all men knowne . aristotle counselleth men to consider of pleasures as they are going away , which then shew themselves so loathsome and full of wearinesse and repentance , that men the rather by that meanes will refraine to turne to them againe . chap. iii. the vanitie of perfumes , and costly unguents . the miserable and fearefull effects of adulterie , made manifest in alexander medices , duke of florens : in the fall of the romane tarquins : in appius claudius one of the decemvirate : in the historie of anthony and cleopatra : in roderick king of spaine . ali men are not given to like pleasures , but some desire to please one of their senses more than the rest , & some other ; as the poet saith : 〈◊〉 sua quenque voluptas : everyman is drawne after his owne appetite and pleasure : and yet everie one hath beene found sufficient to bee many times the destruction of their followers . plancus , a romane , lived very delicately , and tooke great pleasure to bee made sweete with perfumes and pleasant oyntments , and being banished and driven to hide himselfe from them that sought him , they found where he lurked by his savours , and slew him . alexander medices duke of florence was so intemperate in the love of women , that laurence medices his kinseman and especiall favorite , having a determination to kill him , to deliver his countrey from a tyrant , as hee termed him , but chiefly as it should seeme , for the desire of glory , could find no better meanes to bring his purpose to effect ( for hee was strongly guarded ) than to offer his helpe to win for him the favour of a gentlewoman , his kinsewoman or sister , with whom for her beautie and modestie he knew the duke to be farre in love . this laurence commeth to the duke in the night , and whispering in his eare , telleth him that with many perswasions and certaine promises , he had at last , though with great difficultie , wonne this chaste woman to yeeld to his desire , and that the same night she would come to his bedde , upon condition neverthelesse that the matter should be kept in very great secret , and that which hee had in his behalfe promised should be faithfully performed . fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit auceps : to a sweete note the fowlers pipe is set , when he the bird betraies unto his net . which was a certaine summe of money that the duke should lend her to help her husbands necessitie , who being a merchant was fallen in decay ; this he fained to be the womans request , to which the duke easily yeelded as a very reasonable petition . and burning in desire to satisfie his lust , they went presently to a house joyning to laurences house , whither the duke was used often to goe , from whence he made him send away two of his chamberlaines that followed him , lest they should finde whereabout he went. thus the duke being brought into a chamber , and layed upon a bed , hee advised him thereto repose himselfe awhile untill the dead of the night were come , and men at rest , that hee might the more secretly and safely bring the woman to him . he perswaded the duke to put off his sword , that he might lye the more easily : which being done , laurence wrappeth his girdle quickly about the hilts , that his sword could not speedily be drawne , and then adviseth him to take his rest , untill hee had made all things ready and returned againe . so he draweth the canopie close about the bed , and goeth his way , and shutteth the doore after him . when laurence had framed all things to his purpose , he calleth a yong man his servant , whom the duke had before pardoned for man slaughter , and exhorteth him to helpe him as he had promised , to kill a notable man , and a great enemy of his : that there wanted nothing , but to doe it with courage , and not to be terrified with his countenance , there was no danger in the matter . the yong man promiseth his helpe willingly to kill him , whosoever hee were , if it were the prince himselfe . thou hast divined rightly , quoth laurence , it is even he , here we have him fast locked in this chamber asleepe : hee openeth the doore softly , and in they goe into the chamber , with one base fellow more , and finding the prince snorting , laurence draweth his sword , and thrust it into his side ; the duke being terrified with the blow , casteth himself to the other side , and crept upon his hands and feet under the bed , and as the rest stroke at him , hee got forth againe , and like lyon flieth upon laurence , and got his left thombe in his mouth and brake it , so as laurence was faine to call to his companion for helpe , who at last killed the duke . and though there was a great noyse in the chamber , and the duke alowd called him traytor , yet none of the house that heard it mistrusted any such matter , because laurence had craftily accustomed them to the like noise in playing with his companions , and throwing stooles and cushions about the house , purposely to deceiue them at this time . thus through the desire of this fleshly pleasure , alexander medices was slaine by his own cousin and friend , that had none other means to entrap him ; and he himselfe was afterward slaine at venice . plautus saith , nox , vinum , mulier , nihil perniciosius homini adolescentulo : the night , wine , a woman , nothing is more pernicious to a yong man. one saith , that there is not a more capitall enemy given by nature to a man , than pleasure . the bishop of magdeburge tooke such pleasure in dauncing , that as he daunced on a time untill midnight with ladies and gentlewomen , hee fetched at the last such a frisco , that he fell downe and brake his necke , and the gentlewoman also that daunced with him : the just judgement of god. there is no greater hinderance to the attayning of felicitie than the desire of fleshly pleasures ; which hath not onely beene the destruction of many private persons , but also the ruine of many states and kingdomes . tarquinius sextus sonne to tarquinius superbus king of the romanes , beeing with his father at the siege of ardea , sitting at supper with divers yong gentlemen , there grew a question among them , which of them had the modestest woman to his wife ; and as everie man preferred his owne before the rest ; what need these many words , said collatino husband to lucretia , when rome being at hand wee may soone decide this controversie ? let us take our horses and gallop presently to rome , and as we shal find our wiues imployed , so wee shall have cause to judge of their disposition . every man allowed of the motion , and taking their horses , they forthwith galloped to rome , being dark-night , and unawares to them , went to visit their wiues , whom they found feasting , and passing the time in pleasures . but when they came to collatinos house , they found the doores fast shut , and lucretia spinning in the middest of her maides . then was the sentence given by all their consents with collatino , they all commending the modestie of lucretia . collatino then being victor , invited them all to dinner the next day . but after their returne to the campe , the kings sonne , being ravished with the beautie and modestie of lucretia , sought all meanes how to fulfill his lust . and for that purpose , comming to rome on a time secretly in the evening , he supped with lucretia , & dissembling his intent , lodged in her house . when the d●…ad of the night was come , he brake into her chamber , and so craftily undermined her with threatnings of present death , and perpetuall shame , that abusing the simplicitie of the modest woman , she suffered him to use his will. when day was come and he gone , she sent presently for her father , her husband , and kinsfolkes , letting them to understand that a great misfortune had happened to her . when they were come , perceiving by her sad countenance , that all was not well , her husband asked whether all things were safe in the house ; shee like one in a trance stood silent , unable to answere them a word . but they urging still to know the cause of her heauinesse , and what had befallen her , after a little pause beeing come to her selfe , her cheekes watered with abundance of teares ; what ( sayd she ) can bee accounted safe to a woman when her chastitie is lost ? thy bedde , my husband , that hitherto hath been kept unspotted , is now defiled by the kings sonne , who comming to me yester-night to supper , was curteously entertained of me as a guest , & lodged in my house as a friend , altogether ignorant of his intent : but when wee were all at rest , he brake into my chamber , and standing by my bed side with his dagger in his right hand , and his left hand upon my brest , hold thy peace ( quoth he ) lucretia , i am tarquinius , if thou speake any word , this dagger shall be thy death . then began hee to discover his villanous minde , and mingling threats with amorous words , shewed me what paine and torment he had suffered for my sake . but the gods that never faile to strengthen them that carrie an honest mind , gave me sufficient power to resist his treacherous temptations , and by contempt of death , to preferre an honest same before a shamefull life . and when he perceived , that i would neither bee enti●…ed with his amorous words , nor terrified with his threats of death , he altered his course , and assured mee , if i would not consent to his will , hee would put a slave naked into my bedde ; and after he had killed us both , he would make it knowne to the world , that hee found us in adultery . then the feare of perpetuall shame and infamie to me , and to all you my kinsfolkes , prevailing more with me , than the terror of death , though my heart consented not , my body yeelded to fulfill his lust . and albeit i absolve my selfe of the fault , yet i wil not remit to my selfe the paines of death , lest any matron of rome should hereafter take occasion , by mine example , to live when her honour is lost . when shee had thus spoken , and taken them all by the hand , requiring them as they were men , not to suffer this villany , which reached also to them , to passe unrevenged , whilest they were cōforting of her , and advising her not to take the matter so grievously , seeing there was no fault where the heart consented not , she tooke out a knife , which shee had secretly hidden under her clothes , and thrust it into her heart . then was there great cries & lamentation by her husband and friends , and brutus one of them perceiving her dead , drew the knife out of her body , and kissing the same , did solemnly sweare by the bloud of that modest woman , he would not suffer that injurie to goe unrevenged , nor that any king hereafter should reigne over the people of rome : whereunto when the rest condescended , he carried the dead body into the market place , and perswaded the yong men to joyne with him , in revenge of this abhominable act , and to expell their king : wherunto they easily agreed , & armed themselves , and would not suffer the king , not any of his to enter any more into the citie , and erected a new state , translating the government from a monarchy to a common wealth . thus by the incestuous act of this yong man , tarquinius lost his kingdome , from himselfe and his posteritie . by the like occasion of a libidinous desire , after certaine yeares that the romanes had changed their governement of two consuls to ten principall men , they returned it backe againe from them to two consuls . for appius claudius one of the ten governors was so extremely enamoured upon a yong virgin that was contracted to a yong gentleman , that when hee saw shee would not be enti●…ed with his faire promises and gifts , he entered into a most odious & wicked practice . hee caused a yong man that he had brought up , as shee went forth of her fathers house into the towne , who was then in the warres , to challenge her for his slave , and to bring her before him , as hee sate in judgement , that hee by adjudging her to him might by that meanes have his will of her . this man according to his instructions , claimed her openly in the court , and sayd , that she was borne in his house , and stolen from him , and conveyed to the house of virginius , who falsely tooke upon him to be her father ; which hee offered to prove before him , and desired justice , that he might have his slave restored to him againe . there was a great concourse of people to see the end of this tragedy , and much murmuring against appius , whose wicked purpose they began to conjecture . and as her friends desired him , that for as much as her father was absent in service of the common-wealth , the matter might bee stayed untill his returne ; appius answered , that he was contented to deferre judgement untill the next day , yet so , as he that challenged her might receive no prejudice ; which would be , if he should lose the possession of her : and therefore hee would take order that hee should put in sufficient suretie to bring the damsell in place againe , when her father was come , and then hee would judge her to him that should have best right . at these words , he that should be her husband , pressed to come neare to lay hold upon his wife , but beeing kept out by appius commandement , hee cried out upon his unjust sentence , and told him hee would rather dye , than suffer his wife to be taken from him ; and after many hot words , appius perceiving the discontentment of the people , set her at liberty untill the next day , and sent secretly to the campe , to some of his friends , to stay her father there . but virginins friends having prevented him , he came to rome the same night . the next day when appius had sitten a while in the place of judgment , before he that challenged the yong woman for his slave , spake any word to demand her , and before her father could come to answer for her , hee adjudged her to the yong man that challenged her . all men stood silent , and astonished at his unjust sentence , and the father exclaiming , and railing upon appius , he that made the challenge offered to take her away as his slave , but interrupted by the lamentable cryes of the women that were present , appius commandeth silence , and a way to bee made for him to carry away his slave . then every one departed with great sorrow and anger , and left the yong virgin alone with her master . the father seeing his daughter left alone , voyd : of all foccour , holdeth up his hands to appius , and desired pardon for his unreverent speech , and that hee might have leave a little to speake with his wife and daughter apart , to the end , that if his wife would say , that shee was not his owne daughter , but that hee had hitherto falsly usurped the name of her father , hee would be content to leave her . appius , supposing he meant as he spake , licensed them to goe aside . then the father taking a knife secretly in his hand ; there is no other meanrs , my daughter ( sayd he ) to set thee at liberty but this , and therewith hee thrust the knife to her heart . and looking up to the judgement seate where appius 〈◊〉 ; to thee appius ( quoth hee ) and to thy he●… , 〈◊〉 crate with this bloud : then was there great lamentatlon and outcryes among the people , and the women crying ; is this the comfort of bringing up our children ? is this the reward of chasticie ? and though appius commanded virginius to be apprehended , yet he escaped , and went to the campe , where the unjust sentence of appius was so much detested , and the necessitie of the fathers fact so much lamenred , that they came armed to rome , & deprived the ten magistrates , and altered the forme of government to two consuls againe , and cast appius in prison , where for sorrow and shame he ended his dayes . antonius a famous captaine , and one of the 〈◊〉 governours of the roman empire , through the pleasure he tooke in the fond love of cleopatra queene of egypt , lost not onely his fame and rule which he had over divers kingdomes and countries , but his life also , and hers , upon whom he was so much besotted . this antonius married with the sister of octavian , another principall governour of the romane empire , that after was called augustus caesar. but the lascivious eatisements of cleopatra made such an impression in the flexible disposition of antonius , that hee little regarding his owne wife , gave himselfe wholly to the love of cleopatra , which was the chiefe cause of the ruine of them both , and the advancement of octavian to the monarchy of the world . for octavian conceiving great displeasure against antonius for his sisters cause , gathered together a great navie to make warre upon him , who had made the like provision to encounter with octavian . these two mightie potentates , with two huge navies , wherein were assembled the forces of all the princes adjoyning to their aide , met together with like will and power , but not with like fortune . for in the beginning of the fight , cleopatra , who accompanied antonius with the egyptian 〈◊〉 , fled backe againe to alexandria , from whence they came : which when antonius saw , being overcome rather with the blind love of the queene , than with his enemies forces , followed after her , and left the victorie to octavian , who pursued them both to alexandria ; where antonius being arrived , and perceiving his navie to joyne with his enemie , & at the same time also forsaken of his horsemen , hee cryed out as hee went in the citie , that hee was betrayed to them by cleopatra , to whom for her sake hee became an enemy . which when cleopatra heard , fearing the furie of antonius , shee shut her selfe in her sepulchre , which shee had before so artificially prepared , that being once made fast , no man could easily enter into it , without the helpe of them that were within , and sent word to antonius , that shee had slaine her selfe . after antonius was come to himselfe , hearing and beleeving this evill newes ; why stayest thou antonie ( quoth he ) the onely cause that was left to thee to desire life , fortune hath now taken from thee : and so entring into his chamber , and unarming himselfe , o cleopatra ( quoth hee ) i am not sorie for the lacke of thee ( for i will be by and by with thee ) but that so great an emperour as i am , should bee furmounted in fortitude by a woman . then antonius turning to his man eros whom hee had provided before to kill him if neede were , required him to performe his promise . eros taking his sword in his hand , and making as though he would strike his master , suddenly turned the point to his own body , and thrust himselfe through , and fell downe dead at his masters feet . which when antonius saw ; well done eros ( quoth he ) thou hast aptly taught me by thine owne example , that thou couldest not find in thy heart to do it thy selfe , and there with he thrust the sword into his own belly , & cast himself upon his bed . antonius perceiving that his wound was not present death , desired his servants to kill him , but they refusing & running forth of the chamber , hee raged and cryed out like one that had beene mad , untill one came that cleopatra had sent to bring him to her . when he heard that she was alive , hee greatly rejoyced , and was carried presently to her 〈◊〉 , where the queene with two other women which shee had ●…here enclosed with her , let downe cords , out of a window ( for the doore shee would not open ) and with great labour drew him up halfe dead into the sepulcher . a more miserable and lamentable sight ( sayd they that were present ) was never seene . when the women had drawn him into the sepulchre , and layd him upon a bedde , cleopatra began to rend her garments , to reare her hay●…e , to scratch her face , crying out upon her lover , her lord , her emperour , and so imployed herselfe in bemoniug him , that she seemed to forget her owne misery . antonius used all the meanes hee could to comfort her , advising her to provide for her selfe , and her own matters if she could doe it without dishonour , & not to mourne for these last calamities of his , but rather to thinke him happy for his former felicitie , that was of all other the most famous and mightiest man ; and that now it was no disgrace for a romane to bee overcome of romanes . after which words antonius began to yeeld up the ghost . when casar heard of antonius death , hee sent proculeius presently to cleopatra , with charge , to foresee that shee might come alive into his power , meaning to preserve her for his triumph . but after he had talked with cleopatra , and perceived that shee would not let him into her sepulchre , hee caused ladders to bee set to to the window , where antonius came in to her ; and whilest another held her in talke , he with two of his servants conveyed themselves secretly into the sepulchre . then one of the women crying out ; oh unhappy cleopatra , thou arttaken alive , she turned about & espying 〈◊〉 , took a sword which she had ready , and offering to kill her selfe , he steppeth hastily to her and layd hold upon the sword , & told her , that shee did wrong to her selfe , & to casar , that went about to take away the occasion from that milde and mercifull prince , to shew her favour . when they had gotten her out of the sepulchre , after a few daies , caesar came to see her , of whom she obtained leave , to celebrate the funerals of antonius after her owne minde . and when shee had prepared things ready to bury him with such pomp as the time then served , she , with some other of her favorites , came to the sepulchre , & bowing down toward the ground ; o my friend antonie ( quoth shee ) i buried thee not long sithence with free hands , but now i do sacrifice to thee a captive , under safe custodie , lest this slaves body should perish by weeping and lamenting , which is preserved to none other purpose , but to triumph over thee . thou must look for none other sacrifice , nor honours ; for these be the last thou must have of cleopatra : whilst wee lived , no force was able to separate us , but now that wee are dead , it is to bee doubted lest wee shall change places , that thou a romane , shalt lye in egypt , and i an egyptian , in italie . but if the goddesse there , be of any power or vertue , suffer me not to be led away alive , nor to triumph over thee , but receive me to thee into this tombe . for of an infinite number of miseries wherewith i wretched woman am oppressed , there is none so great or grievous to me , as this little time that i have lived without thee . after she had thus bemoned her selfe with him , and embraced the tombe , with many teates , shee went to her dinner , that was provided for her very sumptuously . after shee had dined , and sent letters to caesar , shee avoyded all other from her , and went into the sepulchre with the two women onely , and shut fast the doore . as caesar was reading her letters , wherein shee bewayling her estate , made lamentable petition to him , that she might be buried with antonius ; he mistrusting , as the truth was , that shee had determined to destroy her selfe , sent presently to stay it , if it were possible . the messengers hastening them to the sepulchre , found the watchmen there , mistrusting no such matter . but when they had broken up the door , they found cleopatra dead , laid in a bed of gold , attired like a queen , one of the women lying dead at her feet , the other halfe dead was putting the crowne upon the queenes head : and being asked whether this were well done ; yea , said she , very well done , and as best becommeth the progenie of so many kings , and therwith fell downe dead . the fame went diversly of the manner of her death . some said , it was by a venemous worme called aspis , which was brought unto her among the leaves of a fig-tree . the desire of the like fleshly pleasure was the destruction of spain , which the paynims recovered from the christians . for , in the reigne of king roderick , there was a prince in spain , called iulian earle of cepta , who had a daughter of excellent beautie & wisedome , called caba : this damsell being sent to the court to attend upon the queen , the king fell so extremely in love with her , that perceiving shee would not be enticed to agree to satisfie his inordinate desire , he took her away by force , and defloured her in his palace . the which when count iulian understood , hee received thereof such griefe , that hee determined to revenge so great an injurie upon the kings owne person . but dissembling the matter , that hee might have the better opportunity , when the king sent him with an armie to make warre upon the moores , who then invaded the borders of spaine , hee practised with the king of the moores , to send over an armie , promising to bring all spaine under his obedience ; which being done , the moores with the counts ayd , joyned in battell with king roderick , and after great spoyle done to the country , overthrew him , with all his nobilitie and armie ; so as the king could never after bee found quicke or dead : and the moores not long after became masters of all spaine . chap. iiii. lust , the occasion of many mischiefes , and unnaturall acts : instanced by hyppolitus cardinall of este : and galeace a gentleman of mantua : of pyramus and thysbe : histories of men made ridiculous by dotage : the miserable end of abusahid king of fez , and others . stories of lascivious friers , and a parish priest : of the tyrant aristotimus : the 〈◊〉 love of antiochus sonne to king seleucus : of charles the sixth king of france : of the emperour commodus : and , that in voluptuousnesse no felicitie can consist . when men let loose the reines of their affections , and suffer themselves to bee overcome with amorous passions , neither feare of god , nor respect of men , nor regard to their own safetie , for the most part , restraineth them from attempting all manner of impieties , to effectuate their dissolute desires . such passions excited hyppolitus cardinall of este , to commit a most cruell and unnaturall act against his owne brother . this cardinall , or rather carnall , and his brother , were both extremely in love with one woman , and perceiving that shee affected his brother more than him , hee asked her the cause : she confessed that the beauty of his eyes , allured her liking more than all the rest . the cardinall departing in a great fury , watching for opportunitie , found his brother on a time a hunting ; and compassing him about with his followers , made him alight from his horse , and caused his footmen to pluck his brothers eyes out of his head , hee beholding the matter whilst it was doing , contrary to all humanitie . nonbenecum sociis regna venusque manent : kingdomes and concubines brook no competitors . that act was no more wicked , than this was foolish . galeace , a gentleman of mantua , courting a damself with whom he was in love , as they stood upon a bridge , said , that he would suffer a thousand deaths for her service , if it were possible . she in jest commanded him to cast himselfe into the river ; which hee presently did , and was drowned . the like fond love brought pyramus and thisbe , a young man and maid to the like end . these two young folkes were exceedingly in love together : and perceiving that by the suspicion of their parents , they could not satisfie their desires , they agreed upon a certaine day to meete in a place afer off ; where thisbe chancing first to come , finding there a lion , shee hid her selfe for feare , leaving behinde her ( for haste ) the things which shee did weare upon her head : which being taken away by the lyon , and found by pyramus , supposing his love was devoured by the lyon , he slew himselfe . thisbe not long after returning to the place appointed , and finding her lover dead , slew her selfe with his sword . but this love that followeth , wrought not so evill an effect . a french gentleman lying with his love a courtisan in rome , as hee was in the morning about to put on his chaine of gold , which was wont to come foure times about his necke , it would then go but three times . about . and as hee was musing with himselfe how this matter should come to passe , the courtisan ( who had untyed secretly the lincks , and stolen part of the chaine away ) made shew as though shee marvelled why hee looked so sad , and asked the gentleman whether hee felt any griefe : it seemeth ( quoth shee ) you have taken some cold , because your head is waxed great , and your face swollen ; and therewith she put a glasse in his hand of that sort that maketh things shew greater and larger than they are indeed . the frenchman looking in the glasse , beleeving that his head was swolne , and that hee was fallen into some strange disease , left musing upon his chain , & bewailed himselfe afterward to his friends , as though he had been dangerously diseased . there was a young man in friburge so desirous of the companie of a young maiden , with whom he was in love , that being promised by a necromancer , hee should enjoy her companie , and for that purpose withdrawing themselves into a secret place of the house , he caused the divell to shew himselfe to them in likenesse of this virgin ; and when the young man offered to take her by the hand , the spirit casteth him against the walls , and slue him , and cast his carkasse with such violence at the conjurer , that hee lay halfe dead a great while . abusahid king of fez , by the report of leo of africa , was slaine , and his sixe children by his secretarie , for abusing his wife . in the time of philip the fayre , king of france , two knights were flayed alive for whoredome with the queen of navarre , & the countesse of march , and they condemned to perpetuall prison . iulius casar that great monarch , after hee had made conquest of germanie , spaine , france , england , italic , greece , and of pompey his enemy , had like to have suffered a shamefull death , through the pleasure he tooke in the fond love of cleopatra , whose company to enjoy , he went to alexandria in disguised apparell , where an eunuch and a childe were like to have slaine him , if hee had not cast himselfe from an high tower into the sea , and saved his life by swimming to his campe , under the galleyes of his enemies . these passions of love doe worke wonderfull and strange effects , in many that yeeld themselves to bee overcome by them . historiographers report of a yong man in athens , of very good parentage , and rich , that was so enamoured upon an image of marble , very artificially made , and set up in a publicke place , that he would embrace it , and make love to it , as though it were a living creature ; and could not endure it to be out of his sight , but alwaies remained by it . and if it chanced him to be from the image , he would weep and lament so grievously , that it would pitty any hard heart to behold him . this passion grew so strong in him , that hee made sute to the senate to sell the image to him , for such price as themselves would demand , that he might remove it from thence to his own dwelling place . but the senate denying his request , because it was a publicke thing , he caused to be made a rich crowne of gold , with other jewels and sumptuons attire , and put it upon the image , which hee beheld and adored in such extremitie , that the people being moved at his folly , forbad him to come any more neare it : whereat he conceived such griefe and displeasure , that he killed himselfe . durius in terris nihil est quod vivat amante , nec , modo si saplas , quod minus esse velis : none suffers more than they that love professe , which , the more wise we are , we practise lesse . and though this bee very strange , yet that which credible authors write of the king xerxes , is more strange , or rather monstrous . they report that he was so farre enamoured upon a plane tree , that hee would make love to it , as if it had been a very faire woman . the desire of this fleshly pleasure brought forth a most vile and wicked sect , among the friers and religious men at naples , in the time of pope egidius . as there happened a dissention among the popes , these friers , in contempt of christian religion , would assemble themselves together in the night , both men and women , in caves and secret places , fit for their purpose : where , to cover their villanie with some shew of honesty , the priests that were among them would sing psalmes , after the manner of christians . which being finished , the priests , as it were beginning a sermon , would say something to confirme their wicked errour ; the effect of whose speech should bee , that above all things charitie ought to bee embraced : which , by the testimonie of holy scripture , was the head of all vertues ; and that the principall exercise of this charitie among men , ( god himselfe being author thereof ) consisted in the coupling together , by the holy ghost , of male and female , in the worke of venus . and when every man had defiled that woman ( the lights being put out ) whom before hee had set his eyes upon , then the divine service was finished . these men taught publikely , that this was not the testimonie of christ , my peace i give unto you , my peace i leave unto you : but this , increase and multiply , and replenish the earth . and if any of these women happened to be with child , the priests commanded the childe to be brought to them , who assembling together in a place appointed for their sacrifices , after a solemne sort , would burne the infant to ashes , which they would gather up and keep in a pot , as a holy thing . and when any new priest was to receive orders by them , he must drinke of those ashes in wine . and when their chiefe bishop happened to dye , to avoyd envie , and that a new might seeme to bee chosen to supply his roome , rather by some divine power , than by themselves , they would command the mother of some childe borne in that wicked sort , to bring it to some of their secret places appointed for that purpose , and the priests as they sate ( the people standing by ) would take the childe , and deliver it from one to another , every one brusing it with his hands , continuing this order still , untill the poor wretch were killed : then in whose hands it dyed , that was the man that must bee the chiefe bishop . these be the effects that the desire of fleshly pleasures bringeth forth . quippe nec ira deüm tantum , nec tela , nec hostes , quantum sola noces animis illapsa voluptas ? not the gods wrath , steele , nor the enemy can doe so much hurt , as only lust , to man. many lewd devices have beene invented by them , to effectuate their purpose , that have given themselves to satisfie their lusts with the pleasures of the flesh . in a village not farre from the mountaines of savoy , inhabited with a rude and ignorant kinde of people , there was one chosen to bee their parish priest , only because hee could reade , more meete to drive the cart , than to serve in the ministerie . this man grew in such favour with those rude people , that almost all the women used to make him their gossip ; with whom by that means he became very familiar , but especially above all the rest , he was in favour with a poor mans wife , called lisetta . this man was much troubled in minde , to see his wife so great with the parish priest , and being jealous not without cause , hee forbade his wife all priests companie . sir morice ( for so hee was called ) being much out of quiet , for lacke of his gossips companie , sent an old witch to consult with her , how they might come together againe after their accustomed manner . my daughter ( quoth she ) i see your minde is much troubled , your friend is in the like perplexitic , because hee cannot enjoy your companie as hee hath done ; and i my selfe having felt the like passions in my youth , seeme to feele in my selfe the paines of your sorrow . but now the matter standing upon these termes , some remedy must be found : dare you faine , that you are possessed with a spirit ? o my mother ( said the young woman ) i could willingly play that part artificially enough , if i thought that could bring our purpose to passe . when the old witch had instructed her what to doe , lisetta at the time the priest was at masse , began to stare with her eies , to wring her hands , to fome at the mouth , and to howle like a wolfe . the foolish people beholding this unwonted sight , ranne to wonder at her , supposing she had been possessed with a spirit . her husband likewise lamenting her miserable estate , supposing her to suffer great torment , laid aside all suspicion , and ran , like one that had beene out of his right minde , to the priests house , desiring him to take the paines , by his exorcismes , to drive this wicked spirit out of his wife . sir morice counterfeiting great sorrow for her torments and paine ; o my gossip ( quoth he ) your over-much frowardnesse to your wife and jealousie without cause , hath brought her to this ; the like whereof happeneth somtimes to women of greatest honesty : and so taking his stole and other instruments for his conjuration with him , to the sicke woman hee goeth : and after hee had mumbled softly to himselfe many prayers , he asked the spirit who he was . lisetta being sufficiently instructed by the old bawde , answered with a low hoarse voyce ; i am the spirit of this young womans father , condemned to this penance for ten yeares to passe out of one bodie into another . the husband hearing him to bee the spirit of his father in law , besought himearnestly to depart out of his wife , & to torment her no more . the spirit answered him ; i wil go forth of this woman , and i wil change my lodging , and enter into thee . then the poore man , terrified with this hard sentence , embraceth the priest about the neck , and lamentably desired him to shew , whether he knew any way how hee might avoyde this severe sentence , by prayers , by fasting , by almes , or by any other good deeds . lisetta being glad to see this matter frame so well to her purpose ; my friend ( said she ) your poverty will not suffer you to doe that were requisite to avoyd this sentence , and therefore in place thereof , you must visit forty churches , and say many prayers in every of them with good devotion , by which meanes you shall obtaine pardon of god for your sins , otherwise you can never escape gods ordinance . this penance lisetta layd upon her husband , that by reason of the farre distance of those churches one from another , in that pilgrimage , there might bee time enough to quench the furie of the spirit . but that all things might be done without feare and suspicion , in her counterfeit voyce shee blameth him for the wrong hee hath done his gossip , suspecting him without a cause , a holy man , whose prayers were greatly acceptable before god , and advised him whilest he was in his pilgrimage , to commit the charge of his wife to this holy man. the poore fellow hoping in this sort to bee released from the paines of purgatory , desired forgivenesse upon his knees of the priest : which being without great difficultie obtained , hee proceedeth on his pilgrimage , lest some worse matter might happen to him . in the meane time , sir morice imployed all his diligence , both day and night , that this spirit being chased out of her , another might supply his roome . which being turned into the forme of a young living childe , her silly husband thought himselfe , after his returne from his pilgrimage , to bee thereof the naturall father , that had least interest in it . thus are they carried away from all respects and duties both to god and men , that give themselves to satisfie their lusts with fleshly pleasures . saint gregorie saith ; momentaneum est quod delectat , aeternum quod cruciat : that which delighteth is momentanie , but that which tormenteth is eternall . aristotimus , under the favour of king antigonus , exercised tyrannie over the eleusiens , and as hee was evill given , such choyce hee made of his favorites . among the rest there was one lucius extremely enamored upon a faire young maiden , daughter to a man of good account : and that hee might have his pleasure of her , hee procured the tyrant to command her parents to send her to him . the father fearing the displeasure of the tyrant , he & his wife used perswasions to his daughter to goe to him . the young virgin that had bin vertuously brought up , fell downe at her fathers feete , and in lamentable wise embracing his legges , besought him with teares , that hee would not suffer her to bee dishonoured . she would preferre her honour before her life , and would rather chuse to suffer any kinde of death , than to bee so shamefully dishonoured . the father and mother being greatly moved with the lamentation of their daughter , wept bitterly , and made some stay of their resolution . lucius perceiving her not to come , unpatient of any delay to fulfill his beastly lust , went to her fathers house , where hee found her upon her knees , holding her fathers legges fast in her armes , and with great threatnings he commanded her to arise , and to follow him ; but the young maiden renewing her lamentable complaints , and refusing to goe with him , hee tare her clothes in pieces , and stripped her naked , and beat her cruelly . the parents beholding this wofull sight , besought him upon their knees , that hee would have compassion upon her , and them . and when they saw no hope of favour in this cruell man , they called upon the gods and men for help : wherwith hee fell into such a rage , seeing hee could not have his will , that hee drew his sword , and thrust it through the young woman , as she held her fathers legges in her armes . but this beastly fact so little offended the tyrant , that such as shewed any mislike to the matter , hee eyther put to death , or banished : which purchased him such hatred of all men , that certaine of his subjects not willing any longer to endure his tyranny , conspired together and slue him . his wife hearing of the tumult of the people , shut her into her chamber , and strangled her selfe . the like death suffered two yong women his daughters marriage-able , having libertie to make choice of their own death . but the love of antiochus sonne to king seleucus was much more commendable , and used with greater modestie . for being extremely in love with his mother in law his fathers second wife , yet shame fastnesse and modesty made him so dissemble his vehement passion , that he made choice rather to die , than to discover his affection , suffring himselfe by little and little to pine away , untill his body was almost dryed up . and as hee lay languishing in manner like a dead body , his father , lamenting the pitifull estate of his onely sonne , desired erasistratus , an excellent physician , to use all his skill to find out what his sons disease should be , with large promises of reward . this man sitting by the yong prince , observed that ever as the queene came to visit him , his bloud would rise in his face , his pulse would beat with more force , and all his body would seem to quicken , & revive , and as she departed from him , he would waxe pale , his pulse would beat weakly , and would returne to his former state againe ; which when he had diligently observed two or three times , hee perceived that his discase was the passion of love . and comming to the king , who was desirous to heare whether hee had found the cause of his sonnes sicknesse ; he told him , that his son was in love with a woman , but such an one as hee could by no means have , which was the only cause of his sicknesse . then he being glad it was no worse , hoping that whosoever she was , he would by some meanes obtaine her for him , though it cost him a great part of his kingdome , desired to know who it was that his sonne was in love with . it is my wife , quoth he . and will you , said the king , whom i have favoured so greatly , deny her to my onely sonne , and lesser him to perish that is my only comfort , and useth such modestie , that he had rather dye than bewray his affection , by which it appeareth he is violently carried against his will , and then making carnest petition to him to save his sonnes life , with promise of great reward . your request , said the physitian , is not reasonable ; make the case your owne , would you be content , if it were your wife he were in love with , whom you affect so tenderly , to leave her to him ? yea , quoth the king , with all my heart , & i would it were in my power so to save his life . it is even your wife ( said he ) with whom your sonne is in love . then the king greatly rejoycing that it was in him to restore his sonne to health , married his wife to his son , his fatherly affection prevailing more , than the tender love of his wife . saint bernard , lamenting the miserable estate and condition of men , that gave themselves to the pleasures and delights of this world ; o man ( quoth he ) naked and blinde , that art made of humane flesh , and a reasonable soule , be mindfull of thy miserable condition ; why departest thou from thy selfe , and troublest thy selfe with externe things , and art lulled asleepe , in the vanities of the earth , and drownest thy selfe in the transitorie pleasures of the world ? doest thou not consider that the nearer thou approachest to it , the farther thou departest from thy god ? the more thou thinkest to winne without , the more thou losest within ; that is , thy self which is or greater price ? the more careful thou art of temporall things , the more want thou hast of spirituall things ? thou settest all things in good order , and makest none account of thy selfe . there is not a beast but thou tamest , and thy selfe remainest without a bridle ; thou art vigilant in all things , but in thine owne matters thou art fast asleepe . the desire of base things hoyleth in thy heart , and in the meane while heavenly things lyeth quenched . the nearer thou commest to thy death , the sarther thou goest from thy salvation . wee should take heed lest that curse fall upon us , that the prophet isay speaking of the carelesse nobilitie and gentrie of the iewes , that gave themselves to banquetting and pastimes , without consideration of their duties towards god , a matter usuall enough , and too much in these dayes : the lute and harpe , saith hee , and timbrell and shalme , and good wine aboundeth in your banquets , but the workes of god you respect not , nor have any consideration of his d●…gs . then followeth ; therefore hath hell enlarged his soule , and opened his mouth without all measure or limitation , and the stout , and high , and glorious of this people , shall goe down into it . and that it may appeare , how many that give their delight to pleasures and vaine pastimes , through their owne vanitie and foolishnesse , are brought strangely to their ends , when they are in the midst of their jollitie . the french king charles the sixth , his minde being distempered , committed the governement of his realme to others , and gave himselfe to pastimes : there chanced a marriage to bee solemnized in his court , where the king was disposed to make himselfe and others merrie , he put off all his apparell , and disguised his face like a lion , annointing his body with pitch , and flatned staxe so artificially to it , that he represented a monster , rough , and covered with haire . when he was thus attired , and five others as wise as himselfe , they came into the chamber among the lords and ladies , dauncing and singing in a strange tune , all the court beholding them . the duke of orleance , whether that hee might better see , or for some other toy , snatched a torch out of a mans hand , & held it so neare the king , that a spark falling upon him , set them all on a flaming fire ; two of the five companions were miserably burnt in the place , crying and howling most pitifully without any remedie ; other two dyed in great torment two daies after ; the fifth running speedily into a place where was water and wine , to wafh himselfe , was saved ; the king having more helpe than the rest , before the flame had compassed his body round about , was saved by a lady that cast her traine and gowne about him , and quenched the fire . the emperour commodus , among other his vain toyes & pleasures , when he beheld the goddesse ifis painted with naked breasts , hee caused the breasts of the priests of that temple to be scratched with a horse comb , saying , that it were no reason their goddesse should have naked breasts , and theirs to bee covered . and seeing the goddesse bellona painted with a broken arme , hee caused the right armes of the priests that guarded her temple , to be put out of joynt , affirming , that forasmuch as their goddesse had a broken arme , her priests ought not to have their armes whole and sound . but his vaine pleasures , joyned with tyrannie , was so offensive to the people of rome , that the night before hee intended to celebrate the feast of their god ianus , commodus determining to shew himselfe in the habit not of an emperour , but of a gladiator , or sword player , was murdered . many of all estates be so addicted to please their senses with the vaine pleasures of this world , that they will not trouble their heads with any thing but sports and pastimes ; of whom it is written , they esteeme this our life to bee but a play-game . and in another place ; they live as securely without care and cogitations , as if they had the good workes of just men to stand for them . but what saith the holy ghost ? hoc vanissim●…m ; this is vanitie and foolishnesse in the highest degree . aristotle saith , that there are three things which change a mans nature and condition , lordship , a woman , and wine . the old romanes had a law , that a wise man being a publike loose-liver , should bee more grievously punished than a secret murtherer ; because hee killed but one , with the sword of his anger ; the wise man killed many , with the example of his life . and one said , that there are three things which hasten a man to his end before his time ; a yong woman , excesse of eating and drinking , and unwholesome ayre . beware therefore thou bee not allured by their false shewes , to seeke felicitie in pleasures : for hee that accustometh himselfe to them , will hardly be brought to forbeare them ; and then is hee throughly in the estate of infelicitie , whom unhonest things doe not onely delight , but also please : for there is no place left for remedie , when vices be converted into manners . wherefore if thou find thy self affected or addicted to any of these pleasures that draw men into infelicitie , withstand them at the first , after the poets counsell , before they have taken root , and growne into a custome . principiis obsta , serò medicina paratur , cùm mala per longas invaluëre moras : looke at the first unto thy sicke estate , oft ( being delayd ) the medicine comes too late . and if thou bee strongly given to any such pleasure or delight , though not unhonest , which thou canst not altogether forbeare , use the same then with as great modestie , and also as seldome , as may bee . sal●…oxes giveth good counsell ; that these things should bee by all means avoided : sluggishnes from the bodie , ignorance from the mind , gluttonie from the bellie , sedition from the common-wealth , discord from the house , and intemperance from all things . by this which hath beene said , it appeareth , how far they are deceived , that thinke the felicitie of man , or his sunomuns bonuns , to consist in voluptnousnesse : and into what infelicitie they have fallen , that sought happinesse among pleasures ; whereby they not only have procured their own destruction , and the ruine of monarchies and kingdomes , but also through desperation and guiltinesse of conscience , contrary to nature ( by instinct whereof all living creatures have a desire to defend and preserve themselves ) using a mischiefe for a remedie , have laid violent hands upon their own persons : which may serve us for a document , to seeke felicitie some other where than among pleasures , which is common to brute beasts , and hath beene to those that have used them , shame and dishonour during their lives , and perpectuall infamie after their death . but because wee said before , that riches was another thing which many greedily sought after , and therefore seemed therein to put their felicitie , let us prosecute our discourse , and see what reason men have to hold that opinion . the felicitie of man , or , his svmmvm bonvm . the second booke . chap. i. the commendable temperance of the former ages ; and how they were free from avarice : a competencie sufficient preferred before surfeit , and wisedome before wealth : of gyges king of lydia , and aglaus psophidius : of the oracle and the attempt of brennius against delphos : the sacriledge of dionysius king of syracusa : the avarice of pygmalion king of the tyridns : with the storec of queene dido : of venda and helene queenes of russia : of decebal king of dacia , and vislar king of gothland , &c. this is another thing which men generally seeke after , with such earnest labour , and greedy desire , that they seeme to esteeme that for felicitie it selfe , or the meanes to attaine to it . and though some men desire to lead their lives in pleasures , others in honour , the rest according to their severall inclinations , yet all desire riches , as the poet truly saith ; diversas bominum videam cum sparsa per artes ingenia : est cunctis ars tamen una viris : omnibus ideas ani●… grates sibi quarere 〈◊〉 omnis inexhaust as undique poscitopes : when i behold the wits of men inclin'd to divers arts : yet all of them i find in this one art to meete ; to shun no paine , to hoord up money , gaping still for gaine . but the felicitie of man , or his greatest good , cannot consist in riches , which is subject to so many adventures & accidents of fortune , and so easily lost ; it must be some other thing that is more stable and permanent . coine of gold and silver was but the invention of man , for the commoditie of life : for , a time there was when the use of money was not knowne , but exchange was made of one thing for another , and possessions were not divided , but all things were common ; and in some countries it is so at this day . yet the felicity of man was then the same as it is now . if riches were good , it would make them good that possesse it , but none are made good by it , many are rather made worse ; which being gravely considered of licurgus king of lacedamon , he banished gold & silver out of his kingdome , and turned his coyne into iron . by which act he delivered his people from two notable vices , and enemies to a common-wealth ; besides many other , from theft and briberie ; for who would steale that which was little worth , and could not be carried away , but in the sight of all men ? for he had so ordered the matter , that a great masse of iron turned into coine , should be of small value . and therefore no magistrate could receive any bribe , but every man must see it , a cart loade being of very small value . sir thomas moore in his vtopia , preferreth iron , as a more necessary metall to a common-wealth , before gold or silver , which he imployeth to base uses . this english poet curseth , not without cause , the first finder of this scurfe of the earth , which hath beene the occasion of an infinite number of mischiefes . we worth the wight that first delu'd the mould to finde out the myne of silver and gold : for when it lay hid , and to us unknowne , of strife and debate the seede was unsorvue . our saviour christ teacheth us , how farre they are deacoived that set their felicitie in riches , by the similitude of a camell , that may as easily passe thorow the eye of a needle , as a rich man may enter into the kingdome of heaven . and againe , lay up your treasure in heaven , &c. riches is rather desired for some other thing , than for it selfe : of some the rather thereby to attaine to honour ; of others to live in pleasure : and then cannot felicitie be said to be in riches . for that thing , wherein felicitie doth consist , must be the last end , and greatest good ; and all other things must serve for that . let us looke into the estate of such as wallow in wealth and riches , and that of a poore husband-man , that hath no more than is sufficient to serve his necessarie uses , and by comparing them together wee shall see , that his countenance is more chearefull and merry , and laugheth more heartily and often , than the rich ; he eateth his meate with a better appetite , and digesteth it with a better stomacke ; hunger is his sauce , biefe and bacon is as pleasant in his taste , as the partridge & fesant is to the rich ; small drinke is to him , as delicate wine to the other : because the appetite , & not the meat & drink giveth difference to the taste : as appeared by the example of that mighty monarch darius , who flying from alexander the great , being very dry , dranke very foule water , and said afterward , he never dranke better drink ; the reason was , because hee never thirsted throughly before . p●…olomy likewise king of egypt , as he was a hunting , and lost his way , being hungry , hee went into a shepheards house , where , for lacke of other things , hee was driven to care rough brown bread , affirming after , that hee did never care better meat ; because hee never throughly felt hunger before . this poor mans bodie is more healthfull , and free from many diseases , to which the rich man is subject by his casie and delicate life ; his head is not so full of cares , and if any happen , they vanish away quickly , like a thin cloud ; whereas they who by their riches are called happie , rather make shew of mirth , than are so from the heart ; their minds being oppressed with continuall cares , to keep , or bestow that they have gotten , and to get more ; which maketh him wake , when the other sleepeth soundly . and so much the more unhappy the rich man is , that hee must sometimes dissemble his sad and troubled minde , and make shew as though hee were in great happinesse , when indeed he is rather in miserie . what wealth and riches is comparable to health of body , and quietnesse of mind ? it is better , saith phocion , to live lying upon the ground with a good and quiet minde , than troubled in a bed of gold : which the poet seemeth to confirme ; si ventri bene , si laters est , pedibusque tuis ; nil divitia poterunt regales addere majus . non domus aut fundus , non aris acervus & auri , aegroto domini deduxit corpore febres ; non animo curas . if thou feed'st well , if feet and backe be clad , what to thee more can kingly riches adde ? not house , not land , not heaps of gold and treasure , ( when sicknesse of thy bodie hath tooke seisure ) can thence remove it , neither canst thou finde vertue in them to cure a troubled minde . nature requireth but three things ; to bee defended from hunger , thirst , and cold ; all which this poore man wee speake of , enjoyeth fully : the rest are superfluous , & unnecessary to happinesse of life . there is no greater signe of a base and wretched mind , than to love riches . one great hinderance to felicitie , besides many other , riches bringeth , for the most part , to them that possesse it , that they are never content with that they have , but alwaies desire more . qui mulium habet , incipit plus posse : he that hath much , beginneth to be able to have more ; and then a will never faileth to joyne with abilitie : whereof ensueth the notorious vice of covetousnesse , a capitall enemy to felicitie ; for without contentment , no man can enjoy that happinesse wee looke for in this life . great travell have the poore men that want all things , but much more have the rich men that are content with nothing . riches were greatly to be desired , if felicitie were to be bought . but a minde free from all perturbations , and content with his owne estate , cannot be bought with gold nor silver . for contentation is not procured by abundance of riches , but is rather gotten by taming and mastering our owne desires and affections . hee is not happy ( saith seneca ) whom the common sort calleth happy , that hath great store of goods , but he whose goods are in his mind ; that seeth no man with whom he would change himselfe and his fortune ; that estimateth a man by that part , by which he is a man of a sound judgment ; not to be terrified or made affraid with every winde , that dependeth not upon the uncertaine accidents of fortune , but upon himselfe . socrates espying a very rich man , and proud withall , but endued with no vertue ; here is ( quoth he ) a horse covered with a caparison of cloth of silver . and diogenes likened a rich man unlearned , to a ramme in a golden fleece . salomon saith , if riches be a possession to bee desired in this life , what is richer than wisedome , that worketh all things ? a senatour of rome said to sylla , that vaunted of himselfe in the senate ; how can you be a good man , that had little or nothing left you by your father , and yet in so short time are become so exceeding rich ? the life of a poor man is compared to a navigation made by the sea coast , where they may at their pleasure get them into safe harborough , and cast anker when they see any danger at hand : and the life of a rich man , to them that sayle in the maine sea , farre from land ; who if a tempest chance to arise , are in danger to bee swallowed up of the sea , without any meanes to save themselves : which the poet seemed to espie , when he said ; o fortunatos nimiùm sua si bona norint agricolae ! — o husbandmen , too fortunate , if you but knew your best estate . valerius maximus reporteth , that giges king of lydia being puffed up with pride through his riches , flattered himselfe so much , that hee thought no man equall to him in felicitie . and yet not satisfied with his own opinion , he thought to have it confirmed by the oracle of apollo , whom when he asked whether any were happier than hee ; answer was made him by the oracle , that aglaus psophidius was more happy than he . this man was one of the poorest men in all arcadia , and though hee were old , yet hee never went forth of the village where he was borne , but contented himselfe with his meane estate , and the fruits and pleasures of a poore country life . by which answer , to him that so insolently gloried in the glittering shew of his riches & possessions , the god gave to understand , that he allowed better of a poor cottage , possessed with a light & merry heart , than a sad princes court , full of cares and pensivenesse ; and of a little ground without feare , than the fertile fields of lydia full of terror ; & of a yoke or two of oxen casie to bee ruled , than an army of men combersome with excessive expence ; and a barne serving for necessarie uses , of no man greatly desired , than riches and treasure , subject to all mens snares , & covetous passions . but because we shall have occasion sometime to speake of this oracle , a briefe description of the place will give some light to that which shall be said . there was a steep hill in photis a country in greece called parnassus , by which was built the famous citie of delphos : this hill was full of craggie rockes , and so fortified by nature , that there needed no supply of art for defence . in the middest of the hill there was a little plaine , wherein was a deepe hole , ( the habitation of sathan ) out of that hole issued a certaine cold breath , which strake the priests and virgins that were there resident , into a frenzie , and compelled them to give answers to the questions demanded ; which was called the oracle of apollo . because in this plaine was a temple builded ( as some say ) by agamedes and trophonius , and dedicated to apollo , one of the heathens gods . who having finished the worke , desired of their god in recompence of their charge , that thing which was best for men . they were commanded by the oracle to goe home , and within three daies they should have their desire : the third night they were both found dead in their beds . their god , or rather the divell , giveth therby to understand , that death was the best thing that could happen to men . the strange and stately situation of this temple , with the presence and fame of the god , represented such a majestic , that it drew all men into admiration . and though the answer of the oracle was many times given in a double sense , to be indifferently taken , ( whether by ignorance of the certain●…ie of the event , or of purpose to deceive , and to drive men into their owne destruction , were a matter worthy of discourse , but impertinent to this subject ) yet oftentimes he answered truly , and plainely of things to come ; eyther by a wonderfull fore-knowledge , or as an actor , by gods sufferance in worldly matters , brought that to effect , to continue his credit , which before hee had foretold . as when the old romanes had laid the foundation of the church at rome , which they called templum pacis , they sent to aske counsell of the oracle of apollo , how long the church should stand ; the answer was made , that it should continue , 〈◊〉 virgin brought forth a childe ; which ( because they thought it was unpossible ) they tooke to be 〈◊〉 . but when christ was borne , many hundred years after , the temple fell down , and verified the answer of the oracle . but to 〈◊〉 from whence wee digressed , as it was said before of them that put their felicitie in pleasure , so may it he said of them that hold the same opinion of riches ; the seeking & enjoying whereof , hath many times bin their own destruction . brennius , generall of a french armie , understanding of the inestimable treasure of the temple of apollo , by the gifts and presents of almost all the princes and potentates of the world , that sought counsell of the god , in their affaires of importance , striken with a covetous minde , not fearing to attempt a notable sacriledge , brought his armie to delphas , with a meaning to spoile the temple of his treasure . the priests & people hearing of his comming , asked counsell of their god what they should doe . hee willed them to take no care for the matter , he would defend his own church . and then brennius commanding his soudiers to assau●… the place , there fell by an earthquake a part of the hill upon his host , which flew a great 〈◊〉 of his people ; then ensued a wonderfull 〈◊〉 thundring , lightning , and haile , by which were slaine a great part of his armie , so that they were enforced to give overtheir attempt ; and brennius being sore wounded , & unable to endure the gri●… , shew himselfe with his own dagger . thus by the greedy desire of riches , wherewith hee thought to have amended his estate , he lost that he had , & fell into that in felicity , that he was faine most unnaturally , to lay violent hands upon his owne person . the like almost happened long before to xerxes , the great monarch of the persians : for being allured with the same of the riches of the temple , & overcome with unsatiable covetousnesse , attempted the spoyle of that church , which no man ever durst attempt before . and giving assault to the place , great sto●… ( by the worke of the divel ) fell from the hill upon his army , & such horrible thunder with firie darts so terrified them that tooke in hand to climbe the hill , that they threw themselves downe headl●…ng as though they hadbin mad , xerxes himselfe escaping very dangerously , was driven to depart with the losse of foure thousand of his men . quid non mortalia pectora cogis auri sacra fames ? what hideous mischiefes dost thou not compell ( golds sacred thirst ) in mortals breasts to dwell ? dionysius the tyrant of syracusa , infected with the same humour of covetousnesse , committed sacriledge with lesse danger , and better successe than the others attempted it . this dionysius , comming into a church where hee found the idoll of iupiter , apparelled with a cloke of pure gold , of great weight and value , hee tooke it from the idoll , and put upon him a cloke of cloth , saying ; that of gold was too heavie for summer , and too cold for winter , and that of cloth was fitter for both times . and finding the idol of esculapius , with a long beard of gold , he caused it to be taken away , saying , that it was no reason for him to weare a beard , when his father apollo went ever shaven without a beard . and as he saw other idols made with their armes and hands stretched out , whereupon they held crowns , and basons of gold of exceeding great price , which were given them , by the vowes of mighty princes and potentates , upon the winning of some notable victory , he tooke them to him , and yet said , that hee did receive them , and not take them away : for ( quoth he ) it were a very foolish part , to desire good things of the gods , and when they offer it , not to take them . there was likewise a church in the citie of tholosa , wherein was great store of gold & silver , which whosoever attempted to take away , he was sure to suffer a miserable end ; which happened to cepio and all his armie . and thereof came the proverbe , aurum tholosanum , when any thing is dangerous to bee taken away . leo of africa reporteth , that there is a church in marocke , upon the top of whose tower three apples of massie gold are thrust through with an iron speare by necromancie , of the value of one hundred thirtie thousand duckats : which whosoever goeth about to take away ( as divers great states , through a covetous desire , have attempted it ) hath the like successe as brennius and xerxes had , for attempting the spoile of the temple of apollo : & therfore taken to prefage evill successe to him that goeth about to take them away . but what is it that the greedy desire of riches maketh men forbeare to attempt ? pygmalion king of the tyrians , married his sister dido to sichaus his uncle , a very rich man , who afterward fearing pygmalions unsatiable desire of riches , ( knowing how dangerous it hath beene many times to those that possesse it ) hid his treasure under the ground . but pygmalion inflamed with the fame of his great wealth , not respecting his owne bloud , nor the nearenesse of alliance , nor the comfort of his owne sister , contrarie to all humanitie , caused sichaus to be slaine , hoping thereby to become master of his riches . but dido , though shee tooke her husbands death very grievously , yet seeing her selfe in the like danger , by means of her husbands goods , which were then hers , dissembled the matter , and determined to steale away secretly with her goods ; and told her brother , that her owne house brought the remembrance of her husband ( whom shee would willingly forget ) often into her minde , and therefore shee was determined to dwell with him . pygmalion being well satisfied with his sisters resolution , thinking by that means to bee possessed of her goods also , expected the time of her comming . but dido having prepared shipping and all things ready , conveyed her goods secretly into a ship , and followeth after with her traine . when she was in the middest of the sea , she caused a great many bags which she had filled with sand to be cast into the sea , as though it had been her treasure ; and told her companie that this was it that was the cause of her husbands death : and lest it should bee also her destruction , which was the thing her unnaturall brother sought after , shee had throwne it into the sea , fearing lest they would against her will carry her to him . she discovered to them , that her meaning was not to goe to her brother , but fained this excuse , to escape the danger , which shee knew , through his greedy de●… of her treasure , hanged over her head , but now that her goods were drowned in the sea , it was as perillous for them to returne to him , as it was for her ; and therefore if they would go with her , and take such part as she did , shee would take them for her companions and friends . they fearing to returne to the king , whose name was odious to them , for the cruell murther of his owne uncle , and sisters husband , assented to go with her . her first arrival was at the ●…and of cyprus , where shee tooke into her ship fourescore young women , meaning to marry them to those shee had carried with her , to increase her colonie where shee happened to settle her selfe . the cypriots had a custome to give libertie to their young maidens , to get money by unhonest meanes , to help to marry them . of this sort were the young maidens that dido carried with her . from thence shee sayled towards africa , and arrived upon the coast of libia , where shee bought of the people so much ground as shee could enclose with one oxe hide to build upon : which she caused to be cut into small threeds , where with she enclosed much more ground than they imagined , and built a ci●…ic called carthage , where shee and her people ●…ourished so in wealth and riches , that iarbas king of the moores sent ambassage to her for marriage , with threatning of war , if she denied . dido , perciving the imminent danger of her people and new citie , if shee refused the king ; and remembring the vow she had made , never to marry againe , caused a great pile of wood to bee made under her castle wall , and fire to bee put to it , and after shee had made a protestation to her people , standing upon the wall , that her intent was to keepe her vow inviolate , and to deliver them and her new citie from the danger of king iarbas , shee cast her selfe into the fire . to these extremities riches brought this noble queene , first to forsake her countrey , and after to destroy her selfe . the like happened to venda queene of russia . for the princes her neighbours , being importunate 〈◊〉 to her for marriage , to increase their possessions , and jealous one of anothers advancement ; after she perceived that no intreatie would mitigate their ambitious passions , rather than shee would bee forced against her will to have any of them , she drowned her selfe . helenc queene of the same countrie of russia , for the like cause used the like crueltie upon others , that the other used to her selfe . for being desired of her enemies that there might bee a truce , to the end a talke of marriage might bee had betweene their king and her . shee caused the ambassadours to bee buried alive ; and before the matter should bee knowne , shee used meanes to have other ambassadours sent of greater estate . then came fiftie other ambassadours , of the principall men in all the realme , which she likwise caused to bee buried alive . and under promise of marriage , she caused five thousand to be slaine , which she had made drunke . when the emperour trajan made warre upon decebal king of dacia , that was very rich in gold and silver ; this king being doubtfull to what destinie hee and his kingdome was subject , buried all his treasure in a river , which he removed out of his naturall channell , and in the deepest place thereof he made sepulchres of stone , to burie his treasure : which being done , hee returned the river into his right channell againe : and to the end no man should discover what hee had done , hee caused all them which were present at the hiding thereof to be murdered . but all served not his turne : for a fisher being at that time fishing in the river , discovered the matter to trajan . these be the fruits that great riches and possessions bring forth , not only to the possessours , and those that seeke after them , but to those also that intermeddle with them . the emperour henrie the seventh , a prince endued with excellent vertues , was poysoned with an host , which was given him by an italian monke , corrupted with money . there was a citizen of venice banished , and a reward appointed by the venetians , to him that should bring his head . his sonne that was also banished , slew his father , and brought his head to venice , and received the reward . iohn magnus reporteth , vislar king of gothland to be so insatiably desirous of riches , that all the gold and silver in his realme ( hee said ) was his : and when hee had by all unlawfull and unhonest meanes gathered together great abundance of riches , being odious , and in contempt with all men , his sonnes as wicked and covetous as hee , seazed upon all his treasure , and set fire on his house , and burnt their father and all his family . one sayth ; vpon whom god pleaseth not throughly to bestow good things , hee giveth plenty of money and scarcitic of wisedome : and so one being taken away , hee bereaveth him of both . at the sicge of ierusalem under vespasian , there was gold found in the entrals of a iew that was flaine : which being knowne to the rest of vespasians souldiers , they supposing that the other iewes had also hidden gold in their bellies , slew in a moment above twentie thousand of them which they had taken prisoners ; and against all humanitie , and the law of nations , opened their bellies to seeke for gold . chap. ii. the desperate attempt of captaine damianus , against solyman the grand-seigniour : of caesar borgias , sonne to pope alexander the sixth , first cardinall , and after duke : of croesus and candaules , two kings of lydia , and rich crassus the romane : of strange fride , and insufferable avarice in the clergy : of pope sixtus the fourth , and an archbishop of collen : the rare temperance of origen , with an excellent oration made by him to alexander severus , &c. there was a notable enterprise intended to bee attempted , through the desire of riches chiefly , and glory , by the mountain-men upon solyman the great turke , in our age , if the successe had not beene interrupted by sinister fortune . solyman the emperour of the turkes , intending to make warre upon the venetians , brought a great armie to the adriaticall sea coast , where he encamped himselfe . there were a kinde of rude people , inhabiting the craggie mountaines adjoyning to his camp , that lived upon theft and spoile , without knowledge of god , or lawes of men . these fellowes living in great penurie & want amoung those barren rockes and mountaines , allured with the greatnesse of the spoile & glory , determined to kill the great turk in his pavillion , & to take the spoile of all his treasure . and though the attempt were ful of perill , yet the hope of such a masse of treasure , beingso neare them , and the fame and glory of so notable an enterprise , to kill the mightiest monarch of the world in his pavillion , in the midst of his campe , made them lay aside all feare of a certaine and almost an inevitable death . vsque adeo solus ferrum , mortemque t●…ere auri nes●…it amor . onely the thirst of gold makes us not feele , or feare deaths terror , nor the rage of steele . and resolving in the dead of the night to steale secretly upon the watch , da●…anus their captaine and chiefe authour of the enterprise , stole forth secretly to view the situation of the campe , and the maner of the watch . and as he climbed up to a tree , to looke into the campe , a bough chanced to breake , the noyse whereof discovered him and his intent to the ianizaries , that were the watch of that quarter . so being espyed , and taken by them , and put to torment , he confessed the pretended enterprise , and by commandement of the emperour , he was like a wild beast torne in pecces : and the rest so earnestly pursued , that they were almost all destroyed . pope alexander the sixth , had a sonne called casar borgias , made by his father first cardinall , and afterward weary of that estate , as not agreeable with his ambitious head , was deprived thereof and made duke , and commonly called duke valentine , machiavels paragon . this pope and his sonne ( as it was a common practice with them to procure the death of many for their riches ) so they conspired together to take away the life of divers of the senators and nobilitie of rome , some for malice , but chiefly that they might be masters of their goods . they thought there was no better meanes to bring their purpose to passe , than to invite them in friendly manner to a supper . the place was appointed ( as the maner is in italy ) under a vine , to avoyd the bear . duke valentine had poysoned two pots of wine , which he prepared for his guests , & delivered them to his servant ( that knew nothing of the matter ) to be carried to the vine for supper , with straight charge that he should give of that wine to no man untill his comming . the pope commeth to the place before his guests , and being thirsty with the heat , hee calleth for wine . the dukes servant supposing by the straight charge his master had given him , that the wine he brought was especiall good wine , and preserved for the popes own mouth , powred out of that wine , and brought it to the pope ; who had no sooner drunke , but in commeth his southe duke , to whom he gave the cup to drinke . he thinking nothing lesse , than that it was the poysoned wine , by meane of his commandement to his servant , pledged his father . the pope presently was carried away halfe dead , and languishing a little while in great torment dyed . sic percent & qui ●…ri t●… a pergent : so may they perish , and all such as endevour the like . the sonne by reason of his youth , and strength , after certaine moneths grievous sicknesse , escaped . the guests percei●…ing this treachery , absented themselves from the feast . this was no doubt the just judgement of god. dum pestem parant alijs , labunt●… in illam : whilest they digge pits for others , they fal into them themselves . the epitaph that was set upon sen●…cheribs tombe , who was killed by his owne sonnes , might aptly have served this pope ; in me qui 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 pius effe : he that looketh upon me , let him lea●…e to live in the feare of god : the ●…ther & the sonne , besides their other good conditions , were so deepe dissemblers , that there went a common proverbe of them , one never spake what hee did ; the other never did what he spake . croesus king of the lydians was an exceeding rich prince , & presuming upon his riches , prepared to make war upon cyrus king of the persians . but to be more assured of the event , hee sent to delphos to aske counsell ( as the manner then was ) what the successe would be of that war : answer was made him by the oracle of apollo , that when croesus should passe over the river of halie ( which was the ●…termost confines of his realm ) he shold destroy a great kingdom . croesus supposing the meaning of the oracle had bin , that he should destroy cyrus kingdome , proceeded in his enterprise with a more assured hope ; & encountering with cyrus , he was overthrowne with his whole army . and as a souldier was about to kil him , his son that was born dumbe , & never spake word before ( the vehement love & affection of his father prevailing more than the natural defect and impediment of his tongue cryed out to the souldier , hold thy hands , it is king croesus my father ; by meanes whereof he saved his life , & tooke him prisoner . and when by cyrus commandement , he was brought to the stake to be burnt , he cryed out with a loude and lamentable voyce , o solon , solon : which when cyrus heard , marvelling at that 〈◊〉 cry , asked what he meant in such wofull sort , to redouble his voyce . i lived ( quoth croesus ) not long sithence in great prosperitie , & was accounted the richest king of the world : and as solon one of the sages of greece my familiar friend , came to visit mee , i brought him into my treasury , and shewing him all my riches ; i asked him , whether hee thought that any adverse fortune could have any power upon mee , that was so armed and fortified with treasure , against all accidents that might happen . but solon sharpely reprehending mee , for my vaine speech , answered , that no man could bee accounted happy , untill after his death : whose counsell now , seeing my selfe falne into this miserable estate , commeth to my remembrance , and maketh mee call upon his name . cyrus moved with compassion , and by his example considering with himselfe the uncertaintie of humane matters , and that fortune never gave any man that power over others , but shee threatned him with the like , caused him to be taken from the fire , and asked croesus as he kneeled before him , by whose perswasion he began this warre . o cyrus ( quoth hee ) thy prosperous fortune , and my evill destiny brought mee to it ; chiefly encouraged to make this warre upon thee , by the grecians god : for who is so madde that without such a principall author dare preferre warre before peace ? seeing that in peace the children use to bury their parents , but in warre the parents bury their children . cyrus marvelling at his constancie and wisedome , pardoned his life , and used him ever after with great honour , for his counsellor . croesus sent messengers with the chaines , with which he was bound , to delphos , to be dedicated to the god apollo , & to expostulate with him , for deceiving him ; and to aske if these were their rewards , which had the gods in so great reverence . answer was made by the oracle , that whatsoever was fatall , was inevitable to the gods themselves : that croesus was thus punished for the offence of his grandfather gyges , that slew candaules , king of the lydians : and as touching the oracle , that it was not to bee reproved for a lye , having expressed his meaning in plaine termes , that if croesus by the greedie desire to enlarge his dominion , would make warre upon the persians , he should destroy a great kingdom , which was the kingdom of lydia , and it so came to passe . kings and cities through riches have lost great dominion , which they that have been poore , have wonne by vertue . the lamentation made by the tragicall poet , under the person of hecuba , upon the ruine of troy , setteth forth , not unaptly , the uncertaintie of high estate , and the miserie of them who are puffed up in pride through abundance of riches , wherein they put their felicitie : quicunque regno fidit , & magna potens dominatur aula , animumque rebus credulu●… let is dedit , me ●…deat , & te troia : non unquam tulit documenta fo rs majora , quàm fragili loco starent superbs — he that his confidence puts in a crowne , or in his palace potently doth frowne ; and takes in prosperous fortunes , all his joy : let him but looke on thee , and mee ( oh troy ) chance , by no greater influence could declare , in what a fickle state all proud things are . this gyges that the god ( as they called him ) spake of , was subject to candaules king of lydia , who having a wife of a wonderful beautie and favour , thought himselfe to want something of the fulnesse of the pleasure hee tooke in her , except some other might also bee an eye-witnesse , and see the beautie and comelinesse of her person . gyges being one that he greatly favoured , hee discovered his intent to him , & made him stand secretly behind a cloth in his bed chamber when the queene came to bed , that he might see her naked ; when she had stripped her selfe out of her clothes , ready to go to bed , having discovered those parts ( mistrusting nothing ) which modestie and shame would have kept secret , gyges sheweth himselfe to her : whom when she had espied , and perceived the treachery , she was in a great agony , and conceived a deadly displeasure against the king her husband . and within few dayes after , she called gyges secretly to her , and intimating to him the grief●… 〈◊〉 had taken by this shamefull practice of the king , shee told him , that either he must kill the king , or suffer death himselfe . if gyges would kill her husband , she would marrie him , and make him king of lydia . gyges whether for feare of his owne life , or through an ambitious desire to raigne , by the helpe of the divell , made a ring , of that vertue , that whensoever he put the seale to the palme of his hand , hee should be invisible . and aspiring to the kingdome of lydia , by meanes of the ring hee killed the king candaules , and all those whom he thought might bee any hinderance or obstacle to his purpose ( they falling downe dead , but no man seeing who flew them ) and marryed the queene , and became king. crassus an exceeding rich romane , after the manner of rich men , not content with that unmeasurable riches hee possessed , but desirous of more , procured himselfe to bee made generall of the romanes army , in the warres against the parthians , being then three score yeares old , where he was overthrowne and slaine , with his sonne , and almost all the army of the romanes . and to give him the greater disgrace , the parthians caused his mouth to bee filled full of gold , with these words ; thou hast thirsted after gold , now take thy fill . this crassus was used to say , that no man was to bee accounted rich , except hee could maintaine an army of men , with his owne goods . but the pride and presumptuousnesse engend●…ed by riches in the heathens , is not so much to bee marvelled at , if wee consider the prncipall prolates of the christians , from whom examples of humilitie , and contempt of worldly wealth should proceed , who have bin carried away from their profession , by the infection of that disease . saint bernard inveighing , not without cause , against the vaine and superfluous pompe of the prelates in his time , which grew by the abuse of their abundance of riches , who were not so much corrupted , as they have beene since , painted them out in their right colours , and complaineth thus : there is ( quoth he ) an infamous and defiled sort of men , that raigne in the whole body of the church , the ministers of iesus christ serve antichrist . they jet up and downe in great honour and pompe , with the lords goods , but they give no honour to the lord. and that is the whores attire , which ye see every day carried about . their saddles , bridles , and spurres be guilt , the furniture of their feet is set out with more pride and pompe , than the temple of god. their spurs be better guilt , than their altars . hereof it commeth , that their tables be so sumptuous , and furnished with delicate meates ; their rich cupboords of plate ; from thence commeth their gluttony , and drunkennesse , and harmony of their pleasant instruments , their sweet wine ; the mony also which they have in their purses commeth from thence . and that they may have the fruition of these pleasures at the full , they make themselves prelates of churches . this is not ( sayth he ) to adorne the spouse of iesus christ , but this is to risle her ; this is not to preserve her , but to destroy her ; this is not to defend her , but to give her to theeves for a prey . the magnificence of these men , was farre differing from the poore estate of saint peter , and saint iohn , that had not a penny to give to the lame man , that asked their almes at the church dore . which putt●…th me in minde , of a pretty taunt , given to a pope by a frier , that glorying in his riches , exalted himselfe above saint peter . pope sixtus the fourth , being exalted from a poore franciscane frier to that dignitie , brought a frier of the same order into his treasurie , and shewing to him his great wealth and riches , sayd ; looke frier , i cannot say as saint peter did , gold and silver have i none . no truely ( quoth the frier ) no more can you say as saint peter sayd to the lame , and sicke of the palsey , arise up and walke . the like taunt the archbishop of cullen received for the like pride , of a poore husbandmā , who as he was at plough in the fields seeing a great troupe of horse-men well armed ( after the manner of the princes of germany ) passing by , asked of the formost company , who it was that came after ; & being answered , that it was the archbishop of cullen , this countrie fellow fell into a great laughing ; and being asked why hee laughed ; because ( quoth he ) saint peter , the prince of prelates , lived poorely , to leave his successours rich . word being brought to the archbishop , what this fellow had sayd , hee meaning to excuse & justifie himselfe ; doest thou not know ( quoth he ) that i am both a bishop , and a duke , and have both the jurisdictions ? thē the fellow laughed more than he did before ; and being demanded the cause ; i pray you sir ( quoth hee ) let mee aske you this question ; if the duke shall happen to be in hell , where shall the bishop be ? one reporteth of a priest that used to have a net spread upon his table where he dined , that he might the rather by that meanes resemble saint peter , that was a fisherman , to whom christ sayd , when hee followed him , that he should take men . this priest by his diligent preaching ( which hee used so long as he was kept bare ) was at last advanced to a bishopricke : and when he came home to dinner , being a bishop , finding the net spread upon his table , after his usuall manner : now take away the net ( quoth hee to his servant ) i have taken that which i fished for . the world hath too many such fishers . but where hath beene found in these latter ages among prelates , that contempt of worldly pompe and pride , that was in that great clerke origen , the fame of whose excellent learning and singlenesse of life , being brought to the ●…ares of alexander severus , the roman emperour , he sent for him to come to rome ; and commanded the proyost of egypt , to furnish him with all things necessary for his journey . when this provost had provided him a ship , and all things necessary , and beheld him but simply apparelled , he prepared for him divers garments , in the most honest and comely sort , that philosophers then used : but origen would receive no part thereof , not so much as hose or shooes , but like as hee used alwayes to goe from his child-hood ( that was , in a single garment of cloath , and bare-foot ) so went he to rome . and when , at his arrivall , there were brought to him a mule , and a chariot to use , which hee best liked ; he answered , that he was much lesse than his master christ , who rode but one day in all his life , and that was upon a silly asse●…mare . and therefore he would not ride unlesse he were sicke or decrepit , so as his legges might not serve him to goe . and when hee was brought into the presence of the emperour and his mother , the emperour with most gentle countenance embraced him as he kneeled , and enforced him to stand upon his feet . his mother also saluted him with the like courtesie , and rejoyced much to see him . the emperour beholding his native gravitie , and sterne countenance , judged him in his heart to bee a reverent personage . then demanded he of him , what he professed . and when hee answered , veritie , the emperour asked him , what he meant thereby ? it is the word ( quoth he ) of the living god , which is infallible . the emperour asked ; which is the living god ? and why hee so called him . origen answered , that hee did put that distinction , for a difference from them , whom men ( being long drowned in errour ) did call their gods ; whom they confesse to be mortall once , and to have died . but the god whom he preached , was ever living , and never died : and is the life of all things that bee , like as hee was the creatour of them . and when the emperour had required him , to declare the unitie of god the creatour , hee devoutly lifting up his eyes , after a short meditation , with an incomparable and compendious eloquence , forthwith opened that mystery , in such wise , that as well to the emperor & his mother , as to all the standers by , it seemed they were brought out of a long sleepe , and then began to see things , as they were indeed , and that which before they honoured , and esteemed , were but vaine dreames and imaginations . the emperour after a little pawse , sayd to origen , that hee much marvelled , why men of such great and wonderfull knowledge , should honour for god a man that was crucified , being but of a poore estate and condition . o noble emperour ( sayd origen ) consider , what honour the wise athenians at this present , doe to the name and image of codrus , their last king , for that when they had warres with their enemies , who had answer made by the oracle of apollo , that if they slew not the king of athens , they should have the victorie : codrus hearing thereof , preferring the safeguard of his people , before his owne life , tooke to him the garments of a slave , and bearing upon his shoulder a burden of stickes , he went to his enemies campe , and there quarelling of purpose with some of them , and in the prease hurting one with his knife , he was by him that was hurt striken through the body and slain ; which being known to the enemies , they being confused , raised their campe , and departed . and for this cause the athenians have ever since had the name of codrus in reverence worthily , and not without cause . now then consider , most excellent prince , how much more worthily , with what greater reason and bounden dutie , ought wee and all men to honour christ , being the sonne of god , and god , who not only to preserve mankind from danger of the divell , his ancient enemy , but also to deliver man out of his darke and stinking dungeon of error , being sent by god the father , from the highest heavens , willingly tooke on him the servile garment of a mortall body . and hiding his majesty , lived under the visage of povertie : and finally not of his enemies immediately , but much more against reason , of his owne chosen people the iewes , unto whom he had extended benefits innumerable , and after his temporall nativity were his naturall people and subjects , hee quarrelling with them , by declaring to them their abuses , and pricking them with condigne rebukes , at last hee was not slaine with so easie a death , as codrus was , but in most cruell fashion , was scourged untill no place in his body was without wounds , and then had long and sharpe thornes set and pressed upon his head , and after long torments and despites , hee was constrained to beare a heavie crosse , whereon afterward both his hands and feete were nailed , with long and great nailes of iron ; and the crosse , with his na●…ed and bloudy body being lift up on high , was let fal with violence into a 〈◊〉 , that his joynes were dissolved . and notwithstanding all this torment and ingratitude , hee never grudged , but lifting up his eyes to heaven , hee prayed with a low de voyce , saying , father forgive them , for they know not what they doe . this was the charitie most incomparable of the sonne of god , employed for the redemption of mankind , who by the transgression of adam , the first man that ever was created , was taken prisoner by the divell , that is to say , kept in the bondage of error and finne , from actuall vision of gods majesty , untill he were in this wise redeemed , according as it was ordained at the beginning . at these words of origen , they that were present , were wonderfully astonied , and therewith the emperour , with a sturdy countenance , sayd to origen : you have wonderfully set forth a lamentable history , but yet notwithstanding therein bee things darke and ambiguous , which require a more plaine declaration : for what maketh you bold to affirme , that iesus which in this wise was crucified , was the sonne of god , and god , as you have called him ? sir ( sayd origen ) sufficient testimony , which of all creatures reasonable ought to bee beleeved , and for most certaine proofe , to be allowed . what testimony is that ? ( sayd the emperour . ) truely sayd origen ) it is in divers things . first the promise of god , by whom this world was made : also by his holy scripture , speaking by the mouthes of his prophets , as well hebrewes , as greekes , and other , whom ye call vates , and sybillas . thirdly , by the nativity of iesus of a pure virgin , without carnall company of a man : the most pure & clean forme of his living without sinne : his doctrine divine and celestiall : his miracles most wonderfull and innumerable : all grounded on charitie onely , without ostentation : his undoubtfull & perfect resurrection the third day after he was put to death : his glorious ascension up into heaven , in the presence and sight of five hundred persons , which were vertuous and of credence : also the gift of the holy ghost , in speaking all manner of languages , and interpreting the scripture , not only by himselfe , but also afterwards by his apostles and disciples , and given to other , by imposition of their hands . and all these ordinarily followed according to the said promises and prophecies . i omit to speake of the confession of divels , which by iesus , and his apostles in his apostles were cast out of people which were 〈◊〉 . the oracles and answeres of them , whom ye untruely call gods , doe remaine in confirming this testimony . and when origen had sayd all this , he forthwith began there and disclosed the answers of apollo , made at delphos , affirming iesus to be god. and alterward hee recited and declared the prophecies , as well of the hebrewes , as of the sybilles , and other . last , the promise of god to the patriarkes , by the which it manifestly appeared , that iesus was christ , and god ; and that by his temporall nativitie , he was king of israel ; and that the iewes were his naturall subjects . which declaration of origen , was so evident and plaine , and set forth with such wonderfull eloquence , devotion , & learning , that it perswaded the emperour , and divers other that were present , to embrace the profession of christs faith and doctrine . and for that time , the emperour licenced origen to returne to alexandria . and when this emperour on a time perceived some to wonder at the learning of origen , whereby they were induced to embrace the christian profession : truely ( quoth he ) the humilitie and charitie of the christian people , which i have heard of , and doe dayly behold , doth much more stirre me to beleeve , that christ is god , than the residue of his perswasion . and another time when two christians contended proudly together , and accused each other for speaking reprochfull words against the emperour , hee called them before him , and prohibited them to name themselves christians , saying , your pride & malice do declare , that ye be not the followers of him whom ye professe : wherefore though ye sinde lacke in mee , which i will gladly amend , yet will i not let you , against justice , reprove him by your acts , whose life and doctrine you all doe affirme to be uncorrupted and without any lacke . thus was this noble emperor & his mother , with divers others by the learned speech of this man ( agreeing with the simplicitie and singlenesse of his life , voyde of all pride and pompe , and the humility and charity used in those dayes among christians ) induced to embrace christian profession . but the pompe and pride , that riches hath sithence that time engendred in the corrupt minds and manners of men , hath rather diverted than converted men to christianitie . for when reverence and majestie failed , that was bred in mens hearts , by the holinesse of their life that went before , it was not to be hoped for , that such concratictie of maners & examples of them that followed , should bring forth the same effects . the christians of those dayes seemed to preferre vertue before riches , with solon , that said : at nos virtutem non per●…t abi●…s borum pulchr●…que virtut is munera divit●…s . virtut is quonia●… somper posse●…io per●…at : ince●…ta varia sorte fer●…ur ●…pes . their vertue and rare gifts by them displayed wee will not change , for riches that may fade . vertues possession ever shall remaine , when most uncertaine is the hope of gaine . chap. iii. the contempt of riches amongst the heathen : of democritus , diogenes , and byas : of agathocles king of sicilia , philip king of macedon , semiramis queene of babylon : of a coverous cardinall called angelot : a priest buried quicke by iohn maria duke of millaine : of an advocate of venice : calipha king of persia : the emperours mauritius and phocas . of phocion of athens , &c. the resolute answer of diomedes the pyrate to king alexander , &c. examples of contempt of worldly pompe & riches are not so rare to be found among the heathens , as among the christians , democritus a senator of abderita , entring into the due consideration of the vanitie of worldly goods & cares , determined to alter the course of his former life , and give himselfe to contemplation . hee used often to goe alone up to the top of a hill that joyned to the citie of abderita , where hee would kill dogs and calves , & rip them up , & make anatomie of them , & ever as hee saw how aptly nature had compact the intrailes & members together , to serve the necessary uses of the creature , he would fall into a great laughing . hee used this so often , that the senatours marvelling what he meant to goe so much up this hill , sent one secretly after him to watch what he did . this fellow beholding covertly his manner , how he cut up dogs and calves , and laughed at he knew not what , brought word to the senatours what hee had seene . they supposing him to be mad , or become foolish , were very sorry , and lamented his case to one of the sages or philosophers of greece , that was newly come to towne . they told him what a great losse they had of so grave and wise a senatour , that was now become a foole , and desired him to examine the cause of his sudden alteration , and to perswade him , if he could , to leave off those foolish manners , & to reduce him againe to his former gravitie and course of life . this man watched when hee went up the hil , and followed secretly after . and when hee had beheld him a while quartering his dogs , and laughing after his usuall manner ; he came to him , & reprehending him for his laughing , admonished him to recall himselfe to his former gravitie . democritus after he had ended his perswasions , leadeth him to the side of the hill , where they might looke into the citie , and countrey round about . now ( quoth he ) imagine that you see all things that are done within the citie : look ( saith he ) what familiaritie is between that young man , and the young woman you see , which is yonder old mans wife : there is a bargaine making to set a paire of hornes on the old mans head . and doe you see yonder two fellowes how they watch for the plaine man 〈◊〉 travelleth about his businesse , to kill him , and to take his purse ? and look on the other side , how that young man that married yonder old woman for her goods , provideth a drink to dispatch her , that he may marry a young woman . at the end of everie of these questions democritus , after his usuall manner , would fall into a great laughing . when he had ministred divers of these kinde of questions , whereby he noted the ordinarie vices , and lewd behaviour of many , which were too common in cities and other places , where is much concourse of people , as though they had beheld them in action ; is there any man ( quoth hee ) that seeth these things , that can forbeare to laugh ? after this man that was sent by the senatours had some farther discourse with democritus , hee returned to them : who , hoping that hee had perswaded him to bee of another minde , made haste to meet him , and were desirous to know what had passed between them : you are deceived ( quoth he ) in democritus , that think him to be mad or foolish , for he is only wise , and all you be fooles . he withdraweth not himselfe from the companie of you and others , because hee is out of his right mind ; but hee looketh into the vanities of the world with a sound and upright judgment ; and hath in contempt this worldly wealth , & honours , & pompe , esteeming those things as the frumps of fortune , which ye exalt above the skies , and take for felicitie : and giveth himselfe to the studie of philosophie , and contemplation of the works of god , wherein consisteth the true felicitie . diogenes after his accustomed scoffing manner , which hee used to reprehend vice , and to draw men from over-much care and estimation of worldly matters ( for there is no cause to let men from speaking the truth , though in jest ) on a time , as hee sate in his tub upon the side of the hill that looketh into the citie of syracusa , which was situate at the foot of the hill , beholding every man occupied in ramming up their gates , and preparing things necessarie for defence of their citie against their enemies that were comming to besiege it , hee rolled his tub from the top of the hill to the bottome , and from thence up to the top againe , and then overthwart the hill , from one side to another ; and being asked what he meant to labour so hard : look ( quoth he ) what a stir yonder is , pointing downe to the towne , it is no reason that i be idle , when my citizens are so occupied . by which scoffe hee would give men to understand , what advantage they had that con●…ed themselves with a meane estate , that is voyd of all feare and danger , and free from the uncertaine accidents of wavering fortune , over them that live in abundance of worldly wealth & honours , alwaies subject to a world of misadventures , not only of the losse of that they possesse , & esteem for their felicity , but of their lives also , & of them that be most deare to them . of whom riches is greatly esteemed , he is neither beloved of vertue , nor of god : neither can that man attaine to divine things , that hath not rejected the delights of money , and of the body . byas one of the sages of greece , when the towne was wonne by their enemies , and leave given to every man to carry his goods away with him , byas being met carrying nothing ( whereas all others were throughly laden ) and asked , why he carried not his goods , as all other men did theirs ? i carry ( quoth he ) all my goods with me : accounting nothing appertaining to him , but the goods and gifts of his minde : as the poet saith ; divitias animi solas egojudico ver●… , qui rebus pluris se facit ipse suis : those the true riches of the minde i count , when men thinke , they their riches far surmount . the mention of this byas bringeth to my remembrance a notable example of modestie , and contempt of riches , shewed by the seven sages , or wise men of greece , whereof byas was one . as certain fishers were drawing their nets to land , one bought their draught at adventure , not yet knowne what was within them . it chanced them to draw up enclosed within their nets , a table of gold , of great weight and value . the fishers , desirous to reserve to themselves the golden table , said ; that they sold only the fish : the other affirmed , he bought the fortune . the contention grew so vehement , that the matter was brought before the people of the citie , to give their censure . they considering the strangenesse of the matter , and the great value of the thing , referred the judgement to their god apollo at delphos . and when answer was made by the oracle , that he that excelled all others in wisdome , should have the table : they gave it with a general consent to thales , one of the sages : he sent it to byas : byas sent it to pittacus : he to another : and so passing through the hands of all the seven sages , it came at last to solon ; who sent it to apollo , as the wisest of all other , and most worthy of so great a gift . but in what countrey would the like modestie , and contempt of gold bee found in these later daies ? in vtopia only , and in no other common-wealth of the world . who is he that thinketh so simply of himselfe , that being once possessed of such a thing , would yeeld over his interest to any other , as the worthier man ? a cleane contrary course would be taken ; the one to keep the possession , the other to recover it from him would never leave contention in law , untill their advocates by a certaine sympathie , and attractive vertue , as the load stone draweth iron , have drawn to themselves the gold , leaving peradventure to the other a table of lighter substance . a matter grown too common in many countries ; which made ferdinando king of spaine , when he first made conquest of the west indies , expresly to forbid , that no lawyers should passe into those countries , lest they should sow seed ofcontention among those simple people , whereof they were then free , which hee perceived , by their meanes was overmuch used in his own , and other countries . agatbocles king of sicilia used great modestie in the middest of his riches and prosperous estate ; which contrariwise puffeth up the most part of men with pride , and maketh them to forget themselves . this man being a poore potters sonne , by his vertue was advanced to the kingdome of sicilia ; but nothing ashamed of his base parentage ( after the common custome of men in such cases ) hee would bee served ordinarily at his table with earthen vessels , intermingled with his cups of gold , using these words to those that came to visit him , thereby to excite them to vertue : behold what it is to persever in travell and paines-taking , to become men of vertue and courage : heretofore wee made these pots of earth , and now we make these of gold . philip that good king of macedon reprehended very aptly covetousnesse , and greedy desire of worldly wealth and possessions ; for , falling by chance flat to the ground , in a place where men used to wrestle , and beholding the fashion of his body printed in the dust , good lord ( quoth he ) how little ground must we have by nature ! and yet we desire all the habitable world . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is queene of the assyrians , made an apt device to reprehend 〈◊〉 : shee had made a sepulchre for her selfe over the gates of the goodly citie of babylon , whereon shee had caused to bee engraven these words : if any king of babylon that shall succeed mee , shall want money , let him open this monument , and take what ●…ee li●… : but if hee have no neede , let him not open it , for it will not be best for him . d●…rius , after the succession of many kings ( none of which durst touch the tombe ) being allured with the hope of great riches , opened it , and found no money , but these words written in a table ; if thou wert not a very covetous man , and vnsatiably desirous of riches , thou wouldest never have opened the sepulchre of the dead . pontanus and others report of a cardinall at rome , called angelot , that was prettily punished for his covetousnesse . this cardinall was so much overcome with this vice , that having a trap-doore out of his garnour where his corne lay , into his stable , hee used to come downe that way secretly in the night , without a candle , and to steale away the oates which were appointed for his horses . hee used this so long , that one of his horse-keepers marvelling how the oa●…es should be stolne , the stable-doore being fast locked , hid himselfe secretly under the straw , and watched if any man would come for the oates . the cardinall according to his custome , came in the darke for his oates : whom when the horse-keeper espied ( not knowing who it was ) ranne to him with a staffe , and did so beate his master the cardinall , that hee was faine to bee carryed away with foure men , halfe dead ; sufficient penance for such a fault . but iohn maria duke of millane punished with more severitie a priest , that through covetousnesse denied a poore widow the execution of his office , in burying her husband , because she had not wherewith to defray the charges of the buriall . for , the duke going in person to the funerall of the dead bodie , caused the priest , that would have sold , and made merchandise of the gifts of god , to bee fast bound to the corps , and so cast them both into the pit together . but the covetous man was never more hardly matched , nor cunninglier over-taken , than by the envious man in the poeticall figment , which aptly setteth forth the conditions of envions and covetous men ; both which vices are enemies to felicitie . the poets fained , that iupiter being disposed to understand the estate of the world , sent downe one of his angels in the forme of a man ; whom hee appointed to fall into the company of two travellers , whereof the one was a covetous man , the other an envious man. after they had travelled certaine daies journeyes together , in which time the angel had learned many things of them , and was throughly satisfied of the things he desired to know , hee discovered himselfe whose messenger he was , and having power from iupiter to bestow his liberalitie upon them , he offered to recompence them presently for their good companie : hee willed them to aske what they would , and he that made the first demand should be fully satisfied of that he asked , and the other should have double so much . this liberall offer bred much contention betweene the travellers . the covetous man , whose desire of gaine is alwaies unsatiable , observing the promises of the angel to bee double so much to the second , as the first ●…ould have , would not make the first demand . the envious man , whose propertie is to wish no good to any other , used silence ; determining rather to lose the benefit of the first demand , than his fellow should have double so much . after much courtesie betweene them , who should first aske , the envious man perceiving that a demand must of necessitie bee made , to the end by suffring a simple harme in himselfe , hee might bring double so much to his companion , hee desired of the angel , that one of his eyes might bee put out ; which being done , his companion was made blinde of both his eyes . chilon saith , that losse is to bee preferred before unhonest gaine . amasis king of egypt made a law , that the prae●…or should examine every mans manner of living ; and if hee found any that lived by unhonest gaine , hee was punished as a wicked man. and in the time of alexander severus , there were many persons that lived by usurie , which brought many to extreme povertie and lacke . the emperour commanded great diligence to be used , to search out those contracts , and a memoriall of the most notable griefes to bee given him . which when he had considered , hee punished the usurers , and gave libertie to the poore men that were oppressed . a covetous man , saith seneca , doth nothing well , but when hee dyeth ; for then that money which he had long hoorded up , without imploying it to any use , is dispersed abroad into many mens hands , and serveth for necessary uses . detestabilius nil terracreavit avara : et nimio lucripejus amore nihil : than is the avaricious man th' earth never bred thing worse : and , than the servile love of gaine , there is no greater curse . gold and silver , of it selfe , is neither good nor evill ; but the use , or abuse , maketh it good or bad . money was not ordained to bee hoorded up in coffers , as covetous men use , but to bee imployed , to serve our necessitie . to this purpose i remember a storie of an advocate of venice ( which wee call a counsellour at law ) that had gotten much money by his facultie , and was sent by the state of venice to rome , to bee there agent with the pope . before hee tooke his journey , hee came to take his leave of his father , who dwele in the countrie , not far from venice , and was but a man of meane estate , and brought his money with him , which hee locked up in a coffer , and delivered the key thereof to his father , to bee kept untill his returne . after hee was gone towards rome , the father , desirous to see what the sonne had locked up so fast in his coffer , openeth it , and findeth a great many bagges full of money : he taketh out the money , and filleth the bags full of sand , and locketh fast the coffer againe . in his sonnes absence hee buildeth his house with his sonnes money , which before was old and ruinous , and stuffeth it handsomely , and apparelleth himselfe , his wife , and children in decent sort , which before were somewhat bare ; and augmented his fare with better provision , so as all things with him was greatly amended . after some two or three yeares , when the advocate was returned to venice , and from thence to visit his father , he marvelled to see such an alteration . hee began to consider with himselfe , how his fathers estate could bee thus suddenly amended ; and desirous to see whether his money were safe , hee receiveth the key of his father , and openeth his coffer , and finding the bagges full , mistrusted nothing , but thought all had been well as hee left it . after a few daies , having occasion to use money , hee opened his bagges one after another , and finding sand in place of his money , being greatly perplexed , hee ranne downe to his father , and told him that hee was robbed : his father seemed to marvell ; how can that bee sonne ( said hee ) seeing i kept the key of your coffer during your absence ? it is not possible that you can bee robbed . the advocate affirming it earnestly ; come ( said his father ) let us goe see , i cannot beleeve it . when the coffer was opened , looke ( quoth the father ) bee not your bags as full as you left them ? i knew you could not be robbed . yea father ( said the advocate ) the bags be full , but it is sand , the money is gone . it is all one to thee my son , ( quoth he ) so the bags be full . thou wouldest but let it lye here fast locked in the coffer ; i have taken forth the money , and imployed it to those uses for which money was ordained . thou seest how i have built my house , and apparelled my selfe , thy mother , and thy brethren and sisters . thus aptly he taught his sonne , by an extraordinarie kind of demonstration , how money should be used . dionysius used the like means , but with lesse severity , to make known that money was to be imployed , and not to bee hoorded . for , hearing of a rich man that lived miserably , and hid his money under the ground , hee commanded him upon paine of death to bring his money to him . the man not with standing kept some part of it backe , and brought him the rest , and went into another towne to dwell , where hee imployed that money that was left in buying of land , and houses , and such things as hee lacked ; and lived better with that part , than hee did before with the whole . which when dionysius heard , hee sent for the man , and told him , that seeing now hee knew the use of money , hee would restore his money to him againe ; and delivered all he tooke from him . calipha king of persia was with more severitie , and greater damage ( by a rare example ) punished for covetousnesse , & ( too late instructed , not as di●…genes would , by anothers harme , but by his owne losse and overthrow ) was a document and warning to others , how to use money . allan king of the tar●…tians making war upon him , overthrew him , and tooke him poisoner in his owne citie . his souldiers fighting very faintly in his defence , because hee had layd up all his treasure in a tower , and would not pay them their wages : hee was by allan imprisoned in the same tower , with these words ; if thou haddest not kept this treasure so covetously , but distributed it among thy souldiers , thou mightest have preserved thy selfe and thy citie . now therefore take thy pleasure , and eate and drinke thereof , seeing thou hast loved it so well . and so suffered him to dye for hunger , in the middest of all his riches . o that covetous men were as covetous of their own good fame and honour , as they are greedy of other mens goods ! the wise man saith , there is nothing more wicked than a covetous man : and nothing worie than to love money . and therefore hee forbiddeth men to take great labour and care to get riches . it is truly said , that men ought not to be more careful to gather riches for their children , than to get renowne among the vertuous ; seeing it is a rule that never fayleth , that of the wicked gaine of fathers , commeth just losse to the children . and this is the difference betweene the covetous man , and him that is of a noble minde ; that the one careth not how he come by riches , so he have them : the other can take no pleasure in any thing hee holdeth wrongfully from another . for that to remember , by what means it was gotten , taketh away contentment of the thing he hath . for , where the conscience is not quiet ( saith one ) there the residue of the man is nothing but ma●…yrdome . that citie or common-wealth ( saith valerius ) is like alwaies to continue , where the desires of the flesh and money , beare least rule . and surely happy were that common-wealth where all things were esteemed as they are worthy , and no more . for , experience ( especially in these dayes ) teacheth that where the love and estimation of riches hath taken deep 〈◊〉 there vertue , and knowledge , and all other good things are had in small regard . apollonius being asked , who was the richest man in all the world , answered , he that was most wise ; and the poorest was hee , that was most ignorant . mauricius the emperour had the like successe , through his extreme covetousnesse , as calipha had , and his destruction foreseene by a dreame , after a very strange manner . this emperour dreamed on a time , that one phocas should destroy him , his wife , and children . the next day being much troubled with the remembrance of this fearefull dreame , he asked 〈◊〉 friend of his , whether he knew in all his dom●…on 〈◊〉 man called phocas . he answered , that there was a 〈◊〉 man of that name in his army in illyria . and desirous to know the cause , why hee enquired so 〈◊〉 for such a man , the emperour told him his dreame . you 〈◊〉 not ( quoth the other ) feare any such matter in him : for besides that hee is a man of meane estate , and 〈◊〉 condition , hee is also taken for a cow●…d . hee will bee ( quoth the emperour ) the more cruell for that . it cha●…ced that this pho●… was advanced from one deg●… to another , untill hee became the principall man of the whole army , at such time as the people of constantinople & other places were in gre●… mislike with the emperour for his covetousnes . by which 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of illyria chose ph●…cas for their generall , to condust them to constantinople against their emperour ; where according to his drea●…e , he killed the emperou●… , his wife , & his five children , and was his 〈◊〉 in the empire . and afterward being 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 for so horrible a murder , phocas sent to the bishop of rome , that if he would ab●…olve him of that crime , hee would give him the supremacy over all other bishops , and make him head of the church : which the bishop did ; and here began his authoritie over other bishops . but this high title , added to the large possessions & great riches of that church , hath wrought that effect , as all men know , and was notably presaged by some supernaturall power ( as it seemeth ) in a prodigious sort . for at the time that constantine the great , ( if it bee true that some authours report ) gave to sylvester the first , then bishop of rome , and to his successors , the city of rome , with the emperours palace , called lateran , and divers other cities and provinces in italie , there was seene an hand without any body , writing upon the wall of the lateran , much people being present , & reading it , these words : hodie venenum e●…lesie infusurus est . some say , a voyce was heard from heaven : this day he will powre poyson into the church . sithence which time , the popes have usurped such soveraignty over the emperours , that they pronounce themselves to bee greater than the emperours , and so much greater as the sunne is greater than the moone : that is , sixe thousand sixe hundred fortie and five times , and somwhat more ; pretending also a title to the empire in the vacancie : saying , that the emperour holdeth the imperial crown of men , but the pope holdeth of god : as though they knew not , that all power cōmeth from god. and what was it but the love and desire of riches that made the popes kindle the fire of purgatorie ? knowing that money cannot be coined without fire and a furnace . they that thinke externall goods ( saith aristotle ) to be the cause of happinesse , deceive themselves no lesse , than if they supposed cunning playing on the herpe came from the instrument , and not from the art . for as a body is not said to bee perfect , because it is richly arrayed , but rather because it is well proportioned , and healthfull : so the mind well instructed , is the cause that both her selfe and the body are happy . which cannot be said of a man , because he is rich in gold and silver . it is not possible ( saith plato ) that a man should bee good indeed , and very rich , both at one time : but he may wel be happy & good both together . and to say that a rich man is happy , because he is rich , is foolish and childish , and unhappy are they that beleeve it . beleeve me ( saith seneca ) thou canst not be rich and happy . and this propertie is joyned to the riches and possessions of this world , that seldome it happeneth to men long to enjoy those goods , which with much travel they have gotten . the labour to get them is long ; but their use short . and he that taketh greatest pains to gather them , hath oftentimes least use and pleasure of them . and hee it is that thinketh himselfe most happy by having them , whose body is charged with vice , and heart laden with cares . they bring pride to those that have them , covetousnesse to get them , care to keepe them , and finne to enjoy them . and those goods that are gotten by shift , are ( for the most part ) lost with shame . for it falleth out by daily experience , that what the wicked father getteth with care and sorrow , the unthrifty sonne wasteth with pleasure and negligence . and the wicked children inher it the worst of the fathers , that is , riches : and are dis-inherited of the best , which are vertnes . riches ( saith one ) and honestie seldome dwell together under one roofe . and yet what is more cōmonly said ? he is an honest man , for he is worth five hundred pounds , or a thousand pounds : as though it were a strong argument , to prove a man honest , because hee is rich . which by the opinion of these and other wise and learned men , and by daily experience falleth out , for the most part , cleane contrary . i have great possessions ( saith menander ) & all men call me rich ; but no man calleth me happy , but hee that is rich . men ( said thales ) are by nature inclined to vertue , but riches allure them to vice : and in stead of happinesse they bring care and sorrow . and as they that are sicke of the dropsie , the more they drinke , the thirstier they are : so the more men abound in riches , the more they desire to have . povertie is the nurse of vertues , and riches of vices . democritus was wont to say to him that desireth not riches , a little wil seeme much : for the desire of small matters maketh men rich . which agreeth with the poet ; qui nibil affectat , mirum , omnia possidet ille : he that covets nothing , possesseth all things . for no man ought to esteeme himselfe happy , for that he hath more than others ; or that for the same hee is esteemed more worthy of honour , though hee bee lifted up with a wind of vaine glorie by men of little vertue , for his power and patrimonie : if he look throughly into the matter , he shall find himselfe the slave of his own riches . for little availeth it to happinesse to have large territories , & great store of land , and sumptuous houses richly furnished , and to have his minde oppressed with cares , and his desires corrupted with coverousnesse●… which bringeth infamy to the owner , and little goodnes to the necessitie of life . socrates , to one that said , it were a great thing if a man might have all things that he desired , answered , but it were much greater , not to desire at all . he that will make himselfe rich , must not adde more money to that he hath ; but must decrease and diminish his desire of having , and thinke that it is all one to have , and not to desire . for it is no paine to lacke , but to him that hath a desire to have . and this among other evils , is incident to rich men , who having gotten reputation or honour by their riches , the care they have to maintaine themselves and their credit in their estate , is greater than the pleasure they take in possessing them . for every small matter they thinke detracteth much from their reputation , & when they lye dying & disposing their goods gotten with such toyle of their bodies , and care to their minds , danger to their lives , and hazzard many times to their soules , there is such gaping for that they have , that they have more trouble to please all , than they took pleasure to possesse all . but improperly & untruly are riches called goods , when they bring with them so many evils . for greater is the number without comparison , of such , as being good , become evill by riches , than of them that being wicked , are by riches made good . alexander the great sent ambassadours to phocion of athens with a present of an hundred talents , being in value almost twentie thousand pounds . phocion demanding the cause of this great gift , seeing there were so many athenians besides him : because ( quoth they ) our master esteemeth you among all the rest , for a vertuous and good man. then ( quoth he ) let him suffer me both to seeme and to bee so indeed ; and carry his present backe to him againe . diogenes in the like sort refused alexanders offers of worldly goods . for being visited on a time by him , as he was in his tub ; i see ( quoth alexander to diogenes ) that thou art poore , and hast neede of many things ; aske what thou wilt , and i will give it thee . in the meane time ( quoth diogenes ) stand out of the sunne . some of his nobilitie standing by , and supposing that hee studied what he might aske , urged him to aske something . whether of us two ( said diogenes to alexander ) seemeth to thee to have most neede , and therfore poorest ? i that desire nothing but my tub , and a little bread ; or thou that art king of macedon , and doest hazzard thy selfe to so many dangers to enlarge thy dominions ; so as the whole world seemeth too little to satisfie thy ambitious and covetous minde ? alexander had diogenes in such admiration for the contempt of worldly goods , that he said with alowd voice , if i were not alexander , i would be diogenes . he said further , that there was no other felicitie in this world , than either to bee king alexander that commandeth all , or to be d●…ogenes that commandeth alexander . the like boldness of speech diomedes the pirate used to alexander , being taken and brought before him for piracie . for the king demanding of him , how he durst presume so to molest the seas without authoritie : because ( quoth he ) i rob but with one ship , and thou doest the same with a great navie , i am accused and called a pirate , and thou a king. but if i had a navie , and thou but one ship , i should be called a king , and thou a pirate . but the iniquitie of my fortune and poore estate , and thy intolerable pride and unsatiable avarice , hath made us both theeves . if my bare estate were something amended , peradventure i should become better ; but the more thou hast the worse thou wilt be . the king pardoned him , and his libertie of speech ; considering with himselfe , that a great navie which is prepared with riches , maketh not the right difference between a king and a poore pirate that hath but one ship , if the end of their enterprise be one ; that is , to take by violence that which is none of theirs . but the justice and equitie of the cause maketh the true difference , and is appropriate to the dignitie & qualitie of a king. the same diogenes before named , being taken for a spie , and brought to king philip , alexanders father , when hee made warre upon the grecians , and examined , said ; i am indeed an espie of thy covetousnesse and madnesse , that commest hither to hazzard thy selfe and thy kingdome . iulius casar passing by a little village , said , that hee had rather bee the first in that little towne , than second at rome . by which sayings of these men it may be gathered , that they esteemed him not poore , that was not endued with worldly goods and possessions , and contented himselfe with that he had ; but that he rather was poore that had much , and yet desired more : which is a thing common to all rich men . crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit : ( seth . the love of mony grows as the mony it selfe increa . he is happy , not that hath what he desireth , but he who desireth not that which he hath not . and where the greedy desire of riches hath taken roote , there is no prohibited meanes , neither by the lawes of god , nor by the ordinances of men , that can restraine them ; if all other means faile , to feck for help of the divell , to findeit out . there was a priest but few yeares past , in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirtie , to whom the divell had shewed treasure in a chrystall glasse , at norimberg . and when the priest , taking one of his friends with him , went to seeke for it without the towne , he saw in the hole where he digged , a chest , and a blacke dog lying upon it . and as he went down into the hole , the earth fell upon him , and killed him , and filled up the hole againe . like wise there was one that sought for money by magicke neare paris , and as hee would have taken up the coffer where it was , a whirle-winde carried it away , and a peece of the wall fell upon him , and made him lame all his life . a just reward , and good example for men to beware how they trust to the divels helpe . and this was a strange thing , that happened of late in the yeare of grace , one thousand five hundred ninetie one : there was one mark bragadin that professed himselfe to bee an excellent alcumist , but indeed a notable magician . this man came from venice into baviere , and there practised to make gold in such abundance , that he would give his friends whole lumps of gold ; making no more estimation of gold than of brasse or iron : he lived stately like a prince , kept a bountifull house , and had servants of great account , and was saluted with a title of dignitie , and drew many princes into admiration of him ; insomuch , as he was accounted another paracelsus . and after hee had long exercised his art , made himselfe knowne to all the princes , & was desired of them all , hee came at length into the duke of bavieres court , who finding after a while his fraud & illusions , committed him to prison . and when the duke had commanded him to bee examined , and put to the torture , he desired he might suffer no such paine , promising that he would confesse of his own accord all the wickedness that ever he had c●…mitted , and exhibited accordingly to the duke , in writing , the whole course of his lewd life , desiring neverthelesse that it might not be published . hee confessed , that hee was worthy to dye , but yet made humble sute that his concubine signora caura , and his whole familie might returne untouched into italie . not long after sentence was given against him . first , that his two dogs , whose help he had used in his magicke matters , should be shot through with muskets , and himselfe should have his head stricken off . for this milde sentence hee gave thanks to the prince , alledging he had deserved a much more severe judgement , and at least was worthy to be burned . the next day a new gallowes was set up , covered with copper , & an halter tyed in the middest , covered likewise with copper , signifying his deceit in making gold . hard by the gallowes was set up a scaffold aloft , covered with blacke cloth : upon the scaffold was placed a seat , wherein this alcumist sate , arrayed in mourning apparell . and as hee sate the executioner strake off his head . the poet cryeth out , not without cause , upon this love of riches : aurum , destructor vita , princepsque malorum , o quàm difficiles nectis ubique dolos ! o utinam natum nunquam mortalibus esses , dulcia suppedit as quae nocumenta viris ! gold , lifes destroyer , and of mischiefes prince , that every where by snares dost us convince : would thou hadst nere been seene by mortals eyes , who with delightfull harmes still man supplyes . chap. iiii. of sundry men most remarkeable for avarice : of an english cardinall : of hermocrates , cardinall sylberperger , hermon , phidon , antonio batistei , &c. of such as voluntarily parted with their riches : of antippus the philosopher , ancrates the theban , and sabbas cast , a knight of malta , pope alexander the sift , tiberius constantine emperour , anacreon the philosopher , epictetus ; seneca the philosopher reproved by snillius for avarice before nero : a notable example of the romane fabricius : of pertinax : of hassan bassa : the covetousnesse of the fortugals ; the french , and the spaniards reproved , concluding , that no sovera●…gne felicitie can subsistin riches , &c. yet there want not examples of some wise men , who having abundance of riches , and means to increase it , willingly made choice , to part with their riches , as an enemie to vertue , and hinderance to many good things ; and reserve to themselves a small portion . democritus a very rich man , gave all his patrimonie to his countrey , reserving to himselfe but a little summe of money to live withall , that hee might have the more leasure to study philosophie : for which cause he went to athens . the prophet david , perceiving our vaine estimation and wondering at riches , forewarneth us thus ; be not affra●…d , when thou secst a man made rich , and the glorie of his bousc multipl●…ed : for when he dyeth he shall take nothing with him : nor shall his glorie descend to the place whither be go●…th . hee shall passe into the progenies of his ancestors , and world without end hee shall see no more light . the prophet baruch with more bitternesse asketh this question : where are they now that heaped together gold and silver , and which made no end of their scraping ? where be the princes , and they that rule over the beasts of the earth ? hee answered himselfe presently , exterminat●… sunt , & adinferos descenderunt : they are rooted out , and gone into hell . saint paul writeth to timoth●…e : give commandement to the rich men of this world , not to bee high-minded , nor to put hope in the uncertaintie of their riches . and yet for all that , nothing , even in these daies , puffeth men up more in pride , than great store of riches , neither can men forbeare to put great trust in them . wee had a cardinall here in england in the time of henrie the sixth , so exceeding rich , that hee thought nothing was able to prevaile against him . and when he lay on his death bed , and perceiving that hee must dye , hee murmured and grudged ; if ( quoth he ) the realme of england would save my life , i am able to get it with policie , or buy it with my riches . fie ( said he ) will not death be hyred ? will money doe nothing ? saint iames saith ; now goe to , ye rich men , weepe and howle in your miseries that come upon you : your riches are rotten , and your gold and silver are rustie , and the rust thereof shall be a testimonie against you : it shall feede on your flesh like fire : you have hoorded wrath for your selves in the last day . this the holy ghost pronounceth , to signifie unto us how vaine and dangerous a thing woldly wealth is , and how foolish they are that labour so earnestly for it , to the perpetual perill of their soules . iob saith ; wee came naked into this world , and naked wee must goeforth againe . yet some have beene so wedded to their riches , that they have used all the meanes they could to take them with him . atheneus reporteth of one , that at the houre of his death devoured many peeces of gold , and sewed the rest in his coate , commanding that they should be all buried with him . hermocrates being loth that any man should enjoy his goods after him , made himselfe by his will heire of his owne goods . the cardinall sylberperger tooke so great a pleasure in money , that when hee was grievously tormented with the gowt , his onely remedy to ease the paine , was to have a bason full of gold set before him , into which hee would put his lame hands , turning the gold up-side-downe . hermon was so covetous , that dreaming on a time hee had spent a certaine summe of money , for very sorrow he strangled himselfe . and one phidon was so extremely overcome with that passion of covetousnes , that being fallen into desperation through a losse received , he would not hang himselfe , for spending of three-halfe-pence to buy him an halter , but sought a way to death better cheape . one antonio batistei , an italian , having lost in a ship that was drowned five hundred crowns , determined like a desperate man to hang himselfe ; and as he was about to fasten the rope to a beame for that purpose , he found by chance there hidden , a thousand crownes . and being very glad of this good fortune , hee exchanged the halter for the crownes , and went away . not long after hee was gone , the owner came thither to see his gold ; but when hee perceived the crownes to bee gone , hee fell into such extreme griefe , that hee presently hanged himselfe with the halter that he found in their place . antippus the philosopher following a contrary course , having turned all his patrimonie into ready money , went to the sea side , and there cast it into the water , saying ; hence with a mischiefe ye ungracious desires ; for i drowne you , because you should not drowne me . ancrates a theban , being weary of worldly cares , and houshold affaires , forsooke his patrimonie , that was of the value of foure thousand and eight hundred crownes , and betooke himselfe to a staffe and a philosophers bagge , and departed . hee that desireth over-great riches , or possessions , seemeth to be wiser in the choyce of his garment ; which hee will rather have to bee meete for his body , than too long or too large . hee that is wise will content himselfe with that which is sufficient , and feeleth no want ; but the foolish man troubleth himselfe with cares and thoughts , and though hee wallow in abundance , yet hee is never satisfied . so as his riches and over-great plentie breeds him extreme penurie , and maketh him leade a miserable life . a knight of malta , despising riches , and delighting in a solitarie life , caused this to bee written before his garden : he is rich enough that needeth not bread : of power enough , that is not compelled to serve . ye civill cares , get ye farre from hence . sabbas cast , a solitarie man , being content with himselfe , doth dwel in these little secure gardens . whether he be poore or rich , if thou be of an upright judgment , consider . farewell . the greatest wisedome ( saith one ) and felicitie in this world is , to live quietly , and deale in his owne matters , rather than in other mens . then , in both fortunes , whether thou must doe or suffer , to have regard rather to god than men , and upon him only to depend . to despise the world ; to despise none ; to despise himselfe ; to despise that he is despised : these foure things ( saith one ) maketh a man happie . celius saith , it is a great gladnesse and rejoycing to the soule , when thou dost not oncumber thy selfe with the care of many things , but art perswaded that thou mayst live quietly with a little , and hast cast under thy feete the world and all the pompe thereof . take away luxuriousnesse and excesse of earing and drinking , and the lusts of the slesh , & no man will seeke for riches . pope alexander the fifth was so liberall to the poore , that hee left nothing to himselfe : whereupon hee would often take occasion to say merrily : that he was a rich bishop , a poore cardinall , and a beggerly pope . god will not suffer him to live in lacke that is bountifull to the poor , and useth mony to that end for which it was ordained . the emperour tiberius constantine spent upon the poore , and other good uses , great store of treasure , which his predecessor iustinian had hoorded up . insomuch that the empresse , seeing his povertie , blamed him greatly , and laughed him to scorne for his exceeding great expences , that were imployed to so good uses . it chanced him on a time as he walked in his palace , to see at his feet a marble stone , in forme of a crosse : and because he thought it unfit that men should tread upon that stone , which had the figure and forme of that , upon which our saviour suffered , hee caused the stone to bee taken up ; under which there was another of like forme ; and under the same a third : which being taken up , hee found under it great store of treasure : for the which he gave god great thankes , and imployed it as before , to relieve the necessitie of them that had need and lacke . a covetous man falling grievously sicke , and perceiving hee must dye , and that hee could carry nothing with him into another world , turned to his friends and kinsfolkes that were about him , and said ; take you example by me ( my deare friends ) to the end , that in heaping up of riches , you trouble not your selves more than honestie requireth . for i that have spent all my time in scraping goods and treasure together , must now leave this life , and of so much land , and costly apparell that i have , i shall possesse nothing else , but five foote of ground , and one old sheete . to this purpose serveth ausonius epigram , wherein diogenes is fained to see the rich king croesus among the dead , and thus to mocke him for his great riches , that then profited him nothing , being in no better estate than diogenes himselfe : effigiem rex craesetuam , ditissime regum vidit apud manes , diogenes cynicus . constitit ; ut que procul solito majore cachinno concussus dixit : quid tibi divitiae , nunc prosunt , regum rex o ditissime , cum sis sicut ego solus ; me quoque pauperior ? nam quaecunque habu●… , mecum fe●…o : cum nihilipse ex tantis tecum crase fer as opibus : amongst the ghosts diogenes beheld thee cresus , of all kings , with most wealth swel'd . all which he said , and finding thee lesse proud than ●…arst : hee call'd to thee ( laughing aloud ) and said , ( o cresus ) richest once of kings speake , ( to this place below ) what profit brings all thy late pomp●… ? for ought that i now 〈◊〉 , we are alike , and thou as poore as i. i ( that alive had nothing ) brought my store , and thou of all thy wealth canst shew no more . hee that loveth money ( saith ecclesiastes ) will never bee satisfied with money ; and who so delighteth in riches shall have no profit thereof . and what pleasure more hath hee that possesseth them , saving that hee may looke upon them with his eyes ? a labouring man sleepeth sweetly , whether it be little or much that hee eateth : but the abundance of riches , will not suffer him to sleep . i have scene ( saith he ) riches kept to the hurt of him that hath them in possession . for oftentimes they perish with his great miserie and trouble . and it is a generall thing among men , when god giveth man riches , goods , and honour , so that hee wanteth nothing of all that his heart can desire , and yet god giveth him not leave to enjoy the same , but another spendeth them . vincentio pestioni , an italian gentleman , being asked , how old hee was ; answered , that hee was in health . and to another that asked how rich hee was , he answered that he was not in debt . as if hee should say , that he is young enough that is in health , and rich enough that is not in debt . the rich man is compared to a peacocke , that climbeth up to the highest places , as the rich man aspireth to honour and preheminence . and as the peacocke is decked with faire feathers , and so delighteth to bee seene , and to behold his taile , that hee discovereth his filthy parts behinde : so the rich man rejoyceth in his wealth and precious attire , and delighteth in flatterie , in pride , and vaine glorie . and whilest hee goeth about to shew his bodie well fed , and set out with costly ornaments , hee sheweth a brutish minde , voyd of vertue , and full of vice and vanitie . the more ( saith boccace ) that riches is had in estimation , the more is vertue had in contempt . this rule ( saith plato ) will seldome faile , that when the fathers have too much riches , the sonnes have no vertue at all : because betweene ease and superfluitie of riches , vices and not vertue are wont to bee nourished . a philosopher said , that the gods are so just in dividing their gifts , that to whom they give contentation , from them they take riches ; and to those they give riches , they take from them contentation . anac●…con a philosopher , having received of king polycrates the value of tenne thousand duckets for a gift , entred into so many conceits and fantasies , that hee passed three dayes and three nights without sleepe ; which sudden change and alteration put him in such a feare of some great evill to follow , that hee carried forthwith the money to the king ; and told him , that hee restored his gift to him againe , because it did let him from sleepe . epictetus the philosopher was wont to say , that povertie doth not cause unquietnesse , but mens desires : and that riches doe not deliver men from feare , but reason . and therefore hee that will use reason , will not covet superfluous riches , nor blame tolerable povertie . seneca was wont to say , that a bull filleth himselfe with a little medow , a wood is sufficient to feed many elephants : but man through his ambition , cannot be satisfied with the whole earth , neither yet with the sea . and this is to bee noted , that notwithstanding the goodly lessons and precepts that seneca gave of the dangers and troubles , which commonly accompanie great wealth and riches , he had neverthelesse gathered together abundance of riches and possessions , procuring thereby to himselfe much envie ; which was the chiefe cause of his destruction . and the same may bee a document to others , to bee very wary and circumspect , that they be not carried away , and overcome with the inordinate desire , and love of riches and possessions , when so wise and learned a man , that could give so wholesome counsell and remedies to others , was himselfe infected and overthrown by the same disease . seneca was schoole-master to the emperour nero in his youth , and afterward in such authoritie and credit with him , that for a time he managed all the affaires of the state , and gathered great wealth : which through envie procured him many enemies ; among which number was one snillius , who was highly in nero's favour ; and spake thus unto seneca in the princes presence : by what wisedome , by what instructions , and doctrine of philosophie , wherein thou takest upon thee to bee studious , hast thou within lesse than foure yeares , whilest the emperour hath favoured thee , and shewed thee signes of love , gotten together three thousand times sesterties ? ( which value after the french mens account , is seven millions , and five hundred thousand crownes . ) but though seneca , for that time escaped the accusations of his enemies , yet perceiving foure years after his authoritie taken from him , and his former favours diminished , and that the prince lent his eares to his enemies , hee began to feare , and to save his life ; and to prevent the emperours cruelty , he came to him , and by way of oration spake thus : it is fourteene yeares or thereabout ( o king ) sithence i came to you , and eight yeares of this time have you beene emperour , in which space you have heaped upon mee such goods and honours , as there wanteth nothing to my felicitie , but a moderation thereof . and after hee had reckoned up many benefits , and great favours which hee had received of nero , and declared wherein consisted riches ; he beganne to accuse himselfe , that hee had not kept the lawes of written knowledge , and lived onely by philosophie , which would have taught him to bee content with a little , or that which is sufficient . he told him that the riches and possessions which hee had bestowed upon him , were so great , that hee was not able to beare them , but rather was ready to sinke under his own burthen . and therefore hee desired nero , that hee would ease him of this charge , and send his officers to seaze upon all to his use , to whom it rightly appertained : alledging it to bee a thing glorious to the emperour , that hee had advanced them to the highest dignities , that could also beare meane fortune , and be content with a little . nero answered him with great commendations of his service , and worthinesse , and exalted seneca his merits farre above his rewards , and that hee had bestowed greater benefits upon them that had much lesse deserved than seneca had . hee told him , that the delivering of his money , the leaving his prince , would not bee imputed to his moderation , nor to his desire of quietneste●… : but my co●…etousnesse ( quoth he ) and the feare of my crueltie , will be in every mans mouth . but admit that your continencie be commended , yet it is not the part of a wise man there-hence to procure glorie to himself , from whence springeth infamie to his friend . to these faire words he added kisses , and embracings , and many courtesies , to cover his hatred . but not withstanding all these favours , hee put seneca not long after to death . these be the fruits that covetousnesse bringeth forth , with abundance of riches and possessions . which confirmeth his opinion , that made choyce of this poesie : medio●… firma . and he that will look into the manners of men in these dayes , shall finde ( no doubt ) in divers common-wealths , even among the wisest , their minds eclipsed with the vice of covetousnesse , and greedy desire to augment their estate , as seneca's was ; as though it were mans felicitie , and end for which he was borne , to heape riches and poslessions together without end or measure , to their owne scandall , and to the evill example of others . but fabricius , emperour or rather generall of the romanes armie , carried a more upright minde , and gave a notable example of contempt of riches . for the embadassours of the samnites , after they had reckoned up many great benefits which they had received by his meanes , offered him a great summe of money , and very importunately desired him to accept it , alledging the cause why they presented him with this money , to be , that they saw him want many things , to the honourable furniture of his house and provision , agreeable with his estate . fabricius drawing his hands from his eares to his eyes , and from them to his nose & mouth , and thence to his throat , and downe to the lower part of his belly , answered the ambassadours , that so long as he had the use of all these members , which he had touched , he should never lacke any thing . and therefore he would not receive the money , whereof he had no neede , of them whom he knew could turne it to their benefit . whereby he plainely shewed , that penurie proceedeth of greedy and covetous desires , and not of nature . as seneca saith , frugalitie is painfull to luxurious men , that delight in excesse and superfluities : but men given to temperance and sobrietie , contenting themselves with a little , feele no evill in penuric . and it is no new thing , to see wise men that have the meanes to enrich themselves , to fall into the desire of riches , and to be overcome with covetousnesse . all ages have yeelded their examples , even among the wisest . pertinax in the raigne of the emperour marcus aurelius , having the government of divers provinces and countries , and passed through the greatest offices within the romane empire , was found to be very wise , very just . severe , and sincere , so as sundry nations that misliked the governement of other romane magistrates , would desire to have pertinax , for his wisedome and justice , to bee sent in their places . but after the good emperour was dead , he was so stricken with covetousnesse , and desire of riches , that frō thenceforth , he rather imployed his industry ( to his infamy ) in gathering riches , than in government of the common-wealth : which was to his former vertues , a great blemish and discre●…r , and may serve for an example to all men to beware how they enter into the love of riches , when men of so great wisedome , are so easily overcome by them . guev●…rra thus censureth the duke of veiar , who in his life had gathered so much treasure , that at his death he left foure hundred thousand duckets . this is a matter ( saith he ) perillous to write , and odious to heare . but my judgement is , he went to seeke care for himselfe , envy for his neighbours , spurres for his enemies , a prey for theeves , travell for his person , anguish for his spirit , scruple for his conscience , perill for his soule , law for his children , and curses for his heires . amurath the great turke , a few yeares past , sent hassan a man that he favoured greatly , as bassa to caire in egypt , where by all undue courses , he would wring and extort rewards and bribes from every man. by which sinister and corrupt dealing , hee made himselfe so odious , that it came to the kings care . who perceiving that neither religion , nor love , nor iustice , nor reason could remove his covetous minde , from bribing & ex●…rting upon his subjects , and that these publike exclamations went dayly so far , that it was now a shame for him to let them goe any further without due punishment , he sent for him , and cansed all the treasure which he had gathered , to be taken from him , with all the rest of his private substance , and the same to be carried into the great store-house , and himselfe to be 〈◊〉 up in prison . but the queene obtained pardon for his life , and set him at liberty , with the losse neverthelesse of all his treasure , which he had unjustly scraped together , which remained among the kings gold & jewels . when a poet had reckoned up nobility of bloud , great kindred , stately palaces , and such like things , wherein men use to glorie and vaunt themselves , as happy men , he proceedeth also with riches , and concludeth thus : sint tibi drvitia , sit l●…rga & 〈◊〉 supellex , esse ta●… vel sic bestia magnapotes . deniq , quicquider is , nis●… sit prudentia tecum , magna quidem ( dico ) bestia semper 〈◊〉 . say thou hast wealth , and stuffe both rare and dainty , thou may'st be a great beast for all this plenty , be any thing ( if , of no wit possest ) thou shalt be still a great beast at the best . covetousnesse teacheth to set all things to sale , which overthroweth fidelitie and goodnesse , two instruments of good counsell . the regard of private commodity , hath and will be alwayes hurtfull to publike counsells ; and is a strong poyson to a true affection and upright judgement . to what thing may covetous men and u●…rers that hunt after gaine , by alluring and deceiving the simple and plaine meaning men , be moreaptly likened than to the fish polipus , that lying in wait for other fishes upon the rockes , changeth his colour to the colour of the rocke or place where he resteth , so as the other fishes not perceiving him , are taken in his act which he hath naturally behind his head , and can spread at his pleasure , before they finde themselves in danger : so can these men frame and alter their speech & countenance , when they finde one meete to prey upon , as though it were not the same man , untill they have drawne him into their net , that he have no meane to escape . non possidentem multa vocaveris recte beatum , recti●… occupas nomen beati , qui deorum muneribus sapienter 〈◊〉 , duramque callet pauperiem pati , pejusque lethe flagitium ●…imet . thou canst not truely call him blest , that of great substance is possest : that title he may rather chuse , who gods good gifts knows how to use : that can broole want ( though bare and thi●…e ) and worse than death doth feare to sinne . sir thomas mo●…e pleasantly derideth our estimation of vaine things , which wee call riches , in his common-wealth of utopia : as gold and silver , pearles and precious stones , and such like ; where they tye their bondmen with chaines of gold , and none weare pearles and precious stones but little children , as toyes of none account . there chanced ( saith hee ) to come into u●…pia from a farre countrey , three 〈◊〉 with an h●…ndred servants , all apparelled in changeable colours , the most of them in silkes ; the 〈◊〉 themselves ( being noble men ) in cloth of gold , and gold hanging 〈◊〉 their eares , with gold rings upon their singers , brooches and aglets of gold upon their caps , which glistered full of pearles , & precious stones . to be short , trimmed and adorned with all those things , which among the utopians were either the punishment of bondmen , or the reproach of infamed persons , or else tri●…es for yong children to play withall . these ambassadours with their traine advanced themselves , & jetted so much the more 〈◊〉 & proudly as they perceived the utopians ( who were all come forth into the streets ) to bee basely attired . but contrary to their expectation , when they looked for great honour , the utopians esteemed all that gorgiousnesse of apparell , shamefull and reproachfull , and them that were most abject , and basely apparelled , they reverently saluted for lords , passing over the ambassadours without any honour , judging them by their wearing golden chaines , to be bondman , with which they found fault , as serving to no use or purpose , seeing a bondman would easily breake them , and escape away , being so weake and small . and children that had cast away their pearles , and precious stones , when they saw them sticking upon the ambassadours caps , would push their mothers on the side , and say : looke mother how great a lubber doth yet weare pearles , & precious stones as though he were a little child stil. peace son , would the mother say , i thinke hee be some of the ambassadours fooles . but after a day or two , when the ambassadours understood , how little the utopians esteemed their gorgiousnesse , they layd aside their brave attire , and went more plainely and decently apparelled . the covetousnesse of the frenchmen , and portingals , was not unaptly derided by an old fellow of brasile , who perceiving that their long and dangerous trauell to brasile , was to turne their wood they transported , to gaine and ●…iches , asked them , whether rich men did not dye in their countrey ? which being granted : who should possesse their goods after their death ? being answered their children , or if they have none , then their brethren , or next kinsfolkes ; now ( quoth he ) i see you are very fooles : for what necessity is there in wearying your selves , to passe these troublous , & dangerous seas , to draw the occasion of so many evils to your selves ? if it be to seeke after riches for your children or kindred , is not the earth that brought you up sufficient to bring up them also ? we have also children and kin , that be deareunto us , but when we consider , that the same earth which nourished us up , is sufficient also to nourish them , we rest satisfied . the barbarous people likewise of peru , seeing the spaniards , that first planted themselves in their countrey , given to be covetous and luxurious , feared lest they would corrupt and alter their accustomed maners . and therefore at their departure , they railed and called them the scumme of the sea , men without fathers , and restlesse men that could stay no where to labor for their living . though the pretence of the spaniards travell , into these new found lands , were to plant christianitie among these rude people , and to reduce them to the knowledge of god ; yet the infinit number of thousands of people , which through their cruelty and covetousnesse , they have there destroied , in eight and forty yeere twentie millions , as appeareth by their owne histories , argueth plainely , and is confirmed by this example following ; that the greedy & unsatiable desire of gold and riches , was the cause that drew them to undertake those painefull and dangerous travailes . which covetousnesse & crueltie of theirs , was a great hinderance to the planting of religion there . ●…ferdinando sotos , a spaniard went to florida to seeke gold , but being in a great rage and griefe , because he could not there find that hee looked for , he exercised great cruelty among those barbarous people . it chanced that a prince of that country , came to see him , & presented him with two parrots and plumes of feathers : after their first salutations ended , the prince asked the spaniard , who he was , and from whence he came , and what he sought in these countries , committing dayly so many and so great cruelties , and wicked acts ? sotos answered him by an interpreter , that hee was a christian , the sonne of god the creatour of heaven and earth , that his comming thither , was to instruct those people in the knowledge of his law . if thy god ( sayd the prince ) command th●… to run over other mens countries , robbing , burning , killing , and omitting no kind of wickednesse , we tell you in few words , that we can neither beleeve in him , nor in his lawes . of these greedy covetous men , the prophet esay speaketh thus : w●…e be to you , that joyne house to house , and field to field , till there be no more ground : will you dwell upon the earth alone ? the love of money made the french king 〈◊〉 the eleventh , subject to obloquie , by his niggardly sparing , unseemely for a prince , without respect to his estate . for having driven almost all the gentlemen out of his court , hee was served with his taylor ; for all his horaulds of armes , his barbor was his ambassador , & his physician was his chancellour ; and for a mockerie of other kings , he would weare a greazy cap , of very course cloth : and in his accounts were found , twenty so●…s for two new sleeves to his old doublet , and fifteene deniers for grease to greaze his bootes . horace reporteth of a man at rome , called ovid , so rich in money , that hee might measure his gold by the bushell : and yet he went almost starke naked : & for niggardlinesse , never would fill himselfe halfe full of meat : insomuch that he lived poorely to dye rich . of such the poet cryeth out , not without cause , sed quò divitias tbt per torment a coact●… ! cum furor haud dubius , cum sit manifesta phrenesis , vt locuples moriare , egenti vivere viverefato . what meane these riches , by such torments got , and infinite paines ? a madnesse , is 't not ? a phrensey manifest it doth implye , penuriously to live , richly to dye . by this which hath bin sayd , it is manifest , that mans felicitie and his summo●… bonum , or greatest good , consisteth not in riches . for who ( if hee be not senselesse ) desireth riches for it selfe , but for some other thing ? some for lascivious , some for sumptuous , others for profitable and necessary expences . which things , if they might bee had without money , no man would desire or care for riches . neither can riches be the common end of men ; seeing some have great plenty , and others extreme want and poverty , which have also their estimation by opinion . some calling gold and silver , others pearles and precious stones , & others trifling things , riches ; like little children , that set their riches in pinnes and puppets . but he that putteth not mans felicitie in himselfe , and ●…nis nis owne matters , doth like unto him that estimateth●… sword by his scabbard ; or a horse by his saddle and furniture . neither can we call that summum bonum , or the greatest good , which is no good at all , and is common both to good men and wicked ; which also make more men worse than better . and how can riches be the principall end of man , that withdraweth men for the most part , from the true end of all things , which is god ? for we see plainly , that there is not a more compendious way , to alienate a mans minde from god , than to wallow in worldly wealth . so that mans felicitie or summum bonum , must bee sought in some other thing , than in riches . for god placed not man in this world to seeke after earthly things : neither that he should find the end of his desires in the scurfe of the earth . which one remembreth thus : memento rebus vanidis diffidere , opes , genus , form●… decor , caduca sunt : ad ossa nuda mors reducit omnia ; coelo repostus optimus thesaurus est . in vaine things ( see ) no confidence thou hast , for neither wealth , nor birth , nor shape can last ; to strippe us to the bone , death followes fast , 't is the best treasure that in heaven is plac't . the felicitie of man , or , his summum bonum . the third book●… . chap. i. of cineas the philosopher and king pyrrhus : ambition the subversion of kingdomes , and empires : it engenders parricides : instanced by adolphus duke of geldria : selim the great turke : henry the first , emperour , and solyman : the ambition of snio king of denmarke : semiramis : iane queene of naples : the empresse irene : bassianns : the sonnes of pope alexander the sixth : with sundry histories both domestical and forreigne , to that purpose : the death of pertinax emperour : and didius iulianus , who bought the romane empire : d●…uers chances , and changes in warre : histories of others unmilling to underg●…e the empire . honour and glory is another thing , which men labour to a●…taine , as though felicitie or the greatest good should consist therein . but this is an erronious opinion , and they greatly deceived that hold it . for men desire honour and glory because they would seeme to bee ●…cndued with vertue , by which they confesse that vertue is to be preferred before glory & honour . and honour is given as we see by dayly experience , by man ; & many times taken away againe by them that gave it . but that wherein felicitie consisteth , is a thing more stedfast , and not so easily removed , nor subject to the variable accidents of fortune . honour is gotten with much labour , maintained with great exponces , and lost with intolerable griefe and sorrow . it is likened to a mans shadow , which the more hee runneth after , the more it flieth away ; and when he flieth from his shadow , it followeth him againe ; as one saith , qui fugit honorem , eum sequitur honos : honour followeth him that flieth from it . who is more honoured now than christs apostles , saint peter , saint paul and the like , that despised honour when they lived ? of all the disordered passions where with mens minds are vexed , there is no one that troubleth and disquieteth them more , than ambition and desire of honour . they never content themselves with that which they have gotten , but their minds are alwayes imployed in devising how to get more . it is a hard thing ( saith saint augustine ) for him that is placed in high estate , not to desire great matters . alexander the great , when hee heard a philosopher disputing of many worlds besides this , fell into a weeping , as though some great cause of griefe had happened to him : and being asked , why he wept ; because ( quoth he ) i heare of many worlds , and i have not yet conquered one whole world . but he that hath felicity , is content with that he hath , and desireth no more . he is free from all perturbations and unquietnesse of mind , and thinketh no man in better estate than himselfe , otherwise he cannot bee accounted happie . which thing was by cineas a verie wise man aptly given to understand to king pyrrhus , that intended great warres , to en●…ge his domin●… . for considering with himselfe , how peaceably and happily pyrrhus might live , if he could be content with his owne kingdome , as they had conference 〈◊〉 about his intended enterprise to 〈◊〉 wa●… upon i●…ly : if sir ( quoth cineas ) the gods shew us this favour to conquer italy , what good shall wee reape by the victorie ? wee may afterward ( sayd by●… ) with 〈◊〉 great difficultie , subdue the grecia●… and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that border upon that countrie . when this ( quoth the other ) is done , what shall we doe then ? s●…ilia ( quoth pyrrhus ) will not then stand against us . shall that be the end of our wa●…res ( sayd 〈◊〉 ? ) wh●… will stay 〈◊〉 ●…ter ( quoth this monarke ) from passing into afri●… , and carthage ? and from the recovery of the kingdome of macedon , that so we may command at 〈◊〉 pleasure all greece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought all this to passe , what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pyrrhus , beginning to smile we will ( quoth h●… ) my friend , give our selves to rest , and live as pleat●…ntly and merrily , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he desired ; and what sir ( quoth he ) let●… 〈◊〉 from rest at this present , and from living in joy & pleasure , seeing wee have all things requi●… , o●… se●…king it with so much effusion of bloud , and an ins●…ire number of per●… and dangers , and 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where it is uncertaine whether we shall find it ? these speeches rather offended pyrrhus , that was carried away with the vehement passion of ambition , than any thing diffwaded him , from his viol●…t pur●…●…d : 〈◊〉 , which in the end 〈◊〉 his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by feeding of his ambitious humout in ●…ing 〈◊〉 , hee was at last laine with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 his head by a woman , and so lost his life , and his kingdome , which hee might quietly have possessed . and this is the common course of the world , not onely among princes and potentates , but also among men of meane estate , alwayes to aspire and desire more , according to the emperour charles the fifths word ; plus ultra , to whom sometime it happeneth as it did to esops dogge , that , snatching at the shadow , lost the peece of meat which he had in his mouth . the ambitious humour of this king , that aspired to a monarchie of many countries and kingdomes , putteth mee in mind of a pretty taunt , given of late yeares to the spaniards , for the like ambition . a germane writeth a booke , to his countrey-men , wherein hee doth perswade them , to beware they bee not entrapped by the spaniards ; alledging many reasons , that they aspire to the monarchy of germanie : and that they let not openly to speake , that the monarchy of the world is due to them , from god , and by right . one writeth in the margent ; hispanis monarchia divinit●…s , sed in vtopia debetur : a monarchy is due to the spani●…ds from above , but in vtopia . there is not a more dangerous passion , or affection , nor that hath beene the cause of greater mischiefe , than ambition and desire of honour , which hath beene the utter ruine and subversion of many kingdomes and common-wealths , and the destruction of them , in whom this humour hath raigned . and yet many times the worthiest men , and those that are ●…ndued with excellent gifts , are most subject to this passion . for loftie mindes naturally have an earnest desire to excell others ; and to bring that to passe , they forbeare not to attempt any thing , whether it bee right or wrong : for hee is easily ●…raen to unjust things , that is de●…ous of glory . as 〈◊〉 casar had usually in his mouth this saying of . to att●…ne to rule and principalitie , which is as it were the subject of honour & glorie , there is no dutie respected , nor naturall affection can beare any sway , or restraine or bridle the unruly and violent passions ; neither betweene parents and their children , betweene husband and wife , nor betweene ●…thren or kinsfolke . they that have suffered themselves to be overcome with this passion , have made shipwrack of all godlinesse , of modestie , of honestie , and of humanitie it selfe . but meere madnesse it is , to desire that honour and glory , that neither contenteth the 〈◊〉 , nor continueth with the possessor , nor is voyd of great dangers , both in this life and in the life to come ; and is thus threatned in the scripture , most severe judgement shal be used upon those , over others . the meane man shall obtaine mercie , but the great and strong , shall suffer torments strongly . adolphus duke of geldria , did leade his father in the night when he was going to sleep , five of their miles in the deep of winter , without shoes , to a most vile prison , where he kept him halfe a yeare ; in the end whereof , for feare of the emperour and the pope hee let him forth . and when reasonable conditions were offered by the arbitrators , which had the hearing of their cause , he sayd , rather than he would yeeld to those conditions , hee would cast his father headlong into a well , and throw himselfe after . an undutifull saying of an unnatural sonne . selym the great turke , and first of that name , usurped the empire , by favour of the ●…zaries , upon his father bajazet , and caused him to bee poysoned , and slue a●…mat and corc●…the his two elder brothers , with all his nephewes , and others of ottemans race : saying , that nothing was more pleasant , than to raigne , when all seare of kindred was taken away . henry the fifth deprived his father by force from the empire , and caused him to dye miserably in prison . frederiche the third , after he had raigned thirty yeares , was mi●…rably slaine by manfroy , his bastard sonne : who after he had committed this parricide , he poysoned his brother c●… , lawfull inheritour to ●…redericke , that hee might make himselfe king of naples . saly●… king of the turkes , hearing the acclamations and cryes which the army made to sultan 〈◊〉 his eldest son , for joy of his 〈◊〉 from persia , jealous of his owne estate , caused him to be strangled in his utter chamber , and cast out to the army , with these words to bee cryed aloud : that there was but one god in heaven , and one sultan upon earth . and within two dayes after hee killed sultan gobe , because he wept for his brother : and sultan mehemet , his third sonne , because hee went away for feare . abimelesh , athalia , ioram and others , by the testimony of the scripture , murdered many to raigne alone . snio king of denmarke , not contented with his owne kingdome , aspired also to the kingdome of suecia , and gothland : when he perceived his forces were not ●…ficient to bring his purpose to passe , hee practised this device . bior●… king of suecia and gothland had married the daughter of the old king of that country , which 〈◊〉 practised to steale away , to marrie her though shee were the other kings wife , hoping by that 〈◊〉 to get the kingdome of gothland , hee made one goe 〈◊〉 the habite of a begger into the kings court , to come to the speech of the queene ( if it were possible ) under colour of begging her almes . this counterfeit begger , having some friendship among the danes that were in the kings court , hid himselfe in a corner , which way the queene used to goe ; and when she passed by , hee fell to his begging , and desired her to have compassion upon him , and withall steppeth to her , as though it were to receive her charitie , and speaketh softly ; snio loveth you . the queen perociving the device , passed by ; and at her returne , the begger standing still in the same place as it were by importunacy , to draw from her somthing towards his relief , which before she had denied him , she gave him comfortable words openly ; & secretly whispering she said ; i love him , that loveth me . the begger being glad of this answer , pro●…eded further , pea●…tiling with the queene , to forsake her husband , and to passe the seas to snio ; who expecting opportunitie , when the queene fained to goe forth to wash her selfe , taking with her , her husbands tre●…re , 〈◊〉 a ship ready , and transported her into denmarke , which was the occasion of long and cruell warres , and of wonderfull slaughter on both sides : insomuch as the husband●… being slaine , the fields lay desolate , and the people driven to seeke new countries to inhabite ; which also at last cost snio his life . semir 〈◊〉 queene of the assyrians , desired the king her husband , that she might raigne with soveraignty one onely day ; which being ●…ted , she caused the king to be killed , and became absolute queen her selfe . 〈◊〉 queene of naples , caused three of her husbands to be put to death , who sought to be advanced to honour by her marriage : and at last 〈◊〉 the just judgement of god , 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 herselfe . irenes mother to the emperor constantine the sixth , entrapped him by policie , and caused his eyes to be plucked out of his head , that shee might raigne in his place : such an unnaturall part , as hath not beene knowne done by a woman . romulus the first founder of rome , slue his brother rhemus , for leaping over the wall of the city , that he might raign●…alone . 〈◊〉 and geta , brothers and successours in the empire to their father severus , thinking so large a monarchy not greatenough for them both , bassianus slue his brother geta with a dagger in his mothers armes , that himselfe might enjoy the soveraignty alone : nulla fides regni socijs , omnisque potestas impatiens consort is erit . there is no trust in partners to a crowne : power brookes no rivals , but makes all his owne . pope alexander the sixth had two sonnes , the elder he made duke of candia , the other cardinall of valentia : who being of a disposition , fitter for a man of war than a priest , could not ●…adure that his brother the duke , should bee preferred before him in this principalitie ; being the more impatient , because his brother had a greater part than hee in the favour of a yong gentlewoman , with whom they were both in love , and therefore stirred up by lust and ambition ( mighty ministers as guicciardin sayth , to all manner of mischiefe ) he caused his brother to be slaine , as hee rode alone in the night through rome , and to bee cast into the river of tiber. examples of this kinde , our owne chronicles will yeeld us . richard the third , most unnaturally caused his owne brothers sonnes to be cruelly murdered through the inordinate desire to reigne , upon whom fell the just j●…dgement of god , as all men know . the desire of rule & glorie , was the cause of the civill wars between 〈◊〉 caesar and pompey , and of the overthrow of the romanes common-wealth , and at last of their owne confusion . pompey being overthrowne by caesar , fled to alexandria , where hee thought to have found succour of the young king of egypt , for the benefits which he before had ●…eceived at his hands . but his councel having deliberated upon the matter , sent a boat , under colour of friendship , to him , to fetch him to land , and caused his head to be striken off to gratifie caesar , who not long after was killed in the senate , with three and twentie wounds . these men were of such lofty minds , that the one could abide no superiour , nor the other no equall . alexander the great , through ambition and desire of glory , without any right or title , entred into dar●…us possessions , & made conquest of asia . and the like desire of rule made antipater send his son to poyson alexander , with the water of the river called styx , whose propertie was to breake all the vessels wherein it should bee carried , whether it were silver , or pewter , or any other thing , saving the hoofe of a mule . and what was it but ambition , that stirred up and continued the controversie of the supremacie betweene the churches of hierusalem , antioch , constantinople , and rome , the space almost of three hundred yeares , untill at last phocas adjudged the supremacie to the bishop of rome , which brought forth horrible tumults , deadly hatreds , and shamefull schismes among the churches ? yet notwithstanding this sentence , the church of millan opposed it selfe against the church of rome , for the supremacie , and would have nothing to doe with it for the space of two hundred years . king henr●…e of france , upon the marriage of his sister with the king of spaine , was puffed up with such pride , and desirous of more increase of glorie , that besides his ambitious conceits , and imaginations of new enterprises , he gave hims●…lfe a new title , tres heureuseroye , the most happy king. but god ( to whom pride and vaine-glorie is alwaies offensive ) would not suffer this happines long to continue . for in sol●…mnizing this marriage , with great triumph and joy , after hee had run at the tilt two or three dayes , being perswaded and intreated by the q●…eene his wife ( who had dreadfull dreames of him ) to run no more , and also by his councell , he would needs runne againe the last day , and being well mounted , and armed rather better than any time before , after he had broken many staves , and the day well spent , and the pastime drawing to an end , some being gone from the tilt-yard home-ward , others being alighted from their horses , the king would not give over untill hee had run one course more : and looking round about , & seeing almost none left , he called count mongomery to him , that was captaine of his guard , and commanded him to goe to the end of the tilt ; but hee refusing to runne against him , desired to be pardoned ; but the king ( his destinie drawing him strongly to his end ) would allow no excuse , but putting the staffe in mongomeries hand ( that killed him ) willed him to go to the end of the tilt , hee would breake one staffe more before hee departed . as they ran , 〈◊〉 brake the staffe upon the king with a counterbuffe , that the splinters ran into his eye , and up toward his braine , so as languishing a few da●…s , he dyed . thus he that thought himselfe by the allia●… of this mightie prince , to bee advanced to great glorie , wherein , by his new title , he seemed to set his felicitie , was taken away by the captaine of his guard , that was appointed for his defence , in the beginning of his supposed happinesse : s●…ctransit transit gloria mundi . this strange death of the kings , seemed to be fatall , and was presaged before by ganricus an italian astronomer , who wrote to the king five yeares before , that he had calculated his nativitie , & that the heavens threatned him , in the yeare in which hee should be one and fortie , a dangerous wound in the head , by which hee should bee either striken blinde , or dead ( both which came to passe ) & therefore hee advised him that yeare to bew are of til●…s & tourneys , & such like pastimes . likewise nostradamus told some of his friends secretly , that the king would be in great danger of his life at the triumph , which made them the more attentively behold the same , to see the event . there was also a child of sixe yeares old , brought thither with his father to see the iustes ; which boy , as hee saw them run to breake their staves , would alwaies cry out without ceasing , they will kill the king , they will kill the king. but what danger soever followeth , or what care or trouble is in comming by it , there are very few examples of them , that have refused honour and rule , when they have had opportunitie & meanes to attaine it . but an infinite number of examples of them that by unlawfull means have sought rule , to their owne destruction . and no part of the world can afford more than the romane empire : where within the space of one hundred yeares , ●…n which were 〈◊〉 and thirteene 〈◊〉 , there were but three that dyed in their beds by sicknesse : all the 〈◊〉 suffred violent death . in the reign of galienns , there were 〈◊〉 that usurped the name of emperour . the romanes had a custome , to have certaine bands of choice men , lodged without th●… wals of the citie of rome , for the guard of their emperours , which they called pretorian souldiers , who by the negligence of some evill emperours ( forgetting their old discipline ) grew so licentious that they used to kill such of their emperours , though they had beene beneficiall to them ( for whose defence they were appointed ) as went about to reforme their rapines and dissolute manners , and advance others in their places . ( for this hath been alwaies the manners of men , to bee moved rather with the hope of a good turne to come , than with the remembrance of a benefit already received : and to depend rather upon them , whose power and reputation they see doth increase , than upon them that bee at the highest , and have no possibilitie to climbe higher . ) pertinax was the sonne of a slave that was made free , and being trained up in the warres , through his vertue and valour hee obtained to the highest dignities in the romane empire : and after commodus the cruell tyrant was slaine , hee was made emperour . but after hee had reigned some three moneths , to the great liking of the senate , and people of rome , the pretorian souldiers finding his severitie not so fit for their purpose , as the libertie they enjoyed by his predecessour commodus , certaine of them conspired against him , & went armed through the citie of rome to his palace , with their halberds and swords drawne ; whereof the emperour being advertised , sent to the captaine of the 〈◊〉 bands ( who brought him the first newes of commodus death , whereof he was the principall author , and cause of this mans election to the imperiall crowne ) that hee would appease the souldiers : but he was so farre from disswading them , that hee rather allowed of the enterprise ; following the common course of tho world : and as the poet saith ; dum fueris felix , multos ●…merabis amicos : tempor a si fuerint nubila solus ●…ris : whilst happy , thou hast many friends : but try them in foule weather , and away they fly . the emperour thinking it not agreeable with the majestie of his estate , nor answerable to his vertues , and former valour ( by which hee was advanced to so many dignities ) to flye or hide himselfe , as he was counselled , hee came forth boldly to the souldiers , hoping by his authoritie , and majestie of his person , to appease them . and after hee had demanded of them , the cause of their comming in this disordered sort : my souldiers ( quoth he ) if you come to kill me , you shall doe no great or valiant act , nor a matter to me very grievous , that am so striken in age , and have gotten such honour and fame , that death cannot much trouble me : who am not ignorant , that the life of man must have an end . but take yee heed , that it be not infamous to your selves , first to lay hands upon your emperour , that hath done you no harme , whose person is committed to your guard & defence , from all treason & violence . i may not flye that which the destinies have ordained , neither that which you have determined . but if this be my last day , & fatall houre , i pray the immortal gods , that the vengeance of the innocent bloud , which shall bee fhed of me , fall not upon my mother rome : but that every one of you , doe feele it in his person , & his house . and though some of the souldiers , when pertinax came to the point to speak these words , were moved with the authority and grave words of the good emperour , and were about to retire , yet the rest that came after , pursued their furious intent : and especially one tuncius , seeing all men refusing to kill pertinax , he thrust a launce thorow the middest of his bodie , with which wound pertinax fell to the ground . which being done , they cut off his head , and put it on a launce , and carried it through the streets of rome : and returned againe to their campe , with the like speede as they came forth , which they fortified , and prepared themselves for defence , fearing the 〈◊〉 of the people , of whom pertinax ( they knew ) was well beloved . but after a day or two , when they saw that none sought to revenge his death , they gathered to them a more boldnesse , and by a rare example ( the like wherof was never heard before ) the souldiers standing upon the walls of their campe , caused to bee published , that hee that would give them most money , they would make him emperour . a proud and presumptuous offer , for a handfull of men , inclosed within a wall of a little circuit , to set the world to sale . a notable example , and worthy of deep meditation , whereby we may plainely see , how feeble and weake the things are which wee so greatly esteeme in this life : and what small reckoning and account wee ought to make of worldly power and dominion , and all other riches and possessions , which wee call the goods of the world , and how far they are from felicitie that thinke themselves to live in securitie and happinesse , by possessing worldly wealth and dominion , when three or foure hundred men shall be sufficient to take away the life and dominion , from a grave and wise emperour of rome , a man of great vertue and experience , well beloved of his people , master & commander of the world , in the middest of the citie of rome , head of the romane empire . and they to carry the matter away without punishment , or called to answer their princes death . what reason have we so much to esteeme and desire any worldly wealth and power , with the hazzard many times of our soules , when so mighty a monarchie , representing such a majestie , the terrour of princes & nations , and as it were the throne of the earth , shall be by proclamation set out to sale for a little money ? when this newes was published in rome , that the empire should be sold , word therof was brought to didius iulianus , a very rich man , as he sate at supper in the middest of his pleasures . who being perswaded by his friends to hearken to this offer , went presently to the campe , where he found another chapman , whose offer the souldiers durst not accept , fearing lest hee would revenge the emperours death , whose kinsman he was . but receiving the large promises of iulianus , they put downe a ladder over the wall of their camp , & took him to them : where , after they had sworn him to performe his promise for the money agreed upon , they saluted him by the name of emperour , and marched with him in order of battell , well armed , through the citie to the palace . the people in stead of salutations cursing him bitterly , and cast stones at him out of their windowes . and when the armie had entituled him pater patriae , they found early the next morning , these latine letters written upon the gate : p.v.e.p. sounding thus : proditor , venditor , emptor patria . in english thus : traytor , seller , buyer of thy country . and after he had reigned seven moneths , in which time he suffered a great many indignities , being odious to all men , and to the souldiers also , because hee performed not his promise , the senate sent a gentleman to kill iulianus ; who declaring the sorrowful embassage which hee brought him , with many teares , inlianus desired , that he might not be slaine before he had seene severus , who was then at the gates of rome with an armie , & elected emperour : but the gentleman durst doe no other , than cut off his head . these and the like examples ( whereof histories are full fraught ) argue the imbecillitie and frailtie of humane power and riches , which may bee likened to the rattles and toyes , which children use to play with , suddenly they come , and quickely they are gone ; no where stable nor settled , but with every blast and mutabilitie of fortune , tossed hither and thither . he that now is lifted upon high , is throwne downe againe into the gulfe of miseries . saepius ventis agitatur ingens pinus , & celsae graviore casu decidunt turres ; ferunt que summos fulmina montes . the mighty pine that growes aloft , is shaken by the windes more oft : the higher that the turrets be , the greater is their fall we see : the nearer heaven the mountaines looke , the sooner they are thunder-strooke . unworthy are they to bee esteemed and called good things , that double the bitterness of griefe , with the desire of them , when they are lost . which seemed to bee gravely considered of king iohn of france , when he was taken p●…soner by the blacke prince . for being moved with the sudden alteration of his fortune , that in a moment , of a mighty prince was become a captive , in the power of his enemies , he was very sad and pensive . but when he was brought to the presence of king edward , after he had considered of the vanitie and uncertainetie of worldly things , hee looked with a very cheerfull countenance , as though no such thing had happened to him . at which change , king edward , hearing before of his penfivenesse , much marvelling , demanded of him the cause of his sudden alteration . i was ( quoth king iohn ) the last day , as you know , a mightie king , and now i am fallen into your hands , a captive at your disposition : vanitas vanitatum , & omnia vanitas ; vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie . to which saying an english poet seemed to allude : no wight in this world that wealth can attaine , vnlesse he beleeve that all is but vaine . and looke how it commeth , so leave it to goe : as tydes finde their times , to ●…bbc and to slow . the like is reported to bee spoken by gilimer king of the vandales , when hee was overthrowne in battell by bellisarius , and led in the triumph very richly apparelled , set out with gold and precious stones : the king was at that time very sad and pensive , untill he came before the emperour iustinian ; and then being commanded to adore him sitting in his chaire of state , he fell into great laughing , & pronounced these words , vanitas vanitatū , & omnia vanitas . and when all men thought by the greatnesse of his sorrow , & sudden alteration of his estate , that he was falne mad , that would laugh at such an unseasonable time , the emperour asked him , why ( being before so long sorrowfull ) hee fell so suddenly into such a laughing . he answered , that he laughed at the variable & unconstant estate and condition of men , that he , who was even now a king , is now become a slave . the king sesostris was aptly taught the uncertainety of humane things , by the example of foure kings whom when he had taken prisoners , he caused them to draw him in a chariot ; one of the kings turned his face alwaies backeward , and being demanded the cause , hee answered , that as hee beheld the wheeles of the chariot , that the same which was on high came downe below , hee called to minde the condition of men . which answer made sesist●…is more milde and gentle . ecclesiastes saith , one commeth out of prison , and is made a king ; and another which is borne in the kingdome falleth into povertie . and whosoever shall enter into the due consideration of these things with an upright judgement , shall finde , that there is nothing in this life better than a meane estate : which hee that can attaine and keep , is of all other neer●…st to this part of felicitie . for when ambition and desire of having hath possessed a mans minde , whatsoever is sweet and pleasant in this life is lost . as appeareth by iulianus , who living before in securitie , wanting nothing that was necessarie for the happinesse of this life , but rather had too much , through ambition and desire of rule and honour , fell into a sea of cares and troubles ; and within a few moneths , ignominiously lost both his honour and his life . pertinax seemed to preferre a private life before high estate . for before he was emperour , having borne the principall offices in the romane empire , and governed many provinces and countries , a very wise man , and of great experience , and one of the principall men among the romanes , misliking the governement , in the reign of the emperour cōmodus , withdrew himselfe into the country of liguria , to leade a private life in a poore village , where his father in times past had lived , and kept shop . and when he had bought that poor dwelling , where his father had sold oyle , fish , wine , and such like , he built about it a stately house , suffering the old to remaine in the middest , without adding or diminishing any thing of it . pertinax was greatly delighted to behold that countrey , wherein he had passed his life being but a child , and from whence hee had departed so abject , and was returned with great wealth and credit ; and being advertised that the foale of the asse was alive , whereon hee was used to carry wood , be bought it , and cherished it as if it had beene some old acquaintance , or servant of great desert . he rejoyced so exceedingly to see himself so rich , where he had bin so poore ; and to obtaine so great quietnesse , after so much travell , that he said , & wrote to his friends , that if princes had throughly known the taste and rellish of secure rest & quietnesse , they would of their own accord abandon empires . and if pertinax could have kept himself in this private life , hee had escaped that violent death , which , being afterward chosen emperour , hee could not avoyde . if men could see , how the minds of many princes & great estates are affected , what cares and troubles overwhelme them , what agonies and torments they suffer , in what feare and suspicion they live , we would not esteeme them to bee in the happiest estate , but rather to pitie their case , and yeelde them all the hono●…r and dutie we can give them , than wish to be in their places . as they by whose cares their subjects live securely ; by whose watching , they sleepe quietly ; and by whose infelicitie , they live happily . for , the subjects wealth , in a great part , dependeth upon the princes vigilancie and providence , which in a sort , was given to understand by philip of macedon , being in the warres , when hee was asked how it came to passe , that hee now slept so soundly , so great perill being at hand , whereas at other times , in lesse dangers he used to be so watchfull : it is no matter ( quoth the king ) though i sleep , antipater is 〈◊〉 ; meaning , as before all the estate of his affaires , and sa●…etie of the people depended upon his vigilancie : so for this one time he had committed them to antipater , whom he knew to bee as carefull as himselfe . philip de 〈◊〉 , a man of great wisedome and experience , and imployed in weightie affaires , in the time of lewes the eleventh king of france , saith , that if hee should write of all the princes , both men and women , which he knew in his time , that to the judgement of men , seemed to live in great felicitie , and yet to those that knew them familiarly , lived in a miserable estate , that matter alone would containe a reasonable volume ; which agreeth with the poet : — miser at que infelix est etiam rex , nec quenquam ( 〈◊〉 crede ) facit 〈◊〉 beatum : even kings with miseries are oft opprest , nor is 't a crowne ( beleeve me ) makes them blest . when tigranes was newly become king of armenia , after hee had a while earnestly beheld the diademe , which he had in his hand ; o noble , rather than happy cloth ( quoth hee ) if men knew the cares and troubles thou bringest with thee , no man would take thee up , if he found thee lying on the ground . but none expressed more aptly the unhappinesse of princes , that came by unlawfull meanes to their principalities , than dionysius the tyrant of syracusa , which was then a name of honour , though now ignominious . for being of damocles commended for a happy man ; wilt thou ( quoth he ) 〈◊〉 , make proofe one day of my happinesse ? when the other answered , nothing more willingly ; 〈◊〉 caused him to bee set alone at his table , in a stately chamber richly hanged , a cupboord of plate of great price , his table furnished with great store of delicate meats , pleasant wines of all sorts , and attended upon with brave men , and faire boyes , in all points as if he had been there himselfe . but directly over his head , he caused to be hanged a naked sword , by the haire of a horse taile ; which when damocles espied , his stomacke would no longer serve him to cate of those daintie meats , neither could hee take any pleasure in the service of those faire boyes , but being in continuall feare , lest the sword would fall upon his head , hee desired hee might have leave to depart , he would be no longer happy . now thou seest ( quoth dionysius ) how happy our estate is , that , not withstanding our guard of armed men , hangeth but by a little threed . thus did 〈◊〉 lively and properly reprove the common errour of men , that think felicity rather to consist in principalitie & worldly wealth , which is for the most part accompanied with feare and perill , and unquietnesse of minde , than in a meane estate , that bringeth with it a secure and quiet life , voyd of danger and timorous conceits . and that which he shewed by example in damocles , was by action verified in himselfe , in the course of his life . for he was so extremely fearefull & suspicious , that hee durst trust no body . he prepared a lodging for himselfe that had no accesse to it , but over a draw-bridge , which hee used himselfe to draw , when he went to bed . hee durst trust no barbor with the shaving his beard , but his own daughters , for feare of his throat . and when they grew towards women , hee tooke the razor from them , and made them learne a device to burne off his haire . and as he was on a time playing at tennis , hee delivered his sword to his page ; and as one of his familiars told him merily , that now he committed his life to his boy , hee caused them both presently to be slain : the man , because he shewed the way how he might be killed ; & the boy , because by smiling he seemed to allow of it . as this dionysius was walking one day , after he was expelled from his kingdome , in the citie of corinth , where hee lived as a private man : truly dionysius ( ●…aid diogenes the sinopian ) thou art in an estate unworthy of thee . the tyrant , supposing he had bewailed his case ; i am beholding to thee diogenes ( quoth hee ) that hast compassion upon my miserable fortune . what ( replieth the philosopher ) doest thou thinke i pitie thee ? it rather grieveth me to see such a slave as thou art , who deservest to grow old , and to dye like a tyrant , as thy father did , than to live here among us so pleasantly , and to passe thy time in securitie , without feare . whereby the philosophers meaning was , that hee lived then more happily , being a private man , voyde of feare and perill , than he did before in his kingdome , which was full of feare and trouble . the infelicitie , which many times accompanieth great estates , and frequenteth places of honour , was well fore-scene of t●…us the go●…d emperour of rome . for as he made a feast one day to the contentment of everie man , using a cheerefull countenance , in the end of the banquet he strake himselfe upon the breast at the table , and withall ●…tched a great sigh . and when his favorites desired to know the cause ; i cannot ( quoth he ) refraine sighing , when i call to minde , that this great honour which i have , dependeth upon the will of fortune ; that my estates and dignities are as it were in sequestration , and my life as it were laide in pawne and pledge to me . words of like effect were uttered by 〈◊〉 to nerva , when hee was chosen emperour . for when all men came to doe reverence to him , as their lord and emperour , and to congratulate and rejoyce with him , wishing him good successe and fortune ( as the manner is ) onely arrius , a very wise and grave man , a faithfull friend to nerva , used another forme of speech , considering with a more deepe meditation than the rest , what a great charge , and full of perill it was to reigne . my friend nerva ( sayd he ) that thou hast taken upon thee the governement of the empire , either it is some curse from thy predecessours , or some vengeance that the gods will take of thee : seeing they suffer thee to take the empire , and at the time thou hast most need of counsell , they bereave thee of thy sound and good judgement . and surely nerva ( sayd arrius ) that thou art exalted into this throne , i attribute it to the good fortune of the senate , and the people of rome , and to all the empire , and not to thine . for as thou hast through thy vertue and wisdome , escaped with so great honour & credit , from the hands of so many evill princes that went before thee : so now the same hath made thee subject to an infinite number of cares and perills , and above all the rest , to the infamy and hatred of thine enemies , and much more of thy friends . for these thinking in their own judgement , that they have deserved all things as due to them , in respect of old friendship , if any thing be denied them , though unjust , that they shall aske , they will become more cruell enemies , than those that have so disordered themselves . and when pertinax was to be elected emperour , and went up to the capitoll , he would in no wise sit in the chaire of estate , but tooke the consull glabrion by the arme , & by strong hand would have placed him in the same , as the worthier man. but he refusing , and perswading 〈◊〉 , with all the senate , to accept the empire , which was so much against his wil and liking , as appeared by the pitifull lamentation he made , and abundance of teares hee shed , that they placed him in a manner by force in the chaire . and when hee saw no remedy nor resistance against their 〈◊〉 , hee made an oration to the senate , and amongst many other things , spake thus : when i began to hold offices in the common-wealth , i thought it most certaine , that it was no humane matter , but a divine dignitie , to bee a romane emperour : but after i had tasted of the travels of commandement , and of authoritie , and understood the peril to reigne ; i did cleerely see , that amongst all the travels of men , to bee an emperour is the greatest . untill this day i have had some 〈◊〉 , but from henceforth i shall bee constrained to live discontented : because from the travell and 〈◊〉 of the ●…nce , peace & quietnesse proceedeth to the cōmon-wealth . the office of a prince is not to sleepe , but to watch not to be idle , but to travell : for that every excessive recreation which his person taketh , forthwith redoundeth to the prejudice of the common-wealth . untill this day have i been well liked , served , and reverenced , but from henceforth all men , for the most part , shall beare mee envie : because the estate of princes is so envied , that th●…sea shall want sand to reckon his enemies , but the number of his fingers of one hand , shall exceed to point out his friends . hee used often to say , that in all his life he never committed the like fault , as when he accepted the empire : and many times hee mo●…oned to leave the same , and to returne unto his hous●… : and would thus recomfort 〈◊〉 ; that forasinuch as hee was of so great age , he should not long live , but bee delivered of this redious life . per●…nax had a son , whom after he was emperor , he would not suffer to come to the court , nor yet to rome , but held him in his countrey following his owne affaires : which moved the consull to say to pertinax , that he seemed rather the sonne of a labourer , than of an emperour . whereupon he listup his eyes to heaven , and with a great sigh sayd : my mother rome hath cause to be contented , that i offer and put ●…y life in danger for her sake , without venturing my sonne and house in like danger . whereby it appeareth , he esteemed himselfe for most unhappy , to be established in the empire , and his sonne to bee in great felicitie , being free from the same . chap. ii. the emperour trajans opinion concerning principalitie and empire : the like of marcus aurelius emperour , of the empire : saturninus and his death : the modesty of sylla the dictator , and carolus martellus : the history of dioclesian : the instabilitie of fortune pr●…ved by iustinian the second : the contention of sergius , and formosus about the pope-dome : of pope iohn the thirteenth and others : of bajazet emperour of the turkes : the historie of darius and alexander : of baltazar cossa pope , and his miserable death : flattery rewarded by antonius and commodus emperors : the stories of divers popes : of the cardinal of loreyne and of martin luther . the emperour trajane seemed to be of opinion , that the greatest felicitie is not found in the greatest estate : by a letter which hee wrote to the senate of rome , being new chosen emperour , where among other things hee writeth thus : ye know that albeit i was nephew to our predecessor , yet i never solicited him for the kingdome , and much lesse occupied my thoughts to hope for it : having learned of my master plutarch , that honour ought rather to bee deserved than purchased . and as i will not denie , but that a kingdome is a sweet prey , & that the present of so high and excellent dignity , was welcome to mee , with inward gladnesse : so also i cannot but confesse , that i find great difference between the travels of a kingdome , and the security of a private life . yea , after i had tasted of what bitter cares , this sweet prey is compounded , i was sory my weaknes was so soone enticed , though it be too late to repe●… . for of such quality is empire & government , that if there be great honor to possesse it , there is no lesse paines & travell to weild it . oh , to how many perplexities stands he subject , who binds himselfe to governe others ? for if he be just , they will call him cruell : if he be pitifull they will despise him : if he be liberall , they will hold him prodigall : if he be a husband of that he hath , they will say hee is covetous : if he be peaceable , they will esteeme him a coward : if he bee couragious , they wil terme him quarrellous : if he be grave , they wil note him proud : if he be affable , they will impute it to lightnesse , and simplicitie : if hee be solitary , they will judge him an hypocrite : and if he be merry , they will tearme him dislolte . so that men will most commonly use more respect toward all others , than toward him that governeth the whole . for the prince , they number the morsels that he eareth , they measure his paces , they observe his words , they marke what company hee k●…peth , they censure his workes , they are jealous over his lookes and gestures : yea , they examine and murmure at his pastimes , and make conjecture even of his secret thoughts . who then considereth the travels that are incident to principalitie , the jealousies that stand as espials over such as rule , will confesse ( i doubt not ) that there is no estate more sure than that which is dissevered from empire and dominion . insomuch as government being nothing else but the forge of envy , the best cu●… and remedie is to forbeare to be absolute , and live contented with a private estate . for if a man cannot but with great paine governe a wife whom hee hath chosen , traine up his children which he hath begotten , and instruct his servant that he hath hyred , having them all in his honse : farre greater paine shall he finde , to entertaine in one peace & vnitie , a whole common-wealth divided into strange dispositions . sure the life of a prince deserveth great compassion , for that in few they can repose or trust , seeing oftentimes they are most deceived by those whom they most favour . they cannot cate without watching , sleepe without guard , speake without jealousie , nor go without espiall . so that being lords over all , they are prisoners to their owne subjects . yea , if we consider the servitude of princes , and the liberty of subjects , we shall find , that by whom a kingdome is best mannaged , over him servitude hath most dominion . insomuch that though princes have authority , to give liberty to others , yet their place will not suffer them to minister it to themselves . a large sea , and a great kingdom are two things pleasant to behold , but most perillous to prove . the emperour marcus a●…relaus , seemed to bee of the very same minde , by a discourse written to a deare friend of his , among other things thus : there is no doubt , that to be emperour of rome , is a greathne●… above all the estates of the world : but weighing with his countenance and majestie , the cares and infelicities that are annexed to the seate , there is farre greater securitie to follow a private life , than to manage the affaires and travels of a kingdome . and because ( good pution ) thou art so neere me in friendship and opinion , i will debate it frankely with thee , though not so much for that thou desirest to know it , yet because it brings case to my heart , to communicate my fortune , as in all adversities , it is one chiefe comfort , when men know the uttermost of their mishaps . but this was the case ; the emperour antoninus adopting me to his sonne in law , gave me his daughter to wife , and for her dowrie , endowed me with the empire : two things very honourable , & even so not a little troublesome . for that to the government of the empire is tyed great pain & travel : & in faustine my wife , is great difficulty of moderatiō , and modesty . herein thou hast no reason , to marvell so much of that i write to thee now , as to wonder with what discretion i so long suffered it . assuring thee , that the travels of the kingdom shorten my life , & the libertie of my wife diminisheth mine honour . for ●…he being the daughter of an emperor , having withal , the helpe of riches , beauty , & authority , forbeares not to use the priviledge of liberty , not as she ought , but as she list . this being a property annexed to most women , rather to desire liberty , than that they know how to use it : & that which is worse , she wil never suffer reformation of this errour , without the prejudice of mine honor : so that i●… such a forme of life as this is , and with the fellowship of a wife , such as faustin●… is , it had beene better for me , to have taken the state of a labourer , than to be c●…alted to the place of the empire : for that when the recko●…ing is made as there is no land so hard , which the plough doth not turne up , so there is no man so humble , that will bee comman led . i was never so well served as when i had but one page , & now that i am emperour , all men cal me master , & yet i am made servant to them all . where thou mayest see a lamentable difference betweene that i was then , and the condition i live in now : for when i followed the studie of philosophy , i had contentment of mind , whereas the pomps of the empire carryeth me into such strange spirits , that i have forgotten the vertue and science i knew , and now am troubled with infirmities , which i cannot abide . when i was a private man , all men held their eyes fixed upon mee , and now that i am a prince , there are few that ●…mploy not their tongues against me . whereby it appeareth , that as in princes there is alwayes somthing to be admonished , so in subjects are many things to be corrected . all this ( good 〈◊〉 ) i 〈◊〉 with thee , to the end thou have compassion upon my estate past , and pity to that i am no●… in : having neither time to communicate with those friends , with whom i have been brought up , nor opportunitie to seeke my solace in the science i have learned . for of the one side , the cares of the kingdome doe carrie mee into thoughts and pensivenesse , and on the other side , the libertie of my wife leaves me in trouble of conscience . 〈◊〉 likewise being advanced against his will to the name of emperour by the egyptians & by his souldiers , when he saw them so importunate that hee could not without danger refuse it ; my friends ( quoth hee ) ye know not what it is to 〈◊〉 , i will make you understand it in my selfe . from this day forward i shall bee dayly 〈◊〉 with swords , axes , and halberds hanging over my head ; on every side i see my selfe assaulted with launces , and all kind of weapons . those that should bee my guard and defence , i begin to feare , and to stand in doubt of them that keepe mee company . i eate my meat now with no good taste , nor without suspition . i goe no where in safetie , nor without feare . but if i were assured from all these things , yet it is unpossible for an emp to please his subjects . for if hee bee old , they will say , hee is unable , and insufficient : if hee bee yong , that he is furious , and wanteth wisedome to command . so as there will never faile defects to bee found in him . beleeve me ( my friends ) you that make mee emperour , doe tye mee to death , yet one thing comforteth me , that i shall not dye alone , deale with mee as you list : i beseech the gods , that ye repent not one day that you have done , as i repent it now . and as hee seemed to prophesie of himselfe , so it happened to him . for probus being emperour also , encountering with him , wonne the field : and saturninus being fled into a castle , was there slaine against the will of probus , who seemed willing to have pardoned him . and although the troubles and perils of these high dignities and honourable places , were foreseene and duly considered of some wise & grave men , yet few there have beene who refused them being offered , and more few that have yeelded them over , without some urgent cause , and necessitie , when they have possessed them . sylla after he had vanquished all his enemies , being dictator , the highest dignitie then in the romane common-wealth , and in mens judgement might have possessed it quietly , gave it over voluntarily without any compulsion , and led a private life . carolus martellus shewed great magnanimitie in refusing principalitie , when after many noble victories , he was offered by the princes and nobilitie , the kingdom of france , he refused it , and contented himselfe with the estate his father left him . for which hee had this epitaph : dux dominusq , ducum , regum quoque●…ex fore spe●…it , non vult regnare , sed regibus imperat ipse . to be a duke or lord o're dukes or king , mongst kings he did despise : but thought it greater ( than himselfe to reigne ) 'ore kings to emperize . some others did the like . but none hath shewed a more rare example in this kinde of matter , than dioclesian . this dioclesian , was a man of base parentage in dalmacia , and served as a poore souldier in france under divers romane emperours : ( for the romanes had then a custome , not to suffer their emperours long to live ) & as on a time hee reckoned with a woman , in the house where he was lodged ( that was a soothsayer , of them which were called druides ) for the charges of some time past , this woman finding fault with hisstraight reckoning , unfit as shee thought , for a souldier . content thy selfe good woman ( quoth dioclesian ) i am yet a poore souldier as thou seest , but when i am an emperour , i will be more liberall . forasmuch as thou hast spoken ( quoth she ) more truely than thou art aware of , when thou hast killed an aper ( which signifieth a bore ) thou shalt be emperor . dioclesiā although he took her words in jest , as a thing unlikely to come to passe , yet carrying a lot●…e minde , he thought sometimes upon her words , and as occasion served , hee used to kill bores . and through his vertue and valour , being advanced by degrees from one office to another , hee became in time one of the principall m●… in the army . and as he saw three or foure emperors in his time , one succeeding another , he calling to remembrance the womans words : i kill the bores ( quoth he ) but others eat the flesh : it chanced at last , that one whose name was aper , trayterously killed 〈◊〉 the emperour , notwithstanding hee married his daughter , hoping to succeede him in the empire . but the same being known to the souldiers , they apprehended this aper , & brought him before the tribunall seat of the emperour . and devising upon a man that might see this treason punished , none seemed so meete , as d●…oclesian . whereupon the whole army chose him emperour . and heto fulfill the prophecie ( though the thing was unseemely ) thrust his sword through aper , and slue him . and after hee had reigned twenty yeares and atchieved great matters , and now come to live in great prosperitie , his empire being so strongly fortified , & all things in such peaceable estate , that in the judgement of men he neede feare nothing , by a rare president never seene before , he gave over the empire , & went to the citie of solona in dalmatia his native countrey , to lead a private life ; where he occupied himselfe in planting trees , and making orchards and gardens , and would never after be brought to entermeddle with any kinde of governement , of what qualitie soever . which private li●…e liked him so wel , that by his owne confession , he then began to live , and to see the cleere light of the sunne . and when afterward in processe of time , the states of rome sent ambassadours to desire him , that hee would returne againe to be their emperour , and take upon him the governement , which ( they sayd ) would bee profitable 〈◊〉 the common-wealth , hee would in no wife be 〈◊〉 to accept it , but answered them , that 〈◊〉 they ●…aw and could enjoy awhile his quiet life , & the pleasure of the herbes and trees , which he had sowed & planted in his countrey , they would never send him any such embassage ; that he had heretofore bestowed great travell for the common-wealth , & that now god had given him time to travel & live to himselfe . and that he could not account any part of his time for life , but this , which he 〈◊〉 quietly spent , sithence his returne to his countrey . and when the embassadours replyed , that hee should have respect to the great matters which hee had done , and not to suffer his victories to receive disgrace in his time , hee answered them , that having set his felicite in the goods and riches of the minde , it could not bee accounted for an unhonest thing in him , to contemne worldly wealth and dominion , and to professe honest poverty ; and that for confirmation of his opiniō , there neither wanted precepts , nor examples of the wise ancient philosophers . among all the heathen histories that are written , there is not in mine opinion , a more notable example , nor of more efficacy to perswade men , that feli●…iry consisteth not in temporall and worldly goods and dominions , than this of di●…lefian . for beginning the course of his life , in the estate of a poore souldier , and ascending through the favour of fortune , and his owne vertue and wisedome , from one degree to another , untill hee was mounted to the highest dignities among men , to bee emperour of rome , and commander of the world , and considering with himselfe ( like a wise man ) the uncertainty and mutability of the things of this life , i●… which nothing hath long continuance , but as it h●…th 〈◊〉 time to increase , so being at the highest , naturally doth diminish againe ; proponing also to himselfe , the examples of divers great estates , whom fortune had set upon the top of her wheele , and seemed to be in the highest degree of felicitie , she threw them downe suddenly into extreame miseries , as the poet speaking of fortune , truely sayth : et tantum constans in levitate suaeft : he was onely constant in his owne lightnesse . he gave over all his honours and dominions , to leade a private life , in a meane estate , that is free from all those troubles and peril ; , which alwayes waite upon high dignities , and dominions . many goodly perswasions , with much eloquence have been used , prudent precepts given by wise men , and pithy reasons , and probable arguments have beene brought forth by many , to perswade , that all these worldly riches and honours which wee so greatly esteeme , are but vanities , who never tasted of the things from which they would disswade men , and therefore not of that credit and efficacie to edifie . aeschines the philosopher sayth ; words well spoken , doe awake and revive the judgement : but great and manifest examples perswade the heart . for examples be of more validitie than precepts , and we are better taught by good life than by good words : as the poet sayth : mederis aliis , ipsus ulceribus scatens . hee would cure others , that was himselfe full of ulcers . but dioclefian having passed through all the estates and dignities of this life , from the meanest to the highest , and thereby the better able , not onely by his owne wisedome , but also by his experience , to judge which was the best ; and when hee was in the highest place of honour and glory , which men so earnestly labour for and admire , and take for felicitie , to leave all and to betake himselfe to a privat life and mean estate , may serve for a sufficient perswasion , that felicitie consisteth not in honour and glory , nor in worldly wealth and dominion , after the common opinion of men . but a common errour continued , many times standeth for a law , and a judgement with authority , for a truth , and therefore not easie to be dissolved and rooted out . and dioclesians opinion is both significantly and briefely confirmed by the poet : felix ille animi , divisque simillimus ipsis quem non mendaci resplendens gloria fuco sollicitat ; non fastosi mala gandia luxus : sed tacitos sinit ire dies & paupere cultu exigit innocua tranquilla silentia vita . happi's that man in minde , and comes most neere unto the gods , whom glory doth not ●…meere with lying drosse , nor takes unhappy joy , in swelling lusts , his nature to destroy : but in an habite meane , and without strife , spends the still houres of his innocuous life . but the emperours that succeeded dioclesian , nor they which were before him , used the like consideration and foresight , of the troubles and dangers of high dignities . for th●…re is hardly to be found , any kind of death , how vile or ignominious and strange soever , that any man hath suffered , but some of the romane emperors have suffered the like , befides cruell torments , & outragious dignities , in their lifetime . the instabilitie of fortune ( usuall in high dignities , which was wisely foreseene by dioclesian ) cannot more manifestly bee proved by the example of many ages , than by the experience of some unhappy ambitious men in a few yeares , by this example following . by which if the ambitious & unb●…dled passions , and immoderate desire of honour and principalitie , were not of such force and strength , that mens weake mindes can make no sufficient resistance , they would be more effectually warned and taught , than by all the precepts and perswasions of the wise and learned men that have treated of that matter , to set their felicitie in some other thing , than in honour and glory ; which hath been the confusion of a●… infinite number , and brought them to ●…eme misery . when the emperour 〈◊〉 the second , h●…d reigned ten years , and seemed then to live in great securitie and p●…peritic , one leonctus a senatour of constantinople , conspired with others against him ; and by the favour of the people and some of the nobilitie , he went to the palace , where finding no resistance , he apprehended 〈◊〉 , and cut off his nose : and making himselfe emperour , hee banished him into chersonesus ; where he li●…ed in a poore estate without a nose . leoncius having obtained his purpose , and seeing himselfe in quiet possession of the empire , sent an army into africa against the saracens . the generall having won the victory , left his armie in good order , and returned to constantinople , to yeelde the emperour account of his charge . in the meane time one in the army , having gotten the good will of the souldiers ( whom they afterward called tiber●…s ) revolted against le●…cius , and by the favour of the whole army he was chosen emperour , with such successe , that speedily 〈◊〉 at constantinople , he t●…oke leouc●…us , that had bin emperour three years , and cut off his nose , as he had done to instinian , and cast him into prison in a monasterie , that hee might feele the more griefe , meaning afterward to put him to death . he banished also one philippicus into cephalonia , because he dreamed , that an eagle did light upon his head ; which hee doubted did presage that he should one day be emperour . tiberi●… having quietly reigned sixe or seven yeares , without feare of any man , it fell into his head to put iustinian to death , suspecting lest hee practised some thing against him . iustinian being thereof advertised , fled for succour to a prince in barbary , who entertained him well , and promised him his daughter in marriage . but after hee had lived there a time in some hope , and without feare of any further displeasure , understanding that his new father in law was corrupted with money , and meant to send him to tibertus , hee fled from thence to the king of bulgaria , whose sister hee promised to marry . by the ayd of this king , iustinian gathered together an armie , and encountering with tiberius , overthrew him , and recovered againe his empire ( but not his nose ) wh●…ch he could never have done , if tiberius had suffered him to live in exile without further molesting him . when iustinian came to constantinople , finding leoncius there in prison , after many torments , he put him and ●…berius to death ; and alwayes , as hee had occasion to wipe his nose ( if he had had one ) he caused-one of his conspirators to be executed . when iustinian had thus gotten againe the possession of his empire , he determined to put philippicus to death , that dreamed of the eagle , and to be revenged of the people of chersonesus , of whom hee pretended not to bee well used in his banishment . and raising a power for that purpose , philipp●…cus having intelligence what was intended against him , like a man desperate , gathered tog●…her such forces as he could , and encountring with the emperour , he overcame him , and strake off his head , and of a banish●…d man became emperour . the like happened to philippicus , for after he had reigned sixe moneths , anastasius raised a power against him , and overthrew him , and put out his eyes , and tooke from him his empire : which when hee had enj●…yed one yeare , theodosius deposed him , and made him a monke , and himselfe emperour . thus fortune playd with those princes , sometime lifting up some o●… high , that she might throw them down with the greater fall ; to some giving more than he had before , that she might at last take all from him ; sometime making emperors exiles , another time making exiles emperours ; which agreeth aptly with the saying of the satiricke : ille crucem sceleris pretium ferat , hic diadema . one suffers on the gallowes as his meede , anothers crown'd in an imperiall weede . such is the malice of ambition , that is not alwaies satisfied with the torments or death of his competitour , except he be also revenged , and use despites upon his carkase . there was a contention betweene sergius and 〈◊〉 for the popedome . sergius being of greater force , cast the other out of saint peters chaire : who flying into france , found fortune so favourable , that hee recovered againe the possession of his place , and died within a little while after . sergius the antipope , rejoyeing in the death of his competitor , got him into saint peters chaire , and burning with a desire to be revenged , he caused formosus to be taken out of his grave , and setting him in the popes seat , apparelled in a priests habit , commanded his head to bee cut off , and spake thus to him : thou wast bishop of such a place , why hast thou through the spirit of ambition , usurped the universall seat of the romane bishops ? when these sacred ceremonies were finished , hee caused his vestiments to be taken from him , and three of his fingers to be cut off , and his bodie to bee cast into the river of tiber. and this was a horrible fact that was committed by pope iohn the thirteenth , when he had cut off the noses hee put out the eyes of certaine cardinals , because they favoured otho , that meant to depose him , and set up another in his place . which pope was afterward ( as some write ) killed by a romane , because he found him abusing his wife . and as these popes , through ambition have committed many outrages and tyrannies , so have they by the just judgement of god , suffred many indignities , and torments : some expelled , some banished , some imprisoned , some their eyes put out ; as pope iohn the thirteenth . which examples were sufficient to disswade men from aspiring to high dignities , and glorious estate , if their eyes were not bli●…ded with the humour of ambition . and in no estates of life , examples of ambition have beene more apparent , than in the popedome : two , three , and sometimes foure popes being at one time , within the space of forty yeare ; who have raised cruell warres , and contended together most maliciously , to the great effusion of innocent bloud , and to the impoverishing and troubling of all christendom . but benedictus the ninth , gregory the sixth , and iohn the third , all three popes at one time , used the matter with more moderation , and greater discretion . for after some contention for the popedome , one being set up and another put downe , they fell to a friendly composition : and because saint peters chaire was not large enough for them all three to sit together , they divided christs garments ( as their writers report ) and the revennues of the church equally betweene them , and dwelt neighbourly at rome together , taking severall churches to their charge . and here might arise a disputable question of no small difficultie ; which of them was the right vicar of christ ; but i leave it to them to whom it appertaineth , to bee decided , not appertaining to this matter . a rare example of the inconstancy of fortune among great princes , happened to bajazet , emperour of the turks : for , being overcome in battell by tamerlan , that of a peasants son became a great monarch , & taken prisoner , hee caused him to be led with him , in a cage of gold , and to be fed with crums that fel from his table : & when he meant to ride , he used him for a footstoole , to get up to his horse . valerianus emperour of rome , being taken prisoner by saper king of the persians , was used in the like sort , as a footstoole for him to get up to his horse . when alexander the great had taken king porus prisoner , and asked him what hee thought meete for him that was victor to doe with him : even as this day ( quoth p●…rus ) doth admonish thee , wherein thou seest , how uncertain a thing felicitie is . dum versat dubio vitam fortuna ten●…re felicem sese dicere 〈◊〉 : no man can count himselfe happy at all , whom with suspence blind fortune doth inthrall . darius that mighty monarch of the persians , tasted of the like inconstancie of fortune . for at alexanders first comming into asia , being puffed up with pride , by his great riches and dominion , thinking himselfe to bee in the highest degree of felicity , he wrote to alexander a disdainefull & proud letter : darius king of kings , and cosin to the gods , to alexander my servant : i wil & command thee to returne home to thy parents , and lye in thy mothers lap , and learne the duty & part of a man ; for which purpose , i have sent thee a paire of reines of scythia , a tennise ball , and a purse full of gold ; the ball , because it agreeth with thy yeares ; the gold , that thou maiest therewith buy what thou lackest . alexander received these gifts , as a prognostick of his good fortune : and wrote to him againe , that he had received his gifts : the reines , he meant to use to rule them , that were now subject to him : the ball did presage , that he should bee master of the world ; the gold was a token that he should be master of him , and all his treasure . which letter when darius had read , he sent to the governours of his country , that he heard there was a young-man , the sonne of philip , that overranne his countries of asia , like one that were mad : he willed them to take him & whip him with rods like a boy , & send him to him clothed in purple : and for his noblemen & captaines , that they should destroy them and his navie . but afterward when he was overthrowne in battell , and his wife and children were taken prisoners , himselfe hardly escaping , nabarzanes and beslus two of his principall captaines through an ambitious desire of rule , conspiring traiterously against darius , looked for opportunitie to kill him . where of when darius was advertised , and counselled by some of his friends , rather to commit himself to the guard of the grecians , than to trust his owne countrey-men , being predestinate to his chance , hee could not then beare any wholesome counsell ; and hearing that such as were accustomed to the guard of his person , which should have bin his defence in all perils , were fled from him , for feare of the great number of conspiratours , which they supposed to be comming , he called some of his friends , and willed them to provide for themselves , commending their fidelity to their prince , till the last houre . here ( quoth he ) i tarry for the fatall law of my destiny . after which words they filled the kings lodging and all the campe with mourning and lamentatior . such as appertained to the conspiratours , deceived by the con●…ed cries and lamentation , brought tydings to the rest , that the king had killed himselfe . whereupon they galloped thither as fast as they could , & such followed after , as they had chosen to bee ministers of their mischiefe . when bessus and nabarzanes were entred into the kings pavilion , hearing by his eunuchs that he was alive , they commanded him to be bound . thus he which before was carried in a chariot , and honoured of his men like a god , was made prisoner by his owne servants , & put into a vile cart , covered over with beasts skins . his men understanding how the matter passed , all forsooke him . but to the intent that darius should not w●…nt such honour , as was due to his estate , they cau●…ed him to be bound with golden ●…tters . such were the despites that his fortune made him subject unto . and for that he should not be knowne by his apparell , they covered his chariot with foule hides of beasts , and c●…sed unknowne men to drive it forwards . newes being brought to alexander , that darius was forsaken of his owne men , and either taken prisoner or slaine , hee followeth after him as speedily as he could . and when he was come so neere them , that the macedons saw the persians flying , and the persians the macedons pur●…ing them , bessus and other of his complices came to the cart where darius was , and perswaded him to leape on hor●…backe and flie from his enemies that were at hand●… but he crying out that the gods were come to his revenge , and calling for the assistance of alexander , sayd , that in no wise hee would goe with traitors : wherewith they being exceeding angry , threw d●…s at him , and left him wounded in many places of his body : they thrust in the beasts also that drew the cart , that they might not be able to goe forward , and slue his two servants that did waite upon him , and fl●…d to save themselves . within a while after , the beasts that drew darius wagon , having no man to governe them , were swarved out of the high-way , and wandring here and there , had drawne darius foure ●…rlongs from the place where he was wounded , into a valley , where they fainted by reason of their heate and hurts . and as polistratus a macedon came that way , to drinke of a spring being overcome with thirst , he espied , as he was drinking out of an helmet , the beasts that were thrust in with darts , and looking into the foule cart , he found the body of a man halfe dead , and at length hee perceived it was darius , that lay there sore wounded , gasping for breath . then hee brought him to a persian that hee had taken prisoner , whom when darius knew by his voyce to be of his country , hee tooke it for a comfort of his present fortune , that he should speake before he died , to one that understood him , and not ●…ter his last words in vaine ; he required him to declare unto alexander , that though hee had never deserved any thing at his hands , yet it was his chance to dye greatly his debtour , and had great thankes to give him , for the favour and goodnesse he had shewed to his mother , his wife , and children , to whom hee had not onely granted life , but also the reverence of their former estate and dignity ; whereas he of his kinsmen & friends , to whom he had given both life and lands , was now by them bereaved of all . he prayed therfore that he might alwaies be victor , & that the empire of the whole world might 〈◊〉 into his hands : requiring him that he would not neglect to revenge so soule an act ; not onely for his cause , but for an example , & the love of other princes : which should be a thing honourable to him , and profitable in time to come . when hee had spoken these words , hee fainted , and calling for water , after he had drunke , sayd to polistratus that presented it to him ; whatsoever thou art , this is unto me the last misery in all my adverse fortune , that i am not able to require thee this benefit , but alexander shall reward thee ; and the gods shall require him , for his great humanity and clemencie , shewed towards mine : unto whom in my behalfe thou shalt give my hand , as a pledge of a kings promise . and having spoken these words , and given to polistratus his hand , he dyed . when his sayings were reported to alexander , hee repaired where the dead corps lay , and there bewayled with teares , that it was his chance to dye a death so unworthy of so great an estate : & taking off his owne cloake to cover the dead corps , adorning also the same with all things that appertained to a king , he sent it to his mother to be buried , in such sort as the count●…ie manner was to bury kings , and to be layd among the rest of his predecessours . this was the miserable end of this mighty monarch , which may be an example to all estates , that f●…licitie consisteth not in abundance of treasure and glorious dominion , wherein this man exceeded all the princes of his time : and which also discovereth the mutable estate of princes , when of the infelicity of the one dependeth the felicitie of the other . which mutability of humane matters , the poet in few words doth well set forth : omnia sunt hominum tenni pendentia filo ; et subito casu qua valucre r●… . no man can count himselfe happy at all , whom with suspence , blind fortune doth inthrall . and bessus one of them that murdered darius , for the desire of rule , was afterward taken prisoner , and committed by alexander to darius brother , that hee should cut off his nose , and eares , and hang him upon a crosse , causing his owne men to shoot him through with arrowes . one sayth , that prince which hath more than all other , enjoyeth least of any other : for the prince that possesseth much , is alwayes occupied in defending it , but the prince that hath little , hath leasure quietly to enjoy it . abraham king of marocco was driven to such extremity , by a preacher called elmaheli , who had raised a power against him , and overthrew him in the field , that being voyde of all hope of succour , hee stale forth of the towne in the night on horsebacke , and tooke the queene his wife behinde him , and being come to the top of a high rocke that stood upon the sea coast , hee put spurres to his horse and fell downe headlong , hee and his queene , tumbling from one place to another untill they were torne in peeces . the instability of high dignities , and the griefe for the losse of them , was effectually set forth by lamentable verses made by a pope , called baltazar cossa , when hee was thrust out of saint peters chaire , and cast in prison , strangely presaged by the report of nicholas clemangie . this pope was a very wicked man , & being forced from his place , assembled neverthelesse a councell of some few strangers and italians , his favourites : wherin consultation was had of some vaine matters , nothing appertaining to the utilitie of the church ; but before the first session , when they had prayed ( as the manner is ) for the assistance of the holy ghost , and the fathers were set in their places , and the pope in a high place above them all , there commeth an owle , which alwayes bringeth with him , a prognosticke of evill fortune , and alighteth upon a beame in the middle of the church , singing in his naturall tune , and looked continually in the popes face . and every man marvelled to see this unfortunate bird ( that flyeth the light ) so boldly in the middle of the day to sit among such an assembly of people , ominating some evill to follow : the pope , upon whom the owles eyes were earnestly fastened , chafed and sweat , and being in a great agony , dismissed the councell , and departed . at the next session , the owle commeth to the same place againe , and beholdeth the pope as hee did before , who being more ashamed than he was the other day , commandeth this unlucky bird to be feared away with crying and clapping of hands . but the owle would not be removed away from the place , untill she was stricken with a staffe , and fell downe dead among them . the councell not long after was to the shame of the pope dissolved , and he deposed , and cast in prison : where he beway led his fortune , with these dolefull verses : qu●… modo summus ●…ram latatus nomine pr●…ful , 〈◊〉 & abjectus , nunc mea fat a gemo . excelsus solio nuper versabar in al●…o , cunctaque gens pedibus ofcula prona dabas . nunc ego p●…narum fundo dev●…lvor in imo ; vultum deformem , pallidaque or a gero . omnibus è terris , aurum 〈◊〉 sponte ferebant ; sed nec gaza juvat , nec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adest . sic varians fortuna vices adversa secundis subdit , & ambiguo numine ludit atrox . cedat in exemplum cunctis , quos gloria toll●…t vertice de summo mox ego papucado . i the glad name of pope who had but late , now ( most deceived ) mourne mine own sad fate ; once lifted to a throne sublime , where plac't , nations to crouch and kisse my feet were grac't : am now cast downe into paines lowest abysse , pallid my looke , deform'd my countenance is : then from all nations i had store of gold , but now nor wealth , nor friend can i behold . such is the change of fortune , good with bad she mingles . so nought certaine can be had : all such whom glory swels with proud ostent , make me ( once pope ) their wofull president . in our fathers time tomombey sultan of egypt , atabalixa king of peru , and mutexuma king of mexico , lost both their kingdomes and lives in a short time , in a miserable sort , the one dying in prison , the other with a soft fire burnt & smothered to death : the third shamefully hanged in his owne towne . apreyes king of egypt perswaded himselfe and would vaunt , that hee had so established and fortified his kingdome , that none either of the gods , or of men could take it from him . but being overcome in battell by the persians , hee was taken prisoner , and after hee had beene kept some time in prison , he was strangled . the great prince saladine after hee had won ierusalem , lying in his death bed , and considering with himselfe , what vanity was in the pompe and glory of this world , commanded his 〈◊〉 to be hanged upon a pole , and car●…ied through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the sight of all men , a●…d to be cryed : behold saladine the conquerour of asia , of so great a kingdom , & such abundance of riches , he carri●…th nothing with him but this . but alexander the great used not the like modestie , but contrariwise being puf●…ed up with pride , and vaine glory after his victories , he could not beare the greatnesse of his fortunes , with that vertue he wan them . but being more desirous of glory , than able to receive it , he commanded himselfe to be called the sonne of iupiter , & to be honored as a god. and whilest hee went about to increase the glory of his acts , he corrupted and defaced them with such vaine titles . for he received more mockes of the wiser sort , than adorations of his flatterers . when hee had sent to the cities of greece to have his new title of godhead to bee confirmed by publike authoritie , and the matter being had in consultation , one steppeth up and sayd ; well seeing alexander will needs have it so , let us make him a god . a frumpe worthy of such a vaine glorious petition . and as cleo , an italian of sicilia , given to flattery both by his owne nature , and by the custome of his countrey , had used perswasions , and set downe a forme to honour alexander as a god : callistenes being of a contrary opinion ; are not they goodly gods cl●…o ( quoth hee ) that thou and i can make ? i pray thee let me prove thy power , if thou canst make a god , first make a king : it is much more easie to give a worldly kingdome , than the possession of heaven . but flattery was never better rewarded , than by m. antonius the triumvir . for when he entred into athens , all the citizens having first prepared exceeding great honours for his entertainement , went to meet him , and they being desirous to win his favour , used this kind of flattery : they told antonius that they had in their city the goddesse minerva which wanted a husband , and were desirous to give him her to wife , who was the god bacchus . antonius being offended with their shamelesse flattery , sayd that he was content to accept her for his wife : but i will have ( quoth he ) a thousand talents for her dowry , which is requisit for so great a marriage . but the emperor commodus used more severity , or rather cruelty in punishing flattery . certaine yong gentlemen of commodus chamber , understanding that ebutianus was put to death for weeping and lamenting the death of the consull byrrius : and apollaustus another senatour , for bemoning the death of ebutianus , the day that apollaustus was executed , thinking to please the prince , made shew of great mirth & joy for the death of apollaustus . which being knowne to commodus , hee commanded their throats to be cut , saying , that for any act done by the prince , they ought neither to laugh nor weepe , but heare & see and hold their peace . xerxes the great monarch of persia , being unmeasurably overcome with pride and vaine-glory , after the bridge which was made to transport his army over the sea called hellespont , was overthrown by the tempest & raging of the sea , he with such arrogancy , disdaining that the elemēts would not be obedient to him , cōmanded the sea to be beaten with stripes , & a paire of fetters to bee cast into it , and sent messengers to burne markes in it with a hot iron , and to beat it , saying , o bitter water , thy lord doth thus punish thee , because thou hast hurt him , that deserved no evill of thee ; yet the king xerxes , wil passe over thee whether thou wilt or not : neither doth any man sacrifice to thee , because thou art a deceitfull and bitter river . to such madne●…e and vanity , glory and dominion brought him , that he would seeme to be exalted above the condition of men . but what may be sayd of them , that take upon them to make saints , as the other would bee made a god ? and as this arrogated to himselfe a power over the sea , so they will command the angels in heaven , that there may bee nothing wanting to the fulnesse of their power ? yea and that their madnesse and extreame folly and wickednesse , may bee in the highest degree , without possibilitie to extend it selfe any further , these titles and power , the popes doe challenge by the gift of their parasites . that god rati●…th whatsoever the pope doth : the will of the pope is a rule of equitie and right : that the pope can doe absolutely in this world whatsoever god doth ; because he is all things & above all things . and if he change his mind , it is to be presumed that god doth also change his mind . and if the pope carry with him many thousands of soules into hell , yet no man may say , why doe you so ? that all power is given to the pope both in heaven and in earth : that he may extend himselfe to heavenly , earthly , and infernall things : that it is not lawfull to appeale from the pope to god : that the pope may decree against the epistles of paul , because he is greater than paul : and also that he may decree against the old testament , because hee is greater than all the authors of the old testament . yet their ambition and desire of vaine-glory would not suffer them here to stay , but it was searched and disputed among them and their parasites , whether the pope might decree things contrary to the gospell ? whether hee were not above peter in power ? whether hee were a pure man , or else as it were god : it was also disputed in their schooles , not very many yeares sithence , whether the pope did participate both natures , divine and humane , like unto our lord iesus christ. it is like that hee is some strange kind of creature , that they cannot tell what maner a thing he is , nor what to make of him . and therefore it may be that hee is of the nature and essence of a woman , or one that was taken for a woman in italy , whose condition was set forth in an epitaph , thus : aelia , l●…lia , crispis ; nec vir , nec mulier , nec andtogyna , nec puella , nec inven●… , nec anus ; nec casta , nec casta , nec pudica ; sedomnia : nec meretrix , nec aquis , nec terris , sedubique tacet . aelia , laelia , crispis ; nor man , nor woman , nor hermophradite , nor virgin , yong woman , nor beldame , nor chast , nor whore , nor modest , but all of these : she lyes neither in the ayre , nor water , nor earth , but every where . who will marvell at the promises that the kings of mexico make when they are first chosen , that will compare them with the power the popes arrogate to themselves : that the sunne shall hold his course and brightnesse , that the clouds shall raine , the rivers shall run , and the earth shall bring forth all kinds of fruit . but what is it that these ●…atterers of the popes will shame to speake , to win or continue their favour : 〈◊〉 ●…ndacia sunt opes & aurum : ●…gunt quaque volunt , put antquc palmam mentiri 〈◊〉 . lyes are to them , their wealth , their gold , as feigning all things that they would . the glorious palme they seeke to gaine , untruths by speaking and things vaine . what wickednesse hath beene in many popes , their o●…ne authors doe testifie , besides many that gave themselves to the diuell , and were notable necromancers , as hath beene sayd before , and by that meanes came by the popedom . pope marcellinus sacrificed to the gentiles idols . pope iohn the three and twentieth taught , that there was no life after this . for which cause hee was called by the councell of constance a divell incarnate . and divers of them were of such wickednesse and infidelitie , that they were by the authoritie of councels rejected , not onely for heresie , but also for atheisme . and yet these men would be taken for the vicars of christ , that rather resemble viceroyes of sathan . pope clement in a bull kept in lead in vienna in france , commanded the angels of heaven , to bring the soule of him that went to rome in pilgrimage for pardons , and returned discharged of purgatory , to the perpetuall joyes of heaven : saying moreover ; we will not that the torm●…nts of hell be inflicted upon him in any sort . granting also to them that be marked with the signe of the crosse , at their vowes and prayers , power to take out of purgatory three or foure soules , such as they list . but here he seemeth to me , to commit an errour in a preposterous sort , that he had not first let men beleeve that hee could give power to a man to take out of purgatory three or foure soules such as hee list , and then afterward to perswade them , that he had power to command angels , to bring men the next way to heaven : and that no torments of hell should be inflicted upon them that went to rome for pardons . the priest seemed in his owne conceipt to proceede by degrees in better order to perswade , that went up into the pulpit to preach to his parishioners , and tooke for his text the gospell where christ fed with a few fishes foure thousand people . and when he was entred into his sermon , yea ( quoth hee ) and he confirmed his doctrine with a great miracle ; hee fed with a few fishes foure hundred people . the clarke that stood under the pulpit , hearing him say foure hundred , stepped up to him ; yee mistake the matter , sir ( quoth hee ) it was not foure hundred , it was foure thousand . peace soole ( quoth the priest ) let them beleeve this first . the vertue that flowed so plentifully from this pope bringeth to my remembrance a pleasant story of a mischance that happened to a present sent by a pope , which he had sanctified with the like vertue , as the other had done by his bull. in the civill warres of france the cardinall of loreyne , was a great maintainer of the guisians faction , and persecuted v●…hemently the protestants . the pope to gratifie him for his great care , and paines taken in defence of his religion and authority , sent him a table wherein was painted our lady , with a little childe in her armes , representing christ , by the most excellent and famous painter in christendome , and consecrated with his owne hands , and inclosed it in a case of silke , and a letter withall , giving him thankes and high commendations for his travell and providence in maintaining the catholike religion : signifying to him also that in recompence of his paines hee had sent him such a table , painted by the famous man whom hee named , and consecrated with his owne hands . the messenger that caried this present , chanced to fall sicke in a towne in italy , before he came to the alpes , and finding there one this present to the 〈◊〉 when he 〈◊〉 where the cardinall was , he presented to him the table and 〈◊〉 ; which when hee had read , hee layd the table upon his bed , and would not open it , untill he might doe 〈◊〉 with greater 〈◊〉 . for this purpose hee 〈◊〉 the duke of guise to dinner , with divers other noble-men , and gentlemen of the 〈◊〉 , and alliance of the guises . but in the meanetime one that liked not the cardinall , having intelligence of this present , found the 〈◊〉 to steale it secretly out of the case , and to put in another table which he had prepared for the purpose , and shut up the case againe so cunningly , that what was done could not be perceived , and layd it upon the bed , where he found it . when the day was come to celebrate this feast , and the cardinall and his guests were set at the table , hee caused the popes letter to bee openly reade . when they heard of the present , they could no longer forbeare the fight of it , nor would 〈◊〉 any more 〈◊〉 untill it were brought in place . then by the cardinals commandement , this holy thing was brought with great solemnity to the table , every man expecting with a kind of reverence , what manner of thing that should be , that was sanctified by the holy hands of so stately a 〈◊〉 , and sacred person , and made by so good a workeman . the table was taken out of the case , in thesight of the cardinall , and all his guests , wherein was painted in place of our lady and her child , the cardinall of lorreyne starke naked , the queene mother , the yong queene of scots , and the old duchesse of gui●… naked also , hanging about the cardinals 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 legges 〈◊〉 betweene his legges . when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his guests saw how their exoec●…tion was 〈◊〉 what a confusion there was among them , every that are sent from rome by the pope●… , 〈◊〉 world , are obeyed of the angels and divels , they are not so dangerous ( thankes be to god ) among men as they have 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 so much regarded . it 〈◊〉 to be appropriate to that 〈◊〉 city of rome , fith●…e the popes have beene in so great authority , that great 〈◊〉 should be there wrought , by bu●…s , if it be lawfull to allude to their name . p●…lus lovi●…s repo●…eth of a great pestilonce in rome , in pope hadrians time , which was like to have consumed all the people , if a grecian called demetrius had not undertaken to stay it . he caused a wilde bull to be taken , and after hee had cut off one of his hornes in the middest , & whispered a charme in his right ●…are , the bul became presently so tame , that he tied a little string to the whole home , and lead him to the amphitheater , where he sacrificed him ; whereupon the rage of the disease beganne immediatly to asswage . but this may seeme strange , that this necromancer , a stranger , and an instrument of sathan , imployed his naturall bull to the safegard of the people of rome : and the popes that call themselves the vicars of christ and take upon them to protect his people , imploy their unnaturall buls , to the destruction and subversion of whole kingdomes and countries ; arming and exciting emperours and kings , against their subj●…s , and subjects against their princes . but the gospell ( thankes be to god ) where it is professed , hath so charmed that savage beast , and abated his force and fury , that children deride him , which was wont to be dreadfull to mig●… princes , and terrible to all the world . the old ro●… had a certaine kind of soothsayers in great estimation among them , called 〈◊〉 , that had invented a science to divine of things ●…o come , by the ●…lying and voyces of birds . but cato having espied the vanitie and illusion of them and their science , would say , that hee marvelled how those soothsayers , when they chanced to meete together in the streetes , could forbeare to laugh one upon another . and may not wee likewise thinke it a hard matter , for the pope and his cardinals to ●…orbeare to smile one upon another , when consultation is had among them , to send their buls abroad , which they know to be nothing but vanity & illusion ? but their greatnesse is greatly decayd , which was foreseen of luther , who seemed by this verse pronounced in his death bed to prophes●…e of the popes fall , whose credit and authority we see plainely to bee in declination . pestis eram vivens , moriens 〈◊〉 mors ero papa . ( oh pope ) i am thy plague whilest i have breath , and dying , i will be thy fatall death . which prediction was not in vaine : for he hath given him such a deadly wound , that all his iesuits and seminaries , with the rest of his cloyster-men , will never be able to heale . when frederike duke of saxony , had desired erasmus , to tell him plainely , whether luther did erre in the matter then in controversie , and erasmus had answered him , that luther was of a good opinion : why then ( quoth the duke ) be they so spitefull against my ●…illy monke ? wherein hath bee offended , that they so persecute him ? o noble prince ( sayd erasmus ) he hath committed two very great finnes , bee hath taken away the crown from the pope & bishops , & the belly from the monkes . which bringeth to my 〈◊〉 , a jest of a merry fellow , who hearing a monke say that the way to obtaine forgivenesse of mens fine was by giving of almes , and especially to the monkes : he gave them almes and fed them more plentifully than before : and when there happened any talke of offences against god , he would say , that the monkes had eaten up all his sinnes . chap. iii. of divers that came to be popes by necromancy : benedictus the ninth : sylvester the second : boniface the eighth : contention betwixt the augustin ●…riars , and other orders : of pope gregory the seventh : the incomparable pride of sundry popes , illustrated by history : of pope ioan : pride punished in herod , and derided by philip king of macedon : of calanino , simon magus , and cynops , three notable magicians : tritemius a learned abb●…t : albertus magnus : pope gregory the seventh : an epistle writ from beelzebub , to the clergie : the earle of mascon : spanish magdalen : the fickleprophet mahomet : salmoxes : of a pilgrim whocounter feiting sanctitie , became monarch of many kingdomes : a prodigious child borne in babylon : the storte of nicolana , dambrie . but to returne from whence we digressed , the ambition of the heathens , that lived after the world , and knew not god , is not so much to be marvelled at , if wee look into the lives of some christians , that forbeare not any unlawfull meanes to aspire to the highest places of honor ; and especially of them in whose 〈◊〉 pect●… all knowledge lyeth hidden , that prosesse by title all humility ; calling themselves the servants of the servants of god ; but indeede aspire and take upon them to bee the master of the masters of the world . wherof though their owne histories may affoord many examples , yet for brevities sake we will make choice of a few . alexander the sixth , a very ambitious man , mistrusting by like the favour or power of the holy ghost , by whose helpe wee must beleeve , that the popes are chosen , by joyning together the cardinals consent , to make choice of the holyest man ( a matter of no small difficulty ) by corrupting the cardinals with money , which was no rare thing in those dayes , was made pope . which time and manners seemeth to agree with the poets saying : aurea nunc vere sunt secula , plurimus auro venit honos . this is the golden age , not that of old : for now all honour 's to be bought with gold . wherein they were greatly overseene so to discred●… the sinceritie of their election , & make themselves subject to obloquie , that had alwayes the holy ghost so ready at their commandement , as it seemeth by the report of paulus iovius . for when the generall councell sate at trent , the posts went so fast betweene the pope and them , that it was commonly spoken by the italians as they saw th●… passing by ; there goeth the holy ghost inclosed in a boxe , from rome to trent , viz. to inspire the councell , what the pope would have decreed . the emperour charles the fifth , and the french king sent the holy ghost accompanied with angels to rome to the cardinals to helpe elect the popes that were chosen in their times , as is reported . the divell shewed a strange example upon benedi●… the ninth , who through his wickednesse & ●…orcery was called maledictus , and was killed by the divell 〈◊〉 a wood . this pope after he was dead , or rather sathan in his habit , was met by a hermit , his body like a beare , tayle like an asse , a myter upon his head , and a cope upon his backe : the hermite knowing him by his habite , and not by his face or forme , which resembled so many kinds of bruit beasts , asked him how it chanced , that he was fallen into such a metamorphosis ? because ( quoth he ) in my popedome i lived without law , i now wander like a beast . pope sylvester the second , called before gilbert , a frenchman borne , came by the popedome , as platina , nauclerus , benno , the cardinall , and others report , by the help of the divel . in his youth he became a monke ; but for saking the monastery , he followed the divell , to whom hee had wholly given himselfe , and went to hispalis , a citie in spaine , for learnings sake : where his hap was to insinuate himself , into the favor of a saracen philosopher , skilfull in magicke . in this mans house he saw a booke of necromancy , which he was desirous to steale away . but the booke being very warily and safely kept by the saracens daughter , with whom hee had familiar acquaintance , at last hee wan her favour , that hee might secretly take it away , and reade it over . which when hee had gotten into his possession , with promise to deliver it againe , hee determined to depart thence , fearing neverthelesse what danger hee might fall into , by his theft . after he had escaped this danger , being overcome with ambition , and a divellish defire to rule , he obtained first by corruption , the archbishopricke of reymes , and afterward that of ravenna , and at last the popedome , as is sayd before , by the helpe of the divell ; upon condition that after his death , hee should be wholly his , by whose subtilty , he had attained to that high dignitie . and although in his popedome he dissembled his necromancy , yet hee kept in a secret place a brasen head , of whom hee received answere of such things , as he was disposed to demand of the diuel . at length when this gilbert , desirous to reigne long , asked the divel how long he should live pope , the wicked spirit answered him cunningly after his maner , that if he came not to ierusalem , he should live long . and as it happened him to say masse , after he had reigned foure yeares and somewhat more , in a church called the holy crosse at ierusalem , he fel suddenly into an extreame fever , and knew by the rumbling and noyse of the divel ( who looked for performance of his promise ) that his time was come to dye . but he falling into an earnest repentance , & openly confessing his impietie , & familiarity with the divell to the people , bewailed his grievous offence committed against god , and exhorted all men , to beware of ambition , and the subtiltie of the divell , and to lead an honest and godly life . when he perceived that death approached , he desired , that his hands & tongue might be cut off , because with them he had blasphemed god , and sacrificed to the divell , and then that his mangled carkase , as it had deserved , might be layd in a cart , & the horses driven forth without any guide , and where they did of their owne accord stay , that there his body might be buried . all which things being done , the horses stayed when they came against a church of lateran , where they tooke him forth and buried him . whereby men conjecture , that through his repentance god had shewed him mercy . neverthelesse whatsoever became of his soule , the divell would not leave his old acquaintance with his body in many yeares after . for their writers report , that a little before the death of many popes that succeeded him , his bones should bee heard to rattle , and his tombe would ●…weate . by which signes men knew that a pope would shortly dye . but if a common custome had not altered the case , and qualified the greatnesse of the fault , it would have seemed strange , that they which professe themselves to bee vicars of christ , should bee so familiarly acquainted with the divell . for there were eighteene popes necromancers , one succeeding another , as some write . tantum exempla valent , adeò est imitabilis error . examples are of such validity that even errours are imitated . bonifacius the eight relying upon his own crafty wit which hee thought was sufficient to bring him to the popedome , practised this device . he used to put a rcede through a hole , into pope celestinus chamber , fast by his beds head , & in the night he would speake through the reede , & tell the pope , that if he meant to save his soule , he must yeeld over his popedome to such a man , naming himself . the simple pope supposing he had bin warned by a voyce from heaven , for his soules health , called the cardinals together , & told them , that he was determined to give over his popedome , & desired their consent to bonifacius . in this sort bonifacius became pope , & when he was dead , there went a common proverbe of him , that he crept in like a foxe , governed like a wolfe , & died like a dog. and what was it but a desire to increase their glory & reputation , that invented their myters , adorned with peatle & precious stones , & other their masking garm●…s & habits of strange forme , though they pretēd a vaine significatiō of things by thē , in maintaining of which toyes they are so curious , as sometime that hath mi●…stred occasion of much controversie among them , which children would take for trifler to play with . cornelius agrippa reporteth of a contention betweene the augustine friars , and other religious men , whether saint augustine did weare a blacke stole upon a white weede , or a white stole upon a blacke weede . this matter was brought before the pope , and when upon search of the scriptures , nothing could bee found to prove the one or the other , order was taken by the iudges , that images should be sought , and pictures : by which example , sayth cornelius agrippa , i being desirous to know the beginning of cowles , and could find nothing in the scriptures to serve the turne , i resorted to the cloysters of the monkes and friars , where are usually painted the histories of the old and new testament . and when i could find in the old testament none of the patriarkes , nor prophets , nor levites , wearing a cowle , i perused the new testament , and finding there simeon , zacharias , iohn baptist , ioseph , christ , his apostles and disciples , the scribes and pharises , bishops and many others , all without cowles , marvelling at it , as i was about to peruse them over againe , in the very beginning of the history , i found the divell painted with a cowle , hee that tempted christ in the desert . then was i glad ( quoth he ) that i had found that among the pictures , which i could find in no books , that the divell was the first author of the cowle : of whom i suppose the monkes , & friars afterwards borrowed it under divers colours , or received it , as it were by inheritance from him . the like may bee sayd of these men , that was spoken by campanus of ●…call poets : foolish mad poets live , but so deserve , that take their trifles from them they would sterve . so their life and reputation is maintained by superstitious ceremonies , & disguised habits : take away their frivolous toyes and they will dye with hunger . and as these principall prelates have come to this glorious place by unlawfull meanes , so have many of them used it with intolerable pride , unmeete for a christian. what is it but an excessive desire of glory , that causeth them to make emperours and kings kisse their foote , and hold their stirrop when they get up to horse , and leade him by the bridle , and walke by them on foot , as though they were his servants ? what a presumptuous part was it of pope gregory the seventh , to make the emperour henry the fourth , stand three dayes and three nights at his gate , bare-foote , and bare legged , with his wife and children , in the deepe of winter , in frost and snow , to intreat for absolution ? and what pride and vaine-glory , was in pope alexander the third , that made frederick the emperour at venice fall downe before him to the ground , and aske him forgivenesse , whilest hee trode upon his necke , and pusht him twice : and to shew a more arrogancie , he used the place of scripture , for a cloake and pretence , saying , super aspidem & basiliscum ambulabis . but pencerus ●…teth , that one of the emperours gentlemen , came to helpe him up , with such a frowning and threatning countenance , that for feare he thrust himselfe into the emperors armes , frō whence the pope durst not depart untill the emperour had assured him from harme . and was not the like in pope celestinus , that put the cro●… upon the emperour henry the sixth his head , not with his hand , but with his foot , and threw it downe from his head againe with his foot , affirming also , that he had power to make emperours , and depose them ? and what pride was in the pope , that cast francis dandalus duke of venice , king of cre●… , and cyprus under his table , to gnaw bones among dogges ? pope iulius the second was nothing inferior in pride and presumptuousnesse to these his predecessours : for after hee had received many and great benefits of the french king lewes the twelfth , yet envying his prosperous successe in italy , whose neighbourhood hee liked not , hee sent forth his buls of excommunication against him , and pronounceth the king to be an hereticke , and gave away his kingdome to him that could first possesse it . and also the kingdome of navarre from this mans ancestor , for no other cause but that hee tooke part with the french king ; by which title the king of spaine holdeth it to this day . and when hee had stirred almost all the kings & nations round about against the french king , and also caused certaine libels to bee dispersed through italy , by which hee did not onely excite the people against the french nation , but also gave every one pardon for his sinnes , that would kill any frenchman : by meanes whereof there was a horrible slaughter of the french people through all italy . and perceiving neverthelesse that all this wrought not that effect hee looked for , the frenchmen standing like loyall subjects with their king against the pope , hee determined to prove whether the sword would doe , that the keyes could not bring to passe . he gathereth together an army , and forth of rome hee marcheth towards the king , well armed like a man of warre , though very old , an infinite number of people standing round about him , to behold this un●…onted tragedie . and as hee beheld them gazing , as it were expecting some strange matter , he sayd with a loud voyce : seeing saint peters keyes will doe us no pleasure , let us now draw pauls sword : and immediately hee casteth the keyes into the river of tyber , and taking a naked sword in his hands , hee sheweth it in warlike sort to all the people . this pope seemed to have no meaning that either himselfe or his flocke should enter into heaven , seeing hee cast away the keyes , that should let them in . the like pride and vaineglory was apparent in bonisacius the eight before named , for which he suffered condigne punishment . in his time was the yeare of iubilee solemnized at rome , where was a wonderfull concourse of people out of all parts , according to the doting simplicitie and blindnesse of that time . the first day of the iubilee the pope shewed himselfe publikely to the people , 〈◊〉 attired in his pontificalibus . the second day hee shewed himselfe in the habite and sumptuous attire of an emperor , a naked sword borne before him , triumphantly like a coaquerour , pronouncing alowd , that hee had both the heavenly and earthly empire . this was the gospell hee preached to the people that came to this iubil●…e . he testified also his pride sufficiently , by an arrogant and impudent letter , sent to philip the faire , king of france . bonifacius bishop , servant of the servants of god , to philip king of france : feare god , and keepe his commandements . wee will you to know that in spirituall and temporall things you are subject to us : the gifts of benefices and preb●…nds belongeth nothing to you : and if you have the custody of any that are voyd , ●…eepe the profits thereof to their 〈◊〉 : and if you have bestowed any of them , wee decree the same gift to be of none effect , and we revo●…e , how far soever it hath proceeded : they that beleeve otherwise , we account them fooles . given at lateran the fourth of the 〈◊〉 of december , in the sixth yeare of our 〈◊〉 . the king answered him thus . philip by the grace of god king of france , to bonifacius that taketh himselfe for the chiefe bishop . be it knowne to your extreame foolishnesse , that in temporall things we are not subject to any : that the gift of certaine churches and prebends , being voyde , belongeth to us by our regall right , and to receive their fruits , and to defend them against all the possessours ; and them that beleeve otherwise , wee account fooles and mad men . given , &c. this pope sent out his buls of excommunication against this king , pronouncing him an hereticke , and gave away his kingdome . but the king after he had long suffered a great many intolerable injuries and indignities , being unwilling any longer to endure his pride and ambition , sent two hundred horsemen toward the pope , who handled the matter so , that they tooke the pope in a towne in italy , and brought him prisoner to rome , from whence hee had withdrawne himselfe for feare , and put him in prison in his owne castle of saint angelo , where he fell into a frenzie , and knawing and eating his owne hands , dyed a miserable death . this disdainefull answere to this proud priest putteth me in minde of a short answere , aptly made in our time by the french king , henry the second , to the pope the●… being , who after the custome of his predecessors , pr●…suming to offer injuries to the king , and seeing himse●… unable ( his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to ●…ch the king who made warre●…with with him , sent emb●…dours to him to treat of peace : who told him from their masters mouth , that he had done the pope many wrongs , for the which he did appeale him before the tribunall seare of iesus christ in heaven . yet 〈◊〉 being desirous of peace , hee craved his consent to the articles which hee had sent . the king answered the embassadours , that he would accept of the conditions , and would also answer the matter in heaven : but i doubt ( quoth the king ) i shall not finde the pope there . a dangerous heresie , that doubt should be made , of the vicar of christs going to heaven . and it is worthy the noting , that valdemarking of denmarke wrote to a pope , that went about to trouble his estate , by arrogating to himselfe a power over him , as their manner is : we would have it knowne to you ( sayth the king ) that we have our life of god , nobilitie of our parents , our kingdome of our subjects , our faith of the church of rome , which if you envy in us , wee returne the same to you againe , by these presents . and it is reported that rodolph now emperour , so soone as he was elected , promised by his ●…bafladours reverence to pope gregory the xiij . and obedience to the church : but to the pope himselfe , he denied that obedience hee challenged to be due to him . but to returne to shew further of the events of pride and vaine-glory . the emperour henry the fourth being at go●…ar at church upon whitsonday to heare masse , there fell a great contention betweene the abbot of fulda , & the bishop of hildeseme , which of them should sit 〈◊〉 to the archbishop of 〈◊〉 ; insomuch that there 〈◊〉 parts taken on both sides , and the quarrell so 〈◊〉 ●…sued , that 〈◊〉 words they 〈◊〉 to blowes , and many 〈◊〉 , on both 〈◊〉 . when the matter was appeased , the priest proceeded in his masse , and as he sang his last verse appertaining to the masse of the holy ghost , 〈◊〉 diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; that is , this day thou hast made glorious ; the divel being under the vault of the church sung with a great base voyce ; hunc diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : that is , this day i have made warlike . by these ambitious manners , they thinke to climbe up to heaven , for which 〈◊〉 was from thence thrown down into hell . but why should they aspire to possesse that high dignity , with such pride , as peculiar to men of excellencie , when a simple woman became pope through her owne industrie , and governed the church two yeares & more with as much credit as some others ; untill she had committed a little fault , the like whereof hath beene done by other masculine popes ? this woman was of our nation ( as some say , and others say of germany ) being in love with a learned yongman , in her youth , shee apparelled her selfe like a man , and calling her selfe iohn , she went with him to athens , which then flourished in all kinds of learning . and giving her selfe there to 〈◊〉 , she profited so in learning , that after a certaine time , desirous to visite rome , she read openly in the schooles in the habit of a doctor , and behaved her selfe so 〈◊〉 in publike disputations , that shee was accounted equall in fame with the best learned men of her time . by which she had gotten such credit and authoritie ( the see being voyde by the death of leo the fourth , in the yeare of our lord god , eight hundred fifty two ) 〈◊〉 she being taken for a man , was made pope , and 〈◊〉 the church two yeare and more . but by chance 〈◊〉 grew into such familiarity with one of her servants , that she became , with childe : fortunanon 〈◊〉 genus : and as according to a certaine usuall solemnity , she went to visite saint iohn of lateran , her time being come , shee was delivered of a child , in a place betweene saint clements church , and a theater called coliseo with great paine . in detestation of which act , the popes use to avoyd that place , & to turn aside another way , when they have occasion to passe through the streete . and when any pope was after to be chosen , hee was set in a chaire with a hole through the seat , that they might feele whether he were a man. all which argueth the credit of the report made by their owne writers , who also affirme , that in the same street , where this happened , there hath beene an image of stone , standing upon his feet , representing her deliverance and death . how greatly pride and desire of glory is hated of god , herod king of the iewes giveth a notable example . this man going up into the pulpit , appointed for orations , and rejoycing to heare the people cry out to his praise , that it was the voyce of god and not of man , hee was suddenly stricken from heaven : and when hee perceived himself to consume away with lyce , he cryed out to the people : behold how he dyeth now with intolerable pain , whom not long sithence you called god. but menecrates received a more gentle punishment for his vainglory , of philip king of macedon , & yet worth the noting . this man , because he knew himselfe to be anexcellent physitian , would needs be called iupiter the saviour . the king meaning to reforme his arrogancie , invited him to a feast , & caused a table to be set for him alone : whereof at the first he was very glad , but when he saw that in steed of meats , the ministers gave him nothing but frankincense , he was much ashamed , & departed from the feast in great anger . and as they which desire honour and glory , seeke after it , often by ungodly and prohibited meanes , so they also , that are possessed of it , many times use the like meanes , to understand the continuance of their glorious estate ; but their counseller , whose advice they use , answereth them for the most part so cunningly , that they are nothing the neerer of their purpose . the emperour nero asked counsell of the divell , how long his reigne should continue : hee willed him to beware of sixty foure . nero being then yong , was glad to heare that answere , thinking the meaning had bin , hee should have reigned emperour , until he had bin sixtie & foure yeares old : but not long after galba was chosen emperour against him who was of the age of sixtie and foure , and deposed him with losse of his life . king philip of macedon , moved with the like desire , sent to delphos , to know his destinie : answere was made him , by the oracle of apollo , that hee must take heed of a chariot . the king commanded all the carres and chariots in his realme to bee plucked in peeces : and such places that did beare that name , he would alwayes avoyd and forbeare to come neere them . but all that would not serve his turne ; for pausanias slue him with a sword that had a chariot graven in the pummell . pope paulus the third delighted much in nicromancers , being himselfe skilfull in the art ; and desirous to know his fortune , a necromancer told him , that he should be pope , in the yeare , one thousand five hundred thirty foure , long before it happened , in the time of leo the tenth , when there was no likelihood of any such matter : and that he should be pope foureteene yeares , at which time hee should end his popedome with his life ; which came to passe . whereby it should seeme , that the divell hath a voyce among the cardinals in the election of the popes : and that god suffereth the divell sometimes to make popes , and to take it from them againe at his pleasure , life and all . the humour of glory and desire to rule , resteth not onely in the affections of great estates , but also is many times found to be in men of base condition . and when possibilitie faileth to attaine to honour , by rule and authority , they covet to win it by some singularitie , wherin they would excell others . and some feare not to run into a voluntary & present death , to win fame and glory after this life , by some notorious fact , without respect of the wickednesse thereof , whereof these examples following shall serve for proofe . calanino understanding that the people of capua a citie in italy ( himselfe being a tribune there ) were determined to kill the senatours , whom they hated deadly , went with them , as though he allowed of their enterprise , but advertised the senate before of the peoples resolution , and what he would do to save their lives . he shut them up fast in a close place as prisoners , that they might not bee subject to the fury of the people . and when they were assembled together , to put their purpose in execution , this calanino told them , that seeing they had determined to kill all the senators , they must first devise with themselves , who were the worthiest men to supply their places . and making as though hee would bring them forth to be killed one after another ; will yea have ( quoth he ) such a one killed first ? naming him that hee knew they most hated : they all allowing it with great gladnesse commended him for his choyce . then ( sayd he ) who will ye have to supply his place ? then stepped forth divers men of severall trades and occupations , every one contending with other , to have chosen one of their companie , to supply his roome . and thus naming all the senators , one after another to be killed , and asking them the like questions for supply of their roomes there was such an earnest contention among themselves , every one fearing lest one should bee preferred to a more honorable place than the other , that they were all content rather to endure and submit themselves to the governement of the old senatours , than any of them should have more honour than others . and thus by the wisedome of their tribune , and the envy and emulation of the common people , the lives and honours of the senatours , were preserved , whom they had determined through hatred and malice to have killed . scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus . the uncertaine rabble is divided into contrarie opinions . what was it but desire of vaine-glory , that made simon magus that notable necromancer labor to be singular in that art , & by doing strange things in the sight of the people , he thought by helpe of the divell to deifie himselfe . for which cause , his image was set up by claudius caesar , with this inscription , simoni sancto deo. which at last wrought his own destruction . for as saint peter saw him lift himselfe up into the ayre , in a great assembly of people , making them beleeve hee would ascend up to heaven , to the great admiration of them all , hee desired god that hee would not suffer him any longer to seduce the world : whereupon he fell presently downe head-long , and brake his leg , whereof he dyed shortly after . the like happened to a saraceo 〈◊〉 constantinople : for when there was at a triumph , a great assembly of people beholding certaine justs , this saracen went up to the top of a high turret , that stood in the tilt-yard , and bragging that he would flye in the ayre , he had provided him a long white garment downe to the foot , full of playtes and gatherings , made for the purpose , to hover in the ayre ; hee began to flitter with his hands , in steede of wings ; and when hee thought he had soared enough , he committed himselfe to the winde and weather , and fell downe head-long to the ground , and bruised his bones to peeces , and , like a vaineglorious coxcombe , there ended his life . saint iohn the evangelist being banished into the isle of pathmos by the emperor domitian , because by calling upon the name of iesus christ he drave away a divell out of the temple of diana , that seduced the people , which had possessed an idoll there two hundred fortie nine yeares , into ephesus ; in the which island saint iohn found a notorious fellow called cynops , that by the helpe of the divell did wonderous things before the people ; and bragged that hee would raise men , that were knowne to bee dead : who had gotten such a reputation among them , that he was a great hinderance to the gospell , which saint iohn preached . and as on a time hee had played many strange feats , in a great assembly of people standing upon the sea coast , cynops seeing saint iohn comming towards them ; come on , good fellow ( quoth hee , to saint iohn ) thou shalt see more strange things , than hath beene yet shewed . saint iohn standing among them , and seeing three evill spirits , which had taken upon them the forme and face of men , raised out of the sea by cinops , which the people thought had beene men , commanded them in the name of iesus christ that was crucified , not to depart . then cynops , to shew more feats clapt his hands together , and leapt into the sea , as he had done divers times before , where he would tarry under the water a long time . and as soone as he was under the water , the sea began to worke , in the place where he leapt in , of a great height , as though there had bin a tempest . after he had staied under the water longer than he used to do , the people cryed out ; thou cynops art the onely man of the world , thinking he would shew himselfe to them againe as he did before . but saint iohn prayed to god that hee might be no more seene among men : which prayer tooke such effect , that cynops could be no more seene . which when the people perceived , they turned their admiration to saint iohn ; who then sayd to the three spirits ; i command you in the name of iesus christ , that was crucified , that ye depart , and be seene no more in this island . which words were no sooner spoken , but they forthwith vanished away . the fame of this art being blown abroad , was the cause that a great many bookes of necromancie in divers places were burnt . this desire of vaineglory through singularity of knowledge , was not wrought in the minds only of cynops , and other infidels , by the instigation of the divel , whose helpe they used in a●…ayning the same , but in our christian prelates also , who used the like means , being overcome with the same des●…es , to what perill of their soules , i leave to the judgement of others . t●…itemius the abbot , an excellent learned man , and worthy of fame ( if by adding necromancy to the rest of his learning , he had not made himselfe infamous ) by his owne confession , burned with an exec●…ive desire of vaineglorie . for ( saith he ) as i went up and downe musing & devising with my selfe , how i might finde some thing , that never any man knew before , and that all men might wonder at , and layd my selfe downe to sleepe in an evening , with the same cogitations , there came one to me in the night that i knew no●… , and excited me to persever in my intended purpose , promising me his helpe , which he performed . what kind of learning hee taught him ( he sayd ) was not meete for the common sort , but to be knowne onely of princes : whereof hee sheweth some examples , denying the same to be done by the divels helpe , but by naturall meanes , to which hee will hardly perswade any man of judgment . and though he would cover some of his strange feates , under the pretext of nature , yet his familiaritie with the divel , in many things was apparent . the emperour maximilian the first , married with marie the daughter of charles duke of burgundy , whose death ( loving her dearely ) he took g●…evously . this abbot perceiving his great love towards her , told him , that he would shew him his wife againe . the emperour desirous to see her , went with the abbot , and one more into a chamber . the abbot forbad them for their lives to speake one word whilest the spirit was there . mary the emperours wife commeth in , and walketh up and downe by them very soberly , so much resembling her when shee was alive in all points , that there was no difference to be found . the emperour marvelling to see so lively a resemblance , called to mind that his wife had a little blacke spot ( a mole some call it ) behind in her necke , which he determined to observe the next time shee passed by him , and beholding her very earnestly , hee found the mole in the very same place of her necke . maximilian being much troubled in minde with this strange sight , winked upon the abbot , that hee should avoyd the spirit . which being done , hee commanded him to shew him no more of those pastimes , protesting that hee was hardly able to forbeare speaking : which if hee had done , the spirit had killed them all . the divell was so ready at the abbots commandement , that as hee travelled on a time in the company of a man of account , who reported this story , they came into a house , where was neither good meate nor drinke , the abbot knocked at the window , & sayd , adfer , fetch . not long after , there was brought in at the window , a sodden pickerell in a dish , and a bottle of wine . the abbot fell to his meate , but his companions stomacke would not serve him to eate of such a caterers provision . albertus magnus , being a notable necromancer , besides his other learning , that had beene bishop of regenspurg , and after became a monke at collen , at such time as william grave of holland was chosen emperour , and returned from his coronation at aquisgraven to collen , with many princes and great estates , where in the night was made him a sumptuous banquet . albertus being there also , to shew the emperour and the princes some pastime after their journey , by his skill caused the chamber where they were , in their sight , to be like a forest , the floore seemed to be ground covered with greene grasse , and be●…bes , and flowers , planted with trees of divers sorts , the larke singing in the ayre , the nightingale and the cuckow singing in the trees , and haw-thorne bushes , as though it had been in the middest of may. in the which pastime , the emperour tooke such delight , that hee rewarded the house , whereof albertus was monke , with land & priviledges , thinking that no sinnefull act , which was done by so famous and holy a monke , in the presence also of so many prelats . but what their reward shall be at the day of judgement , the lord onely knoweth . but to excell in these prohibited sciences , is not sufficient glory to these kind of men , except they also leave their knowledge in writing , to the prejudice of posterity : which argueth their desire of glory , to bee agreeable with that of the poet , that sayth ; vade ●…tur felix liber , & long : ss●…ma vive , tempora : quumque meos tellus obduxerit artus , tu varios populos , diversaq , regna superstes , quaere , studeque meum late diffundere nomen . goe happy booke , live long , and when i' th dust my bones are layd , as ( sure i am ) they must , be thou still safe , and wander the world round , ( with all thy care ) my name abroad to sound . among the rest , pope gregorie the seventh , an excellent necromancer , by the report of the cardinall benno , would by shaking his sleeves , make sparks of fire leape out of them , to the judgement of men , by which strangething , he sought to win an opinion of great holinesse . by these examples of popes and prelates , with the rest , it appeareth how ready the divell is to stirre up mens mindes , where he seeth any inclination to the desire of vaineglory , whose helpe and service they never lacke , untill he hath brought them to destruction of bodie or soule . these kind of men be they ( it should seeme ) to whom beelzebub is supposed to write an epistle reported by an old author thus : beelzebub the prince of divels and duke of darknesse , with his guard and all the potentates of hell , to archbishops , bishops , abbots , and other prelates & rulers of churches , his welbeloved friends , now and for ever infernall salutations , and a league of inviolable society , which can never be dissolved : wee repose great cōfidence ( my welbeloved 〈◊〉 ) in your amity , we rejoyce much in you , because ye agree very well in opinion with us : and that ye s●…eke and procure with diligence those things that bee ours : alwayes defending and protecting whatsoever yee know to appertaine to our right . know ye therfore that ye are in great favour with our universality , whose travell & diligence we accept with many thankes , because infinite number of soules , by your service , example , and negligence in doing the work of god among the people , are led away from the truth , & forsaken , and broughtdaily captive to us , by meanes whereof the power of our kingdome is grea●…ly increased . persever therefore in our friendship , as faithfull and assured to us , in the worke ye have begun : we are ready for all things , to recompence you with a reward worthy of you , and agreeable to your service , in the lowest parts of hell . fare ye well , our blessing be with you for ever . the earle of mascon not cóntenting himselfe with the title & estate of his earledome , to increase his glory , with some singularitie , fell by necromancy to be so familiarly acquainted with the divell , that as he sate at dinner with divers noblemen and others , he was called by a man unknowne , & going downe , he found a black horse , which attended for him at his gate , which carried him and the man suddenly up into the ayre three times very swiftly round about the city , hee crying out most miserably , helpe , my citizens helpe me , in the sight and to the great admiration and terrour of all the people , of whom he was never more seene . this ambition and vaine-glory the divell knoweth to be so offensive to god , and enemy to the felicity of men , that he leaveth nothing unpractised to stir up mens mindes to the desire thereof , himselfe being alwayes ready at hand , where he findeth a disposition meete for his purpose , to assist them to work strange feats , & counterfeit miracles , not to the destruction of them onely that are entred into his societie , but to use thē as instruments to seduce many others , and to divert them from the true service of god , from whom onely commeth mans felicity , to seeke helpe at his hands . and to this purpose there is a strange historie of a spanish woman , of base parentage , called magdalen , which happened in the yeare of grace , one thousand five hundred forty five , in the citie of cordube in spaine . when this magdalen was yet scarcely five yeares old , her friends made her a nunne : and though it was too rathe for those young yeares , to know the wickednesse of the world , yet ( such is the secret judgement of god ) it is reported , that the divell in the likenesse of a man , blacke as an ethiop , appeared to this mayd , who at the first being something affraid , yet at last by flattering words and faire promises of such things , as that old serpent knew , were meete to allure her tender yeares , he found means , to enter into familiar communication with her , injoyning her straightly , not to speake of this new acquaintance . this yong mayden was of a singular capacitie and rare disposition , by meanes whereof shee was greatly esteemed among the rest of the nunnes , both yong and old . the divell having a meaning by her to deceive all spaine , seemed very provident by making choice of this towardly yong thing , whom he thought so much the more meete for his purpose , as she excelled the rest in sharpenesse of wit , and ripenesse of judgement , that by framing in her a 〈◊〉 of religion & holinesse , which hath beene alwayes accounted the onely meanes to deceive the world , hee might at last bring his purpose to effect . when she was come to twelve yeares old , the divell became a suter to her for marriage , promising her that for the space of thirty yeares , or i know not how many more , he would advance her to such estimation of holinesse throughout all spaine , that shee should match or excell in glory & reputation all that at any time have bin most famous in that kind of matter . the desire of glory , pierced so deepely into her tender affection , that she seemed to consent . and as they used to passe the time pleasantly together in secret , the divel would send his servant in her very likenesse , to supply her roome in the church , and to do all things that was for her to do . the divell when shee was not imployed in attending upon divine service , was accustomed to bring her news of all things that were done in the whole world . which when she declared to them that favoured her , it greatly increased the opinion of her holinesse : by meanes whereof , shee was accounted a prophetesse . and rather than her yeares required , shee was by a generall consent of the whole company of nunnes , chosen abbesse . it was commonly known that at such times as the nunnes did usually receive the sacrament , the priest should ever lacke one of the consecrated cakes , which was secretly brought by her angell to magdalen , as she sate in the quire among the rest of the nunnes , which shee would shew as 〈◊〉 held it in her mouth , to the standers by for a miracle . it is also reported , that in the time of masse when the elevation was , a wall that was betweene her and the quire , would open , that shee might see and be seene . and likewise at such solemne festivall dayes , as the nunnes used to leade the abbesse , shee would by a strange miracle , in the sight of all men , somtime cause her selfe to be lifted up from the ground into the ayre , three cubits or more : sometime she would be seene , to beare a naked young child , representing iesus newly borne , with such other vaine devices , to make the festivall day the more holy . by these frvolous illusions , and juggling casts of the divell , shee grew in such reputation , that shee received letters from the pope , the emperour , and the nobility of spaine , wherein they commended themselves and their important affaires to her most holy prayers . they would also use her advice , in matters of very great weight , as though she had beene a prophetesse that could foresee things to come , as it manifestly appeared afterward , when her wickednesse was discovered by the letters of the greatest princes of christendome , that were found about her , written to that effect . divers noble women also , would not have their children newly born , wrapped in their swadling bands , untill they had beene handled and consecrated by this womans hands . in all this while among so many notable and learned men , there was not one , that could find these fraudulent toyes of the divell . such was the darkenesse and blindnesse of that time . at last god of his unspeakable goodnes , would suffer this treacherous hypocrisie no longer to be hidden . for after she had thus abused the world , neere about thirty yeers , she began to fall into repentance , and discovered her detestable practices , to the visitours , and contrary to all expectation , confessed her wicked fact . this news seemed wonderfull strange to all men : and that they might procced orderly with her , she was committed to prison and examined , where shee confessed all that had happened . but this ethiopiā divell would not so leave her societie : for as she was kept close in prison , whilest her cause was examining , when the nuns after midnight used their ordinarie service in the quire , the divel would transforme himselfe into her likenesse , and sit in her place , and kneele upon his knees as though he prayed , they all thinking it had beene magdalen , and that shee had that liberty given for her repentance . but the next day when they understood that shee was kept in prison , and the night following seeing her againe in the quire , they told the visitors ; who examining the matter , found that shee went not forth of the prison . and when the cause was known to the pope , through her repentance , he pardoned her , and gave her absolution . but sathan never found so fit an instrument to serve his purpose with such effect , as was that false prophet mahomet , who through ambition , and an unsatiable desire of glory , wherein his life shewed him to put his felicity , not content to become of a base fellow , a monarch of divers goodly kingdomes , but must also take upon him to be a holy prophet , sent from god , to give laws to his people , whereby he hath not onely damned his owne soule , but also sendeth dayly infinite numbers of soules to the bottomlesse pit of hell : to whom the poets saying may be aptly applyed . alsquid tamdudum invadere magnum , mens agitat miht , nec placida contenta quiete est . my mind hath in long labour bin ( nor yet in quiet is ) some great thing to beget . and that it may the better appeare , what pernicious effects the desire of vaineglory hath wrought , and therefore contrary to that summ●… bonum , or felicitie wee seeke after , it will not be impertinent to the matter , to make a briefe narration of the course of mahomets life , whereby we shall see , how by the helpe of the divell , & his owne subtil wit , by gods sufferance for our sins hee was advāced frō a poore wretch to a mighty monarch , and reputed prophet , and law-maker . this mahomets father was an arabian called abdalla , & his mother an ismaelite , called enyma ; he was borne in a little village , not far from mecha , called itrarip , about sixe hundred yeares after christs incarnation . the turks say that the same day he was borne , there fell downe to the ground of their own accord , a thousand churches & one ; which was a signe , that in his time there should bee a great decay of christianity . being in his youth brought up by his parents in two religions , every of them desirous to draw him to his opinion , when he came to be a man , he was of no religion . he was sent no doubt by the divel , to the shame of mankind , who cannot endure the sincerity of christs gospell ; but finding so apt an instrumēt to worke the dishonor of god , and the destruction of men , and knowing the disposition of the world , to embrace new things , he practised by his meanes to plant a new religion , having fit opportunity therto , by the wavering minds of the arabians , and affricans , who were at that time he was borne , in doubt , whether they might follow the religion of the christians , or of the iewes , or arrians . there was great f●…iendship about this time betweene mahomets father and a iew , that was an astronomer , & well learned in the old law , & in the christian religion . it chanced that mahomet was borne when his father was gone to ierusalem , and at his returne this iew having calculated his sonnes nativitie , told him , that he should be mighty in dominion & law . not long after the birth of this apostle of sathan , abdalla the father died . when mahomet was yeres old , this iew devised a notorious and most shamefull lye . he said that he saw two angels take mahomets hart out of his bodie , & divided it in the middest , and tooke out of it a drop of bloud , and afterward washed it cleane with faire water , & put it in a paire of ballance , & weighed it with ten other hearts , because his heart weighed them downe all . then one of the angels said to the other , if his heart were set against all the hearts in arabia , it would over weigh them all . this ( said the iew ) the angell gabriell shewed him . when mahomet was viijyeares old , his mother died , and committed him to his uncle by the fathers side , who delivered him to the iew to be brought up in learning . the iew instructed him in naturall philosophy , but especially in the iewish and christiā religion , wherin he proved so good a scholler , that it holpe to work the destruction of his own soule , & many others . some write , that when mahomet was thirteen yeare old , as he wandred abroad , he met with merchants that were going into egypt , & desirous to be of their company , they tooke him with them , to helpe to keepe their camels & horses ; and wheresoever he went there was many times seene a blacke fellow standing by him . and when they came to a village in egypt , where at that time were divers christians , the parson of the towne invited thē to his house : they followed the parson , & left mahomet to keep their camels . the parson enquiring whether all their cōpany were come into his house , they are all here ( said they ) saving a boy that stayeth without with our camels . as the parson went forth he saw a black fellow 〈◊〉 by the boy , which put him in mind of a prophecie that he had read , of one that should descend of parēts , of two sundry natiōs , who shold establish a religion , against the christian faith , by whom for a signe should many times stand a black fellow . the parsō desired the merchāts to cal in the boy , & understanding his name to be mahomet , he remēbred him so to be called in the prophecie , & that he should be a mighty man , & a great trouble to christendome , & that his religion should not continue above . yeers , & then it should vanish away . when the parson had considered of his name , & of the black fellow stāding by him , he perceived that it was he the prophecie spake of , and set him at his table above the merchants , and did him great reverence . after they had eaten , the priest asked the merchants , whether they knew the boy : who told him the manner how they came by him . the parson enformed thē of the prophecy he ha 〈◊〉 read , who affirmed that they had seene such a blacke fellow stand by him . then sayd the parson to the boy : thou shalt be a great learned mā , and shalt establish a new religion among the heathens , and with they power thou shalt bee great annoyance to the christians , and thy successors shall be mighty men . now i desire thee that thou wilt suffer my country men the armenians to live in peace . mahomet promised that he would so doe , and went forwards with the merchants to babylon . when hee was foure and twenty yeares old , he went into egypt about his trade of merchandise : where he stayed a long time , and had familiar acquaintance and friendship with christians and iews , with whom he was much cōoversant , but especially with a monke of antioch called iohn , that was an obstinate hereticke , enticed thereto by the divel , through a desire of vaineglory . of this monke he learned to falsifie the scriptures , both the old & new testamēt , that he might be the better armed against the iewes & christians . it is reported that hee was also scholler to a monke called sergius , an arrian heretick , & expulsed from cōstantinople by his brethren , & fled into arabia , where he fell acquainted with mahomet , and holpe him to 〈◊〉 the scriptures after their own fancies , & to hatch a new law out of the new & old testament . about this time there were strange things seene in the ayre , and monsters brought forth in divers parts of the world ; as children with foure feet & two heads , and comets and fire falling from heaven , and such wonderfull lights and thunder-claps , that the earth seemed to shake , & open : whereof ensued extreame pestilence , that consumed a great part of the earth , so as 〈◊〉 thought that the last day had bin come ; which did presage the wrath and threatnings of god , for the sins of men . in his youth , he used the trade of merchandise , & went often with his camels into egypt and palestina . and as he came on a time into the land of canaa , the princesse of that countrey , called tagida , marvelling at his strange kinds of wares & merchandise , fell into great liking of him , which when mahomet perceived , he omitted not that opportunity , but entring into familiar communication with her , he uttered all his skill and eloquence to seduce her . when hee perceived her to wonder at his skill in both laws , and to bee as it were rapt with his stately stile , and glorious words ; my deare lady ( quoth he ) i will hide nothing from you , but tell you the truth : i am the messias sent from god , which the iewes look for to this day ; which he laboured to prove by miracles wrought by the help of the divell , himselfe being a necromancer , whereby he not only deceived this lady , but also divers iewes & saracens , who thought him to be the very messias they looked for . by meane whereof , in short time he had a great many followers . this lady seeing the iewes and saracens , thus reverence & depend upon mahomet supposed that there lay hidde in him some divine majesty , and being a widdow , married him . thus was mahomet suddenly advanced to great riches & dominion , according to his desire , he went afterward into spaine , where he preached at corduba , such doctrine , that the bishop sent to apprehend him ; but he being warned by the divell , ●…d into affrica ; where hee seduced infinite numbers , as also in arabia . when he understood that hee was esteemed for a high prophet , of all the countries round about him , greater matters began to enter into his conceipt , devising how hee might become a great monarch . and seeing himself wel followed of the common p●…ople that resorted to him dayly in great multitudes , he perswaded the people to cast off the yoke of their obedience to the roman emperour , & making himselfe strong with a sufficient army , invaded the territories of the empire , and overthrowing the emperours lieutenants he won frō him that which belonged to the empire in affrica , & egypt , & likewise syria , & mesopotamia , and other of the east countries belonging to the persians . and when the saracens & the rest of his followers , saw that he had overcome the emperors power & set them at liberty from the romans , they resorted to him out of all parts to damasco where by a generall consent they chose him to be their king , & let the crown on his head . and thus without respect of right or wrong , he joyned kingdome to kingdome , & countrey to country , & of a base fellow became a great monarch ; using all manner of rigour and cruelty , confounding divine and humane things , and like a torrent did beare all things downe before him , to the admiration of all men , and to the great effusion of innocent bloud . this holy prophet was as wicked in life , as divellish in doctrine ; among the rest of his vices , much given to whoredome , though he had wives ; perswading the people , that god had given that prerogativeto him alone . but when he perceived men began to murmure at him for his vicious life , hee licenced every man to have foure wives . and as one of his wives found him in a chamber secretly with one of his minions ; are these ( quoth she ) the manners of a prophet ? where with mahomet was so ashamed , that he sware solemnly never to doe the like againe . and as on a time he fell downe with the falling sickenesse before the queene his wife ( to which through gods plague hee was much subject ) and fomed at the mouth , after the manner of that disease , perceiving her to take it grievously , that shee had matched her selfe to such an unwholsome creature , he told her that the angell gabriel was sent to him from god , to enforme him of his mind , the bright shining of whose countenance he could in no wise endure ; which was the cause of his falling to the ground . and to confirme her the rather in this opinion , he wrought some miracle , by the divels helpe , which gave the more credit to his words . his wicked sect began about the latter end of the reigne of heraclius the emperour , from whose obedience , taking opportunitie by a sedition amongst his souldiers , by whom mahomet was made their chiefe captaine , had disswaded his subjects , making them beleeve that gods will was that all men shold be at liberty , & subject to no man. by meane whereof the saracens & arabians depended wholly upon him , as hath bin sayd , and made him their king . when he had determined to publish his law , which sergius & he together had seemed out of the old & new testament , he appointed a great assembly of people to repaire to a certaine place to heare him preach , where by miracles they shold see that god had sent him his holy prophet , for the soules health of his people , to moderate the law of the iews & of the christians , which were too hard to be kept , and to give them another which should be a meane betweene them both : and as he was preaching of his law in the place appointed , there commeth a dove flying towards him , and alighteth upon his shoulder , and pidleth in his care , looking for meate , having used her before to feede in his care for the same purpose . the simple people not mistrusting his subtill device , thought it had beene the holy ghost , sent from god , to inspite him what to say . he had also used a bull to feede in his lap ; and made him know his voyce . and as in his sermon he spake aloud of his law , the bull being placed not far off , hearing his voyce , came running to him through the presse of peoply , overthrowing divers of them , and layd his head in mahomets lap , having the book tyed between his horns , wherein the law was written called alcoran : the people beleeving the rather by sergius perswa●… , that god had sent the bull with the booke of the law , because about the pigeōs necke they had fastned a little schedule , wherein was written in golden letters ; he that can put a yoke upon the buls neck let him be king . sergius fetched a yoke and delivered it to mahomet , who put it ●…fily upon the buls nocke , and was of the foolish people called king , and sergius a prophet . by these kind of devices hee seduced the people , and after hee had reigned tenne yeare , being about foure or fi●… and thirtie yeares old , it happened that one of his 〈◊〉 proofe , whether or not , whether he would 〈◊〉 againe the third day after his death , and 〈◊〉 up to heaven , as he had of●…old told them he would doe ; after he had reigned ten yeares , he 〈◊〉 gave him poyson to 〈◊〉 , which when mahomet had drunke , his colour began to change , and the poyson went presently to his heart , and dispatched him , as hee had well deserved . a just judgement of god , to punish the wicked by the wicked . his body was diligently watched by his disciples , looking for his re●…rre the third day , as he had said . but when the third day was past , and that they saw he would not rise againe , & that his body began to stinke , they let him lye 〈◊〉 and departed . and the eleventh day after his death 〈◊〉 that poysoned him , came againe to see how he lay , and ( as one lucas reporteth ) hee found his body eaten with dogges . and gathering his bones together , he tooke them with him and buryed them , in a towne called madinaraziell . when the arabians and others perceived , how he had deceived them , and that he rose not againe , according to his promise , many of them fell from him , and would no longer hold of his religion . but in his life annexed to his alcoran , some of his disciples 〈◊〉 strange things of his death and resurrection : and 〈◊〉 that his body of himselfe , after a miraculous fort hangeth on high under a vault of the church at 〈◊〉 where indeed it is done by art ; a load-stone 〈◊〉 up the iron coffen , wherein his body or bones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it did hang in the ayre . but the turkes , and ●…hough of his sect , beleeving that he hangeth there by ●…vine power , goe thither yearely in pilgrimage , as christians doe to ierusalem , to the sepulcher . this was 〈◊〉 beginning and end of this glorious apostle of 〈◊〉 , whose holinesse was in his youth such , that the citi●… of mecha condemned him to death for these , whom now they adore for a high prophet of god. such fruits the desire of glory ( wherein he put his felicity ) brought forth , to the perpetuall torments of his owne soule , and of infinite thousands besides . but such an epitaph had bin more meete for him , than to be so exalted , as was engraven upon the tombe of a vice-roy of sicilia , by the people of that countrey , in revenge of his tyrrannous governement . q●…i propter nos homines , et propter nostram salutem , descendit adinferos . that is : who for us men , and for our salvation , is gone downe into hell . salmoxes device , to perswade the gothes , that the soule was immortall , was more tolerable , being done with better meaning . hee taught those people that neither himselfe , nor any that lived , nor they which were to be borne should dye for ever , if they lived vertuously : but they should goe into such a place , where they should alwayes live , and enjoy all good things , and leade for ever a most happy life . and when he had thus perswaded his followers , he conveyed him secretly out of their sight into a building under the ground , which he had before prepared for the purpose , where hee remained three yeares , leaving his followers lamenting & sorrowing , as if he had bin dead : the fourth yere he returned to them againe , they being sufficiently satisfied of the eternitie of the soule , and the perpetuall reward of vertue . by which device hee wan to himselfe such reputation and glory , that he was accounted equall with the king , who made him his companion in the governement of his kingdome . but the death of mahomet was not the end of much troubles and mischiefe , that arose through his false doctrine in divers parts of the world : for thereof ensued sundry sects , according to the severall inclinations of the fantasticall heads of his disciples and followers , in whom the divell stirred up such a desire of glory , that imitating their masters example , and treading in his path , some of them became little inferiour to him in riches and dominion . among the rest in our age affrica ( that according to the old proverbe , is accustomed alwayes to bring forth some new and strange thing ) raised up one of mahomets disciples , from a poore hermit to be a monarch of many goodly kingdomes and countries . this man was borne among the famous mountaines of atlas , of very base & poore parentage , and became an hermit , which the affricans call morabuth , that is , a holy man. this fellow began to preach his vaine doctrine , in the yeare of grace , one thousand five hundred fourteene , and would admit no glosse or interpreter of the alcoran , but followed simply the text . he playd the hypocrite so kindly , that by a counterfeit shew of holinesse , and simplicity , and austerity of life , he was greatly esteemed and honoured . and when hee saw himselfe well followed of the people of fez & maroque , where he made himselfe strong , and that the multitude depended upon his word , hee told them whom he best favoured , that he had a desire to visit the king of taphilletta , because hee lived not according to the sinceritie of their law . the cause 〈◊〉 he desired this kingdome , was that if his devi●… tooke not that effect hee looked for , it might serve him for a place of retreyt . as hee travelled towards taphilletta , there was no village that hee passed by , but he preached his doctrine ; into the great townes they would not suffer him to enter , because of his 〈◊〉 , and for feare of some tumult . his travell was alwayes by the sea coast , because that countrey was well peopled : insomuch that within short time , his traine resembled a huge army of above threescore thousand men strong . the simple king of taphistetta would needs heare this hermit , and talke with him of matter touching his conscience , who was not so intentive in his sermon , as he was circumspect in viewing the kings forces , and the meanes he had to defend himself . at length he told his followers , god had revealed to him , that he must expell this king out of his kingdome , as unworthy to reigne . for confirmation whereof , hee shewed them certaine false miracles . by meane whereof they slue the king , and made the hermit his successor . by the like policie he thrust the king of darapt out of his kingdome . all this while he would not take upon him the name of king , but was called seriph , that is , high priest. when he had left sufficient garrisons in the kingdoms he had gotten , he goeth to the king of tremissen , who nothing suspecting that the murder of the king of taphilletta came by this prophets meanes , suffered him to come into his town , yet upon condition that he should leave his traine behind him , being somwhat jealous of the , because they were well appointed with their bowes and arrowes in their hands , & their cimyters by their sides , contrarie to the accustomed simplicity and manner of going . the hermit to avoyd suspicion , leaveth his traine ●…thing behind him , & goeth slenderly accōpanied to the 〈◊〉 . and after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewed him by the king , his traine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the towne , which they began presently to sacke , & to make open war , and 〈◊〉 about an hundred thousand persons . and in the end the king likewise , and all his children were put to the sword , and he made kong : which title he would no iocger refuse . and pursuing his ambitious purpose , under the colour of reforming the alcoran , he made war upon all the kings his neighbours , destroying all things with fire and sword that was in his way . affrica was never so plagued , not in mahomets time , that fought two and twenty battels , as it was by this hypocrite . it was a most pitifull spectacle to see the princes murdered , like beasts in the shambles , the great estates spoyled of their goods , and slaine or made slaves , men , women , and children dayly put to the sword without mercy , according to the poets saying : libert 〈◊〉 sceler●… est , regnainv●…a 〈◊〉 : . then liberty to mischiefes is allowed , when kingdomes are usurpt by tyrants proud , when 〈◊〉 reason they no place affoord , but sentence all things by the cruell sword . fortune was so favorable to him , that he became within the space of three yeares , king of tremissen maroch , darapt , taphilletta , su , and at length of fez also . so that the turkes and barbarians stood in great feare and admiration of him , supposing that these things could not bee done without some divine power , when they considered that such a poore simple priest should so 〈◊〉 become a king of the goodliest and most 〈◊〉 kingdomes of all africa . but we will leave him in 〈◊〉 prosperity , and draw towards his end . the king of algier doubting the greatnesse of this 〈◊〉 , determined ( after the old proverbe ) when the lions tayle is short , to tye the foxe tayle to him , to make proofe , seeing force would not prevaile , what policy would doe . he sent some twelve or thirteene hundred 〈◊〉 , under the conduct of a valiant man , whom he had instructed what to doe , to this hermite king , 〈◊〉 themselves to have 〈◊〉 the king of 〈◊〉 , and to depart as malcontents . they found the king at 〈◊〉 , rejoycing in his conquests , but yet troubled in minde , to see himselfe among a sort of people , that loved him not greatly , by reason of the injuries hee had done to them & to their princes : for which cause he retained a strong guard of other nations . and when he saw such a band of men , he demanded the cause of their comming , and of their departure frō their king . they answered him , that they were poore souldiers , that had left the king of algier , because he had used them uncourteously , and if it would please him to entertaine them , they would bee faithfull to him even to death . the king entertaineth them , & made them not long after his principall guard , and favoured them more than his owne people . which procured them much envy , and especially of the great estates of his councell , who advised him to beware of these turkes , who they suspected came to him for no good purpose : alledging divers reasons , that moved them so to thinke , and that the turke made none account of his life , if he might doe his master any acceptable service . the hermite being as subtile as they , said little , but determined to find some occasion to put them all to the sword . it chanced , that news was brought about that time to the king , of a rebellion in some of his countries , wherupon he tooke occasion to raise a power to represse them , but indeed to put the turkes to the sword , of whom he grew very suspicious . the turkes perceiving the preparation for this great journey , and observing that the king had often conference with his councell , whom they knew to bee their capitall enemies , began to doubt , that this preparation was made for them . to retyre they had no meanes , and to refuse they should make themselves odious to all the armie , and by that meanes , they should put the king out of doubt of that which he did now but suspect . whilest they were debating these things , they had certain intelligence of the kings intent , and that the time of execution was at hand . the turkes seeing no way to escape , resolved upon a most desperate enterprise , & watching for opportunity , as the king sate in councell , with the princes and captaines of his army in his pavillion , deliberating how to put in execution his purpose against these turkes , at what time it chanced the principall men of his guard to be gone for forage , and onely two hundred renegates left to attend , the turkes entred into the pavillion , where they slue the king and his councell ; with the captaines , and sacked his tents of such treasure as there was ; the renegates in place of defending the king , joyned with them in the spoyle . desinat elatis quisquam confidererebus . let no man put his confidence in things that succeed well . the turks after this murder without any resistance , the army being amazed with the suddennesse and greatnesse of the matter , departed with their spoyle towards a towne called torodant , which they easily surprised & sacked , they fearing no hostilitie , and there stayed to refresh themselves , hearing that the army stirred not , for the space of fifteen dayes : whereas if they had followed on their journey , they had beene at algier before the army had overtaken them . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the hermit , and his successour in his kingdome , hearing of his fathers death , hasteneth him with his forces after the turkes : who understanding of his comming , trussed up their baggage upon camels , and departed toward algier in very good order , carrying certain 〈◊〉 of ordnance with them for their better defence . when they had marched a few miles out of the town , the king ●…aileth thē , but being valiantly received by the turks , they marched forward in despite of the whole 〈◊〉 and being charged thus for the space of three or foure dayes as they marched , in which time the turkes had staine many of their enemies , the king being moved that such a handful of men should be able to make 〈◊〉 a resistance , caused a very hot charge to be given upon thē , wherein the turkes being overmatched , and oppressed with the multitude of their enemies , were all slaine , saving the captaine , and some thirty more , which saved themselves for the time , upon a little hil , which they defended against the whole army . but seeing that they were not able to prevaile , the captaine chusing rather to die by his own hands , than to suffer his enemies to have the honour of such a revenge , tooke his two sons , that were between fifteen & eighteen yeare old , & slue first them in the sight of the army , & then himselfe . the rest of the souldiours seeing the noble courage of their captaine , charged their great peeces , & after they had 〈◊〉 the spoile , rather than they would fall into their enemies hands , & suffer an ignominious death , they stāding at the mouthes of the great peeces , put fire to them , and 〈◊〉 themselves , the king & all the army beholding the matter , and highly commending the valour and noble minds of the turkes . by these examples it may appeare , what estimation men ought to make of worldly honor , and glory that is gotten by rule and principality , when a poore priest in a short time , was able to dispossesse many kings of their kingdomes , and to make himselfe a mighty monarch of them all . and when he was in the judgement of men in the highest degree of felicity , a handfull of men of his owne guard , could in his owne pavilion in the middest of his army and forces , secure and free from all imagination of perill , put him and his nobility with his principal captaines to the sword , and had escaped without any harme or let , inriched with a great prey , if they had passed on their journey all at their ●…ase , and had notbin so carelesse , to attend their enemies comming , which they might easily have prevented . divers other hermites of mahomets sect , about the same time , both in affrica and asia , excited with the like desire of glory , attempted the like enterprises , and attayned to great matters , to their owne harme , & to others , though not altogether with like successe . this principality and rule made the iewes , the chosen people of god , despise his helpe and favour , that had done so many wonderfull things for them . for a iew having gathered together two hundred thousand men of that nation , they trusted so much to their owne forces , that every man did cut off one of his fingers , and when they were to joyne in battell with their enemies , their generall pronounced these words : lord of the world , helpe us not , seeing thou hast rejected us . and more than this , there were divers of the same nation , in the age wherein christ was borne , knowing by the 〈◊〉 prophecies , that the time was come , in which the 〈◊〉 must shew himselfe to the world , that 〈◊〉 themselves to be christ : but their lives and doctrine , 〈◊〉 almost the memory of them , vanished away like smoke , notwithstanding they had many followers , and were maintained by the authority of their principal doctors . but these infidels and iewes are not so much to be ●…velled at , that sought glory with so great hypocrisie , if we behold the wicked mind of a christian in our age , that through an excessive desire of glory went about to perswade men , that he was the very messias . this man was of frizeland , named george david ; he called himselfe a new prophet , and the nephew of god : he feined to have talke with wild beasts and birds , in all manner of languages : and that they brought him meat for his sustenāce . and among other his vanities and toyes , he said that heaven was altogether empty , and that he was sent to adopt men , to be sonnes and inheritours of the kingdome of heaven . that the divell is the authour of these horrible and hainous offences committed by men , to the dishonour of god , and destruction of themselves , by his instigation and stirring up their minds to the desire of vaineglorie , may something appeare by this strange historie , reported by licosthenes in his prodig●… . by which men may be warned to beware of the subtill devices & practices of that old serpent , that 〈◊〉 cōtinually in weight whom he may devoure : who if he can find no 〈◊〉 ●…ment among men , to serve his purpose , can by 〈◊〉 sufferance ( as it should seeme ) 〈◊〉 himselfe or possesse infants , and doe wonderfull things , by his false shews of counterfeit miracles and crafty illusions , to 〈◊〉 the world . in the kingdom of babylon , the vij . day of march , in the 〈◊〉 . a child was borne of a mea●… woman , whose favour and forme was good , and wel proportioned , but his eyes and teeth shined contrary to nature . at the houre of his birth not onely the elements , but all the powers of the heavens were moved , and shewod forth terrible and fearefull signes . for at midnight the sun was seene to shine bright as if it had bin day ; and after it was turned into darkenesse againe , so as it was not seene in babylon ( which is not noted for a miracle ) the space of a whole day : the sunne was seene againe with starres of strange figures and of divers kinds wandring up & downe in the element . over the house where the child was born , besides other signs , fire was seene fall from the ayre , that killed men . the next day the sunne was eclipsed , the weather being very tempestuous , it rained pearles . the third day a firie dragon was seene to flye about babylon . there appeared also a new hill , exceeding in height other hills , which was by and by divided into two parts , in the middest whereof was found apillar , wherein was written in greeke : the houre of the nativity is come , & the end of the world is at hand . the xiij . houre after his birth , a voice was heard crying in the aire : prepare your hearts to receive , and blessed are they that keepe his word . after this child had lived two moneths , hee brake out in speech like an old man , and professed himselfe to be the son of god. and being asked what these signes did pre●… the pearles that fell from the element , he said did 〈◊〉 the people that would beleeve his word : the flying 〈◊〉 signified his adversaries . he healed all 〈◊〉 ; he restored sight to the blind , hee revived the 〈◊〉 with his word ; and professing himself to be a true interpreter of the holy scripture & secret mysteries , he was through all babylon contrary to the laws of their cou●… adored and worshipped for a god. thus will sathan never leave to use the helpe of men , as instruments to oppose himselfe against god ; and to draw them from true obedience , to the destruction both of their body & soule . for to beleeve that there be no spirits ( as i heare there be such in these daies ) or that they shew not themselves to men , in divers figures , & worke not things here in the earth among men , and in the ayre above us , contrary to the opinion of so many learned men of divers ages , and to common experience of all times , is meere ignorance , and wilfull obstinacy , and the next way to atheisme . 〈◊〉 an excellent learned man , was also according to that time , singular in necromancy . wee have certaine knowledge ( saith hee ) that wicked spirits can doe very much in these parts of the world , under the moone , and upon the earth . but that it may in some part appeare , and their ignorance and obstinacy be discovered that be of that opinion , of an infinite number of histories , both old and new , we will recite one notable example ( let the credit of the matter remaine with the authors ) that happened of late yeares in france , whereby wee may be warned to observe gods secret judgements , and to call continually upon god for his grace and assistance , against the old serpent our common adversarie , that worketh many strange and dreadfull things amongst us , alwayes to some evill end and purpose , if his platformes were not interrupted by gods power and providence . the history is reported by many credible authors , as also by cornelius gēma , in his cosmocritices , a learned man. in the city of landunū there was a handsome yong womā newly married , called nicholas dam●…rie , in the judgement of men both vertuous and of good life , who in the yere . in the month of novēber was possessed with an evill spirit , that in sight of thousands of people , played wonderfull strange parts . but first this spirit appeared to this woman , in the likenesse of a dead man , professing himself to be her grandfather , but afterwards being compelled ( say my authors ) by the power of gods word , pronounced by a priest ( using belike their ordinarie exorcismes ) he confessed himselfe to be the divell : and then he became blacke , hairy , & of a much more vgly and terrible forme than at any time before . he would violently take her up and ca●…rie her from place to place : and after he had shewed himselfe in divers formes , especially of a cat , or of a hornet , or of a betle , at last he entred into the woman , & possessed her . at the first he would salute very curteously , as wel those that were knowne to her , as unknowne , & cal every one by their names . and many that had not cleansed themselves by being at shrift & confession of their sins , after the romish manner , he would discover the faults & sins they had committed , until the priest had givē her a consecrated host , as it were putting a bridle in his mouth ( saith mine author ) he made him hold his peace ; yet neverthelesse he ceased not to worke strange things in her . he would at one instant , take away the use of her eyes , eares , & mouth . but when the hallowed bread was put into her , shee was delivered of that torment . it was thought good to place her openly in the cōmon theater that the people might see how shee was ve●…ed . where the wicked spirit being exorcised by the priests , would professe himselfe to be the second to lucifer , & that he possessed her not alone , but that there were xxx . of them in the whole , which appeared by manifest signes , when she was carried to a church , where were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the woman . at one time , like unto a black thin little cloud . not long after , there went out of her three other spirits , being in another church , making a great noise at their departure , who professed themselves to be the third order from lucifer . there yet remained one spirit more , the prince of the rest ( as he sayd ) who told them , by what signes they should know when the deliverance of the woman from him was at hand ; affirming neverthelesse , that he would not leave her untill he were driven out by the bishop of landunum . when the woman happened to bee present , as the priest was at masse , it was wonderfull to see her vgly countenance , and such strange formes and figures of her body , that it 〈◊〉 all imagination . her body would become three or foure times greater than it selfe : her eyes would be 〈◊〉 backward , firie and horrible to behold , and would be thrust out of her head , as great as an egge . she would stretch out her tongue to her breast , to her eares , and to her temples . her force was so great that hardly eight or nine men were able to hold her . and this was a 〈◊〉 toy , not unworthy to be laughed at , and also to be noted , how artificially this subtill serpent playd his part in this 〈◊〉 ; whereby it may bee conjectured , that the drift and end of all this device was to this purpose , which tooke effect not altogether contrary to his expectation . when the spirit was asked why he turned away the face of the woman , when the priest was at masse ; because ( quoth hee ) the image of white 〈◊〉 doth make me afrayd ; who neverthelesse though not willingly , i now acknowledge to be my lord and master . and being asked why he so called him ; because ( sayd he ) i have taught the new professors of the gospel so to call him : quanquam istic sit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : though he be ●…hcro , yet this ●…inihar sort , abruptly alluding to hocestcorpus means : this is my body , &c. but ( said the prelates ) locing thou art the author & percot of all lyes , who will beleeve thee though thou speake truth ? it is true ( sayd the spirit ) that of mine owne nature i spea●… not the truth , but now being copelled , i utter the truth , as it were borrowed ware . this toy ( sayth my author ) who was of them , that call themselves catholickes : wrought much trouble to them that held the contrary opinion of the sacrament . insomuch as multitudes of people being gathered together , the matter was so hotly disputed upon , that it was like to have growne to sedition . and after many practices used by physicke and medicines , and other devices , her onely health ( sayth mine author ) came of the body of our saviour . for after she had received the sacrament three dayes together , by the hands of the bishop of landunum , the spirit who called himselfe beelzebub departed out of the woman , the viij . of february ( having first shewed the signe promised before ) with such terrible thunder , howling , smoke , & fire , that the noise was heard a great space beyond the city . the prince of condy hearing of this matter , sent for the woman , of whom he understood the truth as it hath bin here recited . and it is to be noted by the way , of what force an opinion is that hath takē deep root , when so learned men could not or would not , petceive the illusions and subtill devices of the divell , to seduce or cōfirme thē in their error ; but rather were ready to receive his testimony , or censure of the matter in cotroversic in religiō . and this is recited with the history , that the woman wrestled with her physitian , and boxed him well with her sists , & sent him away with shame enough : the divelin her confessing openly that the physition had secretly cast into the womeans mouth vi●…grains of amsimani●… , to the great danger of her life , which because they were not made small enough , shee vomited up againe , which otherwise must have gone through her body : 〈◊〉 mach of evil splries , the rather because by their iostigation , men fall into many things , that are not only hinderance to their happines , but also bring them to extreme infelicity . but this matter belongeth to another subject : & to go about to prove it , is all one , as if a man should offer to shew the light of the sun with a candle . and therfore to return from whence we digressed , that the fruites which ambition and desire of dominion and glory doth ordinarily bring forth , may further appeare , the bloudy practices , & tragicall events , that lately happened betweene the french king henry the third , and the duke of guise , are nothing inferiour in that kinde , to any examples of antiquitie . chap. iiii. the death of the duke of guise and the cardinall his brother : the treason of iohn lustinian , and his reward : of divers that by notourious and infamous act ; sought to winne fame and glorie , as pausanias , herostrarus , poltrot , iohn ianrige , balthasar seracke , iames clement , a dominican friar : the storie of a spanish priest : of such as from basenesse aspired to principality and empire : of tamerlaine , arsace , &c. with many histories to that purpose . the originall of the amazons : of sivard king of sencia : of fundry ●…artike ladies , &c. a discourse of beauty and varity in apparell : and that no traer felicitie can sabsist cytber in pleasure , riches , or benour . credible ●…bors affirme , that the duke of goise , aspired to the kingdom of france : which at length being known to the king , he applied all his wirs to prevent him . and after many accempts , & long deliberatiō , he could find no berser means , than to take his life from him . and to bring this to pafs ; he called together divers of the cardinals & principall nobility : among which were such as he most mistrusted , & misliked , & made the of his coūcel . and being assēbled to cōsult upō matters of great importāce , the king maketh to them a solemne & eloquent speech ; feining that he was now sufficiently taught , that the king of navarre being an hereticke , and excommunicate , and by the pope pronounced not capable of a kingdome , conspired with his consederats , to take from him his crowne . he told them , that hee was weary of the wars , and travels of a kingdome , & was resolved to yield over all government , and give himselfe to ease and rest . and forasmuch as god had given him no heire of his body to inherite his crowne , and small hope thereof left , he desired them with a fatherly care , that they would think upon some man that were meet to succeed him , and take upon him the governement of the realme ; such an one as would pursue the king of navarre and the heretickes to death . that at length the flourishing kingdom of france , may enjoy his religion and long looked for peace . these words he spake with such gravity , and shew of plaine meaning , that no man mistrusted any fraud or dissimulatiō . this speech of the kings was nothing unpleasant to some of his new counsellers ; who answered him that the king was yong and lusty enough , & wel able to govern the realm himself , for the continuance wherofthey praicd to god nights and day : that he needed no other mans counsel or help . neverthelesse seeing that the kings t●…ind was more addicted to quietnesse & rest , than to wars or government of his realme , it were no reasorr for the to deny the king their counsell in those things , that were agreeable to his will , & were profitable to the common-wealth : yet they desired the king to name some man , whom hee thought able to beare so great a burden , and worthy of so high a dignitie , that after his death were meet to succeed him . the king after he had reckoned many princes worthy to reign , he concluded , that he knew none among them more meet for this purpose , than the duke of guise , whose worthiness and praises , and service done by him and his father to the commonwealth , when he had set forth , with a great many goodly words , his councell willingly allowed his choyce ; and sent presently to the duke of guise , to ●…ine to the court , hom whence for feare he had before absented himselfe . who presently came in post to the king , of whom he was with great courtesie and honour received , and the whole realme commited to his government , with high ●…tes of dignities . but this felicitic continued not long . the king to avoyd the mischiefe that hanged over his own head , pursuing his resolution , to deliver himselfe of the feare of the duke , to bring the matter the better to passe , the king stiored by devotion determined to remove to a cell , meaning there to bee confessed and to receive the sacrament . hee called into his chamber soure of his councell , such as he best trusted , where hee discovered about them , the i●…arits and indigtitles hee had received of the duke of guise : his extreme ●…bition and desire to migne : the danger he stood in by the reasons continuatly practised by the duke and his consederares , against his person . he told them , that hee was determined to have the duke slaine as a traitor , & unprosicable member to the rea●…me . and when he had desised their advise , some were of opinion , that it were better to cōmit him & some of his consederates to some strong prison , and to proceede against them by order of justice . but the rest considering the imminent danger ; were of a contrary opinion . the king likewise uttered his conccit , allodging it to be a thing full of porill to delay the time , and to proceede with him by order of law . that the duke was grown so great , that no iudge in the realme would or durstadjudge him to death , and therefore he was determined to have him killed . being thus resolved , the king sends one to the duke , to shew him that he had some secret matter , wherof to conferre with him before he went to consession , and receive the sacrament , and therefore that he should come to the king in his chamber , where he stayed for him . the chamber was hanged with very rich arras , behinde which were hidden eight men appointed to doe the act . the gai●…comm●… into the the chamber , but king was not there to hee found having withdrawn himselfe into and the chamber , which made the duke suspect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one steppeth forth from behinde the hangings , and whom as the duke co●… end 〈◊〉 the ●…her seven●… him many wounds , so as being ground , crying alowd for helpe and mercy . the c●…dinall his brother perceiving by his voyce , the danger he was in , ran to help him , but being kept out by a●…men , another came into the chamer , and already ●…ing and vised him to aske god forgivenesse , and the 〈◊〉 . the duke twise asked mercy of god , and then spi●… no more words , but held his hand upon his mouths , as though the name of the king was odin●…s to him . alter the duke was dead , the cardinall of guise , and divers others were apprehended , and the cardinall being brought into the place where his brother lay , the king commeth in , and asked him whether he knew that body . he answered , that he knew him wel to be the body of his most deare brother and lord , with whom he wished presently to be in the same world he was . assure your selfe ( said the king ) i will bring it to passe , that you shall have your desire , and that shortly . the next day the king caused the cardinall to bee brought into the place where his brother lay , and to be slaine . when the death of the duke & his brother was knowne , the duchesse their mother , and the late wife of the duke , made sute to the king for the bodies of the two brethren : w th being denied , the mother expostulates bitterly with the king , accusing him of infidelitie , chargeth him with the breach of his oath , of his promise , of his agreement , pucceth him in minde of the benefits , which hee and his realme had received of the duke , and also of his father , for which so great ingratitude and barbarous crueltie , shee asketh vengeance of god upon him and his . the king being moved with her bold speech , commandeth her to prison . and as shee was going away , madame , ( quoth he ) be of good comfort , the same kinde of death is happened to your sonne the duke , that chanced in times past to iulius casar : who was killed in the senate . but when the wife or widow of the duke , saw that shee could not obtaine her sute of the king , shee lifting up her eyes and hands to heaven , shedding abundance of reares , complaineth with a lamentable voyce , upon the uncertaintie and unconstancie of humane matters : that nothing was to be found any where certaine , but onely with god : who i hope ( saith she ) as a most just iudge will not suffer mee to dye ( though nothing would bee more pleasant to mee , than to dye , and to enjoy the company of my most deare husband ) untill i see so barbarous and beastly a butchery of my lord and husband revenged , the like example whereof was never heard before . and when she had reckoned up his vertue and valour , and the great service he had done to the king and his countrey . is this , o king ( sayd she ) the crowne of lawrell , which is due to them that regard not the danger of their estate , and of their life for the safetie of their king ? is this the 〈◊〉 that ought to be granted to him , who hath not only defended france from strangers , but also hath often overthrown and destroyed whosoever were enemies to his country ? then turning to her husband : o my lord ( sayd shee ) how happy and fortunate had i beene , if after thy praye●… offered to god , thou haddest been slaine giving charge upon thine enemies ; thy death in that sort taken would have beene to me much more tolerable , nor would have wounded my mind so greatly : so should you also have taken away all emulation from them , that envie that honour . and after shee had reprehended his emul●…tors , and set forth his merits : yea , ( sayth she ) he had so great confidence in the king ( but i would to god hee had not done so ) that he feared not to come unarmed to him , being armed , of whom in steede of reward he was slaine . oh how great a wickednesse is this , that he who hath so often defended the kings life , shold by the kings commandement have his life taken from him●… that he who with so great perill of his life & all his goods 〈◊〉 possessions hath kept the crowne upon the kings 〈◊〉 , should be falsly suspected to affect the crowne him●… , and without any kind of law or justice , without 〈◊〉 of the cause , so great a prince should be so cruelly murdered ? o how great an injury is this to him , that hath bestowed all his care for the preservation of his countrey , & safety of the king●… but why doe i call him king ? ought hee to bee called a king , who commanded him to be murdered , in whom all his felicity and safety consisted ? o my god , the most just revenger of wicked acts , i ●…ye unto thee , it is thy part to judge justly , 〈◊〉 not the wicked slanders devised of his enemies , to darken the perpetuall glory of my husband , nor let not that villanous act committed upon him remaine 〈◊〉 then she speaketh to her kinsfolkes and friends ; will ye behold with equall eyes & minds , the glory and fame of so great a chiefetaine , and an invincible souldiour , to be extinguished so quickly ? will ye , that i , as it were alwayes for saken , dye at last without any hope of revenge ? will ye that the revenge of so foule an act be deferred untill these my children , yet voyd of reason , come to be men ? o my little sons and daughters , how happy had ye been , if so soone as ye had been borne , ye had presently changed life with death ? o king , do you thinke that they be slaine , that be yet alive ? you have taken the bread out of the hands of the little ones : you would have buried the remembrance of an excellent prince in oblivion for ever : ye have in some sort your desire , but the vengeance of god you shall not escape , neither shall so barbarous an act go unpunished , which your enemies do detest , & your friends bewaile . o king who will hereafter beleeve you ? who will put his trust in you ? to whom will not your fidelity be suspected ? do you thinke that your friends do commend you for this your fact , especially seeing they see your mouth speaketh one thing , and your heart thinketh another ? as for my selfe ( o king ) i will not hereafter call you my king , but ye shall be in that place with me , as they upon whom the judgement of god will assuredly fall , that whereas y●…e ought to have protected widowes and orphanes , ye have made me a widow , and my children orphanes , by taking away the life of my most dearely beloved husband . in this mourning & lamentation of this sorrowfull duchesse , in place of two brethren that were slaine , shee was delivered of two sonnes . to these extreme passions and miserable estate , ambition and desire of dominion brought the duke of guise and his friends , which not long after cost the king also his life , and great trouble to the kingdome of france . these be the fruits of worldly glory . vaine glorious men , are not only hurtfull to themselves , but also to others . solon saith , to name a vaine glorious man in right terme●… , is to call him a foole . whosoever escapeth best , that is desirous of honour and glory , he is sure not to strike the 〈◊〉 he shooteth at , any thing the rather by that meanes , that is , felicitie , or summum bonum , or soveraigne good . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of genua , by treason or cowardlinesse let mah●…met the great turke enter into constantinople , upon his promise to make him king . and when mahomet was gotten into the towne , he made him king , according to his promise , and after three dayes he put him to death . a short reigne , with no long glory , & yet worthy of such a wretch , by whose meanes the emperour , the p●…triark , and almost all the christians in the towne were cruelly slaine : and the empresse with her noblest damsels led captive before mahomet , and after a thousand villanies , all cut in peeces . notwithstanding that death is a thing naturally shunned of all men , yet some have so thi●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and glory , having no other means to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 committing some notorious wicked fact , have wi●…fully lost their lives , to win that way fame after their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desirous of glory , asked 〈◊〉 , how hee might ●…ame win fame ; if thou 〈◊〉 ( quoth 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 famous man , for then his glory will be turned to 〈◊〉 . whereupon he went to philip king of 〈◊〉 , father to alexander the great , that was the most famous man of his time , and 〈◊〉 him . the like humour reigned in him that burned the goodly t●…mple of d●…ana , which for the sumptuousnesse of the building , and curiositie of the workemanship , was accounted one of the seven wonders of the world : who conle●…ed to have done it for no other cause , but to win 〈◊〉 , hoping his na●… with the memory of the fact , should be commended to posterity by writing , according to the poets saying : live happy , if my verse can ought , or i , memoriall of thy name shall never dy . livie maketh the like report of a romane , who was so ambitious of glory and ●…ame , that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire on the treasure house , where the people of rome layd up their treasure . and being taken , tormented , and examined , he confessed he had none other meaning in this wicked enterprise , but that 〈◊〉 should make mention of him in their chronicles . but the 〈◊〉 , as petrarke sayth , we seeke after , is but 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 , it is a shadow , it is nothing . and though death deliver●… a man from the rule of fortune , yet whether 〈◊〉 will or not , fame will follow 〈◊〉 , as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body . and therefore ( saith he ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 livest , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 find same in thy grave . the duke of alva seemed to bee touched with the like desire of vainglory , when after he had expulsed the prince of orenge , with his army of almaines out of the low countrey , and in some sort pacified the 〈◊〉 of the people , erected a stately and sumptuous trophee in the castle of antwerp , for a monument , and perpetuall memory of his acts done in the low-countries . it was an image of copper , representing the duke himselfe , which had under his feet , a body lying flat or prostrate , with two heads , and sixe armes , where of the one held papers written ; the second a torch ; the third , a broken hammer ; the fourth , a naile ; the fith , a purse ; the fixth , an axe ; under his feet , was a disguised person ; behind the prostrate body was a great sachel , out of which appeared a serpent , at whose cares there hanged a sawcer . the whole worke of fifteen foote high was placed upon a plate of the same metall , and the plate upon a marble stone , foure square , whose base was of the largenesse of three paces , all excellently well made according to the proportion of the image . the title written in this triumphant stone was thus : ferdin ando 〈◊〉 à toledo , alba duci philippl secunds , 〈◊〉 apud belgas 〈◊〉 , quodextinct●… sedition●… , rebellibus pulsis , religione 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , provinciae pacem 〈◊〉 , regis optimi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 po●… . upon the one side was an altar , with this title : deo patrum 〈◊〉 : on the other side , was the morning , driving away the darkenesse of the night , with this title : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this notable p●…ce of worke , had many interpretations , what should be thereby ●…gnified : but few or none could rightly con●… the dukes meaning . but that glorious trophee wrought him much envy and malice among the people , and was misliked of all men , and of the spani●… themselves , that he would 〈◊〉 and glory so much in other mens calamities , whereof he was the author , and wherein hee used the part rather of a tyrant , than of a vice-roy . but not long after , when the citizens of 〈◊〉 recovered the castle , the people as it were triumphing over a cruell tyrant , threw downe and defaced this glorious trophee . but what need wee seeke for 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , when besides that of the duke , our 〈◊〉 time will ●…ford us too many of them , that haue sought for glory and fame by committing most notorious and wicked facts , though their pretence is 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 some other thing . in these civill 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , poltrot , for none other cause watched for opportunitie to kill the old duke of guise and as hee lay at the ●…ege of orleance , and tooke a boate to passe the river , 〈◊〉 as one of his 〈◊〉 , nothing suspected , pisto●… his pistoll at him , charged with two or three bulletts , and wounded him to death . and as he fledde being amazed with darknesse of the night , and partly with the greatnesse of the fact , after hee had wandered on horsebacke all the night , by that the day was ready to breake , he was come to the suburbs againe , and fell into the watch of the almaines ; where he was apprehended , and afterward torne in pec●… with foure horses for his reward . the like murder was attempted , but not with the like successe , at this time , against the prince of o●…enge , in the low countries by a spaniard of bilbo , called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this yong man served a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 werpe , a sp●…niard likewise . and having determined to kill the prince of o●…enge , by all likelihood to win fame ( for to escape with his life he had no hope ) hee made choyce of the day , in which the duke of alenson being at antwerpe , had appointed to celebrate the day of his nativity with justs and triumphs , and a sumptuous supper , to which the prince of orenge , with the 〈◊〉 men of the 〈◊〉 were invited . for this purpose , this 〈◊〉 had provided a little short dag , and girding his dagger to him , after he had drunke off a bowle of good win●… ; i goe ( ●…th he to one of his fellowes ) i goe to deliver the world of a most cruell tyrant . and though the low countrey-men per●…dventure thinke otherwise of it now , the time will come , that they will allow what i intend to doe . and so he goeth to the princes house : and walking by the doore of the par●…ur , where the prince dined , he watched for his cóming forth . and as the prince came to go 〈◊〉 another chamber , this young man presenteth to him a supplication , which as the prince stayed to read , he dischargeth his dag , & striketh him under the chin , the bullet comming forth under his right care . and because the dagge being over-charged brake , and strake off his thombe , he draweth his dagger to stabbe him ; but count hollacke tooke thee young man about the middest with his armes , and stayed him , whom the princes followers presently slue with seven and twenty wounds , as is reported . the prince escaped this danger , the wound though it were grievous , not being mortall . the example of this young mans evill successe , could not forewarne another , stirred up with the like desire of glory and fame , to make the like attempt . but of such force the desire of glory is as the 〈◊〉 ●…th : magnum ●…ter ascend●… , sed das 〈◊〉 gl●…ria vires . i undertake a journey of great length , but glory , to or come it , gives me strength . a gentleman of burgundy called balthasar seracke , after he understood that the king of spaine had proclaimed the prince of orenge a traytor , sought for opportunity to kill the prince . who seeing his reputation to decay , by reason of the prince of parma his prosperous successe , and fearing the people , that were 〈◊〉 of the warres , he left antwerpe , and withdrew himselfe to delfe . about this time the duke of alenson died , which the queene mother signified to the prince by her letters , and made choyce of this balthasar to be the messenger , because hee was well knowne to the prince , in whose court he was seven yeares brought up . this man having delivered his letters and message , was conversant with the gentlemen of the princes court , seeking continually for opportunity to put in execution , that he had long before determined . when he had received his dispatch , and prepared speedily to 〈◊〉 into france ( as it was thought ) hee had provided a very good horse , to stay for his comming without the 〈◊〉 of the towne , ready for him , whatsoever should 〈◊〉 . about two of the 〈◊〉 in the afternone , what time he thought the prince would rise from 〈◊〉 , he returned to the court , and faining that hee had 〈◊〉 something , he was without suspition let in . he 〈◊〉 the princes comming forth of the place where he 〈◊〉 , and offring to speake to him , having a pistoll under his cloake , charged with three bullets , poysoned & chained together , he dischargeth it at the prince , and strake him so deadly , that the prince fell presently to the 〈◊〉 , and without any further time , but only to 〈◊〉 the lords prayer , moving a little his lips ended his life . his guard hearing the clap of the pistoll , & perceiving by the cry and noise of his servants , that the prince was slaine , they sought for the man that did the act : but he in the meane time escaped through a stable , neare to the garden , and was almost come to the gate of the towne to his horse , when one of the princes retinue , that was present when he was slaine , had overtaken him , and wrestled with him untill others came and apprehended him , and ledde him to prison . and when hee saw that all meanes was taken from him to escape , and no hope nor place left for pardon , laying all feare aside , he asked them whether the prince was dead ; which when they affirmed , hee told them , that hee was assured to dye : but hee rejoyced very greatly that he had done the thing , which hee had many yeares wished might take effect . and therefore that hee would take his death joyfully and willingly , that hee had done the thing with so good successe , whereof others before him had failed , with the losse of their lives . no torments could make him 〈◊〉 confesse , who set him on , to commit that murder . but he constantly answered , that he was moved thereto , by the perswasion of no prince , or any other man , but of his owne accord and free-will . but sayd , that divers causes excited him to doe that act . the first cause hee sayd ) was , that he beleeved it was done to the glory of god ; because the prince was a professed enemie to the romish catholike faith . the second was , that to take away the life from a most cruell enemy of the low-countries , he knew would be beneficiall & profitable to his countrey , to which he owed his life : which all good men , and lovers of peace , would commend and allow . and last of all , that he should doe notable service to the king of spaine his master : of whom neverthelesse he denied to be hired , or allured with any promises or rewards , to commit the murder . he protested that hee nothing repented him of the fact , but greatly rejoyced that his enterprise had taken so good effect , & had successe according to his desire . he suffered all manner of torments with a wonderfull patience , so as he brake not out into howlings , or cryings , weeping , or making moan and 〈◊〉 as the manner is , nor gave any signe of a troubled or dismaied minde , but constantly affirmed that it was much better and more profitable to the common-wealth , that two men ( meaning the prince and himselfe ) should suffer violent death , than so many thousands , that by his meanes were brought to their end . the first night he was hanged up in a kind of torture , and ●…ourged most grievously five times with rods , besides other grievous paines : and at last hee was put in a vanne , his hands and feet being bound , and ●…sed up & down that he might not sleepe . the dayes and nights following he was hanged up againe in the instrument made for torture , an hundred and fifty pound weight hanging at his toes , & diversly torm●…ced ; which he tooke with such a stout and resolute mind , that they which tormented him being drawne into admitation , and asking him how it came to passe , that he seemed not to be troubled with so great torments : he answered that it was to be attributed to the praiers 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 . after he had bin many times examined , & suffered many tortures , and news brought him , that hee was condemned , and must dye ; he with a joyfull countenance and voice , gave god thanks . and when a minister of the reformed religion , was sent to comfort him , hee would not heare him , but answered , that he knew wel enough in what favour he was with god. when he was brought to the 〈◊〉 , the 〈◊〉 pu●…th vpon his feets 〈◊〉 of shoes , tudely made of dr●…e leather , and presseth his feet betweene two iron plates burning hote , so were his f●…t parched . then he plucked away the ●…ews of his hips , and arms , and a●…ms with a paire of ●…ngs fire-hote , and beateth him upon the head with the pistoll that killed the prince . and last of all he opened his breast , and being yet alive , plucked out his heart , and 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 his face ; and bowelled and quartered him , as the manner is . this was the end of this glorious enterprise : the murder of a notable prince , to the great griefe and sorrow of all the people , of whom hee was dearely loved , and to the prejudice of the low-countries common-wealth : besides the losse of his life by cruell torment●… , that committed the fact , with the hazard of his soule , if god were not mercifull unto him . and what was it , as wee may conjecture , but a desire of vaineglory , that emboldened the poore friar , to 〈◊〉 great an enterprise , to kill the late french king henry the third ? a most notorious and execrable murder of his annoy●…ted prince , that was of his owne and the●… religion that set him on worke . after the death of the duke of guise , the monkes and friers , and the rest of that rabble of cloister-men were greatly incensed against the king , and by all manner of meanes sought 〈◊〉 destruction . and when they could find no man among the tempora●… and lay men , that would consent to●… vile an act , to murder his prince , they searched dilig●… in their cloysters & religious houses , for one of 〈◊〉 owne stampe , to serve their turne . and at last they 〈◊〉 a yong novice of their owne for their purpose , called iames cle●… , a dominican monke or friar , about 〈◊〉 and twentie yeare old , who not past halfe a yeare before sung his first masse . this harebraind fellow , they perceived was a fit instrument to commit this vile murder of their king : him they perswade with many reasons , and faire promises of great matters to undertake this enterprise ; and put him in hope that he should escape without danger . but if the worst happened , yet they assured him that hee should bee canonized for a saint . this yong man at length being overcome with their perswasions and subtill devices , not considering sufficiently the great danger both of his body & soule , gave his consent and promise to kill the king . but afterward being pricked in conscience , and doubtfull whether the matter were good , he desired to be satisfied by the iesuits ( who in learning and vertue are in mens opinions preferred before al other orders ) that his conscience might bee assured of the goodnesse of this enterprise . and when the iesuits had put him out of doubt , that the act was very honest , and meritorious for his soule , he was resolute . his favourers are not ashamed to write , that as this frier was with great devotion praying to god , for the good successe of this meritorious enterprise , an angell came to him , and sayd , frier iames , ●…ise ; and prepare thy selfe to attaine a crown of martyrdome . thou shalt defend the catholicke religion in france against all the persecutors , and shalt kill the king himself , that laboreth to destroy the same religion . and after a certaine time , when he had praied & fasted ( with great devotion no doubt ) he tooke his journy the twentieth day of iuly , in the year one thousand five hundred eighty nine , from paris to clowes ( which is about two leagues ) where the king lay with his campe : having for his companion , another yong frier like himselfe . the next day in the morning , the frier having told the kings servants , that hee had letters and a message to deliver to the king , hee was presently without any suspicion , brought into the kings chamber ( for the king was better affected to the dominicans , than to any other order of friers , and suffered them at all times to have accesse to his presence ) and because of the secretnesse of his message , all other were commanded forth . then this hypocrite with great humility and dutie delivered his counterfeit letters , but this caytiffe with a knife that was double poysoned , strake at the king , thinking to have thrust him to the heart . but the king perceiving the blow comming , strake downe the friers hand , and received the wound in his belly , about the wast , where the knife was left sticking . the king drew forth the knife out of his body , and turning himselfe to the frier , thrust him into the face , supposing his bodie had beene armed . the gentlemen without , hearing the noyse within , ran into the chamber , and beholding what was done , after the kings councell had examined the frier , they fell upon him and slue him : and cast the other frier that stood without , head-long into the river , and drowned him . the day following his carkesse was torne in peeces with wilde horses : and the king died after midnight . and that it may the better appeare , what dangerous and horrible effects this ambitious humour & desire to maintaine them , & the reputation of the high dignities and glorious estate , that are possessed of them , worketh , it shall not bee impertinent to the matter to shew some part of the proceedings of pope sixtus after the french kings death , whereof he was taken for the principall author . whereby we shall perceive how far they are deceived , that thinke felicitie to consist in honourable and glorious estate , when the same shall so blind and corrupt the minde of the principall prelate , that arrogateth to himselfe such high titles and holinesse , and authoritie over all , as to conspire with traytours , to excite a monke or frier treacherously to lay violent hands upon his annoynted king ; and contrary to all humanity and christianity , to allow and exalt the fact above the skies , wherein he forgot this good sentence : 〈◊〉 peccato addit , qui culpa quam fecit , patrocinia defensionis adjungit . when newes came to rome of the kings murder , whereas all men were amazed and astonied at so horrible a fact , the like whereof was never heard before , lamented of thousands by infinite streames of teares , pope sixtus nothing dissembling his joy and gladnesse , made all rome triumph and rejoyce with him , with all manner of pleasures and pastimes ; and the pope himselfe assembleth the cardinals and others of his retinew in the consistorie , to heare him preach . the argument of his sermon was , that the wicked and traiterous frier that murdered this king , should be canonized a saint : and that his praise and commendations for so worthy an act , ought to be exalted above the skies . and because he was not ignorant that it was of great moment to the setting forth of a notable act , if it were compared with such , as were most worthy of commendation : and finding none of all those heroicall and glorious acts of famous men that are registred in histories of antiquitie , worthy to bee compared with this , he bringeth his comparison from god himselfe . hee feared not ( which a man may tremble to report ) to compare the murder of this christian king , by the treason of a monke or frier , with the worke of the creation of the world , and also with the incarnation of christ , and with the other mysteries of our salvation . in the second part of his sermon , he defameth and slandereth the king , whom by his wicked counsell , he had caused to be killed most shamefully and ignominiously , pronouncing him damned , whom not long before for his singular godlinesse , he exalted with his praises up to heaven , calling him son●…e , & the most christian king . and all this spoken , and much more to the like effect , with such bitternesse and rancor , that it is easily seene what monstrous minds many of them carry , that are overcome and blinded with passion of ambition , and unsatiable desire to aspire , and maintaine their estate in honour and glory . the manners of these ambitious popes bringeth to my remembrance a storie of a spanish priest , that in the rebellion in castile against the emperour and king of spaine charles the fifth , every sunday for the space of three weekes , recommended to the prayers of his parishioners , among other things the usurped king and captaine of the rebels , called iohn of padilia , & the queen his wife : for of a truth ( said he ) these be the true kings , all the rest before were tyrants . it chanced shortly after , that iohn of padilia passed that way with his army , and the souldiers that lodged in the priests house , enticed away his woman , dranke up his wine , killed his hens , and eat up his bacō . the sunday following the priest being angry with his losse , said in the same church : it is not unknown unto you ( my brethren ) how iohn of padilia passed this way , and how his souldiers have left me never a hen , have eaten me a 〈◊〉 of bacon , have drunke out my wine ; i say that hence forth ye shall not pray to god for him , but for king charles and for our lady queen iane ( for they be the true princes ) and let these strange kings goe to the divell . the like manners the popes have a long time used , one day to establish kings , another day to depose them , not because they did take away their bacon , but their usurped authority , nor for that they 〈◊〉 away their women , but because they 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 men to leave them & their vaine traditions , to follow christ & his gospell , & many times , for causes of much lesse importance , as appeared by this lamentable example of this late french king and others : and when they intend to persecute any king by their buls , or by the sword , or by some treachery , their pretence should be zeale and love to the common-wealth , which they would bewaile with fighes and sorrowfull 〈◊〉 , like the lady mary de 〈◊〉 , that 〈◊〉 forth the plate of the church of toledo . this lady in the 〈◊〉 of castile , against the 〈◊〉 charles the sift , whereof she was one of the principall authors , lacking money to pay the souldiers ( rebels ) entred into the church 〈◊〉 & holding up her hāds , covered with blacke , knocking her breast , weeping and sobbing , with two burning torches before her : and after this manner 〈◊〉 a sorrow & devotiō , committed a notable 〈◊〉 , & did take away the plate out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . even so did pope sixtus , & the rest of them that have undertaken the like enterprise , first bewaile with great sorrow the state of france , and then excited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people treacherously to murder their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a most happy man was the french king that 〈◊〉 to be murdered with so great zeale and 〈◊〉 . when men intend a mischiefe , they goe willingly to commit a murder , and lament when they goe to be hanged , but the pope contrariwise did lament when he was about to kil , and peradventure would have gone merrily to execution . no man could give a better censure upon the vani●… of this world , than salomon , not onely by his singular wisedome , where with god had endued him , but also by his experience , who was the rich●…st king of the world , and abounded so exceedingly in glory and prosperity , and in all those things that giveth delight and pleasure , which men so greatly desire and esteeme for happinesse in this life , that all the kings of the earth desired to see his face , for his wisedome and renowned felicity . i have beene ( sayth he ) king of israel in ierusalem , and purposed with my selfe to seeke out by wisedome all things : and i have seene that all things under the sunne , are meere vanities and a●…ctions of spirit . i sayd in my heart , i will go and abound in delights , & in every pleasure that may be had , and i saw that this was also vanitie : i tooke great workes in hand , builded houses to my selfe , planted vin●…yards , made orchards and gardens , and beset them with all kinde of trees : i made me fish-ponds to water my trees : i possessed servants and handmaids , and had a great family , with heards of cattell , above any that ever were before mee in ierusalem : i gathered together gold and silver , the riches of kings and provinces : i appointed to my selfe singers , both men and women , which are the delights of the children of men fine cups also to drinke wine withall : and what soever mine eyes did desire , i denied it not unto them : neither did i let my heart from using any pleasure , to delight it selfe in these things which i prepared . and when i turned my selfe to all that my hands had made , & to all the labours wherin i had taken such paines and sweat , i saw in them all vanity and a●…iction of the mind . this was the judgement of 〈◊〉 , which he had gathered not onely out of his owne wisedome , and out of the observation of the course of other mens lives , but by his owne experience , that so fully did injoy and possesse these goodly things which men have in such admiration , as never any man more . and when he had the fruition & use of all these things to the full , and many more , whereof the scripture maketh mention , he pronounced neverthelesse at last this sentence of them all : vanitas vanitatum , & omnia van●…tas ; vanitie of vanities , and all is vanity . what reason have men then to have worldly wealth and pleasures in such estimation , when this wise and mighty prince , having tasted of them fully , and seene and perceived what goodnesse was in them , accounted them nothing but vanity ? it is truely sayd , that ambition is the beastly nourse of covetousnesse , and both they in these dayes , creepe in under a forme and manner of severity : so that the man which desireth power , must needs be an evill maintainer of justice , and he that thirsteth after glory , runneth speedily into actions of injury and oppression . and therefore who aspireth to glory , and hunts after praise of wicked men , must of necessitie be like them . honourable honour consisteth not in the dignities wee possesse , but rather in the good workes , by which wee deserve them . more honourable is he that deserveth honour and hath it not , than he that possesseth it , and deserveth it not . but such is the vanity of men , to hunt after glory in vaine things . if they want worldly wealth and honorable estate to glory in , they will finde out some other thing : they will take occasion to glory either in the nobility of their bloud , or in the forme and beautie of the body , or else in gorgeous apparell , and new fangled fashions : or if all these faile , they will not let to glory in the delights they have taken in the vaine pleasures of the flesh . and what ca●…e is there to glory so much in honourable estate , as though it were due to nobilitie of bloud , when the basest men of the world have attained to the highest dignities ? v●…at a portingall was the sonne of an heardman , and in his youth holpe his father to keepe sheep , and after that was a plough-man , but carrying a lofty mind , hee left that base trade and became a hunter of wild beasts : and when the romans came into that countrey , he assembled his companions together , and would often skirmish with them , and at last he grew so valiant and expert in armes , and had gotten such ateputation , that he gathered together a sufficient army , and became the principall man of his country , which hee defended from the romanes foureteene or fifteene yeares , in which time he wan many notable victories . the great tam●…ne was a peasants sonne , and kept ca●…ell : who perswading five hundered sheepheards his companions , to sell their cattell and betake them to a●…mes , they watched the high-wayes , and robbed the merchants of that countrey ; which when the king of persia understood , he sent a thousand ●…orsemen to 〈◊〉 them . but t●…ane so handled the matt●… , that of enemies , he made them his friends , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forces together , they did notable feats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and taking occasion by the civill warres between the king of persia and his brother , he subdued that countrey , and made warre against bajazet emperour of the turkes , whom he overcame in battell , and tooke him prisoner . he wan also great victories upon the soldan of egypt , and upon the king of arabia . and ●…o became one of the most famous and mightie princes of the world . 〈◊〉 king of the parthians was of so base a stock , that his parents could not be knowne . yet he got such a●… putation by his vertue , that his succe●…ours were called 〈◊〉 , as the emperours of rome were called 〈◊〉 , of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of rome was the sonne of an artificer , whose grandfather was a gardiners sonne . 〈◊〉 the emperour was also the sonne of a crafts man. the emperour probus was a gardiners sonne . 〈◊〉 the third king of the lombards , was the sonne of a poore common strumpet : who being delivered of two sonnes , like an unnaturall mother cast them into a great ditch , where was a little water . the king agelmond passing by chance that way , 〈◊〉 this child in the water , touched it gently with the end of his speare , which he had in his hand , to see what it was . the childe feeling himselfe touched , as young as he was , catched the 〈◊〉 by the end with his hand , and held it fast . the king 〈◊〉 to see 〈◊〉 young a creature , to hold the 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 force , 〈◊〉 it to be taken up , and to bee 〈◊〉 with great care , and the place being named lama where it lay , hee 〈◊〉 the child 〈◊〉 . who afterwards found fortune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that he became king of the lombards . in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two brethren borne in an 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , called 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 , of base estate and 〈◊〉 , of pirates first in one galley , and after joyning more with them , became kings of algier . in the same age also dragut of like condition , being a pirat , became king of tripoly . the soldan of caire was chosen out of the mamalukes , to which dignitle , none could ascend , except first he had beene a slave , and a renegate christian : so that afterward he commanded absolutely in egypt , and syria . divers other emperours , and kings , and men of honourable estate were descended of the like basenesse of parentage , which for brevities sake ●…omit . and if we should examine spirituall dignities , we shall finde the like accidents in the church . pope n●…cholas the first , was descended of so base parentage , that his father and mother were faine to go up & down to sell ●…ullets and egges . pope iohn the two and twentieth , gregorie the seventh , & divers other popes , which i will passe over , were very basely descended . which examples seeme to confirme platoes opinion , that every king commeth of a slave , and every slave of a king . and this was a strange thing , which happened not long sithence in munster , a principall towne in westphalia , where a butcher being retired from his countrey , as an exile , called iohn of leydon , was proclaimed king , and was served and obeyed of all the people , untill the town was taken , which was defended for the space of three yeares . but why should men glory so much in high dignities and honourable estate , whether they have attalned the same by their owne vertue , or by their parents , as a matter in their opinion proper to their sex , when there hath not beene so high a dignitie or honorable estate , how great soever that hath beene gotten by the vertue and valour of any man , but by the same vertue the like hath beene gotten and kept by women : whom we seeme to have in contempt , as insufficient and unworthy to a●…chieve so great matters , in respect of the opinion we have of our selves ? out of a great many examples we will draw forth a few . the scithians were a warlike people , by the report of many histories , and were sometime governed by two kings . but as the manner of men is not to ●…dure a copartner in supreme governement , these two kings fell into dissention , and after civill watres had continued a certaine time , the party vanqu●… with his adherents , were inforced to forsake the●… owne countrey , and to plant themselves neere the frontiers of cappadocia upon the river called thermodon : which countrey they possessed certaine yeares in despight of the inhabitants . but in processe of time , the people of that country finding themselves grieved with their governement , conspired secretly against the scithians , and put them all to the sword . this newes was so grievous to their wives , that were left behind in their owne countrey , that they determined to arme themselves like men , and to revenge their husbands death . and that the fortune of them all might be equall , and the sorrow common , they siue the husbands of them that remained behind , when the others departed out of their countrey . they chose two queenes among them , to whose government , they submitted themselves , and assembling themselves together , they forsooke their owne habitations , & like men of wa●…re marched toward their enemies countrey , who understanding that they were women , made of them little account . by meane whereof being unprovided to make such resistance as was necessarie , they were all put to the sword , and their country possessed and inhabited by these women : which were called amazones , because they had a custome to cut off their right papps , that it might not bee any impediment to their shooting , being much given to archery , a principall weapon among them . these amazones made conquest of many countries , and for their valour and prowesse in armes , they became the most famous people of the world . and that then name mi●…ht not perish for want of ●…sue , they agreed to marry w●…th certaine of their neighbours , upon this condition , that they should come to a certain place , and 〈◊〉 appointed , and there stay with them certai●…e d●…yes un●…ll they found themselves with child , and then to r●…e h●…me to their houses againe : and the daughters th●…t they brought forth should be brought up with them , in feats of a●…mes , and other m●…nly exercises ; the boyes should be sent to their fathers . and if they chanced to detaine any of them , they would so ma●…gle and maime them , that they should bee altogether un●…t for warres , and serve to no o●…her use , but to 〈◊〉 , and to doe the worke of women . 〈◊〉 ●…king of su●…ia made warre upon the king of norwey , and overcame him , and tooke from him his kingdome : and laying ●…de all modesty , let loose the ●…eynes of his intemperat lust , and deflowred all the noble women of the kings , that hee had taken . the yong king of denmarke raised a power to ayde the norwegians , and to deliver them from so ignominious a servitude , who being in the field with his army , there commeth to joyne with him , a company of noble and gentlewomen , excellently well armed , that either had suffered , or else feared they should suffer injury . the battel grew very hote , and a great slaughter on both sides , when the women charged the tyrant with such vertue and valour , that they slue him , and by all mens confession , were the onely cause of the victory . in the warres betweene the succians , gothes , and danes , there were two notable women , expert and valiant souldiers in the army , called h●…tha and v●…sna , one being the chiefe captaine , the other being standerd bearer ; whose right hand was st●…ken off in the ●…ght , by the valiant champion star●… . and in sea matters also , women have beene nothing inferiour to men . alvilda a virgin gathered together certaine young maydes , and exercised piracie , in the north parts , where she atchieved great matters , for the which shee is registred in chronicles to perpetuall memorie . many of these examples may bee produced out of histories , of the excellencie of women : and among the rest , of amalasuenta , daughter to theodoricus king of the gothes , whose vertues are exalted above the skies . about three yeares past , there was a gentlewoman slaine at the siege of a castle in gelderland , who had served the states , in the warres as a souldier in the habit of a man many yeares . when there was any going abroad to doe some exploit , none was more forward than shee , nor more valiant and hardy in fight . she was not knowne to be a woman of those that were most familiar with her , untill she was dead . and if wee should cite examples of learning , wee shall finde them in this also , nothing inferiour to men . among which number was leo●…cia , a woman of such excellent learning , that she wrote against theophrastus , the greatest philosopher of his time , reproving him of many faults in philosophy . and corinna was of such excellent learning , that she contended often with pindarus at thebes in ve●…ying , & five times wan the victory . aretha was so excellent well learned , that shee read openly in the schooles of athens , naturall and morall philosophy , five and twenty yeares . she made forty bookes : shee had an hundred philosophers to her schollers . semiramis queene of assyria , after the death of ninus her husband , by whom she had a sonne , not then at mans estate , fearing how so many nations should bee governed by a boy , and doubting also how shee should be obeyed , if she should take upon her the government being a woman , shee feyned her selfe to bee her sonne , who in lincaments of face and stature of person did so resemble one another , that hardly any difference could be perceived . she apparelled him like a woman , and her selfe like a man , that the one might be taken for the other . and in this sort she governed the monarchy of the assyrians , not onely defending the countries left by her husband , but increasing by conquest more nations to them , the space of many yeares . but theodosia nothing fearing to shew her selfe as she was , without counterfeiting another sex , after the death of her husband and brother , handled the matter with such prudence that she became empresse , & governed with great fame , in peace and prosperitie during her life . zenobia queen of palmarynes , a woman endued with singular vertue , after the death of her husband governed the east parts of the romane empire many yeares , in despight of galienus & claudius his successor , emperours of rome ; making warre at some one time upon the persians , on the one side , and defending her territories from the romane emperours on the other side . but forasmuch as justice is the proper office of a prince , whose end after socrates is to bring his people to felicitie , and seeing authority and maj●…stie in a prince of all other things is chiefely to be respected , as a singular gift of god , which is gotten especially by these foure things , by wisedome , vertue , felicitie , and love of the people ; what need wee seeke for examples so farre off , when wee have at this present a virgin queene , not onely equal to any of them but comparable also to the most renowned kings that have been in any age ? whether ye respect her rare gifts of nature , multiplied by industrie , or her honourable reputation gotten among forreine princes and nations , by her singular vertue and wisedome ; or the long continuance of her flourishing reigne , and of the peaceable and happy estate , with the dutifull love and obedience of her subjects ; who by her wise and politicke government in so perillous a time , that the fire burning round about , yet by gods goodnesse , in her providence , feele not so much as the heat of the flame : such a queene i say , as performeth not onely the part of a good pilot , in the governement of her owne ship , but standeth as a lanterne , in the high tower of pharos , by whose light the princes , and afflicted people round about her , in this tempestuous time , escape the dangerous rockes that dayly threaten their subversion , and direct their course to a safe port . that hath not taken occasion by her neighbours dissention and troubles ( after the usuall manner of princes ) to enlarge her territories and dominion , which she might have done , to her great advantage . but contrariwise to her great charge and expence , and to their great benefit , shee hath assisted and protected the oppressed in their just causes : whose forces have daunted the pride of mighty princes her enemies : whose fame hath beene carried round about the world , and will no doubt bee registred to perpetuall memorie in strange countries , as trophees of her vertue . o ●…mium dilecte deo , cui militat at her , et con●…rati veniunt adclassica venti . oh of the gods thou over-lov'd , for whom the heavens doe warre ; and to whose fleete the conjur'd winds , prest and assistant are . to what prince in the world could these verses bee more a●…ly applyed , than to her majestie , that were writen by clandian the po●…t , in commendation of the felicity of theodosius the empetour ? but lest in going about to particulate the praises of this noble queen , & paragon of princes , my gracious soveraigne , according to the worthinesse of her talent , i should do as they that offer to shew the light of the sunne with a candle ; the brightnesse of her worthy and heroicall acts and vertues shining more cleare to the world , than i am able with words to set them forth , i will conclude her commendations with this danish verse : vincit opus famam , ●…serma suppetit actis . the worke doth much outgoe the fame , nor can weake words the act proclaime . and what cause have wee to glory in the nobility of our bloud , when we come by it by the vertue of our parents ? for the first nobility had his beginning for some vertuous act or service done to his country , who for his worthinesse excelling other men , was by the people ennoblized , & had in estimation above the rest . which title for his sake descend to his posterity , as it were by inheritance . so as the praise and glory of nobility of bloud appertaineth to the parents , and not to the children , the memory of whose vertue and worthinesse many times are notes and markes of the degeneration of their posterity . for seldome it happeneth , that of a singular man commeth a singular sonne . one sayth , nabilium liberi , placulamund ; the children of the nobility , are sacrifices of the world . cicero taking occasion to rcprchend catiline , by comparing the antiquitie of his bloud with the greatnesse of his vices , sayth ; hee was not more famous by the nobilitie of his parents , than ignominious by his notorious vices . — non census , non clarum nomen avorum , s●…d probitas magnos inge●…mque facit : not wealth , nor birth , but honesty doth make thee great in dignitie . osorius reporteth of a strange custome they have in the indies , which sheweth the respect they have to nobilitie ; marriage is forbidden their nobilitie , because they shall have no let to follow the wars : but lemmans they may have as many as they list , so they be likewise of the nobilitie . the like libertie is given to the noble women . but if any noble man or woman , have any carnal knowledge of any other than of the nobilitie , hee or shee is thrust thorow with the swords of other noble men . he that desireth true nobilitie , let him endeavour to ennoblize himself by his own vertues , & not by his parentage : that he may answer as anacharsis the philosopher did to one , that glorying because hee was borne in the famous citie of athens , objected to anacharsis in disgrace , that he was a scythian , which was a barbarous countrey in respect of greece . it is true ( quoth hee ) that i am a scythian , and thou a grecian ; but thy countrey giveth honour to thee , and i give honour to my countrey . or as cicero answered a romane , that demanded , why he that descended of rustical ploughmen , would compare with him , that was of the nobilitie of rome ? i confesse ( said cicero ) that thou art descended of noble romane magistrates , and i come from poore ploughmen . but thou canst not deny that together with this , all thy linage is ended in thee , and all mine beginneth in me . the uncertainetie of gentilitie was rightly espied by him , that said ; once in an hundred yeares from the plough to the speare , and from the speare to the plough againe . a matter of small glory , that is subject to such mutabilitie . which was well considered of iob , when hee wrote these words ; i said to my rottennesse , thou art my father , and unto wormes , 〈◊〉 are my mother and sisters . he that by his base conditions & manners deserveth nothing , may be rather ashamed to seeke credit by high titles of his ancestors , than to accumulate glory to himselfe by their vertues , and nobilitie ; and ought rather to be taken for a monster , than a man , that challengeth nobilitie by descent without vertue . and by how much the more renowned is the fathers life , so much the more ought to bee accused the childrens negligence , as the poet saith : s●…s licet ingenuus , clarisque parentibus ortus , esse tamen vel sic besti a magna potes : say th' art borne nobly , and with titles sweld , yet mayst thou be a great beast , and so held . let the french king and queene ( saith one ) bee thy parents , & if there be no vertue in thy mind , i will esteeme thee no more , than if thou hadst a husbandman to thy father , & a country woman to thy mother . for so much the greater a man is in estate and dignitie , so much the more apparent & unseemely his vices are . and though his ancestors leave him high titles , great riches , and possessions , yet very little doth hee inherite that doth not inherit his ancestors vertues . cicero writing to his friend atticus , saith ; that the romanes did never admit or consent to entitle them with the name of knight or gentleman that could gather much riches , but such as had been at the victory of many battels . of these men god spake by the prophet ; they are made abominable , even as the things they love : their glory is from their nativitie , from the belly , and from the conception . christ utterly confounded this vanity , when he descended himselfe of the greatest nobility that ever was in this world , & besides that , being the sonne of god , yet called he commonly himselfe the son of man , that is to say , of the virgin mary ( for otherwise hee was no son of man. ) he sought not for honourable titles of antiquitie ( as we use to do ) to furnish his stile , but called himselfe a shepheard , a base name , and of contempt in the world . and when he was to make a king first in israel , he sought not out the ancientest bloud , but took saul , of the basest tribe in all israel ; & after him , david the poorest shepheard of all his brethren . and when hee came into the world , he sought not out the noblest men to make his apostles , but took the poorest & simplest ; therby ( as seemeth to some ) to confound the foolish vanity of this world , that giveth such a preeminence to flesh & bloud , that must be eaten with worms & fall to dust . maximilian to one that desired him to make him a noble man , answered , i can make you rich , but vertue only giveth nobilitie . but if nobility or gentility of bloud bee joined with vertue & humility of mind , it is a thing worthy to be had in estimation , & giveth a comely grace & reputation , & may serve to put men in remembrance to be vertuous , after the example of their first parents , by whose vertue they are exalted to that title & dignity . one saith ; nifi fundamenta ftirpis jact a sint probe , miseros necesse est esse deinceps posteros : unlesse thy stocks foundation be well layde , misery must thy posteritie invade . nobilitie is of another mans good , but vertue depends of his own good . and the man of vertue never wanteth nobility , neither can his honour be taken from him , seeing honour is joined to vertue , as the briar is to the rose . and though all other things hang upon fortune ( as wee use to speake ) yet true nobilitie dependeth upon vertue . nobilitie of parentage ( saith herod an ) is nothing , except nobilitie of manners and courtesie bee joyned with it . when demetrius phalereus heard that the athenians had defaced and cast down his images , which they had set up ; but ( quoth hee ) they have not overthrowne my vertue , for which they set them up before . so that except nobilitie of bloud be joyned with nobilitie of vertue , it is but vanitie , and of none account . for vertue is a noblenesse of the minde , and not borrowed of parentage ; and therefore more excellent than nobilitie of bloud : as the poet rightly saith ; felix quem virtus generosa exornat avorum , & qui virtute suis adjicit ipse decus : happy is he whose ancestors of vertue made profession , and of himselfe example leaves , of vertue to succession . and what vanitie is it to glorie in the forme or beauty of the flesh , that as a flowre in may sheweth it selfe to day , and to morrow withereth away , and returneth to the earth againe , from whence it came ? vaine is beauty saith the wiseman , & deceivable is the grace of countenance . histories both divine and profane are full of many mischiefes that beauty hath brought to men . beauty is compared by holy men , to a painted snake , that is faire without , and full of poyson within . but what estimation should we have of that which a little scratch or scarre disfigureth , a short sicknesse altereth , a small blemish disgraceth , a few years withereth and wrinckleth ? to all these , and a great many more , the most beautifull ●…ace that hath beene is subject . the prophet compareth man to a shadow , that is nothing but an appearance , which deceiveth the sight : a false figure without substance , which sometime sheweth great , by and by little . so happeneth it to a man , which sometime seemeth to be great , and yet hee is nothing : but when hee is lifted up on high , and placed in the highest degree of honour , even then he perisheth suddenly , and no man knoweth what is become of him : no otherwise than a shadow , when night is come . likewise the psalmist saith , i saw the wicked man mightie , and flourishing like a greene bay tree , & i passed by him , and he was no more there : i sought for him , but he was not to be found . likewise the glory we take in gorgeous apparell , is vaine , yea and more foolish than the rest . the wife man saith : see thou never glory in apparell . and yet wherein doe men that are able to have it , take more pleasure or pride , than in gay apparell , which was devised to cover our shame of nakednesse , and other infirmities contracted by the fall of our first parent adam ? and that which was invented for our necessitie , is now used for pride and glory . we rob almost all the creatures in the world to deck our bodies withall . neither are they sufficient that are upon the earth , but we must borrow feathers of the fowles of the ayre , and we must goe into the sea , to rob the fishes of their pearle , & the sands of their precious stones . and then we must dig into the ground for gold and silver , as the poet sayth ; effediuntar opes irritament a malorum . wealth is digged up the incitement to all evill . and all this forsooth to make our selves in our owne eyes , shew to bee more goodly creatures by our vaine devices , and fantasticall toyes , than god hath made us by his great wisedome , and specially to allure love and liking to bad intents and purposes . and when they have attired themselves with the ornaments that god hath given to the creatures of the earth , to the birds of the ayre , to the fishes of the sea , for their necessitie and beautie , and with the stones and scurfe of the earth it selfe , they jet it up and down be holding themselves and others in great bravery , as though all this counterfeit beautie , came naturally from their own persons : yet all is not gold that glistereth , their mindes be soyled with foule and filthy vices . it is a strange thing to see the blindnesse of men , that will not consider the great difference of excellencie , that is between the body and the minde , by the one of which we resemble and are like to the angels that are immortall , yea and to god himselfe , and by the other , to brute beasts , that live after the motion of their senses , and are subject to death , and corruption . and yet how carefull men are to decke the body that is but a lump of clay , and to provide for his pleasures , and how negligent to provide for the minde or soule that is immortall , and of an angelicall nature ? ●…an the emperour was wont to say , that it was unseemely for a wise man , seeing he had a minde , to hunt after praise from his body . saint bernard speaking of the vaine curiositie of men , to adorne and cherish their bodies , saith ; thou takest great paine to decke and nourish this body , that is but a vessell of dung , and a sepulchre of wormes , and leavest thy poore soule ( which is the ima●…e of god ) hunger-starved and forsaken . kings in eld●… time made no great account of their outward habits , making no difference betweene them and the common people by their apparell , but by their minde and in●…rd furniture . when alphons●… king of arragon was admonished to weare more costly apparell : i had rather ( said he ) excell my subjects in manners and authoritie , than in a diademe and purple . socrates being asked , which was the most beautifull creature in the world ; a man ( quoth hee ) adorned with learning . plato being asked what difference was between the learned and the ignorant , answered ; as much as is between the physitian and the diseased . and aristotle to the same question , said ; that there was as great difference between the learned and the unlearned , as was between the living and the dead . and as the sight receiveth light from the ayre that is round about it , so doth the minde from learning . and ennius likeneth a wise man without learning to an uncleane glasse , that is fit for nothing : & yet not he that knoweth many things , but he that knoweth things fruitfull is wise . when alphonsus king of arragon heard , that a king of castile should say , that learning was not meete for noblemen and gentlemen , hee exclamed and said : these are the words of an oxe , and not of a man. that man ( saith marcus aurelius ) that taketh upon him to be a man , and hath no learning , what difference is there betweene him and a beast ? when the people of mitylene were become masters of the sea , they inflicted this punishment upon their colleagues that were revolted from them : that they should not teach their children to reade , nor the liberall sciences : esteeming that to be of all kind of punishment , the most grievous , to passe their life in want of knowledge , and the liberall sciences . there is nothing more unjust , than a man unlearned , because hee thinketh nothing to bee right , but what he doth himself . pythagoras engraved in a stone with his owne hand , these words , & set it before his acad●…my : he that knows not that which he should know , is a beast among men : hee that knoweth no more than hee must needes , is a man among beasts : hee that knoweth all that may be knowne , is a god among men . if the gallants of the world were so carefull to adorne their mindes with vertue and learning , as they are curious to garnish , and set out their bodies with gay garments , and new ●…angled fashions , and vaine toyes , & to please their senses , there would be no place for the poets saying , that speaketh thus of courtiers : scorta placent , fracti curvique é corporegressus , et 〈◊〉 crines , & tot nova nomina vestis : the congees , cringees , and affected pace of common strumpets are in most request : and now the loose locks dangling 'bout the face , with the new names of strange attyres please best . the emperour alexander severus would not suffer any of his servants to wear any silke , cloth of gold or silver , & used often to say , that open excesse of apparell , & secret vice , were the destruction of courtiers . it is hapned well that diogenes is dead , who surely would give bitter taunts , & make some men to blush , if hee lived in these daies . for , meeting an effeminate yong man on a time that had attir'd himself finely , but undecently for a man , as he thought ; art not ashamed , quoth diogenes , when nature hath made thee a man , to make thy self a woman ? nec mul●…ebri comptu lotuque po●…ta vir quisquam . no man with such effeminate dre●…ing and polisht washing would disgrace himselfe . king philip of macedon deprived a magistrate from his office , which hee had given him , whom hee loved well , only because he heard hee was more occupied in combing his head and trimming his person , than in studying his bookes . quintus hortensius a roman confull , is infamed by historians , because he looked into a glasse when he made him ready , and was too curious in trimming up himselfe . but to leave magistrates , and speak of inferiour callings ; what would they have said , & what will hereafter be said to the infamy of this age , if vertue ever come againe to be in estimation , that men should be so effeminate and nice , to bestow a good part of the day in trimming up themselves by a glasse like women , as though they would transforme themselves out of one sexe into another , and had rather resemble women than men ? if aristotle spake thus of women , then what would he have spoken now , not only of women , but of men also ? neither the gorgeousnesse of apparell , nor the abundance of riches , maketh so much to the praise of women , as doth modesty with honest and sober behaviour . but this metamorphosis being now more common and usuall than in those daies , is not so much perceived , nor taken for so great a fault , and peradventure may be justifiable by authoritie and prescription from sardanapalus , and heliogabalus , two of the greatest monarks of the world . he that will looke into the abuses of these dayes , shall finde cause sufficient to cry out with the orator ; o tempora ! o mores ! and it is to be feared , lest that happen unto us , that the prophet wrote against the women of ierusalem , who after hee had reproved their stately gate , their wanton lookes , their rowling eyes , the immodest trimming of their heads , their chaines , rings , bracelets , girdles , jewels hanging at their eares , and other proud attires ; it will happen to you ( saith the lord ) that in place of your sweet savour , yee shall become a great stincke ; instead of your girdles , you shall have an halter ; in place of your frizled haire , a shaven head ; and the ●…rest men in the company shall passe by the edge of the sword , and the valiant and hardie shall dye in the warres . but let us leave this ( veritas odium parit ) and conclude with the prophet , who saith ; wee passe over our dayes in vanitie , and doe not perceive our owne extreme folly . and what a madnesse and fleshly minde hath possesled them , that not onely wallow in filthy pleasures , like swine in the durt , but thinke there wanteth that fulnesse they looke for of them , except they glory also in their wickednes , & make that knowne to others , which should be unknowne to themselves ? such there be , that rejoyce not onely in the sweetnesse of pleasures , but in the infamie it selfe . proculu●… a romane emperour was unmeasurably addicted to the lust of the flesh , and yet he thought there wanted something of the fulnesse , except he also bragged thereof . and therefore when hee made warres upon the sarmatians , hee vaunted that in fifteene dayes , he had gotten with child an hundred virgins of that countrey , which he had there taken prisoners . sardanapalus king of the assyrians gloried so much in the pleasures hee had taken of the flesh , that he commanded to be written after his death in his sepulchre ; these things i have , which i have eaten , & which with love and pleasure i have taken . it is strange to see what joy and pleasure men take in banquetting , and quaffing , and lasclvious talke , as though they would make podicemexore , and what contention there is for the victorie , in such an unseemely , and unchristianlike pastime , which is so common , that there need no rehearsall of examples . the wise-man sayth ; it is better to goe into the house of sorrow , than into the house of feasting . and iob saith of such men ; that they solace themselves with all kinde of musicke , and passe over their dayes in pleasure , and in a very moment they goe downe into hell . which is affirmed with a grievous threatning in the apocalyps ; quantum in delitiis fuit , tantum date illi ●…rmentum . looke how much hee hath taken of delights , let so much torments be laid upon him . the felicity therefore we seeke for , must bee sought in some other thing than in pleasures , in riches , or in honour and glory . for in them ( as appeareth by that hath been said ) felicity is not to be found . but it happeneth many times to them that seeke felicity in any of those things , as it did to the boyes and the asse , in the fable . a man had laden an asse with a sacke full of birch , and drave him homeward , staying behind about some other businesse . as the asse came by a schoole-house , which was in his way , he cryed apples , apples , who will buy any apples ? the boyes that were within at schoole , hearing of merchandise so fit for their purpose , ranne forth to the asse , & took down the sack , thinking to have found it full of apples . but when they perceived there was nothing but birch , they fell all upon the asse , that had deceived them , and beat him cruelly with his owne rods . the like happeneth to them whom the faire shewes and flattering promises of pleasures , riches , or honour and glory allureth to the inordinate desire of them . but when they make tryall , and looke into them with the eyes of the mind , clensed from the corruption of impure affections , they see how much they are deceived of that they looke for . and where they sought felicitie , they find matter of infelicity . and they that possesse pleasures , riches , or honour , and glory , and make shew to be laden with felicitie or happinesse , are many times punished with the burden they bear , and worthily beaten with their own roddes , that deceive not onely themselves , but others also by their example , with the false shew of fe●…rie or happinesse . for how can ambition or honour be taken for mans felicity & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or his greatest good , when so few attaine to it , in respect of the great number that be excluded from it ? and wherin are they happier that have honour , than they that lacke it ? they are many waies tormented , either by envying others , or being envied themselves ; eyther they suffer hard things themselves , or they offer such measure to others ; they be eyther oppressed , or oppresse . of which things the others be free that want that imagined felicitie , and the onely evill is , that they thinke the lacke thereof to be evill . a goodly happines no doubt , when for one reputed good thing , thou shalt have an infinite number of evils ; for the shadow of felicity , a sea of troubles & miseries . and what be the fruits of these torments of ambition ? thou art saluted in assemblies of people with caps & knees , & art reverenced in feasts with the highest places at the table : but thou considerest not that many a wicked and vicious man is of●…imes preferred before thee . and wherein doth that help or amend the estate of thy body or mind , whereof a man doth consist ? thou art of great power & dominion : if that should be mans end & felicitie , how cōmeth it to passe , that one mans power should spring of the impotencie of infinite numbers of others ? & how can that be accounted the greatest good , which is not onely converted often into evil , but also perverteth them that possess it , & maketh them worse . but admit power & dominion to be good : one is adored , ten thousand make courtesie : one triumphs , thousands follow the chariot : one rules , millions obey & serve : so that one man shal be the end of infinite numbers , the felicity of a few , the misery of al. but we ●…eck not now the end , & good of a few but of all men . neither doe these few , if wee looke throughly into them , possesse it : which the courtiers themselves , even the best sort of them , that be in most estimation , must needs confesse , whose hearts bee more painefully pinched by a sowre looke or sharpe word of their prince , than their eares and eyes can bee pleased and delighted by a thousand flatteries , and as many a dorations , a whole day together . it is not without cause said , that the displeasure of the prince , is the death of the subject . and princes themselves feele many times more corzies and unquietnesse of minde , by some offence taken within their own wals , than any triumph or publike pastime can ●…create or make glad but felicitie is in the matter it selfe , and dependeth not either upon the frowning countenance of any person , or of fortune it selfe , which must be also pe●…tuall . but honourable estate dyeth , and is buried with the body . and what is honour but a vaine admiration of the common people ? ambition therefore is so farre from the right way to that good we seek , that the very same thing hath cast us all downe head long from the greatest good , into extreme evill and misery : insomuch that if wee desire to find that good we must be driven to seek it in our selves ; seeing we cannot find it with others , nor in these worldly matters . in vaine therefore doe wee seeke felicitie in worldly vanities , which is to bee found in the service of god : which was well observed by the poet : si 〈◊〉 alies in qualibet arte ; quid inde ? sifaveas 〈◊〉 , si prosper a 〈◊〉 ; quid inde ? si prior , 〈◊〉 abbas , si rex , si papa ; quid inde ? si rota fortunate 〈◊〉 ad astra ; quid inde ? annos si felix reg●…es per 〈◊〉 ; quid inde ? tam cito , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 nihil inde . sola inde . ergo deo servi , quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voles in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corpore 〈◊〉 haberis . if that thy house be faire , and table 〈◊〉 ; what then ? if that thy masse of coyne and gold be great ; what then ? if thou hast a faire wife , that generous is ; what then ? if children , and great farmes , and nought amisse ; what then ? if thou thy selfe beest valiant , rich and faire ; what then ? if in thy full traine many servants are ; what then ? in arts if thou to others tutor be ; what then ? if fortune , like the world shall smile on thee ; what then ? if thou beest prior , abbot , king , or pope ; what then ? if fortunes wheele raise thee beyond all hope ; what then ? if thou shouldst live a thousand years in blisse ; what then ? since that so swift ( so swift ) times passage is , that then all 's nothing : only then by vertue strive , that after death thy glory may survive . all you that are gods servants and good men , ( from what 's before said ) learne this lesson then , all these good deeds , you to your death deferre , doe when y' are young , so shall you no way 〈◊〉 : the end of the third booke . the felicitie of man , or , his svmmvm bonvm . the fourth booke . chap. i. aristotle : concerning the summum bonum , with other of the s●…cks : of king alexander , and the g●…rdian 〈◊〉 : the excellent effects of morall vertue of king agesilaus and mene●…aus a vertu glorious physician : of marcus regulus decius : codrus king of athens : of tubero , and sixe observable frenchmen : of marcus curtius , a noble young gentleman of rome . of leonidas king of sparia who with five hundred men put the army of xerxes to ●…ght which consisted of . wee have shewed before by many examples , and by the opinions and reasons of wise and learned men , how much they are deceived , that thinke the felicitie of man to consist in pleasure , riches , or in worldly honour and glorie . now before wee come to shew what opinion is meete for a christian to hold of this matter , let us first discourse upon one thing , wherein the most approved philosophers plato and aristotle held that this felicitie or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should consist , that is in vertue , or in the action of vertue . the philosophers entring into consideration of naturall things , found that the proper action of every thing , was the end for which it was created : as the proper action and end of the sun is to illuminate the earth . and in naturall things there are three kindes of life : vegetative or increasing , which is in plants ; sensitive , which is in beasts ; rationall or reasonable , which is in men . so that the life of plants , is to grow and increase ; of beasts , to follow the motion of their senses ; of men , to live according to reason , after the philosophers opinion . which reason sheweth a man how to live wel : but what it is to live well , the philosophers cannot agree . after aristotle and others , it is to live vertuously . but because a man is a sociable creature , and not borne to himselfe , but to be helping to others , it is not sufficient for a man to have vertue in him , but hee must also exercise , and be a doer of vertue . and because all our actions and labours bee to some end , which end is taken of us to bee good : ( for every man desireth that which hee thinketh to be good for himselfe ) the last of all ends , to which the rest are applyed , & for which all our labours are , and ought to bee bestowed , is the most perfect and best of all things that nature desireth : and therefore the thing wherein the felicitie of man consisteth . for that is desired for no other thing , but for it selfe . which after aristotle is the action of vertue : for that is his proper action , and peculiar to himselfe alone . and if there bee any vertue more perfect and excellent than the rest , that is it by which all the course of our life ought to be directed , as to the last end , and greatest good , which is called felicitie . which felicitie aristotle defineth to bee the action of man according to the most perfect vertue in a perfect life . by which last words he excludeth children , that cannot judge of actions : and also those that doe well but once or twice ; according to the old proverbe , one swallow maketh no summer . for perfect vertue or felicitie requireth time and long exercise . if therefore the action of vertue bringeth forth felicitie it shall be necessarie for him that would bee happy , first to know , and then to exercise vertue ; that teacheth reformation of manners , which is the summe of morall philosophie ; that hath for his subject a private man , a familie , and a common wealth . for hee that possesseth vertue , giveth lawes to himselfe , and endeavoureth to make himselfe a perfect man , by exercise of good and vertuous acts . and when hee hath gotten the habite of v●…rtue , and knoweth how to governe himselfe , hee then shall be able in the same sort , to instruct and govern his familie , which is compounded of many private & part●… men . and after that he knoweth how to do both 〈◊〉 , hee shall with no great difficultie bee able to governe a common wealth , which is composed of many families . but first of all hee must learne to governe him●… : for one saith ; , index fiat vita 〈◊〉 . it is a hard case , when he that cannot governe himselfe , shall beare rule over others . for with what face can be correct other mens faults , that hath not yet reformed his owne ? but to this felicitie there are three things after aristotle required , as necessary instruments of vertue : that is , the goods or gifts of the body , the goods of fortune , the goods or gifts of the mind . but here the 〈◊〉 and other philosophers bayteth him , saying ; that seeing nature is perfect , it is sufficient of it selfe to bring forth felicitie but if fortune be requisite , then nature cannot make felicitie ; for fortune is not in our power . this contra●…ety of opinions of these philosophers will at length helpe us to discerne which is the true felicitie : as one saith ; the false opinions of others rightly declared , many times discovereth the truth . but to proceede awhile in prosecuting their opinions ; these three kinds of good things ( say they ) that is , vertue , wisedome , knowledge , and such like good things of the minde : then , health , beauty , st●…ure , and comelinesse of the body : and lastly , riches , nobilitie , friends , and such like , which are the goods or gifts of fortune . these things being joyned together , bringeth to men such a sufficiency of al things requisite to happinesse , that whosoever possesseth them is in the perfect state of felicity , after aristotles opinion , felicitie being no other thing , but an end of mens actions ; and that end which of all other is most perfect and excellent , and to , and for which , all other ends and actions , and labours of men are applyed and undertaken . seeing therefore that felicitie is the action of vertue , which is the last and most perfect of all the workes and labours of men : it must follow , that it is a civill facultie or science , that teacheth a man to governe himselfe and others . and what science or facultie soever , is as it were the master and commander of all other 〈◊〉 and faculties , and for which all other are ordained : that science is conversant about that end and worke which is most worthy and perfect of all other , and is the felicitie of man or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wee seeke for . and because policie and governement of a common-wealth , is the commander of all other arts and sciences , for whose use they are ordained , therein must consist the felicitie of man. and that the government in a common wealth is the worthiest and most principall of all other sciences , it is apparent , because that procureth the universall and common benefite of many , and seeketh no other thin●… nor useth all his diligence to any other purpose , but to make his citizens become good men , and apt to doe honest and vertuous things . and 〈◊〉 the second saith , that no point of philosophie is more excellent , than to deale in publike affaires , and to do justice , wherby they practise that which philosophers teach . by this which hath been said , it is manifest , that after aristotle , the felicitie of man consisteth in the action of vertue , & that in the most perfect vertue ( which is prudence ) that teacheth a man how to live well , rightly to governe himselfe & others . and though he joyneth three kinds of good things , that is , the goods of the minde , of the body , of fortune , necessarie to him that seeketh after felicity : yet he esteemeth those that be 〈◊〉 things , but as instruments to help to further his work and end . as a carpenter or any other artificer may bee a good workeman , though hee have not his tooles , or instruments about him ; but yet hee cannot worke without them : so a man may bee endued with vertue , and yet not able to do the work of vertue , for want of health & strength of body , to governe in a common wealth ; for want of riches , which are the goods of fortune , to exercise liberalitie , and such like . but the principall good things without the which no man can have felicitie , are those of the minde , which after the sterne stoickes are sufficient alone to bring forth felicity . for when aristotle saith , that by great sinister fortune a man may fall from beatitude to infelicitie : they course him with bitter words , & labour to prove that felicitie dependeth upon vertue ; and that fortune hath no power upon a wise man ; & that if he suffer never so grievous torments , if hee were thrust into phala●…is bull , yet for all that hee shall be alwaies in be atitude and happinesse . these , and the like reasons , the philosophers make to prove , that the felicitie of man consisteth in vertue , or in the action of vertue . but this matter was unto them like gord●…s knot , wherein could be found no beginning nor end . in the countrey of phrygia , there was a city called gordis , the royall seat sometime of king 〈◊〉 , which when alexander the great had wonne , he went into the temple of iupiter , where hee saw the wagon , wherein m●…das was wont to bee carried . the same in outward appearance differeth litle from other common wagons ; but there was in it a thing notable , which was a rope foulded and knit in many knots , one so wreathed within another , that no man could perceive where the knots began , or where they ended . hereupon the countrey-men had a prophecie , that hee which could 〈◊〉 that endlesse knot , should bee lord of all asia : which made the king very desirous to bee the fulfiller of that prophecie . there were a great number of phrygians and phrygians about him , the one part ●…ing to what passe this matter would come , the other fearing the rash presumption of their king ; because they could perceive by no reason , how the knot should be undone . the king also was doubtfull lest ( if hee should faile of his purpose ) it would bee taken for a token of his future evill fortune . after he had considered the thing ; what matter is it ( quoth hee ) which way it bee undone ? and strived no longer to unknit it , but presently drew his sword , and cut the cord asunder : thereby , either illuding or fulfilling the 〈◊〉 of the prophecie : so happened it to the philosophers in searching for the felicitie of man , wherin they could find no beginning nor end , but used reason as a sword to decide the difficulty of the question ; which was not the right way to find it out . for in all their arguments and discourses , there is no mention made of the will of god , nothing spoken of the feare of god , nor of the trust and confidence we ought to have in him . in whom they that wil find true felicity , must secke the beginning and end of the knot ; wherby to dissolve the difficulty of the question the right way , and not by the sword of reason , as the philosophers did . there is a great difference betweene the end , and felicitie , which is shewed to us by god , and that which reason is able to comprehend . for christ sayth ; this is everlasting life , to know god , and iesus christ , whom he hath sent , that is , to beleeve , that for christs sake the father forgiveth us , and loveth us , that he preserveth and justifieth us . therefore true felicitie consisteth not in any civill action but in faith , and the knowledge of god , through his holy spirit . for we can doe nothing of our selves , that is good in the sight of god , but it must come by his holy spirit . saint augustine sayth , 〈◊〉 hee hath written some where , that a man is just if hee live according to his best part ; but hee recanteth that againe ; and sayth , that a man is not yet just , if he onely live according to his ●…est part ; but if he bee governed by the holy ghost . for that sheweth us the corruption of our nature , and by what actions and mea●… we may attaine to the true felicitie , which by our power and reason we are not able to comprehend . we may therefore reject the philosophers opinions of felicitie . which consisteth in morall vertues , and civill actions of this life onely ; which small part of felicity men neverthelesse by those meanes are not able to attaine to . for how can the stoickes wise man account himself in happy estate , though he be indued with a consummation of morall vertues , if he live in torment and paine ? seneca sayth ; non sentire malasua , non est hominis : non ferre , non est viri . and in another place ; silence can not command pain & sorrow . they are goodly perswasions to excite men to vertue , and to have the unfortunate accidents of the world in contempt . but men are not made of iron or steele , but of flesh and bloud ; which must feele of necessity the paines of torments , except they be assisted by the spirit of god , as was sydrach , mysach , and abed●…ego in the firie furnace . and they that live in paine , cannot be sayd to be in felicitie ; for the happy man desireth not to change his estate with any man : otherwise hee is not to bee accounted happy , which is a thing in the highest degree of perfection . but hee that suffereth pain and griefe , would willingly exchange for another mans health and ease . for if there be no pleasure nor delight in life , but continuall paine and griefe , death were to be preferred before it , and to be desired more than life ; as the poet sayth ; — vitacst quàm proxima letho , quàm meritò spernenda , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 que 〈◊〉 solasia nulla 〈◊〉 ? how neere is life to death ? and with what ease to be despised ? did no vaine pleasure cease on our affections : and no solace might make these our grievous labours to seeme light . but though the felicitie of man consisteth not in vertue , nor in the action of vertue ; yet morall vertues , so farre forth as they disagree not with christian vertues , may serve as instruments , and means to helpe to the attaining that part of felicitie that is to be enjoyed in this life . for by them the extrem●…y of affections that would grow to an evill habit , and be great hinderance to felicitie , are qualified and reduced to a meane . they either extinguish or suppresse , or at least moderate , by the rule of reason , all vehement passions and perturbations of the minde , by which men are as it were violently carried to the desire of sensuall pleasures , of vaine glory , of riches , and such like capitall enemies to felicity . by them men are taught to have all pompe and worldly vanities in contempt , & to have small estimation of those things which the common sort have in great admiration ; and to be content with that which is sufficient to supply the necessitie of nature . vertue ( sayth 〈◊〉 ) if there bee any at all , hath all things under him that may happen to a man , and despising them all , he contemneth whatsoever chanceth to men : and being unspotted , he judgeth nothing to appertaine to him , but himselfe . it is a pleasant thing to behold and consider how reason hath found out what an excellent thing vertue is , and how it is to be preferred before all pleasure and profit ; and that men ought not to digresse from vertue , for any gaine or commodity whatsoever . these perswasions were in the heathens that knew not god ; which wrought in them great effects . plato sayth , if the sorme and beautie of vertue might bee seene with the eyes , men would be wonderfully in love with her . 〈◊〉 sayth , vertue is more liberall than fortune . she denieth nothing but that which would bee hurtfull being granted , & profitable being denied ; nor taketh any thing away but that which would be hurtfull to have & profitable to lose . seneca , to him that would know what vertues be in a man , giveth this counsell ; when thou art desirous to looke into a man ( saith hee ) and to know what is in him , strip him naked , let him lay aside his patrimony , his honour , and other false shewes of fortune , let him put off his body , and behold his minde , what manner of man , and how great hee is : whether hee bee great by his own , or by borrowed ware . riches , honor , power , and such like , which in our opinion are of great price , but of themselves vile and little worth , seduce us from discerning the truth : they have in them no great nor glorious matter whereby to draw our mindes to them , saving that we have gotten a custome to wonder at them . whatsoever the common sort prayseth , that for the most part is worthy of disprayse . aristotle likeneth the minde of a man to a smooth table , that is not garnished with any figure , but prepared by the painter , and made apt to receive any kinde of picture , eyther monsters of vice , or images of vertue . the old romanes desirous to excite their yong men to vertuous acts , and considering how men are inclined to the love of honour , they built two temples , the one of which they dedicated to vertue , the other to honour , & joyned them so artificially together , that no man could come into that of honor , but he must first come through vertue . by which apt device , they would have it knowne to all nations , that the right way to honour is by vertue . but in these latter ages the temple of vertue is so little frequented , that the path which was wont to leade to it , and be well troden , is growne greene , and another way found to that of honour , by some backe doore , not so well knowne in the elder time . and if any chance to seeke to come the right and old accustomed way to honour through vertue , the doore is kept so fast shut , by a porter called envy , and his servant detraction , that hardly one among thousands can come to honour that way , which is a great discouragement to those that would come to honour through vertue ; and maketh their devotion cold , and slow to freq●…ent that temple . one saith , virtute ambire opo●… non ●…bus : but if hee have no other helpe in these dayes to prefer him but his vertue , he is like to have but a cold sute . wee may wish it were in use that pla●…us sayth : sat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but the case is much altered . for in stead of favourers he shall have deracters , secret enemies alwayes to vertue . which made plato commend the law of the lydians , that punished detracters with the like punishment as they did murderers : for as one taketh away the life of a man ; so the other taketh away his reputation and good fame , which after saloman is more worth than worldly goods . the poets saying could to no age be more aptly applied than to these latter dayes . virtus 〈◊〉 & alget . vertue is praised but not cherisht . which confirmeth seneca his saying ; that men allow better of honesty , than follow it . medea sayth , video 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 . i see & allow of the things that be better , but i follow the worse . vertue is a medicine to the minde , and healeth the diseases thereof , as drugs are medicinable to the body , & restore it to health . for the minde hath his diseases , as the body hath for when the body is distemp●…d , and not in his perfect estate , he is sayd to be sicke of this or that disease , as of an ague , of a pleu●…sie or such like , and needeth physicke . so the mind that is distempered with this or that passion or perturbation , as with pride , covetousnesse , vaineglory , voluptuousnesse , or such like , is not in his perfect estate , but needeth vertue , as a medicine to restore him to health , or his perfect estate againe . which was well signified by agesil●… , king of sparta , to menela●… , a vaineglorious physitian : who being puffed up with pride , through a reputation he had gotten by his skill in physicke , called himselfe iupiter : and having occasion to write to the king , his superscription was in latin , and english signification thus : menel●… iupiter agesilao regi salute : 〈◊〉 iupiter wisheth to king agesilaus health . he answereth him with this superscription : agesilaus rex menelao 〈◊〉 , king agesilaus wisheth to menelaus health of minde , reprehending his vanitie with one word , by which he signified that want of health and perfection in his mind , which hee wished to his body . moral vertue therfore is to be embraced of all men , as a necessary and excellent thing ; and a speciall gift in our carnall nature ; by which mens mindes are purged and purified of all vehement passions and perturbations ; ( with which whosoever is oppressed , can not enjoy the happinesse of this life ; ) and by which they are continued , or restored to their perfect estate and health . the good are by this vertue excited and maintained in honest conversation and civillity , the bad are reformed and reduced to good life . yet for all that it is not eternall iustice , by which wee are justified before god ; for that iustice , free-will or reason cannot bring forth . but morall vertue maketh men live civilly and honestly ; which god looketh for , even of the heathens or infidels themselves . it is better ( sayth one ) to live so as thine enemies may bee amazed at thy vertues , than that thy friends should have cause to excuse thy vices . the poets faine , that as hercules in his youth sate musing alone , what course of life were best for him to take , there appeared to him two virgins , the one representing vertue , the other vice . she that represented vertue , told him that if hee would follow her , hee must climbe over mountaines and craggie rockes , and take great paines and labours . but the other , to allure him to follow her , promised him a plaine and pleasant way downe the hill all at his case without any paine or labour . hercules after hee had considered of the matter , refused the faire ossers and promises of the virgin , that represented vice , & made choice with labour and paines to follow vertue , by which he became the most famous man of the world . the heathens were diligent observers of morall vertues , through which many of them in all ages became excellent men . by them they learned to know their duties to their countrey in generall , and to private men in particular : to moderate their affections : to estimate things as they are , and not as they are commonly reputed : to contemne the vanities of this world to preferre an honest death before a shamefull life . reg●…s a man endued with great vertue , was sent by the romanes into affrica with an army to make warre upon the people of carthage ; who after divers victories and overthrowes given to them of carthage , was himselfe at last taken prisoner , and sent by them to rome to treat of peace , upon his oath , that if that could not be obtained , not the exchange of prisoners for himselfe , hee should returne to them againe . when he came to rome , and had delivered his embassage , hee disswaded the senate from peace , and told them , that either carthage must be subject to rome , or rome to carthage : and advised thē to make no change of lusty yong gentlemen , that were able to doe their country great service against the romans , for him that was but one man , and old , and unable to doe his countrey any great good , and though the romans were loth that the old man , who had done them such service , should returne againe to them that would put him to some unworthy death ; yet he was so affected to the love of his countrey , and to the keeping his promise with his enemies ; that hee refusing to be stayd by the romanes , told them he would rather chuse to dye any cruell death , than that it should be said he had broken his faith . and so returning to carthage with the other ambassadours , for the hatred they conceived against him , for disswading the romanes from their petition , they cut off his eye-lyddes , and put him into an engine , that was sticked round about full of verie sharpe nailes , and suffered him there with continuall watch and paine to dye a most grievous death . decius another noble romane , and one of the consols , being in the field with the romanes forces against the latins , and perceiving his men to shrinke and give place to their enemies , hee by the advice of their priests , made his prayers to their false gods for their helpe , and offering himselfe to a voluntary death for his countrey , put the spurres to his horse , and thrust himselfe into the middest of his enemies , by whom after hee had slaine many of them , he was himselfe at last overthrowne and slaine . but the courage of decius so daunted them , and emboldened his owne men , that they carried away the victorie , with the destruction of the greater part of their enemies . the like love to his countrey ( to which men owe the greatest dutie next unto god ) wrought the like effect in codsus king of athens . for as the docrians came with their forces to besiege athens , codsus having intelligence that his enemies had sent to delphos to aske counsel of apollo , what would be the event of their warres ; and that answer was made them by the oracle , that the docrians should have the victory , except they killed the king of the athenians . codsus apparelled himselfe like a common souldier left if he should bee like a noble man , hee might be taken prisoner , and live●… and went out of the city with a burden of wood upon his shoulders , into his enemies campe ; and quarselling of purpose with a common souldier , wounded him , and was slain himselfe . the docrians hearing that the king of the athenians was slaine , raised their siege and returned home againe . as tubero was sitting in judgement in rome , a pye alighted upon his head , and i●…te so still , that hee tooke her with his hand . and when the soothsayers answered , that if the pye were let go , it b●…tokened destruction to the empue : if she were killed , then the same would fallupon himselfe : hee pretening the good of his countrey before his own life , killed the pye , and not long after fulfilled the propheci with his death . there want not some such like examples 〈◊〉 christians of later yeares . when call●… had been besieged eleven months by king i dw●…d he third , and the inhabitants driven to that extrmine that they must yeeld to the kings mercie or pe●… , hee refusir 〈◊〉 offers , would accept no other conditions , out that 〈◊〉 the best of the towne should suffer death , the 〈◊〉 depart . when the matter was had in consolation in the councell house among the pune pall men at the towne , who considering that ●…yther sixe of 〈◊〉 must dye , or else the whole must beedest reved , hee that sate in the first seat ●…ole up and said , that he would offer himselfe to the wrath of the enemy , and give his life to his country : which example wrought such emulation of piety to their countrey in the rest , that the second riseth likewise , and then the third , and so the rest , one after another untill they had made up the number of six , required by the king : who all willingly suffered death for their countrey . there happened at rome in the middest of the market place , by meanes of an earthquake and other causes , the earth to open , and a very deepe hole to bee made which would not bee filled with all the earth that could bee throwne into it : the romanes caused their priests to use their accustomed ceremonies to their gods , to understand their pleasure about this matter : when they had finished their sacrifices , answer was made them , that if they would have their common-wealth perpetuall , they must sacrifice into this hole something , wherein the romanes power did most consist . and as this matter was published , and consultations daily had what manner of thing this should bee , marcus curtius a noble young gentleman , and a valiant souldier , meditating upon the interpretation of this answer , told them that the thing wherein the power of the romanes most rested , was the vertue , and valour , and armes of the gentlemen : and offered himselfe willingly for the benefit and prosperitie of his countrey , to cast himselfe alive into that hole . and when he had armed himselfe , and attired his horse very richly hee putteth his spurres to him , and kapeth into the midst of the hole , which immediately closed together . xerxes king of sparta having intelligence that xerxes king of persia ( who brought into greece an army of a . men , after some writers , besides his navie ) had found out a way to assaile him , and the rest of the grecians armie at their backs , that were desending his passage through a straight , hee perswaded the grecians to retire and preserve themselves for a better time : and when they were departed to their owne cities , he with five hundred men , who were all resolute to dye with him for the honour of their countrey , in the night assayled xerxes campe , such an enterprise as never before nor since hath beene heard of : the enemies being dismayed with their bold and furious charge , an accident unlooked for , and terrified by the darkenesse of the night , suspecting that all the force of greece had beene assembled together , fl●…d to save themselves , and gave lconidas , and his company leave to kill them at their pleasure , without any great resistance . and as lconidas having promised before to kill the king with his owne hand , if fortune favoured him , pressed into the kings pavillion , killing all that guarded the place , and made search for him in every corner ; hee understood that xerxes had convayed himselfe away in the beginning of the tumult , who otherwise was like to have drunke of the same cup as the other did : and when they had wearied themselves with killing their enemies , and the day beganne to shew , the persians that were fled up to the toppe of an hill , looking backe and perceiving the small number that pursued them , turned againe , and put them all to the sword . thus leonidas and his company , for the love of their countrey , sacrificed themselves to a voluntary death , without any hope or meaning to escape : whose courage and valiant enterprise made such an impression of feare in the hearts of the persians , that xerxes left his lieutenant to prosecute the warres , and returned backe againe into his countrey : an enterprise worthy of perp su●…ll memory ; five hundred men to put to slighean 〈◊〉 that dranke the rivers drie as they passed . chap. ii. of law-maker the law-maker : and of charondas : a remarkeable iustice in solyman : strange iustice amongst the sw zzers : i he iustice of the emperors frajan , antoninus plus , and alexander severus : of antonius valentinian . theodosius , augustus , marcus aurelius , &c. of s●…s lewis the french king : of favourites to princes : constantine the great : of alexander severus his commendable iustice upon vetorius turinus : belon , &c. of their great vices observed by historians , impietie , injustice , and luxurie , &c. the respect the heathens had to the observation , not of one or two , but of all morall vertues , may make christians blush to thinke what observers they would have beene of christian vertues , if they had knowne god as we doe . zeleucus made a law among the locrians that whosoever committed adultery should lose both his eyes : it chanced that his sonne was condemned for that crime , and determining that the penalty of the law should with severity be inst upon him ; yet being intreated by the earnest petitiō of the whole city , who in as much as in them was , for the honor and reverence of the father , forgave the necessity of the punishment of the yong man , first caused one of his own eyes , and after one of his sonues eyes to be plucked out , leaving sight to them both . thus though the rigour of the law was in a sort qualified , yet the penalty thereof was by a wonderfull moderation of equitie sufficiently fulfilled , dividing himselfe indifferently betweene a mercifull father , and a just law-maker . charondas having pacified the seditious assemblies of the people , and meaning to provide for the like in time to come , made a law that whosoever did enter into the senate with any weapon , should presently bee slaine : in processe of time , it chauned him to returne to his house from a farre journey out of the countrey , having his sword by his side , and in the same sort as hee then was , forgetting the law , upon some present occasion hee went into the senate : and being admonished by one that stood next him , that he had broken his owne law : not so ( quoth hee ) but i will confirme it , and immediately drawing his sword , and turning the point to his brest , hee fell downe upon it and slew himselfe . i note not this example , because i allow of the fact , but that men may see how carefully the heathens observed justice and morall vertues , which they preferred before their owne life : for when he might easily have excused himselfe , by haste and forgetfulnesse , yet lest that might bee an occasion to some other with an evill intent to offend the law , hee chose rather to warne others by his owne example . iulius casar caused one of his captaines to be beheaded , because he had dishocoured the mistreste of the house where he lodged , without staying for one to accuse him , or for her husbands complaint . solyman emperour of the turks , sent his bassa into valona to passe into italy ; this man landed at the haven of castro , which so dismayed the inhabitants , that they yeelded themselves to him , upon his oath and promise that they should depart with bagge and baggage : but contrary to his faith , he caused them all to be slaine , except such as were thought fit to serve for slaves . after his returne to constantinople the great being advertised of his breach of faith , caused him to be strangled , and sent back all his prisoners with their goods into italy . among the rare examples of the heathens , we will recite a strange kind of severitie used by christians , out of the histories of the switzers . the switzers have a free common-wealth , wherof they are very jealous : there was a yong man among them , that went about to usurpe the government and alter the state ; whom when they had condemned to death , judgment was given , that the execution should be done by his father , as the cause of his evill education , that hee might receive his death by the author of his life , and that the father in some sort might be punished for his negligence used in the education of his child . and these were notable examples of iustice and policie used by the emperours trajan , antoninus pius , alexander severus , and others , worthie of consideration ; because the felicitie of princes is said to bee in well governing their people . for that common-wealth ( saith one ) cannot decay , where the poore have justice , and the wicked rich men punishment : and especially , if there bee good doctrine for the young , and little covetousnesse in the olde . in the daies of trajan , none that had charge of justice might augment his goods : but in that estate of riches or poverty wherein hee beganne to governe , in the same hee was to containe himselfe , and to looke for reward at the princes hand , according to his merit . hoc deterius habet respublica , quo magis res privatae slorent . hee also confidering the great impoverishing and tediousnesse that long suites brought to his people , ordained that all suites of italy should continue but one yeare , and the suites of other countryes but halfe a yeare . the emperour antoninus never sent any pretor to governe any province , that was wise and valiant onely , but hee also must be without any infection of pride and covetousnesse : for he thought that no man could well governe a common wealth , that is subject to pride or covetousnesse . vnto pretors , censors , and questors , before he gave them any country to governe , hee caused them first to give up an inventory of their owne proper goods , to the end that when their charge was finished , the increase of their wealth should be considered : and joyntly therewith he did both say and warne them , that he sent them to minister justice , and not by fraud to robbe his people . the emperours valentiman and theodosius tooke this order with iudges & governours of provinces , that they should sweare at the entring into their charge , that they had not given nor promised any thing , and that they would not give , nor cause to be given any thing ; and also that they would take nothing but their fee. and if it were proved that they had taken any thing ( being lawfull for every man to accuse them ) they should pay foure times so much , besides the infamie and perjurie ; and the like penaltie was against him that gave the present . the emperour iustiman would say , that all iudges ought to contemne riches , and to shew their hands cleane to god , to the emperour , or king , and to the law : which is also to be understood of all magistrates and governours . it is unpossible ( saith one ) but the same day that riches & treasures begin to increase in the houses of magistrates and iudges , that the selfe same day , the administration of iustice should not decay . and though he were ready to pardon all other offences : yet in the executiō of justice , he that did offend , though the matter were not great , he would with great severity punish him grievoasly . institia & 〈◊〉 maxime reddunt d●…turnum 〈◊〉 when augudus casar sent a governour into affrica with the change of iustice ; my friend ( quoth he ) i pat you not in trust with mine honour , nor commit to you my justice , to the end you should bee envious of innocents , and an executioner of transgressours : but that with one hand you should helpe to maintain the good , and with the other hand helpe to amend the evill : and if you will know what mine intent is , i send you to bee a grandfather for orphants , an advocate for widowes , a plaister for the grieved , a staste for the blinde , and a father to all . marcus aurclius finding fault with the evill choice that is made many times of magistrats and iudges , demandeth whereof springeth the scandall of the people , and infamy of the prince , and the danger to iustice : the cause is ( sayth hee ) the order now adayes , by which all things goe out of order ; the favourites importuning the prince , and the prince not refusing ; they deceiving him , and he suffering himselfe to be deceived . they preferre their friends to offices in recompence of their friendship , sometime their servants in recompence of their service , as though they provided offices for men , not men for offices . so that few offices remaine for the vertuous , that are given him onely , because he is vertuous . but the office of iustice ought not to be given to him that procureth it , but to him that best deserveth it . and hurault saith , that a prince shold take heed that hee bestow not two offices or moe upon one man ; for in so doing he bereaveth himselfe of the means to recompence many , and is not so well served as otherwise he should be : for ( as alexander severus was wont to say ) it is a hard matter that he which hath two charges at once , should be able to use them to his owne honour and his masters profit . the way likewise to attaine to honour is stopped to others that are meete men and sufficient , when one occupieth the place and honour of many . the like care a prince should take , that the offices which he giveth may come ●…eely to him upon whom hee bestoweth them : and that no persons take any money or gift for their helpes or furtherance to the obtaining of those offices : for hee that buyeth an office , must sell the administration of it : and this discommodity also commeth of it , that men will be discouraged to seeke and follow vertue , when they sh●…l see that advancement is not obtained by vertue , but by money . and a prince should foresee that hee place very good men in offices , for such men as princes place in authority , such they are taken themselves to be : & therfore a prince should informe himselfe by secret intelligence , as also by common fame of sufficient men , upon whom to bestow his offices , and rather make his owne choice , than preferre men at the suite of his favorites . it is an ancient pestilence ( saith one ) in the courts of princes , that when the prince is disposed to beare affection , or to honour any person , forthwith they murmur and joyne together to disgrace and persecute him : for up steps envie on the one side , and detraction on the other , two old courtiers , and sworne enemies to vertue , who never leave to sollicite and importune the prince , untill they have wrought him out of his favour . and yet were it more commendable and behoovefull for a prince ( saith one ) after good deliberation , and advised resolution , to be constant in his determination , and not to be removed nor altered with words . gregorie tholos saith , that princes commit a fault when they give offices of rule , for favour , love , or recompence unadvisedly without due examination of their sufficiencie ; for they should remember that they are called to the government of the common-wealth , not for themselves , or for their friends or favorites , but rather for the profit of others that bee committed to their governement : and therefore in an evill choice , they are in danger of a double punishment , when they shall come to answere their doings before god ; both for that they of whom they made choice have behaved themselves evilly ; and for that they gave them power to do evill . yet they may neverthelesse bestow honour and riches upon their friends and favorites , but so farre forth as the right of the common-wealth remaine whole , and take no harme thereby . s. lewes the french king by his testament ordained that his son should see good lawes observed , and to make choice of wise counsellers and of ripe yeares , and that no money should be taken to make officers ; for men should not obtaine offices by money , by ambition , nor by favour ; that he do justice indifferently to all , by which kings do reigne ; and not beleeve too soone . that his sevrants be wise , peaceable , not covetous , backbiters nor quarrellers . q. curtius saith , a prince ought to bestow more care & cost in getting a wise counsellor , than in conquests . alexander severus , adriā , & others , emperors of rome , would cal to their councell , not their favorites , but men learned , grave , & experienced , & of a good conscience . princes should not esteeme men by their riches & state , but by their vertue and conversation . one asked trajan the emperour how hee made so good a choice of counsellers & friends : he answered , that his good hap came hereof , that he chose them neither covetous men nor lyers : for they in whom covetousnes or lying hath any place cannot love perfectly . and the french king charles , would often say to his friends or favorits , that he made choice of them , for the opinion hee had that they were of the honester sort , and such as in whom he might put his trust , fearing but one fault in thē , that they will suffer themselves to be overcome with covetousnes , wherunto they may be easily allured & tempted , by means of the credit they have with him , but if he should understand , that for gaine they should command any unjust thing , or not honest , they should lose his favor for ever . they that be in favor ( saith one ) with princes , abuse the prince when they name or prefer to offices and dignities , and government , such as be of their faction , and at their command : not such as be worthy , but such as will be instruments to serve their turne , & such as they may freely cōmand as their creatures & dependants , & dare not gainesay them ; wherof ensueth often many inconveniences . and therefore princes ought to be very circumspect , and so to handle the matter , that they who be chosen to offices of government & dignities , depend immediatly upon them , & not upon others , that they may have free men to their officers and magistrates , that are bound & beholding to none but to them . a prince ( sayth one ) should bee sure to make choice of very good counsellers , of approved life & māners , such as god commanded moses to make choice of : and they shold be ( saith he ) faithful , wise , true speakers , not flatterers , constāt , godly , secret : such as know the minds of the subjects , & state of the country : of good yeres , that have tasted of both fortunes , and are more apt to execute than to innovate matters : chosen not by sute , nor by private , but by publike commendation : and such as bee not headstrong and obstinate in defence of their opinion , free from passions and affections , and not desirous of gaine . good counsellors make a good and happie principalitie : and wisedome and counsell is better than force , as it was sayd in times past of the romanes : romanus sedendo vincit . by the law in the twelve tables , a senatour or counsellour must be free from vice , and bee a spectacle to others : and that no man might come into that order that was given to any vice . and this is commendable in a wise prince , to heare the opinion of many , and keepe secret to himselfe which of them he meaneth to follow , untill hee command to put it in execution . vegetius thus adviseth a prince : what yee have to doe , conferre with many ; what ye will doe , with very few , or rather with your selfe onely : for there be no better counsels , than those which the enemie knoweth not before they be put in execution . epaminondis the philosopher giveth this counsell to princes : in the courts of princes there ought no greedy or covetous men to bee familiar with him , nor of his councell : for the princes give great occasion to be hated of the people , when their servants have alwayes their hands open to receive bribes . in the courts of princes there ought no fleshly men to bee their favourites : for the vice of the flesh hath in it so little profit , that he which is wholly overcome therewith , ought alwayes to be of the prince suspected . in the palace of a king , there ought not to bee drunkards nor gluttons : for they that be overcome with the excesse of eating and drinking , are unfit to give their prince good counsell . in the palace of princes there ought to be no blasphemers : for he that will not feare to blaspheme his creator openly , will not feare to speake evill of his prince secretly . alexander severus in the beginning of his reigng , discharged all them that were known to bee vicious persons from their offices , and forced them to make restitution of all that they had bribed or purloyned , & from thenceforth to live of their own proper labour . pindarus greatly cōmendeth the citie of corinth , because honestie reigned there , which had three daughters : good laws , iustice and peace , that brought them all good things . constantine the great , after he had overcome licinius , caused this proclamation to be made : if there be any , of what place , estate , or dignity soever , that assureth himself he can truly & manifestly prove any thing against any of my iudges , earles , friēds or palatines , that he hath not seemed to deale uprightly and justly , let him come safely , and informe me : i wil heare , i wil know , & if it be proved , i wil revenge my selfe . by which it appeareth , that as a good pastor of his people , appointed by god , he accounted the injuries done to his people , to be done to himselfe . for a prince , sayth one , should never deny iustice to the poore man because he is poore , nor pardon the rich man , because he is rich : he should never give reward for affection onely , nor punish onely through passion . he should never leave evil unpunished , nor good unrewarded : he shold never deny justice to him that demandeth it , nor mercie to him that deserveth it : hee should never command punishment being angry , nor promise reward being merry : he should alwayes labour to be loved of the good , and feared of the wicked : and lastly , hee should favour the poore , that can do little , that he may be favoured of god , that can doe all . the chiefe strength of a kingdome is to love iustice. cicero would have the contempt of temporall goods to be no lesse in magistrates than in true philosophers . aristotle would say , that there was not a rule to bee given of greater importance in every common-wealth , than to provide by lawes that magistrates should not be covetous , nor sharpe set upon their profit . plutarch sayth , he that enricheth himselfe by managing the affaires of the estate , and taketh presents , committeth sacriledge , is an unfaithfull counsellour , a forsworne iudge , a corrupt magistrate , and defiled with all manner of wickednesse that a man may commit . hesiodras sayth , that justice is a virgin undefiled , alwayes lodged with honour , reverence , temperance , and the common profit , hating all presents . there are many ancient orders in divers common-wealths , that forbid all manner of presents to be taken by magistrates and iudges . demosthenes sayth , that those common-wealths are sicke , where the magistrates bee occupyed in receiving presents . cato would say , that a man should not desire of a iudge or magistrate neither a just nor an unjust thing : he would also say , that iudges , captaines , and governor should not inrich themselves in their charge , but with honour and good reputation . unsatiable covetousnesse in magistrates and officers ( saith one ) infecteth the common-wealth with all manner of vices . and therefore many princes in time past would take away from their magistrates and officers , the riches and lands which they had excessively gottē together . cicero would have that to take place in all magistrates , that they might carry themselves the more circumspectly , which alexander the great would vaunt of himselfe , that he thought all things that he did , to bee done in the theatre of the world . the emperour alexander severus had a servant in his court called veturius turinus , a man of bad conditions , whom he seemed to love and favour . this man had accesse to the emperour at his pleasure : no doore was shut against him ; he made all men beleeve ( that were suters ) that no man had so much conference with the emperor as he . and when alexander was advertized of his lewd behaviour & bribery , & how he deceived many ; hee caused one to request turinus to obtaine a sure of alexander : who going & comming dayly into the princes chamber , would alwayes informe the suter , though most untruly , what he had said to the emperour in his behalfe , and what answere was made him againe . after alexander had intelligence of these things , and of the bribes he had received he caused turinus to be apprehended ; and the matter being proved , and how much he had that way robbed , and how largely he used to promise , & how little he performed ; the emperour caused him to bee fastened aloft upon a stake openly in rome , and under him was set greene wood and wet straw ; whereunto when fire was put , there came such a smoke up to his nose , that within short time he was miserably choked & stifled to death ; a cryer with a loud voyce making proclamation , funiopunitur , qui fumum vendidit : he that sold smoke , is stifled with smoke . this emperour had another servant called belon who promised a gentleman to obtaine a great sute for him of alexander , with whom hee pretended to bee in great favour , and received of him a great summe of money ; which being knowne to alexander , and that which he promised to be very hurtfull to the commonwealth , and a most unjust matter , he caused him to be crucisiedr saying , that none should dare to adventure to sell the favour of the prince to the prejudice of his people . and though this emperour would use the advice of men that were wise , and of a sincere mind in weighty affaires : yet he would never commit his trust and secrets to any speciall person ; for he used to say , that when the people do understand that the prince is counselled or directed by any one person , such a one may bee with gifts and requests easily corrupted . philip de comines saith , that if any private man hath such favour and grace with the prince , that all others be compelled to feare and please him , that man reigneth and enjoyeth the kingdome , and provideth so carefully for his owne matters , that hee neglecteth the affaires of the common-wealth . and those magistrates that beare chiefe rule in the common wealth under their prince , are thought to commit a fault , when they give such especial credit to any of their servants or favorites , as to suffer them to be the preferrers and solliciters of mens suits abusing thereby many times their credit with their master , to the hindrance of right and justice , to their owne gaine , and his scandall : wherein they might doe much better to heare suiters deliver their owne cause , and let their servants or favorites meddle with their private affaires . these two things may be observed in histories to be dangerous , & apparent signes & notes of the ruine or alteration of a common-wealth : the one , when the riches & wealth of the realme is gathered together into a few mens hands , & the rest live in want and extreame poverty : the other , when the magistrates be covetous , and justice corrupted , and the people licentious and wicked , and given to all manner of vice . and there be three srnnes especially above all others ( noted by historians ) that bring danger and publike punishment and calamitic to kingdoms & empires : vngodlinesse , injustice , and luxuriousnesse : vngodlinesse troubleth the church , injustice the common-wealth , luxuriousnesse private families ; and the hurt in particular redoundeth to the whole . the vices of private families enter into the common-wealth ; the vices of the cōmon-wealth into every mans house ; and the infection of them both corrupteth the church . as contrariwise : if the ecclesiasticall discipline begin to decay , the others fall with it : for if godlinesse bee extinguished , the love of honestie and vertue waxeth cold . these vices delivered the iewes to the assyrians , and the greekes to the turkes . iosephus reporteth that in his time the iewes were growne so wicked , that if the romanes had not destroyed them , without doubt , either the earth would have opened and swallowed them up , or else fire from heaven would have consumed them . chap. iii. of henry the third king of france : the miseries that attend on the neglect of justice : venses presented to the senate of rome by king boccas : the rare continency of romane scipio , and king alexander the great : examples of rare friendship in damon and pythias , and in ephenus and everitus : foolish friendship in the two kings hading and hunding : the treachery of duke valentine sonne to the pope : how dangerous it is for yong gentlemen to travellinto italy marcus aurelius emperour : of the vices of rome : ancient writers concerns friendship : the ingratitude of men reproved in the histories of bruit beasts , as dogs , horses , oxen , lyons , &c. our owne age hath given us examples and experience of the dangers that the generality of vices , and corruption of good manners and customes hath brought to a common-wealth ; and how necessarie it is for a prince to be inquisitive , and looke often into the manners of his ministers and subjects ; and to foresee in season , that the corruption of a few members doe not infect the whole body of the common-wealth . in the latter troubles of france , in the reigne of henry the third , all the states , by the kings appointment , were assembled , to reforme the disorders , abuses , and corruptions , that were crept into all parts of the realme . when they had reckoned up to the king , in the assembly , the generalitie of vices , the disorders , abuses and corruptions which had over-run all parts of france , they set before his eyes , with eloquent speech , the evill bestowing of the ecclesiasticall functions upon persons unfit : the ambition , the covetousnesse , the plurality of benefices , the non-residencie , the contempt of the law of god ; the luxuriousnesse and dissolutenesse of bishops and principall prelates , ( except some few ) that jetted in great pompe up and downe his court , and in all other places with troopes of servants the most wicked and lewd in al the realme ; their houses sound not of psalmes and songs to the honour of god , but of barking of dogs , and singing of birds , and of all manner of dissolute voyces . then they shewed how their noblemen & gentlemen were degenerate from their forefathers , and what vices were now usuall amongst them : and among the rest , their swearings , and blasphemies of the name of god , whereas the oath of their forefathers was , by the faith of a gentleman , which was done with reverence , and in cases necessary , and not oherwise . and speaking more generally , blasphemie ( say they ) is their mother tongue , and ordinary with many frenchmen : adulterie is to them a pastime : symonie is common merchandise : the richer ignorant sort of the realme finde place in the chiefe dignities : men are knowne rather by their proud attire than by their vertue , their knowledge , or by their goodnesse . then come they to the overthrow of iustice , and the great abuse that was therein committed , the delayes , the subtilties , and disguising of the truth that was there usuall , the miserie of them that followed sutes by the subtiltie of the parties , the little zeale and negligence of iudges , by so many delayes such prolongings , whereby justice was not exercised , but rather vexed and encombred , and often troden under foote : that the particular respect of many , was the cause of these evils , who laboured by this meanes to increase their estate to their posteritie . of these and the like things ( say they ) the king had appointed to be informed of his iudges , but his commandement was all one , as if hee had not commanded : for all was unprofitable and unfruitfull . and this is the wickednesse of this time , that the iudges are bound to judge according to the lawes , as they have sworne , and promised when they received their charge : yet notwithstanding it is glorious to a great many iudges in these dayes to say , that they are not bound to judge according to the lawes written by the lawyers , but they will judge according to their owne braines , whereof it followeth , that as every one aboundeth in his owne sense , so many heads , so many opinions ; so many courts , so many sentences . hereof riseth the diversity of judgments in the like cases , and in the selfe same matter ; by meane whereof the poore suters fall into infinite charges and immortall sutes : lawes seeme no other things than written papers . then proceeding to other disorders and abuses , they came to the selling of offices , and the power of judgment , which was the cause that the more wicked sort was most honoured , the most ignorant most esteemed ; that the stronger oppresseth without punishment the weaker ; that without scruple they sell that justice by retaile , that was bought in grosse ; that the cities and countries were overwhelmed with murders and robberies unpunished ; that there was no order in governement , neither respect to the law , nor love to vertue , and that a licentiousnesse addicted to all evill is spread throughout all the realme . now ( said they ) if you will turne from you the ruines that are prepared , you must degrade and discharge a number , aswell of your prelates , as of your civill magistrates , that are now established in your high courts , and punish them severely that have abused themselves in their callings and offices , otherwise you cannot preserve your estate . then make inquirie in all parts where good and honest men doe dwell , and replenish your counsell with them , and god will bee there among them : god is alwaies at hand with the just man , and will rather bring to effect your enterprises by their hands whom he blesseth , than by the subtill devices of prophane wise men , whose labour he curseth : it is very true , that good men are not seene to walke in troopes by great companies , yet let the torrent of corrupt manners bee never so violent , the world was never nor will bee without some number of men of excellent vertue . how many heroicall courages replenished with a holy magnanimitie , and with an incredible valour , be in the state of the nobilitie and gentilitie ( not these villanous blasphemous nobilitie and gentilitie ) but that which loves and feares god , that never saw your court , but remaine in their houses without being imployed ? which kinde of men , if they were imployed in your service , would in a few moneths reforme all the ruines and disorders of the state . but these men are not knowne but of god , and of some good men . king boccas presented to the senate of rome these verses , among others , in reprehension of some disorders that were dangerous to a common-wealth . wo be to that kingdome where all be such , that neither the good are knowne among the evill , nor the evill among the good . woe be to that realme where the poore be suffered to be proud , and the rich to be tyrants . woe be to that realme where so great vices be committed openly , which in some other countries they would feare to commit secretly . but to returne to the heathens . and what an example of continencie or rather temperance ( for plutarch saith , continencie is no vertue , but the way to vertue , that is temperance ) was shewed by scipio , being generall of the romanes armie in spaine , when in the slower of his youth , certaine beautifull young women of the nobilitie were taken prisoners , and brought to him : among the which there was a young virgin that was contract unto a prince of the countrey of luccio , of such a singular beautie and favour , that whither soever shee went , she drew all mens eyes to behold her . scipio committed her and the rest to safe custody , with straight charge , that no dishonour should bee offered them : and sent for the parents and husband of this young virgin : and after some comfortable words used to them , hee restored the virgin to her husband undefiled , in the same sort hee received her : for the which he told him he would looke for none other satisfaction , but that hee would bee a friend to the people of rome : and when her parents offered him a great summe of money in gold , which they had brought for her ransome , desiring him earnestly to accept it ; and affirming that they should take the receiving of that money for as great a pleasure as the restoring of their daughter : scipio seeing their importunacie , told them hee would accept it , and commanded them to lay downe the gold at his feete ; and calling the young prince , hee gave him this gold with his wife for her dower , over and besides that which her parents had promised to give him . the young man returned into his countrey with his wife and gold in great joy , and published every where as he went , that there was a yong man come into spain , like unto the gods that overcame all with armes , with courtesie and liberalitie : and within few dayes after , to shew himselfe gratefull , hee returned to scipio with one thousand foure hundred horse . alexander the great when hee had taken darius mother and his wife prisoners , a woman of singular beautie , with divers other faire young virgins attending upon them , was of that continency , that he would not be allured by their beauties , though in the flourishing time of his youth , to offer them any dishonour : but caused them to be kept safe from all violence , and honourably used according to their estate . the same alexander having appointed on a time some woman to be brought to him ; after hee had looked long for her , when she came to his bed , side hee asked her , why shee had tarried so long : because ( quoth she ) i could no sooner steale from my husband : when alexander heard that shee was a married woman , hee sent her presently away untouched , because hee would not commit adultery . where shall we find such scrupulosity of conscience , or respect of honestie among christians , that know the greatnesse of that sin , and perill thereof , as was in that heathen monarch , that commanded almost all the world , and was subject to the controlment of no man , and did forbeare onely for vertues sake ? it is true that the poet saith ; non facile invenies multis è millibus unum , virtutem pretium qui putet esse sui : mongst many thousands ( to finde one ) t is hard who vertue makes the price of his reward . dionysius the elder , hearing that his sonne , who was to succeed him in his kingdome , had committed adultery with a mans wife , rebuked him sharply , & askt whether ever hee heard of any such act done by him : no marvell ( quoth hee ) for you had not a king to your father : no more wilt thou ( said dionysius ) have a king to thy son , if thou leave not these maners . the tyrant thought his sonne worthy to be dis-inherited for committing adultery , which now is an ordinary matter , and accounted a pastime and play of the better sort . agapete said to iustinian , you are now rightly a king , seeing that you can rule and governe your delights , by wearing on your head the diademe of temperance : for it is a very great and princely vertue to rule himselfe , and to beware of his affections , the enticements of pleasures , of fraud , and of flatteries . and where is there to bee found that faith and perfection of friendship ( a necessarie vertue , and to bee imbraced of all men , among us christians in whom charity and love ought to abound ) as was betweene damon and pythias , and divers other heathens . damon and pythias were joyned together in such perfect friendship , that when dionysius the tyrant had determined to put one of them to death , yet having obtained of disnysius licence to go home for a time , to set his things in order before hee should dye , upon condition that his fellow should remaine with him to dye the death appointed to him , if hee brake his day : the one departed homeward , delivered of the danger hee was in , the other consented to remaine as a pledge in captivitie , that might have lived out of danger . when hee was gone , all men , and specially dionysius expected attentively what would bee the end of this strange and doubtfull matter . when the day appointed for his returne was as hand , and hee not come , every man condemned the other of meere folly , that so rashly would adventure his life upon another mans word : but he assuring himselfe of his friends fidelitie , told them plainely , he repented nothing that hee had done , nor had any mistrust in his comming : the very same day and houre that was by dionysius set downe for his returne , his friend came : the tyrant marvelling at their constancie and fidelitie , pardoned them both : and further , desired them that they would accept him for a third person into the society of their friendship . ephenus having offended dionysius likewise , and being apprehended and brought before him , and condemned to dye , made sute to the tyrant for licence to goe home into his countrey to dispose of his things , promising to returne to dye such a day : dionysius demanding a pledge , hee delivered him his friend everitus , who boldly assented to bee his pledge , and to suffer death if he returned not : ephenus departed and came againe at the day prefixed , to the great admiration of all men , and specially of dionysius , who pardoned them both : such force had vertue to pacifie the rage of a cruell tyrant ; whose disposition enclined to no other thing but vice . the performance of this friendship was joyned with honesty and discretion , but this that followeth was more faithful than wise . there were two kings , one of denmarke , the other of suecia , called hading and hunding , that had promised such an assured friendship , that whatsoever happened to the one , the other would bee partaker of the same , even to the death : it chanced that a false rumour was brought to hading that hunding was slaine by treason : hee , beleeving the report , to performe his promise , invited his nobilitie unto a banquet , and in the middest of his hall hee had filled a great deepe vessell with delicate wine : and himselfe filled their cups , and gave them drinke untill they were all drunke : and they being fallen asleepe , he threw himselfe downe headlong into the tub of wine , and drowned himselfe : which being knowne to the other king hunding ; hee to performe his faith towards his friend , in like sort assembled all his people together , and in the sight of them all hanged himselfe . such faith as was between damon and pythias must bee sought for in some new-found land , where swannes be blacke ; for it will hardly be found in the knowne world . as the world declineth to old age , and bringeth not forth his fruits with that vigour and vertue it hath done in times past : so the vertue and goodnesse of men seemeth to decline from that of former ages , and to waxe old and decay , which was foretold in esdras ; for the weaker that the world is by reason of age , the more shall the evils be increased upon them that dwell therein ; for the truth is fled far away , and lyes are at hand . for there is so little heed taken , and so small account made of morall vertues ( i will not speake of christian vertues ) now adaies , that the vices next to them are taken for the vertues themselves . fallit enim vitium specie virtutis & umbra , cùm sit triste habitu , vultuque & veste severum : nec dubie , tanquam frugi laudatur avarus : vice doth deceive us when she doth disguise her selfe like vertue , in sad shape and eyes , severe in life and gate : most certaine when the avaritious are call'd thrifty men . they that be furious and passionate , and quarellous , are called stout and valiant men that stand upon their honour : to live loosely and lasciviously , abusing mens wives and daughters , is called friendlinesse and courtesie : they that bee ambitious , and practise all unlawfull meanes to make themselves great in dignities , are honourable and worthy men , and meet for governement : to be covetous and miserable , is called thristinesse and good husbandry ; and these kinde of men call their like , provident men : to bee prodigall is called liberalltie : and if wee shall runne over all the vertues and vices in this sort , we shall see such a metamorphosis or transformation , that it were sufficient to perswade us , that the ages past have discharged all their malice into the age we live in , as into a gowt or sinke : to dissemble and deceive , is now taken for wisedome or prudence , a singular vertue which cannot bee dissevered from honesty & plaine meaning . one saith , bee warie and circumspect how thou beleeve any thing : these bee the sinewes of wisedome , so as now we may say with the poet : — nam fronte politi astut am vapide servant sub pectore vulpens : a crafty fox doth oft himselfe invest , in a brow polisht and ill-tasted brest . and he is accounted the wisest that can most artificially beguile , which is the cause that machiavell exalteth duke valentine the popes sonne above the skies , and calleth him the paragon of his time , as he that in wisedome exceeded all the princes of that age . one cause of his commendation is this ; when hee perceived that for his tyrannous government hee was misliked of the nobilitie , and that by open warres hee was not able to destroy them : hee feined a desire to be reconciled , and invited them to a feast for that purpose : the nobilitie , desirous of the princes favour , mistrusting no treason , came to him to dinner , where he entertained them with all manner of courtesie : but under sweet flowers lurkes the serpent : when he had dined , his guard ( which hee had prepared before for the purpose ) tooke them aside , and presently cut off their heads . and when this newes was first brought to pope alexander his father , hee smiled and said , his son had shewed them a spanish tricke : mali corvi malum ●…vum , a bad egge of an evill crow : i doubt there be too many machiavillians that have his vices in more estimation , than the vertues taught by socrates , plato , and aristotle : and carry his precepts better in memorie than the lessons of good and fruitfull sermons ; and in their life more exactly put in practice his humanitie than christian divinitie . it may bee wished men were not so much italianated , whose habits many have gotten both of body and minde , and are become as artificiall apes , counterfeiting a formall kinde of strangers civilitie : but that which some performe may rather bee called divillitie . they must dissemble cunningly , promise liberally , and performe niggardly ; give all , and deliver nothing : as one aptly expressing in himselfe the condition of many , said ; i am all yours except body and goods , which is now growne into a common proverb : such friendship and courtesies are very usuall : the italian hath an old proverbe ; inglese italianato , ediabele incarnato : an english man italianated , is a divell incarnated . our nation , although it hath received many great blessings from god , as no people in the world more , both in proportion and agilitie of body , and in valour and noblenesse of minde , with divers other singular gifts : yet we are by a certaine naturall inclination , and a worse custome , too apt to counterfeit strangers maners : we imitate the spaniards in their pride , the italians in their dissembling , and other vices , the frenchmen in their rashnesse and inconstancie ; the fleming , we beginne to follow in their quaffing and drunkennesse : and all these we counterfeit , or rather exceede in their vanitie of attyres and gestures . pride and excesse were two of the finnes for which sedom was punished . for many of our travellers bring us the worst of their manners , leaving the best behinde : as the spider draweth poyson from the same flower the bee sucketh honey : as though they made a conscience to bring any good thing from them . nothing is more odious and contemptuous to us , than the simplicity of manners , and habits of our forefathers : and yet histories are full of examples of famous men and nations , that so long as they continued in the simplicitie of habits , and manners , and singlenesse of life of their ●…fathers ; so long also they kept their vertue and fame gotten by the same : but as soone as they drew to them the manners of other countries , they brought also their vices with them , and thereby lost that reputation which before they had gotten by their vertue . so long as the lacedaemonians observed lycurgus ordinances and singlenesse of life and manners , they were one of the most flourishing common-wealths in the world , and when they changed them with strangers manners , their reputation was soone decayed : princes should foresee that the corruption of an evill custome creepe not into their realme , for it bringeth in vices , and driveth out all vertues . alexander the great was conquered by the luxuriousnesse of asia , of which by his vertue before he had made conquest . the romanes likewise so long as they used the simplicity and singlenesse of life of their forefathers , encreased their estate untill they became masters of the world : but afterward , when they brought into their country the luxuriousnesse and delicatesse of asia , they lost all , and themselves also ; and were so drowned in voluptuousnesse , that they got not so much fame & reputation by their vertue , as they lost by their vice and vanity . the care of antiquity was to adorne their minds with vertueland knowledge , not regarding the ornaments of the body . epaminondas was a famous captaine among the grecians , and wanne many victories , who had but one onely garment : and if it chanced him to send it to the fuller , hee was driven to tarry at home for lacke of another ; and yet being of so small substance , when the king of persia had sent him gold of great value for a gift , he would not take it . paulus aemilius a romanc , when hee was made the second time consull , was sent to make warre upon the macedons , where he wanne a notable victory , with wonderfull store of riches and treasure : which not withstanding , he lived in such poore estate , that after his death , his wife could hardly have any dower . but the italians since that time have changed their manners from vertue to vice , turned matter into forme , with divers frivolous inventions . the emperour marcus aurelius saith , that by the prowesse of our forefathers are honoured those that now live ; and by the little that is in them that live now , our posteritie shall be infamous : for they that are now , have turned the acts and labours of antiquitie into foolish toyes and vanitie . guevarra seemed to be of the opinion , that travellers into italie brought no great good home with them into their own countries : for writing a letter to an embassadour of the emperour charles the fifth , among other things wisheth that hee come from italie so sound of body and so perfect of soule , as when hee departed from spaine ; for in new countryes alwaies there are learned new fashions : for to speake the truth ( saith hee ) i have seene few come from italie , that came not only absolute , but also dissolute . the property of bels is to call men to service , and never enter into the church themselves : & in my judgment such is the condition of italy , where bee a great many sanctuaries that provoke to prayer , but the people therof have no devotion : but seeing you come from rome , i would not have you boast of that place : for the fashions of italy are more pleasant to be declared , than sure to bee followed . rome is not now in the power of christians , as it was in the time of the heathens : for then being the mother of all vertues , shee is now turned to bee the schoole of all vices . o how much and how much is betweene the customes of italy and the law of a good christian ? and when he had reckoned up many vices there usuall , he concludeth , that if he desire with those conditions to bee a romane , much good may it doe you ( quoth hee ) for upon the day of account you would rather have beene a labourer in spaine , than an embassadour at rome , which agreeth with mantnan : vivere qui sanctè cupitis , discedite romà omniacum liceant , non licet esse pium : from rome depart , you that would holy be , religion lives not with such libertie . and yet this is the country and people that we havein such admiration , and desire to see and imitate . heare also what the emperour marcus aurelius saith of the vices of rome & italy , in his time brought from other countries , and how much they are degenerate from the ancient romanes , which hee often repeateth in his writings , and bewayleth with teares ; hee calleth rome the head of vices : o rome without rome which now hast nought but the wals , and art a common stewes of vices : not without teares ( quoth he ) i say that there was never any romane captaine that did kill tenne thousand asians with the weapons he brought into asia ; but that he lost an hundred thousand romanes with the vices they brought to rome . at the same time when the warre was kindled in the east , tenne valiant captaines brought these vices to rome : whose names my penne shall forbeare to tell , because their vile offences should not obscure their valiant deeds . before that rome conquered asia , wee were rich , wee were patient , wee were sober , wee were wise , we were honest , and above all , we lived contented : but now all vices may be learned in rome , as all sciences may bee heard in greece ; o unhappy rome that hast now nothing but the name of rome ! because there is in thee such scarcity of vertue , and such plenty of vice : the wals of rome are carried of a great height , but her vertues be very low : rome braggeth of the great number of her inhabitants , but rome may weep that her vices be many more without comparison . in one month a man may number all the stones of her stately buildings : but in many yeares a man cannot comprehend the lewd and wicked manners and customes that be in rome : ô cursed rome , cursed thou hast been , cursed thou art , and cursed thou wilt be : as thou hast with tyranny made thy selfe lady of lords , so the time will come when thou with justice shalt returne to be the servant of servants . in the time of our forefathers all the youth did exercise themselves in armes & now all their pastime is in courting yong women : in times past when thou wert peopled with true romanes , and not as thou art now with bastards , the armies that went out of rome , were as well disciplined as the academies of philosophers that were in greece : if the gods would raise up our forefathers againe , either they would not know us for their children , or else they would bind us for madmen . a yong man told the senatours that hee came out of strange countries onely to see rome , and now hee found rome without rome : if my judgment ( saith he ) deceive me not , either ye be not romans of rome , or else this is not rome of the romans : ô rome if thou knewest truly the vertue of our forefathers , and didst consider the lightnesse of us , the day that they ended their life , the same day not one stone in thee should have bin left upon another , and so the fields should have savoured of the bones of the vertuous , which now stinke of the bodies of the vicious : that which our forefathers did fly from , our vaine people in these daies run after . thus may yee see what accou●… wise men have & do make of italy , the country & manners which our nation hath so great a desire to see and imitate : for the italians have drawne their viocs , and evill manners from the romanes , being one natin , as the romanes brought them from other countreyes : might not our forefathers have truely prophesied , that when our nation became travellers into italy , our manners and conditions would be made worser might they not have said , we shal then learn to speak much and performe little ; to know how to dissemble injuries , and never to forgive them ; to bee very constant in hatred , and very changeable in love & friendship ? and out of other countries also , other conditions worse than our owne : is there a more unseemely thing for a man , than quaffing and carowsing , even to drunkennesse , and to death , which happeneth often ? antiquity did so much detest luxuriousnesse & gay clothes , that at thebes there was a pillar set up in the church , wherin was contained cruell curses against the king menin that first invented a more delicate life . and wil you see how odious this vice of quaffing & drunkennes was to the old romanes ? plutarch reporteth that in the senate of rome , there was an ancient man who made great exclamations , that a yong man had so dishonoured him , that hee deserved death : when the yong man was called to his answer ; fathers conscript ( quoth he ) though i seeme yong , yet i am not so yong , but that i knew the father of this old man , who was a vertuous and noble romane , and kinne to mee . and i seeing that his father had gotten much goods , fighting in the warres , and this old man spending them in eating and drinking , i said to him one day , i am very sorry ( my lord and uncle ) for that i heare of thy honor in the market place , & for that i see done in thy house , wherein we have seene fifty armed men here before in onehouse , and now wee see an hundred knaves made drunke , and as thy father shewed to all those that came into his house the enfignes he had wonne in the warres , thou shewest them diverse forts of wines : when the senate had hear dih●… both speake , they gave judgement that all the goods should bee taken from the old man , & a tutor provided to governe him and his house , who should not give him one cup of wine , because hee was noted of drunkennesse . the old romances so much detested this vice of quaffing and drunkennesse , that when the consull lucius pius was sent to make war upon the sarmatians , after a season a truce was made , in which time the consull made them a banquet , and filled them so full with wine ( a thing which the sarmatians above all things most desired ) that their captaines yeelde themselves and their countrey into subjection of the romanes . after the wars were ended , the consull returning to rome , required the accustomed triumph , which was not only denied him by the senate , but also by decree in recompence of his service , his head was striken off , and all his acts defaced , and the sarmatians set at libertie againe , and freed from the subjection of the romanes : who would not winne kingdomes and countries by quaffing and drunkennesse , but by vertue and valor . the people of brasill make a feast when they kill their prisoners , and sit drinking three dayes & three nights : & never leave quaffing untill they have emptied all their vessels : every draught they drinke is of execeding great quantity , and hee that holdeth not out to the end , is accounted infamous and effeminate . and seeing wee , with so great liking , imitate the italians , because we thinke their manners agree better with civilky them ours ; then contrariwise we should reject and concen●… the manners which are usuall among those barbarous heathens that disagree with civility , humanity & christianity . mens minds and desires are growne very variable , and therefore their resolutions and labours very uncertaine : but will yee see what the things be whereabout mens minds are most occupied in these dayes in getting of riches they care not how : encreasing their possissions untill they know not when . in setting out their bodies with they cannot tel what : carried away with pleasure they wot not whither : hunting after reputation they know not fro whence : seeking happinesse they cannot tell where : luxuriousnesse ( saith one ) and the intemperanese of meat and drinke , is a flattering evill , & creepeth sweetly into mens minds : but with these vices vertue is destroied the glory that hath bin gotten is turned into insamie , the strength of the body and mind is weakned , the laws of honesty are overcome ; neither can there bee any thing invented that is more lothsome & hurtfull . and ( as valerius sayth ) it is hard for a man to know , whether it bee more hurtfullto bee taken of his enemies , or of those vices . a poore table is the mother of health , and a rich table the mother of diseases . ense caduns multi , crapula sed perimit plures . many fall by the sword , but more by surfet . sophecles said to one , i esteeme thee greatly happy for thy life , but the best is , if thou hast never bin in a strange country . the happy man indeed ( sayth hee ) will stay : at home . when i thinke upon lycurgus laws , i cannot but have the má in admiration that could so providently foresee the corruption of good & simple maners , by the intercourse with strangers : for which cause hee did forbid trassique out of the kingdome , or suffer strangers to enter into their countrey , saying , that if kingdomes grow rich by trading with strangers , they become poor of their proper vertues . wee cannot say with the poet : c●…lum , non animors mntant , qui trant more current : though forraine seas you passe , and nations strange , yet t is the climate , not the minde , you change . for we change both ayre and minde , not as he would have it , in reformation , but rather in deformation of maners , from simplicity or singlenesse , to diffinulation or doublenesse . i allow well of the counsell of favorinus the philosopher : vivendum est moribus prateritis , loquendum verbis prasentibus : we should live after the maners used in times past , and speake with words used at this present . it is noted among learned men for a dangerous thing in a common-wealth , & a change or ruine to bee feared , when the authority of good lawes is contemned , faults goe unpunished , vertue not rewarded , and honest manners changed for worse . the people of creta being ill used of the rhodians their enemies , desired their gods that they would suffer some evill maners to be brought in among them , thinking that to bee a worse curse than warre , or pestilence , or any other thing : but had it not been more honourable and commendable for our nation to have continued in the simplicitie of habits , and manners of our forefathers , retaining their vertues , than to receive the vanity of attyres and gestures of other countries , with their corruption of maners , & with them to exchange our vertues for their vices ? are our maners and habits better now , than were in times past those of our forefathers , because they cannot lately out of italy , out of spaine , out of france , & from the dutchmen ? is there no better rule to be given how to discerne between that which is good , & that which is not good , but by the example of other countries ? doth dignitie consist in sumptuousnesse of apparell ? decency in varietie of attires ? civility in vanity of gestures ? hospitality in excesse & luxuriousnes ? order in consusiò ? vertue in former ages was wont to be in estimatiō with the antiquity , & a rule to direct their lives by , through which many became famous , aswel privat men , as whole nations . but what fruit hath bin brought to us with these new fashions and strangers manners ? what effect hath it wrought ? if it be lawfull to speake the truth , besides to be proud and effeminate , and the exchange of our vertues for their vices , a confusion of all things : what difference is there in habits betweene estates ? doth not the baser sort glitter in gold and silver equally with the greater , whereof ensueth many mischiefes ? the maners that in time past for reverence were peculiar to princes , & the greater states of the nobility , as due onely to them , are they not now common and usuall with the baser sort , and even among carters ? but this alteration of fashions and manners so highly esteemed , both brought forth no decios , no fabios , no fabricios , no scipies , no more than they have done with them from whence we had them , since their old simplicity of manners were corrupted : for where there is so great care for the backe and belly , there is smal regard had to provide for the mind and soule ; where men so carefully desire to decke their bodies with silke , silver , or gold , they have no care to garnish their minds with vertue , learning and godlinesse . the manners and fashions of these latter ages , i meane in a civill life , are so contrary to the manners and precepts of antiquity , that 〈◊〉 must needs bee either they were fooles then , and wee wise now●… else they were wise then , and wee not sowise now . but because they were schoolemasters to the world , and attained to that by their vertue which wee hunt after by a formalitie of habits and manners , and cannot come by , that is , to bee famous in the world in all ages , and had in admiration even to this day : i rather beleeve that they were wise , and led us the right path by morall vertue to civility without these vaine toyes now in use , and we out of the high-way and many wayes their inferiours . for what is civilitie but the manners of men grounded upon morall vertue , and the precepts of wise men ? no man is looked into what is within him . if the outside be gay and well set forth to the shew , & his 〈◊〉 trickes used with the right grace , then all is well , 〈◊〉 is a worthy man : and surely he that beholdeth him must have a deepe conceit , if he thinke better of him than he thinks of himself : like unto the asse that carried the image of isis upon his back , when he saw all menbow their knees , & do reverence to the goddesse , he waxed 〈◊〉 and stately as though they had done all that reverence unto him , untill he that drave the asse gave him a 〈◊〉 or two with his whip , and told him that this honor was not done to him , but to that which he carried upon his backe : and yet an ape is but an ape though he be clothed in purple & gold . and it may be sayd to them 〈◊〉 set so much by outward forme , & 〈◊〉 inward matter , as the fox when he saw a mans head so artificially made , that there seemed to want 〈◊〉 vital spirits to 〈◊〉 it a lively head of a man the tooke it up , and after he 〈◊〉 be held it a while , ô ( quoth he ) what a goodly head 〈◊〉 is , but it hath no braine . and such vaine-glorious 〈◊〉 that hunt after fame beyond their merit , may do 〈◊〉 teach birds to speake , and to give them a 〈◊〉 let them flye into the fields as 〈◊〉 did . if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 advisedly consider what a disorder and confusion , befides many inconveniences , the alteration of our maners and habits from the simplicity & plainenes of our forefathers , through a vain imitation of other countries fashions , and mislike of our own , hath brought forth , may we not rightly say to the authors thereof ? defunct is patribus successit 〈◊〉 , cujus 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 valuere ruunt . the fathers dead , they leave a wicked brood ; whose lewd example ruines that which stood . and it is not sufficient for men to delight in the matter of evill , but they must also give it ( after the maner of other countries ) a peculiar forme to set it forth with the greater grace , that it may allure and draw their desires to a further and more generall mischiefe . the romanes complained that the men of asia and greece sent their vices with their manners into italy , and corrupted the simplicitie of their former manners and vertues left to them by their forefathers , from whence our travellers have brought the same corruption to us , and given us the like cause of complaint of them , as they had of the other . there hath beene an old saying , that all evils rise out of the north : but we may say that all our evils come to us out of the south . how happy were that common-wealth where yong men would labour to shine to the world by the ornaments of their mind , and to excell one another by vertue and knowledge ; as they now covet to glitter in gold and silver , and to exceed in vanitie of attires and gestures : and where old men would give example of godlinesse , temperance , and modestie ; and 〈◊〉 their desires from worldly superfluities ? if noblemen and gentlemen would follow the manners of kings in times past , who had 〈◊〉 care of their 〈◊〉 , not thinking themselves kings by their apparell , but by their mind : differing from the common sort , within & not without . one of the praises that the emperor commod●… gave to his father marcus a●…relius after his death was , and that worth●…ly , that others had made the common-wealth rich , but his father had m●…de it vertuous : others repaired walls , but he reformed manners : and one of the praises given to the emperour severus was , that hee never beheld any man in rome apparelled in filke or purple : but to what time could ●…cans verses be more aptly applyed than to this ? non ●…ro tectisve modus , mensasque priores aspernata fames . there is no meane in gold , or buildings proud , our fables skorne what former times allowed . after the famous champion starchater had recko●… up the old manners of the antiquity , and reprehended the deliciousnesse of the latter ages , he conch●… : nunc re●…ens 〈◊〉 facies 〈◊〉 ●…mnia pressit . new men new manners . but admit that the m●… of other nations , which we so greatly desire to im●… , be more agreeable with civilitie , and their knowle●… of vertue likewise greater than were those of our fo●…faters , surely their ignorance of strangers vices , 〈◊〉 more profitable to them , than is now the 〈◊〉 of their manners and vertues to us . and what made these great princes and wise men of former ages so carefull to continue the old manners and simplicitie of habits of their forefathers , but onely habits by their excellency of wisedome and vertue they 〈◊〉 ( which we find by experience ) that whe the and habits of other co●… were brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their vices would also come with them : and that when costlinesse and varietie of 〈◊〉 had gotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , men would be easily drawn to such a delight to 〈◊〉 forth their bodies with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that they would have small regard to the ornaments of their minds : for proofe whereof we need not go far to seek for examples . but to returne againe to fri●…ship , where we left . gaine now adayes contracteth frie●…p , which is no sooner discontinued , but friendship is also dissolved . vertue and honestie neither beginneth nor continueth friendship : but as the poet truly saith ; vulgus 〈◊〉 as utilitate probat . cura quid expediat prior est 〈◊〉 quid sit 〈◊〉 : et cum fort●… statque caditque 〈◊〉 . friendship , the vulgar doe no further prise than for their profit : we doe first devise what 's gainefull , before hone●… profits all : and faith with fortune doth both rise and fall . 〈◊〉 writing to his friend atticus , restraineth one friend to wish to another more than these three things : to enjoy health , to po●… honour , and not to suffer necessitie . but if i had such authoritie over my friends , i would make some alteration , and forbid them to wish one to another more than these three things : to feare god , to enjoy health , and not to suffer necessity , which were sufficient to bring them to the felicitie of both worlds . friendship was wont to extend , but now : what is more common in every mans month than friendship and honestie ? and what thing more rare and lesse in use ? plato saith , that friendship is given us by nature for a helpe to vertue , and not for a companion of vice . dicearchus adviseth to make all men our well-willers if it be possible ; but onely good men our friends , who are not obtained but by vertue . plutarch warneth men to take heede how they seeke for a swarme of friends , lest they fall into a waspe-neast of enemies . pythagoras disswadeth men from joyning hands with every one . all which counsell tendeth to this end , to make us wary what kinde of men wee make choice of to bee our friends , and that no friendship can bee perfect but between a few , and those vertuous and honest men , such as was betweene ionathan and david , and some others : but such counsell is needlesse in this latter age , when vertue is in declination : men bee no●… so hasty to enter into faithfull friendship , nor so forwardly in performing , that they need raynes to draw them backe , but spurres rather to pricke them forward . the fable of the beare could not bee more aptly applyed to any time than to these latter ages , for the reprehending and setting forth of false friendship . as two men were walking together in the fields , that had professed faithfull friendship each to other , there commeth o●… of the woods by chance a beare towards them ; the one perceiving the beare at hand , leaveth his friend , and climbeth up a tree to save himselfe : the other seeing himselfe forsaken and left alone , fell downe to the ground as though hee had been dead : the beare came running to devoure him that lay upon the ground , and muzling about his mouth and 〈◊〉 , finding that he breathed not ( for hee held his breath , knowing that the property of a beare is not to prey upon a dead carkasse ) the beare departed : and after the man was risen againe , i pray thee ( quoth hee that was come downe from the tree ) what was that the beare whispered in thine ●…are ? he willed me ( said the other ) to beware hereafter how i trusted such a false friend as thou art . there need no such tryall of friends in these dayes , a lesse matter than the fear of a bear wil discover mens infidelity & dissimulation . and if men would consider how farre they are surmounted by brute beasts in perfect love & friendship , they should finde cause to be ashamed to see themselves inferiour to unreasonable creatures in things that appertaine to vertue & honesty . report is made by credible authours , that as king pyrrhus marched with his army , hee hapned to passe by a dog that guarded the body of his master who lay dead upon the high way : & after the king had beheld awhile this pitifull spectacle , he was advertised by some of the countrimen , that the same was the d. day that the poor creature had not departed out of the place , nor forsaken the dead corps , without meat or drinke : which moved the king to command the body to bee buried , and the dog for his fidelity to be kept & cherished : & caused an inquisition to be made of the murder , but nothing could bee found . it chanced that not long after the king was disposed to take muster of his whole army , that hee might see how they were furnished : the dogge alwayes followed the king sad & mute , untill such time as they that killed his master past by : then he flyeth upon them with a wonderfull violence & fury , as though he would teare them in peeces , turning this way and that way , howling most pittifully , sometime toward the king , beholding him earnestly , as though he demanded justice : which made the king and all the company suspect that these men committed the murder : whereupon they were examined and tormented ; and upon their confession of the fact , put to death . the like happened in france ; one gentleman having killed another , and the dog of him that was slaine would not depart from the body , untill he was by the kings commandement taken away : the murderer could in no wise be knowne , untill the king by some occasion tooke view of his men ; and as the murtherer passed by , the dog waiting upon the king , ran furiously upon him , and returning againe to the king , looked up earnestly to his face , as though he required justice ; and thus ran too and fro barking and howling so often , that the king and the rest suspected the gentleman to have committed the murther . and being examined , and denying the matter , the king thought good to make triall what the dogge would do : he gave leave to the gentleman to use his sword for his defence , and armed the dogge with leather , and turned them together : the dogge assayled the gentleman with such fury and violence , that perceiving himselfe like to bee torne in peeces , and unable to defend himselfe from the dogge , he desired to bee delivered from him , and confessed the fact . the manner of this fight was by the kings commandement painted in a table for a memoriall , and kept in the kings court , to bee seene many yeares after . king lysimachus had a dog which had long waited upon him in the wars , & when he was on hunting or any otherwhere ; and when hee saw the king his master dead , and layd upon a pile of wood ( as the manner was , to be burnt , the dog with great howling and sorrow in the sight of all men leapt into the fire , & was burnt with his master . when titus sabinus and his family were put to death as rome , one of their dogges would never be driven from his master : and when one of the romanes did cast meat to the dog , he tooke 〈◊〉 up and carried it to the mouth of his master , that lay upon the ground dead ; and when the car●… was cast into tyber , the dog swam after , & labored by all the mean●… he could to li●…t up his master out of the water , all the people wondring at the love of the dog . nicomedes king of bithynia had a horse which he used a long time in the warres ; and when nicomedes was ●…ine , the horse would never cate meate after , but wasting daily , with sorrow and emptinesse dyed . and this was a strange thing that happened at constantinople , when the turks for their pastime had cut off divers christians , whom they had taken prisoners , in the midst with their swords , so as their bodies were divided into two parts , besides a great many other in the same sort most cruelly ●…aine : at this time there were five hundred captives brought into the 〈◊〉 , and so divided with their swords in the midst : and after these dead bodies had lyen upon the ground a while where they were slaine , there commeth an oxe roaring , and finding his masters c●…kasse among them , hee lifted one part of him upon his hornes , and carried it away to another place , and returneth & fetcheth the other part likewise , and joyneth both parts together ; which thing being greatly wondred at , and brought to the 〈◊〉 of mahomet the great turke , hee caused the parts of the dead body to bee separated againe , and brought to the former place : the oxe followeth roaring as before , and finding out his master among the rest of the dead bodies , taketh him up , and carrieth him away againe : the great turke being much amazed with this strange fight , commanded the dead bodies to be buried , and the oxe to be kept among his ca●… during the rest of his life . and if we shall descend from these that be domesticall to wilde and salvage beasts , wee shall finde them in this matter nothing inferiour to the others . a gentleman of a noble house , called andr●…cles , being taken prisoner , and made a slave , taking occasion by his masters hard dealing , ran away from him , and fled into certaine desert woods in a●…frica , adventuring himselfe rather among wilde beasts , than to endure the tyranny of his cruell master : and after he had wandred a long time in the desert , ●…ee espied a cave under the ground , into which he goeth to repose himselfe the night following , which ( unknowne to him ) was the den of a lyon : hee had not beene long there , but a little before night in commeth a great and terrible lyon , roaring and halting , which had beene a hunting for his prey , to rest himselfe that night in his accustomed lodging : the poore slave looking for no other , but that the lyons belly should be his sepulchre : the lyon espying the man , lay downe by him , and stretched forth his fore-foot that was lame , making mone , as though he desired helpe : the slave perceiving the lyons meaning , began to plucke up his heart ; and looking into the lions foot he found a thorne sticking fast in it , and the wound festred , which caused his foot to swell : hee lanced the wound , and let forth the corruption , and tooke out the thorne ; which though it were wonderfull painefull to the lyon , as appeared by grinding his teeth and wrying his mouth , yet he endured it with great patience : when he had washed the wound with his urine , and lapt up his foot as well as he could , they remained together in the den all that night : so soone as it was day the lyon goeth forth to hunt for his prey ; and after he had beene abroad a certaine time , he returneth to the den again with part of the wilde beast in his mouth , which hee layd downe before the man for his dinner , and went forth againe to hunt for more : the slave having eaten nothing in two or three dayes before , went forth of the cave and layd the flesh in the sunne to be rosted ; and before it was throughly rosted he eat it very hungerly , & when the evening was come the lyon returneth with more meat : and thus hee continued fed by the lyons provision certaine dayes : but at length waxing wearie of his dict , and of his solitarie life , he stale forth of the den in the absence of the lyon , and hid himselfe not far from the place : but when the lyon was returned after his accustomed manner with meat for his guests dinner , and found him not there , he made pitifull lamentation and mone , which declared his great sorrow for the mans absence : when the lyon was layd to rest , the slave departeth ; and wandering to seeke some place of refuge , he fell by chance into the hands of them whom his master had sent to seeke him : and being taken and sent to rome , his master layd him in prison , to be devoured of wilde beasts : for the romanes had a manner , when the emperors or principal men were disposed to celebrate some festivall time , to make some pastime to the people in their theatres ; among which this was one , to cast slave ; and condemned men to wilde beasts to be devoured . and as for this purpose they used to cause wilde beasts to be taken in the deserts : so it chanced that this lyon amongst others was taken by hunters and sent to rome , about that time that titus the emperour returned from the warres , and had determined to shew some of these pastimes to the people of rome : and as the emperour and the people sate beholding these matters in the theatre , this lyon was brought in place : and after he had cruelly rent in peeces certaine prisoners that were cast in to him ; this poore slave was also throwne into the place to be dismembred and devoured , as the rest were : but as the lyon ran towards him to teare him in peeces , he knew the man , and laid downe his ●…ares , and wagged his taile , fawning upon him like a dog with all the kindnes●…e he could use : then the poor slave that looked to bee devoured , and was almost dead for very feare at the fight of the lyon , gathered his spirits to him , knowing him to be the same lyon with whom he lived in the cave : and renuing old acquaintance , stroked the lyon gently with his hand upon the backe , and made as much of him as hee could : after the slave and the lyon had thus courteously entertained each other , to the great admiration of the emperor and all the people , whose minds were diversly drawne to see so strange a thing , some saying the lyon was enchanted , others alledging other causes , according to the inclination of their conceits ; the emperour called the man to him , whom the lyon followed like a dog , & asked him how this strange matter should come to passe : the slave told him all the manner of it , as hath been said : whereupon 〈◊〉 the petition of all the people the emperour pardoned him , and gave him the lyon , who waited upon him whithersoever he went. chap. iiii. the gratitude of an eagle , and of a dolphin : of a roman cens●…r , and his host. the rare modesty of cato sent to governe spaine : of collatinus : of regulus : of cincinnatus the dictator , &c. pride derided in teribarus the pe●…sian . the contemplative life preferred before the civill . illustrated both by the authority of 〈◊〉 asti●…ns philosophers , and other later examples . the like examples of love and friendship hath beene found in fowles of the aire ; and that which is more strange , in fishes of the sea . philarchus reporteth a historie of a boy that had a great pleasure in birds : among the rest he tooke a singular delight in a young eagle that was given him , which he fed and cherished very carefully , and cured him also being sicke : and when the eagle was fully growne , and had lived a good time with this boy , he shewed many signes of mutuall love to him : for when the boy happened to fall sick , the eagle would continually sit by him ; when he slept , the eagle would also sleepe ; when he waked , the eagle would wake ; and when he would not ●…ate , the eagle would abstaine from meat . and afterward when the boy was dead , and carried forth upon a hearse , the eagle followed ; and when he was burned , the eagle flew into the fire . aelian writeth of a singular love of a dolphin towards a boy ; this boy being very faire , used with his companions to play by the sea side , and to wash themselves in the water , and practise to swim . a dolphin fell into great liking with this boy , above the rest , & used very familiarly to swim by him side by side : the boy , though at the first he feared the dolphin , grew by custome so familiar with him that they would contend together in swimming each by other : and sometimes the boy would get upon his backe , and ride upon the fish as though hee had beene a horse : insomuch that the dolphin would carry him a great way into the sea , and bring him to land againe in the sight of all the people of the citie adjoyning , wherin they took great pleasure : it chanced at last that the boy lying with his belly close to the dolphins backe , the sharpe pricke ( which those fishes have ) rising out of the middest of his backe ran into the boyes belly , and killed him : the dolphin perceiving by the weight of the boy , and by the bloud which stained the water , that he was dead , swam speedily with all his force to land , and there laid down the dead boy , and for sorrow died presently by him . these examples may make many men seeme more brute than beasts , that performe things appertaining to vertue more effectually by the instinct of nature onely , than they do by nature and reason joyned together . many will use honesty so long as it serveth their turne to be honest ; but when to be honest will no longer serve their turne , then farewell honesty . in this generall confusion of things and depravation of manners , wee may say with the wise man ; quos fugiam sc●…d : quos sequar non video : whom to avoyd i know , but whom to follow i see not . examples of vertue in these corrupt dayes are so rare , that he which will seeke for a faithfull friend , or a man endued with vertue and honesty , must bee d●…iven to seeke for him as one sought a good man , by the report of marcus aurelius . the emperour marcus aurelius maketh report of a custome among the ancient romans , to send once or twice every yeare their censors into the countries under their dominions to see how the lawes were executed , and how justice was done : one of these censors comming to a towne in italy , commanded his host of the inne where hee lodged , to call the good men of the towne unto him , that he might understand by them how justice was ministred . this man , being wiser peradventure than the censor , goeth with his message into the churches , to the graves and sepulchers of such as in their life time were of most estimation among the people for their vertue , and were dead many yeares before ; and calling every man aloud by his name , het old them the censor commanded them to come to him ; and returned home againe : the censor looking long for their comming , asked his hoste , whether he had done as he commanded him : who answering him that hee had done it ; the censor willed him to goe againe , and hasten them away , and to shew them of his tarrying : the hoste goeth againe to the churches , and to the tombes and graves , and with a loud voyce calleth them , as hee did before , and returneth to his house againe : the censor waxing angry for their long tarrying , sent for his hoste , and enquired of him the cause , and who they were to whom hee had spoken : you commanded me ( saith he ) to warne the good men of the towneto come to you ; the pestilence and civill wars hath consumed long since all our good men , so that i was driven to goe to the graves and sepulchers of the dead , none being left alive worthy of that name . such search must bee made in these dayes for such a man under the ground among the dead , being hardly to be found above among the living . we are not to say with him ; our civill warres and pestilence have consumed all our good men : but the iniquity of this time , having turned the vertue and simplicity of former ages into vice and dissimulation , and the traducing and counterfeiting of strangers manners and fashions , hath as a pestilence , infected and corrupted our manners left to us of our forefathers , that hardly a faithfull friend or an honest man is any where to bee found : but seneca saith , it is very good to follow the steppes of our forefathers , if they have led the way well : for lands and riches and other vanities have gotten away the reputation ; vertue and honesty is out of request : whatsoever is had in reputation encreaseth ; but that which is had in contempt , and not regarded , diminisheth . in pretio pretium nunc est : dat census honores ; census amicitias ; pa●…per ubique jacet . price is held precious , wealth doth honour buy : wealth begets friends , the poor doth each where ly . if a man unknowne be named , the question is by and by whether hee be rich , what living or lands he hath ; and thereafter he is had in reputation , or in contempt : no man asketh whether he be honest , whether hee hath vertue , learning , or knowledge , as though they were things of none account , not worth the inquiring for , which maketh men so carefull to get the one , and so negligent to come by the other : riches and possessions have afflicted the manners of the world , and so overwhelmed the common wealth , that is 〈◊〉 in her vices as it werein a sinke . vertue is supplanted , and vice sowne in her place : the name of vertue and honesty is of many desired , but of very few deserved : and they that bee worthy of that name , except they have great store of goods and land , they have no grace among men . callimachus the poet said , that riches without vertue , doth never give reputation to a man , but vertue without riches giveth him some credit : but now wee see it fall out cleane contrary , for riches without vertue giveth great reputation , and vertue without riches giveth none at all . et genus & formam regina pecunia donat . queen mony gives both birth and beauty . and again — quidvis nummis presentibus opta , et ven●…et . wish what thou wilt & present mony wil purchase●… in no time it could be more truly said tha●… in these dayes : virtus post 〈◊〉 ; vertue after money . for he that is of great lands or riches though he have no vertue nor learning , yet hee is wondred at , as if hee were some heroes or divine thing : and yet in time past among the ancient romanes povertie was a sound prayse and true vertue . riches and possessions are preferred to honorable places , and are set at the upper end of the table : but vertue and learning is thrust downe behind the screene : ubi multum de intellectu , ibi parum de fortuna : as if he should say ; they that be most rich in the goods and gifts of the minde , are commonly most poore in the goods of the world : to no time the poets saying could be more aptly applyed ; non facile emergunt , qu●…rum virtutibus obstat res augusta domi : they doe not easily rise , that have small meanes . our manners are so contrary to those of former ages , that the world seemeth to bee turned upside downe : which wil easily be perceived , by comparing some few examples of other ages with our time . a lacedaemoni●… was sent ambassadour to make league with the king of persia : and finding his great estates playing at dice , he returned home leaving his ambassage undone : and being asked at his returne , why he had left those things ●…done which were given him in charge by the common-wealth : he answered , that he thought it would be ignominious to his countrey to enter into league with dice-players . and this is no lesse to be noted , that a censor of the romanes put a senator of rome out of the senate , because he kissed his wife in the sight of his daughter : but where is this modesty become among christians , that was looked for of this heathen ? the severity of such a magistrate was never more necessary than now , who should finde plenty of other maner of matters to reprehend . in china at this day if any man bring into their country any new fashions of garments or manner of ●…tire , other than hath been used of antiquitie , he suffereth death . in the countrey of licaonia none might weare but one garment in one whole yeare : and if any need a new garment hee must not only have leave , but also shew wherewith he would buy the same . in that countrey there must bee no new inventions : if any devised any new fashions that differed from the ancient manner of their countrey , the deviser was banished , and the device abolished : neither would they suffer any perfumes among them , affirming it to be no lesse in famie to a man to be perfumed , than to a woman to bee manifestly ●…chast of her body . as there was wont to bee contention of vertue and modesty , so now is it of quaffing , of pride , of vaine attires , and gestures . when agesilam king of sparta , sometime the most flourishing common-wealth of the world ; went into asia , & saw their timber square that was in their buildings , he asked whether their 〈◊〉 did grow square ; and when answer was made that dry grow round , but were made square by art : and would yee ( quoth hee ) make them round if they grew square●… noting their superfluous curiositie . what would these men say , if they lived in these dayes , not to see the excessive sumptuousnesse of buildings onely , and houses , which should not bee decked and set foorth with stones and pictures , and such like toyes , but with the 〈◊〉 of the inhabitants ; but also the pride and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 varietie of fashions in attires and maners ; not 〈◊〉 some round things square , but rather by their vaine ●…riosity and nicenesse bringing all things out of square●… ( the theba●…es had a law , that no man should make a house for himselfe to dwell in , but he should first make his grave . ) if they saw the quaffing and carowsing commonly used untill they be ready to rumble under the table : the licentious covetousnesse , blasphemica , and all manner of luxuriousnesse : all allowed for good , as things commendable , that beget a reputation to those that exceede the rest ? the emperour adrian would say , that there is not any thing that more doth offend a common-wealth , than to infect the same same with strange and unaccustomed manners , which occasioned him to make a law of reformation both for eating superfluous meats , and also for wearing of garments , eyther too many or too costly . the re●…sians had a law , that whosoever brought into their country any strange or new manners and fashions , hee should lose his head . in rome maids and wives were forbidden to drinke wine , and men to buy muske , amber , or any perfuming smells ; where it was as ordinary to punish them that did use perfumes , as women that were found drunkards . the emperour vespasian having his pen in his hand , ready to signe a dispatch which hee had given a roman knight , and feeling him smell of perfume , he not only revoked his grant , but with many threats banished him out of his presence . bene olet , qui nihil olet . non bene ●…let , qui bene samper ●…let : best she doth smell that sents of no perfume . she worst , that to smell sweetly doth presume . but now wives and maides will not onely accompany men in their carowsing , but men in perfumes labour to exceede women , and be more carefull to smell sweet than to live well : and what can be more lothsome than for a man to have his garments perfumed with sweete favours , and himselfe polluted with stinking vices and foule conditions ? the luxuriousnesse used in feasts and garments is a signe of a sicke common-wealth ; and when men have wasted all their owne , they seeke to bee master of other mens : many of which things chiefely come to passe by evill examples worse followed , brought from forreine countries , and lache peradventure of sufficient reprehension by those , whose charge is publikely to rebuke and cry out upon the generality of vices , never more used : but it happeneth to many of these men now adayes , as it doth to him that commeth into the sight of a wolfe , whose propertie is to take away his voyce ; where of came a common proverbe , lupus est in fabula , when some thing is spoken that every man may not heare : but now it may be sayd of many of this sort , lucrūest in fabula : for the desire of gaine and promotion maketh them ho●…rse , and draw in their voyce when they should reprehend 〈◊〉 lest they offend . and in truth the generality of all manner of vice is so crept into almost all estates , that a man may more safely and with lesse blame live viciously than reprehend vice . among other vertues which the heathens carefully observed , they used great modestie and temperance in their manner of life , and had worldly pompe and vanitie in contempt , as things repugnant to felicity . when the elder cat●… was sent by the romanes to governe spaine , he was attended upon but with three servants ; the coverlet of his bed was goat-skinnes : hee contented himselfe with the same wine and meat that the ●…riners provided for themselves : which kind of life , by his accustomed frugalitie , was as pleasant unto him , as all the pompe and delicates used by the great estates of other ages . the romanes sent messengers to colati●…s to come to rome , to take upon him the government of the romane empire ; whom they found sowing of corn in the fields : this man , after he had overthrown his enemies and wonne a great victory , for which he triumphed after the manner of the romanes , yeelded up his office , and returned to his plough againe . this man ( saith valerius maximus ) may bee a comfort to poore men ; but much more hee may teach rich men how unnecessarie a thing the carefull getting of riches is to the obtaining of sound praise and felicity , hee might also have said : regulus making wars in affrica ( after he had won many victories upon the carthaginians , and understood , that for his good service the romanes prorogued his government for another yeare ) he wrote to the consuls , that his bailiffe of husbandry , which was but of seven acres of ground , that he had in the country , was dead , by meanes whereof his hired servant had taken away the things that belonged to his plough , and was gone away ; and therefore hee desired them that one might bee sent to supply his place , lest his husbandry being neglected , hee should not have wherewith to maintaine his wife and children : which when the consuls had delivered to the senate , they appointed a new bay liffe to manure his land , and provided for his wife & children , and caused those things which he had lost , to be payd for out of the common treasure cincinatus likewise , being made by the romanes dictator , which was the highest dignity in the romane empire , an office never used but in great necessity , was by them that were sent for him found at plough in the fields : & understanding the matter , hee caused his wife to fetch his gowne , and shaking off the dust from his garments , he went with them presently into the city without any more curiosity , where hee was received by the senate with great honour . contempta tempore sape crescit gloria : and after he had overthrowne his enemies , and brought all things into good order , which was done in twentie dayes , he gave over his office . this man likewise had but seven acres of ground to live by , whereof three he lost , which hee had laid in pledge for his friend : and payde out of this little land a fine for his sonne for want of appearance at a day appointed : and yet with the foure acres left he maintained himself and his familie , and for his vertue and worthinesse was made dictator : hee would now thinke ( saith valerius ) that hee wanted elbowe roome , whose house should containe no greater circuit than cincinnatus demaines . these men set their felicitie in vertue , and not in riches , nor in honour and glorie , and yet both followed them . in this time the worthinesse of men was measured by their vertue , and not by their riches and honourable estate ; which was the causes the romanes made so many notable conquests of sundry nations , to the great enlarging of their dominion . they that follow vertue as their guide , shall have fortune for their companion . anaxarchus the philosopher shewed a notable example of magnanimity , when by the commandement of ner●… hee was taken prisoner , that he might reveale a certaine conspiracie made against him : as hee was ledde towards him for the same purpose , hee bit off his tongue , and spit it in the 〈◊〉 face , knowing that by torture he should bee compelled to discover the rest . these men , though they beleeved as heathens , they doe the workes of christians ; but we beleeve as christians , and doe the works of heathens : and if wee exceede them in curiositie of attyres , and formalitie of manners , they went beyond us in good life and conversation . let the brave men and jolly fellowes of these dayes , that glister in gold and silver , and thinke themselves graced by their tragicall habits and gestures , as the onely paragons of the world , and them that are wondered at and accounted happy by their great traines and troopes of followers , and them that set their felicitie in dainty and delicate meates , and spend whole dayes and nights in banquetting and quaffing ; let these men ( i say ) leave to ●…latter themselves , and with an upright judgment indifferently examine themselves by these men , and compare catoes vertues and the rest with their vanities ; these mens frugalitie and modestie with their excesse and luxuriousnesse ; these mens temperance with their licentiousnesse ; the simplicitie of habits , and finglenesse of their life that governed kingdomes , and triumphed over nations , with the pompe and pride of this age , and with their lascivious maners and effiminate attyres , that passe their time in courting and carowsing . these things duly considered , our gallants must needes let fall their peacocks tayles , and wish that some of argus eyes were restored into their heads , whereby they might bee more provident , and better able to discerne betweene the others vertues and their vanities , that diverteth them from felicitie : who then would exclaim upon the iniquity of this time , that will yeeld them no examples to follow . and those men that bee so carefull to beautifie their bodies with brave attires , leaving their minds soyled with foule vices : and they that aspire to honourable places without vertue , seeme to mee to bee like them that wash their face with faire water , and wipe it with a dish-clout . there was a persian called teribarus , who so greatly delighted in brave attire , that on a time having apparelled himselfe in very costly garments , more meete for a prince than for him , set out with pearle and precious stones , and divers kindes of jewels and furniture , such as women use to attire themselves withall , thinking thereby to encrease his reputation above the rest : the king arta●…erxes had no sooner espyed him , but he fell into a great laughter ; and turning to him , said , wee give thee leave as an effeminate man to use womens delights , and as a mad-man to weare princes apparel : as if he should have said , that to hunt ambiciously after honor and reputation after the custome of many , is rather worthy of laughter than of anger : and that it is a kinde of madnesse to aspire to honour and reputation by any other way than by vertue , which rather flyeth away , than followeth after them that seeke for it . divitum & prapatentum feda mollities , malorum ●…mnium fomes & scaturigo . many 〈◊〉 advanced to estimation and honourable estate through their great riches and possessions , and other by favour without merit , that were but yesterday of no account , and of base parentage : but very few rise to honour by the worthinesse of their vertue . and such men being so suddenly exalted , doe many times as snailes do when winter is past , who feeling the heate of the sunne , thrust out their necke and hornes out of their shell in a stately sort , and are fearefull to little children : even so , many of these new men that lur●…ed obscurely , and lived without reputation and ver●…e , finding themselves advanced suddenly to high and unlooked for estate , abusing the favour of the prince , carry up their heads aloft , grow proud , and look bigge , as though they would be terrible to all the world : asperius nihil est humili , cum surgit in altum : none looke so bigge as beggars being rais'd . one marvelleth that seeing men are called men , and live by their mind , and not by their outward forme , that they are so carefull to decke their bodies , and so negligent to adorne their mindes . where great care is had ( saith cato ) to decke the body , there is great carelesnesse and litle regard of vertue . if diogenes were now living , he must have a torch to seeke for a man at noone dayes ; for he would hardly finde such a man as hee looked for with a candle . but to returne from whence i digressed . by the exercise of these and the like vertues , the heathen thought they might attaine to felicitie : for to live according to nature they thought was sufficient to live happily , because by nature wee have an inclination to vertue , though not made perfect without exercise : but they knew not how our nature was corrupted by the fall of our first parent , by which wee can doe nothing that good is without gods holy spirit : neither can fortune give us any helpe to it , avaine name among the heathens given to those effects , whereof they knew not the cause proceeding by the providence of god. there was found engraven in a precious stone called topaze , these words in old romane letters : natura deficit , nature fayles . fortuna mutat●… , fortune changes . deus omnia cernit , god seeth all things . which words against the philosophers , that thought the way to felicity to bee , to live according to nature whereto they would have the helpe of fortune , may be thus applyed , by the defect of nature : by the mu●…abilitie of fortune : without the providence of god , no man can attaine to felicitie . for our nature being degenerate from his first perfection and estate to wickednesse and corruption , and fortune ( as they call it ) being variable and uncertaine , void of all constancy , we have no means to come to felicitie without gods providence & grace : and to thinke that a man may bee able to attaine to it by his wisedome , is extreme arrogancie and meere folly . patrarke saith , to beleeve that thou art wise , is the first degree to foolishnesse : the next is to professe it . by this which hath beene said , it appeareth that the felicitie of man consisteth not in the action of morall vertue , as the philosophers would ; for that is not his end : but the end of man , is the glory of god ; to know and worship him , which is also his proper action : for unstable and uncertaine are all humane matters , not onely in the minds and actions of private men , but in monarchies also and kingdomes : to day they flourish and seeme to be in great securitie , to morrow they decline and fall into thraldome and miserie : another time they returne againe to their former estate : thus continually prosecuting their periods , even as the heavens that goe round , alwaies moving , and in circular sort returning where they beganne : so by vertue they are raised up on high , and by vice following ( as it were by a necessary succession ) they are throwne downe againe . virtutum soboles pax est , at copia pacis , vbertas luxum peperit , luxuriabe●… , bello pauperies sata : the off spring of vertues peace , plenty and increase , which are the fertile issue of long peace , beget excesse , excesse begets hostility , and war the parent is of poverty . and thus it fareth with the condition of men , that adversitie springeth of poverty , and prosperity of adversitie . but though the philosophers exalted so highly morall vertues , and the actions and operations of a civill life , as that wherein the felicitie of man consisteth : yet they preferred a contemplative life before it , as a thing wherein was a more perfect felicitie , excelling all other operations and actions of man , and bringing him to a most perfect and exact felicitie , and beatitude : for all operations or workes , receive their perfection from the powers and faculties from whence they proceede , and from the subject whereupon they worke : so as the perfection of the power or faculty that worketh , and of the subject upon which it worketh , maketh the operation or worke more or lesse perfect , as the power and subject hath in them more or lesse perfection . so wee say , that the operation or worke of the sight , is more perfect than the operations of all other senses , because it commeth from a power more perfect , and is more pure and subtill . and the art of a blacke smith is lesse perfect than that of a gold smith , because the matter whereupon he worketh as his subject , which is iron , is lesse perfect than the matter which is gold , upon which the gold smith worketh : so the operations of the understanding , proceeding from the most perfect power of al other , & working upon an object most perfect , which is substances abstract and divine , must needes bee the most perfect operation , which is nothing else but the contemplation of divine substances . but the operations of the senses are not pure , but are mixt with paine or lacke : as to eate , endureth no longer than we suffer the paine of hunger , or have neede of meate ; so that the pleasure of eating is joyned with the paine of hunger ; and likewise of all the other senses . the operations also of a civill life are not pure and simple , as are the operations of the understanding , which is a power voyde of all matter : but they are full of perturbations & troubles , and affections , farre from the delight and quietnesse of a contemplative life . for all our operations and actions , and likewise the exercise of morall vertues , are full of travell and wearinesse : the troubles and unquietnesse of the warres wherein men exercise fortitude , is known to all men : likewise the endlesse labours both of body and minde , that is in governement in a common-wealth , by exercising justice , liberalitie , prudence , temperance , and other vertues , is apparent : and all our travels and labours , whether it be in warres or peace , is to enjoy quietnesse . as one said , every motion is to rest : and if we see a man withdraw himself from publike affaires , and from medling with worldly matters , to a private and quiet life , all say with one voice , that man is happy that leadeth a secure and quiet life , free from worldly cares , and troublous affaires of the common-wealth : by which we confesse , that we judge a peaceable and quiet life to be the end of all our travels : so that the felicity of man seemeth in our owne judgement to consist in a quiet life , free from worldly cares and troubles : and forasmuch then , as such quietnesse is in no kind of life to be found , but in a contemplative life , then in must rest the felicity of man , after the philosophers . the contemplative or studious life also is not onely to be preferred before the active and civill life , by the excellency of the subject whereupon it worketh , that is , divine things , & the vacancie of worldly cares & troubles , but also that it is of such condition that fortune hath no power over it , as it hath over other states of life . a small provision serveth his necessitie , hee is free from all feare of losse of goods , and from any great care of keeping that he hath , because his riches is in his minde , he carrieth all his goods about with him , and is content with himselfe . and therefore ( say they ) a wise man that giveth himselfe to contemplation , though he be placed in a most solitarie place or wildernesse , yet hee is happy by reason of the excellencie of his minde , which is occupied in despising humane matters as base things , and in beholding divine things as the poet saith : felices anim●… , quibus bac cognascere primum , inque domus super as scandere cura fuit : blest they , who these things did both know & love , whoselove was with the gods to dwell above . but because a civill life requireth continuall action , mans felicitie cannot consist in contemplation , except there should be one felicity of a private man , and another of a common-wealth . and therefore after varr●… , mans felicitie ( so long as he liveth in this world ) doth neither consist in rest nor in action , but rather in a mixture of both together : if there must bee one felicitie of a common-wealth and of a private man : for the minde cannot throughly have the fruition of perfect contemplation ; untill it be separated from the body . and aristotle saith , that as a horse is borne to runne , an oxe to till the ground , and a dogge to hunt : so a man is borne to two things ; to understand , & to do : for , that nothing might bee wanting to the excellencie of the minde of man , by which we resemble god the great creator of all things , he placed man as the end of the whole frame of the world , in this goodly great theatre , not only as an inhabitour of the lower part of the world under the moone , to make one entire common-wealth with the rest of his kind , like to that heavenly principality above ; but as a certaine spectator also of divine things : who by comparing things past , with things present , might foresee things to come : and know and love by his word , and worke the glorie of his parent . and when he should ascend up to him , hee should joyne himselfe to god , and conforme all the harmonie of his gifts , to his goodnesse and glory ; which by two manner of wayes is brought to passe ; when he helpeth and maintaineth his fellows and brethren according to his calling by the rule of gods laws : and magnifieth god in continuall contemplation by prayers and thanks-giving . therfore that the minde being fallen into the prison of the body , might raise it selfe up againe , as it were by certaine degrees to perpetuall light . in man , there is from the body a continual ascending by the spirit to the inward soule : in the world , where with we are environed , from the elements and compound things , by the aethereall substance to heaven : in mans common-wealth from kingdomes and cities to the due order of the whole course of nature ; from hence to the incorporate world and god himself , as the first example and patterne of all justice and truth . for besides the incorporate world , that is above all the rest , of which all the others depend , there are three bodily worlds coupled together one with another , as it were with a chaine of gold ; the greater , the lesse , and mans common-wealth betweene them both : and the contemplative life is to bee preferred before the active life in this , that it resembleth god more neare than the other , because it is occupied in the operations of the minde and understanding , god being understanding it selfe . now if the contemplation or studious life of the philosophers which they bestowed in the knowledge of god by his workes , and by their reason and understanding , were imployed to the knowledge of god by the testimony of his holy scripture and by faith , then may it more rightly bee said , that the contemplative life is more perfect than the active life : but christian contemplation properly isto be exercised in afflictions , and to feele motions of the spirit ; and not to be studious only , that resembleth rather an active life ; which afflictions and spirituall motions may as wel be in him that giveth himselfe to study , as in him that is occupied in matters of the common-wealth , as it is to bee seene in david , and then may it truly be said , that such a contemplative life is to bee preferred before all other kindes of life , as that which leadeth to the true felicitie and beatitude or summum bonum . the contemplative or studious life hath been in such estimation among men , that divers examples are registred in histories both of heathens and christians , that have voluntarily forsaken the world and all societie of men to leade this kinde of life : to whom many strange things have happened : among the rest ( by the report of st. ierome ) anthonie being in the wildernesse , met with a strange kinde of creature or monster that resembled a little man , and a crooked nose , a horned forehead , whose lower parts ended into the feet of a goate , who brought him dates to eate : and when anthonie asked him what he was , he answered , i am a mortall man , one of the inhabitants of the wildernesse , whom the foolish gentiles worshipped , being deluted with many erroneous opinions , & called them fauni , satyri , and incubi : i am the embassador of my companions ; we desire thee to pray to our common god for us , whom wee know is come for the salvation of the world : which words were no sooner spoken , but he seemed to flye away . one reporteth of one paul an hermite , that from the time he was sixteene yeares old , untill threescore , he lived in the desart with dates : and from threescore unto an hundred and twenty , at what time he died , he was fed daily by a crow who brought him bread , by which he lived without any other sustenance . persius exciteth men thus to the contemplation of things , & to the love and exercise of vertue : discite & o miseri , causas cognoscite rerum . quid sumus , aut quidnam victuri giguimur : orde quis datus : aut metae qu●…m victur : flexus & ord●… : quis modus argenti , quid fas optare , quid asper 〈◊〉 nummus habet : patriae charisque propinquis quantum elargiri deceat , quex●… te deus esse iussit , & human●… quâ parte locatus es in re . o wretches , learne the cause of things to know , and what we be , and why we were borne so ; and what to overcome ; what to order give , and in what bounds and limits we should live : how moderate coyne , what justly to desire ; and being possest of money , to enquire what use to make of it ; what we doe owe vpon our kin , or countrey to bestow : with what endowments god would have us grac●… , and in what part of mortall things we 're plact . the end of the fourth booke . the felicitie of man , or , his svmmvm bonvm the fift booke . chap. i. wherein the true property of felicity consisteth : the difference betwtxt the felicity of this life , and the summum bonum : the life of tymon of athens : diuers weighty considerations touching the life of man : of the sea-man : the life of the husband-man : of the marchant : of the souldier : calamities of warre : of miriam : inhumane cruelty of the iewes : of the numantians : the misery of famine : the insolency of warre : of paris : the estate of a souldier truly deciphered : the estate of a lawyer : the miser●…es of a client . now that wee haue shewed by diuers reasons , and by the opinion of learned men , and by many examples , that the felicitie of man , or his summum bonum consisteth not in pleasure , nor in riches , nor in honour and glory , nor yet in vertue , or in the action of vertue : order requireth to prosecute our discourse , and proue , whether we can finde out , wherein this felicity doth consist , and the way that leadeth to it . in which discourse although in par●… we will deliuer our owne opinion according to that talent which god hath giuen vs ; yet in the principall which is contained in the last booke , we will follow the opinion of learned diuines : otherwise it may be said , — tractent fabrilia fabri . let smithes meddle with their forges . but the greatnesse and difficulty of the matter doth not a little terrifie me , and maketh mee ready to withdrawe my pen from the paper , the subiect being beyond my strength to handle as it ought ; and putteth me in minde of a wise answer made by simonides the poet to cyrus ; of whom being desired to shew his opinion , what god was , the poet craued three dayes respit to answer him : and when the time was expired , he desired double so much time more : and that being come he doubled that time also ; giuing him to vnderstand , that the more he considered of god , the more difficulty he found in the matter , and the further hee was from the perfect knowledge of god. so in this matter , though farre inferiour to the other ; the more i consider of it , the more difficulty i seeme to finde ; yet the common saying doth something animate mee : in arduis voluisse satest . wee haue said before , that whosoeuer will search for the felicity of man , hee must haue respect to the whole man , which consisteth of body and soule : for such part as the soule taketh in this life , and in the life to come , such doth the body take also : whether it bee ioyes or sorrowes , felicity or infelicity . and though this life in continuance is nothing , in respect of the life to come , nor can admit any comparison or proportion betweene them , the one being temporall , and the other without time , no more then that which hath end , to that which is infinite ; yet because it is something in respect of time , whereof it is a part ; we will first treat of the felicity of this life , and then of that of the life to come . but here riseth an ambiguity of no small importance , how we may conforme and apply the things which the name of felicity seemeth to purport , and our humane nature with true and christian felicity . for affliction for christs sake in this world , is the direct means to attaine to the perfect felicity of the life to come : god hauing appointed to the godly no other passage , but through the flame and furnace of afflictions . dulcia non meruit , qui non gustauit amara . hee deserves not to eate sweet meates , that never tasted of what was bitter . which seemeth to be repugnant to the name of felicity , & to our humane nature . for the felicity of this life , if we haue any respect to the imbecillity of our humanitie , seemeth to looke for a contentment , ioyned to the other things wherein felicity consisteth . and in afflictions and troubles , though men vse patience , they hardly find contentment ; that is , not to desire to be in a better estate : but the propertie of felicity is to satisfie his desire , and to be voide of feare . and hee upon whom god bestoweth that great blessing , after a quiet life in this world , to inherit the ioyes of the life to come ; seemeth to be more happy then hee that liueth here in affliction , and enioyeth the same heauenly blessednesse in the other life . but if we cleanse our minds of our corrupt affections and passions , and looke into the matter with a sound and vpright iudgement , we shall see , that either there is no felicitie in this life , that answereth to that name , or else that affliction and such crosses as god will lay vpon us , detracteth not any thing from our felicitie . for seeing the difference of greatnesse , and distance of space , that is betweene things that are circumferiptible and have end , can make the lesse seeme nothing , and beare no proportion to the greater , then à fortiori , that which is temporall and comprehended within time , and hath end , seemeth nothing , nor beareth any proportion to that which is without time , perpetuall , and infinite . the globe of the earth , which for his shew of greatnesse we call sometime improperly the world , ●…nd is after the mathematicians computation , one and twentie thousand miles in compasse and aboue , yet being compared to the greatnes of the circumference of the eighth sphere or starrie skie , it is but as a center or little pricke to the circle , to which it beareth no proportion : much lesse the afflictions and troubles of this temporall life , in respect of the perpetuitie of the ioyes in the life to come , beareth any proportion , but is to be accounted nothing . and who will call him a sickly man , that in the whole course of his life hath neuer felt any sickenesse , but onely one little short fit of an ague : but rather will call him a healthfull man ? much lesse can the afflictions or troubles of this life bee called infelicitie : or withdraw any thing from the name of felicitie : because betweene the other there is some proportion : betweene this life and the life to come , none at all . but yet because the life wee lead in this world , is something in respect of time , let us see whether wee can finde any thing in it worthie to be called felicitie . and because there is a great difference not onely in continuance , but also in greatnesse betweene the happinesse of this life , and the life to come : wee will distinguish betweene the words , and call the happinesse of this life , felicitie , and that of the heauenly life , beatitude , or blessednesse , and summum bonum , or soveraigne good . in the sundry and manifold things created by god with such variety , some things he made with a simple essence , some things with life , & some other with sense ; to man he gaue all these , together with vnderstanding , of whom he would be knowne and worshipped : he made him also good & after his owne image , and adorned him with many goodly gifts , and gaue him dominion ouer all other creatures , and made the world for him , and gaue him the vse of all things contained therein ; esteeming him not as his creature , but rather as his sonne , and discouered to him his will ; which when hee disobeyed , preferring his owne appetite before gods commandement , by the fraud and subtiltie of the di●…ell , he cast him out of his fauour , and bereaued him of many of these goodly gifts and ornaments wherewith he had indowed him : and where before his life and estate was most happie and blessed , his nature was then altogether corrupted and altered ; his goodnesse was turned into sinne & wickednesse , his vnderstanding darke , and as it were couered with a cloud . all which imperfections descend from the first man vnto vs : but christ the son of god , through the speciall loue and fauour he did beare to mankinde , hath reconciled vs againe to his father , though without recovery of those goodly ornaments , by taking vpon him the burden of our sinnes , and satisfying his justice in his owne person . now therefore the onely meanes we haue to attaine to blessednesse or summum bonum againe , which we lost by the fall of our first parents , is by the merits and mercie of christ , to returne to god againe : and seeing that god is the greatest and chiefest good of all things , from whom all things haue their being and goodnesse , in him is to be sought that summum bonum , and blessednesse or beatitude we looke for , and no otherwhere . and for as much as he made us to his owne glory , and that we might know and worship him : the end and true felicitie of man in this world is , to know god , to magnifie and worship him ; to which end is ioyned the fruition and enioying of him in the world to come , which is the beatitude or blessednesse , and summum bonum we seeke for . but because men are commonly called happy or vnhappy , according to the course of life they leade , let us examine the estate and condition of this life , and see whether wee can finde any thing in it , other then that last aboue spoken , worthy of the name of felicitie . many ancient philosophers and wise-men , having diligently observed the nature and manner of life of all sorts of creatures of the world , and compared them with the estate and condition of men , cryed out , that of all the creatures that breathed and went vpon the earth , there was not any more miserable thē man. heracltt●… moved with the like consideration , neuer went foorth into the streets among the people but he wept , bewayling continually the calamities of men , being perswaded that all that we can see under the uppermost heaven , is nothing else but a very theatre of misery , worthy of continual complaints & compassion . democritus for the like cause neuer went forth of his house in the sight of men , but he would fall into a great laughing , esteeming all mens actions & labors meere vanities another company there were of a more strange dispositiō , that would not onely murmur and grudge at the nature and condition of men , but were as hatefull enemies to their owne kinde , supposing that nature had set vp man as a butt or marke , against which she would discharge all the bullets of her wrath & indignation ; among which sort of men was one called tymon a philosopher of athens , who professed himselfe openly an enemy of mankind , & performed it in effect . for he would neuer dwell or keepe company among men , but withdraw himselfe into the defa●…ts , and leade his life among beasts , that he might not be seene of men : and passing his time in this solitary sort , he would speake with no man saving onely with alcibiades , a valiant gentleman of athens , neither with him , for any loue hee had to the man , but for that he did foresee , he would be one day a plague & scourge to men , and specially to the athenians . and it was not sufficient for him to abhorre and detest the company of men as furious wilde beasts , but hee sought also all the meanes he could , if it had bin possible , to destroy mankinde : and for that purpose he set vp a great many gibbets in his garden , that desperate folkes and such as were weary of their liues might hang themselues : and after certaine yeeres , meaning to inlarge his little cottage where he dwelt , hee determined to cut downe those gibbets for his building : and being loth the lacke of them should bee any hindrance to his citizens death , he went to athens , and openly in the market place hee caused the people to be assembled , that hee might deliuer some newes to them , who knowing his humour that used to speake with no man , ranne to the place out of all parts , expecting attentively some strange matter : when they were come together , he cryed out with his hoarse voice ; my citizens of athens , if any of you be disposed to hang your selues , doe it quickly , for i meane shortly to cut downe the gibbets for my necessary building . and when he had ended his charitable motion , he departed home to his house , without speaking any word more ; where he liued many yeeres , continuing in the same opinion , detesting the miserable estate and condition of men . and when tymon perceiued that death approched , he tooke order for his buriall to bee at the low water marke , in the very brinke of the sea , that the waues might not suffer any man to come neere him to see his bones or ashes , and caused this epitaph to be written vpon his tombe , made latine thus : hic sum post vitam miseramque inopema ; sepultus : nomen non quaeras ; dij , lector , te male perdant . after a poore and wretched life , heere i am laid in ground ; reader , forbeare to aske my name so : thee the gods confound . and as another of his condition , that liued solitarily in the woods , eschuing likewise the company of men , came to him to supper ; in the middest of their banket , o tymon ( quoth he ) what a pleasant supper is this , that hath no more guests but thou and i ? so were it ( said tymon ) if thou were away : hee was so hatefull to the condition of men , that hee could not endure the company of him , that was of his owne disposition . pli●…ie meditating vpon the miseries where with man is borne , and the endlesse travels wherein hee liveth , saith , among all the creatures that nature hath brought foorth , onely man is ambitious , man onely is proud , couetous , and superstitious , onely desireth long life , and maketh a sepulchre wherein to bee buried : and rightly was this spoken by plinie ; for other beasts neither riches doe make proud , nor pouerty sad ; they weepe not when they be borne , nor waxe sad when they shall die . marcus aurelius both an emperor and philosopher , entring into a deepe contemplation of the calamities and miseries wherewith our poore life is continually afflicted , burst out in these words : the battell of this world is so perillous , the issue so terrible and dreadfull , that i assure my selfe , if any old man should come out of the earth , and would make a true discourse and declaration of his life , from the time hee came forth of his mothers belly , to his last breath , and that the bodie would recite all the paines it hath suffered , and the heart would discouer all the conflicts of fortune , all men would bee astonished at the body that had suffered such things , and at the heart , that had in such sort languished and dissembled , whereof i haue had experience in my selfe , and will freely confesse it , though to my infamy , but in time to come it may be profitable to some others : in 〈◊〉 . yeeres that i liued ( saith he ) i would needes prooue all the vices of this life , & make proofe whether the wickednesse of man might in some sort be satisfied . and after i had seene all , i found that the more i ate , the more hungry i was : the more i dranke , the more i thirsted : the more i slept , the more i desired to sleepe ; the more i rested , the more weary i was ; the more i had , the more cou●…tous i was ; the more i sought , the lesse i found : and to conclude , i neuer had thing in my possession , that was not sometime troublous to me , and by & by i desired some other thing . s. chryso●…some being in admiration , after he had with great cōpassion bewayled the calamities of men , and the darkenesse wherewith they are overwhelmed , pronounced with a loud voice ; i wish that i were placed in so high a tower , that i might behold all men , and that i had such a voice , that it might be heard over all the earth , and understood of all people ; that i might with a shrill cry speak thus with king dauid : o ye children of men , how long will your hearts be hardned ? and not without cause ; for hee that will behold with a sound iudgement the estate of the world in these dayes , what fraud and deceit , what dissimulation , blasphemies , adulteries , licentiousnesse , warres , effusion of blood , rapines , ambition , couetousnesse , malice and such like , wherewith the world is as it were drunke , may thinke that the time is at hand , whereof the prophet esay spake in such detestation , your iniquities have made a division betweene you and your god ; your sinnes have hidden their face before you , that it might not heare : for your hands bee soyled with blood , your fingers with iniquity , your lips have uttered lies , and your tongue wickednes : there is not one that calleth vpon iustice : no man iudgeth according to equity : they conceave fellonie , and are delivered of iniquitie , they have disclosed egges of aspis , and have spunne the cobweb of a spider : he that shall eate of their egges , shall die ; he that shall breake them , foorth will come a basyliske : their feete runne to evill , and they make haste to sheade innocent blood : their thoughts bee wicked imaginations , truth is throwne downe the streets , and equity cannot enter in ; our wickednesse is multiplied , and our sinnes witnesse against vs. when the preacher had considered the vanities of the world and miseries of men , he said thus , wherefore i iudged those that are dead , to bee more happy then such as be aliue : yea him that is yet vnborne , to be better at ease then they both : because he seeth not the miserable workes that are done vnder the sun . silenus saith , that the greatest gift which god gaue to man was , not to be borne : the next to that was , to die as soone as he was borne . plato that divine philosopher entering into the due consideration of the miseries of this life , knowest thou not ( saith he ) that the life of man is no other thing but a pilgrimage , which wise men passe with ioy , singing heartily when they see the necessity of their approch to the inevitable end thereof ? knowest thou not , that man in his greatest part , consisteth of the soule , that is enclosed within the body as in a tabernacle , wherewith nature hath environed us , not without great paine and trouble ; and if shee bestow vpon vs some little good things , they are hidden , and of small continuance , and are seasoned with bitternesse and pensivenes ; by meanes whereof , the soule feeling griefe , desireth the heavenly habitation , and wisheth for the fruition of the ioyes there ? consider that the departure from this world , is nothing but a change from evill to good . but come hither ( saith he ) from his nativity to his grave , what kind of misery is there that he suffreth not ? whether it bee of poverty , of heate , of cold , of whippes , of stripes , even before he can utter his conceit ? what other messenger or better t●…ouchman can he have of his miseries , then his weepings , cryings and sighes ? when hee hath disgested so many evils , and come to bee seven yeeres old , hee must presently have tutors and masters to instruct him in learning ; when hee is further growne , and become a young man , hee must haue reformers and masters , more severe and sterne , the better to tame and accustome the heate of these young folkes to labours : that being done , haire beginneth to cover his face , and then he is come to be a man ; and yet this is the time that hee entreth into his trouble and vnquietnesse of minde : then he must frequent publike places , he must haunt companies that be as touch-stones to know both good and euill . if he be honourably descended from any noble house , he must take vpon him a thousand enterprises in the warres , offer himselfe to an infinite number of perils , hazard his life , shead his blood to die in the bed of honour : otherwise hee shall be accounted a carpet knight , an effeminate man , and had in contempt . if he be of base condition , and called to the exercise of handicraft , hee must then also runne into a thousand labours , trauels , and perturbations both of bodie and minde : hee must labour day and night to get wherewith to liue with the sweate of his browes : and for the most part , howsoeuer he imploy his labour and diligence , hee can hardly provide for his necessitie . but let us runne over briefely some of the principall estates or trades of life , and see what opinion is holden of them , and proue whether we can find any that are content with their estate ; but rather hath sometime or other found fault with it , and hath beene weary thereof , and wished for some other , which is so farre from felicity , that it ought rather to be accounted miserie . let vs beginne with sea-faring men , who be in continuall perill both day and night ; their habitation is as a prison : their manner of life is not much vnlike to the same : they are alwaies as vagarants , & in continual exile , for the most part without rest , tossed vp and down with the wind and weather , in danger of ●…ockes , and to bee buried in fishes bellies . byas one of the sages of greece , doubted whether he should account these kinde of men among the dead or among the hu●…g : and anacharsis said that there was but two or three fingers breadth betweene them and their death , meaning the thicknesse of the boords . and though some become masters of many shippes , and are accounted happy by reason of their riches that way gotten ; yet that happinesse is not much to be regarded that hangeth vpon ropes . and if we looke into the life of husbandmen , which at the first sight seemeth pleasant , quiet , simple , without guile , and happy , and such as patriarkes and prophets have made choise of , as that which hath in it least fraud & deceit : and also great emperours have forsaken their stately palaces , their pompe and dominion , to give themselves to the planting of gardens and orchards : yet he that will looke throughly into the matter , shall find that among these roses , there be many thornes : for whē god cast man out of paradise , hee sent him abroad as an exile ; saying , the earth shall be cursed for thy sake , thou shalt eate thereof with travell all the dayes of thy life : for it shall bring forth thornes and thistles , and thou shalt eate the hearbes of the earth : with the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread , vntill thou returne to the earth againe , from whence thou camest : and who hath more experience of that the lord spake , then those poore soules , who after they have laboured in the fields day after day , tilled & sowed their ground , endured the rigour of the heat and cold , and sweat as it were water and blood , in the middest of their hope to gather the fruites of their travell , there happeneth vnseasonable weather , ouermuch plentie or want of raine , frost and snowe , mildewes , and such like ? some lose their cattell , other suffer spoile of their corne , and all that they have long travelled for , in a moment by men of warre , even as they are labouring in the fields : so that in place of comfort and rest , he returneth home sorrowing , where he findeth his wife and children weeping and lamenting for feare of famine : so that this kind of life is full of trouble and vnquietnes , alwaies in feare of some thing or other . but let vs leaue the husbandmen in their labours , and see what goodnes is in the trafficke of merchandize : this trade of life , if we looke into it superficially , will seeme to bee exempt from all manner of miserie and vnhappinesse , and to promise quietnesse and ease because of riches , wherein it aboundeth : a trade invented for the necessity of our life , which many wise men , as thales , solon , hippocrates and others haue exercised ; and which nourisheth amitie and loue betweene princes , transporting their commodities from one countrey to another ; yet notwithstanding that trade cānot so be disguised with faire shewes , but it will easily appeare to him that will enter further into the view of the matter , how full of vnquietnesse and troubles their life is , as the poet saith ; impiger extremos currit mercator ad indos , per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa , per ignes . to how many dangers they are continually subiect , either in their own persons , or in the losse of their goods , both by sea and by land , by tempests , by pyrates and theeues , and how great a part of their life many of them spend in strange countries , differing nothing from exiles , sauing that their banishments are voluntary ; and all this through an excessive desire of gaine , which maketh them leave the pleasure and comfort of their wives and children , of their friends , and native countrey : and what craft ( an epytheton peculiar to them in time past , but now growne more generall ) and deceit is vsed of many of that trade , their owne countrey proverbe seemeth to discover , that there needeth nothing but to turne their backe to god a fewe yeeres , and a little to inlarge the entrie into their conscience , to make themselves rich , and to overcome fortune . but we will passe over many things that bee written , and may bee said of them , & conclude with the words of saint augustine and saint augustine : that it is hard for them to please god , or duly and rightly to repent them of their sinnes . but let us leave the marchants in their accounts , and see what happinesse is in the men of warre , who thinke themselves to exceede all others in worthinesse and honourable estate , and therefore have this epytheton aptly given them , gloriosi milites , glorious souldiers : and yet not he ( saith one ) which leadeth his life in the warres , but he that endeth his life well in peace , winneth both honour in this life , and also perpetuall memory after his death : these men lead a very painefull and dangerous life , not onely by their enemies , but by an infinite number of diseases that follow the campe : they must suffer hunger , thirst , heate and cold , winde and weather , frost and snow ; they watch and ward , and wake almost continually ; and when they sleepe , they must take vp their lodging in the plaine fields at the signe of the moone . and this paines they take to embrue their hands in the blood of them for whose preservation christ was contented to shead his own blood . lyons , beares , wolves , and all other kinde of wilde beasts , spare to exercise their fury vpon their owne kinde : but these vse extreme cruelty , and utter all their rage upon men that christ dyed for , as wel as for them , not vpon the heathens onely , which were more tolerable . and what be the fruits of these mens profession . beside their owne miseries which are many , as the effusion of their owne blood , and that of infinite numbers of innocents , men , women , and children ; burning and sacking of goodly cities and townes , spoyling and 〈◊〉 mens goods , wasting territories and fields ; rapes upon matrones and virgins ; prophaning temples and sacred places ; making men captives and slaues , and to end in one word , all manner of impieties and outrages that men can commit , which is confirmed by the poet : nulla fidesx , pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur , venalesque manus , ibi fas , vbi maxima merces . no faith , no piety's in those , that are of mars his traine . their servile hands hold all as iust , where they can rub to gaine . and when they returne from the warres , many of the common sort that liued honestly before , by want of discipline and good example , get such licentiousnesse and dissolutenesse of manners , that they become beggers or theeues , and so lead & end their liues in myserie , of whom the italian hath a prouerb ; warres make theeues , and peace hangeth them vp . the better souldier ( saith one ) the worse man : but that wee may the better see what fruits spring out of this profession , let vs produce some examples of the miseries and calamities that men haue suffered by the warres ; yet not of the great number of thousands of men that haue beene slaine in the field with the sword at one battayle : or the goodly cities that have beene vtterly destroyed and made desolate , ( for those examples be infinite ) but of some few that be more strange , and not so common . iosephus reporteth , that when ierusalem was besieged by the emperour titus , besides wonderfull things that the people suffred by the extremitie of famine , as the eating of the leather of their girdles , shooes , targets , and also of their old hay : there was a rich woman had gathered together her goods into a house within the citie , and lived sparingly upon that she had left : but the souldiers in short time tooke all away , and she could no sooner begge a morsell of meat to helpe to relieue her , but they would take it from her and deuoure it themselues : at last seeing her selfe ready to famish , she committed a horrible act against nature : shee tooke her childe that she had sucking vpon her brests , o vnhappie child ( quoth shee ) but much more vnhappie is thy mother ! what shall i doe with thee in this warre , in this famine , and among these seditious people ? if i should save thy life , thou shalt live in perpetuall servitude with the romanes : come hither therefore ( my little wretch ) and serve thy mother for meat to relieue her , and for a terrour to the souldiers that haue left me nothing , and for a perpetuall memorie of the miseries of mans life , which onely wanteth to the calamities of the iewes : after shee had spoken these words , shee killed the poore infant , and put him vpon the broach , and roasted him , and ate the one halfe , and laid vp the rest : which was no sooner done , but the souldiers came into the house againe , who smelling the sauour of the roasted meat , threatned to kill her , except shee brought it foorth : content your selves , my friends ( quoth shee ) i have dealt well with you ; looke how i haue reserved the one moitie for you ; and therewith shee set the rest of her childe vpon the table before them . the souldiers being amazed with the horrour of this lothsome spectacle , stood silent , unable to speake a word : but the woman contrariwise beholding them with a sterne and sturdie countenance ; what now my friends ( quoth she ? ) this is my fruit , this is my childe , this is my fact ; why eate yee not ? i have eaten before you , are ye more daintie or scrupulous then the mother that brought him foorth ? doe yee disdaine the meate that i have tasted before you , and will eate the rest , if yee leave it ? the souldiers were not able any longer to endure this lamentable sight , but went trembling away , leaving her alone with the rest of her childe . in the time of traiane the emperour , the iewes rebelled , in which warres the iewes not content to have slaine the romanes , but brought also their dead bodies to the shambles , and there quartered , cut them in pieces , and sold them by weight , and ate them with as good appetite as if they had beene hens or feasants : and further , adding one crueltie to another , they brought foorth certaine romanes which they had in prison , and made wagers one with another , a denier or a point to strike off the head of a romane at a blow . they would flay the romanes quicke , and tanne their skinnes for leather : and further to disgrace them , they would cut off their privie members , and tosse them as a ball in the market place . the greekes and romanes that were in all places slaine in these warres , were reported to bee fiue hundred thousand , which cost the iewes so deare , that if the dead had beene living , they would have thought themselves sufficiently revenged . after the emperour 〈◊〉 had killed his brother geta , and was in possession of the empire , the praetorian souldiers finding themselves rich by the rewards of bassianus , and their enemies subdued , went into rome , and entering into the houses , slew all persons with whom they had any vnkindnesse , and vpon wagers would kill a whole kindred , vntill they had left no person in whom any remembrance might remaine . the people of numantia in spaine were driven to such extremitie when scipio besieged the citie , that they would hunt after the romanes , as men doe use to hunt after a hare or deare , and eate their flesh , and drinke their blood as hungerly as if it had beene beefe or mutton : they would vowe to their gods not to breake their fast but with the flesh of a romane , nor to drinke wine or water untill they had tasted of the blood of their enemies which they should kill : so that none of the romanes were taken prisoners , but when they had killed any of them , they would flay him , quarter him , & wey him in the shambles , and sell him more deare being dead , then his ransome would yeeld being alive . when scipio perceived the great harmes the romanes sustained by those desperate men that would accept of no reasonable conditions , nor commit themselves to the clemencie of the romanes : who would answer , that seeing they had lived so many yeeres in libertie , they would not now die slaves : hee remooved his campe something farther from the towne , and entrenched them so straightly round about , that no victuals could come vnto them : then was there great cries of the women within the citie : lamentable complaints made by the priests to their gods : and shrill and pitifull exclamations made by the men to scipio , that hee would let them come out to fight like men of warre , and not to destroy them by famine like cowards : o scipio ( said they ) thou that art a noble and valiant young romane , doest not advisedly consider what thou doest , nor they that giue thee counsell : thus to keepe vs in , is but a policie of warre , but if thou ouercome vs in battell , thou shalt then winne to thy selfe immortall fame and glory . but when the numantines perceiued that scipio would not be remooued from his resolution , after they had endured the siege a yeere and seuen moneths , the young and lustie men assembled themselves together , and killed all the old men , women and children , and brought all the riches of the citie , and temples , and heaped them vp in the market place , and gaue fire to all parts of the citie , and then poysoned themselves ; so as the temples , houses , riches and people of numantia ended all in one day , leaving to scipio , neither goods to spoyle , nor men or women vpon whom to triumph . when scipio entered the citie , and beheld this lamentable spectacle , not without sheading teares : o happy numantia ( quoth he ) the gods would thou shouldest one day haue an end , but never to be overcome . the danes under their king hading making warre in suecia , in the winter suffered a wonderfull famine : for being so straightly besieged by vffo king of suecia , that they had no meanes ●…o proceede further in their enterprise , nor yet returne into their countrey : when their victuals were all consumed , they were driven to eate the hearbs and grasse in the fields , then the roots and barkes of trees , 〈◊〉 when all their cats , and rats , and horses were consumed , they that were left aliue , killed many of their owne fellowes and ate them . and the caliguritans , when pompey besieged their citie so straightly , that all things were consumed that might serve them for meat , they ate their wives and children . among the rest of the infelicities and miseries that ensue of the warres , this is not the least , that olorus king of thracia , when hee had subdued the daces , compelled all the men to be servants or slaves to their wives , in token of extreme servitude , & of the most spitefull disgrace and ignominie that he could devise to inflict vpon them . and this was no lesse spitefull , that attilus king of suecia made a dog king of the danes , in revenge of a great many injuries received by them . and gunno likewise king of the danes made a dog king of norway , & appointed counsellers to doe all things vnder his title and name . but the emperour fredericke the second used a more moderation , when hee had overcome the people in hungary : we have ( said the emperour ) done a great worke , but now there remaineth a greater worke , that we overcome and master our selves ; that wee make an end of our covetousnesse and desire of revenge : words worthy of an emperour . marcus aurelius noting the infelicitie of these kinde of men among the romanes , saith ; after our men of warre are gone out of rome , they neither feare the gods , nor honour the temples : they reverence not the priests : they have no obedience to their fathers , nor shame to the people , dread of justice , neither compassion of their countrey : some rob the temples , others breake vp doores : the nights they passe in playes , the dayes in blasphemies : to day they fight like lyons , to morrow they fly like cowards : some rebell against their captaines , and others flie to the enemies : finally , they are vnmeet for all good , and meete for all evill : and therefore , to speake of their filthinesse , i am ashamed to describe them : they leave their owne wives , and take the wives of others : they dishonour the daughters of the good , and they beguile the innocent virgins : there is no neighbour but they covet , nor oastesse but they force : they breake their old wedlocke , and yeerely seeke a new marriage : so that they doe all things what they list , and nothing what they ought . what ? wilt thou i tell thee more of the injuries which the captaines doe to the cities whereby they passe ? of the slanders which they raise in the provinces where they abide ? the moths doe not so much harme to the garments , nor the locusts to the corne , as the captaines doe to the people : for they leaue no beast but they kill , nor orchard but they rob , nor wine but they drinke , nor doue-house but they climbe , nor temple but they spoile , nor villanie but they commit : they eate , without meaning to pay : they will not serve , vnlesse they be well paid : and the worst of all is , if they have their pay , immediately they spend and play it away ; if they be not paid , they rob and mutine : so that with povertie they are not content , and with riches they are luxurious and insolent . i heard one day ( saith the emperour ) but hee saw not mee , a captaine of mine say to an oastesse of his , that would not let him doe in the house what hee would : yee of the countrey did never know captaines of armies , and therefore know it now ( mother ) that the earth doth never tremble , but when it is threatned with a romane captaine : and the gods doe never suffer the sunne to shine , but where we are obeyed . within short space after , this captaine went to a battell in arabia , where hee was the first that fled and left the standard alone , which had almost made mee lose the battell ; but in recompence of his valiant service , i commanded his head to be cut off . of these men one speaketh thus ; viviolas leges & ferro iura lacessit , obterit innoc●…os , alieno pascitur are . gods lawes and mans , by steele and force dissolve and breake they would , the innocent they grieve , and seeke to prey on others gold . but what need we seeke so farre for examples of this kinde , when our owne age yeeldeth vs more then sufficient , to proove the miseries that follow this trade of life ? in these civill warres of france , sanserra was so straightly besieged , that for want of victuals almost halfe the people were consumed by famine : when they had eaten vp all their dogs , cats , mice , and wants , they fell to the hides of their oxen , and kine , and sheepe : then to their leather girdles , saddles , bridles , and halters : to their purses , points , and all manner of leather garments : then they ate the hooffs of horses , oxen , stags and goats , whereof many had long hanged at their keyes : when all their corne was consumed , they made bread of straw cut in small pieces and stamped in a morter , and of a kinde of tile-stones : and when all these things were spent , the rage of their hunger was so extreme , that they ate the dung of beasts : and also their owne excrements : they would also seeke among the dung-mixens for the bones and hornes of beasts that had long lien there rotting , and eate them greedily . there were that would haue eaten the carcasses of dead men , but being taken with the manner , they were punished by the magistrates : and when they were driven to this extremitie , that all manner of things that might bee eaten were almost consumed , they cast out of the towne all those that were vnserviceable for the warres ; who were without any mercie or respect of humanitie most cruelly with stripes and wounds by the enemie driven into the towne againe : but the sight of the towne was so hatefull vnto them , that many chose rather to suffer any extremitie then to returne thither againe , and were slaine with their shot . it was a lamentable sight to behold men , women and children like a dried corse , nothing left upon them but skinne and bone : but nothing could moove the hard hearts of their enemies , so as at last they were enforced to yeeld up the towne upon certaine conditions . when the french king that now is and of navarre besieged paris of late yeeres , the famine grew so extreme within the citie , that they fed vpon their horses , asses , dogs , cats , mice , vine-leaves ; and after some writers , there died by famine above thirtie thousand persons : and this lamentable history is also reported ; that a citizen having nothing wherewith to feede himselfe , his wife and his children , not able any longer to endure the sight of this miserie , nor to heare their lamentable complaints , he first hanged vp his wife and his children , and then himselfe . but before this was done , he tyed a writing to his brest , declaring the only cause why he committed this act to be , that hee was no longer able to endure this miserie , and therefore hee prayed god that hee would forgiue him this fault . in the same warres , besides a great many other cruelties , which these kinde of men continually exercised , they would roast their owne country-men whom they had takē , by a gē●…le fire , that they might suffer long torment before they died : some they would kil with often little prickes and blowes with swords and daggers for their pastime . others they would hang up by the chin vpon pot-hookes , and put a little fire vnder them , that they might suffer a long and miserable death . to others they would cut off their privie members , and put them into their mouthes . they would teare the psalmes of david and other bookes of holy scripture , and thrust them into the wounds of dead men : such as would flie into castels , when the towne was won , and yeeld them selves upon condition & promise to have their lives saved , should be cast over the wals , and their neckes broken , & their bones in such sort with the fall , that streams of blood like little rivers were seene runne downe the castle . there were that opened a mans brest , and tooke out his heart ( and as they had often before wished ) did eate it up . another there was that hanged up his owne sonne : others would open dead mens bodies , and take out their intrals , offring them in scorne to sell , crying about the citie , who would buy a hugonits puddings ? there were that cut off a mans eares and fried them in a frying pan , and ate them sweetely , and with horrible othes & curses invited other souldiers to this banquet . to be short , they devised all the waies they could to put men to strange kinds of death , and torments not vsuall . some they would burne , others they would smother to death with smoke , some they would drown ; others they would stone to death ; some they would cut into small pieces ; others they would bury aliue ; some they would take out of their graues & cast thē to dogs to be devoured ; others they would famish for lacke of meate ; some they wold kil with cold , others with very feare ; to some they plucked out their eyes ; others they would kill , because they mourned for others calamities , to bemoane and behold a wicked act with pitifull eyes , was with them to commit wickednesse . but this was not sufficient for them to rage and exercise barbarous cruelty against men , women and children , and those of their owne nation , except they also had used intolerable blasphemy against god : when they had an intent to commit some of these kinds of murders , that one of them might know another , their watchword sometime should be ; three times i curse god. and as they brake into a marchants house , where they found many bookes , they made a fire in the midst of the towne , and burnt them all , sauing certaine bibles which were very faire bound and set ou●… ; them they fastened to the points of their halberts , and carrying them about the towne in a tryumph , they cryed out , behold the truth of the hugonots hanged , the truth of all the diuels in hell : and when they came to the bridge , they threw those bibles into the riuer , crying , behold , the truth of all the diuels in hell is drowned . the intent of these men was not to follow acitm counsell : bellorum egregij fines , quoties ignoscendo tra●…sigitur . the end of those wars are notable , when peace is made by forgiuing . and cyrus king of the persians was wont to say , that the workes of humanitie and courtifie were much more pleasant and gracious then the workes of the warres : for warre bringeth to men very much euill , and humanity very many goods things . these bee the fruits of this glorious profession , which is exalted aboue all other estates of life , and the manners of them that follow it : but so far are these men from happinesse , that if any estate be more vnhappie then others , these seeme to challenge the vantgard . but let vs license men of warre to follow their owne manners , and to enrich themselues by violence with the spoyle of other men , seeing it will be no better , that wee may with more safety passe thorow their pikes to another sort of men , whose profession neither alloweth war , nor they will suffer men to liue in peace , as though they were borne to this end , neither to be quiet themselves , nor to suffer other men , who in a more civill sort , not like a torrent , throwing down all before them as the other doth , but soberly like a consumption , know how , not with effusion of blood out of mens bodies , but of money out of their purses , to make their gaine much greater in few yeeres by peace without sheading their blood , and endangering their bodies , then souldiers can do by the wars all their whole life , with the losse of their bloud , and continuall hazzard of their persons : and see what happinesse is in their life , who now somewhere be the onely men that be reputed almost aboue all other estates ! these be the lawyers that liue by other mens losse , that become rich by making others poore , whose felicity bringeth other men to misery . these be they that can winne castles and townes to themselves with more ease and lesse perill , with their tongues , then men of warre can doe with their cannons . lingua licet mollis , frangere dura potest . the tongue is soft by which we speake , and yet a hard thing it can breake . but what happinesse see wee in their faculty , except gathering of riches , is to be happy , wherin it hath beene shewed before , felicity doth not consist ? and yet how many yeeres labour they must bestow day and night , in a painfull studie , before they can come to the sweetnesse of the gaine they looke for , themselves best know : and when they come to that perfection of knowledge in the law , to reape gaine as the fruites of their travell , with what conscience they enrich themselves to the impoverishing and utter undoing of a great many , god will be one day their iudge : but gaine is sweete , which way soeuer it come . sophocles saith ; susue est lucrum profectum etiam à mendacio . the law as it is now vsed in some places , is like a cameliō , that receiueth his colour from the colour it toucheth ; so the law receiueth his credit from his credit that deliuereth it : for that which is law this yeere , is the next yeere many times no law : which peradventure commeth to passe by the reason that ckanthes alleadged to one that asked him , how it happened that men were better learned in elder time then now ? because ( quoth he ) men then disputed vpon matter , but now vpon words . vnhappie ( saith one ) is that common-wealth where lawes be used like waxe , plyable to the passions of men . the abuses wherof gerson complained in his time in the handling of holy scriptures , may haply be applyed to the handling of the law in these dayes . all the vigour and efficacie ( saith he ) of sacred divinity , is reduced to an ambitious contention and ostentation of mens wits , and to meere sophistrie . ci●…ro said , that he seemed to him in this to doe more evill that corrupted the iudge with speech , then he that did it with money , for that no man can corrupt a wise man with money , but with speech he may . the old romans esteemed the iudgements that were given before , to be of great moment : for they gaue to the iudgements that should follow of the like things ( as it were ) a most firme and sure example , from which they thought it an vni●…st thing to diff●…nt . and plato saith , that common-wealth is like to go to wrack , where magistrates rule the lawes , and not the lawes ●…ule magistrates . the number that be made rich by this faculty , are few , and yet peradve●… too many : but infinite numbers be impoverished and vndone : and that cannot be a happie estate , by whose happinesse other men bee vnhappy and fall into miserie . one hath lost his matter , and evill spent his money and his time ; the other that is victor , goeth away many times a loser ; having spent more in the suite , then the matter is worth . for as the number ( saith tacitus ) and force of diseases bringeth gaine to the phisicions , so the corruption of the pleading courts , bringeth money to the lawyers . one thus noteth the abuses of certaine estates . causidicis , erebo , fisco fas viuere , rapto est , militibus , medico tortori occidere ludo est , mentiri astrologis , pictoribus atque poetis . lawyers , hell and the exchecker , liue by spoile , souldiers , physicions and hangmen , kill in sport . astrologers , painters and poets lye by authority . there was a plaine countrieman not long since in france , that had retayned three famous lawyers to be of his counsell , whom after he had heard debating his cause together , and receiued their opinions : truly , my masters ( quoth he ) ye have laboured faire , for ye have left me in a greater doubt then i was before . and who takes in hand the controversie betweene brother and brother ? who animateth and exciteth to contention the sonne against his naturall father , the wife against her husband , and maintaineth their causes , but these men ? and who serveth their turne best , but they which of all sorts of men be the worst ? envious men , malicious , contentious , covetous , and vncharitable . if it bee a true signe that the people be healthfull , when the phisicions be poore , then is it also a true signe , that men be contentious and vncharitable , when the lawyers be rich . there hath beene a common saying : serpens , ni serpentem ed●… draco non fiet . vnhappy are they that make the miseri●… of others , riches to themselues . these seeme not to be the peace-makers to whom the kingdome of heauen promised : they call them to whom they be counseller●… their clyents ; because , according to the significatio●… of the word , they pretend to receiue them into their defence . but by such defenders , happy is he that hath ●…o need to be defended . if platoes meaning be , that ●…he multitude of lawyers as well as magistrates and physicions be evident signes of an evil constituted common-wealth , then could it not to any age be more aptly applyed then to this ; because the one sort ( saith he ) sheweth the people to be malicious and ful of contention ; the other to be gluttonous and luxurious , and given to ease and idlenesse . very many lawes are notes of a very corrupt common-wealth . one saith ; nimium altercando veritas amittitur . and he that will looke into this age , must confesse , that as common-wealths heretofore were troubled and annoyed with wicked acts , so are they now with lawes . there is a common proverbe , that neither : physition liueth wel , nor a lawyer dieth wel : procceding peradventure hereof , that those haue bin accounted 〈◊〉 intemperate , doing that themselues which they forbid others . and these are noted diligēt observers of the laws of men , & many of them negligent enough in the lawes of god. gueuarra inveighing against the abuses of these daies in suites of law , saith , he that would giue himselfe faithfully to set forth the deceits , the delaies , the perph●…ities & dangerous ends of suites , should find it a 〈◊〉 not to be written with inke , but with blood : seeing if euery suiter should suffer as much for the holy faith of christ , as he endureth about the travel of his suite , 〈◊〉 would bee as many martyrs in chanceries and other courts of iustice and record of princes , as was at rome in the times of persecution by the old emperors . for to begin a suit at this day , is no other thing then to prepare sorrow to his heart , complaints to his tongue , teares to his eyes , travell to his feete , expenses to his purse , toile to his men , tryall of his friends , and to all the rest of his body nothing but paine and travell . so as the effects and conditions of a suite are no other , then of a rich man to become poore ; of a pleasant disposition , to fall into melancholy ; of a free mind to become bound ; from liberalitie to fall into covetousnesse ; from truth , to learne falshood & shifts ; and of a quiet man , to become a vexer of others : so that i see no other difference betweene the tenne plagues , that scourged egypt , and the miseries that afflict suitors , then that the calamities of the one were inflicted by gods providence , and the torments of the other are invented by the malice of men , who by their owne toyle make themselues very martyrs . peter de la primandaye thus noteth and reprehendeth the abuses of this time , in suites of law in his country of france . cicero complaineth of his time , that many notable decrees of law were corrupted and depraved by the curious heads of the lawyers : what would he doe , if he were now aliue , and saw the great heapes and piles of bookes , with our practice in the law ? if he saw that holy temple of lawes so shamefully polluted , and miserably prophaned ; where a thousand cavils and quiddities are continually coyned by such writings , according to the saying of the comicall poet : that through craft and subtilty one mischiefe is begotten vpon an other . but times have beene when there were but few lawes , because men thought that good manners were the best lawes ; and that naturall sense , holpen with an vpright conscience , and ioyned with due experience , was the right rule to iudge by . but after that men became so skilfull in suites , and that offices of iustice , that were wont freely to be given to them that deserved them , became to bee gainefull and free from yeelding any account of their doings , and set forth to sale as marchandisc for them that offered most : after that men began to spice their suites with great summes of money : after that lawyers began so greatly to gaine , and slightly to consider of their clyents causes , because they would make hast to another that waited for them , with gold in his hand : after that they began to write with seuen or eight lines on a side , and to disguise matters with frivolous answers : after that proctors and atturneys , who in former time were to be had for nothing , and appointed for certaine causes , became hirelings and perpetuall : after that sollicitors were suffered in the middest of them all to be as it were the skum gatherers of suites , with all that rabblement of practitioners , who devoure the substance of poore men , as drones eate vp the hony of bees : lastly , after that the chauncery did let loose the bridle to all sorts of expeditions , and went about to teach the iudges . after these things ( saith he ) began to be practised , we fell into this miserie of long suites , gainfull to the craftie and wicked , and very preiudiciall to plaine meaning and good men ; who many times had rather lose their right , then hazzard their vndoing by following a suite so long by way of iustice : for that commonly wee see the rightest cause frustrated by delaies , by affection , or by corruption . we see how suites are heaped vp one vpon another , and made immortall , that nothing is so certaine , which is not made uncertaine : that no controversie is so cleare , which is not obscured : no contract so sure , that is not vndone : no sentence or judgement so advisedly given , which is not made voide : all mens actions open to the slanders , craft , malice , redemptions and pollings of lawyers : the majestie and integritie of ancient justice lost : & last of all , that in the dealings of men now-a-dayes , no shew of upright justice , but only a shadow thereof remaineth . this evill is become so great , and growne to such extremitie , that it is unpossible but that according to the course of worldly things , the ruine thereof must bee at hand , or at the least it is to receive some notable change within some short space . for as plato saith , in a corrupt common-wealth defiled with many vices , if a man should think to bring it back againe to his first brightnesse and dignitie , by correcting small faults , and by curing the contagion thereof by little and little , it were all one , as if he should cut off one of hydraes heads , in whose place seven more did spring up . but that alteration & disorder , whereby all evill & vice was brought into the cōmon-wealth , must be plucked up by the roots : for an extreme evill must have an extreme remedy . and true it is , that there haue bin times when both lawyers and physicions have bin banished out of divers countries , as men rather hurtfull then profitable to the common-wealth , which argueth the same to bee no happy estate . and some reason they had to maintaine their opinion ; because men being more temperate in their life & diet , & not so cōtentious & malicious in those dayes & countries , as they have bin since , they needed not so greatly physicions nor lawyers . but since that time the luxuriousnesse and intemperancie commonly used , and the contentious and malicious minds of men growne to extremity , have brought forth a necessary vse of both their skils . of the one , to cure the disease engendred by disordered life , or some way to ease the paine : of the other , to helpe minister matter of contention , and at length to decide the controversie : for such is the necessitie of our humane condition , that in many things they are driven to seeke remedie there , from whence their harme commeth : as the oyle of a scorpion is a present remedie for the stinging of the scorpion . chilo said , comitem aeris alieni ac litis , esse miseriam . but why lawyers and physicions should be coupled together in such a cōgruence , i see not , except , because they have one cōmon end , that is gaine ; and the manner of both their proceedings in their faculties , is by evacuation . sine causidicis satis olim fuere futuraque su●… urbes . and may not we say to these men , as accius said to the augures ? nihil credo auguribus , qui aures verb●… ditant alienos , suas ut auro locupletēt domos . but princes , where the abuses of this profession begin to grow to an extremity , that shall see their people impoverished , and thereby the lesse able to doe them service , have meanes ynough to reforme them , and to reduce the professors to their first integritie . there is no art or science , facultie or profession , that in processe of time , be they of thē . selves ever so good or necessary , that may not be corrupted by abuses , and neede reformation . humanum est errare . councels were ordained to reforme errors and abuses crept into the church : parliaments , to redresse the abuses slipt into the cōmon-wealth , & the authority of princes sufficeth to reduce their subjects into good order . and princes should foresee and beware lest their cōmon-wealths , that were founded upon lawes , be not overthrowne by lawes . baldus a famous man , an interpretor of the civil law , noteth-that lawyers oftentimes are oppressed with sudden death . but though the abuses in that facultie make the professors subject to obloquy , yet they that speak worst , if they yeeld them their due , must confesse them to be malum necessarium ; necessary members for our corrupt nature , by whose skill mens malicious & contentious humors are many times , especially in these daies , so artificially fed & maintained , that they who at the first were ordained as instruments to defend men from injury , seeme now to be imployed as whips to the punishment of mens sins . the elder cato was wont to say , that pleading courts were strawed with caltrops . pope pius the d. compareth the sutors to birds , the place of pleading to the field , the iudge to a net , the atturneys and lawyers to fowlers . pope nicholas the third ( a man well learned ) banished out of rome , advocates , proctors , notaries & the rest of that society ; saying , that they lived by poore mens blood . but pope martin his successor , caused them to return againe , saying ; they were good men to draw water to his mill . one reporteth that if lewes the eleventh had lived a few yeers more , he had reformed in france the abuses of the law & lawyers . of these mē one speaketh thus : dicere sepeforo , turpique inhiare lucello , gaudet , & hoc studio vitam solatur inertem , vaenali celebrans commissa negotia lingua . to plead of gaping for dishonest gaine , fattens the lawyer , studying to maintaine a slothfull life : and ( be they right or wrong ) opening mens causes with a servile tongue . thus much of this estate as it is used in other coūtries written by their owne authors , & much more which i forbeare to recite , because i take this sufficient to prove that felicitie is as hard to be found in this estate as in others , though some countries be free from these faults : for the general●…y maketh the matter , & the use or abuse of every state of life bringeth to their professors felicity or infelicity : for the law is necessary in euery cōmon-wealth . plato saith : principatus sine lege grave & molestus subject●…s : another calleth it prasiaem & bonu & malis : and that in the lawes consisteth the safegard of a common-wealth . and how great infelicitie happeneth to the ludges , who when they are old , and should reape the fruit of all their travell in their youth , that is , rest and quietnesse , then must they begin to travell about their circuits , in heate and cold , durt and dust , frost & snow , wind and raine , as it were a penance for their life past , which they must continue untill they be ready to fall into their graves ? alexander alexandrins , an excellent doctor and advocate , when hee had lost at rome , against all right and reason , a matter of great importance , gave over his practice , and betooke himselfe to the studie of humanity , saying ; that the greatest part of them , that in these dayes sit in judgement , either ( as ignorant m●…n ) doe not understand the lawes , or ( as naughtie men ) doe corrupt the lawes . and augustine saith , that the ignorance of the iudge , is often the calamitie of the innocent . on●… said , these five things bring chiefely the common wealth farre out of square . a 〈◊〉 iudge in the consistorie , a deceitfull merchant in the market , a coverous priest in the church , a faire whoore in the stewes , and 〈◊〉 in princes courts . one likeneth the law to the web of a spyder , that taketh little flies , but g●…eater things breake their way thorow : which seemeth to point at some thing that maketh nothing for the felicitie of iudges and magistrates . chap. ii. the estate of iudges and magistrates : of bellizarius : a villaine reprehends the senate of rome : an excellent oration of a iew : a dialogue betwixt a philosopher and iustice : the estate of a courtier : a courtiers description : the manner of the court : the courtiers life : the estate of princes : the hystory of cleander , and of plantianns . let vs leaue these men pleading their clients causes , and looke further into the estate of iudges and other magistrates , which is an honourable estate , and necessary for our humane nature . and though these men command and iudge , and are honoured aboue the rest , yet haue they their part in those troubles and vnquietnesse , whereunto other men are subiect . their charge is great , and care without end , to preserue the people committed to their gouernment , in peace and concord at home , and to defend them from their enemies abroad . they must wake when others sleepe , and howsoeuer they behaue themselues , yet are they in danger of their princes displeasure , or the peoples obloquy , whereof ensueth many times their vtter ouerthrowe . a great number of examples may bee produced of good magistrates and honourable personages , that by the ingratitude of the prince or people , in recompence of their good seruice , haue beene bereaued of their liues and goods . pellizarians , a noble gentleman and generall vnder the emperour iustinian , ouercame the vandals , triumphed ouer the persians , deliuered italy many times of the barbares : in recompence of so notable seruice , the emperour through enuie and suspition caused his eyes to be plucked out of his head , insomuch that he was driuen to get his liuing by begging : and standing in a little cottage that was placed in one of the most frequented streetes in rome , asked almes in this sort : yee that passe by , giue poore bellizarians a farthing for gods sake , who for his vertue was famous , and through enuie is made blind : so that it is truly said , a great good turne is often rewarded with great ingratitude : and the vncertainty of the peoples fauour petrarke taxeth thus : faire weather of the spring , the mornings sweet winde of summer , calmes of the sea , the estate of the moone , the loue of the people , if they be compared together , the palme and price of mutabilitie shall be giuen to the last . but of magistrates that bee euill after the corruption of our flesh , grieuous curses be threatned vpon them . cursed bee ye that be corrupted with money and by prayers ; by hate or loue iudge euill to be good , and good euill ; making of light darkenesse , and of darkenesse light . cursed bee ye that haue not regard to the goodnesse of the cause , but to the fauour of the person ; that haue not regard to equity , but to the presents that are giuen you ; that regard not iustice , but money ; that haue not regard to that which reason sheweth you , but to that onely which your affection or desire leadeth you : yee are diligent in rich mens causes , but yee delay poore mens suites ; to them ye are sterne and rigorous , but to the rich pleasant and affable : which agreeeth with this saying of aristotle : amor & odium & proprium commodum 〈◊〉 faciunt indicem non cognoscere verum : loue and hate , and his owne commodity oftentimes maketh a ludge not to know the truth . the wise man pursuing this matter , saith , the poore man cryeth out , and no man harkneth to him , but they aske what he is : the rich man speaketh , and every man clappeth his hands , and exalteth his words with admiration above the skies : yet this sufficeth them not that are advanced to honourable estate : there is another worme that gnaweth upon them ; they doe by their children , as did the mother of zebedee . make ( lord ) that my children may sit one at thy right hand , the other at thy left . so after them , they set their sonnes in their dignities , sometime of small knowledge and capacitie . there was written in the councell house at ratisbone in a marble table with golden letters , these words following , which are meete to be written in the brests of all councellors and other magistrates : what senatour soever thou art , that enterest into the councell house to execute thy office , cast away before this doore all private affections , anger , violence , hatred , friendship , flattery ; put on the person , and have care of the common-wealth : for as thou art just or unjust to others , even so shalt thou also look for & endure the judgemēt of god. the villayne reprehending before the senate of rome , the corruption of their iudges and magistrates sent by them into his countrey , reprooved them thus : you send us officers so covetous , that they are all transformed into private gaine , and iudges so ignorant , that are not able to cōprehend our statutes ; nor make us understand your lawes . they punish grievously the faults of the poore , and dissemble with the faults of the rich : they take all that is offred in publike , and refuse nothing that they can take in secret : they cōsent to many offeces because they will haue occasion to be greater gainers . the law is led by affection , and justice measured by opinion : whereby it commeth to passe , that unbridled covetousnesse consults with secret mailce , and private malice gives place to publike theft : which because no man cal●…eth to due examination & triall , it resolveth into this inconvenience , that the covetousnes of one wicked man is satisfied by the prejudice of a whole nation . if he that complaines , be poore , and the partie that doth the wrong , be rich , the suite is not dispatched according to the equitie of the cause , but according to the wealth of the partie . if a poore man come to demand justice , and have not wherewith to give bribes ; at the beginning hee shall bee entertained to spend all that he hath , through a vaine hope to obtaine his cause ; and being entred , they consume him by delaies ; and whilest h●…e hath meanes to beare out the charges of the suite , they assure him that he hath good right : but when his liberalitie faileth , they pronounce sentence against him : and so where he came to complaine but of one , hee returneth accuising all ; crying to the gods for justice and mercy : yee romanes have this poesie in your banners ; romanorum est , debellare superbos , & parcere subiectis : but ye might more truly say ; romanorum est , expoliarek innocentes , & inquietare quietos . i sweare by the immortal gods , that in fifteene daies that i have beene in rome , i have seene here such & so great things done in this senate , that if the least of them had been done at dar●…by , the gallowes had bin hanged thicker with theeves , then a vineyard is with grapes . the third yeere after pompey had won ierusalem , ( valerius gracchus being president of iudea ) a iew came to the senate of rome to complaine upō the grievances & injustice done in that countrey by their magistrates and iudges : and among other things spake thus : o fathers conseripl ! ●… ô happy people ! your happy destinies that favoured you , and our god that hath forsaken vs , made ierusalem that was commander of all asia , and mother of the iewes , servant to rome and to you ( romanes . ) great , surely was the power of pompey , and great was his armie that overcame vs : but i will tell you , much greater was the wrath of our god , and without comparison , the number of our sins , by which we deserued to be utterly overthrowne : ye have banished the sonne of a king , in whose place ye have sent us three others for presidents . they have b●…n foure plagues , the least wherof was sufficient to poyson the whole romane empire , much more our miserable kingdome of palestina . what more monstrous thing can there be , then for the iudges and magistrates which rome sends to take away the evill manners of the wicked , to be themselues the inventers of new vices ? what greater disgrace can be to iustice , then when those that should punish the youthfull prankes of young folkes , glory that they be the captaines of light men ? what greater infamie can there be to rome , then that they who should be iust in all iustice , and an example of all vertues , be evill in all wickednesse , and practisers of all vices ? i lie , if your iudges and magistrates have not done so many wrongs in iustice , and forsaken their discipline , that they haue taught the youth of iudea inventions of vices , which were neuer heard of our fathers , nor read in our bookes , nor seene in our times ; they supply with malice their want of discretion , and they measure the iustice they minister to others , by their owne profit : the common speech in asia is , that the theeues of rome hang the theeues of iudea . o yee romanes , we little esteeme the theeues which keepe the woods , in comparison of the iudges and magistrates which robbe vs in our owne houses : assuredly that iudge and magistrate that rather winneth mens good willes then money , is to be loued ; but he that hunteth after money , and alienateth mens good wils , that man ought alwaies as a pestilence to be abhorred : we iewes hold it for most certaine truth ( and spoken also by the mouth of our god ) that euery prince that shall commit the charge of iustice to any man which he shall see to be insufficient for it , whose chiefe respect shall be , not that he shall doe iustice , but rather that he shall increase his treasure , or else to doe pleasure to the partie , let him be assured that when he thinkes least vpon it , hee shall see his honour turned to infamie , his reputation lost , his goods diminished , and some great punishment to light vpon his house . their iniustice was likewise thus taunted by an embassadour of lysbone that came to rome to treat of matters with the senate ; before whom he proued , that since his entry into italy he had bin robbed ten times : and whilest he was in rome , it chanced him to see one of them that robbed him , to hang vp another that defended him : when he had beheld so foule an act and so great an iniustice , like a desperate man , he took vp a coale and wrote vpon the gallowes these words , o gallowes , thou art born among theeues ; sprung vp among theeues ; cut downe of theeues ; hewed of theeues ; made of theeues ; planted among theeues ; holden vp of theeues ; and when time serues , they let loose theeues , and people thee with true men . there was written in a church a dialogue betweene a philosopher , and iustice , which sets forth aptly the nature and propertie of iustice , and how a magistrate should behave himselfe in doing thereof . what goddesse are you ( saith the philosopher ? ) iustice ( saith she . ) but why looke you so sowrely ? because i am not to be intreated or moved with rewards . from whence derive you your kinde ? from heaven . what parents did beget you ? measure did beget me , & sincere faith brought me forth . why is one of your eares open , & the other shut ? one is open to just persons , the other is deafe to the wicked . why doth your right hand beare a sword , and the left a ballance ? this doth weigh causes , the other strikes the guilty . why goe ye alone ? because there is small store of good men , these ages bring forth few fabritios . why go ye so poorely apparelled ? no man will desire exceeding great riches that coveteth alwaies to be a very just man. apollonius noting the corruption of magistrates & government , having travelled over all asia , affrica & europe , said , that of . things whereat he marvelled most in all the world ; the first was , that he alwaies saw the proud man cōmand the hūble , the quarrellous the quiet , the tyrant the just , the cruell the pittifull , the coward the hardy , the ignorant the skilfull , & the greatest theeves hang the innocēt . in these daies ( saith mar. aurelius ) in italy they that rob openly , be call'd masters or lords , and they that steale secretly , be call'd theeves . one wisheth there were no greater theeves in the world then those that rob the goods of rich men . cato said , theeves of private theft lived in fetters & irons ; but publike theeves lived in gold and purple . the old egiptians used to paint their magistrats blindfolded , & without hands : meaning that a iudge or magistrate must know no kin nor friend frō a stranger ; & without hands , because he must receive no bribes or rewards . and this was no unapt device to paint in a table . iudges without hands , and the president onely looking vpon the image of truth that hanged at his neck . the ariopagites vsed to heare no causes but in the darke nights , that the iudges might haue respect to the words that were spoken , not to the persons that spake . iosaphats speech to iudges should be noted : looke what ye doe , for ye exercise not the iudgement of men , but of god , and whatsoeuer ye shall iudge , wil redound to your selues . chuse out of all the people men vertuous , that feare god , th●…t loue the truth , and hate covetousnes , and make them iudges . ecclesiasticus giueth this counsell , blame no man before thou haue inquired the matter ; vnderstand first , and then reforme righteously : giue no sentence , before thou haue heard the cause , neither interrupt men in the midst of their tales . there be foure things necessary in a iudge : to heare patiently , to answer wisely , to iudge vprightly , and execute mercifully . iudges and magistrates ( saith one ) should not imploy their study to get friends , to maintaine their estate proudly , but rather to read books , to iudge mens causes vprightly . the good magistrate should take the authority of his office which the prince giueth him for accessary , and his good life for principall ; that the vprightnesse of his iustice , and the sharpenesse which the wicked feele in the execution thereof , should be so tempered by his discretion , that all may hold authority by the syncerity of his life . aristotle requireth three things to be in all good iudges and magistrates , vertue and iustice , a loue to the present estate , and a sufficiency to exercise those duties that are required in their office . now let vs looke a little into the estate of couniers , who seeme to challenge a peculiar interest in happinesse , in respect of their easie and delicate life , and reputation aboue others , being neere the well head from whence their ●…elicity springeth : for the estate of princes they thinke to be perfect felicity . these men , for the most part , have a speciall regard to please their sences , and be more carefull to decke their bodies then to garnish their minds . nescis quale tegat splendida vita malum . thou knowest not what mischiefe , a smooth life covers . they set more by formalitie of manners , then by substance of matter : so they shew to be such , as they would be , they care not though they be not such as they should be . many of these men make it their felicity to passe their time lasciuiously in courting young damosels , as though they were borne ( as boccas saith of himselfe ) por l'amore delle donne : but in the kingdome of pleasure vertue cannot consist : others that cannot have that favour of the prince they look for , insinuate themselues into the favour of some of them that be most in favour , and receiue holy water at the second hand : him they follow , his beckes and countenance they obserue ; when he is merry , they laugh ; when he is angrie , they are sad ; what he alloweth , they affirme ; what he liketh not , they dispraise : et ho●…a summa putant , aliena viuere quadra . and thus they continue with him so long as the wind bloweth in the poope : but if fortune begin to frowne vpon him they depend , they find some reasonable cause for saving their credit ( if they thinke not the common custome a sufficient warrant ) to leaue him , and follow some other . thus for riches and reputation they 〈◊〉 sell their liberty , so precious a thing of instemiable price , and transforme their nature into his whom they desire to please : otherwise they must fall short of that they looke for . the happinesse of these men differeth as much from felicitie , as a darke dungeon differeth from the cleere light of the sun : and this is incident to those great estates that are so followed , that many of them , who to salute them , take their hattes from their heads , wish that his head were taken from his shoulders ; and that bow their knee to do him reuerence , wish his legge broken , that they might carrie him to his graue . alfonsus king of arragon , sayling vpon the sea frō sicilia , beheld certaine fowle soaring about his galley , and looking for meat of the marriners : and when he had cast them meat , he obserued how greedily they contended for it : & euer as they had gotten their prey , away they would flie and returne no more . some of my courtiers ( quoth the king , turning to his company ) are like these chattering birds : for as soone as they haue gotten any office or reward at my hands that they gape after and contend for one with another , they flie away and returne not againe , vntill necessitie compell them to sue for more . gueuarra , to his friend that asked him how he imployed his time , answered thus ; according to the fashion of our courtiers , beare euil-will , blaspheme , loyter , lie , prattle , and curse ; and oft time we may more truly say wee lose it then imploy it : and to another demaund with whom hee was most conuersant in that court , hee answered , that the court and people there of were grapes of so euill a soyle , that we who goe in the same , and from our childhood be brought vp therein , study not with whom to bee conuersant , but in discouering of whom to beware , with much paine we haue time to defend vs from our enemies : and will you that we occupie our selues in seeking new friends ? which agreeth with plinie : that in the courts of princes , the idle and vaine name of friendship onely remamth . in the courts of princes , i do confesse , there is a conuersation of persons , but no confederation of will. for enmitie is holden for naturall , and amitie for a stranger . in court the manner is , whom they deprave in secret , the better to deceive , to praise them openly . the court is of such nature , that they that doe most visit them , the worse they intreat them ; and such as speake best to them , the more evill they wish them . they which haunt the courts of princes , if they will be curious and no fooles , shall finde many things whereat to wonder , and much more whereof to beware . and to another question , whether the court be deare or good cheape ; he answered : some things in the court are at a good price , or to say it better , very good cheape ; that is , cruell lies , false newes , unhonest women , fained friendship , continuall enmities , double malice , vaine words , and false hopes ; of which eight things , we have such abundance in this court , that they may set out boothes , and proclaime faires . in the court ( saith he ) there be few that liue contented , and many that be abhorred . in the court none hath desire there to die , and yet wee see not any that will depart from thence . in the court we see many doe what they list , but very few what is meete . in the court all dispraise the court , and yet all follow the court : and the fashion of the court is , if a man be in fauour , he knoweth not himselfe ; and if the same man be out of fauour , no man will know him : this life at court is no other thing then a languishing death , a certaine vnquiet life without peace , and principally without money ; and a certaine purchase of dammage and offence to the body , and of hell to the soule : which mooued one to say , excat aula qui vult esse pius . it may be wished that the spanish court , which he meaneth , had a priviledge or speciall prerogatiue to vse these manners alone . an italian compareth the life of courtiers with that of sea-faring men ; saving that there is in them this difference , that the sea-man commeth to the end of his purpose by sayling well , and the courtier to his by doing ill . zenobia the noble queene of palmerines , is reported to haue had a well ordered court , as appeared also by her answer made to the emperour marcus aurelius , who making warre vpon her , offered her conditions of peace , and demaunded her sonne to bee sent to him for a pledge . i meane not to satisfie thy request , ( said she ) for i heare , thy court is replenished with many vices , where my palace is furnished with sundrie philosophers , from whom my children draw doctrine one part of the day , and erercife the knowledge of armes the other part . of such men one thus noteth their nicenesse ; horum aliquis vest is operosa tegmine cultus , molliter alivedem flectit , sparsamque renodat , casariem , & laxos patitur flaitare capillos . if these men would haue more respect to inward vertue , and lesse to externe vanity , and not be so curious in decking their bodies , that they neglect to adome their minds , nor to effeminate themselues to the delicitenesse of tender women , but rather to fo●…me themselues to the comelinesse of manly men ( for the outward habit of the body for the most part discouereth the inward disposition of the mind ) they might better find the way to felicity . to him that slike is as cloth , and gold as brasse , it is no matter what vesture he hath , so as accoram be observed : for it is the minde , and not the habite that giveth grace to a man : and yet there may be betweene them and others a difference in habite , and a respect had to the dignitie of the place and person : pride and vaine-glory may be as well covered with base apparell , as with gorgeous attire ; as appeared by the taunt which socrates gave to antisthenes the philosopher : for this man used to weare bare apparell , as it were in contempt of the vanitie of gay garments ; and when he walked in the streets , as he chanced to meete men , hee would set out to the shew a hole in his cloke ; whose manner when socrates had observed : i see ( quoth he ) thy pride and vanitie thorow the hole of thy cloke . let us leave courtiers entertaining their ladies , and follow other mens pathes , in examining a little the estate of princes ; for whom only , in the judgement of men , it seemeth felicitie was created : for he that considereth what the things be , that bring a man to a quiet , contented and happie life , will thinke that fortune hath provided for them above all others most plentifully . what maketh a man more had in admiration in this world then riches , dignities , dominions , libertie to doe well or evill without controlment , abilitie to exercise liberality , to have the fruition of all manner of pleasures both of body and mind ? they have all things that may be desired for a mans contentment , whether it be in sumptuous apparell and ornaments of the body : or in the varfelicitie and happinesse : which whosoever will onely consider superficially , must needs confesse that they alone triumph ouer all those things which are the cause of other mens sorrow and trouble : but if we will behold the matter neere hand , & weigh it in equall ballance , we shall find , that the same things which we think to be the meanes to attaine to felicity , and to make them happie , is the cause to many of their infelicitie and unhappinesse . the danger they are in by the greatnesse of their estate , and malice of their enemies , seemeth to detract from their felicitie , and giueth them just cause of suspition and feare . it appeareth by histories , that there were emperours that durst not goe to bed , untill they first caused their beds & corners of their chamber to be searched , for feare lest they should be slaine when they were asleep . were it not better ( said inlius caesar ) to die once , then to liue in such continuall feare and suspition they command all , and yet many of them seeme as though they were gouerned by one or two , which is much disallowed of diuers state men . and it is said in the prouerbs , that safetie commeth of many counsellers , and that good counsell commeth of god. and the philosopher aduiseth princes , not to commit all their matters to any one counseller alone : for no man can alwaies of himselfe , rightly consider and know all things , and in reasons that are contrary one to another , discerne which is best : and therefore he that followeth his owne opinion alone , is rather accounted proud then wise . through such an opinion of his owne wisedome , lautrec is reported to haue lost the kingdome of naples from the king his master , and all that he had in italie , because he would not aske nor follow the aduice of them that were wiser then himselfe . the ordinary guard of principalitie ( saith aristotle ) is to make no one man great : and in truth they are to be taken for unprofitable members , that by abusing the lenitie and bounty of their prince , couet to augment their estate by the sweat of the common-wealth . worthy of blame ( saith one ) are some princes for the ●…aults they commit , but much greater is their offence in dissembling the offences of their fauorites and priuate seruants . many examples princes may finde to warne them to take heed how to magnifie their seruants with too much wealth and authoritie , which hath ostentimes beene dangerous to them and their estate , and odious and scandalous to their people , as this of cleander , who was brought to rome amongst other captiues , when the emperour marcus aurelius triumphed ouer the argonautes , and was openly sold in the market place , and bought by a clarke of the kitchin to sweepe the larder at court. this slaue cleander , being a young man , behaued himselfe so well in sweeping the house , and other his masters seruice , that not many yeeres after , his master made him free , and aduanced him to his office of clarke of the kitchin , and married him to his daughter . now when cleander saw his estate thus amended , hee endeuoured to obtaine the fauour of the emperour ; which when he had gotten by his diligent and carefull seruice , the emperour being dead , hee was so fauoured of comodus , that hee made him captaine of his guard , and lord great chamberlaine of his chamber , and aduanced him to such dignitie and honour , that all matters were dispatched at his will and pleasure : all offices must bee obtained by his meanes . he grew so ambitious , and thrust himselfe in such wise to entermeddle with the affaires of the estate , that the emperour firmed nothing , if cleander did not signe and allow the same . he did so insinuate himselfe into comodus favour by flattery , that never any servant of his obtained the like grace . hee fained to wish nothing that comodus wished not , nor to allow any thing that he said not . he was not ashamed to affirme , that he did not thinke or dreame , but that which comodus did thinke or dreame . with these and the like lies & flatteries he wanne the favour of comodus , and governed the whole empire , & obtained the custody of the common treasure , and of all the money and jewels of the emperour : by meanes wherof he grew so exceeding rich and proud , that not contented to use these high dignities & estates as a subject or servant , he practised to kill the emperour , that he might put the crowne upon his owne head : but his practice being discovered , comodus caused his head to be cut off and carried to rome upon a pole , to the great liking of the people : his children also , servants , & friends were executed , & their bodies drawne by boyes thorow rome , were cast into sinkes & filthy places . it hath beene alwayes dangerous ( saith tacitus ) when the name of a private man is advanced above or neere the kings name : this was the miserable end & overthrow of cleander , of his children , his house , his riches & honor , wherof may be drawn examples & warnings to serve divers purposes : for besides that princes may be warned to beware how they exalt any one to over-high estate & authority , private men also ought to take heed , that they be not overcome with the dāgerous humour of ambition and greedy desire of riches , seeing in this & the like exāples they may behold as in a glasse , the wavering inconstancy of fortune , and variable events of the miserable estate and uncertaine accidents of this life , where no man possesseth any thing with suretie . 〈◊〉 as some be lifted up from a base estate to honour , so others are dejected from high dignitie to base and poore estate ; as was apparant in cleander , who of a slave , was made a free-man ; of a freeman , a steward ; of a steward , a praetor ; and then a great chamberlaine , and as it were monarch of the world , and afterwards in one day and in one houre , hee and all his were utterly destroyed . the particular loue ( saith one ) which princes shew to one more then to another , breedeth many times much envie in their realme : and when a prince sheweth not to equals his fauour indifferently , he putteth fire into his common-wealth . the like example may be taken of plautianus , an especiall favorite of the emperour seuerus . this plutianus was a poore gentleman when he came first to rome , from whence he was banished , by the good emperour marcus aurelius for his evill conditions ; but afterward he obtained such grace of seuerus , that he read no letter but he must see it , signed no commission that he liked not , nor gave any reward that he craved not : in the senate hee was placed in the most honourable estate : when hee came forth of rome , all the gentlemen did accompany him : when hee came out of his house , all embassadours did attend on him : in time of warre , all captaines sued unto him ; and so many honours were given him , that it was never seene in rome that any man , without the title of an emperour , enjoyed so great a portiō of the empire . scuerus gave plautianus the confiscate goods of all condemned persons within the empire , whereby he grew so rich & covetous , that he caused an infinite number of men to suffer death , not for their demerits , but that he might possesse their goods : wherewith he grew so proud and stately , that when he passed thorow the streets , he had a naked sword borne before him , and no man might behold him in the face , but cast downe their eyes to the ground : and besides all this , he found such favour with seuerus , that he married his daughter with seuerus the emperour his eldest sonne : so as beholding himselfe thus advanced and honoured , it seemed to him but a small matter to be commander of the whole world . but at length this heaping of honour upon honour , dignitie upon dignitie , without end or measure , wrought his owne destruction : for perceiving the emperour to withdraw his favour from him , suspecting that he would also take away his life , he practised to kill the emperour and his sonne bassianus , that he might not onely prevent the suspected intent of his owne death , but also succeed him in the empire : but the same being discovered to the emperour in the presence of his sonne , they trained him into his chamber , where bassianus slew him with his dagger . this was the end of plautianus , through his immoderate desire of riches and honour , and the good fortune of the emperour that escaped narrowly his owne death and his sonnes , by the exceeding favour and authoritie , and countenance hee gave to his servant and subject : by which example the emperour seuerus was warned , never after to give the like favour and grace to any person : alledging , that hee knew not whom to trust , seeing his servant plautianus , whom he so greatly loved and favoured , had deceived him . it behooveth princes to foresee , that no man exceed over-much , either in abundance of friends or riches , and not to be so familiar with any man , but that he may be angry with him , if there shall be cause , without danger or alteration of things . and what felicitie can a prince have , that hath under his government so many thousands of people , who must wake for them all , heare the complaints of every one , haue care for all their safetie ? his waking defendeth all mens sleeping , his labour all mens rest , his industry all mens delights : that he is occupied , bringeth to all men case : for as if the planets of the world make never so little stay , or swarue aside , it is to the exceeding hurt of all things ; so a prince cannot rest , nor be idle , without the great detriment of his people , whose care is no lesse to maintaine his people in peace , then to defend them from the invasion of their enemies : besides many other calamities that accompany scepters , whereof a meane estate never findeth any taste . for rightly ( saith one ) that it is not sufficient for a prince to draw to him all vertues , but hee is bound also to roote all vices out of the common-wealth . these be the thornes they have for a counterpoyse of their brightnesse and royall dignities , which ought to be like a lampe that giveth light to all the world : but if it be eclypsed with any vice , then it is more notorious , and subject to greater reproch then in any other private person : for they are not onely blame-worthy ( saith plato ) for the fault they commit : but for the evill example they giue . and it is a great felicitie ( saith st. augustine ) not to be ouercome of felicitie . great compassion ( saith marcus aurelius ) should be had upon a prince , because all follow him for their owne profit , but none for his loue and seruice , as appeareth by that , when he leaueth to giue them , they begin to hate him . the emperour dioclesian said , that there was nothing more hard , then for a prince to rule well : for three or foure of those who haue credit with the prince , ioyne sometime together in one speech , and of purpose tell fained things for true , whereby hee is often deceiued . chap. iii. the estate of popes and prelates . st. bernards complains of the clergie ; eberard archbishop of salisburch oration against the church of rome . alberius a learned divine to the same purpose , with other coherences : the estate and charge of the meaner clergie . the estate of marriage . the commodities arising from marriage , confirmed by many noted histories . the discommodities of marriage approo●…ed by sundry examples : of solon , and thales , two of the sages : with other pertinent stories . of the goodnesse of peace , and the bad effects thereof , &c. let us now enter into the consideration of prelates , beginning with popes : who as they chalenge the supremacie over all other estates , so they seeme to be placed in the highest degree of felicitie : they come by their dignitie without labour , and for the most part without effusion of blood , and preserue their estate without perill , commanding all . the monarkes and princes of the world honour them : they are rich , and seeme to want nothing that men desire in this world , to make their life happy , although those whom they represent , were the very patterns and examples of povertie . but he that will with an upright judgement consider of their estate , shall finde them rather unhappie : for if they will take upon them the government of st. peters ship , according to the commandements of god , they must be , not as they professe in words , but in deeds , the servants of the servants of god : which must not regard his owne life , in respect of the care he should have of them under his charge : which being wisely considered of pope adrian ( a learned man and of good life ) finding by experience , that dangers and troubles of principality , specially of his calling , would confesse oftentimes to his familiar friends with teares , that among all the estates in the world , there was not any that seemed to him more miserable and dangerous , then that of popes and bishops : for although the throne and chaire where he sate , was richly garnished with divers pompes , yet it was full of thornes : and the costly cloake that covered him , was full of sharpe needles , and so heauy to be carried , that it made his shoulders ake , how strong soever he were that did beare it : and for the trimme myter which covered their heads , it was a very flame that burned them , even to the inmost part of their soule . and if to enter into the dignity of the apostleship , not called thereto by the holy ghost , and not to enter into the church through the doore , which is christ , but by the window , by the favours of men , by corruption , by the authority of princes , is not to be the vicar of christ and successour of the apostles , but is a theefe , and the vicar of iudas iscariot , and of symon magus : what case are then the popes in , that have come into the church by all these wayes , and also by the divels helpe , as appeared by the example of syluester the second ? they take vpon them to keepe the keyes of heaven , but they shut vp the way thither , that neither themselues will enter in , nor suffer others : they procure wars : they vexe princes , and trouble the people : they excite the subiects against their naturall princes , the prince against his subiects . when otho the . and fredericke the . were in contention for the empire , pope innocent the . maintained it vnder hand : yet notwithstanding he made a very cloquent oration of the vnity & concord that ought to be betweene christian princes . a citizen of rome perceiving his dissembling , said vnto him , holy father , your words seeme to be of god : but the effects and drifts , which are contrary to them , come from the divell . they build sumptuous palaces : they are clothed in purple and gold , to the infamie of religion , and intolerable burthen of the people , exceeding in pompe and pride the most notable tyrants that have beene . a holy and learned man in a sermon in the presence of a pope , reprehended their manners thus : that they were not hired men for shepheards , nor wolues for hired men , but divels for wolues : and yet they are not ashamed to call themselues the successors of saint peter : who might rightly say to them , as unworthy to succeede him , you wicked dissembling men , depart from my house : fallaces prauique domo discedite ●…ostra . bernard thus complaineth of the bishops of his time : the bishops to whom the church of god is now committed , be not teachers , but seducers ; not pastours , but deceivers ; not prelates but pylates . and if felicitie can not easily be found in temporall principality , how much more hard it is to be found in their estate that challenge empire over all monarkes and kings , and supremacie over all spirituall functions : so as they take vpon them authority over body and soule ? which estate and dignity , being by their vsurpations exalted above all other estates of life , and so far beyond the imbecillity of mans nature to beare with that moderation it ought ( so as such men as were of good condition before , being once made popes , many of them become the most wicked of all others ) hardly will felicity be found in their estate : for besides that the popes have beene atheists , heretikes , conjurers , adulterers , murderers , and given to all kinde of vice and wickednesse , their pride , vaine toyes and illusions of the people make it apparant , that religion is with many of them but a scoffe and mocke . the cardinall benno writeth thus of hildebrand called gregorie the seventh . the emperour henry the third ( saith he ) used often to goe to pray in the church of s. mary , in mount aventin . hildebrand having by spiall watched all his doings , caused the place where the emperor used to pray , to be marked , and hired one with promise of money , to lay secretly great stones vpon a beame of the church , so as he might let them fall directly upon the emperours head as he was praying , and knocke out his brains : which thing when this wicked fellow made haste to accomplish , as he was about to place a stone of great weight upon a beame , the stone by his weight drew the fellow to him , & breaking the thin boords that were under the beame , both the stone & he ( by the judgement of god ) fell downe to the pavement of the church , & with the same he was crushed to death : which thing being knowne to the romanes , they tyed a rope to his feete , and drew him three daies together thorow the streetes . this hildebrand , by the report of the same author , after he had asked something of the consecrated hoast , which they call the body of christ , against the emperour , he cast it into the fire , though the cardinals that were present , perswaded him to the contrary . and nothing sheweth their infelicity more apparantly , then their illuding and deriding of religion , abusing the world with their fabulous figments , and seducing the people from the word of god , and the true christian religion , to their vaine toyes , and childish inventions : dealing with the scriptures , as a naughty painter did when he ill-favouredly painted certaine cockes , he caused his boy to dir●… away the naturall cockes out of sight , lest they should discover and disgrace , the evill workmanship of his counterfeit cockes : so when the popes had set forth their owne traditions and their fryers figments , they caused the old and new testament to be laid out of sight , knowing that the true word of god would discover and disgrace the vanity of their traditions and counterfeit illusions ; as the fables of fryer francis , and dominicke , and such like miracles which are receiued into the romish church , and must be beleeved vpon paine of heresie : such as the poet might well cry out vpon : — o 〈◊〉 credula mens hominis & erectae fabulis aures ! oh how credulous is the minde of man , and how ready are his eares to listen to fables ! and if so many evils happen to men by the popes , not onely in their bodies , goods , and possessions , as appeareth by histories , and the writers of their owne liues : but also to the danger of their soules , by the opinion of learned diuines ; that estate cannot be a happy estate , that bringeth men to so great vnhappinesse . which popes are so puffed up with pride and vaine-glory , that a pope was not ashamed to accept the name , but gloried that constantine the emperour called him god. eberard archbishop of salisburge , in a publike assembly of the princes and states of germany , two hundred yeeres since , in an oration spake thus of the popes : these babylonian flamines ( or gentiles priests ) covet to raigne alone : they can suffer no equall : they will not leave untill they have cast downe all thi●… under their feete , and sit in the temple of god , and be lifted vp above all thing that is worshipped . their hunger after riches , and thirst after honour , is vnsatiable ; the more yee giue to the greedy-gut , the more he desireth : offer him your finger , and he will cove●… your hand . he that is the servant of the servants of god , desireth neverthelesse to be the lord of lords , as if he were god : he speaketh great things , as if he were god himselfe . this cast-away changeth lawes , establisheth his owne : he defileth , rifleth , spoyleth , deceiveth , killeth : which lost man they vse to call antichrist , in whose fore-head the name of blasphemie is written : i am god : i can not erre : he sitteth in the temple of god : he ruleth farre and wide . and chrysostome saith ; whosoever desireth the supremacie vpon earth , he shall finde confusion in heaven : neither shall he be accounted among the servants of christ , that seeketh after the supremacie . and alberius a learned divine saith , that the rulers of the romane church , by their crafty and subtill wits , observing times , sometimes lift vp the empire , another time by leasure abase it againe , and to what purpose ? saving that by little and little they may cast downe vnder their feete ( as themselues vaunt ) all heavenly and earthly things , all spirituall and temporall things . and searching the old histories ( saith hierom ) i can finde none that devided the church , and seduced the people from the house of god , but them that were appointed priests to god. but the pride and covetousnesse of popes , with many other vices , and their illuding the world , discovereth their hypocrisie , and sheweth them plainely not to be the men they professe . besides advancing themselves above emperors and kings , and making them hold their stirrops , and leade their horses as hath beene said , and glorying to be called god : it is established among them , that all men , of what dignity or preeminence soever they be , as soone as they come into the popes sight , a great way off , they must make three courtesies , and kisse his feete . saint bernard speaking of their pompe , saith , saint peter was never knowne at any time to have gone apparelled with precious stones or silke : not covered with gold , nor carried with a white horse : not attended upon with souldiers , nor compassed about with great traines of servants : he beleeved that without those things , that healthfull commandement might sufficiently be accomplished : if thou love mee , feede my sheepe . the same bernard detesting their pompe and couetousnesse , called them antichrists ; and saith thus : the offices of dignity of holy church are translated into filthy gaine , and the workes of darknesse : it remaineth that the man of sinne be revealed , the sonne of perdition , a spirit not onely of the day , but also of noone-light , that is not onely transformed into an angell of light ; but is also advanced aboue all that is called god , or that is worshipped . and the extreme couetousnesse of the popes and their court was more truely then eloquently thus set forth by one of their owne authors : curia vult marcas , bursas exhaurit & arcas : si bursae parcas , fuge papas & patriarchas : si dederis marcas , & 〈◊〉 implever is arcas , culpa solueris quaqua ligatus cris . intus quis ? tu quis ? ego sum : quid q●…ris ? vt intrem . fers aliquid ? non : sta foris : fero quod satis ; intra . the court must haue money : it exhausts both purses and coffers . if thou shewest thy purse , thou must neither haue to deale with popes nor patriarchs . but if thou wilt giue money , and supply their coffers , thou shalt bee absolued of what crime soeuer . who 's within ? what art thou ? t is i. what wouldst thou ? i would enter . bringst thou any thing ? no : stay without then : i bring what is sufficient : come neere then . and mantuan noting likewise their vnmeasurable covetousnesse , singeth thus : — venalia romae , templa , sacerdotes , altaria , sacra , coronae , ignis , thura , preces , calum est venale , deúsque . temples are to be sold in rome ( inquire ) the priests , the holy altars , crowne and fire , the incense and their prayers are to be sold , there thou maist buy both heauen and god for gold . but now that they find the want of that which was wont to feede their vnsatiable humours of covetousnes and ambition , by meane that the better halfe of europe being reuolted from them , both their credit and treasury is greatly decayed . the popes rage of late yeeres , like as the asses of thuscia are reported to doe , when they haue fed vpon hemlockes ; which as matheolus writeth , casteth them into such a sound sleepe , that they seeme to be dead ; in so much as the countrey men goe oftentimes to take off the skinne , and haue halfe flayed him , before the asse will awake . and when they haue taken off the skinne to the middest of his backe , the asse riseth vp suddenly vpon his feete , and halfe his skinne hanging downe , breaketh out into such a roaring , that he putteth the husbandman many times into a great seare . the like is vsed by the latter popes , who haue beene a long time in a sound sleepe , untill they hauing felt the one halfe of reuenewes reuenewes and dominion taken away from them , fearing the rest will follow , they fall into such a roaring and thundring with their bulles ( arming subiects against their princes , and kings against their subiects , and one of them against another ) that they put all christendome many times in a great feare , which in these dayes in many places worketh effect like vnto that which chaucer ( if i forget not ) speaketh of , when he describeth a great feare that hapned in the breake of the day ; the dogges barkt , the duckes quackt , the cockes crowed , and the bees ranne out of the hyue . iohn peter of ferrara , a learned man , taxing the popes ambition and covetousnesse , after many other things writeth thus , above one hundred and fifty yeeres since : the pope laboureth to have superiority of the emperour , which is ridiculous to speake , and abominable to heare : and note how , and by how many meanes the clergie men lay snares for the lay men , and enlarge their jurisdiction : but alas , ye vnhappie emperours and secular princes , that suffer these and the like things ! and make your selues servants unto the popes ! and see the world abused by them infinite waies : and yet ye thinke not vpon reformation , because yee give not your mindes to wisedome and knowledge . and saint hierome saith , italy will never be at quiet , vntill the church of rome doe not possesse all the cities and castles , and that the gift of constantine be by some good and mightie emperour utterly revoked : because ( saith hee ) non benè c●…eniat psalterium cum cythera : neither was it granted of christ to peter , that they should possesse such things : but that which is caesars , should be given to caesar , and that which is gods , to god. now if the popes bee the antichrist spoken of in the scripture , after the opinion of learned divines : or if hee set foorth vaine and wicked fables , and horrible blasphemies , in place of true christian religion , as the miracles done by fryer dominicke and francis , to bee more and greater then those done by christ and his apostles ; and the rest of the fables written by them by their owne authors : also their imagined purgatory , worshipping of images , invocation of the dead , their daily renewing of the sacrifice of christ in their masse , christening of bels , absolution for him that hath killed his father or mother , and many other such like things ; this cannot bee a happie estate , that opposeth it selfe so directly and apparantly against christ and his doctrine ; whereby , besides the danger of their destruction , they draw infinite numbers of soules to the danger of eternall damnation , except gods mercie bee the greater . gregory the great doth testifie plainely , that the pope is described vnder the person of nab●…chodonozor : for kings and princes in hell that are damned , are brought in as though they came to meete the pope after his death comming to them to salute him , who mocke him thus : hell was in great feare of you , when it heard of your comming : all the dead princes of the earth rise up to you ; all kings of nations rise out of their thrones , and speake to you after this sort : art thou made subject to the same infirmities as wee are ? and art thou become like unto us ? thy pride hath brought thee downe to hell . when diddest thou fall , lucifer from heaven , thou sonne of the morning , and art come into the earth that wert terrible to all nations ? but thou saidst in thy heart , i will goe up to heaven ; i will lift up my seat above the starres of heaven ; i will ascend above the height of the clouds , and will be made like the highest . they that shall see thee , will say , is this he that troubleth the earth , and ouerthrew kingdomes ? thus they deceiue the world , who at last are deceiued themselues liuie saith , there is nothing more deceiueable in shew , then false religion , when the power of god is made a cloke for wickednesse . and if the popes were of that holinesse and vertue they would be taken , it could not be , but by their example , instruction , and discipline , their imperiall seat and citie , whereof they are head , would not deserue for their abominable vice and wickednesse , so infamous speech by the learned italians themselues . petrarke , mantuan , and many other call rome the shop of all wickednesse , babylon , sodom , the schoole of errors , the church of heresies , an harlot with a shamelesse face . mantuan thus noteth the vice there vsed : i pudor in villas , si non patiuntur easdem , et villae vomicas : roma est iam tota lupanar . goe shame vnto the villages , if they as yet be free from the same filth , for now all rome is nought saue brothelry . and pasquil confirmeth the same , when one hauing beene at rome , at his departure taketh his leaue thus : roma vale , vidi , satis est vidisse , reuertar , cum leno , aut meretrix , scurra , cynedus ero . rome farewell , i haue seene and now am glutted with thy sight : i will returne , when i am bawd , whoore , iester , catamite . thus much of the ambition and manners of the popes , whereunto i am vnwillingly drawne , in respect of the dignitie of their place and profession , to say so much , which neuerthelesse is very little to that may be truly said , and is written by others , because i must examine the principall states of life , whereof theirs is accounted among the highest , and are esteemed the happiest men , that also pretend to giue happinesse to others . in examination whereof , i was driuen to discouer the worst parts of them , and their estate , as i haue done of all the rest , the better to prooue my subiect : and how much they are deceiued , that thinke felicitie to be in their estate . but because the examples before produced , seeme to testifie their infelicitie ; whereof the estates next to them in degree are partakers , wee must passe from them to the inferiour members of the church . the charge of these men also is so great , that hardly they can finde that quietnesse , either in body or minde , whereby they may attaine to the felicitie of this life : and so much the more exactly they performe their function , so much the further they seeme to be from it . they must wake whilest others sleepe ; they must be the watch of the world ; there is no intermission of their trauels ; but all the houres of their life they must employ their labours , for the common safegard of men , for feare lest satan should seduce their flocke . saint chrysostome saith , that he which hath the charge of one onely church , with difficultie can bee saued , so great is their charge . what may wee thinke then of that sort , that haue corrupted the word of god , and in place thereof haue foysted in their owne traditions , as monkes , fryers , and that crue of cloyster-men ; if it be so hard for good pastors to attaine to the blessednesse of the other life , without which there is no felicitie in this world , as hath beene said ? but where the light of the gospell hath dispersed the darke clouds of their divinitie , arise daily ( such is the depravation of this time ) to the great slander and prejudice of true religion , new sects and schismes , many times rather to expell or insert superficiall ceremonies , and to alter and innovate orders already set and established for decencie , then for substance of matter , wherein ( saith vrsinus ) they offend god , because they disobey the magistrate . they can strayne gnats , and swallow camels : as bernard saith of the prelates of his time : whilest they make shew to treat of great matters , they handle trifles , notable estimators of things , who in the least matters use great diligence , in the greatest matters little or none at all : nitimur in vetitum semper , cupimusque negata : we alwayes strive for things untride , and covet what is most denide . the authors whereof doe not with due providence consider the dangerous fruits that may thereof arise , and that it were better to suffer some inconvenience , then to disturbe the peace of the church , for feare lest by falling from one sect to another , never being settled , that happen to many which was spoken by menedemus of them that went to athens to study : many ( saith he ) goe to athens for learning sake , who first become wise-men , then philosophers , that is , louers of wisedome , after that , rhetoricians , and last of all , in processe of time they become starke fooles . such fruits , it may be doubted ( if god of his mercy prevent it not ) the new sects and schismes of these latter daics will bring foorth : that by falling from one sect into another , many will become atheists , that is , sta●… fooles : for so the psalmist calleth them : the foole saith in his heart , there is no god. there was written in golden letters vpon the doore of the church in collen , these verses : , deficit ecclesia virtus , pariterque facultas . whil'st discipline doth cease to be , and privatemalice raignes : the vertue of the church doth faile , and power with it containes . this function is growne to that disorder , that there is hardly to be found so meane a clarke , that will not take vpon him to expound the scriptures after his owne fancie : and if their want of learning be objected , their answer is ready , that such christ chose to be his apostles : neither scribes nor doctors of the law , but out of this or that trade , that were never brought up in synagogues or schooles : as though christ were now to begin his church againe , and lay a new foundation with miracles . now that wee have passed thorow the principall estates of life , and cannot finde that happinesse in any of them wee looke for ; let us see whether wee can finde it in the estate of marriage , which is both an honourable and necessarie estate , ordained by god for the comfort of mans life , and preservation of his kinde ; which hee sanctified and made an holy thing with his blessing . and if wee will in our owne conceits fayne to our selues the forme and image of a perfect and excellent marriage ( as plato , or sir thomas moore did their common-wealths ) there is nothing in the world that may be compared to marriage , for a consummation of pleasures and delights . all things with them are common , both prosperitie and adversitie , riches and povertie , one bed , the same children : so as it seemeth by the unitie and conformitie of their bodies and minds , that two are transformed into one . 〈◊〉 boni sine socio iucunda est possessio : one can possesse no good thing pleasantly without a companion : the wife is a companion in all manner of fortunes . if the husband be rich and liuc in prosperitie , shee is partaker of it , and maketh men enjoy it with greater pleasure . if he be poore , and in adversitie , shee beareth halfe the burthen , and comfortcth and assisteth him . there be divers notable examples of the loue betweene the husband and his wife , which helpeth to the commendation of marriage : baptista fregosa reporteth of a neapolitane , whose wife being taken on the sea-coast by the moores , hee presently cast himselfe into the sea , and following their barke , desired them to take him also , which they did , and brought them both to the king of thunes ; who being mooued with their faithfull loue and affection , deliuered them both . tiberian gracchus hauing two snakes taken in his house , the one a male , the other a female , and being aduertised by a south-sayer , that if he let goe the male , his wife must die , if the female , present death must fall vpon himselfe , he loued his-wife so dearely , that preferring her life before his owne , hee let goe the female , and killed the male ; and within a while after hee dyed . which maketh it a doubtfull question ( saith valerius ) whether cornelia his wife were more happie by hauing such a husband , or vnhappie by the losse of him . women haue beene nothing inferiour to their husbands in this kinde of dutie . when rhabbi beuxamut a moore was slaine , his wife called hota , celebrated his funerals with abundance of teares , and lamentable cryes , and buried his body very sumptuously . and after shee had abstained from meate and drinke nine dayes , shee would not liue , her husband being dead ; but before her breath went out of her body , shee commanded her buriall to be with her husband , thinking it no reason to be separated from her husband ( whom shee loued so dearely ) either by death , or by buriall . p●…rcia the wife of brut●…s , loued her husband so dearely , that when she heard of his death ; her friends hauing taken away all yron from her , fearing shee would kill her selfe , for sorrow tooke vp quicke coales of fire , and ate them as greedily as others cate meate . the lacedemonians had condemned certaine men to death , and committed them to prison : when the night came ( as their manner was ) in which they should be executed , their wiues obtained leaue of their keepers to come into the prison to them , to take ( as it were ) their last farewell , who changed apparell with their husbands , and sent them away , and stayed behind themselues to die in their places . theopompus a lacedemonian in like sort being in prison , changed his apparell with his wife , and by her meanes escaped , and left her in the same danger hee was in . when the wife of king admetus , that was grieuously sicke , vnderstood the answer of the oracle to be , that he could not recouer , except one of his best friends dyed for him , shee prefer●…ing her husbands life ( by a rare example ) before her owne , killed her selfe . a woman called pisca seeing her husband pine away daily through an incurable disease , she perswaded him to asswage his paine by death , offering her selfe to beare him company : whereunto her husband agreeing , they embraced each other , and cast themselues headlong into the sea , from the top of a rocke . solacium est miseris socios habere paenarum . it is comfort to the miserable , to have companions in their punishment . and the number of wives and husbands that happen to some , argueth the happie estate of marriage , who otherwise would be ( after chylons opinion , one of the sages of greece ) warned to beware by the first : he accounted him a very foole , who having saved himselfe from a dangerous shipwracke by painefull swimming , would returne to sea againe , as though a tempest had not power over all saylers : meaning that hee which was deliuered from his first marriage , would prooue himselfe a foole to marry againe . but st. hierome reporteth , that he saw at rome a man that had had twentie wives , marry a woman that had had two and twentie husbands . and after great expectation of the romanes , which of them should over-live the other , the woman dyed : whereupon the men crowned him with lawrell , and caused him in token of victory , to carry a branch of palme in his hand at his wives funerals . and this was a notable example of loue shewed by women towards their husbands : when the emperour co●…radus the third made warre vpon the duke of bauier , this emperour hauing besieged the dukes citie very straightly a long time , and would by no intreatie nor perswasions vpon no conditions bee remooued from his resolution vtterly to raze and destroy the citie , the noble and gentlewomen of the towne came foorth to the emperour , and besought him to suffer them safely to depart foorth of the citie , with so much as they could carry vpon their backes : which at length beeing granted by the emperour , they returned and brought foorth vpon their backes the duke himselfe and their husbands , and such as had none , their parents and children : at the sight whereof the emperour tooke such pleasure , that weeping for very ioy , he laid aside all his anger and fury , and spared the city , and entered into friendshippe with his mortall enemie . diuers like examples are registred in histories : and a great many things more may bee said in commendation of marriage : but because the scope of our intent is to search whether there be any estate of life voide of those evill things that detract from felicity , which evill beeing granted , there is no happinesse or felicitie in this life ( for one droppe of poyson spoyleth a great quantitie of good wine ) let vs see what evill is said to bee in marriage : for among sweete and pleasant dewes , there falleth many times sharpe stormes of hayle . the athenians , accounted a wise and politike people , perceiuing how hard a matter it was to frame a woman to performe the part of a good wife to her husband , by meanes of the infinite number of occasions of strife and contention that would rise betweene them , ordayned in their common-wealth certaine magistrates , which were called reconcilers , to make atonement betweene men and their wiues . the spartanes had the like officers to reforme the insolencie of women , and to correct and compell them to the true obedience of their husbands . gueuarra , after hee had excused himselfe , and refused to describe the particular fancies of women , because they are without limit ; placeth the things that women most desire , and wherewith they hold themselues best contented , in these foure : to be gorgiously apparelled ; to be esteemed faire ; to goe whither they list ; and that men beleeue what they say . to contract matrimony with a woman ( saith he ) is a thing very easie , but to sustaine it to the end , is a thing very difficult . for those that marry without any other respect , but onely for loue , leade their life afterward with sorrow : but this sauoureth something of the spanish humour . for god neuer fayleth to blesse them with sufficient , that ioyne themselues together , and liue in his seruice and feare . if thou marry a rich wife , she will be proud , and shee will esteeme thee rather as her slaue , then her husband , and it may happen thee to be ashamed of her kindred : if shee be poore , she will be contemned , and thy selfe the lesse esteemed : if she be foule and euill-fauoured , thou canst not loue her : if she be faire , thou wilt be iealous of her , and in danger to fall into an vnnaturall metamorphosis . fastus inest pulchris , sequitur superbia formam : arrogancy is in faire ones , and pride attends on beauty . if she be of great parentage , in place of a wife , thou shalt haue a seuere mistresse and commander , and in place of kinsfolke and friends by her , thou shalt haue masters : if she be honest and chaste , she will feare the contrary in thee , and vexe thee : so that wealth maketh a woman proud , beauty suspected , and hardnesse of fauour , lothsome . a great many examples may be produced of the euils that haue happened to men by women . but because there is matter enough besides , we will passe them ouer , and shew onely what hath bin said of them by wise and learned men . hypponactus hauing had experience of the martyrdome of marriage saith : that there are but two good dayes in one marriage : the one is the day of the marriage , the other the day of the wiues death . because the first day is passed in feasting and pleasure , and the marriage new and fresh , and therefore pleasant ; as of all kinds of pleasure the beginning most delighteth , sacietie of all things maketh wearinesse . the last day ( he said ) was good , because by the wiues death , the husband was made free and deliuered from seruitude . in consideration whereof , they that hold this opinion , produced an historie of a noble roman , who the next day after his marriage , being very sad , was asked of his friends the cause of his pensiuenes , hauing matched with a wife that was faire , rich , and of noble parentage : he shewed them his foot : why friends ( quoth he ) ye see that my shoo is new , handsome , and well made , but ye know not in what part of my foote it pincheth me . is there any thing ( saith plutarke ) more light then the tongue of an vnbridled woman , more byting then her outrages , more rash then her boldnesse , more execrable then her spitefull disposition , more perillous then her fury ? if thou haue children by her , thou hast much trouble and charge by the care of their education : if they proue vntowardly and giuen to lewdnesse , what greater griefe can happen to a man ? it cannot be denied , but the fathers felicitie is diminished by the childrens vntowardlinesse : and how many are occasioned by the vntowardlinesse or vndutifulnesse of their children , with deepe sighes to pronounce often within themselues this verse of homer ? coniuge non ductâ , natis vtinam car●…ssem : not being married , i would i had had no children . if they be towardly and given to vertue , the losse of them is as grieuous : which affection is of such force , that the wisest men many times are not able to bridle ; as appeareth by this example of s●…lon one of the seuen sages or wise men of greece . there was a disputation on a time betweene this solon , who was married and had one onely sonne , a towardly young man , and thales another of the sages , that was vnmarried , which estate was better , marriage or a single life : solon commended matrimony , thales preferred the other : and when he perceiued that he could not perswade solon by reason and argument to be of his opinion , he practised this deuice , when their talke was ended , being both at thales his house , thales went forth and caused one to faine an errand to him , and say as he had instructed him , as though hee came from athens , where solons dwelling was : this man like a stranger , as these two wise men were talking together within the house , knocketh at the doore ; thales letteth him in the man faineth a message to him from a friend of his at athens : solon hearing him say that hee came from athens , went foorth of the next roome to him , and asked what newes at athens ? little newes ( quoth he ) but as i came forth of the city , i saw the senatours and principall men of athens going to the buriall of a young man. solon going into the other roome againe , and musing who this should bee , being in some doubt lest peraduenture it should bee his sonne , commeth forth to him againe , and asked him whether he knew who it should be that was dead ? he answered that he had forgotten his name , but it was the onely sonne of a notable man in athens , and that for the reverence and loue that they did beare to his father , all the nobilitie & principal men of the city went to his buriall . then solon greatly confused and troubled in minde , goeth from him againe , fearing his owne sonne , and being farre 〈◊〉 of quiet , returneth to aske him , whether he could not call to remembrance the name of this young mans father , if he heard it reckoned ? he answered , that he thought he could remember his name , if he might heare it againe . and after solon had reckoned vp the names of a great many of the principall men of the city , and the other denying them to be the man , he came at last to his owne name , and asked whether he were not called solon ? and when the other affirmed that to be the name of the father of this young man that was dead , solon cryeth out vpon his onely sonne , and maketh great lamentation ; he teareth his haire , and beateth his head against the wal , and doth all things that men vse to do in calamitie . when thales had beheld him a while in this passion , be of good comfort , solon , ( saith he ) thy sonne liueth ; but now yee see by your owne example what cuill things are incident to marriage . a philosopher being demanded why he married not ? because ( quoth he ) if the woman whom i take to wife be good , i shall spill her ; if she be euill , i must support her ; if she be poore , i must maintaine her ; if she be rich , i must suffer her ; if she be foule , i shall abhorre her ; if she be faire , then i must watch her : and that which is worst of all , i giue my liberty for euer to her that will neuer shew her selfe gratefull . riches breeds care ; pouerty sorrow ; sayling feare ; eating heauinesse ; going wearinesse ; all which trauels we see deuided amongst many , except amongst them that bee married , where they ioyne all together : for seldome we see the married man goe without care , sorrow , wearied , heauy , and comfortlesse , as though he were alwaies in feare of some thing that may happen . if thou shut thy wife within doore , she neuer ceaseth to complaine ; if thou giue her leaue to walke at liberty , she ministreth occasion for thy neighbour to talke , and thy selfe to suspect ; if thou chide , she will looke sowrely ; and if so be that thou say nothing , then will she be more angry ; if thou stay much at home , she will thinke thee suspitious ; if thou goe much abroad , she will doubt all is not well , when her feete be cold at home ; if thou shew thy selfe louing , she will haue thee in contempt ; and if thou shew no signes of loue , she will suspect thee to be in loue with some other ; if thou deny what she craueth , she will lay to thy charge thou louest her not . this thales being asked in his youth , why he married not , answered , that it was too rathe : and afterward being asked the same question againe , when he was old , he said that it was too late . with the like passion of sol●…n euphrates a philosopher seemed to be touched ; for whe●… his wife was dead , whom he loued dearely : o tyrannous philosophie ( quoth he ) thou commandest to loue , and if we lose the things beloued , thou forbiddest vs to be sorry for them : what should i then doe in this miserable estate ? when there chanced a tempest to arise on the sea , and the master of the ship commanded all men to cast the heauiest things into the sea , a married man took his wife presently in his armes and cast her ouer the ship , saying , that he had nothing more heauy then she . a man of perugia wept bitterly , because his wife had hanged her selfe vpon a fig-tree : and being reprehended of one of his neighbours , that wondered how in so great prosperity hee could finde teares to shead : giue , me i pray thee ( quoth he ) a graffe of that fig-tree to plant in my garden , that i may see whether it will bring foorth the like fruite with me . one seeing his wife fall into a swift riuer , sought her vp the streame , and being reprehended of others of his neighbours , and asked what he meant to seeke his wife vp the riuer , seeing she fell in beneath ? i see the place ( quoth he ) well enough where she fell in , but because in all her life time she did all things against reason , and contrary to all others , i know that shee is gone against the streame , and must find her vp the riuer , or else not at all . sir thomas moore saith , men commit faults often , women only twice , that they neither speake wel , nor doe well . cato said , all men rule their wiues , we rule all men , but our wiues rule vs. one saith , in vxorem 〈◊〉 omnis amor turpis est : in suam 〈◊〉 nimius : for a wise man should loue his wife by iudgement , not by affection . marcus aurelius hauing diuers earnest suiters to marry his daughter ; be not so importunate with me , ( said he ) for if all the discretion of wise men were laid together in one heap , it were not sufficient to giue good counsell to make one good marriage ; and will ye that ialone giue mine aduice , and that so quickly ? it is ( quoth he ) sixe yeeres sithence anthonius pius made choise of me to be his son in law , and gaue me the empire with his daughter , and yet we both were deceiued ; he for choosing me to be his sonne in law , and i for taking his daughter to my wife . he was called pius , because he was very pittifull to all but to me , with whom he was cruell ; for with a little flesh he gaue me great store of bones , which in few words is the gall and aloes that is mingled with the pleasures and delightes of marriage : which if we will speake the truth , we cannot so artificially couer and disguise with eloquent speech , but we must needs confesse , that if we will weigh the sorrowes and miseries in a paire of ballance , with the pleasures and delights , that those will weigh downe these . i was ( saith he ) eight and thirty yeeres without a wife , which seemed not vnto me eight and thirty daies ; and sixe yeeres that i haue beene married , seemeth to me sixe hundred yeeres . the philosophers said , that nature had 〈◊〉 worse with men then with brute beasts , for to them she hath giuen knowledge to auoide their contrary and enemy : but to man she hath giuen a desire to ioyne with a woman , which is his contrary , whose malice is a swome enemy to the reason of man. the old romanes had a custome , when the wife was married and brought home to her husbands house , they would ( as she entred into the gate ) lift her vp so high , that she knocked her head against the vppermost part of the doore , that she might remember alwaies as she were going forth of the doore , her harme , whereby to be warned to keepe home , and not to gad too much abroad . and this discouereth the malicious and frowardly disposition of some women ; that socrates wife hauing such a husband as all men admired for his vertue and wisedome , yet she made so little account of him , that after she had a long time brawled with him , she watched his going forth , and standing in a place right ouer the doore , she powred a pisse-pot vpon his head : i thought ( quoth he ) after so great thunder we should haue raine . when pompey the great passed with his armie into the east , he found a people called messagetes , who had a law that euery inhabitant should haue two caues ( because in those mountaines they had no houses ) in the one of them dwelt the husband , sonnes , and men-seruants : in the other , the wife , daughters , and maid-seruants . their manner was to eate together , and to sleepe once a weeke together . and when they were asked of pompey what was the cause they liued in this strange sort , contrary to all the world besides ? they answered him , behold vs , pompey , how the 〈◊〉 haue giuen vs but a short life , that no man passeth threescore yeeres at the most ; and those we endeuour to liue in peace : if our wiues should dwell with vs , in liuing wee should die : for that wee should passe the nights in hearing their complaints , and the dayes in suffering their brawlings : whereas keeping them thus apart from vs , the sonnes be brought vp in more peace , and wee auoyd the vnquietnesse that killeth the fathers . but though many euils be reported of marriage , by the defects that be in some women , yet in this they seeme to be of a charitable and kinde disposition towards their husbands ; if their nature bee not altered from that it hath beene in times past , in that they will double the euill of marriage to themselues , to deliuer their husbands from the one halfe : for rather then their husbands shall be troubled with two wiues , they will consent to be troubled with two husbands : as appeareth by this example of the matrons of rome . a●…lus gellius reporteth that the old romanes had a custome , that euery senatour might bring one of his sonnes ( when they were little boyes ) with them into the senate-house , vntill they were seuenteene yeeres old , that they in their youth might be instructed in matter of estate , and see the good order that was there obserued by their parents , thereby to be the better able to gouerne when they came to be men : with charge neuerthelesse , not to speake of any thing which they heard deliberated among the senators . it chanced on a time the senate to sit in counsell longer then their accustomed houre , consulting vpon matters of great importance : whereupon because they could not then agree , they deferred their resolution vntill the next day , with charge that euery one in the meane time should vse silence : when a young little boy being there that day , the sonne of papyrius , one of the principall families among the romanes , was returned to his fathers house , his mother desirous to know the cause of the senators long sitting , desired the little childe to tell her what matter was debated in the senate : the boy refusing to tell her , and excusing himself vpon the commandement giuen to keepe silence , she was more desirous ( as they say the manner of women is ) to know the matter then before : and when shee perceiued that by no faire words nor promises shee could allure the boy to discouer it , she threatned to beat him : then the boy for feare of the rod , to satisfie his mothers importunacy , made this device : the matter ( said he ) that was in question , and must be determined to morrow , was this : it seemed good to many of the senators , as well for the common-wealth , as for the encrease of people , that euery man should haue two wiues ; but others were of a contrary opinion , and thought it more expedient that euery woman should haue two husbands , which matter should be determined the next day . the mother beleeuing her sonne , was greatly perplexed , and aduertised presently other matrons of rome what shee had heard , that they might deuise some way to hinder the resolution for men to haue two wiues , and to bring to passe rather that women might haue two husbands . the matter was carried so speedily from one to 〈◊〉 , that the next day when the senators should enter into the senate-house , they found at the doore a great number of the principall matrons of rome vpon their knees , who made a very earnest petition to them , 〈◊〉 they would not make so vniust a law , that a man should haue two wiues , but rather that a woman might haue two husbands . the senators knowing nothing of the matter , were not a little amazed ; and when they were entered into the senate , one asked another what this strange kinde of inciuilitie and shamelesnesse of their wiues should meane ? but no man being able to make any reason of the matter , the little boy seeing them so confused , steppeth forth , and told them openly how the matter had passed , and that he was driuen for feare of stripes to deuise this answer to satisfie his mother . the senate commended the boy , and decreed that none of their sonnes should enter any more into the senate-house , but onely this papyrius , lest their secrets might be disclosed by the importunacie of their mothers . demosthenes gaue this counsell vnto corinthus , that asked him , with what conditions a wife ought chiefly to be furnished ? be sure ( saith he ) that thy wife be rich , that the necessities of thy life may be supplied , and the continuance of thine estate plentifully supported : let her be nobly descended , the better to minister to thy reputation , and bring honour to thy posteritie : let her be young , that shee may the better delight thee , and thou finde no occasion to thinke marriage lothsome : let her be faire , the better to content thy desires , and containe thee from others : and let her bee vertuous and wise , to the end thou maist safely commit thine estate to her gouernment . for whosoeuer taketh a wife without these conditions , is sure to finde that hee feareth , and faile of that which should make the marriage happy . for of all accidents ordained to trouble the life of man , there cannot bee a greater infelicitie , then to bee euill encountred in marriage . hee taketh small pleasure of all that euer hee hath besides , that is wiued against his appetite . one being asked , who was a chaste wife ? answered , she that is not bold ; that doth not cuill when her husband offends her ; that may and will not ; that hateth money , the doore , and the window ; that careth not for feasts and bankets , for dancing , nor to be curious in apparell ; that heareth no messages , nor receiueth letters nor presents from louers ; that will not goe 〈◊〉 stand alone ; that esteemeth her husband , whatsoeuer he be , aboue all others ; that spinneth , seweth , feareth god , and prayeth often and willingly to him ; that is the last that speaketh , and the first that holdeth her peace : which made propertius commend women of the elder time thus : non illis studium vulgo conquirere amantes , illis ampla satis , forma , pudicitia . they studied not to range abroad for louers to inquire , to be held chaste , the beautie was which they did most desire . the old romans seemed not to think marriage a happie estate , by a speech vsed by metellus the oratour , to perswade them to marriage ; if we could ( said he ) be without wiues , we should then be all free frō that trouble ; but seeing nature hath so ordered the matter , that we cannot commodiously liue with them , nor by any meanes without them , wee must haue respect rather to the perpetuall good , then to the short pleasures . and what doth more vnquiet a mans minde , then to stand in doubt , whether the children of whom he beareth the name of their father , be his or not ? to this purpose i remember a pretie deuice , reported by a credible authour , that a woman made to satisfie her husband . this man was of the nobilitie , and of great possessions , and married a wife of the like estate , and beautifull withall , but not of the best fame . this woman was deliuered of a goodly boy , and as shee held him on a day in her armes , and perceiuing her husband sit very sadly , as though his mind were greatly troubled , fetching deepe sighes ; shee asked him what was the cause of this great pensiuenesse and sighes ? the husband sighing againe , i would ( quoth he ) giue halfe my land that i were as certenly assured that this boy were mine , as he is known to you to be yours . there shall not need ( said the wife , keeping her countenance with great sobrietie ) so great a price , only giue mee an hundred acres of medow wherewith to feed my cattell , and i will put you out of doubt of this matter : and when he had told her it was vnpossible , yet they agreed to call in certaine noblemen and gentlemen to heare the bargaine , which in their presence being agreed vpon , shee holding the boy in her armes , said vnto her husband , is this boy in very deed mine ? when he affirmed it to be so , shee held foorth the boy in her armes to her husband : take him ( said shee ) i giue him to you : now hee is out of doubt yours . wherewith all that were present fell into a laughing , and gaue sentence with the wife , condemning the husband . alphonsus king of arragon was accustomed to say , that if a man will see a perfect and well sorted marriage , the husband must be deafe , and the wife blinde , that hee may not heare her brawling , nor shee see her husbands wanton toyes . when one admo●…shed his friend , that hee should stay the marriage of his sonne , vntill he were wise : yee deceiue your selfe ( my friend , quoth he ) for if he once grow to be wise , hee will neuer marry . one hearing this preached , whosoeuer will be saued , must beare his crosse , ranne to his wife and laid her vpon his shoulders . pbilem●… said , that a wife is a necessarie and perpetuall euill to her husband , because there is nothing more hard to be found in all the world then a good wife , following the old prouerbe : that a good wife , a good mule , and a good goate are three naughtie beasts . but ynough of this . it shall bee good to be warned by old homers counsell , and not to touch this string too much , lest we plucke the house vpon our head . talia , nate , loquens , haud multo tempore viues . speaking these things , oh sonne , thou hast not long to liue . thus may wee see how hard a matter it is , to finde out any estate that is not subiect to infelicitie and miserie : and if wee should peruse the estate of peace which is desired of all men , and is a great blessing of god , we shall finde , that the long continuance of that happie estate , is many times the cause of great infelicitie . such is the corruption of our nature , to turne that good which god sendeth to the benefit of men , to our owne euill and harme : which is by the poet truly affirmed ; nun●… patimur longae pacis mala : saeuior armis luxuria incubuit , victumque vlciscitur orbem . the euils of long peace now luxury is held w'indure , amongst vs : raging worse then warre , to auenge the conquered world . philemon in his comedie bringeth in a plaine countriman that derided the philosophers , disputing vpon their summum bonum , one placing it in this thing , another in that , according to the diuersitie of their conceits : yee mistake the matter ( quoth this homely fellow to the philosophers ) peace is the thing wherein the felicitie of man consisteth : for nothing is better , nor more desired or pleasant , that god hath giuen to men , then peace . yet notwithstanding wee doe see , that a long continued peace engendreth luxuriousnesse and intemperance , whereof ensueth beastly drunkennesse , and an infinite number of diseases , both of body and minde , that besides many torments hasten men to their end , it encreaseth riches , which bringeth foorth couetousnesse , pride , vaine glory , and ambition ; whereof ensueth vncharitable contention by law , and effusion of innocent blood by ciuill warres , to the vtter ruine and destruction oftentimes of many goodly kingdomes and common-wealths : which was the cause that mooued scipio to disswade the romans from the destruction of carthage , lest by liuing securely in continuall peace , without feare of any enemie , they should at the length turne their weapons to their owne bodies , which came euen so to passe . lodouicus guicciardine in his description of the low-countrey , seemed to presage the fall of antwerpe , before their ciuill warres began , by reason of their abundance of riches ( wherein they were thought to exceed all the townes in europe ) and luxuriousnesse , & security of life by their long peace : which may be a warning to other countries , that finde themselues drowned in the like vices . cato said , that luxuriousnesse and couetousnesse were two plagues that ouerthrow all great empires . cyprian findeth fault with the corruption of his time by long peace . idlenesse ( saith he ) and long peace hath corrupted the discipline deliuered by the apostles : euery man laboureth to increase his patrimonie , and is carried away with an insatiable desire to augment his possessions . what would he haue said of the couetousnesse and greedy desires of these dayes ? many examples may be produced out of histories , of the ouerthrow of cities and countries by the vices gathered by long peace . euscbius reporteth that the long peace and rest which the christians enioyed from the persecution , that was in the gouernment of the emperour aurelian , to the raigne of dioclesian , was the cause that the christians manner of liuing began to be corrupted , so as many iniquities did grow presently , and the former old holinesse began to decrease , and such disorders and dissentions began to be mooued among the bishops and prelates , that ( as eusebius saith ) god suffered the persecution of dioclesi●… to serue in place of reuenge and chastisement of his church , which was so extreme and bloody , and full of crueltie , that neither is it possible for a pen to write , not tongue to pronounce it . so that whether wee liue in the warres or in peace , each of them hath in them their infelicitie : occidit ignavus , dum pralia pace quiescunt : the slothfull dyes , whil'st warres sleepe in peace . now if wee should prosecute in a generalitie this discourse of the miseries of man , as wee haue done of their particular estates , how many kinds of paines and torments hee suffereth in this life , and how many wayes , and in what miserable estate hee commeth by his death , wee should rather lacke time then matter to write of . but to follow the course that we haue already taken in other things : let vs , of an infinite number of examples , select some few . what paines and troubles men suffer in this life , in labouring to attaine to their desires , something hath beene said before , and more shall be said hereafter . likewise what miseries men haue suffered by the warres , hath beene touched already . now resteth to speake something of the calamities that happen to men by diseases and accidents , which bring them to their end : whereof we will recite some few examples of those that be rare and somewhat strange : but first wee will adde one more to that which hath beene spoken before of famine , a most miserable plague , and horrible kinde of death , one of the whips and scourges wherewith god vseth to punish the sinnes of men . in the fourth booke of the kings , mention is made of a famine in samaria in the time of helizeus , which was in all extremitie : and when all their victuals were consumed , the mothers did eate their owne children ; insomuch that a poore woman made her complaint to the king ( seeing him vpon the walles ) that a woman , her neighbour , would not performe a bargaine made betweene them , which was , that they should eate her childe first , which , ( said shee vnto the king ) i haue performed : for wee sod and ate my childe , and shee presently hath conueyed away her childe , and hath hidden him , that i should not eate my part of him : which when the king heard , his heart was ready for griefe to breake and leape out of his body ; and hee beganne to rent his garments , and couered his flesh with sack-cloth , saying , god make mee so , and as followeth in the text. chap. iiii. of sundry sorts of plagues and pestilence , and great mortalities . the iudgements of god vpon diuers euill men . of popyelus king of polonia and his queene . arnolphus and hotto bishop of ments , &c. other strange accidents concerning gods great iustice. the miraculous effects of feare , sorrow , and ioy approoued by history . the instability of fortune instanced in the story of policrates king of samos . his daughters ominous dreame . his great prosperity and miserable end . that no man can be said to be happy before death . of the vaine trust in riches , and of rich and couetous men . auarice reprooued and punished , &c. credible authors report , that in constantinople there was a strange kinde of pestilence , in such manner , as those which were sick therof , thought themselues to be killed by other men , and being troubled with that feare , died madde , supposing men did kill them . thucidides reporteth , that there was a corruption of the aire in greece , that infinit numbers of people died without finding any remedy , and such as recouered health , lost their memory & knowledge , so as one knew not another , not the father his child . certaine souldiers that were vnder the lieutenant of the emperour marcus anthonius , being in seleucia , went into the church of apollo , where they opened a coffer , thinking to find some great treasure , but the contagious aire that came forth of it , first destroyed a great part of the people of babylon : then it entred into greece , and from thence to rome , whereof ensued such a pestilence , that it destroyed a third part of the people . in france there was such a disease at aix , that the people would die eating and drinking ; many would fall into a frenzie and drowne themselues in welles ; others would cast themselues out of their windowes , and breake their neckes : the mortalitie growing of this disease was so great , that there was no roome in the church-yards to bury the dead : and many finding themselues infected with this disease , being out of all hope of recouery , would presently sow themselues in sheetes , looking when death would come to separate the soule from the body . these were the whips that god vsed in a generalitie for punishment of sinnes . but what would we speake of diseases , when plinie and others write , that in two thousand yeeres to their time , they haue discouered aboue three hundred diseases to which men are subiect : we may say with the poet ; optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus 〈◊〉 , prima fugii , subeunt morbi tristisque senectus , et labor , & durae rapit inclementia mortis . the best dayes of vs miserable men , the first are , that make haste from vs , and then diseases come , with sorrowfull old age , labour , and lust , deaths implacable rage . let vs descend to some particular matter , which hath happened to men , either by the secret iudgement of god , or by some rare accidents . popyelus king of polonia , a man of euil life , would often wish that he might be deuoured of mice . at last as he was sitting at dinner banquetting and 〈◊〉 , a company of great mice set vpon him , which came from the carkasses of his vncles , which he and the queene his wife had killed with poyson . these mice in great heapes assaulted him , his wife and children , as they sate feasting , and neuer left gnawing vpon them day and night , though his guard and souldiers did all they could to driue them away ; great fires were made , and the king , his wife and children placed in the middest : yet notwithstanding the mice ran thorow the fire , and fell to their gnawing againe : then they went into a ship , and prooued what the water would doe : the mice followed them , and gnawing continually vpon the ship , the mariners seeing themselues in danger of drowning , the water comming in at the holes which the mice made , brought the ship to land , where another companie of mice ioyned with these , and molested them more then before : when his followers saw these things , perceiuing it to be the iudgement of god , they all fled . the king seeing himselfe left alone , and those departed that should defend him , he went vp into an high tower ; but the mice climbed vp and deuoured him , his wife , and two sonnes . by which it appeareth , that there is no policie nor power to be vsed against god. the emperour arnolphus was likewise eaten vp with lice , his physicions being vnable to giue him any remedy . hotto bishop of ments in germanie , perceiuing the poore people in great lacke of victuals by the scarcitie of corne , gathered a great many of them together , and shut them into a barne , and burnt them , saying : that they differed little from mice that consumed corne , and were profitable to nothing . but god left not so great a crueltie vnreuenged : for he made mice assault him in great heapes , which neuer left gnawing vpon him night nor day : he fled into a tower which was in the midst of the riu●…r of rhyne ( which to this day is called the tower of mice , of that euent ) supposing hee should be safe from them in the midst of the riuer : but an innumerable companie of mice swam ouer the riuer to execute the iust iudgement of god , and deuoured him . the like happened to a bishop of strasbrough , who was also deuoured with mice . when harold king of denmarke made warre vpon harquinus , and was ready to ioyne battell , there was a dart seene in the aire flying this way , and that way , as though it sought vpon whom to light . and when all men stood wondering what would become of this strange matter , euery man fearing himselfe ; at last the dart fell vpon harquinus head and slew him . an italian gentleman being vniustly condemned to die ( as it was thought ) by pope clement the fift , at the request of philip the faire king of france , seeing them both out of a window , speaketh to them aloud in this sort : thou cruell clement , for as much as there is no iudge in the world , before whom a man may appeale from that vniust sentence , which thou hast pronounced against me ; i appeale from thee as from an vniust iudge , to the iust iudge iesus christ , before whom i summon thee ; and likewise thee king philip ( at whose suite thou hast giuen iudgement of death vpon me ) within one yeere to appeare before the tribunall seat of god , where i shall plead my cause , which shall be determined without couetousnesse , or any other passion , as yee haue done . it chanced that about the end of the time by him prefixed , both the pope and the king dyed . the like happened to ferdinando the fourth king of castile ; who puttìng to death two knights rather through anger then iustice , whose fauour could not be obtained neither by weeping and lamenting , nor by any petitions , they summoned the king to appeare before the tribunall seat of christ within thirtie daies ; the last of which the king died . a captaine likewise of the gallies of the genowayes tooke a vessell , the captaine whereof neuer did harme to the genowayes , yet for the hatred that the captaine of the genowayes did beare to his nation , he commanded him to be hanged : and when no petitions nor prayers would be heard , nor excuses allowed , nor any mercy would be found , hee said to this cruell captaine , that he did appeale to god that punisheth the vniust : and summoned him to appeare at a certaine day appointed , to render account before god of the wrong he had done him : the very same day that he appointed , the captain of the genowayes dyed , & of like went to yeeld his account . a strange example likewise by a false accusation of an archbishop of mentz called henry : this man was indued with many vertues , and had great care of his flocke , and would punish seuerely publike sinners , which procured the hatred of many wicked persons , who accused him to the pope , as a man insufficient for his charge ; laying many faults against him . the pope holding a good opinion of the bishop , aduertised him of it , who to purge himselfe , and to declare his innocency , made choise among all his friends of one arnand , whom he loued dearely , and aduanced to many dignities , to go to rome . this man being rich , intending to depriue his master , and to occupie his place , suborned two wicked cardinals , with a great summe of money , to fauour his practice : when he came to answer for his master , hee confessed how much bound he was to him , yet he was more bound to god , and to the truth , then to men ; and said , that the accusations laid against the bishop , were true : by meanes whereof the pope sent the two corrupted cardinals to heate & determine the bishops cause : when they came into germanie , they sent for the archbishop , and vpon hearing of his cause , depriued him of his dignities , and placed arnand in his roome . the bishop being present at the sentence ; god knoweth ( said he ) that i am vniustly condemned , yet i will not appeale here from your sentence , because i know that ye shall sooner be beleeued in your lying , then i in speaking the truth : and therefore i receiue this iudgement for my sinnes : neuerthelesse i appeale from your sentence to the eternall iudge , which is christ , before whom i summon you . the cardinals fell into a laughing , and mocking him , said , that if he would go before , they would follow : it happened that the bishop hauing withdrawne himselfe within a monastery , dyed within a yeere and a halfe after : wherof when the cardinals heard , they were in a great iollitie , and in a scoffing manner said one to another , that they must goe seeke the archbishop . within few dayes after , one of the cardinals had such a blow by one of his owne people , that his trypes and puddings went forth at his lower parts and dyed : the other cardinall grinding his teeth , 〈◊〉 his owne hands , and dyed mad : arnand for his crueltie and seditions which he maintained among the people , was so hated of all men , that being assaulted one day in a monastery , he was there slaine , and his body cast into the towne-ditch , where he lay three dayes , all the people both men and women vsing all manner of cruelties and despites vpon it . lucian a notorious blasphemer of christ his diuinity , was deuoured with dogges . arrius had also a wonderfull end : for as he was comming to dispute with the prelates , he fell into such a loosenesse of belly , that he auoided his guts and bowels . the death of lewis the eleuenth king of france , was also something strange : for as he was beholding tennisse players with his wife , among other talke , he said , that he hoped to doe nothing hereafter that should offend god ; which words were no sooner out of his mouth , but he fell downe speechlesse , and languishing a few houres , he dyed in the same place : which argueth the miserable condition of men , that a mightie king , when he least thought vpon death , and had many goodly houses and buildings , ended his life suddenly in the most vile and filthy place of all his castle , where men vsed to make water . and the manner of the death was very rare that atterius rufus , a romane knight suffered . this man dreamed or was warned by a vision , that when the gladiators or fencers exercised their 〈◊〉 at syracusa ( as the manner then was ) to kill one another with their naked swords , he should be slaine by one r●…tiarius , a man to him vnknowne : which dreame he declared the next day to them that sate by him , to behold this fight , or pastime . this retiarius chanced to bee brought in place with one mirmillo , whose face as soone as atterius beheld , he told them that this was the man that he dreamed should kill him ; and rose vp presently , meaning to depart : but being perswaded by them that sate by him , he stayed : as the two men were fighting , retiarius chanced to driue mirmillo to the place where atterius sate , and hauing cast him downe by him , he thinking to kill mirmillo , thrust his sword thorow atterius , and slue him . it is no lesse strange to consider of the miserable end of men by two contrary passions ; sudden sorrow and ioy . don pedro , and don iohn , hauing the gouernment of the kingdome of castile , in the nonage of the young king their nephew , made warres vpon the moores 〈◊〉 grenata ; and as they returned homeward in good order , don pedro being in the vaward , and don iohn in the rereward , whom the moores preased so hard , that he was faine to send to don pedro to returne to his aide . hee hastening to assist don iohn , could by no meanes make his souldiers follow him : and drawing his sword to strike some of them , thinking therby to make the rest more obedient , he was so troubled to see he could not helpe don iohn , that he fell downe dead from his horse : which when don iohn heard , that was valiantly fighting with the moores , he conceiued such griefe , that he fell downe speechlesse , his strength fayling , and dyed within a little while after . herennius a sicilian , as he was led to prison for being partaker of a conspiracy , was so perplexed through feare of the future iudgement , that he fell downe dead at the entry into the prison . plantius looking vpon his dead wife , cast himselfe vpon her dead body , and with very sorrow dyed . the like happened to a french gentleman , the son of gilbert of mompensier , who went to pozzuola , to visit his fathers tombe , and being ouercome with extreme sorrow , after hee had shed abundance of teares , he fell downe dead vpon the sepulcher . this is no lesse strange , that ioy hath wrought the same effect : and such as sorrow could not kill , sudden ioy hath dispatched . a woman hearing of a great slaughter of the romanes , by their ouerthrow at the battell of thrasymeno , where her sonne serued as a souldier , meeting him at the gate vnlooked for , fell downe dead in his armes , as shee was embracing him . another woman , hearing a false report , and beleeuing that her sonne was dead , as soone as she saw him , dyed presently . philemon had certaine figs gathered for him , and being set within his sight , an asse came to them and began to eate : he willed a boy to drine away the asse , who went so slowly , that he had eaten all the figs before the boy came . because thou hast made no more haste ( said philemon ) giue the asse wine also , wherewith he fell into such a laughter , that he dyed forth with . diagoras and chilon , hearing that their children had wonne the prize at the games of olympus , laughed so heartily for ioy , that they dyed immediatly . of late yeeres sinas hauing the charge of certaine gallyes vnder the great turke , seeing his sonne restored to him againe , that was taken prisoner by the christians , dyed with extreme ioy , at the first sight of him . but that the miserable conditions of men may be seene , as well by the strangenesse of their death , as by the infinite troubles of their life , we will alleage a few examples more ( for to prosecute it at the full , would containe a great volume ) of the seueritie or crueltie that hath beene vsed in a strange sort . the transiluanians hauing taken certaine rebels with their captaine , made them fast three dayes , and then made them eate their captaine halfe roasted , and afterward his bowels sod , before they put them to death . there were sixe men for some notorious fact condemned & iudged to this death ; they were set aliue into the ground , all sauing their head aboue , in front three against three , and face to face ; and there continued in that sort , vntill they miserably ended their liues . an italian gentleman hauing the vpper hand of his enemie , who vpon his knees asked for mercie , willed him to deny god ; which when the other had done in hope of life , he thrust his sword thorow him , saying ; i will now kill thee body and soule . certaine italians were sent from a free state , in embassage to the duke of moscouia : and as one of them kept his cap vpon his head , in the presence of the duke , he being therewith offended , caused a nayle to be driuen thorow his cap into his head . ludit in humanis diuina potentia rebus : et certam prasens vix habet hora fidem . the diuine power all humane things derides , and scarce one certaine houre with vs abides . the emperour marcus aurelius meditating vpon the miserable condition of men , spake in this sort : i haue imagined with my selfe whether it were possible to find any estate , any age , any countrey , any kingdome , where any man might be found , that durst vaunt he had not in his life tasted what manner of thing aduerse fortune is : and if such a one might be found , it would be such an ougly monster , that both the quick and the dead would desire to see him . then he concludeth ; in the end of my reckoning , i haue found that he which was yesterday rich , is to day poore : hee that was yesterday whole , is to day sicke : he that yesterday laughed , to day i haue seene him weepe : he that was yesterday in prosperitie , to day i haue seene him in aduersitie : he that yesterday liued , i haue seene him by and by in his graue . saint augustine entring deepely into the consideration of the miserable condition of men , and wondering at their infelicitie , maketh thus his complaint to god : lord , after men haue suffered so many euill things , mercilesse death followeth , and carrieth them away in diuers manners : some it oppresseth by feauers , others by extreme griefe ; some by hunger , others by thirst ; some by fire , others by water ; some by the sword , others by poyson ; some thorough feare , others are stifled ; some are torne in pieces by the teeth of wild beasts ; others are peckt with the fowles of the ayre ; some are made meat for the fishes , others for wormes : and yet man knoweth not his end . and when hee goeth about to aspire higher , hee falleth downe and perisheth : and this is the most fearefull thing of all fearefull things , the most terrible of all terrible things , when the soule must be separated from the body . and what a miserable sight is it to see one lying in the pangs of death , and how lothsome when he is dead ? and then followeth the dreadfull day of iudgement , when euery one must yeeld account of his life past . this is the time when monarkes and princes must giue account , whether they haue laid intolerable exactions vpon their subiects , and beene the cause of the effusion of innocent blood to feede their ambitious humours . this is the time when the pastours and prelates must giue vp a reckoning of their flocke ; and with what doctrine good or bad they haue fed them . this is the time when merchants must yeeld an account , and all other trades that stand vpon buying and selling , for the falshood they haue vsed in vttering their wares , whose case is hard , if it bee true the poet saith : periurata s●…o postponit numina lucro mercator , stygiis non nisi dignus aquis . the periur'd merchant will forsweare for gaine , worthy in stygian waters to remaine . this is the time , when lawyers will tremble how to answere the animating their poore clyents to waste their goods , to their great hinderance or vtter vndoing , in continuing their suits in a wrong cause , the end whereof is their owne gaine . this is the time that magistrates and iudges must bee called to a reckning , whether they haue administred iustice vprightly and indifferently , without fauour or corruption . this is the time when men of warre must answer for their spoyles and rapines , and intolerable outrages and cruelties vsed vpon euery sexe and age that christ dyed for , as well as for them . this is the time that couetous men and vsurers must yeeld an account for their rapines and oppressions , and for the vndoing of infinite numbers , to enrich themselues with their excessiue and vnlawfull interest and gaines . this is the time that widowes and orphanes , and other afflicted people will cry out , and present their complaints before god , of the iniustice and wrongs they haue sustained and suffered . this is the time when the wicked shall say ( quaking and trembling for feare , and repenting too late ; ) looke how yonder folkes which we had heretofore in contempt , as base persons and of none account in respect of our selues , are now exalted in the sight of god , and are accounted among the saints . this is the time ( saith saint hierome ) when they that stut and stammer , shall be more happie then the cloquent . and many sheepheards and heardmen shall bee preferred before philosophers ; many poore beggers , before rich princes and monarkes ; many simple and grosse heads , before the subtill and fine-witted . then shall the fooles and insensible persons ( saith saint augustine ) take hold vpon heauen , and the wise with their wisedome shall fall downe into hell , where is the miserie of all miseries , and such as the miseries of this world , be pleasures and delights in respect of them . this is the iudgement spoken of in saint matthew ; goe , yee cursed , into hell fire , where is nothing but lamenting and gnashing of teeth , which is prepared for the diuell and his angels before the beginning of the world , where they shall bee tormented for euer and euer , and shall wish for death , but they shall not finde it ; they shall desire to die , and death shall flie from them . these miseries to which men are subiect , made the prophet esay sorry , that hee was not destroyed or styfled in his mothers wombe ; and murmured that his legges did hold him vp , and complained vpon the paps that gaue him sucke . ●…remie mooued with the like spirit , considering that man is formed of the earth , conceiued in sinne , borne with paine , and in the end made a prey for wormes and serpents , wished that his mothers belly had serued him for a sepulchre , and her wombe for a tombe . the consideration of the miserable estate of this life , brought in a custome to the people of thracia to weepe and lament at the birth of their children , and to reioyce when they dyed . but the philosopher demosthenes discouered his conceit by a more particular passion . for beeing demanded of the tyrant epymethes , why he wept so bitterly for the death of a philosopher , being so strange a matter for a philosopher to weepe ? to this demosthenes answered , i weepe not ( o epymethes ) because the philosopher dyed , but because thou liuest ; being a custome in the schooles of athens to weepe more because the cuill doe liue , then for the death of the good . seeing therefore wee haue perused the principall estates of life , and can finde nothing in them worthy to be called felicitie , nor answerable to the thing which that word seemeth to purport , but rather that they all defect so much from felicitie , that they decline to infelicitie and miserie : let vs doe ( yet with a better minde ) as many now a dayes vse to doe in matters of greater importance , the more is their iniquitie , when their obstinacie will not suffer them to apply their opinion to the words and meaning of the authoritie they alleage , they will wrest and apply the words to their opinion : so let vs vse some force to the word , and wrest it from his proper signification , and apply it to the matter , and call that happinesse of life , felicitie , which a man hath possibilitie to attaine ; and set downe such a felicitie as agreeeth with the condition of men , and as hath beene and is enioyed of some . for to conceiue by imagination such a felicitie , as is plato his common wealth , or c●…ero his oratour , that neuer was , nor will bee ; or such a felicitie as aristotle setteth foorth , which no man can attaine to , serueth not this purpose . for to set vp a marke so farre beyond a mans reach , that he cannot shoot neere it , will rather discourage , then encourage him , to take his bowe in his hand , and to make any attempt , when hee seeth his labour lost before he begin : so to faine or set vp as a marke , for men to direct the course of their life to , such a felicitie as neuer any man hath , nor by possibilitie can attaine , is to confirme or leaue them in their erronious opinion , embracing some other thing , for the true felicitie they ought to seeke after : but when they see before their eyes such a felicitie or happie estate , as is within their reach , men will cheerefully vse their endeuour to attaine to it . and though it happen but to few , to enioy this felicitie in the highest degree , yet in bestowing their labour with hope fully to possesse the same , they shall come neere it , and flye further from those things , which by mistaking haue brought many to infelicitie . for in a game he that winneth the second or third prize , departeth victoriously , though he could not winne the best . est quoddam prodire tenus , si non datur vltra : it is something to get so farre , though wee haue not power to goe further . we haue shewed before , that the true felicitie of man , or his soueraigne good is enioyed in the life to come : and that there is no estate of this worldly life voyd of troubles and calamities . for as there is no sea without waues , no more is there any kinde of life without trouble : so that we must be driuen to call that life , felicitie , which hath in it least miseries , and him to be happie , that feeleth least troubles and calamities , and best beareth them . for there was neuer any man to whom some thing either hath not happened , or may happen , to make him sometimes sorrowfull . but hee that maketh least account of it , is wise and happie , as one saith : he●…est est enim mortalium foelicitas , dolere quàm fieri potest rarissime . for this is the felicitie of men , to feele sorrow as seldome as may bee . socrates answered one that asked him , how a man might feele little sorrow ? that there was no man that dwelt in towne or countrey , or conuersed with men , but he should sometimes be sad . the best way to auoyd the occasion of sadnesse , is to liue well : but to be sorrowfull before there be cause , and to feare euill things to come , before they happen , is meere foolishnesse . for what necessitie is there to hasten or call euill things , and anticipate that we must suffer too soone , whensoeuer they happen ? and to lose the present time with the feare of that is to come ? it is madnesse for a man to make himselfe vnhappie now , because the time will come he shall bee vnhappie : and the things that many times occasioneth vs to be sorrowfull , are either not euill , but an opinion onely , or else no great euill . sacrates was wont to say , that if all euill things were laide together in a heape , and euery man should take away a part , there is none but would thinke , that his owne euils were lesse then that portion which he did beare . and in truth a man shall sometimes receiue more comfort in sadnesse of them that be in calamitie , then of them that be merry : for if he consider and compare his owne euils with those of others , he shall finde that to be little which he suffereth , in respect of that which others endure . and nothing bringeth greater sorrow to the minde , then the losse of the thing dearely loued : and though many men winne opinion of wisedome ; because they seeme not to be greeued with the lacke or losse of that for the which we see others tormented with great sorrow and anguish of minde ; yet if the same men were touched with any thing that they did strongly affect , we should see that humane wisedome were not able to make sufficient resistance . for in such cases our affections and reasons contend together : and if reason be stronger in vs then the affection that moueth the minde , reason preuaileth and ouercommeth the other : but if the affection be stronger then his reason , then it preuaileth , and reason yeeldeth . and the more neere they be in equality , the more vehemently they contend together , and the longer endureth the conflict , before the victory bee wonne : like as two wrestlers , the stronger ouerthroweth the weaker , except he be assisted by skill : so naturally happeneth it betweene affections and reason , or wisedome ; affections being the stronger , if the minde moued be stricken in the right vaine , and doth commonly make reason giue place , except it be assisted with gods grace aboue our owne strength . it is a hard matter to refraine from pleasures that delight and tickle the senses , yet it is more hard to resist and endure things painefull and grieuous . but we must contend neuerthelesse , and endeauour with our reason and wisedome , against our vnruly affections , and call to god for the assistance of his holy spirit . for to what purpose serueth our wisedome , our learning , our knowledge and experience , and obseruation of the ordinary course of worldly matters , if we apply not the same to our owne benefit ? as the poet saith : quid iuuat humanos , scire atque euoluere casus , si fugienda facis , & facienda fugis ? what bootes it humane things to know , or after them inquire . if what 's not to be done , we doe , and : to be done , forbeare . but seeing that by the fall of our first parents wee are drowned in sinne and iniquitie , and our nature is so corrupted , that we can doe nothing of our selues , not deserue any thing that is good , nor haue any meanes to escape the torments of the life to come , and the calamities of this present life , which is extreme miserie , nor enioy the pleasures of the heauenly life , nor the quietnesse and vacancie of trouble in this life , without gods especiall grace and free gift , through the merits of lesus christ our redeemer ; we must confesse and acknowledge , that both the felicity we seeke for in this life , and the beatitude and summum bonum in the life to come , dependeth wholly vpon god , and commeth from him : so that we may call the felicity of this world , the contentation of a faithfull minde in a godly life and death , which commeth by the enioying of gods benefits and graces . and although all good things that can happen to vs come from god , yet we must bestow our endeuour , and vse those meanes which he hath giuen vs , to make our selues capable of them , and to dispose them to the attaining of a happie life . seeing therefore that our endeuour and labour is requisite to felicitie , let vs see how and to what end wee ought to bestow the same , that we may enioy it . there are two sorts of ends , some are precedent , some subsequent , some the last ends , to which when we haue attained , wee rest setled and contented , and proceede no further : others are degrees to the last ends . as for example . a merchant buildeth a ship to the end to saile ouer the sea to such a port , to transport his wares ; hee transporteth his wares to sell them , to make money to buy other commodities ; that he doth to sell them to his gaine : this he doth to gather riches ; hee gathereth riches to build houses , or to buy land , or to liue in pleasure , or to winne honour and reputation , or such like : and thus being come to the last end of his labour , for which all the rest were vndertaken , hee resteth settled , and seeketh no further . euen so all mens desires and labours are addressed from one end to another , hoping at last for a contented and happie life . but because many vnderstand not wherein felicitie consisteth , nor the way to it ; others take the instruments for the thing it selfe : few attaine to the end of their desires . first therefore , when we know what the felicitie is to which we may attaine , wee must submit our selues to the will and pleasure of god , from whom all good things doe proceed , and with all humilitie desire him to blesse our labours , and bestow vpon vs those his benefits and graces ( with condition neuerthelesse , if it be his will , for he onely knoweth what is best for vs ) that are necessary to happinesse of life . then wee must set before our eyes felicity as a marke , to which wee must direct the course of our life ; wherein we must haue a continuall respect to the true felicity and beatitude , or summum benum of men ; that is , to glorifie and magnifie god in this life , as hath beene said , which is his last end and proper action , whereunto is ioyned the ioyes of heauen in the life to come , without which our life here is meere infelicity , how pleasing so●…uer it be . to this end , which is our proper action and true felicity , we must alwaies haue a speciall regard : for in euery nature , the end must be common to all of that kinde . but that we commonly call felicity or happinesse in this life , is rather so by name then indeed : for th●…s life is but a pilgrimage and way to that common end and true felicity of men , which through their owne faults , some ouercome with great troubles and labour ( as they that ) not knowing the right way , or not willing to follow it , passe ouer mountaines and rockes with much wearinesse ; others , better aduised , that follow the right path , walke quietly , as in a plaine smooth ground , and come to the end of their iourney without any great paines : and therein resteth our indeuour , to make choise ( as much as in vs lyeth ) of the smooth way , and auoide the rough and stonie passage , that we may come to the end of our iourney with lesse trouble and vnquietnesse . but let vs see what manner of felicity or happinesse that is , which dependeth vpon gods benefits and graces , and may be enioyed in this life ; and how farre those graces must extend to make vs happy . seeing this felicity commeth from god , the author of all good things , and goodnesse it selfe , and is so much desired of all men , it must needs be some one good thing , or many , wherein it doth consist . and for as much as it concerneth both the body and soule or mind ( things of a contrary condition ) it must be more then one thing . aristotle saith , of euill things a little will doe a great deale of harme : but to doe a little good , requireth a great many , or a great quantity of good things . so we may say of this matter , that to bring forth such an effect as is felicity ( the greatest good thing that happeneth to men in this world ) many good things are requisite . the things ( after gueuarra ) that cannot be bought with treasure , nor can admit comparison with any other things , are , the liberty we haue , the knowledge we learne , the health we inioy , and the vertue for the which we deserue commendation : for libertie lighteth the heart ; knowledge enricheth the vnderstanding , health preserueth our life ; and vertue is the glory of the soule : all which are so much the more precious , as they are the true figures and fore-runners of gods grace , to such as it pleaseth him to esteeme and choose . let vs examine some of the good things which god hath diuersly distributed among men : to some he hath giuen a continuall health & liberty of body : to others he hath giuen a light heart , & merry disposition of mind : to some , an inclination to this or that vertue : to others , a contempt of worldly riches and honours : to some , a quiet mind and void of perturbations and passions : to others , iudgement to discerne betweene things good in shew , and those that be good in deed : to some , an inclination or apt disposition to make choise of the one , and refuse the other : to others , a quiet life void of troubles : to some , patience to beare afflictions and crosses if any happen , so as they seeme to verifie the poets saying ; — gaudet patientia duris : patience endures aduersity . to others he hath giuen a competent portion and sufficiency of worldly wealth to maintaine their estate , and to serue their necessary vse , & such other like things . now if all these good things did concurre together in one man , with the remission of his sinnes , which is the greatest good that can be inioyed in this world , without which beatitude cannot be obtained , who would deny him to be happy ? for he in whom these things do meete together , liueth a pleasant and contented life , and maketh a godly and quiet end : and whoto●…uer leadeth continually a contented life , and dyeth in the sauour of god , he is in perfect felicity . but many that liue quietly , seeme to liue contentedly , when indeed if their minds were knowne , they may be said rather to liue patiently ; because they want the meanes to haue that they would , they seeme content with that they haue . this fault is common to all men , that euery one liketh another mans estate better then his owne , as the poet wisely noteth when he asketh this question : qui fit , m●…cenas , vt nemo quam sibi sortem seu ratio dederit , seu sors obiecerit , illa contentus viuat ? laudet diuersa sequentes ? how comes it ( oh mecenas ) that we see , none with their owne estates contented be , whether their choice or chance hath giuen thē free , but still in others praise the contrary ? he answereth himselfe afterward with an apt prouerbe : optat ephippia bos piger , optat arare caballus : the oxe the saddle doth allure , the horse doth wish to prooue the plower . but he that liueth contentedly , desireth no more then that he hath , nor would exchange his estate with any man : but whether any such man may be found in this vale of miserie , whose pleasing and contented life is not interrupted with some displeasures & ouerthwart accidents , may greatly be doubted . homer duly considering the miseries of this life , and the instability of humane matters , fained that there were two vessels at the entry of the great olympus , the one being full of honey ; the other full of gall ; of which two mingled together , iupiter causeth all men to drinke . whereby his meaning is to giue vs to vnderstand , that there is no life so sweete or pleasant , but hath in it some bitternesse : which agreeth with his opinion that saith , god doth mingle bitternesse with worldly felicity , that we might seeke another felicity in whose sweetnesse there is no deceit . and plutark saith , men can neuer simply and sincerely enioy the quietnesse of any great prosperity : but whether it be fortune , or the enuie of destiny , or else the naturall necessity of worldly things , their quietnesse is alwaies during their life intermingled with euill among the good ; yea and that which is worst , the euill surmounteth the good : for this life hath in it much aloes , but very little honey . the consideration whereof mooued philip king of macedon , when he had three messengers brought him good newes at one time , two of victories , the third of the birth of his sonne , to desire the gods that they would mitigate the enuie of fortune , with the moderation of some meane chance , because he knew that some sorrow would alwayes follow good tydings . the instability and vncertainty of worldly prosperity , moued amasis king of egypt to giue this counsell to policrates king of samos . this policrates in all his actions was so fortunate , and liued continually in such prosperity , that amasis , with whom he was ioyned in a perfect league of friendship , fearing some great euill hap , according to the ordinary course of this world , to hang ouer his head , wrote thus vnto him : amasis saith thus to policrates ; it pleaseth me well to heare that all things fall out so happily with my friend , yet your great prosperity liketh me not , knowing how enuious a name it is ; but for my part , i had rather that both mine owne matters , and also their 's that be deare to me , should sometimes go prosperously , sometime otherwise , and to passe my time after the variety of fortune , then in all things to haue good successe . follow therfore my counsell , and doe thus against prosperity : consider with your selfe what thing ye haue that ye most esteeme , and which being lost , would most grieue you ; which when ye haue found , cast it away , so as it may neuer come to the hands of men againe : and if then there shall be no alteration in your good fortune , temper it sometime in this sort as i haue told you . when policrates had read this letter , he determined to follow his friends counsell ; and examining with himselfe what thing he had , that of all other was most deare to him , & which being lost would most grieue him , he found that the same was a ring of great value , which he had in very great estimation : he putteth this ring vpon his finger , and goeth into a ship , and after he was in the middest of the sea , he let his ring fal as though it were vnawares , thinking in that sort craftily to beguile fortune , and returned home againe sorrowfull ( as it seemed ) for his great losse . after fiue or sixe dayes , it chanced a fisher to take a great fish , which for the rarenesse of him he presented to policrates : and as the fish was opened to be dressed , the ring was found in his belly , and brought to the king : which when amasis vnderstood , perceiuing that it was not possible for one man to diuert from another the euill destiny that hangeth ouer him , nor that policrates could haue any good end , whom fortune had so exceedingly fauoured all his life , he sent a herald to samos to signifie to him , that he would breake the league of friendship with him , lest policrates falling into some great misfortune , which he feared , might be to him the cause of sorrow and griefe , being his friend . it chanced not long after , that policrates made warre vpon the persians , by whom he was taken and depriued of his kingdome , and shamefully hanged vpon the top of an high hill : this miserable end followed his great and long prosperitie . a notable example of the instabilitie of mans estate , whereunto he seemed to be strongly drawne by an ineuitable destinie for no intreatie of his friends , nor cuill signes and tokens going before , neither the dreame of his daughter that presaged his vnfortunate successe , could disswade him from that iourney . shee dreamed that shee saw her father aloft in the aire , and that hee was washed of iupiter , and anointed of the sunne : all which came to passe ; for as he hanged in the aire , he was washed with raine that fell from aboue , and was anointed with his owne grease by the heat of the sun that drew out his sweat . the prosperous life and miserable end of policrates , confirmeth the opinion of solon : that no man can be accounted happy before his death : for to ●…udge them happie that are aliue , among the dangers of so many alterations whereunto they are subiect , is all one , as if a man should appoint beforehand a reward of the victory to him that is yet fighting , being vncertaine whether it will fall on his side . which agreeth with pythagoras , that said , we ought to choose the best life , and saue our selues from the blasts of fortune , as the galley is safe from the winds in the sea. that riches in this mortall life are weake ankers , glorie weake , and the strong body also feeble . so offices , honours and all such things ( saith he ) are weake and vnconstant : and the sure and strong ankers are wisedome , magnanimitie , fortitude and vertue , which cannot bee ouerthrowne with any tempest : all other things hee accounteth foolishnesse , dreames and winde . seeing therefore there is no life in this world to be found that is voyd of calamities , but pleasures and delights are intermingled with sorrow and griefe , ease and quietnesse with paines and troubles , so as no man leadeth continually a contented and pleasing life , but either in the beginning or end of his race , or in the midst thereof hee findeth some alteration , and suffereth something that discontenteth him , and desireth amendment of his estate , wee must bee driuen to seeke felicitie in the midst among troubles and calamities , and call him happie , that feeleth least of those things that doe cause discontentment . and hee that looketh alwayes to liue happily , seemeth to bee ignorant of the one part of nature ; for the crying and lamenting of a childe when hee first entereth into this world , doth seeme to presage his painefull life , as a vauntcurrer of his miseries to come : for where is hee that can vaun●… , that either in his body hee hath not felt some paine , in his minde some griefe , or hath not suffered losse of his goods , or reproch to his person ? these be diseases incurable , accidents remedilesse , and alwayes incident vnto vs : euen as there is no sea without waues , no warre without perill , nor iourney without trauell ; so is there no worldly life free from troubles , nor any estate voyd of incumbrances . so as no man liueth so happily , that hath not something whereof to complaine and be grieued . boetius saith : — nihilest ex omni parte beatum : — nothing is in all parts happy . there is nothing in this world vniuersally blessed or perfect : and therefore that which cannot be auoyded by prudence , nor resisted by fortitude , must bee ouercome by patience , after saint augustines counsell : vt exercitatione tolerantiae , sustineantur temporalia , & sperentur aterna : that by exercise of bearing , we may endure temporall things , and hope for eternall things . for as much then as there is such a mixture in this life of good and euill , as the poet saith , — miscentur tristia latis : — let sad things be mixt with glad . that no man can alwayes liue contentedly or happily , but the felicitie we seeke , must be found in him that liueth least discontented or vnhappily , let vs see how a man must behaue himselfe ( so much as in him lyeth ) to enioy this felicitie or happinesse . though wee cannot flie from cares and troubles so long as we walke in this world , yet we may endeuour our selues to auoyd as many of them as we may : for much more in nūber be the displeasures & griefes we seeke to our selues , then those that are brought to vs by any other meanes . we said before that he vpon whom god bestoweth his graces , by which he liueth contentedly , is happy , and in felicitie : and no man is vnhappie , but he that thinketh himselfe so : neither is any man happie , but hee that so esteemeth himselfe . and yet not euery contentment bringeth forth happinesse , but such as is cōtained within a certaine manner and measure . for as contentation consisteth not in the much or little that wee haue , no more doth happinesse consist in that to which generally we are inclined . many by nature , or ●…uill education , or custome , are so inclined to vice , and strongly addicted to lewd life ; that neither reason , nor perswasions , nor terrour of lawes can reforme them : wherewith though they be contented , yet are they farre from happinesse , and may rather be accounted most vnhappie . for in all our actions , and in euery course and trade of life wee must haue alwaies respect to our common and true end , that is , to praise and glorifie god , that we may haue the fruition of the ioyes of the other life ; which is our true felicitie and beatitude . and seeing the happinesse wee seeke for in this life seemeth to require contentation , i see not how that happinesse can well be had , except in some measure we enioy the things whereunto we are enclined , that thereof contentment may follow : for reason may rather perswade patience , then bring foorth contentment . and therefore wee may affirme , that as they which seeke for contentation by following their vicious appetites and inclinations , in stead of felicitie , finde infelicitie : so they that enioy the things whereunto they are inclined , not being repugnant to vertue and honesty , nor to our common end before recited , haue a great aduantage to the happinesse of this life ; which commeth by cōtentation : for he ( saith one ) liueth happily , that liueth as he will , and will nothing that is euill . mens minds are diuersly affected according to the variety of their inclinations , which draweth their labours & industry to satisfie their appetite , and to bring them to contentation and happinesse . and if the end be good for which they employ their study & labor , whether their life be actiue or contemplatiue ( for happines consisteth not in nihil agendo , ●…ter the cyclopes ) they may attaine to that they looke for . among things that be indifferent , that which pleaseth one , displeaseth another ; euery vocation and estate of life contenteth not euery man ; some desire rest , others loue to trauell ; some like to exercise their minds , others their bodies ; some wish for pleasures , others for riches and honour : and if the end be good for which they desire these things , the way and meanes right , which they follow to come by them , and the vse as it ought to be , being gotten , they may attaine to a contentation and happinesse , notwithstanding the great difference of the estates and kinds of life , because they enioy the things whereunto they are inclined . and this diuersitie or contrarietie of mens inclinations , maketh a good harmony that is compounded of contraries , and seemeth necessary to the maintenance of societie . but seeing we haue no good inclinations nor motions of our selues , since the corruption of our nature , wee must pray vnto god for his grace , to stirre them vp in vs , and then so to employ our endeuour , as wee receiue not his grace in vaine . they that plough vnrighteousnesse , and sowe incumbrance , gather the same . diuine seed is sowne in mens bodies , which if a good husband receiue , it riseth vp like his beginning , but if hee be an euill husband , it killeth , like a barren and morish ground , and bringeth forth cockle in stead of corne . the sunne shining vpon waxe , maketh it soft , and dirt hard . hee that rightly receiueth gods holy spirit , turneth all his inclinations , and all that happeneth , to his good . for such a minde is stronger then all accidents that chance ; but an euill minde turneth all into euill . but it may bee obiected , that seldome or neuer all those good things concurre together in any one man ; god by his secret iudgement hauing so disposed them . and ennius saith : nimius boni est , cue nihil est mali ; it is too good , that hath in it no euill : for he doth all things for our good , and respecteth our true felicitie or beatitude in the world to come ; to the attaining of which hee bestoweth his graces according to his owne pleasure and our disposition . wee see some children of so gentle a nature , that they will be sooner reformed with a faire word , then others will be with stripes : others againe there be of so stubborne a disposition , that neither threatnings nor seuere correction is sufficient to bring them to obedience . so god distributeth not all his gifts equally to all men ; but to some he giueth riches and possessions , others he suffereth to line in lacke and pouertie ; some hee afflicteth and punisheth diuers wayes , to others he giueth a quiet and peaceable life , according to his pleasure and the difference of mens dispositions : because he seeth that those benefits and graces , which doe leade men to the happinesse of this life , will be to some an hinderance to the true felicitie of the heauenly life : and therefore he taketh from them the occasions wherewith they may offend him , and leadeth them in the exercise of such things as stand them most in stead to serue him . for , the lord ( saith justin martyr ) wil not honour his children with worldly happinesse for a reward of godlinesse : for those things which bee subiect vnto corruption , cannot bee a recompence to good men for their vertue . when god sendeth aduersitie , it is to exercise vs : if hee afflict vs with pouertie , it is to make vs to deserue better : when hee blesseth vs with plentie , so much the more ought wee to giue him thankes , doe him seruice , yeeld him praise , and glory , and obedience : if hee chastise vs with sickenesse , or any other way , wee ought to thinke , his meaning is to amend and make vs better : for god for the most part suffereth aduersities to vse their force against such as are most strong , not to tempt them aboue their power , but through exercise , the better to confirme them . if we obeyed god as becommeth vs , it is certaine that things should bee ruled here after such fashion , as we should be contented . well then , let vs admit that all those good things before spoken of , which engender felicitie , meet together in very few or none at all : yet neuerthelesse let vs pray to god to bestow vpō vs so many of them , as it shal please him to thinke meet for vs , and vse our endeuour to passe our time in such felicity as is agreeable with our humane condition ; which ( as we said before ) is improperly called felicity , or at least with as little infelicitie as may be . but if his pleasure be otherwise , then to beare his crosses patiently , alwayes looking vp to the true felicity . for he that falleth into a ditch , and cryeth , god helpe , without employing those meanes which he hath giuen him for his help , may lie there long before he come forth : therfore we must vse those means which god hath giuē vs. he hath endued vs with reason , to iudge of those things that be subiect to our sences , and as a necessary meanes , by which we should sustaine and gouerne this corporall life . by this reason wee are taught to discerne betweene good and euill , betweene vertue and vice . reason sheweth vs felicitie , and what it is to be happie : but our stubborne and vnruly affections will not be obedient to the iudgement of reason , sithence our nature did degenerate , being corrupted by originall sinne . therefore gods grace must assist vs , otherwise our endeuour is nothing : for in this so great imbecillitie of nature , and by the subtill practices of the diuell , who lieth in waite to hinder and peruert our good intents and purposes , our power and forces are very little : so as wee be no otherwise able of our selues to doe those things which are requisite to the attaining of felicitie , then as a body that is made weake with long sicknesse , is able to go ; who is by and by weary : and if any chance to thrust him euer so little , he falleth to the ground : so our strength and force is often ouercome with the vehemencie of our affections , and often ouerthrowne by the subtiltie of the diuell . yet neuerthelesse we must not desist , nor be discouraged , but vse our indeuour and force , such as it is , and call to god to supply our defects with his grace . our principall consideration and care must be daily to praise and glorifie god , to meditate often vpon him , and to be thankfull for all his benefits , which is our proper action and end in this mortall life ( as hath beene said ) and the means to bring vs to the ioyes of heauen , which is our greatest good and beatitude , or true felicitie . then how to passe thorow this vale of miserie and troublous life , as plaine and smooth a way , and with light burthen , as our endeuour can finde , and god will permit . i liken a quiet life and meane estate , voyd of worldly cares , to a plaine way ; and that which is interrupted with greedy desire , and hunting after riches and honours and reputation , with such like perturbations , to a rough and vneuen way , full of hils and stones , and they that possesse them , to be laden with a great burthen , and therefore trauell painfully in respect of the other , to the end of their iourney . to bring this to passe , we must purifie and cleanse our minds from our corrupt and vncleane affections , that we may be the better able to see and desire those things which be good indeed , and auoid those things that be good in shew onely : wherein morall vertues are very necessary : for by them our vnruly affections and vnprofitable desires are bridled or suppressed , or at least moderated , which are the chiefe cause of an vnhappy life . they mooue mens desires to pleasures , to riches , to honour and glory , which hath beene shewed before by many examples and sayings of wise men , to be the cause of infelicity ; they stirre vp pride , enuy , hatred , malice , desire of reuenge , feare , and such like perturbations and vnquietnesse of the mind , and will neuer suffer the soule or mind to be in quiet and rest , which is contrary to felicity and a happy life ; which consisteth not in fleshly pleasures , nor in the abundance of riches or possessions , nor in principality or power , but in a contented and quiet mind , void of sorrow and feare , which cannot be obtained without gods speciall grace and gift , and his assistance to our endeauours . the counsell which king dauid gaue to his sonne in his death-bed , is meete to be followed of all men : thou salomon my sonne , know the god of thy father , and serue him with a perfect heart and willing mind : for the lord searcheth euery mans heart , and vnderstandeth all the thoughts of mens minds . if thou seeke him , thou shalt find him : but if thou forsake him , hee will cast thee off for euer . and tobit gaue this counsell among other things to his sonne : my sonne , set our lord god alwaies before thine eyes , and let not thy will be set to sinne , or to transgresse the commandements of god : doe vprightly all thy life long , and follow not the wayes of vnrighteousnesse : for if thou deale truly , thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee , and to all them which liue iustly . blesse thy lord god alway , and desire of him that thy wayes may be made straight , and that all thy counsels and purposes may prosper . and if thou desire to know whether thou be happy or not , examine thy selfe whether thou be glad , merrily disposed , of a quiet conscience , without feare of worldly things , and content with thine estate : whether thou be neuer pensiue or melancholike , for the lacke or losse of any worldly thing : whether no hope in gaping for any thing to come troubleth thy mind ; whether day and night thy mind be pleased , and in one estate . if these things be so , thou art come very neere to the felicity that a man can enioy in this life . but if thou desire or thinke to find happinesse in pleasures , riches , or honour , thou art as farre from felicitie , as from the true ioy and contentation thou seekest : for these things after which thou huntest , as though they would bring thee gladnesse and contentation , are rather the causes of sorrow and griefe . euery man seeketh after the things that should make him ioyfull and content : but where to finde that ioy which is certaine and constant , they know not . some seeke it in feasting and carowsing , others in ambition and great traines of followers ; some in braue attire ; others in courting young damsels : but all these and such like be false and deceiueable pleasures and ioyes , and bring men rather to infelicitie , then vnto happinesse . he that will be happy , must thinke vpon the varietie of accidents that chance vnto men before he feele them : hee must account of his riches and possessions , of his wife and children , and all other things that be most deare to him , as if he should not alwaies haue them , and as if he should be nothing the more vnhappy , if he should leaue to haue them for he is in a miserable state , whole mind is vexed with feare of that which may happen , and he is vnhappy before vnhappinesse come , that with feare is carefull , lest the things wherein he delighteth , should not alwayes remaine with him : for that man shall neuer be quiet ; and by looking for that is to come , he shall lose the pleasure he might take in the things present . prouidence must foresee , and wisedome preuent the euils that may happen : and not to follow the common manner of men : then to iudge when they begin to repent : for nothing is more miserable nor foolish then alwayes to feare : and what a madnesse is it for a man to run before , or accelerate his owne euill ? he is more sorrowfull then is necessary , that is sorrowfull , before there be necessity . but all these things will not bring thee to happinesse , except thou direct them to the true felicity and beatitude , and end of man ; that is , gods seruice and thy soules health . and therefore thou must yet examine the matter further : how thou dost vse honour and riches , and beare pouerty and contempt ; how thou carriest thy selfe in health and sicknesse , in prosperity and aduersity ; how thou vsest thy selfe hauing much learning or little : for all these things be gods creatures and gifts , made to our vse : which if thou vse as thou oughtest , and carriest an indifferent hand vpon them , and desirest no more nor no lesse of these and the like things then is necessary to the attaining of our end and felicity , then art thou in the right path that leadeth to the same : but if thou desire or seeke , loue or vse these creatures to any other end then for this , thou runnest astray , and art out of the way that should bring thee to that end and happinesse . seeing then that the fountaine of our happinesse of life , in a great part is within vs , and proceedeth of a contented and quiet mind , that is , by a moderation of our affections , which is brought to passe by the exercise of vertue : let vs labour to make our selues vertuous , and cleanse our mindes of all manner of perturbations , that we may the sooner come to that happinesse of life we desire . euen as a field ( though the ground be fertill ) without manuring and tillage , will not be fruitfull ; so the mind ( though well inclined ) without exercise of vertue and learning , will grow dull and sluggish , and as it were , gather rust . diogenes walking on a time thorow the streete in athens , wherein were placed diuers images of such ancient men as had best deserued of the common-wealth , asked almes of them one after another : the cause being demanded ; i learne ( quoth he ) to take deniall patiently : so should we practise to master and command our affections , and inordinate desires of fleshly pleasures , and patiently to take deniall of riches , reputation , worldly pompe and vanities , which allute and deceiue men by the like meanes , as they that prepare a bitter drinke for a child , anoint the cuppe with hony , that the poore infant may by the sweetnesse of the one , the lesse perceiue the bitternesse of the other : and as the drugges that are tempered with vnwholsome and venimous hearbs , haue written aboue , a medicine for such a disease , that the poyson may be nothing suspected of him that readeth the superscription . so the worldly vanities we haue in such estimation , allure and deceiue vs , with a faire , but a false shew of happinesse . all men desire one thing , that is , a happy life ; but because they take the instruments for the thing it selfe , and follow not the right way ; the more they labour to come to it , the further they goe from it . for whereas felicitie requireth a quiet and contented mind with that which is sufficient , men heape to themselues causes of worldly cares and troubles , leauing the plaine straight way , to goe ouer hilles and mountaines : to whom it happeneth as it doth to trauellers , that being once set out of the right way , the further they wander , the more they goe astray . euery man complaineth of the troubles of this life , and yet no man is contented with quietnesse : wherein they resemble foolish sea-men , that when they should flie from the sea to the land , they runne from the land to the sea . and nothing seemeth to mee more to resemble the variable accidents of this worldly life , then that of sea-faring men , that are sometimes tossed vp and downe with tempestuous weather , sometimes swallowed vp with the sea ; otherwhile sayle in a faire calme ; sometime lie at anker in a safe harborough ; sometimes aduanced to great riches ; another time vndone , or cast into great pouerty . democritus saith ; he that will liue happily , must propound to himselfe things possible , and be content with things present . that which bringeth forth contentation , is a sufficiency of things : this sufficiency is measured either by the necessitie of nature , or by the opinion of men . the things that are necessary to nature , are health of bodie , and libertie , and to be defended from hunger , thirst , and cold . these be the things that nature requireth ; the rest are superfluous , and not necessary to contentment or happinesse . why doest thou embrace ( saith boetius ) externe good things for thine owne ? doest thou thinke that fortune will make these thingsthine , which nature hath made nothing appertaining to thee ? the sufficiency of things by the opinion of men are , diuersitie of pleasures ; abundance of riches and possessions ; honour and glory ; pompe and principality . the election or choise of these things helpeth to make the life happy or vnhappy . but although the things which nature requireth , are sufficient to bring forth contentation : yet because , to liue according to the law of nature onely , is barbarous and not meete for them that know ciuility , which is to be preferred before the other ; let vs see what is sufficient in a ciuill life to make contentment . to liue in pleasures , is rather beastly then agreeable with humanity ; and as hath beene said before , hath beene the destruction of them that haue beene addicted to them : for the more a man giueth himselfe to pleasures , the more he subiecteth himselfe to vices : and as the poet saith : delicias mundi fragiles , qui mente sequetur , perdidit aterni certissima gaudi coeli . who the fraile pleasures of the world will choose : the certaine ioyes of heauen are sure to lose . and yet honest pleasures or rather delights , ( for by this name i would distinguish betweene the pleasures of the flesh , and those of the minde ) for recreation and healths sake , ioyned with sobriety and modestie , are not denied a christian , nor any hinderance , but rather a furtherance to felicity . aristippus saith , that man moderateth pleasure , not which abstaineth vtterly from it , but which vseth it in such sort as he is not carried away with it ; as we gouerne a ship or a horse , when we leade them whither we list . the immoderate desire of riches ( as appeareth by that which hath bin said ) hath beene the ouerthrow and confusion of many , and cryed out vpon , not only by the philosophers , as a most pestiferous passion , but also by the prophets and holy fathers , and by christ himselfe , with sharpe and bitter threatnings of extreme miserie to those that possesse them . for he is not in the right path that leadeth to happinesse , who runneth after the goods of the world , but he that flyeth from the vices of the world : and nothing bringeth more care and vnquietnesse of minde , then the loue of riches ; which is neuer satisfied with that he hath , but alwayes desireth more , and therefore neuer contented . for liberty of the mind , and care of worldly goods , will neuer agree together : and yet riches well gotten , and well spent , is to be accounted the blessing of god ; and may be a furtherance to felicity , as one saith : eaelix opes qui cum sapientia tenet . happy is he that inioyes wealth with wisedome . but as it is now commonly gotten and vsed , it may rather be taken for the blessing of the diuell . rich men , for the most part , are said to haue riches , as men are said to haue an ague ; when indeed an ague hath them : and so riches possesseth them , and not they their riches , being slaues many times to that should serue their vse . riches with a wise man doe serue , but with a foole they rule . if thou content thy selfe with that which is sufficient to serue thy necessity , thou canst neuer be poore : but if thou goe about to satisfie thy couetous desires , thou canst neuer be rich . endeuour therefore to make thy desires equall with thine estate , but not thine estate equall with thy desires . there is not more beautifull nor more honest riches for a man , especially for a prince , then vertue and iustice . he ought to giue more thanks to god , to whom he hath giuen wisedome and a contēted mind , then for that he made him rich . vnto whom soeuer god giueth riches ( saith the preacher ) goods , and power , he giueth it him to enioy it , to take it for his portion , and to be refreshed of his labour : this is now the gift of god. seneca aduiseth , lest fortune should find vs vnprouided , to make pouerty familiar to vs. he shall be rich with more security , who knoweth that it is not painefull to be poore . for he that agreeth well with pouerty , is rich ; because nature desireth but a little ; but opinion would haue without measure , and a man may be poore in the middest of great riches . and so much the more excellent is honest pouerty , then hatefull couetousnesse , by how much the poore man is contented with little , where , to the rich man , a great deale seemes nothing : for he is not rich that possesseth much goods , but he whose desires are satisfied , and his mind content with a little . and what a madnesse is it to seeke to exchange contentment for care , mirth for sorrow , liberty for bondage , pleasure for paine , and watching for sleeping ? it is giuen for a penance to ambitious and couetous men , neuer to content themselues with enough , nor yet with too much . seneca speaking of the measure of riches , saith ; primus modus habere quod necesse est , proximus quod sat est . the first is to haue so much as is necessarie , the next , that which is sufficient . that which is necessarie , hath respect to the maintenance of himselfe and his family : for euery man is bound by nature to prouide for his off spring : and that child hath a great aduantage to be an honest man , that is prouided for in his cradle . that which is sufficient , hath respect to his estate or calling , to which he is either borne , or hath attained by his industrie or vertue ; but not by scraping together riches and possessions by vngodly or vnhonest meanes , wherein respect must be had to decency , by an vpright iudgement of reason , not by the common custome of men . for the common error in estimation of riches and possessions , bringeth infelicity to many , that otherwise would bee happy . midas had an asses eares ( as it is said ) fastened to his head for his extreme foolish desire of gold . pythius had good counsel giuen him by his wife , by an apt deuice to disswade him from ouermuch loue of gold : for when there was found out mynes of gold , he commanded all men of his city to digge for gold , and to doe no other worke by sea nor by land . which , when all men tooke grieuously , because they hadho fruits out of the earth to sustaine themselues nor could doe any thing for the maintenance and necessitie of their liues , they complained to his wife : shee willed them to vse patience for a time , and gathering together all the goldsmythes , shee commanded them to make fishes of gold , & fowle , & all other things that men vse to eate . when pythius was returned from his iourney , and called for his supper , his wife caused a table of gold to bee set before him , with diuers dishes wherein was no meate , but all things made of gold like vnto meat : when pythius had praised the workmanship , and called for something to eate , shee caused other things of gold to bee set before him likewise , whereat when he waxed angry , and said he was very hungry ; yehaue ( said his wife ) caused all husbandry and ●…llage to be laid downe , and all other arts that were necessary to sustaine mans life , and ye haue commanded to digge vnprofitable gold , which serueth to no vse , except they may also sowe and plant the ground , and reape the fruit thereof . thus by his wiues wisedome , pythius was taught to leaue digging for metals , & willed his citizens to returne to tilling the ground , and to fall to their occupations , & to the exercise of their trades as they did before . to him that esteemeth riches for a good thing , the false name of pouerty is a torment . and therfore a greater reuenge cannot be wished to a rich man , then that he liue long ; for that greater is the penance by his long life in couetousnesse , then any other reuenge that can be taken of him . and if couetous men knew , what a sweete thing liberality is , they would turne their desires to gain much , into a disposition to giue more : as the poet saith : extra fortunam est quic quid d●…natur amicis , quas dederis solas , semper habebis opes . what 's giuen to friends , is beyond fortunes frowne , gifts so bestowd , shall alwayes be thine owne . auoide therefore pouerty as much as thou mayest , and yet fall not in loue with riches , lest thou bee ouercome by them : for many labour for riches to liue , and many liue to get riches : as the satyricke saith : non propter vitam faciunt patrimonia quidam , sed vitio c●…ci propter patrimonia viuunt . some be that not for life their purchase make , but blinde with sinne , liue for their purchase sake . saint augustine saith ; whosoeuer suffereth himselfe to be gouerned by couetousnesse & desire of riches , he maketh himselfe subiect to all vices , & to all wickednes . there is nothing worse thē a couetous man : there is not a more wicked thing then to loue money . democritus affirmed , that extreme couetousnes was worse then extreme pouerty . and he that will looke thorowly into a mā , shal find that he is vnapt to al maner of vertues . di●…genes opiniō was , that in a rich city there cā be no place for vertue . god ( saith gueuarra ) we see , giueth power to many couetous men to get riches , policy to keepe them , hearts to defend thē , life to possesse them , but not liberty to reioyce & vse them ; so that though they be lords ouer the riches of others , yet they are slaues to that themselues possesse . the pleasures of life of a couetous man , will end before his couetousnesse . for where vices haue had long continuance , there death onely must plucke vp the rootes . he taketh no pleasure but in casting his reckenings , in telling his money , in selling his wares , and in multiplying his cōmodities : esteeming it as a paradise to be alwayes gaining , and neuer spending ; to be alwayes winning , and neuer losing ; to be alwayes receiuing , and neuer lending ; and to be alwayes getting , as though he should neuer die . and if he haue two keyes to his chest to keepe money from stealing , he suffereth ten cares in his heart , to keepe him from spending . crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam . so that the care being great to keepe , and the griefe no lesse to lose ; men should bee aduised how they beginne to get , since to saue a little of their wealth , they hazzard much of their honour : for gaine and getting are but weake pillers to vphold a good name : because couetousnesse and honour are of themselues contrary , and cannot agree together in one man. and although he haue great riches and possessions , yet in his own conceit he lacketh so much , as he seeth himselfe aduanced by another that hath more . it is painefull to many , to see a few aboue them ; because they consider not how many be beneath them . riches is neither good nor euill of it selfe , but by relation , according to the vse or abuse of it . neither do riches hurt the possessour , if he vse them well ; nor neede maketh a poore man commendable . and therefore saith saint ambrose , let rich men learne , that there is no fault in riches and possessions , but in them that know not how to vse them . for as to the wicked riches is a hinderance , so to the good it is a furtherance to vertue . for what profiteth it thee ( saith augustine ) to haue a chest full of goods , if thy conscience be empty ? thou wilt haue goods , and thou wilt not be good thy selfe : thou oughtest to be ashamed of thy goods , if thy house be full of goods , and haue of thee an euill master . and ecclesiisiicus , what profiteth it a foole to haue riches , seeing he cannot buy wisedome ? for a guilt saddle and bridle maketh a horse nothing the better . and this is commonly seene in these dayes , that whom fortune raiseth a foote in riches and reputation , hee lifteth vp himselfe a yard in pride and couetousnesse . by which sayings , it appeareth , that riches neither couetously gotten , nor niggardly hoorded , nor vainely spent ; to him that estimateth them with a sound and vpright iudgement , and vseth them as they ought , and to that purpose for which they were ordained , may be a furtherance to felicity . to this purpose serueth the olde greeke poets counsell , hesiodus , made latin ( if i forget not ) by sir thomas moore : tanquam iam moriturus , partis vtere rebus , tanquam victurus , denuò parcetuis . ille sapit qui perpensis his ritè duobus , parcus erit certo , munificúsque modo . as at thy death , so liberally giue , yet therein be , as thou wert long to liue . he shall be held wise that both these can doe , be equally both free and sparing too . but the paines men commonly take in getting riches , and the care in keeping them , and the sorrow for losing them , maketh men rather vnhappie then happy that possesse them . the next way to riches ( saith sene●… ) is by contemning riches : for some man may contemne all things , but no man can haue all things . and yet to possesse riches without feare and care , may be profitable to him that hath them . the on●…ly way to doe that , is for a man to perswade himselfe , that hee may liue well without them . compare the riches thou hast lost , with the cares that be gone with them , and thou mayest call it gaine . it is more easie to depart from the rules of vertue in the state of riches then of pouertie . hee , whom in abundance ( saith gregorie ) pride puffeth not vp , nor in necessity defires prouoke , knoweth how to vse plentie , and to suffer penurie . for no man is ouerthrowne with the griefe of aduersitie , that is not ouertaken with the pleasures of prosperitie . our fore-fathers ( saith one ) were so wise , and we so simple , because they laboured not , but to know , and we trauell not , but to haue . antist . said , that riches without vertue yeeld as much pleasure , as a banquet without any body at it . but horace noting the euill estimation and vse of riches , said , it brought all things to passe . virtus , fama , decus , diuina , human●… que pulchri●… diuitys parent , quas qui construxerit , ille clarus erit , fortis , iustus , sapiens , ctiam rex , et quicquid volc●… , haec , veluti virtu●… paratum , sperabit magnae laudi fore . vertue , fame , hono●…r , things humane and diuine , all thes●…●…iue place vnto the golden myne , which w●…onso hath , his clarity shall spring , he shall be valiant , iust , wise , nay , a king , be what he will , and from it hope more praise , then he expects whom noble vertues raise . chap. v. the great modesty and temp●…nce of the emperour traian : antiochus king of asi●… th●…pompus agesilaus king of sparta : a noble custome among the romanes , in conserring their great honours : the estates of this life compared to the zones : a dialogue betwixt socrates and another : of such as haue 〈◊〉 death : of the emperour charles the fi●… : the rare effects of virtue : the manner how the venetians created their 〈◊〉 magistrates : of kings & princes : the princes court a theater : the age imitatcth their kings and ●…ulers what manner of man a good prince should be : 〈◊〉 of sundry good princes : kings courts ought to 〈◊〉 schooles of vertue : what manner of men princes shoul●… make their familiars , and counc●…llers ; variety of discourse to that purpose , &c. the desire of honour , and glory , and principalitie , hath beene shewed by many examples , and is seene by daily experience to haue brought many to extreme misery : which , being duely considered by diuers wise princes , hath induced them in the highest degree of honour , to giue ouer their principality , and to leade in a meane estate , a priuate life . traian said , that he maruelled more of the contempt , that cincinnatus , scipi●… , and m. porcius had of great estate and worldly goods , then of their victories . king antiochus , when the romanes had taken from him his dominion in asia , and removed him beyond the mountaine called taurus , gave them thankes , that they had vnburdened him of so great a charge , and left to him the possession of a meane kingdome , that would be gouerned with more ●…ase , which argueth that there is nothing so glorious and magnificent , but it desireth a moderation . when theopompus heard that his countriemen had by decree given him very great honour , he refused it , saying ; that time did encrease meane honours , but did abolish those that were exceeding great . it is better to be worthie of honour then to have honour . agesilaus king of sparta , hearing that divers nations and people in greece had decreed to set vp his image or picture in their cities for honours sake , wrote to them , that hee would haue no picture nor image of his , made in any sort to be set vp in any place . but where is that modesty and contempt of vaine glory to bee found , not onely among christian princes , but in meaner estates , who for the most part thinke themselues bereaved of their due , if they be not both pictured and registred , as worthy of perpetuall memory , though their merits bee little or nothing ? but agesilaus contented himselfe with honesty , chusing rather to be engraven by his vertue in mens brests , then to hang up against the walles , or to be set up in the market place , in gold or brasse . for there is not a more beautifull picture , then the honourable memory of a life well spent . and therefore men should bee carefull to leaue such pictures behinde them , as may rather shew the images of their minde , then the lineaments of their face and body . and men of noble mindes , glory not in the beautie of their bo●…e , which is so soone defaced and at an end : but in wisedome , in fortitude and in those things that shew the vertue of the mind . and therefore the romanes , when they appointed to any excellent man his image to be made , they caused it to be apparelled in a long gowne , if they de●…ed it to 〈◊〉 for any civill commendation ; but if it were for the gl●…y of the warres , then he was armed : expressing not onely the forme of his body , but also in some sort the vertue of his minde . he is worthy of honour in deede , who in his owne opinion deserueth not that he hath , and in the opinion of others , deserueth much more then that hee possesseth . honour therefore and glory , and rule , and reputation haue no necessary part in a happy life ; neither are they any helpe , but rather hinderance to ●…ehcity . and yet they that vse honour as they ought , may bee neuerthelesse happy , by the testimonie of a learned man : honorem consecuti , diuiti as probae virtutis instrumenta facite : sic boni credimini , & vitam beatam aegere poteritis . hauing attained vnto honour , make riches the instruments of honest vertue : so you shall be esteemed good men , and leade a blessed life . this sufficiency therefore that bringeth forth contentation and happinesse , must haue respect to nature , and to ciuilitie , measured by the sound iudgement of a minde voyde of all perturbations . nature hath giuen to euery man to be happy , if hee knew how to vse it : for hee that thinketh his goods and possessions not to be great enough , is faire from felicity , though he were emperour of the whole world . for what matter is it what estate a man be in , if himselfe thinke it not to be good , seeing happinesse commeth of a contented mind ? he is happy , that seemeth not so to other men , but to himselfe . but this is a great vnhappinesse , to which men are subiect , that then they shall know their folly , and not before , when they shall not be able to find any remedy . such a minde that is cleansed from the intemperance of his impure & vnruly affections , knoweth how to find out this sufficiency , and suffereth reason to perswade him to be therewith contented . he can make choise of pleasures and delights , & so moderate them , as they shall be no hinderance to felicity : he estimateth things as they are , and not as they shew to be : honour & glory , dominion & reputation , & all other pompes and worldly vanities , which are so much desired & wondered at of mē , as the perfection of felicity , he esteemeth as the 〈◊〉 of ●…ortune , & ruggles for children to play with , & nothing appertaining to happinesse . riches , if they happen to him , he vseth to serne his necessity and calling , and to the benefit of others , & not to be made a slaue vnto that which is made for his vse : knowing that a couetous man is good to no body , & worst of all to himselfe . the best measure of riches after seneca his opiniō , is , not to fall into pouerty , nor to be far from pouerty : which agreeth with the poet : foelix qui potuit contentus viuere paruo . happy is he that is content to liue with a little . one compareth a temperate man that is contented with a little , to him that trauelleth in the spring by little iourneyes thorow a pleasant fertil coūtrey . philip de comines saith , that there is nothing better in this miserable life , then to feare the iudgement of god , in all things to obserue equity , and to be content with a meane estate ; and not to weary our selues with those cares , which are vndertaken of many through ambition , & a greedy desire to encrease their estate . if we could enter into this course of life and hold it , we should liue the more quietly , & be lesse afflicted with sicknes & feare of death . for as much then as by the opiniō of wise & learned men , & by cōmō experiēce , the mean estate , or that which is betwixt the mean & the extremity downward , is most free from the things that bring infelicity , it shall bee good for him that desireth to liue happi●…y , to aspire no higher , thereby to heape vpon himselfe causes of infelicity , if it please god so plentifully to blesse him . homer writeth , that king caluicius , a man endued with many goodly gifts , sent to their oracles to desire them that they would not giue him so little , that he should be inferiour to all , nor so much , that he should be hated of all , but rather a meane estate , that all men might loue him : for i had rather ( said he ) be a companion with many by loue , then king of all with enuie . the estates or kindes of life may be compared to the zones , by which the cosmographers deuide the world , according to their temperature . the high dignities and honourable estates may be likened to the burning zone , which the mathematicians call zona torrida , because they that liue vnder that part of the heauen , are continually parched and vnquieted with the extreme heat of the sun , that hath his course alwayes ouer their heads . so the princes and great estates , by the ordinary course of their affaires , and vnlooked for accidents incident to that calling , are in the whole course of their life vnquieted with care and troubles , with suspition and feare , or with an ambitious desire to enlarge their dominion or possession , and to encrease or maintaine their reputation , and such like . and therefore one calleth imperium , honeitissimam sepul●…uram . they that liue in pouerty and lacke , an ex●…emitie contrary to the other , whereby they are v●…quieted with continuall care and feare of want , to supply the necessity of them and theirs , may be likened to them that dwell vnder the cold zone , called zona frigida ; who by want of the sunnes heate , through his faire distance , f●…le for the most part extreme cold , and lead a painefull life . in the middest betweene them both is the temperate zone , called zona temperata , where according to his name , men are neither subiect to the extremitie of heate , nor the bitternesse of cold , but liue in a pleasant mediocrity , voide of both extremities . so they that liue in a meane estate , are free from the troubles , cares and dangers , to which high dignities are subiect by their excesse and supeisluities , which allure to vice : and likewise from the feare of penury and want , which tormenteth the poore estate . he therefore that is in a meane estate , or not ouer-neere extreme pouerty , hath a sufficiencie of riches to the helpe of felicitie . — non capit magnos motus humilis tecta plebeia domus . the humble lowe-bred cottage is not sensible of violent gusts . in euery common-wealth ( saith aristotle ) there be three kindes of men ; rich , poore , and the meane betweene both ; among which , they that be in a meane estate be best , because the meane is alwayes best . for he that will behold many of them that glitter in gold and siluer , and are accounted happy by their braue attire and great traine , not that way as they are seene and appeare to be in outward shew , shall perceiue them to be like puppets ; who , so long as they are couered and disguised , shew like men , but when any thing happeneth that disturbeth and vncouereth them , then appeareth what base matter and pusillanimitie lyeth hidden and couered vnder that false shew and counterfcit brauery . and they that be alwayes scraping together riches , and deuising how to encre●…se their poss●…ssions , can neuer l●…ade a quiet life , nor enioy that happinesse they looke for . for by expecting continually after that which is to come , they lose the pleasure they should take in that they possesse : like to a dogge that waiting at his masters table , swalloweth whole the meat he casteth him , without any pleasure , gaping still for the next morsell that is to come . but it may be said , that the toile and labour men take in gathering riches , is pleasant , when they see their wealth encrease : so is it , euen as to those vncleane bodies , whose vlcers and scabs desire rubbing & scratcting vntill they smart and bleed , it is a pleasure to be hurt with their own hands : so to them in whose corrupt and defiled minds , immoderate desires & cupidities breake out as it were scabs or byles , painefull labour and vnquietnesse , and turmoyling in the world , to feed the humor of their greedy and vnsatiable desires , is a pleasure and delight . let no man thinke whilest he liueth in the flesh , to satisfie the flesh : it hath power to take our life from vs , but we are not able to take away from it his inordinate desires . and the scripture saith , that worldly men doe so drowne themselues in the cares and cogitations of this life , that they leaue no place to thinke vpon gods affayres , which are the businesse of their owne soules . but happinesse consisteth in a minde endued with vertue , voide of all perturbations and vnquietnesse , that is contented with that which is sufficient , that contemneth worldly pompe and vanities , and all other things which mens superfluous labour prouideth as an ornament to please their senses , which are giuen or taken away by fortune ( as the philosophers vse to speake . ) calamities , losse , and iniuries can doe no more against vertue , then a thinne cloud against the sunne . he that will make choyse of an happy life ( saith seneca ) must not follow the manner of life vsed by the multitude and greatest part of men , but rather such a kind of li●…e , as is altogether contrary thereunto : and that must be by despising the glory , honour , pride , and praise of the world ; and iudge nothing worthy to be esteemed but vertue ; which is sufficient to bring men to the fulnesse of true glory and felicity : for vertue depending vpon her own riches , careth not for the fauour and praise of the multitude . now hee that hath found a sufficiencie in riches or possessions , and in other things necessary to life , must prepare a mind to withstand and resist all manner of accidents and misaduentures , to which men are subiect so long as they walke in this vale of misery . he must bee void of all feare of any thing that may happen to him , whether it be losse of dominion , or of lands , or goods , of children , or any other thing that is most deare vnto him : which he may the more easily do , if hee consider with how little a mā may maintaine his life , as the poet saith : discite quàm paruo liceat producere vitam , et quantum natura petat : learne with how little thou canst liue , and how much vnto nature giue . socrates opinion was , that neither principality , nor abundance of riches and possessions maketh a man happy ; as appeareth by a communication which plato bringeth in to be betweene him and another , thus : but ô socrates , there neede no examples of antiqnity to confute you ; but it may be manifestly proued by new examples , euen but yesterday , that many vniust and vnhonest men be happy . which be they ( saith socrates ? ) do ye not see ( saith the other ) archelaus , sonne of perdicas , raigne ouer macedon ? though i see it not , i heare it : doth he seeme to you happy , or vnhappy ? i know not , because i was neuer conuersant with him : but what if you had had his company , would you then know him ? can you take knowledge of his felicity by no other meanes ? no truly . then it seemeth ( ô socrates ) that you will say likewise , i cannot tell whether the great king of persia bee happy or not : and so it is true , for i know not how he is instructed with learning or with iustice . doth all felicity consists in this ? truly by mine opinion ; for i account that man or woman that is honest and good , to be happy : and him that is vniust and vnhonest , vnhappy . then according to your words , archelaus is vnhappy . yea surely , if he be vniust and vnhonest . thus much of socrates : yet negligence is to be auoided , and prouidence without ouermuch care , and possession without feare is necessary and requisite . it is a wise mans part to put aside dangerous things before they come to do hurt : for the losse or harme a man receiueth by his own fault , is more grieuous then that which happeneth to him by another man. thucidides saith , it is no shame for a man to confesse his pouerty : but it is a shame to fall into it by his owne fault . he must haue all things premeditate that happeneth to men , and thinke the same may fall vpon him : for the things that are foreseene before , pierce not so deepely as that which commeth suddenly , and taketh a man vnwares . he that will make his life pleasant , must not take ouermuch care to prouide for it , neither can any man take full pleasure of any thing , except he haue a minde prepared for the losse of it . one pro●…steth by long study to haue learned this , to contemne mortall things , and not to bee ignorant of his ignorance . death is to all men by nature terrible , but to a christian that knoweth with how great an aduantage hee changeth his estate , it ought to bee had in contempt : whereof the heathens that knew not god , nor what should become of them , made little account ; who for friuolous causes would offer themselues voluntarily to die : whose examples though they be not to be followed , but auoyded as an vnlawfull and vnnaturall act , yet they may serue to perswade men the rather to discharge themselues of all feare of death , that haue an assured hope & certaine knowledge to possesse the vnspeakable ioyes of heauen , when the infidels through a vaine hope of a better life , wherein neuerthelesse they were deceiued , would often make choise of a voluntary death . cleōbrotus hauing read plato his booke of the immortality of the soule , wherein he disswadeth men from the ouermuch loue of this life , & thinking he had found the ready way to deliuer his soule out of prison , cast himselfe downe headlong from a high wall and brake his necke . they haue a custome in narsinga , that when the men die , their wiues be buried aliue with them , & that with great solemnity and ioy : & when the king is dead , there is a pile of wood of a most pleasant sauour set on fire , & the kings carkeise carried into it : and then all his concubines , whereof he hath great store , and all his familiar friends and fauourites , and such of his seruants as were in estimation with him , are likewise carried into that pile of wood : to which place they go with such haste & ioy to be burnt , that to accompany their king in that kind of death , they seeme to esteeme it the greatest honour and felicity that can happen to them . the indians by custome doe marry many wiues , and when the husband is dead , there is great contention among his wiues , which of them he loued best , that she may be buried with him : then she that hath iudgement with her , with great ioy & merry countenance is led by her friends to the place , and casting her selfe into the fire vpon her husband , is burnt with him as a most happy woman ; the rest remaining , leading a sorrowfull life . there hath been a people dwelling by the mountaines called rifei , who hold this for a custome , when they come to the age of : they make great piles of wood , and put fire to them , & there burne themselues aliue , and sacrifice to their gods : and the same day the kinsfolke & children make a great feast , and do eate their flesh halfe burnt , and drinke with wine the dust of their bones . how much lesse then should christians feare death , when it pleaseth god to send for them , that hope for a crowne of glory after this life ? they make a good bargaine , that with the death of the body seeke the saluation of their soule . plato saith , all the life of wise men , is the meditation vpon death : & that men ought not to be carefull to liue long , but to liue well . for the honourable age ( saith sa●…mon ) is not that which is of long time , neither that which is measured by the number of yeeres , but wisedome is the gray haire , & an vndefiled life is the old age . and euripides saith , this life is life by name , but in very deed labour . death is not a torment , but a rest and end of all mans miseries and labours . and seneca , before old age come , a man should learne to liue well , and in old age to die well . but the day of our death ( saith gregory ) our creator would not haue knowne to vs , that the same being alwayes vnknown , may be alwayes thought to be at hand : and that euery man should be so much the more feruent in operation , by how much hee is vncertaine of his vocation : that whilest we be vncertaine when we shall die , wee may alwayes come prepared to death . and because that is so certaine a thing that no man can escape , it shall bee good alwayes to thinke vpon death , especially in the time of prosperity : ●…or the thinking often thereof , will bridle and restraine all other cuill thoughts and desires of worldly vanities : for in prosperity we forget humane srailty . it is reported that the emperour charles the fift , fiue yeeres before he died , euen when he was occupied in his greatest affaires , caused a sepulcher to be made with all things appertaining to it , that was necessary for his buriall , being dead , and that secretly , lest it might be taken for ostentation or hypocrisie ; which things he had closely carried with him whithersoeuer he went fiue yeeres together ; some thinking there had been some great treasure in it , some other , that there had been bookes of old stories ; some thought one thing , some another : but the emperour smiling , said , that he carried it about with him for the vse of a thing , to him aboue all others most precious . in that sort he seemed to set death alwayes before his eyes , that the cōtinuall remēbrance therof might driue from his heart the vaine pompe & pride of this world . let vs imagine that we see a mā of mean estate , whose mind is cleansed from all perturbations & vnquietnes ; that hath worldly wealth , reputation , & all other vanities ( for which men are called happy ) in cōtempt ; that is resolute & void of all feare , euen of death it selfe ; that esteemeth nothing to be greatly regarded or cared for , but a vertuous mind ; that taketh all things that happen to him , either as gods blessing , or his crosse , and all for his good ; whose mind is alwaies quiet & cleere ; that holdeth this opinion , as the sentence of an oracle , that no man can be hurt , except he be hurt of himself ; who would not reuerence that mā in his heart , & think him equall with the emperour ? nay , who ( if he be of a right iudgement ) would not preferre him before all emperours and kings in the world , as more happie then them all ? he is accounted a great estate that hath dominion and power ouer others , but he is a great estate indeede that hath himselfe in his owne power . and therefore if thou desire to be great , and to make all things subiect to thee , make thy selfe subiect to reason : thou shalt rule much , if reason rule thee . but if such a man as we speak of , be not , or hardly to be found , that is able among so many assaults and afflictions , to which men are subiect , to make sufficient resistance ( as without gods especiall grace , ioyned to his endeuour , it is not possible ) yet let vs set such a man before our eyes , in our conceit to giue vs aime , the better to direct our leuell : and though we strike not the marke , yet let vs labour to shoot as neere it as we can . and if we cannot attaine to that which is answerable to the name of felicity , yet we shall the rather by that means auoid many parts of infelicity . for he that laboureth not to erre ( saith plato ) misseth narrowly . we are troublous many times to our selues , by desiring and coueting those things that bee not worth the hauing , as abundance of riches , reputation , & such like . but plato saith , not the rich , but the wise and prudent auoid misery . we are often vnquieted with feare of the losse of those things , the lacke whereof , if wee looke thorowly into the matter , is not hurtfull to vs , but an opinion of harme . we feare many things , that haue in them nothing that is dreadfull but the feare it selfe . put away ioyes , feare & hope , & be not sorrowfull ; the mind is cloudy and bridled where these things raigne . demetrius said , that he accounted none more vnhappy , then he that neuer tasted of aduersity ; which to a vertuous man is an exercise of his vertue , which otherwise would wither & lose his force & brightn●… ; as iron with rest , gathereth rust , but with vse and occupying it shineth bright . the best thing in worldly things , is to contemne the things of this world . a man by nature is subiect to sickenesse ; and by losse of his goods may fall into pouerty ; and by the displeasure of the prince or people , may lose his reputation ; but to make him vicious , that is vertuous ; wicked , that is honest ; a coward , that is valiant ; base minded , that is of noble courage , is neither in the power of nature , of men , nor of fortune : & therefore to a man endued with vertue , nothing can happen that can greatly distemper him , who only triumpheth ouer all those things that make other men happy . ille sapit solus , volitant alij vclut vmbr●… : he is only wise , whilest others fly like shaddowes . when vertue is present , men take example thereat , ( saith salomon ) and if it go away , yet they desire it : it is alwayes crowned , & triūpheth , and winneth the battell and the vndefiled rewards . he standeth as a tree well rooted , which though it be shaken with diuers winds , yet none cā make it fall . he knoweth his body , his lands and goods be subiect to the power of men : but so long as his mind is free to himselfe & at liberty , he maketh no great account of the rest : he can moderate prosperity ; beare stoutly and asswage the sharp stings of aduersity ; and despise those things which other men wonder at . it is the property of a great mind to contemne great things , & to desire rather mean matters then ouergreat . if there be any happy man in this world ( said socrates ) it is he that hath a cleane & vndefiled soule , & a cleare conscience stained with nothing : for in him onely the misteries of ●…od may bebeheld & seen . the most pleasant and sweet thing in mans life ( said he ) is learning , vertue , & the history of vnknowne things : and quietnes of life , free from worldly affaires and troubles , & void of cupidities & desires , which distemper the trāquillity of the mind , he preferreth before all that a man can possesse : for he is happy that hath no need , and desireth no more . trāquillity of conscience , & security of innocency maketh a happy life : for nothing bringeth more labor & trouble to this life , then to boyle with earthly desires : and nothing causeth more quietnes , then to desire nothing of these worldly matters . seneca affi●…meth this by his owne experience , rebus paruis alta prasta●… quies . the wise emperour marcus aurelius seemeth to be of the same opiniō , when he taxeth the folly of m●…n , that forsake a quiet life they might finde at home , to seek with trouble , for aduancement and credit abroad : here be ( saith he ) many men wise , but more fooles ; and the greatest foole of all is he , who being at r●…st in his house , searcheth with diligence elsewhere , troubles , trauels & pe●…plexities : for that for the most part he 〈◊〉 no other fruit of the offices and ●…states for which he searcheth abroad , then to suffer cōtinual paine , care , and griefe at home . if men inferiour to this noble emp●…rour in wisdom and knowledge , would rely vpon his ●…dgement & counsell , and learne to fly opinion grounded vpon a common custome of the multitude , they should find better means to attaine to a happy life with lo●…e & quietnes , then by hunting so earnestly after credit & reputation , to make them enuied and hated of others , with trauell & vexation both of body and mind to themselues . and though officers & functiōs must of necessity be in cue●…y cōmonwealth , & cue●…y one must fe●…ue & employ his trauel in the same , yet they should expect ●…he time of their calling , & not preuent it , by intruding themselues before their vocation . the venetians haue magistrates called pragadi of the word , because in the first foundation of their city , men were prayed to take the office , and to helpe to gouerne the estate . but in these dayes there is no need to pray men to take offices of gouernment , but men themselues will pray , and with great labour and other meanes sue with shame enough for offices of rule , though meane , and themselues insufficient , and of little worth . euery man now will bee a magistrate , and beare rule ouer others , though he cannot well gouerne himselfe ; which hath brought things that were heretofore had in regard , almost in contempt , as saint hierome saith ; things of great price by ouermuch vse lose their estimation . the pride , ambition , vaine-glory , and corruption of these latter dayes , hath engendred a confusion of all things : but those ambitious and vaine-glorious men , that hunt after offices of rule and charge , without due consideration of their owne insufficiency , and vnworthinesse to beare rule , euen in meane callings also , are aptly reprehended by the earle of surrey , thus : for with indifferent eyes , my selfe can well discerne , how some in stormes to guide a ship , do seeke to take the sterne . whose practice if 't were proued , in calme to guide a barge , assuredly beleeue it well , it were too great a charge . and some i see againe , sit still , and say but small , who could doe ten times more then they , that say they can doe all . whose goodly gifts are such , the more they vnderstand , the more they seeke to learne and know , and take lesse charge in hand . septimius seuerus , after he had passed thorow many of the most principall and most honourable offices of the romane common-wealth , and ended his consulship , he remained a whole yeere without any office ; after which time hee would often say , that the best and merriest dayes in all his life , he passed that yeere , wherein he had no office in the common-wealth . plato saith , that fortune is more contrary to that man , whom shee suffereth not to enioy that hee hath , then to him , to whom she denieth that which he craueth : for many ( we see ) by daily experience , can attaine to honour , fame , reputation , riches and quietnesse , that haue not the meanes afterwards to enioy them ; some because they cannot , others , because they will not . by this which hath beene said , it appeareth , that felicity in the greatest part proceedeth from the minde . of externe things , a little is sufficient to bring contentment to him that hath a minde framed to the purpose , and inclined to vertue : so that we must haue a mind prepared , and all things premeditate that may happen ; and not to vnquiet our selues with a desire to aduance or change our estate , and thinke other mens fortune better then our owne : but when such motions trouble vs , to looke into the matter with a sound and vpright iudgement , whether the cause of such vnquietnesse be within vs , or without vs ; whether in the matter , or in an euill affected mind ; whether there be cause indeed , or in opinion . the want of which consideration , bringeth to many much vnquietnesse and discontentment , imagining the cause to proceed from the matter , when it commeth of an euill affected mind . thine owne passions are they that make warre vpon thee , and when thou keepest thine enemies within thy house , thou complainest of them that bee abroad . which inconstancy of mens variable mindes is well noted of the poet , when hee alleageth a contention betweene the countrey life and that of the towne : rure ego viuentem , tu dicis in vrbe ●…eatum , cui placet alterius alterius nimirùm est odio sors : stultus vterque locum immeritum causatur iniquè , in culpâ est animas qui se non eff ugit vnquam . i pleas'd am with the countries rest , the belly life thou hold'st most blest : he whom anothers lot doth please , to him his owne is a disease , fooles both to blame the place , when we in our owne minds the error see , &c. and many might liue more happily , if they desired not rather to content others then themselues , hauing more regard to that men say , then to that is meet for them to doe . plato compareth our life to table play , wherein the dice must chance well , and the player must dispose well of his cast : now of these two things , what the chance of the dice shall bee , is not in our power : but to receiue patiently whatsoeuer shall chance , and so to dispose euery thing in his right place , as being good , it may most profit vs ; or being bad , doe least hurt , is in the power of a skilfull player : so hee that shall liue happily , must not onely haue things chance well to him , but hee must also dispose well of them . but that things shall chance well , is not in our power : but in the power of god that giueth all things ; but so to dispose of them , as either they may doe good , or little harme , is partly in our power , if god withdrawe not his grace from vs. and in this sort to dispose of things , is ( whether god blesse our life and labours with prosperous successe , or intermingle it with some crosse and aduerse euents ) to bee thankefull and patient , and thinke all to bee done for the best . whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee , receiue it patiently : for hee that can moderately vse prosperity , and patiently beare aduersity , hath a great aduantage to felicity . whilest wee liue in this world , wee should take felicity for borrowed ware , and aduersity for our naturall patrimonie . so that whether a man be in high estate or lowe , whether rich or poore , if gods graces bee ioyned to a minde endued with vertue , hee may liue happily : for no estate or calling is excluded from felicitie : yet neuerthelesse some with more difficultie attaine to it then some others , and neede gods graces in greater measure then the r●… : and therefore se●…ca his counsell is , because men haue not sufficient force to make resistance to the diuersity of accidents that chance to great estates , to straighten their possessions to a certaine measure , that they may be the lesse subiect to fortune : hee that beareth his sailes low , goeth sure in a storme : quatiunt altas sapè procella , aut euertit fortuna domos : minus in paruis fortuna furit , raros patitur fulminis ictus humida vallis . high houses oft by stormes are shaken , or else by fortunes rage forsaken . lesse frownes shee vpon things kept vnder , and dales are seldome strooke with thunder . isocrates likened the life depending vpon fortune , to a great land-flood , that is troublous , swift , roaring , dirty , hard to passe ouer , and during but a short time : but the life giuen to vertue , he likened to a goodly fountaine , whose water is cleare , vntroubled , sweete , me●…te to be drunke , to men well-affected apt for nourishment , fruitfull , and void of all corruption and filthinesse . dante was vsed to say , that such as sought the way that leadeth to the soueraigne or greatest good , are withstood with three principal impediments ; which to ouercome , they ought to employ all their endeuour . the first is , the delights of the sences , figured by the lionesse , faire and hot by nature , and shee through luxuriousnesse , accompanied with gluttony and sloth . the second is , the glory of the world , expressed by the proud & disdainfull lyon , to whose ambition and pride is ioyned anger . the third is , the getting of worldly wealth , signified by the shee-wolfe , malicious and hungry , whose couetousnesse is followed hard at the heeles with enuy . one saith , that the false felicity of the world consisteth in these fiue things : lordship , riches , honour , fame , and bodily pleasure ; the desire whereof he that can suppresse or moderate , shall the more easily find the right way to the true felicity . s. bafill saith , that men are wicked and vnthankfull , neuer content with that they haue , alwayes seeking for that they haue not , sad and sorrowfull for not obtaining : the slaue , his liberty ; the vnnobleman , nobility ; the noble , riches ; the rich , lordship ; the lord , a kingdom ; the king , a monarchy & the empire of the whole world. * the philosopher vsed to say , that as a man , who is inuited by his friēd to a feast , taketh of that which is set before him , & is contented , so ought we to take , and content our selues with that god giueth vs. for if it bee against good manners , to aske of that friend for partridges or quailes , or other dainty meats and drinkes then that which he hath prouided for him , much more is it against equity and reason , to aske of almighty god this or that thing , more then he giueth vs , especially of his maiesty , that knoweth better what we need , and is meete for vs , then we know our selues . socrates was vsed to say , that they which desired of god gold or siluer , or such like , their demands were not vnlike to them that desired to play at dice , or such like things , the euent and end whereof is vncertaine . the things which are commorly called the goods of fortune and of nature , though they be of themselues good , because they were created and giuen of god , yet they neither bring commodity nor praise , but to them that vse them well : and therefore they that desire those things of god , ought also to desire the right vse of them , that they may bee commodious and comfortable to them : for they that torment themselues in getting goods , and are vexed with ouer-great care in keeping them , and vnquieted with griefe and sorrowe for the losing of them , to them goods are not good : so as wee desire many times the things that are not profitable , but hurtfull to vs , because the vse of things proceedeth not from our iudgement , but from the will of god. learne therefore to content thy selfe with thine estate , and that which god giueth thee ; and behold aduisedly what the things bee that driue men almost into madnesse for the desire and lacke of them , and thou shalt perceiue that their losse and lacke is not hurtfull , but the opinion we hold of them . no man feeleth their want , but only thinketh that he lacketh them . thou hast little money , so hast thou also thereby the lesse care and trouble : thou hast little credit and reputation , and thereby the lesse enuie . the next way to riches and reputation , is to contemne them : but if that seeme to thee ouer-hard , liue so as though thou didst not contemne all things , but rather as though thou didst giue other men leaue to haue them : and if thou wilt beleeue seneca , the safest way to felicity , is to despise externe things , and to bee content with that which is honest , and to thinke them happy , whom we call most vnhappy . hope and feare raise great tempests in mens mindes , which ioyne together to vexe m●…n more then infelicity it selfe : for by gaping with vnquiet mindes after things to come , they cannot quietly enioy things present : and the feare of not obtaining that they hope for , tormenteth their mindes more grieuously then any euill that can happen ; which is contrary to felicity , that requireth a quiet and contented minde . some couet riches , others aspire to honour , all desire to liue in a prosperous estate , and few or none know how to vse it : as petrarke rightly saith with other authors : many are tormented with aduersity , and others know not how to vse prosperity : which caused flaccus to say ; bene ferre magnam disce fortunam . learne how to carry a great fortune well . for all desire great estate and high dignities , but very few know how they ought to behaue themselues in them : and this may seeme strange , that many can with a constant minde and vpright iudgement beare losse , pouerty , imprisonment , exile , punishment , painefull diseases , and death it selfe ; and few can beare with the like minde and iudgement , riches , possessions , honour , power or dominion : and so much the more miserable is their case , as they can neither suffer the disease , nor endure the remedy . saint paul giueth counsell , that wee should vse the world , as though wee did not vse it : so should wee vse honour , riches , and such like things , as though wee did not vse them : and though it bee a hard matter to doe as wee ought , and to haue that is meete , and to attaine to the meane : yet wee must endeuour not to depart farre from the meane : and if wee cannot reach to the best things , yet let vs holde those that haue in them least euill : following aristotles counsell , that wee ought to wish for a prosperous winde to bring vs to the meane : but because that happeneth seldome or neuer , yet wee must not omit the other kinde of nauigation , that is , the winde failing , to rowe our ship with oares , and so vse our endeuour to attaine to the meane ; which to our purpose may be thus applied : if we want the meanes , either by the defects of nature , or of fortunes fauour ( as we vse to speake ) to leade a happy life , wee must endeuour to supply the same defects with labour and industry . for alexander the great was vsed to say , that labour and industry is of a princely dignity ; but idlenesse and sluggishnesse of a seruile condition . and salomon saith , the soule of an idle man is alwayes in desires , which bring with them many impediments to felicity . it is not vnseemely for good and vertuous men to wish , that the best things may happen to them , but they must beare whatsoeuer chance , so shall they deserue the name of vertuous men ; as one saith : euenta quisquis rectè fcrt mortalium , mihi modestus is vidctur & optimus . he that all mortall chances can disgest , i 'le count him modest , and of men the best . to foresee that no euill happen , is the part of a wise man , and of a stout man to beare them , if they happen : and no lesse wisdome is it to haue no confidence in the world , for that ( as g●…arra hath rightly espied ) it hath a custome to hide vnder a little gold , a great deale of drosse ; vnder a resemblance of truth , it leads vs in many dece●…ts ; and to our very few and short delights , it ioyneth infinite griefes and displeasures : vnto whom it sheweth most fauour , in him is most perill of destruction ; for that the allurements of the world be but baites to beguile such as bite them : and who serues the world in disdaine and mockery , findes his recompence most i●…st and true : where , to him that loues indeed , it ministreth reward of scorne : and when wee thinke our estate best established , euen then we are neerest our ouerthrowe and ruine . but it is hard for a young man to be wise , and for an old man to be happy . solon calleth him happy , who being meanely possessed with exteme things , behaueth himselfe vertuously , and liueth modestly . the part of a wise man is not to wish for that he hath not , but to vse well that he hath . anaxagoras also seemed not to thinke him happy that was rich , or of great power , because himselfe despised worldly wealth and possessions ; for the which being scorned and mocked of the people , he said , he maruelled not that he was of the cōmon and base sort of men accounted a foole & vnwise , because such iudge according to externe things , & as they can cōprehend with their senses . and they that by their industry haue attained to wisdome and knowledge , are for the most part lesse contented then they were before they had gotten that wisdome , and also then they that be vnlearned & not greatly wise . for the simple & ignorant , because they cannot looke thorowly into the estate of things , nor know how they should be managed , are not troubled and vnquieted in mind so much as the wiser sort are , that cannot endure with patience to see things euill done , though they be not their owne , which bringeth much trouble and vnquietnes to their minds : which made salomon say , i gaue my heart to the vnderstāding of wisdom & learning , of errors & foolishnes , & i perceiued that in these things also is paine & affliction of spirit , because into much wisdom entreth much griefe , and he that getteth knowledge , getteth sorrow : by which words it seemeth , that salomon would giue vs to vnderstand , that he liued more contentedly being ignorant , then when he had receiued wisedome . for true it is that the ignorant liue with lesse vexation of spirit , and suffer things to passe without any great griefe , because their heads are not occupied with any deepe imaginations or cōceits , supposing that no man knoweth more then themselues : neither are they so much vnquieted with ambition & desire of honour . for they that be of the greatest wit & deepest conceit , are for the most part giuen to vice , because they suffer themselues to be guided by their naturall inclination , and are more subiect then others to this humor of ambition , reposing their felicity in honour and glory ; to the attaining whereof by their excellency of wit , they finde better meanes then the rest . for experience teacheth vs , that men commonly of sharpe iudgement , are not alwayes of sound condition . the consideration where of moued aristotle aske whereof it came to passe , that man being so greatly instructed , was the most vniust of all creatures ? to which probleme he answereth , that a man hath much wit and great imagination ; and therefore he findeth many wayes to doe euill : and ( because by his nature he desireth delights , and to be superiour to all others , and of greater felicity ) he must of necessity offend , for that these things cannot be attained without doing iniury to many . the estate of kings and princes ( in the common opinion of the world ) is taken to be a most happy estate , but to those that looke into the matter , with a sound and vpright iudgement , many of them seeme to be further from felicity , then meaner men ; except they vpon whom god bestoweth his graces in greater measure ; as vpon some he doth . for as their dignity is high , and their charge great , so are they more subiect to the assaults of fortune , then all other earthly things ; and haue many occasions to mooue their affections to sorrow , sometime to anger , sometime to feare , sometime to the inordinate desire of pleasures , and such like passions , more then the inferiour sort hath : and therefore they need a mind strongly fortified with all manner of vertues , and prepared to resist the violent assaults of those vnruly affections and temptations , which hauing once gotten the vpper hand , their felicity is cleane ouerthrowne , as hath beene shewed before by many examples , with the dangerous estate of principality , by the confession of wise and mighty emperours and princes themselues . if it bee b●…rd ( as hesiodus saith ) for a man to bee good , then must it bee likewise hard for a prince ( without gods speciall grace ) to be good . for the abundance of honours , and pleasures , and delights , whereof they see themselues possessed , inflameth and allureth many of them to vice . as the romane emperours which commanded the most flourishing common-wealth in the world , after they had attained to that dignity , many of them grew to be more like monsters then men . the like may be said of the assyrians , and other monarchies . but to leaue the heathens that knew not god , what was saul before he was chosen king ? how is his goodnesse exalted in the holy scripture ? whom the lord himselfe did elect ; and yet how soone was his vertue eclypsed ? how maruellous was the beginning of salomons raigne ? who being drowned in princes pleasures , gaue himselfe within a little while , a prey to women . of two and twenty kings of iuda , there were not aboue fiue or sixe that continued in their vertue and goodnesse . the like may be found in the kings of israel : and there wanteth not examples in christian kingdomes . and what profiteth it a prince to be lord of many kingdomes , if he become subiect to many vices ? many princes ( saith a philosopher ) beginne well , because their nature is good ; and end euill , because no man doth gainesay them ; and they commit such follies , because there is great store of flatterers that deceiue them , and great want of true men , that should serue them . and therefore demetrins phal . aduised king ptolomie to reade those bookes , in which precepts are giuen to princes and great states , because those learned men did write those things , which no man dare at any time say to princes . agapet wrote to iustinian , aduising him that they who had need , might haue easie accesse to him , by reason of his exceeding high estate : that he would open his eares to them that were afflicted with poverty , that he might find the accesse to god open to him . for a prince should consider in what degree of dignity he is , and how much he is of god preferred before others , and for what cause , and to what end . the conversation and maners of a good prince & his court , standeth with his people for so many lawes : for every one frameth himselfe to follow the examples of his prince and his court. a princes court is as a theater , upon which his subjects cast their eyes . theodericus king of the gothes , writeth thus to the senate of rome : facilius est errare natur am , quàm dissimilem sui princeps possit rempublicam formare : it is more easie for nature to erre than for a prince to make his people to be unlike to himselfe ; for whether it be good or bad , men wil follow their prince . in the reigne of alexander the great most part of men gave themselves to be men of warre : under augustus casar every man would make verses : under nero rome was full of singers , players of 〈◊〉 , conjurers and juglers : adrian made all men love ancient writers . in the time of pope leo , all things at rome sounded of songs : and in pope iulius time , with the drumme and the fife . every one imitating the manners of his prince . because the emperour charles the fift , and henry the eight our noble king , and francis the french king favoured learning , and gave countenance and credit to learned men , in all parts of their dominions learned men in their times beganne greatly to encrease . and when the same king francis was polled , for the better healing of a wound in his head , all his courtiers presently , and others by their example , out off their haire , which before they did weare long as a beauty . alexander the great by nature did hold his head aside , whereupon his courtiers , to bee like him , would hold their heades aside also . and what earthly creature representeth so much the image of god as a good king ? for by how much the greater a man is in power , and useth the same well according to gods appointment , by so much hee draweth nearer to god , and therefore so much the nearer to felicity . hee giveth good lawes to his people , and governeth with equitie , administreth justice indifferently , hee punisheth the wicked , maintaineth the good , protecteth the innocent , hee sheweth mercie to divers , and giveth life to many . hee onely among men doth all things as hee will , yet alwayes respecting justice , and remembring from whence hee hath his authoritie . and ecphautes the philosopher saith , that hee which beareth rule over others , must not bee ignorant who rules him : for as marcus a●…relius saith ; the magistrate is iudge of private men , princes of magistrates , and god of princes ; by mee kings reigne , and princes decree justice , for iustice is the end of the law , the law the worke of the prince , the prince the image of god. one saith , that a prince is custas boni & aequi , & quasi animatum ius . and therefore they that come to the prince , seeme not to come to him as to a man , but as to iustice and equitie it selfe . artaxerxes to one that demaunded of him an u●…iust thing , said ; that the office of a good king is above all things to esteeme iustice and equitie . and philip king of macedon answered arpalus , that importuned him to favour a cause of his cosins : it were better that your cosin should be defamed in the state bee is in , for his outrage , than i that am a king , and command over so great a country , should give occasion to my subjects to speake evill of mee , for doing this injustice in fauour of him or of you . the emperor galba would often say , that a prince should foresee that they of his court should do no man wrong , but he that did it should be punished with rigour . plinie the younger speaketh thus of the good emperour trajane ; vtenim felicitatis est posse quantumvelis velis , sic m●…tudinis , velle quantum possis . for as it belongeth to felicity to be able to doe what thou wilt , so doth it belong to mightinesse to will what thou art able to do . as if he should say , that the felicity of a prince consisteth in commaunding and governing according to iustice . alexander the great was used to say , that all the felicitie of a prince consisteth in well governing of the common-wealth : for as the subiect oweth to the prince obedience , ayd and honour , so the prince oweth to his subiects iustice , defence , and protection . the end of all lawes and government ( saith plato ) is that the people be happy , love one another , and follow vertue . as it belongeth to the eye to see , to the eare to heare , to the nose to smell , so doth it to the prince to provide for the matters of his people ; a kingdom being no other thing than a care of others safety . antigonus said to his sonne , that their kingdome was a noble servitude . in shew ( saith a king ) we live in greatnes , but in effect we serve our people . for a king is chosen not to live deliciously ; but that they who chuse him , should live well and happily . a good king is a publike servant , a distributer of the goods of fortune , a protector of the good , and a whip of the wicked , a minister of mercy and iustice , & example of life to his inferiours . plinie said to his master trajan , the life of a prince is a censure , that is to say , the rule , the square , the line , and the forme of an honest life , according to which their subiects direct their maner of life , and governe their families ; & of the life of princes the subjects take their patterne and example , more than of their lawes . in maxima fortuna minima licentia est : for in a true prince , publike piety doth alwayes restraine private affection . a king is lord of all , but then especially when he over-ruleth himselfe , and becommeth master over the lusts that bring all the world in subjection . that prince ( sayth one ) that hath his mouth full of truth , his hands open to give rewards , his eares stopped to lyes , and his heart open to mercy , is happy , & the people that hath him fortunate . alphonsus king of spaine sayd , that the fimple word of a prince ought to be of as great weight as the oath of private persons . and princes oftentimes commit faults , not because they have no desire to do well , but because no man dare or will admonish them . vices ( sayth one ) are nourished in princes palaces , because pleasures abound , and counsell wanteth . neither do they become evill so much by their owne disposition , as by the evill example and shamelesse flattery of their parasites . one sayth , principum aula mendacii , & adulationis gymnasium est . wilt thou know ( saith seneca ) what thing is very scarce with them that be advanced to high dignities , & what is wanting to them that possesse all things ? a man that will speake truth . the administration ( saith one ) of the affaires of a common-wealth by experience onely without learning , doth often deceive ; as learning onely without experience doth the like : but when both are joyned together , it maketh a happy common-wealth . it is a goodly thing ( sayth the emperor theodosine ) for a prince to have stout captaines for the wars : but without comparison , it is better to keepe & have wisemen in his palace . it is very hard to find a man that is a very valiant soldier & a very good coūseller . the counsellers & officers of princes ought to be so just , that sherers cannotfind what to cut away in their lives , nor that there needeth any needle or thread to amend their fame . it is an unseemly thing for a man that is in an honourable place to live delicately , loosely , or incontinently . the emperour alexander severus would often say ; that good princes ought to esteeme them for greater enemies , that deceive them with flattering and lyes , than such as doe intrude upon their countries ; for the one taketh not but of his goods , but the other robbeth him of his fame . flattery hath more often overthrowne the riches of kings , than his enemies . miser est imperator apud quem vera reticentur . miserable is that emperour from whom truth is concealed . dionysius would bewaile the state of princes , specially in this , that men will not speake freely before them , and that the truth is hidden from them . the emperour gordian would say , that all things were disguised to them , and their flatterers would cast dust in their eyes . trajan was a great enemy to lyers and detracters , and would say , that it were more safe for princes to have patience to heare their owne errors , than to give eare to such as report other mens defects . and this is no small infelicity to those princes that have none that wil speak the truth to them , and that are not willing to heare it , that they must beleeve well or evill of every one by the mouth of another . the french king lewis the eleventh would say , that he had plenty of all things but of one : & being asked what that was ; truth , quoth he . if truth be so scant in princes courts , it is no marvell though in time past they used such severe meanes to reforme that vice . in some countries lying was grievously punished with imprisonment , with deprivation of all dignities , and with more severity ; in some only , he that had told a lye to another mans harme , should carry a stone in his mouth a month after . the wise king said , that to give no place to flatterers , and to give honour to good and vertuous men , were very great ornaments to a princely power . king antiochus being iu hunting , lost his companie , and was driven to lodge in a poore mans house , who not knowing the king , told him all the faults which he and his favorites had committed . to whom at his returne he said , that he never understood the truth untill the last night : and carried himselfe more vertuously ever after . the persians were wonderfull carefull in bringing up the children of their princes : for which purpose they would make choice of foure excellent men , and singularly given to vertue . the first of which should be very famous for his justice ; the second for his wisedome ; the third shold be of rare & marvellous constancie & courage ; the fourth of like modesty & continēcie . to these should be given the charge of the education of the kings children of the persians : who should be called up every morning by some of his chamber in due season , and admonished to rise and provide for the affaires which the great god hath committed to his government : for princes be the ministers of god for the charge & welfare of men . and cyrus saith , that none ought to reigne , that is not better than them over whom he doth command . it is a much more beautiful thing & more princely , to shew forth a mind garnished with knowledge , and framed to vertue , than a body attired with gorgeous apparell . alexander severus would weare no gold nor precious stones : saying , that a prince ought not to measure himselfe by the things that cover the body , but by the goodnesse & vertue of his minde . but all the difficultie is to become good , among so many allurements and temptations to evill ; which must come of gods speciall grace , whereto hee must joyne his owne endevour , to make himselfe capable of it . a good princes court is a schoole of vertue and wisedome : for where should wisemen be sought for , if they cannot be found in good princes courts ? it is expedient for a prince to admit some , both to his councell and company , that are given to a very quiet life , that have not intermedled with any affaires of the common-wealth : for their same will make greatly with his fame . o that princes would withhold their grace and favour from them , whose mindes are stained with covetousnesse & immoderate love of riches , or any other notorious vice , and give it to them that follow vertue : which would worke greater effect than lycurgus lawes , that banished gold and silver as enemies to his countrey ; or any other penall statutes that were made to reforme misdemeanours offensive to the weale publike . such a prince that would give countenance and grace to men of vertue , and reject the others that are of a contrary disposition , should bee better served at home , and all manner functions better executed abroad , to the great benefit and contentment of his people , & to his own immortall fame and glorie ; who should by that meanes in short time see a most flourishing common-wealth , as if it were reduced , if not into that golden age , so greatly celebrated by the old poets and antient writers , yet at least into that of silver , which is next to it . for such men and manners as the prince graceth , of the same condition every man will frame himselfe to be . facere rectè cives suos princeps optimus faciendo docet , cumque sit imperio maximus , exemplo major est . by wel doing , the best prince teacheth his subjects to do well & , when he is greatest in empire , he is the greater in example . a prince can shew no greater signe of a good minde , than to admit to his presence and familiaritie , men knowne to bee vertuous and of good fame . aristotle remembreth a saying of theognis the poet , that it is a certaine exercise of vertue to converse with good men . a prince ( sayth one ) should make choice of such , as for their vertue he thinketh worthy of his favor and presence : and should not use them with whose company he is delighted , for their pleasant talke and courtly behaviour ; but them by whose labour and counsell he may best atchieve great matters . and therfore he should be very circumspect what choice he maketh , and search out their manners with whom he meaneth to converse and communicate his mind , that he may discover what spots and staines they have , to the end hee may commit so much to every one , as he shall find in him cause of trust and honesty . the good emperour antoninus used every yere to have his house visited , what disorders were there committed ; and among other things , whether there were any in his house notably vicious : and if any such were found , what order the visitor would set downe for reformation , was presently performed . marcus aurelius sayth , hee observed one thing during the time he governed rome : that he never tooke into his house a man that was hated of the common-wealth . he was also greatly commended for that hee would never have in his house any vicious man. he would often say , that those princes lived in more security , that had gotten into their court treasures of good men , than into their chests treasures of evill money . for , unhappy ( said he ) is that prince , that liketh to have his chests full of treasure , and his court full of evill men . the emperour adrian with great diligence & secrecy used to enquire what life the senators or coūsellors did lead , and what exercise they used : and such as he found poore & vertuous , he augmented their patrimony ; and such as he found rich & vicious , he would deprive them from the the senate . he had a gentleman in his court , which he greatly favored : but when he perceived that all the suits which he preferred to the emperour , and obtained , he sold for money , he cōmanded the man to bee apprehended , & that all the things which by bribery he had purloyned , should be taken from him , and restored to the owners , and he to be banished to the i le of pontus : the emperour using these words ; of this offence thou shalt remaine chastised , & i warned for evermore , to shew overmuch love and extreme favour to my servant , wherby to convert love into pride , and to sell favour for covetise . the emperour antoninus would say , that a gracious reward ought gratis to be dispatched . but archelaus king of macedon , gave a good example to princes , how to bestow their liberality : for when one begged of the king as he was at supper , a cup of gold , that thought no time well spent , but when he was craving , the king commanded his servant to give it to another more worthy than he : & beholding him that begged the cup ; thou ( said the king ) art worthy to crave , & not to receive ; but this man is worthy to receive , though he doth not crave . for men given to vertue , take it as a great offence & disgrace , when there is no respect had of their merits ; and whē vicious men , or they that have little or no thing in them are made equal , or preferred before thē in favor or honour , which is the reward of vertue . for princes should not looke to be sued unto for reward or preferment , by them that are worthy and have deserved well ; ( meritum petere grave : ) for honour forbiddeth to flatter or begge the rewards of vertue , which should be offered to those that are worthy , or have deserved them . alexander the great would play many times at tennise , and his manner was to give them that playd with him as they were playing , some gifts and rewards that did aske any thing of him : serapion a modest yong man , & pleasantly disposed , that played often with the king , perceiving , because he never asked any thing , he never had any thing given him , he cast the ball to every one but alexander : and being asked of the king , why he cast the ball to every one but him ? because ( quoth serapion ) you did not aske him of me : then the king smiling to himselfe , gave him a very great gift ; which when hee had with very great joy received , he played more lively than before . then said the king , i see plainly , that gifts are more gracious to him that asketh not , than to him that asketh . a poet saith : principis est virtus maxima nosse suos . it is the greatest vertue in a prince to know his own . the emperour sigismund was wont to say , that those kings and princes of the earth were happy , that banished proud men from their court , and brought in their places men given to courtesie and humility . i doubt not , but his meaning was also to have flatterers & disseblers and detracters banished ; saving that hee doubted many of their courts would then bee left desolate and unfurnished . by this which hath beene sayd it appeareth , that felicity doth not alwayes attend necessarily upon the highest estates , and the higher the estate , the more hard there to be found ; except where god doth plentifully bestow his graces and blessings : because princes seeme rather to bee ordained to the happinesse of others that be committed to their charge , than of themselves , as touching worldly felicity ; for the troubles and cares that are joyned with government , draweth them many times from contentation to discontentments , which detracteth from felicitie . what the eye is in the body , the same a prince is in the common-wealth : what the sunne is in the element , the same a prince is in his people : the sunne is the eye of the world , a prince the eye of the multitude : what the minde is in a man , the same a prince is in his realme : what god is in the administration of the whole world , the same a prince is in the people committed by god to his charge . as god when he seeth all things , is neverthelesse as not seeing any thing ; so a prince should know all things , and make as though he knew not many things . and as the sunne is no other to the poore man , than to the rich man : but indifferent to all ; so a prince should not respect the person , but should wisely consider of the matter , according as it is requisite in everie thing . ecphantes sayth : rex unicum & excellens quoddam opus cst , imago supernii●…iusregis regis , creators suo semper familiaras , à subdit is verò regno tanquam lumine conspicua . menander and others , call a prince the lively image of ●…od that governeth al things , appointed to minister justice ; and therefore wee ought to consider of princes , not what they are of themselves , & as men ; but how much is given or permitted to them of god. neither do we reverence and honour so much the private person in princes , as we do consider the majestie of god , and the image and power of him , whose delegates and deputies they are here upon the earth . they are the lights of the world . and as to governe well in principalitie , is the most excellent dignity of all other ; so is it of all other the most difficult . and though their charge and care bee very great , yet that prince that will with humility , joyn his owne endevour with gods graces , to consider with himselfe , that as he is exalted above all things in dignitie and dominion , so he should labour to surmount all others in worthinesse of vertue and goodnesse , to suppresse or moderate his unbridled affections , which plato sayth , be very evill counsellers ; to purge his minde from all manner of perturbations ; to use magnanimitie in contemning all perills ; patience in bearing such crosses as god shall lay upon him ; to have a mind prepared for all things that may happen ; to be like the ethereall substance , that is above the moone , which is alwayes cleare and in one estate ; that considereth with himselfe , that religion and the service of god is the foundation of a kingdome , and that the chiefe meanes to rule well , consisteth in the worthinesse and magnanimitie of the minde , and in a certaine contemning , and despising of humane thing , after which other vertues will then easily follow . for as stones and rockes , beate back the waters , so the mind of a prince should break all adverse things , and alwayes persist in his vertue ; neither to be lifted up with prosperity , nor dejected with adversity , but to take both fortunes with a constant mind , nor to feare death it selfe . such a prince , i say , may not onely attaine to the highest degree of felicity , but by his example may be a meanes to the happinesse of many others . for such as the prince is , such commonly are his subjects . chap. vi. the earthy felicities that belong unto the meane estate with the way how best to manage it : of e●…vy , hatred , and contempt : of prudence , silence , & bashfulnesse : who are the happiest men in this world : not those which outwardly appeare such : wholesome counsell and necessary instructions to attaine to that felicity of true friendship : and the distinguishing of friends and kinsfolkes : the great difference betwixt these lat●…er times and the former : of learned emperours : the true and direct way to enjoy happinesse , &c. the inferiour state of men likewise is not excluded from felicity , for though they want much of the superfluities of great estates , yet they have sufficient wherewith to be contented , and to leade a happy life , and are not so much subject to the inconstancy of fortune . as they exceede these in dominion and possessions , in wealth and sensuall pleasures , in honour and reputation : so have they more cares and unquietnesse of minde , and live in greater feare and perill . for so ●…ath god disposed of these worldly matters , joyning troubles and unquietnesse with high dignities and riches ; security and quietnesse with poverty , and low estate . he liveth more cheerefully upon whō fortune never smiled , than he whom she hath forsaken . alexander severus was used to say ; there is no kind of mis-hap so unfortunate , as for a mā to call to remembrance , that in times past he had beene fortunate . adversity never dismayed any but such as prosperity deceived . he is more happy to whom honours , riches , and worldly pompe is superfluous , than they that have the fruition of them at the full . all these which we call good things , wherein wee seeme to take a singular and sound , but indeed a deceiptfull and false pleasure , as riches , reputation , authority , rule and such like , which mens vaine and greedy desires have in so great admiration , are possessed with paine , and beheld with envy . and to them that are so adorned , or rather burdened , they threaten more evill than they promised good . and those estates that are betweene these extremities , have also their meanes to attaine to felicity ; but with so much the more difficulty , as they exceede or defect from the meane . for the extremities of estates , specially the highest , are more subject to those things that are hinderance to felicitie , than the meane estates . and therefore they require gods graces in greater measure , & a mind fortified with many vertues , to make resistance to the things that are offensive to happy life . and yet there is no estate but is subject to troubles and unquietnesse . pontanus reckoneth up some of the troubles of this life , in an epitaph made for his friend , thus : doe you aske me what be the sawces of this life ? labour , sorrow , sickenesse , mourning ; to serve proud masters , to beare the yoke of superstition , to bury those that bee deare to us , to see the ruine of our country ; for the troubles of a wife i never felt . seeing then there is no estate excluded from felicity , and that there are more incumbrances and impediments to happinesse in some estates than in others , it shall bee requisite for him that would live happily , to content himselfe with that estate that hath in it least difficulty in the attaining of felicity , and not to aspire to high dignities , and great possessions : neither to hunt after credit , and reputation , the immoderat desire wherof , i observe generally to be a great hindrance to felicity : but rather to thinke a reputation of vertue and honesty sufficient to a happy life . better is a good name , saith the wise man than much riches ; and better to have renown among the good sort , than to bee lord over the whole world : there being no such riches under heaven , as to be well thought of among men . and therefore nothing ought to be so deare to us as good fame , being the true & only reward of vertue , all other things being the gifts of fortune . and nothing in this miserable life can rightly be called losse , but when wee lose good fame . and because in seeking for felicity , there must be a respect had to civility , which consisteth in decency of habits and manners , it shall be good for him that meaneth to preferre vertue before vanity , to follow seneca his counsell : temperetur vita inter bonos more 's & publicos : temper thy life ( sayth he ) betweene good manners , & those that be commonly used . for it is one thing to live after the common custome of men , and another to live as thou oughtest . covet not to win estimation by trimming up thy selfe in disguised habits & new fangled fashions , nor by wrying thy body with tragical gestures & frierly ducks , and such like italian and spanish tricks and tuckes , which are but fantasticall toyes , and the invention of idle heads : for honesty is of small estimation with him that is over-curious , and carefull in decking his body . nor yet bee over-rusticall , as though thou didst condemne all things , saving that thy selfe allowest ; but be modest in attire , and temperate in dyet , and use a mean , observing decency . adorned thy mind with vertue & learning , that men may rather esteem thee for the gifts & ornaments of thy mind & honest cōversation , than the brave attire of thy body , & formality of manners . curious neatnesse is meete for women , but labour for men : for he that passeth his youth vainely , maketh his old age odious : but that time being well spent , hee gathereth to himselfe the fruits of credite and authority in his latter age : as a germane poet sayth : qualiter in teneris adolescens vixerit annis , talem prabebit c●…rva senecta senem . such as in youth thou striv'st to bee , such age in age shall render thee . we are no lesse beholding to them , from whom wee had good education and instruction , than to them from whom wee had our being : for good inclinations are many times corrupted by vicious conversation . neither wonder at these kind of things now in use after the common custome , nor yet despise them , but give every one leave to use his owne manners , and laugh in thy fleeve . thou art nothing the worse though the gallants thinke thee rude , because in all things thou doest not imitate them . let it suffice thee that thou knowest thy selfe , and the office of a man , and many of their formall manners to be vaine , ridiculous , and fantastical : if the manners used in times past were good then , they are not evill now . a common custome maketh things more familiar , but not good. the wise emperor augustus caesar , foreseeing the inconvenience that ordinarily ensueth the alteration of outward habits and manners , sayd in a great assembly of the romanes ; en palliati cives : behold our cloaked cittizens ; a thing not then used : but if he lived in this corrupt age , hee would say : en tragaedi : thrust not thy selfe into offices and charge for credit sake , nor yet for gaine ; nor incumber thy selfe over much with worldly affaires : they bring with them troubles and unquietnesse , rather than happinesse . he is not least happy that is most free from worldly cares : obtundunt siquidem curarum pondera sensus ; for the weight of cares duls and besots the senses . let matters rather follow thee , than thou follow them ; and avoid contention and suits in law : for hardly there can be found a more miserable life . a bad end at home , is better many times than a good sentence in court . it is not in his power that beginneth contention , to end it at his pleasure . and though no man is borne to himselfe , but all to bee helping to others , yet because an enterlude hath no grace , if all be players , and none have leave to looke on ; this life may bee compared to an enterlude , that hath many players , and few spectators . if i were to begin the world again , i would willingly chuse ( if it were lawfull ) to be one of the lookers on . all men are not equally affected , some desire labour , others quietnesse : some hunt after honour , others after riches and reputation : some like a sole life , others thinke it no life without a companion : which diversities of affections , when one had considered and reckoned up , he breaketh out into this speech : hac alil cupiant , liceat mihi paupere cultu , securo chara conjuge posse frui : those things let others covet , let me weare poore habit , and enjoy my wife that 's deare . the way to purchase to thy selfe much quietnesse , is to meddle as little as thou mayst with other mens matters . if thou desire to know and reforme thy selfe , observe diligently what thy enemies thinke and speake of thee ; for they will bee the first that will discover thy faults : for the old proverbe will alwaies bee true ; that men carry other mens faults in the wallet before , but cast their owne behinde their backe . and if thou wilt reap fruit also of the flatterers , endeavour to be such as they commend thee : and if thou wilt wade safely through the troubles of this world , make no great account of externe things ; and set honesty alwaies before thine eyes , and therewith content thy selfe . thinke not to winne happinesse by depending upon the favour of great estates , gotten with flattery ; give them their due , and live of thy selfe . liberty is a great furtherance to felicitie . plaine dealing and honest conversation will bring thee favour and reputation enough to leade thee to a happy life : vsibus edocto si quicquam credis amico ; vivetibi , & longe nomina magna fuge : live to thy selfe , if ought thy friends prov'd brest conceales , and bigge-swolne titles farre detest . the higher the tree , the more subject to the winde , whose fall many times overthroweth them that stand neare him . and the more favour thou hast with great estates , the greater is thy disgrace and griefe when they reject thee . and when thou hast used all thine endeavour to please them , what greater griefe can there bee , than to see thy selfe defrauded of the fruits of thy labour ? and where thou didst expect a reward , or thankfulnesse for thy good will and diligence , thou shalt sustaine losse and disgrace : and therehence receive harme and unkindnesse , where thou thoughtest to finde helpe and favour . three things avoyde as much as thou mayst , envie , hatred , and contempt . wherein thou must be very circumspect , lest by avoyding the smoke , thou fall into the fire ; beleeve not all thou hearest : doe not all thou mayst : nor speake all that thou knowest . and three things prepare to thy selfe to be alwayes in readinesse : prudence in thy minde : silence in thy tongue , and bashfulnesse in thy countenance . by this after diogenes , thou shalt agree in colour with vertue . by prudence thou shalt avoyd many things that bring men to infelicitie . by modesty in speech thou shalt avoyd many quarrels , and occasions of trouble and unquietnesse . as the wiseman saith ; he that keepeth his tongue , keepeth his soule : much speech hath often been hurtfull to many , but silence seldome or never to any . as overmuch silence bringeth a mans simplicity into suspicion , so many words discovereth his vanity . and therefore one saith , we have two eares given us by nature , and one tongue ; to the end we should heare much more than we should speake . it is a princely vertue , quickely to conceive , and slowly to break out into speech . the psalmist saith ; hee that is wise , hath his tongue in his heart ; but the foole and furious hath his heart in his tongue ; hide thy vertues as other men doe their vices , and use few words thy selfe , but heare them patiently that will speak . think upon the end before thou begin any thing : heare every one , beleeve but few ; and fall not twice into one error . speake little , and think much : covet not to winne an opinion of wisedome , by setting forth a fine tale with eloquent words , when there is no just occasion , as though ye would draw your hearers into admiration of you , after the maner of vain-glorious men ; for he is not alwaies the wisest that loves to hear himself speak , & that can tel a smooth tale , though it be a common custome so to esteem him : for wisdome consisteth chiefly in judgment , as scaliger saith ; iudicium est anima sapientiae : iudgment is the soule of wisdome . nor reason over earnestly with a contentious man , that is full of words : for that may bee called a battell of fooles . looke not too much into other mens estate and manners ; for thereof envie hath his name : as well to eschew the torment that commeth of envie , as also that no man is envious , but he that mistrusteth his owne vertue : as the poet saith ; invidus alterius rebus marcescit opimis : the envious man growes leane to see others fat . envie beareth such rule in these dayes , though men be lesse vertuous than they have bin , that he is in miserable estate that hath no enemies : for if his owne merits will not procure them , envie will : yet forbear not to follow vertue , to avoyd envie : but live so as thine enemies may rather wonder at thy vertnes , than thy friends shall have cause to excuse thy vices . and remember the words of hermocrates the tyrant of syracusa spoken to his son lying on his death-bed . sonne , the last words i speak unto thee , are : bee not envious in condition ; but doe such deeds , as therefore thou mayest bee envied . advice meete to be followed of them that aspire to honour by vertue , although the enmity be greater , that is grounded upon euive , than that which is founded upon injury for the injured man doth often forget , but the envious never ceaseth to persecute . there is to a man no greater enemie , than hee which seeth that thing in thee , which he desireth to have in himselfe . but there is not so modest or meane a felicitie that can escape evill tongues , howsoever hee can avoyde all other things . but hee that hath his conscience cleare , will say with the poet : consciamens recti fam a mendatiarides : he that is conscious of truth , laughs at lying report . it belongeth to a king to heare evill , when he doth wel . in all things follow reason , and fly opinion , and content thy selfe with thine estate ; and thinke there is no difference betweene having and not desiring : a little will serve thee to happinesse of life : to which thou shalt the more easily perswade thy selfe , if thou consider , ( as hath beene said ) that the true end and felicitie of man , and his proper action , is to glorifie god ; and that the common opinion of happinesse that commeth by pleasures , riches , honour and glory , is contracted by the fall of our first parent , and by the corruption and alteration of our nature : as to him that is sicke of an ague , sower things seeme sweete and pleasant , because the disease hath corrupted and altered his taste . if thou wilt avoyde the things that be odious to god and men , in poverty bee not proud , nor in riches covetous ; in age be not lecherous , nor in youth shamelesse . if thou see thy selfe in poore estate , without credit and reputation , and of a cleare conscience , and beholdest another live in abundance of wealth and honours , bee not dismayed , nor thinke thy selfe lesse in gods favour , or lesse happy than he , because he surmounteth thee in riches and reputation , and worldly vanitie ; for god distributeth these temporall goods in differently both to the good & to the bad . for if god should give them only to good men , the wicked would thinke for that cause he should be worshipped and prayed unto : and if hee should bestow worldly goods upon the wicked onely , the weake in faith would feare to bee converted wholly to god , lest he should want . it is a manifest sign of damnation for a man to ●…live here wickedly , and to enjoy at the ful , health of body & the goods of fortune . all such ( saith one ) as god marketh with recompence and reward in the book of this world , it is a signe that he hath raced them out of the register of heaven . arme thy selfe therefore with patience , and expect the islue of gods ordinance with a quiet and thankefull minde , and thereto wholly submit thy selfe . that which seemeth sometimes to a man full of griefe and pain , becommeth many times the cause of his joy and comfort . and the same , that in the beginning seemeth to worke his infelicity , bringeth to him unlooked for happinesse . the best way is to take those things patiently that thou canst not amend . and if thine estate be not sufficient to maintain thee and thine , endeavour by honest meanes to amende it . but if god blesse thee plentifully with riches and possessions , hoord it not niggardly , nor spend it prodigally , but be beneficiall to others , and use liberalitie to those that lacke and deserve well of thee : for ( after cicero ) wee ought to doe most for them that most loveth us : yet with this consideration , that thou spare at the brimme , lest whilest thou shouldest powre out a pint , there run forth a pottle , & let the old proverb never fall out of thy minde ; serò parsimonia in fundo : it is too late to spare when all is out . cicero counselleth us not to shut our purse so fast , that a will to do good cannot open it , nor yet so to unloose it , that it bee open to every body . and alcmenes saith , hee that possesseth much should live according to reason , and not to his lust , meaning that riches are hurtfull , except thy mind be above riches , that can moderate riches by their use , not by their plentie . remember alwayesthat thou live by thy mind , which ( after plato ) is the true life , and thereof hast chitsly the name of a man. the substance of thy body is common with that of brute beasts , but by thy minde thou resemblest the angels and god himselfe . the minde is not disgraced with the deformity of the body , but by the beauty of the minde the body is graced . give not thy selfe to fleshly pleasures , to ambition , nor to covetousnesse , as the most part of men doe : thy understanding was not given thee to that purpose . thales being asked who was happy , answered , he that hath an healthfull body , and a learned and a vertuous minde . and ecclefiasticus saith , better is the poore , being whole and strong , than a rich man that is afflicted in his body . health and strength is above all gold , and a whole body above infinite treasure . there is no riches above a sound body , and no joy above the joy of the heart . and anxagoras to the like question said ; none of these that thou accountest happy , but he rather is happy , that thou beleevest is unhappy : meaning that the rich and honourable persons , who are wondered at as the happiest men for their wealth and reputation , are unhappy ; and he happy that contenteth himselfe with a little : which agreeth with democritus opinion , that he is happy that is merry with a little money ; and hee unhappy that is sad in the middest of great riches . give not over thy minde unto heavinesse , and vexe not thy selfe in thine owne counsell . the joy of thy heart is the life of man , and a mans gladnesse is the prolonging of his dayes . love thine owne soule , and comfort thine heart : drive sorrow farre from thee , for sorrow hath slaine many , and there is no profit therein : envie and wrath shorten the life , and carefulnesse bringeth age before the time . socrates walking in the burse or market place , and beholding the great variety of things there to bee sold ; how many things ( quoth he ) have i no neede of ? others are rather tormented in minde at the sight of such things , and will say within themselves , how many things doe i lacke ? but hee contenting himselfe with that which is sufficient to nature , esteemed gold and purple , and precious stones , and such like delights of rich men , more fit for players of tragedies , than necessary to the use of life ; as hee shewed by these verses , which he had oft in his mouth : argentea ista vasa simul at purpura , trag●…diarum accommoda bistrionibus sunt ; ad beatam conferunt vitam nihil those silver vessels , and that purple be , more fit for actors in a tragedie ; to blessed life they no way doe belong . with such vanities mens minds bee occupied by the corruption of our nature , and our judgments are so blinded with our impure affections , that of all creatures man doth leaft performe his proper action , and least directeth the course of his life , to his true end and felicitie . for whereas the great god of nature hath tyed together all his creations , with some meane things that agree and participate with the extremities , and hath composed the intelligible , athereall , and elementarie world , by indissoluble meanes and boundes ; as betweene plants and living creatures , hee hath made sponges and oysters , that in part resemble living things , and in part plants ; betweene the creatures of the earth , and those of the water , otters , tortoyfes , and such like ; betweene those of the water and birds of the ayre , flying fishes ; betweene brute beasts , and those of a spirituall essence and understanding , which are angels , he hath placed man , which combineth heaven and this elementarie world together , whose one part is subject to death , and the other part immortall : all other creatures of the earth live according to their nature and kinde ; man only is seene to degenerate : but if we lay aside the consideration from whence our corruption commeth , by the fall of our first parent , and account of our selves according to our present state ; among so many millions , as replenisheth all the corners of the earth , how many use their endeavours to live as they ought ? if things bee layd before us that differ in value , every man will make choyce of the best : but in our selves that are composed of a bodie , which participateth with brute beasts , and of a soule that is of an angelicall nature , and resembleth god himself , who maketh choyce of the best ? that is , to live after his best part , which is immortall : how many thousands live like brute beasts , pleasing their senses , feeding their belly , and following the lusts of the flesh , without any respect to the excellencie of their minde , as though they would incorporate their soule to their body with an indivisible bond of brutish nature ? and how few hundreds contemne their mortall part , which is the body , to joyne their better part , which is their immortall soule with the angels and heavenly creatures , whom they in that part resemble ? a third sort there are , far exceeding born the other in number , that neither give themselves wholly to live after the flesh with the one , nor after the mind with the other : but in a sort participating with them both , imploy their greatest care & labour to the attaining of the things that are in most estimation of the world . they labour and aspire to excell others , not in dignitie of vertue and knowledge , but in estate and reputation : and to the attaining of the things which leade to that end , every one willingly bestoweth his labour and diligence : for no man is content with his estate . hinc illa lachryme , hereof ariseth all our complaints and griefe , and the greatest part of the calamities and miseries that happen to men : for mens desires be so unsatiable , and their mindes so uncertaine and variable , th●… no estate of life alwayes pleaseth any man , because they seeme to want some things that bee incident to the estates opposite to theirs . for they that bee in principilatie and honourable estate , desire to have joyned to their rule and reputation , the securitie and tranquility of a private life , which they seeme to lacke . and the private man affecteth to have joyned to those things which hee enjoyeth , the dignity and authority to command of honourable estates . the rich man wisheth to have added to his abundance of wealth , the poore mans quietnesse of minde and freedome of worldly cares , and safety of person and goods . the poore man would have added to those things of his , the rich mans plenty and credit . the citizen would have joyned to his civill and easie life , the pleasures and delights of the fields and countrey . the couutrey man would have the civility and company and good fellowship of the towne joyned to the wholesome ayre of the countrey , and pleasant gathering of the fruits of the earth . the souldier wisheth to his glorious title the safety of a peaceable life . hee that liveth in peace , desireth to the security and safety of his estate , the honourable reputation of a man of warre , which he hath gotten by the continuall hazzard and perill of his person . and so of all other estates of life , some things are desired that seeme to be wanting to the fulnesse of their happinesse , which are as unpossible to be joyned together , as for heate and cold to be at one time both together in one subject , being diametrally contrary in quality . so hat the greatest hinderance to our attaining of felicity or happinesse of life , proceedeth from our evill affected minds , that desire unpossible things , which also diverteth us from our proper action and true end or beatitude . we passe our time in vaine hope of things never like to come to passe ; as petrarke saith : bene sperando & male habendo transit vita mortalium . in hoping well , and having evill , the life of man passeth away . every good thing wee possesse is lesse , the things hoped for seeme great . and such is also the infirmitie of our common nature , seldome or never so sully to enjoy prosperitie , as in no respect to finde cause of complaint of the qualitie of our estate . for many are raysed to great wealth , that beare shame of their base linage : some ennobled by birth and parentage , and yet live in povertie : many blessed with riches and nobilitie , that want the delight of children : and some made glad with procreation , that feele great sorrow and discomfort by their childrens untowardlinesse . no man is wont to be long and every way happy , a worse fortune ever followeth the former . but what estate or course of life soever thou follow , have alwaies a speciall regard to these two things ; to live in the feare of god , and to observe the rules of honesty among men : from which , what soever happen , let nothing divert thee : to god thou owest a good conscience , and to thy neighbour a good example . all things will happen well to thee , if thou place god the beginning and the end : for in this life thou shalt not finde greater comfort than by that which proceedeth of a good conscience , of honest counsels , of upright actions , of contempt of casuall things , and of a quiet and peaceable life . but in these dayes many feare their fame , but few their conscience : and yet there is not ( saith saint augustine ) a more happy thing , than the quietnesse of conscience . and if any afflictions or crosses happen that thou canst not avoyde , yet thou mayst overcome them with patience . fly unto god for succour , he will give it thee ; that is the only way to make thee safe , secure and happy . friendship was wont to bee accounted a helpe to happinesse of life : but wee may now rightly say with the poet : illud amicitia quondam venerabile nomen , prostat & in questu pro meretrice sedet : that name of friendship venerable of yore , is prostrate now complaining like a whore . the time is so changed , and mens manners with them so corrupted , that the precepts heretofore given by wise men for the commoditie of life grounded upon vertue and honesty , will not now serve the turne . friendshippe is growne cold ; faith is foolishnesse ; honesty is in exile ; and dissimulation hath gotten the upper hand . that is effectually done which is commonly spoken , he that cannot dissemble cannot live . machiavels rules are better followed in these dayes , than those of plato , aristotle or cicero : whose schollars have so well profited under him , that many are able to teach their master . professe ( saith hee ) love and friendshippe to thine enemie : and if hee fall into the water up to the knees , give him thine hand to helpe him out . and if he fall in up to the waste helpe him likewise ; but if hee fall into the water up to the chinne , then lay thy hand upon his head and ducke him under the water , and never suffer him to rise againe . men have changed the inward habites of their mindes , as they have done the outward habites of their bodies . every age , nay rather every yeare bringeth forth new fashions ; so likewise that friendship and honesty , which in our forefathers times was wont to bee performed with faith and plaine meaning , is now out of the fashion , and therefore not esteemed : cunning dissimulation with faire words , and large offers with little performance , is now all the fashion . ioyne thy selfe therefore in friendship with very few , and bee circumspect and curious in thy choyce : and if it be possible , bee beholding to no man , more than hee is beholding to thee ; for a faithfull friend is hard to be found : the bare name onely remaineth , the thing is obsolet and growne out of use . so long as thou hast no need , thou shalt find friends ready to offertheeal mnner of courtesies : but if fortune begin to frowne upon thee , & a tempest chance to arise , they will find quarrels to leave thee , and cover their infidelity with thy fault , and give thee cause to say with ovid : in mediis lacerâ puppe relinquor aquis . i am in a torne ship left in the midst of the sea. it is a hard matter for him that is in poverty to find out a kinsman or friend : for no man will confesse that he appertaineth in any sort to him , that needeth any helpe , fearing lest hee will by and by aske something of him : david calleth such men table friends . and that is one cōmoditie which poverty bringeth , that it sheweth who loveth thee . but to him thou meanest to performe the part of a faithfull frieud , thou must observe these two things : to helpe his necessities ; and to comfort him in adversity . but the manner of friends in these dayes , is to deliver words by the pottle , and deeds by the pinte . they that call themselves thy friends , will looke for performance of friendship at thy hands , though they wil performe none to thee . for every man looketh for honest dealing in another , though he meane to use none himselfe . to this declination , the greatest comfort to the life of man is come by the generall depravation of manners : for where can a man find greater comfort in adversitie , than in faithfull friends ? who also double the joyes and pleasures of prosperitie . that was never more commonly in use which latimer spake in his sermon to reprehend the want of love , and charitie : yee have a common saying ( said hee ) every man for himselfe , and god for us all ; but ye might more truly say , every man for himselfe , and the divell for us all ; one for another , and god for us all . martiall finding the infidelitie and inconstancie of love and friendship , giveth this counsell : si vitare velis acerba quadam , et tristes animi cavere morsus , nulli te facias nimis sodalem , guadebis minus 〈◊〉 minus dolebis : if thou wilt bitter accidents avoyde , nor let thy minde with sad things be annoyd ; no man too neare unto thy breast retaine , so shalt thou more rejoy●…e , and lesse complaine . prosperitie winneth friends , but adversitie proveth them , as the touch-stone tryeth gold. and over-great friendship , not considerately united , is many times the cause of great hatred . men cannot bee better warned to trust to themselves , than by aesops fable of a lark , which discovereth the common coldnesse of friendship in their friends causes . a larke ( saith hee ) that bred in the corne went forth to seeke meat for her yong birds , that had feathers , when the corne was ripe , and willed them to hearken what was said in her absence , and tell her at her returne . the master of the corne perceiving it ripe , willed his son to desire his friends the next day earely in the morning to come reape downe his corne . the sonne did as hee was commanded : and when the larke returned , her little ones trembling for feare , told her what newes they had heard , desiring to be removed to another place : but shee bid them be quiet and feare nothing , and went forth the next day againe to seeke for meat : the master looketh for his friends , and when hee saw that none came , hee willed his sonne to goe to his kinsfolkes , and desire their helpe to cut down his corne the next day : when the larke returned , shee found her young ones in the like feare againe , but understanding what they had heard , she willed them to have no feare , for kindred ( said she ) will not bee so hasty to helpe with their labour at the first call , and departed from them againe . the day following when the master had in vaine expected the performance of his kinsfolks promise also ; away ( quoth hee ) with friends an●… kinne , fetch two hooks , to morrow early in the morning , one for mee , another for thee , and we will reape the corne our selves . which when the larke understood of her young ; now it is time to bee gone ( said shee ) and removed her nest . by which fable men are warned not to stay for their friends help in that they can do themselves . and hereof springeth a common error , that men consider not rightly of the nature of friendship , which can be perfect but between two , and those vertuous persons . and where is no conformitie of manners , there can bee no perfection of friendship ; for contraries can hold no consent nor unity together : because their affections must be joyned together , and his friend must bee preferred before all others , & as it were two bodies made one : which moved alexander the great to say to darius mother , that desired pardon upon her knees , for mistaking ephestion for the king , that he was also alexander . for if a man have many friends , it may chance , that one may have cause of joy by some great good fortune happened to him , and another at the same time may have cause of sorrow by some evill accident or fortune . both which contrary passions cannot bee in him together ; and therefore hee cannot bee like friend to them both . but one may be a friend to many by degrees , according to the merit or estimation hee hath of them : which he may also with honesty dissolve , if by their demerites he shall find just cause , and bee not bound to continue it by some good turne received and not requited . many by acquaintāce only , or by some courtesie shewed for civilities sake , are more ready to challenge a further friendship never promised or professed , as due to them by his voluntarie kindnesse , than forwardly to requite that already received . yet neverthelesse true love and friendship hath respect onely to his friends necessitie , without merchandize or feneration : as one sayth , charitas non quaerit suum . but seeing the affected name of a friend is so common , and the act or matter so rare , i wish thee to make choyce of a few companions , with whom thou wilt passe thy time , to avoyd the tediousnes of a solitary life , such as bee inclined to honest conversation , as neere as thou mayst ; and let them goe under the name of welwillers rather than of friends , except thou bee assured of their fidelity . so shall not honestie bind thee to performe more to them to whom a common custome , and the malignity of this time hath given a supersedeas to discharge the duty of friendship , then thou shalt see cause , or they will performe to thee : for in so great pennury of friends , & corruption of manners , thy fortune must bee very good if thou chance upon a faithfull friend : for in these daies men hold friendship by indenture . and that thou maist bee better instructed in thy choice , hearken to guevarra his counsell , to one that asked how one man may know another , to the end he may be either accepted or eschewed . first , obserue what affaires he taketh in hand , what works he doth , what words he speaketh , and what company he keepeth ; for the man that by nature is proud , in his businesse negligent , in his word a lyer , and maketh choice of evill men for his companions , deserves not to be embraced , much lesse to be trusted : for that in men in whom is laid no foundaton of vertue , is no expectation of faith or honesty . and one of the things ( saith he ) that men thinke they haue , when they have them not , is many friends ; yea ( say i ) one faithfull friend . for by my experience , if thou wilt beleeve me , i know not any thing wherein thou maist sooner bee deceived . fortie yeares and more i may with some judgement remember the world ; in which little time i have found such a metamorphosis and alteration in mens minds and manners , that if they should decline so fast from evill to worse after forty yeares more , it will bee a hard matter any where to finde out a faithfull friend , or an honest man. for ( as the same authour further saith ) that which one friend doth for another in these dayes , is eyther to excuse , or hide himselfe when there is neede of him , being more ready to lend him his conscience than his money . and hee that will compare the number that professe friendship unto him , with them that have performed the true office and part of friends , for one faithfull , hee shall discover an hundred dissemblers . of such friends , as they are most common , so we may esteem it no smal felicity to be divided from them , being more prodigall of their conscience , than liberall of their goods , or ready to performe any other duety of friendship . isocrates counselleth us to chuse that friend which hath beene faithfull to his former friends ; for he is like to prove constant in friendship : and if thou wilt follow mine advice , enter not into friendship with a covetous man , for his mind is so possessed and overcome with the love of money , and greedy desire to encrease his riches and possessions , that there is no hope of performance eyther of friendship or honesty at his hands . plautus saith : vt cuique homini res parata est , firmi anuci sunt : si res lassae labant , itidem amici collabascunt : as our substance is , so are our friends ; if that faile , they fall from us . the minds and manners of men in these latter daies , are much like to the manners used by the old romanes , when they triumphed : the romanes , as they were very politike in all their government , so did they well consider that there was no better meanes to excite their young men to vertue , than by rewarding their noble acts with honour . therfore they had a custome , when any generall of their armies had wonne any notable victorie , to suffer him at his return to rome to triumph , which was done with very great pompe and solemnity and when the triumph was ended , the triumpher had prepared a sumptuous feast , and invited the chiefe men of the citie to supper , and among the rest the consuls also , which were the principal magistrates of rome , yet meaning nothing lesse than to have their company : for they were no sooner returned to their houses , but the triumpher would send a messenger presently to desire the consuls not to come to supper , that there might be no man to whom he might give place . so , many invite men to their friendship , with faire words and friendly offers , when they meane nothing lesse , that they may seeme to give place to none in humanity and courtesie ; but his back is no sooner turned , but they revoke within themselves their friendly offers , and are ready , if they thinke he look for performance , to forbid him to make triall of their friendship , being done for forme , and not with plaine meaning , as the triumphers maner was . this time seemeth to resemble that whereof galen complaineth , that he happened into a most wicked age , in which hee thought them onely wise , and of a sincere mind , that having espyed the generall infidelity , subtiltie , dissimulation , and dishonestie of men , withdrew themselves speedily from the assemblies and companie of people , as from a vehement storme and tempest into the safe port of a solitarie life : which agreeth with the poet : — benê qui latuit , benè vixit . hee lives well that lives warily . there have bin times when he that knew most , was esteemed best , but now reputation growes not by knowledge , nor is measured by the worthinesse of vertue , but by the abundance of riches and possessions . heu romae , nunc sola pecunia regnat . alas , now onely money reignes in rome . one of the things that ecclesiasticus said grieved his heart , was ; that men of understanding are not set by . in time past learned men were sent for out of farre countries , but now if they knocke at our doores , we will not let them in . vnfruitfull pastimes and vaine toyes draweth our delights . none was advanced to honour but such as deserved it : but now none climbe so fast to high dignities , as those that bee least worthy . in that golden age no senate or councell was established , but there was resident some excellent philosopher ; but now in stead of them and of learned divines ( who should supply their roomes among christians ) are brought in some excellent machiavellians , as the meetest counsellers for this corrupt time . kings and emperours were wont to be singularly learned , and thought learning a great ornament to their dignitie . alexander the great , and iulius caesar were wel learned , and also the emperour adrian : which iulius in the middest of his campe would have his speare in his left hand , and his pen in his right hand : hee never unarmed himselfe but hee would presently fall to his booke . the title of philosopher was given to the emperour marcus aurelius for his excellent learning : who would say , that hee would not leave the knowledge hee might learn in one houre , for all the gold he possessed : and i ( saith he ) receive more glorie of the bookes i have read and written , than of the battels i have wonne , and of the kingdomes which i have conquered . ptolomy king of egypt , and hermes before him , and of latter yeares , alphonsus king of arragon , who would say , that he had rather lose his pearles and precious stones , than any book . and divers other kings & emperors were excellently learned : among which number i account by a rare example the noble queene of england , my gracious soveraigne . the mathematicallsciences were had in such estimation for their excellencie , that none might study them but kings , that they might excell others as well in worthinesse and singularitie of knowledge , as in dignity of estate : but now kings children bee brought up in machiavels : schoole ; ●…s an authour sufficient for their instruction . hee that will compare this time with that of former ages , shall find a wonderfull metamorphosis in mens minds and manners . vertue was never lesse in use , and vice did never more abound : the truth was never more knowne , and never lesse regarded : never better taught , and never worse followed : men were never lesse idle , and never worse occupied : worldly 〈◊〉 were never more carefully sought for , and heavenly 〈◊〉 ●…ever lesse effectually thought of . men were never mo●… religious in words , and never more prophane i●…deeds . the divell never bestirred himselfe with more dilligence to allure men to all manner of vice ; and men were never more negligent to make resistance , nor more ready to further his labour : and though hee cannot stop the utterance of the word , yet hee prevaileth in that which is next to it , to hinder his bringing forth of condigne fruits . it happeneth to us as it did to tantalus , that though the water ranne by his mouth , yet none would enter in to quench his thirst : so the sound of gods word beateth continually against our eares , but it entereth not in to coole the heate of the wicked motions of our inordinate desires , and to quench our thirst after worldly vanities . in every place is talke of divinitie , even among them that know not what belongeth to humanity . many are with their tongues blazers and talkers of vertue , but all their other members they suffer to administer to vice . few men are so covetous of their owne good fame and honour , as they are greedy of other mens goods , and envious of others vertue . most men seeme to hate pride , and yet few follow humility : all condemne dissolutenesse , and yet who is continent ? all blame intemperancie ●…nd yet none lives in order . all praise patience , and yet who resisteth the sweet passion of revenge ? he that possesseth much , oppresseth him that hath little : and hee that hath but little envyeth him that hath much . wee condemne papists for their superstition & confidence in their good works and we blame puritanes for their affected singularitie and formall precisenesse ; and in the meane time that we may be unlike the one in grossenesse , and not much resemble the other in precisenesse , we neither have sufficient regard to the true devout service of god , and to christian charity , nor sufficiently shew the zeale of true christians to the sincerity of religion , and least of all expresse it in our lives and conversations : as though godlinesse consisted in a theoricall kinde of beleeving , without any respect to the exercise of christian charitie and vertue . and when we go about to shake off the clogges wherewith our consciences are burdened by superstition , to enjoy the true and christian libertie , wee fall into such a licentiousnesse of life , and dissolutenesse of manners , that the poets saying may be aptly applyed to many : dum stulti vitant vitia , in contraria currunt . whilst fooles shunne vices , they run into contraries . some hold , that god may be better served in ●…eir ●…ber than in the church ; others pre●… a 〈◊〉 or a barne before any of them both . thus do●… 〈◊〉 old serpent labour 〈◊〉 sow division in mens min●…s and manners , to 〈◊〉 ●…nour of true religion , that whilst the magistrates bee occupied in reforming these new schismes , the professed enemie to the gospel may multiply and encrease his flocke under hand . but in the middest of this generall wickednesse and depravation of manners , being almost ( as we may conjecture ) at the highest , this comfort remaineth to the well-minded , that the day of deliverance cannot be farre off . when dionysius , at the time that christ was crucified , beheld with admiration the sunne eclipsed contrary to nature , the moone being at the full , and opposite to the sunne , he pronouneed these words ; either the god of nature suffereth now , or else the whole frame of the world shal be dissolved . and as dionysius divined rightly in the one , so may he do in the other , that wil behold the generalitie of all maner of vice and wickednesse of this time , contrary to the nature of christianity , and opposite to the word of god which was never more plentifully taught ; and boldly pronounce , that this generall and unnaturall eclipse of christian manners , doth presage the destruction of the world to be at hand . hee that will looke into the manners of this time ; shall he not find cause , with trembling and feare , to thinke that the time is at hand , that the prophet ionas spake of to the ninivites ? there be yet forty dayes and the world shall be destroyed : but our hearts be so hardened with worldly desires , that wee will beleeve nothing that feedeth not our humours , and is not plausible to our inclinations . and nothing is more dangerous to a christian than to accustome himselfe to harden his conscience . for in such unhappy people there is no will to be amended , nor meanes to be remedied . the affricans had a prophecie , that when the romans sent an armie into affrica , mundus cum tota sua prole periret : the signification of which words is , the world with all his issue shall perish : which made them thinke that the world with all the people should be destroyed . but afterward the romanes sent an army thither , under the conduct of a generall , whose name was mundus , who in battell with his sonnes were slaine by the affricanes , and fulfilled the effect of the prophecie , and discovered the illusion of the divell . but these heathens were not so easie to be delud●…d by the divell , as we are hard to bee perswaded by the true prophets of god , and preachers of his word , that the destruction of the world cannot bee farre off : for the mindes and manners of men are so transformed and changed , and declineth daily from evill to worse , that if the men of former ages were to walke againe a while upon the earth , they would thinke that this world were not the same which before it was , but rather another substitute in his place . horace found this fault in his time , that the age of their parents was worse than that of their grandfathers , and themselves more wicked than their fathers , and their children would be more vicious than they . and as wee are worse than our fathers , so our posterity is like to be worse than wee be , if vice bee not now at the highest , and the world almost at an end . the poets observed diligently , and with great consideration , the mutations of the world , and divided it into foure parts . the first age they likened to gold , and called it the golden age : the next so decayed , that they compared it unto silver : the third , abased to brasse : the fourth worst of all , was become like iron , of lesse value and price than any of the rest : and if there were a more base metall , wee might compare our age to it . in consideration whereof , they with other writers in these latter ages , both divine and prophane , doe bewaile the decay of vertue , of true faith , of charity , of mutuall love and fidelitie , of good conscience , of honesty , yea of devotion and prayer , and of the love and feare of god , and of heavenly contemplation : whereof , as from his proper root should spring all the rest . for how many doe wee see live as though they had no need of god ; & hoped for no better , nor mistrust no worse than they finde here ? as though god were not the rewarder of vertue , and punisher of vice ; nay rather as though there were no god at all , no resurrection , no heaven , nor hell . who feareth to offend god , or spareth to blaspheme his holy name ? who taketh any paine to please him ? who forbeareth to hate , envie , and to slander ? who laboureth to subdue his flesh to the spirit ; sensualitie to reason ; reason to faith ; and faith to the service of god ? who letteth not loose the reines to his affections , and suffereth not his will and wicked inventions to take the bitte in the teeth , and runneth away against the rule of reason ? subjects rebell against their prince and gods anointed , and are sometime excited unto it by them that should set forth obedience by word and example of life . children disobey their parents , contemne them , and laugh them to scorne . servants make small estimation of the trust committed unto them by their masters . labourers hunt after idlenesse . artificers are deceiptfull in their wordes and workes . merchants and others in uttering the wares that they sell. no man lendeth without hire . vsurie was never so generall , nor so extreame . and if wee should after this sort run over the other estates of life , wee should finde all sorts of men degenerate from the simplicity and goodnesse of their forefathers . no man seeketh after vertue , nor laboureth to reforme or amend , much lesse to mortifie himselfe . so as we might never more truly pronounce these old verses : heu , vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur , et velut infernus fabula vana foret . alas men live , as they should never dye , and hell were a meere tale and fantasie . to doe these things what is it , but as though there were no gospell to forbid it , nor god to punish it , nor lawes , nor authority to reforme it ? we have small regard and compassion to the reliefe of the poore , & lesse conscience wee make to deceive or oppresse our neighbours . and this is a thing to be marvelled at , that if the merchant bee taken with a counterfeit measure , the gold smith with a false weight , the measure shall bee burnt , the ballance broken , and the offender delivered to publike justice : but if a man be knowne to be a blasphemer , a drunkard , an adulterer , yea , an atheist , whereof ( it may be doubted ) there bee over many in these daies , he shal be so far from being punished , that he shal be rather of many favoured and supported , & regarded as a jolly fellow that will be cōmanded of none : which encourageth him to offend further , to the evill example of others : for wicked acts and misdemeanours are allured by impunity , as it were by rewards : and he hurteth the good that spareth the wicked . if we heare of any sinful or wicked act committed , we sigh and grone , and looke up to heaven , as though it pierced our hearts , with detestation both of the man and the fact : whereas if the like occasion were offered , wee are as ready every day to doc the same or worse . wee are notable censurers of other mens faults , and cunning dissemblers of our owne . we behold our owne faults with spectacles that make things shew lesse , and other mens faults wee behold in the water , where things shew greater . wee follow sermons like saints , with great shew of devotion , as though we were very religious : but that we practise in our life , rather resembleth infernall spirits . and thus we dissemble with god , and play the hypocrites with men . when our life is seene to bee contrary unto our profession , we are a slander to the gospell . and it may be said to us , as i heard a plaine man of the low-countrie say to a gentleman that commended the spaniards for their devotion , and often blessing and crossing themselves : no doubt ( quoth hee ) they are holy men : cruzes de fuera , & diabl●… de dentr●… : crosses without , and the divell within . the iniquity of this time is almost growne to this , that a man godly and honestly given is laughed to scorne , ●…nd had in contempt , and the wicked is had in estimation and reverenced , as though it were a shame to doe well , and a commendable thing to live unhonestly : so as nothing is more common in these dayes among us than false friendship , dissembled honesty , manifest iniquity , and counterfeit holinesse . and who is he , if hee separate his mind , a while from worldly cogitations , that he may the better looke into the generall wickednesse of these dayes , that will not say with saint paul : cupio dissolvi , & esse cum christo : i desire to be dissolved , and to bee with christ : when he shall see in use and dayly practice every where all kinds of vice , but almost no where any kind of vertue ? when he shall see no wisedome without craft , no justice without corruption , no faith without dissimulation , no godlinesse without hypocrisie , no friendship wiehout gaine , no lending without hire , no promise without suspition , and all things corrupted with covetousnesse and sensuality , shal he not find cause to cry out with policarpus ; deus , ad quae nos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? god , to what times hast thou reserved us ? but they that by word or writing shall go about to reprove the generality of vice lately crept into mens manners , may looke for that answer that king antigonus made to one that presented to him a booke written of iustice : thou art a foole ( said the king ) to present a booke to mee of iustice , when thou seest mee besieging and making war upon other mens cities : so shall they bee accounted fooles , that so farre out of season in this common exercise and generality of all manner of vice , will perswade or speake of vertue , of godlinesse , of honesty , and reformation of manners : they shall but sing to the dease ( as the proverbe is . ) o wicked age and ungratefull people●… hath god dispersed the darke clouds from our understanding , and sent us the light of his gospel , to the end wee should runne into the dirt and mire , and soyle our selves with all manner of vices ? hath hee bestowed so many benefits upon us , and yet cannot find us thankfull ? hath he offered us his grace so plentifully , and yet will we not receive it ? he that standeth in a high place letteth down a rope , to help him up that standeth beneath : so god hath let downe his grace to us to lift us up to him , but wee will not take hold of it : and therefore it may bee feared , if we bee not more circumspect , lest our common adversary entangle us with his rope , that hee may plucke us downe to him . wee may be wondred at , not without cause , as the emperour constantius marvelled at his people that were newly become christians : i marvell ( said hee ) how it commeth to passe , that many of my people are worse now , than before they were christians . the best we can hope for , if we amend not our maners , is , that god will chastise us : and the most we can desire at his hands , is , that if he punish us by some of his ordinary meanes , he will use a fatherly correction upon us ; and when hee hath beaten his children , cast the rod in the fire . wee have beheld these many yeares in great tranquility under the flourishing reigne of a most happy prince , the troubles and afflictions of our neighbours , by which we have beene warned to reforme our lives , and to be thankfull : but with how small effect , is too apparent : and therefore it may be feared , lest the time will come , that wee shall have cause to say to our neighbours ; vivite felices , quibus est fortuna per●…cta , i am sua , nos alia ex al●…is in fata vocamur : live happy you , whose fortunes are full grown , we have no fate to looke to but our owne . petrarks saying could to no time bee more aptly applyed , that hunters and fowlers used not their endevour with greater diligence to lay nets and snares for wilde beasts & birds , than crafty men layd for the simple and plaine meaning . and therefore ( said he ) if thou wilt not be deceived , either dye or deale not with men : which agreeth with pionano his countrey man : con arte , & con inganno , si vive mezzo l'anno , con inganno & con arte , si vive l'altraparte . hee therefore that would enjoy that happinesse which may be found in this life , must live in the feare and service of god , and alwayes lift up his minde to the true felicity , which cannot be injoyed in this world , but in the life to come . he must desire god to bestow his benefits and graces upon him , by which he may eschew , and be free from those things that are hindrance to felicity : and that he will blesse his labours and indeavours that are taken in hand , and leadeth the right way to the attaining of happinesse . hee must arme himselfe with patience , quietly to receive such afflictions and crosses , as it shall please god to send and lay upon him ; and perswade himselfe he doth all for his good , to draw his love from these worldly vanities , to the contemplation and desire of god and his heavenly kingdome , which is our end , and sovereigne good and beatitude . he must purge and cleanse his mind from those impure motions and affections , that intice and allure men to the deceivable lusts and brutish pleasures of the flesh : than which pleasure ( after demosthenes ) there is not a more capitall enemie given of nature to man : and ( after demosthenes ) no evill can happen to that man , which hath layd temperance and continency for a foundation of wisedom . he must also beware , and be very circumspect that he bee not overcom with inordinate desire of riches , nor with ambition and desire of honor and glory ; whereunto , for want of due consideration , the most part of men are commonly carried headlong , by a false and flattering shew of happinesse . and if it shall please god to blesse him with worldly wealth & honourable estate ( for they are his blessings to them that come rightly and justly to them ) he must use them to that purpose for which they were ordained and given him : for the estimation of things , and their use and abuse maketh them helpefull or hurtful to happinesse of life . he that knoweth how to esteem and use riches & honourable estate as he ought , neither will desire them , if he have them not , nor feare their losse , if he possesse them : knowing that he may live well and happily without them ; as things not necessary to felicity . for the greedy desire of riches & possessions , & the ambitious passions , common almost to all men in aspiring to honorable estate , & the cōtinual fear of their losse , doth so torment and unquiet our mindes , that whereas by the due estimation of riches and honour , and such like delights of men , with an upright judgement , we might leade a pleasant and happy life ; wee contrariwise by a sinister opinion , heape upon our selves grievous torments , manifold cares and vexations ; so as wee seeme to seeke of purpose for the causes , and meanes how to bring our selves into an unhappie and miserable estate : for all the troubles and perplexities that travell our fraile bodies , our selves are the cause of them , and for the most part we goe out to seeke them . for thus fares it with men of all estates , first to desire one thing , and then another , without end or measure , never satisfied or contented , and therefore never happy . he must estimate these things that will live happily , not after the common custome and opinion of men , but by a right and reasonable censure , and content himselfe with his estate , to which god hath called him , whereunto he shall the more easily bee perswaded , that will compare the dangers and troubles of high dignities and honourable estate , with the security and quietnesse of meane callings , and bestow some time in reading the monuments of wise and learned authors , whose counsell he shall find to contemne the things ( wherein by an erroneous opinion men set their felicity ) as meere vanities , and the frumpes of fortune , and that a little is sufficient to the happinesse of life . yet providence is to bee used by a wise and ●…rugall man , after isocrates counsell : to remember things past , to doe things present , and to beware of things to come . for he is no lesse worthy of blame , that provideth not that which is necessary , than he that never ceaseth to get more than is sufficient . and though no estate of life be excluded from felicity , for that the chiefe part & cause therof proceeds from the minde , yet abundance of riches , honorable estate , & hie dignities , are more subject to those things that are hinderance to happinesse , than the meane and inferiour estates are which , whosoever will attentively observe , will be the more readily induced to beleeve with saint paul , that godlinesse is great riches ; and sufficient to lead us to the felicity & happinesse we seeke for . for that bringeth with it a contempt of worldly vanities , so much esteemed of the multitude , peace of conscience , and a contentation of mind , wherein felicity consisteth : which was rightly espied by the poet , that the vanities of this world , as riches , pleasures , honours , and such like , bringeth not felicity , but the service of god. iugera non faciunt felicem plurima , frater , non tergestini dulcia musta soli . non tyriae vestes , aur●… non pondera flavi ; non ebur , aut gemma , non juvenile decus . non dulcis nati soboles , non bellula conjux , non tenuisse su●… sceptra superbamanu . noveris & rerum causas licet , astra , polique , et nostro quicquid sub iove mundus habet . at mea , si quaeris , quae sit sententia , frater , dicam ; vis felix vivere ? vive deo. ( brother ) not many acres make thee blest , nor the sweet grapes in tergestine prest : not tyrian garments , not thy golden treasure , not ivory gemmes , nor all thy youthfull pleasure : not thy faire issue , not thy beauteous bride , not a proud scepter with thine hand to guide : to natures secrets though thy skill extend , and thou the starres and poles dost apprehend , with all , the world doth ( beneath iove ) containe : yet if thou ask'st of me what thou shalt gaine by these ? i le speake , if thou wouldst make thy ' boad in heaven : so live that thou mayst live to god. the end of the fifth booke . the felicitie of man , or , his summum bonum . the sixth booke . chap. i. the creation of man , and the estate he was in at the beginning , before his fall : mans alteration after his fall : how he participates with the nature of brute beasts : all things made to serve man rebell against him : man only of all other creatures declineth from his originall nature : the reason why god suffereth evill to be committed : the means that god hath given to man , by which to escape the dangers into which he is fallen : of the three faculties of the soule , vegetative , sensitive , and understanding , &c. it appeareth by that which hath bin said , what manner of felicitie men may enjoy in this life , which is rather an usurped name , and improperly so called , than so indeed . now resteth to discourse upon the true end and felicity of man , or beatitude and summum bonum . when god had created this goodly frame of the world , being so called of his excellent and beautifull forme , replenished with such varietie of creatures , and placed the earth in the middest ; last of all , he made man after his owne image , which st. paul interpreteth to bee justi●… and holinesse of truth , who was after called a●…am , of the veine of red earth , whereof hee was made . and when god had finished this worke , and made man , h●… ceased from creating any more things , and rested in him , in whom hee delighted , and would for ever after communicate himselfe , his wisdome , his justice , and his joy , and gave unto him a companion , for his greater comfort and pleasure . this man he adorned with many goodly gifts , and placed him in paradise , which signifieth the best part of the earth , and that estate of men , in which they should have lived without sin and death . in which place appointed for their habitation , are the four fountaines of the goodly rivers of euphrates , tigris , ganges and nilus , which they water & passe through , and containeth almost a third part of the earth . but when this man by the temptation & subtill practices of the serpent , tasted of the forbidden fruit , & withdrew himselfe from the due obedience of his creator , he lost many of those goodly ornaments wherewith god had endowed him , and fell into the punishment appointed for his transgression , eternall death and damnation . but the son of god bearing a singular favour to man , pacified his father , & to satisfie his justice , which was immutable , he took upon him to fulfill all that obedience 〈◊〉 god required of man ; and restored him into gods favour againe , though not with recovery of all his lost ornaments : & revealed the promise of god , which he had also procured , to send him to be a protector of mankind against the tyranny of the divell , & therefore he is called the word , because he revealed this secret decree out of the breast of the eternal father . and this was the first miracle that god wrought after his creation of the world , and the creatures therin contained , staying them that were to dye without the second causes , and without that ordinarie course of life , which before hee had established . iosephus writeth that adam set up two tables of stone , in which he wrote the beginning of the creation , the fall of man , and the promise . now if wee consider what a worthy and beautifull creature man was before his fall , the very habitation & temple of god , without sinne , and without death , wee may easily judge what an ungrateful and unhappy creature he was to revolt from god , to the divell , whereby he and his posterity became subject to sinne and death . for first god made him after his own image & likenes , that is , he made him most good , uncorrupt , holy , righteous , & immortall , & furnished him with most excellent gifts , that nothing might bee wanting unto him to all blessednesse in god. his understanding was wholly divine , his will most free & most holy : he had power of doing good & evil : a law was given him of god , which shewed him what he should doe , or what he should not doe . for the lord said , thou shalt not eate of the tree of knowledg both of good & evil . god simply required of him obedience & faith , & that whole adam should depend upon him , & that not constrained by necessity , but should do it freely : he told him also the perill , & willed him not to touch the tree , lest he dye . so that he left him in his own counsell , whose will was then free , & might have chosen whether he would have broken gods commandment or not . neither did ●…atan in the serpent compel him to eat , but perswaded the womā , with hope of a more excellent wisedome , who drew on her husband willingly to bee partaker of the same , by the false and lying perswasion and promise of the divel , & by the delectable shew & sightliness of the tree , the fruit whereof after the woman had first tasted , she gave to her husband also to eate : by meanes whereof hee lost those goodly gifts & ornaments , which god had bestow'd upon him : which gifts hee gave to adam upon condition , that hee would also give them to his posterity , if himselfe did keep them : but would not give them , if hee by his unthankfulnes would cast them away : so that by his transgression & disobedience , hee was cast out of paradise , that is , out of that happy estate , & found al the elements lesse favorable . his nature & condition was alter'd from goodnes & holines , to sin and wickednes : from sincerity to corruption : the influences that descend from the stars and planets , which are of themselves simply good , through our sinnes and corruption turne to evill : so as all things made for our use , rebell and conspire together against us , and our sinnes are the cause of all our evill . which fall and alteration of mans nature , and his ingratitude towards god , will manifestly appeare to him that will looke into his owne estate , & the things which god hath created . to man alone ( at least in this lower part ) hee hath given understanding , by which hee may know what al other things have , & what they be , which the things themselves know not . an infallible argument that whatsoever they have or be , the same they have or bee , not for themselves , but for man. for to what purpose serveth the vertues and properties that be in them , if they know them not ? to man only in all the world it is given to know these things , & to have the ●…ruition of them . for the world knoweth not it selfe , nor the things in i●… and therfore the world and all things there in contained , were given to man , and created for him onely : for the angels had no need of it : nor brute beasts could use a thing of such excellencie ; but to man that hath a bodily substance , it was necessary ; who only , because he was endued with a reasonable soule , could use it . and seeing the possessor farre surmounteth the thing that is possessed , man is of much greater dignitie than the world , which is his possession and habitation . but the more excellent his nature was , the more filthy is his corruption : the greater benefits he received of his creator , the more ungratefull he was to offend him . and if we call our selves to account , and examine the whole course of our life , we shall see how small a part thereof we bestow in the cogitations & service of him that hath given us all that we have , and be : and how farre we are from giving him his owne , that is , our selves , and all that wee have , which wee possesse , and ought to apply to the glorie of god. but contrariwise , wee convert all things to our owne commodity as his proper end , and us onely to our selves . how few houres , nay rather how few parts of one houre doe wee bestow in a whole day and night , in thinking upon god , as though it were the least care we have ? and when we pray , what doe we but commit sinne upon sinne ? in the very heat of our prayers , how cold are wee ? yea when we seeme most vehement and devout , what vaine & idle thoughts and fansies falleth into our heads ? so that our minds in our praiers 〈◊〉 to be carried away further from god , than the space is between heaven and earth . and wherof commeth this , but that we are not the same we were ? he that killeth a man , though hee were his mortall enemie , his soule by and by is tormented , his conscience sharpely accuseth him , and telleth him , hee hath not done well : for the byting of no beast is more grievous , than that of the conscience : which argueth , that there is some little sparke left of that divine light of the soule , which seemeth presently to awake as it were out of a fleepe , and a●…esteth him , and reproveth the fact , and is offended with his owne offence , and goeth about to revenge our wickednesse in our owne persons . as appeareth by theodoricus king of the gothes ; who after hee had killed symmachu●… his father in law , thought hee saw , as hee was at supper , symmachus face , in a fish head that was set before him , with other meat to cate : who seemed to grinde his teeth , and to looke sowrely upon him , which put the king in such feare , that hee fell sicke , and dyed shortly after . plutar●… in his booke de sera numinis vindicta , reporteth a strange historie of a man that killed his father . this man , of all other was least suspected , being so rare and unnaturall a thing for the sonne to kill his father : and therefore the murther could never bee discovered , untill this man , long after the murther committed , went on a time forth to supper , and espying ( as hee walked ) a swallows nest , hee with his staffe threw downe the nest , and killed the young swallowes ; and being reprehended of some that beheld him , for killing so cruelly the harmelesse little birds : they have ( quoth he ) followed me long enough ; they cry every day , that i have killed my father . the men that were present , marvelling to heare so strange a thing , informed the king , who caused him to be apprehended , and being examined , he confessed the matter . which example confirmeth that which hath beene said , that though our nature bee corrupt , yet the soule detesteth his own wickednesse , and our conscience , that repineth against our misdeeds , tormenteth and secretly admonisheth us ; which could not be , if there were not some little image of god , and of our former divine nature left in us . and whereof commeth it , that seeing we know and confesse , that god is our creatour , and hath so liberally given us all that we have , & made the world for us , and that he is good , and goodnesse it selfe , that wee put so little confidence in him , or rather mistrust his help , saving that we seeme to have some sense & feeling imprinted in our conscience , that wee have grievously offended him , & are justly disinherited & unworthy of his favor ? our prayers be as full of distrust , as our hearts be void of faith . god hath advanced us far above stones , plants , brute beasts , and all other unreasonable creatures , and above the world it self . he hath set us upright , and given us eyes to look up towards heaven , and with our eyes to behold his magnificence . but wee contrariwise looke downe to the earth , and tumble in the ground , like swine in the dirt . how many give themselves wholly , and have almost no other th ought , but in getting and heaping together gold and silver , the scurffe of the earth , which they seeke after as their greatest good and felicity ? whereof riseth all our contention , and suits , but for earth and earthly things ? which is a plaine demonstration , that wee are throwne downe headlong from that honourable estate & throne wherein we were by the bountiful goodnesse of god first placed . if a man should see one with a crowne or diademe upon his head , all soyled with dirt , or delving the ground , or holding the plough , would not hee thinke him eyther mad , or else cast out of his chaire of estate , and deposed from his royall dignity ? what doe men but digge and turmoyle in the earth , occupy themselves wholly in base things , as though god had given immortalitie to the soule , to bestow our labour and cogitations in dung and dirt ? a scepter is not given to a king to play the dizzard . but if a man had held himself in his first estate that god made him , our divine nature would have bin occupied in divine things , and heavenly contemplation . wee should not have set our felicitie in these transitorie things , as though our inheritance were in this world . the consideration of these things will enforce us to confesse , that the soule liveth not properly , but the body onely : and that his actions and motions are not free and at his owne libertie . proclus could say , that the naturall life properly of the soule , is not in this earthly body , but above . and plato likeneth the soule , when hee is in generation , to men that dwell in a pestilent ayre : and the soule that is without generation , to them that dwell in a faire greene meadow . and as they that dwell in an unwholesome countrey , are for the most part , sickely , and few continue in their naturall health : so the soule as long as it liveth in this elementary body , as in a prison , and both together in this world , will be subject as it were to sicknesse , that is , to sinne , to passions , to corruption and uncleannesse . for among so many men that are endued with a mind , who useth it ? that is , ( as morney further saith ) in men how many beasts ? and among men what is more rare than a man ? and of these that use their minde , how few use it well ? that is , ( saith he ) in men how many divels ? and if from among men , beasts and divels should bee taken away , what marvell is it that the philosopher sought for a man at noone day with a lincke , in the middest of a great assembly of men ? some in condition resemble a wolfe , others a foxe ; some a swine ; others this or that kinde of beast : but few resemble a man , in that hee is a man : and more few , in that hee is the image of god. god created man to his owne glorie , but as hee is now , hee is continually a dishonour to god : whereby it appeareth , man is not now the same hee was at the beginning : that hee is deprived of that high dignity , and divine nature that was first given him : that hee is fallen from being the temple and habitation of god , to bee the dungeon of sinne and wickednesse . which alteration of his estate and condition is not to bee imputed to god , who is the author of all good , and goodnesse it selfe ; but to his owne fault , that would not persist in the same estate wherein god had placed him ; but would bee equall with his creatour : whereby hee grievously offended god , and procured his severe sentence and curse ; by meane whereof , hee is not onely bereaved of those goodly gifts and ornaments , which before by his contemplation and glorifying of god , hee enjoyed at the full , but hee is also become subject to those things , which for his sake and use were created : as ch●…yfippus truly said ; qudm falsò accusant superos , stultèque queruntur , martales ? etenim nostrorum causa malorum ipsi nos su●… : & sua quemque vecordia ladit : how falsly , and how foolishly doe men accuse and rayle upon high powers ? when wee all of our owne evils are the ground , and each mans madnesse doth himselfe confound . order required , that reason should obey god , and our senses and desires should bee obedient to reason : but now contrariwise the senses over-rule reason , and desires lead our will : the body commandeth the soule , and the cart is before the horse . so that wee must confesse , wee bee most justly punished , even by the same meanes , by which our first parent committed the offence . for as by his disobedience he rebelled against his lord and creator , so by a just punishment , the things which hee made to serve mans use , rebell against him . the defects of the soule , and the motions wee seele of anger , of lust , and such like , besides reason , proceedeth not from our originall nature , nor from our first creation , but from the contagion of the fl●…sh , and enticements of the world , being become corrupt and uncleane , which is come upon our good nature , as rust commeth upon iron . and those things which be now common unto us and brute beasts , by the corruption of our nature , wee are ashamed neverthelesse , if wee bee seene to doe them . when wee are angry , if a man given to vertue and honesty come the while , it stayeth it selfe presently , as though vice durst not abide the sight of vertue . and if a man bee e●…pied in the act of venus , though lawfull , he will bee ashamed , and blush as if his bloud laboured to hide and cover him . by which repentance following those affections , nature doth sharpely admonish us ( beeing ashamed to doe like brute beastes ) of the difference betweene us and them : which shee would not doe , if shee had beene created brutish from the beginning . but contrariwise , brute beastes forbeare not to follow their motions openly ; because it was their nature at the beginning , wherein they continue . man onely of all other creatures of the earth , d●…lineth from his originall nature , in whom alone all things are corrupted . if wee commit any vicious act , though secretly beeing alone , our conscience by and by sheweth it selfe to bee our companion , and doth not onely witnesse against us , but condemneth us , and punisheth the fact . for though the soule bee a spirituall ●…ffence , such as the elements and bodily substances can do●… nothing against it , and had it selfe in his owne power , and was ruler and commander of the body , which before the fall suffered nothing of the body , yet the objects and filthinesse of the flesh , environing , and as it were cleaving to the soule , doth corrupt and defile her : as good wine receiveth an evill taste of a fustie vessell . for the bodie is inclosed within the elements , the bloud within the body , the spirits within the bloud , the soule within the spirits , the minde within the soule ; and hermes further addeth , god within the minde . fire covered with ashes shineth not : the sunne hidden with a thicke blacke cloud , casteth foorth lesse light ; so the soule being drowned in moyst and foule matter , receiveth a certaine myst , which shadoweth and covereth the minde , and darkeneth the light of reason . this power that god gave to these things , over the substance of the soule , besides his nature , which otherwise of their own nature they could not have done , argueth the greatnesse of the offence , which man committed against god , and his high justice in his punishment . our wisedome is ignorance , our knowledge is vanity , our godlinesse is hypocrisie , our vertue is nothing but a cloke to cover our vice . for if it were possible to see into a man , how many salvage beasts should wee see lurking in a mans heart , as in a forrest or thicke wood ? our imagination and thoughts , what are they but meere wickednesse and vanitie ? these evils we have received by propagation from our first parent . sentit adhuc proles , quod commisere parentes : the children are yet sensible of what their parents have committed . for the sins we commit is a punishment of his offence . and though they are come to us by gods permission , yet it is not to bee imputed to him as an author of it , because hee could by his absolute power hinder and let evill . for hee proponeth lawes , to man with rewards and punishments . hee willeth him to embrace good and flye evill . to the doing whereof hee denyeth not his grace , without which wee can doe nothing , nor refuseth our diligence and labour . here if we cease and give over , the sin and negligence is attributed to man , and not to god , though hee could have hindered it , and did not , because he ought not to hinder it , lest hee should disturbe his apointed and settled order , and destroy his owne worke . god therefore is not the authour of evill and sin , for al things which he made are good . it is no efficient , but a deficient cause . evil is no substance nor nature but an accident that commeth to the substance , when it is voyde of those good qualities that ought naturally to be in them , and supplieth the others absence with his presence . and that hee suffereth evill to be done , agreeeth with his great justice and mercy . for if god should suffer no evill to be done , men could not finne : which agreeth not with his nature ; the creator of all things having given him in the beginning free-will . and except there should bee sinners , how should god shew mercy ? but because all men commit sinne many waies , god findeth every where matter to forgive , every whereupon whom to shew mercy . saint augustine sayth , if the disease were light , the physitian would bee contemned and not sought ; and if the physitian should not be sought , the disease would have no end . therefore where sinne abounded , there also grace abounded , which onely divideth the redeemed from the damned . all which things are sufficient testimonie against us , that god made all things good , and the evill that is happened to us , is come upon us by our owne fault , that disobeied god to obey the divell . wee must confesse therefore , that god made man good , and a divine creature , after his owne image ; that he endued him with many goodly gifts and ornaments ; that hee made the world and all things therein to serve man , as he made man to serve him : and as man is the end of the world , so god is the end of man ; that he esteemed him in place of his sonne , and opened his mind to him : but because man preferred his owne appetite before the will of his creator , and became as a bastard and degenerate , not onely by breaking gods commandement , but by affecting an equality with him , he fell out of his favour , and lost those gifts hee first gave him , and is justly punished by him , that is most just , with the alteration of his estate and condition , as a rebell against his sovereigne and creator ; because he would not continue and rest in his felicitie , wherein god had first placed him ; that is , in the contemplation of his creator : but would needs seeke his felicity some other where . for the end of man is to glorifie god , having made him for his own glory ; and the end , felicity , beatitude and sum●… b●…num of man , is all one by the philosophers confession , as hath been shewed before . therfore god , that hath made all things good , and is most good , and goodnesse it selfe , is the felicitie or beatitude and summum bonum of man. and though man by his ungratefull revolting from god , that had bestowed such innumerable benefits upon him , deserved justly to bee utterly destroyed ; yet hee dealt mercisully with him , that hee took not away all , as his demerits required , and left him a meanes to returne into his grace againe . for by taking away the things he first gave us , he would make us humble by the fall of our first parent , lest by the like presumptuousnesse we should fall againe . a king buildeth a new city and endoweth it , as the manner is , with many priviledges and liberties : it happeneth the citizens to rebel ; the king taketh away from them many of their liberties and priviledges . which punishment of rebellion descendeth to all their posterity , though the city was begun with a few families , it groweth at length to bee very populous . his giving those priviledges to the first inhabitants , was to bee imputed to his bounteousnesse and liberality : that he took them away , was his justice : that he denied restitution of them to their posterity , was his clemency , lest they being of the same disposition , should procure againe their owne destruction . so god gave unto man liberty , a great priviledge ; and adorned him with many goodly gifts both of body & mind , for the which he ought to praise his goodness . and because by abusing his gifts , he hath taken them away , or diminished them , is to be attributed to his justice ; which hee hath done , lest by example of the first man , his posterity being of the same condition , should commit againe the like offence , and fall into the like punishment . thus it pleased god of his goodnesse to chastise his people , and to suffer them to bee governed by his lawes , but not utterly destroy them . and that mankinde might feele and know how great miseries follow their sin , and fall , and thereby learn humility and godlines , and to call for his great mercy , apparent in the middest of his high justice , that notwithstanding mans grievous offence & ingratitude , he would not utterly destroy his posterity , whom he had made to his glory , but raised up one out of that rebellious stocke , that should satisfie his justice wherby they might live , and bee received into grace againe : hereby it is evident that mans nature is corrupted , not so created at the first by god : but by abusing his gifts and graces , is fallen from goodnesse into wickednesse , from his speciall favour , into his just indignation . and as we are of the nature of that man our first parent , in whom humane nature was universally polluted ; so doe wee receive from him his nature , and draw to us the corruption thereof , from whence is derived by propagation , the cause of our miserable estate and condition . now that we have shewed how & by what me●…es wee fell out of gods favour into this stinking pit and dunge . on : let us see how we may wade out of it againe . god , all men confesse to be creator of all things , and as he is good & goodnesse it selfe , all that he hath made , must needs bee also good as proceeding from the fountaine of goodnesse . and because god is wisedome , all his creations we must needs acknowledge , were made to some end ; for nature ( say the philosophers ) doth nothing in vaine , but all things well ; much more god the creator of nature doth all things to an end . and as god is the beginning , middle , and end of all things , so hath he none other end of his workes , but himselfe . for he made all things to his own glorie ; and therefore we that be the creatures of god , of whom we have our beginning and life , can have no other end but god. so that god is our summum bonum , or soveraigne good ; our beatitude and felicity . to that end therefore , to the attaining of that good , which is the proper action and true felicity of man , all our studies and desires , all our labours and diligence , ought to be directed and employed . if mans first nature had remained whole and uncorrupted , there would not have needed any great search to bee made to find out his felicity . for our end or felicity did then shine in our understanding ; and the same end or good , which is god , by whom and for whom we were created , did allure and draw our will. but now by our pride and presumptuousnesse , and fall of our first parent , our matters be brought to this passe , that in earthly things we have lynces eyes , but in spirituall things we are as blind as beetles . in seeking for the true light , the true god , and the right way to felicity , or summum bonum , our eyes do not only twinkle as an owle against the sunne , but are shut close together . yet notwithstanding there remaineth to vs some signes or tokens by which we may know these things : specially if wee call continually to minde our fall . for then we should not wallow in the dirt like swine , and desire these earthly things , that appertaine nothing to us , nor to our end and felicity : nor stand like men amazed with the greatnesse of our fall : but wee should seek our end , or soveraigne good or beatitude , in the grace of god , and in the face of our creator : from which by our owne fault wee are fallen & cast away . to make the matter more plaine , we will use morneyes similitude . he that desireth to know the use of any instrument , as of a saw , he must not judge of it by the rust that hath eaten into it , or that it is defaced , or broken by some chance but by the whole teeth , scowred cleane , and fit to cut , even as it came out of the artificers shop . so likewise must we judge of a man ; not estimating his end , & greatest good , of his blindnesse , of his ignorance , of his wickednesse , and such like , that are come upon him ; but of the excellency , of the goodnesse , of the brightnesse , wherewith he was at the first endued of the creator . neither may wee apply the use of a sawe to that it is of iron , and hath a handle , and will cut ; for these things be in every sword , and yet a sword is not a sawe : but because it hath teeth , and is of a peculiar forme : by which a sawe di●…ereth not onely from a sword , or knife that hath no teeth , but also from a file that hath teeth also . in like sort we must examine a man ( if we shall judge of a mans use or end ) by his life or senses . to what purpose was a man made , seeing these things be also in plants & beasts ? but god made man not in vaine : wherefore his end and good must be estimated by that peculiar & proper part , by which he doth excell and is a man , by which he surmounteth all things , that be , that live , that have sense , that is , by the principall part of his soule , which is his understanding ; for what is more excellent than that ? and as this particular forme , which giveth the particular use to a sawe , is common to all sawes , so likewise that speciall form of man , by which the end of man differeth from that of all other creatures , is so proper to him , as neverthelesse it is common to all mankind . for as this property is engendred by nature in all men , so all men ought to levell & direct their course to that end , as their greatest or fove●…aigne good and beatitude . for the same which was the end and good of the first man , is also the end & good of all men ; although our understanding is become dull , our will foolish , and our nature corrupted . and as our first parent , whilest he was in his perfect estate , did aspire and lift himselfe up to god , as to his end and beatitude , so must we climbe up to god , as much as by our minds we are able . and as to cleave unto god , was his soveraigne good and beatitude ; so cannot we attaine to our greatest good and felicity , except we return to god againe from whom we are fallen away . seeing then that understanding was given to man , by a singular priviledge , cleare at the first , without spot or blemish , that he might behold the end and good , for which he was created , we must use the helpe thereof to discerne between the true end to which we ought to direct the course of our life , and the false reputed ends and felicity , which diverteth and leadeth us astray from our greatest good and happinesse or beatitude , which is god. by nature every man wisheth well to himselfe , and directeth his course to some end , which he thinketh to be good for him . but though this desire or appetite of good be common to all , yet there is great diversity in their taste , which ( as in them that have the greene sicknesse , or a woman with child , that longeth to eat coales , and ashes or other evill things greedily as good meat ) sheweth plainely a great distemperance of their nature : which maketh men propone to themselves divers ends , to which they direct the course of their life . some give themselves to pleasures , others to covetousnes and getting of riches , and possessions ; some to ambition , and desire of honour and glory ; all which hath been shewed before , to divert men from their true end , and soveraigne good . which blindnesse and corruption of our nature and understanding is happened to us by our disobedience and fall . for when mans understanding was cleare and unspo●…ed , he saw apparantly that god was his true end and soveraigne good , in whom onely all our desires were fixed & settled . but because our nature is now corrupted & our understāding deformed , having nothing left in us of that good wee had before our fall , but a variable and vaine desire of that wee have lost and have not , if we consider our owne estate and ability , and an uncertaine kind of knowledge , or rather an imagination of god : and that also being confused & grown out of use : either we take not god for our true end and soveraigne good , though he offer himself every where unto us , or if we desire to go to him , we go astray , & fall either to wickednes , or to superstition , or else ( as the most part of men do ) take that which commeth next to hand , addict our selves to the world & sensible matters , tumbling in these excrements of the earth , like swine in the dirt . but these be not the things for which man was created , nor wherein his end or soveraigne good or felicity must be sought : for man cōsisteth of a body & soule ; the body mortall , the soule immortall : if we seek the felicity of man in the body only , men shal do great injury to the soule & to our selves . for if it be in the body , it dyeth & putrifieth with the body , which were a miserable estate . but wee seeke after the felicity of the whole man , and of his whole life , which cannot be in the body , except we take form & beauty for it ; that rather delighteth him that beholdeth it , than himselfe that hath it ; which is also many wayes defaced and lost , with sicknesse , with a wound , or with the heat onely of the sunne . but in the soule that is annexed to the body , there are three faculties , vegetative or increasing , sensitive , and understanding . now let us see in which of these wee may lay the end or felicity of mā . the soul giveth life to the body , & the perfection of life is health . if we respect nothing else in this life , then he that was first created healthfull , had nothing wherewith to occupy himselfe . but if sithence our corruption , our principall care ought to bee of our health , what thing is more unhappy than a man , whose felicity standeth upon so false and feeble a ground ? seeing the body is subject to an infinite number of perils , of hurts , of mischances , weak and fraile , alwaies uncertaine of life , and most certaine of death , which commeth to him by many means , and wayes : who is he that is so sound of body , or so feeble of mind , that if his choise be given him , will not rather chuse a sound mind in a sickely body , than a little frenzie or imperfection of mind in a very healthful body ? in the mind therfore our chiefe good must be , seeing we be willing to redeem the perfect estate of our mindswth the miseries of our bodies . next unto this is the sensitive part , whose felicity seemeth to bee in pleasure ; but then were beasts more happy than men , that feele pleasures more sweetly and fully . and how soone are these pleasures ended with repentance also ? it pleased the gods , ( said plautus ) that sorrow should follow pleasure as a companion . but wee seeke for the greatest or soveraigne good , and if it be good , it will amend men aud make them better . but what doth more weaken and corrupt men , than pleasures ? and what doth lesse satisfie men , and more weary them ? but wee looke not for that which doth finish , but that continueth our delight : whereas these pleasures contrariwise soone decay and quickly spoyle us : as petrarke saith ; extrema gaudii luctus occupat : the extremity of joy and pleasure , sorrow doth possesse . the delight of the mind is greater and more meet for a man , and more agreeable to his end than the pleasures of the senses . and if choyce be given to him that hath passed all his life in pleasures , and hath but a few houres to come , either to enjoy the fairest curtisan in rome , or else to deliver his countrey , who is so beastly or barbarous , that will not presently chuse rather to delight his mind with so noble an act , than to satisfie his senses with pleasure ? and to conclude , the place of pleasures is in the senses ; which are decayed & taken away , by sicknesse , by wounds , by old age . and if these pleasures that be exercised by the sensitive part , will not sooner be abated , yet death will utterly extinguish them . but seeing man hath two kindes of life , mortall and immortall , the one of which he preferreth as farre the better , before the other , we must not seeke for such an end or good as perish both together , but such as maketh men happy indeed , everlasting and immortall , which cannot be found in these transitory things . now followeth the third part of the soule which is understanding , which is occupied sometimes in it selfe , sometimes in the matters of the world , and other while in the contemplation & study of divine things . of these three operatiōs springeth three habits ; vertue , prudence , & sapience . and seeing that understanding is the most excellent thing in man ; let us see in which of these we may place our soveraigne good . for in this part of the soul the end & beatitude of man must needs consist : for what thing can be imagined beyond man , beyond the world , & beyond the creator of both ? that vertue cannot be his end or soveraigne good hath bin shewed before . for vertue is nothing but the tranquility & quietnes of the affections : & what be affections , but a sodaine tempest in the soule , that are raised by a very smal wind , which overthrow the mightiest ship that is in a moment , and maketh the most skilfull mariners to strike saile , and reason it selfe to give over the stern . and if our end of felicity should be in vertue , what were more miserable than man , that must fight continually against his affections , which neverthelesse will not be overcome , as the mariners labour to save themselves in a tempest from the raging of the sea , that gapeth every moment to devoure them . so that in this life vertue cannot bring us to felicity ; and in the other life it can stand us in no stead , where wee shall have no affections . therefore vertue cannot bee our end , or soveraigne good . neither is prudence the thing we seeke for , which is nothing but the right use of reason in exercising the affaires of this world . and what bee the affaires of this world , but contention , strifes , sutes , warres , bloudshed , spoile , murders , burnings , and sackings of townes and countries , with an infinite number of such like stuffe ? neither can they that have the charge of government in common-wealths ( which are all subject to these things ) be accounted happy , but they rather are happy , that are defended from them by their cares and unqui●…nesse : ( for the physitians care is more profitable to the f●…che body than to himselfe . ) besides that , men are turned to dust , and the world will be destroyed ; but the soule liveth , and forsaketh these kind of affaires . therefore prudence cannot bee the end and felicity of man , that is included within the limits of this world . chap. ii. divine co●… the best wisedome : that our greatest knowledge is ●…eere ignorance : of wonderfull and strange secrets in nature : the excellency of faith : religion our reconciliation to god : all nations acknowledge a supreame deity : that no vertues are vertues , that swerve from religion and godlinesse : of the only true religion : salvation of man the only true beatitude : markes by which the true religion is knowne : the necessity of a mediatour : who , and what our mediatour is : and that the soveraigne beatitude is onely to be attained unto by our blessed saviour , christ iesus the righteous . let vs now examine sapience ( after morney ) as we have done the rest , or that part of wisedome , which is conversant in the contemplation of god , and divine matters ; for that in all mens judgements , seemeth to bee a mostexcellent thing . by instinct of nature every man knoweth that there is a god ; for the workes of god doe present him continually to us . but how should we enter throughly into the knowledge of the creator of all things , when we know not the things before our eyes ? socrates confessed freely , that he knew this one thing , that he knew nothing . which confession , as himselfe thought , was the cause he was by the oracle called the wisest man of his time . and porphyrius said , that all philosophy was but a conjecture or light perswasion , delivered from one to another , and nothing in it that was not doubtfull , and disputable . but he that knoweth god in this , wherein is hee the more happy ? reason sheweth us that god is good , that he is just : that hee loveth the good , and hateth the evill . our conscience whispereth us in the eare , that wee doe no good thing , but much evill : and that good wee doe , we doe it badly . what felicity is in this knowledge , when it wa●…th us continually of our wickednesse ? but hee that giveth himselfe to contemplation , climbeth higher : god is immortall , immutable , impassible ; that god dyeth not like a man ; nor is altered or moved . and when he is come thither , he is at the wall , his minde can goe no further . and what kind of knowledge is this ? what madnesse is it to take upon us to know a thing by that it is not ? shall we perswade our selves that wee know what thing a camell is , because wee know it is not a frogge ? so that our highest knowledge , we must confesse to be meere ignorance . and who will place mans end or soveraigne good and felicity in ignorance ? but those that climbe highest to search for knowledge , fall into such errors , and entangle themselves in such labyrinthes , that they know not how to winde themselves out : but as men that looke stedfastly upon the sunne , the more they behold the brightnesse thereof , the more their eyes dazell , untill they become starke blind : so happeneth it to them that aspire to the knowledge of god and divine things , th●…more they search , the lesse they know by their owne wisedome : which peradventure moved one to say , simple ignorance is better than arrogant knowledge . we are forbidden by saint paul to be over curious in seeking the knowledge of things above our reach , nolt altum sapere . the want of ability in us , to know the causes of naturall things here in earth , the effects whereof we see daily before our eyes , argueth plainely , that god would not have us aspire too high in knowledge , when he hath hidden these base things from us . who knoweth the cause why the lodestone draweth iron to it , which being there with rubbed , pointeth toward the north pole ; and garlike and a diamond hindereth his operation ; though some take upon them to draw reasons thereof from their owne conceit , to feed their owne humors ? and who knoweth the cause why the fish called echeneis or remora , no bigger than a carpe , will stay the greatest ship or galley that is , if hee cleave to his side , notwithstanding any force of wind or o●…res and who knoweth the cause why the fish called t●…rpedo , having touched one end of a pyke or speare , casteth the man into a traunce that toucheth the other end ? the beast called catoblepa killeth a man a mile from him with his sight onely . a wolfe seeing a man first , maketh him unable to speake : with an infinite number of like things , which sheweth that god will not have us enter into his secrets of these base things , much lesse of divine things , further than he hath given us power . where of if his meaning had beene to have given us knowledge , he would have given us another sense , and a deeper reason , by which we might have known these and the like hidden properties of his creatures . therefore our onely refuge is to attaine to that by faith , which we cannot attaine by our mind and understanding , that by a lively faith we may be lifted up above our mind , that what by the sharpnesse thereof we cannot reach & comprehend , by faith we may pierce and see thorough . and what is it to have faith in god , but to looke for all our good from him ? to beleeve that all refterh with god ? and seeing that to have faith , continually to hope , to expect , is to de●…re that we have not already , it is evident that wee can never here see & possesse the thing we looke for , but the greater a mans faith is , the more he despiseth worldly things : the more fervent his desire is to heavenly things , the greater is his mislike of himselfe , and the more ●…hement is his love to god. plato saith , that what course soever men take , they cannot be happy , or enjoy the soveraigne good in this life , but in the other life ; without doubt ( saith he ) they that follow vertue , shal be rewarded with beatitude . and pythagoras saith , that man as it were banished from the face of god , walketh as a stranger in this world . and hermes saith , that the end of man is to live by his minde , and the life of the mind is god. thus farre the philosophers knowledge did reach , that the end of man is to live by his minde , that his soveraigne good or beatitude is not to be enjoyed in this life , but is to be found in the other life with god. but they wanted faith to carry them whither their wisedome could not reach . for that knowledge of god we attaine unto in this life by naturall wisedome , is ignorance ; by supernaturall , faith . in vaine therefore we seeke here either by action or contemplation , the thing that is not here to be found . for pl●…tinus alwaies affirmeth , that beati●…de and eternity goeth ever together : which beatitude ( saith plat●… ) is , that we be joyned and made like to god , who is the top , the bo●…de , and the end of all blessednesse . in seeking then for this end and soveraigne good of man , we finde that the world was made for man , man for the soule , the soule for the mind , the mind for some higher cause , which is god. for the world was not of it selfe ; nor for it selfe b●…t was made of some and for some . so man not having his being of himselfe , cannot be the end of himselfe . he that m●…eth any thing , maketh it not for it , but for himselfe , so that he is the end thereof : neither is the thing good in it selfe , but to him that made it , as touching that he made it to his own use . he therefore is the good of that thing , by whom and for whom it is called good . and seeing man is made by god , and for god , he must needes be his end , and the greatest good . so ( saith pl●…tinus ) the soveraigne end of man is meere good , that is god. other things appertaine to the end , but they be not the end . by this it appeareth , that after the ancient wise men , and better sort of philosophers that were guided by reason onely , the felicity or beatitude and soveraigne good of man , must not be sought for in this life , but in the other life . and that man ought to employ his time in this life , to the knowledge and worshipping of god , as to his onely end , that he may with god , and in god have the fruition of all good things perp●…tually in the other world . by the authority all●…grd of the le●…d heathens , and by the reasons and arguments , and grnerall consent of the learned divines ( among which number i account the lord ple●…s , whom in this part , i chiefly follow ) it is manifest , that as the body of 〈◊〉 is to the soule , so is this morra●… life to the imm●…ll . and that the end of man in this world , is the knowledge and worshipping of god ; and his foveraigne good 〈◊〉 to that end , is the fruition and possession of god in heaven : but by reason of our fall , our knowledge being turned into igno●…nce , though wee have some fight of our end and beatitude , yet we are notable about selves to attaine to it . and as the cause of our misery is our separation from god , so our felicity is to be joyned with god againe . and seeing the same which was the soveraigne good of the firstman , is also 〈◊〉 , which by his revolt from god he lost from himselfe and from his posterity , and the way to recover the same , is to re●… to god ●…ine . let us see whether god of his great me●…y hath not left us some meanes by which we may be 〈◊〉 the right way to him againe : whether 〈◊〉 doth ●…each forth his fatherly hand to us thorough the clouds and 〈◊〉 , to call and draw us to him , though like bastards and rebels , we be altogether unworthy of his favour and mercy . all men acknowledge one god , the parent and creator of mankind : that hee made the world for man of nothing : and that he governeth both the world & man by his providence . then must it needs follow , that obedience is due to the father , faith and invocation , and all manner of duty belongeth to so bountifull a lord and governour . and seeing man is by nature immortall , hee ought with all his mind to aspire to immortall things . and because by sinne he is fallen from god and from himselfe , he ought to aske pardon , that hee may pacifie the wrath of god which he purchased by his pride and love of himselfe . it is requisite therefore that hee acknowledge his frailty and misery , that hee may with all humility submit himselfe to god. and what betoken all these things , but that there is one god , one man , one religion , that is , a duty of man toward god , a reconciliation of the degenerate children to their father , of the rebellious subjects to their lord , whose favour we lost by our fall ? for all the exercises of religion proceed hereof , that men know , god made and ruleth the world : that man is immortall , that he fell by transgression out of gods favour , that created him to worship and glorifie god , which is his end and soveragne good . and 〈◊〉 commeth all our sacrifices , our adorations , our ceremonies , our singing of psalmes , and ●…hankesgiving , and such like : so that religion , which is a reconciliation to god , is the way that 〈◊〉 us to out felicity and summum bonum , or sov●…raigne good : but not every religion , but the true religion , by which god is rightly served , as he himselfe hath appointed , and not as is grounded upon the inventions and phantasticall devices of men . for the heathens and 〈◊〉 and barbarous people have their severall religion , of their owne invention , some adoring the sunne ; some the moone ; others the first thing they meet in the morning ; some a red cloth hanging at the end of a long staffe ; others images of men , and other creatures . for there is no people so brutish , or voide of humanity , but by instinct of nature he knoweth there is a divine power above man , whereupon he groo●…deth some religion . the ancient wise men and philosophers highly exalted religion above all things , as the onely way to lead them to the soveraigne good , which is god. plato saith , the beatitude of man , is to be made like god : that is , if hee bee just and holy , which must come by godlinesse and the love of god , which is the greatest vertue among men . and aristotle saith , that in godlinesse all our felicity consisteth . and 〈◊〉 saith , if wee be of any judgement , what shall wee doe but continually worship god , sing psalmes , and give thankes unto him , whether we digge or plough the ground , whether wee labour or rest ? simplicius saith , he can doe nothing diligently , how necessary soever it bee , that is ●…othfull and negligent in the service of god. religion ( saith hier●…cles ) is the chiefe and leader of all vertues , which is referred to gods cause ; to which all other vertues have relation , as to their end . for vertues are not vertues , if they swerve from religion and godlinesse . fortitude referred to any other thing , than to godlinesse , falleth into temerity or rashnesse : prudence into fraud and subtilty , and so like wise of the rest . but all other religions , saving the true religion , doe lead men to the brinke of hell , or at least shew them paradise afarre off ; but betweene them and it , is a great deepe gulfe , over which no man is able to passe , nor all the world is able to fill it up : yet there must needs be a passage over somwhere : for the end of man is certaine , to bee joyned with god. and that he may be joyned with him in heaven , it is requisite that he be reconciled to him in earth . and the onely way to be reconciled is , that god pay our debts : and untill they be payd he doth not absolve us . that therefore is the onely true religion , that leadeth us directly to that passage , by whose conduction we find out the right way over it : which onely leadeth us to the end of religion , that is , mans salvation : for true religion is the right way to reconcile us to god , whereof ensueth the salvation of man. and that the true religion may be discerned from those that bee the inventions of men , it hath three markes by which it is made apparent . but first this foundation must be taken for certaine and immoveable , as laid upon a rocke , that true religion is a rule of the worshipping of god , by which man is reconciled and tyed to god for his owne salvation . this salvation of man is his beatitude , his beatitude is to be joyned with god. for neither the world , nor any thing in it , maketh a man happy or blessed , but god onely that made man , maketh him happy . and seeing it is manifest that he and no other must bee worshipped in the earth , that will make us happy or blessed in heaven , what religion soever , though it shew to be very singular and very holy , diverteth and draweth our minds and prayers from the creator , to the creature , is idolatry and wickednesse . and what religion shall perswade us , to seeke our soveraigne good and beatitude any other where , than with him that is onely good , and the only author of good , is not only vanity and erroneous , but it leadeth out of the way to kill , and throweth down head long to destroy . and though they have offerings and thankesgiving , sacrifices , prayers , and other observances , they are vaine and blasphemous , if we attribute that to a creature , how excellent soever he be , which we received of god : and desire pardon of creatures , for the sinnes and offences wee commit against the creator . let this therefore be the first marke of true religion , that it doth direct us , and our prayers and advocations to one god , the creator of heaven and earth , who only searcheth mens hearts , with which hee will bee chiefly worshipped . but this is not sufficient , to worship the true god , but he must bee rightly worshipped . but who is so arrogant to take upon him to enter into the knowledge and secrets of god , as to prescribe a rule , by which god is to be worshipped ? we must flye unto god for his helpe , poore wretches as we are , to whom wee are not able to goe , except hee vouchsafe to come downe unto vs. the sunne cannot be seene without the sunne ; no more can god be knowne without his helpe and light . no man can worship god except he know him , and no man can know him , except hee discover himselfe to him . and therefore what worship is meete for him can be knowne of none , except hee vouchsafe to reveale himselfe in his word and oracles . for , that god cannot be worshipped but by the prescript of his owne will , both the consciences of all men , and god himselfe in his holy word doth testifie . esay and matth. in vaine doe they worship mee , who teach the doctrines and commandements of men . and this therefore is the second marke , that the religion teacheth the worshipping of god , leaning upon the word of god , and revealed of god himselfe . but this neither is sufficient , that the religion we seeke for , teacheth us to worship the true god , and that by gods word and appointment : for god gave us a law out of his owne mouth , according to his holinesse and justice , that wee might be holy like him . but if we cannot of our selves know god , nor how to worship him , how can we , after he revealed himselfe to us , and gave us a law to worship him , performe our duty to god , and fulfill the law ? we ought to loue god above all things , and for his sake whatsoever beareth his image , though wee never knew or saw him before : but who dare arrogate to himselfe such a perfect charity , to love his neighbour as hee ought , and for his sake that hee ought ? that is , no otherwise than for himselfe , and for god. but if wee examine our coldnesse in the love of god , wee shall perceive the reflexion thereof to our neighbour to bee frozen . and therefore , the third marke is , that the religion we seeke , must helpe us to a means whereby gods justice must be satisfied ; without which not only all other religions are vain and of none effect , but that also which seemeth to have the keeping of the worshipping of god. so that the heathens saw by instinct of nature , and by reason , that there is a god , and that mans soveraigne good is to bee joyned with god , and that some way to the same was necessary , which they thought to bee any religion which they had invented to worship and adore him . and hereof came their magicke , and idolatry , and superstitious ceremonies of their owne invention . but the right way is beyond their reach , and a great deale higher than it can be found out by men : for there is a great difference betweene , to know that god must bee worshipped , and to know how hee should rightly bee worshipped . hierocles saith , that religion is the study of wisedome , consisting in the purgation and perfection of life : by which we are joyned againe and made like to god. and the way ( saith he ) to that purgation , is to enter into our conscience , to search out our sinnes , and confesse them to god. but here they are all gravelled and at a stand : for of the confession of our sinnes followeth death and damnation , except god that is iustice it selfe , and most good , and to evill most contrary , be pacified , and made mercifull to us sinners . but we seeke for the true and everlasting life in religion , and not immortall death . seing then that the end of man in this life is to returne to god , that hee may bee joyned with him in the other life which is his soveraigne good and felicity or beatitude ; and that the way to returne to god is religion , and that as there is one true god , so there can be but one true religion : whose markes be to worship the true god , and that by the appointment of his owne word ; and such as reconcileth man to god : let us see what religion hath the same markes , and meanes . that the israelites worshipped the true god the creator of heaven , is apparant by the confession also of some of the learned heathens . seneca said , the basest people ( meaning the iewes ) gave lawes unto all the world : that is , they onely worshipped the true god , the creator of all things : for the israelites onely of all the world worshipped the true god , the knowledge of whom they received from hand to hand , even from the first man , and how hee would bee worshipped , among which people hee wrought wonderfull matters . but the painims worshipped goddes of their owne making , sometimes men , and sometimes divels , that are enemies to god. such was the blindnesse of man in the matters of god , and his vanitie and negligence in the matters pertaining to his salvation , after the corruption received by his fall . but it is certaine and manifest by that which hath beene said , that man was placed in this world to worshippe god his creatour , which worshippe wee call religion : and therefore as soone as man was in the world , there was without doubt , also religion : for mans band and covenant towards god , was made even with man , the very same day that hee was created ; that is , the duty of man towards god , which is religion or godlinesse . and because it is not doubted , but that the first habitation of men was in the country about damasco , wee may also with reason beleeve , that there the first man was created : which countries thereabout have beene of great antiquitie , the habitation of the israelites ; and even from the beginning of them from whom they descended : who alwayes 〈◊〉 from age to age certaine bookes ( those which wee call the bible or old testament ) which they followed , and had in great reverence , as the true word of the true god : in which hee did vouchsafe to reveale himselfe to men , and to give them a law how to bee worshipped : which bookes bee continued without intermission from the creation of the world , and by little and little leadeth us even to christ : which have alwaies beene of such authority with the true 〈◊〉 , that they have given no credit to any other books , neither could they bee drawne from their beleese in them by no warres , calamities , exiles , torments , nor slaughter , which cannot be sayd of any other people . all the bookes , histories , or chronicles of the romanes , grecians , egyptians , or of any other nations , be as yesterday in respect of the antiquitie of the bible . therefore wee are assured in that booke is contained the true religion , that is , the true worshipping of the true god and creator of the world , in which hee hath revealed unto us himselfe by his owne word . in the religion also contained in that book , is the third marke , that is , the means by which men may be reconciled to god. and because this is the principall part of religion ; to make it more plaine , wee must make a repetition of some thing that hath been said . man is immortall & his soveraigne good or beatitude is not to bee had in this life ; but it is to bee joyned with god in heaven : to which hee shall attaine , if whilst he is here upon the earth , he love and worship god with all his heart , and bee obedient continually to his will. but our first parent , that was by nature free and capable of goodnesse , revolted from god ; that is , from his soveraigne good ; and by his rebellion was made a flave to sinne ; by means whereof he fell from god , and from his beatitude . and therefore , except he find pardon by grace , he is fallen into extreame misery , which we call hell . from this man wee derive our pedegree , whose 〈◊〉 hath begotten our flesh , and made us the servants of sinne , as hee was made himselfe : so that naturally we are to expect the reward of sin , that is , death : for wee are heires to our father , whose inheritance is death onely and damnation . and we heape daily more coales upon our heads : for no man performeth that to god , which the law most justly requireth : and therefore every one daily offendeth god many waies in thought , word , and deede : so as they sinke continually deeper . and against whom do wee commit these offences ? against our father , our creator , that hath bestowed so many things upon us , from whom we revolt to the deuill his enemy . and as the offence doth multiply and encrease , according to the respect of him against whom it is committed ; so doth the offence against his divine majestie , that is infinite , deserve punishment . in what case then are wee miserable creatures , that dayly commit sinne upon sin , except god himselfe discover some way how his justice may by satisfied , and how wee may come into his favour againe ? in this distresse religion presenteth it selfe to us , which sheweth us the true god. but what is that but to present the guilty before the iudge ? what doth religion then availe us ? it leadeth us to the scripture , which sheweth the expresse will of god to bee , that we should love him with all our heart , and our neighbour as our selfe : and to them that obey his will he pronounceth eternall life ; to the disobedient eternall death : seeing the same scripture sheweth , that mankind is corrupted from the beginning , and that all our imaginations and 〈◊〉 are wicked , and seeing we all feele in our selves , and in our members , motions contrary to the will of god ; and therefore wee detest with horrour , the botomelesse pit of hell . but as this scripture pronounceth against us our condemnation , and a severe sentence of death ; so doth it also shew us a mediator , by whose helpe and meanes we may obtaine pardon and grace , and be reconciled to god againe . in which conjunction that beatitude and felicity may bee restored to us , for which wee were created at the first . and this is the third marke of the true religion : for it is certaine , that the religion which god hath so deepely engraven in our hearts , is not in vaine . now he that will enter into himselfe , and duely consider his owne insufficiency to performe the justice of the lawe , shall easily see how necessary it was for us to have a media●…our to pacific gods wrath , and to satisfie his justice ; and how greatly we are bound to our creator , that would not reject or utterly destroy us , as our demerits required , but rather would leave us a meanes to returne into his favour againe ; without which wee must have all suffered eternall death and damnation ; which favour sheweth us plainely , that as god is just , so he is mercifull . this mediatour therefore must bee such as will not onely 〈◊〉 his wrath by fulfilling our obedience due to our creator , and purchase his grace , and procure us his mercy , but also satisfie his justice , which is immutable . and for as much as the offence is infinite , and the punishment likewise , being committed against the creator , which is infinite , the satisfaction of the punishment must also be infinite . if man should offer the world to god , hee received it of god , and by his owne fault hath lost it againe . and seeing god made the world of nothing , which must also have an end , the world can bee no sufficient satisfaction for the offence that is infinite . if man offer himselfe , what doth hee offer but an unthankfull and rebellious mind , blasphemous wordes , and perverse deeds , by which hee shall provoke the wrath of god , and incense him the more against us ? if an angell should intreat for us , a creature will bee no sufficient intercessor to pacifiethe the creator : and though hee bee good , yet not being infinite , hee cannot cover an infinite evill : so that we must needs say , that god must set himselfe between his justice and his mercy : and that as hee created us at the first , so he must new make us againe : and as he created us in his favour , so hee must absolve us from his wrath : and as hee declared hi wisedome in creating us , so hee must shew the same in restoring us . but who then is that mediator ? god against god ? infinite against infinite , that can both cancel that infinit obligation , & satisfie that infinite punishment ? it is even iesus christ the only sonne and wisedome of the eternall father , both god and man. a man , that he may be borne under the law ; god , that he may fulfill the law : a man , that he may serve , god , that he may redeem : a man , that he may submit himselfe with all humility ; god , that he may submit himself above all things : a man , that he may suffer ; god , that he may overcome a man , that he may die god , 〈◊〉 hee may truimph over death . it is also necessary to our salvation , that our mediatour be a man , that he may suffer punishment for our sins , and reconcile mankinde to god againe . for except he were descended of the same kinde we are , wee could not bee partakers in any sort of him , nor he of us ; & so should his satisfaction & merits appertain nothing unto us : therfore it is requisit that he should be borne of our progeny , that he may be flesh of our flesh , bones of our bones : that as we be all in adam the servants of sinne , so we may be in the mediatour free and discharged of the reward of sin , that is , from death : & againe , he must overcom sin , he must be without sin ; and because he must make us cleane , he must be without spo●… for we are conceived in iniquity , & borne in filthiness and corruption : insomuch that as it is necessary he should be a man , so it is requisite hee should bee conceived in another sort , than after the manner of men . and after so many great miracles which god hath wrought , we need not wonder at this , that 〈◊〉 was conceived of the holy ghost , and brought forth by a virgin. hee that could draw out a woman from a man without a man , could also bring forth a man from a woman without a man. many things seeme unpossible if we consider onely the workes of nature : which , if wee consider , the power of god , are not only possible , but also very easie by him to be done . all these things concurre together in christ iesus only . hee is the seede of the woman that crusheth the serpents head . hee it is that ●…filleth the promise made to abraham . all nations shall be blessed in thy seed . he is the mediator that pacifieth his father , and 〈◊〉 himself between his justice and our injustice , that reconc●… us to god againe . he is the very 〈◊〉 promised to be the saviour of mankind , and his redeemer from spirituall servitude , not only by the mouth of the prophets , and testimony of holy scripture , but also by the confession of the devils , whose mouthes hee stopped , that had long before seduced the world : for at his comming all oracles ceased through the whole world : their temples with their idols in some places fell down together : apollo being asked the cause , answered , that place must be given to the more mighty . and the same spirit being demanded in the time of the emperour augustus , in whose reigne christ was borne , who should succeede him , answered ; that an hebrew boy , which had power over the godds , commanded him to leave that house , and to goe into hell . but ( quoth he to the priest ) depart thou with silence from our altars . plutarch reciteth a notable history of this matter . i remember ( saith he ) i have heard , upon the death of the spirits , of emilian the orator , a wise and a milde man , knowne to some of you , that his father comming on a time toward italie , by sea , and passing in the night , by an iland not inhabited , called 〈◊〉 , as all they 〈◊〉 the shippe were quiet and at rest , they heard a great and terrible voice , which came from the iland , that is called 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 , which was the name of the pilot of the ship an egyptian born . and although hee and some others heard the voyce once or twice , yet they durst not answer untill the third time , when tamus said , who is hee that calleth mee ? what will yee ? then the voyce pronounceth more loud than before these words : ataman , i will that when thou commest before the gulfe , called laguna , thou cry out aloud , and say , that the great god 〈◊〉 is dead . when they within the ship heard these things , they were in a great feare , and consulting upon the matter , they determined to proceed , and not to say , as the pilot was commanded . when the morning was come , they had a merry wind , & sayled pleasantly untill they came before the gulfe , where he was appointed to speak the words by the voice : and suddenly the wind ceased , and the sea became calme , so as they could go no further : by meane whereof they all agreed that tamus should do his message ; for which purpose he 〈◊〉 up to the top of the ship , and cried as loud as he could : i give you to understand that the great god pan is dead . which words were no sooner out of his mouth , but they heard such a number of voyces cry out , and such wonderfull lamentation , that the sea rang withall , which continued a long space , the men being greatly amazed ; and having presently a merry wind againe , went on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and reported this history at rome : which being come to the 〈◊〉 of tiber●…s the emperour , in whose time christ was crucified , he examined the matter , and found it to bee true . this pan was one of the principall spirits among the gentiles , and had in great reputation . it is reported that tiberins having some intelligence of christ by the christians , upon the occasion of this matter , consulted with the senatours of rome to erect a temple to christ : but they disswaded him , and said , that then christ would take away all the credit and 〈◊〉 from their goddes . and because the gentiles held pan for a god , it is evident that the death of this pan was the spirituall death of the devill or prince of devils , for the destruction of his kingdome , and the ruine of his errours , by the which hee hath kept captive all mankinde , who were redeemed out of that thraldome by the merits and passion of christ iesus . the same authour affirmeth , that about the same time one 〈◊〉 , passing by ilands called orcades neare england , was told that not long 〈◊〉 , there was heard great whispering and howlings in the 〈◊〉 , and many fearefull things seene : the wisemen of those ilands construing those prodigious things to the death of some great god. iosephus writeth that about the same time , there was in the temple of hiresalem , where was then no living creature , a voyce heard saying : let us forsake and avoyd this country quickly . these and a great many more were the confessions of the divels , that knew by christs comming , their reigne was at an end , their power by which they had long abused the world , was abrogated , and their mouthes stopped . for these strange sights and significations in divers parts of the world are the very true testimonies of the strangenesse of the death of our saviour iesus christ , and of the victories which hee hath obtained together with his triumphant glory . seeing then the iustice of god , and the wickednesse of men , by our owne reason hath brought us to the necessitie of a mediator betweene god , and man , who by his owne strength is able with god to deliver man from the bonds of eternall death : and purchase to man felicity and 〈◊〉 : and that the way to the fame is true religion , by which wee know god , and how to worshippe him , and our mediatour and saviour iesus 〈◊〉 , by whom we must be reconciled to god , and attaine to our soveraigne good : letus frame our selves to come before god after saint pauls counsell , with such feare and holiness , as wee may be like poore offenders with halters about their neckes , so as wee should go to hell , if he plucked us not back of his infinite goodnesse , and to live like true christians , by whose helpe , if wee call upon him as wee ought , wee shall obtaine gods grace to our indeavours , that we may bee able to make resistance to those intemperate motions that allure us to the desire of those things that divert us from our felicity and beatitude , and to withstand the temptations and subtill practices of the old serpent our common adversary , who 〈◊〉 continually for opportunity to draw us , from the true worshippe and service of god , which is the way to our soveraigne good , to the inventions and traditions of men ; that is , to superstition and idolatry , which casteth us downe headlong to extreame infelicitie and misery . hee is not borne in vaine ( saith one ) that dyeth well : nor he hath lived unprofitably , that hath ended his race happily . and though wee finde our selves prone to sinne , through the frailty of the flesh , and every houre ready to fall , yet wee must indevour to lift our selves up againe , and call for gods grace , and not despaire , though our sinnes be great and many : following saint augustines counsell : let no man ( saith he ) after an hundred 〈◊〉 , nor after a thousand , despaire of gods mercy , but yet so let him not despaire , as he seeke presently without all stay to reconcile hunselfe to god by amendment of life : custome of sin taketh away the sense of sin ; ) he be not able to deliver himselfe from the 〈◊〉 of the devill although he would . this life is a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , in which we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the world , the 〈◊〉 , and the 〈◊〉 : and when we see 〈◊〉 so hardly charged , himselfe , and not only 〈◊〉 them that do fight like valiant men , that is , like true christians ; but also after the end of the battell 〈◊〉 them with a victorious crowne : and those that faint , and 〈◊〉 themselves to the fury of their enemies , hee suffereth to be led captive and perish with them . 〈◊〉 sayth , vertue cannot bee vertue , except it have some equall : in overcomming of whom , it may either exercise or shew his force and valour . for as victory cannot bee without fight , no more can vertue bee without an enemy . therefore as soone as our creator had endued us with vertue , hee 〈◊〉 gave us an enemy ; left vertue languishing by idlenesse , should lose his nature . and a man cannot otherwise attaine to the highest degree of felicity , except hee provide for his owne safety by continuall fighting , like a man of waire . for god would not have a mortall man attaine to immortall beatitude by a delicate and smooth way , but that he should wrestle and strive with all his might & strength against the authour of errors , and deviser of all mischiefe , who worketh exccrable & miraculous things to deceive us . for our adversary looketh ( saith gregory ) into every mans complexion and manners , and therafter hee layeth snares to take and tempt them : which he bringeth the better to passe , because certaine qualities of mens manners are neare to certaine vices . for rough and sharpe manners are commonly joyned with cruelty or pride ; smooth maners and some thing more given to 〈◊〉 than is comely , are sometimes joyned with 〈◊〉 and dissolutenes . the devil therefore beholdeth every mans maners to what vice they are neare , and then hee setteth before their eyes those things , to which he 〈◊〉 their minds will most willingly be inclined ; 〈◊〉 , before them that be merrily disposed , he setteth oftentimes luxuriousnesse , somtimes vaine glory ; to rough and hard dispositions , anger , pride , and crueky ; to those that bee sad he proponeth the sin of discord and sedition . and because he seeth that lofty minds are puffed up with prayses , he draweth them on , with flattering favours to what they will. and thus he layeth snares for every man , according to the vices , to which he is inclined . we must labour therefore & watch like good souldiers , and not passe our time in idleness , lest our enemy come suddenly , and find us unprovided . wee must not only bee occupied in doing good to our selves , but also to others : for he deserveth not the name of a good man , that forbeareth to do evil , though it be a common custome so to cal him , as though good were a privation , and a defect only from evill ; but wee must proceede further , wee must give , helpe , and ●…rofit others : as the poet saith . quo te cunque die nil sancti egisse videbis : 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 deperiisse puta . what day thou of no holy deed canst bost : account that day unto thy selfe quite lost . for good is not a defect , but an effect : not placed in idlenesse , but in doing : not in hurting but in profiting ; 〈◊〉 not for gaine , or for ostentation , or for vaine 〈◊〉 : but for it selfe , and for the duty we owe unto god. this rule is not sufficient , what thou wilt not have done to thee , that doe not thou to another : but rather what thou wouldest have done to thee , that doe thou to another . and this agreeth with christian charitie , which is indivisibly joyned with true religion . for though charitie be not religion it selfe , not the marke of true religion ( to speake properly and plainely ) but rather the markes of a religious man : yet it is so great a vertue , and so fast joyned to true religion , that religion cannot stand rightly without it : as heat is not the proper marke of fire , because many other things are also hot , but heat is so joyned with fire , that so soone as we see fire , we may presently affirme , that there is also heat , but not contrariwise : so charitie , though it bee not true religion it selfe , yet it is a vertue so joyned to religion , that wee cannot say , this man hath religion , but it followeth necessarily that he hath also charitie . wee must in all our actions , in the whole course of our life , in every estate , high or low , rich or poore , set before us , as a marke , the end for which god created us , and for what cause he sent us hither , that woe may imploy our labour and study upon that businesse , lest by our negligence , wee doe not only defraud our selves of the reward appointed to that service , but also receive punishment due to remissenesse . if a man have suits in law , & send his servant up to the terme to follow them , and hee bestow his time in tennis courts , in the danncing and fencing schooles , or in banquetting and carowsing , neglecting his masters businesse , doth not this servant deserve to be severely punished , when hee hath yeelded up his account , how vainely he hath bestowed his time , and neglected his masters affaires , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was sent ? so will the time come when we shall be called to account , how we have imployed our time here ; how we have done the businesse for which we were sent hither , that is , the service of god , whereof ensueth the enjoying of his heavenly kingdome ; which is our end and beatitude : which service if we neglect , and bestow our study and labour , apply our mindes and cogitations upon any other 〈◊〉 , than upon that , for which wee were sent 〈◊〉 , as upon advancement , honour , riches , pleasures , gorgeous apparell , 〈◊〉 buildings , favour of princes , or any other worldly vani●… that appertaineth not to this end : if ( i say ) we spend our time about these 〈◊〉 , and set our care and mindes more upon these things , than upon the great and 〈◊〉 affaires for which wee were sent hither , that is , the service of god , and enjoying his heavenly kingdome , for which hee made us , and placed us in this world , then are wee in the way to perdition , except we alter and change our course . for wee may be sure that whosoever shall not attend upon the service hee came for , shall not attaine the reward assigned and promised to that service . but hee that considereth with himselfe , who made him , and the world , and all things therein for him , and to what end ; that he should serve him here , and participate his glory with him in heaven , and that 〈◊〉 his mind , and imployeth his time and labour , eyther wholly or principally to this end & service of god , making no more account of honour , riches , and such like worldly things than is necessary , to this end and purpose : the same ( no doubt ) is a happy man , and in the right way to salvation , and shall at length attaine to that soveraigne good , perfect felicity and beatitude , which 〈◊〉 so long sought for : but if hee hunt after plea●… , and passeth his 〈◊〉 in gathering 〈◊〉 ; in 〈◊〉 to highestate and 〈◊〉 of the world ; for getting or neglecting the end for which he was sent hither , that man goeth awry , and is unhappy , and in danger of 〈◊〉 infelicity . of such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so lead their life , these bee their lamentations , and their owne words recorded by scripture : we are wearied out in the way of iniquity and perdition , and the way of god have we not know●… what profit have we received of all our pompe and pride , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what good have they done us ? they are now past away as a shadow , and as a messenger that 〈◊〉 in post , and we are consumed in our owne iniqui●… we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men 〈◊〉 in the way of truth . these were the ●…ifull lamentations and confessions of such men as followed a wrong course of life ; that laboured for riches , honour , pompe and such like worldly vanities , forgetting the weighty businesse and end for which they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were they who were esteemed happy men , that were thought to runne a most fortunate course ; that were wondred at of all men , as they that were placed in highest degree of felicity : because they heaped together great abundance of riches ; advanced themselves and their families to great dignities ; that became gorgeous , glorious , and dreadfull to others , and obtained whatsoever their lust and concupiscence desired . these seemed to the world to be most happy men . and ( without doubt ) they that bee in the like estate in these dayes , are so esteemed of the multitude , and are envied of many burne in desire to bee in the same fortune . such is our blindnesse , such is the corruption of our nature , never to see , for the most part , nor to direct our course to the right path that leadeth to felicity , untill it be too late , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to these men : for the scripture addeth , 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 : they spake these things when they were in hell . but how hardly we can performe our duty to god & men , and do the businesse for which we were sent hither , hee shall easily perceive , that will enter into the due consideration of his own disposition & 〈◊〉 . we need therfore a mediatour with the eternall father , that hath given us a law according to his justice , to bee an intercessor for us ; whose fulnesse must supply our defects , whose merits must make satisfaction for our demerits : in him therefore , that is , in christ iesus , we must have a strong & lively faith , & cal continually upon him that he will of his great mercy joyne his grace with our endeavours , without which wee can doe nothing that is good : by whose grace we may lead a godly life , & imploy our labour in the exercise of vertue ; which god requireth even of the heathens ; whom hee rewardeth with temporall gifts , to excite others to vertue . brute beasts are moved by an appetite & desire to these things which their senses shew them , to bee good & profitable for them : but men follow that with all their endeavour , that hath the shew of good : some pleasures , others riches , the rest honor , & the more they have of those things , the more they give themselves to them . and in this they are deceived , that their mindes being as it were enchanted with divers sorts of charmes of this world , prefer evil before good ; whereby their wil doth altogether degenerate into a beastly appetite & desire , which ought to obey the understanding , & by nature should be reasonable . by which appeareth our imbecility or corruption of nature , which needeth so greatly gods grace , to give us a mind to discerne between good & evill ; & between those things which are good in shew onely , and those that are good in deed : and a will to desire and follow the one , and eschew the other , that by imbracing and following the good here in this life , we may attaine to the soveraigne good in the other life : where onely our wils shal be throughly satisfied with the satiety and fulnesse of heavenly pleasures , which is perfect felicity and beatitude . for in this life how plentifully soever worldly things happen to us , our minds will never bee fully satisfied , which moved plato to say , that the mind of man is so unquiet and unsatiable , because hee being sent from god , is not satisfied , nor in quiet , untill he returne thither from whence he came . hee that is in love with worldly things , delighteth nothing in god. the soule can never bee without delight : for it eyther delighteth in base things here beneath , or else in high matters above : and by how much the more earnestly he is lifted up to the exercise of the highest things , by so much the more lothsomnesse he is weary of the baseft things : and by how much the more earnest care , hee is enflamed to the lowest things , so much the more damnably hee 〈◊〉 cold from the highest things . one saith ; it is unpossible to looke with one eye up to heaven , and with the other downe to 〈◊〉 earth . and if thou suffer 〈◊〉 , or be are a heavie crosse , be not dismayed , but use patience , and be thankfull , though thou find not presently remedy of those things that trouble thee . and compare the many graces god hath bestowed upon thee before , with the small things hee seemeth now to deny thee ; and thou shalt finde cause to accuse thy selfe of unthankfulnesse , to forget so many great blessings before received , and now to complaine of small matters : for it is expedient that god lay his hand upon us to teach us humility , and to enter into consideration of our selves . and the reward which god giveth them that obey and serve him , is to suffer them in this world to be exercised in afflictions , knowing there is no better passage to the felicitie of heaven , than to beare the crosse of tribulation here on earth . for there is not a greater temptation than not to be tempted : and his salvation is very suspicious , that beareth no crosse in the whole course of his life . nay rather it may bee holden for certaine , that such are of him lost , who in this world are priviledged from adversities : for the divell doth carefully labour , that all those which hee hath registred for his own , may live in great wealth and ease . to have a thankefull minde to god , and to attribute all to his providence , and nothing to fortune , is one of the greatest benefits we can enjoy in this life . and therefore if thou see thy selfe subject to evill speech and disgrace , prayse the judgment of god , saith ambrose : if thou be afflicted with sicknesse , impute it to the judgement of god. neyther let povertie and want withdraw thee from praysing the justice of god. neither let us despair nor torment our selves , and much lesse complaine and murmur at 〈◊〉 , if forthwith hee give us not what we desire : for he refuseth not to heare us , that he disliketh us : but because hee will convert it into a better cause . hee knoweth what hee doth , and wee understand it not . he knoweth what he doth deny , but we know not what we aske : hee measureth all things with reason , and we but with appetite . hee denyeth that which is hurtfull to us , and granteth that which is profitable : wee ought on him only to depend : , q●…icquid facimus venit ex also : to whatsoever we our selves apply , or doe or suffer , all comes from on high . a young sicke child seeth an apple in another mans hand and desireth it : but the parents denyeth it him , or taketh it from him ; knowing it hurtfull . a farre greater , or rather incomparable proportion is there betweene the wisedome of god , and that of men , than is betweene the reason and knowledge of a child , and that of a man. for wee are as young children , and sicke , our nature beeing corrupt , in respect of the exact knowledge , and perfect wisedome of god. and therefore he only knoweth what is good and meete for us . a learned heathen saith : i see that my selfe oftentimes do things wherein my servants are blind , and conceive no reason , and little children will cast into the fire 〈◊〉 of great price ; and their fathers writings of great learning and wisedome : for that they are not of capacitie , to understand the value and worthinesse of the thing . let us leave then to set our joy in vanities , and unsatiably to desire these worldly things that men have in such estimation : and if they happen to us , let us apply them to such uses , for which they were of god ordained to serve our necessity ; and lift up our minds , and 〈◊〉 by christ to those heavenly joyes where our minds will be fully satisfied . non habit at templis manuum molimine factis , omnipotens : the omnipotent dwelleth not in temples made with hands . and not to feare the losse of worldly things , which unquieteth the wisest , nor death it self , which is terrible to all , seeing death is not the destruction of the body , but a renewing of it ; nor the extinguishing of nature , but a steppe and gate towards the other life , and the first passage to the heavenly kingdome , and entrance to eternity . for hee that made all the world of nothing , without the helpe of any matter , can easily repaire and renew that which is fallen to decay . hee that made the body of man without any labour , of nothing , it is much easier for him to raise him from death , and give him life againe : not of nothing , but of the like matter , that is agreeable with his substance , which is turned into ashes , or by some other meanes is resolved into the ayre . for as the artificer that casteth m●…all , can repaire or new make his worke that is broken or bruised , of the same matter , and give it a better forme : so god will rayse up the resolved into dust , in his due time , and call him to life againe in the very same forme he was before : but without any earthly mixture , and uncleannesse . and if wee marvell at an artificer for some notable painted table , or any other thing that is excellently well handled , as was that of gaditan , wherin hee set forth exactly the historie of livie ; how much more ought wee to wonder and reverence him , that hath set before our eyes , and presented to our mindes so many marvellous things , which can neyther bee numbred , nor by reason comprehended . for to prove the renewing of mans body by the least things of nature . a grasse-hopper when hee is old , casteth his skinne , and becommeth new and lusty againe . a canker becommeth a flying butterfly . an ant , a fly with wings : a silke-worme reviveth againe being dead . the phenix that riseth againe out of his ashes , sheweth an example of our resurrection . that which is in nature to lay the corne which men sow , covered in the ground ; the same is in the resurrection to bury the body : that which is there to spring up againe , and grow into a lively stemme ; the same is a man , to revive againe . and as the seede or corne laide in the ground , putrusieth , and is turned into another forme or thing , than it was before , and afterward being sprung up , becommeth the same thing againe ; so happeneth it to man , that being buried , putrifieth , and is turned into another thing : and yet afterward riseth againe , and becommeth the same he was before . and though the body bee put into the ground , diversly affected , and subject to putrifaction , yet hee shall revive and rise againe with a lively countenance , cleansed from all the defects and corruptions of nature . a sicke man that is v●…xed with a grievous disease , his colour is gone , he looketh pale , sallow , and wanne : his body is become so leane and bare , like a dead carkasse , and the vitall moysture of his body so consumed , that he cannot be knowne to bee the same man : but after hee hath received apt and appropriate medicines , and used a wholesome diet , hee receiveth his health againe , his colour is come to him , he is faire and fat , and lusty as at any time before . so in the resurrection , the same body shall rise againe , but more gorgeously , in whom shall appeare nospot nor signe of the former corruption . this example was first begunne in christ , who in nothing shewed his divinitie more effectually , than by the tryumph of his resurrection : the same things by his vertue shall happen to all men . as st. paul saith , they that fall asleepe in christ , shall bee raised againe by the word of god , and shall with him for ever and ever have the fruition of him and his joyes . and as by the opinion of learned men , one starre is more bright than another , so will there be like difference in mens minds , and one 〈◊〉 will be more glorious than another . for as much then as our felicity and soveraigne good or beatitude , is , to be joyned with god in heaven , from whence we are fallen by the transgression of our first parent ; and the way to return to him againe , is true religion , which teacheth us to worshippe and serve the true god , by his owne word and appointment , and sheweth us our mediatour christ iesus , who onely can reconcile us to god againe : let us reject all other religions and inventions of men , as superstitious and idolatrous , and all other mediations and meanes of reputed reconciliations , and submit our selves wholly to the mercy of god , by our saviour christ iesus , and cleave only to him , who is able and will bring all them that with a right faith beleeve in him , into gods favour againe , with him to enjoy our 〈◊〉 good and beatitude in his heavenly kingdome , to which place god grant we may all come . now to conclude this discourse with a briefe repetition of the summe of that which hath bin said . it appeareth by many reasons and examples that the felicity of man wee seeke for , consisteth not in pleasures which is common to brute beasts , neither in riches , which are sought for some other thing , rather than for it selfe ; as reputation , honour , & such like : nor in honour & glory , which is but a vaine admiration of the people , by whom it is many times given & taken away : and is also desired for an opinion of vertue : but that wherin felicity consisteth , is the last end to which all other ends are referred : to which end whosoever hath attained , hee proceedeth no further , but resteth settled . and it is peculiar and proper to men alone : neyther is it in vertue , nor in the action of vertue , after the academickes , and peripa●…tikes , nor in the power of a wise man. but vertue may be a helpe to the attaining of felicity , especially that of this life : for no man is able to endure the things that happen to men , though hee bee armed with all manner of vertues , with that minde that hee may neverthelesse bee accounted happy . for felicity in one part and contentation may not be dissevered : and the end or true felicity of man , which is all one , consisteth not in morall vertues , as hath beene said : but his end and proper action is the glory of god , to know and worship him . we shewed before , that in seeking for felicity respect must be had to the body and soule , to this life , and to the life to come . for christ saith , what avayleth it a man to have all the world , and to lose his soule ? and because there seemeth to be a kind of happinesse in the world , and men are said to live happily ; we called the happinesse of this life , felicity ; and that of the heavenly life , beatitude or blessednesse , and soveraigne good . but when we had examined all the estates of life , and could find none worthy to be called felicity , all being subject to troubles and unquietnesse , and full of misery , wee were driven to use violence to the word , and to call that happinesse of life , felicity , wherein is least infelicity : in the managing of which discourse , it appeareth how little power is in men , to the attaining of felicity , and that all commeth from god : and therefore we call felicity , the contentation of a faithfull mind in a godly life and death , which commeth by the enjoying of gods benefits and graces : yet neverthelesse our owne endeavour must bee thereto imployed with the meanes which hee hath given us , and continuall praiers , that he will blesse our labors according to his good will and pleasure : which if it succeed not to the happinesse wee looke for in this life , yet to take all things patiently , and be thankefull , and say with the poet : forti animo mala fer , nec bis miser esto dolare : nec citò ventur is pramoriare bonis : beare evils boldly , let not griefe twice wretched make thee : nor in despaire of future good , death overtake thee . and thinke that he doth all for our good , and hath reserved for us the true felicitie and blessedness of the life to come ; in respect wherof al the pleasures that can happen to men in this world are nothing : and therefore all our actions and labors to the attaining of felicity in this life , must have relation to the true felicity and beatitude in the life to come ; whereof this is but a shadow , and the way to come by the other : for the right way that leadeth to the happinesse of this life , is also the way to the happinesse and blessednesse of the heavenly life ; that is , to live in the feare of god , and returne to him again , from whom wee are fallen , by faith in iesus christ our mediatour and redeemer , whereof ensueth peace of conscience and quietnesse of minde ; and call with humility to him for his graces ; to contemne honour and glorie , riches , reputation , with all the pride , and pompe , and vanities of the world , which men so greedily hunt after , that are as pins and pibble stones , with such like toyes , for children to play with ; to purge his mind of all manner p●…rrurbations and unquietnesse ; to think nothing greatly to bee esteemed but a cleare conscience and undefiled soule ; to bee content with that which is sufficient , and to measure that sufficiency with a sound & upright judgement , not after the common custome of men , whose minds are corrupted & overcome with covetousnes , ambition , & unsatiable desires . so that none can attaine to this felicitie , but he upon whom god bestoweth his graces , as faith , health and liberty of body , a sufficiency of worldly goods , to sustain his life with a quiet possession of them , & a minde inclined to vertue , with such like good things necessary to happines of life , and if men would advisedly consider of this matter , & suffer themselves to bee perswaded , as the truth is , that the way to the happinesse of this life is not contrary to the true felicity and happinesse of the life to come ; nor any hinderance , but rather a ●…urtherance , & the way to the same : they would be more carefullin following the right path that leadeth to the felicity of this life , and not so negligent in seeking for the blessednesse of the other life . but so long as they hold this erronous opinion , that they can hardly enjoy the felicity of this life , & that of the life to come , as repugnant one to the other , because the things wherein they put their felicity , as riches , pleasures , honour and glory , puffeth them up in pride and vaine glorie , and ministreth much occasion to the increase of fin : and the happines of the other life is promised to the meeke and poore in spirit . many rather than they wil●…orsake and leave to hunt after things wherein consisteth their false reputed 〈◊〉 , to which men are by the corruption of their nature strongly addicted , wil hazzard the losse of the true felicity and happinesse of the heavenly life . but if they were perswaded that they mistake the mark they shoot at , when they 〈◊〉 for felicity or happines among riches , pleasure , honour , or reputation of the world , which are rather hindrances to felicity , and have brought many to infelicity and extreme misery : & that the end & ●…rue felicity of man is in this world the knowledge & worship of god , to which is joined the fruition of him in heaven , & that such happinesse as is in this life , which we improperly call felicity , consisteth in a contented mind , which must come by the enjoying of gods graces and gi●…es joyned without endeavour , in cleansing our mindes from all maner of perturbations and passions , that bring forth unquietnesse , and are hinderance to felicity ; these worldly vanities and false shewes of happinesse would not withdraw men from the true felicity of the life to come , nor from the happiness that may be found in this life . plato could say to one that asked him , who was happy ; hee that knoweth god , and loveth him : so that the felicity of both worlds dependth upon gods grace ; in this life to be of a godly minde , to have sufficient to the necessity of nature , to bee content without estate : in the life to come , to be joyned with god , and to have the ●…uition of the joyes of heaven , which is our beatitude and soveraigne good . that wee may attaine to the same , it behooveth us daily to pray to him , that hee will give us his grace , to do the things that are pleasing & acceptable in his sight : that as the only means we have to be restored to our felicity and soveraigne good , is to returne to god againe , ( from whom by the disobedience of our first parent we are fallen ) by the way of true religion , which teacheth us our duty towards god , and assureth ●…s of his favour by the mediation and merits of his only sonne christ iesus our saviour and redeemer : so he will not suffer us to be drawne and led astray from him by the deceitfull allurements and unbridled lusts , after volpruousnes●…e and worldly pleasures , which like a violent torrent carrieth us away from our true felicity and beatitude , into the bottomlesse pit and gulfe of miseries : and that he●… will not suffer us to be overcome with the intemperare and inordinate desire of riches and possessions , which puffeth us up in pride and vaine glory ( a grievous sinne and odious in his sight ) & chaseth out of us his humility & meeknesse in spirit , for which his son iesus pronounceth men blessed ; and which diverteth us from the love of him , and our saviour , to the love and desire of earthly things , which riches prepare for us . but if it please him to blesse our labors , or estate with plenty of riches and possessions , that it wil also please him so plentifully to endue us with his grace , that wee abuse not his liberalitie and blessings to the hurt of our selves , or prejudice of any other ; but rather that we imploy them to the uses for which they were ordained , to our owne necessity , and to the benefit and profit of our neighbour . and if it please god not to blesse us with riches ( as except they come by his blessing , it were better to bee without them ) then that he will vouchsafe to grant us a contented minde with tolerable povertie , without grudge or disdaine , seeing much quietnesse and security alwayes attendeth upon that estate , which is also free from many evils that commonly accompany riches , and especially , seeing it pleased our saviour christ to make choyce to walke upon the earth , in a poore estate , that was master of the whole world . and also that it will please him by his grace to extinguish or suppresse in us the furious passion of ambition , and inordinate desire of honour and vaine glory , which was the originall cause of all our woe and misery ; that wee may bee co●…tented with our calling and estate , to which hee hath appointed us , and the same to performe according to the talent he hath given us . that he will endue us with vertues both morall and christian , that by the one we may be the better able to bridle and moderate the intemperate affections , and violent motions of our corrupt minds , which throweth us downe headlong from the quietnesse and happinesse of this life , into a sea of troubles and calamities : and in a civill life , the better to know how to performe the duty of a man ; and by the other to live in the love and feare of god , and in the faith of christ ; to use patience in adversitie and afflictions if they happen ; and to bee humble in prosperity : to worship and glorifie god in this life , that we may bee joyned with him in the life to come ; which is our beatitude and summum bonnm or soveraigne good : and all this for his son iesus christ his sa●…e , our only saviour and redeemer : to whom be all honour and glory . amen . thus have i ended ( god be thanked ) this discourse of the felicity of man ; which i trust will be hurtfull to no man , except there be any that will take that with the left hand which i deliver with the right hand . the bee and the spider goe both to one flower , the one gathereth honey , the other poyson . evill mindes through their corrupt disposition may turne that good thing to their owne harme , which the vertuous and well disposed receive simply to their benefit . many precepts and good lessons i have gathered our of the philosophers and divines , medicinable to qualifie the corruption of our nature , and to moderate the rigour of unruly affections , which draw the minde to worldly desires , and subjecteth it unto peftilent passions , that are great , hinderances unto happinesse : and it is truly said , that which way soever wee doe turne our eyes , whether unto divine or prophane histories , to 〈◊〉 of our owne countrey , or those of other nations , wee shall finde all full of ●…ours , wicked acts , deceries , lyes , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 : by which we may not only be taught advisedly to beware that wee be not intrapped by them : but also that wee leave to wonder at honours , riches , pleasures and the vanities of a delicate life ; which the common sort doth most marvell at . for seeing for the most part they are bestowed upon those that are unworthy , and have never any certaine place , nor sure ground , they ought to bee called very cares , and painefull labours , and the frumps of fortune , rather than the instruments of felicitie . and if it be true , as cicero saith ; that philosophie healeth mens mindes , driveth away carefulnesse , delivereth from cupidities or desires , expelleth fearfulnesse : then of much more force is divine philosiphie , joyned with it , to bring these things to passe . but ( saith he ) this power of philosophy is not of like validitie with all men ; yet it prevaileth greatly , where it hath gotten an ant nature . our mindes have their diseases , as the 〈◊〉 hath , which must be cured with 〈◊〉 and appropriate medicines . they that are circumvented and seduced by a common and inveterate custome , grounded upon false opinions & estimation of things , and fallen to the ground , where they 〈◊〉 muzzling like swine in the earth , must by true sentences and perswasions , with examples of life , be raised again , & reduced to the right path that leadeth to felicitie . and thought the inordinate desires of pleasures , riches honour and pompe of the world , hath taken so deepe roote in the multitude or greater part of men , that it will be as hard a matter and great a labour to purge them of those evill humors , as it was for hercules to draw cerber●… out of hell : yet as some bodies are of such constitution , that medicines wil more easily work in them , than in 〈◊〉 ; so some minds are so tractable , and apt by a naturall inclination , to receive and embrace reasonable and fruitfull perswasions , that they digest them into a good nutriment and habit , and reape thereby many times great comfort and profit . and if the counsels or sayings of the ancient philosophers and other learned men seeme to any ( in some part ) too severe or hard to be observed , let them consider , that a staffe that is warpt and grown crooked , must be bent as much to the contrary side , that at last he may come to the meane , be made streight , and brought to his right place . this fruit men may reape by this discourse , that are not wholly drowned in worldly desires : when they have compared the counsels & sayings of wise and learned men , with those of the vulgar sort , they shall perceive themselves , as it were awaked out of a long slumber , and plainely see , that by corrupt judgment , following the trace and course of the world , yeelding to their owne motions and desires , and suffering themselves to bee overcome with their affections and cupidities , they fall from happinesse they seek after into felicity and misrie . but in so great diversities of mens inelmations , it is not possible that any one thing can please or profit all men . as some are given altogether to serious matters ; so others delight in pleasant fables , and poeticall figments : every man according to his humour , as the poet saith ; digna suo quaris : ●…ond things please fools , men for such junquets call , as taste them best : one pleasure likes not all . i tooke the matter in hand for my owne exercise and pasttime , and have handled the same according to my talent ; but not with that diligence ( i must confesse ) as i ought : intending to have it seene only of my selfe , and some of mine . and if i have written any thing overmuch philosophically , that dissenteth from the true professed religion , as in so spacious a field , and such insufficiencie of my selfe , i may easily wander out of the right path , i submit my selfe , and that i have written , ( as becommeth a christian ) to the censure of the church of england , which i acknowledge and assure my selfe to be a member of the true church of christ. finis . ¶ the contents of the first booke , of the treatise called summum bonum , or , the felicitie of man. chap. iiii. the assertions of sundry he●… philosophers concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. . since 〈◊〉 fall all things ( made to obey us ) rebell against us . no 〈◊〉 felicity is in mans power to 〈◊〉 unto ibid. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 angles 〈◊〉 men . the fall of lucifer and his angels . the . 〈◊〉 catena , or the golden chaine ibid. the great mercy of the sohne of god ibid. christ 〈◊〉 the father concerning man . the malice of the divell ibid. no felicity but in the sonne of god . how good men differ from the wicked . three things wherin morall men imagin true felicity to 〈◊〉 . no felicity in pleasure 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 observed 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the storie of 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 monarch of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of . raine of the first 〈◊〉 . the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 of rome ibid. , pride 〈◊〉 . . his prodigality , vanity , folly , 〈◊〉 . his 〈◊〉 - 〈◊〉 . of the tyrant 〈◊〉 ibid. his wonderfull palace . his ridiculous prodigality ibid. his luxury , and too late repen●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of fate according to 〈◊〉 . his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . the riots of 〈◊〉 , emperour of rome cap. . pag. . the excesse of peter raure , first a friar , and after cardinall . of muleasses king of tunis ibid. against voracitie , and immoderate drinking ibid. king edgars limitation for drinking . of three quaffers in germany ib. of a drunkard in the city of g●…unt . the iearffe a beast of ●…utela , an embleme of gluttony . of 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 amongst the ●…gyptians . a 〈◊〉 spirit , repeated of by 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to alexander . ibid. his murder . of king 〈◊〉 and proxaspa●… his secretary . ibid the miserable death of k. 〈◊〉 , who dyed in wine . drunkennesse●…xed ibid. mischiefes 〈◊〉 from drunkenesse . the temperance of cyrus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the former times . the delicacie of romane 〈◊〉 . the bishop of magdeburg dyed dancing ibid. rape , the subversion of kingdoms ibid. the death of lucretia the roman lady . appius claudius and virginius . the end of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of a●…hony and cleopatra . the death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the death of cleopatra . of 〈◊〉 king of spaine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. the lust of 〈◊〉 cardinall of este cap. pag. . 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 foolish 〈◊〉 . of pyramus and thisbe ibid. the folly of a french gentleman 〈◊〉 . the strange death of a young man in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of 〈◊〉 king of 〈◊〉 ibid. of two gentlemen 〈◊〉 alive ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to 〈◊〉 . king 〈◊〉 love unto a plane tree . of lecherous 〈◊〉 , their holes and 〈◊〉 ibid. a strange thing of sir 〈◊〉 priest , and one lysetta pag. . the shamefull lust of 〈◊〉 , favorite to the tyrant 〈◊〉 . incestuous love in 〈◊〉 sonne to king 〈◊〉 . a cunning physitian . a godly meditation of st. bernard ibid. a strange accident hapning to the french king charles the sixth . v●…ine curiosity in the emperor 〈◊〉 . three things that change 〈◊〉 and conditions . a prudent law amongst the romanes ibid. three things that hasten a 〈◊〉 end ibid. a dehortatory from taking delight in pleasure ibid. that in pleasure can be no felicity . the contents of the second booke . chapter i. mans felicity cannot consist in riches pag. . lycurgus banisht coyne out of his kingdome ibid. iron more usefull than gold . sufficiency preffered before excesse ibid. the temperance of king 〈◊〉 . of ptolomy king of egypt ibid. health preferred before wealth ibid. riches an hinderance to felicitie . content , not to be purchased with coyne ibid. socrates , diogenes , and 〈◊〉 opinion of riches & rich men . of rich gyg●…s king of lydia , and poore 〈◊〉 ibid. the situation of delphos , and who first dedicated the temple to apollo . their death . the oracle told many things truly 〈◊〉 the divell defends his temple against 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of persia . the sacriledge of king 〈◊〉 . the rich church of tholosa , with the defeat of cepio's army ibid. of a temple in morocco . the inhumanity of 〈◊〉 to purchase gold ibid. queene dido casts her gold into the sea . the building of cartiage , and the death of queene dido . the death of 〈◊〉 q of 〈◊〉 ib. a strange stratagem of helena queene of russia pag. . of the emperour trojan , and king decebal . the death of henry the seventh , emperour ibid. a rich citizen of venice , and 〈◊〉 king of gothland , slaineby their sons to possesse their gold ibid. strange tyranny of vespitians souldiers , practised upon the iewes . a strange plot to kill the great turke in his tent to gaine his treasure cap. . pag. . the death of 〈◊〉 , captaine of the enterprise ibid. of casar borgias , who poysoned the pope his father with wine prepared for others . king croesus of lydia deluded by the oracle . no man happy till after his death . the honour which gyrus did to croesus . of king 〈◊〉 of lydia , and 〈◊〉 . gyges murthereth the king , and marrieth the queene . the death of crassus the rich romane ibid. st. bernards invective against the pride of the clergie ibid. their pride parallel'd with the 〈◊〉 of peter and iobn . of pope sixtus the fourth , and a friar . of a 〈◊〉 husbandman , and the arch-bishop of cullen . the great humility of origen , & his entertainment by alexander severus . his learned sermon . contempt of riches oftner found amongst heathen than christians cap. . . of 〈◊〉 a senator of abderita ibid. his excellent apprehensions . diogones against rich men and riches . bias his contempt of riches . a golden table drawne out of the sea by fishermen ibid. the modesty of the sages . ferdinando king of spaine against lawyers ibid. the modesty of agasbooles king of sicilia . of philip king of 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 her report of covetousnesse ibid. the covetousnesse of cardinall angelos . 〈◊〉 maria duke of millaine , and a priest ibid. of the envious and the covetous man . an excellent law made by 〈◊〉 king of egypt ibid. alexander severms against usurie ibid. the story of an advocate of venice , and his father of money bestowed as it ought to be how king 〈◊〉 dealt with a rich man ibid. a caliph of persia slaine in his treasure house renowne better than riches ibid. wisedome the greatest riches , and ignorance the worst poverty a strange story of 〈◊〉 a covetous emperour ibid. the first supremacy of the church of rome given by 〈◊〉 emperour gonstantine first inriched the church of rome ibid. riches first kindled the fire of purgatorie ibid. none can be truly good , and very rich at one time riches and honesty seldome dwell together ibid. the philosophers and sages concerning povertie and riches the great temperance of pbocion●… and diogenes the bold answer of diomedes the pyrate , to king alexander of 〈◊〉 and king philip . magicians punished in seeking hidden gold of mark 〈◊〉 , his concubin 〈◊〉 caura and his death chap. iiii. the bounty of one 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 against riches a rich cardinall of england , his death ibid. of men 〈◊〉 for their 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , cardinall , &c. examples of continent men , 〈◊〉 the philosopher , 〈◊〉 a theban : a knight of malta . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. a character of pope 〈◊〉 the fifth , his charity , with the great 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charity liberally rewarded ibid. an epigram of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 observable answers of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rich man compared to a peacocke ibid. contempt of riches in 〈◊〉 the philosopher : 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 the cause of 〈◊〉 ruin ib. 〈◊〉 accuseth 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apology and submission to nero the admirable continence of roman 〈◊〉 of the emperour 〈◊〉 : the proverb verified in him , honours 〈◊〉 manners 〈◊〉 censure of the rich 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 the great turkes justice upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsurers compared to the fish fifth pag. an excellent discourse drawn from sir thomas 〈◊〉 vtopia , reproving pride the covetousnesse of the french and portugall nations reproved the covertousnesse of the spainard ibid. the great cruelty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spaniard his barbarous cruelty reproved by a prince of florida ibid. no felicitie can consist 〈◊〉 in riches the contents of the third booke . honour and glory no part of true felicity cap. pag. . honour followeth those which fly it alexanders ambition being a child ibid. cyncas excellently reproveth the ambition of king 〈◊〉 ambition the ruine of king pyrrbus ambition the subversion of kingdomes and common-weales ib. ambition without limit the unnaturalnesse of adolphbus duke of geldria ibid. 〈◊〉 , henry the fifth emperour , frederick , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , all bloudy murderers and parricides a strange history betwixt 〈◊〉 k. of denmarke , and 〈◊〉 k. of succia and gothland the inhumanities of 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 queene of naples , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , the cardinall of valentia , &c. examples in the same kinde of richard the third , 〈◊〉 of egypt , 〈◊〉 , &c. ●…he nature of the water of the 〈◊〉 styx ibid. the church of millaine opposed against rome . yeares ibid. the a●…bition of henry king of france , after slaine by count montgomery strange predictions before his death seventie emperors of rome came to untimely ends ibid. the rising of 〈◊〉 from a slave to the empire 〈◊〉 slaine by 〈◊〉 the empire set to sale by the 〈◊〉 souldiers ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 buyeth the empire , his wretched death the noble 〈◊〉 of king 〈◊〉 of france , being presented a prisoner to king 〈◊〉 the third the like of 〈◊〉 king of the 〈◊〉 , presented before the emperour 〈◊〉 pag. the ambition of king 〈◊〉 modestly 〈◊〉 the modesty of 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 life ibid. men in great place rather to bee 〈◊〉 than envied of many miseries that seeme happy 〈◊〉 king of 〈◊〉 , reproveth greatnesse ibid. 〈◊〉 doth the like to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tyrant ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him in his poverty the modesty of 〈◊〉 the romane emperour ibid a speech to the like purpose of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the modesty of 〈◊〉 ibid. the 〈◊〉 of a prince the emperour trajan concerning empire and government cap. pag. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his letter to a friend concerning the 〈◊〉 the emperour 〈◊〉 slaine by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the dictator , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 private 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 his retyred life 〈◊〉 the second deposed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deposed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deposed by the former 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 slaine by 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 deposed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deposed by 〈◊〉 ibid. contention betwixt 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 ib. the inhumane tyrannie of pope 〈◊〉 the th , his death three popes at one time 〈◊〉 the popedome equally together of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ibid. of alexander and king 〈◊〉 ibid. of alexander and k. 〈◊〉 the horrible treason of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ibid. the observable death of 〈◊〉 & alexanders 〈◊〉 over him the horrible death of 〈◊〉 the horrid death of abraham k. of marocco , with his wife ibid. of 〈◊〉 cossa pope , deposed and cast in prison the 〈◊〉 ends of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 asia 〈◊〉 against flattery ibid. the ridiculous 〈◊〉 of king 〈◊〉 of divers strange tenents held by the pope of popes that have beene profest magicians pope clements ball ibid. a parish priests sermon a notable trick put upon the cardinall of lorreine of one 〈◊〉 a necromancer the speech of erasmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. iii. paulus iovins , of the councell of trent the strange death of benedict the ninth the miserable end of sylvester the second a 〈◊〉 of bonicasius the eighth to become pope of cornelius agrippa concerning the augustine 〈◊〉 examples of insuffrable pride in the clergie the proud letters of pope 〈◊〉 to philip k. of france the kings answer the witty answer of henry the second , who summoned him before the tribunall seat in heaven a contention betwixt the abbot of fulda , and the bishop of hildeseme ibid. of pope 〈◊〉 a woman of the popes scrutiny the pride of king herod , and 〈◊〉 divers examples of the divels 〈◊〉 answers , to the ruine of those that trust in him a worthy example in one 〈◊〉 the insuffrable ambition of 〈◊〉 magus of a 〈◊〉 in constantinople of the magician 〈◊〉 ibid. the abbot 〈◊〉 a great nocromancer his art shewed before the emperour maximilian albertus 〈◊〉 a monke , and necromancer pope gragory the seventh a magician a letter of 〈◊〉 to the clergy the earle of mascon a magician ibid. a strange story of a spanish woman of corduba called 〈◊〉 her hypocrisie disclosed and confest the history of the false prophet 〈◊〉 his miserable and wretched end an epitaph of a tyrannous viceroy in sicilia of salmoxes the strange ambition of an hermite in affrica [ who in three yeares became monarch of six kingdoms pag. the miserable ends of him and his councell of 〈◊〉 adella sonne to the hermit the resolute end of those turkes which starved the hermit ibid. of a blasphemous iew of george 〈◊〉 a new prophet a strange history of a child borne in babylon a strange history extracted out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the instigation of evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . iiii. a curious policy prosecuted by the king of france against the duke of guise the sacrament made a colour for murder the death of the duke of guise 〈◊〉 . the death of the cardinal , the brother to the guise the complaint of the 〈◊〉 of guise a great justice upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of genoway philip king of macedon 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 of herostratus that burnt the temple of 〈◊〉 , and others ib. the great ambition of the duke of alva the old duke of guise 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would have slaine the prince of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who slew the prince of orange : his 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 clement a dominican monke , who slew the 〈◊〉 king henry the 〈◊〉 of pope 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 after the french kings death a friar canoniz'd for a saint , because he was a 〈◊〉 the story of a spanish priest of the lady mary de 〈◊〉 that all glory is but vanity of 〈◊〉 a portugall of 〈◊〉 ibid. of arsaces , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , probus , 〈◊〉 , agelmund , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 of leyden the originall of the amazons of 〈◊〉 king of 〈◊〉 of , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , q 〈◊〉 . a custome in the indies of true nobility ibid. the rich are of true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of beauty ibid. of vanity in apparell of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 bernard the excellency of learning the modesty of alexander 〈◊〉 , & philip k. of macedon pag. of queene 〈◊〉 ib.d. 〈◊〉 and heliogabalus of proculus a romane emp. the fable of the boycs and the asse envie attendeth honour the frailty of glory the contents of the fourth booke . vvherein the felicitie of man doth consist , according to the ancient philosophers cap. . pag. three things required to attaine to true felicitie of vertue , wisedome , and knowledge how a man may fall from blessednesse to infelicity the gordian knot dissolved by alexander wherein true felicitie consisteth of sydrach , mysach , and 〈◊〉 the effects of vertue temples crected to vertue and honour detraction & murder punisht vain-glory derided in 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 king of sparta of romane regulus of divers who preferred their countries before their own lives of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 king of sparta 〈◊〉 iustice in 〈◊〉 cap. . a remarkeable act in charondes severe iustice in 〈◊〉 casar ibid. great justice in 〈◊〉 examples of iustice and policie in trajan , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and alexander 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 marous 〈◊〉 concerning the choyce of magistrates gregory 〈◊〉 concerning the same of favorites to princes the counsell of vegetius and vegetins to princes good lawes , 〈◊〉 and peace , the three daughters of honesty duties belonging to a prince ibid. an invective against 〈◊〉 of alexander 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remarkeable death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. of three observable 〈◊〉 divers 〈◊〉 reformed by henry the d , of france cap. . pag. the french nation reproved for many vices pag. miseries attending the neglect of 〈◊〉 the rare temperance of scipio●… the temperance of alexander 〈◊〉 the tyrant against adultery agapete to 〈◊〉 ibid. the rare friendship of 〈◊〉 and everitus the rare friendship of 〈◊〉 and everitus ibid. friendship without wisedome in hading and hunding , two kings of denmarke and 〈◊〉 how vices apparell themselves like vertues of duke valentine the popes son italianisme deciphered , with the danger of travell the finnes of ancient times in new count eyes are learned new fashions what rome was , and what it now is ibid. marcus 〈◊〉 concerning the vices of rome and italy king memon an inventer of delicacy an history out of plutarch to the fame purpose ibid strange justice done upon lueius 〈◊〉 by the romane senate against drunkennesse ibid. of the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 against pride in apparell the 〈◊〉 that carried the image of 〈◊〉 a taxation of vanity in attyre and 〈◊〉 gesture due prayses conferred upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 gaine getteth friendship a discourse of friendship the story of a beare ibid. another of a dogge a french dogge , the dogge of 〈◊〉 : and the dogge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the horse of 〈◊〉 of an oxe ibid. the history of androcles , and a lyon of a boy & an eagle cap. p. of a boy and a dolphin ibid. a witty and ingenious host of riches an aspersion layd upon dice-players a custome in china : and against new fashions a law amongst the thebans forreine manners interdicted with perfumes , &c. ibid. against excesse in 〈◊〉 and garments the rare modesty of the ancient times of regulus , and 〈◊〉 the dictator , &c. ibid. the magnanimitie of 〈◊〉 the philosopher pag. the maners of this age compared with the former artaxerxes to teribarus the persian to thinke our selves wise , the greatest folly the life contemplative preferred before the civill fortune hath no power over the life contemplative . bodily worlds concatinated examples of divers who forsooke the world for a life contemplative of paul an hermit , &c. the contents of the fifth booke . chapter i. simonides the poet unto king cyrus pag. the true property of felicity distinction betwixt the felicitie of this life and the future the first step to felicity timon of athens , & 〈◊〉 timons death and epitaph , &c. a meditation of marcus aurelius , &c. david , esay and salomon upon the same plato of the estate of mans life the estate of a seafaring man the estate of an husbandman the condition of a merchant the estate of a souldier of sundry calamities incident to the warres of the famine in ierusalem inhumane cruelty in the ●…ews barbarous cruelty in the numantians 〈◊〉 conquer'd by scipio of hading king of danes , and vsfo king of suecia ibid. the miserable extremities of famine , &c. the insolencies of war , &c. the siege of sanserra the siege of paris barbarous inhumanity in souldiers blasphemy & inhumanity against god the estate of a souldier truely deciphered the estate of the lawyer a difficult law-case the miseries of the client , &c. lawyers and physicians banished lawyers and physicians have one common ayme lawyers are necessary evils the lawyers penance , &c. chap. ii. the estate of ●…udges and of magistrates pag. the poverty of 〈◊〉 generall to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charg that belongs to 〈◊〉 a dialogue betwixt a philosopher and iustice the senators of athens heard causes only in the nights the estate of a courtier how farre their estate differeth from felicity the manner and fashion of the court & what 's cheap in it queen zenobia's answer unto marcus aurelius emperour the estate of princes their supposed felicity cause of their unhappinesse the history of cleandor under the emperour commodus the history of planitanus under the emperour 〈◊〉 too much grace often begetteth ingratitude the great care that belongeth to princes chap. iii. the estate of prelates pope adrian concerning popes & bishops a citizen of romes bold speech to pope innocent the archbishop of salisburg of the government of the popes st. 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , & st. 〈◊〉 , of their pride & avarice of the ambition and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 gregory the great the charge of the clergy , with the estate of friars , &c. diversity of sects begetteth atheisme the estate of mariage a loving husband exprest in a neapolitan examples of conjugal love , &c. a man that had had . wives , marrieth one that had had . husbands of a most remarkeable pieticibid . inconveniences that belong unto mariage 〈◊〉 concerning women ibid. 〈◊〉 of mariage the trouble of children a disputation betwixt tbales and 〈◊〉 concerning mariage of needlesse jealousie pleasant and witty husbands ibid. the time seems tedious spent with a bad wife ibid. xantippe the wife of socrates of a law observed amongst the massagates ibid. the witty answer of woman 〈◊〉 to his mother the counsell of 〈◊〉 in the choyce of a wife metellus the 〈◊〉 concerning mariage the witty answer of a woman to her jealous husband the opinions of divers concerning mariage felicity consists not in mariage the effects of peace , the mother of idlenesse peace the mother of persecution of calamities hapning by diseases and other accidents chap. iiii. of sundry kinds of pestilences three hundred several diseases belonging unto man gods judgment on popielus vpon the emperour arnolphus , and hatto bishop of mentz of harold king of denmarke and 〈◊〉 the history of an archbishop of mentz , called henry three fearful judgments & strange stories to the same purpose the dreame of atterius 〈◊〉 examples of feare and joy ib. examples of sorrow & the strange effects of joy of barbarous cruelty and extream tyranny necessary considerations of the miserable condition of man of the generall judgment , and the account of lawyers , iudges , and souldiers the account of vsurers of imaginary felicity all felicity depends upon god of two sorts of ends , precedent & subsequent earthly felicity is only in name foure things that are not to bee bought with gold that no man lives contented with his owne estate no prosperity but attended by adversity of amasis king of egypt , and polycrates king of samos ibid. no man happy before his death foure sure anchors to trust unto the joyes of the future life , the true beatitude the contrarietie of mens inclinations the use of gods afflictions what gratitude we owe unto god the counsell of david to salomon , and tobit to his sonne how to examine ones selfe to finde whether we be happy or not the vanity of feare diogenes concerning patience the benefit of a quiet and contented minde of a limitation for pleasures riches in poverty and povertie in riches the avarice of king 〈◊〉 and pitbens richest men the greatest slaves no true felicity can consist in riches saint gregory and others of riches , and povertie pag. chap. v. the modesty of , &c. the contempt of honour in 〈◊〉 . pompus , agesilans king of sparta , &c. honour an hinderance unto felicitie the best riches not to fall into povertie the great moderation of king calvicius three kinds of men in every common-wealth plato's dialogue of socrates and another death no way terrible unto a godly christian of the women of narsinga and india the contempt of death in the people of the mountaine called 〈◊〉 charles the fifth his preparation to death things above the power of fortune pride and vaine-glory beget confusion the greatest part of felicity consisteth in the mind our life compared by plato to table-play moderation to be used in prosperitie , and patience in adversity false felicity consisteth in . things . the gifts of god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are used or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the necessity of industry industry of wisdome and a wise man the ignorant live with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empire maketh men monstres the princes court a theatre the expression of a good king the counsell of a good king truth necessary to bee whispered in princes cares the education of the persian princes the courts of good princes are schooles of vertue whom good princes should 〈◊〉 their familiars gifts ought to bee given onely to the worthy the majesty of god honoured in the prince the office of a prince chap. vi. the felicity of the mean estate good fortune the greatest riches concerning law-suites three things to be avoided three things to bee practised to beget commendable envie who it is that may bee esteemed happy in this world man participates both of the angelicall and brutish nature of friendship , and divers tenents held by 〈◊〉 the commodities of poverty true friendship doubleth prosperity 〈◊〉 fable of the larke no friendship to be made with covetous men corruption of these times of learned emperours , and of q. emperours these times compared with the former prophane schismaticks a fearefull eclipse equivocation of the divell the wickednes of these times of hypocrisie chasticement necessary the way to injoy happinesse the counsell of 〈◊〉 gods service brings felicity the contents of the sixth booke . 〈◊〉 man the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of gods creation pag. mans estate before his fall 〈◊〉 alteration after his fall the soule opposite to the flesh man only declineth from his originall nature why god suffereth evill god the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mans 〈◊〉 to escape the 〈◊〉 into which he is fallen god the end of his own work two simitirudes , of the vegetive & sensible faculty & of the understanding , of the dangerous effects which the world breedeth chap. ii. mans greatest knowledge meere ignorance opinions of beatitude christian considerations of invocation , &c. all nations acknowledg a ged . marks of true religion . &c , one true god , and one true religion religion 〈◊〉 all men to the reading of the scriptures the necessity of a 〈◊〉 who that mediator is all oracles struck dumb 〈◊〉 the comming of christ t●…erins would have erected a temple unto christ strange prodigies hapning at the birth of christ the means to get pardon custome of sinne taketh away the sense of sinne crosses the way to heaven examples to confirme our resurrection the conclusion of the worke worke the authours apologie finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the creation of angels and men. the fall of the angels . the sell of 〈◊〉 . the mercy of christ. the ma●…ce of the d●…well . no fehe●… but in christ. how good distict slow wicked . three things in which men imagine selicitie to consist . of pleasure . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the application . 〈◊〉 mistery of sardanapalus . the end of the first monarchie . the history of heliogabalus . his 〈◊〉 his ryot , curiosity , gurmundise , pride , excesse , disorder . prodigality vanity , ●…eliy , defpaire , his infamous end . of nero. his palace . ridiculous prodigality . his luxury , repeatance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despaire . his cowardize , his wretched end . a costly 〈◊〉 . fr●… tastings . ruine followe●… 〈◊〉 . against immoderace drinking . a limitation of drinking . a remarkeable example . a pretty experiment the ierffe an embleme of gluttony . a memento mori . a counterfeit spirit . drunkennesse , the roote of other viccs . of luxury . of 〈◊〉 . of murder . herodocus . a uniferable end . old drunkards . the romanes imitated the grecians . 〈◊〉 . . drunkennes the lelle of 〈◊〉 . examples of tempetance . but one mcale a day used of old . vanitie and excesse cannot bee hid . alexander medices . a politick 〈◊〉 . against immoderate dauncing . rape the subversion of kingdomes . a looking glatle for ladies . a masculine spirit . his name was 〈◊〉 . called claudius . an unjust iudge . a cruell pitty . the end of the 〈◊〉 . octivian , 〈◊〉 , and lepidus 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 . pride in in death . a 〈◊〉 cardinall . an 〈◊〉 brother . a foolish lover . 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . a ridiculous lover . no 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 . love captives conquerours . the like we reade of rygnialion . prop. lecherous friers . horrible blasphemy . a wicked imposture . silly men soone fool'd lust turnes to tyranny tyranny rewarded . incestuo●… love . an indulgent father . an holy medication . carriage not becoming a king. a miraculous accident . vaine curlositie . excellent observations . in voluptuousnesse there can be no felt notes for div a -e that age was called the golden . the commodities of temperance hunger the best lauce . nature contented with little . cicero . soneca . modest poverty preferr'd before superfluous plenty . the divell carefull to maintaine his owne . tyrants mocke at sacriledge . a commendable cunning . whic●… now 〈◊〉 tunis . a cruell cunning . ●…phus . heaven iustice. the 〈◊〉 of the d●…vell . the blessednesse of peace . salust . wilfull 〈◊〉 . the luci●… pride of church-men . a 〈◊〉 resort . reverence cannot bee 〈◊〉 in rag●… . installable proo●…es . which was in those dayes , not now . this may ●…ly be 〈◊〉 upon these times . salust . a wonderfull modesty in the 〈◊〉 of gre●… . a●… excellent reproofs of 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 cardinall . a necessary law. money beslowed as i ought to be an ominou dreame . a t●…ant & murderer first gave rome the sup●… macie over other ●…shope . 〈◊〉 no . guie . guev . great ●…perance . a resolute answer . magicians punished . mercur. the boly text against co●… examples of avaricious men . examples of men continent . few such popes . charitie rewarded . answers worthy observation . imitable examples . wise men not free from avarice . killing 〈◊〉 . ad●…rable continency hon●… change m●… . sa●… . l●… . ●…r . a diso●… worth observ●… . plaine , but to purpose . an excellent answer of a hethen . no felicity can be in richer . notes for div a -e vertue to be preferred before honour . the end of ●…bition . ambition hath no limit . of 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 beggar . a●… que●… . the effects of lust and 〈◊〉 . no predictions can prevent ●…ate . but three out of 〈◊〉 three 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 in their be●…s . a charitable wish of an ethnick . the empire ●…et to sale . gold that bought the 〈◊〉 , would not save his life . clances and chan●…es 〈◊〉 war. nothing in this life 〈◊〉 . no crown to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . many miserable that see●… happy . danger 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a cunning 〈◊〉 . the speech of a worthy friend . the modesty of 〈◊〉 . the troubles of pit●… . a kingdom and a wife , two hard things to governe . the greatest 〈◊〉 i●… in a mean 〈◊〉 . the cares that attends on 〈◊〉 . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of richard 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , in the time of henry the sixth . a remarkeable modef●…ie . . . ●…ange ambition in 〈◊〉 . tyranny . a disputable 〈◊〉 . a kingly con●…ction . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . g●…ude in death . curtefie 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 reward . the death of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the death of the p●…e . a kings ●…diculous solly . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the 〈◊〉 of a pr●…eft . a prety jug●…g . their 〈◊〉 found out by the bea●…ten . a witty saying of erasmus . a ●…est of some papists . these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his governo●…ent . a ●…refull ●…lling off . gods great mercy . simplicity in bu●…ility . vaine cutio●… . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . an in 〈◊〉 of that ta●…e did to 〈◊〉 . a p●…y construction . a peremptory letter . a prince like answere . a 〈◊〉 answere . a woman 〈◊〉 . that 〈◊〉 is called the 〈◊〉 . pride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the craft of the divell to those that speake to him . ambition in men of base condition . the conjurer conjured . needlesse cu●… . quick cooke●…y . a 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the best wits . strange superstition . cnustin his parents . his countrey . his bringing up . mahomet an horse driver . a prophecy of mahomet . prodigies . fearefull blasphemy . his marriage . mahomet becomes a monarch . the ground of his religion , lust & liberty . meere imposture . mahomet poysoned . the meaning good though the course indirect . thevet . 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 for murder . brave 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 turkes . diabolicall contempt . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the divels 〈◊〉 . the divell plead●… 〈◊〉 . the cunning of the 〈◊〉 . the divell the author of discord . a curious cursning policie . the project will prosecuied . the sacrament made a colour to shed bloud . mercury . the death of the duke of guise . the death of the cardinall . the lust complaine of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 . the ●…tion of the duke of 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a fri●… 〈◊〉 a saint for beeing a regicide . 〈◊〉 carefull comparison . 〈◊〉 . . . the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 . warlike 〈◊〉 . queene elizabeth . true nobility . the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of beauty . of vanity in app●… . sy●… . arist. arist. aeseh . fer. an excellent saying . he●…od . isay . sinne is not sufficient , unle●…e it be boasted f. envy 〈◊〉 on honour . notes for div a -e the opinions of the philosophers . aristotle . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 . the gordi●…n knot . . . the effect , of 〈◊〉 . an . two temples 〈◊〉 , to vertue and honour . vaine . 〈◊〉 . of ro●… 〈◊〉 misdeath . such as preferred their countries before their owne lives . 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . marcus curtius . l●…nidus king of sports . a rewardable victory the rare justice of zeleucus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 severs lust●… . great justice in an ●…sidell . vnnaturall justice . worthy emperours . salust . imitable governement coignet . observe . an ex●…llentlaing of augustus . necessarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alexander fran. fra●… . the great charge that pruices undergoe . greg. thol . favourites to priaces . greg. thol . note . excellent counsell from vegotias . honesties three daughters . duties in a prince . david . precepts from philosophers . polybius . against bribes . veturius turinus . excellent iustice. three observable 〈◊〉 . mel. pene. examples of late times . the french nation reproved for many vices . miseries attending the neglect of iustice. three verses worthy observation . raretomperance in scipio . the temperance of alexander . against adultery . rare friendship in damon and pythias . friendship hath power even in tyrants . ephenus and everitus . friendship without wisedome . vices that take the shape of vertues . epich . machiavell . italianisme deciphered . the danger of travell . fran. the thriftinesse of ancient times . guevarra concerning travell . what ro●…e was , and what it now is . victory with losse . an excellent inversion . king 〈◊〉 . a great observation in a youngman . this is still observed in the kingdome of china . as ill omen . needfull observations . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the foxe . a taxation of vanity in attire and gesture . ●…e spake well that never did well . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friendship . the better limitation . the tale of the 〈◊〉 . of a dog. the dog of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the dog of t●… 〈◊〉 . the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 . of an oxe . of a lyon. rare gra●…tud in a beast . a●… eagle a dolphin a witty bo●… lamblicu●… . 〈◊〉 the contempt of dice-players a custome in china . against new 〈◊〉 . an excellent law . against forreine manners . mart. seneca . rare modesty in times of old . glory despised in time increaseth . 〈◊〉 performe the workes of christians . a fit 〈◊〉 . pride derided . observation . plin. the life 〈◊〉 preferred before the civill . fortune hath no power over the contemplative life . three bodily worlds , concatinated . examples . notes for div a -e an excellent answer of simo●…ides . the argument of the succeeding doubt . the true propertic of 〈◊〉 . distinction betwixt the 〈◊〉 of this life and the 〈◊〉 bonum . the first 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . no creature more miserable then man. of tymon , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tymons epitaph . the meditation of m. 〈◊〉 . the imperfections of man since his fall . the estate of mans life . the estate of the sea-man . of the husbandman . the merchant . the souldier . sundry 〈◊〉 suffered by the warres . her name was miriam . inhumane crueltie in the iewes . in the numantians . desperate resolution . conquered , but not ouercome . the misery of famine . the insolency of warre . a cowardly boaster . the siege of sanserra . of paris . barb●…rous inhumanity . the estate of a souldier truely deciphered . the estate of the lawyer . tacit. a difficult law-case . tacit. in too much arguing , truth is lost . a proverbe not more common then true . the miseries of the client . lawyers and physicions banished . lawyers and physicions have one common end . nothing so well intended , but may be abused . lawyers a necessary evill . the lawyers penance . the estate of iudges and magistrates . bellizarius . words worthy to be ingravon over every seat of luslice . a villaine his reprehension of the senate of rome . a bold leproote . an exellent oration of a lew an embassador of lysbone . a dialogue betwixt a philosopher & iustice. these were the senators of athens . lethro to moses the estate of the counier . a counier described . tacit. the manner of the court. what is cheape in the court. the courtiers life . an excellent answer of a queene . the 〈◊〉 of princes . their supposed felicitie , cause 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 . many counsellers and that good . . 〈◊〉 . the story of cleander . palpable flattery . a traitors reward . favour begets envy . the story of plautianus . too much grace begets ingratitude . aristo●… . note . the estate of prelates . pope adrian one thing preached , another practised . s. bernards complaint of the clergie . pope hildebrand . their figments their traditiōs . eberard concerning the gouernment of the popes . their insolence . pride and co●…usnesse . the difference betwixt s. peter and his successors . a simile well applyed . geffrey chaucer . a strong argument against the popes supremacy . their errors . their entertainment into hell. 〈◊〉 . no felicitie in the popes soueraigntic . the charge of the clergic . the fearefull estate of the fryers and cloyster-men . diversitie of sects begets atheisine . . the estate of marriage . vnitie begot 〈◊〉 marriage . a 〈◊〉 husband . a doubtfull question . examples of coniugall 〈◊〉 . porcia . the wiues of the spartans . pisca . her name alcesta . pisca . a man that had twentie wiues , married a woman that had two and twentie husbands . remarkeable piety . inconveniences belonging to marriage . only 〈◊〉 good daies in marriage . the trouble of children . of solon and thales . needlesse 〈◊〉 . the like answer we reade was giuen by diogenes . witty husbands ●…arcus aurelius concerning marriage . time tedious , spent with a bad wife . xantippe . the law of the essagetes . an history reported by a●…lus gellius . how to chuse a wife . the opinion of 〈◊〉 . a witty answer . no felictic●… in marriage . the effects of peace . presages of the fall of antwerpe . idlenesse the child of peace . peace the mother of persecution . a great famine . diuers kindes of pestilences . miserable mortality . man subiect to 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 diseases . the secret iudgements of god. herods disease . a cruell bishop . a prodigious accident . gods great iustice. strange examples of gods iustice. a remarkable story . . fearefull iudgements . strange stories , to the same purpose . an ominous dreame . offeare and ioy . of sorrow . the strange effects of ioy . barbarous cruelties . 〈◊〉 tyranny . necessary considerations . the generall account . the account of lawyers . 〈◊〉 iudges . souldiers . vsurers . of the wicked in generall . a bitter answer . a smile . no estate free from calamitie . the best remedy for sorrow . against those that are curious after predictions . a simile . arist. all felicity dependeth vpon god. a comparison . earthly felicity is only in name . things not to be bought with gold . sundry blessings bestowed by god vpon man. difference betwixt a pleasant and a patient life . no man contented with his estate . an excellent with of philip king of macedon , good counsell of a friend . a strange chance . fortunes inconstancie . an ominous dreame . no man happy before death . foure sure ankers . a proper application . necessary obseruations . so many heads , so many minds . iob. seneca . seuerall dispo●…tions in children . note . caluin . reason is concra●…ed by will. our gratitude that ought to be to god. meanes that ought to be ●…cd . to examine our selues . the wrong way seneca . the vanity of feare . simile . the benefit of a quiet and contented mind . things necessary to nature . a limitation for pleasures . auarice neuer satisfied . senec. sentence . xen. the best riches . a riches in pouerty . a pouerty in riches . of midas and pythius . ●…neu . eccle. extreme couetousnesse worse then extreme pouerty . richest men the greatest slau●… . riches in themselues neither good nor euill . similies . no true felicity in riches . aust. . a princely modesty . the best in a ge●… . honor an hinderance to 〈◊〉 . cl●…ud . . a companion . ●…cellent modetation . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . three kinds of men in euery common-wealth . proper 〈◊〉 ign. wherein happinesse most consisteth . s●… . a dialogue . prouidence requisite . necessary obseruations . death not terrible to a good christian. the women of narsinga . valer. max. the women of india . casar . necessary meditations of death . charles the 〈◊〉 . euery man is his owne greatest enemy . note . a true saying . things abou●… the power of fortune . the effects of vertue . things most pleasant in mans life . ●…olly . magistrates cald pr●…gadi . pride and vain glory beget confusion , the greatest part of felicity consisteth in the minde . note . a comparison . ecclesiast . a necessary obseruation . three principall impediments . false felicity consisteth in fiue things . * 〈◊〉 . a simile . the vse to be principally obserued . the lesse mony the lesse care . strange , but most true . the necessity of industry . alex. scucrus . a wise man. the ignorant li●…e with the least trouble . the best wits haue not the soundest iudgements . of kings and princes . empire maketh men monsters . profitable obseruations . the prince●… court a theater . quiequid delira●…t r●…ges 〈◊〉 achivi . all cstate●… strive to imitate their princes . the expression of a good king. note . proverbs . a●…iani . the counsel of a good king. si●…con . who is an happy prince . seneca . ●…alust . epi●… . cur. cap. truth necessary to be whispered in princes cares . simeon . truth scarce in princes courts . the education of per●… princes good princes court schooles of va●…ue . whom good princes should make ●…heir familiars . rare lu●…ice gifts ought to bee given ouely to the worrhy . a wittie courtier or cunning begger . the maje of god honoured in a prince . the felicity of the moan estate . note . troubles of this life . good fortune the greatest 〈◊〉 . good same the greatest losie . the best bravery . marius . eras. moral principles . oncerning law suits . the way to purchase quicn●…sse . non videmus id manticae quod in tergo est . three things to be avoyded . three things to be pra●…sed . wholesome counsell . of envie . to 〈◊〉 commendable envie . imitable precepts . a manifest signe to bee out of gods favour . necessary parsimony . who is happy . vnnecessary sorrow . creature intermediate . a third sort of men . no man contented with his estate . horace . ou. gu. no one man can enjoy all things . octav. the end which all men should ayme at . plin. friendship . . the commoditie of poverty . true friendship doubles prosperitie . proverbs . ●…sops fable of the lark . alexander and ephestion . chuse welwillers rathe than friends . how to chuse or retuse . no friendship to bee made with the covetous man. custome amongst the romans . the application . manutan . the change of times . learned emperours . queene elizabeth . simile . one thing spoke another practi●…ed . prophane 〈◊〉 . a fearefull eclipse . guev . the foure ages . the wickednesse of these times . ●…e . sinne in the height ●…punubed . 〈◊〉 . an atheisticall answer . chastisement necessary . the way to injoy happinesse . what prouidence is to be used . notes for div a -e man●… regeneration . man before his fall . mans fall . mans alteration after his fall . man of more dignitie than the world . the corruption of mans nature . the terrour of the conscience . a parricide . the soule opposite to the sinner of the flesh . comparison . m●… 〈◊〉 of the nature of beast●… . mans senses over-rule hi●…reason . mor. note . man onely needfull con●… . why god suffereth evill . pride the fall of man. god the only summum bonum . the meanes to escape these dangers into which wee are fallen . god the end of his own works . a si●…tude . the application . a necessary distinction . an apt similitude . the facu●… of the soule . the vegera●…ve . the sensitive . the understanding . nothing certaine in philosophy . our greatest knowledge meere ignorance . secrets in nature . a minore ad ma●… . faith. the philosophers concerning beatitude . christian considerations . the way to recover our losse . invocation . humility . religion . all ●…tion acknowledge a god. all true vertue grounded on religion and godlinesse . true religion , to what it 〈◊〉 . a gainst prayer 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 . a second marke of true religion . a third marke . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshipped the true god. damasco the 〈◊〉 habitation of 〈◊〉 . the bible 〈◊〉 the true 〈◊〉 of god. religion leadeth us to the scripture . 〈◊〉 . the necessity of a mediatiur . who and what the mediator is . 〈◊〉 . submission the only way to obtaine pardon . the temptations of the devill . all goodnes 〈◊〉 in action . charity allied to religion . a 〈◊〉 . wisdome make you friends of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the weaknesse of mans nature . gregory . no greater temptation than not to be tempted . 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a comparison . examples to confirme our 〈◊〉 . the sonne only can reconcile us to the 〈◊〉 . the conclusion of the worke . the meanc●… to attaine to this felicity . the authors apologie . some queries to all the teachers and professors of christianity to answer fox, george, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) some queries to all the teachers and professors of christianity to answer fox, george, - . broadside. s.n., [london? : ] signed: g.f. imprint suggested by wing. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng society of friends -- england. conduct of life -- early works to . christian life -- quaker authors. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion some queries to all the teachers and professors of christianity to answer . query i. where did ever the christians in the primitive times set up dancing-schools and fencing-schools , and send their youth to learn to dance and fence , as those called christians have done since the primitive times ; let us see where such things were practised in the scriptures by the true christians ? query ii. where was any instruments of musick allowed of god to be invented and used by the jews to themselves , but unto the lord ? indeed david used them as unto the lord , and danced before the ark of the lord ? but what 's the use and end of all the musick and dancing in christendom ? was not the melody the true christians made in their hearts to the lord ? query iii. where did the primitive christians invent playes and shews , as those called christians have done since the apostles dayes ? query iv. whether any of the jews under the old testament ever invented playes and shews to get money by them , as those called christians do now ? we desire you will produce your rule and example out of the old or new testament , among jews or christians , for these things ? query v. where did the jews or christians in the apostles dayes set up or use bear-baitings , bull-baitings , cock-fightings , nine-pins and bowls , and cards and dice , and such like sports and games , as those called christians do now , to make themselves merry withal , and to spend their pretious time away , and call it pastime , and rejoyce , and stir up wantonness in people ? shew scripture for these things , seeing you profess it your rule ? are not those that live wantonly upon earth , and in pleasure , dead while they live ? are not those that rejoyce to rejoyce in the lord ? query vi. where did the christians in the apostles dayes make and use matches at foot-ball , and wrestling , and appoint horse-races , and hunting for pleasure , and such like , and so glory in their own strength , and abuse the creatures ? are not these things contrary to the practice of the holy men , who rejoyced and gloried in the lord ? shew us your rule in the holy scriptures for these things ? query vii . whether all these playes , games , shews , sports , and other vain exercises , countenanced in christendom , do not spoil and corrupt youth and men , and ruin them in person and estate ? and doth not amos say , wo to such that chant to the sound of the vial , and invent to themselves instruments of musick , like david ? amos . g. f ▪ vertues common-vvealth: or the high-way to honour wherin is discouered, that although by the disguised craft of this age, vice and hypocrisie may be concealed: yet by tyme (the triall of truth) it is most plainly reuealed. ... by henry crosse. crosse, henry. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) vertues common-vvealth: or the high-way to honour wherin is discouered, that although by the disguised craft of this age, vice and hypocrisie may be concealed: yet by tyme (the triall of truth) it is most plainly reuealed. ... by henry crosse. crosse, henry. [ ] p. printed [by thomas creede] for iohn newbery, dwelling in paules church yard, at the signe of the ball, london : . printer's name from stc. signatures: a-v⁴. the first leaf is blank except for signature-mark "a". there are two states of quire a. in this one the dedication is to ".. robert lee, lord maior ..". identified as stc on umi microfilm. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vertves common-wealth : or the high-way to honovr . wherin is discouered , that although by the disguised craft of this age , vice and hypocrisie may be concealed : yet by tyme ( the triall of truth ) it is most plainly reuealed . necessary for age to moue diligence , profitable for youth to shun wantonnesse : and bringing to both at last desired happinesse . haud curo inuidiam . by henry crosse . london printed for iohn newbery , dwelling in paules church yard , at the signe of the ball. . to the right honourable robert lee , lord maior of the honorable citie of london : and to the right worshipfull the aldermen his brethren . i am not ignorant ( right honorable and right worshipfull senators ) of the custome of this age , which is , that such as write bookes do vse to dedicate thē to some worthy persō or other , vnder whose protection they might passe with more safetie from the byting of the enuious : so that many times a light discourse is grac't with a iudiciall censor : i was therefore imboldned to obserue the same method , and that chiefly because i know true vertue loueth whatsoeuer is like it selfe be it neuer so little , and accepteth what is zealously offered , though not alwayes deseruingly excellent , whē base deiected minds want wisedome & experience to direct the puritie of iudgement . and although i haue scattered here and there some iarring notes and harsh consonants , vntunable to a modest eare : yet the vglines of vice made me striue to paint out her lanus-face to the eye of the world . alexander refused not a cup of colde water at the hands of a silly begger , the poore widows myte was more accepted then the abundance of the scribes and pharises , for she offered all that she had , they of their superfluitie : so a noble mind doth alwaies patronize a poore gift as willingly , as it is deuoutly dedicated . if in like sort your bounties wil deign to giue free admittance to this homely worke , i shall be prouoked not to end with this my rude beginning , but striue to shewe some greater monument of my loue heereafter . and thus leauing to trouble your wisedoms with tedious circumstance , i rather abreuiate of that i would say , then by speaking too much to breed suspitiō of my simple well meaning . and so i humbly commit your affaires to the good guidance of the almightie , and my selfe to your fauourable censures . your honors and worships most dutifull to commaund . henry crosse . to the curteous reader . when i had brought this poore labour of a ●ewe idle houres to a full period ( gentle reader ) i was purposed to haue sent it to the world like an orphane , without a father ( being so vntimely borne ) yet considering it was not altogether vnprofitable for this last age , wherin iniquitie doth so much abound ; and so much the rather , being so instantly vrged thervnto by such as haue an absolute intrest in me & my labours , i was content to send it to the presse , and cast my selfe vpon the generall censure . i must confesse it is very vnscholler-like handled , being hudled vp in haste without the rule of order , wanting time decies castigari ●dvnguem , to correct againe and againe : and therefore i was almost disswaded from this desperate attempt ; and that chiefly because reproofe is growne so headstrong , as she will buckle with vertue : yet in this hope i rested , that although momus and the whole broode of sycophants , byte and s●arle with their venemous and spitefull tongues , though it be not in my power to stop their mouthes , yet it is in my owne hands to stop my owne eares , & let them barke at the moone , with the wolues of assiria : yet if thou wilt distinctly read , & not rashly iudge , thou shalt finde matter worth the noting . here is vertue leading the way to honor ▪ vice and ignorance exaulted with vaine ▪ glory : learning and good littrature wrapped in with pouertie : machauile , writing bookes against honestie : idlenesse , drunkennes , & the grosse errors of these dayes , earnestly reprehended . but if thou do●st patiently beare ●ith my rudenesse , it will animate a grosse conceit to set vpon some thing that may shewe a further testimonie of my gratefull mind toward thee hereafter . in the ●eane time let this my first labour be one little step , whereby i may ascend into thy good opinion , and that that is weake and in authenticke , correct with thy pen , or gently passe it ouer , so shalt thou recompence my trauell , and binde me to requite thy fauour . but if thou art so auspicious , as with narrow critticke eyes to looke a squi●t at euery thing , thou wilt dismay a young begin●er ▪ and turne my alpha , into omaega . henry crosse . vertves common-wealth : or the high-way to honour . the fame eternized t●lly , in his booke of duties setteth downe , that the teaching of any doctrine , which is to be taken in hand in due forme , the exordium must begin with a definitiō , that the life of the subiect whereof the discourse doth run , may the better be vnderstood . vertue , is an elected habit , or a setled qualitie , cōsisting in a meane , & that meane standeth in the midst of two extreams , the more , & the lesse , and this that some laudable action , which by no other name can be termed but by the onely title of vertue . vice is opposite to vertue , a habit of the minde annexed to nature , not striuing with reason , an inconstant desire in the whole life : rebelling against honestie : which two affections , growe vp to a habit by degrees , through vse and exercise , chosen by the rationall partes , and when by custome the will is setled in the course of either , the whole disposion is carried to good or bad . the stoikes , call vice and vertue , animalia , liuing creatures , because by them a man is discerned , for in respect of vertue , a man is said to be a man , which is the etymologie of the word , and in respect of vice , to be a beast , because he wanteth those faculties , and demensions , 〈◊〉 proper to a vertuous and good man. vertue is diuided into two parts , the intellectiue , and the the mortall , the former is begotten and nourished by good tutors , reading good bookes , and exercise , from this floweth wisedome , science , prudence , memorie . the latter commeth by custome and vse , for these two are so forcible , as by it a man may get him a second nature , and this worketh this thing called actus , in the extreame parts , and is the mother of liberalitie , fortitude , and of all good manners . the diuine essence of the soule , beholdeth nothing with contentment , but the perfect idea of vertue ▪ being so pure and excellent , as she onely aymeth at perfect happinesse ▪ if the corruption and disobedience of the body , did not contaminate & defile her . and therefore the philosophers say , whē she is in the company of good men she possesseth ioy , but among euill , is euermore in heauinesse : for the soule is occupied in heauenly contemplation , and delighted to know her creator , his omnipotent maiestie and power , the workes of nature : but being imprisoned followes the bodies inclination , and by that meanes is kept backe from the hauen wherevnto it would most willingly arriue . but according to a christian exposition , the verie faculties of the soule , are so essentially defiled with adams transgressions , that it hath no power to thinke one good thought , or beget an acceptable motion , before it be regenerated and borne anew ; for christian vertue standeth in faith , hope , and charitie , not fashioned according to philosophie ; but to haue him the author , which is both truth and righteousnesse . we must not rest then vpon the morrall vertue , and make that the chiefe good , which are but steppes to clyme vp therevnto , as the wise heathen taught : for all theyr doctrine , was but to fashion the outward man to ciuill obedience , making that the end which are but motiues to the end . for it is not all one , to be a morrall wise man , and a good christian , a great proficient in humane sciences , and a great clarke in diuine misteries , heere is a maine difference , let no man repose himselfe , vpon such a sandie and shallow foundation , if he will stand sure : but build on christ the rocke , the bright starre of the immortall maiestie , on him to cast anchor , purifie the inward parts , and digge vp that dunghill of filthinesse , deriued from originall corruption . mans happinesse standeth not in pleasures , honour , nor in the goods of fortune : but onely in those holy vertues which proceed from a pure heart . this is the plaine pathway to sanctitie , and immortallitie , vice sincking downe to hell , the one , with eagle-winges mounts vp to heaue● ▪ the other , clogges the soule with leadē thoughts , benumming her dexteritie , for so high a flight . but to prosecute my intent , which is to handle the morrall vertues , and lay open the parts of humanitie , it wil not be amisse to touch by the way , the foure chiefe and principall vertues , called cardinall vertues , as prudence , ●ustice , fortitude , and temperance , which are distinguished one from the other by their seuerall properties , all conioyne in one , and make a vnion : for though vertue be subsisting in one single being , yet because of diuers workes , she is deuidable , and albeit many sprigges growe out of these foure braunches , yet is shee called vertue in the singular number . prudence , is a certaine brightnesse shining in the minde , by which the light of truth is descried , foreseeing what is fit to be done , a true affection , labouring by reason to finde out the quallitie , and to iudge what is iust , fit , honest , profitable , equall , and good , not onely aduisedly looking to the first motiue cause : but also to the consequent and finall endes , by this the present felicitie , and infelicitie of this life , is sweetly tempered , and all things ordered in comelinesse . whosoeuer rashly setteth vpon his businesse without her , rusheth vpon the rockes of errour ▪ and by his owne headie opinion commeth soone to ruine : because it is impossible to effect any thing well , vnlesse he be guided by her light , neither can hee be able to discerne good from euill , things profitable , from thinges preiudiciall : but as a blinde man doth venterously trauaile without a guide , and at euery step readie to stumble : so hee that is ignorant in plotting his affaires , wadeth in darkenesse , wherein euery storme of triall doth ouerturne his pollicie . a prudent man , is so cautelous and vigillant , as wel in the consideration of fore-passed daungers , as in preiudicating perills to come , that he meeteth with euerie mischiefe , and is not ouertaken , with non putaui , had i wist , for hauing set his rest on a firme ground , doth not doubt but expect , not repēt in the end , but reioice in the whole action : so that she regardeth things past , present , and to come , and bendeth her force to that part that is needfull , to defend the weakenesse of reason , and when she hath drawne out the plot , which honestie doth require , committeth it to sapience , whch as a hand-maide , is readie to execute that in the outward worke , which before was determined . the main difference betweene these two , is , the former is a generall comprehending and knowledge of things ; the other an experience of that in action . for as by reasoning , reading , and conuersing with wise men , a man may vnderstand much : yet without practise all is nothing . before a phisition doth minister to his patient , he searcheth into the nature of the disease , and acquaints himselfe with the state of the body , which hauing once found out , it is to no end if he apply not himselfe in outward meanes , to benefite the sicke person with his potion : so if there be but a defused knowledge of things , and as it were such a collection , as by it the vnderstanding is bettered , and no outward demonstration , it is as treasure hid in the earth and serues for no vse : for there be markes to knowe a prudent man by , if hee be vniustly vexed , troubled , or in pouertie , sicknesse , and tossed too and fro in miserie , if he reioyce in these afflictions , and patiently beare the crosse , the same is a prudent man , and his suffring maketh it a meane to him : but when a man is chastised either in body or goods , and will not suffer without griefe and muttering , the same is a vitious and imprudent man. to be briefe , she is the right disposer of all things , an enemie to ignorance , the key of knowledge , which openeth the rich treasure of diuine and humane things ; doing nothing but that which is right , iust , and praise-worthy . iustice , is a vertue that giueth to eueryman his owne , the first and principall part whereof is , and euer was , to doo god that honour which is due to his diuine maiestie , consisting in feare , loue , & reuerence , for as iustice will equally render to euery man his owne , & bring discording things to an equalitie , by considering the difference betweene them : so much more and most of all , it is most iust , to loue god , of whom wee haue all that we haue , and being perished by originall corruption , were eftsoones recouered , by the sufferings of his son : this part of iustice , ought to be imbraced with other affectiō than the heathen , who wandring in the darknes of ignorance , know not god as he is . a iust man coueteth not that that is an others , but rather neglecteth his owne for the good of the common-wealth , nor with a greedie humor , doth incroach vpon his neighbors possession . without iustice , no estate can subsist , for all vertues are comprehended vnder the name of iustice , of which a man is said to be a good man , for all the other vertues cannot make a man good , if iustice be absent . tully calleth her the lady & queen of all other vertues ; by her is the societie of man preserued , the most excellēt blessing that euer god gaue to man was , to be gouerned by iustice , which bridleth the hot fury of the wicked , comforteth the innocent , & equally decideth between meum , & tuā . and he that is exercised herein , his mind is lifted vp to the apprehension of greater wisdome . for howsoeuer the world is troubled with hurly burly , yet the quietnesse of his minde is no whit distracted , but resting in securitie , smileth at the worlds turbulent state . finally it is a bloud in the vain , giuing life to the whole body , the head of all vertues : for of her selfe she may do many things , but without her the rest can doo nothing rightly . fortitude is a greatnesse of mind , which without furious or rash resolution , feareth not to hazard it selfe in the greatest perils , and with eager pursuite to hunt after honourable actions , thirsting after glory , not respecting the tedious difficultie of the passages therevnto , to encounter wiih dangers , wade through the mystic clouds of darknes , & willingly endure all bitternes of fortune , for the safegard of the country , such were scipiones , fabij , alcibiades , hannibal , &c. who by their valour & great prowes , reached to the top of honour . neither is true fortitude measured by the compasse of a great body , nor by dooing great enterprises , in respect of the huge stature , but by a fierce and couragious spirit , stri●ing in a good cause , the cause is all , it is not the torment that maketh a martyr , but the cause for which he suffereth . so that to speake properly , fortitude is that which is granted vpon good cause , & possible to be atchieued , such true valour was in dauid , who could not abide to heare the name of god blasphemed by such a monster as goliah , & therefore knowing god would aide his enterprise , he relyed not vpon his owne strength , but cast off all vaine glory , for when matters are rightly attempted , many straunge aduentures proceed , euen as it were by myracle : a iust & honest cause maketh a man bolde , hardie , and venterous , to striue against one of greater force ; as king alexander , being of small body , sought hand to hand with porrus , which was a more mightie man : it is not then any great person or huge collosse , that can triumph ouer a good cause . the romaine scipio was wo●t to say , no man ought to leuie war , or fight with his enemie without iust cause offred : but if hee were prouoked by an iniust intrusion , it booteth not to tarry til they come , but intercept thē in comming , for such cause giueth encouragement to set vpon them freely . as when our common enemies in . with their spanish braues meant to haue inuaded our territories , and came armed with instruments of tirannie to insult ouer our natiō , and to bring our necks into a spanish yoake , it pleased god to abate their pride , and turne their cruelties into their owne bosomes . heere was cause to make a coward valiant , and the fearefull forward to fight , because he was compelled to take vp weapons for his owne safetie ; and he that will not defend himselfe , is not worthy to liue in peace , especially when his wife , children , father , mother , brothers , sisters , yea the whole countrey is in daunger ●o be torne and rent in peeces by sauage and mercilesse tyrants . when it is for a common defence , is not he a wretch that will sit still and see his mothers throate cut ? what if he dye in the conflict ? were he not better to dye honourably like a martyr and souldier of christ , then liue to see the ruine and desolation of his whole countrey ? wherefore no man ought to stagger or saint at a good cause , but bee the more imboldened , because it giueth good encouragement . we may call to mind , and we cannot remember it too often , the ouerthrowe they then had , not simply in respect of our owne prowesse , but by the assistance of a higher power , we being but a poore handfull to their great multitude ; they came like briarius , threatning the heauens , and casting mountaines at iupiter ; yet theyr glorious tytle of inuincible was confounded , to theyr shame , and our glory : this we may thinke vpon with reuerence , but ascribe the honour of the victorie to him by whose meanes it was wrought . if warre be leuied without cause , or if one man shall be so foole-hardie to attempt things impossible , and presume on his strength to assaile a greatmany , beyond hope to vanquish , it is no maruaile , if the successe fall out against his desire , for ne herculus contra duos . for hercules himselfe held it oddes to deale with two : but when for the common good of the countrey ( as i said before ) any man shall vndertake some hard aduenture to free it of some imminent perill ( if sent by imperiall commaund ) though he loose his life in the action , yet for that hee is indued with true fortitude , doth winne immortalitie : as the three romans called decij , who for the safegard of their countrey auowed to dye , and with resolute and vndaunted courages , pierced the host of their enemies , and though they lost their liues , yet by their stout example gaue such audacitie and courage to the rest of the romaines by prouoking them forward , as they easily obtained the victorie , which was thought to be vnconquerable . i might speake the like of codrus , marcarius , curtius , marcus , and regulus , which dyed most willingly for their countrey . i might recite here also a catalogue of those valorous english knights , that haue honourably yeelded vp their liues in the field of mars , for their prince and countrey : but that i intend not now to make an apologie of this vertue , but referre it to a treatise of iustice , which i suppose shall succeed this worke , especially vpon the improuement of this , god giuing mee time and quietnesse of minde to performe that . this manlinesse is a vertue that fighteth in defence of equitie and iust dealing : but we neuer finde that any man got true praise and honour by rash furie , for nothing is honest that is voyd of iustice . he that is hastie to surprise a man , & soone moued to impatiencie without iust cause cause doth rather merit the name of leaud boldnesse , then manly courage , because this vertue standeth in honest deeds , and not in vaine glory , and being truly carried , serueth as a hammer to beate downe those vices , that oppose themselues to the beautie of vertue , which chiefly doth appeare , when preferment doth lift a man alo●t , by imbracing humilitie , and ouercomming pride , which soone creepes vpon the aduanced : or if tossed in aduersitie he be vigorous , and beare an inuincible courage , to combat against the passion of the minde , which is ready basely to decline : for whatsoeuer falleth out crookedly , is turned to the better part , she inableth to vndergoe damage , to beare iniurie , to be patient , and not to st●rre , but for a common good , or his priuate defence , when a violent intrusion is made vnto his person . many hide themselues vnder the wings of this vertue , that neuer seeke to apprehend her aright , and would seeme valorous and magnanimous , when they are but white liuerd cowards and miscreants : as many of these brawlers and swashbucklers , whose hot bloud once stirred , cannot be cooled without reuenge and field-meetings , which for euery light cause they vndertake , and so violently swaid with fury , that they rush forward into all desperation , without reuerence of the lawes of god , the law of nature , loue , charitie , & which is aboue all , care of their owne saluation , do arrogant to themselues glory , by defacing and spoyling the image of their creator . the sonnes of cain thus maistred with wrathful fu●ie , murder and dismember their bretheren , and as catiues and slaues , bend the will to such inhumane crueltie , and so become branded to euerlasting destruction . now if all vertue doth consist in obeying god , keeping his lawes , maistring wicked anger , and holding concord , how can that be praised which is against such a blessed assembly of vertues ? or how thinke they , that that offence can be remitted , which is abhorred , detested , & so expresly prohibited in the sixt commaundement ? men ought to liue in christian amitie , and leaue all reuenge to him , who saith , vengeance is mine , and i will repay it . the poore cinick , when one had hit him on the eare , i thought ( quoth he ) i had left one place vncouered . socrates being tolde one spake many railing and euil words of him , was no whit moued thereat : and being asked why he would beare so great indignitie , answered ; if he spake truth , i haue no cause to be grieued , being iustly blamed ; if false , i haue lesse cause to be angry , because that which hee spake pertained not to mee . o that men would learne patience ● and not so often fight and murder one an other , for verball and idle quarells : for now if one amongst a hundred be patient , quiet , will carrie coales , and meekely suffer rebuke , he is noted of cowardize , and deuoyd of manly parts . now lastly followeth temperance , as a sad and sober matron , a prouident guide and wise nurse , awaiting that voluptuousnesse haue no preheminence in the soule of man , the most glorious vertue in any kinde of estate , she ordereth the affections with continencie , an enemie to lust , and a mediocritic in the pleasures of the body , whose office is to cou●t nothing that may bee repented of afterwarde , nor to exceede the boundes of modestie , but to keepe desire vnder the yoake of reason . of the lyneaments of her perfection , the whole world doth subsist and abide , euen from the lowest to the highest , without whom our lusts would ouerthrowe our vnderstanding , and the body rebell against all good order , and the habit of reason wholy suppressed : for shee tempereth and keepeth in frame the whole body of man , without whose aide many enemies would creepe in , and infect our best parts , and vtterly ruinate and cast downe the bulwarke of reason , and walles of vnderstanding : but hee that doth sacrifice his endeuours to so diuine an essence , swimmeth safe betweene two riuers deuoyd of daunger . extreames are euer hurtfull ; for if a man eate too much or too little , doth it not hurt the body ? so is it of too immoderate labour , or too much idlenesse , of too much boldnesse , and too much cowardnesse : these extremities are vicious and euill , but the meane doth temper them both . no man is wise , happy , or any thing worth , if temperance square not out the course of his life . and herein the benefite of olde age is to bee honoured , for that it hath this preheminence ouer youth , time hath weakened theyr affections , abated their courage , and stayed the intemperate blastes of vnbrideled libertie , and by long experience haue gottē a more large portiō then they , whose affections being strong , and discretion weake , set themselues against this vertue , eclipse her brightnesse with the fogges of ignorance . and for this cause haue wise men so ioyfully embraced olde age , which tully so highly applaudes in his booke de senectute . this is guided by prudence , which doth gouerne the life of man with such reason , as shee is euer carefull for the welfare of the body , by curbing those passions of the mind , which are vehement and vnruly : by her the mind is made capable of honest actions , and beautifull demeanours , and like a prouident gouernesse , ruleth ouer concupiscence & flouds of lusts , which would else surround the puritie of the minde . a potion to purge the soule , an antidote against pride , and a valiant tryumpher ouer flaming desires , not like aetna , too hotte , or caucassus too colde : but is content betweene both , and reioyceth in it . if the bodie be not dieted with moderation , it will proue a stubborne seruant to the soule , vnfruitfull , fit for nothing but thorny cogitations , the greatest enemies to the spirituall powers that can be , for the flesh pampered in delicates , or kept short of her naturall needments , is effeminated , corrupted , and weakened , and many diseases be gotten , which are all staid by a meane and temperate dyet and the boyling lusts of the bodie asswaged . thus farre of these vertues : more might be added , if i meant to intreat of them at large : but this briefe recapitulation , may serue as an introduction , to our following discourse . omnis virtus , vna virtus absoluta , all vertues , are but one simple vertue , being chained and linked so neer together , as one cannot be sundred from the other , without disparagement of the whole . fortitude is a noble vertue , but if destitute of iustice , shee is hurtfull to the good ; if temporance keepe not her vnder she will turne into rage ; and if prudence be absent , they all fall into error . there is a mutuall league , a proximitie , and neare acquaintance , which doth conglutinate and ioyne them all in one , one must haue relation to an other , and follow by degrees ; pietie , truth , and temperance , must march before fortitude ; in a word , vertue is no other but vitium fugere : hating vice , and loathing euil , and we better knowe her by her contrary , then by her selfe , which doth make the imagination gesse at vertue a farre off : so that knowing vice , is a good grounde of vertue , whereby the inwarde powers are helde in , with vnspotted simplicitie , farre more better then such as cunningly seeke to knowe what vertue is , then willingly betake themselues to follow it in theyr life , so that knowledge is not enough alone , vnlesse it be practised by outward action : for it is better to doo wisely , then wisely to deuise . so that in generall , vertue rightly carried , comprehendeth whatsoeuer , is conducing and leading to a good and holy life , and hee that once hath tasted the sweetnesse of one , is drawne with much desire to an other ; one good thing begetteth an other , and taking once a deepe impression , his estate is thereby preserued incorruptible without chaunge : whereas if a man taketh holde on externall goods , and leane to the mutabilitie of fortune , doth often stumble vpon many daungerous rockes , and fall into wretchednesse , when vertue will firmely vpholde a man in the midst of all calamitie . villius argentum est auro , virtutibus ●●r●m . siluer is cheaper then gold , and gold of lesse price then vertue . she is of great moment and most inestimable value , although a carnall and grosse minde , cannot equally deeme the price of so rare a iewell , for where ignorance doth couer the minde , she is reiected and held of base esteeme : as a simple peasant trampleth many wholsome hearbes vnderfoote , which a skilfull herbalist would carefully gather vp , & extract some rare quintessence out of theyr hidden secrets . wilt thou build thy safetie vpon a sure foundation ? then here is the rocke that no tempest can shake ; here is a shelter to defend thee from perils , a safegard to preserue the puritie of the soule , from beeing polluted by the concupiscence of the body , and though neuer so many stormes of aduersitie and shewers of persecution , beate vpon thee ( being in this world as in a wildernesse of woes ) yet shrowding thy selfe vnder the cannapie of vertue , thou ioyest in the middest of all sorrow , and though the whole world be of an vprore , yet what is that to thee ? thou art no whit moued thereat , for animo calestia tangis , thy affections are mounted vp to heauen , & thy mind aduanced aboue all earthly weaknesse . it is not onely hard , but very difficill to finde out , which of the vertues are most predominant , that the victory may be imputed to her , because they are all knit in one single vnion , for the good of the soule . for as one linke of a chaine draweth an other , and an other after , til it come to the last , the antecedent the relatiue : so one vertue is an adamant that draweth an other vertue vnto it . and though shee take vp her lodging in a crooked and deformed body ( as she is euer readie to dwel where shee findeth the heart yeeldable to honestie ) yet penetrating with inward desire , and bringing the stragling powers of the minde to a vniformitie , doth make vp the want of nature , with a supply of grace , causing him shine like christall , for when the life is laudably lead , there appeareth so great a glory , that it is not onely admirable to the eyes of man , by reason of formall carriage in humanitie : but also high pleasing to god , by the intellectuall goodnesse , vertue , is the spurre of honour . it is not the aboundance of wealth and great dignitie , that maketh a man truly noble : but the possession of vertue , which is true honour and auncient riches , and is not gotten by loytering idlenesse ; but with industrie and much labour , for ardua virtutis via est , t is labours force that carrieth a man to vertue , a hard entrance , a continuall perseuerance , because he must encounter against his passions , and stop the flouds of intemperance : for such high and admirable things cannot be had without effectuall indeuour , and by how much the more straighter the passage is therevnto ; by so much the more carefull must hee be , least it slip away through arrogance or vaine glory : for in vertue , pride begins to swell , or some vice or other to creep in , which if not beatē back at the first , wil hazard the whole frame of vertue ; or beeing maistred by some ouer-weening thought , or singularly carried away with selfe-loue , a passion of the minde disquieting reason , doth wholly estraunge himselfe from her beatitude ▪ loosing those complements which formerly he was possest of . the reward of vertue , is true generositie , and where it is ioyned with great possessions , and hath long continued in the house of a gentleman , without corruption of bloud , that nobilitie is most to be honoured , forasmuch as long continuance hath giuen it the badge of glorie . plato , diuideth nobilitie ●oure waies , the first saith he , are those that rise from good and iust parents ; the second those whose parents were princes , or great men ; the third famouzed for martiall exployts ; the fourth which excell in any kinde of learning , and for vertues sake onely are seated in the place of honour ; these latter are verè nobiles , truly noble , made noble by vertue . yet if one shall stand vpon his riches , parentage , office , place , dignitie , and by these onely suppose to win the place of true honour , he climeth a rotten ladder : for what is all this worlds pompe , or titulary preferments , if not atchieued by vertue ? or what doth great birth auaile if hee debase it by his ill life ? or a vertuous memorie of his auncestors , if hee follow not their example ? are they not like smoake and vapours , which vanish with the sunne ? can a man without offence brag of the vertues of his auncients , if his owne life be vitious ? for hath he not broken off the succession of vertue by wilfull detraction ? wherefore what worldly glory soeuer is otherwise had , is filched , and her chastitie at no hand will bee defiled with such bastardly plants . prayses and commendations waite euer on vertue . and therefore tully in his tuscul : questions , defineth honour to be a vnion of praises of good men , which iudge of vertue without partialitie , and not by the opinion of the multitude , which looke more to a veluet iacket , the outward brauerie , then to the minde how it is qualified : so that the noblenesse of man is his vertue , and they ought to be called noble & honorable , which are most honest and vertuous . if i should enter into the wonderful account which the heathen made of vertue , i might shewe how num● pompilius , was taken from the plough , and chosen the second king of the romanes , what was the cause think yee ? but his vertue and wisedome , for which they thought him worthy of so high a calling ; this they reckened true nobilitie : likewise quintius , a poore husbandman , was made dictator , which was a great office , and for three moneths had a regall power , and when he had ended his office , went againe to his olde labour without indignitie to his person , or derogating ought from his worthinesse , of this high estimation was vertue among them . he that is nobly borne , and descended of an auntient house , should beare in his mind the remembrance of his birth , and frame himselfe to imitate his parents in vertue , as well as hee looketh to possesse their inheritance , and ioyning these two in one , is truly noble : for if his auntients were more noble then he , whose dignitie he enioyeth , his praise is diminished , and becommeth a bye-word and a reproach , among them that haue heard of the former vertue ; or if they were vicious and of euill life , then to auoyd the scandal in himselfe , to abhorre the like , and couet to liue in vertue : so shall he purchase true honour to his riches , and worthily be deemed to enioy the inheritance . and there is great reason to induce him therevnto : for of such a one there is a generall expectation of some notable vertue ; the eyes of all men are bent vpon him as on a commet or blazing starre , prying narrowly into him how hee liueth , what he doth , to what science he bēdeth his mind , and what good hee doth in the common-wealth , for which he is borne , and as if his priuate actions should be openly done , no one word or deed of his can escape the common censure . it is the more behouefull , then to apply the mind to laudable actions , & to do good in the place where he is , for so much as he may appropriate to himselfe a good report for well doing , & by that means participate the heartie prayers , and many good wishes of the common people ; gaine their loue , and induce thē with more facilitie , by his good example , to trace in the wholsome path that leadeth to the house of honour . likewise the vnknowne , the issue of a base stocke , obscurely brought vp , if he wil be aduanced to the type of honour , must addict himselfe to vertue , which will be so much the more glorious at the last , by how much more obuious his estate was at first . and this i suppose , should be a spurre or goade to push them forward , because they shall not onely bee admired by the praises of the good , which are the badges and simballes of vertue , but also acquire perpetuall fame and renowme , as the surname thereof . what should i say ? vertue is a pearelesse and precious iewell , so rare and excellent , that it can neither bee sufficiently commended , nor worthily esteemed : all humane things doo faint , faile , sinke downe , and decay , when that onely will abide for euer , an honour for youth , a crowne to age , a comfort in prosperitie , a succour in aduersitie , delightfull at home , not burthensome abroad , & a pleasant walking-mate to accompany a man wheresoeuer hee goeth . what a diuine glory is heere ? that striketh the beholder in admiration , dazeleth his sight , and forceth the very abiect to reuerence him in whom it dooth appeare , for shee is so beautifull a lady , as shee maketh many gaze at her a farre off , that haue no power to come nigh her , but striketh into wonderment at her incomparable maiestie , are metamorphosed , as it were by medusa . and howsoeuer it is that many are so blockish and sencelesse , that they wander vp and downe like vagabounds and base peasants , and make no account of vertue and honestie : yet are they forced , will they , nill they , to flye to her for succour in time of want , and hide their misdeeds vnder her golden wings . and verily , no pretence or vaine shewe can preuaile against her , but that she will haue the iust victory and triumph ouer those that haue despised her ; and when they are on the toppe of their hatefull enuye , they shall wish her company , and desire to imbrace her , though it bee but with dull affection , which the poet well noteth , virtutem incolumen odimus : sublatam ex occulis querimus inuidi . when vertue doth offer her selfe , we denie her , but afterward seeke her greedily . if thou therefore , whatsoeuer thou art , doest neglect to follow her in time , thou shalt bee taught by experience , when it is too late , what it is to cast off thy profered happinesse , a faithfull teacher , but a seuere and sharpe corrector : seeke her then while shee may bee founde , and bee as readie to entertaine her into seruice , as shee is willing to serue ; possesse thy selfe of her , and shee will register thy ●ame in her golden booke , of neuer dying honour . it is not the riches of cressus , the tryumphes of caesar , the conquests of alexander the great , or any worldly pompe , can make a man truly happie , or crowne him with true honour , but onely vertue . for if wee value men by outwarde prosperitie , wee deceiue our iudgement , and swarue from equitie . touching wealth , it is like poyson in a golden ●uppe , and commonly where it aboundeth most , there vertue is set by least , a laborinth wherein many are lost , not onely subiect to chance , and infract fortune , but also to misgouernment , pride , ambition , and many other vices ; for good manners oftentimes is corrupted by ouer-regarding riches , and moderate dispositions turned into greedie desires ; graunt it lifts vp a mans estate , to make his delight subiect to his will , indeed hee is somewhat the wealthier , but no whit the honester , vnlesse as gotten by iustice , so vsed in temperance , and distributed in charitie , and if the rich man bee also a good man , let him take heed least they bee a sting to his conscience , and drawe him to sinfull pleasures . so that the verdict , must passe vpon honestie , and the qualitie of vertue , more precious then the quantitie of mony ; for as a rich man couetous , gripple , and earthly minded , is not to bee respected , so a poore man simple honest , and well qualified , is to be regarded , sith the one is as a craggie flint stone , the other a pretious and princely diamond , and this was the cause a prince of troy chose rather to marrie his daughter to a poore man honest , then a rich man vicious : for it is better ( quoth he ) to haue a man without money , then money without a man , for vertue is great riches , when vice is like a sheepe with a golden fleece ; and as the wise schoole maister isocrates , counselled his pupill demon ▪ to make more account of a poore good man , than of a rich man not so honest . pauper enim non non est , cui rerum suppetit vsus . hee is rich inough that is content with his state . we must not measure men , by those things as are subiect to the tottering wheele of fortune , which as meteors in the aire vanish assoone as they seeme : but for that which is permanent , durable , constant , and firme , which is vertue , onely vertue , and nothing but vertue ; and therefore least worldly regard should striue against reason , the immoderate care of this life , must be sprinkled with the water of prouident respect , in considering those inconueniences that rise out of the roote of aboundance : mans felicitie , is not in riches , they are gotten with paine , and lost with griefe ; pleasures ende in sorrowe , vaine-glorie , vanisheth ; if we thinke it is in witte , that is perfect follie ; for a wise man , euer esteemeth an other wiser then himselfe ; quoad deum , touching god , and in this standeth the greatest poynt of wisedome , when a man doth neither exalt himselfe , aboue a stronger iudgement , nor insult ouer those that be weake , but readie to submit his opinion , to a better information : and hath such a slender care of his own● woorthinesse , that if he happe to possesse some worldly honour , doth blushingly receiue it , as a thing not deserued : so that we cannot find the perfect good we looke for , but onely and altogether , in the exercise of vertue . yet now men hunt after riches , as though there were no true honour without it , and that to be onely rich , were to be onely happie , and so set their felicitie on a slipperie foundation : but how false this opinion is , doth appeare alreadie . for be it that honour , be not giuen as our auncients did , onely to the vertuous and good , yet shall the vertuous man be praised , be he neuer so poore , euen of his most vtter enemie , as metellus macid●nicus , praised scipi● , for his vertues , and wept for his death , though he were his mortall foe , for no man be he neuer so enuious , can take that from him which vertue hath merited : but must , and will , maugre his head , applaud and commend him for an honest man , euen behinde his backe , and be forced to admire those good parts that are in him , when an other man being rich , and nothing within , but all without , shall be clawde and flattered before his face , but cursed and bande behinde his backe , and this preheminence it hath , maugre the worldes malignitie , that where this christian veritie doth shine , shee forceth the gazer to breake out into wonderment , and spread that glorious report which it iustly meriteth : yet there be some so sottish and madde , that though they know themselues but flattered , suppose they be by & by praised , when he neither speaketh it with his heart , but for some carnall reason , and they themselues know it to be false which hee speaketh . beleeue no man therfore of your owne goodnesse , better then your selfe , if there bee ought in you worthie of it , if you deserue it not , thinke assuredly they doo but mock and deceiue you , and with their tongues seeme to be with you , when their hearts be against you . this is a sure token , for a man to see into his owne vertue , first hee sueth not for honour , but honour followeth him ; and secondly is not greeued , though he be vnregarded , nor beareth indignation at others happines , and this same thing is it that we call honor : now seeing this worldly honor is of so small price , it is the part of a base and vile mind , to beleeue glozing and faire words , and grosse ignorance it is indeed , to build honour vpon the brainsicke and rude opinion . now what are all the goods of this worlde ? but a troublesome carriage & greeuance , because they bring no assured comfort , but doo rather with their waight , plucke downe those minds , that be flying towards heauen , and hinder a man in the passage to glory . neuerthelesse , this might somewhat dismay the weakenesse of man to striue for vertue , because commonly it hath no reward in this world , but wandreth vp and downe naked , & forsaken : but this is no disparagement to a good man , for looke what he possesseth , be it more or lesse , is so moderatly expended , that it is competent and sufficient , and this is the very fountain , whence all contentment proceedeth , for being well composed within , regardeth nothing without , but a iust applause for well doing : only couetous , to carry away a good report of his vertues , which as trophies are hung ouer his tombe , for eternall monuments . virtuti●merces , ●adem & labor , illa & trophium est . touching such as are loaden with this worlds drosse , and moistened with golden showers , liuing in voluptuous and vaine pleasures , and defile those blessings with their lusts , what should we thinke of this ? but that the great and rich god , is content to throw and scatter about his goods , among a sort of pedegrant peasants , and insaciable horse-leaches , which greedily scrape it vp to fill their cofers , and feed their lusts : not thinking one day they must recken of the well imployment . riches , not rightly ordered , prouoke many hurtfull and wicked desires , the mother of pride , contempt , disdaine , selfe-loue , and the very fire that burneth vp all good motions , if not quenched with moderation , for they puffe vp a man in opinion to be some bodie , when he is no body , and to thinke himselfe truly honourable , because he is honoured of the vaine world : supposing that to be rich in costly sutes , is the onely glory . this makes them spurne at all good aduertisements , and despise christian admonitions ; for how commeth it to passe , that so many great , rich , and mightie men of the world , are some athists , papists , neuters , n●lla fidians ▪ &c. and so colde in charitie ? but only this , impatiencie of good counsell , being hard to finde a faithfull man , that will boldly speake without partiallitie : but elther is blinded with greatnesse , or driuen to silence for outward respects , to keepe in fauour with smooth words , especially when his state dependes vppon great men , there is then a filme growes ouer the eye-sight , and such a dimnesse , as he cannot see , no not the sunne at noone dayes , be it neuer so cleare or splendidious , but be rather as cloudes to hide their shame , or instruments to incite them to more leaudnesse . for if such a one fall into a grosse errour , and by his life be a scandall to the good , liuing openly in some vile crime , he shall not want trencher-flies , clawbackes , and sycophants , that wil crie peace , peace , when he is at warre with his owne conscience , and feede his humour with flattery , be his life neuer so sinfull ; such may be fitly called seruingmen , for they neuer serue god , but soothe them vp to serue their owne turne , they pretend much loue and great seruice , when t is nothing but superficial flattery , if these see but a small moate amisse , a wrinkle awry , how tentible they be to mend it ! but though the minde be neuer so spotted with vice , the eye cannot pierce it , be it ner so visible , and indeed if the humour of their maister , take it in ill part , they may chaunce for their intelligence to be turnde out of all preferment ; o how they wil storme if controwlde in their course ! and take it exceedingly ill , as though they had a dispensation to doo what they list without reproofe , because they are great . if preachers crie out against vice in generall , then is it specially applied , he ment me , he spites me , and so goes about to stop their mouthes , by accusing them of ●●yling , sedition , or slaundring : or if priuately admonished , then are they busie , factious , and stray from their text : y●t for all this , a good man will not be abashed to whisper into their eares priuatly , or inueigh against vice publikely , come what will come . solon compareth ( not vnfitly ) lawes to copwebs , for that great flies can breake through at ease , when the lesser are intangled : in like manner great men can soone rush through the walles of lawe , and breake downe iron gates ; when the weake must abide the extremitie , and haue no other defence but their owne innocencie . thus doth might deceiue them : but a●risacra fames quid non ? what cannot gold bring to passe ? it can dim the clearest sight , and raise vp an humble minde to a haughtie courage : is it not strange that a base pedanticall parasite , in hope of a lease , or some small fauour , should clappe his hands at wickednesse ? and that a man indued with reason , and hath the vse of his fiue wittes , should beled by flattery , and made blinde with plausible wordes , not to see his owne faultes , though they be as thicke as the darknesse of egipt , to be felt with the hande and not seene with the eye ? for be it he is so obdurate , that he cannot , or will not see them : yet must he needs be noted , pointed at , liue defamed , as a may-game to the worst , and a lamentable spectacle to the best . i remember i read once of alexander , if happily i can now repeate it , who on a time vehemently blamed his steward , for that hauing serued him so long , and bene so conuersant in his affaires , so familiar with his priuate doings , and laie as it were in his bosome , as if he had bene his second selfe , that in all the time of his seruice could not spie ought amisse , to dimme his glorie : for it is impossile ( quoth hee ) in so many yeares , and so much opportunitie , that i should neuer offend and blemish my vertue , with some dishonourable action : deseruing either prewarning in the beginning , or reproofe in the ende , and so expelled him his seruice . here is a mirrour of true honour , this noble prince , cast off his steward , because he concealde his faultes amongst christians , that should be inspired with higher wisedome ; the contrary is daily practised , the ●eruant shall be dismist for telling truth , and honest minds purchase shrewde rebukes ; this head-strong opinion is the downe-fall of all good order : for when men-pleasers , and claw-backes , doo leade captiuitie cap●iue in the fetters of vanitie , a multitude of honest mindes are in daunger to be seduced , to imitate their course of life . for as the marriners in a shippe , haue theyr eyes earnestly bent vpon the maister , that sitteth at the helme , and readie at his becke to doo his will ; so such men as stand vp in the common-wealth , and holde the rudder of direction in theyr handes , are duly watcht , and attentiuely ouerseene , and according to their aime , the common sort bend their course . o howe riches mocke men with certaintie , when nothing is more mutable and slippery , with perfect happine●●e , when nothing is more wretched , the nurs● of pride , the schoole of abuse , and the guide that leades into many temptations , it is much better rather to shine in vertue , then in riches . and therefore our sauiour christ in the gospell , comp●reth the felicitie of a rich man , to an impossibilitie : ●aying , that it is as hard for him to climbe to heau●n , being loaden with drosse , as for a cammell to creepe through the eye of a needl● : and this made the philosophers in their humane wisedome , so much despise worldly honour , and vndergoe pouertie with so great patience . a●nacreon ▪ hauing a huge masse of money sent him by policrates , could neuer rest till he was rid of it againe , his minde troubled , his sleepe broken , returned it againe to him that sent it : saying he neuer liued in so great feare and dread all his life long , as hee had done those two dayes while the mony was in his house . pho●●●n , in like manner , when the king had sent him a great beneuolence , hee asked him that brought it ▪ what mooued his maister to send him so much mony , seeing the king did not know him ▪ answered , it was in respect of the great fame he heard of his vertues : if that be the cause ( quoth he ) carry it backe to him againe , and let him leaue me as i am , and ●ot by increase of wealth to diminish my vertues . diogines refused all , and craued nothing , but the common benef●● of the sunne , which alexander had taken from him , by standing betweene him and it . plutarch reporteth , that when alexander vpon a time came into a poore barren countrey , thinking to haue made some great conquest , found the inhabitants gathering rootes & grasse to ●ate , neither vsing force to repell and keep him backe , nor any meanes to disswade him from his warlike attempt , but as poore snakes , were altogether busied for their bell●es . the king considering their pouertie , and vnfruitfulnesse of their countrey , had pittie and compassion on their miserie , and bad them aske what they would , and it should incontinently be graunted . quoth they ( with one consent ) giue vs euerlasting life . why how can i giue that ( quoth he ) that am but a mortall man ? then why seeke you to win the whole world , as though you were immortall , and should neuer dye ? zenon , crates , infinite were the examples of those that were rauished with the formossitie and excellent hue of vertue , that they contemned money , riches ▪ pompe , choosing pouertie for the pure life of perfection , bearing the bitternesse of fortune with an vnconquerable courage . the auntient victorious romaines ●ought after vertue , and by their noble deedes and heroicall spirits , got the palme of true honour , not sparing body or goods to aduance the cōmon-wealth ; in so much as many of them had not wherewith to endowe theyr daughters , nor which was lesse , to defraye funerall charges , but what they had out of the commō store , which by their conquests they had so greatly enriched , as s●ipio , sylla , and the great pomp●y : for then vertue was their chiefest riches . an example we finde of a noble captaine , who beeing offered a great reward by his generall for his knighthood and valour done in seruice , with this gratulation thou shalt bee paide in riches for thy valour , and not in honour for vertue ; hee refused the one , and tooke the other , counting riches not worthy to bee matched wi●h the dignitie of v●rtue . the martyrs in all ages are much to bee admired , that being indued with true fortitude , did most willingly embrace their deathes , and suffer their bodies to bee rent , torne , and cruelly burned , by the persecutors , for the profession of a good conscience , and by theyr meeke sufferings , gained perpetuall honour . and although it falleth out as for the most part it doth , that men indued with rare and singular vertues , are vtterly forgotten , and scarce noted while they liue ; yet beeing dead , theyr fame mounts vp to heauen , and is divulged and spread in the earth ; for the want of a good thing , is then most precious when it is remooued farthest off . cato was scarce knowne while he liued , but after his death , was of great price ; and all those famous philosophers , orators , schoole-men , that liued in darknesse , and were so basely esteemed , yet wee see by the memorie of their goodly vertues , they now liue againe by being recommended from one age to an other . and herehence sprung the multiplicitie of heathen goddes , i meane from the notable vertues of singular men : for the foolish antiquitie , honoured men as gods after their deathes , which eyther were of high dignitie while they liued , of great birth , or had done some notable benefite for their countrie : for honour and reuerence is rehibited for some certaine cause , rising of externall things , framed by vertue , for honour is compounded of honestie . h●rmes , or mercurius , was of such fame among the aegiptians , as hee was deified and made a god , calling him the messenger of iupiter . mars , a great warriour . bacch●● , the inuenter of wine . esculapius , a phisition . pyth● ▪ was so reuerently thought of amongst the barbarians , for that by his singular wisedome hee had withdrawne the inhabitants from their vices , that they made of his cottage a temple , giuing him diuine honour . what contumelies and strife was about the bodie of homer , when seuen cities were at variance to possesse his corpes when he was dead . septem vrbes certant , de stirpe insignis homeri : smyrna , rhodes , colophon , salami● , ios , argos , athenae . diogenes liued beggerly , in contempt , but after his death was honorably interred in a monument of fame : so that the memorie of these sprung from the roote of vertue , and from some notable exployt , which got the peoples loue , who thought the applause of this worlde was no sufficient recompence for theyr vertues . the flourishing state of the romaines , athenians , lacedemonians , and other dominions , were all vpheld by vertue ; for where vertue is established , there vice is detested : for as light and darknesse , fire and water , cannot be put together but one will confound the others nature : so these two contraries , cannot ioyntly hold possession , but one will vtterly extinct the other ; and where vertue is wanting in a generall gouernment , that common-wealth is wholly ouerthrowne . oderunt peccare boni , virtutis amore , oderunt peccare mali , formidine pane . the good hate to sinne because of vertue , the bad for lawe , but he is onely good , that of his owne wil , and honest mind , eschueth euil more for cōscience sake , thē for dread of mans punishment : the euill and vicious contrariwise , are with-held by the rigour of iustice , and for feare of penaltie , the rebellion within is kept from outwardly working : so that nothing but the sword of the magistrate doth stay the hot rage of his furie , when the conscience lyes vast and open to all wicked desires , he is not to bee numbred amongst vertuous and good men . to conclude , where the common-wealth is guided by godly lawes of princes , the lampe of vertue shining in the hearts of subiects , laudable sciences imbraced , iustice without partialitie administred , the good protected , the bad punished , & peace maintained ; there is a happpie and blessed gouernment , a sweete harmonie of nature , and an earthly paradize : for he that shall goe about to counite and couple vice & vertue in one , putteth a man and a beast together : honestie admits no such knot , for the end of good , which ought to be after one sort , must not be mingled with any thing disagreeable in an other sort ; for vertue is no longer vertue , if mixed with contrarie qualities : we may then safely conclude , that there is no goodlyer possession then vertue , and that it is perfect folly , to couet to be rich , mightie , and creepe vp to worldly honour , and make so small reckening to be stored with vertue , which is so certaine , the tytle so glorious and permanent , wherevpon one calleth it dimidium animae meae , which is not vnproperly spoken , for take away vertue from a man , which is the plain path to sanctimony , he must be numbred among those creatures that haue onely essence , and want vnderstanding , sith hee aymeth not at the purpose of his creation . the audacitie and stout courage of the heathen was such , that for morrall vertues would ca●● themselues into daungers , many times deadly , abandon riches , endure pouertie , abide tortures , desiring rather a poore quiet life to follow vertue , then by a prosperous state to draw the mind into a troublesome stirre : for pouertie , performes that indeed , that all philosophy goeth about to perswade . but this dooth much shake the feeble conscience when wee behold diuers good men endued with rare vertues , and stored with good parts , notwithstanding oppressed , discarred , and as it were made the scorne and may-game of the world , finding no place of safetie to rest vpon , and the bad and vicious to sit in fortunes lap . now whē we mark these vnproportionable accidents , onely with the eye of common reason , ō how it distracteth the minde ! accusing through ignorance the iust and diuine prouidence , because he permitteth the good to be punished with miserie , and the bad to swim in prosperitie : but if we bend our wits to find out a deeper reason , we shal see that the good are not afflicted for their hurt , but fatherly chastised for their better triall , the wicked not fauored , but seuerely punished ▪ for god worketh al things for the good of those that are his : yet who can denie , but that the burthen of pouertie is importable , hunger , imprisonment , exile , intollerable persecution , and death insufferable ? all which is inough to driue a man to dispaire of his owne happinesse , supposing god had vtterly forsakē him : but the waight hereof is lightned & made easie to them that steadfastly beleeue gods promises , and cast their care on him , as peter willeth : cast thy care on him , for hee hath care on thee . moreouer , though a man be poore , sicke , diseased , and wayed downe with a clogge of miserie : yet can he not say , hee is so bare and naked , as vtterly vnable to help himselfe or an other : for admit he hath no tempo●all goods to helpe that way , yet can hee harbour and shewe the rights of hospitalitie : if hee hath neither of both , yet can hee visit the sicke , and cheare vp his mind with good counsell : if he be poore , sicke , lame , harborlesse , and comfor●lesse himselfe , yet can he helpe with his prayers , and communicate his loue by his orysons and deuout supplications : so that euery one hath a rich fountaine within , which vpon euery occasion may be powred out , and therefore no man can pleade disabilitie , and want of meanes to relieue . and what though a man haue some casuall deformitie in his body , or bee vnhappily fallen into a wretched estate ▪ yet so long as his vertue and honestie may bee iustified , hee neede not bee ashamed of brusing the flesh , or feeling penurie , but rather boast and glorie in them , for it cannot bee any shame or dishonour , to carrie about him the visible tokens of such scarres , neither dooth it any whit impaire his credit with the wise and vertuous , nor make him of lesse esteeme with good men , much lesse with god , who putteth no difference between a king and a begger , but onely in obedience to his will : but here is the ignominie , to bee branded with the hotte iron of wicked conuersation ; as when a man shall haue his eares cut from his head , or marked in the hand for some villainie , and the spots of vice so pregnant on his body , or going vnder a hard censure , for a bad opinion iustly conceiued , in this case hee hath small cause to glory or boast , but rather blush , be ashamed , and exile himselfe from common societie , and striue with humilitie to reforme those rebellious passions , that haue so strongly lead him into such dishonestie . but where vertue doth rule , the affaires and actions of this life are mannaged with wisedome , and those swelling thoughts kept backe , which as a raging floud carrie away all that is not ground ▪ fast , that any outward griefe is quietly suffered , and patiently endured : for what aduerse fortune soeuer happens , is borne with contentment ; in so much as neither pouertie , sicknesse , crosses , afflictions , or what calamitie soeuer come , cannot moue or distemper a stayed minde : for beeing inflamed with a constant resolution , doth fit himselfe to beare the troubles of this life , with a valiant and immutable courage . stilp● a greeke philosopher , when the citie where hee dwelt was burnt to sinders , his wife and children consumed in the flame , and all that hee had turned to ashes , himselfe hardly escaping with his life , was asked what he lost in the fire ( quoth he ) i lost nothing , for omnia mea mecum porto , all that is mine i carrie about me ; meaning his vertues , the onely proper goods of a wise man , which no force of fire can cōsume , nor the furie of no enemy take away . in like maner an other being told his own son was dead , was no whit moued at y● message ; and being told againe & again he was dead , why quoth he , what of that ? i knew i begat a mortall creature , and being mortall , he must needs die : who could beare such great cause of griefe without some shew of sorrow ? but such smal reckning did the wise heathē make of worldly losses : for it is the nature of mā to relent , deplore , and be subiect to lamentations , yet their wisedome kept it vnder the yoake of reason : or who in these daies would refuse such preferment as di●genes ? o● his loade of gold , as fabritius ? or cast his treasure into the sea , as antippus ▪ i verily suppose fewe or none would bee of that minde , neither is it so needfully required , christian sorrow for worldly losses is sufferable : riches and wealth to a good man are comfortable , by reason he hath greate● means to do good , for the daunger lyeth in the abuse , and not simply in the vse : for to a bad man they are indeede the cause of more euill , because they minister more matter to his wicked and sinfull desire . a man may warme him by a fire , though hee burne not himselfe in it : so a rich man may mod●rately vse his riches , though with them hee stoppe not vp the gappe to happinesse : but the deadly hatred they bore to externall things , shewed theyr loue to vertue , and the desire they had to diue into the depth of wisedome ; ô how they stroue about the contemplatiue and actiue life ! some choosing one , some the other , strugling who should come nearest vnder the wings of vertue , and yet for all this they laboured but in darkenesse and blinde ignorance , and neuer attained to that true ioy , by which the heart is exalted to immortalitie : for the true and absolute vertue is the true knowledge of god , the way to worship him aright , and true comfort in aduersitie , for nothing can bee good without the soueraigne good : if m●n bee ignorant of that , all is false , and theyr intentions goe awrie , but the philosophicall summum bonum rested in this ; namely , in the quiet apprehending of reason , and fashioning the outward man to ciuill obedience , and could neuer possesse themselues of that heauenly felicitie , vnder which all vertue is comprehended . pouertie ought not to moue the minde with restlesse passions , but to allaie the heate with contentation , and pacific the vnstaied affections , which will more easily be done , if a man considerately call to mind , how many persons in the world are in as wretched , or more wofull estate then he himselfe is , yet the deare children of god too : but in aduersitie many lose themselues in discontentment , not patiently wayting , but greedily snatching , not content with that they haue be it neuer so much , but adding goods to goods , and multiplying more to enough with neuer satisfied desire , tormenting the minde with vnquiet motions , and by that meanes make the freedome of life a sharpe and bitter bondage : for if their life were six times so long , as it may be by the inuitable course of nature , yet the tenth part of that they haue , were sufficient to maintain them well and honestly , and declare whereto they were borne , and inrich their posteritie after ; why should they then be so greedy and earthly minded to consume their dayes in such vnreasonable cares ? whereby they are neuer at rest , but in continuall slauery , so greatly do they feare least they should be poore : and so in the midst of plentie liue in want , and thus become incaple of reason , and most miserable of all men : for no externall thing can in themselues make a mā vnhappie , if immoderate desire creep not in to breed rebellion , so that still our former assertion must hold : in medio concis●●t virtus , vertue stands betweene two extreames , in cooling the heate of desire with temperance , not in feeding the belly so much as it will hold , cloathing the backe so farre as the purse will stretch , and giuing scope to pleasure , as though much wealth gaue much libertie , for that is prodigalitie , nor in pinching & hoording it vp from necessary duties , for that is illiberalitie , & ouerturneth the whole fellowship of mankind : neither must a man neglect his priuat state , but labour in his calling to supply his wants ; the meane therefore is the safest path to walke in , in which whosoeuer goeth , is safe from stumbling vpon extremities : if y cor as had held his medium t●tiss●mum , he had not so vntimely fallen : or phaeton , obserued the good counsell of his father , he had not bin striken with thunder ; but presumption & arrogance , casteth men healong into woe and misery . so that if temperance do not order the life , and dispose our humane affaires , we fall into an insatiable desire of hauing , or into an vtter neglect of our own wants , spending too much & that vainly , or sparing too much , & that too nigardly : but as the higher we clime , the lesse appearance those things seeme to haue that are vnder vs , our sight being remoued from the obiect and species of things : so the nearer we approch to god , and frame our obedience vnto him , the lesse we value these base & transitory things . now , if by this compendious course , our mindes are abstracted & drawen backward , immediatly our cogitations ascend vp to heauē , as vnto the country to which we are trauelling , we must not the incumber our mindes with so heauy a load , as the cares of this life , least they hinder vs in the pursuit to perfect blessednesse . o what a burden of torments doth the couetous desire bring with it ! a disease like the dropsie , the more it hath , the more it would ; thirsty as the serpent di●sas , neuer satisfied till it burst , wanting that it hath , and hath that it wanteth ; because the good vse of those things present , are euer absent ▪ ô whither would the greedine●●e of man run if mydas golden wish were to be had ? the couetous lawier would haue the diuell and all ; the secular priest , be sick of the golden dropsie ; the artificer , alcumize his instruments into gold ; the plow ▪ man weary of his labour : so that here would be aurea atas , a golden world . thus would extreame couetousnes bring a misery vpon the owners , and though with mydas , they might turne any thing into gold with a touch ; yet should they be starued with hunger , famish the bodie , and robbe the soule of all true comfort . for these waight alwaies on a couetous man , impietie , periurie , thefts , rapines , treasons , fraud , deceits , and all kind of vnconscionable and mercilesse dealings . let a man then be content with his portion , and not seeke to aspire vnto terrestiall honour , by tearing out the bowelles of his brethren , with vsurie , extortion , and vnconscionable brokerie . for it is better to be contentedly poore , then miserably rich , and to surpasse in rare vertues , then in earthly treasure ; for albeit a man be downe in misery , yet if honest and vertuous , hee is raised vp to immortall glory : for the excellency of vertue , makes him shine with such a grace , as h● may soone be eleuated to the top of true honour , and cannot goe vnrewarded for his honourable seruice ; for hauing valiantly fought vnder the banner of so noble a matron , his paie is fame in despite of death , and eternall felicitie in the world to come ▪ for vertue inableth a man to enioy the fruition of perfect happinesse , and eternall life . then let a poore ma● reioyce in affliction , and patiently beare aduersitie ▪ and comforte him selfe with the hope of a better life , which assuredly hee shall enioy if so be he hold out to the ende in a holy and vertuous course , and for sorrow here , haue ioy there ; and for a hellish life now , a heauenly life then ; when those that haue their heauen here , and wallow in solace , ioy , and carnall pleasures in this world , must with diues be tormented in endlesse flames in the world to come . to what end then should a man be grieued at misery , and murmur , as though hee were an abiect , an ou● cast , and forlorne : when there shall be a supply of his wants , in aboundant measure , and be crowned a king of that heauenly ierusalem . vpon a time solon found a poore man sitting by the sea side , bewayling his miserie in great dispaire , whom he comforted in this manner : brother why weep you , what haue you lost , is it want and pennury that nippeth you ? alas for that you haue small cause ; for say you were in the middest of yonder great sea , loaden with treasure , in daunger of drowning , would you not willingly lose your goods to saue your life ? why thinke then you were once in like perill , and haue escaped , and lost but your onely goods , then now pacific your selfe , be content with your state . thus we see what daunger a rich man is in , by the opinion of this wise heathen . two waies are proposed and laide open to all , the one inuiting to vertue , the other alluring to vice ; the first is combersome , intricate , vntraded , ouergrowne , and many obstacles to dism●y a passenger ; the other , plaine , euen beaten , ouershadowed with boughes , tapistred with flowers ▪ and many obiects to feed the eye ; now a man that lookes but only to the outward shewe , will easily tread the broadest p●the , but if he● perceiue that this smooth and euen way , leads to a neast of scorpions : or a litter of beares , he will rather take the other though it be rugged and vnpleasant , then hazard himselfe in so great a daunger . the high-way that leades to pleasure is verie spatious , it lyeth open like the sea , many tempting motions to inuoke the mind , lamea sitting by the way gorgiously deckt , the syrens with sweete melody , to intrappe the passenger , if with vlisses he bind not himselfe to the mast of prouident respect ; and many lyōs , beares & wolues lie in waite for their pray . but the pathe leading to vertue , though it be toylesome , laborious , difficult , a way vneasie to be trackt , hard to finde , craggie , stonie , thorny , and a sweating turmoyle , as the poet describeth : nam via virtutis , dextrum petit ardua callem , dificilem que additum , primum spectantibus offert , sed requiem praebet fessis in vertice summo . for vertues rugged pathe requires , a stout and painfull minde : and daungers new are multiplied , to such as will her finde . but in the ende great ioy she brings , &c. yet seeing hee goeth streight to his iournies ende , shall arriue at the house of fame , be crowned with honor , who will not vndergoe a poore labour , to gaine so rich a iewell ? for though the rootes of vertue be bitter , yet the fruites be sweete . againe , if in things dangerous and full of perilles , a man will not sticke to hazard his life , ●run through fire and water , abide hunger , colde , and willingly beare a thousaud miseries , incident to long and tedious iournies , to diue into the bowelles of the earth for golde , traffique to orinoque , the indians , and farre remote places to feede the long desire of this short life , as the poet saith : impiger extremos currit marcator ad indos , per mare pauperiem sugiens , per saxa , per igneis : how ought they thē to hunt after vertue , the bright sonne of prosperitie , which can raise them vp , tamquam ê puluere & lut● , out of dust and claie , to the high pitch of euerlasting honour . but as many waies crosse the queenes high ▪ way , so vertue is wanted and thwarted , with many smoothe paths , if by exact care they be not auoyded , and though there be a spatious opposition an antithesis , yet no such difference at the first seemeth , for long pacing breedeth content , by reason the mine is nummed and brought a sleepe , with such varietie of obiects , as dazle the sences , and fixe the opinion so firme in an ill course , that he findeth himselfe enexorable to turne head , and set footing in the way of vertue . neuerthelesse , though vertue is so noble , glorious , honourable , immortall , &c. ( that neither my dull wit , rudenesse of speech , or this little volume is able to expresse her infinit praises : but had rather need of prompt eloquence , and cunning most excellent , and much leisure therevnto ) yet vice is painted out with such goodly colours , and so gorgiously set out with pompe , that iumping with the naturall impediment , a man is soone lulde a sleepe in pleasures , and deluded by phantasma , a dreame , a shadow : as it was with calippus , that dreamd he was a king , and whēawooke he was a begger : or the foole of syrac●sa , who being opprest with melancholy , thought all the ships that arriued in the hauen , were laden with his marchandiz e ; so doth it mocke the imagination , with flattering allurements , and drawe a man by litle & litle to his owne destruction . o t is an amiable diuel , a sweet sinne , a lycorous poyson , a smiling cut-throate , a weeping crokidile : so that by this the minde is drawne from all celestiall contemplation , and from that heauenly regard which the singularitie of that diuine sweetnesse doth require , and by that meanes become carelesse & negligent , in the pursuit of vertue , and haue no desire to be partaker of her vtilitie and profite , but are wholy circumuented and carried away by iniustice , luxurie , pride , couetousnesse , selfe ▪ loue , and such like ; for this fleeting ioy , is a sweet delight ; but as the poets faine , that drinking the water lethae , breedeth forgetfulnesse : so vice and pleasure , makes the mind obtuse and carelesse of all holy vertues , wherby the whole man is transported into all licentiousnesse . and for this cause are pleasures ●ompared to the syrins , that appeare louely in sight with golden locks , chirry lippes , rosie cheeks , &c. and all that part aboue the water goodly , beautifull , and pleasant to beholde : but the tayle hid belowe is sharpe , crooked , venomous , that she no sooner draweth a man vnto her by a wantō countenance , but presently stings him to death ; for paine & pleasure are two twins , for he no sooner letteth his minde slip to one , but the other is readie to cast him into miserable estate . and therefore to shun pleasures , it is good to behold her behind and not before , to cōsider what trouble , torments , dishonour , and ignominie , waits vpon her , for after her ghests are surfeited with dainties , she makes the ende as fatall and ominous as the centaurs feasts , a suttle sy●on , that telles a pleasing tale to breede securitie , dropping hony from her lippes , but hath the poyson of aspes vnder her tongue , a standing ponde , cleare aboue : but all filth and mudde below : and therfore the wise schoolemaister , warneth his scholler to shunne pleasures , for feare of smart ; sowre things follow sweete , and ioy heauinesse . volupt as esca malorum , saith he , pleasure is the bait of euil : and hor. ad lollium . sperne volupt at is no●et empta dolore volupt as . yet many repute themselues wise and excellently seen , though they are nothing daunted at such a hidious monster : and so are wise only in opinion , and with this sottish cogitation enterprise matters infamous , yea oftentimes to the vtter ruine & ouerthrow of themselues , and by this meanes run headlong into all manner vice , not suspecting the mōster-like danger ouer their heads . he that followes pleasure , is as the spider that laboureth all day to intangle a flie , or like a wa●●on boy that blowes vp feathers into the aire , and spends the time in running vp and downe after them ; for what is pleasure but a puffe ? and what is all painfull and ponderous labours but a copweb ? if we shoote not at this marke , to cast anchor in the harbor of vertue , for if we couet to be honoured , otherwise then by vertue , we climbe a rotten ladder sure to fall ; for vaine-glory is a blaze which soone vanisheth , glistering for a while in some outward pompe , in the darknesse of this world , carrying with it some shewe of gentri● , when t is but the scumme of vice , pride , and swelling ambition : for what gaine is it for a man to win the whole world , and loose his owne soule ? to daunce in pleasure for a while , and liue in woe for euer ? what great matter was in darius and alexander , tamberlaine and baiazeth , caesar and pompey , that stroue for the monarchiall gouernment , and to be sole potentates of the world ? but that the after times might sing with melib. haec memini & victum , frustra contendere thyrsin . ex illo coridon , coridon est tempore nobis . what was their happines , but vnquiet & perturbations ? and neuer attained to that theyr ambition sought after , but snatching at vncertaintie , like esops dog , lost that they were sure of before : so that all this worldly strife was but to satisfie the hungry desire of a fewe dayes , to purchase such honour as sinkes into obliuion , leauing no happie memorie behinde of any notable vertue . but the onely warre-fare is striuing for vertue , by resisting the passions of the minde : this is both a valiant and an honourable expedition , a true martialist he is indeed , that by strong hand labours to suppresse his rebellious lusts , and is ambitious of nothing but onely vertue , as themistocles , that said , the monuments , trophies , glory , and great fame of miltiades , would not suffer him to take his rest , for that exceeding desire he had to imitate him in vertue , that so he might rise vp to like honour . former presidents are spurres to quicken the mind , to embrace that vertue portraied out by our auntients , and a meanes to make vs vigilent and watchfull , least by sloath we become blinde , ignorant , and grope in the darke with polephemus : and this is most euident , that so long as we liue in pleasure , the minde is neuer illuminated with diuine moysture : for while the time is spent in voluptuousnesse , a blast of vanitie , a bubble of water , the excellent faculties of the soule are depressed and weyed downe with base & seruile designements . but hauing thus rudely run ouer the profitable studie of vertue , in this homely manner , as the dulnesse of my wit , and shortnesse of time would suffer , it now remaineth to blaze out her enemie vice , & more liuely to paint out those capitall euils which oppose themselues against honestie . and in this the method of the auntient philosophers is to be obserued , who were not content to explain the morall vertues , with a bare and simple demonstration , but also set to euery one her contrary and repugnantvice , that by due considering both , we might embrace the good and shun the euill ; and that by the glory of one , the other might be more vgly and loathsome : for when vertue is visibly painted out , inuironed with vice , we haue her in greater admiratiō , and her excellencies in higher regard , & therfore fortitude hath audacitie on the one side , & timiditie on the other side , science , ignorance , & sinister perswasion , and so euery one , the more & the lesse , whereby we see not onely the image and reflexion , but the very abstract and essence of them both , & although one would think that temperance , a heauenly vertue , were inough to moue to sobrietie , yet if the many enormities that come of the contrary be omitted , a man is hardly disswaded . therfore diogenes being demaunded how one should keepe himself sober , by beholding ( quoth he ) the beastlinesse of drunkards ; for it is manifest , that when a crabbed visage and a misshapen body , shall stand by an amiable & louely personage , the deformitie of the one doth much illustrate and beautifie the other . venus was euer fairest when she stood by vulcā : so that viewing this antithisis , honour and shame , perfect blisse & neuer dying sorrow , & looking to the finall endes , & the reward that they both yeeld at last , we may be stirred vp with an ardent zeale , to destroy vice , & maister that combersome seruant passion . now the chiefe motiue herevnto , is diligent education & training vp youth in discipline , wherby a vniuersall good is attained ; for this is the maine pillar that holdeth vp & vnderprops the gouernment , without which no commō-wealth could stand & peaceably continue . and therfore it is in the power of parents , to make or marre the world , for if children be not well nurtured , how shall they bequeath that to posteritie which they neuer der●ued frō their auncestors ? or if superiours and magistrates , giue not good example in their places , how should they induce other to pietie ? for as atlas is faigned to support the heauens with his shoulders , so must the world be held vp by discipline , & those vices cut off with the sword of reformation , that fight against honestie ; for her valour and courage will soone weaken by impunitie and euill example ; but as the cutting off the head of a serpēt killeth the body , so the immoderate passions of the mind rooted out in the beginning , the whole body of this hidious mōster voluptuousnes is destroied , and the tranquility of the mind possest with greater ioy ; for being once taught to loath vice , & traded in wel doing , from the cradle , is thereby so well qualified , as it doth not easily chaunge any good course it vndertakes , but vpon well grounded reasons . for hauing some knowledge of it owne inward good , findeth nothing without of so equall rate , for which it should alter and turne , but being firmly setled in an honest course , keepeth a sweete concord betweene the intellectiue and the morrall , and yeeldeth it selfe sutable , to the vertuous disposition of the minde , the excellencies whereof , is manifested with such rare demonstrations , that it neuer subiecteth it selfe to base inconstancie and feeble hazards , expelling vice , as an enemie to all good endeuour . to proceed , vertue cannot bee gotten without imployment of the minde and body in commendable arts . securitie and ease draweth to vice , if a man then will build vpon a perfect assurance , and make his estate durable , hee must bend his whole endeuours to honest labour , & not onely do well , but continue therein to the end . but if a man suppose to be richly vertuous for one good deed ; as in paying duties , impositions , tallages to the poore church , or commō-wealth ; if taxed according to his abilitie , and forcibly exacted from him , it is but the superficies and blaze of vertue : for intentio animi non actus perfecit actum : the willingnes doth approue the act : or if a man do a good deed by accident and haphazard , to blinde the opinion , and by a counterfeit shewe seeke to insinuate into a good report , when otherwise the whole scope of his life be vitious and euill , what lawde can hee iustly merite ? but where intirely the minde is bent therevnto , and inflamed with her pulchritude , so that he persist and holde out therein . as for example , as he is not to be termed a taylor , that onely mendeth his garment , or he a shoomaker that onely patcheth his shooe , vnlesse he make it his whole art , and expose himselfe therevnto , as to his trade and occupation : so in like manner , he that stumbleth vpon one good action by chaunce , is not by and by to be deemed a perfect man ; but he onely that doth well , and persisteth in so doing , and as his trade , bee wholly occupied therein . for as the minde of the husbandman is euer vpon cattell , tillage , and such things as belong to his calling , saylors vpon their ships , & souldiers on the warres , and schollers on learning , so must the whole disposition and carriage be occupied in vertue , as on the day-starre that guideth to the hauen of rest . it is not therefore one or two good deeds , or such things as are done by chaunce-medley , or peraduenture without a setled minde , that vertue honoreth , for euery man goeth so far in common honestie : but when the integritie of the heart is stirred vp by deuotion to streame out a continuall store of good workes , with a mind willingly disposed therevnto . neuerthelesse , if our eye ▪ sight and vnderstanding could pierce inward , or that we had the eyes of linx , to penetrate the secrets of the minde , we might see many rauening wolues , couered with a sheepes skinne , and the nature of a cruell and sauage tyger lurking in some , that outwardly carrie a semblance of vertue , a ciuil course , & an hypocrite clad with the mantle of honestie : for shee carrieth a generall good liking of all men , and ( as plato saith ) if she could be visibly painted out to the eye , euery one would bee wonderfully rauished with her perfections , and therefore the euill seeke to hide their vices vnder her shadow , and drawe the curtaine of pollicie in the portraiture of pietie : for stand he neuer so obstinate in a desperate state , and bee really possest with wickednesse , yet in no case will hee willingly seeme to be that in shewe which hee is indeed , but labour to hide it what he may , and couer the shame of euill with a simple shadow , if it be but with figge-leaues , and deaurate and guild ouer his spottes and sores with the tincture , and dye of holynesse . for the puritie of vertue makes men detest their owne euill , and though vice breake out , and be neuer so pregnant , yet will they cunningly blinde the opinion , and flye to her for succour : and albeit theyr eyes bee dazeled with the splendour of vertue , and cannot choose but admire her beautie , yet haue they no power to follow her , but pine away , and giue her no entertainment , which the poet well noteth , virtus laudatur & alget . vertue ( saith hee ) is praised of many , but she may s●arue for colde before they will take her in , and warme herby their fire . these are right counterfeites , that haue nothing but a clowde or skinne of vertue , which as a slender painting is washt off with cu●ry dash , a glose , an image , that they keepe so long as they haue pleasure or profit thereby : they may well be compared to vaine-glorious women , who because they want beautie , colour their faces with painting , to get that by art , that nature hath denied them . yea there be some that seeme the very images of sanctitie , lowely , courteous , modest , humble , their eyes fixed on their graues , their haire shorter then their eye-browes , as though they were myrrours of religion and pietie , and by robbing vertue of her best apparell , decke themselues with the habite of honestie , and yet haue nothing within but artificiall knauerie , fraud , deceit , and hypocricie : for if outwardly stretcht to shewe theyr inward good , they then appeare as they are , and lay themselues open to theyr owne shame : the touch-stone of triall can soone distinguish them aright ; ô how such smoothe fronted hypocrites can dally with the time , and cut out their manners to the best fashions , onely to please those who measure others good by their owne integritie , and as long as the sun shines , goe by the shadowe of others , but their light failing , soone leaue their earnest following , and is so hotly bent in his colde zeale , that he is neuer without a boult in his mouth to shoote through his simple neighbour . but because i will not be too cinicall , to anatomize particular imperfections , i will bee sparing : i could neuerthelesse paint out some , that as long as gaine hung on their profession , were not slacke to ouertake the best men : but the world slyding , their meanes failing , and the gaine they reaped by such their profession decaying , theyr hotte loue to pietie melts away like snowe before the sunne , and as dogs , turne back to their owne vomit . so that heere is the depth of policie , in sifting the carryage to the humour of good men , that tracing the path of counterfeit holynesse , might gaine both fauour and aduancement . for as i said before , if vice should come in her own shape , fewe or none would giue her entertainment , and though in wardly imbraced of some , yet outwardly detested of all . these are like blades that haue painted sheathes , but canker-fret and rustie within . and as the cameleon hath all colours saue white , so haue they all parts saue honestie . the fish polipus ( as some write ) hath this propertie , that it can turne itselfe into the likenesse of a stone , or seeme to be that which is next it , and so vnder colour of not seeming as it is , doeth rauen vppon other fishes . so in like manner do colde christians prey vppon the simplicitie of honest mindes , and fit themselues to all companies . if among good and vertuous men , then is he like them , setting himselfe in his best properties , and seeme to haue that which euery honest man ought to haue , and so by that means hide great vices vnder a thin colour of vertue , that by so fitting his habit to the time and place , is for the humour of euery person , and thus by craftie and disguised dissimulation , liue in outward happinesse , by praying vpon the good opinion of other men . but as socrates said to an humble hypocrite , his pride might be seene through the rents of his cloake : so this false and double dealing cannot so long be hid , but it wil breake out at one rent or other , and detect his pilferie , according to the chaunge of times . and albeit ●he puritie of truth is not hereby any whit impeached , being euer one and the same : yet by this we may see the nakednes of old adam , that wil at no hand appeare as he is . but this idle shewe and false appearance , ô how dangerous it is to the truth ! being possessed with nought but treacherie and cosonage , a capitall plague , it is for the wicked to make shewe of goodnesse , and may fitly be sorted to the apothicaries painted boxes , that haue nothing within but poyson , or some deadly compound : for which the pharises were sharpely reprehended by our sauiour in the gospell , and as the lorde complaineth by the prophet , they honour me with their lippes : but their hearts are farre from me . and therefore he is no good man that can reason of vertue in words , but hee that hath a true possession in deed , whereby the conscience is lead to deale iustly , in a continued course of well doing : for it is no paine to giue milkie words , sweete tearmes , and make a vaine florish of honestie , to choake the hard opinion , which otherwise might iustly be imputed : for this is but vaine-glory , which is euer gaping with open mouth for popular applause , for doing some thing that hath a shew of vertue , to get praise of the rude multitude . and though by prosperitie a man be dignified with glorious titles , yet if it spring not from vertues roote , it is but a bastard plant , a rotten carkasse with a painted skin . and howsoeuer they mocke the world for a while with the badge of honestie , yet the all-seeing eye of heauen , to whom darknesse is light , perspicuously obserueth all their deeds , and will bring them forth euen as they are naked and vncouered : but as such fallacies , and dillusions , are incident to a base and seruile condition : so are they euermore abhorred of an honest man. neuerthelesse many there be that binde themselues apprentise to vniust collusion and fraudulent dealing : in so much that lying and falshood is become an occupation , faire and smoothe words carry away all their gaines , increased by oppression , and by deluding the simple , make bad wares vendible , and that which is corrupt , vnholsome & naught , ( with many protestations ) vtter for good and excellent , and that at vnreasonable rate too . it is lawfull for euery man to maintaine his charge , and by his calling in which he is set , which to omit is worser then an infidell : but with this caution , euermore profit , must go with honestie , and not immeasurably carried with greedy affectiō , to multiply gain by vniust means ; that that is cōscionablygottē is profitable ; and nothing profitable , that is dishonest : but to pull away either by vsurie , extortion , briberie , or fraudelent dealing , is repugnant to honestie : or to encrease a commoditie by an other mans discommoditie , ryueth asunder the common fellowship of mankinde . tully handling this argument in his offices to his sonne marke , saith ; if two runne in a race , each one ought to striue so much as he can to win the prize : but in no case he must not trip his fellow , keep him back with his hand , or cast blocks to stumble on , for that is not equal : so in like sort ( saith he ) while we run a race in this world , it is good to get that may serue the turn , in an equall & iust course : but it is neither right , nor honest , to racke , extort , and purloyne from other , and by setting the conscience on the tainter-hookes , to rise vp by his fall . it was ordained by the athenian lawe , that the seller , should laie open the faultes of the ware to the buyer , and seeing he selleth , to sell with the best aduantage to him that buyeth , with this or the like promulgation . aduexi , exposui , vendo meum non plur is quam ●●terie fortasse etiam minoris , cum maior est copia , c●ifit iniuria ? here is my ware , i offer it to sell , i sell mine for no more then other men , perhappes also for lesse , seeing i haue more store , to whom is the wrong done ? but hee that should obserue this in our dayes , would either be thought a mad man or a foole ; so farre is this griping couetousnesse rooted in the harts of many , that they make no conscience to get gaine ; fas , aut nephas , by hooke or crook so they may come by it ▪ in so much that this greedie desire hath eaten vp all remorse of conscience , that labor all day with deceit , and rise vp early to wealth , by the spoyle & vndoing of other . o how pleasant & sweet is the sauour of gaine to the carnall man , be it neuer so iniuriously gotten ! vespasian the emperour , delighted so in powling and pilling his subiects , that nothing was exempted from his tallage : not so much as the very vrin made in euery house , but he had tribute for a certaine quantitie , for which being maligned and ill spoken of , his sonne disswaded him from it , as a thing base & dishonourable : but putting some of the pissing mony in a perfumed napkin , held it to his sonnes nose , asking him how it smelt ; meaning thereby , that though it was had of a filthy excrement , yet the money sauoured well enough ; suauis odor lucriex qualibet , and that gaine is sweete of whatsoeuer it commeth . all lying , in making bargaines is vtterly forbidden , false waits & measures abhominable , and wealth gotten this way clogs the soule : for it is neuer profitable to do euil , because it is euermore hatefull : and because it is alwayes honest to deale iustly , t is euermore profitable . no man by the ignorance of an other , ought to increase his owne gaine : and no greater iniurie can be vsed amongst godly christians , then falsely to mocke the vnderstanding . nothing couetously , vniustly , wrongfully , or waueringly , is fit to be done . he that is therfore set vp in a trade , and hath to deale with men in bargaining , must be warie least he be carried into vnconscionable getting , and be content with a reasonable gaine without exaction , for the ignorance of the buyer , cannot excuse the deceit of the seller . neuerthelesse , many shop-keepers , keep small conscience in vttering their ware , their shops , shops of deceit , for now almost all men crye out , that there is nothing but cosonage in buying and selling , and not without cause : for let a simple man come to buye a peece of cloath , or what other thing he needeth in some of their shops ( i will not say all , for no doubt some deale honestly ) if hee be ignorant and vnskilfull in that hee buyeth , is sure to pay double the value , or at leastwise much more then it is worth : and yet wil they sweare and protest , and heape vp a many oathes , that were it not to him he could not haue it so , and that it is farre better then the mony he paieth ; the buyer thus deceiued , yet thinks himselfe greatly friended : but if he bookes that he sells , and that the buyer comes vpon trust , then shall he pay well for inke and paper , that in the ende he must buye his commoditie twise . yea , craft is crept into the bosome of some , with such foxe-like subtiltie , that they laie open their ware as nettes , to catch young gentlemen , who hauing good friends and assured possibilitie , shall haue what he will vpon trust : prouided his lands be bound for paiment ; and so long feede his humour with coyne and commodities , that they creep at last into his whole possessions . a man must not onely vse a lawfull trade , but also vse it lawfully , without deceit ; and though it be neuer so base , yet if followed with diligence , will maintaine his estate honestly , so be it that he alwaies keepe within the essenciall properties thereof : yet there be some that haue such wandring wittes and shittle heads , that neuer rest til they haue assaied all meanes , leaue the limits of their calling , and runne into by courses , and either fall into a loytering life , or attempt that wherein they haue no skill , whereby their follies many times are made manifest to the world ; for none can iudge of an art , but he that is an artizan , hereby hindring his neighbour , who hath fitted himselfe to it by experience , deluding the common-wealth , and offending the lawe . appelles rule is quite forgot ; ne sutor , vltra crepidam . the shomaker must not goe beyond his latchet , the plowman meddle in matters of art , nor schollers teach coridon to holde the plough , but euery man to keepe within the compasse of his owne skill , and not like wilde coultes to breake into other mens ●astures : but many busie fellowes that haue short armes , yet will claspe many things , supposing that to enterprise is sufficient to execute , and that to beginne is onely inough , though they neuer make an end , and thrust into many trades , and heape one thing vpon an other , in so much that it often falleth out , that being solicitus circa multa , busied in many things , proue vnfit for any thing : let the vnum then be preferred that tyeth a man in compasse of good abilitie . for as a swift currant running in one kill , is very forcible , but if deuided into small angles is lesse powerfull : so in like case so long as a man holdeth out in that hee was brought vp in , it is effectuall , but if hee once straggle and scatter into other arts , doth vtterly weaken and disable hims●lfe , and is vnfit for any notable enterprise , and by leauing his peculiar trade , is possest with such a greedie discontent , as hee repineth at the prosperitie of his neighbour , which is the fruite of enuy . others there be so luskish and idle , that though they haue both meanes , strength and abilitie , yet will follow none at all , but be better content with hunger and ease , then labour and profite , or else by vnlawfull shifts come to a shamefull ende : but as the gripplenesse of the one is to be auoyded , so the securitie of the other is to be hated . it is meete that euery man follow his owne vocation , and being ordained for one thing , not to fall into an other : if fit for one , to holde that , and seeke no other : if apt for pollici● , to leaue the ministrie : if fit for the plough , to leaue the pulpit , and vse that for which hee is most pregnant : for one of these require a whole man , and not the least part of a man. three things vphold a mo●●●chie in peace & tranquillitie , scil : tu supplex , ora , tu protege , tuque labora , pray thou , defend thou , and labor thou : these . imploy the happinesse of euery state ; the first the ecclesiasticall discipline : the second , the politique state : and the third , the state subiugate : so that by these , & in these , a peaceable gouernment is maintained : and these are the imployments of the particulars members of a politique bodie , within the limits of which , euery one must keepe and containe himselfe . but if any man fall into extrauagant courses , hee slippeth into those euils that flowe from the complexion of nature . wee see howe many are rapt vp with greedie desire of getting , and neuer satisfied with that they haue , or can come too , eyther by violent extortiō , brabling suites , and vniust vexations , that they had rather spend ten pound in lawe to feed the malice of the mind abroad , then by loosing ten pence , to haue it quietly ended at home . i and now a dayes some are so madde & brain-sicke , that they fall together by the eares for the value of a strawe , and make hard shift though they be neuer so poore , but they will be termers , and trot to westminster three or foure times a yeare , though their wiues and children begge in the meane while : and what get they in the end after their long suites , saue a flap with a foxe-taile ( as the saying is ) and come home by need ▪ ham crosse , and fooles acre , then crye they out , might ouercomes right , would i had knowne thus much before , a vengeance take the lawiers , i am vndone : they weepe , the lawiers laugh , and the diuels sings . the common-wealth is as a den of controuersies , a man cannot brooke a pettie wrong , but by & by he runs to some make-bate some petty fogger , who no doubt is forward enough to put fier to towe , and the bellowes to blow the coales of contentions : filling the head with quirkes & quiddits , who being hote before , is now of a light fier , till he be in law , the world shall not disswade him . lawiers swarme as thick in england , as frogs in egipt ; they norish strifes , beate downe charitie , and purchase to themselues great inheritance by the discords of brabling clyents . againe , some for a priuate gaine , will murmur at a common good , and rather wish a dearth to benefite some fewe , then a plentie , that may bring profit all : if they haue store of corne , they had rather keepe it still in their barnes , till it be mustie and naught , or suffer vermine to spoile it , in hope of an excessiue price , then by bringing it out in due time , to haue a reasonable gaine ▪ and this is a true experiment , that such moathes are so auaricious and couetous , that they had rather keepe their graine till it be corrupt and foistie at home , or send it to our enemies abroad , to starue and weaken our owne state , then to relieue their bretheren with the crop of their encrease . certainly though they would seeme christians , and men of good spirits , yet are they not equall , no nor any whit comparable to the heathen , sith they thought nothing too deare for their countrey , neither life , goods , nor any thing else , and these thinke all too much , be it neuer so little . and to what end serueth this greedie desire of gaine , but to make logger-head the sonne , march before the cormorant his father in some worldly pompe , and to couer his fine daughter si● , with copweb-lawne to catch butterflyes : this is not the high-way to honour . we see that plaine corydon , that hath no more wit then to knowe the price of sattin and veluet , and toies to make him soole-fine , cannot be content to hold the plough , and be one of those aratores optimos ciues reip : good common-wealths men , keepe hospitalitie , and spend his reuenewes moderately , and doo good in the place where he dwells : but being crept vp to wealth by the death of his miserable olde father , must instantly be dubd a gentleman of the first head , and purchase armes , though it be at a deare rate , and bee a smoakie gallant in youth , though he beg his bread in age , and lash out that riotously , that his father got miserly ; and as one well saith , tedding that with a forke in one yeare , that was not gathered together with a rake in twentie . and this iumpeth with that which is affirmed before , that the goods of a wretched miser holdeth not long together , but as it hath bene badly gotten , so t is as leaudly spent . he is now of no esteeme vnlesse hee be cut of the fashion , and can swagger and braue it out , sweare himselfe into smoake with pure refined oathes , and fustion protestations , take tabacco with a whiffe , and be odly humorous . and in no case it must not be forgotten he is a gentleman , and therefore to shun the stab , you must prouide a sacke-full of worshipfull titles to coole his bloud , when ( god wot ) his grandfather would haue bene glad of a crust of browne bread : but what should he be toucht with base birth or bad life ? is he not now a gentleman , and hath wherewithall to hold it vp ? but such generositie is like a copper ring new guilt ouer , that wareth off with the least persecution . now these cannot truly say that the honour of their house did first rise in them , or that true gentilitie is deriued out of their loines to succession , because they are neither possest with any notable vertue , nor created noble by accident , but haue onely a little pelfe , which with swallow-wings , is flying away as fast as their riotous course can lay it on . yet will their insolence arrogate to themselues honour , as though it stood onely in riches and worldly glory , and many vaine titles will they plucke by violence from the rude world : for simple ignorance giueth humble reuerence to wealth and a gay coate : but though by the curtesie of wise men , and simplicitie of fooles , they haue many faire titles , yet let them not thinke they are any whit the more honourable , vnlesse they haue the temperance of the minde & body before remembred . we haue here in common vse to buy and sell , diuers peeces of siluer and gold , which passeth from man to man as good payment , so long as the mettall be currant , and the princes stampe vpon it : but if we finde a peece counterfeit , and the true stampe set vpon base mettall , we presently naile it to a post , and wish the coiner hanged , so that all the estimation is in the mettall , and not in the print : so in like manner , though a man be neuer so rich , & neuer so highly aduanced , yet if vertue hath not framed him fit for those places , wise , affable , temperate , but foolish , malicious , and vainglorious , he is no otherwise , but as the print of honour , set vpon base bullion , and so commits horrible treason against the maiestie of vertue . there bee some that hunt after honour , and some that be hunted after by honour : touching the first , they are such as by bribes or double diligence creepe into a place or office of preferment , and neuer rest night not day , till by money & friendship they haue got it a hungrie eye to spye out , and an impudent face to thrust in , and beeing warmely seated , strout vp and downe with swelling termes , as if they had risen by some degree of vertue . the other sort are sought after by honour , and they bee such that vertue frameth fit for that purpose , that first growe excellent in some high desert , for these beg no place , nor foist into office , but if it come , they vnwillingly hold it , and be no whit the more puft vp in opinion , but iustly exercise the same , not so much for theyr owne priuate gaine , as for the generall good . liberalitie is a mediocritie in giuing benefites , the bloud and strength of sciences , a vertue diuine ; and to speake briefly of her properties , first and chiefly a liberall man is ready to reward honesty , his friends alliance , and such are neare him , to succour orphanes , widowes , bestowe poore maidens in marriage , and raise vp foundations , and mend decayed structures , for the good of posteritie , & is still occupied in such memorable works : and he is onely a franke man , that distributeth his substance measurably , and where it is fit , and must consider to whom he should giue , that is , to the needie ; how much ? according to his owne abilitie , and the others necessitie : and when ? in season and in due time , for liberalitie res●eth not onely in the quantitie of the thing giuen , but in the naturall disposition of the giuer . and this is one of the chiefe species of iustice , to follow the worthines of the person in considering his good parts : for if gifts followe not vertue , it is a great disparagement to her followers : nothing is liberall but that which is iust , which is the ground of all ; for iustice is euery vertue , if her shoulders be bowed downe with want , to be raised vp againe with gifts : for there is no vertue , but too much miserie destroyeth : in so much that if a man be as prudent as cato , as iustas manlyus , as magnanimious as s●ipio , and as temperate as curius , yet neuerthelesse , if these vertues bee not eftsoones cherished by beneuolence , they will soone faint , growe feeble , and be daunted . tollegloriae cupiditatem , & omne studium virtutis extingues , saith one . take away the desire of glorie , and all studie of vertue is vtterly extinct : for true it is , that no man eyther for his priuate good , or common profit , will apply the minde to any vertue , vnlesse he be held vp and comforted in aduersitie , or rauished with an immortall hope , because the faculties of the minde are wholly studious to holde vp his poore dying life . againe , who would bend himselfe to art , science , facultie , or any kinde of learning , if there were not some glory ? for what moueth the lawier to beate his wits on littletons maximes ? or to be so earnest to finde out the differences of causes , to bring them to a head , but glory ? the diuine to studie the mysteries of gods wonders ? or the phisition to diue into the secrets of nature , if they aymed not at preferment ? to conclude , honour nourisheth art , and for the regard of dignitie , do learned men striue to exceede in facultie ; so that aduancement is the mother of vertues common-wealth ; yet neuerthelesse is it not so tyed within the limits of a circle , to keepe there and goe no further , i meane in respecting simply the vertues of the donee , as to reward vertue , and nothing but vertue ; for the vicious being in want , must bee likewise cherished , though not for his owne sake ( hauing nothing in him of worth , yet because he is a christian brother ) & therfore the apostle willeth vs to do good to all , but especially to the vertuous . so that a franke minde doth as well march before and leade the way to vertue , as nourish her in whom she is first set . the substance of a rich man is not so to be shut ●p that liberalitie cannot open it , nor so vnlocked to lye abroad for euery body , but a measure to be kept , which must bee referred to abilitie : for as it is not the part of a liberall man to be too pinching and niggardly , as to with-hold from good dutie , so is he prodigall that spendeth his faculties vpon flagitious and vile persons , or vpon bad and leaud courses , but onely where there is a signe of vertue present , or an introduction to a future honestie : for the imployment of money is not honest , vnlesse it be to some good end ▪ neither is he a wise man that is so foole-large in distributing his goods , to waste his patrimonie , especially vpon such vaine things whereof a short memorie or none at all doth remaine , necessitie not prouoking , nor shewe of honestie inducing : such vnaduaned mispence bringeth nought but ignominie and shame : for what credit is it for a man to lash out his mony in feasts , playes , huntings , hawkings , and such vaine sports that soone vanish ? it is the greatest folly that may bee , that the thing that a man doth which is honest , to endeuour it may no longer be done : for as a wise man omitteth not to do good at all times , so hee vseth the matter with such moderation , that he keepeth a store by him to helpe with when occasion is offered . how infamous among writers is comodus , ner● , caligula , heliogabalus , and other like monsters , which exhausted and deuoured infinite treasures in banquets , brothel ▪ houses , and such abhominations , was this liberalitie ? shal they not suffer reproach to the worlds end ? and shall not all prodigall spend-thrifts , that wastfully consume their wealth , be partakers of the like shame ? surely yes , when they are not transferred with the rule of measure , to doo that which they may continue to do , and sith they haue meanes to do good , to raise vp a happie memorie by dedicating theyr beneuolence to posteritie : and this was the cause our auntients set forth the picture of a gentleman with his hands open , to signifie that liberalitie was the honour of a gentleman , and that to giue was alwayes heroicall . now what aduantage then hath a rich man , that by rewards may purchase immortalitie , and outstrip the furie of vice with good workes ? if so be hee abandon vaine glory , and do that he doeth with sinceritie . from a good man , gifts passe with a free donation , not looking backe for requitall , nor blowing the trump when he giueth almes : yet can wee not say , but gratitude as a hand-maide , is euer attendant ; for though a poore man cannot acquite againe in measure , yet is he forced , will hee , nill hee , to confesse a debt beyond measure ; for a good mind doth alwayes remunerate a good turne . benefacta male locata , malefacta arbitr● . good deeds misplaced , become euill deeds . so that it is a great decay of vertue , when the merits of the vertuous are carelesly ouer-passed , for when men are ledde by passion , not by reason , many worthy spirits run out their liues vnprofitably , consume their daies in condolement , and repent the time spent in science , when they might haue gotten some adulterous trade . now i say when vertue doth knocke at the doore of liberalitie , and can haue no entrance , no maruell though she be frozen with colde , & goe a begging from doore to doore : but the iniquitie of the time hatcheth many euils in aduancing where vertue doth not merit , in raising vp such as are voyd of all good parts . now whē notable imploymens are vnworthily bestowed , and giuen by corruptiō , the power of vertue must needs be weakened and growe colde , and be feeble as the orator saith ; malê enim se res habet , cum qu●d virtute effici debet , id tentat ur pecunia . the matter ( saith he ) cannot goe well , when the same that should be wrought by vertue , is accomplished by money : this ouerturneth all , for no man will willingly embrace her , if shee bring no aduancement : so that in this there lyeth a two ▪ folde mischiefe , one in the discouraging of learning , the other in the corruption ; for he that buyeth an office must needs sell it againe , and by extortion wring the conscience with iniustice : and therefore cato would that no olde officer should be remoued till he dye , or for some notable crime . for ( ●aith hee ) new officers are as hungrie flyes , that neuer leaue sucking till their bellies be full , whereas the old ones being ful before , sucke more faintly , so that the oftner they are chaunged , the more do they gnawe and sting the common-wealth : and yet what is more common then buying and selling of offices ? for there is almost now a daies , no office , but is bought , sold , & offered to him that wil giue most , as a bankerout selles his goods : for if he can but nickhornnize his name in some ordinary fa● simile , he may step vp to dignitie : nāgenus & formā regina pecunia donat , though he want all good properties & intelligible parts . if a hungry flye , a smatte●er , either for enuy of the partie that is already possest of some office , or to satisfie his desire of priuate gaine , ( for by this it shal be best knowne ) do seeke vniustly to aspire by crowding and wresting the other out , & therein lalabour , omnibus neruis , by direct and indirect means , it may wel be thought he hath opened the gate of his cōsciēce , to corrupt & false dealing . and therfore if a mā be not lawfully called , it is a point of wisdom to stay & haue an vnworthy opiniō of himselfe , & be pacified with his present state , vntill the vacancie of a place shall importune him to make sute . but it often otherwise commeth to passe , that money and countenance can promote men of no desert to preferment : for instance , one whose braine is all mudde , that neuer put his asse-head into the accademie , little wit , and lesse honestie , may notwithstanding climbe vp to office , and be highly seated , so that he sing sweetely with menalc●● : aur●a mala decem misi cras altera mittam . and a base stigmaticall thraso , fex populi , the scum and dregges of the people , that hath no commendable qualitie , as meanes to insinuate into fauour , but garrulous pratling , vnworthy chaste cares : yet shall he want no countenance , if so be he can but ars adulandi , to feed the flambe of wickednesse , with the fuell of sinfull fopperie . and thus shall vice be animated and borne out , be it neuer so brutish and vnciuill , and be hugd in the bosome of charitie , when a man honest , if poore , shall bee scarce knowne of his neighbours , much lesse haue any measurable allowance . o pittifull case when vice shall be exalted , wickednesse loued , and godlinesse hated ! hence it is so many daungers arise , when the meede of vertue is ingratitude , and so many good wits iniured in the iustice of their merit , guld by sycophants and flatterers , are not onely heereby distracted in their studies , and dismayed to proceed , but which is worse , so great discontentment breed , that they often proue disloyall , reuolt from obedience , and eyther fall into dishonest shifts at home , or bad atchieuements abroad : thrusting their weapons into the bowels of their mothers , eyther by open practises , or secret conspiracies . when with bribery and collatorall practises , men of no gifts leape vp to preferment ; & though they be neuer so weake and simple in iudgement , yet wil dare ( being thus lifted vp ) to censure euery man , as they were not meanly sighted in the deepest things , and by a malicious rage are readie to controwle others doings , whē to back their carping tongues , put on a superficiall habit of learning , whereas if they be nearly toucht , they appeare nothing else but emptie bagges , stuft with vain-glory , nomine gramatice re barbari , & seeke what they can to barre the vertuous of their iust reward , and darken their good names with scandalles , that the memorie of their labours may die . thus when good deserts are neglected , liberalitie forgotten , and the bad countenanced , the common state is in great hazard : but this is that iron age ouid speakes of , wherein vertue should finde cold comfort , and passe from doore to doore vnregarded : which prescience of the poet was neuer more verified thē in these last times : for neuer was this sweet harmony of nature , the eye of world , the mistris of reason , of lesse price amongst men then now , for some are puft vp with pride & violence , that they had rather burye their coyne with e●clio in plautus , then impart a myte for the incouragement of laudable sciences : in so much as this colde deuotion , causeth many to leaue trading for so excellent a iewell . and not only couetousnesse is an obstacle and let therevnto : but pride , pride , diuellish pride , is crept into all states , euery man is fallen in loue with himselfe , either of his person or apparell , his quallities are so excellent in his owne eye , a poore mans wife will be as trim as a gentlewoman , and euery one studious to deck themselues in brauerie , when their manners are out of all good order : like the musition that is very carefull to set his strings in tune , and let his manners be still out of order , the minde is set vpon fashions , fangles , & gawish cloathes , now one , and then an other , neuer content long with modest and sober attire , it is too meane , too base , too beggerly : for now he or she that can put themselues into a monstrous fashion , a singular habit , and be straungely drest vp , are in theyr owne opinion very gallant , but in the iudgement of wise men they are but a blowne bladder , painted ouer with many colours , stuft full of pride and enuie : the brauerie without , sheweth the arrogancie within ; for as there is no fire without smoake , nor no visible griefe , but an inward festering , so in whom so euer such badges of vanitie appeares , it is a sure token there is a stinking puddle of vain glory within . some iuggle theyr lands into gay apparell , and clap it vp in a small roome , that contained a great circuite , and holde it a point of pollicie , to put their lands into two or three truncks of new cloathes , that wearing their lands on their backs , they may see that no strip nor wast be done by their tenants : but when they would iuggle backward their cloaths into lands againe , alas and weladay they are so thredbare & out at th'elbows , that they will not match the former value , and so is dubd sir iohn hadland ; a knight of pennylesse bench . thus to make idolls of their carkasses for a while , begger themselues for euer . and many such base pesants that haue witlesse wealth , or wealth without wit , are puft vp with such presuming thoughts , as they ambitiously aime to tricke vp themselues in costly suites , and couet to match , nay to exceed men of good worth and place : but this is destined to such high mindes , that when they are crept vp to the toppe of such brauerie , they often fall to great shame , being the first steppe to the downe-fall of beggerie : but howsoeuer they incroach into vaine-glorious tytles , yet wise men measure all estates by their vertues , not by pompe and outward brauery , and despise not him whome birth , time , place , or office , maketh worthie of such costly ornaments , but holde it lawfull and commendable to fit their degrees in apparrell , answerable to their callings : but if we should enter into the intollerable abuse of pride , wee might paint out some that are dying theyr faces with painting , to be more louely and amiable , and stretch their wits aboue ela to be the originall of some new toye : but who is so foolish to count them the fairer for that ? but rather the fowler : for that face that is slubbred & starched with so many ointments & dregs , is more liker a sore & scurffe , then a naturall face : god hath giuen the face , and thou defilest it with myre & dirt ; wouldst thou be faire , to be more amiable ? why , silence , sobrietie , chastity , are beautifull ornaments , and richer then any orient pearle , and with wise men more inestimable : but indeede if thou wouldest intice the eyes of them that behold thee , nourish lust in young men , and drawe them after thee , then this is the way : but in my opinion , it is impossible for thee to get a good & vertuous husband with whō thou maist liue quietly & wel , by smering thy visage : for whē he seeth that thy face was but florisht ouer , he shall finde thee a deceitfull crocodile , and so loathe and hate thee more afterward , then euer he loued thee before . now what are these thus patcht vp by their owne workmanship , but the least part of thēselues : they cānot be cōtent to be as god made them , but as though they were hudled vp in haste , and sent into the world not fully finished : and to this end serue their drugs , balmes , oyntments , paintings , lac virginis , & certere quid non ? to mend the least mote amisse : sye vpō these frownsing irons , poking stickes , perriwigs , embroided fore-tops , &c. which are all an euident token of that filthy kennell of mudde wherwith they are possest : for what is all this but to impeach the creator , and disable the all omnipotent workemanship of nature ? for when they haue done what they can , they paint but a muddy wall , and set a glosse vpon a counterfeit : for though they should bathe themselues in milke euery day , as cleopatra , yet will they crye out with ouid , i am meos v●ltus ruga semilis erat . and ouertaken with time , the visage will bee wrinckled , rugged , and hard-fauoured , and the whole body crooked , infirme , weake , and bent downeward , and force them , mauger their heads , to behold theyr graues , where vnder a clod , they and theyr gay cloutes must bee buried ; the remembrance whereof should make them vaile their plumes , and turne pride to humilitie : but the abundance they wallow in , like epicures , drowne the minde in sensualitie , choake vp the vnderstanding , and keepes it backe from the contemplation of future happinesse . and notwithstanding they are so rich and sumptuously arrayed , and carrie so much golde about theyr neckes , and so hung with costly iewels , yet will denie to giue a halfe-penny to them that haue neede : ô stonie heart ! that can suffer the poore to be in want , yea dye for hunger , and thou stuft ful of delicates , cloathed in silkes and fine garments , and let them lye naked in the streetes : or if the extreame necessitie of some poore lazarus moue compunction , to giue an almes , it must be done in the eie of the world , and set downe in capitall letters , and commended to posteritie , as a worke of eternal memorie . in like maner if we descend lower , we shall see pride ruffle in base rustickes , for euery one wil be in the fashion , howsoeuer they come by it ; the seruant cannot be knowne from the maister , the maide from the mistris , nor scarce any mans estate distinguisht by his apparell ; but euery slouenly seruingman , and greasie scrape-trencher will exceede the boundes of his calling , and creepe into acquaintance with veluet , sattin , and such costly stuffe , too high i wisse for their lowe estate , and laie all they can rap and rend on their backes , in swaggering and vaine apparel , to seeme a clout of lowsie gentilitie , that prouing bankerouts in youth , are faine to weare ragges in age . and euery countrey-wench that hath but foure nobles a yeare and shiftes , must be trimly trickt vp like mayde marryan in a morrice daunce , and her ruffes set aboue the common size , and bee in the fashion , though she get it with shiftes ; but the shifts that makes her laugh , sendes her often home by weeping crosse . but it is vndoubtedly true , that such as are so curious , to dight vp themselues in quaint attire , forget to adorne the minde with humilitie , modestie , shamefastnesse , and suche feminine vertues as becommeth theyr sexe , and vtterly omit to decke the soule with the sparkeling icmmes of sober-beseeming qualities . consider what you are , and whereto you must , a painted post doth but deceiue the eye , and a painted bodie the soule . is there a new fashiō come out ? be thou then the first to put it downe , follow not the guise of the world , but seeke for those virgine vertues that will make you liue admired , as a wise and sober matron ; for the vanitie of apparell shewes the lightnesse of the heart , and the very badge of inconstancie , whē many female serpents lye in waite to deceiue young wits with traines of loue , and set out their gay bodies to sight , as pleasing obiects to intrap the soule , that tender youth may make annatomie of miserie by their owne woes . a beautifull strumpet is an adamant that drawes , a panther that allures , and of the nature of quicke-siluer : for as this mettall doth mingle it selfe with gold wheresoeuer they meete : so they respect nothing in a man but money , and on that set their loue , and prize wealth before any internall vertue . for as they are a painted continent of flatterie , the image of inconstancie , and the cabanet of euill : so the habitation of such scorpions , is likened to hell , noctes atque dies patet atri ianua ditis , night and day the gates stand open to receiue all commers , and by their sweete words and loose maners , drawe soules to gehenna . these iette with heads aloft , hung with rich abilliments , costly iewels , and braue attire , when fetters for their feet , and manacles for their hands , were more seemlier for such shamelesse curtizans . these are as baites to take men , as hookes do fishes , and as hiena , flattereth when shee meaneth to kill , and the crocodile weepe when she pretends murder : so do they imbrace their louer with a dagger in his bosome , and feede him with sweete words , wanton toyes , till they bring him into fooles paradize : but when the storms of aduersitie begin to flow , their loue doth ebbe : and whē my yong nouise his purse is dried vp , the great shew of loue doth abate : and therfore these mermaids may be fitly compared to glorious flowers , that haue stinking smels , puft vp with pompe & lightnesse , and cōtaine nothing within but deceit and treachery : in sight louel● & sauerous : but in tast most deadly & venimous . ovaine mind ! that buildst thy rest vpon sinful sport , and makest shipwracke of chastitie for gaine , as though there were no god , or at least that he were idle and did not regard the action of men : shall they not one day they knowe not how soone , be conuented before his seat , and giue account for euery idle word ? much more for pride , couetousnesse , whoredome , and such like abhominable deeds : and being conuicted by their owne cōscience , wil they not be danted at the woful sentence , goe ye cursed ? &c. no doubt yes , their courage will quaile , & their pride abate : filthie sports & sweet sinnes are short and soone vade : but the guiltinesse tarrieth stil behind , and clogs the soule to eternall destruction . againe , by riches is corrupted the iudgement with partiallitie ; for doth not the vaine world value a man by mony , by the outside not the inside , and iudge him rich if possest with some worldly honour ? for let a poore man be neuer so honest , wise , temperate , and his minde neuer so beautifull , yet if his backe be poore , in want , need , and out of fashion , and hath neither mo●ey nor friends , he shall haue tom drums entertainment : sinihil attuleris , ibis home for as , why money is the sinewes , the bloud , and soule of man , without which all is nothing be it neuer so excellent : for vnlesse the purse be well lynde with crownes , neither science , cunning , art , honestie , or any vertue , is auaileable to aduance to dignitie ( without some mechanicall indeuour ) for gold maketh a way to euery thing , yea and openeth the gates of hell as the poet saith : omnis enim res , virtus , fama , decus , di●ina , humanáque pulchris diuitijs parent : qua● qui construxerit , ille clarus erit , fortis , sapiens , etiam & rex : et quicquid volet , hoc vel●ti virtute parat●m sperauit magnae laudi fore . so that a man hath all these properties in the vaine opiniō of the world , if so be he be rich , but if poore , notwithstanding he be stored with good vertues , yet is he not reputed as he is : hath he mony ? yea : is he rich , and hath he great possessions ? yea : why thē let him be honoured , and deemed vertuous , gratious , and what hee will , though in truth and veritie he be nor so nor so . againe , is he beggerly , hath he no money nor meanes ? why then let him packe and walke along , no penny , no pater noster : for hee is as one dead , among the liuing ; though indeede properly this peremptorie sentence ought not to be so applied ; but rather to vertue , and littrature , without which the bodie is dead , although it liue . what cannot this humpish elemēt bring to passe ? can it not couer a masse of ill humors ? and cause the son to betray his owne father ? as a leaud fellow said once , if my father were a hangman , my mother a harlot , & my self no better : yet if i haue mony , i am liked wel inough , and neuer toucht with their misdeeds : so that there is no vice that wealth doth not smother : a rich man as proud as tarquine , as cruell as nero , as doggish as tymon , as couetous as diues , and as foolish as lobellinus , yet all these vices are hid with greatnesse , and though counterfeit mettall , yet with a true stampe may currantly passe : but a poore man , in whom is great wisedome , and many good parts , si res angusta domi , if coyne be wanting , he is despised , reiected , and neuer vsed in exployting waightie matters : so that a man is neuer thought wise , learned , vnlesse he be rich , and swim in the streame of wealth : and though he speake well , and to the purpose , yet is he neuer gracious , as the poet saith , rara tenui facundia panno . a poore mans speech is seldome pleasant , and wisedome vnder a ragged coate seldome canonicall : which the philosopher wel found , when offring to presse into the presence with his simple weedes , was shut out by a grim cerberus , but shifting his cloathes , was admitted without repulse : wherefore comming before the king , hee turned all his obeysance vpon his owne cloathes , saying : i must honour them that honour me , for my cloutes brought that to passe which all my philosophie could neuer accomplish . and thus is the rich beautie of the minde , measured by a beggers weede , and gay apparell preferred before a minde well qualified : so the rude opinion lookes at nothing but the outward picture , and magnifie an ignorant asse , so he haue a gay coate , & set him on a high seate , where by silence he may seeme wise : for the wisedome of a man saith salomon , is knowne by his speech . but as by knocking on a vessell , the cracke ( if any be ) wil soone be seene , so if toucht with an argument , his crackt vnderstanding will soone be manifest . great places are possest with men of weake iudgement , that haue no iotte of worthinesse , but wealth and worldly fame , and can serue for no other vse but for a nomenclator to tell the clocke , call a spade , a spade , and recken vp the proper names of things : yet if trimly spunged vp in some formality ( though he haue litle wit , and small honestie ) it is inough to raise him vp to some dignitie : but when such an one is exalted into the imparatiue moode , how moodie his maistership is , so toade-swolne with pride and ambitiō , that he is ready to burst in sunder , & so rapt vp in conceit of his high place , that he vtterly forgets his first creation . oh it is a world of sport to heare how some such clouting beetles rowle in their loblogicke , and intrinsicate into the maior of the matter , with such hide ▪ bound reasons , that he makes a pittifull learned face , one spreads his armes , cleares his throate , as who should say , attend , attend , for now hee speakes , whose conclusions are vnanswerable , but finding the proposition too deepe for his shallow wit , suddenly starts backe , and briefly huddles vp his headlesse matter . an other shakes his emptie head , and diues into the bottome of his bottomelesse braines , to finde some intricate and tedious circumstance , into which when he is entered hee cannot finde a period and full rest , so many tautokogies and itterations come into the way , that vnlesse some ariadne lend a threed to pull him out of dedalus laborinth , hee must needs be lost ; or at leastwise when he is gotten out , is so myred with his owne slyme , that he becommeth a scorne to wise men , in laying open his owne weakenesse : yet who more talkatiue , and readie to stop the mouthes of men able to speake , then such insencible tatlers ? for drunken fortune hath this opiniō of it selfe , that looke whatsoeuer it speaketh is authenticall , and droppeth frō the mouth like the oracles of appollo . there is nothing therefore so holy , so pure , so honest , so chaste , but money will corrupt , violate , and batter downe : so that these emptie bottles , apish gestures , and anticke faces , if wealthy , rich , & well monied , all grosse imperfections are ouershadowed . so that whē men are sotted in the alluremēts of this life , & dedicate their whole labours to so wicked a saint , they soone loose the vse of their goods , & become partially affected : if passion rule , & not reason , all goes to wracke ; for if either prodigallitie rule the purse , whereby the mind is strongly carried into temporarie ioy , or so gripple and couetous as to doo nothing but scrape in the dunghill of this world , why these extreames doo so vrge the opinion , that they headlong run at randome into all licentious and loose liuing , in so much as they do not perceiue to what ende they are aduanced aboue other men , and made so rich among a company of beggers . many there be ( the more is the pittie ) that although god hath abundantly multiplyed his blessings vpon them , that they cannot iustly say they want any worldly thing , yet bee they so neere to holde fast that which they haue , that they doo as it were , single themselues from all common duties , and lay aside that regarde of the publique good , which theyr conscience and priuate abilitie doth instantly tye them vnto ; let vs note them a little , who will sooner shift and wrangle off honest duties then they ? will they not brabble and sophisticate for verye small payments ? and will they not wrest and winde lawes to their owne sence , if they may saue but a penny ? and beare the repulse of superiour rebukes , thē to part with ought shall contradict their froward nature : is this the dutie of good subiects ? do these seeke the peace of the state ? doth not the heathen man say : non solum nobis natisumus : we are not borne for our selues alone , but for our countrey also : shall christians be worser then pagans ? let this great dutie therefore be considered , seeing thou hast store , with-hold nothing that is due : is not hee a caytiffe that will see his mother dye for hunger , and he hath bread to relieue her if he would ? why , the common-wealth is thy mother , euery poore christian is thy brother , wilt thou see them famisht before thy face and not succour them , hauing inough ? thou hast thy wealth to that end , if thou couldest see it , and vse it aright . neuerthelesse , we see how men of good place and reckening , will hide themselues in corners , liue priuately , onely to keepe their purses , that they may be lyable to no imposition , and crowde into cities , boroughs , and priuiledge places , or like nonresidents , rowle vp and downe from one lodging to an other , to the intent that being vncertaine where to be had , their states may be vnknowne , and by this meanes both ouerthrowe hospitalitie , defraude the queene and common-wealth of necessarie duties , and depopulate the countrey . is it not a token of a couctous minde , that men of good possessions and faire liuings , should breake vp house , and soiourne onely with one or two seruants , that they may hoorde vp theyr rents , when they are sufficientlye able to keepe a good house themselues ? surely it is a signe of a base condition . furthermore , many wealthy yeomen , & rich farmers that are risen vp to goods inough , doo tread the same path . for wheras erst when they dwelt vpon their owne , they kept good houses , and were no small stay to the places where they liued , are eyther couetous of some vaine-glorious title of gentilitie , or otherwise so miserly greedie of wealth , ( for one of the two i know not which ) thrust themselues in like maner , into cities , corporations , and liberties , and yet holde theyr farmes still in their owne occupying : for they haue such long armes , that they claspe many great liuings . and also lying vpon the aduantage , take farmes ouer their neighbours heads , ten yeares before their leases be expired : and what do they with these plurified liuings ? but place shepheards , heards , vnderlings , and such thred ▪ bare tenants in their stockes , and that at such vnreasonable rents too , that the poore snakes that dwell vnder them are driuen to weake shifts , to fare hardly , liue barely , moyle and toyle the whole yeare to scrape vp theyr rent , not sauing at the yeares ende for all theyr paines , scarce the price of an old frise ierkin : for theyr lorde knowes better then they what profit will arise , and how euery thing will fall out : and if hee thriue vnder him , then doth hee stretch and racke it to the vttermost , till at last hee bring the whole gaine into his owne bagge ; and so by this means can hardly beare ordinarie charges , much lesse doo workes of superrerogation , being kept downe so cruelly by their greedie land ▪ lords . now these haue not onely theyr meanes brought in vnto them by the sweat of poore mens browes , and sleepe in peace and securitie when others watch and labour ( a great blessing , if rightly weighed ) but will closely and cunningly seeke to shift off all duties by withdrawing them into odde corners . oh that men of such abilitie should haue such iron rustie hearts , to hide their heads , shut their hands , and whip deuotion from their doores ! doo they not seeke to subuert and weaken the state as much as they can , by with-holding that part of dutie required by the lawe of nature ? but the greedinesse of gaine causeth vnrelenting hearts , for one would possesse all alone . o how are men deceiued in their owne estate , that being rich , are yet euer poore , because opinion is neuer satisfied : whereas if we onely respect nature , no man can be poore , natàr a enim vt ait philoso . paucis minimisque contenta nature , is content with necessitie . but to bring all this to a head , though some bee carried with the streame of pride , some with the flouds of desire , some prodigall , some pinching ; and though the couetous man gape for more , more , and like hell mouth , neuer satisfied , yet will they hide theyr plough-sores vnder the carpet of liberalitie , as now and then to giue an almes against a good time ( as they call it ) to beate downe a hard opinion , intimating thereby to bee good free-hearted men , when all the yeare beside , they scrape and clawe it from other by the excessiue prices of theyr badde commodities , and by pinching them with many vncharitable gripes , and yet will they hide theyr want of loue vnder vertue and religion : and why so ▪ because it carrieth a generall good liking of all men : for although many haue no religion at all , nor one sparke of a vertuous man , yet for all this wil they seeme to loue and embrace it intirely , because of the vnspotted simplicitie they see in the true professors thereof : and that chiesly , because this outward shewe is some meanes to asswage the heate of sharp reprehensions ; and that vnder colour of this , they may liue in some good report of the common sort : for if they should not hide the malice within , with a shewe of holinesse without , but permit the rebellion to rush forth , they would be hatefull to others , and disquiet theyr owne peace : to hold friendship therfore with the world , it is expedient for them to be hypocrites and deceiuers , and therefore will they performe many christian duties , and communicate with the saints , yea and crowde to the church doore of true deuotion , and both pray and vse good exercises in their families , frequent sermons , yea and ride and goe six or seuen miles to heare a good preacher : are not these good things , and the very properties of a true christian ▪ yes verily : but all this is but done in pollicie to mocke the world : how know you that ▪ why looke into their course of life ; if any vaine opportunitie be offred , wil theynot follow it ? if the wicked call to goe , will they not run ▪ will they not dice , carde , sweare , swagger , and be drunke ? are they not vsurers , extortioners , proud persons , and so cold in charitie , that no christian dutie can heat their loue ? so it is an casie thing to see their hypocrisie , if a man but cast his sight vpon their conuersation . and in like manner , many at the end of the yeare ( as a charitable worke ) will keepe open house , and set opē their gates , for al the rake-hels & loose vagabounds in a countrey , and fill idle bellies with their flesh-pots , when the poore , blind , lame , and sicke , are faine to lye in the depth of miserie , without comfort , helpe , or succour : and to what ende is this great superfluitie ? forsoothe , to reioyce for the blessed feast of christmas : indeede this feaste dooth bring great cause of ioy , for that beeing all lost in adam , and heires of damnation , are neuerthelesse by the comming of the messias , the sonne of god , who tooke on him our flesh at this time of the yeare , to vndergoe the wrath of his father due to vs , redeemed vs from hell , and made vs inheritors of heauen : here is cause of ioy , what a happie memorie is this ? how ought this feast to be celebrated in magnifying the almightie , and lauding his name for so great a benefite ? but what a commemoration is here ? when they turne true ioy into carnall iollitie : doth this true ioy stand in eating , drinking , rioting , feasting , mumming , masking , dauncing , dicing , carding , and such like , that taste wholly of heathens superstition ▪ is god honoured by this ▪ nay rather is hee not more dishonoured at that time of the yeare , then all the yeare beside ▪ so that a counterfeit ioy is set vp in stead thereof , meditation and mercifull workes are pulled downe , and epicurisme set vp , which doth vsurpe and imperiously beare rule ouer all holy desires : for in this is theyr deuotion , in vnlawfull and sinfull pleasures , to gurmandize and waste in excesse the good blessings of god ; and these men will not sticke to lash out a whole masse of money , in dedicating feastes to diuell bacchus , and maintaine playes in theyr houses , as silthy as the lupercalia in rome , spend whole nights and dayes in reuelling , and toaste themselues by theyr great fires , and as the poet sayeth , regific● luxn paratae epulae , haue their tables furnished at exceeding and princely charges , to stuffe the guts and feede the belley , and wish with polmixe , that they had throates as long as cranes , so that they might taste their sweets with more leisure : in so much that by this vnreasonable excesse and gluttony , in a fewe daies wast out that riotously , that would relieue many poore people if measurably bestowed . thus i saye like epicures they consecrate the memorie of this blessed feast , with such a ioy , as sauours altogether of the drosse and slime of the earth : and this is liberalitie forsooth , charitie , and christian loue , when it is but prodigallitie , vain-glory , and hypocrisie . moreouer , although they be too too slacke in honest duties , yet will they scotch at no charge may bring pleasure , or holde vp some vaine-glorious memorie , as in building great houses , to be christned by their names , when many of them are but as absolons pillar , a monument of folly , a spectacle of vanitie , and a prey of time , many chimnies , little smoake : large roomes , wherein a man may walke and chawe his melancholy for want of other repast , and neuer be put to the charges to buye a tooth-picker . and to what ende is this great building and cunning architect ? but to stand in the gaze of the world , and make the passenger cry out with admiration , o domus antiqua hen quam dispari dominari domino ! o gallant house , full well do i see , how vnlike a lord hath lordship on thee . indeed here is the two-folde benefit it yeelds , not only in setting many poore labouring men a worke , but also a princely edifise and stately building , is a great honour to a kingdome . but such are worthie blame that ouerthrowe their state by building , not being able to vse one roome well of those many they build : for if a man of reasonable wealth fall into this humour of building gay houses , if he did small good before , is now vtterly vnable to do any at al , his new foundation hath eaten vp all his olde meanes : this is the simple pollicie of some men that loue to begger themselues to please the eye . againe , how prouident men are to graft their childrē into great stocks , that may not easily be striken with the thunder-claps of aduersitie , & though the stocke be neuer so rotten , infected , & blasted with vice , yet if rich and mightie , it is inough : and surely this ethicall pollicie were highly to be aduanced , if so be that our continui●g citie were here : but seeing all things are fraile , momentaine , short and transitorie , that we ●annot certainly number to morrow among the dayes of our life , what a meere madnesse is this , to be so in loue with the flattering smiles of this life ? and so myred in the dunghill of pleasures , as to doate so much vpon it : for verily men seeke their owne danger , whē they make the thing that is indifferent , to be vnlawfull : do they not with orpheus catch the ayre ? seeke the shadow , & loose the substance ? win earth , and loose heauen . yet these aboriginies , carth ▪ bred wormes , with high lookes , and insolent bragges , will stand vpō termes of gentilitie , and deriue their pedigree euen from cadwallader , the last king of the britons , whē in sadnes they are not so much as sprinkled with one true drop of gentle bloud , neither one propertie of a gentleman , vnlesse it should only stand in wealth & great possessions , which is contrary to our former assertion : for if true gentrie be a mind excellently deckt with rare vertues , not only by propagation of nature , but by integritie of qualities ; not in beautie , but in vertue ; not in riches , but in honor ; not in pride , but in comelinesse ; not in costly and curious diet , but feeding the hungry , and cloathing the naked ; not in sumptuous building , ioyning house to land , kin to kin ( with respectiue marriages ) but onely in the true possession of vertue : then albei●a man wallow in wealth , liue in pleasure , fare daintie , goe princely , hung with pearle , sweetly perfumed , hawkes , horses , hounds , and in a word , haue whatsoeuer pomp & glorie his hart can wish , or the world affoord : yet if he be not noble in vertues , but ignoble in vices , and haue not those good parts that carry a vnion of good mens praises , he is but pirat & latro , a theefe and a robber ; and all his rich paintings & goodly buildings , are but monuments of shame and basenesse . is not vertue then more honorable then riches ? doth it not raise a man to immortalitie ? & doth not riches ouerthrow his happinesse , if not duly ouer-watcht with temperance ? and if so be a rich man looke narrowly into his state , and cast vp his accounts well , he shall finde himselfe a very bankerout , and to owe more then he is worth : for why hath hee more plentie of bastardly riches then other men , but that hee is a bayliffe , steward , & feoffer in trust , to dispose & lay out in almes and charitable workes ? now then if hee apply them to his owne vse , what reckning can he make , or how wil he answer it at the great assises , when it shall be obiected by the king of glory , when i was naked , you cloathed mee not : when i was hungry you fed me not ? &c. goe into euerlasting fire , &c. and therfore these great rich men of the world , haue obiects before theyr eyes , and are hemde in with poore on euery side : heere is one crying for bread , there an other for cloathes , the sicke to bee visited , the lame and infirme to be comforted , the straunger to be lodged , so that they cannot turne their eyes no way , but they haue motions to stirre vp charitie , and wofull clamors sounding into their eares of want : and yet had diuers of them rather doo any thing then relieue theyr necessities , to giue tenne pound for a hawke , then ten pence to cloathe the naked . the rauen forsakes her young ones assoone as they are hatcht , because seeing them of an other hew , thinkes them of an other kind : so in like maner some rich men looke aloft , snuffe & fume at their poore brethren , and cast off all deuosion & brotherly loue , because seeing them humbled and brought lowe in the world , iudge them vtterly vnhappie , when verily they are not only of one selfe-same issue & parent , but also more acceptable to god in their base estate , thē they in all their royaltie . is it not lamentable , to see a number of poore winterstarued people lye pining in miserie , which might bee relieued , if it were but with the surplusage of their vaine expences , and comforted with that , which they wastfully consume ? for do but view these kinde of men , and you shall see they will spare for no cost to build faire houses ( as i said before ) though they impouerish themselues for euer : galleries , bowling-allies , walkes , and whatsoeuer may bring delight ; to ride with great retinew to shew their pompe , and maintaine their ▪ quarrels , to feede idle bellies with their flesh ▪ pots , that are no sooner vp but run to vaine sports : but if a poore man be fallen into want , or an honest cause craue some reliefe , a penny is as hardly gotten from them , as fire out of a flint ▪ stone , or if it doth at last come , it is many times more for fashion to shunne reproach , then for charitie to the cause . but some perhaps will say , it is my owne , and may i not do with mine owne what i will ? but t is neither so , nor so : for it is not thine , thou art put in trust to laie it out , to helpe and succour thy poore needy brother . perhaps thou wilt say againe , i brought him not to beggery : did i lame him ? did i vnparell him ? or did i vnhouse him ? wherfore then should i recompence him whom i neuer wronged ? are bees bounde to gather honey for droanes ? and must i keepe life in rattes and myce , and such vermine as are bred by the infection of a plentious yeare ? indeed they are made poore , but t is because thou art rich ; that thereby thou mightest exercise thy loue , for there shall be poore alwayes to set charitie a worke : yet some are so farre from loue , as they fall into barbarous cruelty , that they had rather cut their throats , then cherish them with beneuolence : as it is recorded of a b. b. of constance , that vnder colour of giuing almes , assembled all the poore in the countrey together , shut them vp in a barne , set fire to it , and burnt them vp together , counting it a worke meritorious : and no doubt for so doing , he was cannonized a saint by the impietie of antichrist . if one of these bacchanalls , deliuer to his steward a great summe of mony to lay out in domesticke affaires , and he lauish it out in ryoting , drunkennesse , and leaud company , will not his maister pull his coate ouer his eares ? brand him for a knaue , and turne him out at his gates ? no doubt he would be as rigorous as so leaude a prancke should deserue : why then how do they thinke to escape ? being bailiffes and stewards , to the lorde of lordes , who hath committed his treasure to them , with a charge to laie it out in such mercifull workes as he hath appointed , and they runne with it to the market of vanities , and expend it in prodigall vses . surely it will bee a mad reckening when they shall come in with item in pheasants , patriges , woodcockes , sawses , sops , & delicates for the body , so much . item in strange fashions , and new fangles for my backe , so much : vpon dogges so much : in vaine building so much , and such like . i suppose this bill of items will bee scarce pleasing to theyr maister that hath put them in so great trust . then seeing god hath made thee rich , and thy brother poore , be neuer the more pust vp with pride and disdaine , but studi● how thou mayest discharge so great a reckning as thou hast to make : think this with thy self , he that made me rich , could haue made me poore ; it is in his bountie , not my deseruing ; i do but possesse that of which an other is owner , who can disinherit me when he will : why then should i bragge as if it were mine owne ? and though my brother be poore , yet peraduenture he is richer to god then i ; i see no difference betweene vs , we are both of one moulde , ●aue that i haue more chaffe and rubbish then hee , which is scattered with euery gust of winde : so that if hee well consider his state , and expostulate with himselfe in this manner , that loade of riches that is now so heauie , will be more easily borne . the poets faine , that plutus the god of money is lame when he commeth , but hath wings swiftly to depart : signifying that as riches are long in getting , so they are suddealy lost : and therefore a man should be rich in charitie and poore in desire , and impart the benefite to the needments and necessitie of other . for as there is a diuine coherence between the members of the bodie , though they haue all a distinct and peculiar office , yet they all minister to the common societie : so in like manner we being members of that bodie , whereof christ is the head , ought to bend our actiuitie for the health & welfare of the same , and to beare such a mutuall coniunction and simpathie , as feeling members , to open the bowels of compassion on such as are in want : and this onely is vertues common ▪ wealth . neuerthelesse there be some well disposed and very forward to all good duties in saying , till it come to doing : but then they winch like a gald horse , ô they cannot away with charge : if my abilitie saith one would answere my willingnesse , i would do this and that , or if i had so much wealth , i would relieue the poore better , they should not goe emptie handed ; or if i had so much wit , and such means , i would countenance good causes with the beautie of honor : and so do they vaunt of that they would do , and yet do not that they should do . i demaund what good doest thou with that little thou hast ? thou art wise and politique , or at least thou thinkest so , how doest thou vse it ▪ if thou art vnfaithfull in a litle , no doubt thou wouldest be so in a great deale : for as he is inconfident to whom mony is deliuered vpō trust to pale to an other , & doth either keep it back all , or deliuer but halfe : so hee that hath much or litle & doth not dispose it as he oght , is not worthy to be trusted with more . perhaps thou wilt say , such a mā is of great wealth and he doth litle good or none at all , why then should i that am of lesser value do any thing ▪ this is no excuse for thee , nor cause of suspence , for thou art to looke to thy owne dutie , and not weaken thy owne charitie , by the negligence of other men . an other wil boast of that litle he doth , and be the trumpe of his owne praise : saying , i giue thus much weekly to the poore , and do this and that good : but he is to examine himselfe if it be according to his wealth and place or no , for otherwise an other man doth as much that is farre behind in substance , and with whom hee would bragge without measure , in comparatiue termes : but some thinke if they do a little good , though it be nothing in liew of their state , or if they doo not a great deale of hurt by pilling , powling , strife , factions , and such like troubles , they haue done so much good , that god is bound to paie them somewhat back again . but according to the poet , est quodam prodirete●●s : sinon datur vltra . here could i enter in a field of matter more then much : but ghesse that all is out of frame , and long it hath bene such . although it were better to be occupied in practising those bookes alreadie written , then to write more , ( this last age being so full , that it doth exceed all other ) : yet the necessitie of times , by reason of controuersies , do prouoke the learned to spende their labours that way : and not only so , but in explaining the scriptures , and discoursing of sciences , which worke is not only necessary , but commendable ; whereby a generall good is brought in : this godly vse of writing cannot be disliked of any vertuous man. but forasmuch , as some are diuersly affected , they obserue not this decorum before noted , but fall into vaine iangling , and so conceited of their owne wits , and haue so many crotchets in their heads , that they publish great volumes of nice and curious questions , ambiguities , & doubts , as many of the asse-stronomers , that are very inquisitiue to knowe if the world were created in the spring or autumne , the night before the day , and how moses could write credibly of the worlds creation , liuing so many yeares after ; as thoug● god could not as well tell him what was passed , as he did the prophets what was to come , and such deep secrets , as thogh god had called them to counsel . in like maner some are busied in natiuities , destinies , dreames , palmestrie , and phisiognamie : in a word , who is able to expresse the foolish curiositie of some men , that are neuer satisfied in these vaine & idle studies , but spend whole yeares in searching after doubts and fallacies , and in the mean time ouerpasse those things which he hath vouchsafed to reueale vnto vs , sufficient for vs to know : noli altum sapere , it is no time well spent to soare so high in things shut vp from common vnderstanding and reason , and chiefly seeing they are no ground of faith , nor meanes to edification . but by this , the romaine marchant hath fetched in his greatest gaine , i meane by false reu●lations , and fond opinions , as purgatorie , the econimicall gouernment of the heauenly powers , the mansions and chambers in heauen , the degrees of angels , and archangels , cherubins and seraphins , and a thousand other fond imaginations , foysted in among them by their schoole dunces , which they falsely deriue from dionisius ariopagita , one of the seuentie disciples : so that by these intricate fallacies , and subtill silogis●●es , wherewith they are maintained , many poore soules are insnared , and cast headlong into a laborinth of blinde superstition . this curiositie therefore is a daungerous disease , and a sore that must be healed , least it fester and run ouer the whole body . others there bee that haue such a leaprosie of wit , that they to disquiet and trouble the estate , seeke for innouation , and displant all good order established , not onely thereby amazing the weake christians , but also alinating the hearts of many from their due obedience . touching these that carpe at the present discipline , i will say little , onely this much by the way : that although many things may bee misliked in a pollitique state , & not seeme so precisely good to them that looke a farre off with slight imagination : yet may be wel permitted and tollerated in pollicie , to keepe peace and quietnesse : so be it the fundamentall properties stand fast , which otherwise could not but bring much confusion and disorder : and therefore it is no sure opinion ( as the learned suppose ) to goe about to change lawes , and breake downe discipline , which is alreadie established , least all comelinesse and good order be therewith ouerthrowne . some do nought else but scrape the puddle of contentions , to finde matter to wrangle , though they haue no cause to carpe . alter rixatur de lana s●pe caprina : propugnat nugis armatus . and these are so ambitious of their sophisticall vaine of wrangling , that they put their brabbles in print , to the view of the world , and out of the rancour and malice of their hearts , spew and belch outscandals , slaunders , rumors and false reports : by that meanes kindle flambes of contentions in a peaceable state , and distemper the quietnesse of mens affections , and this is chiefly bent against good men : for the qualitie of grudging enuie is , to be sicke with sorrow and virulent hate , at the prosperitie of other : for hee that is exhorted by the desert of vertue , is subiect to scandalls , and the back-biting of the uious . but the hauen i intend to harbourin , is to speake somewhat of those vaine , idle , wanton pamphlets and lasciuious loue-bookes , which as fire-brands , inflame the concupiscence of youth : for in my opinion nothing doth more corrupt and wither greene and tender wits , then such vnsauoury and vituperable bookes , as hurtful to youth , as - machauile to age , a plaugh dangerous , and as common as dangerous . the lazie monkes , & fat-headed friers , in whom was nought but sloath & idlenes , bred this contagion ; for lining in pleasure & ease , and not interrupted with cares , they had time inough to vomit out their doltish & rediculous fables , & this was the subtiltie of satā thē , to occupie christian wits in heathens foolery ▪ but now this age is more finer , mens wits are clarified , the dulnesse of that time is thrust out , an other method is brought in , fine phrases , inkchorn-termes , swelling words , bumbasted out with the flocks of sundry languages , with much pollished and new-made eloquence ▪ with these daintie cates they furnish and set out their filthy and vicious bookes ; now what do they , but tye youth in ● setters of lust , & keepe them in the thoughts of loue ? for do they not with glosing words tickle and stirre vp the affections to be conceited of some fond passion , to be more vngraciously subtill ? and doo they not labour in vaine cunning to infect and poison delicate youth● ? are not there idle poems of carnall loue , lust , and ●nchaste arguments ? the very nurses of abuse , by which the minde is drawne to many pestilent wishes . for when as young folkes haue licked in the sweete iuice of these stinking bookes , their conuersation and manners are so tainted and spotted with vice , that they can neuer be so cleane washed , but some filthy dregges will remaine behinde . i may liken them to fawning curres , that neuer barke till they bite : or a gaye painted coffer , full of toades and venemous beasts : so in like manner many of these bookes haue glorious outsides , and goodly titles : as if when a man tooke them in hand , he were about to read some angelicall discourse : but within , full of strong venome , tempered with sweete honey : now while the minde is occupied in reading such toyes , the common enemie of man is not idle , but doth secretly insnare the soule in securitie . and some of good partes , and beautified with no common gifts , both of art and nature , not being ledde by the sun-shine of vertue , infect the puritie of wit with prophane inuention , in some loose subiect ; as patrons of vice , and nurses of impietie , and spend the blessednesse of time in vnnecessary babling . other base and seruile wits runne rashly into any sinfull argument , and crowde to the prease with might and maine , not so much regarding the generall hurt , as some sixe ▪ penny allowance : nay , euery triuiall mate and cashired clarke , will bewray his folly in print , and with a tumultuous confusion of words , lay out a deale of amorous prattle , though he be as tedious to his reader , as a muddie way to a wearie traueller . now what is to be found in these bookes ? but filthinesse and grosse ignorance ; as for learning , there is none to be found in them , which neuer came neare the shadow of learning themselues , and as little wit , but a fewe fine words of lust , which are chiefly ment to bend the minde to wantonnesse : yet are they led with this vaine suppositiō , that if they haue bin luld a sleepe but one night on the muses lap , are able to publish any thing with well deserued commendations : and i must needs say , that i my selfe haue read in them , and taken great delight in their foolish lyes ; but surely i could neuer find either goodnes or wit , vnles vice be vertue , or to tel a bawdie tale be wit. neuertheles , i would not haue any man think , that i inueigh against , or discommend poetrie ; for in al ages it hath bin thought necessarie : but only against those abusers of poesie , who vnder the name & title of poets , foist in their wanton & lasciuious verses . the true vse of poetrie standeth in two parts ; the one in teaching the way to vertue ; the other to moue with delight therevnto : for honest delight stirreth vp men to take that goodnesse in hand , which otherwise would bee loathsome & vnpleasant : so that when it is bent to a good end , and euery thing laide out in his due annalligie , with some ioy the affections are thereby inuoked to a serious consideration , to imitate that goodnesse wherevnto it is moued . those bookes that both delight and perswade with learned discretion , & out of which some wholsome document may be extracted , though it be simple , yet is it praiseable . disdaine not ( saith the wise heathen ) the simple labour of an other , though thou beest neuer so great ; especially if he speake good words . againe , considering the diuersitie of mens minds , and how diuersly they are disposed , all honest delight is not to be disproued , because euery man may finde both pleasure & profit : for as i say , by a pleasant discourse the minde is more chearefully carried , both to read & meditate , to muse and studie , & the memory more willing to holde that it hath conceiued : so that poetrie is no other thing , but a liuely presentatiō of things ingeniously disposed , wherby vertue is painted out with such fresh colours , that the mind is inflamed with her excellent properties . now whosoeuer shall discent from this true vse , is no poet , but a vaine babler : for what are all these scurrillous tales , & bawdie verses ? do these moue to vertue with honest delight ? nay doo they not rather stirre vp bawdrie and beastlinesse ? for are they not full of paganisme and ribald speeches , to stirre vp the mind to shady idlenesse ? is this poetrie ? verily they are as vnworthy the name of poets , as chirrillus , who had nothing to grace his verses by , but onely the name of allex. but if a man superficially & slitely glideth ouer these pye-bald pamphlets , they are like a pleasing dream , that mockes the mind with silken thoughts : but if seene into with a sober iudgement , hee shall finde in that faire beaten path , many adders & snakes lye in waite to byte him by the heele . for if a view be had of these editions , the court of venus , the pallace of pleasure , guy of warwicke , libbius and arthur , beuis of hampton , the wise men of goatam , scoggins ieasts , fortunatus , and those new delights that haue succeeded these , and are now extant , too tedious to recken vp : what may we thinke ? but that the floud-gates of all impietie are drawne vp , to bring a vniuersall deluge ouer all holy and godly conuersation : for there can be no greater meanes to affright the mind from honestie , then these pedling bookes , which haue filled such great volumes , and blotted so much paper , theyr sweete songs and wanton tales do rauish and set on fire the young vntempered affections , to practise that whereof they doo intreate : who by reason of theyr infancie and imbicillitie of wit , are soone seduced , and with wine-puft eloquence , doo so artificially lim out the life of vanitie , as they easily take the impression of that which is portrayed out vnto them : and on this rocke stands the ensigne of their glory , if smoothly and pithily they can trick vp a tale of some beastly prapus , of lawlesse lust , and rip vp the genealogie of the heathen gods , to carrie the minde into wonderment : ô how they will diue into the bottome of their braine ! for fluant termes , and imbossed words , to varnish theyr lyes and fables to make them glib , and as we vse to say , to goe downe without chewing , which as poyson doth by litle and litle , disperse it selfe into euery part of the body . from hence riseth so much foolish idle prattle , the seruing-man , the image of sloath , the bagge-pipe of vanitie , like a windie instrument , soundeth nothing but prophanenesse , and some are so charmed , as they spend their whole life in vaine reading , because they see in thē as in a glasse , their owne conditions : now such vaine fragments as fit their humors , they sucke in , and ●queese out againe in euery assembly . it is too true , that one such wanton toye dooth more breed vice , then twentie godly treatises can induce to vertue : nor twentie sermons preached by the best diuine in englād , doth not so much good to moue to true doctrine , as one of these bookes do harme to intice to ill liuing : they corrupt good learning , & subuert all sanctimony , and by a tedious pratling ouer-sway the memory from that good purpose whervnto it ought to be imployed , not informing the iudgement in matters worthy to be learned . from whence then creepeth in this pestilence , but out of these vaine bookes ; for euery mischiefe by litle & litle crawleth vpon the good manners of men , which vnder some shewe of goodnes is suddenly receiued , which by a voluntary admittance at the first becōmeth habituall , especially when the spirituall faculties are defiled with much conuersatiō : in so much that many that hold places in sacred assemblies , become affected to their phrases , metaphors , allegories , and such figuratiue and suparlatiue termes , and so much vaine eloquence , as they yeeld no fruite at all to their auditors , but driue them into amazement with a multitude of inkehorne-termes scummed from the latin , and defused phrases , as they flye aboue the commō reach , when the most profitable and best affected speech is that that is most congruable and fitly applied to the intendment & vnderstanding of the hearers by familiar and ordinarie termes , not sophisticall , darke , and obscure , nor too base and barbarous : but such as are animated by their present abillitie to speake more then other men , and be addicted to affectation , haue commonly a dearth of iudgement , sildome edifie , but gallop ouer prophane writers to shewe theyr vaine reading . demosthenes beeing called to declaime against the rude multitude that had assembled themselues in the forum of athens , answered he was not yet readie , if he that had facacia ingenij , the very soule of wit durst not speak in a serious matter without preparing himselfe before , how cā such that come far short of him in promptnes of naturall wisdome , presume to handle holy things so rashly with humane learning , for it is an impudent boldnesse for a man to take vpon him to teach others that which he before hath not bene taught : but i may speake as tully spake of the orators of rome , sed tamen videmus quibus extinctus oratoribus quam in paucis spes quanto in pa●cioribus facult as quam in multis sit audacia . we see ( saith he ) what noble orators are put out of the way , and how in fewe a hope remaineth , in fewer a skill , but in many a boldnesse , that dare set vpon any thing . to returne , doo not these idle pernicious bookes poyson the well disposed manners of youth , and macerate and kill the seedes of vertue that begin to bloome ? for doo they not vse more vaine eloquence then confidence in matters of wisedome ? so that all that which they do , is but to make a mutinie . men need not sowe for weedes , for they growe fast inough : so we are polluted inough by kinde , though we be not more defiled by custome : thus do they proceed like cankers to eate off the tender buddes . neither do they want some mecenas to patronize their witlesse workes , and to haue some applause , bend the scope of theyr argument to fit their dispositions ; yea , and many times thrust their dedications vpon men of graue and sober carriage , who will not sticke to recompence their idle labours . now if the principall scope of all our actions and counsels , ought to be to some good ende , and that it must needs passe as a maxime , that nothing can be good but that which moueth to vertue , thē it must cōsequētly follow , that all prophane and lasciuious poems , are as an infectious aire that brings a generall plague , because they striue against honestie . and if plato , sawe so great cause to shut them out of his common-wealth , as noysome to the peace and tranquillitie thereof , what ought our platonists to do ? sith they more abound heere then euer they did there : or if we had but the zealous affections of the ephesians , we would loathe the price of so great iniquitie , and sacrifice them at a stake , though they were of neuer so great value . but happily it will be demaunded how ladies , gentlewomen , &c. should spend the time , and busie their heads , as though idlenesse were not a vice badde inough of it self , without fire to be added , and as though there were not a bible , and many good bookes wherein they might be vertuously exercised . of good wits well imployed what good would ensue , by setting out the praises of the immortall maiestie , that giueth hands to write , and wittes to inuent , what matter might they not finde : both honest and necessary , in which they might first want words to vtter , then matter worthie to be vttered : especially those that are not only by their outward felicitie freed from troubles and perturbation of minde , imbracing content in the bosome of peace , the nurse of sciences , but are also inabled , and sufficiently gifted to publish any thing of worth , ô how willing is vertue to crowne them with honour ▪ but this contagion , ought seriously to be considered by men of riper iudgement , and by such as haue authoritie to suppresse the abuses ; for is it not lamentable ? that a pamphlet discoursing nought but paganisme , should be so vendible , and vertuous bookes want sale , the one bought vp thicke and three fold , the other lye dead , for there commeth forth no sooner a foolish toye , a leaud and bawdy ballad , but if sung in the market , by the diuels quirristers , they flocke to it as crowes to a dead carkasse ▪ buying them vp as iewels of price , be they neuer so ribauld , filthie , or dorbellicall ▪ but bookes of christianitie , of modest argument , that ten● to rectifie the iudgment , lieth still in the stationers hand as waste paper , not so much as looked after : so that by this we may plainly see , what a froward generation we are fallen into , where in such bookes as are most hurtfull and daungerous , are most deuoutly coueted . but if they would obserue the philosophers rule , to abstain from speaking fiue yeare , i doubt not but in that time , they would be fitted and fully established , to write with sober iudgement , as men of vnderstanding & reason : or if the apostles rule were followed , be swift to heare , and slowe to speake , they would be more considerate , and not runne out the course of their liues in such vnprofitable studie . but touching the defence some make , to approue this vaine writing , it is too ridiculous , and not worth an answere , that they doo by this meanes polish & refine our english tongue , and drawe it from barbarisme , into a more finer cadence of words : but those bookes that polish the toong , & depraue the life , are dangerous , and in the sentence of wise men , in no case to be allowed : for it were better for a man to be dumbe , then by speaking to approue a wrong , and accuse the innocent : and better it were indeed that they had not only no learning at all ; but also that they had no eyes to see , nor eares to heare : for as it is in the gospell , it were much better for a man to goe blinde into heauen , then with two eyes to be cast into hell . neither can i see but that they drawe our language from the auncient tenor , by mixing it with so many straunge countries , that it seemeth rather more artificiall , then naturall : and more baser then the common lawe , which is compounded of french , english and latin , &c. the harsh tooting of pans pipe , was more pleasing to mydas care , then the sweet harmony of apolloes harp , but this fault was in the iudge , whose simplicitie could not distinguish them aright : in like manner , many are better content with vicious bookes , bawdie songs , foolish and wanton ditties , then in the well sea●oned writings of holy men , and this is for want of iudgement , being as blinde as he was foolish . it may be said of such , as pythagoras said to a leaude fellow that soothed himselfe in conuersing with badde company , i had rather quoth he be acquainted with bawdes , then wise phylosophers . no maruell quoth he very sadly , swine delight more in dirt , then in pure and cleane water . of such bookes as moue to good life , and bring a benefit to posteritie , we haue but too fewe , and can neuer haue too many : but of such as followe their owne fancies in spewing out their wandering imaginations , we haue but too many , and it were to be wished we had none at all . good men are not only otherwise imployed , but also greatly discouraged , for if they set forth any notable booke of diuinitie , humanitie , or such like , they are in no request , but to stop musterd-pots , & what is the reasō but this , euery stationers shop , stal , & almost euery post , giues knowledge of a new toy , which many times intercepts the vertuous dispositiō of a willing buyer : so that hauing time , and incouragement , labor what they can , to deface good mens workes , with the multitude of their sinfull fopperies . hee that can but bombast out a blancke verse , and make both the endes iumpe together in a ryme , is forthwith a poet laureat , challēging the garland of baies , and in one slauering discourse or other , hang out the badge of his follie . o how weake and shallow much of theyr poetrie is , for hauing no sooner laide the subiect and ground of their matter , and in the exordium moued attention , but ouer a verse or two runne vpon rockes and shelues , carrying their readers into a maze , now vp , thē downe , one verse shorter then an other by a foote , like an vnskilfull pilot , neuer comes nigh the intended harbour : in so much that oftentimes they sticke so fast in mudde , they loose their wittes ere they can get out , either like chirrillus , writing verse not worth the reading , or battillus , arrogating to themselues , the well deseruing labours of other ingenious spirits . farre from the decorum of chauser , gowers , lidgate , &c. or our honourable moderne poets , who are no whit to be touched with this , but reuerently esteemed , and liberally rewarded . then seeing this naughtie kinde of writing dooth plucke vp the seeds of vertue by the rootes , and quench that little fire assoone as it beginneth to kindle , they ought to be shunned as serpents & snakes , and youth chiefly to be kept from reading them . the libeller is punished according to the qualitie of his libell , either by pillorie , whipping , losse of eares , fine , imprisonment , and such like : the thiefe hanged , the traitor drawne , and euery one punished in that kind he doth offend in : are not these filthy bookes libells ? do they not defame , discredit , and reproach vertue and honestie , by expounding vice with large comments ? do they not steale away all holy deuotion , poyson good wits , and corrupt young people ? shall hee be pardoned by course o● lawe , that offends in the highest degree ▪ and shall hee be counted a maister of wisedome , that teacheth nought but foolishnesse to the people ▪ wherefore then should this so great mischiefe goe vnreproued ▪ to conclude , he that can read , shall finde bookes worthy to be read , wherein is both wisedome and learning , pleasant & wittie , sober and chast , that both profit the life , and ioy the mind : but before all other , to read those diuine bookes , that both lift the heart to god , and direct vnto christian duties : for such is fomentum fidei , nourishing faith , lexio alit ingenium , so the bookes bee wise , vertuous , chaste , and honest : touching the former , they are but stinking infectious writings , which as mudde and dyrt defile the body , so do they pollute the soule . by reading good bookes , the minde is stored with wisedome , the life bettered and setled in quietnesse : so that still all reading be referred to the bible , frō whence all vertue is deriued . for this cause s. paul admonisheth timothie to giue attendance to reading : for albeit hee was trained vp in the scriptures from a childe , and had all ephesus vnder his charge , yet hee stirreth him to reading ; for by reading more knowledge is not onely gotten , but also the decayes and breaches of the memorie is againe renued ; and vnlesse there be both a powring in of more , and a continuall restoring of that which is lost , all will drop away , and leaue a man emptie : for the memorie is like a ruinous house , readie to fall downe , which if not eft●oones repaired , will soone become inhabitable . touching enterludes and playes , i will omit to speak how the best iudgements conceiue of them , their reasons being strong and manifolde , to thrust them out as things indifferent , and make them simply vnlawfull . for although they are not simply forbidden in expresse words , yet if it once appeare the true vse be lost , and cleaue to a bad report , it is the part of euerie man , to shun and auoyd the same , and rather drawe other to reformation , then violently suffer himselfe to be swayed with the like affection . and this agreeth with that of paul , if indifferent things giue offence to the weake , they ought to bee remoo●ed : for the freedome of those things giueth courage to the defect of grace , to be more vngracious . nothing is lawfull but that which tendeth to the glory of god , and profit of man in comelin●sse : so that the end of all ioy and myrth , must be to glorifie the creator . those pleasures of the body & mind which are of good report , are indifferent if modestly vsed : honest exercise doth much relieue the debilitie of nature , and quicken the dull spirits , which would else be depressed and ouerladen with moderate labour . idlenesse is to be condemned as the bel-dame of all euil : but idlenesse is not onely in doing nothing , but also in doing things vnprofitable . eschew euill , and do good : it is not inough to abstaine from euill , but we must do good also . some playes , as they are now in vse , are scandalous and scurrillous , detract from vertue , & adde to vice , and the very may-games of all sin and wickednesse : for , for the most part , they haue nothing in them but scurrillitie , or some grosse shewe of doltishnesse , to make the sinfull mouth of laughter to gape , and often sporting at that which should rather moue pittie and compunction : stages of desolutenesse , and baites to entice people to lightnesse . for is not vice set to sale on open theaters ? is there not a sodome of filthinesse painted out and tales of carnall loue , adulterie , ribaldrie , leacherie , murther , rape , interlarded with a thousand vncleane speeches , euen common schooles of bawdrie ? is not this the way to make men ripe in all kinde of villanie , and corrupt the manners of the whole world ? and there wanteth no art , neither to make these bawdie dishes delightfull in taste . for are not their dialogues puft vp with swelling wordes ? are not theyr arguments pleasing and rauishing ? and made more forcible by gesture and outward action ? surely this must needes attract the minde to imitate such vices as are portrayed out , whereby the soule is tainted with impietie : for it cannot be , but that the internall powers must be moued at such visible and liuely obiects . and principally , youth are made pliant to wantonnes & idlenes , and the tender buddes of good maners vtterly rooted out . and many times ( which is most sinfull ) intermixe the sacred words of god , that neuer ought to be handled without feare and trembling , with their filthy and scurrillous paganisme : is not this abhominable prophanation ? is not that humble reuerence of the oracles of god , hereby blasphemed , and basely scorned ? is this fit to be suffered where christ is professed ▪ must the holy prophets and patriarkes be set vpon a stage , to be derided , hist , and laught at ? or is it fit that the infirmities of holy men should be acted on a stage , whereby others may be inharted to rush carelesly forward into vnbrideled libertie ? doubtlesse the iudgement of god is not farre off from such abusers of diuine mysteries : as wee haue an example in e●sebi●● , lib. . to this effect , of a certaine poet , who mixing the word of god in a heathinish play , was suddenly smitten blinde for his prophanenesse . furthermore , there is no passion wherwith the king , the soueraigne maie●tie of the realme was possest , but is amplified , and openly sported with , and made a may-game to all the beholders , abusing the state royall , mocking the auntient fathers and pastors of the church ; and albeit the holy ghost vouchsafeth them many faire tytles , and honourable epethites , yet notwithstanding they are so impudent , as to traduce them on the stage , and imploy them in base offices : for looke what part is more scornfull then other , is imputed vnto them . must not this breede contempt to them and their places , and impeach so holy a function ? no doubt yes . for when the faults and scandalls of great men , as magistrates , ministers , and such as hold publike places , shall be openly acted and obiected to the sences , or faigned to bee replenished with vice and passion , it must needes breed disobedience , and slight regard of theyr authoritie , whereof ensueth breach of lawe , and contempt of superiours : there neede not bee a quickening , or calling backe againe of the scapes of such men , to make them odious and contemptible , for euerie fault they commit , be it as smal as a pibble , yet is it so big as a mil-stone , because they stand in the gaze of the world , and soone spyed if they offend neuer so litle . this vetus comaedia was inuented to good purpose , the subiect , matter of morall documents , the assembly , the senators and chiefe cittizens : and as tully calleth them , humanae vitae speculum , a glasse of mans life : for when they represent the acts of vertuous men , time , place , and persons considered , they are ( deemed by some to be ) sufferable , and that for this cause , when as the comely deedes of good men are feelingly brought to remembrance , it cannot but moue other to imitate the like goodnesse : or on the other side , when the spots and errours of our life , shall be acted to our owne shame , it is impossible that we should be content to be such , and not loath our owne euill , as when a bragging thraso , a strutting philopolimarchides , a double dealing parasite , or such mad humours as raigne in common disorder , dsplayed according to decorum , no spectator but is driuen to prye into himselfe if hee haue the like faultes or no : for i thinke verily that no man will allowe such abhominable actions in himselfe , when they are so visibly painted out in other . and albeit some benefite might come if circumstances were obserued , yet now is it farre otherwise , for these moderne playes , wherewith the world is now so pestred , are altogether made vpō lasciuious arguments , and serue as the very organs & instruments to vanitie ▪ the honour due to god , and reuerence to man , is laid aside , vertue disroabed , and vice exalted ; and in stead of morallitie , fictions , lies , and scurrillous matter is foysted in , and is cunningly conueied into the hearts of the assistants , whereby they are transformed into that they see acted before them : for the rusticke & common sort , are as apes , that will imitate in themselues , that which they see done by other . or if they stuffe their scene with some one good precept , or well-worded instruction , what power hath that to moue to vertue ? when it is immediately prophaned with their exorbitant foolerie , as pure water in a foule and muddie cesterne . the indicorum of poets , & greedinesse of historians , iumping in one simpathy , haue changed the intēdment of the former ages . for as menander in greece , which is thought to bee the first inuenter of comedies , aeschilus , or thespis , the deuiser of tragedies , aymed at vertue in blazing out the deeds of honestie , with graue and sober termes , which indeed were rude & imperfect , by reason of the infancie of the time , vntil they were afterward adorned with the choice flowers of sophocles and euripides , of whom it is doubted whether is the better poet. these did labour by modest delight , to drawe men by example to goodnesse : neither can i imagin , but that they obserued many particulars , as well in the choise of their auditorie , as of good matter , without greedie desire to multiply excessiue gaine , and no doubt were played priuately in their accademies , at some set times , at which were present the chiefe burgomaisters , senators , and graue fathers of the citie . but if we oppose our quotidian enterludes to them of former time , and consider the multitude of ours , with the paucitie and fewnesse of theirs , wee shall see a great diuersitie as well in the method of writing , as in the time , place , and company : for now nothing is made so vulgar and common , as beastly and palpable folly : lust , vnder colour of loue , abstract rules artificially composed , to carrie the minde into sinfull thoughts , with vncleane locution , and vnchaste behauiour , as groping , colling , kissing , amorous prattle , and signes of venerie , whereby the maidenly disposition is polluted with lust , and moued to impietie . againe , if a man will learne to be proud , fantasticke , humorous , to make loue , sweare , swagger , and in a word closely doo any villanie , for a two-penny almes hee may be throughly taught and made a perfect good scholler : so that publike sermons are made of all kinde of naughtinesse , and the bridle of wicked libertie laid on euery mans necke : and herein standeth their glory , if by pleasing the vulgar opinion , they gaine a plaudite , at which they streake their plumes , & spread theyr pride . when phosion had made an eloquent oration before the people , and seeing them clap their hands for ioy , questioned such as were next him , if he had vttered any foolish and vnseemly thing : teaching vs by this , that we ought alwayes to suspect the rude multitude , for that their weake iudgements can hardly discerne betweene vice and vertue , and their affections so dull , that they commonly embrace the cuill in stead of good . in like maner hippomachus hearing one of his schollers praised for his fidling , bad him cease playing , for he was sure there was some great errour in the fingering , that hee was so applauded of the ignorant : what true glory then can they iustly merit , that are praised by the witlesse and braine-sicke multitude ? and as these copper-lace gentlemen growe rich , purchase lands by adulterous playes , & not fewe of them vsurers and extortioners , which they exhaust out of the purses of their haunters , so are they puft vp in such pride and selfe-loue , as they enuie their equalles , and scorne theyr inferiours . now the common haunters are for the most part , the l●audest persons in the land , apt for pilferie , periurie , forgerie , or any rogorie , the very scum , rascallitie , and baggage of the people , theeues , cut-purses , shifters , cousoners ; briefly , an vncleane generation , and spaune of vipers : must not here be good rule , where is such a broode of hell-bred creatures ? for a play is like a sincke in a towne , wherevnto all the filth doth runne : or a byle in the body , that draweth all the ill humours vnto it . for what more fitter occasion to summon all the discontented people together , then playes ? to attempt some execrable actiō , commotions , mutinies , rebelliōs , as it hapned at windhā in norff. in the time of ed. the . where at a stage play ( according to a drunken custome there vsed ) the horrible rebelliō of ket and his complices , by a watch-word giuen , brake out , to the trouble of the whole kingdome : and doth it not daily fall out in common experience , that there is either fighting , whereof ensueth murther ? robbing and theeuering , whereof commeth hanging ? or spotting the soule with wickednesse , that he becommeth the very sonne of beliall ? and are they not growne odious to good men , and ill reported of ? are these indifferent to bee vsed ? nay verily , if a man loue his owne safetie , he ought to withdrawe himselfe from such vaine spectacles . but especially these nocturnall and night playes , at vnseasonable and vndue times , more greater euils must necessarily proceed of them , beeause they do not onely hide and couer the thiefe , but also entice seruants out of their maisters houses , wherby opportunitie is offered to loose fellowes , to effect many wicked stratagems . in a word ( as they are now vsed ) they corrupt good manners , and set abroach the vessell of all vncleanenesse ; the eare is tickled with immodest speeches , the minde imprinted with wanton gesture , and the whole affections rauished with sinful pleasure : in so much as many leaue their honest callings , liue idlely , and gadde to those places where the diuel displayeth his banner , liuing so long vpon the spoile of other men , till at last they are eaten vp by tyborne . nay many poore pincht , needie creatures , that liue of almes , and that haue scarce neither cloath to their backe , nor foode for the belley , yet will make hard shift but they will see a play , let wife & children begge , languish in penurie , and all they can rappe and rend , is little in ough to lay vpon such vanitie . neuerthelesse some will obiect they are necessarie , and fit to be allowed in pollicie : and why so ? because they are meanes to occupie idle people , and keepe the worser sort from worser exercises : for if playes were not ( say they ) some would to drunkennesse , some a whoring , others to dice , cardes , riotting , and such vile practises , which by playes is all preuented . this proueth them as lawfull in london , as the common stewes in rome , or venis : for is this a sencible reason , that of necessitie one sinne cannot be pulled downe , but an other as bad or worse , must be erected in stead of it ? it is no sound argument , to dispence with one to eschew the other , and so by shunning carribdis , fall vpon scilla : but how shall we spend the time ? as though there were no exercise to be vsed , but that that leadeth to mischiefe . time flyeth away apace , and therfore we are commanded to redeeme the time , seeing we haue but too much , when we wilfully loose and abuse it . idlenesse is a sinne great inough of it selfe , though it haue no nourishment by sinfull games and sports : but doubtlesse if the cause were remoued , the effect would soone cease , and the time bee spent in more honest endeuours , and by litle and litle ( the lawe obserued ) the men would be wained from such intollerable abuses . others will belch out this blasphemie , that a man may edifie as much at some play , as at a sermon : this i easily graunt , if so be when he goeth to church , he leaueth his heart at home ; or at least it is so ●lintie , that no good thing will penetrate , the diuell sitting at the elbowe , and eyther rockes him a sleeepe , or amazeth the minde with wandring thoughts : so that filling a place as a cipher in augrime , heareth a buzzing sound in his eares , but is neuer truly toucht in his heart . beside , the affections are not alike : for at a play the whole facultie of the minde is altogether bent on delight , the eye earnestly fixed vpon the obiect , euery sence busied for the time , the eare narrowly waiteth to catch that that is vttered , sending it to wit : wit to reason : reason to memorie , which locketh it vp in a clozet , least it slip out againe : the diuell in the meane time like a quiet fellow , doth not trouble the affections with strange delusions ; and why so ? because they are occupied in his worke . furthermore , a man is not wearied be it neuer so tedious , because they doo not onely ( as i say ) feed the eare with sweete words , equally ballanced , the eye with variable delight , but also with great allacritie doth swiftly runne ouer in two houres space , the dooings of many yeares , galloping from one countrey to an other , whereby the minde is drawne into expectation of the sequell , and carried from one thing to an other with changeable motions , that although hee were vnacquainted with the matter before , yet the cunning art hee seeth in the conueyance , maketh him patiently attend the catastrophae : when as at a lecture and holy exercise , all the sences are mortified and possest with drowsinesse : so that by this then we may see our corrupt nature , and the sore that runneth ouer the whole body ; for the minde is nothing so tentible at a good instruction , nor the eare so audible , as at a vaine and sportiue foolerie : ô how dull is the affections to the one , and how prompt to the other ! how the tongue will itterate and repeate the one with great ioye , and smoulder vp the other in drowsie melancholye . many well gouerned common-wealths , did not onely note them to bee infamous persons that acted them , excluding them from offices , and giuing testimonie in causes crimminall , but also supplanted and beate downe theaters and common play-houses , least any things should be imprinted in the peoples harts against honestie . licurgus banished all players , pypers , sophisters , &c. ouid for his wanton ars amandi , was exiled by augustus . iuuinall , as an instrument of obscenitie and bawdery , was driuen out of his countrey , because by their wanton elegies , they made the mindes obsequies to loose liuing . a good old father being demanded what he thought of playes and idle poetrie : answered , they were very good to infect young wits with vanitie and needlesse fopperie . the grossenesse of the heathen was such , that they dedicated playes , games , mummeries , maskes , &c. to their idols , to pacifie their ( supposed ) displeasure . and although there is none but abhorreth such foule idollatrie , yet the diuell hath such a heccatombe of sacrifices out of obscene and filthy playes . to bee short , men ought to recreate themselues comely and decently , and vse ▪ exercises of better report , and lesse hurt : for what saieth saint chrisostome to the faithfull of his time ? in no case ( saieth hee ) frequent theaters , least you bee branded with infamie . it is no small offence ( saieth ciprian ) for a man to disguise himselfe in the garments of a woman , vnlesse in cases of great necessitie , to saue the life , &c. and therefore it were to bee wished , that all loue-bookes , sonnets , and vile pamphles , were burned , and no more susfered to be printed , nor filthy playes rehearsed , which are the bellowes to blowe the coales of lust , soften the minde , and make it flexible to cuil inclinations : vnlesse first seene and allowed , by some of approued and discreet iudgement . to conclude , it were further to be wished , that those admired wittes of this age , tragaedians , and comaedians , that garnish theaters with their inuentions , would spend their wittes in more profitable studies , and leaue off to maintaine those anticks , and puppets , that speake out of their mouthes : for it is pittie such noble giftes , should be so basely imployed , as to prostitute their ingenious labours to inrich such buckorome gentlemen . and much better it were indeed they had nor wit , nor learning at all , then to spend it in such vanitie , to the dishonour of god , and corrupting the common-wealth : but he that dependeth on such weake staies , shall be sure of shame and beggerie in the ende : for it hath sildome beneseene , that any of that profession haue prospered , or come to an assured estate . hast thou wit , learning , and a vaine to write wickednesse ? adde wisedome to thy wit , and couet to write goodnesse : so shalt thou in stead of cursing , be blessed , and immortally praised of the good and honest . the floud of wittie foolishnes , hath a long time ouerflowne the bankes of modestie , the world is full of idle bookes , and friuolous toyes , neuer in any age was the like : turne thy pen , write not with a goose quill any longer , clense thy wit of grosse folly , and publish things profitable and necessary , new , and good , to the building vp of vertue and godlinesse . againe , is the minde and body wearied with vnreasonable care and labour ? rest , ease , and inoffensiue pastimes , are then most fittest and in season : for we are not created to follow sports and pleasures , and sent into the world to play : but for graue and waightie studies , and to vse honest mirth , when the body is tyred and no longer able to endure trauaile vnlesse it be againe refreshed with some actiuitie , and not otherwise : so that such as spend the time in vaine trifles , gadding after playes , and idlely runne vp and downe , breake that straight iniunction made by god to adam ▪ in the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eate thy bread . what whoredomes , drunkennesse , swearing , and abhominable sodomie is daily practised ? doth it not inuite and call vpon magistrates to draw the sword of reformation ? do they not crie for vengeance to heauen ? surely there was neuer more filthinesse committed then now , the word contemned , preachers despised , and a direct opposition against all honestie , that were it not for some fewe that stand in the gap , fire and brimstone would fall from heauen & consume the wicked like sodome and gomorrah . for doubtlesse the sins of sodome , are as rife here as euer they were there , pride , gluttony , cutthroat-enuy , self-loue , vnmercisulnesse to the poore , and such like , and those not priuate : but vnuersall in all places , and amongst most men . the next enemy to vertue is idlenesse , a burthen of impediment , a vice so deeply rooted in some , that it casteth them headlong into infernall bondage : the toade out of which issueth nought but drunkennesse , whoredomes , pride , ignorance , errour , blindnesse , beggerie , and a thousand moe miseries . time is like so many lighted lampes , that with care & diligence ought to be kept with oyle : which with dampish idlenesse are soone put out , and by negligence let fall : for mans life of it selfe is not so short by nature , but it is more shortned by sinne , and the length of time hastened on by iniquitie . the soule is of too fine a mettall and so pure a temper as to loue to do nothing , but wil be imployed in labour ; yet because she is imprisoned in the walles of flesh , followeth her sluggish inclination : the body by too much ease is like a pampered iade vnseruiceable , and her dexteritie and faculties being made blunt and dull with sloth , becommeth wholy vnfit for honest labour : for if he remit and giue his minde to idlenesse , ill corrupting motions creepe into the soule , which polluting the purer parts , do by little and little carry him to all impietie , vntill the whole man become nothing but the sonne of belial : by it a wide gap is opened , for adultery to enter in at , and therefore diogenes was wont to say , by doing nothing we learne to do euil : and lust ( quoth he ) is the trade and occupation of loyterers : and as that grand-maister of wantonnesse ouid , in his booke deremedio amors saith ; osia sit●llas , periere cupidinis arcus . and it being asked how the emperour aegistus became an adulterer , it is answered : in prompt● causa est desidi●sus erat . it is a plaine case he was idle . for if the bodie be not set on worke , the minde goeth astray , whereby this litle world is soone ouerthrowne by the inuasion made against it by concupiscence : as whē a man doth fast long and abstaine from bodily foode , the emptinesse of the stomacke and passages , draweth into the bodie windie humours and infectious vapours , because according to philosophie , there is no vacuum , but a present supply of ayre : so that often eyther by the disposition of the elements , or by reason of some accidentall cause , the ayre is so infected and poysoned , as it pierceth into the vitall powers , and either bringeth a vniuersall mortalitie , or some lingring disease and sicknesse : so in like manner when the body is kept from corporall labour , and the minde from studious exercise , a fit mansion for don sathan is prepared , euery roome emptied , and the whole poores and faculties of soule and body really possest with wicked impietie , wherein this grand-traitor to mans happinesse , as in a worke-house forge , or common shoppe , dooth stampe and coine a multitude of euils , and suggest abhominable vices into the heart : for verily none are such fit instruments for him to worke by , then such as liue idlely and do nothing : for where there is no defence to keepe him backe , there dooth hee rule so strongly ouer the affections , that there is no other fruites but a sinfull life , and a shamefull ende : for such as occupie themselues in no commendable exercise , but mispend the time , no maruell though the minde bee vpon vnhallowed actions . idlenesse is a capitall plague , a sore vexing the body with extreame torment , and loading the bones till they cracke with weakenesse , pouertie , impotencie , and in the ende leaueth olde age naked and vnprouided for . in a word , nothing is more vnseemely in a christian , nor more contrarie to the lawe of god , which commaundeth euery one to get his liuing with the sweate of his browes , preiudiciall to humane societie , and iniurious to nature : and therefore themistocles tearmeth idlenesse the graue and tombe of such men as are aliue , for that there is no difference betweene an idle man , and one that is dead , for that neither one nor the other doth any good . euery one is commaunded to be industrious in that calling wherein hee is set , and earnestly seeke to applie himselfe therevnto , for he that worketh not , is not worthie to eate : but hee that followeth his trade with diligence be it neuer so base or mechanicall , is alwayes sure of competencie and saturitie , when as the luskish and idle notwithstanding their great aboundance , are in short time consumed and come to nothing , as the wise man saieth : i passed by the field of the slouthfull , and loe it was ouergrowne with bryars , and nettles had couered the face thereof , and the stone wall was broken downe , &c. yet a little sleepe , a little slumber , a little fowlding the handes together , so thy pouertie commeth vppon thee like an armed man : and as it is in an other place , hee that putteth his hand into his bosome , is like to fall into pouertie . some lur-daines that haue wealth left by their ancestors , holde it a poynt of wisedome to rest theyr idle limmes and spare theyr bodies , and liue in the hyue vppon the hunney of others labour , and as vultures kill nothing themselues , but preye vppon that which is killed by other , so like catter-pillers do they liue by the fruites of other mens labours and sore trauaile . this kinde of life was so much hated among the aethenians , that who so was seene idle was seuerely punished . and for this vse , was there sophronistes and graue fathers , that had the ouersight and surueighing of the common-wealth , and most chiefly looked to the manners of youth . tully reports that none durst walke the streetes of rome without bearing about him some signe of his profession , least hee should bee impeacht of idlenesse : and in his oration pro archita poeta , hee saith of himselfe : what time other men spent in sports , playes , bankets , dice , cardes , tennice , &c. that saith he , i bestowed in poring on my booke : which is vndoubtedly true , for surely had he bene idle and giuen to pastime , as many students are in these dayes , hee could neuer haue bene that notable and excellent summus orator . there is nothing so precious as time , which being wilfully or willingly ouerslipt , is impossible to be recalled , for that she is deafe and cannot heare , and therefore she is painted with lockes before , but bauld behind , because holde may be taken in the comming , but her back once past , is irrecouerable , and the lowder she is called , the faster she flyeth . it were a world to note the idlenesse of many in these times , and what multitudes liue with doing nothing ; or at leastwise in doing things vnprofitable and dishonest : yea , what numbers there be both in citie and towne , that liue like drones & idle grashoppers , as a right wise and honourable counsellor reported in the starre-chamber , that in the citie as hee verily was perswaded , there were at least a thousand families that could giue no honest reckening of their life . some like aesops labber , sit beating their heeles against a stall , some friske from house to house , as busie-bodies : others in curious obseruations and fault-finding with the gate , apparell , speech , and defects of other , and fat themselues with busie apprehensions . this peeuish nature is deriued from that olde witch lamea , who as the poets faine , had broade prospectiue eyes to pull out and in at pleasure , and at her going abroad , would put on and be very curious and circumspect in peering and poring about to see what was amisse in her neighbours house ; but at her return home , would locke them vp in a cap-case , and satte downe to spinning as blinde as a beetle , and neuer sawe what was amisse in her owne house : so in like manner , many both sonnes and daughters she hath , that cram the forepart of the wallet with small defects , when the waight of their owne behinde , is readie to pull them backeward into all contempt : and many female sinners frequent great assemblies for nothing else but to spye out new fashions , of which they make large coments at their returne , neuer rest night nor day , till they be trickt vp with like trumperie , and if they spye a hole in theyr neighbours coate , a moate amisse , a wrinckle awry , then there is to do and to do , and turning it ouer againe and againe , as men ted hay , with wot you what neighbour , such a man is too familiar with his maide , he is a bankerout , an hypocrite , a busie-body ; she is a muddie queane , a filthy beast , a lumpe of kitchinstuffe , and such like : is not here good ware which they offer to sell , to euery ones disgrace ? and thus they passe away the time in vaine and idle obseruations , and vtterly forget to looke into their owne bosome , and prune and correct their owne deformities , which no doubt they should finde laboursome inough to reforme . euery day offereth a new occasion to doo good , and therefore no one houre ought to slip away without some profitable thing done : but as caesar in his commentaries setteth downe his dicirnall affaires , euery dayes businesse : so a man must exercise himselfe daily in such things as belong to his calling , and to liue so that his company may bee desired , and by his life to yeeld benefite to the place where he liueth , and not so to liue , as if he were borne onely for himselfe ; but as plato saith , for our friends , parents , countrey , and such common duties , which are the finall endes of euery mans labour : but he that regardeth neither of these , his company cloyeth the stomacke , and therefore to be spewed out as an vnprofitable waster . callings are distinguished into sundry professions , according to the necessitie of the time , because euery man may not onely haue wherein to imploy himselfe , and to benefite others by his trauell , but also to haue helpe by the facultie of his neighbour : yet all come into these two , either in minde or in body , the magistrate , minister , and such as holde publique and sacred places , do labour in minde with good counsel , in gouernment and doctrine , which is the more excellent calling : others are manuell or mechanicall , which is the more wearisome & toilsome : without these no common-wealth can stand ; for as it is a great pollicie in maintaining discipline , so is it not a little cherished by other callings . the husband-men which tully calleth the best cittizens , in tillage , pasturage , and storing the realme with graine . it is not equall nor agreeable to nature , for a man to liue prowling and shifting by the labours of other men , and prey vpon their earnings , but to labour himselfe in some calling , that his companie may be enioyed . the philosopher did measure out their rest , and inuent meanes to breake their sleepes , and shaking off the drowsinesse of nature , were content onely to refresh the spirits , that the poores might be more pliant to performe dutie . cato repented him of nothing he had done in all his life so much as of two things ; one in going by water when he might haue gone by land : the other in passing ouer one day idlely , and doing nothing . alexander hated it so much , that least it should abate the courage of his souldiers , and raise tumults , kept them occupied in appointing iudges to trie out such as had shewed themselues most valiant in the warres , to whom he gaue rewards due to their deseruings . himselfe delighted in the workes of homer , in so much as he would lay it vnder his head when hee slept , to read in when he awaked . domitian would spend the time in catching flyes . lucullus in building . diogenes in rowling his tubbe vp and downe . marcarius in carrying heapes of stones from place to place . and if we consider the workes , labours , and large volumes of the fathers , philosophers , orators , historiographers , poets , and schoole-men , we may see they made precious vse of time , and by taking hold of opportunitie , left a memory thereof to posteritie . when titus had mispent one day , and it was gone before he was aware , cried out , amice diem perdidi . o my friend i haue lost a day . appelles would not loose a day without shadowing a phisnomie . it is remembred of the emperour octauian , thatinstructed his sonne in martiall affaires , and his daughter in making cloath , as well to get their owne liuing , if aduersitie hapned , as to keepe them from idlenesse . euerie one therefore ought to apply himselfe to some honest businesse , and stirre vp his body and mind to some commendable science : for by labour and exercise , vertue is purchased , when by dastardly idlenesse the poores become soft and delicate , through which they fall into sports , playes , and immoderate pleasures : and being emptie of all good motions , the diuell soone takes vp his lodging , and keepes open house for all vices : the very rotte and spoile of youth , the summons to beggerie , which like a beadle doth scourge in the ende with the whip of repentance . haniball after all his great victories , by idlenesse was was wrapped in delights , and lost his honour . alexander at babilon ouerthrew his glorie and his further hopes by dalliance , and quenched that fortitude and valour with which hee was so really endued . sardinapalus was exiled his kingdome through idlenesse and carelesse gouernment . time flyeth away with wings , and therefore a wise man will lay holde of her forelockes while it is to day , to inrich the minde with the experiments of those things that bring perfect blessednesse . for it may bee supposed that god would neuer haue put a soule into that body which hath hands and feete , instruments of doing , but that it was intended the minde should set them on worke , and imploy them in action , and not to holde so diuine an essence in the dungeon of idlenesse . we are borne to labour , as well as the birds to flye . salomon sendeth vs to the emet to learne wisedome , to consider her industrie , who like a good econimist , prouides in sommer for winter , whereof esope affoordeth a pleasant conceited fable : the ant & the grasse-hopper ( saith he ) walking together on a sunnie banke , the one piping and carelesly skipping , looked after nothing ; the other circumspect in prying about what prouision was scattered in the way , carefully gathered it vp and carried it to her cabbin , whom the grassehopper seeing , scorned this needlesse thrift with many bitter taunts : now it fell out , that in short time these two parted , the one to her faire sweetes which the season did yeeld , the other to her labour ; the one respected the time present , thinking the spring would last all the yeare ; the other time to come , prouiding against the sharpe stormes of frost and snowe . anon colde winter grew on , and tooke from the grashopper her wonted moisture , bereft him of his piping , and with his shackle hammes weakely skips too and fro , and beeing pincht wth hunger , and drencht with shewers , went for succour to the ant , her olde acquaintance , and entreated some teliefe , but the litle worme demaunded what she had done all the sommer time , she could not prouide for winter ? the grashopper answered with a hollow voyce , she sung to delight the passenger : then now you may daunce quoth she , to ease your hunger . with this the grashopper yeelding to the weathers extremities , foodelesse , comfortlesse , and succourlesse , died without remedie : alluding by the alligorie to such idle and laizie meacocks , who spend the sommer of youth in wantonnesse , that when the winter of olde age commeth , are forced to want and feele the stormes of penurie , and languish by inferred pouertie . and therefore while time doth offer it selfe , and the body able to endure , it is good to seeke for those things that may bring ioy and comfort to olde age . neuerthelesse youth doth suppose that god keepeth a court of faculties for them to take vp a dispensation , to runne madding after euery vanitie , hauing as they thinke , so much time as they know not how to spend it : but as the miller who hauing too much water , openeth his floud-gates and sluces to let it passe : so they think they haue time plusquam satis , more then needs , and therefore vse meanes to spend it by breaking vp the floud-gates of their vaine affectiōs : and least they should be pent vp with too much time , let it vnprofitably runne out , and gather nothing by theyr owne labour , but spoile house , land , and whatsoeuer is left , in banqueting , dicing , hunting , hawking , and carding , which like a bauin giueth a goodly blaze for a while , but is soone out , and in the end glad to warme their nailes with their owne breath , and when frostie age commeth on , the ioynts feeble , the bloud dead , the body colde , and a quiuering paulsey ouer-spread the limbes : oh how faine would he be thriftie , and how nearely doth his want pinch him ! he is forced with the laizie grashopper to bewaile his state , and repent the losse of time . oh what goods and possessions did my friends leaue me , which are prodigally wasted ? how often did they seeke to reclaime me with good counsell if i had bene gracious ? and those vices that mustered about my young yeares , how soone might i haue supprest them ? but then being young and foolish , am now olde and beggerly : to whom shall i communicate my griefe , that will yeeld succour ? all my laments are bootlesse , relentlesse , and pittilesse : what a heauie reckening haue i to make , wasting so many idle houres in eating , drinking , ryoting in sports , games , and pastimes , and all my flourishing youth in idlenesse , not spending one houre in his seruice to whom all is due , & now i should finde most comfort in that i haue got so neare my end , a hell of vnquiet torments lye on my conscience readie to sinke me downe to hell . let youth therefore be warned , and laie holde on the winges of time while it is to day , least by slipping the tyde of opportunitie they fall into a sorrowfull lamentation when it is too late . and therfore such old men as are sorrie their youth is gone , it is a sure token they were neuer wise nor gratious , for hee is no wise man that repineth at the most profitable things , for age taketh away the delight of the flesh , the roote of all euill : for there can be no greater plague to mans happinesse then the will of the bodie , which by the priuiledge of youth is subiect to so many indirect courses , destroying the iudgement , and putting out the eye of reason , no communitie with vertue , but a liuely brotherhood with vice and vanitie : yet some take great glorie to crake of their youthfull acts , and tell many stories of their prankes in former time ; i did this and this saith one , i thus and thus saith an other , i holpe the priest to say masse saith a third , and by bragging of their stinking rottennes , and reuiuing their own shame : suppose they gaine credite for such infamous practises , and commend themselues to posteritie , as men endued with notable exploits , but howsoeuer they boast they glorie but in theyr owne shame , and by sporting at theyr wantonnesse , bewray theyr owne guiltinesse : for if thou hast committed any horrible offence in the time of ignorance , and not repented thy selfe of it in time of knowledge , thou hast giuen consent to thy leaudnesse , and so standest guiltie before god : and therfore the prophet dauid praieth god to forgiue the sinnes of his youth . licurgus by his lawes forbad young men to play , or goe idlely vp and downe in the marte or common places , or to be nursed vp in delights and pleasures , but in husbandry and tillage , that in their first yeares they might not taste of idlenesse . and zenocrates did vse to diuide the day into parts , reseruing one part for silence , that hee might meditate how to speake : not onely therefore the realme is prosperously held vp by businesse and labour , but a mans priuate wants supplied , and his domesticke needements maintained : whereas idlenesse ouerthroweth all : and therefore warres in a kingdome are more profitable ( saith one ) then peace , for warres stirreth the minde to vertue , when peace breedeth idlenesse . and as the poet saith : nam qui desidiam lux●mque sequetur inertem ▪ dum fugit oppositos incauta mente labores . turpis inopsque simul miserabile transiget e●●m : at quisqui● duros causus , virtutis amore , vicerit , ille sibi landemque decusque parabit . for he that giues his minde to sloth , to riotize and ease , and honest labours intermit , his idle limbs to please , both naked , poore , and miserable , old age on him will cease . but if that he for vertues sake with labour hard exceed , mortall fame he purchaseth for this his manfull deed . how lamentable is it therfore for youth to be ignorant , and defeat theyr mind of the store ▪ house of knowledge , & so iniuriously wrong themselues in the way to blisse ? for ignorance is fearfull , an inconstant passiō , base and contemptible , and is soone seduced , because it knowes not how to vse that well it possesseth , but is rash and headie , taking falsehood for truth , vice for vertue , not being able to distinguish one from the other ; and by this deceit is carried into errours , omitting all good examples and honest actions : for if the carriage of wise and graue men be not obserued , the minde is clogged with ignorance , not onely not able to direct others in any matter of doubt , but is forced to aske counsell for himselfe in euery trifle . but a foole ( saith salomon ) is wiser in his owne conceit , then seuen wise men that can render a reason : and drinking so much the water of selfe-loue , doth get such a buzzing in his braines , that managing his businesse by his owne wit , draweth vpon himselfe speedie repentance . o how soone vice creepes vpon the affections of youth in the spring of their yeares , if idlenesse slip in : for being intangled in the net of libertie , doth chauke out to himselfe the way to trace in , affecting that which the multitude seeme to allow , be it neuer so contrarie to sound iudgement : and therfore the best inheritance that fathers can leaue to their children , is good bringing vp , as a sure stocke to liue on in oldeage : for to put wealth into the hands of youth before hee haue wisedome to guide it , is as if hee should set him on a young coults backe that was neuer sadled , needs must he dangerously fall , hauing neither wit nor strength to rule him as he ought : or as if hee should put his patrimonic into a ship , and make his sonne pilot , who for want of skill , needs must suffer shipwracke . and youth is no sooner capable of reasō , but by idlenesse the mind is carried into a multitude of vices , like a standing pond that gathereth nothing but scum and filth . those parents therefore that put their children to be seruing-men , haue small care of their education , for that they doo not onely mispend the time , but learne such vices as cleaue fast to nature , not easily to be shaken off , that many times they are forced to vnlawfull shifts in youth , or begge their bread in age . and gentlemen incumber their houses with many vnqualified seruants , which deuour and eate much , but get little , and vnder pretence of seruice , do nothing lesse then serue without all contradiction ; it is no charitie to foster such an idle superfluitie of seruants , with that which might better be spent on the blinde , lame , and poore people , then on such which serue for nothing but to beautifie a house and picture and shewe forth their persons . honor and worship resteth not in keeping many seruants , or riding with a great troup , but in his owne vertue . for though wise men for curtesie , and fooles for simplicitie , do reuerence and salute them , yet are they no whit the more honourable , vnlesse they be iust , temperate , affable , modest , and haue such vertuous properties , & morrall conditions , as that they may be vsed in the common-wealth , for the seruice of their prince & countrey . many idle persons drop out of gentlemens houses , who with a frowne of their maister , are turned out of all preferment , not able to get their owne liuely-hood , but constrained through want to follow bad courses , & being out of seruice , fall into offence of lawe , and are many times eaten vp by tyborne . and yet some heires of good possibilities , vnder colour of learning ciuilitie , humanitie , and some commendable qualities , are by their parents made seruingmen , and their young wits so pestered with vice , that they sildome proue good members in the common-wealth . to conclude , euery one ought to betake himselfe to some honest and seemely trade , and not suffer his sences to bee mortified with idlenesse : for whom the diuell findeth in that case , hee soone possesseth , imploying him in some damned worke , and wicked practise , and for euer disabling him to be vsed in matters of good consequence . sarge igitur duroque manus adsu●sce labori , det tibi dimensos crastina vt hor a cibos . raise vp therefore thy lazie limbes , apply thy minde to paine , both foode and cloath , and all thing else , with ease thou shalt attaine . rioting and drunkennesse doth both corrupt the body , and pollute the soule , and is such an extreame madnesse , as it transformeth a man into a beast , sauing in forme and portraiture , putting out the light of vnderstanding , dulling the wits , breeding diseases , hatching whoredomes , vncleannesse , quarels , strifes , &c. which as a chaine , draweth one linke after an other , vntill the linke of wofull wretchednes maketh his death timerous and fearfull by his leaud life : yet notwithstanding so ordinarily practised in most places , as it is scarce noted as a fault . an euill custome not contradicted , is made currant by long vse , but as the schoole-men say , bonum quo comunius eo melius : by how much the more common goodnesse is , by so much the more is it prized . so it holdeth in the opposition , the longer a beastly custome is in vse , the more odious and loathsome it is . this cacoethes , or ill custome , vsurpeth such a priuiledge , and incroacheth so vpon the good maners of men , by comming in the habit of honestie , that they are not ashamed to hide their filthinesse with glorious titles , and necessarie colours , as a spurre to quicken the wit , and set an edge on a blunt capacitie , a whetstone to memorie , a breeder of loue , an enemie to melancholy , a chearing the minde , prompt the conceit , a readinesse to pronounce , and many such : youth that are easily catched with these baites , and tasting the sweetnesse of this sin , are by manhood and age so deepely rooted , that they rather seeke to nourish an ill custome , then to frustrate so abhominable a practise , filling the body full of diseases , emptying the purse of all thrift , and cause them to stumble on theyr graues before olde age come . neither can these allegations imputed to this vice , excuse the dāgerous effects which proceed of her monstrous deformitie . for as the poets allude that medusa could turne men into marble pictures , circes into swine , so the excessiue vse hereof altereth reason , vnderstanding , and all the poores of the minde , and wrap vp many brutish conditions in a humane shape ; for he that is ouerladen with sensualitie , looseth the vse of all those graces and diuine faculties wherewithall a modest and sober man is possest . and as those properties may holde in part , that is , so long as moderation beareth sway , so once falling into the more , it can no longer stand : for as one may sharpen his knife with grinding , so by too much and often doing it , the edge and mettall may be quite ground away and made blunt ; and therfore anacharsis , a great wine-bibber , who was choked with a huske of a grape , did notwithstanding preach this doctrine : the first draught saith he , cherisheth the bloud , the next comforteth the heart , but the third inflameth the braine , fumeth into the head , and breedes drunkennesse . he said moreouer , that the vine bareth three maner of grapes , the first of pleasure , the second of drunkennesse , and the third of sorrow . o how farre doth intemperance make a man differ from himselfe , and forget the finall ende of his creation , in procuring enemies against his owne happinesse ! o what lamentable tragedies is by this vice acted among wine-bibbing companions ! there bee euils inough we bring with vs into the world , and we haue worke inough to holde warre with them , though we procure no more , which are alwayes a temptation to our best parts . drunkennesse is no inbred nor inherent sinne , but procured by custome and bad company , it corrupteth the soule , sucketh out the iuice of the body , withereth the beautie , drieth vp the sinewes , and like a canker corrodeth and deuoureth vp all good motions , making that body which should be a holy temple , a habitacle and dwelling house for the diuell : for being ouerladen with wine & gluttonie , the body is so much brokē , that as a holy father saith , it is a wonder that those bodies made of earth and clay , become not myre and dyrt : it stirreth the mind to whoredome , for like twins they are neuer a sunder : sine cerere & baccho friget venus , without wine and belly-cheare lust would be asswaged , incapable of conceit : for you shall neuer see a drunkard so wel aduised to aske counsell , or with patience marke good documents , but either fleere and laugh it out , or be furious and quarelsome : and therefore father cate was wont to say , it was lost labour to talke of vertue to the belly , for that it hath no eares to heare , because their loose life maketh religion loathsome to their cares . this wine-washing licour giueth such scope and libertie to the tongue , as it rowleth vp and downe restlesse , annoying the whole world with vnnecessarie prattle , running into all degrees , censuring all men , and laying out that openly , which modestie would conceale , powring it into the bosome of his pot-mate : for the tongue of a drunken man , is the clozet of his heart ; and that which a sober man thinketh , a drunkard speaketh . and as by a noise of crowes , one may ghesse where carrion is , so a flocke of drunkards may be found by their words , being so inflamed with the fume and strength of the lycour , as it is impossible to keepe silence . therefore as cicero saith , there need no racking to procure confession of the truth , for it may with more ease be gotten by drunkennesse . and as homer saith , wine distracteth the wits of a wise man withvoluntary madnesse , and his grauitie is vtterly quenched with indiscretion . a drunken man is so prolixious and talkatiue , as he molesteth all his hearers : if he be in company with a sober man , he wearieth him with talke : if he come to the sicke , he grieueth him more then his sicknesse : if in a ship among passengers , he annoyeth them more then the waues of the sea : so that whersoeuer he commeth , he is troublous and irkesome . it were one of herculus labours to describe their seuerall humours , some apt to quarell , if but crost with a word , and not pledged as he would be , & readie to stab , and make wo●ke for the constable : an other throwes the pot about the house , breakes the glasse windowes with his dagger , and calles his hostise whore : some full of apish tricks and toyes , sing , hollow , whoope , sweare , and swagger , with such confused disorder , that a sober man comming amongst them , would verily thinke hee were in hell , carowsing healths on their knees , at which great snuffe is taken , if not duly pledged ; and so great indignitie offered , as many times the field is chalenged , where the diuels champions trie their valour , which to some is vntimely warning . some like swine , wallow in their owne filth , and forced to disgorge and cast vp the superfluitie and excesse , which calleth for vengeance from heauen , for so monstrously abusing the good creatures of god. and though a drunkard recouer himselfe againe , yet the effect doth still remaine , leauing such a slyme behinde , as defileth both body and soule : yet not a fewe are rocked a sleepe in this brutish desire : but ô beastly and sinful desire , to circumscribe a mans chiefest good within the compasse of his belly , and destroy all those good parts that inhabit about the soule , and suffer the basest part of the body to ouercome the fiue wits . what a madnesse is this , custome getting victorie by little and little , preuaileth so much with some , that they become remedilesse , and haue not only the mappe of drunkennesse drawne on their visage by continuall vse , but the whole man polluted with the essentiall properties thereof . oh how odious is this vice to god and good men ? and how dooth it putrifie and contaminate body and soule , and yet how plentifully doth it raigne in most places without suppression ? for now all good fellowship is in drinking , and hee is a flincher that will not take his licour , and be drunke for companie . this riseth from sufferance and too much lenitie : for if drunkennesse be but a may-game , and hee accounted no good fellow vnlesse hee be a perfect drunkard , no maruell if it be so much practised . but the surplusage of ale-houses , especially those that ar● kept by vnconscionable and irreligious persons , who make no scruple to open their doores to euerie drunken mate , is no small meanes to multiply a swarme of monsters in the common-wealth . is it not lamentable that a poore man who hath nothing to keepe his charge but his sore labour , spendeth all hee can rap and rend in drunkennesse and ryoting , and his wife & children want that which he leaudly wasteth , and where is the cause but in such base minded people , that for greedinesse of filthy lucre doo suffer them to drinke out theyr eyes , and sweare out their hearts so they may gaine : but let them be assured that hell mouth gapes to swallow vp such greedie accursed monsters , vnlesse they turne with speedie repentance . it is now growne an exercise and a game of actiuitie , to swill and quaffe much , and he that drinketh most winneth the prize , whereof hee is as proud , as if he had carried an oxe with milo at the olympian games . and by your leaue , drunkennesse is too grosse a terme , and deserueth the stabbe . for although all those fine termes and prittie epithites , which are giuen to that sinne , import as much , yet ( forsoothe ) it must be couered with many sportiue denominations ; otherwise you shall incurre no small displeasure , and bring your selfe into a drunken danger . but let them blinde it so long as they can with neuer so many faire attributes , yet sobrietie and reason will vnmaske and lay them open , to their vtter obliquie : and though they frame this naked excuse , which they alledge as a poore shift to saue theyr credit , that they are not drunke so long as they knowe what they doo , can goe , stand , hold their first man , and keepe a iust reckening of their pottes . but he that drinketh more then will content the want of nature , and falleth into the excesse , though his braine be so well setled as he is not by and by bereft of reason , yet he deserueth no other epithite then a bowsie beastly drunkard . and when by coaction one shall be vrged either being not a thirst , or his appetite not mouing , the one offendeth in offering , the other in taking : and hence it is so great strife and quarelling ariseth , and so many frayes and field-meetings growe . drinking one to an other ( according as i conceiue ) is no other but a participation of loue , and a kinde communication , as when a man saith , syr , i drinke to you with all my heart this cup of wine ; being as much as if he should say , all the strength and good this wine shall minister to my body , i am readie to spend it in your seruice , which being gratefully requited by the other , is full of humanitie . many noysome detracting euils lye hid in the bosome of a drunkard , which breaketh out vpon euery occasion , in so much as he can neuer be at peace , but one torment succeedeth an other ; which as eating vulcers or sores , byte and gnawe continually , neuer suffering body or mind to haue one houres respite for intollerable anguish . the body i say , is subiect to so much pestilence and rottennesse , as cannot in fewe words be expressed , the face blowte , puft vp , and stuft with the flockes of strong beere : the nose so set out with pearles & diamonds , that by the reflecting beames which they cast frō so glorious antiquitie , the bye-standers may see to walk as by a lighted tapor : and the whole body so impaired and shaken with goutes , sciaticaes , panges , palsies , appolexies , &c. that for the most part lye vnder the phisitions hand : who though they liue , yet such life is a liuing death , for medice viuere est miserè viuere . and being thus surfetted liue disconsolate , and hasten their owne destruction by casting themselues headlong into the bottome of endlesse wretchednesse . for the excellencie of reason being thrust forth of her cabbin by wine ▪ washing excesse , they incidently fall into woe and miserie . lot being drunke , committed incest with his daughters . noah was mocked of his sonnes . holofernes had his head cut off by a poore woman : for it is an easie thing for the diuel to accomplish his will , if the mind be bent to surfetting . for this is that poysoned fountaine out of which floweth so many maladies , greeuous & long discases , impostumations , inflamations , obstructions , ventosities , and what not , whereby the mildnesse of nature is disturbed . and therefore one of the sages being asked why he refused a cup of wine when it was offered him , because ( quoth h●e ) i take it to be poyson : for this other day when i was inuited to a feast , i sawe that euerie one that drunke of it , soone after decayed , both in minde and bodie , hauing lost both reason and vse of theyr limbes : and as the poet saith , vino forma perit , vino corrumpitur at as . but these straunge euents happen not simply in respect of the wine it selfe , being in it owne nature good , ( for if it be moderately taken it comforteth the bodie , and cherisheth the minde , strengtheneth the sinewes , and helpeth the eyes : and that was the cause saint paul counselled tymothie to drinke a little wine ) but only and altogether in the intemperate and immeasurable vsage . so is it likewise in meates , when one doth gurmandize and feede vpon diuersitie and disguised dishes of manifolde operations . many accidences arise and diseases growe , and this is by reason of the contrarietie and different natures of those meates , and in the superfluitie and aboundance as the prouerbe saith , much meate much maladie : whereas in simple and vniforme kindes , delight neuer exceedes the appetite : and he that feedeth but of one dish , liueth longer , and is more healthfull then those accidentall dieters & queasie stomackes that glutte themselues with eueric kinde artificially compounded , sometime of easie digestion , then of harde digestion , that many times before one can be concocted , the other putrifieth in the stomacke , and this is verie familiar in common knowledge , that the ploughman that liues by curdes , bread and cheese , and such homely fare , workes harde all the day , and lyeth vneasie at night , is more sounder , healthfuller , and more free of malladies then those fine , nice , and curious dyeters . now when the bodie is thus misdieted by surfetting and drunkennesse , it is not only subiect to diseases , and afflicted with torments and incurable laments , whereby it becommeth vnweildie & vnfit for any vertuous exercise , but also draweth the horror and iudgements of god vppon both bodie and soule . how ought men therefore to liue soberly and chastely , and stoppe the abuse of such abhominable epicurisme : and as wise cato saieth , eate to liue , and not liue to eate , like the epicure , that putteth all his felicitie in bacchus his belly-cheare . by this the quicke conceit of the spirit is dulled and made impregnable , the glorious sun-shine of vertue eclipsed , and all good motions quite extinguished , that a man cannot be saide to be a man , but the trunke or ca●kasse of a man , wherein an infernall spirit in stead of a soule doth inhabite . heereby hee becommeth rash-headed and vnaduised , dooing that in haste , whereof he repenteth at leisure . as alexander , who in his drunken nesse would sley his dearest friends , and being sober , w ould be readie to kill himselfe for anger : and all those noble vertues and princely qualities wherewith he was endued , were all defaced by the intollerable delight he had in drinking . the famous citie persepolis in a drunken humour was burned to ashes , which was no sooner deuised by thayis the harlot , but was executed with great celeritie : but recouering his wits , repented his folly : for with this spirit is a drunken man alwaies possest to attempt things rashly , to despise good counsel , to vndertake great exployts , but neuer with mature deliberatiō , vnruly , disobedient , and violating the lawes both of god and man : and lastly , with the foolish troians , ( sero sapiunt phriges ) be wise when it is too late . if this hidra infuse her venome into the tendernes of youth , and not crushed downe when it begins to peepe , by killing the serpent in the egge , but suffered to growe ripe , ô how it distilleth into the soule , and pulles downe the whole frame of vertue , whereby he is cast downe headlong from a high promentarie , into a deepe vgly dungeon : it weakeneth the nature , and maketh them fooles and meacockes , not fit for any imployment . and therefore the spartans and lacedemonians at their great festiuals , would shewe vnto their children drunkē men , that by seeing their beastlines they might shun the like practise . it was a great shame among the athenians , for a young man to haunt tauernes or common tap-houses : in so much as on a time when a youth beeing in a tauerne , and seeing diogenes come towards him , shifted into an other roome for feare he should see him . nay quoth he , stay young man , the more you goe in that way , the further you goe into the tauerne . if diogenes or polemon liued in these daies , they should haue wo●ke inough to sweepe youth out of tauernes and ale-houses , being now traded vp in it , as in an occupation . if we see a man often frequent the phisitions house , we by and by suspect his health , and suppose he is not well , his body out of temper , and some infirmitie breeding : so when wee behold one often to repaire to such places of ill note , we may censure him , and safely conclude his wits are distracted , and daungerously infected with opprobrium medicorum . neuerthelesse , leaud company is the ouerthrow of many good wits , which otherwise be ingenious , and of a liuely promptitude to vertue , getting such vices in an houre , as tarrieth with thē many dayes : for bad company is as a stench about a man that annoyeth the sence . and as cleare christall water is corrupted if it fall into a a stinking puddle , so a vertuous minde is stained with the leaud vices of loose liuers : and therfore no man can be freed of the effect , till he shun the cause : for conuersing with naughtie people , the good disposition is soonet infected with their euill maners , then the bad reformed with their good conditions . for as by a contagious ayre the soundest bodies are soonest infected , so the tender and greene capacitie is soone violently carried away into all voluptuousnesse . for as it is impossible to holde the hand in the fire , and not be burnt , so can hee not hold fellowship with bad companie , but hee must needs be the worse . euery creature keepeth a due course and order : the sunne like a ramping lyon , runneth about the world with a swift reuolution : the moone knoweth her sitting downe and rising vp : the pleiades keepe their stations : the starres goe their circuit : the earth , the sea , and euerie creature keepe theyr time , onely man is out of frame and temper too , and euerie part disioynted , the naturall impediment is the verie bane and putrifaction of the soule . o how hard is it then to pull out those weedes within , which like rebels hold a continuall warre against all good motions : a greater victorie is it therefore to ouercome a mans owne selfe , then to conquere a citie : for he that vanquisheth an enemie , mastereth but flesh and bloud , but hee that can humble his pride and rule his passions , ouercommeth the diuell : the one is but the sonne of man , the the other the sonne of god. dauid could cut off the head of goliah , yet was not able to tame his owne affections . sampson could slaie the philistines with a iaw-bone , and yet was made a slaue to dalilath . in like manner the poets ascribe to hercules many incredulous labors , as in killing the snake of learna , maistering the wilde bull of aramanthus , clensing domedes stables , killing the centaures , and such toilsome works , that his taske-mistresse iuno was faine to crie out , defessa sum iubendo , and yet for all this was conquered by lust , and made spinne on a rocke by omphila , with womens garments . so that by this we may see , that it is more difficill to quench the raging lust of concupiscence , and chase away the corruption of nature , then to do these wonderfull labours . which thing cicero in his oration pro marcello dooth well remember , speaking to the emperour : o caesar ( saith hee ) thou hast subdued kingdomes , subiected nations , tamed the barbarians , and brought them vnder the romaine yoake , and by thy matchlesse and heroicall spirit , hast made the capitoll ring of thy glorious triumphes : yet notwithstanding , to beate downe ambition , to bridle furie , to temper iustice with mercie , to be humble in maiestie , and conquer the vnruly passion of the minde , hee that can do this , non ego eum cum summis viris comparo , sed simillimum deo iudico . i do not onely compare him with the best men , but i thinke him rather a god. by this it is manifest , that this annarchie , this rebellion that is in nature , cannot so easily bee bridled and kept from rushing into disorder , but by execution of lawes : and to this ende is the magistrate set vp , and the sword of iustice held out , to tame the vnrulinesse of nature . now therefore the whole felicitie of man standeth in temperance , and in quelling those boyling lusts that set themselues against the noblenesse of vertue . epictetus giueth two rules , to beare , and forbeare ; by the first , patiently to beare aduersitie , and the bitternesse of fortune : by the second to flye concupiscence , and abstaine from the will of the flesh ; and these are the two pathes leading to vertue . to conclude , there is no true ioy without vertue , this is perfect honour & true nobilitie : she offereth herself freely to euery man , she denieth none , but is open and ready to all that will seeke her , and doth neither require house , land , orworldly wealth , but is content with a poore naked man : and therefore seeing that all is vaine without her , it is a shame to desire glory by riches or birth , and not rather deserue it by his owne vertue . for he that is therewith possest , is famous in earth , glorious in the graue , and immortall in heauen , according to the poet : omni● roscidulae quacunque sub orbe diana vivunt , sunt fatis interitur a suis virtus sola , mori diuorum munere nescit , cumque suis musae vatibus vsque manent . all things that vnder dians sphere doth liue , or draweth breath , to fatall chaunge are subiect sure , and vnto greisly death : but vertue onely with the gods remaines immortall aye , where her religious followers do liue in happie staye . by vertue the famous camilli , fabij , & scipiones , are mounted vp aboue all earthly weaknesse , & a memorie of their noble vertues cōmēded to posteritie . for there is nothing in this world of so great price , and which causeth more to augment , then the trade of good manners . for by this meanes , not onely fathers of families haue taken a domesticke forme of regiment in theyr houses , by good order keeping , but also kingdomes , common-wealthes , and publique affaires , doo hereby flourish , and are happily maintained . and for this cause i haue willingly aduentured to moue and stirre the mind therevnto , and that with a zealous affection . and although i haue taken vpon mee a thing very vnfit for my rude and small vnderstanding , yet i doubt not but the honest and vertuous will gratifie and approuc this my simple endeuour : especially because they more esteeme the preciousnesse of vertue , then the pompious glorie of vice : wherein they obserue the counsell of the wise heathen , who wisheth that no man should despise the simple labor of an other man , especially if he speake good words , and giue no offence to the weake . and this was platoes diuine institution amongst many other soueraigne decrees , that it is needfull in euery common-wealth to prescribe and giue order that it be not permitted to any man to publish any thing hee hath composed , except it be first perused and allowed by indifferent iudges therevnto assigned . if this iniunction were duly obserued , so many leaud bookes , vaine pamphlets , and scurrillous ditties would not so easily passe , neither would idle wits bend themselues to write . for now through the abundance of naughtie bookes , wee are greatly endamaged , for by learning the sound doctrine of good men , the basest and blindest manner of writers is most-what approued . from this spring or fountaine is risen this mortall and monstrous infection before noted . neither is this all , for there is a naturall rebellion , which like a sore runneth ouer the whole body : so that if the ground of the heart be not fallowed and ploughed vp , and good seede sowne therein , the happinesse and felicitie of man is choked hith weedes , and poysoned with hemplocke , iniquitie hath gotton the vpper hand so farre , that if we looke into the monstrousnesse of sinne in this age , we may see euery abhomination sport it selfe , as though there were no god. drunkennesse is good fellowship . whoredome and adulteri● , youthfull prankes : swearing , the fire of manhood : hypoc●isie , deceit and cousonage , a common practise . in a word , there be too many whores , too many knaues , too many brothel ▪ houses , too little labour , too much idlenesse , too many ale ▪ houses , too litle loue , too much hate , too little deuotion , and too much hard-hearted christianitie . but i speake not this to derogate ought from the diligence of any . neuerthelesse , it were to be wished , that more care were had to execute iustice on such grieuous malefactors . if i haue done well to note what is amisse , thou shalt doo much better to mend the abuse . or if it be ill and of little worth , if thou canst do better , i pray set it forth . finally , the consideration of these abuses before named , ought to stirre vp both superiour magistrates , and inseriour officers , to aduance vertue , and reforme vice : because as the one begetteth most heauenly things in this earthly world : so is the other the ouerthrowe of all happinesse , both here and in the life to come . the minister of the word therefore is not exempt from this labour , for as he is the phisition of the soule , so is hee to watch ouer the sicke patient ; not so much to attendere famae & corpori , as to negligere salutem ecclcsie , to be olde in yeares , and young in knowledge : to couet to be rich in purse , and poore in charitie : to purchase pleasures , build great houses , and shewe no fruites by the sequell and euent that they worthily enioy their dignities : as many do in this age that stand in a spiritual place , are notwithstanding meere temporall men , and so rooted in the slesh , as they yeeld no fruites at all of the spirit : but they ought for care , conscience , and in a godly zeale , holding sacred places , to labour earnestly and officiously , to suppresse those horrible euils that are so vsuall and commonly practised ; that by this , sinne and wickednesse may be abolished , the true seruice of god maintained , to his owne glory , the good of his church , and the happy and peaceable gouernment of this honorable citie . finis . the faults escaped in the printing , i pray thee friendly reader correct with thy pen : for by reason of some earnest businesse , i haue not so narrowly looked to them as i would haue done . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e vertue , desined . vice de●ined . ex viro , dicitur virtus . actus . the christian vertue . prudence . scire tuum nibil est : nisi te scire , ho● sciat alter . ennius . notes of a wise man. iustice . ●ortitude . the cause maketh a martyr . the spanish brauadoes . god g●ue the victori● . true valour standeth not in vaine qua●elling . the patience of ● heathens memorable . temperanc● ▪ this little m●cr●co●mi● is vph●ld by temperance . plato . horatius . maior nobilitas . quadri faria nobilitas . vera nobilitas . the commod●ie of vertues is vnspeakeable . ho●●b . . worldly honor is no true happinesse . h●ra ▪ ad iccium . vertue abideth to eternitie . a foolish opinion . a true vertuou● ma. riches puffe vp men in pride . vaine hono●r . the m●lici-a●h●st neuer want slaunders . a memorable example of a heathen ●ing obsequium amicos , veritas odium parit . sycophants are daungerous enemies to vertue . ●●amples of con●emn●rs o● money . the shadow of vertue was more esteemed among the heathen , then the true body is now among the christians . cicerods nat ▪ d●or . honor ex virtute ●ritur . aulus bell . vertues hold vp a common-wealth . hora. vertue dis●●yed by pouertie . an honest mā is not poore , for in aduersitie vertue sheweth her chiefest operation . the simbolls of vanitie . omnia mea mecū perto . riche● rightly vsed , are great blessing● . pouertie ought not to disqui●t● the minde . in medi● concistit virt●s . post f●●●r● virt●● . the comfortable hope of a poore man. vice & vertue two waies . dulcia non mer●it . many waies leading to l●ame . i●o . ad de●on . f●olish wisedome . eclog ● . the best warre ▪ fare . pl●tarch . a diometrical opposition betwixt vice and vertue . good education is the happinesse of a kingdome . hypo●rkes and dece●uer● creepe vnder ver●ue . hypocrisie is double impie●ie ▪ hor. dec●it●ul do●●ble dealers . there be too many such cold christiās vertue is not in vain words : but in conscionable workes . god searche●h into the heart . lying is become ●n occupation ●mongst many men . lib. . lib. . offic . vnlawfull gaine is sweet to a stinking minde . many ●●ue vpon the simplicitie of the poore . the p●inter spake this so long since , that it is now forgotten . one thing is necessar●e . so said old ●●ther latimer . three things intended in policie . if it were not for some honourable well quallified , and conscionable lawier● , the generation of fogge , would eate out the bowelles of the common-wealth . euery misers son must be a gentleman . fortunafa●et fat●os . honoured ig●●ranc● ▪ counterfeit gentilitie . liberalitie ●s the artires , vaines , and sinewes of le●rning , and the worlds paragon . a liberallman i● a generall good man. os●r ▪ ●ib . . hon●s alit art●s . entisign●tiōs of vertue to be cherished . prodigalitle i● a r●ging fir● . e●nius ▪ offic. lib. . officers sought for wi●h greedin●sle . hor. ad nun . hungry flyes bloudsuckers . egl● . . vi●e rides on horsebacke , when vertue i● faine to trot on footbacke . the ignoran● is selfe-wis● . fe●ea ●t●● . pride as brief in england , as euer it was in sodome . painted faces abhominable . the diuell the inuenter of f●arch , poking stickes , &c. cold charitie now a dayes . euery base tapster or oastler , will be as fine as a gentleman . a faire whore i● a sweet poyson , and her lou● like a false fire soone out . hor. in sermon , li ▪ . a true speech of a cannibal . sa●yr . . learning thrust out by head & shoulders . simple men cl●mbe to high places . hard-hearted christians . the citie is extreamly postered with inmates and idle families , when the countrey lies waste & vnpeopled . cunning deceluers . the false vse of●ue ioy . virg. ennius . vertue more honourable then riches . cold charltie in these daies , among many mysers . a note for belly-gods . hor. no ende of making ma●y bookes . curious starre gazets . the pope looseth nothing by this ▪ epist . ▪ li. . busie controwlers . vaine bookes the spoile of many young wits . good wits vaine writers . modest poetrie cōmendable . a legend of lyes . vaine worke● wel reward●d . pythagoras rule . vaine men ▪ iudge vainly . l. max. good bookes lye dead . many poets shallow wit● . a fit comparison . the profit of reading good bookes . the ground●d opinion of wise and godly men against playes , must be authentick . i. cor. . lust●ull comedies hurt●ull ▪ briefe chronicles honourable , if circustances , &c. a sinfull mixture . the state many times is ●gregiou●ly wronged , and the vulgar ●ort d●rided . vetus comaedia . auntient comedi●s , abstacles of vertue . hor. in art● poetica . quintill ▪ lib. . the documents of playes . wisedome doth euer mistrusti● selfe . the common spectators and play-gadders . playes in the night , very hurtfull . foule idollatrie in the heathen . idenesse the roote of all cuill . ouid. the cause of the plague or pe●●●lence . an idle man is a dead carkasse . pron . . . the picture of time . mora tra●it periculum . l●mea hath many childré . caesar com ▪ plato . quint. cur. the vani●ie of some olde men . a seruingmans life an idle life vnl●● he be imployed in some office . comunis error facit ius . the benefit of d●unkennesse . ale-houses the cruse of much drunkenn●s●e . the vse of d●inking one to an other . the often bibbing at feasts , breakes the bonds of modes●ie . some are neuer well but when theyr nose is in the pot , and so are made drunke by accident . thus doth god pursu● them with his iudgements : some the gallows knits vp , the sword deuour● , the pox , marble● , &c. to giue wine to you●h , is olium igni addere . vinum est quasi remedium aduers●s duritism senectutis largi●●● est . sunt septem ste●●● , in humero tauro . ouid metam . vox clamantis, or, an essay for the honour, happiness and prosperity of the english gentry, and the whole nation in the promoting religion and vertue, and the peace both of church and state. / by p.a. ... ayres, philip, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) vox clamantis, or, an essay for the honour, happiness and prosperity of the english gentry, and the whole nation in the promoting religion and vertue, and the peace both of church and state. / by p.a. ... ayres, philip, - . [ ], p. printed by john playford ... for benjamin tooke, london : . imperfect: title page cropped with loss of print. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vox clamantis , or an essay for the honour , happiness and prosperity of the english gentry , and the whole nation : in the promoting religion and vertue , and the peace both of church and state. by p. a. gent. verbum sat ' sapienti . london , printed by iohn playford in little-brittain , for benjamin tooke , at the ship in st. paul's church yard . . to the honoured sir iohn moore kt. one of the aldermen of the city of london . worthy sir , considering that good and honest designs sute best with good men , and are most acceptable to them , and that they are most worthy the countenance and protection of persons in power and authority , i could not well propose to my self a fitter person to whom i might dedicate the ensuing discourse than sir john moore ; the name of moore hath been highly honoured heretofore in the famous sir thomas moore , sometime lord chancellor of england , which now you have made more illustrions by your being the grand instrument in one of the best designs ever attempted and effected in our days , next the miraculous and happy restoration of his sacred majesty , even the suppression of fanatiscism and disloyalty , that pest and plague of both church and state , by your seasonable and resolute steming that tide , and putting a stop to that impetuous current which threatened to overwhelm the nation ; whereby you may well be reputed to be in truth , not only maleus fanaticorum , but also the happy instrument and means of preservation both of church and state , the glory and happiness of your anciently renowned city , and one of the loyalist subjects this age hath produced . may the best of blessings ever attend the royal throne , with all the royal family , so long as the sun and moon endures : and may their enemies he be ever cloathed with shame and confusion . be pleased sir to pardon my great boldness in this dedication , ( the goodness of the end must plead for the unworthiness of the performance , ( and with my prayers for all health and happiness to you and yours , ) suffer me to subscribe my self sir , your very humble and devoted servant , p. a. nov. th . . vox clamantis . chap. i. of the nature and kinds of drunkenness and excess ; and the prevalency of it in the world ; &c. as the happiness and perfection of man principally consists in his being endowed by god with a rational soul , so in the use and exercise of that noble faculty of reason , must doubtless consist his felicity , and to follow the true and clear dictates thereof ; and therefore he that makes the greatest use of reason by sober and serious consideration , is without doubt most like himself , is most a man : from whence it must needs follow therefore , that all such things as prejudice , clog , or interrupt the soul of man in the exercise and use of his reason ought ( as he tenders his own welfare ) to be shunned and avoided by him , with all possible care and diligence , as all riot and excess whatsoever . but more especially , when the supream wisdom , the divine laws , hath prohibited the same , and under pain of damnation . now gluttony and drunkenness , and all excess whatsoever being so frequently and so sharply reprehended by the holy christian doctrine , and the contraries thereto , viz. sobriety , temperance , and moderation , being such indispensible and necessary duties of the excellent religion of the ever blessed jesus ; a man must be more than sottishly brutish , if insensible of the unchristianness of christians in the age we live in , in this respect , when they that are drunk , are not drunk in the night only , but in the sight of the sun. and how can a man but stand amazed to consider , that the institutions of that grand imposter mahomet should be more carefully and exactly observed and followed by his disciples and followers , in abstinence from wine , than the holy christian laws and institutes ? what can it be less than the greatest reproach imaginable to us christians , that this swinish sin should be once named among us ? much more when it is grown to that height and perfection , as to become the epidemical sin of the nation ( as it were ) at this day ? now in short to describe what this sin is ; i humbly conceive it may be said ( at least , ) that it is a spontaneous and voluntary clogging or indisposing the soul and mind by excess in eating and drinking , whereby it becomes unable to make use of its noble faculty of reason and understanding , for the well government and regulation of the actions of the man ; or rather as the late reverend dr. hammond hath described it more strictly , when we eat or drink to the overcharging of the body : the sobriety contrary to which , is the eating and drinking no more than agrees with the health and good temper of it ; there being also another excess in quality or delicacy of meats and drinks , viz. a studied care and pursuit of such as are most delightful : and the sobriety contrary to this , is when we content our selves with that meat and drink which is necessary and useful to the health and strength of our bodies , and neglect and despise all other delicacies . but over and besides these , there is also another sort of excess and drunkenness that men are many times guilty of , and that is being inebriated by passion , anger , or the like , that brevis insania of the soul , as the philosopher calls it ; or which is worse , with pride , self-conceitedness , envy , malice , revenge and cruelty , which must needs be the worse , and of far greater danger to the soul , by how much the sober persons , in the repute of the world , may herein notwithstanding be intoxicated to excess , and to be little sensible of it ; but let the mind be discomposed or put out of due order and frame , be it with what it will , that which discomposeth it , is the intoxicating liquor . and if it be of this later sort , it is doubtless far the worse , both in its own nature , and in its effects , it being to be drunk with the wine of hell , in which the accursed spirits solace themselves ( so far as god permits them ) in their regions of darkness . but this by the by , only i shall recommend this more especially to the consideration of our phanaticks , the sober and godly part of the nation , as they would be thought . it must be granted ( as a late author hath observed ) that most nations under the sun have their intoxicating liquors , and that some rather than not be drunk , will swallow opium , dutroy , and tobacco , or some other intoxicating thing ; so great an inclination hath mankind to be exalted , ( as the said author calls it . ) pliny complains that drunkenness was the study of his time , and that the romans and parthians contended for the glory of excessive wine-drinking . historians tell us ( as the said author further hath it ) of one novellius torquatus , that went through all the honourable degrees of dignity in rome , wherein the greatest glory and honour he obtained , was for the drinking in the presence of tiberius , three gallons of wine at one draught , before ever he drew his breath , and without being any ways concern'd ; and athenaeus says , that melanthus wished his own neck as long as a cranes , that he might be the longer in tasting the pleasure of drinks . but this is not to be much wondered at in heathens , who had among them a caeres , and a drunken god bacchus to be worshipped , but that christians should abound in this swinish excess , is the greater wonder . as for instance , the germans who are said commonly to drink whole tankerds , and ell glasses at a draught , adoring him that dirnks fairly and most , and hating him that will not pledge them ; and the dutch-men , who will salute their guests with a pail and a dish , and make hogsheads of their bellies : and the polander , that thinks him the bravest fellow that drinks most healths , and carrie's his liquor best , being of opinion that there is as much valour in drinking as in fighting : not to mention the russians , swedes and danes , who are intollerably excessive therein . so that ( as the most ingenious author of the vinetum britanicum concludes ) temperance ( comparatively speaking ) is ( or hath been at least ) the cardinal vertue of the english , as well as the persians . but nevertheless , there are many men in this nation in our days , who are grown to that height of excess among us , not much inferiour to those celebrated ancients , and to those other of our neighbours last mentioned , unto which they have added the immoderate use of tobacco also , whereby they not only dishonour their nation , and deprive it of its former glory and renown of temperance and moderation , but in truth un-man , un-christianize themselves . chap. ii. perswasions to temperance . it is therefore well worthy our pains seririously to consider how diametrically this sin of drunkenness and excess is opposite to the divine laws , the excellent religion of jesus christ , which none can be ignorant of , that know what christianity means , wherein there is contained most strict rules of sobriety , as is before mentioned ; and that under the threatnings of damnation to him that frequently , and willingly , and indulgently offendeth herein , cor. . . it is said of drunkards , that they shall not inherit the kingdom of god ; where ( as the said worthy author dr. hammond before mentioned observes ) the word drunkards is not to be restrained to those who drink to beastiality , to the depriving themselves of the use of their reason , that drink drunk as we say , but belongs to all that drink wine or strong drink intemperately , though through their strength of brain they be not at present intoxicated by it . so gall. . . among the works of the flesh , there is mention of drunkenness and revellings or comessations , or excess in eating , and drunkenness , or excess in drinking . and so st. peter , . . excess of wine , comessations and drinkings . and on the other side , sobriety is commanded , thes. . . and . and titus chap. . it is mentioned as a special design and end of the appearing of christ , that we should be instructed to walk ( justly , piously , and soberly in this present world . ) the first of those three referring to our duty to our neighbour , the second to our duty toward god , and that of sobriety to our duty to our selves . let us further consider ( as the worthy author mt. io. hales , heretofore of eaton colledge observes , ) that the first stroak which is to be given in our spiritual warfare ( as we are christians ) is to be directed against the belly ; and he cites cassianus , who saith , primum nobis ineundum certamen est adversus gastrimargiam ; and also pythagoras , whose words are , first and above all things be svre to make yovr self master of yovr belly . and it hath been ( as he observes ) evermore thought that the beginning and first step to vertue , was ventri bellum indicere . let it be considered , how this intemperance not only exposeth the soul , as before is proved , as to its eternal welfare , but also discomposeth the same , and deprives us of our reason and understanding , that differenceth us from beast , makes us for the time destitute of reason , unmans us , degrades us into the degree of beasts ; men void of their reason we shut up in bedlam , not fit any longer for the society of men , and we generally pitty those lunaticks , and shall we voluntarily make our selves such for the time , and thus disrobe our selves of the greatest ornament that god hath endued us with , and so become beasts ? certainly it must be concluded that they are unworthy of rational souls that thus abuse them . let us consider how this intemperance and excess not only exposeth and discomposeth the soul as aforesaid , but also how it hurts and endangers the body , the necessary mansion of the soul in this life , nothing tending more to the preservation of our lives and healths than temperance , and nothing being more disagreeable to that charity which we owe to our selves , our bodies as well as souls , than intemperance ; and this doubtless is , or however should be one of the great designs of man , his own welfare and happiness while he lives here , which consists in having mentem sanam in corpore sano . and if the great physician hypocrates be to be credited , his aphorism is , to eat without fulness , and to be diligent in labour or exercise is the way to preserve health : and in truth , from whence arise a multitude , if not most of the sicknesses and diseases incident to our bodies , but from excess in eating and drinking , in surfeiting and drunkenness ? so true is that saying , non plures gladio quam cecidêre-gulâ : it is the saying of the father very pertinently to this purpose , iussisti domine & sic est , ut omnis inordinatus affectus sibi sit poena ; now one would think it were , a very easy thing to diswade men from being their own assassines and murderers , and to promote the health and welfare of their bodies , upon which much of the content of the mind depends ; for as the son of syrach saith , ecclus. . . there is no riches above a sound body , and no joy above the joy of the heart ; and both these are to be met with in the ways of vertue , and temperance and sobriety in the ways of christianity . and herein appears the excellency of our christian religion , that by its rules and directions secureth to us the welfare of our bodies as well as souls . in reference to our estates and families , how necessary is this christian duty of temperance ? alas , how many noble familes , and great estates have been overwhelmed and swallowed up by the innundations of drunkenness and excess , by a deluge of wine and strong liquors , by excess in meat and drink , noble and gentile persons brought down from the top of tenariff , at last to the extremity of poverty , even to a morsel of bread ? according to that memorable saying of solomon . prov. . , . be not amongst wine-bibbers , amongst riotous eaters of flesh , for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty , &c. so that he that shall seriously consider the dangerous consequence of eating and drinking , how it destroys mens healths , and wasts their estates , and consider how it abounds , and to what an excess it is grown to in the world , might marvel ( as well as pliny is reported to have done at fire , that it had not consumed all the world ; ) that this excess in eating and drinking had not before this time destroyed all mankind . likewise let it be considered , how dishonourable it is to our nature , that men endowed with noble and excellent souls , should be so devoted to their palates , should be so swayed by their carnal apetites , like bruites , and not regulated by their reason ; that we should act below our selves , yea by gratifying our sensuality , should dethrone our reason , wherein lies our excellency and happiness , as is afore mentioned ; yea , should as it were suffocate and drown it in this swinish excess , and thereby for the time really transform our selves into beasts , and in which excess we may be said to do as that pilot , who in a storm and tempest , throws away the helm that should steer and guide the vessel in safety . how doth this excess waste our time that passeth on so swiftly , which therefore ought to be esteemed precious and well imployed , seeing we cannot add one moment to it ; time being absolutely necessary for all the actions of the sons of men under the sun ; as there is a time to be born , and a time to dye , a time to be nursed up when born , to be educated and instructed in the tendency to the attainments of knowledge and understanding , and how to comport our selves in the world ; a time either to acquire an estate and subsistency , or a time to improve an estate left us by our parents ; a time further to improve our souls in true wisdom and i●●●●uction , ( the principal duty of our lives , ) 〈◊〉 to marry and propagate our kind , a time to make provision for our families , for our children ( if god vouchsafe us that blessing , ) and to provide for their preservation , their good education and instruction , to make provision for their future subsistence and well doing , and how they may live after us ; a time to prepare our selves for either the smiles or the frowns of the world , with humility and moderation to manage a great estate , great honour and dignity , or patiently and with a steddy and constant spirit , to comport under a mean fortune , to contest with the crosses , afflictions and disappointments of this fickle world ; to bear sicknesses , infirmities and diseases of the body , with resolution and patience , a time for all the multiplicity of other concerns of this frail life , a time more especially always seriously to consider our ends , and to have a great dread of running on the score with the almighty , by multiplying our sins without repentance ; a time to mortify our lusts and inordinate appetites , to furnish and adorn our souls with all those vertues and graces necessary to our salvation and eternal happiness , that we may withstand the temptations of the world and the devil , and the lusts of the flesh , the lust of the eye , and the pride of life , as st. iames calls them ; to fight under the banner of our lord and master the ever blessed jesus against all our aforesaid great and powerful enemies , as we stand engaged by our baptismal vow and covenant . and thus to prepare and fit our selves for our dissolution and departure hence , for this we may be sure of , death that king of terrours will not forget us , although we forget him ; therefore it is but wisdom to take that advice , mors tua mors christi , fraus mundi , gloria coeli , & dolor inferni , sunt meditanda tibi . so that all these things being seriously considered according to the reason and prudence of man , he must be a mad-man that makes shipwreck of what is so useful , so necessary , so precious , which if wasted in trifles and vanity , deserves great reproof ; but if spent and wasted in sin , in multiplying our transgressions against god , thereby increasing our guilt and danger , this is the height of all madness , wickedness and folly , there being no name to express the folly and horridness of the thing ; for this is most certain , ve illis qui tunc habuerunt terminum luxuriae cum vita . further , as gentlemen are persons of honour , eminency and esteem in the world , and therefore ( as they have reason ) do usually stand upon maintaining of their honour , credit and repute in the world ; and indeed gentlemen should be something like that theban band ( consisting but of men which ( as i have read in a passage of plutarch , ) were most terrible to the enemies , and did the greatest services , they were called the holy band , because they hated dishhonest things , &c. ) they should endeavour to be eminent and considerable by their vertue and usefulness ; therefore let us consider how contemptible and despised all debauchery and wickedness , but much more this sin of intemperance and excess makes us in the eyes of all ; yea even children and those of meanest capacity , who will usually contemn and scorn him that is drunk , and then plays the fool and antick , and doth actions absurd and base , nothing more contemned and abandoned by all as a man when he is drunk , a man not a man , a man not capable of using his reason , not able to guide himself , a man transformed into a beast . how much ought therefore this swinish excess to be abhorred and avoided as abominable and filthy by all noble generous and worthy persons of gentile and noble extraction , and good vertuous education , that they of all men have nothing to do with this beastiality ? oh how unseemly , how unbecoming is it to persons of learning and eminency of education , yea what an abominable thing must it needs be to see a gentleman to debase himself into the degree and rank of the basest , to drink and be drunk as a begger ( as the proverb hath it ? ) for gentlemen to put themselves by this excess ( to make the best of it ) into the rank of the meanest of their servants , those that rub their horse heels , yea their very scullions , and thus to translate the kitchin and stable into the parlor , yea to conform themselves to the meanest mechanicks and country bumpkins , with their high shooes and hob-nails , who many of them know little more than the bruits they drive with their whip ; for it is not so great a wonder to see them recreating and delighting themselves in their sensualities their more proper sphere ? but for gentlemen that have wise and capacious souls , and that move in a higher orb , that have wise and well instructed , well educated minds , for them to degenerate and play the bruits , to degrade themselves , to have no more command of themselves , of their sense of taste , than the cobler , or the tinker and his mate : what more absurd , what more irrational and unwise , yea , what more sordid , filthy and base ? for gentlemen to have any thing to do with swinish drunkenness , which not only degrades them and ranketh them with the meanest of the people , but with the filthiest of animals , even swine ; which must needs render them very contemptible and mean to all persons . for sin of any kind is the greatest deformity in nature , it transformed glorious angels into devils , how dishonourable is it therefore for gentlemen to be in love with ugliness and deformity ? and could men alas ! but take a survey , and view of themselves , their behaviour in their excesses and debauches , how odious and despicable , how ridiculous and absurd would they appear to themselves , to their own serious thoughts ? for it becomes all men , but more especially gentlemen , to have wise and sober thoughts and worthy designs , in which to imploy and delight themselves , in which consists true joy and comfort of mind , for res est severa verum gaudium , ( as one well speaks . ) now for them that should in their conversations be like stars of the first magnitude , shining and refulgent , seasoned with religion wisdom and vertue , and should enliven and enlighten all about them within their several orbs and stations , encouraging vertue , temperance and goodness , and frowning upon vice and wickedness ; to see them wallowing in mire and dirt in their excesses and debauches : o monstrum horrendum , &c. consider also seriously what great guilt you contract by giving bad example , by teaching and propagating vice and wickedness in the many your inferiors ; you are eminent in your stations , set above a multitude of other men , and therefore your actions must needs be very conspicuous , and the greater the person is offending , the more mischievous is his example ; your examples are of great force and efficacy to lead others , either to vertue and goodness , or to vice and wickedness : as for the ignorant and mean persons , why may they not think to be bold in those courses where their betters by far dare so freely venture . yea as it was observed of cato an eminent man in his time , facilius quisquis objecerit crimen honestum quam turpem catonem ; you will make your inferiors take vice to be vertue . beware therefore gentlemen i beseech you ( you that move in a higher orb ) of giving bad example , for thereby you will involve your selves certainly in infinite guilt , will be a means of damning thousands beside your selves , and double damning your selves at the last ; you therefore have little need of heating the furnace of hell seven times hotter than else it would be , by urging and tempting men , nay forcing them to this horrid excess , which must needs bring you into the rank of the infernal spirits , whose proper work and delight is in tempting men to sin to the destruction of millions of souls . how unfit also doth surfeiting and drunkenness make men to govern themselves or their own affairs , their wives , children , and families , their estates and concerns ? how doth it unfit them ( by thus degrading and debasing themselves by their sensualities ) to be magistrates and governours under their prince ? for as solomon saith , eccles. . . it is wisdom that maketh a mans face to shine ; therefore how unfit doth this sin render gentlemen to be assistant to their sovereign , in governing licentious and stubborn people ; let us consider that wise advise , prov. . . it is not for kings , o lemuel , it is not for kings to drink wine , nor for princes strong drink , lest they drink and forget the law , and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted , &c. by which we may understand plainly how this sin and vice of excess and intemperance tends to weaken the government of the world , of states and kingdoms , disables magistrates to govern , and brings them into contempt . and it is well observed by a late worthy author , that the most singular and strongest part of humane authority is properly in the wisest and most vertuous ; although nunquam ita bene erit in rebus humanis ut plures sunt meliores . we may herein not impertinently take in also this consideration ( by the by ) that this excess once lent a hand to the undoing the best and justest cause that ever was in the world , i mean of charles the first , of blessed memory ; let it not again be so far prevalent among us , especially the kings loyal subjects , to the prejudice of the same just cause of our present prince and sovereign , against his seditious and rebellious subjects , if ever god should permit them to make their attempts again against the crown . let all such as are eminent for affection and loyalty to their prince , be always wise , sober , serious and temperate ; but let all the kings enemies be drunk , yea let them be drunk , and spue , and fall and rise no more . shall therefore any man that hath a rational and immortal soul and spirit , so far forget himself , his own reason , his religion , be so monstrously vain , foolish and absurd , as deliberately and wilfully to give himself over to a habit and custom in sin , especially in this swinish excess , to the dishonour of god , reproach to himself , and to render him useless and unprofitable both to himself and his generation , which in conclusion will be the destruction both of body and soul : can any thing be more unsuitable to a man ? can any thing be more desperate and insensate madness and absurdity ? and shall it be ever said of the renowned english nation , so famous in all the world for temperance and sobriety , that they are at last swallowed up in a deluge of wine and strong liquors , let never our former glory be thus turned into shame and contempt . lastly , let it be considered that this excess is usually , if not always an enemy to peace ; it must needs be not only an enemy to peace of mind , for sin and guilt must needs trouble the conscience and mind , but also it is an enemy to external peace . prov. . . now all men do certainly desire peace , and therefore one would think should endeavour to shun and avoid all occasion either of trouble of mind or publick discord : it is frequently very apparent what disturbance mens lusts make in the world , as to the publick peace and happiness thereof ; and amongst the rest , this sin of intemperance , men and women given to their appetites , how do they many times disturb their own inward peace , with care and anxiety to make provision for the same ? what great perturbation of mind do they undergo when they meet with disappointments , but more especially what disturbance doth drunkenness and excess make as to outward peace , in both families and towns , what discords between man and wife , what quarrels and uproars , yea in our taverns and houses of publick resort ? how often may we meet with storms and tempests at land as well at sea ? and indeed how should it be otherwise , for according to the old proverb , when the drink is in , the wit is out . and needs must those barks and vessels speedily fall fowll on one another , in a storm when there wants pilots to steer and manage them . and as a late author hath it , ebrietas est blandus demon , dulce venenum , suave peccatum , quam qui habet seipsum non habet , quam qui facit peccatum non facit , sed ipse est peccatum . chap. iii. to perswade all men , but more especially gentlemen , to temperance and all other vertues . now may i take the boldness to perswade all , but more especially gentlemen , and those of the better rank and degree among us , to temperance and sobriety , and to set themselves to the rectifying this great evil under the sun ; not that i lay the imputation of drunkenness and excess to the gentry of england in general , i abhor such a thought , there being very many of them without question eminent for religion and vertue , sobriety , wisdom and prudence , the ornament of our age , whose memories shall be had in honour to all posterity , my present discourse will be to their honour and encouragement ; and as to others , being an attempt out of my affectionate desires of their honour , happiness , and prosperity , i hope it will not be offensive to them : therefore i hope i may say further without offence , all you that make any claim to generosity and gentility , and own to be govern'd by prudence and wisdom , be you all like your selves , live answerable to your name , your education , your estates , your noble families ; of all men do you abhor any thing that is filthy and dishonourable , live like your selves above the ordinary sort of people . and , i humbly propose this expedient as a thing very convenient , that the great abuse of that custom ( innocent enough of it self ) of drinking of healths might be laid aside , and the laudable use continued , by setting some reasonable bounds thereto , by the wisdom of gentlemen , that a sober man ( who abhors to captivate his reason to drink ) might ( testifying his loyalty and respects to his prince and the royal family in three or four healths ) be suffered to come off sober and innocent without offence to the company , and left free to his own choise and liberty , while he stays . but alas ! when there is no end of multiplying healths , till men have distroyed their own , and made themselves beasts ; as it is an an intolerable vice and mischief hateful to god and all sober men , so it redounds to the great dishonour of religion and loyalty , and of the english nation ( so eminently signalized in former times for temperance and sobriety in this kind . ) also it must necessarily tend to the weakening and enfeebling the nation by debauching mens minds , and making them inconsiderate and careless of their necessary concerns , and tends to the impairing of their healths , and many times occasioning suddain death , and is also a means of transferring diseases to their issue ( diseases contracted by us many times , being transferred from us to our posterity , ) english bodies not being enured to this excess like the dutch. the sum of all is this , this cursed excess that ( is much to be feared ) is growing upon us , hath a direct tendency to the decay and ruin of the body politick , prejudicing men in their trades and callings , ( for a man in drink is at best but as a man asleep , who for the time is useless and good for nothing ; ) yea it disables him for his business , not only for the present , but sometimes after also , besides the loss of his time spent in drinking , to the neglect of his necessary affairs of his trade and family : and it is a rule warranted by all reason ( as a late author observes ) that it concerneth the good of the common-wealth , that no man make ill use of what is his , interest reipublicae nequis suis malè utatur . i would humbly offer this to the consideration of all gentlemen , what imaginable reason can be given why it should not be looked on as a gross absurdity to force our friends in our entertainments of them either to drink as well as eat more than they desire , and find to consist with their health and welfare ; for without doubt if our love and kindness be real to those we entertain , we shall abhor to do them any prejudice or injury either to their bodies or minds , by our kindnesses , ( for if it be not thus , our courtesy and kindness is in reality no kindness , ) and we shall be very unwilling they should afterwards complain of our courtesy , or curse us for the same , as many times they do when they lye under the agonies of surfeiting and drunkenness , which oft times end in great discomposure of the body if not death . as the son of syrach speaks , ecclus. . . by surfeiting and drunkenness have many perished , but he that taketh heed prolongeth his life . if it be thus , then without doubt a man had better by far been without this kindness , and been entertained at his own home with with a sallet of green herbs , then to pay so dreadfully dear for an entertainment abroad ; not only to the prejudicing of the health of his body , if not endangering his life , but also of his precious and immortal part , his soul , ( the utmost extent of our kindnesses in our entertainments , that is lawful and good is , that our friends and guests should eat and drink to refreshment and merriment , according to that saying , ad hilaxitatem non ad ebrietatem , and that we should converse pleasantly together , and our company and converse be acceptable to each other with sobriety and moderation . ) but excess and drunkenness alas ! doth so transform and discompose us , that we are a burden to our greatest friends and intimates , and fit only for the society , not of reasonable creatures , but of beasts , yea swine : for then we may be sure to expect what that wise man mentions , ecclus. . . the discourse of fools ( which is ) irksom , amd their sport is the wantonness of sin. beware of pride , that sin that overthrew angels , and changed them into devils , a sin that god abhors ; and nothing more adorns a gentleman than humility , and nothing makes a man more hateful both to god and man than pride : god is said to resist the proud , and to give his grace to the lowly . and therefore the son of syrach gives this advice , euclus . . . the greater thou art , the more humble thy self , and thou shalt find favour before the lord. abhor and detest therefore proud atheism , for therein the pride of man is manifest , and even against god himself , as the devils was ; which is well compared by a worthy person , to an apoplexy , wherein is the greatest hazard and danger ; and yet no warning or sence of that danger . consider that atheists are hostes humani generis ▪ and as cicero the wise heathen will tell you , deos esse ita perspicuum est , ut qui negat , vix eum sane mentis existimem ; and as a late author hath it , he can never intend well that would sue a divorce between god and the world , that would rob the one of the work of his hands , and the other of the reward of their labours ; he that allows mankind no hope beyond themselves , imposeth a negative upon their best expectation , makes the possession of the world very uneasy , without a prospect of some reversion . and although god cannot be the object of a natural eye , yet he always stands full in the eye our reason , has chosen to convey himself to us by that noblest faculty , as the most comprehensive part of our beings , and so most suitable to his being . should he descend to any other converse with us , it would rather amaze than satisfy , and more affright us than inform us ; how vain is he therefore that denies there is a god , because he cannot grasp the whole of his being , when we meet with nothing but hath somewhat above us : therefore may i conclude , that riches and strength lift up the heart , but the fear of the lord is above them both . — let iust men eat and drink with thee , and let thy glory be in the fear of the lord. ecclus. . . and chap. . . and let proud atheists know that the almighty is above them , and that they are but poor mortals , whose breath is in their nostrils , and that their own consciences will now and then ( whether they will or not , ) lash and torment them for their folly and insolence ; and at last however , breathing out their souls with horror and amazement , they shall be forc'd to cry out with that wicked apostate iulian , vicisti galileae , my atheism is now confuted to my shame and torment for ever . abhor therefore as to live in the defyance of god and his laws , so more especially also to prophane his sacred name by oaths and curses , that unprofitable sin , that voluntary sin , a sin without a temptation to it as i know of ; and st. iames . . but above all things my brethren swear not , &c. accustom not thy mouth to swearing , neither use thy self to the naming of the holy one . — a man that useth much swearing , shall be filled with iniquity , and the plague shall never depart from his house . ecclus. . . — . and may i not add , he that thus professeth the holy christian religion in vain , as so deliberately and willfully to use his tongue to oaths and curses contrary to the express and positive command of christ ( swear not at all ; ) he may justly expect therefore that god will not hold him guiltless that thus prophaneth and abuseth the holy religion he professeth to own : for may i not say to you that own christian religion , if your religion be not true , why do you profess it ? if it be true , why do you not practise it ? live somewhat answerable to it , for it is not the profession but the practice of religion that will stand us in any stead . i hope therefore i need not say to you , abhor to vilify and reproach your god , your religion , to be debauched , and thereby to prostitute and debase your selves . let us consider what in reality is true worth and gentility , wherein it consists , nobilis is said to be derived of noscibilis ; therefore an empty head although adorn'd with a fair peruke , ill becomes a gentleman . for there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed , saith the son of syrach , ecclus. . . doth not knowledge and wisdom therefore become you ? and doth not that teach you first to be just , and to render unto every one their due ? and therefore ought you not to render those awful and high respects to the divine majesty that is due unto him . iupiter opt . max. cujus nutu & arbitrio coelum , terra , mariaque reguntur ; as cicero speaks . the fear of the lord is honour , glory and gladness , and a crown of rejoycing . ecclus. . . reverence with all humility the most high and holy one , who is above you , how great soever you are in this world , who made you and preserves you , gave you your estates and honour , distinguished you from others by placing you in a higher orb and station , and expects in justice an account of all his blessings from you , unto whom you stand more than ordinarily engaged for the abundance of all the good things of this life that you enjoy above multitudes or most others , and possibly as deserving as your selves . it doubtless very much lies upon you therefore in justice and gratitude , that the donor of all may receive his due honour and praise . i hope that it will not be needfull to put you in mind , not to turn his mercies into curses , by wickedly contemning and dishonouring god with his own gifts and favours bestowed on you . and consider ( as a late author hath it , ) that it is an error worse than heresy , to adore the complemental and circumstantial piece of felicity , and undervalue those perfections and essential points of happiness , wherein we resemble our maker . and besides you can never become wise and knowing , never attain to true wisdom and understanding , without a virtuous and good conversation ; for as a late author hath well observed , that our ingenuity and honesty , and in acting up to the principles thereof , contributes exceedingly to the attainment of true wisdom and understanding , in that it begets a greater serenity and clearness in the mind , for the diserning the excellency of the doctrines and duties of religion , which men of debauched lives are indisposed for ; for sensuality and fleshly lusts do debase the minds of men , darken their reason , tincture their souls with false colours , fill their understandings with prejudice , that they have not the free use of their intellectual faculties ; nor are they disposed for the exercise of the acts of reason , especially about objects of religion : whereas persons disintangled from the tyranny of lust and passion , have not only their animal spirits purer and finer for the exercise of the noblest acts of reason , but their minds are emancipated from many prepossessions and prejudices that sensual persons are in bondage to . therefore solomon saith , that the fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge . prov. . . and the son of syrach , ecclus. . . the root of wisdom is to fear the lord. and ecclus. . . wisdom will not dwell in a polluted soul , nor in the body subject unto sin . and the wisdom that is from above , is first pure , then peaceable . st. james . . i humbly beseech you gentlemen seriously and wisely to consider , that as vertue and goodness is nothing else but guiding and governing our selves according to true wisdom , as i humbly conceive ; that is to say , by a true judgment and estimate of all things : so vice and sin is doubtless the greatest folly and absurdity in the world . how it therefore should be possible for debauched and wicked men ever to be wise and prudent , is not in the power of imagination to apprehend , as i humbly conceive . besides god doth in just judgment to a nation and people , when they will not receive the truth with the love of it ( as the scripture testifies ) to give them up to strong delusions , to a reprobate mind , to believe lies , to act most unwisely and irrationally not like men endowed with reason , but directly opposite to their own great interest and happiness and welfare . again , if you have respect for god , you need not to be stirred up to have great respect for the clergy his ministers , that wait at his altar , if you contemn and despise them , the whole world both christians pagans , turks and infidels will condemn you ; and you know what our saviour saith , he that despiseth you despiseth me , &c. you cannot doubtless but esteem them highly for their works sake , which hath been of old sometimes the imployment of kings and princes ; without question a noble and worthy imployment , to attend the worship and service of the highest lord , who is the sovereign of the whole world , who is king of kings and lord of lords . it becomes your gentility , to take them into your favour and protection , that god may take you and yours into his . ecclus. . . fear the lord , reverence his priests . verse . love him that made thee with all thy strength , and forsake not his ministers . abhor to slight and contemn them , much less to attempt the corrupting and debauching of them . again , gentility consists in loyalty to your prince , this is doubtless a principal part and duty of all gentlemen strongly to endeavour to support the crown and government , yea to to the utmost extent of your power , to uphold him that is the best gentleman of the kingdom , in whose veins runs royal blood , who is the fountain of honour and gentility , yours but derived from him ; consider therefore seriously what will be your lot , if your prince and the royal dignity should fall to the ground , how can you and your gentility possibly stand and subsist ? the splendor , glory and prosperity of your prince is yours ; take away the sun out of the firmament , and what will become of the stars ? alas your lustre and light is but borrowed from him , and therefore cannot consist without him ; if he fall , your glory will certainly cease , and you will be at last brought under the yoak of the meanest of the people , major generals , to lord it over you as heretofore . i need not put you in mind to be wise , sober cereful and vigilant , for you have sober and serious adversaries , if i may so call them , who are your and your princes implacable enemies , who are very demure and serious to do mischief , and to work your and his ruin : and i make no question you have heard how they triumph in the name of the sober party of the nation , and have it ( you may be assured of it ) in their design and intention ( if they can ) very soberly and devoutly with the face of religion , to raise up the good old cause again out of the dust , and once more to dethrone majesty , and very soberly to set up their common-wealth , and overthrew both church and state , and cast your all with your prince and royal family out as dirt and rubbish fit for nothing , and to lord it over you ( which is made now more apparent since the writing of this discourse , by the discovery of the late horrid plot , ) wherefore doth it not ( think you ) very much concern you all to be wise and sober , to be all firmly united among your selves , and to adhere closely to your gracious prince , and to endeavour to wipe off the stain of intemperance and debauchery from the english gentry the loyal party , which your enemies would so earnestly fasten upon you . consider further wherein your gentility consists , that whereas you have a wise , noble , mild , generous and gracious prince and sovereign , who is wise and gracious even to a miracle , who is sober and temperate , who delights in noble , just and generous actions , who rules his people with wisdom , moderation and gentleness , who designs our good and welfare . now therefore it will be harsh to you to say , regis ad exemplum , follow his example of wisdom , sobriety , temperance , patience , and goodness ; be you wise , sober and temperate . endeavour to promote the welfare of all under you , seek the welfare of your poor tenants , and that they may not only subsist but thrive under you ; take heed of oppressing them , consider that to terrify and do wrong will waste riches , thus the house of proud men shall be made desolate , ecclus. . . to promote their welfare is your own interest , and therefore i need to say little to perswade you to do good to your selves ; do not go about to vitiate and debauch them by excess and intemperance , for to make them ill husbands will be your loss in conclusion ; but do them good , discountenance vice and prophaneness in them and all others under you : and further let it be your design and care to do all the good that you are able , in this consists gentility , for in this is your happiness and glory . let your mind be inlarged in some measure answerable to your fortunes , be like the sun who delights to to run his course , and afford his benigne influence to the earth , and every creature of the universe . so honour the lord with thy substance , and with the first fruits of all thy increase , prov. . . in this also principally consists your gentility , that you abound in charity towards the poor , they are eminently yours , your lot and portion : cast thy bread upon the waters , &c. and give therefore a portion to seven and to eight , for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth ; as solomon speaks , eccl. . , . and as to your direction in this great and necessary work , let the reverend and worthy dr. hammond be your guide , who saith that as our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the iews , so our mercy their mercy ; ( i. e. ) to be a righteous christian , ( such a one as performs what the law of christ requires of him for almsgiving , ) it is necessary to set apart much more than a yearly thirtieth part of his revenue or increase , and to be a merciful , or benign , or pious christian ; much more again than that is necessary . and whereas the apostle in cor. . . saith , he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully ; by which the said worthy author conceives , is meant not only gods abundant retributions of glory in another world , but even his payments of temporal plenty and blessings here , to those who have been willing to make that christian use of that earthly talent committed to their stewarding : and concludes with a passage out of s. hierom , non memini me legere mala morte mortuum , qui liberaliter opera charitatis exercuit : he also further observes , that alms increaseth wealth , because the giving alms brings gods blessings on wealth ; and further saith , there is he conceives not any one thing temporal , for which there are so many clear evident promises in the scripture as this . therefore in the midst of those freedoms you take , in the use of your abundance , consider and remember the poor , and cut off at least somewhat of your superfluities and excesses , and let the poor , hungry , and almost starved families be refreshed therewith , and let them rejoyce and drink your healthy , and bless you , and pray for your prosperity and happiness ; for this is most certain , it is the work of wisdom , religion , justice , temperance , loyalty and charity , that will exalt you , and that must establish both you and your family : for unless a man hold himself diligently in the fear of the lord , his house shall soon be overthrown , ecclus. . . so that if ever god should suffer the nobility and gentry of this nation to be once more overthrown and trodden down ( as heretofore ) atheism , contempt of god and religion , wickedness and dabauchery , together with gross hypocrisy , will be the cause thereof ; from which fearful judgment let us pray good lord deliver us . gentlemen , think seriously of those many dangers and temptations that your wealth , grandure and superfluity of all things , expose you to ; therefore the son of syrach saith , ecclus. . . . blessed is the rich that is found without blemish , — who is he and we will call him blessed ? — who hath been tryed thereby and found perfect ? then let him glory , who might offend , and hath not offended , or done evil and hath not done it . how hard a thing is it for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven ? saith our blessed saviour ; although few ever in the world have believed him ; and it is recorded of pelagius ( as a late author hath it , ) that grounding himself upon this scripture ( it is impossible for a rich man to enter into heaven ) he would by no means grant that a rich man could be saved , but for this , the church noted him for an heretick ; for among his heresies , this is scored up for one , together with that , that it is not lawful to swear ; but if pelagius had never otherwise erred , the church might very well have pardoned him that heresy , ( as the said author observes , ) and goes on thus ; for many times it falls out by reason of the hardness of our hearts , that there is more danger in pressing some truths , than in maintaining some errors ; many rich and covetous men by reason of the truth that rich men may be saved , flatter themselves in their sins , whereof they dye well conceited , from which they had been freed , had it been their good fortune to have been thus far deceived and been pelagians . let men therefore either quite refuse riches if they offer themselves , or if they will give them acceptance , let them believe , that if they be rich they may be saved ; but let them so live , as if they could not , for the one shall keep them from error in their faith , the other from sin in their actions . therefore when ever thou seest god willing to bring the world upon thee , to enrich thee , to raise thee to honour , suspectum habe hanc domini indulgentian , which the said author cites out of tertullian . in the midst of your fulness of all things , consider seriously your danger , and take this caution , go not after thy lusts , but refrain thy self from thine appetite ; take not pleasure in much good cheer , ecclus. . , . and chap. . , . wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away ; whoso taketh pleasure in wickedness shall be condmned , but he that resisteth pleasure , crowneth his life . it is true , god vouchsafeth you abundance , and you may pertake of the good gifts of god , and give him thanks ; for every creature of god is good , being sanctified by prayer ; and as the wise man speaks , ecclus. . , . sound sleep cometh of moderate eating , he riseth early , and his wits are with him , but the pain of watching , choler , and pangs of the belly , are with an unsatiable man. wine is as good as life to a man , if it be drunk moderately , — for it was made to make men glad . the great danger is of sinning in the use of lawful things by intemperance and excess , a temptation to which lyes always before you ; and as a late author hath it , to be able to meet and check an enemy , to encounter occasions , to act our parts in common life upon the common stage , and yet to keep our uprightness ; this is truly indeed to live and to serve god and men , and therefore god the more , because men , : on the contrary , to avoid occcasions , to follow that other , vincendi genus , non pugnare , to overcome the world by contemning and avoiding it ; this argues a wise , indeed but a week fainting spirit , therefore it mainly concerns you in the midst of temptations and snares to be watchful over your selves : and this you may please to take for your incouragement , ecclus. . . there shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the lord , but in temptation even again he will deliver him . abound in conjugal affections to your yoak fellows , amor perennis conjugis casta manet ; love them as your selves , for they are a part of you ; and therefore as the scripture speaketh , no man ever yet hated his own flesh ; render them their due benevolence , let them be to you as the loving hind and pleasant roe , as solomon speaks , and let her breasts satisfy thee at all times , and be content with her loves , prov. . . a friend and a companion never meet amiss , but above both is a wife and her husband . ecclus. . . poverty is that which usually makes enjoyments comfortable and pleasant to us , it is therefore certainly unnatural and unreasonable that it should be otherwise herein . let your affections run strongly to your own , drink waters out of thine own cistern , &c. prov. . . and abandon with abhorrence the wild cattel , leave them to the sordid , base , and ungentile ; leave them to your slaves , drudges and scullions : and why wilt thou my son be ravisht with a ssrange woman , saith the wise man , prov. . . and can a man take fire in his bosom , and his cloaths not be burnt ? can one go upon hot coals , and his feet not be burnt ? prov. . , . and ecclus. . . an harlot shall be accounted as spittle , but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband . lust not after her beauty in thine heart , neither let her take thee with her eye-lids . for by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread , &c. prov. . , . consider also , that in nothing more is christianity to be esteemed , than in the laws of conjugal chastity . the very animals some of them observe a kind of conjugal covenant , how much more should the diviner creature , man , that he might not spring out of uncertain seed , and so mutual affection that nature hath kindled between the parent and the children be utterly extinguished ; as the great grotius hath observed . avoid gentlemen as much as possible vacancy , and to be unimployed , for a man hath an active and vigorous soul , and must be imployed ; and no man need in truth to complain of want and imployment , that hath a mind and understanding to improve , a soul to save . now proper imployment for gentlemen ( they being scholars , and having time and leisure also ) is the improvement of themselves in knowledge and wisdom ; as the son of syrach observeth , ecclus. . . the wisdom of a learned man , cometh by opportunity of leisure , and he that hath little business shall become wise : and verse . and how can he get wisdom that holdeth the plow ? &c. you have learning and good education , those great helps by which you are enabled ( if you will ) to improve your selves much in learning , in wisdom and prudence . ecclus. . . blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom , that reasoneth of holy things with understanding . this sure you have most of you great estates , and a great account to make to god for those many benefits and favours you enjoy from his bounty , as i mentioned before ; you have therefore less time of leisure and vacancy than you imagine , you have great things before you , non vacat exiguis rebus adesse iovi . employ your selves , your parts and learning , and opportunity therefore , to improve your knowledg and learning , your leisure and time in the attainments of wisdom and vertue ; keep sound wisdom and discretion , so shall they be life unto thy soul , and grace to thy neck . prov. . , . and consider that learning is unto a wise man as an ornament of gold , and like a bracelet upon his right arm , ecclus. . . make use of your capacious souls , and the great helps you have by learning , leisure , and your education , in improving of your selves , who have the whole universe before you ; stand not still , and spend your time in idle speculation and gazing upon the variety of created beings , like the animals and bruites , but wisely contemplate and consider them : there 's room enough for the greatest wit , the most penetrating , exquisite , and capacious mind , wherein to spend it self , while it subsists in this life . and from these streams let them , viz. your solus , have recourse to the fountain , to the supream wisdom , the original being , the creator of all , who hath made every thing very good , yea , hath made all things beautiful , every one in their season . consider him , and give him the honour of all his works . and to help you herein , take in the assistance of the son of syrach , ecclus. . . — by his word all things consist . and verse . we may speak much , and yet come short , wherefore in sum he is all , verse . how shall we be able to magnify him ? for he is great above all his works , verse . when you glorify the lord , exalt him as much as you can , even yet will he far exceed ; and when you exalt him , put forth all your strength , and be not weary , for you can never go far enough . consider you have the sacred scriptures to study , the life of the ever blessed jesus to contemplate if you be christians ; endeavour to adorn and beautify your souls with divine knowledge , with virtue and goodness , mark what solomon saith , that wisdom is good with an inheritance . gentlemen , be like your selves , above other men in vertue and true worth and goodness , make use of your reason , for in this consists mans great happiness and excellency above bruits ; take that wise advice , ecclus. . . go not after thy lusts , but refrain thy self from thy appetite . and chap. . . whoso taketh pleasure in wickedness shall he condemned , but he that resisteth pleasures , crowneth his life . mind much the education of your children , ( you on whom god hath bestowed that blessing ) those that bear your character and image , that are parts of your self , in whom you will survive your selves in this world even after your are dead ; employ your selves much in the care of their future well-doing : ecclus. . . hast thou children , instruct them , and bow down their necks from their youth . chap. . , . , . an horse not broken becometh head-strong , and a child left to himself will be willful . give him no liberty in his youth , and wink not at his follies . bow down his neck while he is young , and beat him on the sides while he is a child , lest he wax stubborn , and be disobedient to thee , and so bring sorrow to thine heart . chastise thy son , and hold him to labour , lest his lend behaviour be an offence to thee . and be sure if ever you would have your children vertuous and good , be very careful not to give them ill example , for more especially you will find this true in them , that vivitur exemplis magis quam legibus ; therefore expect not miracles , and that your children should be good , when you your selves are daily examples before their eyes of vice and wickedness . and be not too indulgent to your children , to their ruin and destruction , for if you would have them worth any thing , be content that they be under somewhat a severe discipline ( if their tempers will bear it ) for as the scriptures speaketh , it is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth , lamen . . . it being most sure , that knowledge , wisdom and virtue , are not born with them , but must be acquired by them , and they must undergo some hardship and difficulty , some pain and labour to acquire them , for — and it is better to dye without children , then to have them that are ungodly , ecclus. . . now by means of religious and vertuous education , they are kept from habit and custom in sin , that second nature , and so are more easily conducted to the ways of all vertue and goodness . you have most of you great estates to leave behind you to your posterity , it therefore very much concerns you to endeavour , that by education and instruction they may be furnished with religion , learning , vertue as well as with an estate , else they are in great danger to prove like a ship without ballast , when she comes to bear a great sail , to be quickly overset and lost : instil into their young and tender minds religion and virtue by little and little , wherein if you have not a better , you may make use of this scheme or brief draught of religious and vertuous principles . let thy thoughts be divine , awful , godly ; let thy talk be little , honest , true ; let thy works be profitable , holy , charitable ; let thy manners be grave , courteous , chearful ; let thy diet be temperate , convenient , frugal ; let thy apparel be sober , neat , comely ; let thy will be constant , obedient , ready ; let thy sleep be moderate , quiet , seasonable ; let thy prayers be short , devout , often ; let thy recreations be lawful , brief , seldom ; let thy memory be of death , punishment , glory . next to the improvement of your children , it will not be improper to mind the improving of your estates for their future welfare , a brave and noble imployment for gentlemen to busy themselves in ; but chiefly consider , that this is the happinesss of a great fortune , of a great estate , when it is an attendent to a gentlemen of a generous , noble , and vertuous mind , a liberal and open hand ; when gentlemen live like themselves , are men of publick spirits , that look upon themselves not born only for themselves , that delight in worthy designs in doing good , who are of the temper of that famous roman titus , who ( as it is storied of him ) used to say , hodie non regnavimus , quia neminem affecimus beneficio ; who are not themselves , if they are not doing good , and benefiting mankind . o may our gentlemen thus long live worthy heroes , examples of vertue , worth and generosity to all men , and leave their fair estates to a vertuous and generous off-spring . amen . next to the care of your children , you are attended suitable to your grandure and honour , with a numerous train of attendents , officers and servants , who are under your care and charge , and either mediately or immediately , are under your inspection and oversight , in which your care and burden is increased , that they all behave themselves as they ought to do in their several offices and stations , and be no trouble nor dishonour to you ; and certainly he may be truly said ( in our licentious age ) to be doubly blest , who hath diligent , faithful and sober servants to attend him : and although this is your honour and dignity , yet in respect of the increase of your burden of care , this necessary grandure is but a kind of splendid infelicity , according to that story of him who said , if the gods should have offered him two bodies to be animated by him , he would have refused that favour , because he should be troubled a double care for them both ; but if the care also of your servants souls be committed to you by god as well as their bodies , as i doubt divines will resolve in the affirmative , your burthen is very much increased , and therefore it much concerneth gentlemen , at least to take care that they be well imployed , according to that advice , ecclus. . . send thy servant to labour , that he be not idle , for idleness teacheth much evil . and also whereas many of you are called to be magistrates , you have an other great trust to undergo , to be assistant to your prince , and under him , helping to govern the great family of the kingdom , in which ( not only by seeing the good laws put in execution , and not to lye by ( as an almanack out of date ) but that they may reach malefactors , and more especially that publick peace may be preserved ; ) you may also by reason of your eminency of place and office , together with your religious , vertuous and good example , be a great means of reformation of mens manners , you may easily frame them to religion , honesty , peaceableness , loyalty and subjection ; that being a true maxim , nulla enim res multitudinem efficaciùs regit quàm religio : yea even the great politician machavil attests the truth of this ( if there were no true and intrinsick goodness and worth in religion at all ; ) and among the egyptian hieroglyphicks , they had this , ( to signify that piety was to be preferred to impiety , and religion to atheism and the contempt of a superior power ) they did picture a sceptre , having on the top a storks head , and supported upon the hoof of a river horse ; the stork being an emblem of piety , which the sceptre should maintain and support above the reach of prophaneness , intimated by the hoof of the river horse . now you would certainly by your eminency in religion and goodness more effectually prevail upon the common people to make them good , than all the sermons of your most eloquent and learned doctors on whom you bestow ( for i hope i may not say unto whom you sell ) . your church-livings . i humbly present before you , how much good you may be instruments of if you please , even regulate a whole country ; as also on the other hand , how by your example in that which is evil , you will inevitably corrupt if not damn thousands besides your selves ; therefore as you have any respect for your own souls , or any pity to the souls of others , beware of giving ill example , of making other mens sins yours , for the best of us all will have sins enough of our own to answer for , we need no bring the guilt of others upon us ; i need not therefore caution you to take care of that greatest degree of wickedness , in tempting men by perswasions and importunities to be dabauched and wicked , and to contemn the divine laws , especially to drown themselves , their reason , their souls in drink . besides the care of your families as aforesaid , many of you gentlemen , may be chosen by your countreys to assist in that great and most honourable assembly , the high court of parliament of this kingdom ; i need not caution you i hope against fanatiscism , the weakness , the disease , the plague of the nation ; and certainly if so , it can never consist with wisdom to animate and cherish our disease : besides it is that trojan horse , with his belly filled with treasonable and seditious principles , destructive of all government , with horrid and seditious and treasonable plots and designs of blood and murder , even of princes ; your own woful experience many of you will make you very sensible of that great mischief which attends us in the growth of fanatick principles among us . of all vice and wickedness , fanatiscism or religious vice is the worst , for our blessed saviour could better bear with the publicans and sinners , the very woman taken in adultery , than the proud and insolent phanaticks of those times , the scribes and pharisees . i need not inform you , that ( when in parliament ) you are as much subjects to your prince and sovereign as before , and as much under the obligation of loyalty and allegiance : and therefore it must needs ill become you there either to exercise any arbitrary power over your fellow subjects ( not under your jurisdiction ) much less to make any attempts or assaults upon the crown ; by endeavouring to encroach upon the unquestionable prerogatives of your prince , although it be intended only to secure the peoples liberties . for i humbly conceive they are both well secured in the fundamental constitutions of our government , which constitutions ought to be as sacred to us as the laws of the meads and persians . therefore all encroachments upon the prerogatives of the crown must needs weaken the government , as i humbly conceive , by taking out as it were a corner stone of the ancient fabrick , which must needs be destructive of the whole building ; which i think plain experience ( the best instructor ) hath sufficiently taught us . what was the fatal consequences of those gross and abominable incroachments by the long parliament in , and , upon the prerogatives of the prince , in urging him to make themselves perpetual , which at last they extorted from him , and then further importuning him even by tumults , and ( as it were ) forcing him against his conscience to consent to cut off one of the wisest heads he had in his kingdom , yea one of his faithful and resolute councellors , and that for an accumulative treason , a thing never heard of in the world before , and ordered by themselves never after be drawn into president again . and after their challenging and entering upon the militia , &c. what was the of all which , but many years war , confusion and blood , the ruin and devastation of the kingdom , the overthrow of the government both in church and state , the destruction of their prince , so that those gross and absurd incursions upon the prerogative were so far freeing the subject of their grievances , that that assembly was the greatest grievance this nation ever lay under , and had certainly by gods just judgment ended in our everlasting slavery to tyrants and usurpers , and a standing army , had not the almighty in midst of judgment remembred mercy , and miraculously delivered us from it , by the happy restauration of his majesty our present sovereign and ; and can we so soon forget all this ? you well know gentlemen that one string in an instrument being scrued up too high , spoileth the harmony and musick thereof , as also that in equal distrubution of the humours in the body of man consisteth the health and welfare of it : so doubtless it is in the body politick , when caesar without grudging , enjoys what is caesars , and god the things that belong to him and his church , and the subject what is theirs . i suppose it preposterous to caution you to take care of securing the peoples liberties , which would faintly imply that they were in some danger , which i am sure we have no cause to fear , while we enjoy our gracious prince , who abhors to invade any one of them . therefore how happy might we be in this nation , if our parliaments would meet as they used to do in queen elizabeths days , full of religion , love and loyalty ? and why should it not rather be so now in our days , when we have as mild and deserving a prince as she was , and i think as far off any incroachments upon his subjects as she , if not further . and although it is well known she borrowed great sums of money of her subjects upon her privy seals , that she never repaid again , yet she never met with any parliament either to deny her a supply of hers and the kingdoms exigencies , much less to lay restraints upon her , not to borrow any money upon her own revenue . i beseech you gentlemen consider , why should the discovery of a late popish plot have those dreadful effects upon us , as to intoxicate us , and bereave us of our wits and reason , make us turn atheists , schismaticks and rebels , but rather make us more wise , wary and united in loyalty to our prince , and love to one another ? why should it otherwise operate upon us , than the discovery of those many popish plots and designs did in her days : and why should it be otherwise with us now , i see no reason , except it be out of design of some wicked persons , who resolve to make use of the said discovery , and to the overthrow of the government both in church and state , and so make the discovery of the popish plot to be a means to make it prove effectual upon us , which hath been made too manifest of late by the discovery of the late fanatick plot and association : and therefore no wonder that charles the second , ( i was going to say charles the great ) having lived to see and feel the dismal effects of unjust usurpations upon the just and undoubted prerogatives of the crown in his fathers days , as aforesaid , that he is so wise and well instructed at present , as to be very nice and tender upon any such new attempts , and that he is so resolute and just to himself , as when his subjects by their disloyal and undutiful carriage , and seditious murmuring against him , make his crown to shake , with both his hands to lay hold of it , and keep it steddy . i hope gentlemen , i need not wish you to keep close to the true christian protestant principles of the church of england , a church famous for loyalty , never yet tainted in that kind to this day ; and that at your next meeting in parliament , leaving your animosities and prejudices behind you ( where there is any , ) you will meet with your hearts full of loyalty to your gracious prince , and full of indignation against his and the kingdoms enemies , all wicked and desperate fanaticks and their associations , their horrid plots and conspiracies : for you may please gentlemen to see , that when men , yea wise men in repute , cherish in themselves prejudices and discontents , and suffer their passions to prevail and be uppermost , whether presently they are hurried with a torrent to those horrid villanies not ( it may be ) thought of before . and oh that st. stephens chappel might for ever hereafter be dedicated to the goddess harmonia , that there might never be heard of in that place any differences in that assembly there met , either among themselves , or with their sovereign , or any of the other estates ; and then i may i think be so bold as to affirm that we in this nation shall have great cause to rejoyce , as being freed from the greatest grievance that of late years we in this nation have layn under . and i humbly beseech you to consider , that religion of all things ought to be well managed by prudence , wisdom , by order and government , for else certainly it denerates into madness , folly and sedition ; that therefore the promoting of true and sound religion , and preserving it pure from corrupt , wicked and seditious doctrines and opinions , and promoting the honour of god thereby : as it is doubtless the great interest and concern of princes and governours , so it is also the great interest and happiness of their subjects , of us all from the highest to the lowest . why therefore we should not all of us make it our business strongly to promote and advance it , being so excellent , so advantageous , i see no reason , for none but fools and mad-men will act against their greatest interest and concern . the christian religion was never brought into the world by the prince of peace , to disturb states and kingdoms , for it is in its own nature peaceable , as st. iames speaks , . . a gospel of peace . so that whereas it is truly said of men of harmonious and peaceable spirits and principles , that there is much of god in such persons : so by the rule of contraries , in men of seditious tenents and opinions of schismatical and contentious spirits , ( may be truly said ) that there doubtless is much of the devil , whatever their pretences be to sobriety and religion : for herein without doubt the devil is strangely in our days transformed into an angel of light , and deceives many ; from which we may well pray that god would deliver us in this nation . and therefore magistrates may safely suppress that religion whose principles and doctrines are against government , against the peace and welfare of mankind , for such a debauched and corrupted religion is not from god , but from the devil the enemy of god , and designer of mischief and ruin to mankind ; besides when such principles are incorporated into mens religion , it makes them most savagely cruel against all their opposers , when they have opportunity , supposing them gods enemies , and therefore their cruelty how inhumane soever , will be accounted no other than their vertue , their zeal for the honour and cause of god and his people . gentlemen , take heed of habits and customs in sin , habits and custom makes things easy and delightful to us , which otherwise would be hard and difficult ; this would render the duties of religion and vertue very acceptable and easy to you , i hope i need not wish you therefore to habituate your selves thereto , nor to use many arguments to perswade you to beware of making the practise of sin and vice familiar and easy to you , which certainly lead to the chambers of death and hell ; and can the ethiopian change his skin , or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good , that are accustomed to evil , jer. . . my son hast thou sinned ( saith the son of syrach ) do so no more , but ask pardon for thy former sins . flee from sin as from the face of a serpent , for if thou comest too near it , it will bite thee , the teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion , slaying the souls of men . he that hateth to be reproved , is in the way of sinners ; but he that feareth the lord , will repent from his heart . ecclus. . , . and chap. . , . concerning propitiation , be not without fear to add sin unto sin , and say not his mercy is great , he will be pacified for the multitude of my sins , for mercy comes from him , and his indignation resteth upon sinners . make no tarrying to come unto the lord , and put not off from day to day , &c. as a late worthy author observes , many vicious habits by corrupt and evil usages , which we were drawn into at first by pleasure and vanity in our young nnd inconsiderate years , while we were led by the directions of sense ; these by frequent acts grow at last into habits , which though in their beginning they were tender as a plant , and easy to have been crushed or blasted , yet time and use hardens them into the firmness of an oak , that braves the weather , and can endure the stroak of the ax and strong arm : and as another very worthy author hath it , every sin the oftner it is committed , the more it acquireth in the quality of evil , as it succeeds in time , so it proceeds into degrees of badness , for as they proceed they ever multiply , and like figures in arithmetick , the last stands for more than all that went before it . consider that many times evil education , wicked examples , but especially long custom and continuance in sin , hath bred in us a habit and a kind of necessity of sinning ( which is most deplorable , ) and then presently original sin and weakness of our nature bear the blame ; but a very heathen historian could observe this error in men , and say , falso queritur de naturâ suâ genus humanum , quod imbecilis sit . and alas ! it is our neglect and carelesness is the sleep the devil takes advantage of ; shall therefore the confession of our mobility to do what we ought , excuse us all if we do not what we are able ; as a late worthy hath observed . ecclus. . . a sinful man will not be reproved , but findeth an excuse according to his will. chap. . verse . , . say not thou he hath caused me to err , for he hath no need of the sinful man. he hath set fire and water before thee , stretch forth thy hand to whether thou wilt . before man is life and death , and whether him liketh shall be given him . for the preventing this mischief of evil habits , and to further you in vertue and gooness , take heed of all occasions of sin and vice ; make your voluntary choise of the society and company of those that are good , that are sober , temperate and vertuous . it is observed by one , as i remember , it is sir walter raughley , that a man may be known what he is by these three things , by his cloathes , by his discourse , and by his company that he usually converseth with ; according to that saying , ecclus. . , . all flesh consorteth according to kind , and a man will cleave to his like . what fellowship hath the wolf with the lamb ? so the sinner with the godly ? therefore choose the company of those that are good and vertuous , for occasionally you will often be cast into the society of those those that are evil , which you must patiently dispence with as well as you can , and stand upon your watch . but be covetous of good company , good society is a singular means not only to cheer and refresh your spirits , but to quicken and improve your mind also in wisdom and vertue , ( as a late worthy divine observes , ) and further discourses thus , the joy of one soul is no joy , say the hebrews in their common proverb ; which is much what the same with that of the greeks , one man is no man : good company will divert our thoughts , and yet not let us spend our time unprofitably , it will make us chearful , and yet wise and serious ; it will delight us , and do no harm , but rather make us much better , to which i may add their example would teach us also . therefore , to the end to promote and further the welfare of your minds , to have understanding and well instructed souls to fix upon you the habits of vertue , how exceedingly necessary would it be in every gentlemans family , ( whose estate will bear it ) to have a constant standing chaplain , not only for the divine offices , but to converse with the whole family , for the promoting of religion , knowledg , vertue in the same ; a man of piety , learning , wisdom and sobriety , whose very daily example would teach and instruct the family . i have sometimes thought that the very presence of a grave person , if it were but a capuchin fryer , by being resident in a gentlemans family ( although he had never spoke one word to them ) would have strangely overawed the family , and imprest somewhat of the sence of god and religion upon their spirits ; for this is by experience found most true , that what is conveyed into our minds by the eye , doth very strongly affect us . but however i may be mistaken in this , i am sure a pious and prudent protestant divine , by his constant example , together with his fervent devotion , his familiar and friendly , yet grave and christian rebukes , admonitions , exhortations , might be a very great and effectual means of reforming and benefiting , and as it were hallowing noblemens and gentlemens families and habitations , and putting them under the special care of heaven . and as for the charge of maintaining such a one , as much might possibly be well spared from the superfluities and excesses of the family , that might defray that charge , and and the benefit and profit to the family , would manifold countervail the expence thereof : and what a great means may this be , to furnish the young gentlemen of the family with a stock of knowledge and learning , who will not otherwise be at the pains and hard study in an university , or elsewhere to attain the same ; and also would daily improve the whole familily in religion and vertue ? and whereas it must needs be as necessary at least often to converse with a spiritual guide and director , for the safety and welfare of our souls , as to converse with a physitian about the health of our bodies , or an able lawyer about our estates : such a reverend , learned and pious person may prove to you therefore a good spiritual physitian ; for as the said worthy author aforesaid discourses , there is no small safety in taking a good guide by the hand at all times , he will be as good as a pilot to steer your soul , when you are tossed ( like a ship in a dangerous sea and dark night ) in the doubts and waverings of your mind ; yea in your best estate he may be of singular use to you to keep you within the bounds of prudence : a ship needs a pilot in fair weather as well as in a storm , to whom when you have committed your self , look upon him as your genius or tutelary angel . it is too much presumption and careless confidence , to rely upon your own counsel alone , in the settlement of your everlasting state , or in the cure of those disorders and distempers in your mind , which threaten danger ; we ought to take good advice , and for fear of mistake , have the judgment of some more skilful person to secure us as well as our own , as the said author observes . and as the reverend the dean of canterbury hath lately told us , this practice is the taking the best means of instruction and guidance which god hath vouchsafed to us ; it was the appointment of god himself under the law , the priests lips shall preserve knowledge , and thou shalt seek the law at his mouth ; which duty is still obligatory to us under the gospel , it being the ministers of the gospel their proper province , to be instructors and guides to you : yea although they may sometimes fail in their conversations , as our blessed saviour commanded his followers to hearken to the scribes and pharisees that sat in moses his seat , and to do what they preached , although they did say and not do , we are to follow our guides as they are followers of christ. and without question it was never the intentions off our first reformers , to discourage advising with our spiritual guides , when they cast of auricular confession , as it was then customarily and corruptly used , yea much abused in the church of rome , but thought it very expedient for christians often to converse with their ministers and spiritual guides about the state of their souls , and therefore directed the use of it in preparation to the sacrament of the lords supper ; and it is much to be lamented in our days , to see men so eagerly and often to run to their physitians about their healths , and to their lawyers about the concerns of their estates , and yet never in all their lives conversed with a skilful and learned divine about the welfare of their immortal souls , or to make use of that question of the honest jaylor , what shall i do to be saved ? or of the young man to our blessed saviour , what must i do to do the works of god ? having good company , make use of lawful diversions and recreations , but make not recreations your business but your divertisement , and that you may be more fitted for the greater business of your lives ; but be sure to abhor to recreate your selves in sin ; rejoyce not in iniquity , for ve illis cujus gaudium crimen habet . let it be your choice and earnest desire to converse as much as you can with those that are vertuous and good , both the dead and living ; often read the lives and actions of famous , pious and renowned men , that have lived in the several ages of the world , by often conversing with them , it may ( in time ) make you like them , for with such as you most converse with , you will pertake somewhat of their temper and manners , and by conversing with the good , you will be great gainers by the bargain ; and as for the bad and vicious , i need not again caution you to avoid the plague . let the royal martyr your late sovereign of blessed memory , by an example continually before you of religion , vertue and goodness , view the picture of his pious soul , that it may inkindle holy flames in your breasts ; and to your martyred sovereign charles the first , may i add the example of lewis the thirteenth of france , contemporary with him , both pious princes , and exercised with great troubles . it is related of him by our own country-man mr. iames howel , who hath wrote a history of his life and reign ; first as to his troubles , that he supprest thirteen several civil-wars or rebellions , two of which when he was but thirteen years of age : then as to his piety and vertue , the said historian relates , that he was pious to an intense degree , for though he was not known to be subject to any vice , yet would be on his knees to his ghostly father every week , rather to refresh ( as one said ) then to cleanse his conscience by confession : nor in his prayers had he as much cause to ask pardon as perseverance ; defects he had , but scarce any faults ; those rays which inlightened his brain , descended to his heart , and became fire , so fervently used he to be in his way of devotion ; and when he had passed his nonage ▪ he said , i am now a major to all the world , except my mother , to whom i shall still be a minor. at his entrance to a town called pan , when but a youth , the inhabitants bringing a canopy to carry over his head , he asked whether there was ever a church in the town ? being answered no , he said he would receive no honour where god almighty had no house to be honoured in . and into all other towns where he entered as conquerour , he would give express command that none should cry vive le roy , during the time of procession . and he put out sundry proclamations against swearers , against pride in apparel , ( for he went usually very plain ; ) as also against duels : and the last was so strict , that both the appellant and defendent , whosoever did survive , should suffer death without mercy , and be deprived of christian burial , but both rot upon the gallows with their heels upwards . to which i may also add not unfitly , the vertuous and christian life of monsieur de renty , a noble-man of france , who also was contemporary with the said prince , and was one of his counsel , which is translated into english , and printed divers years past , a tract worthy the perusal of all gentlemen , and it is found by daily experience , that things of all sorts which come from france are mightily taking with our english gentry ; i hope therefore these worthy presidents of religion and vertue , will be acceptabie to you , where you may meet with solid piety and vertue , and that a la mode de france , which therefore may the rather find acceptance with you . and if you should object that these last mentioned were papists , i answer , as for what you find savouring of superstition , you may please in charity to pass it by ; but i beseech you not to misunderstand my intention , i propose these examples not to recommend popery but christianity to you , especially when these may serve to provoke you , who think your selves more illuminated to a holy jealousy ; whilst you consider , that if these worthy persons arrived to so high a pitch of christian graces and perfection , adjudged by you to be darkened with some errors , how much you ought to attain the same , enjoying more truth , lest perhaps error be said to produce more piety than truth , and your sin remain to you unexcusable . chap. iv. motives to vertue and goodness , as follows ; that it is not only birth and an estate that makes us truly gentlemen , or makes us happy , but vertue and goodness . gentlemen , i bumbly request you to consider in short , it is not only birth and estate that makes a man truly happy , for many times wealth and grandure lye under great temptations ( as i before mentioned ) estates and power become as fuel to mens lusts , encourage and embolden them the more in sin , is a means to debauch their minds , to debase themselves in vice and wickedness , defying god and his laws , injuring and oppressing those in their power by means of their pride , passion , lust , envy and revenge : and can there be a more formidable mischief and unhappiness to man than this state and condition , when their wealth and fulness of all gods blessings , leads them to be more impious and wicked , when they lean upon their wealth , while they fall from god ; when they think as iulia augustus's daughter did , who being taxed for her too wanton and licentious living , and counselled to conform her self to the sobriety and gravity of her father , answered , pater meus obliviscitur seesse caesarem ; ego vero memini me esse caesaris filiam . thus greatness is commonly taken to be a priviledge to sin . but true generosity and gentility doubtless consists as caesar's did in gravity and sobriety , in being eminent in religion , vertue and loyalty , in prudence , integrity and true goodness ; ( for i have read of seneca , that he should say , that this was true wisdom and happiness to have a purified heart ) for in these true generosity and nobleness of spirit do consist ; these will beautify a man , and cause him to have respects and honour although he be cloathed with rags , this will make his face to shine , will make him highly reverenced and esteemed ; for as a late worthy author hath it , what is the main end of our life ? what is it at which with so much pain and labour we strive to arive ? it is or should be nothing else but vertue and happiness . happiness therefore may as well dwell with the poor , miserable and distressed persons , as with persons of better fortune ; since it is confess'd by all , that happiness is nothing else but actio secundùm virtutem , a leading of our life according to vertue : some man hath a diamond , a fair and glittering fortune , some man hath a flint , a hard , harsh and despicable fortune , let him bestow the same skill and care in polishing and cutting of the latter , as we would or could have done on the former , and be confident it will be as highly valued ( if not more highly rewarded ) by god , who is no accepter of persons , but accepteth every man according to what he hath , and not according to what he hath not . let us truly consider , that gentility and nobility first arose from heroick , noble and generous enterprises and designs , either more especially for the honour of god , defence of his true religion , the support and honour of the prince , gods vicegerent , and the publick weal , for the general good ; so that it could not be said of any one of them , vtilis ipse sibi fortasse inutiliis orbi ; for he was one of a publick spirit , who mainly minded the general good ; and this is truly mans happiness as well as honour , for as a late worthy author hath expressed it , he that lives a life conformed to the divine law , that lives most to god , best to himself , and most useful to his prince and country , and to all mankind , and to the height of those excellent principles of vertue and true goodness , with all the sober and serious men since the world began , have justified and applauded , deserves highest respect and esteem , and to be accounted of a gentile and noble spirit : and if such a person be blest with a great estate and fortune , as well as with the goods of the mind before mentioned , how great , excellent and illustrious will he appear to the world in the eyes of all that behold him ? this , this is gentility , this is the way to make you gentlemen , this will make you like your selves , will make you revered , even adored as gods on earth . ecclus. . . great men and iudges and potentates shall be honoured , yet there is none of them greater than he that feareth the lord. o how would vertue and true worth and goodness , render you amiable in the sight of the most high , place you under the best and safest guidance and protection in this world , make you to be delicium humani generis , as was said of titus the noble roman , ( as i remember ) the delight of mankind , the great reformers of the nation ; your example would render religion and vertue acceptable to all your inferiors . you would be the strong supports of the crown and government , great helps to the clergy in their function , in disseminating religion and goodness ; as the worthy dean of canterbury hath observed , who speaks thus , it is our part to exhort men to their duty , but 't is you that would be the powerful and effectual preachers of righteousness ; we may endeavonr to make men proselytes to vertue , but you would infallibly draw disciples after you ; we may try to perswade , but you would certainly prevail , either to make them good , or to restrain them from being bad ; and thus be sovereign restorers of piety and vertue to a degenerate age . to which i may add , you gentlemen would be a means thus to bring honour to god , you would credit your religion you profess , and revive the ancient glory of it ; you would again make it eminent and famous in the world , bring in the golden age among us , so much talked of in the world , make this nation the happiest people under the sun ; for doubtless happy are the people that are in such a case , yea happy are the people who have the lord for their god. and more particularly as to every one of you , vertue and true goodness would put you under the highest protection , under the care and guard of heaven , god and his blessed angels ; for you see by daily experience the multiplying of dangers and hazards that attend upon us all poor mortals in this vally of tears ; and how ( that as the sacred scriptures testify ) the evil spirits are daily and hourly watchful to mischief and hurt us , both soul and body ; for the devil is said to go about like a roaring lion , seeking whom he may devour : and as i have read of plutarch , who relates that it was the general opinion of ancient times , that there was in the air certain surly and malevolent spirits and demons , who were endeavouring to do all the mischief possible to mankind on earth : how much therefore doth it concern us , that we do not by our sins and wicked lives forfeit our interest in the protection of the almighty and his blessed angels , his ministring spirits ? who as the learned sir thomas brown observes , have a friendly respect and good will to man , and do many courteous offices for us ; his words are these , that having therefore no certain knowledge of their nature , 't is no bad method of the schools , whatsoever perfection we find obscurely in our selves , in a more compleat and absolute way to ascribe unto them . he further goes on , i could easily believe , that not only whole countries , but particular persons have their tutelary and guardian angels , which is not a new opinion of the church of rome , but an old one of pythagoras and plato ; that those noble essences in heaven bear a friendly regard unto their fellow nature on earth , and therefore he believes that those many prodigies and ominous prognosticks which forerun the ruins of state , princes and persons are the charitable promonitions of good angels , which more careless enquiries term but the effects of chance . now god hath made a gracious promise , that he will give his angels charge over them that fear him ; it therefore doth not a little concern us to keep our selves from all pollution of sin that is so contrary to god , and to their pure and holy natures , and which will estrange them from us , and as it were force them from our protection , and will consequently invite to us the society of those surly , wicked and malevolent spirits and demons , who design nothing but mischief and ruin to mankind , both to tempt and further us in sin , and then to afflict and hurt us , so far as they are permitted to do by god ; for this is very much to be feared , that where the carcase of debauchery and wickedness is , thither these eagles will be gathered together . what great cause have we to pray as our church well directs us in the collect upon michaelmas day ? o everlasting god , who hast ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order , mercifully grant , that as thy holy angels alway ? do thee service in heaven , so by thy appointment , they may succour and defend us on earth : through jesus christ our lord. amen . vertue and true goodness would not only render you truly rich , honourable and happy in the injoyment of that full satisfaction , in the serenity , calmness and quiet of mind , that tranquility of soul , that proemium ante proemium , in which mans happiness and welfare in this life principally consists ; ( as the son of syrach witnesseth , ecclus. . . for god giveth to a man that is good in his sight , wisdom , and knowledge and ioy ) but would certainly place you under the protection of god and his holy angels , and at last will crown you with honour , glory and immortality for ever in the highest heavens . chap. v. a word by the by to the reverend clergy of the church of england , as now by law establish'd . may i add a word or two without offence ( as a digression ) to our reverend and worthy clergy , whom i hope i may place with gentlemen , being scholars ; ( he that is a scholar having one principal part , if not the best part of a gentleman , ) their calling and imployment also high , excellent and sacred ( if the service of the highest lord be the highest and best service in the world ) having been sometimes as i intimated before the imployment of kings and princes , who were both kings and priests ; which sacredness and dignity of office will ever be acknowledged in the world , while there is a god acknowledged and worshipped therein , which will be without question to the end thereof , in despight of all the atheists and debauchers , with their great patrons , pope leo th . ochinus , with our english leviathan . i hope the excellency , dignity , sacredness of their office , yea , their very vestures betokenning purity and innocency , will put them in mind what they should be in their conversations ; i hope therefore i need not mind any of them to have a special care of being carried away by the impetuous current of intemperance and excess , so abounding in our days ; i hope i need not caution them to be resolute in vertue and goodness , for as one said very well in honest principles , it is good to be vir rigidae innocentiae , which i have read livy should say of cato , debere inesse quandam moribus contumaciam ; to be pertinacious in goodness is commendable in them : i need not wish them to endeavour to stop the tide , or that they of all others would however add no fuel to these flames , but have a great care and watchfulness that they do not transgress the divine laws , and offend god in any kind , and thereby open the mouths of theirs and the churches enemies . oh that they ( if it were possible ) might be all great examples of justice , righteousness , tempeperance and moderation , and all other christian graces ; that their conversations might be ever holy and heavenly , and their affections above earthly things ; that they would ventri bellum indicere : for they of all others should not forget that rule of the father , quantò facilùs illicita timebit , qui etiam licita verebitur ? it is wisdom some times even to shun things that are lawful , that we may not run into the unlawful . and let that excellent and worthy saying of the famous dr. reynolds be ever in your hearts and minds , who being too much intent upon his studies to the prejudice of his health as was thought , and being advised by a friend , non perdere substantiam propter accidentia , he presently replyed , nec propter vivendi vitam perdere causam . i hope you will be all as resolute for god and his laws , at least as wicked men are for the devil , and his works of darkness ; and that at all times with wisdom and courage you will own your lord and master the ever blessed jesus , and do your duties in exhortation , admonition , reproof , in christian advice and counsel ; but more especially by your conversations , your constant deportment according to the holy christian religion , discountenancing of all sin , but more especially this epidemical , this growing sin of swinish drunkenness , so much abounding among us in this nation ; that so it may be truly said of every one of you , planxit ruinas animarum . god requires this of you , as you well know , that you should be the salt of the earth , seasoning all places and all companies where you come with religion and goodness : and although it will be your lot to converse sometimes with publicans and sinners , as your lord and master did , yet let it be always to reclaim them , to do them good , and more especially to give them good example , as he did ; but by no means to incourage them in their sins by ill example , for you know that suadet loquentis vita non oratio , and dicta factis deficientibus erubescunt . i have read of a gentlewoman that turned atheist upon this account , that she living under a great doctor that preached excellently , was very learned , but lived very licentiously , and this was no wonder , for she saw plainly , that he was but in jest when he was in the pulpit , and that he did not really believe himself what he preach'd to others , and ignorance will think why should it fear , where knowledge dares venture ? and alas ! dicta factis deficientibus , what do they signify ? but i hope i shall not be misunderstood , that hereby i intend to asperse the sacred function in general , far be it from my thoughts , for i am verily perswaded , that the church of england is through the good providence of god , and the wise conduct and incouragement of the governours thereof , ) blest at present with as learned , able , orthodox and pious a ministry in general , as ever possibly it had since the first reformation of religion . my design is principally by way of caution to our worthy clergy , against the fanaticks of our times , and that none of our clergy might afford them any cause of advantage hreein to improve against us ; who are as studious to search after the slips and failings in our ministry , maliciously to asperse the church : just as sir edwin sands relates , that the malicious iews in places where they live among christians , are very curious to spy out and discover the pious frauds of the fryers , in forging of miracles , not out of love or design to have things reformed , but out of hatred to christianity to asperse the christians . in the next place , i would humbly propose this to our clergy , that according to their interest and opportunity they would mainly and principally intend the promoting of the spiritual welfare of the worthy gentry , by indeavouring to work upon their hearts and consciences a lively sence of god and religion , by wise , humble , affectionate , religious exhortation , reproof , advice and counsel , together with pious conversations ; and when you have once gained them a great part of your work is done in your parishes and precincts : make once but the gentry and principal persons the affectionate patrons of religion and vertue ( the greatest honour and glory they are capable of in this world ) and all their tenents and dependents will quickly follow , and with great ease you will reduce all the rest under your chatge ( especially as to their outward deportment ; ) and this good and honest policy you may learn from an enemy , even the wise and subtil jesuites . but i must crave your pardon thus far , for what i have taken the boldness to say unto you : how much better could you say it to your selves , and so i hope you all either have or will do , and it would be a joy to me to have humbly presented my thoughts and well wishes to you , and thereby expressed my affections , although you needed it not : ( as a late worthy author once expressed himself . ) it will not i hope be unpleasant to you , to be assured of your friends fidelity , and to accept of what proceeds from his ardent desires of your welfare , and of the peace , happiness and prosperity of the church of england , as now by law happily establish'd . and that considering , that neither laws , nor government , to governours , are sufficient to uphold and maintain this excellent fabrick , without those solid supports of true and syncere piety and goodness , i hope you will please to excuse me thus far , and let it never be said of us in this nation , that the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink , they are all swallowed up of wine , they are out of the way through strong drink ; &c. isaiah . . chap. vi. an exhortation to all to live answerable to our christian religion we profess . i speak to gentlemen , to scholars , to divines , yea to all persons ; we have an excellent religion , the best in the world , let us i humbly beseech you live something answerable to it in our several stations ; if our religion doth not sway with us , and regulate us , what is it good for , and what are we the better for it ? christians doubtless should be the best men in the world . let us all therefore cease to be as monuments of shame and reproach to it , as if the holy pen-men of the scriptures had brought us vota magis quàm praecepta . think of that reproachful proverb among the turks ( when they are suspected or charged with unfaithfulness , or an unworthy action and behaviour , ) dost thou think i am a christian ; i heartily wish there were not too much occasion given them by christians for this reflection . let us for shame live somewhat answerably to our holy and excellent religion , which we profess to believe and own , or else blot out of our bibles the precepts of justice , righteousness , purity , chastity , temperance and sobriety , humility , patience , loyalty , &c. or renounce our christianity ; for inter christianum & gentilem non tantùm fides oportet , sed etiam vita distinguere . and may we be all a little serious , and thus argue with our selves every one of us , am not i a christian ? what is it therefore that the holy and excellent religion of the ever blessed jesus requires of me ? is it not to love god before all things , with all our hearts , with all our souls , with all our strength , and to love our neighbours as our selves ; to be just and honest , to be sober , temperate and chaste , abounding in love and charity even towards our very enemies ; not to swear at all in our ordinary communication ; to be dutiful and loyal to our prince and governours , to obey his laws , to render unto caesar the the things that are caesars , and unto god the things that are gods ; to submit our selves to those that have the spiritual rule and oversight of us , that watch for our souls , to abandon all faction and schism , errours and heresy , to love one another , and to labour and endeavour after unity and peace among all christians ; that so we may all live in unity and love together as children of one and the same father , as servants of one and the same lord , being all of one houshold and family , of which christ is the head and governour . to be all of holy and exemplary lives , to be universally good and vertuous , beyond the extent of the most sublimest philosophy that ever was in the world , we having the greatest and clearest light of truth , the most powerful assistances of divine grace ever afforded to the sons of men , together with the great encouragement by the highest assurances possible of most high , excellent and glorious rewards of happiness and immortality , so transcendent beyond all our thoughts and imaginations , such as neither eye hath seen nor ear heard , nor ever entred into the heart of man to conceive . if this be the sum of the christian religion , which i think every one of us must acknowledge , let us in the next place look among our selves with an impartial eye , and see how little of this excellent religion is to be found among us in our lives and conversations ; may we not cry out with him that said quid verba audiam , facta non video ? oh how little of the footsteps thereof is to be found among the greatest part of christians , and us also in this nation ? is there not an apparent defection among us , either to atheism and prophaneness on the one hand , or else to hypocrisy and fanatiscism on the other hand , if we do not wilfully shut our eyes and will not see ? alas ! may we not behold the ambitious man , by proud atheism dethroning of his maker , carrying on his ambitious designs in our days per fas & nefas , by troubling the quiet of his neighbours , by oppression , violence and wrong , yea sometimes proudly contemning his prince , gods vicegerent , by seditious and rebellious practices , shaking the crown and government , exposing the peace and welfare of the nation , speaking out aloud , christian religion stand by , i will have nothing to do with thee , thou wilt trouble my conscience , and hinder me in my designs i am resolved upon ? the unjust man says , i have an estate to get in haste , and i must of necessity use tricks and devices , i must cousen , lye , oppress and devour the poor , thou christian religion art an enemy to these things , and thou wilt by thy niceness and scrupulosity trouble my conscience , and hinder my profit and unjust gain , therefore stand by . the greedy , covetous usurer saith , i am resolved to increase my heaps , and fill my bags , for however i have thousands lying by me , i am still very poor , and therefore am resolved to have more ; the grave and the barren womb shall be sooner satisfied than i , i can never be otherwise satiated , let who will suffer for it ; therefore christian religion , except thou wilt allow all these my darling lusts , i will have nothing to do with thee : stand aside . the drunkard and glutton saith , i neither will part with my cups or my delicacies , my feasts , banquets and debauches ; depart therefore from me christian religion , with thy temperance and fasting , and thy thin chops , i hate to give thee entertainment . the adulterer says , what shall i part with my sweet dalliances , my unlawful embraces , my delightful company , and be subject to the strict laws of chastity , i cannot abide to think on it ? what , not so much as to look on a woman to lust after her ? away christian religion , i abhor thy doctrine and precepts , i am resolved not to part with my whore yet . the prophane atheistical swearer and curser saith , although i get nothing by my oathes and hectoring but dishonour and contempt ; and although i have no temptation to it possible , i will not part with my beloved custom , because i will appear to be of a great and bold spirit , that dare defy even god himself , yea hector iupiter himself , when he thunders : stand far off from me therefore christian religion , thou pitiful and despicable thing , fit only to cheat and cousen fools . the malicitious and revengeful man says , i am resolved to be even with may adversary , i will revenge my self to the utmost , for i love to gratify my passion ; do you think that i will ever stoop to that cowardly , despicable rule of loving enemies ? speak no more of it , avoid hence christian religion , i will have nothing to do with thee . the seditious and disloyal person says , i abhor that folly of loyalty und subjection , i am resolved to be aut caesar aut nullus , or however at least to be ego & rex meus ; i am as fit to govern as the best , and am therefore resolved not to be a subject , ( but as soon as any opportunity offers it self , ) by sedition and rebellion to carry on my design , to attain my ends ; away therefore christian religion , except thou wilt suffer iulian to be thy expositor . the proud , peevish , self-conceited non-conformist , the plague of the reformation , says i will hug my darling scruples and opinions , although never so absurd ; i am resolved never to be satisfied , never to be reconciled , and never to be at rest , until i have pulled down the antichristian hierarchy of prelacy , and laid it level with the ground , together with the church of england that hath its dependence thereupon ; for let there be ten thousand of the clearest arguments possible brought against me , i can quickly resolve them all with this answer , that nevertheless it is against my conscience to conform , and until i have my will and my end to be obtained , i am resolved never to be satisfyed : stand by christian religion , except thou wilt say as i say , and come over to my conscience and subjection . and very many of the traders of all sorts among us , every one in putting off his wares saith , how shall i trade and get what i would have , if i should entertain this christian religion ? it would hinder much my gains , and my lying , swearing and forswearing , and all my tricks of over-reaching , cheating and cousenage ; alas ! i cannot then live , therefore of necessity i must renounce this christian religion : come therefore not near me , i will have nothing to do with thee for fear of troubling my conscience , and hindering my profit and livelyhood . the hypocrite crys out , thou christian religion art too honest for me to deal with , i hate sincerity , therefore i will have nothing more to do with thee , but to flea off thy skin to be a covering for my knavery , and some other of my brethren aforesaid : and so farewel christian religion , i matter not what becomes of thee . i might have instanced in many more particulars , but this may suffice to guess at the the rest . thus alas ! how many in this nation are guilty of defying god , of renouncing their christianity , he that hath but half an eye may easily discern , and that this is really the voice of their actions which i have represented to you . and now let us be sober , wise and serious , and judge truly of things ; was it ever known in any age , that a nation and people ever prospered , that contemned god and religion ? hath it not been well and truly observed , that the roman empire always best flourished , when it was the greatest reverers of the gods ? so that what can be a more fatal and prodigious prognostick to us in this nation , than this great and general contempt of god and his laws , and of his vicegerent ? how can we expect to have the holy christian religion , the reformed christian , the protestant religion continued to us any longer , when we defy , reject , reproach and dishonour it by our wicked lives ? how many of the heathens will rise up in judgment against us at the last , that had only the light of nature to direct them ; as the apostle speaks , rom. . . the gentiles , which have not the law , do by nature the things contained in the law : as for instance , aristides is famous for justice ; epaminondas for prudence and all moral vertues , curius for temperance , courage , honesty and frugality ; thrasibulus for integrity and love to his country ; trimoleon for moderation and humility in a prosperous condition , and for love to his country : and when socrates was upbraided by one that viewed his mean out-side , for being one of an ill nature , he answered , true it is that i am so by nature , but i have altered it , and made it good by philosophy . and as it is related of one hiero a king of cicily , who although at first , he was very rude and intractable , yet afterwards giving himself to learning , he became a man of great note ; as also many others . now if these wise heathens did thus far improve the weak and glimmering light of nature , to attain so great perfection in vertue ; how should we , who together with the light of nature have the assistance of divine revelation , have the light of the gospel of the blessed jesus , who came from heaven to reconcile us to god , to teach and instruct us both by doctrine and example , and give us the assistance of his spirit ; how much should we outstrip and go beyond them in all vertue and goodness ? and how prevalent the holy and excellent religion of the ever blessed jesus would be upon us , if we would but honestly and syncerely embrace it , was sufficiently manifested in the primitive and first times of christianity , and in all ages hath appeared more or less in those that have really and affectionately embraced it ? i have read of an excellent saying of lactantius scholar to arnobius , who lived about the fourth century , anno. , who speaks thus , give me ( saith he ) a fierce and contentious man , and if he will but apply himself to the grace and institution of the gospel , he shall become as mild as a lamb : give me a drunkard , or a lacivious person , with this doctrine i will make him chast and sober : let a covetous man hearken to this doctrine , and he shall presently disperse his money as charitably as before he raked it together sordidly : give me a timerous and cowardly person , this religion shall presently make him valiant , and despise death and danger , &c. in the primitive times , believing was not an excuse for disobedience , or a commutation for a holy life , but a foundation of obedience to all the laws of god ; as a late author speaks . now may not our blessed lord and saviour thus argue the case with us ? after much patience and forbearance with you , i am resolved my holy religion and institution shall not be any longer abused by you ; the religion of that impostor mahomet will best suit with you , is sitter for you , or any false religion else , or none at all , my religion shall no longer be despised and neglected by you : i will now think of transplanting my religion hence , and the poor , ignorant americans shall enjoy the light of my gospel , that you have so long enjoyed and abused . many of the heathens have lived far more justly and soberly from their light of nature than you have done ; how would they have rejoyced in the revelations of my gospel , and conformed their lives thereto ? when that weak , glimmering and imperfect light of nature afforded to them , was so pleasing and acceptable to them , and they by their diligent and difficult labour and industry , so much improved the same , and lived more conformable thereto , than you christians to the light of my gospel . and this is no new thing , that now i am about to do to the christian world , ( if they speedily repent not : ) those once famous and flourishing churches of mine in asia , when they abused the light of my truth , and corrupted themselves , and would not be reformed , would not repent , and do their first works , i quickly removed my candlestick out of his place , removed my gospel from them , and delivered them over to captivity and slavery , ruin and destruction , and the same rod is in my hand still ; how can you therefore but expect in justice , the same issue and event , when your sins are come to the same height as ever theirs were , and that ye will not take warning and repent , and return to the primitive simplicity and integrity of christianity , for what is the western church more to me than the eastern ? and indeed why should i continue my religion any longer to you , to slight and contemn it , to reproach and defame it ? when it is made of little other use among you . is it not the very voice of your daily actions , depart from us o lord , for we desire not the knowledge of thy laws ? chap. vii . the great cause of fears we may justly lye under in christendome ; and to perswade to unity . let us therefore seriously now consider things , and what dreadful fear we may very justly lye under ; and in truth why should we desire to have a religion continued to us , which it is too apparent we do not like , is unacceptable to us , and which we do not love , nor will be regulated by ? what further use can this holy and excellent copy be to us , who abhor to write after , and to follow it ? any religion or no religion may best sute with christians of heathenish lives ; may we not in justice shortly expect to hear in our temples ( if we still go on in our contempt of god ) that dreadfull voice reported to be heard in the temple of god in ierusalem , immediately before the destruction thereof , and the captivity and ruin of the iewish nation , migremus hinc ; and that the abomination of desolation should be set up there , the dreadful consequences of which revolution ( he that shall deliberately read the story ) will make his ears to tingle , ( as it is related by iosephus ) it being the total ruin and subversion of the iews , both of their place and nation , although they they were once the chosen and beloved people of god ; a woful spectacle for their contempt of god and their messia the ever blessed jesus , and life and salvation by him , and crucifying the lord of glory to all the future ages of the world to the end thereof . alas ! when god departs , and forsakes a nation or people , then their peace and happiness leaves them , what then can be expected but pandora's box , nothing but plagues , calamities , miseries and confusions ? and are not the judgments of god eminently abroad in the earth , and doth not he seem by his providences to threaten christendom , and to be calling to remembrance their sins and iniquities , and severely to punish the christian world ? is it not time therefore for us all to learn righteousness ? for shall the lion roar , and shall not all the beasts of the forest tremble ? doth it not very much concern us , when god seems by his judgments to be searching after our iniquities in christendom , seriously to bethink our selves of our great provocations , of our unchristian ( if i may not say heathenish ) lives and conversations ; and among the rest , those great divisions and factions , those animosities and hatred that abound in the christian part of the world ; a thing not to be much wondered at among heathens , that know not god , ( yea , many of them that worship the devil . ) but for those that own the christian religion , a gospel of peace , to abound herein is the greatest scandal possible to our holy christian profession . the almighty calls therefore aloud to us all , to return to the primitive purity and integrity of our religion ; and if so , then there would be neither place for papal pride , tyranny , uncharitableness and cruelty on the one hand , nor for pride , peevishness , ignorant confidence , factions , divisions , hatred and variance on the other hand . alas ! quis non vita etiam sua redimat subrotum istuc infinitum dissidii scandalum , was the saying ( as i have read ) of the worthy martin bucer . it is therefore gentlemen a work very well becoming you , to set your selves against all faction and division , earnestly to promote the peace of the church and state , that we may be all united at home : and in the next place , promote the peace and unity of christendom , a brave and noble work , ( if it were possible to be effected ) to unite all christians together in christendom , which wise and good men of all sides have thought possible ; but if in this respect you can do little , yet let us all wish and pray for the peace , happiness and unity of the christian world , in the language of our church , that god would inspire continually the vniversal church with the spirit of truth , vnity and concord ; and grant that all they that do confess his holy name , may agree in the truth of his holy word , and live in vnity and godly love . and however as to such , who although they deny the infalibility of the papacy , yet will every one claim it to himself , that affirm they are every one guided by the spirit , and that adhere strongly to those tenents which are inconsistent with government , order and peace of the world , ( if ever you would preserve peace and unity , ) these must be looked on as religious lunaticks , and so to be dealt with , kept from doing of mischief . consider our holy profession enjoyns us nothing more than unity and peace , to speak the same things , to be all of one mind , to study peace , to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of of peace , to love one another , by which we should properly distinguish our selves to be the disciples of christ , which our fanaticks will nevertheless contradict and gainsay , ( although it be to reproach god himself ; ) for they will confidently affirm , that this which god requires of us is impossible , and that it is as possible to make all faces alike , as all christians to speak one and the same thing , and to be united : and that to endeavour this , is to do as procrastes did with those that lay in his bed , with horrid cruelty to bring all men to the size thereof . when in truth they herein plead but for their lusts and vices , and because they be unwilling to bring their lives to the rule god hath given , they would wickedly pervert the rule , and make it sute with their lusts. for the great hinderance of this unity , peace and love , arises from our pride and self confidences , our peevish tempers , our lusts and passions , which we ought to mortify and subdue , if we would be christians as we profess our selves to be ; this excellent design of unity and peace among all christians might meet with its desired effect . i have read of st. ambrose , that he should say , si virtutem finis ille maximus sit , qui plurimorum spectat profectum , moderatio omnium pulcherima est ; if that end of vertues be the greatest , that looks at publick good , moderation is of all the most beautiful . and it is said of the thebans , that they made harmonia a goddess , they accounted her the defender of their city ; and surely she may be well accounted the upholder of the universe , for by order , agreement and peace , the whole world subsists , and god in scripture is styled the god of order : therefore as one says well , harmonious dispositions that are for order and government , unity and peace , have much of god in them ; there is a nobleness in such hearts . and doubtless those principles , doctrines and designs , which most promote the great end and design of christianity , viz. the making men really good and vertuous , and for the uniting us all together in mutual love and charity , as brethren all of one great family , of which christ is the head , will own god their author . so likewise all those that are of dividing and schismatical principles and practices , whose very end and natural tendency is disturbance , to order government and peace in the world , are certainly from the devil , that abaddon and apollion , the great destroyer , whatever their pretences otherwise may be . and now i think these truths which i have presented before you , are worthy of our most serious thoughts and considerations , and that it is high time ( when gods dreadful judgments are abroad , that shake the foundations of christendom ) to leave off jesting and drolling with god and religion . sharpness of wit , ( as a learned author hath observed ) hath commonly with it pride and levity , two ill companions ; therefore take heed and consider truly , that wit and wisdom are far different things ; it is true , that wit well improved by sound study , by time and experience , improves into wisdom at last , for wisdom is not born with us into the world ; yea , wisdom is a solid and serious thing , it teacheth us to consider truly and fully of all things , to look beyond the surface or first representation and appearances of things ; and if gentlemen and scholars will not study and consider things truly , if they become careless , and lay aside consideration , what use will all the pious and learned books in the world be for any more , but to be consumed and destroyed , and the religion of mahomet to be speedily expected among us , for that will best befit an inconsiderate age , given up wholly to their sensualities , to gratify their carnal appetites ; for nothing will certainly please more such sensualities than a mahumetan paradice . but i hope better things , and that gentlemen will yet be like gentlemen , knowing , learned and wise ; and let every one of you argue with your selves thus , what although i am descended of a noble of a gentile family , and am possest of a fair estate , enjoy the fulness of all earthly felicities , have a numerous train , and live in great pomp and state ; yet hath not the wisest mortal that ever lived ( even wise solomon ) after he had experienced the fulness of all these things in a greater measure then ever any before or since hath done , and being inspired with wisdom from god , concluded thus , that vanity of vanities , all is vanity and vexation of spirit . and shall i be so unwise , as to put any other value or esteem upon all these , far less injoyments that possibly i may possess : is not that a prudent saying , si tibi pulchra domus , si splendida mensa , quid inde ? si tibi sponsa decens , si sit generosa , quid inde ? annos si regnes felix per mille , quid inde ? iam cito praetereunt vanitas & nihil inde . to which we may add mr. quarles his conclusion of the life of man ; his breath's a bubble , and his days a span , 't is glorious misery to be born a man. as also that of a noble peer of this kingdom , viz. the earl of manchester , in his almondo , to express quid sum ; quis fando explicare queat ? pulvis & aer , this i know , et in pulverem reverteris , this is sure . that , homo est morbidum , putre , cassum , et in non hominem vertitur omnis homo . here is our great kindred , our dwelling is , inter pulices & culices , amongst flies and fleas , our quality vile , our weight lighter than vanity , our worth nothing . what then is our being ? somnium & dolor . and now proceed on , and say to your self , shall i be so sottish and unwise , not to understand and take things as they truly are ? can all my honours and abundance secure me one moment from most of the hazards and casualties , sicknesses and diseases , incident to the meanest ? can all that i have , bribe and keep off death a moment , but when he appears and strikes , i must submit to him , and be parted from all my sweet enjoyments ? will there then be any difference between me and the poorest begger in the grave ? will not the most skilful artist be unable after a little time to find out a distinction between our bones or our dust ? am i not in this respect rather in a worse condition than the poorest mortal , by being intrusted with a greater talent , and so have a greater account to make to god ? and am i not under greater temptations in this world , together with vast cares that attend me ? so that well might the father say , periculosior est mundus blandiens quam fulminans . am i not subject to the envy of many , and many times in great solicitude to defend what i have from deceit and wrong , if not from injustice ? but more especially am i not under the continual temptations , to despise or forget god , and to violate his laws , to lean upon my wealth , while i fall from god ? what temptations do i lye under to pride , vain-glory , gluttony , drunkenness , lust , envy and revenge , and a many other vices and enormities ? no wonder then that it was wise agurs request to god , — give me neither poverty nor riches , — lest i be full and deny thee , and say who is the lord ? &c. prov. . , . as also that our blessed saviour , the wisdom of his father , out of compassion to our souls , should set before us this great danger we are in ; and told us , how hard a thing it is for a rich man to enter into heaven . and also solomon , prov. . . labour not to be rich. besides , how uncertain are these outward enjoyments in respect of their continuance ? is it not truly said in the th verse of the prov. aforesaid , that riches have wings and fly away like an eagle , &c. have not i examples before my face daily , of many that were in as flourishing a condition as my self , and have suddenly come to poverty and ruin , and been brought down to a mean and low condition ? and can i be secure that it shall not be my lot and portion before i leave the world ? but however if this be not my condition , if what i have be not taken from me ; yet i know not how soon i may be taken from them , and must lye down in the dust as well as those who have gon before me . now if things are thus , why should i delude my self , but consider them as they thus truly are , and not as they seem to the injudicial , less considering , and less knowing part of mankind , who will not be at the pains to understand beyond the surface of things ? is it not therefore the highest wisdom to be sober , serious , wise and considerative , and to take the advice of god the supream wisdom , and in all things to be regulated by him in my passage and pilgrimage through the wilderness of this world ? and if i believe that i have an immortal soul , i must needs desire that it should be for ever happy ; and if that be truth that the worthy dean of canterbury hath affirmed from the sacred scriptures , that if we allow our selves in the practice of any known sin , we intercept our hopes of heaven , and render our selves unfit for eternal life , and that this life is the time of our preparation for a future estate ; that our souls will continue for ever what we make them in this world . such a temper and disposition of mind as a man carries with him out of this life , he shall retain in the next ; and that 't is true indeed , that heaven perfects those holy and vertuous dispositions which are begun here , but the other world alters no man as to his main state . and that if we do not in a good degree mortify our lusts and passions here , death will not kill them for us , but we shall carry them with us into the other world . and that if god should admit us so qualified into the place of happiness , yet we should bring that along with us , which would infallibly hinder us from being happy ; our censual inclinations and desires would meet with nothing to gratify them withal . now if this be true divinity , as i have no reason to question , what dreadful dangers should i involve my self in , if i should accustom my self to a sinful course of life , and protract my repentance to the expiration of my days , to my time of sickness , or my death bed ? do not these things deserve to be seriously deliberated upon in my health and strength ? and ought i not wisely to make the conclusion of the said noble peer before mentioned , si natus sum plorans , si moriar plangens , nolo ego vivere ridens , hoc tantum volo . animan meam ornare , qua deo & angelis mox praesentanda est in coelis . i see plainly now , it is my greatest interest to be religious , to be virtuous and good , to know , love , honour and serve my creator , to furnish and adorn my soul with all christian graces , that i may be fitted for the heavenly mansions : and while i live here , may enjoy that sweet satisfaction and tranquillity of mind ( the only portion of virtuous souls ) which will render every condition comfortable to me , make me smile in a storm , and under the darkest and gloomiest providences to see light and comfort , yea , make every thing amiable unto me . to conclude in short , that i may live happily , and dye comfortably , which is all that can be wished for in this life . and now may i here set before you this pasage of a late worthy author ; thus our great master aristotle , saith he , hath told us , that if our pleasures did look upon us when they come to us , as they do when they turn their backs and leave us , we would never entertain them : these goodly things have their recipisti written upon them , son , remember thou hast received thy good things , &c. how many of those think you ( saith the author ) who out of their opinion of skill and strength , hath given free entertainment to the world , and made large use of it , when their time and hour came , would rather have gon out of some poor cottage , than out of a princes palace , and have lived with no noise in the world , that so they might have died with some peace . charles the th , the prince of parma , and sundry others , though they lived in all pomp and state , yet at their death they desired to be buried in a poor capuchins hood . i hope gentlemen you will accept of plain reason and truth , although coming to you in a plain and country dress without ornament of language ; fine words and complement usually have a prevalency with ladies , but it is reason that is ( or should be at least ) most acceptable to , and most prevalent with men , especially with gentlemen , that better part of mankind , the well educated , the best instructed , the most knowing part of the world , with them especially , the universal reason of all mankind , the ius naturale , should prevail . i cannot but express my respects i bear for a gentleman , that is such , and truly deserves that name : and this brief essay proceeds therefrom , designing next to the honour of god and loyalty to my sovereign , the credit , the honour , the profit of the gentry of england , their greatest interest and happiness , their highest concern , the welfare both of their minds , bodies , estates and families , their felicity both temporal and eternal . gentlemen , as the son of syrach speaks , ecclus. . . wine and musick rejoice the heart , but the love of wisdom is above them both . the great design and main end of gentlemen in all their study should be a solid piety , according to that saying , finis studiorum sit erudita pietas . you had better been without an estate then without this ; for as solomon speaks , prov. . . as snow in summer , and as rain in harvest , so honour is not seemly for a fool . i hope i may propose this to you in the words of the royal martyr to his majesty that now is , ( in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) it is better to be charles le bon , than charles le grand , it is better to be good than great . chap. viii . cautions to gentlemen , to take care to preserve their estates , by wise management of them . i hope it will be now needless further to pursue my design , and to beseech you not to dishonour and degrade your selves by any sordid , base and unworthy actions ; but to uphold and keep up your eminency and repute in the world , to maintain your honour , and that by actions truly generous , noble and excellent , and this the rather upon this further consideration , that the gentry are usually the object of the common peoples hatred ; doubtless you have many enemies of the vulgar , who have of a long time had an aking tooth at your grandure and estates , and you may be sure you are the objects of their envy , witness the designs of the levellers in our late times ; take heed therefore you do not cherish an enemy in your own bosom also , i mean your intemperance and excesses . let this therefore be in the number of your litanies , a meipso libera me domine ; and be you solicitous to preserve your estates , as from the assaults of others , so more especially from the assaults of your own extravagancies , riot and excess . may i propose a few things for your welfare and preservation of your estates and fortunes in the world . live answerable to your selves and to your estates , but not above them ; and beware of suretiship , this being a fault that the best natures are most incident to . great reason that gentlemen should be warned of the danger hereof , and that their generous and friendly natures do not prejudice or undo them , there being very many instances that many families have been ruined thereby . and certainly no charity should lead a man out of desire to save his friend , wilfully to ruin himself , and offer up himself , wife and children , a sacrifice to friendship . compute therefore often your incomes and disbursments , that so you may see whether you go forward or backward in your estates ; and think this no despicable counsel , for if this advice had been followed , it had preserved many a gentile and worthy family from ruin in this nation , that are come to nothing . a gentleman of four or five thousand pounds per ann. may as soon be undone , as a gentleman of two or three hundred , when he will every year exceed his income and estate ; especially when it meets also with other chances and contingencies unseen and unthought of , which very many times fall out in the world . expect not therefore impossibilities , but if that you yearly sink in your estate , at last it may end in beggery . and think seriously what entertainment you are like then to meet with in the world , especially from the common sort of people : it is true , that donec eris feliix multos numerabis amicos ; but alas ! then you will find things far otherwise . in time consider therefore to prevent this mischief , by retrenching your expences , and reducing them to be answerable at least to your estates , that you come not to iulius caesar's reckoning ( as a late author hath it , ) who when he had considered of his estate and summ'd it up , and found how great a sum he was indebted beyond what he was worth , said merrily , tantum me oportet habere , ut nihil habeam ; so much must i have , that i may give every man his own , and my self have nothing . now doubtless , it cannot be prudent therefore to live to the utmost extent of an estate , but to live above an estate , what less can it be but the height of madness and folly ? get faithful servants , and that they may be diligent and faithful to you , promote religion among them ; if they are not under there straints of religion and conscience , i know not how they should prove good servants , for it is most certain that it is true religion , that makes good and loyal subjects , and good diligent and faithful servants : do not therefore corrupt and debauch your servants , by promoting what is sinful in them , either by your countenance or command , for that is directly acting against your own great interest . gentlemen , may i humbly tender this further to your consideration , whether it might not better become you , and be also for your real advantage , to be more resident upon your estates , and at your ancient mannor-houses and habitations in the country , not only to keep them up in good repair , but to keep up and maintain your honour , splendour and repute , by the ancient and good house-keeping and hospitality , and there to live as petty monarchs in your own principalities ; and to well-manage and govern your tenants and dependants , to serve your king and country , than to expend your estates , ( as i doubt many do at this day ) obscurely in hugger mugger , in private and streight lodgings in the city ▪ where you are unknown , and little seen or taken notice of . and whether this retirement unto the city be not leaving of the country naked and exposed , and in a sort also a degrading and debasing of your selves , yea , bringing you into dishonour and contempt ; when if within your more proper orbs and stations in the country , you would doubtless appear with greater magnificence and splendour , not only to your tenants and dependants , but to the whole country round about you ; and without doubt might hereby be happy instruments to promote and further religion , loyalty and peace , those great blessings to a nation . think it no disparagement to you , to mind your estates and the well management thereof , to be frugal and thrifty in measure and with prudence ; for if you be never so noble or gentile , and yet want an estate to maintain your grandure and honour , it will certainly be your disparagement , and will render you contemptible in the world , especially to common people , who look only on the outside of things : and further , this is found by experience to be true , that as care , circumspection and frugality , tend to get an estate , so it also is very necessary in preserving an estate ; i have therefore often wondered much , that our english gentry and nobility travelling into italy , at their return are not tinctured with the italian thrift and good husbandry , as well as with that which i am sure is far worse , their vices . consider gentlemen , is it not a lamentable spectacle to behold gentile , yea sometimes noble families ▪ to lye in ruin , despised and trampled upon , insulted over by every one , yea many times by those inferiour mechanicks who have purchased their estates : this is most deplorable , especially when vice and wickedness have been the authors thereof ; for in truth , what other consequence could be expected from irreligion and contempt of god , excess , debauchery and wickedness , in whose families , while they were in being , none other deities were usually worshipped but ceres and bacchus , for as the son of syrach saith , ecclus. . , . vnless a man hold himself diligently in the fear of the lord , his house shall soon be overthrown . death and bloodshed , strife and sword , calamities , famine , tribulation and the scourge ; these things are created for the wicked . i humbly conceive it would well become the care , wisdom , and policy of the nobility and gentry of this nation , to prevent this growing mischief , that the wealth of the nation be not transferred from the ancient nobility and gentry in england , to the commonalty , and to mechanicks and mean spirited men , ( who have acquired a great dexterity in getting and gathering together riches , who think certainly that god gave them bodies and immortal souls for no other end than to acquire wealth , magna conatu magnas nugas agere , ) lest it may not in process of time give trouble again to monarchical government , ( as i doubt it will be found to have done in our late times of confusion and rebellion ; ) that watching an opportunity , they make not a fresh attempt to overthrow monarchy once again in this nation , and reduce us to a commonwealth ▪ for then farewel all the ancient nobility and gentry of england . to prevent which mischief , is not the least end and design of these lines , which therefore the author hopes may procure him a pardon for his faults committed in this free and bold attempt ; but considering also that it hath herein to do with gentlemen ( not of surly and sordid ) but of affable , courteous and benign natures , who will be easily perswaded to pardon error and mistake , especially when it is error amoris , he is less solicitous thereabouts . soli triuni deo gloria . certaine conceptions, or, considerations of sir percy herbert, upon the strange change of peoples dispositions and actions in these latter times directed to his sonne. herbert, percy, sir. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) certaine conceptions, or, considerations of sir percy herbert, upon the strange change of peoples dispositions and actions in these latter times directed to his sonne. herbert, percy, sir. [ ], p. printed by e. g. and are to be sold by richard tomlins ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ethics -- england -- early works to . moral education -- england -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion certaine conceptions , or , considerations of sir percy herbert , upon the strange change of peoples dispositions and actions in these latter times . directed to his sonne . deus primum bonos proximé . london , printed by e.g. and are to be sold by richard tomlins at the sun and bible neer piecorner . . for my sonne mr. william herbert . having compiled this small treatise , chiefly for the entertainment of my selfe and private family , consisting of morall and divine principles , collected according to my severall conceptions , answerable to the distractions of these times , that neither gave me conveniency of books or liberty for conversation , i thought it most proper to direct the reading of these writings more particularly to your selfe then to any other : not onely in regard you are the appearing person , that probably must give continuance and succession to our house , which i heartily wish may be in vertue , or not at all : but also , for that part of the booke was written whilst my imagination was imployed in doubts and fears , concerning your late dangerous sicknesse , which i must confesse did not a little heighten my troubled apprehension with the consideration of all humane uncertainties , resolving then your losse , should have buried my principall felicities in a retired obscurity , that now for your good i am partly determined shall be further enlarged , according to conveniency and occasion : to which purpose upon the same score of consideration i must conjure you to reflect often upon the extraordinary mercies of almighty god , shewed in your behalfe , not onely in raising you unexpectedly from so hazzardable and desperate a condition of weaknesse , to a competent if not a perfect degree of health and strength of body , but also that he hath been pleased to afford you many other plentifull favours , in some kinds beyond the ordinary sort of men . wherefore as you appear by discourse sensible of these blessings i must advise you to carry alwaies about with you , those very thoughts you were enspired with all , ( according to your own relation ) in the greatest extremity of your sickness , as being freest from earthly passions , and those vaine ambitions , that use to corrupt the manners , if not the very understandings of most people . however i would have you believe , that i goe not about by these expressions to entangle , muchlesse to compell you to a monasticall severity of life , but onely i endeavour by my writings and directions , to perswade and confirm you , in such a religious morality in your conversation and affairs ( necessary to all christians ) that may the better secure your condition both in this life and the next . and although i am confident that these generall admonitions might serve for sufficient instructions to your youth , in regard i have been so wel acquainted with your nature and education , yet for that i may be thought something large in my writings , concerning the extravagancies and vices of this age , i wil not let you passe in this epistle , without some distinct advertisments directed unto your selfe ; however do not thinke i point personally at you in any of these particulars , onely my intention and aimes are , by setting before your consideration the inconveniencies of these passions and absurdities , you may become the more distasted with the practises of them in others ; since most pittifull examples of all sorts are daily presented to your eares or eyes , especially of childrens disobedience to their parents . truly will : if i should have any just occasion given me , to suspect your intentionall duty or filiall love , i should have cause sufficient , not onely to esteem my endeavours most unfortunate , but exceedingly to doubt of your discretion , as wel as to blame your ingratitude ; since , as you cannot but know how much your mother and my selfe have strived in your behalfe , to the uttermost of our powers : so is it unpossible in that regard , you can finde more confiding persons then our selves , whereon to place your chiefe trust and confidence , either in difficulties or inconveniencies . if at all god almighty had not added a temporall curse , to that commandement , and to no other , which obligeth the duty of children to their parents , besides many other fearful testimonies , i could bring , to shew a necessity of performing with all honour and respect , those filialties of nature : which i onely tell you , because many young people ( as i said before ) in these dayes , are grown so extravagantly preposterous in their courses , that scarce is there family , but hath some cause to complain in this nature , with more then ordinary grief ; whereas in times past children thought it not onely a reputation to their own persons , to bear a respectful honour to their parents , but even with a certain kinde of admiring duty , were most careful and diligent , to imitate their very actions , as well as to receive their instructions . next i must minde you , of that dangerous and swelling disease of vain-glory , that useth to intoxicate in this age , so much the brains of young people , that as they become altogether void of any good nature at all , so not seldom being transported with this vanity , they appeare in some sort deprived of their wits ; however i am perswaded that you have contracted such an experience by your being abroad , and having conversed without flattery , that if at any time by accident you fall into the like errours , you will be soon able to put a bridle to the humour by some temper and diseretion . but as this inclination floweth from too great an indulgency of nature , wanting a competent judgement to discern , so is it the occasion often times , not onely of unnecessary and distastful contentions , but also of most desperate quarrels , proceeding from dispositions too furious , which in this place , i shall example by one short story not to be questioned for the truth thereof . two entirely loving brothers upon occasion of recreation , walking one evening within the precints of their ordinary dwelling , and beholding the skie bespotted all over with stars , one of them of a sudden wished as many fat oxen of his own , as there appeared little lights in the firmament ; the other again , not to be behind hand with his brother as he thought in invention , also desired pastorage as large as the whole element , and then demanded how his cattel would be fed ? the first apprehending belike indiscreetly some intention of affront to his vain ▪ glorious conceits ; in heat and choler told his brother , that they should feed in his pasture , whether he would or no : wherefore the other being also moved with passion , at this seeming intention of compulsion , hastily replyed , that as by right he could not claim any interest in his field or medow , so was he fully resolved to debar him from all benefit and commodity therein . but in conclusion , from words they went to blowes , until at last both drawing out their weapons , which they had unfortunately about them , they soon became each others murtherer , before any of the house could come to their rescue , notwithstanding there wanted not good store of company in that noble family . which in my opinion may be taken for a most remarkable example of transported natures , either by vain glory or anger , especially to be prevented in matters of gaming , since persons for the most part in losse , are so far from bridling their passions , that oftentimes they challenge to themselves certain priviledges to be offensive , as reflecting more upon the injurie fortune doth them , then at the equality of them that played with them , who will finde hardly temper or civility to be abused by reason of such indulgent conceits , when there is no other obligation to perswade them to the supposed compliance . the desire or itching appetite of flattery , may be said also to be a property of vaine-glory , as well as a base effect of that lunacy , which in regard it is of a dangerous consequence , especially to youth , i thinke it somewhat convenient in this place to be remembred : for who are addicted thus to be delighted , or rather to be laid asleepe by such enchantments , must not onely still resolve to converse with fooles and knaves , that either for ends , or out of ignorance , will be ever subject to each fantasticall humour of theirs , but for the most part they shall be kept out of all eminent company , in regard that those who have gained a powerfull influence over their weaknesse , are obliged to procure them the greatest distance may be with worth and knowledge , since indifferent people without any partiality , would be apt to discover true or false lights . be assured that this inclination proceeds from a kind of low disposition , though extreamly swoln up with a preposterous and ignorant pride , that wants sufficient courage to gain estimation by industrie ; such people at last will be forced to entertaine fearce any thing else but sloth and sensuality : which is the worst condition man possibly can fall into . to avoid all these inconveniences , nothing is more proper , then to keepe alwaies the mind and the body imployed with some noble activity ; however it is not sufficient to be continually busied , but it will be found most necessary also to have some designe or period in the imagination ; as well to know when to end , as what to begin ; neither to be wearied by difficulties , or altered through inconstancy , and so by consequence not to leave any prosecution , unlesse the judgement upon serious deliberation give a willing and knowing consent : for no doubt as the word is most composed of craft and ignorance , so will there not want perpetually aboundance of alluring diversions : in that people for the most part cannot well brook worth in another , since they are resolved not to take the pains for it themselves , and therefore will endeavour rather to undermine reputations by detraction , then hope to equall vertues by industry . if you doe well , you must look rather to be spighted then commended ; and if you doe ill , you may onely purchase some little compliance with your perdition . last of all , i would not have you too much either to reflect upon our past felicities , or too feelingly apprehend our present misforfortunes ; since both the one and the other may seem past recovery ; yet as we have suffered something injuriously , though perhaps but equal with others of the same quality and prosperity , so aparantly have we beheld in all our sufferings , evident signes of gods mercies towards us , not onely in delivering us from many hazards and dangers , with a convenient supply alwayes when our necessities were most pressing ; but also hath formed your education , out of these troubles ; which i dare be bold to say ( in your own thoughts ) you value more then a great deal of worldly fortune . however , it is not sufficient onely to have these conceits and opinions , but with industry and discretion , you are to make use of both what you have , and what you have not , by pitching upon some laudable settlement for your future conveniencie and subsistence , in which course , in despight of all malice and enticements , i would have you to be resolute , and so little ashamed of the profession and practice of religion and honour , that boldly you are not onely to love and cherish those vertues in your self , but publikely to countenance them wheresoever you shall finde them in others , in so doing , you shall ever oblige me to rest , your most affectionate father percie herbert . to the reader . i muste confesse , when first i fell upon the determination , to exercise my pen in a subject of this nature , i never thought my endeavours should have past further then the bounds of my own family ; but being since perswaded by some reasons ( which i need not expresse ) to make my writings more publique ; as also not well knowing what certaine habitation i shall be master of in these distracted times , when as oppression already hath dealt so hardly with me , i have caused these conceptions of mine to be printed , that they may also ( if there be occasion ) seeke their own fortune in the world , though i feare they will not finde competent entertainment , in regard they seem not much ( perhaps not at all ) to suit with the constitution of the age ; at least they appeare not any way ambitious , after the customes now chiefly in fashion ; although i can confidently assure the reader , that as they are not any way painted and flourished , whereby to procure the better acceptance , so in the inside are they purely without hypocrisie and ostentation , having no plot at all to deceive the world. whereupon i must take so much boldnesse , as to require those who at any time shall cast their eyes , if not their intentions upon these lines with some curious appetite , that they will yet doe me so much right ( though they should want thereby their own satisfaction ) as to proceed in a methodicall way , in their passing over the chapters , lest what i intend for something may prove nothing to their apprehensions , for want of sufficient order and patience to consider ; and the rather may i expect this curtesie ( if you will let it be a charity ) for that the book it selfe is so extreame short , that if i did not intend to enlarge it by a second part , i might be something ashamed that the presse under my name and solicitation , hath been employed with so small a pamphlet , and therefore consequently can give the reader no excessive trouble , to take the more deliberation in the truer understanding of my intentions , which may prove far more satisfactory to us both if this course be observed : and also do desire that he will be pleased to excuse and rectifie those faults that have escaped in the printing , by his own judgement , which the sense will sufficiently direct him unto , without any great difficulty . the introduction , or inducement of the whole book . as most people in our age do furiously complain of their own sufferings , rather quarrelling with the times , then with their vices : so the late act of confinement , contributing very little benefit or opportunity to the delight of conversation , gives me leasure and conveniency enough , not onely to exercise my several imaginations in many extravagant fancies , as well concerning my own crosses , as other mens actions ; but other whiles more seriously to recollect together those cogitations in a method , whereby i might pick out of them some advantages towards my particular use and comodity . and to this purpose , although i would not have any think , that i intend presumptuously to be an instructor of others ( it neither being proper for my profession , or within the compass of my ability , however i must confess my desires therein are competently charitable ; ) yet i conceive it most agreeing with my intentions in some orderly way to put down my conceptions in writing , that they be the better sixt in my memory when i shall have occasion to put in execution the effects of this necessary contemplation . wherefore if any shall demand either why i write at all , or make election of no meaner a subject , as it may be thought , beyond the reach of my seeming capacity : my reply must be , that as the first part of the question is already answered , by my not having for the present any passable imployment , either at home or abroad ; so the latter will quickly finde this reply , by reason of one principal , grounded strongly in my minde , that slight and impertinent discourses are most unfit for this intemperate and licentious season ; which being allowed me , i must take leave to say , as well as to think , that notwithstanding there are very many , as i intimated before , extream sensible of their sufferings in these days of tribulation , because they feel the smart of their green wounds newly made ; yet i am confident there are very few that do absolutely believe the inflammation proceeds from a secret poyson long time ago ingendered in the heart of this nation ; wherefore if men would but look back upon the posture of this kingdom in the beginning of these wars , at what time i may bodly affirm , scarse any vertue was practiced with confidence and assurance , those thoughts perhaps would soon finde a way to judge from what original these misfortunes have proceeded : again , of the otherside if we can open our eyes for the present , at the continuance , if not increase of sin and vice , not to be paraleld perchance by former stories , we may without over much difficulty be perswaded that in a manner it is unpossible , god almighty should yet withdraw his heavy hand of punishment from off our countrey ; for as in the general we had experience , the nobility were degenerated , the gentry corrupted , women grown impudent , and the common people atheistical ; so may we perceive now , by a strict enquiry , that at present the very natures and dispositions of most persons are changed into a certain kinde of strange lunacy , or preposterous madness in their actions , as if some ominous revolution were yet to be made in this nation : which i must confess hath not onely oftentimes amazed my own private thoughts , but makes me conclude , that as these wonderful insensibilities and impieties , proceed from some fatal displeasure of heaven , so of necessity must the causes of these ills arise , either from the believing there is no god , that jesus christ was not the true saviour of the world ; from some high and peremptory presumption of his mercies , or from too much stupidity in peoples apprehensions , proceeding from the inchantment of fleshly appetites . to all which we will speak somthing in particular , since my intentions are by this discourse to remember the imperfections of the times , for my own and families admonition . against atheism . in the first place , if any do suppose , that there is no god , or omnipotent disposer of all things , with a certain kinde of order , but as if by chance every creature did produce and suffer increase and diminution , without any further design and intention , the opinion is not onely most ridiculous , but even repugnant to nature it self , which seems to pretend an orderly rule in all her actions and effects ; for that besides the general confusion it would soon bring upon each production , in regard seeds in every species , could not in a short time but jar amongst themselves , wanting the true mixture , by the application of those helps necessary for increase and continuance , as sun and rain with the like , without which all generations would quickly perish , it is evident the ancient philosophers meerly by the compulsion of reason , without any manner of revelation from heaven , were forced against their wills and appetites not onely to confess some supernatural and divine operatour , that made the world and commanded at first the course of the heavens , with the influence of the planets , that they might be proportionable to the commodity and subsistence of lower motions ; but also acknowledged one single essence and deity , as master of every creation , since they knew divided powers could not be omnipotent , in respect they might have several wills which must needs produce diverse effects tending to confusion , by which means things would not be conveniently governed and ordered to subsistence and increase : besides , we may fall upon this consideration , that there was never yet any people upon earth , how barbarous soever in their understanding , and rude and ignorant in their conversations , though separated from all possibility of instruction , but by the very documents of nature it self , did use a formal sacrifice , or exteriour worship to some god or other , whom they did in a sort fear and reverence , though they had not knowledge sufficient by education , to distinguish rightly who he was , or what were his attributes : again , it hath been observed that scarce any atheist , how wilde and blasphemous soever , in his discourses , and infamous and dissolute in his course of life , but at the sudden apprehension of death or some other imminent danger , would seem to cast up his eyes to heaven , as demanding a kind of assistance in his necessity , being induced thereunto , onely by a natural instinct of feare , though perhaps in perfect safty , he would be either of another opinion , or of a different comportment ; which shews there is somthing supernatural , that compelleth man to acknowledge and reverence his creator , let his will be never so perverse , who must be honoured in spight of all wickedness : further let us but cast our looks upon the plants of the earth , with their wonderful effects , and we shall see every where , such diversity of kinds , both in shew and operation , and yet proceeding but from one womb , that it would amaze our consideration to learn to know how they could be distinguished in their growth , not having any relation at all to each other , which certainly cannot be without some divine providence : in like manner we may behold every little bird naturally to have a several way of building its nest , according to the same species he is of , which form constantly he maintains though he be never so far distant from others of that kinde , however he is not capable , either of art or imitation , and with all as soon as the young are out of the shell , they can readily without instruction , provide for their own safety and commodity , without practice or information , whether it be to defend themselves , against the violence of ravenous creatures , though they never saw the like before , or to seek those nutriments which their welfare requires : as for example ducks presently after they are hatched will covet the water , though chickings cannot by any means be induced to enter into a pool , for fear of being drowned , for that nature teacheth them they may not swim , having no other experience for that science , then what their omnipotent creator hath divinely infused into them for their preservation : whereas of the contrary man is not endued with such timely foresight ( though he be of a far more noble making ) because his wise god sees it not necessary for his present being , in that he hath ordained him reasonable creatures for his defence , and to take care of him whilest he is young , which i say shews a high providence beyond all dispute : again , who is it hath placed so admirable a property in the loadstone , and keeps the sea within his bounds ? notwithstanding the continual course of so many rivers , which else would exceede according to the rule of other waters , to the destruction of the whole world , but he that hath designed all things to work convenient effects , by his omnipotency towards preservation , since no schollership or learning is able to give convincing testimonies of either : and last of all it may be considered , that man being the noblest of creatures visible , if there were not somthing above him , he himself should be the orderer of nature , since all things else we see want sence or reason , and man also not knowing its uttermost bounds , we must conclude he was created by a more excellent essence ; as for example , we see this huge ball of the earth hangs in the ayre , without any support , contrary to the nature of all solid bodies that ever fall downwards , by the meer compulsion of their weight ; so that of necessity there is somthing more powerful then nature , that commands it against its course , which cannot be man , because he is not onely ignorant of this , but many other misteries . again , it is unpossible that nature can be this omnipotent eternity , for that we see her in most things subject to accident , and apparantly decays dayly in her productions , which shews she is not perfect and independant , and therefore can be no god ; for man being her best piece , is born infirm , lives a time with trouble , and at last dyes by violence or age , all which seems to be to little purpose , for the being of the world , without any other designe or end : wherefore we may conclude , that somthing above either man or nature must needs order all things according to his pleasure , for some use more then ordinary , since certainly his works can be no more in vain , then himself can be without eternity , and how his intensions can be less then to an eternal end : i cannot see the least reason , that ought to administer any occasion of dispute , however for orders sake , we may discourse in this manner . that as this mighty omnipotent and all powerful god , hath here created a most large and beautiful world , full of all kinde of useful varieties , so must this world be created to some other effects , then onely to produce and consume , without any other purpose or designe : and what could the intention of this creation be , but to preserve some immortal thing , ordained for gods own proper and particular use and service , which can never end ? neither is it possible that this thing , or subject of gods intention , can be any other , then mans reasonable soul , in which he hath placed so clear an understanding , differing from all creatures else in a most high measure , since beasts , birds , and the like , are endued onely with life and sense , whereas man alone enjoys the fruition of reason , by which he comes to know , the very nature almost of all other things : but here perhaps may be alledged , that we give too great a prerogative to mans soul , since he doth no more exceed other creatures in knowledge , then one creature seems to pass another in subtilty , which shews degrees , as they say , of excellency in ordination , though not perfection in mans creation : unto which objection , i shall briefly make this answer , that as it had been an needless or impertinent thing ( as i intimated before ) for god almighty , to have made the world with its beauties , meerly for mans subsistence ( as being held the best of creatures ) and himself to be created to no other end , but onely to live and dye , and others to succeed him , which is nothing else , but to go round in a circle , without either design , intention or purpose ; which certainly as this cannot stand with the nature of gods wisdom , so of the other side , it may easily be determined , by any reasonable judgement , how far the capacity of mans soul goes beyond the understanding of all other creatures , that were ever yet made in the world , since he is able , a knowing way by the very strength of reason , not onely in times of danger and necessity , to call upon his maker with some confidence for assistance , ( which no other living thing will be able to do , by all the instruction can be infused into him by humane art whatsoever ) but even in some sort , can define his creators very nature and essence , by those rules given him by divinity and philosophy , allowing and disproving them if there be occasion , by his own natural reason and apprehension : which is a difference of so high a prerogative , that by it we resemble gods own image , in foreseeing , judging , and distinguishing of good and evil , right and wrong , as also between ignorance and science , whereas other creatures carry about with them only sense and memory , that serves them but for subsistence and preservation , being all they need for the end they were made , which was alone for mans use and commodity : for no person in his right wits will tell me that an elephant , or a fox ( they being esteemed the wisest , and most intelligible of creatures ) can be instructed by all the learning in the world , for never so many years together , to govern a kingdom , lead an army , or give convenient counsel in matters of difficulty , much less to know the orderly course of the planets : wherefore i must conclude , that as there is no comparison between mans understanding , and other animals , of what excellency soever , so god almighty having given mans reasonable soul , so principal a preheminency above other creatures , it must be that if any thing ordained for eternity , and eternal somthing must be ( as i said before ) for which this great world was made , since his wisdom , goodness , and omnipotency , could not act any thing in vain , which of necessity must follow , if man should onely live to dye after a while , without injoying any further happiness or end : as for example , it would be esteemed a very great madness ( or at leastwise a palpable indiscretion in humane actions ) for any person to breed and nourish living creatures , without some intention , either to supply his necessities or please his senses : much more ridiculous to think god almighty ( that is not subject at all to error ) should create and preserve what , he did not intend for some purpose : wherefore i say this divine essence , as he cannot be capable of these or any other passions and defects , so would he not have made this world , without an intention conducing to eternity for their sakes , to whose use the earth was ordained at the first : since all his operations can tend to no lower an end in every of his works , which must be infinite like to himself : of the other side , certainly this object of his , can be no other then the soul of man ; he onely of all other creatures , being indued with a reasonable and noble understanding , and therefore pleased it should participate of a glory ( out of his infinite mercy ) that could not be created , because his sublime goodness never intended any thing directly for destruction , but by way of accident , or rather provoked thereunto by his necessary justice for his eternal honour : but if mans reasonable soul should be mortal , as some fools perhaps may ridiculously suppose , what priviledge hath his excellent creation above other inferiour creatures , over whom he is ordained lord and master , nay rather i may say apparent disadvantages , since not onely most living things exceed him in the faculties , and use of their senses , but also in not being subject to the unhappiness of the perturbation of the minde , upon the arival of worldly accidents , which may be esteemed the greatest afflictions of this life : for that foreknowledge and apprehension of death , or miseries before they come , are a continual discomforture to all present delights , and an interruption to that content , which should render him happy and pleased within himself ; whereas unreasonable creatures want those perturbations of thought and apprehension , to afflict them : so that if man had not immortality to expect , in lieu of such sufferings , i might truly affirm his creator had done him much injury in giving him a reasonable soul , to his further disquiet and vexation , and might justly conclude him more unfortunate in his creation , then all those creatures , over whom he is designed to govern ; which certainly his good and wise god never intended him , since he was pleased to make him so excellent in his understanding : and so i end with atheism , though i must again fall upon a new dispute , concerning infidelity , which is no other , then to doubt something of the person or passion of our saviour . that our saviour was the true messias . we shall begin with the time of christs coming in the flesh , which apparently was foretold , should be when the jews scepter was to be taken away from the right line , and a general peace proclaimed over the face of the earth : both these , i say , were punctually fulfilled at his blessed birth ; insomuch as not onely herod who then wore the diadem of jury , was a meer stranger as well by extraction as by nation , but also the temple of ianus , was then shut up in rome , the accustomed ceremony belonging to such a iubily of pacification : next it was plainly prophesied by many places in holy scripture , that the iews in time to come , should be discarded for their impiety , and the gentiles to be elected in their rooms : all which we see at this day so exactly performed , that they are not onely scattered over the earth without honour or dominion ( being a scandal and reproach to all other countries ) but have not so much , as either temple or priest , to offer their sacrifice or exercise their rights , whilst of the contrary , we behold the christian religion , most gloriously to flourish amongst the gentiles , almost over the whole world , to the absolute abolishing of all the ancient idols , which in the primitive times were so generally esteemed and worshipped , that whosoever refused their adorations , were to undergo the worst of torments , for their contempt ; however , this faith of ours had no visible encouragement to humane eyes ; but of the contrary , was frighted by horrid terrours received from the blood of martyrs , and yet these people were onely perswaded to their constant and admirable belief , by the poor and simple preaching of a few unlearned and contemptible fishermen , insomuch , as great and wise doctors in a manner in an instant , gave up their lives willingly , to most exasperated and cruel tyranny , in witness and confirmation of that blessed truth , notwithstanding the opinions themselves that they were taught , were against all appetites , and sense of man , which of necessity must imply , that these strange and suddain opperationses , could proceed from no other thing but divine instigation : besides , we see according to many predictions of the prophets , that kings and queens , are become nursing fathers and mothers to this holy faith , with so much alacrity , that they are not onely content to submit to the churches jurisdiction , but in a manner lay down their glorious crowns and scepters , ( with the more humility ) to prostrate their persons , at the steps of this tribunal : which certainly is beyond all humane apprehension to conceive ; since neither honour , profit , nor worldly felicity , seems to attend the intention of their practices : neither had the doctrine at the first , ( as i say ) any probability to be believed ; for that it taught such strange and unheard of mysteries , that could not come almost within the compass of any brain to invent . and surely if man onely had been the author of this change , he would have devised some more easie way to have pleased flesh and blood , or to have better satisfied peoples understandings : much less would jesus christ in the very infancy of this belief , have subjected not onely himself , but all his disciples , to such penurions want , and most intolerable torments ; accompanyed with nothing else but contempt and scorn , without any hope at all , either of benefit , honour , or reward , if as an impostor onely , he had intended the deceiving of the people , for his own vain glory . next , if we consider , the most woful and lamentable destruction of ierusalem , to happen so directly according to our saviours saying , though that city was then at the present , in an extraordinary flourishing condition ; and in a perfect subjection to the romans , whose emperour the inhabitants professed to serve , love , and honour , before all the world , we may easily perceive , that no less then a divine spirit could have uttered those prophesies , as also hapning immediately after his death and passion , it was most apparant , a heavenly hand onely punished their impiety , both for the cruelty used towards his person , as in regard of their obstinacy in refusing his doctrine , denying him to be their spiritual king : which curse also hath continued ever since upon their condition as a remarkable plague for their ingratitude ; whilst of the contrary ( as we see ) god almighty hath advanced his own glory every where , by striking dumb all the oracles of the divel , notwithstanding they have been violently supported , by the art and power of tyrannical princes over the world : until at last , we may behold these great monarchs of the the earth , forced to submit themselves to the belief and jurisdiction of that seeming contemptible church in the beginning , which they had most maliciously persecuted ; insomuch , as at this present , there is not to be found any nation or persons , of the pagan religion any where ; however that opinion was wont to entertain the pens and actions of multitudes of great and learned philosophers , for many hundreds of yeers together , accompanyed with the delusions of their false gods ; which now are all vanished into smoak ; and the christian faith alone dilated amongst the gentiles everywhere , to the wonder of all humane consideration ; again , we may reflect upon that saying of holy scripture , as a further testimony to this truth , against the jewes : i have no will in your offerings , nor gifts will i receive at your hands , for from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same , my name is great among the gentiles ; and in every place there shall be sacrificing , and a pure offering offered to my name : which intimates no other , then that the jewes were to be despised and turned off , and the gentiles introduced into their places . a prophecie so plainly verified in these dayes , that we do not onely see , the jewes and their religion laid aside , with the general calling of the gentiles , but also this oblation every where offered by the christians , consisting onely in one thing , and performed after one manner , though in many places ; whereas the sacrifices and ceremonies of the jews were divers , both in matter and form , as well as the performing thereof was confined to one place : besides , we might bring not onely the confessions of the heathen oracles themselves , for the divinity and godhead of our saviour , but the ancient prophecies of the sibyls , allowed , approved , and preserved ; with a great deal of veneration by the roman monarchy and other commonwealths , if there were any need either to strengthen our testimonies , or confute other opinions ; to which we may adde these considerations , that it is not probable that so poor a beginning as had first the christian religion , against the sense and appetite of humane nature , persecuted with violence in the very infancy of the church , countenanced by none but despicable people , and the belief of it self grounded only on imaginable fruition , her mysteries in a manner not being conceiveable almost by the highest capacity , should so suddainly increase , and so long continue , notwithstanding all the oppositions from time to time sustained , both from craft and tyranny ; if this sacred truth were not supported by an omnipotencie , not to be contended against by all the power of earth and hell : wherefore i must conclude , that as these proofs are sufficient to any indifferent understanding , whereby to convince all men of infidelity , touching the divinity of our saviour , and the truth of his suffering for our offences ; so are we obliged to observe his precepts in particular , if we hope to receive benefit by his death , as they are declared in the same holy scriptures . and consequently ought , under the pain of a most terrible condemnation to abate in us , if not the appetites , yet at leastwise the practice and violence of sin , that seems in this corrupt age , to take so much possession of our persons and actions , as if religion were turned , onely to a vast chaos of confused liberty , without temper or morality . in which wild exercise of preposterous sensuality , perhaps many are confirmed out of some presumptuous hope , that god almighty doth not readily look upon the transgressions of guilty offenders . the punishment of the angels against all vain presumption . against which pernicious fancie , may be brought this discourse , first we will begin with the angels before the creation of the world , as it may be believed according to some opinions , who were the perfectest of all creatures , & in whom god intended not only to shew his power & goodness , but his justice and hate of sin , for as he made them in the highest degree of happiness , to express his majesty ; so he punished their single offence , to shew his equity , not in any kinde pardoning them , in regard of the sublimity of their making , since knowing him best in doing any thing against his divinity , they could not but offend him most ; wherefore he , as i say , neither put limitation nor condition to their punishments ; for as his omnipotency was by them more cleerly discerned , by reason of their excellent nature , so was the eternity of their unhappiness to be without redemption , for abusing so much that knowledge , the more justly inflicted upon them , both for our future examples , that we might not too much presume and for the declaration of his own glory , who will be always just : each appearing as well in the blasphemies of the damned , as in the adoration of the blessed ; since all creatures actions are alike to his godhead , neither rendring him more nor less then he is : for as by the participation onely of his goodness , we receive benefit according to that obedience we shew in performing his commandments , so of the contrary , if we do not fullfil his will , we must not think to escape correction , because he never goes from himself ; for he can no more comply with sin , then he can lay down his divinity ; being both attributes of his eternal essence : and therefore , as he spared not these excellent spirits , meerly out of his justice , though it were but onely in one single thought of pride , we must not think to be protected by his mercy , committing dayly so many crimes . in the next place we must reflect upon the punishment of man for his transgression , who as he had less knowledge of his creator in his sinning , so was he more gently used in gods indignation ; for notwithstanding he deserved also a perpetual condemnation for his offence , in regard of the eternal majesty against whom he rebelled , yet by reason of the natural frailty of his condition , by which he was more subject to erre in being made of earth , god was pleased to annex certain conditions , and provisoes to the sentence ; nevertheless , with so high a consideration of his own justice , that he would no otherwise give him any hope of pardon , then by the assurance of the death of his onely son ; having decreed in his eternal wisdome , that no lower a price could make satisfaction , to appease his divine wrath conceived against man , for having broken his commandments , then an omnipotent pawn , since as man had offended his creator , no less then a creator was to redeem the offence ; by reason of his heavenly justice , that necessarily seemed to exact so high a condition : wherefore , as i say , there was no other way left , but for the son of god to take upon him our flesh and blood , because as god in his own nature could not suffer , so our nature onely could not satisfie , without some divine conjunction ; which are most convincing arguments to shew the extream severity of god almighties justice , when he would not fall upon any other means for our redemption : however , we see that although the son of god was designed to perform this mysterious service to his father , for our benefit ; which goodness is not to be comprehended by all the mortal thoughts in the world , much less to be requited by any humane action or endeavour ; yet for all this excessive love expressed to mankind , god was not pleased presently to bring him into heaven , or place him again in his earthly paradise , but on the contrary , enjoyned him a continual penance , which was , to get his living all the days of his life by the sweat of his brows , and withal ordained his wife to bring forth children with pain and travail , as temporal punishments designed to each , whereby they might also in their own persons satisfie gods justice , in regard of their own first disobedience , over and besides the sufferings of our saviour : which playnly demonstrateth , that this great god of ours will not be so easily pacified , however the presumption and lunatick fancies of many , may suggest to their overweening appetites , a hope to enter into heaven , accompanied with all the delights of the world ; as if we were here only for our pleasures , and not for the necessary maintenance of a pilgrimage upon earth , which is to work forth our salvation with industry , care and trembling . again , we may consider cain , the first man that was born of a woman , who however his sin was extraordinary , yet the original proceeded from a kind of penuriousness in his nature , onely to preserve his best things from the consuming fire of sacrifice , which notwithstanding was so resented by his lord and maker , that he not onely permitted him to fall into those horrid crimes of envy and murther , but presently chased him from the society of all good people , with a kinde of a loathing terrour to himself , laying a general curse upon his whole posterity , who after were totally destroyed in the universal stood , with those they had corrupted , for whose punishment that deluge was sent upon the face of the earth , as an apparant mark of gods indignation against wicked persons , who are not alwayes alone chastised for the offences they commit , but also oftentimes in their posterity ; since it is not to be doubted , but some of those that perished in the general destruction pleased god in their actions , as is intimated by the second epistle of st. peter . next we will remember cham , the unfortunate son of noah , who onely for his irreverence to his fathers frailty , was eternally punished ; upon which occasion receiving his curse , he was instantly banished from his presence , and for his offence became the father of a most impious and rebellious nation , both against god and man : insomuch as tyrannical nimrod his grandchild , after he had presumptuously made war against heaven , in the building of that stupendious tower of babel , where his proud works were confounded by the diversity of languages , he set up the first idolatry , causing himself to be worshipped as a god : from whence hath proceeded errour , wickedness and damnation ever since to people , until the force of our blessed saviours bitter passion absolutely destroyed all those lying oracles , that so long deluded the earth , with the false opinions of that pretended true religion . here we must introduce the story of the jewes : a people particularly elected out of mankinde , to be the objects of gods love and care , as another example of his justice : for , however their punishments were but proportionable to their knowledge of his divine essence , in regard they were not so perfect as adam , to understand his will and pleasure , who in paradise had absolute power to forbear sin , and do good ; so were their chastisements for the most part but temporary and worldly ; not imposed upon them and their posterity eternally as his was : yet if we look upon their many sufferings and captivities , we shall finde , notwithstanding that god almighty did not forget their offences , permitting but two of all that numerous army , that came out of aegypt , to enter into the land of promise , the onely hope and desired period of all their tedious travels ; in which number moses that most excellent servant of god , and indefatigable captain , also was included , by reason of some small defect , in the execution of his office , which not onely shews the impartiality of god almighties justice , as well towards those he loves , as to them he hates , but may very cleerly admonish us against the fancy of presumption , in that our creator can no more comply with sin , or pardon it without our repentance and satisfaction , then he can leave off the attributes of his own divinity and omnipotency . again , we may consider the rigid severity of his justice , in the further progresse of this story , however to avoid prolixity , we shall onely name a few examples of those particular persons , he seemed most to favour : and to this purpose , passing by many others most exemplar : we will begin with eli , samuels master , who was a man neither of an ill inclination , or visibly much defective in his office : yet we read , that by reason of that remissnesse , he used in not punishing and reforming his children , and those priests under his charge ( being admonished thereunto ) he not onely was chastised with the lamentable news of the death of both his sons , & the taking of the ark by the philistins , according as it was foretold , but suddenly broke his neck , falling from his seat , as the report was made unto him of those misfortunes : next we may reflect upon king saul , whom god almighty had onely pickt out to be the prince of his people , though afterwards he became the subject of his wrath : for not enduring to hear the praises of david , whom he seemed to envy , preferring his own vain-glory before the will of god , in a short time he fell to be such a ●● wards became a also monument of destruction , in only looking back upon that dreadful spectacle contrary to gods commandment , perhaps with some repining appetites , in regard of those pleasures she was unwillingly forced to foregoe . again , it is to be noted , that the children of israel having freed themselves from their intolerable slavery of egypt , by their miraculous passing the red sea , under the conduct of moses : yet because in their journey ( with too much sensuality ) they called to minde the flesh pots they had left behinde , were not onely continued wandring in the desarts of arabia , for forty yeers together , bitten with serpents , and often times pined with hunger , but at last lost their lives , and wasted out their dayes , in that peregrination , insomuch , as but two persons onely of the whole numerous company ( as i said before ) born in egypt , were permitted by the just judgement of almighty god , to enter into the land of promise , which flowed with milk and honey , notwithstanding god almighty had designed them to be his elected people ; and whose posterity afterward , accordingly did supplant other nations . from this discourse , we will proceed to the consideration , of the several fates of the four great empires of the world , since they are so largely mentioned in holy scripture , to be prophetically figured by divine revelation . to which purpose , we may begin with the assyrians , in order to ancient histories , as well humane as sacred , wherein it is recorded , that when as balthazar the last king , perceived the judgement of god pronounced both against his life and dominion , by the dreadful hand-writing upon the wall , which none could interpret but daniel ; himself and his concubines , were then riotously feasting without care or trouble , in the mighty city of babylon , which according to the foresaid prediction , cyrus that very night took by surprize , not onely to their confused amazement , but in confirmation of gods indignation against such sensual stupidity , that leaves not men any apprehension of their own danger : wherein may be also noted , that as the fall of this great empire was probably a stupid sensuality , since the monarch himself did not sufficiently apprehend his danger , whereby to be careful enough , to provide resistance against his enemy , being so neer him ; so of the other side , it pleased almighty god to demonstrate unto him his own terrible fate , when he was acting the highest expressions of his luxuries and insensibility , as a more remarkable judgement against that horrid and beastly sin . but however the persians by this fatal and sudden conquest , made themselves masters of the assyrian monarchy , which they continued with property for some generations , yet it was not long , before they also fell into extream riots , and carelesness both of their persons and honours ; insomuch , as we reade , that certain embassadours being sent from persia into greece , and there feasted by a king of macedon , they became so insolently debauched , contrary to the customes of that more temperate country , that they peremptorily demanded , to have the conversation , and company of the grecian ladies at their entertainment , which they supposed durst not be denyed them with a liberal freedom , as a right appertaining as they thought , to the prerogative of their calling , in being messengers , sent from the greatest monarch in the world ; but the young prince , ( though his father at the present was something afraid , to contradict their humours ) disdaining their carriage and insolent demands , caused both himself , and some other noble men of the court , to be disguised in womens apparel ; and in this posture again entring the room , when the embassadours began to be rude and lascivious , they suddenly drew out certain weapons , which to that purpose they had secretly hid under their garments , and fell upon these companies with so much fury , that their lives quickly payed the price of their inhumanity ; which notwithstanding , ingendred such a quarrel between the two nations , that never ended until alexander the great became absolute master of both , by the overthrow of the last darius , who also came to battle against him triumphing , with all his concubines in a most profuse way of sensuality ; which presently after was punished , not onely in the absolute losse of all his vast dominions , but by a most lamentable and ignominious death in his own person . which conquest brought the monarchy of the world to the grecian power , until their licentiousness also lost it to the romans : for percius their last king , having by his unworthy and false disposition , exasperated the senate of rome , they sent the consul paulus aemylius into greece , with a strong army to chastise him for his basenesse ; whom being overcome and brought with some intention of honour ( in regard of his quality ) to the presence of the general : yet behaving himself most poorly and ignominiously , unbecoming his person , though in his prosperity he was both proud and sensual , he was so disdained by the consul , and hated by the souldiers , that presently after the triumph , he was put to a most cruel death in prison by his keepers , who could not endure his person : whilst in the interim his eldest son and heir , became a common register in rome , the onely means left him to gain his subsistence . and thus ended also that great and sometimes famous empire , which continued in the romans the last of the four , until that empire became in process of time also drowned in luxury , according to the report of many authentical authors , who affirm that brutus and cassius were held to be the last of the romans , or onely brave persons of the age , endued with noble spirits , and free from sloathful sensuality , insomuch , as that once gallant people within some yeers , were absolutely captivated again , under a base & slavish tyranny , as they had been formerly by licentious tarquin , though some gallant men now and then appeared amongst them : which dominion remained uncertainly flowing , from one tyrant to another , till the unlearned turks ( that at present enjoy the fruitfullest of their dominions ) became masters of their chief country ( as namely greece ) that in past ages was esteemed mistress of the world , both for art and valour , whilst temperance governed her actions : though now it be become of so base a production , that the people thereof have left them neither science nor courage , but of the contrary , are wrought at present into so unworthy a stupidity , with their continual excesses , that ( as 't is observed in their dispositions ) they would not be delivered from their slavery if they might , lest they might be put to the exercise of any laborious industry in the world , according to the custom of other free nations ; and in this condition are content to see their children taken from them by force , to be used at the pleasure of their lords ; either to be sold in the common markets , or reserved for the vilest offices . as these examples are convincing enough , to shew the judgements of god upon sensual and luxurious countries in the general , so may we turn our eyes of consideration upon our own kingdome , which no doubt ( as i have said before ) abounded with all manner of vice , before these late troubles began ; insomuch as i am most confident , that the sins of the nation without limitation , have been the chiefest causes of our misfortune and present miseries ; which certainly requires rather an acknowledgement by sack-cloth and ashes , then an indulgent fancy to flatter our hopes , with amendment of the times . to this purpose we may call to minde , the flourishing state of our country not many yeers since ; when every man seemed in peace with a most quiet security , to sit under his own vine-tree ; whereas now we enjoy nothing certain but troubles and vexations : the nobility possessed priviledges of princes , that now are scarce equal to shoo-makers : the gentry living in their brave houses furnished with all kinde of varieties both for pleasure and profit , and now those that are yet left standing , serve them but for more convenient prisons : the commonalty that were accustomed to pay nothing out of their estates , are now constrained to defray the expences of many armies , that scarce will let suffer them one night to lie in their beds quietly : the clergy that bore jurisdiction in their several parishes and provinces , are now forced to quit their habitations and livings ; the lawyers that commanded respect and money from clyents , know not at present what law is to be observed : the universities filled every where with dainty wits and learning , are derided for their over much knowledge : and last of all may be considered the rich city of london , that seemed to rule over the ocean , and arbitrate the trade of the world , is now so much impoverished , that it dares not set ships to sea for fear of being robbed ; all which being confessed , we may very well conceive some divine anger and revenge hath caused this sudden change , especially the issue being not yet determined . but if these representations be not of sufficient force to move our considerations in a convenient sense of our own danger , and by consequence to stir us up to some moderation in our courses , yet let us see whether there be left any spark of religious hónour in our dispositions ; so far as to be perswaded by the extraordinary love of almighty god alwayes shewed to mankinde from his first creation to more goodness , since it may be supposed no reasonable creature can be so unworthy , as not by way of humane gratitude , to be willing to repay some requital for benefits received : at leastwise to expresse desires of acknowledgement , though we may want an absolute power to do what we would in regard of our own frailty : and the rather do i use these just perswasions , for that it shall appear by the following discourse , that god almighty hath taken more care in the preservation and salvation of mankinde , then in conserving the very angels in heaven . considerations of gratitude in regard of gods goodness and love shewed to man-kinde . certainly , however we must confess , that those spirits were created to enjoy a perpetual and a most sublime blessedness , yet were they not the ordained in so certain a condition of continuance , but that they were subject to fall , as afterwards multitudes of them did , and the rest were constrained to confirm their establishment by a most sharp encounter with lucifer , and his ateendants , over whom at last they got a most glorious and heavenly victory , through the constancy of their wills to serve their lord and creator by an intire spiritual obedience . wherein as i may say , gods justice appeared something severe to their adversaries , if we reflect but upon the extraordinary mercies shewed unto our selves upon all occasions : for that he imposed upon the fallen angels an eternal condemnation and punishment without revocation or hope of redemption by the observation of any new injunction : whereas he did not alone at the first make man with an intention to bestow upon him that happiness which they had lost , but implyed an infinity of love and care to preserve him still in the same capacity : for when he had placed him in that delitious garden with an absolute power and free-will to do good or evil , which was plentifully furnished with all the ornaments of nature , for the commodity of his being and subsistence , he onely imposed upon him one single commandment no way seeming difficult to be observed : and notwithstanding he soon broke this easie precept by the peevish frailty of his nature that overcame his grace ; yet god almighty neverthelesse , was so far from not having compassion of his person , and taking commiseration of his offence , that immediately he promised him redemption by the death of his son ; as also the more to honour the contemptible substance of his creation , being nothing but earth , he obliged our blessed saviour to take upon him the very cloathing of our flesh and blood , because all man might also be capable of a perfect felicity , and enjoy a priviledge and prerogative beyond all the quires of angels in heaven : who not onely stood most stupendiously amazed at the favour bestowed upon mankinde , but the very devils themselvs , that then were also angels , foreseeing the mystery in regard of the excellency of their knowledg , became perpetually damned , onely for endeavouring to resist gods will and pleasure in that intention : which exprest above so much beyond all humane apprehension , that the consideration of it onely is able to confound all our actions , and astonish our thoughts to the day of judgement , if this dull sensuality of our natures did not so much intangle our senses , with worldly concernments , that the cleer faculties of our soul , cannot operate at all nobly to our advantage . and yet further to shew the continuance of god almighties affection towards man ; although his just wrath had chased adam out of paradise , as from a place onely intended for his innocency , yet he did not presently commit his person to some dark and horrid prison , there to be deservedly punished according to the nature of his offence , for the breach of his former injunction , in part of satisfaction until his salvation could be effected , by the passion and death of his dear and onely son , as his mercy had determined ; but put him into a world created with all manner of convenient varieties , for his necessary recreations , though to be injoyned with labour and pains to keep down the stubborn rebellions of his flesh ; and in the interim comforted him with continual hopes of his speedy redemption with many promises , to make his posterity by grace a most glorious nation above others , until more particularly abraham setled both a church and people in his own family : so that iacob his grand-childe having many sons , from whence proceeded the twelve tribes , though they were by accident brought into egypt , where they were forced to confess their sin against their brother ioseph , for which fact , as it may be supposed , their posterity were detained captives for some hundred of yeers , to shew that god had not altogether forgot the offence : yet being afterwards released , by the religious and painful conduct of that great and good captain moses , whom god almighty had specially chosen to put an end to his peoples miseries , he established them as a particular nation of his own , whereby to be worshipped with some form and order , from whence his own son also and their messias was to come in the flesh ; notwithstanding they never left murmuring in their journey , not onely against their commanders , but even at god himself , which shewed , they carryed still with them the former corruptions of nature , and ingratitude with augmentation : however , he neverthelesse bare with their peevish disobedience , until he brought their posterity into that land promised to abraham & his seed , as if his whole thoughts had been imployed onely in their consideration , since the like rebellious proceeding from such multitudes of preservations could not probably be imagined , to have almost come from the damned themselves . and there as i say being arrived , he never left their protection , until they had absolutely subdued all their enemies to their mercy , they possessing in the interim their territories , with so many signal victories , that those parts of the world began to be terrifyed with their fame : insomuch , as at last becoming so prosperous in their peace and tranquillity , that needs they would have a king to govern them , according to the custom of other nations : which also being granted them by god almighty , he gave them one amongst the rest , the most glorious and wisest prince that then lived upon earth , according to the relation of his greatnesse and wisdom , particularized in holy scripture : who was not onely visited and courted by forraign powers at a very great distance , but built also such a temple for the jewes seruice by the presence and assistance of other kings , as an additional honour to his own extraordinary riches and splendour , that the like fabrick was not again to be seen in the whole world : and thus they continued their reign and glory , until solomons idolatry and their own sins divided the kingdom into two parts , by which means they suffered many captivities ; however their gracious god never totally forsook them , still interviewing their chastisements with multitudes of consolations by holy prophets and other revelations concerning his pleasure and their own salvation : sometimes sending them home to build up again their temple , and other while scourging them for their wickednesse ; intermixing , alwayes blessings with punishments , as if his own glory had chiefly consisted in their good , until at last finding their stubbornness was incorrigible by ordinary means , he sent amongst them his own son our most dear saviour , not onely to redeem all mankinde , but to teach them new lawes both of morality and divinity ; but they now being come to the uttermost period of all wickedness and ingratitude , were so far from entertaining this sweet guest with love and wisdom , that they handled him with so much cruelty , that if all the barbarous tyrants in the world , had been assembled together in councel , to have performed acts of inhumanity , they could not have invented more transcendent cruelties against innocency : so that we may say even god almighty , was forced to cast these people out of his favour , who were not to be reformed by any means he could use ; however , because he would not yet forget man , whom he had bought with the precious pawn of his own blood , according to his gracious assurance given to adam after he had chased him out of paradise , he chose to himself a new church of the gentiles , not in one place , but dispersed over the face the earth , to render his goodnesse more general , though much against his will by reason of those promises he had made to abraham concerning his paticular seed , which is most plainly verified in those sayings of holy scripture , where it is affirmed , that often he would have gathered them together , as a hen inviteth her chickens under her wings and protection , but they would not : but to come yet more neer to our apprehensions , if not to procure in our souls both love and amazement , let us but consider in particular what our saviour christ personally suffered for man kinde ; which certainly he might have forborn , if it had not been in regard of his unmeasurable and infinite goodnesse , since our salvation cannot any way benefit his majesty , or increase his honour ; wherefore it was meerly for our sakes , that he hath been willing to do these wonderful things , to prevent our perpetual damnation , which his divine justice must otherwise have inflicted necessarily upon our unhappy persons : by which considerations let us unpartially weigh , what gratitude we owe such a redeemer , especially when we are to receive the onely good by it our selves . christs particular persecution . to this purpose we may begin , first with the persecution of his very infancy , by that bloody and proud tyrant herod , to preserve with greater security ( as he thought ) that kingdom which he had unjustly usurped by the romans power from anothers right ; notwithstanding his own conscience told him ( by the inquiry he made of the wise men , and the resolution of the doctors thereupon ) that he was the true messias long expected : which not onely caused his most long and tedious journey into egypt with his mother , not sufficiently provided , as it may be believed , of convenient necessaries , but was a cause after their return that he was constrained a long season to obscure himself to prevent the like danger , having heard of the murther of so many children , in regard , herods son then reigned in his fathers place : wherein ( as it may be supposed ) jesus onely took upon him the ordinary helps of humanity , since it was not needful to make use of the demonstrates of his divine power towards the conversion of those people whom he came in the flesh to save : in which affliction it may be imagined , or rather considered , that he not onely underwent the sufferings of the body , but in some sort the passions of the minde belonging to man , and so consequently was grieved at exteriour accidents , with the rest of his friends , living in this poor , contemptible and needy manner about thirty yeers together ; all that while performing such ordinary labours as belonged to the meannesse of that condition , which for our sakes he was pleased to enter into , whereby the better to conceale or shade the bright rayes of his divinity from humane eyes , until the time should come for the declaration of his glory : but at last being called by the secret decrees of his almighty father to preach to the jewes , he continued at least three yeers , doing such stupendious miracles , and shewing forth such acts of austerity and penance , as were able almost to convert the divels to goodnesse : however , his own people were so far from hearing and believing him , that instead of following his doctrine , and obeying his jurisdiction , that they brought him to a most shameful condemnation before a heathen judge , with all the spight , malice , and ingratitude could be imagined ; in the circumstances of which persecution , may be considered these particulars following . first , that he was betrayed by no other , then one of his own chosen disciples , with whose losse he could not be but extreamly grieved in his thoughts : by whom , as i say , he was delivered into the cruel hands of his worst enemies , though until then esteemed his onely people ; and in whose company he had conversed for some yeers , with all the sweetness of behaviour could be practised , in the interim performing so many acts of charity , both by his miraculous cures and continual instructions , that it might have taught a new humanity to al the monsters upon earth , if they had been capable of reason ; but these wretches , notwithstanding , brought him before pilate , fast bound by strong cords , with such derision and scorn , as almost could not be exampled , where they accused him with so much violence , that the pagan himself was constrained in regard of their preposterous importunity , finding him altogether guiltless , furiously to scourge him before their faces , with an intention onely to save his innocency from death , thinking these torments , would have procured some compassion in their stony hearts : however , they persisting still in their devilish malice against his person , for no other cause , as i say , but that he had preached against their luxuries and pride , cryed out violently to the judge , that unless he crucified him for making himself a king , contrary to the lawes , he could be no friend to caesar , which words of theirs so terrified the unjust and fearful president , that he delivered barrabas a most notorious malefactor , and sent our saviour with a company of barbarous souldiers , wearing a crown of sharp thorns upon his sacred head , to the common place of execution ; as also bearing his own cross upon his bloody shoulders , for his greater contempt and indignity , where at last being arrived with many a weary and painful step , he was fastned with rough nayles to that tree , that was ordained , though for his torment , yet for our comfort , and being after a time lifted up into the ayre between two thieves , excessively heated by his intollerable sufferings , he called for something to allay the outragiousness of his thirst : but their unexampled and most cruel inhumanity , could afford him no sweeter a mixture , but vinegar and gall , to give him any refreshment , as the uttermost and last period of all their wickedness and ingratitude : which several torments certainly being put together by our consideration , cannot be thought but to exceed the affliction , of all the people that ever suffered persecution : for as he was more pure and perfect in his constitution then other creatures , so by consequence must it be thought , those pains he endured were sharper and livelier tasted by his senses , in regard of the excellency of his making , then by other men , since obstructions as we know in the organs & vital parts cause sometimes a kind of stupefaction or insensibility in the flesh & apprehension , which he was not subject unto either by nature or accident : besides we may ad , that as he was free from all the passions of vain glory or any manner of hope of future reward for his sufferings , being both god and man , so could he not be eased in his torments by those hopes which do use oftentimes to abate much of the torture in other people ; and on the other side his grief was increased all the time of his life by his omnipotent foresight , knowing before hand that he should not onely die in the general , but also what particular cruelies he was to endure , so that as i say , his imagination was alwayes full of such grievous considerations , both in regard of himself that was personally to suffer them , as also out of a dear compassion to his most beloved mother , that he knew would be present at his passion , mournfully accompanyed with his disciples and the rest of his kindred and friends . secondly , if we further reflect upon the parties that used him in this manner , and the principal occasion of their malice , we shall finde ever causes still for the augmentation of his afflictions in many other particulars . and to this purpose we must consider , that those who were his chief persecutors , were his own particular people , chosen above all other nations in the world by himself to be cherished and loved , and from whom in the flesh he was naturally descended , so that it was no other then their own blood into his veynes , which they sought most lavishly and maliciously to spill , upon no other reason , but that in a sweet and mild way of conversation , accompanied with miracles and benefits , he laboured to perswade them to their own salvation , that the gentiles might not bereave them of their ancient inheritance , possessing themselves of those places in heaven that he wished them before others . next what a corrasive was it to his gentle heart and divine soule , to see them make use of no other creature to betray his innocent person , but his own disciple , instructed with his domestick affairs and expences , which made him most bitterly to complain , that he that eat his bread , for a little money had both unnaturally lifted up his hand against him , and had been won to undertake so great a treason , contrary to all the rules of friendship , duty , and fidelity , which almost no heathen would have performed , for any reward could have been promised . thirdly , after he had at his last supper bequeathed unto his apostles the pretious legacie of his body and blood to remain ever amongst them as a most admirable token of his love , presently going into the garden , to pray , and there being in an excessive agony at the remembrance of his approaching passion , sufficiently demonstrated by those distilling drops of blood and sweat that plentifully fell upon the ground from his most blessed body , he could not obtain from his three chief disciples , to watch one hour with him , notwithstanding his earnest entreaty , and the great gift he had a little before bestowed upon them , which cannot again but be thought extraordinary troubles to his already afflicted minde . fourthly , when he was apprehended by the cruel souldiers with violence and fury , certainly it could not be but some present horrour to his confused imagination as he was man , to see himself suddenly left by all his friends , who fled fearfully away to prevent the like danger to their persons ; however they should have rather chosen to have dyed with him , according to their several professions when he was yet safe amongst them . and most of all that his chief apostle , upon whom he had conferred so high a dignity , and in whose special friendship it is to be supposed , he imposed trust and confidence , should not onely timerously amongst the rest leave him with his enemies ; but most cowardly deny him before a few contemptible servants , with oathes and protestations , being so transported with the sense of his own danger , that he would not so much as own his masters acquaintance , in that assembly , to his further disgrace , he being at the instant most disdainfully used by all the spectators , that were present at his examination before the high priest : which may be added to the rest of his afflictions . fiftly , we may remember that when he was brought before king herod , who was inflamed with an earnest desire to see him in regard of the general fame that was spread abroad of his wonders and miracles , and to this purpose had an intention no doubt to have honoured his person ; of the contrary to be sent back again from his presence , with all the scorn and contempt in the world , cloathed in a white garment , either like a mad man , or a fool , which opinion the rude and barbarous souldiers prosecuted in so violent a manner , that it was one of the chiefest causes of his being crowned with thornes , whereby in derision they might the more properly salute him as a mock king of the jewes ; putting in the interim a contemptible reed in his hand in lieu of a scepter , with other ornaments of spight and disgrace over his blessed shoulders ; which instruments also they made subjects for the further augmentation of his torments , in striking him often with the reeds upon his already wounded head , that the sharp and pricking thorns might make the greater impressions , whereby the more to increase his anguish and pain . and last of all , we may call to minde , that when he was upon the cross ready to yield up the ghost , he most sorrowfully beheld his ever dear beloved and honoured mother , who never could finde in her heart to leave him in all his miseries , though those cruel spectacles abundantly augmented her inward afflictions , with eyes of no small compassion and grief standing neer him , with heavy looks and most desperate passions , bewailing her own losse and his suffering , neither being in a condition to assist one another , but by condoling language and perplexed soules , since our saviour would not make any use at all of the prerogative of his divinity , to moderate the sufferings of his humanity : for as man had offended the majesty of his father , that great god could not be satisfied without an extraordinary pacification : all which , i say , may put a full period to every consideration that can possibly be imagined by any mortal apprehension ; wherein i must confesse , i do not more wonder at his goodnesse , then at his enemies cruelties and his friends forgetfulnesse , wherein would be increased my admiration , if our hearts should not be touched with something more then ordinary gratitude , and the rather for that we our are to receive the onely benefit of this due and needful consideration . for let any man take apart these infinite sufferings , setting aside the multitudes of his other mercies , and but indifferently weigh the natures of them in every particular circumstance , and i dare be bold to say , all the stories in the world cannot paint forth the like examples of cruelty , indignation and spight , either done to , or endured by what martyrs or wicked persons soever ; much lesse should it be thought after the believing of these passions , that we were created for nothing but to be delighted with ease , quiet , and all the sensual pleasures ; our roving and wild fancies can invent or covet : but that we may not be without all humane testimonies to confirm god almighties expectation concerning our duties in suffering , though i intend not to make any comparison : i shall instance the examples , of some few of his good servants , who as it should seem , held it necessary upon occasions offered , to sacrifice all they had to his blessed will and pleasure . the vertues of abraham . vve shall first speak of abraham , who was , as i may say , the miraculous father of all the jewish nation , a man exercising so many vertues , that it is a question , whether his piety , valour , humility , obedience , faith , or good nature most exceeded : for after that by god almighties special command he had quitted his native country , and all his friends and acquaintance , but his nephew , lot , whom he brought along with him in his pilgrimage , amongst strangers and barbarous people , when both their flocks increased so exceedingly , that they could not possibly longer live together by reason of the dayly contention of their herdsmen , abraham bad his nephew chuse the best part of the country for himself ; and by that means lot inhabited in the towns , whereas his uncle still kept the fields , dwelling onely in tents , wherein appeared both love and humility . again , when he had heard that lot unfortunately was taken prisoner , with al his substance , he presently with a world of courage and resolution , armed all his domestick servants for his speedy rescue , and fighting with his enemies , he delivered his nephew , and made all his opposers with their wealth captives to his mercy ; however , after this conquest he was so far from enriching himself by the spoyls , or being elated by the victory , that he not onely returned the goods back again to the owners , but with a great deal of humility presented the tenth part of his own to melchizedeck the priest , as a testimony of his obedience and gratitude to god almighty ; to whose honour also in every place where he came , he built altars , circumcising himself and all his family , according to his commandment . but now growing old , and finding he was not like to have any posterity by his wife , he was induced by her importunity to take her handmaid into his bed , by whom he had issue : neverthelesse , when it was the will of god to make him the happy father of his legitimate son isaac , in whom all nations were to be blest , he drove both hagar and her son absolutely out of his dominions and protection ; which however , as it may be believed , strook the old man to the heart with a most passionate grief , yet he was so far from being disobedient , that he resolved with a ready willingnesse rather to endure any discontent inwardly , then outwardly to displease his wife , whom he knew had received a particular blessing from god. and now we must come to the grand master-piece both of his faith and resignation , when god almighty enjoyned him to sacrifice the life of his onely son and heir , both spiritually and temporally : the first , in that he was promised to be made the father of the people of the jewes ; and the other , for that abraham had no more issue to inherit his worldly substance : here it will be convenient to reflect upon his many supposed humane passions , in the prosecution of this action ; however as it appeared he overcame them all by his ready obedience and abundant confidence in god , in regard of his extraordinary desire to fulfil his will and pleasure in every thing ; first therefore , it may be believed , that he could not but apprehend greatly the horrid and amazed discontents he should give his wife , whom he was alwayes so willing to please , when the first report should be made unto her , not onely of the death of her sole childe , in whose promising towardlinesse , she received dayly so much comfort , besides her divine assurance , of his hopeful prosperity , but to consider him slaughtered by the cruel hands of his own father , for no known cause could be imagined . next , what a perplexity was there amongst his own thoughts , sometimes perhaps a little staggering in the right understanding of gods promises , when he supposed it was unpossible for him to have any more children by reason of her extraordinary age , and so by consequence had little hope left him of peopling of nations out of his loynes , much less to propagate the church of god by his issue ; which until then he never doubted . thirdly , may be imagined the natural and divine strife that was within his bosome , by reason of the passions of love , pitty , faith , confidence , obedience , and improbability , joyned also with worldly interests , of which he could not chuse out of humanity but be sensible : and yet notwithstanding all these furious torments and combustions in his minde , this great and most confident servant of god ( as it is related in holy scripture ) went on to this strange sacrifice , with a quiet and gentle demeanour , talking with his innocent son , to the place designed for his execution , where after some circumstances , and as it may be thought other discourses of patience and consolation , being ready to lift up his fatal , though pious , hand for the slaughter , he was suddainly hindred by the administration of an angel from heaven , that not onely gladded his heart , but approved his faith by the shewing him another acceptable sacrifice , ready prepared for the offering . and last of all , to make a full period of his glorious and most pious life , being prepared to rest his bones in his wives sepulcher , constrained thereunto by the extremity of age , he called his trusty servant unto him , and there taking his oath between his thighes , conjured him , never to take a wife for his son , but from his own kindred , however he might have advanced his fortunes with huge sums of mony , as it may be supposed in the place where he then remained , in the land of strangers , by reason of the general fame he had personally purchased in their country ; however , as i say , this good man chose rather to send the hope of his house far from home , with the losse of all his worldly substance , then that he should be in danger to mixe with the gentiles , or contract marriage amongst uncircumcised people : all which testimonies evidently shew , how much abraham preferred the service of his creator , before all other considerations ; besides , it is to be noted in his whole life , he never ended or begun any of his important actions , as is recorded for the most part in holy scripture , but either with thanks , prayers , obediences , or other pious devotions performed to his great and omnipotent creator , who remains certainly still the same god in heaven and earth , and therefore cannot but expect the like duty from our actions and endeavours , though our corrupt manners , and most slow intentions , seem at present to put a difference between our own condition and this holy mans . the patience and sufferings of job . now that we have in some sort past over the perfections of abraham ; for it is unpossible by humane art sufficiently to describe his excellency , we must remember iob , the true patient , as i may say , of god almightie since he gave the devil full power to try his goodnesse , by the very force of all his malice . t is true , we cannot well know his extraction , onely we are assured , he was a great prince dwelling in the land of huz , abounding in every worldly prosperity ; however , none of those entisements could any way withdraw his heart from the service and love of his creator : for notwithstanding his sons and daughters continually feasted with delight and satisfaction , yet in the interim , he offered sacrifice , and made prayers , that his children might not commit sin in their jovialty , until his goodnesse not onely flew up with swift wings before his maker into heaven : but his perfections became objects of envy , as i said before , to hell itself , in so much as god almighty was induced for the further demonstration of his own glory , by reason of the devils insolent challenge to heap all earthly afflictions upon him , and to this purpose in one day received intelligence of the losse of all he possest , with the lamentable destruction and death of his numerous children ; yet these afflictions only procured this mild reply from his sad apprehension , that as god had given him the use of abundance , so might he again dispose of them as he pleased ; for not coming into the world , as he said , with any thing , he could not expect to go out of it otherwise then naked . but in this patience was not alone shewed his confidence and humility : for being struck with a most loathsome leprosie all over his body , which forced him for something his better ease to sit upon a base and vile dunghil , where he was upbraided for his too much mildness and patience , by his insulting , though perhaps compassionate wife , who bid him , curse god and die , rather then endure such ignominy , shame , and sorrow , in falling from the estate and dignity of a prince to so low and miserable a condition : however , he made her no other answer then this , that she was a foolish woman ; for if good things they had received from gods hands , why should they not also participate of bad if it were his will and pleasure ? until at last there came to his reproof as well as his consolation , his neerest and dearest friends , though at the first sight they knew not perfectly his person , by reason of his extraordinary change and deformity , which caused them for some time with pittiful eys to stand amazed without opening their mouths to speak one word according to their first intention : whereupon the good man himself finding their perplexity , began to make a large discourse not onely of his own miseries , but gods justice ; wherein however he seemed to comon understandings , to have uttered some speeches of too much passion , bitterly complaining of his creators dealing with him , and in that particular perhaps over-justifying his own actions and innocency , yet were his words and discourses all seasoned with such high mysteries , having such an absolute reference to gods honour , that by the sequel of the story we finde , he erred not ; but of the contrary , confounded all the athiestical arguments of his friends , by his discourses , who in the end were compelled to beg his prayers to god , for the pardon of their provocation . the vertues of moses . next we shal mention moses , that great charitable and indefatigable captain of god almighties , who however he was preserved by pharoahs daughter , and by that means adopted her son , and so consequently as it may be believed , made the heir of most , if not all her wealth and substance , yet was he so far from forgetting the distressed condition of his miserable country men , being in a manner consumed with their hard labour of the egyptian slavery , that he not onely kept them daily company , whereby the better to honour them with his presence , but most passionately revenged their injuries upon all just occasions ; insomuch , as to that purpose , he slew an insolent enemy of theirs , with his own hands , to the provocation of pharoah , and all his court , for which fact he was forced to flie from all his prosperity and dignity , into a strange country , where he remained not onely a poor shepheard , but a most diligent servant to his surly father-in law for a long season ; defending in the mean time , with his personal valour the causes and rights of simple virgins , that wanted other assistance , until god almighty was pleased to call him to the deliverance of his people with strong conjurations , since his humility was unwilling to accept of so great an office , professing himself to be rude of speech , and therefore not capable of such an imployment : but being , as i say , both commanded , and strengthned by gods divine illumination , he went with a bold courage to the king of aegypt , notwithstanding those multitudes of pernitious magicians about his throne , and resolutely demanded the restoration of the jewes ; however , being denyed his just , and charitable request by the proud tyrant , after many miracles shewed in confirmation of his absolute commission from god almighty , he invited and perswaded the people to follow him into a land of freedom , though their jelousies and feares , a long space resisted his intentions , to his no small vexation and grief , for whose safeties in prosecution of the intended journey and promised prosperity , he divided the red-sea , to make their passage . but neverthelesse this stubborn and perverse people , were so little grateful to him for his wise conduct and most painful endeavour , enduring now and then some penury in the desarts , that they never forbore murmuring against his actions , as upbraibing him , that for his own ambition , he had brought them from the flesh pots of egypt , to endure hunger and thirst in the wildernesse , which affronts and contumelies , he alwayes bore with so admirable a patience , that instead of punishing them for their wild and preposterous disobedience , he comforted and incouraged them with mild language and good principles , praying to god upon all occasions for their forgivenesse and prosperity ; insomuch , as his two hands were sometimes underpropped by others , to strengthen them towards the continuance of his supplication , he being altogether weary and tired , by those devout exercises , which his heart willingly could never let him give over for his peoples benefit : and when their impious idolatry and peevish impatiency , had notwithstanding inflamed the wrath of god , against their wicked proceedings , insomuch as he seemed to put on an absolute resolution to destroy them ; the charity of moses was so great , and his love so intire to that ungrateful multitude , that desired god almighty also , to blot him out of the book of life , that he might perish together with his country-men , if he would not be pleased to change his determination : o admirable constancy and goodnesse ! beyond the capacity of humane nature to apprehend ; and the rather for that it may be conceived , the chief cause of his affection had reference to gods honour , in that he supposed those people were ordained , to establish his more real and formal worship in the land of promise . again , if we look at his unwearied justice from morning till night in hearing law suits between party and party , we shall finde such an unparalell'd fortitude as cannot be imagined , wherein notwithstanding his humility was so great , that he submitted himself to the counsel of his father in law a plain man , who told him he did unwisely , to over burthen his strength and ability , with multitudes of intricated businesses ; and to that purpose wished him to chuse able and inferiour judges , to take off from his care some part of the trouble concerning those causes depending before him , referring the most weightiest onely to his own judgement , and censure ; whereas until then he sat alone upon the tribunal , both for morality belonging to his subjects more civil conversation towards the government of their persons and goods , and also to judge those more divine things , that belonged particularly to the service of almighty god , according to those revelations , and precepts he had immediately received from heaven , whose infallible oracle he seemed dayly to consult , and with such a wonderful fervour and diligence , that as he never attempted matter of consequence , without seeking and knowing first the will & pleasure of god , so did he never return from those extraordinary extasies , but with fear horrour and trembling both to himself and people . but as i shall not need , here to number more of his excellencies , since they are so largely recorded in holy scripture ; so may it also be considered , that most of those admirable books were written by his own hand , that treated of the jewes actions in the beginning , for example , to the stupid world , to learn what they ought to do according to their capacities in endeavouring the service of god from the bottom of their hearts ; since certainly he cannot be pleased with lukewarm affection , much lesse for people onely to comply with their own affections , as if for no other end they had been created , specially when his best servants could not , by what hath been said , expect that priviledge and liberty . the wonderful magnanimity of jephthe and his daughter . but now we will come to iephthe that valiant righteous and just judge of almighty god in israel , whose story in short is onely thus : he was a bastard born , though highly legitimated by grace and the favour of his creator ; for although he was cast out from having any share amongst his brethren in his fathers possessions , which made him for a while enter into the company of thieves for his subsistence , yet being presently for his personal valour chosen their prince and governour , he managed his authority with so much successe , tending to the service of god and his country , that when israel was fallen into most desperate necessity by the prevailing power of their inveterate enemies , he not only freed them from those dangers by his own courage and his subjects assistance , but afterward when he was judge of the country , recovered them by his many victories , their ancient honour ; however , as it is written , one time amongst the rest returning with extraordinary joy and triumph to his own house , having won a most signal battail against the ammonites , after he had pleaded with them the right and justice of his countries cause , wherein they would not be satisfied , he vowed in gratitude to god almighty to sacrifice the first thing he should encounter : which proved unfortunately to be his onely daughter , a young and most beautiful virgin , having no more children in all the world , who out of duty and gladnesse came out with hast before others to salute her victorious father : by which means , suddenly these triumphs were turned into mournings , for presently iephthe tore his garments instead of more joyful congratulations , beginning to repent himself of his over rash vow , since either as he thought , he must displease god , or absolutely confound all his felicity and hopes in destroying of her that was deerer to him , then every earthly happinesse . but the pious virgin perceiving her fathers perplexity by reason of his oath , onely with a lovely and obedient countenance told him , since he had sworn to god , it was most convenient he should perform his vow ; and therefore wished him , that the consideration of her life might neither hinder his intention , nor trouble his thoughts ; and withal desired two months time , accompanied with other virgins of her acquaintance to go privately into the mountains , there the better to bewail her virginity ; it being the custome of the jewes so to do by reason of their expectance of the messias , which being accordingly performed , she returned into the city , and her sad father in prosecution of his promise and resolution , acted this unwilling and lamentable part , both to the grief and astonishment of all israel . now having related this story , i shal wish any man but to consider , how it was possible to expresse a more higher zeal towards the service of god , in iephthe himself , or a more sweet & comfortable obedience expressed by his noble & religious daughter ; wherefore we must conclude , that although there be made some doubt , concerning the lawfulnesse of the fact in this just and magnanimous person , in regard of the rashnesse of his vow , which however proceeded from the extraordinary gratitude he desired to shew towards almighty god , for those favours he had received by his divine assistance ; and especially for that most signal victory , granted him against the ammonites , who were cruel and spightful enemies to his country and religion : yet he declared thereby without all question , a most constant and firm resolution to be ingraffed in his pious soul , not to forbear , if there were occasion , the exact performance of god almighties service in every thing , according to his best skill and knowledge , although he might lose thereby never so many worldly honours , pleasures , preferments , or what hopes or comfort could possible delight nature , or destroy sadness in his condition . as appeared by this act of rigid conformity , according to the vow he had made after his victory ; which in my opinion are most lively examples to instruct our endeavours , at leastwise , not to be too passionate in our own concernments , when they may any way indanger our love to god. the extraordinary goodness of king david . and now we must fall to consider the actions of david , that great and good king of israel ; who however he fell into some grievous sins by reason of humane frailty , yet he kept his heart still right in the pure sight of his omnipotent creator , as appeared , not onely by his extraordinary pennances , mortifications and continual complaints declared in his prophetical writings , but by the very testimonies of god himself , who approved him to be a man according to his own heart ; so that boldly we may affirm his perfections , which in this manner we shall particularize . first , we may reflect upon his constant valour alwayes shewed against the enemies of his religion and country , as well in the death of goliath that furious and blasphemous gyant , as in the multitude of victories gotten against the wicked philistins , and other tyrannical nations , wherein the true service and worship of god was the onely object of his thoughts , as appeared by his bringing home again the ark with such joy and gladnesse , that he was even derided and contemned by his own wife , for those publique expressions , for that his gestures seemed ridiculous to her eyes and apprehension , being performed in the person of a king. next , we may remember not onely his wonderful goodnesse towards his lord and master saul , though with an envious malice he most wickedly prosecuted his life , but the extraordinary love and reverence he shewed to his person when he had him twice in his power , onely blaming his own presumption , for having cut off so much as one small piece of his garment , as a cleerer testimony of his intended fidelity . again , when the news was brought him of his unfortunate death , as he conceived , with too much insultation by an officious messenger , although by that accident he entred presently into the possession of the kingdom , yet he punished the author of the intelligence for his too much want of duty , in rejoycing at the destruction of his king , being his natural subject ; wherein , i must say , appeared a double vertue , the one , in conquering his own affections , the other , in being just to his dead master , though alwayes a bitter enemy to his subsistence . here also i must remember the constant affection he shewed to the posterity of ionathan his friend ; however , it may be supposed he never wanted instigations of jealousie from others , that in time his race might aspire to the crown in the right of their father , and when this proved real in his own son absolon , who not onely most trayterously rebelled against all the rules of duty , good nature , and gratitude , but most wickedly abused his bed in publik , to take off from the people the apprehension of all hopes of reconciliation . this pious and indulgent prince , was so far from revenge in his nature , especially against his own flesh and blood , that he most grievously complained at the newes of absolons death , wishing his own life had payed the ransome of his misfortune : where by the way , it may be also remembred , that after his quiet restauration to his kingdom , he would never suffer that man to be punished , that not onely in his adversity upbraided him with most spightful language , calling him dog and the like , but maliciously flung stones at his person , in testimony of his inveterate hatred conceived against his condition ; neither must be forgotten the tendernesse of his affection he bore to all his children , yet still joyned with such a confidence in gods mercies , and so much fear to displease or to offend him , that when his child was sick , he continued in sadnesse and mourning for many dayes together , alwayes hoping to obtain his recovery . but when he found it was gods pleasure , he should die , and none almost durst bring him the newes , for fear of his further vexation , yet when he was told it by way of necessity , he presently rose up from the ground with a seeming joyful countenance , onely saying , gods will be done ; withal declaring by words that as long as the childe was living , he hoped by his supplications to obtain gods favour . but being dead , he found it was his pleasure to deprive him of the blessing ; and therefore , might offend more in too much afflicting himself : so called for water and meat according to the custom of other people : which certainly shewes that in all his actions , he intended alwayes to conform his will to the honour and glory of almighty god , against what worldly appetites soever . again , may we consider , his extraordinary pious magnanimity , that when water was brought him from the well of bethlehem , by those three valiant souldiers , that so manfully ventured their lives to quench the kings thirst , he refused to drink of it ; saying , he would not buy the satisfaction of his senses at so dear a price , and so ordained it as a sacrifice for gods service , notwithstanding at the present , he endured most excessive pain , by reason of his extraordinary drought : however , prophane authors have mentioned some such examples in alexander the great , and others , yet certainly this most vertuous prince onely performed this act of magnanimity , out of the consideration of a religious end , and not induced thereunto , by any fancy of vain-glory whatsoever ; which for the most part accompanyed all the actions of the heathens . amongst the number of his heroical deeds and heavenly resolutions , may also be remembred this one , that when god almighty had resolved to chastise him for numbring the people , for that he seemed not sufficiently to rely upon the power of heaven , without joyning thereunto humane assistance and confidence in his thoughts ; he chose that plague that was most general because his own particular person might not seem freer from danger then the rest of the people ; which shewed a most excellent indifferency and justice in his nature , against the ordinary affections of man , that use to carry us too violently to our own concernments and particular interests ; and was the more to be admired , in regard that god almighty had chosen him from a poor shepheard to be a most great and glorious king , and so by consequence allowed him to enjoy what felicities could possibly be lawful in this world ; as a testimony to other nations , that he not onely intended him private favours , but also to honour his fame in strange countries amongst the gentiles , for the greater majesty of his own power ; and yet i say , this good prince had alwayes so much care to please god , and such a continual remembrance of his own condition , that as he declareth himself , his pennances were exceeding great , and his afflictions in minde in a manner perpetual , insomuch , as according to his true writings , he washed by night his couch with tears , and eat his bread by day mingled with ashes ; professing himself to resemble a sparrow solitary upon the house top , or a sad pelican in the desart . in fine , if we consider those vast volums which he wrote of his own sorrowes , cares , and troubles in spirit , though darkly figuring therein , our saviours passion , sufferings , and eternal kingdom , we may easily believe , he spent not much time in the pleasures and delights of this world ; however , his youth , condition , and opportunities , were sufficient enticements to all earthly vanities ; and onely his wisdome , temper and goodnesse , withheld him from those unnecessary and vain passions , which he knew entertained , would neither secure his own salvation , or satisfie gods justice . the constant martyrdome of old eleazer . next we will come to eleazer , one of the chief of the scribes , being fourscore and ten yeers old in the time of antiochus , who was not onely excellently learned in holy scriptures , but extraordinarily versed in all divine and humane knowledge , and in the cruel persecution of this wicked tyrant against the jewish religion , suffered a most glorious martyrdom , because he would not prejudice his profession , by any manner of seeming hypocrisie : for being apprehended and brought before the judge , he absolutely denyed to obey that peremptory command or injunction of eating swines-flesh ; rather choosing to undergo the worst of torments , then to displease his god either by act or example ; however , being loved and favoured by some of those bloody executioners , by reason of his age , nobility , and commendable conversation , they promised him , that if in private he would but seem to comply with the kings desire , they would bring him other lawful flesh to eat , instead of that which was so strictl y enjoyned by publique edicts ; and by that means if he would , he should not onely save his life , but obtain honour and reward ; unto which motion he quickly replyed , that he would rather chuse to suffer death , since he held it not convenient for a man of his age to dissemble , for a little time of a corruptible life , whereby many young people might come to be scandalized and deceived ; for although at the present , i may said he , be delivered from the punishments of men , yet neither alive nor dead , shall i escape the hand of the almighty , but in departing manfully out of this life , i shall appear worthy of my old age , and leave a constant example to youth , if with a ready and stout minde i suffer an honest death for the most grave and most holy law , which being said , he was forthwith drawn to execution , and they that led him ( who had been before more milde and courteous ) were turned into wrath , by reason of those words he had uttered , which they thought proceeded out of arrogancy : so that when he was a killing with strokes , he groaned and said , o lord , who hath the holy knowledge , thou knowest manifestly , that whereas i might have been delivered from death , i do sustain sore pains of the body , but according to the soul for thy fear , i do willingly suffer these things : this man certainly in this manner departed this life , leaving not only to young men , but also to the whole nation , the memory of his death for an example of vertue and fortitude . and thus have we the cleer relation of this glorious martyrdome , drawn out of the second book of the machabees ; which in some sort may teach duty and resolution to all manner of conditions , since neither age nor honour can be priviledged : much less ought any to give up their faith , or corrupt their manners , under what pretence soever , either of pleasure , or conveniency , those being nothing else but the divels golden bait , to draw people to hell in luxurious chariots ; in testimony of which , we will relate one of the most remarkable martyrdoms that ever was recorded either by divine or prophane writer , since not onely sex●s , but very nature it self seemed to contend for a prerogative in the service of almighty god , in despight of horrour and all the appetites of flesh , blood , affection , and any other humane inclination or worldly satisfaction whatsoever , and with so high and religious a magnanimity , that my own thoughts i must confesse are confounded in the relation , with wonder and admiration : however , i know the same duty of suffering belongs to every person , if god be pleased to call such to the tryal ; though of the otherside , i am again comforted and encouraged with these sayings , that he will at no time tempt any beyond his strength , and therefore we may be confident by his divine grace , we shall be able to do all things , though this grace cannot be procured unlesse our selves diligently comply with our best endeavours ; which made one say , it was harder for god almighty to save a soul , then to create a new world ; for man himself must concur in the one , and god alone could perfect the other by his omnipotency . strange sufferings of a woman and her seven sons . there was as the holy scripture saith , seven brethren with their mother apprehended by the commandment of king antiochus to be compelled to eat swines flesh , by whips , scourges , and other torments . but the first of them said , what seekest thou , or what wilt thou learn of us ; we are ready to dye rather then to transgresse the lawes of god coming from our fathers ; wherewith the king being inraged , appointed frying pans and brazen pots to be heated , and the tongue of him that had spoken first , to be cut out , as also the skin of his head to be drawn of ; with his hands and feet to be chopped off , the rest of his brethren and mother looking on . and now when he was made in all parts unprofitable , he commanded fire to be put to him ; that breathing as yet he might be fryed in the frying-pan : wherein when he was long tormented , the rest together with their mother exhorted one another to die manfully , saying , our lord god wil behold the truth , & wil take pleasure in us , as moses declared in the profession of the canticle . the first therfore being dead , they brought the next to make him a mocking stock , where the skin of his head being also drawn off with the haires , they asked him if he would yet eat before he were punished through the whole body in every member . but he answered in his country language , that he would not do it , so receiving the torments of the first , and being at the last gasp said , thou indeed a most wicked man in this present life destroys us : but the king of the world w●ll raise up those that dyed for his laws in the resurrection of eternal life . after him the third is had in derision , and being demanded his tongue , he quickly put it forth , and constantly stretched out his hands saying with confidence : [ from god do i possesse these members , but for the lawes of god i do now contemn the same , because i hope i shall again receive them of him , ] to the amazement both of the king and standers by , by by reason of the young mans courage , that seemed to esteem the torments as nothing ; who being dead , the fourth they vexed in the same manner , with tormenting him , and now when he was also ready to die , he said , it is better for them that are put to death by men to expect hope of god , that they shall be raised up again by him , for to thee there shall not be resurrection unto life : so bringing the fifth , they tormented him ; but he looking upon the king said , thou having power amongst men , whereas thou art corruptible , doest what thou wilt , but think not that our stock is forsaken of god : wherefore do thou patiently abide , and thou shalt see his great power , in what sort he will torment thee and thy seed . after him they brought the sixth , who being ready to dye said thus , be not deceived vainly , for we suffer this for our own sakes , sinning against our god , and things worthy of admiration are done in us : for that thou hast attempted to sight against god. but the mother above measure marvellous and worthy of good mens memorie , which beholding her seven sons perishing in one dayes space , bare it with a good heart for the hope that she had in god , exhorting every one in their country , language manfully being replenished with wisdom , and joyning a mans heart to a womans cogitation , she said unto them , i know not how you appeared in my womb , for neither did i give you spirit , soule or life , and the members of every one i framed not : but indeed the creator of the world , that hath formed the nativity of man , and that invented the original of all , he will again restore with mercy unto you spirit and life , as now you despise your selves for his lawes . but antiochus by these actions thinking himself contemned , and withal disdaining the voice of the upbraider ; when the youngest was yet alive , he did not onely exhort with words , but also withal affirmed , that he would make him rich and happy , and being turned from the lawes of his fathers , he would account him a friend . but the young man being not inclined to these things , the king called the mother and counselled her to deal with her son for the saving of his life ; wherupon she promised him to advise her child ; so bending towards him as mocking the cruel tyrant , she said thus in her country language , my son have pitty of me that have born thee in my womb nine moneths , and gave thee milk for three yeers , nourishing thee and bringing thee to this age ; i beseech thee my son look to heaven and earth , and all things that are in them ; and understand that god of nothing made them and mankinde : so it shall come to passe , that thou wilt not fear this tormenter , but being made a worthy partaker with thy brethren , take thou death that i may again receive thee with them : when she was yet delivering these things , the yong man said , for whom stay you , i obey not the commandment of the king , but the ordination of the law which was given by moses , but thou that art become the inventer of al malice against the hebrews , shalt not escape the hand of god , though we for our sins do suffer those things : and if the lord our god hath been angry with us a little for rebuke and correction , yet he will be reconciled again to his servants ; but thou o wicked , and of all men most flagitious , be not idly extolled with vain hopes , for thou hast not escaped the judgements of almighty god , who beholdeth all things : my brethren having sustained short pains , are become under the testament of eternal life : but thou by the judgement of almighty god , shalt receive punishment for thy pride ; and i also as my brethren , do yeeld my life and my body for the lawes of our fathers , invocating god to be propitious to our nation quickly , and that thou with torments and stripes mayest confesse that he is onely god ; but in me and my brethren shall the wrath of the almighty cease , which hath justly been brought upon all our stock . then the king incensed with anger raged against him more cruelly above all the rest , taking it grievously that he was mocked , so this also dyed unspotted , wholly trusting in the lord : where last of all , after the sons the mother was consumed , and thus ended these most glorious sufferings , wherein may be considered these following particulars . that seven goodly young men , in the very flower of their age should with such courage and fortitude , not onely willingly deprive themselves of all worldly honour , meerly for the love of god , since the tyrant offered them what preferments they could almost desire , quitting their law , but to endure with such admirable constancy , the cruellest of torments personally , whilest in the interim their vettuous and most magnanimous mother , with religious , though grieved eyes , stood by like a heavenly rock , to behold her children dismembred and torn in pieces by the violence of stripes , scourges , and other exquisite devised tortures , never almost invented before by humane malice and subtility ; wherein appeared not the least signe of wavering or vain-glory : but of the contrary , were so far from justifying either their actions , deservings , or sanctity , that they professed openly , they suffered those punishments justly for their own sins ; as they hoped in expiation of the general faults of the whole nation of the jews , and to that purpose comforted and confirmed each other with godly , pious , and valiant exhortations , full of comfortable assurances in the mercies and goodnesse of almighty god , who would raise them up at the last day , to the comfort of themselves , and the absolute confounding of all his enemies ; where also may be remembred the pathetical , grave , and wise conjurations of their most brave and holy mother , that however she did not know , how she had framed their members in her natural womb , yet she was assured , that their supernatural father , if they continued constant to the end , would again give them new spirit and life , to his honour , and their abundant felicity , not seeming at all to desire their comfort and conversation in this world , since that satisfaction could endure but a short time , but onely wished to possesse their companies in an eternal and heavenly mansion , where they might enjoy one another , for ever before the face of god , by way of an infinite blessednesse , and to this purpose , after she had joyfully beheld the last catastrophe of her sons constancy and most violent sufferings , their dead bodies being exposed to her view , as bloody sacrifices of humane cruelty , she offered up her own life most couragiously to be consumed also by torments , as a full period to the hecatomb , in confirmation of her own faith , and as a worthy example for her nation to all eternity ; which heavenly tragedy , i hope , is more then a sufficient testimony to shew , that these people could not have been drawn away contrary to their duties , by the fond and idle vanities of these times , that renders so many now carelesse either of belief or manners . neither can we say these onely have given patterns to the world of their holy and admirable constancy , since the primitive church , after our saviours passion , hath produced some stories of the same nature , that were acted also by heroical persons of the female sexe . the wonderful life of saint john the baptist. last of all , we shall mention saint iohn the baptist , whose sins certainly could no way make him deservedly liable to those austerities he exercised upon himself , though it should seem god almighty neverthelesse thought it necessary , that the forerunner of his dear son , should make plain the steps of his saviours passion , with wonderful examples of penance in his person , as a cleerer testimony that it is unpossible but by such means to please god , or at leastwise to have an absolute intention so to do , if the occasion be presented in this humane life ; for we must be assured this world was not created for a paradise , but for our pilgrimage ; neither did ever yet any person go to heaven , but either through the fire of tribulation , or by the practice of mortification , exampled by jesus christ himself upon earth , and imitated by all the glorious saints and martyrs of his church from the very first beginning of times , and must so continue unto the end of the world ; however , lesse and more according to the blessed pleasure of almighty god , who will have such testimonies from his servants , for more assured marks of their own interiour affection to himself , in regard of the benefits they have received from his eternal majesty , not onely for their creation , but preservation and redemption . to which purpose as i say , we may consider the life of this great prophet , who as it should seem , notwithstanding his supream priviledge of being the greatest , that was ever born of a woman , could not be exempted from the mortifications belonging to humane condition , which in his own person , he performed most rigorously , not onely in debarring himself from all youthful delights , but in abstaining from his necessary acquaintance that should have administred to his conveniency and subsistence : for as we reade , he went at seven yeers old into the desart , where he could not have lived , but that he was supported , and relieved by the special grace and assistance of almighty god , beyond the ordinary course of nature . besides , he was onely cloathed in camels haire , and fed upon locusts and wild honey , neither drinking wine nor strong drink ; which being in my opinion the highest expressions of a mortified life , are sufficient examples to shew , that this very course was ordained him from heaven , to teach the world pregnant documents of voluntary affliction , towards the fulfilling of that new law , that was to be established shortly after by our saviour : since neither his senses nor his understanding seemed to entertain any earthly satisfaction , according to the custom of other people ; which manner of living notwithstanding he continued many yeers , wherin was spent and wasted the chief flower of his age , as being by a prophetical spirit ( no doubt ) foretold , before he came to any seeming or competent yeers of discretion , that it was not onely most necessary , for his masters service , but absolutely agreeing with gods will , that he should exercise the same authority , which jesus christ determined both to teach and practice in his conversation amongst men ; and to this purpose our saviour was never mentioned by holy scripture to laugh in all the time of his being here , though frequently he shed teares for the sins and miseries of the world ; most plain and evident testimonies , that at leastwise he expects from us a convenient suppression of all inordinate passions and appetites . furthermore , when this great saint came to the full period of that time for what he was designed , he not onely instructed the people without any manner of flattery or connivency , in those high mysteries belonging to his calling , but most earnestly preached still penance to their cares and considerations , as if nothing but a proportionable measure of that wholesom salve , was to be applyed . and did neverthelesse maintain his own profound humility in such an excellent nature , that notwithstanding the largenesse of his commission and dignity of his office , he would not be brought by all the admiration , and almost adoration of such persons as came to hear him in the wildernesse , to confesse any power or good belonging to himself ; though his words and actions seemed to the vulgar and rude multitude most miraculous , but alwayes referred the honour and praise to him which was to follow . and to that purpose sent his own disciples to be instructed by our blessed saviour , whom also in the flesh he would not have baptized , meerly out of a trembling reverence at the deep consideration of his divine person , though he was onely sent into the world for that effect , if he had not been urged thereunto by an absolute necessity , as fearing further to offend , by reason his obedience might have been brought in question . and last of all may be considered , that whereas he might probably have received what honour he had pleased from herod , if he would any way have complyed with his wifes unlawful ambition , and his own violent lust ; yet he was so far from giving of any manner of countenance to either , that he told the incestuous king publiquely , with a most bold courage , and zealous intention , that he could not by the lawes of god keep his brothers wife . in prosecution of which admonition , he willingly laid down his life , for the exact maintenance of religion and justice . and thus ended that most glorious champion and herald of christ his happy dayes , to our example and benefit , if we concur also with the same supernatural grace offered from heaven , to suppresse inordinate passions and fleshly appetites ; which onely keep the soul from acting nobly according to the intention of our creation . the small satisfaction of earthly pleasures considered . now we have done with these holy men , we will a little fall upon the consideration of the small satisfaction or prerogative of earthly felicities or ambitions , that appear so exceedingly to bewitch our understanding , in so much as they seem to take from our very hearts all manner of effectual desire to prosecute not onely this obligation of a noble gratitude to god , but hinder us from procuring the least security to our selves , contrary to the example of these godly people , mentioned in my discourse ; who certainly enjoyed the same faculties of nature as we do , and therefore might have possest the like appetites of humanity , if grace had not predominated . in demonstration of which i am perswaded , nay i am assured , that if all the exquisite epicures in the world , and wisest statesmen , were gathered together in one councel , to consult and devise a way for a person to enjoy a perfection of happinesse upon earth , and a full power were given to all his senses in each faculty , to tast every delight of nature in the superlative degree , not being subject to any natural restriction , or could be interrupted by accident , yet he would finde some defects in the possession , not answering his expectation ; if not otherwhile a kinde of wearisomnesse in the very fruition , by over much satiety ; which apparantly would be demonstrated by his coveting something else , which he supposed he had not , to the new perturbation of his unsatisfied minde . and this plainly shews , that mans true and perfect content , must be fixed in a higher region then in this world , to afford his thoughts rest and quiet . of the other side we see , ambition consists wholly upon the matter in nothing but expectation and opinion , since it is evident , we are more taken with hopes of honours to come , then absolutely satisfied with those that are present . as for example , what boy is there at school , that doth not heartily desire to be a man , though youth be esteemed the darling of nature , because he apprehends to want something of his perfection in his boyish estate ? again , what man is there , that is arrived to that period of yeers , that doth not as earnestly wish to be in his former condition ? apprehending the too fast coming on of old age as a defect , which seems not onely to be a vexation , but some horror to his thoughts if he carry about with him nothing but humane considerations . also if we reflect upon the many chances of mans life , we shall finde , that the pains and care we take to pamper our selves , and nourish our ambition , do more then weigh down the pleasures we can any way hope to obtain ; for that all our delights are most commonly interrupted either by infirmities , or some other crosse accidents , use any industry we may to the contrary . neither is there any person of what happy calling or degree soever , but seems oftentimes even weary of his own time ; insomuch , as when day comes , he wisheth for night , and in the night he longs passionately for day ; and so from one posture to another , still hoping to enjoy new felicity , as if he had not yet tasted sufficiently towards the fruition of a perfect settlement ; being carryed onely thereunto by his roving fancy and unsatisfied nature : which argues , that the very disposition of man cannot be made happy with this world , in what degree soever obtained . and to this purpose we see , new inventions and delights must be sought hourely , or multitudes of divertisements of all kindes , the more insensibly to passe away the houres and dayes of our life , and yet nothing seems so terrible to our apprehensions , as to think our time should ever come to an end . so that we neither can be content to think of leaving this world in any manner , but of the contrary , hate all remembrance of it ; and yet , in effect we do not take any real pleasure to possesse life . wherefore , i must conclude with this principle ; that since earthly concernments are but at the best mortifications as we make them , how much better were it , and more agreeing with reason , the contrary being no other then an impious madnesse , not to make use of such vexations ( which will come upon us do what we can ) towards the obtaining of such a happy state , as neither admits of defect or suffers termination . so that since it is apparant , that our thoughts have no circle to walk in but that of religion to finde out not onely divine security , but as i may say humane satisfaction , according to the very words of the holy scripture , that bids us first seek the kingdom of god , and all other things shall be given unto us ; it must needs be an intire lunacy , to involve our actions and desires in too many sensualities , and much more to nourish our pride and torment our thoughts , with inconvenient and violent ambitions , by ayming at that which in a manner nothing can arrive unto , but vain imaginations , whilst in the mean time we leave the essential point of our happinesse altogether unregarded . o madnesse of man-kinde ! and yet we are so foolishly transported beyond all reason , with this violent desire of earthly satisfaction , that if at any time we enjoy but a smackering of worldly vanities , we become so passionate to make a further progresse therein , that we cannot rest day nor night without afflicting our mindes , as it were destroying in our selves those very comforts that god almighty intends barely for humane consolation . however , i do not say this to take away absolutely from a man , the appetite of all conscionable and noble affections , for that were totally to overthrow honest industry and lawful endeavours ; seeing it is little lesse evil to do it , then ayme at nothing ; especially for that we are not able alwayes , to employ our thoughts and actions intirely in the effecting of divine things , or conversing inwardly with angels ; but my intentions hereby are , to have a body so to square and regulate his passions , by a discreet rule of moderation in all his desires and undertakings ( considering what any can go about of worldly concernments , are not onely in every respect subject to diversity of accidents , but in themselves never so wel obtained , not worth our chief consideration ) as not to be confounded or overmuch distasted , either by needlesse vexation , if they may not be purchased , or to fall into too much desperation , being again lost after they are once had . and a great deal lesse ought we to be afflicted when such transitory things are taken away from our possession , by the immediate hand of almighty god , who knows best what diet we need in the whole course of our frail life . for as we desire earthly acquisitions ( especially superfluities ) more out of a vain opinion to be said or thought we have them in our power , then out of any real benefit we hope for , or enjoy by the possession ; since for the most part our servants are partakers with us alike , if not oftentimes in a greater measure in the sensual use of them ; so of the other side , if we look onely upon the point of reputation and estimation , in being thought to possesse much beyond the capacitie of other people , which as i said before depends meerly upon an airy opinion , we may have the same honour by letting them go patiently , or losing them gallantly ; and a great deal more if no personal fault by carelesse neglect , be laid deservedly to our charge , then if we should have possessed them to our selves and heires for many lasting generations ; witnesse the late king , who will be more glorious in after times ( according to many mens judgements ) for the extraordinary conquests his constancy and courage got over his oppressions , then if he had quietly and peaceably dyed in his bed a natural way , after a long and flourishing reign , possest of all his humane honours and dominions . truly the effect of vertue is of such a property , that it cannot be taken from us either by time or power ; whereas riches and worldly preferments , are for the most part , more belonging to fortune and accident then to our selves . neverthelesse i say , this vertuous benefit cannot be obtained , without some absolute or signal victory purchased over all base and earthly passions and affections . and to shew how much god almighty hath been ever pleased to honour , and in a manner to eternize in this world such endeavours , especially when grounded upon religion and good intentions ; there have been many persons that onely have sought caves and desarts for their habitations , to avoid all kinde of remembrance , as divers holy saints and martyrs , who indured in their particulars , as much scorn , contempt , and neglect , as humane malice could invent , or their own humility desire ; yet both their names and fame live now amongst us with that eminency , as if their actions had been continually recorded ( whilst they were living ) by multitudes of writers , according to the custom of the meads and persians ; when as most of those great and glorious kings ( with many other monarchs of latter times ) i may confidently aver , have wanted monuments , or at leastwise a true relation of their actions , notwithstanding the onely heaven they desired after their deaths was , to be continued fresh in the memory of posterity . so that we may boldly affirm , there is neither real felicity or certain content to be hoped for in this world , depending upon any manner of sensuality or ambition , since all things desired without doubt are but either surfeits or opinion , although a man should every day in the yeer , be furnished with varieties according to his own wishes , and each houre in the day , could gain strength and vigour to enjoy them ; insomuch as it is unpossible a mans minde can be ever satisfied , without prescribing to himself a moderation in affections : which truly will not be had unlesse he place his thoughts chiefly upon the intention of his creation ; and by that means resolve to use the things of this life with temper , since as i must say often , they are onely given us for our recreation , and not for our heaven : which determination and no other , will soon render all accidents , not onely conveniently indifferent and necessary to our present and future being , but even by such resolutions , accompanied with some proportion of grace , ( not to be compassed but by this means ) we shall be able to make extream advantages of crosses and misfortunes , that do what we can with all the endeavours and power of this world , will still come upon us , and to our further vexations , if we prevent not the apprehension of such accidents by higher designes . in conclusion , whosoever can put himself in this happy condition , whereby he may be master of a discreet temperance in all his actions , probably in a short time may finde out a passage to other vertues , until at last they bring him to that content , which he can never obtain by his inordinate passions ; since the world will not afford what it was not made for . and therefore it may be esteemed a maxime of the wisest philosophy to think , there is no happinesse so great in this life , as to be well able to disgest all unhappinesse . whether or no when we have gained this victory , there must not be something to direct us in gods worship , of an infallible nature . but now when we have gained this noble victory over our passions , though we may esteem the greatest part of our work effected , in regard that naturally flesh and blood are the chiefest obstacles against divine resolutions and self content ; yet neverthelesse , we may fail in the observations of those duties , belonging to the necessary worship of god , whereby our happinesse will come also to be destroyed ; if we submit not our selves to som infallible directions , which certainly can be no where found but in the church of christ , framed by his own hands , and ordained to be the tribunal of the conscience , placed here upon earth , not onely to instruct and chastice , but to afford us true consolation . so that i suppose , it will not be altogether impertinent , to discourse a little concerning the properties thereof , in that its jurisdiction and authority , seemeth to be the very bases and foundation of all our belief . to this purpose it must be first considered , whether such an assembly hath been established or no. certainly humane experience teacheth us , that there was never yet any law given to a nation or a people , but a tribunal also was ordained to be a judge of that law , as well to inform the subjects concerning the doubts of the right interpretation of the injunctions prescribed , as to determine the due execution of them , that people might neither pretend ignorance or use malice , without being instructed in the one , and punished for the other ; much lesse may it be thought that god almighty , who is wisdom and justice it self , would have imposed observations of a mystical nature upon his established subjects , without having instituted as well a way how they might be instructed in their ignorance , as corrected in their stubbornnesse : especially when the truth of those heavenly principles given were impossible to be known to proceed from him , but by some ordinary information , agreeing with their capacities and understandings . for however in the beginning those documents , might be confirmed by miraculous inducements , to some few particularly instructed to that purpose , yet could they not well be continued to posterity , but by usual wayes , since every person was not ordained to be a prophet , or to talk with god face to face as moses did , who gave our ancestors the first methodical rules , which ever since have been maintained amongst men by tradition from hand to hand . neither is it likely that this omnipotent , and as i may say , most affectionate providence , would have lesse care for the preservation of the unity of religion with the christians , that are a people gathered and extracted from all the parts of the world , differing in tongues and kindred ; and so by consequence have more need of his assistance , then he had to conserve it in the twelve tribes of israel , that were a generation onely confined to one country , and therefore could not so easily differ in points of faith , or be corrupted in manners for want of due information ; yet neverthelesse we see god almighty held it so necessary a thing with those few people , though united and circumscribed , as i say , into a most narrow and small circuit of ground and territorie , that he had alwayes his church and high priest amongst them , unto whose decrees our saviour christ himself commanded the jewes to be obedient ( however the men at that present that governed were most corrupt and wicked ) onely because they sat in moses chair , and enjoyed of right a supernatural prerogative , by way of an orderly succession which he intended should onely continue until after his passion , that he might establish his more lasting and holy church , which by his own promise is to indure without interruption , until the end of the world , being invisibly to be alwayes governed by the holy ghost , for the more assuredness of infallibility , which plainly shewes that such a thing must be upon earth ; whereunto are annexed also these marks of power and perspicuity , since it is said , he would not onely place his tabernacle in the son figuratively , meaning his church , but we are admonished in holy scripture from our saviours own mouth , that whosoever will not hear his church shall be esteemed no better then a heathen and a publican ; which truly would seem to any man a most impertinent saying , if there were no such assembly upon earth to be heard and listened unto : for it is not to be supposed , we should upon all occasions mount into heaven , either to be instructed in our doubts , or to give information against our neighbour erring , so that of necessity , there must be some congregation or tribunal on earth established to that purpose ; besides , by the very articles of our creed , we are to believe the holy catholick church ; which implies a certainty of there being such a thing , before we can believe what it sayes . so that we may conclude it a most ridiculous madnesse , to think there is no visible and real place or chair upon earth , where men may go to receive true and undoubted information concerning matters of religion ; especially when it is not credible that every particular person should have sufficient direction by revelation , since the greatest prophets that were ever sent into the world , were constrained to fetch their instructions oftentimes from others . in the next place it is as necessary to believe , that this established assembly must be infallible , as that it is at all ; since if it should be otherwise , our directions would sometimes misse , and so consequently we might ignorantly contract errours in our wayes and endeavours , instead of running surely in the direct path of almighty gods principles and commandments towards our future salvation : for it is evident by the rules of reason , upon all intended certainties , there ought to be some means prescribed us , whereby we may be sure we are right . as for the purpose in all humane matters , we are accustomed , to use the benefit of weight , measure , or some other experience , before we have sufficient assurance any thing is just according to our intention : much more are we to believe , that our saviour jesus christ , after having shewed such a mystical love in our redemption , would not have carelesly exposed us to a dark labyrinth of confusion and incertainty concerning the knowledge of his law , of such a consequence to be observed ; nay , rather it is to be supposed , he would have written it in brasse for our better instruction , if he had not ordained an assembly onely for that effect ; but for a greater confirmation of our purpose , we may remember what the holy scriptures tell us ; that the church is the pillar of truth , and therefore consequently cannot be false ; neither could gods revealed will and pleasure in an ordinary way and without miracle , come to be known to our humane understandings , but by the records delivered unto us , by the unquestionable authority of the churches tradition , that renders them authentical to our belief , without which they have no seal of exemplification or testimony , since it is not enough to say , that one place of scripture , is perfectly able to interpret another , without a more assured rule , when as we do not know by our own reading and particular science , what places are true scripture and which not , having onely the letter of the book to look upon ; and as little can we be assured that we do expound those writings right as they were intended ; because it belongs not to any private spirit so to do : of the contrary , it may be feared according to the words of saint peter ( especially if we use too much presumption ) that being unlearned and unstable , we may wrest the text to our own damnation . so that of necessity there must be something above our selves , not onely to be the interpreter of this law , but also to tell and shew us the law it self that was ordained , so that i must leave it to any common understanding to consider what can be more proper for this then the church of god , that he hath promised to be withal until the consummation of the world . we may also extract another assurance , out of the old testament , which is that god almighty said , in time to come he would chuse such an assembly by orderly succession , whose spirits as it is written should conserve knowledge , and the true spirit should be put into their mouths , from generation to generation for ever . wherefore i say , as this must needs be meant onely by the universal church , so of the other side , such persons cannot be but esteemed most ridiculous in their opinions , that will not allow this assembly , the prerogative of knowledge and interpretation , and yet do assume to themselves , perhaps being ignorant in a high nature , a most infallible way of understanding , as well what books are divine scripture , as also what interpretation ought truly to be given to every text , though they are plainly forewarned of the danger , by those very epistles that they themselves have judged to be true scripture ; but as these few proofes may be sufficient , as i said before , to perswade any reasonable and competent understanding , concerning the infallibility of this assembly , instituted by our saviour , and governed by the holy ghost ; this being granted , that of necessity we must believe the assembly , we cannot by any reason deny our obedience to the authority . but here perhaps may come a new question , according to some athiestical tenents of these times , whether or no god almighty have appointed man any other rules , then the law of nature , measured out only by his own private judgement ? which certainly are most grosse and absurd opinions ; for by these maxims , there should be no difference between men and beasts in their course of living , since the latter have a kinde of order allowed them to use by the meer instinct of nature , though they want reason . as for example , they ingender seasonably , procure to themselves competent food and rest , with a certain care also of their own preservation , and in like manner will defend those of their kinde ; sometimes with the desperate hazard of their lives . and man by this rule should do no more , which not onely seems repugnant to gods wisdome , but is against the dignity of mans creation ; in his not receiving or enjoying some prerogative in his employment whilst he is here , by reason of his eternal condition hereafter ; so that without doubt god almighty intended man , some extraordinary work in this world beyond other creatures that were ordained meerly for his use and subsistence , having placed in him a reasonable and understanding soul. and certainly this employment can be no other then some immediate and particular service belonging to his own worship , which other creatures are not able to perform , as being no way needful for their condition , since they can neither know god , or are to expect any thing after this life is ended . whereas man being capable of both , his creator hath placed him here for some time , that he may make use of his own faculties , either for his benefit or condemnation ; but for a further confirmation of this reason , there never was yet any people so rude and ignorant in their conversation , but used a reverence , if not a real worship or sacrifice to some supposed deity or other , which they not onely counted most sacred , but themselves particularly with a kinde of a wonderful awe were restrained from offending in their conceived rights , as fearing otherwise they might be punished by a supernatural power ; which either shewes that nature it self teacheth all people to observe such principles , or that they had in the general received by tradition some documents to that purpose , from the very infancy of the world , though they had lost the perfect use of them . for it is not to be supposed , that men ever living amongst rocks and mountains , could without any manner of information or instruction , have invented so much of divinity as we have declared , without some inducements , since no mystical profession doth seem to agree with their rough kinde of conversation , or wilde appetites ; and therefore such people could not but desire to be at the most liberty . so that as it is evident , by all the grounds of nature , and arguments of reason , that god almighty hath designed himself a particular worship upon earth , so hath he revealed the manner how to be performed from time to time to his church , which for the most part put it down in writing , conserving such records inviolably without corruption , and delivered them in that manner to posterity with many other truths , by way of verbal tradition , as the articles of our creed , and the like , amongst which precepts we have the ten commandments , that in effect contain the whole law both divine and moral ; wherefore since it is apparant , that our great creator , hath appointed his godhead a real worship in this world from man , answerable to the dignity of his creation ; and that he hath revealed the particulars of his pleasure by scripture , the truth of which records , being to be tryed and approved by the church , having onely the spirit of right interpretation , we are by an infallible consequence not onely to obey , but relye upon this assembly . some general instructions concerning the practice of gods own proper and immediate worship . but now that we have found out that god almighty must have a real worship , we are as well to be instrcted how it must be effected , which may be reduced to these particulars . first , that there must be used a holy and divine sacrifice , that was instituted by our saviour jesus christ , as an essential duty belonging to his majesty and godhead , which cannot appertain by any means to any creature . next we are taught also , that it be performed with an outward reverence and an inward intention , accompanied with love and attentivenesse ; however , more particularly to be observed and put in practice , at those times when we are obliged by the orders and rules of the church , to give our personal attendance at this grand duty commanded . and so by consequence not to entermix our devotions willingly , with any vain or idle cogitations , since if such distractions be frequent , they are apparant demonstrations , that although god almighty hath our body in point of ceremony , yet he doth not possesse the heart in matter of love . for when we are transported by diversity of objects , it is unpossible but that there must be some defect in affection ; to prevent which , when we perceive such distempers , to steal upon our deceived senses and wandering appetites , by reason of the frailty of our nature , that ever seeks the lowest center , according to the base matter of which our bodies were first framed , we are obliged by a speedy and discreet correction ( upon the least apprehension ) to call in question our omissions , before a religious judgement . and this principally , to prevent an ill custome growing upon us , lest it may soon take so great footing in our manners , that if not resisted within a short time , will absolutely , though unawares , destroy that grace in our souls that is necessary , as well to keep us from being overcome by dangerous temptations , as to make up capable of doing good instead of evil . 't is true , such a contention at the first , may prove something irksome to many ; especially to youthful dispositions , that commonly take delight in varieties , who naturally are distasted and wearied with setled objects ; yet certainly the more such a vertue is practised with courage and resolution , the greater ease shall a person finde daily in his devotions , untill it bring him in the end , not onely to obtain an absolute victory over most of his passions , but even to entertain a singular delight in every exercise of religion ; which once made a mans chief businesse , i am perswaded , their is neither honours , sensualities , or any worldly pleasure can afford so much content ; but for the better obtaining of which benefit , we ought not at any time to pretermit our daily and ordinary customes of devout exercises , whether in reading or praying , without urgent occasion , upon any flatt●ring pretensions of conveniency & necessity , that the devil and the flesh do often suggest to our wavering imaginations , as baits onely laid for diversion , lest by such omissions we contract more slothful inclinations in our selves concerning the performance of any vertue ; when as of the contrary , in observing punctually times and seasons for our devotions , we shall apparantly finde a kinde of hearty zeal in our soules towards gods service in most things . as for the purpose , there be some people , that will sit in a manner continually day and night at cards or the like , without ever seeming to be tyred , when as the least time spent in holy exercises , is a vexation to their thoughts : whilst of the other side , such employment to a truely religious man , in a monastery , to be enjoyned him as a penance , would appear perhaps to be a mortification of some extraordinary nature . the reason being onely this , that the one hath procured such a proportion of grace , by his frequent and diligent observation of his duty , that it renders the contrary distastful unto him ; whereas worldly persons have so benummed their zeal , and deaded their understanding by giveing way upon all occasions to sensualities , that nothing seems delightful to their thoughts , that is mixed with any religious observation . also many new converts in their first entrance into religion , appear wonderful zealous in their profession , because for the most part , they employ their whole time concerning the businesse they are about , by reason of the need they have of instruction in forms and customs ; whereas others of a longer standing not seldom are wearied out with knowing too much , and practising too little ; and so by degrees begin to slack in their daily and ordinary devotions , until at last they make what is or ought to be a duty , a meer formal ceremony and no more ; which shews that intentional diligence procures fervour , and fervour obtains grace . but certainly as no cold way of devotion can possibly please god , since he hath declared to spue them out of his mouth , who are onely lukewarm in his service ; so have we multitudes of testimonies even amongst the barbarous gentiles , as if nature it self taught a man a fervour should be used in his religion , without any other instruction . in testimony of which we read , that when agamemnon and the other princes of greece were to take their journey toward the city of troy , it was thought a necessary duty , whereby to make their voyage prosperous , and to appease the anger of the goddess diana , that their captain & general should sacrifice his own daughter ; which truely was a sufficient expression of fear to offend those false deities , as also a most evident argument of the care those people had , diligently to perform their rites , and observe those principles commanded them . in like manner the romans never came home with victory obtained against their enemies , but the first thing they did when they entred the town , was to visit the temple of iupiter in the capitol with triumph , whereby to render thanks to the gods for their successe , and this ceremony was not to be performed by themselves in person , but being accompanied with their whole army , that all might be partakers and joyn in the common duty and sacrifice . in holy scripture we finde that the priests of the dumb idol baal , performed their impious devotions in their contentions with righteous elias , by strange and wonderful cuttings and mangling of their bodies , to render the god propitious to their prayers ; which truly were effectual signs of their earnest thoughts , though pernicious actions . again , with what extraordinary want of compassion both to themselves and posterity , did the deluded people sacrifice thier own children by fire to molech , accompanied with the noise and sound of many instruments , because their ears should not be won to any manner of pity , by reason of their fearful shrikes and cries , whilst their bodies were burning , and consuming in that terrible manner . all which no doubt could not be done without a great deal of fervour and confidence in their horrid and barbarous rights , that at least may serve to reprove the cold practices and customes of these times . besides if we seriously reflect upon the intentional devotion of the tyrannical turks , we may finde perhaps occasion enough ( by reason of their frequent example ) to condemn our extravagant thoughts and loose actions in the performance both of our exterior and interior duties in our sacred and commanded religion : since as it is confidently reported , there are many santons or saints , as they call them , living in that country , who having made a pilgrimage to the tomb of their false prophet mahomet , have put out their own eyes , because they would be no more obliged to behold any earthly things ; as esteeming all other sights ( after this supposed holy journey ) most vile and prophane , and in this manner resolve ; to die cloystered up in some dark dungeon , excluded from the conversation of mankinde . o god , if the devil have such power , to infuse these resolutions into the stony hearts of ignorant infidels , what infernal madnesse is it , that not onely obstructs so much divine cogitations of christians , being present at those sacred mysteries , but , when they are absent , involves all their thoughts and actions in a thousand fantastical and dangerous sensualities : to whom i must proclaim , that their condition in the day of judgement , will be a million of times worse , then the state of those that ignorantly worship any false deity , with a hearty zeal : for certainly god almighty more looks at the intention of man , then at the capacity he hath to do him service , since no humane employment whatsoever can in its own nature , any way be beneficial to his godhead or divinity , but meerly by accident as it tends to our own salvation , wherein his mercy and goodnesse doth more abundantly appear . wherefore as we see , not onely by the direction of the church , but by the examples of all other people in the world , there is a necessity of a certain kinde of fervour in all manner of acts of devotion ; however , more especially in the essential part of gods worship ; so ought it be esteemed the most highest treason against the majesty of god to deny him publiquely , when there is occasion of such confession , or hypocritically to use this service as a stall only to compasse wordly ends by a seeming though not hearty compliance : and to this purpose often-times perhaps many people come to the sacraments , bespotted inwardly with divers hidden crimes , without having made due examination of their own consciences , or putting on any resolution to mend either for the present , or perchance to quit their sins till they leave them . in which posture they neither make true confessions , or resolve upon any charitable satisfaction ; whereas we are obliged by the declared principles of this infallible church , i have so often mentioned ( the very conduit that conveys unto us , if not the grace of god , yet at leastwise the knowledge how we may obtain it ) to cleer our consciences from all fraud and deceit ; and with a most humble and sorrowful reverence , to approach those high and dreadful mysteries , ordained for mans salvation . which being impiously perverted , turn into the worst corruption concerning our manners ; however , it self being intirely pure , can receive no detriment at all . wherefore i say , let those fantastical spirits , that either make ends or humour a parcel , if not oftentimes the chief part of their religion , take heed , lest not onely the judgement of god punish with rigour their hypocrisies in the next world , which will not be prevented , but also shew some marks of his indignation in this life , against their impious dissemblings ; since many terrible examples might be produced to that effect out of very approved authors , if there were any need to strengthen this certainty by humane relations . for it is sufficient we have admonitions and instructions out of very scripture it self , the best warrant of all others , which saith , omitting divers others , that the flesh profiteth nothing ; to be understood in my opinion , that the receiving of the blessed sacrament availeth not one jot in outward ceremonie , unlesse it be accompanied by a real and pure intention of the receiver . which was also apparantly verifyed in the last supper our saviour made with his apostles , when as the eleven were strongly confirmed in their faith and vertue , by their good intentions in that holy institution and exercise , as bringing love to accompany their duty and service , whereas iudas that wicked traytor eat christs body with a false heart and a corrupt soule , which made him not onely at that very instant go go forth hastily to perform his horrible intention , without seeming at all to reflect upon the hainousnesse of his crime , but afterwards it took from him the least appearance of any grace , insomuch as he neither could not repent , or have any confidence in gods forgivenesse ; and therefore , onely in a desperate manner returned the money he had taken , and presently went and hanged himself , who else might have found as much mercy as the thief did upon the crosse ; since gods goodnesse is beyond all transgressions of man , provided there be a fitting compliance on his part ; which however as i say , cannot be obtained , being accompanyed with any manner of hypocrisie and dissimulation , in regard god almighty is onely the god of truth , and not of deceit , as himself hath often declared . besides , saint paul tells us , that he that takes the sacrament unworthily , decerneth not the lords body , to his further guilt and condemnation . so that we may confidently conclude , who doth not prepare himself as he should , in the entertaining of this admirable benefit intended for mans preservation and salvation , doth fit his person the readier for the devils service and possession ; since ( as i said before ) god almighty doth chiefly aym at the heart and intention , without which he will not be pleased , by what formality soever ; neither can his omnipotent justice be cousened by any humane hypocrisie , since his divine science was able , as you have heard , to sift the subtile thoughts of the very angels before they fell ; wherefore it is a most ridiculous chymera to think , that the grosse craft of man can cover or conceal anything from his infinite knowledge , and as much simplicity accompanied with impiety , to believe , that man hath power to prevent his own punishment , if he offend this omnipotent science in this nature . which being granted , the onely way to make this necessary preparation is , exactly to follow the rules and directions of the church ; that is , intirely to be sorrowful for our faults , to confesse them truly without any manner of guile or affectation ; and lastly ( though not least of all ) to make full and willing satisfaction to any we have injured , without all which conditions , as no seeming absolution that is given , can be valid , so shall the receiving not onely be most horrid , but the greatest sacriledge can be committed upon earth , since neither long prayers , exact fastings , or frequent almes deeds can profit anything to purpose , without these punctual or intentional observations : for it s said that god almighty is a jealous god , and will not be satisfied without our whole heart and best actions , which being freely bestowed upon him , he is not onely most easie to be pleased , but ready in every occasion to cover and forgive the frailty of our nature , that at the best hath sufficient need of the assistance of his heavenly grace , being else able to do nothing . these considerations may serve to put us in minde as well of our own duty that we owe our creator , by an exterior and interior sacrifice , with other observations contained ( upon the matter ) in the first three commandments belonging immediately to the proper and particular worship of god ; as also ought bring in like manner into our remembrance other duties , appertaining to humanity and conversation , numbred , as i may say , in the last seven injunctions delivered to moses . where it may be noted , that god almighty was pleased to shew a most admirable goodnesse , in that he took but three commandments to himself , and left the rest for our neighbours benefit , whereby the better to conserve charity in all our intentions . but for that the suppressing of our passions and appetites is the only way to begin these common duties , without which they cannot well be performed , i shall discourse chiefly upon two capital sins , namely pride and sensuality , which in truth contain or occasion all other vices ; the one seeming to bear greatest domination in the soul , as the other doth in the body . and first i will speak of pride , in regard it maketh war with the noblest part , that we have immediately received from god by way of infusion , though joyned with our earthly substance , or over-powred by it , it becometh lesse able to act towards the intention of our creation . of pride beeng the chief vice belonging to the soule . pride , i may say , not onely fools the understanding to errour , but involves our actions with injustice . being composed of partial self-love , and extraordinary false opinion , not suffering us to know our selves rightly , or behold others with indifferency . and was so odious to almighty god in the beginning , that he punished the first demonstration thereof in the angels , by the greatest effects of his wrath , as of the contrary , he redeemed mankinde by the highest example of humility , condemning them without revocation , because they had so offended against the majesty of his glory , with a kinde of a knowing presumption , and saved us by the passion of his onely son , for that our frailty seemed something to plead our pardon before the throne of his mercy . pride confounded pharoah and all his host in the red sea , when as the humility of moses conducted the children of israel safely to the land of promise . in fine , the meeknesse of the blessed virgin made her the mother of god , the greatest prerogative could be bestowed upon mortality : and insolency turned the mightiest monarch of the earth into the nature of a beast , onely to feed upon the herbs of the field . this violent lunacy , i say , is the more hard to be perceived , for that however it be lofty in its own proper quality , yet it doth not alone appertain to persons of the highest conditions , which shewes it claims a hidden and secret interest in the soule , not alwayes appearing visible ; for that there must be some certain concurrency of power to make it shew it self to others ; however , it proves to be of a most dangerous consequence , when it gains too great a liberty of working amongst the common people , that lack both education and discretion to temper their own rude appetites ; as being not so sensible as nobler persons of honour and humanity , which renders them altogether barbarous , when eminency as an object of their envy , comes within the compasse of their power and spight , which might be demonstrated by many sad , bloody , and terrible examples . but as it is unpossible to judge rightly of this humour in the disposition of any man , because it consists in so many several expressions , and appears upon divers and multitudes of occasions , so is there no better a way to finde the disease in a bodies own person , then strictly to sift the conscience by the rules of reason and religion , with a kinde of equal consideration , free from all partiality ; that is to say , whether or no he intend all the honour and esteem he desireth , chiefly for the service of god , accompanied with a due consideration of the intention of his creation , whereby he may not exact from another in his mind some unlawful due , more then appertains unto himself , to some others losse or derogation ; for otherwise i will not call any manner of respect that is desired pride . since as naturally we can but covet our own good , and so consequently to attempt esteem . so when it is demanded and required with moderation , as an indubitable right belonging to our fortune , merit , and condition , there is no injury at all done , either to god or a third person . for no doubt every man may as well conserve his honour as his estate , both being inherent rights to him and his posterity . and certainly those that deny us those national dues , are not onely themselves injurious , but may be justly taxed of pride , if not of rude insolency ; which i rather say , because in these days there may be noted a strange kinde of injurious intention in most of the inferior sort of people , to withdraw themselves from observing all ancient decorum in this nature . an appetite in my opinion that hath not onely lately distracted exceedingly the government of this kingdom , but hath destroyed already much of the glory of the nation , since convenient degrees must be observed to render any commonwealth happy , lest confusion at last take away what is necessary for magistracy and obedience towards peace and unity . but of the contrary , if we perceive our inclinations only given to study vaingloriously our own private esteem , without having either due consideration of others rights , or charitably being willing to reflect upon meaner conditions , in that they are subordinate to us in the worlds eye , though equal with us in creation ; without doubt we may conclude , that some dangerous inflammations doth possess our inward parts that will not long want a subject to work upon . neverthelesse the humour of it self for the most part is ridiculous , since it is not the vain opinion of our own personal deserts , that can render us more worthy in the thoughts of others , if we deserve not the consideration , and if we do merit a particular regard in some few things , we destroy that estimation we covet oftentimes by expressing too much violence in the desire . there is another kinde of ignoble pride , proceeding from low and poore thoughts , and not from the inflammation of honour and courage , which makes people , though insolent in posterity , yet most base and dejected in adversity , rather courting respect and esteem by way of flattery , from contemptible persons upon any false tearms of injustice , then industriously endeavouring brave and gallant designs to gain commendations . this i know to be the custome of many , who seem to desire vulgar peoples applause , when they appear carelesse of the knowing approbation of religious and worthy men , either being perhaps confident of the number of the commenders , or not having a sufficient capacity to judge of the right value of both . however , to compasse which the better , they will professe a kinde of equality in their actions , with the worst of their companions , as if neither birth nor vertue were to be esteemed : pretending this to be done out of good nature and some humility extraordinary in their dispositions , so to level themselves with others , when i am confident often times , is proceeds from the quintescence of pride , as not knowing else how to be so well observed . thus much i have said , because i would not have these low humours of the age be taken for humility , or a constant and laudable bravery in mens thoughts and actions , to be interpreted pride , since the custome of the one , and the want of practice of the other , not onely made our ancestors glorious , but have rendred our selves most unhappy . for where stations are not kept to measure out to people their desert , it is unpossible with any confidence or alacrity to prosecute to the end the course of vertue ; which rome , however a commonwealth , observed most punctually , or else could never have come to that greatnesse ; and to this purpose all degrees had their places , to distinguish worth and merit , as marks of political reward , though now that rule and order , as i may say , is esteemed either folly or presumption . 't is true , i cannot deny , but there hath been shewed often times in the actions of great monarchs , too great an insolence concerning their deportments ; ignorance certainly being the cause at any time , why pride appears too much to outward view . but withal , we finde nero the very worst of humane monsters , was more then besotted in his disposition , with a vain and foolish ambition of popular praise , that rendered him not onely ridiculous to all men of a noble and worthy conversation , but made him really cruel to all such as opposed that humour , not being willing to see a mighty emperour contend with common fidlers in the open theatre , for vulgar applause , and in that posture to wipe away the sweat with his own hand , because the people were delighted with his observation of their ordinary customs ; which certainly he did only because he was transported with a mad and preposterous desire of praise , proceeding no doubt , from the highest instigation of pride . and yet this proud man was so base in his disposition , though foolish in his thoughts , that when his wickednesse had deservedly tumbled him from his empire , his deluded fancy was yet bewitched with a ridiculous vain-glory , insomuch , as he aymed at nothing but to be consined into the country of egypt , there to exercise his trade of singing amongst the common people , whose applause he violently coveted ( as it may be imagined ) beyond all other greatnesse . so that we may conclude , as pride often times is accompanied with the worst cruelty , so not seldom is it joyned with a contemptible want of courage : witnesse also the ordinary people of holland , who are insolent without measure , and yet cowardly beyond other nations ; however , they have had alwayes that good fortune , to make other countries to fight for their pride , which themselves personally durst not maintain . certainly , a noble disposition either hates pride , or tempers it with humanity , which at least renders it sufferable , whereas the contrary makes it barbarous . but for that the effects are divers , according to accidents and natures , we shall discourse a little of several parts of this humor . many dependencies belonging to this infernal lady pride . there is no doubt but pride may be without envy , though envy cannot be without pride ; therefore may be likened to extracted poyson from a dangerous plant , for that pride is not deadly of it self , but by way of use and application , retaining the capacity , though not always working the effect . but envy of the contrary , ever hurts either a mans self or others ; and remains like a concealed flame , at the best seeking occasion to burst forth to the destruction of some good thing , and in the interim consumes where it lies hid . neither can it at all be satisfied , because it ayms not onely at unreasonable , but unpossible periods ; that is , to darken the sun-shine of vertue , which will now and then appear in spight of what black clouds soever of malice , for that it is of a pure and prevailing substance by nature ; whereas those of grosser and more ignoble composures are dispersed by every winde or little rain of discovery ; for although false and counterfeit stones , sometimes with false and sophisticated art , may shew fair to the view of ignorant persons , yet when the diamond is produced in competition , they soon lose their luster and belief . most commonly this appetite is ingendred in those persons , who are defective in themselves , though they do not sufficiently perceive their own infirmity , and lesse the capacity of others to discern ; and by that means in a wrong posture go about to set up their particular esteem , or violently seek to pull down others to their own level . this humour truly is so much practised in this age , as i have heard some say , that shortly it would be esteemed a crime to laugh , for fear of being held to enjoy too much innocent content , though without other eminency . which makes me in my thoughts to cry out for academies , to instruct youth in vertue and morality . for if people would but strive by a noble industry , to render themselves deserved patterns of emulation , and not examples of envy to others , there would be no time left them , to entertain so unprofitable a disposition , from whence proceeds nothing but falsenesse in conversation , distraction in absence , and revenge in actions , without any benefit at all purchased therby , either to present content , or future satisfaction . as envy may be said to be a corroding mineral , drawn from that huge mountain pride , so revenge may be compared to hot and firy vapours , that often break from thence , to a kinde of ominous destruction . or rather may be termed prides worst executioner & bloody servant . but however , it aims always at dangerous and unhappy periods , yet certainly the progresse it makes for the most part is sweet and pleasant to depraved natures , since it affords not onely delight by reason of that victory it alwayes hopes for , but prove extreamly pleased and satisfied , being obtained ; however , i must confesse , the joy indures not long ; for most commonly some kinde of despair followes soon after ; yet neverthelesse , in the interim during the prosecution , a wicked man is not much tormented in his thoughts , for that the passion of revenge , doth alwayes transcend the apprehension of danger , which is the reason that so unhappy a resolution is continued ; for notwithstanding it proceeds no further then intention , wanting time and conveniency to execute , yet the determination all the while is so strongly accompanyed , with hope of effecting , and so busied in seeking the best opportunity , that it never gives a person of a malicious nature , leasure to be sad or melancholly : whereas of the contrary , envy seems still to oppresse with a cold despair , that never affords any manner of content or satisfaction . although envy be the less dangerous properly , yet certainly revenge is the more noble humour , for that it is still accompanyed with some hazard , whereas the other seems ever to bark afar off , or whisper privately in the dark ; though perchance neither have hearts good enough to forgive , or great enough to forget ; revenge is justifiable in none but in the supreme power , who is pleased to call his divine justice by that name ; for he may onely revenge injuries with rutribution , whilst we alone can but consider them with an intention of prevention , since if we go further , we do but usurp his office and condemn our selves . neverthelesse , we may safely punish , having lawful commission , derived from his heavenly sword of justice , established here upon earth for our more honest and regular conversation ; though this too must be put in execution without all partiality , lest revenge happen to be encreased by hypocrisie under the pretence of justice . the next imperfection of the soul i will mention shall be vain-glory , which in truth is no other then a certain kind of weak lunacy or fantastical madnesse , ingendred between pride and want of judgement , for that instead of perswading our actions to be esteemed by others , thereby we make our own persons become ridiculous ; since for the most part we dream that every extravagancy , should procure belief and opinion in those , that have no cause to be partial . besides , the humour or vanity is accompanied with some species of ill nature , as well as folly ; for they that possesse these fancies in their dispositions , look so much upon thir own passions , that they altogether passe by anothers deserts , by which means they fall oftentimes to be hated by all , instead of being valued by any ; as it were never seeing but through a perspective glasse , at both ends , where they either behold too much , or apprehend too little ; not being able to judge rightly of their own wants or others perfections . by which means they appeare most commonly like men half drunk , that are readier for expression , though unfitter for action . which i may say again , is a passion so much in fashion in these times , that people seem to be transported with certain thoughts , as if they had been onely their own creators ▪ scarce allowing god almighty any share at all in their being and fortunes . to cure this disease , men ought to look upon god not onely as the author of every good , but also to conceive each reasonable creature to be framed by the same hand , wherein no difference hath been made and intended , but by accident or grace . for as the diamond and the flint are not of equal vertues in every respect ; so each is profitable in its kinde : the one bearing price , as the other produceth fire ; wherein the latter seemes notwithstanding better to comply with mans commodity , though the former rather procures admiration . so that if we have parts above others in our own apprehensions , let us make use of them with modesty , and they will appear more illustrious to the eye of the world ; if we want such abilities , though we may ( in some sort ) cover our defects , we ought rather make them up with our goodnesse , then render our selves worse by assuming what is none of our own , to the injury of others . disobedience is not onely another effect of pride , but was the first sin that ever was committed upon earth by humanity , wherein god almighty was so displeased against man , that nothing but the death of his own son could asswage his wrath . besides , the contrary is so necessary a property to be continued ed in all conditions , that the world cannot subsist without it . however , i may boldly say , this latter age hath not onely created strange thoughts concerning this duty , but almost hourely produceth wonderful examples against the maxime : however we shall set down only three common duties of this kinde , proceeding from the first infancy of the world , which have been made good eversince , both by the commandments of god , and all moral documents . we will first begin with that obedience that is due from children to their parents , which ( setting aside gods own immediate precepts ) is an obligation challenged by way of natural right , for having brought us into the world , that else should have been nothing ; children are bound to afford their parents , at all times , and upon every fitting occasion , an obsequious reverence , though never so much under anothers jurisdiction ; as also another duty of gratitude for their education and preservation in their infancy , which neverthelesse is to be esteemed more or lesse , according to the care was had of their persons , when they were not able to provide for themselves ; insomuch , as no deficiency of the parents part ( in my opinion ) can take away altogether that humane respect and honour that is due by nature . as for example , when a daughter is bestowed in marriage , although by that means she becometh under anothers jurisdiction , and in that regard , cannot dispose of her self without her husbands leave , towards their service , yet certainly she is still obliged to afford them upon all convenient occasions , a dutiful reverence ; neverthelesse , i must confesse in these times , we hold it sufficient satisfaction , if children become not wholly reprobates to their own destruction , without having any consideration of their parents particular . the next obligation of obedience is due from servants to their masters , which however it be limited to time and contract , is not onely to be observed in conscience according to the conditions agreed upon ; but also there is a civil duty of respect to be observed , after the time is expired , unlesse some just cause hath been given to the contrary . but , for that i intend to speak something more hereof in another place , i shall mention onely now the last obedience , which is due from the subjects to their prince , instituted , as i may say , in the beginning of the world , which may be divided into three kinds . the first was that purchased by nimrod , being wholly usurped and therefore might have been cast off again , upon the first opportunity : however , the continuance did perhaps render it lawful to posterity . the second was domestick or voluntary , verified in the person af abraham , over his pious and godly family , which was approved no doubt by god almighty , when he commanded them to fight with those who had taken unjustly lot prisoner ; again , abrahams dominion was justified , when he tyed his servant ▪ by an oath to provide a wife for his son : and the last is that of compact and agreement , which makes subjects by their own consent become under the power of rule , as may be testified by pharoah and his people ; which work was brought about by ioseph , when his subjects changed their liberty for subsistence and livelihood . and this being contracted for , and afterward confirmed by proscription , could not again be cast off , without incurring the penalties belonging to rebellion . for the jews could not have avoided the lawfulnesse of the jurisdiction ( notwithstanding their cruel persecution and slavery ) but that it was the declared will of god , revealed particularly to moses , this by that means they should be freed from their misery , under whose power are rightly contained , all the governments of the earth . ingratitude is not onely another effect of pride , but may be said to be a most ignoble property , since it doth not onely defraud goodnesse of its due , but seems not willingly to encourage vertue in any kind which was the reason that the wise and brave romans , ranked it amongst the worst of vices , and to that purpose appointed punishments for the offehders . god almighty first fell out with cain for his ingratitude , though he afterwards condemned him for his hypocrisie . truly i may affirm , this vice appears to have gotten a particular jurisdiction in this nation at present , since many of those most obliged prove the greatest traytors to their benefactors ; neither is this done covertly and in the dark , but most commonly is owned as a piece of excellent wit ; and so consequently esteemed a kinde of vertue , for servants to be unfaithful in their duty , or friends to deceive trusts committed unto them : and so far hath private interest taken possession of honour , good nature , and conscience , that every person that walks according to these old maxims , is either esteemed a fool or a heretick . certainly god punished the devils with the greater indignation , for that in their thoughts they were unwilling to be thankful for his benefits ; whereas man had a condition annexed to his condemnation , because it was frailty rather then an intention of ingratitude , that caused him to offend ; however , he seemed more really and punctually to have broken his commandment . for my part i hold those as worthy that raise monuments to vertue , as those which good fortune hath made famous ; since however they may have wanted the opportunity and conveniency of acting , yet neverthelesse they retain in their minds a certain intention of honour . the next appetite of pride is ambition , however it is onely it but by accident or intention , since nothing renders that name unlawful , but either too much passion in the prosecution , or over much desire by way of private interest ; yet some perhaps will quarrel with the name onely , which i cannot but except against ; for as the too much coveting of honour and preferment out of a personal respect , renders the desire unjustifiable : and so by consequence proves to be a meer ambition ; so of the other side , a moderate seeking of a just esteem , is no more then a natural indulgency , warrantable in our humane condition , since without this hope for the most part , our noble endeavours should want recompence , whereby mens vertuous intentions would cool in the prosecution , before they could come to a ripenesse fit for use or example . for if our frail natures had no other object to behold , then barely that reward we are to expect in the next world , it is to be much feared , that people would grow so slack in endeavouring of laudable ( nay i may say ) necessary things , that at last all honour and vertue would be in danger to be wholly neglected , by which means unworthy persons should com to be of equal authority with the best , and no priviledge at all given to industry . as for example ; what souldier would expose himself willingly to the hazard of the cannon , without some expectation of recompence from his general ; or if a baser man then he were to be esteemed alike . nay let us but consider , how many great schollers or grave clergy-men , notwithstanding they are sufficiently acquainted with the depth of conscionable rules and maximes , would with so much violence follow their studies to gain learning , unlesse they thought their science should advance them above other men in estimation ? though some few may be found altogether mortified in their worldly passions . we see also children and youths are induced to learn , by promised honour and preferment in their studies during their being at school . and certainly their pious and religious masters , would not ingraft in their tender yeers such principles , if every kinde of ambition in its own nature were unlawful ; for most commonly what inclinations we take when we are young , do very seldom quit us in our age ; and more especially those thoughts , that tast either of ambition or covetousnesse . wherefore we may be satisfied , that it is not the desiring of any lawful thing that creates an ambition in our mindes , but the over desiring onely ; and truly in doing so , we do but resemble a bedlam , who violently catcheth at a handful of ayre , supposing he hath something in his hand , which being opened , proves but imagination . for the too much desire increaseth opinion , and that is made lesse by experience , until at last it falls into nothing at all , agreeing with our imaginary expectation . lastly , we will come to the covetousnesse of the age , a mad effect also of the minde , wherein for the most part little reality appears , in that we desire to be owners more of wealth , then to have the sruition thereof ; since commonly in our own persons we make use but of a small portion of what we covet ; it seems to have the neerest affinity with ambition , for as the extream aspiring man gives his thoughts no repose , by reason of his over aiming desires ; so cannot the avaritious person scarce afford his necessities sufficient , in regard of that craving and unsatisfied humour . wherefore properly , they may both be esteemed brothers in folly , as well as in sin . since alike they onely please the fancy , not reflecting at all , upon the impossibility of compassing what is desired ; for the period will still be behinde do what we can , if there be either a greater or a richer man in the world then our selves ; and though there should not be any to exceed us , yet certainly our thoughts would run at new chymera's , either above the clouds , or under the earth . however , i do not say , that either of these appetites are unlawful , but in the handling ; for as we may desire honour , so may we purchase wealth ; provided it be with the conditions of justice and moderation . but o the infernal covetousnesse of the times ! when neither kindred , friendship , gratitude or religion , are considerations to be put in competition with self interest . to get wealth we deny our blood ; to get wealth we violently break the strongest bonds of trust : to get wealth we forget all courtesies ; to get wealth we forbear no sacriledge , in justice , or hypocrisie ; in conclusion , to obtain this troublesome we know not what ; we slight our parents , we disobey our magistrates , we rob churches , we commit murthers , and live in communication more like ravenous beasts then humane creatures , laughing in wardly at all considerations of charity , as onely a vain and ridiculous opinion ; however ordained as a sacred tye from above , to unite affections in the service of our great creator , without which it is unpossible to please him or save our selves . and thus have i in some sort run through these few passions of the minde , as representations onely of the things we ought to avoid , that properly belonging to pride ; which is the chief mother of mischief that disquieteth the soul , and hinders it from placing her principal felicity in another sphere , where there is absolute honour , content , and security to be had ; the fruition of which , as i say , for the most part , are hindred by the extraordinary inflammations of this fantastical humour , being kindled and set on fire by the devils craft , and nourished and fed by the worlds vanities . so that now we must fall upon a new discourse , concerning the imperfections of the body , which however , they are of a more grosse and dull nature ; yet are they of little lesse power then the former to destroy in us , not onely the effects , but the very appetites of vertue . for however perhaps they do not raise our thoughts to the forementioned whimsies and chymera's , yet they blunt and stupifie our apprehensions in such a manner , that we become in time wholly drowned in a sea of sense and stupidity , not much caring , and lesse knowing what we do however it must be granted , that this lady and generall queen called luxurie , hath in like manner as well as pride , many attendants , that operate according to severall inclinations and dispositions in our fleshly and more ignoble parts , which in order we shall briefly touch as we have occasion . some kinde of description of sensuality . sensuality may be esteemed either one generall corruption proceeding from a poisoned education , or a whole magazin of imperfections , demonstrated according to accidents and opportunity , that for the most part are increased by custome , & continued in age , which seldome admits of any thought of repentance in a man untill the very last houre ; and then too perhaps with so little efficacy , that it proves more formall then beneficiall . in this progresse and journey of luxury , the noble soule appeares so to be imprisoned with aboundance of confused obstructions , that it hath not sufficient liberty given it to produce any thing worthy of its dignity and creation , as i may say , like some learned philosopher , captivated amongst boores and clownes , that are neither sensible of honour , or capable of instruction : as the angels fels fell by pride which is no other then a lunacy of the minde , so man offended in sensuality that is an inchantment of the flesh ; and god almighty seemed to ballance these two sinnes by a certaine kind of equality in his heavenly determination ; for that , as he punished the divels for their presumption , with an irrevocable decree , not at all admitting any condition or hope of satisfaction ; so did he redeem man by so admirable a way , as it seemed to exceed the others condemnation and losse : this vice of all others in my opinion , proceeds from the poornesse of mens spirits , either that they would not take education when they might have had it , whereby to have been able better to have imployed their minds in noble cogitations , and honourable actions , or else being overcome by the predomination of their senses , have sloathfully lost that courage that was necessary to maintaine vertue in their thoughts and intentions . truly we see it is the very propertie of most unreasonable creatures , to conserve with some care and industry the beauty of their being , though not made for eternity , since they to that purpose doe daily order their naturall cloathing to the best advantage , avoyding in the interim all occasions to doe themselves injury and disgrace , lest they might become unusefull in their severall kinds ; and yet a sensuall man is not ashamed to sully his soule , and bespot his reputation , not only with wicked , but preposterous vices , almost of all natures and conditions , to gaine a little satisfaction to his appetites , however in effect he continues still unsatisfied : for i will be bold to say , most commonly such people are so opprest either with sad and heavy thoughts , or overviolent longings , as they are constrained to drive out one vexation after another with new excesses , which serve for no other end but the more to inflame their desires , untill at last they are brought to such a stupidity , that every appetite whatsoever becomes even unpleasant . thus consuming their discontented houres in fancies instead of realities , like men in dangerous and desperate dropsies , the more they drink to satisfie their thirst , the lesse have they ease of their paine : but however it be not supposed , that all esteemed sensuall people are thus buried alive in a stupidity of viciousnesse , yet neverthelesse give me leave to say , that i have known some eminent persons in these times , that in their youth were famed beyond measure , for the excellency both of their naturall and artificiall parts and abilities , as well for learning and eloquence , as spirit and courage : yet at last falling into sensuality , according to the custome of the age , they did not onely cast off from their thoughts all manner of seeming apprehension of these noble vertues , but in a short space became also most cowardly and base in their dispositions , in so much as they were content upon all occasions to submit unto the poorest , fearfullest , and lowest kind of submission could almost possibly be put upon them , rather then move any way to action or vertue : which in my conceipt are admirable effects of this sordid and inglorious imperfection , when it getteth so great a prerogative in mans nature , that the soule hath lost absolutely her priviledge and honour : witnesse marke anthony , that once noble roman , who most contemptuously lost both his empire and life , by reason of his sensualities ; for in his last expedition that was to determine the monarchy of the world , he left his souldiers fighting , and shamefully followed cleopatra to her regall city of alexandria , where they were accustomed to spend whole nights and daies in severall luxuries : as another example of basenesse by reason of this ignoble inclination , we may look upon the emperour vitelius , who having gained the dominion from otho by the sword , he lost it againe to vespasian in sensuality ; for which his subjects did so extreamly contemne his person , that being at last taken prisoner in regard of his adversaries prevailing power , he was so shamefully used by the rabble and common people , that a noble man of honour passing by at the same time , was forced ( though not out of compassion to his person , yet out of a respect to that dignity he had once enjoyed ) to runne him through with his weapon , because he should not endure more disgrace of that miserable nature . and in this manner did this luxurious prince , ( who in his youth notwithstanding was a gallant man , as appeared by his deportment in germany ) end his wretched daies , as a just reward for his so much degenerating from his former vertues , by his frequent sensualities and debaucheries ; whilst his parcimonious and abstonious enemy in the mean time raigned with all prosperity and glory could be imagined , not onely accompanied with multitudes of famous conquests , but also left after him for his eternall memory , most wonderfull buildings and monuments ; a great part of which being extant to the amazement of the beholders . wherefore i must conclude , that sensuality takes away from a man the noble & reasonable property of the soule , that should not onely cleare his understanding , to the discerning of reputation , but to the practising of vertue ; which being stupefied and obstructed , as i say , by continuall ease and pleasure , the spirit at last becomes so adulterated , that it is unpossible to entertaine any thing in the disposition , but some base pride or envy , which for the most part never leaves such people as long as they live ; being alwaies maintained and nourished by those flatteries , that accident or rather a kinde of necessity hath cast upon such men , to keepe them waking with some entertainments of recreation : and this is the reason , that no discourses in a manner are heard in their mouths , but detraction proceeding from the very spirit of malice , because they cannot be at all confident of any goodnesse in themselves , whereby to commend laudable vertues in others . besides , there may be alwaies noted a kinde of cruelty in their natures , proceeding from that they are apt to suspect every thing but flattery : notwithstanding that deceives them most of all , being in truth the greatest sensuality of all others ; for that clawes the soule with such a bewitching harmony , that people who are so inclined , become metamorphosed like vlysses companions , till at last they become even hoggs instead of men . for another testimony of what i say , concerning the nature and corruption of sensuality , let us but looke backe at the actions of alexander , who in the first entrance into his conquest , was mercifull , active , and faithfull , and yet after when he began to tast too much of the persian luxuries , he became cruell , suspitious and proud , in so much as he neither spared his best friends , nor regarded the wisest philosophers , who proved in the end to be so overcome and inchanted by flattery , that he not only esteemed those people his mortall enemies , that would not adore him for a god , but destroyed their persons with as much spight and malice as could be imagined , untill he rendered himselfe to his own native country hatefull , if not in some sort ridiculous ; which truly amongst others are most pregnant examples to shew how much a man goes from himselfe , when he falls too precipitatly into sensuality ; as of the contrary what noble thoughts and gallant actions people are capable of , as long as they keepe their soules cleare from obstructions of this nature . for according to my observation , i never read of a temperate person , that was not attended upon with many other eminent vertues , that made him both happy and famous , whilest of the other side i have observed for the most part , all noted tyrants to be branded with a kind of an infamous opinion of luxury , in the whole course of their lives . certainly temperance and activity , are the badges of nobility and wisdome , when as sloath and sensuality , are onely inchantments of flesh and bloud , that worke men out of their wits , goodnesse and honour , to make them slaves to the devill and misery : but however in some sort this may serve for a generall demonstration of this naturall imperfection , or rather deprivation of grace , by reason of a mans own selfe , wanting a necessary courage to resist both weake and strong temptations of this life ; yet for that , as i said before , there are severall distempers arising or belonging to this grand stupidity , though not all appertaining alike to each person and disposition , we shall mention now the quality and practice of some particular vices , as i conceive , now adaies most in fashion and use , which may be counted meer dependencies upon sensuality . gluttony a chiefe effect of sensuality , with other vices also belonging thereunto . and first we will begin with gluttony , as seeming to have the next affinity with it . truly , in this vice man doth not onely come neerest to the nature of a beast , since procuring of food is its chiefe pleasure and property , but by way of intemperance ; when practised inordinately in this particular , he seems to exceed unreasonable creatures in dishonour ; for however they appeare to take their chiefe felicity in eating , yet neverthelesse they feed with some order , by instinct and the direction of their kind , thereby to render themselves more fit for the use they were created ; and to that purpose will scarce at any time goe beyond their bounds by any manner of excesse , if they be left to their owne dispose ; also procuring to themselves being diseased , remedies of nature : witnesse the gallant falcon , that takes frequently stones for casting and clensing of her body , whereby to avoyd all superstuities , to be the better able to make use of her wings for flight , when she hath occasion to shew her courage ; neither ordinarily will she covet meat , but when she findes her gorge absolutely emptied of other food : in like manner , every little and contemptible cur , after he hath sufficiently eaten to fill his belly , with a certain kind of temperate providence wil endeavor to hide the rest , to be reserved for another repast , without any signe at all of gluttony , as if nature had taught him what was best to be done for his own preservation ; whilst an intemperate man , of all other creatures , seems by his continuall excesses , neither to be governed by reason nor nature : insomuch i have heard many say , that provided they had good meat , they did not care if they were alwaies obliged to eate it in a hogs-stie , or any other contemptible or dishonourable place ; as if the very delight and happinesse of their soules consisted in nothing but eating and drinking : nay further , in these latter times this dull satisfaction of mens appetites hath been so taken up by custome , that not onely women of the best quality , have not been ashamed ordinarily to frequent most impudent and confused entertainments , in base and obscure tavernes , but also to shew the greater and more extraordinary profusenesse in those meetings ; feasts of no small expence have been made without table-cloathes or any other convenient furniture , where nothing for the most part was to be heard , but a certaine confused noise , with the exercise of burning of dublets , and drinking healths out of shooes , instead of distinct discourses and commendable recreations : so that i may boldly say , that god almighty hath found us out in these follies ; and certainly will never leave punishing us untill we become more moderate , since in my opinion it is not to be doubted , but these kinds of debaucheries so frequently practised have been the greatest cause of our present miseries that we so much complaine of ; for by such courses the noble men not onely lost their honours , but the gentry spent their estates , not leaving themselves sufficient interest in the country to govern the people , with any advantage tending to peace and unity ; and so by degrees their own tenants necessarily began to stand more peremptorily upon their own feet , by which meane men of smallest quality came in play , to the overthrow of those of the better sort . besides this generall intemperancy , most violently raigning amongst the commanders in the late kings warres , proved of such an unfortunate consequence to his affaires , by reason of that wilde liberty that every man took to himselfe , that probably it lost him his kingdome : for , by this means order and rule in his army was turned into confusion , whereby duties became neglected , trusts corrupted , and mens courages adulterated , in so much as his officers instead of giving testimonies of their valour and conduct , they brought their reputations into nothing but scorn and contempt , untill at last they lost both themselves and cause , to those their thoughts never esteemed before . the next attendant that seems to wait upon this swoln lump of sensuality is lascivious love , that seeks onely to satisfie sense , without having the intention of prosecuting the end of society , according to the ordination of god almighty in paradise . which appetite i say , although it be most agreeing with the nature of humanity , and in that regard many brave persons have erred , yet certainly lust doth not onely sympathize with the condition of a beast , that is carryed on to that act by a fleshly delight without other design , but seemeth in us to taste something more of wild concupiscence ; for however they ingender by kinde without any regard of mixture , because they have no rule prescribed for their actions , yet providence hath ordained such a temper in their proceedings , that for the most part they observe times and seasons for their copulation . which shewes that nature in them onely intends procreation , that is all the marriage they are appointed to make , whereby their kinde or species may be preserved upon earth , when as man involved in this sin , doth not appeare to be restrained either by nature or grace , but runs on violently in the prosecution of his appetites with a more raging madnesse then those animals , that have but two things enjoyned them by god and nature , which is procreation and food . when i reflect upon these considerations , i cannot but wonder at some people , who having been reproved for their excessivenesse in this vice , and to this purpose were demanded , why they having such noble and beautiful wives , did not content themselves rather with their companies and conversations , then with base women of a far inferiour degree to them in all manner of perfections , they presently returned this answer , that as they could no way deny the comparison , so was there no other reason to be given , but that they were their wives , and the other not ; wherein may be noted , the strong temptation and power of the devil in this one vice onely , when he is able so to infatuate our understanding , that we must chuse the lesse worthy subject for the delight of our senses , rather then the better , for no other reason , but because sin belongeth to the one and not to the other . which belike made marke anthony being of the same disposition , leave his gallant wife octavia , and cast himself violently into the armes and embracements of that proud strumpet cleopatra , notwithstanding she apparantly contemned his person , as she did afterwards undo his fortune . but setting aside these presidents , we may consider many young people of our times , who spend in a manner their whole lives , in nothing but making of foolish love , and sitting in womens chambers at unseasonable houres , without any kinde of intention of marriage , which at the best are high provocations of lust , besides other inconveniences in nourishing of sloath and creating of jealousies . but for that idlenesse for the most part not onely affords the opportunity , but is the general employment of the age ( if properly doing of nothing may be termed an employment ) as another dependant belonging to sensuality , i shall particular the nature and prejudice thereof . idlenesse hath been esteemed by religious and wisest judgements the ground-work and bases of all inconveniencies in mans vocation , since want of some designed employment in resolutions , not onely brings a certain kinde of lazie inclination upon the body , but also gives too much leasure to the minde , to dwell upon diversities , of chymera's , profitable no way but to breed fancies instead of acting nobly . so that it being unpossible to continue always in imagination without some diversions and recreations , to sweeten again the over tired spirits , we must of necessity be satisfied with some delight or other , though never so unlawful for refreshment , wherein for the most part affections belonging to flesh and blood , will have the chief interest in our corupt natures . wherfore nothing being neerer at hand to please sense , then eating , drinking , lust , with other softnesses of the body , as lying in a warm bed , sitting by a fire side , flattering discourses and the like , necessarily man in a short time must take his principal fruition in some or all of these ; for , that as i said before , he doth not constantly employ himself and thoughts , towards the accomplishing of any setled thing worthy his consideration . which may be very well verified by this common saying , that it is better for a person to rip his garment and sow it again then to be idle . as much to say , that a man ought ever to have some designe a foot , to employ either his mind or body , and is held so unnecessary a thing amongst the unlearned turks , as we esteem them , that there is none of what quality soever ( the emperour not excepted ) but hath some certain trade or other put upon his condition . we finde that god almighty even challenged this duty from man in his first creation , when he ordained him to prune and dresse the garden of paradise . as also being driven from thence he continued him still that injunction , declaring not onely by his works that the earth should not bring forth fruits , but by mans labour and industry , but also let him know that he was to gain his living by the sweat of his brows , as also that his wife with all other women descending from her , were designed to bear children by trouble and pain . nay , we may say , that nature her self seemeth in all things to have such an intention , when not onely every living creature , but the plants of the field have an industrious intention to labour and yeerly to renew their cloathing , as if they went in a circle of travail and employment , though to my no small amazement , i have heard many in this corrupt age , not ashamed to brag openly , that they were good for nothing , intimating as though industry and intention were an apparant dishonour . amongst which number , i have known some so supinely negligent and lazie , that they could not finde a time to perform any necessary businesse , by reason of their confused resolutions , that never designed any certain time when to begin , and so from one hour to another , deferred the things they were to do , until at last perhaps they lost wholly the opportunity , though ever had the determination . in fine , i cannot but conclude with this opinion , that as idlenesse is a most dishonourable and unprofitable vice , since it seems to pervert the very intention both of god and nature , either by false apprehensions or too much sensuality , so for the most part doth it still ingender in mens bosomes not only distracted but discontented thoughts , by reason it drives us from one imagination to another , without any manner of reall satisfaction in any thing we either long for or desire ▪ however self-interest and extraordinary passion to be contented , is the true cause of the disease in mens minds and dispositions . but as idlenesse may be said to be the bawd that inticeth the virgin-soule to all manner of sensuality : so sloath must be esteemed the soft bed , whereon whoredomes of that nature are daily committed . slothfull persons may be compared to those dead bodies which the divels are accustomed to carry in the ayre full of all putrefaction , that however they be not capable of acting themselves , yet by accident become instruments of horrid inchantments : such a creature cannot be better likened , then to a huge mountaine of earth , that containes hid in its bowels rich mines of gold , which will not appeare but by the violent agitation of some extraordinary earthquakes that display the concealed treasure . in like manner , the bright faculties of a mans soule doe never appeare in a slothfull body , but when strange and unexpected chances cause them to remove by force . confounded with this inclination , man seemeth to have no further a journey to make but to his grave , since he is not onely altogether uselesse to others , but wholy buried in himselfe , not seeming any way to parcipitate of any of the active elements , but of clay onely , that is the last refuge for mortality . if god almighty had not intended man for motion and exercise , according to his naturall capacity , it was to little purpose to have created a world for his dwelling , furnished with so many diversities of varieties for the practice of his reason ; but might have cast him in some obscure place of small extent , there to have remained quiet untill the day of judgement , without either trouble or consideration . certainly the heathens were so out of love with this disposition , that the fortunate and wise commonwealth of rome not onely appointed a censor to enquire after mens actions , that they should be good , but also to seeke into their vocations , that the● might be alwaies conveniently imployed . truly i may say this is an humor of a most unhappy nature , since it is not onely of all others most unprofitable , but wonderfully unsafe to a mans future condition , for that every day it drawes him further off from vertue and religion , though it seems to give the best opportunity for contemplation . if we look at the practise of the age , we shall finde it abounds in most persons , being now the generall custome for women , not as in former times to prevent the sunne rising in their early activity ; but rather to observe his setting , before they can be got out of their beds : and for young men , they are scarce carried in their thoughts to any manner of intention at all of activity , but where some perswasion of luxury and sensuality leads them . the next imperfection i shall speake of , is inconstancy , that rather proceeds from the weaknesse of nature , then either from malice or custome . and however it may be thought onely to belong to mans deceived and embroyled judgement , that makes him so often vary determinations , according to severall objects presented before his fancy ; yet we may say it comes also by reason of a kind of fearfulnesse in a mans disposition , wanting a sufficient fortitude to be confirmed against doubts , rising from too much apprehension ; wherein for the most part the divell and the world are principall actors , for as the one strives to unsettle the understanding , by confused and bewitching fancies , so the other doth intangle peoples imaginations with too many representations of painted delights , so that oftentimes they make choice of white fo● funerals , and black for triumphs . wherefore i say , it is most necessary for any person , that either pretends to honour or religion , not onely to be constant ( provided his counsels be grounded upon profitable deliberations , without obstinacy or precipitation ) but to put on such a noble fortitude in his resolutions , that he may be able to resist all temptations that are ready daily to make warre against his piety and reputation . yet truly , i know many so flexible and inconstant in their natures , that they are not onely upon all occasions subject to be changed in their opinions ( without any grounds or reason ) by such as speak last with them , but for the most part are sottishly led by the counsels and perswasions of people of a far lesse capacity then their own . insomuch as in regard of this imperfection , they seem not at all to have any power over themselves and actions : when of the other side , perhaps persons of honour and religion , whose love they have sufficiently tried , cannot procure the least confidence and beliefe in their thoughts : which i can attribute but to the strange influence of the planets in this unfortunate age , that makes people doe what is most against their own good , as it were by a certaine kind of inchantment of their senses and understandings , towards depraved and preposterous actions . last of all , i shall mention impatiency an imperfection also in my opinion which may be said to belong to sensuality , for that it proceeds from not being able sufficiently to suffer what he cannot help . the actions of an impatient person may be likened to those of a drunken man , that in his insensibilities hath conceived some intention of opposition to this humour , and therefore in the high way begins to quarrell with a bush of thornes ; in which foolish contention he receives many pricks and scratches in his face and hands , without other revenge or satisfaction ; or rather may be resembled to some barking cur , that greedily runs after the stone that was cast at him , whereon by reason of his preposterous violence he prejudiceth his teeth , instead of doing any injury at all to the subject or motive of his choler . but however this defect of nature may be charactered and esteemed , yet it is an imperfection of a most prejudiciall condition , since as it advanceth no mans profit and advantage : so of the contrary , it augments and increaseth every mans sufferings , leaving him for the most part unrelieved in his extremities , by rendring him incapable of counsell . besides it is unpossible for any man to live with conveniency and safety in any ordinary conversation of this world , without a competent proportion of patience ; since as the minde is subject to perturbation upon every slight occasion , so are new accidents and objects daily presented in this life , whereby there will be necessary occasions given to make use of temper ; since both joy and sorrow are most commonly entertained in our apprehensions naturally with too much passion . for whosoever is in prosperity , seldome resteth without new ambitions ; and they that are in adversity , most commonly make themselves worse , by not bearing their crosses with sufficient pacification . however there are not only several degrees in this imperfection , but divers kinds of impatiency : as for example , there are some wise and religious persons , that notwithstanding they would constantly and resolutely undergoe what martyrdome soever , yet are they so above measure precipitate in their studies , that they can scarce afford themselves leisure for any recreations , and by that means bring their bodies ( if not their minds ) into a most desperate condition of health ; which can be interpreted no other then a want of patience in their natures , in not being able to waite with temper an ordinary conveniency , by reason of their over violent desire of accomplishing what they intend . of the contrary again , there be others of a more inferiour courage , that having entred upon any designe in their resolutions , give it over in the halfe way , meerly because they have not a competent patience to prosecute it to the end or period : which truly oftentimes proves extream prejudiciall to a mans affaires and reputation , since a man in so doing must be thought either to have begun unwisely , or to have left off inconstantly . but as these briefe descriptions may be sufficient to bring into our remembrances the unruly and most dangerous passions of the mind , as well as the more grosse and disdainfull appetites of the flesh ; from both which not onely proceeds the depravation of heavenly grace , that should keep reasonable man in the whole course of his life , but also takes from him in a manner all sense of honour and humanity : so must i again begin a new discourse concerning the nature and duty of morall conversation , not yet spoken of which seems to be so much neglected and adulterated in this unfortunate age , that men endeavour nothing but a false and deceiptfull kind of way in all their words and actions ; as if truth were to be esteemed but a needlesse and contemptible decorum , onely to be observed by fooles living upon earth , or penitents shut up in monasteries . against the pernicious and ignoble custome of dissimulation . the first generall corruption i will name shall be dissimulation ; unto which as i may say people are so inclined , that it is unpossible almost in any communication to know what another meanes , by reason whereof there is scarce any content at all left in society , or almost a necessary confidence to be had in any thing that is said or done the first war that the divel made with god almighty upon earth after his fall , was by dissimulation , whereby he endeavoured to corrupt man , to become a rebell like himselfe ; and prevailed so farre in this designe , that the sonne of god was constrained to sacrifice his own person , to make up againe that great and unfortunate breach , whilst in the mean time , the serpent had a temporall curse laid upon his condition , which was to creepe all the daies of his life on his belly , and to eate dust from the ground , to signifie ever after , he was to be esteemed the worst of creatures , onely because the divell had assumed his shape , to practice and put in execution his deceipt . wicked cain in the very infancy of the world used dissimulation in his accustomed sacrifices , that drew down gods anger upon him : which afterward made him become so impudent a reprobate , that he not onely against the rules of nature and humanity shed the blood of his innocent and vertuous brother , but was so unfortunately mistaken , that he even thought to have couzened god himselfe by his dissimulation , however he was invited to the acknowledgment of his offence . whereupon wee may conclude , that scarce can there be any crime of a high nature committed , but for the most part something of deceipt must accompany the action ; and to shew how much god almighty doth abhor all manner of falsification , he would not prosper the jewes army , or grant them any more victories against their enemies , untill deceiptfull achan was brought forth before the people to be stoned to death , and his goods consumed with fire ; because he had concealed part of the riches gotten in the city of iericho , contrary to his commandement . we may also remember what desperate impieties saul contracted to himselfe , after he practised those deceipts against david , untill at last they brought him to be his own murtherer , whilst in the interim he possest his kingdom whom he most hated and feared of all others . the scribes and pharisees , who were designed instruments for christs death and passion ( as we read ) came to st. iohns preaching with false and dissembling hearts , amongst the rest of the multitude , which was the cause why he called them a generation of vipers . our saviour himselfe most earnestly warned the people to take heed of the leaven of the pharisees , as foreseeing they would prosecute him to the very end , in the spirit of dissimulation and hypocrisie , not onely by often tempting him with deceiptfull questions , but at the last act of his condemnation , in professing themselves servants of caesars , to obtaine greater credit and beliefe , when as it was well known , they hated nothing more in the world , then to be under that jurisdiction ; which was afterwards verified in their many rebellions . iudas also began his wicked purpose in dissembling , when he murmured amongst the rest at the losse of the sweet oyntment that was poured upon our saviours head ; pretending hypocritically , the cost had been better bestowed on the poore ; though his intention was onely , to have had the money at his own dispose , being purs-bearer ; which covetous disposition of his sufficiently appeared , by betraying of his master for so small a summe : and yet this man was so transported by the opinion of his own craft and subtilty , that when he was told particularly he had resolved in his minde to be the traytor , he had neither wisdom nor grace to repent or be admonished ; but of the contrary , went presently out of the room to execute his determination ; to which purpose , a while after ( being accompanied with a troop of souldiers ) he bestowed upon his master a trayterous kisse by way of salutation , the chiefe signe agreed between them , as a distinction for his more certaine and easie apprehension : which shews that god almighty in detestation of this manner of sinne , is oftentimes pleased to give over such people to their own perdition , in the very spirit of ridiculous folly ; not suffering them in any kind to reflect upon their own misery and impiety ; as it were being drunke and infatuated by a certain overweening conceit , that they are by cunning and dissimmulation , able to deceive not onely men , but heaven it selfe : which no doubt was also the opinion of ananias and saphira , when they concealed part of the money from the apostles ; wherein appeared a most remarkable judgement of god upon their persons : yet not because they had no mind to have bestowed so much to charitable uses , but for that after they had seemed to have given before the multitude ' , they endeavoured again a dissembling way , to have couzened the expectation of their gift . for it was plainly told them , that they might have chosen at the first , whether they would have contributed or no , but they were undoubtedly punished in that they had lied to the holy ghost , wherein they committed sacriledge , by reason of their intentionall deceipt . truly if we reflect but upon the constancy and suffering of old eleazer in the machabees , we may have by that martyrdome a sufficient example to instruct our beliefe concerning this duty ; who rather then he would consent to the seeming onely of eating swines-flesh ( though in act he should not have been obliged thereunto ) he chose to die a most cruell and violent death ; as fearing else the scandall that might have risen thereby to young people of his nation , to whom he desired to be a worthy and memorable testimony of goodnesse and piety . muchlesse certainly ought we to premeditate dissimulation , as an introduction to all our actions and designes , which is a custome now adaies so much in fashion , that i have observed it sometimes affected , without any intention at all of compassing benefits ; but as it were onely to be esteemed wiser then other persons in worldly affaires ; neverthelesse oftentimes it doth of the contrary , destroy what is most coveted and desired , since it ingenders so much distrust between parties treating , that it is unpossible to have sufficient confidence of one another to conclude almost in any thing to purpose ; which is the reason generally , that there are so few differences of law and contention compremised ; for each person according to his own secret intention of deceipt , believes the same thoughts are in his adversarie , and so consequently feares to be couzened . o horrid custome , as i may say , and as much bewitched imagination , that thus perverts the institution of common society , to the depriving us of the greatest delight of mankind upon earth , in regard we cannot conveniently make use of our reason and naturall knowledge , but must be forced to live with one another like ravenous beasts , alwaies watching either occasions to entrap , or seeking out waies to prevent : whilst in the interim sweetnesse , affability , and security , are not to be expected by the good , and as little intended by the bad . but perhaps it may be thought , that notwithstanding these scripture examples , abraham who was one of god almighties chiefe servants , seemed not onely intentionally , but actually to dissemble , when he affirmed sarah to be his sister , whereas she was really his wife ; unto which i answer , that as he was not bound to discover himselfe so farre to his enemies , whereby an eminent prejudice might have befallen his person , so of the other side , i am of opinion , that if the thing had not been also true which he averred , in regard ( according to the jewes custome ) she might be held his sister by reason of the neere kindred and affinity between them , he could not have been altogether freed from the sin of dissimulation . for if the text be considered , he did not deny her to be his wife , onely tacitely concealing it , but affirmed her to be his sister , because she was so to be esteemed also by his country lawes ; which priviledge he was content to make use of to saye his life , being in the hands of barbarous tyrants . besides there appeared no intention in him to injure a third person , and therefore was at the more liberty to use his own discretion , without declaring an apparent untruth , which certainly he could not have done lawfully , though it had been to have saved his own life . there is no doubt but a man may in some sort deceive and couzen the expectation of thieves , and murtherers , by seeming sometimes one thing and doing another , in cases of necessity or conveniency , without any manner of danger to his religion and honesty : however the common practice thereof in triviall things in my opinion is naught ; and not to be used for feare of the habit , that at last may render a man too insensible of failings in this nature , whereby his nature is in danger to be brought by degrees to a kinde of falsnesse in conversation ; that as i said before is a means to destroy all civill society , or confidence necessary to be expected in matters of greatest weight and consequence ; and at the best it diminisheth love , abates charity , and destroyes friendship , which i may say are the chiefe ties belonging to humanity : since there can be no indifferency in communication , where one party takes upon him a liberty to dissemble , and the other professeth all manner of freedome and integrity , both in words and intentions . but much more is this falshood to be abhorred , when it is practised with a trayterous heart to the ruine and destruction of innocency . of the breaches in conversation proceeding from the falsifying of words and promises . as i have sufficiently demonstrated the inconvenience of this custome of dissimulation , i must speak of those breaches in conversation , that proceed from engagements by word ; which as i may say are certaine religious ties belonging to honour , whereupon depend for the most part the entrance into leagues and contracts , before they come to more absolute obligations ; however without them it is unpossible to proceed to periods and conclusions , since words and promises must first passe , before intended agreements can any way be finished , depending meerly upon a noble faith ; which is the reason that the word of a prince and a gentleman , hath been held in all ages in a manner sacred , and far more binding then prisons or writings ; in regard it is to be supposed , that penalties belong unto the one , and nothing but a mans own honour obligeth him to the other , which makes a difference between us and inferiour creatures , who have chaines and other means ordained to keep them in order ; whereas we ought to have no constraint but reason , and the freedom of the soule : wherein holy king david was so punctuall , that he would not himself put to death shimei , who had most wickedly cursed him in his adversity , because he had promised the contrary ; however no doubt by some propheticall inducement , he advised his son solomon to bring him to his grave with blood for his offences after his death . we finde that ionathan observed his promises so inviolably to david before he was king , that neither regarding his fathers present anger , or the losse of his own inheritance , he could not be brought to falsifie the least word that had passed between them . if we consider the wonderfull magnanimity of iepthes daughter , we may behold an admirable example left to posterity concerning this duty ; for perceiving her most loving father had engaged himselfe ( though rashly ) to her destruction , whereat he seemed excessively afflicted , she bid him with constancy perform the execution , since ( as she said ) having opened his mouth to god , it was meet he should punctually fulfill his promise , without any consideration of her particular ; and the more was this invitation to be admired , in regard it was unpossible she should be any way weary of her own life , being a beautifull young virgin , and the onely childe of the chiefe prince of the countrey : neither doe i believe the people of that age would have suffered iepthe so lamentably to have sacrificed his sole daughter , without they had conceived it a most necessary thing to have all solemne promises & words given to be performed in every particular ; and however this may be thought a vow , and therefore the more strictly to be observed , yet neverthelesse it was but meerely voluntary at the first , without any obligation exacted either by right or command : which made it differ no further from a bare promise , but that it was better attested , in regard it was made before the face of all the people ; by which meanes it could not be concealed ( in respect of the ceremoniall part ) though inwardly i conceive it no more binding to iepthe , then if he had resolved upon such an action in his private chamber . but however it may be esteemed a greater obligation , what we promise to god , then what we assure to men , yet certainly among the very heathens themselves , we shall finde a most punctuall observation of this common duty , which in a manner doth unite and tie together all morall and humane society ; as may appeare by many examples in prophane authors . however i doe not believe their actions in this point were regulated by any of our rules of religion , but rather were carried on to the maintenance of their honour , and the conservation of their faith by a certain gallantry and noblenesse ingrafted in their natures and dispositions , by those principles given them in their education and breeding , amongst the rest . there was a roman generall being taken prisoner by the carthaginians , and having formerly promised all fidelity to the senate of rome , concerning the execution of his office and charge , for their best advantage : who continuing thus a captive for some time amongst his enemies , at last they began to thinke his good usage and releasment might produce some beneficiall effects towards a peace , which they earnestly desired to make with their adversaries , by reason the warres had exhausted their treasure , and drawn their commonwealth low in many other particulars ; however they could not conceal it from the knowledge of their prisoner . to which purpose having first conjured him to be their friend towards the obtaining of their wishes , they set him at liberty to return again to rome with some embassadours they intended to send with certain propositions of amity and friendship ; though with this proviso , that if they should not obtain their desires , he was to promise them upon his honour , to render himself as before into their hands . the conditions being accepted , he went along with their messengers , and being there arrived , contrary to their expectation , instead of perswading the senate to hearken to any agreement , he declared it to be their disadvantage and dishonour , to make any peace at all with the carthaginians , in regard of their enemies disabilitie to make longer war , assuring them he was sufficienlty informed of his relation , by many reasons and circumstances . so that this oration absolutely broke off all manner of treaty between the two commonwealths , whereby either insued a new war , or at leastwise the continuance of the old ; yet nevertelesse this brave and honest general , though he had exasperated and enflamed his enemies , by the faithful and profitable counsel he had given his friends in rome , returned again to carthage according to his promise and word given , there to be used at their discretion , which he was certain could produce no other effect , then to the taking away of his life in a most cruel manner : wherefore being arrived , and a full relation of all the passages made in the open senate by their embassadours , he was presently not onely seized upon with as much violence as their transported spleens could hasten their officers to execution , but presently put to death , with all the exquisite torments could be devised by inraged and mercilesse people , that were deceived and cousened in their expectation . this act certainly exprest not only a world of magnanimity in his person , but an intire noblenesse and truth in his disposition ; as well concerning that faithful counsel he gave his friends and country , to whom he conceived himself obliged for his birth and employment , as in the punctuall observation of his words & promise , which he had given and made to his enemies , who he knew would revenge it to the uttermost of their power . in this manner did this brave roman give a remarkable testimony to all posterity , what obligations are due in point of honour to words and promises . now if this part of morality , was accustomed to be so strictly observed amongst the pagans , having little or no religion to regulate their actions , what may we conjecture of the duty of christians , whose professions are to serve the onely god of truth , that without doubt can never be pleased , with any manner of falsifications ; neverthelesse we see this miserable age , is so far corrupted in this nature , as i may say , without any kind of apprehension of honor , that it is almost grown a maxime never to speak what a man thinks , or do what he sayes . but as i have mentioned this one example of a heathen , i must also remember in this place another of a christian , not onely of a memorable consequence , but the more to be regarded , for that it was chiefly grounded upon a religious duty . which was that of lewis king of france , surnamed the saint , when he made war in the holy land , who being in the like manner as the former taken prisoner by the infidels , with most of his nobility , at last by hard labour and with much difficulty , he made shift to contract for his ransome and liberty , though at an excessive rate , yet esteemed better then to end his dayes in a miserable and horrid captivity . but when according to the agreement the mony came to be tendred , which was procured with difficulty from the estates and fortunes of his people , the commissioners whom he employed in the service , used such dexterity in their office and employment , that they over-reached the enemy in the account ( though by no fraudulent deceit ) whereby they reserved a considerable sum to the kings use , of capacity perhaps sufficient , to have defrayed a great part of the journey homewards ; which being related to the pious prince , with all the circumstances thereunto belonging . however , he was upon his departure , yet considering it might prove some scandal to his religion , he resolved not to put to sea until the full of the contract was performed in every particular . and to that purpose , he not onely sent the residue of the mony to his adversaries , but withal commanded his treasurers in his name to excuse the act , as done without his order and privity . which being exactly effected , & the pagans fully satisfied , he joyfully took shipping with the rest of his company . now though this pious deed i must confesse , was beyond any obligation , yet in regard the contrary might have bred some jealousie and suspicion in the thoughts of the saracens , concerning the actions and intentions of this good king , whereby his religion might have been dishonoured , certainly it may seem a most pious and laudable resolution ; and truly cannot be but a worthy and admirable exemple , not onely to teach other princes their duty , but also may serve in some sort to instruct all people , what considerations ought to be had in performance of promises ; especially when they are made upon equal and just confidence of both sides . for if this tye be not observed after a strict manner , there is no possibility left to be assured , either in contracts or conversation . which is the reason that in the accidents and chances of war , souldiers after they are taken , oftentimes are let go upon their words ; however in prisons , the same persons are perhaps kept by strong guards . gamesters , who for the most part are men not to be secured by any bonds and writings , concerning the payment of debts , yet when they borrow mony of their companions upon their words onely , for the most part will be sure never to break , as esteeming it a point of honor belonging to society and conversation , not to be violated by any means . nay , very thieves are so punctual in this observation , that they will scarse deceive a person , whom they had determined to rob , if they have made any engagement to that purpose ; and yet our poor country , that was one famed beyond all other nations in this particular , is now grown to that infamy , by reason of this false way of conversation , that the people can neither be trusted by others abroad , or be at all confident of themselves at home . concerning the breaches of trusts upon special confidence and obligation . the next and last falshood i shall mention , is breach of trusts , when others put confidence in our truth and integrity ; which was the crime of architophel king david's esteemed counsellour , who betrayed his masters secrets to his unnatural son absolon , in which wickednesse and rebellion , they both miserably perished by the just judgement of almighty god. again , we read that as sampson was deceived by his wife , whom the philistians had craftily put upon him for that effect ; so themselves were most remarkably punished by reason of their being authors of the treason ; insomuch , as he destroyed most of the nobility in his last end : and this was effected no doubt by the meer instigation of heaven , as a just reward for so unnatural a trechery , though withal i cannot deny , but that they were most pernicious people , and enemies to gods worship . king david did so abhor this infidelity and breach of trust , that he put to death the young man , that brought him word of saul's destruction , only for that he seemed to rejoyce in his kings fall , notwithstanding he himself was to enjoy thereby the kingdome , without obstacle and hinderance . also he slew the two thieves buana and rechab , because they had killed trecherously ishbosheth , however he was not alone his mortal enemy , but sought the crown from off his head ; which justice he rather executed upon them , because they had been both saul's servants . these certainly were not only religious demonstrations of a noble disposition , but testimonies of his opinion of this duty , when as he would not seem to countenance acts of so unworthy a nature , though himself was to reap the onely benefit . moreover , he was so far in his own person from being unfaithful to saul when he lived , that notwithstanding he alwayes persecuted him most spightfully for his life , he thought it a kinde of impiety to have cut a piece of his garment , though it were but to let him know he had him in his power , without doing him any other prejudice . but however scripture examples are of best authority for our instructions , yet we may reflect a little upon heathen practises , as farther testimonies of morality . amongst which number , we may consider that alexander the great was so just and noble in his disposition , concerning this duty of trust , that when he understood darius after his defeat was cruelly murthered by his chief commander bessus , he never left prosecuting of the wicked traytor until he delivered him bound to the brother of the king , who executed him with many torments according to his deserts . when of the contrary , this generous prince used those with all manner of honour and repect , who had proved faithful and constant to their dead master until his last end . for example , there was an old nobleman of special trust about darius person , who being brought to his presence , and not able to light off his horse , by reason of his age and many infirmities , he himself walked a foot conferring courteously with him in the sight of his whole army , until perceiving the man something out of countenance to see the king in that posture , whilst himself rid , presently alexander called for his horse to accompany him with more freedome and conveniency . another act of magnanimity and justice , i shall mention of a roman consul , who having besieged a great town in italy , whereupon a trayterous and false schoole-master , that had most of the noble youths of the city under his charge and care , thinking to make a benefit to himself of their persons , in that necessity one day leading the boyes into the fields , according to his custom , pretending onely their recreation ; when he had them at a convenient distance for an escape , he suddainly ( contrary to their expectation ) brought them into the enemies camp , and presented them with great joy unto the general as an acceptable service , deserving as he thought , both reward and commendation . but the noble commander reflecting upon the wickednesse of the fact , and false intention of the master , as also noting the dejectednesse of the countenances of so many youths of principal families , instantly gave order to have the fellow stript of his cloaths in his presence , causing also his hands to be bound behind him ; and being in this posture , he willed a good rod to be delivered to every one of the scholars , commanding them to drive again their trayterous master into the city with whips and scourges , there to receive further punishment , according to the discretion of their injured parents . this truly was an act both of extraordinary justice and courage , since as he was willing to punish treason , notwithstanding the benefit might have redounded to himself if he had pleased , so of the other side , did he shew a bravery in his own disposition , that he would not darken the glory of his actions , by any such base wayes and means , though the opportunity was offered unto him . i shall remember one act more of justice , done by a person of the same nation , not differing much from the former in nature and manner . there was a certain young woman of birth and quality , who living in a town that was besieged by the romans , promised for a competent sum of gold , to deliver the place without any further trouble , into the possession of the enemy , which being effected without any condition in the bargain made for her own life , she presently went to the general to demand the performance of the contract , whereupon he commanded so much mony and other rich jewels to be brought into the place , as had been promised for her recompence , where when she was ready to receive the possession of the wealth , according to the greedinesse of her appetite , who for such a gain had sold her friends , kindred , and country , he suddainly caused the souldiers of his guard , and to cast it all upon her at an instant , whereby instead of enjoying the benefit of the riches answerable to her covetous expectation ; she became intombed for her wickednesse and treason , as a memorable sacrifice offered to right and equity . in this single act appeared a double justice , the one in bestowing upon her what was promised , punctually to perform the agreement . the other in putting her to death for her crime , she not being priviledged by the law of arms from slaughter , in regard there was no condition made for her safety . these stories i mention to shew how hateful breaches of trust have been alwayes esteemed by heathens and infidels , when as the greatest and worst tyrants were never willing to countenance acts of this nature . witnesse in part , our richard the third of england , who however he promised the reward of a thousand pounds , to that person that should bring forth the duke of buckingham , his esteemed mortal enemy , yet when he understood he was betrayed by banister , one whose obligations to his lord , should have made him trusty against all provokements by way of gratitude , if not fidelity , he not onely refused him the reward promised , but delivered this opinion of the action ; that he that could dispence with his conscience , to deceive his trust concerning the protection of so good a master , flying to his assistance in his necessity , it was unpossible but he would do the like with his king if it were in his power . neither did god almighty himself forbear the punishment of this unworthy wretch , as appeared by most remarkable judgements not long after . for presently his eldest son fell mad , his second was drowned in a puddle of water , his onely daughter was strook with a most loathsome leprosie , and himself in his declining age , was arraigned and condemned for felony ; thouh with much ado he was saved by his clergy . all which , truly in my opinion , were apparant testimonies of gods anger against the nature of this base sin , since it cannot be conceived by any that lived in those times , that he was so punished in his family for other cause , then that he had betrayed that trust that was committed to him , grounded upon reasons of obligation and promise . wherefore when i consider the strange kinde of breaches of trusts now a dayes , i know not whether i should more wonder that people are suffered to live by god almighty , in regard of their falshood , or be scandalized at their so little apprehensivenesse of their own intolerable basenesse in this nature ; for it is generally noted , those who have been most obliged either by courtesies or duty , take the first occasion in these distracted times to prejudice other mens fortunes and estates . but however , according to my own opinion , i have spoke sufficiently concerning this duty in the general , yet i think it not amisse to declare some divine , natural , and moral examples , belonging to two obligations in particular . which are the ties of friendship and service , that have been in all ages held necessary ties to be observed : for without the first it is unpossible almost to be secure in any conversation , and being deceived in the latter , no person can be well assisted in affairs appertaining to every mans condition , though i do not affirm they are alwayes to be practised in this high nature i shall mention ; but presidents ought still to be of the best stamp and workmanship , left they be too slightly imitated , and so consequently prove not profitable for those that have a mind to do well . the nature and property of entire friendship . we will speak first of friendship contracted either by nature or upon obligation , such as past between ionathan and david , in the very infancy of their acquaintance , which was so in violably maintained and conserved by these two godly and noble persons , that it seemed to weigh down all the considerations of humane and worldly concernments ; when as neither the competition of crowns nor the losse of scepters was able to work differences ; but of the contrary , such a religious sympathy continued alwayes in their hearts , as if they had coveted more each others happinesse and prosperity , then their own . neither certainly could this love and friendship proceed from ionathan , out of any weaknesse of nature or want of valour , since he was known upon all occasions to expresse courage and shew wisdom , in matters of greatest difficulty and necessity . for however he had in his resolutions so wholly submitted himself to the will of god , that he was content to transfer his fathers kingdom to david and his posterity , as appeared by the compact made between them , wherein it was agreed , that he should have a care of his issue ; yet in the last bat tail that was fought with the philistins , he most valiantly sacrificed his own life in defence of his country and religion , to shew that notwithstanding he expected no dominion in his own particular , yet he would faithfully perform that office in the general , that belonged to his honour and conscience , concerning the just defence of the people . but for that it may be thought these actions proceeded chiefly from the inspirations of heaven ( as no doubt they did ) i shall recount some more humane examples to shew , that this duty hath been ever esteemed of a most high nature amongst heathens and philosophers . to which purpose i shall mention this remarkable president of two learned friends in the the time of dionysius the tyrant . the one of them being wrongfully accused by the kings suspicion , had liberty notwithstanding given him to follow his occasions , upon security undertaken by the other , that if his friend did not return at the day appointed , to yeeld his body to the stroak of the executioner , himself should pay the forfeiture of his offence , by the same punishment . whereupon he failing something of the time appointed for his appearance , his companion was brought out into the market-place , to suffer death according to the agreement ; but the other hasting to the place before the executioner had done his office , and finding his dear friend in that posture , being so neer his destruction , suddainly cast himself at the feet of dionysius , demanding his discharge , in regard he was ready as he said to be sacrificed to his indignation and cruelty . the other that was prepared for the slaughter , being desirous to redeem his friends life by his own losse , seemed not onely extreamly troubled at his appearance , but more perplexed a great deale at his offer , telling the judge that now the limited time was expired , he conceived that none but himselfe was lyable to the judgement , and therefore accordingly expected the execution : whereupon his companion being transported with the feare of his friends danger , conjured the tyrannicall king to consider , not onely with compassion , but some justice , that himselfe was the guilty person , and therefore it could not stand with the rules either of equity or humanity , that an innocent should suffer , when the faulty appeared ready to satisfie for the offence . the other also being in a manner beyond his senses , finding the king was inclinable to perform his friends request , in regard he seemed to have more reason in his pleadings , presently turned to the people , and desired their assistance in his request , alledging that his friend could not now justly suffer , for that himselfe had punctually contracted for his penalty and redemption . but whilst the strange and unexampled contention continued , to the no small amazement of the spectators , who could not but wonder at so rare and excellent a friendship , dionysius himselfe after something a long pause rise from his seat , not onely pardoning them hoth their lives , but with all earnestnesse intreating them , to take him also as a third person , into their admirable society and friendship , which he vowed he would esteeme as a principall honour and happinesse . in this story may be noted , not onely the wonderfull effects of an intire friendship , but the power of such examples , to soften the stony hearts of the most cruellest tyrants in the world . which shews , that even perversest natures may be overcome by those noble passions , though according to the practice of this age , these and the like relations may be esteemed no other then as ridiculous fancies , proceeding from extravagant inventions ; but give me leave to say , that notwithstanding we are not bound upon all occasions to imitate these high presidents , yet certainly we are not to abandon all manner of good nature and friendship , dissolving every obligation onely upon interest & commodity without other consideration ; since both divine and morall principles , meerly by the rules of charity and gratitude seem to challenge respects due from us to others , as well as to our selves . and our saviour christ , when he lived here upon earth , was so farre from disdaining this humane passion , that he seemed to love one disciple above all the rest with a naturall affection . as i have related this remarkable example of constant friendship , so shall i in this place relate another of admirable love and affection , acted by a heathen prince , wherein he absolutely overcame his own earthly passions , meerly to satisfie his sons desires . there was a king raigning in persia , who having married a most beautifull young lady , it fortuned his sonne , a gallant and generous prince , being taken with her rare and excellent parts , fell of a sudden so excessively in love with his faire mother in law , that he had no power either to master his own passions , or to conserve so intirely as he desired , his former approved duty and obedience to his father ; in so much as contending strongly for some time between these two extreames , at last , being wholy overcome rather by nature then reason he waxed sick , which by degrees increased so violently upon his constitution , that being able no longer to support the weight of his distemper , he was forced at last to yeeld to the perversenesse of his infirmity , and by that means within a few daies became past all hope of recovery , notwithstanding the skill and diligence of all the best physicians of the kingdom ; which not onely dejected his father after an extraordinary manner , but put the whole court into a most desperate sadnesse ; and the rather was their amazement encreased , by the opinion conceived of the strange fatality of his losse , since no art was able to dive into the conjecturall knowledge of his disease . however when all mens thoughts were not onely distracted , but at a stand , concerning this miserable unfortunate accident , one physitian amongst the rest , that was better knowing , or at least wise more diligent in his service , one day being present , perceived a wonderfull change , and alteration in the beating of his pulse , when the queen entered into the room to visit her sicke sonne in law , in so much as at last by more carefull observation he became certainly informed , that onely his hidden and secret love to the kings wife , was the sole occasion of his violent distemper ; for that his bashfull and dutifull nature durst not own an affection against all lawes of humanity : wherefore retiring himselfe into his chamber with these cogitations , to consult more freely with his thoughts , he concluded that it was unpossible to save the princes life , without absolute satisfaction in his desires ; and instantly he resolved notwithstanding any hazzard could befall him , to make the king acquainted with the discovery of this mysterie , whom he knew had only power to save his son , since the chastity of the queen was no way to be attempted without his privity . in this perplexity , as i may say , he went presently unto the king , for that the least protraction threatned destruction ; where being come into his presence , he fell down at his feet , telling him in particular the condition of the young prince , with all the circumstances thereto belonging ; and humbly desired his gracious pardon , if he had any way offended him in the relation , since it was no other then a duty he conceived he was bound to offer unto his majesty , though his life were to satisfie the offence . the king having fully heard this unexpected discourse , not onely pardoned the physitian , according to his desire , and commended him for his care and affection ; but wished him also to be diligent in other discoveries of the same nature . in this posture he presently went to the queen , where after he had informed her ( to her no small amazement ) of all these strange passages , he violently conjured her by the duty of a wife , and the compassion of a woman , as also the affection of a mother in law , to tender his sonnes life , who was as he said , both the hope of his kingdome , and the comfort of his old age , which in particular was so far to obey his commands , that she would condescend to promise the prince a fruition of her love , upon his recovery . the queen being something distracted at these unusuall injunctions , not being able perfectly to discover the kings minde , and lesse resolving in any kind to injure her own honour , stood for some time inwardly disputing with her own thoughts , untill finding by the kings further discourses , that as he wished her no way to wrong her chastity , but onely seemingly to satisfie his son , whereby he might be freed from the danger of his present sicknesse ; so was the least delay to the princes expectation , no lesse then personall and present death . wherefore after some other speeches and circumstances of the kings , the queen in a humble and gracious manner uttered this language , that as her honour was more belonging to him then to her selfe , in regard of the dignity of his : calling , so would she have him to thinke , she ever tooke his commands to be the onely rule of her obedienec ; however she hoped he would not enjoyn her any thing that should be prejudiciall either to his crowne or her owne modesty ; with which confidence she promised to use both charity and diligence towards the recovery of the prince . in fine , after some time the king finding by this means , his son not onely to have past all hazzard & danger , but to have recovered much of his strength and beauty ; though , as he was informed , he continued still the same violent affection to the queen , he caused a generall proclamation to be made through his dominions , as if he intended to sacrifice unto the gods for the safety of the young prince . and to that purpose gave order , that upon a day appointed his subjects should assemble , according to the custome of persia , before his palace gate , there to understand his further will and pleasure . the time being come , he was mounted upoon a glorious throne , cloathed in all his royall robes , his beautifull queen sitting of one hand , and the prince his son of the other : where , after he had made a long and eloquent oration in commendation of his wives chastity , and his sons vertues , whereby he put the people in minde of the losse they might have sustained by his death , he not onely in the face of the whole multitude bestowed his queen upon the prince for his wife , but gave him also the present possession of many kingdomes , as a dower towards the better maintenance of their affections , to the joy and amazement of all the assembly . now , i say , if this high act of magnanimity of a heathen prince be well considered , we shall finde a wonderfull demonstration both of his naturall goodnesse , as well as of his perfect friendship . for however it be not to be supposed , that a man for any pretence whatsoever , should give away his wife to satisfie anothers unlawfull passion , being against the rules of our religion , yet there appeared in the carriage of the businesse , not onely an intire naturall love , but a most constant and friendly affection , which no , doubt the young man had purchased from his father , by his many merits , and other valuable considerations , that use to unite hearts ; and so , as we may say , was strongly maintained in the thoughts and resolutions of that noble prince : for that he determined ( as hath been related ) without any manner of reflection upon his own particular , absolutely to throw away his greatest delights , rather then to hazzard or endanger his sonne ; wherein he exprest more desire of conserving the made love between them , then to satisfie in any way whatsoever his own appetites . since to this purpose , he parted voluntarily with his beautifull and vertuous wife out of his own bosom , onely to be willing still to enjoy his friends conversation , to be esteemed as he believed above all other happinesse . and however , as i said before , these strange examples are not to be used as presidents , for the directing of our morality , in that they are against the principles of our religion ; yet truly they may serve to give some testimonies reflecting upon the practises of these times , since most people seem to esteem onely private interest without any consideration either of faith , affection or good nature . but to shew that even nature her selfe seems in unreasonable creatures to pretend to a certaine kind of friendship or gratitude upon many occasions , i shall make relation of one or two stories to that purpose , which notwithstanding they may appeare in some sort past all beliefe , yet are they recorded for truths in authenticall and approved authors . however put the case they are not true , yet may they serve as figures for instruction . the first that shall be remembred is that of androclius the roman slave , who being cruelly used by his master , fled into the desart from his service ; which was a crime almost esteemed of the highest nature in those times : after this flight he remained in a cave concealed for some daies , hoping thereby the better to avoyd the pursuit . however it hapned in the interim , that a huge lyon entred the place where he was , who having by some accident gotten a thorne in his foot , and perceiving the man there , he presently fell at his feet , as if he desired relife at his hands ; whereupon the fellow after some amazement and feare , perceiving at last his intention , and glad of the occasion , undertook cure ; which he might more conveniently performe , in regard he had brought along with him many necessaries fit for such a piece of service , in that he was accustomed by those instruments to heale his own sores received from the scourges of his passionate master ; by whose care and industry within a short space the lyon became not onely reasonably well recovered of his wound , but daily went abroad into the forrest , as well for his own sustenance , as to provide also meat for his physician ; which continued them both in that posture and society , untill the slave either weary of that uncouth conversation , or desirous to save himselfe by a further flight , took a resolution to part from the cave ; however in the execution of his purpose he proved so unfortunate , that he was again taken and brought to rome , there to be devoured by wild beasts in the publique theatre before all the people , as a judgement conceived answerable to his crime . but being exposed upon the day appointed to the fury of a huge lyon , that seemed ready prepared with open mouth to receive him , of a sudden to the amazement of the spectators , instead of tearing him presently in pieces ( as he had done many before ) he cast himselfe at his feet with a fawning countenance ; whereupon instantly enquiry was made after the reason of such a sudden change , since lately he had shewed himselfe more furious then all other beasts of his kind . but the slave being examined in many particulars , as if he had used some inchantment towards the lyon , he declared the whole story of his flight , and of his entertainment in the cave ; where he cured , as he said , the lyon of a hurt he had got in the foot ; for which act of gratitude , as was conceived , the beast had contracted some friendship with his person , that as yet appeared not to be out of his remembrance ; since he had exprest it in as high a way as could be imagined towards his preservation . all which being believed of the people , the poore slave was not only pardoned his life , but his freedom was also granted him by his master , as a fitting reward for so strange an accident . another i shall also mention , though not after the same manner , yet may be esteemed of the like quality , onely the difference is , the one contracted friendship out of gratitude and obligation , the other meerely by a secret instinct of nature . there was a young boy , who was accustomed often as he went to schoole , to passe along the sea-shore of bayea , where there used to frequent a great dolphin , being esteemed generally the king of fishes ; untill at last there became such an acquaintance and familiarity between these two creatures , that the fish ordinarily would take bread and other things out of the childs hand , as also come at the sound of his voyce , when he called him ; sometimes carrying him a mile or two on the sea ; and after he had sported and played with him there a while , would set him again on land , and suffer him to depart . which custome continued untill the boy by some accident hapned to die ; however the dolphin notwithstanding daily resorted to the place , as it were to enquire after his companion whom he mist ; but at last finding he was absolutely deprived of that society , having ( belike ) no hope to see him againe , he violently cast himselfe upon the sands and died , as it was supposed meerly for griefe and apprehension of his losse . which story , however i cannot affirme for certaine , yet pliny relates it as a truth from many writers : but neverthelesse taken onely for romancy , it may serve sufficiently for my purpose , which is to convince people by such inducements that the bands of friendship ought not to be broken upon any condition , without impiety & dishonour ; whenas unreasonable creatures meerly by the instinct of nature , have observed these ties , in so much as men have been amazed at their gratitude and constancy . but now , since it may be thought i have been something tedious upon this subject , or rather duty so little esteemed in these daies , i will come to the last fidelity , which in truth is a great deale more necessary to be observed then then the former , in regard of the daily use thereof upon all occasions : which is to consider what trust may be thought convenient according to the practice of other ages , from servants to their patrons . the nature and obligation of service . this tye of service certainly is grounded both upon divine and morall principles : and our saviour seemed himselfe to complaine most bitterly , that none but he which had eate his bread should be designed to lift up his hand against him . as much to say , he of all others should not have been the man chosen out for the treason . we read in holy scripture that abraham not only conjured his servant by a certaine kind of a curse , by reason of those obligations , which were due from the nature of his condition , being one of his family to be faithfull , when he sent him to seeke a wife for his son in the countrey of mesopotamia ; but also this godly and good natured person himselfe was so punctuall in observing his lords commands , and fulfilling with expedition his expectation , that he could not be perswaded ( notwithstanding the occasion was extraordinary , and the intreaty most powerfull ) to stay any longer then one night in the house of bethuell rebeceas father , in regard of the speciall care was in his affectionate heart , to give his master speedy satisfaction in his imployment , according to his conceived duty . neither truly it is to be supposed , that ioseph being intertained onely by a heathen king , would have been so above measure advantageable in the execution of his office , in buying of all the land of egypt to his lords proper use , but rather have made a benefit of his prophesying spirit , towards the enriching of himselfe and friend , if he had not thought it at leastwise a morall obligation belonging to his charge . we read that the angell that accompanied young tobit in his journey promised an extraordinary care and diligence in his behalfe , being hired thereunto ; which truly in my opinion may be taken as a figure or example of service . however there were other high mysteries contained in that speciall progresse ordained by god almighty . furthermore in this morall duty the turkes are so punctuall in conserving all manner of trusts , that the very souldiers themselves that are accustomed to wait upon travellers for wages , wil not in their own persons do them any manner of injury , but rather defend them with a most constant violence from all such affronts intended them from others ; to which purpose i shall in this place make relation of a remarkable passage , to this effect . some yeers since there was a company of english men travelling in turkey , to informe themselves of the curiosity of those countries ; & to that purpose for their better defence , they had hired three or four souldiers to be their guard , whereby to prevent all affronts and injuries that might be offered to their persons amongst the barbarous arabians ; in which office ( as i said before ) they are extreame faithfull and diligent . however it so hapned , that one of our countreymen having belike drunk more then was convenient , either for his present commodity or appearing safety ; and by that means committed many extravagant and most ridiculous insolencies in his journey , untill at last he fell violently upon his own souldier , not onely with abusive language ; but also in his madd choler gave him many blowes , whereat the company was something astonished as well as displeased ; and the rather for that notwithstanding he pursued the fellow in a most furious manner : yet the discreet & patient janizary was so far from revenging the injury , that he onely endeavoured to avoyd his strokes by flight . but at last the businesse being composed , and the quarrell taken up , the souldier was demanded by some of the company , how he could possibly endure such affronts and injuries from a stranger ; especially when he was in his power , and under his protection . whereupon he presently answered , that however he was abused by anothers insolency and indiscretion , yet in regard he had been hired with money to be faithfull in his office , he himselfe would not commit so great a wickednesse , as any way to deceive his trust by anothers example ; but was resolved rather to suffer more prejudice personally , then to be injust in his own duty . by which very act we may perceive , what opinion the turkes have of this obligation of service , being contracted for in any kind , believing , as it should seem , there depends upon this duty not only a tye of trust and diligence , but of humility and sufferance , whilst they remaine under that condition . other examples to this effect might be brought almost in all ages , to shew the nature and practise of this obligation , when as contemptible slaves have not onely oftentimes refused liberty and preferment , but have bit out their own tongues upon occasions being tormented , rather then they would accuse their masters ; by that means , as it were depriving themselves of the capacity to reveale their secrets in any kind . others again in the warres have exposed their naked bodies to the fury of weapons and darts , when they perceived their masters person in eminent danger , only to save them from slaughter and destruction ; offering their own lives as affectionate sacrifices , to expresse the better their entire love and fidelity . it is recorded in some stories , that leeimachus one of alexanders souldiers continued so faithfull to his master the king , that however falling into his displeasure , for relieving of the philosopher calistines in his necessities , contrary to his command , he was condemned singly to encounter a lyon ; yet when the king was in danger to be lost , being out of his way in a vast desart , he runne a foot by his horse side a whole day together , to the hazzard of his own life , until he had brought again him safe unto the army ; which act of courage and fidelity procured him so much favour from alexander , that he became at last of such eminency , that he proved one of those captaines that after the kings death had in a manner the world divided between them . neither can we but wonder at the strange examples of fidelity that are daily produced amongst the indians ; which opinion as it should seem hath been so ingrafted in their natures and practises , arising onely from their rude principles in religion and morality , that we know it hath been the ancient custome , if not at this day , in many places , to cast themselves in the fire with the bodies of their dead lords , there also to be consumed ; as if they thought it either an essentiall point belonging to their duty , or an undoubted part of their happinesse to accompany them in another world . but for a more neerer testimony of their naturall trust and affection , we may reflect upon the relation of the businesse of amboyne , wherein some iapan servants endured most intolerable torments by the dutch , because they would not accuse their english masters . all which in my opinion are apparent evidences , either by the light of nature , or from some customary principles in religion or morality , even barbarous people conceive a certaine duty belonging to those that tye themselves to such a condition . however for the most part servants of this age , are so farre from performing their duty in this kind , that they doe commonly designe themselves under such a condition , but onely for their own pleasures and commomodities ; as if there were no other obligations to be performed , then to be called servants : and yet perhaps at last will violently presse for rewards , when as at best their service never merited one single yeers wages : which indeed makes the governing of families almost intolerable ; though i must confesse masters also may be sometimes deficient in their own obligations . but i will conclude this discourse with a story of a poore woman , notwithstanding her sex might have been excused , in shewing forth such testimonies of magnanimity and fidelity , which story relates much after this manner . when that most wicked and bloudy tyrant of the world , the emperour nero put on a resolution to marry popea , it was thought something necessary by his favourites to forge false accusations against his lawfull wife octavia , not onely in regard of the nobility of her blood , and extraction , but for fear lest the people might be overmuch scandalized at the action ; to which purpose a mayd-servant of hers being brought to the rack , before tygellinus that infamous and cruell bawd ; after many furious and intolerable torments , which she suffered in defence of her ladies chastity and honour ; at last she was demanded by that inhumane monster something concerning her mistresses deportment in uncivill tearmes , not becomming the modesty of her womanly eares to heare , or her bashfull tongue to answer : however being violently prest notwithstanding unto a direct and present reply , she told him in some passion that her ladies secret parts were farre more chaste , and free from corruption , then his mouth ; and in this conflict yeelded up her life to their cruelty , as a testimony of octavias innocency . by this magnanimous suffering may be noted the extream fidelity of this poore though couragious wench , who was so farre from betraying her mistris , that in the very heat of her torments she rather chose to exasperate the malice of those tyrants , to her further punishment , then she would endure to hear so much as one dishonourable passage to be mentioned , that concerned the dignity of her ladies person , as i may say , disdaining that so much as one uncivil or unbeseeming word , should be spoke that concerned her honour , though at that time she was forced to entertain such a combat as might have gained the victory over the stoutest and most couragious men , that ever yet breathed . which being considered in each particular , may be thought extraordinary effects of that love and duty that belong to the condition of service ; for however she could not without some impiety accuse innocency , though many by meer force of tortures have been constrained to it in their own cause , yet if she had not been so much transported with her affection to her mistresse , by which means she apparently exasperated her judges , she might probably have obtained more favour or lesse rigour in her own behalf and concernment , wherein consisted the chief magnanimity of the action . but as i have now briefly run through these extravagancies of nature , and corruptions of manners , from whence probably proceed all humane wickednesse , whereby people are carried on for the most part to be unjust to others , and injurious to themselves ; not onely against religion belonging to god , but even contrary to morality appertaining to men and conversation . so of the otherside , ought we to expect by the exact rule of justice , after this life either punishment or reward , according to our comportments in these particulars , which however it be a principle most believe in the general , yet perhaps many may not seriously enough reflect upon the true consideration of their qualities , for if they did but apprehend the punishment and rewards with a competent understanding belonging to good and evil , it were impossible upon every slight occasion , to be carried away so much with preposterous practises , as experience in this latter age tells us men are . wherefore , that we may come somethidg neerer our thoughts , by a collection of some circumstances of these particulars , as the church of god tells us there is a hell and a heaven , which must by consequence follow , if there be a god and a devil ; so may we in a sort measure out their natures and properties , by some humane descriptions and comparisons , although in no other manner , then the twilight resembles the day , or the least star in the firmament the bright sun. and first we will begin with hell. some kinde of demonstrations of the supernatural torments of hell. t is true , as i have intimated already , notwithstanding it be unpossable to comprehend sufficiently the intollerable torments of this infernal habitation , by the meer apprehension of man , that proceeds no further then humane capacity , when as these infinite miseries being instituted by almighty god in the greatest fury of his wrath , must needs be spiritual , and consequently supernatural , to satisfie his judgement , wherefore neither confined to place nor subject to mitigation , yet being computed with worldly sufferings , we may in some sort he sensible of their effects , if not of their natures and qualities . for which purpose let a man but set before his consideration and apprehension the miserable condition of a person cast into a deep and dark dungeon , without hope of redemption , full of nothing but horrid dispaire and stinking vapour , there to have his naked body laid upon a broiling gridiron over a most sulpherous and scorching fire , whilst his tender flesh by piece meals , should be continually torn from the bones by hot pincers , with all the violence and cruelty that could be imagined ; whether or no it can be supposed that this miserable wretch would not redeem his deplorable captivity if it lay in his power , with the greatest pennance and austeritie , that were ever yet suffered upon earth by any mortal creatures ; however , these punishments were only designed for some few yeers : so that let what man soever consider but the shortnesse of humane life in this world , wherein any thing can be acted or suffered by an equal estimate , and then tell me whether that person be not a most intolerable fool that seems so bewitched with momentary & painted delights , that he cannot in any kind reflect upon those torments that shall neither be confined to him , or can admit of any manner of comparison ; for if all the tortures that were ever yet invented by the most cruellest and subtilest tyrants , were to be laid upon a sufferer , with the greatest art and violence could be devised , to cause despair and increase affliction , yet were they no more to be esteemed in regard of the infernal torments then the least biting of a flea is to be compared to those punishments we have mentioned , though executed , as i say , with what worldly power soever ; or then is the ordinary fire we use , to be likned to the suns brightnesse , or the lightnings effect that in an instant , procures both fear and amazement ; since we must expect the torments in the other life , to be so far from being understood , or comprehended by any humane imagination , that they are created not onely by god almighties omnipotency , not a natural way as earthly things are , but as it were in the very spirit of his indignation against sin , that is more opposite to his majesty a million of times , then light is to darknesse . for as we must suppose them ordained , onely to prosecute a divine vengeance , never more to be pacifyed by what mediation soever , and as little the executioners to be won to any manner of compassion : so ought we to be assured , that both soul and body shall endure , not onely one common and particular torment , but multitudes of every kinde , answerable to each nature . for as the soul shall be continually tormented with the thought of that loss it hath sustained , being debarred from heaven , and being brought into a most despairing condition , never to be redeemed by any care or endeavour , so shall every sense of the body and member a part be sensible of distinct punishments , as well as of the whole , though each insufferable in every particular , and yet not withstanding must be endured altogether without either relaxation or intermission . as for example , our eyes will be deprived of all light and faculty of seeing , and yet neverthelesse must be continually frighted , with most ugly and horrid visions of all sorts that can work terrour in a bodies apprehension . our hearing likewise , although absolutely obstructed and deaf , as to any discourses of pleasure and consolation with other tones of harmony and delight , yet shall we conceive alwayes to apprehend in our imaginations , most terrible cursing , howlings , and other distastful lamentations of tortured persons . the smell in like manner , however of no use to our benefit and commodity , yet shall remaine alwayes suffocated and choaked with stinking corruptions of sufficient power to poyson whole worlds of people . our taste , though continually glutted with loathsome superfluities in every kinde , yet notwithstanding shall we indure most outragious hunger and thirst , to the very appetite and violent desire of eating and consuming of our own bowels and intrails , for want of food and nourishment . and for our feeling , we shall need no more comparison , then perfectly to reflect upon either those torments we have already mentioned in this discourse , or seriously to consider what is possible for people to suffer , either by fire , sword , scourges , or the like ; by the cruelty of what tyranny soever without intermission . however , as i have said before , all earthly tortures are no more to be compared with hell fire , then a man lying warm in his bed furnished with all delights is to be esteemed miserable , like him who being flead of his skin is presently cast into a frozen pool to be tormented to death with cold . for the fire which is to be punishment to the damned , hath three properties , as i may say , infinite in their natures , violently tending unto the unhappinesse of men condemned by the majesty of god. the first is , that it can never be extinguished by what art or power soever . the second , that it shall never waste it self for want of matter to work upon , or at all consume the subject of its fury . and the third is , that it shall be no way limited in effect , being as may say , infinitely vigorous . so that we may conclude those flames to be powerful without resistance , lasting without end , and violent beyond sufferance . besides , it hath no manner of affinity at all , with any kinde of comfort or consolation , much lesse is it constituted to delight sense , or please apprehension . for it burns in darknesse , it scorcheth without warmth , and continues without use . whereas those fires we have upon earth , are but hurtful onely according to accident and application , for however , they prejudice sometimes our persons , and hinder our commodity , yet in the interim they afford a certain kinde of content and satisfaction in being perceived , the nature thereof being of a pleasant aspect at the worst . and notwithstanding they often destroy and consume with no small violence , yet at that very time , they contribute something of commodity to the beholders , either by reason of warmth or light , which are properties delightful naturally to our humane senses ; whereas those black and unperceived flames of hell , are not made capable at all of any manner of beneficial quality , as being wholly and infinitely intended by the exsperated justice of almighty god , for affliction and punishment ▪ so that if people would but seriously consider these fearful particulars , and withal how little able mens bodies are in this world ( according to the custome of this luxurious age ) to endure any extraordinary hardnesse ( when for the most part we seem passionately sensible of the least aking of a tooth , bein ready to confine our selves to our beds for a small defluction of khume ) me thinks the very apprehension of what may befal our condition in the other life , should make us perfectly fick indeed , though i do not say , of dispair , yet of profitable considerations , whereby either to perform austerities , or restrain vices ; again , if naturally we cannot brook the sight onely of tortured persons in this world chastised for their misdemeanours , by a certain kinde of antipathy against blood and cruelty ; how shall we be able to suffer the torments of hell both in body and soul , when as god himself is the judge with a frowning brow , being an injured majesty , and the devils the executioners full of unspeakable malice towards mankinde , in being exalted into their places , which they will be sure ever to remember with advantage , when their power shall be no more circumscribed and limited in that particular . o stupendious misery without bounds limits , or end ! which however , by the opinion of most divines , shall be increased by the very knowledge & memory we shall retain , in concerning how unfortunately we were deprived of the sight of god , by reason of nothing but our own foolish negligences , when we had the happy means so conveniently and lovingly offered us by the passion of our most blessed saviour ; who certainly , as it may be conceived , would not have dyed and suffered for us , if the prevention of these horrid torments , had not been of a most infinite consequence to our avail . besides , we may in some sort measure the nature of the torments in hell , not onely by the devils cruelty , but by their ugly shape and deformity ; since as it is believed , if a man could but see one of them in his proper colours and horrour of his office , it were unpossible to live after it one minute ; much more what an unspeakable terrour to be in the company of many millions of them for multitudes of lasting ages , especially , as i said before , having obtained an absolute jurisdiction over our persons , neither to be redeemed by any mor● industry , or their cruelty to be asswaged by any compassion or intreaty . and these torments and horrours , no doubt , will be amplified and augmented in a most high kinde , by that terrible and bottom lesse despair , that shall continually possesse and afflict our thoughts , as well in conceiving the present miseries we suffer , as in fully apprehending we shall never enjoy a better condition . and yet notwithstanding , we shall be so far from procuring any the least consideration from heaven in our behalfs , that as the devils will perpetually insult and triumph over our persons and afflictions , so shall the justice of almighty god , alwayes from his throne of glory , put us in minde of those faults for which deservedly we endure all our intolerable punishments , as it were by that means returning our curses and blasphemies upon our heads , to our greater shame and torment , which our desperate condition would willingly cast up at the majesty of almighty god. neither will it be our smallest misery ( though all is infinite and boundlesse ) to behold with the eyes of our tormented soule the strange darknesse of the place , wherein we are imprisoned for ever , being of a most narrow capacity and extent , and yet filled with so many horrid confusions of all sorts , without any distinction in the least kind , that can pretend to variety ; in so much as it may be resembled to the worlds chaos before the creation , though much more ugly and deformed . all these excessive , boundlesse and incomprehensible miseries ( i say ) we doe more then hazzard to undergoe , onely because we cannot finde in our hearts to forbeare the violent carreere of all passions and affections in every thing . however without doubt enjoyed any way in the greatest perfection can be devised in the world , and most agreeing with naturall sense and appetite , yet in effect they will prove but like the seeming beautifull apples , growing upon the bankes of sodome , which being gathered containe nothing within them but dust and ashes . nay further , i dare boldly and with confidence affirm , that men for the most part undergoe more labour , paines and vexation , both in minde and body , in procuring their own damnations , then others ( that make earthly things more indifferent in their desires ) doe in purchasing the joyes of heaven . wherefore i must conclude those persons to be wonderfull strange creatures , that continue in so stupid a madnesse , incompassed about with such infinite hazzards , onely to maintaine the possession , or i may say rather an appetite to purchase those things , which truly in themselves well considered , are not at all essentiall to any manner of apprehension or fruition ; which infallibly demonstrateth that mans faith is defective , or his judgement not competent , since either he must not believe what the church and scriptures tell him , or wants ability in his nature truly to comprehend the valew and waight of such principles ; and in this respect may be said to resemble the foot ( or rato exceed him in insensibility ) that chose to be a king onely for one yeere , and afterward all daies of his life to endure nothing but hunger , beggery and misery . for certainly as mans continuance in this world is no more to be thought of in comparison of eternity , then one yeere to be valued with the longest age ; so are all the afflictions upon earth that were ever yet endured by flesh and blood , no more to be esteemed with those torments of hell , then dreams are to be reckoned with realities . neither in truth can they admit of any manner of humane similitude . but now that we have brought into our remembrance some kind of representation of these fearfull expectations , from the severe justice of almighty god , his majesty being exasperated against sinners , we will a little endeavour to sweeten these apprehensions , by some estimats of those blessings which his mercy hath prepared in heaven for his friends . however they are much more difficult to be described then the torments of hell , by reason the soules fruition chiefly consists in speculation , that is in beholding the beatified vision of god with knowledge and security , which , as i may say , is not at all to be comprehended by our humane senses , and little more by the conceptions of our soule , being accompanied with the body unrefined : which was the cause that mahomet onely instituted a paradise of sense , more probably to take the appetites of his disciples and followers ; craftily conceiving , that if he should have preached to them such high mysteries , and promised to them rewards past their capacities naturally to conceive or apprehend , it would have quickly beat down the new foundation of his wicked building ; since the common people might not have been so ready to have followed his enticements , and entertained his doctrine : for truly hidden and supernaturall things are not so plausible to humane nature , as such as are more visible to the eyes , eares , and fleshly senses , which seem better to perswade common and not illuminated understandings . neither is it possible to procure a competent proportion of this illumination necessary to salvation , without some speciall grace first purchased from almighty god ; gained , as i may say , by our earnest desires , and diligent endeavours to serve him both with our hearts and actions , according to the churches directions . but now to our purpose concerning our heavenly representations . the wonderfull properties , and infinite felicities of heaven in some sort described , according to humane apprehension . as heaven certainly was ordained by almighty god , for the comfort and felicity not onely of his good servants , but for the further declaration of his majesty and glory , so may it be very well supposed , to be the prime piece of his creation , when as it is illustrated , as i may say , by his own presence that could not be created , and he being wonderfull and omnipotent in all his works , no doubt hath appointed that celestiall mansion , to be fully replenished with all manner of satisfactory varieties and beauties beyond any kind of conception : for if we with our naturall eyes cannot behold the sun , without amazement ; especially when we consider and know it to be by evident demonstration above a hundred times bigger then the whole earth , shining and casting his light in such an admirable manner , to the benefit of the whole world , and yet must be at last changed or brought to nothing , as a contemptible creature , onely for a time made for mans use and commodity , without any manner of intention of eternity , what may we thinke of that refulgent habitation , where god himselfe hath placed his throne , not onely to endure for ever and ever , but where he hath designed particularly his glory , goodness and omnipotency , to be worshipped and adored in a full and open prospect by us after the clouds of our fraile nature are dispersed from before our soules view , that darken her light and understanding , whilst she walkes here upon earth cloathed with flesh and blood . o that it should be possible that people can be taken with the representations of dainty maskes and the like , where onely fained gods seem to be drawn in golden chariots through the ayre , in which entertainment oftentimes our senses are so transported , that in our hearts we could wish to enjoy no other happinesse but to be alwaies in such company , where delicious gardens and fountaines might still afford our appetites varieties of earthly pleasures , and yet when any discourses are offered to our eares of these supernaturall and incomprehensible delights , both certain and permanent , we appeare altogether , as it were dead and insensible of the least apprehension of such perfections . alasse , how we may perceive our selves to be overcome but with the reading of idle romances ; or hearing other stories that tell us with a world of fictions of admirable places of pleasure , wherein remaine nothing but nymphes and ganemedes . yet when we understand these true beatitudes to be described in scripture , and set forth by other religious authours , they seem not at all either to move our desires , or stir our appetites . the reason of which i say is nothing but a certain kind of stupidity , engrafted in our dispositions by custom , in regard we have not procured so much grace from almighty god ( for want of diligence in his service ) as should cleare our mentall speculation , and elevate our soule to our proper sphere , there to converse knowingly : for such religious persons as have in a manner any way mortified themselves to the world , i dare be bold to affirme , take more delight and felicity in one heavenly rapture , then we can possibly in a thousand of these fantasticall imaginations that doe but leave the soule darkned in her understanding , without any reall satisfaction at all enjoyed . but let us come as neere as we can by sense to the apprehension of these heavenly excellencies , as i may say , by naturall and humane comparisons , since it is unpossible altogether to shake off the appetites of this grosse clay , that will downward doe what we can ▪ especially leading our manner of lives . to this purpose we will begin first with the wonderfull extent of paradise , being certainly one of the chiefe properties belonging to the beauty of any place or habitation ; for which effect we may reflect upon the consideration of the round ball of the earth , being of no penurious dimension , to be covered over with a large and vast canopy of what matter we know not , though most admirably contrived ; and besprinkled clean through with multitudes of bright starres , some equalling the whole world in greatnesse , and yet seem to possesse in a manner no place at all in the firmament ; by which comparison we may in some sort give a roving conjecture of the hugenesse and capacity of the heaven of heavens , wherein god almighties chiefe glory is placed ; which is so farre above all these transitory spheres both in height and greatnesse , that we may imagine it to increase , as one circle doth within another from this lower heaven , untill it come not onely unto an unmeasurable , but an unconceivable vastnesse and infinity . so that without any more dispute we may very well conclude , that the paradise of the blessed is great , without limitation ; and so consequently must exceed all proportion answerable to mans conception . the next benefit that may be thought to belong to this glorious habitation is clarity , which certainly is so exceedingly illustrious in this place beyond expression , that as we may suppose the whole frame of the heaven to be made of a transparent and chrystalline matter , so is every soule therein remaining qualified or adorned with a particular light or shining , according to the degree of its happy estate , which neverthelesse in each doth exceedingly out-doe the brightnesse of the naturall sunne in his greatest splendour . for that planet , however created with admirable properties for mans commodity , yet being not ordained for eternity , the effects thereof cannot be perfect in any kind , because it selfe wants also an absolute perfection in nature . wherefore putting together so many excellent lights , wonderfull in brightnesse , and delightfull in aspect , what may we conceive of the glory of the celestiall habitation ? especially when the refulgent rayes , proceeding from the blessed countenance of every saint and angell , can reflect upon nothing ( as i said before ) but upon a certaine chrystaline matter , transparent without all comparison beyond all the diamonds of the world , reverberating in that manner backe againe with more charity through the whole . and as the period and crown of this admirable lustre remaines eternally the continuall presence of the sonne of god , in whom all things are transparently beheld without obstacle , whose majesty outshines these created and lesser lights , a million of times more then doth the great candle of the element darken the smallest twinkling starre that can be perceived by any eye ; whose aspect is of such an infinite brightnesse , that the blessed spirits themselves were not able to behold his own and fathers divinity ▪ unlesse they were impowered by their goodnesse to such a perfection , which renders them not onely capable of that happinesse ; but also of the understanding and perfect knowledge of what they are permitted to see : so that there can be no doubt at all made but that the clarity of heaven doth equall every way the capacity thereof ; and the rather so to be believed , for that by most expressions in holy scripture the joyes of paradise are figured by that denomination of light and brightnesse . in the third place we may reflect upon those infinite and innumerable beauties that adorne this mentioned splendour , the least of which is not onely capable to ravish all our worldly senses , if our natures were capaable to entertaine such divine happinesse , but also would be able to create in the very understanding a true tast and fruition of their excellencies , which our mortall frailty now doth not suffer us to possess in those earthly things we have though they are farre from containing the least perfection whatsoever . if the spacious ovall room in neroes palace , wherein were placed bright looking-glasses in every angle that represented some humane varieties of flourishing gardens , bedeckt with beautifully flowers and magnificent fountaines ; at whose cleare streams many sorts of creatures seemed to take refreshment , could attract every spectators eye to wonder and amazement , which onely was contrived by earthly art and industry : what may we conceive this heavenly place to be ; that had not onely a divine majesty , but omnipotency for its founder ? besides that , it is designed for a perpetuall habitation of his own glory . certainly if tempe in greece afforded such plentifull matter for poeticall fictions , which was onely a small valley of naturall delights , in so much as it almost gave opinion to the rude multitude , of the station of blessed and happy soules after this life , why should not the least consideration of these eternall beauties transport our thoughts and desires beyond all rest and quiet , untill we had purchased the possession to our selves , though bought at never so deare a rate by the crucifying of all inordinate passions and affections . i must confesse it is more then difficulty to represent however but to the imagination onely beauties , when neither the matter hath been seen , or the form is to be comprehended ; neverthelesse we are to conceive by faith , that heaven being god almighties perfectest building , is in all parts furnished with infinities of pleasant and delightfull objects to the view ; especially if we consider that an angell is more glorious in his own proper nature , then all the beauties of the world put together ; and those being in a manner innumerable , and distinct in forme and excellencies , ( though all to be beheld at one instant ) what a representation must that be to a capacity , that is not onely divinely enabled to distinguish of varieties , but to judge of perfection ; which properties certainly we shall fully enjoy , being there happily placed ; but above all , if we enter into the consideration of god himselfe , who is the great maker of every beauty sitting in his throne of honour , with all his glorious courtiers about him , cloathed with a ravishing splendour . o what a sight of satisfaction will that be , to the cleare faculty of our soules , neither dull'd by obstructions , nor hindered by interpositions ; and more infinitely taking shall it be , for that , as through a transparent and admirable glasse , in him we shall evidently see not onely our own happinesse to the best advantage , but all other beauties that are made by himselfe , both with a perfect science and absolute fruition . again , if we conceive varieties to be another perfection , we may consider what a multitude of severall degrees of glories there are in that bright and blessed palace , when every order of angels , and each angell in his own particular seat and place , is distinguished both in office and lustre , though all united in their wils and obedience , that makes the greater harmony ; which number , for ought i know may be above a million of millions ; whom , as i say we shall all know and see without corruption or impediment , not as we doe now people of this world subject to inconstancy and imperfections , but alwaies united with sweet countenances and pleasind dispositions , producing variety of new delights to our imaginations , that cannot be deceived with any false objects . besides , we shall behold all the patriarchs , prophets , apostles , and martyrs that ever have been in the world , bearing about with them the honourable ensignes of their sufferings and vertues , to our most unspeakable delight in every particular ; but above all , we shall be more then transported with a heavenly satisfaction to contemplate the diversity of favours bestowed upon the blessed and incomparable virgin , by the love and power of the holy trinity , who is placed as we may suppose upon a throne of one intire carbuncle , clothed in a garment wrought all over with such heavenly varieties , that nature never knew , or angels can imitate , bearing also upon her head a crown of stars , enterwoven with rich stones of all colours and beauties , in comparison of which , diamonds and rubies are more base then the roughest pibles are , to the most rarest jewels that were ever yet worn by princes upon earth , with a thousand other excellencies , no more to be numbred then to be described . truly , if the severall and variable fancies of this world have so much power to intoxicate our brains , towards a perpetuall confusion and eternall damnation ; i see no reason why these excessive and satisfactory varieties of heaven well considered should not oftentimes , if not continually settle our judgements to more profitable and more necessary considerations ; for certainly it is no other thing then diversity of earthly chymeras that couzen our appetites to so disorderly and extreame prejudice , & suggests to our imagination strange and impossible frutions , both against reason , and contrary to faith . but as certainly these varieties of paradise are more then numerous ; so may we conceive the society to be answerably excellent thereunto in every respect : in regard there is none can be thither admitted , but those who have been extraordinary , and i may say in some sort admirable for their vertues and goodnesse in this world ; and being there glorified and refined , their excellencies of nature and dispositions appeare as through a transparent glasse , not onely to themselves but to each one of the blessed in particular , to an infinity of satisfaction in society and conversation ; though it be not exercised by the tongue or senses according to humane practises , but rather in a concordancy of wils and affections , wherein charity and love principally predominates ; by which means every soule is induced to desire and covet the good & prosperity of each other equall with his own ; so that not onely every appetite of envy is absolutely banished from that glorious and heavenly society , but the least repining is taken away at any others preferment and advancement ; however it is not to be doubted , but that there are severall degrees of happinesse in that blessed mansion ; which must needs render the conversation admirably sweet and delightfull , by reason of so absolute an unity in affections . for as none shall be lead away with any manner of passion of self-love , and as little will he conceive that he wanteth an absolute perfection in his own state and condition ; so the chiefe felicity any soule shall possesse in that heavenly habitation , is to see god , and by that consequence must accompany her fellows in the honour and worship which is not onely due to his divinity , but shall be thought the greatest increase of her own glory can possibly be enjoyed , since from that infinite majesty each blessed spirit doth extract all pleasure , content , and satisfaction , as from a vast ocean of blessednesse , resembling our naturall sea here upon earth , that bestows benefits and vertues upon every great river and little brook , according to its property and capacity : whilst in the interim our blessed and all powerfull saviour , resembling also in some sort the resplendent sunne , that hath the domination of every earthly thing , by his influence exhales from his fathers goodnesse and lustre a convenient proportion of all heavenly graces , to bestow what quantity he pleaseth of consolations in every respect , upon those of his perpetuall kingdome , united as i may say in so harmonious a society , as can never be severed in the least kinde , either by distance or disaffection . last of all , we may reflect upon the absolute security of this happy assembly ; not onely so in effect , but also assured in their owne knowledges , which renders any condition satisfied beyond measure ; for it seems to be a triumphant crown , that makes all endeavours majesticall by reason of the confidence in the conclusion , since without such an opinion new perturbations will continually arise , to disquiet the possession of any felicity and delight enjoyed ; which , as i say , is so absolutely purchased in this celestiall paradise , that god almighty neither will nor can loose his subjects and friends . and as little is it possible he should be deficient in his own mercies and goodnesse ; so that being once placed in his sight , we shall not need to feare either circumvention or inconstancy ; for all actions will be the same , and every thought free from variation . in like manner as our state will be intirely perfect , so cannot our wils be any way perverted , since those sensuall imperfections of surfeit and desire , must be all taken from our natures , as dependant only upon earthly & transitory possessions ; for that however there will appeare in that glorious station severall degrees of beatitudes , all disposed to nothing but to god almighties will and pleasure , though with a reference to each particular desert ; yet none of any degree but will be fully contented with his own proportion abundantly , without coveting more , or doubting what he hath , since in beholding god , he enjoyes what he can wish , in whom is contained all knowledge , happinesse , and security . now if all these particulars be well considered with competent understanding , not onely concerning this celestiall being of the blessed , but of the miserable condition of the damned , sice the principles cannot be denied by any christian faith , certainly the thoughts thereof cannot chuse but stirre up in people either some sparkles of devotion , or at leastwise procure much abatement of vice ; especially if it be also remembred with any manner of contemplation , that perpetuity infallibly appertains to both these places . certain consideration of eternity . a vast sea of amazement may eternity be esteemed , that neither can be bounded for its extent , or fathomed in its depth . for if a man were enjoyned but to drive a snaile to the furthest part of the indies , over a thousand interposing rocks and mountaines ; or should be obliged to drie all the waters upon earth onely by one drop after another , giving to each a yeeres space ; yet might there be some hope in time to accomplish those stupendious labours . but this never to be ended season carries with it such an incomprehensible extent , that all the art and knowledge of the world can procure no other definition thereof , but onely to give it a name , whilst the consideration may be said to stupifie all memories and capacities . so that , i say , miserable man may be the subject of all compassion , and the very object of every wonder , that to purchase the possession of some few trifles here upon earth , which in truth are rather nothing at all , onely for one minuts space , or breath of time in consideration of eternity , doth not onely lose the fruition of these excellent and everlasting benefits so largely mentioned , but also most inconsiderately and desperately doth cast himselfe headlong into a darke and deepe dungeon , where there is nothing to be expected but everlasting sorrow , and not any thing to be felt and endured but infinite torments ; and that not for a yeere or an age , but for ever and ever , without end . since the walke of eternity may be said to resemble a person going round about continually in a circle , wherein is to be found no termination or hope at any time to finish the journey ; for if we could number every sand of the sea , and reduce them distinctly by way of arithmetick severally into so many ages , yet altogether being computed with eternity , they will not admit of so neere a comparison as the least graine of mustard-seed in magnitude with the huge circumference of the whole world : much lesse are twenty or forty yeare of mans life to be valued in consideration of that infinity of time , or rather that time that is not at all finite , either in effect or apprehension . besides , if we had our own wishes , to sit alwaies proudly upon a commanding throne , beyond either the reach of envy , or the hazard of accidents in the interim , pulling down this man , and exalting whom we please , with each single word ; as also accompanied entirely with all other worldly felicities could be devised : yet a little sleepe when it were necessary , ( which is no other then a figure of death ) must again retire us into our solitary chamber , there to converse with privacy ; which certainly in that necessity would give us more content and satisfaction , then the apprehension of our excessive greatnesse and power . wherefore , i say , if all that we can desire will not prove constantly pleasing upon earth , what may we think of the small time we have to enjoy any thing here ; our lives being but as a flash of lightning , that appeares for a moment , and afterwards goes out for ever . certainly if that great egyptian monarch were mortified in his thoughts , by the turning only of his chariot wheele , reflecting by that motion upon the inconstancy of fortune ; there is no doubt but much more he did consider the shortnesse of the space , any thing could be enjoyed in this world . t is true however time shall never be finished , yet our selves must be quickly at an end , our lives continually wasting like a candle , though with a seeming kinde of security we take our rest and never thinke upon it ; for every day , if we would but seriously consult our looking-glasse to that purpose , we should to our griefe no doubt perceive new gray haires and wrinkles to encrease , both without our privity , and against our wils . when we look back to our yeares past , we think them nothing , yet are we so foolishly transported with the vanity of present possessions , that although we have not neere so many behinde to come , yet for that short time onely to enjoy a few painted pleasures , though in our decrepit age , we are perswaded to hazard , or rather to leave in desperation our eternall condition hereafter . nay put case it might be something doubtfull , whether there be any hell or heaven , or no : yet certainly it cannot be but an extraordinary madnesse , to venture upon such an experience in the future ; especially when in the present we gaine so small a benefit to our selves , as are the possessions of all these worldly vanities we ayme at , that have in them neither reality nor continuance ; neither doe they so much as assure us here , what part of them we shall be able quietly to enjoy ; for oftentimes we finde our state so miserable by reason of some accidents or other , that not seldome we are provoked to wish our selves dead as being weary of life ; and yet all this while we have not so much wise foresight as to consider , that probably we are in danger , to enter into such a condition presently after the breath is out of our body , that is intolerable to be indured , being alike lasting as violent . another kind of preposterous and deplorable vanity i must speake of , which is to see , how many people will venture through raging flames , with almost no possibility of escaping death , onely to gaine a little idle fame in the future , or some small breath of praise in the present ; and yet when they should offer themselves to any manner of austerity or hardnesse , for the gaining of eternity , they seeme to be either without courage or motion . o insensible stupidity and weake faith , wholly directed by sensuality and ignorance , to the greatest confusion and folly can be imagined ; when as after one minute , that the last gaspe is past , we shall be no more mindefull of what fame we purchased in this world , then if we had never been born at all , unlesse it be to our further punishment ; for that in our life-time we did not rightly make use of those naturall faculties , that god almighty had bestowed upon us for our own good and his service , which being discreetly employed might have been beneficiall both to our selves and posterity : what shall we thinke also of some men reputed philosophers , that have pretended to a certaine kinde of eternity in shew , however they thought of nothing lesse in effect : which appetite appeared apparently in the disposition of murcus aurelius , that great and esteemed wise emperour , who in his life time and prosperity , seemed to contemne all earthly concernments , as most vaine and idle considerations , and to that purpose often wished for death , as he said to free him from the accidentall miseries of this world , though when he was really arrested by that unwelcome messenger , his faithfull & trusty secretary , had much labour to perswade him to any convenient fortitude at all : which plainely shewes , he was more vain-gloriously taken with his professed opinion before men , conceiving it belike for his greater honour to seeme to contemne death , then that either his heart was free from naturall affections of living longer here , or that his thoughts were any way transported with a desire of any other being at all , as either perhaps not believing any such thing , or else was most desperately loth to foregoe the possession of what he enjoyed already : in like manner , there was another philosopher , who being in a ship ready to be cast away by a sudden storme , notwithstanding he had preached most violently to the marriners , not onely of the contempt of death , but of the vanity of life ; did neverthelesse expresse by his countenance an extreame feare and terrour : whereupon after the tempest was past he was reproved with scorne by some for his hypocrisie and cowardlinesse , in pretending to despise that , which as it should seeme he most desired : to which he quickly made this reply , as having no other way in part to save his reputation ; that however he seemed something troubled , at the apprehension of his own losse for the present , yet it was not because he did not in his thoughts really contemne death according to his profession , but that he considered how much the world should be damnified by his destruction ; when as if a thousand such as themselves had perished , the matter had not been of any moment at all , in regard of the little commodity was to be made of their preservation . but however this jest served in some sort to save his reputation for the present , yet it was plaine his professions were contrary to his thoughts : for that people being out of the right way of desiring eternity , they cannot possibly reflect upon the consequence of such a happinesse whereby to esteeme of life and death indifferently enough ; since their chiefe end , let them say what they will , is but to purchase some worldly consideration , notwithstanding all their hypocriticall pretensions . t is true many great philosophers in former times appeared to adore no other god but future and eternall fame ; yet give me leave to say , that although they might have those appetites living and being in prosperity , yet it was chiefly , if not wholly upon the matter , to reap the benefit of such an opinion here during their naturall lives . as for example , we see many raise stately mountaines , endeavouring thereby to continue and eternize their memories upon earth ; yet the neerer they draw to their deaths , those ambitions become cooler , untill at last perhaps in the perclose , they absolutely quit and forgoe all those vaine cogitations , and betake themselves onely ( if they be not religious ) to things belonging to flesh and blood , which is ease , rest , sleep , and the like , leaving apparently those hot vanities of fame and ambition to younger people , that have ability of body to make use of such mentall delights , as having longer time to enjoy them . which shews evidently , it is not alone eternity they seek , either in fame , remembrance , or what you will else to that purpose , but rather present and humane content inwardly , as long as they live in this world , imagining they shall be thought brave persons hereafter . which , however it seems to have reference to the future , yet well considered , it is nothing but a naturall satisfaction , they propose to their own apprehension , how much they shall be honored after their deaths , supposing also those that converse with them doe believe absolutly the same ; which opinion , as i say , they violently desire to enjoy , as long as they live here . for we finde by experience , that such people as make their last wils and testaments , being in perfect health and strength of body , designe huge matters for their funerals ; but those that dispose of their affaires , being ready to yield up the ghost , onely take care for a convenient place without much pompe , where they may be buried . all which are but further testimonies of demonstration , that onely the sensualities of this world , whether they be in meere opinion , or belong to other naturall appetites , take mens desires more then any manner of eternity whatsoever . in so much as all may be reduced onely to the violent coveting of possession , however it be of never so smal a continuance , beyond all future considerations whatsoever . which appeared plainly in the actions of alexander the great , who seemed most ambitiously to court fame and opinion , with an extraordinary aime to settle his conquered empire to perpetuity in all magnificency , whilst he was living in prosperity ; but being upon his death-bed , and askt who should be king after him , he was so farre from any thoughts of future establishment , that as he designed no governour at all over his vast dominions , so did he leave every thing in a most miserable confusion , notwithstanding he had both probability of issue and his own kindred to have nominated : insomuch as all his eminent captains and commanders went presently together by the eares amongst themselves ; so that within a very few yeeres there was not one of them remained alive , or scarce any part of this conquest continued entire : which humour had been well represented to this young princes ambition by the rude scythians , when their embassadours told him , that however he seemed so violently transported with victorios land successe , yet at last he must be contented with onely ten foot of ground to containe his person , and circumscribe his glory . as much to say , when his life should be ended , he would be little the better for his prosperity . and truly , if the carcass of any prince should be asked , what felicity it now enjoyes in regard of those past honours ; if it could speak , without doubt it would make answer , none at all . for certainly , men lying upon their death-beds , are either not capable of any thoughts whatsoever , or are busied with more serious considerations , then to trouble themselves to think or desire what may be the opinion of them and their actions amongst people after they are gone . however i doe not maintaine the contrary , but that it is most necessary , or at leastwise convenient in our humane condition , to endeavour a lawfull reputation , as also a fitting memory to be continued concerning our comportments in this life , provided a right end thereof be annexed thereunto . and chiefly for these three respects : in the first place it may be supposed , that by our noble actions and endeavours we bequeath a lasting legacy of honour and reputation to our surviving friends and posterity , whereby they may be benefited in the world after us by the deserved fame of our atchievements . secondly , by the demonstration of such vertues and perfections , we leave patterns and examples to all in generall , who may the sooner be enduced thereby to imitate our actions , represented to them as a most worthy object . and lastly our deservings by that means comming to be known to others , and rewarded with praise and commendation , they cannot but give encouragement to worthy persons , to continue in their own designes to that purpose , since themselves may expect the like benefits , which probably will prove a means to root out wickednesse and basenesse out of the world by reason of contrary effects : for without such principles it is unpossible that any commonwealth can long remaine prosperous . so that in a word , to sum up all this whole discourse ; whosoever seeks any thing but heaven for his utmost and eternall period , is either a foole or a mad man , since as i said before , not onely all other things are defective , but the very time it selfe when they can be enjoyed in regard of eternity , is not so much as the least moment compared with a million of ages . besides i may affirm , that all worldly actions at the best must be buried in obscurity , and at the worst they end in misery and confusion : for though honour , fame , riches , and the like , are convenient benefits to be sought by noble dispositions , as well for examples to encourage vertue and goodnesse , as to avoid sloth and idlenesse ; yet must they notwithstanding be joyned with absolute intentions , to procure something more then either earthly satisfaction during this life , or a bare hope of a fantasticall opinion afterwards ; since eternity will reach beyond the worlds dissolution , when all things of flesh and blood must end , being so ordained by an omnipotend decree , before either nature or time was created . but now that we haue , as i suppose , spoke sufficiently of hell , heaven , and eternity ; let us a little take a view of this earthly life of ours , that we seem so exceedingly much to value and esteem in this world , since for it we hazzard all these before-mentioned good and evils . considerations upon the shortnesse of mans life upon earth , with many other inconveniencies thereunto belonging . in the first place we may consider the shortnesse of our time here upon earth , according to the computation of the best knowing judgements ; since by way of purchase in any estate , there is no lawyer that reckons another persons life at above ten yeeres , let his complexion and constitution be never so strong and healthfull , considering the diversity of accidents , that belong to our humane condition so ; that dividing this ten yeares space into three parts , we must confesse one of them is wholly taken up in sleepe , wherein we possesse no pleasure at all ; however some necessary satisfaction may be reaped thereby to our tyred and wearied nature ; for we remaine as i may say all that while both uselesse to our selves and to others . another third part of this time we may give to the crostes and vexations of the world , with other imployments that must be personned , though perhaps we receive neither delight or content by actions of that nature . all which being indifferently calculated , there will remaine to our own proper share and commodity entirely , but a very few yeares , wherein can be fully and totally enjoyed these violent desired felicities of the earth , that so much contrary to all reason bewitch our soules and senses ; as onely for the fruition and possession of them , we in a manner cast away the very thought of this great and infinite eternity , already so largly described , accompanied by all those incomprehensible pleasures of heaven ; and runne desperatly into the danger of enduring such horrid torments , as no pen can write or tongue can utter . but put case notwithstanding we have allotted but ten yeares to mans life , considering all casualties as i said before of this world , either by plague , famine , warre , feavours , sicknesse , or the like , we could enjoy a hundred yeares of durance , which i will be bold to say , not one man in an hundred thousand , doth arrive unto , by any physicke and temperance can be practised ; yet dividing this terme also into three parts , as we have done the former , we shall finde that very little of it will bring us that satisfaction we may suppose . as for example , the first season of our infancy , is wholly spent in ignorance and instruction , wherein for the most part we live ( according to our apprehension ) under such subjections , that we receive no contented satisfaction in our present condition ; however i may affirme it to be the best time of our delight . if we consider the middle of our age , we shall finde it perpetually accompanied with such care , vexations , and troubles , that they prove continually interruptions and impediments to any content or satisfaction our soules can entertaine ; since at the best we are alwayes in feare to be deprived of what we have , or too much solicitous to gaine what we have not . and for the latter part of our time , we have enough to doe instead of expecting delights , to thinke of curing our infirmities , and patching up the breaches and decayes of nature , that are daily made in our bodies by age ; like old leaking vessels , who however they may for sometime be preserved with much care and paynes , yet can never be made for any use of long continuance . truly , if we well observe our concernments after fifty ( which is the age allotted by that wise philosopher , marcus aurelius the emperour , for man chiefly to begin his misery ) we shall finde it wholly debarred from any manner of constant felicity ; as for example , if we have no children to succeed us in those worldly fortunes and honour , which we so much labour for in this humane life , certainly it cannot but be esteemed no small defect to our condition ; neither are those apprehensions to be blamed in us , when as we have for a patterne the example of that holy man abraham , who complained , being extreamly sensible of such a crosse , that the steward of his house was to be his heire , for want of naturall posterity i ; for if this good person apprehended it as a cause of affliction to his thoughts , much more must our exceeding weake frailty be moved with the consideration : of the other side , if we have children given us by god almighty , according to our wishes , yet want we not daily perturbations in our minds , left they might miscarry at one time or other by reason of worldly accidents ; considering the many chances that hourely happen to all manner of conditions ; and of the contrary , if they prove untoward and disobedient , answerable to the customes of the age ; what greater crosse can possibly afflict our thoughts or torment our rest ; which perpetuall vexation at last , may constraine us perhaps a thousand times to wish they had never beene borne to their own destruction and our griefe . of the other side , if our delights be chiefly in friendship and conversation , how soone may that esteemed felicity be taken from our possession , either by suddain jealousies or froward accidents , when we least expect the unhappinesse ; if the gaining of riches best please our appetites , though we have imployed many yeares in the acquisition of golden mountaines , either warre , oppression , or some law-suite or other may soone deprive us of all we have , and cast us into an unrecoverable and desperate poverty , since our affaires depend upon the will and intentions of men , wicked and uncertaine . for truly either our owne servants may betray us corrupt judges undoe us , or our debtors prove banckrupt , all which often happen , and then quickly vanisheth away all our esteem . besides a hundred other casualties that cannot be mentioned at present , because not thought upon . now , i say , if these perturbations and casualties be incident to the best and most solid time of our humane condition , when as our bodies and understandings are most in vigour , to enjoy earthly felicities and content , what may we thinke of our decaying and criped age : when as we shall see our teeth dayly , to drop one by one from our hollow jawes and dryed gums , untill at last we have none at all left , for our necessary use and commodity . our eyes in like manner by degrees to grow dim , having onely their faculties preserved a while by spectacles and other meanes , untill at the length we become starke blind , leaving us in a posture uncomfortable , since we are sure never more to behold the glorious sunne or the cheerfull dayes light ; and for our legs they will appeare rather like small stalkes of withered plants , then convenient or substantiall supporters of our weake bodies , which must necessarily be assisted by crutches or some other artifice , to helpe us in our motion from place to place , whereby the best to give us a little ease and recreation , whilst we are able in any sort to crawle upon the face of the earth ; and however this helpe may serve for a while to supply the defects of decaying nature , yet in the end our beds or some solitary couch being overburthened with catars and rhumes must be the onely receptacle of our age and infirmity , where perhaps we shall converse with nothing but excessive pain and melancholy thoughts , as a neere preparation for our graves , to which station it may be doubted scarce a tear shal accompany us from the eyes of any of our friends , imagining we have had a sufficient time , of being in the world , whereupon i must here remember the custome of the indians , who used to put to death such people amongst them , that by reason of their extraordinary age , were thought past action and imployment , which testifies that even barbarians themselves , apprehend nothing but unhappinesses in our last continuance . now i say if this condition appertaine , to those that have been the greatest darling of fortune , and prosperity in this world ; what may we judge of such , that during their lives have had nothing but troublesome passage , concerning their affaires in the whole course of their time , as it were still conversing either with want , imprisonment , diseases , or some other apparent afflictions of this life . alas if we consider but the poore husbandman , that doth not onely continually toyle , for a contemptible subsistence , in heat and cold , in wet and dry , but is oftentimes in danger to be plundered of all he hath , and not seldom loseth his own life in defence of his small family , by the violent oppressions of mercilesse souldiers ; we may imagine his trouble and vexations give him no great cause of felicity . in what a miserable and horrid condition is a galleyslave , however he be endued with the same nobility of soule , as the greatest and mightiest prince upon earth . certainly the beggers that goe from doore to doore spin out a life in outward appearance of sufficient misery and vexation , notwithstanding they neither hope nor expect any other . and truly , however some few persons may seem to be in a more prosperous condition , yet considering the uncertainty of what they possesse , and the impossibility of coutinuance without change and alteration , they are not to be esteemed very far from them in unhappinesse . for although perchance we may look with eyes of envy upon many glorious potentates in the world , yet if their thoughts perhaps were truly examined , we shall finde multitudes of vexations depending upon their condition , to the destroying of all certaine content : for what prince was there ever yet , that commanded so intirely prosperity , that hath not often been troubled with naturall infirmities , as the stone , gout , and the like ; to free himselfe from which paine , perhaps he would willingly have parted with much of his dominion , if it had been possible , to have procured such a redemption at any price . how many people againe are born blinde , dumbe , and deafe , with other notorious imperfections of nature , that render them contemptible in the world , and yet are as greedy after the appetite of living long , as those which enjoy most felicity ; which shews , that it is not the reall fruition of any earthly delight , that gives us occasion to value our being here , but meerly a senselesse stupidity of flesh and blood , that makes us covet we know not what , without the soules consideration . withall , if we but look at the chances , accidents , and misfortunes of many glorious monarches , we shall have cause little enough to depend upon the certaine happinesse of any condition whatsoever . as for example , the emperour morisius , being in possession of as much prosperity as could be devised , of a sudden in his greatest majesty was surprized , by the conspiracy of a base and barbarous fellow of his army , and presently brought bound before his insulting prefence , where on his knees he was constrained to behold the cruell slaughter of his deare wife and all his young children one after another , untill at last himself made up the doleful catastrophy , as a period to his affliction and misery , whilst his worst enemy in the interim was proclamed before his eyes . again bagazat king of the turkes that brought three hundred thousand souldiers into the field against tamberlin , was that very day taken prisoner with all his glory , and presently shut up in an iron-cage , to be made a spectacle of wonder and contempt to all the world , where not long after he ended his dayes violently by his own hands . we may also in this place remember , the sudden misfortunes of the late queene of scots , that was a young brave and beautifull princesse married to the king of france , yet notwithstanding , within a few yeares returning into scotland , to take possession of her native kingdome , she was brought to such confusion , by the treason of her owne naturall subjects , that flying into england for assistance against their rebellions , she was betrayed and cast into prison , where she remained untill she lost her head upon a scaffold , in the view of all the people , without having so much as one sword drawne in her revenge , though she was allyed to most of all the powerfull princes of christendome . if we looke also at the glories of herod the great , who seemed fortunate and prosperous beyond measure in this world , yet we finde his life so mixt with such intolerable crosses and vexations , that he was not onely induced to the slaugher of his most beloved wife and naturall children , to maintaine his crown in safety against his suspicions , but towards his last end was in that fearfull manner tormented with paine and griefe , that one time in a certaine desperate humour calling for a knife to paire an apple , he would have killed himselfe , if he had not beene suddenly prevented , by some of his friends and servants . we read also of a duke of vrben , who was esteemed by all that knew him a paragon of nature , for his excellent abilities of minde , and composure of body , and run on a long space with a most fortunate successe in all his actions , both in war and peace ; yet almost in an instant no man knew how , he was so exceedingly cast down with diseases and infirmities , that he became a subject of pitty and compassion , not being able to stir one foot , but as he was carryed from place to place in a chair , but for a more ancient and authentical testimony of the uncertainty of worldly honours and happinesse , we may cast our eyes upon the fate of wicked haman in the holy scripture , who notwithstanding he had the absolute command of a hundred and twenty provinces , was so tormented in his thoughts , because a poor jew would not adore him , that he not onely procured thereby his own shameful death upon a pair of gallowes , but also was an eye or an ear witness of his childrens slaughter , though himself was forced to worship in person , that very man whom he most hated and despised . last of all , i will mention charles our late king , who for some yeers appeared to be the envy of europe , not onely for his prosperous glory , and happinesse , but in regard also of the numerousnesse of his private family , yet the wheel of fortune suddainly turning upon him , he was , as i may say , in an instant thrown from his throne , separated from his wife , deprived of his children ( being the chief comforts of humanity ) and forced to undergo a long , tedious , and harsh imprisonment , until in the end he lost his life like his grand-mother , before his own palace gate , as a greater testimony of the ignominy that was intended his person and dignity . which in my opinion , are testimonies with many others , sufficient to shew the little certainty of all temporary felicities ; however , for the most part we are preposterously carryed away beyond wisdom , and with too violent passion , to sacrifice for this brittle possession , not onely all our hopes of eternal happinesse , but even as it were desperately , as i said before , induced to run into those black and terrible flames of fire , that can never be quenched . which truly is a stupidity ( if rightly considered ) of so transcendent a nature , that nothing but the infinite malice and subtility of the devil is able to create in peoples desires and understandings . but however these considerations might perswade man , to some kinde of diligent care of vertue , for his benefit and preservation , yet i finde a certain insensibility ingraffed by these times in many persons imaginations , though in outward moral conversation , they seem to be competently honest , that they have so laid asleep their faith and confidence concerning god almighty , that they cannot be confirmed in his goodnesse , mercy , and justice , so far as to expect with any manner of patience the end and successe of things , for no other reason then because they see oftentimes many athiestical people , to prosper a long season in all worldly honours and glory ; whilst of the contrary , those that are religious and good , undergo nothing but afflictions and miseries , apprehending as if gods indignation were against his professed servants in all the course of their lives : but though to this argument , i might make a convincing reply both from scripture and other unanswerable reasons grounded upon true piety , by which principles , all our actions and thoughts should be governed , yet for that i intend a greater brevity to rectifie in some sort such persons beliefs and settle their judgements ; i shall onely relate a short story ( as i conceive ) something to the purpose , but whether true or figurative makes no matter , since the application is very proper to shew , that almightie gods wayes and determinations are not to be understood by us upon all occasions ; onely i must aver by this example , it is our duties to observe his injunctions , notwithstanding all humane obstacles ; in every thing leaving the issue to his inscrutable decrees , which for the most part , however will be accompanyed with his mercies , if we have humility and patience enough to attend upon his pleasure that must be performed do what we can . a most full , though figurative story to shew that god almighties wayes and inscrutable decrees are not to be comprehended by humane fancies . it was as we may probably imagine , in the primitive times , that a religious person living in the desert , being something unsatisfied concerning the wayes and the judgements of almighty god , as i said before , in this world , seeing many wicked men prosper in their affairs , with a certain kinde of smiling felicity , whilst other people of a vertuous life and conformity in their manners , underwent nothing but crosses ( for the most part ) in all their actions and designes , desired in his prayers by reason of these considerations to be made more particularly acquainted with the mysteries of heaven concerning these things that trouble his thoughts . wherefore , upon a day being at his devotions , it was revealed unto him , that however he seemed too presumptuous in thus tempting god , and not resting satisfied with prosecuting the duty of his own condition , with lesse curiosity , yet his request notwithstanding was heard and he should be shortly fully cleered in his doubt , commanding him in the interim to be patient in his expectation , resting as i may say , in some sort satisfied with this revelation and injunction . after some few weeks he became saluted of a suddain by a beautiful yong man , to his no small amazement , who told him he was come as a divine messenger to inform his knowledge , and instruct his belief , wherefore bid him without delay to prepare himself for a journey , that he was to make in his company and under his conduct ; the sequel of which as he said would fully content his expectation . the aged father without either any manner of resistance or much more circumstance , then onely taking a staffe in his hand the better to support his weak steps , followed him out of his cell ; and in this posture they prosecuted a journey , that continued them travelling the whole day , till at last the shutting in of the evening bringing them into a small village , they were entertained in a house for their nights repose , where they found both kinde and competent entertainment , which conveniency gave them satisfaction , until the early sun the next morning warned them to provide for a new voyage ; so taking leave of the master of this habitation , they went out of doores ; however , in the interim the young man took up a silver goblet and put it up in his satchel , to the wonder of the old hermit , since it appeared to him to be a strange example of justice and gratitude . but neverthelesse , for that he had resigned his will to his conductors discretion , he took no notice outwardly of the seeming theft . and in this manner again prosecuted their course for the length of another summers day . but the night at last as the former approaching , and they seeming both weary of their tedious march , they entered into another lodging , wherein their treatment appeared far different in every respect from their past entertainment , not onely in that they wanted the like accommodation , but were also reviled with harsh and barbarous language , to their no small vexation and discontent ; and yet the young man at his departure with many kinde words bestowed upon the owner of the house the silver goblet , that before he had taken from the other party ; which probably did not a little increase the admiration of his aged companion , though he was resolved not to question any of his proceedings , until a further issue might be had of the businesse . and so proceeded on both to a new journey and more experiments , however these deportments , as i said before , seemed strange examples of justice and goodnesse for edification . which contemplations gave entertainment and employment to the old mans thoughts , until they found that another retirement was necessary both for their bodies and mindes ; and to this purpose entring into a fair town , they were soon met by a most courteous gentleman in the streets , who perceiving them to be religious persons told them , no place but his own house should give them reception and welcom , and to this purpose , accompanied by many of his servants ( for he was a person of great quality ) he conducted them to his palace , where they found such welcom and reception , as might have befitted princes of extraordinary dignity and extraction , which continued them with wonderfull satisfaction till the next morning , that their occasions called them again , to the perfecting of other adventures ; wherefore taking their leaves with many thanks and a great deal of humility , the nobleman seemed to commit them to gods protection and their own intentions , however when he was parted from them , they continuing still in the hall , pretending some other necessary accommodation belonging to their own private affairs , the young man of a suddain perceiving a child lying in the cradle asleep , who was the onely son and heir of that noble family , presently stept to the infant , and violently strangled him with his hands , and winking upon his fellow traveller as a testimony of desired silence , he secretly stole out of the house . which cruelty raised such stormes and feares in the old mans bosom , that he appeared half distracted with the seeming wickednesse of the fact . but though he was transported with an amazed grief , yet he followed his bloody conductor , something doubtful of those revelations he had received from heaven ; neverthelesse , upon better recollection , he resolved neither to question his guide nor flie from his protection , for that his faith proved stronger then his passions . which once again put them into their usual posture of travail , until going over a narrow bridge and meeting another passenger in the way , with a kinde of rude and harsh encounter the young man that went a little before , instead of giving the traveller friendly and courteous passage , tumbled him into the water , who after some fruitlesse striving with the waves , at last in their sight yeelded up his life as a testimony of the worst oppression , whereat the young man onely laughed heartily , as if he had beheld some object of pleasure , when as he had performed an act of most barbarous cruelty , and thus carelesly went on still his journey to the almost confounding of the old mans thoughts , notwithstanding his former resolutions . but long they had not journied in this manner , before they met another person violently prosecuting his voyage , who desired them for the love of god to direct him towards the readiest and neerest way to the next town , for that , as he said , most of all his worldly fortunes consisted in his safe and speedy arrival before night , siince the sunne now seemed almost set ; yet the young man according to the appearing effects of his wonted charity , instead of fullfilling the poor mans pittiful request , directed him a clean contrary way to that he desired , by which means he was probably endangered never to come to the place he so earnestly coveted ; at which ill-natured falshood the old father another time cast up his amazed eyes to heaven , though without reproof or contradiction , and followed still his leader , which ere long brought them to another inne for their nights repose , though entring the house , they could scarse finde out any lodging at all , by reason the rooms were taken up and filled by multitudes of debauched rude and barbarous thieves , neverthelesse the young man was so far from having any more care of the aged father , rather seeming weary of his longer conversation , that he presently addressed himself unto them , and at last strook into a most intimate acquaintance with those robbers and murtherers , where he continued roaring and drinking all night without intermission or having , as i said before , the least seeming care of his welfare and consolation , whilst he poor man was forced to continue in the chimney-corner , onely comforted with a few prayers of his own , which earnestly he offered unto god almighty to appease his wrath , hearing such blasphemies uttered against his holy name . however these exercises endured untill the next daies light summoned them to a new journey ; as also invited , or rather provoked the villanous thieves , each to seek out some corner or other whereby to take their necessary rest , although the night before they had all determined to quit the habitation , for feare of some sudden surprise by the officers of the countrey , in regard of many wicked robberies they had lately committed , with other murthers . and thus again the old man and his companion fell anew to their travels , having quitted that hellish habitation , which lasted untill they arrived at the walls of a great and mighty city ; where they found , to their amazement , one divell asleepe at the gate , which proved an object of consideration to the eyes of the old man , who rather expected a multitude , if any at all , to guard the passage and entrance of such a proud town , that seemed to ring with nothing but noise and confusion the practices being onely intollerable luxury . but passing further , leaving the divell at his rest , with an intention to finde out some convenient lodging for their repose ; at last they came to a most poore and needy monastary , where notwithstanding entring , although they could perceive nothing there professed , but fasting , prayers , mortifications , and the like ; yet they found in every corner multitudes of divels , all extream wakefull and vigilant , insomuch as lucifer seemed there to keepe his chiefe and royall court , as if not to be delighted with any other habitation ; which truly did again exceedingly amaze the consideration of the old hermit beyond beliefe and imagination , by reason the sight appeared so wonderfully to outgoe his expectation . but however with these extravagant and distracted thoughts , the aged father was conducted to his cell , there to be necessarily reposed untill the next day , since his body seemed in a manner to be tyred out with his hard and tedious journey , and his mind no what lesse wearied by the strange visions he had beheld in his travaile ; which may be conceived , gave him not that rest that was accustomed to refresh his spirits in the wildernesse , being free from such diversity of imaginations . however after a very little sleep , waking very early in the morning , he was suddenly saluted by the young man , that had been his companion with this unexpected language , when his thoughts were preparing for a new journey : you must know , said he , i am an angel sent by almighty god , not onely to shew you these mysteries that passed in our travels , but according to your desires and supplications , to let you see more plainly his divine waies and inscrutable judgements , sometimes hapning against all appearance of humane sense and reason , though alwaies tending to good and profitable purposes , if mans unhappy condition could make use of the benefit ; which often times he doth not doe by reason of the corruption of his depraved nature , and the want of that competent grace his diligence and religious industry should have purchased at gods hands for his advantage . to which effect therefore be advertised , that this figurative story is thus meant for your better confirmation : the first man at whose house we hapned to lodge , that gave us seeming kind entertainment with all humanity ( from whose possession however i took a silver goblet at our departure ) onely signifieth men competently good in this world ; upon whose condition notwithstanding god almighty is pleased to lay earthly affliction , by may considerable losses , whereby the better to retaine their actions and desires in a moderate temper : and therefore not seldome bestows their goods upon people lesse deserving , which is plainly demonstrated by the other rough and harsh personage , unto whom i gave the goblet , though he could no way claime any just or deserved right thereunto ; it being all the benefit such shall receive either in this world or the next , by reason of the small portion of grace their covetous and ill-natured actions have purchased at gods hands ; notwithstanding they may not be esteemed the wickedst sort of men . next concerning the nobleman , who appeared to our apprehension both rich , religious , and courteous ; by him may be figured those persons , who joyn devotion with the glory of this life , without any intention in their minds either to offend god , or prejudice their neighbours ; however lest they may be too much transported by degrees , with any over-violent desires and objects of this world , as children , honour , or the like , god almighty is pleased oftentimes to take away the occasion , by depriving them of something they most esteem , which is signified by my private destroying the life of that good mans onely sonne and heire , in regard he seemed to have placed too much passionate appetite in the contemplation of his earthly succession ; which considerations oftentimes distracted his thoughts , from the necessary cogitatious belonging to his salvation . again , the traveller we met upon the narrow bridge , that i seemed so uncharitably and inhumanly to overthrow was at that time going to perform a wicked action , that would indubitably have cast away his soule , unlesse it had been prevented in the interim by his sudden death : wherefore the intention being foreseen by the providence and mercy of god , i was by his goodnesse commanded to that office and execution . and for the other party that so passionately begged our direction in his journey , i was constrained to turne him out of his right way , to avoyd his falling upon many bloody thieves that would not onely have robbed him of his money , but also have taken away his life ; which onely that happy diversion changed into prevention and safety . and now concerning the mystery of those blasphemous bandits we met in our last inne , in whose company i appeared to take so much complacency and delight , i did that onely to retaine their persons the longer in that place ( who else would have quickly departed ) as foreseeing the next morning they should be apprehended by officers of justice , which else they would avoyd , and so consequently followed their deserved and condigne punishment , not onely in recompence of their many hainous wickednesses , but for the more entire preservation of the honest countrey people , that would have suffered by their escape infinite dammage , and many injuries , in regard of their violence and oppression . but now last of all , to come to the explanation of this great , riotous and vicious city , confused with noise , and replenished with extraordinary glory and splendour , at whose gate we found onely one divell asleep , though the manners & comportment of the inhabitants seemed to be governed by the directions and instigations of millions of infernall spirits . you must know that however their multitudes of wickednesses may pretend to all hellish conversation , yet lucifer finding there is so little need of diligence , to corrupt their conversations , already sufficiently depraved to his purpose , being drowned also in security , imployeth his chiefe care and industry for the perverting of this poore monasterie , which he very well knows is imployed night and day in nothing but prayers , fastings , and other extraordinary mortifications ; wherefore , and by reason of which , it continually warres against the power and deceipt of his infernall kingdom ; so that necessarily it behooveth him to that purpose , to imploy all the instruments and subjects he can possibly to undermine the thoughts and actions of these godly and painfull people , being the onely cause that so many divels in every corner are to be found in this simple habitation to your wonder and admiration . and thus according to my duty , since i am commanded thereunto by the will of almighty god , have i not onely shewed you these mysteries in our journey , but thereby explained and proposed to your condition , henceforth to rest absolutely satisfied with the decrees of heaven concerning his proceedings in humane affaires , notwithstanding how contrary soever they may appeare to your appetite or conception ; for having sufficiently revealed principles of religion , whereon to ground your faith , and to direct your actions , you need no more for your salvation and morall conversation . to which purpose i must again tell you , and conclude with this saying , that as the intention of almighty god is one thing , and the waies of man oftentimes another ; so are you obliged to leave off your curiosities in that behalfe ; and with these words presently vanished from his sight . as i suppose this relation well considered may be of sufficient force to perswade any persons reason , to the conformity with gods will in all things , without examining the mysteries of his secret judgements ; so of the other side , however sometimes they appeare strange to our apprehensions , yet is he alwaies mercifull and just in the execution of his intentions ; which for the most part are very good and profitable for our condition , if we have grace and confidence enough to make use of the benefits of such determinations ; since he is accustomed to turne those things that seem most against our desires and naturall appetites , into the greatest blessings that can possibly be imagined . as of the contrary , the very delights that most please our fancies in this fraile life , though they may seem lawfull of themselves if they were not prevented , not seldome become obstacles to our greatest felicity , or entertained by overmuch passion prove destructive to our humane and eternall affaires . but for the better confirmation of these points of duty , and because examples are the best inducements to instruct any mans beliefe , and so by consequence to invite his actions and endeavours , i shall in this place make a relation of a short story , which however it it may be thought but plain and simple , yet in my opinion is extreamly convincing to our purpose , which i have read to be after this manner . there was a principall and wealthy citizen , having but one sonne in the world , had occasion to send him with his onely brother by sea , into a farre countrey , to make good some necessary traffique . but this gentleman in the interim apprehended , as he had good cause , the danger and hazzard of the journey , wherefore presently after his sonnes departure , he went to the bishop of the town ( being a very holy man ) and earnestly desired him he would be pleased in his daily devotions to remember his friends voyage and prosperity ; and to this effect , to render his wishes more pleasing to god , bestowed upon the reverend father , a very vast summe of gold , to be imployed to what uses he would thinke fit concerning charitable deeds , towards the obtaining of his request . the good bishop interpreting his inward intentions by his outward bounty , not believing such a liberality could proceed but from a religious confidence in god almighty , not onely promised him his best assistance , in his holy exercises , as he should have occasion continually to perform them , but at that very instant fell down upon his knees , and earnestly besought god to favour the gentlemans request ; after which he dismist him full of assurance and joy . however this encounter being past , it was not long before the pious citizen , not onely heard newes of his sonnes death , but also of casting away of the ship , wherein was contained in a manner all his wealth and subsistence . when these unfortunate tidings came to the sorrowfull eares of the religious patriarch , who had received the gentlemans money , he knew not which way to turne himselfe both for shame and griefe : neverthelesse putting his chiefe trust in god almighty , after he had continued a long time at his prayers , he resolved again to visit his benefactor , to try what consolation it was possible for his presence and perswasions to afford him after so great a losse , which had probably brought upon his present condition a most wonderfull affliction , but notwithstanding he used what admonitions and other pious instructions were necessary for the season , yet were they all too little seemingly to ease a heart so much overwhelmed with despaire and sadnesse , insomuch as the bishop was forced to return without that wished satisfaction he desired , being also in a manner confounded in his own thoughts , considering the unfortunate successe of his endeavours , so little answering the others intentions of piety and goodnesse . however he never left soliciting god almighty daily , according to his custom , in his behalfe ; untill it fortuned one night , after the distressed gentleman had wrought himselfe into some slumber by the tossing over of many troublesome and vexatious thoughts in his unquiet bosome , he imagined to see the holy bishop to stand before him , uttering these words in distinct tearms : know , said he , that thy charity and afflictions have not been forgotten in the sight of god , whose property is alwaies one way or other to look upon his servants in griefe and anguish of mind ; to which purpose i am to tell thee , that although thy sonne be really dead , yet his miscarriage proved so happy to his condition , that if he had again returned safe into thy protection , he had been certainly and eternally damned , whereas now he is placed in heaven amongst the blessed with all joy and security . but for thy ship , with thy brother , plentifully laden with aboundance of rich commodities , they are so farre from being cast away , that thou shalt shortly receive them into thy wished possession , without any manner of losse or detriment . whereupon phelochristus ( for so was he called ) waking out of his sleepe , found himselfe not onely exceedingly comforted , but almost cleared of all his griefe , and with these thoughts and cogitations went instantly to the holy patriarch , and there throwing himselfe at his feet , declared his vision in every particular ; as also gave infinite thanks , that god almighty , who ( as he said ) had more shewed his mercy in his chastizement and punishment by this very accident , then formerly he had done in bestowing upon him so many worldly blessings and prosperities , and from that time forward remained most contentedly satisfied . by which discourse may be gathered , not onely the determination and purposes of almighty god , though often kept from our knowledge in a hidden and mysterious way , but sheweth in like manner to a confident soule , that it is still in his power when he pleaseth to give our hearts content after never so many desperate crosses and afflictions ; for however he doth not alwaies grant our desires , since they may not be convenient oftentimes either for our present or future condition ; yet most commonly if we have sufficient beliefe and assurance in his goodnesse , he doth use to change even the nature of our appetites themselves , making that appeare delightfull to our apprehensions , that before was terrible and distastfull : and so by a contrary consequence , in easing the mind he diverteth the griefe , never laying upon our fraile natures a greater burthen then we are able to beare , unlesse we destroy our own strength by over much impatiency , and respecting against his will and commandements , too violently worldly things , which in truth is onely the occasion of all our misery and inward vexation : since it is not the accidents themselves that procure the smart , but onely the want of bearing them rightly , which certainly cannot be well effected but by an absolute resignation of our wils in every thing , into the hands of almighty god , who can and will dispose of our persons and actions to the greatest advantage for our own good , if we resolve to comply in this manner with his pleasure , as it fared with holy tobias , after the end of all his crosses and miseries ; to which purpose we shall make in this place as a most excellent pattern and example , some relation of his life , sufferings , and patience , accompanied by his extraordinary confidence in gods mercies and protection . the wonderfull confidence of old tobias in the mercies of almighty god. as it is recorded in scripture , that from his very childhood he served god with all his heart , not onely when he was in freedom and prosperity , but also when he suffered poverty and oppression , so is it in like manner mentioned , that he was so far from contaminating himselfe , when others worshipped idols , that in the interim he went to ierusalem to adore in the temple ; besides in his captivity he alwaies relieved the necessity of his brethren , and notwithstanding the fury and violence of the persecution under the king of assyria , he could not be induced by any threats , to abstaine from burying those slaughtered persons that lay dead in the streets ; in so much as one day being ready to sit down at a feast with other company , of a sudden understanding there was yet one jew that wanted a sepulchre , he presently flew from his dinner with extraordinary zeale , and performed that charitable office , not onely to the wonder of all those that were with him , but even being reproved by his neerest friends , who apprehended exceedingly the danger of the action , in regard it was so strictly forbidden by the kings speciall command . though these testimonies were exemplar , yet afterward when this good man fell into his excessive poverty , then did his admirable vertue more clearly appeare ; for not having wherewithall to relieve his necessity otherwise then by the labour of his wives hands , and his own industry , becomming also by a most lamentable accident deprived of his sight . neverthelesse one day when his wife brought him home a young kid , which she had procured by that onely means for their provision and sustenance ; he hearing it bleate , desired her that if it belonged to any other , she would again restore it , lest it might bring a curse upon their poore family , wishing and resolving rather they might put their trust in god almighty , concerning their necessities , then any way seeke to be relieved by fraudulent and unlawfull waies . againe , being upbrayded by his wife , and other friends , for his overmuch confidence in god , as they pretended , since his almes and prayers had procured him no more favour , then a world of present miseries ; he returned them only answer of rebuke for their impiety , in regard they had not more trust and assurance in gods power and goodnesse , who as he said , ever would protect his servants . but now at last being come , as i may say , to the insupportable period of his crosses and afflictions ; and as it were tyred by the upbraidings of his own friends , he made his humble supplications to heaven to be taken out of this life ; whereupon after he had ended his prayers , imagining his suit was granted , he called unto him his young sonne , unto whom he had not onely given most pious instructions , wherein he wished him above all things , and in every difficulty to serve god with his whole heart , putting his onely confidence in his divine mercies , but sent him into a far countrey to seeke his fortune , delivering him at the same time a bill in writing , whereby to require a certaine summe of money that had been a long time owing him by a friend for his better support and subsistence , not being wel able to maintain him at home . and notwithstanding his wife seemed desperately afflicted at this unexpected resolution and sudden departure of their only child , he still wished her to put her confidence in heaven , not onely for the assurance of his journey and returne , but also for his future prosperity ; wherein may be noted , his faith and suppression of his own passions : for as indubitably he more trusted in gods assistance , then in any other probability whatsoever , so was he willing of the other side , to lay aside his present comforts for the succeeding good of his child , which was not as he thought to be obtained , if he had kept him at home , wherein he should have more pleased his own humane nature , then any way have provided for his sonnes welfare . having declared thus much concerning this holy man , it is now full time to come to his reward according to his merit , which no doubt was resolved on by a hidden and an inserutable decree . for god almighty was so well satisfied with this good persons actions and intentions , that instantly he designed an angell to accompany his sonne , who not onely conducted him safely in his journey , but at last brought him where was concluded a most happy marriage between him and his own kinswoman after they had both conquered the divell by their prayers and other vertues : which being finished , they repaired with much joy and gladnesse to the house of old tobias , where they were received with such expressions of gladnesse , as became the nature of so great a happinesse . neither was this all their felicity , for presently the father by miracle obtained his long lost sight , in the presence of his family and friends ; and after the end of forty yeeres continued prosperity , the old father having seen a numerous posterity , between his sonne and daughter in law , he finished his happy daies in the spirit of prophesie and vertue , leaving behind him young tobias to performe his funerall . these relations certainly , may give a taste to every good christian , of god almighties mercies intended in one manner or other to those that have a sufficient trust in his goodnesse and power . but however , as i say , all our happinesse consists in this absolute resignation of our will , in regard it doth not onely assure us of a future benefit , but promiseth a present content by quieting our thoughts and passions ; though it is unpossible to procure this necessary confidence , without a lively and intire faith , which is a kind of an invisible seeing of god , and in some sort knowing his divine goodnesse in a particular manner through the darke clouds of our humane nature , that for the most part whilst we live upon earth , hinders the cleare appearance of his divinity from the eyes of our soule ; however when our bodies are once glorified , such obstacles shall vanish and disperse , without difficulty by reason of our happy condition . our blessed saviour himselfe hath declared , that if we had but faith as a grain of a mustard-seed , we might be able even to remove mountaines ; by which figure may be conceived , the excellent nature and property of an entire beliefe , towards all joy and happinesse ; which neverthelesse is more or lesse purchased , according to that proportion and measure of grace , we have obtained by our devotions , and practise of vertuous actions , most apparently demonstrative in the sayings of that glorious king lewis of france , who professed he would not goe out of his doores , to be a really eye-witnesse of any miracle whatsoever ; his faith having so absolutely confirmed him in all principles of religion , and the believing entirely every thing belonging to gods omnipotency and goodness , that he had no need of such motives and inducements to strengthen his faith , or render it more certain and efficacious . however we may boldly affirme , that this want in the generall , is the main occasion of all mens disorders and excesses in this world . for if people did sufficiently enough ( without any wavering apprehension ) rest upon gods revealed will and pleasure , and by that means could absolutely apprehend his promised mercies and judgements , it were unpossible to be so much transported with the vanities of this life . as for example , how could it be imagined , that men would be so extreamly senselesse , as for the onely enjoying and delight of a little meat and drinke , with other sensualities of this world , for a very few yeeres should violently cast away those eternall and abundantly satisfactory happinesses of heaven , unlesse there were some stupid defect in their beliefe , concerning either the certainty of their being , or in the waies and means whereby they were to be compassed . in like manner , what person would be so sottish in his resolution , as not rather to undergoe all the austerities could be undergone during this life , then hazzard the danger of those terrible torments so often mentioned , as i must say , to be endured to all eternity , if he were absolutely convinced in his thoughts and apprehension , that they particularly belonged to his condition in each circumstance ; since it is more then evident , that we forbeare no paines , or scarce omit any care in this world , either to obtaine humane honours , or prevent eminent ( though earthly ) inconveniencies , though we know they are but to endure for a moment in comparison of eternity ; when as perhaps a farre lesse industry and travell would assure us in the other condition of a perpetuall happinesse ; and yet we see it so supinely neglected by most , as if it were not at all worth any manner of consideration . wherefore i must conclude , that mans miseries and insensibilitie for the most part proceed from this defect in this onely particular , for that he hath not purchased a competency of grace sufficient to enlighten his understanding , whereby he becommeth overwhelmed , as it were , with nothing but grosse sensualities and tickling imaginations that make him wholy uncapable to converse in a higher region , which by consequence renders him altogether unwilling to resigne himselfe entirely into the hands of almighty god , as blessed tobias did in all his actions and adversities . for that holy mans stedfast and undoubted beliefe of all the principles of religion , made him most confident of the promises thereupon depending , which is unpossible to be effectually compassed or put in execution but by the same means he used , in the whole course of his life ; whereby , as i say , he obtained such a proportion of supernaturall grace , as not onely comforted him in all his extraordinary difficulties , but infused so much love into his happy soule , as he was able to contend against every temptation of the divell , the world , and the flesh , and by that means got such a victory over all his passions , that he onely delighted in every thing that was gods will ; and of the contrary never seemed distasted with any crosse that was sent him . as for example , it may be supposed when he at any time found an inclination in his fraile nature to rebell against this determination , he used the power of prayers , fasting , and almes-deeds , to beat down and conquer all his humane appetites , in so much as god almighty not onely gaue him assurance of a heavenly reward , but crowned his latter daies with all the prosperity could be imagined of earthly happinesse , as appeared by the sequell of the story , though ( as it may be conceived ) not more for the acts of mercy , which he had used upon all occasions to his distressed brethren , then for the absolute resignation of his own will to gods onely pleasure and direction ; in which he enjoyed no doubt a wonderfull felicity in his thoughts , notwithstanding his desperate afflictions : which agrees very well with the sayings of divine thomas a kempis , who affirmeth in his booke of the imitation of christ , that it is unpossible to purchase any manner of reall freedom , either humane or spirituall , without an absolute negation of a mans own selfe . so that , when a body hath brought his resolutions into this quiet state and condition , he may truly be said to be happy , and never before ; being thereby freed from all occasions of temptation , that use to swell mens minds into a thousand storms and perplexities ; like as streames that goe along with the wind , passe smoothly without any perturbation : so of the contrary , others that strive by a naturall current , with those blasts have much difficulty to keep their course , being alwaies tossed , thwarted , and interrupted in their passage . besides , we see the greatest monarchs of the world are oftentimes so wearied with their own wils and command , that notwithstanding they seem exceedingly to affect glory and ambition , are perswaded in the interim not onely to put the whole government of their dominions sometimes into the hands and power of their favourites and subjects ; but also not seldome will contradict their own very wils , to give their intrusted officers more absolute jurisdiction , as conceiving therein a satisfactory content to themselves , being thereby freed , as they suppose , of many contentions and troublesome thoughts , that else would happen to their more disquiet . wherefore , i say , it may be esteemed a most preposterous inconsideration in us , not to be willing to abandon our own wils to him , that we are most certaine shall alwaies be not onely constant and true to us in all our affaires , but at last can and will infinitely reward us for that voluntary resignation . and this no doubt will be the easier effected , if we seriously adde this apprehension to our judgements : that let us doe what we can , and possesse what we may , either in ambition of sensuality , as we shall never be free from contention and trouble in our minds , if not in our persons , so in the end of necessity we must yield to death , the common plunderer of all these things ; which taking us unprovided , will force us to interchange all our past , and so much esteemed prerogatives , into a miserable and confused damnation to all eternity . and although it should take us a little more in order , and in something a better posture , yet at the best our gone and ended delights , which we enjoyed according to our opinions with so much felicity , will be so farre from benefitting our present condition , that the very remembrance of those enticements shall render us more sorrowfull and unwilling to quit the world , however there be an absolute necessity of this separation ; and at the worst they leave us burthened , and almost distracted with many terrible feares , what accompt may be required of us towards a full satisfaction , in regard of the severe justice of almighty god , who placed us not here to have the fruition of so many pleasures we once enjoyed above other men , notwithstanding all the delight and benefit will appeare then vanished into smoke and ayre . insomuch as we may say , what hath it availed us , to have possessed the whole world , and foolishly to have neglected the saving of our own soules , when we had the means and opportunity to have effected it ? wherefore to summe up this discourse in a word : that man that will be wise , must first purpose well , then prosecute his resolution with constancy & diligence , which without doubt will procure him grace , and that grace shall enlighten and strengthen his faith , untill in the end he come to such a perfection of love , that may make him ( with an assured confidence ) rely entirely upon god almighties goodnesse , by which means he may never be distasted to make a resignation of himselfe and actions into his hands , according to the example of holy tobias , and other religious persons ; in which determination , i say , and no other , doth consist not onely all future happinesse , but every present content in the world . but perhaps it may be here said , that the cause of most mens insensibility doth not proceed so much from any deficiency of faith , as from a certain naturall inclination , to covet and desire present possession of lesse happinesse , rather then future expectations of far greater consequence . unto which i answer , that however in part i am of the same opinion , since this stupidity is incident to humane frailty , having not obtained a sufficient portion of grace ; yet again when i consider how much affliction people would , and doe undergoe for many yeeres together , onely to purchase the reversion of some earthly kingdomes and honours in the world , i cannot but return to my old beliefe . as for example , put case a man were promised after seven yeeres extreme labour , the possession of some great countrey , with other delights that might content his appetites ; i make no question at all , but that he would most readily imbrace the offer , and conceive he had gained exceedingly by his bargain . though yet we see for the fruition of heaven to all eternity , we are hardly drawn by any perswasions whatsoever either morall or divine , to spend many houres in true consideration of that unconceivable joy and happinesse promised , with so much assurance by god almighty himselfe . and therefore certainly it can be nothing but a meere want of necessary faith , that renders people so carelesse of their salvation . but to conclude this part of my discourse , however we ought not , ( as hath been alledged ) to be directed concerning our duties in god almighties service , by worldly events , but onely by those heavenly principles we have received ; yet i shall hereafter make some historicall relation of many remarkable passages , perhaps more satisfactory then may be well conceived , wherein have appeared gods apparent judgements in these latter times ; though , as i say , they must not be taken for generall rules ; notwithstanding they may serve for inducements to move peoples apprehensions . for indubitably it is our duties without any curiosity whatsoever , as hath been already declared , to cast our selves wholy upon the will and pleasure of almighty god , with an entire patience in expectation of what may happen unto us , since we have sufficient principles given us to follow proceeding from divine authority ; but because patience is not onely a heavenly duty , but a morall vertue necessary to be observed , i shall in the next and last chapter discourse a little of the nature and benefit of such an excellent property appertaining to our humane condition , and then make an end of the first part of my book . the necessity of this noble vertue which was practised by our saviour himselfe in a most particular manner during his abode upon earth . as this heroicall vertue of patience is little lesse necessary then faith to perfect our condition , at least wise to be used in some convenient measure and proportion , for that humane frailty cannot easily arrive to the highest perfections of this nature ; so is it more then evident by the sacred writings and testimony of holy scripture , that our saviour jesus christ in a most exact way during his being in this world , did offer himselfe as a divine pattern for example to instruct our endeavours concerning what we ought to doe in this particular ; for when it was his blessed pleasure to joyn his eternall divinity with the mortall substance of our flesh and blood , he tooke upon him almost the lowest of all conditions , as i may say , being born of no other then of a simple virgin , however extracted from the loyns of kings , because it was determined that david his beloved servant should have the honour of his birth ; and this holy mayd was onely married to a poore carpenter , that got his necessitous living meerly by the sweat of his owne browes , though he might have chosen for his mother the greatest queen or empresse in the world ; which certainly he did for no other reason , but by this penurious condition to have occasion thereby the better to exercise visibly his own designed patience for our example and instruction . neither did he designe his miraculous birth to be in any other place then in a base and contemptible stable , not furnished with any kind of commodity , either for himselfe or company . again , if we reflect upon his many persecutions , both under herod , and by his unnaturall countreymen , we shall finde that he underwent them with a most singular patience , both of minde and body ; never expressing the least passion in his words , notwithhandling all the injuries and affronts offered unto him ; or shewed want of courage in enduring what vexations or tortures soever could be inflicted upon him ; insomuch as he suffered himselfe to be stroke , spit upon , and used with other unparaleld indignities , by most base and contemptible creatures ; not onely without any manner of opposition , but scarce reproving them in what kinde of fashion soever , either by word or action , untill being with these and the like sufferings brought to the last period of his miseries to endure a most cruel and ignominious death upon the crosse ; he was so farre from not expressing an entire and absolute patience in his extreamest agony , that instead of shewing forth any signes of passion or perturbation , he took care for his mothers future welfare , as a morall obligation belonging to his humanity ; he gave pardon to the thiefe that was crucified with him , as an essential property appertaining to his divinity ; and last of all , as evident testimonies of his admirable and heavenly charity , he most earnestly prayed for those barbarous enemies that so earnestly did persecute him at that very instant , as pretending in their behalfe to his father , they did not understand what they did concerning his particuler . of the other side , if we cast our thoughts upon those instructions he gave his apostles and other followers , they were alwaies either to perswade humility , or command patience , which are two vertues that cannot well be separated . as for example , he bid them , when they were persecuted in one city , to fly to another ; without contention , although they had his heavenly commission for their better authority . as also , in his frequent sermons , for their particular instructions and effectuall edifications , he commanded them as an absolute duty belonging to their vocation , being his disciples , to suffer those that used violence to their persons , notwithstanding to expresse so much patience , that if they did take away their cloaks from them , they should permit them to bereave them also of their coates without resistance . in like manner he told them , that whoever should injuriously give them a blow upon the ear , rather then return a requital in the same nature , after the custom of the world , they must offer the other part of their face , to be abused by their injustice . 't is true as i cannot affirm , we are obliged to these strict and severe rules of patience in all our actions , especially since such suffering would probably incourage tyranny in wicked dispositions , yet certainly these very examples are sufficient demonstrations , of god almighties intentions in the general , concerning this necessary vertue , to be practised upon all convenient occasions , in our ordinary conversation amongst men , as well as to be put in practise in those afflictions , which accidentally at any time shall be cast upon our condition ; and the rather for that it is evident , that the sinnes and disorders of the world , for the most part , proceed from a certain intemperancy or impatiency of nature , not sufficiently rectified by grace or wisdome . as for the purpose ; pride is nothing but an over swelling humour of self esteem , not governed by reason , or bounded by charity ; which causeth such an unruly and passionate inflammation in the soul , as we neither know rightly our own state , or willingly would endure what we should from another . also envy is a passionate and malevolent spight against our neighbours prosperity ; as fearing left it might prejudice our estimation . revenge is a bloody and impatient passion , because our nature is not passive enough in bearing of injuries ; vainglory may be termed a lunatick indiscretion , proceeding from too much abundancy of self-love . disobediency in like manner , a presumptuous pride that allowes us not sufficient temper to be under subjection , although it be never so necessary for our condition . ingratitude , an unjust intemperancy that renders us unwilling to acknowledge an others vertues , in regard we doubt too much thereby to be disvalued our selves ; or else to be put to more requitals then seems convenient for our own interest . ambition a mad overflowing of the minde towards those honours , that we conceive might give us lustre and esteem in the eye of the world . covetousness a certain raging desire without end , to be possessors of we know not what ; since we never enjoy the half of what we cover , when best obtained . of the other side , if we turn our consideration upon the sensuality of the body , we shall finde it generally to proceed for want of sufficient temperance in the suffering part , as the other concerning the minde , proceeds from the defect of not being able competently to expect the event of things to come ; for when we drown our selves in a vast sea of luxury , against reason , religion , and morality , it is because the consideration of honour or vertuous actions , carries not our thoughts and resolutions high enough to contemn such poore and base pleasures , that neither secure our condition or benefit our persons . as for example , what is gluttony , but an inordinate striving by the instinct of nature , to satisfie the senses in eating and drinking ? lust in the same kinde an impatient itching after unlawful novelties , however consisting most in opinion , for that oftentimes our deceived fancy , makes choice of the far unworthier subject , as i have already instanced in a part of my book . again , idlenesse is nothing else but a certain kinde of impatiency , proceeding from a loathnesse to enter upon action and employment . sloth in like manner is but a heavy increase of the same humour , towards a more earthly period , engendred by custome and continuance . inconstancy another palpable effect of impatiency , in regard it varies from one fancy to another , with a restlesse longing to be yet satisfied in something , that the judgement cannot reach unto for want of temperance to consider . for however i am not of the opinion of those fantastical philosophers , that esteemed pain little more then imagination , yet when i consider the wonderful strange lives of many holy people in the primitive times , i may easily be induced to believe , that a perfect and absolute patience being procured , which can no otherwise be obtained then by a religious morality , it will not be very difficult to run through the rough passages of this world , in a manner in an absolute calm and tranquility ; especially when i reflect upon the actions of many heathens , who onely out of the spirit of vain-glory , seemed in outward view so to have conquered all their passions , that they appeared carelesse of life or death , honour or riches , eating , drinking , or any other earthly pleasure or pain whatsoever . however i will leave these reports to the uncertainty of history , or at least wise believe they might proceed from enchantments of pride and the devils elusions ; since we know their religion could not procure simply such effects , not being justified either by divine revelation or assured principles . wherefore , for a conclusion , i shall make some brief mention of a few admirable people in those times , whose courages never failed in adversity , or any vain-glory laid the least hold of their actions in suffering : to which purpose , we may begin with the consideration of paul the hermite , that lived almost a hundred yeers without seeing or conversing with any humane person , in an obscure cave incompassed with rocks and mountains , his employment being prayers , his recreation meditation , and his practise fasting . again , we may call to mind the wonderful and admirable austerities of simeon stilitto , that lived in a small piller of stone many cubits from the ground , for thirty seven yeers together , scarce in all that time reposing his body , according to the custom of other people ; insomuch as it is written , that multitudes of wormes , proceeding from the natural corruption of the place , bred and ingendred under his feet , for want of motion and agitation ; and yet his humility notwithstanding was so great , that when he was commanded to descend , by the bishop of antioch to try his obedience , without any manner of delay , he yeelded himself ready to perform the injunction ; as it were adding the vertue of subjecting his own will to that of patience , which he so exactly practised . we read that mary of egypt , continued in the wild desarts of syria for seven and twenty yeers , without any clothing at all , or other sustenance , then what she could gather from the sands and rocks of that extraordinary solitude , where perchance she found now and then some green herbs for her necessary food . last of all , if we reflect upon the horrid torments , which lawrence the deacon endured under decius the emperour , we shall finde matter enough to contemplate with admiration , both his patience and courage ; for whilst his body in the night time , for the greater terrour to his youth , was laid upon an iron gridiron , over a hot and scorching fire , he cryed out to the tyrant , being more then half dead , that now he was rosted sufficiently of one side , he might if he pleased also turn the other to participate in like manner of his cruelty ; which words gained so absolute a victory over all his persecutors , that the emperour confounded both with shame and amazement , quitted the place of his execution . all which i may boldly affirm , were no other then wonderful effects of a constant and couragious patience . since of the other side , many esteemed gallant persons of this world failing in this vertue , have disgraced their last ends by apparant dejection of their souls . as for example , philotus , who was famed in alexanders army for one of his prime commanders , that followed his fortune and successe ; yet being by accident brought upon the torture , notwithstanding his intemperate vainglory , had made him promise to himself , and pretend to others , that his courage maintained the kings greatnesse in most of his conquests , and victories in asia , he was brought to such a lownesse of spirit , by the violence of torments , that he not onely revealed his own intentions , but accused his old father , to be released of his punishment , for want of fortitude and patience in his sufferings ; insomuch , as alexander himself being concealedly present at his tryal , delivered this opinion of his carriage , that he wondred how such a man had so much boldnesse to attempt his life , that had not a heart great enough to expresse more courage at his own death . nero , however he had a nature inflamed with impatiency , pride and vain-glory ; joyned also with the condition of an emperour , that probably , should have raised his soul to an eminency of courage and magnanimity , yet when the senate of rome by reason of his own wickednesse , and his enemies prevailing power , had designed him a most shameful and ignominious execution , could not by any perswasion be brought to kill himself to avoid that disgraceful fare , until one of his followers and intimate friends , shewed him the way by acting the like upon his own person before his face ; which shewes that intemperate prosperity is rather an impediment to same and reputation , then a mild and quiet patience ; that for the most part enableth people to suffer any thing can well be inflicted upon their condition , when either their religion or honour calleth them to such a combate . also marshal byron of france , being not onely one of the great favourites to harry the fourth , by reason of his supposed courage , but esteemed of an extraordinary passionate valour in the wars ; yet after his accusation , when he was brought upon the scaffold to die by the hands of the common executioner , he exprest so much unwillingnesse to leave his life , by a wild and preposterous rage , that the hang-man was constrained to perform his office when he least thought of the businesse , onely to avoid a greater indignity to be done to his person in the last end ; whereas if he had put on a mild temperance in his suffering , he would not onely probably have better secured his future condition , but in a far higher nature have preserved his honour and reputation . last of all , we have an example of this kinde , in the death and suffering of a noble man of our country , who in his life was passionately vain-glorious and active beyond measure , yet at his execution he appeared so passively fearful , that he seemed more then half dead , before the executioners stroke arrived at his neck . all which i say , may be brought for testimonies , against those dispositions that neither resolve or practise patience , seeing that noble property for the most part renders men absolutely victorious in most things of this world ; for who can stile themselves masters in this beneficial and heavenly vertue , shall smile at tyranny , overcome cruelty , suppresse passions , contemn accidents , purchase friends , perswade enemies , live contentedly , and die happily ; and in truth may be said to have made a wise and generous preparation , against all disasters whatsoever , which either the devil or the world can raise against our humane condition ; for however it be true , that the sensualities of nature cannot easily be overcome , but by the dominion of grace , yet since the very heathens , meerly by the instinct and provation of honour , have in many conflicts obtained wonderful victories by their constant and patient resolutions , it cannot be but a shame and ignominy to us christians , not to be able by the addition of heavenly grace ( which certainly we may compasse by our religious endeavours if we will ) to beat down , and suppresse both in our thoughts and actions , those violent passions that deprive us of all reputation and goodnesse . since in doing the contrary , we do participate of the nature of those unreasonable creatures , that have no other rule for their subsistence but meerly sense , which without doubt , being in us cherished extraordinarily , totally destroyes the nobility of the soul , that ought onely , or at leastwise chiefly to contemplate and be in love with supernatural and divine things , and by consequence to leave dull cogitations and grosse actions , for supplements of necessity or conveniency ; which being considered and put in practice , with a constant and noble resolution , we shall finde such a beneficial patience daily to encrease in our natures and dispositions , that will easily gain a signal victory over all obstacles and difficulties , and render us not onely temperate in expectation , but invincible in suffering . in fine , i am of opinion , that as want of patience is a deficiency of courage , so was there never yet an excellent saint lived in the world , but that he was endued with a great spirit by nature , for whosoever is altogether carelesse in his ▪ thoughts of honour and reputation , for my part , i shall have no extraordinary confidence either of his devotion or religion . in conclusion , a noble patience in to be esteemed exceedingly ; for by it we do not onely affront every adversity , but by the discreet practice of that excellent vertue , we make our selves more capable upon all occasions of prosperity , since we are not apt at any time to fall from that temper and understanding that should both warrant and instruct us in our most beneficial affairs , either belonging to this life or to eternity . which certainly is no way so well to be purchased , as by a constant and resolved activity ; for however patience may seem onely a passive quality , in regard it belongs most to suffering , yet if the imagination be too much setled for want of industry and imployment , probably it will ingender those thoughts and desires that tast most of natural sensuality , and so by consequence draw people to a kinde of a bodily indulgency , which of necessity either destroyes or lessens the magnanimity of the soul , and by that means cannot but procure an impatiency , and irksomenesse in all accidental sufferings whatsoever . but here perhaps it may be thought too hard a condition imposed upon humane nature to be to suffer , whereas god almighty out of his infinite mercy , might have created man in in such a state , as he should have had no need at all of the use of patience ; unto which i shall onely say , that as it doth not stand with gods heavenly justice , that any creature should eyjoy that perfect happinesse belonging to the blessed , without having first given some testimony of endeavour in this world . so of the other side , though we had not injunctions and commands to this purpose , yet it is most evident that a certain kind of tryal belongs to all manner of creatures , before they can arrive at the uttermost period of their designed happinesse . as for example , the blessed angels were constrained to encounter with lucifer and his adherents , ere they could be perfectly established in a perpetual throne of glory with full security . also adam was placed in paradise , ( however in an innocent condition ) to contend with his passions and appetites before he was to have enjoyed heaven , who fayling in this combat appointed him by the inserutable decrees of almighty god , he determined to send his son into the world to expiate the offence by suffering also ; and yet man again was ordered to new trials in this pilgrimage of life , ere he could compasse the accomplishments of eternal rest and quietnesse , constituted for his benefit and felicity . so that we may indubitably conclude , without a resolved and practised patience , it is unpossible either to please god , or almost to satisfie a mans self . for as long as we live in this habitation of misery , we must alwayes either suffer or expect . but being so prepared , we may without overmuch difficulty , undergo persecutions , long prayers , sharp fastings continual watchings , with the losse of what prosperity soever upon earth ; since it is onely our natural impatiency , that makes all austerities and afflictions be entertained with so much horrour in our imagination , in regard ( as i have said before ) they consist chiefly , though not totally in opinion . for as the apprehension of honour , is no other , well considered , then an indulgency , created in our natures for want of judgement ; and so consequently we cannot without perturbation in our mindes , bear the deprivation thereof , so may we be confident , that all pain and suffering whatsoever , is much abated by a constant resolution of patience , besides the benefit it affords us in judiciously considering wayes , either for the short continuance of our misfortunes , in temporal things , or the happy use may be made of our afflictions in spiritual matters . which patience in fine , i call a discreet and noble fortitude , either in expecting or sustaining . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e for the immortality of the soul. notes for div a -e the punishment of man for his transgression in paradise . the punishment of cain . the chastisement of cham. the affliction of the jewes . the punishment of eli the priest , with saul and others the children of israels sensuality punished . the fate of the four monarchies of the world , and first of the assyrians . of the persians . of the grecian monarchy . the fate or declining of the roman empire by reason of luxury . concerning the change in our own native country . notes for div a -e more particulars of christs persecution and sufferings . other considerations concerning his sufferings . the circumstances of his sufferings . the cruelty of his persecutors with his sufferings as well in minde as in body . notes for div a -e considerations upon these sufferings . notes for div a -e power and perspicuity also annexed to the condition of this assembly , that this assembly must also be infallible . against the tenents of the age , that would onely have a law of nature or morality for people to follow . notes for div a -e the property of revenge . of vainglory . disobedience another effect of pride . of ingratitude of ambition and its property . of covetousnesse as a dependant of bride . notes for div a -e the inconveniences of vain and idle making of love . idlenesse the chief nurse not onely of this vice , but of many others . of sloth , being another dependant . of inconstancy another part of sensuality . impatiency depending also upon sensuality notes for div a -e alexanders detestation of falshood , and incouraging of loyalty . a brave example of justice . another example in the like kinde . richard the third an enemy to trechery , though a tyrant in his other actions . notes for div a -e a wonderful friendship exprest in the time of dionisius the tyran . an admirable example of love & friendship in another nature . the story of androclius the roman slave . a strange relation of a boy and a dolphin . notes for div a -e a relation of a turkish souldier . the strange fidelity and wonderfull sufferings of a poor woman-servant . notes for div a -e another story much to the same purpose . certaine preceptes or directions, for the well ordering and carriage of a mans life: as also œconomicall discipline for the gouernment of his house: with a platforme to a good foundation thereof, in the aduised choise of a wife: left by a father to his sonne at his death, who was sometimes of eminent note and place in this kingdome. and published from a more perfect copie, than ordinarily those pocket manuscripts goe unwarranted by. burghley, william cecil, baron, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) certaine preceptes or directions, for the well ordering and carriage of a mans life: as also œconomicall discipline for the gouernment of his house: with a platforme to a good foundation thereof, in the aduised choise of a wife: left by a father to his sonne at his death, who was sometimes of eminent note and place in this kingdome. and published from a more perfect copie, than ordinarily those pocket manuscripts goe unwarranted by. burghley, william cecil, baron, - . p. printed by andro hart, edinburgh : . an edition of: burghley, william cecil. certaine precepts. contains only the cecil portion, precepts i-x, still anon[ymous].--stc. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion certaine preceptes , or directions , for the well ordering and carriage of a mans life : as also oeconomicall discipline for the gouernment of his house : with a platforme to a good foundation thereof , in the aduised choise of a wife : left by a father to his sonne at his death , who was sometimes of eminent note and place in this kingdome . and published from a more perfect copie ; than ordinarily those pocket manuscripts goe warranted by . edinbvrgh , printed by andro hart , . to the reader . against good counsell who will shutte his eare , at easie rate maye buye repentance deare . the indvction . beloued sonne , the manie religious and morall vertues inherent in your matchlesse mother , vnder the winges of whose prudent and godly gouernment your infancie hath beene trayned and guided vp , together with your education , vnder so zealous and learned a tutor , put me rather in assurance than hope ( as tullie some time exacted from his sonne , from the onelie hearing of cratippus his master ) that you are not ignorant of that summary bond , wherein you stand oblieged to your creator and redeemer ; which is onely able to make you happy , both here and hereafter , in life and death : in mentioning whereof , i meane not only a bare and hystoricall knowledge , but with a reall and practicall vse adjoyned , without which , though with a seemely assumption , you could expresse to the world in a former habite and liuing portrayture , all aristotles morall vertues , and walke that whole booke in life and action , yet are you but a vaine and wretched creature , the fayrest out-side of the miserablest in side , that euer was concealed by tombe , or shadowing . and although i nothing doubt , your youth beeing guided , and your greene vessell seasoned by such wholsome documents and instructions , deriued from so all-sufficient teachers , that you are not vnfurnished of such needefull helpes , as may bee furtherers to your life and conuersation : yet that i may the better retaine and expresse the zealous affection , beseeming a father to his sonne , or that you should bee forced to deriue your stay and aduise , rather from the rule of strangers , than from him from whom you are produced , and brought foorth . out of these fore-going considerations therefore , thinking it not vnmeete , i haue essayed , from the affection of a father , to giue you such good aduertisements and rules for the fitting and squaring of your life , as are gayned rather by my lōg experience & obseruatiō , than by much reading or study : beeing such ( in my hope ) with that good assistance , as shall season your youth like the draw of age : to the end , that you entering into this exorbitant and intangling worlde , may be the better furnished to auoyde those harmefull courses , whereinto these daungerous times , and your inexperience may easily insnare you . and because i woulde not confound your memory , i haue reduced them into tenne preceptes : which , if next to moses tables , you imprint in your minde , you shall reape the benefite , and i the ende of my expectation and content . and thus they follow . the contents of this booke . precept i. for choyse of your wiues . ii. the education of children . iii. for house-holde prouision , and the choyse of seruantes . iv. how to intreat your kindred and allies . v. aduiseth to keepe some great man to your friende : and how to complement him . vi. how and when to vndertake suites . vii . aduertiseth for suretieship . viii . how to behaue a mans selfe . ix . how farre to disclose a mans secretes . x. be not scurrilous in conuersation . precept i , for the choyse of your wiues . first , when it shall please god to bring you vnto mans estate , making you capable of that calling , vse great prouidence and circumspection , in choyse of your wiues , as the roote from whence may spring most of your future good or euill : for it is in the choyse of a wife , as in a project of warre , wherein to erre but once , is to be vndone for euer . and therefore bee well aduised before you conclude ought therein : for though your errour may teach you wit , it is vncertaine whether you shall euer find time to practise it : therefore the more securely to enter herein , first , well consider your estate , which , if in a true suruay , you finde firme and setteled , match neare home , and with deliberation : but if otherwise , crazie and rented , then farre off , and with quicke expedition : bee informed truely of their inclination , which , that there may be a more equall sympathie , cōpare it with your own , how they agree : for you must know , that euery good womā maketh not for euery man a good wife : no otherwise than some one good dish disgesteth with euery stomacke . after that , inquire diligently of her stocke & race , from whence she sprung , and howe her parentes haue beene affected in their youth . let her not be poore , how generous soeuer : for generosity without her support , is but a faire shell , without her kernell , because a man can buy nothing in the market without money . and as it is the safest walking euer betweene two extreames , so choose not a wife of such absolute perfection and beauty , that euery carnall eye shall bespeake you injury : neither so base and deformed , that may breede contempt in others , and bring you to a loathed bedde . make not choyse of a dwarfe or a foole : for from the one you may beget a race of pigmeyes , as they other will be your daily griefe and vexation : for it will irke you so oft as you shall heare her talke : and you shall continually finde , to your sorrowe that feele that crosse , there is nothing so fullsome as a shee-foole . touching the gouernment of your house , let your hospitalitie bee moderate , equalled to the measure of your estate , rather bountifull than niggardly , yet not prodigall , nor ouer-costly : for though some , who hauing otherwise consumed themselues with secret vices , haue endeuored to colour their riots vpō their vertue , yet in my obseruation , i haue not heard nor known any man growe poore , by keeping an ordinary , decent , and thrifty table . banish drunkennesse out of your houses , and affect him not that is affected therevnto : for it is a vice that impaires health , consumes wealth , and transformes a man into a beast : a sinne of no single rank , no ordinary statiō , that neuer walks vnattended with a traine of misdemeanors at the heeles : besides , for the credite thereof , to induce a man , i neuer heard other commendation ascribed to a drunkard , more than the wellbearing of his drink : which is a cōmendation fitter for a bruers horse , or a dray-mans backe , than either for gentlemen or seruingmen : for especially the latter being taken tardy herin , is thereby doubly diuorced from himselfe : for , beeing first sober , hee is not his own man : and beeing drunke , hee falles short by two degrees . beware thou spend not aboue three of the . parts of thy reuenue , nor aboue one third parte thereof in your house : for the other two partes wil but defray extraordinaries , which wil alway surmoūt your ordinaries by much : for otherwise you shall liue like beggars in cōtinual wants : & the needy man can neuer liue happilie , nor contented , being broken & distracted with worldly cares : for the euery least disaster maks him ready to morgage or sell : and that gentleman that selleth an acre of lande , looseth anounce of credite : for gentilitie is nothing but auncient riches : so that if the foundation doe sinke , the building must needes consequently fall . precept ii , teacheth the education of children . bring your children vp in obedience and learning , yet without too much austeritie , praise them openly , reprehende them secretly : giue them good countenance , and conuenient maintenance , according to your abilitie : for otherwise your liues will seeme their bondage , and then as those are censured , that deferre all good to their ende ; so that portion you shall leaue them , they may thanke death for , and not you . marry your daughters betimes , lest they marry themselues . suffer not your sonnes to passe the alpes : for they shall exchaunge for their forraine trauell ( vnlesse they goe better fortified ) but others vices for their owne vertues , pride , blasphemie , and atheisme , for humility , reuerence , and religion : and if by chaunce , out of a more wary industry , they attain to any broken languages , they will profite them no more , than to haue one meate serued in diuers dishes . neither by mine aduise shall you traine them vp to warres : for he that sets vp his rest to liue by that profession , in mine opinion , can hardly be an honest man , or a good christian : for euerie warre of it selfe is vnjust , the good cause may make it lawfull : besides , it is a science no longer in request than vse : for souldiours in peace , are like chimneyes in summur , like dogges past hunting , or women when their beauty is done . as a person of quality once noted to the like effect , in these verses following : friendes , souldiours , women in their prime , are like to dogges in hunting time : occasion , warres , and beautie gone , friendes , souldiours , women heere are none . precept iii , for house-holde prouision , and of the choyse of seruantes . liue not in the countrey without corne and cattle about you : for he that must present his hande to his purse for euery expence of house-hold , shall as hardly keepe money therein , as it is for one to hold water in a siue . and for your prouision , lay to buy it at the best hand , for there may be sometimes a pennie saued , betweene buying at your neede or when the season most fitly may furnish you . be not willingly attended , or serued by kinsmen or friendes , which will seeme to bee men , as it were intreated to stay : for such will expect much , and stead little : neither by such as are amorous ; for their heads are commonly intoxicated . keepe rather too few , than one too manie : feede them well , and paye them with the most , so maye you lawfully demaund seruice at their handes , and boldly exact it . precept iv , how to intreat your kindred and allies . let your kindred and allies bee welcome to your table : grace them with your countenance , and euer further them in all their honest actions , by worde , liberalitie , or industrie : for by that meanes you shall double the bonde of nature : bee a neighbour to their good , as well as to their blood : by which reasonable deseruinges , you shall finde them so manie aduocates , to pleade an apologie for you behind your backe , so manie witnesses of your vertues , whensoeuer others shall seeke to depraue you : but shake off the glow-wormes , i meane parasites and sycophantes , who will feede and fawne on you , in the summer of your prosperitie ; but in anie aduerse storme , will shelter you no more than a cloake of taffatie , or an arbour in winter . precept v , aduiseth to keepe some great man to your friend , and how to complement him . be sure you keep some great man alwayes to your friend : yet trouble him not for trifles : complement him often : present him with manie , yet small gifts , and of little charge . and if you haue cause to bestow any great gratuitie on him , then let it be no chest commodity , or obscure thing : but such a one as may bee dayly in sight , the better to be remembred : for otherwise you shall liue but like a hop without pole , or a vine without her elme , subject to injury & oppression , ready to be made a football for euery superior insulting companion to spurne at . precept vi , how and when to vndertake suites . vndertake no suit against a poore man , without receiuing of great wrong , for therin you make him your compeditor : besides that , it is helde a base conquest , to triumph vpon a weak aduersary . neither vndertake law against any man , before you be fully resolued you haue the right on your side : which being once so ascertained , then spare neither cost nor paines to accomplish it : for a cause or two being so close followed , and well accomplished , may after free you from suits a great part of your life . precept vii , aduertiseth for suretieshippe . beware of suretieshippe , yea for your best friend : for hee that payeth another mans debts , goeth the way to leaue other men to pay his , and seeketh his owne ouer-throwe . therefore if hee bee such a one , as you cannot well say nay , choose rather then , to lend that mony from your selues , vpon good bonds , though you borrowe it : so may you pleasure your friende , and happily secure your selues . in borrowing of money , bee euermore precious of your word : for hee that hath a care to keepe daye of payment , is lord-commaunder many times of another mans purse . precept viii , how to carrie a mans selfe towardes his superiours , and inferiours . towards your superiours bee humble , yet generous : with your equalles familiare , yet respectiue : towardes your inferiours shewe much humilitie , with some familiaritie ; as to bow your body , stretch foorth your hand , vncouer your head , and such like populare complements : the first prepareth way to aduancement : the second will make you knowne for men well bred : the thirde gaineth a good report , which once gained , may easily bee kept ; for high humilities are of such respect in the opinion of the multitude , that they are easilier won by vnprofitable courtesies , than by churlish benefits : yet doe i not aduise you , ouermuch to affect or neglect popularitie . precept ix , how farre to disclose a mans secrets . trust no man with your credite , or estate : for it is a meere follie for a man to inthrall himselfe further to his friende , than that hee needeth not feare him beeing his enemie . precept x. be not scurrilous in conuersation , nor stoicall in your wittes ; for the one maketh you vnwelcome to all companies , as the other pulleth quarrels on your heads , and maketh you hated of your best friends . iestes , when they doe sauour of too much trueth , leaue a bitternesse in the minds of those that are touched . and , although i haue alreadie pointed at these inclusiue , yet i thinke it necessarie to leaue it to you as a cantion , because i haue seene manie so prone to quippe and girde , that they had rather lose their friende than their iest : and if by chaunce their boyling brayne yeeld a quaint scoffe , they will trauell to bee deliuered of it , as a woman with childe : but i thinke those nimble apprehensions , are but the froth of the wittes . finis . golden remains of sir george freman, knight of the honourable order of the bath being choice discourses on select subjects. freeman, george, sir. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) golden remains of sir george freman, knight of the honourable order of the bath being choice discourses on select subjects. freeman, george, sir. freeman, sarah, lady. [ ], p. printed by j.m., and are to be sold by henry bonwicke ..., london : . added t.p. on p. [ ]: physiologia, or, the nature of externals briefly discuss't ... . edited by lady sarah freeman. this work appears as wing f at reel : (number cancelled) and as wing f b at reel : . reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rachel losh sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion golden remains of sir george freman , knight of the honourable order of the bath . being choice discourses on select subjects . london , printed by j. m. and are to be sold by henry bonwicke , at the red-lyon in s t paul's church-yard , . preface . the great charity the author had for souls ( lest any should take example by seeing him drink ) and the desire he had of making what restitution he could , was the reason he desired me to set out his treatise against drinking after his death . and as i who was constantly with him must needs know him better than any other ; so i think my self obliged to do him that right , as to let the world know he was not the man they generally took him for . i can justly say i never knew any one of a more tender conscience : after he had been in company , if upon inquiry into himself he found he had committed a sin in drinking too much , or done any thing he thought extravagant , he would very much lament himself , and hath sent for the company he was with , and given them good advice , perswading them to a holy life . he has made resolutions to drink nothing but small beer , which he hath kept till the violence of his fits seized on him so severely , that he has been forced to drink some wine to relieve him from them ; but hath been extreamly troubled , and said to me , what a miserable condition am i in , that these fits should force me to that i would fain quite cast off ; and would take it with great caution , and say , lord give a blessing so far as i may lawfully pray . for his family duties , he was careful there should be prayers morning and evening . for some time he had a minister in the house which said the church prayers twice a day ; when he was gone , he performed the duty himself : and when he was not able by reason of his illness , he order'd one of his sons to do it . several times when he rose from prayers , he would give his servants good instructions : and when he could not go to church by reason of the violence of his fits , he would speak to me to take care that his children and servants went ; and bid me tell them the reason why he did not go , lest they should take example by his staying away , which he said he would never do if it pleased god he had his health . it was his constant practice before he went abroad , though it was never so little a way , first to go to his prayers and beg a blessing of god. for his charity in giving alms , he had bowels of mercy , he seldom gave alms but he shed tears of compassion for their misery : and when they return'd thanks in praying for him , he would say to me , they do me much more good by their prayers , than i can do them with my alms : what a mercy it is that i have so much plenty who deserve no more than they ! on the lords day he had many of the poor dined with his servants , which he would speak to with a friendly kindness , and look on them with much joy , that they received refreshment at his table . he gave yearly pensions , one to a very ancient widow , and another to an ancient gentleman , who died , and then he gave it to his brother , being in the like want . he relieved several knights and gentlemen in their distress , feeding , cloathing , and assisting them with mony towards the burying their dead . and every christmass he gave money to the poor of betchworth and brockham : and as an encouragement to charity he used to say , it is the best way of putting money to use , to give it to the poor . as he was thus eminent in this virtue of alms-giving , so he was no less in that hardest part of charity , which is forgiving enemies . he received as much wrong as a slanderous tongue could do him , but was so far from returning evil for evil , that contrary to that , he asked me what he should do , to do that party good ; my answer was , i knew no way but prayer : which he immediately betook himself to , after a solemn manner on his knees with me ; and after that told me , he had prayed at church and in his bed for that party , and though he received the wrong , yet he first desired to be reconciled . i could give several other instances of his returning good for evil , for he never bore malice against any , but still endeavoured to overcome his enemies with kindness . his charity to souls was so diffusive , that he wrote several short dehortations from sin , and exhortations to a holy life , and used to cast them privately about the streets , that some finding them might by the grace of god be wrought upon to forsake their sins . one of the papers i have by me , with these words in it , fear to do ill , for thou know'st not how soon death may overtake thee . he was very just in all dealings , careful to pay his debts , and in accounting would rather be a loser than any should suffer by him . he many times used this expression , whose ox have i taken ? he was humble , kind and courteous to the meanest of his neighbours , and never slighted any gentleman for his poverty ; but used them with as much respect as those that had great estates . he was a loyal subject to his king , a true son of the church of england , and very much against popery . he was a loving father to his children , a very kind master to his servants , and ( i must ever owne it ) he was a most tender loving husband to me : which he shewed in taking care to the utmost of his power to provide for me , and to his last in his extraordinary kind expressions to me on his death-bed . above two years before his death a great affliction befell him , which brought much anguish on his spirits , so that when he hath been at prayers with his family he could scarce bring out his words for tears : and he being naturally melancholy , great afflictions must needs lie heavier upon him and be harder to overcome , had he not had a great support from heaven . but through gods grace they turned so much to his advantage and weaned him so from this world , that his discourses to me were as sermons treating of death and the happiness of the next world . he said the day of our death might very well be called the day of our birth , giving us a greater enlargement than when we came from the inclosure of our mother's womb : and told me he and i should do as my lady falkland advised her friends , not love one another too much , but endeavour to wean our affections , knowing one must go before the other : telling me also of one , that when he had word brought him of the death of his only son , said , i knew i begat a mortal . when troubles were on him , he would say , heaven will recompence all , heaven is a sweet place ; there is no disturbance , but all peace and love. he hoped he might overcome his troubles , which he could never have done , had he not had a greater succour than any on earth : but god was all in all to satisfie his soul. he used to say , all my strength is in god , had i not depended on the holy jesus i had been dead e're this . he could not lay himself to sleep but with some of these expressions , jesus is my strength ; god is a very present help in trouble : in him we live move and have our being : it is he that performeth all things for us : all my fresh springs are in thee o lord. he used to have the italian testament , bishop hall's book called , the balm of gilead , with other good books at his beds-head ; which he would read in before he went to sleep , finding some comfortable sentence suitable to his condition , of which he would discourse with me as he laid himself to rest . he used in great troubles to take the bible and open it at adventure , and then read what he first found ; which often hath been so suitable to his condition , that he hath received great comfort , and writ the places down , which i have by me . his heart was so much set on heaven , that he wonder'd how any religious person could concern himself for any of these vain and transitory things : and would use this expression of d r hammond , let god govern the world . and when he heard of any false reports he said , let us not trouble our selves , but consider how we stand in the sight of god. he was very fearful of taking gods name in vain : insomuch that when fits seized violently on him , and pain made him cry , o lord ! he was troubled lest he had broken that commandment , who ( said he ) is able to help me but he in this my great extremity ? he could not endure to hear any one swear , and hated a lye . he wrote some of our blessed saviours sermon on the mount , which he intended to write out , resolving to get it by heart and make it his practice , but death seized him before it was finished . he had a great love to the word of god ; and said to his sister on his death-bed , i love gods word , and i fear him . when he first waked in the morning he said , god be blessed that i have lived to see the light of another day , lord grant that i may spend it to thy service ; and that collect of the church , prevent us o lord in all our doings , &c. and when he rose crossing his arms , he said , in the name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost , amen ; and then he said the lords prayer which he had a high veneration for ; afterwards he read a psalm . he did not use long prayers , but short ejaculations often both day and night . when i have waked in the morning , i have seen him lifting up his hand with so great devotion that it hath moved my affection . he delighted much in discourses of religion , and holy meditations : and hath told me in his bed , he hath had such sweet meditations , as have raised him even to heaven . i am not able to express how excellently he would speak of his love to the holy jesus , and the blessed trinity . he said he loved god above all , and not any thing in comparison of him ; and that he would be a martyr for god. if he were sure his sins were forgiven , and the pain of death over , he could willingly leave this world : for he desired to be dissolved and to be with christ. he hath reckon'd to me the many dangers he had escaped , and the many blessings he had received : admiring the great goodness of god that had preserved him to that present , and had given him time to repent of his sins , and bestowed many undeserved blessings on him . he told me he had desired some temporals , which god denyed him ; but he look'd on it as a mercy , and clearly saw that it was better for him to be in that very condition god had placed him in ; and would often speak of gods providence . he was a great lover of the company of divines ; and could not abide to see them slighted . he had several of them in his prayers , and desired the benefit of theirs for himself . satan would tempt him to lay aside his confidence in the mercies of god : but he resolved and armed himself by faith against those assaults ; and hath said to me that he could as plainly see satan in his malicious designs and temptations against him , as if he saw him with his bodily eyes . and sometimes satan tempted him to infidelity , but he did resist him and presently said the creed . i heard him say on his death-bed , satan would tempt me , but i will not believe him : and then said , i believe in god , &c. which made me think he had the same temptations then , which he had told me of at other times : and that that good god that had sustain'd him to that time , would not then leave him , but strengthn'd his faith to the last gasp . about half a year before his death he had many scruples , which proceeded from the tenderness of his conscience , and made him full of fears lest in this or that he had offended : and though when company came to see him , he seem'd as chearful as he could ; yet when they were gone he would be troubled for any word or action he might offend in : and did examine himself of his former life with sorrow for all he had done amiss . he had very humble thoughts of himself , and would judge and blame himself rather than others : and often say a proud man could not go to heaven . he was of a very sweet disposition , and so tender hearted that he could not endure to see any creature in misery : and hath told me of one that put his only son to death for delighting in putting out the eyes of birds , thinking he would be a cruel man. and though he was thus tender hearted , yet upon a good account he had great courage , as he hath shewed in his readiness to serve his king , in the surrey rising , and at other times , though he never had the fortune to be in any action . he was a very good scholar , understood hebrew , greek , latine and italian , and had the french tongue as perfect as a native . he had great skill in musick , and delighted very much in it . he had a great love to any he thought loved god. once a poor man came begging , that said he had been taken by the turks , and used very cruelly ; but rather than he would deny christ , he would be torn in pieces : i cannot express how much my husband rejoyced to hear him say so , and he was so taken with him , that he gave him both money and cloaths . there was a poor woman that used to sit with the rest of the poor at his servants table , and he heard she had the report of a good woman , he took her to his own table , and used her with much respect . he had such humble thoughts of himself , that for some time he would not allow himself decent burial : but afterwards he consented to it , and desired his neighbours might accompany him to his grave . he often desired me to be buryed in the vault by him . i have something in memory of a dream that he told me of when he waked a little before his last sickness ; he dream'd that the day of judgment was come , and the lord appearing in the clouds , and calling the elect , he was left behind ; upon which being grievously afflicted he prayed earnestly , and the blessed jesus look'd back and called him : and he went with great joy , and was received into heaven with the rest of the elect. he was full of fears as to his future condition while he was here : but now i question not but he is received into the joy of the lord. he was a sickly man for many years , troubled with convulsion fits and shortness of breathing , which made him fear sudden death , and pray dayly against it : but his last sickness was the yellow-jaundice , with a very sore throat and a violent ▪ feaver . and though he was in very much pain , he bore it with a great deal of patience , speaking comfortably to all about him : so that they said they never were with any one that made a better end . he was much in prayer , i think i heard him say the lords prayer near twenty times in one day , when he was so weak that he could hardly bring out his words . he desired me not to be troubled , and said god would provide for me , and prayed god to send us a happy meeting : he often told me , his prayer for me was , that god would bless me with the blessings of his right hand and of his left . i cannot remember half the heavenly expressions he had when mr. benson the minister of our parish prayed by him . he said to me , mr. benson is a good man , he speaks so sweetly when he speaks of god. he desired the bell might be rung , and asked many times after it , if it did not ring . he departed this life on the th day of may , . being friday , the day after ascension : and i hope he hath received the benefit of the precious passion , and glorious resurrection and ascension of our dearest lord , and ever blessed saviour jesus . he had formerly desired me not to be by him when he was dying , lest seeing me should make him unwilling to leave this world ; and lest i should by any sudden passion disturb his soul departing ▪ but at last he very much called upon me not to leave him , so i stayed with him to the last : and though my trouble was not to be expressed , yet ( i thank god ) i did not in the least disturb him . he endured much pain in his sickness , but at last i could not perceive he had any , but his breath grew shorter and shorter , and so he went away without the least gasp or groan . his thoughts and discourse were much of death long before ; he would say our life was but as a dream , or the shadow of a dream , and as a vapour . and when he saw any disturbed for fear of losses in this world , he would say none are ever undone till they come to hell. he loved much to dispute about religion , but once being disputing against predestination , and fearing he had spoken something irreverent , he was extremely afflicted ; i never saw any one express more sorrow , and writ what i here set down , and have under his own hand by me : i did immediately strip my self of it , and threw my self down before the throne of grace , by which it had no propriety in me : i did it whatever it was to vindicate god's mercy : i have committed my cause to god who knows my thoughts , and let him deal with me according to his infinite goodness and wisdom : let satan do what he can against me , i know my saviour is the captain of my salvation . i have here endeavoured to give what account i can of my dear husbands life ; but i know i come very short of what might have been observed by one of a better memory , that had been with him so much as my self . i hope the christian reader , into whose hands these papers shall come , will pardon all imperfections in the stile or method , and make the best use of what was so well design'd by the author . the fulfilling of whose will in setting forth his book , and discharging my duty , in clearing him to the world , is the only cause i venture to appear in print , sarah freman . i received a letter from a very reverend divine that gives this account of my dear husband , which i write in his own words ; that he was in many respects the most remarkable instance of humility , the greatest example of godly sorrow , and the most admirable precedent of self-denial and sincere detestation of sin in himself , and passionate care that it might not infect others , which i have known . and of this it pleased the all-wise guider of all things to make me a very heedful witness about years ago , when i preached at the savoy for dr. t. f. not many daies after , i was summon'd to wait on sir george freman , a person then altogether unknown to me , whom he entertained with a most doleful tenderness of affection , and with manly ( because christian ) showers of tears spoke after this manner : sir , you are to me as i suppose i am to you , a stranger . i thank you for your sermon at the savoy , where i was your auditor . i do not think you aimed at me , but sure i am your discourse pierced my heart . i could scarce think any one there besides concerned , i dare say none more than my self . i am that miserable man , who have not remembred my creator in the daies of my youth , ( my text was eccles. xii . . ) and now what shall i do , what shall i do ? give me your advice , assist me with your prayers . thus in one person perceiving many blessed marks of true penitents , wounded with s t peter's hearers who were pricked to the heart , acts . inquisitive with the baptist's pious auditors , s t luke . vowing amendment with david , and commanding it in those under his care ; sending to me as good josiah did to huldah the prophetess . i did as soon as i had recover'd my self from that tumult of passions which a sight so unexpected did raise , apply my self , according to my poor ability , with utmost compassion , to aid the sorrowful patient of the almighty ; who was pleased , after diverse weeks conference , prayers , and meditations on several texts of scripture , and such like means used by my self , and others of far more experience , to raise up his troubled spirit , bowed down with the dreadful apprehensions of god's heavy displeasure , and to stay him with some comfortable hopes that our heavenly father would not cast him off for ever , nor always shut up his loving kindness and tender mercy . for which with what singular expressions of penitential sorrow he prepared himself , i am not able to utter . with what zealous indignation did he call to mind his sins ! with what affectionate care did he dehort his family from all wicked and vain courses ! i was astonished to see and hear with what awful reverence , prostration and tears , with what inflamation of soul , he kiss'd the sacred book when he solemnly renewed his covenant with god. i am too little acquainted with virtue , to describe that masculine meekness , wherewith he deprecated the injury he had done to his meanest attendants by his former example . i know too little of sanctification to tell you with what fervency of spirit he declaimed against , and disswaded his servants from the imitation of his now abhorred practices , and with penitent manasses solemnly resolved to command all under his authority to serve the lord , the sincerity of these resolutions was proved by his pious behaviour , whereof i was till . sometimes an eye-witness ; and by this did appear the soundness of his judgment , for hereby he declared , that he knew how dangerous and senseless a conceit it is ( which is too common ) that men may believe well without repentance , and repent well without amendment , live well without prayer , and pray well without faith . and now , madam , who can think he wants joy , who thus sowed in tears ? and why should any bewail him who is happier than here he could be ? relieve your self from sad thoughts with reflecting upon that bliss and fulness of pleasure , which he most earnestly groaned for and now enjoys for ever . the disswasive from drunkenness ( a most acutely pious discourse ) i had from his own hand , and 't is now no little ornament to my study . the reliques of his judicious and divine pen ( designed for the benefit of more than one age ) will have great commendation to the wiser part of the world from the learned author , and those excellencies wherein they resemble him will give security that none can buy his book too dear , or better bestow his time than in reading what he wrote . a letter written to me upon the death of my husband . madam , your loss is great , by reason of the death of your dear husband : however you have this comfort to allay the grievance of the loss , the hope and even confidence that he is gone to heaven . neither will it be accounted partiality in you , in thus charitably judging of him ; for it is very reasonable that is thus concluded concerning him . contrary to the usual way of a letter , let me so method what i knew of him to be very true : first , he was a person of great reason , and had such a judgment as would rightly distinguish betwixt good and evil . secondly , he did not thwart his judgment and opinion of things by his actions , but accordingly steered his course , as nearly as frail humanity would permit . thirdly , he was a true son of the church of england , and wondred at the opposition and contradictions of others to its christian tenents . fourthly , his prayers were constant unto god for the conversion of our churches enemies . he laboured not only by strong arguments when he met with the recusants , but at other times also when he was alone , by his prayers to make them proselytes . fifthly , he was heavenly minded , and his discourse was continually about god and eternity ; and he affected no mans company whose talke was worldly , for he accounted it frivolous and vain . sixthly , though a person of quality , yet he was affable and courteous , and strangely condescending , and chused his associates rather for their goodness than for their greatness . seventhly , he was charitable , ready to contribute towards the necessity of the poor , and timed some of his liberal gifts excellent well ; encouraged many of the poor parishioners to come constantly to the church by entertaining many of them at his own house every sunday . eightly , he had a singular love for you his affectionate and most loving wife : it was nothing but death that could have separated him from you . i might speak several things more , very honourably of him , but i purpose brevity . madam , i know , you lament because you have parted with so good and vertuous an husband as sir george was : but let his vertue and goodness be an occasion of your rejoycing . he now is possessed of that which we pray for to enjoy , everlasting bliss and happiness . i am , your humble and faithful servant , j. b. to the memory of the pious author sir george freman , knight of the bath , his ever honour'd godfather . . blest soul ! thou who art wont to be , ev'n when alive , a saint to me . and on my tender bead didst often lay blessings for which thy little votary was taught to pray , with humble voice and bended knee , as to some officer of heav'ens great treasury . hear me agin now after death , accept the tribute of my grateful breath , and let it not disturb thy happiness a while to hear my verse express our sorrows for our loss of thee , and joys for thy fruition of vast eternity . . thou , now the storms of sin and grief are o're , art landed safe on the eternal shore ; and looking down smile'st on lifes galley — slaves , tost to and fro on fortunes waves : now to th' top of honours sky they 're gone , and down to th' hell of low disgrace are headlong cast anon . some in slight pleasure — boats do careless row , and unconcern'd o're the deep gulf they go , ne're minding either stars above , or monsters hid below . . now quiet and serene are all thy thoughts ; thy mind not tangled with hard knots , ty'd by thy too scrup'utous fears , not to be loosen'd by thy tears : which vanish now quite out of sight like idle phantoms of the night . and heav'n without a cloud does now appear , nothing but love and joy and hallelujah's there . now are thy busie scruples all at rest ; and ev'n thy melancholy's blest , which did thy looser appetite command , though with too strict and too severe a hand . now thou art entred on those solid joys , where without laughing's mirth , and musick without noise . . thou the great circle of all arts hast past , another drake hast learning's world embrac't ; and knowest how small a point 't is if it vye with the immense circumference of the skie . what folly't all is when we'ave left this worlds academy : the soul shakes all these rags off then , to the new cloath'd in heav'en agen . and here as reminiscence science is : so there when we forget it are we wise . our sins or virtues only then remain ; we have no list to think on ought that 's vain . who can from heav'ns observatory view , if tycho or copernicus be true ; and with as much ease know , as now we err with pain . . thou wast my guardian angel here below , and didst me all the paths of virtue show . when i a stranger hither come , from nothing's and my mother's womb , did neither the people nor their language know ; straight didst thou wash my soul from sin , it s original secundine ; and at the sacred font for fear i from th' eternal laws should swerve , or any other master serve , madest me the badge and name of christian bear . . but now alas ! thou' rt from this country gone , and here hast left me wandring all alone : the clue is broke , and weary i bewilder'd in this labyrinth lie , and nought but monstrous minotaurs of unheard vices spie . thy sacred reliques now must be a second holy guide to me , and from thy book i will such blessings crave as once thy living precepts gave ; where we behold thy soul , it self , and free from the restraint of vainer company ; from th' heats of wine and passion , from complement and fashion , and all that discords with its native harmony . . thy charity expires not with thy breath , but here thou' rt benefactor after death . out of the ample treasure of thy mind leaving a stock of holy truths behind ; thou dost a large estate to pious souls bequeath . o may success answer the great design ; may'st thou be others guide , as well as mine . and may 't increase thy joys to see thy converts flocking after thee , the fruits of all thy passionate cares , captives of thy discourse , or blessings to thy pray'rs . a. b. a brief apology for the lords prayer . i have selected two texts out of the new testament ; one is in the th chap. of s t matthew , the beginning of the th verse ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , after this manner therefore pray ye , &c. the other is in the eleventh of s t luke at the second verse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and he said unto them , when you pray , say , our father . which two places of scripture will administer a redundancy of argument to prove what i have undertaken , namely , that it is the duty of every christian to use the lords prayer constantly , both at his publick and private devotions . as to the integrality , and exact composure of this prayer , every man will readily acknowledge it , because it were sacrilegious impudence to say otherwise : notwithstanding this , you shall hear the most moderate of its opposers say , that the assiduous use of it is not necessary ; and many since our late dissensions began , have declared by their continued omission of it , that it is not requisite at all , not allowing it entertainment ( although the lords prayer ) within the walls of the church , stiled by our saviour himself , the house of prayer ; nor into their own houses at their family duties , and i have much reason to fear , not into the most recluse corners , when they have been at their private devotions : thus did they in effect teach assemblies , that prayer as effectual as that , might be made out of new molds of their own , and entertained them with nothing else , but their own belches and eruptions . on the contrary , i do assert the necessity of its use , both at all times of prayer , and by all persons ; first from the primitive practice , and the high esteem that all the eminent fathers of the church had of it : and next i shall endeavour to prove it by logicall deductions from the letter of the scripture , in one text , and by unavoidable consequence from the other , shewing that the place cited out of s t matthew , must of necessity hold analogie with that of s t luke : i will begin with that of s t luke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the original is an adverb , compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adverbium primarium , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conjunctio potentialis ; sometimes it signifies postquam , after that , as s t john , chap. . vers . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , postquam aut pepererit ; sometimes quamdiu , as long as , so s t john . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quamdiu in mundo fuero ; here it signifies quum , or quando , and being indefinite comprehendeth all the times of prayer : but if you should put it thus , as a solution to a question , namely , as if i should ask a man when will you do such a kindness for me ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and the answer be made , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , isidor . when you return , here supposing i had told him before when i would return , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not indefinite , but joyn'd with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is an answer to the precedent question , and points at some hour , or day in the which i said i would return ; but in the text it must of necessity comprehend all the times of prayer : and therefore this injunction , when you pray , say , our father , is , and must of necessity be as much as if our saviour had said , whensoever you pray , say , our father which art in heaven , &c. nor will it enter into my apprehension , how this can possibly admit of any other explication . but to this they will object , if so , that our saviour enjoyns us whensoever we pray , to say , our father ; the consequence will be , that we must say no other prayer : for when we pray in another form , we pray ; how is this command then fulfilled , when you pray , say , our father , if we take a liberty to vary from it ? i answer , that by these words , when you pray , is not to be understood all the continued time of prayer , but some part of that occasional , or assiduous praying , so that it is not spoken exclusively of all other prayers ; for s t paul , ephes , . . tells them he ceaseth not to pray for them ; and verse the th tells them in what manner , namely , in words of his own , as you may there read ; and in another place , acts . . it is said , and they continued in the apostles doctrine , and fellowship , and breaking of bread , and prayers , in the plural ; so that it is much more probable that they did use occasional prayers , and not make a continued repetition of the lords prayer : besides , we find that s t chrysostome , s t augustine , s t bernard , and all the fathers took that liberty , neither was it ever questioned ; but however , if the text did restrain us to it , those that use it not at all would be the more strongly refuted . from the premises then it will appear , that this individual prayer , these very words ( for they are the immediate subject of that command ) must be used by every christian , whensoever he applyeth himself to god in prayer : but to this they will object , that the text in s t matthew gives a dispensation from using these very words , because it saith . pray after this manner , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thus . to this i answer , if our saviour commandeth us in this text to pray after this prayer , then he doth implicitely , though not expresly enjoyn these very words ; but if it be supposed to be spoken exclusively of the lords prayer , that is , as if our saviour had said , you need not say my prayer , or you need not use it alwayes , but set it as a pattern , and rest alwayes , or for the most part , upon your own methods , which you make in imitation of mine ; what would the consequence be , but a horrid one ? namely , that our saviour did set a greater estimate upon those subsequent prayers , which we were afterwards to make in imitation of his , than he did upon his own , which will inevitably follow if we reflect upon the ends of prayer . the chief subordinate ends of prayer ( for there are many others inferiour to them ) are these , to prevail with god for the communicating of grace to the soul , that so by faith and repentance we may be interested in christ , and then by the application of his merits to our souls , we are put into an estate of salvation , which is the last of those intermediate or subordinate ends of prayer ; for if we continue in that , the next remove , we shall arrive at eternal salvation , which is the ultimate end of prayer , and of all the ordinances of god. thus then i argue , if these be the ends of prayer , then the best composed prayer must needs be the most efficacious for the procurement of these ends ; but if our saviour commands us to make prayers after his , and gives a dispensation to omit his own ( though but sometimes ) the forementioned consequence will follow , that he prefers our prayers before his own : for he doth most certainly desire the salvation of our souls , and doing so , hath as certainly appointed the most conducible means thereunto ; but if he dispenseth with the continued use of his own prayer , and enjoyns us to make others after it , and those to be our daily prayers , it will inevitably follow , that he looks upon ours as more efficacious than his own , which is a most blasphemous consequence . but again , suppose this text , after this manner pray ye , did not so necessarily enjoyn the use of the lords prayer ; yet the other doth , for it saith , when you pray , say , our father , &c. this admits of no evasion , as i suppose my self to have already proved , since these very words are the immediate subject of the command , whereupon i offer this argument ; if one place of scripture do ipsis terminis , and expresly command any one duty , and any other place of scripture seem to dispense with it , the ambiguous text must be accommodated to that which is conspicuous , and clearly intelligible ; for otherwise we shall make the word of god repugnant to it self : then if my judgement fail me not , it is evident , that the text in s t luke admits of no cavil , and the other carries but a seeming occasion of one , but this seemingness ( if there be such ) must vail to the other , which is so nervous and evincing : as for that ridiculous caution , that they omit the use of it in publick , lest men should idolize a form ; they may as well say , that the scriptures may be taken away from them , because they may idolize the mechanick part of it , namely , the paper , and the binding , or the letters , and not look at the system of truth , which is comprized in it . but besides this , the lords prayer can no more be accounted indifferent , as to its peculiar use ( which is to be offer'd up to god in praying ) than any other places of scripture , as to their proper and peculiar uses ; because the lords prayer is a part of scripture : now the historical part of scripture is to be believed , the doctrinal part is to be believed , and practised , and urged in polemical discourses , the supplicatory part is to be pray'd ; and therefore my opinion is , that when men do vary from this prayer ( which undoubtedly is lawfull , prvided they do not exclude it ) their prayers should be composed as near as they can of sentences collected out of scripture . to dispense with the use of this prayer is in the general , repugnant to theologie , which enjoyns the greatest reverence , and esteem that possibly can be for matters of divine institution ; and especially a command which issued immediately , and with so much clearness out of the blessed mouth of christ himself , doth certainly call for our ready and constant obedience ; and it is contrary to all christian practice , it having ever been magnified in the church of god , and inconsistent w th the principles of reason , if we take but a moral view of it ; for in all actions the medium , or instrumental cause , must be fitly proportion'd for the attainment of what we design , and by all requirable circumstances accommodated to that end ; or else we have no certain grounds to expect the procurement of what we would have : but here it is otherwise , if we sue for blessings in our own deficient language , and indigested petitions , voluntarily omitting this most accurate form , which was composed by him , who is the wisdom of the father , by which he made the world , the first of s t john and the tenth verse : whosoever therefore doth it , despiseth the very wisdom of god , he is guilty lesae divinae majestatis , of high treason against the king of heaven : and therefore it is not strange , that during the late eclipse of our church , rebellion did rouze up her self more and more , till at last , with a bare and impudent face , she laught at the tenderness of allegiance ; for there is great reason to think , that the deliberate omission of the lords prayer , was the sudden admission of rebellion ; for he that dares despise the wisdom of god , and by that means commit the highest treason , and speak the greatest blasphemy against god , will easily slide into a conspiracy of treason against his temporal prince : and although i am induced to believe , that there was a fomes of rebellion and spleen lodged , and lurking in the hearts of many these late wars , which gave the first spring to our dissensions ; yet , that by the neglect of this prayer , joyntly with the discontinuance of communicating in the lords supper , and the removal of orthodox divines , and many other causes , i have great reason to believe they were very much promoted . as there is a reason in divinity , why the neglect of this prayer was a great inlet to rebellion ; so is there likewise in moral philosophy , for he that slights this most accurate form , will most certainly not stick to oppose all other forms in the church , by an argument à majore ad minus : and he that opposeth set forms , and ecclesiastical constitutions , hath a principle of licentiousness , and independency in him , which will be still administring arguments to him ( dato uno absurdissimo ) by a series of moral , or rather immoral consequences against all coercive power , first in the church , and then in the state , which truth hath been ( though very deplorably ) yet evincingly laid down before us in the late rebellion : concerning which truth our dread soveraign charles the second , having been without doubt along time satisfied , is well prepared with instructions for his own security ; though i believe his piety more than his regal interest will cement him to the church of england , which is the repository of primitive discipline and order . whether these arguments may be prevalent with many others , i know not , but they are so much with me , that i was exceedingly scandalized at the publick omission of it , and am well assured that a very great body of christians in england were so with my self ; and that it was not scandalum acceptum on our side , but scandalum datum on theirs who did reject it : and i would very fain be satisfied how the dissenters from ecclesiastical ceremonies can quarrel with the church of england for imposing things in their own nature indifferent , that is , not prohibited by god in his revealed will ; how they can , i say , except against the imposition of such lawfull things , and plead it is for this reason , to avoid giving offence to tender consciences , which consciences cry out before they are hurt , and yet maintain that themselves may publickly omit this great duty of saying the lords prayer , and that to the offence of so many well-grounded consciences , who can by no means dispense with it . the church of england out of her prudent care to preserve order and uniformity in the exteriour part of gods worship , imposeth a lawfull thing or action , and that 's a sin ; the presbyterian dispenseth with the not performing of a necessary duty , and that 's no sin . the church of england magnifies christs prayer , and that 's idolizing a form ; the presbyterian despiseth it , and that 's good religion : the parliament of england , of which the fathers of the church are a very considerable part , do cause the illegitimate covenant to be burnt , and that 's a great wickedness ; the presbyterian slights the divine energy of the lords prayer ( legitimate , as tertullian calls it ) which is far worse than the bare action of burning the paper wherein it is printed or written , and that 's not ill at all . but it may be they will say to me , you make a discourse concerning the excellency of the lords prayer , we may ask you the same question that one was asked , who insisted long upon the praise of hercules , quis unquam vituperavit herculem ? which of us ever spoke against the excellency of the prayer ? it is true , i never heard any man in terminis do it , as i said in the beginning of my discourse ( for that were open blasphemy , and persistence in it would merit excommunication from the society of christians ) but you do implicitely , and inclusively , or otherwise why do you not use it ? actions speak more than words , and cry aloud in the ears of god either for reward or judgment : but some of them do object , that they do use it sometimes , but they are not bound to use it alwayes . to this i answer , that the intermitting of its use , doth imply the setting of but a gradual esteem upon it , and that they do not acknowledge its supereminency above all other prayers . if a man that is prescribed an excellent dyet-drink , which never sail'd the cure of some disease which he labours with , and is ordered by his physician to take it every day ; if he intermit but one day it will argue that he doth not so highly approve of it , that is , that he doth disapprove of it , in a degree proportionable to the discontinuance of it : so if any man do make use of the lords prayer sometimes , and sometimes useth it not ; what doth this omission of his ( unless it be through forgetfulness ) but secretly whisper to the understanding that he doth not intensively and absolutely approve of it , but partially and in gradibus remissis . for to say the lords prayer is the best prayer , and yet to say , it is not requisite to use it at all times of prayer , is a most absurd assertion , and to be exploded by all judicious men ; for if it be the best , and that most transcendently , why should any other prayer justle it out ? it is true , that many times there is incumbent upon the soul the guilt of so many great and often repeated sins , that the deep apprehension of the spirit at such a time requires more room , and a greater field of language to rove up and down in , and to unbosome her remorse to god whom she hath offended ; she would come to a more particular repentance , and insist upon all the circumstances which may aggravate her guilt , and be argument of sorrow to her in her self-condemning , that by her timely sentence , upon her self she may avoid that irrevocable sentence which christ at the last day will pronounce against those who justifie themselves , and therefore is not satisfied in her deep recesses of grief , with that petition in our lords prayer , forgive us our trespasses , as we forgive them that trespass against us : and therefore other prayers are allowable , because the soul doth by them as it were divide her repentance into smaller parcels , and make it more fine by sifting it into single circumstances ; but when this penitent soul hath recollected all she can for the accusation of her self , and finds that in her memory she can discover no more , being troubled she cannot ; now let her make a sure conclusion with this perfect prayer , which is a summary of all her wants , in which she confesseth all her sins , and asketh forgiveness for all ; and not for her own sins only , but for the sins of the whole church , by which petition of the lords prayer we are most sweetly taught how diffusive our charity should be : and now having confessed all her sins , and begged pardon of god for all her own , and others sins , she can strain at no more , but finding in this prayer a sweet repository of all her scruples , commits her self to god , till the next time that he shall honour her so highly , as to let her enter again into that near communion with himself which prayer gives us . so that to conclude , though the lords prayer do not exclude the use of other prayers , especially when they are collected out of scripture ; yet it comes with full commission for the use of it self : especially at the conclusion of our devotions . for then all other forms of prayer , which are like rivulets and little streams , should retire into this prayer , as they into the ocean to cover their imperfections . one thing i shall add more , and that concerning the brevity of it : for although various expressions are allowed to the soul in her passions for sin , which when they are found in the concerns of repentance , are most exceeding acceptable to god in christ ; yet that is caused by the unaptitude of the body to answer readily to the first motions of the soul. and therefore the soul cannot communicate her notions but by a longer successiveness of discourse ; but those that have most evaded their passions , and are advanced nearer to a ready use of their noble faculties , may with the lords prayer , perform the act of repentance thoroughly , and obtain pardon for their sins , with all temporal blessings , without a fear , or groan , or any farther enlargements of themselves , and rise up as much advanced as any others , in all the concernments of their salvation . finis . a dehortation from all sin , but particularly the sin of drinking . reader , if thou hast been hitherto carefull to lead a good life , according to the rule of gods word , i entreat thee to persevere for the lords sake unto the end , that thou mayest receive the end of thy hope , even the salvation of thy soul ; which upon thy continuance in well-doing , thou shalt most certainly accomplish , to thy unspeakable comfort : but if thou art a captive to the false , and deceitfull pleasures of sin , as i have been ; hearken unto me , who can upon too too long an experience ( lord pardon my many relapses ) assure thee , that what fair appearances soever sin presents thee with in its first approaches , it will leave a sting behind , and after the commission of every sinfull act , thou wilt most certainly be so far removed from god as the greatness of thy sin was ; and as the testimonies of a good conscience decay , so will the accusations of an evil one come in their room , till insensibly thou fall into horror and despondencies of spirit , one of the least of which is far too dear a price for all the pleasures the world can afford thee . these are the entrances of hell into thy soul , upon the withdrawings of god , and spiritual consolations ; without which the soul languisheth , as the body fainteth upon a decay of the animal , or vital spirits : this must thou look for after the continuance in any known , and presumptuous sin , but if thou find it not , thy condition is dangerous , for the obduration , or hardening of the heart is the threshold of hell : look quickly then and seriously into thy soul ; labour to get a sight of thy sins in the book of conscience , whiles they may be blotted out ; pray earnestly to god for a true sense of them , ( for prayer is the key of heaven ; ) consider often of death , judgment , heaven and hell ; think how odious the sin of ingratitude is between man and man , and that unthankfulness for the blood of christ is the highest of that kind : think of the shortness of mans life , and the great business is to be done in that little life : that thy short life is posting to an end ; o the folly , and madness of sin ! it is a continual acting against reason , a treasuring up of wrath with the god of all power , a providing for the society of devils , and damned souls , who will be cursing their maker , and one another to all eternity ; 't is that which only is dishonourable to man , a disturbance to commonwealths ; it is the satisfaction of devils ( if they could have any , ) the trouble of angels , and blessed souls , nay , the grieving of the holy ghost , and the continual murthering of the son of god. i have no design in this short discourse , but the glory of god , the conversion of souls , and the discharging of my own conscience , by testifying to as many as i can , the detestation of my former life , that so the ill consequences of my example may be in some measure repaired by this publication of my self : and therefore wish to that end that all may see this , that saw my debauchery : and i beseech god to give me boldness in the confession of my faults , and to make me only shamefull of recommitting them . above all things i advise men to beware of immoderate drinking , which dulls the understanding , and makes the soul impatient of contemplation : it disposeth vehemently to the pleasures of sense , and to a gigling impertinent mirth ; it precipitateth to the acts of uncleanness , and exciteth all the passions , exposing men to many and daily hazards both of soul and body , and rendring them unfit for any employment , either in ecclesiastical or civil affairs . and since it is so , that some mens bodies by their temperament do require strong drinks more than others , it is not a total abstinence but a moderate use of it which is expected : for which end , i think it a very good rule , by which to set some observable bounds to drinking ; that men would drink so far as to cherish the stomach , but not to the least elevation of the brain ; and the stomach is satisfied with a small quantity , unless a man lie under the cheat of a habit : but when the spirits of the wine , or any strong liquor , begin to mount up to the brain , from whence the soul doth principally , and most immediately act ; the contemplative power begins to be disquieted , and unfixt , and the soul now to fluctuating , as it were , and wavering in her motion , ( her best , and steady operations being hindred ) pleases her self with being conversant about outward things , and trivial objects , and lies more exposed to the danger of frequent temptations : this which i speak of is but the first change of the brain , when it is altered from its usual tone and composure ; and although a man may drink to this pitch , and yet carry civility about him , and a favourable correspondence with men , because his tongue doth not falter , neither is his understanding so obscured , as to fail , at least in matters of common converse ; yet this person who hath done nothing unacceptable to the world , hath so changed the scene within himself , that he is now more at the command of his sensual appetite , than before , and his noble faculties begin to lean towards the world , and stagger in the sight of god , though his legs stand firm before the eyes of them that see him : i appeal to the consciences of any such plausible drinkers , whether they do not find themselves more cold in acts of devotion , more fond of outward pleasures , more affected with the thoughts of temporal honours , and the favour of great men , more than the love of jesus . whether the contemplation of eternity , and the estate of their souls in reference to that being , doth so well relish with them at that time ? if they did so , why do they not wave a stage-play , and go to publick prayers , which are at that time ? why , instead of going to a wrangling gaming-house , do they not study the game of christianity , that they may beat that experienced gamester the devil , and win their souls , which lye continually at stake , and are in imminent danger of being lost ? what a sad thing is it that so noble a creature as man , should rest in , and be contented with trifles , for whom are prepared the glories of eternity , if here he will take upon him the easie yoke , and light burden of christ ? now although many men that drink not , may , and do often these things , and far worse ; yet drink betrayes them more easily to vanities , and idle pastimes ; therefore be carefull to avoid this degree of drinking , and thou wilt then be secure from the scandalous sin of visible drunkenness , which is the beastly consummation of the former . i do not speak this to perswade men from society , and chearfulness ; as if religion , and mirth were things inconsistent ; since i know that true mirth is found no where else : but we do for the most part mistake mirth the most of any thing , accounting that it consists in laughter only ; whereas properly a man may be most truly merry when he laugheth least : for none laugh more than idiots , and men of weak understanding , and sensualists ; while men advanced in knowledge , and quieted in mind , by serious and due reflections on themselves , do it but seldom : but none will deny but the latter sort have the greater cause for mirth , and consequently must needs be more truly merry : for true mirth is a complacency of the mind , arising from the apprehension of our personal happiness ; yet while we are in the body , laughter is natural , and if it be kept within its bounds , and placed upon right subjects , is both allowable , and conducing to health ; but is not tyed to the glass , or bowl . this caution against drinking , concerns those chiefly whose bodies require strong drinks in some small proportion , ( for none do much ) since those who are of another temperament , will abstain without any mans counsel , or any virtue of their own , which is only seen where there are propensities to the contrary ; though some men of this sort may contract habits to themselves , contrary to the first requisites of nature . i cannot methinks disswade men enough from this sin , because i have so often drawn others into it , and therefore hope to make some reparation for the spiritual hurt i may have done them who are yet living , whiles for those of my associates who are departed this life , i hope the mercies of god did overtake them : and i wish from my soul that the spiritual dangers which i have experimented , and do know to be in that which we call good fellowship , or a chirping cup ( two seducing terms ) and the great scandal , besides the sin it self , which is in staggering drunkenness , may have such an influence upon those who have no account to make for any thing that they have yet done as to this sin , that they may never commit it ; and for those who have , and do yet continue in it , that considering the great dangers attending upon it , which ( though now drown'd in the lavers of the grape ) will one day rise up and shew themselves to their terrour , they may start from it with as terrible apprehensions , while they may prevent the danger , as the reprobate will do at hell when time is past , and he cannot escape it . for my own particular , i have habituated my self to this vice from my youth , and of later years have continued in it upon a misapprehension , that the predominancy of my temperament being melancholy , which is cold , and dry , it did require the supply of some accidental heat to correct it : but i do now think i have mistaken my self all this while , since looking back upon my beginning , i do not find i was so when i was under tutelage ; and therefore do impute it to a habit contracted since , and some intervening causes of discontent : but since it is so easie a thing to be cheated into an ill custom , and so dangerous to be under it , it behoves us to be very vigilant against this adversary , which comes in the shape of nature , and hath such great advantages upon us . custom hath an interest in the actions of the whole world ; in good men it disposeth them to goodness , though the first principle that moves in them is a principle of grace ; but when the sanctified soul hath made some progress in a good life , custom comes in , and promotes it , and facilitates our perseverance : in bad men likewise it disposeth , and enclines them the more strongly to vice ; and you shall find , that men who accustom themselves to a constant afternoons-draught in the week dayes , seldomest go to an afternoons sermon upon the sunday , if they go at all ; because the ill habit prevails so strongly , that the vitiated stomach must have its false wants supplyed , though the soul miss of her spiritual repast . to prevent the contracting of this habit upon such as are yet free , and to set those at liberty who are enslaved by it , i shall propose this general remedy ; be alwayes employed in lawfull exercises : it is an epidemical disease amongst the nobility and gentry of this nation , to be sick of their time ; which is such a burthen to them , that being tired with the tediousness of the day , they must either drink or trifle it away to avoid a surfeit ; this as it is a disparagement to their judgments , so it is an exceeding detriment to their souls : for since man hath a soul which must be eternally sav'd or damn'd , he is a fool that thinks he wants employment , and he doth every minute draw nearer to the ruine of himself ; therefore let none of us ever pretend that we want business . if i have no accounts to take concerning my estate , no law-suits to follow ; though i am not a magistrate , or a divine , though i have no office at court , though i have the gout and cannot walk ; though i am blind , or shut up in a dungeon from conversing either with men or books , or whatsoever can befall me ; yet still i have a soul which is in her militant estate , and in the worst of these conditions , i can do acts of repentance , reflecting with sorrow and detestation upon my sins past , and renewing my purposes of amendment : i can meditate upon gods mercies and all his attributes ; i can perform acts of praise to him : and for those publick actions which i cannot do if i am denied the liberty of my body , and the society of men , yet i can have them in voto , and desiring to do what i am denied , and so i can keep on my journey to heaven , though i lie shakled in a dungeon . but indeed employment is as generally mistaken as mirth ; for most men think they want it , if their time be not spent in some bodily exercise , or upon some slight or common subject ; but for meditation upon god and the soul , the concernments of it , that 's accounted a symptom of melancholy , and reading , writing , or discoursing of any thing that is serious , or profitable , which comes the nearest to it . a great cause of this evil ariseth , either from the carelesness of parents in not giving their children a literate education , or their own neglect of improving it , when they are at liberty from their tutors , or parents , or whoever had the charge of them : for as the principles of learning and knowledge do wear out , so the delight in superficial things grows more strong and prevalent ; because the knowledge of any one thing , and the delight in it , alwayes go , and come together ; since we cannot take pleasure in any thing which we are ignorant of : therefore hawking , hunting , horse-matches , gaming , stage-plays , and the like , are made the business of our time , in which our delights do terminate , which should only be used to unbend the mind , and give it relief after serious employments ; and to exercise the body for the preservation of health , being altogether subordinate to greater ends : and this is one reason why taverns are so much frequented ; because libraries are out of request , and holy , learned , or serious communications do not relish with us . but this is not sufficient to excuse them ; for though men either want education , or stifle it , yet they cannot extinguish reason , and lose the principles of religion , which they have in their catechisms , in their bibles , and by preaching ; and therefore upon that account it is expected by god , that they yield obedience to him proportionably to this common , and general knowledge ; which if any man fails to do , want of education will not be a sufficient plea , because it will be found to be an act of his will , running contrary to these degrees of knowledge : if any man shall say at the tribunal of christ , that he spent his time in drinking , and idle pastimes , because he was not brought up to learning , what will that avail him , who did live under the means of grace , which were sufficient for his salvation ? for though he had no knowledge in tongues , and sciences , yet he knew the commandments of god , and could not plead ignorance in presumptuous sins : and though he that cannot read and understand greek , or latin ; yet if he can read english , let him spend a part of his time in reading the bible , and other good books : and though he cannot discourse in natural or moral philosophy , or in the metaphysicks , nor much in practical divinity ; yet let him speak within the limits of his knowledge , let him reprove common sins , and give all encouragement to the generals of a holy life , both by word and example : and if he be sooner tired with discourse , than men of greater knowledge would be ; then let him betake himself ( as i advised before ) to some honest divertisements ; but not to any thing that hath the least appearance of evil in it ; the result of this is , that whether a man be literate , or illiterate , he may serve god : and those gentlemen of our nation that are not members of the commonwealth of learning , may yet be members of the mystical body of christ : and though their delight in great studies , in polemical discourses and meditations are lost , proportionably to the decay of their knowledge ; yet their time may be the more spent in the agenda of religion , and they may be allowed a more frequent use of lawfull recreations , but not of drinking , though but to good fellowship ; which though the word sounds finely , a man can hardly do it and secure his innocence : but since the remedy of continual employment is not sufficient for an accustomed drinker , he must unravel the habit by little and little , to which the shunning of idleness will very much help him . to conclude , let us be carefull to resist all the species and kinds of sin whatsoever ; for it is only sin which can deprive us of the favour of god , which if once we are excluded from , we are eternally lost ; but especially the sin of drinking , which is the unhappy parent of all other sins , and therfore the more carefully to be withstood ; which care if this short admonition may but stir up in one soul , i should more rejoyce to know , than to have the greatest honour of the nation conferred upon me . now to god the father , god the son , and god the holy ghost , be all honour , glory , praise and adoration , given by me , and by all his creatures , from hence forth to all eternity amen . finis . an enquiry into the sinfulness of my life : composed of confessions and supplications for pardon . chap. i. my intention in writing this , is to make restitution ( a necessary circumstance required from true repentance ) for the publick injuries i may very probably have done to the persons of many , who have beheld the licentious part of my life : i did write about a twelve month since , this , being the th of april , an. dom. . a short dehortation from a sinfull life , but principally the sin of drinking ; which i did for the same end i write this : i purposed then to do what good i could both by precept and example . but alas , since that i have miserably fallen into the same vice , even the sin of drinking , which i chiefly reproved , but not without many checks , serious retirements , and fresh attempts to overcome the vice ; and herein i manifestly discover the depravedness of my will , and the proneness of my corrupted nature to offend god : for when i did set my self most seriously to do good , i did find evil to be present with me ; o miserable man that i am ! but for the residue of my dayes , if gods ineffable mercy shall add any more to my life , i do firmly purpose to spend them in a strict observation of divine laws , having gained by a most dangerous experience , clearer apprehensions concerning the temperament of my body , the unprofitableness , and deceitfulfulness of sin , a better insight into the subtilty of the devils proceedings against my deluded soul : o thou who givest both to will , and to do , and in that bounteous act hast not been partial to any , that none might be excusable in sinning before thee , stir up thy gifts in me , and co-operate with my weak endeavours , suffering me to live so long , that i may have time to make up a sound evidence for my interest in christ , though not of so long a date as those happy souls who have been long proficients in the doctrine , and practice of the true christian religion : for whom i bless thee , praying that my end may be such , as to bring me into the same place with them , though i be never so low in my celestial degree . chap. ii. my fathers care was such as not to deny me any thing for my education : i lived in my fathers house with my dear brother under two tutors , the last of which , i being arrived to a greater measure of understanding , had a great affection to . he was of an affable disposition , and exprest great love to us , even with tears at his departing from us : he was very religious , which i may say was not unpleasant to me when i was very young ; but the vice of drinking did soon overtake me by the reason of some loose acquaintance , who gave me an ill example , so that i began to go with them to alehouses , which did soon initiate me in an ill habit , which was much sooner taken up , than it could be since removed : thus i continued till i was about thirteen years of age , at which time i went with my father to oxford , which was then a garrison ; there i being alone with my father , was much in his eye , which did restrain me very well from drinking : being likewise sent to all-souls-colledge , where a gentleman read greek to me in the mornings , i had there likewise a civil play-fellow , m r thomas sanderson , with whom i spent my time in harmless recreations ; but afterwards being very desirous to go along with my cousin martin harvy to his quarters , not far from oxford , who commanded a troop of horse , and was willing to shew me the countrey , and some part of the army , for which i was very importunate with my father ; but he would not suffer me to go from him , but carried me along with him back again to his countrey-house in surrey . but afterwards my father went back again to oxford to wait upon the king , and i was more at liberty again , and pestered again with my old companions , especially after the departure of my tutor , which was not long after : but in the midst of my idle and sensual life , i had intermissions of consideration not without some trouble ; my bashfulness , which i always had in a measure more than ordinary , did much incline me to drink , finding that did embolden me : for which reason i have wisht i had been brought up at some publick school , rather than in my fathers house ; supposing that strange company , and being from under the tender wing of my dearest mother , i might have been rouzed up , by being put more to my shifts ; and my bashfulness abated , by being accustomed to the company of strangers . and indeed i found manifestly , that being so much confined to home , through the carefull fear , and love both of my father and mother , bashfulness and melancholy did so gain upon and take root in me , that it was always a great disturbance to my life : i found likewise my memory both slow , and not retentive , occasioned by that fixtness which was upon me , and that occasioned by the want of business to employ my memory , and inform my judgment , and excite my thoughts , which contributed much to fix me more in melancholy , and want of confidence ; which though not so considered of by my father and mother , yet i found manifestly in my self , it was a great occasion of mischief to me , and did expose me to a loose life : but lord , had i stirred up in my self that stock of grace , and those divine principles , which were infused into me by thy self , the fountain of holiness and purity , and the instiller of holy motions , thou wouldest undoubtedly have come into my soul with such controuling power as would have reduced my disordered mind to an obedience to thy heavenly will , the absence of which hath bred in me so great matter of discomfort : but if thy goodness shall spare me for so much future obedience as may place me in the favour of thy self , i shall more esteem it than thousands of gold and silver . a prayer . i desire , eternal jesus , to call upon thee from the depth of my sorrows ; upon thee , o divinity incarnate , whose mercies are bottomless , and whose merits can bury the most vast extuberances of repented sin from the eye of thy fathers justice , and secure the relenting sinner from the stroke of his omnipotent hand ; which nothing can intercept but thy self , who art all , and whose intire obedience can answer all the objections of divine fury , and out-wrastle justice when she makes her greatest assaults . but o my presumptuous soul ! though it be true that the mercies of god in christ exceed all proportions , and that there are continuall springs of compassion , which are ever flowing from the breasts of his goodness ; yet how can that avail thee , while thou art bathing thy self in sensuality , and courting thy treacherous lusts , who were the murtherers of the blessed jesus ; whom if thou chase from thee , which thou must needs do , if thou welcome thy sins , she goes along with the blessed lamb , and never leaves him ; where he is , she is still to be sound ; and had not he come into the visible world , she had never presented her self to mankind , but they must have been ever separated from the glories of eternity : what can the best extracted cordial do to a man who is naturally dead ? neither can these cordials of salvation advantage thee who art spiritually so . most blessed lord make me a subject capable of thy mercy by faith and repentance , for else the preparations of thy mercy will be my greatest misery ; to see redemption at a distance , causeth a languishment of the soul here , if she have any residues of grace while mercy is not irrecoverable : but to see her removed , when she can never return , yet so many times offered in the day of grace , is the most bitter ingredient of eternal misery . suffer me most glorious jesus , who am but dust and ashes , to speak unto my lord ; and let me ask at the mouth of wisdom , how it comes to pass that my heart should pant after thee now , and anon grow cold and disobedient ? can christ and belial be inmates together ? if i love thee and desire thee above all things to day , why do i leave thee next , since thou art more delectable the second day than the first , and the third day than the second ; since thy essential sweets do not like those thou hast created , glut the appetite , but become the more gratefull the more frequently they are tasted ? oh it is my original corruption which strives to demolish those reparations of grace which are in my soul by thy death , and to obscure those reinfused sparks : but lord let thy additional grace , joyned to that twinkling light which yet remains in me , improve it to such a flame by thy frequent supplies , that by its light i may discover my sins ; and by its heat they may be consumed , who would betray me into that fire which should ever light me and ever burn me , but never consume me : blessed redeemer , i have not onely my own inherent sinfulness , and the spirit of spirits separated from thy self to encounter withall ; but there is another cause in nature which depresses my soul from rising up to her lord , the flesh which is ever warring against the spirit ; and besides the usuall evils of it , there is more in me than the bodies of men do often bring with them ; thou know'st it lord , for thou made'st me , and since thou did'st , i am silent ; i know thou madest me to thy glory : what though i have more of earth in the composition of my body than others have , by which the motion of my animal and vital spirits is obstructed ; though my apprehension and memory be not so quick and retentive , if i obey my redeemer , and hearken to his charms , the spirit of jesus shall inspire and quicken my soul ▪ which if it be nimble and active in its correspondencies to the rules of christ , i shall have a large amends for the splene and dulness of my body : but when i have been troubled with the incumbency of this weight , i have not looked up unto my blessed jesus , whom i might have seen through my thickest blood ; since that excellent spirit which i am by creation , doth not require the body to its sublime operations ; but instead of this most injured saviour , i have run to thy creatures for help , yet that i might have done , for they had not been but to preserve my being , and support my natural life ; but ah wretch that i am , i have made an inordinate use of them , and turned thy blessings into my own curses instead of putting my soul into a more serviceable estate for thy glory , by correcting the disproportions of my temperament , i have defaced her beauty with intemperance , and exposed her to the assaults of lusts , and devils : but oh most meek and mercifull jesus , though i made a resignation of my self , thou didst not give me away by substracting the residues of thy grace , but my spirit even in her most deliberate aberrations from thy rule , was the object of thy infinite mercy ; and as thy apostle s t peter in his diffidence was supported by thy graciously extended arm from being drowned in the sea of waters , so was my soul secured by thy stupendous compassion from being overwhelmed by the consequences of my sin : most dear jesus , inflame my soul i beseech thee so with thy love , that being set on fire with thee , it may like unto these elementary flames which thou hast made , be still tending upwards in heavenly aspirations , till its desire shall arrive to a most happy fruition . sweet jesus my redeemer , pardon thy creature who dare thus to expostulate with thee ; the enquiries into men and books return upon us with a retinue of errours , unless we come to thee who art the oracle of divine truth : it is most true , lord , that we must use those means to attain knowledge which thou hast laid before us ; and not dream for infusions of truth to drop from thy treasures of wisdom into the gaping idleness of our life ; such enthusiastick spirits must know their ignorance of the value of truth , that it should be so poorly attainable before they can be in a capacity of further information . a prayer . o eternal and most merciful lord god , whose eyes are alwayes upon the children of men ; look down i humbly beseech thee upon me , who in great distress of mind , and anguish of spirit , do here prostrate my self both soul and body before thy divine majesty , beseeching thee ( who art the god of all consolation ) to assist and comfort me thy poor servant ( though exceeding sinfull ) with refreshments from thy self , and let thy heavenly support be alwayes ready to hold me up , that i may not sink under the burthen of sad and melancholy apprehensions which so incessantly oppress my soul : lord , let thy holy spirit from above so raise my dejected spirit from the depth of sorrow , and frightfull imaginations which do continually assault me . dear father , i confess , that my life hath been a continual reiteration of sin , and daily repetition of all wickedness and impiety ; that time which should have been measured out in praising and magnifying thy holy name , hath been spent in the service of satan that grand enemy of thy truth and our salvation ; i have made a profession of godliness in outward appearance , but have denied the power thereof , as if i had favoured religion for no other end but to preserve my name from scandal and reproach ; and so o lord have preferred my own temporary credit before the honour of thy holy name , and my own eternal safety ; all the sins that in thy decalogue for a christians life thou hast forbidden to be done , do i stand guilty of o lord ; and all the duties thou hast commanded thy people to perform , o lord , i have neglected , and therefore all the judgments thou hast denounced against sinners , o lord , i have most justly deserved : so that most righteous god when i look upon thy justice recorded in thy sacred word , and then behold my own sinfulness which i cannot see but in the same glass , i find such a disproportion , that nothing is then left to me but the expectation of thy everlasting displeasure : but dear father , if thou whose most pure eyes cannot behold the least sin with approbation , should'st strictly enquire into the lives of men , even the best men ; and be extream to mark what they have done amiss , none were sufficient to stand before thee and endure thy touch , for there is none that doth good , no not one : but thou lord hast another look wherein mercy reigns in abundant measure , and casts so sweet regards towards the souls of repenting sinners , as can in one moment raise them from death to life , for which we bless thee , for which we praise thee o sweet jesus the author and finisher of our salvation , who hast satisfied thy fathers wrath , and hast given us access by grace through thy infinite merits ; and here o lord i am emboldened to renew my petition , first , for the pardon of all my sins past in his blood , and then dear father for all spiritual blessings and temporal which thou seest conducible for me ; but especially , o lord , in this prayer , i beg for a chearfull heart , without which i cannot serve thee as i ought , being indisposed to those holy duties which thou requirest from me by the incumbency of sadness , and a disturbed phantasie , strange fears and deep imaginations do take hold upon me , but remove them i beseech thee , and establish in me the fear of thy name , and no other fear , sorrow or sadness for having sinned against thee ; that i may be alwayes merry in jesus christ , and may run with chearfulness the race which thou hast set before me : lord hear me for the sake of thy beloved son , and my sweet saviour , let my prayers and daily cryings come before thee , but let my sins be never heard , o lord ; i will ever be lifting up my voice unto thee , lord send me comfort from thy holy place , that while i live in this world , i may be a comfort and a delight unto my self , and not a burthen , but above all things , a persevering christian through jesus christ. amen . finis . physiologia : or the nature of externals briefly discuss't . shewing , that no true pleasure can be deriv'd from sensible objects . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. contra chrysip . london , printed by j. m. for henry bonwicke at the red lyon in s. paul's church-yard , mdclxxxi . to the highly honourable george duke of buckingham his grace . my lord , i am encouraged from your graces former respects to me , and the honour of being related to your person , to dedicate to your grace this enchiridion : the matter of the discourse in it , out of my duty to virtue , i dare not but call good , though not the management of it : since by the rule of morals , good doth constare ex integris , and will not admit of the least evil , or smallest errour into its composition . the simplicity of my intentions will only endure this touchstone , which i may safely say are to promote truth , and no wayes to obtrude falsities . i humbly offer to your graces patronage , only that part of it which hath escap't misprisions ; as for the other it will be enough that it be defended from the rude attacques of the world , under the authority of your graces protection , though not of your approbation : your graces most humble , and firmly devoted servant , george freman . physiologia : or the nature of externals briefly discuss't . belzebub the lord of flies ( as his name signifies in the hebrew ) is with his swarms of revolted spirits continually buzzing about the souls of men , and suggesting to our minds falsities for truths : perswading us , that not internal , but external things are the matter of true pleasure , that so causing us to erect our hopes upon a rotten foundation , at the time of our death when that shall fail , the structure may fall to the ground , nay , much lower , even into the abyss of despair . the sad issues of this suggestion , are much promoted by our essential consistency of spirit and body : the material , and bodily part always disposing us to the pursuance of outward things , contrary to the approbation of the intellectual . but since the depravation of mans will by the fall of adam , we are united to errour , and need not a tempter to lead us out of the way ; for both the principles of our being do now dispose us to wrong objects : therefore to lay open this grand fallacy , it being in a matter of so great concernment , as is the eternal happiness or perdition of men ; let us examine what is requisite to the constituting of true pleasure . to the making up then of true and real pleasure , i shall lay down these three conditions as requisite : first , that the object be suitable to the soul. secondly , that the soul be put into fruition of this suitable object . thirdly , that the perpetuity of this fruition be ensur'd to it . now let us enquire , whether external things , considered simply in themselves , and not relatively , as they have respect to greater ends , have these three conditions in them , or no. first then : is any external thing an object suitable to the mind of man ? i answer , that no external thing is : because they all want two qualifications which are requisite to make an object suitable to the mind ; the first of which is , that it be congeneal and of the same nature with the soul : that is , a substance immaterial , or spiritual . the second , that it have in it a sufficiency to gratifie all the appetites of the soul. first , no outward thing is immaterial , or spiritual , for a spiritual substance comes not within the notice of our senses : and though in scripture we read of the appearing of angels , as three to abraham , two to lot , one to cornelius , another to s t peter : yet this must be suppos'd to have been by the assumption of bodies , to which they were united , not essentially , but occasionally , and pro tempore : for in other places the scripture tells us what their natures are ; calling them spirits , psal. . vers . . heb. chap. . vers . . and although i find no decisive text , for that opinion of the church of rome , that there is a tutelary , and a seducing angel , attending upon every man and woman , and likewise children , which was indeed held amongst the heathen , under the terms of bonus , and malus genius ; yet it speaks indefinitely , heb. . . that they are all ministring spirits for the elect : but notwithstanding their presence appears not to them , when they come in their own natures . so likewise the souls of men are not within the notice of our senses , being spirits , and incorporeal substances , as angels are : for which we have the testimony of scripture ; man was made after the image and similitude of god. but since the sense of these words , image and similitude , is much controverted in the schools , let us look into the twelfth of the hebrews , at the ninth verse , furthermore , we had fathers of our flesh which corrected us , and we gave them reverence , shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits , and live ? where souls are called spirits in opposition to flesh . besides the testimony of scripture , we have a demonstration of their nature in the death of every man , for though the soul be separated from the body , yet the standers by see it not : we hear nothing but the groans of the dying person caus'd by the motion of parts ; we feel nothing but a coldness in the extremities of the body , caused by the cessation of motion ; we smell nothing but a putrid savour caus'd by the corruption of humours , neither do we tast any thing : on the contrary , all outward , and corporeal things are obvious to some one of our senses : for instance ; though we cannot hear the light , we can see it ; though we cannot see the air , we can feel it ; and though we taste not the white of an egg , yet we can see it , or feel it ; and though we cannot smell a piece of glass , yet we can likewise see it , or feel it ; and so of all material things that are at a due distance from the organs of our sense . and here before we look into the second thing requisite , let us examine why it is necessary that the object be of the same nature with the soul. thus then ; the soul of man being immaterial , that which makes it happy by the fruition of it self , must likewise be immaterial , for as it is a fundamental in physick , that nutrition is made by similaries : so likewise is this assertion true in the metaphysical complacency between the soul , and the object ; it cannot receive a proper supply from any thing that doth not bear an affinity with it in its substance , and qualities . this reciprocall delight between parties is discoverable in every species of created beings , and in every action in natura naturata . in physicks , flame and flame embrace one another ; but a furious conflict ariseth from the convention of fire and water : in morals , goodness accords with goodness , but vice will not be suffered to dwell with virtue : and in the metaphysical action of the contemplation of the soul , we see experimentally , that she cannot content her self with inferiour objects , but is still seeking to her self some more excellent matter of delight : which desires of the mind intelligent men may take notice of in themselves , if they will be self-observers . this appetite of the soul , is the reason why solomon was not contented with all his clusters of delights ; though he turn'd over the whole world , as it were , yet he arrived not to the summ of his desires , but still there remained in his spirit , an appetite after something more than any exteriour thing could furnish him withall : so that at last he openly proclaims them all to be ( excuse the catachresis ) but full of emptiness . seneca saith of augustus caesar , that he delighted to talk of laying down the scepter , and of betaking himself to a recluse life . and we read that the emperour charles the fifth resigned up the low-countries and burgundy , and afterward all the rest of his dominions , to his son philip in his life-time . and of the emperour theodosius , that he delivered up the charge of the empire to his two sons arcadius , and honorius , though with power to resume it , which he never did : and many other precedents of the same kind doth history present us withall , of which it is reasonable to think , that it was not only the troubles which usually attend crowns , caused this in them ( others being deputed to bear the greatest burdens in that kind ) but rather , that all their enlargements could not present them with any thing agreeable to those secret appetites of their minds : and this dissatisfaction there is in all the entertainments of sense : by which it appears , that the great capacities of the soul can never be filled up with these lean , and scanty objects : and whiles that capacity is unsupplyed , there will be a coveting of those things which are the proper objects of its nature , and so long as there is that appetite , the mind cannot be said to enjoy true pleasure . but here i expect to have it objected to me , that upon this account , the virtuous man , as well as the sensualist , cannot be said to enjoy true pleasure , because the former as well as the latter , hath not while he is in the body his appetite satisfied : to this i answer , that when the mind is once set right , and hath made a choice of that which is intrinsecally good , and suitable to its nature ; immediately it begins to enjoy true pleasure : because although it do still desire more , yet doth it not covet any thing better or of a more excellent nature , than it hath already tasted of , so that the desires of the mind are stopt quoad rem ; because it doth not covet any thing contrary to , or desperate from what it hath already pitch't upon ; but not quoad mensuram rei , because it desires to be put into a full fruition of that , which it now enjoys but in part : upon which account the kingdom of grace and glory , seem not to me to differ otherwise than gradually ; so that the spiritual man hath something of that he desires , but not all : yet so much as he hath sufficeth to bring him true pleasure ; though not to make up the integrality of it : while the sensual man pursuing a wrong object , cannot possibly while he doth so , arrive at true pleasure . the second thing requisite to constitute , or make an object suitable to the mind , is , that it have wherewithal to gratifie all the appetites of the soul : but no external thing can accommodate the mind with more than it hath in it self , that is , it cannot entertain it with spiritual delights : how far short will it prove then of satisfying the soul with all it is capable of in spirituals ? this being more than any created intelligence can administer to it : for though we find many excellencies in angels , and the souls of men , by the reason that they are intelligent natures , yet they have not that sufficiency in them which is requisite to an object that is in all respects suitable to the mind ; which must not only present it with something spiritual and incorporeal , but likewise with whatsoever it can covet within the genus of spiritual and immaterial existencies ; and this nothing can do , but that satiating plenitude , which is only to be found in god : which appears to be true by that propensity which men of large apprehensions have to enquire into those remote truths which yet they cannot see clearly into : there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . which hath such a magnetick virtue in it , that it is alwayes drawing the soul towards it self , neither will the spirit of man be ever at rest , till it be united to the son of god , and put into a full fruition of the deity . how do we hear even young students wrangle about the dividing of a body into so small parts , and that it is not capable of further division ? for not conceiving how it can be , that so long as there remains something in quantity , that quantity should not be capable of being separated , at least intellectu , though not actu , and yet not understanding how a body can admit infinite separations , they are still searching into this abstrusity which remains with god. what battologies have we about free-will and respective decrees ? not being able to distinguish between the precognition of god , and his concurrence of volition , or necessitation ? how are we prying into the mystery of the incarnation ? into the nature of the trinity ? there are certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which s t peter speaks of to be in s t pauls epistles ; which although they are things hard to be understood , yet are we still coveting to comprehend them ; which aspirations of the soul do shew , that it was created for matters of a higher concernment , than any created substance can furnish it withall from themselves : for such things are to be found only in god , inhesively , or subjectively , but they may be communicated to us by angels , who know them either by acquisition , or divine infusion : and these tendencies of the mind , are arguments to me , that the soul of man is capable of apprehending those abstracted truths , which it so covets to know while it is in the body ; because our pressing to know , seem's to me to be an immediate effect , of our wanting , or being ignorant of something which our minds are comprehensive of : and therefore beatified spirits cease to desire more , because their capacities are fill'd ; which is perfect happiness ad modum recipientis . but it may be objected , that the angels which fell desired to be equal with god , but it was impossible it should be so , therefore we must not measure our capacities by our desires . to this i answer : first , that i do not believe they ever did , because , it must seem to be below the extent of their knowledge , which reached to so vast a height , to entertain with the least hopes such a childish ambition , but rather that their lapse did arise from a spleen , and malice to god for advancing mankind so high : or if it could be so : we must distinguish between an undue , and vitious , and a natural , or necessary act of the will : i 'le suppose their's to have been an audacious , and arbitrary willing of that which was ipso facto destructive to their happiness ; but these propensities of our souls , which god hath so infused into us , that we cannot suppress them , are continual willings as it were against our wills , and are therefore natural , and to be accounted of , as the effects of our present defective state , and these i am induced to believe , will hereafter attain to , what they have strain'd for here . but not to make any farther digression : let us enquire into the second thing requisite to true pleasure , which is fruition . it is not enough that there is in nature an object suitable to the mind , but there must be such an application of it to our persons , as may make us true possessors of it : and here i cannot say exclusively , that there is no fruition in the pleasures of sense , for were there not , the devil would have no train at his heels , but they will be found to be very inconsiderable , and equivalent with none at all . and first let us consider the glutton , who makes not that the end of eating which he should , namely the support of his natural life ; as s t augustine , hoc mihi docuisti , ut quemadmodum medicamenta sic alimenta sumpturus accedam : how soon doth his sweet bit pass over the threshold of his tongue , and then his pleasure is over for that morsel , consisting but in ipso transitu ; and although he puts in another , and another , yet it cannot be long e're his stomack will be filled , and then he must cease repeating it , till nature or art have disposed of the load after a scene of sick qualms : in the mean time the whole machine is out of frame , especially the brain which can least be spared , and he fitter to converse with the same species of creatures wherewith he hath filled his paunch , than with men to whom he bears but an outward resemblance in the manner of his extension , and figure of his body . how momentany is the lascivious man's delight ! he looks on a woman , and lusts after her : if he gain not his purpose , her face is looked upon by him , with an impetuous lust , and discomposure at her chastity , so that her presence is a positive torture to him : if he gains her consent ; his furious lust hurries him to that bestial act , where his fruition like a flash of lightning , dies in its birth , even in the midst of an impatient desire . aristotle speaking of venereal pleasure , says , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , animum non exerceri in illâ . so likewise the miser , how narrow is his heaven ! he procures his money with bodily pains , hazard , and base submission ; and the far greater part of his time being usually run out before he comes into his kingdom , his reign is very short ; and although the fear of not arriving to it , be vanisht , yet the fear of loss , which is greater , rises up in the place of the former , besides the apprehension that so small a part of his life remains to him , for the enjoyment of what he has procured with so much difficulty . the ambitious man what enjoyment has he ? who after much busling in the world , many dangers escaped , much expence it may be of his purse , gains his minion honour , and then holds it in pride , which is a great pain to him that gives entertainment to that vice ; because his reverence seldom , or never answers his expectation : for the wise and virtuous , ( who are the venerable part of the world ) cut off their respects to him , out of a just disesteem of his person , or it may be out of charity to him ; that the disregard he meets with , may be to him as a julep , to allay the feaver of his pride ; giving him only precedency , his title , and the compellations belonging to it , out of duty to the king who hath conferred them upon him . from the immorigerous nobility and gentry , 't is likely he receives none at all ; because their uncultivated stoutness will not stoop to any circumstances of observance ; and as for the common scrapings that are made to him , he values not those submissions , because of the meanness of the honourers ; it being a good moral thesis , that , honor est in honorante . and now for the good fellows ( as they are call'd , ) what pleasure have they ? by the raising of the animal spirits to an undue pitch , they draw down their souls ; the soul and the body being in this case like a pair of buckets in a well ; as one rises , so t'other sinks , and being fallen from the delight of a sober speculation , to the pitifull ticklings of an impertinent mirth ; what with broils , arising from mistakes incident to such fantastick converses , or else the surprize of a drowzy intoxication , he hath very little time to enjoy his loss ; intemperantia desinit in nihil , saith s t chrysostome ; intemperance ends in nothing , or at least in no good , which in the sense of the schools , is nothing : but those privations , or nothings , will i presume in the end , from the sad consequences that issue immediately from them be concluded to be positive , and that mens souls are not positively damned for doing nothing . but here it may be objected : that although there be little , or no pleasure in excess , yet in the moderate use of outward things there is . to this i answer : that there is indeed more , but even this will be found to be very inconsiderable : for external things considered as they stand alone , ( under which notion i still consider them in this discourse ) and being not chosen in reference to greater ends , yield but very little fruition to their incumbents . and one cause of this is , in that they alwayes glut the mind by reason of the deficiency of their being . if a man would please the sense of seeing by looking upon a handsome woman ; when his eye by often repeated searches ( since all the lineaments of beauty were never confined to the precincts of one face ) hath discovered all the attracts , and impresses , with all the variations of aspects occasioned by the different motives either from within , or from outward objects , till at last he is entertained with nothing but frequent returns of what he had seen before , the disposedness of the mind to a perfect object , makes him covet to see some circumstance of beauty , which is not comprehended within the scene of that womans person : from whence presently ariseth dissatisfaction , namely from the objects insufficiency which is inconsistent either with the duration or solidity of pleasure . therefore conjugal fidelities , are restraints put upon the mind , whereby a man resolving to comply with the divine will , rescinds the irregularities of his own . if we run through the whole series of outward things we shall find them so : whereas on the contrary , as seneca tells us , magis veritas elucet , quo saepius ad manum venit : the more we converse with truth , the more we are delighted with it . again , outward things have another great perplexity in them , which the sensualist often meets with , arising from the multiplicity of them : and that is , many of them present themselves to him at once , and though they all differ from one another in their kinds , yet many times they are equal in their attractiveness , and influence upon him ; so that many times he is put to a stand concerning his election , which is a pain to him because it detains him from union ; for where there is a love of any thing , there is a desire of being united to it : but after a troublesom pause , the mind fixeth upon one : not because there is a decision made of the question , and that the debate is ended , which of them deserves most ; but because it is better to enjoy one than none : so that all the rest of them , being equally approved of , he carries the idea's of them all in his fancy , though he do actually enjoy but one : which impresses and images in the phansie , being many in number , and likewise fresh , and lively , draw him as forcibly to those which he hath left ( their number , and the lively traces of them which remain in the memory , being opposed to this one , though present ) and thus is he set upon a rack in the midst of his fruition , and so much the more , because the present enjoyment falls short of expectation : which is another evil in outward things , that they never give so much as they promise : for which there are two reasons : the first is , à parte animae , because the preliminary , and foregoing apprehensions , which the soul hath before enjoyment , do ever anticipate more excellency and solidity than is to be found in the object . the second reason is à parte rei , because all outward things are more in appearance , than they are in experiment , and acutual probation : the reason is , because the soul looking on them in their approach , and doting on the gains which is coming towards her , concludes they are as thick in substance , as ravishing in their anterior fairness ; but after they have met , and embraced , she finds , that they are both in haste to be gone , and are but a bare frontispiece of beauty ; like the portraictures of kings and queens , painted upon a flat , which behind , are nothing but dusty canvase . another thing which doth much lessen the pleasure of them , is , that the soul in her reflex actions , is still accusing her self , and thus expostulating with her self : why am i thus conversant about transient things ? how long have i sought for true pleasure , and satisfaction in them but cannot find it ? certainly i was design'd for matters of a higher concernment ; since i find i can look above them , and beyond them : how do i dishonour those noble objects , and injure my self in descending to these mean entertainments ? these and the like contrariant thoughts , are a great allay to those imaginary pleasures , and being mixt with the enjoyments , give them a very disgustfull relish . these circumstances well considered , will i suppose very much shrink up that bulk of delight , which to the abused fancy seems to be united to outward things before enjoyment : even within the limits of moderation , when it is distinct from virtue . let us now look into the third postulatum , or circumstance required to make up true pleasure , which is the certainty of its duration . the death of all men is so confirmed to us by arguments à parte ante , besides the physical reasons which are produced for the necessity of it , that he that should question the continuation of it à parte post , may carry about him his phantastick head , to dispute it by himself , till it be laid at rest in its own grave , to receive conviction . here then the question is , whether the sensualist hath any firm ground of hope for a reversion of his pleasures after death . the alchoran makes fair promises to mahomet's disciples , that they shall meet with sensual pleasures again in the next world , and if any voluptuous man shall presume to urge the authority of it , he is but that in profession now , which he was before in practice : but i do assert the contrary , that it is impossible , that the sensualist should be re-estated in the same species of delight , in which he solaced himself during his temporal life , or in any other , from reasons physical , moral and theological . first then ; the body will most certainly at its re-union with the soul , exist after a manner as much different from this which is temporal , as to be eternally durable , differs from being dissoluble , or in a state of corruption : for eternal duration being that divine boon which shall be conferred upon the totum compositum , the entire person of man both soul and body ; the body which is the material part , and which will be the instrumental or intermediate cause , under god the efficient , of its own duration , being by the wisdom of god fitted with those affections , and properties , which shall be requisite to that great end of eternal duration , will in degrees proportionate to those future consequences , differ from it self , as it is now under a state of corruption . for take any two different effects in nature , and it will be found , that the proximate , and immediate causes of them , do differ between themselves in the same degree that the effects do : ex. gra. take a piece of wood and a piece of iron ; both of them smooth , and of the same figure , and bigness ; the wood swims , the iron sinks : proportionably to the speediness of the irons sinking , it must differ in solidity , or closeness of parts , from the wood which swims . this similitude is very analogical , and by the same reason the consistency of the body in the state of glory will as much differ from its consistency here , as the consequences of duration , and dissolution do , these being likewise two effects of two immediate causes . now then to come to the thing that is to be proved : therefore the objects of pleasure must be likewise disparate from , if not adverse to what we meet withall here , because these here are terminable , of which nature there will be nothing after death : for the body and the soul being made durable to all eternity , it is most reasonable to think that all their celestial accommodations must be durable too ; for else there would not be a completion of happiness , there being a discrepancy between the recipient , and the object . but to go a step farther : that a sensual man should meet with his old ones , or any other sort of pleasures after death , is oppugnant to the precepts of morality . by a sensual man i mean , such a one , as makes the attainment of corruptible things his ultimate end , whether under a notion of moderation , or of excess : and the word excess is to be taken in a double consideration ; either excess as to the quantity of the thing , or excess as to the propriety of the thing . first , let us consider the person exceeding as to quantity : the miser never hath pelf enough to satisfie his avaritious mind ; for he is alwayes coveting more , while his thoughts , and appetite do terminate in gold , and silver as the ultimate object they aspire to : therefore he loves nothing beyond that , or above it ; for if he did , the desire of that would in process of ●ime cease , and he would desire something beyond it , or above it , since desire is a necessary effect of love , issuing immediately from it , as from its proximate , and contiguous cause : if then he loves nothing beyond it , or above it , he sins against his natural conscience , which still presents the deity to him , as an object which only merits the whole stream of his affections ; for ignorance of which he hath no plea , since the universal voice of nature proclaims a divine power ; and in this every man is a plato to himself . here then is a moral trespass , or the commission of an act against the secret impresses of nature . now the mind presently enters into consideration , whether it ought to run counter to these infused habits , or not : if a thought propounds to it that it may ; it presently asks , why then these notions were imprinted in it ? either they were given in vain , or else that they should be practised : if in vain ; that clashes with a moral axiome , natura semper agit propter finem ; if to be practised , then an accusation of guilt ensues : and from thence naturally arises , not an expectation of pleasure , but of mulct , from the original justice of that first cause which fixed these principles in the mind . so much then for excess in quantity that i may avoid the surplusage of argument . in the next place , i must take a view of the person who exceeds as to propriety . every soul not obstructed by some bodily defect , is created with apprehensions and faculties able to discriminate between common right , and common wrong . for instance : to take any thing from another man which he holds by just right either of donation , or of legal descent ; this cannot but be apprehended by any clear mind to be morally evil , that is , an action of such a nature , that he cannot justifie the doing it by right reason . so is it in all cases of force , where men intrench upon that to which they have not this natural right : for i cannot trace right or propriety farther than the first possession : whence , i see yet no reason so valid to the contrary , as this is , to make me conclude that the protoplast was lord and monarch of the universe , he being not only actually seized of it , but having likewise received an unlimited commission from god to exercise authority over all things as we may read g. c. . from vers . . to the end : from whence it appears , that absolute monarchy was the first power that overlooked the earth , and that it was afterwards propagated in the world , ( though not individually , or under one person for the whole ) as we may collect from the prerogatives which the kings of the nations had in the time of samuel , ( a place cited by salmatius in his defensio regia ) whereas there are no forms of stipulated government but appear to be accidental , and superinduced by reason of succeeding dissentions , arising from great communities of men . but to return to my purpose : if then there are such primitive aphorisms , and simple impresses of truth , fixed in the soul from its first creation , that man cannot but rationally conclude himself an offender against that eternal truth from whence these communicable notions were at first derived , who goes contrary to them doth ill : for , as i said before , either these principles are implanted in us in vain , or else that we would conform our selves to them : to say it was in vain , is prophanely to impute to god the weakness of ideots and children , who do actions insignificant , and to no determinate end or purpose ; if then they were given to be put into practice , a mans natural conscience must of necessity bring him in guilty upon his deviation from these rules ; but guilt cannot expect a reversion of the same , or an accession of any other kind of pleasures after death ; but on the contrary , consigns the delinquent to a certainty of future punishment : and if in the third place any man shall say , that these notions were infused into us purposely to deceive us , his objection deserves no answer , it being so horrid and impious . having spoken of excess i am now to examine what attends upon the moderate use of outward things ; and in short , the moderate and decent sensualist will miss of future happiness , because his love doth acquiesce in the thing : for 't is not the extravagancy of the action , but the proposed end , which separates it from being good ; therefore the same argument serves for both , since these two persons differ between themselves no otherwise than gradually , for no specifick difference doth result from the inequality of bad and worse . ● . and now to come to my third argument ; if the disciples of nature cannot but expect correction , then by an argument à minore ad majus , such as have been brought up in the school of christ , and have known gods revealed will , cannot but expect confusion for their defaults , instead of the return of the former , or of any other kind of pleasure : for as the scripture saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ and that servant that knew , &c. thus have i made a short inspection into the nature of externals , shewing that they have none of those three conditions in them which are required to the constituting of true pleasure . first , that they are not objects suitable in their natures , much less adequate to the mind , since to make an object adequate it is not only requisite , that it be immaterial , but likewise that it be divine . secondly , that although there be some fruition of them , yet it is so often rescinded , and so much complicated , that it is not to be reckoned of : and thirdly , that it is but temporary and ends in death : and after death , the result of sensuality is inevitable misery , when we look at outward things as our ultimate end , not using them rightly , as instrumental to the great designs of religion : much more will they prove destructive to such as are vicious to so great a degree , as that they run into intemperances , and make these outward things become noxious to them by offending in the manner as well as in the measure , of using them , and so go on sporting to everlasting ruine : but if we be carefull in both respects to make a right use of outward things , they will prove salutary to us , since every thing is delivered out good to us , by the hand and verbal approbation of the creator ; but our abuses of them poison them , and make them destructive both to our temporal and spiritual life , whereas they were prepared by god to usher in the solid joyes of an eternal world . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e confes. lib. . cap. . arist. eth. lib. . cap . the first reason taken from the deficiency of their being . sen. tract . de irâ l. . c. . a second reason drawn from their multiplicity . a third reason , their false appearance . a fourth reason drawn from the minds self-accusation . excess as to the quantity . excess as to propriety . sam. cap. . luk. . v. . ens unum verum & bonum . miser qui laetus ad miseriam descendit sicut stultus ad crucem . theophylact . gen. . v. . b. taylor's opuscula the measures of friendship : with additional tracts : to which is now added his moral demonstration proving that the religion of jesus christ is from god : never before printed in this volume. selections. taylor, jeremy, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) b. taylor's opuscula the measures of friendship : with additional tracts : to which is now added his moral demonstration proving that the religion of jesus christ is from god : never before printed in this volume. selections. taylor, jeremy, - . [ ], p., [ ] leaf of plates : port. printed for rich. royston ..., london : . includes frontispiece portrait. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng friendship. conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion non magna sequimur sed bivimus nihil opinionis gratia omnia conscen●iae faciam . b. taylor' 's opvscvla . the measures of friendship . with additional tracts . to which is now added , his moral demonstration , proving that the religion of jesus christ is from god. never before printed in this volume . ecclus . . . do good unto thy friend before thou dye . greg nyssen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . london , printed for rich. royston , bookseller to his most sacred majesty , . the works of jer . taylor late b. of down and connor , in five volumes , extant . viz. vol. i. a collection of polemical discourses , new and old , against papist and fanatick . folio . vol. ii. several tracts addressed to the promotion of practical religion , folio . vol. iii. ductor dubitantium : or , the rule of conscience , wherein all particular cases may be resolved , in five books , folio . vol. iv. the history of the life and death of the holy jesus , with the lives and martyrdoms of the apostles , fol. vol. v. a course of sermons for all the sundays in the year , with a supplement of divers more , preached upon several occasions , fol. also . the rule of holy living and holy dying , in octavo . the golden grove , or a guide to devotion , in o. the contents . a discourse of the nature and offices of friendship . pag. . five letters more , to persons changed , and tempted to a change in their religion . the i. letter . a copy of the first letter written to a gentlewoman newly seduced to the church of rome . pag. . the ii. letter . written to a person newly converted to the church of england . pag. . the iii. letter . written to a gentleman that was tempted to the communion of the romish church . pag. . the iv. letter . to the same person . pag. . the v. letter . to the same person . pag. . a discourse , proving that the christian religion is from god. pag. . a discourse of the nature and offices of friendship . in a letter to the most ingenious and excellent m rs . katherine phillips . madam , the wise bensirach advised that we should not consult with a woman concerning her of whom she is jealous , neither with a coward in matters of war , nor with a merchant concerning exchange ; and some other instances he gives of interested persons , to whom he would not have us hearken in any matter of counsel . for where ever the interest is secular or vicious , there the biass is not on the side of truth or reason , because these are seldom serv'd by profit and low regards . but to consult with a friend in the matters of friendship is like consulting with a spiritual person in religion ; they who understand the secrets of religion , or the interior beauties of friendship are the fittest to give answers in all inquiries concerning the respective subjects ; because reason and experience are on the side of interest ; and that which in friendship is most pleasing and most useful , is also most reasonable and most true ; and a friends fairest interest is the best measure of the conducting friendships : and therefore you who are so eminent in friendships could also have given the best answer to your own inquiries , and you could have trusted your own reason , because it is not only greatly instructed by the direct notices of things , but also by great experience in the matter of which you now inquire . but because i will not use any thing that shall look like an excuse , i will rather give you such an account which you can easily reprove , then by declining your commands , seem more safe in my prudence , then open and communicative in my friendship to you . you first inquire how far a dear and a perfect friendship is authoriz'd by the principles of christianity ? to this i answer ; that the word [ friendship ] in the sense we commonly mean by it , is not so much as named in the new-testament ; and our religion takes no notice of it . you think it strange ; but read on before you spend so much as the beginning of a passion or a wonder upon it . there is mention of [ friendship with the world , ] and it is said to be enmity with god ; but the word is no where else named , or to any other purpose in all the new-testament . it speaks of friends often ; but by friends are meant our acquaintance , or our kindred , the relatives of our family or our fortune , or our sect ; something of society , or something of kindness there is in it ; a tenderness of appellation and civility , a relation made by gifts , or by duty , by services and subjection ; and i think , i have reason to be confident , that the word friend ( speaking of humane entercourse ) is no other-ways used in the gospels or epistles , or acts of the apostles : and the reason of it is , the word friend is of a large signification ; and means all relations and societies , and whatsoever is not enemy ; but by friendships , i suppose you mean , the greatest love , and the greatest usefulness , and the most open communication , and the noblest sufferings , and the most exemplar faithfulness , and the severest truth , and the heartiest counsel , and the greatest union of minds , of which brave men and women are capable . but then i must tell you that christianity hath new christened it , and calls this charity . the christian knows no enemy he hath ; that is , though persons may be injurious to him , and unworthy in themselves , yet he knows none whom he is not first bound to forgive , which is indeed to make them on his part to be no enemies , that is , to make that the word enemy shall not be perfectly contrary to friend , it shall not be a relative term and signifie something on each hand , a relative and a correlative ; and then he knows none whom he is not bound to love and pray for , to treat kindly and justly , liberally and obligingly . christian charity is friendship to all the world ; and when friendships were the noblest things in the world , charity was little , like the sun drawn in at a chink , or his beams drawn into the centre of a burning-glass ; but christian charity is friendship , expanded like the face of the sun when it mounts above the eastern hills : and i was strangely pleas'd when i saw something of this in cicero ; for i have been so push'd at by herds and flocks of people that follow any body that whistles to them , or drives them to pasture , that i am grown afraid of any truth that seems chargeable with singularity : but therefore i say , glad i was when i saw laelius in cicero discourse thus : amicitia ex infinitate generis humani quam conciliavit ipsa natura , contracta res est , & adducta in angustum ; ut omnis charitas , aut inter duos , aut inter paucos jungeretur . nature hath made friendships , and societies , relations and endearments ; and by something or other we relate to all the world ; there is enough in every man that is willing , to make him become our friend ; but when men contract friendship , they inclose the commons ; and what nature intended should be every mans , we make proper to two or three . friendship is like rivers and the strand of seas , and the air , common to all the world ; but tyrants , and evil customs , wars , and want of love have made them proper and peculiar . but when christianity came to renew our nature , and to restore our laws , and to increase her priviledges , and to make her aptness to become religion , then it was declared that our friendships were to be as universal as our conversation ; that is , actual to all with whom we converse , and potentially extended unto those with whom we did not . for he who was to treat his enemies with forgiveness and prayers , and love and beneficence was indeed to have no enemies , and to have all friends . so that to your question , how far a dear and perfect friendship is authoriz'd by the principles of christianity ? the answer is ready and easie . it is warranted to extend to all mankind ; and the more we love , the better we are , and the greater our friendships are , the dearer we are to god ; let them be as dear , and let them be as perfect , and let them be as many as you can ; there is no danger in it ; only where the restraint begins , there begins our imperfection ; it is not ill that you entertain brave friendships and worthy societies : it were well if you could love , and if you could benefit all mankind ; for i conceive that is the summe of all friendship . i confess this is not to be expected of us in this world ; but as all our graces here are but imperfect , that is , at the best they are but tendencies to glory , so our friendships are imperfect too , and but beginnings of a celestial friendship , by which we shall love every one as much as they can be loved . but then so we must here in our proportion ; and indeed that is it that can make the difference ; we must be friends to all : that is , apt to do good , loving them really , and doing to them all the benefits which we can , and which they are capable of . the friendship is equal to all the world , and of it self hath no difference ; but is differenced only by accidents , and by the capacity or incapacity of them that receive it . nature and religion are the bands of friendships ; excellency and usefulness are its great indearments : society and neighbourhood , that is , the possibilities and the circumstances of converse are the determinations and actualities of it . now when men either are unnatural , or irreligious , they will not be friends ; when they are neither excellent nor useful , they are not worthy to be friends ; when they are strangers or unknown , they cannot be friends actually and practically ; but yet , as any man hath any thing of the good , contrary to those evils , so he can have and must have his share of friendship . for thus the sun is the eye of the world ; and he is indifferent to the negro , or the cold russian , to them that dwell under the line , and them that stand near the tropicks , the scalded indian , or the poor boy that shakes at the foot of the riphean hills ; but the fluxures of the heaven and the earth , the conveniency of abode , and the approaches to the north or south respectively charge the emanations of his beams ; not that they do not pass always from him , but that they are not equally received below , but by periods and changes , by little inlets and reflections , they receive what they can ; and some have only a dark day and a long night from him , snows and white cattel , a miserable life , and a perpetual harvest of catarrhes and consumptions , apoplexies and dead palsies ; but some have splendid fires , and aromatick spices , rich wines , and well digested fruits , great wit and great courage ; because they dwell in his eye , and look in his face , and are the courtiers of the sun , and wait upon him in his chambers of the east ; just so is it in friendships : some are worthy , and some are necessary ; some dwell hard by and are fitted for converse ; nature joyns some to us , and religion combines us with others ; society and accidents , parity of fortune , and equal dispositions do actuate our friendships : which of themselves and in their prime disposition are prepared for all mankind according as any one can receive them . we see this best exemplified by two instances and expressions of friendships and charity : viz. alms and prayers ; every one that needs relief is equally the object of our charity ; but though to all mankind in equal needs we ought to be alike in charity ; yet we signifie this severally and by limits , and distinct measures : the poor man that is near me , he whom i meet , he whom i love , he whom i fancy , he who did me benefit , he who relates to my family , he rather then another , because my expressions being finite and narrow , and cannot extend to all in equal significations , must be appropriate to those whose circumstances best fit me : and yet even to all i give my alms ; to all the world that needs them ; i pray for all mankind , i am grieved at every sad story i hear ; i am troubled when i hear of a pretty bride murdered in her bride-chamber by an ambitious and enrag'd rival ; i shed a tear when i am told that a brave king was misunderstood , then slandered , then imprisoned , and then put to death by evil men : and i can never read the story of the parisian massacre , or the sicilian vespers , but my blood curdles , and i am disorder'd by two or three affections . a good man is a friend to all the world ; and he is not truly charitable that does not wish well , and do good to all mankind in what he can ; but though we must pray for all men , yet we say special litanies for brave kings and holy prelates , and the wise guides of souls ; for our brethren and relations , our wives and children . the effect of this consideration is , that the universal friendship of which i speak , must be limited , because we are so : in those things where we stand next to immensity and infinity , as in good wishes and prayers , and a readiness to benefit all mankind , in these our friendships must not be limited ; but in other things which pass under our hand and eye , our voices and our material exchanges ; our hands can reach no further but to our arms end , and our voices can but sound till the next air be quiet , and therefore they can have entercourse but within the sphere of their own activity ; our needs and our conversations are served by a few , and they cannot reach to all ; where they can , they must ; but where it is impossible , it cannot be necessary . it must therefore follow , that our friendships to mankind may admit variety as does our conversation ; and as by nature we are made sociable to all , so we are friendly ; but as all cannot actually be of our society , so neither can all be admitted to a special , actual friendship ; of some entercourses all men are capable , but not of all ; men can pray for one another , and abstain from doing injuries to all the world , and be desirous to do all mankind good , and love all men ; now this friendship we must pay to all because we can , but if we can do no more to all , we must shew our readiness to do more good to all by actually doing more good to all them to whom we can . to some we can , and therefore there are nearer friendships to some then to others , according as there are natural or civil nearnesses , relations and societies ; and as i cannot express my friendships to all in equal measures and significations , that is , as i cannot do benefits to all alike : so neither am i tied to love all alike : for although there is much reason to love every man ; yet there are more reasons to love some than others ; and if i must love because there is reason i should ; then i must love more , where there is more reason ; and where there 's a special affection and a great readiness to do good and to delight in certain persons towards each other , there is that special charity and indearment which philosophy calls friendship ; but our religion calls love or charity . now if the inquiry be concerning this special friendship . . how it can be appropriate , that is , who to be chosen to it ; . how far it may extend ; that is , with what expressions signified ; . how conducted ? the answers will depend upon such considerations which will be neither useless nor unpleasant . . there may be a special friendship contracted for any special excellency whatsoever ; because friendships are nothing but love and society mixt together ; that is , a conversing with them whom we love ; now for whatsoever we can love any one , for that we can be his friend ; and since every excellency is a degree of amability , every such worthiness is a just and proper motive of friendship , or loving conversation . but yet in these things there is an order and proportion . therefore . a good man is the best friend , and therefore soonest to be chosen , longer to be retain'd ; and indeed never to be parted with , unless he cease to be that for which he was chosen . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . where vertue dwells there friendship make , but evil neighbourhoods forsake . but although vertue alone is the worthiest cause of amability , and can weigh down any one consideration ; and therefore to a man that is vertuous every man ought to be a friend ; yet i do not mean the severe , and philosophical excellencies of some morose persons who are indeed wise unto themselves , and exemplar to others : by vertue here i do not mean justice and temperance , charity and devotion ; for these i am to love the man , but friendship is something more then that : friendship is the nearest love and the nearest society of which the persons are capable : now justice is a good entercourse for merchants , ●s all men are that buy and sell ; and temperance makes a man good company , and helps to make a wise man ; but a perfect friendship requires something else , these must be in him that is chosen to be my friend ; but for these i do not make him my privado ; that is , my special and peculiar friend : but if he be a good man , then he is properly fitted to be my correlative in the noblest combination . and for this we have the best warrant in the world : for a just man scarcely will a man die ; the syriac interpreter reads it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an unjust man scarcely will a man die ; that is , a wicked man is at no hand fit to receive the expression of the greatest friendship ; but all the greek copies that ever i saw , or read of , read it as we do ; for a righteous man or a just man , that is , justice and righteousness is not the nearest indearment of friendship ; but for a good man some will even dare to die : that is , for a man that is sweetly disposed , ready to do acts of goodness and to oblige others , to do things useful and profitable , for a loving man , a beneficent , bountiful man , one who delights in doing good to his friend , such a man may have the highest friendship ; he may have a friend that will die for him . and this is the meaning of laelius : vertue may be despised , so may learning and nobility ; at una est amicitia in rebus humanis de cujus utilitate omnes consentiunt : only friendship is that thing , which because all know to be useful and profitable , no man can despise ; that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , goodness or beneficence makes friendships . for if he be a good man he will love where he is beloved , and that 's the first tie of friendship . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that was the commendation of the bravest friendship in theocritus , they lov'd each other with a love that did in all things equal prove . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the world was under saturn's reign when he that lov'd was lov'd again . for it is impossible this nearness of friendship can be where there is not mutual love ; but this is secured if i choose a good man ; for he that is apt enough to begin alone , will never be behind in the relation and correspondency ; and therefore i like the gentiles litany well , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . let god give friends to me for my reward , who shall my love with equal love regard ; happy are they , who when they give their heart find such as in exchange their own impart . but there is more in it than this felicity amounts to . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good man is a profitable , useful person , and that 's the band of an effective friendship . for i do not think that friendships are metaphysical nothings , created for contemplation , or that men or women should stare upon each others faces , and make dialogues of news and prettinesses , and look babies in one anothers eyes . friendship is the allay of our sorrows , the ease of our passions , the discharge of our oppressions , the sanctuary to our calamities , the counsellor of our doubts , the clarity of our minds , the emission of our thoughts , the exercise and improvement of what we meditate : and although i love my friend because he is worthy , yet he is not worthy if he can do no good . i do not speak of accidental hindrances and misfortunes by which the bravest man may become unable to help his child ; but of the natural and artificial capacities of the man. he only is fit to be chosen for a friend , who can do those offices for which friendship is excellent . for ( mistake not ) no man can be loved for himself ; our perfections in this world cannot reach so high ; it is well if we would love god at that rate , and i very much fear , that if god did us no good , we might admire his beauties , but we should have but a small proportion of love towards him ; and therefore it is , that god to endear the obedience , that is , the love of his servants , signifies what benefits he gives us , what great good things he does for us . i am the lord god that brought thee out of the land of egypt : and does job serve god for nought ? and he that comes to god , must believe that he is , and that he is a rewarder : all his other greatnesses are objects of fear and wonder , it is his goodness that makes him lovely : and so it is in friendships . he only is fit to be chosen for a friend who can give counsel , or defend my cause , or guide me right , or relieve my need , or can and will , when i need it , do me good : only this i add : into the heaps of doing good , i will reckon [ loving me ] for it is a pleasure to be beloved , but when his love signifies nothing but kissing my cheek , or talking kindly , and can go no further , it is a prostitution of the bravery of friendship to spend it upon impertinent people who are ( it may be ) loads to their families , but can never ease my loads : but my friend is a worthy person when he can become to me instead of god , a guide or a support , an eye , or a hand ; a staff , or a rule : there must be in friendship something to distinguish it from a companion , and a country man , from a school-fellow or a gossip , from a sweet-heart or a fellow-traveller : friendship may look in at any one of these doors , but it stays not any where till it come to be the best thing in the world : and when we consider that one man is not better than another , neither towards god nor towards man , but by doing better and braver things , we shall also see , that that which is most beneficent is also most excellent ; and therefore those friendships must needs be most perfect , where the friends can be most useful . for men cannot be useful but by worthinesses in the several instances : a fool cannot be relyed upon for counsel , nor a vitious person for the advantages of vertue , nor a begger for relief , nor a stranger for conduct , nor a tatler to keep a secret , nor a pittiless person trusted with my complaint , nor a covetous man with my childs fortune , nor a false person without a witness , nor a suspicious person with a private design ; nor him that i fear with the treasures of my love : but he that is wise and vertuous , rich and at hand , close and merciful , free of his money and tenacious of a secret , open and ingenuous , true and honest , is of himself an excellent man ; and therefore fit to be loved ; and he can do good to me in all capacities where i can need him , and therefore is fit to be a friend . i confess we are forced in our friendships to abate some of these ingredients ; but full measures of friendship , would have full measures of worthiness ; and according as any defect is in the foundation ; in the relation also there may be imperfection : and indeed i shall not blame the friendship so it be worthy , though it be not perfect ; not only because friendship is charity , which cannot be perfect here , but because there is not in the world a perfect cause of perfect friendship . if you can suspect that this discourse can suppose friendship to be mercenary , and to be defective in the greatest worthiness of it , which is to love our friend for our friends sake , i shall easily be able to defend my self ; because i speak of the election and reasons of choosing friends : after he is chosen do as nobly as you talk , and love as purely as you dream , and let your conversation be as metaphysical as your discourse , and proceed in this method , till you be confuted by experience ; yet till then , the case is otherwise when we speak of choosing one to be my friend : he is not my friend till i have chosen him , or loved him ; and if any man enquires whom he shall choose or whom he should love , i suppose it ought not to be answered , that we should love him who hath least amability ; that we should choose him who hath least reason to be chosen : but if it be answered , he is to be chosen to be my friend who is most worthy in himself , not he that can do most good to me ; i say , here is a distinction but no difference ; for he is most worthy in himself who can do most good ; and if he can love me too , that is , if he will do me all the good he can , that i need , then he is my friend and he deserves it . and it is impossible from a friend to separate a will to do me good : and therefore i do not choose well , if i choose one that hath not power ; for if it may consist with the nobleness of friendship to desire that my friend be ready to do me benefit or support , it is not sense to say , it is ignoble to desire he should really do it when i need ; and if it were not for pleasure or profit , we might as well be without a friend as have him . among all the pleasures and profits , the sensual pleasure and the matter of money are the lowest and the least ; and therefore although they may sometimes be used in friendship , and so not wholly excluded from the consideration of him that is to choose , yet of all things they are to be the least regarded . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . when fortune frowns upon a man , a friend does more than money can . for there are besides these , many profits and many pleasures ; and because these only are sordid , all the other are noble and fair , and the expectations of them no disparagements to the best friendships . for can any wise or good man be angry if i say , i choose this man to be my friend , because he is able to give me counsel , to restrain my wandrings , to comfort me in my sorrows ; he is pleasant to me in private , and useful in publick ; he will make my joys double , and divide my grief between himself and me ? for what else should i choose ; for being a fool , and useless ; for a pretty face or a smooth chin ? i confess it is possible to be a friend to one that is ignorant , and pitiable , handsome and good for nothing , that eats well , and drinks deep , but he cannot be a friend to me ; and i love him with a fondness or a pity , but it cannot be a noble friendship . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . said menander . by wine and mirth and every days delight we choose our friends , to whom we think we might our souls intrust ; but fools are they that lend their bosom to the shadow of a friend . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plutarch calls such friendships , the idols and images of friendship . true and brave friendships are between worthy persons ; and there is in mankind no degree of worthiness , but is also a degree of usefulness , and by every thing by which a man is excellent , i may be profited : and because those are the bravest friends which can best serve the ends of friendships , either we must suppose that friendships are not the greatest comforts in the world , or else we must say , he chooses his friend best , that chooses such a one by whom he can receive the greatest comforts and assistances . . this being the measure of all friendships ; they all partake of excellency , according as they are fitted to this measure : a friend may be counselled well enough though his friend be not the wisest man in the world , and he may be pleased in his society though he be not the best natured man in the world ; but still it must be , that something excellent is , or is apprehended , or else it can be no worthy friendship ; because the choice is imprudent and foolish . choose for your friend him that is wise and good , and secret and just , ingenuous and honest ; and in those things which have a latitude , use your own liberty ; but in such things which consist in an indivisible point , make no abatements ; that is , you must not choose him to be your friend that is not honest and secret , just and true to a tittle ; but if he be wise at all , and useful in any degree , and as good as you can have him , you need not be ashamed to own your friendships ; though sometimes you may be ashamed of some imperfections of your friend . . but if you yet enquire further , whether fancy may be an ingredient in your choice ? i answer , that fancy may minister to this as to all other actions in which there is a liberty and variety ; and we shall find that there may be peculiarities and little partialities , a friendship , improperly so called , entring upon accounts of an innocent passion and a pleas'd fancy ; even our blessed saviour himself loved saint john and lazarus by a special love , which was signified by special treatments ; and of the young man that spake well and wisely to christ , it is affirmed , jesus loved him : that is , he fancied the man , and his soul had a certain cognation and similitude of temper and inclination . for in all things where there is a latitude , every faculty will endeavour to be pleased , and sometimes the meanest persons in a house have a festival ; even sympathies and natural inclinations to some persons , and a conformity of humours , and proportionable loves , and the beauty of the face , and a witty answer may first strike the flint and kindle a spark , which if it falls upon tender and compliant natures may grow into a flame ; but this will never be maintained at the rate of friendship , unless it be fed by pure materials , by worthinesses which are the food of friendship : where these are not , men and women may be pleased with one anothers company , and lye under the same roof , and make themselves companions of equal prosperities , and humour their friend ; but if you call this friendship , you give a sacred name to humour or fancy ; for there is a platonick friendship as well as a platonick love ; but they being but the images of more noble bodies are but like tinsel dressings , which will shew bravely by candle-light , and do excellently in a mask , but are not fit for conversation , and the material entercourses of our life . these are the prettinesses of prosperity and good-natured wit ; but when we speak of friendship , which is the best thing in the world ( for it is love and beneficence ; it is charity that is fitted for society ) we cannot suppose a brave pile should be built up with nothing ; and they that build castles in the air , and look upon friendship , as upon a fine romance , a thing that pleases the fancy , but is good for nothing else , will do well when they are asleep , or when they are come to elysium ; and for ought i know in the mean time may be as much in love with mandana in the grand cyrus , as with the infanta of spain , or any of the most perfect beauties and real excellencies of the world : and by dreaming of perfect and abstracted friendships , make them so immaterial that they perish in the handling and become good for nothing . but i know not whither i was going ; i did only mean to say that because friendship is that by which the world is most blessed and receives most good , it ought to be chosen amongst the worthiest persons , that is , amongst those that can do greatest benefit to each other ; and though in equal worthiness i may chuse by my eye , or ear , that is , into the consideration of the essential i may take in also the accidental and extrinsick worthinesses ; yet i ought to give every one their just value ; when the internal beauties are equal , these shall help to weigh down the scale , and i will love a worthy friend that can delight me as well as profit me , rather than him who cannot delight me at all , and profit me no more ; but yet i will not weigh the gayest flowers , or the wings of butterflies against wheat ; but when i am to chuse wheat , i may take that which looks the brightest : i had rather see thyme and roses , marjoram and july-flowers that are fair and sweet and medicinal , than the prettiest tulips that are good for nothing : and my sheep and kine are better servants than race-horses and gray-hounds : and i shall rather furnish my study with plutarch and cicero , with livy and polybius , than with cassandra and ibrahim bassa ; and if i do give an hour to these for divertisement or pleasure , yet i will dwell with them that can instruct me , and make me wise and eloquent , severe and useful to my self and others . i end this with the saying of laelius in cicero : amicitia non debet consequi utilitatem , sed amicitiam utilitas . when i chuse my friend , i will not stay till i have received a kindness ; but i will chuse such an one that can do me many if i need them : but i mean such kindnesses which make me wiser , and which make me better ; that is , i will when i chuse my friend , chuse him that is the bravest , the worthiest and the most excellent person : and then your first question is soon answered ; to love such a person and to contract such friendships is just so authorized by the principles of christianity , as it is warranted to love wisdom and vertue , goodness and beneficence , and all the impresses of god upon the spirits of brave men . . the next inquiry is how far it may extend ? that is , by what expressions it may be signified ? i find that david and jonathan loved at a strange rate ; they were both good men ; though it happened that jonathan was on the obliging side ; but here the expressions were ; jonathan watched for davids good ; told him of his danger , and helped him to escape ; took part with davids innocence against his fathers malice and injustice ; and beyond all this , did it to his own prejudice ; and they two stood like two feet supporting one body ; though jonathan knew that david would prove like the foot of a wrestler , and would supplant him , not by any unworthy or unfriendly action , but it was from god ; and he gave him his hand to set him upon his own throne . we find his parallels in the gentile stories : young athenodorus having divided the estate with his brother xenon ; divided it again when xenon had spent his own share ; and lucullus would not take the consulship till his younger brother had first enjoyed it for a year ; but pollux divided with castor his immortality ; and you know who offer'd himself to death being pledg for his friend ; and his friend by performing his word rescued him as bravely : and when we find in scripture that for a good man some will even dare to die ; and that aquila and priscilla laid their necks down for s. paul ; and the galatians would have given him their very eyes , that is , every thing that was most dear to them , and some others were near unto death for his sake ; and that it is a precept of christian charity , to lay down our lives for our brethren , that is , those who were combined in a cause of religion , who were united with the same hopes , and imparted to each other ready assistances , and grew dear by common sufferings , we need enquire no further for the expressions of friendships : greater love than this hath no man , than that he lay down his life for his friends ; and this we are oblig'd to do in some cases for all christians ; and therefore we may do it for those who are to us in this present and imperfect state of things , that which all the good men and women in the world shall be in heaven , that is , in the state of perfect friendships . this is the biggest ; but then it includes and can suppose all the rest ; and if this may be done for all , and in some cases must for any one of the multitude , we need not scruple whether we may do it for those who are better than a multitude . but as for the thing it self , it is not easily and lightly to be done ; and a man must not die for humour , nor expend so great a jewel for a trifle : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : said philo ; we will hardly die when it is for nothing , when no good , no worthy end is served , and become a sacrifice to redeem a foot boy . but we may not give our life to redeem another : unless . the party for whom we die be a worthy and an useful person ; better for the publick , or better for religion , and more useful to others than my self . thus ribischius the german died bravely when he became a sacrifice for his master , maurice duke of saxony ; covering his masters body with his own , that he might escape the fury of the turkish souldiers . succurram perituro , sed ut ipse non peream , nisi si futurus ero magni hominis , aut magnae rei merces , said seneca . i will help a dying person if i can ; but i will not die my self for him , unless by my death i save a brave man , or become the price of a great thing ; that is , i will die for a prince , for the republick , or to save an army , as david expos'd himself to combat with the philistin for the redemption of the host of israel : and in this sense , that is true ; praestat ut pereat unus , quam vnitas , better that one perish than a multitude . . a man dies bravely when he gives his temporal life to save the soul of any single person in the christian world . it is a worthy exchange , and the glorification of that love by which christ gave his life for every soul. thus he that reproves an erring prince wisely and necessarily , he that affirms a fundamental truth , or stands up for the glory of the divine attributes , though he die for it , becomes a worthy sacrifice . . these are duty , but it may be heroick and full of christian bravery , to give my life to rescue a noble and a brave friend ; though i my self be as worthy a man as he ; because the preference of him is an act of humility in me ; and of friendship towards him ; humility and charity making a pious difference , where art and nature have made all equal . some have fancied other measures of treating our friends . one sort of men say that we are to expect that our friends should value us as we value our selves : which if it were to be admitted , will require that we make no friendship with a proud man ; and so far indeed were well ; but then this proportion does exclude some humble men who are most to be valued , and the rather because they undervalue themselves . others say that a friend is to value his friend as much as his friend values him ; but neither is this well or safe , wise or sufficient ; for it makes friendship a meer bargain , and is something like the country weddings in some places where i have been ; where the bridegroom and the bride must meet in the half way , and if they fail a step , they retire and break the match : it is not good to make a reckoning in friendship ; that 's merchandise , or it may be gratitude , but not noble friendship ; in which each part strives to out do the other in significations of an excellent love : and amongst true friends there is no fear of losing any thing . but that which amongst the old philosophers comes nearest to the right , is that we love our friends as we love our selves , if they had meant it as our blessed saviour did , of that general friendship by which we are to love all mankind , it had been perfect and well ; or if they had meant it of the inward affection , or of outward justice ; but because they meant it of the most excellent friendships , and of the outward significations of it , it cannot be sufficient : for a friend may and must sometimes do more for his friend than he would do for himself . some men will perish before they will beg or petition for themselves to some certain persons ; but they account it noble to do it for their friend , and they will want rather than their friend shall want ; and they will be more earnest in praise or dispraise respectively for their friend than for themselves . and indeed i account that one of the greatest demonstrations of real friendship , that a friend can really endeavour to have his friend advanced in honour , in reputation , in the opinion of wit or learning before himself . aurum & opes , & rura frequens donabit amicus : qui velit ingenio cedere rarus erit . sed tibi tantus inest veteris respectus amici , carior ut me sit quam tua fama tibi . lands , gold and trifles many give or lend ; but he that stoops in fame is a rare friend ; in friendships orb thou art the brightest star , before thy fame mine thou preferrest far . but then he pleased to think that therefore i so highly value this signification of friendship , because i so highly value humility . humility and charity are the two greatest graces in the world ; and these are the greatest ingredients which constitute friendship and express it . but there needs no other measures of friendship , but that it may be as great as you can express it ; beyond death it cannot go , to death it may , when the cause is reasonable and just , charitable and religious : and yet if there be any thing greater than to suffer death ( and pain and shame to some are more insufferable ) a true and noble friendship shrinks not at the greatest trials . and yet there is a limit even to friendship . it must be as great as our friend fairly needs in all things where we are not tied up by a former duty , to god , to our selves , or some pre-obliging relative . when pollux heard some body whisper a reproach against his brother castor , he killed the slanderer with his fist : that was a zeal which his friendship could not warrant . nulla est excusatio si amici causâ peccaveris , said cicero . no friendship can excuse a sin : and this the braver romans instanced in the matter of duty to their country . it is not lawful to fight on our friends part against our prince or country ; and therefore when caius blosius of cuma in the sedition of gracchus appeared against his country , when he was taken he answered , that he loved tiberius gracchus so dearly , that he thought fit to follow him whithersoever he led ; and begg'd pardon upon that account . they who were his judges were so noble , that though they knew it no fair excuse : yet for the honour of friendship they did not directly reject his motion : but put him to death , because he did not follow , but led on gracchus , and brought his friend into the snare : for so they preserved the honours of friendship on either hand , by neither suffering it to be sullied by a foul excuse , nor yet rejected in any fair pretence . a man may not be perjured for his friend . i remember to have read in the history of the low-countries , that grimston and redhead , when bergenapzoom was besieged by the duke of parma , acted for the interest of the queen of englands forces a notable design ; but being suspected and put for their acquittance to take the sacrament of the altar , they dissembled their persons , and their interest , their design and their religion , and did for the queens service ( as one wittily wrote to her ) give not only their bodies but their souls , and so deserved a reward greater than she could pay them : i cannot say this is a thing greater than a friendship can require , for it is not great at all , but a great villany , which hath no name , and no order in worthy entercourses ; and no obligation to a friend can reach as high as our duty to god : and he that does a base thing in zeal for his friend , burns the golden thred that ties their hearts together ; it is a conspiracy , but no longer friendship . and when cato lent his wife to hortensius , and socrates lent his to a merry greek , they could not amongst wise persons obtain so much as the fame of being worthy friends , neither could those great names legitimate an unworthy action under the most plausible title . it is certain that amongst friends their estates are common ; that is , by whatsoever i can rescue my friend from calamity , i am to serve him , or not to call him friend ; there is a great latitude in this , and it is to be restrained by no prudence , but when there is on the other side a great necessity neither vicious nor avoidable : a man may chuse whether he will or no ; and he does not sin in not doing it , unless he have bound himself to it : but certainly friendship is the greatest band in the world , and if he have professed a great friendship , he hath a very great obligation to do that and more ; and he can no ways be disobliged but by the care of his natural relations . i said , [ friendship is the greatest bond in the world , ] and i had reason for it , for it is all the bands that this world hath ; and there is no society , and there is no relation that is worthy , but it is made so by the communications of friendship , and by partaking some of its excellencies . for friendship is a transcendent , and signifies as much as vnity can mean , and every consent , and every pleasure , and every benefit , and every society is the mother or the daughter of friendship . some friendships are made by nature , some by contract , some by interest , and some by souls . and in proportion to these ways of uniting , so the friendships are greater or less , vertuous or natural , profitable or holy , or all this together . nature makes excellent friendships , of which we observe something in social parts ; growing better in each others neighbourhood than where they stand singly : and in animals it is more notorious , whose friendships extend so far as to herd and dwell together , to play , and feed , to defend and fight for one another , and to cry in absence , and to rejoyce in one anothers presence . but these friendships have other names less noble , they are sympathy , or they are instinct . but if to this natural friendship there be reason superadded , something will come in upon the stock of reason which will ennoble it ; but because no rivers can rise higher than fountains , reason shall draw out all the dispositions which are in nature and establish them into friendships , but they cannot surmount the communications of nature ; nature can make no friendships greater than her own excellencies . nature is the way of contracting necessary friendships ; that is , by nature such friendships are contracted without which we cannot live , and be educated , or be well , or be at all . in this scene , that of parents and children is the greatest , which indeed is begun in nature , but is actuated by society and mutual endearments . for parents love their children because they love themselves , children being but like emissions of water , symbolical , or indeed the same with the fountain ; and they in their posterity see the images and instruments of a civil immortality ; but if parents and children do not live together , we see their friendships and their loves are much abated , and supported only by fame and duty , by customs and religion , which to nature are but artificial pillars , and make this friendship to be complicated , and to pass from its own kind to another . that of children to their parents is not properly friendship , but gratitude and interest , and religion , and whatever can supervene of the nature of friendship comes in upon another account ; upon society and worthiness and choice . this relation on either hand makes great dearnesses : but it hath special and proper significations of it , and there is a special duty incumbent on each other respectively . this friendship and social relation is not equal , and there is too much authority on one side , and too much fear on the other to make equal friendships ; and therefore although this is one of the kinds of friendship , that is of a social and relative love and conversation , yet in the more proper use of the word ; [ friendship ] does do some things which father and son do not ; i instance in the free and open communicating counsels , and the evenness and pleasantness of conversation ; and consequently the significations of the paternal and filial love as they are divers in themselves and unequal , and therefore another kind of friendship than we mean in our inquiry ; so they are such a duty which no other friendship can annul : because their mutual duty is bound upon them by religion long before any other friendships can be contracted ; and therefore having first possession must abide for ever . the duty and love to parents must not yield to religion , much less to any new friendships : and our parents are to be preferred before the corban ; and are at no hand to be laid aside but when they engage against god : that is , in the rights which this relation and kind of friendship challenges as its propriety , it is supreme and cannot give place to any other friendships ; till the father gives his right away , and god or the laws consent to it ; as in the case of marriage , emancipation , and adoption to another family : in which cases though love and gratitude are still obliging , yet the societies and duties of relation are very much altered , which in the proper and best friendships can never be at all . but then this also is true : that the social relations of parents and children not having in them all the capacities of a proper friendship , cannot challenge all the significations of it : that is , it is no prejudice to the duty i owe there , to pay all the dearnesses which are due here , and to friends there are some things due which the other cannot challenge : i mean , my secret , and my equal conversation , and the pleasures and interests of these , and the consequents of all . next to this is the society and dearness of brothers and sisters : which usually is very great amongst worthy persons ; but if it be considered what it is in it self , it is but very little ; there is very often a likeness of natural temper , and there is a social life under the same roof , and they are commanded to love one another , and they are equals in many instances , and are endeared by conversation when it is merry and pleasant , innocent and simple , without art and without design . but brothers pass not into noble friendships upon the stock of that relation : they have fair dispositions and advantages , and are more easie and ready to ferment into the greatest dearnesses , if all things else be answerable . nature disposes them well towards it , but in this inquiry if we ask what duty is passed upon a brother to a brother even for being so ? i answer , that religion and our parents and god and the laws appoint what measures they please ; but nature passes but very little , and friendship less ; and this we see apparently in those brothers who live asunder , and contract new relations , and dwell in other societies : there is no love , no friendship without the entercourse of conversation : friendships indeed may last longer than our abode together , but they were first contracted by it , and established by pleasure and benefit , and unless it be the best kind of friendship ( which that of brothers in that meer capacity is not ) it dies when it wants the proper nutriment and support : and to this purpose is that which was spoken by solomon : [ better is a neihbour that is near , than a brother that is far off : ] that is , although ordinarily , brothers are first possessed of the entries and fancies of friendship , because they are of the first societies and conversations , yet when that ceases and the brother goes away , so that he does no advantage , no benefit of entercourse ; the neighbour that dwells by me , with whom if i converse at all , either he is my enemy and does , and receives evil ; or if we converse in worthinesses and benefit and pleasant communication , he is better in the laws and measures of friendship than my distant brother . and it is observable that [ brother ] is indeed a word of friendship and charity and of mutual endearment , and so is a title of the bravest society ; yet in all the scripture there are no precepts given of any duty and comport which brothers , that is , the descendents of the same parents are to have one towards another in that capacity , and it is not because their nearness is such that they need none : for parents and children are nearer , and yet need tables of duty to be described ; and for brothers , certainly they need it infinitely if there be any peculiar duty ; cain and abel are the great probation of that , and you know who said , fratrum quoque gratia rara est : it is not often you shall see two brothers live in amity . but the scripture which often describes the duty of parents and children , never describes the duty of brothers ; except where by brethren are meant all that part of mankind who are tied to us by any vicinity and indearment of religion or country , of profession and family , of contract or society , of love and the noblest friendships ; the meaning is , that though fraternity alone be the endearment of some degrees of friendship , without choice and without excellency ; yet the relation it self is not friendship , and does not naturally infer it , and that which is procured by it , is but limited and little ; and though it may pass into it , as other conversations may , yet the friendship is accidental to it ; and enters upon other accounts , as it does between strangers ; with this only difference that brotherhood does oftentimes assist the valuation of those excellencies for which we entertain our friendships . fraternity is the opportunity and preliminary disposition to friendship , and no more . for if my brother be a fool or a vitious person , the love to which nature and our first conversation disposes me , does not end in friendship , but in pity and fair provisions , and assistances ; which is a demonstration that brotherhood is but the inclination and address to friendship : and though i will love a worthy brother more than a worthy stranger ; if the worthiness be equal , because the relation is something , and being put into the scales against an equal worthiness must needs turn the ballance , as every grain will do in an even weight ; yet when the relation is all the worthiness that is pretended , it cannot stand in competition with a friend : for though a friend-brother is better than a friend-stranger , where the friend is equal , but the brother is not : yet a brother is not better than a friend ; but as solomons expression is [ there is a friend that is better than a brother , ] and to be born of the same parents is so accidental and extrinsick to a mans pleasure or worthiness , or spiritual advantages , that though it be very pleasing and useful that a brother should be a friend , yet it is no great addition to a friend that he also is a brother : there is something in it , but not much . but in short , the case is thus . the first beginnings of friendship serve the necessities ; but choice and worthiness are the excellencies of its endearment and its bravery ; and between a brother that is no friend , and a friend that is no brother , there is the same difference as between the disposition , and the act or habit : a brother if he be worthy is the readiest and the nearest to be a friend , but till he be so , he is but the twi-light of the day , and but the blossome to the fairest fruit of paradise . a brother does not always make a friend , but a friend ever makes a brother and more : and although nature sometimes finds the tree , yet friendship engraves the image ; the first relation places him in the garden , but friendship sets it in the temple , and then only it is venerable and sacred : and so is brotherhood when it hath the soul of friendship . so that if it be asked which are most to be valued , brothers or friends ; the answer is very easie ; brotherhood is or may be one of the kinds of friendship , and from thence only hath its value , and therefore if it be compared with a greater friendship must give place : but then it is not to be asked which is to be preferred , a brother or a friend , but which is the better friend ; memnon or my brother ? for if my brother says i ought to love him best , then he ought to love me best ; valiant * if he does , then there is a great friendship , and he possibly is to be preferred ; if he can be that friend which he pretends to be , that is , if he be equally worthy : but if he says , i must love him only because he is my brother , whether he loves me or no , he is ridiculous ; and it will be a strange relation which hath no correspondent : but suppose it , and add this also , that i am equally his brother as he is mine , and then he also must love me whether i love him or no ; and if he does not , he says , i must love him though he be my enemy ; and so i must ; but i must not love my enemy though he be my brother more then i love my friend ; and at last if he does love me for being his brother , i confess that this love deserves love again ; but then i consider , that he loves me upon an incompetent reason : for he that loves me only because i am his brother , loves me for that which is no worthiness , and i must love him as much as that comes to , and for as little reason ; unless this be added , that he loves me first : but whether choice and union of souls , and worthiness of manners , and greatness of understanding , and usefulness of conversation , and the benefits of counsel , and all those endearments which make our lives pleasant and our persons dear , are not better and greater reasons of love and dearness than to be born of the same flesh , i think amongst wise persons needs no great inquiry . for fraternity is but a cognation of bodies , but friendship is an union of souls which are confederated by more noble ligatures . my brother , if he be no more , shall have my hand to help him , but unless he be my friend too , he cannot challenge my heart : and if his being my friend be the greater nearness , then friend is more than brother , and i suppose no man doubts but that david lov'd jonathan far more than he lov'd his brother eliah . one inquiry more there may be in this affair , and that is , whether a friend may be more than a husband or wife ; to which i answer , that it can never be reasonable or just , prudent or lawful : but the reason is , because marriage is the queen of friendships , in which there is a communication of all that can be communicated by friendship : and it being made sacred by vows and love , by bodies and souls , by interest and custome , by religion and by laws , by common counsels , and common fortunes ; it is the principal in the kind of friendship , and the measure of all the rest : and there is no abatement to this consideration , but that there may be some allay in this as in other letter friendships by the incapacity of the persons : if i have not chosen my friend wisely or fortunately , he cannot be the correlative in the best union ; but then the friend lives as the soul does after death , it is in the state of separation , in which the soul strangely loves the body and longs to be reunited , but the body is an useless trunk and can do no ministeries to the soul ; which therefore prays to have the body reformed and restored and made a brave and a fit companion : so must these best friends , when one is useless or unapt to the braveries of the princely friendship , they must love ever , and pray ever , and long till the other be perfected and made fit ; in this case there wants only the body , but the soul is still a relative and must be so for ever . a husband and a wife are the best friends , but they cannot always signifie all that to each other which their friendships would ; as the sun shines not upon a valley which sends up a thick vapour to cover his face ; and though his beams are eternal , yet the emission is intercepted by the intervening cloud . but however all friendships are but parts of this ; a man must leave father and mother and cleave to his wife , that is [ the dearest thing in nature is not comparable to the dearest thing of friendship : ] and i think this is argument sufficient to prove friendship to be the greatest band in the world ; add to this , that other friendships are parts of this , they are marriages too , less indeed than the other , because they cannot , must not be all that endearment which the other is ; yet that being the principal , is the measure of the rest , and are all to be honoured by like dignities , and measured by the same rules , and conducted by their portion of the same laws : but as friendships are marriages of the soul , and of fortunes and interests , and counsels ; so they are brotherhoods too ; and i often think of the excellencies of friendships in the words of david , who certainly was the best friend in the world [ ecce quam bonum & quam jucundum fratres habitare in unum : ] it is good and it is pleasant that brethren should live like friends , that is , they who are any ways relative , and who are any ways social and confederate should also dwell in unity and loving society , for that is the meaning of the word [ brother ] in scripture [ it was my brother jonathan ] said david ; such brothers contracting such friendships are the beauties of society , and the pleasure of life , and the festivity of minds : and whatsoever can be spoken of love , which is god's eldest daughter , can be said of vertuous friendships ; and though carneades made an eloquent oration at rome against justice , and yet never saw a panegyrick of malice , or ever read that any man was witty against friendship . indeed it is probable that some men , finding themselves by the peculiarities of friendship excluded from the participation of those beauties of society which enamel and adorn the wise and the vertuous , might suppose themselves to have reason to speak the evil words of envy and detraction ; i wonder not that all those unhappy souls which shall find heaven gates shut against them , will think they have reason to murmur and blaspheme : the similitude is apt enough , for that is the region of friendship , and love is the light of that glorious countrey , but so bright that it needs no sun : here we have fine and bright rayes of that celestial flame , and though to all mankind the light of it is in some measure to be extended , like the treasures of light dwelling in the south , yet a little do illustrate and beautifie the north , yet some live under the line , and the beams of friendship in that position are imminent and perpendicular . i know but one thing more in which the communications of friendship can be restrained ; and that is , in friends and enemies : amicus amici , amicus meus non est : my friends friend is not always my friend ; nor his enemy mine ; for if my friend quarrel with a third person with whom he hath had no friendships , upon the account of interest ; if that third person be my friend , the nobleness of our friendships despises such a quarrel ; and what may be reasonable in him , would be ignoble in me ; sometimes it may be otherwise , and friends may marry one anothers loves and hatreds , but it is by chance if it can be just , and therefore because it is not always right it cannot be ever necessary . in all things else , let friendships be as high and expressive till they become an union , or that friends like the molionidae be so the same that the flames of their dead bodies make but one pyramis ; no charity can be reproved ; and such friendships which are more than shadows , are nothing else but the rayes of that glorious grace drawn into one centre , and made more active by the union ; and the proper significations are well represented in the old hieroglyphick , by which the ancients depicted friendship : in the beauties and strength of a young man , bare-headed , rudely clothed , to signifie its activity , and lastingness , readiness of action , and aptnesses to do service ; upon the fringes of his garment was written mors & vita , as signifying that in life and death the friendship was the same ; on the forehead was written summer and winter , that is , prosperous and adverse accidents and states of life ; the left arm and shoulder was bare and naked down to the heart to which the finger pointed , and there was written longè & propè : by all which we know that friendship does good far and near : in summer and winter , in life and death , and knows no difference of state or accident but by the variety of her services : and therefore ask no more to what we can be obliged by friendship ; for it is every thing that can be honest and prudent , useful and necessary . for this is all the allay of this universality , we may do any thing or suffer any thing , that is wise or necessary , or greatly beneficial to my friend , and that in any thing , in which i am perfect master of my person and fortunes . but i would not in bravery visit my friend when he is sick of the plague , unless i can do him good equal at least to my danger , but i will procure him physicians and prayers , all the assistances that he can receive , and that he can desire , if they be in my power : and when he is dead , i will not run into his grave and be stifled with his earth ; but i will mourn for him , and perform his will , and take care of his relatives , and do for him as if he were alive , and i think that is the meaning of that hard saying of a greek poet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to me though distant let thy friendship fly , though men be mortal , friendships must not die , of all things else there 's great satiety . of such immortal abstracted pure friendships indeed there is no great plenty , and to see brothers hate each other , is not so rare as to see them love at this rate . the dead and the absent have but few friends , say the spaniards ; but they who are the same to their friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when he is in another countrey , or in another world , these are they who are fit to preserve the sacred fire for eternal sacrifices , and to perpetuate the memory of those exemplar friendships of the best men which have filled the world with history and wonder : for in no other sense but this , can it be true ; that friendships are pure loves ; regarding to do good more than to receive it : he that is a friend after death , hopes not for a recompense from his friend , and makes no bargain either for fame or love ; but is rewarded with the conscience and satisfaction of doing bravely : but then this is demonstration that they choose friends best who take persons so worthy that can and will do so : this is the profit and usefulness of friendship ; and he that contracts such a noble union , must take care that his friend be such who can and will ; but hopes that himself shall be first used , and put to act it : i will not have such a friendship that is good for nothing , but i hope that i shall be on the giving and assisting part ; and yet if both the friends be so noble , and hope and strive to do the benefit , i cannot well say which ought to yield ; and whether that friendship were braver that could be content to be unprosperous so his friend might have the glory of assisting him ; or that which desires to give assistances in the greatest measures of friendship : but he that chooses a worthy friend that himself in the days of sorrow and need might receive the advantage , hath no excuse , no pardon , unless himself be as certain to do assistances when evil fortune shall require them . the sum of this answer to this enquiry i give you in a pair of greek verses . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . friends are to friends as letter gods , while they honour and service to each other pay . but when a dark cloud comes , grudge not to lend thy head , thy heart , thy fortune to thy friend . . the last inquiry is , how friendships are to be conducted ? that is , what are the duties in presence and in absence ; whether the friend may not desire to enjoy his friend as well as his friendship ? the answer to which in a great measure depends upon what i have said already : and if friendship be a charity in society , and is not for contemplation and noise , but for material comforts and noble treatments and usages , this is no peradventure , but that if i buy land , i may eat the fruits , and if i take a house i may dwell in it ; and if i love a worthy person , i may please my self in his society : and in this there is no exception , unless the friendship be between persons of a different sex : for then not only the interest of their religion , and the care of their honour , but the worthiness of their friendship requires that their entercourse be prudent and free from suspicion and reproach : and if a friend is obliged to bear a calamity , so he secure the honour of his friend , it will concern him to conduct his entercourse in the lines of a vertuous prudence , so that he shall rather lose much of his own comfort , than she any thing of her honour ; and in this case the noises of people are so to be regarded , that next to innocence they are the principal . but when by caution and prudence and severe conduct , a friend hath done all that he or she can to secure fame and honourable reports ; after this , their noises are to be despised ; they must not fright us from our friendships , nor from her fairest entercourses ; i may lawfully pluck the clusters from my own vine , though he that walks by , calls me thief . but by the way ( madam ) you may see how much i differ from the morosity of those cynicks who would not admit your sex into the communities of a noble friendship . i believe some wives have been the best friends in the world ; and few stories can out do the nobleness and piety of that lady that suck'd the poysonous , purulent matter from the wound of our brave prince in the holy land , when an assasine had pierc'd him with a venom'd arrow ; and if it be told that women cannot retain counsel , and therefore can be no brave friends ; i can best confute them by the story of porcia , who being fearful of the weakness of her sex , stabb'd her self into the thigh to try how she could bear pain ; and finding her self constant enough to that sufferance , gently chid her brutus for not daring to trust her , since now she perceived that no torment could wrest that secret from her , which she hoped might be intrusted to her . if there were not more things to be said for your satisfaction , i could have made it disputable whether have been more illustrious in their friendships men or women ? i cannot say that women are capable of all those excellencies by which men can oblige the world ; and therefore a female friend in some cases is not so good a counsellor as a wise man , and cannot so well defend my honour ; nor dispose of reliefs and assistances if she be under the power of another : but a woman can love as passionately , and converse as pleasantly , and retain a secret as faithfully , and be useful in her proper ministeries ; and she can die for her friend as well as the bravest roman knight ; and we find that some persons have engag'd themselves as far as death upon a less interest than all this amounts to : such were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the greeks call them , the devoti of a prince or general , the assasines amongst the saracens , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the old galatians : they did as much as a friend could do ; and if the greatest services of a friend can be paid for by an ignoble price , we cannot grudge to vertuous and brave women that they be partners in a noble friendship , since their conversation and returns can add so many moments to the felicity of our lives ; and therefore , though a knife cannot enter as far as a sword , yet a knife may be more useful to some purposes ; and in every thing , except it be against an enemy . a man is the best friend in trouble , but a woman may be equal to him in the days of joy : a woman can as well increase our comforts , but cannot so well lessen our sorrows : and therefore we do not carry women with us when we go to fight ; but in peaceful cities and times , vertuous women are the beauties of society and the prettinesses of friendship . and when we consider that few persons in the world have all those excellencies by which friendship can be useful and illustrious , we may as well allow women as men to be friends ; since they can have all that which can be necessary and essential to friendships , and these cannot have all by which friendships can be accidentally improved ; in all some abatements will be made ; and we shall do too much honour to women if we reject them from friendships because they are not perfect : for if to friendships we admit imperfect men , because no man is perfect : he that rejects women does find fault with them because they are not more perfect than men , which either does secretly affirm that they ought and can be perfect , or else it openly accuses men of injustice and partiality . i hope you will pardon me that i am a little gone from my undertaking , i went aside to wait upon the women and to do countenance to their tender vertues : i am now return'd , and , if i were to do the office of a guide to uninstructed friends , would add the particulars following : madam , you need not read them now , but when any friends come to be taught by your precept and example how to converse in the noblest conjurations , you may put these into better words and tell them , . that the first law of friendship is , they must neither ask of their friend what is undecent ; nor grant it if themselves be askt . for it is no good office to make my friend more vicious or more a fool ; i will restrain his folly , but not nurse it ; i will not make my groom the officer of my lust and vanity . there are villains who sell their souls for bread , that offer sin and vanity at a price : i should be unwilling my friend should know i am vicious ; but if he could be brought to minister to it , he is not worthy to be my friend : and if i could offer it to him , i do not deserve to clasp hands with a vertuous person . . let no man chuse him for his friend whom it shall be possible for him ever after to hate , for though the society may justly be interrupted , yet love is an immortal thing , and i will never despise him whom i could once think worthy of my love . a friend that proves not good is rather to be suffered , than any enmities be entertained : and there are some outer offices of friendship and little drudgeries in which the less worthy are to be imployed , and it is better that he be below stairs than quite thrown out of doors . . there are two things which a friend can never pardon , a treacherous blow and the revealing of a secret , because these are against the nature of friendship ; they are the adulteries of it , and dissolve the union ; and in the matters of friendship which is the marriage of souls ; these are the proper causes of divorce : and therefore i shall add this only , that secrecy is the chastity of friendship , and the publication of it is a prostitution and direct debauchery ; but a secret , treacherous wound is a perfect and unpardonable apostasie . i remember a pretty apologue that bromiard tells , a fowler in a sharp frosty morning having taken many little birds for which he had long watched , began to take up his nets ; and nipping the birds on the head laid them down . a young thrush espying the tears trickling down his cheeks by reason of the extreme cold , said to her mother , that certainly the man was very merciful and compassionate that wept so bitterly over the calamity of the poor birds . but her mother told her more wisely , that she might better judge of the man's disposition by his hand than by his eye ; and if the hands do strike treacherously , he can never be admitted to friendship , who speaks fairly and weeps pitifully . friendship is the greatest honesty and ingenuity in the world. . never accuse thy friend , nor believe him that does ; if thou dost , thou hast broken the skin ; but he that is angry with every little fault breaks the bones of friendship ; and when we consider that in society and the accidents of every day , in which no man is constantly pleased or displeased with the same things ; we shall find reason to impute the change unto our selves ; and the emanations of the sun are still glorious , when our eyes are fore : and we have no reason to be angry with an eternal light , because we have a changeable and a mortal faculty . but however , do not think thou didst contract alliance with an angel , when thou didst take thy friend into thy bosom ; he may be weak as well as thou art , and thou mayest need pardon as well as he , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . theog . that man loves flattery more than friendship , who would not only have his friend , but all the contingencies of his friend to humour him . . give thy friend counsel wisely and charitably , but leave him to his liberty whether he will follow thee or no : and be not angry if thy counsel be rejected : for , advice is no empire , and he is not my friend that will be my judge whether i will or no. neoptolemus had never been honoured with the victory and spoils of troy if he had attended to the tears and counsel of lycomedes , who being afraid to venture the young man , fain would have had him sleep at home safe in his little island . he that gives advice to his friend and exacts obedience to it , does not the kindness and ingenuity of a friend , but the office and pertness of a school-master . . never be a judge between thy friends in any matter where both set their hearts upon the victory : if strangers or enemies be litigants , what ever side thou favourest , thou gettest a friend , but when friends are the parties thou losest one . . never comport thy self so , as that thy friend can be afraid of thee : for then the state of the relation alters when a new and troublesome passion supervenes . odervnt quos metvvnt . perfect love casteth out fear , and no man is friend to a tyrant ; but that friendship is tyranny where the love is changed into fear , equality into empire , society into obedience ; for then all my kindness to him also will be no better than flattery . . when you admonish your friend , let it be without bitterness ; when you chide him , let it be without reproach ; when you praise him , let it be with worthy purposes and for just causes , and in friendly measures ; too much of that is flattery , too little is envy ; if you do it justly , you teach him true measures : but when others praise him , rejoyce , though they praise not thee , and remember that if thou esteemest his praise to be thy disparagement , thou art envious , but neither just nor kind . . when all things else are equal prefer an old friend before a new . if thou meanest to spend thy friend , and make a gain of him till he be weary , thou wilt esteem him as a beast of burden , the worse for his age ; but if thou esteemest him by noble measures , he will be better to thee by thy being used to him , by trial and experience , by reciprocation of indearments , and an habitual worthiness . an old friend is like old wine , which when a man hath drunk , he doth not desire new , because he saith the old is better . but every old friend was new once ; and if he be worthy keep the new one till he become old . . after all this , treat thy friend nobly , love to be with him , do to him all the worthinesses of love and fair endearment , according to thy capacity and his ; bear with his infirmities till they approach towards being criminal ; but never dissemble with him , never despise him , never leave him . * give him gifts and upbraid him not , ‖ and refuse not his kindnesses , and be sure never to despise the smalness or the impropriety of them . confirmatur amor beneficio accepto : a gift ( saith solomon ) fasteneth friendships ; for as an eye that dwells long upon a star must be refreshed with lesser beauties and strengthened with greens and looking-glasses , lest the sight become amazed with too great a splendor ; so must the love of friends sometimes be refreshed with material and low caresses ; lest by striving to be too divine it become less humane : it must be allowed its share of both : it is humane in giving pardon and fair construction , and openness and ingenuity , and keeping secrets ; it hath something that is divine , because it is beneficent ; but much because it is eternal . the end . five letters more , to persons changed , and tempted to a change in their religion . by the same author . the i. letter . a copy of the first letter written to a gentlewoman newly seduced to the church of rome . m. b. i was desirous of an opportunity in london to have discoursed with you concerning something of nearest concernment to you , but the multitude of my little affairs hindred me , and have brought upon you this trouble to read a long letter , which yet i hope you will be more willing to do , because it comes from one who hath a great respect to your person , and a very great charity to your soul : i must confess i was on your behalf troubled when i heard you were fallen from the communion of the church of england , and entred into a voluntary , unnecessary schism , and departure from the laws of the king , and the communion of those with whom you have always lived in charity , going against those laws in the defence and profession of which your husband died , going from the religion in which you were baptized , in which for so many years , you lived piously and hoped for heaven , and all this without any sufficient reason , without necessity or just scandal ministred to you ; and to aggravate all this , you did it in a time when the church of england was persecuted , when she was marked with the characterisms of her lord , the marks of the cross of jesus , that is , when she suffered for a holy cause and a holy conscience , when the church of england was more glorious than at any time before ; even when she could shew more martyrs and confessors than any church this day in christendom , even then when a king died in the profession of her religion , and thousands of priests , learned and pious men suffered the spoiling of their goods rather than they would forsake one article of so excellent a religion ; so that seriously it is not easily to be imagined that any thing should move you , unless it be that which troubled the perverse jews , and the heathen greek , scandalum crucis , the scandal of the cross ; you stumbled at that rock of offence , you left us because we were afflicted , lessened in outward circumstances and wrapped in a cloud ; but give me leave only to remind you of that sad saying of the scripture , that you may avoid the consequent of it ; they that fall on this stone shall be broken in pieces , but they on whom it shall fall shall be grinded to powder . and if we should consider things but prudently , it is a great argument that the sons of our church are very conscientious and just in their perswasions , when it is evident , that we have no temporal end to serve , nothing but the great end of our souls , all our hopes of preferment are gone , all secular regards , only we still have truth on our sides , and we are not willing with the loss of truth to change from a persecuted to a prosperous church , from a reformed to a church that will not be reformed ; lest we give scandal to good people that suffer for a holy conscience , and weaken the hands of the afflicted ; of which if you had been more careful , you would have remained much more innocent . but i pray , give me leave to consider for you , because you in your change considered so little for your self , what fault , what false doctrine , what wicked and dangerous proposition , what defect , what amiss did you find in the doctrine and liturgy and discipline of the church of england ? for its doctrine , it is certain it professes the belief of all that is written in the old and new testament , all that which is in the three creeds , the apostolical , the nicene , and that of athanasius , and whatsoever was decreed in the four general councils , or in any other truly such , and whatsoever was condemned in these , our church hath legally declared it to be heresie . and upon these accounts above four whole ages of the church went to heaven ; they baptized all their catechumens into this faith , their hopes of heaven was upon this and a good life , their saints and martyrs lived and died in this alone , they denied communion to none that professed this faith . this is the catholick faith , so saith the creed of athanasius ; and unless a company of men have power to alter the faith of god , whosoever live and die in this faith , are intirely catholick and christian. so that the church of england hath the same faith without dispute that the church had for . or . years , and therefore there could be nothing wanting here to saving faith , if we live according to our belief . . for the liturgy of the church of england , i shall not need to say much , because the case will be very evident ; first , because the disputers of the church of rome have not been very forward to object any thing against it , they cannot charge it with any evil : . because for all the time of king edw. . and till the eleventh year of queen elizabeth , your people came to our churches and prayed with us , till the bull of pius quintus came out upon temporal regards , and made a schism by forbidding the queens subjects to pray as by law was here appointed , though the prayers were good and holy , as themselves did believe . that bull enjoyned recusancy , and made that which was an act of rebellion , and disobedience , and schism , to be the character of your roman catholicks . and after this , what can be supposed wanting in order to salvation ? we have the word of god , the faith of the apostles , the creeds of the primitive church , the articles of the four first general councils , a holy liturgy , excellent prayers , perfect sacraments , faith and repentance , the ten commandments , and the sermons of christ , and all the precepts and counsels of the gospel ; we teach the necessity of good works , and require and strictly exact the severity of a holy life ; we live in obedience to god , and are ready to die for him , and do so when he requires us so to do ; we speak honourably of his most holy name , we worship him at the mention of his name , we confess his attributes , we love his servants , we pray for all men , we love all christians , even our most erring brethren , we confess our sins to god and to our brethren whom we have offended , and to god's ministers in cases of scandal , or of a troubled conscience . we communicate often , we are enjoyned to receive the holy sacrament thrice every year at least ; our priests absolve the penitent , our bishops ordain priests , and confirm baptized persons , and bless their people and intercede for them ; and what could here be wanting to salvation ? what necessity forced you from us ? i dare not suspect it was a temporal regard that drew you away , but i am sure it could be no spiritual . but now that i have told you , and made you to consider from whence yon went , give me leave to represent to you , and tell you whither you are gone , that you may understand the nature and conditions of your change : for do not think your self safe , because they tell you that you are come to the church ; you are indeed gone from one church to another , from a better to a worse , as will appear in the induction ; the particulars of which before i reckon , give me leave to give you this advice ; if you mean in this affair to understand what you do ; it were better you enquired what your religion is , than what your church is ; for that which is a true religion to day , will be so to morrow and for ever ; but that which is a holy church to day , may be heretical at the next change , or may betray her trust , or obtrude new articles in contradiction to the old , or by new interpretations may elude ancient truths , or may change your creed , or may pretend to be the spouse of christ when she is idolatrous , that is , adulterous to god : your religion is that which you must , and therefore may competently understand ; you must live in it ; and grow in it , and govern all the actions of your life by it ; and in all questions concerning the church , you are to choose your church by the religion , and therefore this ought first and last to be enquired after . whether the roman church be the catholick church , must depend upon so many uncertain enquiries , is offered to be proved by so long , so tedious a method , hath in it so many intrigues and labyrinths of question , and is ( like a long line ) so impossible to be perfectly straight , and to have no declination in it when it is held by such a hand as yours , that unless it be by material enquiries into the articles of the religion , you can never hope to have just grounds of confidence . in the mean time you can consider this ; if the roman church were the catholick , that is , so as to exclude all that are not of her communion , then the greek churches had as good turn turks as remain damned christians , and all that are in the communion of all the other patriarchal churches in christendom , must also perish like heathens , which thing before any man can believe , he must have put off all reason , and all modesty , and all charity ; and who can with any probability think that the communion of saints in the creed is nothing but the communion of roman subjets , and the article of the catholick church was made up to dispark the inclosures of jerusalem , but to turn them into the pale of rome , and the church is as limited as ever it was , save only that the synagogue is translated to rome , which i think you will easily believe was a proposition the apostles understood not . but though it be hard to trust to it , it is also so hard to prove it , that you shall be able to understand the measures of that question and therefore your salvation can never depend upon it . for no good or wise person can believe that god hath tied our salvation to impossible measures , or bound us to an article that is not by us cognoscible , or intends to have us conducted by that which we cannot understand ; and when you shall know that learned men , even of the roman party are not agreed concerning the catholick church that is infallibly to guide you , some saying that it is the virtual church , that is , the pope ; some , that it is the representative church , that is , a council ; some , that it is the pope and the council , the virtual church and the representative church together ; some that neither of these , nor both together are infallible ; but only , the essential church , or the diffusive church is the catholick , from whom we must at no hand dissent ; you will quickly find your self in a wood , and uncertain whether you have more than a word in exchange for your soul , when you are told you are in the catholick church . but i will tell you what you may understand , and see and feel , something that your self can tell whether i say true or no concerning it . you are now gone to a church that protects it self by arts of subtilty and arms , by violence and persecuting all that are not of their minds , to a church in which you are to be a subject of the king so long as it pleases the pope : in which you may be absolved from your vows made to god , your oaths to the king , your promises to men , your duty to your parents in some cases : a church in which men pray to god , and to saints in the same form of words in which they pray to god , as you may see in the offices of saints , and particularly of our lady : a church in which men are taught by most of the principal leaders to worship images with the same worship with which they worship god and christ , or him or her whose image it is , and in which they usually picture god the father , and the holy trinity , to the great dishonour of that sacred mystery , against the doctrine and practice of the primitive church , against the express doctrine of scripture , against the honour of a divine attribute ; i mean , the immensity and spirituality of the divine nature ; you are gone to a church that pretends to be infallible , and yet is infinitely deceived in many particulars , and yet endures no contradiction , and is impatient her children , should enquire into any thing her priests obtrude . you are gone from receiving the whole sacrament to receive it but half ; from christ's institution to a humane invention , from scripture to uncertain traditions , and from ancient traditions to new pretences , from prayers which ye understood to prayers which ye understand not , from confidence in god to rely upon creatures , from intire dependence upon inward acts to a dangerous temptation of resting too much in outward ministeries , in the external work of sacraments and of sacramentals : you are gone from a church whose worshipping is simple , christian and apostolical , to a church where mens consciences are loaden with a burden of ceremonies greater than that in the days of the jewish religion ( for the ceremonial of the church of rome is a great book in folio ) greater i say than all the ceremonies of the jews contained in leviticus , &c. you are gone from a church where you were exhorted to read the word of god , the holy scriptures from whence you found instruction , institution , comfort , reproof , a treasure of all excellencies , to a church that seals up that fountain from you , and gives you drink by drops out of such cisterns as they first make , and then stain , and then reach out : and if it be told you that some men abuse scripture , it is true , for if your priests had not abused scripture , they could not thus have abused you , but there is no necessity they should , and you need not , unless you list ; any more than you need to abuse the sacraments or decrees of the church , or the messages of your friend , or the letters you receive , or the laws of the land , all which are liable to be abused by evil persons , but not by good people and modest understandings . it is now become a part of your religion to be ignorant , to walk in blindness , to believe the man that hears your confessions , to hear none but him , not to hear god speaking but by him , and so you are liable to be abused by him , as he please , without remedy . you are gone from us , where you were only taught to worship god through jesus christ , and now you are taught to worship saints and angels with a worship at least dangerous , and in some things proper to god ; for your church worships the virgin mary with burning incense and candles to her , and you give her presents , which by the consent of all nations used to be esteemed a worship peculiar to god , and it is the same thing which was condemned for heresie in the collyridians , who offered a cake to the virgin mary ; a candle and a cake make no difference in the worship ; and your joyning god and the saints in your worship and devotions , is like the device of them that fought for king and parliament , the latter destroys the former . i will trouble you with no more particulars , because if these move you not to consider better , nothing can . but yet i have two things more to add of another nature , one of which at least may prevail upon you , whom i suppose to have a tender and a religious conscience . the first is , that all the points of difference between us and your church are such as do evidently serve the ends of covetousness and ambition , of power and riches , and so stand vehemently suspected of design , and art , rather than truth of the article and designs upon heaven . i instance in the pope's power over princes and all the world ; his power of dispensation , the exemption of the clergy from jurisdiction of princes , the doctrine of purgatory and indulgences which was once made means to raise a portion for a lady , the neece of pope leo the tenth ; the priests power advanced beyond authority of any warrant from scripture , a doctrine apt to bring absolute obedience to the papacy ; but because this is possibly too nice for you to suspect or consider , that which i am sure ought to move you is this . that you are gone to a religion in which though through god's grace prevailing over the follies of men , there are i hope , and charitably suppose many pious men that love god , and live good lives , yet there are very many doctrines taught by your men , which are very ill friends to a good life . i instance in your indulgences and pardons , in which vitious men put a great confidence , and rely greatly upon them . the doctrine of purgatory which gives countenance to a sort of christians who live half to god and half to the world , and for them this doctrine hath found out a way that they may go to hell and to heaven too . the doctrine that the priests absolution can turn a trifling repentance into a perfect and a good , and that suddenly too , and at any time , even on our death-bed , or the minute before your death , is a dangerous heap of falshoods , and gives licence to wicked people , and teaches men to reconcile a wicked debauched life , with the hopes of heaven . and then for penances and temporal satisfaction , which might seem to be as a plank after the shipwrack of the duty of repentance , to keep men in awe , and to preserve them from sinking in an ocean of impiety , it comes to just nothing by your doctrine ; for there are so many easie ways of indulgences and getting pardons , so many con-fraternities , stations , priviledg'd altars , little offices , agnus dei's , amulets , hallowed devices , swords , roses , hats , church-yards , and the fountain of these annexed indulgences the pope himself , and his power of granting what , and when , and to whom he list , that he is a very unfortunate man that needs to smart with penances ; and after all , he may choose to suffer any at all , for he may pay them in purgatory if he please , and he may come out of purgatory upon reasonable terms , in case he should think it fit to go thither ; so that all the whole duty of repentance seems to be destroyed with devices of men that seek power and gain , and find errour and folly ; insomuch that if i had a mind to live an evil life , and yet hope for heaven at last , i would be of your religion above any in the world. but i forget i am writing a letter : i shall therefore desire you to consider upon the premises , which is the safer way . for surely it is lawful for a man to serve god without images ; but that to worship images is lawful , is not so sure . it is lawful to pray to god alone , to confess him to be true , and every man a liar , to call no man master upon earth , but to rely upon god teaching us ; but it is at least hugely disputable and not at all certain that any man , or society of men can be infallible , that we may put our trust in saints , in certain extraordinary images , or burn incense and offer consumptive oblations to the virgin mary , or make vows to persons , of whose state , or place , or capacities , or condition we have no certain revelation : we are sure we do well when in the holy communion we worship god and jesus christ our saviour , but they who also worship what seems to be bread , are put to strange shifts to make themselves believe it to be lawful . it is certainly lawful to believe what we see and feel ; but it is an unnatural thing upon pretence of faith to disbelieve our eyes , when our sense and our faith can better be reconciled , as it is in the question of the real presence , as it is taught by the church of england . so that unless you mean to prefer a danger before safety , temptation to unholiness before a severe and a holy religion , unless you mean to lose the benefit of your prayers by praying what you perceive not , and the benefit of the sacrament in great degrees by falling from christ's institution , and taking half instead of all ; unless you desire to provoke god to jealousie by images , and man to jealousie in professing a religion in which you may in many cases have leave to forfeit your faith and lawful trust , unless you will still continue to give scandal to those good people with whom you have lived in a common religion , and weaken the hearts of gods afflicted ones , unless you will choose a catechism without the second commandment , and a faith that grows bigger or less as men please , and a hope that in many degrees relyes on men and vain confidences , and a charity that damns all the world but your selves ; unless you will do all this , that is , suffer an abuse in your prayers , in the sacrament , in the commandments , in faith , in hope , in charity , in the communion of saints , and your duty to your supreme , you must return to the bosom of your mother the church of england from whence you have fallen , rather weakly than maliciously , and i doubt not but you will find the comfort of it all your life , and in the day of your death , and in the day of judgment . if you will not , yet i have freed mine own soul , and done an act of duty and charity , which at least you are bound to take kindly if you will not entertain it obediently . now let me add this , that although most of these objections are such things which are the open and avowed doctrines or practices of your church , and need not to be proved as being either notorious or confessed ; yet if any of your guides shall seem to question any thing of it , i will bind my self to verifie it to a tittle , and in that too which i intend them , that is , so as to be an objection obliging you to return , under the pain of folly or heresie , or disobedience , according to the subject matter . and though i have propounded these things now to your consideration , yet if it be desired i shall represent them to your eye , so that even your self shall be able to give sentence in the behalf of truth . in the mean time give me leave to tell you of how much folly you are guilty in being moved by such mock-arguments as your men use when they meet with women and tender consciences and weaker understanding . the first is ; where was your church before luther ? now if you had called upon them to speak something against your religion from scripture , or right reason , or universal tradition , you had been secure as a tortoise in her shell ; a cart pressed with sheaves could not have oppressed your cause or person , though you had confessed you understood nothing of the mysteries of succession doctrinal or personal . for if we can make it appear that our religion was that which christ and his apostles taught , let the truth suffer what eclipses or prejudices can be supposed , let it be hid like the holy fire in the captivity , yet what christ and his apostles taught us is eternally true , and shall by some means or other be conveyed to us ; even the enemies of truth have been conservators of that truth by which we can confute their errors . but if you still ask where it was before luther ? i answer it was there where it was after ; even in the scriptures of the old and new testament ; and i know no warrant for any other religion ; and if you will expect i should shew any society of men who professed all the doctrines which are now expressed in the confession of the church of england ; i shall tell you it is unreasonable ; because some of our truths are now brought into our publick confessions that they might be oppos'd against your errors ; before the occasion of which there was no need of any such confessions , till you made many things necessary to be professed , which are not lawful to be believed . for if we believe your superinduc'd follies , we shall do unreasonably , unconscionably , and wickedly ; but the questions themselves are so useless abstracting from the accidental necessity which your follies have brought upon us , that it had been happy if we had never heard of them more than the saints and martyrs did in the first ages of the church ; but because your clergy have invaded the liberty of the church , and multiplied the dangers of damnation , and pretend new necessities , and have introduc'd new articles , and affright the simple upon new pretensions , and slight the very institution and the commands of christ and of the apostles , and invent new sacramentals constituting ceremonies of their own head , and promise grace along with the use of them , as if they were not ministers but lords of the spirit , and teach for doctrines the commandments of men , and make void the commandment of god by their tradition , and have made a strange body of divinity ; therefore it is necessary that we should immure our faith by the refusal of such vain and superstitious dreams : but our faith was completed at first , it is no other than that which was delivered to the saints , and can be no more for ever . so that it is a foolish demand to require that we should shew before luther a systeme of articles declaring our sense in these questions : it was long before they were questions at all ; and when they were made questions , they remained so , a long time ; and when by their several pieces they were determined , this part of the church was oppressed with a violent power ; and when god gave opportunity , then the yoke was broken ; and this is the whole progress of this affair . but if you will still insist upon it , then let the matter be put into equal ballances , and let them shew any church whose confession of faith was such as was obtruded upon you at trent : and if your religion be pius quartus his creed at trent , then we also have a question to ask , and that is where was your religion before trent ? the council of trent determined that the souls departed before the day of judgment enjoy the beatifical vison . it is certain this article could not be shewn in the confession of any of the ancient churches ; for most of the fathers were of another opinion . but that which is the greatest offence of christendom is not only that these doctrines which we say are false were yet affirmed , but that those things which the church of god did always reject , or held as uncertain , should be made articles of faith , and so become parts of your religion ; and of these it is that i again ask the question which none of your side shall ever be able to answer for you : where was your religion before trent ? i could instance in many particulars ; but i shall name one to you , which because the thing of it self is of no great consequence , it will appear the more unreasonable and intolerable that your church should adopt it into the things of necessary belief , especially since it was only a matter of fact , and they took the false part too . for in the . sess. chap. . it is affirmed , that although the holy fathers did give the sacrament of the eucharist to infants , yet they did it without any necessity of salvation ; that is , they did not believe it necessary to their salvation , which is notoriously false , and the contrary is marked out with the black-lead of every man almost that reads their works ; and yet your council says this is fine controversiâ credendum ; to be believed without all controversie : and all christians forbidden to believe or teach otherwise . so that here it is made an article of faith amongst you , that a man shall neither believe his reason nor his eyes : and who can shew any confession of faith in which all the trent doctrine was professed and enjoyned under pain of damnation ? and before the council of constance , the doctrine touching the popes power was so new , so decried , that as gerson says he hardly should have escaped the note of heresie that would have said so much as was there defined : so that in that article which now makes a great part of your belief , where was your religion before the council of constance ? and it is notorious that your council of constance determined the doctrine of the half-communion with a non obstante to christ's institution , that is , with a defiance to it , or a noted , observed neglect of it , and with a profession it was otherwise in the primitive church . where then was your religion before john hus and hierom of prague's time , against whom that council was convened ? but by this instance it appears most certainly that your church cannot shew her confessions immediately after christ , and therefore if we could not shew ours immediately before luther , it were not half so much ; for since you receded from christ's doctrine we might well recede from yours ; and it matters not who or how many or how long they professed your doctrine , if neither christ nor his apostles did teach it : so that if these articles constitute your church , your church was invisible at the first , and if ours was invisible afterwards , it matters not ; for yours was invisible in the days of light , and ours was invisible in the days of darkness . for our church was always visible in the reflections of scripture , and he that had his eyes of faith and reason might easily have seen these truths all the way which constitute our church . but i add yet farther , that our church before luther was there where your church was , in the same place and in the same persons ; for divers of the errors which have been amongst us reformed , were not the constituent articles of your church before luther's time ; for before the last councils of your church a man might have been of your communion upon easier terms ; and indulgences were indeed a practice , but no article of faith before your men made it so , and that very lately , and so were many other things besides . so that although your men cozen the credulous and the simple by calling yours the old religion , yet the difference is vast between truth and their affirmative , even as much as between old errors and new articles . for although ignorance and superstition had prepared the ore , yet the councils of constance and basil , and trent especially , were the sorges and the mint . lastly , if your men had not by all the vile and violent arts of the world stopped the mouths of dissenters , the question would quickly have been answered , or our articles would have been so confessed , so owned and so publick , that the question could never have been asked ; but in despite of all opposition , there were great numbers of professors who did protest and profess and practise our doctrines contrary to your articles ; as it is demonstrated by the divines of germany in illyricus his catalogus testium veritatis , and in bishop mortons appeal . but with your next objection you are better pleased , and your men make most noise with it . for you pretend that by our confession salvation may be had in your church ; but your men deny it to us ; and therefore by the confession of both sides you may be safe , and there is no question concerning you ; but of us there is great question , for none but our selves say that we can be saved . i answer , . that salvation may be had in your church , is it ever the truer because we say it ? if it be not , it can add no confidence to you , for the proposition gets no strength by your affirmative . but if it be , then our authority is good or else our reason ; and if either be , then we have more reason to be believed speaking of our selves ; because we are concerned to see that our selves may be in a state of hope ; and therefore we would not venture on this side if we had not greater reason to believe well of our selves than of you . and therefore believe us when it is more likely that we have greater reason , because we have greater concernments , and therefore greater considerations . . as much charity as your men pretend us to speak of you , yet it is a clear case our hope of your salvation is so little that we dare not venture our selves on your side . the burger of oldwater being to pass a river in his journey to daventry , had his man try the ford ; telling him he hoped he should not be drowned , for though he was afraid the river was too deep , yet he thought his horse would carry him out , or at least , the boats would fetch him off . such a confidence we may have of you , but you will find that but little warranty , if you remember how great an interest it is that you venture . . it would be remembred that though the best ground of your hope is not the goodness of your own faith , but the greatness of our charity ; yet we that charitably hope well of you , have a fulness of assurance of the truth and certainty of our own way ; and however you can please your selves with images of things as having no firm footing for your trifling confidence , yet you can never with your tricks out face us of just and firm adherencies ; and if you were not empty of supports , and greedy of bulrushes , snatching at any thing to support your sinking cause , you would with fear and trembling consider the direct dangers which we demonstrate to you to be in your religion rather than flatter your selves with collateral , weak , and deceitful hopes of accidental possibilities , that some of you may escape . . if we be more charitable to you than you are to us , acknowledge in us the beauty and essential form of christian religion ; be sure you love as well as make use of our charity ; but if you make our charity an argument against us , remember that you render us evil in exchange for good ; and let it be no brag to you that you have not that charity to us ; for therefore the donatists were condemned for hereticks and schismaticks because they damn'd all the world , and afforded no charity to any that was not of their communion . . but that our charity may be such indeed , that is , that it may do you a real benefit , and not turn into wormwood and colloquintida , i pray take notice in what sense it is that we allow salvation may possibly be had in your church . we warrant it not to any , we only hope it for some , we allow it to them as to the sadducees in the law , and to the corinthians in the gospel who denied the resurrection ; that is , till they were sufficiently instructed , and competently convinced , and had time and powers to out-wear their prejudices and the impresses of their education and long perswasion . but to them amongst you who can and do consider and yet determine for error and interest , we have a greater charity , even so much as to labour and pray for their conversion , but not so much fondness as to flatter them into boldness and pertinacious adherencies to matters of so great danger . . but in all this afrair , though your men are very bold with god and leap into his judgment-seat before him , and give wild sentences concerning the salvation of your own party and the damnation of all that disagree , yet that which is our charity to you , is indeed the fear of god , and the reverence of his judgments ; we do not say that all papists are certainly damn'd ; we wish and desire vehemently that none of you may perish ; but then this charity of judgment relates not to you , nor is derived from any probability which we see in your doctrines that differ from ours ; but because we know not what rate and value god puts upon the article ; it concerns neither you nor us to say , this or that man shall be damn'd for his opinion ; for besides that this is a bold intrusion into that secret of god which shall not be opened till the day of judgment , and besides that we know not what allays and abatements are to be made by the good meaning and the ignorance of the man ; all that can concern us is to tell you that you are in error , that you depart from scripture , that you exercise tyranny over souls , that you leave the divine institution , and prevaricate gods commandment , that you divide the church without truth and without necessity , that you tie men to believe things under pain of damnation which cannot be made very probable , much less certain ; and therefore that you sin against god and are in danger of his eternal displeasure ; but in giving the final sentence as we have no more to do than your men have , yet so we refuse to follow your evil example ; and we follow the glorious precedent of our blessed lord ; who decreed and declared against the crime , but not against the criminal before the day . he that does this , or that , is in danger of the council , or in danger of judgment , or liable and obnoxious to the danger of hell fire ; so we say of your greatest errors ; they put you in the danger of perishing ; but that you shall or shall not perish , we leave it to your judge ; and if you call this charity , it is well , i am sure it is piety and the fear of god. . whether you may be saved , or whether you shall be damned for your errors , does neither depend upon our affirmative nor your negative , but according to the rate and value which god sets upon things . whatever we talk , things are as they are , not as we dispute , or grant , or hope ; and therefore it were well if your men would leave abusing you and themselves with these little arts of indirect support . for many men that are warranted , yet do eternally perish , and you in your church damn millions who i doubt not shall reign with jesus eternally in the heavens . . i wish you would consider , that if any of our men say salvation may be had in your church , it is not for the goodness of your new propositions , but only because you do keep so much of that which is our religion , that upon the confidence of that we hope well concerning you . and we do not hope any thing at all that is good of you or your religion as it distinguishes from us and ours : we hope that the good which you have common with us may obtain pardon directly or indirectly , or may be an antidote of the venome , and an amulet against the danger of your very great errors , so that if you can derive any confidence from our concession , you must remember where it takes root ; not upon any thing of yours , but wholly upon the excellency of ours ; you are not at all safe , or warranted for being papists , but we hope well of some of you , for having so much of the protestant : and if that will do you any good , proceed in it , and follow it whithersoever it leads you . . the safety that you dream of which we say to be on your side , is nothing of allowance or warranty , but a hope that is collateral , indirect and relative ; we do not say any thing whereby you can conclude yours to be safer than ours , for it is not safe at all , but extremely dangerous ; we affirm those errors in themselves to be damnable , some to contain in them impiety , some to have sacriledge , some idolatry , some superstition , some practices to be conjuring and charming and very like to witchcraft , as in your hallowing of water , and baptizing bells , and exorcizing demoniacks ; and what safety there can be in these , or what you can fancy we should allow to you , i suppose you need not boast of . now because we hope some are saved amongst you , you must not conclude yours to be safe ; for our hope relies upon this . there are many of your propositions in which we differ from you , that thousands amongst you understand and know nothing of , it is to them as if they were not , it is to them now as it was before the council , they hear not of it . and though your priests have taken a course that the most ignorant do practise some of your abominations most grosly , yet we hope this will not be laid upon them who ( as s. austin's expression is ) cautâ sollicitudine quaerunt veritatem , corrigi parati cùm invenerint : do according as they are able warily and diligently seek for truth , and are ready to follow it when they find it ; men who live good lives , and repent of all their evils known and unknown . now if we are not deceived in our hopes , these men shall rejoyce in the eternal goodness of god , which prevails over the malice of them that misguide you ; but if we be deceived in our hopes of you , your guides have abus'd you , and the blind leaders of the blind will fall together . for , . if you will have the secret of this whole affair , this it is . the hopes we have of any of you , ( as it is known ) principally relies upon the hopes of your repentance . now we say that a man may repent of an error which he knows not of ; as he that prays heartily for the pardon of all his sins and errors known and unknown ; by his general repentance may obtain many degrees and instances of mercy . now thus much also your men allow to us ; those who live well , and die in a true though but general repentance of their sins and errors even amongst us , your best and wisest men pronounce to be in a favable condition . here then we are equal , and we are as safe by your confession as you are by ours . but because there are some bigots of your faction fierce and fiery who say that a general repentance will not serve our turns , but it must be a particular renunciation of protestancy ; these men deny not only to us but to themselves too , all that comfort which they derive from our concession , and indeed which they can hope for from the mercies of god. for be you sure we think as ill of your errors as you can suppose of our articles ; and therefore if for errors ( be they on which side it chances ) a general repentance will not serve the turn without an actual dereliction , then flatter not your selves by any thing of our kindness to your party ; for you must have a particular if a general be not sufficient . but if it be sufficient for you , it is so for us , in case we be in error as your men suppose us ; but if it will not suffice us for remedy to those errors you charge us with , neither will it suffice you ; for the case must needs be equal as to the value of repentance and malignity of the error : and therefore these men condemn themselves and will not allow us to hope well of them ; but if they will allow us to hope , it must be by affirming the value of a general repentance ; and if they allow that , they must hope as well of ours as we of theirs : but if they deny it to us , they deny it to themselves , and then they can no more brag of any thing of our concession . this only i add to this consideration ; that your men do not , cannot charge upon us any doctrine that is in its matter and effect impious ; there is nothing positive in our doctrine , but is either true or innocent , but we are accus'd for denying your superstructures : ours therefore ( if we be deceived ) is but like a sin of omission ; yours are sins of commission in case you are in the wrong ( as we believe you to be ) and therefore you must needs be in a greater danger than we can be supposed , by how much sins of omission are less than sins of commission . . your very way of arguing from our charity is a very fallacy and a trick that must needs deceive you if you rely upon it . for whereas your men argue thus : the protestants say we papists may be saved ; and so say we too : but we papists say that you protestants cannot , therefore it is safest to be a papist ; consider that of this argument if it shall be accepted , any bold heretick can make use , against any modest christian of a true perswasion . for , if he can but out-face the modesty of the good man , and tell him he shall be damn'd ; unless that modest man say as much of him , you see impudence shall get the better of the day . but it is thus in every error . fifteen bishops of jerusalem in immediate succession were circumcised , believing it to be necessary so to be : with these other christian churches who were of the uncircumcision did communicate : suppose now that these bishops had not only thought it necessary for themselves but for others too ; this argument you see was ready : you of the uncircumcision who do communicate with us , think that we may be saved though we are circumcised , but we do not think that you who are not circumcised can be saved , therefore it is the safest way to be circumcised : i suppose you would not have thought their argument good , neither would you have had your children circumcised . but this argument may serve the presbyterians as well as the papists . we are indeed very kind to them in our sentences concerning their salvation ; and they are many of them as unkind to us ; if they should argue so as you do , and say , you episcopal men think we presbyterians though in errors can be saved , and we say so too : but we think you episcopal men are enemies of the kingdom of jesus christ ; and therefore we think you in a damnable condition , therefore it is safer to be a presbyterian : i know not what your men would think of the argument in their hands , i am sure we had reason to complain that we are used very ill on both hands for no other cause but because we are charitable . but it is not our case alone ; but the old catholicks were used just so by the donatists in this very argument , as we are used by your men . the donatists were so fierce against the catholicks , that they would re-baptize all them who came to their churches from the other : but the catholicks , as knowing the donatists did give right baptism , admitted their converts to repentance , but did not re-baptize them . upon this score , the donatists triumphed , saying , you catholicks confess our baptism to be good , and so say we : but we donatists deny your baptism to be good ; therefore it is safer to be of our side than yours . now what should the catholicks say or do ? should they lie for god and for religion , and to serve the ends of truth say the donatists baptism was not good ? that they ought not . should they damn all the donatists , and make the rent wider ? it was too great already . what then ? they were quiet , and knew that the donatists sought advantages by their own fierceness , and trampled upon the others charity ; but so they hardned themselves in error , and became evil , because the others were good . i shall trouble you no further now , but desire you to consider of these things with as much caution , as they were written with charity . till i hear from you , i shall pray to god to open your heart and your understanding , that you may return from whence you are fallen , and repent , and do your first work , which that you may do , is the hearty desire of your very affectionate friend and servant , jer . taylor . the ii. letter . written to a person newly converted to the church of england . madam , i bless god i am safely arrived where i desired to be after my unwilling departure from the place of your abode and danger : and now because i can have no other expression of my tenderness , i account that i have a treble obligation to signifie it by my care of your biggest and eternal interest . and because it hath pleased god to make me an instrument of making you to understand in some fair measure the excellencies of a true and holy religion , and that i have pointed out such follies and errors in the roman church , at which your understanding being forward and pregnant , did of it self start as at imperfect ill-looking propositions , give me leave to do that now which is the purpose of my charity , that is , teach you to turn this to the advantage of a holy life , that you may not only be changed but converted . for the church of england whither you are now come is not in condition to boast her self in the reputation of changing the opinion of a single person , though never so excellent ; she hath no temporal ends to serve which must stand upon fame and noises ; all that she can design , is to serve god , to advance the honour of the lord , and the good of souls , and to rejoyce in the cross of christ. first , therefore i desire you to remember that as now you are taught to pray both publickly and privately , in a language understood , so it is intended your affections should be forward , in proportion to the advantages which your prayer hath in the understanding part . for though you have been often told and have heard , that ignorance is the mother of devotion , you will find that the proposition is unnatural and against common sense and experience ; because it is impossible to desire that of which we know nothing , unless the desire it self be fantastical and illusive : it is necessary that in the same proportion in which we understand any good thing , in the same we shall also desire it , and the more particular and minute your notices are , the more passionate and material also your affections will be towards it ; and if they be good things for which we are taught to pray , the more you know them the more reason you have to love them ; it is monstrous to think that devotion , that is , passionate desires of religious things , and the earnest prosecutions of them should be produced by any thing of ignorance or less perfect notices in any sense . since therefore you are taught to pray , so that your understanding is the praecentor or the master of the quire , and you know what you say ; your desires are made humane , religious , express , material ( for these are the advantages of prayers and liturgies well understood ) be pleased also to remember , that now if you be not also passionate and devout for the things you mention , you will want the spirit of prayer , and be more inexcusable than before . in many of your prayers before ( especially the publique ) you heard a voice but saw and perceived nothing of the sense , and what you understood of it was like the man in the gospel that was half blind , he saw men walking like trees , and so you possibly might perceive the meaning of it in general ; you knew where they came to the epistle , when to the gospel , when the introit , when the pax , when any of the other more general periods were ; but you could have nothing of the spirit of prayer , that is , nothing of the devotion and the holy affections to the particular excellencies which could or ought there to have been represented , but now you are taught how you may be really devout , it is made facil and easie , and there can want nothing but your consent and observation . . whereas now you are taken off from all humane confidences , from relying wholly and almost ultimately upon the priests power and external act , from reckoning prayers by numbers , from forms and out-sides , you are not to think that the priests power is less , that the sacraments are not effective , that your prayers may not be repeated frequently ; but you are to remember , that all outward things and ceremonies , all sacraments and institutions work their effect in the vertue of christ , by some moral instrument ; the priests in the church of england can absolve you as much as the roman priests could fairly pretend ; but then we teach that you must first be a penitent and a returning person , and our absolution does but manifest the work of god , and comfort and instruct your conscience , direct and manage it ; you shall be absolved here , but not unless you live an holy life ; so that in this you will find no change but to the advantage of a strict life ; we will not flatter you and cozen your dear soul by pretended ministeries , but we so order our discourses and directions that all our ministrations may be really effective , and when you receive the holy sacrament of the eucharist , or the lords supper , it does more good here than they do there , because if they consecrate rightly , yet they do not communicate you fully ; and if they offer the whole representative sacrifice , yet they do not give you the whole sacrament ; only we enjoyn that you come with so much holiness , that the grace of god in your heart may be the principal , and the sacrament in our hands may be the ministring and assisting part : we do not promise great effects to easie trifling dispositions , because we would not deceive , but really procure to you great effects ; and therefore you are now to come to our offices with the same expectations as before , of pardon , of grace , of sanctification ; but you must do something more of the work your self , that we may not do less in effect than you have in your expectation ; we will not to advance the reputation of our power deceive you into a less blessing . . be careful that you do not flatter your self , that in our communion you may have more ease and liberty of life ; for though i know your pious soul desires passionately to please god and to live religiously , yet i ought to be careful to prevent a temptation , lest it at any time should discompose your severity : therefore as to confession to a priest ( which how it is usually practised among the roman party , your self can very well account , and you have complain'd sadly , that it is made an ordinary act , easie and transient , sometime matter of temptation , oftentimes impertinent , but ) suppose it free from such scandal to which some mens folly did betray it , yet the same severity you 'l find among us ; for though we will not tell a lie to help a sinner , and say that is necessary which is only appointed to make men do themselves good , yet we advise and commend it , and do all the work of souls to all those people that will be saved by all means ; to devout persons , that make religion the business of their lives , and they that do not so in the churches of the roman communion , as they find but little advantage by periodical confessions , so they feel but little awfulness and severity by the injunction ; you must confess to god all your secret actions , you must advise with a holy man in all the affairs of your soul , you will be but an ill friend to your self if you conceal from him the state of your spiritual affairs : we desire not to hear the circumstance of every sin , but when matter of justice is concerned or the nature of the sin is changed , that is , when it ought to be made a question ; and you will find that though the church of england gives you much liberty from the bondage of innumerable ceremonies and humane devices , yet in the matter of holiness you will be tied to very great service , but such a service as is perfect freedom , that is , the service of god and the love of the holy jesus , and a very strict religious life ; for we do not promise heaven , but upon the same terms it is promised us , that is , repentance towards god , and faith in our lord jesus : and as in faith we make no more to be necessary than what is made so in holy scripture , so in the matter of repentance we give you no easie devices , and suffer no lessening definitions of it , but oblige you to that strictness which is the condition of being saved , and so expressed to be by the infallible word of god ; but such as in the church of rome they do not so much stand upon . madam , i am weary of my journey , and although i did purpose to have spoken many things more , yet i desire that my not doing it may be laid upon the account of my weariness , all that i shall add to the main business is this . . read the scripture diligently , and with an humble spirit , and in it observe what is plain , and believe and live accordingly . trouble not your self with what is difficult , for in that your duty is not described . . pray frequently and effectually ; i had rather your prayers should be often than long . it was well said of petrarch , magno verborum fraeno uti decet cum superiore colloquentem . when you speak to your superior you ought to have a bridle upon your tongue , much more when you speak to god. i speak of what is decent in respect of our selves and our infinite distances from god : but if love makes you speak , speak on , so shall your prayers be full of charity and devotion , nullus est amore superior , ille te coget ad veniam , qui me ad multiloquium ; love makes god to be our friend , and our approches more united and acceptable ; and therefore you may say to god , the same love which made me speak , will also move thee to hear and pardon : love and devotion may enlarge your litanies , but nothing else can , unless authority does interpose . . be curious not to communicate but with the true sons of the church of england , lest if you follow them that were amongst us , but are gone out from us , because they were not of us ) you be offended and tempted to impute their follies to the church of england . . trouble your self with no controversies willingly , but how you may best please god by a strict and severe conversation . . if any protestant live loosely , remember that he dishonours an excellent religion , and that it may be no more laid upon the charge of our church , than the ill lives of most christians may upon the whole religion . . let no man or woman affright you with declamations and scaring words of heretick , and damnation , and changeable ; for these words may be spoken against them that return to light , as well as to those that go to darkness , and that which men of all sides can say , it can be of effect to no side upon its own strength or pretension . the end . post-script . madam , if you shall think it fit that these papers pass further than your own eye and closet , i desire they may be consign'd into the hands of my worthy friend dr. wedderburne : for i do not only expose all my sickness to his cure , but i submit my weaknesses to his censure , being as confident to find of him charity for what is pardonable , as remedy for what is curable : but indeed madam i look upon that worthy man as an idea of friendship , and if i had no other notices of friendship or conversation to instruct me than his , it were sufficient : for whatsoever i can say of friendship . i can say of his , and as all that know him reckon him amongst the best physicians , so i know him worthy to be reckoned amongst the best friends . the iii. letter . written to a gentleman that was tempted to the communion of the romish church . sir , you needed not to make the preface of an excuse for writing so friendly , and so necessary a letter of inquiry . it was your kindness to my person which directed your addresses hither ; and your duty which ingag'd you to inquire somewhere . i do not doubt but you , and very many other ingenious and conscientious persons , do every day meet with the tempters of the roman church , who like the pharisees compass sea and land to get a proselyte ; at this i wonder not ; for as demetrius said , by this craft they get their living : but i wonder that any ingenious person , and such as i perceive you to be , can be shaken by their weak assaults : for their batteries are made up with impossible propositions , and weak and violent prejudices respectively ; and when they talk of their own infallibility , they prove it with false mediums ( say we ) with fallible mediums as themselves confess ; and when they argue us of an uncertain faith , because we pretend to no infallibility , they are themselves much more uncertain , because they build their pretence of infallibility upon that which not only can , but will deceive them : and since they can pretend no higher for their infallibility than prudential motives , they break in pieces the staff upon which they lean , and with which they strike us . but sir , you are pleased to ask two questions . . whether the apostles of our blessed lord did not orally deliver many things necessary to salvation which were not committed to writing ? to which you add this assumentum , ( in which because you desire to be answered , i suppose you meant it for another question ) viz. whether in those things which the church of rome retains , and we take no notice of , she be an innovator , or a conserver of tradition ; and whether any thing which she so retains was or was not esteemed necessary ? the answer to the first part , will conclude the second . i therefore answer , that whatsoever the apostles did deliver as necessary to salvation , all that was written in the scriptures : and that to them who believe the scriptures to be the word of god , there needs no other magazine of divine truths but the scripture . and this the fathers of the first and divers succeeding ages do unanimously affirm . i will set down two or three , so plain that either you must conclude them to be deceivers , or that you will need no more but their testimony . the words of s. basil are these , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. every word and every thing ought to be made credible , or believ'd by the testimony of the divinely-inspired scripture : both for the confirmation of good things , and also for the reproof of the evil . s. cyril of jerusalem , catech . . illuminat . saith , attend not to my inventions , for you may possibly be deceiv'd : but trust no word unless thou dost learn it from the divine scriptures : and in catech. . illum . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. for it behoves us not to deliver so much as the least thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of the divine and holy mysteries of faith without the divine scriptures , nor to be moved with probable discourses : neither give credit to me speaking , unless what is spoken be demonstrated by the holy scriptures . for that is the security of our faith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is derived not from witty inventions , but from the demonstration of divine scriptures . omne quod loquimur debemus affirmare de scripturis sanctis : so s. hierom in psal. . and again , hoc quia de scripturis authoritatem non habet , eadem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur , in matth. . si quid dicitur absque scripturâ auditorum cogitatio claudicat . so s. chrysostom in psal. . homil . theodoret , dial . . cap. . brings in the orthodox christian saying to eranistes : bring not to me your logismes and syllogismes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i rely only upon scriptures . i could reckon very , very many more , both elder and later : and if there be any universal tradition consigned to us by the universal testimony of antiquity : it is this , that the scriptures are a perfect repository of all the will of god , of all the faith of christ : and this i will engage my self to make very apparent to you , and certain against any opposer . upon the supposition of which it follows , that whatever the church of rome obtrudes as necessary to salvation , and an article of faith that is not in scripture , is an innovation in matter of faith , and a tyranny over consciences : which whosoever submits to , prevaricates the rule of the apostle , commanding us , that we stand fast in the liberty , with which christ hath set us free . to the other questions ; whether an ecclesiastical tradition be of equal authority with divine ? i answer negatively : and i believe i shall have no adversary in it , except peradventure some of the jesuited bigots . an ecclesiastical tradition , viz. a positive constitution of the church delivered from hand to hand ; is in the power of the church to alter : but a divine is not . ecclesiastical traditions in matters of faith there are none , but what are also divine ; as for rituals ecclesiastical descending by tradition , they are confessedly alterable : but till they be altered by abrogation , or desuetude , or contrary custome , or a contrary reason , or the like , they do oblige by vertue of that authority whatsoever it is that hath power over you . i know not what d. p. g. did say , but i am confident they who reported it of him , were mistaken : he could not say or mean what is charged upon him . i have but two things more to speak to . one is , you desire me to recite what else might impede your compliance with the roman church ? i answer , truth and piety hinder you . for you must profess the belief of many false propositions , and certainly believe many uncertain things , and be uncharitable to all the world but your own party , and make christianity a faction , and you must yield your reason a servant to man , and you must plainly prevaricate an institution of christ , and you must make an apparent departure from the church in which you received your baptism and the spirit of god , if you go over to rome . but sir , i refer you to the two letters i have lately published at the end of my discourse of friendship ; and i desire you to read my treatise of the real presence : and if you can believe the doctrine of transubstantiation , you can put off your reason and your sense , and your religion , and all the instruments of credibility when you please : and these are not little things ; in these you may perish : an error in these things is practical ; but our way is safe , as being upon the defence , and intirely resting upon scripture , and the apostolical churches . the other thing i am to speak to is , the report you have heard of my inclinations to go over to rome . sir , that party which needs such lying stories for the support of their cause , proclaim their cause to be very weak , or themselves to be very evil advocates . sir , be confident , they dare not tempt me to do so , and it is not the first time they have endeavoured to serve their ends by saying such things of me . but i bless god for it ; it is perfectly a slander , and it shall i hope , for ever prove so . sir , if i may speak with you , i shall say very many things more for your confirmation . pray to god to guide you ; and make no change suddenly : for if their way be true to day , it will be so to morrow ; and you need not make hast to undo your self . sir , i wish you a setled mind and a holy conscience ; and that i could serve you in the capacity of your very loving friend and servant in our blessed lord , jer . taylor . the iv. letter . to the same person . sir , i perceive that you are very much troubled ; and i see also that you are in great danger ; but that also troubles me , because i see they are little things and very weak and fallacious that move you . you propound many things in your letter in the same disorder as they are in your conscience : to all which i can best give answers when i speak with you ; to which because you desire , i invite you , and promise you a hearty endeavour to give you satisfaction in all your material inquiries . sir , i desire you to make no hast to change , in case you be so miserable as to have it in your thoughts : for to go over to the church of rome is like death , there is no recovery from thence without a miracle ; because unwary souls ( such are they who change from us to them ) are with all the arts of wit and violence strangely entangled and ensur'd , when they once get the prey . sir , i thank you for the paper you inclosed . the men are at a loss , they would fain say something against that book , but know not what . sir , i will endeavour if you come to me , to restore you to peace and quiet ; and if i cannot effect it , yet i will pray for it , and i am sure , god can . to his mercy i commend you and rest your very affectionate friend in our blessed lord , jer . taylor . the v. letter . to the same person . sir , the first letter which you mention in this latter of the th , of march , i received not ; i had not else failed to give you an answer ; i was so wholly unknowing of it , that i did not understand your servant's meaning when he came to require an answer . but to your question which you now propound , i answer . quest. whether without all danger of superstition or idolatry we may not render divine worship to our blessed saviour , as present in the blessed sacrament or host , according to his humane nature in that host ? answ. we may not render divine worship to him ( as present in the blessed sacrament according to his humane nature ) without danger of idolatry : because he is not there according to his humane nature , and therefore , you give divine worship to a non ens , which must needs be idolatry . for idolum nihil est in mundo , saith s. paul , and christ as presen● : by his humane nature in the sacrament is a non ens ; for it is not true , there is no such thing . he is present there by his divine power , and his divine blessing , and the fruits of his body , the real effective consequents of his passion : but for any other presence , it is idolum , it is nothing in the world . adore christ in heaven ; for the heavens must contain him till the time of restitution of all things . and if you in the reception of the holy sacrament worship him whom you know to be in heaven ; you cannot be concerned in duty to worship him in the host ( as you call it ) any more than to worship him in the host at nostre dame when you are at s. peters in rome : for you see him no more in one place than another ; and if to believe him to be there in the host at nostre dame be sufficient to cause you to worship him there , then you are to do so to him at rome , though you be not present : for you believe him there ; you know as much of him by faith in both places , and as little by sense in either . but however , this is a thing of infinite danger . god is a jealous god : he spake it in the matter of external worship , and of idolatry ; and therefore do nothing that is like worshipping a meer creature , nothing that is like worshipping that which you are not sure it is god : and if you can believe the bread when it is blessed by the priest is god almighty , you can if you please believe any thing else . to the other parts of your question , viz. whether the same body be present really and substantially , because we believe it to be there ; or whether we do believe it to be there because god hath manifestly revealed it to be so , and therefore we revere and adore it accordingly . i answer , . i do not know whether or no you do believe him to be there really and substantially . . if you do believe it so , i do not know what you mean by really and substantially . . whatsoever you do mean by it , if you do believe it to be there really and substantially in any sense , i cannot tell why you believe it to be so : you best know your own reasons and motives of belief ; for my part , i believe it to be there really in the sense i have explicated in my book ; and for those reasons which i have there alledged ; but that we are to adore it upon that account , i no way understand . if it be transubstantiated and you are sure of it : then you may pray to it , and put your trust in it ; and believe the holy bread to be coeternal with the father , and with the holy ghost . but it is strange that the bread being consecrated by the power of the holy ghost , should be turn'd into the substance and nature of god , and of the son of god : if so , does not the son at that time proceed from the holy ghost , and not the holy ghost from the son ? but i am ashamed of the horrible proposition . sir , i pray god keep you from these extremest dangers . i love and value you , and will pray for you and be , dear sir , your very affectionate friend to serve you , jer . taylor . a discourse proving that the christian religion is from god. mr. royston , 't is reported you are making a new impression of some small tracts of doctor taylor , the late most reverend bishop of down ; it will be very advisable for you to take the demonstration of christian religion , which is inserted in his cases of conscience , pag. . of the first edition , and let that follow the rest ; for 't is a discourse which will be as useful for the generality of people in this age , as any you can pick out of the whole body of his works ; and being heretofore inserted in the middle of a large book , is not made so common to them , nor so purchaseable , as your pursuing this design will render it ; and hereby you will do a work very acceptable to the friends of christian truth and vertue , as well as to yours a. b. a discourse proving that the christian religion is from god. this discourse of all the disputables in the world , shall require the fewest things to be granted ; even nothing but what was evident , even nothing but the very subject of the question , viz. that there was such a man as jesus christ , that he pretended such things and taught such doctrines : for he that will prove these things to be from god , must be allowed that they were from something or other . but this postulate i do not ask for need , but for orders sake and art ; for what the histories of that age reported as a publick affair , as one of the most eminent transactions of the world , that which made so much noise , which caused so many changes , which occasioned so many wars , which divided so many hearts , which altered so many families , which procured so many deaths , which obtained so many laws in favour , and suffered so many rescripts in the disfavour of its self ; that which was not done in a corner , but was . years and more in acting ; which caused so many sects , and was opposed by so much art , and so much power that it might not grow , which filled the world with noise , which effected such great changes in the bodies of men by curing the diseased , and smiting the contumacious or the hypocrites , which drew so many eyes , and fill'd so many tongues , and imployed so many pens , and was the care and the question of the whole world at that time , and immediately after ; that which was consigned by publick acts and records of courts , which was in the books of friends and enemies , which came accompanied and remarked with eclipses and stars and prodigies of heaven and earth , that which the jews even in spite and against their wills confessed , and which the witty adversaries intending to overthrow , could never so much as challenge of want of truth in the matter of fact and story ; that which they who are infinitely concerned that it should not be believed , or more , that it had never been , do yet only labour to make to appear not to have been divine : certainly , this thing is so certain that it was , that the defenders of it need not account it a kindness to have it presupposed ; for never was any story in the world that had so many degrees of credibility , as the story of the person , life and death of jesus christ : and if he had not been a true prophet , yet that he was in the world , and said and did such things cannot be denied ; for even concerning mahomet we make no question but he was in the world , and led a great part of mankind after him , and what was less proved we infinitely believe ; and what all men say , and no man denies , and was notorious in it self , of this we may make further inquiries whether it was all that which it pretended , for that it did make pretences and was in the world , needs no more probation . but now whether jesus christ was sent from god and delivered the will of god , we are to take accounts from all the things of the world which were on him , or about him , or from him . consider first his person : he was foretold by all the prophets : he , i say , for that appears by the event , and the correspondencies of their sayings to his person : he was described by infallible characterisms which did fit him , and did never fit any but him ; for when he was born , then was the fulness of time , and the messias was expected at the time when jesus did appear , which gave occasion to many of the godly then to wait for him , and to hope to live till the time of his revelation : and they did so , and with a spirit of prophecy which their own nation did confess and honour , glorified god at the revelation : and the most excellent and devout persons that were conspicuous for their piety did then rejoyce in him , and confess him ; and the expectation of him at that time was so publick and famous , that it gave occasion to divers impostors to abuse the credulity of the people in pretending to be the messias ; but not only the predictions of the time , and the perfect synchronisms did point him out , but at his birth a strange star appeared , which guided certain levantine princes and sages to the inquiry after him ; a strange star which had an irregular place and an irregular motion , that came by design , and acted by counsel , the counsel of the almighty guide , it moved from place to place , till it stood just over the house where the babe did sleep ; a star of which the heathen knew much , who knew nothing of him ; a star which chalcidius affirmed to have signified the descent of god for the salvation of man ; a star that guided the wise chaldees to worship him with gifts ( as the same disciple of plato does affirm , and ) as the holy scriptures deliver ; and this star could be no secret ; it troubled all the country ; it put herod upon strange arts of security for his kingdom , it effected a sad tragedy accidentally , for it occasioned the death of all the little babes in the city , and voisinage of bethlehem : but the birth of this young child which was thus glorified by a star , was also signified by an angel , and was effected by the holy spirit of god , in a manner which was in it self supernatural ; a virgin was his mother , and god was his father , and his beginning was miraculous ; and this matter of his birth of a virgin was proved to an interested and jealous person , even to joseph the supposed father of jesus , it was affirmed publickly by all his family , and by all his disciples , and published in the midst of all his enemies , who by no artifice could reprove it , a matter so famous , that when it was urged as an argument to prove jesus to be the messias , by the force of a prophecy in isaiah [ a virgin shall conceive a son ] they who obstinately refused to admit him , did not deny the matter of fact , but denied that it was so meant by the prophet , which if it were true , can only prove that jesus was more excellent than was foretold by the prophets , but that there was nothing less in him than was to be in the messias ; it was a matter so famous that the arabian physicians who can affirm no such things of their mahomet , and yet not being able to deny it to be true of the holy jesus , endeavour to elevate and lessen the thing , by saying , it is not wholly beyond the force of nature , that a virgin should conceive , so that it was on all hands undeniable , that the mother of jesus was a virgin , a mother without a man. this is that jesus at whose presence before he was born , a babe in his mothers belly also did leap for joy , who was also a person extraordinary himself , conceived in his mothers old age , after a long barrenness , signified by an angel in the temple , to his father officiating his priestly office , who was also struck dumb for his not present believing : all the people saw it , and all his kindred were witnesses of his restitution , and he was named by the angel , and his office declared to be the fore-runner of the holy jesus ; and this also was foretold by one of the old prophets ; for the whole story of this divine person is a chain of providence and wonder , every link of which is a verification of a prophecy , and all of it is that thing which from adam to the birth of jesus was pointed at and hinted by all the prophets , whose words in him passed perfectly into the event . this is that jesus who as he was born without a father , so he was learned without a master , he was a man without age , a doctor in a child's garment , disputing in the sanctuary at . years old . he was a sojourner in egypt , because the poor babe born of an indigent mother was a formidable rival to a potent king , and this fear could not come from the design of the infant , but must needs arise from the illustriousness of the birth , and the prophecies of the child , and the sayings of the learned , and the journey of the wise-men , nd the decrees of god ; this journey and the return were both managed by the conduct of an angel and a divine dream , for to the son of god all the angels did rejoyce to minister . this blessed person made thus excellent by his father , and glorious by miraculous consignations , and illustrious by the ministery of heavenly spirits , and proclaimed to mary and to joseph by two angels , to the shepherds by a multitude of the heavenly host , to the wise men by a prophecy and by a star , to the jews by the shepherds , to the gentiles by the three wise men , to herod by the doctors of the law , and to himself perfectly known by the inchasing his humane nature in the bosom and heart of god , and by the fulness of the spirit of god , was yet pleased for . years together to live an humble , a laborious , a chast and a devout , a regular and an even , a wise and an exemplar , a pious and an obscure life , without complaint , without sin , without design of fame , or grandeur of spirit , till the time came that the clefts of the rock were to open , and the diamond give its lustre , and be worn in the diadems of kings , and then this person was wholly admirable ; for he was ushered into the world by the voice of a loud crier in the wilderness , a person austere and wise , of a strange life , full of holiness and full of hardness , and a great preacher of righteousness , a man believed by all the people that he came from god , one who in his own nation gathered disciples publickly , and ( which amongst them was a great matter ) he was the doctor of a new institution , and baptized all the country ; yet this man so great , so rever'd , so followed , so listned to by king and people , by doctors and by ideots , by pharisees and sadducees , this man preached jesus to the people , pointed out the lamb of god , told that he must increase , and himself from all that fame must retire to give him place ; he received him to baptism after having with duty and modesty declared his own unworthiness to give , but rather a worthiness to receive baptism from the holy hands of jesus ; but at the solemnity god sent down the holy spirit upon his holy son , and by a voice from heaven , a voice of thunder ( and god was in that voice ) declared that this was his son , and that he was delighted in him . this voice from heaven was such , so evident , so certain a conviction of what it did intend to prove , so known and accepted as the way of divine revelation under the second temple , that at that time every man that desired a sign honestly , would have been satisfied with such a voice ; it being the testimony by which god made all extraordinaries to be credible to his people from the days of ezra , to the death of the nation ; and that there was such a voice , not only then , but divers times after , was as certain , and made as evident as things of that nature can ordinarily be made . for it being a matter of fact , cannot be supposed infinite , but limited to time and place , heard by a certain number of persons , and was as a clap of thunder upon ordinary accounts , which could be heard but by those who were within the sphere of its own activity ; and reported by those to others , who are to give testimony as testimonies are required , which are credible under the test of two or three disinterested , honest , and true men , and though this was done in the presence of more , and oftner than once , yet it was a divine testimony but at first , but is to be conveyed by the means of men ; and as god thundred from heaven at the giving of the law , though that he did so , we have notice only from the books of moses received from the jewish nation ; so he did in the days of the baptist , and so he did to peter , james , and john , and so he did in the presence of the pharisees and many of the common people ; and as it is not to be supposed that all these would joyn their divided interests , for and against themselves for the verification of a lye , so if they would have done it , they could not have done it without reproof of their own parties , who would have been glad by the discovery only to disgrace the whole story ; but if the report of honest and just men so reputed , may be questioned for matter of fact , or may not be accounted sufficient to make faith when there is no pretence of men to the contrary , besides that we can have no story transmitted to us , nor records kept , no acts of courts , no narratives of the days of old , no traditions of our fathers ; so there could not be left in nature any usual instrument whereby god could after the manner of men declare his own will to us , but either we should never know the will of heaven upon earth , or it must be that god must not only tell it once but always , and not only always to some men , but always to all men ; and then as there would be no use of history , or the honesty of men , and their faithfulness in telling any act of god in declaration of his will , so there would be perpetual necessity of miracles , and we could not serve god directly with our understanding , for there would be no such thing as faith , that is , of assent without conviction of understanding , and we could not please god with believing , because there would be in it nothing of the will , nothing of love and choice ; and that faith which is , would be like that of thomas , to believe what we see or hear , and god should not at all govern upon earth unless he did continually come himself : for thus , all government , all teachers , all apostles , all messengers would be needless , because they could not shew to the eye what they told to the ears of men ; and it might as well be disbelieved in all courts and by all princes , that this was not the letter of a prince , or the act of a man , or the writing of his hand , and so all humane entercourse must cease , and all senses but the eye be useless as to this affair , or else to the ear all voices must be strangers but the principal , if i say , no reports shall make faith : but it is certain , that when these voices were sent from heaven and heard upon earth , they prevailed amongst many that heard them not , and disciples were multiplied upon such accounts , or else it must be that none that did hear them could be believed by any of their friends and neighbours ; for if they were , the voice was as effective at the reflex and rebound as in the direct emission , & could prevail with them that believed their brother or their friend , as certainly as with them that believed their own ears and eyes . i need not speak of the vast numbers of miracles which he wrought ; miracles which were not more demonstrations of his power than of his mercy ; for they had nothing of pompousness and ostentation , but infinitely of charity and mercy , and that permanent and lasting and often : he opened the eyes of the blind , he made the crooked straight , he made the weak strong , he cured fevers with the touch of his hand , and an issue of blood with the hem of his garment , and sore eyes with the spittle of his mouth and the clay of the earth ; he multiplied the loaves and fishes , he raised the dead to life , a young maiden , the widows son of naim , and lazarus , and cast out devils by the word of his mouth , which he could never do but by the power of god. for satan does not cast out satan , nor a house fight against it self , if it means to stand long , and the devil could not help jesus , because the holy jesus taught men virtue , called them from the worshipping devils , taught them to resist the devil , to lay aside all those abominable idolatries by which the devil doth rule in the hearts of men : he taught men to love god , to fly from temptations to sin , to hate and avoid all those things of which the devil is guilty , for christianity forbids pride , envy , malice , lying , and yet affirms that the devil is proud , envious , malicious , and the father of lies ; and therefore where ever christianity prevails , the devil is not worshipped , and therefore he that can think that a man without the power of god could over-turn the devils principles , cross his designs , weaken his strengths , baffle him in his policies , befool him and turn him out of possession , and make him open his own mouth against himself as he did often , and confess himself conquered by jesus and tormented , as the oracle did to augustus caesar , and the devil to jesus himself , he i say , that thinks a meer man can do this , knows not the weaknesses of a man , nor the power of an angel ; but he that thinks this could be done by compact , and by consent of the devil , must think him to be an intelligence without understanding , a power without force , a fool and a sot to assist a power against himself , and to persecute the power he did assist , to stir up the world to destroy the christians , whose master and lord he did assist to destroy himself ; and when we read that porphyrius an heathen , a professed enemy to christianity , did say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that since jesus was worshipped , the gods could help no man , that is , the gods which they worshipped ; the poor baffled enervated daemons : he must either think that the devils are as foolish as they are weak , or else that they did nothing towards this declination of their power ; and therefore that they suffer it by a power higher than themselves , that is , by the power of god in the hand of jesus . but besides that god gave testimony from heaven concerning him ; he also gave this testimony of himself to have come from god , because that he did gods will ; for he that is a good man and lives by the laws of god and of his nation , a life innocent and simple , prudent and wise , holy and spotless , unreproved and unsuspected , he is certainly by all wise men said in a good sense to be the son of god , but he who does well and speaks well , and calls all men to glorifie and serve god , and serves no ends but of holiness and charity , of wisdom of hearts and reformation of manners , this man carries great authority in his sayings , and ought to prevail with good men in good things , for good ends , which is all that is here required . but his nature was so sweet , his manners so humble , his words so wise and composed , his comportment so grave and winning , his answers so seasonable , his questions so deep , his reproof so severe and charitable , his pity so great and merciful , his preachings so full of reason and holiness , of weight and authority , his conversation so useful and beneficent , his poverty great but his alms frequent , his family so holy and religious , his and their imployment so profitable , his meekness so incomparable , his passions without difference , save only where zeal or pity carried him on to worthy and apt expressions , a person that never laughed , but often wept in a sense of the calamities of others ; he loved every man and hated no man , he gave counsel to the doubtful , and instructed the ignorant , he bound up the broken hearts , and strengthened the feeble knees , he relieved the poor , and converted the sinners , he despised none that came to him for relief , and as for those that did not he went to them ; he took all occasions of mercy that were offered him , and went abroad for more ; he spent his days in preaching and healing , and his nights in prayers and conversation with god , he was obedient to laws and subject to princes , though he was the prince of judaea in right of his mother , and of all the world in right of his father ; the people followed him , but he made no conventions , and when they were made , he suffered no tumults , when they would have made him a king he withdrew himself , when he knew they would put him to death he offered himself ; he knew mens hearts , and conversed secretly , and gave answer to their thoughts and prevented their questions ; he would work a miracle rather than give offence , and yet suffer every offence rather than see god his father dishonored , he exactly kept the law of moses , to which he came to put a period , and yet chose to signify his purpose onely by doing acts of mercy upon their sabbath , doing nothing which they should call a breach of a commandment , but healing sick people , a charity which themselves would do to beasts , and yet they were angry at him for doing it to their brethren : in all his life , and in all his conversation with his nation , he was innocent as an angel of light , and when by the greatness of his worth , and the severity of his doctrine , and the charity of his miracles , and the noises of the people , and his immense fame in all that part of the world , and the multitude of his disciples , and the authority of his sermons , and his free reproof of their hypocrisie , and his discovery of their false doctrines and weak traditions , he had branded the reputation of the vicious rulers of the people , and they resolved to put him to death , they who had the biggest malice in the world , and the weakest accusations were forced to supply their want of articles against him by making truth to be his fault , and his office to be his crime , and his open confession of what was asked him to be his article of condemnation , and yet after all this they could not perswade the competent judge to condemn him , or to find him guilty of any fault , and therefore they were forced to threaten him with caesar's name , against whom then they would pretend him to be an enemy , though in their charge they neither proved , nor indeed laid it against him , and yet to whatsoever they objected he made no return , but his silence and his innocence were remarkable and evident , without labour and reply , and needed no more argument than the sun needs an advocate to prove that he is the brightest star in the firmament . well , so it was , they crucified him , and when they did they did as much put out the eye of heaven as destroy the son of god ; for when with an incomparable sweetness , and a patience exemplar to all ages of sufferers , he endured affronts , examinations , scorns , insolencies of rude ungentle tradesmen , cruel whippings , injurious , unjust and unreasonable usages from those whom he obliged by all the arts of endearment and offers of the biggest kindness , at last he went to death as to the work which god appointed him that he might become the worlds sacrifice , and the great example of holiness , and the instance of representing by what way the world was to be made happy [ even by sufferings and so entring into heaven ] that he might ( i say ) become the saviour of his enemies , and the elder brother to his friends , and the lord of glory , and the fountain of its emanation . then it was that god gave new testimonies from heaven ; the sun was eclipsed all the while he was upon the cross , and yet the moon was in the full ; that is , he lost his light , not because any thing in nature did invest him , but because the god of nature ( as a heathen at that very time confessed , who yet saw nothing of this sad iniquity ) did suffer . the rocks did rend , the veil of the temple divided of it self and opened the inclosures , and disparked the sanctuary , and made it pervious to the gentiles eye ; the dead arose , and appeared in jerusalem to their friends , the centurion and divers of the people smote their hearts , and were by these strange indications convinced that he was the son of god. his garments were parted , and lots cast upon his inward coat , they gave him vinegar and gall to drink , they brake not a bone of him , but they pierced his side with a spear , looking upon him whom they had pierced ; according to the prophecies of him , which were so clear and descended to minutes and circumstances of his passion , that there was nothing left by which they could doubt whether this were he or no who was to come into the world : but after all this , that all might be finally verified and no scruple left , after three days burial , a great stone being rolled to the face of the grave and the stone sealed , and a guard of souldiers placed about it , he arose from the grave , and for forty days together conversed with his followers and disciples , and beyond all suspicion was seen of . brethren at once , which is a number too great to give their consent and testimony to a lye , and it being so publickly and confidently affirmed at the very time it was done , and for ever after urged by all christians , used as the most mighty demonstration , proclaimed , preached , talked of , even upbraided to the gain-sayers , affirmed by eye-witnesses , perswaded to the kindred and friends and the relatives and companions of all those . persons who were eye-witnesses , it is infinitely removed from a reasonable suspicion ; and at the end of those days was taken up into heaven in the sight of many of them , as elias was in the presence of elisha . now he of whom all these things are true , must needs be more than a meer man , and that they were true was affirmed by very many eye-witnesses , men who were innocent , plain men , men that had no bad ends to serve , men that looked for no preferment by the thing in this life ; men to whom their master told they were to expect not crowns and scepters , not praise of men or wealthy possessions , not power and ease , but a voluntary casting away care and attendance upon secular affairs that they might attend their ministery ; poverty and prisons , trouble and vexation , persecution and labour , whippings and banishment , bonds and death , and for a reward they must stay till a good day came , but that was not to be at all in this world ; and when the day of restitution and recompence should come , they should never know till it came , but upon the hope of this and the faith of jesus , and the word of god so taught , so consigned , they must rely wholly and for ever . now let it be considered , how could matters of fact be proved better ? and how could this be any thing , but such as to rely upon matters of fact ? what greater certainty can we have of any thing that was ever done which we saw not , or heard not , but by the report of wise and honest persons ? especially since they were such whose life and breeding was so far from ambition and pompousness , that as they could not naturally and reasonably hope for any great number of proselytes , so the same that could be hop'd for amongst them , as it must be a matter of their own procuring , and consequently uncertain , so it must needs be very inconsiderable , not fit to outweigh the danger and the loss , nor yet at all valuable by them whose education and pretences were against it ? these we have plentifully . but if these men are numerous and united , it is more . then we have more ; for so many did affirm these things which they saw and heard , that thousands of people were convinced of the truth of them : but then if these men offer their oath , it is yet more , but yet not so much as we have , for they sealed those things with their blood ; they gave their life for a testimony ; and what reward can any man expect , if he gives his life for a lye ? who shall make him recompence , or what can tempt him to do it knowingly ? but after all , it is to be remembred , that as god hates lying , so he hates incredulity ; as we must not believe a lye , so neither stop up our eyes and ears against truth ; and what we do every minute of our lives in matters of little and of great concernment , if we refuse to do in our religion which yet is to be conducted as other humane affairs are , by humane instruments and arguments of perswasion proper to the nature of the thing , it is an obstinacy that is as contrary to humane reason as it is to divine faith . these things relate to the person of the holy jesus , and prove sufficiently that it was extraordinary , that it was divine , that god was with him , that his power wrought in him ; and therefore that it was his will which jesus taught , and god signed . but then if nothing of all this had been , yet even the doctrine it self proves it self divine and to come from god. for it is a doctrine perfective of humane nature , that teaches us to love god and to love one another , to hurt no man , and to do good to every man , it propines to us the noblest , the highest , and the bravest pleasures of the world ; the joys of charity , the rest of innocence , the peace of quiet spirits , the wealth of beneficence , and forbids us only to be beasts and to be devils , it allows all that god and nature intended , and only restrains the excrescencies of nature , and forbids us to take pleasure in that which is the only entertainment of devils , in murders and revenges , malice and spiteful words and actions ; it permits corporal pleasures where they can best minister to health and societies , to conversation of families and honour of communities , it teaches men to keep their words that themselves may be secured in all their just interests , and to do good to others that good may be done to them ; it forbids biting one another that we may not be devour'd by one another ; and commands obedience to superiours , that we may not be ruined in confusions ; it combines governments , and confirms all good laws , and makes peace , and opposes and prevents wars where they are not just , and where they are not necessary . it is a religion that is life and spirit , not consisting in ceremonies and external amusements , but in the services of the heart , and the real fruit of lips and hands , that is , of good words and good deeds , it bids us to do that to god which is agreeable to his excellencies , that is , worship him with the best thing we have , and make all things else minister to it ; it bids us to do that to our neighbour , by which he may be better : it is the perfection of the natural law , and agreeable to our natural necessities , and promotes our natural ends and designs : it does not destroy reason , but instructs it in very many things , and complies with it in all , it hath in it both heat and light ; and is not more effectual than it is beauteous ; it promises every thing that we can desire , and yet promises nothing but what it does effect ; it proclaims war against all vices , and generally does command every vertue ; it teaches us with ease to mortifie those affections which reason durst scarce reprove , because she hath not strength enough to conquer , and it does create in us those vertues which reason of her self never knew , and after they are known , could never approve sufficiently : it is a doctrine in which nothing is superfluous or burdensome , nor yet is there any thing wanting which can procure happiness to mankind , or by which god can be glorified : and if wisdom , and mercy , and justice , and simplicity , and holiness , and purity , and meekness , and contentedness , and charity , be images of god and rays of divinity , then that doctrine in which all these shine so gloriously , and in which nothing else is ingredient must needs be from god ; and that all this is true in the doctrine of jesus needs no other probation but the reading the words . for that the words of jesus are contained in the gospels , that is , in the writings of them , who were eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses of the actions and sermons of jesus , is not at all to be doubted ; for in every sect we believe their own records of doctrine and institution ; for it is madness to suppose the christians to pretend to be servants of the laws of jesus , and yet to make a law of their own which he made not : no man doubts but that the alcoran is the law of mahomet , that the old testament contains the religion of the jews ; and the authority of these books is proved by all the arguments of the religion , for all the arguments perswading to the religion are intended to prove no other than is contained in those books ; and these having been for . years and more , received absolutely by all christian assemblies , if any man shall offer to make a question of their authority , he must declare his reasons , for the disciples of the religion have sufficient presumption , security and possession , till they can be reasonably disturb'd ; but that now they can never be is infinitely certain , because we have a long , immemorial , universal tradition that these books were written in those times , by those men whose names they bear , they were accepted by all churches at the very first notice , except some few of the later , which were first received by some churches , and then consented to by all , they were acknowledged by the same , and by the next age for genuine , their authority published , their words cited , appeals made to them in all questions of religion , because it was known and confessed that they wrote nothing but that they knew , so that they were not deceived ; and to say they would lie must be made to appear by something extrinsecal to this inquiry , and was never so much as plausibly pretended by any adversaries , and it being a matter of another mans will , must be declared by actions , or not at all . but besides the men that wrote them were to be believed because they did miracles , they wrote prophecies , which are verified by the event , persons were cured at their sepulchres , a thing so famous that it was confessed even by the enemies of the religion : and after all , that which the world ought to rely upon , is the wisdom and the providence and the goodness of god ; all which it concerned to take care that the religion , which himself so adorned and proved by miracles and mighty signs , should not be lost , nor any false writings be obtruded in stead of true , left without our fault the will of god become impossible to be obeyed . but to return to the thing : all those excellent things which singly did make famous so many sects of philosophers , and remarked so many princes of their sects , all them united , and many more which their eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dark and dim could not see , are heaped together in this system of wisdom and holiness . here are plain precepts full of deepest mystery ; here are the measures of holiness and approaches to god describ'd ; obedience and conformity , mortification of the body , and elevations of the spirit , abstractions from earth , and arts of society and union with heaven , degrees of excellencies , and tendences to perfection , imitations of god , and conversations with him ; these are the heights and descents , upon the plain grounds of natural reason , and natural religion , for there is nothing commanded but what our reason by nature ought to choose , and yet nothing of natural reason taught but what is heightned and made more perfect by the spirit of god ; and when there is any thing in the religion , that is against flesh and blood , it is only when flesh and blood is against us , and against reason , when flesh and blood either would hinder us from great felicity , or bring us into great misery : to conclude , it is such a law , that nothing can hinder men to receive and entertain , but a pertinacious baseness and love to vice , and none can receive it but those who resolve to be good and excellent ; and if the holy jesus had come into the world with less splendor of power and mighty demonstrations , yet even the excellency of what he taught , makes him alone fit to be the master of the world. but then let us consider what this excellent person did effect , and with what instruments he brought to great things to pass . he was to put a period to the rites of moses , and the religion of the temple , of which the jews were zealous even unto pertinacy ; to reform the manners of all mankind , to confound the wisdom of the greeks , to break in pieces the power of the devil to destroy the worship of all false gods , to pull down their oracles , and change their laws , and by principles wise and holy to reform the false discourses of the world. but see what was to be taught , a trinity in the unity of the god-head , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is the christian arithmetick , three are one and one are three , so lucian in his philopatris , or some other derides the christian doctrine ; see their philosophy , ex nihilo nihil fit . no : ex nihilo omnia , all things are made of nothing ; and a man god and a god man , same person finite and infinite , born in time , and yet from all eternity , the son of god , but yet born of a woman , and she a maid , but yet a mother ; resurrection of the dead , re-union of soul and body ; this was part of the christian physicks or their natural philosophy . but then certainly their moral was easie and delicious . it is so indeed , but not to flesh and blood , whose appetites it pretends to regulate or to destroy , to restrain or else to mortifie : fasting and penance , and humility , loving our enemies , restitution of injuries , and self-denial , and taking up the cross , and losing all our goods , and giving our life for jesus : as the other was hard to believe , so this is as hard to do . but for whom and under whose conduct was all this to be believed , and all this to be done , and all this to be suffered ? surely for some glorious and mighty prince , whose splendor as far out-shines the roman empire as the jewels of cleopatra out-shined the swadling clothes of the babe at bethlehem . no it was not so neither . for all this was for jesus whom his followers preached ; a poor babe born in a stable , the son of a carpenter , cradled in a cratch , swadled in poor clouts ; it was for him whom they indeed call'd a god , but yet whom all the world knew , and they themselves said , was whip'd at a post , nailed to a cross ; he fell under the malice of the jews his countrymen , and the power of his roman lords , a cheap and a pitiful sacrifice without beauty and without splendor . the design is great , but does not yet seem possible ; but therefore let us see what instruments the holy jesus chose to effect these so mighty changes , to perswade so many propositions , to endear so great sufferings , to overcome so great enemies , to master so many impossibilities which this doctrine and this law from this master were sure to meet withal . here , here it is that the divinity of the power is proclaimed . when a man goes to war he raises as great an army as he can to out-number his enemy , but when god fights , three hundred men that lap like a dogg are sufficient ; nay one word can dissolve the greatest army . he that means to effect any thing must have means of his own proportionable , and if they be not , he must fail , or derive them from the mighty . see then with what instruments the holy jesus sets upon this great reformation of the world . twelve men of obscure and poor birth , of contemptible trades and quality , without learning , without breeding ; these men were sent into the midst of a knowing and wise world to dispute with the most famous philosophers of greece , to out-wit all the learning of athens , to out-preach all the roman orators ; to introduce into a newly setled empire , which would be impatient of novelties and change , such a change as must destroy all their temples , or remove thence all their gods : against which change all the zeal of the world , and all the passions , and all the seeming pretences which they could make , must needs be violently opposed : a change that introduced new laws , and caused them to reverse the old , to change that religion under which their fathers long did prosper , and under which the roman empire obtained so great a grandeur , for a religion which in appearance was silly and humble , meek and peaceable , not apt indeed to do harm , but exposing men to all the harm in the world , abateing their courage , blunting their swords , teaching peace and unactiveness , and making the souldiers arms in a manner useless , and untying their military girdle ; a religion which contradicted their reasons of state , and erected new judicatories , and made the roman courts to be silent and without causes ; a religion that gave countenance to the poor and pitiful ( but in a time when riches were adored , and ambition esteemed the greatest nobleness , and pleasure thought to be the chiefest good ) it brought no peculiar blessing to the rich or mighty , unless they would become poor and humble in some real sense or other ; a religion that would change the face of things , and would also pierce into the secrets of the soul , and unravel all the intrigues of hearts , and reform all evil manners , and break vile habits into gentleness and counsel : that such a religion in such a time , preached by such mean persons , should triumph over the philosophy of the world , and the arguments of the subtle , and the sermons of the eloquent , and the power of princes , and the interest of states , and the inclinations of nature , and the blindness of zeal , and the force of custom , and the pleasures of sin , and the busie arts of the devil , that is , against wit , and power , and money , and religion , and wilfulness , and fame , and empire , which are all the things in the world that can make a thing impossible ; this i say could not be by the proper force of such instruments ; for no man can span heaven with an infants palm , nor govern wise empires with diagrams . it were impudence to send a footman to command caesar to lay down his arms , to disband his legions , and throw himself into tyber , or keep a tavern next to pompeys theatre ; but if a sober man shall stand alone unarm'd , undefended , or unprovided , and shall tell that he will make the sun stand still , or remove a mountain , or reduce xerxes his army to the scantling of a single troop , he that believes he will and can do this , must believe he does it by a higher power than he can yet perceive , and so it was in the present transaction . for that the holy jesus made invisible powers to do him visible honors , that his apostles hunted the daemons from their tripods , their navels , their dens , their hollow pipes , their temples , and their altars , that he made the oracles silent , as lucian , porphyrie , celsus , and other heathens confess ; that against the order of new things , which let them be never so profitable or good do yet suffer reproach , and cannot prevail unless they commence in a time of advantage and favour , yet that this should flourish like the palm by pressure , grow glorious by opposition , thrive by persecution , and was demonstrated by objections , argues a higher cause than the immediate instrument ; now how this higher cause did intervene is visible and notorious : the apostles were not learned , but the holy jesus promised that he would send down wisdom from above , from the father of spirits ; they had no power , but they should be invested with power from on high ; they were ignorant and timorous , but he would make them learned and confident , and so he did : he promised that in a few days he would send the holy ghost upon them , and he did so , after ten days they felt and saw a glorious immission from heaven , lights of movable fire sitting upon their heads , and that light did illuminate their hearts , and the mighty rushing wind inspired them with a power of speaking divers languages , and brought to their remembrances all that jesus did and taught , and made them wise to conduct souls , and bold to venture , and prudent to advise , and powerful to do miracles , and witty to convince gain-sayers , and hugely instructed in the scriptures , and gave them the spirit of government , and the spirit of prophecy . this thing was so publick that at the first notice of it three thousand souls were converted on that very day , at the very time when it was done ; for it was certainly a visible demonstration of an invisible power , that ignorant persons who were never taught , should in an instant speak all the languages of the roman empire ; and indeed this thing was so necessary to be so , and so certain that it was so , so publick and so evident , and so reasonable , and so useful , that it is not easie to say whether it was the indication of a greater power , or a greater wisdom ; and now the means was proportionable enough to the biggest end ; without learning they could not confute the learned world ; but therefore god became their teacher : without power they could not break the devils violence , but therefore god gave them power ; without courage they could not contest against all the violence of the jews and gentiles ; but therefore god was their strength and gave them fortitude ; without great caution and providence they could not avoid the traps of crafty persecutors , but therefore god gave them caution , and made them provident , and as besaleel 〈◊〉 a●oli●h received the spirit of god , the spirit of understanding to enable them to work excellently in the tabernacle , so had the apostles to make them wise for the work of god and the ministeries of his diviner tabernacle , which god pitched , not man. immediately upon this , the apostles to make a fulness of demonstration and an undeniable conviction gave the spirit to others also , to jews and gentiles and to the men of samaria , and they spake with tongues and prophesied , then they preached to all nations , and endured all persecutions , and cured all diseases , and raised the dead to life , and were brought before tribunals , and confessed the name of jesus , and convinced the blasphemous jews out of their own prophets , and not only prevailed upon women and weak men , but even upon the bravest and wisest . all the disciples of john the baptist , the nazarens and ebionites , nicodemus and joseph of arimathea , sergius the president , dionysius an athenian judge , and polycarpus , justinus and irenaeus , athenagoras and origen , tertullian and clemens of alexandria , who could not be such fools as upon a matter not certainly true but probably false , to unravel their former principles , and to change their liberty for a prison , wealth for poverty , honor for disreputation , life for death , if by such exchange they had not been secured of truth and holiness and the will of god. but above all these was saul , a bold and a witty , a zealous and learned young man , who going with letters to persecute the christians of damascus , was by a light from heaven called from his furious march , reproved by god's angel for persecuting the cause of jesus , was sent to the city , baptized by a christian minister , instructed and sent abroad , and he became the prodigy of the world for learning and zeal , for preaching and writing , for labor and sufferance , for government and wisdom ; he was admitted to see the holy jesus after the lord was taken into heaven , he was taken up into paradise , he conversed with angels , he saw unspeakable rayes of glory , and besides that himself said it , who had no reason to lie , who would get nothing by it here but a conjugation of troubles , and who should get nothing by it hereafter if it were false ; besides this i say , that he did all those acts of zeal and obedience for the promotion of the religion does demonstrate he had reason extraordinary for so sudden a change , so strange a labour , so frequent and incomparable sufferings : and therefore as he did and suffered so much upon such glorious motives , so he spared not to publish it to all the world , he spake it to kings and princes , he told it to the envious jews ; he had partners of his journey who were witnesses of the miraculous accident , and in his publication he urged the notoriousness of the fact , as a thing not feigned , not private , but done at noon day under the test of competent persons , and it was a thing that proved it self , for it was effective of a present , a great , and a permanent change . but now it is no new wonder but a pursuance of the same conjugation of great and divine things , that the fame and religion of jesus was with so incredible a swiftness scattered over the face of the habitable world , from one end of the earth unto the other ; it filled all asia immediately , it passed presently to europe , and to the furthest africans , and all the way it went it told nothing but an holy and an humble story , that he who came to bring it into the world , died an ignominious death , and yet this death did not take away their courage , but added much : for they could not fear death for that master , whom they knew to have for their sakes suffered death , and came to life again . but now infinite numbers of persons of all sexes , and all ages , and all countries came in to the holy crucifix , and he that was crucified in the reign of tiberius , was in the time of nero , even in rome it self , and in nero's family by many persons esteem'd for a god ; and it was upon publick record that he was so acknowledged ; and this was by a christian , justin martyr , urged to the senate , and to the emperors themselves , who if it had been otherwise could easily have confuted the bold allegation of the christian , who yet did die for that jesus who was so speedily reputed for a god ; the cross was worn upon breasts , printed in the air , drawn upon fore-heads , carried on banners , put upon crowns imperial ; and yet the christians were sought for to punishments , and exquisite punishments sought forth for them ; their goods were confiscate , their names odious , prisons were their houses , and so many kinds of tortures invented for them that domitius vlpianus hath spent seven books in describing the variety of tortures the poor christian was put to at his first appearing , and yet in despite of all this , and ten thousand other objections and impossibilities , whatsoever was for them made the religion grow , and whatsoever was against them made it grow ; if they had peace , the religion was prosperous , if they had persecution , it was still prosperous : if princes favored them , the world came in because the christians lived holily ; if princes were incensed , the world came in because the christians died bravely . they sought for death with greediness , they desired to be grinded in the teeth of lions , and with joy they beheld the wheels and the bended trees , the racks and the gibbets , the fires and the burning irons , which were like the chair of elias to them , instruments to carry them to heaven , into the bosom of their beloved jesus . who would not acknowledge the divinity of this person , and the excellency of this institution , that should see infants to weary the hands of hangmen for the testimony of jesus ? and wise men preach this doctrine for no other visible reward , but shame and death , poverty and banishment ? and hangmen converted by the blood of martyrs springing upon their faces which their impious hands & cords have strain'd through their flesh ? who would not have confessed the honour of jesus , when he should see miracles done at the tombs of martyrs , and devils tremble at the mention of the name of jesus , and the world running to the honour of the poor nazaren , and kings and queens killing the feet of the poor servants of jesus ? could a few fishermen and a publican effect all this for the son of a poor maiden of judaea ? can we suppose all the world , or so great a part of mankind can consent by chance , or suffer such changes for nothing ? or for any thing less than this ? the son of the poor maiden was the son of god , and the fishermen spake by a divine spirit , and they catched the world with holiness and miracles , with wisdom and power bigger than the strength of all the roman legions . and what can be added to all this , but this thing alone to prove the divinity of jesus ? he is a god , or at least is taught by god who can foretell future contingencies ; and so did the holy jesus , and so did his disciples . our blessed lord while he was alive foretold that after his death his religion should flourish more than when he was alive : he foretold persecutions to his disciples ; he foretold the mission of the holy ghost to be in a very few days after his ascension , which within ten days came to pass ; he prophesied that the fact of mary magdalen in anointing the head and feet of her lord , should be publick and known as the gospel it self , and spoken of in the same place ; he foretold the destruction of jerusalem and the signs of its approach , and that it should be by war , and particularly after the manner of prophets symbolically , nam'd the nation should do it ; pointing out the roman eagles , he foretold his death , and the manner of it , and plainly before-hand published his resurrection , and told them it should be the sign to that generation , viz. the great argument to prove him to be the christ , he prophesied that there should arise false christs after him , and it came to pass to the extreme great calamity of the nation ; and lastly , he foretold that his beloved disciple s. john should tarry upon the earth till his coming again , that is , to his coming to judgment upon jerusalem ; and that his religion should be preached to the gentiles , that it should be scattered over all the world , and be received by all nations , that it should stay upon the face of the earth till his last coming to judge all the world , and that the gates of hell should not be able to prevail against his church ; which prophecie is made good thus long , till this day , and is as a continual argument to justifie the divinity of the author : the continuance of the religion helps to continue it , for it proves that it came from god , who foretold that it should continue ; and therefore it must continue because it came from god , and therefore it came from god because it does and shall for ever continue according to the word of the holy jesus . but after our blessed lord was entred into glory , the disciples also were prophets ; agabus foretold the dearth that was to be in the roman empire in the days of claudius caesar , and that s. paul should be bound at jerusalem ; s. paul foretold the entring in of hereticks into asia after his departure ; and he and s. peter and s. jude and generally the rest of the apostles had two great predictions , which they used not only as a verification of the doctrine of jesus , but as a means to strengthen the hearts of the disciples who were so broken with persecution : the one was , that there should arise a sect of vile men who should be enemies to religion and government , and cause a great apostasie , which happened notoriously in the sect of the gnosticks , which those three apostles and s. john notoriously and plainly do describe : and the other was , that although the jewish nation did mightily oppose the religion , it should be but for a while , for they should be destroyed in a short time , and their nation made extremely miserable ; but for the christians , if they would fly from jerusalem and go to pella , there should not a hair of their head perish : the verification of this prophecy the christians extremely long'd for and wondred it staid so long , and began to be troubled at the delay , and suspected all was not well , when the great proof of their religion was not verified ; and while they were in thoughts of heart concerning it , the sad catalysis did come , and swept away . of the nation , and from that day forward the nation was broken in pieces with intolerable calamities , they are scattered over the face of the earth , and are a vagabond nation , but yet like oyl in a vessel of wine , broken into bubbles but kept in their own circles , and they shall never be an united people till they are servants of the holy jesus ; but shall remain without priest or temple , without altar or sacrifice , without city or country , without the land of promise , or the promise of a blessing , till our jesus is their high priest , and the shepherd to gather them into his fold : and this very thing is a mighty demonstration against the jews by their own prophets , for when isaiah and jeremiah , and malachi had prophesied the rejection of the jews and the calling of the gentiles , and the change of the old law , and the introduction of a new by the messias , that this was he , was therefore certain , because he taught the world a new law , and presently after the publication of this , the old was abrogate , and not only went into desuetude , but into a total abolition among all the world , and for those of the remnant of the scattered jews who obstinately blaspheme , the law is become impossible to them , and they placed in such circumstances that they need not dispute concerning its obligation : for it being external and corporal , ritual and at last made also local , when the circumstances are impossible , the law that was wholly ceremonial and circumstantial must needs pass away , and when they have lost their priesthood , they cannot retain the law , as no man takes care to have his beard shaved when his head is off . and it is a wonder to consider how the anger of god is gone out upon that miserable people , and that so great a blindness is fallen upon them , it being evident and notorious , that the old testament was nothing but a shadow and umbrage of the new , that the prophecies of that are plainly verified in this ; that all the predictions of the messias are most undeniably accomplished in the person of jesus christ , so that they cannot with any plausibleness or colour be turned any other way , and be applied to any other person , although the jews make illiterate allegations , and prodigious dreams , by which they have fool'd themselves for . years together , and still hope without reason , and are confident without revelation , and pursue a shadow while they quit the glorious body ; while in the mean time the christian prays for his conversion , and is at rest in the truth of jesus , and hath certain unexpressible confidencies and internal lights , clarities of the holy spirit of god , and loves to the holy jesus produc'd in his soul , that he will die when he cannot dispute , and is satisfied and he knows not how , and is sure by comforts , and comforted by the excellency of his belief , which speaks nothing but holiness , and light and reason , and peace and satisfactions infinite , because he is sure that all the world can be happy if they would live by the religion of jesus , and that neither societies of men nor single persons can have felicity but by this , and that therefore god who so decrees to make men happy , hath also decreed that it shall for ever be upon the face of the earth , till the earth it self shall be no more . amen . now if against this vast heap of things any man shall but confront the pretences of any other religion , and see how they fail both of reason and holiness , of wonder and divinity , how they enter by force , and are kept up by humane interests , how ignorant and unholy , how unlearned and pitiful are their pretences , the darknesses of these must add great eminency to the brightness of that . for the jews religion which came from heaven is therefore not now to be practised , because it did come from heaven , and was to expire into the christian , it being nothing but the image of this perfection ; and the jews needed no other argument but this , that god hath made theirs impossible now to be done , for he that ties to ceremonies and outward usages , temples and altars , sacrifices and priests , troublesome and expensive rites and figures of future signification , means that there should be an abode and fixt dwelling , for these are not to be done by an ambulatory people ; and therefore since god hath scattered the people into atomes and crumbs of society , without temple or priest , without sacrifice or altar , without vrim or thummim , without prophet or vision , even communicating with them no way but by ordinary providence , it is but too evident , that god hath nothing to do with them in the matter of that religion , but that it is expired , and no way obligatory to them or pleasing to him which is become impossible to be acted ; whereas the christian religion is as eternal as the soul of a man , and can no more cease than our spirits can die , and can worship upon mountains and caves , in fields and churches , in peace and war , in solitude and society , in persecution and in sun-shine , by night and by day , and be solemnized by clergy and laity in the essential parts of it , and is the perfection of the soul , and the highest reason of man , and the glorification of god. but for the heathen religions ir is evidently to be seen , that they are nothing but an abuse of the natural inclination which all men have to worship a god , whom because they know not , they guess at in the dark ; for that they know there is and ought to be something that hath the care and providence of their affairs . but the body of their religion is nothing but little arts of governments , and stratagems of princes , and devices to secure the government of new usurpers , or to make obedience to the laws sure , by being sacred , and to make the yoke that was not natural , pleasant by something that is . but yet for the whole body of it who sees not that their worshippings could not be sacred , because they were done by something that is impure , they appeased their gods with adulteries and impure mixtures , by such things which cato was ashamed to see , by gluttonous eatings of flesh , and impious drinkings , and they did litarein humano sanguine , they sacrificed men and women and children to their damons , as is notorious in the rites of bacchus omesta amongst the greeks , and of jupiter , to whom a greek and a greekess , a galatian and a galatess were yearly offered , in the answers of the oracles to caichas , as appears in homer and virgil ; who sees not that crimes were warranted by the example of their immortal gods , and that what did dishonor themselves , they sang to the honor of their gods , whom they affirmed to be passionate and proud , jealous and revengeful , amorous and lustful , fearful and impatient , drunken and sleepy , weary and wounded , that the religions were made lasting by policy and force , by ignorance , and the force of custom , by the preferring an inveterate error , and loving of a quiet and prosperous evil , by the arguments of pleasure , and the correspondencies of sensuality , by the fraud of oracles , and the patronage of vices , and because they feared every change as an earthquake , as supposing overturnings of their old error to be the eversion of their well established governments : and it had been ordinarily impossible that ever christianity should have entered , if the nature and excellency of it had not been such as to enter like rain into a fleece of wool , or the sun into a window without noise or violence , without emotion and disordering the political constitution , without causing trouble to any man but what his own ignorance or peevishness was pleased to spin out of his own bowels , but did establish governments , secure obedience , made the laws firm , and the persons of princes to be sacred ; it did not oppose force by force , nor strike princes for justice ; it defended it self against enemies by patience , and overcame them by kindness , it was the great instrument of god to demonstrate his power in our weaknesses , and to do good to mankind by the imitation of his excellent goodness . lastly , he that considers concerning the religion and person of mahomet , that he was a vicious person , lustful and tyrannical , that he propounded incredible and ridiculous propositions to his disciples , that it entred by the sword , by blood and violence , by murder and robbery , that it propounds sensual rewards and allures to compliance by bribing our basest lusts , that it conserves it self by the same means it entred ; that it is unlearned and foolish , against reason , and the discourses of all wise men , that it did no miracles and made false prophecies : in short , that in the person that founded it , in the article it perswades , in the manner of prevailing , in the reward it offers it is unholy and foolish and rude ; it , must needs appear to be void of all pretence , and that no man of reason can ever be fairly perswaded by arguments , that it is the daughter of god and came down from heaven . since therefore there is nothing to be said for any other religion , and so very much for christianity , every one of whose pretences can be proved as well as the things themselves do require , and as all the world expects such things should be proved ; it follows that the holy jesus is the son of god , that his religion is commanded by god , and is that way by which he will be worshipped and honoured , and that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved , but only by the name of the lord jesus . he that puts his soul upon this cannot perish ; neither can he be reproved who hath so much reason and argument for his religion . sit anima mea cum christianis ; i pray god my soul may be numbred amongst the christians . the end . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e martial . l. . ep . . prov. . . * vt praestem pyladen , aliquis mihi praestet oresten . hoc non fit verbis , marce , ut ameris , ama . mar. l . . ep . . * extra , fortunim est quicquid donatur amicis ; quas dederis solas semper babchis opes . mart. l . ep . . et tamen hoc vitium , sed non leve , sit licet unum , quod colit ingratas pauper amicitias . quis largitur opes veteri fidoque sodali ? ep . . ‖ non bellè quoedam faciunt duo : sufficit unus huic operi : si vis ut loquàr ipse tace . crede mibi quamvis ingentia . posthume dones , author is pereunt garralitate sui . ep . . notes for div a -e de potest . eccles. cons. . ethic. definit . notes for div a -e euseb. lib. . c. . praep . evang. mid-night thoughts, writ, as some think, by a london-whigg, or, a westminster-tory, others think by a quaker, or, a jesuit: but call him what they please, they may find him a true penitent of the church of christ. killigrew, william, sir, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing k estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) mid-night thoughts, writ, as some think, by a london-whigg, or, a westminster-tory, others think by a quaker, or, a jesuit: but call him what they please, they may find him a true penitent of the church of christ. killigrew, william, sir, - . [ ], , [ ] p., plate : ill. printed for benj. clark, bookseller, in george-yard in lombard-street, london : . by sir william killigrew. with a frontispiece featuring: "christ praying in ye garden". with a final leaf of errata. reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary, new york, n.y. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jesus christ -- devotional literature -- early works to . meditations -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - aptara rekeyed and resubmitted - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christ praying in y e garden . ●u . 〈◊〉 and there appeared an angel. &c. v. . and when he rose up from prayer , and was come to his disciples he found them sleeping . &c. v. . and said unto them . &c. v. . mid-night thoughts , writ , as some think , by a london-whigg , or , a westminster-tory ; others think by a quaker , or , a jesuit : but call him what they please , they may find him a true penitent of the church of christ . london , printed for benj. clark , bookseller , in george-yard in lombard-street , . the constant meditations of a man who for many ●ears built on sand , which every blast of cross fortune ●as defaced . but now he has ●aid new foundations on the rock of his salvation , which no storms can shake ; and will out-last the conflagration of the world , when time shall melt into eternity . to the reader . yov are to know , that the author ( being no scholar ) had no design to teach others , nor other aims by writing these his mid-night thoughts , then by reviewing them , to keep up his own heart to heaven : but by this practice , he grew to such a habit of nightly meditations , ( at his first waking ) as prov'd more pleasant then sleep , and in a short time became more delightful , then any other thoughts could entertain his mind with : so that without any intent to publish them , they swell'd into this bulk you see ; and brought him such consolation , that he thought it gods mercy to bring him this way to heaven . and if any reader do find the like advantage , by doing the like , he will have as 〈◊〉 cause to thank god as the author has , who set his fancy on work this way , to defend his heart from indulging such vain thoughts , as day and night did formerly invade and seduce him unto evil purposes . and on this account , the author was perswaded by some friends , to transcribe these loose papers as they were first writ , and tacked together , without any method of coherence observed , ( as appears by the frequent repetitions of the same expressions in many of them ; ) yet they wish'd him to keep them as they were , to shew how such unlearned men as himself , might better imploy their busie fancies at all times , on the serious thoughts of their eternity , then to drop into their graves , without any consideration whither they are going . and the author on the same account , was some time after by the same friends , ( against his own iudgment ) over-ruled and perswaded to permit them to be printed , ( without his name ) who gave him such arguments for it , as he could not resist , hoping that amongst so much sincere natural devotion , something of great use may be found to enrich the souls of those , who are of no more capacity then himself , who knew no true felicity , until he learnt to meditate on his eternity , which every man has some talents to practice on . mid-night thoughts . i. most men do miss of the fe●icity they seek on earth , because the wealth and honours that we gain , and all our joys in them , are with our selves still perishing in the height of our fruitions ; and in a little time must all return unto the dust we came from : yet nothing does disturb the heart of man so often , and so much , as pampering of it with hopes of what we seldom reach , and always over-valuing what we aim at , which our fancies like magnifying glasses represent unto us , with such multiplied felicities , as dazle our understanding , and captivate our reason with an expectation of what we never find . but such men as can set their hearts on god , ( above all his creatures ) and delight in him , and his celestial joyes , will find a constant felicity here , by an inward assurance of eternal glory hereafter ; for s●ch a man can never want arguments to encrease his joys on earth , when his repeated sorrows for past sins do create new joys for those sorrows ; and every new victory over a new temptation does afford him fresh joys for such frequent conquests over satan and himself . so that if we can set our whole hearts sincerely to delight in god , and his service , we may have so many tasts of his heavenly joys here , and such frequent glimpses of that glory , that we cannot hide our comforts in the holy ghost from our own hearts while we live , and when we die , our souls will rejoyce to fly into christs arms , for the consummation of all our hopes , all our joys unto eternity . and whoever doth observe , will find that the deepest sorrows for sin , does raise the highest joys for our reconciliation , and will prove our fullest happiness on earth . ii. the more we search into the ways of devotion , the clearer we shall see , and experimentally find , that true divine philosophy , when fixed in the heart of a divine lover , is the highest extract of all the blessedness that mans nature is capable of in this world : for god may be said to delight in filling those souls with his celestial joys , that study him , and will bring a regenerate man to such a sense , and contempt of his past life , that he shall soon arrive at so great a degree of felicity in his approaches , and converse with him in holy meditations , as to lament when he thinks of what joys he has lost , by wandring so long from god. for the felicity to love god , and to be beloved of god , is a pleasant meditation to entertain a pious mans heart his whole life ; and will invite him to spend more time with god , then with all his creatures . iii. we should always pray with such intention of spirit in that great duty unto god , and with such fervent zeal , as if our souls were that moment to expire , and to carry our pardon with us to heaven . and every time that we receive the holy sacrament , we should consider , that we are climbing a step nearer to heaven then we were before , so to shew our desires to be there . and whoever will have patience to read these plain lessons , and mind them so seriously as to practice them sincerely , will find more pleasure therein , then he can fancy before he tries , ( if he never tried to meditate till now , ) because a firm , fixed , ratified devotion , has in all ages been experimentally approved of , for the highest delightful diversion , that the heart of man can enjoy . iv. delight in the lord , and he will give thee thy hearts desire ; that thou maist still increase that delight more and more in his mercies and blessings , in his love ; and thy trust therein , with a comfortable peace of conscience , until he brings thee unto the supream delight of all delights , to see his face in glory ; and until then , to entertain thy heart with the joyful assurance of that felicity to come , as the highest desire a man can have , by continual improving thy delight in god ; for from him who is the fountain of mercy , and grace , continual joys do flow . v. we are to seek earnestly , and to pray daily for christs righteousness as our chief treasure , and not to rest until our hearts be inriched with some portion thereof , to carry us to heaven , and in our way thither , so to arm us here , that no approaching evils may divert us . we are also to consider , that the gospel does not invite us to forsake the pleasures of this world , to go into a dungeon , ( which were a hard lesson ) but to remove from hence to inhabit heaven , with all its glory to eternity ; yet this natural cowardly disease of fearing to die , being born with us , is without cure , until the holy ghost do fall so on us , and dwell so in us , as to overcome our frailty by his grace , and to make us see , and understand how to value our interest in heaven on christs account ; and by that faith , to raise in us such holy courage , as to pass through the grave with joy to our eternal bliss ; which requires a divine valour , beyond the reach of a natural mans fancy , with assistance from above . vi. most men do forget that our greatest affair on earth , is to serve god frequently , diligently , and publickly to own him ; in the first place to secure our blessed eternity by his favour , while we have time to do it : and in the second place , to follow our callings for a subsistance , by his providence prospering our labour during our abode here : but we do often invert this , by doing quite contrary all our lives ; by hungring and thirsting after perishing goods , and serving god at spare times only , as our least concern ; until the agonies of a death-bed shews our mistake too late . for it is a great presumption to neglect god all our days , and expect a crown of glory at our last gasp , as a reward for our neglect ; it is dangerous to provoke god so . vii . if we did set our hearts to take pleasure in piety , as we do to improve our delight in other things , we should find that heaven gates would fly open to our sincere addresses , and perceived the spirit of god working in our hearts , with divine transports full of unexpressible joys , while that sacred flame burns bright within us ; and such emanations from the holy ghost , are the greatest invitations we can have , to encourage us to prepare for a place in heaven , and to make us esteem those celestial joys , above all the glories of this world ; where the greatest princes terminate their highest ambition to die the sons of god , ( or should do so . ) viii . what god hath revealed to us at mid-night alone , shall be our portions in the next world : and if we can repeat the same communication with joy in the day-time , which we had with christ in the night , we may entertain a comfortable assurance that the holy ghost was at first , and is at last enkindling those divine flames within us , to raise our elevated transported souls to heaven . ix . the greatest epicure cannot have so much pleasure in satisfying all his appetites , as a regenerate man has in his conversation with god , during his devout addresses , in which he finds the holy ghost raising up his heart to an assurance of his favour with god , and giving his soul a delight far above all carnal fruitions , by the very victory over them . but this is only intelligible by pious hearts , and requires a divine valour to encounter , and overcome in such skirmishes with satan , and to relish the felicity and glory of such triumphant joys as follow every such victory . x. if we consider that god asks nothing of man for all his benefits bestowed ( but the heart of man ) and that nothing but man can give the heart to god , and that we ever heard , nor read of any man , that ever made ▪ that sincere present to god , but did receive it back infinitely enlightned , and enriched with treasures of never fading blessedness ; who then can believe this , and omit to make so advantagious a present of his whole heart unto god ? to shew his faith , his love and obedience , as his greatest happiness on earth . for we may in a way of speaking ( and i hope without offence ) suppose the heart of man was made triangular , as three seats , for god the father , the son , and the holy ghost , who are all one god , as the three corners are one heart , which can no more be divided , than the godhead , who will so fi● when he dwells therein , as to leave no place for the world , the flesh , or the devil , to abide there : and from hence it is , that god forsakes us , when we forsake him ; when we deliver up his habitation in our hearts unto his enemies , when we thrust him out , to admit of any of those rivals into any corner of our hearts , we then affront the whole trinity , ( and drive away all them , all him ) to entertain and court a destroying guest , instead of the lord of life . xi . god will not suffer those that are his to live in the dark ; for if god be with us , he will make us see that he is with us , and will never go out of our sight , until he has brought us where we shall never go out of his , and will sometimes make us start with a surprizing joy , to find he is so near us , as to give our hearts a taste of the same joy we shall have in heaven ; though infinitely increased then , and superinvested with glory . how great comfort then must this be , when long habitual sinners are thus blessed , thus converted , and thus reconciled to god , by faith in christ's blood , when god does so eminently manifest his glorious goodness , in visiting the souls of sinners , and powerfully calling us great criminals , to become chosen vessels , where himself vouchsafes to dwell ? to think fully of this , is to think of nothing else in comparison of this our great concern , which now begins , and now assures our eternity with god , which is above all earthly felicities that pass away like dreams . ( as ) what signifies the persian , grecian , or the roman empires now ? where are those great , glorious , glistering bubbles now ? never worthy to come into competition with the higher aims of regenerate men indued with divine love , whose immortal souls are fed with such celestial joys , as can only flow from their immortal object , ( god ) on whom their ambitious hearts are fixed with such a lively faith , as doth create a contempt of all earthly fruitions , and stand ever ready as adopted sons of god , with joy to pass through the grave , to an immediate possession of a crown of glory ; for when god is pleased so to descend and dwell with us here , it is to assure our souls they shall ascend , and dwell with him in heaven . xii . he that has heard the bell toll for him to the grave , and lives after it , will do well to call to mind what agonies he then felt , and what vows he then made to god on his recovery ; and now every day to examine his heart , how well he has performed those vows , and how much fitter he now is for his next summons thither : for every bell that he hears now toll for others , is his alarm to make ready for his day of judgment . a concern so great , that no man can guess at the terrible terrors of a dying , despairing sinner , but he that has felt them ; nor can any man know the felicity of living ever ready to die , but he to whom god has given the grace to live so ; and to accustom himself to compare frequently those past amazing terrors of despair ( from which god did then deliver him , ) with such new light by grace from above , as will exalt his soul out of those dark despairing clouds , to expire in a full reconciliation to god at his last hour . xiii . if we believe christ on earth did all those miracles the gospel mentions , and that by faith so many of all sorts were healed of their infirmities , the same faith now no doubt will procure the like mercies from the same christ , now he is ascended , an● united unto god the father , where he sees all our maladies , and hears our cries , and is as ready now to cure our leprous souls , our withered limbs , our bloody issues , and to cast out as many legions of devils tha● possess us with pride , envy , lust , revenge , gluttony , avarice , and all the rest of that black train : so that if we be now as desirous to be cured as they were then , an● do cry out for mercy as they did , we shal● be made whole like them , and follow christ 〈◊〉 ever after , until we enter into 〈◊〉 eternal rest. xiv . if we observe how the holy ghost works on our souls , when our sincere ●●evotions do raise our hearts to heaven , ●●d how much our fancy soars above ●●r own reach in extasies of joy , and ●elestial delight at that time , we may ●ereby know how god accepts such sa●●ifices , and by his returns of comfort , ●nd ardent desires to repeat such adresses , as often as our affection and feli●ity does encrease by our devotion ; for ●●en god meets our sincere prayers with ●●ch consolations , and inward depen●ance on his mercy and grace , as will ●●lighten our hearts with divine love , and ●●ing us to a constant conversation with ●im , by living a divine life ; so to wean 〈◊〉 from the world , and fill us with such ●oly flames from heaven , as noth●ng ●●all shake our faith , nor divert our ●houghts from making ready for our ●ourney thither . but 't is neither writing ●hus , nor talking thus , nor praying thus , ●●ut doing thus , must bring us thither . xv. it were well if we did treat god with as much respect as we give to one another ; for men generally ( when invited to a great man's house ) in common civility do dress themselves to their best advantage , suitable to such company , and fit for such respect and welcom , as they expect there : how much more ought we to prepare and adorn our souls and bodies , when we are invited by the glorious majesty of god unto heaven , and by his holy spirit are daily solicited to come , where we are sure to be received and welcomed by his son our saviour , and all the host of heaven , with divine caresses , suitable to the dress we appear in ; and what we want of that innocent whiteness , we shall find the angels adorned with there , his son will make up , by covering us all over with his bright rayment of celestial purity . so then , such men whose hearts are ambitious of that ornament , and that honour , will prepare for it before they go , and then will not miss of being so arrayed when they come thither ; so that our sincerity in making ready , is our work here , as it is christ's work to own us there , and is also ( in a great measure ) the business of god the father , the son , and the holy ghost , all three as one , to encourage and contribute to assist us in our desires and endeavours towards this holy dressing , for our blessed reception into heaven ; and our whole lives are given us here , for time to make ready to enter into that eternal glory at the resurrection . let no man then , who has faith in christ's bloud , afflict himself with doubts , or fears , that he knows not how to serve god acceptably ; for god sees through the hearts of men , and observes such as are set humbly , and sincerely to love , fear , and obey him ; unto such he will send his holy spirit to fill their souls with his guiding light , so fully as th●y cannot miss their way to heaven . xvi . if we consider the soul of man as an extract of the divine nature , we may well think that true devotion is the highest epicurism we are capable of in this world , where we may make evangelical righteousness our superlative delight , and by it express our gratitude to god , in raising our hearts to divine love of him ; so to manifest our high and glorious extraction , by a constant joyful conversation with god in humble addresses ; and so fix our election as the consummation of god's prime purpose to adorn his best creature ( man ) with his greatest blessings ; for nothing can be greater than to give himself ( as he always doth ) unto those who desire him , in whom they have all that heaven and earth contains . xvii . we are to seek god , and not to leave seeking till we find him , and we may be sure to find him , who desires to be found by those that seek him as they ought , and delights to be so sought , that we may be sure we have found him , that is , when we delight in him , more than in all his ●reatures ; so we do not deceive our selves by mistaking our delight in god , but are pleased with all his methods , in weaning us from the uncertain glories of this perishing world , that our souls may be ever ●oaring up to him , when we have found him , so as not to lose him again . but we too often meet with men who have skill to make the world believe they have found god , and do enjoy him above others , and are full of divine joys in shew , from their dissembled piety professed , so to obtain credit and trust to deceive the innocent ( which when gained ) they soon unmasque themselves to act as they designed : and then , how va●t a difference is seen betwen such , and a truly regenerate man , that has found god indeed , and does converse with his great maker in full tranquility of soul , through the expectation of his joyful resurrection from the grave ! while the hypocrite has an aking heart in the midst of all his joys , and all his hopes ; that fears to find god too soon , whom he never had a thought to seek ▪ xviii . the divine lover , who is accustomed to converse with god at midnight , will then , at first waking , find his heart so full of fervent zeal , so glowing hot , that no sleepiness can suppress those devout flames from soaring up towards heaven , where his soul enjoys those refreshing comforts it is used to find from the kind welcomes of his beloved , while that holy flame lasts , and when his soul descends from this early visit , it retains the idea of that delight the whole day after ; still exciting this divine lover to retire , and repeat those celestial joys , as the highest , and most delightful entertainment he can wish for on this side of heaven ! for god is the centre of a divine lovers soul , it cannot move from him without some impulsive force , which we should disdain to yield unto . xix . how frail is humane nature ! that can never be so much pleased on earth , as ( within some time ) not to become weary of what we most delight in : and how much greater frailty is it to know how to be ever pleased , and for ever happy ! but cannot set our hearts sincerely to endeavour for it . and yet there is another frailty in some men above all the rest most wonderful ! that such as have , on serious thoughts of their eternity , resigned their hearts to god , and for some time , known no joy , like their transports for heaven ; that such men , so raised , should prove so weakly fixed ! as boldly dare make room for satan in their hearts again ( as the more welcome guest ) where god did sometime dwell ; this were a dreadful thing to think on ; if the mercies of god were not far beyond the reach of sinners to deface . and from hence we may learn , that holiness is the peculiar gift of god , and that we are raised to all degrees of piety by his holy spirit , who of ourselves can neither rise nor stand one moment in his favour longer than supported by the same spirit , thus to give us humble thoughts of our own little or no strength . and yet we are not obliged to rest in such humility , but ought to labour , and to pray for more and more talents of faith and grace , till their encrease do raise our souls higher and higher , in ambitious zeal to become divine lovers , and not to be content with less preferment than adopted sons , when we find the holy ghost thus at work within us ; and so may strive to raise our new affections , by holy thoughts , to the highest pitch of devour extasies of devotion , and by this divine experiment to try if we can love god too much , and have more zeal in prayer , than he does like of ! or can so tire him with our importunate addresses , that he will turn away his face , and deny his love unto souls wholly devoted to serve and please him . but when we find our hearts full of such sincere raptures in devotion , we may assure our selves they come from god , who does ever approve and accept of such flaming sacrificed hearts , as are enkindled from above , and are much different from any such enthusiams as satan can infuse , only to infect those wavering hearts , that do still incline to be his vassals . xx. those who have obtained of god to become truly regenerate , do find that a sincere repentance , with contrition and conversion of heart to god , are rewarded with peace of conscience , and so great a delight in humble converses with god , on their meditations of heaven , and their eternal b●iss , that all worldly pleasures do give way to those divine transports , which flow from the holy ghost within them . and no time so proper to meet god , as when they awake at mid-night , before any worldly concerns entertain their hearts ; for he that chearfully recommends his soul to god , when he lyes down to rest , will to his infinite comfort , find god ready to receive his first waking ejaculations ; who begins the day with the same adoration , and trusts in him , that he lay down to sleep with : so that our mid-night conferences with god , will by custom grow more pleasant than sleep , and will fix such a divine love on our creator , as will produce great joy here , and some glimpse of that glory we shall have in heaven ! for god never receives our sincere addresses , without multiplying of his favours in return by such manifestations of his grace , as will preserve us in his service until we meet again , to pursue those holy meditations , which will bring us unto him in heaven , when we die . xxi . a righteous man is a divine philosopher , that enjoys all his heart can wish in this world , by his faith in christ , love to god , charity to men , purity and humility . and the holy ghost is the great chymist , that conveys all these ingredients into the furnace of a pious heart , and there , by his influence , and operation , produces the grand elixir of true righteousness , which preserves the soul unto eternal happiness . and whoever finds the holy ghost thus working in him , will find the comfort and consolation of his salvation in this life , which with the serious consideration of his future felicity , will be entertainment for his whole time here , and keep him always ready for his summons to heaven ; and will make his passage thither as easie to the righteous , as it is terrible to an impenitent sinner . xxii . it is impossible to fancy , and to find any earthly entertainment for the heart of man ( but devotion ) that can raise his delights higher and higher by fruitions , without la●situde unto eternity : which elevated devotion , is a felicity , that the divine lover only has ; and is created in his heart with his resurrection from sin to grace , by a continual succession of growing joys , on the assurance he finds of his second resurrection to glory at the day of judgement ; which is god's peculiar work in the souls of his beloved , to make them see that he is never absent from such as are totally devoted to love and serve him ; for such , and only such , can securely enjoy god in all his creatures here , and have him also to eternity in heaven . if then the rugged way thither , be so pleasant to a righteous man , what will his seraphick joys be there ! and how worthy of our utmost endeavours to live so , that we may die capable to participate of those joys then . xxiii . men do generally create terrors , to fright their own hearts , as they do children , with ugly vizards ; we represent death unto our fancies in dismal forms , as a messenger sent from satan to hurry us from our present delights into everlasting flames . and then 't is no wonder , that habitual impenitent sinners , do start back from the approach of death , when so dressed . but the regenerate man , has an antidote against this evil ; he summons his celestial thoughts , and sets his soul in order , ( as a great prince in state ) incircled with heavenly joys , ( as his nobility ) and is also attended by crouds of guardian angels , to receive the same death , with caresses of great friendship , who appears before him , drest in bright gorgeous raiments , as an embassador sent from the king of kings , to consummate a league of amity , and to give him possession of his new conquest , with a crown of eternal glory , long fought for , and at last obtained ; so that we generally mistake our passage into the next world , and call it death , which is assured life , ( and that eternal ; ) it is our faults , if we be frighted at the terrors of torment there , where everlasting joys do answer every pious mans expectations , who looks on the pangs of his departing soul , but as the momentary touch of a sharp lancet , that makes him bleed for future health ; so that men prepar'd for heaven , may change the terrible aspect of a grisly death into a divine angelical form , fit to be courted with a most hearty welcome , who is sent by god to conduct us unto him , where every wise good man desires to be ; and this is a great ●ark of the holy ghost on the hearts of men , to bring sinners to such an evangelical felicity , to live so in gods favour , as to rejoyce to ride on deaths chariot in triumph into heaven . xxiv . a pious man is never alone when most alone ; but then takes more delight in his approaches to god , then this world can afford the greatest epicure ; for his devout heart is ever on the wing towards the throne of mercy ; from whence his soul is filled with divine comforts beyond expression , for god never fails to entertain a sincere soul with high consolations . xxv . watch thy first waking thoughts which will declare thy soul unto thy self ; whether carnally minded , or spirituallized ! for then is thy fancy fresh , unclogg'd with worldly affairs , and then the time to blow up thy flaming gratitude to god , in some proportion towards what thou hast received from him in mercies , and in blessings , ( though short in point of merit , ) yet such holy aimes , such pious ambitious contests , god allows of , and is well pleased to see such use made of his grace , by such divine emulations in the hearts of men , who do endeavour to raise up their gratitude in competition with his benefits : but this must be in such humble addresses , as doth become dust and ashes , who can do nothing of our selves , ( that is good ) nor think beyond what we receive , and must thank god for the thanks we give him ; for it is the holy ghost that excites , and enables us to such a frequent and free conversation with our great maker ; by which elevated zeal , and sincere affection in our daily acknowledgments , we ●hew , that we have some taste of that joy , and some glimpse of that glory here , which we expect in heaven ; and is some testimony , that we have not received the grace of god altogether in vain . for no man can give effectual thanks to god for his mercies , until he find some assurance of his reconciliation by the bloud of iesus christ , which is the fountain of all mercies , and the great argument for our gratitude to the father of mercies , who forgives transgressions to raise our gratitude to love. xxvi . whoever has so much faith , as to create true notions of the holy trinity , and gods eternal habitation of glory , and bliss in heaven ; where he believes that christ has purchased places for all penitent reconciled sinners ; that man cannot chuse but wish , and indeavour to be one of that blessed number so redeemed from hell , and raised to everlasting glory on christs account : but how to attain unto this felicity , and to find in our hearts that we have attained it , is our greatest work in this world , and our most joyful entertainment here , which is a pre-possession of heaven , as much as our frail nature is capable of with the divine assistance of the holy ghost ; so then , we must observe if our hearts are become so regenerate , as to find more pleasure in our approaches to god , and our devout conversation with him , then all the fruitions this world can afford us ; for then we shall find an inward dependance on god in our own hearts , such as will guide us by his divine guiding light , unto the means and methods of attaining our wished salvation , and within a little time certainly grow to a much more habitual delight in piety , then our forsaken sins formerly were ; and will hold our hearts up to heaven , ever ready to enter in , when death comes to conduct us thither ; and it will be great joy to pass the pangs of a death-bed , and ●errors of the grave , with an assurance that our souls shall be with god , the moment that we depart from this world , if we live righteously in it . xxvii . if we give our whole hearts to god , wherever we are , whatever we do , our minds will be fixed on him ( the only centre of our souls intrinsick happiness ) 't is like a man forced from his beloved companion , by some great affair ; he dispatches it quickly , and with speed returns where he left his heart ; and thus we may try our hearty love to god. but when trivial objects , and vain diversions ▪ do easily withdraw us from his converse , and then detain us whole days in idleness , so as to afford god but some few moments , for our morning , and evening sacrifices ; we may reckon that our love bears the same proportion with the time spent in his service : we may also find on a strict search , that we are mistaken in the donation of our hearts to god , by keeping of a small corner of our hearts in reserve for diversions , only to gratifie some fair-faced appetites , which do insensibly rob the major part , until that corner have ingrossed the whole heart ; by which we fool our selves , to think our all-seeing god will be mocked with such thin vizards on our hearts . take heed therefore of idle diversions , and pray for grace to become regenerate , to set thy heart on things above , which begets true love to god , with blessedness here , and for ever ; which eternity can never be too much thought on , nor the lord who disposes of eternity , be too much loved , or too much feared ; and if when we lye down to sleep , we could but learn to think that we might wake in the other world ; we should labour to live close up to god , so that satan may find no time , to come between to tempt ; and then such reconciled sinners would discern their conversion to be a sure testimony of god's mercy , and the spirit of faith fixing the foundation of true piety , by which we must ascend , as the first step of that ladder towards heaven . xxviii . it is a stupendious thing , to think how our corrupt dust and ashes , may be exalted , when the spirit of god is at work in the heart of man , when a great sinner is cleansed from his pollutions , and all his past transgressions are so wiped off by the holy ghost , in the receiving of the sacrament , that he finds christ born within him , and his soul filled with a new kind of divine transports , which raise him in meditations up to heaven , by such devout addresses , as grow higher and higher in ambitious zeal to be near god , until he obtain to be owned an adopted son , and while he remains on earth , by faith to share with angels in some degree of heavenly joy , and to perceive some beams of their glory , which he shall participate of at the resurrection ; and until then , be here feasted with such devout celestial delights , as will give him an assurance that these are the marks of his election , to comfort , and to fix his heart on god , who will guide his soul through his pilgrimage on earth ( full of storms , and calms more dangerous ) untill he brings him unto his glory ; for if we believe it to be gospel-truth , that our bodies are capable to become the temples of the holy ghost dwelling in us , we must also believe that he will manifest himself so as we shall discern his being in us , by such a divine life , with such extasies of joy , as no soul can reach without his assistance ; which if we practise to observe , we shall find will prove to be our greatest consolation that the heart of man can have . xxix . we talk of death , as we do of eating , drinking , and sleeping ; and do flatter our selves too much , by thinking we are as ready for the grave , without a full consideration , how nice , and great a preparation is fit for our appearance at the resurrection ; when our whole lives here , spent in the service of god , is not too high a price for the crown of glory we then expect . and yet few men do afford the hundred part of their time , to become capable to receive that inestimable purchase , which christ has made for us by his bloudshed . and nothing is more strange , then that we should so much forget what we are always a doing , ( which is dying ) and is god's great mercy to free our souls from the dungeon of this world , to fix them in his eternal bliss . xxx . god sees our first intentional approches towards heaven , so that we cannot make more hast in our addresses unto him , then he makes to meet and welcom our sincere devotions , with raptures , and extasies of joy , to encourage , and guide our frail nature to love , and serve him above the world ; that can in no degree afford so high delights as our souls find , when our whole hearts are offered up to him in daily sacrifice , while that holy flame lasts . xxxi . our greatest concern , is to live so righteously , as to be ever ready to die ; which no man can think of too often , nor prepare to much for , if he considers that every moment advances towards the grave , through which we must pass to eternal joy , or eternal misery ; and is an argument enough , not to mispend our time , but day and night to call on god , for his divine guiding light to shew us the way to him. xxxii . sleep is so like death , that it is no wonder if we dream often that we are amongst the dead ; for though we are not now visited by visions as of old ! yet such frequent conversation with dead friends when we sleep , may be looked on as kind notions from above , to give us some reflections on the grave , towards which we do walk as fast in our sleep , as when we are awake , so that we ought to imploy more of our thoughts on every minute that so hasts on to our eternity , then men generally do ; and by such dreams we may learn to converse day and night with god in our humble addresses , to make us fit company for his departed saints when we die. xxxiii . if we could attain to as great faith , as the first martyrs had , we might have as much felicity in piety as they had ; who rejoyced so much to leave this world , that no torments could de●er them from death , to be with christ. and if we could raise our souls to fancy the glory of heaven as they did , we should believe that nothing there , is so dirty as our brightest diamonds , where the beauty of holiness by faith , as by reflection , does eclipse all the beauty , wealth , honour , and glory of this world , in the hearts of such as are become regenerate . and if our souls were so sanctified , and advanced in divine love ▪ as those blessed martyrs were , we should admit no rivals with god in our hearts , where he delights to reign alone . and then , we should find our god every where with us , carefully providing for all our wants , and supplying all our defects , as if he attended on us dust and ashes , with his providence to guard us while we sleep , and to watch if our first waking thoughts be set on him , and to expect them as his due , and his delight ; as if the almighty courted us for favours , more then we do him for his mercies , and his blessings ; and when our souls become thus enlightned by his divine rays from heaven , we shall find our hearts so full of him , that a wilderness , ● prison , or a dungeon will seem a throne , and will be our heaven here ; and then we shall know no joy like having god ever in our sight , with hearts fixed on our eternal bliss already thus begun . xxxiv . if we consider the extent of miracles , those we call the greatest , are but as wonderful as the smallest , for every thing we see , all we think , every motion that answers to our thoughts in every part of our selves is miraculous , ( as to dust and ashes ) and so in the same ballance , we may weigh our birth , and dissolution , and resurrection to be equally miraculous . but if we consult our own consciences , and throughly examine our own hearts , we may be confirmed in the belief that there is no higher miracle , then when the holy ghost turns the hearts of men from their long habitual , idolized , carnal appetites , into a spiritual affection towards god , with such heavenly transports as do create the peace of conscience , with such a settled joy in god's service , as will accompany our souls from hence to heaven ; which spiritual resurrection from sin , being god's work in us , is a sure mark of our adoption , and by this miracle of mercy to become thus regenerate , we may account it the highest ! because of highest concern to us , to be so raised from hell , to heaven ; and a greater miracle to confirm the christian doctrine , no man needs to seek after , then what he may thus find in himself , if thus led by the holy ghost ! and thus exalted from reprobate dust , to be the adopted son of god. xxxv . piety is the best policy , because by it we obtain all that the heart of man can wish in this world , and the next , which every pious man has a great proportion of here , and the fool only thinks he can mock god , or flatter him ; while he does only deceive himself , in hoping to serve god , and the devil at once ; to satisfie vitious natural appetites , and enjoy spiritual felicities at the same time , as if the way to heaven were through hell ; but if we do doubt whether eternal happiness , is preferable before short fruition on earth , we may enquire of a voluptuous sinner when he is become truly re●generate , if he does not find that the peace of conscience is a more constant delight , then the greatest momentary gratifications of flesh and bloud . for when he is so called to an assurance of his sonship , by his spiritual comforts from the holy ghost within him , and such transports as do afford heavenly joys , with some glimps of that glory , which he shall participate of at the resurrection ; he will perceive it is the same gift of god , beyond humane acquisition ; so that mans best policy is to lead a pious life , which will fully satisfie all his ambitions , and answer the highest affections his heart can fancy , by having god so , by whom he has all that is in heaven , and in earth . and whoever god does thus give himself to , will find that he has him , and will perceive this is his spiritual adoption , to incourage and inable him to live righteously all his days in more honour , glory , wealth , and felicity , then all the empires of this world can afford without god : so that piety is the best policy to establish our happiness in this world and the next : xxxvi . there can be no comfort in this world , beyond an assurance of sins forgiven , with a full reconciliation to god ; and no man can have surer marks of his election , then to find his former contempt of god , turned into divine love of him , with the holy ghost converting the hell that was in his heart , into a paradice by his habitation there ; which is an infallible earnest of glory ; for when god gives us grace to will , and to do his will , by the power of his spirit , we shall want no comforts here , and be also filled with holy courage , and a joyful faith to turn the terrors of the grave , into a delightful desire to be with god ; which is a righteous mans greatest consolation . xxxvii . if a regenerate man , blessed with divine love , do observe how the holy ghost works in his heart , at the time of his sincere vigorous addresses to the throne of mercy ; he will find that his delight in the service of god , does increase with his devotion , and that his devotion is raised by that delight ; so that his soul ▪ by custom in such approaches , does grow higher and higher , by so joyful a confidence in god's favour , that no allurements can divert his love , nor storms shake that trust on which his peace of conscience is surely founded here , and his salvation at the resurrection as sure : yet care must be had that such elevations of the soul ▪ may not grow beyond those gospel rules set us to follow ; so that the felicity of piety may be sometimes allayed by humble recollections of our own unworthiness , ( when at best ) lest spiritual pride do puff up our hearts with such seraphick joys , as use to rise from such extasies in devotion ; ( so as to think ) if angels in the presence of god , do rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner , what joy may that sinner have , above those angels ? who is so much more concerned then they are , when he finds himself snatched up from the brink of hell , and become as an angel in heaven , before he arrives there ; which is a kind of epicurism in devotion , and may be too much indulged , if not acknowledged from whence it comes , with gratitude for so great a benefit received . xxxviii . christ gave us a sure rule to know , and to shew our love to god , which is ( to obey his commandments ) and not to treat him like our fellow creatures , with passionate words , sighs , or tears , or joys , but by the sincerity of our thoughts , and actions , to shew our obedience better th●n by vehement extasies in devotion ; though such exterior declarations from the heart , do advance our zeal , they may deceive us with flattering hopes of our being better then really we are ; for 't is not our frequent prayers , nor hearing the word preached with d●light , nor receiving the holy sacrament with an elevated faith , that ●ully expresses , or denotes such love to god , as he expects from us , but it is our 〈◊〉 endeavours in all selfdenials , towards an uniform ob●dience to all his known commandments , an evangelical sincerity in the duty required , that manifests our love to god , and is most acceptable to him ; for though our performances do prove short of our duties , god sees our integrity , and esteems us for that ; our sincerity towards obedience , is very acceptable with god. xxxix . god sees our frailties , and knows that no mans fancy can reach the felicity of divine love , but his , who is endued with it from him ; nor can that man by words express those joys that his transported soul finds , in such welcoms as god affords in his divine endearments to his true lover , by such celestial raptures , as do make him forget that he dwells on earth , while that bright flame of his devotion lasts ; and on his return from heaven , while the thoughts of that blessed address remains , it grieves him to find that he is still on earth , so that his body cannot mount upwards with his soul , to the throne of glory , and fix there together . xl. how weak is our faith , in the matter of death ; and how strong the frailty of our nature , that makes us fear to go , where we desire to be ? so to create terrors in the passage , when there is really none , or if any , they are such as cannot be avoided : how vain then is it to raise : melancholly-clouds to eclipse the glory , and dull the joy we are entring into , the moment that we die ? xli . great converted sinners ought frequently to consider the wonderful goodness of god , for his double mercies , who does not only forgive all past transgressions , on our reconciliation ; but on our future obedience , our faith , love , and gratitude , he rewards such great sinners with grace to obtain eternal bliss ; easie conditions to be admitted by god's immense goodness unto this purchase of mercy , and reward on christs account . which grace we must improve by rising still higher and higher in god's favour for the future ; and then we shall have a double joy in all such fruitions , and diversions , as we may own in god's sight here , and at the day of judgment , and may now thank him for ; with hearts full of purity , and such bright shining innocence , as god delights in . xlii . god's spirit is never absent from those that seek him sincerely , and whoever observes it , will find it so . god loves a souls whiteness , that flies all approaches towards sin , with detestation . when god delivers a penitent sinner from the slavery of satan , to rejoyce in the freedom of his service , it is to shew him a glimpse of heaven , to invite him thither . xliii . as a good conscience is a continual fea●t , and a great blessing , so 't is a dangerous th●●g to ●e over-much delighted 〈…〉 duties , ( though peace be in 〈…〉 should forget from when●●●ll 〈◊〉 p●●●ormances do come ; and so 〈◊〉 attribute holiness to our se●●es ▪ ●●ich is god's peculiar gift . there ought also great care to be ha● , that 〈◊〉 be not mistaken , to think we do enjoy tru● peace of conscience , when we have it not ; and that we do not flatter and abuse our own hearts , with some things of fancy , like more holiness then we have ; and so believe our vows , and desires to piety , are effectual performed , before our actions do justifie those good resolutions , and self-denials , to avoid such snares , as lie concealed under innocent diversions ; lest we fall , when we think our selves most safe : so that a pious man is to be as careful how to manage his piety , as a sinner is to obtain it . xliv . when we are assaul●ed by any temptations to sin , we may recollect our thoughts thus , shall i , for this moment of sensuality , part with my interest in god ? shall i quit my sonship , now i am reconciled ; and my title to an eternal crown of glory in heaven , to satisfie my vitious fancy , and a few momentary appetites on earth ? and now cast off the felicity , and security i have by peace of conscience , while i love , fear , and serve god , and by my trusting faith in christ , do stand fast fixed above the reach of malice , and all the storms this world can raise ? shall i depart from this regenerate state so full of blessedness . to become a trembling coward , frightned at every shadow of every evil that approaches me ; and so become justly terrified with the horrour of a despairing soul , when death approaches , which may be this minute , to step into that eternal woe , denounced against the sin i am tempted to commit ? such reflections , with such sincere prayers as such mediations will suggest , are surely good guards to defend and free us from the danger of yielding to any temptations to sin . xlv . a true penitent sinner , whose heart is touched ( by grace from heaven ) with remorse for his wicked life , and a sence of god's many mercies to him ; ( he repents ) and recollects , to the best of his memory , all the actual , and mental transgressions of his whole life ; and offers them up to god in confession , with an humble sincere contrition ; and makes new vows for an universal cleansing from all iniqui●ies , with a total resignation of himself , soul , and body , in a full obedience unto all the gospel laws for the future . thus , this penitent sets himself with holy vigour , and his utmost endeavours , to walk after his saviours steps , submitting his will , to god's will in all things ; whose favour he now seeks with so great hungering and thirsting affection , that god in mercy has cancelled all the records of his long neglects , and insolent repeated sins ; so as to remember them no more : and also by his divine power does raise this penitent to a spiritual resurrection from sin , to grace , and so fills his contented , converted heart with frequent comforts , and such assurance of his adoption , as to encourage him to perform this new covenant unto the end of his life . by whi●h infinite mercy , and grace , this penitent does become so regenerate , as to perceive the spirit of god at work within him , raising his soul to such a sacred love of his great maker , as to think all time mispent , that is not imployed in gratitude to god , for his diliverance from hell , and his promotion towards heaven ; of which glory , he has now some prospect , and from hence , he grows higher in gods favour , until his holy ambitions do increase , desiring to be always in his creators ●ight , and aiming at a favourites sons place in the court of heaven ; thus by degrees his soul becomes so elevated , and transported with these celestial honours , that he contemns the empires of this world , with all the glistering objects here below , as unworthy to divert his thoughts on such perishing trifles as he did admire , before his heart was fixed above on his eternal bliss ; which now fills his soul with such continual joyful extasies in devotion , that he is sometimes frighted at the joy he feels , lest he may embrace presumptuous enthusiasms , by such high consolations as his soul delights in , when his meditations , and addresses do ascend in such bright flaming zeal unto the throne of mercy ; but when he considers that god , ( who sees his sincerity through his heart ) will not reject such sin●ere sacrifices ; he then hopes that these joys do arise from the emanation of the holy ghost , to let him see how god receives , and welcoms a whole heart offer'd up to him ; with such divine lights as earthly souls can neither see , nor comprehend ; and by this tast of bliss , and by this beam of glory here , he judges how much greater he shall have in heaven ! and thus , upon a full search of his whole heart throughout , this penitent now finds with great felicity , that god is pleased to dwell in his heart , where satan did so long triumph : until these new transports for his celestial bliss have quite extinguished those dim shadows of delight that formerly misled him to neglect his god , without a serious thought of heaven , or hell ; or the least concern for his eternity ; until his soul was thus raised above the reach of his iniquities , by his conversing day and night in heaven . and thus the soul of this new convert , is caressed with bright seraphick joys , by grace so fixed , and so enlightned from above , that his inward dependance on god , is his continual consolation , and support ; full of such high comforts , as he must think do proceed from the holy ghost , to furnish this his new temple with sufficient grace , where he now intends to dwell . and by all these blessed guiding lights , this penitent is invited to live such a righteous life , as will give him an humble assurance to trust , and rejoyce in his reconciliation , with a settled faith that he shall see the face of god , in the face of death , the moment that he dies ; his soul shall be with christ , where his departed saints abide , until the resurrection . xlvi . we need no better argument for god's love to us , then our love of him ; which is the highest work of his grace planted in our hearts , by which only we are enlightned to know how to love , and serve god as we ought ; that we may be capable to enter into his eternal glory , prepared for his lovers . xlvii . [ a prayer . ] lord jesus , i beseech thee forgive my transgressions , and now send down thy holy spirit to cleanse my heart from all impuri●ies , and then dwell there , to guide my meditations , and prayers aright , with such servent zeal , as will encrease my faith , my love , and trust in thee my god ; that i may know no joy on earth , like my approaches to thy throne ; and from thence impower me so to practise these great lessons i have writ , as to live with holy courage , ever ready to die , and fit to appear at thy tribunal , on the great day of judgment , with such reconciled sinners as by thy infinite mercy are become the sons of god. lord , i beseech thee let my heart be now so filled with divine transporting thoughts of thee , and thy salvation , as to leave no place for satan there ; that my enlightned soul may be ever on the wing , hasting towards that eternal bliss , which thou h●st purchased for me at so high a rate ! and though my zeal ( supported by thy grace ) do now encrease , let me never think my self near enough to heaven , till i am there . for now i find that no repulses will make satan quit the field , nor my rebellious sences to obey , that i may gain a perfect victory , beyond the reach of a surprize ; nor can i alone maintain this christian warfare , without thy strong supplies from heaven ; for which i daily pray , and by which i shall at last subdue the world , and my own heart , with all the powers of hell , and death together : then from the grave , in triumph rise with thee , my god , and thy departed saints , to my eternal rest , in thy celestial glory . xlviii . the uncertain , certain time of death , was by divine providence concealed from mankind , to make us live ever ready for that great concern , which sets a period to our mortality , the same moment on which our immortality depends for eternal joy , or misery ; yet this known truth , by all believed , is by our perverse nature so much neglected , as if not believed , or as if by our wisdom and care , we could foresee , or prevent the moment of our dissolution , contrary to god's decree : by which blind contradiction , few men do prepare for their pass to heaven , until too late ; and so become wilfully surprized by an enemy we might subdue , if ready armed , and well prepar'd for the encounter ; for 't is we that make death terrible , who is sent in kindness to conduct unto everlasting bliss , unless we by our impiety , do compell him to lead us the wrong way , into eternal flames . a near dead-despairing sinner , reviving from the jaws of the grave , can best describe its terrors , and best judge of the felicity to become fit to die , when next summoned to step into his eternity . xlix . though we cannot guess at the glorious essence of god , nor fancy what heaven is ; nor can tell whether the joy , or glory there be greatest , nor do know any thing whereby we may express either of them ; yet by our faith in all gospel-truths , god does so enlighten , and encourage those souls that are wholly devoted to love , and serve him , and that approach his presence with such humble zeal , and sincere awe , as is due to his almightiness ! that he sometimes descends into the hearts of such men , and spiritually dwells there , as in his own temple ; and sometimes raises the souls of men , with such high transports of sacred love to him , that they are filled with holy air , or something nameless , so divine for joy and glory , while that seraphick flame doth last ; it looks like raptures , and holy extasies , sent from heaven to invite men thither , by shewing them so vast a difference of delight , between heaven , and earthly fruitions ; so to encourage us to expell all carnal vapours , when ever they ari●e to interpose , that nothing may eclipse that divine light from shining on us , by which god gives us grace to endeavour with all our power to raise up our hearts to him , as often and as high as our clogged souls can mount with such a weight of flesh and bloud about them . but when the holy ghost lends wings to a divine lovers heart in his devotions , nothing can hinder his souls ascent to heaven ! and by faith to raise his ●ancy to such a joyful conversation with god , as will enrich his mind with chearful thoughts the whole day after . l. if the felicity of piety were as generally known , as it is despised , there would be more saints , then reprobates on earth : but , as it is satans chief work to amuse , and abuse our frail natures , with present fruitions of fallacious delights that last not : so it must be our business to get better guides , that we may find our way to heaven , in spight of his diversions ; which the pious man finds in a constant conversation wi●h god the father , the son , and the holy ghost , in his sincere meditations and prayers ; when they are all at work within him , raising his soul to such a divine felicity , that he has no room for such contemptible delights as carnal fancies can suggest to d●vert him : for his pious life keeps him as much above all the fading gaieties of this world , as the reprobate is enslaved to them . and if it were possible to make a voluptuous epicure see , and relish those continual joys , which true peace of conscience affords to a regenerate man , it might wean him from his mistaken momentary happiness ; while the pious mans felicity , is founded on a sure rock that reaches up to heaven , and shews him such a delightful prospect of his eternal interest there , as gives him a holy courage to out-face death , when he chearful●y submits unto his summons to the grave , as the only gate to heaven . li. the great felicity of true piety , is only known to the regenerate man , become a divine lover , whose soul is ever busie in servent addresses to his beloved , from whom he receives such welcom , that his transported soul forgets this world , while that bright flame burns within him ; which fills his heart with such transcending joys , in conversation with his beloved , as can only be expressed , when two such divine rivals meet , with pleasure to repeat the great favours that both do daily receive from the glorious object of their love , and with such angelical affections to each other , as doth raise their felicities , by the holy emulation their united hearts have to joyn in a constant adoration of their beloved , whose universal kindness does afford so great pleasure , and consolation to all his true lovers , that their joys increase by the number of new rivals ; which makes them invite all they can get , into their society ; and together sing hallelujahs on earth , until they be added unto those choirs of angels , already in the glory of god. lii . we all know that we are every moment dying , and that death is but the last puff of breath ; and though nothing else be worth the thinking on , nothing is less thought on then death , which we can neither prevent , nor delay ; and should therefore be made as easie as we can , by a constant expectation of his approach , ( because surprizes are most terrible ) which the divine lover is ever armed for , and best knows how to baffle that great conqueror , by chearful embraces as a welcom friend , who comes to conduct him to his souls joy in heaven ; which holy valour , god always provides his lovers with , at their hour of death . liii . a divine lover has ever in mind the glorious idea of his beloved , and remembers that he is always in his sight , who doth observe all his looks , thoughts , words , and actions , how they do agree with his professed love ; that is , if the whole man be resigned up to study , and to do the will of his beloved , with a chearsul heart , as the supreme delight , and fullest happiness his soul can wish for here on earth . this divine lover does also take all the opportunities he can every day and night , by holy meditations and prayers to approach the throne of mercy with a sincere heart , so full of his beloved , as to leave no room for sin , or worldly vanities to abide there , either to divert , or clog his soul , when raised on the wings of servent devotion : and thus he spends his time , ever striving to please , and as careful not to offend his beloved , still jealous lest any undiscerned rival , should in some friendly disguise steal into his heart , and claim a place there ; so to deface that altar , and defame his daily sacrificed heart , entirely offer'd up to his beloved ; and every night lies down to rest with the same zeal , and inward dependance on his souls joy , with a full assurance , that if he awake in the other world , he shall be with his beloved there ; from whence such growing comforts do arise , as to confirm his adoption , and fix his faith to live so righteously , that he enjoys god in all his creatures here , with great satisfaction . yet with holy courage , is ever so ready to die , that in spight of his natural aversion from the g●ave , he resolves to rejoyce at his summons thither , where he stedfastly believes to meet his beloved ready to raise him to his eternal glory . for though the hill we climb to heaven , be full of thorns and briars , we may gather roses , and lillies in our ascent , to make it more easie ; if we do mind how our celestial joys increase , as we arrive towards the last step we make , to enter into that glory . liv. god mocks no man with a false light , that begs his guiding light sincerely , with such a dependance on him , as shews a faith capable to receive it , and to be led by it ; so as to embrace , and welcom such divine operations , and comforts , as the holy ghost conveys with that light so clearly into his soul , that he must see it comes from god ; and which will raise his heart by this light thus led , to find such a spiritual joyful trust , and confidence in his great maker ; that no storms can fright him , nor vain delights divert him from his constant cou●se towards heaven , nor shake his assurance of a blessed participation of god's glory at the resurrection . so that the greatest sinner that can obtain grace to repent , and forsake his sins , so as to be thus led to live ever after in god's favour , will not fail to be received into god's bosom the moment that he dies . lv. it is too true that thou art fallen into disgrace , and dost deserve it , ( thus : ) suppose thy heart to be a royal fort , entrusted to thy keeping and defence by the king of kings , ( for so it is ) and is besieged by satan , with an host of giant sins , disturbing thee with continual loud alarms , and frequent sharp assaults : yet by thy strong guards within , ( from heaven sent ) and thy constant vigilance , with holy valour thou bravely didst repulse this mighty enemy , and hast gain'd many victories ; for which , thy king did promise to reward thy virtues with a crown of glory . but by thy success grown proud , and securely confident of thy own conduct , and mistaken power , thou didst become so negligent of thy out-guards , and so remiss within , that the subtle enemy was encouraged to return with stratagems , and did by his insinuating spies , corrupt thy chief ossicers who let in a few pigmie sins , ( sly foes ) disguis'd like smiling friends , full of flattering allurements ; such , as in short time were by thee admitted , and enterta●n'd , and so far trusted , as to get an opportunity to surprize thy fort , and to lead thee in satans chains towards his eternal darkness . thus the glory of all thy first victories , are by thy prosumption and supine negligence , turned into reproach ; and thy reward into a just punishment , for being so baffled by a conquer'd enemy : until by thy submission , and repentance , thou be restored to favour , and deliver'd from this captivity , by a more powerful conqueror . lvi . as to love god and fear him , is certainly to please him ; so , to do neither , is as sure to offend him : and on this , which we so little regard , our present , and eternal happiness depends . so that we cannot be too watchful , that our own hearts do not deceive us , by thinking that god only reigns there , where his creatures have more interest then himself . but he is not to be mocked with outward shews , or formal ceremonies ; he discerns our neglects , when our hearts are alienated from him in the least degree , and sees through all our disguises , when with burning souls we adore his creatures joyntly with himself , if not before him ! who never will admit of such competitors , as those idols of our setting up are ; whom we worship , love , fear , and delight to converse with more hours every day , then we do afford him ; by which 't is evident , tha● god has not our whole hearts , and so does not reign there . lvii . that peace of conscience which is grounded on the felicity of piety , is such a continual feast , full of such growing joys , as only the regenerate man can feel , by the divine love he finds his own heart full of , with such returns of gratitude to god , as begets a kind of raptures , and extasies in devotion , such as do invite and encourage him to a delightful sincerity in all his addresses to his great maker ; with whom he converses day and night , where he ever finds access , and high returns of grace from god. lviii . a particular self-denial of some darling sin , may shew a good inclination to piety , but is not the perfection of that duty , which must be universal to all that god forbids ; and not only to forbear actual transgressions for a time , but for ever : else we fortifie in vain , by leaving such gaps open , as will invite the enemy to re-enter ; by which we also hold up a dangerous treaty , and commerce with foes that ever study to destroy those hearts that do admit them : for while satan has any part there in possession , or reversion , or but a hope to claim by , he will disturb the whole man ; so that all his pretensions must be totally abolished , by giving up our whole hearts to god ; and this for our good only , that our carnal warfare may be more easie here , by placing our only joy on him. and then our pilgrimage on earth will end in the fruition of never-fading happiness in heaven . lix . to die is terrible , when we are surprized by it ; but by frequent meditations of dying , custom will make it easie : for if we believe heaven to be better then earth , we must believe that we shall find better company there , then we converse with below , and 't is death that only can convey us unto them . and if by a righteous life , with a lively faith , we can be assured in our passage through the grave , that our souls shall tast some degrees of that eternal bliss , with the departed saints , the moment we expire ; can any thing on earth invite us to stay longer here ? but our frailty is such , that we generally make that the least business of our life , for which our life is given us ; and is really the only considerable object , sit for our continual thoughts , so to love and serve god here , that we may be capable of dwelling with him for ever in heaven , and in that hope go chearful to him , when he calls for us . lx. a regenerate man , in his highest divine course of life , may be assaulted , and diverted by such surprizing temptations , as he cannot at first sight so resist , and reject , but that satan may pursue , until he drives a regenerate soul from all its out-works , into its cittadel in heaven ; where god does never fail to give such powerful aids , as make the invading enemy retire and vanish . lxi . let a long habitual sinner that repents , manifest his conversion to himself , by frequent sincere retirements with god , and then set his whole heart to raise and fix his collected thoughts on things above ! which will create a delight in the lord , more then in all his creatures ; and by such custom , he will grow to grudge all time as lost , that diverts him from the pleasant conversation of this new gain'd acquaintance with his gracious god ; who also likes to have him wholly to himself , ( when he desires to be so : ) and when this convert doth obtain grace to arrive at this felicity of favour here , he cannot rest so , but will raise his ambitious zeal to such pure love , as to hunger and thirst a●ter the sight of god's face in glory . for if thus enlightned by the holy spirit , his faith will increase , and cherish such divine flames with joy and gratitude , as the surest marks of his reconciliation , and adoption ; and will encourage him to proceed with vigour in his advance towards heaven . lxii . do nothing in private in god's sight , that thou darest not do in the view of all the world , and own at the day of iudgment ; and keep this resolution ever in thy mind , and constantly pray for grace to do so , by which thou wilt avoid many sins . lxiii . there is nothing more deceitfully prejudicial to a new converted sinner , then to believe himself a favourite of gods , upon his first serious thoughts and inclination to piety , with some light flashes of spiritual joys in devotion ; ( which novelty ) an habitual sinner mistakes for a possession of heaven , at first sight , and in too much hast , thinks himself an adopted son : which time and perseverance can only make legitimate ; and must also be tryed by a nice and serious examination of our hearts , such as is seldom understood by new converts ; who may rejoyce to find they have discarded some presumptuous sins , and yet be far from a just pretence , and ti●le to a place in heaven . ( for instance , ) a man may resolve well , and pray with zealous sincerity , repent too with sighs and tears , and have a great proportion of faith , hope ▪ and charity , with humility also ; but if he want the true christian purity of heart , the rest will not prove a full acceptable . sacrifice to god , who only sets his seal on our whole hearts resigned unto him. so that if we keep a reserve but of one corner for unlawful diversions , to bestow on our fellow creatures , or on carnal sinful appetites , all the rest will not be accepted , for god will admit of no sharer , nor endure competitors . so then , we are to consider , if the value of such a small reserve , be worth the losing of the whole purchase we pretend to ; and next , what kind of salvation it would be , if god deal with us accordingly ! if he should accept of so much of our hearts , as we are pleased to spare him , and leave the remaining reserved part for satan . for though god designs a full perfect eternal happiness unto all that give their whole hearts to him , and affords his divine guiding light , with power to find the way to heaven , for all those who pray to be so guided with sinceri●y and faith ; yet the smoak of our parcel sacrifices from our divided hearts , will not ascend half way to heaven . lxiv . if we believe there is so great joy , and happiness in heaven ; why are we so lazie , and cold in our approaches thither ! why do we not prefer that glorious crown of immortality , before the perishing goods of this world ! for which , our hearts can have no rest until obtain'd ; which is a sad consideration , to think how we neglect our greatest concern , by delaying our reconciliation to god , as if time were at our dispose either to recall , or adjou●n , and do not consider how every moment that we carelesly mis-spend , carries us on to our last step in●o the grave , and our first step into eternity ; but if we did think frequently , and seriously of heaven as we ought , and that the grave is the way thither , we should not dread death as we do , nor fear to go , where we desire to be : but such holy valour , does only belong to righteous men , and not to habitual sinners . lxv . many men fear to die , because they are better acquainted with this world , then the next ; which they want faith for , or else are loth to part from their beloved sins , and fear god's anger for such crimes as they fear god's anger for , yet will run that risque , rather then forsake their sins , until they die . though all men know , that the best way to triumph o're the grave , is to live so well , as ever to have in mind the two eternities of bliss and torments ; to one of which death conveys us . so that it is no wonder if we tremble at the sight of death , when we prepare not for it , by considering , that every moment leads us on to what we so much dread , and yet so much neglect ! and also men should consider that the youngest , and most healthy do stand every minute on the brink of eternity to perswade them to be ready for their summons thither : so that unless we want faith in christ's merits , and doubt god's promises , that if we become so truly pious , as to love god so much above all his creatures , that we cannot fear to part with them , to go to him. so that nothing can more concern mankind , then frequent thoughts of our preparation to step into our eternity , when we all know there is no true rest , but that which is eternal . is it not then great folly , to know that we cannot live ever here , and must be gone for ever , and yet do still set our hearts on these moments , and prefer them before that for ever ! thus to fear petty troubles here , and not be at all concerned for endless torments ! and this for want of thinking seriously , that we carry immortal souls within us , and should have immortal aims , and immortal ends ; when we consider that our eternity begins with our birth , and we that moment do begin to die , and so are dying until we are dead , and gone for ever ; which words ( for ever ) ought to ring ever in our ears , to mind us to live ever ready for that for ever ; which will make us not to fear death , when we consider , that we have a merciful god , who when mans conversion begins , his displeasure makes a period : so that 't is want of piety and faith , that makes us fear to die . lxvi . if we believe all we have , that is good , does come from god ; we ought in all our enjoyments , to give him continual thanks , so to keep up our hearts to heaven , by a constant gra●●●ude , which is as acceptable as prayers ; and the pious use of his creatures , and daily blessings , we shall fi●d a double delight in all the good things we receive from god's hand , because we do enjoy him in them ; and shall avoid all such evils , as we dare not own to come from god : and if we consider that our l●ves here , are only to make our journey to heaven , we cannot have a better guide thither , then the holy ghost , who will never mislead them , who desire to be guided by him ; and from whom we shall get such a habit of holiness , as will bring us to such an intimate acquaintance with christ , as will in a short time wean us so much from the love of this world , as to be chearfully ready to die ; when we see that the end of our journey is , god's call to take possession of the crown of glory , prepared for us . lxvii . apious man , that lives ever ready to die , has a continual prospect of his glorious resurrection , and can have no greater happiness on earth , then his inward assurance of being one of god's elect , who , christ says , shall sit on his right hand in heaven , when the reprobate are cast down into everlasting flames . lxviii . it is said in scripture , that when iacob found god was so near him , he was afraid ; which may teach us , that no man ought to think himself fit for a familiar acquaintance with his great maker , such as to remove the reverential fear , that is due unto so high and supreme a majesty ; and yet we may believe , and find that his kingdom of grace is already come , and is amongst us now ; so that we may with humble hearts say as iacob did , surely the lord is in this place , and in our hearts too , when we are led by his holy spirit to study him ; and can fully consider , that though all our senses are naturally inclined to like , and covet varieties of all sorts , and that our busie fancies are as readily subservient to work the same way , and as eagerly do pursue the various desires of every appetite , though we every day find that all objects do by fruition soon decay , and cloy our highest desires that are not rooted in eternity . how fit is it then to consider this ? and how much better it will be to perswade our immortal souls to rob our perishing senses of their depending fancies , and imploy them on things above , as far as they can reach towards the glorious habitation of god ; where such objects are as immortal as our souls are , and where our variety of joys will increase by such fruitions as never fade , but will grow and multiply the more for gathering , so as to be ever filling our hearts with high delights , but yet never so full , but still to admit of more and more felicity as our desires rise , until we reach the fountain of eternal bliss , where our souls will be replenished with celestial joys , but never so to overflow as to be weary of them . and thus we may be as happy , as iacob was , if we can perswade our hearts to throw out satan , with all his disguised flattering troops , and entertain the holy ghost as chearfully as we have indulged our blind affections , that led us on towards our eternal ruine : and when we have thus discarded gods enemies as our own , we must approach his glorious majesty with fear and trembling , though we do adore , and worship him at the same time with comfort . lxix . if we did well consider of dying , and the joy our souls will have as they expire , when reconciled to god before that hour comes , it will be ample reeompence for our whole lives spent in his service , and 〈◊〉 worthy of our continual meditation , and devotion to prepare for so immense a mercy to penitent sinners ; such as will turn the terrours of the grave into a joyful assurance of a blessed resurrection to glory ; beyond which , no man can fancy a concern fitter for his thoughts to work on , and his utmost eudeavours to obtain of god ; who never rejects a sincere heart offer'd up to him in a daily sacrifice ; which the pious man never fails to do with delight ; and never misses of the consolation he seeks at his hour of death , and in his way to it . lxx . the true idea of holiness , is divine love ; which we may judge of , by entirely resigning our wills , to the will of god ; and the perfection of righteousness , is to live a divine life ; such as takes delight to abhor the crimes we have loved , and to press on in our devotions , until we obtain a full victory over all our carnal passions ; and by worthy receiving the holy sacrament , to fix and confirm our christianity , on the assurance we find by a lively faith , ( thus qualified ) to live ever ready for our call unto eternal bliss , which may be the next minute , and cannot be too often thought on by those who love god , and desire his love , on whose free mercy our eternity depends . lxxi . we may flatter our selves with a mistaken belief of holiness , which we have not , and we may abuse the world , with a disguised shew of holiness , which we know we have not ; but when death comes , such vizards vanish , and our hearts will be display'd in their true colours , to our selves and others . so that the best marks for regenerate men to know themselves by , is strictly to observe , if they love god with their whole hearts , with an universal delight therein ; that is , with thankful hearts to praise his holy name , to fear , obey , worship , and trust in him with such a lively faith , and clear affection , as to be ever ready to forsake all we have in this world , and chearfully to breath our souls into god's bosom , when he calls for them : and whoever shall obtain this treasure of grace to find these marks in himself , will have such a proportion of that joy , and that glory , as will encourage him to persevere in righteousness , until he arrives at god's eternal rest ; where such blessed souls desire to be , who do know no diversions so delightful here on earth , as a daily preparation for heaven . lxxii . to think , and try , are two small words of great consequence ; because that man who will not think , or dares not think what he has done , or what he is doing , or what he intends to do , is in a sad condition ; for he can neither confess his sins , nor repent , nor forsake , nor ever hope for a pardon for them , while he neither thinks , nor trys to learn to think of his eternity . he is past cure , without a miracle of mercy for his conversion ; which is seldom afforded to such stubborn hearts as will not think , nor ever try to think seriously of their salvation , before it be too late . lxxiii . no christian in his senses , will own to love god's creatures , better then we love him ; yet we do it , and see it not ; that is , not observe how often , and how long we lay god aside , to enjoy them ; for nothing can take us from god , but what we love better . and though there is no felicity to be compared to piety , nor any diversions so delightful as devotion , when we love god , and serve him with sincerity ; yet we mind it not enough , that mind it most ; too much , no man can . lxxiv . we are naturally apt to cozen our selves , with thinking we believe what we do not believe , and for want of due consideration of all our ways , we run on in such undiscernible errors , as must offend god , while we think we serve him best ; and this , by indulging many kinds of innocent diversions , until they become crimes . though we know that vain and idle thoughts , do often grow to foul suggestions , which pious men should therefore not admit of . lxxv . we are often misled , by thinking too much of what may be , and too little of what must be ; in providing too much for our uncertain hope of living from year to year , with too little regard ●o our assured death that must come ; as if our moments here , were of more value then our eternity in heaven ; though we do know that nothing in this world is worthy to entertain our immortal souls with true delight , but by making ready to go unto god with chearful hearts ; of which , few men do think enough , and none can think too much , because it is the greatest felicity that our piety can reach , and a sure mark that the holy ghost is working in us ; which no habitual sinner is capable of . lxxvi . no man can want a subject for meditation , nor have a more useful entertainment , than frequently , and seriously to consider , and examine his own life , by recollecting what mercies , what blessings , and deliverances he has had from god ; and to enquire of his own heart , how little obedience , gratitude , and love he has return'd ; what vows made in sickness , dangers , and in times of trouble , but never kept . and above all , to consider how often god has knocked at our hearts for entrance , and been denied , or delayed , to admit of some more pleasing guest ; or whenever permitted to enter , how coldly received , and slightly treated , until thrust out again , to make room for some darling sin , that must be welcomed . this , if fully considered , may bring us to a sense of our offences , and shame to think how unfit we are for our death-beds , and eternity to come , with the amazing terrors , to think how we can call on our so much offended god for mercy , which he could never prevail with us to accept of ; and what hope then , can such insolent contemners of god , have in their last day ? but on the contrary , this meditation will bring comfort to a regene●ate man , who has entertain'd christ in a chearful heart , with sincere integrity , to such a joyful trust in god's love , by his fixed faith , that no carnal affections can remove his transports for heaven ; the expectation whereof is delightful to him , above the terrors of death to lessen . lxxvii . the sum of all the great lessons we can learn , is to shew , that a faithful penitent sinner , who is become so regenerate as to forsake all his iniquities , and can perform an universal obedience to all god's laws , with such evangelical sincerity as to make a total resignation of himself , with all his interests , into god's hands , must be led by the spirit of god ; which will keep up his heart to heaven , in a constant concern for god's favour , where satan dares not appear to tempt , when he sees us so united unto christ ; and this will bring a penitent to endure his pilgrimage through all the storms of this world , and defend him from the glittering vanities also , so as to know no fear , nor joy , to interrupt his expectation of heaven , and the happy hour to breath out his soul into the bosom of god ; which holy ambition , will entertain his heart here , with more present happiness ▪ than all the worlds wealth can afford to a wilful habitual sinner . lxxviii . [ a prayer . ] lord , i beseech thee , let thy holy spirit direct my prayers in my approaches to thy throne of mercy , and there pray within me , that so guided , i may find grace from heaven , to support me in my passage out of this world , unto thy habitation of eternal bliss . and now wean me from longer wandering in the vain labyrinths , and glories here , by having ever in mind , that all the greatness , and various pleasures i have seen , and shared in , are vanished like a dream ; and thereby find , that nothing is so delightful to a regenerate reconciled sinner , as a retired habitation , free from the noise of worldly affairs , where by thy grace , peace of conscience may encourage me to be ever ready at thy call , o god! with a joyful heart , to make my last step into the glorious eternity i hope for , by the merits , and mediation of jesus christ. lxxix . when the holy ghost dwells in our hearts , we shall find new principles of a divine nature , producing there an universal victory over all our carnal appetites , and an universal obedience to all god's laws , with trust in his providence , and such faith in christ's merits , and intercession , as will assure us of all god's promises , as if now actually in our possession ; from whence will arise continual comforts , with hearty gratitude for such love and mercy to penitent sinners . and by this first resurrection from sin to grace , be assured of our second to glory ; so that to be thus sanctified by the holy ghost , we are united unto christ , brought home to god the father , as his adopted children , and do begin to enter on our everlasting happiness even in this world , by our continual meditations , and prayers , so to raise this holy flame as high as here we can reach , without presumption ; so to fix in our hearts the joyful practice of such a divine life , and divine love to god , as will produce divine joys here , and for ever in heaven ; which no carnal fruitions can attain . and thus we are led by the spirit of god , and do become the adopted sons of god. lxxx . if the most voluptuous sinners could discern the felicity of an holy life , what constant elevated joys , the peace of a quiet conscience brings to those who can wean their minds from the fading pleasur●s , and drudgeries of this world , to fix their hearts on things above , sinners would make hast to become regenerate . for if we consider right of eternity , we must know that our immortal souls , when freed from the slavish appetites of flesh and bloud , can have no transports like those immortal joys they find , when settled in their centre , god's bosom , from whence they came ; so that our souls can relish no felicity like the hope of heaven , nor be much concerned for any thing less then eternal bliss ; which though of our selves we cannot reach , yet if we give our hearts to god , we cannot miss it : but if in contempt of god , we live and die in endless sinning , we may justly fear that our eternity will be in scorching flames . we ought also to consider , though god has promised pardon unto penitent sinners , he has not promised one hour of life to repent in ; since therefore we can neither prevent death , nor foresee it , let us always expect it as at hand ; and prepare for our eternal glory in the presence of god , while we have time to do it . lxxxi . most men do say , and do believe they love god , and no doubt many good men do , more or less ; but all mankind ought to enquire into their own hearts , if they find not more joy in their idle diversions , then in god's company ; if they be not quickly weary of conversing with god , in meditation and prayers , hasting to return unto their diversions , which they love better then him ; and then consider the consequence of such contempts , and how much our selves do scorn a divided heart , where we love ; much more then , doth god despise those who prefer his creatures before himself . lxxxii . god knows our frailties , and doth allow us diversions , but they must be such as we may own in his sight , and see him in them , with grateful hearts for such refreshments , as humane nature does require , and such as we may glorifie his name in their fr●itions : and be sure not to flatter our selves into evil temptations , by our fair-fac'd diversions too much indulged , lest they sting us to death with smiles . lxxxiii . there is another kind of happy , and blessed diversions , free from sinful vanities , and fading glories of the world , which david so much delighted in , by his retirements to converse with god , as his souls chiefest joy ; and whoever seeks god with the like zeal , no doubt will find him , as david did , and be as fully happy as he was in god's esteem ; which is an ambition that does become good christians , as the best diversions we can have to raise our hearts to heaven . lxxxiv . men ought with great care to watch their diversions , for we are often betrayed into a neglect of god , even by innocent diversions , which by custom do insensibly engage our hearts to consent unto evil actions , when we design nothing that is ill . so that if we serve god as we ought , we shall delight to converse with him in our retirements , and account our holy meditations of heaven , to be our most pleasant diversions ; so to refresh our spirits , when tired with worldly affairs ; and we shall find that such celestial diversions , will be blessed with divine joys , that cannot be shaken by carnal appetites , nor by glistering vanities , when once fixed and ratified by god's reception of us into his list of adopted sons ; and then be so guided by his holy spirit , as to grow higher and higher in his favour , till we participate of his glory ; which inward assurance will be a more pleasant subject for our diversion , then all the wit , the wealth , the honours , and beauties of this world can entertain our hearts with . and when god dwells thus in the souls of men , it is the most ravishing diversion we can have , to see our selves live ready to enter into his eternal joy , at a minutes warning . lxxxv . when we approach god with sincere hearts , there can be no diversion more delightful then our souls union with him ; who knows all our wants , all our oppressions , and sees all our concerns whatever ; and is as ready to redress our grievances , and to bless our honest endeavours , as we can be to desire it ; which our pious diversions , above all other diversions the most delightful ; so that the best of idle diversions , ( though innocent ) is like warming frozen vipers in our breasts , until we give them strength to bite us to death . and if we do observe it , we shall find , that there is no real essential pleasure in any diversions , but in true devotion ; which the regenerate man finds to be true . lxxxvi . we have two very remarkable notions , fit for frequent consideration , to judge how our hearts stand towards god , and how we may discern his love to us : the first is , to observe if we have more joy in our retired devotions , then in the fruition , and conversation of his creatures ; in which we cannot be mistaken , if we diligently observe how his holy spirit works in us at those times . from whence arises the second consideration , to observe how our souls are elevated by his divine comforts descending on us in such devotions ; which is the best assurancc we can have , that we do love god above all his creatures , and doth also shew that he sees it , likes it , and rewards us for it , by his returns of grace , in giving a delightful perseverance in such sincerity to him ; which is the highest experiment that our frail natures can make , when we love god so well , as to c●nverse with him in our humble addresses , before all carnal selicities , and can rejoyce to go to him , when he calls for us . lxxxvii . after all that has , or can be said , the only way which god himself , hath in his holy gospel fixed on , for the exaltation of his glory , in the forgiveness of sins , is , that all sinners should come to him merely upon the account of grace in the bloud of christ ; and not to rest on , nor support our selves with general hopes of mercy , mixed with our endeavours , and obedience ; but to come up to the gospel rule by a fixed faith in christ , and make that way our all ▪ by giving glory to god therein as he hath appointed , lest we perish eternally ▪ for no man shall receive pardon and forgiveness of sins , but those who come unto god by the bloud of christ. and the sin against the holy ghost is only excepted from such forgiveness . lxxxviii . all the arguments we can hear , or read , or fancy to our selves , by conversing with god in holy meditations of heaven , and eternal bliss in his presence there , will not extinguish the natural affection between our souls and bodies , so far as to desire , or to be willing to have a separation by death ; without a miraculous addition of faith , and grace , to work beyond the reach of our nature : though we do believe that the time between our death , and our resurrection , is but a moment to eternity ; and though that moment should last an hundred thousand years , it will be as undiscernible for its duration , as while we sleep one minute . so that we must be satisfied in this mystery , without farther enquiry ; and pray to be contented in that point , to be as happy when we die , as god's departed saints are , until they and we arise together . and this is great comfort , to know that we shall be with them in death , if we do sincerely endeavour to live and die in god's favour , as they did : and so make ready to go , where we all pretend to desire to be , when we can stay no longer here . lxxxix . we must not entertain spiritual pride , nor welcom flattering enthusiasms in our devotions , nor attribute such holiness to our selves as is the immediate gift of god : but we may , nay we must joy , and rejoyce to find the holy ghost at work within our hearts , to perform our self-denials for us ; and to raise our souls to such a selicity here , in our love to god , and delight in his worship , as will give us a tast of our eternal bliss , when we shall see , and enjoy him as the angels in heaven do . xc . it is no wonder to see men very devout in a time of danger , sickness , or any other afflictions ; but when the evils are removed , does our gratitude for deliverance justifie our love to god by future obedience ? do we in health and prosperity , approach god with the same vigour in our prayers , as in our sickness ? for souls led by the spir●t of god , are alike devout in all changes ; and we being made whole , ought to thank god , and to sin no more , lest a wors● thing come unto us . xci . ovr greatest affair in this world , is to make ready to go out of it for ever ; because every moment may be our last here , and then how dismal an eternity are we hasting to ! if not reconciled unto god before we die : this is enough to perswade us to set our hearts on the love and service of god , who will never let their devout endeavours be lost , that seek how to please him , when with sincere affections , they prepare to come unto him. xcii . whoever finds that the power of divine love , with the expectation of heaven at this distance , doth create such joy in his regenerate heart , as doth bring him to delight in a divine life also , by his frequent conversation with god in humble sincere approaches ; he will soon grow to such a habit of holiness , as will raise his faith to foresee some beams of that coelestial light , which his soul shall shine in at the resurrection , as a reward of his inward dependance on god here : and if thus reconciled and led by the holy ghost , he shall also find this is a good antidote to prevent relapses into sin ; and thus armed with divine joy , he will be safe from carnal temptations , and will have his soul full of such heavenly comforts , as will sweeten all afflictions , and at last beget such holy courage , as will destroy the sting of death , by living ever ready to die ; for he that can love god above his creatures , will gladly part with them to go to him. xciii . let no man boast of his own righteousness , for no man has any , but what is given him from god ; yet let every man rejoyce , and be thankful for such grace as doth sanctifie , and enable his dust and ashes to become regenerate , and learn so to welcom the spirit of god in a chearful heart , that he may make it paradise where he is pleas'd to dwell : and then that man's natural corruptions will be refined , and his body consecrated into the temple of god ; and by this miracle of mercy , the most incarnate sinner may become an angel of light : but not by his own inherent righteousness , but by god's grace and mercy , with christ's righteousness imparted unto him. xciv . amongst all the great lessons we have learnt , holiness is most worthy of our study , to search our hearts if we can find there the gospel-marks of our election ; for when god invites us by his holy spirit to this sincere enquiry , he will direct us by his divine guiding light , to find , and to feel when we have found the treasure that we seek ; by the comforts that will still grow , until they fill our souls with such coelestial joy , that we cannot miss of , nor mistake what we search for , to assure our election ; for god will not be hid from such as he sees does seek him with their whole hearts , and that do hunger and thirst after holiness ; and when we do obtain grace to discern such marks of our spiritual filiation , we may in great humility rejoyce , and sing hallelujahs unto god with the angels in heaven , to shew the highest adoration our hearts can express , in gratitude for such mercy afforded unto men on earth . and by thus entertaining our selves within our selves , avoid temptations , and set our hearts above the power of all vain objects to divert us from the prime end , and felicity of our christian calling ; which is our resurrection from sin to grace , as the chief mark of god's favour to assure our reconciliation ; for grace accepted , and persevered in , is the infallible earnest of glory ; because christ has made the kingdom of grace here , all one with the kingdom of glory . which is much talked of by many that prepare not for it ; because most men in health do think themselves ready to die , and do not find they are not , until the bell tolls them to their graves ; hoping to jump from hell to heaven at once , but the ascent is high , steep , and very hard to climb . xcv . though the great art and mystery of self-denial , to subdue all carnal appetites , is the most difficult part of our christian calling ; yet the same holy spirit that invites us to it , will impower our hearty endeavours , by diligence and custom to gain so absolute a victory over our tyrant fancies , which before enslaved us , as will raise our souls by constant self-denials , to much greater spiritual delights even here on earth , which the regenerate man can only judge of . xcvi . [ a prayer . ] o lord prepare my heart to pray , and bless me with contrition , and repentance proportionable to my sins , that my love , and my obedience , may now be as great as my crimes , and my neglects have been ; who never thought on thee in all my ways , nor of my souls eternity till now , being led by thy holy spirit to pray for grace to set my heart continually on thee , my god ; that i may know no joy on earth , like my humble addresses unto thee , in my retirements ; by which i can only judge of my new love , and gratitude , for thus turning of me from mine iniquities , and by this miracle of mercy and grace , hast snatch'd me up from hell , into this heavenly prospect of thine eternal habitation of glory . lord let these divine transports in my approaches unto thee , wean me from the world , that the remnant of my days may be spent in preparing of my soul for thy summons to heaven , that the terrors of the grave may not divert my frail nature from coming with joy unto thee , my god , when thou art pleased to call . and i beseech thee , make this holy flame burn still brighter and brighter , when i draw near to pray , that my heart may melt with joy for this my reconciliation , and comfortable hope of eternal happiness in heaven ; and that i may be so strong with divine valour , as to welcom death , that only can conduct me thither . xcvii . when god delivers a penitent sinner from the slavery of satan , to rejoyce in the freedom and felicity of his service , it is to shew him a glimpse of heaven , to invite him thither . how great a crime will it then be , for such a man to turn reprobate again , after such mercy shewn ! xcviii . nothing does ruine more souls , then not frequently examining our own hearts strictly , how they stand towards god ; and with what sincere delight we serve him , in our devotions ; for the bright flaming zeal of a sincere sigh , will pierce heaven , when luke-warm words uttered aloud , can find no entrance , nor is at all regarded by almighty god , who allows us to knock hard at heaven gates for entrance , when our groaning hearts express our desires ; for he loves to be pressed with violence for his favours , to shew that we value what we pray for . xcix . endeavour above all things , while thy soul is in communion with god , to keep thy affection up to him , and strive not so much for long eloquent language , as to be heart-wounded , in thy petitions , for when thy devotion flags , thy prayer is done . we ought always to pray , as if we were that moment to die , which will keep our hearts intent on the great work we are about ; and he that in praying , can adorn his sorrow for past sins , with penitential tears , before he parts from god , will wash them off , with tears of joy , for that sorrow . c. there is nothing in our view more destructful to the souls of men , then the false opinion , that christianity does impose slavish laws upon us ; as if piety only consisted in heavy burthens , to be poor miserable dejected cyphers in the world , made up for sorrows , and sufferings , with self-denial vows against all humane natural fruitions , and felicities ; for most men being bred up in these mistaken prejudices , cannot easily be perswaded , that the true christian gospel rules for a spiritual life , does exceed those carnal appetites we so much struggle for , and the regenerate man as much despises ; in comparison of his souls continual feasting on the expectation of heaven , whose firm belief of his eternal joy , as an adopted son of god , is a felicity above all the fading enjoyments this world can afford the most ambitious , luxurious person , who has all that his heart can wish that way . so that no man can have a more chearful soul , then he whose faith in christ , and trust in god , makes participate of all the lawful pleasures this world affords ; and when piously used , is a delight far above what the wicked can pretend to , when the terrors of an evil conscience must imbitter his fruitions . and this no man can so well judge of , as a converted sinner , become regenerate , who has tasted , and forsaken the most voluptuous pleasures this world has , for the present joys his soul finds by faith in his eternal bliss ; which shews that a good christian lives more pleasantly in this world , then a vitious man can do . ci. when christ has wrought his great miracle of conversion in the hearts of the most obdurate sinners , those near lost men , by his grace becoming truly regenerate ; such evangelical sincerity will grow in their hearts towards god , as to take more pleasure in his service , then all their past carnal fruitions did afford them : so that whoever is enriched with this grace , will find divine comforts in their retirements to be alone with god , such as will beget heavenly raptures , and preserve their hearts the whole day after from satanical assaults ; and by the custom of such early morning exercise , will in time beget an habitual delight to begin the day with god , and never forget those high ejaculations , until they meet the lord again , to renew and confirm their commerce for heaven . but it is no wonder , that men generally great sinners , are so hard to be converted , because they cannot set a true value on what they understand not ; but most wretched those , who have been thus enlightned , and for some moments rais'd to heaven ; yet are so frail by nature , and by custom prone to evil , as to forsake these seraphick joys , and return to fordid earthly fruitions , rather then continue in the assured everlasting joys of heaven ; by persevering in that righteousness , which they have tasted , and like not . cii . though david did commit some great faults , he was a man after god's own heart after that , and one of the best patterns in holy writ , fit for us to imitate ; for his love , and gratitude to god , who by custom grew to such a pious friendship with his great maker , that much of his life was spent with god alone in his retirements , with whom he consulted all his affairs , made all his complaints to , and humbly begged whatever his needs were , with such a familiar trust in god , as his only support , and only delight : so that if we now consider david's great affairs , as a king , full of troubles , ever in wars , though glorious by his atchievements , yet in frequent dangers , vexed by a stubborn people hard to govern , besides the disorders of his own family ; so that we may think he omitted no opportunity to be with god ; that hath left so many psalms full of such high divine raptures , extant , to manifest his great piety ; that it is a wonder he could get so much time for so many prayers , praises , and contemplations . by which we may learn , that in what calling so ever god has set us , and what troubles so ever he appoints for us , we may find time to converse with god by day , and night . so that if we repent , confess , and forsake our sins , with hearts as servent towards god , as david did , no doubt we shall be as well received , though neither kings , nor prophets . we may also call to mind , that david , as the least considerable person of his family , had the lowest imployment , to keep his fathers sheep ; yet his heart was then set high on god , or he might have been devoured by that lion , or that bear he slew , if god had not been with him . and we may also think , that he was better acquainted with god at his flock , then saul was on his throne ; else he had not escaped saul's surious malice , and so soon ascended that throne . by which we may see , that the greatest king , and meanest man , may learn of david , to love , serve , honour , worship , and trust in god , with such a delight , as will grow to a friendship with his creator , and raise his soul up unto heaven , whatsoever his imployment on earth is ; and those hours , and years of our life , which we trifle away , as a burthen to be rid of , not knowing how to spend idly enough , we may imploy as david did , and never be alone , when most alone . thus we may enjoy a happy , and blessed security on earth ; and have a true courage above all such accidents as make ill men tremble . and thus a pio●● man enjoys a present communion with god , and christ , by a lively faith , to such a degree , as doth assure his soul of eternal bliss in heaven ; and when satan finds us always in such company , he will have small hopes to get an audience for his addresses to destroy us . so that if we can live thus like david , we may hope to die in god's favour like him ; and as chearfully resign our souls into god's hands , who loves us more then we can love him ; and though we cannot reach david's highest perfections , as an inspired prophet , we may like him , give continual thanks to god for all we have , and sing praise , honour , and glory to his holy name , whose mercy endureth for ever . ciii . did men watch the deceitfulness of sin , and would heartily check the first appearance of evil thoughts , with the remembrance that our all-seeing god is ever present , to observe if we do fight , or do invite our long known enemies , to their accustomed conquest of us ; such precautions would make us either fear to offend , or joy to please our god , and would soon teach our careless hearts , how to subdue those tyrant appetites a far off , which so often do enslave us , when permitted to approach at a nearer distance ; who do hold such a natural intelligence within , that if we but admit a parley to treat with those subtle enemies , they will with fair pretences lead us on , until they undermine our souls , and blow us up , before we can discern the danger we are in ▪ and when once entred at such a breach , 't is then too late to grapple with a foe that is in possession of a fort without resistance gained . yet this sad truth by long experience taught , is seldom learnt , because we too much love those glistering fetters , and consent to put them on before they be imposed ; and then fear to be too soon freed from such a pleasant bondage , vainly thinking we can at our own pleasure shake such shackles off , and be at liberty , until surprized by some unlook'd-for doom , from whence is no redemption . civ . a frequent examination of our hearts , is of use to keep men close up to godliness , and some rules are very necessary to examine our hearts by , to know when we walk aright , as well to check remissness ▪ as to cherish those divine motions which do raise hearts up to heaven , and may keep them there , when so raised ; which is a great assurance for flesh and bloud when converts ; and will beget a joyful hope of being received into god's bosom , when become so regenerate as to find a sincere delight to dwell there ; which is a great degree of blessedness , and a good assurance that we shall be so for ever in the next world. what labour then , or what time spent can be too much , to obtain grace to become so universally cleansed from sin , and universally obedient to gods commands , as will produce a total resignation of our selves , and all our interests into gods hands , and keep our hearts close up to heaven , until we arrive there ? for when god is the prime object of our souls desire , we shall take all opportunities to retire from the world , to converse with god in humble addresses for our eternal h●bitation with him in glory . but if this duty of meditation be used as a servile drudgery , to avoid a rod held over us ; we are not right at heart , and far from being regenerate , far from loving god , if we take no delight in being with him ; for though humane nature cannot reach to angelical holiness , yet evangelical sincerity may be acquired by the divine assistance , if rightly sought ! and then , as many as are led by the spirit of god , are become the sons of god ; beyond which , no man can wish , nor think ; and when this state of bliss is obtained , with what diligence ought we to keep it up to the highest pitch of love and gratitude that our fancy , and our faith can reach ; for by such emanations from the holy ghost ▪ we may judge of gods love to us , and thereby guess what immense glory we shall have in heaven . and thus we may daily feast our souls with angels food , if we can conve●se with god aright : so that to be regenerate , multiplies our joys here , and assures our happiness in heaven ; and though no man can of himself attain to this state of grace , without the divine assistance ; it is never denied , if sincerely begged ; nor was ●ver given in vain to deceive any man , in the point of being regenerate . cv . we have no better way to express our love and gratitude to god , for all his mercies and blessings , then by our self-denyals : for , our obedience to his laws is duty , and no virtue to forbear a sin that we take no delight in ; but to crucifie a beloved darling lust , rather then offend god by it ; that is self-denyal : and unto whomsoever god gives grace to do so , he gives a joyful satisfaction to his soul for so great a victory , as lays a firm foundation to raise his thoughts to heaven on : and is a good argument to shew that he fears gods threats , and trusts in his promises , as the greatest testimony of an active faith so much required ; and when all this is done , our christian warfare is not done ; for when carnal sins do cease , and our appetites are overcome by grace , satan still pursues , in hope to frustrate the felicity of our conversion , by disturbing our piety with spiritual pride , or some enthusiasms , to reduce us into his power again . so that when we are best , we must watch and pray most , for supplies of grace to enable us to fight on , lest we end worse then we begun . the sum of all that can be taught , is to bring men to godliness and honesty ; which is the perfection of christianity . cvi. it is said in scripture , that without holiness , no man shall see the lord ; by which we may observe , that gods injunctions are designed for mans greatest happiness ; because holiness is certainly our only true felicity in this world ; and cannot be less in the next . for if by righteousness and faith , we may see a glimpse of gods glory here ; we shall see him in fulness of glory at the resurrection ; and enjoy him too on christs account . cvii . no man did ever seek god with a sincere heart , that missed to ●ind him ; god loves to be so sought , and to be so found , as we shall be sure we have found him by our delight in him : all which is the work of the holy ghost within us , to our great comfort here , always to enjoy god , if our delight be set on him ! above all earthly fruitions . and thus we may find god , and enjoy him as well in courts of princes , as in a wilderness , if we prefer nothing before the finding of him ; and so the greatest courtiers may live like saints on earth , and be saints in heaven when they die . cviii . 't is not amiss for a righteous man sometimes to fancy himself on h●s death-b●d , with his friends bewailing his depar●ure from them ; while he pities their mistake , who pities him , that is going to see the face of god , in the face of death ; and to meet christ , who with open arms comes to receive his soul into his eternal rest ; such meditatations will raise our hearts to endeavour to die so , and will bring us great consolation while we live so , in gods favour , that our faith fail not at the last gasp . cix . there is no felicity like piety , no peace , no security , no conversation , no diversions can come into competition with a divine life , and divine love to god ; so to fix our interest in this world , and the next ; for we shall fall as we live , and shall rise to everlasting judgment as we fall ; for though christ came into the world to call , and to enable the greatest of sinners to become capable of this felicity here , and salvation after ; we must repent and forsake our iniquities , or can have no part in him . cx . we cannot make too strict ▪ a covenant with our eyes and hearts to wa●ch the deceitfulness of sin ; and observe how every look , and every thought , is naturally apt insensibly to convert innocent intentions , into evil ; before we discern the subtle enemy undermining of our souls , with the fair appearances of harmless diversions , if too much indulged until they become destroying snares . cxi . god often treats his professed lovers , as we do one another , when we find that a professed friend has some concealed jewel that he prizes above his professions , though he offer up all the rest which we desire not , we reject his complement , and still desire to have that reserved beloved jewel which he values above our favours . and so god rejects all our complemental services , until our reserved darling lust be offered up to him , as the jewel we most prize , and the only sacrifice he will accept ; then in return , of our whole hearts , he will give himself to us for ever . cxii . let him that thinks he stands most fixed in heaven , take heed lest he fall ; and remember that david ▪ and solomon , ( both of them gods favorites ) could not stand longer then by his grace supported ; nor were our saviours beloved disciples , all free from stumbling , by which , and many more examples , we are taught not to presume on our own righteousness ; but to look on our frailties as inherent to us , lest dust and ashes should presume on our own performances , without continual addresses to god for such supplies as we do every moment need . and we may also think that god permits some good men to some relapses , to awaken , and quicken them to the frequent duty of his worship , so to own him , that no man may hope to serve him as he ought , without him . for satan is most busie and ambitious to reduce a convert out of christs flock , to become his slave again ; rather then to continue his celestial freedom ; such a victory he accounts his master-piece , so to subdue careless men , who too much trust unto their own integrity , and take no heed how they stand , lest they fall . cxiii . we cannot pray too often , because frequent sincere prayers do bring down blessings from heaven ; but when we mak● negligent addresses , they shew such a disrespect , that the glorious majesty we approach , turns from us , in contempt of such careless petitions . for when we are excited to divine worship by the holy ghost , god looks for such intention of spirit , with vigour in our devotion , that shews how much we value what we pray for ; he admits of our frequent zeal at all times , though he sees our unworthiness , and never fails to cherish an humble contrite spirit , when he rejects a presumptuous babbler . so that when we approach to pray , our first petition should be , for grace to prevent all diversions from satan , and our selves , who where his publick temptations fail , is ever busie to disturb our devotions with frivolous or foul suggestions . cxiv . how can we think that god doth believe the frequent professions we make , that we love him above all things , when we forsake him so often for trivial , and vain fruitions ? for though no man is free from such frailties , as we ought to watch , and pray for amendment of by grace from above ! for to be absolutely perfect , is impossible , because our nature will not admit of such angelical perfection ; yet no man ought to question his sincerity , because he cannot do , that which is impossible for men to do . cxv . we spend much of our time in laying foundations for happiness on earth ; when our happiness is , that we have none here , but what we can raise from our hopes to find in heaven ; which we are seldom inclined to think on , but when we find we are not so well provided for here , as we hope to be there . cxvi . all men know that every moment of our lives , every step we make , does advance us towards the grave ; but we do not seriously enough consider of this our greatest concern , while we march on with merry hearts towards our eternal habitation of rest , and happiness in heaven ; ( as we think ) but in our careless journey thither , do entertain our souls with such worthless vanities , or such known wickedness , for our diversions ; that we do often mistake the way , if not quite lose it , and so arrive at a dismal habitation of woe , before we see whither we are going . cxvii . we cannot love , or fear god too much , we cannot thank him , or trust in him too much , nor think of him too often , from whom we have all that we enjoy , and on whose free mercy our eternal doom depends ; and this moment may be that doom to every one of us . so then he is the most happy man in this world , that lives ever the most ready to die ; with a sincere desire to be with god ; which is a sure mark of his reconciliation , and adoption ; to love god thus , and to be thus beloved of him , will bring us to delight in god above all his creatures , which is the highest felicity our p●ety can aim at . cxviii . [ a prayer . ] lord enrich all hearts with divine love , that desire it , and inflame their souls with such desires towards thee , as to live righteously , and to value such enlightning comforts as flow from those transports thou doest afford unto reconciled sinners , become regenerate ; so to encourage them to inform , and reclaim such as go astray , by seeing the vast delights that do attend thine adopted sons , in their way to heaven ; and by that bright light from above , to judge of thy celestial joys prepared for them there . cxix . not to think at all , is impossible , and to think too much of what we ought not to think of , is too natural to us ; but to think of the everlasting torments in hell , comparatively with our pe●ty short pains here , will fright us into some care not to offend god so , as to send us thither : pu● to think of the ioys of heaven as we ought , and by our faith in christ to bring us thither ; with our love to god , our christian charity , our purity of heart , and our humility to god and man ; which is the divine lovers part , who is ever thinking on his eternal bliss , and how to please god most , so to prepare for heaven , which he sees every moment is at hand ; and the joyful expectation of that happy hour , is his souls continual consolation ; as those will find , who do sincerely labour for it . cxx . it is one of the devils chief arts , to cheat men into a belief that it is a melancholly thing to be religious ; but a man truly regenerate , will need no other arguments to convince the contrary , then what he finds in his own heart of delight , when the holy ghost has taken possession there ; and when his retirements with god , will furnish him so fully with his loving kindness , and those enlightning gifts , those beatifying graces , and refreshing comforts , those divine manifestations of his presence , creating such a ioy , with such peace of conscience , that no carnal appetites , nor all the malice of men and devils , can remove him from his firm station of bliss , which he participa●es of in this prospect of heaven only . but no man can believe this , nor guess at the felicity of a pious life , until he do obtain grace to become regenerate . cxxi . whoever considers that his day of death , is his day of judgment , for his eternal being ; will find that his time yet to live , is little enough to ask god pardon for the time he has mispent ; whoever doth closely and seriously set to this great work of conversion , will find that his sighs and tears , will produce more joy in his latter-days , then re-acting his former crimes would be , when the two eternities are put into the scales . cxxii . let us not please our selves with presumptuous thoughts , that we are the temples of the holy ghost , till we have examined our hearts strictly , to find if we are free from all habitual sins , in thought , word , and deed ; for god will not dwell in a polluted temple : we must next examine what proportion of divine ioy , the holy spirit ●ills our new hearts with , to confirm , and sanctify our souls , in the love , and service of god , thus dwelling in us ; and then observe , what a new kind of entertainment it is , to delight in god , with the peace of a quiet conscience ; which by frequent meditations , will hold us up above the reach of any storms , that satan can raise , or the malice of men can contrive against us ; and then we are to fix all this happiness , by worthy receiving of the holy sacrament , so as christ may be born within us , and be so vnited unto us , as to confirm our spiritual filiation : thus qualified , we may look on our selves as temples of the holy ghost ; in all humility rejoycing to be so blessed , when we are so . cxxiii . we ought to enter cavea●s in ●ur hearts , against the approaches of such sorts of temptations as we fear most , and on all occasions , to search the register of our vows made to god ; to see if we do not stand pre-ingaged to him , to resist the temptation then assaulting us ; and if so , how unworthy shall we be so to break our word with god , upon record ; and how dangerous to provoke his anger by such a contempt ; thus we may destroy many designs from satan , and our selves oftentimes the worse devil of the two . cxxiv . we are too often abused by flattering diversions , as if holy meditations were not more pleasant , and more durable , then vain delights ; which rob us of our real essential joys , for shadows of pleasures , that ever abuse us . cxxv . we ought often to consider of how little value all is , that we have on earth , which we must for ever depart from when we die ; and should therefore set our selves to secure a blessed eternity where we go ; and which god invites us to , on the easie terms of repenting our past sins ; and forsaking those crimes , which we have been so often cloyed with . cxxvi . let thy spiritual resurrection from sin , ( which is gods works within thee ) assure thy reconciliation , and confirm thy election , so as to fill thy heart with bright flames of a sincere evangelical devotion , that thou mayest live and serve god chearfully , until thy time comes to die ; and then with a holy valour pass through the grave with a lively faith to participate of his glory , at the resurrection ; for by a ready submission , thou wilt conquer that great tyrant death , by a foresight of those celestial joys , that raise thy soul to know thou shalt be with god , the moment that thou diest . cxxvii . we ought to pray continually for the holy ghost to dwell in us ; to inform and enable us to do our duty in all things , with the spirit of faith ; which will improve our zeal , and to contemn this worlds glories , and will fill our hearts with higher thoughts for a joyful expectation of a crown in heaven , prepared for those who value it . cxxviii . we should always have in mind when the spirit and the flesh contest within us ; that our will is the judge between those two solicitors , and that god leaves the option of our eternal bliss , or eternal woe to us ; that is , whether we will become spiritual disciples , or carnal sinners ; for no temptations can make us guilty , unless we consent to sin . cxxix . the greatest argument against despair , and for a pious life , is very short : that if we do repent , and forsake our sins ▪ with a sincere universal obedience for the future ; we shall be as certain to partake of gods promised mercies , as if we had never gone on in those former sins ; though great and frequently repeated , which is great comfort unto all such as hope to go to heaven . cxxx . the generality of mankind , do spend most part of their lives , on the delightful acquisition of wealth , honour , learning , or the like ; and are but unskilful merchants , that purchase rich jewe●s , with more hazards , and at higher rates , then their intrinsick value will afford them to be gainers by , when obtained . and for which , we pay most part of our precious time , that is the only treasure we have ; and of much more worth , then all we can purchase in this world , by the profuse expence of that time , on such glistering tri●les as must perish with us , if not before us ; when a tenth part of our mis-spent time , would procure eternal wealth , ho●our and ioy beyond expression for our immortal souls , if we would devoutly traffick for heaven ▪ but we are naturally inclined to set our hearts on present fruitions , more then a hundred times their value in reversion ; because heaven is , or may be far off , and we have time enough to think of that , when we have nothing else to do ; though this minute we may be called to our eternal doom ; and too late find the difference between a reprobate , and a regenerate life . cxxxi . a man truly regenerate , will not admit of the least contest from carnal appetites , his heart being so fixed on heavenly joys , that he detests all approaches to divert him , as below the pleasure he has in his conversation with god in private ; who he believes will assuredly bring him to heaven , if he prefer his service , before the fading bubbles of this world. cxxxii . of all the blessings that god bestows on men , there is none greater then the peace of conscience , which a pious man finds when he is dying with great comfort ; and which ought to invite all men to live divine lives , with assurance that god sees our sincerity , and gives sufficient grace accordingly , at the hour of death . cxxxiii . a great reprobate , ( by the grace of god ) become regenerate , can experimentally judge how much the felicity of piety doth exceed his former epicurisms : men in this world , without putting eternity into the scales , against moments ; and observes that the continual tranquility of a quiet conscience is much more pleasant , then all his past unlawful fruitions , attended with such terrors as a guilty soul is loaded with . cxxxiv . every pious man that has forsaken his sins , for fear to offend god , who he pretends to love also ; does begin well : and when god sees his sincerity to obey him in all things , he will not let him rest there , but adds faith and grace till his heart longs for a nearer communion with christ in heaven ; and by a daily custom of such elevated meditations , god will bring this pious man to despise this world , and to overcome the terrors of the grave , by his expec●ation of heaven , where his soul longs to be . cxxxv . we must not desire to die , to be rid of affliction here ; but if we can obtain grace for so divine a love to god , as to be glad to go to him , when he calls for us ; that will be enough , and such holy courage at the hour of death , will bring great joy to our expiring souls . cxxxvi . the souls of righteous men , are said to be with god the moment they expire ; but to what degree of bliss they are admitted before the resurrection , is not revealed unto men ; but it is enough for us to believe that god takes care of those souls that served , and trusted in him , as well as for his departed saints ; we need to desire no more then to be with them . cxxxvii . the design of reading the scriptures , preaching , praying , and fasting , is to bring us to lead such pious lives , as may shew our faith and love to god ; and so to divert our hearts from worldly vanities , by constant meditations on the ioys of heaven , to invite us thither : and also encourage our timerous souls with grace from above , to contemn the grave , where they shall not rest one moment . which if well considered , our holy resolutions would scorn to fear , and shrink back from the last step we must make , to take possession of the crown we seem to labour for , which will shew that we have but cold desires to be with god. cxxxviii . no regenerate man can be mistaken in gods service , who sets his h●art sincerely to that work● for god who sees our hear●s throughout , will not lose such a votarr● but will sanctify his zeal , and make h●m see that an humble contri●e heart , is the sac●ifice he likes ; and will shew by his 〈◊〉 of comfort , and consolation to such a man , that his soul will be transported with raptures of joy , in his divine contemplations ; when he finds such inward assurance of god● favor , that he cannot doubt of his reconciliation , when thus enriched with grace , and thus led by the holy ghost , his devout heart will rise higher , with bright flames of love , aspiring to get into christs bosom . cxxxix . we should in our meditations , often reflect on the unquiet , and uncertain wealth and honours of this world , and how unworthy such fleeting fruitions are , to be preferred before eternal felicities ; that so we may not set our hearts , and spend our time on such vain acquisitions , when immortal happiness will be had on easier , and more certain terms , and we surely become the sons of god. cxl . the greatest business of our lives is to learn to die with holy courage , and not to start from the grave , nor repine at such means and methods , as our kind god appoints , to make us willing to come to him , and by such gentle corrections , to withdraw us from the world , that our hearts may be always working up towards his throne of mercy ; where christ has purchased places for converted sinners , amongst the angels , and has appointed his holy spirit to invite , and conduct us thither , by his inward comforts which grow from the gospel-promises , ( and is the christian faith ) that repented sins forsaken , shall not be charged on us in this world , nor the next , which is the foundation of divine valour in a dying convert . cxli . the generality of mankind , are naturally inclined to love those who love them , and to judge of friendship and hatred , by the assisting or crossing our designs in this world ; and the universal object herein , is death : so then we are to consider the real effects of this great monarchs power , that controuls the world , and see whether he be a more general friend , or enemy to mankind : for as he cuts down some in their first buds , others in the prime blossoms of their youth , and surprizes many of ripe● years , by hurrying them into unexpected destruction , from such wealth , and honours , as their carnal hearts were most delighted with ; yet the same death , is kind to the most of men , who are oppressed with various sorts of agonies , both of mind and body , beyond the cure of the best remedies , until by death released from all degrees of maladies , and miseries . now if all this be well considered , we may bring our selves to such an acquaintance with this mighty monarch death , by a daily conversation , and preparation for our submission to his unresistable command , so as to rejoyce when we are freed from future evils , and by death conducted to our eternal rest. and the same moment that our souls expire , we shall conquer him , who conquers all the world ; and for ever triumph over his victories over us . so that 't is our weak faith , and frail nature , that makes death seem so terrible an enemy unto unrighteous men only . cxlii . the true joy of a good soul in this world , is the very joy in heaven , only there 't is superinvested with glory , which a righteous man enjoys that moment he dies , without any stop by the way . cxliii . there is nothing more worthy of our continual thoughts , our utmost endeavours , and hearty prayers , then to obtain the blessedness to become regenerate : for when the holy ghost sanctifies the heart of such a man , with the comfortable marks of his reconciliation , and adoption , that man will soon find the continual feast of a good conscience while he lives , to be more pleasant then all other things which this world affords ; and at his hour of death ▪ the felieity of his adoption will fill his soul with holy valour , and accompany him to his everlasting glory . which joy no mortal fancy can conceive , and is the highest works of our strongest faith to think on , and to prepare for . cxliv . he that can upon examination , find such comfort in his soul , as to be ever ready and willing to appear at the day of judgment , must be enlightned and guided by the holy ghost , and sanctified by a spiritual resurrection from sin to grace , and from all worldly temptations ; so as his chief delight , will be in a divine conversation with god , by frequent approaches , for the continuance of such mercies as have so raised him from the terrors of hell , unto the joys of heaven . cxlv . the truly pious man , is always blowing up his smoaking flax , to flaming love , for those daily mercies and blessings he receives from god ; so to teach others the felicity he finds therein , to invite them to heaven . cxlvi . to hear , to read , to w●ite and meditate , and to pray often , are the means to understand our duty unto god , as also to ●ix our faith : but if we do not live and practise accordingly , our great knowledge will aggravate our crimes , and provoke god's anger against us , for slighting those divine instructions , which the holy ghost inspires us with , and for which god expects an account from us . cxlvii . he that can make a total resignation of himself , with all his interests , into god's hands , has made a great advance towards heaven , and may trust in god ; so the foundation of his trust , be laid deep in a fixed heart , on a spiritual resurrection , universally cleansed from all known sins , and so reconciled , that god will accept of the trust : but we are too apt to mistake such resignations , and to flatter our selves with peace of conscience on that account , without a due examination , whether all our actions and affections , do justifie such a resignation as we offer up to god ; without which , it is a great presumption to pretend to trust in god. cxlviii . to be regenerate , does include all blessedness that we are capable of in this world , with a joyful prospect into those eternal felicities we shall have in heaven ; and is a sure testimony of our reconciliation . cxlix . there is nothing more clear , then that holiness is the foundation of true happiness , even in this world , and cannot be doubted in the next ; for whoever lives a divine life , will have his heart full of divine love to god , and then will soon find the felicity of piety , to be so much more pleasant then all other diversions , that he will take all the opportunities he can , both day and night to approach god in holy meditations , and humble prayers , as the most delightful entertainment his soul is capable of on this side heaven ; and will find god's favour confirmed to him , by grace sufficient to support his contented heart through all the storms this world can raise , and fill him with joyful thoughts of his salvation at the hour of death , which is our highest aim , by the perfection of piety to obtain . cl. [ a prayer . ] lord give us grace to discern the bottom of our own hearts , that we be not deceived by too slight a search for divine love there ; nor flatter our selves with hopes of being favourites in heaven , while we prefer thy creatures before thee , and see it not . lord guide us by thy divine light , and make us see that true devotion is the most satisfying diversion we can have ; and will enrich our hearts with desires to be with thee in paradise , and will create courage to pass chearfully through the grave , so to ●ustifie our faith , by our last step out of this world , into a glorious eternity with thee our god. cli . if we consider how many times we have stumbled , in our christian course , and how many times fallen , and by what small rubs been overthrown , we should take more care to stumble no more at such straws ; but pray for grace to enable us to run over all mountainous temptations , if they cross our way to heaven ; and when god sees a vigorous sincerity to serve , love ▪ and trust in him , he is then ready to support us through the whole course of our lives ; which no man can doubt of , that observes how god admits of our many risings , after so many great and wilful falls as most men make ; and yet he still invites us to repair past evils , by running out our new course better , with a due prospect to our last step into the grave , from whence we must arise to claim the crown we run for . and this will raise all devout hearts , to the brightest flame of faith , and love , that men are capable of , when we consider that every moment of our life , may be that last step , by which we must gain , or lose the crown we run for . clii. because angelical obedience is a perfection of holiness above the capacity of humane nature , god does make allowance for sincerity in performance of duties ; b●t himself holds the scales , to see that our sincerity be full weight , according to the grains he allows us . and the holy ghost within us , has a continual treasury , where those grains are so reposited , as to be ever ready to supply our sincerity , and to turn the scales for our advantage , according to every mans utmost endeavours , which will never be rejected for want of weight . cliii . let no man despair of the forgiveness of his sins , if he do confess them to god , and do turn from them to him with sincere contrition , and repentance , devoutly practised for the future , in obedience , love , and faith , trusting in gods mercy and grace , with our reliance on christs righteousness imparted unto us ; on which assurance , we may live with comfort , and die with joy . and whoever doth entertain himself with such frequent meditations , will find them to be the most delightful diversions he can have , to consider that though we may fail in our best endeavours , gods mercy and christs righteousness can never fail , can never be exhausted on our sins , by supporting sincere penitents , until brought unto heaven ; so that in this high expectation of future eternal bliss , we ought to be contented with our lots on earth , whatever they be ; trusting in gods free mercy , and christs merits , without despairing of our salvation , if we can repent past crimes , and forsake them for the future : but if we have not a resurrection from sin in this world , we shall have no resurrection to glory in the next world. cliv. piety and faith , include all christianity ; but we often mistake praying , preaching , and godly talk , for piety , which are but steps towards it ; for we are obliged to do righteousness , or else we are not of god : and so it is with those who think their faith sufficient , that can ( parrot-like ) repeat their creed ; when 't is our active faith that is required , to do what the gospel teaches . so that if a due regard to faith , and piety be settled in our hearts , we should find more time for meditations on those great concerns , whatever our callings , or imployments be ; for our bodies cannot be so engag'd to labour , or in any courtcrouds so imploy'd , but our souls may be raised up to god in ●ervent ejaculations , without any tongue-noise , or facediscovery , to inform god , who knows our hearts better then our selves do . so that by faith , and piety , we may converse with god here , and begin our eternal happiness on earth . clv . it is a wonder to see that all mankind should be loth to leave this world , where so few are truly happy , or that think themselves so , ( as to be contented : ) the weak old sick man , would live on in pains ; the strong and healthy youth , the rich , the poor , the great in titles and commands , the mighty princes , and their slaves , all of all sorts are subject to repine , to envy , and to malice , revenge , and avarice , to ambition , or some other discontent that robs their hearts of peace ; and yet all desire to live on : though our days , if justly divided ! we should find three parts of four , allotted unto cares , fears , troubles , and sorrows ; and the remaining part , entertained with shadows of delight , to mock our senses , rather then such real pleasures as can affect our souls ; and yet no time , no arguments , no examples , nor our own daily experience , can divert our fr●il natures from this infelicity , which was created with us , by a mighty providence , to shew that our time of sojourning here , must not afford any thing of value to divert our hearts from aiming at our eternal habitation of rest ; where we are to expect more felicity , then we now know how to wish for . but this the regenerate man can only understand , who knows the felicity of piety , and finds there is no security on earth , but in loving , fearing , and serving god , which assures him of a place in heaven , and gives him a comfortable passage thither . clvi . if men did consider their christian calling , and the miraculous plantation of the gospel of christ , by twelve illiterate men , who were taught by the spirit of god , for the conversion of the then heathen world ; we should now have more active faith , then generally appears by the lives of men ; for though we are not called to a severe bloudy martyrdom , as in the primitive age , to justifie our faith by torments unto death : but by the great mercy of god , our required martyrdom is now so gentle , in comparison of their sufferings , that we are only called to obedience , and faith ; only to own what those blessed martyrs died for . so that if we prefer gods glory and his service , before our own carnal appetites , we shall resist all temptations to lust , and vanities , which offend god , and destroy our present felicity also . when this easie happy martyrdom of sin , is only required of us , to repent past crimes , and forbear to repeat them ; we shall receive in lieu thereof , gods favour here , and eternal joy in heaven . clvii . a frequent consideration of our state towards god , shews us the best prospect towards heaven , and doth teach us the way thither ; and begets holy desires on the expectat●on of our future joys ; and such consideration also , gives us the prospect of those everlasting flames that attend us in hell , if we run on in sinning ; and will terrifie our hearts with the expectation of future torments , if we neither value gods promises , nor fear his threats : so that nothing can be more concern to mankind , then frequent and serious consideration , of all we say , do , and ●●●nk . clviii . to fear to die , is a contradiction to our faith , and all the zeal we profess to god , when we fear to be with him in glory ; and by which , we undervalue christs purchase of a place in heaven for us , by preferring our abode here , before eternal happiness with him , which we can n●ver ob●ain but by dying . clix. no considerate man can pretend to fear god , and do what he is sure will offend him ; nor can he think that he loves god , when by committing wilful known sins , he contemns his laws ; nor can he believe that he has any argument to trust in god , who does neither love , fear , nor serve him as he ought ; nor can pretend to any parcel of divine gra●e , or comfort in death , if he live and die in his habitual course of sinning . clx . why do christians fear to die , but because we do not live after christian principles ; which neglect , begets infidelity , and makes us doubt to go unto christ , else we could not fear to be with him , who sits at gods right hand in heaven ; and where we may participate of his eternal glory , if we live after his gospel rules here ; by which we shall scorn the terrors of death , and make our days on earth also as happy , as long . but if we go on in voluptuous iniquities , pamper'd up for the day of slaughter , 't will be no wonder that we tremble at our dissolution , and the approach of the terrible day of judgment . but if we live ready to die , and fit to step into eternity ; the grave will prove easier , then a long life , if compared with the short pleasures of our best worldly en●oyments , that keep our hearts from heaven . clxi : frequent consideration of our eternity , does beget a due examination of our hearts , whether god be there , to direct and support us in our way to heaven ; or if satan governs , what a dismal eternity we are hasting to ; so that to have god always in our sight , by a frequent examination of our hearts , we may check the first appearance of evil , with the thought of eternal condemnation ; but if goodness inhabit here , then to cherish such thoughts , as will blow the holy fire into flaming zeal , and declare an interest in christ : and by a daily custom thus to retire and consider of our salvation , will ●ill our hearts with such a pleasing habit of holiness , as will bring god home to us , who will not permit a wicked thought where he is pleased to dwell . clxii . if we did duly consider that our transparent hearts , do shew our most secret thoughts to god , we should not so often provoke him to anger , by putting our evil thoughts into action ; this would be of great use , if by practices we can bring our hearts to be as transparen● to our selv●s , as they are to god ; and would in a little time obtain grace to cast out wicked fancies , as fast as satan can suggest them , or our own fancies create them ; which then would leave no stings behind , to poison hearts so strongly guarded . clxiii . we ought to be ever mindful that true religion , is to lead a divine life , and will beget divine love in our hearts to god , and to endeavour to endear our selves so , as to become capable of his love to us , though we can never be worthy of it , we shall not fail to have it , if we sincerely desire it . clxiv . the gospel says , that our saviour died to satisfie god for the sins of all mankind , that truly repent , and amend , and do stedfastly believe that if we do so , all our sins , how many and how great so ever , shall be forgiven us . we must then enquire of our own hearts , for the truth of our repentance , whether we shall find arguments to doubt , or to believe our selves , to be in the number of them that christ came to bless , by turning us from our iniquities ; and then it will be our duties , as an effect of our faith , to believe we are amongst such penitent sinners as christ has redeemed with his bloud , and will be no presumption to think we shall have places in heaven on his account , if we come to god by him ; and may also have an humble assurance in our own hearts , of such a joyful resurrection , as will allay the terrors of death , and give us a chearful passage to his eternal bliss ; and thus pious penitents may die chearfully , without presuming on their own justification , and less assurance then this , may prove a groundless despair , on our diffidence in gods promises , or an undervaluing of christs merits ▪ and intercession for us ; on which our repentance , and conversion is grounded , and our salvation depends . clxv . consideration has a vast extent , it reaches all past time , and looks on towards eternity to come , it searches into hell , and up to heaven , and humbly consults the glorious attributes of god , and teaches us how to know , and obey his will ; it enquires into the bottom of our own hearts , and the fathomless thoughts of our unbounded fancies , how they stand towards the obedience we profess to god ; and if on a full confideration of all our ways , we find our hearts fixed on god , it does produce divine consolations , it entertains and satisfies us with a continual variety of joyful objects to enlarge our souls on , suitable to the great end we aim at . so that consideration is the greatest and most useful lesson , that was ever taught to man ; and the most delightful study we can practice , to make our troublesom travels in this world easie to us , by our constant expectation of eternal joy , and glory at our journeys end ; which requires much consideration how to reach , lest we miss our way thither . he that retires to consider what he must do to be saved , makes his religion his business , for without retirement , our thoughts ●low at large ; but in retired holy meditations , some awe and reverence does seize on the soul , which while that pulse beats , declares it to be alive , and active , in searching for its salvation , and never fails of finding those comforts it seeks in this world , by the assurance of glory in the next . clxvi . if the felicity of piety were generally understood , men would make more hast to become regenerate ; that in our assaults from satan , and injuries from men , we might triumph in such storms , as terrifie the hearts of impious livers : but above all , if we consider an impenitent habitual sinner , on his death-bed , full of despair 〈◊〉 through the horror of his crimes , and apprehension of the hell he is falling into ; and at the same time observe a converted sinner , reconciled to god long before , now delivering up his soul unto his saviour , with a fixed faith , and a chearful heart , hasting to take possession of a blessed seat in heaven , prepared for him ; it must needs invite the lookers on to cleansing , and reconciling to god before death surprize us . this great concern for our eternity , is in few words thus : god has pronounced , that impenitent sinners shall not enter into heaven , nor shall true penitents be shut out ; which confirms the felicity of piety , unto a regenerate man. clxvii . faith ever was , and ever will be the foundation of religion ; for no man can worship what he believes is not , nor can endeavour to please , or fear to offend he knows not who , nor what , nor why ; so that we must believe there is some divine existence from whence all things are , and by which all things subsist , and we among the rest are what we are : from these natural reasonings , and notions , we enquire into traditions , and by searching the holy scriptures , we are powerfully taught concerning god , christ , and holy ghost , and there also learn to improve our faith ; to believe the resurrection after death , and that if we do live righteously , we shall when we die , participate of that glorious being , in the eternal presence of our incomprehensible creator . the next step our faith leads us towards heaven is , from the consideration that our dust and ashes is entertain'd on earth with so great pomp , and such high delights , that we must believe , and expect that our immortal souls will have much greater transporting joys in heaven , then our flesh is capable of , until refined for the day of judgment : and if thus by pious living , we can raise our faith to trust in christs merits , and intercession , 't will bring us unto an humble confidence of our salvation when we die ; which cannot be had but from above , and such grace from god , will encourage us to look more kindly on death , who only can conduct us to this everlasting joy we believe in , and hope for . so that by such meditations of heaven , death will become so familiar an acquaintance , as not to fright us from going to god in his company , and will in our last hour , support those souls with comfort , whose sincerity god sees , through all our failings , and accepts of . clxviii . 't is a wonder to see what pains men ●ake , and what hazards run , to gain ●●rishing wealth , to entertain our bodi●● with , which are more perishing then the wealth we seek , and all that time , neglect our immortal souls for their eternity . and though time be our great concern , we value nothing less , but vex our brains , and study still how to be rid of what we cannot keep , nor ever can recall : and though from day to day we are cloy'd with our fruitions , and tired with new delights , even worn out with various diversions , yet in our whole lives never can afford a few minutes time to gain true rest ; but still from age to age intice , and betray our souls unto new vanities , till youth and vigour is decayed ; and then too , revive our dead appetites with fresh budding idle fancies , ( often worse then all that went before ) until we are surpriz'd by death , and hurried into eternity , before we do see our selves old enough to be at leasure to think of that grave , which is every moment ready to swallow us : whereas , if we did set our selves at first to resist all assaults from satan , with a pious vigour , and observe it , we shall find and feel great pleasure in every victory over every temptation , which formerly did enslave and triumph over us . and then , what honour , what ambition can be greater , then to conquer so great a conqueror ? and by practice , thus improving our divine military skill this way , we shall raise daily trophies so acceptable to god , that we shall discern our souls climbing up to heaven thereon . clxix . it is worthy consideration , how many men do spend their whole lives in reading books , to learn what has been done of old , thereby to instruct the present age , and to inform the future ; and when by much study , and by time grown decrepit , they slip into their graves with the most ignorant , and do there create , and feed their own worms , who understand not that great wisdom , so much labour'd for ; and then too late such learned men will find , that more advantage might have been made , by studying themselves , ( ne're thought on ) still labouring for a few bubbles of momentary praise , as of more use , then to secure eternal bliss for their immortal souls . self-study is a continual inquisition on our own hearts , to consider all our thoughts , how they work towards a good , or a bad end , and then to cherish or suppress them as they arise ; for some appear in forms at first fight so ugly , they cannot be too soon smothered , and some so disguised in pleasing shapes , as may deceive a careless heart , if not acquainted with the marks the wear● ; and that way armed , and well warned by former harms , so as to avoid new wounds from enemies so dangerous , that we must not treat , nor dally with , but make them retreat by a brisk charge , and bold defie . we are also to study to discover another sort of foes , more dangerous then all the rest , who lye in close ambush , until some opportunity do call them forth for an assault ; and are of form so lovely , and so innocent in shew , that charity her self would warm their cold limbs in her own bosom , and not discern the danger , until these cunning serpents bite beyond resistance , and then declare for the supremacy over the whole man ; and then muster up all his senses , and all his faculties against himself , and thus steal a victory , by corrupting those guards that were given for his defence . so that by a long negligence , we grow so ignorant of our selves , that every assault from satan , shakes the whole man , until at last he roots him up for ever : but if our eternal being is considerable , we should allow some ti●●le to study our own natural inclinations , and affections to good or evil ; and to learn such rules as may rectifie our senses , to submit unto our more rational souls , when led by grace to work upward towards god , which will teach us the wisdom of salvation , and raise our faith to such dependance on christ , as no worldly learning can contest for the priority . let us then imploy our time so , as to learn to know our selves , and our duty unto god , in which our everlasting happiness is most concerned . clxx . there can be no better arguments for frequent meditations , then to think seriously of our sins , of death , and our resurrection to judgment , as we ought ; and to prepare for so great a concern , at a minutes call to step into eternity ; so ready , that we may so love god , and fear him , as to serve him with delight here , and to have celestial joy when we expire . clxxi. no man ought to think himself above the reach of temptation ; for when satan finds us but a little relaxed in our devotion , or any thing cold in our affection to god , he can dress an old forsaken sin , so like to an angel of light , as to surprize a young divine lover at first sight , ( when his guards are withdrawn ) but when his beloved sees him in such danger , he will by his divine guiding light , unmask the disguised fiend , and so reclaim his near lapsed lover , unto his devout addresses as before , and make him see by such assaults , that he can stand no longer in favour , then by his grace supported : but he that is become a well-settled regenerate man , so as to stand ever on his guard , with holy courage to repell all approaches from satan , as fast as they appear , will make such frequent victories his chief delight ; and when our common enemy sees that all his attempts on such a man , are in vain , he will desist , who only watches opportunities for his attempts , on those he finds remiss ; and who is often belyed by some men who do invite him to such easie victories , on those of his own complexion , as black within , and as great devils as himself . clxxii . alas poor man ! dost thou complain because thou canst not sleep ten hours every night , when nature doth require but five ? thou fearest to die ! yet wouldst be dead near half the time thou hast to live ; for sleep is so like death , that we cannot distinguish wherein they differ , until we awake . but thou art tired for want of entertainment in long nights ! alas poor man , that is a sad grievance indeed , and worthy of pity ; for thy saintship has no sins to confess , nor pardon to ask of god , no cause to wash thy bed with tears ; heaven , and hell , with eternity to come , are not worth thy thinking on , until the bell toll thee to thy grave ; and then too late thou wilt wish for some of thy time lost in sleep , then to watch , and pray , and to lament in sackcloth and ashes . while the regenerate man finds no time so fit to raise his soul to heaven , as when he awakes at mid-night ; nor any consolation so great , as in those hours borrowed from sleep , to converse with god in holy meditations ; which fills his heart with present joy , and peace of conscience , that lasts the whole day after ; and is a good remedy to prevent such fancies as do invade the drowsie souls of lazie men , when they cannot sleep . clxxiii . art thou fallen by a surprize ! who has not , or may not fall so ? but if these falls be frequent , there is much danger in such relapses , and though not fit to cause despair , yet worthy of great care for the future ; lest thy surprizes grow into a habit , and prove but an excuse , when thy self betrays thy self so often , which will find no credit at the day of judgment , to procure a pardon from the almighty searcher of our hearts ; whose omnipotence is affronted , if we think by a trick to hide from him , those crimes we are commanded to confess , bewail , and forsake . clxxiv . when god gives us grace to make holy vows for self-denials , with power to perform them , he fails not ( by his holy spirit ) to assure us of his acceptance thereof , by the joy our hearts will feel after every resistance of satanical assaults , which will in little time encourage us to take more and more delight in those victories over our selves , who are the greatest enemies we have . clxxv . it is no easie work for men in health and prosperity , to think so often and seriously of death , as is requisite for our preparation to the grave , though no other time is so proper for it : for when pains and sickness d● distract our minds , we are only diligent to seek remedies for cure , and often find none , but do die with a short prayer sighed out ; as if [ lord have mercy on us ] were a charm to redeem threescore years mis-spent in sins and vanities , without any thought of our salvation all that time ; as if heaven were too melancholly a business to trouble our idle heads with , while youth in vigour reigns , which seldom affords any credit for the felicity of piety , and such romance discourses as they understand not ; while a righteous man knows no joy on earth , like his expectation of heaven , and living ever ready to die , in hope to be with god there . clxxvi . when god endows the hearts of men with holiness , it is a sure mark of his especial favour , to give us a free admission into the court of heaven , to be with him there , as often as we please , in our meditations ; and if we can improve this holiness , so as to become divine lovers of him , we shall be admitted ( as it were ) into the bed-chamber of the king of kings , to enjoy all the priviledges and immunities that his departed saints have there . to know this , and to do thus , is to enjoy heaven on earth ; in which felicity , the atheist and the hypocrite can have no share with a divine lover , who is ever ready to be snatch'd up into heaven , while he is meditating of his going thither . clxxvii . if we have joy in earthly fruitions , what will our happiness in heaven be ! and if the hope only , and expectation of heaven in pious hearts , be pleasure above all our enjoyments here , what transporting joy will the possession of eternal bliss be ! when we shall see god , and participate of his glory as the angels do ; and if we be so regenerate as to believe this , and do take delight in such contemplations , it is a sure sign that the holy ghost is at work within us , and will beget such holy courage in our hearts , as to pass us through the grave with chearful souls to be with god. and if we love , and trust in him as we ought , there can be no diversions so delight●ul , as such devotion is to a divine lover , who converses day and night with god , that is never absent from them who do sincer●ly delight in him. clxxviii . we are taught to pray against sudden death , that is , to perswade and lead us on to be always so prepared , that no kind of death may be too sudden , but that we ( like eliah ) may every moment expect to be snatch'd up into heaven by a fiery chariot , or taken up in a flaming zeal of divine love , by an apoplexy , or some other accident , of as quick an ascent as his chariot was . but generally our mistake is , to pray for lingering long sickness , only to gain time for terrors to awake our sleepy souls with sighs and tears , to move god to mercy then , which we valued not before : but the regenerate man who has so cleared his accounts with god , at the holy sacrament , as to have christ new born within him , and is so led by the holy ghost as to s●nctifie his future life , that he lives ever ready , and willing to die : that man will find the most sudden death to be god's mercy , and a favour to free him from the agonies of a tedious sickness ; for we too often do mistake such sudden dissolu●ions , for god's judgments , to see men fall so ; when themselves feel a joy to be caught up into heaven , without pain , to take possession of their eternal bliss . now god grant that all men may be so well prepared for all kind of deaths , as none may be too sudden , for any who call on his holy name . clxxix . [ a prayer . ] o holy ghost , lord god the comforter , who art never absent from those that desire thee with sincerity ; vouchsafe , i beseech thee , so to enter my heart that i may find thee there , consecrating of it for thy temple , by thy abode therein ; and now direct me how to welcom so great a guest , with gratitude and joy , for such divine comforts , as flow in hearts where thou inhabitest , ( and where satan dwelt before . ) lord keep possession against him , and all invading enemies ; for i cannot defend my self without thy aid ; nor of my self know when , or how to approach the throne of mercy , unless my addresses be so guided , and so sanctified by thee , as god will not reject them . clxxx . [ a prayer . ] o lord god , i beseech thee give me grace to imploy the great fancy thou hast given me , on my greatest concern , to obtain thy mercy and grace , with christs righteousness , to work out my salvation ; that i may no longer mis-spend the time , which every moment hasts on to my eternity ; but with diligent zeal , to pray for faith in christ , such as will be the foundation for a divine life , to shew my love to thee , my god , by an universal obedience , with purity , charity , and such humility , as will raise my heart unto the highest pitch of divine love ; that my conversion may be now more eminent , then my crimes have been . and now , o god! i beg thy grace to confirm , and fix my soul in the assurance of my reconciliation , and adoption , by receiving ●he holy sacrament this day with such faith , and due preparation , as to put off the old man for ever . and so to eat , and drink the consecrated bread and wine , as the body and bloud of my lord and saviour jesus christ , with all his benefits ; as he himself gave himself to his disciples here on earth ; that i , now by thy holy spirit led , may like them , walk after him. and let thy mercy , o lord ! supply my defects , in the pe●formance of this great duty , according to the sincerity of my heart , entirely offer'd up to thee , my god , in this days sacrifice ; so as the records of my sins may be cancell'd in heaven , and my name be now writ in thy book of life , amongst thy reconciled sons , on my saviour jesus christ's account . clxxxi . to spend our time on idle thoughts , is like pursuing of vain waking dreams ; a folly so much less then nothing , that only mad-mens fancies can delight in , and is a shame for sober men to imitate , whose souls refin'd by piety , may be ever on the wing towards heaven , filled with felicities above the reach of any worldly hearts to guess at , which is the pious man's continual entertainment , and delight ; so to pass his time with his creator here on earth , as to find his heart full of something so divine , that he does think himself in heaven , while that celestial flame enlightens him . clxxxii . idleness is the fountain of all evil ; the devil directs his chief emissaries on earth , with addresses to an idle person , who is then fit to take impressions from all sorts of temptations , when god is absent ; 't is such men that invite satan to steal by degrees into their empty hearts in such disguises , as he well knows suits best with their idle fancies , so to divert them from all holy purposes , with some idea's of past delightful objects ; until they quite forget their sacred vows to have god ever in their sight , which secure them from all such assaults . and it is but a slight argument , which many men use to excuse their time spent in idleness , because they want learning , and the use of books for their diversion ; when all ages shew , that piety is not , nor ever was confined to learning : 't is not our wisdom , nor our eloquence , but our faith and our sa●ctified affections , that is most acceptable to god ; and such sincere affections , will never want devout entertainment to keep our hearts so fixed on heaven , and our concern there , as will bassle satan with all his arts , as often as he attaques us . clxxxiii . to be really contented , is an epicurism , seldom thought on , and so far from being understood , as but little valued by the most of men , who are over-busie in labouring to change our conditions ; still aiming to get what we have not , though the last acquisition rarely brings more satisfaction , then what we had before . whereas a contented man , has all that he desires , and enjoys what he has , because allotted to him by the divine providence , who doth chuse better for those that do relie on him , then we can for our selves . clxxxiv . we ought not to repine at crosses , nor to murmur at sickness , or any other affliction whatever , because they are god's cordial antidotes , to repell the poison of such sins , as he sees do use to infect our souls with malignant diseases , such as create a despairing conscience when we die , and hazard eternal torments in the next world ; we are therefore to kiss the rod that works so great a cure , and that hand that smites us in love , to make us fit for his mercy , by repentance , and conversion from being great sinners , to become his adopted sons , and so above the venom of future biting afflictions ; for he only hath perfect peace , whose mind is stayed on god , the rock of our salvation . clxxxv . no man can do all that he should do , but all men may do as much as they can do ; and god requires no more , to obtain his love here , and salvation hereafter : but we are naturally so prone to flatter our selves in this point , that when we think our hearts most safe , we are often surprized by a forsaken sin , and shamefully subdued by it : for when we make a covenant with our eyes , and hearts , not to go astray ; though we cannot hinder the first look , or thought that is amiss , we may so check them at first appearance , as they shall not invade us a second time , nor bite on , to harm us ; so that , if we do stumble heedlesly , we may prevent wilful tumbling into relapses , and wallowing in them , for which there is no excuse . clxxxvi . it is worthy of observing , how some men by a long customed and settled habit of living ill , have so naturalized their sins to themselves , and themselves to the devil , as in time they grow to think it a point of honour and conscience , to be constant to that profession , and are asham'd to quit satans black livery , which they prefer before their first engagement to god in baptism . i have heard a gentleman say , that when he had lived many years in great iniquities , it pleased god by a long sickness , to beget such remorse in his heart , as upon his recovery to become a convert : but for a long time after , he did conceal this change , as asham'd to practise his conversion by a publick new course of life , ( so much out of fashion ) and did many times in conversatio● seem to like , what he liked not , to avoid being thought an hypocrite ; until he consider'd how much greater a shame it was , to serve god in a corner , so to smother his highest act of mercy towards him , in not daring to own the thoughts of his salvation ; and how unworthy he was to become an adopted son of god , while he feared to declare his hope of so high an advancement : on which account , he did take courage to profess his conversion , which he thought not fully to manifest until the hour of his death . by which we may see , how dangerous it is to run on in habitual sins , until we grow ashamed to forsake them . clxxxvii . it is a wonder to consider , that mankind should be so universally bred up from our infancy to study , and by laborious callings to imploy our talents of sense and reason , in the acquisition of such perishing goods , as the world affords ; and generally so late begin to inform our selves of our souls intrinsick value , being created for a participation of god's glory , when ascended into heaven ; how unworthy an exchange then do we make , who believe this , and yet do violently labour for the short-liv'd vanities , ( and indeed ) the nothingness of this world , in comparison with eternity , at the immense price of our immortal souls loss , and our eternal joys in heaven , for everlasting flames in hell. and this , because we do not consider , that god did not make the world , to mock man with fallacious delights in the enjoyment of his creatures , but intended it for our entertainment , and diversions in our journey to heaven ; and therefore has given us rational souls , such as by living virtuously , we may enjoy the world and him together ; and so advance our selves by gratitude , and love here , to a confirmation of a full ●ruition of him at the resurrection : thus if we would sincerely study virtue , and set a true value on the perfection of righteousness , we might enjoy this world with double pleasure , and have heaven hereafter , with all its glory also . clxxxviii . we do mistake nothing in this world , more then our pleasures , which we do compell our fancies to comply in , and do often take more pains to justifie those vanities , then any delight we find in such short-liv'd fruitions : whereas if our hearts were set on god , and our souls raised to serious thoughts of our eternal bliss ; such divine entertainments , would grow to a continual feast , ●ull of surprizing joys , and such heavenly delights , that we should with pain suffer , and with remorse endure our vain diversions , and lament to see that our nature does require such frequent relaxes from our most rarified , and ratified devotions . clxxxix . we cannot want arguments for meditation , if we call to mind our christianity , that is , diligently examine if we do participate of christs righteousuess , to such a degree , that our conversion from sin , and our natural corruptions , be changed into such an evangelical habit of holiness , as to manifest our spiritual resurrection , and election to our own hearts ; for then , nothing can engage us unto higher gratitude , and love , then a true sense of so great a benefit received , which when seriously considered , will mount up our souls to frequent extasies of blessed joy , by our devout approaches in adoration of god the father , the son , and the holy ghost , who are all three always working us up to our salvation . then which , nothing can be more worthy of our meditation , and sincere examination , that we may be ready for the day of judgment ; which no man can be , that does not live so , as to be chearfully ready to die ; for it is a much greater business to go out of the world , then to live in it . cxc . no other man can cozen us so much , as we cozen our selves , in what we like ; because we naturally raise fallacious reasonings , against true reason , to justifie our unlawful desires ; and do very easily perswade our selves to comply with our most idle fancies , and eagerest appetites , to what we know is against all reason , and religion too ; thinking that our frailty is excuse enough , to follow our blind inclinations to evil ; and do also indulge our aversion to goodness , on the same account , so long as our endeavours do prosper in wickedness . but when we are thunder-struck by some surprizing affliction , then we can begin to think , and to find how much better , and pleasanter it is to delight in god , and by our utmost endeavours to improve that delight , by frequent and fervent addresses , until we obtain new celestial joys , which soon discard all our old carnal fruitions , by a constant fixing of our whole hearts on heaven ; so as to be really offended at the most necessary diversions , when they interrupt our divine communication with christ , for the hastning on of our preparation towards that eternal glory he has purchased for us . which is the most joyful expectation of a regenerate man , who sees the difference between momentary vanities , and everlasting bliss , and sets him on fire to desire above all things , to fix his heart on god , and to delight in holiness , as his supreme felicity on this side heaven . cxci. whoever has the patience to read , and the piety to practice these plain lessons , ( if he observe it ) will find that his felicity does increase with his devotion , and that his days will grow fuller and fuller of tranquility , in the midst of worldly storms , and feel them not . let him also observe with what security he sleeps , with what joy he awakes at all hours to find his heart at work with god , before his eyes are quite open , giving god thanks for all his mercies , and above all the rest , for thus turning him from all his iniquities before it be too late , that he might not trust unto the uncertain security of the best death-bed repentance ; but to live and die so reconciled to god , as to manifest his pre-conversion , by a chear●ul righteous life , and a joyful resignation of his soul unto christ when he expires , will be joy indeed . cxcii . judge not the serious looks of every pensive man , as if his heart were oppressed with discontents ; who may that minute be conversing with god in meditation , and triumphing over the glories of this world , which thou enjoyest with all its delights , and which he may have had as high as mortal man can fancy fading happiness ; but now , as tired with busie crouds , and cloyed with glistering vanities , he entertains his soul with inward elevated joys , for so great a victory over himself , which thou seest not ; and dost therefore pity , or condemn , what thou wouldst admire , if clearly understood . cxciii . if the spirit of divine meditation , were w●th sincere affection fully improved , by the diligent practice of raising our souls as near to god , as our mortal fancies can reach ; the holy ghost would at such times assist us with such increase of piety , and such growing joys in our near approaches to the throne of mercy , as would shew us some bright rays of that glorious majesty we adore , to affect our souls with such transporting thoughts , as would set our hearts on fire , with eager desires to be amongst those angels that do attend on the majesty of heaven ; whose love and goodness , in mercy admits us dust and ashes , so to converse with him , as a clear testimony to our own hearts of our adoption ; by which pious practising to fix our affections on god , we shall so delight in him , as now to conquer all those imperious appetites , that have so often conquer'd us ; and may soon learn the celestial military art , to subdue all temptations that assault us ; and from their ruines , raise fresh trophies every day , most acceptable to god , and so beneficial to our selves , that we may discern our souls mounting up to heaven thereon . cxciv . we ought to look on death , as chief goaler on earth , god's prime officer , by him intrusted only with the custody of our imprison'd bodies in the grave , until the great goal-delivery at the day of judgment ; when death must deliver up our imprison'd dust , at a moments warning , to meet our souls at god's tribunal ; where his office ends with himself , who is then no more . so that instead of quarrelling with death , for doing of his duty , let us make peace , and get a reconciliation with his great master , that we be not lodged in deaths dungeon , amongst the impenitent malefactors , but may be placed in his best apartment , with the reconciled sinners , by god's grace become saints , and pray that we may with them appear in their glorious resurrection , with our lord and saviour jesus christ. cxcv. i that write my own thoughts only to review them , for my own satisfaction , must say again and again , that whoever seeks god with sincerity , will certainly find him , and shall find that he has found him : and though early seeking , and early finding be best , as most safe , because no man can promise himself one minute longer to seek god , then his first call to it ; yet if he find favour to be called again , and be sent to work in god's vineyard at the last hour of his day , and god see that he works then , with such vigour in that last hour , as if he would equal , or out-do , any that came in to work before him ; the lord of the vineyard observes his endeavours , and rewards him equal with the first comers . ( though no man ought to trust unto a death-bed repentance on this argument ) because the best rule is , to remember thy creator in the days of thy youth ; the next best is , to remember him in the time of full manhood , in the strength and vigour of thy age ; but if not then , the next best is to remember him in thy old age , before thou hast quite forgot him , lest it be too late ; for though it be last , and worst , yet then is not too late with god , if we answer whenever he calls , he will give us g●ace to do whatever he calls for ▪ and to give him then our whole hearts bathed in peni●ential tears , full of contrition for all past offences , he will accept th●m , and make us see that his mercy has ●ollowed us , through all our wild insolent con●empts of the highest nature , which aggravates repeated sins , after pardons upon pardons begged : so that when god doth not forsake , but follow and watch over such reprobates , and does snatch them from the brink of destruction , it is to bring them to a reconciliation , and such a resurrection from sin , as will support them for ever after by his holy spirit ; which shews that his mercy , and his grace , are beyond the power of our sins to deface ; for if our repentance , and contrition , be his own work within us , the operation of that grace will testifie , that his mercy endureth for ever . let no man then despair of gods mercy , or think it too late to repent , if he can forsake his iniquities , so as for the future to love and serve god as he ought ; for above all things , we must believe that god does abound in mercy and grace , more then we can do in sins ; and that jesus christ is the lord our righteousness , and when we find that the holy ghost dwells so in our hearts , as to create an effectual application of god the father , and the sons work within us ; we may comfort our selves with an humble assurance that all three , the whole trinity together , have wrought this salvation for our sick souls ; when restored to such health , and favour as to fall into no more desperate relapses , after we come to a true sense , and shame for our dangers past , and such a joy for our escape , as becomes regenerate men : and then , we shall know no felicity on earth , that exceeds such an expectation of heaven , as will fill the hearts of men endued with such transports from above . and this great blessedness , the most illiterate man is as capable of , as the most learned ; for god will be found , according to the sincerity of those that seek him , not for their abilities , or qualities ; and jesus christ is ever as willing to be the rock of our salvation , as we can be desirous to build on him , for our foundation . cxcvi. we do too often mistake repentance , and abuse our selves with a belief that a few customary sighs , will blow our sins out of gods remembrance , and his judgments also from lighting on us ; but we shall find it far otherwise in the end : for if by the recollecting ▪ and renouncing of our sins , with zealous confessing them to god , will not draw tears from our eyes , we are to heighten our contrition , by a foresight and aggravation , of such eternal torments , as are due unto us from our incensed god , and to pray with vigorous sighs , and ardent groans instead of tears , until our hearts do melt within us , to express the sense we have of our offences , and by frequent repeating our indignation against our selves , with the greatest remorse we can raise our hearts to ; that so we may divert gods judgments , and convert them into mercy and grace , through our faith in the bloud of christ , which only can wash all sins , and all sorrows for sin , from our hearts , and then fill our souls with a joyful feeling of our reconciliation : thus by sincerity striving with our utmost endeavours to imitate , and to out-do the returning prodigal , in our repentance , we may be restored and welcomed into our fathers house , and in his arms find our eternal rest. cxcvii . when long habitual sinners are call'd to repentance by grace from above , so as to become fully reconciled to god , such men ought to give glory unto his holy name , by some eminent way of expressing their gratitude for so great a blessing , and for ever after to live close up to heaven , on the strength of their new reconciliation , and in expectation that every moment they breath , may be their last puff of breath , which is death ; in which puff their souls expire into everlasting bliss : so that as often as they lye down to sleep , and when they awake to work , until they sleep again , they should ( with all their worldly affairs ) mingle devout reflections on the mercies they have received ; and feed on those celestial fruits which grow from their divine reconciliation , such as will keep them ever watchful , and ever ready for gods call to their eternal rest , and make them joyful at their quickest passage thither . for sudden death , seems only uneasie and unsafe to lookers on , unto whom surprizes are most terrible , but can be none unto them who every minute do expect , what they know is every minute coming on , and is most welcom to such souls as the holy spirit dwells with ; by which sure marks of their election , they are ever ready and desirous to be with god , which expectation is the highest felicity that man can have on earth . cxcviii. we do generally flatter our selves with a belief that our chief aim is to be in heaven , and to enjoy god there , while we fear nothing more then going thither ; and it is because we do not seriously enough consider what it is to die , until the moment we are dying . and yet our tongues do talk so frequently of death , as if we thought of nothing else ; but such slight thoughts do vanish with those airy discourses , and we as soon forget to prepare for what we were talking of ; which makes so many men start back from the fruition of their highest wishes , and are frighted from taking possession of their eternal happiness . and though dying chearfully be a divine valour , above the reach of dust and ashes , god doth ever support those that are his , with such a proportion of holiness and righteousness , for their souls spiritual food and nourishment , as shall add courage unto all that desire to be with him ; and they shall be so , the moment that they die ; which is sufficient consolation , to invite men to live so piously , as to die chearfully . cxcix . though no mans piety can attain to the purity of angels , until they become angels ; yet pious mens evangelical righteousness , may be blessed with such a degree of angelical holiness , as to raise their divine affections towards god so high , as to delight in him , above all the glories of this world ; and fix such a conversation in heaven , as to be humbly assured of a joyful resurrection to glory , with christ and his departed saints ; which is felicity enough to set mens ambitious hearts on cleansing , and purifying here , that they may become capable of so great honour and eternal joy , as to have angels places in heaven when they die . cc. though the divine mysteries of heaven , and the joys there , be gods secrets , undiscernible by us ; yet we are allowed to think that all things there , must be far more excellent then our highest fancies can reach , and yet by the sanctified operations of the holy ghost , which we find in our own souls , when inflamed with elevated zeal to god in our sincere addresses , and when our hearts are engaged in meditations above wha● any words can express ; it is evident that those seraphick joys , which are reserved until we see god face to face , must needs be infinitely more ravishing delightful , then what is revealed unto flesh and bloud ; so that it is no wonder if some men ( who do believe this ) do retire from the diverting affairs of this world , to entertain their souls with such contemplations of heaven , as may bring them unto a more frequent , and nearer conversation with god , when they have such a taste of those joys in heaven , as no other man can guess at , unless by the same light led ! and then , such meditations will be of great use , to prepare such men for a chearful departure out of this world for ever ; which nothing can so well do , as an inward assurance from above , that they shall go to a better place for ever , and to better company for ever ; and happy is that man , whose soul is feasted here , with the thoughts of the joys in heaven . cci. our time is the greatest treasure that we have ; which we may call one way , well spent , when we give it , with our selves , to attend on gods vicegerents here on earth ; by his appointment to serve his princes , and himself together ; and so may live eminent examples of virtue , and die with the credit of our time well spent , to shew others that piety may grow in courts , and prosper there . though it sometimes happens , that some men fail , and that some mens most lawful acquisitions by honest industry obtained , may be torn from them by envy , and undue means , who may also undergo such severe censures as they deserve not , from the misguided tongues of malicious men , who see not the true cause of every ruine , which often does proceed from gods justice for some concealed past sins , to punish us by such means , for such crimes as we have hid from men , but cannot hide from him. so that we may charge our punishment for sin , on the perverse nature of our own improvident selves , who do neglect the redeeming of our mis-spent time while we may , and by repentance obtain gods pardon , on which depends our present happiness , with our future eternal bliss , or eternal woe , not enough thought on , to make us redeem our time , in time . and hereon we may with shame consider of , and guess at , what the fallen angels would give , if they had whole worlds to dispose of ; what would they not do ! how many thousand years with joy suffer the torments they are in , to have the time ( we value not ) allowed them , to be admi●ted unto a possibility of repentance , and pardon , by redeeming their mis-spent time , of their rebellion in heaven , before they fell from thence to hell. while we careless men , do pamper our vi●ious frailties , so as never to value the time we have , until it be gone beyond recall , un●il the despairing terrors of a dea●h-bed state do let us see that god in justice gives us over unto perdition , because we would not redeem our mis-spent time , and seek his mercy , before the evil day overtakes us ; which we all know is every moment hasting on , ready to swallow us up into everlasting flames . but to such men as the terrors of hell cannot fright , nor the joys of heaven invite to redeem their time , in time , nothing more can be said , but lord have mercy on them , who will not have mercy on themselves ; for no misery can be greater , then when miserable men will not commiserate their own misery ; but will hope from a death-bed , to jump up into heaven at once : but they will find the ascent too high , too steep , and too hard for those to climb up in such hast , who never learnt to know the right way thither . ccii. when a soul is in fervent conference with god , about its eternity , the holy ghost will be working that soul up to see that eternity , gives an addition of joy , to the joys in heaven , and those joys do also increase the glory of eternity ; all which eternity , joy , and glory there , christ has purchased for penitent sinners become regenerate , and reconciled unto god , by faith in his bloud ; and as our proportions of faith do increase , our desires will increase to be with god ; as often as we dare remember that we must die , and are every moment dying . although we cannot attain to be inspired prophets like david , nor reach the first rank of saints with st. paul , we may become penitents , and divine lovers in some degree like them ; though not to shine so eminently on earth as they did , yet we may follow their steps here , so as to share in the ●ame glory with them at the resur●ection , when converted reconciled sinners are invited to the same eternal happiness , as the departed saints enjoy there and what can be more wish'd for to encourage us to live piously , and die chearfully , then to be with god in glory ? cciii . we should avoid many great crimes , if we could d●scern the deformity of sins , through the devils gay curtains always drawn close to hide them , until death displays them in their true colours ; which then will fright us into despair , at the sight of such gri●ly aspects , as we so joyfully embraced for prime felicities . but if we can learn the pious skill to draw such curtains timely , those fiends behind them will vanish on a full view , not able to endure the test of such a discovery . cciv. did we believe heaven to be , what heaven is , we could not prefer this world before it ; and if we did love god better then his creatures , we should not forsake him so often as we do , for them ; and if we did think of eternity as we ought , we should grudge every moment that diverts our hearts on trifles , when every minute may be our last here , and the next may crown us with eternal glory . so that we should set our hearts to raise our thoughts on frequent , and full considera●ions of our death-beds , and think seriously how the terrors of unrepented sins will bite then ; and what a joyful passage our souls will have , if reconciled before ! and then we should need no other arguments then such thoughts , to perswade us to live so righteously , as to be ever ready on the shortest summons , to step into that eternity of bliss . ccv . it is said in scripture , that as many as are led by the spirit of god , they are the sons of god ; which is a sure foundation to raise high structures on , by which we may climb to heaven , in a constant conversation with our great maker , in most delightful addresses ; for if we can by frequent practice , follow this divine-guiding light , we shall learn that celestial road so perfectly , that we may travel day and night safely , without mistaking of our way , or failing of our happy rest at our journeys end ; which we shall more then guess at here , by the present joy we find in our way thither . and if we observe our sleeps also , our very dreams will entertain our souls with pleasure , above the reach of any waking fancies ; and by all this , we shall certainly find something from above , that will beget a consolation in a purified heart , to testifie that it is gods work within us , who mocks no mans sincere ardent desires , with false hopes of a felicity he shall not find , for by a righteous life , and lively faith , his improved grace will bring our natural frailties to die so chearfully , that we shall leave no pleasures behind us , so great , in this world , as we shall have by going out of it to him. ccvi. a dream of heaven . though sleep deaths image be , i have been now i know not where , convey'd i know not how ! where something did appear so dazling bright , i could not see its glory , for the light : my soul surpriz'd with wonder , and amaze , methought i pray'd , and did forbear to gaze : frighted , and pleas'd , at what i lik'd , and fear'd , i found it was a dream of heav'n appear'd , which waking fled ▪ but did my fancy fill with bless'd idea's , which abide there still : with such transporting joy , that i can weep to think of what i had , and could not keep : ccvii. he that would improve the pleasure of piety , is to consider how his body does every moment descend towards the grave ; which will invite him to excite his soul to mount much faster towards heaven , by such a continual devout contest , which shall move fastest , that he will grow to such a delightful zeal to god , that every step as he ascends , will raise his holy ambition higher and higher , with joy on joy , until his last puff of breath conveys his soul into god's eternal glory ; and all the way thither , will teach him to tread on the thorns and thistles of this world , as if he walked on roses and lillies , through the joyful expectation of his felicity at last . ccviii . a divine author says , that every man ought to be of some calling , that he may be of some use unto the state where god has made his station ; for he that will be good for nothing in this world , is as nothing , and shall be nothing in the next ; he is but as an excrement on earth , none of gods useful creatures ; so that to be of a lawful calling , and diligent in it , may expect a blessing from heaven on his honest endeavours . and princes whose calling is of a general concern , are set on pyramids , that all the world may see and imitate their virtues ; judges must be vigilant in doing justice ; great commanders at sea and land , must be prudently , not rashly valiant ; the workman must work ; the courtier must wait ; the merchant must travel ; the preacher must teach ; and the greatest reprobate ( if he becomes regenerate ! ) has a great calling also ; for he ought to declare his conversion , by his future life and conversation , that his devotion may be more eminent then his crimes were ; so to manifest gods mercy to himself , and by his example to shew others the way to heaven : so that no man should hide his talent , that can by any honest means improve it for the good of others . the hypocrite is the only unhappy man this way , who will himself perish , though he do good by encouraging others to piety by his example , who cannot discern the hypocrites counterfeit zeal , that travels through the church of god , as his nearest way to hell. ccix. when we have repented our sins , and forsaken them , and received the holy sacrament , ( which is the seal of our reconciliation ) we are not to fright our selves with the memory of our forgotten crimes , but must express our gratitude , by recollecting and acknowledging the evils we have done , with the highest aggravation that we can ; so to magnifie the free mercy of god , with christs merits , for pardoning such great crimes ; and then to comfort our hearts with the gospel-consolations thereon . so that no man ought to despair of a place in heaven , that does sincerely endeavour to get in , when the father , the son , and the holy ghost , are so active to bring us thither ; and yet we find it a very hard lesson to learn to die chearfully , when the practice of our whole lives can seldom teach us in seventy years to be perfect in it when we die . ccx . let us not lament the long time we lye in dust before the day of judgment ; for those who died six thousand years since , and we that die now , with them that die a thousand years after us , shall all awake the same moment at the resurrection ; and all this time shall be but as one moment divided amongst us all ; for death , and sleep , distinguishes no time until we awake from both . so that we may reckon , that we shall be in abraham's bosom the moment we expire , though we shall not know what is meant by abraham's bosom , until we , with the departed saints , arise from thence together . ccxi. he that considers what evils he has done , with all the aggravations belonging to such crimes , must needs be terror-struck at his hour of death , to think what great punishments are due to such innumerable offences so often repeated , if not reconciled unto god before that time ; ( but if so bless'd ) what comforts will that black soul find ! when by tru● repentance , and faith , he is washed white as snow , by christs bloud in the sacrament , and purified into adams first innocence , and so be thus metamorphosed from a devil , into an adopted son of god , by a blessed union with christ , and filled with such serene joys as are beyond expression ; and yet our frailties are such , that when we know this , and can do thus , we are still so subject unto relapses , that we cannot stand in this happy station , a minute longer then by gods grace supported ; to let us see , that we must not depend on our own righteousness , but are to pray continually for christs righteousness to bring us to heaven . ccxii. christ said , i am in the father , and you in me , and i in you ; he also said , that if you ask any thing in my name , i will do it ; these are two short lessons of mighty consequence , for what can man desire more then to be in god ? and what can we wish for more , then to have what we ask ? and what can sinful man ask more , then forgiveness of all past sins , and grace to sin no more ? by christ● s●nding the holy ghost to sanctifie us , and to dwell with us for ever , and so to conduct us into heaven when we die . ccxiii. we ought to think often , and to rejoyce as often as we think , that the holy ghost is never absent from them that sincerely desire him , and do give him a warm welcom into a chearful heart ; and he that can afford this holy spirit a full possession at his reception , may keep him ever there , and will always find that he is with him , by the operation of his grace where he inhabits , still exciting him to love and delight in the law of god , and impowering him by his divine-guiding light , to live after the law of righteousness , which will bring him to such a union with christ here , as will assure his eternal rest with god in glory at the resurrection . ccxiv. though a lazie idle retired life , be not according to the christian rule , that says , no man is born only for himself , but is bound to imploy his talent given to him , for gods glory , and the good of others ; yet some men who have spent many years in the busie affairs of this world , with honest industry in their callings , may without a crime retire in their old age , from the noise and hurry of business , and also quit those gaieties , which they find through a long custom , that their frailty cannot totally re●ist their participation of ; and on that account may retire from such diversions as do disturb the full consideration , and preparation for their eternal being in the next world. by which retiring also , they may teach others to become so regenerate , as to find more felicity in private contemplations of heaven , then in all earthly fruitions ; which those that live in continual crouds , can hardly find time for . ccxv . it is great piety for a man in health , to live ever ready to die ; but it is another kind of story , for a dying man to rejoyce that his hour is come to go to god , and to quit his share in all the glories of this world. so that we are often to contemplate this great point of religion , and to practice on deaths image ( sleep ) every night when we lye down to rest , that we may learn to compleat our preparation for that mighty work of dying chearfully , which is so much discours'd of , and so seldom seen , though our last pangs do frequently seem to comply with what we cannot hinder ; and nothing can more conduce to cure this natural frailty , then setting our hearts to love the law of god , and to shew it by word and deed , and holding a constant conversation with our creator , in the daily raising of our faith , and our affection to our resurrection from deaths dominion , unto his everlasting bliss in heaven . ccxvi . there is no felicity in this world , without a contented mind ; and there can be no full contentment , without such a fixed dependance on god , as to be pleas'd with whatever he appoints , as best for us . which divine contentment , will raise our hearts to such a gratitude to god , with such a conversation in heaven , as will beget an holy courage to contemn all the crosses , and all the allurements this world can afford ; and this spiritual contentment we ought to cherish , as gods great favour , for us to delight in while we live , and to trust in when we die , as a mark of our election ; thus to divert us from longing after the perishing glories of this world , that never can assure us any lasting contentment by their enjoyment , nor any comfort when we expire . ccxvii . he that writes devotion , walks on a narrow plank with precipices on either side , and is in danger to slip into the gulf of spiritual pride on his own righteousness , or else in too much humility for his own unworthiness , may presume to think , that some things from the holy ghost informs him with evangelical rapsodies , when his soul soars so high towards heaven . so that in our best actions , we are with humble and grateful hearts , to give the honour and the glory unto god , for all that we do well . ccxviii . to love god , and to be beloved of god , is an immense meditation ; which by practice , must needs improve our interest in heaven : for when god sees our souls set to seek him this way , he will send his holy spirit to raise our ambitions higher and higher , to gain his favour , in hope of such an union with christ , as our nature is capable of ; by which such elevated enlightned hearts will find a felicity on earth , that no mans thoughts can guess at , that does not feel it , with a joyful assurance of being received into heaven when he dies ; so that we cannot have a better argument to invite us to live piously , and to die chearfully , then to love god thus ; for the true joy of a good soul in this world , is the very joy of heaven , which death shall not take away , nor interrupt it one moment . ccxix. we may do well to observe davids method in his victory over his sins , when they were his declared enemies : he did not retire from his charge and calling , to hide himself from their assaulting temptations , but forced them to fly from him ; and pursued them so , as they might never be able to return upon him . and having thus vanquished , and discarded all those his old companions , when he perceived them to be his enemies ; he soon became a man after gods own heart , and then found that he had strength , company , power , joy , wealth , and honour enough in god alone , with whom he spent the most of his time after , in prayers and in praises . so that as he did , we should discard our old evil habits , and all our old companions , ( workers of iniquity ) and make them fly from us , as david did , and then we shall find all those joys in our conversation with god , which david had . ccxx . david says , that god heard the voice of his weeping ; which shews that the sighs and tears of penitent sinners , are heard in heaven without words , and that devout tears which cannot speak , do speak aloud in gods ears ; nay , when we desire to weep , but cannot pour out tears themselves , ( doctor dunne says ) that god sees tears in the hearts of men , before they blubber on their faces ; and he is said to hear the tears of a sorrowful soul , which for sorrow cannot shed a tear ; the very lifting up our eyes to god , in a sincere sorrow , opens him windows , through which he sees a wet heart through the driest eyes ; and by his returns of grace , gives comforts , with the blessed peace of a quiet conscience , to assure our reconciliation unto him ; that we may with chearful hearts expect deaths summons unto our eternal rest in heaven . ccxxi . the supine epicure , the practical atheist , and the divine hypocrite have gained so great a vogue in some parts of the world , as hath almost worn true christian religion out of fashion , and out of countenance too ; while those are thought ill-bred men that practice any piety ; and none so well accomplish'd as they who have those three eminent vertues in most perfection , which do very often dwell together in such careless hearts , as do not at all consider , or not enough examine their integrity towards god. ccxxii . vve do generally wonder at , and pity the melancholy lives of some devout hermits , who are retir'd into desolate habitations from the converse of men : but do not consider the blessed contentment which their souls enjoy in a conversation with god , as if themselves were then in heaven ; with such an ambitious zeal , as fills their hearts with happiness , and holds up their souls so fixed on christ , as to desp●se all the glories of this world. so that we ought not to pity those happy men , but to look on them as divine objects , fit for our devout envy and immitation , who do enjoy felicities above the reach of earthly minds to judge of ▪ but yet every pious man , that can give his whole heart to god , needs not give his whole time too ( for we are required to serve god more waies than one , ) and may convert our closets into cells , where we may be sure to find god as often as we desire to meet him there ; as well as on the tops of rocks , who will not be confin'd to time , or place , that is ever with us every where . so that the mountain hermit , and the city hermit , may have spiritual entertainments , and comforts alike , while they live , and may die with as high delight to be with god ; and may shine equally as bright in heaven , when they meet there . ccxxi . let us redeem the time we have mis-spent , while we have time to do it , by making ready for our summons to the grave , as our prime business here ; and when god sees our hearts are fully fixed on him , he will guide and conduct us through the dark rugged paths of death , by the bright consolations of his holy spirit , to entertain us with comfort and delight , in our passage unto his eternal rest. let us then set our souls joy on this great work , and observe how gods grace , and our felicity does increase together , upon the remission of all our sins , and reconciliation to god. ccxxii . an habitual sinner that perseveres in his wickedness unto the end of his days , seems to think that his baptismal vow was to serve the world , the flesh , and the devil , and to forsake god and all his commandments . ccxxiii. it is not to be thought that any man can die chearfully , that does not believe he is then going to god ; and no man can believe that he is then going to god , but he that loves god , and fears to offend him : so that he only can be truly happy here , who can so fix his heart on god , as to find that his highest happiness in this world , is in preparing to go out of it ; but most men in health , are too apt to think themselves ever ready to die , and do not find that they are not , until the bell tolls them to their grave . ccxxiv. if there be one sin more predominant then all the rest , that by its frequent victories over thy frail nature , is now grown too strong for thy controul ; stand always on thy guard hereafter , to watch its first assault , and be so well arm'd against surprizes , as to have time to call in aid from heaven , to assist when such an usurping enemy appears , as thy own strength cannot resist : but let not thy new courage fail , fight bravely on to thy last gasp , and rather die then yield ; never submit , never comply with such a known enemy ; for when it cannot compell thee to consent , as formerly , 't will quit the field , asham'd to be so baffled by its slave , so frequently subdued before . and thus by a stout resistance , thou wilt find inward unseen aids , to humble that triumphant sin , that has so often tyrannized over thee . ccxxv. to die , while we are dying , is not strange ; but to be so unwilling to exchange our anxious days , in a distracted time , for an eternal rest , and joy sublime , is want of faith , or value for our god , to shun his presence , and embrace his rod : pretend to heav'n , but still do from it fly , because we will not , dare not learn to dye ; though we can only when our souls expire , obtain long life , which we so much desire . could we divide a moment to the eye , we should see life , the moment that we dye ; and faith does fully that defect supply , for though my body dies , it is not i. ccxxvi . postscript . the conceal'd author , doubting that he may be too soon known , does think fit to make some apology for exposing so many loose lines unto the censure of the world ; and does only hope , that all good men will in charity look on his mid-night thoughts , as rough oar found in a rich golden mine , from which they may wash away the soil , and lay up the pure gold for use ▪ finis . ccxxvii . no man can guess at the felicity of holymeditations but those who constantly converse with god that way ; and who have obtained grace to be admired at all times to such near aproaches , that their souls seem to be entertained amongst the angels in gods presence , while those divine addresses last ; by which god also seems to manifest his mercy unto the souls of men , in shewing them some glimps of that eternal glory they shall share in at the resurrection ; to fill our hearts with blessed ideas of his celestial joyes . ccxxviii . he that would know true joy on earth must secure his eternal bliss unto his own heart ; not only by confessing , bewailing , and forsaking his known sins in hope of pardon ; but must express his love to god , and his gratitude for that pardon ; with a true value of it , by improving his peace of conscience thereon with a continual conversation in heaven for the future ; and thereby raising his soul to such a delightful love of god , as to find that the prime entertainment of his heart , is to be so retired with his creator , and redeemer , that he may observe how the holy-ghost is ever present with them to improve his delight in them , unto as high joy as man is capable off on this side of heaven : and whoever can obtain grace , thus to make his devotion his prime pleasure on earth , will perceive a new kind of felicity , by such an exaltation in his soul as will raise his affection to god above all other divisions . and then , if such meditations do shew him such a prospect of his eternal bliss , as doth create a faithful expectation of heaven so delightful here ; he may presume that he shall not want divine valour to die cheerfully , when he is called to take possession of that glorious purchase which christ had made for him there . ccxix. it is worthy of observation , and our most serious meditations , to see how much all men of all humors , and all conditions , young and old , are generally of one mind in our great journey through this world ; where we are humbled together , and tossed , and tumbled in rough rugged ways up and down steep hills , full of hopes and fears , still entertained with more storms than shun-shine , and never free from such dangers , as do fill most mens hearts with unquiet thoughts through their own journey ; though some good men well armed , can smile , and sleep it out with patience , while others sighing , groan and weep the whole way through : and too many there be in this great caravan , who laugh and sing , and merrily pass their whole time without a thought of whether they are going , until their turn comes to be tumbled out into the pit , with as little regard as they went thither . but almost all , are all the way of the same mind , to linger on in their uneasie passage , rather than once heartily to wish to see their journeys end ; and very few there are , that do entertain any joyful thoughts of their arrival there at last ; so that till time by day and night , of course transports them thither ; though tied and cripled by various hardships in their long travels , very many do wish they might return the rugged way they came ; to endure another age of sorrows , pains , and troubles , rather than to alight from their woren-out waggons , to rest a while in their own homes , though they know there is no other way to pass unto eternal bliss . but when they find the wheels , and axel-trees that bore them up , do crack under their heavy burdens , past all hope to carry them any longer on ; then to late , they flatter themselves with vain hopes to flatter god , as if they did desire to be with him ; when they do know that god doth see , that nothing could by them be done , to keep them longer from him. for which great frailty in mankind , the only sure cure is , to think of , and prepare for our journeys end , all the way we travel thither ; and then the expectation of that joy , and that glory we march towards , will sweeten all we suffer on our way to god. and happy are those men , that can obtain grace to travel so to heaven , as to get such a tast of those celestial joys in their way thither , as will make their hearts glad to think they shall arrive , where they are to rest for ever in peace , and glory . ccxxx . if we believe charity to be a prime christian duty ; to relieve the poor by our purses , and by our good councel , and vertuous lives , to reform sinners , how great an offence is it ! for christians to oppress their neighbors , by unjust power , and to seduce others unto evil actions , or to defame , and scandalize the most innocent on any design , or for envy ; and in general to be more eminently wicked than heathens ; as if we strove in emulation to out-do the devil in malice and rapine , to shew how we can defye all christian principles , that should lead us unto our salvation . ccxxxi . he who truly loves , desires to be much with his beloved ; and if god be that object of his hearts delight ; he will desire to be ever with him , and may assuredly have what he so desires , by raising his soul in frequent meditations unto the divine presence , where god will sometimes admit of his transported elevated affection in prayer , to some degree of his celestial bliss ; and will sometimes send down his holy spirit , to sanctify his heart with such growing comforts there , as will consecrate that to be his temple , where he will abide so long as he finds a sincere welcome , with a total resignation unto him. and this divine felicity , this pre-possession of heaven , this holy conversation with god ; will invite such a man unto continual ambitious endeavors to get nearer , and nearer with delight , towards his entering into the eternal joy of his beloved . and by such a dayly practice , he will find his heart so fill'd with grace , and so armed with holy courage , as to be always ready to die cheerfully ; which is our only way to shew our love , and our desire to be with god. and is the chief business that we were born for ; and when rightly understood , is the supremest pleasure we can have on earth , in our way to heaven , to be ever so ready for our summons thither , that no crosses , losses , or afflictions in this world , nor all the glories therein , shall be able to give us any interruption in our journey thither . ccxxxii . it may sometimes be useful in our meditations , to compare small concerns with greater , and so to set our frequent troubles opposite unto our delights in this world ; and then to judge ingeniously between them ; and if our joyes do weigh down the scales ; then to re-weigh those joyes below , with the joy and glory above ; that when we are most laden with wealth and honors , most elevated with the smiles and favours of great princes here ; then to raise our souls unto a holy emulation with the saints in heaven , for gods favor there ; as our supream felicity , which will creat such a purity of heart within us , as will be more constantly delightful , than all this world can give us ; and by such a resurrection from earthly pleasures , to long after the next worlds everlasting joys , will fix our affections on that eternal bliss , with a divine transporting joy , to foresee that glory we shall find , ●he moment we expire . ccxxxiii . a regenerate mans frequent devout meditations , do raise in him a delight to converse so with god , and doth increase that delight , unto the most immense joys , that the soul of man can reach on earth . it is like the adding of ciphers to a forme● summ payable from a banck of treasure that can never be exhausted ; but the more we multiply that score , the more we may ; and the greater our account grows this way , the surer will our payment be ; by fast linking our earthly joyes , unto the everlasting chain of joys in heaven . finis . errata . page . l. . r. will so fill it , p. . l. . induced r. endued , p. . l. . then r. there , p. . l. . mark r. work , p. . l. times r. aims , p. . l. . concealed r. cancelled , p. . l. . r. without p. . l. . r. despair , p. . l. . of r. our , p. . l. . r. marks they wear . meditations and vowes, diuine and morall. seruing for direction in christian and ciuill practise. deuided into two bookes. by ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) meditations and vowes, diuine and morall. seruing for direction in christian and ciuill practise. deuided into two bookes. by ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by humfrey lownes, for iohn porter., at london : . the second book has separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. in this edition the title page is all in black; b r line has "bread". signatures: a-k . incorrectly identified as stc at reel : . reproductions of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion meditations and vowes , diuine and morall . seruing for direction in christian and ciuill practise . deuided into two bookes . by jos . hall. at london printed by humfrey lownes , for iohn porter . . votum authoris . qvas ego non vano deprompsi e pectore leges , quaeque ego vota tuli pacis honesta meae . alme deus ( nec enim sine te vouisse i●●abit , te sine nil facio , nil fugio sine te ) da placide seruem , & praesta seruando quietem , sic mihi certa salus , sic mihi sancta quies . to the right worshipfull sir robert drury , knight , my singular good patron . all increase of true ho●or a●d vertue . sir , that i haue made these my homely aphoris●es publique , needes n● other reason ; but that , though the world is furnished with other writings , eu●n to satietie and surfet : yet , of these , which reduce christianitie to practise , there is ( at least ) s●arcitie enough : wherin ( yet ) i must needs confesse , i had some eye to my selfe ; for ( hauing after a sort vowed this au●tere course of iudgement and practise to my selfe ) i thought it best to acquaint the world with it , that it might either witnesse my answerable proceeding , or check mee in my straying there-frō : by which meanes , so many men as i liue amongst , so many monitors i shall haue , which shall point me to my owne rules , and vpbrayd me with my aberrations . why i haue dedi●ated thē to your name , cannot be strange to any , that knows you , my patron ; and me , your pastor : the regard of which bond , easily drew mee on to consider , that whereas my body , which was euer weake , began of ●ate to languish more ; it would be not in-expedient ( at the worst ) to leaue behind me this little ●onument of that great respect , which i ( deseruedly ) beare you : and i● it shall please god to reprieue me , vntill a longer day ; yet●●t shall not repent me , to haue sent this vnwoorthie scrowle , to wayte vppon you , in your necessarie absences ; neither shall it be ( i hope ) bootlesse for you , to adioyne these my meane speculations , vnto those grounds of vertue , you haue so happily laid : to which , if they shall add but one scruple , it shall be to me sufficient ioy , contentment , recompence . from your halsted . dec. . your worships humbly deuoted ios . hall . the first booke , contayning a full centurie of meditations and vowes , both diuine and morall . . in meditation , those , which begin heauenly thoughts , & prosecute them not , are like those , which kindle a fire vnder greene wood , and leaue it , so soone as it but begins to flame : leesing the hope of a good beginning , for want of ●econding it with a sutable proceeding : when i set my self to meditate , i wil not giue ouer , till i come to an issue . it hath beene said by some , that the beginning is as much as the midst ; yea , more thē all : but i say , the ending is more thē the beginning . there is nothing ( but man ) that respecteth greatnes : not god , not nature , not disease , not death , not iudgement : not god , hee is no accepter of persons : not nature , we see the sonnes of princes borne as naked , as the poorest ; and the poore child as faire , wel-fauored strong , witty , as the heire of nobles : not disease , death , iudgment , they sicken a-like , die a-like , fare a-like after death : there is nothing ( besides naturall men ) of whō goodnes is not respected : i will honour greatnes in others , but for my self , i wil esteem a drā of goodnes , worth a whol world of greatnes . as there is a foolish wisedome : so there is a wise ign●rance , in not prying into gods arke : not inquiring i●to thinges not reuealed . i would faine know all that i need , and all that i may : i leaue gods secrets to himselfe . it is happy for me , that god makes me of his court , though not of his coūsell . . as there is no vacuity in nature , no more is there spiritually : euery vessell is full , if not of liquor , yet of ayre ; so is the hart of man : though ( by nature ) it is empty of grace , yet it is full of hypocrisie and iniquitie . now , as it filleth with grace , so it is emptied of his euill qualities . as in a vessell , so much water as goes in , so much ayre goes out : but mans heart is a narrow-mouthed vessell , and receiues grace but by drops ; and therefore askes a long time to emptie and fill . now , as there be differences in degrees , and one hart is neerer to fulnes then an other : so , the best vessell is not quite full , while it is in the bodie , because there are stil remainders of corruption : i wil neither be content with that measure of grace i haue , nor impatient of gods delay : but euery day i wil endeuor to haue one drop added to the rest , so my last day shal fill vp my vessell to the brim . satan would seeme to be mannerly & reasonable , making , as i● he wold be cōtent with one halfe of the hart , wheras god challengeth all or none : as ( indeed ) he hath most reason to claime all , that made all : but this is nothing , but a craftie fetch of satan , for he knowes , that if he haue any part , god wil haue none ; so , the whole falleth to his share alone . my heart ( when it is both whole , & at the best ) is but a strait & vnwoorthy lodging for god ; if it were bigger & better● i would rescrue it all for him . sathan may look in at my doores by a temptation , but he shal not haue so much as one chamber-room setapart , for him to soiourne in . i see , that in naturall motions , the neerer anie thing comes to his end , the swifter it mooueth . i haue seene great riuers , which at their first rising out of some hills side , might be couered with a bushell , which , after many miles , fill a very broad channel ; & drawing neere to the sea , doo euen make a little sea in their owne bankes : so , the wind at the first rising , as a little vapour from the cranies of the earth , and passing forward about the earth , the further it goes , the more blustring and violent it waxeth ; a christians motion ( after he is regenerate ) is made naturall to god-ward ; and therefore , the neerer he comes to heauen , the more zealous hee is . a good man must be like the sunne ; not like ezechias sunne , that went backward , nor like iosuahs sunne , that stood stil , but dauids sunne , that ( like a bride-groome ) comes out of his chamber ; and as a champion reioyceth to runn● his race : only , herein is the difference , that when he comes to his high noon , he declineth not . how euer therefore , the mind ( in her naturall faculties ) followes the temperature of the body , yet in these supernatural things shee quite crosses it , for with the coldest complexion of age , is ioyned in those that are truly religious , the feruentest zeale and affection to good thinges : which is therfore the more reuerenced , and better acknowledged , because it cannot be ascribed to the hot spirits of youth . the deuil himselfe deuised that olde slaunder of ●arly holines ; a young saint , an olde deuill : sometimes young deuils haue prooued olde saints ; neuer the contrary ; but true saints in youth , doo alwayes prooue angels in their age . i will striue to bee euer good , but if i should not finde my selfe best at last , i should feare i was neuer good at all . consent hartneth sin , which a little dislike would haue daunted at first ; as wee say , there would be no theeues , if no receiuers : so would there not be so many open mouthes to detract and slaunder , if there were not as many open eares to entertain them . if i cannot stoppe other mens mouthes frō speaking ill● i wil either open my mouth to reproue it , or els i will stop mine eares from hearing it ; & let him see in my face , that hee hath no roome in my heart . i haue oft wondred howe fishes can retaine their fresh taste , and yet liue in salt waters ; since i see that euery other thing participates of the nature of the place , wherein it abides : so , the waters passing through the chānels of the earth , varie their sauour with the ve●nes of soyle , through vvhich they slide : so , brute creatures transported frō one region to another , alter their former qualitie , & degenerate by little and little . the like daunger haue i seene in the manners of men , conuersing with euill companions , in corrupt places : for , besides that , it blemisheth our reputation , and makes vs thought ill , though wee be good ; it breedes in vs an insensible declination to ill ; and works in vs , if not an approbation , yet a lesse dislike of those sinnes , to which , our eares & eyes are so continually inured . i may haue a bad acquaintance , i will neuer haue a wicked companion . expectation in a weake minde , makes an euill , greater ; and a good , lesse : but in a resolued minde , it digests an euill , before it come , and makes a future good , long before , present . i will expect the woorst , because it may come the best , because i know it will come . some promise what they cannot doo , as sathan to christ ; some , what they could , but meane not to doo , as the sonnes of iacob to the shechemites : some , what they meant for the time , and after retrayt , as laban to iacob ; some , what they doo also giue , but vnwillingly , as h●rod ; some , what they willingly giue , and after repent them , as ioshu● to the gibeonites . so great distrust is there in man , whether from his impotence or faithlesnes● as in other things , so in this , i see god is not like man : but what euer hee promises , hee approoues himselfe most faithfull , both in his abilitie and performances : i will therfore euer trust god on his bare word , euen with hope , besides hope , aboue hope , against hope : and onwards , i will rely on him for small matters of this life : for how shal i hope to trust him in impossibilities , if i may not in likelihoods ? how shall i depend on him , for raising my body from dust , and sauing my soule ; if i mistrust him for a crust of bread , towards my preseruation . if the world would make me his minion● he could giue me but what he hath : and what hath he to giue ? but a smoake of honour , a shadow of riches , a sound of pleasures , a blast of fame ; which , when i haue had in the best measure ; i may be worse ; i cannot be better : i can liue no whit longer , no whit merrier , no whit happier . if he professe to hate me , what can he doe but disgrace me in my name , impouerish mee in my state , afflict me in my body ? in al which , it is easie , not to be euer the more miserable : i haue beene too long beguiled with the vaine semblances of it : now hence-forth accounting my selfe borne to a better world , i will in an holy loftines , beare my self as one too good to be enamoured of the best pleasures , to be daūted with the greatest miseries of this life . i see there is no man so happy , as to haue all thinges , and no man so miserable , as not to haue some ; why should i looke for a better condition , then all others ? if i haue some-what , and that of the best thinges , i will in thankfulnes enioy them , and want the rest with contentment . cōstraint makes an easie thing toilesom , wheras againe , loue makes the greatest toile , pleasant : how many miles do we ride & run , to see one silly beast follow another , with pleasure : which , if wee were commaunded to measure vppon the charge of a superiour , we should complaine of wearines . i see the folly of the most men , that make their liues miserable , and their actions tedious , for want of loue to that , they must doo : i will first labour to ●ettle in my heart a good affection to heauēly things ; so , lord , thy yoake shall be easie , and thy burden light . i am a stranger euen at home , therefore if the doggs of the world bark at me , i neither care , no● wonder . it is the greatest madnes in the world , to bee an hypocrite in religious profession : men hate thee , because thou art a christian , so much as in appearance : god hates thee double , because thou art but in appearace : so , while thou hast the hatred of both , thou hast no comfort in thy selfe : yet if thou wilt not bee good , as thou seemest ; i hold it better to seeme ill as thou art : an open wicked man doth much hurt with notorioussinnes , but an hypocrite doth at last more shame goodnes , by seeming good ; i had rather be an open wicked man , then an hypocrite , but i had rather bee no man , then eyther of them . vvhen i cast downe mine eyes vppon my wants , vpon my sinnes , vpon my miseries ; mee thinkes no man should be woorse , no man so ill as i ; my meanes so many , so force-able , and almost violent ; my progresse so small , and insensible ; my corruptions so strong , my infirmities so frequent , and remedilesse ; my bodie so vnaunswerab●e to my minde . but when i looke vp to the blesinges that god hath enricht mee with all , mee thinkes i should soone be● induced to thinke none more happie then my selfe : god is my friend , and my father : the world not my master , but my slaue : i haue frends , not many , but so tryed , that i dare trust them . an estate not superfluous , not needy : yet neerer to defect , then abundance : a calling , if despised of men , yet honourable with god : a body not so strong , as to admit securitie , but often checking mee in occasion of pleasure : nor yet so weake , as to afflict me continually : a mind not so furnished with knowledge , that i may boast of it ; nor yet so naked , that i should despaire of obtayning it : my miseries afford me ioy , mine enemies aduantage ; my account is cast vp for another world : and if thou thinke , i haue said too much good of my selfe , either i am thus , or i would be . the worldlings life is ( of all other ) most discōfortable , for that which is his god , doth not alway fauour him , that which should bee , neuer . there are three messengers of death : casualty , sicknes , age : the two first are doubtfull , since many haue recouered them both ; the last is certaine : the two first are suddaine , the last leasurely and deliberate : as for all men vpon so many summons , so , especially for an old man , it is a shame to bee vnprepared for death : for , where other see they may die , hee sees hee must die . i was long a-gone olde enough to dye , but if i liue till age , i will thinke my selfe too olde to liue longer . i will not care what i haue , whether much or litt●e 〈◊〉 if little , my account shall bee the lesse ; if more , i shall doo the more good , and receiue the more glory . i care not for anie companion , but such as may teach mee somewhat , or learne somewhat of me . both these shall much pleasure me ; one as an agent , the other as an subiect to worke vpon , neither knowe i whether more ; for though it be an excellent thing to learne , yet i learne but to teach others . if earth ( that is prouided for mortality , and is possessed by the makers enemies ) haue so much pleasure in it ; that wor●dlinges thinke it woorth the account of their heauen : such a sun to enlighten it , such an heauen to wall it about , such sweet fruits and flowers to adorne it , such variety of creatures , for the commodious vse of it : what must heauen needes be , that is prouided for god himselfe , & his friends : how can it be lesse in woorth , then god is aboue his creatures , and gods friends better , then his enemies . i will not onely be content , but desirous to bee disso●ued . it is commonly s●ene , that boldnes puts men forth before their time , before their abilitie . wherein , we haue seene many that ( like lapwings , and partridges ) haue runne away with some part of their shel on their heads : whence it followes , that as they began boldly , so they proceede vnprofitably , and conclude not without shame : i would rather bee haled by force of others to great duties , thē rush vpon them vnbidden : it were better a man shou●d want work , then that great worke● should want a manne aunswerable to theyr weight . i will vse my friends , as moses did his rodd ; while it was a rodd , he helde it familiarly in his hand ; when once a serpent , hee ranne away from it . i haue seldome seene much o●tentation ; and much learning met together : the sunne rising and declining , makes long shadowes , at mid-day when hee is at highest , none at all : besides , that skill when it is too much showne , looses the grace , as fresh-coloured wares , if they bee often opened , leese their brightnesse , and are soyled with much handling : i had rather , applaude my selfe for hauing much , that i showe not : then that others should app●a●d mee , for showing more , then i haue . an ambitious man is the greatest enemie to himselfe , of any in the world besides . for hee still tormentes himselfe with hopes , and desires● and cares , which hee might auoid , if he would remit of the height of his thoughts ; and liue ●●ietly . my onely ambition shall bee to bee in gods fauour on earth , & to be a saint in heauen . there was neuer good thing easily comne by : the heathen man could say , god sels knowledge for sweat , and so , he doth honour for ieopardie : neuer anie man hath got either wealth , or learning with ease● therfore , the greatest good must needs be most difficult . how shall i hope to get christ , if i take no paines for him ; and if in all other thinges the difficultie of obtayning , whets the mind so much the more to seeke , why should it in this alone daunt mee , i will not care what i doo , what i suffer , s● i may winne christ ; if men can endure such cutting , such lancing , searing of their bodies , to protract a miserable life , yet a while longer ; what pain shou●d i refuse for eternity ? i● i die ; the world shal misse mee but a little , i shall misse it lesse ; not it mee , because it hath such store of better men ; not i it , because it hath so much ill , & i shal haue so much happines . two thinges make a man set by , dignitie and desert , amongst fooles the first without the second is sufficient : amongst wise men , the second without the first ; let mee deserue well , though i be not aduaunced . the conscience of my woorth , shall cheere me more in others contempt , then the approbation of others can cōfort me● against the secret checke of my owne vnworthines . the best qualities do so cleaue to their subiects , that they cannot be cōmunicated to others : for , where patrimonie , & vulgar acc●unt of honour , follow the blood in many generations , vertue is not traduced in propagation , nor learning bequeathed by our will to our heires : least the giuers shou●d waxe proud , and the receiuers negligent : i wil account nothing my owne , but what i haue gotten ; nor that my owne , because it is more of gift then desert . then onely is the church most happy , when truth and peace kisse each other ; and thē miserable , when either of them balke the way , or when they meete and kisse not : for truth without peace is turbulent ; and peace without truth is secure iniustice ; thogh i loue peace well , yet i loue mayne truthes better ; and though i loue all truthes well , yet i had rather conceale a small truth , then disturbe a cōmon peace . an in-discreete good action , is little better thē a discreet mischiefe , for in this , the doer wrongs onely the patient : but in that other , the wrong is done to the good action ; for both it makes a good thing odious ( as many good tales are mar'd in telling ) & besides , it preiudice● a future oportunity : i wil rather let passe a good gale of wind ; and stay still on the shore , then launch forth , whē i know the wind wil be cōtrary . the world teaches me , that it is madnes to leaue behinde mee those goods , that i may carrie with mee : christianitie teaches mee that , what i charitably giue aliue , i carrie with me dead ; and experience teaches me , that what i leaue behind i leese ; i will carie that treasure with mee by giuing it , which the worldling looseth by keeping it ; so , while his corps shal carie nothing but a winding-cloath to his graue , i shal be richer vnder the earth , thē i was aboue it . euery worldling is an hypocrite , for while his face naturally lookes vpward to heauen , his hart grouels beneath on the earth ; yet if i would admit of any discord in the inward & outward parts ; i would haue an heart , that should looke vp to heauen , in an holy contemp●ation of the things aboue , and a countenance cast downe to the earth in humiliation ; this only dissimilitude is pleasing to god. the heart of man is a short word , a small substance , yet great in capacitie , yea , so infinite in desire , that the round globe of the world cannot fill the three corners of it ; when it desires more , and cries , giue , giue . i will set it ouer to that infinite good ; where the more it hath , it may desire more , and see more to be desired ; when it desires but what it needeth , my hands shal soone satisfie it ; either of which , if it may cōtaine it , when it is without the body , much more may both of them fill it , while it is within . with men it is a good rule to try first , and then to trust , with god it is contrary : i will first trust him as most wise , omnipotent , mercifull , and trie him afterwards : i know it is as impossible for him to deceiue me● , as not to be . as christ was both a lambe and a lyon , so is euery christian : a lambe for patience in suffering , and innocence of life . a lyon for boldnesse in his innocence : i would so order my courage and mildnesse , that i may bee neither lyon-like in my conuersation , nor sleepish in the defence of a good cause . the godly sowe in teares , reape in ioy : the seede●time is commonly waterish , and louring : i will bee content with a wet spring ; so i may bee sure of a cleare and ioyfull haruest . euerie man hath an heauen and an hell : earth is the wicked mans heauen , his hell is to come ; on the contrarie , the godly haue their hell vpon earth , where they are vexed with tentations , and afflictions by sathan and his complices ; their heauen is aboue in endlesse happines ; if it be ill with mee on earth , it is well my tormēt is so short , and so easie : i will not be so couetous , to hope for two heauens . man on his death-bed hath a double prospect , which in his life-time the interposition of pleasure and miseries debard him from : the good man lookes vpward , and sees heauen open with steuen , and the glorious angels readie to carie vp his soule . the wicked manne lookes downe-ward , and sees three terrible spectacles , death , iudgement , hell , one beyond another ; & all to be passed through by his soule : i maruell not , that the godly haue beene so cheerefull in death , that those torments , whose very sight hath ouercomne the beholders , haue seemed easie to them● i maruell not that a wicked man is so loath to heare of death , so deiected , when hee feeles sicknes , and so desperate , when hee feeles the pangues of death ; nor that euerie balaam would fain die the death of the righteous . henceforth , i will enuie none , but a good man ; i will pitie nothing so much , as the prosperitie of the wicked . not to be afflicted , is a signe of weakenesse : for therefore god imposes no more on mee , because hee sees i can beare no more : god will not make choyce of a weake champion● when i am stronger , i will looke for more ; and when i sustaine more , it shall more cōfort me , that god findes mee strong , then it shall grieue me , to be pressed with an heauy affliction . that the wicked haue peace in themselues , is no wonder , they are as sure as tentation can make them : no prince makes warre with his owne subiects : the godly are still enemies : therefore , they must look to be assaulted both by stratagems and violence : nothing shall more ioy mee , then my inward vnquietnes . a iust warre is a thousand times more happy then an ill-cōditioned peace . goodnes is so powerfull , that it can make thinges simply euill ( namely our sinns ) good to vs ; not good in nature , but good in the euent ; good , when they are done , not good to be done : sinne is so powerfull , that it can turne the holiest ordinances of god in it selfe : but heerein our sinnes goes be●ond our goodnes ; that sin defiles a man or action otherwise good ; but all the goodnes of the world cannot iustifie one sinne : as the holy ●le●h in the skirt makes not the bread holy that touches it ; but the vncleane touching an holy thing , defiles it . i will loath euery euill for it owne sake , i wil do good but not trust to it . fooles measure good actions by the euent after they are done : wise men before-hand by iudgement , vppon the rules of reason and faith : let mee doo well , let god take charge of the successe , if it bee we●l accepted , it is well . if not , my thanke is with god. hee was neuer good man , that amends not . for if hee were good , hee must needes desire to be better . grace is so sweete , that who euer tastes of it , must needes long after more : and if hee desire it , hee will endeuour it , and if h●e doo but endeuour ; god will crowne it with successe . gods familie admittes of no dwarffes ; which are vnthriuing , and stand at a stay ; but men of meas●res . what euer become of my body , or my estate ; i will euer labour to finde somewhat added to the stature of my soule . pride is the most dangerous of all sinnes , for both it is most insinuatiue , hauing crept into heaven , and paradise ; and most dangerous where it is : for where all other tentations are about euill , this alone is conuersant only about good things● and one dram of it poysons many measures of grace . i will not be more afraid of doing good things amisse , then of beeing proud , when i haue performed them . not onely commission makes a sinne : a man is guilty of all those sins he hateth not . if i cannot auoyd all , yet i will hate all . preiudice is so great an enemie to truth , that it makes the minde vncapable of it . in matters of faith , i will first lay a sure ground , and then beleeue , though i cannot argue : holding the conclusion in spight of the premises : but in other lesse matters , i will not so fore-stall my mind with resolution , as that i will not be willing to be better informed . neither wil i say in my selfe ● i will hold it , therefore it shall be truth ; but , this is truth , therefore i will hold it : i will not striue for victorie , but for truth . drunkennes and couetousnes doo much resemble one another , for the more a man drinkes , the more hee thirsteth ; and the more hee hath , still the more hee coueteth : and for their effects , besides other , both of them haue the power of transforming a man into a beast , and of all other beasts , into a swine . the former is euident to sense ; the other , though more obscure , is no more q̄uestionable : the couetous man in two thinges plainely resembleth a swine : that he cuer rootes in the earth , not so much as looking towards heauen : that hee neuer doth good , till his death : in desiring , my rule shall bee necessitie of nature , or estate ; in hauing , i will account that my good , which doth me good . i acknowledge no maister of requests in heauen but one , christ my mediatour : i know i cannot bee so happie , as not to neede him , nor so miserable , that hee should contemne mee : i will alwayes aske ; and that of none , but where i am sure to speede , but where there is so much store , that when i haue had the most , i shall leaue no lesse behind ; though numberlesse drops be in the sea , yet if one be taken out of it , hath so much the lesse , though insensibly ; but god , because hee is infinite , can admit of no diminution : therefore are men niggardly , because the more they giue , the lesse they haue : but thou , lord , maist giue what thou wilt , without abatement of thy store : good prayers neuer came weeping home ; i am sure i shall receiue either what i aske , or what i should aske . i see that a fit bootie many times makes a thiese , and many would be proud , if they had but the common causes of their neighbours : i account this none of the least fauours of god , that the world goes no better forward with me ; for i feare , if my estate were better to the world , it might bee woorse to god. as it is an happie necessitie that inforces to good , so is that next happy , that hinders from euill . it is the basest loue of all others that is for a benefit ; for heerein wee loue not another , so much as our selues : though there were no heauen , o lord , i would loue thee : now there is one , i wi●l esteeme it , i will desire it , yet still will loue thee for thy goodnesse sake ; thy selfe is reward enough , though thou broughtest no more . i see men point the fielde , and desperatelie ieopard their lyues , as prodigall of their blood , in the reuenge of a disgracefu●l word against themselues , while they can be content to heare god pulled out of heauen with blasphemie , and not feele so much as a rysing of theyr blood : which argues our colde loue to god , and our ouer-seruent affection to our selues : in my owne wrongs , i will hold patience laudable , but in gods iniuries , impious . it is an hard thing to speake well , but it is harder to be well silent , so as it may bee free from suspition of affectation , or ●ullennes , or ignorance : else loquasitie , and not silence , would be a note of wisedome . heerein i will not care how little , but how well ; hee said well for this . not that which is much , is we●l , but that which is well , is much . there is nothing more odious , then fruitlesse olde age . now , for that no tree beares fruite in autumne , vnlesse it blossome in the spring ; to the end that my age may be profitable , and laden with ripe fruit i will endeuour , that my youth may be studious , & floured with the blossomes of learning and obseruation . reuenge commonly hurts both the offerer , and sufferer : as we see in the foolish bee ( though in a ● other things commendable ) yet heerein the patterne of fonde spightfulnesse ; which in her anger inuenometh the flesh , and looseth hersting , and so liues a drone euer after . i account it the onely valour to remit a wrong , and will applaude it to my selfe , as right noble and christian , that i might hurt , and will not . hee that liues well , cannot choose but die well ; for if hee die suddainly , yet hee dies not vnpreparedly ; if by leasure , the conscience of his well-led life , makes his death more comfortable : but it is seldome seene , that hee which liues i● , dy●th well , for the cōscience of his former euils , his present paine , and the expectation and feare of greater , so take vp his heart , that he cannot seek god ; and now it is iust with god , not to be sought , or not to bee found , because hee sought to him in his life time , and was repulsed : whereas therfore , there are vsually two maine cares of good men , to liue well , & die well , i will haue but this one , to liue well . with god there is no free-man , but his seruant , though in the gallies , no slaue , but the sinner , though in a pallace , none noble , but the vertuous , if neuer so basely discended , none rich , but hee that possesseth god , euen in rags , none wise , but hee that is a foole to himselfe , and the world ; none happy , bu● him whom the world pities : let mee bee free , noble , rich , wise , happy to god ; i passe not what i am to the world . whē the mouth praieth , man heareth ; when the heart , god heareth ; euerie good prayer knockes at heauen for a blessing ; but an importunate prayer pierces it ( thogh as hard as brasse ) & makes way for it selfe , into the eares of the almighty : and as it ascends lightly vp , caried with the winges of faith , so it comes euer laden down againe vpon our heads : in my prayers , my thoughts shall not bee guided by my wordes ; but my wordes shall follow my thoughts . if that seruaunt were condemned for euill , that gaue god no more then his owne , which he had receiued , what shall become of them that rob god of his owne ; if god gaine a little glory by mee , i shall gaine more by him : i will labour so to husband the stock that god hath left in my hands , that i may returne my soule better then i receiued it ; and that hee may make it better then i returne it . heauen is compared to an hill , and therefore is figured by olympus among the heathen , by mount sion in gods booke : hell contrariwise to a pit● the ascent to the one is hard therefore , and the descent of the other easie and headlong : and so , as if wee once beginne to fall , the recouerie is most difficult : and not one of manie stayes , till hee comes to the bottome , i will be content , to pant , and blow , and sweat , in climbing vp to heauen ; as contrarily , i will bee warie of setting the first step downward towards the pit : for as there is a i●cobs ladder into heauen , so there are blind stayres that goe winding down into death , wherof each makes way for other ; from the obiect , is raysed an ill suggestion , suggestion drawes on delight , delight consent , consent endeuour , endeuour practise , practise custome , custome excuse , excuse defence , defence obstinacie , obstinacie boasting of sinne , boasting a reprobate sence : i will watch ouer my wayes , and do thou , lord , watch ouer mee , that i may auoyd the first degrees of sinne , and if those ouer-take my frailtie , yet keepe mee that presumptuous sinns preuaile not ouer mee . beginnings are with more ease and safety declined , when wee are free ; then proceedings when wee haue begun . it is fitter for youth to learne then teach , and for age to teach then learne ; and yet fitter for an olde man to learne then bee ignorant ; i know i shall neuer know so much , that i cannot learne more ; and i hope i shall neuer liue so long , as till i bee too olde to learne . i neuer loued those salamanders , that ar● neuer well , but when they are in the fire of contention ; i will rather suffer a thousand wrongs , then offer one ; i will suffer an hundreth , rather then returne one ; i will suffer many , ere i will complaine of one● and endeuour to right it by contending ; i haue euer found , that to striue with my superiour is furious , with ●y equall doubtfull , with my inferiour , sordid & base , with any , full of vnquietnes . the praise of a good speech stādeth in words & matter : matter which is as a faire and well featur'd body ; elegance of words , which is as a neat and well fashioned garment ; good matter slubbred vp in rude & carelesse wordes , is made loathsome to the hearer , as a good body mishapen with vnhandsome clothes : elegance without soundnes , is no better then a nice vanitie : although therefore the most hearers are like bees , that goe all to the flowers ; neuer regarding the good hearbes that are of as wholsome vse , as the other of faire shew ; yet let my speech striue to bee profitable ; plausible as it happens● better the coate bee mishapen , then the body . i see , that as black and white colours to the eyes , so is the vice and vertue of others to the iudgment of men : vice gathers the beames of the sight in one , that the eye may see it , and be intent vpon it . vertue scatters them abroad , and therefore hardly admits of a perfect apprehension : whence it comes to passe , that as iudgement is according to sence , we doo so soone espie , and so earnestly censure a man for one vice , letting passe many laudable qualities vndiscerned , or at least vnacknowledged ; yea , wheras euery man is once a foole , and dooth that perhaps in one fit of his folly , which hee shall at leasure repent of ; as noah in one houres drūkennes , vncouered those secrets which were hid sixe hundred yeeres before ; the world , is herevpon readie to call in question all his former integritie , and to exclude him frō the hope of any future amendment . since god hath giuen me two eyes ; the one shall bee busied about the present fault that i see , with a detesting commiseration , the other about the cōmendable qualities of the offender , not without an vnpartiall approbation of them : so shall i doo god no wrong , in robbing him of the glorie of his gifts , mixed with infirmities , nor yet in the meane time encourage vice , while i doo distinctly reserue for it a due portion of hatred . god is aboue man , the brute creatures vnder him , he set in the midst : least he should be proud that he hath infinite creatures vnder him ; that one is infinite degrees aboue him ; i doo therefore owe awe vnto god , mercy to the inferiour creatures ; knowing that they are my fellowes , in respect of creation ; whereas there is no proportion betwixt me and my maker . one saide , it is good to mure the mouth to speake well , for good speech is many times drawne into the affection ; but i would feare , that speaking well without feeling , were the next way to procure an habituall hypocri●i● : let my good workes follow good affections , not goe before them , i wil therefore speake as i thinke ; but withall , i will labour to thinke well , and then i knowe i cannot but speake well . when i consider my soule ; i could be proude to thinke of how diuine a nature and qualitie it is ; but when i cast downe mine eyes to my body , as the swanne to her blacke legges ; and see what loathsome matter issues from the mouth , nosthrils , eares , pores , and other passages , and how most carrion-like of all other creatures it is after death ; i am iustlie ashamed , to thinke that so excellent a guest dwels but in a more cleanelie dunghill . euerie worldling is a madd manne : for , besides , that hee preferres profite and pleasure to vertue , the worlde to god , earth to heauen , ti●e to eternitie ; hee pampers the bodie , and starues the soule : hee feedes one fowle an hundreth times , that it may feede him but once , and ●eekes all landes and seas for dainties ; not caring whether anie , or what repast , hee prouides for his soule : hee cloathes the body with all rich ornaments , that it may bee as faire without , as it is filthy within ; whiles his soule goes bare and naked ; hauing not a ragg of knowledge to couer it : yea , hee cares not to destroy ●is soule to please the b●dy , when for the saluation of the soule , he wil not so much as holde the body short of the least pleasure . what is , if this be not a reasonable kind of madnes ? let mee enioy my soule no longer , then i preferre it to my body ; let mee haue a deformed , leane , crooked , vnhealthfull , neglected bodie ; so that i may finde my soule ; sound , strong , well furnished , well disposed both for earth and heauen . asa was sick but of his feet , farre from the hart , yet because he sought to the phisitians , not to god ; hee escaped not : ezekiah was sicke to die , yet because he trusted to god , not to phisitians , he was restored meanes without god cannot helpe ; god without meanes can and often doth : i will vse good meanes , not to rest in them . a mans best monument is his vertuous actions , foolish is the hope ofimmortality , and future praise by the cost of a senceles●e stone ; when the passenger shall onely say , heere lyes a faire stone and a filthie carkasse : that onely can report thee rich , but for other prayses , thy selfe must build thy own monument aliue ; and write thy owne epitaph in honest and honorable actions : which are so much more noble , then the other , as liuing men are better then dead stones : nay , i knowe not if the other bee not the way to worke a perpetuall succession of infamie : whiles the censorious reader , vpon occasion thereof , shall comment vpō thy bad life ; wheras in this euerie mans heart is a toombe , and euerie mannes tongue writes an epitaph vpon the well behaued : eyther i will procure mee such a monument to bee remembred by , or else it is better to bee inglorious , then infamous . the basest thinges are euer most plentifull ; historie and experience tel vs , that some kinde of mouse breedeth . young ones in one nest , whereas the lyon , or elephant beareth but one at once . i haue euer found , the least wit yeeldeth the most words : it is both the surest and wisest way , to speake little , and thinke more . ● an euill man is clay to god , waxe to the diuell : god may stampe him into powder , or temper him a new , but none of his meanes can melt him . contrariwise , a good man is gods waxe , and sathan clay , he relents at euery looke of god , but is not stirred at any temptation . i had rather bow , then breake to god ; but for sathan , or the world , i had rather be broken in pieces with their violence , then suffer my selfe to be bowed vnto their obedience . it is an easie matter for a man to be carelesse of himselfe , & yet much easier to bee enamoured of himselfe : for if he be a christian , whiles hee contemnes the worlde perfectly , it is hard for him to reserue a competent measure of loue to himselfe : if a worldling , it is not possible but he must ouer-loue himselfe . i will striue for the meane of both ; and so hate the world , that i may care for my selfe , and so care for my selfe , that i bee not in loue with the world . i will hate popularitie and ostentation , as euer daungerous , but most of all in gods businesse : which who so affect , doo as ill spokesmen , who when they are sent to wooe for god , speake for themselues ; i knowe howe daungerous it is to haue god my riuall . earth affords no sound contentment : for what is there vnder heauen not troublesome , besides that which is called pleasure : and that in the end i finde most irksome of all other . god is euer with me , euer before me ; i know hee cannot but ouer-see me alwayes , though my eyes bee helde that i see him not ; yea , hee is still within mee , though i feele him not : neither is there anie moment , that i can liue without god ; why doo i not therefore alwayes liue with him ? why do i not account all ho●res lost , wherin i enioy him not ? there is no man so happy as the christian ; when hee lookes vp into heauen , hee thinkes , that is my home , the god that made it , and owes it , is my father ; the angels more glorious in nature then my selfe are my attendants ; mine enemies are my vassals : yea , those things , which are the terriblest of all to the wicked , are most pleasant to him : when hee heares god thunder aboue his head , hee thinkes this is the voice of my father ; whē hee remembers the tribunall of t●e last iudgement , he thinkes it is my sauiour that sits in it ; when death , he esteemes it but as the angell set before paradise ; which with one blowe admits him to eternall ioy ; and which is most of all , nothing in earth or hel can make him miserable : there is nothing in the world woorth enuying but a christian . as manne is a little world ; so euery christian is a little church within himselfe . as the church therefore is sometimes in the wane through persecution , other times in her full glorie and brightnesse : so let me expect my self somtimes drouping vnder tentations , and sadlie hanging downe the head , for the want of the feeling of gods presence ; at other times carried with the full sayle of a resolute assurance to heauen : knowing that as it is a church at the weakest stay , so shall i in my greatest deiection hold the child of god. tentations on the right hand , are more perilous then those on the left ; and destroy a thousand to the others tenne ; as the sunne more vsually causeth the trauailer to cast his cloak , then the wind : for those on the left hand miscarie men but two wayes , to distrust , and deniall of god ; more rare sinnes : but the other , to all the rest , wherewith mens lyues are so commonly defiled : the spirit of christians is like the english iet , whereof we reade , that is fired with water , quenched with oy●e . and these two , prosperity and aduersity , are like heat and colde ; the one gathers the powers of the soule together , and makes them abler to resist by vniting them , the other diffuses them , and by such separation makes them easier to conquer : i hold it therefore as praise worthy with god , for a man to contemne a profered honour , or pleasure for conscience sake , as on the rack not to denie his profession : when these are offred , i will not nibble at the bayte , that i bee not taken with the hooke . god is lord of my body also , and therefore challengeth as well reuerent gesture , as inward deuotion : i will euer in my prayers , either stand as a seruaunt before my maister , or kneele as a subi●ct to my prince . i haue not beene in others breasts ; but for my owne part , i neuer tasted of ought , that might deserue the name of pleasure ; and if i could , yet a thousand pleasures cannot counteruaile one torment , because the one may be exquisite , the other not without composition ; and if not one torment , much lesse a thousand ; and if not for a moment , much lesse for eternitie ; and if not the torment of a part , much lesse of the whole ; for if the paine but of a tooth bee so into lerable , what shal the racking of the whole body bee ; and if of the body , what shall that be , which is primarilie of the soule . if there bee pleasures that i heare not of , i will be wary o● buying them so ouer-deere . as hypocrisie is a cōmon counterfet of all vertues , so there is no speciall vertue , which is not to the very life of it seemingly resembled by some speciall vice : so , deuotion is counterfaited by superstition , good thrist by niggardlinesse , charity with vaine-glorious pride : for as charitie is bounteous to the poore , so is vaine-glory to the wealthy ; as charity sustaines al for truth , so pride for a vain praise ; both of them make a man curteous & affable : so the substance of euerie vertue is in the heart ; which since it hath not a window made into it by the creator of it ; but is re●erued vnder lock and key for his owne view : i will iudge onely by appearance : i had rather wrong my selfe by credulity , then others by vniust censures & suspitions . euerie man hath a kingdome within himselfe : reason as the princesse dwels in the highest & inwardest roome : the sences are the gard and attendants on the court ; without whose ayde nothing is admitted into the presence : the supreame faculties as will , memorie &c. ar● the peeres : the outward parts and inward affections are the commons : violent passions are as rebels to disturb the cōmon peace . i would not bee a stoick to haue no passions ; for that were to ouerthrow this inward gouernmēt , god hath erected in me ; but a christian , to order those i haue : and for that i see that as in commotions , one mutinous person drawes on more , so in passions , that one m●kes way for the extremitic of another ( as excesse of loue causes excesse of grie●e , vpon the losse of what we loued ) : i will doo as wise princes vse , to those they misdoubt for faction , so holde them downe , and keepe them bare , that their very impotencie & remisnesse ●hall affoorde me security . i looke vpō the things of this life , as an owner , as a stranger : as an owner in their right , as a stranger in their vse . i see that owning is but a cōceit besides vsing : i can vse ( as i lawful●y may ) other mens commodities as my owne ; walke in their woods , looke on their faire houses , with as much pleasure as my owne . yet againe , i will vse my owne , as if it were anothers , knowing that though i hold them by right , yet it is onely by tenure at will. there is none like to luthers three maist●rs . prayer , tentation , medita●ion : tentation stirres vp holy meditation , meditatiō prepares to prayer , & prayer makes profit of ●entation ; and fetcheth all diuine knowledge from heauen : o● others , i may learne the theorie of diuinitie , of ●hese onely , the practise . other maisters teach me by rote , to speake parot-like of heauenly things , these alone with feeling and vnderstanding . expectation is the greatest enemie both of doing well , and good acceptance of what is done i hold it the part of a wise man , to endeuor rather t●at fame may follow him then goe before him . i see a number which with shimei , whiles they seek their seruant , which is riches ; loose theyr soules : no worldly thing shall draw mee without the gates , within which , god hath confined mee . it is an hard thing for a man to find wearinesse in pleasure , while it ●a●teth , or contentmen● in paine while hee is vnder it : after both ( indeed ) it is easie : y●t both of these must bee found in both ; or else we shall be drunken with pleasures , and ouerwhelmed with sorrow : as those therefore which should eate some dish ouer deliciously sweete , allay it with tart sauce , that they may not be cloyed ; and those that are to receiue bitter pils , that they may not be anoyed with their vnpleasing ●ast , role them in sugar ; so in all pleasures it is best to labour , not how to make them most delightful , but how to moderate them frō excesse ; and in a●l sorrowes so to sett●e our hearts in true grounds of comfort , that wee may not care so much for being bemoned of others , as how to bee most contented in ourselues . ● in wayes , we see trauailers choose not the fairest and greenest , if it bee either crosse or contrary , but the neerest , though mirie & vneuen : so in opinions , let mee follow not the plausiblest , but the truest , though more perplexed . christian societie is like a bundle of stickes layde together , whereof one kind●es another : solitary men haue fewest prouocations to euil , but againe fewest incitations to good : so much as doing good is better then not doing euill , will i account christian good fellowship better then an eremitish & mel●ncholike solitarines . i had rather confesse my ignorance , thē falsly professe knowledge : it is no shame not to knowe all things ; but it is a iust shame to ouer-reach in any thing . suddaine extremity is anotable triall of faith , or any other disposition of the soule : for as in a suddaine feare , the blood gathers to the heart , for garding of that part which is principal ; so the powers of the soule cōbine thēselues in an hard exigent , that they may be easily iudged of : the faithfull ( more suddainly then any casualty ) can lift vp his heart to his stay in heauen : whereas the worldling standes amazed , and distraught with the euill , because he hath no refuge to fly vnto , for not beeing acquainted with god in his peace , how should he but haue him to seeke in his extremitie . when therefore some suddain stitch girds me in the side , like to be the messenger of death , or whē the sword of my enemy in an vnexpected assault threatēs my body , i will seriously note how i am affected● so the suddainest euill , as it shall not come vnlookt for , shall not goe away vnthought of : if i finde my selfe courageous , and heauenly minded , i will reioyce in the truth of gods graces in me , knowing that one dram of tryed faith , is woorth a whole pound of speculatiue : and that which once stoode by me , will neuer faile me : if deiected , and hartlesse , heerein i wil acknowledge cause of humiliation , and with all care and earnestnesse seeke to store my selfe against the dangers following . the rules of ciuill policie , may wel be applied to the minde : as therefore for a prince , that he may haue good successe against either rebels or forraine enemies , it is a sure axiome , diuide and rule : but when hee is once seated in the throne ouer loyall subiects , vnite and rule : so in the regiment of the soule , there must bee variance ' set in the iudgement , & the conscience , and affections , that that what is amisse may bee subdued ; but when all parts brought to order , it is the only course to maintaine their peace ; that all seeking to establish and helpe each other , the whole may prosper . alwayes to be at warre , is desperate ; alwayes at peace , secure , and ouer epicure-like . i doo account a secure peace , a iust occasion of this ciuill dissension , in my selfe , and a true christian peace , the end of all my secret warres ; which when i haue atchieued , i shall raigne with comfort , and neuer will bee quiet , till i haue atchieued it . i brought sinne enough with me into the world , to repent of all my life , though i should neuer actually sinne ; and sinne enough actuallie euery day to sorrow for , though i had brought none with mee into the world : but laying both together , my time is rather too short for my repentance : it were madnes in mee to spend my short life in iollity & pleasures , wherof i haue so small occasion , and neglect the oportunitie of my so iust sorrowe : especially since before i came into the world , i sinned ; after i am gone out of the world , the contagion of my sinne past , shall adde to the guilt of it ; yet in both these states i am vncapable of repentance ; i will doo that while i may , which when i haue neglected , is vnrecouerable . ambition is torment enough for an enemie , for it affordes as much discontentment in inioying , ●as in want , making men like poysoned rats , which when they haue tasted of their bane , cannot rest till they drinke , and then can much lesse rest , till their death : it is better for mee to liue in the wise-mens stocks in a contented want , then in a fooles paradise to vexe my selfe with wil●full vnquietnes . it is not possible but a conceited man must be a foole : for that ouerweening opinion , hee hath of himselfe , excludes all oportunity of purchasing knowledge . let a vessell be once full of neuer so base liquor , it will not giue roome to the costliest ; but spilles beside what so euer is infused : the proude man , though hee be empty of good substance , yet he is full of conceite : many men had proued wise , if they had not so thought themselues . i am emptie enough to receiue knowledge enough : let mee thinke my selfe but so bare as i am , & more i neede not . o lord , doo thou teach me how little , howe nothing i haue : and giue mee no more thē i know i want . euery man hath his turne of sorrow ; whereby , some more , some lesse , all men are in their times miserable , i neuer yet could meet with the man that complayned not of somewhat . before sorrow come , i will prepare for it , when it is come , i will welcome it ; when it goes , i will take but halfe a farewell of it , as still expecting his returne . there be three things that follow an iniurie , so far as it concerneth our selues ( for as the offence toucheth god , it is aboue our reach : ) reuenge , censure , satisfaction ; which must bee remitted of the merciful man ; yet not all at all times : but reuenge alwayes , leauing it to him that can , and will doo it ; censure oft times ; satisfaction sometimes ; hee that deceiues mee oft , though i must forgiue him , yet charity bindes mee not , not to censure him for vntrustie : and he that hath endammaged me much , cannot plead breach of charity in my seeking his restitution : i will so remit wrongs , as i may not encourage others to offer them : and so retayne them , as i may not induce god to retayne mine to him . garments that haue once one rent in them , are subiect to bee torne on euery nayle , and euery brere ; and glasses that are once crackt , are soon broken : such is a mans good name● once tainted with iust reproch : next to the approbation of god , and the testimonie of my owne conscience , i will seeke for a good reputation with men● not by close carriage concealing faultes , that they may not bee knowne to my shame , but auoyding all vices , that i may not deserue it : the efficacie of the agent is in the patient wel● disposed ; it is hard for mee euer to doe good , vnlesse i be reputed good . many vegetable , and many brute creatures exceede man in length of age ; which hath opened the mouthes of heathen philosophers to accuse nature , as a step-mother to man : who hath giuen him the least time to liue , that only could make vse of his time in getting knowledge : but heerein religion doth most magnifie god in his wisdom and iustice , teaching vs , that other creatures liue long , and perish to nothing ; only man recompēces the shortnes of his life , with eternity after it ; that the sooner he dies wel , the sooner he coms to the perfectiō of knowledge : which he might in vaine seeke below ; the sooner he dies ill , the lesse hurt hee doth with his knowledge : there is great reason then , why man should liue long ; greater , why hee should die early : i will neu●r blame god for making me too soone happy , for changing my ignorance for knowledge , my corruption for immortality , my infirmities for perfection● come lord lesus , come quickly . the second booke of meditations and vowes , diuine and morrall . at london printed by humfrey lownes , for iohn porter . . to the right vertuous and worshipfull lady , the lady drury , all encrease of grace . madame , i knowe your christian ingenu●ti● such , that you will not grudge others the communication of this your priu●t right : which ye● i durst not haue presumed to aduenture , if i feared that either the benefit of it would be lesse , or the acceptation . now it shall be no lesse yours , onely it shall be more knowne to be yours . vouchsase therefore to take part with your worthy husband , of these my simple meditations . and if your long and gracious experience , haue written you a larger volume of wholsome lawes , and better informed you by precepts fetcht from your owne ●eeling , then i can hope for , by my b●re speculation , yet where these my not vnlikely rules shall accord with yours , let your redoubled assent allow thē , and they cōfirme it . i made them not for the eye , ●ut for the heart ; neither doo i cōmend thē to your reading , but your practise : wherein also it shall not be enough , that you are a meere and ordinary agent , but that you be a patterne propounded vnto others imitation : so shall your vertuous and holy progresse , besides your owne peace and happinesse , be my crowne , and reioycing in the day of our common appearance . halsted . dec. . your l. humbly deuoted , ios . hall. i finde that all worldly things require a long labour in getting , and af●ord a short pleasure in enioying them . i wil not care much for what i haue , nothing for what i haue not . i see naturall bodies for●ake their owne place and condition , for the pre●eruation of the whole , but of all other creatures , man , and of all other men , christians , haue the least interest in themselues ; i will liue as giuen to others , lent only to my selfe . that which is said of the elephant , that being guilty to his deformity , he cannot abide to look on his owne face in the water , but seeks ●or troubled and muddy channels , we see well moralized in men of euill conscience , who know their soules are so filthy , that they dare not so much as view them ; but shift off all checkes of their former iniquity , wit● vaine excuses of good ●ellowship : whence it is , that euery ●inal reprehension so galles them , because it calles the eyes of the soule home to it selfe , & makes them see a glance of what they would not : so haue i seene a foolish and timerous patient , which knowing his wound very deep , would not endure the chirurgian ●o search it ; wheron what can ensue , but a festering of the part , and a daunger of the whole body● so i haue seene manie prodigall wasters runne so farre in bookes , that they cannot abide to heare of a reckoning . it hath beene an olde and true prouerbe , oft and euen reckoninges make long friends . i will oft summe vp my estate with god , that i may knowe what i haue to expect , and aunswere for : neither shall my score runne on so long with god , that i shall not knowe my debts , or feare an audit , or despaire of payment . i account this bodie nothing but a close prison to my soule , and the earth a larger prison to my body . i may not breake prison , till i bee loosed by death , but i will leaue it not vnwillingly when i am loosed . the common feares of the world are causelesse , and ill placed ; no man feares to doo ill , euery man to suffer ill : wherein if we consider it well , wee shall finde that we feare our best frends ; for my part , i haue learned more of god and of my selfe in one weekes extremity , then all my whole lyues prosperity had taught mee before : and in reason and common experience , prosperity vsually makes vs forget our death ; aduersity on the other side makes vs neglect our life : now if we measure both of these by their effects , forgetfulnes of death makes vs secure , neglect of this life makes vs carefull of a better ; so much therefore as neglect of life is better then forgetfulnesse of death ; and watchfulnes better then securitie , so much more beneficiall will i esteeme aduersitie then prosperity . euen griese it selfe is pleasant to the remembrance , when it is once past , as ioy is , whiles it is present . i will not therefore in my conceit make any so great difference betwixt ioy and griese ; sith griese past is ioyfull , and long expectation of ioy is grieuous . euery sicknes is a little death , i will bee content to die oft , that i may die once well . ofte times those things which haue been sweete in opinion , haue prooued bitter in experience ; i will therefore euer suspende my resolute iudgement , vnti●l the tryall and euent , in the meane while i will feare the worst , & hope the best . in all diuine and morrall good thinges , i would faine keepe that i haue , and get that i want ; i doo not more loath all other couetousnes , then i affect this : in all these thinges alone i professe neuer to haue enough : if i may encrease them , therfore either by labouring , or begging , or vsurie , i shall leaue no meanes vnattempted . some children are of that nature , that they are neuer well , but while the rod is ouer them : such am i to god : let him beate me , so hee amend me ; let him take all away from me , so he giue me himselfe . there must not bee one vniforme proceeding with all men in reprehension : but that must varie according to the disposition of the reprooued : i haue seene some men as thornes , which easily touched , hurt not ; but if hard and vnwarily , fetch blood of the hand● others , as nettles , which if they bee nicely handled , sting and pricke , but if hard and roughly pressed , are pulled vp without harme : before i take any man in hand , i will knowe whether hee be a thorne or a nettle . i wil account no sinne little , since there is not the least , but works out the death of the soule ; it is all one , whether i bee drowned in the ebbe● shore , or in the midst of the deepe sea. it is a base thing to get goods to keep them : i see that god which onely is infinitely rich , holdeth nothing in his owne hands , but giues all to his creatures . but if we will needes lay vp ; were should wee rather repose it , then in christs treasurie : the poore mans hand is the treasurie of christ : all my super●luitie shal be there hoorded vp , where i knowe it shall bee safely kept , and surely returned me . the schoole of god and nature require two cōtrary manners of proceeding : in the schoole of nature , we must conceiue , and then beleeue● in the schoole of god , wee must first beleeue , and then wee shall conceiue : he that beleeues no more then hee conceiues , can neuer bee a christian ; nor hee a philosopher that assents without reason . in natures schoole wee are taught to bolt out the truth by logicall discourse : god cannot endure a logitian in his schoole ; hee is the best scholler that reasons least , and assents most : in diuine things , what i may , i wil conceiue , the rest i wil beleeue and admire . not a curious head , but a credulous & plaine heart is accepted with god. no worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it , but as a bee , hauing honey in the mouth , hath a sting in the tayle ; why am i so foolish to rest my heart vpon any of them ; and not rather labour to aspire to that one abso●lute good , in whom is nothing ●auouring of griefe , nothing wanting to perfect happines . a sharpe reproofe i account better then a smooth deceit ; therefore when my friend checks me , i will respect it with thankfulnesse ; when others flatter mee , i will suspect it , and rest in my owne censure of my selfe , who should bee more priuie , a●d lesse partiall to my owne deseruings . extremitie distinguisheth friends : worldlie pl●a●ures like phisitians , giues vs ouer when once wee lie a dying , and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts : christ iesus standes by his in the pangues of death ; and after death , at the barre of iudgement , not leauing them either in their bed , or graue : i will vse them therefore to my best aduantage , not trust them . but for thee ( o my lord ) which in mercy and truth canst not faile mee , whom i haue found euer faithfull and present in all extremities ; kill me , yet will i trust in thee . wee haue heard of so manie thousand generations passed , and wee haue seene so many hundreths die within our knowledge , that i wōder any man can make account to liue one day . i will die daily , it is not done before the ●ime , which may bee done at all times . desire oft-times makes vs vnthankfull ; for who hopes for that , hee hath not , vsually forgets that which he hath . i will not suffer my heart to roue after high or impossible hopes , least i should in the meane time contemne present benefits . in hoping well , in being ill , & fearing worse , the life of man is wholly consumed . when i am ill , i will liue in hope of better , when well , in feare of worse , neither will i at any time hope without feare , least i should deceiue my selfe with too much confidence , wherein euill shal be so much more vnwelcome & intollerable , because i looked for good ; nor againe , feare without hope , least i should be ouer-much deiected ; nor doo either of them without true contentation . what is man to the whole earth ? what is earth to the heauen ? what is heauen to his maker ? i will admire nothing in it selfe , but all things in god , and god in all things . there be three vsuall causes of ingratitude , vpon a benefit receiued , enuie , pride , couetousnesse : enuie looking more at others benefits then our owne : pride looking more at our selues , then the benefit ; couetousnesse looking more at what we would haue , then what wee haue . in good turnes i will neither respect the giuer , nor my selfe , nor the gift , nor others ; but onely the intent and good will from whence it proceeded ; so shall requite others great pleasures with equall good-will , and accept of small fauors with great thankfulnes . vvhereas the custome of the world , is to hate thinges present , to desire future , and magnifi● what is past● i will contrarilie esteeme that which is present , best : for both , what is past , was once present , & what is future , will bee present ; future thinges next , because they are present in hope ; what is past , least of all , because it cannot be present , yet somewhat , because it was . we pitie the folly of the larke , which while in playeth with the feather , and stoopeth to the glasse , is caught in the fowlers net ; & yet cannot see our selues a-like made fooles by sathan , who deluding vs by the vaine feathers , and glasses of the world , suddainly enwrappeth vs in his snares ; wee see not the nets indeede , it is too much that we shall feele them , and that they are not so easily escaped after , as before auoyded ; o lord keep thou mine eyes from beholding vanity , and though mine eyes see it , let not my heart stoope to it ; but loath it a farre off ; and if i stoope at any time , & bee taken , set thou my soule at liberty , that i may say , my soule is escaped euen as a birde out of the snare of the fowler ; the snare is broken , and i am de●iuered . in suffering eui●l , to looke to secondarie causes , without respect to the highest , maketh impatience ; for so we bite at the stone , and neglect him that threw it . if we take a blowe at our equall , we returne it with vsurie , if of a prince , we repine not : what matter is it , if god kill mee , whether hee doo it by an ague , or by the hand of a tyrant● againe , in expectation of good , to looke to the first cause , without care of the second , argues idlenesse , and causeth want : as wee cannot helpe our selues without god ; so god will not ordinarily helpe vs without our selues ; in both , i wil look vp to god , without repining at the meanes in one , or trusting them in the other . if my money were another mans , i could but keepe it ; onely the expending showes it my own : it is greater glory , comfort , and gaine , to lay it out well , then to keepe it safely : god hath made me not his treasurer , but his steward . augustines friend nebridius , not vniustly hated a short answere to a weighty & difficult question : because the disquisition of great truthes requires time , and the determining is perilous : i will as much hate a tedious and farre-fetched answer to a short and easie question : for as that other wrongs the truth , so this the hearer . performance is a binder ; i will request no more fauor of any man , then i must needs : i will rather choose to make an honest shift , thē ouermuch enthrall my selfe by being beholden . the world is a stage ; euery man an actor ; and playes his part heere either in a comedie or tragedy ; the good man is a comedian , which howe euer hee begins , endes merily : but the wicked man acts a tragedie , and therefore euer ends in horror . thou seest a wicked man vant himselfe on this stage , stay till the last act , and looke to his end , as da●id did , and see whether that bee peace : thou wouldst make straunge tragedies , if thou wouldst haue but one acte : who sees an oxe grazing in a fat and rank pasture , and thinkes not that hee is neere to the slaughter ? whereas the leane beast that toyles vnder the yoake , is farre enough from the shambles . the best wicked man cannot be so enuied in his first showes , as hee is pitiable in the cōclusion . of all obiects of beneficence , i would chuse either an olde man , or a childe ; because these are most out of hope to requite : the one forgets a good turne , the other liues not to repay it . that which pythagoras said of philosophers , is more true of christians : for christianitie is nothing but a diuine & better philosophy : three sorts of men come to the market , buyers , sellers , lookers on : the two first are both busie , and carefully distracted about their market ; onely the third liue happily , vsing the world as if they vsed it not . there be three things which of all other i will neuer striue for : the wall , the way , the best seate● if i deserue well , a lowe place cannot disparage me so much , as i shall grace it ; if not , the height of my place shall add to my s●ame : whiles euery man shall condemne me of pride matched with vnworthines . i see there is not so much difference betwixt a man and a beast , as betwixt a christian and a naturall man : for wheras man liues but one life of reason , aboue the beast : a christian liues foure lyues aboue a natural man : the life of inchoate regeneration by grace : the perfect life of imputed righteousnes : the life of glory begun in the seperation of the soule ; the life of perfect glory in the society of the body , with the soule in full happinesse : the woo●st whereof is better by many degrees , then t●e best life of a naturall man : for whereas the dignitie of the life is measured by the cause of it ; in which regarde the life of the plant is basest , because it is but frō the iuice arising from the roote , administred by the earth : the life of the bruit creature better then it , because it is sensitiue ; of man better then it , because reasonable ; and the cause of this life , is the spirit of god ; so farre as the spirit of god is aboue reason , so farre doth a christian exceed a mere naturalist . i thanke god much that he hath made mee a man ; but more that hee hath made mee a christian ; without which , i know not whether it had beene better for mee , to haue beene a beast , or not to haue beene . great mens fauours , friendes promises , and dead mens s●ooes i will esteeme , but not trus● to . it is a fearefull thing to sinne , more fearefull to delight in sinne , yet worse to defend it , but worse thē worst , to boast of it : if therefore i cannot auoyd sinne , because i am a man ; yet i will auoyde the delight , defence , and boasting of sin , because i am a christian . those thinges which are most eagerly desired , are most hardly both gotten , and kept : god commonly crossing our desires , in what wee are ouer feruent . i will therefore account all thinges as too good to haue , so nothing too deere to loose . it is best to bee curteous to all , entire with few● so may we ( perhaps ) haue lesse cause of ioy , i am sure , lesse occasion of sorrow . secrecies as they are a burden to the mind ere they bee vttered , so are they no lesse charge to the receiuer , when they are vttred : i will not long after more inward secrets , least i should procure doubt to my selfe , and iealous feare to the discloser : but as my mouth shall bee shut with fidelity , not to blab them , so my eare shall not be too open to receiue them . as good physitians by one receit make way for another , so is it the safest course in practise : i will reueale a great secret to none , but whom i haue found faithfull in lesse . i will enjoy all things in god , and god in all things , nothing in it selfe : so shall my ioyes neither chaunge nor perish ; for howe euer the thinges themselues may alter , or fade , yet he in whom they are mine , is euer like himselfe , constant , and euerlasting . if i would prouoke my selfe to contentation , i will cast downe my eyes to my inferiours , and there see better men in worse condition : if to humility , i will cast them vp to my betters , and so much more de●ect my selfe to them , by how much more i see them , thought worthie to bee respected of others , and deserue better in themselues . true vertue rests in the conscience of it self , either for reward , or censur● . if therefore i know my selfe vpright , false rumours shall not daunt me ; if not answerable to the good report of my fauorers , i will my selfe finde the first fault , that i may preuent the shame of others . i will account vertue the best riches , knowledge the next , riches the worst ; and therefore will labour to bee vertuous and learned without condition ; as for riches , if they fall in my way , i refuse them not ; but if not , i desire them not . an honest word i account better then a carelesse oath , i will say nothing but what i dare sweare , & will performe , it is a shame for a christian to abide his tongue a false seruant , or his minde a loose mistresse . there is a iust and easie difference to bee put betwixt a friend , and an enemie ; betwixt a familiar and a friend ; and much good vse to bee made of all ; but of all with discretion . i will disclose my selfe no whi● to my enemie , somewhat to my friend , wholly to no man , least i should bee more others then my owne : friendship is brittle stuffe , how know i whether hee that now loues mee , may not hate me hereafter ? no man but is an easie iudge of his owne matters ; and lookers on oftentimes see the more . i will therefore submit my selfe to others , in what i am reproued , but in what i am praysed , onely to my selfe . i will not be so merry as to forget god , nor so sorrowfull to forget my selfe . as nothing makes so strong and mortall hostility , as discord in religions , so nothing in the world vnites mens harts so firmely , as the bond of faith : for whereas there are three grounds of friendship , vertue , pleasure , profit , and by all confessions , that is the surest which is vpon vertue , it must needs follow , that what is grounded on the best , & most heauenly vertue , must be the fastest● which as it vnites man to god so inseparably , that no tentations , no torments , not all the gates of h●ll can seuer him ; so it vnites one christian soule to another so firmely , that no outward occurrences , ●o imperfections in the party loued , can dissolue them ; if i loue not the childe of god for his owne sake , for his fathers sake , more then my friend for my commodity , or my kinsman for blood , i neuer receiued any spark of true heauenly loue . the good duty that is differed vpon a conceite of present vnfitnes , at last growes irksome , and there-vpon altogether neglected . i will not suffer my heart to entertaine the least thought of loathnesse towardes the taske of deuotion , wherewith i haue stinted my selfe : but violently breake through anie motion of vnwillingnes , not without a deepe check to my selfe for my backwardnes . hearing is a sense of great apprehension , yet farre more subiect to deceit then seeing ; not in the maner of apprehending , but in the vncertaintie of the obiect : words are vocal interpreters of the minde , actions reall ; and therefore how euer both should speak according to the truth of what is in the heart ; yet words do more belie the heart , then actions : i care not what wordes i heare , when i see deedes ; i am sure what a man doth , hee thinketh , not so alwayes what he speaketh : though i will not be so seuere a censor , that for some fewe euill actes i should condemne a man of false-hartednes ; yet in common course of life , i need not be so mopish , as not to beleeue rather the language of the hand , then of the tongue . hee that sayes we●l , and doth well , is without exception commendable ; but if one of these must bee seuered from the other , i like him well that doth well , and ●aith nothing . that which they say of the pelican , that when the shepheards in desire to catch her , lay fire not far from her nest , which ●he finding , and fearing the danger of her yong , seekes to blow out with her winges , so long till ●he burne her selfe , and makes her selfe a pray in an vnwi●e pittie to her young● i see morally verified in experience , of those which indiscreetly med●ling with the flame of discension kindled in the church , rather encrease then quench it ; rather fire their owne wings then help others . i had rather b●waile the fire a farre off , then stirre in the coales of it . i would not grudge my ashes to it , if those might abate the burning , but since i see it is daily encreased with partaking ; i will behold it with sorrow ; and meddle no otherwise then by prayers to god , and entreaties to men ; seeking my own safety , and the peace of the church in the freedome of my thought , & silence of my tongue . that which is said of lucillaes faction , that anger bred it , pride fostered it , and couetousnes confirm'd it , is true of all schismes , though with some inuersion : for the most are bred through pride ; whiles men vpon an high conceit of themselues , scorne to goe in the common road , and affect singularity in opinion ; are confirmed through anger , whiles they stomake & grudge any contradiction ; & are nourished through coue●ousnes , whiles they seek ability to bea●e out their part . in som other again couetousnesse obtaines the first place , anger the second , pride the ●ast : heerein therefore i haue be●ne alwayes wont to commend and admire the humi●ity of those great & profound wi●s , whom depth of knowledge hath not led to by-paths in iudgement , but wal●ing in the beaten path of the church , haue bent all their forces to the estab●ishment of receiued truthes : accounting it greater glory to confirme an ancient verity , then to deuise a new opinion ( though neuer so probable ) vnknowne to their predecessours : i will not reiect a truth for m●ere noueltie ; olde truths may come newly to light : neither is god tyed to times for the gift of his illumination , but i will suspect a nouell opinion of vntruth ; and not entertaine it , vnlesse it may be deduced from ancient grounds . the eare and the ey● are the minds rece●uers ; but the tongue is onely busied in expending the treasure receiued , if therfore the reuenues of the minde bee vttred as fast or faster then they are recei●ed , it cannot be but that the minde must needes be held bare , and can neuer lay vp for purchase . but if the receiuers take in still with no vtterance , the mind may soone grow a burden to it selfe , and vnprofitable to others . i will not lay vp too much , and vtter nothing , least i be couetous , nor spende much , and store vp little , least i be prodigall and poore . i will speake no ill of others , no good of my selfe . that which is the miserie of trauailers , to finde many hostes , and few friends , is the estate of christians in their pilgrimage to a better life : good friendes may not therefore bee easily forgone ; neither must they be vsed as sutes of apparell , which when wee haue worne thred-bare , we cast off , and call for new ; nothing but death or villanie shall diuorce me from an olde friend : but still i wil follow him so farre , as is either possible or honest : and then i wil leaue him with sorrow . true friendship necessarily requires patience , for there is no man in whom i shall not mislike somewhat ; and who shall not as iustly mislike somewhat in mee . my friends faults therefore , if little , i will swallowe and digest ; if great , i wil smot●er them ; how euer , i wil● winke at them to others , but louingly notifie them to himselfe . iniuries hurt 〈◊〉 mor● in the receiuing , then in the remembrance : a small iniurie shall goe as it comes , a great iniurie may dine or suppe with me ; but none at all shall lodge with mee ; why should i vexe my selfe , because another hath vexed me . it is good dealing with that , ouer which wee haue the most power : if my estate will not bee framed to my minde , i will labour to frame my minde to my estate . in greatest companie i wil be alone to my self ; in greatest priuacie , in company with god. griefe for things past that cannot bee remedied , and care for thinges to come that cannot bee preuented , may easilie hurt , can neuer benefit mee ; i will therefore commit my selfe to god in both , and enioy the present . let my estate bee neuer so meane , i will euer keep my selfe rather beneath ; then either leuel , or aboue it : a man may rise when hee will with honour , but cannot fall without shame . nothing doth so befoole a man as extreme passion ; this doth both make thē fooles , which otherwise are not ; and show them to be fooles that are so : violent passions , if i cannot tame thē , that they may yield to my ease ; i will at least smother thē by concealment , that they may not appeare to my shame . the minde of man , though infinite in desire , yet is finite in capacitie : since i cannot hope to know all thinges , i will labour first to knowe what i needes must for their vse ; next , what i best may for their conuenience . though time be precious to mee ( as all irreuocable good things deserue to be ) and of all other thinges i would not be lauish of it ; yet i will account no time lost , that is either lent to , or bestowed vpon my friend . i will honour good examples , but i will liue by good precepts . as charity requires forgetfulnes of euil deedes , so patience requires forgetfulnes of euill accidents● i will remember euills past to humble me , not to vexe me . it is both a misery and a shame , for a man to be a banckrupt in loue ; which he may easily pay , and bee neuer the more impouirished . i will be in no mans debt for good will ; but wil at least returne euery man his owne measure ; if not with vsurie : it is much better to be a creditor , then a debter in anie thing ; but especially of this : yet of this , i will so be content to bee a debter , that i will alwayes be paying it where i owe it ; and yet neuer will haue so payd it , that i shall not owe it more . the spanish prouerb is too true ; dead men & absent find no friends : all mouthes are boldly opened with a conceite of impunity : my ●are shall bee no graue to burie my friends good name : but as i will bee my present friends selfe , so i will bee my absent friends deputie ; to say for him what he would , and cannot speake for himselfe . the losse of my friend as it shall moderately grieue mee , so it shall another way much benefit me in recompence of his want : for it shal make mee thinke more often , and seriously of earth , and of heauen : of earth , for his body which is reposed in it : of heauen for his soule , which possesseth it before mee : of earth to put me in mind of my like frailtie and mortality : of heauen , to make mee desire , and after a sort emulate his happines and glory . varietie of obiects is wont to cause distraction ; when againe a little one lay● close to the eye , if but of a peny breadth , wholy takes vp the sight , which could else see the whole halfe heauen at once : i wil haue the eyes of my minde euer forestalled , and filled with these two obiects , the shortnes of my life , eternity after death . i see that hee is more happy , that hath nothing to leese , then hee that looseth that which he hath . i will therefore neither hope for riches , nor feare pouerty . i care not so much in anything for multitude , as for choyce ; bookes & friends i will not haue many : i had rather ●eriouslv conuerse with a fewe , then wander amongst many . the wicked man is a very coward , and is afraide of euery thing of god , because he is his enemie , of sathan , because hee is his tormenter ; of gods creatures , because they ioyning with their maker , fight against him ; of himselfe , because hee beares about him his owne accuser , and executioner : the godly man contrarily , is afraid of nothng● not of god , because hee knowes him his best friend , and therefore will not hurt him ; not of sathan , because he cannot hurt him , not of afflictions , because he knowes they proceed from a louing god , and end his owne good ; not of the creatures , since the very stones of the field are in league with him ; not of himselfe , since his conscience is at peace ; a wicked man may bee secure , because he knowes not what hee hath to feare , or desperate , through extremitie of feare ; but truely courageous hee cannot be . faithlesnes cannot chuse but bee false hearted : i will euer by my courage take tryall of my faith : by howe much more i feare , by so much lesse i beleeue . the godly man liues hardly , and like the ant toyles heere , during the sommer of his peace , holding himselfe short of his pleasures , as looking to prouide for an winter● which when it comes , hee is able to weare it out comfortably ; whereas the wicked man doth prodigally lash out all his ioyes in the time of his prosperitie : and like the grashopper , singing merily all sommer , is starued in winter . i will so enioy the present , that i wil lay vp more for heereafter . i haue wondred oft , and blushed for shame , to reade in meere philosophers ( which had no other mistresse but nature ) such strange resolution in the contempt of both fortunes ( as they call them ) ; such notable precepts for a constant setlednes and tranquilitie of minde ; and to cōpare it with my owne disposition , and practise ; whom i haue found too much drouping and deiected vnder small crosses , and easily againe carried away with little prosperitie . to see such courage and strength to ●ōtemne death in those , which thought they wholy perished in death , and to finde such faint-hartednes in my selfe at the first cōceit of death , who yet am throughlie perswaded of the future happines of my soule : i haue that benefit of nature as well as they , besides infinite more helpe that they wanted● oh the dulnes & blindnes of vs vnworthy christians , that suffer heathens by the dimme candle-light of nature , to goe further then wee by the cleare sunne of the gospell● that an indiffer●nt man could not tell by our practise , whether were the pagan . let me neuer for shame account my selfe a christian , vnlesse my art of christianitie haue imitated and gone beyond nature so farre , that i can finde the best heathen as farre belowe me in true resolution , as the vulgar sort were belowe them . else , i may shame religion , it can neither honest nor helpe me . if i wou●d bee irreligious & vnconscionable , i would make no doubt to bee rich , for if a man will defraud , dissemble , forsweare , bribe , oppresse , serue the time , make vse of all men for his owne turne , make no scruple of any wicked action for his aduantage : i cannot see how he can escape wealth and preferment . but for an vpright man to rise is difficult ; whiles his conscience straightly curbes him in from euery vniust action ; and will not alow him to aduance him selfe by indirect meanes : so riches come seldome easily to a good man ; seldome hardly to the consciencelesse . happie is that man that can bee rich with truth , or poore with cōtentment , i will not enuie the grauell in the vniust mans throte . of riches let me neuer haue more , then an honest man can beare away . god is the god of order not of confusion : as therefore in naturall thinges hee vses to proceede from one extreme to another by degrees , through the meane ; so doth hee in spirituall . the sunne rises not an once to his highest from the darknes of mid-night , but first sends forth some feeble glimmering of light in the dawning ; thē looks out with weak and waterish beames , & so by degrees ascends to the midst of heauē : so in the seasons of the yeare , we are not one day scorched with a sōmer heat , and on the next , frozen with a suddaine extremitie of cold : but winter comes on softly , first by colde dewes , then hoare frostes , vntill at last it descende to the hardest weather of all : such are gods spirituall pro●eedings● hee neuer bringes ani● man from the estate of sinne , to the estate of glorie , but through the state of grace . and in grace seldome when , any man from grosse wickednes , to any eminencie of perfection : i will be charitably iealous of those men , which from notorious lewdnesse leape at once into a suddaine forwardnes of profession . holinesse doth not like ●onas gourd grow vp in a night . i like it better to go on soft and sure , then for an hastie fit to runne my selfe out of winde , and after stand still and breath me . it hath beene saide of olde , to doo well and heare ill , is princely ; which as it is most true , by reason of the enuie which followes vpon iustice ; so is the contrarie no lesse iustified by many experiments : to doo ill , and to heare well , is the fashiō of many great men : to doo ill , because they are borne out with the assurance of impunitie . to heare well , because of abundance of parasites , which as rauens to a carkasse●●ather about great men . neither is there any so great miserie in greatnesse as this , that it conceales men from themselues ; and when they wil needs haue a sight of their own actions , it showes them a ●alfe glasse to looke in . meanenesse of state ( that i can finde ) hath none so great inconuenience . i am no whit sorrie that i am rather subiect to contempt , then flatterie . there is no earthly blessi●● so precious , as health of body , without which all other worldly good thinges are but troublesome : neither is there anie thing more difficult , then to haue a good soule in a strong and vigorous body ; for it is cōmonly seene , that the worse part drawes away the better : but to haue an healthfull and sound soule , in a weake sickly body , is no noueltie ; whiles the weaknesse of the body is an helpe to the soule : playing the part of a perpetuall monitor , to incite it to good , and check it for euill : i will not bee ouer glad of health , nor ouer fearefull of sicknes . i will more feare the spirituall hurt that may follow vpon health , then the bodily paine that accompanies sicknes . there is nothing more troublesome to a good minde then to doo nothing ; for besides the furtherance of our estate , the minde doth both delight , and better it selfe with exercise . there is but this difference then betwixt labour and idlenes ; that labour is a profi●able and pleasant trouble , idlenesse a trouble both vnprofitable and comfortl●sse . i will bee euer doing something , that either god when he cōmeth , or sathan when hee tempteth , may finde me busied . and yet since as the olde prouerbe is , better it is bee idle then effect nothing , i will not more hate dooing nothing , then doing something to no purpose . i shall doo good but a while ; let me striue to do it while i may . a faithfull man hath three eyes : the first of sense , common to him with brute creatures ; the second of reason , cōmon to all men ; the third , of faith proper to his profession : whereof each looketh beyond other , and none of them medleth with others obiect● : for neither doth the eye of sense reach to intelligible things , and matters of discourse : nor the eye of reason to those things which are supernatura●l and spirituall ; neither doth faith looke downe to thinges that may bee sensibly seene . if thou discourse to a brute beast of the depthes of philosophie neuer so plainly , hee vnderstands not , because they are beyond the viewe of his eye , which is onely of sense : if to a meere carnal man of di●ine things : he perceiueth not the thinges of god , neither indeede can doo , because they are spiritually discerned ; and therefore no wonder if those things seeme vnlikelie , incredible , impossible to him , which the faythfull manne hauing a proportionable meanes of apprehension , doth as plainely see , as his eye dooth anie sensible thing . tell a plaine country●man that the sun , or some higher or lesser starre , is much bigger then his cart-wheele ; or at least so manie scores bigger thē the whole earth ; he laughes thee to scorne , as affecting admiration , with a learned vntruth● yet the scholler by the eye of reason , doth as plainly see & acknowledge this truth , as that his hand is bigger then his pen : what a thick mist ; yea , what a palpable & more then egyptian darknesse doth the naturall man liue ? what a world is there , that hee doth not see at all , and how little doth he see in this , which is his proper element ; there is no bodily thing but the brute creatures see as well as he , & some of thē better . as for his eye of reason ; how dim is it in those things which are best fitted to it : what one thing is there in nature , which he doth perfectly know ? what hearb , or flower , or worm that hee treads on , is there , whose true essence hee knoweth ? no not so much , as what is in his owne bosome ; what it is , where it is , or whence it is that giues ●eing to himselfe : but for those things which concerne the best world , hee doth not so much as cōfusedly see thē , neither knoweth whether they be : he sees no whit into the great & awfull maiestie of god ; hee discernes him not in all his creatures , filling the world with his infinit & glorious presence ; he sees not his wise prouidence ouer●ruling all things , disposing all casuall euents , ordering all sinfull actions of men to his owne glory ; he comprehends nothing of the beauty , maiesty , power , & mercy of the sauiour of the world , sitting in his humanity at his fathers right hand : hee sees not the vnspeakable happines of the glorified soules of the saints ; hee sees not the whole heauenly cōmon-wealth of angels , ascending & descending to the behoofe of gods childrē ; waiting vpō him at all times inuisibly ; not excluded with the closenes of prisons nor desolatnes of wildernesses ; and the multitude of euill spirits passing & stāding by him to tempt him vnto euil ; but like vnto the foolish bird , whē he hath hid his head that he sees no body , he thinks himselfe altogether vnseen : & then counts himselfe solitary , when his eye can meete with no companion . it was not without cause that we cal a mere foole , a naturall ; for how euer worldlings haue still thought christians gods fooles , wee know them the fooles of the world . the deepest phylosopher that euer was ( sauing the reuerence of the schooles ) is but an ignorant sot to the simplest christian : for the weakest christian may by plaine information see somwhat into the greatest misteries of nature , because he hath the e●e of reason common with the best but the best philosopher by all the demōstration in the world , can conceiue nothing of the misteries of godlines ; because he vtterly ●ants the eye of faith . though my in-sight into matters of the world bee so shallow , that my simplicitie moueth pity , or maketh sport vnto others ; it shal bee contentment & happines , that i see further into better matters : that which i see not is worthlesse , and deserues little better then contempt ; that which i see is vnspeakeable , inestimable , for comfort , for glory . it is not possible for an inferiour to liue at peace , vnlesse hee haue learn'd to be cōtemned . for the pride of his superiours , and the malice of his equals & inferiors , shal offer him continual● and ineuitable occasions of vnquietnes . as contentatiō is the mother of inward peace with our selues ; so is humility the mother of peace with others : for if thou be vile in thine owne eyes first , it shall the lesse trouble thee to bee accounted vile of others . so that a man of an high hart in a low place , cannot want discontentment ; wheras a man of a lowly●stomak , can swallow & digest cōtempt without any distēper . for wherein can he be the worse for being contemned , who out of his owne knowledge of his deserts did most of all contemn himself● i shold bee very improuident , if in this cal●ing i did not look for daily contempt : wherein , we are made a spectacle to the world , to angels , & men : when it comes , i wil either embrace it , or contemne it . embrace it when it is within my measure , whē aboue , contemne it : so embrace it , that i may more humble my self vnder it ; & so contemne it , that i may not giue hart to him that offers it ; nor disgrace him , for whose cause i am contemned . christ raised three dead men to life : one newly departed ; another on the beere , a third smelling in the graue ; to showe vs that no degree of death is so desperate , that it is past helpe . my sinns are many , & great , yet if they were more , they are farre below the mercy of him that hath remitted them● & the value of his ransome that hath payde for them : a man hurts himselfe most by presumption , ●ut we cannot do god a greater wrong , then to despaire of forg●uenes . it is a do●ble iniurie to god , first that we offend his iustice by sinning , then that we wrong his mercy with despairing . &c. for a man to bee wearie of the worlde through miseries that he meets with , and for that cause to couet death , is neither difficult , nor cōmendable ; but rather argues a base weakenes of minde . so it may be a cowardly part to contemne the vtmost of all terrible things , in a feare of lingring miserie : but for a man either liuing happily heere on earth , or resoluing to liue miserably , yet to desire his remoouall to heauen , doth well become a true christian courage ; and argues a notable mixture of patience & faith : ●f patience , for that he can and dare abide to liue sorrowfully ; of faith , for that hee is assured of his better being otherwhere ; and therefore prefers the absent ioyes hee lookes for , to those he feeles in present : no sorrow shall make mee wish my selfe dead , that i may not bee at all : no contentment shal hinder me frō wishing my selfe with christ , that i may be happier . it was not for nothing , that the wise creator of all thinges hath placed gold & ●iluer , and all precious minerals vnder our feete to bee trod vpon ; and hath hid them low in the bowels of the earth , that they cannot without great labour be either found , or gotten ; whereas he hath placed the noblest part of his creatiō aboue our heads ; and that so open to our view , that wee cannot chuse but euery moment behold them : wherein what did he else intend , but to drawe away our minds frō these worthlesse , & yet hidden treasures , to which hee foresawe wee would be too much addicted , & to ca●l thē vnto the contemplatiō of those better things , which besides their beauty , are more ob●iuious to vs ; that in thē we might see & admire the glory of their maker , and withall seeke our owne . howe doo those men wrong thēselues , & misconstrue god , who , as if hee had hidden these things , because he would haue them sought , and layd the other open for neglect , bend themselues wholly to the seeking of these earthly cōmodities & do no more mind heauē , thē if there were non . if wee could imagine a beast to haue reaso , how could he be more absurd in his choice ? how easie is it to obserue , that still the higher wee goe , the more purity & perfectiō we finde so earth is the very drosse & dregs of all the elements , water somwhat more pure then it , yet also more ●eculent thē the aire aboue it ; the lower aire lesse pure thē his vppermost regions , & yet they as far inferior to the lowest heauens : which againe are more exceeded by the glorious and empireall seat of god , which is the heauen of the iust . yet they ( brutish men ) take vp their rest , and place their felicity in the lowest and worst of all gods workmanship ; not regarding that , which with it owne glory can make them happie . heauen is the proper place of my soule , i will sende it vp thither continually in my thoughts whiles it soiournes with mee , before it goe to dwell there for euer . a man neede not to care for more knowledge , then to know him selfe ; he needes no more pleasure then to content himse●fe ; no more victory then to ouercome himselfe , no more riches then to enioy himselfe . what fooles are they that seeke to know all other things , & are strangers in themselues ; that seeke altogether to satisfie others humors , with their owne displeasure ; that seeke to vanquish kingdoms & countries , when they are not maisters of themselues ; that haue no holde of their owne harts , yet seeke to bee possessed of all outward commodi●ies : goe home to thy selfe first , vaine hart , & when thou hast made sure worke there , in knowing , contenting , ouercomming , enioying thy selfe , spend all the superfluity of thy time & labor vpō others . it was an excellent rule that fel frō epicure , whose name is odi●us to vs for the father of loosnes . that if a man wold be rich , honorable , aged , hee should not striue so much to ad to his welth , reputation , yeares , as to detract from his desires . for certainly in these things , which stand most vpon conceite , hee hath the most that desireth least . a poore man that hath little , and desires no more , is in truth richer then the greatest monarch , that thinkes hee hath not what he should ; or what hee might , or that grieues there is no more to haue . it is not necessitie but ambition that settes mens hearts on the racke . if i haue meate , drinke , apparell , i will learne therewith to bee content . if i had the world full of wealth beside , i could enioy no more then i vse ; the rest could please mee no otherwise but by looking on ; and why can i not thus solace my self , while it is others ? an inconstant & wauering mind , as it makes a man vnfit for societie ( for that there can be no assurance of his words , or purposes , neither can we build on them without deceite ) so , besides that , it makes a man ridiculous , it hinders him from euer attaining any perfectiō in himself● for a roling stone gathers no mosse ; and the minde whi●st it would be euery thing , proues nothing ; oft changes cannot bee without losse : yea , it keepes him from enioying that which hee hath attayned , for it keepes him euer in worke : building● pulling downe , selling , changing , buying , commaunding , forbidding : so whiles hee can be no other mans frend , he is the least his owne . it is the safest course for a mans profit , credit , and ●●se , to deliberate long , to resolue surely , hardly to alter . not to enter vpon that , whose end hee fore-sees not aunswerable ; and when he is once entred , not to surcease till he haue attayned the end he fore-saw : so may he to good purpose begin a new worke , when he hath well finished the olde . the way to heauen is like that which ●onathan and his armour bearer passed betwixt two rockes , one bozez , the other sene● ; that is foule and thornie ; wherto we must make shift to climbe on our hands and knees ; but when we are comne vp , there is victorie , and triumph . gods children haue three sutes of apparel , whereof two are worn dail●y on earth , the third layd vp for the in the wardrobe of heauen ; they are euer either in black mourning , in red persecuted , or in white glorious : anie way shall be pleasant to me , that leade● vnto such an end : it matters not what ragges or what colours i weare with men , so i may walke with my sauiour in white , and raigne with him in glorie , amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e pro. ● ● , cor. ● math. . . coloss● ● ● a father's legacy. sir henry slingsbey's instructions to his sonnes. written a little before his death slingsby, henry, sir, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing s ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing s estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a father's legacy. sir henry slingsbey's instructions to his sonnes. written a little before his death slingsby, henry, sir, - . - , [ ] p. printed j. grismond, london : . caption title on p. reads: a father's legacy to his sonnes. caption title on p. reads: his letter to a person of quality, and his late fellow-prisoner. (includes epitaph). first page blank?. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng slingsby, henry, -- sir, - -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . christian life -- early works to . a r (wing s ). civilwar no a father's legacy. sir henry slingsbey's instructions. to his sonnes. written a little before his death. slingsby, henry, sir b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a father's legacy . sir henry slingsbey's instructions . to his sonnes . written a little before his death . london , printed by j. grismond , . a father's legacy to his sonnes . it is not unknowne unto me ( my dear sonnes ) how many persons of quality have bestow'd their pens on this subject , wherein i am to address my self out of my fatherly and tender care towards you . the ground of my discourse shall be instruction ; whereto , i am confident you will be ready to give the more serious attention , in regard it proceeds from his mouth , and devotion of his heart ; who with a parental and tender affection ever loved you while he was living : and now dying leaves you this memorial as my last legacy for your future benefit , improvement and direction . our last expressions usually retain the deepest impression ; especially , being uttered by a tongue whose relation did highly indear us ; and whose words are the very last he shall speak upon earth : being within few houres to pay his debt to nature : and stand at that barre , and appear before that high court of justice , from whence no appeal will be admitted . but my preamble must not be long , seeing the definite sentence of death hath limited my time so short . my beginning shall receive life from him , from whom we all derive our beginning ; whom you are above all things to fear : and that with no servile but filial fear ; not so much for fear of punishment , or hope of reward , as out of pure zeal and cordial love to his sacred majesty ; who will recompence our momentany sufferings with crownes of immortal glory : and cloath our constancy with incorruptible robes of beauty . but no combat , no conquest ; you are to fight a good fight before your warfare become a triumph . and trust me , my dear sons , such influence has my long imprisonment wrought upon me : nay , such divine operations has his powerful spirit acted upon my poor soul : as i hold him a weak-hearted souldier , that faints under the conduct of such a commander ; who patiently died for our sins : and victoriously rose for our justification . i must ingenuously confess , that upon my first restraint , my conflict was something difficult ; before i attained this christian attemperature and composure to my resolves : i could not for a season , but friendly converse with that , which i now mortally hate . he that consorts with the pelican , cannot chuse but smell of the wilderness . i begun by help of my solitude and long retirement ( a place to me of infinite improvement ) to recollect my self , and seriously to meditate how my too near and familiar society with the world , ( though never deeply drenched in it ) was the high way to procure a divorce with god . it was my study therefore to leave it with my affection , before such time as i became enjoyned to leave it by a necessitated dissolution . i considered how the life of a wise man was to return to god ; and to hold all things under him as secondaries : him onely the primary good . this was the mirror that flattered not . during my late privacy , occasioned by my captivity , store of vacant houres were reserved for me ; the expence whereof conduced more highly to my inward benefit and advantage , then all my fore-past liberty . for before i knew not what it was to wrastle with my self , till restraint ( an useful , though unwelcom messenger ) brought me to a due and exact consideration of my self ; and the present condition whereto i was reduced . yet in this my retire and recesse from the world , i could not chuse but encounter with some dangerous remoraes to foreslow my passage and proficience . assiduate offices of profest amity , visits of friends with other obligiug ties of relation were daily contriving new , but affectionate wayes , how to call me from my self , and reduce my thoughts to a more familiar converse with the world : and considerable motives to induce , and effectual enough to operate upon a meer humane fancy , were presented to me : but none more powerfull acting , then my tender reflexion upon your young and unexperienced condition , my dearest children : whom , as it had ever been my constant care to educate in a corresponsive way to your extraction : so it was my desire that my ancient and lineally descended estate , might without incumbrance fall upon you my elder sonne : together with such a competent conferment upon your younger brother , as the conveniency of his fortunes might disingage him of that servile condition ; which too usually the young gentry of our land , through neglect of timely provision , become liable to , i mean beholdingness or dependence on the elder . the discussion of these , seriously weighed , brought me to consider , what i could not forget with honour ; how you were those precious pledges wherein i had treasured all my inferior hopes , being next in care to the eternity of my soul . in this my treaty with the world , i bethought me likewise how your virtuous sister , whose pure and unblemished fame has conferred an high additament to my comfort : and incomparably revived me in this my irrevocable sentence to the scaffold ; how she , i say , was not to be neglected , but highly tendred : for though she appeared compleatly qualified , and with the choicest ornaments of nature richly furnished ; nay , with noble relations sufficiently strengthned yet there is something more required to make a person of honour , be she never so personally accomplished , a mistress of great fortunes . these were thoughts of a long discourse , and strong debate : neither , were they with less vehemency seconded by such , whose setled and immutable affections ( such was their integrious candor and intimacy to me in my greatest extremes ) aimed no less in their prudent advice , at the future success and advancemēt of mine then their own . and their bosome-counsels dispatched it ; so as , what the constancy ( or what others termed it , pertinacy ) of opinion would not assent to , the amicable care of faithfull trustees effected . this quieted my thoughts , and brought me again to my self . and i found this calm and well setled composure , a precious princely structure . i found no billows dispassionately acting to endanger the passage of my late surcharged vessell : all appeared to me as in a calm sea : and as one in a safe harbour , i begun to recall to mind those divine contemplations ; which my late converse with secular occasions , had so prejudicially estranged from me . i begun to take a more serious view of what i had to my intellectual gain observed , and what i had in my own default neglected , i took my mark as by a landskip , how the world was a shop of disguises and false faces . and i concluded upon my review of these , summing them up to their utmost period : how all things were vanity , save onely to please god , and to serve him . make this your anchor-hold , and you may saile safely ; you shall manage your affections with that equal and discreet temper , as nothing can be possibly acted by you to disparage you : or lay the least aspersion on your honour . it is not to be questioned , but the high estimate that men set upon this world , captives their affections : making them heavily leave what they did so heartily love . for what men enjoy with delight , they must necessarily forgoe with grief . be continent then in your desires , and indifferent in your enjoyments , and you shall leave , what you did so coolly love without disgust . but this would prove a receipt of hard digestion to their stomachs , on whom these inferiour contentments have taken seasure : make devotion then your complete armour , to secure you on the main , and conduct you to a peaceful harbour . the only way to free you from this servitude , is to bring the world to serve you , and not you it . being ever observed to be an imperious mistress , but a submissive servant . i shall now take occasion to make my recede from the world ( as i find my enjoined houres neer approching ) and take a turn or two in the temple ; but fearful be my feet to enter into the sanctuary with too much confidence : i shall not , though you be mine own , propose to you rules of religion : i hope your education by the assistance of gods spirit , hath already initiated and grounded you in those principles that may not only inform your knowledge how to believe ; but for the practive part too , what to do that you may eternally live ; yet excuse my fears , i cannot leave you so : though my desires have ever gone along with an humble fervour of being rather an hearer , then a teacher : my tender zeal to your proficience and progress in christs school , will not suffer me to omit any thing that may necessarily conduce to your spiritual inabling in matters of eternity . above all things , then my deare ones , be it your especial care to beware of novellisme . it is this whose pernicious seed has spread so many dangerous sects , schismes and heresies . nay , the onely ruine to the foundation of religion : having begot so many main breaches and fearful rents in the church ; as it is above the compasse of humane wisedome to make up the decayes of so disjointed a fabrick : or how to contrive a way for repair of those demolitions : as it is the finger of god that can onely effect it , so may his name onely have the glory of it . for you my sonnes , may it be your desire rather to appear faithful and fervorous professors , then forward and contentious disputants . it has been an inherent property to many of our ancient school-men , either transported with the spirit of singularity : or from some other discontent arising from their fruitlesse pursuit after some especiall office or place of preferment ; to enter the lists : and become profest champions for broaching errour and sedition ; by embroiling the quiet of the church , and exposing the long-continued unity which she formerly enjoyed , to those fatall miseries of endlesse divisions : which broke forth into nationall quarrels , and such implacable hostility ; as the church became a constant patient . but no hand so inclinable to pity , as to apply to her bleeding wounds a timely remedy . now , resolve me , did not such arguments springing from the brains of those ambitious and opinionate sectaries produce bitter fruits , when their poysonous doctrine begot such dangerous distractions in many flourishing and eminent states ? lend not your least attention to these : the perversnesse of their spirits usually invert all sense : and the inconformity of their depraved doctrine , will sooner entangle then inform your judgment . you have learned better things : rely then on those just and orthodoxall principles , which retaine in them that powerful efficacy , as they will teach you how to believe , and how to live . by which means ( for a better rule i cannot prescribe you ) your blameless conversation shall manifest to the world the fruits of your faith . how fruitlesly bestowed are those empty hours , that are employed with what subtilty of arguments they may dispute , but never with what purity they may live . polite orators , but prophane professors . such sophisters are but titular christians . believe it , there ought to be no controversie , but conference among the servants of christ . which being discraetly seasoned with meekness and mildness , beget more converts to gods honour , then a thousand fiery spirits shall ever do , by speaking in thunder . i would not willingly be thought to fall short of that parental zeal which i owe you . men have nothing to give , but what they receive ; and what i have received , i shall here by advice freely communicate unto you . subjection to superiours is a precept of high consequence ; i shall not insist on each particular ; it is too large a field to walk in , and to lofty an ayer to descant on : it may suffice , that i am to sacrifice my life in that contest : and without aversnesse in so high an interest . for you my sons , be it your especiall care to submit your selves to your superiours in all lawful things . it is an undispensable injunction : and ought by persons of each distinct quality , when they are conscientiously thereto obliged , to be religiously observed . this might seem to oppose my tenent ; but i shall make it perspicuously appeare to any uninteressed judgement , much otherwise . the crime wherewith i stood charged , was treason ; which my conscience dictated to me , bare the cognizance of loyalty . to which principles , as i was nursed it , so i mean to death to continue a constant professor of it ; wherein if any one , as there be many , should oppose my opinion ; and tax me first of obstinacy in my refusing to submit to any composition : and since in appealing from the jurisdiction of that high court ; whereto i conceived i could not be in a capacity to be subject , being neither sworn nor known unto it . though i was , as some thought , slow in my reply and personall defence at the barre ; may it stand with the patience of good men to heare the modest apology which i here recommend to their perusall after my death : wherein , my dear ones , you may return a grateful office to your dying father , in communicating it to our relations ; or any persons of quality that shall hereafter request it . words spoken in season retain precious resemblances ; but i am confident , no words could have been spoken by me at my arraignment , that would have been construed seasonable : so highly was the presidentall court prepossessed against me . my defence shall be short , dissecting it self into two particulars . motive i. the first relates to a case of conscience ; which to oppose even in matters of indifferency , would raise such a tempest in the inward region of the soul , as would not be quickly calmed . i understood , how i could enjoy no peace in it by checking it : and that in the carefull composure of it , rested my quiet : having not onely sufficiently learn'd , but experimentally felt , how there was in it either a continuall feast to cheer me ; or a cloud of witnesses to condemn me . i conceived then how the cure of a troubled spirit was a receipt of high and precious consequence . it was my assiduate care therefore to remove all such subtile witnesses from within me , that might at the high-court of tryals condemn me : as for other testates , they were the least of my fears : i knew how conscience would prove my individuall consort ; i held it therefore dangerous to displease it , lest i should perish by it . this might seem to be of light weight in a temporizing skale : but it poized more heavily in mine . my high obligations confirmed by oath , and bound in , i must confess , with an inviolable tie of religious love , had so inseparably united my thoughts to the devotion of allegiance ; as the serious and constant observance of it begun to have that influence over me , as in the end it resolv'd to a case of conscience . sundry disputes with sinewy arguments to decline my opinion were frequently entertain'd by me , during my several places of imprisonment : but i apprehended all these two weak motives to alter my resolution , or lessen my affection to such an incomparable object of soveraignty . upon these premisses i conceive that if i should appeal even to those who are aptest to traduce me , or inveigh against that constancy ( mis-construed contumacy ) which appeared in me , they could not in skrewing their censures to the highest pin , interpret it otherwise then an errour of love , but no love of errour : being so integriously grounded ; as it admitted no alloy or mixture with by respects or self-interests ; which is become such an epidemicall disease , as it has got generally an influence over the whole world . but to return to you , my dear sonnes , to whom and for whose benefit these my last directions are addressed ; be it your care in the free injoyment of a private condition : or in what quality soever it shall please the almighty one to rauke you ; to mould your spirits to that temper , as your discreet carriage may free you from publick censure . many eyes and many eares require cautious and preventive thoughts . the onely way to be secure , is not to be active in affairs of state . as for those who make it their practise to be fishers in troubled waters ; it were very strange for them who practise that trade long to gain by their purchase . privacy , as it is the onely recluse of safety ; if your hours in it be not well imployed , it may become as dangerous as a place of agency . caves may be as proper for designes as theaters for action . it is the mind that makes the undertaker free , whether he be residentiary in a wildernesse or in the world . be it your care to reserve a sickle for your own harvest . he cannot chuse but lay himself open to many dangers , who desires to have an ore in every boat : or too officiously to engage his person in others concerns . make your thoughts your own ; and loyal desires cannot redound to your prejudice . it is want of secrecy , and too much credulity that makes many free-born subjects , bondmen by forfeiture of their liberty : and by their profuse tongues subject their heads under others girdles . i have been conscious herein my self , which moves me to be more intentive to this caution ; the neglect whereof has brought so many mens estates & lives to ruine . for the liberty of a subject , as i hold it to be a brave but rare interest ; so i should account him , if it were my fortune to live with him , unworthy the title of so eminent a priviledge , who will not stick to engage that liberty to the ear of a stranger . but let me not forget my self by insisting too amply on these observances : i shall now descend unto the second motive , which not onely induced but confirmed me in my resolution to loyalty . motive . it has been my fortune to hear sundry persons as wel spiritual as secular to enlarge themselves by way of argument upon this subject : and some of these , to my knowledge , men of singular abilities : and in all the progress of their disputes touching legall and lineall soveraigntie , they positively concluded for me ; though the arguments of paraeus , zuinglius , buchanan , with sundry other anti-monarchiall authors were frequently & with much vehemencie alledged , pressed , and pursued : so as , even those who were of the adverse partie , pretending themselves convinced with soliditie of argument , and strength of reason , seemed wholly satisfied with those rational assertions : though , indeed , their plausible pretences proved to my self and others colourable disguises , meerly to catch and circumvent us ; being afterwards , to expedite our dispatch , produced for evidence against us . but look not upon these agents with a vindicative eye , as you tende my commands . your father has forgiven them , do you the like . he retaines a slight memorie of his patience and dolorous passion , who forgave his own death : that cannot in the recollection of his own unworthiness , pass by all indignities ; nay , who with much composedness has not learned to smile upon the affronts and injuries he shall occasionally suffer in this life . i must confess , the first onset or encounter , before i became well schooled in the discipline of suffering , presented to my frailty sundrie inseparable difficulties : but custome and continuance has sweetned those disgusts ; finding them , if seasonably applied , and temperately digested , the soveraignest receipts that the constitution of man can partake : by submitting his will to his command , whose inscrutable wisdom far above the pitch of all humane apprehension , declares his infinity by sweetning those sufferings , which an indulgent or innate love to our selves had so much imbittered . we cannot share in a crown , if we have no part in the cross . and blessed be his name that has armed my weakness with this resolution : preparing in me a mind no less ready to bear , then justice was to inflict : my actions by gods assistance shall in this approching hour of my suffering express it : though i shall appear slow in the elegancy or flourish of words ( for i never profest my self an orator : ) neither , indeed , should i hold such a dresse suitable to any one going to his death . but to passe from these ; it behoves me to look upon you , so long as it is permitted me to live with you ; my tender zeal therefore of your future welfare enjoines me to recommend one particular to your care ; which infinitely concerns you : that is , your choice of company . good acquaintance will improve both your knowledge and demean : by your conversing with these , you shall every day get by heart some new lesson , that may season and accommodate you . whereas our debauched gallantry ( the greatest impostor of youth ) would by their society quickly deprave you . now to apply a remedy to so dangerous and infectious a malady , be tender of your honour ; beware with whom you consort : be known to many , but familiar with few . wherein , above all things , make use of this directory : it will prove highly useful to you in these relations of society . it was the observation of a divine moral ; and well deserves the attention of the pregnantest & prudentest apprehension . make ever choice of such for your companions , of whom you retain this grounded opinion , that you have either hope to improve them , or be improved by them . the one , as they argue a fairer , docile and pliable disposition : so the other being indued with parts , may by degrees bring their attentive consorts to an higher pitch of knowledge and moral perfection . and great pity it is , that our youth , even in the eminentest extractions , should make so light an estimate of time : as to hold no consorts fitter for their concerns , nor corresponding with their tempers , then such who onely study a fruitless expence of time : making no other account of hours , then harbingers of pleasure : and as airy lures to attract their light and liquorish appetites to prohibited delights . be tender then , as you wish success in the world , or the continuance of my blessing , or the honour of the house from whence you came : and your own reputation ; the preservation whereof shall make you live in me now dying : and raise you an honest fame in mine ashes . fame is such a precious odour , as neither those who are in the highest rank can impair it without an impeachment to their honour : so neither those of a lower condition can justly nor conscientiously tender it , but it will send forth a fragrant breath upon the preserver . houses are but weak material structures , subject to breaches and decayes ; unless repaired and supported by the general approvement and repute of their enjoyers . i could challenge from many descents , but my thoughts have ever been estranged from titular arrogance : holding onely fame to be the strongest continuer of a family : being born up with such an impregnable arch , as it needed no groundling butteresses to preserve it : nor any secondaries to prevent an untimely ruine . it has been my fortune to make experience of a pretensive stay which proved so unsteady , that if i should live many years ( as now my short life is measured forth to a few houres ) it would make me henceforth to remember that cautionary advice : let not the titles of consanguinity nor affinity betray any man into a prejudicial trust . whence it was that i observed some persons , no sooner advanced to places of unexpected greatness , then they put on the severe countenance of justice , pretending to imitate the example of titus manlius , who in a case of justice gave sentence against his own son . but i found those to be onely formalities ; or politick semblances : they would not disoblige themselves for their friends security . these differed far from themistocles opinion , amicable candor and resolution ; who being requested to bear himself indifferently in his censure : and even to his own to put on the face of rigour , answered ; be it far from me not to pleasure my friends in all things . as for my addresses , they were so qualified in their relation to obedience , as they stooped not to any ones application nor assistance . now tom , as you are the immediate hope of my house : so be it your care to entertain no thought below your self . your course has been hitherto approveable : enabled by generous education abroad : and imitable examples at home : those to adorn ; these to compleat . being thus grounded , set your self to those tasks that may usefully improve you ; and by degrees accomplish you . in private and retired hours consult with the dead ; being the best means to make men wise : make devout books your discreeet consorts : they will tell you what you are to doe without fear of censure . these will beget in you a contempt of that ( the world i mean ) which detracts most from the excellency of man . seneca wisht for philosophy , whereto he was entirely dedicated , that as the face of the universall world comes into view , so that philosophicall idaea might be presented to us as a spectacle most unlike unto the world . i am confident , tom , it is the lowest of your scorn to suffer your thoughts to be depressed with inferiour objects . continue that resolution ; it will arme you against all occurrents . in the carriage of publick affairs , my advice is that you appear cautious : many by putting themselves upon numerous imployments have lost themselves : though in neighbourly offices to be modestly active , manifests signall arguments of piety . but in all concerns appeare just . this will beget you a good report among men ; and acceptance before the throne of grace . all justice is comprehended in this word innocence , all injustice reprehended . and if it were just to pronounce such a sentence upon loyall innocence , i appeal to above . the practice of this divine office will render you blamelesse in all : by measuring your self by others ; others by your self ; and in doing unto others , as you would have done unto your self : and to summe up your directions in brief , that they may be more impressive in your memory : expresse your self moderate in arguments of dispute , close in your counsels , and discreet in your discourse . as for your houres of recreation , let them never so overtake you , as to make your thoughts strangers in what most concerns you . and make choice of suitable consorts in these . for though precepts induce , examples draw : and more danger there is in a personal example , then any doctrinal motive : whence it is very observable , that those whom we intimately affect , have such attractive influence over us : as whether it be in the pursuit of pleasure or profit , we suffer our selves to be drawn therto by their choice , without much examination of the probability of the issue , whereto their assayes are directed . all men are taught to eschew evil , and to do good : and there are innate seeds in every pious disposition moving him to the observance of that direction : but the nature of things is such , that where a good man is joined with a bad , the bad is not bettered by the good , but the good corrupted by the bad . we may then truly conclude that this world is a dangerous pest-house : and if men out of a natural desire of conserving their health , and of avoiding what may indanger it , would be loth to enter into an house that is infected : much more are they to decline all occasional wayes of infecting their inward house , much more precious because partaker of immortality . but i am hopefull that the influence of gods grace seconded with your constant and intire devotion , will sufficiently strengthen you against all such humane frailties , which either the pronenesse of nature , or the corruption of these times may suggest . the lord prepare you to entertain all occurrents , with patience & che e fulness . to your superiours lawfully set over you , pre sent your self in due obedience : and in all your actions acquit your self ( for herein consists the hope and accomplishment of your felicity ) a faithfully instrument of gods glory . now one word to you , harry , who though younger by course of nature , has been ever dear and near my heart since thine infancy . thine innocence has here for a season been a sufferer with thy father : but let it not grieve thee to partake with him who doth so truly tender thee : and whose parental hopes have been ever highly treasured in thee . neither can i conceit otherwise ( having had such experience of thy natural towardness ) but thou rejoycest in thy suffering upon such an occasion , and with so dear a friend . but i hope it will not hold consistent with the prudence nor justice of this state , that a fathers guilt should by way of punishment descend in a generation . i shall sacrifice my life freely , as one , subject to an assumed authority : be it their goodness to spare innocence : though i should in my loyal thoughts hold such a present a precious pledge in relation to a just soveraignty , and a subjects duty . but i hope , my blood may sufficiently expiate the grandeur of my crime , if it were greater , without farther revenge . the fortunes left you by the assistance of our friendly trustees ( for i have been long time a stranger to mine own ) may by gods providence appear competent for a younger brother : sure i am , it is all i can do for you . be it your care by honest wayes to improve them ; at least to preserve them ; which is good husbandry in these dayes . in a word , if your estate be not sufficient for you ; be sufficient for your estate . this was the advice of a wise statist , observe it . return my blessing to your sister my dear bab : and tell her from a dying father , that she needs no other example then her vertuous mother for her directory : in whose steps , i am confident , she will walk religiously . her modest and blameless demean can promise nothing less . and now my dear ones , as my desire is that you should in this last legacy of my love and parental duty remember me ; so my request is that neither you nor any of my relations suffer that memory they retain of me to be accompanied with immoderate grief . after a troublesome voyage encountred with many cross winds and adverse billows , i am now arriving in a safe harbor : and i hope without touch of dishonour . as for death , though it appear terrible to all flesh ; i have long expected it , and by a conscientious consequence prepared me for it . and to make it more familiar to me ; before i was call'd up to this city , i made my coffin my companion ; that i might with more resolution looke death in the face , whensoever it should assault me . an hatchet to a weak spirit may present more fear : but a fever to a patient more pain . my peace i hope is made with god : having in those solitary houres of my retirement made this my constant ejaculation : o , how can we chuse but begin to love him whom we have offended ? or how should we but begin to grieve that we have offended him whom we love ? this was the solace of my choice , which through gods goodnesse shall admit no change : and with this will i end , drawing now towards my end . a receipt of continuall use and application . my heart is signed with the signet of gods love ; my hatred is onely bent against sin and my self ; my joy is in god my saviour ; my grief that i am not all his ; my fear , even in this short remainder , is to offend him ; and my hope is to enjoy him . devotionall addresses , after his sentence of death . deaths doom to sensuall ears sad tidings brings , for death 's the king of fears , and fear of kings . but to a mind resign'd , a welcome guest , and onely convoy to the port of rest ; a freer from restraint , wherein i long estrang'd from earths content , sung sions song . being now to put off my garment of mortality , in assured hope to exchange it with the white robe of immortall glory . in this my farewell to earth , it is my fervorous desire to bequeath these my last addresses to you , the dearest pledges i had upon earth . draw near me , and heare those last words which i must ever on earth speak to you . sure i am , that the dying words of an affectionate father , cannot but fasten deeper , and retaine a memory longer , then the speech of the movingest orator . fear god above all things ; it is the beginning of wisdom : and will enrich you above your portion . you are now in the ripening progresse of your time : and entring the first lists of your youth , wherein you are here surrounded with numerous temporary tryals ; let good company seconded with the exercise of piety season you : so shall his blessing , who hath blessed me with constancy in suffering , crown you . be honest in your wayes ; spare in your words ; plenteous in good workes . proportions god hath given you , portions by gods providence ( though lessened by these occasionall overtures ) i have left you ; enrich these with the best portion , the ornament of vertue . specious features are not to be valued to the precious embellishment of that inward beauty , which accomplisheth a divine soul . be what you seem to be ; and seem what you ought to be : i never loved that countenance , which could promise much , and perform nothing . reality is the onely cognizance of a good conscience . ever reslect on him that made you : and make devovotion your constant diary to conduct you . be tender of those you rank with ; either to better them , or to be bettered by them . dead flyes corrupt the preciousest ointments . be humble to all ; humility is the way to glory : this it is will make you amiable to the creature ; glorious in the sight of your creator . learne how to obey , that you may know better how to command . in the consideration of humane felicity , there is nothing becomes more incurable , then what is habituate : when custome of sin takes away all sense of sin . old sores require long cures . reserve divine thoughts for sanctified roomes : in holy places is the devil ever busiest . no disease more dangerous then the lethargy of sin . this sleep brings ever an heavy awake : for though like a tender nurse , she sing a sweet lullabee to her deluded child , it is ever in worst case , the more it sleeps ; for it dyes in sins-slumber , and perisheth untimely by the blandishment of her mother . consider this , my dearest ones . resist the devil , and he will fly from you : suffer not the first motions of sin to seize on you . pray continually , because you have an enemy assayling you incessantly : the combat is short , your crown eternall . in the heat of the day , think of the evening : the earnest-penny wil recompence your pains : continue to the end , and your reward shall be endless . be not too curious in enquiring what you are to receive after this life ; but so labour that you may receive your reward of glory after this life . many , by too curious an itching after what there were to receive , have deceived themselves , by loving their reward more then god . let nothing on earth take your hearts ; let the divine love onely possess them , so shall you find quietness in them . that heart cannot want , that possesseth god . he will be a light to direct it , that it stray not : a comfort to refresh it , that it faile not . for all earthly helps , they must either leave us , or we them . wherein it faleth often-tims forth , that we are most afflicted even in those , wherein we expected most comfort . it is one thing to live on earth , another thing to love earth . to be in the world , and of the world , are different conditions . tabernacles are not to be accounted habitations . while we are sojourning , we must be journeying towards canaan : nor may we rest till we get home . o my tender ones ( for never were children more dear to a father ) make every day of your life a promising passage to your native countrey . as every day brings you nearer your grave , may every day increase in you the richness of his grace . let the joyes of heaven and torments of hell be familiar with you ; by meditating of the felicity of the one , and infelicity of the other ; these to deter , those to allure . be not too much taken with fashion ; it is the disease of this age : comeliness is the most taking dresse to a discreet eye ; whatsoever is else , borders on sin , and becomes reputations stain . i am not now very old , when this judicial sentence has enjoyned me to leave you , yet never did that spreading vanity of the time much surprize me . for my part , i did ever rather affect not to be known at all , then to be known for singular . it is a poor accomplishment that takes her essence from what we wear . the rinde makes not the tree precious , but the fruit . neither speak i this to excuse my frailties . i confess my diversions have been many ; but through my hearty conversion and unfeigned contrition , by the merits of my saviour , i hope , my peace is made . now to continue my final bequest , my desire is , that you would be circumspect in your discourse . though no society can subsist without speech , yet were it very necessary to be cautious of the society to whom we direct our speech . i may experimentally speak it , having so highly suffered by it . few or none have ever been hurt by silence ; but many , too many by too prodigal speech have engaged their freedom to the power of their foes : varnished over with the specious pretences of friends . let your whole life be a line of direction to your selves ; and of instruction to others . be more ready to heare then to teach ; and above all things , let your famebe a living doctrine to your family . be diligent in the vocation or imployment you are called unto : and be ever doing some good work : that the devil may never find you unemployed : for our security is his opportunity ; to prevent his sleights , give no way to sloth . when you come into any holy place , call him to mind , to whom it is dedicated . hold your selves then as retired from the world : and lift up your hearts to him , who is your hope and helpe , both here and in a better world . esteem of all men well ; and of your selves the worst . suffer with others , when you shal hear them desamed : and preserve their report as well as you may . for it is not sufficient to be tender of our own , and impeach others : but to tender others as our own . stand alwayes in an humble and religious fear . be not ashamed to confess , what you were not ashamed to commit . if at any time , through frailty , you fail ; with tears of unfeigned contrition redeem your fall . walk with an undefiled conscience ; knowing that you are in his presence , whose eyes are so pure , as they cannot abide miquity ; and whose judgment so cleer , as it will search out hypocrisie . keep your bodies undefiled ; temples should be pure and unpolluted . if your desire be to honour your maker , you must make your heart his harbor . every countrey hath one chief city ; and that situate in the heart of the land ; and becomes the kings seat . your heart shall be the city of the king of kings , so you guard the gates of your little city , that no sinful intruder nor usurping designer enter nor surprize them ; no corrupt affection win in upon them . now the better to secure your state ; let your eyes your city-centinels , be so directed , that they become not distracted : by wandring abroad , they beget disorder at home . all neighbourly offices i commend unto you ; they gain love , which is the oyl of our life . but too much familiarity i do not admit ; charity is expedient to all , familiarity to few . cherish affability , there is nothing that purchaseth more love with less cost . friendship is properly term'd the fruit of virtue ; without which ground it becomes an unripe fruit , and loseth its kernel . prefer restraint of the body before that of the mind ; there can be no true freedom , so long as the soul is liable to thraldome . i have been known to sundry holds ; yet i found my infranchized mind , when i was most estranged from enjoyment of liberty , to be the freest enjoyer of it self . hold nothing comparable to the estimate of a clear conscience ; a continual feast admits no competition with a cloud of impeaching witnesses . this hath been my anchor hold to secure my vessel . the terrours of death are but objects to the eye ; with a momentany sense of a little pain to the body : whereas if the soul through the gusts of a restlesse conscience , grapple with death ; and gives up her hold , her sufferings are to eternity . a short storm should not discourage us , when we are within the ken of our harbour . prosperity is a fair gail ; but the memory of it rather afflicts then refresheth us ; when our security has thrown us upon a shelf , before we come a-shore . if earthly enjoyments had seiz'd on me ; my death might have prov'd more natural , but through those preparations wherewith gods goodness hath furnished me , perchance not so welcom . i am now to put off that which troubled me most ; to become clothed with his righteousness , whose all-sufficiency has pleaded my cause . in my period to these ; and to order your course the better in the current and progression of your affairs : let not the sun shine upon you , before you have commended your selves to that son of righteousness , to direct you in all your wayes ; and inrich you with all good works . to conclude , ( for i feel my failing faculties , through continuance of my long restraint , and late necessary addresses , drawing near their conclusion ; ) let your youth be so seasoned with all goodnesse , that in your riper age , you may retain an habit of that which your youth practised . well-spent minutes are precious treasures ; whose reviving memory in our recollection of what we gathered by them , will refresh your fainting soules in their sharpest gusts of humane frailty . to speak of marriage to you , i will not ; onely this , let a religious fear accompany those acquiescences : wherein , i conceive a parity in descent , a competency of fortune , but principally our harmony in a religious profession may conduce highly to your future comfort : and remove those occasional discontents , which a failing in any of these too usually procures : which completed , may your choice thus equally tempered with discretion and affection admit no change : so shall a pious emulation in your succeeding relations second your choice . prefer your fame before all fortunes : it is that sweet odour which will perfume you living , and embalm you dying . i find my self now , through the apprehension of my approching summons , which i shall entertain with a cheerful admittance , breathing homeward : the eye of my body is fixt on you ; the eye of my soul on heaven : think on me as your natural father ; and of earth as your common mother . thither am i going , where by course of nature , though not in the same manner , you must follow . i am to act my last scene on a stage ; you in a turbulent state . value earth as it is ; that when you shall pass from earth , you may enjoy what earth cannot afford you ; to which happiness your dying father , hastning to his dear spouse and your virtuous mother , faithfully commends you . additional instructions privately delivered before his coming to tower-hill . dear sonns , as you were tender to me , remember these funeral advertisements of your adjudged father . the serious observance whereof i shall account my ceremonial obsequies . be zealous in your service of god : ever recommending in the prime hour of the day , all your ensuing actions designed and addressed for that day , to his gracious protection . be constant in your resolves , ever grounded on a religious fear , that they may be seconded by gods favour . be serious in your studies : and with all humility crave the assistance of others , for your better proficiency . be affable to all , familiar with few . be to such constant consorts , where you have hope to be dayly proficients . be provident and discreetly frugal in your expence : never spending where honest providence bids you spare : neither sparing where reputation invites you to spend . continue firm in brotherly unity : as you are near in blood , be dear in your affection . honour those to whose charge you are intrusted . and sweet jesu , with thy grace enrich them , to thy glory , their relations comfort . his letter to a person of quality , and his late fellow-prisoner . sir ; to render you an account of my present condition since my remove to this city : and return a grateful satisfaction to your expectance in all such concerns or occurrences as have encountred me since my commitment to the tower ; in relation to your desires and expressions by letter , for which , i hold my self highly obliged to your indeerment and noble resentment in my sufferings . i shall acquaint you briefly ( for no long time must be now permitted me , ) in these my last lines : as the definite sentence of death pronounced upon me , has sufficiently assur'd me . some short time after my commitment , mr. mordant , dr. hewit , and my self were ordered to appear before the high-court of justice at westminster : where we stood indicted of high-treason : and where mr. mordant by his discreet carriage , and singular preparation , seconded with the fair acquiescence of the president , after a long and anxious examination of his cause , became acquitted . doctor hewit denying the jurisdiction of that court : after he had alledged sundry arguments and reasons to strengthen his appeal : and evince the illegality of their proceedings ( having debarred himself of the benefit which he might probably have obtained , as some verily thought , by submitting to a trial ) received the sentence of death . which , i can ingenuously assure you , sir , he received with much constancy , resolution and composure . though it has been reported since the time of his impeachment , that upon maturer advice of such as by a more peculiar relation had an influence over him , he could have been contented to submit to a trial : and that petitions were presented to that purpose , but through some titular defect or other , he might not be admitted to that favour . howsoever , i am very confident , that this gentleman was so consciencious in all his actions : and so confirm'd in his profest zeal , as he would entertain nothing below himself . high and of weighty consequence were the articles that were drawn up against me : and these laid to my charge with much vehemency . especially my conference with some persons at hulb ; which i conceived ( as i then told them ) to be rather a secular discourse ; and such sociable chat , as it might be in any equall judgmēt , held sooner for a jest , then a design of state . whereto the attourney was pleased to make answer facetiously according to his usual manner , and with much punctuality : that he never heard in all his time , that treason was held a jest . and then with a supercilious smile turning himself towards me : sir harry , said he , you have jested your self fairly out of your fame , estate , and now according to the merit of your cause very like to jest your self into a grave to your lafting dishonour . i insisted not much upon defence nor vindication of mine innocence ; for i understood , it was effectless . those persons who were my accusers , were for time , place , and every circumstance , such convincing evidence , ( besides their personal prevalency in the eye of that court ) as my reply in what tenor soever would have prov'd fruitless : and either not heard at all , or expounded to my disadvantage : the onely guard , then , that i stood upon , was silence and patience . though as the case stood in my particular , i could not hold those persons my competible accusers : nor well deserving estimatiō in that high court ; being such , as their compliance ( had not probable hopes of preferment diverted them ) could have conscienciously closed with my principles : but the fears of danger , and the hopes of honour ; were in the first such determents ; and in the later , such inducements ; as they begot in them an indifferency in the one : and a resolution for the other . i would not willingly give you a trouble , as i shall not to the world long . the court , upon the evidence given , adjudged me to die : but by petition and the protectors clemency : not in that dishonourable manner , as we were sentenced . so as my resolved soul , now in the merits of christ , is winging her flight for heaven . my preparation becomes freer from distraction , by the gentile demean and civilities of our lieutenant : and by his command , of the souldiers modest carriage towards us , in our private devotions , and other holy duties . which pious office , as it conduceth much to our peace , so it cannot but redound highly to the commanders honour . compassion in places of command , where authority may be executed without controul , deserves , for the rarity of it , an eminent attribute . dear sir , he begs at your hands the assistance of your prayers , who , as in his life , so now at his death , in the reallest offices of love , remains your most affectionate servant , h. s. june . . fvnerals are for the dead : memorials for the living . solemnity of the one , cannot parallel the memory of the other . the one limits to time , the other to eternity . his corpse by means was permitted to be privately carried down into yorkshire ; there to be interr'd in the burial-place of his ancestors : which was done with all decent solemnity . his epitaph . dead unto earth , before i past from thence , dead unto life , alive to conscience just , and by justice doom'd ; impeach'd by those whom semblance writ my friends , their witness foes . my silence in reply imply'd no guilt , words not believ'd resemble water spilt upon the parched surface of the floor , no sooner dropt , then heat dryes up the showre . to plead for life where ears are prepossest , sounds but like airy eccho's at the best . the hatchet acted what the court decreed , who would not for his head lay down his head ? branches have their dependence on the vine , and subjects on their princes , so had mine . the native vine cut down , her cyenes wither , let them then grow or perish both together . thus ●●v'd i , thus i dy'd ; my faith the wing , that mounts my kingly zeal to th' highest king . finis . a discourse of ciuill life containing the ethike part of morall philosophie. fit for the instructing of a gentleman in the course of a vertuous life. by lod: br. bryskett, lodowick. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse of ciuill life containing the ethike part of morall philosophie. fit for the instructing of a gentleman in the course of a vertuous life. by lod: br. bryskett, lodowick. giraldi, giambattista cinzio, - . ecatommiti. viii. . [ ], , - , [ ] p. printed [by r. field] for edvvard blount, london : . lod: br. = lodowick bryskett. based on "tre dialoghi della vita civille" by giambattista cinzio giraldi, first published as part of his "de gli hecatommithi". printer's name from stc. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discovrse of civill life : containing the ethike part of morall philosophie . fit for the instructing of a gentleman in the course of a vertuous life . by lod : br . virtute , summa : caetera fortunâ . anchora spei london , printed for edvvard blovnt . . to the right honorable , his singvlar good lord , robert earle of salisbury , vicount cranborne , lord cecill baron of essenden , principall secretarie to his maiestie , knight of the most noble order of the garter , &c. this booke treating of the morall vertues , being now to come vnder the censure of the world , doth summon me of it self to craue protection from your lordships honorable fauour , as the personage , who knowing best their worth , may best protect him from the iniury of any that should attempt to carpe the same . and my priuate obligations for your manifold fauours ( among which , the great benefite of my libertie , and redeeming from a miserable captiuitie euer fresh in my remembrance ) doth make me hope , not onely of your honors willingnesse to patronize both my selfe and my labour ; but also that you wil be pleased therein to accept of the humble and deuoted affection , wherwith most reuerently i present it vnto your lordshippe . vouchsafe therefore ( my most honored good lord ) to yeeld me the comfort of so gracious an addition to your former fauors and benefits : and to giue to all the yong gentlemen of england encouragement to embrace willingly that good which they may receiue by reading a booke of so good a subiect , the title whereof bearing in front your noble name , shall giue them cause to think it worthy to be passed with the approbation of your graue iudgement . vvhich being the most desired frute of my endeuour , i will acknowledge as none of the least of your great graces , and euer rest your lordships most bounden and humbly deuoted , lod : bryskett . to the gentle and discreet reader . right well saith the wise man , that there is nothing new vnder the sunne ; and further , that there is no end of writing books . for howsoeuer in a generalitie the subiect of any knowledge be declared ; yet the particulars that may be gathered out of the same , be so many , as new matter may be produced out of the same to write thereof againe : so great is the capacitie of mans vnderstanding able to attaine further knowledge then any reading can affoord him . and therefore horace also affirmeth , that it is hard to treate of any subiect that hath not bene formerly handled by some other . yet do we see dayly men seeke , partly by new additions , and partly with ornaments of stile , to out-go those that haue gone before them : which haply some atchieue , but many moe rest farre behind . this hath bred the infinitenesse of bookes , which hath introduced the distinction of good from bad , vsed in best common-weales , to prohibite such as corrupt manners , and to giue approbation to the good . for that the simpler sort by the former drinke their bane in steed of medicine , and in lieu of truth ( the proper obiect of mans vnderstanding ) they introduce falshood decked in truths ornaments , to delude the vnheedful reader . whereas on the other side , the benefite which we receiue by the reading of good books being exceeding great , they deserue commendation that offer their endeuours to the benefiting of others with books of better matter . which hath made me resolue to present vnto thy view this discourse of morall philosophie , tending to the wel ordering and composing of thy mind , that through the knowledge and exercise of the vertues therein expressed , thou mayst frame thy selfe the better to attaine to that further perfection which the profession of a christian requireth ; and that euerlasting felicitie , which , assisted with gods grace ( neuer refused to them that humbly and sincerely call for the same ) thou mayst assuredly purchase . as my meaning herein is thy good chiefly : so let thy fauourable censure thankfully acknowledge my labor and goodwil , which may moue me to impart after vnto thee another treating of the politike part of morall philosophie , which i haue likewise prepared to follow this , if i shall find the fauourable acceptation hereof such as may encourage me thereunto . the booke written first for my priuate exercise , and meant to be imparted to that honorable personage , qui nobis haec otia fecit , hath long layne by me , as not meaning ( he being gone ) to communicate the same to others . but partly through the perswasion of friends , and partly by a regard not to burie that which might profit many , i haue bin drawne to consent to the publishing thereof . gather out of it what good thou canst : and whatsoeuer thou mayst find therein vnperfect or defectiue , impute charitably to my insufficiencie and weaknesse ; and let not small faults blemish my trauell and desire to benefite thee . but say to thy selfe with that worthy bright light of our age sir philip sidney , let vs loue men for the good is in them , and not hate them for their euill . farewell . a discovrse , containing the ethicke part of morall philosophie : fit to instruct a gentleman in the course of a vertuous life . written to the right honorable arthvr late lord grey of wilton : by lod : bryskett . when it pleased you ( my good lord ) vpon the decease of maister iohn chaloner , her maiesties secretarie of this state , which you then gouerned as lord deputie of this realme , to make choice of me to supply that place , and to recommend me by your honorable letters to that effect , i receiued a very sufficient testimonie of your good opinion and fauourable inclination towards me . and albeit your intention and desire in that behalfe tooke not effect , whether through my vnworthinesse , or by the labour and practise of others : yet because your testimonie was to me instar multorum iudicum ; and because that repulse serued you as an occasion to do me after a greater fauor , i haue euermore sithens caried a continual desire to shew my selfe thankfull to your lordship . for when at my humble sute , you vouchsafed to graunt me libertie without offence , to resigne the office which i had then held seuen yeares , as clerke of this councell , and to withdraw my selfe from that thanklesse toyle to the quietnes of my intermitted studies , i must needes confesse , i held my selfe more bound vnto you therefore , then for all other the benefits which you had bestowed vpon me , and all the declarations of honorable affection , whereof you had giuen me many testimonies before . and therefore being now freed by your lordships meane from that trouble and disquiet of mind , and enioying from your speciall fauour the sweetnesse and contentment of my muses ; i haue thought it the fittest meanes i could deuise , to shew my thankfulnes , to offer to you the first fruites that they haue yeelded me , as due vnto you , from whom onely i acknowledge so great a good . that they will be acceptable vnto you , i make no doubt , were it but in regard of the true and sincere affection of the giuer ; who in admiring and reuerencing your vertues , giueth place to no man aliue . howbeit there will be other respects also ( i doubt not ) to moue your liking and acceptance of the same . for if the trauell and industrie of those men be commendable , who curiously seeke to transport from farre and forraine countries , either for the health and vse of the bodie , or for the pleasing of the exterior senses , the strange grafts , plants and flowers , which excell , either for any medicinable qualitie , or for delight of the eye , the taste , or the smell : how much more will you esteeme of my endeuour , and be delighted with my translation of these choice grafts and flowers , taken from the greeke and latine philosophie , and ingrafted vpon the stocke of our mother english-tongue ? especially being such as will not onely promise delight and pleasing to the senses , but assuredly yeeld health and comfort to the mind oppressed and diseased ? neither is it vnlikely but that the receiuing of so vnlooked for a present out of this barbarous countrie of ireland , will be some occasion to hold it the dearer , as a thing rare in such a place , where almost no trace of learning is to be seene , and where the documents of philosophie are the more needfull , because they are so geason . perhaps the want of that same sweeter tast & relish , which those clymes of athens and rome could giue vnto them , and ours here of england and ireland cannot affoord , may make them seem vnto your lordship at the first somewhat harsh and vnpleasing : but the wholsomnesse of their fruite will easily supply the desire of the pleasing taste , and satisfie you rather with that it hath , then mislike you for lacke of that it cannot haue . for although our english tongue haue not that copiousnesse and sweetnes that both the greeke and the latine haue aboue all others : yet is it not therefore altogether so barren or so defectiue , but that it is capable enough of termes and phrases meete to expresse all those conceits which may be needfull for the treating and the discoursing of morall philosophie . and the doctrine and consent of the wisest and best learned philosophers being truly set downe and declared , though it be not done with that flowing eloquence wherewith plato and tullie did vtter their learning , hauing the vse of two such noble and flourishing languages : yet will not the appearing of this faire virgin-stranger in her homely weeds and attire , be any impediment ( i presume ) why she should not be as welcome and as willingly embraced as if she had come decked in all her gorgeous ornaments and apparell . for of her nakednes i do not feare she shall need to be ashamed , though of her pompe and garnishments shee haue no cause to be proud and haughtie . that your lordship will not reiect her , but courteously entertaine her , though she be but the hand-maide of the doctrine of grace , i do the rather assure my selfe because i haue bene an admitted testimonie , how often and very willingly you were pleased to recreate your selfe with her companie , at such times as either the waightie affaires of this your gouernement would spare you , or that you foūd cause to refresh your mind by drawing it from the depth of your other studies . for if i did perswade my self that you wold , as soone as you saw her , frowne and auert your countenance from her , as some men of this our age do , and say , that , where her ladie and mistris is , she is not onely needlesse , but also perillous ; i would truly haue kept her from your presence , contenting my selfe alone with her companie , and presuming that my familiaritie with her should neither inueigle me to like the lesse of her said ladie and mistris , or to vse her otherwise then as the seruant and hand-maide , fit to make her ladie the more reuerenced and the more honored . to your lordship therefore i now direct her , that vnder your honorable fauour and patronage she may be denizened : for i nothing doubt but that the example of your courteous entertaining of her , will easily draw many others to delight in her conuersation , and to feele the true taste of the healthfull and delicious fruites which she hath brought with her to furnish this our english soile & clime withal . whereby we may with the lesse labour and cost henceforth haue them to delight and nourish our minds , since we shall not be constrained to fetch them from athens or from rome , but may find them growing at home with our selues , if our owne negligence and sloth cause vs not to foreslow the culturation and manuring of the same . the course which i hold in this treatise , is by way of dialogue ( which i haue chosen as best pleasing my minde ) to discourse vpon the morall vertues , yet not omitting the intellectuall , to the end to frame a gentleman fit for ciuill conuersation , and to set him in the direct way that leadeth him to his ciuill felicitie . wherein though i haue ( i feare me ) hazarded my selfe to be reprehended by such as looke after formalitie in all things : yet because my intention is to giue light as well to the meaner learned ( whose iudgements can be content to busie it selfe rather to learne what they know not , then to find faults ) as to the learneder critiques that spend their eyes to find a haire vpon an egge ; i haue the more boldly followed mine owne liking : making account , that if i may purchase your liking and allowance of my labour , to whose satisfaction i do most recommend it ; i shall the lesse esteeme the censure of any that may hap to carpe or mislike whatsoeuer part of the same . for as i can be content to acknowledge my infirmitie and weaknes , and to confesse and take vpon me those faults which i may haue committed , when they are ciuilly and without malice discouered and made knowne vnto me : euen so shall the ouer-curious searcher of errors or escapes , to make them faults , very little molest me ; being resolued to content mine own mind with the good that i hope wil be found in the work , rather then to dismay my selfe or be grieued because i cannot do a thing in that high degree of excellencie , that there were no fault to be found by any man in the same . the occasion of the discourse grew by the visitation of certaine gentlemen comming to me to my little cottage which i had newly built neare vnto dublin at such a time , as rather to preuent sicknesse , then for any present griefe , i had in the spring of the yeare begunne a course to take some physicke during a few dayes . among which , doctor long primate of ardmagh , sir robert dillon knight , m. dormer the queenes sollicitor , capt. christopher carleil , capt. thomas norreis , capt. warham , s t leger , capt. nicolas dawtrey , & m. edmond spenser late your lordships secretary , & th. smith apothecary . these coming of their curtesie to passe the time with me , and chauncing to meete there one day , when m. smith the apothecary was come to visit me also , and to vnderstand what successe the physick he had prepared for me did take ; sir robert dillon with a smiling countenance asked of him to what intent ( i being to all their iudgements in health and well ) he with his drugs should make me sick , and force me to keepe the house , whereby neither i could come to the citie , nor they being come to me might haue my company to walke about the grounds , to take the pleasure of seeing how the workes of my hands did prosper , now that the season of the yeare filling the plants and all other liuing things with the naturall humor , which the sharpe cold of the winter had restrained and kept within the inwardest parts , did bud and breake forth , to giue proofe and tokens of their prospering . to which m. smith answered , that he had ministred nothing to me but what my self had prescribed : and that if i was sicke therewith , it was mine owne doing and not his , who by his trade and profession could not refuse to compound and minister such physick as should be required at his hands . but to tell you the truth sir ( quoth he ) i could find in my heart to giue him a potion that should purge him of his melancholy humor , because he hath no small need thereof in my opinion . and whereby perceiue you any such humor to raigne in him , replied sir robert dillon ; for in my iudgment neither his complexion accuseth him of any disposition thereunto , nor his behauiour and manner of life giueth any token of sadnesse or desire of solitarinesse , which commonly all melancholy men are much giuen vnto : whereas he is not onely desirous of good companie , but alwayes chearefull and pleasant among his friends . yea marry ( said m. smith ) thereof he may thanke you and these other gentlemen his friends , that by comming often to visit him do keepe from him those fits which otherwise it is likely enough he would fall into ; whether that his complexiō draw him to it or no , which oft times deceiueth the most cunning physitions , or whether it proceed of any accidentall cause . but ( i pray you ) for proofe of my words , who but one more then halfe mad or in a frensie , would of his owne accord , not being compelled thereunto , haue giuen ouer such an office as he hath resigned ? which besides , that it was of good reputation and profit , gaue him the meanes to pleasure many of his friends , and kept him still in the bosome of the state , whereby he might in time haue risen to better place , and more abilitie to do himselfe and his friends both pleasure & good ? all which in a melancholy mood he hath let slip , or rather put from him : for which i , among other that loue him , could find in my heart to disple him very well . in troth ( quoth sir robert dillon turning to me ) master smith seemeth to haue spoken more like a physition , or rather like a counseller , then like an apothecary : and it will behoue you to satisfie him wel , lest we all begin to thinke of you as he doth , and agree with him that it were expedient to giue you a dose of ellebore , which the physitions say , hath a peculiar property to purge the melancholy humour . and therefore you shall do very well ( i think ) to declare vnto him , what reasons induced you to resigne that office , wherein i my selfe can testifie with how good contentment of all the table you did serue so many yeares . for withall some of vs , that haue not yet vnderstood vpon what foundation this resolution of yours is set and grounded , shall in like sort rest the better satisfied , if from your selfe they shall be made capable of some reasonable cause that might induce you thereunto . and henceforth beleeue , it hath bin well done , not because you did it , but because you haue done it with reason and iudgment : which although we be all sufficiently perswaded you take to be your guides in al your actions , yet these words of master smiths , and the like discourses , which we heare very often among some that loue you and wish you wel , doth make vs sometimes halfe doubtfull to allow of this retiring your selfe from the state. because we suppose that a man of your condition and qualities should rather seeke to be employed , and to aduance himselfe in credit and reputation , then to hide his talent , and withdraw himselfe from action , in which the chiefe commendation of vertue doth consist . and to say truly what i thinke , a man of your sort , bred and trained ( as it seemeth you haue bin ) in learning , and that hath thereto added the experience and knowledge , which trauell and obseruation of many things in forraine countries must breed in him that hath seene many places , and the maners , orders , and policies of sundry nations , ought rather to seeke to employ his ability and sufficiency in the seruice of his prince and country , then apply them to his peculiar benefit or contentment . for you that were in so good a way to raise your selfe to credite and better employment , whereunto that office was but the first step and triall of what is in you , to forsake suddenly so direct a path , leading you to preferment , and to betake your selfe to a solitary course of life , or a priuate at the least , seemeth a thing not agreeable to that opiniō which euery man that knoweth you , had conceiued of your proofe : and that of you it may be said , grauior est culpa clara principia deserentis , quàm non incipientis ; non enim magna aggredi , sed perseuerare difficile . what is the end of parents in the education of their children , wherin they bestow so much care , and spend their wealth to purchase them learning and knowledge ; but a desire to make them able to be employed , and a hope to see them raised to credit and dignitie in the common-wealth ? or who is he that doth not striue by all the meanes he can to aduance himselfe , and to presse forward still euen to the highest places of authoritie , and fauour vnder his prince , though oftentimes with no small hazard and danger , if he may once lay hold vpon that locke , which , men say , occasion hath growing on her forehead , being bald behind ; shewing thereby how foolish a thing it is to let her slip after she hath once presented her selfe to be apprehended ? no doubt but this folly will be layd to your charge by many , and not without good apparance of reason , since you hauing had the occasion offered vnto you , as well to enrich your selfe , as to rise in credite and reputation , haue neuerthelesse let her go , after you had fast hand in her foretop , and abandoned so great a hope , nay , so assured a reward proposed to you for your labour and paines , to be sustained some while in that place . sir ( quoth i ) to haue answered m. smiths imputation , i suppose would haue bin very easie , since the greatest matter therein was the neglecting of my profit , and the abandoning a meane to pleasure my friends . for the first is rather a commendation ( though not so conceiued by him ) then any iust blame : and the other is no more but a partiall complaint of him and others of his disposition , that looke to their owne priuate interest , and consider onely what they may misse , by not hauing a friend in such a place , who might stand them in stead , and regard no whit the contentment or discontentment of their friend , which they are not able to measure ; as wanting the generall rule by which it ought to be measured according to reason ; and so consequently frame the measure according to their owne minds : vsing their owne iudgements , euen as the auncient greekes were wont to say of the lesbian rule , which being made of lead , the work-men would bend and fit to their worke , and not frame their worke by a right rule . but hauing added to his obiection your owne censure of me , whose iudgement and prudence is so wel knowne , and so much by me to be respected , i can no lesse do , then make some further apologie for my selfe touching that point , and open so much of my counsell and purpose in that behalf as i shall thinke needfull to giue you and others , that will prefer reason before their opinions , sufficient satisfaction . and first where you say , that my seruice in the place was acceptable vnto you all , i cannot but therein acknowledge my good hap , rather then impute it to any sufficiencie in my selfe . neither would i , in regard of that great courtesie and fauour which i receiued therein , haue willingly done any thing whereby i might haue seemed vnthankfull , or to haue made so small estimation of so worthy a fauour . but my not hauing bin brought vp or vsed to much writing and long standing , ( which of ordinary that office doth require ) besides the extraordinary occasions which the seruice bringeth forth , to trauell , to sit vp late , and disorder the body , had bred such an increase of rheume in me , and of infirmities caused therby , as i could not without manifest and certaine perill of shortning my dayes haue continued the exercise of that place . whereupon hauing in dutifull sort made knowne the cause of my desire to resigne the office to the lord deputy , who was in like sort priuy to some other iust occasion i had to further that my resolution ; it pleased him with his accustomed prudence and fauour towards me , to consider and to allow of my request , and to grant me his honorable consent to the accomplishmēt of the same . neither can this be rightly termed in me a retiring my selfe from the state , or a withdrawing from action to hide my talent . for leauing aside the vncertaintie and vaine issue for the most part of those hopes that commonly draw men on into ambitious heauing & shouing for dignities and places of credit and commoditie ; from which to be freed , little do men know or beleeue what gaine it is ; as of things that , when they obtaine them not , vexe and torment their minds , and when they obtaine them , do soone glut and weary them . what comparison can a man of reason & iudgement make betweene them , and that contentednes which a well tempered and a moderate mind doth feele in a priuate life , employed to the bettering and amending of the principall part , which distinguisheth him from brute beasts ? surely for my part i confesse frankly vnto you , and protest i speake truly , i haue found more quietnes and satisfaction in this small time that i haue liued to my selfe , and enioyed the conuersation of my bookes , when the care of my little building and husbandry hath giuen me that ordinary intermission which it must haue , then i did before in all the time that i spent in seruice about the state : the toile whereof was farre too high a price for the profit i might make of my place , and the expectation which was left me of rising to any better . which neuerthelesse , suppose it had bin much greater then euer i conceiued , or then you haue seemed to make the same : so free am i from ambition or couetise ( howsoeuer m. smith would haue me to frame my mind thereto ) as i am not only content not to flatter my selfe with the shew of good , which the best hopes might haue presented vnto me ; but resolued also to put from me and tread vnder foot whatsoeuer desire or inclination , that either nature , ill custome , or daily example might vrge me vnto , or stirre vp within me . it is a perillous thing for men of weake braines to stand in high places , their heads will so soone be giddie , and all cilmbing is subiect to falling . let men of great spirits , of high birth , and of excellent vertues , possesse in gods name those dignities and preferments , which the fauour of the prince and their sufficiencie may purchase vnto them : for it is they , that ( as the poet sayth ) posuêre in montibus vrbem : and of whom you might iustly say , grauior est culpa &c. for as for me , i am one of those of whom the same poet sayd , habitabant vallibus imis . and so i had rather to do still , then to forsake my studies which i haue now begunne to renew againe : hauing applied my endeuour to lay hold vpon the foretop , which lady occasion hath offered me to that effect : for to any other intent , she neuer yet did so much as once shew her selfe to me a farre off , much lesse present her selfe to me so neare as i might reach to catch her , or fasten my hand in her golden locke . i wish my friends therefore rather to allow , and giue their consents to this my resolution , grounded ( as i thinke ) vpon a reasonable consideration , and an exact weighing of mine owne abilitie and disposition , then to concurre with m. smith in opinion , or with any others that would lay to my charge folly , or lacke of iudgement for the same . and that generally all men would beleeue the italian prouerbe , which sayth , that the foole knoweth better what is good and meet for himselfe , then doth the wise man what is fit for another man. not that i would thereby reiect good counsell and friendly aduice , which i know well enough how beneficiall a thing it is to all men in matters of doubt and difficultie : but my meaning is onely to reserue to a mans owne vnderstāding the iudgement of such particular and priuate determinations , as concerne the contentment or discontentment of his mind ; the circumstances of which perhaps are not meete to be communicated to others . the example whereof paulus aemilius hath giuen vs , with that graue and wise answer he made vnto his friends that wold needs reprehend him for repudiating his wife , alledging her many good qualities , as her beautie , her modestie , her nobilitie , and other such like : when putting forth his leg , he shewed them his buskin , and sayd ; you see this buskin is wel and handsomly made , of good leather , and to your seeming fit enough for my foote and leg , yet none of you knoweth ( i am sure ) where it doth wring me . euen so my selfe may haply say to any whom my former answer may not fully satisfie , that although to their seeming my state and condition was better by holding that office , not onely in respect of the benefit and commoditie my selfe and my friends might reape thereby ; but also in regard of the expectation of preferment & aduancement that i might haue had by the exercise of the same : yet is it to them vnknowne what other particulars might moue me to conceiue thereof ootherwise , and to like rather of the priuat life i now leade , then of all those benefits and commodities which the other could promise vnto me . although the reasons by you before alledged , might well enough be answered , quoth sir robert dillon , yet this last obiection you haue made to conclude your speech withall , is such , as i should hold him vnwise that would go about to remoue you frō your determination . for it were a point of ouermuch curiositie , to search so farre into your mind and drift in that behalfe . but since it seemeth that your desire is now bent to the renewing of your studies , and to apply your selfe to the bettering ( as you say ) of that part which is proper vnto man , which is the mind , or reasonable power of the soule , from whence indeed all operations worthy commendation do proceed , i pray you let vs heare from you what kind of studie that is , by which you intend to purchase to your selfe this so great a good . for it is not euery science that can affoord the same , since we see oftentimes men of great learning in sundry professions , to be neuertheles rude and ignorant in things that concerne their cariage and behauiour : insomuch as it hath bin fitly vsed for a prouerbe among vs , that the greatest clerkes are not alwayes the wisest men . and as i for one , am desirous to know your determination and opinion touching that point : so do i think that the rest of these gentlemen here , wil be willing and glad to spend this time which we haue all disposed to visit you and keepe you companie , in hearing you discourse vpon so good a theme , by which there cannot but arise some good and profit to euery of vs. because we nothing doubt , but that , as you haue maturely debated with your selfe the reasons that haue induced you to take vpon you this resolution ; so you can declare the same , and make vs partakers with you of so much of your contentment , as the loue and good will we beare you , will thereby fasten vpon vs. sir ( said i ) you haue right well alledged and applied our common prouerbe , in my opinion : for it is not indeed euery kind of knowledge and studie that bettereth the mind of man , as dayly experience teacheth vs : since we see many men vse the same as an instrument to worke their mischiefe and wickednes withall the more artificially and the more dangerously . for though nature hath engrafted in euery man a feruent desire of knowledge , which discouereth it selfe in children , euen in their infancie ; yet haue we all from the corruption of her , a disposition likewise to abuse the same , and to turne it rather to euill than to goodnesse , if speciall grace , or an excellent education ( which cānot be without grace ) do not fashiō and frame the mind to the right vse thereof . the general scope of parents , when they set their children to learning , tendeth only to the enabling of them , thereby to attaine some meanes to liue by the profession either of law , of physicke , or of diuinitie : for of the meaner intentions i wil not speake . and too common an error it is in scholers themselues , whē they are entred into the arts , which are called liberal , to spend their time in curious searching of subtilties , friuolous , and to no vse : or els in purchasing rather an apparance of learning in the science they apply their studies vnto , thereby to win the shorter way to profit , then the profound and exact knowledge of sciences themselues ; whereof euery one neuerthelesse being thoroughly attained , would yeeld no smal helpe and furtherance to that bettering of the mind , which i haue spoken of . but who is he that in the profession of the law , aymeth at any other marke , then at sufficiencie to pleade well at the barre , to draw him the more clients , or to rise to such dignities as thereby others climbe vnto : or in physick , then to haue a reputation of skil , to procure him much practise to inrich himselfe : or in diuinitie , then to be accounted a good preacher , whereby he may get a fruitful benefice , or be inuested with some bishopricke and title of honor ? or which of them do we see , that when he hath hit the marke he shot at , and is come to the height that his profession can raise him vnto , doth shew himselfe sincere , or incorrupt of mind , or so master ouer his owne passions , as either through couetousnes , or ambition , or loue , or hatred , he will not forget the dutie which he oweth to that place , whereunto he is called , and to him that hath giuen him the gift as well of the meane as of the thing it selfe ? to answer you therefore directly what kind of studie i affect or thinke may most better my mind , i will say that it is none of these before mentioned : for albeit i acknowledge the true study of diuinitie to include all that knowledge , which may any way be required for the perfection of mans life : yet because there is a more speciall calling thereunto , then to any other , and ought to be applied in a more reuerent maner , and to a further end , then that euery man might presume to take it in hand , i dare not venture to make my selfe a professor of it . as for the profession of the law , i will not in these yeares , and with this mind , alienated from troubles and businesse , giue my selfe to the same , it being the principall meane and high way to leade me againe into the labyrinth which i desire most to eschew and voide . to physicke i was by my fathers choice appointed ; for the performance of whose wil , as became me in dutie and obedience , all the time i spent by his direction in studie , i employed in the knowlegde of the principles thereof : and sithens , as well for the vse thereof to mine owne behoofe , as for the delightfulnesse , which the discouery of the secret operations and effects of nature worketh ( i suppose ) in euery man as it doth in me , i haue ( when time and leisure would permit ) bent my most study and reading to the authors of that science ; but intention to professe it , or to practise it , in very deed as yet had i neuer none . for how soeuer the prouidence of my father , or mine owne industry had fashioned me to be meete to make a physition , yet the higher prouidence had otherwise determined , making me to take another course of life , which before was neuer so much as once thought of by either of vs , and made me of a scholer to become a seruant . by which occasion being drawne into this countrey , and left my studies , i haue so many yeares led my life here in such sort as you haue seene . but hauing now withdrawne my selfe from the toilesome place i held , and gathered my selfe into a little compasse , as a snaile into his shell , my purpose is ( if god shall please to giue me his gracious assistance ) to spend my time in reading such bookes , as i shall find fittest to increase my knowledge in the duties of a christian man , and direct me in the right path of vertue , without tying my selfe to any particular kind . and as i haue ( god be thanked ) some store of all sorts ; so shall i dispense my time accordingly , sometime in perusing such as may instruct me more and more in the true maner of seruing god ; sometime in reading of histories , which are as mirrours or looking-glasses for euery man to see the good and euill actions of all ages , the better to square his life to the rule of vertue , by the examples of others ; and sometimes , and that for the most part ( as thus aduised ) in the study of morall philosophie , which frameth men fittest for ciuill conuersation , teaching them orderly what morall vertues are , and particularly what is the proper action of euery one , and likewise what vice is , and how vnseemly a thing , and how harmefull to a good mind the spot and contagion thereof is . to this haue i euer had a speciall inclination , and a greedy desire to instruct my selfe fully therein ; which hitherto , partly through the course i held whiles i was a scholer ( as before i said ) i could not wel do , and euer sithens my continuall busines and attendance about mine office , haue diuerted me therefro . and to professe plainly the truth , not any one thing hath so much preuailed to make me resolue the giuing ouer that place , as the longing i had , and haue to returne to the course of reading morall philosophy , which i was euen then newly entred into , when i was called to be employed in that office ; and the delight whereof was so great vnto me , for that little which i had begun to reade , and the expectation such , which i had conceiued of the vse thereof ( as by which a man learneth not onely to know how to carry himselfe vertuously in his priuat actions , but also to guide and order his family , and moreouer , to become meete for the seruice of his prince and countrey , when occasion of employment may be offered vnto him ) that i was halfe doubtfull when i was summoned to come and take the place , whether i should accept thereof or no. then said m. dormer , yea but it seemeth to me that these your words imply a contradiction , when saying that you haue so earnestly desired to withdraw your selfe from the exercise of your office , wherin you had so good meanes , not only to make shew of your owne sufficiency and vertue , and to do your prince and countrey seruice , and withall to pleasure many of your friends , you seeme neuertheles to direct your studies to such an end , as aimeth not onely at the knowledge of vertue , but also at the practise thereof , whereby a man is made fit and enabled for such employments as the prince or state shall lay vpon him . for indeed it is an approoued saying among philosophers , virtutis laus , actio : and you know what tullie saith , and plato before him , non nobis nati sumus , partem patria , partem parentes , partem amici sibi vendicant . so as m. smiths accusation ( for ought i see ) may be held as yet very reasonable against you , vnles you can alledge vs some better reason in your defence then hitherto you haue done . in faith ( quoth i ) if you be all against me , i shall haue much adoe to defend my selfe , since the old prouerbe is , that , ne hercules quidem contraduos : and how can i then resist so many ? but i hope that some of this companie will take my part , though he haue forestalled me of the two chiefe men , whose patronage might best haue serued me , hauing gotten you two lawyers to pleade for him . yet because i suppose you haue not bin entertained by him for that purpose with any fee , and that you are here , not as lawyers or aduocates to maintaine his cause , but rather as indifferent iudges , to determine who hath the best right on his side ; i hope that vpon better information , you will be drawne to iudge vprightly , and not be caried away with apparances , which oftentimes hide and cast a cloud ouer the truth . and to answer therefore to your obiection , which carieth with it some probabilitie , i would easily confesse my selfe in fault , if this resigning of my office had bin an absolute retiring my selfe from action , or that i had ( as they say ) forsworne any employment for the seruice of the state or my prince . but if you please to consider how this my resolution hath bin grounded vpon a desire to be freed onely from a place of such continuall toile and attendance , as suffered me to haue no time to spare , wherein i might almost breathe , or take any reasonable recreation ; and not to liue idle , or sequestred so from action , as i should onely spend my time in reading or contemplation , i doubt not but you wil find my words to agree wel inough without any contradiction , and my course of life well enough fitting a man that meaneth not to liue to himselfe alone . for if such had bin my purpose , i would haue sought out a meeter dwelling then this so neare the citie , and i could well enough haue deuised to haue bin farre from such cōptrollers as m. smith , and to haue auoided this iudgement that i am now subiect vnto , not without hazard of my reputation , hauing two such persons to assist my accuser , and beare vp his cause . you see that i haue not so estranged my selfe from all employments , but that i can be content to take paine in the increasing of her maiesties reuenue , by the care i haue of her impost : i refuse not any other ordinary employments , as of trauelling in such commissions as the lord deputie and councel oft times direct vnto me for the examining of sundrie causes : neither do i so giue my selfe to be priuate , but that you and other my friends , who vouchsafe of their courtesie sometimes to visite me , find me apt enough to keep them companie , either here at home , or else abroad : so as though i desire to know how to do these things as perfectly well as i might , and to that end frame my selfe as much to study as conueniently i can , yet do i not therin contradict the reasonable and iust disposition i haue to employ my selfe for the seruice of her maiestie , when occasion serueth : neither doth my endeuour in that behalf any way oppose it selfe to my desire , of retiring from a painefull employment to a more quiet life , which now ( i thanke god ) i enioy : wherein i may frankly and truly protest vnto you , i find more sweetnes and contentment in one dayes expence , then i could taste in seuen yeares before , whiles i was clerke of the councell . and were it but in regard of that same contentment , i know not what man of reasonable sense and vnderstanding , would not esteeme the purchase thereof at a farre higher rate then any office in ireland whatsoeuer . m. smith therfore may well enough put vp his pipes , and hold his peace henceforth , and i hope not onely yee two , but all the rest of this companie will hold him sufficiently put to silence , and begin to allow of this my resolution , especially seeing it aimeth at so high a marke as humane felicitie . at which word the primate seemed as it were to start , & said , what sir ? though we can be content to admit your reasons against m. smith , and to allow of your resolutiō , as hauing chosen ( as our sauiour said to martha of her sister ) the better part ; yet must you not thinke that we will let euery thing go with you which you say : but by your leaue , plucke you a little backe by the sleeue , when we see you presse forward presumptuously , as now in my opinion you do , when you seeme to shoote at such a marke as humane felicitie , which is without , not your reach onely , but all mens , whiles they are here in this low and muddie world : for i wis that is no where to be found but aboue the stars : mans felicity is placed only in heauē , where god of his mercie hath appointed it for him to be found , and not here on earth . i say of his mercie , because albeit he had ordained the same for man from before all ages ; yet our first father by his disobedience depriuing himselfe and all his posteritie of all possibilitie thereof , the same was eftsoones by the infinite goodnes and mercie of god purchased to him againe at a deare price , euen the precious bloud of his dearest son , which he was content to shed for the ransome of mankind , entrapped by the diuell , and taken captiue , whereby he might returne into his heauenly countrie againe , to enioy that happie inheritance prepared there for him . whosoeuer therfore shall seeke to get his felicitie here in this world , will find himselfe deceiued : and although it be said to some purpose fitly , that he that shooteth at a starre , aimeth higher then he that shooteth at a furbush : yet well ye wot , that to shoot vp to the starres , is but meere follie and vanitie ; and no lesse do i hold your aiming at so high a marke to be , which is so farre out of your reach . i crie you mercie , my lord , quoth i , if i haue stepped into your marches before i were aware . but i may the better be excused , because i had no intention or purpose so to do ; but simply , and after the cōmon maner of speech haue vsed the general word in stead of the particular . for though i said i aimed at the high marke of humane felicitie , yet for so little as i haue read in morall philosophy , i haue learned that plato hath made mention of two distinct felicities of man ( and others besides him ) the one a contemplatiue felicitie ( which some men haply draw neare vnto , but cannot perfectly attaine in this life ; ) the other an actiue or practicke felicitie , consisting in vertuous actions , and reducing of a mans passions vnder the rule of reason . which practicke felicitie may not onely be atchieued here on earth by mans endeuour , assisted with gods grace and fauour : but is also a great helpe and meane for such as obtaine the same , to bring them after this life vnto the other in heauen . of this latter , the rules whereof are to be taken from you church-men and diuines ; i meant not when i said , i aymed so high , at the lestwise my purpose was not properly to say , that i shot at that marke by my studie , for then i should haue contradicted my former words , when i protested i durst not presume to the studie of diuinitie , which ( i well vnderstood ) required a particular calling . but onely my meaning was to get your approbation , in that i had resolued by the study of morall philosophie to compasse , so farre forth as my endeuours could preuaile , that humane practicke felicitie , which of all men in all ages hath bene so highly esteemed ; and for the directing of men wherunto , so many great learned philosophers haue taken so great trauell and paines to find out the ready way vnto it , and by their writings to make the same knowne to others : whereby not onely particular persons might in this life attaine to liue happily , but also purchase the same happines to their families , yea to whole cities and common-wealths . this felicitie ( i think ) euery wel disposed man is to labor for in this life ; & the better he is borne , the more ought he to bend his study to learne by what meanes the same is to be attained : and by working accordingly , to prepare himselfe to be fit and capable of that other when soeuer he shall be called out of this world , knowing how assured promises therof are giuen to them that in this life liue vertuously ; and how certain he may be , that the further that good which his vertuous actions shall extend to the benefite of others in this life , the greater shall be his reward in the life to come , where that felicitie is prepared for them , that by the treading downe of their passions and sensual appetites , shal endeuour to reduce their soule to that purenesse and cleannes which is required in them to whom that euerlasting blisse and felicitie is promised . for my part , the thing which i most earnestly desire , is to learne the shortest way to compasse the same : and happpie should i thinke my selfe if i could find any man whose knowledge and learning might helpe me to direct my study to that end ; because i know right well how hard it is for a man by his owne labour to search out the ready way to vnderstand those precepts , which haue bin set downe in the learned writings of philosophers that haue treated of that matter , especially in the greeke and latine tongues , in which it hath bin substantially handled . for although i cannot truly pretend ignorance in the latine , in which the workes of plato and aristotle are to be read : yet i confesse that i do not find that facilitie in the conceiuing of their writings , as i could wish , or as the greedinesse of my desire to apprehend might ouertake . for plato hath couched his sense thereof so dispersedly in his dialogues , as i thinke he must be a man of great learning and exact iudgement that shall picke them out , and seuer them from the other parts of philosophie , which he indeed most diuinely discourseth vpon . and aristotle is not to me so cleare nor so easily vnderstood without deepe study , as my meane capacitie would require ; specially without the interpretation of some better scholer then my selfe . and herein do i greatly enuie the happinesse of the italians , who haue in their mother-tongue late writers , that haue with a singular easie method , taught all that which plato or aristotle haue confusedly or obscurely left written . of which , some i haue begun to reade with no small delight , as alexander piccolomini , gio. baptista giraldi , and guazzo , all three hauing written vpon the ethick part of morall philosopie both exactly and perspicuously . and would god that some of our countrimen wold shew themselues so wel affected to the good of their countrie ( whereof one principall and most important part consisteth in the instructing of men to vertue ) as to set downe in english the precepts of those parts of morall philosophy , whereby our youth might without spending of so much time , as the learning of those other languages require , speedily enter into the right course of vertuous life . in the meane while i must struggle with those bookes which i vnderstand , and content my selfe to plod vpon them , in hope that god ( who knoweth the sincerenesse of my desire ) will be pleased to open my vnderstanding , so as i may reape that profit of my reading , which i trauell for . yet is there a gentleman in this company , whom i haue had often a purpose to intreate , that as his leisure might serue him , he would vouchsafe to spend some time with me to instruct me in some hard points which i cannot of my selfe vnderstand : knowing him to be not onely perfect in the greek tongue , but also very well read in philosophie , both morall and naturall . neuertheles such is my bashfulnes , as i neuer yet durst open my mouth to disclose this my desire vnto him , though i haue not wanted some hartning thereunto from himselfe . for of his loue and kindnes to me , he encouraged me long sithens to follow the reading of the greeke tongue , and offered me his helpe to make me vnderstand it . but now that so good an oportunitie is offered vnto me , to satisfie in some sort my desire ; i thinke i should commit a great fault , not to my selfe alone , but to all this company , if i should not enter my request thus farre , as to moue him to spend this time which we haue now destined to familiar discourse and conuersation , in declaring vnto vs the great benefites which men obtaine by the knowledge of morall philosophie , and in making vs to know what the same is , what be the parts thereof , whereby vertues are to be distinguished from vices : and finally that he will be pleased to run ouer in such order as he shall thinke good , such and so many principles and rules thereof , as shall serue not only for my better instructiō , but also for the contentmēt and satisfaction of you al. for i nothing doubt , but that euery one of you will be glad to heare so profitable a discourse , and thinke the time very wel spent , wherin so excellent a knowledge shal be reuealed vnto you , from which euery one may be assured to gather some fruit as wel as my self . therfore ( said i ) turning my selfe to m. spenser , it is you sir , to whom it pertaineth to shew your selfe courteous now vnto vs all , and to make vs all beholding vnto you for the pleasure and profit which we shall gather from your speeches , if you shall vouchsafe to open vnto vs the goodly cabinet , in which this excellent treasure of vertues lieth locked vp from the vulgar sort . and thereof in the behalfe of all , as for my selfe , i do most earnestly intreate you not to say vs nay . vnto which words of mine euery man applauding most with like words of request , and the rest with gesture and countenances expressing as much , m. spenser answered in this maner . though it may seeme hard for me to refuse the request made by you all , whom , euery one alone , i should for many respects be willing to gratifie : yet as the case standeth , i doubt not but with the consent of the most part of you , i shall be excused at this time of this taske which would be laid vpon me . for sure i am , that it is not vnknowne vnto you , that i haue already vndertaken a work tēding to the same effect , which is in heroical verse , vnder the title of a faerie queene , to represent all the moral vertues , assigning to euery vertue , a knight to be the patron and defender of the same : in whose actions and feates of armes and chiualry , the operations of that vertue , whereof he is the protector , are to be expressed , and the vices & vnruly appetites that oppose themselues against the same , to be beatē downe & ouercome . which work , as i haue already well entred into , if god shall please to spare me life that i may finish it according to my mind , your wish ( m. bryskett ) will be in some sort accomplished , though perhaps not so effectually as you could desire . and the same may very well serue for my excuse , if at this time i craue to be forborne in this your request , since any discourse , that i might make thus on the sudden in such a subiect , would be but simple , and little to your satisfactions . for it would require good aduisement and premeditation for any man to vndertake the declaration of these points that you haue proposed , containing in effect the ethicke part of morall philosophie . whereof since i haue taken in hand to discourse at large in my poeme before spoken , i hope the expectation of that work may serue to free me at this time from speaking in that matter , notwithstanding your motion and all your intreaties . but i will tell you , how i thinke by himselfe he may very well excuse my speech , and yet satisfie all you in this matter . i haue seene ( as he knoweth ) a translation made by himselfe out of the italian tongue , of a dialogue comprehending all the ethick part of moral philosophy , written by one of those three he formerly mentioned , and that is by giraldi , vnder the title of a dialogue of ciuil life . if it please him to bring vs forth that translation to be here read among vs , or otherwise to deliuer to vs , as his memory may serue him , the contents of the same ; he shal ( i warrant you ) satisfie you all at the ful , and himselfe wil haue no cause but to thinke the time well spent in reuiewing his labors , especially in the company of so many his friends , who may thereby reape much profit , and the translation happily fare the better by some mending it may receiue in the perusing , as all writings else may do by the oftē examinatiō of the same . neither let it trouble him , that i so turne ouer to him againe the taske he wold haue put me to : for it falleth out fit for him to verifie the principall part of all this apologie , euen now made for himselfe ; because thereby it will appeare that he hath not withdrawne himself from seruice of the state , to liue idle or wholy priuate to himselfe , but hath spent some time in doing that which may greatly benefit others , and hath serued not a little to the bettering of his owne mind , and increasing of his knowledge , though he for modesty pretend much ignorance , and pleade want in wealth , much like some rich beggars , who either of custom , or for couetousnes , go to begge of others those things whereof they haue no want at home . with this answer of m. spensers , it seemed that all the company were wel satisfied : for after some few speeches , whereby they had shewed an extreme longing after his worke of the faerie queene , whereof some parcels had bin by some of them seene , they all began to presse me to produce my translation mentioned by m. spenser , that it might be perused among them ; or else that i should ( as neare as i could ) deliuer vnto them the contents of the same , supposing that my memory would not much faile me in a thing so studied , and aduisedly set downe in writing , as a translation must be . and albeit i alledged for mine excuse , that i had done it but for mine exercise in both languages , not with purpose to haue it seene , nor so aduisedly , as had bin needful to come vnder their censures : yet would they haue no nay , but without protracting time in excuses , i must needs fulfill their desires ; and so with a courteous force they made me rise from where i sate to go fetch my papers . which being brought before them , i said : loe , here you may see by the manner of these loose sheetes , how farre i meant this labour of mine should come to light : and the confused lying of them , and the blots and interlinings which you see , may giue you well enough to vnderstand , how hard a thing it is to haue it read before you , as you pretended . besides that , it is of such a bulke and volume , as you may easily vnderstand , it cannot in a short time be runne ouer . and therefore since you haue so easily acquited m. spenser of that charge which you all with me seemed so desirous to impose vpon him : you may do wel in like courteous manner to discharge me of the like burthen that you would lay vpon me . then said sir robert dillon , though it appeare indeed vnto vs , that the lose and disorderly placing of the papers with the interlinings , do make it vnfit to be read as we desired , and that the often interrupting of the sense to find out and match the places , would take away the best part of the delight which the subiect might yeeld vs : yet because we know that you , hauing translated the whole , may easily with your memory supply the defects of the papers ; i for my part do thinke , and so i suppose do the rest here present , that it is no sufficient reason to free you from so profitable a labour , as this , whereby you may acquaint vs with those worthy conceits in our owne language , which you haue in the italian found to be so delightfull , and fit to be communicated by your trauell to others . therfore if you shal not think it good to reade it vnto vs as it is set downe in the translation precisely ; at the least yet this we will vrge you vnto , that you will be content to deliuer vnto vs the general points of the same , marshalling them in their order , though in the circumstances of the dialogue and persons you follow not exactly the forme of the author ; and our dispensation in that case shall serue to deliuer you from the blame , that otherwise as an interpreter you might be subiect vnto . for being done to vs , and at our request , we shall be your warrants , notwithstanding any law or custome to the contrary . be you onely willing to gratifie vs , and for the rest feare you no danger ; since we sit not here as in the courts , to examine whether there be as well due forme , as sufficient matter in bills & pleadings that are brought before vs : but are here to passe the time with you in honest and vertuous conuersation . and the drift of our speeches hauing growne to this issue , that we should spend this short space which we may be together , in the discoursing vpon the ethick part of morall philosophie , and you hauing the subiect so ready at hand , in gods name we pray you , delay vs not by losing time in friuolous excuses , but begin to open to vs this treasure , which you would so faine hide from our eyes . here they began all to second his speeches , and so importunatly to intreate me to accomplish their desire , that being no further able to say them nay : i answered . since such is your will , i can no longer resist you : onely thus much i must protest vnto you , that you are guiltie , not onely of whatsoeuer fault or error i shal commit against the lawes of an interpreter , but also of breach of the law of hospitalitie , in ouerruling me in mine owne house . and as for this i may iustly complaine of violēce , yet perhaps find no redresse , so if any shal find fault with me for not obseruing the precise rules of a translator , let him impute the same not to me , but vnto you , hauing some compassion vpon me , that besides being constrained to produce that which i purposed to haue kept to my selfe , i am also forced to do it , not according to mine owne choice , but in such sort as it hath pleased you to cōpell me . well then , to gaine as much time as may be , i wil omit the introduction of the author to his dialogue , as a thing depending vpon former matter and occasion , by which the persons introduced by him are fitted for his purpose , & supposing this present companie to be as apt to conceiue the reasons by him set downe , & to make as pertinent obiections as they did , i will begin euen there where he , following the course of most others that haue writtē vpon that subiect , maketh entry into his discourse . but with this prouiso , that , because this day will not serue vs to runne ouer the whole , you wil be content , that , as he hath deuided his whole work into three dialogues , so we may meete here three seuerall dayes , to giue euery seueral dialogue of his one day to explane the same : for so much ( i think ) may well be performed euery day . to which they all agreeing , i tooke my loose papers in hand , and began in this manner following . i must now presuppose that ye , whō i esteeme to be as those gentlemen introduced by this author , haue likewise moued the same question , which they did , to wit , what maner of life a gentlemā is to vndertake and propose to himselfe , to attaine to that end in this world , which among wisemen hath bene , and is accounted the best ; beginning frō the day of his birth , and so guiding him therein vntill he be meet to purchase the same end . and likewise where any occasion of doubt or question , for the better vnderstanding may happen in the discourse , that some one of you desiring to be resolued therein , wil demaund such questions as shal be needfull . wherein you shall find this author plentifully to satisfie your expectations , not tying himselfe absolutely to follow neither plato nor aristotle , but gathering from both , and from other excellent writers besides , so much as may yeeld you the greater and fuller satisfaction . giue eare therefore vnto his words . the end in all things that men do in this world , is the first that is cōsidered , though afterwards it be the last to be put in execution . and as , when it is brought to perfection , it beareth the name of effect , so is it the cause that moueth all other to bring it to effect . and therefore to treate of that end , which is now the motion inducing vs to discourse hereupon , we must come to the first principles which may be the causes to bring a man to this end . in which respect it were needfull for me first to speake of the generation of man , since as all seeds bring forth their fruit like to themselues ; so falleth it out for the most part in men : for such as are the father and the mother , such are most commonly the children . i should likewise declare , how he that wil be a commendable father , ought to haue a speciall care , not of himselfe onely ( for him we wil suppose to be a man endewed with all the ornaments required for a wel composed body and mind ) but of the mother also . for albeit she receiue the seed of generation from the man ; yet howsoeuer it be , the children when they be once conceiued , take their nourishment from the mother , and in her wombe , vntill the time of their birth : whereby we see the children very often to retaine the vices of the mother . also that in regard hereof , euery man that intendeth to take a wife , ought to be very carefull in the choice of her ; so that she may not be base of parentage , vitious , wanton , deformed , lame , or otherwise imperfect or defectiue : but well borne , vertuous , chaste , of tall and comely personage , and well spoken ; to the end that of father and mother , by kind gentle , vertuous , modest , and comely of shape and proportion , like children may betweene them be brought forth . for frō wise men hath proceeded that warning to men , that such wiues they should chuse as they wished to haue their children . and archidamus king of sparta , was condemned by his citizens to pay a fine , for hauing taken to wife a woman of very low stature ; because ( said they ) she is like to bring vs forth no kings , but dandiprats . thereby declaring how they accounted no small part of the maiestie of a king , to consist in the comely presence and stature of his body ; and not without cause . for it is written , that the goodly shew and apparance of a man , is the first thing worthy soueraigntie . but because in the request made to me , i am required to begin onely at his birth , i thinke it shall suffice , if i declare vnto you in what maner he ought to be nourished , and brought vp , and instructed , till he come to such ripe yeares and iudgement as he may rule himselfe , and be his owne guide to direct all his actions to that same end , which in all humane things is the last and best . neuertheles before i begin therewith , i would haue you to vnderstand , that the first gift which the father bestoweth on the son after he is borne , is his name , by which he is all his life time to be called . which name , is to be wished , may be decent and fit , so as it may seeme the life of the child is marked with a signe or pronostication of good hap , and of being framed to the course of vertue : for some are of opinion , that the name oftentimes presageth the qualities and conditions of the child . and therefore they are not to be commended that name their children by the names of brute beasts , as in some countries is vsed ; where the names of leo , of orso , of astore , of pardo , of cane , and such like are in vse : as if their desire were that their children should resemble those wild and bruite beasts in their conditions . let men therfore in gods name be intitled with names meet for men , and such as may signifie or carry with them dignitie , or rather holinesse and religion , and leaue to bruite beasts their owne possesion . then , said sir robert dillon , before you proceed any further , i pray you let vs vnderstand whether that point be cleare or no , of the nourishing all manner of children . for among lycurgus his lawes , there was one , whereby it was ordained , that such children as were borne vnperfect in any part of their bodies , crooked , mis-shapen , of ill aspect , should not onely , not be fostered vp , but also be throwne downe from the top of a high rocke , as creatures condemned by god and nature in their conception ; and so marked by them , to the end that men might know , that such ( if they were through ignorance bred & nourished ) were likely to bring harme and ruine to the houses and common-wealths wherein they should liue . let vs therfore heare your authors opinion concerning that law . there is no doubt ( said i ) but that such was the opinion of lycurgus , and such his law , though cruell and vniust . neuertheles though the felicitie of man be a perfection of all the good gifts of body and mind , and he that is so borne , cannot indeed be properly termed happie in the highest degree of worldly happines : yet much more prudently haue those wise men determined , who say , that the imperfections of mens bodies which are borne with them , are not to be imputed to them as hurtful or shamefull , because it is not in their power to auoid them . and who is he that can be so hard hearted as to slay an infant so cruelly , onely because nature hath shaped him vnperfect in any of his lims ? the mind of any good man abhorreth to thinke such a thing , much more to put it in execution . indeed ( replied sir robert dillon ) pittie ought alwaies to be before the eyes of al men , as a thing natural to them , and without which they are vnworthy the name of humanitie : yet must not this pittie extend so farre for any particular compassion , as thereby to confound the vniuersall order of things . the pittie which hecuba had of paris ( as poets haue taught vs ) was the cause that troy was burnt , and priamus with all his worthy family destroyed : which things ( say they ) had neuer happened , if contrary to the directiō of the gods ( who by her dreame forewarned her of those euils ) she had not saued him . if then it were true , as lycurgus affirmed , that the markes or tokens , so brought into the world by children from their mothers wombe , should foretell such to be likely to bring ruine or calamitie to their cities or countries ; were it not better that he that is so brone , should rather die in his cradle , then be nourished to become the ouerthrow and desolation of a whole people ? we know that by the opinion of the wisest , it is expedient rather one should die to saue a multitude , then by sparing his life a number should perish . that opinion ( sayd i ) is not vnworthy wise men , but it is deepely to be considered , and their meaning to be looked into , for so shall we find no such sense therein , as you inferre : for those men spake not of children newly borne , who are not able , either by speech or deed , to giue any signe or token , whereby it may be gathered , that they will proue either good or euill ; but of such , as being commonly heads and ring-leaders of factious and seditious people , do make themselues authors of the destruction of noble families and whole cities : such as were both the gracchi in rome , and sundry others in greece . and so it is to be applied , to wit , that such a man shall rather die , then for the sauing of his life , a whole citie or people should go to wracke . or otherwise , when in time of warre , by the ioyning of two armies in battell , a great multitude were likly to be slaine , it were farre better that one , or two , or moe , in certaine number on each side should fight and hazard their liues in stead of the rest , then their whole powers to meet , and venter the slaughter of the most part of them . as in the beginning of the state of rome , the horatij and the curiatij did to keepe from hazard of battell both people , which were ready armed and prepared to fight together . in like manner may that saying be applied , in case a whole citie be in danger of desolation , & that the death of one man may redeeme the same . as by curtius the same citie of rome was preserued : who with so great courage threw himselfe armed on horsebacke into that pestilent pit which infected the whole citie , to the end that by his death he might saue the people from that mortalitie and infection . and the same effect ( but farre more excellently ) did our sauiour likewise work , who to redeeme mankind from the bands of hell , tooke vpon him all our sinnes , through which we were become thrals to satan ; and for our saluation yeelded himselfe willingly to a most bitter death . but as in such cases it is to be allowed , that one should die for the people : so is it much more to be discommended then i can declare , that an infant newly borne should be killed , though by defect of nature , want of seed , or any straine or mischance of the mother , or through abundance of ill humors , or any other strange accident , it be borne imperfect , or marked as is said . well , said sir robert dillon , it is true indeed that the law of lycurgus was too cruell and vniust . but plato in his books de repub ▪ deuised a more mild and reasonable way : for he allowed not that such children should be killed , as holding it inhumane , yet he ordained that they should be brought vp in some place appointed out of the citie , and that they should be debarred all possibilite of bearing any rule or magistracie in the common-wealth . for it seemed , he thought that through the intemperance and disordinate liuing of the parents , children came to be ingendred no lesse deformed and corrupt in mind then in body : and therein the excesse of drinking wine to be a principall cause . in which respect he forbad as wel to the man as to the woman the vse of wine at such times as they were disposed to attend the generation of children . plato ( said i ) must not be left vnanswered , neither wil i spare to say ( by his leaue ) that his law , though it be milder then the other , was neuer the more allowable for the causes aboue specified . for it is not alwayes true , that the imperfections of the body are likewise in the mind : or that a faire body hath euermore a faire mind coupled vnto it . haue we not seene men of mis-shapen bodies that haue had diuine minds , and others of goodly personages that haue bin very furies of hell ? as plato himselfe constrained by the force of truth and dayly experience could not but confesse . the good or bad shape of the body therefore , must be no rule for vs to bring vp , or not to bring vp our children , though it be to be esteemed a great grace to be borne with seemely and wel proportioned members : and that it is a speciall point of happinesse to haue a faire mind harbored in a comely body , because both together beare with them a naturall grace , pleasing and gratefull to the eyes of men , constraining in a sort the loue of all that behold them : which thing virgil wel vnderstanding , when he spake of eurialus , said , gratior & pulchro veniens in corpore virtus , adiuuat , &c. for although vertue of it selfe be louely and to be highly esteemed , yet when she is accompanied with the beauty of the bodie , she is more amiable ( whatsoeuer seneca the stoicke , more seuere then need , please to say ) and with more affection embraced of all them that see her . which thing appeared in scipio africanus , when he met with asdrubal his enemy in the presence of king siphax : for as soone as the subtill african had beheld the comely presence and gratefull countenance of scipio , he forthwith conceiued that , which afterward fell out , to wit , that scipio would draw siphax to ioyne with the romanes , against the carthaginians . but for all this we are not in any wise to esteeme a person in body mis-shapen or deformed , lesse worthy to be nourished , or to be admitted to magistracie , if he be vertuous , then the other that is of gratefull presence . for though aristotle thinke the deformitie of the body to be an impediment to the perfect felicitie of man , in respect of exteriour things ; yet he determineth , that it is no hindrance to the course of vertue . to conclude therfore this point , though children be borne weake , crooked , mis-shapen , or deformed of body , they are not therefore to be exposed , but as wel to be brought vp and instructed as the other , that they may grow and increase in vertue , and become worthy of those dignities which are dispensed in their common-weales . and , me thinketh , socrates that wise man spake very well to his scholers , and to this purpose , when he aduised them , that they should often behold themselues in looking-glasses : to the end ( said he ) that if you see your faces and bodies comely and beautifull , ye may endeuor to set forth and grace the gifts of nature the better , by adioyning vertues thereunto : and if ye perceiue your selues to be deformed and il-fauoured , you may seeke to supply the defects of nature , with the ornaments of vertue , thereby making your selues no lesse grateful and amiable then they that haue beautiful bodies . for it is rather good to see a man of body imperfect and disproportioned endued with vertues , then a goodly body to be nought else but a gay vessell filled with vice and wickednes . children are to be bred , such as nature giueth them vnto vs , and we are to haue patience to abide their proof , and to see what their actions will be : and if theirs that be of deformed body , do proue good and vertuous , they are so much the more to be commended , as they seemed lesse apt thereunto by their birth . and on the contrary side , they that being beautifull of body , are lewd and vitious , deserue to be driuen from the conuersation of ciuil men ; yea chased out of the world , as vnthankful acknowledgers of so great a gift bestowed vpon them , and as vnworthy to liue among men . these how faire soeuer ( be they children or men ) that cary one thing in their tongue , and another in their heart , be they that deserue to be hunted out of all ciuill societie , that are ingrate for benefites receiued ; who hurt , or seeke to hurt them that haue done them good , and hate them , onely because they cannot but know themselues to be bound vnto them . these be they that in very truth are crooked , mis-shapen and monstrous , and might well be condemned to be buried quicke : not simple innocent babes , who , hauing no election , can yeeld not tokens either of good or euill ; against whom to pronounce sentence of death before they haue offended , is great iniustice and exceeding crueltie . and this ( loe ) is the sentence of this author touching the doubt proposed , wherein ( if you rest satisfied ) i will proceede . all the companie assented to the same : and then master dormer said ; now then ( i pray you ) let vs heare you declare what this end is , whereof you were discoursing when this doubt was proposed , and withall we must expect that you shall shew vs and set vs in the way wherein we are to trauel for the attaining thereof , and giue vs precepts whereby that perfection may be purchased , vnto which all men desirous to become happie in this life , direct their actions and their endeuours . of this expectation ( quoth i ) you need not feare to be frustrated , for here shall you haue enough ( i assure my selfe ) to fulfill your desire : and therewith , perusing my papers , i thus followed . the end of man in this life , is happinesse or felicitie : and an end it is called ( as before was said ) because all vertuous actions are directed thereunto , and because for it chiefly man laboureth and trauelleth in this world . but for that this felicitie is found to be of two kinds , wherof one is called ciuill , and the other contemplatiue : you shall vnderstand that the ciuill felicitie is nothing else then a perfect operation of the mind , proceeding of excellent vertue in a perfect life ; and is atchieued by the temper of reason , ruling the disordinate affects stirred vp in vs by the vnreasonable parts of the mind , ( as when the time shall serue will be declared ) and guiding vs by the meane of vertue to happy life . the other which is called contemplation , or contemplatiue felicitie , is likewise an operation of the mind , but of that part thereof which is called intellectiue , so that those parts which are void of reasō , haue no intermedling with the same : for he which giueth himselfe to follow this felicitie , suppresseth all his passions , and abandoning all earthly cares , bendeth his studies and his thoughts wholy vnto heauenly things ; and kindled and inflamed with diuine loue , laboureth to enioy that vnspeakable beauty , which hath bin the cause so to inflame him , and to raise his thoughts to so high a pitch . but forasmuch as our purpose is now to intreate onely of the humane precepts and instructions , and of that highest good , which in this vale of misery , may be obtained ▪ ye shall vnderstand that the end whereunto man ought to direct all his actions , is properly that ciuill felicitie before mentioned ; which is , an inward reward for morall vertues , and wherein fortune can chalenge no part or interest at all . and this end is so peculiar to reason , that not onely vnreasonable creatures can be no partakers thereof , but yong children also are excluded from the same . for albeit they be naturally capable of reason , yet haue they no vse of her , through the imperfection of their yong age , because this end being to be attained by perfect operations in a perfect life , neither of which , the child , nor the yong man is able to performe , it followeth that neither of them can be accounted happie . and by the same reason it commeth to passe , that though man be the subiect of felicitie , yet neither the child nor the yong man may be said properly to be the subiect therof , but in power and possibilitie only : yet the yong man approcheth nearer thereunto then the child . and thus much may suffice for a beginning , to satisfie the first part of your demaund . then said captaine carleil , seeing you haue proposed to vs this end , which is the marke ( as it were ) whereat all ciuill actions do leuel , as at their highest or chiefest good , we will now be attentiue to heare the rest , and how you will prescribe a man to order his life , so as from his childhood , and so forward from age to age , he may direct his thoughts and studies to the compassing of this good , or summum bonum , as philosophers do terme it . that shal you also vnderstand , quoth i , but then must the discourse thereof be drawne from a deeper consideration . those men that haue established lawes for people to be ruled by , ought to haue framed some among the rest for the foundation of mans life , by which a true and certaine forme of life might be conceiued , and such , as beginning to leade him from his childhood , might haue serued him for a guide , vntill he had attained to those riper yeares , wherein he might rather haue bin able to instruct others , then need to be himselfe instructed . for the foundation of honest and vertuous liuing , beginneth euen in childhood : neither shal he euer be good yong mā , that in his childhood is naught ; nor a wicked yong man lightly proue good when he is old . for , such as are the principles and beginnings of things , such are the proceedings . whereupon the wisest men of the world , haue euer thought , that the way to haue cities and common-wealths furnished with vertuous and ciuil men , consisted in the bringing vp of childrē commendably . but among all the lawes of our time , there is no one that treateth of any such matter . there are orders and lawes both vniuersall and particular , how to determine causes of controuersie , to end strifes and debates , and how to punish malefactors : but there is no part in the whole body of the law , that setteth downe any order in a thing of so great importance . yet plato held it of such moment , as knowing that the well bringing vp of children , was the spring or wel-head of honest life : he thought it not sufficient , that the fathers onely should take care of nurturing their children , but appointed besides publike magistrates in the common-wealth , who should attend that matter , as a thing most necessary . for though man be framed by nature mild and gentle , yet if he be not from the beginning diligently instructed and taught , he becometh of humane and benigne that he was , more fierce and cruell then the most wild and sauage beast of the field . wheras if he be conueniently brought vp , and directed to a commendable course of life : of benigne and humane that he is , he becometh through vertue in a sort diuine . and to the end the cause may be the better knowne , why so great diligence is needful and requisite , you must vnderstand , that although our soule be but one in substance , and properly our true forme , yet hath it not one onely part , power , or facultie , or vertue ( as we may call it ) but diuers , appointed for diuers and sundry offices . for we being participant of the nature of all things liuing , and those being deuided into three kinds ; it is necessary that man shold haue some part of euery of those three . there is then one base and inferiour kind of life of lesse estimation then the rest , and that is the life of trees and plants , and of all such things as haue roote in the earth , which spring , grow , bloome , and bring forth fruite : which fruit aristotle sayth , cometh from them in stead of excrement , together with their seed . and these trees and plants , and such like growing things , haue onely life , deuoid of feeling ( though pythagoras thought otherwise ) or of any knowledge : but by the benefite of nature onely , they spring , they grow , and bringforth fruite and seed for the vse of man , and for the maintaining of their kind . there is another kind of life , lesse imperfect then that , which is the same that perfect liuing creatures haue ( for of that life , which is in maner a meane between the life of plants and this of sensible creatures , we need not now to speake ; or if it were , we should resemble it to that which physitions call embrio , and is the creature vnperfect in the wombe , whiles it is betweene the forme of seed , and of the kind whence it cometh ) which life of perfect liuing creatures , hath in it by nature power to feele , and to moue from place to place . for we see they stir and feele , and haue power to desire those things that are meete for the maintaining of their life and of their nature . and by natural inclination , and for the increase and continuance of their kinds , they couet the ioyning of their bodies , to yeeld vnto nature that , which of nature they haue receiued , that is , to ingender the like vnto themselues . but this power of the soule , cannot vse that force and vertue which naturally it hath , if it haue not withall that former part which is proper ( as is said ) to plants , & is called vegetatiue ( you must giue me leaue to vse new words of art , such as are proper to expresse new conceits , though they be yet strange , and not denizened in our language ) because it giueth life and increase to growing things , and without it the power of feeling doth vtterly faile . next after this , cometh that excellent and diuine part of the soule , which bringeth with it the light of reason , containing in it the powers , faculties , or vertues of the other two . for it hath that life which proceedeth from plants ; it hath sense or feeling , & motion frō place to place , proper to the second kind ; and it hath besides that other part , wherby it knoweth , vnderstādeth , discourseth , cōsulteth , chuseth , and giueth it selfe to operation , and to contemplate things naturall and diuine : and this part is proper only to man. and as by the two other faculties before mentioned , we are like to plants and to bruite beasts : so by this last , we do participate of the diuine nature of god himselfe . wherefore aristotle said , that man was created vpright , for no other cause , then for that his substance was diuine , whose nature and office is to know and vnderstand . and truly this gift is giuen vnto vs by the maker and gouernour of all things , because we might know our selues to be of a nature most perfect among earthly things , and not farre inferiour to the diuine . and that we haue receiued so singular a gift from almightie god for no other cause , but onely to the end we might perceiue how all other things that grow and liue on earth , are corruptible , and do resolue into their first principles or beginnings , and cease any more to be , as soone as the soule of life departeth from them : but that our minds are immortal and incorruptible , whereby we may rest assured of an eternall life . since then these three faculties of the soule are in vs , it is cleare , that as the plants , among things that beare life , are the most imperfect ; so that part of the soule is most vnperfect which is proper to their kind : but it is so necessary to all other kinds , as without it there is no life , and with it the rest of the faculties that are ioyned therewith , though they be worthier , decay and fall . and this necessitie of nature , that without it she giueth no life , maketh the same to be most base and ignoble . for among natural things , those , which are so necessary , as without them nothing can be done , are alwaies held and reputed the most vnworthy . which thing we may see in that we call materia prima : which though it be in nature before the forme , yet because of the necessitie thereof , it is esteemed of no nobilitie in comparison of the forme . and euen so likewise among the senses , that of feeling is held the basest , because no perfect liuing creature can be without it , nor yet the rest of the senses , vnlesse that be present . and therefore aristotle said , that the other senses were giuen to man , that thereby he might liue the better ; but the sense of feeling was giuen him , because without it he could neither be , nor liue . now for so much as life may be without sense , because the sensitiue soule is not of such necessitie as is the vegetatiue , therefore is that of more nobilitie then this somewhat , yet inferiour to the intellectiue , which can no more be without the sensitiue , then the sensitiue without the vegetatiue . and because the intellectiue soule is not of necessitie seruing to any other facultie or power , therfore is she as lady , mistris , and queene ouer all other the powers , faculties , or vertues of the soul ; so as there is none proper vnto man , but that whereby he may be either good or bad , happie or vnhappie : and the same is it , whereby we vnderstand and make choice rather of one course of life then of another . this great gift hath god bestowed vpon vs , to shew his great grace and goodnes , and for this purpose , that , as he hath inuited vs through vertue of our vnderstanding to the knowledge of truth , and by this knowledge to become like vnto himselfe ; so we should bend all our study and endeuours thereunto , as the end and scope of our life in this world . of which , the occasion of this our present speech did first arise . here i pawsing a while , as to take breath , and withall to order some of the papers , the lord primate spake , saying : hauing treated thus farre of the powers , faculties , vertues , or parts of the soule , i thinke it not impertinent to moue a question , whether they be in man separate , and in seuerall places ; or whether they be vnited all together , and seated in one place ? this question ( quoth i ) is very pertinent to this place , and by the author here resolued as a doubt , not lightly or easie to be answered . first , for that there haue not wanted some , who would needs haue that these three powers of the soule , were three distinct soules , and not ioyned in one soule , appointed for seuerall offices . but because that opiniō hath bin esteemed but vaine , it needeth not to be insisted vpon ; but briefly that i declare , what aristotle and plato , with their followers , haue held . the first , with his scholers , affirme the reasonable soule to be in substance indiuisible : and albeit they assigne vnto her diuers vertues , yet will they not haue them to be indeed seueral and diuers , but that the diuersitie should proceed & consist only in the maner of vnderstanding them : supposing them to be in the soule after such a sort , as in the line of a circle , the inner part which is hollow or embowed , and the outward which is bended . which two parts , though we vnderstand them diuersly , yet are they but one line , and not seuerall . neither do they assigne vnto her diuers places : but say that she is all and whole in all our body , and in euery part of the same , and apt there to exercise all her functions , if the parts were apt to receiue them . but because euery part is not disposed to receiue them , therefore she maketh shew of them onely in such as are made fit instruments to execute her powers and faculties . so giueth she vertue to the eye to see , to the eare to heare , and to the rest of the members that are the instruments of our senses . but plato and his sect , haue giuē to euery power of facultie of the soule , a peculiar seate in mans body : for though they held the soul to be but one , endued with seueral vertues or powers ; yet they affirmed that euery one of those had a seuerall seate appointed in mans body . to the vegetatiue ( from which , as from a fountaine , they said , the concupiscible appetite doth flow ) they appointed the liuer for her place . to the sensitiue , whence cometh ( say they ) the feruent passion of anger , they gaue the heart . but the reasonable soule ( as being the most diuine thing vnder heauen , they assigned to hold her seate , like a queene in a royal chaire , euen in the head : vnto which opinion , all the greek authors of physicke haue leaned , and specially galen the excellent interpreter of hippocrates , who hath not onely attributed three seuerall seates to the three seuerall faculties of the soule , in respect of their operations ; but hath also shewed with what order those members are framed , that must be the receptacles of those faculties . for he sheweth how the first member , that taketh forme after the conception , is the liuer , from whence spring all the veines , that like small brookes , carry bloud ouer all the body . and in this member doth he place the liuing or nourishing soule , which we haue termed vegetatiue , affirming it to be most approching to nature . next vnto this , he placeth the heart , wherein all the vitall spirits are forged , and receiue their strength : for the generation whereof , the liuer sendeth bloud thither , where it is refined , and made more pure and subtill ; and from thence by the arteries ( which all spring from the heart ) the same spirits are spread thoroughout the whole body . and these two principall members , are the seates of the two principall appetites , the irascible and the concupiscible ; of that the heart , of this the liuer . and because all this while the creature hath yet no need ( as being vnperfect ) of sense or motion , it is busied about nothing but receiuing of nourishment . somewhat further off from the heart , beginneth the braine to grow , and from it do all the senses flow ; and then ( loe ) beginneth the child to take forme and shape of a perfect creature , the face , the hands , and the feet being then fashioned , with the other parts of the body , apt for feeling and voluntary mouing : and from thence be deriued the sinewes , the bands or ligaments , and muscles are framed , by which the motions of the members are disposed . this part is the seate of the reasonable soule , by vertue and power of which , we vnderstand , we will , we discourse , we know , we chuse , we contemplate and do all those operations which appertaine vnto reason . and as nature hath placed the braine a good distance off from the other two principall members ; so hath she framed a cartilage , or thin rynd , or skin to seuer the heart from the liuer and other inward bowels , as with a fence or hedge betweene them and the other baser parts that are lesse pure . for the heart is purer , and so is that bloud which conueyeth the spirits from it throughout the body , then the liuer ; or the bloud which is ingendred in the same . and in this respect was aristotle iustly reprehended by galen , in that he gaue to the heart alone , that which appertained to all three the principall members aforesaid . for though he assigned diuers vertues or powers to the soule , yet he placed them all in the heart alone ; from which he said ( contrary to that which common sense and experience teacheth ) that all the veines , arteries and sinewes of the body were deriued . but because we should go too farre astray from our purpose , if i should discourse particularly all that which may be said in this matter , i will returne ( if you so thinke good ) to our former purpose , which i left to satisfie your demaund . thus much ( said the lord primate ) hath not a little opened the vnderstanding of this matter , and therefore you may proceed , vnlesse any other of the company haue any other doubt to propose . but they all being silent , and seeming attentiue to heare further , i said ; now that you haue vnderstood what the powers and faculties of the soule are , it followeth to be declared , how the ages of mās life haue similitude with the same . as the soule of life therfore , called vegetatiue , is the foundatiō of the rest , and consequently of the basest : so is the age of childhood the foundatiō of the other ages , and therfore the least noble , for the necessity which it carieth with it . and because vpō it , the other ages are built , there ought the greater diligence to be vsed about the same , to make it passe on towards the other more noble then it self : so as we may reasonably cōceiue a hope , that frō a wel-guided childhood the child may enter into a cōmendable youth , and thence passe to a more riper age , by the directiō of vertue . but first ye must vnderstād , that aristotle wil in no wise yeeld , that this inferior soule should be capable of reason ; and therfore placeth in the sensible soule , both the concupiscible and the irascible appetites . and contrariwise , plato ( as before is said ) distinguisheth these two affects , into both these faculties of the soule , giuing to the first the concupiscible , and the irascible to the other . and because plato his opinion hath generally bin better allowed then aristotles , i will speake thereof according as plato hath determined . this baser soule then , being that , whereby we be nourished , we grow , we sustaine life , and receiue our body and being ; about whose maintaining and increase , she vseth continually , whether we wake or sleep , without any endeuour of our owne , her vertue and operation ( if food and nourishment faile not ) is in her ful force , chiefly in childhood : and as soone as the child is borne , stirreth vp the desire of food , to the end that by little and little it might gather strength of body , to become apt for the vse of the soule , whose organ or instrument it is , for the accomplishing of the more noble operations meet for man. and because the milk of the mother , or of the nurse , is the first fit food for the infant ; it were to be wished , that it should receiue the same rather from the mother , then from any strange woman : for , in reason , the same should be more kindly and natural for the babe then any other . in consideration whereof , the instructors of ciuill life , haue determined and taught , that it is the fathers office to teach and instruct the child , but the mothers to nourish it . for wise men say , that nature hath giuen to women their brests , not so much for defence of the hart , as because they should nourish their children : and that she hath giuē them two paps , to the end that they might nourish two , if by chance they shold be deliuered of two at once . and truly it cannot be , but that would much increase both the loue of the mother to the child , and likewise that of the child to the mother . neuertheles , if it fal out ( as oftentimes it doth ) that the mother cannot giue sucke to her child , or for other considerations she giue it forth to be nursed to another woman ; yet is there special regard to be had , in getting such a nurse as may be of good complexion , and of louing nature , and honest conditions , that with milke it may also suck a disposition to a vertuous and commendable life . by your licence ( said m. dormer ) let me aske you a question , whether you thinke that the mind taketh any qualitie from the nutriment of the body : for if the mind be diuine , me seemeth it is against reason , that it should not be of greater power , then to receiue corruption from the nutriment of the body . you say very well , quoth i , and here shall you be resolued of that doubt . that the mind is a diuine thing , cannot be denied . and if the vertue of the mind ( which is reason ) could be freed from the company of those other two faculties of the soule , void of reason , in respect of themselues , it would doubtlesse remaine still in perfection of one nature , and not receiue any vice from that nutriment , which yeeldeth matter to the basest facultie of the soule to maintaine and increase the body , but euermore practise her proper operations and vertue : but because it hapneth too often , partly by the ill qualitie of the nutriment , and partly for want of care in the education , that the part wherein the vegetatiue power lieth , getteth ouermuch strength , and allured by the delights of the sensible part , giueth it selfe wholy to follow the pleasures of the senses , the mind being oppressed , cannot performe the offices and functions pertaining thereunto . and for this cause plato affirmed , that vnhealthfull bodies make the minds weake . and the body can neuer be sound or healthfull , when it is giuen to follow that baser part of the soule , and the lusts and sensualities of the same , whereby it forceth the mind preuailing against reason . not but that the mind is neuertheles diuine , but because the body being the necessary instrument of the mind , when it is wrested and drawne to an ill habit , the mind cannot vse it as it would , and the light of reason is darkned & hindred , not through any defect of the mind , but onely in respect of the instrument that is become rebellious . euen as if a candle should be put into a close vessell , that the light thereof could not appeare : for the not yeelding of light , should not proceed from the defect of the candle , but of the vessell that inclosed the same . to the end therefore that the child receiue not any vicious habit by the qualitie of his first food and nourishment ; wise men haue aduised , that the nurse to be chosen for a child , should not be base or of vile condition , that the child might be the apter to be brought vp to vertue : that she be not of strange nation , lest she should giue it strange or vnseemely manners , vnfit or disagreeable to the customes and conditions of the house or citie wherein it is borne , and wherein it is to liue : and lastly , that she be of good and commendable behauiour , to the end that with the milk it may suck good conditions , and an honest disposition to vertuous life . and because the nurse may be kept in house , or suffered to carry the child to her owne dwelling place ; of the two , it is to be wished that the parents should rather keepe her in their owne house , to the end that euen from his infancy it might learne to know the father and mother , and the rest of the family , and take by little and little the fashions and manners of the house . for the minds of children , whiles they be yong , are like to the yong tender slips of trees , which a man may bend and straighten as he list ; and are fashioned to such customes and conditions as may best beseeme them . for looke what behauiour they first learne , the same they retaine and keepe a long while after . wherefore phocilides said right well : whiles yet in tender yeares the child doth grow , teach him betimes conditions generous . great is the care then that fathers ought to vse in framing the manners and disposition of their children , when they be yong and tender in their owne houses , and are yet in their nurses laps . hauing regard not to vse them either ouer-curstly , or ouer-fondly : for as the first ouer-aweth them , maketh them dull and base , and vile minded , by taking away the generositie of their minds ; the other bringeth them to be wantons and waiward , so as they will neuer be still , but euer crying and wrawling for they wote not what . for being yet but new in the world , and not acquainted with those things , the images whereof are presented to them by the senses of hearing and seeing ; they easily giue themselues to waywardnes and crying , when they see any strange sight or images , or heare a fearfull sound or noise , the rather by reason of the melancholy humor , which they bring with them from the mothers womb , ( reason hauing yet little or no force in them , and their iudgments being too weak to distinguish good from euill , or what is hurtfull , from what may do them good : ) not that naturally they be so , for that tender age is rather sanguine and aëriall ; but thorough the remnant of that bloud , from which they receiued their nutriment in their mothers belly : vnto which their crying , the vsuall remedy is the mouing them from place to place , the rocking of them in their cradles , & the dandling of them ; for such motions do diuert them from those fearfull impressions , and make them the lesse wayward and combersome , quieting the inward passions of the mind . besides that , such stirring of them , wakeneth and kindleth in them that naturall heate which helpeth the digestion of humors in them , and maketh them apt to be well nourished and strengthened against those outward feares , which cause their waywardnes and crying . hereunto may be added the singing of their nurses , whereby they commonly still them , vsing it , as taught by nature onely : which some men thinke cometh to passe , by reason that the soule is ( as they say ) composed of harmony , and therefore is delighted with that which is proper and naturall to it selfe . others ( haply of better iudgement ) say , that children are stilled by the singing of their nurses , because one contrary expelleth and driueth away another , when it is the stronger : so as the nurses singing being lowder then the childs crying , therefore it preuaileth . but the most effectuall reason is , that the vegetatiue power or facultie being of most force in that age , and it taking pleasure in things delightfull , and abhorring those that are displeasant and noisome ; when with crying it findeth it selfe annoyed , it doth more willingly admit the nurses singing , and becometh calme and still by hearing the numbers and sweetnes of the voice delighting them . thus then are children drawne from way wardnes to be stil , from crying to mirth , and become thereby the more liuely and fuller of spirit , and stirred vp to a better kind of life ; growing by little and little apt to vnderstand , and to speake as nature may permit thē . in which time specially , great diligence is to be vsed , that they neither heare any dishonest or vnseemely speeches , vnfit for a generous mind to conceiue , nor see any sights that be shamefull or vndecent to behold . for these two senses , of all the rest , are of most importance in this life ; for that the images of things are represented to the mind by the eies , and by the eares do the conceits and words enter into the same . and of these two senses , do the eares so much the more helpe vs towards the learning of a ciuill life , as the sentences of wise men passe thereby into our vnderstanding . and whereas the things which we learne by the eyes , are but dumbe words : so do the eares heare the liuely voices , by which we learne good disciplines , & the true maner of well liuing . and therefore xerxes said , that the mind had his dwelling in the eares , which were delighted with the hearing of good words , and grieued at the hearing of vnseemely . and the auncient wise men considering the great profit which the eares yeelded towards the attaining of knowledge , accounted them as consecrated to prudence and to wisdom . in which respect also , when they met their children , they kissed them on the eare , as if they meant to make much of that part chiefly , by which they hoped their children were to learne wisedome . and for this cause ought they that haue the care of bringing vp children to be very circumspect , neuer to pronounce any word before them , but such as are modest , and may tend to the instruction of a good life . for though it seeme not , that yong children marke such things ; yet what they heare and see , doth secretly enter into their tender minds , and there take insensible rootes : which , when men think least of any such matter , bringeth foorth fruite agreeable to the seed was sowne . and of ill seed , the fruite cannot but also be euill . let fathers then take great heed to the modesty of speech and honest behauiour of all his family , and specially of the nurses , in whose bosoms their children are euer held , and in whose faces their eyes are alwayes fixed ; because they note and obserue most what they do or say , hauing lesse regard to others . and thus , vnderstanding , increasing in the child with yeares , as soone as he is come to be capable of any precept , before all other things it is expedient that care be had to make him conceiue a knowledge of that simple , pure and omnipotent nature , the most high and euerliuing god , and that the same be so imprinted in his heart , as he may learne god to be the creator of all things , the giuer of life , and maintainer therof , the disposer of all gifts & graces , and the only dispenser of al goodnes : so as he may be made to vnderstād , that he receiues al goodnes frō his diuine maiesty . therfore they that giue vnto him any thing , how smal soeuer a trifle it be , or a toy , shall do well to offer it vnto him , as a thing sent vnto him , or made for him by god , by little and little to acquaint his mind , and to fashion it to the knowledge of god , and of his diuine power and goodnes . for by this meanes shall there be a sure and firme foundation layd , whereupon a strong and neuer-failing frame of good manners and godly instructions may be built : and without this foundation , all other care will be spent but in vaine . for he that is void of religion , and of that feare of god , which is in effect but a due reuerence vnto his maiesty , can neuer in all the whole course of his life , do any thing worthy prayse or commendation . whereas on the other side , he that hath this holy feare fixed in his mind , will alwayes abstaine from doing any thing vnfitting or dishonest , or that may offend god , and bring him to his wrath and indignation . and if perhaps through the frailtie of our nature apt to offend , by reason of the spot of sinne , wherein we are conceiued , throgh the disobedience of our first father adam , he happen to fall somtime into any sin , he is forthwith strucken with that same religious feare and reuerence , and being ashamed of himself , seeketh to make reconciliation therfore , to the end he may not dwell in the wrath and displeasure of almighty god , from whom he acknowledgeth as well his life and being , as whatsoeuer good besides he hath in this mortall life . to the attaining of this religion , will the example of the father greatly further the child , if to him he shew himselfe such , as he wisheth he should become . for though the children of socrates ( as it is written ) proued not capable of good discipline , though the father were a patterne or fountaine of honest and vertuous life , yet are we to assure our selues , that the example of the fathers life is the true and perfect mirror for the child to fashion himselfe by , that he may attaine a commendable course of life . for if the dumbe and senslesse images of excellent men , which the auncient romanes held in their houses , were sufficient to stirre vp in young men , when they beheld them , a desire to follow their steps , and to resemble those noble personages of their auncestors , whose resemblances they beheld ; endeuouring themselues not to degenerate from the vertues and the nobilitie of their parents : how much more , may we thinke , that it wil moue the child to see in his fathers liuely face , and in his actions vertue imprinted , and daily represented . i know right well , that sometimes the contrary is seene , through the inconstancy of humane things : but if we consider what happeneth for the most part , we shall find that good examples commonly are causes of good , and bad examples causes of euill . since the child therfore is chiefly to learne of the father his forme of life , it is the fathers part to be to him in his tender yeares a liuely patterne of vertue , as we haue said , wherby he may ( as it were ) ingraft into his childs mind that good and commendable kind of life , which may bring him by vertuous actions to honour and estimation . but because it cometh oftener to passe then were requisite , that the father being busied about other matters concerning the order of his house and family , or else in the managing of the affaires of the common-wealth , he cannot attend the bringing vp of his child with that care that he ought , therfore must he prouide for his education , so as the same be not neglected . for as the true images of vertue are easily imprinted in the minds of childrē whiles they be tender : so do they quickly weare out and vanish , if they be not refreshed and reuiued by the discretion and industry of some meet person appointed for that purpose , and their contraries as soone ingraued in their places . the father therefore ought in any wife to make choise of some such man , to whom he may commit the charge and instruction of his child , when he is past the age of three yeares , as may be meet to giue him good example of life , and season him with such doctrine , as he may not degenerate or decline from that vertuous course of life which he hath endeuored to put into the babes mind , euen whiles he was yet in his nurses armes , and vnder the charge of women . for if in those first dayes of infancy , when yet he had almost no vnderstanding , so great care was to be taken ( as we haue said ) to lay a good foundation , how much more diligence is there now to be vsed , when he beginneth to haue some knowledge and iudgement , that the building may rise answerable to the same . wise men haue wisely said , that nature is the best mistris we can haue : and the custome of vertuous behauiour and wholsome doctrine being taken in tender yeares , is conuerted not onely into an habite , but euen into nature . wherefore let the father at those yeares giue his child in charge to some vertuous and godly man to be trained and instructed , who must be neither too mild nor too seuere ; but such , as may in some things agree with the manner of the nurses bringing vp , to the end he may gently turne to other manners and behauiour then he had learned when he was most among women . for to take a child from the brest , and from his nurses bosome , and to put him suddenly vnder the hard gouernment of a curst master , would be too violent a change , and force that tēder nature ouermuch . but if he that shal then haue the ruling of him , shall discreetly win him with mildnes from being fond after the nurse , and by little and little draw him to a more firme kind of behauiour , in such sort as he scarse perceiue that he hath forsaken his nurses lap : the child wil quickly delight to be with him as much as with his nurse , yea or with his father or mother : and pratling or childishly crauing , now one thing , then another of him , there wil soone spring in his mind a desire of knowledge : which desire , though indeed it be naturall & borne with vs , yet hath it need to be holpē and stirred vp to come forth and put it selfe in action ; for else will it lie hidden and couered with the vnworthiest part of the soule , like to the fire which is couered with ashes : which though it haue naturally vertue to giue light and heate , yet vnlesse that impediment be taken away , it wil do neither of both , nor be apt to worke his naturall effect . and therefore ( as before is said ) he which shall take the charge of the child after the nurse , must be very discreet to win him to his discipline without bitternes or stripes , which do rather dull and harden the childs mind , then worke any good effect . and the seruile feare which the ouer-sharpe and vnaduised vsage or beating of the child bringeth him vnto , ( not fit for a generous mind ) maketh him to hate the thing he should learne , before he can come to know it , much lesse to loue it . it is also a thing very profitable for his better instructing , that there be others of like yeares in his company to learne with him ; for so will there arise a certaine emulation among them , through which , euery of them will striue to step before his fellow : besides that the conuersation of such as are like in age and qualitie , wel bred and brought vp , is a very fit occasion to make them all wel mannered and of good behauiour , those yong yeares being ( as before is sayd ) apt for the simplicitie thereof , to take whatsoeuer forme is giuen vnto them . and for this cause was merides king of the aegyptians greatly commended among the auncient wise men , for that as soone as his sonne sisostres was borne , he caused all the children that were borne in the citie that same day , to be gathered together , and brought vp with his said son , where they were instructed in all those disciplines and noble arts , that in those dayes were in estimation , and meet to direct to a commendable life . and that the manner of good education is to proceed by degrees , it appeared by the order which the kings of persia held in the bringing vp of those who were to succeed them in their empire . but because our discourse tendeth not to the instructing of princes children , but onely of such gentlemen of meaner qualitie as may be fit instruments for the seruice of their common-wealth or country : it will be best to passe that ouer in silence . whiles in this place i was pawsing a while , as to take some breath , captaine carleil sayd in this sort : i hope your author giueth not ouer so this matter . for howsoeuer his purpose was to discourse of the ciuill life of priuate men , yet the declaring of the order which was held in the instructing and training vp of the children of those princes , cannot but be as well profitable as delightfull . therefore let vs ( i pray you ) heare what is sayd by him touching the same . that shal i willingly do , said i , for that the like request was made to him by one of that company ; and thus he proceedeth , saying , that though it might suffice to refer them to what xenophon in his ciropaedia hath left written of that subiect , hauing learnedly and diligently vnder the person of cirus , framed an idaea or perfect patterne of an excellent prince : yet he meaning to follow plato and aristotle in his treatise , will therefore report what he hath gathered out of plato to that purpose , and adde therunto briefly as much out of aristotle as may serue for the better vnderstanding of the rest . you shall vnderstand then that the custome among these kings , was to giue the child who was to succeed in the kingdome , soone after he was borne , into the hands of those eunuchs that were esteemed of best life in the court : whose care was chiefly to fashion his body with all diligence , that it might be straight and most comely of shape and proportion ; because the first thing that is offred to the sight in a king , is the grace and comelinesse of his person , which maketh him to be reuerenced of his people , and beloued of his peeres . his infancy being past , he was giuen in charge to others , that exercised him in handling his weapons , horse-manship , and feates of armes ; and likewise in hunting , as a meet exercise to frame him fit for military discipline . and this the father did , because he was perswaded that the knowledge of warre was one of the surest foundations for the vpholding of a state or kingdome . when he was come to the age of . yeares , then was he deliuered ouer to foure other excellent personages , who were called the royall schoole-masters , the one most wise and prudent , the other most iust , another most temperate , and the last most valiant . the first instructed him to know and honour god , and taught him the knowledge of things diuine and eternall , and withall , such as appertaine to the life of a good prince : by which he became learned , as wel in things contemplatiue , as in things concerning the actions necessary and conuenient for a king. for they exercised him dayly in the vnderstanding of sciences , and in the knowledge of good and vertuous behauiour , as two most necessary things to humane life , and which should leade him the ready way to his felicitie and happines in this world ; making him to know , that nothing was more miserable in man then ignorance , and how by the generall consent of the most wise men , he that is ignorant is esteemed an ill man. to which purpose it is said by cicero , that there is no greater euill can befall a man then to be ignorant . and plato ( from whom the other drew his sentence ) sayth , that all ignorant persons were in that respect also miserable . for temperance being the rule and measure of vertue , vpon which dependeth mans felicitie ; the opinion of this diuine philosopher was , that he that was ignorant could not know temperance , and consequently must be to seeke in the way of vertue : the defect whereof estrangeth a man from god , euen as the hauing of this singular vertue of temperance ( wherof we shall speake hereafter more at large ) doth draw him neare vnto his maiesty , to his great comfort and satisfaction . ignorance therfore being a mortall infirmitie vnto mans mind , and such a one as suffereth him not to enioy his felicitie , to which ( as to the marke proposed ) he leuelleth all his actions : it is written that they of mitilene intending seuerely to punish certaine of their confederates , who being armed with them in the field , had forsaken them , made a decree against them , that from thenceforth they should not set their children to schoole to learne arts or sciences . this first schoole-master teaching him thus , religion and the feare of god ; and training him in the māners and behauiour appertaining to a king , did so long hold him vnder his gouernance , till it appeared he had taken well and perfectly that discipline . then the second master taking him in charge , taught him that which in consequence next followeth to religion , that is , that there is nothing more fitting for a king then truth and veritie ; that speciall care was to be taken so to embrace the same , as he should neuer haue one thing in his mouth , and another in his heart , as wicked and deceitful men haue , who are borne for the destruction of vertue , and of honest and wel-disposed persons : and that those , who were to be taxed therewith , were not only deceiuers , but worthy the name of traitors . in regard wherof ( as philostratus writes ) among the indians , if any man bearing magistracy , were detected of a lie , he was presently depriued of his magistracy , and disabled for euer after to beare any . and this did they , because they conceiued ( and that rightly ) that he which respected not truth in matters of moment , destroyed as much , as in him lay , the societie and ciuill conuersation of men , since no man can trust or beware of a lyer . therfore ( as plutarch reporteth ) epenetus affirmed , that all iniuries and wickednes proceeded from a lyer . this schoole-master gaue him to vnderstand , that as the nature of god is pure and simple , neuer deceiuing vs , whether we sleepe or wake : so , seeing there was no dignitie vnder god so great as the kings , he ought first , and aboue all things , to conforme himselfe and his actions vnto that high and eternall truth , the feare & knowledge of whom , had bin formerly taught him . and as it seemed to them , that by truth he attained a resemblance of god himselfe : so did they think that by lying , a man was worthy to loose the title of a man. which thing haply he meant , who deuised pan to be the son of mercury , the inuenter of speech , as poets haue fained ; signifying by the shape of pan , vnder which is comprehended as well the false speaker as the true ; that the vpper part of his body bearing humane shape , betokeneth truth ( then the which nothing is more proper to a man of vertue ) but by the lower parts being crooked , and of shape like a goate , false and vntrue speaking was signified : inferring that man by speaking vntruth , becometh monstrous , and of a reasonable creature falleth to be a bruite beast : whence also proceeded that among the persians , a lie was reputed a most hainous offence . and we see that euen now among vs , it is reputed so great a shame to be accounted a lyer , that any other iniury is cancelled by giuing the lie ; and he that receiueth it , standeth so charged in his honor and reputation , that he cannot disburden himselfe of that imputation , but by striking of him that hath so giuen it , or by chalenging him the combat ▪ captaine norreis hearing thus much spoken of truth , and of the lie , interrupting me , said ; god grant your author follow this theame a while , that we soldiers may also haue some instruction from him . for this matter of the lie giuing and taking , is growne of late among vs to be confused and dangerous , so as a man can hardly tell , how to carry himselfe in so many occasions , and sundry cases , as dayly happen in companies , wherein perhaps the authoritie and reasons of such a man may yeeld vs no small light . your wish therin ( quoth i ) shal not be frustrate , for the matter is by him handled at large : but let vs heare what be the points that you would specially be resolued in ; for it is not vnlikely but that they will iump with the question proposed by one of those persons supposed in his dialogue . marry sir ( said he ) i would gladly know , since he hath spoken of truth and vntruth , and declared how the iniury receiued by taking the lie , cannot be cancelled , but by striking or chalenging the partie who gaue it ; whether this kind of chalenging and fighting man to man , vnder the name of duellum , which is vsed now a dayes among souldiers and men of honour , and by long custome authorized , to discharge a man of an iniury receiued , or for want of proofes in sundry causes , be ancient or no ? whether it concerne honor or no ? and whether it appertaine to ciuill life , and that felicitie which we are discoursing vpon or no ? you haue ( said i ) moued your question very right , and to the purpose ; which to answer at full , would require along speech : so deepe rootes like an ill weed , haue the opinions of men taken concerning the same in this our age ; which to cut downe or roote vp , many sithes and howe 's would scarce suffice . but as briefly as may be , you shall be satisfied in part ; and he will make it appeare vnto you , that the reasons which are set downe in defence of this foolish custome and wicked act , are false and absurd . and first of all you shall heare him say , that this maner of combatting , which through the corruption of the world hath taken strength , and is permitted of some princes , is nothing auncient at all . for in histories it is not to be found , that for reuenge of iniury , for want of proofes , for points of honour , or for any such like causes , this wicked and vnlawfull kinde of fight , was euer graunted or allowed in auncient time . for when any difference or controuersie fell out among men of honor , which might concerne their credit and reputation for matter of valor , they neuer tried the quarrell by combat betweene themselues , but stroue to shew which of them was most worthy honor , by making their valour well knowne in fight against their common enemies , as in caesars commentaries we haue a notable example . and the singular fights or combats , that are mentioned in the greeke or latine histories , or fained by the poets , happened euermore betweene enemies of contrary nations , or otherwise in time of publike warre , though perhaps the quarrell might be priuat betweene some of the chiefe men of both camps , as betweene turnus and aeneas , paris and menelaus . turnus labouring that aeneas might not haue lauinia to his wife : and menelaus seeking to recouer his wife whom paris had taken from him . or else they fought for the publike quarrell , one to one , or more in number on each side , for preuenting of greater bloodshed , as did the horatij and the curiatij before rome . or by the ordinance of some publike games , as those called pithij and olimpici among the greeks , and those called circenses among the romanes , whether they were celebrated in honour of their gods , or at the funerals of their dead , or for other causes . in which games or spectacles were produced certaine men , named by the romanes gladiatores , and by the greeks monomachi , to fight together ; the first inuention wherof , appeareth to haue come from the people of mantinea . but other priuate combats for causes aboue mentioned , was neuer so much as heard of among them , much lesse receiued or allowed in their common-weales , which were well ordered and maintained by honest and vertuous lawes . the name of duellum was giuen by the latins , not to singular fight betweene man and man , but to the generall warre betweene two nations or states , as may be seene by plautus , horace , liuie , and other authors . and as for them that say , the name of duellum was vnproperly applied to an vniuersal warre , they are not to be heard or beleeued , because they that so vsed it , were the fathers of the latine tongue , who knew better the proprietie of the words of their owne language , then these fellowes now do . but rather they are to be blamed for wresting that auncient name to so wicked a fight , which they rightly gaue to the generall warre allowed by the lawes , and by all ciuil and politike constitutions . the primate , who had bin attentiue to this speech , said , as concerning the latins , it is true that hath bin alledged : but it seemeth , the greeks knew very well this combat , as may be gathered by the word monomachia , which signifieth the fight of one man against another . and i remember plato in his dialogue intituled laches , maketh mention of this same singular fight , which sheweth , that in his dayes the combat of body to body was knowne and vsed . two things ( said i ) the author hath said , the one , that this sort of battell or fight which is now in vse , and called duellum , was not knowne to the ancient greeks nor romanes in their wel-ordered common-weales , and that therefore they gaue no such name vnto the same : the other , that the romanes gaue that name of duellum to the publike warre betweene two people or nations , being enemies . but that the greeks gaue not the name of monomachia to those singular fights which were vsed among them , that hath he not said . but though the name of monomachia were vsed among them , yet was it not meant of this kind of combat which we speake , but of that onely which was sometimes vsed in their publike games and spectacles , or else might fall out sometimes accidentally in their warres . and that same place of plato which you haue alledged , doth sufficiently declare it . for if my memory faile me not , he saith there , that when the generall battell ceaseth , and that it is requisite either to fight with them that resist , or to repulse those that would assault , in such a case the monomachia , or fight of man to man was meet to end all strife . which word of monomachia , neuertheles i remember not to be vsed by aristotle in any place of all his works , from whom neuertheles these men that defend this folly , seeme to fetch their arguments , as hereafter i shall declare . but by this you may perceiue that the vse of monomachia , was a fight betweene two men in their publike games and shewes , not for priuate quarrell or hatred , nor for want of proofes , or for points of honour . and further i will say , that in well ordered martiall discipline , and warres lawfully enterprised , after the fury of the battell was ceased , it was not lawfull to kill or hurt the publike enemy . which thing is cleerly set foorth by xenophon in the person of chrisantas , who although he had cast downe his enemy , and fastned hold in the haire of his head , ready to haue stricken it off ; yet hearing the trumpet sound the retreit , forbare to strike him , but let him go : holding it not fit to offend his enemy after the time of fight was past , signified by the retreit sounding . this sort of fight was likewise suffered against publike enemies by the romanes when their state flourished . for we reade in their histories of sundry that haue in the warres fought hand to hand with their enemies ; but yet could not the romane souldier , though he were prouoked by his enemy to singular battell , fight with him without the licence of his general or captain . and this was so religiously obserued among them in that common-weale ( which was the patterne of all others ) that the father spared not to condemne and slay his owne sonne , who had gotten a notable victory in his absence , because he had without his fathers licence attempted to fight with the enemy . true it is , that for contention of valor , we reade that alexander granted a combat betweene diosippus and his aduersary , both being his souldiers and in his campe , though the one were a macedonian , and the other an athenian ; which diosippus vnarmed , hauing onely a clubbe for weapon , ouercame the macedonian armed with speare and sword , and other armour on his body . but this was not for quarrell of iniury receiued , for reuenge or want of proofes . neither from this one example , is any conclusion to be drawne , that for strife of valour the combat should be granted . for the not admitting it afterwards in wel-ordered commonweales , nor by any other generall that we can reade , aboue once , doth plainly shew that it was rather a toy of alexanders head , then grounded vpon any reason : who among so many vertues as he had , wanted not other disordered motions , which stained his noblest and most glorious actions , as that of the death of calisthenes and some others . by this then you may vnderstand that amōg the greeks our maner of combat was vnknown , & that it was not that which they cal monomachia . but this wicked and detestable custom of the combat sprong first among the longobards , a barbarous people ; & much more barbarous is the thing it selfe growne , by the abuse therof in our daies . for though they in some cases grāted the combat , yet suffered they not their champions to fight with weapons of steele or iron , but only with staues & targets , vnles it were in cases of treason . but now vpō euery quarell they come to fight with swords & daggers , and other like sharp weapons , and with minds cruelly bent to murder and mischiefe like most wild and sauage beasts . and thus much concerning the first question may serue , since time wil not permit to treate of euery one at large . yea but , i think , said captain carleil , that if the combat be lawfull in cases of treason or iniury to the prince , the same reason should make it lawfull also for other causes . not so , said i , for treasons or offences against the princes persons , offend the publike state , which reposeth vpon the person of the prince , and therefore the iniuries of priuate men are not to be compared vnto them . and as touching the second point , whether it concerne honor or no : my author saith , that he that taketh so vniust a course to reuenge his priuate wrong , is so farre from getting honor thereby , as he rather looseth whatsoeuer honor or reputatiō he had before ; the combat being a thing odious and offensiue vnto god. for it is said , that he reserueth reuenge vnto himselfe ; which , they that by combat seeke to wreake themselues , take vpon them to do by their owne power and strength , against all lawes diuine , naturall and positiue , in contempt of magistrates , contrary to the orders and constitutions of all wel-founded common-weales : and finally contrary to all equity , and all ciuill and honest conuersation . howbeit i know there want not some , who with their confused arguments go about to make men beleeue , that so great an iniustice should be equitie : not knowing , or faining not to know , that equitie is the tempering or mitigating the rigor of the law , which otherwise ( like a tyrant ) condemneth without mercy ; being farre from fauouring the rigor of so vnreasonable and so sharpe a conflict , then the which , none can be imagined more furious or contrary to the nature of man. yet forsooth to equitie do these maintainers of the combat seeke to draw this crueltie ; arguing that of two euils , it is the lesser ; and that the lesser euill is to be reputed in liew of a good , if not truly , yet respectiuely . which argument is no way to be admitted , since that ( god be thanked ) without this lesser euill , so many good common-weales haue euer bin ruled , and at this day are ruled with good and politike gouernement ; and the same neuer permitted , but where men forsake to follow reason , and like mad and desperate people are transported by rage and fury . for what common-wealth , either auncient or moderne , well framed vpon honest and godly lawes , hath euer admitted this lesser euill ? and yet , iwis , in all places and in all ages haue iniurious words and deeds past betweene men . nay , the same hath euermore bin forbidden vtterly , and the inquirie and punishment of the wrong-doers bin reserued to the magistrates . neither doth their allegation of being included within the kind of warre generall , serue to their purpose . for the combat is not contained vnder warre , as the particular vnder the vniuersall : for those things that are contained vnder any vniuersall , are of the same nature that the vniuersal is : as we see man hath the nature of the liuing creature , vnder which he is contained , euen as is the bruite beast ; but the combat is cleane contrary of nature to the vniuersall warre , as shall be declared . first great lords and princes who make warre , haue no magistrates ouer them to decide by iustice , and to end their controuersies , as priuate men haue . besides that , when warre is moued against any prince , the state and common-weale is offended , publike orders are peruerted , honesty put in danger , the way layd open to all iniury to the offence of almightie god , and finally , whatsoeuer is good or honest in citie or country , brought into confusion . and man being borne for the behoofe of his country , his prince , his kinred and friends , and for the defence of religion , publike honesty and of vertue ; it is the dutie of euery man of vertue and honor , to oppose himselfe against the fury of the enemy for the defence of all those things aboue specified . furthermore , the vniuersal warre is allowed by the lawes of all those who haue bin founders of famous common-weales , to take away seditions , and reduce such as were rebellious to obedience , and to maintaine temperance and order among all subiects . and god himselfe is called the god of hoasts , but not the god of combats : for they are none of his works , but of the diuell himselfe . whereupon it is also sayd in the scripture , that the strength of warre consisteth not in the multitude of souldiers , but that it commeth from heauen . and s. augustine sayth , that warre is not vniust , vnlesse it be raised with purpose to vsurpe or to spoyle : and s. ambrose in like sence affirmeth , that the valour of those men that defend their countrey from barbarous people , is full of iustice . by all which may clearly be seene how farre they are astray , that would bring this kind of combat to be comprehended vnder the kind of warre vniuersall . and if in all ages , ciuill warres haue bin odious and accounted cruell , what praise or commendation can be iustly giuen to two gentlemen of one citie or country that fight together with purpose to kill one another ? whereas then the circumstances aboue mentioned make the vniuersall warre iust and lawfull : this wicked kind of priuate fight or combat , is voyde of them all , and cannot therefore be but most vniust and vnlawfull . with like wrong do they also labour to make it seeme commendable , affirming that men thereby shew their valour and fortitude . for valour or fortitude being a principall vertue , how can it haue place in so vniust and so vnnaturall an action , proceeding onely from anger , rage , fury , and rashnes ? finally , these men that will needs haue aristotle to be their warrant , might ( if they list ) see that he in his ethikes , where he directeth man vnto vertue , and to ciuill felicitie , putteth not among those whom he calleth fortes , or men of valour , such men as are delighted in reuenge , but giueth them the title of warlike or bellicosi . and in the same bookes he sayth , that whosoeuer doth any thing contrary to the lawes , is to be accounted vniust . and ( i pray you ) what can be more directly contrary to the lawes then this kind of combat or priuate fight ? and if by taking iustice from the world , all vertue must needs decay , because she is the preseruer and defender of vertue ; how can this so excellent a vertue of fortitude be in them , that despising the lawes and the magistrates , and neglecting all religion , and good of their cuntrey and weale publike , do practise this wicked combat . moreouer , they perceiue not , that aristotle in his ethikes ( from whence the rules of ciuill life are to be drawne , and not from his rhetorikes , out of which these men fetch their doutie arguments , because elsewhere they can find none for their purpose ) saith , that to fight for cause of honour , is no act of fortitude . whereupon ensueth , that such as come to the combat vpon points of honour , as men do now a dayes for the most part , make not any shew of their fortitude , but onely of their strength and abilitie of body , and of their courage : whereas true fortitude , is to vse these gifts well and honestly , according to reason . and what honestie or reason can there be in this so mischieuous and wicked a fight ? which neuertheles these men so farre allow and commend , as they are not ashamed to say ( moued surely by some diuellish spirit ) that a man for cause of honour may arme himselfe against his country , the respect whereof is and euer was so holy ; yea euē against his father , and with cursed hands violate his person , vnto whom ( next after god ) he must acknowledge his life and being , and what else soeuer he hath in this world . this cannot be but a most pestiferous opinion , and a speech hardly to be beleeued could come out of the diuels owne mouth of hell ; who though he be the author of all euill , yet scarce thinke i that he durst father so abhominable a conceit or sentence . but it is a world to see how solemnly men wil become starke mad , when they once vndertake to defend a mad cause . for to make their frantike fancie to seeme reasonable , they vtter such absurdities as are not only detestable to mē , but euē bruite beasts also abhorre . for among beasts , many there are , that by naturall instinct , not onely feare and respect their begetters , but do also nourish them diligently when they are waxen old , and not able to purchase foode for themselues , repaying thankfully the nouriture which themselues receiued whiles they were yong , as it is certainly knowne the storke doth . but here to colour their assertions , they say , that so ought children to do to their parents , and citizens to their country , so long as the one ceaseth not to be a father , and the country forgetteth not her citizens : a saying no lesse foolish then the other . for when can that come to passe ? what law of nature , or what ciuill constitution hath taught vs this lesson ? or out of what schoole of philosophie haue they learned it ? what iniuries can a father or a mans country do vnto him that may make him not to acknowledge his countrey , which ought to be deerer vnto him then his life , or to cast off the reuerence due to his father ? good god what els is this but to inuite men , and as it were to stir them vp to parricide , a thing odious euen to be mentioned . it is no maruel therfore , if such as attribute so much to points of honor , & wil needs defend the combat in that respect , fall by gods sufferance ( as men blinded of the light of naturall reason ) into such absurd opinions , fit for senslesse men : which opinions , in very truth , are no lesse to be condemned then wicked heresies , and the authors of them worthy sharpe punishment to be inflicted vpon them by such as haue authoritie in that behalfe . and this do they the rather deserue , because they seeke to maske and disguise the good and commendable opinions of the best philosophers , and to wrest them in fauour of their damnable and wicked doctrine . but i should digresse too far if i should say all i could to confute this impietie , and these wicked writings and cruell opinions : and therefore returning to our purpose of honour , whereof we were speaking , you may vnderstand by that which i haue already sayd , that honour there is none to be gotten by the combat ; yet because among other things they say the combat hath bin deuised for cause of honour , i must let you know that in true and sound philosophie , they that respect honour as the end of their actions , are not onely vnworthy to be accounted vertuous men , but deserue blame and reproch . but hereof i shall haue occasion to speake more amply in a fitter place . onely this i wil now adde , that no actions are commendable but those that are honest , and where honestie is not , there can be no honour . and honestie in truth there is none ( as before hath bin said ) in such a fight contrary to all vertue , odious to all lawes , to all good magistrates , and to god himselfe ; though the folly of the fauourers of this diuellish deuice seeke most wrongfully to draw the summe of all vertues to this iniustice . furthermore , either the offences done to men , may be auouched before princes and magistrates in iudgement , as no wrongs , but lawfull acts , or not . if they may be so auouched and proued , then a thousand combats cannot take them away : neither is there any cause of combat if so wicked a custome were allowable . if not , then he that hath done the iniury , is already dishonest and dishonored ; and the victorie ouer such a man , in faith what honour can it purchase ? plato the diuine philosopher , and aristotle his disciple after him , considering the nature of iniury , and finding that it caried with it alwayes vice and reproch , affirmed that it was better to receiue an iniury then to do it . and plato concludeth , that he that doth iniury , cannot attaine to happinesse : both which sayings are most agreeable to christian religion . aristotle affirmeth , that the magnanimous or great minded man , vtterly despiseth all iniuries , for that an ill man cannot by any iniury he can do vnto him , blemish those vertues wherewith he must be adorned to be truly magnanimous . with these worthy men therefore i conclude , that iniuries are to be contemned and light set by , specially of magnanimous men . for , as seneca saith , a magnanimous man will neuer thinke that a vicious man hath done him iniury , though his meaning were to do it ; but referre the punishment of his ill intention to the magistrate , and the reuenge to god. and whosoeuer doth otherwise , entring into this reuengefull humour of the combat , he doth not onely not purchase any honor to himselfe thereby , but heapeth on his owne head gods wrath and indignation , and shame of the world in the iudgement of wise men , who know what is honest , and what not , what things deserue praise , and what blame ; and how , when , and wherefore a man of vertue ought to venture his life . for he that thinketh by the combat to right himselfe , taketh vpon him the office of god , and of the magistrate , as if himselfe were superiour to them both , and were able of himselfe ( as soueraigne lord ) to do iustice : which thing how dangerous it is in a wel-ordered common-weale , all lawes , and reason it selfe doth plainly teach vs. but yet these goodly defenders of this abuse say , that a man , both by order of nature , and by the opinion of philosophers , may well repulse an iniury by his owne vertue , and not by law . and i say ( as before ) that if the iniury be done vnto a man of magnanimitie ; the way to shake it off , is to despise it , because the excellencie of his vertue is greater then any iniury that can be done vnto him : and if it be done to him that is not come to that degree of vertue as to be magnanimous , he may perchance at the instant repulse the same , or reuenge himself in hot bloud without any great reproch . but to reserue a malice or hatred any long time , and therupon to come to the combat with a reuengefull mind , as bruite beasts do ; will alwayes be esteemed of wise men , a vicious action , and contrary to all lawes and ciuill order . and they that are of such reuengefull minds , are termed by aristotle bitter and sharpe men , as if he would say without reason . in which respect he iudgeth them to be ( as hereafter shal be shewed ) men vnworthy of ciuil conuersatiō . and by him it is esteemed the part or office of a vertuous ciuill man , and a point of magnanimitie to pardon and forgiue offences and iniuries . for plato and his followers were euer of opinion , that magnanimitie was giuen to man , not because he should dispose himselfe to hatred , fury , reuenge and wrath , but to honestie and vertue . wherefore seneca also said , that it was a kind of reuenge to forgiue . and the temple of the graces ( according to aristotles opinion ) was placed in the midst of the citie of athens , because all men might thereby vnderstand , that they were to render good for good , not ill for ill . for as by the first , cities are the better preserued and maintained : so by the other , they are destroyed and brought to ruine . yet if the magnanimous man would wish him chastised that hath offended him , he will not vouchsafe himselfe to file his hands vpon so base and vicious a person as those be ( by plato and aristotles iudgement ) who are iniurious to others ; but suffereth the magistrates according to the order of law to reuenge his cause by the punishment of the offender , according to his desert , to the end the vertue of the one , and the vice of the other may be manifested , and the one chastised , and the other honored thereby . and what more glorious reuenge can a man desire , or what more notable testimonie of his vertue , then to haue him corrected , and rest infamous by the punishment which law shall inflict vpon him who hath done him iniury ? or what else do these furious minded men seeke in fine by their combat ? but yet they alledge further ( as wiling to maintaine their wrong opinions with some shew of reason ) that combats are sought only in cases of iniuries , not determinable by law . which answer is as inconsiderate as the rest . for what kind of iniuries can grow betweene man and man , whereunto the authoritie of the prince and of the magistrates doth not extend ? who indeed are not to regard the obstinacie of the parties , but to punish them by imprisonment , and such other meanes as law doth allow and permit ; to bridle the insolencie and disobedience of such as will not obey and be ameinable . for if in ciuill actions that course be held , wherefore should not the same rigor be the rather vsed in this so vnlawfull and beastly a debate ? neither is there any reason in that they speake of publike and priuate iniuries , since the cases are farre vnlike . for publike iniuries come from lawfull enemies , such as offend or offer wrong to states or cities : but they that are priuatly iniuried in their person , cannot call them their lawfull enemies that so haue done them iniury : rather they themselues are to be esteemed lawfull enemies to their countrey , whiles in following their rage and furious appetite of reuenge , they oppose themselues against the publike and ciuill gouernement , and deserue in that respect to be seuerely punished by the magistrate , as men that esteeme more their priuate iniustice then publike iustice . and thus much for the second part of your question . now touching the last point , whether it appertaine to ciuill felicitie or no : you may easily gather by that which is already said , that there can be nothing more contrary to good discipline in a wel-ordered commonweale , then this wicked and vniust kind of fight , which destroyeth , so farre foorth as it beareth sway , all ciuill societie . for it breedeth the contempt of god and his commandements , of religion , of lawes , constitutions and ciuill gouernement , of princes , of magistrates , and finally of countrey , parents , friends and kinred : to all which men are bound by reason naturall and ciuill , and for defence of them to spend their liues in maner aforesaid : but not at their owne appetite , instigated by rage and furie to be prodigall thereof , or for reuenge of priuate quarrels or iniuries . will you see how absurd and senslesse a thing these men maintaine , that set vp and magnifie this glorious combat ? then take but this one instance . they say , in good sooth , that if two gentlemen , subiect to the selfe and same lawes , stirred by this furious conceit , haue chalenged the one the other to the combat , and that their soueraigne lord or prince forbid them to proceed therein , that they are not to obey him , but to seeke to accomplish their chalenge elsewhere out of his iurisdiction . and can any reasonable man , or a good subiect endure to heare such a proposition maintained without stomacke or displeasure ? that which among the painims and gentiles was not lawful without speciall licence of the superiours to be attempted against a publike enemie , armed to the ruine of their state and common-weale : will these iolly politicians haue now to be lawfull among christians in despite of their naturall and lawfull lords and princes , vpon whom the foundation of well pollicied states is layd , and in the obedience towards whom , ciuill felicitie it selfe doth rest ? but we neede not to maruell , if such men contemne humane lawes and ordinances , when they sticke not to disobey god himselfe ; vnto whom they knowing manifestly this kind of fight to be odious and displeasing ; yet are they not ashamed by publike writings to maintaine it , and thereby to draw souldiers and men of valour into their errror of a wilfull madnesse and mischieuous mind . it is a more mockery , and a thing worthy to be laughed at , to see how busily such fellowes build vpon a false foundation , as if their building were like to stand . for leauing and forsaking the patterne and true rules of vertuous behauiour , of policie and states , and of good lawes written by that excellent philosopher aristotle , they take hold ( forsooth ) of some fragments or parcels of his rhetorikes to worke vpon : as though from thence men were to take the precepts of ciuill conuersation or politike gouernement , whence onely the rules and method of well speaking are to be taken , and not of ciuill felicitie . out of his rhetorikes they haue culled out namely this place , where he saith , that god helpeth those that are wronged , not vnderstanding , or seeming not to vnderstand , that aristotle in that place speaketh of ciuill iudgements or criminall ; and not of battels or combats , such as this that he neuer knew , ne yet euer heard spoken of : and if he had , would haue sought to haue driuen it out of the frantike fancie of all men . it is not to be denied , but that in good and godly iudgements managed by men desirous to maintaine iustice , god is alwayes at hand to help and vphold the right , and to tread downe and ouerthrow the wrong . for by him haue iudgements bin appointed and ordained , and magistrates to rule and ouersee them , not only for the common benefit of men , but also for the defence of truth and righteousnesse , and for the punishment of vntruth and wickednesse . moreouer it is to be vnderstood , that onely such places in aristotles rhetorikes are to be approoued and allowed in ciuil or politike life , as are by him confirmed in his ethikes and rhetorikes : as that it is lawfull for a man to repulse an iniury , and to defend himselfe , and such other like . for , as himselfe affirmeth , the drift of his booke of rhetorikes , is to instruct a man how to frame his speech to perswàde , and how to moue the minds of iudges to anger , hatred , reuenge , compassion , and such like other affects , which oftentimes wrest the truth , and make wrong to preuaile . so as if the orator preuaile , and attaine the end he seeketh , which is to perswade , or vse the meanes to attaine it artificially , he hath done his dutie . by which it appeareth , that rhetorike is ordained for iudgements and controuersies , but not for instruction of ciuill life and manners . but let vs see what they get by this place taken out of the rhetorikes . for my part , i see not wherfore any man should looke or hope for any helpe or fauour at gods hands in this so vniust , vnlawfull and wicked an action , most offensiue to his diuine maiestie , as contrary to his expresse commandement , and a worke most pleasing and acceptable to the diuell , by whose instigation the same is wholy set forward . nay rather may the preuailing of them that haue the wrong cause to defend , as oftentimes we see it happen in the combat , serue for a most cleere argument , that it falleth out by gods speciall permission to vnseele the eyes ( if it were possible ) of such as are so wilfully blinded , to the end they might see how vniust the conflict is , which these men say , was first inuented ( among other causes ) that truth might be knowne , and right from the wrong . but how is truth or right found out , if he which hath right on his side be ouercome , as oftentimes it falleth out ? forsooth they answer , that it so hapneth by reason of some other offences of him that is ouercome , and that god will haue him so punished for the same . by which reason it should follow that god ( who is truth it selfe ) suffereth in this fight ( which they say was deuised for trying out of the truth ) that in respect of punishing him for other offences that maintaineth the truth , the other who hath the wrongfull cause in hand , should triumph in his vniust victory , and truth should be borne downe and defaced . then which reason , what can be imagined more contrary to the goodnes , iustice , and power of god ? as if he could not otherwise punish sinners , then by a meane that should spot and ouerthrow truth , in which he is so well pleased . it is therfore a most euident signe & certaine testimonie , that this kind of proofe or trial of truth is most vncertain , and the fight to that end vniust and wicked . and that it is no other then the work of the very diuell , who being the author of all discord , hatred , debate , falshood , seditions , vniust wars , of death , & mortal enemy to truth , reioiceth when he seeth right ouerwhelmed with wrong , reason oppressed by iniustice , truth defaced by falshood , and by meanes thereof , men drawne to euerlasting damnation . and when it doth come to passe , that he which maintaineth the right doth preuaile ( if any right or reason may be supposed in so wicked and vnlawfull an action ) euen that it selfe is to be imputed to the subtiltie of the diuell , to draw men on as with a baite , because he is loth to lose the great gaine of soules which he maketh by the humor of this detestable combat . by which , not onely the champions themselues , but they that hauing power , permit them or grant them libertie to fight ; all they that counsel them therunto , & all they that giue them the looking on in so damnable an action , become subiect vnto him , and enemies to god their creator and redeemer . and indeed there is no vice or sinne in the world , whereby he winneth more to his kingdome , then by this ; because at once he purchaseth thousands of soules : so foolishly do men flocke to be the beholders of a bloudie spectacle , with inhumane desire to see the spilling of mans blood . but now to conclude this matter , it is a lamentable thing that any christian prince , or other generall commander , should permit so pernicious and so damnable a thing , and consent , that vnder their authoritie it should be lawfull for one man to kill another for priuate quarrell , and they to sit themselues protribunali , to behold so vniust and cruell a fight . for they ought rather to consider , that they are gods ministers , and by his diuine prouidence called to so high and so eminent a place , not to fauour or giue reputation to the diuels works ( among which there is none more wicked then this ) but to execute his will , to which the combat is directly and expresly contrary , though it haue bin accepted and allowed by ill vse , or rather abuse , and bene entituled by the name of a custome by such as defend the same : who consider not that custome is to be obserued in good and cōmendable things , and not in wicked and vnlawfull , as this is . and if it happen that any abuse do grow and shrowd it selfe vnder the name of a custome , the same ought to be taken away and abolished ; and thereto do all philosophers agree . of which kind , this combat being manifestly one , it should be rooted out , and not suffered to continue vnder that name . for good customes are agreeable to nature , in which respect it is said , that custome is another nature . but that which is contrary to nature ( as this is ) ought not to be named a custome , but a vile abuse , be it neuer so much cloked with the name of custome : the rule whereof is prescribed by aristotle in his second booke of politikes , and should therefore not only not be permitted or maintained , but being crept in , be remoued and banished as a most pestilent and dangerous thing . and wheras aristotle in his rhetorikes saith , that reuenge is better then pardon , that is to be ruled according to the ciuill orders and constitutions of good common-weales . for he sayth not so vniuersally , but onely in respect of an orator , and ( as is said already ) he in his rhetorikes teacheth but what is requisite for an orator to consider , to perswade , and not what is meete in ciuill life , as he doth in his ethikes . and thus much this author hauing said effectually to the purpose of your demaund , i may , if you please , proceed to the former matter , from which this question hath occasioned him and vs to digresse . all the companie agreed thereunto , and hauing well allowed of the discourse , framed themselues attentiuely to heare the rest . wherefore i said , you remember well ( i doubt not ) that the next was to speake of the third master of the kings son ; who after the good instructions giuen by the former two to their disciple , taught him that his appetite was in all things to be subject to reason , and that he ought neuer to suffer himselfe to be drawne from that which was honest by any inticement : for that honestie was the end and scope of all vertue . he sought to perswade him , that the chiefest thing that maketh a king to be knowne for a king , was to know how to rule himselfe before he ruled others , and to master his owne appetites rather then other mens . so the first hauing fashioned him to religion , and the second to truth , this third framed him to be temperate and iust . whereby it came to passe , that although he know himselfe to be aboue the law , yet did he not onely not seeke to ouer-rule the law , but became a law to himselfe : so as he was neuer led , either by loue or hatred , in his iudgements ( whether he punished or rewarded , nor by anger , or desire to benefite any man ) from that which was iust and honest . thus holding vnder reasons awe the disordinate appetites of his mind , with the direct rule of iustice , ( vnder which , plato saith , all vertues are contained , because it is grounded vpon truth ) he alwayes directed his actions to the marke of honestie , euer doing good , but neuer harming any . and knowing , that who so is subject to his owne appetites , deserueth not the title of a free man , much lesse of a king : he framed himselfe to be most continent , and shewed in himself an example of honest life and behauior to all his subjects . his benignitie he declared to them by his liberalitie , and by shewing more care of the publike good then of his owne ; and that he would rather giue of his owne , then take from them their goods . with his mildnesse and affabilitie he made himselfe singularly beloued , and wan their hearts , and with gentlenesse in word and deed , and with loue towards his people , & truth in al his actions , he made them vnderstand that indeed he approched as neare to god in these excellent qualities , as a mortall man could do . by meanes whereof , no man fearing harme from him , he was beloued and reuerenced as a god among them . now hauing learned of his three first masters , religion , prudence and wisedome , truth , iustice and temperance , with those other vertues belonging vnto them ; the fourth then taught him all that appertained to fortitude , and made him vnderstand , that onely he is to be esteemed a man of fortitude and valour . , who can hold a meane betweene furie and feare . and that when occasion of perill and danger is offred vnto him , bearing with it honestie , and wherein he might make shew of his vertue and courage , did readily embrace and take hold of the same . and that albeit he were deare to himselfe , in respect of those vertues which he knew himselfe to be possessed of ; yet esteeming more an honest and a glorious death then a naturall and reprochfull life , he would make no difficultie to hazard his life for the benefite of his countrey , knowing that an honorable end would be crowned with immortall fame . and forasmuch as it is seldome seene , that men can vse this princely vertue as it ought to be vsed , and when it should be vsed , with such other circumstances as are requisite thereto ; therefore did his master instruct him and make him vnderstand , that he which matcheth not his naturall courage with prudence , and those other vertues , which the former masters had taught him , could not rightly be called a valiant man. and how that this vertue , being stirred vp by magnanimitie , stoutly pursued honest things without respect of difficulties : and that though things formidable and terrible be naturally shunned of men , yet the valiant man despiseth them , and feeleth them not in respect of iustice and honestie , whereby such men became equall to the gods , as poets fained . and that if prudence and temperance were not ioyned with this royall vertue of fortitude , the same was turned into foolish hardinesse . and because his disciple should know how to auoid this vice , he declared to him how such men as , to auoyde infamie , onely exercised their valour , and exposed their liues to perill , or onely to purchase honour , were not to be called properly valorous men ; but they onely who for honesties sake made triall of their valour , because honestie is the onely end of vertue , by which humane felicitie is to be atchieued . and that he likewise was not to be accompted valiant , who for feare of paine or punishment , tooke in hand fearefull and dangerous enterprises , nor yet they that through long experience in warfare , or because they haue bin often in the brunt and danger of battels , went cheerfully or couragiously into the warres to fight , as it were by custome , for that they did it rather by art and practise then by free election , without the which can be no vertue . neither he that by rage and furie suffered himselfe to be transported to attempt any danger ; since there can be no vertue , where reason guideth not the mind . and for this cause wilde beasts ( though they be terrible and fierce by nature ) cannot be termed valiant , because they being stirred onely by naturall fiercenesse , wanting reason , do but follow their instinct , as do the lions , tygers , beares , and such other like . neuertheles he denied not but that anger might accōpany fortitude ; for that it is rather a help vnto it , then any let or impediment , so long as reason did temper them , and that it serued but for a spurre to pricke men forward in the defence of iust and honest causes . moreouer he declared vnto his scholer , that there is a kind of fortitude that hath no need of any such spurre of anger : which kind concerned the bearing of grieuous and displeasing accidents , and the moderating of a mans selfe in happie and prosperous successes . and this is that blessed vertue which neuer suffereth a man to fall from the height of his minde , being called by some men patience : who will not onely haue her to be a vertue separate from the foure principall vertues , but also that she should be aboue them . but this opinion of theirs is not well grounded , since in truth she is but a branch of fortitude : through which ( as virgil sayth ) men beare stoutly all iniuries , whether they proceed from wicked persons , or from the inconstancie and changeablenesse of fortune ; but remaineth alwayes inuincible and constant against all the crosses , thwarts and despites of fortune . this vertue is fitly described by cicero , where he saith , that it is a voluntary and constant bearing of things grieuous and difficult , for honesties sake . and in the scriptures it is said , that it is better for a man to beare with inuincible courage such things , then to be otherwise valiant , or to hazard himself , how , where , & when it is fit . for who so beareth stoutly aduersities , deserueth greater commendation and praise then they which ouercome their enemies , or by force win cities or countries , or otherwise defend their owne , because he ouercometh him selfe , and mastereth his owne affects and passions . hauing respect to these things , this wise schoole-master shewed his disciple , that the valiant man was like a square solid body , as is the die , whereunto aristotle also agreeth , which in what sort soeuer it be throwne , euer standeth vpright : so he being still the same man , which way soeuer the world frame with him , or the malice and enuie of wicked men , or the freakes of fortune tosse him ; which fortune , some call the queene of worldly accidents , though , as a blind cause , she alwayes accompanieth her selfe with ignorance . moreouer he added that hope of gaine or profit ought not to moue a man to put his life in apparant danger : for if it chanced ( as often it doth ) that the hope began to quaile , forthwith courage failed withall , and the enterprise was abandoned , because vaine conceiued hope , and not free choice of vertue had guided him . a thing which neuer happeneth to them that in honest causes hazard their liues . for though any vnexpected terror chance vnto them , so as on the sudden they cannot deliberate what were best to do : yet euen by habite which they haue made in the vertue of fortitude , they loose not their courage ; but the more difficult and fearefull the accident appeareth , the more stoutly will they resist and oppose themselues against the same . likewise he declared to him , that it was not true fortitude , when men ( not knowing what the danger was which they entred into ) did vndertake any perillous enterprise : for it must be iudgement , and not ignorance , that shall stirre men to valorous attempts . neither yet that they were to be esteemed properly valiant , who like wilde sauage beasts , moued by rage and fury , sought reuenge , and to hurt them that had prouoked them to wrath : for such were transported by passion , and not guided by reason . last of all he concluded that he was iustly to be accounted a man of valour , who feared not euerie thing that was perillous , yet of some things would be afraid . so as true fortitude should be a conuenient mean betweene rashnesse and fearefulnesse : the effect whereof was to be ready and hardie to vndertake dangerous actions , in such time , place , and maner as befitted a man of vertue ; and for such causes as reason commanded him so to do : and because the doing thereof was honest and commendable , and the contrary was dishonest and shamefull . all these points did this worthy schoolmaster seeke to imprint in the yong princes mind , that he might become stout and haughtie of courage , to the end that he ( who was borne to rule and commaund ) might not through any sudden or vnlooked for accidents be daunted with feare , or become base and cowardly minded : nor yet by ouermuch rashnesse or furie waxe fierce and cruell ; but with mild , yet awfull behauiour , gouerne and commaund the people subject vnto him . these were the seeds of vertue , which these wise and worthy masters did cast into the tender mindes of those yong princes , from whence ( as out of a fertile soile ) they hoped to reape in their riper yeares fruite answerable to their labour and trauell . and this is all ( said i ) that this author hath discoursed vpon this matter , and as much ( i suppose ) as is needfull for the education of children , till they come to yeares of more perfection , wherein they may begin to guide themselues . and then sir robert dillon ( who as well as the rest had giuen a very attentine eare to the whole discourse ) sayd : truly these were right good and worthy documents , and meete to traine a prince vp vertuously ; neither could any other then a glorious issue be expected of so vertuous principles and education . and though this diligence and care were fitting for so high an estate as the son of a mightie monarke , yet hath the declaration therof bin both pleasing and profitable to this companie , and may well serue for a patterne to be followed by priuate gentlemen , though not with like circumstances ; since the same vertues serue as well for the one as for the other to guide them the way to that ciuill felicitie , whereof our first occasion of this dayes discourse began . but euening now hasting on , and the time summoning vs to draw homeward , we will for this present take our leaues of you ; hauing first giuen you harty thanks for our friendly entertainment , especially for this part thereof , whereby with your commendable trauell in translating so good and so necessary a worke , you haue yeelded vs no small delight , but much more profite ; which i am bold to say as well for all the companie as for my selfe : whereunto they all accorded . but , said the lord primate , we must not forget one point of your speech , which was , that you tied vs to a condition of three dayes assembly ; that as the author had deuided his work into three dialogues , so we should giue you three dayes time to runne ouer euery day one of his dialogues . supposing therefore that you haue finished his first , we will to morrow ( if this company please to giue their consent thereunto ) be here to vnderstand whether he haue as sufficiently set downe rules for the fashioning a yong man to the course of vertue , as he hath done for the education of his childhood . therefore you may looke for vs , & prepare your tongue , as we will bring attentiuenesse to heare his doctrine by your study made ready for our vnderstanding . and so they departed all together towards the citie . the second dayes meeting , and discourse of ciuill life . when the next morning was come , which appeared faire and cleare , the companie ( which the day before had bin with me ) came walking to my house , all , saue onely m. smith the apothecary , whose businesse being of another sort , was not so desirous to spend his time in hearing discourses of that nature , which brought no profit to his shop . and being entred into the house , they found me ready to go walke abroade to take the sweete and pleasant ayre : wherefore though they had already had a good walke from the citie thither , being somewhat more then a mile ; yet were they not vnwilling to beare me companie , and would needs go with me . so i led them vp the hill to the little mount , which standeth aboue my house , along a pleasant greene way , which i had planted on both sides with yong ashes : from whence hauing the prospect not onely of the citie , but also of the sea and hauen , we there sate vs downe , and some commending the ayre , some the delightfulnesse of the view , we spent the time in sundry speeches , vntil one of the seruants came to summon vs to walk home to dinner . whereupon returning home , and finding the meate on the table , we sate vs downe ; i telling them that they found a philosophers dinner , for so i would now begin to take vpon me to entitle my selfe , since they had made me ( at the lest ) the trucheman or interpreter of one that was worthy that name . and that i had the rather prepared no greater store of meate for them , because i would imitate the temperance of a philosopher , as we were in number a conuenient companie for a philosophicall dinner . why , said the lord primate , what meane you by that ? is there any determinate companie appointed for such meales as are fit for philosophers ? yea sir , quoth i , if my memory faile me not , i haue read that to such refections as might as wel feed the mind as the body , there would not be any such great company of guests inuited , as by the confusion of their talke and communication , the serious and yet delightful discourses that might be proposed , should not be imparted to all , nor yet so few , as for want of matter the same were to be omitted . therfore it was determined that the number should be betweene the graces and the muses , that is to say , not vnder three , nor aboue nine . we are therefore a fit companie for a philosophicall dinner . , and your entertainment shall be according for your cheere . wel , said sir robert dillō , you shal need no shifts with vs , for as we wil not cōmend your cheere ( which is the thing is cōmonly begged by the excusing of want of meate ) so shal you not need to take any care , either for the satisfying of our appetites with dainty fare , or to entertaine vs with philosophicall discourses at dinner : for we expect such a at your hands after dinner in that kind , as we shall the better passe ouer our dinner without them , which we desire in that respect may be the shorter , to the end that our bodies being fed temperatly , our mindes may be the sharper set to fall to those other dainties which you haue prepared for vs. yea but let not our dinner i pray you ( said captaine dawtrey ) be so temperate for sir robert dillons words , but that we may haue a cup of wine : for the scripture telleth vs that wine gladdeth the heart of man. and if my memory faile me not , i haue read , that the great banket of the sages of greece , described by plutarke , was not without wine ; & then i hope a philosophical dinner may be furnished with wine : otherwise , i will tell you plainly , i had rather be at a camping dinner then at yours , howsoeuer your rerebanket will haply be as pleasing to me as to the rest of the company whereat the rest laughing pleasantly , i called for some wine for captaine dawtrey ; who taking the glasse in his hand , held it vp a while betwixt him and the window , as to consider the colour : and then putting it to his nose , he seemed to take comfort in the odour of the same . then said the lord primate , i thinke ( captain dawtrey ) that you meane to make a speculation vpon that cup of wine , you go so orderly to worke , as if you were to examine him vpon his qualities ; whereof two principall you haue already resolued your selfe of , by the testimony of your two principall senses . the colour , we all determine with you is good , the smell seemeth not to mislike you : it is consequent therefore that when you haue drunke it vp , you will also resolue vs whether all three the qualities concurring together , it may deserue the title of vinum cos or no : for such was the wine wont to be entituled among the ancient romanes , that caried the reputation to be the best . and what ( i pray you , said i ) might be the cause that their best wine was so called ? for i haue heard that question sundry times demaunded , but i could neuer heare it yet answered sufficiently to my satisfaction . it is no maruell ( sayd the lord primate ) for although the matter haue bin long in controuersie , and debated by many ful learned men , and among them some that loued wine so well , as their experience might make them beleeue that their verdit shold be very sound ; yet for ought i find , we may say adhuc sub iudice lis est . some say it should be taken for vinum cossentinum , as coming from a territory so named , which commonly bare the best wines neare about rome . others interprete it by letters , saying that cos is to be taken for corpori omnino saluberrimum . but they that presume most to haue hit the marke , say that it is so to be vnderstood , that cos should signifie the wine to be best by these three qualities , which captaine dawtrey seemeth to insist vpon , that is to say , coloris , odoris , and saporis ; which three recōmending a wine , it cannot but be called very good . and this is as much as i haue read or heard , and will be content to be of the iurie with captaine dawtrey to giue my verdit whether this of yours be such or no. in good faith ( said captaine dawtrey ) if i be the foreman of the iurie , as i haue bin the first to taste the wine , i will pronounce it to be indeed singular good , and well deseruing the title of cos : for all three those qualities which you haue sayd wine is to be commended for . if the wine be good ( said i ) you may be sure i am right glad , as well because i haue it to content such my good friends , as because i haue made my prouision for my self so well ; whereby i hope you will all thinke me worthy to be a taster for the queenes aduantage , and my office to be well bestowed vpon me , since i can taste a cuppe of wine so well ; for it is indeed of mine owne choice . marry sir ( said m. dormer , who had euen then finished his draught ) me thinkes it fareth not with you according to the common prouerbe , which saith , that none goeth worse shod then the shoomakers wife : for in good sooth this is a cup of wine fit to recommend your taste , and consequently your selfe to be employed in your office . but since you asked my lord primate the meaning of vinum cos : and withall said that you neuer heard that question answered to your contentment ; let vs ( i pray you ) heare what is your conceit therein , and whether you can giue any more probable sence thereof then those which he hath told vs. nay in good faith , said i , that wil i not presume to do ; for i am not so affected to mine owne conceits , as to preferre them before other mens . a better interpretation i will not therefore offer vnto you : but if you will needs haue me tell you how i , among others , conceiue of that vinum cos : which is read of , i thinke that it was so called for that the custome being in those dayes , that wheresoeuer the romane consul came , when he went in his iorney towards his gouernment , or els within his prouince , they of the good townes or cities presented him with such dainties as the place affoorded , and specially with the choisest wines that were there to be had , thereupon the best and most excellent wine was termed vinum consulare , to wit , such as of choise was taken for the consul himselfe . and the common abbreuiation of consul being written in all auncient authors with these three letters cos : so commeth vinum cos : to be vnderstood ( as i haue said ) for vinum consulare , which was the best . and this is my opinion , which if it be worthy to be admitted to go in companie with the rest , i will not desire it should go before them : and if you will be pleased to accept of this my interpretation of vinum cos : together with the wine which you say is so good , and let the same supply the badnesse of your fare , ( wherein my wife hath the greatest fault ) i shal go the more cheerfully to the rest of my taske , which i am comforted by your speeches , you are so well disposed vnto , as it maketh you hasten to make an end of your bad dinner . fruite therefore being brought , and the table taken vp , sir robert dillon said ; it is an approoued opinion of all antiquitie , that after dinner a man should sit a while , and after supper walk a mile : we must not therefore so suddenly rise from dinner to go to our rerebanket ; yet may we gather vp some of the crums of yesterdayes feast , how full soeuer our bellies be with the good meate we haue eaten here . i remember then that the substance of a childs education , that was to be set in the right way to his ciuill felicitie , was yesterday declared by the example of the order held by the kings of persia , in the training of their sons , which were to succeed them in their kingdome . which order , though it were both pleasing and profitable to be vnderstood , and that with change of circumstances it might well serue for the direction of a priuate gentleman how to bring vp his child : yet i for my part thinke that it would haue bin very good that there had bin set downe a course more particularly , in what learning or study of the liberal arts the child should haue bin exercised . for i haue found by experience , that the care and diligence of parents may aduance very much the forwardnesse of their children , so as some being well plied , shall not onely reade perfectly , but be also well forward in his grammer , when the other of like wit and capacitie shall for lacke of plying drag and come very farre behind . that is ( said i ) most true , and i can verifie it in my self ; for such was my fathers care ( who not onely in the education of his children , but also in the ordering of his houshold , was second to no man of his degree that euer i knew ) as before i was full fiue yeares of age , i had gone through mine accidence , & was sent to schoole to tunbridge , miles frō london , and if either the aire of the place , or some other disposition of my body had not hindred my health by a quartaine ague that tooke me there , i might haue bin a forward scholer in my grāmer at yeres old , and haue bin ready to haue accompanied my learning with those corporall exercises which by some are set downe as fit to be vsed by children betweene the yeares of fiue and ten , as well to harden their bodies and to make them apt for the wars ( if their disposition be thereunto ) as for health . but by that vnhappie accident , not onely the health and strength of my body , but my learning also met with a shrewd checke , which i could neuer sithens recouer sufficiently . neuerthelesse as much as my father could performe , he omitted not to haue me trained both to my booke and to other exercises agreeable to his calling & abilitie , following ( as i suppose ) such precepts as he had found set downe by some worthy authors treating of that matter . the exact forme of which education perhaps is hard to be obserued , but by such as haue together with a fatherly and vigilant care , wealth and meanes answerable to finde in their owne houses schoole-masters to instruct and fashion their children according to those rules and precepts . for by them , before the child attaine the age of . yeares , he should not only haue learned his grammer , but also logike , rhetorike , musike , poetrie , drawing and perspectiue , and be skilfull at his weapons , nimble to runne , to leape and to wrestle , as exercises necessary vpon all occasions where fortitude is to be employed for the defence of his countrey and prince , his friends , and of his faith and religion . and this is that which i conceiue your meaning was , when you said , that you thought it had bin needfull there had bin some more particular course set downe for the dispensing of the childs time in his learning . all which piccolomini hath so exactly set downe in his learned booke of morall institution , written first in the italian tongue , as it may seeme he rather proposed or set foorth a perfect child , as cicero hath a perfect orator , and castiglione a perfect courtier , then that it were easie to bring vp or traine any in that sort or according to that patterne . and therefore since that which our author hath sayd of the education of the kings children of persia , seemeth enough if it be fitly applied for the instruction of any children during their childhood , we may ( if you please ) now proceede to his second dialogue , treating of the instruction of a yong man from his childhood forward : for i haue made ready my papers , so as i hope without much interruptiō i may in english deliuer vnto you his mind , set downe in his owne language , though not with like smoothnesse of style . but since yesterday i heard you find no fault , i may the better be encouraged to go on this day with my plaine manner of penning , though it be vnpolished . yea marry , answered sir robert dillon , very willingly : and all the company assenting thereunto , i arose , intreating them not to stirre , for that i would presently returne vnto them with my bookes . which being done , and euery man lending an attentiue eare , thus i began : as yesterday the infancy or childhood of man was resembled vnto that part of the soule which giueth life , and is called vegetatiue , being the foundation of the other parts : so must youth now be likened to that part which giueth sense and feeling , and is named sensitiue . and as it is harder to rule two horses to guide a coach or charret then one : so is there farre greater difficultie in guiding a yong man then a child : for he is stirred much more with passions then the simple age of a child , and is more violently caried away with things that delight him ; because he hath now the second power of the soule in force to draw him , which for the most part is much more contrary to reason then the first . for wheras that first coueted only that which was profitable , and which might nourish the bodie without any great regard of that which was honest , as whereof it had no knowledge at all ; this other being wholy bent to delight , respecteth little any other thing : which delight hauing greatest force in yong mindes , draweth them sundry wayes , and by allurements maketh them so much the more greedy to attaine the things they take pleasure in , as the spurres wherewith they be pricked are more sharpe and poignant . this appeareth by their actions most manifestly . for hunting egerly after pleasure , they are neuer quiet vntill they compasse their desires : and albeit that their desires be vehement in euery thing they fancie , yet do they most of all discouer themselues in the lusts of the flesh , which in them are firie , by reason of the abundance of blood and naturall heate that is in them , increasing those their disordinate desires beyond measure , yea they grow infinite in them , and variable , as themselues are inconstant misliking this day that , which yesterday they liked ; which proceedeth onely because their said desires are not forged in that part of the mind where reason hath her firme seate , and proper dwelling . to this imperfectiō of lust , is also added the violent motion of anger , to which they are subiect , and thereby soone drawne from the course of reason and iustice . by this passion are they prouoked to enter in to debate and quarrels vpon euery light occasion , and as people desirous of honour and reputation , as soone as they thinke they receiue any iniury , they feare no perill nor danger of their liues , but boldly and rashly vndertake to fight , led by a desire of reuenge , and hope to haue the victorie ouer their enemies . of money or goods they make smal reckoning , through lacke of experience , because of their youth , and want of prudence , which groweth from experience : and therefore little know they , how necessary the goods of fortune are to humane life , and into what inconueniences they fall that are without them . so as they spend and consume without discretion , not regarding the time to come , but supposing the world will alwayes be at one stay . they be easily deceiued , not knowing the saying of epicarmus , that not to beleeue rashly was the sinewes of wisedome , and because they consider not how variable are the resolutions of this world and humane affaires , they are euer full of good hope , seldome fearing that any thing may befall them other then wel : which hope layeth open the way to such as lie in waite to intrap them and deceiue them . they seeme likewise to haue a touch of magnanimity , by reason of the heate of their youth , which stirreth them vp to vndertake great matters , but yet inconsideratly , as folke moued rather by nature then by election : and so are they inclined rather to attempt things seeming honorable , then things profitable . they loue their friēds much more feruently then any other age , because they delight more in company , and measure not friendship by profit or by honestie , but onely by their delight , as they find them conformable to their appetites . they flie easily into that which is in all things vicious , that is , too much ; which too much , is harmeful euen in iustice it self : whereupon is growne ( i thinke ) our english prouerbe , that too much of a mans mothers blessing is not good : not considering the precept of chilo , who with three words taught the summe and effect of all vertue , ne quid nimis . whereby we may vnderstand , that vertue consisteth in the meane betweene two extremes , which on either side are too much or too little , wherein yong men do most incline to that extreme of too much : for they loue too much , they hate too much , they hope too much , they feare too much , they trust too much , they spend too much , they beleeue too much , they presume too much : and by presuming too much , they build more then they ought to do vpon the vncertaine and variable chances of fortune , without setting before their eyes those good courses by which men through vertuous and commendable acts do attaine a happie life . and this is the cause why they giue so deafe an eare to friendly admonitions , and to wise & graue aduice & counsel . for they , not knowing their owne ignorance , thinke they know all things , such is the quicknesse and vehemencie of spirit which raigneth in them , and giueth them a certaine shadow of nobilitie of courage , by which they presume they are able to do all things of themselues well and commendably ; but they find themselues farre deceiued when they come to the triall . they do oftentimes iniury to others , rather vnaduisedly then maliciously of purpose to harme or offend . and hauing generally a good opinion of all men , simply measuring others words by their owne hart : they are soone moued to compassion and pittie . they delight exceedingly ( as voide of care ) to laugh , to sport , and to be merrie : and with quips and biting speeches to taunt their fellowes , and such as conuerse with them : and heare more willingly pleasant conceits and merrie tales , then graue sayings or auncient admonitions of wise and learned men . in faith ( said captaine norreis ) you haue painted or described a yong man in so strange a figure , as to me it seemeth , i see a monster before mine eyes , with moe heads then the auncient poets said that hydra had , the same that gaue hercules so much to do to ouercome her : and it is to be maruelled , that all yong men are not soone weary of that age , which bringeth with it such varietie of imperfections , and all contrary to reason and vertue . you make vs almost to conceiue an opinion , that there can be no art nor prudence sufficient to deliuer vs from such a multitude of errors that enuiron vs on euery side . if there were cause of complaint that youth should be thus described , said i , yet am not i the man you should complaine of , but rather of mine author , or of aristotle , who long before described the same euē as he hath done : and of horace in like sort , who taking the matter out of aristotle , concluded it in substance much like , though in fewer words , saying : the yong man on whose face no beard yet shewes , when first he creepeth out of others charge , delights to haue both horse and hound at will , with them to hunt , and beate the woods and fields , like waxe to vice is easie to be wrought , and sowre to them that tell him of his fault : too late he learnes his profit for to know , and in expence , aye too too lauish still , his heart is high , and full of hote desires , and soone he loathes that earst he loued deare . and truly the nature of a young man is very perillous , and vnapt of it selfe to be ruled and directed to any good course ; partly because of the ignorance accompanying that age , and partly for that following the vanities and delights which the worser part of the soule or mind doth set before him , he respecteth not that which is honest and vertuous , as a thing he neuer knew or tasted . and therefore being intent onely to pleasures and delights , he considereth not any thing but what is present before him . for wanting ( as is said ) experience , meete to foresee accidents to come , he beleeueth much more them that intice him & flatter him , by praising all he doth , then those men that reproue or check him for doing ill , or shew him the way to vertue , by telling him the truth . neither is there any thing that more setteth a yong man astray from the course of vertue , then flattery : and specially are yong princes to take heede thereof , about whom are continually flatterers to winne their fauor , and by harming them with that subtil engin , to purchase to themselues as much gaine & profit as they can . these , who ( as aristotle saith ) bend all their wits to euill , with continuall lying and soothing , make yong men beleeue that they are excellent in all things aboue course of nature ; whereunto they ( simple ) giuing a readier eare then they should , become so blind and foolish , that they discerne not their owne good : but pricked forward with those false praises , apply themselues to that onely which is pleasant and delightfull , and become a prey vnto their flatterers , who like parasites affirme all that they heare their master say , and denie whatsoeuer he denieth . in which respect diogenes did right well say , that flatterers were worse then crowes , who feed but on the carcasses of the dead , but these iolly companions deuoure the mindes of men aliue , making them become ( as seneca saith ) foolish or mad . frō whose conceit epicarmus varied not much , who said , that crows pick out the eyes but of dead carcasses , but flatterers pick out the eyes of the mind , whiles men are yet aliue . and to say truly , this cursed generation , with their leasings and soothing , induce such as harken to them and beleeue them , to be their own foes , and to barre themselues from the attaining of true glory , whiles they make them glory in the false praises of wicked flatterers . who to the end they may be the better beleeued when they flatter , vse all art possible to shew themselues affectioned ( though counterfetly ) to them , in whose harts they seeke to poure their poison . for they kill in them all seeds of vertue , and they take from them the knowledge of themselues , and of all truth : to which , flattery is a most pestilent and mortall enemie . and happy might indeed princes thinke themselues , if they had about them men that would frankly and resolutely resist the attempts of flatterers , such as was anaxarcus eudemonicus about alexander the great . this anaxarcus misliking that alexāder throgh the flattery & false praises of such as magnified his acts , grew so prowd , as he wold needs be esteemed a god , & seeing on a time his physition to bring him a potion to ease the griefe of his disease when he was sicke , said , is it not a wofull case , that the health of our god should consist in a draught of licour and drugs composed by a man ? words full wel beseeming the sincere mind of a free harted man. as on the other side it was vile adulation which demades the athenian vsed , who being at an assembly of councell , proposed a decree , by which he would haue had alexander to be reputed for the thirteenth of the great gods. but the people perceiuing his flattering purpose and small reuerence to diuine things , condemned him in a fine of an hundred talents . if princes , and such as manage states , would follow this example , and haue an eye to such fellowes , there would not be such store of sycophants as now a dayes there are ; and the vertues and merites of honest men , worthy honour and fauour , would be better knowne and regarded then they are ; and rewards and recompences would be giuen to such men , and not to flatterers , who seeke to put them besides themselues . this i say of such as suffer themselues to be seduced by these charmers , but not of wise princes , who giue no more eare to their inchantments , then doth the serpent to the charmer ; because they know that their praises and soothings are but strāgling morsels smeared ouer with hony . philip of macedon , the father of alexander , had a flatterer in his court , called cisofus ( or as some say cleophus ) who did not onely affirme and deny all that philip sayd or denied , but also on a time when philip had a sore eye , and ware some band or scarfe before it , he in like manner came before the king with the like : and another time when philip hauing hurt one of his legs , limped vpon it , and had clothes wrapped about it , the flatterer came likewise with his leg so wrapped and halting into the court ; seeking thus not only by his words as other parasites do , but also with his gestures and whole body to transforme the king , and put him beside himselfe . but although philip tooke delight in this skim of men , yet could they neuer draw him by their charming to incurre those vices which his sonne ranne into : who albeit he was of a most noble nature and mind , yet did he so much attribute to these bad companions , and was so caried away with their flattering praises , that he could not endure the truth that calisthenes told him , but miserably slue him , spotting with so cruell and barbarous a fact , all that euer he did before or after , were it neuer so noble and worthy of glorie . but contrariwise , agesilaus did so despise and hate all flatterers , that he wold neuer giue any man leaue to commend his vertues , but onely such as had authoritie to reprehend his vices . whereas alexander was so distraught & rauished with the delight of such flatterers , that he not onely suffered himselfe to be perswaded by them that he was the sonne of iupiter , but became also so foolish as to endure sacrifices to be made vnto him , and to be worshipped like a god. from which folly he could neuer be brought , vntill such time as he was grieuously wounded in an incounter with an arrow . out of which his wound deposippus the athenian wrastler seeing the blood to run aboundantly , said , to taxe alexanders vaine glory ; why then , do the gods immortal bleed as we mortal men do ? which his words alexander hearing , and feeling the pain and smart of his wound , he perceiued himself to be mortall and no god ; opening thereby in such sort the eyes of his mind , as whē anaxander the philosopher ( though vnworthy that name because he was a flatterer ) standing once by alexander when it thundred , asked him , whether it were he that had caused that thunder-cracke , as the son of iupiter ? no , said he , mildly reiecting his flattery , i will cause no such terror vnto men . and another time when a medicine which he had taken troubled him grieuously in the working , and nicesias had said vnto him , what shall we mortall men do , if ye gods endure such paine and agonie ? he looking angrily vpon him , answered , what gods ? i feare me rather that the gods do hate vs. this noble king likewise , after sicknesse and hurts had made him know himselfe , did a worthy and noble act towards aristobulus the historiographer . for this aristobulus hauing written a booke of the deeds of alexander , and being with him in boate vpon the riuer hidaspe in india , he besought leaue that he might reade his booke vnto him : which when he had obtained , and that alexander perceiued , by the vntrue reports made in his praise beyond all measure , that he was a flatterer , and no historiographer : despising his shamelesse flattery , he tooke the booke out of his hands , in a rage throwing it into the riuer , and fiercely turning to him , said , thou wretch , thou hast thy selfe deserued to be throwne after thy booke , since thou hast not bin ashamed to set downe to the memory of posteritie the reports of my acts in such a false and flattering manner . by this , which we haue sayd , may easily be gathered , that they , who once giue eare to flattery , cannot discerne the harme and deceit of flatterers towards them , vntill some bitter storme or crosse of froward fortune befall them , to open their eyes , and to giue them to vnderstand how they haue bin deceiued by such lying companions , and harmed more then by their mortall enemies . which thing this wicked generation well considering , lest princes should perceiue their flatterie , they neuer cease , as soone as they haue gotten trust and credit by their lies , to vse all meanes and deuices possible , to put into their disgrace and hatred all such as they think may be like to discouer their subtilties , and to make knowne the harme which they procure . to which purpose of inuenting false and colourable causes , they labor to remoue them from being about the prince , that they may the better turne topsie-turuie all at their pleasure . by this meanes they so blind the eyes of those poore princes whom they possesse , that whiles they are in prosperitie they not onely loue them and hold them deare , but also bestow vpon them offices , lands , and great lordships . as by philip before named it appeared , who made thrasideus the flatterer , lord of his countrey , though otherwise he were a man of little worth and wisedome . and that philip who was the last king of macedon ouercome by the romanes , had a flatterer in his court , whose name was proclides : who albeit he were a stranger ( to wit , a tarentine ) and a very vaine fellow , yet crept he so farre into the said kings fauour , that he was able to breede great broyles and troubles in the kingdome . these and such like inconueniences would not happen , if the ignorance of yong men ( not discerning themselues ) did not open the way to flattery , and leade her as it were by the hand into the presence of princes , inducing them to delight in her . hereof i haue spoken the more , because , the number of flatterers being infinite , and very many those that by them are blinded and seduced to esteeme them and raise them into reputation , all yong gentlemen , and princes specially might be forewarned of the harme they may do vnto them , if before they offer their poison of lies and soothing praises , they be not armed to repulse their practises , and aduertised of their snares . which thing the thessalians considering , when they had takē a citie called melia , they razed it , only because it bare the name of flattery in the greeke language , so much did they hate and abhorre euen the name of so abhominable a vice . and where some princes haply think themselues wise inough to take heed of such caterpillers , and therefore care not to rid their courts of them : let them assure themselues that therein they do like men that will feede on hurtfull meates , and presume they shal not offend their stomacks . for these gallants can so cunningly watch and espie their times to worke their feate , that in the end they cast out their poison , and infect their minds with some fawning deuice or other before they be aware : so as there is no other meanes to auoid this mischiefe , but onely to keepe it farre off , and not to suffer it to approch . true it is neuerthelesse , that if princes ( hauing flatterers about them ) would looke well into themselues , and learne the precept of nosce teipsum ( which onely precept is of such importance , as without it no mā cā be happie ) they might reape profit by their flattery : not by delighting in it , but by vsing it as a rule or a square to examine their mindes and their actions by . for when they shall find themselues praised and magnified by any flatterer , they wil endeuor themselues to garnish their minds with those vertues , for which they were by him commended and extolled , and were not before in thē ; to the end they might afterwards be truly and deseruingly praised for the same by men of vertue and honestie , whose propertie is to exalt and celebrate the actions of worthy and famous men , and not to lie and flatter , to purchase fauour to themselues , and to draw ruine vpon the heads of those that they shal haue put besides their wit , as flatterers do . diogenes was so great an enemy to flattery , that he chose rather to liue in his tub , then in the courts of mightie princes , who offered him fauour and entertainment , disdaining to haue abundance of things gotten by so vile a vice . contrariwise aristippus , though he were one of the disciples of socrates , did so degenerate from the doctrine and behauior of his master , that he became a parasite to dionysius tyrant of sicile , esteeming more the profit he got that way , thē the reputation he might haue won by the profession of philosophie : and grew in the end to be of so base a mind , that although the tyrant did spit in his face , yet would he not be angry ; but being rebuked for enduring so vile a disgrace , he laughing at them that rebuked him , sayd : if fisher-men to take a small fish can be content to go to sea , and to be washed all ouer with the waues ; shall not i endure that the king with a little spittle wet me , to the end i may catch a whale ? this same aristippus seeing diogenes on a day to wash a few herbes which he had gathered for his supper , he said to him : go to sirra , if you would frame your selfe to follow the humor of princes , you should not need to feed vpon herbes . neither thou ( said diogenes ) if thou knewest thy selfe to be ( i will not say ) a philosopher , but a man , thou wouldst not be ( as thou art ) the dog of dionysius . for dogs for their meate fawne vpon their masters ; and so did this philosopher shew how base and vile a thing it is to be a flatterer . which , by this digression , my author hath in like sort laboured to make apparant by reasons and examples . but now returning to his former matter , because he hath rather shewed the harme that comes by flattery , and how it increaseth vice in yong mens minds , then instructed them which way to roote it out , you shall heare how he goeth about to pull vp the ill weeds that choke the naturall good seeds in their minds , that by the increase of the good , they may haue sufficient store to furnish them in the way of their felicitie . it is already declared what bad qualities and conditions the two worser powers of the soule stirre vp in yong mens minds , for that they be mightie and vehement , and apt to oppose themselues against reason , and to resist her . and how reason in yong folkes is scarce felt or perceiued , such is the force of the two foresaid faculties , which draw them to lustfull appetites and disordinate passions . the cause whereof , heraclitus ascribeth to the humiditie , wherwith these two ages abound : for it seemed to him that drinesse was the cause of wisedome , and therefore sayd , that the wisest mind was nothing else but a drie light . to which opinion galen leaning , thought the starres to be most wise because they be most drie . but leauing them with their opinions , and imputing the cause onely to the worser powers or faculties of the soule , let vs follow our two first chosē guides , aristotle & plato . they say then , that the soule which giueth sense or feeling , and containeth in it the other that giueth life , is not yet so rebellious against reason , but that she maybe subdued , and brought to be obedient . so as you must not think , but that youth , though it be incombred with those passions and desires before mentioned , may neuerthelesse be directed to that good course which leadeth man to his most perfect end in this life , and for which all vertues are put in action . for aboue or ouer these two powers or faculties , is placed a third , like a ladie or queene to commaund if she be not hindred in the execution of her charge . and if these two vnruly and wild powers , which are the spring and fountaine head of all disordinate affections , be once wel tamed and broken , they do no lesse obey her cōmaundements , then the wel taught horses obey the coach-man . for we are all drawne as it were by two vnbridled colts in this life , by these two baser powers of the soule . wherof the one sheweth it self in most vigour and strength in childhood , and the other in youth . concerning the first of which , aristotle and his master do disagree . but when they both are ioyned together , and strong , they become the more vnruly , vnlesse the former ( as was said yesterday ) be well tamed and made meeke by good instruction and diligent care of education . for if childhood be fashioned according to the good precepts of the learned ; that first power commeth humble & obedient to be coupled with the other , and thereby is there the lesse labor requisite for him that shall haue the guiding of them both in youth . but in youth described euen now , as you haue heard , in whom both these faculties are rude and vndisciplined , the passions are altogether incited and ruled by the naturall powers . for though nature ( if she be not hindred ) bring forth her effects perfectly in respect of their substances ; yet are they often vnperfect in regard of the accidents . and for this cause is art and industry needful to induce vertuous habits , to supply that wherin nature accidentally may be defectiue . whereby it cometh to passe , that although the vertues and faculties of the soule haue all that which nature can giue vnto them ; yet haue they need of mans wit and discipline to bring forth laudable and perfect operations . and this is done by that part of philosophie which is called morall , because from it we do draw the forme of good manners , which being actually brought into the mind of a yong man , as well as by the doctrine and wise instruction of others : and so by long custome , conuerted into an habite , do breake and make supple those parts which by nature are rebellious to reason . and of so great importance is the well training vp of childhood , euen from the first , that it may be assuredly beleeued , that the youth succeeding such a childhood as was yesterday prescribed , must needs be ciuill and well disposed : and on the contrary side , that the life of such youths will be wicked and disordered , as hauing bin ill brought vp in their childhood , do enter into so hopelesse a course , as may be likely to be the foundation of all vice and wickednesse during the whole life to come . and hopelesse may they be thought indeed , who by ill doing beginne euen from their tender yeares to induce an ill habit into their minds : for from age to age after it increaseth and taketh roote in such sort , as it is almost impossible to be rooted out or taken away . neither can there be any greater euil wished to any man , then that he be ill-habituated , which thing by aelianus report , the cretans were wont to wish to their enemies whom they hated most extremely , and not without cause . for he that is fallen into an ill habite , is no lesse blind to vertuous actions , then he that wanteth his sight to things visible . and as the one is euer plunged in perpetual darknes : so doth the other liue in euerlasting night of vice , after he hath once hardned himselfe to euil . and this is the worst kind of youth that may be , which aristotle aduised should be driuen out of the citie , when neither for honesties respect , nor for admonitions , nor shame , nor for loue of vertue or feare of lawes , they could possibly be reclaimed to vertuous life . i pray you ( said captain norreis ) let me interrupt you a little , so shall you the better take breath in the meane while . i noted not long sithens a saying of your author , which me seemed somewhat strange , and that is , that the substance of the soule should be made perfect by the accidents . you say right , quoth i , but let not that seeme strange vnto you : for it ought rather to seeme strange vnto you if it were otherwise ; because the substance of euery thing is so called , by reason that it is subiect vnto accidents ; neither can there be any accident ( to which it is proper to be in some subiect ) but it must fall into some substance : and hardly would the substance perhaps be discerned by sense , but that the accidents do make it to be knowne . yet hath nature giuen to the substance all that she could giue to enable the same , to wit , that it might by nature be of it selfe alone , hauing no need of any other thing in respect of being ; and that it should be so necessary to all things else that is not a substance , as without it they should be nothing . therefore the nature of the soule is such , as the parts thereof haue their vertues and faculties perfect : but in that concerneth the directing of them to ciuill life , man cannot by nature onely compasse it , nor attaine to that end of which we treate . then said captaine norreis , if it be so , as by nature we cannot haue that wherewith we should compasse our felicitie , it must belike be in vs contrary to nature . and , all things contrary to nature , being violent , and of no continuance ; i cannot perceiue how this felicitie of ours may stand . sir ( said i ) it followeth not , that whatsoeuer is not by nature , must needs be contrary to nature . but most true it is that the meanes to guide vs to this felicitie ; or our felicity it selfe , is in vs not by nature : for if it were so , all men should naturally be happy , and by nature haue the means to purchase the same , because all men should of necessitie worke after one sort . for things naturall , vnlesse they be forced or hindered , do alwayes bring foorth the same effects , wheresoeuer they be ; and the powers which nature bestoweth , are indifferently dispensed to all alike . which thing is to be vnderstood by the vegetatiue part of the soule , which in plants and in creatures sensible attendeth onely by nature , without counsell or election , to nourish , to increase , to procreate , and to preserue : ne ceaseth at any time frō those offices , but alwaies produceth like effects in al things that haue life . and the sēsible soule euermore giueth the power and vertue of feeling to creatures sensible , and neuer altereth her operation , nor ceaseth to yeeld the same whiles life endureth , except by some strange accident she be forced . seeing therefore the diuersitie of mans will , the varietie of his operations , and how differently they vse the faculties of the soule , we must needes conclude , that in respect of ciuill life , they work not according to nature . but we must not therfore say , that their working to purchase their felicitie , and the end we speake of , is contrary to nature . for such things are properly said to be contrary to nature , as are violently forced to that which is not naturall , and whereunto they haue no aptnesse or disposition at all . as for example , if a stone ( which is naturally heauy , and therfore coueteth to moue to the center of the earth ) be cast vpward into the aire by force , it is to be said , that the motion of that stone so forced vpward is contrary to nature ; because it hath no instinct or mouing from nature to go vpward : and though it were throwne vp ten thousand times , so often wold it fal downe again , if it were not retained otherwise frō falling . and if fire , which is light , & couets to ascend , should be forced downeward , that force would be contrary to nature , and the force ceasing , it would by nature ascend again , because it hath not any vertue , or principle , or motion to descend , but onely to ascend , by which it striueth to come to the place which is proper to it by nature , as it is fire , and by which it is fire naturally . for the elements haue alwayes their essence most perfect , when they are nearest to the place assigned them by nature . but man being a creature capable of reason , and thereby apt to receiue those vertues , the seeds whereof nature hath sowne in his mind , it cannot be said , that the meanes ( by which he is to be led to so noble an end as his felicitie ) should be in him contrary to nature . for neuer any thing worketh contrary to nature , in which is the beginning of that operation that it is to do . why , said captaine norreis againe , since you say that the seeds of vertues are in our minds naturally , it seemeth strange to me that they should not bring forth generally in all men their fruite ; as the seed which is cast into the earth , springeth , buddeth , flowreth , and lastly in due seasō yeeldeth fruite according to kind . marry ( said i ) and so they do . for if mans care and industry be not applied to manure the earth diligently , and to weed out the il weeds that spring among the good seed which is sowne , they would so choke the same as it would be quite lost . and euen so , if the seeds of vertue be not holpen with continuall culture , and care taken to pul vp the vices which spring therewith , and whereof the seeds are naturally as well in our mind , as those of vertue , they wil ouer-grow and choke them , as the weeds of the garden ouer-grow and choke the good herbes planted or sowne therein . for so grow vp the disordinate appetites , vnreasonable anger , ambitions , greedie desires of wealth , of honour , wanton lusts of the flesh , and such other affections spoken of before , which haue their naturall rootes in those two baser parts of the soule deuoyde of reason . and as we see the earth , without manuring to bring forth wyld herbs and weeds more plentifully then other good seed , which by industry and labor is cast into the same : so do those passions , affects , and appetites of those baser parts of the soule , spring and grow vp thicker and faster then the vertues ; whereby ( for the more part ) the fruit of those good seeds of vertue is lost , if the mind be not diligently cleaned frō them by the care of others . and these ill qualities are in yong men the worse , when they suffer themselues to be transported without regard of reason or honestie , and their right iudgement to be corrupted , and their crooked to preuaile . which crooked iudgement is in effect the cause of all vices and ill affections , & turnes the braine , making them like drunken men , much like as coccle doth to them that feed thereupon . but this hapneth not vnto that youth which succeedeth a well fashioned childhood , such as yesterday was spoken of ; though it be not sufficient to haue a childe either well brought vp or well instructed . for a new care must be taken , and new diligence be vsed to cherish the growth of the good seeds bestowed & manured in the mind of the child : which made aristotle say , that education onely was not enough to make a man vertuous . for though the child be so well bred as hath bin prescribed , yet vnlesse some care be had to bridle it ( so vnpleasing a thing it is for youth to liue within the compasse of modestie and temperance ) it is easily turned to that part , to which pleasure and delight doth draw it . neuertheles that first culture bestowed vpon childhood , doth so much auaile , as the yong man that is disposed to hearken , to good admonitions , shall haue the lesse to do to liue vertuously , and to tame that sensitiue part which he hath onely to striue withall , and to make obedient to the rule of reason . captaine carleil then said , i pray you ( before you go any further ) let me aske this one question , why vntil now your author hauing spoken of this moral science , hath all this while made no mention of the speculatiue sciences , wherein me thinketh a yong man hath special need to be instructed ? for they also ( i suppose ) are necessary to happinesse of life . that doubt the author answereth thus , said i : vertues are generally deuided into speculatiue and practike ; or we may say , into intellectiue and actiue . the speculatiue habites are fiue in number , viz : vnderstanding , called by the latines intellectus , science , wisedome , art , and prudence . and because hitherto he hath spoken onely how men in ciuill life may attaine to be good , or decline from being euill ; and that the speculatiue sciences declare , but how wise , how learned , or how prudent they be , and not how good or vertuous they be : and that these two first ages are not of capacitie sufficient to embrace them , therefore he reserueth the treating thereof vntill a fitter time , which the course of our speech will leade vs vnto . yea but aristotle saith ( quoth the lord primate ) that yong men may be arithmeticians and mathematicians , and finally therin wise , but yet he affirmeth that they can not be prudent . that place of aristotle ( said i ) is to be vnderstood , not of this first degree of youth , whereof the author hath spoken hitherto , but of the perfection and ripenesse that in time it may attaine , as after shall be declared when time doth serue . that time ( said captaine carleil ) we will attend . but because we see both vertues and sciences are to be learned , and that i haue heard question and doubt made of the manner of learning them , i pray let vs ▪ heare whether your author say ought thereof , and specially whether our learning be but a rememorating of things which we knew formerly , or else a learning a new . this is indeed ( said i ) no light question which mine author handleth also euen in this place : and there are on either side great and learned authors , as plato and aristotle first , whereof the one was accounted the god of philosophers , and the other the master of all learned men : and ech hath his followers , who with forcible arguments seeke to defend and maintaine the part of their master and captaine . but before we enter into that matter , you must vnderstand that plato and aristotle haue held a seuerall way each of them in their teaching . for plato from things eternall , descended to mortall things , and thence returned ( as it were by the same way ) from the earth to heauen againe ; rather affirming then proouing what he taught . but aristotle from earthly things ( as most manifest to our senses ) raised himselfe , climing to heauenly things , vsing the meane of that knowledge which the senses giue , frō which his opiniō was , that al humane knowledge doth come . and where sensible reasons failed him , there failed his proofes also . which thing , as it hapned to him in diuine matters , so did it likewise in the knowledge of the soule intellectiue ( as some of his interpreters say ) : which being created by god to his owne likenesse , be hath written so obscurely thereof , that his resolute opinion in that matter cannot be picked out of his writings ; but that reasons may be gathered out of them , in fauour of the one part and of the other : as though the treatie of a matter so important and necessary to our knowledge , were ( as schoole-men say ) a matter contingent , about which arguments probable may be gathered on both sides : yet had he before him his diuine master , who ( as far as mans wit could stretch without grace ) had taught him cleerly that which was true , that mans soule is by nature immortall , and partaker of diuinitie ; howsoeuer some of the peripatetikes seeme out of aristotle to affirme that plato was contrary to himself , as making the soule somewhiles immortall , and otherwhiles not : which in truth is not in plato to be found , if he be rightly vnderstood . but to the purpose . the opinion of aristotle was , that our soule did not only not record any thing , but that it shold be so wholy voyd of knowledge or science , as it might be resembled to a pure white paper : and therefore affirmed he , that our knowledge was altogether newly gotten ; and that our soule had to that end need of sense ; and that sense failing her , all science or knowledge should faile withall . because the senses are as ministers to the mind , to receiue the images or formes particular of things : which being apprehended by the common sense , called sensus communis , bring foorth afterwards the vniuersals . which common sense , is a power or facultie of the sensitiue soule , that distinguisheth betweene those things that the outward senses offer vnto it ; and is therefore called common , because it receiueth commonly the formes or images with the exteriour senses present vnto it , and hath power to distinguish the one from the other . but as those senses know not the nature of things ; so is the same vnknowne also vnto the common sense , to whom they offer things sensible . wherefore this commonsense being ( as we haue said ) a facultie of the sensitiue soule , offereth them to the facultie imaginatiue , which hath the same proportiō to the vertue intellectiue , as things sensible haue to the sense aforesaid . for it moueth the vnderstanding after it hath receiued the formes or images of things frō the outward senses , & layeth them vp materiall in the memory where they be kept . this done , aristotle and his followers say , that then the part of the soule capable of reason , beginneth to vse her powers ; and they are ( as they affirme ) two : the one intellectus possibilis , and the other intellectus agens : these latin words i must vse at this time , because they be easie enough to be vnderstood , and in english would seeme more harsh ; whereof the first is as the matter to the second , and the second as forme to the first . into that possible facultie of the vnderstanding , do the kinds or species of things passe , which the fantasie hath apprehended , yet free of any materiall condition : and this part is to the vnderstanding , as the hand is to the bodie . for as the hand is apt to take hold of all instruments ; so is this power or facultie apt to apprehend the formes of all things , from whence grow the vniuersals : which though they haue their being in the materiall particulars which the latins cal indiuidua ; yet are they not material , because they are not ( according to aristotle ) yet in act . in which respect it is sayd , that sense is busied about things particular , and that onely things vniuersall are knowne , because they be comprehended by the vnderstanding , without matter . it is neuerthelesse to be vnderstood , that the kindes of things are in this possible part thus separated from matter , but blind and obscure : euen as colours are stil in substances , though the light be taken away ; which light appearing and making the ayre transparent which before was darkened , it giueth to things that illumination , by which they are comprehended and knowne to the eye , whose obiect properly colours are . and the sunne being the fountaine of light , wise men haue said , that the same sunne giueth colours to things ; for that by meanes of his light they are seene with those visible colours which naturally they haue neuerthelesse in themselues , though without light they could not be discerned , and remaine there as if they were not at all . this part of the soule then , wherein reason is , worketh the same effect towards things intelligible that the sun doth towards things visible ; for it illumineth those kinds or formes which lie hidden in that part possible , dark and confused , deuoyde of place , time , and matter , because they are not particular . and hence it cometh that some haue said this possible vnderstanding ( as we may terme it ) to be such a thing , as out of it all things should be made , as if it were in stead of matter ; and the other agent vnderstanding to be the worker of all things , and as it were the forme , because this part which before was but in power to things intelligible , becometh through the operation of the agent vnderstanding to be now in act . and for this cause also is it said , that the vnderstanding , and things vnderstood , become more properly and truly one selfe same thing , then of matter and forme it may be said . for it is credible , that both the formes of things and the vnderstanding being immateriall , they do the more perfectly vnite themselues , and that the vnderstanding doth so make it selfe equall with the thing vnderstood , that they both become one . to which purpose aristotle said very well , that the reasonable soule , whiles it vnderstandeth things intelligible , becometh one selfe same thing with them . and this is that very act of truth , to wit , the certain science or knowledge of any thing : which knowledge or science is in effect nought else then the thing so knowne . and this knowledge is not principally in man , but in the soule , wherin it remaineth as the forme therof . this is briefly the summe of the order or maner of knowledge , which those that follow aristotle do set downe : who therefore affirme that his sentence was , that who so would vnderstand any thing , had need of those formes and images which the senses offer to the fantasie . from which sentence some ( not well aduised in my opinion ) haue gone about to argue , that the soule of man should be mortal , because aristotle assigned no proper operation vnto her , as if such had bin his opinion . but they consider not that aristotle in his bookes de anima , spake of the soule as she was naturall , and the forme to the body , performing her operations together with the body , and as she was the mouer of the body , and the body moued by her , but not as she was distinct or separate from the bodie . and right true it is , that whiles she is tied to the bodie , she cannot vnderstand but by the meanes of the senses : but that being free and loosed from the body , she hath not her proper operations , that is most false . for then hath she no need at all of the senses , when being pure and simple , she may exercise her owne power and vertue proper to her , ( which is the contemplation of god almightie , the highest and onely true good ) nor yet of any other instrument but her selfe . and in this respect , perchance the better sort of peripatetikes following their masters opinion , haue said , that the soule separated from the body , is not the same she was whiles she was linked thereunto , as well because then she was a part of the whole , and was troubled with anger , desire , hatred , loue , & such like passions cōmon to her with the body ; as because being imprisoned in the body , she had neede of the senses ; but now that she was freed frō that imprisonment , nor any way bound to the body , she might vse her selfe and her vertue much more nobly and worthily then before . and therefore aristotle said , that the soule , separated frō the body , could no more be called a soule , but equiuocally . but here is to be noted , that it is one thing to speake of the intellectiue soule which is diuine and vncorruptible , and another thing to speake of the soule , simply . for doubtlesse , the vegetatiue and sensitiue soules , which cannot vse their vertues and operations but by meane of the body , die with the body . but the intellectiue soule , which is our onely true forme , not drawne from the materiall power , but created and sent into vs by the diuine maiestie , dieth not with the body , but remaineth immortal and euerlasting . and thus much touching the maner of our learning , according to aristotles opinion may suffice . but plato doubtlesse was of opinion that our soule , before it descended into vs , had the knowledge of all things ; and that by comming into this mortall prison ( which his followers haue termed the sepulchre of the soule ) she was plunged as it were into profound darknesse from a most cleere light , whereby she forgat all that erst she knew . and that afterwards by occasion of those things , which by meanes of the senses come before her , the memory of that she knew before being stirred vp and wakened , she came to resume her former knowledge , and in this sort by way of rememorating , and not of learning a new , she attained the knowledge of sciences ; so as we learned nothing , whereof before we had not the knowledge . in conformitie of which their masters sentence , the platonikes say , that since the body bringeth with it the seeds that appertaine vnto it by nature , it is to be beleeued , that the soule likewise , being much more perfect , should bring with it those seeds that appertaine to the mind . and to this reason they adde , that men euen from their first yeares desiring things that are good , true , honest and profitable : and since no man can desire a thing which he knoweth not after some sort , it may be cōcluded , that we haue the knowledge of those things before . but because it would be too long a matter to rehearse all the arguments which plato his followers bring to proue this , by our desiring of things , by seeking them , by finding them , and by the discerning of them ; it may suffice to referre you to what plato hath left of this matter written vnder the person of socrates , in his dialogs intitled menon and phoedon , and diuers other places . and likewise to that which his expositors haue written , among whō plotinus , though he be somewhat obscure , deserueth the chiefe place , as best expressing plato his sence and meaning . but let our knowledge come how it will , either by learning anew , or by recording what the soule knew before ; she hauing need ( howsoeuer it be ) of the ministery of the senses , and seeing it is almost necessary to passe through the same meanes from not knowing to knowledge : we shall euer find the like difficulties , whether we rememorate or learne anew . for without much study , great diligence , and long trauel , are sciences no way to be attained . which thing socrates ( who haply was the author of plato his opinion ) shewed vs plainely . for when the curtizan theodota scoffing at him said , she was of greater skill then he : for she had drawne diuers of socrates scholers from him to her loue , where socrates could draw none of her louers to follow him : he answered , that he thereat maruelled nothing at all : for ( said he ) thou leadest them by a plaine smooth way to lust and wantonnesse ; and i leade them to vertue by a rough and an vneasie path . here captaine norreis said , though this controuersie betweene two so great philosophers be not ( for ought i see ) yet decided , and that if we should take vpon vs to discerne whose opinion were the better , it might be imputed to presumption : yet would i for my part be very glad to know what was the reason that induced plato to say that our soule had the knowledge of all things before it came into the body ; and i pray you , if your author speake any thing thereof , that you will therein satisfie my desire . yes marry doth he sir , said i , and your desire herein sheweth very well the excellencie of your wit , and your attention to that which hath bin said : and both may serue for a sufficient argument , what hope is to be conceiued of a gentleman so inclined and desirous to learne . thus therefore he saith to your question . that whereas we according to truth beleeue , that our soules are by the diuine power of god , incontinently created and infused into our bodies , when we beginne to receiue life and sense in our mothers womb . plato contrarily held , that they were long before the bodies created , and produced in a number certaine by god , and that they were as particles descended from the gods aboue into our bodies : and therfore he thought it nothing absurd , that they should haue the knowledge of al things that may be knowne . for that they being in heauen busied in the contemplation of the diuine nature , free from any impediment of the body : and that diuine nature containing in it ( as he said ) the essentiall ideas of all things , which ideas ( according to his opinion ) were separate and eternall natures remaining in the diuine minde of god , to the patterne of which , all things created were made , they might ( said he ) in an instant haue the knowledge of all that could be knowne . if this opinion were true , said captaine norreis , happie had it bin for vs , that our soules had continued stil , after they were sent into our bodies , to be of that sort that they had bin in heauen , for then should we not haue needed so much labour and paine in seeking that knowledge which before they had so perfectly . and being so perfect to what end did he say , they were sent into our bodies to become vnperfect ? his opinion ( said i ) was , that the soules were created in a certaine number , to the end they might informe so many bodies : and therfore if they should not haue come into those bodies , they should haue failed of the end for which they were created . in which bodies , the platonikes say further , that they were to exercise themselues , and were giuen to the bodies , not onely because they should giue them power to moue , to see , to feele , and to do those other operations which are naturall ; but to the end that they should in that which appertaineth to the mind , not suffer vs to be drowsie , and lie ( as it were ) asleepe , but rather to waken and stirre vs vp to the knowledge of those things that are fit for vs to vnderstand : and this was the most accomplished operation ( sayd they ) that the soule could giue vnto the bodie whiles it was linked thereunto . i cannot see ( said the lord primate ) how this hangeth together . for i haue read that these kind of philosophers held an opinion , that our soules all the while they were tied to our bodies , did but sleepe : and that all , which they do or suffer in this life , was but as a dreame . it is true ( said i ) that the platonikes said so indeed ; and that was , because they knew that whatsoeuer we do in this life is but a dreame , in comparison of that our soules shal do in the other world , when they shal be loosed from those bands which tie them to our bodies here : through which bands they are hindred from the knowledge of those things perfectly which here they learne . in regard whereof carneades , arcesilas , and others the authors of the new accademie said constantly , that in this world there was no certaine knowledge of any thing . and nausifanes affirmed , that of all those things which here seeme to vs to be , we know nothing so certainly as that they were not . vnto which opinion protagoras also agreed , saying , that men might dispute of any thing pro & contra ; as if he should say , that nothing could be assuredly knowen to vs whiles we are here , as our soules shall know them whensoeuer they shall be freed from our bodies , and lie no more inwrapped in these mortall shadowes , because then they shall be wholy busied in the contemplation of truth : neither shal they be deceiued by the senses , as in this life they are oftentimes , who offer vnto them the images of things vncertainly , not through default of the senses , but by reason of the meanes whereby they apprehend the formes of things . for the sense by his owne nature ( if he be not deceiued or hindred in receiuing of things sensible ) comprehendeth them perfectly , nay becometh one selfe same thing with them . and this is the cause why it is said , that our soules sleepe whiles they remaine in this life , and that our knowledge here is but as a dreame . according to which conceit , the inamoured poet , speaking of his ladie laura , said very properly vpon her death in this sort : thou hast ( faire damsell ) slept but a short sleepe , now wak'd thou art among the heau'nly spirits , where blessed soules interne within their maker . shewing that our life here is but a slumber ; and seeming to infer that she was now interned or become inward in the contemplation of her maker , being wakened frō her sleepe among those blessed spirits , as she had bin , before she was inclosed in this earthly prison . and likewise he seemed to leane to plato his opinion in another place , when speaking of her also , he said she was returned to her fellow star . for plato thought the number of soules created , was according to the number of the starres in heauen : and that euery soule had a proper starre to which it returned after this life . but as for our knowledge , in truth it is but a shadow in respect of the knowledge our soules shall haue by the contemplation of the diuine essence . whereupon socrates , one of the wisest and most learned mē that euer were , yet euermore affirmed resolutely , that the only thing he knew , was , that he knew nothing . and to say truly , this his knowing of nothing , might well be termed a learned ignorance . well ( said the lord primate ) captain carleil and captaine norreis haue by their demaunds ministred a very fit occasion vnto you , to discourse out of your author the considerations of the maner of our knowledge , and consequently of the soule of man , and to declare withall the opinions of two so excellent philosophers and of their followers . but though both agree in this , that whether the soule learne of new , or by rememorating , she hath alwayes need of the senses as her ministers to attain knowledge : yet is it to be beleeued , and that assuredly , that the soule of man being created by god almightie to his owne image and likenesse , she hath also some proper operation or action resembling his ; to the accomplishment whereof , she hath no need of the senses . and that being dissolued from the body , or after , when he shall be re-united to the same in the resurrection , she hauing then the same image and likenesse of god still in her , she shall euerlastingly be wholy and onely intent to the contemplation of his diuine maiestie , who is the onely true and perfect good and happinesse . the perfection of which diuine maiestie , is the knowledge of himselfe ; and knowing himselfe to know all things by him created and produced . but it is time now for you to returne to the matter you had in hand , when you were drawne by their demaunds to make this digression . and euen so will i , since you be so pleased , quoth i , and so proceeded in this maner . in the beginning of youth , the yong man is fitly to be resembled to a traueller that is arriued in his iourney to a place where the way is deuided into two parts , and standeth in doubt which of them he shall take : for in either of them he seeth a guide standing ready to leade him ; whereof , the one inuiteth him to pleasure , and the other to vertue . the first proposing to him his delights and ease , and the other labour and trauell . and forasmuch as that age is inclined naturally to pleasures , and enemy to paine-taking and labour , it is greatly to be doubted that the yong man leauing the way that leades to vertue , wil betake himselfe to the other guide to follow the way that leadeth to delight . wherefore if at any time it be needfull for the father to haue a watchfull eye vpon his sonne , it is then most important when his child is to make his passage from his childhood into his youth : and at that time to set before his eyes continually instructions , wherby he may conceiue how honestie and good behauiour , with ciuill conuersation , are the foundation of good and happie life : and this chiefly is he to do by his owne example . for though it be very good , that his son in those yeares , and at all other times , should see the whole family so ordered , as he may learne nothing therein but vertue and honesty ; yet must he not thinke but that his sonne will better beleeue and follow what he shal see himselfe do or say , then all the family besides . and if aristotle aduise masters to endeuour themselues to giue good example to their seruants and slaues ; how much more ought the father to be carefull to do the like to his owne children , who are dearer to him then his seruants , being his owne liuely images . for as it is the mothers care and office to breed and nourish her childe ; so is it the fathers dutie to see him well instructed and taught in vertues and good behauiour : and the speeches and demeanour of the father in his houshold or family , are to his children as lawes in a citie to the citizens , and do assuredly enter into the mindes of children with farre greater force then men would think . which made xenocrates to say , that the stopping of young mens eares was more needful then the arming of their bodies against the strokes of their enemies ; because the danger was greater which they incurred by hearing an vnseemely speech , specially from their parents mouth , then that which they might feare by fighting with their enemies . the father therefore must be very circumspect that his sonne heare him not speake any word vndecent or dishonest : for nature with a certain hidden vertue perswadeth youth , succeeding a weltaught childhood , to beare great reuerence and respect to the graue and ripe yeares of their parents , and of all aged persons ; who euen in the first view represent vnto them vertue , prudence , and all good and graue behauiour . and such is he to shew himselfe to his sonne , as euen in his countenance , gestures and words he may as in a table behold therein the lawes of honest life . and that his actions may be in all points to his son a patterne and example of ciuill conuersation and vertuous liuing . it is a very necessary and important instruction and aduertisement ( said m. dormer ) that you haue last mentioned for fathers to obserue . but i would faine that you shold tel me , whether you haue not seen ( as i oftentimes haue done ) wicked children begotten of very good and honest parents . yes ( quoth i ) oftener then i would . neither can it be denied , but that as there are some young men by nature and through their happie constellation wholy bent to vertuous and honest conditions ; so are there others naturally disposed to vice and lewd behauiour : yet since it seemeth not credible , that of good parents ill children should come ; and that diligent care in bringing them vp should not plucke vp ( if not wholy , yet in part ) those euil weeds which choke the good seeds , so as the fruit might in due season be expected : seeking to finde the reason hereof , i haue called to mind the precept of hippocrates giuen to the physitions , to wit , that it is not sufficient for recouery of the sicke patient , that the physition be well disposed to cure him , and employ his diligence to that effect : but that other things must likewise concurre for the recouery of his health , as the care and sollicitude of such as watch and tend him , with other exteriour things . for euen so me thinketh , that to the good proofe of a young man , besides the example of the father , and of the rest of the family , be it neuer so vertuous , there must also concurre the goodnesse of his conuersation abroade , to make his domesticall familiaritie worke due effect : since many times i haue seene it fall out , that the haunting of ill company from home , hath done a young man much more hurt , then all the good instructions or vertuous examples domesticall could do him good . so soft and tender are the minds of yong men , and apt ( as was formerly said ) to be wrought like waxe to vice . and this cometh to passe , by reasō that the sensitiue part calling youth to delight , and diuerting it from the trauell and paine which learning and vertue require , is hardly subdued and brought vnder the rule of reason , by which it esteemeth it selfe forced , when it is barred from that it desireth . and if by any exteriour occasion it be pricked forward , it fareth as we see it oftentimes do with young hard-headed colts , who take the bit in the mouth , and run away with the rider , carrying him , will he , nill he , whether they list . it ought therefore to be none of the least cares of the father to prouide , that the forraine conuersation of his son may be such as shall rather help then hinder his care and home-example . to which effect , it would be very good , if it might be possible , that the young man were neuer from his fathers side . but forasmuch as many occasions draw men to attend other waightier affaires , as well publike as priuat , wherby they are driuen to haue their minds busied about exterior things , and to neglect their childrē who are their owne bowels . therefore is it their parts in such cases to appoint for their children , when they are past their childish yeares , some learned and honest man of vertuous behauiour to gouerne them and take care of them , whose precepts they may so obey , as they shall feare to do any thing that may breede reproch or blame vnto them . for such things are mortall poison to yong mens minds , and not only put them astray from the path that should leade them to vertue , but imprint in them also a vitious habit that maketh them vnruly and disobedient to all wholesome admonitions and vertuous actions . this man so chosen to haue the charge of youth , must be carefull among other things to foresee , that his disciples may haue such companions , as the persian princes had , prouided for them , to wit , equall of age and like of conditions , with whom they may be conuersant & familiar . for such similitude of age and conditions doth cause them to loue and like one another , if some barre or impediment fall not betweene them . the auncient wise men assigned to youth the plannet of mercury , for no other cause ( as i suppose ) but for that mercury being ( as astronomers say ) either good or bad , according as he is accompanied with another plannet good or euil : euen so youth becommeth good or bad , as the companies to which it draweth or giueth it selfe . and therefore ought not yong men to haue libertie to haunt what companie they list , but to be kept vnder the discipline of wise men , and trained vp in the companie of others of their age well bred , vntill it may be thought , or rather found by experience , that they be past danger , and become fit to guide themselues : hauing brought their mind obedient to reason so farre , as it cannot any more draw him to any delights , but such as are honest and vertuous . this delight in vertue and honestie , is best induced into a yong mans mind by that true companiō of vertue that breedeth feare to do or say any thing vnseemely or dishonest : which companion socrates sought to make familiar to his scholers , when he would tell them how they should endeuour themselues to purchase in their minds prudence , into their tongues truth with silence , and in their faces bashfulnesse , called by the latins verecundia , deriuing it from the reuerence which yong men vse to beare to their elders . this we call shamefastnesse , and is that honest red colour or blushing which dieth a yong mans cheekes when he supposeth he hath done or said any thing vnseemely or vnfit for a vertuous mind , or that may offend his parents or betters : a certaine token of a generous mind , and well disciplined , of which great hope may be conceiued that it will proue godly and vertuous . for as a sure and firme friend to honestie and vertue , like a watch or guard set for their securitie , it is euer wakefull and carefull to keepe all disordinate concupiscences from the mind , whereby ( though of it selfe it be rather an affect then a habit ) neuerthelesse she induceth such a habite into a yong mans mind , that not onely in presence of others he blusheth , if he chance to do any thing not commendable , but euen of himselfe he is ashamed , if being alone he fall into any errour . for though some say , that two things chiefly keepe youth from euill , correction , and shame , and that chastisement rather then instruction draweth youth to do well ; yet i for my part neuer think that yong man well bred or trained vp , who for feare of punishment abstaineth from doing things shamefull or dishonest : punishment being appointed but for them that are euill : which made the poet say : for vertues sake good men ill deeds refraine : ill men refraine them but for feare of paine . for the wickednesse of men hath caused lawes to be deuised and established for the conseruation of honest and vertuous societie , and ciuil life , whereunto man is borne : which lawes haue appointed penalties for the offenders , to the end that for feare thereof , as xenocrates was wont to say , men might flie from ill doing , as dogs flie harme doing for feare of the whip . and because plato formed his common-weale of perfect and vertuous men , therfore set he downe no lawes in his bookes de repub. because he supposed the goodnesse of the men to be sufficient for the gouernement thereof without a law , either to commaund good order , or to punish offenders . neuertheles the same diuine philosopher considering how the imperfection of mans nature will not suffer any such common-wealth to be found : he wrote also his bookes of lawes to serue for the imperfection of other common-weales , which were composed of men of all sorts , good and bad , meane or indifferent , in which both instruction and punishment were needfull , as well to make the euill abstaine from vice , as to confirme the good , and to reduce those that were indifferent to greater perfection . lawes therefore haue appointed punishments , that vertue might be defended and maintained , ciuill societie and humane right preserued . but young men bred as our author would haue them , are by all meanes to be framed such , as for vertues sake , for feare of reproch , for loue and reuerence to honestie , and not for feare of punishment to be inflicted on them by the magistrates or their superiours for doing of euill , they may accustome themselues neuer to do any thing , for which they should neede to blush , no not to themselues alone . which thing they shal the better performe , if they vse to forbeare the doing of any thing by themselues , which they would be ashamed of if they were in company . it is written , that among the auncient romanes one iulius drusus publicola hauing his house seated so as his neighbours might looke into it , a certaine architect offered him for the expence of fiue talents to make it so close as none of his neighbors should looke thereinto , or see what he was doing . but he made him answer againe , that he would rather giue him ten talents to make it so , as all the citie might see what he did in his house ; because he was sure he did nothing within doores whereof he neede be ashamed abroade , though euery man should see him . for which answer he was highly cōmended . true it is that xenophon esteemeth this blushng to a mans self , to be rather temperance then bashfulnes : but let it be named how it wil , it is surely the propertie of a gentle heart so to do . and therefore petrarke said well : alone whereas i walkt mongs woods and hils , i shamed at my selfe : for gentle heart thinkes that enough , no other spurre it wils . yet would i not neither , that our young man should be more bashfull then were fit , as one ouer-awed or doltish , not able to consider perils or dangers when they present themselues , not yet to loose his boldnesse of spirit . for antipater the sonne of cassander through the like qualitie cast himselfe away , who hauing inuited demetrius to supper with him at such a time , as their friendship was not sure but stood vpon doubtful termes , and he being come accordingly : when demetrius afterwards as in requital of his kindnesse inuited antipater likewise to supper , though he knew right well what perill he thrust himselfe into if he went , considering the wyly disposition of the said demetrius : yet being ashamed that demetrius should perceiue him to be so mistrustful , would needs go , and there was miserably slaine . this is a vice , named in the greeke disopia , and which we may in english call vnfruitfull shamefastnesse , wherewith we would not wish our yong man should be any way acquainted , but onely with that generous bashfulnesse that may serue him for a spurre to vertue , and for a bridle from vice . but because plato saith , that though bashfulnesse be most properly fit for young men , yet that it is also seemly inough for men of al yeares . and that aristotle contrariwise thinketh it not meete for men of riper years to blush : it may therefore be doubted to whether of these two great learned mens opinions we should incline . for cleering hereof , you must vnderstand that the platonikes say two things among others are specially giuen to for a diuine gift vnto man : bashfulnesse the one , and magnanimitie the other : the one to hold vs back from doing of any thing worthy blame & reproch : the other to put vs forward into the way of praise and vertue ; whereby we might alwayes be ready to do well onely for vertues sake , to the good and benefit of others , and to our owne contentment and delight . of which course , the end is honour in this world , and glory after death . but because the force of the concupiscible appetite is so great , and setteth before vs pleasure in so many sundry shapes , as it is hard to shun the snares which these two enemies of reason set to intrap vs , and that the coldnesse of old age cannot wholy extinguish the feruour of our appetites ; for my part i think that as in all ages it is fit that magnanimitie inuite vs to commendable actions ; so also that we haue neede of shamefastnesse to correct vs whēsoeuer we shal go beyond the boūds or limits of reason in what yeares soeuer , and to check vs with the bridle of temperāce . for though aristotle say , that shame ought to die red in a mans cheekes , but for voluntary actions only : yet plato considering that none but god is perfect without fault ; and that euery man , euen the most vertuous falleth sometimes through humane frailtie , thought ( according to christianitie ) that ripenesse of yeares or wisedome should be no hinderance to make them ashamed , but rather make them the more bashfull whensoeuer they should find in themselues , that they had run into any errour vndecent or vnfitting for men of their yeares and quality . not intending yet thereby that the errors of the ancienter men were to be of that sort that yong mens faults commonly are , who through incontinencie runne oftentimes into sin wilfully : whereas men of riper yeares erre or ought to erre only through frailty of nature . much better were it indeede for men of yeares not to do any thing of which they might be ashamed , if the condition of man would permit it , then after they had done it to blush thereat : and much more reprochfull is his fault , if he offend voluntarily then the young mans . but since no man ( though he haue made a habite in wel-doing ) can stand so assured of himselfe , but that sometime in his life he shal commit some error : it is much better ( in what age soeuer it be ) that blushing make him know his fault , then to passe it ouer impudently without shame . and accordingly saint ambrose said in his booke of offices , that shamefastnesse was meet for all ages , for all times , and for all places . and for the same cause perhaps haue wise men and religious held , that an angell of heauen assisteth euery man to call him backe from those euils , which the ill angell with his sugred baite of delight and disordinate appetite inticeth him vnto , onely for his ruine . for they thought that our forces were not able to resist so mighty prouocations . as for plato and aristotle , seemeth they differed in opinion , for that , the one considered humane nature as it ought to be , and the other as it commonly is indeed . which may the better be beleeued , because aristotle in his booke of rhetorike , restrained not this habite of shamefastnesse so precisely to young men , but that it may sometimes beseeme an aged mans cheekes also , though so farre as grace and wisedome may preuaile , it would best beseeme him neuer to do the thing whereof he need be ashamed , as before was sayd . and the same rule ought young men also to propose to themselues , whereby they shall deserue so much the more commendation , as the heate of their yeares beareth with them fierie appetites , and they the lesse apt to resist so sharpe and so intollerable prickes . the way to obserue that rule , is to striue in all their actions to master themselues , and to profit in vertue : whereunto will helpe them chiefly , that they endeuour themselues to bridle such desires as they find most to molest them , not suffering them to transport them beyond the limits of honestie . but because the day goeth away , and that to treate particularly of all that might be said concerning the direction of youth to vertue , which leadeth him to his felicitie , would require more time then is remaining , i wil briefly knit vp the rest that concerneth this matter . young men haue naturall heate so much abounding in them , that they cannot rest , but be still in motion as well of body as of mind . the one with running , leaping , and other exercises , and when all they faile , the tongue ceaseth not , which by reason of their age is the more bold and ready . the other with passing from one discourse to another , and from one passion to another ; now louing , now hating , now boyling with anger and choler , now still and quiet , with such like motions of the mind . and because the motions of the body , and the affections of the minde must haue their measure and their rule , and the one and the other conuenient exercise and moderate rest : therefore did the auncient wise men deuise two speciall arts , most apt and fit for both these purposes . whereof , the one they called gymnastica , which is a skilfull and moderate exercise of the body ; and the other musike , by which name it is well knowne in all languages . and when they had caused their youth to spend part of the day in learning those sciences and disciplines which they thought fit for that age ( for of all other things they abhorred the training them vp in ignorance , because seldome can an ignorant man be good , and that men without knowledge and learning are but figures of men , and images of death without soule or life ) then would they draw them to honest exercises of the body by degrees . for they held it a thing most necessary for the wel-founding of a common-wealth , to be continually carefull of the framing youth both in body and mind ; because they knew right well that good education maketh young men good : and that such are common-wealths and states , as are the qualities and conditions of the men which they do breed . touching the body therfore , they did deuise to strengthen and harden it with conuenient and temperate exercises : as the play at ball , leaping , running , dansing , riding , wrastling , throwing the barre , the stone or sledge , and such like . for the minde , they thought best to stay and settle it selfe with the harmonie of musike : and from these two they resolued , that two great good effects did ensue : from the first , strength of body and boldnesse of spirit ; and from the latter , modesty and temperance , inseparable companions for the most part vnto fortitude . for some of them were of opinion , that our soules were composed of harmonie ; and beleeued that musike was able so to temper our affects and passions , as they should not farre or discord among themselues , but be so interlaced the one with the other in a sweet consent , as wel guided and ordered actiō should proceed from the same , euen as sweet and delightfull musike proceedeth from the wel-tempering of tunable voices , or well consorted instruments . neither would they haue the one to be exercised , and the other omitted : for that they thought , if yong men should giue themselues onely to the exercises of the body , they wold become too fierce and hardy ; and so be rather hurtfull to their commonweales then otherwise . and if they should follow onely musike , which is proper to rest and quietnes , and vsed as a recreation of the mind , as aristotle saith , they would become soft minded and effeminate . but by ioyning both these faculties together in one , they sought to make a noble temper , and to induce a most excellent habite , as well in the mind as in the body . so that if valor were required for the defence of their countrey , or vanquishing of their enemies , they were made fit and apt thereunto by the exercises of the body ; but with such measure and temper as should not exceed . which measure and temper , they obtained from that harmonie which musike imprinted in their mindes : vnder which they comprehended not onely the ordering of the voice and sounds of instruments , but all other orderly and seemely motions of the body ; which vpon their stages , or scaenes in the acting of tragedies , was chiefly to be discouered . and that all orderly motions were comprehended vnder musicke , was held so certaine by pythagoras , archetas , plato , cicero , & other famous philosophers , that they were of opinion , that the orderly course and motions of the heauens could not be such as it is , or continue without harmony , though aristotle do oppose him selfe to their opinion . and for this cause did lycurgus deuise that musike should be conioyned with the military discipline of the lacedemonians , not onely to temper the heate and furie of their minds in fight ; but also to cause them to vse a certaine measure in that marching , and other occasions of war. in which respect they were wont to battell without certaine pipes , according to the times whereof they vnderstood how to vse their bodies and weapons : from which respect also cometh our vsing of drums and trumpets to giue souldiers knowledge when to march , when to stand , when to assault , and when to retire : and consequently how to ioyne order and measure with their valour against the enemy : and the lansknight and the switzer vse also the fife at this day with the drum . and to say truth , great is the force of musike skilfully vsed to stirre vp or to appease the mind . for we reade , that pythagoras finding a wanton yong man enraged with lust , ready to force the doore of an honest woman , he so calmed his mind , onely by changing the phrigian tune and number into the spondean , that he gaue ouer his wicked purpose . and therpander , when a great sedition was raised among the lacedemonians , he with his musike so quieted their mindes bent to fury , that he reduced them to a perfect peace . it is also written of the great alexander , that he was so moued by that tune and nūber of musikes , which the greeks called orthios nomos , which was a kind of haughtie tune to stirre men to battel , that he rose from the boord to arme himselfe , as if the trumpet had sounded the allarme . but what talke we of the auncient opinions concerning the force of musike to moue mens minds , when we find they beleeued that their gods were forced by the vertue of musike to appease their wrath ? for , the lacedemonians being infested with a great pestilence , thales of candia was said by musike to haue mitigated their anger , and so to haue deliuered them frō that mortality . the which thing homer also signified , when he said , that the yongmen of greece with their songs did appease apollo his wrath , and caused the plague to cease which had infected their campe . and the romanes likewise being annoied with a great pestilence , receiued then first the singing of satires into the citie though but rudely tuned then , as a remedy for that infectiō . the force & efficacie of musike then being such as i haue declared , it is no maruel that the aegiptiās , after they had once receiued it into their commonwealth , as meet for the instruction of their youth , wold neuer after allow that it shold be altered or changed , but such as it was whē they first admitted it , such they continued it without altering the space of ten thousand yeres , according to their manner of contemplation , hauing a conceit or rather a firme opinion that they could not alter musike but with danger to their state. which opinion the lacedemonians likewise so embraced , that when timotheus an excellent musition in sparta , had presumed to adde but one string to the cyther , they banished him out of the citie and territories , as a violater of lawes , and a corrupter of honest discipline . albeit with phrine they dealt more mildly , who hauing added to the cyther two cords , one sharpe , and another graue or flat , they onely caused him to take them away againe , supposing that seuen strings were enough to temper the sound thereof , as a number comprehending all musike ; and that the increasing therof was but superfluous and harmefull . these ancient examples & considerations , are not sleightly to be passed ouer : for though many other occasions of corruption in our age may be assigned ; yet one of the principall , in the iudgement of wise men , may wel be imputed to the qualitie of that corrupted musike which is most vsed now a dayes ; carrying with it nothing but a sensuall delight to the eare , without working any good to the mind at all . nay , would god it did not greatly hurt and corrupt the mind . for as musike well vsed is a great help to moderate the disorderly affections of the minde : so being abused it expelleth all manly thoughts from the heart , and so effeminateth men , that they are little better then women : and in women breedeth such lasciuious and wanton thoughts , that oftentimes they forget their honestie , without which they cannot be worthy the name of women . not that i would hereby inferre , that musike generally were to be misliked , or vnfit for women also : but my meaning is of this wanton and lasciuious kind of musike , which is now a dayes most pleasing , and resembleth the lydian of old time , which plato so abhorred , as he would not in any sort admit it into his common-weale , lest it should infect the minds of men and women both . and from him may we learne what kinde of musike he would haue men to embrace , to stirre their mindes vp to vertue , and to purge the same from vice and errour . like as also frō aristotle in his . booke of politikes , taken perchance out of the writings of his master . but if that auncient kinde of musike , framed and composed wholy to grauitie , were now knowne and vsed , which kinde was then set forth with the learned and graue verses of excellent poets , we should now also see magnificall and high desires stipped vp in the minds of the hearers . which verses contained the praises of excellent and heroicall personages , and were vsed to be sung at the tables of great men and princes , to the sound of the lyra ; whereby they inflamed the mindes of the hearers to vertue and generous actions . for the force of musike with poesie , is such , as is of power to set the followers and louers thereof into the direct way that leadeth them to their felicitie . socrates demaunding of the oracle of apollo , what he should do to make himselfe happie : he was willed to learne musike ; whereupon he gaue himselfe forthwith to the studie of poesie , conceiuing with himselfe , that verses and poeticall numbers are the perfectest musike , and that they enter like liuely sparkes into mens minds , to kindle in them desires of dignitie , greatnesse , honor , true praise and commendation , and to correct whatsoeuer is in them of base and vile affection . in auncient time therfore men caused their children to be instructed in poesie before all other disciplines , for that they esteemed good poets to be the fathers of wisedome , and the vndoubted true guides to ciuill life , and not without cause . for they raise mens thoughts from humble and base things , such as the vulgar and common sort delight in , and make them bend their endeuours wholy to high , yea heauenly things . as who so list to attend diligently the excellencie of the psalmes and hymnes composed by the kingly prophet dauid , and others called the singers of the hebrew church , shall easily discerne . but since our musike is growen now to the fulnes of wantō and lasciuious passions , and the words so confusedly mingled with the notes , that a man can discerne nothing but the sound and tunes of the voices , but sence or sentence he can vnderstand none at all ; euen as it were sundry birds chanting and chirping vpon the boughes of trees : yong men are much better in the iudgement of the wise , to abstaine from it altogether , then to spend their time about it . for as good disciplines are the true and proper nourishment of vertue : so are the euill the very poison of the same . then said captaine carleil , as concerning the difference between the auncient musike and ours in this age , i do easily agree with you , and wish it were otherwise , that we might see now a dayes those wonderfull effects of this excellent art , which are written of it in auncient authors . but where you so highly extoll the studie of poesie , you make me not a little to maruel , considering how plato , being so learned a man , did not onely make small estimation thereof , but banished it expresly from his common-weale . let not that seeme strange vnto you , said i : for plato condemned not poesie , but onely those poets that abused so excellent a facultie , scribling either wanton toyes , or else by foolish imitation taking vpon them to expresse high conceirs which themselues vnderstood not . and specially did he reprehend those poets , who in their fictions did ascribe to the gods such actions as would haue bin vnseemely for the most wanton and vicious men of the world : as the adultery of mars and venus , those of iupiter with semele , with europa , with danaë , with calisto , and many moe . though some haue vnder such fictions sought to teach morall and maruellous sences , which plato likewise in his second alcibiades declareth . but he blamed not those poets , who frame their verses and compositions to the honor of god , and to good examples of modestie and vertue . for in his books of lawes he introduceth poets to sing himnes to their gods , and teacheth the maner of their chori in their sacrifices , and to make prayers for the common-weale . howbeit , to say truth , though he so do , he would not haue it lawfull for euery man to publish any composition that he had made , without the allowance and view of some magistrate elected in the citie for that purpose . which magistracy he would haue to be of no fewer in number then fiftie men of grauitie and wisedome : of such importance did he hold the compositions of poets to be . which regard if it were had now a dayes , we should not see so many idle and profane toyes spred abroade by some that think the preposterous turning of phrases , and making of rime with little reason , to be an excellent kinde of writing , and fit to breed them fame and reputation . supposing ( as men blinded in their owne conceits ) that they exceed all other writers , and that from them only others that write in that kind shold take their rules and example . so drowning their corrupted iudgements in their ignorance , that where they be worthy blame , they esteeme themselues comparable to the most famous and excellent poets that euer wrote , and that they ought to be partakers of their glory and greatest honors . but to men of iudgement , and able to discerne the difference betweene well writing and presumptuous scribling , they minister matter of scorne and laughter , when they consider their disioynted phrases , their mis-shapen figures , their shallow conceits lamely expressed , and disgraced , in stead of being adorned , with vnproper and vnfit metaphors , well declaring how vnworthy they be of the title of poets . such are they , who being themselues ful of intemperance and wantonnes , write nothing but dishonest and lasciuious rimes and songs , apt to root out all honest and manly thoughts out of their mindes that are so foolish as to lose their time in reading of them . these indeed ought to be driuen out , and banished frō al commonweales , as corrupters of manners , and infecters of young mens mindes : who may well be compared to rocks that lie hidden vnder water , amid the sea of this our life , on which , such yong men as chance to strike , are like to suffer shipwracke , and sinking in the gulfe of lust and wantonnesse , to be drowned and dead to all vertue . but true poesie well vsed , is nothing else but the most ancient kind of philosophie , compounded and interlaced with the sweetnesse of numbers and measured verses . a thing ( as saith musaeus ) most sweet and pleasing to the mind , teaching vs vertue by a singular maner of instruction , and couering morall sences vnder fabulous fictions : to the end they might the sooner be receiued vnder that pleasing forme , and yet not be vulgarly vnderstood , but by such onely as were worthy to tast the sweetnesse of their inuentions . for so did the philosophers of old write their mysteries vnder similitudes , to the end they might not be straight comprehended by euery dul wit , and lose their reputation , by being common in the hands and mouth of euery simple fellow . this maner first began among the wiser aegiptians , and was afterwards followed by pythagoras and plato . and aristotle , though he wrote not by similitudes and allegories , yet wrapt he vp his conceits in so darke a maner of speech and writing , as hardly were they to be vnderstood by those that heard himselfe teach and expound his writings . but to make an end with poets , he that marketh those fictions which homer hath written of their gods , like as those of virgil , and other of the heathen poets , though at the first they seeme strange and absurd ; yet he shall find vnder them naturall and diuine knowledge hidden to those that are not wise and learned : which neither time nor occasion would , that i should here insist vpon . let it suffice that yong men are to make great account of that part of musike which beareth with it graue sentences , fit to compose the mind to good order by vertue of the numbers and sound ; which part proceedeth from the poets , whom plato himself called the fathers and guides of those that afterwards were called philosophers . but this that by varietie of tunes , and warbling diuisions , confounds the words and sentences , and yeeldeth onely a delight to the exterior sense , and no fruit to the mind , i wish them to neglect and not to esteeme . indeed ( said captain carleil ) i agree with you , that our musike is far different from the ancient musike , and that well may it serue to please the eare : but i yeeld that it effeminateth the minde , and rather diuerteth it from the way of blisse and felicitie , then helpeth him thereunto . but are there not other disciplines , besides these two which you haue specified last , wherein yong men are to be instructed to further them to the attaining of that end , about which all this our discourse is framed ? yes marry ( said i ) and so far as youth is capable , it might well be wished that he had knowledge of them all . but of these our author hath first spoken , supposing that from grammer , and such other the liberall arts , as those first yeares could reach to vnderstand , he should be straight brought to the excercise of the body and to musike . neuertheles it is requisite withal , that , as his yeares increase , he should apply himselfe without losse of time to learne principally geometry and arithmetike , two liberal arts , and of great vse and necessitie for all humane actions in this life ; because they teach vs measure and numbers , by which , all things mans life hath need of are ordered and ruled . for by them we measure land , we build , we deuise arts , and set them forth , all things are directed by number and measure , as occasions serue : and without the help of these two faculties , all would be confused and disordered . and therefore did the aegyptians set their children carefully to learne them : for that by them they decided the discords and differences growing among the dwellers along the banks of the riuer of nyle , which with her inundations , and breaking of their meares and limits did giue them often cause to fall at variance and strife among themselues . for nauigation likewise how needfull they are , all men do know , that know the necessitie of the vse thereof for humane life , since all that nature produceth to all people and nations in the world particularly , is thereby made common to all , with the helpe of commutation and of coyne . from these two also cometh the exact knowledge , not onely of the earth and of the sea , but of the heauens likewise and of their motions , of the starres and course of time , of the rising and setting of the plannets : and to conclude all in few words , of the whole frame and order of nature , and of her skill , by which she knitteth and vniteth together in peace and amitie things in themselues most contrary . all done so cunningly by number and measure , as a whole yeares discourse would not serue to display the same at large . the art of warre in like maner , so needful for states and commonweales , to keepe in due obedience stubborne and rebellious subiects , and to repell the violence of forreine enemies , if it were not directed by measure and number : what would it be but a confusion , and a most dangerous and harmfull thing , which would soone fall from the reputation it hath and euer had . for these considerations therefore and others , is youth , that bendeth his course to vertue , to exercise it selfe in geometry and arithmetike , which in ancient times men would acquaint their children withall , euen from their childhood : as arts that haue more certainty then any other . but they are not to be attained without logike , because from it are gotten the instruments and the maner to deuide , to compound , to inuent and find out reasons and arguments ; and finally to discerne and iudge of truth and falshood . but here i must tel you , that he meaneth not of that logike which is vsed now a dayes most in schooles , standing for the most part vpon brawlings and contentions , and propounding of friuolous questions , seruing to nought else but subtilties , and inextricable knots , fitter to nourish arguments then to teach or explane the truth . which abuse antisthenes misliking , said , it was meeter to instruct him that contended , then by contention to ouercome him . for logike being indeed the way and meane to instruct and teach , and ( as before is said ) the proper instrument of sciences , such as learne it onely to contend , forsake the right end and scope of that art , and are as fruitlesse to their followers or scholers , as myre is to the way faring man , which besides the defiling of his garments , doth oftentimes make him also to fall . therfore plato in his time cried out vpon the same , iudging it not without cause to be a meer folly that hindred the knowledge of truth , and the learning of those things which the soundest and wisest philosophers taught as well touching vertuous and ciuill actions , as naturall and diuine sciences : from which , this vaine science putteth men astray , so long as it teacheth onely to argue and to contend . whereby it commeth to passe , that whiles they are more intentiue to the words and circumstances then to the matter , the more they striue to seeme learned and subtill , the lesse they shew themselues to vnderstand . next to logike is rhetorike to be placed , or the art of oratory , which leontinus did preferre before all other , because it maketh it selfe ladie ouer mens minds , not by force or violence , but by their owne consents and free-will . and as zeno expressed the difference betweene these two arts , by resembling the former to his hand closed , and the latter to his hand stretched out . so doth rhetorike vse arguments with lesse force and efficacie then logike ; yet fetcheth them from logike , as from a fountaine or well head , not to seek out the truth exactly , but only to perswade or disswade with them that , which he thinketh most profitable for the speaker , or the person for whom he speaketh . and of this art , haue all publike and priuate actions appertaining to ciuill life need to perswade what is good and profitable , and to disswade what is hurtfull or vnprofitable , to appease tumults and dissentions , to treate of leagues and peaces , to stirre vp the mindes of men to the defence of their friends , their parents , their prince and country , and their religion : to search out and inuestigate the truth of all things , to assist the innocent and oppressed in courts of iudgement , to accuse the faultie and offenders : and finally to giue vnto vertue her due praise and commendation ; and vnto vice due blame and reproch . by these meanes and studies which we haue briefly touched , rather then perfectly declared , ought a young man to be framed to ciuill conuersation , and instructed with all carefulnesse , that he may learne to bridle his concupiscible desires , his angry and disordinate motions , occasioned by the senses , and stirred vp by those two parts of the minde , which are rebellious and contrary to reason : whereby he may giue himselfe wholy to honest and vertuous endeuours . and because store of wealth oft times causeth young men ( when they possesse it ) to turne aside from vertue , because riches is the nurse of wantonnesse in those yeares , great regard is to be had , that as the father , so farre as his state requireth , is not to suffer his son to want any thing that is necessary for his calling ; so must he take heede that he be not so fed with money , as feeding therby his lusts and sensuall appetites , he may abandon the good thoughts of vertue , and receiue in steed of them the seeds of vnruly and disorderly affections , which of themselues are by nature in youth much more mightie then were fit , and need not to be holpen by plentie of riches . for to giue a yong man money at will , to dispose as he list ( vnlesse the father find , as in some yong men it happeneth , that he hath preuented his yeares with staidnesse and discretion ) is euen as much as to put a sword into the hands of a furious or mad man. by this the sun was so farre declined towards our horizon , as all the companie thought it time to depart , that they might before sun-set reach to the citie . wherfore sir robert dillon rising vp , said : howsoeuer the latenes of the day call vs away , yet the desire to heare on further the discourse of so good a matter , hath drawne vs on in such sort , as we haue scarce perceiued how the time is past . and for your second feast , you haue right daintily and plenteously entertained vs. we must now expect the third , which to morow ( god willing ) we wil not faile to come and accept : in hope that though we be cōbersome & troublesome vnto you , yet as wel in regard of discharging your promise , as of accomplishing the desire of so many your friends , you will not thinke it much to affoord vs your patience and your breath in deliuering to vs the substance of your authors third dialogue of ciuil life ; by which we may learne as much as he hath written of the ethike part of moral philosophie , teaching the ready way for euery man in his priuate course of life to attaine his felicitie , and that end , of which all this discourse of yours hath had his beginning . and so taking their leaue all together they departed . the third dayes meeting , and discourse of ciuill life . i was not yet fully apparelled on the next morrow , when looking out of my window towards the citie , i might perceiue the companie all in a troupe coming together , not as men walking softly to sport , or desirous to refresh themselues with the morning deaw , and the sweete pleasant ayre that then inuited all persons to leaue their sluggish nestes ; but as men earnestly bent to their iorney , and that had their heads busied about some matter of greater moment then their recreation . i therefore hasted to make me ready , that they might not find me in case to be taxed by them of drowsinesse , and was out of the doores before they came to the house : where saluting them , and they hauing courteously returned the good morrow vnto me ; the lord primate asked me whether that company made me not afraide to see them come in such sort vpon me being but a poore farmer : for though they came not armed like soldiers to be cessed vpon me , yet their purpose was to coynie vpon me , and to eate me out of house and home . to whom i answered , that as long as i saw counsellers in the companie , i neede not feare that any such vnlawful exactiō as coynie should be required at my hand : for the lawes had sufficiently prouided for the abolishing thereof . and though i knew that among the irishry it was not yet cleane taken away , yet among such as were ameynable to law , and ciuill , it was not vsed or exacted . as for souldiers , besides that their peaceable maner of coming freed me from doubt of cesse , thanked be god the state of the realme was such as there was no occasion of burthening the subiect with them , such had bin the wisedome , valour and foresight of our late lord deputie , not onely in subduing the rebellious subiects , but also in ouercoming the forreine enemie : whereby the garrison being reduced to a small number , and they prouided for by her maiestie of victual at reasonable rates , the poore husbandman might now eate the labors of his owne hands in peace and quietnes , without being disquieted or harried by the vnruly souldier . we haue ( said sir robert dillon ) great cause indeed to thanke god of the present state of our country , and that the course holden now by our present lord deputie , doth promise vs a continuance , if not a bettering , of this our peace and quietnesse . my lord grey hath plowed and harrowed the rough ground to his hand : but you know that he that soweth the seede , whereby we hope for haruest according to the goodnesse of that which is cast into the earth , and the seasonablenesse of times , deserueth no lesse praise then he that manureth the land . god of his goodnesse graunt , that when he also hath finished his worke , he may be pleased to send vs such another bayly to ouersee and preserue their labours , that this poore countrey may by a wel-ordered and setled forme of gouernement , and by due and equall administration of iustice beginne to flourish as other common-weales do . to which all saying amen , we directed our course to walke vp the hill , where we had bene the day before ; and sitting downe vpon the little mount awhile to rest the companie that had come from dublin , we arose againe , and walked in the greene way , talking still of the great hope was conceiued of the quiet of the countrey , since the forreine enemie had so bin vanquished , and the domesticall conspiracies discouered & met withall , and the rebels cleane rooted out , till one of the seruants came to call vs home to dinner . where finding the table furnished we sate downe , and hauing seasoned our fare with pleasant and familiar discourses , as soone as the boord was taken vp , they sollicited me to fetch my papers that i might proceede to the finishing of my last discourse of the three by me proposed . but they being ready at hand in the dining chamber , i reached them , and layd them before me , and began as followeth . hitherto hath bin discoursed of those two ages , which may for the causes before specified , be wel said to be void of election , and without iudgement , because of their want of experience . for which cause haue they had others assigned to them , for guides to leade them to that end , which of themselues they were not able to attaine , that is , their felicitie in this life . and now being to speake of that age which succeeds the heate of youth ; we must a litle touch the varietie of opinions concerning the same . tully saith , that a citizen of rome might be created consul ( which was the highest ordinary dignitie in that citie ) when he was come to the age of . yeares . plinie in his panegyrike saith , that it was decreed lege pompeia , that no man might haue any magistracie before he were thirtie yeeres old . and vlpian , lege s. digest . treating of honours , writeth , that vnder the age of . yeares no man was capable of any magistracie . among these three opinions , the last of the ciuill lawyer holdeth the medium , and is therefore the fittest to be followed : for then is a young mans mind setled , and he is become fit ( being bred and instructed as hath bin before declared ) to be at his owne guiding and direction : and then doth the ciuill law allow him libertie to make contracts and bargaines for himselfe , which before he could not do , being in pupillage and vnder a tutor . howbeit our common law cutteth off foure yeeres of those , and enableth a yong man at . yeeres of age to enter into his land , and to be ( as we terme it ) out of his wardship . which time being ( i know not for what respect ) assigned by our lawes , may well be held not so well considered of , as that which the ciuill law appointeth , if we marke how many of our yong men ouerthrow their estates by reason of their want of experience , and of the disordinate appetites which master them : all which in those other foure yeares from . to . do alter to better iudgement and discretion . whereby they are the better able to order their affaires . why , said captain dawtry , i haue knowne , and know at this day some young men , who at . yeeres of age are of sounder iudgement and more setled behauiour , then many , not of . yeeres old onely , but of many moe , yea then some that are grey-headed with age . of such ( said i ) there are to be seene oftentimes as you say some , that beyond all expectation , and as it were forcing the rules of nature , shew themselues stayed in behauiour , and discreete in their actions when they are very yong , to the shame of many elder men . of which companie , i may well of mine owne knowledge , and by the consent i thinke of all men , name one as a rare example and a wonder of nature , and that is sir philip sidney ; who being but seuenteene yeeres of age when he began to trauell , and coming to paris , where he was ere long sworne gentleman of the chamber to the french king , was so admired among the grauer sort of courtiers , that when they could at any time haue him in their companie and conuersation , they would be very ioyfull , and no lesse delighted with his ready & witty answers , thē astonished to heare him speake the french language so wel , and aptly , hauing bin so short a while in the countrey . so was he likewise esteemed in all places else where he came in his trauell , as well in germanie as in italie . and the iudgement of her maiestie employing him , when he was not yet full . yeeres old , in embassage to congratulate with the emperour that now is his comming to the empire , may serue for a sufficient proofe , what excellencie of vnderstanding , and what stayednesse was in him at those yeeres . whereby may well be said of him the same that cicero said of scipio africanus , to wit , that vertue was come faster vpon him then yeeres . which africanus was chosen consull being absent in the warres , by an vniuersal consent of all the tribes of rome , before he was of age capable to receiue that dignitie by the law . but these are rare examples , vpon which rules are not to be grounded : for aristotle so long ago said , as we do now in our common prouerbe , that one swallow makes not summer . among young men there are some discreete , sober , quicke of wit , and ready of discourse , who shew themselues ripe of iudgment before their yeeres might seeme to yeeld it them : so are there among aged men on the other side some of shallow wit and little iudgement ; of whom the wisest men of al ages haue esteemed , that to be old with a yong mans mind , is all one as to be yong in yeeres . for it is not grey haires or furrowes in the face , but prudence and wisedome that make men venerable when they are old : neither can there be any thing more vnseemly , then an old man to liue in such maner as if he begā but then to liue ; which caused aristotle to say , that it imported little whether a man were young of yeeres or of behauiour . neuerthelesse , because dayly experience teacheth vs , that yeares commonly bring wisedome , by reason of the varietie of affaires that haue passed thorough old mens hands , and which they haue seene managed by other men : and that commonly youth hath neede of a guide and director , to take care of those things which himselfe cannot see or discerne . therefore haue lawes prouided tutors for the ages before mentioned , vntill they had attained the yeers by them limited , & thenceforth left men to their owne direction , vnlesse in some particular cases accidentall , as when they be distraught of their wits , or else through extreme olde age they become children againe , as sometimes it falleth out . knowledge then is the thing that maketh a man meete to gouerne himselfe ; and the same being attained but by long studie and practise , wise men haue therefore concluded , that youth cannot be prudent . for indeed the varietie of humane actions , by which , from many particular accidents , an vniuersall rule must be gathered ; because ( as aristotle sayth ) the knowledge of vniuersalities springeth from singularities , maketh knowledge so hard to be gotten , that many yeares are required thereunto . and from this reason is it also concluded , that humane felicitie cannot be attained in yong yeares , since by the definition thereof it is a perfect operation according to vertue in a perfect life : which perfection of life is not to be allowed but to many yeers . but the way vnto it is made opē by knowledge , and specially by the knowledge of a mans selfe . to which good education hauing prepared him and made him apt , when he is come to riper iudgement by yeares , he may the better make choise of that way which shall leade him to the same , as the most perfect end and scope of all his actions . and this by cōsidering wel of his own nature , which hauing annexed vnto it a spark of diuinitie , he shal not only as a meere earthly creature , but also as partaker of a more diuine excellency , raise himself , & haue perfect light to see the ready way which leadeth to felicitie . to this knowledge of himselfe , so necessary for the purchasing of humane felicitie , is philosophie a singular helpe , as being called the science of truth , the mother of sciences , and the instructor of all things appertaining to happie life : and therefore should yong men apply themselues to the studie thereof with all carefulnesse , that thereby they may refine their mindes and their iudgements , and find the knowledge of his wel-nigh diuine nature , so much the more easily . and as this knowledge is of all other things most properly appertaining to humane wisedome ; so is the neglecting thereof the greatest and most harmefull folly of all others : for from the said knowledge ( as from a fountaine or well head ) spring all vertues and goodnes ; euen as from the ignorance thereof slow all vices and euils that are among men . but herein is one special regard to be had , which is , that self loue cary not away the mind from the direct path to the same : for which cause plato affirmed , that men ought earnestly to pray to god , that in seeking to know themselues , they might not be misled by their selfe loue , or by the ouer-weening of themselues . m. spenser then said : if it be true that you say , by philosophie we must learne to know our selues , how happened it , that the brachmani men of so great fame , as you know , in india , would admit none to be their schollers in philosophy , if they had not first learned to know them selues : as if they had concluded , that such knowledge came not from philosophie , but appertained to some other skill or science . their opinion ( said i ) differeth not ( as my author thinketh ) from the opinion of the wise men of greece . but that the said brachmani herein shewed the selfe same thing that aristotle teacheth , which is , that a man ought to make some triall of himselfe before he determinate to follow any discipline , that he may discerne and iudge whether there be in him any disposition wherby he may be apt to learne the same or no. and to the same effect in another place he affirmeth , that there must be a custome of wel-doing in thē that wil learne to be vertuous , which may frame in them an aptnesse to learne , by making them loue what is honest and commendable , and to hate those things that are dishonest and reprochfull . for all men are not apt for all things : neither is it enough that the teacher be ready to instruct and skilfull , but the learner must also be apt of nature to apprehend and conceiue the instructions that shall be giuen vnto him . and this knowledge of himselfe , is fit for euery man to haue before he vndertake the studie of philosophie , to wit , that he enter into himselfe to trie whether he can well frame himself to endure the discipline of this mother of sciences , and the patience which is required in al those things besides , which appertaine to honestie and vertuous life . for he that will learne vertue in the schoole of philosophie , must not bring a mind corrupted with false opinions , vices , wickednesse , disordinate appetites , ambitions , greedie desires of wealth , nor wanton lusts and longings , with such like , which will stop his eares that he shall not be able to heare the holy voice of philosophie . therefore epictetus said very well , that they which were willing to study philosophie , ought first to consider well whether their vessel be cleane and sweet , lest it should corrupt that which they meant to put into it . declaring thereby withall , that learning put into a vicious mind is dangerous . but this maner of knowing a mans selfe , is not that which i spake of before , though it be that which the sayd indian philosophers meant , and is also very necessary and profitable . for to know a mans selfe perfectly , according to the former maner , is a matter of greater importance then so . which made thales , when he was asked what was the hardest thing for a man to learne , answer , that it was , to know himselfe . for this knowledge stayeth not at the consideration of this exteriour masse of our body , which represents it selfe vnto our eyes , though euen therein also may well be discerned the maruellous and artificiall handy-work of gods diuine maiestie , but penetrateth to the examination of the true inward man , which is the intellectuall soule , to which this body is giuen but for an instrument here in this life . and this knowledge is of so great importance , that man guided by the light of reason , knoweth that he is , as trismegistus saith , a diuine miracle , and therefore not made ( as bruite beasts are ) to the belly and to death , but to vertue and to eternall life , that thereby he may vnite himselfe at the last with his creator and maker of all things , when his soule shall be freed from these mortall bands and fetters of the flesh . towards whom neuerthelesse , it is his part of raise himselfe with the wings of his thoughts euen whiles he is here in this world , soaring aboue mortall things , bending his mind to the contemplation of that diuine nature , the most certaine roote of all goodnesse , the infallible truth , and the assured beginning and foundation of all vertues . and therefore said aristotle , that the science of the soule was profitable to the knowledge of all truth . whereunto may be added that which plato and his followers haue affirmed , to wit , that the soule knowing her self , knoweth also her maker ; and disposeth her selfe not onely to obey him , but also to become like vnto him : whereof in another place occasion of further speech will be ministred . moreouer , a man by knowing himselfe , becommeth in this life sage and prudent , and vnderstandeth that he is made not to liue onely , as other creatures are , but also to liue well . for they that haue not this knowledge , are like vnto bruite beasts : and he seeth likewise , that nature , though she produceth man not learned , yet she hath framed vs to vertue , and apt to knowledge . and that a man is placed as a meane creature betweene bruite beasts and those diuine spirits aboue in heauen , hauing a disposition to decline ( if he list ) to the nature of those bruite beasts , and also to raise himselfe to a resemblance of god himselfe . which things he weighing and considering , he reacheth not onely to the knowledge of himselfe , but of other men also . and by the guiding of philosophie , to direct himselfe and others to the well gouerning of himselfe , of families , and common-wealths , to the making of lawes and ordinances for the maintaining of vertue and beating downe of vice ; and finally to set men in the way to their felicitie , by giuing them to vnderstand , that they onely are happie which be wise and vertuous , and meete to be lords and rulers ouer other men , and ouer all things else created for the vse of mankind . of all which things when they shall consider man onely to be the end , maruelling at his excellencie , they are driuen to acknowledge how much they are bound to the heauenly bountie and goodnesse , for creating him so noble a creature , and setting him so direct a course to euerlasting ioy and felicitie . hence groweth a desire in them of what is good , beautifull , and honest , and of iustice , and to make themselues like vnto their maker : who ( as the platonikes say ) is the centre , about which all soules capable of reason turne , euen as the line turneth about the mathematicall point to make a circle : and so by good and vertuous operations to purchase in this life praise and commendation , and in the life to come eternal happinesse . these were the men whom the lacedemonians accounted diuine , and the platonikes called the images of god. then said captain carleil , this your discourse , whereby you haue shewed the importance and right meant of knowing our selues , hath bin very wise & fruitful , and fit to declare how we ought to frame our life in this world . but i make a doubt , whether all this that you haue layed before vs to be done , be in our power or no ? for it seemeth strange , that , if it be in our power to giue our selues to a commendable life , there be any ( as we see there are many ) so peruerse , and of so crooked iudgement , as to bend themselues to wickednesse and naughtie life , who , when they might be vertuous , would rather chuse to be vicious . and this maketh me oftentimes to thinke that the doing of good or euill is not in our power ; but that either destinie ( which as thales was wont to say ) ruled and mastred all things , or the starres with their influences doth draw vs to do what we do . to this demaund of yours , said i , you shal haue an answer , such as mine author maketh , who , as a philosopher naturally discoursing of the actions of the soule , deliuereth his minde according to the sentence of all philosophers . but because some part of your question toucheth a point now in controuersie concerning religion , it is good we haue a safe conduct of my lord primate , that his sence as a philosopher may haue free passage without danger of his censure . that shall you haue ( said my lord primate ) with a good will : for since we are here to discourse of morall philosophie , we wil for this time put diuinitie to silence , so farre forth as your author say not any thing so repugnant to the truth , as that it may breed any errour in the minds of the hearers . then ( said i ) the demaund of captaine carleil hath three seuerall points or articles : the one is , whether vertue and vertuous actions be in our power or no ? another , that it seemeth strange , if vice & vertue be in our power , that any man should be so senslesse as to apply himselfe to vice and forsake vertue . the last is , whether the good or euill we do , proceed frō the influence of the heauens , or from necessitie of destinie , and not from our owne free election . and my author beginneth with the last , which he affirmeth to be most contrary to truth , and to the excellencie of mans nature , proceeding thence to the second , and lastly to the first . therefore he saith , that whosoeuer holdeth mans will and election to be subiect to the necessitie of destiny , destroyeth vtterly ( according to aristotles saying ) all that appertaineth to humane prudence , either in the care of himselfe or of his family , or in the ordering of lawes , and the vniuersall gouernment of kingdomes and common-weales , as well in peace as in warre : for if it were so , what need haue men to do any thing , but idly to attend what his destinie is to giue him or to denie him , or to prouide for any of those things whereof our humane life hath neede . what difference were there betweene the wise man and the foole , the carefull and the rechlesse , the diligent and the negligent ? the punishment of malefactors , and the rewarding of wel-doers , shold be vniust and needlesse . for euery thing being done by the order of fatall disposition , and not by election , no man could either deserue praise , or incurre blame . besides , nature should in vaine haue giuen vs the vse of reason , to discourse or to consult , or the abilitie to will or chuse any thing ; for whatsoeuer were appointed by destinie , should of necessitie come to passe ; and if of necessitie , then neither prudence , counsell , nor election can haue any place . and the vse of free-will being so taken from vs , we should be in worse state and condition then bruite beasts ; for they guided by instinct of nature , bend themselues to those things whereunto their nature inclineth them : whereas we notwithstanding the vse of reason , should be like bond-slaues , tied to what the necessitie of destinie should bind vs vnto . this was the cause why chrysippus was worthily condemned among all the auncient philosophers , for that he held destinie to be a sempiternal and vneuitable necessitie and order of things which in maner of a chaine was linked orderly in it self , so as one succeeded another , and were fitly conioyned together . by which description of destinie appeereth , that he meant to tie all things to necessitie . for albeit he affirmed withall , that our mind had some working in the matter , yet did he put necessitie to be so necessary , that there could no way be found , whereby our mind might come to haue any part . for to say that our mind or will concurred , by willing or not willing whatsoeuer destinie drew vs vnto , was nought else but a taking away of free choice from our vnderstanding or will , since our mind like a bond-slaue was constrained to will , or not to will , as destinie did inuite it , or rather force it . and like to this were the opinions of demetrius , of parmenides , and of heraclitus , who subiected all things to necessitie , and deserued no lesse to be condemned then chrysippus prince of the stoikes . among which , some there were , who seeing many things to happen by chance or fortune ; whereby it appeared that it could not be true , that things came by necessitie , lest they should denie a thing so manifest to sense , they supposed the beginnings and the endings of things to be of necessitie , but the meanes and circumstances they yeelded to be subiect to the changes and alterations of fortune . and of this opinion was virgil ( as some thinke ) in the conducting of aeneas into italie . for it should seeme that he departed his country to come into italie by fatall disposition , that he might get lauinia for his wife : but before he could arriue there , and winne her , he was mightily tossed and turmoyled by fortune ; which neuerthelesse could neuer crosse him so much , but that in the end he obtained his purpose , which by destiny was appointed for him . but howsoeuer virgil thought in that point , which here need not to be disputed , sure i am , that he in the greatest part of his excellent poeme , is rather a platonike then a stoike . howbeit some platonikes ( as i thinke ) were not farre different in opinion from the stoikes : for they say , that fortune with all her force was not able to resist fatall destinie . though plotinus thought otherwise , and indeed much better , who answering them that would needs haue the influence of starres to induce necessitie , prooued their reasons to be vaine onely by an ordinary thing in dayly experience : which is , that sundry persons borne vnder one self same constellation , are seene neuerthelesse to haue diuers ends and diuers successes , which they could not haue , if those influences did worke their effects of necessitie . and as for epicures opinion , which was , that the falling of his motes or atomi should breed necessitie in our actions ; he rather laughed at , then confuted . yea he was further of opinion , that not onely humane prudence , and our free election , was able to resist the influences of the starres , but that also our complexiō , our conuersation and change of place might do the like : meaning that the good admonitions , and faithfull aduice and counsell of friends , is sufficient to ouercome destinie , and to free our mindes from the necessitie of fatall disposition . wherefore though it be granted that there is a destinie , or that the starres and heauens , or the order of causes , haue power ouer vs to incline or dispose vs more to one thing then to another ; yet is it not to be allowed that they shall force vs to follow the same inclination or disposition . for though the heauens be the vniuersall principle or beginning of all things , and by that vniuersalitie ( as i may call it ) the beginning of vs also according to naturall philosophie ; yet is it not the onely cause of our being and of our nature : for to the making man , a man must concurre , and so restraine this vniuersall cause to a more speciall . and as the heauen , or the order of higher causes , cannot ingender man without a man ( speaking according to nature ) : so can they do nothing to bind the free election of man without his consent , who must voluntarily yeeld himselfe to accomplish that whereunto the heauen or the order of causes doth bend and incline him . and if we haue power to master our complexion , so , as being naturally inclined to lust , we may by heed and diligence become continent ; and being couetous , become liberall ( though aristotle say , that couetise is as incurable a disease of the mind , as the dropsie or ptisike is to the body ) : what a folly is it to beleeue that we cannot resist the inclinations of the stars , which are causes without vs , and not the onely causes of our being ; but haue need of vs , if they will bring forth their effects in vs ? the beginning of all our operation is vndoubtedly in our selues : and all those things that haue the beginning of their working in themselues , do worke freely and voluntarily . and consequently we may by our free choise and voluntarily giue our selues to good or to euill , and master the inclination of the heauens , the starres , or destinie , which troubleth so much the braines of some , that in despite of nature they will needes make themselues bond being free : whom ptolomie doth fitly reprehend , by saying , that the wise man ouer-ruleth the starres . for well may the heauens or the stars , being corporall substances , haue some power ouer our bodies , but ouer our mindes which are diuine , simple , and spirituall substances , can they haue none : for betweene the heauens & our minds is no such correspondence , that they may against our wils do ought at all in our minds which are wholy free from their influences , if any they haue . and therefore do the best of the platonikes say very wel , that man must oppose himselfe against his destinie , fighting to ouercome the same with golden armes and weapons , to wit , vertues , which is ( as plato saith ) the gold of the mind . for he that behaueth himselfe well , that is to say , ruleth wel his mind or soule , which is the true man indeed , as we haue formerly shewed , shall neuer be abandoned to destinie or fortune : against which two powers mans counsell and wisedome resisteth in such sort , if he set himself resolutely thereunto , as it may wel appeere that he is lord and master ouer his owne actions . neither without cause did tully say , that fatall destinie was but a name deuised by old wiues , who not knowing the causes of things , as soone as any thing fell out contrary to their expectation , straight imputed it to destinie ; ioyning thereunto such a necessitie , as it must needs ( forsooth ) force mans counsell and prudence . a thing most false , as hath bin declared . is it not said in the scripture , that god created man , and left him in the power of his owne counsell ? how then doth menander say , that men did many euils compelled by necessitie ? i meane not by necessitie , as commonly we do , want or pouertie , but by necessitie of destinie . we may then conclude , that our will and election is free , and that it is in our power to follow vice or vertue . neuerthelesse true it is that man may abuse this his libertie , and of a free man make himselfe bond if he will : and therefore do the platonike say , that a good and a wel-minded man doth all his actions freely ; but that if he giue himself to do euill , forsaking the light of reason , he becommeth a bruite beast , and looseth the diuine gift of his libertie : for thenceforth doth he work no more freely of himself , but yeeldeth his minde , which ought to be the lord of our libertie , slaue to the two basest parts of the soule , and then reigneth no more the reasonable soule , but the brutish , which maketh him abandon the care of the minde , and onely to attend the pleasures of the body , as brute beasts doe . hitherto ( said my lord primate ) i find nothing to be misliked in your discourse , which ( as a philosopher ) is declared according to morall reason . but , as a christian , what sayth your author to gods predestination ? is it not necessary , that whatsoeuer god hath determined of vs from the beginning in his fore-knowledge ( being the most certaine and true knower of all things ) shall come to passe ? this is ( said i ) no small question to be fully answered , and being also not very pertinent to the matter we haue in hand ( being meerely morall ) my author medleth not with the particular points of the same : onely hereof he saith , that euripides had little reason to say , that god had care of greater things , but that he left the care and guiding of the lesser to fortune . for we are bound by holy writ to beleeue ( and some of the auncient philosophers haue likewise so thought ) that there moueth not a leafe vpon a tree , nor falleth a haire from our heads , but by the will of god. whereupon the holy prophet dauid sayd , that god dwelleth on high , and beholdeth the things that are humble in heauen and in earth . and the peripatetikes seemed to consent thereunto , when they sayd , that the heauenly prouidence foreseeing that the particulars were not apt to preserue themselues eternally , had therfore ordained that they should be continued in their vniuersalities , which are the seuerall kinds or species , containing vnder them the particulars , which of themselues are mortal and perishable , but are made perpetual in them through generation . he sayth also , that predestination is an ordinance or disposition of things in the mind of god from the beginning , of what shal be done by vs in this life through grace . but he thinks not that it tieth our free wil , but that they go both together ; that our well doing is acceptable and pleasing to god , and our euil deeds displeasing and offensiue to his diuine maiestie : and that for the good we shall receiue reward , and punishment for the euill . the further discussing whereof appertaining rather to diuines then morall philosophers , he thinketh fit to referre vnto them , and to beleeue that this is one of those secrets which god hath layed vp in the treasury of his mind , whereunto no mortall eye or vnderstanding can reach or penetrate , humbling our selues to his holy will , without searching into that which we cannot approch vnto . and if socrates in that time of darknesse and superstition of the heathen could exhort men to assure themselues , that god hauing created them , wold haue no lesse care of them , then a good and iust prince would haue of his subiects : how much more are we to beleeue that our heauenly lord and god almightie , who hath sent his onely begotten sonne to redeeme vs from the bondage of sathan , doth dispose and ordaine of vs as is best for vs , and for the honor of his diuine maiestie . for as they are to be commended that referre themselues humbly to whatsoeuer he hath determined of them , doing their best endeuours to purchase his grace and fauour : so are they to be misdoubted , who ouer-curiously will needes take vpon them the iudgment of gods predestination or prescience . and that sentence cannot but be very good , which sayeth , that he that made thee without thee , will not saue thee without thee . for were a man certaine to be damned , yet ought he not to do otherwise then well , because he is borne to vertue and not to vice : which the very heathen by the onely light of reason could well perceiue . besides , it is thoght , that al they , that are signed with the character of christ in baptisme , may stedfastly beleeue that they are predestinated and chosen to saluation : not that our predestinatiō giueth vs a necessitie of wel doing , but because we hauing the grace of god to assist vs , dispose our selues by the same grace to keep his cōmandements for our saluation , and for the honor and glory of his maiestie : whereas by doing otherwise it is our owne wickednesse that excludeth vs from that blisse . and further mine author saith not . in good sooth ( said sir robert dillon ) this seemeth to me to be well and christian like spoken . for he that acknowledgeth not so great a gift from god , being a speciall marke or token by which we are distinguished from brute beasts , who wanting the vse of reason , can haue no free election , is not onely vnthankfull , but doth foolishly thrust himselfe into the number of vnreasonable creatures , while he will needs depriue himself of that he hath specially different from them . neither doth the reuerent regard to gods prouidence impeach our free wil : which prouidence the platonikes partly vnderstanding , affirmed ( as i haue heard ) that it did not alter or change the nature of things , but guided and directed destinie : imposing no necessitie of doing good or euill vpon vs. and if any it did impose , it should be onely to good , and neuer to euill . for what is diuine must needes worke diuinely , and diuine working can produce none but good effects . wherefore they concluded that our election was not constrained by gods prouidence . this they confirmed by common experience . for ( sayd they ) if prouidence tie things to necessitie , then chance or fortune can haue no place in the actions of men . but we see dayly many things maturely debated , which should by the naturall and ordinary course of causes haue a determinate and certaine end , yet misse their effect whereunto they are ordained , and another produced which was neuer intended , which is the proper worke of fortune . i haue also heard some diuines say , that it should seeme strange , if wise & prudent men in this world by their prouidence and foresight , seek euermore to bring perfection to those things which are vnder their gouernement , god contrariwise ( who is the fountaine of all wisdome & prudence , and the true and absolute preseruer and conseruer of all things by him produced ) should not giue perfections and continuance through his prouidence to so singular a gift giuen vnto man aboue all other creatures of the earth , but shold suffer it to perish , to bind vs to seruitude . and that if his prouidence should tie our free will to necessitie , he should do that which is contrary to his owne nature : for that therby he should take from vs the reward of vertue , since doing well by necessitie , we could deserue neither praise nor recompence ; he should also take from vs all counsell and deliberation , which is needlesse and superfluous in all things , that of necessitie must come to passe : and lastly iustice it selfe , whereby malefactors are punished , if constrained by necessitie they did wickedly , for then were their punishment vniust : which made s. augustine say , that god would neuer damne a sinner , vnlesse he found that he had sinned voluntarily . we may therefore ( as i think ) conclude , that being created by god , and endowed with so excellent a gift , as free choice and election , which , besides the place of scripture aboue mentioned , is confirmed by another , where it is said , that god set before man life and death , good and euill , that he might take whether he list to chuse ; he by his diuine foresight doth rather giue perfection thereunto , then take it from vs. yet the particular consideration and debating of this matter being fitter for diuines then for vs , let vs leaue the scanning of it to them , and be content like men seeking by the rules of morall philosophie to find the ready way to humane felicitie in this life , to referre our selues in that point to the mercifull goodnesse of almightie god. and therefore ( i pray you ) proceed to the rest of your discourse , and shew vs the cause why so many giue themselues rather to vice then to vertue , when they may do otherwise , which your author said he would declare in the second place . so shall i ( quoth i ) and for the resoluing of the same , you shal vnderstand that plato was of opiniō , that no man willingly was wicked , because the habite of vice was not voluntarily receiued by any man. and for confirmation of this his opinion , this reason he made : as vertue ( sayd he ) is the health of the mind , so is vice the infirmitie of the same : and as the body receiueth willingly his health , and sicknesse against his will ; euen so the mind receiueth willingly vertue as his health , and vice vnwillingly ; knowing that thereby it becometh sicke and infected . but plotinus assigned another reason , not needfull here to be rehearsed . now aristotle was of another mind , for he affirmed that man had free will by his owne choice and election . how can man voluntarily embrace vice ( said m. dormer ) which of all things is the worst , since the same author saith , that al men couet what is good , and since without vertue there can be no good . these two sayings ( said i ) are not contradictory : for the most wicked man aliue desireth what is good : and if vice should shew it selfe in his owne proper forme , he is so vgly and so horrible to behold , that euery man would flie from him : therefore knowing how deseruedly he should be hated and abhorred , if he were seene like himselfe , he presents himselfe vnder the shape of goodnesse , and hiding all his il fauoured face , deceiueth the sensitiue appetite ; which being intised by the false image of goodnes , is so seduced , and through the corruption of his mind and iudgement , by the ill habit , contracted from his child hood , he embraceth that which ( if his iudgement were soūd ) he wold neuer do . wherfore plato his meaning was ( as it may be thought ) that no mā was willingly vicious , since , euill couering it selfe vnder the cloke of goodnesse , he was induced to do euill , thinking to do good : and so the opinions of both philosophers concurre . but pythagoras by the report of aristotle , lib. . ethicor. assigneth another cause , to wit , that ill doing is an infinite thing , and that by a thousand wayes men are led to wickednes and vicious actions , all easie to be taken : but to vertue there is but one onely way , and the same so enuironed and crossed with the bypaths that guide men to vice , as it must needs be hard to keepe it without entring into some of the by-wayes leading to vice and errour . for the eye that is not made cleere sighted by philosophie , is not able to discerne that way from the rest . it shold seeme ( said m. dormer ) by this , that ignorance is the cause of well doing , and not mans choice or election : for where ignorance is , it may be said there is no election . not so ( said i ) if aristotle be to be beleeued , who saith that ignorance so farre foorth as it concerneth mens actions , is of two sorts : the one is , when a man doth ill , not through ignorance , but ignorantly : the other is , when he doth it of meere ignorance , because he neither knoweth nor might know that such an action was euill . in the first case , are those that are hastie & cholerike , and drunkards : for though they knew before , that hastinesse and drunkennesse be euill , yet when the heate of choler , or the disordinate appetite of wine blindeth them , they erre ignorantly , but not of ignorance . in the latter are they that fall through meere ignorance , not knowing that what they do is euill . as if a prince make a restraint or prohibition , that no man vpon paine of death shall enter into his forrest to hunt there , and a stranger not knowing this restraint , cometh thither with his hounds to hunt , as in former time haply he had done . this stranger breaketh the will of the prince , and committeth a fault , but altogether through ignorance , because he had no knowledge of the prohibition . but if a hastie man knowing of the restraint , pursuing his enemy in his rage , or a drunken man , when wine hath made him not to discerne his way , entring into that forrest , haue his dog following him , and the dog kill a deere ; his fault though it be ignorantly committed should not be through ignorance . and as the stranger , being sorie for his offence , and thereby shewing that he meant not to breake the princes commaundement , were worthy pardon : euen so the other were iustly to be punished , since knowing the penaltie threatned to the offender , he would not bridle his furie , or abstaine from wine , but by following his passion or vnruly appetite , incurre the danger of the same . and as the one may well be iudged to haue made a fault against his wil ; so may the other be deemed to haue wilfully broken the commandement . in which latter case of ignorance are all they that be vicious or wicked , who through the ill habite which they haue made in vice , do any act contrary to law and the ciuill societie of men , for which they deserue to be adiudged wilfully euill , and by their owne free choice and election . for all men ought to know those things that generally are to be knowne , touching honest and ciuil conuersation ; and if they do not know them when they do il , it is because they chuse not to know that which is necessary for them to know . in which respect it is determined , that who so for want of knowing this generalitie will do amisse , should be esteemed wicked by his owne free wil and election . seneca said very fitly , that such men did in the mids of the cleere light make darknes to themselues . and this is that ignorance which plato calleth the defiling of the soul . let vs suppose that there may be one that knoweth not adultery to be sin or vice , and that in ignorance committeth adultery ; shal we say he deserueth to be excused ? god forbid : for he is cause of his owne ignorance , since it is in his power and in the power of all reasonable men to know what is fit and honest for vertuous life ; and that the same is made knowne , as well by gods law , as by the ordinances and customes of man , to all those that will not wittingly hood-winke themselues . wherefore it is a wilfull sin committed by free election , and worthy punishment as a voluntary offence . and s. augustine sayed not without cause , that all ignorance was not worthy pardon , but onely that of such men as had no meanes to attaine knowledge or learning : but they that haue teachers to instruct them , and for want of studie and diligence abide in their ignorance , and so do euill , are not onely vnworthy excuse , but deserue also sharpe punishment . so in another place he sayth , that no man is punished for that which naturally he knowes not : as the child for that he cannot speake , or because he cannot reade . but when he will not set his mind to learne as he ought , being of yeeres , and vrged thereunto , he deserueth to be chastised , because it is in euery mans power to be able to learne all that is necessary for him to know how to liue well , and what things are to be embraced as good , and what to be eschewed as euill : and he that will not learne them , remaineth wilfully in his ignorance . yea but if i should chance ( said captaine dawtrey ) to be abroade with my bow and arrowes , and perceiuing somewhat to stirre in a bush , should shoote thereat , supposing it to be a deere or some other game , and should so kill my wife that were hidden there , as cephalus did , should not my ignorance in that case excuse me ? this case ( said i ) appertaineth to the second part of ignorance , already spoken of , which is about the circumstances of the particular things , the ignorance whereof deserueth excuse , and so should this . but this ignorance should become wilfull wickednesse , if when you saw you had slaine your wife , intending to kill a deere , you were not heartily sory therefore , but rather glad to be so rid of her : and so farre should you then be from excuse , that you should deserue to be seuerely punished for the fact . much like to the case of cephalus was that of adrastus , but more miserable , in slaying of atys the sonne of croesus king of lidia . for croesus hauing giuen in charge to adrastus his sonne , and they being one day gone to hunt a great wild bore that did great harme in the countrey , accompanied with many yong gentlemen of lidia , whiles the bore was rushing forth , adrastus threw a dart at him , and atys comming by chance in the way , the dart hit him and slew him . now though atys were the only sonne of croesus , and were slaine by the hand of him that had him in charge ; yet finding that it was done by meere mischance and through ignorance , and knowing how grieuously adrastus sorrowed for the same , he not onely freed him of any punishment therefore , but frankly pardoned . him . and the repentance of the fact might haue sufficed the doer ; but he ouercome with extreme griefe slew himselfe at the funerall of the dead young prince , being vnable to beare with a stout courage the anguish and vexation of minde that his mishappe did breed him . but this shewed adrastus to be rather faint-hearted and weake of minde , then otherwise : for the purchasing of death to auoyde griefe or any other annoyance of the mind , is not the part of a valorous and couragious man , as the best among the ancient philosophers haue alwaies held . and because we know by the rule of christ , that it is no matter disputable , it needeth not that thereof any further words be made . you say well ( said my lord primate ) and i know that aristotle is of minde , that it is a vile act for a man to kill himselfe to auoyde ignominie or afflictions . but to omit the iudgement of the auncient romanes , who held it the part of a stout heart , for a man to kill himselfe rather then to suffer shame or seruitude , as we reade that cato did , and cassius and brutus : yet it seemeth that plato , whom your author determined to follow as well as aristotle , maketh socrates ( in his dialogue intituled phoedon ) to say , that a philosopher ought not to kill himselfe , vnlesse god lay a necessitie of doing it vpon him . out of which words it may well be gathered , he thought that not onely the common sort , but euen philosophers themselues , when necessitie constraineth them , might ridde themselues of their life . that place ( said i ) is aduisedly to be examined : for socrates there meant not that any man willingly should lay violent hands vpon himselfe ; but if there be no remedy but that die he must , and that diuers kindes of deaths are proposed vnto him , he may chuse that kind which is lesse noysome to him or lesse grieuous : as socrates chose to die with the iuice of hemlocks , and seneca by the opening of his veines . you may haply conster that meaning out of that place ( said my lord primate ) : but what will you say to that which is in his bookes of the common-weale , where he writeth , that a man sicke of any grieuous or long infirmitie , when he shall see himselfe out of hope to procure remedie , he should then make an end of his life . to that place i say ( quoth i ) that it is to be considered how plato sought to frame his common-wealth in such sort as it should be rather diuine then humane : and therfore as the citizens of the heauenly common-wealth liue in continuall happinesse and contentment , without feeling any annoyance or molestation at all : euen so was his purpose , that the citizens of his common-wealth should haue no grieuance , paine or molestation among them : but in an ordinary humane common-wealth he would not haue set downe any such precept . you haue salued that sore reasonable well also ( sayed my lord primate ) though there might be obiections made against your answer . but how will another place of his be defended , which is in his booke of lawes , where he sayth , that whosoeuer hath committed any offence in the highest degree , and findeth , that he hath not power to abstaine from the like eftsoones , ought to rid himselfe out of the world . the answer to that ( said i ) is easie : for plato his meaning therein is , that whosoeuer is wickedly giuen , and of so euill example as there is no hope of his amendment , should rather kill himselfe , then by liuing inuite so many others to the like course of life : not vnlike to the opinion alreadie recited , that it is better one die for a people , then that his life should be the occasion of the death of many . for plato aymed euermore at the purging of all cities frō such caterpillers ; which appeereth manifestly by the pain he would haue inflicted vpon parricides . but that it was abhomination to him for a man to kill himselfe , he plainely sheweth in his ninth booke of lawes , by the sentence he setteth downe against such men . neuerthelesse this indeed may be found in plato , that vice was so odious vnto him , that he would rather haue a man to die , then to vndertake any vile & vicious action , which might breed him perpetuall infamie . and aristotle in this point agreeth with his master ( though in many he delight to carpe him ) that a man ought to chuse rather to die then commit any abhominable or grieuous fact , or do that which might be for euer reprochful vnto him . and plato his expresse sence of this matter , is to be vnderstood in the same dialogue which you first spake of , where socrates is brought to say , that the lord and ruler of this whole world hauing sent vs into this life , we are not to desire to leaue it without his consent : and who so doth the contrary , offends nature , offendeth god. and this is the mystery of that precept of philolaus , which forbiddeth a man to cleaue wood in the high way : meaning that a man should not seuer or deuide the soule frō the body , whiles he was in his way on this earthly pilgrimage ; but should be content , that as god and nature had vnited and tied the soule to the bodie , so by them it might be vnloosed againe : therefore the peripatetikes also thought , that they which die a violent death , cannot be thought to haue ended their dayes according to the course of time and nature . and with this my lord primate rested satisfied . i turned me to captaine carleil , and sayd : now ( sir ) concerning your doubts proposed , you may haue perceiued , that whatsoeuer destinie be , neither it , nor the diuine prouidence of almightie god imposeth any necessitie vpon vs : that vertue and vice are in our power , vertue growing in vs by the right vse of our free choice , and vice by the abuse of the same , when through corruption of the iudgement to do that is in apparance good , it chuseth the euill : and lastly what kind of ignorance is excusable , and which not . concerning my demaunds ( sayd captaine carleil ) i am resolued . but since i see our doings proceed from election , i would gladly know of you what maner of thing it is ; for i cannot perceiue whether it be a desire , or an anger , or an opinion , or what i should call it . none of all these ( said i ) but rather a voluntary deliberation , following a mature and aduised counsel : which counsell by plato was termed a diuine thing . for election is not made in a moment ; but when a thing is proposed either to be accepted or refused , there must first be a counsell taken , respecting both the end of the action , and the meanes by which the same is to be compassed : so as there is required a time of consultation : and therefore it is said , that hast is enemie to counsell , and that oftentimes repentance followes them that resolue without discussing or debating of matters . next vnto counsell cometh iudgement , and after iudgement followeth election , and from election issueth the action or the effects that are resolued vpon , and accepted as the best . and because fortune ( though she be a cause rather by accident then of her selfe ) hath no small part in most of our actions , the wisest men haue said , that counsel is the eye of the mind , by helpe whereof , men of prudence see how to defend themselues from the blind strokes of fortune , and eschuing that which may hurt them , take hold of that which is profitable . why then ( said my lord primate ) it shold seeme that our counsell were wholy in our power . but xenophon is of a contrary opinion : for he sayeth , that good counsell cometh from the gods immortall , and that their counsels prosper who haue them to be their friends , and theirs not , who haue them to be their enemies . to haue god fauourable vnto vs ( said i ) in all our doings , is not onely desirable , but that it may please him to grant his grace so to be , ought all men to craue by humble prayer at his hands . but that god is the author of our counsels otherwise then as an vniuersall cause , is to be doubted : not that the singular gift of the mind , and the power thereof to deliberate and consult , commeth not from him ; for the not acknowledging thereof , were not onely a grosse ignorance , but also an expresse impietie , & an vnexcusable ingratitude . howbeit since it hath pleased him to bestow vpon vs so great and liberal a gift as the mind , we may well beleeue that he will not take from vs the free vse therof . for to say that god were the imediate cause of our counsell , were as much as to take from vs the vse of reason , without which we are not any more men , as of late was sayd . and therfore besides aristotles authoritie , grounded in that point vpon good reason , we find in the scripture , that after god had made man , and giuen him ( by breathing vpon him ) the spirit of life , which is the soule of vnderstanding , he left him in the hand of his owne counsell . whereby it appeereth , that counsel commeth from our selues , and that election is the office of prudence , which is called the soule of the mind , and the platonikes call the knowledge of good and euill : whereunto it seemed that tullie agreed , when he said , that prudence was the science of things desirable , or to be eschued : which sentence s. augustine reporteth . and fabius maximus said , that the gods through prudence and our vertues , did grant vs prosperous successes in our affaires : as if he should haue said , that though god ( as an vniuersall cause ) concurred to accomplish our deliberations ; yet we were to endeuour our selues , and to sharpen our wits to consult on the best meanes to compasse our good purposes , if we desire to haue his fauour , and not to sit idle , expecting what will fall out . and to end the discourse hereof , the auncient philosophers of the best sort held , that the gods seeing vs employ our vertues and faculties of the mind ( which hath a resemblāce vnto them ) well and wisely , become our friends , and the rather grant vs their helpe and fauour . according to which opinion euripides sayed , that the gods did helpe them that were wise . but because we shall haue occasion to speake more largely hereafter of prudence , we will now returne to that which we left long sithens to speake of , by the interposing of the doubts moued : and that is the knowledge of our selues , as the thing that must guide vs to that best and most perfect end ; the inquiry wherof is the occasion of all this discourse . and because we are not of a simple nature , but compounded of seuerall qualities , and ( as we may say ) liues , according to that which in our first dayes discourse was declared : it is also necessary that these powers & faculties of the soule which are in vs , and by which we participate of the nature of all things liuing , should haue their ends and seuerall goods , as i may terme them : and that those ends should orderly answer ech to his seuerall power or facultie of the soule , though aristotle thinke otherwise . these ends or goods are first profite , which respecteth the vegetatiue power : next , delight or pleasure , peculiar to the sensitiue power : and lastly honestie , proper to the reasonable part or facultie of the soule . wherefore zeno may wel be thought to haue bin astray , when he assigned one onely end or good to nature , and the same to be honesty . for albeit i cannot , nor meane to denie , but that honestie is not onely a good , but also the greatest good among all those that concurre to our felicitie ; and without which , there can be no vertue : yet to say it is the onely good , i cannot be perswaded . for perusing euery thing that hath life , common sense it self sheweth vs , that ech kind of life hath his peculiar and seuerall end and good ; and that honestie is the only proper good of creatures capable of reason , and not of other sensible creatures , or of plants and vegetables . and because it is a greater good , and containeth both the other , therefore is it more to be prised and valued then they . and man being the most perfect creature of the earth , is by nature framed to haue a desire and an instinct vnto them all , and to seeke to purchase them all three for the perfection of his felicitie in this life . now forasmuch as all these three powers are in vs , to the end we may enioy the benefite that redoundeth from them , we cannot seuer them one from another , if we meane to be happie in this life : neither yet ought we so to apply our selues to any one , or two of thē lesse proper vnto vs , that therefore we forsake or neglect that other which is of most worth and proper to our nature ; and that is honestie , which neuer can be seuered frō vertue . for that is it that giueth to vs dignitie and excellency , not suffering vs to do any thing vnseemely , but stil directing vs in all our actions , which proceed from reason . for he that stayeth himself only vpon profit , or vpon pleasure , or vpon them both , sheweth plainly that he knoweth not himselfe : and therefore suffereth those things that are not proper to his nature , to master and ouer-rule him . and not knowing himselfe , he cannot vse himselfe , nor take hold of that which is his proper good and end . thus following ( through the not knowing of himselfe ) that which is good to other natures , he looseth his owne good , and falleth into euill , by the desire of profit , or disordinate appetite to pleasure . the consideration hereof perhaps caused some of the auncient poets to faine , that men were turned into brute beasts , and into trees ; to signifie vnder that fictiō , that some proposing to themselues onely profite , some onely delight , without regard to reason and their owne proper good , had lost the excellent shape or forme of men , and were transformed into beasts or trees , hauing made the most excellent part of man , which is the mind and reasonable soule , subiect to the basest and sensual parts and pleasures of the bodie . and this ignorance , concerning the knowledge of a mans selfe , is the cause that he cannot tell how to vse himself . for these vnreasonable affections do so darken the light of reason , that he is as a blind man , and giueth himselfe ouer to be guided , as one that hath lost the right way , to as blinde a guide as himselfe , and so wandreth astray which way soeuer his bad guide doth leade him . for he hath lost the knowledge of truth , which plato sayeth , is the best guide of men to all goodnesse , and is comprehended by the mind onely , which ( according to the saying of epicarmus ) doth only see & heare , all the rest of the parts of man being blind and deafe . they then which follow profite only , liue the basest life of all , & may well be resembled to flies & gnats , the most imperfect among liuing creatures , or like to the shel-fishes that cleaue to the rockes , as these men do to their pelfe ; and so hauing proposed to themselues the basest end of all others , they may worthily be esteemed the basest sort of men . nay , in good faith sir ( said captaine dawtry ) not so , for i see them onely honored and esteemed that are rich ; and i haue knowne , and yet know some of very base and abiect condition , who being become rich , are cherished and welcome in the best companies , & accepted among honorable personages : therefore ( me thinketh ) he spake aduisedly that said , honour and friends by riches are acquired , but who is poore shall ech where be despised . and i remember i haue read , that sometime there was a citizen in rome , who was commonly held for a foole , and therefore in all companies his words were litle regarded , the rather because he was also poore ; but after that by the death of a rich man to whom he was heire , he possessed wealth , he grew to be had in great estimation , euen in the senate , and his opinion euermore specially required in matters of greatest moment . yea marry ( said m. dormer ) and aristotle also affirmeth , that the end of the father of a families care is , the purchasing of riches ; which being so , they are not so sleightly to be regarded , as your author sayes . did i not tell you ( said i ) that truth being gone , the true light and knowledge of things is taken out of the world ; for it is she only that giueth vs light to know , what and of what price all things are . and euen as if the sunne were taken away from the earth , there would remaine nought but darknes and blindnesse among men : so truth being taken away , man is blinded from discerning any thing aright . this i say , because rich men onely for their wealth are esteemed worthy honour and dignity by such chiefly as want the light of truth , which is the vulgar sort , whose iudgement is so corrupt and crooked , that they cannot discerne what true honor and dignity is . for they being weake minded and imperfect , admire showes and shadowes , being dazeled with the bright glistring of gold and precious stones , and cannot distinguish betweene things necessary and superfluous . which ignorance of theirs , byas , one of the seuen sages of greece , considering answered one of those base minded fellowes , who wold needes perswade him , that they were happie that could compasse great wealth : my friend ( quoth he ) much more happie are they that do not desire the same . the iudgement of the wiser sort , hath euer bin farre different from this vulgar opinion . for they vnderstand , that riches is none of those goods which alone make men happie ; and that they do but go and come , as tides flow and ebbe , euen at the pleasure of fortune , who giueth and taketh them as she list . and therefore they are no otherwise to be esteemed , then as they are necessary for the sustaining of life , nature being content with little , and the desire of hauing being infinite ; neuer content with what it hath , but euer coueting what it hath not . therefore right wise men haue held that alexander the great was in truth poorer and needier then he that said let others hardly seeke to hoord vp wealth for me i force not , though that pouertie chase from me idlenesse , and breed me health , &c. for that mans desires had their determinate stint , wheras alexanders increased stil , the more he enlarged his dominions , being grieued that he had not conquered one world , because he had heard say , that democritus was of opinion there were many . and although epicurus in many things hath deserued blame , because he placed the highest good of man in pleasures proceeding from the senses ; yet deserued he praise in that he said , that they to whom a little seemeth not enough , a great deale wil seem but a litle . much to the like effect curius , hauing conquered the samnites , and for recompence of his great seruice the romanes purposing to giue him a far larger portion of the conquered land , then to the rest of the souldiers : he who had taught his desires to be brideled , and could cut short the superfluitie of his appetites , would in no wise take any more then a like share or portion , as was allotted to the rest of the souldiers , that were waxen olde in the warres , for their liuing and maintenance ; saying , that he that could not content himselfe to liue with that which sufficed others , could not be a good citizen . this worthy man made it appeere , that he indeede is to be accounted rich who desireth not to haue much : and that in respect of what is needfull for mans life , euery man may be rich ; but in regard of our desires , euery man is poore , and cannot be rich , because they be infinite . socrates ( according to the saying of byas before rehearsed ) said that it was far better not to desire any thing , then to compas what a man desireth . for it was not vnknowne to that graue wise mā , that from immoderate desires cometh greedinesse of the mind , whereby it is made vnreasonable , and disposed to thinke a great deale to be but a little ; whereas not to desire , maketh a little to seeme much . the way therefore to quiet the minde , is not to increase wealth , but to plucke from a mans desires , which otherwise will still increase as riches increaseth : for it is the honest and necessary vse of riches that causeth them to be had in consideration among wise men , who esteeming them accordingly , are easily contented with a little ; and where others admire those that haue their coffers full of golde and pelfe , they little regard them , but despising superfluities , turne their minds to better thoughts , meete to make them purchase that felicitie which none of them can haue , who amid great abundance of wealth & worldly riches , are voyd of vertue . for this respect did crates the philosopher ( considering how the great care of gathering them withdrew the minde , which of it owne nature is excelse and high , from the knowledge of sublime matters , sinking it into the depth of base and vile cogitations ) gaue ouer his patrimony , which was in value neere fifteen hundred pounds , and betooke himselfe to those studies which he thought were aptest to set him the right course of getting ( in steed of exterior riches ) the true gold of the mind , which is vertue . and in truth happie is that man that can get store of that gold , by meanes whereof he may compasse his felicitie , which the other can neuer purchase , and are not to be coueted but for humane necessitie , as being of no value , or litle among wise men in respect of happines . for to say truly , what happines can there be in any thing that alike disquieteth as well them that haue it , as them that haue it not . since he that wants it , by desiring it , keepeth his mind in continuall anguish and trouble ; and he that hath it , is euermore tormented with feare of losse of it : and if he happen to loose it indeed , is miserably crucified for the losse thereof . which thing made democritus to say , that man was in his estimation so farre from being made happie by his riches , as he could not in truth account them to be to him any good at all . so solon being with croesus king of persia who accounted himself of all men in the world the most happie , because of his excessiue treasure ; when the king had caused his treasury to be be shewed vnto him , seemed to make sleight estimation of the same : whereupon the king , as one dazeled with the glittering show of his gold , held him but for a foole . but foolish indeed was he himself , & not solō , who knew very wel , that such things came to him by his great power and soueraignetie , not by his vertue , and therefore could they not make him happie . neuerthelesse croesus yet desirous to vnderstand what solons opinion was touching happines , asked him if he euer knew any man more happie then he : who answered him , yes ; and among many , one named pellus a citizen of athens , who being a vertuous man , and hauing begotten children like himselfe , was dead in the field , fighting valiantly against the enemie in defence of his countrey , leauing after him an immortall fame of his valour . so much more did this wise man esteeme vertue then riches , that he thought so mightie a monark with all his treasure not comparable to a meane citizen of athens furnished with vertue . for he held them as needlesse and superfluous to him that had them without vsing them , as to them that did admire them and could not enioy them . let vs therefore conclude , that plentie of wealth makes not any man happie : and that they who hunt after profit to become rich , are of al others the most base and ignoble , though the vulgar sort deeme them otherwise . and when aristotle sayd , that the end of oeconomie ( for so he calleth the orderly distributing of things for houshold ) was riches , he spake according to the cōmon vnderstanding and phrase : for in his ethikes he sheweth plainely , that riches is but a certaine aboundance of necessary instruments for the vse of a family . whereby it may be vnderstood , that for themselues they are not desirable , but as they are directed to a better end , which end is humane felicitie . as for the senator you spake of , whom the whole senate grew to esteeme when he was growne rich : you may be sure that it was not for nought that cicero scoffed at them , when he asked one day in the assembly , whose that inheritance was , which was called wisedome . and thus much may suffice for such as follow profite onely . now for those that apply themselues wholy to their pleasures and delights , it is to be held , that they neither can be accounted happie , because forsaking their proper end and good , which is honestie , they bend themselues to the sensitiue part onely which is common with them to brute beasts . here m. dormer interrupting me , desired that i would stay a while to resolue him of one doubt , which my former words had bred in his mind , which was , that hauing said riches were of small account among wise men , and could not make men happie , it might seeme that nature had in vaine produced them . that followeth not ( said i ) of any thing which i haue spoken . for i haue not said , that they were not necessary for the vse of them : for common sence , experience , and the want of things behouefull to mans life , would say the contrary . besides that , aristotle in his tenth booke of ethikes affirmeth , that not onely to the attaining of ciuill felicitie , but also for the contemplatiue life , these exterior goods are needfull , because a man may the better thereby contemplate when want distractetth not his minde : though among the platonikes , some say the contrary ; alledging that men are better disposed to contemplation without them , then with them . but thus much indeede i said , that they are not the true end or good of man , nor could yeeld him happinesse of themselues , or make him worthy honour . and that they , that bend their mindes onely to scrape and heape together mucke and pelfe , are of all others the basest and vnworthiest : yet being vsed as they ought to be , for the behoofe and maintenance of mans life , and not as an end , or the proper good of man , i do not only not discommend them , but do also esteeme them in their quality so far forth as the infirmity of mans nature hath neede of them ; whereof , since we shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter , let vs in gods name proceed to speake of the life of them that haue subiected their minds to that part of the soule which is wholy bent to sensualitie and delight . these men are like vnto brute beasts wanting reason , and worse : for brute beasts following their naturall instinct and appetite , passe not the bonds of nature , and though they get no praise thereby , yet incurre they not any blame in that behalfe . but man , who setting reason aside , chuseth vaine pleasures as his scope and end , and so plungeth his minde in them , that reason cannot performe her office and dutie , can in no wise escape from exceeding blame and reproch for the same . of which sort of men , the platonikes opinion was , that they were so far from being happie , as they were not to be reputed among the liuing , but the dead : not only in respect of the body , but of the soule likewise . for they held that the soule being drowned in delights , might wel be reckoned as dead , because beastly delight ( like an ill weed ) spreadeth it selfe in mans mind , till it ouergrow all goodnesse , and so taketh away the vse of reason , as it depriueth him of the qualitie proper to man , and draweth him into the pure qualitie of vnreasonable creatures : which , how grieuous and hatefull a thing it is , neede not be declared . aristotle resembleth them to wilde young stiers , that must be tamed with the yoke . but to shew you how this disordinate or tickling itch of delight proceedeth , in this sort it is : wheras man is composed of two principall parts , the body , and the soule or mind : the latter to rule and commaund , the former to obey and serue . they , which propose to them their delight and pleasure , onely take a cleane contrary course , making the body to commaund and rule , and the minde to serue and obey . and as in a houshold or family , al wold go to wrack , if the master or father of the family being prudent and carefull , should be constrained to obey his sonne or seruant , who were foolish and negligent : euen so must it of necessitie be in him , that by vice maketh his mind subiect to the bodie , making it serue onely for the delighting thereof , and neglecting that which he should most earnestly study to maintaine and cherish ; whence cometh ( as socrates saith ) all euill and ruines among men . for from these disordinate pleasures , which spring from the senses of the body , through that power which the facultie of the soule ministreth vnto them , do all wicked affections take their beginning , as angers , furies , fond loues , hatreds , ambitions , lustes , suspicions , ielousies , ill speaking , backbiting , false ioyes , and true griefes ; and finally the consuming of the body and goods , and the losse of honor and reputation . and oftentimes it is seene , that whiles a man spareth nothing so as he may purchase the fulfilling of his appetites , how vnruly soeuer they be , he looseth by infirmitie or other vnhappie accidents , his owne bodie , for whose pleasures he so earnestly trauelled . for so it is writtē of epicurus , who being growne ful of sicknes through his disordinate life , died miserably tormented with pains & griefes : the like wherof we may daily see in many , if we consider their life and end . in respect hereof , some wise men haue thought that pleasures are not in any wise to be accounted among the goods that are requisite for the attaining of humane felicitie : and antisthenes so hated them , that he wished he might rather become mad , then to be ouer mastered by his sensuall delight . and in very deed they are no otherwise to be esteemed then mad men , who set their delights and pleasures before them as their end , not caring what they do , so as they may compasse the same . plato therfore not without good cause said , that pleasure was the baite which allured men to all euil . and architas the tarentine was of opinion , that the pestilence was a lesser euill among men then pleasure of the bodie : from whence came trecheries , and betraying of countries , destructions of common-weales , murders , rapes , adulteries , and all other euils , euen as from a spring or fountain . the cause whereof pythagoras desiring to find out , said , that delight first crept into cities , then satietie , next violence , and lastly the ruine and ouerthrow of the common-wealth . and to this opinion tullie in his first booke of lawes seemeth to leane , where he sayth , that this counterfetter of goodnesse , and mother of all euils ( meaning pleasure ) intruding her selfe into our senses , suffered vs not to discerne those goods which are naturall and true goods indeed , and cary not with them such a scabbe and itch , which pleasure euermore hath about her ; who finally is the roote of those principall passions , from which ( as from the maine roote ) all the rest do spring , as hope and feare , sorrow and gladnesse . for we receiue not any pleasure , but that some molestation hath opened the way for it into our mindes : as no man taketh pleasure to eate vntill the molestation of hunger call him thereunto , nor yet to drinke , if the annoyance of thirst go not before : to shew that the vnnoblest and basest power of the minde must minister vnto vs the matter of those pleasures which we seek . and as we haue said that molestation goeth before vaine and vnruly delight , so doth displeasure and griefe follow , as if it should finally resolue into his first principle and beginning . the feare whereof diminisheth part of the hope a man might haue to liue stil contented , & disturbeth the ioy which he feeleth in his vnruly pleasures and delights . but to those pleasures and delights which accompany vertue , which are pleasures of such a kind as they neuer carry with them any displeasure or annoyance at all : wheras the other that are vnruly , beginne with pleasure and end with bitter paine . and this moued aristotle to say , that the right iudgment of those pleasures is to be made at their farewell , not at their comming ; for that they leaue behind them euermore sadnes and repentance . so said theocritus , that he that stroue to fulfill his pleasures and delights , prepared to himself matter of perpetual griefe and sorow . there was a sophist called ileus , who though he had spent his youth wantonly in pleasures , yet he so called himselfe home when he was come to riper yeeres , that he neuer after suffered any vaine delights to tickle him , neither beauty of women , nor sweetnes of meates , nor any other such pleasures to draw him from a sober and temperate life . to which sobrietie and temperance of life licurgus being desirous to draw the lacedemonians , by his lawes he forbad them all those things that might turne their minds frō manly thoughts , and make them soft and effeminate : for he said , that wanton pleasures were the flatterers of the mind . and as flatterers by their deuices and arts , draw men that giue eare vnto them besides themselues , as hath bin already declared : so pleasures through their sweetnesse corrupt the sense , together with the mind to whom they are the ministers . and agesilaus being once asked what good the lawes of lycurgus had done to sparta : marry ( sayd he ) they haue brought our men to despise those delights which might haue made them to be no men . there are so many wise and graue sayings to this purpose , that to repeate them all , the day would be too short . it may therefore suffice what is already sayed , and confirmed by the cōsent of all the wise mē in the world , to shew you manifestly , that the true & proper end of man is not to be atchieued by this sensual kind of life . and since that which is truly proper to any thing , cannot be common with any other ( as to laugh is so proper to man , as no other creature can laugh but he ) and pleasure is common to other creatures besides man , therefore it cannot in any wise be proper to him . it cannot be gainesaid with any reason ( said my lord primate ) and therefore no doubt but euery man ought to apply himselfe to follow that which is most proper to his owne nature ; for that is his best : and pittie it is , and maruell eke , to see such numbers , that neither for loue of vertue , nor feare of god , will frame themselues to a good and comendable course of life , but follow their vaine delights and pleasures insatiably . pittie indeed it is ( said i ) but no great maruell , because perfect iudgements are rare ; and many there be , who though they know the truth of things , yet suffer themselues to be caried away with apparances . for their delight proposing to them certaine figures or images of what is good and faire , they are content to be deceiued , and to become bondslaues to their senses , or rather charmed by them , as by some witch or inchantresse , and by them to be guided . but this notwithstanding i must aduertise you , that i haue not so absolutely spoken against pleasures , that you should therefore inferre that vertues should be without their pleasures also . for albeit pleasure be not vertue , nor yet mans true good , yet doth it follow vertue , euen as the shadow followeth the bodie . and though vertues haue difficulties and trauels before they be gotten ; yet when they are gotten , pleasure is the inseparable companion vnto them ; not such as keepeth company with lasciuious and wanton affections , and is soone conuerted to griefe and repentance , but a delight that is permanent and stable : insomuch as some of very good iudgement , haue thought there is no pleasure worthy the name of delight , but that which proceedeth from vertue , and maketh our actions perfect . for this cause did aristotle say , that most perfect was that delight which was comprehended by the most perfect part of the soule , which is the vnderstanding . and this delight is so perfectly perfect in god , that he is far from any annoyance or molestation : for delight is not in god a passion , as in vs our delights are , which neuer come to vs without molestation , it being ( as hath bin said ) the begining of them . therfore the pleasures of the mind are esteemed so much the more perfect , as the vnderstanding is more perfect then the sense : which vnderstanding delighteth onely in that pleasure that is accompanied with honestie , and this pleasure he esteemed to be so excellēt , that he wished some new excellent name to be found for the same . but we hauing no other name to giue it , call it by similitude with that name which is fit for the delightfullest thing that the senses can yeeld vs : and therefore we call as well the imperfect delight of the senses , as that most perfect of the vnderstanding , by the name of pleasure , though the one of them consist in extremes which is vicious , and the other in the meane where vertues haue their place . here captaine norreis spake , saying ; we haue heard you sundrie times say that vertues consist in the meane betweene two extremes , but how that meane is to be found , you haue not yet declared to vs : therefore ( i pray you ) let vs be made acquainted with the way to compas the same , that we may learne to take hold of vertue , and not be deceiued with the false semblance thereof to fall into vice . this meane ( said i ) is found , when a man doth what he ought to do , when time serueth , in maner as he should , for such as becommeth him to do , and for causes honest and conueniet . and whosoeuer setteth this rule to himselfe in all his actions , which being so conditioned , shall be farre off from the extremes , and neere vnto vertue . yea ( said captaine norreis ) this is soone said , but not so soone done : for it is not so easie a matter to hitte vpon these conditions , but that a man may more easily misse them . but since by your words , neither delight alone , nor profit onely can worke humane felicitie , it should seeme ( the qualitie and trade of the world considered ) that it may well be gathered , that they which haue them both linked together , are worthy to be esteemed happie : since plenty of wealth may yeeld them all their desires , and fulfill their delights . and this haply may be the cause why kings and princes are so accounted in this life . of the happinesse or vnhappinesse of princes , this is no place to treate ( said i ) neither appertaineth it to our matter : onely thus much i may remember by the way , that antigonus affirmed it to be but a kind of pleasing seruitude to be a king. and phalaris the cruell tyrant considering wel his estate , said likewise , that if he had knowne before he made himself tyrant of his country , what trouble , care and danger followed rule and segnorie , he wold rather haue chosen any state of life then to be a king. neuerthelesse no sort of men place their felicitie more in pleasure then princes do , when they haue not due regard to their charge : for then they think that whatsoeuer may nourish their delight and pleasure , is lawfull for them to do . but miserable are the people ouer whom god hath set such to raigne , as put their pleasure or their profit only , before all respects , as the end of their gouernement : though almightie god who is the king ouer kings , oftentimes in his iustice plagueth them , euen with those things wherein they placed their greatest felicitie . dionysius the yonger being borne in wealth and plentie , setting all his thoughts vpon his pleasures , was therefore in the end driuen out of his kingdome . for he thinking it lawfull for him to take all that he would haue , euen in his fathers life time began to defloure certain virgins of honest families : which thing his father vnderstanding sharpely reprehended him for the same ; and among other things told him , that howsoeuer himselfe had taken vpon him by tyrannie the kingdome of sicilie , yet he neuer had vsed any such violences . but his wanton sonne made him this answer : it may well be ( quoth he ) for you were not the sonne of a king. at which word the father grieuing , replied vnto him ; neither art thou like to leaue thy sonne a king , vnles thou change thy conditions . which prognostication was verified , in that the sonne following his lewd course of life , shortly after his fathers death was chased out his kingdom by his subiects , and driuen to get his liuing by keeping a schoole in corinth : where on a time one seeing him liue so poorely , asked him what he had learned of his schoole-master plato , that he could no better behaue himselfe in his royaltie ; taxing him that for not applying himself to plato his doctrine , he had bin the cause of his owne ruine . but his answer was better then his former cariage , for he said , that he had learned more then haply he could imagine . and what is that ( quoth the other ) i pray you teach it me . i haue ( said he ) learned to beare this my aduerse fortune patiently , & with a frank courage . and had he learned to obserue that worthy sentence of agesilaus , who was wont to say , that kings and princes ought to endeuor to exceed other mē in temperance & fortitude , and not in wantonnes & pleasures , he had neuer brought his high estate to so base a fortune as to keepe a schoole . but omitting to speake of kings , i wil tel you that they are greatly deceiued that think that profite ioyned with delight may make men happie : for the more that profite and delight are knit together , the more doth wanton lust and vnruly desires swell and increase , if they be not tempered by the rule of reason . which made ouid to say , from out the bowels of the earth is fet that cursed pelfe , mens minds on ill to set . and plato in his books of lawes saith , that a very rich man is seldome seene very good . which saying you know our sauiour christ confirmed when he sayed , it was harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heauen , then a cable to passe through a needles eye . and though aristotle in one place sayth , that riches are necessary to make vp a perfect humane felicitie : yet in another he calleth them but a foolish happinesse . yea plato affirmeth , that great riches are as harmeful in a citie as great pouertie , by reason of the deliciousnes & wantonnes which they breed . for which reasons it may be very wel concluded , that neither wealth nor pleasure , nor yet they both together , ought to draw any man to propose them to himselfe for his end : but the more he hath of wealth , and vseth it but for his pleasure , the further he goeth astray from his felicitie and his proper end . and that riches in a wanton lasciuious mans possession , are like a sword in a mad mans hand . pythagoras said , that as a horse cannot be ruled without a bit : so riches are hardly wel vsed without prudēce , which wil in no wise dwell with them , who abādon themselues wholy to vaine delights . if to the vulgar sort therefore such men seeme happie , yet are they in very truth most miserable and vnhappie . for these disordinate pleasures are intestine enemies , which neuer cease working til they ouerthrow a man , and breed him dishonour and shame : neither do they faile to bring him to an euill end , that suffers them to master him , and vseth hs wealth to the pleasing of his appetites . as by dionysius aforesayd may appeere , and also by sardanapalus , who being a mightie monarke , swimming in wealth and pleasures , and sparing nothing that might glut his lasciuious appetites , grew so effeminate thereby , that as soone as he was assaulted by contrary fortune , he was driuen to consume himselfe , his treasure , and all his filthy lustes at once in the fire . which two examples among infinite moe that might be mentioned , shall for this time suffice to verifie that which hath bin said , to wit , that gods iudgements light for the most part vpon such princes , as , forgetting the great care and charge which is layd vpon them , giue themselues to care for nothing but their owne vaine appetites and delights . to whō antisthenes spake , when he said , that riches were no goods if they were not accompanied with vertue that might instruct men how to vse them well . and chilo the lacedemonian likewise , who was the first author of that graue sentence , magistratus virum indicat , whereunto he added riches also , because they both together draw him the more easily to discouer himselfe . socrates wisely wished that he might haue the grace to esteem no man rich but him that was giuen to the studie of wisedome and knowledge : for such ( he said ) had the true gold , which is vertue , a thing much more precious then all the golde in the whole world , and that which leadeth man the right way to his felicitie . then , said captaine norreis , since by your discourse , all they are vnhappie that tread the steps which leade to either of those two ends before mentioned of profite or pleasure ; or to them both ioined together : it must of force follow , that happy be they that direct their actions to that end which is proper to man , whereof i hope your next speech will be . so must it ( said i ) for there remaineth nothing else to be treated of . and if mine author mistrusted his eloquēce ( as he doth ) in a matter meete to be set forth so effectually as this ; what may i say of my selfe , that am tied to declare to you in our lāguage , inferior much to the italian , al that he hath set downe touching the same ? sure it is , that if i were able to set before the eyes of your mindes a liuely image of this excellent end , you wold be so delighted therewith that in regard thereof you would contemne and set light by all other pleasures in the world . but howsoeuer my vtterance be , which i will do my best to fit as wel as i can to so high a subiect , you shall heare what he in substance saith therupon ; and i assure my self that the quality of the matter will easily supply whatsoeuer defect you may find in my phrase or maner of speech . you are therefore to vnderstand , that as they whose iudgements are corrupted , and minds informed with an il habite , to make them liue after the maner before mentioned , do swarue frō the nature of man so much , as they become like brute beasts or insensible plants voide of reason : euen so are they among men , as diuine creatures , who apply themselues to liue according to reason . and such haue aunciently bin called heroes , because they approched in their actions neerer to god then others that liued not so . for they put all their endeuours to adorne and set foorth that part of man which maketh him like vnto the diuine nature , or rather partaker of the same ; teacheth him what is good , comely , honest , and honorable ; and inuiteth him continually to that which may conduct him to the highest and supreme good . this part is the minde , with the vse of reason proceeding from it , as from a roote . but because two speciall offices appertaine to the vse of reason ( so farre foorth as serueth to this purpose ) the one contemplation , and the other action . touching the first , it raiseth vs by the means of arts and sciences ( which purge the minde from base and corrupt affections ) to the knowledge of those things that are vnchangeable , and still remaine the same , howsoeuer the heauens turne , time runne on , or fortune or any other cause rule things subiect vnto them . by means of which sciences , the minde climbing by degrees vp to the eternall causes , considereth the order & maner wherewith things are knit together , & linked in a perpetual bād . and thence it comprehendeth the forme of regiment , which the creator and mouer of all things vseth in the maintaining and keeping them euerlastingly in their seuerall offices and duties . and out of the consideration hereof we learne , that he that directeth not his course of gouernment by this rule , as neere as he can , to guide himselfe , his family , and the common-wealth , can seldome or neuer attaine a good and happie end . wherefore he draweth the celestiall gouernement to the vse of humane and ciuill things , so farre as mans frailtie will permit . as socrates did , who was said to haue drawne philosophie from heauen to the earth , to reforme the life and māners of men . thus turning himselfe to the knowledge of his owne nature , and finding that he is composed of three seuerall natures , whereof ech hath her seuerall end , yet seeketh he to draw the ends of the two lesse perfect , to the end of that which is most perfect and proper to him . but finding that continuall contemplation of higher things , would be profitable onely to himself and to none other , in that he should thereby purchase no happinesse to any but to himselfe . and because he knoweth that he is not borne to himselfe alone , but to ciuill societie and conuersation , and to the good of others as well as of himselfe , he therefore doth his endeuour with all care and diligence so to cary himselfe in words and in deeds , as he might be a patterne and example to others of seemly and vertuous speeches and honest actions , and do them all the good he could in reducing them to a good and commendable forme of life . for the performance whereof , he perceiueth how requisite it is , that honestie and vertue be so vnited with profite and pleasure , that by a iust and equall temper of them , both himselfe and others may attaine that end which is the summum bonum , and the thing wherupon all our discourse hath bin grounded . this end is not to be attained but by the meanes of morall vertues , which are the perfection of the minde , & setled habits in ruling the appetite which ariseth out of the vnreasonable parts of the soule : for vertues are grounded in those parts which are without reason , but yet are apt to be ruled by reason . he therefore seeing morall vertues are not gotten by knowing onely what they be , but through the long practise of many vertuous operations , whereby they fasten themselues so to the mind , as being conuerted once into an habite , it is very hard afterwards to lose the same : euen as of vicious actions on the other side the like ensueth : therefore with all carefulnesse and diligence possible he laboreth to embrace the one , and to eschue the other ; euermore striuing to hold himselfe in the meane , and to auoide the approching of the extremes : to which , profite and delight vnder deceitful maskes of good , would entise and allure him . i pray you ( said captain norreis ) tel vs ( since you say that vertue is in the mids betweene two extremes ) whether that meane you speake of , wherin vertue sits , be so equally in the midst , as the extremes which be vicious , be alike distant from the same or no ? no ( said i ) they are not in that manner equidistant , for oftentimes vertue approcheth neerer to one of the extremes , then to the other . as for example , fortitude , which consisteth in a meane betweene fearefulnesse and foole-hardinesse , hath yet a neerer resemblance to foole-hardinesse then to cowardise , and consequently is not alike distant from them both , and is in this manner to be vnderstood , that albeit vertue consist in a meane between two extremes , whereof the one is a defect , and the other a superabundance , yet she is neither of them both , as by our example of fortitude appeereth , which is neither foole-hardines , nor yet cowardise , but onely a commendable meane or temper betweene them both . and therfore aristotle said right well that the meane of vertue betweene two extremes , was a geometricall meane which hath a respect to proportion , and not an arithmeticall meane which respecteth equall distance : so as you must vnderstand that vertue is not called a meane betweene two extremes , because she participateth of either of them both , but because she is neither the one nor the other . and why ( said captaine norreis ) is the geometricall proportion rather to be obserued therein , then the arithmeticall ? because ( said i ) though vertues are in the meane , yet do they bend oftentimes towards one of the extremes more then to the other , as hath bin said already : and by proportion geometricall they are in the middest , which by arithmeticall would not be so . for thereby they must be in the iust middest , and equally distant from both the extremes . as for example , let vs suppose . to be the meane betweene . and ; for . hath two more then , and so hath it two lesse then , and in respect of it selfe standeth iust in the midst betweene . and , and equally distant from them both . and this is your arithmetical meane . but the geometrical proportiō is after another maner . for suppose . and . to be the extremes , and . to be the mean : here you see that . & . haue a double proportion , and so hath . and . the one to the other , and so . participateth of that double proportion as well with . as with , and yet is neerer to . then to ; which it doth likewise in another respect : for if the two extremes be multiplied together , as . with . they make : and so much doth . likewise being multiplied in it self , for foure times . makes . and thus you see what difference is betweene geometricall and arithmeticall proportion . now though euery vertue haue peculiar extremes betweene which it is placed : yet philosophers say , that they consist all generally about matter of pleasure , or the contrary . how can that be ( said m. dormer ) when you haue told vs already , that vertue is not pleasure ? it is ( said i ) one thing to say vertue is pleasure , and an other to say that it consisteth in matter of pleasure or annoyance . and true it is that pleasure is not the matter of vertue , neither meant i so to say ; but onely that vertue is busied about these two passions of pleasure and displeasure , whereof the fittest example may be taken from temperance . for as the temperate man embraceth the delight of the mind , so taketh he pleasure to abstaine from the vnseemely delights of the body . and contrariwise , the intemperate man is sad , because he hath them not . well ( said m. dormer ) that matter is soone answered : but because i haue heard the stoikes were of opinion , that vertue was true felicitie , and that plotinus said , that a man endued with vertue was sufficiētly furnished for his felicitie , as being possessed of all the good that could be among men , i pray you what is your authors opinion in that point ? if i well remember ( quoth i ) it is a good while sithens i told you that mans felicitie is attained by vertue ; but that vertue is his felicitie , that saith not mine author . and sure the opinion of aristotle is better in that matter then that of the stoikes . for reason it selfe telleth vs that those things which are ordained to an end , cannot be the end it selfe to which they be ordained . and since vertues are ordained for the attaining of mans felicitie , which is ( as hath bin sayd ) a perfect action according to vertue in a perfect life . it is plaine , that vertue cannot be felicitie , though he that is vertuous approcheth neere to his felicitie . you say true ( sayd m. dormer : ) i remember you expounded the clause of a perfect life to be intended a long life , yet the same stoikes held that a yong man might be happie : alledging felicitie was not to be measured by quantitie , but by qualitie ; and that not length of time , but perfection onely is to be respected , which ( they say ) may be as well in a yong man as in an old . and they giue the example of hunger and thirst : for suppose ( say they ) that two hungry or thirstie folke be called to eate or to drink , and the one to asswage his hunger or thirst be satisfied with a little , and the other require much meate or drink to be satiated , yet is he as well satisfied with the little whose nature requireth little , as he that requireth a great deale : euen so ( say they ) in humane felicitie , the length of time or number of yeeres is not to be respected , but happinesse it selfe ; and as happie is the young man who in a few yeeres hath attained his felicitie , as the olde man that hath bin many yeeres about it . for plotinus saith , that the happie man cannot reckon vpon the yeeres past of his felicitie , but onely on the present . the stoikes held strange opinions ( sayd i ) in many things . but if experience be needfull ( as hath bin formerly sayd ) and many actions , to make an habite in vertue , so as a man may by custome be brought to that passe as he shall not do any thing but according to vertue , then is length of life necessary for the attaining of vertue , which must first be gotten before a man can hope for any felicitie . moreouer , if prudence be the very knot and band of all the morall vertues , and that the young man cannot be prudent , how can he then haue perfect vertue ? wherfore the diffinitiō of humane felicitie to be a perfect operation according to vertue , hath need of this addition in a perfect life , which must be long and haue a happie end . for though a man haue runne through many yeeres in continuall prosperitie , and afterwards fall into grieuous calamitie , though he cannot be thereby made miserable ( which vice onely and not aduersitie may bring him vnto ) yet may he not be rightly intitled happie . youth therfore hath this defect in it , that albeit man be the subiect of felicitie ▪ yet a yong man cannot be properly and actually the subiect thereof , and the child much lesse , because he is furder off from prudence , and because neither of them can haue either perfect life or perfect vertue . and as for the opinion of plotinus , he ( as a platonike ) considered the soule simple and pure , freed from the other two powers that are rebellious to reason : and meant him onely to be happie , who separating the vertues of the mind from the senses , from worldly delights and concupiscences , did so interne himselfe with his thoughts in the contemplation of his creator , as he despiseth riches , dignities , and honors , with all transitorie and fraile commodities : still looking to that good which is the highest and perfectest among all goods , which is god omnipotent . and this he called the chiefe action of the vnderstanding , and highest felicitie . and because he supposed that the mind should neuer depart from that action , he sayd that the time past was not to be accounted of in mans felicitie . by which it may appeere , that he spake not in that place of humane or ciuil felicitie , wherof our discourse is now according to aristotles opinion , neither doth the authoritie of plotinus help the stoikes any whit at al , whose opinion is in that point to be reiected . since we are resolued ( said capt. carleil ) that vertues are but the meane to purchase felicitie , and not felicitie it selfe , we would be glad to heare you declare how many they are , and of what qualitie , that we may know them , and make our selues happie by the purchase of them . to answer you to this question ( said i ) according as i find the matter set downe by mine author , wold perhaps not satisfie you so fully as you would desire , or i could wish : for that ( in my opinion ) he hath treated of some of these morall vertues somewhat too briefly , and confusedly : i haue therefore to helpe mine owne vnderstanding had recourse to picolomini when i came to this place , in whom hauing found a more plaine and easie method in the description of them , i haue for the more perspicuitie of the translation , added somewhat taken frō him , and ( as well as i could ) interlaced it with this discourse , where mine author seemed to me too brief , or too obscure . and if it may worke the same effect in you , that it hath done in me , to make you the better vnderstand how many and of what qualitie those vertues are , i hope you will not mislike my attempt therein , but excuse me , though it be not so fully accomplished as i desire it were . there are then by the generall consent of all men foure principall vertues appertaining to ciuill life , which are , fortitude , temperance , iustice , and prudence ; from which foure are also deriued ( as branches frō their trees ) sundry others to make vp the number of twelue , and they are these ensuing , liberalitie , magnificence , magnanimitic , mansuetude , desire of honor , veritie , affability , and vrbanitie : of euery of the which vertues , i will speake particularly , following chiefly mine author ; but where need or occasion shall require , i wil for the cleerer vnderstanding of the matter , supply out of picolomini what i think is wanting . and to begin first with fortitude . this vertue standeth in the meane betweene foole-hardinesse and cowardise ; which two passions may iustly be termed matter of fortitude : and this vertue is exercised in things terrible and fearful , which are also difficult , causing griefe and paine , which the valiant man is willing to endure for vertues sake . for though his life be deere vnto him , as it ought to be to euery man of vertue , in respect of himself , of his friends , and of his countrey ; and will not therefore vpon small occasions expose himselfe to perill : yet when time and occasion require it , and that any honest cause call him thereunto , he will vndertake cheerfully whatsoeuer dangerous enterprise , and with a stout courage , and readily performe the same . neither shall labour or trauel , hazard , nor death it self dismay him ; but esteeming more his reputatiō then his life , he wil resolutely aduenter him self for honesties sake . but among all the actions of fortitude , to fight for our countrey , and ( if need be ) to die for defence of the same , deserueth the greatest praise & commendation : as on the other side , to quarrel , & put a mans life in danger vpon euery trifling occasion , is not the part of a valiant man , but of a foole-hardy . cato the elder therfore said very wel , that to know a valiant man , it imported much , to vnderstand whether he made more account of his life or of his vertue , because not the aptnes to quarrell for euery occasion , but the venturing his life for vertue & honestie maketh a man to be accounted valiāt among wise mē , who hold such men to be fools & miserable that thrust thēselues rashly into quarels , as many do , through the corruptiō of our age , vpō fantasticall points of honor , as if they were weary of their liues . neuertheles there are some kindes of death , which a vertuous man abhorreth , as to die by tempest at sea , by thunder , by earthquake , and such other violent deaths where vertue cā haue no place . all which deaths , though they cannot dismay a vertuous mind , yet he cānot but be sory that he is brought to such an end , as affoordeth him no meanes to make of his valor . there be sundry vices which haue a resemblance of this vertue : but because we haue in our first dayes discourse spokē of them sufficiētly , we shal not need at this time to say any more cōcerning the same . it is also to be considered , that this is a vertue as wel of the body as of the mind : for to the exercise of fortitude , a man must haue a strong body , & of a good complexion , his lims wel framed , and thereto a stout and a constant mind fitly coupled , that it may rule and guide the body prudently . for ( as isocrates sayd to demonicus ) vnlesse strength of body be matched with wisedom , it is doubtles harmfull to him that hath it . the mind must be so disposed & armed against fortune , be she froward or fauorable , it may stand alwayes inuincible against all misfortunes and aduersities , and yet not raise it selfe for prosperous successes . for it is as true a token of a base mind to be proud & insolent in prosperitie , as to be daunted and faint-hearted in aduersitie and affliction . amid which afflictions , that part of fortitude which is called patience hath place , of which plato hath written largely , and among other things this he sayth , that the valiant man hath gotten such a habit in his mind of fortitude , that amid pleasures or amid calamities , he is alwayes the same man ; resisting the assaults of fortune with the vertue of his minde . but the christian writers haue much more extolled this vertue then any other ; yet aristotle toucheth it , where he sayth , that the vertue of fortitude is cleerly discerned by the voluntary enduring of grieuous accidents , which in effect is that same habite whch we call patience . alexander mamea ( as herodian reporteth ) was wont to say , that valiant men , and modest or temperate men , ought to wish for prosperous estate : but that if things fall out contrary to their desire , they are to beare them with an inuincible courage . and plotinus defining the sayd vertue , sayd that it was a habite of the mind , which was not subiect to passions : as in another place he describeth the valiant man to be he , that is not moued from the vertuous habit of his mind , neither by pleasing or delightfull accidents , nor yet by grieuous or displeasant ; yea he so abhorred that a man should be mastered by happie or vnhappie accidents , that he sticked not to affirme , that from this basenes of mind proceeded that opinion which wold take from vs our free election . for their cowardise , who suffer themselues to be ouercome by such passions , perswades them that such things happen of necessitie , and through the immutable order of things : and so they make themselues wittingly slaues where they were free , wanting either will or power to vse that libertie of their mind , either in the one fortune or in the other . for who so is armed with true fortitude , outward things whatsoeuer they be , neither giue nor take ought frō thē . but they that cānot temper themselues in prosperitie , nor beare aduersitie stoutly , make it apparant that fortune mastreth them . whereunto s. ambrose alluding , saith to simplician , that vertuous men become neither greater nor meaner by the change of mortall successes , because by this vertue they ouercome both fortunes . such a man was socrates , whose wife sayd of him , that whatsoeuer had befallen him , he neuer came home but with one and the selfe same countenance , neuer altered or changed . to the same effect seneca sayd , that a wel disposed minde holdeth euermore one course howsoeuer the world fare ; whether fortune bestow her gifts plentifully vpon him , or frowardly take them away . for the valiant man neuer grieueth at any thing that happeneth in this life to other men , fortitude being a sure shield for humane weaknesse , which maketh all the darts of fortune how sharpe soeuer they be , to turne point againe , without once so much as rasing , much lesse entring thereinto . there is nothing in the world that ought to be more deere to a man then his children , who are his true and liuely images , and after a sort the ministers of his immortalitie : wherefore the losse of them ( especially when they are vertuous ) should of all other things be most grieuous vnto him . neuerthelesse anaxagoras when newes was brought him that his onely sonne was dead , answered the messenger , it is no new thing that thou tellest me , for i hauing begotten him , know right wel that he was mortall . so well had philosophie taught him to beare the freakes of fortune , and armed his minde in such sort , as it could not be surprised with any sudden passion . our very birth hath death fastened vnto it : therefore the poet sayd right well : whiles borne we are we die , so that our ending from our first being taketh his beginning . and to conclude touching this vertue , we must haue such an habit thereof in our mindes , and so accompany the same with prudence , as fortune either good or bad may not preuaile against vs ; neuer thinking our victorie ouer her assured , vntil we haue cleane daunted and beaten her downe . carneades in this behalfe aduised wel , that in time of prosperitie we should forethinke some aduersities , and suppose them to be already fallen vpon vs , whereby we might be the better prepared in minde to beare them if they came indeed . and zeno when he receiued aduertisement that a shippe wherein he had great wealth was wracked and cast away , shewed himself farre from being grieued thereat : for he thanked fortune , that by taking againe those goods which she had giuen him , he had gotten so good an occasion to forsake the care of inriching himself temporally , & to betake himself wholy to the study of philosophie . next followeth the vertue of temperance , whose subiect is that power of the soule whence cometh the concupiscible appetite ; and she is exercised specially about the senses of tasting and feeling , but chiefly about the wanton lusts of the flesh : for though the tast ill vsed , be a cause of intemperance , yet is it by the meane of the sense of feeling . in which respect it may be said , that the disordinate lust of the body that maketh men intemperate , is in the sense of feeling , not ouer all the body , but onely in those parts which serue for those delights . and they being most mightie , are by temperance to be restrained with the bridle of modestie , and kept within due termes . for which cause plato called her the gardien or safe keeper of all humane vertues . for she with sober and aduised language telleth vs , that nothing is comely that is not honest , nor nothing honest that is not comely : far from the disordinate appetites perswasion , which sayth , whatsoeuer pleaseth is lawful , and that all is lawful that pleaseth . but temperance with her wholesome aduertisements withdraweth vs from all that is vnfitting or vndecent , if we giue eare vnto her . which vndecency or vnfittingnes cometh neither from the senses of seeing , nor yet of hearing or smelling . for men by delighting beyond measure in the obiects of those senses , are not called intemperate , but runne into other lesser defects , not needful here to be spoken of . but intemperance groweth principally ( as we haue said ) out of the tast and the feeling , two senses that make vs most like vnto brute beasts , if we suffer our selues to be led by them , following our delights as they do : for they corrupt mans prudence , put his mind astray , & take away frō him the light of reason , which frō other creatures they cannot take . i remember that among the grecians it was reported , how vnder the images of anacarsis a most continent philosopher was euer written , that temperance was to be vsed in the tongue , in the belly , & in the priuie parts , thereby giuing vs to vnderstand in which senses principally temperance should be vsed . and though all other creatures haue their exterior senses as well as man , yet none take delight in them , but accidentally . for the hound delighteth not in the sent of the hare , but insomuch as he hopeth to feede vpon her : nor the wolfe delighteth in the bleating of a lambe , but as he intendeth to deuoure it : neither doth the sight of a bullock please the lion for any respect , but that he expecteth to slake his hunger on the carcasse of it . all their principall delight is in the tast and in the feeling : and because they haue no light of reason , but are guided onely by naturall instinct , therefore they are not called temperate or intemperate , as hauing no free choice , which proceedeth from reason onely . but men who haue the gift of the mind from god , and are capable by their iudgement to discerne and chuse what is good , and to eschue what is euill , vnles they be misled by their appetite , deserue , when they chuse that which is iust and reasonable , to be called temperate . and to such men plotinus was wont to say , that delight of the senses was giuen for a refreshing and lightning of the heauy burthen of cares and troubles , which this mortall life bringeth vpon vs. shewing thereby that such delights are not in themselues euil , but onely when they be ill vsed . which thing aristotle before him signified , when he sayd , that euery man was not to be called intemperate , that sought for some pleasure ; but that to such only , as hunted after dishonest and vnlawfull delights , that name was to be applied : for honest delights for recreation of the mind are not to be disallowed ; ioyning therein with anacarsis , who sayd , that the continuance of trauell , without intermission , was a thing impossible : wherefore it was requisite for men sometime to sport themselues , that they might returne the fresher to their honest labours . whence ouid tooke his verses , saying , long cannot last the labour that doth want an interchangeable repose some-while : for it restores the forces languishant , and doth refresh the members spent with toile . and cicero the father and light of romane eloquence , sayth , that games and sports were permitted for the refreshing of the mind , euen as meate and drinke for the restoring of the body ; especially after the attending of graue and weightie affaires . but such as haue made an ill habit , and suffered their iudgements to be corrupted , making choice of dishonest delights to follow their senses onely , are rightly called intemperate , because they procure onely the pleasures of the body , without regard of the mind . and they are so much worse then incontinent men : as these feele yet sometimes a remorse of their ill actions , and thereby correct themselues ; whereas the other perseuere in their ill choise ( if we may properly cal that a choise which proceedeth from a corrupted iudgement ) and care not to amend themselues ; and are like to a man full of dropsie : for their viciousnesse is as hopelesse of recouery , as is the dropsie when it is ful growne within the body . and therfore they may well be accounted of a lost life , who haue contracted so ill an habit , that they still keepe reason subiect to their passions & appetites , which is called by plotinus the infirmity of the mind . but where temperance ruleth & bridleth the inordinate delights , it is not so : for this vertue which is the meane in all actions , and a seemlinesse in all things appertaining to ciuill life , doth increase mans praise and cōmendations , multiplieth honor vpon him , lengtheneth his life , and lightneth the burthen of all his troubles : finally it so fashioneth a man , as whether he be alone or in company , whether he be in publike or in priuat , he neuer vndertaketh any thing but that which carieth withall reputation , dignitie & honor . for it withholdeth him from all that is vnseemly , and leadeth him to all that is honest and commendable . neither is this vertue exercised only in things appertaining to the appetite , but ( as aristotle saith ) she is the conseruer of prudence : and by plato his opinion , she stretcheth her power to those actions that appertaine to fortitude also . for she teacheth man to know the meane of fearfulnes in cases of danger apparant , & in what measure paine or trouble is to be endured . pythagoras said she was the mean of al things : and therfore as the beauty of the body is a meet & seemly disposition of the members , breeding grateful sweetnes , and being tempered with fresh colours , draweth the eyes of men to behold it with wonder & delight : euen so this vertue causeth al the actions of a temperate man with her bright shining light to be admired and extolled ; for she is called by pythagoras the rule of al decency & comelines . of her hath youth more need ( according to aristotle ) then old age , because young men are much more stirred with concupiscence and vnruly affections then old men . and the philosophers haue assigned her for companiōs , shamefastnes ( which holdeth men from doing any filthy act ) honestie , abstinence , continency ( which bridleth the concupiscible passions that they ouer-rule not the will ) mansuetude or mildnes ( which tempereth the fury of anger ) modestie ( which is the rule of decent motions of the body ) and to be short , al those gifts of the mind which accompany seemlines and decency , of which we shal particularly say somewhat as briefly as we may . and because this vertue stretcheth her branches so far , plato said it was hard to define her , and more hard to vse her : the one because she is hardly discerned frō other vertues : the other , because we bring with vs frō our mothers wōb the desire of delight , wherby we are norished , grow , & draw out the line of our life : for which cause arist . said , that it was harder for a mā to resist the pleasures of the body , then pain . next followes the excellent vertue of liberality , which is busied about giuing and receiuing conueniently , and is placed between two extremes ; the one auarice , which taketh more or giueth lesse then is meet : the other prodigalitie , which giues more then is conuenient : and he that can cary himself euen between these two extremes , may iustly be called a liberall man ; giuing where , whē , to such persons , and in such sort as is fit , for respect of honestie . vnto liberality is ioyned magnificence , which is a vertue concerning riches also ; which the magnificall man vseth in great things , and such as are to haue long continuance , & are done in respect of vertue , as sumptuous buildings , rich furnitures , and the like : therfore a poore man cannot actually attaine to be either magnificent or liberal . the liliberall man is not magnificent , because magnificence is more then liberalitie : but the magnificent man is liberal . arme in arme with magnificence goeth magnanimity , waited vpō by mansuetude , desire of honor , veritie , affablity & vrbanity . al which vertues appertain to ciuil conuersatiō , & are very profitable , breeding decēcy , honesty , dignitie and honour . and though honor be reckoned in the number of those things that are called exterior goods yet is it highly to be prised among all other , because it is the certaine token of vertuous life , and is the due reward of vertue . for vertue hath two sorts of rewards : the one that is outward , and that is honour ( which cometh from others that honor vertue , and is not in the vertuous man himselfe ) : the other inward , which is felicitie , the true and perfectest end of all our vertuous actions whiles we are aliue . and man hauing all these vertuous habits in him , gotten by continuall wel doing , which consisteth in particulars : he hath also need of the conuersation of other men , lest the occasiō of doing vertuously shold faile him . for though a mā haue neuer so perfect a knowledge of al the vertues , vnles he put them in action , he can neuer be happie . and specially therfore is friendship necessary for him , which either is a vertue , or fast linked to vertue , and groweth out of the loue which men beare , first to their parents and kinsmen , next to their citizens or countreymen , and lastly to strangers . for as concerning ciuill felicitie , man cannot , nor ought not to be alone : in which respect conuersation and friendship are necessary for the accomplishment of the same . some therefore haue sayd , that it were as hurtfull to take the bright shining beames of the sunne from the world , as to depriue men of the benefite of friendship : since without friends , a man is so farre from being happie , as it may be said , he cannot liue , or be at all . this friendship is a communion and knitting together of minds , which neither length of time , distance of place , great prosperitie , nor great aduersitie , ne yet any other grieuous accident may seuer or separate . and plotinus , though all his drift were to raise man from all base affects of the mind , and to settle him in contemplation , yet he thought friendship necessary no lesse for the mind then for the body . aristotle sayd , that he that liued alone could be none other then either a god or a brute beast . solitarinesse then is euill for all sorts of men , but most of all for yong men , who wanting experience in themselues , haue great neede of the good instructions and admonitions of others . therefore crates the philosopher seeing a yong man alone , went vnto him , & asked of him what he was doing so all alone : and the young man answering , that he was discoursing with himselfe : take heed ( said crates then ) that thou talk not with an il man. considering wisely , that a man void of prudence ( as yong mē commonly are ) is like to busie his head with ill thoughts , which will prouoke him to ill deeds also . conuersation therfore and friendship are necessary for the accomplishment of ciuill felicitie , which without loue cannot be . and that friendship is firme and durable which groweth out of vertue , and from similitude of behauiour and conditiōs . plato saith , that beauty beareth the greatest sway in friendship , but that is the beauty of the mind , which vertue brings forth : but if to the beauty of the mind , that of the body also be ioyned , they both do the sooner and the faster tie together the minds of vertuous men . for the exterior beauty of the body prepareth the way to the knowledge of the other inward of the mind , which ( as hath bin sayd ) is indeed the true man : but he that loueth but the body , loueth not the man , but that which nature hath giuen him for an instrument . and if this beauty of the bodie happen to draw any man to loue a foule or dishonest mind , that loue cannot be termed rightly friendship , but a filthy and loathsome coniunction of two bodies , too much frequented by yong men with naughtie women , who are not onely vnworthy any loue , but ought of all men to be eschued as abhominable , and driuen out of all well ordered common-weales . this friendship tieth ( though with diuers respects ) children to their parents , kinred to kinred , the husband to the wife , and the minds of men of valour & vertue fast together , as a thing agreeable to all the qualities which our soule containeth : but this friendship betweene men of valour and courage , springeth from that faculty of the mind , whence cometh reasonable anger , the heate whereof stirreth & inflameth the mindes of such men to valour and fortitude . and though this friendship be good and commendable , yet is that more firme & permanent which groweth out of the that part of the mind which is garnished with reason and vertuous habits : for it bindeth mens minds so fast together , and breedeth so firme a consent in them , that they become as one ; in so much as it seemeth that one mind dwelleth in two bodies to guide and rule them . which made zeno say that his friend was another himself . now albeit we see dayly friendships to be broken off vpon fleight occasions , yet is that not to be imputed to any imperfection in the nature of friendship . it is maruel ( said captain carleil ) that friends should so easily break the bonds of friendship , if they were so fast knit as you haue sayd : the cause whereof were worth the knowing . that shall i declare vnto you ( said i : ) many apparances of friendship there are , which be as farre from true friendship , as the painted image of a man is from a man indeed : for some are friends for profit , some for pleasure , and some for other respects : which respects failing , loue also quaileth ; and so the foundation of friendship being gone , it must needs fall to the ground . others first loue , and after beginne to iudge of the person : and when they find themselues deceiued in their expectation whatsoeuer it were , they vntie the knot of friendship faster then they hasted to knit the same before . but if iudgement leade the daunce , as it ought to do , and that a man chuse to loue another , because he esteemeth him worthy for his vertues to be beloued ; such friendship is sure and firme , neuer to be dissolued , nay not so much as a mislike can grow betweene such friends . for aristotle holdeth , that discord cannot possibly dwell together with friendship . all other friendships are subiect to quarrels & dissentiōs , but especially that which is grounded vpō profit : wheras those friends whom vertue coupleth together , as they haue but one wil , so haue they all things common , according to the lawes of pythagoras . which lawes plato allowed , and aristotle likewise , though in the communion of goods he were contrary to plato , affirming that where all things were common , it was not possible that the commonwealth could stand . the stedfastnesse of friendship therefore consisteth in the communion and equalitie of minds , betweene which neither anger , dissention , nor ingratitude can grow ; for true friends prouoke not one another with contention , anger or vnthankfulnesse . and in regard hereof , the opinion of plato was , that pleasantnes and cheerfulnesse was fitter among friends then grauitie or seueritie . but i pray you ( sayd captaine norreis ) tell vs whether this friendship you speake of may be between many or no ? sir ( answered i ) a man cannot in truth be friend to many at once , in this degree of friendship which we are treating of . for since the worker of this fast friendship , is the likenes of minds and conditions . as there is a variety of faces infinite , insomuch as it is a very rare thing to find two altogether like the one to the other : so falleth it out likewise in minds : and the saying is , that one mind ruleth two bodies , and not mo ; according to which saying , friendship cannot be in perfection betweene many . the reason wherof may be , that loue and true affection being the most excellent thing among the effects of friendship , and things excellent being rare , therfore true friendship is so rare , as not onely in our age , but also in all ages past , we find scarce two or three couples of friends to be recorded . neither can a man indeed deuide his loue into many shares , without impairing it ; nor giue like helpe , vse like conuersation , or do other friendly offices toward many , which are needfull , and required betweene two fast friends , such as we speake of . i cannot tell ( sayd sir robert dillon ) why you make friendship so rare a matter , when dayly example sheweth vs , that there are many men who haue many friends . let vs consider priuatly or publikely our owne acquaintances , and we shall see so many kind offices of friendship stirring , as it may be thought , the auncient times brought forth men more sauage & vnfit for amity ; or else that our times are happier in that point then theirs . i remember yet that i haue read of epaminondas , how he was wont to say , that a man shold not come home from the pallace vntill he had purchased some friends . the like is written of scipio the yonger , who affirmed that the firmest and most profitable possession that a man could haue in this world , was the hauing of many friends . also the emperour traian was accustomed to say , that he accounted that day lost wherein he had not gotten one friend . all this ( said i ) is true : but many are friends in name , who whē they be put to trial proue nothing so . and therfore was it said , that there were many apparances & sorts of friendship , which properly are not to be esteemed true friendship , but are rather to be termed ciuil beneuolence , or publike friendship ; being a certaine generall loue , which the nature of man , and the communion of countries breedeth of it selfe . and this loue maketh one man courteous , gracious , and affable to another , if he degenerate not from his owne nature which hath framed him sociable ; it maketh him apt to help , and ready to defend , and to vse all the offices of humanitie and beneuolence that become him towards all men : but specially towards such as either countrey , neighbourhood , likenesse of exercises or delights , or such like things haue vnited and knit together . all which breed rather an accidentall then a sound and true friendship . for among many such , few will be found that will expose themselues to perils or dangers for their friends , or in respect of their friends safetie will set light by their goods , yea their owne liues , as these few recorded in auncient writings haue done . this made demetrius falareus to say , that true friends went willingly to be partakers of their friends prosperity if they were called therunto : but that if aduersitie or misfortune did befal them , they taried not then to be called , but ran of themselues to offer their helpe and comfort . and anacarsis esteemed one good friend worth many common & ordinary , such as we dayly see called friends , either for countries sake , or because they keepe company together in trauell by land or sea , or traffike , or serue together in the warres , or such like occasions : all which are in truth but shadowes rather of friendship , then friendship indeed . a friend is not so easily to be discerned , but that a man must ( as the prouerbe saith ) eate a bushell of salt with him before he account him a true friend . wherupon followeth , that there can be no perfect friendship , but after long experience and conuersation . plato respecting this , said , that friendship was an habit gotten by loue long time growne : and in another place , that it was an inueterate loue , which is all one ; to wit , that it must be purchased , and confirmed by long tract of time . neuertheles though loue be the meane to knit friendship , yet is it not friendship it selfe , but the roote rather of the same . and as without the root nothing can prosper nor grow : so without loue no friendship can prosper . thus then you may vnderstand , that true friendship is not gotten by publike meetings , walkings or trading , nor in one day or two ; and that all sorts of beneuolence or mutuall offices of courtesie and ciuilitie , or euery shew of loue maketh not vp a friendship . for once againe i will tell you that friendship is so excellent a thing as it cannot be in perfection , but onely betweene two good and vertuous men of like commendable life and behauiour . that it is the greatest externall good that can be purchased in this life , and that it is the same which aristotle said was more needfull then iustice , and therefore highly to be prised of the man that laboured for ciuill happinesse . who although he haue all those exteriour goods which appertaine to ciuil life , as wealth , health , children , and such like , without which aristotle holdeth that no man can be perfectly happie in this world , yet if he want friends , he lacketh a principal instrument for his felicitie ; not only in respect of the many benefits which friends bring with thē , but chiefly for the delight of his own vertuous operatiōs , and the exercise of the like with them , when they shall be induced by him to vertuous actions : which breedeth an vnspeakable contentment . besides that , solitarinesse bereaueth a man of the sweetest part of his life that is the conuersation among friends , increasing the contentation of a happie man , as he is to be a ciuill man : for of that other solitarinesse which appertaineth to contemplation , this place serueth not to speake . wee may therefore right well conclude , that without friendship a man cannot haue his ciuill felicitie accomplished . but if i should say all that might be said concerning friendship , i should be too long ; neither would i haue said so much thereof , had it not bin to shew you , how solitarinesse cannot serue the turne of him that would be happie in this life . wherfore companie being necessary to felicitie , will minister vnto the happie man occasions to vse his liberalitie : for sweete and pleasing conuersation , and to supply the wants & necessities of friends , is the true & comfortable sauce to friendship . it will make him to shew the greatnes of his courage in great things , guided alwayes by iudgement and reason , and to direct all his actions to the mark of honour , a thing esteemed ( as we haue said ) among all others the greatest externall good : not that he shal set honor for his end ( for that he knoweth would be vnfitting ) but honorable and vertuous actions , contenting himselfe that honor be the reward of them , and vertue be the hire for her selfe . for to her , others will giue honour as to a diuine thing , wheresoeuer they shall see her . but magnanimitie is not a vertue fit for euery man , but for such onely as are furnished with all other vertues , and among vertuous men are esteemed in the highest degree . and he that is not such a man , and will yet make a shew of magnanimitie , will be but laughed at and scorned , because vice and magnanimitie , for the contrarietie that is betweene them , cannot dwell together in any wise ; the one deseruing all honour , and the other all reproch & blame . for magnanimitie produceth effects agreeable to all the rest of the vertues , which is the cause that so singular a gift of the mind is not attained but with great difficultie : but the more trauell is taken in getting it , the greater is the praise to him that hath purchased the same . he that is adorned with this vertue , ioyeth when great honours fall vpon him , he little esteemeth any perill , when honestie inuiteth him thereunto , and not anger , nor fury , nor desire of reuenge , nor onely respect of honour . in matter of riches he alwayes obserueth a due temper as wel as the liberall man , whom he excelleth in this , that the magnanimous man exerciseth his vertue in high matters that beare with them dignitie and importance ; whereas the liberall man is busied in things of lesse moment . he hath also a due regard concerning honours , in the purchase whereof he is not iniurious or threatning , nor puffed vp with pride or ambition , but knowing right well that who so offereth iniury to another , cannot be rightly called magnanimous , he abstaineth from doing any : and if any man haue offered him iniurie , he holdeth it for the greatest and honorablest reuenge to forgiue , though he haue the partie in his power , & may satisfie himselfe ; and thinketh that the greatest displeasure he can worke to his enemy , is to shew himselfe euermore garnished with vertue . moreouer , he is alwayes higher then his fortune , be it neuer so great , and be she neuer so contrary she cannot ouerthrow him . he will neuer refuse to spend his life ( though it be deere vnto him , knowing his owne worth ) for the defence of his countrey , of his friends , of his parents , of his religion , or for gods cause , with whom he is continually in thought , though he be bodily here below on earth conuersant among men , neuer busied in base conceits or imaginations . his reputation is so deere vnto him , as he wil sooner loose his life , then spot it by any vile act : wherefore if he be in the field with his armes for any the causes before said , he neuer turneth his backe to flie , but fighteth with a firme resolution , either to ouercome or die . he is much more ready to bestow a good turne or benefite then to receiue it ; holding that it is more honorable for a man to part with his goods , then to take at any other mans hand : neuertheles if he chance to receiue any profite or commoditie by any other , he layeth it vp carefully in his remembrance , and neuer thinketh himself out of debt vntil he hath requited it double at the least . a propertie well becomming a diuine mind rather then an humane : for of al others ingratitude is the vilest & abhominablest vice , which among the persians was seuerely punished . a vice that may be accounted not onely contrary to honestie , but also a cruell beastlinesse . the comike poet saith , that wicked is the man that knoweth how to receiue a benefit , but not to recompēce the same . which sentence is in effect also in euripides , who sayth , that he who forgetteth benefits receiued , can neuer be reputed of an honest or generous mind . our christian writers haue said , that it is enemie to grace , enemie to our saluation , to our life , & all ciuill societie . and accordingly seneca was of opinion , that no vice was more contrary to humanitie , or did sooner dissolue the vnitie of mens minds then ingratitude , more abhominable before god , or more odious to al vertuous & honest minds . but amōg vngrateful wretches , he that sheweth ingratitude towards those that haue instructed him in learning and vertue , opening to him the gate by which he must enter to attain to his felicitie , is the most beastly of all others : for that to them he ought to haue more regard then to his owne father , from whom though he hath his being , yet from the other he hath his well being , and is made fit and capable of dignitie and honour by the meane of vertue . and as gratitude or thankfulnes is the ornament of all other vertues , from which proceedeth the loue between the child and the parent , betweene the scholer and his master , the charitie towards our countrey , the honor toward god , the friendship betweene men , and the reuerence towards our superiours : so no doubt ingratitude cannot be but directly contrary to all these , and therefore the foulest of al other vices ; from which all the euils in the world proceed , to the perpetuall infamie of him that is vnthankful . neither is it to be wondred , that such men ( like infernall furies ) cast behind them religion , pietie , loue , faith , all goodnes , iustice , and humanitie it selfe , seeking like rauenous wolues to liue and feed vpon the bloud of other men . not onely from priuate houses therefore , but from cities and common-weales , ought this pestiferous generation to be carefully banished , as an infection among people , & the ruine of al conuersatiō , lest their contagion spred that same euil ouer all the rest . pythagoras , who was the first that euer was called a philosopher ( which is as much as to say , a louer of wisedome , and consequently of truth ) did forbid all men to lodge an vnthankfull man vnder his roofe . and because the swallow ( as plutarke saith ) betokeneth ingratitude , he would not haue them to be suffered to nestle in a house . and to say truly , such men are worse then the most sauage and cruell beasts of the field : for of the gratitude of some of them , euen the fiercest , many most notable examples haue bin recorded ; namely this : one elpi a dweller in the i le of samos , who traded into afrike , comming with his ship on that coast , went a shore , where he met a lion , in whose teeth a bone of some beast stucke in such sort as he could not close his mouth , or make any shift to eate : elpi pittying the beast , who seemed to craue at his hands releefe , tooke out the bone , and so deliuered him of that mischiefe . but this thankfull lion failed not euery day after so long as his ship lay there at rode to bring him duly his share of what prey soeuer he tooke , which was sufficient to feed him and all his company . yea euen among serpents we reade examples of thankfulnesse : for it is written , that a certaine child brought vp a young serpent , and fed it familiarly a long time ; but when it was growne great , one day following the instinct of nature , it left the child and went to the woods . it happened that some while after that child being become now meete to trauell , passing thorough a wood was assaulted by robbers , who hauing taken him were purposed to haue slaine him : but he with pittifull voice intreating and crying to them that they should spare his life , the same serpent ( who by chance was then neere at hand ) heard his crie , and knowing his voice , came suddenly out with such fury vpon the theeues , that they were glad to take their heeles , and to leaue the yong man there to saue themselues , who by the thankfulnesse of the serpent was thus saued . but because you may haply make doubt of these histories , supposing them to be old and fabulous , giue me leaue ( besides mine author ) to recite vnto you a strange example of gratitude in a beast , which i haue vnderstood from a person of such credite , as i dare auouch it for a truth , since himselfe affirmed that he knew the gentleman in the west country of england , to whom the thing happened euen of late yeeres . this gentleman had a mastiffe , which he made much account of because he was very faire and hardie , and therefore cherished him so as as his neighbours tooke knowledge of his affection to the dogge : in respect whereof , though they receiued harme from him ( for i must tel you he had a qualitie to worry sheepe by night ) yet sought they no redresse , but by complaint to the master , who in no case could be induced to beleeue that his dogge had that qualitie , so cunning was he to take his times and to hide his fault . howbeit vpon the renewing of complaints he caused a muzzle to be made , and euery night to be put on his dogs head ; supposing thereby to be not onely assured himself , but to satisfie his neighbours also , that it was not he that committed those outrages . but for all this , neither the harme nor the complaints were stopped ; for this dog had gotten the knack with his feet to pull off his muzzle , and then going abroade to do his feate , at his returne he would thrust his head into the muzzle againe , in such sort as any man would haue freed him of any such fact . yet no other dogge being neere to do the like but he , and still the harme being freshly done , his master once resolued to watch his dogge a whole night to satisfie himselfe and his neighbours of the truth : which thing he did so discreetly , as he discouered his dogs subtiltie , and saw him vnmuzzle himselfe , go abroade , and returne so cleaned as no spot of bloud could be discerned about him , and thrusting his head into his muzzle to lie him downe as if he had bin free from any such offence . the gentleman thus resolued of his dogges conditions , went to bed , and slept the rest of the night ; and the next morning coming downe , he found his dogge lying in the hall , and looking somewhat angerly vpon him , he spoke these words , ah thou sheepbiter , thou sheepbiter , thou must be hanged ; and so indeed had purposed with himselfe to haue had him executed . but whiles he was busied in some household affaires , the dog stole out of doores and ran away ; so as when his master gaue order how he should be hanged , he was no where to be found . and these circumstances of the tale i haue the rather related , that you may wonder at the vnderstanding of this beast . now for his gratitude , thus it fell out : some two yeeres after or lesse that he was thus runne away to escape hanging , it was the gentlemans chance vpon some occasions to trauell on foote through the countrey , and in a certaine wood fit for such purposes , he met two tinkers that set vpon him suddenly to rob him : these two tinkers had with them a mastiffe that caried their packes , as many in england do ; which dog when in the fight ( for the gentleman defended himselfe manfully ) he had knowne either by his voice or otherwise his old master , he ranged himselfe to his partie , and set vpon his latter masters so fiercely , that they lost their courages , and being wounded ran away : and then the gentleman also refigured his old seruant , by whose meanes he was deliuered from so great a danger ; and so tooke home his dog again , who had in the meane time forgone his naughtie qualitie , and was euer after much made of by his master as he right well deserued . how shamefull a thing is it therefore to man , that brute beasts should giue him examples of gratitude ; and he cōtrariwise , on whom god hath bestowed so great a gift as reason to discerne the good from the bad , should rather follow the example of the worst sort of beasts in doing ill , then of such as by naturall instinct shew him the way to goodnesse ? for the vngratefull man is of the nature of the wolfe , of whom it is written , that being suckled when it was yong by an ewe ; when it grew great , in recompence of his nourishment he deuoured her : declaring that the wickednes of the vnthankfull person cannot be ouercome by any benefits , be they neuer so great . but of this abhominable vice we haue said enough , and more then needed , but that i was willing to giue you to vnderstand , how farre it ought to be from him that is vertuous , and would be raysed to the reputation of a magnanimous man : of whom returning to speake , thus much is to be added , that he vseth himselfe and all his abilitie euermore with greatnesse of courage , spending when occasion serueth magnifically , in workes worthy admiration , and in helping of others honorably . towards all men he is courteous , gentle , and affable , neuer giuing occasion of offence or mislike in his conuersation : such due regard he hath to place , time , persons , and other circumstances , so as he neuer doth anything vnseemely or vnworthy himselfe . and so he tempereth pleasantnesse with grauitie , benignitie with dignitie , that to the humble he neuer seemeth proud , nor to the great ones neuer base or demisse : but valewing him neither more nor lesse then he is worth , insisteth still vpon truth , discouering himselfe modestly and decently as he is indeed a man of vertue , and with graue , yet gentle speeches giuing satisfaction to all persons of what degree soeuer . and finally in all his actions and behauior he taketh great heed that he commit not any thing whereby he may haue cause to die his cheeke with the purple blush ; but euermore deserue of all men praise and commendation . if i should not interrupt , or prolong your discourse too much , i would be glad ( said captaine norreis ) to learne what is the cause that shamefastnesse maketh the red colour come into a mans face , and that feare doth make him pale ? the reason is ( said i ) because shamefastnes springeth in vs for some thing that we thinke blame-worthy : and the minde finding that what is to be reprehended in vs , commeth from abroade , it seeketh to hide the fault committed , and to auoide the reproch thereof , by setting that colour on our face as a maske to defend vs withall . and albeit that shamefastnesse or blushing seeme to be a certaine still confession of the fault , yet it carieth with it such a grace , as passeth not without commendation , specially in youth , as hath bin said . but feare which proceedeth from imagination of some euill to come , and is at hand , maketh the mind which conceiueth it to startle , and looking about for meanes of defence , it calleth al the bloud into the innermost parts , specially to the heart , as the chiefe fort or castle ; whereby the exterior parts being abandoned and depriued of heate , and of that colour which it had from the bloud and the spirits , there remaineth nothing but palenesse . and hereof it commeth to passe , that we see such men as are surprised with feare , to be not only pale , but to tremble also , as if their members would shake off from their bodies : euen as the leaues fall from the tree as soone as the the cold wether causeth the sappe to be called from the branches to the roote , for the preseruation of the vertue vegetatiue . but such feare is vnseemly , and a token of a cowardly mind , and is seldom seene in men of valour . for they are neuer so suddenly ouertaken by any humane accident , but that they are armed , and know that their vertue is to be made knowne in fearfull and terrible occasions , which are the very matter and subiect of their glory . neither doth fortune with her smiling , so assure thē , but that they look for her frowning countenance to follow : and therefore in prosperity prepare thēselues for aduersity ; whereby when others fal vnder her strokes , they not only feare her not , but couragiously fight against her , & ouercome her . yet you must vnderstand that euery sort of feare is not reprochfull : for that feare which withholdeth men from doing euill , or things that may breed them shame , is worthy cōmendatiō : which made xenophon to say that he was most fearful to do any thing that was dishonest . and much more commendable is that feare which groweth from the reuerence and respect we beare to god , to our parents , and our superiours : for that leades a man to goodnes , whereas the other bringeth a man to all euill and wickednesse . and now hauing satisfied your demaund , let me briefly runne through the rest of the vertues before mentioned in their order . next therefore to magnanimitie cometh the goodly vertue of mansuetude , being a meane betweene wrathfulnesse with desire of reuenge , stirred vp in the irascible appetite in respect of some iniury done or supposed to be done , and coldnesse or lacke of feeling of wrongs when they are offered : which coldnesse or insensibilitie of wrongs , is by this vertue kindled or stirred vp to feele and mislike the iniuries which vnruly persons do oftentimes offer to men of vertue . for as it is necessary vpon many occasions to be angry , not with intention to offend others , but for the defence of a mans selfe , and of those to whom he is tyed , and specially of his reputation , lest by being too dull and carelesse in regarding iniuries done vnto him , he become apt to be ridden and depressed by euery ruffling companion : so to be either too sudden or outragious in anger , and thereby to be incited to do any act contrary to reason , cannot in any sort agree with vertue , or become a gentleman . for to speak of that bearing which is vndertaken for christian humilitie , or feare of offending god , appertaineth not to this place . this vertue then of mansuetude , is she that holdeth the reines in her hand , to bridle the vehemency of anger , shewing when , where , with whom , for what cause , how farre foorth , and how long it is fit and conuenient to be angry ; and likewise to let them loose , and to spurre forward the mind that is restie or slow in apprehending the iust causes of wrath , with regard of like circumstances : directing the particular actions of the vertuous man in such cases according to reason ; to whom she , as all other the vertues , is to haue a continuall eye and regard in euery thing . desire of honor succeedeth next , and is a vertue that is busied about the same subiect with magnanimitie . for as the magnanimous man respecteth onely great and excessiue honors : so doth this vertue teach the meane in purchasing of smaller honours or dignities , such as ciuill men of all sorts are to be employed in . for as there are some that seeke by all meanes possible to catch at euery shew of honor , at euery office or degree that is to be gotten , and spare not to vndergo any indignity , or to try any base or vnlawfull meanes to compasse the same , heauing and shouing like men in a throng to come to be formost , though they deserue to be far behind : so are there others so scrupulous and so addicted to their ease and quiet , that they cannot endure to take vpon them any paines , or any place that may bring them either trouble or hazard ; absolutely refusing in that respect , and despising al dignities and offices , together with the honor they might purchase by the same . the first sort of men are called ambitious : the other insensible and carelesse of their reputation . betweene which two extremes this vertue hath her place , to keepe the first from seeking , not by vertue , but by corruptiō , deceit , or other vnfit meanes to compasse honors , dignities , or authoritie , as many do , slandering and backbiting such as are competitors with them ; or else most basely flattering , and with cappe and knee crouching to those that they thinke may yeeld them helpe , or fauour them in their purchase , which they seeke and beg to supply their owne vnworthinesse : and to quicken the other , whose mindes haue no care of their credit & reputation , but liue in base companies , and estrange themselues from all ciuill conuersation , like brute and sauage beasts . and in this respect is she worthy high estimation , and necessary for all them that esteeme true honour ( as they ought ) to be the most excellent good among exteriour things : who neuerthelesse temper themselues from ambition , so as they are not drawne to commit any vile or base act for the atchieuing of the same , but striue euermore by vertue to purchase their honor & reputation . neither is this vertue all one with magnanimitie , because it requireth not so excellent an habit as doth magnanimitie , though they both be busied about the same subiect : for between them is the like difference as is betweene magnificence and liberalitie , whereof we haue already spoken . veritie is the vertue which followeth in order , by which a man in all his conuersation , in all his actions , and in al his words sheweth himselfe sincere and ful of truth , making his words and his deeds alwayes to agree , so as he neuer sayeth one thing for another , but still affirmeth those things that are , and denieth those that are not . the two extremes of this vertue , are on the one side dissimulation or iesting , called in greeke ironia , and on the other side boasting . for some there are that seeke by this vice to purchase reputation and credit , or profit ; or else euen for foolish delight giue themselues to vanting and telling such strange things of themselues , as though they be incredible , yet wil they needs haue men forsooth to beleeue them . others for the same respects dissemble the good parts that haply are in them , & seeme willing to make mē beleeue that their good qualities are not so great as they are ; with a counterfeit modestie faining alwayes to abase themselues in such sort as men may easily discouer them to be plaine hypocrites , and that vnder pretence of humilitie they labour to set pride on horsebacke : yea some euen of meriment , or by long custome of lying , thinke it sport sufficient neuer to tell any thing but exorbitant and strange lies , insomuch as in fine , though they wittingly speak no truth , yet themselues fal to beleeuing what they say to be most true . betweene these two vices sitteth this bright-shining vertue of truth ( as she is a morall vertue ) by which men vse the benefit of their speech to that true vse for which it is bestowed vpon them by god , and purchase to themselues not onely honour and praise , but also trust and credit with all men , so as their words are obserued as oracles : whereas of the others , no man maketh more account then of the sound of bels , or of old wiues tales . this is that excellent vertue that is of all others the best fitting a gentleman , and maketh him respected and welcom in all companies : which made pythagoras to say , that next vnto god , truth in man was most to be reuerenced : whose contrary likewise is of all other things the most vnfitting , the very destroier of humane conuersatiō the mother of scandals , and the deadly enemy of friendship : the odiousnesse whereof may be discerned by this , that albeit we stick not sometimes to confesse our faults , though they be very great , to our friends , yet we are ashamed to let them know that we haue told a lie . the vertue of affabilitie which succeedeth , is a certaine meane , by which men seeke to liue and conuerse with others , so as they may purchase the fauor and good liking of all men , not forgetting their owne grauitie and reputation . and because there are some that thinke with pleasing speeches and pleasant conceits to be welcom into all companies , they giue themselues to flatter , to commend and extoll euery man , to sooth all that they heare spoken , and still to smile or laugh in euery mans face ; purchasing thereby in the end to be esteemed but as ridiculous sycophants or base flatterers : and others , holding a contrary course , neuer speake word that may be gratefull or pleasing to any man , supposing thereby to be held for graue and wise men , euermore opposing themselues to what others say , dispraising al mens doings , and finally with frowning countenance making themselues odious in all companies . therefore is this excellent vertue set as a meane to direct men how to vse their words and behauiour in honest and ciuill conuersation , that they may be gratefull . for thereby they know how to distinguish the degrees and qualities of persons , of times , of places , and by discreete cariage to make themselues welcome euery where , without touch of flattery . and affabilitie resembleth very much friendship in the particular actions therof , both hauing a purpose to please , & neuer to displease . but betweene them there is this difference , that friendship doth all things with a speciall feruent affection interchangeably borne ; whereas affabilitie respecteth not the mutual affection , but only a desire to be generally acceptable and pleasing to all good men , to euery one in their seuerall degrees and qualities , and without regard of the conditions before specified . in the exercise of which vertue , among other obseruations , this is one principall , neuer to let passe a word out of the mouth before it be considered and examined whether it may offend any man or no. for many men through lack of this consideration haue let slip words that they would afterwards haue redeemed at a high rate , but could not ; whence arise oftentimes great mischiefes , as dayly experience sheweth vs. lastly , as the body hath need of rest after trauell , so hath the mind ( ouerwearied with study or affaires ) need of recreation , that it may return the fresher to be busied again . and this recreation is best found in certaine pastimes or sports , vsed by gentlemen when they meete to be merry together , wherein no basenesse or vnseemlinesse is seene : and therefore are these sports properly called , recreations of the mind . but because in such meetings where men come to passe the time together , they faile in their conuersation two wayes by excesse , the one contrary to the other ; therefore is the meane which teacheth the tempering of those excesses , called the vertue of vrbanitie , a latine name , which in english we cannot better , and therefore must giue it passe to be denizened among vs. the one excesse of too much , is , when men seeke in such assemblies or meetings onely to make the company laugh , and so they laugh , care not whether the occasion be giuē of any wantō speech or scurrilitie , or ouerbitter taunting , without respect of persons , and if they may breake a iest vpon any man , either present or absent , they will not forbeare it to shew their wit , though it be neuer so much to the shame and ignominie of the partie ; yea and they will laugh thereat themselues so exceedingly , that they will make others of force to laugh at their laughter , though they mislike their speech . and such men may be iustly termed iesters , or knauish fooles , specially if to their words they adde gestures and countenances vndecent for ciuill men , not sparing also ribald speeches euen in the presence of sober and modest gentlewomen . a thing that among honest and vertuous men is most odious , whose conuersation ought to be farre from vncleannesse or malice . opposite to these are certaine persons , who in all companies neuer let fall any wittie speech themselues , or any merry conceit ; nor yet when they heare them proceed from others , will once affoord to grace them with so much as a smile : but rather bend the browes thereat , or seeme not to know or to conceiue any delight therein , behauing themselues like rude clownes which want capacitie to comprehend the substance of a pithy & pleasant speech . these aristotle calleth harsh and rustike fellowes . now betweene this rusticity and this foolish iesting is this vertue of vrbanitie the meane , which the greeks call eutrapelia , and teacheth a man to frame all his speeches in assemblies and meetings where he chaunceth to be for the reuiuing or recreating of his spirits , so as they may be sharpe and wittie , and yet not bitter or ouerbiting to offend , nor yet to taxe or reproue any man so , as he may haue iust cause to complaine : though ( to say truth ) a discreet or wittie iest cannot be much worth , or moue men to laugh , vnles it haue a certaine deceit or offence intended towards some body , who neuerthelesse must not be so pricked , as he may haue cause to be grieued thereat , but rather be merry at the conceit . for since words and gestures are the true tokens commonly of the qualitie of the mind , he , that in his conuersation causeth not the sweetnes of his mind and the candor of his noblest part to shine through all his actions , words and gestures , cannot be esteemed a man of worth and vertue . he must continually haue great regard to the time , place , persons , and other circumstances , according to which he is so to order his pleasant conceits and merry iests , not onely to moue meriment and laughter , but that withall he may keepe his grauitie & dignitie , and eschue aboue all things licentious & wanton speeches , which in no wise become a man that is desirous to beare vp his reputation & credit as a ciuill man. and thus hauing giuen you a tast of euery of the vertues assigned to wait vpon magnanimity somewhat more amply then mine author , who hath ( in my opinion ) a little too briefly touched them in the descriptiō of a magnanimous man : i will now returne to his discourse again , by which i am come to treate of iustice ; the efficacie and power wherof is such , that some sages haue held her only to be vertue , as if she should containe in her al other vertues : and that the rest that are seuerally named should be but as parts of her , diuersly intituled in respect of the diuers obiects , about which they are exercised . it is therefore to be considered , that this vertue is to be taken two waies ; the one when she is generally considered , and then is she alone al the vertues : in which respect agesilaus was wont to say , that where iustice was , there needed no fortitude . and antisthenes and plato likewise were of opinion , that he that was iust needed no lawes , because this vertue was sufficient to keep him within the cōpasse of liuing wel and vertuously . the other way is , when she is taken for one of the foure principall vertues , and so is she a habit , whereby is knowne what is iust , and the same is accordingly desired and done . this is that incorrupted virgin , which the auncients so termed , because she is such a friend to bashfulnes and modesty , by which men are made worthy reuerence , by which they learne the measure of distributions and commutations , giuing recompence to vertue as much as it deserueth , not by equality of number , but by equality of measure : to much vertue great reward , to meane vertue meaner recompence : and this is the geometrical proportion which aristotle speaks of . for where much desert is , though much be giuen , and lesse , where lesse is deserued , and the rewards compared together be vnequall ; yet as they haue seuerally deserued , they are equally rewarded . with some example we shall make the thing more plaine . suppose here be two vessels , the one greater then the other , and that you fill them both with wine or other liquor , the lesser shall neuertheles be as well full as the greater : and if they both had speech and vnderstanding , neither could the one complaine for hauing too much , nor the other too little , both being full according to their capacitie , and so receiuing his due . in this sort doth iustice distribute to euery one that which is his due . she produceth lawes , by which vertue is rewarded , and vice punished . she correcteth faults and errours according to their qualitie . she setteth vs in the direct way that leadeth to felicitie . she teacheth rulers and magistrates to commaund , and subiects to obey : and therefore she is the true rule which sheweth the inferiour powers and faculties of the soule how to obey reason , as their queene and mistris . which commaund of reason , plotinus esteemed to be so important to be exercised ouer the passions , as he esteemed them only to be worthily called wise men , who subiected their passions in such sort to reason , that they should neuer arise to oppose themselues against her . she instructeth man to rule , not onely himselfe , but his wife , his children , and his family also . she preserueth and maintaineth states and common-weales , by setting an euen course of cariage betweene princes and their subiects . she maketh men vnderstand , how the doing of iniury is contrary to the nature of mā , who is borne to be mild , benigne & gentle ; and not to be ( as wild beasts are ) furious , fierce and cruel : for such they are that hurt others wittingly . and when iniuries happen to be done , she distinguisheth them , she seeketh to make them equall , or to diminish them , or to take them cleane away : euermore teaching vs this lesson , that it is better to receiue an iniury then to do it . it is she that maketh those things that are seuerally produced for the good of sundry nations , common to all , by the meane of commutation , of buying and selling , and hauing inuented coine , hath set it to be a law , or rather a iudge in cases of inequalitie , to see that euery man haue his due and no more . finally she tempereth with equitie ( which may be termed a kind of clemency ioyned to iustice ) things seuerely established by law , to the end that exact iustice may not p●oue to be exact wrong . and where as lawes not tempered by discreet iudges , are like tyrants ouer men : this equitie was held by plato to be of such importance , that when the arcadians sent vnto him , desiring him to set them downe lawes to be ruled by , he vnderstanding that they were a people not capable of equitie , refused flatly to make them any lawes at all . agesilaus said , that to be too iust , was not onely farre from humanitie , but euē crueltie it self . and traian the emperor wished princes to link equitie & iustice together , saying , that dominions were otherwise inhumanely gouerned . the aegyptians also to shew that lawes are to be administred with equitie , expressed iustice in their hieroglifikes by a left hand opē , meaning , that as the left hand is slower and weaker then the right : so that iustice ought to be aduisedly administred , and not with force or fury . and the opinion of some was , that the axes and rods which were accustomably borne before the romane consuls , were bound about with bands ; to declare , that as there must be a time to vnbind the axes before they could be vsed to the death of any man : so ought there to be a time to deliberate for them that execute the law ; wherein they may consider whether that which the rigor of law commaundeth may not without impeachment of iustice be tempered and reduced to benignitie and equitie . to conclude , iustice is she that maintaineth common vtilitie , that giueth the rule , the order , the measure and manner of all things both publike and priuate , the band of humane conuersation and friendship . she it is that maketh man resemble god , and so farre extendeth her power in the coniunction of mens minds , that she not onely knitteth honest men together in ciuill societie , but euen wicked men and theeues , whose companies could not continue , if among their iniustices iustice had not some place . she is of so rare goodnesse and sinceritie , that she maketh man , not onely to abstaine from taking anothers goods , but also from coueting the same . indeed ( said m. dormer ) if iustice be such a vertue as you haue described , me thinke that we haue smal need of other vertues ; for she comprehendeth them all within herselfe . so doth she ( answered i ) if she be generally considered as before hath bin said . but if we call her to the company of the other vertues , as here we place her , she hath as much need of them as they of her , if she shall produce those effects which we haue spoken of . for as one vice draweth another after it , as do the linkes of a chaine the one the other : euen so are the vertues much more happily linked together in such sort as they cannot be seuered . but though a man be endued with them all , yet is he called a iust man , a valiant , a prudent , or a temperate man , according as he inclineth more to this then to that , or in his actions maketh more shew of the one then of the other : for our naturall imperfection wil not suffer any one man to excel in them all ; which made me say a while sithens , that it is so hard a thing to be magnanimous , since the vertue of magnanimity must be grounded vpon all the rest . but to excell in iustice , is a thing most glorious ; for it is said of her , that neither the morning starre nor the euening star shineth as she doth . and hesiodus called her the daughter of iupiter . wherupon plato supposing , that who so embraced iustice contracted parentage with iupiter the king of gods and men , accounted the iust man had gotten a place very neere vnto god. verily ( said m. dormer ) and not without cause . for it behoueth him that will be iust to be voide of all vice , and furnished with all other vertues . and therefore me thinketh , he that said iustice might wel be without prudēce , considered ill what belonged to iustice . for prudence is most necessary to discerne what is iust frō what is vniust ; and a good iudgment therin can no man haue that wanteth prudence : without which iudgment , iustice can neuer rule wel those things that are vnder her gouernment . and as agesilaus said of fortitude , so thinke i of iustice , that if she be not guided by prudence ( which is aptly called the eie of the mind ) she works more harme thē good . you thinke truly ( said i ) and of this vertue the course of our author draweth me to treate , & to declare of what importance she is to humane things , and how beneficial . but let me first put you in mind that hitherto hath bin spoken but of those vertues which haue their foundatiō in the vnreasonable parts of the mind : of which mind they are the habits , consisting in the meane betwixt two extremes , and busied about the affects & actions of men . likewise hath bin declared how the affects come from the powers or appetites of the soule , to wit , the concupiscible and the irascible , and how all commendable actions proceed from election , before which counsell must go . and albeit we made mention there of prudence , yet it was then referred to a fitter place to talke thereof more largely , when the drift of our discourse should bring vs thither . now therefore being come to that place which is proper to her , i am to speake of therof . but before i proceed any further , you must vnderstand that there be two sorts of vertues : for some are morall , concerning manners , of which we haue discoursed hitherto , and shewed how they are grounded in those parts of the mind that are deuoide of reason . others are of the mind or vnderstanding , in which respect they are called intellectiue ; and of them henceforth must be our speech . but you must remember , that though it was said , that those morall vertues were founded in those parts of the mind wanting reason , yet were they guided by the light of reason . and this light of reason ( as much as concerneth mens actions ) is nothing else but prudence , which is a vertue of the vnderstanding , and the rule and measure of all the morall vertues concerning our actions and affects : euen as sapience or wisedome is the guide and gouernesse of speculation . and forsomuch as reason is capable of two intellectiue vertues , whereof the one is actiue , and the other speculatiue , this latter intendeth alwaies the knowledge of truth : & the first is busied about the knowledge of what is good . which good , when it is come to the height of his perfectiō in our actions , is the end of them ; and then haue we attained that furthest and absolute terme or bound , vnto which we haue directed all our ciuill actions . hereupon plotinus said , that there were in vs two principles or originall causes of doing ; whereof the one is the mind , which cals vs to contemplatiō : the other is reason , guiding vs to ciuill actions ; and from her doth that which is good & faire neuer depart . and though it may be obiected , that both these intellectiue vertues are exercised in or about the knowledge of truth , as indeed they be ; yet is it to be aduertised , that it is in diuers respects that they be so exercised . for that part which is exercised in contemplatiō , is busied about truth simply ; that is to say , about those things that neuer change , and are alwayes the same ; as god first of all ; then all the vniuersall things which nature hath produced : about which prudence hath nothing to do to busie her selfe , because they are not subiect to mans counsell , nor to his election : and of such things properly is truth the subiect : which truth ( as plato said ) is the guide to lead men to al goodnes . but prudence worketh properly about such things as are subiect to change ; and may be & not be ; may be done or not done ; and ( when al is said ) are fortunable : of which there is no certaine and infallible truth , as is of things eternall . neuertheles prudence in this inconstancie of things sensible , seeketh alwayes to apply it self to that which is most likely to happen , and doth seeme most probable to the discourse of reason . and this also is that truth about which she discourseth , seeking still to chuse that which is or seemeth to her best and most faire . without prudence can no vertuous operation be brought to passe . for she onely foreseeth and knoweth what is conuenient and seemely : and withholdeth a man at all times from vice or any voluntary wicked action : so that he that is not honest cannot be prudent . it is neither art nor science , but an habit of the mind , neuer seuered from reason , in the discoursing of those things about which man is to vse reason , for priuate or publike benefit . so as it may well be said , that in respect of the subiect it is all one with that science which is called ciuil : but in respect of the reason of the one & of the other , they be differēt . for prudence is in the prudent man principally for his priuat good and profit , and next for the publike weale : but the ciuil or politike man considereth that which is profitable to the common-wealth . and though both be busied about the benefit of mankind according to reason , yet so farre forth as the prudent man respecteth his priuat good , it is called in him prudence . but when it is applied to the vniuersal cōmoditie of the cōmonweal , it is called the ciuil facultie or science . which facultie without prudence wil be of smal effect in gouernment : the rule wherof it fetcheth frō temperance , which is called the preseruer of prudence . neuertheles the prudēt man may at once prouide both for his priuate affaires & for the publike , though his office be rather to cōmand others to execute things then to do himself . and albeit in that point socrates was deceiued , saying that prudēce was all the vertues together , yet is she so inseparable a companiō vnto them all , as if she be taken frō them , they remaine os smal valew or effect . the office of this vertue , is to consider what is profitable , and to apprehend it : and likewise to eschew all that is hurtful . and to discourse of things sensible and vsuall , thereby to shew what is fit to be chosen , and what to be forsaken . in regard wherof plato said that prudenee guided vs to happines of life , and imprudence made vs miserable and vnhappie : affirming that she onely directed vs to do all our affaires wel , yea & to know our selues . among the representations of vertues , prudence is commonly set with a looking-glas in her hand : which by all likelihood is done to giue vs to vnderstād , that as the glasse being cleere sheweth a man his face ; so prudence wel vsed shewes to him himself , making him to know what he is , and to what end created . the knowledge wherof works in him , that as he trauels to attain for himself profit & goodnes ; so acknowledging himselfe to be borne for the good also of others , endeuoreth to direct the affaires also of his parēts , friends and cōmon-weale to the same end of profit & goodnes . now although it hath bin said , that pudence is a science of good and euil , yet is it to be vnderstood that she is not properly termed a science ; but is ( as was said euē now ) so far frō it , that she is busied about things casual which may happen and not happen , wherof there can be no certaine science : wheras science laboreth about things certaine & eternal . prudence considereth what is profitable & good ; science searcheth out truth simply . and as these two be different the one frō the other : so is there difference between the wise man & the prudent . for the wise man being stil busied about the causes of things , and the maruellous effects which they produce by the meanes of gods goodnes , is as it were out of the world , litle respecting any profit , which the prudent hath still regard vnto . for the wise mā hath his mind alwaies raised to the contēplation of sublime things , whereby these baser of the earth seeme to him worthy no estimation , the rather because he knoweth right well that nature hath need of very little to sustaine her . and although plato say that those men are called wise , who by the light of reason , know what is profitable , not onely for themselues and particular persons , but generally for the commonweale , he there vseth the name of a wise man according to the cōmon maner of speech , and not properly . but that you may the better vnderstād my authors meaning , you must giue me leaue to enlarge a litle the ground of this his distinction . you are therfore to consider , that there be three seueral things in vs , to wit , sense and feeling , vnderstanding and appetite . of which the first is the beginning of no action properly , because it is common to vs with brute beasts , who are not said to do any action , for that they want iudgement and election . the appetite , so farre forth as it is obedient to reason , either followeth or eschueth things presented thereunto : and in this part counsell hath place and election , as hath bin formerly said : which election is the inducement to action , for thereby we worke either good or euil ; and it is prouoked by the appetite , though reason brideling the concupiscible desire be the minister of good electiō . but the vnderstanding stretcheth furder then so . for it trauels about things eternal , necessary , and so true as they neuer change , nor can be any other then as by nature they haue bin framed . but it is busied about this truth two manner of wayes ; for either it seeketh the knowledge of principles , from whence true conclusions are drawne ; or else of principles that be the orig●ne of things . if we consider the vnderstanding according to the first manner , it breedeth science in vs , which commeth from the knowledge of true principles , which are the grounds of true conclusions . and in this sort do we know all things naturall and corporall , yet eternall and immutable , as causes naturall , nature her selfe , time , place , the elements , heauen , the first mouer , so farre forth as he is applied to a moueable body ( for so far forth as he is a simple substance , vnmoueable , indiuisible , free from all change : and as he is alone by him selfe infinite , neither body , nor vertue contained in a bodie , the first of all things naturally moued , yea before the matter it selfe , & al other the properties attributed to that simple , pure and diuine nature , it is a thing not appertaining to the naturall philosopher to treate of him ) and generally all other things natural . but taking the vnderstanding according to the second way , it raiseth vs vp to the knowledge of that diuine power , from which all things great and small , mortall and immortall , haue their beginning : and this knowledge is called wisedome : which , together with vertue , we attaine by the meanes of philosophie , the only school-mistris of humane and diuine learning , and the true guide to commendable life and vertuous actions , being indeed the greatest gift that god giueth to man in this transitory life . now as these vertues before specified direct vs to that perfectest end that man in this world can attaine vnto by his vertuous deeds : so doth this habit , called wisedome , conduct him to a farre more excellent end then this ciuill or politike end . and if that which vertue guideth vs vnto , be worthy to be called perfect in this world , this other ( which wisedome leadeth vs vnto ) may well be termed most perfect : because this diuine habit addresseth vs to the knowledge of the most pure , simple , and excellentest nature , which is god eternall and immortall , the fountaine of all goodnesse , and infallible truth , the onely and absolute rest and quiet of our soules & minds . for which cause plato said , that humane things , if they were compared to diuine , were vnworthy the employing any study in them , as being of no price or estimation at all : for they are rather shadowes of things then things indeed , euermore fleeting and slippery , as dayly experience teacheth vs. but being as we are among men , and set to liue and conuerse with them ciuilly , the ciuill man must not giue himself to contemplation , to stay vpon it as wisedome would perswade him , vntill he haue first employed his wit and prudence to the good and profit as well of others as of himselfe . giuing them to vnderstand , how man is the perfection of all creatures vnder heauen , and placed as the center betweene things diuine and mortall : and shewing to them how great is the perfection of mans mind , make them know how vnworthy & vnfit it is for a mā to suffer those parts that he hath common with brute beasts to master and ouer-rule those by which he is made not much inferiour to diuine creatures : and causing them to lift vp their minds to this consideration , instruct them so to dispose and rule through vertuous habits those parts which of themselues are rebellious to reason , as they may be forced to obey her no otherwise then their queene and mistris : and through fortitude , temperance , iustice , and prudence , with the rest of the vertues that spring from them , frame their behauiour , and direct all their actions to that end which we haue intituled by the name of ciuill felicitie , to wit , that perfect action or operation according to vertue in a perfect life , whereof hath formerly bin largely discoursed . which felicitie once attained , is of that nature , that no man which is possessed thereof can become miserable or vnhappie . for vice only can reduce man to be miserable , and that is euermore banished from felicitie , whose conuersation is onely with vertue : to whom she is so fast linked and tied in the mind of man , that he hath no power to dissolue or seuer the same . and this felicitie is not only a degree , but euen the very foundation of that other , which we may attaine by the meane of wisedome . for after we haue once setled and gounded our selues in the morall vertues , and done well in respect of our selues , and also holpen others as much as we could , we may then raise our thoughts to a higher consideration , and examining more inwardly our owne estate , find that this most excellent gift of vnderstanding hath bin giuen vs to a further end and purpose then this humane felicitie : and therfore bend all our wits to a better vse of our selues , which is to take the way of that other felicitie , so to place our selues , not onely aboue the ordinary ranke of men , but euen to approch ( as neere as our frailtie will permit ) to god himselfe , the last end of all our thoughts and actions . from this perfect knowledge of our selues we ascend by degrees to such a height , as leauing all worldly cares , we apply al our studies to the searching of diuine things , to the end that by attaining the vnderstanding and knowledge of our maker , and the creator of all things , we may plainely discerne that whatsoeuer is here among vs on earth , is but smoke and dust : and that to be euen glutted with all the good that this life can affoord , is but a possession of smoke , and a shadow of the true good which is aboue . and so knowing that the mind is the true man , giuen vnto vs of speciall grace to guide the body , we may turne our selues to that happinesse which maketh vs immortal , by raising the mind to the height of that heauenly felicitie : the sweetnesse and delight whereof , is so much greater then that of humane felicitie , ( though without this the other cannot be ) as the habit of that excellent power of the vertue intellectiue , is employed about a more noble obiect , then that which the vertue actiue doth intend . for it is euermore busied about things eternall and vniuersal , and about the contemplation of the most high and gracious god. of this excellent degree of felicitie hath aristotle spoken in his first and tenth books of ethikes , declaring how it ought to be the finall end of all our operations , and hath attributed this excellent kind of faculty to those men only who are properly called sages or wise men : because they , by the meanes of actions and of sciences , finding that these mortall things are not able to bring a man to full and perfect happinesse , do so raise themselues from these baser cogitations , as they apply their mind and vnderstanding wholy to the knowledge of diuine essences . and such men ( saith he ) as haue attained that degree , are rather to be esteemed diuine then humane . for whiles they liue in contemplation , they are not like men liuing among men , composed of body and soule , but as diuine creatures freed from mortall affections arising from the body , and bent onely to that which may purchase the neuer-ending felicitie of the soule ; which according to plato and aristotle , is the true man. and to this opinion did our sauiour christ ( who is the infallible veritie ) giue authoritie and confirmation , when he said , that we ought to haue such care of that soule which is in vs according to the image of god , that we should esteeme nothing ( how great or precious soeuer the world esteemed it ) at so high a rate , as for the purchasing thereof we should hurt or loose the same : for his words are , what auaileth it a man to gaine all the world and loose his owne soule ? by this opinion of these two philosophers , we may plainly vnderstand , that euen in that darknesse of auncient superstition , god had yet giuen such light of reason to the mindes of men to illumine them withall , that they saw how through sciences and wisedome they were to seeke the way that should leade them to their perfect felicitie , that is , to god almightie himselfe , who is such an end as no other end can be supposed beyond him ; but to him all other ends are directed , as to the true and most happie terme , bound or limit of all vertues and vertuous actions , and of ciuill felicitie it selfe . but because that diuine part of the intellectiue soule which is in vs , is to haue consideration not onely of our present state of life , but also to that eternitie , wherein our immortall mindes , made to the likenesse of god , are to liue with him eternally . therfore did aristotle fitly teach , that men ought to bend and frame their minds wholy to that true and absolute end : for that the minde being diuine , it is his proper office to seeke to vnite it selfe to his first principle or beginning , which is god. neither hath his diuine maiestie of his aboundant grace bestowed the vertue intellectiue vpon man to any other end , then that he might know it to be his speciall dutie to raise himselfe to him , as to the author and free giuer of all goodnesse : and as he hath bestowed on him a soule made to his own likenes , so he should therewith bend his endeuour to be like him in all his actions , as farre as the corruption contracted by the communion of the bodie will permit . which thing the platonikes considering , haue spoken much more largely thereof then aristotle , following therein the steps of their master . but some will say , that aristotle spake the lesse thereof , thinking that the soule of man , euen concerning the vnderstanding , was not immortall ; because it seemeth to them , that when the soule hath no more the senses of the bodie to serue her as instruments whereby she vnderstandeth and knoweth , she should no longer liue . for since nature cannot suffer any thing to be idle in the world , and the soule wanting the bodie can haue no operation , therefore they thinke it is to be concluded , that with the bodie she must needs fall and die : for that if she should happen to remaine after she were separated from the bodie , yet she should not haue any operation , insomuch as hauing the vnderstanding for her proper operatiō , and seeing she cannot vnderstand but by the ministery of the senses , from which she can haue no helpe when she is loosed from the bodie , it followeth that she hath no operation , and then must she be idle in nature , which is in no sort to be allowed . but my author ( as afore is said ) doth thinke , that these men mistake aristotle , not considering that he , speaking as a natural philosopher of the soule , was not to treate thereof but naturally ; and in so doing , was to restraine himselfe within the bounds of nature : according to which , he is not to consider any forme separate from the matter , from which we ( as all other natural things ) haue our bodies . this aristotle considering and knowing , that as a natural philosopher he was not to speake of the intellectiue soule , said , that vnderstanding being separated from the other powers of the minde , as a thing eternall , seuered from the corruptible part , it appertained not to him to treate thereof in that place , where he spake of the soule as she was the actor of the bodie , and vsed it as her instrument . for he saw wel inough , that though the vnderstanding tooke beginning with the bodie , because it was the forme thereof ; yet was it not the actor of the body , so as it should vse any member thereof as an instrument : but was onely aforme that was to exercise all the other powers of the other soules . for it is likewise aristotles opinion , that where the vnderstanding is in things corruptible , there hath it also the faculties of all the other soules within it selfe . which thing he shewed more cleerely in his first booke de partibus animalium , saying , that to speake of the intellectiue soule all that might be sayd , was not the office of a naturall philosopher . and this for two reasons . the one is , that the intellectiue soule is no actor of the bodie , because she hath in her no part of motion , either of her selfe , or accidentally . for she neither increaseth nor diminisheth the bodie , she nourisheth it not , nor maintaineth it ; for these are functions appertaining to the vegetatiue soule ; shee chaungeth it not , nor mooueth it from place to place ; for that is the office of the sensitiue soule : and these be the motions which the bodie can haue from the soule ( sauing generation and corruption , which are changes made in an instant ) : therefore inasmuch as she is intellectiue , she is not subiect to the consideration of the naturall philosopher . the other reason is , for that the naturall philosopher considereth not the substances separated from the matter , and therefore his office is not to consider the excellencie of the intellectiue soule , which is not the actor of the bodie , though she be the forme thereof . and therefore aristotle telleth vs in his second booke of physikes , that the terme or bound of the naturall philosphers consideration , is the intellectiue soule . for albeit he may consider the soule so farre as she moueth and is not moued ; as he may also the first mouer : yet doth he not consider her essence , nor the essence of the first mouer : for this appertaineth to the metaphysike , who considereth of the substances separated and immortall . and hence commeth it that aristotle treating in his booke of physikes of nature , as she is the beginning of all mouings and of rest ; when he is come to the first mouer who is immoueable , yet moueth all that is moued in the world , proceeded not any further to shew his nature : vnderstanding right well , that the naturall philosophers office was not , to consider any thing that is simply immoueable , as well in respect of the whole , as of the parts , as the first mouer is . but let vs ( without questioning further thereupon ) hold this for certaine , not onely by that which christian religion teacheth vs , but also by that which aristotle hath held , that our soules are immorall . for if it were otherwise , we should be of all other creatures that nature produceth the most vnhappie : and in vaine should that desire of immortalitie ( which all men haue ) be giuen vnto vs. besides that , man , as man , that is to say , as a creature intellectiue , should not haue that end which is ordained for him , which is contemplatiue felicitie . neither is it to the purpose to say , that such felicitie is not attained by morall vertues , but by wisedome only , or that there be but few so wise as to seek this excellent felicitie , and infinite the number of those that thinke but little vpon it : for all men are borne apt vnto it , if they will apply their minds vnto the same . and though among all generations of men there should be but three or foure that bent their endeuour to attaine it , they onely were sufficient to proue our intention , because it is most certaine , that the number of foolish men is infinite , who not knowing themselues , cannot tell how to vse themselues , & direct their endeuours to that which is the proper end of man. of whom it is said , people on whom night commeth before sunne-set . a wicked generation , whose whole life-time flieth from them vnprofitably , in such sort , as they can scarce perceiue that they haue liued . for although there be infinitely more such in this world then of quicke and eleuated spirits , yet ought not we to endure , that their negligence , who know not themselues to be men , should preiudice the mindes of such as know what they are , and raise their thoughts carefully to diuine things . and therefore leauing their opinions that will needs say , that aristole impiously and madly hath held the contrary , it shall be best to proceed in our discourse of the felicitie that is to be attained by contemplation . i pray you ( said captaine carleil ) since there is a contrarietie of opinions amōg philosophers , concerning the immortalitie of the soule , and that the knowledge therof appertaineth to the better vnderstanding of this contemplatiue felicitie , let vs heare , if your author giue any furder light thereunto , since such good fellowes seeke to cast so darke a mist before our eyes , vnder the cloke of aristotles opinion . for albeit you spake somewhat of it yesterday , so farre as concerned our maner of learning according to aristotle , yet was it but by the way , and not as it concerned this felicitie : and if such a matter as this were twise repeated , it could not but be profitable to vs , though it be somewhat troublesome to you . whereupon i said : that which my author was not willing to vndertake , you presse me vnto , as if you were the same persons , and had the same sence that those introduced by him had : and therefore since you also will haue it so , i am content to close vp this your feast with this last dish ; notwithstanding that the euening draw on , and that to speake thereof at large would aske a long time . but knitting vp , as well as i can , a great volume in a little roome , i will deliuer vnto you that which the shortnesse of our time wil permit , and pray with mine author his diuine maiestie , who hath giuen vs an immortall soule , that he wil vouchsafe vs his grace to say so much and no more of this matter , as may be to his glory , and to all our comforts . know ye then that these men , that out of aristotles writings gather our intellectiue soule to be mortall , take for their foundation and ground this ; that the soule is the actor of the bodie , and vseth it but after the maner before mentioned . and to maintaine this their opinion , they wrest diuers places of his vntruly , and contrary to the mind of this great philosopher , as shall be declared vnto you . true it is , that while the intellectiue soule is the forme of the body , she hath some need of him to vnderstand . for without the fantasie we can vnderstand nothing in this life , since from the senses the formes of all things are represented vnto vs , as yesterday was declared . and this did aristotle meane to teach vs , when contrary to the opinion of some former philosophers he said , that sense and vnderstanding was not all one , although there be some similitude betweene them . and because the essences of things are knowne by their operations , according to aristotle ; and that the intellectiue soule vnderstandeth ( which is a spiritual operatiō ; ) it followeth that simply of her owne nature she is all spirit , and therefore immortall , for else to vnderstand , would not be her propertie . whereunto also aristotle agreeth , in saying , that some parts of the soule are not conioyned to the bodie , and therefore are separable : and that the vnderstanding and the cōtemplatiue power was another kind of soule , and not drawne from the power of matter , as the other two are , whose operations were ordained for the intellectiue soule , insomuch as she is the forme of the bodie : which sheweth plainely that she is eternall and immortall . and in the twelfth of his metaphysikes , making a doubt , whether any forme remaine after the extinguishing of the matter , he sayd doubtfully of the other two , that not euery soule , but the intellectiue onely remained . and here is to be noted , that his opinion was not ( though some would haue it so ) that the fantasie was the forme of the bodie , for that dieth with the bodie , as shall be shewed hereafter : but he considered the vnderstanding it selfe , as a soule , and as the forme of the bodie ; and not as a separable intelligence , the lowest of all others , and common to all men , as theophrastus and themistius ( though diuersly ) haue thought . neither yet that it was god almightie , as alexander supposeth : for god is not the forme of our bodies , nor hath any man euer doubted whether god were immortall . so as our vnderstanding is neither god , nor yet a separate intelligence , cōmon to all mē , like those that gouerne an vniuersal spheare , as they aboue mentioned haue thought , & as some of our christians haue dreamed ; who being raised to ecclesiasticall dignitie , haue chosen rather to follow the greeks vanity and the arabians , then fauour the religious and true interpreters of aristotles mind . whereas they ought rather to haue rooted such opinions out of mens mindes , as apt to draw them to perdition , and not to maske them with the vizard of naturall philosophers : as if things naturall , that may seeme contrary to christianitie , were to be set before men in writing , to be confirmed by naturall reasons apparant at least , though not true , to perswade their mindes amisse . but iohannes gramaticus among the greekes hath declared aristotles mind aright ; and so hath he that is called the angelicall doctour in sundry places as a most excellent spirit and a religious man , whatsoeuer scotus write against him . and what better testimonie neede we haue of the vanitie of these mens interpretations , then aristotle himselfe ? who most effectually sheweth the same , where he sayth , that the waxing old of man proceedeth not from the intellectiue soule , but from the bodie wherein she is ( which neuerthelesse is to be vnderstood as she is the forme thereof : ) and in so saying , declareth , that euery man hath his intellectiue soule : which soule is a meane betwixt separated substances and corporall ; and therefore partly she communicateth with the bodie to informe the same , and partly she vseth ( as proper to her ) the vertue of the separated substances ( as much as her nature may beare ) in the vse of vnderstanding . and since it is cleere , that in nature the most perfect things containe the lesse perfect , i cannot conceiue from whence proceedeth the frensie of these men , that will rather draw the soule intellectiue to be mortall then immortal ; seeing that to vnderstand is the most singular operation that the soule hath , and to whom the powers of the other soules are referred , as to the better end , and obey as hand-maides to their mistresse , in such as propose to themselues to liue like men . neither doth the reason alledged by some serue , who say , that because there is great imperfection in the intellectiue soule in comparison of the separate intelligences , it sheweth the same to be mortall . for if this reason were true , they might as well by the same conclude , that the separate intelligences were also mortall . for since aristotle sayth , that onely the first intelligence ( who in his phrase is the first mouer ) is perfect ; and that all the other compared to him are vnperfect , ( imperfection being in these mens fancie the cause of mortalnesse ) it must follow , that as imperfect , they should be mortall : which is as contrary to aristotles mind , as any thing can be . wherefore we must not say , that imperfection in the intellectiue soule ( in respect of the intelligences separated ) causeth the same to die with the bodie , since her office dependeth not on the bodie : but it is onely to be sayd , that she ceaseth to informe the bodie through the defect thereof , & not of her self ; who being freed from the bodie , remaineth neuerthelesse perfect in her being . for albeit she haue some respect to the bodie whiles she informeth the same , yet hath she not her absolute being from it . and therefore sayd aristotle , that the vertue of the sense is not equall to the vertue of the vnderstanding ; for that a mightie or strong sensible , weakeneth , and oftentimes corrupteth the sense ; whereas from an excellent intelligible , the vnderstanding gathereth greater vertue : which thing could not be sayd , if the vnderstanding were as these people suppose , a separate intelligence , wherof the particulars did participate . wherefore we must needs say he meant of the vnderstanding of euery particular man , as of the forme of this man , and that man : for he spake of the vnderstanding of particular men , and not of intelligences , as those men haue belike dreamed . and this sheweth ( howsoeuer any thinke the contrary ) that as well the agent vnderstanding and the possible also ( whereof this is ordained as matter to that , and both necessary to vnderstand ) are essentiall parts of the soule , and not two separate intelligences , as themistius would haue them . the reason likewise which some alledge , is not good , when they argue , that the soule being the forme of the bodie , should euer haue a desire , after she were separated from the same , to reunite her selfe againe thereunto : but the bodie being rotten and corrupted , her desire in that behalfe should be vaine . for i say , that since the soule hath informed the body , she hath done as much as to her appertained , neither is she to desire any further ( to speake naturally ) then she hath accomplished : and therefore she remaineth as a separate intelligence . which hath made the peripatetikes to affirme , that the soule separated from the bodie , is not the same that she was , when she was in the bodie ; because that ioyned to the bodie she was the forme thereof , but separated she can no more be so . but this difficultie , which naturall philosophers haue not knowne how to resolue as they ought , our blessed sauiour the sonne of god hath fully resolued , by rising againe the third day ( not to say any thing of others raised by him ) and promising to vs the like resurrection . this ( said my lord primate ) all true christians beleeue : but since we are debating of aristotles opinions , where he saith , that the passible vnderstanding dieth , and some of his interpreters say , that it is the possible vnderstanding , how shall we make this to agree with the immortalitie of the soule ? well inough ( sayd i : ) for they that so interpret him deceiue thēselues : for there is as great difference ( as aristotle himselfe teacheth ) betweene the passible soule and the possible soule , as betweene that which is eternall and that which is corruptible . the passible vnderstanding according to aristotle is the fantasie , or the imaginatiue or cogitatiue power , call it how you please , the which auerroes sayd was taken at large , but not properly for the vnderstanding ; and as an inward sense depending vpon the bodie , receiueth the sensible kindes from the common sense , and presenteth them to the possible vnderstanding , which is the place of the intelligible kindes or formes , as aristotle in sundrie places declareth . and who so shall well consider themistius , where he speaketh of the multiplication of the vnderstanding , shall finde that he supposed it not as our christian writers doe , but tooke the vertue fantastike for the vnderstanding , multiplied in particular persons . and therefore she being mingled with the bodie , faileth also with the same : and this is that interiour thing which aristotle saith is corrupted , whereby the vnderstanding loseth his vertue ( as shall be shewed ) which happeneth not to the possible vnderstanding , because it is an essential part of the intellectiue soule , not mingled with the bodie , and free from any passion , as a diuine substance . of which bodie she vseth no part for her instrument to vnderstand , though she haue neede of the fantasie to receiue the intelligible formes whiles she is the forme of the bodie . and this necessitie , which the vnderstanding hath of the fantasie to vnderstand , sheweth the contrarie of that which these fellowes inferre , who hold the vnderstanding to be mortall in that respect . for by this it appeareth , that the vnderstanding proceedeth not from the power of the matter : for if so it were , it should haue no neede of the fantasie , but should it selfe be the fantasie : and therefore aristotle right well perceiuing that our vnderstanding was not fantasie , nor vsed anie part of the body for an instrument , sayd , that the vnderstanding came from abroad , as shall be declared . it is therefore no good consequence to say , that because the passible soule dieth , therefore the possible soule likewise is mortall . yea but ( said m. spencer ) we haue frō aristotle , that the possible vnderstanding suffreth in the act of vnderstanding : and to suffer importeth corruption ; by which reason it should be mortall as is the passible . neither is that reason ( quoth i ) sufficient : for although the name of suffering agree with the possible vnderstanding , and with the passible ▪ ( leauing the difference betweene alexander and aristotle in that point ) the reason and manner in them is different . for the suffering of the passible vnderstanding tendeth to the destruction thereof , whereas the suffering of the possible is to the greater perfection of the same . and for this cause aristotle telleth vs , that the suffering of the senses , and that of the vnderstanding are not both of one nature : because the first breedes destruction , and the later perfection ; and that therefore an excellent intelligible giueth perfection to the vnderstanding , whereas an excellent sensible corrupteth the sense . but not hauing any other word meete to expresse this suffering of the vnderstanding , whiles it is in that act , we vse the same that agreeth to the passible , though the reason of them both be verie diuerse . the possible vnderstanding ( as hath bene sayd alreadie ) being the place of the intelligible formes , standeth in respect of the agent vnderstanding , as the matter in respect of the forme : for the first is but in power ( for which respect auerroes called it the materiall vnderstanding : ) and this later is in act . and this agent vnderstanding , by illumining the formes which are in him as blind ( euen as colours are in things before they be made apparent to the eye by the illumination of light ) vnderstandeth the kinds of things , and vnderstanding them vnderstandeth it selfe . for in spirituall things , that which vnderstandeth and that which is vnderstood , become all one thing : and turning it selfe about the vniuersall kinds , vnderstandeth withall , things particular . and this is that which the possible vnderstanding suffereth from the agent , receiuing thereby that perfection which you haue heard . why ( said maister spenser ) doth it not seeme , that aristotle when he saith , that after death we haue no memorie , that he meant that this our vnderstanding was mortall ? for if it were not so , man should not lose the remembrance of things done in this life . nay ( answered i ) what a sillie part had it bene of aristotle rather , if he had thought the intellectiue soule to be mortall , to say that we remembred nothing after this life , when nothing of vs should haue remained ? and therefore it may serue to proue the immortalitie of the soule , and not the corruption , as you surmise ( onely for arguments sake ) that truth may be sifted out . but our not remembring then , commeth from the corruptible part , which is the vertue of the fantasie : which being a power of the sensitiue soule , that keepeth in store the remembrance of materiall things , that vertue which should represent them failing in vs , we cannot remember them after death . for the memorie is no part of the vnderstanding , but of the sensitiue soule : and therefore aristotle said , that memorie came from sense , insomuch as creatures wanting reason haue memorie , though they haue not rememorating as man hath : for thereto is discourse required ; which according to aristotle is nothing else but an action of the vnderstanding in the vertue imaginatiue . which thing neither in those creatures deuoid of reason , nor yet in separated intelligences can haue place , because those want discourse , and these are pure acts ( as philosophers call them . ) doth not aristotle ( sayd my lord primate ) in his ethikes say , that the contentmēts and the troubles of those which liue , appertaine vnto the dead , and breede them griefe or delight ? and how is it then that he should say , we haue no memorie after this life ? aristotle in that place ( sayd i ) spake in reproofe of solon , who had sayd , that no man could be accounted happie till after his death : and meant there to shew , that although it were graunted that man had memorie after his death , of things done in this life , yet could he not be happie when he was dead , by reason of the strange accidents which this life bringeth foorth : and therefore he said not simply that we remember ; but that supposing we did , yet could we not be happie when we were dead , so making good his opinion against solon by naturall reason . yet ( sayd maister spenser ) let me aske you this question ; if the vnderstanding be immortall , and multiplied still to the number of all the men , that haue bene , are , and shall be , how can it stand with that which aristotle telleth vs of multiplication , which ( saith he ) proceedeth from the matter ; and things materiall are alwayes corruptible ? marrie ( sir said i ) this is to be vnderstood of materiall things , and not of intelligible and spirituall , such as is the vnderstanding . and that the vnderstanding might remaine after the matter were gone , as the forme of the bodie , he hath ( as before is said ) declared in his metaphysikes , affirming the intellectiue soule to be perpetuall , though it be separated from the bodie , whose forme it was . but how cometh it to passe ( replied maister spenser that the soule being immortall and impassible , yet by experience we see dayly , that she is troubled with lethargies , phrensies , melancholie , drunkennesse , and such other passions , by which we see her ouercome , and to be debarred from her office and function . these ( quoth i ) are passions of the vertue cogitatiue , fantastike , or imaginatiue , called by aristotle ( as i haue said alreadie ) the passible vnderstanding ; and not of the intellectiue soule . which passible vnderstanding being an inward sense , and therefore tyed to the bodie , feeleth the passions of the same ; whereby it is offended , and cannot performe his office towards the other , but runneth into such inconueniences by reason of his infirmity , and for want of reasons direction . and whereas hippocrates saith that they that being sicke in minde , and touched with anie corporall disease , haue little or no feeling of paine ; it sheweth plainely that it is as i haue said . for if you marke it well , this word feele explaneth the whole , since feeling is a propertie of the sensitiue soule , and the vnderstanding feeleth not . and in like manner are the words of aristotle to be vnderstood , where he saith , that such whose flesh is soft are apt to learne , and they that are melancholy to be wise . for that the sensitiue vertue taketh more easily the formes or kindes of things in such subiects according to their nature , and representeth them to the vnderstāding , from whence knowledge and vnderstanding proceedeth , as yesterday was sayd . and this happeneth not onely in these passions , but also in all other alterations , as of gladnesse , of sorow , of hope and of feare , with such like which appertaine not to the vnderstanding , to which ( sayd aristotle ) who would ascribe such affects , might as well say that the vnderstanding layed bricke to build , or cast a loome to weaue . why , ( say m. spencer ) doth your author meane ( as some haue not sticked euen in our dayes to affirme ) that there are in vs two seuerall soules , the one sensitiue and mortall , and the other intellectiue and diuine ? nothing lesse ( said i ) for that i hold were manifest heresie as well in philosophie as in christianitie . for aristotle teacheth vs , that the vegetatiue and sensitiue soule , or their powers , were in the soule intellectiue , as the triangle is in the square : which could not be if the sensitiue were separated from the intellectiue . and speaking of the varietie of soules , and of their powers , he sayth , that the sensitiue could not be without the vegetatiue , but that this latter might well be without the former : and that all the other vertues of all the three soules are in those creatures that haue reason and vnderstanding . it cannot therefore be sayd ( according to aristotle ) that the sensitiue soule in man is seuered from the intellectiue . and because man participateth ( as hath bene sayd ) of all the three faculties of the soules , i see not why these fellowes that mention two , speake not of all three as well , seeing that in man are the operations of all three . for if they say that it sufficeth to speake of the sensitiue , by which man is a liuing creature , and containeth the vegetatiue ; why should they not as well say , that the intellectiue alone includeth both the other ? and then is there no need of seuering at all . by which it may appeere , that this frantike opinion gathered from the assirians , is not onely contrary to aristotle , but to reason it selfe . for aristotle saith , that all things haue their being from their formes ; and that in naturall things , the more perfect containe the lesse perfect , when the lesser is ordained for the more : and that therefore onely the intellectiue soule which containeth within it the natures of both the others , is the onely and true forme of man , malgre all such dolts as would haue man to be ( by reason of diuers formes ) both a brute and a reasonable creature , who seeke to set men astray from the right way with such fanaticall deuices . let vs therefore conclude with aristotle , that both the passible and the possible vnderstandings are vertues of the intellectiue soule , insomuch as she is the particular and proper forme of euery man , and that as a humane soule she is euerlasting , impassible , not mingled with the bodie , but seuered from the same , simple and diuine , not drawne from any power of matter , but infused into vs from abroade , not ingendred by seede : which being once freed from the bodie ( because nature admitteth nothing that is idle ) is altogether bent and intent to contemplation , being then ( as philosophers call it ) actus purus , a pure vnderstanding , not needing the bodie either as an obiect , or as a subiect . in consideration whereof aristotle sayd , that man through contemplation became diuine ; and that the true man ( which both he and his diuine master agreed to be the minde ) did enioy thereby ( not as a mortall man liuing in the world , but as a diuine creature ) that high felicitie , to which , ciuill felicitie was ordained ; and attained to wisedome & science , after the exercise of the morall vertues , as meanes to guide and conduct him to the same . and not impertinently haue the platonikes ( following their master in that point ) sayd , that nature had giuen vs sense , not because we should stay thereupon , but to the end that thereby might grow in vs imagination , from imagination discourse , from discourse intelligence , and from intelligence gladnesse vnspeakable , which might raise vs ( as diuine , and freed from the bands of the flesh ) to the knowledge of god , who is the beginning and the end of all goodnesse , towards whom we ought with all endeuour to lift vp our minds , as to our chiefe and most perfect good : for he onely is our summum bonum . for to them it seemed that the man whom contemplation had raised to such a degree of felicitie , became all wholy vnderstanding by that light which god imparteth to the spirits that are so purged through the exercise of morall vertues ; which vertues are termed by plato the purgers of the mind : stirring vp therein a most ardent desire to forsake this mortall bodie , and to vnite it selfe with him . and this is that contemplation of death which the philosophie of plato calleth vs vnto . for he that is come to this degree of perfection , is as dead to the world and worldly pleasures , because he considereth that god is the center of al perfections , & that about him al our thoughts & desires are to be turned & employed . such doth god draw vnto himselfe , and afterwards maketh them partakers of his ioyes euerlasting : giuing them in the meane while a most sweet tast euen in this life of that other life most happie , and those exceeding delights , beyond which no desire can extend , nor yet reach vnto the same . so as being full of this excellent felicitie , they thinke euery minute of an houre to be a long time that debarreth them from issuing out of this mortall prison , to returne into their heauenly countrey ; where , with that vertue which is proper to the soule alone , they may among the blessed spirits enioy their maker : whose maiestie and power all the parts of the world declare , the heauens , the earth , the sea , the day , the night : whereat the infernall spirits tremble and shake ; euen as good men on earth bow downe and worship the same with continuall himnes and praises ; and in heauen no lesse , all the orders and blessed companie of saints and angels do the like world without end . this ( loe ) is as much as mine author hath discoursed vpon this subiect , which i haue englished for my exercise in both languages , and haue at your intreaties communicated vnto you : i will not say , being betrayed by m. spencer , but surely cunningly thrust in , to take vp this taske , whereby he might shift himselfe from that trouble . but howsoeuer it be , if it haue liked you as it is , i shall thinke my time well spent , both in the translating of it at the first , and in the relating of it vpon this occasion in this manner . for as i sayd before i began , that i would not tye my selfe to the strict lawes of an interpreter : so haue i in some places omitted here and there haply some sentences ( without which this our discourse might be complete enough , because they are rather points of subtiller inuestigation then our speech required , though the author therein perhaps aymed at the commendation of a great reader or absolute philosopher : ) and in the descriptions of some of the morall vertues , added somewhat out of others . and what hath beene sayd concerning ciuill felicitie by him , and deliuered in substance by me , i thinke you will allow to be sufficient . since therefore my taske is done , and that it groweth late , with this onely petition , that you will be content to beare with the roughnesse of my speech in reporting that vnto you , which in his language our author hath eloquently set downe , i end . here all the companie arose , and giuing me great thankes , seemed to rest very well satisfied , as well with the manner as with the matter , at the least so of their courtesie they protested . and taking their leaues departed towards the citie . finis . errata . page . line . climbing . pag. . lin . auoyde . pag. . lin . . speake of . pag. . lin . . meere . pag. . lin . . politikes . pag. . lin . . men . pag. . lin . . dioxippus . pag. . lin . . leaue out to . pag. . lin . supposing that &c ▪ pag. . lin . . their marching . pag. eadē . lin . . they neuer went. pag. . lin . . flow . pag. . lin . . determine . pag. . lin . . hath man. pag. . lin . . platonikes . pag. . lin . . leaue out to . pag. ib. lin . . leaue out vvhich pag. . lin . . make shew of . pag. ibid. lin . . that she be . pag. . lin . . himselfe . a treatise of humane reason clifford, m. (martin), d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a treatise of humane reason clifford, m. (martin), d. . [ ], p. printed for hen. brome ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. attributed to martin clifford. cf. bm. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng reason. rationalism. conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion licensed , 〈…〉 . 〈…〉 . ro. l'estrange . a treatise of humane reason . london , printed for hen. brome , at the gun at the westend of st. pauls , . a treatise of humane reason . being resolv'd , according to the duty of every private person , to make a search into the nature and quality of my religion ; and according to my interest in humane society , to communicate the effects of that search to others , if i shall believe it profitable for them : i am in the first place to consider of the choice of some guide , for so long and so dangerous a journey , where i shall sometimes meet with no tract or path at all , and sometimes with so many , and those so contrary in the appearance of their first entry , that the variety will confound me more then the want ; especially there being so many mists cast before me by the errours and deceits of others , that one had great need of a better eye-sight than is left us by the fall of our first fore-father . and this consideration after a long and serious debate thereof , brings no other guide to me but my own reason , which if it take such directions as it ought and may do , before it sets forth , and pursue those directions with care and constancy , though it may possibly lead me into errours , yet wil bring me at last even through them , to the propos'd end of my journey , which is happiness . i am not ignorant of the many enemies i must meet with in this doctrine , but am fortified against them with the thought that they who dispute most against the power and priviledges of humane reason , do it because their own reason perswades them to that belief ; and so whether the victory be o' mine , or o' their side , are equally defeated . they seek to terrifie us with the example of many excellent wits , who , they say , by following this ignis fatuus ( for so they call the onely north-star which god has given us for the right steering of our course ) have fallen into wild and ridiculous opinions , and encreased the catalogue of heresies to so vast a number : but truly these men either followed not their own reason , but made it follow their will , or hudwinkt it first by interests and prejudices , and then bad it shew them the way ; or were wanting in those necessary diligences which are required for so doubtful and dangerous a passage : or if , without the commission of any of these faults , the weakness of their understanding has deceiv'd them , the error is neither hurtful to themselves , nor would be to others , if this doctrine of governing our selves from within , and not by example , were establisht . whereas on the contrary side , the submitting our judgments to authority , or any thing else whatsoever , gives universality and perpetuity to every error . they fall naturally from hence into the large common-place of the frailty , uncertainty and disproportion of our understanding to divine and celestial notions , and are eloquent herein with much of truth . for when we say that every mans soul hath in it self as much light as is requisite for our travel towards heaven , we do not therefore assume , that it is as clear as those spirits which are confessed to be all a flame . and for the unaptness of it to receive the impression of spiritual truths ; though the what and the how of religious mysteries be out of sight , yet that they are such , is sufficiently visible . especially if we use those helps which god has prepared for us to that purpose , and those our reason will dictate to her self that she is to use . the ordinary saying of democritus , that truth lyes in the bottom of a deep well , is very applicable to this matter : that is , that we must seek it in the center and heart of our selves , and not look up into heaven first and immediately for it ; because by this meanes we shall see heaven in the bottom of the well , though we could not the well in the top of heaven . but the chief and most tragicall argument against us is , that the allowance of this liberty to particular mens discourses , would beget as many religions as there are several persons ; and consequently draw after it , disorder and confusion , as is inconsistent not onely with the quiet , but the very being of humane society . this is a weighty and grievous accusation , and if our reason be convinced of so harmful a madness , it will be found necessary to keep it chain'd and fetter'd , and as much in the dark as may be . but i hope it will acquit it self . who knows not that the philosophy of the ancients seperated it self into sundry parties ; the pythagorians , the peripateticks , the stoicks , the scepticks , the academicks ( and these of three sorts ) the epicureans , the cynicks , with many others ; and these differ'd not in slight and verbal controversies , but in the last ends of humane actions , in the nature of good and evil , nay of god himself ; whether man worked freely or were compelled by an inevitable necessity ; whether the soul were subject to corruption , or immaterial and immortal ? whether the world had a beginning , or had endured from all eternity ? whether the gods took upon them the government of things below , or sate as idle themselves in heaven as their images were here on earth ? with divers other questions of equal consequence . these opinions divided the philosophers , and the philosophers the people ; nor were there fewer sects in athens , than are now in amsterdam or london . and yet this variety of opinion neither begat any civil war in greece , neither did the peripateticks ( when both by the strength of their arguments and their emperour , that party was become the greatest ) set up any inquisition , or high commission or committee against the rest ; but every man enjoyed his opinion with more safety and freedom , than either his goods or wife . the same likewise happened in the religions of the ancients ; for though several cities profess'd the worship of several deities , yet we read not of any war which hath sprung from that diversity . the poets have made the gods enter into factions and quarrels for commonwealths , but commonwealths never did the same for their gods. this quiet and happiness , which ( to the shame and scandal of the christian name ) was enjoyed four thousand years among the heathen , continued so long and so uninterupted , because every man , following the rules of his own judgment , allowed that liberty to others , which he found so necessary for himself . and even the stoicks themselves , who enslaved the will , durst never attempt this violence to the understanding . from whence then shall we say it proceeds , that since the reformation open'd a way to this freedom of conscience , so much blood and confusion , and almost desolation , has followed in all those countries which admitted it . germany , france , the low-countries , and scotland are sufficient witnesses of this ; and i could wish that miserable england had not been added to the number of these sad examples . but certainly , since this liberty has been so many ages exercised , without drawing after it those inconveniencies which we now so justly complain of , they must be attributed either wholly to some other cause , or to the conjunction of some other accidents to it , which have changed the nature and condition thereof : and that ( having examined all particulars which touch upon this matter ) i can find to be no other , than the strange and uncharitable pride of those men , who having with just cause vindicated their own reason from the tyranny of unnecessary bonds , endeavour nevertheless to lay them upon others ; so that not the use of such liberty , but the appropriating of it to our selves only , is the true , and , i think , the sole fountain of these disorders : for there cannot certainly in the world be found out , so mild and so peaceable a doctrine , as that which permits a difference in beliefs ; for what occasion can any man take to begin a quarrel , when both he himself is suffered quietly to enjoy his own opinion , and his own opinion is this , that he ought to suffer others to do the same . but if once men entertain an imagination , that every thing is wicked and damnable which complies not with their own sense , and that in this vast latitude of probabilities ( which is in all kind of disquisitions , but especially those of religion , they being most obscure and most indemonstrable ) there is none can lead one to salvation ; but the path wherein he treads himself , we may see the evident and necessary consequence of eternal troubles and confusions . for not only publick charity will perswade us to force men to that wherein consists their everlasting happiness or calamity , if by no other means we can induce men to it ( as without injury we bind the hands of a man that would kill himself ) but also our private interest , and that particular care , which every man owes to his own posterity , which , without suppression of all heresies , must run the hazard of eternal punishments , obliges us , by all means , to endeavour the extirpation of those weeds out of the fields of our neighbours , which would else so quickly overgrow our own : whereas if we had either more of charity to others , to believe some errours ( the inseparable companions of humane nature ) ought not to exclude men from the communion of the present church , and the hope of the future ; or less of self-flattery to think , that all men grope in the dark that light not their candle at ours , we could not be so cruel in persecution of those faults , to which god himself is so merciful , and from which we our selves are not exempt . i shall therefore conclude this argument with a confident assertion , that all the miseries which have followed the variety of opinions since the reformation , have proceeded entirely from these two mistakes , the tying infallibility to whatsoever we think truth , and damnation to whatsoever we think errour . another absurdity this doctrine is accused of , that if we guide our selves wholly by the light of reason , we shall not only every one differ from every body else , but every one frequently from himself , changing religion almost as often as our habits , driven about perpetually by every wind , and in all probability dasht by some one at last against a rock ; now a papist , to morrow a lutheran , next a calvinist ; and so like the heathen , dedicate every day in the week to a several deity . i must confess , inconstancy is one of the greatest weaknesses of the weakest sex , and much less to be endured in man , especially in that most weighty affair of his whole life , the service of god ; but i cannot conceive , that the fear of this scandal obliges us to a blind and inalterable observance of those laws and opinions , which either the fate of our birth and education , or the fortune of other accidents have engaged us in ; but we ought to make a serious and long enquiry , whether they agree most with that light of our understanding , which god has infused into us for that end , according to the best extent of those means , which are allowed by him to our understandings for this examination ; and whatsoever we shall fix upon after this consideration , if it be duly made , will be upon such grounds , as are not likely every day , and upon every new argument to be removed from us : for if they be , it is a great , though not an infallible sign , that the enquiry was not made at first with so much diligence as was possible : and when we have once carefully setled our selves in a belief , though we happen to meet afterwards with some new and unforeseen difficulties , which may seem to evince the contrary , yet reason will not presently advise us to a change , because it finds it self unable to unty the knot , but suspend a while and attempt again , and try a thousand several wayes , before it despair and yield up it self to the argument ; which remaining still after all this unconquerable , it will then turn back and consider whether if it alter now its judgment , it be able to satisfie all those defences which will be made for its former opinion , and if it be overmatch'd by the doubts on both sides , rather chuse to continue as before , then make an innovation without advantage . this rule being observ'd , we shall not be subject to the inconvenience of frequent changes , and yet as true it is , that we shall not be exempt from the possibility of changing at all , which is neither requisite nor attainable in this life ; and if in this permutation , after all our industry and humility therein , it shall be our ill fortune to give away a truth for a false-hood , it will be ( as killing a man against our will is no murther ) at the worst but an error by chance-medley , and will both find ( i had almost said claim ) mercy from god , and deserve pity from men . we know very well that every mans body is in so perpetual a flux , that about the space of seven years , renders him wholy and entirely another corporeal substance from what he was before , the whole mass both of accidents and matter being thrust away by the continual succession of new ones : and yet because the soul remains still the same , and retains all the while the same power and uninterrupted government over the whole succession , we justly esteem it the same person ; nay every part of him to be always so truely the same , that at any time of his life he may say , with these eyes i shall behold my saviour , though the accidents and very matter of them be so often changed . such an identity as this is requisite to a mans faith : he may now be fully a papist , and seven years hence fully a protestant , and yet his faith still remains the same , because it is all the while actuated and moved by the same soul of faith , which is conscience ; which if he preserve inviolably , both when he was a papist , and when he is a protestant , he may truly say , with this very faith i shall behold my saviour . but suppose this so exalted guide of yours , your own conscience , should direct you to forsake your christian-belief ? for which the devil do's not want such pleasant colours and specious fallacies , as may possibly deceive even a good understanding . before i answer this objection , i desire to know of him that makes it , what it is ( for something it must be ) which he places in the same ecclesiastical superiority that i do reason ? the private spirit ? what if that should perswade him to this apostacy ? it cannot . not indeed if it be true ; but the same condition will make reason as infallible as that ; and i may as well judg of the truth of the one , as you of the other . what is it then you will trust your soul with , in this important business ? is it the authority of men ? these verily may lead you into error , and it is not impossible , into the greatest and worst of all , which is the desertion of christ himself : not that this is likely to happen , neither more probable is it , that our reason should so far misguide us . but alas ! in this affair of so vast and so eternal consequence , what security can we assume , whilst there remains a possibility of miscarriage ; and this possibility is evident ▪ for let us consider it in a council ; which if there be any assurance in the number of men , is that where most probably it may be found . i will not here reckon up the many errors which great and famous councils have fallen into themselves , and labour'd to establish in others , they are many and notorious . but certainly if a council could take away the satisfaction of christs death , and divinity of his person ( as was done by that great one of the arrians which condemned athanasius , not without the approbation of the pope and the whole world besides ) a council has already done that thing , which you affirm impossible for it to do . for they who believed christ to come into the world as an example and pattern onely of holiness , are no more to be call'd christians , than abrahamists or davidists . if you will here contend , that even these men deserted not wholy christianity , as a man may do by the impulsion of his own private reason , yet certainly you will confess that they who fell so far into error , might as well have sunk deeper , and exalted some other prophet above christ , as well as made christ to be but a prophet : and this possibility of errour ( even in so high a degree ) we shall find in the nature and very elements of a council ; for if any one member of it may be a heathen or atheist in opinion ( as the lives of many popes , and the speeches of some , declare that they themselves have been ) why not two , not three , not more , not the major part , that is , the whole council ? from the sanctions of the / ● nicene council , which establish'd the worship of images , how easie a step was there made for the next ; to the introduction of a full , undisguis'd and heathenish idolatry , which we must not say could not , because by the mercy of god it did not happen . and i verily believe , if god had not stirr'd up some persons of excellent abilities and worthy spirits ( for such sure they were , though not exempt from humane weaknesses ) to examine by the rules of their own reasons , those follies and dangerous errours in religion , which partly by the interest , partly by the ignorance of men , and insensible advances of ill custome , were blindly embraced by the whole world ; if these men , i say , had not discover'd the past errours , and by that means made their adversaries more cautious not to fall into any new ones , the world through the adoration of saints and images , and the boundless increase of vain and superstitious ceremonies , would have past before this time , to its old and abominable worship of several deities , and to a religion overwhelm'd , if not with the same , yet with as many and as vain impieties . it remains therefore , that you put your confidence rather in the traditions of the former , than the commands of the present church ; but what those were , you must either trust some number of men present , which is not without the possibility of being misguided ; or your own search and diligence , which is to fall into that opinion which you condemn in me . and truly they who build their belief wholly upon the authority of past or present ages , if they look upon all the consequences of that opinion , are in much greater danger of being drawn from the christian faith , than those who remit the judgment of these things to their own reason : for ever since the beginning of the christian belief , there has been the authority of above an hundred to one against it ; and this authority backt and strengthened with the universal agreement of more than three thousand years before it . but on the contrary , if we weigh impartially the motives and arguments which every religion can produce in its own defence ; reason it self will find more and much greater for the christian , than it can for any other belief whatsoever : and i am very confident , that no man ever from a christian , became a turk or a jew , because his reason told him that was a better religion ; but because either fear of punishment or hope of reward , or some other sinister cause , perswaded his reason , that the worst religion in it self , would be the better to him upon those conditions . now all those arguments by which some men have laboured to prove , that our guide in spiritual matters ought to be infallible , will , though they be granted for true , as i believe in some sense they are , will not at all dispossess reason of this authority , which we have declared to be her due . for the infallibility of a guide i conceive to be only this , that it cannot fail to bring us to that end , for which we chose to be guided by it ; and if to this end there happen to be a thousand several waies , it is a guide no less infallible as to the end , if it lead us through a long , an unpleasant and obscure tract , than if it conducted us by a short , a delightful and an open road : for not the goodness of the passage , but certainty of not missing the end , is that which constitutes this kind of infallibility . and truly every mans particular reason , if well followed ( for whatsoever guide you pitch upon , whether scripture , spirit , church past or present , or any thing else imaginable , must have that condition annext , or else it will become unprofitable ) will infallibly carry him at last , though perhaps through many tedious and troublesome wandrings , to his eternal happiness , if it be followed ( for that condition cannot be repeated too often ) with constancy , diligence and sobriety . this doctrine sets the great gate of heaven so wide open , that it will displease those men , who with an envious kind of pride think it more honour to enter in with a few at a narrow wicket . but i truly , out of an humble consideration of my own weakness , and the general imbecillity of humane nature , should still lament and tremble , that the entrances to heaven are so few and so difficult , though they were yet far more and much easier than this opinion makes them . there are enow obstructions from the frailty of our flesh , the subtilty of the devil , the tyranny of our passions , and the perverse crookedness of our corrupted wil●s , without the additions of any more from the imperfections of our intellect . sufficient is the danger we run , in not performing those duties which vve understand aright , without making our mis-understandings damnable , and condemning that as a guilt , which is to be pitied as a misfortune . what then ? shall vve believe turks , jews , heathens , atheists themselves ( if there be any such ) in an equal possibility of salvation , with the unerring christian ? shall vve save all beasts of what kind soever , clean or unclean , in that mystical ark the church of god ? certainly in the two contrary excesses of belief in this matter , that on the side of mercy hath the appearance of greater safety ; and i had rather think with origen , that the devils themselves , by the excessive kindness of their judge , shall at last be exempted from damnation , than that he himself shall be damn'd for that opinion . but as to this their objection ; i believe first , that reason it self will declare to every man in the world , that he ought to adhere to the christian , rather than to any other religion whatsoever , if all things be propounded to him in a clear and impartial manner : and this whosoever shall deny , i dare confidently affirm , it is impossible for him to be a christian . but because there are thousand accidents , which hinder the greatest part of the world from the advantages of so fair a proposal , hence it comes to pass , that so small a part of mankind hath submitted to the obedience of the christian faith : now to condemn all those millions of persons ( many millions for one that is to be saved ) is so wild an uncharitableness , that few have been so barbarously severe , as to be guilty of it : and therefore those whose ignorance in these matters hath been invincible , they left to the hands of god , without declaring a definitive opinion either of their safety or perdition . now if we consider rightly , what ignorance is to be accounted invincible , we shall by this means restore the greatest ▪ part of mankind into a hopeful and comfortable condition ; and none even amongst the worst religions , will be left to a certain ruine , but such whose consciences have been neglected or forced aside by those who ought to have been guided by them ; and such who can have no plea against the rigour of their sentence , because they deserted themselves as well as god : and the disobedience of men to their own conscience is not only in things of practice , but also of belief and speculation , though not in so evident and immediate a manner , by suffering themselves to be deceived by the insensible operations of interest and prejudice . nor does it follow from hence , that christ is not the only source and cause of eternal felicity ; for i acknowledge there is no other name under heaven by which men can hope for salvation . but i may very well believe withal , that there are secret and wonderful waies , by which god may be pleased to apply his merits to mankind , besides those direct , open , and ordinary ones of baptism and confession : which i have only advanc'd briefly in this place , being a matter that will require a more ample and particular examination . now concerning the salvation of all sorts of christians , except their lives disagree from their doctrines ( which is likewise a disobedience to their reasons ) i know not why i should be terrifi'd out of my charity by any anathema whatsoever that shall proceed from the mouth of man. for i cannot see how any but god himself can certainly know that any man is an heretick , since it is only he who can discern by what close and unlawful means he corrupts his understanding , and hardens his own will to the obstinate belief of any errour ; for without that obstinacy there is no heresie , and without the perfect sight of the whole contexture of a mans thoughts and actions , there is no knowledge of such an obstinacy : and therefore when the church declares any opinion to be heresie , it is to be accepted as if the law should say , whosoever kills a man is a murtherer , which is a sentence not absolute but to be qualified with circumstances : even so the church pronounces , whosoever holds this doctrine is an heretick , with an evident reservation of some circumstances in the meaning thereof , for no man can imagine that the sentence includes those who never shall hear of it ; nor no more , say i , those , who though they hear of it , yet cannot by any means bring their conscience to the assent . for to obey in matters of belief , without being able to believe the thing commanded , is no less , and seems more a contradiction , than simply to obey without knowledge of a command . thus much briefly concerning heresie , which indeed is a subject worthy a treatise by it self . but this will not suffice , unless we can also clear our selves from the imputation of schisme , the ordinary railing word in all controversies , and a slander which is often fatal in making , where it falsly accuses a separation : of which they are truly guilty ( the word it self bearing witness against them ) who break the precious unity of the christian church ; but that is done not so much by them who differ in opinions , as by them who will not allow of such a difference . who knows , whether that god who liked best that no mens bodies should have the same complexion , no mens faces the same figures , no hands the same lines , no voices the same sounds , nay not so much but their motions and gestures should be distinguishable , has not likewise best pleased himself with no less variety in the parts of men that are immaterial , and even in the most immaterial actions of those parts , which is the worship and adoration of a deity ? does god gain any thing by our devotions ? does he receive hurt from one kind of worship , and advantage by another ? is he pleased with any smell in the sacrifice besides that of obedience ? and can a plain uniform , unalterable obedience be expected , without commands of the same nature ? without doubt , he who gave rules which might accept of so many several interpretations , when he might have made them as plain to all in one sense , as they seem now to every man in his own , is likewise well contented , that they shall be interpreted severally : and ▪ as the divines confess , that the same words of scripture admit of a literal , typical , anagogical sense , and that all those senses are both true and intended by the holy ghost , that spirit of unity that writ them ; so , i say , the commands of god concerning religion are equally obeyed and fulfilled by all the various kinds of obedience , which the consciences of men conceive themselves bound to pay unto them : as well the mud by growing hard , as the wax by melting obeys the sun ; nor is it less glorified by one than by the other : nor are those diversities of powers in the sun , but of capabilities in the object that receives him : even so faith is still properly one , though according to the diverse receptions of it , it produce not only diverse but contrary effects . it is not unobservable , that the unity of the church of god is compared not to the unity of one man , but of a man and woman joyned in marriage ; so the church in general is one with christ ; so the church militant with the triumphant ; and so every particular man with the church militant : now this unity is of one part more weak , more infirm , more ignoble than the other ; and the female part in the similitude , is the erring part in the church it self ; and as that by the bond of love , so this by the bond of charity is to be accounted one and the same with the other . can any thing be more irrational , than to say that a foot when it hath the gout , or a hand when it shakes with the palsey , or a head when it akes , ceases to be a part of the body ? sound or sick , great or little , well or ill shaped , are outward considerations to the nature of a member ; if it be informed by the same soul , it requires no other condition to make it such : nor can you make this soul which is required of such necessity to give it life , to be a full and entire agreement in all points of faith , of one member with another ; for then in matters of belief you make no distinction betwixt sickness and death , and the least indisposition of health is a total corruption . men of the contrary opinion ( i foresee ) cannot chuse but say here , that in dangerous and infectious diseases cut off the affected member to save the rest ; and that he who in a gangreen spares the patient , is the most hard-hearted and unmerciful physician : and truly , if errours in belief draw so ill a tail af●er them as the devils and damnation ; if they be to be esteemed gangreens , as well in respect of their mortality , as their spreading and infectious nature ; not only prudence but charity it self will put a sword into our hands to cut them off . but alas ! these diseases are not so deadly , as the physicians of the soul would make them for the exalting of their own reputation ; and he that would presently lop off an arm , if the gangreen be moving in it , would not , i hope , prescribe the same remedy , if it be but infected with an itch : both evils would extend themselves over the whole body , but the one to the perpetual destruction of the being , the other only to the temporary loss of the beauty and quiet of it : and therefore we rather patiently endure the trouble and vexation of continual scratching ( which is the true metaphor for the controversies of ecclesiastical writers ) with the loathsomness and deformity of so many sores , than take away a member which may possibly hereafter recover its former health and comeliness , and is even now without them , of great and necessary uses to the whole body . now as for those men , who accuse us of pride and vanity for attributing so much to our own reason , making presumption and self-flattery the fountain of this opinion ; it is a scandal so false and so ridiculous , that without much humility i should disdain to answer it . are those to be accounted proud and tyrannical , who being governed by their own reason , are content that all others should enjoy the same liberty , or those who whilst they deny that they themselves are ruled by their own understandings , would nevertheless have all others to submit to it ? is it the voice of pride to acknowledge , that they who differ from me may possibly be in the right , or if they mistake may do it without ruine , or to say , whosoever is not of my opinion is in the wrong , and whosoever is in the wrong is eternally to perish for his errour ? is it the custome of presumption to be ready to lay down an opinion once entertained ( which is almost as great a martyrdom , as laying down our lives for the truths sake ) when cause shall appear for so doing , or by claiming to our selves the infallibility of our party ( for he is infallible himself who agrees with them that are so ) to harden our selves into a necessary opiniastrete . these are the common objections against this good-natur'd and gentle doctrine : but mr. hobbs , according to his extraordinary wit , has found out an odd , and extraordinary argument . for in his first chapter of religion , in the state of gods natural empire , making every city the supream judge in matters that belong to gods worship , and to which we ought to render an entire obedience , saies thus : otherwise all absurd opinions of the nature of god , and all ridiculous ceremonies which have been admitted by any nations , would be seen at once in the same city , by which it would happen , that every particular person would believe all others to * blaspheme , or irreverently to behave himself towards god ; so that it could be said of no man , that he worship'd god , because no man worships god ( that is , honours him externally ) but he who does those things by which he may appear to others to honour him . but methinks , if this be true , the several unappealable tribunals which are set up by mr. hobbs in several cities or commonwealths , are as well destroyed by it , as those which are placed by us in every mans breast ; for several cities appointing several kinds of worship or honour , consisting in the opinion not of the worshipper or honourer himself , but of the witnesses and spectators of the worship or honour ; now if he say , that when a whole commonwealth has but one sort of worship , none will be witnesses or spectatours of it , but those who believe it honourable ; first , as much scandal from the report , as from the sight of it ; and besides , the same i say will happen , if there were an hundred religions in one city ; for still their religious congregations were to be made up of men of the same opinions : again , those who deny that a commonwealth ought to enforce an unity of worship upon all its subjects , will likewise as much deny , that men ought to think those worships dishonourable which are not practised by themselves : and if he say , there is no hindering of this latter , he must needs pardon me if i cannot believe that impossible , which has been in the world ( even in a more ridiculous variety than is at present , at least in our parts ) for so many ages , and which is now exercised in some places : and if ignorant or malicious physicians in this violent feavour , did not apply new heats instead of julips , they might by writing , disputing , preaching , living charitably ( which is all the former ) reduce the world in a short time to its ancient healthful and natural temper . lastly ( to strike at the root of this argument ) it is false , that the worship or honour of god consists in the opinion of others ; if it did , idolatry for four thousand years , had been the best , nay the only religion ; and if i were now in the south continent ( where i suppose i should be the only christian ) i ought not to abstain from the christian worship of god ( no , nor to hide or disg●●…ise it ) for fear least the wonder , contempt and mockery of infidels , should on a sudden ( i know not how ) convert it into sin and blasphemy . true it is that in honour paid from men to men , custome , consent , and acknowledgment , makes up the business , and an honour contrary to the use of the place is counted an affront ; as to put off the hat would be in the east , and in the west to keep it on before princes . but the reason of this is , because men who are not able to search into the hearts , must be govern'd in their judgment of them by the exteriour actions , and the measure or standard of those is custome ; but with god it is quite otherwise : he beholds and judges the very thoughts of man , which are the fountains of his actions , so much more fully and plainly , than we do the actions themselves , that he needs not make a second , a mediate , a syllogistical judgment of the reality of mens worship , from the external , circumstantial , and onely probable testimonies of their outward behaviours . and truly if we put the case amongst men , methinks a great roman emperour that calls himself master of the world , should delight to prove himself to be so , from the variety of homages , tribute and worship , which he receives from several nations ; and no more refuse to be honour'd in several fashions , than he would to be prais'd in several languages . he would be glad perhaps to establish the latine tongue , and make that the speech of all countries , but finding that design to be impossible , would at least pardon that diversity which agrees and consents in his own glory . truly if men could cast away so much passion , as to make but true comparisons , they would find no more hurt from the use of different ceremonies , then of different tongues in the same city ; and we might be as well allowed to serve god after the english manner , as to speak english in the spanish dominions . as words are the images of our thoughts , so our thoughts are of the things themselves : and as well may differing thoughts truly represent the worship of one god , and of his son christ jesus , as differing words can represent the same thought : and this the roman church seems to acknowledge , which does not think sufficient unity in gods service to be retain'd , with the allowance of more than of one language , and for preservation of fantastical identity , teaches her sons first to think , and afterwards to speak they know not what . they say first , our errour is the same with that of the greeks , which is taxed by saint paul to the corinthians ; that they sought after wisdom , but that the world by wisdom knew not god ; that the wisdom of the wise was destroyed , and the understanding of the prudent brought to nothing ; that it was made foolishness , nay it was confounded by the foolish things of the world . and against this wisdom , many excellent things are spoken in the beginning of that epistle , and it is strucken down ( as saint paul was himself ) by a greater light of divine truth , which came from god for that very purpose , to amaze and confound it first , and then to convert it . but if we mark it well , we shall observe , that under this name of wisdom , which is arraigned , condemned , nay and executed here ( for it is brought to nothing ) is not signified humane reason , but that which among the greeks at that time was falsly and blindly esteemed to be so : as in the laws against magick , not that which is truly , but that which is falsly called so , is only condemned . and therefore saint paul names it the wisdom of words ; the enticing words of mans wisdom ; and the wisdom after the flesh ; and the wisdom of the princes of the world . by which three names are plainly ( methinks ) described , the three great suborners and corrupters of humane reason ( and not at all it self ) the desire of reputation , of pleasure , and profit . by the first we forsake the truth to make demonstrations of our wit and eloquence : by the second to compass those carnal and worldly pleasures , which our own true reason does not allow of , and therefore we will not allow of it : ( as henry the eight seems to have left the pope , because he refused to dispence with his lusts , and to call that matrimony , which was indeed adultery : ) and by the third , to comply with the interest of states and princes , and either willingly deceiving our selves with the errours of our governours , or deceiving others with a desire to govern them . and these three ( at least the two latter ) causes of errour in the understanding , may be the reason contained with truth in the parable concerning which is strongest . that that which falsly seemed to be humane reason , and not that which truly is so , is accused by saint paul , appears yet more plainly , where he says , that god hath chosen the things which are not , to confound the things which are : where the things which are not can signifie nothing else , but the things which are esteemed as nothing , that is neither of value in themselves , nor of power to produce any effects . true it is , that the best and truest humane reason could not have found out of it self , that wisdom of god in a mystery , even that hidden wisdom which god ordained before the world , which is the mystery of christ jesus ; but it was necessary it should first be revealed by that spirit , which can only search and discover the deep things of god. but as soon as the spirit had reveal'd it ( which it did by miracles , by fulfilling of prophecies and many other means of power and demonstration ) even humane reason was able to behold and to confess it ; not that grace had alter'd the eye-sight of humane reason , but that it had drawn the object nearer to it . and till the object was brought so nigh , the wisdom of man did as safely not discern it , as it does not now the new state of things , which shall be revealed at the second coming . and whereas they oppose against this the saying of the apostle , that the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god , for they are foolishness unto him , neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discern'd : the word natural , i take to be a very ill translation , and conceive it ought to be rendred the sensual man , for such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek , and animalis in the latine ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times signifying the lower and sensitive part of the soul , in distinction to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the upper or rational , as anima is oppos'd to animus , and both sometimes to mens . so that the meaning is , that whilst a mans reason is seduced by his appetites and passions , it is an unfit judge of spiritual matters , neither can be umpire for a peace , having joyn'd it self to the party of those things , which are in perpetual warfare against the spirit . but they say this authority which we ascribe to reason , is strangly different from that captivity which saint paul subjects it to , when he says , casting down reasonings , and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of god , and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of christ . and what captivity , say they , can there be , whilst we are only guided by the motions of our own understanding ? all which signifies no more , but that st. paul relates ( in vindication of his own just greatness against the calumnies of some that despised his person , especially as weak and rude of speech ) how he had confuted those persons that opposed themselves by reasonings against the doctrine of christ ; and whereas their understandings before were enslaved and captivated to the desires of the sensual soul ( for which he calls them in another place beasts at ephesus ) which hindred them from the obedience of christ , he freed them from their cruel bondage , by casting down all their strong holds , and breaking the chains of their fallacious reasonings , and brought them into another captivity by right of conquest , but such an one where the yoaks are light and the burthens easie , that is , by true reason he overcame and captivated their false ones . and from this example , i desire those who would have our understandings captivated , to convince us first by theirs that they ought to be so , and not to think to enslave our reasons , till they first overcome them : which when they have done , then they will lose what they contend for : for by our reasons being guided , conquered , and enslaved , theirs are become guides , conquerours , and masters . so that it will appear at last impossible for humane reason to lose any thing in one place , without gaining as much in some other . they who follow the apprehension of a vision or revelation extrinsecally coming into their souls , if it happen that that extrinsecal light come from the father of lights , as the pillar of fire did which led the israelites , they must needs be guided rightly ; but if it chance to be an ignis fatuus ( a flame driven about , as men commonly believe , by malicious spirits ) the errours which it leads them into become unpardonable ; for what plea can they make for mercy , since there is no command , nor no counsel can be alleadged for the trusting of themselves to that stranger , which they can neither know from whence he comes , nor whither he designs to go . the like happens if we obey authority : for if that authority prescribe truth , we have good fortune in our obedience , and meerly good fortune : but if it draw us into errours , we have nothing to say for our excuse , because we have nothing to alleadge for our obedience to that authority : so eve pleaded the authority of the serpent , but both were punished : so adam with more appearance of innocency , the woman that thou gavest me for an helper bad me eat , and accordingly i did ; but to him too a curse is pronounced , because he believed that which was figuratively one with him ( as members of the church pretend to do the church ) rather then that which was most certainly and singly one with him , which was his own reason . thus the best that can be made of these mens opinions is , that after they have blind-folded themselves , amongst the many doors where they may enter , there is one which will lead them to heaven ; which if they miss , it will be asked , not why you entered not there , but why by blinding your own eyes did you put your self into a greater probability of not finding , than of lighting upon the true passage . now contrariwise , those who commit themselves to the guidance of their own understanding , if they do commit themselves wholly to it , are as safe on the left hand as on the right , as secure of happiness in their errours , as others are , who are otherwise guided , even in the truths which they happen to fall into . for there is no danger of perishing but from disobedience , without which every man may often erre , the commandement of god being not to find out truth ( especially every particular one ) but to endeavour the finding it : he commands no more but to search , and ye shall find , says he , not every particular truth , for experience teaches us that cannot be the interpretation : but whether you find or no the truth which you search for , you shall find the reward of searching , which is happiness : now he that bids you search , is cruel and barbarous in his mockery , if he knows you have no power or faculty so to search as he commands you : there is therefore in man a natural ability of searching spiritual truths , and that can be nothing else but his understanding ; neither to any thing else can the command be directed , since all things else are without us , and may serve for helps and directions in our search , but cannot be our search it self : secondly , because we lay the blasphemous accusation of injustice upon god , if he punish us for an errour which we could not avoid ; and all errours are such which we fall into after a full and mature search for the truth , according to the best means represented to our understanding ; so that as the liberty of our will , and the possibility we have of doing the contrary , makes us suffer justly for evil actions , so the possibility our understanding had to have discover'd and entertained the truth , renders us liable to condemnation for ill beliefs . thirdly , we ought not to believe errours in faith to be damnable , because this opinion is so wildly uncharitable , that it strikes out ten thousand millions out of the book of life , for each single name that it leaves in it : so immeasurably vast ( if we consider the whole world and all the ages of it ) is the number of those who have lived and died in great , high , and manifest errours ( manifest i mean to us , for they were not so to them ) above those that have been so happy as to find and to embrace the truth . fourthly , we ought not to teach men , that any errours in belief overthrow our hopes of salvation , unless we could likewise give them a catalogue of those errours which do so ; it being confest that all do not , because these must necessarily put all considering men into a doubt , or rather despair of their own salvation : for what quiet or repose can our conscience take , whilst vve know our selves to be in many errours ( the estate of a travellour being uncapable of an exemption from them ) and believe that some errours , without knowing which or how many , do exclude men from a possibility of entring into heaven . fifthly , because in this case we cannot know our fault , and therefore have no means of repenting of it : now god enjoyning men repentance and promising pardon thereupon for all sins whatsoever , prescribes such a physick as is impossible to be taken ; for repentance presupposes knowledge of the fault , and knowledge of a fault do's not consist with an errour of the understanding , for we cannot apprehend the thing so , and yet be sorry that we are mistaken . sixthly , the great probability and appearance of truth on all sides , even the erring ones , ought to make us believe , that god will not punish those who erre : if that be probable , which all or most men , or many , or the most wise , or some wise men receive for truth : what doctrine is there , which in the whole compass of religions may not pass for probable , and what cause have we to condemn the understanding of any man , in a thing which he is drawn by probabilities to assent to . i cannot possibly conceive it agreeable to the goodness of the divine nature , so to have hidden and involved , and almost disguised the truth from us , if he had intended to have censured the missing of it , with so heavy a sentence as that of eternal ruine ; especially seeing there is but one true way for one hundred false ones , and no certain mark set upon the entry of that one , to distinguish it from the others . and let this suffice to be said upon the first argument , to induce us to commit our selves wholly to our reason in the search of divine and religious verities , which is drawn from the certainty of safety this way , and the great hazard of it any other . secondly , as in visible objects we receive confidently , and rest in the report of the sight , because nature hath ordained and accommodated it accordingly for that purpose , without appeal from it either to other sences , or to revelations , or the eyes of other men ; and as we do the like in all other operations of the sense , and all other faculties of the soul ; so ought we as entirely and absolutely to resign our belief to the dictates of our own understanding in things intelligible , which are as properly and naturally the object thereof , as things visible are of the eye-sight ; and we might as well say , we will trust our eyes in green , and white and black , but not in red or yellow colours , as affirm that our reason must guide us in the contemplation of nature , the search of arts , the government of publick societies , and the regulation of mens lives as far as the bounds of morality , but that it is not at all to be followed or obeyed in matters that concern religion ; those too being intelligible truths , yea the chief , and therefore most to be searcht , and a part of the understandings object as much or rather more than any other . now as the credit of the sight is not at all to be disparaged , because some men have the jaundies which paints every thing yellow , some look through blew spectacles which represent all things to them under the same colour , and some through divers mediums which makes the straight staff appear crooked , some are short-sighted and take men for trees at a distance ; so , i say , the mistakes which reason by accidental disturbances leads some men into , is not a sufficient argument for others to refuse to be guided by it . if it be objected , that the sight , though it be subject to some particular impediments , yet is generally by its own nature much more certain and exact in the judgment of colours , than the understanding can ever be made ( even without accidental hinderances ) in the knowledge of things spiritual . i answer , that if such things be the proper object of such a faculty , we are herein to be govern'd by the dictates of it , without considering whether that faculty be as quick and perfect as god could make it in apprehension of its object : neither ought we to give less trust to our understanding in supernatural truths , because it is so much inferiour to that of angels , than we do to our eye-sight in things visible , though it be so far short of that of eagles . certainly they who remove the cognizance of divine truths out of the court of reason , take away that which most properly and naturally falls under its determination . for when god had created all things else , he thought the world imperfect as yet , whilst there was nothing made that could contemplate , thank , and worship the maker of it ; and therefore he created man , and this was the chief end of the production of a rational soul , that by it they might consider the things which they saw , and discourse and collect out of them the things which they saw not , and both praise and love the maker for and in them both ; which is the whole substance of religion ; for the manners and kinds of doing it are accidental . so then religion appears to be the principal end of mans creation , and therefore as if horses be made for burthen , they have a natural ability given them wherewith to do it ; if birds to flie , they have a faculty and wings given them for that purpose ( because where an end is natural , the means are so too ) so if religion be the end of man as he is partaker of a rational soul , that reasonable soul hath some power naturally placed in it for the exercise , judgment and choice of religion , as far forth as is necessary to his own happiness , that is , to the attaining the end for which he was created . in the third place , this opinion is not only most safe and most natural for every man in particular , but likewise most agreeable to the good and interest of humane society : for all wars of late ages have been either really for religion , or at least that has been one of the chief pretences ; which if it were quite taken away , it would be difficult for those men who disguise their ambition with it , to draw the people into the miseries and uncertainties either of a civil or forraign war. now if this doctrine were generally planted in the minds of men , both the reality and pretence of fighting for religion were utterly cancelled ; and though turbulent minds would then either find or make some other occasion to disturb their neighbours , yet the ill would neither be so frequent nor so cruel as it is at present . for who would quarrel for religion , when this were made the main and general ground of all religions , that every man ought quietly to enjoy his own . true it is , that unity in religion would produce the same effect ; but alas ! both reason and experience teaches us , that the hopes of that are vain and impossible ; and though a state may sometimes force all its subjects to submit to an outward uniformity in all things that concern divine worship , yet they must know , that every publick disturbance in the common-wealth , breaks all those bonds asunder of dissembled obedience , and that such compulsions both beget and ripen all disorders . much might be spoken in this matter , but not necessarily here , both because i have said something of it be fore , in answering this argument turn'd against this opinion unhappily ; and because the manner of establishing this liberty in a commonwealth , will require a discourse entirely by it self . the last defence of this cause , and which indeed needs not the assistance of any other , shall be , because ( though men deceive themselves herein , and as it often happens , know not their own opinions ) it is impossible that ever any man should have been , is , or can hereafter be guided by any thing else but his own reason , as in other things , so also in matters of religion ; i say impossible , for whatsoever way we take , we shall find that the last anchor to which our faith holds , the last element into which it is resolv'd ( and therefore it is likewise compounded of the same ) is onely reason . for when i ask , why you believe any mystery of faith ? you will answer perhaps , because the present church commands you : if i proceed and ask , why do you believe what the present church commands ? you will say , because the former church teaches the same . why do you believe the former church ? because god commands you so to do . why do you believe that god commands it ? because you find it in the scripture . why do you believe the scriptures to be the word of god ? because they were confirmed by miracles . why do miracles confirm that ? because they are works which can proceed from nothing but the absolute and immediate power of the deity . why so ? because nothing contrary to , or above the course of nature , can be done by natural agents ; but miracles are effects contrary to , or above the course of nature ; therefore they proceed from the divine operation . thus you see faith at last resolv'd into a syllogisme , which is the proper work of the understanding . on the other hand , if i demand , why you do believe that any miracles were done for the confirmation of the faith ? because of the great and many testimonies of the truth thereof . why do you believe those testimonies ? because so many persons in so several times and places , with so several interests , could never agree in being deceived , or to deceive . so that you rest not at all in any authority , but discourse first what may be said for or against the validity of it , examine it punctually in all circumstances , and at last submit to it upon some syllogisme , which is the onely law that binds our reason . two things are to be considered in all authority , before we obey or believe it ; first , the condition and quality of the persons who command or instruct ; and secondly , the true interpretation of their commands or instructions . for the first , the persons in commanding must have a lawful power derived to them , either from god , nature , or custome ( which latter depends upon the two former . ) and in instructing , must have either an absolute infallibility , or else at least a probability of not erring . so that no authority is obeyable or believeable in it self without farther examination : no not that of god himself ; for the strength of gods authority depends upon that syllogisme , which proves that the nature of god is such , that he can neither deceive nor be deceived . now all this examination is purely and entirely the work of our reason by measuring a particular and an universal . whatsoever hath such conditions is to be obeyed or believed ; but such person or persons hath such conditions , therefore such person or persons are to be obeyed or believed : neither do's our reason onely prescribe obedience and belief to us , but also searches and establishes the bounds of both , setting up some solid and apparent notions , by which we know our ne plus ultra . true it is , that some men obey and some men believe without considering that they make this discourse ; but that is only from inadvertency , as men often move their bodies , without any particular exerted thought of doing so . thus far then authority wholy depends upon reason . and much more in the second condition , which is the interpretation of it : in which business the interposition of reason is so necessary , that i shall omit either to prove or illustrate the point . now as they who enslave themselves to authority , make it the rule and guide of faith , because that even the belief that scripture is the law of god depends upon it , as truly it do's ( in my opinion ) upon the tradition of miracles ; so i say , that much rather reason is to be accounted that rule and that guide we look for , because even authority upon which even scripture it self depends , depends as much upon that ; neither do we more believe the scripture for authority , then that very authority for the reason we think we have to do so . the samaritan says , i have an infallible rule , which is the books of moses , and only them . the jew says , i cannot erre for i follow the old testament , which is infallible , and only that . the christian assures himself of the truth as long as he is guided by the evangelists and apostles , whose writings are the infallible dictates of the holy ghost . the turk assumes the same from the alcoran ; and the heathen from oracles , sybill's books , and the like . what shall i do ? none of all these books can be believed by their own light , for there are things equally strange in them all . follow the authority of the church which cannot misguide you ? most willingly : but again the same difficulty returns in another habit ; for as every one cries , i follow these books which are infallible , so he goes on too and says , i believe these books to be so , because our church and our traditions , which are certainly the best authority , assures us that they were written by divine inspiration . let the christian take heed of saying here , but my tradition is more ancient and more universal , for in the first the jew will overcome him , and in both the heathen . i must in this diversity of waies either stand still , that is , suspend absolutely from the belief of any religion ( which is almost impossible after the belief that there is a god ) or i must choose out of these . now election is a work so proper to reason , that it cannot be done by any thing else ; and therefore to be brought to a necessity of an election , is to be necessarily brought to submit in matters of religion to the determination of our understanding : so that in matters of religion wherein there is difference , i choose this side rather than the other , because my reason bids me ; and where there is no difference , even there i am wholy guided by my reason , because the uncontradicted concurrence of the parties , makes up a syllogisme to perswade ( i say to perswade onely ) my belief . briefly , i cannot believe but by an act of the will , nor can i will but according to the directions of the understanding : so that they who say they follow authority , or they follow divine particular revelation , or any thing else imaginable , do it , because that agrees with their own reason , and will quit the party as soon as it do's otherwise . the end. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * contumelia afficere . univeral love in which a visitation floweth through the creation, that all people may be informed into the truth, and in their several places come to walk in the truth, and live in the truth, to be a good favour unto god, and honour god. . to parents of children. . to masters and dames of families. . to servants in their places. . to aged people. . to such as live a single life. . to young people. . to children. . to such as are in outward government. . to ministers of parishes, so called. . to such as practise in the nations law. . to such as trade in wights and measures. . to such as buy and sell in the markets or in any other places. with a general exhortation. also something concerning faith, and hope, and love, and the word, and mans restless part, and the election, and a particular place of bondage opened. ... william smith. smith, william, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) univeral love in which a visitation floweth through the creation, that all people may be informed into the truth, and in their several places come to walk in the truth, and live in the truth, to be a good favour unto god, and honour god. . to parents of children. . to masters and dames of families. . to servants in their places. . to aged people. . to such as live a single life. . to young people. . to children. . to such as are in outward government. . to ministers of parishes, so called. . to such as practise in the nations law. . to such as trade in wights and measures. . to such as buy and sell in the markets or in any other places. with a general exhortation. also something concerning faith, and hope, and love, and the word, and mans restless part, and the election, and a particular place of bondage opened. ... william smith. smith, william, d. . the second edition. [ ], , - p. s.n.], [london : printed in the year . place of publication from wing. text and register continuous despite pagination. copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the congregational library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng quakers -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion universal love. in which a visitation floweth through the creation , that all people may be informed into the truth , and in their several places come to walk in the truth , and live in the truth , to be a good savour unto god , and honour god. . to parents of children . . to masters and dames of families . . to servants in their places . . to aged people . . to such as live a single life . . to young people . . to children . . to such as are in outward government . . to ministers of parishes so called . . to such as practise in the nations law . to such as trade in weights and measures . . to such as buy and sell in markets or in any other places . with a general exhortation . also something concerning faith , and hope , and love , and the word , and mans restless part , and the election , and a particular place of bondage opened . that all may come to the light of the lord jesus christ , and to his life and power , and wisdom ; through which all people may love one another , and be at peace one amongst another , and deal justly one with another upon all occasions ; that justice and mercy , and equity , sobriety , moderation , chastity , temperance , righteousness , holiness , peace , and love , may have a free , and an universal course , and the creation may be set at liberty , which yet travelleth in pain , and bears the burthen of all disorder . william smith . the second edition . printed in the year . a table of the principle heads contained in this book . . to parents of children . page . . to masters and dames of families . page . . to servants in their places . page . . to aged people . page . . to such as live a single life . page . . to young people . page . . to children . page . . to such as are in outward government . page . . to ministers of parishes , so called . page . . to such as practise in the nations law. page . . to such as trade in weights and measures . page . . to such as buy and sell in markets , or in any other places . page . . a general exhortation . page . . concerning faith. page . . concerning hope . page . . concerning love. page . . concerning the word . page . . concerning mans restless part , and the election . page . . a particular place of bondage opened . page . an epistle dedicated to the measure of light and life in all people . this book is dedicated unto the most noble , and honourable , and worthy of all things , the principle of god in every man , knowing that it is the ●ost excellent in vertue , and that from the 〈…〉 hath loved the best things , and deligh●e●● i● the plain simple path of truth , and hath no● at any time cunningly devised inventions ; it hath ever been vertuous in goodness , and a true lover of such as hath loved uprightness , it hath ever despised vice and vanity , and never could joyn with any evil thing ; it hath ever been of an humble meek nature , and tender in compassion to all people ; it hath ever been of a peaceable disposition and condescending to the lowest state ; it hath alwayes loved the good , and delighted in the best things , and in innocency and simplicity the most perfect , and in wisdom the most excellent , and it is most renownable in glory , and full of all riches and treasures , the graces and excellency of its vertue and beauty , doth far excel the praise of men . and unto this principle alone , is this book dedicated , as being unto me the most lovely , renownable , and for ever honorable ; for it is that unto me which is the chiefest good , and it doth communicate from it self , the riches of it self , and that to the glory and honour of its own power and wisdom over all ; and the matter which in this book is contained , being received and accepted by it , i shall rejoyce in my labor , however men distinct from it , may esteem it , for it is not the praise of men that i seek , howbeit i am moved to labour in the work of the lord ; but i desire to be manifest to every mans conscience in the sight of god , and to be approved by his pure eye that seeth secrets ; and let all glory , and honour , and praise , and renown , be given unto him alone , for ever and ever : and unto the measure of himself in every man , i commend this book in all humility , reverence and fear . w. s. to the reader . reader , when thou settest thine eye to read this book , set the fear of god before it , and be not so hasty to read , as diligent to understand ; for there is much communicated , and from the life of god published , that is not read in that from which it is given forth , but run over with a hasty mind out of gods fear , through which the benefit that might be received is lost , and the labour of those that would do good , doth not become so effectual ; for when people do not read with a sound mind , they do not weigh the substance of the matter , nor do not prove their own present states , but hastily read without understanding , and then the matter slips out of their minds , and the profit is lost , and the good intended is not reaped . therefore reader , be thou careful , and first set gods fear before thee , and read with that of god in thee ; and consider through the several states , which in this book is opened , and try where thou canst find thy own place , or unto which thou art nearest ; for thou mayst certainly know with that of god in thee , and with that thou mayst feel , when thou read'st thy own state ; for the witness of god will find thee , and will come close to thee , when thy state is opened , and will manifest how it is with thee in thy place , and what order thou art in ; and read with a single eye , and a simple mind , and then thou wilt profit : and do not charge the matter in this book , to lye too much in duty , or to stand too much in outward things ; for if thou read it diligently , thou mayst observe , that there is nothing pressed in duty , but what is required by the principle , unto which the duty ought to stand in all things ; and though there be much which lye outward , yet the information reaches to the principle inward , unto which thou joyning , thou wilt know that all outward things that is not manifested from it , will be reproved by it , unto which reproof thou art to yeeld thy self in obedience ; and by obeying the principle which reproves unrighteousness within , thou wilt find that all unrighteousness without must be denyed also , and that in obedience to the principle within ; and thou may observe , that salvation is not published through any thing done , but by jesus christ alone ; yet there must be obedience given unto him , before salvation be witnessed by him . so be sober and vigilant , and judge nothing rashly , but weigh things cooly , and the answer will be given unto truths testimony , by that of god in thee ; and whether thou wilt hear and obey , or neglect and contemn , yet the truth will find a witness in thy conscience , unto which this book is commended ; and if thou be careful , and keep in gods fear , and chuse the good , then may thou find profit , and peace , and comfort to thy soul ; and if it so come to pass concerning thee , whoever thou art , i shall therein rejoyce . w. s. vniversal love. the wisdom that is pure from above hath the good order in it , and by its government the creation standeth in its place and service , and all things come to be used and ordered in the fear of god , and in this wisdom people are fitly disposed , and are in a right capacity to order the creation , and every one in their place doth yield a good favour unto god , for the wisdom from above is gentle , and peaceable , and easie to be entreated , full of mercy , and goodness , and truth ; and this wisdom being received , the mind is fitly disposed to order those things which are committed to trust and charge , and every one in their place comes to see their duty in their place , and how they are to answer god through those things which he commits unto them , and in their several places where he sets them , and comes to see the great weight that lies upon them , to perform with care and diligence such service as in their place god requires ; and so the wisdom from above doth order every man in his place , and he becomes a good favour in his place both to god and man , and through the righteousness that proceeds from such a man , the lord god is glorified ; and this is that which all people in their respective places are to mind , and in what thing they are called to serve the lord , in that thing , and in that place to be carefull to answer god , and to honour god ; and such who have children are in this thing very deeply concerned , for the charge upon them is exceeding great ; and therefore they are to mind the just and holy principle of god in themselves , that they may receive the wisdom from above , and in that to nurture and bring up their children in the fear of the lord ; for how can parent bring up their children in the fear of god , when they walk not in the fear of god themselves ? and how can they inform their children into that which is good , when they themselves live in that which is evil ? and such parents do usually teach their children to be vain and to follow that which is evil , and so covetous parents teach their children covetousness , for their own minds being in that thing , they press their children to the practise of it , and yet not under a shew of covetousness , but under a shew of carefulness and providence , at which door the mind goeth forth into the world , and reaches it self to compass the wealth and riches of it , and such parents give encouragement to their children in this place , and smile upon them with a cheerfull countenance ; and so the child runs in delighting , and with pleasure exerciseth it self in covetous practises , and strives after the earthly treasures to please its parents , and the parents account such children , careful children , and provident & witty , and the children are hereby tempted out of the path of honesty , and so run in cozening , and cheating , and defrauding for gain , and that is counted pollicy , and the parents will smile upon their children , and in such things delight in them , as being witty , and so teaches them and instructs them into such practises ; and how are children wronged in this place for want of good nurture in the fear of god! and when wealth and riches are heaped together , then the mind is lifted up in pride , and the parents they exalt their children in haughtiness and pride , and then they must have things suitable to their outward condition ; and so first teaches them to be covetous , and then to be proud , and poor children are lifted up in their minds at the beholding their costly apparel , and their gay cloathing , which by their parents are provided , and for want of good nurture in this place they run out of gods fear , and out of true order , and then their parents train them up in such things as they look at to be sutable to their conditions , and so they put them to learn musick , and dancing , and singing , and with such like vain things poor children are wronged by their parents , who should keep them in good order , and in the fear of god ; and how do parents allow their children liberty to sport and play and to be vain , and informs them into the expertnesse of such practises ? and how are children exercised in vanity ? and how do they spend such dayes in vanity , which they pretend to be holy dayes ? and doe not all such dayes which they observe to be holy , end in prophanesse and vanity , and wickednesse ? and are not children at liberty upon such dayes to satisfie their vain minds in pleasures , and in sports , and run into headiness , and wildness ? and the rest of dayes which they do not count holy , they turn their minds into covetousness and deceit : and are these things commendable for parents , or for children ? or are these things like christians ? and how are poor children , for want of good nurture in time , carried away into all manner of vanity , and so taken captive at the will of the devil , who holds them fast after he hath taken them , and so vanity becomes natural to children , who know no better from their childhood ; and what a dishonour is this to parents , who should be grave , and wise , and sober , and stayed , for them to encourage their children in such things , and behold them in the practise of such things with delight ? such things do not become a christian profession in no place , and to be sure it is not a christians practise , for it is unsavoury to god , and grieves his spirit , and all that are guided by his spirit ; and it is a trouble to christians to see vanity flow in as a natural streame , from generation to generation , and the mind of people to be so seated in it , as they study from time to time how to advance it , and to train up their children in it , for if children were not encouraged in vanity , and trained up in it when they are young , they would be more innocent , and simple , and stand more in the true order , for as they are children they are innocent and harmless , and a child , as it is a child , is more in the innocency , than it is all its life time after , except it come to the spirit of god , by that to be regenerated ; and therefore it must needs be a great weight upon parents in this case , for by training up their children in vanity , they draw upon themselves the childs iniquity , and by how much they do encourage their children in vanity , by so much the more do they wrong both themselves and their children : therefore it is of concernment for all parents of children to weigh the matter , and in time to consider it , for certainly the lord is grieved with evil deeds , and with the disorderly walking of all such as are out of his fear , and that parents would be more mindfull of what they are intrusted with , and to order it in gods fear and wisdom , that all they have under their charge may be a good favour unto god , and bring honour to his name ; for if it be not so , all his gifts are abused , and his name dishonored , and there the creation is out of order . now all parents must come to that of god in themselves , before they can instruct their children in the fear of god ; they must come to the light in their own consciences , and in the light behold their own present state , for being from the light of christ they cannot walk in gods fear themselves , neither can they teach their children so ; and is not that a grievous thing , when a whole family is out of the fear of god , and both parents and children exercised in vanity ? and how doth wickedness flow like a flood from generation to generation , and one generation goeth and another cometh , and with every generation sin appeareth , and evil is practised , and grows from one to another in full strength , and this is the ground , because that children are not trained up in gods fear , for if that was so , sin would dye , and in every generation it would grow weaker and weaker , and in time it would be rooted out , and the practise in it would cease , and it would not be had in remembrance . therefore all you parents of children , mind the fear of god in your selves : and come to the principle of god in your own consciences , and yield your selves unto that , and obey it , and then you cannot see your children run into vanity , and suffer them to go unreproved , if you once hearken to the voice of god in you , and mind the testimony of his witness in your consciences , to know in your selves unto what reproof belongeth , and what the lord alloweth , and so to answer the lord in obedience , and come to know your selves changed , then you will be able to instruct your children in the same path , and cannot suffer them to run into vanity , much less to train them up in it ; and so in the principle of god you will receive wisdom from above , and know the nature of it , in which wisdom is the pure order and good government ; then you cannot let your children lye , and swear , and curse , and play , and riot ; and be vain in pleasures , and games , your eye will be over them in wisdom , and in the gentleness you will reprove them , and in meekness instruct them , and when they do go amiss you will feel grief come upon you concerning them , and when you are grieved for them in that state , then take heed you do not fall into passion , and anger , and wrath , and in that exercise your wills upon them , and use your hand in severity towards them , but in wisdom wait to be guided , that not any fault which comes to your knowledge may pass unreproved , neither any fault be too severely punished , for they are both out of true order , and you may know that when you have exercised your hand upon them in passion that you are not free from trouble afterwards , when you come into coolness again you will be judged in your selves for your rashnesse , and then you will have trouble in your conscience , and there is no profit to your children by that hand , because wisdome doth not order it . therefore ye parents , who would have your children to do will , and to be happy , wait to be ordered in wisdom towards them , and keeping to the light of the lord , you will know both how to spare , and how to correct , and so with a meek and gentle spirit bring them into order , and bend them in their tenderness , before the bad part grow stubborn and be strong , for in their tenderness it will be easie , and whilst they art young and green the witness lies near them , and reproof soon reaches them , and if there be but an eye upon them in the wisdom of god , the witness will answer , and the bad will be presently judged in them , which growing into more strength , for want of timely order the darkness thickens over them , and then the witness lies at a farther distance , and that which at first might have been rebuked with a look , will not then be brought down with a blow ; and here parents both wrong themselves and their children for want of wisdom ; for they give way to their children whilst they are young , and so lets up the bad part into strength , and when they come to behold things far amiss in their children then they would bend them , and cannot , and so lets up the bad nature over their own heads , and then beholds their children with mourning , which in wisdom might be timely prevented . and this is a great wrong both to parents and children , and brings grief and sorrow upon them both : therefore order is a sweet thing , when parents have wisdom to govern their children , and to nurture them in the fear of god , and to keep them in duty and submission in the fear of god , then there is a good savour both in parents and children , and a comly order beheld in the wisdom , and to come into this comly order is a sweet savour ; and to inform children to the principle of god in them , and to teach them the fear of god , and learn them to behave themselves modestly and soberly unto all people , this is good education , and also a good portion , and there is the good breeding , and the good manners , which is decent and orderly , and is an order approved of god ; but to let them run at liberty , and bring them up in the foolish vain customs , and teach them to observe traditions , this is not orderly nor decent , though they be taught to observe all customs , it is not good breeding , nor good manners , for those things are come to pass in the degeneration from the good , and to teach children to bow , and scrape , and to put off their hats to respect persons , this is not good breeding nor good manners , for good breeding and good manners is in the fear of god ; but he that respects persons commits sin , and is out of the fear of god , and such things are not approved of god , and that which he doth not approve , he doth condemn ; and to teach children to observe traditions in matter of worship or otherwise , it is not good order , nor decent ; to teach children a formal worship , or a formal prayer , or any formal practise accustomed by tradition , and doth not proceed from a present manifestation of the spirit of god , it is not good order , nor decent , for the lord doth not allow of any traditional practise , which stands in form distinct from his spirit , and what he doth not allow , he doth reprove . and therefore the matter is weighty upon parents every way , to keep their children under nurture , and teach them the fear of the lord whilst they are tender , and in all things to inform them to the principle of god in their conscience , that with the light of christ they may be guided , and with the light of christ they may be taught , and by it ordered in all their wayes , and in all their doings ; then would mercy and truth spring in children , and righteousness and holiness would naturally branch forth , and children wou'd become a sweet savour in their generation , and in their places would fear god , and honour god , which now grieves him , and vexes him with their ungodliness and unrighteousness , vanity and prfaneness . and so all parents , mind your places and your charge , that you may account to god with joy , and not with grief , and alwayes inform your children to the light of christ jesus in their conscience , the light that shews both them and you , your thoughts , and words , and deeds , and reproves for all evil , which is the principle from which good order is brought forth ; and be not hasty with your children in any matter , nor let not bitterness arise at any time against them , but in all meekness instruct them , and in wisdom watch over them , so you will know when to rebuke and when to cherish , when to correct , and when to spare , and the rod will then fall in its right place , and in minding the lord god , and receiving his wisdom , with that wisdom order your children , so you will have comfort in them , and they will bless you in time to come : but if you suffer it to be otherwise , you will have grief enough in your own dayes , and in time to come your children cannot remember you with joy , and that is a sad state every way . therefore walk in the fear of the lord god , and love the light of christ with which you are enlightened , and in the light you will receive wisdom , in which wisdom is decency and good order every way , and in every place and this will be your peace , and your childrens happiness , and they will grow in gods fear , and come up in his power , and so from generation to generation righteousness will spring , and truth will spread abroad . to masters and dames of families . rule not in lordship over such as are in place to serve you , but walk in wisdom to-towards them , and be tender over them in their places , that they may serve you with joy , and not with grief ; and consider that god made of one blood all nations , and such as have the lowest place distinguishable amongst men , if they walk in gods fear , they are accepted of him ; and you are not to exercise your selves in your own wills over them , though they be your servants , but are to order them in the wisdom of god , by which all things were made and created ; in which wisdom you will see the use and service of all things which you have under your hands , and will see the creation in its service in every place , and so come to know the end for which you have servants to serve you , and the service of that which you have to employ them in . and therefore let your care be to instruct your servants in the fear of god , for that is your right place as masters and dames , and keep them out of vanity , and in that let your care and diligence be manifested , for that is a good favour : and how do you wrong your servants and your selves by giving way to their liberty in vanity , for that causeth them to run out of the fear of god , and thereby wrongs themselves , and it causes your business to be neglected , which they ought to be carefull in ; and when by their carelesness you see your business neglected , then your passion rises against them , and it may be hard words and speeches you may give them , and be full of fury and wrath , and thereby disturbs your own peace ; and this is a great wrong to your selves , first , to have your business neglected , and secondly , to have your peace disturbed , which by your timely care in your places , might both be prevented ; for did you but stand in gods wisdom , you would not let your servants run into vanity in any case , but keep them in obedience to your just commands , and in the fear of god to answer their places , and not suffer them to run into wildness , and sports , and plays , and upon those dayes in which they do not follow labour , to keep them in some good exercise in the fear of god , and in all things , and in every place , to inform them to the principle of god in them ; that which reproves sin in the conscience , that searcher which tryes the intents of the heart ; this would bring them into stayedness , and soberness , and coolness , and keep them out of loosness and liberty at all times , and in every place , and when they were free from your labour , they would be exercising themselves in something that is good and wholsom , and walk in the fear of god , and not run into madness , and sports , and spend their time worse in those things , then if they were at labour : and what good doth the observation of those dayes , when they are observed in vanity and madness , and folly ? had not servants better be at their honest labour , than be at foot-ball , and cudghils , and dancing , and revelling , and drinking in ale-houses , and exercising themselves in all manner of vanity ? do they keep that day holy to the lord , that practise such things ? or do they not pollute it more then those dayes in which they follow their true labour ? and is not these things generally practised upon the first dayes , which is called sunday , or sabbath-day , or lords-day ? and is not more sin and vanity practised on that day , and that principally by servants and children , then all the six dayes besides ? except some day that is observed as a holy-day , in which ordinary labour ceasing , then vanity comes into agitation ; and masters and dames not eying their servants in wisdom , and to keep them in some good exercise and practise , the minds of servants hunts after vanity , and they come together , and will say one to another , come , what must we go do to day ? and is not this a sad state , for a day to be observed as a holy day , and people knows not what to do upon that day ? and so not kowning the good , they run into evil , and brings forth wicked practises after their own ungodly lusts , and some pleases themselves with one thing , and some with another , and so runs headlong into vanity ; and then if you have but a little needful business to be done , your servants are to seek , and then it may be you are angry & frets against them , and charges them with carelesness and negligence , in your business ; which in it self is true , but are not you your selves the greatest faulters , who keeps them not in subjection , to do those things which are good , and to follow that which is honest in the sight of all men ; and is not labour an honest and a just thing in the sight of all men ? and is not vanity the contrary ? for when people are in their honest labour , they are bold , and cares not who sees them , but when they are in vanity , there is a shame comes upon them when sober people beholds them , and sometimes they lurk into secret places to be out of sight when they practise vanity . and doth not the observing such dayes after such a manner , do more hurt than good every way ? is not both masters and servants wronged in the end of it , and the creation burdened with it , and gods spirit grieved ? but some may say , if servants have no liberty they would be discouraged and cast down , and their slavery would be great , if they were alwayes kept to hard labour . this doth not diminish any thing from their liberty , but adds unto it , for that which is pretended for liberty proves their greatest bondage every way ; and they are far more in bondage to their vanity , than to their labor , because the mind and delight being in it , they are not so well satisfied , as when they are in the practise of it , and if they be at any time restrained , then they are in great bondage and trouble , and so the unruly vain mind worketh over the good , and if it be not satisfied they are in bondage to their own heart , lusts ; for by their vanity and wicked practises their souls are oppressed , and there is bondage within , and by the exercise of their bodies in vanity , they will be so wearyed , as somtimes they cannot follow their labour for some dayes after , and that is bondage to the body ; then where stands their liberty , but in their vanity ? and so uses their liberty as an occasion to serve the flesh ; for if masters and dames did order their servants in gods wisdom , and if servants were kept in the fear of the lord god , then there would be as true liberty as any service might open for their liberty , and it would not stand in observing days or times , but as any needful occasion might offer it self , for the servants benefit , then they might have true liberty on their own behalf , and in their own business , as need required , and not be gainsayed , and they would not expect or desire any liberty beyond that , in any case , if they were but brought into gods fear and good order ; and they might then have liberty allowed them to serve the lord , and to wait upon him , and to exercise themselves in the worship of his spirit , at any time , or upon any day , as there might be occacasion ; and not to keep a day as a holy day , and pretend a worship to god upon that day , and prophane that day , which they pretend to keep as holy , that is not good order nor decent ; for to pretend the observation of a day , and a worship to god upon that day , and to go to a steeple-house a few hours , and observe the practise of such ceremonies as is there observed , and then to run into vanity and wickedness , the remaining part of the day , these things grieves the lord from day to day . therefore you that have servants under you , first mind the principle of god in your selves , the light of christ jesus in your consciences , and receive the testimony of it , and do not gain-say its reproof in your selves , then you will know what to reprove in your servants ; and coming to the light of christ in your selves , with the light to be guided and ordered in your own particulars , then you will be good patterns and examples to your servants ; for you being from that of god in your selves , which would guide you , and lead you into truth and righteousness , you become bad patterns to your servants : and how can you reprove or reform their evil practises in any place , when their eyes behold you in the practise of the same thing , which you in words may reprove in them ? nay , many times you exceed them in vanity and profaneness , and so are out of order in your selves , not being guided by the light which is pure : and who are convinced of profaneness , and in your selves are ordered into moderation and soberness , and have some desires after god , and sets up a practise in your families , of reading or expounding scriptures , and prayer , and singing david's psalms , which you call family duties , take heed you be not ensnared in that place , for there is a danger lyeth near , though your practise may have somthing of a shew of godliness in it , for though at first you may practise such things in some tenderness towards god , and perform them as necessary duties , and in that place standing faithful to god in what is made manifest , and not a further manifestation opened to you , your practise is not condemned in that place ; but this is the danger , when the observation of a practise centers the mind in the form of what is practised , and so in time is content with the observation of the form only ; this is a place where many loses the life and the savour of it ; and that which at first was truth in it self , in the manifestation and practice , doth in time become false , through the observation in the form only , and there the kingdom of god is not found , nor true peace enjoyed . but some may say , is not family duties good order ? yes , they are so , but not as they stand in the observation of a form only , for such a practise may be observed and continued , when there is not any thing of god to move unto it ; and that observation cannot then stand in the order of god , but in the disorderly part of mans own will , who sets his own time , and speak his own words , and in that performs somthing as a service unto god. therefore who are in this state , and would have your families come into good order in this place , keep your minds to the spirit of god in you , and wait to know the motion of it , and it will shew you the time , and will give you words ( if there be need ) in the time , and will move to prayer as there is need , and will teach you how to pray , and what to ask , for the spirit knows your infirmities , and makes intercession with groans many times , when never a word is spoken ; and when the spirit of god moves you to a duty , either on your own behalf , or the behalf of your family , in any place , then neglect not that time , but call your family together , and sit down in gods fear , and wait upon him , that in his spirit you may discharge your duty ; and then if any thing be out of order in your families , by which you are grieved , there will be a word of reproof given in the spirit ; or if there be need of exhortation , the spirit will give a word of exhortation ; and when it is a time of prayer , the spirit will move to prayer , and give words in prayer : and this will stand in gods order , and out of your own wills , and you will have comfort in it , and this will sweeten your families , and make you a good savour in your places , and the lord will be amongst you , and do you good . so in all things mind that of god in you , the light which shews sin in the conscience , and reproves the evil-doer in all his wayes , that in the light you may receive the wisdom that is pure , and in that wisdom to order all things you have in charge , to the glory and praise of almighty god. to servants in their places . you that are called to serve , be you diligent in your places , and in all things , and in every place learn to serve the lord , for that is good and acceptable with him ; and if ye serve the lord in singleness of heart , then you will discharge your duty in your places ; and have regard to your places out of the eye-service , for if you onely serve well whilst your masters eye behold you , that is but a service performed in awe to your masters eye , and is no more but an eye-service ; but if you mind the principle of god , and stand in the fear of god , then will your care and diligence be to serve the lord , and to serve your masters as in the sight of god , for the eye of the lord is alwayes present and beholds you ; and whether your masters eye be over you , or absent from you , your care should be to serve the lord , whose eye beholds you in all places , and at all times , and the intents of your hearts ; and if you have thoughts at any time to neglect your masters business , when you know that he is absent from you , is there not something in you at that time which doth manifest those thoughts unto you , and shews you that they are amiss ? that is the light of christ in your consciences , and is alwayes present to behold whatever you intend ; and if you be at any time neglecting your masters business which you are intrusted withall , and that your master come and find you so doing , are you not then judged in your selves , and stand guilty of your offence before your master ? and that which judges you and reproves you , is the light of jesus christ in your consciences , for you do bear judgment in that case , and are certainly reproved in your selves , though your master speak not a word unto you ; and unto that you are to keep your minds , that with it you may be guided in your service , and then there will be no need of your masters eye , no fear of your masters coming , for you will be found serving god in the light , and in his fear you will be doing your masters business , then you will stand clear before the lord in all things , and there will be no shame come upon you , whosoever beholds you , or takes notice of you , for man needs never be ashamed before men , that stands approved unto god in what he doth ; and if he do not stand approved unto god , then he hath a guilt upon him , and the witness of god condemns him in himself , then if men but look at him , the witness condemns him , and the shame comes over him , for he stands guilty before god though man cannot accuse him , and so in the light you will be found serving the lord , and doing your masters business justly , truly , and faithfully , as in the sight of god , and as if your masters eye were over you , and this will be a good savour both to god and honest men ; but when your minds are from that of god in you , then carelesness and negligence attends your places , and whether you serve or serve not , you are not careful , or whether you labour or labour not , you do not much regard , if your masters eye be not over you ; and here you are out of your places , and with that of god in you , which is just and true , you will in that place be reproved , and you can never be just not true indeed , but as you come to the principle of god which is just and true , with that to be guided , which in all things you are to mind , for there is not any that either rule well , or serve faithfully , but such as come to be guided by the light of christ jesus in themselves , and if you mind that when it doth at any time reprove you , then will gods fear come to be placed in your hearts , and the awe of god will be over you , and that will keep you in carefulness and diligence , to serve god and please god , and your service to your masters will be performed faithfully at all times , and in all places , whether your masters be present or absent , and you will not need to use deceit to cover your faults from your masters and dames , but in singleness of heart approve your selves to god , in all things wherein your service lyes to your masters ; for when any fault is done by you for want of taking heed to the light of christ in you , and that the light reprove you in your consciences for it , and you with the light come to see wherein you have done amiss , and that you have not performed your service faithfully to your master ; and when your master comes to blame you for it , then to seek out covers by deceit , and to forge lyes for your own defence ( though with the light you see you have done amiss ) this is a very great evil , because it doubles the offence in the sight of god ; for first to do amiss , and then to seek a deceitful cover , and make lyes your refuge in that case , this is sharply reproved with that of god in you , which is just and true , and neither the first nor the second in which you can approve your hearts to god ; though by deceit and lyes you may blind your masters eyes , and keep your selves from blame as unto him , yet the lord beholdeth you , and you cannot cleare your selves before him : and this is weighty on your parts who are called to serve , and then take heed of vanity in every place , and do not use your liberty when you have it to satisfie the flesh , nor do not seek to please your selves in foolish sports , but in the fear of the lord improve your time in his service , and when at any time you have liberty from your labour , then be serious in your minds , and take heed to that of god in you , and consider for what end that time is allowed you , that when you have it , you may improve it in some holy exercise , according to what you know , and not to spend it in ale-houses , and in sports and pleasures ; and in the light read the scriptures , you that can read , and wait to understand them , and meditate upon the good things of god , and consider what you are in your selves withour christ , and what your end will be if you dye in sin , and in the light waiting , whether you can read scriptures or no , your minds will be kept to god , and you will redeem the time which you have vainly spent : and do not close with traditions in any place , but joyn to the spirit of god in your selves , and in that worship god , and serve god , and serve your masters faithfully in your places , and be content with such things as are provided for you , grudge not at your meat nor drink , nor strive not after costly apparrel , but having food and raiment be therewith content , and be not sloathful in your business , but with a ready mind answer your places diligently , and cheerfully , so will you be a good savour in your places , and you will have comfort in the end : and be subject to your masters commands in all things that are just , knowing that you are to serve ; and do not aspire into equality with your masters , for that brings up pride and haughtiness , and is foolishness ; nor do not contemn any business , as below you , but stoop down to the lowest , and do it willingly , if you be ordered to do it ; and do not seek after new places , and fresh services , that will draw you into a restless state , and finding some differences in places , your eye will be towards that where you have best pleased your selves , and when you meet with any thing contrary in another place , then you are displeased with that , and then is ready to say , it is but a year ; and so your minds are gone from your place , before you be well come to it , and carelesness comes upon you , and your masters service is neglected by you ; and here you are not right in your places , but unsetled , and unstayed , and so would every year be removing , if not sooner , and wandring and trying ; and this is a giddy head that runs out of the fear of god ; for if you come to the light of christ in your consciences , and come to walk in the truth , you will be setled and stayed , and where you come to be placed you will not have a desire to remove , but to observe your place diligently and carefully , and let not your minds look out for ease in any place , so that you be not oppressed above your strength , for many do themselves wrong by looking out for ease , and so refuse service wholly , though able to perform it , and so falls into a way of labour of their own industry , and provides for themselves at their own hand ; and this is something that would not be under command , but would be at liberty , and at ease , which doth not answer the light of christ , neither stands approved by it . so wait for gods wisdom , that with it you may be guided to stand and serve in your places unto which you are called , and depart not from the counsel of the lord. to aged people . gravity is comely and honourable , it is worthy to be respected and reverenced , but if you count your gravity from your gray hairs onely , then you err in judgment , and do not understand what gravity is ; and from hence many are accounted grave men , and do account themselves so to be , because they have passed over many years , and by the course of nature their hairs are changed gray , and they are come into an aged state , and so you would be respected and honoured because of your gray hairs , and because of the multitude of your years , and do esteem your selves to be the chiefest in wisdom , and of the deepest understanding , and of the greatest knowledge to order things aright . now this is not the thing which makes you grave , or sets you in a right capacity for true order ; for an old man may have a strong will to advance something in his own eyes , and to set up something from his own apprehensions , and from this ground in himself he would not meet with an opposer , for he counts himself grave and wise , and of a deep understanding , and if any thing meet his will in opposition , then he is displeased , and the fretting froward nature rises in the passion ; and this manifests that he hath not the wisdome of god , that is peaceable , and so is not in the true gravity , nor in that which gives sound counsel , which is grave and honourable . therefore i write unto you old men , who have passed over many yeares , and now draw nigh to finish your dayes , and yet know not the true gravity , though you be full of gray haires for gravity is in the sound and perfect wisdom of god , by which wisdom all things were made and created , and in that is the ancien● of dayes sitting , and there is gravity , in the life , and the power , and the wisdom which created all things in right order , and beheld them very good , in that is the gravity and the sound wisdom ; therefore unto that yo● must all come , who yet do not know it , that you may feel the ancient of dayes sitting in you● with his wisdom to guide you , then will tru● gravity beautifie you , and make you honourable in your latter dayes , in which gray haires over spread you ; for look back to the beginning of your time , and behold the swiftness of the years that are past , and consider whether you have assurance of gods salvation in your latter dayes , and whether you be redeemed out of the world , with all the vain customs and traditions that be in the world , and whether you have everlasting peace sealed unto you in the covenant of god : consider this with your selves , and be serious , for it is high time for you to awake , and that the time past of your lives may suffice , in which you have wrought the will of the gentiles , and that now you may come to redeem the time which you have spent , for many of you have spent much time , but few amongst you that hath redeemed it , and through the custom which you have observed in your time , you are bound up in what you practise , and it is a very hard thing to pluck up your root , because it had a long time to spread it self in the bottom , and it is very hard to cut down your branches , they have had so long time to grow in strength ; and you having seated your selves in the depths of customes and formality , it is a very hard thing to remove you out of your habitations , and you have much to say in your own defence , and can plead the antiquity of your standing , and the multitude of your years , and so you would uphold such things as hath been accustomed to you , and you can hardly believe that any other thing can be so right and good as what you practise , and you fear your selves in this perswasion , because you are old men , and so you love your church , and you love your ministry , and you love your worship , & you can plead antiquity in your years , and for your practises , and can say , thus it hath been all my time ; but consider your present time , and how it is with you now , for many years may bring many things to pass , and that which seemed right in the beginning , may prove wrong before the end , and so you may erre in your observations and customs , for god is not limited to time or person , but manifests himself after the good pleasure of his own will , and you are to mind the present manifestation of god in you , and in that wait to know the mind of god in your present day , for regeneration must be wrought in you , or you cannot have a part in gods kingdom ; and it is a little child that is heir of the kingdom , a child born again not of flesh , nor of blood nor of the will of man , but of god , and the child is the heir , and was before your dayes , though many years you have passed over ; for before abraham was , i am , saith christ , who is the first and the last ; and here is christ before you , and christ after you , and without christ your dayes will end in sorrow , and your latter end will be grief . therefore come to his light with which you are enlightned , the light that manifests your sin , and reproves you for your observed traditions , and wait to recieve christ in his light , and do not cast his reproof behind you , then will you know the ancient of dayes , who is the first , and he will be born a little child who is the heir of promise , and of the kingdom , and life without end ; and this is gravity , when christ ruleth in man , and his wisdom governs man , then are gray hairs made comely , but it is the wisdom which is honourable , and the fullness of this age will end in joy and peace . therefore mind your day , which at the longest is but very short , and think not to say with your selves , we have lived many years , and we have seen many things , and we hope that god will shew mercy , this will not be a sufficient stress to uphold you ; nay though you may say you believe in christ , and that he is your saviour , yet in your latter end he will not stand by you , whose works deny him , for he is pure , and holy and righteous altogether , and there is no unclean thing can come into his kingdom ; therefore you must deny your old things , and your ancient customs , which you have lived in after the flesh , and believe in the light and power of christ , in which power a new birth is born to inherit the kingdom , and except ye enter the kingdom of god as a little child , you can in no wise come therein : so you must believe in the power of christ manifest in you , which is a reproving principle in your consciences , and checks you for evil thoughts , words and deeds and by believing in the power , the times past will dye , and all the observations and old customs will dye , and the world and all the things that are in it will dye , and all your old affections and lusts which you have loved and delighted in , in the world , they will all dye , and a new life you will then know in christ , and his life and his wisdom will cloath you , and then you will know the first , who is the antient of dayes to sit in you , and by his wisdom governing , and that is gravity which is honourable : so spend not your dayes any longer in customs and traditions , but make haste and redeem them , and delay not to turn to the light in your consciences , the next reproof which you will certainly feel , the next evil thought you think , or word you speak , or deed which you do ; and by turning to the light , and obeying the light , you will come to receive gods wisdom , and in that to order all things to his glory , and so to be a good savour to god , and leave a good savour behind you when your dayes are finished , for the eyes of many are upon you , because you are old men ; and if any miscarriage come to pass by you , or any thing be acted or done that is amiss in any place , then many receive strength in the same thing , and are encouraged to practise it , because they have observed the same thing to be done by you ; and this doth not honour your gray hairs , when you are a bad savour in your generation ; but it brings a stain and a blot upon your name , and you will pass away with an ill savour . so in all things be circumspect , and redeem your time , for you have but a little , that you may finish with joy . to such as live a single life . singleness is a good state , and in that state temptations may be resisted as easily ▪ as in any state whatsoever out of the life , and they that walk in the light , and with the light , are kept single every way ; they may receive much peace and satisfaction in their condition , for there is not such a necessity of outward care lies upon a single life , as upon such who are outwardly joyned ; and so temptations may be the more easily resisted in many places ; for temptations come the strongest when the mind is cumbred in much carefulness ; and there is an opportunity in that place for darkness to strike in and enter , and to be amongst the multitude of thoughts , and in thoughts cumbred in caring , in that place temptations lye neer , and proffer themselves unto that part which is cumbred in the care ; and it is a common thing amongst people that are not redeemed , nor have not faith in god , nor cast not their care upon god in every condition , to let forth their minds into much carefulness , and so into the cumber ; and in that place they are rowled up and down in the cares of this life ; and it is much nearer unto a people who are outwardly joyned , and have families of children to provide for , then it is to those that live a single life ; so that a single life is outwardly the freest state , as it stands related to its own singleness , yet not such a state as can be said is wholly free from temptations , but lyes exposed to many dangers and snares , notwithstanding it may be a single life in its own relation outwardly , and is a state which may be passed more easily through than a joyned state ; yet such have need to set their watch in the light , lest their enemy steal upon them unawares , that whilst they serve themselves through their singleness , he do not come upon them another way ; for if they stand free from care in relation to their singleness , which is a state that few come unto ; but if it be so with any , and that temptations do not point at carefulness , yet they may point at ease and security , and there may be a sitting down in an easeful state ; and being well provided for in the outward , and having enough on that hand , and no charge to look after , or to take care for , there may be a sitting down in a secret joy of their own happiness . and now mark , though temptations do not here point at carefulness , yet they point at security and ease , and being joyned unto on that hand , there is a sitting down in the fulness of what is possessed outwardly ; and so no exercise in the mind , either by faith in god , or trust in him , but an easeful state , in which state god is the soonest forgotten ; and in this place people may sit , and not have god in all their thoughts ; and therefore it is not how a single-life stands in relation to it self , but how it stands in relation to god ; for it may be single in relation to it self , and yet in that state falls into the greatest snares , and entanglements : and where there is a full state in a single life , the mind not being redeemed out of the world , there is a temptation lyes in that place ; and that part which is alive to the world , that part would heap up the worlds riches , though such a one do not know who shall possesse them ; and in this place a single life may be deeply entangled in the world with the care and deceitfulness of riches , and then by riches and wealth there is a seeking after honour and esteeme amongst men , and to be honoured because there is fulness of riches , and that exalteth into pride and haughtiness , and there may be also in such a one an eye open towards a joyned state ; and by his wealth and riches so gathered , he would be accepted into an answerable condition of the same , and so through his single life , is seeking advancement into a joyned state ; and this is a great evil and bondage : so a single life may run as far from the kingdom of god , as those that are joyned together , and have children and families to provide for ; and it is not how any man or woman stands related to a condition outwardly that makes them accepted of god , but how they stand to god with their hearts and minds in every condition : so all that be in a single life outwardly are to be careful how they stand in relation to god , and how their minds are exercised , and in what ; that whilest they are single in relation to the outward , they do not fall under the powers of darkness within , and so be taken and snared with their minds amongst many entanglements , and yet look at themselves to be freest in their single life ; for that which makes all people happy , and every condition sweet , is to answer the light of christ jesus manifest in their conscience , and then however they stand in relation to an outward state , they will have peace with god , and comfort in their places ; and whether joyned or single , the fulness of the lord god will measure forth a portion unto such , and they will possess his blessing both inwardly and outwardly ; so to be single to god in the light is a joyful state . and all you that are single in your life as to the outward , and are in some places freed from cares and cumbers , which some that are joyned may be in ; take heed of ease , and take heed of covetousness , and pride , and turn your minds to the light of christ jesus in your consciences , and with the light you will see that you have need to be careful , and to be watchful ; for except you be regenerated and born again , you are at as great a distance from the kingdom of god as those that are joyned ; but if you come to the light and power of god , with the power to be born again , then you will come into freedom by the son , and will be free indeed ; and then will your hearts and minds stand single to god , and your care and confidence will be cast upon god ▪ and his power , and life , and wisdom will cloath you ; and you will then be a good savour in your places , and will be ready to do good with that you have , and to honour god with what he gives you ; and so a single life in the outward , and a single mind to god in the inward , may here clap hands with joy : and whether single or joyned , or how people may stand related to such outward states , that doth not put a difference to the inward joy , and peace , and comfort of the lord ; but being faithfull to the light , and walking in the light and fear of the lord , and so to be born of the seed immortal of god , there is a single , upright , innocent mind known , and whether outwardly joyned , or single , the seed of god is felt , in which is the blessing . to young people . young men and women , the prime of your dayes are now present with you , and the dayes past you cannot call again , nor the dayes to come you know not ; and now as you have a present time , and a present day , mind the lord god , and his fear , that the dayes to come may not slip away from you , and end in sorrow ; for though you be naturally in full strength , and in the prime of your dayes , yet the lord can cut you down in a moment , and bring your dayes suddenly to an end , for he is god , and there is not another , it is he that formed you in the womb , and hath brought you forth in your generation , and hitherto hath prolong'd your days ; and he hath not only brought you forth in a natural generation , but he hath also placed in you a measure of light that is pure of himself , and is immortal , which in your consciences doth manifest it self in brightness , and is a true and faithfull witness for god : and this hath the lord god done for you , and therein his love is manifest unto you ; and you are to mind that principle of god which is pure , above all things , and to keep your minds stayed in it , and when you are reproved with it , then do not start aside , but close in with it ; and with its light you may behold your selves amiss , for as your minds are from that of god in you , you are exercising your full strength in vanity , and spending the prime of your dayes in folly ; and the further you go forward in that path , the longer will be your return , and the sharper will be your judgment . and what profit doth vanity bring you , when you have been in the mirth of it one day ? doth it not pass away from you the next day ? and do you not feel that reproof overtakes you , and that the witness of god in your conscience smites you , and you many times are brought to mourn in secret ? and doth not your joy and mirth in vanity here end in sorrow ? for being in your full strength , you pursue vanity with eagerness , and you sport your selves as if you could never sport enough , and the diversities of vanity your minds run into ; and with such things you grieve the lord. therefore consider your day and your present time , and spend not your full strength in vanity , and say in your hearts , god shall have our latter age ; but this is our prime time , and if we do not now rejoyce and be merry , we shall never have such a time again . this is your own way , and you please your selves in it , but know , that for all these things god will bring you to judgment . and what if he cut you down in your full strength , and in the height of your vanity ? then as death leaves you , judgment will find you , and in the grave there is no repentance . therefore , young people , consider your present day , and let all your vanity go , it will never bring comfort in the latter end ; and to live in that , and please your selves in that , which will not give you peace in the end , what is the profit you reap by it ? surely no more but the satisfying of your vain minds , which god will judge , and that is a sad state : and now your full strength being naturally upon you , and the bad nature being at liberty in you , you must needs run in the swiftest stream of vanity , and that mind seeks to please it self , and to behold it self in the excellency of its own form ; and so you adorn your bodies with costly apparel , and broidered hair , and many foolish , needless things , which are of no use nor service , but to please your haughty minds . therefore , young people ; remember your creator in the dayes of your youth , and whilst you be in your full strength , give up your selves to serve the lord , and turn to the light with which you are enlightned , and be obedient unto the light in all things , and when it reproves your vanity in any place , then love it , and part with your vanity for it , that you may walk in it , and that will reform your wayes and doings where-ever they are amiss , and will do you good in your latter end ; and by loving the light , and denying your selves to your vanity & pleasures , the light will lead you and guide you in a way that you do not know , a way of true joy and peace , where no unclean thing can walk : and this will do you good , and in the light you will have an understanding given to discern thing● that be amiss in every place , and you will come to see , that those customs your parents trained you up in , and taught you to observe , that they are all vain , and not worthy to be observed and so wherein you have been amiss , in the vain customs and traditions ; if you love the light it will reform your wayes and your doings , where they are amiss , and that will dye which you have observed out of the truth , in any custome or tradition which you have been accustomed to , and have been taught by your parents to observe ; for many young people that comes into such a custome of things in their infancy , being taught to observe them by their parents , that in their youthful dayes they are natural to them in practise ; and so young people are much wronged in their infancy , whilst they are not capable of any more then what they receive from others , and follows that in the custom and practise as a right thing , and so walks by the traditions received from their fathers , and not after christ the light , the truth , the power and wisdom of god : and therefore young people , take heed to the light , for that is the thing you must all come unto , if you come unto god , and depart out of all your vain customes , and fashions , and traditions , your pride , and vanity , and false worships , and learn of christ who is meek and lowly , that he may baptise you into his death while you are young , and that he may raise you up in his life to bear witness to his name in your generation ; so you will be a generation in time to come , and will be good patterns in your places to the young generations that are to succeed you : and as evil hath entred by disobedience , and flows into generations as a natural stream in vanity , in customs and traditions , so by christ jesus righteousness may spring and flourish , and flow in from generation to generation ; and then will all generations be blessed in their generation , and have the power and presence of god amongst them . so you coming to be ordered in gods wisdom in your generation , and walking in meekness and humbleness of mind in your generation , and in love and peace unto all people , you will then be a sweet savour in your generation , and your savour will descend to generations to come , and then will the lord delight in you , and multiply your peace and joy , and fill you with his blessing . so young people , fear the lord god in your day and time , that it may be well with you in your latter end . to children . little children , there may be many of you at present , who are not capable to receive information , which in time may grow into that state , as to be sensible of your conditions ; and as you that are not now capable do come into a capacity , let your minds be kept to that of god in you , so will you in your day come to the truth , and walk in the truth with those , which in this present time are in a capacity to be informed into it , and are made willing to receive it ; for , children , there is but one truth , and that truth is christ jesus , who through all generations is the same , and the truth is the way to god , and leads to god ; and so christ jesus is the light , the way , the truth , and the life , and there is none comes to the father , but by him ; and christ saith , learn of me , for i am meek and lowly , and you shall find rest for your souls . so you must mind the light with which christ enlightens you , which light is in your consciences , and with its light it will let you see when you think any bad thoughts , or speak any bad words , or when you do any thing amiss , if you tell a lye it will shew it unto you ; if you swear , it will let you see that you have done amiss ; if you be angry , or froward , or perverse , or hasty , the light will let you see that you should not do such things , and will make them manifest unto you to be evil ; then when you see the evil with the light , love the light that shews it ; and if you love the light , the light will guide you , and lead you in the way of peace ; and if you keep your mind unto it , and love it , then you will not walk in darkness , nor run into the evil deeds of darkness ; and this will be your peace . and upon the first dayes , which the heathen calls sunday , do not run into wicked practises , but seeing it is a day in which people do not follow their labours , be careful that in keeping of it , you keep it to the lord ; and take your books , and read in that which is good , you that can read ; and when you do not read , and you that cannot read , keep quiet , and be still , and sit in the fear of god , and do not run into vain sports , which upon that day is practised and observed , for then you will grieve god that made you , and he will correct you as disobedient children : and when you read the scriptures , read them in the fear of god , and not with a vain mind , and wait to understand what you read , for the scriptures was given forth from the spirit of god , and you cannot understand them , though you read them , and get them as they are in words into your memory , but as you come to a measure of the light and spirit of god in your selves , which is the same in you , according to measure , as was in them that gave the scriptures forth ; for the scriptures , which from the spirit of god was given forth , they are true and faithful sayings of the holy men of god , who knew god in his power , and in his life , and in his wisdom . but children , the scriptures are spoken to divers states , and lyeth in divers administrations , and yet all from one spirit given forth ; and as you read in places , then consider with your selves , what that administration is in it self , and unto what state it is spoken , and whether you can witness that state in your selves ; and as you read in the light , and wait in the light , the scriptures will open to you , and you will come to know the scriptures fulfilled in you , and then you will understand them , and have comfort in them , or otherwise they will not do you any good to read them . so when you read any place of scripture then weigh it well in your minds , and consider , whether that scripture be fulfilled in you , and how your state standeth in relation to that state which the scripture speaks of : for you may read in the scripture , that it is said , remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth ; then consider that scripture well , and examine your selves , and try whether you remember your creator ; or forget him , for if you do evil , then you forget your creator ; if you do not walk in his fear , you do not remember him ; if you tell a lye , or be froward , or sport your selves in vanity , you do not then remember your creator , and you erre from that scripture , and from the spirit that gave it forth ; and then what good will the scripture do you to read it ? for people have read them , and heard them , and the priests have been giving meanings to them long enough ; but what better are such for reading and hearing them , or for the priests meanings either concerning them , who are from the spirit in themselves , from which they were given forth , and so knows not the fulfilling of them . and you may read in the scriptures , that christ said , i am the light of the world ; he that follows me shall not abide in darkness . then consider where you are , for if you be come to the light , and follow the light , then you dare not lye , nor swear , nor be froward , nor proud , nor heady , nor vain in any thing ; for if you live in such things , you are in darkness , and under the power of the devil , and doth not follow christ the light : then what good will the reading of the words do you ? or what is the profit which you reap by reading the scriptures , and to read that christ hath spoken such words , and to have a belief in you that the words are true , and you your selves be in darkness , and under the condemnation of the light , because you do not follow it ? you have no profit at all by reading the scriptures . again , you may read in the scriptures , that christ saith , learn of me , i am meek and lowly . now if you be heady and hafty , then you do not learn of christ ; so you are from both the scripture and the spirit ; then what do you profit by reading them ? and so of all the rest of the scriptures in their places . wait to understand the administration and the condition , and not only how it might lye to others then , but how it lyes to you now ; for the scriptures saith god resisteth the proud , and giveth grace to the humble . now there is two states spoken of in those words , and also two administrations , the one of resisting , and the other of giving , for god resisteth the one , and gives grace to the other : so to understand this in your selves ; for if you be proud , and exalted in your minds , and make your selves merry over the witness of god , then doth god resist you in that state , and you cannot come unto him , but lyes under the administration of his justice , and under the condemnation of his power ; but if you be humble-minded , and bow to the light , and obey the light , then god will give his grace unto you , and you will be partakers of the administration of his grace , and his grace will save you from the devils power , for pride is the devils work ; 〈…〉 soever your minds do advance into ; or are lifted up in , wherein you seek any glory or praise to your selves , that is the work of the devil , and is resisted of god ; but your minds being kept humble before god , that is his own work , and he doth not resist that , but gives his grace freely to it , and his grace saveth ; and then you will know that scripture fulfilled in you , where it is written , by grace ye are saved , through faith so by believing in the light , the mind with the light is kept humble to god , and he gives his grace , and by grace is salvation known through faith ; and then you will come to know that scripture fulfilled , where it is written , he that believeth is saved ; for your belief standing in the light , and you coming to obey the light , as it manifests it self in your consciences , then you come out of darkness , and out of sin , and so from under the devils power , and follows christ your saviour ; then you will know christ to be your leader ; for if you obey his light , and follow his light , then he becomes your leader ; and you will come to see what he turns your minds from , and what he leads you out of , and also what he turns your minds into , and what way he leads you in . ( so mark children , ) when you are in sin and vanity , the light of christ doth secretly check 〈…〉 ●ove you ; then standing still in obedience to the light which reproves you , the light turns your minds from the sin , and from the vanity , and gathers your minds to it self , in which there is no sin ; then you yielding to the drawings of the light , and loving the light , it leads you out of that which it doth reprove you for , and so you come from under the condemnation , and receives the mercy , and the light leads you into holiness and goodness , and justifies you . so christ turns from the sin , and then leads out of the sin , if you yield your selves to obey him ; and he also turns to that which is good , and leads to the enjoyment of it . and this is the way of peace , and this is the way where the truth is found , and where life and durable riches are possessed ; and in this state you will know christ the light , the way , the truth , and the life ; then you will know that which is good , and will live in that which is good ; and then you will be servants unto god , and not servants to the devil ; and then god will love you children , and he will shew you favour ; for all that live in sin , are servants to the devil ; all that are proud , and heady , and high-minded , all drunkards , and swearers , and lyars , and prophane persons , all that sports , and playes , and follow ; vanity , they are all servants of the devil , and that is his work they are doing , and rejoycing in , and such are out of the favour of god : but all that obey the light , when for such things it doth reprove them , and with the light comes to be drawn out of them , then they depart out of such evils , and cannot serve the devil any longer , but yields themselves servants to obey christ , and follows christ , and he leads them in humility and lowliness of mind , and he teacheth them to be sober , and to speak truth , and to do justly , and to walk always in fear before him : and when you come into this state , then you are servants of christ , and knows his power that hath redeemed you from under the power of the devil , and so you come from darkness to the light , and from the power of satan to god ; and then you know that scripture fulfilled in you , and are come to the power which remits your sin unto you ; for children , you are conceived in sin ; and though you may not have committed much sin actually , because many of you are young in years , and in the state of infancy , yet you bring the root of sin with you into the world ; ( mark , ) the root of sin is in you from your natural conception , and as you grow in your natural state ; from that root are all the evil branches nourished , and so springs up , and is manifested by you , and then sin is actually committed by you , and the guilt comes upon you , which before you was clear of , though the root of sin was in you . all people that are out of the truth , may learn what this means , though it be written to children ; for sin lies in the root from your conception ; and then you coming to be acted by the devil , who in that root is lodged , you actually commit sin , and comes under condemnation ; and by how much you actually commit sin , by so much the more doth the body of it grow and increase , and the greater the body grows , the harder it is to be broken . therefore , little children , i write unto you in much love , because many of you are yet innocent , and knows not your right hand from your left , that you in time may be careful , for in your tender years you are as young plants , easily bended , but growing up into a fuller strength , you will not so easily be made subject ; for if you come to be wrapped into the root of sin , and delight your selves in the action of it , there will be sharper judgment from the power of god rise against you , and be executed upon you and greater will your condemnation be ; for , as i said before , that the greater the body of sin is , the greater will be the judgment , and it will fall with a greater weight upon you , and the hand of the lord will be more sharp in severity against you . so do not increase your own burdens , by increasing the body of sin , for every sin actually committed by you doth add to the body of it ; but whilst you are young and tender , mind the light of the lord god , and his power in you , and you will be kept clean in your infancy , and so come to be planted into the root of life , whilst you are young , and be nourished in the love of god , and spring up as tender plants in the hand of god , and he will beautifie you with the holiness of his life , whilst you are young , and you will be unto the lord a chosen generation , and generations to come will call you blessed . and so , children , mind the love of god , for god hath much love unto you , for you are not so much defil'd with sin , as many others in whom the body of sin standeth ; and the lord would not have you to commit sin , and to defile your selves with it ; but his love is to you in christ jesus the light , that you might be cleansed whilst you are young , & be kept clean throughout your dayes ; and if you mind the lord , he will do you good , and make you a blessing in his hand , and you will be a good savour in your present generation , and so truth and righteousness will naturally flow unto generations to come , and the seed of the evil-doer with his evil branches will be plucked up , and rooted out , and the pure seed of god will spring and increase , and bring forth its natural fruit of holiness , and mercy , and all goodness ; and the glory of it will spread abroad through generations , and it will become a covering over the earth , as waters cover the sea. and now , children , you being carefull to walk in the fear of god , as you are brought forth in your natural generation , so to pass your dayes in all humility and fear , that your favour may be sweet in your generation , and that the end of your dayes may close in the righteousness and holiness of god , that the next generation which is to come may feel the sweetness of your savour , and that you may leave a sweet savour behind you in the life of god. so little children , i have briefly informed you in many places , and in much plainness i have spoken truth to your capacities , that you may feel the witness of god in your own consciences give an answer , which if you take heed unto you will do well ; therefore be carefull , and the lord god almighty give you an understanding in all things , that you may be a sweet savour to god , and honour god throughout your dayes ; so he will make you children of his kingdom , and heirs of his blessing for ever . to such as are in outward government . the wisdom of god was the first in government , and by wisdom the whole creation was brought forth in a holy order , and by wisdom was governed in its created state , and the whole universe stood subjected in that state unto wisdom's government , and there was no disorder nor confusion throughout the whole body of the creation , but every thing as it was brought forth in wisdom's time and order , so it was subjected under the power of wisdom's government ; but when man degenerated from the wisdom of god , by which all things were made and created , then he went from under the power of wisdom's government in himself , and became actually disposed in his own wisdom , and thereby lost his dominion in gods wisdom : and this was his fall , he fell from the wisdom above , that is pure , into the wisdom below , that is earthly , and sensual , and devilish ; and there the disorder came into him , which by his own wisdom he could not rectifie . and since the orderly government of wisdom hath been lost , there hath been disorder order amongst the sons of men , and so there hath been a setting up of some , who have been appointed for the work of government , and to rule with their power to keep order amongst men , and to keep them in peace one amongst another , and to preserve every man every way in his proper state wherein he outwardly is placed : and in this place moses was appointed and set to govern israel in the wisdom of god ; and it is said , that moses was the meekest man upon the earth , and he governed israel in meekness , and in wisdom , and was a magistrate for good unto them ; and the law that was given him of god , he was faithfull in the execution of it , and the transgressor came under his power , and the righteous was set free , for the law was not made for them , neither did moses execute it upon them . and in those dayes true justice had a free course from the wisdom of god in moses , and he was a praise to them that did well , and a terror to the evil-doers : and here he had the sword placed in his right hand , and it went over the head of the transgressor , and brought the transgressor into subjection : and this was true judgment , and righteous , and the execution of the righteous law , stood in the righteous principle of god , which principle did endue moses with wisdom and with meekness to govern . and the scriptures mention divers governments , which in ages past have been set over the people , and some of them ruled in righteousness , and under them the people had peace ; and some that ruled in cruelty , and in their dayes the people had trouble ; and such rulers turned against the righteous , whom they should have protected ; and then there was a complaint that justice was turned backward , and equity could not enter , and that justice was fallen in the streets , and that the righteous was become a prey ; ( mark , ) the righteous was become a prey , and such were wicked that made a prey upon the righteous . and these things came to pass , either as the rulers received the wisdom of god , or contemned it ; for without the wisdom of god , it is not possible that any should rule for god , or should decree judgment in righteousness , or minister it with a good understanding ; for solomon , who was endued with wisdom , and ruled in wisdom , whose memory doth not perish , but is a good savour this day , he saith , the fear of the lord is to hate evil , pride , and arrogancy , and the evil way , and the froward mouth do i hate . counsel is mine , and sound wisdom : i am understanding , i have strength . by me kings reign , and princes decree justice ; by me princes rule , and nobles , even all the judges of the earth . i love them that love me , and all that seek me early shall find me , prov. . now mark , the fear of the lord is the first step into true government , and the fear of the lord is to hate evil , pride , and arrogancy , and the evil way ; so both the evil , and the evil way must be hated but where such are in government as do practise evil , and delights in evil , and walks in the evil way , and in pride , and arrogancy , then they do not walk in the fear of the lord , and so are not come into the first step of true government , for such cannot have the counsel , nor found wisdom , nor understanding , nor strength , and such can never be a terrour to the evil-doers , who love the evil way themselves ; neither can they be a praise to them that do will , until they hate the evil , and the evil way in themselves . so it is the weighty matter to get wisdom ; and wisdom proffers her self in kindness to all that seek her early , and makes a promise that she will be found of such ; they that seek me early shall find me ; i love them that love me : this is wisdom's voyce , but the evil-doers regard it not , neither do they seek her , or love her ; for , the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom , and the fear of the lord is to depart from evil : then where the evil is loved and practised , where pride and arrogancy is advanced , wisdom is not sought nor regarded ; and such cannot decree and establish their laws in righteousness , for in wisdom alone is the true order and government , it is by wisdom that kings reign , and princes decree justice . so all ye rulers , by what name soever distinguished , let it be your care and diligence to get wisdom , seeing that without wisdom no decree can stand approved unto god ; and therefore it s of the greatest concernment to get wisdom ; for riches and honour are with wisdom , yea durable riches and righteousness ; her fruit is better than gold , and her revenues than choice silver ; she leads in the way of righteousness , ( mark ) wisdom leads in the way of righteousness , and in the midst ▪ of the paths of judgment , that she may cause those that love her to inherit substance , and fill their treasures : and here is wisdom , and her portion to her children , a portion that is durable and everlasting ; and this is a flourishing state , and a standing government ; but without wisdom every throne stands unstedfast , and all nations are like the waves of many waters . therefore ye rulers , consider , and lay it to heart , both all that are present , and all that are to come , for this is to generations ; and you that are present mind your day , time is precious , and but a little remains unto you ; therefore turn to that of god in you , for you cannot be free from its reproof ; it is a principle that doth not respect your persons , for it is in it self the most worthy , noble , and honourable , and no man is truly honourable but in it , though outwardly he may be set on high ; it doth not regard any man for his greatness , but reproves him for his sin , how mighty soever he be amongst men ; this principle which is of god in man , hath a sure testimony against that man which doth evil , and faithfully reproves him in his conscience without regarding his greatness : and this is the light of jesus christ , with which you are enlightned , the light that is present with you every where and in every place , beholds your thoughts when you are upon your thrones ; and when you are together in counsels , and upon your seats of judgment , the light is with you and amongst you , and is in your consciences a witness for god , and if you err from it your decrees can never be established , for there is nothing can stand but that which is of god ; and from hence proceeds the works of mens own wisdom , who decrees statutes , and executes judgment , and not in the counsel of god , their power and strength hath been overturned , and their decrees hath come to nought ; and so shall it be henceforth and for ever , saith the lord , who doth all these things . therefore if you desire that your work may stand , and that it may not be rooted out and come to nought , then mind the light of christ in your consciences , in which light the wisdom of god is received , and you minding the light with the light to be guided , it will lead you in the way of sound judgment , and bring forth truth and righteousness , which god is setting up , and with his arm defends it ; and so in the wisdom of god you will stand in your right places to rule ; for the counsel of the lord is amongst such as receive his wisdom , and he gives his counsel in his wisdom ; but such as are out of the fear of god , they are far off from wisdom's path , and so cannot walk in the way of true judgment ; and such as do not hate the evil , and the evil way , but loves the evil , and the evil way , and the evil-doer , they are far off from wisdom's path , and have more need to be ruled , than to be rulers , for they can never decree judgement in righteousness , nor minister it in truth ; then the sword goes backward every way , and turns against such as it should protect , and protects such as it should fall upon , and so both the decreers and administrators are out of wisdom's path , and can never keep good order under their government ; and though some decrees might formerly stand right in their places , as they were decreed in relation to an outward government , and at that time might be justly executed upon such as were principally intended ; yet the execution of such laws now may be perverted , and by those that are to minister them may be wrested out of their proper place ; and when the ministers of such lawes do put them in execution , touching any matter which may relate to the consciences of people , though that law may stand right in its place , as it was decreed , yet the execution of that law otherwise ministred , than by that law was intended , that execution and judgement doth not run in wisdom's stream ; and in this place there be many lawes diverted , and in the execution is wrested out of their place , and in the practise of the law there are many false streams crept in , which by the law it self was never intended ; and so in many cases honest people are wronged , who are made the only objects of the eyes of the administrators of the law , against whom the law it self doth not appear intentionally ; and here justice is turned backward , and the righteous is made a prey , and both the execution of some lawes , and also the practise in them are perverted , and poor men they are wronged , and know not which way to do themselves right by the law , though they be free to use the law ; for first , being imbodyed in an unknown tongue to most men , they are not in a capacity to understand them ; secondly , the head of them being onely at one place , poor men cannot attend their own business , but are forced to employ and entrust strangers with it , who many times prove negligent , and for want of care on their part , many poor men suffer loss : thirdly , the many curiosities that stand in the practise of the law , which by poor men cannot be attained , and so are constrained , if they make use of it , to buy it at an unreasonable dear rate ; which if the fountain and the stream did spring and issue forth in the wisdom of god , it might be otherwise , and might every way be reduced into better order : but touching the practise , there is something opened more fully in divers cases , in a book entituled , the standing truth . so let every man in his place be diligent , that you may redeem the time that is past ; and from high to low , who have a hand in any place to rule , take counsel of the lord in all you do , whether it be in decreeing , or executing , and let not any law be decreed , or stand in force that is decreed , which in any place may bind the conscience , but break them down , and lay them waste , for they bring distress and sorrow every way ; for many innocent people come under hard usage in outward sufferings by them , and such as makes them , and executes them , they come under the hand of god , and his rebuke , and in that place they do themselves most wrong ; for they go heavily in themselves , whilst judgement is their cup to drink , and it doth assuredly fall , and will remain for ever , without speedy repentance . so to be in the wisdom of god is a high state , such are in a capacity to rule , for they fear the lord , and hate both the evil , and the evil way , and in the wisdom of god they are worthy of honour , and the hearts of the innocent can give it them , and they will not expect any thing more ; and in the wisdom good order is brought forth amongst all people , and love , and peace , and unity will grow and spring under that government , and universal peace will spread over all the earth , in the universal love of god , then kings will reign , and princes decree justice , and the vine will over spread , and there will be a sitting down under it without fear . and now , o ye rulers , be wise in your places , for the concernment is great unto you ; there is one above you whose judgment is true for ever , he is king of kings , and lord of lords , strong and powerful is his arm , who dwells in the heavens that is higher than all , and in his hand you are but as potters clay : therefore fear before him , and wait for his wisdom , that you may bring all things into right order , in such places and matters as you have power to order , that quietness and peace may be setled , and the issue of blood stopped , that so you may get your selves a name , which unto generations to come may be a good savour ; but if you seek not the lord in your day , and set not his fear before your eyes , then will your names fall , and the remembrance of them will cease in your generation ; therefore , again i say unto you all , who are in government this day , prize time while it is present . to ministers of parishes , so called . to be an able minister of the spirit , is a place to be honoured and esteemed , for such doth labour truly in the word and doctrine , and what is made manifest in the spirit , and from the spirit declared , such a one is a true minister , not of the letter , but of the spirit , and such doth not speak words which mans wisdom teacheth , but in the demonstration of the spirit , and in power ; and here stood their preaching , who were endued with power and wisdom from on high , and in that went forth to gather the scattered , and the dispersed both of jews and gentiles , and to bring them into one spirit ; and they did not go forth until they had received power , and were endued with wisdom from on high ; but they were to tarry at jerusalem , and wait for it , and in waiting for it the gift came upon them , and they received it , and were able ministers in it ; then they having received the power and wisdom from on high , in the power and wisdom they received their message , and there was a necessity layed upon them to preach that unto others , which they had received of god ; and they were the good stewards of the manifold grace of god ; and these were sent of god to proclaim the glad tidings of peace through the gospel , and that jews and gentiles might be converted and turned unto god , who were seperated and alienated from his life , and they went forth in the joy of gods salvation , and preached salvation by jesus christ , and declared the glad tidings of the gospel of peace ; and in the power and wisdom which they had received of god , they were made manifest to every mans conscience in the sight of god , and there was no enticing words amongst them , but plainness of speech as became the gospel : and these were true ministers , who sought the salvation of souls , and preached jesus christ the salvation of god ; these were moved in the power and wisdom which they had received , to travel in hunger , and cold , and nakedness , and perils ; and to suffer and endure stripes , and buffetings , and bonds ; and as they were ordered in the power , so they went from place to place , and from city to city , and from country to country , to make known the glad tidings of salvation , and to preach the gospel of peace ; and in this stood their service for god , and they gathered many unto god , who where alienated from him ; and when jews and gentiles had received their message , then they were converted and turned unto god , and came to believe in jesus christ , and to know his salvation ; and then they did not abide amongst the unconverted jews and gentiles , but come out from amongst them , and came into unity , in the spirit , and in the truth , and came into the faith of christ , and were true believers ; and so they met together in the fear of the lord god , and worshipped him in his spirit , and in his truth , which they had received ; and when they thus met together , then the church was met together , and christ the wisdom of god was amongst them , and ordered them in the performance of all their services , and he had the preheminence in all things , and in the motion of his power and wisdom they preached , and they prayed , and they edified and comforted one another , and there was no limitation of the spirit amongst them , but whether son or daughter , in whom the spirit moved , they performed the service faithfully , as the spirit required , and if any thing was revealed to another that sat by , the first was to hold his peace ; and this was the church-order , where christ the wisdom of god , had the government and the preheminence . and here was the true church , and the true church-order , in the wisdom of god , here where no parishes , nor parish-churches ; here was no set maintenance in particular places , but a free declaration of gods eternal love , by jesus christ ; and they preached the gospel freely , and neither money nor price was expected for it ; and this was found preaching , and praying , and worshiping ; and they had the power and presence of god amongst them , and they rejoyced in his salvation , and drunk the cup of his blessing freely : and these ministers were not by man , nor of man , but by the revelation of jesus christ , ( mark , ) by the revelation of jesus christ , and christ revealed the things of god freely , and he said , freely ye have received , freely give ; and they were faithful to his command , and did not enquire how they should be outwardly provided for , but they trusted the lord , and it was well with them ; so did they gather flocks , and the flocks gave them milk ; they planted vineyards , and the vineyards yielded them fruit , and they did eat the fruit of their own labour joyfully , and were truly contented ; this was a pure gospel-ministration , and these were true and faithful ministers of it , whom the lord god sent forth in his living power , with the message of eternal life ; and they preached the gospel , and did live by the gospel , ( mark , ) they that preached the gospel did live by the gospel ; this was pure refreshment and nourishment unto their souls , and the river of living waters did flow out of their bellies , and was a refreshment to many thirsty souls in that day . but oh ye ministers of parishes ! how are you degenerated from this living way , and from this glorious dispensation of the love of god to the sons of men ? what is the message that you have received ? and what is the tidings which you bring unto people ? and what is the practise that you observe ? oh that you would once lay it to heart , and consider it seriously ! how many in all your time have you converted unto god ? and how many have you brought to the faith in christ jesus ? and what is the peace that is reaped by your gospel ? how many sit complaining for want , who yet know not the salvation of god , but sit mourning and cannot find a resting place ? your balm doth not heal , your water doth not refresh ; you are unskilful physitians at the best , and you cannot relieve a distressed soul , you do not receive your gospel freely , but spend some years before you get it , and with great summes of money you come to obtain it , and so it is your own , and not the lords ; and his way you do not know , but have invented your own devices , and sell your gospel for what you can get , and preach it at the greatest advantage to your selves , and so you buy and sell , and reap the profit : but what doth the soul reap by your ministry ? and where is the refreshment that supplies the needy ? poor souls may cry and mourn under you , and never meet with satisfaction from you . oh , grief and sorrow , that proud , heady , high-minded men should be appointed for such a service , and should be maintained after such a manner , when they are so far degenerated from the life and truth of god in themselves ! and what sadness it is to innocency , to see many thousands of people carried away with their windy doctrine , which in the cunning craftiness they have invented , and with ●hat deceives poor people , and tosses their minds to and fro at their own pleasures : if you that are ministers will but look into your selves , and into your practise , you may behold ( though your eyes are very dim ) that you are exceedingly degenerated from the way of truth , and gospel-ministers , and also the gospel it self . therefore be not obstinate and rebellious in your minds , but submit to the reproof of the lord jesus christ , for his ministers you are not , neither do ye bring true tidings of him , and therefore you are reproved by him , which he would not do if you were his , and it would be better for you to look into your own houses , and make things sure at home , before you take upon you to preach to others ; for you that have not the joy of gods salvation in your selves , can never bring others to sit downe in it ; and every wise man would know his own standing to be safe before he go forth to build up others , for if you your selves be cast away whilst you are preaching to others , what will the end of your labour be ? and what will be your reward ? surely much grief and sorrow . therefore consider your present time , and think not to say with your selves , we are christs ministers , and it will be well enough with us ; this will not bring peace in the latter end ; for both you and your hearers must all come to that of god in you , before you come into peace with god , and you must know a war against the corruption that imbondages gods creation : there is much work to be done in you , before you can come into peace with god ; there is a body of self stands in you , which you must deny in every place , and there is a daily cross to be taken up , and a strait gate to enter , before you can know your peace sealed . and where is the man amongst you that is willing to deny himself for christ ? he that hath hundreds a year for his preaching , let him deny himself in that place , and manifest his love to christ : but this is a hard saying to the easeful part , that would feed upon the fat : and if you were following in some other places , yet this would put a stop to many of you , and you would rather chuse to draw back from christ , than to part with your great livings for him : and what a distance doth this make betwixt you and christ , consider , and how far off you walk to pure gospel-order , or gospel-ministers . it is the light of the lord that is the way of truth , the light that is pure , with which you are enlightned , and that light you must come unto in your own consciences , and own its manifestation , and obey it , or unavoydably it will be your condemnation ; for none can be saved , but in the light with which christ jesus enlightens them ; and if you outstand the manifestation of that light , you are undone for ever ; but if you turn to it , love it , and obey it , then it may go well with you , though you have very much to account for ; for your sins , if considered , are the heaviest of many others , and the seed of god bears the burden of them ; for you do not only erre your selves , but you are the cause that makes many others to erre with you , and with the dark devices of your imaginations , you keep them closed within your deceit ; so that you have the weight of others to bear in divers places , and this will be too heavy for you , except you speedily re●●●●● and surely the lords compassion is much manifested in sparing you until this time ; how many offences doth his love cover ! and how many faults doth he behold in you ! and yet passeth by , and doth not exercise severity , though with his light he reprove you in every place , where you are amiss . and by this you may know that you are none of christs ministers , for whom he sends forth he justifies , but who runs when he sends them not , such he doth condemn ; and you may be sensible that you are reproved in many things , and guilt doth fall upon your consciences in many places , for the light is a swift witness against all that you practise as ministers , it doth not allow of you nor your practise in any place for you have not received the power and wisdom from on high , but have received your message from your inventions , and you preach it for your own profit ; and here you run when the lord sends you not , and speaks when he doth not open your months , and sets your time when he doth not appoint it ; and how can you in those things stand justified ? surely you are the farthest amiss of all people , because you pretend a spiritual office , and to have understanding in divine mysteries , and from thence are set up to be teachers of others , when you have never known the work of gods power to change you from your carnal state , and so knows not divine mysteries revealed by jesus christ , nor are not set up by him to proclaim the gospel of his peace : and therefore in these things you say you are what you are not , but are found lyars , as some was in times past , who said they were apostles , and were not , but was found lyars , and no lye is of the truth , but with the truth is reproved ; and a lye is a bad message in the mouth of a minister , and yields a bad favour amongst honest people , to say you are that which you are not , and to say you are sent of god , when you are not , and to say you preach the gospel , when you do not , neither indeed can ye in the state of your carnallity : were it not better for you to speak the truth , and not to lye ? and whether you had not need to repent of these things ? consider in time ; for the scriptures declares that the devil is a lyar , and that he hath been so from the beginning , and that he is the father of lyes , and all lyars must be cast into the lake . and this may make you tremble to consider , who say you are ministers of christ , and are not , but are found lyars ; let not that proverb be used any more amongst you , nor do not report such things of your selves any more , for you are fathomed with the light , and with the light you are made manifest ; and being seen with the light to be so far amiss , you are pityed ; and from the same is this written unto you : and though in some places it meet you with sharp reproof , yet it is in love to your souls , and in the love there is much coveted and passed by , which doth belong to you : but what is written is written to inform you wherein you are amiss in many things , and also that you might turn to the light of christ in your day , and receive the testimony of the light in your own consciences , and hear the voyce of christ within you , and love it when it reproves you , for there is a message of love from god in the reproof , and by that you may know he would not have you perish , for he reproves the evil , that you may turn from the evil and forsake the evil , out of which the light will draw you , if you stand still and obey when reproof cometh ; and if you do but receive this pure principle of light which is manifest in your consciences , which is the light of christ jesus ; then you must come down into his sufferings , and be made conformable unto his death , and be buried with him in baptism , and then your raising up will be in his power , and in his life , and you will know the gospel in him , and the peace of the gospel through christ unto you , and the joy of his salvation in your own bosoms ; and then will his life be as a well of water , and the streams of his love will overcome you to love him again ; and then you will know what the necessity is to preach the gospel , and to proclaim the glad tidings of it unto others that want it : and there is the true ministry in the spring , and in the vertue of his own life ; and then you will know neither money nor price can buy it , neither money nor price is to be paid for it : and this makes able ministers , whose state it is not of the letter , but of the spirit ; for in this power and wisdom that is in christ jesus , stands the true ministry , and whatsoever is not of this is false and reproved ; and if this you come unto , then you will know that you receive your message from him , and that you are sent of him , and his love constrains you to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation , which in your selves you know to be in christ ; and this will stop your own mouths in every place , and you dare not open them to speak of god and christ , but as a necessity is laid upon you , and as the love constrains you : and so you must first learn silence , and stop your mouths from speaking your own words , and keep your feet from running your own way , and come to know christ your own teacher whithin you , and learn the divine mysteries of his kingdom , before you undertake the office of ministers ; and if you do not come to this , you are dead whilst you live , and are but as so many withered branches of a dead root , which yields no fruit unto god. therefore be wise in time , and receive instruction , and chuse wisdom before riches , and get wisdom before great livings , and come out of your parish-churches , and out of all your formal practises , and worship no longer the works of your own hands ; but deny your selves in every place , and answer the light in obedience , and take up the dayly cross and follow it , so will the power crucifie your wills and wisdoms , and empty you of all your old things , and cleanse you from your defilements , and then will new things spring up in you , and a new heart and mind will be placed in you , and a new tongue will be given you , and translation will be perfected by the hand of the almighty , and through regeneration you will come to know the kingdom , and then you will not set up the kingdom in words and observations , but in your selves will feel it to be righteousness , and peace , and joy in the holy ghost ; and then you will know settlement in the kingdom , which is a better inheritance then your settlements in parishes ; and except you be regenerated and born again , you cannot enter into the kingdom of god ; and that you are not yet regenerate is evidently manifested through the old things that are yet alive in you , with which you are carried about and tossed , and rouls in the air as clouds of darkness , that eclipses the brightness of the sun's glory : and so you are wandring stars in the changable motions of your own wills ; but who are fixed in the same stands firm for ever . mark that , and learn it , for if you be not born of god , you are yet in the flesh , and in the flesh dwells no good thing , neither can any in the flesh please god who is a spirit ; and all flesh is grass , and the glory of it as the flower of grass ; the grass withereth , and the flower thereof fadeth away , but the word of the lord endures for ever . therefore let all flesh be silent before him . and there be many that have seen an end of all flesh , and are come to the word of the lord , that endures for ever ; and they are taught by the word , and edified and comforted in the word , and they know every strange voice , and cannot follow a stranger , and they are set in the kingdom which changeth not , and inherits the peace of the kingdom , and such cannot observe your formal observations , nor drink of the streams of your poluted fountain , for they have sweet water in the spring of blessing , and their souls rejoyce in the river of god : therefore ye ministers of parishes , give over your ministry , and stand still , and behold what god is bringing to pass this day ; for he is bringing a famine upon your land , and desolation upon your countrey , and he is laying waste your habitation , and spoyling your goodly buildings ; and he is bringing forth his own work , and spreading abroad the glory of his wisdom , and his own seed reigneth , and his sure defence is stretched forth over it , and no weapon formed against it shall prosper : therefore be you silent . to such as practise in the nations law. christ jesus is the law-giver , and his law is holy , and just , and righteous ; and this law is good if it be used lawfully , it takes hold upon all transgressors , and goes over the transgressor in judgement ; and this is a pure administration of judgement , when christ sits upon his throne , who judges right in every place : and this judgement must every man come unto in himself , before he can minister true judgement unto others ; for untill man come to the judgement of god in himself , and know judgement brought forth unto victory , how can he sit upon the throne of true judgement ? or how can he be in a capacity to minister true justice unto others ? it is not possible ; for man as he is in himself , can never answer the mind of god ; and whilest he remains unregenerated , he is but himself , and is a carnal man , filled with carnal reason , and a carnal mind ; and that part can never minister true judgement , because it doth not know the things of god ; and until the things of god be perfectly known , there is errour in judgment ; for it is not possible that any man should judge in truth , who is not come to the truth in himself ; and none doth come to the truth in themselves , but who comes to the light with which they are enlightned , which light is christ the law-giver , and that which is not received in this principle , and executed in this principle , it is not of christ , but of man ; and so men do make laws , and puts them in execution after the manner of their own wisdoms , and in their own way , when christ the wisdom of god is not known amongst them ; neither have they his counsel with them , either in making them , or executing them . and though some laws , in some particular cases , may be intentionally good , according to the knowledge of those that makes them ; yet through the execution of them they are many times perverted , and a wrong use is made of them , in the wills of such as have power to execute them ; and by such practises there is wrong done many times unto those unto whom the law intendeth right ; and there is also many laws , which in themselves do err from the good and sound principle of truth , and do not stand consistent with the present manifestation of truth in this day , nor with the present temper and constitution of men ; for that which in ages past might stand answerable to the constitution of that present generation , wherein they had their institution , yet the continuance of them , and the practise in them , in generations following may not so fully answer the present time then , as in the time when they were first instituted ; so that through the execution of such laws , out of their time and place , do many times fall heavy upon some , which was never intended by such as first instituted them ; so that every geneneration is to be ordred and governed by such laws as may answer the present temper of men , and the present manifestation of truth in that present generation ; for to bind any mans conscience now by such laws as were made hundred years ago , is to set bounds to the spirit , and to limit god if it were possible ; and then for such laws to be put in execution by men who can search no further than the letter of the law directs them , this is a practise that stands onely by tradition , and not from any present manifestation of god through which true judgment is ministred . and this makes the yoke to be grievous upon the necks of innocent people , where old laws do stand in force , touching the conscience in any place ; and it is not reasonable , that such laws that were made in years past , should in this day be executed upon any people in point of conscience , and that for this reason , because there is no limitation of god , but he manifests himself through ages and generations , according to his pleasure ; and if ages past did make laws which might relate to things different amongst them in point of conscience then , yet that is not a sufficient ground to continue that law in force , and to put it in execution in relation to the conscience now , or in ages that do succeed ; because the lord may make known himself in a more fuller manifestation in this age , then in ages past ; and every man is to be faithfull to the present manifestation of god in his own day ; and therefore not reasonable by any old law , to suppress him from the exercise of his conscience towards god , nor to bind him to any thing , of which he is not convinced through the present manifestation of truth in himself ; and besides , it is not reasonable that men should make laws in their present generation , which may in any case relate to the consciences of any people , because in the same generation there may be divers manifestations of truth according to measure ; and for any law to be made , and executed upon such as differ in judgment , and practise from those that have the present power , it is not reasonable , because such as may come under the punishment of that law , may stand faithfull to god in that which he makes manifest to them in that day ; and therefore not reasonable to make a law to punish them for their obedience to god , nor to put that law in execution against such a people . therefore , ye that rule this day , consider it , and all that practise in the law , weigh things coolly , that you may come to know christ jesus the law-giver , whose light is manifest in all your consciences , which gives true judgment in you upon all transgression ; and you must come to the light , with the light to be guided , before you can come to the true judgment-seat , for whilst the light is contemned by you , you judge , and judge amiss , and so punishes the innocent , and lets transgressours go free ; and not understanding the things of god in your selves , you call light , darkness ; and truth , error ; and good , evil ; and not discerning , you proceed in judgment against the truth , as if it were error ; and because you call it so , you conclude it is so , and from that ground give your judgment against it . and was not this the rash conclusion of the jewes , who said that christ was a deceiver , and a prince of devills ; now their saying so , did not make christ the wisdom of god to be so ; yet having said it and concluded it in their dark minds , they made a law , and then they said , we have a law , and by our law he ought to die , and by that law they condemned and crucified the holy and the just one , and spared a murtherer , now whether was this law and the execution of it right on their parts , who acted in it ? i tell you nay , for christ jesus was the light , and the truth , and the life and the power , and the wisdom of god amongst them , though they closed their eyes , and stopt their eares , and hardened their hearts against him , and so spake reproachfully of him , and by wicked hands crucified him . and so it is needful for you to consider , lest seeing , you see not , and lest by thinking you see , you be blind , and so stumble at the light which would do you good , and turn against the truth it self under the name of error . and this is for you to consider in seriousness , both high and low that are concerned in the execution and practise of the law , that you may stay your judgment in such cases as pertain to the conscience , and let that thing alone , for it is peculiar unto god , and it doth not at all belong unto you , nor to your places , for in this case every man must stand or fall to his own master ; and you may condemn a man in this case by your law , when the lord justifies him and cleares him in his own conscience from all offences ; and doth not the scripture say , it is god that justifieth ; who shall condemn ? and who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? now if you charge gods elect , and condemen them by your law , may not you be called in question for so doing ? and may it not be said , who are you that doth thus ? it is god that justifieth ; and surely he doth justifie all his elect and chosen ones , who of his seed are born . but this is a mysterie to you , and if you turn to the light of christ , it will shew you , that the conscience of another is without the compass of your laws , and all judgment that you give in such cases is but from things that do appear , and you are not to judge according to the appearance , but to judge righteous judgment , and that is the judgment brought forth in the principle of god , which principle finds out the heart , and lays judgment to the line , and righteousness to the plummet ; and so begins at the bottom , and cleanses out the corrupt ground in the heart ; and this is true judgment and righteous . but you are judging things that do appear , and so one sets up , and another pulls down , and one crys lo here , and another cryes lo there , and one is for one form , and another for a contrary form , and your difference lyes about forms onely , and your judgment goes forth against such as differ from your form : and this is your own judgment , which the lord rebukes ; for the principle of god is a heart-searcher , and doth not judge according to the appearance only : and this principle is within every one of you , and with it you may see how you stand in practise every way , and how your minds are disposed , and what is the intents of your own hearts , for there is much wrong done to an innocent people through these things , which , in some particular cases in matter of practise , is mentioned in a book , entituled , the standing truth , which i shall here pass by , for i now speak more generally , and in the universal love of god , in which i have much pity to all sorts of people that are out of order in their places , who have not the wisdom of god to guide them in what they are called unto , and so run in confusion and disorder in what they practise , and giving judgment of things in their own way , which is not approved in the sight of god. therefore ye rulers and lawyers , keep your watch at wisdoms post ; and if you would flourish in your dayes , and leave a good savour behind you when your dayes are finished , then receive wisdom in the light , with which you are enlightned , turn your minds thither , and be diligent , that so the judgment of the lords power may go over the transgressing part in your selves , and that the spirit of judgment and burning may cleanse your old habitations in every place ; then you will know christ in you , and the law which proceeds out of his mouth , which law is holy , and righteous , just and good , and you will know his throne of true judgment , and behold him sitting upon his throne in your selves , and judging down all your evil thoughts , words , and deed ; then you will know the law-giver , and the hand that executes it in righteousness upon the transgressour ; and there is , christ the wisdom of god felt and known , in which wisdom deep matters are found out , and the secret things which lyes hid in the heart they are discerned , and judgment goeth forth against the transgressor . and this makes rulers wise in their several places , and fills them with gravity and sound judgment , and makes them honourable in their generation , and in wisdom good order will be brought forth amongst you , which now is wanting for want of wisdom ; for if the practise in your law was traced thorough , how many by-paths might you be found in who are concerned in it , surely very many , and being many , you smother them amongst your selves by your own practise , and being so that the practise lyes amongst your selves , you can answer one another in your own wayes , and there is none can discern you ; but who walks in the light of the lord , which makes all things manifest , and sees thorough the hidden things of darkness . so be wise in your day , as becometh men , be sober and moderate , and coole and quiet in your places , that is comely amongst men , and receive christ jesus the wisdom of god ; thus you may be a good savour in your generations as becomes christians , and that the meek , pure , holy humble , righteous principle of god in you , may dispose you in the power and wisdom of it self , and change you into the purity of its own nature , and that it may manifest the vertue of its own life , and bring forth its own fruit in all godliness , justice , mercy , equity , and truth ; so will your names abide , and ages to come will feel the sweetness of your savour ; but if you reject the wisdom of god , and yet go on in your own way , a blot will fall upon your names , and ages to come will tread upon you as not worthy of remembrance , and god will raise up others to do his work . therefore in your day mind the lord , and his fear , and be just in all things , and let not gifts blind your minds , nor rewards turn away your eares from the poor ; cast bribery behind you , and tread covetousness under your feet ; for whilest such things are entertained , true judgment must needs be perverted , and in that place your own souls lyes in bondage to corruption , and you are destitute of gods salvation , which is the saddest state that any man can be in ; for the soul is of more value than all the world , and a wise man loves his own soul , and waits to know the redemption of it , which cannot be redeemed by any corruptible thing , as gold and silver , though you had never so much of it , but with the precious blood of christ jesus ; and what will it profit you to be in great dignity , and high in honour amongst men , and to possess much of the worlds riches , nay , if you had all the world , and lose your own souls ? you are undone for ever , and surely your way doth tend to the chambers of death . therefore i say again to you all , be wise in time , and look to your particular places , and let the streams of honesty and equity run amongst you , and do not pervert things which in themselves are honest , but follow the thing that is good in all you practise , that you may have peace in your latter end. to such as trade in weights and measures . an equal balance with a just weight is approved of god , and a true measure in all things is a good favour unto god , and in such just and equal practises god is well pleased , and his name his honoured ; for that which is just and equal and honest , that yields a good savour ; when every man and woman walks with a conscience void of offence towards god and men , and deals justly and equally with every man they have dealings with in their places , this is comely and commendable amongst men , and is justified before god , and it keeps the conscience cleare from stain and guilt , and brings true peace to every man whose practise stands in any place : for when every man answers his place faithfully unto god , then doth he possess the peace of god. and if people do not deal justly and equally in their respective places , they cannot have peace with god ; for if they do not answer their places faithfully as unto god , they erre from their calling , and goeth out of their place in which god hath placed them : if they have deceitful weights and measures , and an unequal balance , and do not yield the full weight and measure to every man they deal withal , they do not answer their places faithfully , for the lord appoints unto men their places in their callings , and he makes some capable of one place , and some of another , and doth require of every man faithfulness in his place ; and if he do not perform his place faithfully , then he grives the lord ; if he do not strive in singleness to perform his place faithfully , his conscience doth offend both god and honest men , and in that place the peace of god cannot be his portion ; for the light of the lord in his own conscience doth pursue him , and is a swift witness against him : if he have an unjust weight , and ballance , or measure , and thereby defraud , and cozen , and deceive such as he deals withall , he stands with a guilty conscience before god , and receives judgement from the righteous principle of god in himself ; for all deceit , and fraud , and guile , and cozening , and cheating , and dissembling is in the fall , and with the light of christ jesus is reproved , and with the light you may see in your selves , when you deal falsely , either in weight or measure , or any other way : then consider what that is which discovers it , for it cannot be any thing of self , because self seeks the advantage by such dealings ; then it must needs be something of god that discovers it , and reproves it , and it is the light of christ which doth so make manifest your dealings in every place ; and with the light you may see when you intend to defraud by your false weights and measures , and your unequal ballance , and when you do not allow weight and measure in such things as you deal withall in your trading , and you may see that it is not right on your part when you stand in any deceivable practise , and is defrauding and cheating of others ; neither can you have peace with god in that place , for god doth not allow of any thing , but that which is just and equal ; and if any of you act or do otherwise , with the light in your conscience you will be reproved , and by that you may know when you transgress , and sin against the lord ; and when you seek to please your selves , and to gain to your selves by defrauding another any way , or in any thing , either by an unjust weight and ballance , or measure , and you may see when your hand would deal deceitfully in weight or measure ; and you may see that you have not a sound and right mind in that thing , but a covetous end which would get profit any way . and how much are these things practised this day amongst men , who are from the principle of god in themselves , and are not come to know it to be their guide , nor to stand in awe of it ? they think if they can but hide their deceit from men , and that men do not complain of them then all is well enough ; and this party is a self-seeker , and a man-pleaser ; first , seeks profit by deceit , and then would please men with fair words , to get a good report , and such doth not regard the lord , not his fear ; and so men sets up wicked practises , and by lying , and swearing , and cheating , and deceit , they seek their own gain by them ; how will many men commend that thing which they have to sell , and will not fear to pass their word in the praise of it , when they know in themselves that it is not so , as they speak of it ; this is a great evil , and grieves the lord. and how is covetous practises exercised amongst men in their dealings one with another ! and how doth deceit and guile abound in such dealings ! and how do men study deceit , and with all their strength strive to advance ! and surely the lord is grieved with it from day to day . therefore all people that are concerned in such practises , mind the light of the lord in your own consciences , that is a good principle alwayes present with you , though you in your wicked practises be distinct from it , and doth not regard it , yet it is within you , and is a witness against you , and you cannot hide your secrets from it . you may hide your deceit from men , and may please them with fair words , though you do deceive them in your dealing ; but you cannot hide deceit from god , neither can you please god , but in doing that which is just and equal every way ; and if you do not so , you grieve him , and draws his hand forth against you , with which he corrects you in secret . and if you now be diligent , and obey the reproof of the light , and joyn to the light , it will guide you in the fear of god , and will teach you to do right in all things , and upon all occasions , and do as justly in secret as if men did see your dealings , and you dare not do otherwise , for the fear of god will be placed in your hearts if you love the light ; and this is a righteous guide , and all that follow it are guided in righteousness , and so comes to deal righteously , and equally , and justly with all men ; and so the practise of truth , will stand in the principle of truth , and that is a sure foundation ; and such seeks to please god above all things , and to stand approved unto him ; and so from the righteous principle of god you will come to measure justly , and weigh equally , and your ballance , and measures , and weights , will be all true according to their places , and your hearts will be true , and your hands true ; and here you will come to discharge your selves in your places with a good conscience towards god and men ; and you will not regard the eyes of men , but the principle of god ; and this will be just dealing , and righteous in the ground ; for it is the righteous principle that brings it forth , and it will answer to the same principle in another . and if in this you stand , then will honest men speak well of you , and god will approve you , and you will then stand with a conscience void of offence towards god and men ; and here you will have the answer of a good conscience , and peace with god ; and you will be a good savour unto god , and honour god in your places , and so will finish your time with joy and not with grief ; and that will be the the greatest profit unto you , for the desire of money is the root of all evil , which whilst some covet after , they pierce their souls through with many sorrows . therefore be warned if you love your own souls ; and those that be your prentises , be carefull over them , and order them in the wisdom of god ; and first teach them the fear of god , and keep them out of vanity and bad company ; for many are enticed to do evil in their youngness , and so doth themselves wrong , and doth wrong to you whom they ought to serve faithfully ; and this many times comes to pass through your allowance of liberty , in which liberty they run into vanity , and falls into bad company , and then temptations they are presented , and there is a readiness to joyn with them , and to put the thing in practise , and so there is wrong done every way . therefore keep your eye over them in the wisdom of god , and be not hard nor severe with them in their places , but meekly instruct them in the thing that is good , and allow them that which is convenient to their places , and learn them to deal justly upon all occasions , and not to defraud any man upon any account ; so will your savour be sweet in all places , and you will reap more profit every way by so doing , then by practising deceit ; so in all things be diligent , for it must so come to pass concerning you , that time will cease , and be no more unto you in this world , and then you must stand before the lord as you are : and if you have obeyed the lord , and done well in your time and places , then you will have your reward ; but if you have disobeyed the lord , and dis-regarded his counsel , and have spent your time in deceit , then in sorrow you will lye down , and your latter end will be bitterness : therefore remember your end . to such as buy and sell in markets , or in any other places . man was created upright , but he hath sought out many inventions . and through inventions disorder is come amongst men , and by defrauding , and cozening , and cheating one another , they run into confusion and distraction , and so are gone from the created uprightness into subtilty and inventions , and with that subtil part they invent their wicked practises , and studies how to gain their own advantage in their dealing . and from this ground arises all deceit amongst men in buying and selling , and trading ; and they will commend their cattel and their commodities above what they are , and above what they know them to be , to gain advantage ; and though they know that their commodity be not at all worthy of commendations , yet the subtil part inventeth how to commend it , and how to set a great price upon it , and by subtilty thinks to over-reach another , and it may be will ask much more for such a commodity then he intends to take for it ; and from thence many vain words arises amongst men in their dealing , and in their bargaining ; and not onely so , but also many oathes , and cursings proceeds out of their mouthes , and all to set forth that thing which they know is not to be so commended ; and here men stands in swearing and cursing , and multitude of words before they can come to close , if they do close at all ; and this practise is not in the created uprightness , but from the subtil inventions , through which man is carried out of gods fear and order ; for the created uprightness is a pure , just and holy state , a state that stands upright to god , and unto all men , it is not a subtil inventer , but a simple dealer in all things , it cannot lye for gain , nor swear for profit , nor curse for wealth , it cannot deceive , nor defraud any man in dealing , though much outward profit might be seen in the end , it cannot commend a thing above what it really knows it to be , it cannot make many words in bargaining ; for it is an upright state ; and speaks things uprightly and justly , and speaks no more than it knows to be true , and not that neither at all times , for many words is a burden to it , and it is weary of them , it prizes the worth of things according to discerning , and according to discerning it speaks a standing word ; it hath no reservedness in it to take or ensnare another by deceit , for it is upright in all things . but how is man degenated from the created uprightness ! and how hath he sought out the subtil inventions ! and how doth every generation grow more cunning in their dealing ! and more deceit and guile breaks in upon generations , and they degenerate more and more from the created uprightness ; so that it is a grief to behold how one man deals with another in trading , and how markets are filled with multitude of words , which stands wholly in deceit and guile , and what a noise doth people make in markets , and runs in the pursuit of gain with such eagerness , as the whole course of nature is set on fire , and the anger and the passion , and the unruly nature will sometimes be so let up , as one man will strive with another about their dealings : and how will one man deceive another , and defraud another with buying things one from another , and many times forestalling things before they come into a market , and many times by ingrossing things into their hands which they have no need of , but to lay them by , and keep them for advantage ; and this wrongs the poor , and the needy , that when things are at a reasonable price , then the rich ingrosses them , and by that means keeps it at a dearer price in plenty , than otherwise it would be , and then in scarcity the poor must either buy it at their dear prices , or be in want ; and this grinds the poor every way , and is a disorderly practise , and is filled with covetousness , which the subtil inventer finds out to get wealth and riches ; and thus men run , and knows no stay for their minds , they would be dealers in every thing , and counted great dealers in all things , and would have a name , and so are alwayes in the thronged part , and in the cumber about many things , in which they all offend . but who remembers the lord ? or who chuses the better part ? or who seeks the kingdom of god first , and trusts the lord to add all things else unto him ? and who serves the lord with fear ? not the subtil inventer , but the created uprightness , which under all such practises and wicked devices lies grieved and pained ; for though man be gone into the inventions through the temptations of the subtilty , yet there is something upright remains in him , which did preserve its own beeing , though man degenerated ; and this is a pure principle in man , which doth not allow of deceit ; for that which is upright , and that which is deceitfull , hath no agreement together in any place ; so that when deceit is practised , uprightness reproveth ; for it bears the burden of it . therefore all people who are concerned in these things , take heed to your wayes , and to your doings ; for they are very bad , you cannot but know your selves , that there is much amiss in you , and that you do run many times after dishonest gain , and that which lets you see is it the light of christ , and that you must come unto if ever you come to be upright men ? for though some may be qualified in some things , and in their natural temper do manifest more moderation than others , and that there be more reservedness in their wayes , and that they do not appear so passionate , nor angry , openly so deceitfull ; yet there is a self-end lyes in the bottom of such a man , and he will reach forth himself to make his end secretly ; for if the mind of man do not come to the light , with the light to be guided , he doth not come into the upright state , but lyes amongst the many inventions , where none can please god. and now your day is with you , who are buying and selling , and trading ; and the light of christ is manifest in you , to shew you wherein you err ; and if you do not turn when it repoves you at any time , and come to repentance , you will wrong your selves for ever . therfore make haste out of your way , and turn to the lord and receive his wisdom in the light , that his wisdom may order you in all your places and services ; then you dare not use many words in your bargaining , but speak a standing word , according to your judgment in that which you have to sell or buy , and you dare not speak in the praise of any thing for any end to your selves ; and this practise would stand in uprightness , and would answer gods witness in every man , and then you would be out of fear to be cheated or deceived , because the uprightness deals plainly and simply , and speaks of things as they are , and not otherwise , and cannot conceal any fault , if it know it to be a fault ; and then there would be a closing in few words , as the commodity was liked , and yea and nay would stand on both sides . and in this is the good order , and is comly and commendable amongst men , and a good savour unto god , whereby he is honoured . and when you have done your markets , then repair to your outward dwellings , and do not sit and drink and revel in ale-houses , for by that you many times doubles your offence ; and when you have gotten some dishonest gain by deceit in bargaining , then to sit at an ale-house until you have spent it , and it may be much more , then had you not better been without it every way , for it adds sin to sin with grief . therefore be careful , and eschew such evils ; and when you have refreshed your selves as need requires , then do not run into excess ; for many are taken and wronged in that place , who goes to use the creatures only for refreshment ; and when they fall ▪ into company , and the strength of drink doth begin a little to strike upon their naturalls , then they are overcome to continue until they wrong themselves every way . now the light of the lord jesus christ guides out of all those evils : if that you mind it , and obey it , it will guide you from lying , and learn you to speak truth ; it will guide you from drunkenness , and learn you soberness , and so will change you from all those evils wherein ye walk , as it hath done many in this day , who sometimes were such in some degree , but now are washed and changed by the light , and walks in the way of peace with god , and can commend it unto you from a certain ground , if you can but receive the report ; and they can tell you in truth , that it is better to walk one day in the light , though it be in the cross unto themselves , than to satisfie themselves by gaining the world through invention ; and this is the word of the lord god unto you all people , forsake your way and live and walk in the way of understanding , that you may honour god in your generation , and that you may be a good savour unto god , and unto one another ; and in all things chuse the good and let the evil go , then will your dayes end in peace , which otherwise will end in sorrow ; and in that day you will remember the time you have mis-spent , which then you cannot recover again , though you may seek it with tears ; therefore whilst you have it , prize it , and do not spend it vainly , for you have spent too much after that manner . a general exhortation . now as there is a view taken of this great body , and every particular state being seen in its several place how it lyeth , and an information being gone forth in the universal love of god unto them all , whereby they may behold their error from the created uprightness in every place , and may also behold a way open to come in again into the good and blessed state of innocency , and to be gathered into the way and path of simplicity , where no deceit , nor guile , nor hypocrisie can have beeing , and so to come into the holy and good order of wisdoms government , and to stand as so many branches in their several places , to be a good savour to god , and honour god ; for if there were unity in the life and power of god through the universe , how sweet would every one be in their place ! and what a good savour there would be through the creation ! and then the creation would be set free from that which now burdens it , and god would have honour , and glory , and praise in his own work , and his goodness and his blessing would rest upon it , and there would be plenty to every man in his particular place , and he would rejoyce in his own portion ; and then no deceit , nor guile , nor lying , and swearing would be used amongst people to get dishonest gain ; and how would such a generation honour god! and how amiable would such a generation be in their places ! how amiable a thing would it be to see parents of children to bring up their children in the fear of god , and to nurture them in the wisdom of god , and to train them up in love and peace and unity together ! and to see masters and dames of families to order their families in gods wisdom , and to keep them in good order every way ! and to see servants in their places serve with diligence ! and to see aged people filled with sound wisdom and gravity ! and to see single people wholly given up to serve god , and to see young people remember their creator in the dayes of their youth , and to see children fear the lord in their infancy , and to see such as are in outward government to be cloathed with the wisdom of god , and to see ministers of parishes deny deceit , and come into the truth , and to see lawyers in true judgement and equity , and to see all trades-men with just weights and measures , and to see all buyers and sellers in the created uprightness ; then would hearts and minds come neer together in the one principle of god , and unity and peace would abound amongst people : and therefore as one body , you are all exhorted to fear the lord god , and turn to his light with which you are enlightned , and yield to obey it , when in your consciences it doth reprove you ; hearken diligently to that voyce , which calls you to return , and do not reject the counsel of the lord in any wise , but be still and quiet , and bow to the light in every manifestation , and believe in it , as it doth manifest it self , that with the light , the disorderly nature may come to judgement in every place , and that through judgement the creation may be delivered , which at this day travels in pain , grief , and sorrow ; for the disorder is above , and by disorder you are all out of your places , and so runs in wicked practises with which you dishonour god , and wrong your own souls . therefore you are all exhorted to mind the light which would do you good , and do not run your selves wilfully into eternal misery ; for the lord would not have you perish , but would that ye might come to the truth and be saved : and this is his compassion towards you , and his patience and forbearance concerning you ; for who amongst you that have not deserved cutting down , if the lord should not exercise his mercy ? every instant of time he may justly smite you , and bring your dayes to an end in a moment . therefore consider for what end you are yet a breathing generation , and have yet time given you ; is it not that you may behold gods goodness , and come to repentance , and that you may know the light with which you are enlightned , to be your redemption from your vain conversation ; and your salvation from your vain traditions , that every one in your places might honour god , and be a good savour unto god ? for what good doth your observations of dayes , and your preaching , and praying , and all your worships and services , and all your talk of god , and of christ to be your saviour , and the hope which you say you have by his merits ; what good will all this talk do you , whilest you live in sin , which is contrary to god ? and so are under the condemnation of christ , and not in his salvation ; for he doth not merit any thing for the sin , but for the sinner● and consider how this lyes , for you want understanding , christ jesus doth manifest his light in man , and with his light he lets man see his sin , by which sin man is separated from god and he reproves the sinner , and calls him to repentance ; then the mind turning to the light , when the light reproveth , and answering the light faithfully , then doth the light begin to separate him from the sin , and to draw him out of the sin ; so christ saves the sinner from the sin which he hath lived in , and through his judgement he purges the sinner , and makes him clean through the water of regeneration , and then he reconciles unto god the father by himself , and merits the love , and the life , and the peace for the sinner , which in the sinful state was separated from god , but now in the clean state is reconciled to god by jesus christ ; and so man is not reconciled as a sinner in the sin , but a sinner washed , and bathed , and cleansed by the pure water which taketh away the filthiness of flesh and spirit , and so reconciled to god , who is holy , in the holinesse of christ jesus . and here man comes to christ , and to his salvation , and salvation is the work of christ alone , and by him is perfected through regeneration ; so that it may here be understood by this short testimony , that the free grace of god by jesus christ is held forth for salvation , and not the covenant of works ; for though it be so , that people must come to repentance and amendment of life , and that they must deny their evil wayes in obedience to christ , who is pure , yet there is no act which by them is done , that brings salvation , though in their way they do meet with peace from god through obedience ; but the salvation is in the free grace of god through christ jesus ; and the grace of god that brings salvation doth appear to all men : [ mark ] the grace of god doth appear to all men ; and where doth it appear ? why , in their own consciences ; and what doth it appear against ? why , against the body of sin in every place ; and what doth it appear to do ? why , to destroy the devil , the author of sin ; and what will it do further ? why , it will teach to deny ungodliness and worldly lust ; so [ mark ] the grace of god that brings salvation , doth appear in man against ungodlines , and teaches man that doth receive it , to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts ; and these things must be denied in obedience to the grace . yet the salvation doth not stand in the thing done , but in the grace alone , which requires the duty , & teaches to deny that which it appears again't , and then it takes away the sin , and saves from the sin which hath made man unclean ; and what will the grace do further ? why , it will teach to live soberly , and righteously , and godly , in this present evil world . so [ mark again ] here is a change wrought in man by the grace of god , the grace as it doth appear being received , the ungodliness and worldly lusts they are denied , and soberness , and righteousness , and godliness , they are brought forth and manifested by the grace ; and here is the free-grace in the free-love of god by jesus christ , who is salvation to the ends of the earth , to all that in him believe . but people doth not know him , and so lets forth their own belief into an imagination of him , and looks to find him in their own way , and they having formed him in their own belief without them , they neglect the manifestation of his light within them , and the body of sin remains unremoved ; and such knows not his salvation , but with sin is defiled and polluted , and with that unclean body his life is pressed , and there the just suffers for the unjust , and the load of sin is heavy upon him , which in his patience he beareth , though with his light he place judgment upon it every way . and thus it is opened what the grace is in it self , and what it is unto man that receives it , and believes in it , that all may mind the grace that brings salvation , and close with it in its appearance , that they may come to salvation by it , which in it self , is free . therefore all people ponder these things in your hearts , and wait to know what time will bring forth in order to your salvation , and do not neglect the time which you have present , but day by day consider gods goodness towards you , that his goodness may overcome you to repentance , and that you may come to jesus christ , and know your salvation by him alone that his peace he may seal unto you in his own covenant , and that in his life and wisdom you may walk as becomes christians , in all sobriety , and honesty , dealing justly , and loving mercy ; and then you will be a good savour unto god , and generations to come will rejoyce at your remembrance ; and this is an exhortation unto you joyntly , that you may come to the light of christ particularly , which light is but one in you all ; and if you mind it to obey it , you will know the good order in it , and every one in your particular places , being brought into good order with the light , you will have peace and comfort in your places ; and in the light which is but one , you will in one be joyned , and there will be but one heart and mind amongst you , and then as one body you will stand in righteousness to glorifie god ; and this will bring peace in the latter end ; but if you refuse to hearken , and to obey , your destruction will be of your selves , and god will be clear when he judges : therefore consider it seriously , and neglect not to close with the tenders of gods love ; for to day it is unto you , but to morrow it may be hid from you , therefore lay it to heart . concerning faith. christ jesus is the author of faith , and by his resurrection he brings it forth in himself ; it is a pure substance which is holy , and doth proceed from the life , and with the life is strengthned , and through the life it hath its growth by degrees ; and this is true faith , and is but one , not divided from the body of the author , though in its manifestation it may appear diversly ; for the diversity of its manifestation is to be understood in its degrees , according to the resurrection of the seed ; for the substance and matter of faith being wholly in the seed , it cannot be otherwise known , or received , but as the seed rises and reveals it ; so that faith is the gift of god , and is revealed by the resurrection of the seed ; and this faith goeth through the body of darkness , and gets victory over darkness , whereby the seed comes up into a more glorious liberty in the resurrection , and faith comes to be advanced into a higher degree , and is strengthened with the vertrue of christ , who is the author of it , and so it goes on into a more full perfection , through degrees . and this faith worketh by the love in which it is nourished and strengthned , and by this faith the just lives , through all oppsitions , and victorie over the world is obtained by it ; for this is the victory that over comes the world , even your faith. for the world is an enemy to the lamb , and from the foundation of it , the lamb hath been slain ; and the world warreth against christ , the author of faith. now faith coming up through the resurrection of the seed , and standing in the power of the author ; with this faith is victory obtained over the world , through which victory the lamb comes into liberty , and the seed that is pure ascendeth , and the faith ascendeth into a higher degree in the seed ; so that the conscience comes to be cleansed from that which hath defiled , and the seed of god which is pure takes the dominion in the conscience ; and the conscience is made pure through the resurrection of the seed , and the mysterie of faith is then held in a pure conscience ; ( mark ) the mysterie of faith is held in a pure conscience , the seed which ever was , and is a mysterie to that part which would live by knowledge ; and as the mysterie of faith comes to be held in a pure conscience , so the fruits of faith is manifest from the mysterie , and branches forth in all purity , according to the nature of the mysterie ; and this faith purifies the heart with its purity , and makes the in-side clean , and the in-side being clean , the out-side is clean also . and this is the faith of gods elect , and doth shew it self by its own work : for as the body without the spirit is dead , so faith without works is dead also . and this is not an imagined faith , but a revealed faith , and by the resurrection of the seed it is brought forth ; and this is one faith , in one life and power , and it stands in the power , and by the power is preserved ; and without this faith it is unpossible to please god ; neither can any come to god , neither can any be justified before god ; for true faith is in the son , and with the son the father is well-pleased ; and by the son must all come to god that comes unto him ; and in the son is justification , for faith in the son makes clean the heart , and gives victory over that which is contrary to god ; and with the power of the son , in whom the faith standeth , the polluted part is cast out , and by the son there is access to god. now there are many beliefs in the world , and many imaginations , yet but one faith , and that faith is revealed , and none can know it but in the resurrection of the seed ; for faith in it self is a mysterie , and is hid in its own substance , and none can see it , nor know it , until they joyn to the light , and wait in the light , to feel the rising of the seed , and faith by the seed revealed . so true faith doth not stand in the wisdom of men , but in the power of god , which power kills the unrighteousness , and reveals the righteousness from faith to faith ; and then by faith there is justification known in the righteousness , and there is peace felt with god through jesus christ. and this is purifying faith , and saving faith , and is but one faith , which hath its work in man ; and the good fight of faith being fought , the course comes to be finished with joy ; and this is a standing faith in the standing power of god , which goes over the unbelieving part , in which faith , there is perfect unity and concord , and all born of the seed meets together in it , and stands in one perfect body , according to the degrees in one perfect faith , and with one perfect heart and mind they rejoyce in god their saviour . so whatsoever belief man hath made to himself , and whatsoever he hath set up through that belief , to be the object of it , he must unloose his hold , and break his idol down , or he cannot meet in the unity of the faith with those that are born of the seed , neither will his belief , save him , neither will his belief abide in the furnace , nor endure the tryal through affliction , so can never be found to the praise and glory of god ; but faith in the power is preserved in the furnace , and strengthned in afflictions , and in the power is kept to the end , and so goes through all by believing ; and christ who is the author of faith , he also is the finisher of it ; and the tryal of this faith is much more precious than gold that perisheth , and is found to the praise and glory of god ; and the end of this faith is everlasting peace . and this faith is the substance of things hoped for , and the evidence of things not seen ; and by this faith the elders obtained a good report ; which faith is now known again , and the just mens spirits in it , and there is an universal unity amongst the just from the beginning . and this is true faith. concerning hope . the hope which gives satisfaction is christ jesus ; and this hope standeth firm and sure , and it is answered with peace in hoping , for the living hope is in christ ; and though many oppositions may rise against it , yet the hope doth not fail , but reaches to attain the end , and hopes to the end ; for hope reaehes to something , and hopes for something that is not yet attained ; for when that which is hoped for comes to be enjoyed , then the hope is satisfied , and ceases hoping , and enjoyeth that which it hath hoped for ; for whilest it is hope , it waits to be answered with that which it hopeth for , and so hopeth over all that which stand in opposition , and it is answered with peace in hoping , though the full enjoyment of that which it hopeth for be not yet attained , and it still presses forward to its desired hope . and this is christ in man the hope of glory ; ( mark ) christ the hope of glory , the hope that liveth , in which hope man knows a part in the life , and with the least measure of hope in christ the life , he breaths after more life , and hopes for more enlargedness in the life , which hope doth still press into the life , and here christ is the hope , and christ is the life ; yet whilst the life is in bondage to any thing , the hope is exercised in hoping , because in that place there is not perfect liberty , which the hope hopeth for ; and all that feels this hope , they feel christ , and they breath in his hope for perfect liberty in his life , and waits to be delivered by his power from under the bondage of corruption , and waits for the glory , and hopes for the glory , and so the hope is kept in the life , and breaths in the life to come into the glory ; and in due time there is an answer given , and it comes to a full possession of that which it hoped for , and so comes to its satisfaction in the glorious liberty ; for it is to be understood , that whilst the seed is in travel in any place , that there is something of the oppressing nature over , and then the hope is exercised through faith , and the faith believes over it , and the hope hopes in the faith ; and in that state there is a hope to be eased , and a hope to be delivered , and a hope to come into the glory , and a hope to be established in rest ; and here faith and hope have their unity together , and are exercised together , and faith is the substance of things hoped for ; and by the power in which it standeth , it makes way for the hope , and brings in the evidence of things not yet seen ; for faith and hope are united in the ground , and faith goes forth in the power , to make way for the liberty of the hope , and through the faith , the hope overcomes oppositions , and comes to the enjoyment of that which it hopeth for , and so christ is in man the author of faith , and also the hope of glory ; and this is a living hope , and a standing hope , for it is begotten in the life to breath after life , and hopes for the full perfection of life , and the glorious liberty in the life , which being attained , the hope is then satisfied , and possesseth the thing which it hath hoped for , through the travel ; and there the hope is fully answered and satisfied , and then faith and hope rejoyces in the glorious liberty of christ the fulness . and this hope is not like the hypocrites hope that perisheth ; for the hypocrites hope is generated in the airy part , by the motion of imagination , and it is like the spiders web , which by her own labour she makes to her self . and how many have created their own hope , through their own belief , and hath something which the hope looks at to be its satisction in the end ; but that hope perisheth , and the end of it is misery . for how do people deceive themselves with a vain hope , and how much are many perswaded of assurance of life through their own hope ? and yet know not christ in them the hope of glory , but through imagination have created an object , and their belief standeth in that , and their hope reaches to that , and no further ; for is it not the cry of many people , that they hope to be saved , and they hope god will shew them mercy , and they hope he will pass by their offences , and pardon their sins ? and so in a vain hope enclose themselves as a spider in her web , and there sleeps at ease , as if there were no danger . and this is the hope of the hypocrite that perishes , who knows not christ in him ; for there is no hope that is created through an imagination , or that reaches to any thing which the imagination frameth , that can give satisfaction to the soul : for the soul being immortal , there is not any thing below life and immortality that can satisfie it ; and life and immortality is in christ jesus , the souls saviour ; and there can be no assurance of eternal life through any other faith or hope , but what standeth in himself ; then how miserable are such , that have neither faith nor hope , but what they have created to themselves ! and hath no further seal of eternal life , but what they draw to themselves through their own belief and hope ; which being created in the perishing part , there must an end come , and both the object of the belief and hope , and also the belief and the hope will fall and perish together . but christ is for ever , and the living faith and hope is in himself , and he alone is the object of that faith and hope ; and this hope gives peace in hoping , and gives assurance of that which is hoped for ; and through assurance there is satisfaction in the travel , and in the end there is perfect rest in christ. and this is a true hope . concerning love. god is love , and love is his nature , and it is in god the fulness ; and as it is in god , it is unmeasurable every way ; the heights , and depths , and length , and breadth , is past sinding out ; and it is a secret in it self , unto which no mortal eye can approach : for it doth contain it self within its own perfect body , and there is in it self in everlasting fulness , and by its own motion , and in its own pleasure it manifests it self to the sons of men universally , and spreads it self as an unbounded river , which hath its natural course from the body of the sea , and in its passage doth refresh the thirsty , and returns into the body of the sea again ; even so it is with love , which in it self is a pure perfect body , containing it self within its own body , as to its own fulness , and yet is alwayes sending from it self many sweet and pleasant streams of vertue , which refresheth and watereth all that are athirst for it , and all the streams that proceed from it , they have their course and passage , and returns into their own natural body again , and so love is in it self an incomprehensible being , and from eternity to eternity it stands unchangable , and it is the greatest of all things , and its vertue is the chiefest good , it is a fountain which abounds in largeness , and fulness , and in freeness , it opens it self in tenderness , and with its own vertue it doth supply the want of all that thirst for it , and it gives forth a measure of it self , in the openings of it self , which as a stream of pure water doth reach the thirsty soul ; and this is love in it self , which disposeth of it self by measure , according to its own pleasure and with this love god loves the world , and he sends his only begotten son into the world , that whosoever believes in him should not perish , but have everlasting life ; and with this his love he reaches all people through a manifestation of light , which light is christ the only begotten of the father , and with this light of christ is every man englightned , that comes into the world , and with this light the sinner is sought , and for sin reproved , and that is love which doth reprove ; and who do not answer the reproof , they do not answer the love of god , neither doth receive the love when it is tendered ; but who answers the reproof , and loves the light which doth reprove , they answer the love , and receives the love , and then with the love they are drawn to love god again ; and so there is not any people in the fall that first loves god , untill he have manifested his love unto them by jesus christ , which love is certainly manifested through christ unto all people ; which love being received , it draweth to its self , and begeteth a love to it self , whereby man comes to love god ; not that he loved god first , but that god first loved him , and gave his only begotten son for him , and through his own love manifested in christ jesus , he begetteth man to love him again ; and as man receives christ jesus in the reproof , he receives the love of god , for if man do not joyn unto christ when he reproves him , and close with the tender of love in that dispensation , he is an opposer and a rejecter of christ , in whom the fathers love is made manifest , and so will not come to christ to receive the love , and the life that is in him : and hence it is that so many are destitute of god & christ , and wants the salvation , and the peace , and the vertue of love , because they are more in love with those things that are reproved , than with that which doth reprove ; and though christ do come to do the fathers will , and tender the love of the father in himself , yet many do reject him , and outstand him , and proves rebellious against him , and though he waite to shew mercy , and from time to time doth manifest his kindness in tendering , yet there is not a readiness of receiving , but rather of despising and contemning ; and here he comes to many , but they receive him not ; and here he wooes many , but they will not come unto him , that they might have life in him ; so do many turn their backs upon him , and with their rebellious nature grieves him , and causes him to draw his love into his own bosome , and so they lye destitute of love , though in it self it be large and full , and in its manifestation universal . and ▪ such are miserable and wretched , who rejects the love of god which is tendered in christ jesus ; but to as many as do receive him , to them he gives power to become the sons of god , even to as many as believes in his name ; which are born , not of flesh , nor of blood , nor of the will of man , but of god. ( mark ) they that receives christ jesus , they come to be born of god , and christ gives them power to become the sons of god ; and this is a state beyond the birth of flesh and blood , and the will of man , for that birth hates the light , and loves darkness rather , and will not come to the light , left the light should reprove its deeds ; but they that love the light , they bring their deeds to the light , and they are manifest to be wrought in god ; and such grows in the love , and springs in the love , and is nourished with the vertue of the love , and the love is the babes consolation , for the babe bring new born in the love , it is brought forth a little child filled with innocency , & it waits for nourishment from the brest of love , and waits to grow in strength through the nourishment , and it hath no will to any thing , but delights to do the will of the father only ; and thus god is known to be love , through the measure of his love manifested and received in christ , and all that have received christ , they have received the love of god , and in that love they love god again , and are born of god , and knoweth god , for every one that loveth are born of god , and knoweth god ; and there is the true knowledge of god , and of his love by jesus christ : and they that do not thus know god , they have not yet received jesus christ his son , and so neither knows the father , nor the son , with a true knowledge , neither do they walk in the way of peace , nor feels the vertue of the streams of love ; and all such are dry , and withered , and only please themselves with their own imagined way . but the birth born of love , drinks in the streams of pure water , and it knows the fountain that holds it , and it grows up to the enjoyment of the fountain , and so comes to the spring , and drinks full draughts of an overflowing cup of blessing , and rejoyces in the possession of its portion . and thus to know god is life eternal , for all born of love , they know the son , and the son reveals the father , and is the way to the father ; and they that have the son , they have life , and are in the possession of life , which can never be compassed by the wisest part of man , nor fathomed with all his wisdom , but to an innocent babe it is revealed , and the babe knows the secret , and gives thanks to the father , that he hid those things from the wise part which would have gained them for knowledge out of the life ; and this is the greatest attainment ; who are born into it , such knows the end of all flesh , and sees faith , hope , and love remain , but the greatest of all is love , and if love be wanting , there is nothing profitable ; though a man should give all his goods to the poor , and his body to be burned , if he want love it profits him nothing , so that the greatest of all is love ; for there is the fulness known , and there is the inheritance sealed , and that is the end unto which faith looketh , and for which hope hopeth in the travel , which being possessed and enjoyed , then the end of faith and hope is fully answered , and the salvation of the soul is witnessed , and the heir rejoyces in the fulness of his portion which is love . and here is faith , hope , and love briefly opened , and in themselves are in one perfect body united , which in every manifestation there is comfort found according to measure , but the greatest of all is love , and in love the babe sits down , and is in co-heirship with christ , and in the kingdom everlasting , and in the power of an endless life , it possesseth the durable riches and treasures , and is filled with joy and peace , and blessing , and crowned with glory and renown for ever . concerning the word . the word is pure , and the whole universe is upheld by the power of it ; all things that were made , were made by it , for it was in the beginning with god , and was god , and it hath never changed from what it was in the beginning , adam heard it in the garden , and abraham heard it in his own countrey , and it called him forth , and he obeyed and followed it , and he was blessed . moses heard it in the mount , and he received the law from it ; the prophets heard it , and they prophesied in it ; and in fulness of time the word became flesh , and dwelt amongst men , and they beheld it as the glory of the onely begotten of the father , full of grace and truth . and the apostles had the word , and they preached the word , and that was their message , and they knew it to be the word of faith , and the word of eternal life ; and the word is the same this day , and the glory of it is seen , and the vertue of it is felt and fed upon : for as in the beginning it generated , and generation was brought forth by it ; so now it doth regenerate , and the new born babe desires the sincere milk of it , and the word feeds it and nourishes it with its own goodness ; so the babe feeds upon the word , and receives the milk of the word as its natural food , and it doth not live by any other thing ; and whilest it is a new born babe the word gives it milk , but when through nourishment it grows into strength , then it eats the flesh ; for the word is made flesh , and the flesh is meat indeed , and this must people eat if they have life in christ ; for christ is the word , and christ is the life , and they that do not eat him have no life in him . and this is a hard saying to all unbelievers ; for such said in times past , how can this man give us his flesh to eat ? and this is the bread that comes down from heaven , which if a man eat he shall never dye ; they are blessed that believes in this , for christ is the bread of life , and all that hungers after him in truth , he feeds them according to his own pleasure : and here is living water felt from christ the fountain , and here is meat known that endures to everlasting life , and with his vertue and goodness the soul is replenished and comforted , and this is the word which is near every man ; who shall ascend to fetch it down from above ; or who shall descend to fetch it from below ? but what faith it ? the word is night thee , even in thy heart , and in thy mouth , to obey it , and do it ; and there must man know it , and obey it , if ever he come to feed upon it ; and he must first know it as a reprover , and then as a hammer and a fire , to break down , and burn up all that drossie nature that is in him , and the rebellious part that stands in opposition against the lord. and this is the word which is nigh unto every man , alwayes taking hold upon the transgressor in judgment , and as a swift witness overtakes the transgressor in all his wayes ; and in that place it is quick and powerful , and sharper than a two edged sword ; if a man commit evil , the word hath a quick motion to find him , and is powerful to judge him , and sharp to wound him , and the hairy scalp of the wicked is wounded by the sword of the spirit which is the word of god ; and so it manifests it self in man according to the present disposition of a man ; if darkness dispose him , and that he be in the evil , either in thought , word , or deed , then the word stands against him , and is quick , and powerful , and sharp , and a hammer , and a fire , and man may feel it to be so in its operation ; for it is to be understood that the word in it self is an unchangeable being , and one pure perfect intire body of love yet the manifestations of it appears diversly as man stands before it , and it hath its operation in man according to mans present disposition ; for if he sin , he is quickly overtaken with judgement , and that which overtakes him and judges him is the word , and there he may feel it powerful and sharper then a two edged sword ; and through his obedience to it in that manifestation , then it becomes a hammer and a fire in its operation , and it is as a fire in his bones to consume the fleshly part in every place . and by this a young man may cleanse his wayes ; for if a man take heed to the word when it manifests it self with reproof ; and when it shews him the out-goings of his mind , and his wandering thoughts , and vain imaginations , and the body of sin and death that is in him , and doth defile him , and separate him from god ; if he take heed to the word when it manifests secret evils , which is its nature to do , then it will become a light to his feet and a lanthorn to his paths and he will find it to be a true guide unto him , yea in his lowest state , it will be a light to his feet , and guide his feet , and then man doth not err ; when he comes to the word in himself , and takes heed unto it , then the word becomes a light to his feet ; for the word is light , and man following the light , and walking in the light , he doth not stumble , but walks safely , and with the light of the word he sees his way , and sees all dangers as they lye . and he that thus takes heed to the word , and answers the word , and comes to obey it when it reproves him , then the word lifts him up , and sets his feet in the way , and so becomes a light to his feet , to guide him that he may not err , and the word gives man strength to follow it , and then he begins to travel out of the dark corners of the earth , and out of the earthly habitations , and follows the word , and believes in the promise of the word ; and this is an express word in every man , it speaks expressly in his conscience according to the state it finds him in , and so it may be known , manifesting it self as mans present state and condition is ; and as man takes heed unto it , he takes heed to the light , and the light guides his feet out of all perverse wayes , and crooked wayes , and froward wayes , and guides him , and leads him in the way of peace , and so it is a cleansing word , who takes heed unto it are cleansed by it ; for a young man may clense his ways by taking heed to the word , and by obeying the word ; and man that takes heed unto it , and obeys it , the cleansing water of the word goes through him , and it cleanses out of him all the corrupt and bad nature , that hath defiled him , and made him unclean ; then man may feel the water of the word to wash him , and the water of regeneration to renew him : and here the word plunges man in its own pure water , and washes him , and makes his in-side clean , and so his heart is washed and made clean , and his mind is made clean , and his body clean ; and here is the baptiser , and the baptising , which doth not lye outward for the taking away the filth of the flesh , but makes a man clean within , and renews him in the spirit of his mind unto god , and so washes away the filth of the old nature , which hath loadned and burdened the tender seed . and this is the water of the word which flows in man , as man takes heed unto it , and obeys it ; and then man is sanctified by the word , and the word is truth ; and being thus cleansed , and washed , and sanctified by the word , then it becomes the word of reconciliation , and the word of eternal life , and it brings man to god in a clean washed state , and reconciles him unto god in its own holiness and righteousness ; and then man knows peace with god through jesus christ , and there the clean enters the kingdom , and all the unclean , which cannot enter , is washed away ; & then man knows christ his redeemer , his saviour , and intercessor , and hath access to god the father by him , and so comes into the kingdom , and sits down in the kingdom , and inherits the joy , and the peace , and the blessing ; so it is to be considered , that though the manifestation of the word be divers , yet the nature of its self in its perfect body , is an unchangeable beeing , and is the same this day as it was in the beginning , and it is the word which lives and abides for ever ; and unto it all people are to take heed , for it never loses its testimony ; but according to the present state and condition of man , so doth it manifest it self ; and whilst man is in sin it is a word of reproof : and when he yields to obey it , then it is a hammer and a fire , and hath an operation for to break down the mountains and the hard rocks , and to sever the dross , and burn the chaffe , and then it becomes water to cleanse and wash away the filthiness of flesh and spirit ; and then it sanctifies in its own righteousness , and so brings man to god , and reconciles him to god ; and then it is the word of reconciliation , and the word of eternal life unto that man , for he lives in it , and dwells in it , and feeds upon it ; and there christ is known the word of eternal life , and his flesh , and his blood is fed upon with joy . and this is substance which doth endure , and never decayes , nor changes . mans restless part , and the election . searching , hunting , and comprehending to know , is an uncertain state , and genders to bondage in every place , and no assurance or true satisfaction that any can receive through that labour , for the end of those things is death ; and whosoever searcheth after life , and not in the light through which life is revealed , they run over the innocency , and hunts above the simplicity and the house of bondage is their place , and in that place there is no certain peace ; for if the restless part be not bruised down , and kept under in every place , the seed of the evil doer doth rejoyce over the seed of god ; and it being of a contrary nature , the weight of its nature falls heavy upon the just , and sorely oppresseth the holy one and when a man is overcome by any thing of that nature , and falls under the power of it , he is in bondage to that very thing ; and though much may be put down that hath ruled , and unto which man hath sometimes been in bondage , and under the power of which he hath known grief , and then comes to feel ease given by the removing of it , and in that place may sit in peace ; yet notwithstanding something may remain , untaken away , unto which he is in bondage , and in that place he hath grief , and not peace ; for unto what a man yields himself servant to obey , he is a servant unto that very thing ; and if it be a presentation from the body of darkness , if he yield unto it , he serves it , and comes under the power of it , in which place he sits in bondage : and here many are taken unawares , whose minds are not stayed upon god ; for by searching into things , and not in the measure of god , and by running before their measure , and in the hunting part would compass something to themselves ; in that very path the snare is laid , and in that state they have not a clear eye , neither can they distinguish things that do appear ; and being upon the search before the light , and pursuing the search with eagerness , darkness transforms it self into the likeness of that thing which the search is after , and then holds it forth and presents it to the hunting part , and that part being hunting out of the light , it cannot discern the danger as it lyes in that presentation ; but coming transformed in a likeness , and presenting it self to be true , the hunting part joyns unto it , and a belief closes in with it , and it is received and treasured up for the true matter : and in this place yielding , man becomes a servant to that very thing with which his belief is closed , and is under the power of it , and in bondage to it . and these lying signs which are transformed and presented from the body of darkness , doth overcome the hunting part to believe in them ; and so darkness ruleth , and the seed of god bears the burdens , and in that place there is no peace ; and though there may be liberty taken through such a belief , and that part which hath joyned may in that place rejoyce , yet neither is the belief , nor the thing believed in true , and therefore it is sin in the ground , not being in the true faith. and here many please themselves in those things with which their belief is closed , and in that very place rejoyces over the witness of god , and doth not regard when reproof cometh , because a strong perswasion standeth in that thing with which their belief is closed ; and such casts reproof behind them , and doth not look at reproof to belong unto them in their place ; and being in that thing closed through a belief they conclude that it is not to be condemned as evil in them , because it is their faith ; and being their faith it is not evil in them ; and by such a belief in it , they create a peace and a joy ; but in that place the seed of god is grieved and afflicted , and that which creates a peace and a joy over the seed , must all come down into mourning and bitter lamentation ; for all such rejoycing is vain , and there is no peace given of god unto that part . i having a deep consideration of these things ; and beholding how many are intangled , and having my self been a traveller amongst such dangers , i am moved in compassion to the elect of god , to open some snares and dangers , and to hold forth a certain way of recovery unto all that are in hold . and this observe , that when the fallen wisdom runs into a search , and with its subtilty hunts to find out secrets , then doth nimrod begin his inventions ; and that part would build a tower to reach to heaven , and with its own handy work would preserve it self in safety , and that is babels institution ; and the ground of its erection , which in all places is confusion , and is for utter desolation and destruction in every place , so who would be a true searcher into the divine mysteries , and into the secrets of the most high , they must learn to stand still , and in the silent state wait upon god , and keep their minds stayed in the light ; in which light hidden things are discovered , and the counsels of all hearts are made manifest , and in the light he reveals his secrets , and opens the parables , and declares the hard sayings , and all that fear his name , they put their trust in him , and are contented with what he reveals unto them ; and they that seek in this , and comes to the righteousness through it , they find the kingdom , and the treasure , and there is all things added ; and this is godliness which brings great gain ; and the mind being kept in the spirit , it goes with the spirit into the life , and in the life the deep things of god are known , and understood , and not by any other way . so who can discern the glory of the sun , and the glory of the moon , and in what they differ , may cleerly distinguish between that which is revealed , and that which is comprehended ; for though the moon gather her light from the body of the sun yet it is not the light of the sun , as it is sent from the moon neither doth that light rule the day ; and this is a plain similitude . so many tender people are wronged and deeply betrayed , whose minds are after a search into the divine mysteries , and in nimrods nature hunts before the lord , they run into many dangers , and in many places are taken captive by the subtil part and through a presentation from the body of darkness , they are carried into a strong belief of what is presented , and closes with it as a true and firm ground : and such lays another foundation then that which god hath laid which is jesus christ , the wisdom from above ; and the belief of man being closed with that which is presented , from that belief divers things are observed and practised , and every one sets up the thing with which their belief is closed , and into which they , are joyned , and unto that thing they stand strongly engaged , and in that part is all strife and contention ; for every man would maintain his own faith , and he cannot joyn , but with such as are of his own belief ; and nimrod sitting king at babel , and being chief in that work , the end of his labour is distraction and confusision , and that doth consequently attend such a belief ; and who do search and hunt , and with that part comprehend , they do erect and build in their observation ; and one erects and builds his observation in his belief , and he cryes , lo here ; another erects and builds his observation in his belief , and he cryes , lo there : and there is something of a belief in all touching the matter which they do erect and build , to observe ; and through the strength of this belief , they strive and contend one against another ; and that is nimrods part who sits king in babell , and all that ever hath been found out by the deepest searchers in the hunting part , it rises no higher than babel , and at babel it ends ; and whether a belief lye to something outward , or something inward , if it lye in that which is gathered by hunting and comprehending , within the compass of mans own wisdom , it is babel , and bondage to the seed ; and though in some places there may not be strife manifested , yet there may be such narrowness in that part with which the belief is closed , as the seed may before afflicted by it ; and in that part man seats himself , and in the strength of his belief he defends his place and his ground , though it be a slippery place for his feet to stand upon ; and though in this place he seem to be fixed , yet the hunting part is most at liberty in such a man , and he is in a restless state , alwayes searching to find something which he hath a will to know ; and in that place a presentation being offered , he runs to gather it , and adds that to his belief : but this finds not the mercy , for not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but in god alone is the mercy ; and he shews it when he will , and how he will , and to whom he will ; ( mark ) it is god that sheweth mercy , and he shews mercy to whom he will shew mercy ; ( mark again ) he shews it to whom he will , and in what time he will , and it is the election that obtains it , and not the hunter , the willer , and runner , and comprehender ; he doth not shew mercy to that part , neither doth that part obtain it , or enjoy it , for esau is reprobated , ( mark that : ) therefore who would know the things of god , and find the mercy , they must stand still and wait in the light. and this is the word of the lord god to all people ; for in the light the mercy is shewed , and the election obtains it , and there is gods purpose sure according to election , and his mercy is sure to the elected , and in the mercy the election is raised , and the restless , hunting comprehending part is laid waste and subjected ; and so the mercy is given to jacob , the birth of the seed , because god loves him , and it is withheld from esau , the birth of the flesh , because god hates him ; and though esau search in the depth of his wisdom , and hunt to the farthest end of his imagination , yet he can never find the mercy in his way , for the purpose of god according to election must stand ; and quiet jacob that waits in stilness , he is beloved , and unto him god shews the mercy , and he obtains it , because he is elected ; but restless esau , that hunts abroad , he is hated of god , and rejected ; so in the mercy is jacob raised and exalted , and esau he is put down and subjected ; then perfect freedom in the seed is known , and mercy and peace is possessed in that habitation . therefore all must cease from their own labour , in which they are wearying themselves , and come into stilness , quietness , and stayedness , and feel the seed of god , with which he keeps covenant and mercy for ever ; in which seed stands the election before the worlds foundation , and there the simple innocent minde in its tender breathings , receives consolation ; for in the stillness the everlasting springs opens , and the mercy goeth forth in freeness , and the election obtains it , and the soul rejoyces in it ; and that is true joy in the lord , yea , fulness of joy in his presence ; for now the ransomed of the lord comes from babylons rivers , where it hath sitten weeping , and in the mercy it returns to sion rejoycing , and comes to be placed in sions holy hill , and learns the songs of sion ; and in the true joy of a redeemed state , it sings the praise to him that lives for ever . and here is the possession in the everlasting kingdom , and a sitting down in everlasting peace , and blessing ; and this is the faith of gods elect which is true , and the faith gives victory over nimrod and esau ; for christ is the authour of it , and in his power it standeth , and it is justified , and not condemned ; and here is the one only true wise god known , and jesus christ whom he hath sent ; and all that are of this faith , they have fellowship with the father , and with the son , and with one another , and so they meet together in the unity of the faith of the son of god , in which faith they have peace with god through jesus christ , and in his peace they lie down together in safety ; and as lambs of one fold , they rejoyce under the government of the good shepherd . so let none search to know beyond what is revealed in the spirit ; for god is , and is a rewarder of all that love him : [ mark ] god is , and none can know him , but as he reveals what he is in the son , through whom the brightness of his glory shines abroad , and the express image of his person is made manifest ; and who are contended with that measure which is made manifest in the son , they receive their reward in it ; and all such are blessed whose hearts and minds are simply disposed in love to god. a particular place of bondage opened . the principle of god in man is a true and faithfull witness for god in every place , and it hath a sure testimony against that spirit which worketh in darkness , in which darkness the mystery of iniquity is seated , and hath a place of government in man , and sits exalted in strength and power over man in the fall , and from that place doth all deceiveableness of unrighteousness proceed ▪ and the witness of god doth stand in its place , and is in it self a holy principle , which hath no communion with darkness , nor with the deceiveableness of unrighteousness , which from the darkness proceedeth ; but with its purity it maketh manifest the secret workings of the mystery of iniquity , and stands a witness against that part and principle , and also the manifestation that is produced from it ; and unto which of these a man yields himself servant to obey , he is a servant to it , and becomes actually disposed by it ; and as man joyns to either , and comes under the power of either , so is his works brought forth , his words are spoken , and his deeds are done , from the actual motion within him , by one of those principles ; and the words and deeds are made manifest either to be good or evil , according to the nature of the principle unto which man is joyned ; and there is a clear distinction both in the ground , and in the manifestation ; for as that of god in man is true in it self , and the nature of it is righteous , holy , and pure , so it doth declare it self distinctly from every manifestation proceeding out of darkness , and hath a sure testimony in it self against it in every place : for as it is certain , that man is joyned to one of these principles , and is a servant to it ; so it is as certain , that unto which he is joyned and serving , the same doth actually dispose him in the motion of it self ; and he being a servant to it , and actually disposed by it , the fruits of its nature is manifest through him , either in the good , or in the evil . so when the wicked one brings forth his works through man , that work comes out of man , and defiles him , and it is plain , that there is a root within him from which it receives nourishment , and so is produced and brought forth ; and there is sometimes a war felt in man , betwixt the two natures and principles , touching the manifestation of their own natures , either in good or evil , and man in himself may know it both in words , and deeds , and he may also know that many times he is overcome of the evil , and yields himself to its power and motion ; and the evil having got the dominion by mans yielding himself to obey it , then doth its nature manifest it self in evil words , and deeds ; then man may feel in himself that he hath transgressed the good , and with the good is reproved , and in himself is many times so judged , that he saith in his heart i will never speak such words again , nor do such deeds again ; yet he cannot thereby save himself , but as he joynes to the motion of the good , with the good to overcome evil in its conception ; and then coming to be actually disposed by the good , that which goeth out of him doth not defile him , for it is good both in thought , word , and deed . i do not hereby set up religion in a form or practise of any observation distinct from the principle of god ; neither dare i disown that practise which is observed in obedience to the motion of the principle , for they that do so will save the worser part alive ; and if man do not answer the principle of god , and obey it in all things that it manifests in him , either to be good , or evil ; and if he do not chuse the good , and deny the evil , after it be so made manifest , but that he love the evil more then the principle that doth discover it , that man must of necessity come under reproof of that principle which is good , which with its light discovered the evil to him , before he came to act it . so consider how this comes to pass , and how the distinction lies both in ground and manifestation , seeing that there is a manfestation lies outward , according to the natures of the principles within ; and by such manfestation it may be discerned which principle hath government in man , and unto which he is joyned ; and this judgement doth prove the principle , and not the manifestation or practise distinct from the principle ; and this judgement is not concluded upon suppositions , but upon good and sure ground , and doth give a certain sound with distinction , both to principle and practise ; i say this judgement doth not conclude supposedly , as such or such a thing may be practised in a true form distinct from the true principle , but it gives true judgement infallibly in the ground . and who judges according to appearance onely , and from thence conclude supposedly , that a true practise may be distinct from the true principle , and from that ground judge the true practise in general , which stands in the principle , they err in judgement : for though in some things there may be a practise manifest , and that practise may be distinct from the true principle , and yet in practise be the same outwardly , as that practise is which stands in the true principle ; yet this is not a sufficient ground , to judge the practise in general , as if no such practise should be manifested from the principle , nor observed in obedience to the principle , because such a practise may stand only in appearance , for the love of god is not so bounded , though some in their own bowels be so straitned , and thereby keep the seed from the universality of its own manifestation ; and such conclusions do add bondage to the pure in every place . and i do not hereby justifie any practise whatsoever , though it may stand in a true observation outwardly , which doth not come to pass through the motion of the true principle inwardly ; neither do i condemn , but do own , and stand by that practise which in the true principle is conceived , and through the motion of the principle is manifested , and in obedience observed ; and whoever judges the observation of this practice , they judge the power of god in the ground , because it is a practise observed in obedience to the motion of the power ; for as i know that regeneration doth lie wholly inward as to the work of it , so i also know , that being wrought and perfected , the seed of god doth manifest its own nature , which may be seen without ; and where it is not so , the seed is in bondage , and regeneration is not perfected . and who would know regeneration perfected , they must learn to stand still , and not to oppose the power by which regeneration is wrought and perfected , nor to reason against the operation of the power , for in doing so , they wrong themselves ; but in standing still , and eyeing the power in its motion , & obeying the power when it moveth , the power will call the reason into silence ; and having silenced the reason , it then hath a free course to work effectually ; and then the belief standing in the power , the power comes over every strong hold , and layes the fenced cities wast , and brings desolation upon every part of the oppressing nature , and strikes the whole body of it with death ; for with the power all things are possible . and this comes to pass in all that in the power believe ; and being come to pass and perfected , then is the seed raised , and in the seeds resurrection man becomes wholly changed and renewed , and both body , soul , and spirit glorifies god ; then doth the seed manifest it self in its perfect holiness , which holiness cannot own any manifestation of darkness ; and in this path is perfect peace and satisfaction ; for to be regenerated and born again , is a state beyond the strongest part of mans own reason , and is is a work which reason can never bring to pass , and therefore lies beyond it , and is not to be comprehended with that part ; but as the belief stands in the power , so the power worketh , and removeth that nature which hath oppressed , and the seed is raised in the power , and comes up in the power , and there is gods salvation felt and known , and all his fresh springs opens in his love and life , and the birth is nourished with his vertue , and feeds upon that which is good for food . and here is eating and living , feeding and rejoycing , the presence of the lord is felt , and fulness of joy in his presence , and his love , and life , and wisdom spreads abroad , and his pure nature is manifest in all good works , and hath a testimony against all the evil ; and the birth delights to do the fathers will , and doth not reason against his counsel , but 〈◊〉 a witness unto the truth , and against that which is out of the truth in every place . so let this be read in the fear of the lord god , and with a meek spirit in the love ; for it is love to the seed . and know that the living stone is the sure foundation , though the wise builders do reject it , and upon that the building is fitly ●●●med , and stands and rejoyces though many tempests blows upon it : and take heed of judas , for he betrayes with a kiss . from a lover of the seed of god universally . william smith . thou pure life , what is like unto thee ? thy path is peace , thy love is full and free : 〈◊〉 art the chiefest good , thy beauty doth excel : ●lessed are those that in thy bosom dwell . 〈◊〉 fulness of thy springs do satisfie the poor ● 〈◊〉 freshness of thy streams is alwayes rich in store : 〈…〉 of thy own hand doth take deep root in thee : 〈◊〉 supplies its tenderness , and sets it wholly free . 〈…〉 first and last , and there is not another : 〈…〉 liberty in thee , they do not thy life smother ; 〈…〉 love they spring , and in thy power stand ; 〈…〉 in life and peace , and rest safe in thy hand . the end a line of life pointing at the immortalitie of a vertuous name. ford, john, -ca. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a line of life pointing at the immortalitie of a vertuous name. ford, john, -ca. . [ ], [i.e. ] [ ] p. printed by w[illiam] s[tansby] for n[athaniel] butter, and are to be sold at his shop, neere saint austens gate, [london] : . dedication signed: io. ford. printer's and publisher's names from stc. page misnumbered . imperfect; lacking leaf d . reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a line of life . pointing at the immortalitie of a vertuous name . printed by w. s. for n. butter , and are to be sold at his shop neere saint a●stens gate . . wise , and therein noble . ambition beeing sooner discouered by acting then plotting , can rarely personate practise in studie , vnlesse the arts themselues , which in themselues are liberall , should 〈◊〉 too curiously censured , too inquisitiuely confined . it is an easie vanity , in these dayes of libertie , to be a conceited interpreter , but a difficult commendation to bee a serious author : for whatsoeuer is at all times honestly intended , oftentimes is too largely construed . generall collections meet ( not seldome ) with particular applications , and those so dangerous , that it is more safe more wis● to professe a free silence , then a necessarie industrie . here in this ( scarce an ) handfull of discourse , is deciphered , not what any personally is , but what any personally may be : to the intent , that by the view of others wounds , we might prouide playsters and cures for our owne , if occasion impose them . it is true , that all men are not borne in one , the same , or the like puritie of qualitie or condition ; for in some , custome is so become another nature , that reason , is not the mistresse , but the seruant , not the directresse but the foyle to their passions . folly is a sale-able merchandise , whose factour , youth is not so allowedly profest in young men , as pleasure in men of any age : yet are the ruines , the calamities , the wofull experiences of sundrie presidents and samplars of indiscretion and weakenesse ( euen in noted , and sometimes in great ones ) so apparent , so daily , that no antidote against the infection , disease , leprosie of so increasing an euill can be reputed superfluous . for my part , i ingeniously acknowledge , that hitherto ( how euer the course hath proued a barre to my thrift , yet ) i neuer fawned vpon any mans fortunes , whose person and merit i preferred not . neither hath any court-ship of applause , set me in a higher straine , a higher pinnacle of opinion , then seuerest approbation might make warrantable . howbeit euen in these few lines that follow , my ayme hath not beene so grossely leuelled , that i meant to chuse euery reader for my patron : considering that none can challenge any interest herein from me ( vnlesse he challenge it by way of an vsurped impropriation ) whom i my selfe doe not out of some certaine knowledge and allowance of desert , as it were poynt out and at , with my finger , and confesse that hic est , it is this one and onely . by which marke , i can deny no man ( not guiltie to himselfe of a selfe-unworthinesse ) to call it his owne : at least , none of those , who freely returne the defects to their proper owner , and the benefit ( if any may be ) of this little worke to their own vse and themselues . so much it is to bee presumed , the verie taliarie law may require and obtaine . in all things , no one thing can more requisitely bee obserued to be practised , then the golden meane : the exemplification whereof , howeuer heretofore attributed , i dare not so poorely vnder-value my selfe and labours , as not to call mine . but if i should farther exceede , i might exceede that meane , which i haue endeuoured to commend . let him that is wise , and therein noble , assume properly to himselfe this interest , that i cannot distrust the successefull acceptation , where the sacrifice is a thriftie loue ; the patron a great man good ( for to be truly good is to be great ) and the presentor , a feodarie to such as are maisters not more of their own fortunes then their owne affections . aestatis occasum hau●d aegre tulit vnquám temperata hyems . io. ford . linea vitae : a line of life . to liue , and to liue well , are distinct in thēselues , so peculiarly as is the actor and the action . all men couet the former , as if it were the totall and souereigne felicitie of a humane condition : and some few pursue the latter , because it giues an eternity to their blessednesse . the difference between those : two is , life desired for the only benefit of liuing , feares to dye , for such men that so liue , when they dye , both dye finally & dye all : but a good life aymes at another mark ; for such men as indeauour to liue well , liue with an expectation of death , and they when they dye , dye to liue , and liue for euer . in this respect hath death ( be●ng the parting of a precious ghest from a ruinous inne , the soule ●rom the bodie ) beene ●y the ancients , styled a hauen of safetie , a finishing of pilgrimages , ● resting from trauaile , ● passage to glorie . eue●ie man that most shuns ●t ( and he most shunnes ●t that most feares it ) ●unnes notwithstanding wilfully to meet it , euen ●hen posting to it , when ●ee abhorres it : for ( the comparison is liuely & ●emarkeable ) as he who in a shippe , directs his course to some port ; whether he stand , walk , reuell , sleepe , lie downe , or any way else dispose himself , is notwithstanding alwaies driuen on to the period of his voyage : so in this ship of our mortalitie , howsoeuer wee limit our courses , or are suited in any fortune of prosperitie or lownesse , in this great sea of the world ; yet by the violence and perpetuall motion of time , are we compeld to pace onward to the last and long home of our graues , and then the victorie of life is concluded in the victory of our ends . it is granted in philosophie , that action is the crowne of vertue . it cannot in reason ( the light of philosophie ) be denied , that perseuerance is the crowne of action : and then diuinitie the queene of nature will confirme , that sufferance is the crowne of perseuerance . for to be vertuous without the testimonie of imployment , is as a rich minerall in the heart of the earth , vn-vseful because vnknowne ; yet to bee vertuously imployed , and not to continue , is like a swift runner for a prize , who can with ease gaine it from others , but slothfully sitteth downe in the middle way ; but to perseuere in well-doing without a sence of a dutie , only with hope of reward , is like an indian dromedarie , that gallops to his common inne , prickt on-wardes with the desire of prouender . it is beast-like not to differ from beasts , aswell in the abuse of reason , as it would bee in the defect . action , perseverance in action , svfferance in perseverance , are the three golden linkes that furnish vp the richest chain wherwith a good man can bee adorned ; they are a tripartite counterpawne , wherby wee hold the possession of life , whose charter or poll deed ( as they terme it ) are youth till twentie , manhood till fortie , olde age till our end . and hee who beginnes not in the spring of his minoritie to bud forth fruits of vertuous hopes , or hopefull deserts , which may ripen in the summer of confirmed manhood ; rarely or neuer yeelds the crop of a plentifull memory in his age , but preuents the winter of his last houre , in the barren autume of his worst houre , by making an euen reckoning with time mis-spent , dying without any issue to inherit his remembrance or commēdation . heere is then a preparation made to the ground-worke & foundation wheron the structure and faire building of a minde nobly furnisht must stand : which for the perpetuitie and glorie of so lasting a monument , cannot altogether vnfitly bee applyed to a line of life . for whosoeuer shall leuell & square his whole course by this iust proportion , shall ( as by a ●ine ) bee led not only to vnwinde himselfe from out the labyrinth and maze of this naturall & troublesome race of frailtie , but to flie vp in the middle path , the via lactea of immortalitie in his name on earth , to the throne of life , and perfection in his whole man , and to an immortalitie that cannot bee changed . deceiuing and deceiueable palmesters , who will vndertake by the view of the hand , to bee as expert in foretelling the course of life to come to others , as they are ignorant of their own in themselues , haue framed and found out three chiefe lines in the hand , wherby to diuine future euents ; the line of life , the middle na●urall line , and the table ●ine . according to the fresh colour or palenes , ●ength or shortnesse , bredth or narrownesse , straitnesse or obliquitie , continuance or inter●issiō of either of these , ●hey presume to censure ●he manners , the infirmities , the qualities , the verie power of life or death of the person . but the line of life is the eminent mark they must be directed by , to the per●ection of their master-piece . all which , are as far from truth as wonder ; onely it is true and wonderfull , that any ignorance can be so deluded . another line of life is the most certaine and infallible rule , which wee as we are men , and more then men ; christians , & more then christians , the image of our maker ; must take our leuel by . neither is iudgement to be giuen by the ordinary lineaments of the furniture of nature , but by the noble indowments of the mind , whose ornaments or ruines are then most apparently goodly or miserable , when as the actions we doe , are the euidences of a primitiue puritie ; or a deriuatiue deprauation . here is a great labour to indure , a great strength in that labour to conquer , a great resolution in that strength to triumph , requisite , before wee can climbe the almost impregnable and inaccessible toppe of glorie ; which they that haue attempted haue found , & they that haue found haue enioyed to their own happines and wonder of imitation . resolvtion is the plotter and the actor , nay , it is both the plot and the act it selfe that must prompt vs how to doe , aswell as it must point vs out what to do before wee can as much as take into the hands of our purposed constancie , this line which must direct vs to life , & make vs to liue . whatsoeuer therefore in those briefe ensuing collections is inserted , to patterne and personate an excellent man , must be concluded and vnderstood for methods sake in this one only attribute , resolvtion . for by it are exemplified the perfections of the minde , consisting in the whole furniture of an enriched soule ; and to it are referred the noblest actions , which are the externall arguments and proofes of the treasure within : for as it is a state maxime in policie , that force abroad in warre is of no force , but rather rashnesse then souldierie , vnlesse there bee counsell peaceably at home to direct for expedition : so are all actions of resolution in the oeconomie and household gouernment of a mans owne particular priuate wealth , but shining follies , vnlesse there bee a consultation first held within him for determining the commoditie , the conueniencie and commendation of such actions , aswell in doing , as when they are done . order in euerie taske is for conceipt easiest , for demonstration playnest , for imitation surest . let vs then take ●nto our consideration ●his line of life , and trace the way wherein wee are to trauaile , keeping our eye on the compasse whereby we may runne to the paradise of memorable happinesse . and first it is to be obserued , that resolution hath three branches ; the one concerns a mans owne particular person for the carriage of himselfe in his proper dutie , and such an one is knowne by none other ●ote , then in beeing a man : another concernes a mans imployment in affaires for his countrey , prince , and common-wealth , and such a one as is knowne by the generall name of a pvblike man. the last concernes a mans voluntarie traffique in ciuill causes without the imposition of authoritie , only vrged on to performe the offices of a friend , as a priuate statist to seuerall ends , all tending to goodnes and vertue ; and such a one is euer to be call'd a good man. in euerie one of those there is a plentifull imployment presenting it selfe to the liberall choyce for ennobling themselues with publique honors , or gayning them the truest honour a deserued fame , which is one ( if worthie ) of the best and highest rewards of vertue . superfluous it were and vnnecessarie , to enter into the contentious lists of diuided philosophers , or vnreconciled schoolemen , for the absolute and punctuall definition of man ; since , it sufficeth vs to be assured that he is mainely and yet pithily distinguish't from all other created substances in the only possession of a reasonable soule . this royall prerogatiue alone poynts him to be noblest of creatures ; and to speak truth , in an assertion not to be gain-said , he containes the summary of all the great world , in the little world of himselfe . as then the fabricke of the globe of the earth would of necessitie runne to the confusion out of which it was first refined , if there were not a great and watchfull prouidence , to measure it in the iust ballance of preseruing and sustayning ; so consequently , without question , the frame of our humane composition , must preposterously sinke vnder its owne burthen , if warie and prudent direction , as well in manners as in deedes , restraine it not from the dissolution and wracke , the procliuitie of corrupted nature doth hourely slide into . a mans minde is the man himselfe ( said the romane orator ) and the chiefest of the grecian naturalists , was confident to auerre , that the temperature of the minde followed the temperature of the body . it were a lesson worthie to bee cond , if eyther of those rules may be positiuely receiued : for out of the first , as any man feeles his inclinations and affections , thereafter let him iudge himselfe to bee such a man. out of the latter it may be gathered , how easie it were , for euerie man to be his owne schoolemaster , in the conformation or reformation of his life , without other tutour then himselfe . socrates his speech of the vse of mirrours or looking glasses , concludes whatsoeuer can bee ranged in many wordes of this subiect , and is therefore notoriously vsefull , and vsefully notable ; when thou viewest thy selfe in a mirrour , ( said that wise man ) surueyest thy complexion , thy proportion , if thy face be more faire , louely , and sweeter then others , thy bodie straighter , thy lineaments perfecter ; cōsider how much more thou art bound by that , to match those blessings of nature , with the accomplishment of more noble qualities , then others of a courser mould . if on the other side , thou perceiue thy face deformed , thy body crooked , thy outward constitution vnsightly or mishapen ; by so much the more hast thou reason to liue a good life , that thereby concord of vertuous conditions may supply the defects of nature , and make thee more beautifull inwardly to the eye of iudgement , then outwardly thou couldst haue beene to the eyes of popular delight . in short , to be a man , the first branch of resolution is to know , feele , and moderate affections , which like traitors , and disturbers of peace , rise vp to alter & quite change the lawes of reason , by working in the feeble , and oftentimes the sounder parts , an innouation of folly . hee can seldome be a flourishing member of a bodie politique , and so a publique deseruing man ; but more rarely , scantly euer , a reconciler of diuisions , and so a ciuill good man for others , that begins not betimes to discharge his owne dutie to himselfe . the old prouerbe was , ( and it is lamentable , to speake with truth , and say it is ) that a man is a beast to a man ; but it must be of necessitie granted , when a man to himselfe is a monster , or more prouerbially , a deuill . it is said of caivs cvrio , that hee was a man most wittily wicked , and most singularly eloquent in mischiefe against the common-wealth . what rarities were here loft ? ( like a diamond set in a rushen ring : ) how much better had it been for him , to haue had a duller braine , if better imployed , and a slower tongue , if auaileable for the publique good ? euery man should in his owne person , endeuour and striue to be like catoes orator , a goodman , and expert in pleading , first good , then expert ; for of so much richer price is vertue then art. art without vertue being like the cantharides , whose wings puld off , they haue prettie colours to please the eye , but poisonous substances to be receiued into the stomack . how easie it is to guild a rotten post , to paint a sepulcher , to varnish an ill meaning , is soone resolued : many men can speake well , few men will doe well ; the reason , for that we couet to be thought what wee are not , and yet continue to be what wee are ashamed to be thought . the excellēcy of goodnesse is apparent mainly in this one poynt , that euen those who least practise it in outward appearance , cunningly labour to make it the marke whereto all their actions ( how foule soeuer in the issue ) leuell at . it was truely obserued by a graue author , that there was neuer any publique mischiefe attempted in a state by euen atheists , or very incarnate deuils , but religion was their colour to effect it ; at least a shew of some false zeale in as false a worship . for there must be an intention of vertue in the worst actions , otherwise they could neuer haue passage by any publique approbation ; insomuch , that hypocrisie is reputed the surest & the safest ground of pollicie . by this appeareth the richnesse of vertue , that euen such as most oppose it , must and are compelled to acknowledge it for best . in like manner , euery man in his particular to distinguish his actions , is in his knowledge guiltie and conscious of what he doth or should doe . we were not borne to feed , sleepe , and spinne out our webbe of life in the delicate softnesse of vanitie , or sloath ; wee were not borne to trafique in follies , and to make merchandize of our sensualities ; wee were not borne to reuel in the apishnesse of ridiculous expence of time ; wee were not borne to be panders to to that great whore of a declyning reason , bewitching pleasure : we were not borne to laugh at our owne securitie , but to bewayle it ; we were not borne to liue for our selues , but to our selues ; as we were not on the other side borne to dye to our selues , but for our selues . we must learne to reioyce in true goodnesse , not vain delights : for as we cannot iudge him to haue a light heart alwaies , that somtimes laughes ( for euen in laughter there is a sadnesse , ) so wee must not imitate by any outward demeanor , to bewray the minoritie of our resolution , except we would be as childish in vnderstanding as in action . what infinite inticers hath a man as he is a meere man , to withdraw him from an erected heart ? as the temptation of a reputed beautie , the inuitement of a presented honour , the bewitching of an inforced wealth , the lethargie and disease of an infectious court-grace ; yet all and euerie one of these ( with what other appendances soeuer belonging vnto them ) are ( if not wisely made vse of ) but glorious snares , dangerous baites , golden poysons , dreaming distructions , snares to intrappe the mightinesse of constancie ; baites to deceiue the constancie of manhood , poysons to corrupt the manhood of resolution ; destruction to quite cast away the resolution of a iust desert . now for a mans carriage in his particular dutie , what can hee determine of , since he hath not more himselfe , and his own affections to assault and batter his resolution in the path of vertue , then a world of presidents , of partners , of helpers , to perswade and draw him on to the full measure of an vnworthy life . it is a labor wel worthy a chronicle ( and chronicled will bee in a perpetuall memorie ) to withstand the seuere assault of folly , pressing on with so infinite an armie of followers and admirers as shee is accompanyed with : what can one priuate man do against such a multitude of temptations ? either hee must consent to doe as they doe ; or dissent and hate them : if consent , hee is mischieuous with many ; if dissent , vertuous by himselfe ; and the last is without controuersie the best . since neuer to haue seene euill is no praise to well doing ; but where the actours of mischiefe are a nation , there and amongst them to liue well is a crowne of immortall commendation . a golden axiome there was registred amongst the ciuilians in the daies of iustinian : that it was not conuenient for any man to pry and looke after what was done at rome , but to examine iustly what ought there to bee done . rome was then the mart of the world , all sorts of euery people came thither , from thence to receiue the oracles of life ( as they might bee termed : ) yet doth it not follow that any one man with the multitude , should runne to rome , to sucke the infection of dissolute intemperature . vanity most commonly rides coach't in the high way , the beaten way , the common way ; but vertue and moderation walkes alone . it may be said , what profit can redound , what commendation , what reward , for one man to bee singular against many ? o the profit is infinite , the commendation memorable , the reward immortall . it is true the olde greeke prouerbe concluded , that one man was no man ; yet with their most approoued authours , by the verie word many , were the worst sort of people vnderstood , and by few the best . for certainely there is not any allurement could lull men in the mist of their misdeeds , so much as those two pestilent yoke-fellowes and twinnes of confusion , the multitude of offenders , and the libertie of offending . they are both examples and schoolemasters , to teach euen the very ignorant ( whose simplicitie else might be their excuse ) to do what ( if others did not ) they might accidentally slide into , but not so eagerly pursue . to conclude this point , it may somewhat too truly be said , though not by way of discouragement , yet of caueat , what by the procliuitie and pronenesse of our frailtie is warrantable ; let no man bee too confident of his owne merit , the best doe erre : let no man relye too much on his owne iudgement , the wisest are deceiued : yet let euery man so conceiue of himselfe , that he may indeuour to bee such a one , as distrust shal not make him carelesse , or confidence secure . it followes that the very consideration of being men , should somwhat rectifie our crooked inclinations , and ennoble our actions to keepe vs worthy of the priuiledge wee haue aboue beasts : otherwise only to be a man in substance and name , is no more glorie then to bee knowne and distinguished from a very beast in nature . presidents from antiquitie may plentifully be borrowed , to set before vs what some men haue beene , not as they were commanders , or employed for the commonwealth ; but as they were commanders of their owne infirmities , and employed for the cōmonwealth of their own particular persons . epaminondas amongst the thebanes , is worthy of note and memorie euen to our ages , and those that shall succeed vs : hee ( as the philosopher recordeth ) chose rather to bee moderate alone , then madde with the multitude ; chusing at all times to consult with himselfe in excellent things , not with his countreymen to giue lust , dalliance , effeminate softnes a regiment in the kingdome of his thoughts ; no not of his thoughts , much lesse of his actions . phocion among the athenians , brutus among the romanes , are for their particular cariage of themselues as they were only men , well worthy of all remembrance : and the sententious seneca is bold to say , that all ages will euer hatch and bring forth many such as clodius , ( a man bent to mischiefe ) but rarely any age another cato , a man so sincere , so free from corruption , and so seuere a censurer of himselfe . but what need we to search histories of other times , or the deserts of another nation , when in our owne land , in our owne dayes , wee might easily patterne what a man should bee or not bee , by what others haue bin ? among many , two of late times are iustly examined ; not as they were different in fortune , in yeares , in degree , but as they differed in the vse of the gifts of their mind . the first was iohn , the last and yongest lord harrington , whose rare and admirable course of life ( not as he was a noble man , for then indeed it were miraculous , but as a man , ) deserues all prayse and imitation from all . of whome it may without flatterie ( for what benefit can accrue to flatter the dead ? ) or affection bee said , that he amongst a world of men attayned euen in his youth , not only to grauitie in his behauiour , to wisedome in his vnderstanding , to ripenesse in his carriage , to discretion in his discourse , but to perfection in his action : a man wel-deseruing euen the testimonie of a religious learned diuine . but for that his owne merit is his best commendation , and questionlesse his furest reward for morall gifts : let him rest in his peace whilest the next is to bee obserued . sir waltir ravleigh may be a second president , a mā known , and wel-deseruing to be knowne ; a man endued not with common endowments , being stored with the best of natures furniture , taught much by much experience , experienc'd in both fortunes so feelingly and apparently , that it may truly bee controuerted whether hee were more happie or miserable ; yet beholde in him the strange character of a meere man , a man subiect to as many changes of resolution , as resolute to bee the instrument of change : politique , and yet in policie so vnsteddie , that his too much apprehension was the foile of his iudgement . for what man soeuer hend all what the former discourse hath amplified ; namely that the only felicitie of a good life , depends in doing all things freely , by beeing content with what wee haue ( for wee speake of a morall man. ) this is to remember that we are mortall , that our dayes passe on , and our life slides away without recouerie . great is the taske , the labour painfull , the discharge full of danger , & the dāgers full of enuy , that he must of necessitie vndergoe , that like a blaze vpon a mountain , stands neerest in grace to his prince : or like a vigilant sentinell in a watch-tower , busies and weakens his owne naturall and vitall spirits , to administer equalitie and iustice to all , according to the requisition of his office . it is lamentable and much to bee pittyed , when places of authority in a cōmonwealth , are disposed of to some , whose vnworthinesse or disabilitie brings a scandall , a scorne , and a reproch to both the place and the minister . the best law-makers amongst the ancients , were so curious in their choice of men in office in the commonwealth , that precisely and peremptorily , they repu●ed that state plagued , whipped , tormented , wounded , yea wounded to death , where the subordinate gouernours were not aswell vnblemished in their liues and actions , as in their names and reputation . a pvblike man hath not more neede to be bonus ciuis , a good statist , then bonus vir , good in himselfe ; a very faire and large line is limmed out to square by it , a direct path that leades to a vertuous name , if a man acquite himselfe nobly , iustly , and wisely , in well steering the helme of state that he sits at ; otherwise his honours are a burthen , his height a curse ; his fauours a destruction , his life a death , and his death a misery : a misery in respect of his after defamation , aswell as of his after accompt . far from the present purpose it is to diue into the depth of policie , or to set downe any positiue rules , what a right statesman should be ; for that were with phormio the philosopher to read a lecture of souldierie to hannibal the most cunningest warriour of his time ; & consequently as phormio was by hannibal to be iustly laughed at , so aswell might seneca haue written to nero the art of crueltie ; or cicero to his brother quintus the commendation of anger . the summe of these briefe collections , is intended to recreate the minde , not to informe knowledge in practice ; but to conforme practice to knowledge : whereto no indeauor can bee found more requisite , more auaileable , then an vndeceiuing lesson of an impartiall obseruation ; wherin if our studies erre not with many and those most approued , thus we haue obserued . first , of publique men there are two generall sorts ; the one , such as by the speciall fauour of their prince ( which sauour cannot ordinarily be conferred without some mayne and euident note of desert ) haue beene raised , to a supereminent ranck of honour , and so by degrees ( as it for the most part alwayes happens ) to speciall places of weightie imployment in the common wealth . the other sort are such as the prince according to his iudgement , hath out of their owne sufficiencie , aduaunced to particular offices , whether for administration of iustice , for execution of law , for necessitie of seruice , and the like , being according to their education and studie , enabled for the discharge of those places of authoritie ; and these two are the onely chiefe and principall members of imploiment , vnder that head of whose politike bodie they are the most vsefull & stirring members . against both those publique persons , there are two capitall and deadly opposites ( if it were possible ) to becharme their resolutions , and blot out their name from the line of life , by which they should bee led to the endlesse immortalitie of an immortalitie , in an euer-flourishing commendation . the first are poysoners of vertue , the betrayers of goodnesse , the bloud-suckers of innocencie : the latter , the close deaths-men of merit , the plotters against honestie , and the executioners of honors ; they are in two words discouered , blandientes & saeuientes , flatterers , and priuie murtherers . it is a disputable question , and well worthie a canuase and discussion in the schools , to decide which of the two doe the greatest iniurie to noble personages . how be it most apparent it is , that enuie , the inseparable companiō tha● accompanies the vertuous , doeth not worke more mischiefe for the finall ouerthrow of a noble and deseruing man , thē flattery doth , for driuing that noble and deseruing man into the snares of enuie . no man can be , or should be reputed a god ; and then how easie it is for any man of the choycest temper , of the soundest apprehension , of the gracefullest education , of the sincerest austeritie of life ; how easie it is for him to fall into many errours , into many vnbecomming follies , into many passions , and affections : his onely being a man is both sufficient proofe , and yet sufficient excuse . the eloquentest and grauest diuine of all the ancients , confest out of his owne experience , non est mihi vicinior hostis memet ipso : that he had not a more neere enemie to him then himselfe . for he that hath about him his frailtie to corrupt him , a world to besot him , an aduersarie to terrifie him ; and lastly , a death to deuoure him : how should hee but bee inueigled with the inticements of the two first , and so consequently consent to the vnsteadinesse of his temptation before he be drawne to a serious consideration of the danger of the two last ? especially as wee are men , being not onely subiect to the lapses and vanities of men , but as we are eminent men , in grace and fauour , in prioritie of titles , of place , & of command ; hauing men to sooth vs vp in the maintenance and countenancing of those euils , which else doubtlesse , could not at one time or other , but appeare before vs in their own vglinesse and deformitie . a flatterer is the onely pestilent bawd to great mens shames ; the nurse to their wantonnesse ; the fuell to their lusts ; and with his poyson of artificiall villanie , most times doth set an edge vnto their ryot , which otherwise would be blunted and rebated in the detestation of their owne violent posting to a violent confusion . not vnwisely did a wise man compare a flattering language to a silken halter , which is soft because silken , but strangling because a halter . the words wherewith those panders of vice doe perswade , are not so louely , as the matters they dawbe ouer with their adulations , are abhominable . that is a bitter sweetnesse which is onely delicious to the pallate , and to the stomacke deadly . it is reported , that all beasts are wonderfully delighted with the sent of the breath of the panther , a beast fierce and cruell by nature ; but that they are else afrighted with the sternenesse of his lookes : for which cause , the panther when he hunts his prey , hiding his grimme visage , with the sweetnesse of his breath , allures the other beastes vnto him , who being come within his reach , hee rends and cruelly doth dilaniate them . euen so , those patrons and minions of false pleasures , the flatterers that they may prey vpon the credulitie of the abused great ones , imitate the panthers , extenuating , and as much as in them lyes , hiding the grossenesse , the vglinesse , the deformitie of those follyes they perswade vnto ; and with a false glosse , varnishing and setting out the paradise of vncontrolled pleasures , to the ruine oft times of the informed , and glorie of their owne impietie . in such a mightie man inticed to ouerrule his reason , nay ouer-beare it , by giuing scope to his licentious eye , first to see , then to delight in , lastly , to couet a chaste beauty ? alasse , how many swarms of dependants , being creatures to his greatnesse , will not onely tell him , mocke him , and harden him in a readie and pregnant deceipt , that loue is courtly , and women were in their creation ordained to be wooed , and to be won ; but also what numbers of them , will thrust themselues into imploiment and seruile action , to effect the lewdnesse of desire , to corrupt with promises , with guifts , with perswasions , with threatnings , with intreaties , to force a rape on vertue , and adulterate the chaste bosome of spotlesse simplicitie ? a folly is commited , how sleight are they ready to proue it , how sedulous to sleighten , how damnably disposed to make it nothing ? insomuch as those vipers of humanitie , are fitly to be termed , the mans whore , and the womans knaue . is such a mightie one affected to such a suite , as the graunt and possession of it will draw a curse vpon his head by a generall voyce , of a generall smart and detriment to the commonwealth ? how suddenly will those wilde beasts , labour to assure him , that the multitudes loue is wonne by keeping them in awe ; not by giuing way to their giddinesse by any affabilitie ? will another aduaunce an vnworthy court-ape , and oppresse a desertfull hope ? it were too tedious to recite , what incessant approbations will bee repeated by these anthropophagi , those men-eaters , to make a golden calfe an idoll , and a neglected merite a laughter ? that such a kinde of monsters , may appeare in their likenesse , as monstrous as in effect they are ; it is worthie obseruation , to see how when any man , who whiles hee stood chiefe in the princes fauour , they honoured as an earthly god , yet being declyned from his princes estimation , it is worthie to be noted how speedily , how swiftly , how maliciously those cankers of a state will not onely fall off , will not onely dispise , will not onely deride , but also oppose themselues against the partie dista●ted . as many subtill practizers of infamie , haue other subordinate ministers of publique office and imployment in a common-wealth , to betray them to their ruine ; yet euer and anon , they like inchanted glasses , set them on fire with the false light of concealement and extenuation . let it be spoken with some authority , borrowed from experience of the elder times , that men in high places , are like some hopelesse marriners , set to sea in a leaking vessel : there is no safetie , no securitie , no comfort , no content in greatnesse , vnlesse it be most constantly armed in the defensiue armor of a selfe-worthie resolution ; especially when their places they hold , are hourely subiect to innouation , as their names ( if they preuent not their dangers by leauing them , and their liues at once ) are to reproach , and the libertie of malice . flatterie to either publique persons , is not more inductious on the one side , then enuie on the other is vigilant . great men are by great men ( not good men by good men ) narrowly sifted ; their liues , their actions , their demeanors examined ; for that their places and honours are hunted after , as the beazar for his preseruatiues ; and then the least blemish , the least slide , the least error , the least offence , is exasperated , made capitall ; the dangers ensuing euer prooue ( like the wound of an enemies sword ) mortall , and many times deadly . now in this case , when the eye of iudgement is awakened , flatterie is discouered to be but an inmate to enuie ; an inmate , at least , consulting together though not dwelling together , the one , being catarer to the others bloudie banquet ; and some wise men haue been perswaded , that the pestilence , the rigour of law , famine , sicknes , or war , haue not deuour'd more great ones then flattery and enuie . much amisse , & from the purpose it cannot bee , to giue instance in three publike presidents , of three famous nations ; all chancing within the compasse of twentie yeares . in england not long agoe , a man supereminent in honours , desertfull in many seruices , indeared to a vertuous and a wise queene , elizabeth of glorious memorie , and eternall happinesse : a man too publikely beloued , and too confident of the loue he held , robert earle of essex , and earle marshall of the kingdome ; he , euen he that was thought too high to fall , and too fixed to bee remoued ; in a verie handfull of time , felt the misery of greatnesse , by relying on such as flattered and enuyed his greatnesse . his end was their end , and the execution of law , is a witnesse in him to posteritie , how a publike person is not at any time longer happie , then hee preserues his happinesse with a resolution that depends vpon the guard of innocēcie & goodnes . charles dvke of byron in france , not long after him , ranne the same fate ; a prince that was reputed the inuincible fortresse to his king & countrey : great in desert , and too great in his greatnesse ; not managing the fiery chariot of his guiding the sunne of that climate with moderation ; gaue testimonie by an imposed and inexpected end , how a publike man in authoritie , sits but in commission on his own delinquencie , longer then resolution in noble actions leuels at the immortalitie of a line of life . lastly , sir iohn vanolden barnevelt in the netherlands , ( whose ashes are scarce yet colde ) is and will bee a liuely president of the mutabilitie of greatnesse . hee was the only one that traffiqued in the coūsels of forreine princes , had factors in all courts , intelligencers amongst all christian nations ; stood as the oracle of the prouinces , and was euen the moderator of policies of all sorts : was reputed to bee second to none on earth for soundnesse of designes ; was indeed his countreyes both mynion , mirror , and wonder ; yet enforcing his publike authoritie , too much to bee seruant to his priuate ambition ; hee left the tongue of iustice to proclayme that long life , and a peacefull death are not granted or held by the charter of honours , except vertuous resolvtion renew the patent , at a daily expence of proficiencie in goodnesse . others fresh in memorie might bee inserted , but these are yet bleeding in the wounds which they haue giuen themselues , and some now liuing to this day ; who both haue had , and doe enioy as great honours , and are therefore as incident to as many wofull changes , but that they wisely prouide to proppe their greatnesse with many greater deserts . here is in text letters layd before vs , the hazard , perill and casualty of a pvblike man : the possibilitie what miserie , calamity , ruine , greatnesse and popularitie may winde him into . heere is decyphered the vnauoydable and incessant persecutors of their honors and ioyes : flatterie and enuie two ancient courtiers . it comes now to conclusion , that it cannot be denyed , but those publike men haue ( notwithstanding these ) chiefe and immediate meanes in their owne powers , if they well and nobly order their courses to make their countrey their debtors , and to enroll their names in the glorious register of an euer-memorable glorie : especially if they be not too partially doting on euery commendable vertue , which in priuate men is reputed as it is , a vertue ; but in them a miracle . certainly ( without disparagement to desert in great men ) there are many particular persons , fit for publike imployments , whose ablenesse and sufficiencie , is no way inferiour to the prayses of the mightiest , but that they are clouded in their lownesse , & obscured in their priuatnesse , but else would & could giue testimony to the world , that all fulnesse and perfection is not confined to eminence and authoritie . a pvblike man , therefore , shunning the adulation of a parasite ( which hee may easily discouer , if hee wisely examine his merit with their hyperbolical insinuations , ) then keeping an euen course in the processe of lawfull and iust actions , auoyding the toyles , snares and trappes of the enuious , cannot chuse in his own lifetime , but build a monument , to which the triumph and trophies of his memorie , shall giue a longer life then the perpetuitie of stone , marble or brasse can preserue . otherwise if they stand not on the guard of their owne pietie and wisedome , they will vpon trifles sometime or other bee quarrelled against and euicted . neyther may they imagine that any one taint ( howsoeuer they would bee contented to winke at it in themselues , supposing it to be ( as perhaps it is ) little , and not worthy reprehension ) can escape vnespyed . for the morall of the poets fiction is a goodly lesson for their instruction . it is said that thetis the mother of achilles , drencht him being an infant in the stygian waters , that thereby , his whole bodie might bee made invulnerable : but see the seueritie of fate , for euen in that part of the heele that his mother held him by , was hee shot by the arrow of paris , of which wound he dyed . in like case , may euery statesman bee like achilles in the generall body of his actions , impassible and secure from any assault of wilfull and grosse ennormitie : yet if he giue way to but one handfull ( as it may be termed ) of folly , not becomming the grauity and greatnes of his calling ; hee shall soone meete with some watchfull paris , some industrious flatterer , or ouer-busie enuious cōpetitour , that will take aduantage of his weaknesse , and wound his infirmitie to the ruine of his honours , if not to the ieopardy of his life . the period of all shal be knit vp , with the aduise of a famous learned & philosopher : & as he wrote to his familiar friend , let vs transcribe to men in authoritie ; let a publike man reioyce in the true pleasures of a constant resolution , not in the deceiuable pleasures of vanitie and fondnesse . by a good conscience , honest counsells , and iust actions , the true good is acquired . other moment any delights only supple the forehead , not vnburthen and solace the heart . they are nothing , alasse they are nothing , it is the minde must be well disposed , it is the minde must bee confident : it is the mind aboue all things must be rectified ; and the true comfort is not easily attayned , and yet with more difficulty retayned . but hee , he who directs all his whole priuate life in hononurable proiections , cannot any way misse our line of life , which points at the immortalitie of a vertuous name by profitably discharging the burthen of such imployments as are vsually imposed vpon those , whom their callings haue entitled publike men . a good man is the last branch of resolution , and by him is meant ( as is said before ) such a man , as doth ( beside the care he hath of himselfe in particular ) attend all his drifts and actions , to bee a seruant for others , for the good of others , as if it were his owne . school-boyes newly trayned vp in the principles of grammer can resolue what a good man is , or who ? who ? qui consulta patrum , qui leges iuraque seruat . such an one , as not indeed singly obserues what he should doe , but doth euen that which hee obserues hee should doe . this man not only liues , but liues well , remembring alwayes the old adage ; that god is the rewarder of aduerbes not of nownes . his intents are without the hypocrisie of applause , his deedes without the mercenary expectation of reward , the issue of both is , all his workes are crown'd in themselues , and yet crowne not him , for that hee loues vertue for it selfe . this man neuer flatters folly in greatnesse , but rather pitties , and in pittie striues to redresse the greatnesse of folly. this man neuer enuies the eminence of authoritie , nor feares the enuious : his reprehensiōs are balms , his prayses glories , and he is as thankfull to bee rebuked , as to bee cherished . from such a man all things are to be gratfully accepted : his desire to doe good to all , hath not a like successe to all ( notwithstanding in him to will is commendable , and not to be able to doe , pardonable . ) for it is not only the propertie of true vertue , but also of true friendship , as well to admonish , as to bee admonished : for amongst good men those things are euer well taken that are well meant ; yet euen this man ( that vncompeld , vn-required , not exacted , interposes himselfe to set at vnitie the disorders of others not so inclinable to goodnesse , is not free from enmity , with those whom in a general care , he labours to deserue as friends . the reason , flattery procures friēds , truth hatred . how ? truth hatred ? yes , for from truth is hatred borne , which is the poyson of friendship , as laelius wel obserued : but what ensues ? hee whose eares are so fortified , and barrocaded against the admitment of truth , that from his friend he wil not heare the truth , this mans safetie is desperat : wherfore if any one will only relish words of downe and honey , as if wee loued to speake nothing but pure roses ( as the prouerbe is : ) let such a one learn from the skilfull artists of nature , that the bees doe annoint their hiues with the iuyce of the bitterest weeds , against the greedinesse of other beasts . let him learne from the skilfullest phisicians , that the healthfullest medicines smart most in the wound . let him learne from the prince of philosophie , that anger was giuen to men by nature , ( as hee writes ) as a whetstone of valour ; and then he cānot but consider , that any paines which a good man vndergoes for reconciliation , be they either by way of admonition or reprehension , tend both to one end , that hee may make all like vnto himselfe , that is , good men. this very word ( good ) implyes a description in it selfe , more pithy , more patheticall , then by any familiar exemplification can bee made manifest : such a man , as makes the generall commoditie , his particular benefit , may not vnfitly bee stiled a private states-man : his endeuours are publike , the vse publike , the profit publike , the commendation publike : but the person priuate ; the resolution priuate , the end priuate , and the reward peculiar . it is impossible , that the wretched and auaricious banking vp of wealth , can draw him into a conceipt , that hee can euer make friends of mony after his death ; considering that the world was created for the vse of men , and men created into the world to vse it , not to enioy it . this mans bounty is giuing , not lending ; and his giuing , is free , not reserued : he cherisheth learning in the learned , and incourageth the learned to the loue of learning by cherishing them ; he heartneth the vpright in iustice , & ratifies iustice in the vpright ; he helpes the distressed with counsell , and approoues the proceedings of wise counsellors . he is a patterne to all what they should bee , as to himselfe what he is . finally , try all his desires , his actions are the seasoners of his speeches , as his profession is of his actions . hee is a physitian to other mens affections as to his own , by comprimitting such passions as runne into an insurrection , by strengthening such as decline , by suppling such as are inflamed , by restrayning such as would runne out , by purging such as ouer-abound . his ambition climbes to none other cure then to heale the wounded , not to wound the whole ; beeing neither so vnwise to doe any thing that he ought not to doe , nor so vnhappy to doe any thing what hee does not . his singular misfortune is , that ( with drusus an excellent man ) he attempts many times with a more honest and good mind , then good fortune and successe ; insomuch , as it often comes to passe , that other mens mischiefes are preferred before his vertues : yet still as he is a good man , iniuries can no more discourage him , then applause can ouer-weene him . euen this man hath his particular aduersaries to threaten him , and ( if it could be possible ) to terrifie him , and deter him from the soliditie of his temper : scandal to defame him , and imposture to traduce him : flatterie and enuie are not a more pestilent broode , set in armes against a publique man , then those two miscreant monsters are against a good man. but is his resolution any way infracted , for that some refractaries are ( like knights of the post ) hired to witnesse against him ? doubtlesse no , but much the rather confirmed to run by a line of life , to the goale of life . his owne solace is to him , as an inexpugnable castle of strength , against all the forcible assaults of diuellish cōplots , built onely vpon this foundation , that he is conscious to himselfe of an vnforced sinceritie : with the poet he can resolue : hic murus aheneus esto , nil conscire sibi , his integritie to him is a brazen wall ; and with the orator , he assures himselfe , that nullum theatrum virtuti maius conscientiâ , vertue hath not a more illustrious and eminent theatre to act on , then her owne conscience . socrates ( a good man , if a meere morrall man may be termed so ) beeing scurrilously by aristophanes the poet , derided before the people ; and by anytus and melytus vniustly accused before the iudges , as a trifler , a master of follies , a corrupter of youth , a sower of impieties , answered ; if their alledged imputations be true , we will amend them ; if false , they pertaine not to vs. it was a noble constancie and resolution of a wise man , that he ( inlightned with the only beames of nature ) was so moderate and discreet . the good man here personated ( inspired with a farre richer & diuiner knowledge then humanitie ) cannot but asmuch exceede soerates in those vertues of resolution , as socrates did his aduersaries in modestie and moderation . kings and mightie monarches , as they are first mouers to all subordinate ministers , of what ranke or imploiments soeuer , within their proper dominions , are indeed publike persons ; but as one king traffiques with another , another , and another , either for repressing of hostilitie , inlarging a confederacie , confirming an amitie , setling a peace , supplanting an heresie , and such like , not immediately concerning his owne particular , or his peoples ; but for moderating the differences betweene other princes : in this respect euen kings and priuate men , and so their actions belong wholly and onely to themselues ; printing the royalty of their goodnes , in an immortalitie of a vertuous and euerlasting name , by which they iustly lay a claime to the style of good men : which attribute doth more glorifie their desert , then the mightinesse of their thrones can their glories . in which respect , our soveraigne lord and king that now is , hath worthily chronicled his grand-fathers remembrance , which was ( as hee best witnesseth ) called the poore mans king. a title of so inestimable a wealth , that the riches of many kingdomes are of too low & meane a value , to purchase the dignitie and honour of this onely style , the poore mans king. the famous and most excellent commendation of a good man , cannot be more expresly exemplified in any president or myrrour , by all the instances of former times , nor shall be euer ( farre , farre be● seruilitie or insinuation ) ouer-paralleled by any age succeeding , then in the person of iames the king of great britaine presently here reigning ouer vs a good man , so well deseruing ( from all gratefull memorie ) seruice and honour , that not to doe him seruice is an ingratitude to the greatnesse of his goodnesse ; and not to doe him all honour , an ingratitude to the goodnesse of his greatnesse . a good man , that euen with his entrance to the crowne , did not more bring peace to all christian nations , yea almost to all nations of the westerne world , then since the whole course of his glorious reigne , hath preserued peace amongst them . a good man , who hath thus long sought as an equall and vpright moderatour to decide , discusse , conclude , and determine all differences between his neighbouring princes and fellowes in empire . a good man , of whom it may be verified , that he is bonorvm maximvs , and magnorvm optimvs . a good man , that loues not vertue for the name of vertue onely , but for the substance and realitie . a good man , whom neither scandal can any way impeach of iniustice , tyrannie , ignorance ; nor imposture traduce , to a neglect of merite in the desertfull , to leuitie in affections , to surqu●drie in passions , to intention of inclyning to folly , or declyning from reall worth ; which as an heditarie inheritance , and a fee simple by nature and education , hee retaynes in himselfe , to the wonder and admiration of all , that may emulously imitate him , neuer perfectly equall him . questionlesse , the chronicles , that shall hereafter report the annalls of his life and actions , shall doe infinite iniurie to the incomparable monuments of his name , if they style him , as some would wish , iames the great , or as others indeuour , iames the peaceable , or as not a few hope , iames the learned . for to those titles haue the greekes in alexander , the romans in augustus , the germans in charles the fift , the french men in charlemaine , and henrie the fourth , father to their present king , attayned : but if he shall be reported in his style to be , as in his owne worthinesse hee may iustly challenge ; he must then be styled , as by the approbation of all that truely know him , he is knowne to be iames the good . let the summe of this branch of resolution , which is indeed corona operis , the summe of the whole sum , bee concluded : that this onely patterne , as he is onely inferior on earth to god , who is bonvm svmmvm , the chiefe and soueraigne good ; so the distinction betweene his great master and him ( whose vicegerent he is ) consists in this ( with reuerence to the diuine maiestie be it spoken ) that as god ( whom to call good is but an improprietie of description ) is not singly bonus good , but bonitas goodnesse , in abstracto , ( as the schoole-men speake : ) so vnder the great king of kings , this king of men is substitute to his king , with this vp-shut ; the one is foreuer the king of goodnesse ; and our king on earth , not onely a good king , but a good man ; such a good man as doth himselfe run , and teacheth by his example , others securely and readily to runne , by his line of life , to the immortalitie of a vertuous name . a priuate man , a publique man , a good man , haue beene here particularly deciphered & discoursed . it comes to conclusion , that hee , who desires either in his owne person to be renowned ; for the generall prosperitie of the common-wealth , to be eternized ; or for the cōmunitie of his friends , or any whom hee will make his friends , remēbred ; in the diaries of posteritie , must first lay the foundation of a willingnesse , from thence proceed to a desire , frō thēce to a delight , from a delight to practise , from practise to a constant perseuerance in noble actions . and then such a man , howsoeuer , he liue , shall neuer misse to end his dayes , before his honors and the honours of his name can end , for they shal know no end ; and yet euen in death , and after death , ouer-liue all his enemies , in the immortall spring of a most glorious memorie ; which is the most precious crowne and reward of a most precious line of life . the corollarie . in the view of the precedent argument , somewhat ( perhaps ) too lamely hath the progresse of a mans life ( in any fate ) been traced ; wherein still the course , like a pilot sayling for his safetie and wel-fare , hath alwayes had an eie , to the north-starre of vertue : without which , men cannot but suffer shipwrack on the land , aswell as mariners on the sea. such as haue proofes in their owne persons and experiences of both fortunes , haue past through their dangers of their beeing men , as they were first priuat ; before they entred : and from their entrance waded , into the labyrinth of greatnesse and imployment , from whence they becam publike mē . now thē somwhat boldly ( yet the boldnes is a presūption of loue , not loue of presumption ) may bee intimated ; that howsoeuer , any great or popular person , ( for to such doth this application properly appertaine , howbeit free from any particularity except particularly challenged ) in a peculiar examination of himselfe cannot chuse , but find , that he hath encountred many oppositions of youth , ( euen in graue yeares ) and frailtie ( in graue actions : ) yet hauing at any time , by any casualtie , a happinesse ( danger it selfe is a happinesse if rightly made vse of , otherwise a miserie ) to account with his expence of time : hee cannot vpon indifferent and euen reckoning , instead of impayring his honours but aduance them : he cannot , if hee account faithfully , instead of making the world his confessour , but confesse his owne noblenesse ; and therevpon he will find , that the toyle in common affaires , is but trash and bondage , compared to the sweete repose of the minde , and the goodly contemplation of a mans peace with himselfe . all glory whether it consist of profits or preferments , is withovt , and therefore makes nothing to the essence of true happinesse : but the feeling of a resolued constancie is within , and euer keepes a feast in a mans soundest content . one pregnant and notable samplar deserues an eye of iudgement to be fixed on it . demosthenes after a long gouernment at his pleasure in the common-wealth ( vpon what consideration , he himselfe knew best , and states-men may easily guesse at , ) is reported to confesse to his friends , who came to visit him : that if at the beginning , two waies had bin proposed before him ; the one leading to the tribunall of authoritie , the other to his graue ; if hee could by inspiration , haue fore-knowne the euils , the terrors , the calumnies , the enuies , the contentions , the dangers , that men in such places , must customarily meet with ; that hee would much rather with alacritie , haue posted on to his sepulcher then to his greatnesse . brutus when hee determined his owne end , cried out with hercules : o wretched and miserable power of man , thou wert nothing but a name , yet i imbraced thee as a glorious worke , but thou wert a bond-slaue to fortune . it is superfluous to inlarge ( or comment vpon ) the sufferings of those famous men : euery mans owne talent of wisdome , and share of tryall , may with not much difficultie , conster the sence of their meanings . a good man is the man , that euen the greatest or lowest should both bee , and resolue to be . and this much may be confidently auerred ; that men of eminent commands , are not in generall more feared in the tyde of their greatnesse , then beloued , in the ebbe of that greatnesse , if they beare it with moderation . statists honoured or fauoured , ( for fauour and honour are for the most part inseparable ) haue the eyes of the world vpon their carriage , in the carriage eyther of their glories or deiections : it is not to bee doubted ( which is a singular comfort ) but any sequestration from a woonted height , is only but a tryall ; for beeing managed with humblenesse and gratitude , it may ennoble the patients ( for their owne particulars ) to demeane themselues excellently , in the places they had before ( may bee ) somewhat too neglectfully discharged . alwayes there is a rule in obseruation , positiue and memorable ; that an interposition or ecclipse of eminence , must not so make a man vndervalue his owne desert , but that a noble resolution , should still vphold its owne worth , in deseruing well ; if wee ayme and intend to repute & vse honours , but as instrumentall causes of vertuous effects in actions . to all such as so doe , ( and all should so doe that are worthy to bee such , ) a seruice not to be neglected is a proper debt : especially from inferiour ministers to those , whose creation , hath not more giuen them the prerogatiues of being men , then the vertuous resolution , leading them by a line of life , hath adorned them , with the iust , knowne and glorious titles of beeing good men. vadvm non transeat excors . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e arist. in . ethic. l. cicer. in off . of the first , a man. cicero arist. homo homini lupus . villeius pat●r● . lib. . fabius , orat . lib. . cap. . plin. lib. . cap. . plutarch . in apotheg . cicero de leg . lib. . iuuenal . sat. . epist. . sene● epist . . of the second branch , a publike man. plato . . & . de leg . & . de repub. arist. . & . po●it . isocrat . in pan. two sorts of publike men . augustine . diog. laert. in vita diog. plin. hist. lib. . cap. . sen. epi. of the branch , a good man. cic●r● de amicit. plin. hist. lib. . cap. arist. eth. lib. . velleius hist. rom. lib. . ●orat . lib. . epist. . cicer. quaest . tusc. lib. . in comaed . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plat. apol . socrat. diog laert . in vita socrat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lib. . plutarch . in vit . demost. dion . hist. rom. lib. . an exhortation to families who have desires to serve the lord god in their several places that they may all learn in the light of christ jesus, the wisdome and power of god, who is the true teacher. fox, george, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing f ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing f estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an exhortation to families who have desires to serve the lord god in their several places that they may all learn in the light of christ jesus, the wisdome and power of god, who is the true teacher. fox, george, d. . broadside. s.n., [london? : ?] signed: by george fox, the younger in the truth. reproduction of original in the huntington library. eng conduct of life. society of friends -- pastoral letters and charges. a r (wing f ). civilwar no an exhortation to families, who have desires to serve the lord god in their several places, that they may all learn in the light of christ j fox, george a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an exhortation to families , who have desires to serve the lord god in their several places , that they may all learn in the light of christ jesus , the wisdome and power of god , who is the true teacher . o ye fathers , and mothers , stand in the pure fear of the lord , and wait in his light , that ye may receive his living wisdom , and live in it , that so ye may be ordered by it , and with it order all things to gods glory , and bring up your children in the fear of the lord , watching over them in the seasoned savoury life of god , not suffering them to live to wildness , nor idleness , nor vain talking ( unreproved ; ) but in the sober , meek spirit , and in the authority of gods lamb , reprove them , and that will reach the witness of god in them , and correct them in the fear , and wisdom , and freedom of god , in the patience , and follow not their foolish wills , neither correct them in your own wills , nor in hastiness , rashness , or passion ; for if ye do , then that will use the rod , which is to be beaten with the rod of god , and that will make your children more stubborn and wicked , and this will offend god ; but stand ye in gods counsel , and discourage nothing in your children , but evil , and let them have that which is meet , just and reasonable , and no more , that none of gods creatures be wasted ; and be ye patterns and good examples ( in all holiness , gravity and uprightness ) unto them , and let them have sufficient liberty to go to godly meetings , and rather stir them up and incourage them to go to such , then hinder or discourage them , and keep your minds out of them unto the lord , and let your love to them be in the lord , that so ye may feel his blessing coming upon you , and them . and all ye children who have parents , honour ( and be obedient unto ) them , in the lord , and mind the light of christ ( in you ) and that will not suffer ye to be wild , nor wilful , stubborn , nor vain , but it will check and reprove ye for all evil , and if ye will own its reproof , and believe and wait in it , it will lead ye out of all evil , and it will bring ye into soberness and meekness , tenderness and innocency , and preserve ye in it , and it will bring ye to know and remember your creator in the dayes of your youth , and it will reveal gods power and wisdom in ye , whereby ye will be kept in true order : so suffer not your minds to follow vanity , neither walk in stubbornness towards your parents , ( nor others ; ) i warn ye in gods fear , lest he shorten your dayes , and cut ye off by his righteous judgements ; but mind his fear , and wait therein , that ye may feel his grace , and be taught by it , and be obedient unto it , and then ye will feel the mercy and blessing of the lord . and all ye that are masters and dames , wait in the true light , that ye may feel christ the power and wisdom of god , to be your master , that so ye may rule in your places , in his fear and wisdom ; and lay no more upon your servants then ye would be willing should be laid upon you , if ye were in their places and conditions : ( mark that ) and forbear threatning them , and be not hasty to turn them away , if they bee willing to abide with you , but in patience and meekness shew them their place and service , and therein teach them , if they know it not , and let them have for their service that which is convenient , just and reasonable , that they may have no just cause to murmure or complain ; and keep out of covetousness , lest that hinder you from giving them sufficient liberty ( who desires it ) for going to the meetings of the people of the lord ; and if in the wisdom of god ye see freedom to turn any away , give them sufficient warning , that they may provide themselves other wayes , for this is but just and reasonable ; and be not hasty nor rash with them , nor run into jangling with them , but if ye have cause to reprove them , let it be in the fear and wisdom of god , in the freedom and authority of the truth , and that will reach unto the witness of god in them ; so be not high-minded , but fear , and be patterns unto them in the lowly , meek and quiet spirit ; and bear with the weak , and forgive them that trespass against you , and render not evil for evil to any , but overcome evil with that which is good , and live in that which overcomes evil , that so the truth of god may be exalted over all . and all ye that are servants , live in the fear of the lord , and wait in his light , and be obedient thereunto , and also be obedient ( in your places ) unto those that are your masters and dames ( according to the flesh ) not onely to the good and gentle , but also to the froward , serving them in faithfulness and uprightness of heart , doing what ye do for them , as diligently , faithfully and willingly , as ye should do any thing to the lord , for this is right in the sight of god ; and take heed that none of gods creatures be lost , or wasted under your hands , through your neglecting them , or slothfulness in your places ; and do not falsly accuse any , or speak evil behind any ones back , thereby thinking to get the favour or love of any , or upon any other account , for that is evil ; and be as diligent in your places , when your masters or dames are absent , as when they are present , for this is just and right ; and be not stubborn nor wilful , neither use many words to your masters or dames , and if ye know not well how to perform your service aright , then in true humility be willing to learn , and take heed of high-mindedness and pride , or of being wise in your own eyes ; and when you have any spare time allowed ye , ( being free from outward imployment ) see that ye spend it in the fear of the lord , in waiting upon him in his light , that so all vain talking , corrupt communication , foolish jeasting , and all vanity may be kept out of ; and give ye not way to that mind which is unstable , which would be oft shifting , and going from place to place , for this is not right in the sight of god , but wait in the light , that ye may be staid , and setled in your minds ; and if ye see freedom in the fear of god ( mark that ) to go to another place , then give your masters or dames sufficient notice of it ; and if any of you , who know the truth , come to be moved of the lord to go to any place his service , be faithful to the lord , and when your service which hee required of you is done , then return to your places again ( except it be otherwayes ordered in the fear and wisdom of god ) and be diligent in your places , doing the same that ye would others should do unto you in the like condition ; and mind the lord in all things , and above all things , and be faithful unto him , and he will be your reward . and all ye fathers , and mothers , and children , and masters , and dames , and servants , who have the creatures of god to buy or sell , or to exchange , live in the fear of the lord , that ye may feel his wisdom to guide you in your trading , and do not speak better or worse of the creatures then you know them to be , thereby to get the greater gain , for that is idolatry , it arising from covetousness ; but wait to feel gods spirit to bridle your tongues , and use but few words in your trading ; and if ye ask a question therein , do it in simplicity , and keep in the light which is equal , that when ye offer or ask a price for the creatures , it may be in equality , and let that be your rule , and not the price of the market , except that be equal , that so ye may reach the equal principle one in another ; and then stand to your word , and here your yea will be yea , and your nay will be nay , and so ye will be kept in the doctrine of christ , with his light , out of all evil ; and ye abiding in the light , it will bring ye to do to every one , as ye would be done unto ; and take heed that ye stir not up the impatient crooked disorderly nature , one in another , with your words or actions ; but bear one with another , and forgive one another , and when ye tell each other of a fault , do it in the fear , and wisdom , and meek spirit of gods lamb , that so ye may restore each other therein ; and when ye have any convenient time , assemble your selves together in the name and fear of the lord , and wait every particular in the measure and gift of god in you , which is given ye to profit withal ; and all wait together in the light , and believe in it , that ye may be children of the light , and therein watch unto prayer , and one over another , and this will beget ye into unfained love , and walking in the light ye will have true unity , and fellowship one with another ; and the blood ( which is the life ) of jesus christ you will feel cleansing you from all sin , and so ye will come into the unity with god . also , to feel his word , his power , and wisdom ( in you ) by which all things were created and made , and are upheld , that therein ye may be ordered in the particular , and that therein ye may use and order all gods creatures , to his glory ; and then all false weights , and measures , and wayes , and worships will be destroyed , and then shall truth , equity , righteousness , and true order and mercy prosper , and run down as a river : so let your faith stand in christ jesus the light , and wisdom , and power of god , and then true worship , true weight , true measure shall be set up and established , and then shall the lord be exalted over all the works of his hands , and so ye will feel his blessing ; unto him belongeth the dominion and honour , for he is worthy of it for evermore , amen . by george fox , the younger in the truth . the dutifull advice of a loving sonne to his aged father southwell, robert, saint, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the dutifull advice of a loving sonne to his aged father southwell, robert, saint, ?- . [ ], p. printed for beniamin fisher, dwelling in aldersgate- street at the talbot, london : . attributed to robert southwell by nuc pre- imprints. an extract from southwell's "an epistle of a religous priest unto his father", first printed in his "a short rule of a good life."--cf. nuc pre- imprints. signatures: a-c⁸, d⁶. imperfect: tightly bound, pages - lacking; best copy available for photographing. reproduction of original in: harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fathers -- religious life -- catholic authors. conduct of life -- catholic authors. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the dutifull advice of a loving sonne to his aged father . london : printed for beniamin fisher , dwelling in aldersgate-street at the talbot . . the dvtifvll advice of a loving sonne to his aged fater . sir , i humbly beseech you , both in respect of the honour of god , your duty to his church , and the comfort of you● own soule , that you seriously consider in what tearmes you stand ; and weigh your selfe in a christian ballance , taking for your counterpoise the iudgements of god : take heede in time tha● the word tekall written of olde against balthazar , and interpreted by daniell , be not verified in you , whose exposition was , you have beene poysed in the scale , and found of too lightweight . remember , that you are now in the weining , and the date of your pilgrimage well nigh expired , and now th●● it behoveth you ●● looke towards yo●● countrey , your fo●●ces languisheth , yo●● senses impaire , yo●● body droops , and 〈◊〉 every side the ●●●nous cottage 〈◊〉 your faint , & feebl● flesh threatneth fall . and having many harbingers death to premoni●●● you of your end , how can you but prepare for so dreadfull a stranger . the young man may die quickly , but the old cannot live long : the young mans life by casualty may bee abridged , but the old mans by no phisick can be long adiourned , and therefore if greene yeares should sometimes think● of the grave , th● thoughts of old ag● should continually dwell in the same . the prerogativ● of infancie is innocencie ; of childehoode , reverence of man-hood , maturitie ; and of old age , wisedome . and seeing then that the chiefest properties of wisedome are to be mindefull of things past , carefull for things present , and provident for things to come ; vse you now the privilege of natures tallent to the benefit of your owne soule , and procure hereafter to be wise in wel-doing , and watchfull in the foresight of future harm● to serve the wo●● you are now unabl● and though y●● were able , yet y●● have little cause 〈◊〉 bee willing , seei●● that it never ga●● you but an unhapp● welcome , a hurtf●● entertainment , an● now doth abando● you with an unfo●●tunate farewell . you have long sowed in a field of flint , which could bring you nothing forth but a crop of cares , and afflictions of spirit ; rewarding your labours with remorse , and affording for your gaine , eternall danger . it is now more than a seasonable time to alter the course of so unth●●●ving a husbandr● and to enter into t●● field of gods chur●● in which , sowi●● the seed of repenta●●● sorrow , and wa●●●●ring them with 〈◊〉 teares of humb●● contrition , you ma● hereafter reape a more beneficial ha●●●vest , and gather th● fruits of everlasti●● comfort . remember , i pray you , that your spring is spent , your summer overpast , you are now arrived at the fall of the leafe , yea , and winter colors have long since stained your hoarie head . bee not carelesse , ( saith saint augustin ) though our loving lord bear long with offenders ; for 〈◊〉 longer he stayes , 〈◊〉 finding amēdmen● the soarer hee 〈◊〉 scourge when 〈◊〉 comes to iudg●●ment : and his p●●●tience in so long fo●●bearing , is onely 〈◊〉 lend us respit to ●●●pent , and not a●● wise to inlarge ●● leisure to sinne . hee that is to 〈…〉 with varietie of stormes , and cannot come to his desired port , maketh not much way ; but is much tormoyled ; so hee that hath passed many yeares , and purchased little profit , hath had a long being , but a short life ; for , life is more to bee measured by wel doing , than by number of ye●●● seeing that 〈◊〉 men by many 〈◊〉 do but procure ●●●ny deaths , & o 〈…〉 in short space 〈◊〉 to the life of inf 〈…〉 ages ; what is 〈◊〉 body without 〈◊〉 soule , but a co 〈…〉 carkasse ▪ and 〈◊〉 is the soule with●●● god , but a sepul●●●● of sinne ? if god bee the way , the life , and the truth ; he that goeth without him , strayeth ; and he that liveth without him , dyeth ; and he that is not taught by him , erreth . well ( saith saint augustine ) god is our true , & chiefest life , from whom to revolt , is to fall ; to whom to returne to rise , and in wh●●● to stay , is to sta●● sure . god is hee fro● whom to depart 〈◊〉 to dye ; to whom 〈◊〉 repaire , is to reviv● and in whom 〈◊〉 dwel , is life for ever ▪ bee not then of 〈◊〉 number of the●● that beginne not 〈◊〉 live , till they bee r●●●dy to dye : and then , after a foes desert , come to crave of god a friends entertainment . some there be that thinke to snatch heaven in a moment , which the best can scarce attaine unto in the maintenāce of many years , and when they have glutted themselves with worldly ●●●lights , would j 〈…〉 from dives dyet , 〈◊〉 lazarus crown●● from the service 〈◊〉 satan , to the sol 〈…〉 of a saint . but bee you w●●● assured , that god not 〈◊〉 so penurions 〈◊〉 friends , as to h●● himselfe and 〈◊〉 kingdome scaleab●● for the refuse a●● ●eversions of their ●ives , who have sa●rificed the princi●all thereof to his e●emies , and their ●wne brutish lust ; ●hen onely ceasing 〈◊〉 offend , when the ●bilitie of offending 〈◊〉 taken from them . true it is , that a ●hiefe may be saved ●pon the crosse , and mercie found at the last gaspe : but 〈◊〉 ( saith saint aug 〈…〉 though it bee p 〈…〉 ble , yet it is sc 〈…〉 credible , that 〈◊〉 death should 〈◊〉 favour , whose w 〈…〉 life deserved de●●● and that the rep●●●tance should bee ●●●cepted , that 〈◊〉 for feare of hell , 〈◊〉 love of himself , 〈◊〉 for the love of 〈◊〉 and loathsomnesse of sinne cryeth for mercie . wherefore , good sir , make no longer delayes ; but being so neer the breaking up of your mortall house , take time before extremitie , to pacifie gods anger . though you suffered the bud to bee blasted , though you permitted the 〈◊〉 to bee perished , 〈◊〉 the leaves to dry 〈◊〉 yea , though you 〈◊〉 the boughs to ●●ther , and the bo 〈…〉 of your tree to gr●● to decay ; yet ( ala 〈…〉 keep life in the ro 〈…〉 for feare lest 〈◊〉 whole tree becom● fewell for hell fire ▪ for surely where t●● tree falleth , there shall lye , whether towards the south , or to the north , to heaven , or to hell ; and such sap as it bringeth forth , such fruite shall it ever beare . death hath already filed from you the better part of your naturall forces , and left you now to the lees and remissals of your we 〈…〉 ish and dying day ▪ the remain 〈…〉 wherof as it can 〈…〉 bee long , so doth warne you speed 〈…〉 to ransom your fo●●mer losses ; for wh●● is age , but the 〈…〉 lends of death , a●● what import●●● your present weak●●nesse , but a nearne 〈…〉 of your approchi●● dissolution , you are now imbarked in your finall voyage , and not farre from the stint and period of your course . bee not therefore unprovided of such appurtenances as are behoovefull in so perplexed and perilous a journy ; death it selfe is very fearefull , but much more terrible in respect 〈◊〉 the judgment i● summoneth us un●to . if you were no● laid upon your departing bed , burthened with the heavi● load of your forme● trespasses , and gore● with the sting and pricke of a festered conscience ; if yo● felt the crampe of death wresting your heart-strings , and ready to make the rufull divorce betweene bodie and soule : if you lay panting for breath , and swimming in a cold and pale sweat wearied with strugling against your deadly pangs , o what would you give for an houres repentance ; at w●●● rate would you 〈…〉 lue a dayes contri●●●on : then wor 〈…〉 would bee wo 〈…〉 lesse in respect of little respite , a sh 〈…〉 truce would see 〈…〉 more precious t●●● the trersures of 〈◊〉 empire , nothi●● would bee so muc● esteemed as a sh 〈…〉 trice of time , whi●● now by dayes , and moneths ; and years , is most lavishly mis-spent . oh how deepely would it wound your woefull heart , when looking back into your former life , you considered many hainous , and horrible offences cōmitted , many pious workes , and godly deeds omitted , 〈◊〉 neither of both ●●●pented , your ser 〈…〉 to god promis 〈…〉 and not perform 〈…〉 oh how un 〈…〉 solably were 〈◊〉 case , your frie●● being fled , your ●●●●ses affrighted , y●●● thoughts ama●● yor memory d●●cayed , and y●●● whole mind ag 〈…〉 and no part able to performe what it should ; but onely your guilty conscience pestered with sinne , that would continually upbraid you with many bitter accusations . oh what would you thinke then , being stripped out of this mortall weede , and turned out both of service , and h 〈…〉 room of this wic 〈…〉 world , you are 〈…〉 ced to enter into ●●●couth and stra●●● pathes , and 〈◊〉 unknowne and 〈…〉 ly company to 〈◊〉 convented befo●● most severe iudg● carrying in y●●● conscience your ●●●ditement , writ●●● in a perfect regist●● of all your misdeeds , when you shall see him prepared to give sentence upon you , against whom you have so often transgressed , and the same to bee your vmpire , whom by so many offences you have made your enemies , when not onely the divel , but even the angels would plead agai●●● you , and your ow●● selfe , in despight 〈◊〉 your selfe , bee y●●● owne most shar●● appeacher . oh what wou●● you doe in th●● dreadfull exige●● when you saw 〈◊〉 gastly dragon , a●● huge gulph of he●● breaking out wi●● most fearfull flam●● when you heard the weeping , wailing , and gnashing of teeth ; the rage of those hellish monsters , the horror of the place , the terror of the company , and the eternity of all those torments . would you then thinke them wise that should delay in so weighty matters , and idlely play a●●● the time alotted , 〈◊〉 preuent these into●lerable calamitie●● would you thē c 〈…〉 it secure to nurse your bosomes many serpents sinnes ? and to fo●●●● in your souls so ●●●ny malitious ace●●sors , as mortall 〈◊〉 horrible offence ▪ would you 〈◊〉 ●●●● ●hant , whose traf●ique is toyle , whose wealth is trash , and whose gaine is mi●erie : what interest haue you reaped , that might equall your detriment in grace and vertue ? or what could you find in the vale of teares , that was answerable to the favour of god , with losse whereof , you 〈◊〉 contented to 〈◊〉 it . you cannot 〈◊〉 be inveigled 〈◊〉 the passiōs of yo●● which making a 〈…〉 tialitie of things , 〈◊〉 no distance betw●●● counterfeit and ●●rant , for these 〈◊〉 now worne out 〈…〉 force , by tract 〈◊〉 time are fallen i 〈…〉 reproofe by triall of their folly . oh let not the crazy cowardnesse of flesh and bloud daunt the prowesse of an intelligent person , who by his wisedome cannot but discerne how much more cause there is , and how much more needefull it is to serve god then this wic●●● world . but if it bee 〈◊〉 ungrounded ●●●●sumption of 〈◊〉 mercie of god , 〈◊〉 the hope of his ●●●stance at the 〈◊〉 plunge ( which ●●●deede is the ordi●●●ry lure of the div●●● to reclaime sin●●●● from the pursuit 〈◊〉 repentance . al●● ●hat is too palpable a collusion to mislead a sound and serviceable man , howsoever it may prevaile with sicke and 〈◊〉 affected iudgements : who would relye upon eternall affaires upon the gliding slippernesse , and rūning streames of our uncertaine life ? who , but one of of distempered 〈◊〉 would offer 〈◊〉 to the discipher 〈…〉 all thoughts ; 〈◊〉 whom dissembl 〈…〉 may to our cost 〈…〉 to deceive him unpossible . shall we estee● it cunning to r 〈…〉 the time from 〈◊〉 and bestow it o 〈…〉 enemies , who 〈…〉 peth tale of the 〈◊〉 minutes , and will examine in the end how every moment hath beene imployed . it is a preposterous kinde of pollicy in any wise conceit to fight against god , till our weapons be blunted , our forces consumed , our limbs impotent , and our best time spent ; & then when we fal for faintness● and have fou●● our selves alm●●● dead to presume 〈◊〉 his mercy . oh! no , no , 〈◊〉 wounds of his m 〈…〉 sacred body so 〈◊〉 rubbed , and ren●ed by your sinnes , 〈◊〉 every part and ●●●●cell of our bodies divers , and sim●●●● waies abused , 〈◊〉 be then as so many wherstones & incentives to edge & exasperate his most just revenge against vs. it is a strange peece of art , and a very exorbitant course , when the ship is sound , the pylot well , the marriners strong , the gale fauourable , & the sea calme to lye idlely at the road , burni●● so seasonable w●●●ther ; and when 〈◊〉 ship leaketh , the ●●●lott sicke , the ma●●●●ners faint , the sto 〈…〉 boysterous , and 〈◊〉 seas a turmoyle 〈…〉 outragious surg 〈…〉 then to launch 〈◊〉 ( hoise up saile ) 〈◊〉 set out for a l●●● voyage into a 〈◊〉 countrey . yet such is the skil of these evening repenters , who though in the soūdnesse of their health , and perfect use of their reason ; they cannot resolve to cut the cables , & weigh the anchor that with-holds thē from god. nevertheles , they feed themselves with a strong perswas●●● that when they 〈◊〉 astonied , their 〈◊〉 distracted , the ●●●derstanding dus●● and the bodies 〈◊〉 soules wracked , 〈◊〉 tormented with 〈◊〉 throbs , and grip●● a mortall sickn 〈…〉 then forsooth 〈◊〉 will begin to thi 〈…〉 of their weigh 〈…〉 matters , and bec●●● sudden saints , when they are scarce able to behave themselves like reasonable creatures . no , no if neither the cannon , civill , nor the common law will allow that man ( perished in judgement ) should make any testament of his temporal substance , 〈…〉 ow 〈◊〉 hee that is anima●●● with inward 〈◊〉 boyles of an u●●●led conscience , ●●●●strained with 〈◊〉 ringing fits of 〈◊〉 dying flesh , mai 〈…〉 in all his abilitie , 〈◊〉 circled in on ev●●● side with many 〈◊〉 strange incombar●●●ces be thought 〈…〉 due discretion to ●●●●spose of his chiefest iewell , which is his soule , and to dispatch the whole mannage of all eternity , and of the treasures of heaven in so short a spurt . no , no , they that will loyter in seede-time , and begin to sow when others reape ; they that will ryot out their health , and beginne to 〈◊〉 their accounts 〈◊〉 they are scarce 〈◊〉 to speake . they 〈◊〉 will slumber 〈◊〉 the day , and 〈◊〉 their journey w●●●● the light doth 〈◊〉 them , let th●● blame their o●●● folly if they dye 〈…〉 debt and ete●●●● beggers , and 〈◊〉 headlong into 〈◊〉 lap of endlesse perdition . let such listen to saint cyprians lesson , let , saith he , the grievousnesse of our sore be the measure of our sorrow ; let a deepe wound have a deepe and diligent cure ; let no mans contrition be lesse then his crime . finis . miscellanies in five essays ... the four last by way of dialogue / by jeremy collier ... selections. collier, jeremy, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) miscellanies in five essays ... the four last by way of dialogue / by jeremy collier ... selections. collier, jeremy, - . [ ], , [ ], , [ ], p. printed for sam. keeble ... and jo. hindmarsh ..., london : . first ed. cf. bm. errata: p. [ ] at beginning. reproduction of original in harvard university libraries. (from t.p.) i. upon the office of a chaplain -- ii. upon pride --iii. upon cloaths -- iv. upon duelling -- v. upon general kindness. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ethics -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion miscellanies : in five essays . i. vpon the office of a chaplain . ii. vpon pride . iii. vpon cloaths . iv. vpon duelling . v. vpon general kindness . the four last by way of dialogue . by ieremy collier , m. a. london , printed for sam. keeble at the turks-head in fleetstreet , and io. hindmarsh at the golden ball over against the royal exchange in cornhill . . to the reader . 't is some years since the publication of this small treatise : i am still convinced the interest of religion is not a little concern'd in the enquiry . the office lies among persons who have a great force upon custom and practise : and where the motion is strong , the direction should be well secured . 't is true milton treats the argument as he does the king , with great contempt : but to be ill used by such a hand , and in such company , is rather an honour than otherwise . the scripture ( says this man ) owns no such order , and therefore they must be left to the examination the sons of sceva met with . bishops or presbyters we know , and deacons we know , but what are chaplains ? ( eiconocl . p. . ) he might have answered in his own words , ( p. . ) that they were houshold priests ; and given an instance from the old testament . for there we find that micah entertain'd a levite with salary and diet ; and after all told him , he should be a father , and a priest to him . ( iudg. . . ) it seems he did not think he had hired a servant with his ten shekels . as for the heathen , they had a modester sense of religion than to rob their gods of their ministers , and make them their own . the roman emperours were priests themselves , but had none belong to them till they were dead , and deifyed . towards the declension of philosophy , now and then a grave pretender was drawn off by the steams of the kitchin. lucian ridicules these men for their little compliances . one of them it seems made his court to the lap-dog , to improve his interest with the lady . but an envious foot-man happening to smoke the matter , broke a iest upon the favorite , and the philosopher , and spoiled all. but these sages don 't come strictly within the question . they were only seculars ; and entertain'd upon the score of learning , not religion . in the church , the business of a chaplain seems not of the highest antiquity . in the first ages the clergy were supported by their bishop , and generally lived under his observation . ( can. apost . ) and afterwards , when they removed from the mother church , they had titles , i. e. cures assigned them , much larger than single families . the first chaplain i meet with was one majorinus , a very unfortunate person . he lived in the reign of dioclesian : and was ordained by the donatists for the see of carthage , against the catholick bishop caecilian . he was set up and countenanced by his patroness lucilla , a high spirited lady ; who refused communion with caecilian , for being reproved by him when he was arch-deacon . ( optat. lib. . cont . parmen . ) however , by the story majorinus might be no more than a reader in the family ; who in the custom of those times was less than a sub-deacon . the wrong vse the rich laity might make of the indigence or ambition of these houshold clergy , was i suppose the reason why the second council of orange ( can. . held ann. . ) allow'd no priest to reside with secular persons , without the bishop's leave . dr. heylin reports ( cypr. ang. ) that bishop laud observed the interest of the church prejudiced by the great increase of chaplains in the houses of private gentlemen . to prevent this inconvenience , and some others , king charles the first published his instructions to archbishop abbot , an. . containing orders to be executed by the bishops in the province of canterbury . the instructions were comprehended in ten articles . the seventh enjoyns , that the bishop suffer none under noble-men , and men qualified by law , to have any private chaplain in his house . i have mentioned these instances , to shew the difficulty of the office. 't is a nice vndertaking , and requires a more than ordinary sufficiency . and therefore an vnexperienced , vnballasted divine , must be an improper missionary . 't were well if he understood something of men and things ; if he was furnish'd both with matter and form , and rather brought his education than received it . for a disadvantage in the beginning of business , is not easily overcome . there should be vigilance in conversation , a sweetnes● of temper , an vnaffected piety , and a noble contempt of interest . and since the clergy thus engaged are more numerous than formerly , they should manage with the greater care. for when the priesthood is misunderstood , religion must decline of course . and when religion is gone ▪ we have lost the best support of this life , as well as the other . this reasoning must be allowed by those who are not sunk below the doctrines of providence . indeed if a man sets up for a sceptick , i don't expect the argument should relish . but the opinion of such iudges is neither credit , nor misfortune . with these people a iest passes for a demonstration ; and to laugh , and confute , is the same thing . it seems truth and falshood depends upon their good liking : and they have the peculiar privilege of wishing things in , or out of being , at pleasure . who would expect such flights of conceit from so humble pretences ? for an atheist , if you will take his word for it , is a very despicable mortal . let us describe him by his tenents , and copy him a little from his own original . he is then no better than a heap of organized dust , a stalking machine , a speaking head without a soul in it . his thoughts are bound up by the laws of motion , his actions are all prescribed . he has no more liberty than the current of a stream , or the blast of a tempest . and where there is no choice , there can be no merit . the creed of an atheist is a degrading systeme , a most mortifying perswasion . no advantages can make him shine : he strikes himself out of all claim to regard : and has no alliance to any honourable distinction . he is the offspring of chance , the slave of necessity , danced by foreign impulses no less than a puppet . ignoble in his descent ; little in life , and nothing at the end on 't . atheism , the result of ignorance and pride ; of strong senses , and feeble reason ; of good eating , and ill living ! atheism , the plague of society , the corrupter of manners , and the vnderminer of property ! what can the raillery , the reproaches , the supercilious censures of this sect signifie ? why should they be raised above their principle , and rated higher than their own valuation ? they are below all consideration , except that of pity , and prayers ; and these i heartily give them . if the plainness of what follows disgusts the sober reader i am sorry for it . 't is a circumstance which could not be declined without prejudice to the subject . the oversmoothness of an argument , is apt to abate the force . you must give it a point to make way for passage ▪ pleasure cannot always be made the vehicle of health . and when the case requires it , no man blames the doctor for preferring the cure to the palate . besides , the bare mention of some practices is enough to expose them . and when things are a satyr upon themselves , who can help it ? the deformity lies in the monster , not in him who shows it . i am far from desiring a depression of the laity , or abetting any spiritual usurpation . honour and civil pretences are not held at the will of the church ; and therefore she should not seize without warrant . to make orders a patent for pride , and a privilege for misbehaviour , is much more than runs in the commission . i am pleading for no cynical neglect , no ill supported forwardness , no briskness above mens business , or their talent . but then i hope 't is no harm for church-men to maintain their liberty ; and keep the property of their persons to themselves . especially since they live amongst a free people , and have so good evidence for their title . farther , there is no fear of levelling from this enquiry . for independency does not suppose equality : freedom and degrees are well enough consistent . to prevent all misconstruction . i willingly grant it no disadvantage to a gentleman to belong to a person of quality , provided his employment be secular . but the function of an ecclesiastick , requires another relation . errata . office of chaplain , page . line . for at read that . p. . l. . for inconsiderateness r. inconsiderableness . essay upon pride , p. . l. . for indifferent r. different . p. . l. . for inscriptions r. the inscriptions , p. . l. . for that r. than . p. . l. . for fanciful r. so fanciful . the office of a chaplain enquir'd into , and uindicated from servility and contempt . the office of a chaplain enquir'd into , &c. juvenal observes , sat. . that the practice of the lawyers in his time was usually proportioned to the figure they made at the bar ; where he that appear'd in the best equipage was supposed to have the greatest share of law and sense in him : so that had the vulgar had any power in determining right , a good cause might oftentimes have been lost for want of fine cloaths to plead it in . whether any part of this vanity prevails with us , i shall not dispute ; however this inference may be fairly allowed , that the success of truth depends very much upon the reputation of its advocate . for the generality of mankind , in regard they are not judicious and impartial enough to penetrate the bottom of things , are more influenced by show and appearance , than by substance and reality . and therefore if a man's person or office happens to wear an uncreditable name , and and falls under a general di●esteem , though never so undeservedly , he must not expect to be perswasive with others , though the nature and proof of what he recommends , may appear sufficiently evident and weighty to an unprejudiced mind . for besides that men are not willing to learn rules of wisdom and condu●● from those they contemn , because this looks like a disparagement of themselves , and sets the despised person in some measure above them , besides , i say , they are not over-willing to be informed by such instructors ; 't is not often that they think they can : for 't is generally taken for granted that discourses cannot rise much above the character of those that make them ; and that 't is scarce possible for an inconsiderable man to say any think that is worth the taking notice of . so that when men have entertained a little opinion of any person , he is under a mighty disadvantage of fixing any good advice upon them . the contemptible notion they have of him gives their judgments an ill tincture , and makes them unindifferent , so that they neither see things in their true colours , nor allow them their proper weight ; but are apt to conclude the reasonings of those they disesteem resemble the insignificancy of their authors , and so many a g●od well-meaning argument is turned back and discountenanced , only for keeping suspected unreputable company . of the truth of this observation ill men are very apprehensive , who being desirous of enjoying the ple●sures of vice , without coming under the discipline of ignominy and restraint , make it their business to misrepresent the ministers of religion , depressing their authority , and decrying the usefulness of their prosession ; being well assured that when they have disarm'd their adversaries ( as they reckon them ) of their reputation , they need not fear any considerable disturbance from them . in pursuance of this design they would fain perswade the world , that the clergy are so far from deserving any additional esteem upon the account of their office , that for this reason they ought to forfeit part of what they had before ; as if orders suppos'd some antecedent crime , and were rather inflicted than given , and that those who receive them ought to pass for persons degraded from the privileges of birth and education , or at least not to enjoy them without stain and abatement . now that there are some persons , and those not all of the lowest rank , who seem to be of this unreasonable opinion , is too apparent ; and therefore i shall desire them to consider , that those who account the priesthood a lessening of a man's quality , must either believe all religion to be an imposture , or if they do own the being of a god , their apprehension of him is so scandalous and unworthy , that i think it would be a kindness to them to suppose them atheists : for 't is not so monstrous and provoking to deny the existenee of a deity , as to suppose him void of excellency and perfection : to imagine him to be so far from being the fountain of honour , that he is rather to be accounted a discredit to those who belong to him , and that a person of condition ought to be asham'd of his service ; such a notion of god almighty as this , besides the absurdity of it , looks like a malicious acknowledgment of his being , only to make him capable of contempt . but besides , at the function of the clergy in general is too often misunderstood , ( which in such a sceptical and licentious age we need not wonder at ) those who officiate in private houses lie under particular disadvantages : here the master of the family usually expects an extraordinary observance from the priest , and returns him less notice in exchange , than to others of the same order and condition . now one would think in point of reason , that an ecclesiastical ( as well as a civil or military ) officer should be more consider'd within the limits and extent of his employ than elsewhere , both upon the account of the jurisdiction he hath there , and because of the advantage those he is concern'd with , do or may receive from the execution of his office. now the reason of this unaccountable practice must be resolved into one or both of these pretences ; either . that a clergyman officiating in a family , ought to be entertain'd no otherwise than under the notion of a servant : or . because 't is in the patron 's power to oblige the priest with church-preferment . it will be therefore the design of these papers to shew , . that a priest , or chaplain in a family , is no servant . . that whatever fair expectations the patron may have given the priest of future advantage , those are no sufficient grounds to justify an imperious deportment on the one hand , or a servile submission on the other . . i shall prove that a priest , or chaplain in a family , is no servant ; the contrary of which i believe he is often thought to be , though 't is not always spoken out . now in order to the removing this mistake , i shall in the first place answer those objections , which seem to have given the most probable occasion of its rise . secondly , i shall give a short description of the office of a chaplain ; and shew how much it differs from that of a servant . i. i shall answer those objections , which have given the most probable occasion to this mistake ; among which we may reckon the priests being entertained with diet. but that eating at another's table does not make a man a servant is plain ; for if it did , then every one that visits his friend , if he happens to eat or drink without paying for it , must immediately forfeit his liberty . if it be said , that 't is not eating now and then upon a visit which brings a man into the condition of a servant , but doing it constantly , and with the same person : to this i answer , that if eating by the year makes a man a servant for a year , than eating by the day must make him a servant for that day ; the only difference in this case is , that the one who eats but a meal or two comes into his liberty sooner than the other . but possibly 't is the priests contracting for diet which makes him mistaken for a servant to him that affords it ; and here 't is supposed to come under the notion of wages , because the priest is to do something for it . now because a consideration of this nature , whether it be received in money or diet , or both , is the same thing ; i shall prove that a man's receiving money in consideration of bestowing his time and pains upon another , does not make him a servant to him that returns him a recompence for his trouble . for example , lawyers and physicians have their fees , or their wages if you please , and yet i suppose none will say that they are servants to all the clients and patients that imploy them , and if not to all , then for the same reason not to any : the judges have a fee for every cause which is tried at the nisi prius bar , and a justice of peace hath money allow'd him for making a warrant , which both of them may receive without forfeiting their authority . the house of commons likewise have pensions from their electors , during the session of parliament ; i confess 't is not usually paid now , but if they did receive it as formerly they have done , i hope no one would say a knight of a shire was servant to a man of forty shillings per annum , because he contributed something towards his maintenance . in all these cases a man is engaged in the business of others , and receives a consideration for his employment , and yet hath no reason to be accounted a servant for his pains . if it be said , that in most of these instances the salaries are assign'd by law , and consequently that there is no contract between him that receives and him that gives the consideration ; i answer , that there is a vertual ▪ though not an express contract , because the people have agreed to consent to whatever their representatives shall determine . ly , as to the case of the lawyers , though their fees are stated by law , yet every one chuses whom he will make use of ; so that the voluntary retaining any one , is no less than a plain contract , and the giving him so much money upon condition that he will plead for him . ly , 't is not the contracting for money in lieu of some other exchange which makes a man a servant , for then every one that sells for money would be a servant to the buyer , and consequently a pedlar might make himself a master of the best merchant in london , if he should happen to be so ambitious as to be his customer : and which is most to be lamented , if a man could not by way of contract receive money with one hand , without parting with his liberty with the other , then the landlord must be a servant to the tenant ; for the bare contracting for rent , though he never receiv'd a penny , is enough to bring him under ; so that according to this opinion , a man cannot let his farm without demising and granting away himself . but further , that the entertaining the clergy with diet and salary is no argument of their subjection , will appear , if we consider that we are bound to contribute towards the support of our parents , if they stand in need of it ; and yet i suppose it does not follow that this makes us there superiors : 't is so far from it , that our assisting them is accounted part of that honour which the fifth commandment enjoyns us to pay them , and is so interpreted by our saviour himself , st. matth. . , , . the communication therefore of part of our wealth to the clergy officiating in our houses , is in reason nothing but a due respect to their function , and a grateful acknowledgement of their care : what the priest receives from us is in effect offered to god almighty , because 't is given upon the account of the relation he hath to him , and the advantages we recieve from thence . this is honouring god with our substance , who in regard he stands in need of nothing himself , hath order'd those persons ( whom he hath set apart to keep up his service and worship ) to receive what men present to him in token of his sovereignty and providence . thus what was offer'd to god under the old testament ( except what was spent in sacrificing ) was the priests portion , assign'd by the divine appointment , numb . . , . and in the th . verse of that chapter the reason why the tribe of levi was to have no inheritance in the land which was to be divided , is given , because god promised to be their inheritance , that is to give them those offerings which were made to him ; and that this was a very liberal assignment , and much exceeded the provision which was made for the rest of the tribes , might easily be made good , were it not foreign to the present argument . there are many other places in the old testament which may be alledg'd for the confirmation of this truth , as deut. . . iosh. . . ezek. . , &c. and that this practice did not depend upon any cerimonial constitution , but was founded in the unalterable reason of things , will appear if we look into the new testament ; where st. paul tells us that god has ordained that those that preach the gospel ( which every priest does who reads the new testament ) should live of the gospel , cor. . . our spiritual governors are ministers of god to us as well as our temporal , rom. . . and therefore the apostle's inference , v. . may in a qualified sense at least , be applied to them , for this cause pay you tribute also . and that the same apostle did not believe that a consideration of this nature , ought to subject the clergy to distance and submissive behaviour , is beyond question ; for he plainly tells the corinthians , cor. . . if we have sown unto you spiritual things , is it a great thing , if we shall reap your carnal things ? it seems he did not believe this favour so extraordinary , or to have any such commanding quality in it , as to make him their servant , or dependant , if he had received it . nay he tells them that he had power to eat and to drink ; that is , god had given him a right to a competent maintenance out of the estates of those he instructed ; which without question , where the circumstances of the person will permit , ought to be proportioned with respect to the person represented , and to the nature and quality of the employ . 't is plain therefore that the apostle thought that if god's ministers lived out of the fortunes of their charge , yet they were not so mightily indebted beyond a possibility of requital ; but that the obligation was full as great on the other side : and the reason why some men now a days are not of the same mind is , because the concerns of another world have none , or a very slender consideration allowed them ; for otherwise without question men would look upon those as none of their least beneficial friends , who are appointed by god to guide them securely in their passage to eternity : but now 't is the mode with too many to live as if their souls were the most inconsiderable thing they carried about them . . it may be objected , that every family ought to be under the government of one single person , and because the priest is confessed not to be the master , therefore he must be under command , and consequently a servant . now this is so slender an objection , that i should have waved the mention of it , but that some people seem desirous of being imposed upon in this matter ; and we know when men are in love with a mistake , the least appearance of a reason is apt to entangle their understandings , and make them overlook the evidence of an assertion they are prejudiced against . to what is objected therefore i answer , that this argument proves all boarders servants , though their office or quality be never so much above those they sojourn with . i grant the priest is not to disturb the master of the house in the government of his family , nor to intermeddle in his affairs , ( to do this were an unreasonable incroachment ) but the living under his roof makes him no more his servant , than his father or mother are , when they reside with him . there may be several other things urged against the truth of the proposition i am to defend , but the solving the remaining objections will fall in more conveniently , after i have given a short description of the office of a chaplain , and shown how much it differs from that of a servant , and how inconsistent it is with it ; which i shall proceed to . . therefore , the office of a clergy-man in a family , is to pray for , bless , and give absolution to those he is concerned with ; which are all acts of authority and jurisdiction . he is to counsel , exhort , and reprove the master of the family himself , upon occasion ( though with respect to his station ) which offices are inconsistent with the condition of a servant , and must be very unsuccessfully perform'd by him , as will further appear afterwards . . he does not receive this commission ▪ from the master of the family , or from any humane authority , but from god himself , whose deputy he is in things pertaining to religion : he is not entertain'd upon any secular account , or to manage any other business but what relates to another world ; and is consecrated to this function by the divine warrant and appointment , and consequently he is god's minister not man's . the place in which he is engaged is his parish , and the difference between a parochial priest and him lies in this , that the extent of his charge is not so large as that of a parish-priest ; the one having but only one single family to take care of , and the other a great many : but the office is the same , and therefore the one hath no more reason to be accounted a servant than the other . . however pride , ignorance , or inconsideration may sometimes byass mens minds , yet if they would but attend to their own practice , they would see that the concern of a priest in a family is no servile employment ; because in the absence of a priest the master of the family supplies his place , as far as lawfully he may , that is , in praying and giving thanks at meat ; which is a plain confession that men are satisfied that 't is very improper to employ any of their servants in the performance of holy offices ; the doing of which would be dishonourable to god , and weaken the force and majesty of religion ; and therefore when one consecrated to holy ministrations is not present , god ought to be addressed to by a person of the greatest consideration in the family ; which implicit confession of theirs , is both agreeable to the reason of mankind in general , and the practice of the first ages of the world , when the civil and ecclesiastical authority were united , the same person being both priest and prince in his family ; as appears from abraham , isaac , iacob , and iob's erecting altars , and offering sacrifices : and before the institution of the mosaick law ( in which god chose a distinct tribe to serve him in holy offices ) the first-born , among other considerable privileges , had the priesthood annext to his birth-right . . this notion of a servant destroys the end and design of the priestly office , it renders his person cheap , and his discourse insignificant , it causes his reproofs to be look'd upon as presumptuous , and makes a generous freedom and impartial plainness , to be interpreted a forgetfulness of distance : and yet this sort of plain-dealing is not more necessary toward any sort of people than those who are wealthy and honourable , the nature of their circumstances being such as make them much more apt to flatter themselves , and to be flatter'd by others ; which made st. paul command st. timothy , to charge those that were rich that they should not be high-minded : the apostle well knew in what great danger such persons were of taking the height of their condition amiss , and confiding too much in it ; for to this unhappy mistake they have not only the common artifices of self-love to betray them , but several confederate circumstances from without strike in to carry on the imposture , and to cheat them into a wrong opinion of themselves . they see how they are reverenced and admired by almost all sort of people , and that men frequently resign their ease , their liberty and conscience too , to purchase fewer conveniencies than they are already possessed of : they find that wealth and reputation puts them into a capacity of gratifying their senses , and their humour ; gives them many opportunities of obliging their friends , and crushing their enemies ; and makes their will a kind of law to their inferiours and dependants . now these advantages when they are not throughly examined , but rated according to the value which vulgar estimation sets upon them , are apt to swell them into an unreasonable conceit of themselves ; which vanity is still fed and inflamed because they are often so unfortunate , as not to attend that these worldly accommodations are things really distinct from their owners ; that these ornamental privileges are but a decent varnish which enriches no deeper than the surface ; and impression , which though royal , cannot alter the mettal : but on the contrary they are apt to fancy their fortunes and themselves to be all of a piece , that this glorious outside grows out of some intrinsick prerogative , and is the genuine lustre and complexion of their nature . and since a flourishing condition is thus apt to impose upon men , and hath such a natural tendency to give them a false idea of their own excellency , have they not need of a prudent and conscientious friend , to insinuate that they have no essential advantages above the rest of mankind , to awaken them into right apprehensions of things , and rescue them from that delusion which their own vanity , and the ignorance or design of others of of●en puts upon them ? therefore if men would have their lives correct and happy , they ought to encourage their friends , ( especially those who are particularly concern'd in the regulation of their conscience ) to tell them of their faults ; they should invite them to this freedom , if not by express declaration , yet by affable deportment , always receiving the performance of the nice office with demonstrations of pleasure and satisfaction . did men consider how slippery and difficultly manageable an elevated station is , they would easily discern that it was not the safest way to trust altogether to their own conduct , but to take in the constant assistance of a religious person , that so their miscarriages might be represented , their consciences directed in doubtful cases , and their minds fortified with defensatives proper to the temptations of their condition and temper . indeed the very converse of such a guide , if his character were rightly understood , and prudently supported , would help to keep them upon their guard ; and by striking a kind of religious awe upon their spirits , make their conversation more staunch and regular , and often prevent their falling into any remarkable excesses : but these advantages are all lost upon those who misapprehend the priest's office , and entertain him upon the same account they do their footmen , only to garnish the table , and stuff out the figure of the family . when a man hath received such a disparaging notion of the priest , and rang'd him amongst his servants , there is small likelihood of his being the better for his company ; for this conceit will make his carriage lofty and reserv'd ; his words , gestures , and silence , will all carry marks of neglect and imperiousness in them : which are plain and designed intimations that the priest must not insist upon the privileges of his function ; that he must not pretend to any liberty , but what his patron is pleas'd to allow ; with the direction of whose actions he is not to intermeddle , nor remonstrate against the unreasonableness of any practice , nor show him the danger of continuing in it : for though all this be done with caution and tenderness , and respect , yet he must look for nothing but disdain and disappointment in requital , for presuming to admonish his superiours ; which is such an usurpation upon dominion and quality as is not to be endur'd ; being neither agreeable to the servile employment of the one , nor consistent with the honour of the other . . this degrading the priesthood into a servile office , takes off from that veneration which is due to the solemn mysteries of religion , and makes them look common and contemptible ; by being administred by persons not sui juris , but obnoxious to the pleasure of those who receive them : god therefore to prevent his ordinances from falling into contempt , and to make them effectual to procure the happiness of mankind , hath given his priests authority over all they are concern'd with ; they are to bless the people in his name , and the author to the hebrews tells us that without contradiction the less is blessed of the better , hebr. . . they are called the lord's priests , sam. . . the messengers of the lord of hosts , mal. . . and in the new testament , they are stiled the stewards and ambassadors of god ; and made overseers of his church by the holy ghost , cor. . . acts . . the sense of which texts , and partly the words are by the appointment of our church applied to those who are ordain'd priests , to put them in mind of the dignity of their office , and the great care they ought to take about the conscientious discharge of it . i confess 't is possible for a priest to make himself a servant ; he may 't is likely be steward or clark of the kitchin if he pleases , ( as bishop latimer complains some of the clergy were forced to be in his time , heylin's histo refor . p. . ) but as long as he does not engage in any employment which is intended for state , or the convenience of life , as long as he keeps to his priestly function , so long he may be assured he hath no master in the house ; and for any to suppose he hath , is an unreasonable and absurd mistake ; ( to say no worse of it ) 't is an inverting that order which god made between the priest and people , and denies that authority which god hath granted for the edification of his church . it endeavours to destroy that honourable relation which the priest hath to the divine majesty ( to whose service he is appropriated ) which god is pleas'd to dignifie him with , that he might have the greater influence upon those he is concern'd with , and be successful in the execution of his office : and therefore for a patron to account such a consecrated person his priest , as if he belonged to him as a servant , is in effect to challenge divine honours , and to set up himself for a god : for if he is any thing less , he must own that the service of the priest does not belong to him ; for that in the very terms and notion of it , is intended for no being inferiour to that which is suppos'd to be divine . if it be objected , that the priest hath obliged himself to remove with the patron , when and whither he thinks fit , and therefore seems to be in the same condition with the rest of the attendants : to this i answer , that this makes him no more a servant than the travelling and ambulatory way of living among the tartars , would make the priests servants to the people , provided they were christians : to make it plainer , suppose a bishop ordain'd over the company of a ship , and that his diocese lay only in one bottom ; can we imagine that he would lose his episcopal power , and fall into the condition of other sea-men , as soon as the ship was order'd to weigh anchor , and began to make its voyage from one port to another : at this rate a man may call a guardian angel one of his domesticks , because for the security and protection of their charge , these benevolent spirits are pleas'd to accompany us from one place to another . i grant the scripture tells us they are sent forth to minister for those who are heirs of salvation , hebr. . . but then we must allow them to be god's ministers not ours ; and so likewise are those of whom i am now speaking , as among other places may be seen from cor. . . god hath pleas'd to put the clergy in joynt commission with the angels themselves , for the guidance of , and superintending his church . when st. iohn would have worshipped the angel which appear'd to him , he is forbid to do it , and the reason alledged is , because i am thy fellow-servant , rev. . . that is , as grotius expounds it , we are both ambassadors of the same king. and although st. iohn , and the rest of the apostles , had privileges peculiar to themselves , both in respect of the extent of their jurisdiction , the infallibility of their doctrine , and other miraculous gifts with which they were endowed , to which bishops themselves , much less inferiour priests , have no reason to pretend ; yet though god was pleas'd for the more speedy and effectual planting of christianity , to qualifie the apostles in an extraordinary manner , and to give them a larger commission than to the clergy of succeeding ages , yet they all act by the same authority , and for the same end ; therefore the unfixt and moving nature of a cure , does not alter and degrade the office of a priest : he is not less a shepherd , because the flock happens sometimes to wander unaccountably , from one pasture to another : he is bound to attend the charge he hath undertaken , and must answer the neglect of it to god ; and when it does not continue in the same place , to accompany its motion , is no more a diminution to his office , than it is to that of a judge to go the circuit , whose commission is as considerable , though it travels with him from one county to another , as if he had been always fixt in westminster-hall . if it be farther objected , that the patron appoints the hours of prayer , which seems to imply something of command : to this i answer , that in his chusing the time of prayer , he does not appoint any service for himself , but only declares when he and his houshold are ready for god's worship , and desirous of the priestly absolution and blessing ; which is proper for him to do , because the family is employed in his business , and under his command ; and therefore without his permission , they have not many times an opportunity of meeting together for divine service : which is still more reasonable , because the priest is supposed only to intend the affairs of religion , and to be always ready for the performance of his office , and consequently that time which is most convenient for those under his care , and in which the assembly is like to be most numerous , he is by virtue of his office bound to observe , whether his cure lies in a private family , or a whole parish . but lastly , it may be urged , that the of hen. . cap. . calls the patrons of chaplains their masters ; and will any man be so hardy as to question the judgment and determination of the parliament ? but here we may observe , that this act calls only those patrons masters , who can give qualifications for pluralities . having premised this observation , i answer , with all due submission and respect to this legislative council ; that if the question was concerning any civil right , then 't is confessed 't is in the power of the parliament either to limit , or take it away , because the whole power and authority of the kingdom is there , either personally , or by representation ; and therefore they may deprive any person of his honour or estate ( the right of the succession to the crown excepted ) as far as they please : not that 't is impossible for them to act unjustly , but only that what they determine hath the force of a law , because every man is suppos'd to have given his consent to it . but here we must observe , that the church is a distinct society from the state , and independent upon it : the constitution of the church is founded in the appointment of christ , in that commission which he gave the apostles and their successors , and consequently does not derive its authority from any earthly power . the civil magistrate never yet made bishop , priest , or deacon , nor ever can ; and therefore we may safely affirm , without any injury or disrespect to him , that he cannot make these spiritual offices greater or less than they are : therefore if god hath made the priests office ( as nothing is plainer in scripture than that he hath ) an office of government , direction , and superintendence over those he is concern'd with , then 't is not in the power of the parliament to make his condition servile ; because no person , or society of persons , can take away that power which they never gave : the parliament may with equal right enact that parents shall be subject to their children , and that the wife shall be her husband's mistress , without a compliment , as make the people the priests masters , and give the flock a jurisdiction over the shepherd : they may with the same justice repeal the most established laws of nature , and invert the right of the two former relations , as of this latter ; for this hath its establishment from the same god that the other have , and for ends , at least equally weighty , and momentous . this power of their spiritual governours they have no more authority to destroy , than they have to vote down the cannon of scripture , or to decree sacrilege to be no sin : 't is granted , that all ecclesiastical persons , as they are members of the state , are subject to its authority ; and that a priest , or bishop , may properly be a servant to the magistrate , if he holds any secular employment under him ; because in this case he acts by a commission from the civil government ; but this only concerns him as he is a member of the state , and does not in the least affect his spiritual capacity : the power which results from that , flows from another fountain ; and is given by our saviour himself , and therefore cannot be weakned , or recall'd , by any state-constitution whatever . men should do well therefore to consider , that as a prince hath no reason to take it well , if the people should look upon his officers as their servants ; so 't is not over-respectful to god almighty to suppose his ministers stand in that inferiour relation to those they are concern'd with . i shall now proceed to the second thing at first propounded , viz. to show , that whatever fair expectations the patron may have given the priest , yet these are not sufficient grounds for an imperious carriage on the one hand , or a servil submission on the other . . this sort of deportment were unreasonable , supposing the patron had as full and absolute a right in church-preferment , as he hath in any other part of his estate . for what can be a more ungenerous and ungentlemanly practice , than to require that a man should resign up his liberty , and forfeit the privileges of his station , only upon the probability of receiving some sort of consideration for it afterwards ? how unlike a benefactor does he look who sets an excise upon his bare word , and clogs the expectation of future advantage with present inconvenience ? thus to anticipate the revenues of a favour , is like taking usury for money before 't is lent , which certainly is one of the worst sorts of extortion , because here a man not only pays for that he hath not , but for that which possibly he may never have . but . let us suppose the priest in actual possession of some considerable preferment , yet being 't is pretended to be given , it ought certainly to come disencumber'd from all conditions which may abate the kindness of it . he that pretends to give , should chiefly respect the advantage of him to whom the favour is granted . he should demean himself towards the obliged party , as if the obligation had never been ; that it may plainly appear , that his intention in conferring it , was disinterested ; that he had no little designs of profit or state , to serve in it ; but that it proceeded purely from a generous inclination to promote the happiness of another . whereas on the contrary , to part with any thing out of a selfish design , is an exchange , not a gift , which when 't is done by a person of estate , is an argument of a mean and mercenary spirit . but then to pursue a benefit with superciliousness and contempt , to expect a compliance with the most unreasonable humours ; to give upbraiding and contumelious signs of the dependance and unworthiness of the receiver ; to require a man to relinquish the necessary freedom of one of the most solemn and honourable professions ; this turns an obligation into injury and affront , and looks like a malicious trap set to catch a man's reputation . who that hath either sense or honesty would turn his canonical habit into a livery , and makes himself useless and ridiculous for the greatest consideration whatever ? a worthy person would scorn a kingdom proffer'd upon such dishonourable terms . . if we put the case as 't is determined by law , this practice will appear still more unreasonable . 't is sufficiently known , and were it not for the overgrown prejudices of some persons , it were superfluous to mention that the patron is so far from having a full propriety in church-preferments , that his right only consists in a power to nominate who shall enjoy them . which very nomination must be made within six months , and fix't upon a person canonically qualified , otherwise 't is wholly invalid . his interest in church livings only enables him to give them away , not to keep them . he hath no power to enter upon any part of the glebes , or tithes , or so much as to sequester the profits for the next incumbent . he is only a trustee authorized under certain conditions , to dispose of the patrimony of the church , which is settled upon it by as good laws as any he holds his estate by . that right which he hath was originally granted in consideration of works of extraordinary piety , in building or endowing of churches : which is a title very few ( except the king ) can pretend to , either upon their own , or their ancestors accounts . from all which it appears , that the patrons giving an annuity out of his estate , is a quite different thing from his presenting to a living , and therefore his expectations of gratitude and observance , should not be set so high in this latter case . for here neither law , nor religion , allow the donor to be a penny the better for what he disposes of ; he cannot detain the least part of it without injustice and sacrilege , nor confer it upon exceptionable persons without breach of fidelity . the trust indeed is honourable and weighty , it being in the power of those to whom 't is committed to encourage learning , and to provide the people with prudent and conscientious guides : but then i must add , that it ought to be discharged accordingly , and that those who do not chiefly aim at these ends in the exercise of it , have little either of conscience or honour in them . we have reason to believe that when the church gave this right of presentation to lay-patrons , ( for that the bishops had originally the right of judging the qualifications of priests , and fixing them in their respective cures , without being accountable to a quare impedit for their refusal of the peoples choice , might be made evident were it pertinent to the business in hand . ) when the church i say parted with this right , she had no suspicion of the degeneracy of after ages ; but imagined that the integrity , and conscience , if not the munificence of the first patrons , might have been transmitted to the heirs or purchasers of their right . the piety of those times would have made it look uncharitable to have been apprehensive of resignation bonds , of forced compositions , and contracts for farms , or women . but some people have now learn'd to make bold with god almighty , beyond the imagination , as well as the example , of their predecessors ; and to be guilty of those sacrilegious frauds , which by the late provision of our laws against some of them , seem not to have been so much as thought on , in those more primitive and religious days . and here in point of charity i think my self obliged to desire those who are concern'd in the rights of patronage , to consider before 't is too late , how great a sin it is to abuse their power ; and through covetousness , or some other unwarrantable principle , to betray the church , which hath in some measure made them her guardian : it imports them very much to reflect how unworthy and unchristian it is to play upon the indigence or irresolution of another ; and take an advantage from the unfortunateness of his condition or temper , to oblige him to mean and sinful compliances ! and what an open and undisguised affront it is to the divine majesty , to endeavour to make his ministers cheap and insignificant ; both before , and after the conferring our pretended favours upon them . to create servile dependances , and raise our private grandeur upon the endowments of religion , is a perfect contradiction to the end and design of them . this makes the church contemptible by the strength of her own revenues , and causes the monuments of our fore-fathers piety to be instrumental in undermining , and exposing that faith they thereby intended to secure and advance : which whosoever is guilty of , he may be assured he hath a right to the imprecations , as well as the patronage of the first endowers of churches , which dreadful legacy they were generally very careful to settle upon such irreligious posterity , spelman de non temerand . eccl. in short , to prostitute so sacred a trust as this is , to pride and ambition , is in effect to sacrifice to the devil with that which is consecrated to god almighty ; and looks like a more provoking impiety than belshazzer's debauching to the honour of his idols , in the vessels of the temple , dan. . , . for here is not only an abuse of holy things but persons too , and god is dishonoured in those that represent him upon a most solemn and important account . i shall now at last crave leave to desire those of the clergy , who are engaged in the families of secular persons ( for i mean no other ) to reflect of what ill consequence it is to religion for them not to assert their office in a prudent defensible way : and how cheap in their persons , and unsuccessful in their employment , they must necessarily be , if they betray the privileges of their function , by servile compliance and flattery . people will be apt to imagine ( and not without reason ) that those who will cringe below the gravity of their character , to gain a little of this world , can scarce have any great and religious apprehensions of the other . overmuch ceremony in a clergyman is frequently misinterpreted , and supposed to proceed not from his breeding or humility , but from a consciousness of his meanness ; and others are willing to allow him so much sense , as to be a competent judg of his own inconsiderateness ; and since he confesses himself contemptible by his carriage , they think it but just to treat him accordingly . for men of figure , excepting those who are very understanding and religious , are apt to have misapprehensions conveyed into them by over-proportioned respect ; and to imagine the distance between him that gives it , and themselves , to be much greater than really it is . since therefore as things stand , there is some danger lest churchmen should complement away the usefulness and authority of their calling ; they would do well to decline superlative observance , for fear they give others a wrong notion of their employ , or be thought to have mens persons in admiration because of advantage . it would be no more than requisite , if they would reserve their duty for their king , their bishop and their parents , and express their gratitude to their patrons in language less liable to misconstruction , and more proper to the relation between them . for as they should not be unwilling to own the distinctions which the king's laws have made , as they ought to make some particular acknowledgments for the favors and civilities of those they are more immediately concern'd with , and by inoffensive and agreeable conversation , prevent all reasonable suspicion of their being displeas'd with the superiour quality or fortune of others ; so likewise are they obliged not to be so officiously , or rather parasitically mindful of the condition of any person , as wholly to be forgetful of their own . for notwithstanding the disadvantages they may sometimes happen to come into the world with ; the constitution of the government hath set them upon the same level with the inferiour gentry , as a reward of their education , and out of regard to their function : now that the laws were not priest-ridden and superstitiously lavish of their honour in this case might , were it necessary , be abundantly proved from the reason of the thing , and the general practice of other countries , both with respect to ancient and modern times . these privileges therefore being confer'd upon just and publick accounts , a man is sometimes bound to maintain ; and to surrender them up to the superciliousness of every assuming or ignorant pretender , is a reflection upon the wisdom , and ingratitude to the religious bounty of those kings who granted them : and which is worse , a churchman by making himself contemptible hath parted with his power of doing good ; and consequently disappointed the great end of his calling . whereas without doubt 't is part of the design of these privileges to create a sutable resolution and presence of mind in those that have them , that so their spirit being raised up to their civil station , their character and department may be the better proportioned , and their actions keep a truer decorum with the nature of their office ; that they might not be over-awed , and almost struck dumb with the glitterings of title , or fortune ; but retain a graceful freedom in conversation , neither idolizing greatness , nor neglecting it . the intention of the laws in distinguishing the clergy from the vulgar , besides the consideration of their merit , was to put them into a better capacity to maintain the honour and interest of religion among all sorts of persons ; that the rich as well as the poor might be advantaged by their ministery , and when persons of condition were to be told of their faults , the priest might be fortified with a convenient courage to give the reproof , and the others dispos'd to receive it without disgust and impatience . now to be ready upon all occasions to resent any dishonour done to religion with a prudent gravity and assurance , carries such a noble air of greatness and undesigning honesty in it , that it forces a secret veneration from enemies themselves ; and though a man may happen to be unjustly hated for speaking unacceptable truths , yet he is sure never to be despised . whereas a diffident and unsupported behaviour in a clergyman , is often suppos'd to proceed from ignoble qualities , and consequently will be sure to weaken the force of his publick instructions ; it being natural for ill men especially , to disregard , if not to deride the admonitions of those they believe are afraid of them ; and he that cannot talk without concern before a sinner of quality any where but in the pulpit , might almost as good say nothing to him there . for if a churchman's conversation be servile and designing all the week , his appearing with a new set of notions upon the sunday , will be interpreted only a formal compliance with his profession : his pressing those doctrines which his practice contradicts , will signify little either to his own advantage , or theirs that hear him : for though men ought to mind what is said , and not who says it ; yet the prejudices of the generality are such , that a good cause usually suffers very much when 't is pleaded by an improper and exceptionable advocate : how fulsom an entertainment it is to hear a coward harangue upon valour , or a covetous miser preach up contempt of the world ? the man might better have spared his rhetorick ; for his commending those good qualities he neither hath the honesty or courage to be master of , is in effect but a satyr upon himself , and serves only to make him more despicable and ridiculous ; and which is worse , the secret disdain the audience hath for such a panegyrist , often slides from his person to his subject ; which makes his exhortation nauseous , and helps to bring virtue it self into disgrace . if it be objected , that the poverty of some of the clergy forces them to suppress their sentiments in some things , and to suffer whatever an encroaching spirit shall think fit to put upon them : to this i answer , that the temptation to this sin ought to have been prevented before their going into holy orders : for those who cannot be supplied with a competent fortune by themselves , their relations , or at least by some creditable independent preferment , had much better chuse some other inferiour employment , than expose themselves to such apparent danger in this : but if their own or their friends imprudence , hath sent them unprovided into the church , 't is more reputable , conscientious , and to a generous mind more easie too , to submit to the inconveniencies of their own poverty , than to the pride of others ; and to prefer a homely , unornamented liberty , to a splendid servitude . and as for those ( if there be any such ) who do not discharge their office with that plainness , and discreetly managed resolution which god and the church expects from them ; it will not be improper to remind them of what mr. herbert hath written upon this occasion , country parson , pag. . where he tells us , that such persons wrong the priesthood , neglect their duty , and shall be so far from that which they seek by their over-submissiveness and cringing , that they shall ever be despised . indeed they have no reason to expect any better usage ; for as flatterly is deservedly accounted one of the most contemptible vices , so a clergy-man when he is guilty of it is the worst of fla●●●●ers . to which we may add , that 't is hard to conceive how the oath against simo●● can be fairly taken by such persons ▪ for certainly he that purchases his preferment with the prevarication of his office , does no less contradict the design of this oath , than if he had paid down the full value in money for it : he that hath barter'd away his freedom and usefulness , ( and as much as in him lies the reputation of his order ) cannot in any reasonable construction be said to be presented gratis . those therefore who are this way concern'd , should do well to consider , how mean it is to be over-awed , and how mercenary to be bribed into an omission of their duty ! what a sordid and criminal perfidiousness is it , to betray the honour of their function , and the happiness of their charge , for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread ? ezek. . how ill do they represent the god of faithfulness and truth ; who either by verbal or silent flattery deceive men into a false perswasion of security , and dissemble their apprehensions of danger , when the mistake is likely to prove fatal to those that lie under it ? can they that pretend ( and that truly ) a commission from our blessed saviour , that good shepherd , who laid d●wn his life for the sheep ; can they have so little charity for the souls of men , as to let them miscarry out of ceremony and respect , and rather venture their being damn'd than disobliged ? how such a treacherous observance will be look'd upon in the great day of accounts is not difficult to foretell , were it not too sad an argument to dilate upon : however something of the guilt of it may be conceived by a remarkable sentence of the forementioned author , pag. . which seems to be no less true than severe , they ( says he ) who for the hope of promotion , neglect any necessary admonition or reproof , sell , with iudas , their lord and master . finis . a moral essay concerning the nature and unreasonableness of pride . in which the most plausible pretences of this vice are examined . in a conference between philotimus and philalethes . to the reader . i easily foresee some people will be disobliged with the freedom of these papers ▪ and think themselves treated with too little ceremony ; but unless they can disarm their pretended adversary , and confute his arguments , i would desire them by all means to smother their resentments : for as bad as the world is , to appear in defence of pride , and turn advocate for the devil , looks like an untoward sort of an employment . however to sweeten their humour as much as may be , they may please to consider that there was no good to be done in this case without plain dealing ; this malady of all others must be well examined , otherwise it 's in vain to expect a cure. 't is to no purpose to declaim in general against a proud man , and to give him a great many hard names ; for unless you point directly upon his vice , distinguish it's nature , and discover the weakness of that which he builds upon . every one will be sure to avoid the charge and parry against the application . farther , to abate their censure i think it not improper to acquaint them that here are no particular characters attempted , nor is there the least intention to provoke or expose any person living . besides when a piece like this is drawn from so many different faces ; the mixing of features and complexions , will keep the originals from being discover'd . in short the design of this small discourse is only to make men more useful and acceptable to society , and more easie to themselves than they generally are : and that those who over-top their neighbours upon any considerable account ; may manage their advantage with that modesty and good humour , that none may have any ●ust occasion to wish them less . a moral essay upon pride , in a conference between philotimus and philalethes . philot. philalethes , i am glad to see you , though you are so wrapt up in speculation that i scarce knew you at first sight ; pray why so thoughtful ? you don't use to have so much philosophy in your face . philal. i have a particular reason to look a little pretendingly at present ; therefore i hope you will excuse it . philot. with all my heart , for i suppose you will not make a practice of it : but whatever emergency you may be under , i would advise you to appear in your old shape again ; for in my judgment that contemplative figure does not become you . philal. i am sorry to hear thinking agrees so ill with my constitution ; but i hope this alteration does not arise from any natural antipathy i have to sense , but from the unacceptableness of the subject i am upon . philot. pray if it be not too free a question , what were you musing upon ? philal. why last night i happened to light upon an overgrown fop , who plagued the company with such an impertinent history of his quality and performances , and was so vain and insolent in all his behaviour , that as soon as i was delivered from him , i had a plentiful occasion to consider the unreasonableness of pride ; which is the present employment of my thoughts , and upon a full view , i find so much folly , and ill humour , and monster , in the composition of this vice , that i am ashamed , and almost afraid , of the idea i have raised . philot. 't is somewhat hard you can't stand the charge of your own imagination ; but though i shall not dispute your courage , yet i much question your mortification . philal. the reason of your censure ? philot. because i have observed it 's but a bad sign of humility to declaim against pride ; for he that is really humble will be unconcerned about respect and applause ; such a person values himself upon nothing but his conscience and integrity , and therefore the haughtiness of another can't make him uneasie ; so that if he finds himself wince upon the account of neglect , he may be pretty well assured he has a sore place . philal. i think you are somewhat out in your notion of humility ; for that virtue does not make us either servile or insensible , it does not oblige us to be ridden at the pleasure of every coxcomb . we may shew our dislike of an imperious humour , as well as of any other foolish action , both for the benefit of others , and in vindication of our own right . philot. i am glad to hear this concession from you , because from hence it follows that a man may have a just esteem of himself without being proud : now if this observation was remembred and rightly applyed , men would not be so censorious in this point , nor mistake their own pride for their neighbours so often as they do . for instance , a man whom the law has made my superiour , may take notice of his quality if he pleases ; but this can't well be done , except he makes me an abatement of the regard he receives from me , therefore i ought not to interpret the reserve or familiarity of his carriage , as a neglect , for provided he keeps within his proportion , he challenges nothing but his own ; so that if i am displeased , the pride lies on my side , for affecting to have an equal regard paid to persons who are unequal . philal. i have nothing to object against the main of your discourse , and conceive that the best way to know whether we are guilty or not , and to prevent charging this odious imputation unjustly upon others , is to state the nature of pride , and to enquire into the grounds of it . philot. i confess that is the way to pinch the question , therefore let what will come of it , i will stand the test of your method , though i am afraid you will say some unacceptable things . philal. suppose i do ; if the subject leads me to it , the fault is not mine : but to come to the point : pride has a very strong foundation in the mind ; it 's bottom'd upon self-love . philot. then i sind there is somewhat to work upon . — philal. pray give me leave , i say pride is originally founded in self-love , which is the most intimate and inseparable passion of humane nature . the kindness men have for themselves , is apt to put them upon over-valuing their own things : which humour unless check'd in time , will make them take most delight in those circumstances and actions which distinguish them from their neighbours ; and place their supposed advantages in the best light . now this design is best pursued by being master of uncommon excellencies , which though desired by all , are possessed but by a few ; for the rareness of things raises their esteem , and draws a general admiration . and their desire of being distinguish'd , is one reason why they love to keep the odds in their own hand , and to make the distance between themselves and their neighbours as wide as may be , which often runs them upon a vain , and tyrannical ostentation of their power , capacity , &c. for this magnificent discovery makes the difference between them and their neighbours the more apparent , and consequently occasions their own greatness to be the more remarkable . philot. i think you have said something very remarkable , and i don't know but you may grow considerable by it , if you can prove your assertion . philal. pray what rising doctrine have i laid down ? philot. you say that pride is founded in self-love , which is an unseparable passion of humane nature ; from whence i gather , that it 's impossible for a man not to be proud , because it 's impossib●e for a man not to love himself . we are like to have an admirable preservative from you at this rate . philal. not so fast , if you had attended to the whole , you might have observed that by self-love i meant the excesses of it . philot. i thought a man could not have loved himself too well . philal. if by loving you mean wishing himself happy , i agree with you ; for we may , or rather we must desire to be as happy as is possible , provided it be without prejudice to another . but then if esteem is understood by love , it 's easie ( without care ) to exceed in our own behalf ; and in this sense we certainly do love our selves too well , as often as we set an overproportioned and unusual value upon any thing because it 's our own ; as if our fondness and partiality was the true standard of worth , and we had the faculty of turning every thing we touched into gold . philot. i will not contest this point any farther with you ; but as i remember you started another paradox , by intimating that it was a sign of ambition to esteem any excellency the higher for being uncommon : now since the value of an advantage is enhansed by its scarceness , and made more reputable to the owner ; i think it somewhat hard not to give a man leave to love that most which is most serviceable to him , philal. so it would if he had no body to love but himself ; but since he is both obliged and naturally inclinable to universal benevolence , this alters the case : for he who values any thing the more for being uncommon , will desire it should continue so , which is no kind wish to his neighbours , and is an argument that a man does not delight in an advantage so much for it self , as for the comparison ; not so much for its own irrespective goodness , as because others want it . now it affords a more generous , and i believe , a more transporting pleasure , to converse with universal happiness , though we make no greater figure in it , than the rest of our neighbours ; than to be gazed at , and admired by a crowd of indigent and inferiour people . philot. the world does not seem to be of your opinion ; however i will let your argument pass for the good nature of it . but after all let me tell you , though i have no mind to be counted proud , yet i have a strong fancy for myself , and therefore if you will not allow me to be civil to my person , we might e'en as good dispute no farther , for — philal. don't trouble your self , if your terms are moderate , we 'll never break off upon the score , therefore i will offer at a short negative description of pride , in which if it 's possible , i will give you satisfaction . philot. pray let us see how liberal you will be . philal. first it 's no part of pride to be conscious of any perfections we have , whether intellectual or moral ; for this is in many cases necessary , and impossible to be avoided . he that is wise or learned must know it , otherwise he can't understand when he judges true or false , nor distinguish difficult and noble speculations , from trifling and vulgar remarks , nor tell when he acts rationally or not . now a man that is ignorant of these things can neither be wise nor knowing : therefore as he that has a just and vigorous sense of the magnitude , distance and colours of objects , must conclude that he has eyes whether he will or not ; so these perfections of the mind discover themselves by their own light. the possessour can no more be ignorant of them , than he can doubt of his existence when he is awake . to give one instance more ; how can any person have true fortitude , who does not know how far he ought to hazard himself , and wherein the baseness of cowardise consists ? so that to affirm a man may be ignorant of his own considerableness , is to make him wise and great , and good by chance , which is a contradictition to the excellencies supposed in him . philot. right . and since i like the frankness , and tendency of your argument , i 'll try if i can reinforce it : i say then , supposing it was possible for a man to be ignorant of his good qualities ; it was by no means convenient : for if he carried such a treasure about him , without knowing how well furnished he was ; it s somewhat hard to conceive , how he could either improve or use it . if it lay thus close , it would be little better , than a mine undiscovered , for which neither the owner of the ground , or any body else are ever the richer , philal. you say well , and therefore i shall venture in the second place to affirm , that as we may be acquainted with our own accomplishments , without being guilty of pride , so neither is it any branch of this sin to discover that they are greater than some of our neighbours enjoy . if we have a real advantage over another , it 's no sin to be sensible of it ; to apprehend otherwise , is to judge contrary to the reason of things , when the case is plain , we may believe we have more honesty , sense , &c. than some others . this is as allowable as it is for us to think , that we have better complexions than moors , and are taller than pygmies . philot. can you go on ? philal. yes , i 'm not afraid to add , thirdly , that we don't fall into the sin of pride by being delighted with those advantages of mind , body or fortune , which providence has given us ; these things in the very notion of them are supposed to be beneficial . now it 's natural and necessary for us to be pleased with the enjoyment of that which is good ; of that which is agreeable to our faculties , and an advancement of our nature : to speak strictly , when the faculty and the object are rightly proportioned , satisfaction follows of course , and it s as impossible for us not to be pleased , as it is for fire not to ascend : farther , if we are not allowed to take any satisfaction in our condition , we are not bound to give god thanks for it , ; for we are not obliged to be thankful for that which does us no good : but nothing can do us any good , except it be by giving us a pleasure either in hand or in prospect . fourthly , it is no part of pride , to be more pleased with having of an advantage our selves , than by seeing one of the same value possessed by another . philot. make this out and you will oblige me . philal. very well : i prove my proposition thus . first , because that which is in our possession , or incorporated into our essence , is always in our power , and ready to be made use of when we think fit . but that which belongs to another is often at a distance , and out of our reach , and can't be communicated to us , though the owner was never so willing . secondly , it must be more agréeable to be master of any perfection our selves , than to contemplate one of the same nature in another ; because every one is more certain of the kind inclination he has to himself , than he can be of the affection of any other person whatever : that i will be always kind to my self , i am as well assured of , as that i have a being ; but that another will be so , is impossible for me to know : and therefore let a man be never so good natured , it must be somewhat more satisfactory to him , to see himself well furnished in any kind , than his neighbour . thirdly , that which is our own and in our nature , we have the most intimate and vigorous sense of ; for the presence of any desirable object , we know is more acceptable and entertaining than either the notion or prospect of it : possession gives us the life of the thing , but hopes and fancy can furnish out no more at the best than a picture finely drawn . so that , for example , let a man be of never so generous and disinterested a spirit , yet it 's natural for him to be better pleased , withbeing rich himself ( if he has any value for riches ) than in having the bare idea of an estate : besides as i observed , that which is our own , is always at our disposal , and does not depend upon the uncertain inclination and humour of another . philot. very comfortably argued . i find then by your discourse that a man may without vanity be pleased with his circumstances , and have good thoughts of himself too , if he deserves it . now some people are so unreasonable , that they will neither give men leave to love , nor understand themselves ; if they are conscious of any commendable quality , they must be sure to lay it out of the way that they may not see it ; nay if a man has taken never so much care to make himself insignificant , in order to the promoting of humility , they will scarce let him know he is good for nothing , for fear he should grow conceited of his virtue . but i perceive you are not so strait laced , and pedantick in your notions . therefore if you can recover us no more ground , let us know directly what pride is , and be as fair as you can . philal. why pride in the plainest words which i can think of , is too high an opinion of our own excellency . philot. how shall we know when we over-rate our selves ? philal. that is a very seasonable question , and absolutely necessary to the state of the case : therefore i shall lay down some indisputable marks of this vice , that whenever we see the tokens we may conclude the plague is in the house . philot. let us hear your diagnosticks . philal. first , then we may be assured we have this disease , when we value any person chiefly because his advantages are of the same nature with those we enjoy , neglecting others who have an equal right to regard , only because their privileges are of a different kind from our own . for instance , when men who derive their considerableness from the sword , the gown , or their ancestours , think none worthy their esteem but such as claim under their own pretences ; in this case it 's evident it can be nothing but partiality and conceitedness which makes them give the preheminence . secondly , we may certainly conclude our selves infected with this vice , when we invade the rights of our neighbour , not upon the account of covetousness , but of dominion ; only that we may have it in our power to create dependencies , and to give another that which is already his own . thirdly , when men don't measure their civil advantages by the laws of their country , but by their own fancies , and the submissions of flatterers ; this is another infallible sign they are proud. fourthly , to mention no more , when men love to make themselves the subject of discourse : to conn over their pedigrees , and obtrude the blazon of their exploits upon the company ; this is an argument they are overgrown with conceit , and very much smitten with themselves . philot. though i think you have hit the symptoms pretty well , yet except they are marked somewhat more distinctly , 't is possible for a man to have most of them without being e'er the wiser . for unless we are able to draw up a just state of the degrees of merit , we can never take the true height of our pretensions , and being in this uncertainty it's odds if self love does not make us determine to the prejudice of our neighbours . now i would gladly know how we must go to work to be sufficiently informed in this point . philal. we must endeavour to get right apprehensions of the several excellencies of humane nature , and what proportion they hold to each other : in order to the assisting our judgment in this case i shall lay down these general rules . first , those advantages which spring from our selves , which are the effects of our power and courage , of our industry or understanding , are more valuable than those which are derived , and borrowed , because they are a sign of a richer and more active nature . secondly , those qualities which are most useful ought to have the preference : for since acknowledgments ought to be suitable to the nature of benefits received , those who have the largest capacity of obliging , may fairly challenge the perheminence in our esteem ; and therefore in the third place the duration of an advantage ought to be consider'd ; and that which has the firmest constitution and is most likely to continue , ought to be prefer'd to others which are brittle and short lived . these rules carefully apply'd will shew us how far our pretensions to regard are short of , or exceed other mens , and so prevent an over-weening opinion of our selves . however , we are to observe that outward respect ought to be given according to the distinctions of ; law , and though a man may happen to be very defective in point of merit , yet we ought to take notice of the value authority has set upon him . philot. give me leave to put in a word , which is to tell you , that though i am not satisfied with your instances , yet i am glad to find you will allow us different degrees of worth . i was almost afraid you would have set all mankind upon a level . philal. to deliver you from such apprehensions , i freely grant you that the distinctions of quality ought to be kept up for the encouragement of industry , and the support of government . i hope now you have the reason of my concession ; you will no● be so suspicious for the future . philot. no , not till you give me a farther occasion ; especially since the inference of your discourse is not unacceptable : from whence it followeth , that when a man sees plainly that he has the advantage of his neighbour , he may let him understand so much without any offence to humility . philal. no doubt of it , especially when his station is publick ; but then the discovery of his superiority ought to be managed with a great deal of art and good nature , to which we are obliged not only in point of complaisance but justice . for though there is often a real disterence between one man and another , yet the party who has the advantgae usually magnifies the inequality beyond all sense , and proportion . men don't consider that the great priviledges of humane nature are common to the whole kind ; such as being equally related to god and adam , reason and immortality , the same number of senses , and much of the same perfection and continuance . and as for those things which are the peculiar advantages of a few ; they are either acquired and enjoyed by the strength of those general ones i have mentioned , or else they are forein and in a great measure chimerical , and therefore can be no real enrichments of our nature . they are often no more than the blessings of chance , of flattery , and imagination . and though they may set us upon higher ground , yet they can add nothing to the true stature of our being . but to combate this vice more successfully , we 'll examine its most plausible pretences , and see if we can discover the weakness of them . philot. what pretences are those ? philal. i mean learning , nobility , and power ; for these you know are accounted the brightest and most distinguishing advantages . but though they ought all to be considered , yet i believe there is much more weight laid upon them , than in strict reason they will bear . philot. you talk as if you were retained by the mobile , and had a mind to bring us back to our original state of ignorance and peasantry . philal. i tell you once again you are much mistaken . i have no design to lessen the value of any mans honour , or understanding : let people have as much sense and quality as they please , provided they don 't grow troublesom and ridiculous about it . philot. i somwhat suspect you have a mind to engross this vice of pride to your self . this sort of discourse looks like declaiming against arbitrary power , where the sharpest invectives are commonly made by the most enterprizing , and unmortifyed men , who are only angry that they are not possessed of that absoluteness themselves , which they endeavour to render odious in others . philal. hah ! you are somewhat smart . however let me tell you , if i have any such project as you imagine , you have me upon a fair dilemma . for , if my reasons against pride hold good , they will stand upon record against my self , which i suppose will be no unacceptable revenge for you : if they are insignificant , you will have the diversion of laughing at the folly of the attempt : and which is more considerable , you may keep your good opinion of yourself into the bargain . philot. pray begin your attack as you think fit , and for disputes sake i 'll try how far i can maintain the ground against you . philal. first then , learning ( to begin there ) and high conceit agree very well together : for a man of letters may have a clearer notion of the stupidness and deformity of this vice , and being better acquainted with the frame and passions of humane nature , he can't choose but discover how unacceptable it must make him to all mankind . besides he is supposed to know that nothing in strict reason deserves a true commendation , but a right use of the liberty of our will , which is in every ones power to manage to advantage . secondly , learning gives us a fuller conviction of the impersection of our nature , which one would think might dispose us to modesty . the more a man knows the more he discovers his ignorance . he can scarce look upon any part of the creation , but he finds himself encompassed with doubts and difficulties . there is scarce any thing so trifling or seemingly common , but perplexes his understanding , if he has but sense enough to look into all the objections which may be raised about it . he knows he has a being 't is true , and so does a peasant , but what this thing is which he calls himself , is hard to say . he has reason to believe , that he is compounded of two very different ingredients , spirit , and matter ; but how such unallyed and disproportioned substances should hold any correspondence and act upon each other , no mans learning yet could ever tell him . nay how the parts of matter cohere , is a question which it 's likely will never be well answer'd in this life . for though we make use of the fairest hypotheses , yet if we pursue the argument home , we shall go nigh to dispute away our bodies , and reason our selves all in pieces . insomuch that if we had nothing but principles to encourage us , we might justly be afraid of going abroad , lest we should be blown away like a heap of dust : for it 's no solution to say the greater parts of matter are connected with hooked particles ; for still the difficulty returns how these hooks were made ? quis custodiet ipsos custodes ? what is it that fastens this soder , and links these first principles of bodies into a chain ? and as the more refined understandings know little or nothing of themselves , and of the material world ; so upon enquiry we shall find them as defective in their skill about moral truths : ( excepting those who are taught by revelation , which supernatural discoveries the unlearned are capable of understanding , as far as their happiness is concerned . ) those who made laws in their respective countries , we have reason to believe had their minds polished above the vulgar rate : and yet we see how unaccountably the publick constitutions of nations vary . the persians and athenians allowed incest , the lacedemonians stealing , and some indians herodotus mentions , used to bury their best friends in their stomachs . in short , the rules of decency , of government , of justice it self , are so different in one place from what they are in another , so party-coloured and contradictious , that one would almost think the species of men altered , according to their climates ; and that they had not the same nature in common . one would almost think that right and wrong lay rather in the fancies of men , than in the reason of things , and was bounded more by seas and rivers , than by any unalterable limits of nature ; that virtue and vice were minted by the civil magistrate , and like coins would pass for currant only in his own dominions . the heathen philosophers may fairly be granted to have as good pretences to learning , as any other sort of men among them : and yet we may observe from tully and laertius what a small proportion of solid knowledge they were masters of ; how strangely did they differ in matters of the highest import ? how eagerly did they dispute , and not without probability on both sides : whether there was any thing certain ? whether the criterions of truth and falshood were clear and indubitable or not ? whether the government of the world was casual , fatal , or providential ? how many summum bonums have they presented us with , some of them only fit to entertain a brute , others noble enough for a spirit of the highest order ? it were tedious to recount the differences one sect had with another , their inconsistences with themselves , and the ridiculous and ill supported tenets some of the most famous of them have held . insomuch that tully takes notice that there was no opinion so absurd , but was held by some philosopher or other . 't is true they could wrangle and harangue better than the common people ; they could talk more plausibly about that they did not understand ; but their learning lay chiefly in flourish , and terms , and cant ; for as for any real improvements in science they were not much wiser than the less pretending multitude . indeed the more modest of them would confess that the chief use of learning was to give us a fuller discovery of our ignorance , and to keep us from being peremptory and dogmatical in our determinations . now one would imagine the more intimate acquaintance we had with the imperfections of our nature , the greater reason we should have to be humble . is weakness a proper foundation to erect our lofty conceits upon ? indeed he that has not the leisure or capacity to examine how it 's with him , may be fondly persuaded to fancy himself somebody , and grow vain upon the kind presumption ; but for a man to be proud who can demonstrate his own poverty , is little less than madness . philot. if the case stands thus , to make all sure , we had best get an order to burn the twenty four letters , and hang up cadmus in effigie ; for — philal. pray don't interrupt me , and i will try if i can give you a little ease . granting therefore , as we may , that learning does give some advantage , and that our understandings are really enriched by it ; yet in regard we have but a few principles to build upon , the greatest part of our knowledge must consist in inferences , which can't be wrought out without great labour and attention of mind : and when we are at any distance from self-evident truths , the mind is not only perplexed with the consideration of a great many circumstances , but which is worse , forgetfulness or mistake in the least of them , frustrates our whole design , and rewards us with nothing but error for our trouble . now he that is so liable to be imposed upon , who rises but by inches , and enriches himself , by such slow and insensible degrees ; 't is a sign that his stock was either very small , or that he is unskilfull in the management of his business , and therefore he has no reason to be proud of what he has gotten : besides it 's an humbling consideration to reflect what pains we are obliged to take to muster up our forces , and to make that little reason we have serviceable . how fast does obscurity , flatness and impertinency slow in upon our meditations ? 't is a difficult task to talk to the purpose , and to put life and perspicuity into our discourses ; those who are most ready and inventive have not their best thoughts uppermost : no , they must think upon the stretch , ransack , and turn over their mind , and put their imagination into a kind of ferment , if they intend to produce any thing extraordinary : so that considering the trouble and almost violence we are put upon , one would think that sense and reason was not made for mankind , and that we strive against our natures , when ▪ we pretend to it . philot. well ; what though our minds were poor , and unfurnished at first , is it any disparagement to us to have more wit than we were born with ? what though we can't strike out a science at a heat , but are forced to polish our selves by degrees , and to work hard for what we have ? the less we were assisted by nature , the greater commendation it is to our industry , and our attainments are so much the more our own . and since we have thus fairly distinguished our selves by merit , why should we seem unapprehensive of our performances ? since we have paid so dear for the improvements of our understanding , and our advantages are gained with so much difficulty , what harm is it to make our best of them ? why should we not oblige the negligent to distance and regard , and make those who are younger or less knowing than our selves sensible of their inferiority ? philal. i agree with you as i have already hinted , that a man may lawfully maintain his character and just pretences against rudeness and ignorance , especially when the publick good is concerned in his reputation . but when he acts a private part , and converses with people of sense and modesty , he should give them but very gentle remembrances of his prerogative : his opinion of his own worth should but just dawn upon them , and at the most give them but an obscure and remote notice , that he expected any singular acknowledgment : he should take the respect that is paid him rather as a present than a debt , and seem thankful for that which is his own : but to be stiff and formally reserved as if the company did not deserve our familiarity ; to be haughty and contemptuous , and to make scanty and underproportioned returns of civility : this is a downright challenge of homage , and plainly tells people , they must be very mannerly : 't is in effect to say , gentlemen , i have more learning , and have done the publick greater service than you , and therefore i expect to be considered for it : you may possibly say that i have more preferment too , and am paid for my merit in mony , but that shall not serve your turn ; for except you shew your selves very dutiful , i shall give you broad signs of my dissatisfaction , and never let you have the honour of my converse again . now such a man if he went much abroad , would plague mankind more with his company , than he could oblige them with his writings , though they were never so considerable . such people seem to owe their parts to their ill temper : their industry is malicious , and they have taken pains not so much to oblige the world , as to get an opportunity of trampling upon their inferious . had they been good-natured , they would have been as dull and insignificant as their neighbours . but their imperious carriage is just as reasonable as it would have been for the old athletae to have drudged hard in eating and exercise , that they might employ their bulk and activity in beating every one who was weaker , and less skilful than themselves . philot. by your discourse you seem to mistake the matter , and not to weigh things rightly . 't is not superiority that these gentlemen of learning are so solicitous about ; 't is not personal advantage which they chiefly intend by their reservedness : they have no doubt a more publick and generous design ; for you may observe they usually bear hardest upon those of their own order and profession , which is nothing but a forced and politick stateliness for the promoting of knowledg in others . the young fry , whether you know it or not , must be held at a distance , and kept under the discipline of contempt . if you give them any tolerable quarter , you indulge them in their idleness , and ruin them to all intents and purposes . for who would be at the trouble of learning , when he finds his ignorance is caressed , and that he is easie and acceptable enough in the company of the best authors of the town ? but when you brow-beat them and maul them , you make them men for ever ; for vexatio dat intellectum ; though they have no natural metal , yet if they are spurred and kicked they will mend their pace , if they have any feeling . such rigorous usage will make them study night and day to get out of this ignominious condition , in hopes that it may come to their own turn to be proud one day . take my word for it , there is no such way to make a scholar , as to keep him under while he is young , or unpreferred . philal. notwithstanding your flourish i can't perswade my self that this dispensation of pride is so mighty useful as you pretend i should think such an untoward management of any accomplishment should rather discourage others from attempting such dangerous circumstances . if sense and learning are such unsociable imperious things , a good natured man ought to take especial care not to improve too fast . he ought to keep down the growth of his reason , and curb his intellectuals when he finds them ready to outstrip his neighbours . i assure you , if i was of your opinion , and thought my self near the temptation to so much ill humour , i would never look on a book again . philot. come when you have said all , there is no keeping up the credit of learning without that which you call a reserved behaviour . for if those who are eminent this way should condescend to those familiarities which you seem to desire , the honour of their profession would suffer much by it ; if they should converse upon the level , the veneration which their inferiours have for them would quickly wear off : and if the vulgar observed there was no distinction kept up amongst the men of letters ; they would suspect there was nothing extraordinary in any of them . pray who are supposed to be the best judges of learning , those who have it or others ? philal. no doubt those who have it . philot. then if they seem to undervalue it themselves , is not this the way to bring it into a general disrepute ? i tell you once again , if the privileges of merit are not insisted upon all , must go to wrack . if a man who has digested all the fathers , and is ready to add himself to the number , shews any tolerable countenance to one who has scarce rubbed through ignatius , and lets a pure english divine to go cheek by jole with him , the commonwealth of learning will grow almost as contemptible as that of the pigmies , and be only sit to write romances upon . philal. i shall not enquire how far this lofty method may advance the reputation of learning , but i am pretty sure it 's no great addition to theirs who use it ; for it only makes others more inquisitive into their defects , and more inclinable to expose them . if they take them tardy they endeavour to humble them by way of reprizal . those slips and mismanagements are usually ridiculed and aggravated , when such persons are guilty of them , which would be overlooked or excused in others of a more modest and affable conversation . if they happen to be found inconsistent with themselves : if their vanity of appearing singular puts them upon advancing paradoxes , and proving them as paradoxically . if a presumption upon their own strength , and a desire of greater triumph makes them venture too far into the enemies quarters , and take up a post which they can't maintain ; they are usually laught at for their folly and left to shift for themselves ; for pride never has any friends , and all men are glad of a just occasion to lessen his reputation who makes such an ill-natured use of it . philot. i conceive you harp a little too much upon one string : do you think the inferious clergy for whom you are now pleading , are discouraged by none but those of their own profession ? philal. no , i grant there is another sort of people who use them with neglect enough : but then they are somewhat more to be excused . they have not such fair opportunities to understand the just pretences of a liberal education , and a religious employment . they are apt to fall under unfortunate hands in their minority : the vanity of their parents , and the knavery of flatterers often gives them a wrong notion of themselves , and makes them admire nothing but wealt hand greatness , and think no condition deserves regard but that which resembles their own . besides their neglect looks less unaccountably by reason of their quality , and their breeding makes their pride sit more decently upon them . they usually contemn with a better grace than others : for there is a great deal of art and mystery in pride to manage it handsomely : a man might almost as soon learn a trade : and if we observe we shall find that those who were not brought up to it , seldom prove their crafts-master or practise with any sort of address . to which i may add , that such persons are usually willing to pay for their imperiousness , so that a man is not made a fool for nothing . but when this lofty humour is clumsily and inartificially managed , when it 's affected by those of a self-denying and mortified profession , and who get their living by declaiming against it . when it 's taken up by men of sense , who may well be expected to see through the folly of this vice , and who generally have not those pretences of a byassed education to misguide them : especially when they play it upon persons of their own order who were born and bred to as fair expectations of regard as themselves , and are sometimes their inferiours in nothing so much as in success ; this is such a singular practice that i had rather leave it undescribed than be forced to give it its proper character . philot. i believe you will be willing to abate , if not to retract your ceasure when you consider that these gentlemen of the gown , whom you think too much depressed , are many of them curates ; and is it not very reasonable there should be a distance observed between masters and servants ? if you confound these two relations by lavish and indiscreet familiarities , you destroy the respect , and by degrees the very notion of superiority . if there is not a due homage paid in conversation , those who are in a state of subjection will neither know their condition nor their duty : they will be apt to forget they hold by a servile tenure , and think themselves enfranchised from all manner of suit and service . besides , if the parson should use his curate with that freedom which you insinuate , as if there was neither dependence nor obligation between them ; this might be of very ill example to the parish , and make all other servants challenge the same liberty , and grow pert upon their masters : and when this sawciness became universal , as it 's likely it might do in a short time , what less mischief could be expected from it , than an old scythian rebellion ? philal. i confess , i was not aware the being of government depended so much upon the distinction between rector and curate , and that if the modern way of distance and subordination was not kept up , we must presently return to hobs's state of nature . if a curate be such a dangerous thing , that a little civil usage to him is ready to make the world fall about our ears , i wonder why so many of them are suffered . now without raising the posse comitatus , if the pluralists would but do their best to suppress them , their number might quickly be so retrenched , that they would not be in the least formidable . but you seem to argue all this while upon a wrong principle , you take it for granted , that curates are servants ; now if this proves a mistake , you will own they may be treated with a little more freedom , without any danger to authority . philot. who doubts of their being servants ? philal. i do , and for very good reasons . philot. see how a man may be mistaken ! i thought the english of curate had been an ecclesiastical hireling . philal. no such matter , the proper import of the word signifies one who has the cure of souls ; therefore in france all parochial priests are called curates , as they are likewise in our rubrick and common-prayer . philot. i find then there lies no servitude in the name , so that it must be either the deputation , or salary which they receive from the instituted priest , which sinks them into this condition . philal. that there is no servitude in either of these , i am ready to make good . . not in the office ; and here i must crave leave to ask you a few questions . philot. take your own method . philal. what in your apprehension is a curate's employment ? philot. to serve god in the publick offices of religion , and to take care of the parish . philal. then he is not entertained to serve the rector . philot. go on . philal. in the next place i desire to know whether authority is not essential to a master ? philot. who questions it ? philal. has the curate his authority to preach , and administer the sacraments from the rector ? philot. no , from the bishop . philal. may not a master turn away his servants when he pleases ? philot. i think so . philal. but the rector has no power to remove the curate after he is licensed and fixed by the bishop . to sum up the evidence therefore ; if the curate was not entertained to wait upon the rector , nor has his authority from him , nor can be removed from his employment , i think it is pretty plain he is none of his servant . philot. well , but does not the parson make choice of him , and pay him ? philal. don't a corporation choose a mayor ? philot. what then ? philal. pray whos 's servant is he after his election ? philot. none but the kings that i know of : but you have not answered the latter part of my objection about his being paid by the rector . philal. if you had not called for my answer , i had waved it for your sake , because i think your objection borders somewhat upon treason . philot. how so ? philal. why , is it not of kin to treason to say the subjects are masters over the supreme authority ? philot. if nonsense will not excuse a man , i think it is . philal. but your argument proves the king a servant to the people . philot. how ? philal. because they pay him taxes , and that among other reasons , by way of acknowledgment of the benefits of his government , and that they may shew themselves willing , if it was in their power , to requite him for his care of the state. philot. pray why so much concerned to prove curates no servants ? philal. because i am willing to rescue them from that contempt , which they will certainly fall into , as long as they pass under this notion : which considering the number of persons officiating , this way , must be very prejudicial to religion . besides it makes some persons , who are fit to do the church service , suspend themselves , and shew their priesthood only by their habit , rather than serve god under such uncreditable circumstances : and for the same reason others are tempted to grow too fond of a presentation , and choose rather to court it by flattery , or other indirect practices , than be condemned to the servile condition of a curate . for let me tell you , it is no ordinary piece of self-denial , for a man of a generous education , who has been trained up all along to freedom and good usage , to be degraded in his manhood , when the mind is most in love with liberty , and to enter upon business with marks of disadvantage , when he stands most in need of reputation . to my thinking this is a very discouraging and preposterous way of educating the clergy . if a man must go to service , he had better begin with it as they do in trades , and not be master at first , and then be forced to turn apprentice , or journyman afterwards . of such ill consequence it is to miscal things , and as plato observes , that an alteration of the notes in musick is apt to produce an innovation in the laws and customs of a country : so by changing the names of offices for others of less repute , we change the uses and designs of them , and make them less satisfactory to those engaged , and less serviceable to the publick than they would have been , if the character of their institution had been kept up . philot. granting at present what you say to be true , yet a curate seems to lie under another disadvantage , which makes him considered with abatement . philal. what is that ? philot. why , people are apt to fancy that it is the want either of parts or conduct , which keeps him without a patron . philal. if people think so , i am sorry their sense and charity is no greater ; for if they examined things fairly , they would find that the being a curate is no argument of a mans insignificancy , nor any just blemish to his reputation . for it is often the integrity and generous temper of his mind which hinders him from a better provision ; it is because he will not flatter the pride of some , nor keep pace with the bigottry of others : because he will neither court greatness nor faction , nor make himself popular to the disadvantage of his audience . because he cannot digest a simoniacal contract , nor charge through ▪ perjury with the courage of an evidence . in short , it is his plain and impartial dealing with the people , his resolution to preserve the decency of his character , and the innocence of his conscience which bars his promotion : so that if he was mean enough to complain , he might have the satisfaction to apply this sentence of tully to himself , non nos vitia sed virtutes afflixerunt . philot. what a broad innuendo is here upon the beneficed clergy ? philal. i am glad you have given me an opportunity of explaining my self . my meaning is not that those who are possessed of livings have gained them , by such indirect courses : god forbid ! i only say , that all men are not so lucky as to have the offer of fair conditions , and those who have not , must be curates if they will be honest ; or else lay by the use of their priesthood , which i am afraid is not very accountable . philot. i confess you have brought your self off well enough : but now i think on 't you must try to maintain the liberty of your curate a little more convincingly . for some say there lies prescription and immemorial custom against it , and then you know he is a servant by common law. philal. not at all ▪ for as we are lately told by a great lawyer , prescription is good for nothing where there are any records to the contrary . philot. what records can you produce ? philal. why , to mention no more , the th of the apostles canons , and the th of the council of eliberis , are , i think , considerable evidence ; the first of which forbids the ordaining of those who had married a servant , and the other excludes manumized persons , while their patrons were living , from the priesthood . philot. say you so ? then i fancy those who drew up queen elizabeths injunctions knew nothing of this piece of antiquity you mention . philal. your reason ? philot. because by those injunctions a clergy-man could not lawfully marry till he had gone and made his complaint against celibacy , before two justices of the peace , and gained their consent , and the good will of the master , or mistriss where the damsel served . philal. and then i suppose if he could not prevail by his rhetorick they gave him a warrant to distrein . philot. or possibly if he courted in forma pauperis they assigned him a wife gratis out of an hospital . philal. upon my word this order , take it which way you will , has a singular aspect , and looks as if it intended to put the clergy in mind , that they ought not to aspire above an abigail . certainly discretion and merit ran very low in the church at that time , or else , some people were willing to make the nation believe so . but to return to the canons , the design of , which was to secure the reputation of the clergy ; but according to the modern opinion , this provision signifies nothing ; for if a man must go to service after he is in orders , had he not as good do it before ? in you sence he often only changes his lay for an ecclesiastical master , which sometimes might be so far from an advantage that it would make the servitude the more uneasie , by being subjected to one no more than equal to himself . philot. i grant you in the primitive times the advantage of priesthood was equally shared among all the order , and none of that character had any superiority over another . for then the revenues of the church consisted only in the voluntary offerings of the people , which were all deposited with the bishop , who assigned every one his respective portion ; so that no priest had any dependence upon another for his maintenance ; but now the case is otherwise , and a manought to be subject to him that supports him . philal. it 's somewhat hard , that the bare alteration of the church revenues should make so wide a difference between those who were equal before ; that a man must lose his freedom only for want of a presentation , and be made a servant because he does not take tithes , though he has as much spiritual authority as if he did . but i perceive you think there is no consideration equivalent to a little money , and that he who receives it must be no longer at his own disposal , though he makes never so valuable a return . since therefore you insist so much upon maintnance , what if it appears that the curate maintains the parson ? philot. that would be strange indeed . philal. to what end were the church revenues intended ? philot. to keep up the worship of god. philal. which way ? philot. by settling a competent maintenance upon the ministers of religion , that they may be in the better capacity to discharge their office , and not be obliged to lose their time , and lessen their character , by engaging in labourious or mechanical employments . philal. by your arguing there should be something for them to do . philot. yes , they are to take care of that precinct to which their endowment is annex'd . philal. i hope you don't mean not to come at it . philot. i mean they are to take care of the performance of the duties of their office. philal. then ought not he to have the revenues who performs these duties ? philot. i am not willing to grant that . philal. have a care of denying the conclusion ; you grant the revenues of the church were designed for the support of the clergy . philot. yes . philal. of what clergy ? those who live many miles distant from the premises ? philot. no , i 'm afraid they were intended for those who live upon the place , otherwise methinks endowments are a very slender provision for the benefit of the parish . philal. then if the curate does all the work , ought he not to have the reward for his pains ? in short , either he is qualified to undertake the parish or not ; if not , with what sincerity can he be employed ? if he is qualified , why is he barred the profit when he only performs the conditions upon which they were settled , when none but himself answers the design they were intended for ? to speak properly , the rector seems to live out of the labours of another , he is maintained by the perquisites of the curates office ; and therefore is in effect but a kind of pensioner to him . philot. i see you are an everlasting leveller , you won't allow any encouragement to extraordinary industry and merit . philal. you mistake me . i would have the best men have the best livings , but then before we go to doubling of preferments , possibly it were not amiss to examine whether the number of benefices exceeds the persons who are capable of them . let us first examine whether they will hold out one apiece , and when every man has one , then the supernumerary livings may be divided amongst those who are most deserving . philot. in good time , when it 's likely there there will be none left ! now do you imagine the church can be defended against her adversaries by the strength of a single parsonage ? but it may be you will say all our plurality-men are not writers . philal. no , nor readers neither . besides , we may observe that heresie and schism were very successfully combated before unions , dispensations , and consolidations were heard of . if you consult father paul's history of the council of trent , ( p. . ) he will inform you that non-residence and pluralities are things of no very primitive establishment . i confess some of the lay-managers of our reformation have not been over-kind to the church , so that affairs are not in so good a posture as they might have been : but god be thanked there is still some provision left for the ornament and defence of religion . philot. what provision do you mean ? philal. why , to speak to your case , there are dignities , to which those gentlemen who are prepared to engage in the controversie have a good right : and with submission to better judgments , i think it would not be amiss if all dignified persons held their preferments by a new tenure . philot. what tenure ? philal. by knights service ; pursuant to which they should be obliged to draw their pens in the cause , when ever their superiours required them : to appear in the field upon an invasion with their quota , and in short , to maintain any post that shall be assigned . philot. what if a man has not a mind to quarrel , must he be turn'd out of his dignity for being of a peaceable disposition ? philal. those peaceable men you speak of , are none of the most useful in a time of war , and therefore a smaller gratification should content them . philot. what if they are disabled by age ? philal. then they should be continued for their past services . philot. truly this is a good probable expedient to keep the church militia in discipline , and might for ought i know , very much improve the noble science of controversie . but to return to the old argument , if you intend to bring me over to your opinion of the curate , you must clear the business of his salary a little better , for i am afraid where he has his money he ought to own he has his master too . philal. i confess there would be a great deal in what you say , if the rector had the right of coinage . if the money had his image , and superscription upon it , the curate's taking it for currant , would conclude him under his jurisdiction : but that the bare receiving a sum should sink a man into a servile state , is past my comprehension . for considering that mony is a thing of such quality , and sovereign sway in the world , one would imagine it should bring power and reputation along with it , and rather enlarge than abridge a man's liberty by receiving it . and to mention nothing farther , the nature of the contract between the rector and curate , is sufficient to give you satisfaction ; for there , as has been observed , the curate undertakes no other employment but the instruction and government of the parish . there is no attendance upon the parson , no running upon his errands , nor subjection to his humour indented for . philot. methinks it is a little hard a curate must not be called a servant , as well as a cook , or a footman , since he has wages as much as the other . philal. possibly not always so much neither ; but waving that , if you had remembred what i urged to you before , this objection would have been no difficulty . philot. what was that ? philal. why , that the curate is to wait upon none but god almighty , that the manage of his employment is not prescribed by the rector , but by the rubrick and constitutions of the church , and that he is not removeable at pleasure . i suppose by this time you apprehend there is a difference between him and a footman , or a steward either . philot. well! notwithstanding your subtlety , this notion of wages sticks in my stomach still . philal. i wonder the glitter of a little mony should dazle your eyes at that rate , that you cannot see so plain a distinction . you don't seem to understand commerce , if you think that something of authority and dominion is always given in exchange for mony. now i am of diogenes his mind , and believe it possible for one to buy a master , as well as a servant . philot. as how ? philal. why , for the purpose , if a person of twenty one puts himself apprentice to another , you know this is seldom done without charge : now what does a man do in this case but purchase his subjection , and hire himself a drubbing upon occasion ? to give one instance more . when a woman of fortune marries a man with nothing , does she not give him meat , drink , and wages to govern her ? and to end this dispute , you know physicians , and lawyers , and judges , have fees or wages , either given , or assigned them by law , without being thought servants to those they are concerned with , now , what reason is there a curate should have worse luck with his mony than other people ? philot. to deal plainly , i suppose it is because he does not get enough of it . if his fees were as considerable as any of those gentlemen you speak of , i question not but his office would be much more reputable . philal. well guessed , and therefore what character do they deserve who confine him to this scandalous pittance . i believe you can scarcely name any sort of injustice which has a more malignant influence upon religion than this oppresion of curates . philot. why so tragical ? philal. because their poverty exposes them to contempt , which renders their instructions insignificant , and which is worse , makes them less considerable in themselves , as well as in the opinion of others . philot. i hope poverty is no crime . philal. no , but it 's a scurvy temptation , especially to those who have lived freely , and been bred to better expectations . for when a man finds his hopes disappointed , himself unsupported , and topp'd upon by persons of meaner pretences and employments ; this is apt to pall his spirits , and check the courage of his thoughts , so that his compositions and fortune will seem to be much of a piece . philot. i thought strait circumstances had been none of the worst promoters of learning , according to the old saying , ingenii largitor venter . philal. i grant there is some truth in your observation , and that it is want which often reconciles men to labour and letters ; but this is at their first setting out , when though they have not gained their point , yet they are full of hopes , which pricks them on , and puts them upon their utmost . but after they are once qualified for success , and find their industry discouraged , this makes them sink in the socket , and fret away their strength and spirits ; so that either out of impotence , or disgust , or dispair , they give over the fruitless pursuit , and seldom make any generous attempt ever after . 't is true , there are some hardy souls that won't be beaten off by ill usage , but these are very rarely to be met with . philot. then you think there would be a strange improvement in the unbeneficed clergy , if they had a better salary . philal. yes ; i think they would have more books , and more learning , and more credit . they would not be so easily obliged to improper compliances , nor so liable to serveral other miscarriages in their conduct . philot. by your discourse the slender provision which is made for them , should be very criminal . philal. doubtless so it is . for pray consider . philot. pray be as brief as you can . philal. i say then , for a clergy man to enrich himself by the labour and necessities of one of his own order , and make his figure out of the church without performing the services required , is a direct translating the holy revenues to a foreign and secular use , and consequently besides other aggravations is no better than sacrilege , which is a very uncanonical sin , and unless we are very much in the dark will be accounted for afterwards . in short this practice has been the main ground of the contempt of the clergy , making one part of them grow cheap by their poverty , and the other by their covetousness . philot. pray what allowance would you oblige the rector to , if you had the regulation of that affair ? philal. to speak within compass , in my opinion the curate ought to have half the profits , let the value of them be never so considerable ; for if the parson has the other moiety for doing nothing , i think he has no reason to complain . but if the living be small , then he that supplies it should have two thirds assigned him , because he cannot be decently supported under that proportion . philot. well , i am not disposed to examin that matter any farther . but i beseech you what is all this to the business of pride ? i think your zeal for the curates has transported you a little out of your subject . philal. no such matter ; for it is generally nothing but ambition which makes men covetous and mean : besides , if it is a digression it is a very seasonable one . however i am willing to take my leave of this part of the argument , therefore if you please we will call a new cause . philot. i think it is best to adjourn at present , and when we meet again i will venture the other brush with you . philal. till then farewel . a second conference between philotimus and philalethes . philal. well met ! i am glad the opportunity you mentioned is so quickly returned . philot. so am i , and therefore if you please without any further ceremony , let us pursue the argument we were last upon . philal. with all my heart , and since ( as has been shewed ) learning and conceit , make so odd a figure ; let us proceed to examine the pretences of nobility , for i am afraid the vulgar notion of it is screwed somewhat too high , and that it has not ballast enough to carry all the sail which is commonly made out . philot. i must tell you , you are upon a touchy point , and therefore i hope you will treat so nice a subject as this is with proportionable caution . philal. i am sensible of what you say , and shall manage my enquiry with all the fairness , and decency , the free discussion of the question will allow . to begin , you know all men were equally noble , or if you will , equally plebeian at first : now i would gladly understand how they came to be so much distinguished afterwards , for there are different reasons assigned . philot. i suppose the distinctions you mention , were founded upon extraordinary performances , and won at the expence of industry and merit . for how can you imagine any persons should emerge out of the common mass of mankind , unless by the advantages of capacity , labour , and resolution ? their mounting , argues that fire was the ruling element in their composition ; and that they were of a more vigorous and enterprizing spirit than their neighbours . philal. i am willing to suppose with you , that they made a generous use of these advantages , and employed them for the benefit of mankind : being as remarkable for their justice , fidelity , and good humour , as for their conduct and courage ; and therefore i am not willing to believe the account which some pretend to give concerning the original of nobility . philot. what is that ? philal. they will tell you that it has been often founded upon rapine and injustice . it seems they have observed out of thucidides , that in antient times it was counted an heroick atcheivement to plunder lustily , and he was a man of the best quality , who was able to steal most cattle . these nimrods ( say they ) grew great by the strength of their limbs and their vices , engraved their murthers upon their shields , and hectored all the little and peaceable people into peasantry . philot. this looks so like a chimerical and ill natur'd opinion , that i shall not do it the honor of a confutation . philal. i have no exceptions to your resentment , but to go on , for the more distinct consideration of the argument , we will divide nobility into two kinds , hereditary , or acquired . the first is transmitted to us from our ancestors , the other is immediately conferred by the favour of the prince . philot. proceed upon the several parts of your division . philal. . then , hereditary nobility seems no just ground for a high opinion , because it is borrowed . those great actions which we had no share in , cannot properly be any part of our commendation , especially if we want abilities to imitate them . 't is true , they ought to be taken notice of by others for the encouragement of vertue , and the ornament of society . but then he that depends wholly upon the worth of others , ought to consider that he has but the honor of an image , and is worshiped not for his own sake , but upon the account of what he represents . to be plain , it is a sign a man is very poor when he has nothing of his own to appear in ; but is forced to patch up his figure with the relicks of the dead , and rifle tomb-stones and monuments for reputation . philot. notwithstanding your rallying , i cannot conceive what crime it is to possess the inheritance of our forefathers . now honor is part of their estate , which was raised on purpose that we might be the better for it . and since their children were the occasion of their merit , and pushed them on to generous undertakings , ought they not to share in the glory of the success ? philal. yes . but it should be managed with great modesty , because though an honourable title may be conveyed to posterity , yet the ennobling qualities which are the soul of greatness , are a sort of incommunicable perfections , and cannot be transferred . indeed if a man could bequeath his virtues by will , and settle his sense , and learning , and resolution , upon his children , as certainly as he can his lands , a brave ancestor would be a mighty privilege . philot. i hope those fine qualities are not so incommunicable as you suppose , for methinks there is a ie ne scay quoi , in persons well born : there is a peculiar nobleness of temper in them , their conversation is inimitably graceful , and a man may distinguish their quality by the air of their faces . philal. i wish that spirit of honor and bravery you mention , was inseparable to their quality ; but it is too plain that great minds , and great fortunes don't always go together ; however i grant there is some truth in your observation , but am afraid the distinction does not always spring from the cause you assign . for by the gracefulness of conversation , i suppose you mean a decent assurance , and an address in the modes , and gestures of salutation . now these are pretty accomplishments i confess , and recommend a man to company with some advantage ; but then they are easily gained by custom and education , and therefore we need not fetch them ex traduce . and moreover , these little formalities are often magnified beyond all sense and reason , and some people are so fantastically fond of them , as if they were the topper perfections of human nature ; and that it were in reality a more valuable and gentile quality to dress well , and come handsomely into a room , than to take a town , or to be fit to discharge the office of a privy counsellor , now with submission to these ceremonious gentlemen , i am not of their mind in this matter , but think it much better for a mans parts to lie in his head , than in his heels . philot. i think so too , but you have not answered the whole . philal. true ! your air was omitted : now if this was a constant privilege of birth , which you know it is not , yet in this deceitful age of ours , there is no arguing from an outside . besides , i doubt this advantage is sometimes the effect of a slothful and effeminate life . when men will attempt nothing either in the field , or in their closets : when they will neither trouble themselves with thinking , nor endure to be exposed to the weather : this niceness , though it renders them insignificant to the great purposes of life , yet it polishes their complexion , and makes their spirits seem more moving and transparent . sometime this sprightliness and grandeur of face , is painted by flattery : for when men are once made to believe they are very considerable , they are presently for trying to write the inscriptions of their quality upon their forehead . now conceit when it is corrected with a mixture of gravity , is an admirable wash , and will make one look as wise , and as great as you would wish . philot. this grandeur of face , as you call it , may possibly be explained upon kinder principles ; for i am apt to believe that a quick sense of honour , a consciousness of worth , an elevation of thought , will sometimes break out into a lustre , and make the great soul sparkle in a man's eyes . philal. i cannot deny what you say , and therefore the best construction ought to be made , where the known character of the person does not disallow it . philot. i see you can be fair when you list , therefore i shall venture to go on with you to another advantage of nobility , viz. antiquity . now to begin in your own way , don't you think it is a great addition to ones birth to stand at the bottom of long parchment pedigree , and be some yards removed from the first escocheon ? is not that family substantially built which can stand the shock of time , and hold out against all varieties of accidents ? how generous must that blood be , which has been so long refining , and run through the channels of honor for so many ages , where it is sometimes as hard to come to the plebeian fountain : as to find out the head of nilus ? philal. not so hard neither , for if you go but one inch farther than the gentleman at the topyou spoke of , it is ten to one but you take old goodman , &c. by the leathern breeches . and as for the antiquity of a family , though it looks prettily at first sight , yet i fear it will abate upon examination . philot. pray try your skill upon it , for i am not of your mind . philal. then to deal plainly with you , i conceive the antiquity you talk of , is commonly nothing but antient wealth , and therefore the chief commendation of this privilege consists in the long continued frugality of the family , who after they were once possessed of an estate , had the discretion to keep it . philot. is it nothing then for a man's ancestors to have lived in reputation , and to have had interest and command in their country for so many generations ? philal. i suppose the english of all this is no more than that they have lived in good houses , eat and drank better , and born higher offices than those who have wanted a fortune . now mony , and a moderate share of sense , will furnish any man with all these advantages . and as to the holding out against so many accidents , and alterations of state , i am afraid it sometimes proceeds from shifting and indifferent principles , and from a servile compliance with whatever is uppermost . so that what my lord bacon mentions in reference to notions and inventions , may be sometimes applicable to families ; where he tells us , that time is like a river , in which metals and solid substances are sunk , while chaff and straws swim upon the surface . secondly , you are to consider that an antient gentility does not necessarily convey to us any advantage either of body or mind : and to speak like philosophers , these are the only two things in which we are capable of any real improvement . i confess , if every generation grew wiser , stronger , handsomer , or longer lived than the other : if the breed of a man's family was thus improved , the farther it was continued ; then indeed the quality of an escocheon would be exactly contrary to that of cloaths , and the one would always grow better , as the other does worse , by wearing . from whence it would follow , that if the seven sleepers had been made gentlemen immediately before they entred their cave , and had held on their nap from seventy , to seven hundred years , they had most undeniably slept themselves into a considerable degree of quality . philot. you may talk as subtilly as you please , but you must not think to baffle established and uncontested opinions , with a few logical quirks . philal. pray don't grow warm , and i will endeavour to satisfie you , and in order to it , i observe in the third place , that an antient gentility , makes a man superior only to those of the same quality , ( viz. an esquire , to an esquire , and so in the rest ) and that in nothing but in point of precedency . the reason , i suppose , why those which are placed in any degree of honor , precede others who are afterwards raised to the same height , is for the encouragement of industry . to make men forward to exert their earliest endeavours to deserve well of the state ; for this reason there is a distinction made between merit , otherwise equal , only upon the account of the priority of time. philot. is this all you can afford ? philal. look you ! we that pretend to be subject to a constitution , must not carve out our own quality , for at this rate a cobler may make himself a lord. philot. and what then ? philal. why , then i say , it is vanity for any man to have a better opinion of his family than the law allows : my reason is , because the law is the measure of honor , as well as of all other civil rights . besides , i must tell you that it is both reasonable , and the interest of the state that merit should be considered , of what date soever it is . a worthy action ought to be as much rewarded now , as one of the same kind was a thousand years since . the prospect of honor , to a generous mind , is the chief incitement to all great undertakings . this consideration polishes arts and sciences , makes men industrious in improving their understandings , and resolute in exposing their persons , for the publick service . if therefore we dote upon antiquity so far , as to undervalue the merit of the present age , the government must necessarily suffer by it : for such a partiality will slacken the nerves of industry , and occasion a negligence both in those who have an antient title to honor , and in those who have not . the first will grow sluggish , because they have a sufficient share of reputation already ; and therefore need not run any hazards about getting more . the latter will abate in their forwardness to oblige their country , because they know their service , though never so great , will be contemned , and for that very reason which ought to make them the more valued , that is , because their considerableness came from themselves . moreover , if the inheritors of antient honor , have not by personal additions improved that stock which was granted to their ancestors ; there is no reason it should be rated above the same degree ( precedency excepted ) which is given now . for to affirm that a family raised to nobility by this king , is not as good as one raised by the conqueror , is a reflection upon his present majesty : it supposes his judgment , or his authority , less considerable than that of his predecessours ; and that the fountain of honour is almost dry'd up , and runs more muddy than in former ages . philot. how plausibly soever you may make your opinion look , i 'm sure it has the disadvantage of being singular . for you know a plain gentleman of an ancient family is accounted a person of better quality than a new made knight , though the reason of his dubbing was never so meritorious . honour like china dishes must lie some ages under ground before it comes to any perfection . and to carry on your own figure , the greater distance from the spring always makes the stream the more considerable . philal. this is to be wiser than the laws ! and since you are for illustrations i reply , that to suppose an ancient title ( though lesser in degree ) is preferable to a greater of late creation , is as if one should affirm that an old shilling is better than a new half-crown , though the alloy and impression are the same in both . nay from your argument a man may conclude that a coarser metal only by being digg'd and refin'd in the dayes of our great grandfathers , ( though perhaps it has contracted some rust by lying ) is more valuable than the same weight in gold but lately separated from the oare . and that an ancient estate is really better than one newly purchased , though the lands of the latter are richer , and the survey larger than the other . now if a man should prove so fanciful as to demand a greater rent for his farm because it has been in the possession of his family for some hundred of years , i believe the want of tenants would soon convince him of his errour . from whence it 's evident that in taking an estimate of nobility we are not so much to consider its antiquity , as the merit of the first grantee , and the distinction the prince has put upon it ; which like figures or other marks upon money , stamp the value , and tell the subject for how much it is to pass . philot. pray by your favour are not meddals , and coyns valued more for their antiquity than their metal ? philal. that question is to the point ; and therefore i answer , first , that coyns , &c. though they are valuable as rarities , yet they signifie little in exchange and common use ; and if a man has any debt to pay , or commodities to buy , k. charles his image , and superscription will do him much more service than ce'sar's . secondly , the reason why these things are sometimes so much valued , is not because they are old but useful : they often rectifie chronology , and explain history , and retrieve us several material parts of learning , which might otherwise have been irrecoverably lost . thirdly , there is a disparity in the case of ancient coyns and families ; for in the first you have the same numerical peice , in the latter nothing but the name or relation , so that the change and succession of persons seems to destroy the notion of antiquity . to make the instance parallel we must suppose a gentleman as old as methusalem , and then i confess he would be a great curiosity , and ought to be valued accordingly . philot. as i remember you were saying , the merit of the first gentleman of the house ought to be consider'd . philal. yes , i conceive that circumstance very material , and that if upon enquiry it proves unintelligible , or unlucky , it 's no small abatement to the family . for if he advanced himself by a voluntary engaging in unjust quarrels , he has no better pretence to honour than what a resolute and successful padder may challenge . if he owes his heraldry to a servile flattery , and a dextrous application to the vices of princes , the marks of their favour are rather infamous than honourable to his posterity , because he is ennobled for those qualities , for which he ought to have been punished . philot. what if the gentility was purchased , i hope we may make the best of what we have paid for ? philal. by all means ! but then this is a sign that worth and distinguishing qualities were wanting , otherwise the honour had been conferred gratis . the same may be said when arms or titles are given at the instance or recommendation of a favorite , for this is down-right begging for quality , and looks more like an alms than an honour . father it 's a lessening to a mans nobility , when the reason and grounds of it are unknown , for if his rise had been derived from worthy and creditable causes , he would in all likelyhood have been as certainly acquainted with them , as with his arms ; it being both easie and for the reputation of the family ; that records of this nature should have been preserv'd , and therefore the loss of them seems rather to proceed from design than neglect . in short , if the first principles of honour happen to be thus coarse , or counterfeit , it 's not in the power of time to mend them : a pebble or bristol stone will not change their natures , and improve into diamonds , though they are laid up a thousand years together . philot. hark you mr. i doubt your effects ( if you have any ) have lain but a little while in the heralds office. philal. probably as long as your worships : but i take it to be much more a gentlemanly quality to discover such unsociable mistakes than to abett them . if we are capable of understanding any thing , it must undoubtedly be more creditable to promote good humour and modesty in conversation , and give men right apprehensions of themselves ; than to flatter them into groundless conceits , and make them believe they may be truly great , and yet good for nothing . to maintain such indefensible and dangerous principles of honour , which not only impose upon our understandings , but emasculate our spirits , and spoyl our temper , and tend only to the nourishing of idleness and pride ; is in my opinion no very heroical undertaking . philot. then i find we must come to the merits of the cause as you call them , and examine upon what foundation the family stands . philal. i think that is the only way to know what we have to trust to , and how far we may insist upon the advantages of birth . philot. what are the usual steps to honour ? philal. i suppose one of these three , learning , commerce or arms. the pretences of learning have been examined already ; to which i shall only add , that if a person whose mind is enlarged , and beautified with all sorts of useful knowledge , is notwithstanding obliged to modesty , and sobriety of thought , then certainly those who claim under him , and are wise only by proxy , ought not to grow too big upon their relation to the muses . to proceed , commerce is another expedient which often distinguishes a man from the vulgar . for trading raises an estate , and that procures honour , so that in this case wealth is the main of the merit , and that which is chiefly insisted on by those who inherit it . but here we ought to be very cautious and meek-spirited , till we are assured of the honestly of our ancestours , for covetousness and circumvention make no good motto for a coat . and yet your men of trade are too often assisted in their fortunes by these qualities . philot. i think you are too hard upon them , and believe they may come into their estates by more accountable methods , viz. by their industry , by understanding how to make use of all fair advantages , and by the luck of a good acquaintance . philal. i grant there is a great deal of good faith , frankness and generosity to be found among tradesmen , and that such professions are necessary to the convenience and splendor of life , and being thus useful ought to be esteemed honourable . but their being used to value small gains is apt ( without care ) to make them contract a narrowness of spirit , and to stand too much to the point of interest . philot. what is that which they call the mystery of trade ? philal. a great part of it consists in the skill of over-reaching their customers , which science , i fear is not learned meerly for speculation . philot. possibly it may be for caution , that they may not be imposed on by others . philal. i am willing to think so , however these arcana officinae , are counted such essentials , that except an apprentice is fully instructed how to adulterate , and varnish , and give you the go-by upon occasion , his master may be charged with neglect , and sued for not teaching him his art , and his trade . philot. it seems then he cannot be an honest man , except he teaches his servant to play the knave . philal. granting your inference , yet you know a man may understand his weapon better than his neighbour , and notwithstanding be of a very peaceable inoffensive temper . however , when the rise of the family is owing to such an original , a man has a particular reason not to flourish too much upon the glitter of his fortune , for fear there should be too much alloy in it . for some people are forced to climb in a very mean and servile posture . they must flatter , deceive , and pinch ; use their neighbours , and themselves too , very unkindly , before they can gain their point . so that if the ancestour had not been remarkably little , his posterity had never been reputed great . philot. but what needs all this scruple ? why should i enquire so anxiously how my ancestors came by their estate ? let their merit be as small as you please , the revenue will not sink upon this score . now , if you considered the sovereignty of mony , how it commands honor , and beauty , and power , how much of ornament , and defence , and pleasure there is in it ; you would allow us to be a little uppish upon the matter : for when a man has such a universal instrument of delight , and is master of that , which is master of every thing else , he ought visibly to congratulate his happiness , and pay himself a particular respect . philal. if i could purchase a parcel of new senses , and some pretty undiscovered curiosities to please them with , i confess i should be more desirous of growing rich than i am . philot. what though you cannot buy any new , you may please the old ones better , and make one sense go as far as two , with poverty . philal. i am not altogether of your mind ; besides if my understanding does not improve proportionably , i am only in the fairer way to be more a brute . philot. understanding ! mony will buy good books , and though the owner should should not know how to use them , yet if has an estate , he will never want people to make him believe he has sense , which will be in a manner as well , for pleasure consists mostly in fancy . philal. i don't envy such a one the entertainment of his imagination , though i believe it is much short of the transports of lunacy : but withal i think that folly and madness are no proper judges to pronounce upon the advancements of human nature . but to return to the argument , no person can be great by being owner of those things which wise men have always counted it a piece of greatness to despise . to which i must add , that it is not the possessing , but the right management of any valuable advantage which makes us considerable . he that does not employ his fortune generously , is not to be respected merely because he has it . indeed if a man gives me part of his estate , i am bound to make him an acknowledgment ; but i am not obliged to honor him because he is pleased to keep it to himself . philot. well! since merchandize is sometimes liable to exceptions , and antient wealth has no right to challenge worship , and homage . pray what do you think of nobility raised by arms ? i hope here you will grant the materials are all shining , and solid . and when an ancestour works out his fortune by great and hazardous undertakings , by contempt of danger and death , and all the instances of an heroick gallantry ; is it not highly reasonable his descendants should share his honor , as well as his inheritance ? nay , they seem obliged , in justice to his memory , to have some stroaks of greatness and reserve in their carriage . they might better be profuse in their expences , than their familiarities . the wasting his estate , and razing ▪ him out of the heralds books , is scarce more injurious to his name , than the heedless condescensions of his family . for by such ill managed humility , they do as it were prostitute his quality , mingle his ashes with ignoble dust , and deface the monuments and distinctions of his merit . philal. i confess a man ought to be civil to his generation , but not to that degree as to plague the living , only in ceremony to the dead . and i may say farther , that a noble ancestor , does not desire his posterity should pretend to honor him this way , except his qualities , as well as his name descend upon them . a person truly great , is never fond and unreasonable ; he hates to see folly idolized , though it be in his own children ; and had rather have his memory buried in oblivion , than his honor should be usurped by a degenerate insignificant off-spring . besides , the reasons you assign why martial men ought to be valued by after-ages , seem to be common to other pretences to nobility . philot. i am sorry if they appear so , since i designed them chiefly for the advantage of arms. for in my judgment , the profession of a soldier has a particular , and paramount title to honor. for can there be a more extraordinary instance of greatness , than for a man to be undismayed amidst so many horrible instruments and images of death ? to expose his person as freely as if he knew himself immortal , and to fear nothing but obscurity and disgrace ? and therefore though there are many other creditable employments and accomplishments , yet there is a transcendent , and almost an astonishing greatness and gracefulness in valour . it has something more illustrious and sparkling , more noble and majestick than the rest . philal. hold ! you are going to describe alexander or cesar ; do you think that every field , or charge in gules , can pretend to all these fine things ? this must be examined farther by and by : at present i shall only observe to you , that though i have a great esteem for a gentleman of the sword , and don 't in the least intend to lessen the just character of military glory ; yet i conceive there is another profession , which possibly does not glitter altogether so much upon the sense , but for all that , if you touch it 't will prove right sterling . philot. what profession do you mean ? philal. that of learning ; therefore if you please , i will just glance upon the advantages of learning without interposing my judgment by way of comparison . philot. do so , for i think you had need say some kind things upon this argument , to make amends for the freedom you took with it in our former conference . philal. don't mistake me , i am conscious of no injury , and therefore design nothing by way of reparation . philot. take your course . philal. . then not to mention that learning is an improvement of our minds , which is the noblest part of us . i say not to mention this , you may please to take notice , that without some share in this accomplishment , war it self cannot be successfully managed . without the assistance of letters , a man can never be qualified for any considerable post in the camp. for courage and corporal force , unless joyned with conduct , and reach of thought ( which are the usual effects of contemplation ) is no more fit to command than a tempest ; doing for the most part more harm than good , and destroying it self by its blind and ill directed motion . it is learning which teaches a general the successes and events of action in former ages , which makes him better able to judge of his present preparation . it instructs him how to take advantage of his enemies , and avoid those miscarriages which have been fatal to others before him . it teaches him how to fortifie and assault , how to manage the difference of ground and weather . it lets him into the knowledge of human nature , and shews him how to understand the tempers of other men , and to govern his own . it discovers by what secret springs the passions are moved , what are the most probable causes of hope and fear , of resolution and cowardise ; and how strangely they are mixed , and varied according to the difference of climates , governments , conditions , and occupations , especially according to the different age , temper , interest , and experience of those who are in power . philot. yes , no doubt it teaches a man to take a soul in pieces , as easily as a watch ! if ever i heard such conjuring ! philal. pray be not so sharp , the discourse is not so romantick as you suppose . philot. go on . philal. secondly , i observe that the advantages of learning are more lasting and extensive than those of arms. the courage of a soldier , does his country not much service after his death , the benefit of it being usually confined to one age : whereas by the knowledge of men and things , publick provisions for society are framed , and the constitution adjusted to the temper , and convenience of the people ; of the happy effects of which , remote posterity is often sensible . and as the consequences of valour , seldom reach beyond the death of him who shewed it , so there are few the better for it , except those a man engages for ; which are commonly none but his countrymen . but learning , by inventing and improving arts and sciences , scatters its favours in a much larger compass ; becomes a universal benefactor , and obliges mankind in its most comprehensive latitude of place and time. philot. i hope you will grant that learning must fly to the protection of the sword to secure its quiet , and all the profits accrewing from thence . for in earnest , notions , and syllogisms , are very defenceless things against violence . if we had nothing but philosophy , statutes and reports , to secure the peace ; our meum and tuum were but in an ill condition . philal. i agree with you , and shall just add in the third place , that the successes of learning are naturally of a very innocent tendency , and under good management prejudicial to none . the conquests of arts are not like those of arms , gained by slaughter , and attended with ruin and desolation . no , here is nothing routed but ignorance and error , nothing destroyed but obstinate humour , and savage disposition : emollit mores nec sinit esse feros . but a martial man , except he has been sweetned , and polished by a lettered education , is apt to have a tincture of sowerness , and incomplyance in his behaviour . and therefore if you observe your old heroes in homer , ( for want of being book-learned ) were none of the gentilest men. what a rugged tempestuous , unconversable mortal was achilles ; i could never fancy that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philot. well! i perceive it is requisite for a man to get some sense to his courage if he can : but have we not lost all our pride , and gone somewhat off from the point ? philal. no , we have only fetched a compass , and thrown our reasoning more into a circle to invest the place ; and now we will come on directly , and make a little assault , only to try the strength of the garrison . philot. very soldier-like ! in plain english i doubt you are attempting to shew that it is not so much the profession of arms , as the unexceptionable management of that profession which makes a family honourable . philal. yes . therefore before we fall too much in love with the buff in the wardrobe ; we should examin whether the war was just , whether our ancestor fought in defence of his prince and country , or let himself out to any person who would hire him to murther . we should consider whether the enterprize was great and dangerous ; whether the advantages were gained by open bravery and resolution , or were no more than the effects of chance , of treachery , or surprize . and though a man can give a creditable answer to all these questions , he should then remember there are a great many persons who have ventured as far as himself , and yet continue in their first obscurity : so that had it not been his good fortune to have fallen under the notice of his general , his merit had been unrewarded . there are many persons who perform signal service in a breach , or scalado , and yet their courage is often unregarded , and lost in the crowd , and tumult of the action , so that they get nothing but blows for their pains . to wind up this part of the discourse : let the rise of the family be never so considerable ( i mean none but subjects ) it ought not to supersede the industry , or stop the progress of those who are thence descended . for if we rely wholly upon the merit of others , and are great only by imputation , we shall be esteemed by none but the injudicious part of the world. to speak out , if neither the advantages of fortune and education . ( which often concur in these cases ) the expectation of others , nor the memory of worthy ancestors , if none of these motives can prevail with a man to furnish himself with supravulgar and noble qualities , this is an argument that he is either under a natural incapacity , or else has abandoned himself to sloth , and luxury . and without dispute he is most emphatically mean , who is so under the greatest advantages and arguments to the contrary . so that the lustre of his family serves only to set off his own degeneracy , it does facem praeferre pudendis and makes him the more remarkably contemptible . philot. you are smart upon the empty sparks ! and i perceive by your discourse that if we intend to set up strong , we must do something for our selves . philal. yes : and therefore i presume that women have more reason to insist upon their birth than men : because they have not so fair a trial to discover their worth . they are by custom made incapable of those employments by which honour is usually gain'd . they are shut out from the pulpit and barr , from embassies , and state negotiations , so that notwithstanding ( as i believe it often happens ) their inclinations are generous , and their abilities great , to serve the publick ; yet they have not an opportunity of shewing it . philot. truly i think you need not have been so liberal to the beau-sex ; you know they have enough to be proud of besides heraldry . philal. what do you mean ? philot. their beauty man. philal. right , i believe that may disturb them sometimes ; but they have no great reason for it . for beauty though it 's a pretty varnish , yet it 's of a frail constitution , liable to abundance of accidents , and but ashort lived blessing at the best . and waving this consideration , it seems to be made chiefly for the entertainment of the lookers on . those who are so much admired by others , can't share the pleasure of the company without the help of a glass ; for the eyes which shew us other objects cannot see themselves . nature seems to have laid the most graceful parts of our fabrick out of our way ; to prevent our vanity . for could some people always command a sight of their faces , they would narcissus like be perpetually poring upon their handsomeness , and so be neither fit for business , nor company . philot. to my thinking you have not cleared the point ; for why may we not insist upon the privileges of nature ? why should a fine woman be so prodigal of her beauty , make strip and waste of her complexion , and squander away her face for nothing ? there is no reason persons of a less agreeable aspect ( except they have some other advantage ) should converse with beauty upon a level . for those who cannot furnish out an equal proportion towards the pleasure of conversation , ought to pay for their insufficiency in acknowledgments . beauty without doubt was design'd for some advantage , and if so , certainly the owners have the best right to it . philal. i grant it ; and therefore it 's allowable for them to set a value upon their persons , for the better disposal of them . and farther if they have a mind to it , they may please themselves , because they are acceptable to others , which is a generous satisfaction : but when they grow humoursom they spoil all ; for pride not only raises a prejudice against their beauty , but really lessens it . for if you observe , it paints an ill-natured air upon their face ; and fills them with spleen and peevishness and passion , which exhausts their spirits , and makes their blood less florid , so that their beauty is neither so agreeable nor lasting as otherwise it would be . and if the present inconvenience will not cure them , they will do well to remember that they must of necessity grow humble when they are old ; unless they are so fanciful as to doat upon rubbish and ruins . philot. pray let us take leave of the ladies , and proceed to the other branch of your division , viz. to acquired nobility . and here methinks every thing looks unexceptionable and fine upon your own principles . for here we are beholden to none but our selves ; we are not thrown up the hill by anothers arms , and made considerable by diversion , or chancemedly ; but climb the ascent by plain strength , and indefatigable activity . is it not a singular commendation to have our circumstances not only large and honourable , but independent ; and almost to create the privileges we enjoy ? here is no gilding of a coarse substance , no borrowed glory , no faint reflection from an ancestour , but the man is all bright and luminous to the center , and shines and sparkles in his own worth . he is not great by genealogy and ancient title , by the favour of fortune and the labours of those he never help'd , but by nature and performances , by having greatness incorporated in himself . now may not a person who has thus distinguished himself by his merit , make use of the honour which has been so justly confer'd upon him , and put the lazy and less significant in mind of their defects ? philal. if you recollect your self you will find that this point concerning acquired nobility has been occasionally discoursed already : therefore i shall only add that upon supposition a man has obliged the publick , and is remarkable for great abilities and a generous use of them ; he would do well to remember that there are others who have ventured as far , and performed as considerably as himself , whose services all miscarried as to any private advantage , because they were not so lucky as to act under the notice of those who were able to reward : and that many persons well furnish'd for employment and honour , go out of the world as obscurely as they came in ; only for want of a proper opportunity to bring them into light , and publick view . philot. what tho some people are unlucky , ought their misfortunes to be pleaded to the prejudice of desert in others ? philal. no. but when a man has received so valuable a consideration for his service as honour and estate , he ought to acquiesce , and not press too arbitrarily for submission . he should not set a tax upon his conversation , and put the company under contribution for respect . besides a gentleman of the first head has a particular reason to manage his advancement obligingly : for by treating the little people roughly , he does in effect but expose his ancestours and reproach his own former condition . philot. you have so many fetches with you ! but what do you think of magistrates ? in my opinion those who represent their prince , and are the ministers of justice , cannot practise that humility and condescension you seem to admire , with any manner of decency , or security to the publick . for if they don't oblige their inferiours to distance , their reputation will sink , and the majesty of the government will be lessen'd , and then it 's easie to guess what the consequence must be . philal. i agree with you : magistrates ought to assert their office , and not make themselves cheap by improper familiarities . but their character may be over-strained . to prevent which inconvenience they may please to remember that their power was given them upon a publick account , more for the benefit of others than themselves . they are deputed by their prince , for the countenancing of virtue , for the ease and protection of the people , and therefore they should discourage none who are regular and fair , they should shew their authority upon nothing but insolence and injustice , thieves and malefactors ; upon those who affront the government , or break the peace . there is no necessity they should bring the air of the bench into common conversation , and wear their commissions always upon their faces . to manage their power thus singularly looks like a little private design of setting up for themselves ; as if they procured their authority to fright the kings liege subjects , and to over-awe the neighbourhood into a greater reverence . philot. but if they should happen to take too much upon them , are the people to slight them upon this account ? philal. by no means : the authority ought to be consider'd let the men be what they will. however in general i observe that the best way to secure observance , is not to insist too violently upon it . for pride is a most unfortunate vice , other immoralities usually gain their point , though they lose more another way ; but a proud man is so far from making himself great by his haughty and contemptuous port , that he is usually punished with neglect for it : and that disdain with which he treats others , is returned more justly upon himself : which may be done without much difficulty , in regard honor is not become a property so far as to have all it's appurtenances bounded and fix'd by law. the circumstantials and oftentimes the most pompous part of ceremony , are arbitrary and undetermined . for we are not told either by statute , or common law how many bows a superiour of such a degree may expect from us , not how low we are to make them , nor how often the terms of respect are to be used in our application . philot. what do you mean ? philal. i mean that it is not settled by act of parliament , how many sirs and madams , a discourse of such a length is to be sprinkled with ; and therefore a cross-grained fellow , will tell you he has his betters upon their good behaviour : if he likes their humour , he will be as liberal to them in acknowledgments as they please ; if not , he shall take the freedom to hold his hand , and let them help themselves how they can . philot. well! i cannot reconcile this self-denying humour you are contending for the character of a gentleman . such an untoward management of fortune and honour as this is , argues either that a man wants sense to understand his condition , or spirit to maintain it . to throw away the prerogatives of our birth , or the rewards of our industry , at such a careless cynical rate , is a sign of a rustick inapprehensive meanness , and that we have not the least inclination to greatness in us . for those who desire to be great , will endeavour to excel , and those who excel will be sure to shew it ; for the essence of greatness lies in comparison . a tall man loses the advantage of his stature , unless he stands streight , and overlooks his neighbour . philal. methinks you are somewhat out in your notion of greatness . philot. let us hear if you can hit it better . philal. to speak freely , i conceive it a much more substantial and better natured thing than you have made it . greatness certainly does not consist in pageantry and show , in pomp and retinue ; and though a person of quality will make use of these things to avoid singularity , and to put the vulgar in mind of their obedience to authority , yet he does not think himself really the bigger for them : for he knows that those who have neither honesty nor understanding , have oftentimes all this fine furniture about them . farther , to be great , is not to be starched , and formal , and supercilious , to swagger at our footmen , and browbeat our inferiours . such a behaviour looks as if a man was conscious of his own insignificancy , and that he had nothing but outside , and noise , and ill humour , to make himself considerable with . but he that is truly noble , has far different sentiments , and turns his figure quite another way . he hates to abridge the liberties , to depress the spirits , or any ways to impair the satisfaction of his neighbour . his greatness is easie , obliging , and agreeable , so that none have any just cause to wish it less . and though he has a general kindness for all men , though he despises not the meanest mortal , but desires to stand fair in the opinion of the world , yet he never courts any man's favour at the expence of justice , nor strikes in with a popular mistake . no , he is sensible it is the part of true magnanimity to adhere unalterably to a wise choice : not to be over-run by noise and numbers , but to appear in defence of injured right , of neglected truth , notwithstanding all the censure and disadvantage they may sometimes lie under . to conclude his character , a great man is affable in his converse , generous in his temper , and immoveable in what he has maturely resolved upon . and as prosperity does not make him haughty and imperious , so neither does adversity sink him into meanness and dejection : for if ever he shews more spirit than ordinary , it is when he is ill used , and the world frowns upon him . in short , he is equally removed from the extremes of servility and pride ; and scorns either to trample upon a worm , or sneak to an emperor . philot. in earnest , you have described a person of honor : and i am so far pleased with the character , that i would give all i am master of to make it my own . but can we receive no other advantages from nobility , but what have been hinted already ? philal. all that i can think of at present , are these following . first , it gives a fair occasion to excite the generosity of our minds , and disposes us to the imitation of great examples , that so we may not seem unworthy our predecessours . indeed , a man is bound in justice not to impair the reputation , nor spoil the breed of the family : but to hand down the line to his posterity , at least with the same good conditions he received it . secondly , these privileges of birth may serve to check an insolent humour in others , who behave themselves contemptuously towards us upon lesser , or but equal pretences . thirdly , a man may make some advantage this way , when he falls undeservedly under publick disgrace , or is unrighteously oppressed . for in such a case , the mention of his ancestours seems free from all suspicion of vanity , and may fairly be interpreted to proceed either from self-defence , or greatness of spirit . fourthly , the same may be done when any office or promotion , may legally be claimed by vertue of an honourable condition . for example , if a man should put in to be one of the knights of malta , he might modestly enough publish his pedigree , and prove his six descents , against a less qualified competitor . philot. if you are at a sto● , i ●●ink i can carry your concessions 〈…〉 for , as i remember , it has been granted already , that the common people may pay a respect to quality , though you mortifie the pleasure a little severely in those who receive it . philal. may pay a respect , call you it ? i say they must . for not to mention that gentlemen have generally a greater share of fortune and sense too , than those of vulgar condition ; not to mention this i say , if they had nothing to plead but their quality , they ought to be regarded upon that score , because the state sets a value upon it , and that for publick and considerable reasons . philot. i perceive if a man will but stay and hear you out , you are civil enough at the last . pray what are we to do next ? philal. why , now i could run a discourse with you upon the inconveniences of pride : and snew you in particular , what an unconquerable aversion it gives all mankind against us , when we are overgrown with it . how it multiplies , and conceals our defects from us , and makes us do a thousand silly things , without taking notice of them . how it makes us a prey to flatterers , and puts us to great expences only to be laughed at . i might debate with you , how it spoils conversation , and takes away the pleasure of society . how often families , kingdoms , and churches are embroiled , and the world turned topsiturvy by this vice. these and many other ill consequences of pride might be enlarged upon ; but this part of the argument is , i conceive , more proper for divines , and therefore i shall pursue it no farther . philot. well moved ! for now i think it is almost time to give over . philal. i won't tire you . your humble servant . the contents . some mistakes concerning conversation removed page the grounds of pride enquired into , and shewn to be founded in self-love , and why p. the due bounds of self-love briefly examined p. , pride described , . by way of negation p. . the positive marks of it are laid down p. the principal pretences to this vice , viz. learning , nobility , wealth , power , and beauty p. the pretences of learning considered p. the office of curates generally misunderstood ; the mistakes about it rectified p. the depressing their character , and streitning them in point of maintenance , of ill consequence to religion p. the case of nobility considered p. nobility divided into hereditary or acquired p. the privileges of antiquity examined p. families generally raised either by commerce , arms , or learning p. the pretences of commerce inquired into , where likewise those of wealth , are occasionally handled p. , the merit of arms debated p. the advantages of learning , and arms compared p. the plea of beauty argued , and that of acquired nobility p. the difference between pride and magnanimity p. the just advantages of nobility p. some of the unhappy consequences of pride hinted . p. the end . a moral essay concerning cloaths . the third conference between philotimus and philalethes . a moral essay concerning cloaths . philot. philalethes , i 'm glad to meet you again ; where have you been this long time ? philal. sometimes not just where i would be : but now i have no reason to complain ; for i always think my self well , when i am with a friend . philot. i must have half an hours conversation with you before we part . philal. you oblige me extreamly . i was afraid your time had been preingaged to those gentlemen and ladies you parted with at the coach ; i heard them desire you not to stay long . by their habit and equipage they seem to be persons of condition , and therefore you know the appointment must be well remembred ? philot. leave that to me . but by the way , i thought you laid somewhat of an accent upon their habit ; were they too fine for you ? philal. they may be so for themselves for ought i know . philot. i perceive you are for making prize of me again . i remember what mortifying discoveries you made at our last meeting . i wish you had kept your cynical truths to your self ; for i 'm sure my mistakes were much more entertaining . philal. it seems they were truths then . philot. yes . and that 's it which vexes me ; for now i have much ado to keep my self in my own good opinion . philal. i 'm sorry you should be in love with a delusion , especially when you know it to be such . fevers and intemperance bring a great many gay fancies with them ; and yet they are not counted any of the blessings or ornamentals of life . philot. happiness is happiness ; whether 't is founded in reason or imagination , 't is all a case to me , provided i have a vigorous sence of it . nay , in my judgment , those which you call the satisfactions of fancy , are the better of the two . they are more at command than the other ; and stand in no need of a foreign supply . the want of tools and materials , if the model is answered , is a commendation to the workman . to make so fine a something out of nothing , has some resemblance to creation : so that if this way has as much pleasure in the effect , it seems to have more of magnificence in the cause . philal. i grant you , if a man could be always dreaming of paradise : the dream would go a great way towards making the thing . but alass ! the visionary pleasure will quickly disappear . the agreeable part of the fit won't last ; therefore let us get rid of it as soon as may be . the longer it continues , the worse and the weaker 't will leave us . we may , like the romans , deify a disease , if we please ; but if we expect any return of the worship , we shall be mistaken . philot. i tell you i came off with loss the last rencounter : and now by your surveying me from head to foot , i find you think i have too much of expence and curiosity about me ; but if you expect to dispute my cloaths off my back , you will be disappointed . philal. i have no desire you should turn either adamite , or quaker ; but yet i believe some people throw away too much money , and inclination , upon these things . philot. you seem to forget that the distinctions of rank and condition cannot be kept up , without something extraordinary in this kind . and unless this be done , government must suffer . philal. for all that , noah had large dominions , and , for ought appears , kept his subjects in good order without any great assistance from the wardrobe . philot. but princes subjects are not so near of kin to them now ; and therefore not so easily governed . philal. we will dispute no farther about princes : besides , i grant the world is alter'd , and am willing to make an allowance upon that score . philot. i shall proceed upon your concession . and endeavour to prove in the first place , that richness of habit is not only lawful but convenient , for those who are possessed of publick charges ; especially when they execute their office ▪ for the people generally take their measures more from the appearance than the reason of things . their apprehensions are so disposed , that they think nothing great but what is pompous , and glitters upon the senses . if their governours had not some advantage of them in figure ; they would be apt to overlook their character , and forget their distance . philal. i have no intention to argue against gold chains , velvet caps , or sables , or any thing of this nature ; but granting this furniture may be somewhat of a guard to authority , yet no publick person has any reason to value himself upon it . for the design of this sort of state is only to comply with the weakness of the multitude . 't is an innocent stratagem to deceive them into their duty , and to awe them into a just sense of obedience . a great man will rather contemn this kind of finery , than think himself considerable by it . he will rather be sorry that his authority needs the support of so little an artifice , and depends in any measure upon the use of such trifles . to stoop to the vulgar notion of things , and establish ones reputation by counterfeit signs of worth , must be an uneasy task to a noble mind ▪ besides , we are not to think the magistrate cannot support his office without fine cloaths . for if he is furnish'd with general prudence , with abilities particular to his business , and has a competent share of power , he needs not doubt his influence over the people . philot. pray what do you think of private quality ? i hope you don't intend to strike us out of all distinction , to run all metals together , and make a sort of corinthian brass of us . philal. by no means . however , your argument must abate farther upon this head. for quality , separated from authority , is sufficiently maintained by title , arms , and precedency : this is enough to keep up distinction , and to encourage industry and merit . there is no necessity for persons , without jurisdiction , to march always with colours displayed . it seems more agreeable that they should conceal , than make a needless ostentation of their wealth . would it not look odly in a souldier to give in a history of his valour and conduct in conversation ? or for a man of learning to make harangues upon his own parts and performances , and tell the company how ignorant they are in respect of him ? philot. that would be a little fulsom i confess ; but is the case the same ? philal. much at one , in private persons . for them to appear pompous in equipage , or habit , is but a vain-glorious publishing their own grandeur , a silent triumphing over the inferiority of others , and is in effect to proclaim themselves extraordinary people . whereas a modest man , if he was somewhat taller than his neighbours , would chuse to shrink himself into the dimensions of the company , and be contented rather to loose something of his own stature , than to upbraid them with the littleness of theirs . philot. what , because a lord of a mannour has not always a commission , must he be allowed no better cloaths than a cottager ? philal. yes . there may be some difference , and yet it needs not be very expensive . a gentleman's mien and behaviour is sufficient to discover him , without any great dependance upon shops and taylors . after all , the best way of distinguishing , is by the qualities of the mind . let persons of condition strive rather to be richer in their disposition than the vulgar : let them put on a better humour , wear a finer understanding , and shew a more shining fortitude : let them appear remarkably just , inoffensive , and obliging . this is the way to be nobly popular , and gives them the hearts , as well as the ceremony , of their inferiors . philot. how must they spend their estates , they cannot eat and drink them all ? philal. however , they seem willing enough to try their skill ; and i believe the experiment succeeds sometimes . but to your question : was the surplusage of wealth employed in charitable uses , and entertainments soberly hospitable , i conceive it would run in a more proper chanel . did men lay out their abilities in the service of religion , and for the promoting of arts and knowledge , how might they advance the prosperity and glory of a nation this way ? how much wiser , and easier , and richer , might they make their inferiours ? and as they would be more beneficial to their country , so they would serve the designs of greatness much more effectually . such a generous use of fortune , would give lustre to their reputation ; and make the world look with wonder and regard upon them . how would it raise a declining interest to its former height , and with what advantage convey their memories to posterity ? but to return ; richness of habit is not only unnecessary to keep up the distinction of degrees , but insufficient . for where there are no sumptuary laws to confine the condition of persons , and ascertain the heraldry of the wardrobe , every one has the liberty of being as expensive , and modish as he pleases . and accordingly you may observe that ordinary people , when they happen to abound in money and vanity , have their houses and persons as richly furnished , as those who are much their superiours . there are other instances in which methinks these things are a little misplaced . philot. as how ? philal. why , to see gold and scarlet condemn'd to liveries , the coach-box furnish'd like the council chamber , and the horses wear as good velvet as the company , is methinks not very agreeable . this prostitution of finery is enough to make it nauseous , and to ruin its reputation to all inteats and purposes . philot. when you have said all , a good suit does a man credit , and puts people in mind of paying him a proper respect . and since others esteem me upon this account , i ought to follow their opinion . for why should i think my self wiser than the majority of mankind ? singularity seems to have always a spice of arrogance in it . philal. you are wonderfully resigned in your understanding ; i guess the occasion , and shall endeavour to disappoint your humility . for notwithstanding your majority , i conceive the reasons of things are rather to be taken by weight than tale : and if so , fine cloaths will signify nothing in the value of a man , because they are but signs of wealth at the best , which generally speaking is no more an argument of worth , than of the contrary . and as cloaths don't suppose a man considerable , so neither can they make him so . this will appear if we examine either the materials of which they consist , or the art and curiosity which is shewn in the fashioning of them . the matter of which a rich habit consists , is either the skins of beasts , the entrails of worms , the spoils of fishes , some shining sand or pebles , which owe their humble original to the dirt. and is it not a ridiculous vanity to value our selves upon what we borrow from creatures below reason and life ? in short , either they are a real advantage , or not : if they are , they prove our dependance upon inferiour things ; which ought to be a mortifying consideration , unless we can be proud of beggary ▪ if they are not , then to dote on them is a sign we are sunk beneath our proper level ; that we admire trifles , and disgrace the dignity of our nature . to see these insignificant ornaments valued at so great a rate , and preferred to the necessaries of life , is no small disparagement to the understandings of men , and is an argument of the littleness and degeneracy of our kind . one would think he that has the liberty of looking upon the sun and moon for nothing , would never purchase the glimmerings of a peble at so high a price . philot. i find you imagine pearls were made only for cordials , and that diamonds and fit for nothing but bartholomew-babies to sparkle in . but i believe the iewellers would do well enough , if they had nothing but your philosophy to damp their trade . philal. that may be . but what if i can prove that the price of them is kept up by imagination and ill humour , and that the very reason which makes them dear , ought to make them cheap . philot. let 's hear . philal. you may observe then that most of these ornaments owe their value to their scarcity . for if they were common , those who most admire them would be ready to throw them away . tertullian ( de habit. muliebr . ) observes , that some people bound their malefactors in chains of gold. and if a man's crime was very notorious , they would make him as fine as a general officer . philot. i suppose they were sir thomas moor's vtopians . a pretty devise ! 't is pity whitehall was not plundered to ornanament newgate ! philal. tertullian observes farther , that diamonds and rubies were little esteemed by the eastern nations , where they were the growth of the country . so that i suppose when the parthian children , and milk-maids , had worn them till they were weary , they were bought up for the roman ladies . now to be fond of any thing purely because it is uncommon , because the generality of mankind wants it , is an ill-natured pleasure , and arises from an unbenevolent and ungenerous temper . philot. pray what do you think of the artificial improvement , is not a rich dress an addition to the wearer upon this account ? philal. not at all . 't is true , the refining upon what was more imperfectly begun by nature , the graceful disposition of the parts , and the judicious mixture of colours , are arguments of industry and ingenuity ; but then this commendation does not belong to those that buy them . if the meer wearing them is any ways creditable , it is because the taylors , &c. are the fountains of honour . philot. i grant you those people make them , but the suiting them is above their talent . none but persons of condition can hit this point . indeed they have a great delicacy and exactness in their fancy : they pitch upon nothing that is tawdry and mechanick , staring , or ill matched . one may know a gentlewoman almost , as well by seeing her chuse a mantua , or a ribon , as by going to garter , or clarencieux . philal. the mixing of light , and shade , handsomely , looks like a genius for painting : and that is the most you can make of your observation . to go on with you : i shall venture to add , that for private persons to expect an unusual observance upon the account of fine cloaths , argues them conscious of their own little worth , and that the greatest part of their quality comes out of the dressing room . having nothing to prefer them to the esteem of the judicious , they are contented to take up with the ceremony of the ignorant : and with a little glitter , and pageantry , draw the gazing , unthinking mobile to admire them . now to desire respect where we have no jurisdiction , purely upon our own account , is an argument either of a weak judgment , or weak pretences . if we understood the true grounds of esteem ; if we were well stock'd with abilities , or good actions , to entertain us at home ; we should not make our selves so mean , as to let our satisfactions depend upon the reverences of the ignorant , or designing . besides , to delight in the submissions of others , is a certain sign of pride . this supposes that we are not so much pleas'd with our own station , as with looking down , and seeing our neighbours as we fancy in a worse condition than our selves . whereas a generous mind has its happiness encreased by being communicated . philot. i suppose your artillery may be almost spent by this time . philal. i was going to tell you , that rich cloaths are accounted unsuitable to old age , which is a farther proof of their insignificancy . that age which is most remarkable for wisdom and temper ; which is particularly honoured with the weight of business , and dignity of office ; and has deservedly the greatest regard paid it : that age , i say , chuses to appear in a plain , unornamented guarb . whereas were fine cloaths marks of true honour ; were they ornaments great enough for a man's reason to delight in , the wisest part of the world would not go without them : especially since the decays of nature give so fair a plea for the assistances of art. there cannot be a greater disparagement to this sort of finery , than its being refused by that age which seems to need it most ; and if it was considerable best deserves it . since men at the height of discretion are ashamed of these additions ; this is a convincing proof that they are childish and trifling , and fittest for those who carry more body than soul about them . philot. your inference is , that there should be a resemblance between age and habit ; and that a finical old spark , can never be in the fashion . philal. right . for old people to set up for mode and dressing is a nauseous piece of vanity . indeed , when we come into the world first , 't is not so remarkable an imprudence , if we misplace our esteem , and make an indiscreet choise . 't is no wonder if we stick upon a gaudy outside , when we are not sharp enough to look through it . when our minds are unfurnished with materials for thinking , and scarce strong enough to wield a rational pleasure , they are apt to divert themselves with the amusements of sense . but when we have run through the experience of many years , and had so many opportunities of improvement : when our reason is grown up to maturity , and we are supposed to have made our last judgment upon things : when every thing we say or do , should have an air of gravity and greatness in it ; then to dote upon trifles , is a shrewd sign that our minds are no less decay'd than our bodies . it looks as if we were ashamed of making any pretences to wisdom , and betrays an impotent desire of returning to the extravagance of youth . philot. after all your strictness , i hope you have some reserve of liberty for women . they have the excuses of custom , the agreableness of figure , and the inclinations of sex , to plead in their behalf . besides , i am told st. augustine ( ep. . tom. . ) abates very much of the rigour of your tertullian , and speaks with great moderation upon the point . he thinks fine cloaths ought not to be forbidden married women , who are obliged to please their husbands . and if they may use this expedient to please them when they have them ; why may they not do it that they may please to have them ? why may not the same little charm be practised to begin , as well as to entertain the relation ? philal. with all my heart ; let st. augustine's indulgence pass . but 't is my humble opinion they should keep their inclinations unengaged . they would do well not to dress their fancy , nor wear their finery in their head , nor think their afternoon quality better than their morning . for when a woman is once smitten with her drapery , religion is commonly laid aside ; or used moreout of custom than devotion . when her governing passions lye this way , charity is disabled , and good-nature fails , and justice is overlook'd , and she is lost to all the noble purposes of life . how often are relations neglected , tradesmen unpaid , and servants stinted to mortifying allowances for the support of this vanity ? how patched and ununiform does it make the figure of some families ? and what a disagreable mixture of poverty and riches do we see sometimes within the same walls ? these excesses make them forget the compassion of their sex , and the duties of their station . they rob the necessities , and fourish in the penance , and wear that which should have been the flesh and bloud of their own retinue . philot. what do you think of those below the gentry , ought they not to be somewhat frugal , and unpretending in their appearance ? philal. truly i think the taylor should take measure of their quality , as well as of their limbs . for those who make their cloaths much better than their condition , do but expose their discretion . persons of quality have some little colour for their vanity : but as for others , they have nothing to say for themselves . in them it looks like a levelling principle ; like an illegal aspiring into a forbidden station . it looks as if they had a mind to destroy the order of government , and to confound the distinctions of merit and degree . in a word , at this rate of management , a man looses his wealth , and reputation at the same time , makes himself expensively ridiculous , and over-shoots extravagance itself . philot. my time is up , i must leave you . philal. adieu . of duelling . the fourth conference between philotimus and philalethes . philal. whether so fast this morning , methinks you are somewhat earlier than usual ? philot. may be so . but when a man's occasions are up , and abroad , 't is fit he should attend them . philal. pray what may your business be , for you don't use to break your sleep for trifles ? philot. why last night mr. a. and i happen'd to fall into a misunderstanding over a glass of wine . at length he told me the controversy could not be taken up , without giving the satisfaction of a gentleman . my answer was , that i would debate the matter with him in his own way this morning . and i am now going to settle some little affairs before the time of meeting . philal. if you design to make your will , you are out : for to do that to any purpose , a man must be sound in mind and memory , which is none of your case . for the business you are going about is sufficient to prove you non compos . philot. pray let us have no bantring . you know me too well to imagine that a concern of this nature should make any dishonourable impression : however , because an accident may happen , i love to make a proper provision , and leave my discretion unquestioned . philal. that you will not do with me , i promise you ; unless you can give a better account of your undertaking than is usually done . philot. i am now obliged to dispute the matter at the swords point , so that it will be to no effect to argue it any other way : for a man of honour must keep his word . philal. yes , no doubt on 't . if he promises so set a town on fire , 't is as much as his eschutcheon and pedigree is worth to fail in the performance . look you ; you seem sensible that you are within a hazard : if you are a gentleman , learn to value your self . don't stake your life against a nutshel , nor run into the other world upon every fop's errand . philot. i tell you i am engaged . what if i understood the practice as little as you do ? since it is the custom i must defend my honour : for to suffer under the imputation of cowardize , is worse than being buried alive . however , if you have any thing to say , i have an hour good to hear you . philal. as much a custom as you make it , 't is not improved into common law : that is point blank against you , and tyes you all up , if you kill upon the occasion . philot. 't is the custom of gentlemen , and that is sufficient for my purpose . philal. what if it was the custom to tilt your head against a post , for a mornings exercise , would you venture the beating out your brains rather than be unfashionable ? what if it was the custom for people of condition to betray a trust , to forswear a debt , or forge a conveyance , would you follow the precedent , or forfeit their good opinion ? philot. you seem to mistake the point . i grant you men of figure are too often saulty in some of the instances you mention : but then they are not bound to it upon the score of reputation , which makes a disparity in the case . philal. they are not ; true . but suppose they were , what then ? does not this supposition clearly prove , that we are not to take the conduct of any sort of people upon content : but to examine the reasonableness of a custom before we go into it ? whatever is beneath a man , is beneath a gentleman ; but to act without thinking , is beneath a man , much more against it . philot. i perceive you believe this sort of satisfaction very unaccountable . philal. i do so . and the law is of my opinion , which i hope is no contemptible authority . philot. hark you , we do but laugh at these stories . do you think a parcel of starched lawyers , with a iury of haberdashers , and chandlers , are proper judges in the case ? are such pedants and mechanicks as these , fit to give rules to men of honour ? philal. i perceive you think ignorance and idleness necessary qualifications of a gentleman ; and doubt not but that you practise accordingly . but if men of honour are too great to be govern'd by the laws , they should be so modest as not to plead it for their advantage . they should throw up their fortune , and disband from society . yes , and their quality too ; for this , as well as the other , is settled by the constitution . philot. i thought quality had been the sole privilege of birth , or at least of the prince's favour . philal. all honour , as well as land , is originally a gift from the crown . now prerogative is a part of the law : and though quality and estate are settled upon a man and his heirs , yet the grant runs always with a condition of forfeiture in case of treason . and therefore the son of an unrestored traytor has no pretences to the quality of his ancestors . philot. i know we say that treason taints a man's bloud , and makes it baser than that of a peasant ; but i look upon this as a kind of whimsey . for though the government may take away my estate , yet it cannot make me nothing of kin to my father . so that the son of a gentleman must be a gentleman , in spight of fate . philal. but not in spight of treason . for in that case , he is banished the bloud , and transplanted from the family of his ancestors . his lease of heraldry is expired , his title is extinct , and he can no more claim his former honour , than an estate which was sold by his great grand-father . i grant you the relation between him and his father continues , and that 's it which destroys his pretentions . the stream of honour is dryed up , before it reaches the chanel of posterity . the father has lost all , and therefore can convey nothing over . the son if he pleases may be of kin to the treason , for the infamy of that remains ; but as for the quality 't is all wiped out , as if it had never been . and therefore though your instance is true , your inference fails ; for the son of a traytor , is not the son of a gentleman . in short , you must either allow that quality , like other branches of property , stands upon the basis of law ; or else you unavoidably run into the principle of levelling . for where the distinctions of condition are not ascertained by publick provision , every one is at liberty to rate his own , and his neighbour's station , as he pleases . where there are no inclosures all people may intercommon , without preference or ceremony . new grounds of honour may be set up , and the old ones disclaimed ; and a taylor may make himself a lord , and clap a coronet upon his goose , if he has a mind to it . philot. i suppose your conclusion is , that the notion of honour is to be taken from the laws and government , and not from any private set of people , how valuable soever in other respects . philal. right . and from thence i infer that duelling is a very dishonourable practice . for when you have given the best proof of your sufficiency , and killed your man , you are seized into the hands of iustice , treated like assassinators , and condemned to die with circumstances of ignominy . you are not indicted for acquitting your selves like gentlemen , but for disturbing the publick peace , and murthering the king's subjects . now the law never loads a man with reproaches , nor punishes him thus coarsely , for doing a handsom action . philot. what do you tell me of lawyers cant ; murdravit , stragem excercuit , & practicavit : very pretty stuff to dispatch a man of honour with ! you see how the men betray their ignorance by their forms of speaking . and as for the bench , they have a thousand pound per annum for making of malefactors ; and they must say something in defence of their trade . philal. as for the bench , the bar , and the rest , they are not the makers but the ministers of law ; they are the servants of the government , and their methods of proceeding are chalked out by their superiours . and when the reason of things is good , 't is not material though the latin proves otherwise . indeed i think the laws can't use you too rigorously , for i 'm sure you treat them with great contempt . when highway-men kill 't is commonly for a livelihood , to prevent discovery , or in the heat and surprize of passion ; and when 't is over , they seldom justify the fact , but condemn what they have done . but your tribe are murtherers by principle , which is something worse than malice prepence , because 't is ready upon all occasions , and often acts without any provocation ; except the vanity of complying with a barbarous custom . as if it was as indifferent a thing to cut a man's throat , or let it alone , as to wear a broad or narrow brim'd hat : and that these little concerns of bloud , ought to be perfectly governed by the fashion . and when the barbarity is committed , you have the assurance to maintain it , and to argue for the murther against law and gospel . in short , i think you stand in the greatest defiance to authority of all men living . philot. how so ? philal. i have given you some of my reasons , and you shall have the rest . . you scorn to refer your differences to the law , but make your selves your own judges . philot. if the government will not make a sufficient provision for the honour of gentlemen they must right their own case , and there 's an end on 't . philal. you would do well to prefer a bill against all kings and parliaments since the conquest ; and if that won't do , challenge the crown , and the two houses at their next meeting , to give you satisfaction . do you not perceive , that by thus taking the business out of the hands of the government , you both reproach , and in effect renounce it at your pleasure . the laws very well suppose , that people are apt to be too partial and passionate in their own concerns , and therefore remit them to a publick decision . now 't is a kind of maxim with us , that no man should be wiser than the laws . philot. what would you have me complain to a magistrate when a man gives me the lye , or any such sort of affront ? these things won't bear an action ; and yet a gentleman will rather dye than put them up . philal. by the way , a lye was not counted so mortal an affront till charles the fifth happen'd to say , he was no gentleman that would take it . now what has england to do with germany ? if an emperour throws out an unweigh'd sentence , must we be governed by it ? are law and justice such phantoms , that a spanish rhodomontade should make them vanish ? or must a foreign prince's humour command farther than his legal authority ? philot. the prince's opinion is the standard of mode . and to be precise and singular , looks like spleen , and monkery , and ill breeding . you know when dionysius of sicily had a fit of geometry upon him , his court took it immediately . you could scarce meet a man of quality without a pair of compasses about him ; and visits were mostly spent about squares and circles . but as soon as the king grew weary , the fashion was quite laid aside . and then as plutarch observes , nothing was a greater pedant than a mathematician . philal. you lay so much stress upon these compliances , one would think you took them for part of your allegiance . philot. not to follow a prince's opinion , is in effect to say he is mistaken , which is an unhandsom reflection . philal. in things indifferent you say well . but where justice and conscience are concerned , meer complaisance should not carry it . by the extent of your maxim , you would have made an admirable aethiopian courtier . philot. what is that ? philal. diodorus siculus tells us ( biblioth . l. . ) that the aethiopians happened once to have a one eyed bandy leg'd prince ; now such a person would have made but an odd figure , if care had not been taken . philot. pray how did the court behave themselves upon this accident ? philal. like men of honour . they made a fashion of their prince's misfortune ; and immediately shut up one of natures windows , and got a sort of scotch boot to bend their hams in . philot. i think i could have imitated alexander's wry neck , as well as the macedonians . but this which you mention is a chargeable fashion . philal. however it prevailed so far , that a gentleman would no more appear with strait legs , or two eyes in his head , than you would in a pink'd doublet , or boot-hose tops . you see how far good breeding will carry a man , if he will but stick to his principle . but to return . your saying that these indignities won't bear an action , is to confess that the wisdom of the nation has thought them below notice . and will you venture your all upon a cause which would be hissed out of all the courts of england as ridiculous ? will you take away a man's life upon a provocation for which no government will allow you six-penny worth of damages ? a complaint fitter for a boy to run to his mother with , than to disorder a man. it there was but a few of you , and you should talk at this rate , you would be sent to b — lam ; but defendit numerus , and that 's the best of your plea. philot. as the case stands , he who refuses a challenge looses the reputation of a gentleman ; none of that quality will keep him company . philal. lucifer's excommunication exactly ! and i perceive you dread the censure much more than that of the church . the best on 't is , you are somewhat out in your calculation . for there are not a few of good extraction of another opinion . philot. i suppose you mean ecclesiasticks . now we have nothing to say to them : their profession exempts them from a necessity of fighting . philal. i mean seculars too . i hope the temporal lords and commons are no peasants . and will they account any person infamous for the regularity of his behaviour ? for not breaking those laws which they either made , or approved themselves ? at this rate they must be a very extraordinary assembly ; and westminster altogether as great a sight as the tower. will not the judges and justices go for gentlemen , and do you think they will avoid a man's company for declining a challenge , and yet commit and hang him up for succeeding in it ? pray don't make the governing part of a nation so extravagantly ridiculous . there are many other grave persons of worth and bloud , who would give the cause against you : but i find none of these will pass muster . it seems beau's , and bully's , and their wise admirers , have seized the heralds office , and engrossed all the quality to themselves . philot. when you have declaimed till you are weary , i must tell you that we have no small party of as much honour and value as any you have mentioned , who will very hardly be brought over to your sentiment . philal. i hope not . 't is true , i know some people are all quality : you would think they were made up of nothing but title and genealogy . if you happen to encounter a prejudice , or cross upon their fancy , they are too considerable to understand you . these , i confess , i almost despair of , but hope their number is not great . by the way , let me tell you your fraternity take a very great liberty in their opinion ; you make nothing to renounce the publick sense in matters of the highest importance : and count that a noble atchievement , which the laws punish as a capital offence . now to set up a notion of honour against the government , with such circumstances as these , is of very dangerous consequence . 't is such an affront to the constitution , such a deliberate contempt , such an open defiance of authority , as nothing can be more . it makes the laws cheap and ridiculous , the solemnities of justice a piece of pageantry , the bench a few reverend poppets , or scharamouche's in scarlet . and thus by exposing the administration , the very foundations of peace and property are shaken and sap'd . philot. certainly you are retained by the whole corporation of cowards , you make so tragical a business on 't ! philal. by your favour : to have our swords ready to execute the orders of every paultry passion ; to put murther into our creed , and cut throats upon professed principles , is a tragical business ; and i believe you 'll find it so . philot. trouble not your self ; we value neither your judges , nor your juries . if we kill fairly , we have always interest at court to bring us off . philal. you may set up a science against the government , and range murthering under discipline and rule , and call it by what fine names you please : but your methods of killing , and that of highway-men , are alike fair in the eye of justice ; and the same rewards are assigned to both . as for your friends at court , 't is to be hoped that princes in time will resent the breach of their laws , and the loss of their subjects , a little more heartily : that they will not encourage a practice which insults their authority , and ridicules their ministers , and keeps up a spirit of barbarity throughout the nation . besides , there are things they call appeals , and in that case you know your pardon is out of doors . philot. we must take our chance for that . philal. you are hardy men some of you . if all the subjects should take the same liberty , we should have wild work. you say the government is defective in considering the respects of honour , and therefore are resolved to be your own carvers . what if the under sort of people should take the hint , and practice upon it , in the instance of property ? look ye neighbours ( says a sharp country fellow ) the fine folks have gotten away all the land from us ; for my part i want so many score acres to live easily , and i suppose you do so too , and i think our industry deserves it . 't is true , estates are otherwise settled , and i should believe my self obliged to observe my countries customs , if others would do the same : but i perceive the gentry can set the constitution aside , without any scruple . they can tilt through one anothers lungs in a bravado , though the law makes hanging matter on 't . why should we be more slaves to the goverment than others , i 'm sure we do not get so much by it ? we are enough of us , let us mind our business . 't is true , this would be a lewd project ; but 't is the consequence of your own principle , therefore have a care of setting the example . philot. if we take a greater freedom with the government than the vulgar , our quality is our excuse ; that will bear us out . philal. quite contrary . for first , a gentleman is supposed to be better acquainted with the laws than a peasant ; therefore his breaking them must be a greater fault , because it implies more of contempt in the action . secondly , where the example is of worse consequence , the care to check it should be the greater . the influence of men of figure is considerable . when they are at the head of an ill custom , they have presently a train to attend them . the infection spreads like lightning ; and 't is a credit to live counter to reason and regularity . the slender principles , the loose 〈◊〉 of these men , is that which has so effectually debauched the age. this is it which has exposed virtue , and banished religion , and almost buried the distinctions of good and evil. thirdly , since quality is a distinction settled by law ; those who have the greatest share of this privilege are most obliged to observe the publick regulations . the government is a great benefactor to such persons , and they are very ungenerous and ungrateful , if they fly in the face of it . a man that enjoys honour and estate by a society , has greater engagements to regard it , than he who receives only a common protection . one has perhaps a l. per annum for keeping the laws and the other nothing but his labour for his pains ▪ and pray which is most to blame then if they break them ? philot. you seem to forget that their fortune and condition follows their birth , so that they are only obliged to their family for the advantage . philal. you argue too fast . pray are not descents and inheritances governed by law ? what claim can we make to privilege or property without it ? a man when he is about it , may as easily be born to l. a year as to pence . the trouble to himself , or his mother , is much the same as to that matter . people come into the world in turky the same way they do here ; and yet , excepting the royal family , they get but little by it . nature has set us all upon a level as to these things : 't is only the constitution which makes the difference ; and therefore those who have the advantage , should pay it a proportionable respect . — philot. i perceive you are coming on again : and to stop you a little , let me tell you , 't is my observation , that the custom of duels puts gentlemen upon their good behaviour , 't is a check upon conversation , and makes it more inoffensive than it would be otherwise . philal. an admirable remedy ! just such a one as death is against all diseases . if there must be disputes , is not squabling less inconvenient than murther ? had not a man better have a black eye , than a napkin drawn through him ; and bleed rather at the nose than at the heart ? these contests , though much better let alone , make neither orphans , nor widows , nor perpetuate feuds among families . besides , the disorders of conversation may be prevented without such a dangerous expedient . for not to mention religion , a moderate share of prudence and behaviour will do the business . 't is not yet the fashion for women of quality to tilt. now though they can hate one another pretty heartily ; though their humours are full as nice , and their passions as strong , as those of the other sex ; yet the sense of decency is sufficient to keep them from coarse language , and rude provocations . philot. however , misunderstandings will happen sometimes . and when they do , it does not become gentlemen to manage them like lesser people . their revenges must be particular , as well as the rest of their breeding . it looks as odly for them to quarrel , as to salute like a clown . philal. so that i perceive if butchers had but the manners to go to sharps , gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs . if they must be singular in their disputes , let it be for the better i beseech you . let us not be so vain as to think it a commendation to be more unreasonable in our demands , and more savage in our resentments than the meanest , and most undisciplined . if they must run counter to the vulgar in every thing , i wonder they don't leave off swearing , drinking , &c. these , by their assistance , are grown plebeian vices : insomuch that porters and foot-men are as perfect in them as themselves . philot. i grant you clowns may box it off , and be quiet ; this way of satisfaction is agreable enough to their little pretensions . but the honour of a gentleman must have other sort of damages . philal. if the dispute was between peasant and gentleman , you would say something , though not enough . but you know a gentleman is not obliged to fight another who is not so . now where the condition of the disobliged is equal , at least to the degree of gentlemen ; why should the affront be counted so mortal an injury ? i know no reason for this , unless you will say , that men of quality are obliged to be more bloudy and implacable ; and to carry their passions to greater heights of fury , than other people . but this plea proves them really less , not greater than the common size of mankind ; and is far wide of the true character of honour . if quality consists in such sallies as these are ; tigers and fiends may put in for a considerable share . philot. if this way of deciding quarrels among gentlemen were peculiar to our age or country , your reasoning would have more force ; but we have almost a general prescription of time and place against you . philal. not so general as may be brought for the heathen religion , or the alcoran ; and yet i hope you will not plead in defence of either of these . to give you an instance near home . the french you know are far from being an inconsiderable nation . their nobility are as numerous , and their pretensions as well supported ; they have as much fire in their tempers , and as much regard for their honour , as any of their neighbours : notwithstanding this , you see the practice of duelling is absolutely suppressed , and they are all contented to refer their grievances to the government . philot. the french king takes more care to right a gentleman's honour than is done with us , which makes the case different . philal. particular satisfaction for every affront in conversation cannot be awarded by stated laws ; the circumstances are too many to be brought within a rule . a prince must be little less than absolute to do this effectually . now such a stretch of prerogative would be agreeable neither to the english genius , nor constitution . and is it not a hard case that we must either deliver up all our property to the crown ; or our lives to every ungovernable passion and caprice ? farther . you may remember that the subject holds his honour and estate by no other tenure then the laws . what a monstrous injustice ; what an ingratitude ; what an insufferable pride must it then be , for private men to erect a magistracy of their own ; to iudge and execute in matters of life and death ; and to hang and draw within themselves ? if the subjects may set the laws aside with so little ceremony , and make supplemental provisions at discretion , the significancy of government will be unintelligible . if authority may be slighted in an instance of so high a nature , why not in a hundred ? and when the fences are thus broken down , peace and property good-night ! philot. your mentioning the french , puts me in mind of the old romans ; they were a very brave people : pray what was their practise in the case , for i have almost forgot it ? philal. not at all for your purpose . 't is true , there was a sort of duelling among them , as that of the horatii , and curiatii ; of manlius torquatus , and the gaul that challenged the army . but then there was a difference in the persons and occasion . these duellists were enemies , subjects of different princes , a sort of fighting representatives , chosen like david and goliah , to decide the controversy of the field . at least the contest was allowed by publick authority , and undertaken upon the score of their country . but as for one subjects cutting anothers throat about private disputes , they were perfect strangers to these methods of justice . when milo killed clodius upon the road , though there was no such thing as a challenge ; though tully proves it no more then a rencounter ; yet because there was a former misunderstanding between them ; neither the rhetorick of the council , nor the bravery of the prisoner , could prevent the execution . philot. after all ; you cannot deny but that the present custom has prevailed for several ages . philal. so have a great many other ill things besides . there is scarcely any extravagance so singular as to want a precedent . but custom without reason , is no better then antient error . and since you press your prescription , i shall trace it to the original . now the practise of subjects righting themselves by the sword , was introduced by the lombards , saxons , and normans . a people , who possibly at that time of day , had not brains to decide the matter any other way . for how much soever they may be of kin to us , we must own they were a very unpolished sort of mortals . and why should we be tied up to the dictates of paganism and ignorance ? if a man's house , and habit , and eating , was not better than theirs ; he would not be thought to have much of the spirit of a gentleman . if we are bound to implicit submission ; if we are to follow antiquity , without any exceptions of judgment ; why don't we feed upon mast , and lodge in caves , and go almost naked ? and to come nearer our northern ancestors ; why don't we vindicate our selves by tryal ordeal ? bath our innocence in scalding water , and hop over heated plough-shares blindfold ? farther , we may observe that the barbarity of this custom was somewhat restrained , and bound up , to certain forms of law. the occasion was generally considerable : either for wiping off imputations of treason , or prosecuting appeals of murther , or trying titles of land. as for the disputes of sharpers , of bottles , dice , and wenches , we don't read of any provisions made for the honour of such sparks , and diversions as these . we may observe , secondly , that the men were just come off from heathenism , and very undisciplined in life . their reason was in the oar , and their understandings as low as their morals . this condition of things made their princes either mislead or indulge them . they had authority to misguide their conscience , to encourage their revenge , and in some measure to excuse it . the writ of combat was made out in the king's courts , and the whole manage of the quarrel under the direction of the government . 't was none of their way to be kill'd in hugger-mugger , and steal a stabbing as they do now . ( cotton ▪ posthum . ) thirdly , if they fought without publick allowance , and any person fell in the quarrel , the survivers were apprehended and tryed for murther . fourthly , these combats , though governed by these restrictions , and under the countenance of law , were always condemned by the censures of the church . philot. do you think then , they are not capable of regulation ? philal. no more than adultery . this practise is malum in se ; and an ill thing cannot be done within a rule . 't is like a strong poyson , it must be expelled ; for all the cooking in nature will ne're make diet on 't . 't is true , there are degrees in deformity , as well as beauty ; and therefore some cases may be more remarkable then others . for the purpose ; when a gentleman of estate fights an indigent bully , who possibly knows no more how to live in this world , then he does in the next . this man is angry to see his neighbour in easy circumstances . and when it comes once to this ; the strength of his malice and the opinion of his skill , will pick a quarrel from a slender occasion . now should i desire him to get an answerable fortune before the glove comes : to make the hazards of the combat equal , their pockets as well their as weapons should be in some measure adjusted . to throw down a few farthings , and make a noise to have them covered with gold ; would be absurd in a wager ; and a man must be very weak to accept it . and if life be either valuable to keep , or dangerous to loose , one would think the paralel should hold . this venturing all against nothing , puts me in mind of mark antony , who after he had lost the battle at actium , and was penned up in alexandria , would needs send augustus a challenge . caesars answer was , that if he was weary of living , there was other ways of dispatch besides fighting him ; and for his part he should not trouble himself to be his executioner . antony , i suppose , thought the return reasonable ; and in a short time did his own business . philot. i confess , as you have represented the case , it looks odly enough . philal. i will give you one that 's more odd , if you call it so . i mean the mystery of seconds , and thirds . this is such a masterpiece ; that i think no description can reach it . these under-pullers in distraction , are such implicit mortals as are not to be matched upon any other occasion : a perfect stranger shall engage them at the first word . to ask questions would be ungentile . on they go without any acquaintance either with the man , or the matter . a most honourable undertaking , to fight about they know not what ; for , and against , they know not whom ! so that for ought they can tell , they may be under the pious necessity of murthering their father . philot. however you can't say there is any malice prepence . philal. right ! there is nothing prepence ; neither malice nor reason . but for all that , i don't like a man that can hate at first sight , and kill extempore ? philot. you mistake , a second is not angry . he only engages in complaisance to his principal . philal. so much the worse ; because it argues the greater contempt of human kind . for my heart , i can't understand a combatant that can kill in cool blood ; and shew the utmost effects of rage without passion ! 't is a sign his common temper is as bad as the malice , and provocations of other people . this stoical improvement , is the philosophy of a butcher . it makes a beast of an enemy , and knocks him down with as little concern as if he were an oxe . philot. to requite you for your extraordinary instances , i will give you a pretty tough one on the other side . if a souldier refuses a challenge from another , he will not only be counted a coward , but in all likelihood cashiered into the bargain . philal. the case is hard i confess , but not yours ; for you are none of the military list. to those who may be concerned , i answer . . you know the challenger is punished as well as the challenged ; which discipline will prevent the case from being common . but when it does happen , it may be replied in the second place , that he who professes arms , may prove his courage by more defensible instances . his former behaviour in the field is oftentimes sufficient to wipe off an aspersion of cowardize . thirdly , if he is not furnished with proof this way : let him desire his superior officer that the next time he is drawn out , the challenger may be posted near him . and then would i heartily convince him , and the enemy to boot , that i wanted no resolution . if a man miscarries in such a tryal , he may justify himself to his reason . he dyes in his calling ; and if nothing else hinders , he may look the other world in the face . philot. but a souldier may sometimes wait a long while for such an opportunity of purging himself : and would you have him starved , and laughed at , in the mean time ? philal. let him remember he is a christian as well as a souldier ; and that he was first listed under god almighty . now a man of honour will rather starve , than be false to a solemn engagement . and where the cause is just , he is to be commended for his constancy . and if interest strikes in too , 't is not only criminal but weakness to desert it . as for the point of contempt , let him return it with pity : 't is no dishonour to be undervalued by those who want either understanding , or conscience , or both . if bare contempt without reason is so terribly significant , a fool would be better than a philosopher ; a slave than an emperour ; provided the first had but the insolence to scorn the latter . philot. for all that , you will have a great many against you . philal. so there are a great many sheep , but i think ne're the wiser for their number . philot. do you think then this custom is so absolutely forbidden by religion ? philal. i am surprized one baptized should put the question ! in earnest , i believe this notion of honour as much an idol , as nebuchadnezzar's golden image : 't is set up by the same interest , and probably has done more mischief . philot. if it be so , the mettal must be good , according to your own comparison . philal. yes . but the worship is stark naught , and less to be chosen than the fiery furnace . 't is great pity so much good blood should be offered at it . that men who have such opportunities for sense , should be entangled in so monstrous an absurdity ! that those who might be the ornament of their age , and defence of their country , should make themselves a misfortune to both ! philot. i believe the danger of the adventure makes them think it honourable . philal. look you ! to risque the main without reason or warrant , is rashness : 't is to be more stupid than brave . if a man should leap a garret , or vault down the monument , do you imagine he would leave the memory of a hero behind him ? philot. methinks 't is fine to seem above the impressions of fear , and to flash in the face of danger . philal. i grant you fortitude is a very valuable quality . but then it must be under the conduct of prudence and justice : without this assistance the best event will prove ruinous , and the victory it self a defeat . philot. you mean religion will not endure the duelling principle . philal. no more than all the heresies since simon magus . 't is a principle so full of pride , and passion , and revenge ; so tempestuous and absurd ; so absolutely unallied to reason and good-nature , that polisht heathenism would be ashamed on 't . in a word , 't is as contrary to the tendency and temper of christianity , as hobs's creed is to the apostles , as light is to darkness , as god is to the devil . philot. 't is a hard matter to part with the character of a gentleman . philal. fear it not . as long as the laws are on our side , the heraldry is all safe and if it were otherwise , let us remember we are christians . if there happens a competition between these two pretensions ; let us drop the gentleman and keep the christian ; for he is a person of the best quality . philot. say you so ? philal. yes . i say a christian and no gentleman , is more a person of condition , than a gentleman and no christian. the former is more nobly related , born to a greater fortune , and better founded in personal merit . philot. you say something . i wish you would enlarge upon this head. philal. you know my business is not preaching ; any divine will give you satisfaction . philot. upon second thoughts , they need not : a little of the bible will do it without them . to speak frankly , i am so well satisfied upon the whole , that i am resolved to take no notice of my spark ; but i am afraid he will post me up for a coward , and how then ? philal. i would mind it no more than the railing of a feaver , or a proclamation from bedlam . philot. i shall take your advise . but i must tell you withall , that if he draws upon me in the streets , i will not be so passive as to let the sun shine through me if i can help it . philal. i have nothing to say as to that . but then you should wish the occasion may never happen ; and keep your resolution to your self . for to give out this sort of language , looks too like a provocation : and if you should be so unfortunately set upon , be sure you keep within the compass of self-defence . of general kindness . the fifth conference between philotimus and philalethes . philot. what false , humorsome , insipid creatures are men ! sure these are none of the best things god ever made ! upon the whole , i think one might as good disband , and turn hermit , as be troubled with them any longer . i begin now to understand the conduct of the first monks , but believe their history misreported . they fled the persecution of mankind , more than that of a single tyrant . they prefer'd the wilderness to the town , and found their safety and their satisfaction better secured in solitude , than society . for a wild beast does not pretend above his order , and is so frank as to discover his design : but a man is a beast , and yet has not the modesty to own it . hah ! here is philalethes , he has over-heard me : in earnest , i shall be called to an account for my expostulations ! philal. what , mr. hobs's ghost ! no less than a satyr upon your whole kind ? i 'm not sorry i have interrupted your soliloquies , except they had been better natured . philot. i did not think you had been so near : but since you have catched me , give me leave to tell you i know the world , and upon experiment i find there is not one in forty without design , or vanity , in their conversation . pray peruse your acquaintance well , and if you don't discover some flaw in their honesty , or their humour , i 'm much mistaken . philal. are not you a man , philotimus ? philot. what then ? philal. then , by your own confession , 't is forty to one but that some part of the disagreable character belongs to your self . philot. however , you know odds will not win wagers ; difficulties are not demonstrations ; 't is unreasonable to argue from improbabilities against matter of fact. if i find my self well ; if my constitution , or my care , is my preservative , you must not charge the plague upon me , because i converse with epidemical infection . philal. you are resolved to keep well with your self : i doubt not but in time your good opinion will reach your neighbours : they may , to use your own similitude , be as free from contagion as your self : and if they are seized , the plague is not always mortal . besides , it might have been your own case . so that all things considered , i hope you will not mark the house upon bare suspition : and when the tokens appear , you will pity their condition , and endeavour their recovery . philot. do deal freely , i shall take care of my self , and so i suppose will every body else that is wise . for that which people call vniversal benevolence is but a piece of knight errantry : it looks prettily in a romance , but in life 't is neither prudent , nor practicable . philal. do you think it so impracticable an absurdity to wish all people well , and endeavour to make them so ? philot. what of all perswasions , countries , tempers , and conditions , whatsoever ? philal. yes . we comprehend all mankind in the league . philot. you have a notable grasp : i dare not strain my inclinations at that rate . i love to keep fair with the world as well as you , but it may be upon different reasons . in a word , i take civility to be only a compliance with the mode , friendship but another name for trade , all mercenary and designing . indeed considering the state of humane affairs , 't is next to impossible to be otherwise . where there is so much of indigence , competition , and uncertainty , you must expect self-interest will govern . you may observe , that which you call good nature , is most remarkable in the young and unexperienced . such persons i confess are often very lavish of their favours , and caressing in their conversation : but these blandishments seem only designed for a state of impotence ; that what they can't carry by force and foresight , they may obtain by flattery . like unfledged birds , they are fond of every one , that they may be fed the better . and where this reason fails , that which i am going to add will supply it . philal. what is that ? philot. why young people generally don 't think so far as others , nor consider a necessity at a distance : this often makes them more liberal than wise. they are apt to be over-credulous at first setting out ; and cannot so well see through artifice and pretence : so that 't is no wonder if they bestow their inclinations too freely upon their neighbours . philal. this early disposition to oblige , appears to me an impression of nature , which was intended for continuance : for as the use and posture of the limbs hold the same in manhood as they were in infancy ; so one would think the motions of the mind should be set right at first . and therefore when good humour happens to wear off with age , it seems to proceed from misnanagement ; and looks more like a degeneracy of nature , than an improvement of reason . if you please to hear me , i shall endeavour to prove vniversal benevolence both an acknowledged , and a practicable disposition . philot. pray begin . philal. my first argument then shall be drawn from community of nature . we are all cast in the same mould , allied in our passions , and in our faculties : we have the same desires to satisfy , and generally the same pleasure in satisfying of them . all mankind is as it were one great being , divided into several parts ; every part having the same properties and affections with another . now as we can't chuse but desire accommodations for our own support and pleasure ; so if we leave nature to her original biass , if we hearken to the undepraved suggestions of our minds , we shall wish the same conveniencies to others . for the apprehending a being so like our own , in prosperous circumstances , must be an advancement of our selves : by this we see as it were our own nature pleased , and flourishing in another . and thus much mr. hobs himself confesses to the ruin of his cause , that the sense of haviug communicated satisfaction is naturally delightful . philot. but will this notion spread wide enough to do any execution ? philal. yes . for if a man can but disengage himself from the excesses of self-love , in a single instance , he does the business . if he can but wish well to another , without making interest the only motive , he may be generous enough to take all mankind into his affections . for he that can do it to one , without any mercenary view , may for the same reason do it to a million . 't is but repeating the action , where for his encouragement the pleasure will be likewise repeated . — philot. you are going too fast . the different capacities and behaviour of men will leave your repetition neither sense , nor possibility : for to love insignificancy is dotage , and seldom passes any farther than children or relations . — philal. for all that ; one may wish a poor man an estate , or a fool understanding ; there is no unconquerable aversion , nor so much as any difficulty in these things . philot. i say farther ; to love malitious and disobliging qualities is impossible . philal. if those qualities were inseparable from the object , i grant your meaning : but where malice is only accidental , and reformation possible , the case is otherwise . a physician may have a kindness for the patient , without being fond of the disease . philot. to illustrate your distinction . if a man gives me a sower box on the ear ; i may love the hand , though i don 't like the blow . i assure you he that can thus abstract the affront from the person that gives it , and take off a cuff so metaphysically , is very much a philosopher . philal. if you are not satisfied , i 'll consider your objection farther afterwards . at present i shall go on to a second proof , that universal benevolence is agreable to humane nature , unless you have a mind to interpose . philot. not just now . take your method . philal. i prove my point , from that compassion which generally follows any considerable misfortune . this civility is so very common , and so much expected , that those who are unconcerned at the troubles of another , are called inhumane . i. e. they are degenerated from their kind , and don 't deserve the name of men. and does it not plainly follow , that those who are thus sensibly touched , must have a real kindness for the unfortunate ? philot. i think not . for compassion is but the consequence of infirmity , and bottom'd upon self-love . we are affected with what another suffers , because this puts us in mind we are not secure our selves . and when our neighbour's calamity discovers more than the possibility of our own , 't is no wonder if we are somewhat uneasy . philal. i grant you compassion may be sometimes accounted for , as you say : but then 't is a mistake to suppose it can come from no other cause . for 't is easy to observe , that the most generous dispositions are the most compassionate . such persons , though their fortune is never so well guarded ; though the greatness of their mind exempts them from fear , and makes them least concerned for any accident of their own , yet none condole and sympathize more heartily than they . 't is plain therefore that this pity and tenderness , being so void of self-interest , must proceed from good-will . philot. go on . i shall come in with you by and by . philal. i affirm then in the third place , that 't is not agreable to the attributes of god to suppose , that he has made the nature of man such , that according to his original inclinations , he should be unconcerned about the happiness of his neighbour . philot. why so ? philal. because this would be a reflection both upon the goodness , and wisdom , of god almighty . philot. prove the parts of your assertion . philal. . this supposition is repugnant to the goodness of god. for can we imagiue that god , who is infinite goodness himself , who made all rational creatures that they might be happy ; can we imagine that he should contradict the affections of his own blessed nature , and form a being wholly unlike himself ? a being which he would not only hate as soon as it was made ; but , which is more , he could impute his dislike to nothing but his own workmanship ? but if either out of indifferency , or disaffection , 't was contrary to the nature of man to wish the happiness of another , he must be such a thing as i have described . and is it possible to conceive , that goodness and perfection can be the parent of so unlovely an off-spring ? that the over-flowing generousness of the divine nature , would create immortal beings with mean or envious principles ? to be thus furnish'd , would make them both miserable and troublesom ; neither acceptable to this world , nor fit for the other . philot. these inclinations you so much dislike are very common ; therefore if they don't come from above , you must find them out some other original . philal. that will be done without difficulty . to begin ; the reason which hinders men from wishing the happiness of others , proceeds sometimes from the prejudices of education , from the ill examples and flatteries of those they first conversed with , and sometimes 't is afterwards contracted by their own fault . the general cause of this depravation , is covetousness , and pride . . an immoderate love of money spoils those generous dispositions they were sent into the world with . it confines their affections to their pockets , and shrinks up their desires into the narrow and scandalous compass of their own concerns . their nature is so impoverish'd by their ill management , that they are not able to spare one kind wish from themselves , nor expend one generous thought in favour of another . philot. the case is somewhat worse than you have represented it . people don't always keep within the terms of neutrality . they are not contented to forbear wishing well , but are oftentimes averse to the happiness of others . philal. right . when pride strikes in , that is the consequence . this vice makes men think their neighbours advantage prejudicial to their own ; and that the greatest pleasure is to see others beneath them . such an ill-natured notion as this , made lucifer uneasy , and envious in heaven ; and we know what was the issue . far be it from us to suppose , that god would stamp such ignoble , such apostatizing qualities upon any rational being . these would not be the image of the deity , but the devil . philot. in my opinion self-love seems the best expedient to secure individuals . by such a bent of nature , a man will be sure to take care of one , and not leave his business to the generosity of his neighbours . philal. if every one could stand upon his own legs , what you say would have a better colour . however , your objection leads me to shew you , that it reflects upon the wisdom of god , to suppose men made with such narrow inconversable inclinations : for by this temper they would be unfit for society . but god has design'd man a sociable creature . to this end he has sent him into the world weak , and defenceless ; so that without the care of others 't is impossible for him to subsist . and when he is best able to shift , if he had no assistance , or converse but his own , the indigence of his nature would make him very uneasy , and ill supplied . now there is nothing so strongly cements society ; nothing makes it flower , and flourish so much , as a hearty regard to the publick good. 't is general kindness and good-will , which establishes the peace , and promotes the prosperity of a people : to say , this disposition keeps men just and inoffensive , is too mean a commendation . it improves their practice much higher , and makes them munificent and obliging . without this virtue the publick union must unloose , the strength decay , and the pleasure grow faint and languid . and can we suppose that god would underfurnish man for the state he designed him , and not afford him a soul large enough to pursue his happiness ? that he should give him solitary principles , and yet intend him for publick converse ? create him so , that he shall naturally care for nothing but himself ; and at the same time make his interest depend upon mutual affection , and good correspondence with others ? is it imaginable that such a comprehensive wisdom , which has made all things in number , weight , and measure ; secured the preservation of brutes , by instinct and sympathy , and made so fair a provision for the inferiour world ; is it to be conceived , i say , that so glorious a providence should not proportion the faculties of his noblest creatures , but send them into being with inclinations unsuitable to the condition they must necessarily be placed in ? philot. under favour , the●e are other materials for a commonwealth besides stark love and kindness , and i believe the building might last , without tempering the mortar with hony. what do you say to the fear of receiving harm , and the hopes of assistance ? these are the motives of self-love , and i think sufficient to make men just , and willing to do a good turn . philal. truly i think not . i grant you these motives are not insignificant : they have an interest in life , but not enough to push it to perfection , and secure it's happiness . for first they will not restrain a secret mischief which considering the unfortified state of mankind , is a great defect . besides , the agreableness of society must be lost this way . 't is inclination and endearment that gives life and pleasure . but when people have nothing but fears , and jealousies and plots in their heads , there is no musick in their company . and farther , i would gladly know , how these scanty principles can explain why men should dye for their friends , and sacrifice their interest for their country , without necessity ? by the maxims of self-love , such actions as these must be foolish and unnatural : and yet those who are thus forgetful of themselves , have been alwas reckon'd the noblest , and best deserving . philot. you forget that there is such a thing as honour and vain glory in the world. this is the bait that catches the men you speak of : 't is the reputation of the action that fires their spirits , and makes them so prodigal , and resigning . philal. in earnest you are catched your self ! your objection supposes the truth of what i am contending for . it supposes that benevolence and generosity are possessed of the publick esteem ; that they have custom and prescription on their side ; that they are the highest improvements of the will , the most admired and heroick qualities . now 't is very strange , so universal a consent should be founded in a mistake ; and none but mr. hobs , and some few of his discipling , should understand the operations of their own minds , and the right constitution of them . philot. well! if this world won't satisfy you , the other shall . i say then , that the fear of invisible powers , and the expectations of future punishments , are sufficient to keep men upon their good behaviour ; to be a check upon their privacies , and make them honest at midnight . and yet after all , they may have no great stomach to the matter . 't is the rod , not the inclination , which learns the lesson . philal. i grant you the disciplining part of religion is very significant . however , it would not give a sufficient relief in this case . philot. why so ? philal. because upon your supposition the force of it would be lost . for if the nature of man was averse to general kindness ; if he could not chuse but think it unreasonable to love any body but himself , then god in commanding him to love his neighbour would oblige him to an impossibility . we might as well be commanded to taste gall as sweet as hony : for 't is as much in our power to alter the perceptions of our senses , as to love any thing contrary to our reason and inclination . upon this supposition therefore no man could have an inward affection for his neighbour , which yet 't is certain we are obliged to have . philot. if i am used well i 'll ne'er trouble my self about what people think . if they always act like friends , they may wish like enemies , if they please . philal. have a care ! if they are not so within , they will not be long so without . for if we had a kind of antipathy against minding any thing but our selves : if we thought our own interest prejudiced , or our quiet embarrassed by being concerned for others , in this case , all offices of humanity and obligation , would be so many acts of penance . and since the opportunities of obliging return so fast ; to be commanded the use of them , would make our lives almost a perpetual torment . it would be like feeding upon that we naturally abhor ; which instead of nourishing , would throw us into sweats and convulsions . and at this rate a kindness would often be a greater mischief to the doer , than a benefit to the receiver . the upshot is , that if the mind of man was naturally averse from wishing well to any thing but himself , the command of general benevolence would be impossible to be entertain'd in principle , and affection . and as for the counterfeit in outward practise , that would be such a grievance to ill nature , that very few would submit to it . for if men are so unreasonable as not to be governed by religion now , when 't is both profitable and pleasant , of how little force would it be , should it lye almost wholly in violence and aversion ? if envy , and ill nature , were the natural frame and complexion of the mind , religion would signify not much towards reformation ; so that society could receive but small advantage from thence . — philot. hold ! don't cry victory , i have a reserve for you . besides , you owe me some satisfaction to an old objection . philal. what 's that ? philot. i told you that the injuriousness and the vanity of a great part of the world was such , that general kindness , if it came down from speculation to practise , would be quickly out of doors . i confess if we could stand clear of the troublesome and the treacherous , i could be as good natured as the best of you . but alass , we are in foece romuli , and that 's enough to stir any man's spleen , that has either his understanding , or his senses about him . philal. you find coldness and disaffection very general , and thence you argue from fact to necessity . 't is so , therefore it must be so . under favour , that 's no consequence . i suppose that you 'll grant that men don't act always up to the stretch of their capacities : and that 't is possible for them to be much more prudent , benign , and inoffensive , than they are . philot. what then ? would you have a man a stock , must he not be sensible of ill usage ? philal. look you , all ill usage proceeds from ignorance and disorder of mind . those that give it , are the greatest sufferers . they destroy their own happiness more than ours . and under this notion they will deserve our compassion much better than our hatred : our charity will take them in as naturally as bedlam . 't is true , there may be some degrees of difference in the distraction , but that is all . and as we may wish , we may likewise attempt their welfare : not only out of pity , and common alliance ; but also from the prospect of a return . philot. how so ? philal. why by our kindness we shall either reform the injurious person or not ; if we do , the ground of our dislike is gone , and we have made him more commodious for our purpose ; if we are disappointed , we shall have the satisfaction of doing good against evil , which as 't is the most divine quality , so to maintain it , the pleasure is proportionably raised . there is a secret triumph and exultation of spirit upon such an occasion . there is no one that acts in this manner who does not inwardly applaud himself for it ; which is as much as to say . god bids him go on . philot. if we may be kind to those we believe our enemies : 〈◊〉 we can fall in love with malice and opposition , then by parity of reason we may court undisguised ruin , and hate our selves . philal. if by kindness you mean pity and good wishes , i think it very practicable to go thus far with an enemy ; but if you enlarge your sense to complacency and affection , i grant it impossible . besides , there is no need of winding up the string thus high : we are not obliged to be pleased with those that do us mischief ; the goodness of god himself does not proceed thus far . for tho he is kind to the unthankful and the evil , and desires the conversion of a sinner , yet he does not delight in him while he continues such . philot. when you have made the most of it , i foresee this latitudinarian love will be expensive ; and therefore i would gladly be farther informed what is to be gotten by it . philal. very much . in good earnest this quality is well worth the courting ; 't is valuable in fortune , as well as in beauty and humour . 't will make a man an interest in the world. it removes difficulties , & smooths the passage for business ; and like the marriage of princes , there is policy as well as pleasure in the alliance . you know the trade of life can't be driven without partners ; there is a reciprocal dependance between the greatest and the least . and the best figure is but a cypher , where it stands alone . for this reason a wise man will strengthen the confederacy , and take in all the help he can get . now there is nothing so engaging as a benevolent disposition . this temper makes a man's behaviour inoffensive , affable , and obliging ; it multiplies friends , and disarms the malice of an enemy . he that is kind out of principle , will be so to all the advantages of decency and compass . that which is natural , is uniform , constant , and graceful . whereas he who counterfeits good nature , he who is civil only out of breeding or design , will be apt to have breaks , and inequalities in his humour . a man cannot always stand bent ; so that either negligence , or passion , or interest , will some time or other return the posture , and unmask the pretence , and then the labour is all lost . but the natural complexion of goodness will hold . philot. yes , till the man breaks . philal. no fear of that . this quality will do more than pay for its keeping . remember that power goes in with the inclinations of course : get but mens hearts , and their hands will follow . but to do this , there is nothing more likely than a plausible and obliging honesty . the charms of kindness are irresistable ; they conquer , and captivate , and return with spoil and triumph . besides , the assistance that comes from inclination , is generally safer , and more serviceable , than that which is haled in by force or money . he that reigns in the affections is the happy prince ; for in love there 's neither treachery nor desertion . a man remarkably obliging , is almost proof against the most malitious . they 'll be afraid of attaquing one so fortified in publick esteem , and under so sacred a character . though his virtue may be over-looked , the infamy of the action will prevent an ●njury . philot. will this disposition do us any farther service ? philal. yes ; our affection to others gives us a share in their happiness , and so becomes an addition to our own . wishing well enlarges a man's capacity of being happy : this hinders his satisfaction from being confined to his private interest . he is really the better for whatever good his neighbour enjoys ; because every thing of this nature satisfies his desires , and gives him that he delights in . philot. i warrant you his mind is like a burning-glass ! the rays of good fortune from all diversities of points ▪ concenter in his benevolence , and excite an intense and multiplied pleasure ? philal. yes . and in a great measure make him master of all the happiness he sees , or hears of . all prosperous events , all improvements of industry , and blessings of providence which he is acquainted with , his excellent temper gives him an ●nterest in ; for tho he has not the possession of these things , he has what is most desirable , the satisfaction of them . nay , i believe the generous congratulation may be improved to exceed the occasion ; and make a man more happy than those he rejoyces for . in this case , the laws of nature give way for the encouragement of goodness , the stream rises higher than the fountain , and the rebound is stronger than the first motion . philot. this is a new way of extracting the spirit of happiness ; the chymistry of a bee is nothing to it : it sucks the sweet , without impoverishing the flower . were i master of this secret , i would not concern my self about laying in the usual provision for satisfaction . no , i would rather chuse to be happy at the second hand , that is much the easier way ; there the gains come in a main , without any venture . for instance . i would not trouble my self about getting an estate ; 't were only loving a man dearly that has one , and that will do as well . but the mischief is , at present i am not a man of that fortunate imagination . philal. the power of thought and imagination you know is very great , and therefore 't is prudent to set them the right way at work . philot. be it so . i shall allow your argument in some measure , and make my advantage upon it . philal. which way ? philot. why , if kind wishing and obliging are such entertaining actions ; if they may be carried up to transport , and almost sensuality ; then your general benevolence is nothing but a resined sort of self-love , because it acts upon a foreseen reward . i told you self would be at the bottom after all. philal. so let it , since it has company . for let me tell you , to be delighted in the happiness of another , is so far from being mercenary , that 't is an infallible proof of a natural and undissembled goodness . how can we better demonstrate the reality of our affections to a friend , than by rejoycing at his prosperity ? as for the pleasure which attends so noble a disposition , the expectation of that is no vitious self design . for we are allowed to love our selves , as well as our neigbour : so that the prospect of being pleased does not lessen the generosity of the action , if his advantage was as sincerely sought , and delighted in , as our own . therefore by charitys not seeking her own , ( which you know is made a part of its character ) is only meant , that it does not seek its own , without a joynt respect to the welfare of another . in short , i think the pleasure of congratulation is so far from a fault , that the first satisfaction ought rather to create a second ; we should be pleased with our pleasure , because it brings us the good news that our minds are rightly disposed . philot. i confess i am beaten off here , but hope to succeed better in my next attempt . — philal. in the mean time give me leave to observe , that envy and disquiet are uneasy passions ; they fret and exhaust the spirits . the mind is as it were sore , and put to pain at every turn , which is a fair intimation things are not in the condition they should be . philot. and what help is there for all this ? philal. a kind reconciling thought is present remedy . this balsamick humour closes the wound , and scatters the anguish . like the motion of restitution , it returns nature to her ease , and sets her in the posture she was made for . philot. i grant you benevolence has a healing quality , and sits very smooth at first . but as the world goes the consequences of it are more likely to make us unhappy , than otherwise . philal. how so ? philot. if you look abroad you 'll find indigence , and disappointment , and vexation , much more common than prosperity . now this predominancy of misfortune lyes very hard upon benevolence , and makes the kindest people the greatest sufferers . their compassion rises in proportion to their generosity ; their tenderness is more passive , which makes a foreign calamity strike deeper , and grow more pungent . having strong desires to relieve , but small abilities to effect it ; their good nature must needs grow troublesome , because 't will often make 'em wish those things which they see are impossible to compass . but others who keep their inclinations at home , are not so much exposed to disquiet ; because their passions and expectations being confined to their private interest , they are concerned for no misfortune but their own . philal. supposing what you say would hold , it would be no just discouragement to goodness , considering how much it will be rewarded hereafter . but because your objection relates chiefly to the present , i shall direct my answer against that sense , and give it you by parts . i affirm therefore , that if a man does but joyn consideration with his benevolence ; if his understanding be good , as well as his will , his affection for the common welfare will never hurt him . for . he will perceive that the unhappy part of the world is not so numerous as at first it appeared . those who are of low condition , tho they may seem most deserted , are not the worst provided for . their fortune is little 't is true , and so generally are their desires , which makes them want as few things as those whose possessions are larger . they have the pleasure of their senses as well as others ; and what is denied in variety , is supplied by labour , which sharpens the appetite , and strengthens the constitution . . as for those who are real objects of compassion , the old maxim will in great measure relieve them ; dolor , si gravis brevis , si longus levis . at the worst , life and misery will be dispatched e're long ; and then , if they deserve it , they are happy ; as happy as goodness can wish . . commiseration has a mixture of satisfaction , as well as trouble in it . by this a man is conscious he does the office of a friend ; that he is of a generous and humane disposition . these thoughts make the pleasure of the sympathy equalize the trouble , if the person be not very near , or the calamity very great , which we are concern'd for . philot. there is something in what you say ; for i have observed that women will weep and condole with abundance of tenderness and affection : i believe they are pleased with the pomp and passion of their sorrow ; and think themselves the best natur'd people in the world for 't . philal. we should interpret all signs of good nature in the fairest sense . but i shall proceed , and observe . a wise well wisher will consider there is a necessity of discipline , both to secure the orderly and reclaim the evil. goals and gibbets are as useful in a state , as great places , and patents of honour . where goodness is mutable , and reason unabsolute , there must be rigour to fence in duty , and check the abuse of liberty . as things stand , 't is not conceivable how providence can govern without punishing . upon this contemplation a good man will no more be disturbed at the methods of correction , than by seeing his friend take unpalatable physick , which he knows to be proper for his health . and as for those who are lost beyond recovery , tho he wishes t were otherwise , yet their obstinacy does ' not so deeply affect him as to make him uneasy . philot. is not such a sedateness a sign of neglect , and stoical indifference ? philal. not at all . the saints above are not afflicted at the punishment of the damned , and yet they have charity in perfection : but your objection runs into an absurd inference . it dilutes the happiness of the other world , and gives hell an influence upon heaven . philot. i have nothing farther to object , and therefore must be your proselyte : but if you have any more to say , let 's hear it , for a man can never be too well fortified against custom . philal. yes . general kindness may be recommended from the nobleness of such a temper . it springs from a generous root , and spreads and flourishes upon the best nourishment imaginable . there 's nothing in it that is mercenary or fantastical . 't is not supported by chance or humour , by flattery or design : it stands upon its own independent strength , and holds on through all opposition . 't is above discouragement and ill usage , and not so much as checked into indifferency , by frequent injury and provocation . i need say no more for this virtue , than that 't is the temper of god. this truth i shall take for granted . indeed the universe proves it ; all the powers and delights of nature are standing evidence . if omnipotence were in other hands than goodness , we should feel terrible effects on 't . now to resemble god is the perfection of virtue ; 't is doing the wisest and the greatest action in its kind . to mention but one advantage , we can't recommend our selves more effectually to god almighty than by delighting in the same actions which he does . love naturally arises from likeness of disposition . our imitation of another is an unquestioned proof that we value his person , and admire his choice ; which lays a kind of an obligation for a return . such a consent of wills , such an uniformity of desires , does as it were incorporate distinct essences , and makes us almost the same thing with another ; so that as long as he has a regard for himself , he must have one for us too . by being of the same temper with god almighty , we do as it were engage his inclinations to make us happy . while we are thus affected , he can no more be unconcerned about our welfare , than he can deny himself , or put a neglect upon his own attributes . — philot. you may please to hold your hand . for i am so far convinced , that unless i am kind to others , i shall now be forced to fall out with my self . philal. may the impression continue . philot. i hope recollecting the reasons , will make it do so . your servant . the end . by the directions of the scriptures, and the examples of our blessed lord and saviour jesus christ. written for the good of all sorts of people, both rich and poore, in this miserable time of necessity. to the tune of ayme not too high. l. p. (laurence price), fl. - ? this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription b of text in the english short title catalog (wing p a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo b wing p a interim tract supplement guide br f . b [ ] ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books; tract supplement ; a : [ ]) by the directions of the scriptures, and the examples of our blessed lord and saviour jesus christ. written for the good of all sorts of people, both rich and poore, in this miserable time of necessity. to the tune of ayme not too high. l. p. (laurence price), fl. - ? sheet ([ ] p.) : ill. (woodcuts). printed for francis grove on snow-hill., london, : [ ?] signed: l.p. [i.e. laurence price]. date of publication from wing. verse: "you that the lord have blest with riches store ..." imperfect: cropped, affecting title? mutilated, affecting text. reproduction of original in the british library. eng conduct of life -- early works to . b (wing p a). civilwar no by the directions of the scriptures, and the examples of our blessed lord and saviour jesus christ. written for the good of all sorts of peo l. p d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion 〈…〉 by the directions of the scriptures , and the examples of our blessed lord and saviour jesus christ . written for the good of all sorts of people , both rich and poore , in this miserable time of necessity . to the tune of ayme not too high . you that the lord have blest with riches store , slight not gods word , but thinke upon the poor . bow down your earss of pitty to the plaints , of them which now for want of succour faints . let charity be dealt abroad with speed , amongst such people as are in great need , whose hunger starved soules are like to perish . through want of food , their children for to cherish . the scriptures bids us daily to take heed , and have a care the hungry for to feed , to cloath the naked in their deep dis●●esse , and to give harbour to the harbourlesse . but rich mens hearts of late are grown so hard , that poore folkes wants they never a jot regard : nor will they listen to the wofull cry , of them that are through hunger like to dye . do not we see poore aged men complaine . for want of food their hunger to sustain , begging of bread of every one they meet , till some have fallen down dead in open street , do we not see poor widowes in distresse , who through had times are now made husbanlesse , their outward sorrows and heart-breaking moan , is powred out , and to the world made known , and do not many friendlesse children lye : i' th fields and under stalls in misery , each night being ready to be starv'd with cold , and hunger which is worse a thousand fold . there are but few regards the prisoners greif , and fewer that gives almes for their releife , altho t is known there can no means be wrought they can have nothing but what 's to them brought yet many men heaven knows , that have too much , whose humours and whose qualities are such rather then to helpe poore folke to broken meate , they le cast it under feet for dogs to eate . some servants also are so extreame proud , though by their wastres daily are allou'd , some certaine scraps to give unto the poore , they le rather tak 't and cast it out o' th door . by this we see , gods word is disobey'd , conscience is dead , and charity is decay'd rich men that should the poor mans wants releive , will sooner from them take then to them give , this sin , all other sinnes on earth controles , when men are so regardlesse of their soules , they will not deale according to gods word , nor yet take counsell of the living lord , wherefore deare christians : you that are in health having your limbs , your liberty and wealth , i do desire you all for christ his sake , some pitty on poor people for to take . christ came into the world to do us good , and shed as many drops of precious blood even for the poorest wretch that goes o th ground , as for the richest man that can be found , whilst in this world our saviour did remain , he never spent one houres time in vaine . he preacht the gospell freely unto all , that would give eare and hearken to his call , the tydings of salvation sweet he taught , and many miracles to passe he brought , his bounty still he gave unto the poor , and did releive the needy more and more . five thousand poor folks on one day he fed , with five small fishes and two loaves of bread , whereby that all the world might truly know , none but himselfe such miracles could do . the poor man that was born blind likewise , when once our saviour had but toucht his eyes , immediately he did receive his fight , which wonder strange was don by christ his might he made the deafe to hear , the dumb to talke , hee made the sick take up his bed and walk . he cur●d the lame , and heal'd the leapers evills , and by his heavenly power he cast out devills . poore lazarus when he had lain four dayes in grave whom no man could from death preserve or save , our saviour did restore his life againe , the holy gospell doth expresse it plaine . this was our blessed saviours charity , bestowed upon the poore continually , a swéet example he hath left behinde , that rich folke should have poore folks still in mind and thus the word of god hath been decreed . how they that help poore people at their need . shall live in blisse , after this earthly trouble , and be with heavenly ●oyes rewarded double l. p. finis . london , printed for francis grove on snow-hill . a serious proposal to the ladies, for the advancement of their true and greatest interest by a lover of her sex. astell, mary, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a serious proposal to the ladies, for the advancement of their true and greatest interest by a lover of her sex. astell, mary, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for r. wilkin ..., london : . errata: p. . reproduction of original in yale university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng women -- education -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . feminism -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion licens'd , july th . . d. poplar . a serious proposal to the ladies , for the advancement of their true and greatest interest . by a lover of her sex . london , printed for r. wilkin at the king's head in st. paul's church-yard , . a serious proposal to the ladies , for the advancement of their true and greatest interest . ladies , since the profitable adventures that have gone abroad in the world , have met with so great encouragement , tho' the highest advantage they can propose , is an uncertain lot for such matters as opinion ( not real worth ) gives a value to ; things which if obtain'd , are as flitting and fickle , as that chance which is to dispose of them . i therefore persuade my self , you will not be less kind to a proposition that comes attended with more certain and substantial gain ; whose only design is to improve your charms and heighten your value , by suffering you no longer to be cheap and contemptible . it 's aim is to fix that beauty , to make it lasting and permanent , which nature with all the helps of art , cannot secure : and to place it out of the reach of sickness and old age , by transferring it from a corruptible body to an immortal mind . an obliging design , which wou'd procure them inward beauty , to whom nature has unkindly denied the outward ; and not permit those ladies who have comely bodies , to tarnish their glory with deformed souls . wou'd have you all be wits , or what is better wise . raise you above the vulgar by something more truely illustrious , than a founding title , or a great estate . wou'd excite in you a generous emulation to excel in the best things , and not in such trifles as every mean person who has but mony enough , may purchase as well as you . not suffer you to take up with the low thought of distinguishing your selves by any thing that is not truly valuable ; and procure you such ornaments as all the treasures of the indies are not able to purchase . wou'd help you to surpass the men as much in vertue and ingenuity , as you do in beauty ; that you may not only be as lovely , but as wise as angels . exalt and establish your fame , more than the b●st wrought poems , and loudest panegyricks , by ennobling your minds with such graces as really deserve it . and instead of the fustian complements and fulsome flatteries of your admirers , obtain for you the plaudit of good men and angels , and the approbation of him who cannot err . in a word , render you the glory and blessing of the present age , and the admiration and pattern of the next . and sure , i shall not need many words to persuade you to close with this proposal . the very offer is a sufficient inducement ; nor does it need the set-off's of rhetorick to recommend it , were i capable , which yet i am not , of applying them with the greatest force . since you cannot be so unkind to your selves , as to refuse your real interest ; i only entreat you to be so wise as to examine wherein it consists ; for nothing is of worser consequence than to be deceiv'd in a matter of so great concern . 't is as little beneath your grandeur as your prudence , to examine curiously what is in this case offer'd you ; and to take care that cheating hucksters don't impose upon you with deceitful ware. this is a matter infinitely more worthy your debates , than what colours are most agreeable , or what 's the dress becomes you best ? your glass will not do you half so much service as a serious reflection on your own minds ; which will discover irregularities more worthy your correction , and keep you from being either too much elated or depress'd by the representations of the other . 't will not be near so advantagious to consult with your dancing-master as with your own thoughts , how you may with greatest exactness tread in the paths of vertue , which has certainly the most attractive air , and wisdom the most graceful and becoming meen : let these attend you , and your carriage will be always well compos'd , and ev'ry thing you do will carry its charm with it . no solicitude in the adornation of your selves is discommended , provided you employ your care about that which is really your self ; and do not neglect that particle of divinity within you , which must survive , and may ( if you please ) be happy and perfect when it 's unsuitable and much inferiour companion is mouldring into dust . neither will any pleasure be denied you , who are only desir'd not to catch at the shadow and let the substance go . you may be as ambitious as you please , so you aspire to the best things ; and contend with your neighbours as much as you can , that they may not out-do you in any commendable quality . let it never be said , that they to whom preeminence is so very agreeable , can be tamely content that others shou'd surpass them in this , and precede them in a better world ! remember , i pray you , the famous women of former ages , the orinda's of late , and the more modern d'acier and others , and blush to think how much is now , and will hereafter be said of them , when you your selves ( as great a figure as you make ) must be buried in silence and forgetfulness ! shall your emulation fail there only , where it is commendable ? why are you so preposterously humble , as not to contend for one of the highest mansions in the court of heav'n ? believe me ladies , this is the only place worth contending for ; you are neither better nor worse in your selves for going before , or coming after now ; but you are really so much the better , by how much the higher your station is in an orb of glory . how can you be content to be in the world like tulips in a garden , to make a fine shew and be good for nothing ; have all your glories set in the grave , or perhaps much sooner ? what your own sentiments are , i know not , but i cannot without pity and resentment reflect , that those glorious temples on which your kind creator has bestow'd such exquisite workmanship , shou'd enshrine no better than egyptian deities ; be like a garnish'd sepulchre , which for all it's glittering , has nothing within but emptiness or putrifaction ! what a pity it is , that whilst your beauty casts a lustre round about , your souls which are infinitely more bright and radiant ( of which if you had but a clear idea , as lovely as it is , and as much as you now value it , you wou'd then despise and neglect the mean case that encloses it ) shou'd be suffer'd to over-run with weeds , lye fallow and neglected , unadorn'd with any grace ! altho the beauty of the mind is necessary to secure those conquests which your eyes have gain'd ; and time that mortal enemy to handsome faces , has no influence on a lovely soul , but to better and improve it . for shame , let us abandon that old , and therefore one wou'd think , unfashionable employment of pursuing butterflies and trifles ! no longer drudge on in the dull beaten road of vanity and folly , which so many have gone , before us ; but dare to break the enchanted circle that custom has plac'd us in , and scorn the vulgar way of imitating all the impertinencies of our neighbours . let us learn to pride our selves in something more excellent than the invention of a fashion : and not entertain such a degrading thought of our own worth , as to imagin that our souls were given us only for the service of our bodies , and that the best improvement we can make of these , is to attract the eyes of men . we value them too much , and our selves too little , if we place any part of our worth in their opinion ; and do not think our selves capable of nobler things than the pitiful conquest of some worthless heart . she who has opportunities of making an interest in heav'n , of obtaining the love and admiration of god and angels , is too prodigal of her time , and injurious to her charms , to throw them away on vain insignificant men . she need not make her self so cheap , as to descend to court their applauses ; for at the greater distance she keeps , and the more she is above them , the more effectually she secures their esteem and wonder . be so generous then ladies , as to do nothing unworthy of you ; so true to your interest as not to lessen your empire , and depreciate your charms . let not your thoughts be wholly busied in observing what respect is paid you , but a part of them at least , in studying to deserve it . and after all , remember , that goodness is the truest greatness , to be wise for your selves , the greatest wit , and that beauty the most desirable , which will endure to eternity . pardon me the seeming rudeness of this proposal , which goes upon a supposition that there is something amiss in you , which it is intended to amend . my design is not to expose , but to rectify your failures . to be exempt from mistake , is a priviledge few can pretend to , the greatest is to be past conviction , and too obstinate to reform . even the men , as exact as they wou'd seem , and as much as they divert themselves with our miscarriages , are very often guilty of greater faults ; and such as considering the advantages they enjoy , are much more inexcusable . but i will not pretend to correct their errors , who either are or at least think themselves too wise to receive instruction from a womans pen. my earnest desire is , that you ladies , would be as perfect and happy as 't is possible to be in this imperfect state ; for i love you too well to endure a spot upon your beauties , if i can by any means remove and wipe it off . i would have you live up to the dignity of your nature , and express your thankfulness to god for the benefits you enjoy by a due improvement of them : as i know very many of you do , who countenance that piety which the men decry , and are the brightest patterns of religion that the age affords ; 't is my grief that all the rest of our sex do not imitate such illustrious patterns , and therefore i would have them encreas'd and render'd more conspicuous , that vice being put out of countenance , ( because vertue is the only thing in fashion ) may sneak out of the world , and it's darkness be dispell'd by the confluence of so many shining graces . some perhaps will cry out that i teach you false doctrine ; for because by their seductions , some amongst us are become very mean and contemptible , they would fain persuade the rest to be as despicable and forlorn as they . we are indeed oblig'd to them for their management , in endeavouring ●o make us so ; who use all 〈◊〉 artifice they can to spoil , ●nd deny us the means of improvement . so that instead of inquiring why all women are not wise and good , we have reason to wonder that there are any so . were the men as much neglected , and as little care taken to cultivate and improve them , perhaps they wou'd be so far from surpassing those whom they now despise , that they themselves wou'd sink into the greatest stupidity and brutality . the preposterous returns that the most of them make , to all the care and pains that is bestow'd on them , renders this no uncharitable , nor improbable conjecture . one wou'd therefore almost think , that the wise disposer of all things , foreseeing how unjustly women are denied opportunities of improvement from without , has therefore by way of compensation endow'd them with greater propensions to vertue , and a natural goodness of temper within , which if duly manag'd , would raise them to the most eminent pitch of heroick vertue . hither ladies , i desire you wou'd aspire , 't is a noble and becoming ambition ; and to remove such obstacles as lye in your way , is the design of this paper . we will therefore enquire what it is that stops your flight , that keeps you groveling here below , like domitian catching flies , when you should be busied in obtaining empires ? whatever has been said by men of more wit than wisdom , and perhaps of more malice than either , that women are naturally incapable of acting prudently , or that they are necessarily determined to folly , i must by no means grant it ; that hypothesis would render my endeavours impertinent , for then it would be in vain to advise the one , or endeavour the reformation of the other . besides , there are examples in all ages , which sufficiently confute the ignorance and malice of this assertion . the incapacity , if there be any , is acquired not natural ; and none of their follies are so necessary , but that they might avoid them if they pleased themselves . some disadvantages indeed they labour under , & what these are we shall see by and by , and endeavour to surmount ; but women need not take up with mean things , since ( if they are not wanting to themselves ) they are capable of the best . neither god nor nature have excluded them from being ornaments to their families , and useful in their generation ; there is therefore no reason they should be content to be cyphers in the world , useless at the best , and in a little time a burden and nuisance to all about them . and 't is very great pity that they who are so apt to over-rate themselves in smaller matters , shou'd , where it most concerns them to know , and stand upon their value , be so insensible of their own worth . the cause therefore of the defects we labour under , is , if not wholly , yet at least in the first place , to be ascribed to the mistakes of our education ; which like an error in the first concoction , spreads its ill influence thro' all our lives . the soil is rich and would , if well cultivated , produce a noble harvest , if then the unskilful managers not only permit , but incourage noxious weeds , tho' we shall suffer by their neglect , yet they ought not in justice to blame any but themselves , if they reap the fruit of their own folly. women are from their very infancy debar'd those advantages , with the want of which , they are afterwards reproached , and nursed up in those vices which will hereafter be upbraided to them . so partial are men as to expect brick where they afford no straw ; and so abundantly civil as to take care we shou'd make good that obliging epithet of ignorant , which out of an excess of good manners , they are pleas'd to bestow on us ! one wou'd be apt to think indeed , that parents shou'd take all possible care of their childrens education , not only for their sakes , but even for their own . and tho the son convey the name to posterity , yet certainly a great part of the honour of their families depends on their daughters . 't is the kindness of education that binds our duty fastest on us : for the being instrumental to the bringing us into the world , is no matter of choice , and therefore the less obliging : but to procure that we may live wisely and happily in it , and be capable of endless joys hereafter , is a benefit we can never sufficiently acknowledge . to introduce poor children into the world , and neglect to fence them against the temptations of it , and so leave them expos'd to temporal and eternal miseries , is a wickedness , for which i want a name ; 't is beneath brutality , the beasts are better natur'd , for they take care of their off-spring , till they are capable of caring for themselves . and , if mothers had a due regard to their posterity , how great soever they are , they wou'd not think themselves too good to perform what nature requires , nor thro' pride and delicacy remit the poor little one to the care of a foster parent . or , if necessity inforce them to depute another to perform their duty , they wou'd be as choice at least in the manners and inclinations , as they are in the complections of their nurses , least with their milk they transfuse their vices , and form in the child such evil habits as will not easily be eradicated . nature as bad as it is , and as much as it is complain'd of , is so far improveable by the grace of god , upon our honest and hearty endeavours , that if we are not wanting to our selves , we may all in some , tho not in an equal measure , be instruments of his glory , blessings to this world , and capable of eternal blessedness in that to come . but if our nature is spoil'd , instead of being improv'd at first ; if from our infancy , we are nurs'd up in ignorance and vanity ; are taught to be proud and petulent , delicate and fantastick , humorous and inconstant , 't is not strange that the ill effects of this conduct appears in all the future actions of our lives . and seeing it is ignorance , either habitual or actual , which is the cause of all sin , how are they like to escape this , who are bred up in that ? that therefore women are unprofitable to most , and a plague and dishonour to some men is not much to be regretted on account of the men , because 't is the product of their own folly , in denying them the benefits of an ingenuous and liberal educaion , the most effectual means to direct them into , and to secure their progress in the ways of vertue . for that ignorance is the cause of most feminine vices may be instanc'd in that pride and vanity which is usually imputed to us , and which , i suppose , if throughly sifted , will appear to be some way or other , the rise and original of all the rest . these , tho very bad weeds , are the product of a good soil ; they are nothing else but generosity degenerated and corrupted . a desire to advance and perfect its being , is planted by god in all rational natures , to excite them hereby to every worthy and becoming action ; for certainly , next to the grace of god , nothing does so powerfully restrain people from evil , and stir them up to good , as a generous temper . and therefore to be ambitious of perfections is no fault ; tho to assume the glory of our excellencies to our selves , or to glory in such as we really have not , are . and were womens haughtiness express'd in disdaining to do a mean and evil thing ; wou'd they pride themselves in somewhat truly perfective of a rational nature , there were no hurt in it . but then they ought not to be denied the means of examining and judging what is so ; they should not be impos'd on with tinsel ware . if by reason of a false light , or undue medium , they chuse amiss ; theirs is the loss , but the crime is the deceivers . she who rightly understands wherein the perfection of her nature consists , will lay out her thoughts and industry in the acquisition of such perfections . but she who is kept ignorant of the matter , will take up with such objects as first offer themselves , and bear any plausible resemblance to what she desires ; a shew of advantage is sufficient to render them agreeable baits to her , who wants judgment and skill to discern between reality and pretence . from whence it easily follows , that she who has nothing else to value her self upon , will be proud of her beauty , or money , and what that can purchase ; and think her self mightily oblig'd to him , who tells her she has those perfections which she naturally longs for . her imbred self-esteem , and desire of good , which are degenerated into pride , and mistaken self-love , will easily open her ears to whatever goes about to nourish and delight them ; and when a cunning designing enemy from without , has drawn over to his party these traytors within , he has the poor unhappy person at his mercy , who now very glibly swallows down his poyson , because 't is presented in a golden cup ; and credulously hearkens to the most disadvantagious proposals , because they come attended with a seeming esteem . she whose vanity makes her swallow praises by the whole sale , without examining whether she deserves them , or from what hand they come , will reckon it but gratitude to think well of him who values her so much ; and think she must needs be merciful to the poor dispairing lover whom her charms have reduc'd to die at her feet . love and honour are what every one of us naturally esteem ; they are excellent things in themselves , and very worthy our regard ; and by how much the readier we are to embrace what ever resembles them , by so much the more dangerous , it is that these venerable names should be wretchedly abus'd , and affixt to their direct contraries , yet this is the custom of the world : and how can she possibly detect the fallacy , who has no better notion of either , but what she derives from plays and romances ? how can she be furnished with any solid principles whose very instructors are froth and emptiness ? whereas women were they rightly educated , had they obtain'd a well inform'd and discerning mind , they would be proof against all these batteries , see through and scorn those little silly artifices which are us'd to ensnare and deceive them . such an one would value her self only on her vertue , and consequently be most chary of what she esteems so much . she would know , that not what others say , but what she her self does , is the true commendation , and the only thing that exalts her ; the loudest encomiums being not half so satisfactory as the calm and secret plaudit of her own mind ; which moving on true principles of honour and vertue , wou'd not fail on a review of it self to anticipate that delightful eulogy she shall one day hear . whence is it but from ignorance , from a want of understanding to compare and judge of things , to chuse a right end , to proportion the means to the end , and to rate ev'ry thing according to its proper value ; that we quit the substance for the shadow , reality for appearance , and embrace those very things , which if we understood , we shou'd hate and fly , but now are reconcil'd to , merely because they usurp the name , tho they have nothing of the nature of those venerable objects we desire and seek ? were it not for this delusion , is it probable a lady who passionately desires to be admir'd , shou'd ever consent to such actions as render her base and contemptible ? wou'd she be so absurd as to think either to get love , or to keep it , by those methods which occasion loathing , and consequently end in hatred ? wou'd she reckon it a piece of her grandeur , or hope to gain esteem by such excesses as really lessen her in the eyes of all considerate and judicious persons ? wou'd she be so silly as to look big , and think her self the better person , because she has more mony to bestow profusely , or the good luck to have a more ingenious taylor or milliner than her neighbour ? wou'd she who by the regard she pays to wit , seems to make some pretences to it , undervalue her judgment so much as to admit the scurrility and profane noisy nonsense of men , whose fore-heads are better than their brains to pass under that character ? wou'd she be so weak as to imagine that a few airy fancies , joyn'd with a great deal of impudence ( the right definition of modern wit ) can be speak him a man of sense , who runs counter to all the sense and reason that ever appear'd in the world ? than which nothing can be an argument of greater shallowness , unless it be to regard and esteem him for it . wou'd a woman , if she truly understood her self , be affected either with the praises or calumnies of those worthless persons , whose lives are a direct contradiction to reason , a very sink of corruption ; by whom one wou'd blush to be commended , lest they shou'd be mistaken for partners or connivers at their crimes ? will she who has a jot of discernment think to satisfy her greedy desire of pleasure , with those promising nothings that have again & again deluded her ? or , will she to obtain such bubbles , run the risque of forfeiting joys , infinitely satisfying and eternal ? in sum , did not ignorance impose on us , we would never lavish out the greatest part of our time and care , on the decoration of a tenement , in which our lease is so very short , and which for all our industry , may lose it's beauty e're that lease be out , and in the mean while neglect a more glorious and durable mansion ! we wou'd never be so curious of the house , and so careless of the inhabitant , whose beauty is capable of great improvement , and will endure for ever without diminution or decay ! thus ignorance and a narrow education , lay the foundation of vice , and imitation and custom rear it up . custom , that merciless torrent that carries all before . and which indeed can be stem'd by none but such as have a great deal of prudence and a rooted vertue . for 't is but decorous that she who is not capable of giving better rules , shou'd follow those she sees before her , lest she only change the instance , and retain the absurdity . 't wou'd puzzle a considerate person to account for all that sin and folly that is in the world , ( whcih certainly has nothing in it self to recommend it , ) did not custom help to solve the difficulty . for vertue without question has on all accounts the preeminence of vice 't is abundantly more pleasant in the act , as well as more advantagious in the consequences , as any one who will but rightly use her reason , in a serious reflection on her self , and the nature of things , may easily perceive . 't is custom therefore , that tyrant custom , which is the grand motive to all those irrational choices which we daily see made in the world , so very contrary to our present interest and pleasure , as well as to our future . we think it an unpardonable mistake , not to do what others do round about us , and part with our peace and pleasure as well as our innocence & vertue , meerly in complyance with an unreasonable fashion . and having inur'd our selves to folly , we know not how to quit it ; we go on in vice , not because we find satisfaction in it , but because we are unacquainted with the joys of vertue . add to this the hurry and noise of the world , which does generally so busy and pre-ingage us , that we have little time , and less inclination to stand still and reflect on our own minds . those impertinent amusements which have seiz'd us , keep their hold so well , and so constantly buz about our ears , that we cannot attend to the dictates of our reason , nor to the soft whispers and winning persuasives of the divine spirit , by whose assistance were we dispos'd to make use of it , we might shake off these follies , and regain our freedom . but alas ! to complete our misfortunes , by a continual application to vanity and folly , we quite spoil the contexture and frame of our minds ; so loosen and dissipate , that nothing solid and substantial will stay in it . by an habitual inadvertency we render our selves incapable of any serious & improving thought , till our minds themselves become as light and frothy as those things they are conversant about . to all which , if we further add the great industry that bad people use to corrupt the good , and that unaccountable backwardness that appears in too many good persons , to stand up for , and propagate the piety they profess ; ( so strangely are things transposed , that vertue puts on the blushes , which belong to vice , and vice insults with the authority of vertue ! ) and we have a pretty fair account of the causes of our non-improvement . when a poor young lady is taught to value her self on nothing but her cloaths , and to think she 's very fine when well accoutred . when she hears say , that 't is wisdom enough for her to know how to dress her self , that she may become amiable in his eyes , to whom it appertains to be knowing and learned ; who can blame her if she lay out her industry and money on such accomplishments , and sometimes extends it farther than her misinformer desires she should ? when she sees the vain and the gay , making parade in the world , and attended with the courtship and admiration of all about them , no wonder that her tender eyes are dazled with the pageantry ; and wanting judgment to pass a due estimate on them and their admirers , longs to be such a fine and celebrated thing as they ! what tho' she be sometimes told of another world , she has however a more lively perception of this , and may well think , that if her instructors were in earnest , when they tell her of hereafter , they would not be so busied and concerned about what happens here . she is , it may be , taught the principles and duties of religion , but not acquainted with the reasons and grounds of them ; being told , 't is enough for her to believe , to examin why , and wherefore belongs not to her . and therefore , though her piety may be tall and spreading , yet because it wants foundation and root , the first rude temptation overthrows and blasts it ; or perhaps the short liv'd gourd decays and withers of its own accord . but why should she be blamed for setting no great value on her soul , whose noblest faculty , her understanding is render'd useless to her ? or censur'd for relinquishing a course of life , whose prerogatives she was never acquainted with , and tho highly reasonable in it self , was put upon the embracing it , with as little reason as she now forsakes it ? for if her religion it self , be taken up as the mode of the country , 't is no strange thing that she lays it down again , in conformity to the fashion . whereas she whose reason is suffer'd to display it self , to inquire into the grounds and motives of religion , to make a disquisition of its graces , and search out its hidden beauties ; who is a christian out of choice , not in conformity to those about her ; and cleaves to piety , because 't is her wisdom , her interest , her joy , not because she has been accustom'd to it ; she who is not only eminently and unmoveably good , but able to give a reason why she is so ; is too firm and stable to be mov'd by the pitiful allurements of sin , too wise and too well bottom'd to be undermin'd and supplanted by the strongest efforts of temptation . doubtless a truly christian life requires a clear understanding , as well as regular affections , that both together may move the will to a direct choice of good , and a stedfast adherence to it . for tho the heart may be honest , it is but by chance that the will is right , if the understanding be ignorant and cloudy . and what 's the reason that we sometimes unhappily see persons falling off from their piety , but because 't was their affections , not their judgment , that inclin'd them to be religious ? reason and truth are firm and immutable , she who bottoms on them is on sure ground : humour and inclination are sandy foundations ; and she who is sway'd by her affections more than by her judgment , owes the happiness of her soul in a great measure to the temper of her body ; her piety may perhaps blaze higher , but will not last so long . for the affections are various and changeable , mov'd by every object , and the last comer easily undoes whatever its predecessor had done before it . such persons are always in extreams ; they are either violently good , or quite cold and indifferent , a perpetual trouble to themselves & others , by indecent raptures , or unnecessary scruples ; there is no beauty and order in their lives , all is rapid and unaccountable ; they are now very furious in such a course , but they cannot well tell why , & anon as violent in the other extream . having more heat than light , their zeal out runs their knowledge and instead of representing piety as it is in it self , the most lovely and inviting thing imaginable , they expose it to the contempt and ridicule of the censorious world. their devotion being ricketed , starv'd and contracted in some of it's vital parts , and disproportioned and over grown in less material instances ; whilst one duty is over done , to commute for the neglect of another , and the mistaken person thinks the being often on her knees , attones for all the miscarriages of her conversation : not considering that 't is in vain to petition for those graces which we take no care to practice , and a mockery to adore those perfections we run counter to : and that the true end of all our prayers and external observances , is to work our minds into a truly christian temper , to obtain for us the empire of our passions , and to reduce all irregular inclinations , that so we may be as like god in purity , charity , and all his imitable excellencies , as is consistent with the imperfection of a creature . and now having discovered the disease and its cause , 't is proper to apply a remedy ; single medicines are too weak to cure such complicated distempers , they require a full dispensatory ; and what wou'd a good woman refuse to do , could she hope by that to advantage the greatest part of the world , and improve her sex in knowledge and true religion ? i doubt not ladies , but that the age , as bad as it is , affords very many of you who will readily embrace whatever has a true tendency to the glory of god , and your mutual edification , to revive the antient spirit of piety in the world , and to transmit it to succeeding generations . i know there are many of you who so ardently love god , as to think no time too much to spend in his service , nor any thing too difficult to do for his sake ; and bear such a hearty good-will to your neighbours , as to grudge no prayers or pains to reclaim and improve them . i have therefore no more to do , but to make the proposal , to prove that it will answer these great and good ends , and then 't will be easy to obviate the objections that persons of more wit than vertue may happen to raise against it . now as to the proposal , it is to erect a monastry , or if you will ( to avoid giving offence to the scrupulous and injudicious , by names which tho innocent in themselves , have been abus'd by superstitious practices . ) we will call it a religious retirement , and such as shall have a double aspect , being not only a retreat from the world for those who desire that advantage ; but likewise , an institution and previous discipline , to fit us to do the greatest good in it ; such an institution as this ( if i do not mightily deceive my self , ) would be the most probable method to amend the present , and improve the future age. for here , those who are convinc'd of the emptiness of earthly enjoyments , who are sick of the vanity of the world , and its impertinencies , may find more substantial and satisfyingentertainments , and need not be confin'd to what they justly loath . those who are desirous to know and fortify their weak side , first do good to themselves , that hereafter they may be capable of doing more good to others ; or for their greater security are willing to avoid temptation , may get out of that danger which a continual stay in view of the enemy , and the familiarity and unwearied application of the temptation may expose them to ; and gain an opportunity to look into themselves , to be acquainted at home , and no longer the greatest strangers to their own hearts . such as are willing in a more peculiar and undisturb'd manner , to attend the great business they came into the world about , the service of god , and improvement of their own minds , may find a convenient and blissful recess from the noise and hurry of the world . a world so cumbersom , so infectious , that altho' thro' the grace of god , and their own strict watchfulness , they are kept from sinking down into its corruptions , 't will however damp their flight to heav'n , hinder them from attaining any eminent pitch of vertue . you are therefore ladies , invited into a place , where you shall suffer no other confinement , but to be kept out of the road of sin : you shall not be depriv'd of your grandeur , but only exchange the vain pomps and pageantry of the world , empty titles and forms of state , for the true and solid greatness of being able to dispise them . you will only quit the chat of insignificant people , for an ingenious conversation ; the froth of flashy wit for real wisdom ; idle tales for instructive discourses . the deceitful flatteries of those who under pretence of loving and admiring you , really served their own base ends , for the seasonable reproofs and wholsom counsels of your hearty well-wishers and affectionate friends ; which will procure you those perfections your feigned lovers pretended you had , and kept you from obtaining . no uneasy task will be enjoyn'd you , all your labour being only to prepare for the highest degrees of that glory , the very lowest of which , is more than at present you are able to conceive , and the prospect of it sufficient to out-weigh all the pains of religion , were there any in it , as really there is none . all that is requir'd of you , is only to be as happy as possibly you can , and to make sure of a felicity that will fill all the capacities of your souls ! a happiness , which when once you have tasted , you 'l be fully convinc'd , you cou'd never do too much to obtain it ; nor be too solicitous to adorn your souls , with such tempers and dispositions , as will at present make you in some measure such holy and heavenly creatures , as you one day hope to be in a more perfect manner ; without which qualifications you can neither reasonably expect , nor are capable of enjoying the happiness of the life to come . happy retreat ! which will be the introducing you into such a paradise as your mother eve forfeited , where you shall feast on pleasures , that do not , like those of the world , disappoint your expectations , pall your appetites , and by the disgust they give you , put you on the fruitless search after new delights , which when obtain'd are as empty as the former ; but such as will make you truly happy now , and prepare you to be perfectly so hereafter . here are no serpents to deceive you , whilst you entertain your selves in these delicious gardens . no provocations are given in this amicable society , but to love and to good works , which will afford such an entertaining employment , that you 'l have as little inclination as leisure to pursue those follies which in the time of your ignorance pass'd with you under the name of love ; altho ' there is not in nature two more different things , than true love , and that brutish passion which pretends to ape it . here will be no rivalling but for the love of god , no ambition but to procure his favour , to which nothing will more effectually recommend you , than a great and dear affection to each other . envy , that canker , will not here disturb your breasts ; for how can she repine at anothers wel-fare , who reckons it the greatest part of her own ? no covetousness will gain admittance in this blest abode , but to amass huge treasures of good works , and to procure one of the brightest crowns of glory . you will not be solicitous to encrease your fortunes , but enlarge your minds ; esteeming no grandeur like being conformable to the meek and humble jesus . so that you only withdraw from the noise and trouble , the folly and temptation of the world , that you may more peaceably enjoy your selves , and all the innocent pleasures it is able to afford you , and particularly that which is worth all the rest , a noble , vertuous and disinteress'd friendship . and to compleat all that acme of delight which the devout seraphic soul enjoys , when dead to the world , she devotes her self entirely to the contemplation and fruition of her beloved ; when having disengag'd her felf from all those lets which hindred her from without , she moves in a direct and vigorous motion towards her true and only good , whom now she embraces and acquiesces in , with such an unspeakable pleasure , as is only intelligible to them who have tried and felt it , which we can no more describe to the dark and sensual part of mankind , than we can the beauty of colours , and harmony of sounds , to the blind and deaf . in fine , the place to which you are invited will be a type and antipast of heav'n , where your employment will be as there , to magnify god , and to love one another , and to communicate that useful knowledge , which by the due improvement of your time in study and contemplation you will obtain ; and which when obtain'd , will afford you a much sweeter and durable delight , than all those pitiful diversions , those revellings and amusements , which now thro your ignorance of better , appear the only grateful and relishing entertainments . but because we were not made for our selves , nor can by any means so effectually glorify god , and do good to our own souls , as by doing offices of charity and beneficence to others ; and to the intent , that every vertue , and the highest degrees of every vertue , may be exercis'd & promoted the most that may be ; your retreat shall be so manag'd as not to exclude the good works of an active , from the pleasure and serenity of a contemplative life , but by a due mixture of both , retain all the advantages , and avoid the inconveniencies that attend either . it shall not so cut you off from the world , as to hinder you from bettering and improving it ; but rather qualify you to do it the greatest good , and be a seminary to stock the kingdom with pious and prudent ladies ; whose good example it is to be hop'd , will so influence the rest of their sex , that women may no longer pass for those little useless and impertinent animals , which the ill conduct of too many , has caus'd them to be mistaken for . we have hitherto consider'd our retirement only in relation to religion , which is indeed its main , i may say , its only design ; nor can this be thought too contracting a word , since religion is the adequate business of our lives ; and largely consider'd , takes in all we have to do ; nothing being a fit employment for a rational creature , which has not either a direct or remote tendency to this great and only end . but because , as we have all along observ'd , religion never appears in it's true beauty , but when it is accompanied with wisdom and discretion ; and that without a good understanding , we can scarce be truly , but never eminently good ; being liable to a thousand seductions and mistakes ; for even the men themselves , if they have not a competent degree of knowledge , they are carried about with every wind of doctrine . therefore , one great end of this institution , shall be to expel that cloud of ignorance , which custom has involv'd us in , to furnish our minds with a stock of solid and useful knowledge , that the souls of women may no longer be the only unadorn'd and neglected things . it is not intended that our religious shou'd waste their time , and trouble their heads about such unconcerning matters , as the vogue of the world has turn'd up for learning ; the impertinency of which has been excellently expos'd by an ingenious pen , but busy themselves in a serious enquiry after necessary and perfective truths ; something which it concerns them to know , and which tends to their real interest and perfection , and what that is , the excellent author just now mention'd , will sufficiently inform them , such a course of study will neither be too troublesome nor out of the reach of a female virtuoso ; for it is not intended she shou'd spend her hours in learning words but things , and therefore no more languages than are necessary to acquaint her with useful authors nor need she trouble her self in turning over a huge number of books , but take care to understand and digest a few well-chosen and good ones . let her but obtain right ideas , and be truly acquainted with the nature of those objects that present themselves to her mind , and then no matter whether or no she be able to tell what fanciful people have said about them : and throughly to understand christianity as profess'd by the church of england , will be sufficient to confirm her in the truth , tho she have not a catalogue of those particular errors which oppose it . indeed a learned education of the women will appear so unfashionable , that i began to startle at the singularity of the proposition , but was extreamly pleas'd when i found a late ingenious author ( whose book i met with since the writing of this ) agree with me in my opinion . for speaking of the repute that learning was in about years ago : it was so very modish ( says he ) that the fair sex seem'd to believe that greek and latin added to their charms ; and plato and aristotle untranslated , were frequent ornaments of their closets . one wou'd think by the effects , that it was a proper way of educating them , since there are no accounts in history of so many great women in any one age , as are to be found between the years and . for , since god has given women as well as men intelligent souls , why should they be forbidden to improve them ? since he has not denied us the faculty of thinking , why shou'd we not ( at least in gratitude to him ) employ our thoughts on himself , their noblest object , and not unworthily bestow them on trifles and gaities and secular affairs ? being the soul was created for the contemplation of truth , as well as for the fruition of good , is it not as cruel and unjust to preclude women from the knowledge of the one , as well as from the enjoyment of the other ? especially since the will is blind , and cannot chuse but by the direction of the understanding ; or to speak more properly , since the soul always wills according as she vnderstands , so that , if she vnderstands amiss she wills amiss : and as exercise enlarges and exalts any faculty , so thro' want of using , it becomes crampt and lessened ; if we make little or no use of our understandings we shall shortly have none to use ; and the more contracted , and unemploy'd the deliberating and directive power is , the more liable is the elective to unworthy and mischievous options . what is it but the want of an ingenious education that renders the generality of feminine conversations so insipid and foolish , and their solitude so insupportable ? learning is therefore necessary to render them more agreeable and useful in company , and to furnish them with becoming entertainments when alone , that so they may not be driven to those miserable shifts , which too many make use of to put off their time , that precious talent that never lies on the hands of a judicious person . and since our happiness in the next world depends so far on those dispositions which we carry along with us out of this , that without a right habitude and temper of mind , we are not capable of felicity ; and seeing our beatitude consists in the contemplation of the divine truth and beauty , as well as in the fruition of his goodness , can ignorance be a fit preparative for heaven ? is 't likely that she whose understanding has been busied about nothing but froth and trifles , shou'd be capable of delighting her self in noble and sublime truths ? let such therefore as deny us the improvement of our intellectuals , either take up his paradox , who said , that women have no souls ; which at this time a day , when they are allow'd to brutes , wou'd be as unphilosophical as it is unmannerly ; or else let them permit us to cultivate and improve them . there is a sort of learning indeed which is worse than the greatest ignorance : a woman may study plays and romances all her days , & be a great deal more knowing , but never a jot the wiser . such a knowledge as this serves only to instruct and put her forward in the practice of the greatest follies ; yet how can they justly blame her , who forbid , or at least , won't afford opportunity of better ? a rational mind will be employ'd , it will never be satisfy'd in doing nothing ; and if you neglect to furnish it with good materials , 't is like to take up with such as come to hand . we pretend not that women shou'd teach in the church , or usurp authority where it is not allow'd them ; permit us only to understand our own duty , and not be forc'd to take it upon trust from others ; to be at least so far learned , as to be able to form in our minds a true idea of christianity , it being so very necessary to fence us against the danger of these last and perilous days , in which deceivers , a part of whose character is , to lead captive silly women , need not creep into houses , since they have authority to proclaim their errors on the house top . and let us also acquire a true practical knowledge , such as will convince us of the absolute necessity of holy living , as well as of right believing , and that no heresy is more dangerous , than that of an ungodly and wicked life . and since the french tongue is understood by most ladies , methinks they may much better improve it by the study of philosophy ( as i hear the french ladies do , ) des cartes , malebranch , and others , than by reading idle novels and romances . 't is strange we shou'd be so forward to imitate their fashions and fopperies , and have no regard to what is truly imitable in them ! and why shall it not be thought as genteel , to understand french philosophy , as to be accoutred in a french mode ? let therefore the famous madam d'acier , &c. and our own incomparable orinda , excite the emulation of the english ladies . the ladies , i 'm sure , have no reason to dislike this proposal , but i know not how the men will resent it , to have their enclosure broke down , and women invited to tast of that tree of knowledge they have so long unjustly monopoliz'd . but they must excuse me , if i be as partial to my own sex as they are to theirs , and think women as capable of learning as men are , and that it becomes them as well . for i cannot imagine wherein the hurt lyes , if instead of doing mischief to one another , by an uncharitable and vain conversation , women be enabled to inform and instruct those of their own sex at least ; the holy ghost having left it on record , that priscilla as well as her husband catechis'd the eloquent apollos , and the great apostle found no fault with her . it will therefore be very proper for our ladies to spend part of their time in this retirement , in adorning their minds with useful knowledge . to enter into the detail of the particulars concerning the government of the religious , their offices of devotion , employments , work , &c. is not now necessary . suffice it at present to signify , that they will be more than ordinarily careful to redeem their time , spending no more of it on the body than the necessities of nature require , but by a judicious choice of their employment , and a constant industry about it , so improve this invaluable treasure , that it may neither be buried in idleness , nor lavish'd out in unprofitable concerns . for a stated portion of it being daily paid to god in prayers and praises , the rest shall be employ'd in innocent , charitable , and useful business ; either in study ( in learning themselves , or instructing others ; for it is design'd that part of their employment be the education of those of their own sex ) or else in spiritual and corporal works of mercy , relieving the poor , healing the sick , mingling charity to the soul with that they express to the body , instructing the ignorant , counselling the doubtful , comforting the afflicted , and correcting those that err and do amiss . and as it will be the business of their lives , their meat and drink to know and do the will of their heavenly father , so will they pay a strict conformity to all the precepts of their holy mother the church , whose sacred injunctions are too much neglected , even by those who pretend the greatest zeal for her . for , besides the daily performance of the publick offices after the cathedral manner , in the most affecting and elevating way , the celebration of the holy eucharist every lords day and holyday , and a course of solid instructive preaching and catechizing ; our religious , considering that the holy jesus punctually observ'd the innocent usages of the jewish church ; and tho in many instances the reason of the command ceas'd as to him , yet he wou'd obey the letter to avoid giving offence , and to set us an admirable pattern of obedience ; therefore , tho' it may be thought such pious souls have little occasion for the severities of fasting and mortification ; yet , they will consider it as a special part of their duty , carefully to observe all the fasts of the church , viz. lent , ember , and rogation-days , fridays and vigils ; times so little heeded by the most , that one wou'd scarce believe them set apart for religious purposes , did we not find them in the antiquated rubricks . and 〈◊〉 their devotion will be regular , so shall it likewise be solid and substantial . they will not rest in the mere out-side of duty , nor fancy the performance of their fasts and offices will procure them license to indulge a darling vice. but having long since laid the ax to the root of sin , and destroy'd the whole body of it , they will look upon these holy times of recollection and extraordinary devotion ( without which fasting signifies little ) as excellent means to keep it down , and to pluck up every the least fibre that may happen to remain in them . but we intend not by this to impose any intolerable burden on tender constitutions , knowing that our lord has taught us , that mercy is to be prefer'd before sacrifice ; and that bodily exercise profiteth but a little , the chief business being to obtain a divine and god-like temper of mind . and as this institution will strictly enjoyn all pious and profitable employments , so does it not only permit but recommend harmless and ingenious diversions , musick particularly , and such as may refresh the body , without enervating the mind . they do a disservice to religion who make it an enemy to innocent nature , and injure the almighty when they represent him as imposing burdens that are not to be born . neither god nor wise men will like us the better , for an affected severity and waspish sourness . nature and grace will never disagree , provided we mistake not the one , nor indulge the petulency of the other ; there being no displacencies in religon , but what we our selves have unhappily made . for true piety is the most sweet and engaging thing imaginable , as it is most obliging to others , so most easie to our selves . 't is in truth the highest epicurism , exalting our pleasures by resining them ; keeping our appetites in that due regularty which not only grace , but 〈◊〉 nature and reason require , in the breach of which , tho' there may be a transport , there can be no true and substantial delight . as to lodging , habit and diet , they may be quickly resolv'd on by the ladies who shall subscribe ; who i doubt not will make choice of what is most plain and decent , what nature , not luxury requires . and since neither meat nor cloaths commend us unto god , they 'l content themselves with such things as are fit and convenient , without occasioning scruple to themselves , or giving any trouble or offence to others . she who considers to how much better account that money will turn , which is bestow'd on the poor , then that which is laid out in unnecessary expences on her self , needs no admonitions against superfluities : she who truly loves her self , will never waste that money on a decaying carkass , which if prudently disburs'd , wou'd procure her an eternal mansion . she will never think her self so fine , as when the backs of the poor do bless her ; and never feast so luxuriously as when she treats an hungry person . no perfume will be thought so grateful as the odour of good works ; nor any wash so beautifying as her own tears . for her heroic soul is too great to ambition any empire but that of her own breast ; or to regard any other conquest than the rescuing poor unhappy-souls from the slavery of sin and satan , those only unsupportable tyrants ; and therefore what decays she observes in her face will be very unconcerning , but she will with greatest speed and accuracy rectify the least spot that may prejudice the beauty of her lovely soul. in a word , this happy society will be but one body , whose soul is love , animating and informing it , and perpetually breathing forth it self in flames of holy desires after god , and acts of benevolence to each other . envy and uncharitableness are the vices only of little and narrow hearts , and therefore 't is suppos'd , they will not enter here amongst persons whose dispositions as well as their births are to be generous . censure will refine into friendly admonition , all scoffing and offensive railleries will be abominated and banish'd hence ; where not only the words and actions , but even the very thoughts and desires of the religious , tend to promote the most endearing love , and universal good - will ; for tho' there may be particular friendships , they must by no means prejudice the general amity . thus these innocent and holy souls shou'd run their race , measuring their hours by their devotions , and their days by the charitable works they do . thus wou'd they live the life of heaven whilst on earth , and receive an earnest of its joys in their hearts . and now , what remains for them to do at night , but to review the actions of the day ? to examine what passions have been stirring ? how their devotions were perform'd ? in what temper their hearts are ? what good they have done ? and what progress made towards heaven ? and with the plaudit of a satisfied conscience sweetly to sleep in peace and safety , angels pitching their tents round about them , and he that neither slumbers nor sleeps , rejoycing over them to do them good ! and to the end , that these great designs may be the better pursu'd , and effectually obtain'd , care shall be taken that our religious be under the tuition of persons of irreproachable lives , of a consummate prudence , sincere piety , and unaffected gravity . no novices in religion , but such as have spent the greatest part of their lives in the study and practice of christianity ; who have lived much , whatever the time of their abode in the world has been . whose understandings are clear and comprehensive , as well as their passions at command , and affections regular ; and their knowledge able to govern their zeal . whose scrutiny into their own hearts has been so exact , that they fully understand the weaknesses of human nature , are able to bear with its defects , and by the most prudent methods procure its amendment . plentifully furnish'd with instructions for the ignorant , and comfort for the disconsolate . who know how to quicken the slothful , to awaken the secure , and to dispel the doubts of the scrupulous . who are not ignorant when to use the spur , and when the rein , but duly qualified to minister to all the spiritual wants of their charge . watching over their souls with tenderness and prudence ; applying fitting medicines with sweetness & affability . sagacious in discovering the very approaches of a fault , wise in preventing , and charitable in bearing with all pityable infirmities . the sweetness of whose nature is commensurate to all the rest of their good qualities , and all conspire together to make them lov'd and reverenc'd . who have the perfect government of themselves , and therefore rule according to reason , not humour , consulting the good of the society , not their own arbitrary sway . yet know how to assert their authority when there is just occasion for it , and will not prejudice their charge , by an indiscreet remissness and loosning the reins of discipline . yet what occasion will there be for rigour , when the design is to represent vertue in all her charms and native loveliness , which must needs attract the eyes , and enamour the hearts of all who behold her ? to joyn the sweetness of humanity to the strictness of philosophy , that both together being improv'd and heighten'd by grace , may make up an accomplish'd christian ; who ( if truly so ) is certainly the best-bred and best-natur'd person in the world , adorn'd with a thousand charms , most happy in her self , and most agreeable and beneficial to all about her . and that every one who comes under this holy roof , may be such an amiable , such a charming creature , what faults they bring with them shall be corrected by sweetness , not severity ; by friendly admonitions , not magisterial reproofs ; piety shall not be roughly impos'd , but wisely insinuated by a perpetual display of the beauties of religion in an exemplary conversation , the continual and most powerful sermon of an holy life . and since inclination can't be forc'd , ( and nothing makes people more uneasy than the fettering themselves with unnecessary bonds ) there shall be no vows or irrevocable obligations , not so much as the fear of reproach to keep our ladies here any longer than they desire . no : ev'ry act of our religious votary shall be voluntary and free , and no other tye but the pleasure , the glory and advantage of this blessed retirement , to confine her to it . and now , i suppose , you will save me the labour of proving , that this institution will very much serve the ends of piety and charity ; it is methinks self-evident , and the very proposal sufficient proof . but if it will not promote these great ends , i shall think my self mightily oblig'd to him that will shew me what will ; for provided the good of my neighbour be advanc'd , 't is very indifferent to me , whether it be by my method or by anothers . here will be no impertinent visits , no foolish amours , no idle amusements to distract our thoughts , and waste our precious time ; a very little of which is spent in dressing , that grand devourer , and its concomitants ; and no more than necessity requires in sleep and eating ; so that here 's an huge treasure gain'd , which for ought i know , may purchase an happy eternity . but we need not rest in generals , a cursory view of some particulars will sufficiently demonstrate the great usefulness of such a retirement ; which will appear by observing first , a few of those inconveniences to which ladies are expos'd , by living in the world , and in the next place the positive advantages of a retreat . and first , as to the inconveniences of living in the world ; no very small one is that strong idea and warm perception it gives us of its vanities ; since these are ever at hand , constantly thronging about us , they must necessarily push aside all other objects , and the mind being prepossess'd and gratefully entertain'd with those pleasing perceptions which external objects occasion , takes up with them as its only good , is not at leisure to taste those delights which arise from a reflection on it self , nor to receive the ideas which such a reflection conveys , and consequently forms all its notions by such ideas only as sensation has furnish'd it with , being unacquainted with those more excellent ones which arisefrom its own operations and a serious reflection on them , and which are necessary to correct the mistakes , and supply the defects of the other . from whence arises a very partial knowledge of things , nay , almost a perfect ignorance in things of the greatest moment . for tho we are acquainted with the sound of some certain words , v. g. god , religion , pleasure and pain , honour and dishonour , and the like ; yet having no other ideas but what are convey'd to us by those trifles we converse with , we frame to our selves strange & awkard notions of them , conformable only to those ideas sensation has furnish'd us with , which sometimes grow so strong and fixt , that 't is scarce possible to introduce a new scheme of thoughts , and so to disabuse us , especially whilst these objects are thick about us . thus she who sees her self and others respected in proportion to that pomp and bustle they make in the world , will form her idea of honour accordingly . she who has relish'd no pleasures but such as arise at the presence of outward objects , will seek no higher than her senses for her gratification . and thus we may account for that strange insensibility that appears in some people when you speak to them of any serious religious matter . they are then so dull you 'l have much ado to make them understand the clearest truth : wheras if you rally the same persons , or chat with them of some mode or foppery , they 'll appear very quick , expert , and ingenious . i have sometimes smil'd to hear women talk as gravely and concernedly about some trifling disappointment from their milliner or taylor , as if it had related to the weightiest concerns of their soul , nay , perhaps more seriously than others who wou'd pass for good , do about their eternal interest ; but turn the talk that way , and they grow as heavy and cold as they were warm and sensible before . and whence is this , but because their heads are full of the one , and quite destitute of such ideas as might give them a competent notion of the other ; and therefore to discourse of such matters , is as little to the purpose as to make mathematical demonstrations to one who knows not what an angle or triangle means . ( hence by the way , will appear the great usefulness of judicious catechizing , which is necessary to stir up clear idea's in the mind , without which it can receive but little benefit from the discourses of the pulpit , and perhaps the neglect of the former is the reason that the great plenty of the latter has no better effect . ) by all which it appears , that if we wou'd not be impos'd on by false reprefentations and impostures , if we wou'd obtain a due knowledge of the most important things , we must remove the little toys and vanities of the world from us , or our selves from them ; enlarge our ideas , seek out new fields of knowledge , whereby to rectify our first mistakes . from the same original , viz. the constant flattery of external objects , arises that querulousness and delicacy observable in most persons of fortune , and which betrays them to many inconveniencies . for besides that , it renders them altogether unfit to bear a change , which considering the great uncertainty , the swift vicissitudes of worldly things , the greatest and most established , ought not to be unprepar'd for ; besides this , it makes them perpetually uneasy , abates the delight of their enjoyments , for such persons will very rarely find all things to their mind , and then some little disorder which others wou'd take no notice of , like an aching tooth or toe , spoils the relish of their joys . and tho many great ladies affect this temper , mistaking it for a piece of grandeur , 't is so far from that , that it gives evidence of a poor weak mind ; a very childish humour , that must be cocker'd and fed with toys and baubles to still its frowardness ; & is like the crazy stomach of a sick person , which no body has reason to be fond of or desire . this also disposes them to inconstancy , ( for she who is continually supply'd with variety , knows not where to fix , ) a vice which some women seem to be proud of , and yet nothing in the world so reproachsul and degrading , because nothing is a stronger evidence of a weak and injudicious mind . for it supposes us either so ignorant as to make a wrong choice at first , or else so silly as not to know and stick to it , when we have made a right one . it bespeaks an unthinking inconsiderate mind , one that lives at random , without any design or end ; who wanting judgment to discern where to fix , or to know when she 's well , is ever fluctuating and uncertain , undoing to day what she had done yesterday , which is the worst character that can be given of ones understanding . a constant scene of temptations , and the infection of ill company , is another great danger , which conversing in the world exposes to . 't is a dangerous thing to have all the opportunities of sinning in our power , and the danger is increas'd by the ill precedents we daily see of those who take them . liberty ( as some body says ) will corrupt an angel. and tho it is indeed more glorious to conquer than to fly , yet since our vertue is so visibly weakned in other instances , we have no reason to presume on 't in this . 't is become no easy matter to secure our innocence in our necessary civilities and daily conversations ; in which , if we have the good luck to avoid such as bring a necessity on us , either of seeming rude to them , or of being really so to god almighty , whilst we tamely hear him , our best friend and benefactor affronted , and swallow'd it , at the same time , that we wou'd reckon 't a very pitiful spirit to hear an acquaintance traduc'd and hold our tongue ; yet , if we avoid this trial , our charity is however in continual danger , censoriousness being grown so modish , that we can scarce avoid being active or passive in it ; so that she who has not her pert jest ready to pass upon others , shall as soon as her back is turn'd , become a jest her self for want of wit. in consequence of all this , we are insensibly betray'd to a great loss of time , a treasure whose value we are too often quite ignorant of , till it be lost past redemption . and yet , considering the shortness and uncertainty of life , the great work we have to do , and what advantages accrew to us by a due management of our time , we cannot reconcile it with prudence to suffer the least minute to escape us . but besides our own lavish expences ( concerning which one may ask as solomon does of labour , what fruit have we of all that sport and pastime we have taken under the sun ? ) so unreasonable is the humour of the world , that those who wou'd reckon it a rudeness to make so bold with our mony , never scruple to waste , and rob us of this infinitely more precious treasure . in the last place , by reason of this loss of time and the continual hurry we are in , we can find no opportunities for thoughtfulness and recollection ; we are so busied with what passes abroad , that we have no leisure to look at home , nor to rectify the disorders there . and such an unthinking mechanical way of living , when like machins we are condemn'd every day to repent the impertinencies of the day before ; shortens our views , contracts our minds , exposes to a thousand practical errors , and renders improvement impossible , because it will not permit us to consider and recollect , which is the only means to attain it . so much for the inconveniences of living in the world ; if we enquire about retirement , we shall find it does not only remove all these , but brings considerable advantages of its own . for first , it helps us to mate custom , and delivers us from its tyranny , which is the most considerable thing we have to do , it being nothing else but the habituating our selves to folly that can reconcile us to it . but how hard is it to quit an old road ? what courage as well as prudence does it require ? how clear a judgment to overlook the prejudices of education and example , and to discern what is best , and how strong a resolution , notwithstanding all the scoffs and noises of the world to adhere to it ! for custom has usurpt such an unaccountable authority , that she who wou'd endeavour to put a stop to its arbitrary sway , and reduce it to reason , is in a fair way to render her self the butt for all the fops in town to shoot their impertinent censures at . and tho a wise woman will not value their censure , yet she cares not to be the subject of their discourse . the only way then is to retire from the world , as the israelites did out of egypt , lest the sacrifice we must make of its follies , shou'd provoke its spleen . this also puts us out of the road of temptation , and very much redeems our time , cutting off those extravagancies on which so much of it was squandred away before . and furnishing us constantly with good employment , secures us from being seduc'd into bad . great are the benefits of holy conversation which will be here enjoy'd : as vice is , so vertue may be catching ; and to what heights of piety will not she advance , who is plac'd where the sole business is to be good , where there is no pleasure but in religion , no contention but to excel in what is truly commendable ; where her soul is not defil'd nor her zeal provok'd , by the sight or relation of those villanies the world abounds with ? and by that learning which will be here afforded , and that leisure we have , to enquire after it , and to know and reflect on our own minds , we shall rescue our selves out of that woful incogitancy we have slipt into , awaken our sleeping powers , and make use of that reason which god has given us . we shall then begin to wonder at our folly , that amongst all the pleasures we formerly pursued , we never attended to that most noble and delicious one which the chase of truth affords us ; and bless our selves at last , that our eyes are open'd to discern how much more pleasantly we may be entertain'd by our own thoughts , than by all the diversions which the world affords us . by this means we are fitted to receive the influences of the holy spirit , and are put in a due frame of devotion . no doubt but he has often knock'd at the door of our hearts , when the croud and noise of our vanities would not suffer us to regard or hear him ; and could find no admittance when our house was so fill'd with other company . here therefore is the fittest place for his entertainment , when we are freed from outward disturbances , and entirely at leisure to attend so divine a guest . our devotions will be perform'd with due attention , those objects that used to distract being now remov'd from us ; simplicity of desire will beget simplicity of thought , and that will make our minds most intense and elevated , when we come to address our selves to the throne of grace . being dead to the things of this world , we shall with greater fervour petition for those of another ; and living always in a lively and awful sense of the divine majesty , our hearts will ever be dispos'd to approach him in the most solemn , serious and reverent manner . 't is a very unseemly thing to jump from our diversions to our prayers ; as if when we have been entertaining our selves and others with vanity , we were instantly prepar'd to appear in the sacred presence of god. but a religious retirement and holy conversation , will procure us a more serious temper , a graver spirit , and so both make us constantly sit to approach , and likewise stir us up to be more careful in our preparations when we do . for besides all other improvements of knowledge , we shall hereby obtain truer notions of god than we were capable of before , which is of very great consequence , since the want of right apprehensions concerning him , is the general cause of mistakes in religion , and errors in practice ; for as he is the noblest object of our understanding , so nothing is more necessary or of such consequence to us as to busy our thoughts about him . and did we rightly consider his nature , we shou'd neither dare to forget him , nor draw near to him with unclean hands , and unholy hearts . from this sacred mountain where the world will be plac'd at our feet , at such a distance from us , that the steams of its corruptions shall not obscure our eye-sight ; we shall have a right prospect of it , and clearly discern that all its allurements , all those gaities and pageantries which at present we admire so much , are no better than insignificant toys , which have no value but what our perverse opinion imposes on them . things which contribute so very little to our real good , that even at present , which is their only season , we may live much happier without than with them ; and which are so far from being necessary to true felicity , that they shall vanish and be no more when that is consummate and perfect . many are the topic's from whence we might declaim against the vanity of the world , but methinks experience is so convincing , that it supersedes all the rest , and wou'd certainly reclaim us from the immoderate love of earthly enjoyments , did we but seriously hearken to it . for tell me ladies , if your greatest pleasures are not attended with a greater sting ; when you think to grasp them , do they not either vanish into froth , or gall your fingers ? to want , or to enjoy them , is equally tormenting ; the one produces in you the pain of hunger , the other of loathing . for in reality , there is no good in them , nothing but the shadow and appearance ; if there were , you cou'd not so easily loath your old delights , and be so fond of variety , what is truly desirable never ending in disgust . they are not therefore pleasures but amusements which you now pursue , and which , through your ignorance of better joys , pretend to fill their place ; toll you on with fair pretences , and repay your labour with defeated hopes . joys , not near so lasting as the slightest toy you wear ; the most capricious humorist among you is more constant far than they . come hither therefore and take a true view of 'em , that you may no longer deceive your selves with that which profits not ; but spurning away these empty nothings , secure a portion in such a bliss as will not fail , as cannot disappoint you ! a felicity which depending on god only and your own minds , is out of fortunes reach , will place you above the batteries of the world , above its terrors and allurements , and enable you at once to triumph over , and despise it . and what can be more glorious , than to have a mind unshaken by the blandishments of prosperity , or the rough shocks of adversity ; that passes thro both with the same indifferency and integrity , is not to be tempted by either to a mean unworthy and indecent action ? farther yet , besides that holy emulation which a continual view of the brightest and most exemplary lives will excite in us ; we shall have opportunity of contracting the purest and noblest friendship ; a blessing , the purchase of which were richly worth all the world besides ! for she who possesses a worthy person , has certainly obtain'd the richest treasure ! a blessing that monarchs may envy , and she who enjoys is happier than she who fills a throne ! a blessing , which next to the love of god , is the choicest jewel in our caelestial diadem , which , were it duly practic'd , wou'd both fit us for heav'n , and bring it down into our hearts whilst we tarry here . for friendship is a vertue which comprehends all the rest ; none being fit for this , who is not adorn'd with every other vertue . probably one considerable cause of the degeneracy of the present age , is the little true friendship that is to be found in it ; or perhaps you will rather say , that this is the effect of our corruption . the cause and the effect are indeed reciprocal ; for were the world better , there wou'd be more friendship , and were there more friendship we shou'd have a better world . but because iniquity abounds , therefore the love of many is not only waxen cold , but quite benum'd and perish'd . but if we have such narrow hearts , be so full of mistaken self-love , so unreasonably fond of our selves , that we cannot spare a hearty good-will to one or two choice persons , how can it ever be thought , that we shou'd well acquit our selves of that charity which is due to all mankind ? for friendship is nothing else but charity contracted ; it is ( in the words of an admired author ) a kind of revenging our selves on the narrowness of our faculties , by exemplyfying that extraordinary charity on one or two , which we are willing , but not able to exercise towards all . and therefore 't is without doubt , the best instructor to teach us our duty to our neighbour , and a most excellent monitor to excite us to make payment as far as our power will reach . it has a special force to dilate our hearts , to deliver them from that vicious selfishness and the rest of those sordid passions , which express a narrow illiberal temper , and are of such pernitious consequence to mankind . that institution therefore , must needs be highly beneficial , which both disposes us to be friends our selves , and helps to find them . but by friendship i do not mean any thing like those intimacies that are about in the world , which are often combinations in evil , and at best but insignificant dearnesses ; as little resembling true friendship , as modern practice does primitive christianity . but i intend by it the greatest usefulness , the most refin'd and disinteress'd benevolence , a love that thinks nothing within the bounds of power and duty , too much to do or suffer for its beloved : and makes no distinction betwixt its friend and its self , except that in temporals it prefers her interest . but tho it be very desirable to obtain such a treasure , such a medicine of life , ( as the wise man speaks ) yet the danger is great , least being deceiv'd in our choice , we suck in poyson where we expected health . and considering how apt we are to disguise our selves , how hard it is to know our own hearts , much less anothers , it is not advisable to be too hasty in contracting so important a relation ; before that be done , it were well if we could look into the very soul of the beloved person , to discover what resemblance it bears to our own , and in this society we shall have the best opportunities of doing so . there are no interests here to serve , no contrivances for another to be a stale to ; the souls of all the religious will be open and free , and those particular friendships must be no prejudice to the general amity . but yet , as in heav'n , that region of perfect love , the happy souls ( as some are of opinion ) now and then step aside from more general conversations , to entertain themselves with a peculiar friend ; so , in this little emblem of this blessed place , what shoud hinder , but that two persons of a sympathizing disposition the make and frame of whose souls bears an exact conformity to each other , and therefore one wou'd think , were purposely design'd by heaven to unite and mix ; what shou'd hinder them from entring into an holy combination to watch over each other for good , to advise , encourage and direct , and to observe the minutest fault in order to its amendment . the truest effect of love being to endeavour the bettering the beloved person . and therefore nothing is more likely to improve us in vertue , and advance us to the very highest pitch of goodness , than unfeigned friendship , which is the most beneficial , as well as the most pleasant thing in the world . but to hasten ; such an institution will much confirm us in vertue , and help us to persevere to the end , and by that substantial piety and solid knowledge , we shall here acquire , fit us to propagate it when we return into the world. an habitual practice of piety for some years will so root and establish us in it , that religion will become a second nature , and we must do strange violences to our selves , if after that we dare venture to oppose it . for besides all the other advantages that vertue has over vice , this will disarm it of custom , the only thing that recommends it , bravely win its strongest fort , and turn its own cannon against it self . how almost impossible wou'd it be for her to sin , whose understanding being clearly illuminated with the knowledge of the truth , is too wise to be impos'd on by those false representations that sin wou'd deceive it with ; whose will has found out and united it self to its true centie ; and having been long habituated to move in a right line , has no temptation to decline to an oblique . whose affections have daily regaled on those delicious fruits of paradice , which religion presents them with , and are therefore too sublime and refin'd to relish the muddy pleasures of sensual delights . it must certainly be a miracle if such an one relinquish her glory and joy ; she must be as bad as lucifer himself who after such enjoyments can forsake her heaven . 't is too unreasonable to imagine such an apostacy , the supposition is monstrous , & therefore we may conclude will never , or very rarely happen . and then what a blessed world shou'd we have , shining with so many stars of vertue ! who , not content to be happy themselves , for that 's a narrowness of mind too much beneath their god-like temper , would like the glorious lights of heav'n , or rather like him who made them , diffuse their benign influences round about . having gain'd an entrance into paradise themselves , they wou'd both shew the way and invite all others to partake of their felicity . instead of that froth and impertinence , that censure and pragmaticalness , with which feminine conversations so much abound , we should hear their tongues employ'd in making proselytes to heaven , in running down vice , in establishing vertue , and proclaiming their makers glory . ' twou'd be more genteel to give and take instructions about the ornaments of the mind , than to enquire after the mode ; and a lecture on the fashions wou'd become as disagreeable as at present any serious discourse is . not the follies of the town , but the beauties and the love of jesus wou'd be the most polite and delicious entertainment . 't would be thought as rude and barbarous to send our visitors away uninstructed , as our foolishness at present reckons it to introduce a pertinent and useful conversation . ladies of quality wou'd be able to distinguish themselves from their inferiors by the blessings they communicated , and the good they did . for this is their grand prerogative , their distinguishing character , that they are plac'd in a condition which makes that which is every ones chief business , to be their only employ . they have nothing to do but to glorify god , and to benefit their neighbours , and she who does not thus improve her talent , is more vile and despicable than the meanest creature about her . and if after so many spiritual advantages , it be convenient to mention temporals , here heiresses and persons of fortune may be kept secure , from the rude attempts of designing men ; and she who has more mony than discretion , need not curse her stars , for being expos'd a prey to bold importunate and rapacious vultures . she will not here be inveigled and impos'd on , will neither be bought nor sold , nor be forc'd to marry for her own quiet , when she has no inclination to it , but what the being tir'd out with a restless importunity occasions . or if she be dispos'd to marry , here she may remain in safety till a convenient match be offer'd by her friends , and be freed from the danger of a dishonourable one . modesty requiring that a woman should not love before marriage , but only make choice of one whom she can love hereafter : she who has none but innocent affections , being easily able to fix them where duty requires . and tho at first i propos'd to my self to speak nothing in particular of the employment of the religious , yet to give a specimen how useful they will be to the world , i am now inclin'd to declare , that it is design'd a part of their business shall be to give the best education to the children of persons of quality , who shall be attended and instructed in lesser matters by meaner persons deputed to that office , but the forming of their minds shall be the particular care of those of their own rank ; who cannot have a more pleasant and useful employment than to exercise and encrease their own knowledge , by instilling it into these young ones , who are most like to profit under such tutors . for how can their little pupils forbear to credit them , since they do not decry the world ( as others may be thought to do ) because they cou'd not enjoy it ; but when they had it in their power , were courted and caress'd by it , for very good reasons , and on mature deliberation , thought fit to relinquish and despise its offers for a better choice ? nor are mercenary people on other accounts capable of doing so much good to young persons , because , having often but short views of things themselves , sordid and low spirits , they are not like to form a generous temper in the minds of the educated . doubtless 't was well consider'd of him , who wou'd not trust the breeding of his son to a slave , because nothing great or excellent could be expected from a person of that condition . and when by the increase of their revenue , the religious are enabled to do such a work of charity , the education they design to bestow on the daughters of gentlemen who are fallen into decay , will be no inconsiderable advantage to the nation . for hereby many souls will be preserv'd from great dishonours , and put in a comfortable way of subsisting , being either receiv'd into the house , if they incline to it , or otherwise dispos'd of . it being suppos'd that prudent men will reckon the endowments they here acquire a sufficient dowry ; and that a disereet and vertuous gentlewoman will make a better wife than she whose mind is empty , tho her purse be full . but some will say , may not people be good without this confinement ? may they not live at large in the world , and yet serve god as acceptably as here ? 't is allow'd they may ; truly wise and vertuous souls will do it by the assistance of gods grace , in despite of all temptations ; and i heartily wish , that all women were of this temper . but it is to be consider'd , that there are tender vertues , who need to be screened from the ill airs of the world : many persons who had begun well might have gone to the grave in peace and innocence , had it not been their misfortune to be violently tempted . for those who have honest hearts have not always the strongest heads ; and sometimes the enticements of the world , and the subtil insinuations of such as lye in wait to deceive , may make their heads giddy , stagger their resolutions , and overthrow all the fine hopes of a promising beginning . 't is fit therefore , such tender cyons shou'd be transplanted , that they may be supported by the prop of vertuous friendship , and confirm'd in goodness by holy examples , which alas ! they will not often meet with in the world . and , such is the weakness of human nature , that bad people are not so apt to be better'd by the society of the good , as the good are to be corrupted by theirs . since therefore we daily pray against temptation , it cannot be amiss if we take all prudent care to avoid it , and not out of a vain presumption face the danger , which god may justly permit to overcome us for a due correction of our pride . it is not impossible for a man to live in an infected house or town , and escape with life and health ; yet if he have a place in the country to retire to , he will not make slight of that advantage ; and surely the health of our souls is of greater consideration than the health of our bodies . besides , she has need of an establish'd vertue and consummated prudence , who so well understands the great end she was sent into the world about , and so faithfully pursues it , that not content to be wise and good her self alone , she endeavours to propagate wisdom and piety to all about her . but neither this prudence nor heroic goodness are easily attainable amidst the noise and hurry of the world , we must therefore retire a while from its clamour and importunity , if we generously design to do it good ; and having calmly and sedately observ'd and rectify'd what is amiss in our selves , we shall be fitter to promote a reformation in others . a devout retirement will not only strengthen and confirm our souls , that they be not insected by the worlds corruptions , but likewise so purity and resite them , that they will become antidotes to expel the poyson in others , and spread a salutary air round about them . if any object against a learned education , that it will make women vain and assuming , and instead of correcting , encrease their pride : i grant , that a smattering in learning may ; for it has this effect on the men , none so dogmatical , and so forward to shew their parts as your little pretenders to science . but i wou'd not have the ladies content themselves with the shew , my desire is , that they shou'd not rest till they obtain the substance . and then she who is most knowing , will be forward to own with the wise socrates , that she knows nothing : nothing that is matter of pride and ostentation ; nothing but what is attended with so much ignorance and imperfection , that it cannot reasonably elate and puff her up . the more she knows , she will be the less subject to talkativeness and its sister vices , because she discerns , that the most difficult piece of learning is , to know when to use and when to hold ones tongue , and never to speak but to the purpose . but the men if they rightly understand their own interest , have no reason to oppose the ingenious education of the women , since 't wou'd go a great way towards reclaming the men ; great is the influence we have over them in their childhood , in which time , if a mother be discreet and knowing as well as devout , she has many opportunities of giving such a form and season to the tender mind of the child , as will shew its good effects thro' all the stages of his life . but tho' you should not allow her capable of doing good , 't is certain , she may do hurt : if she do not make the child , she has power to marr him , by suffering her fondness to get the better of discreet affection . but besides this , a good and prudent wife , wou'd wonderfully work on an ill man ; he must be a brute indeed , who cou'd hold out against all those innocent arts , those gentle persuasives , and obliging methods she wou'd use to reclaim him . piety is often offensive , when it is accompanied with indiscretion : but she who is as wise as good , possesles such charms as can hardly fail of prevailing . doubtless , her husband is a much happier man , and more likely to abandon all his ill courses , than he who has none to come home to , but an ignorant , froward and fantastick creature . an ingenious conversation will make his life comfortable , and he who can be so well entertain'd at home , needs not run into temptations in search of diversions abroad . the only danger is , that the wife be more knowing than the husband ; but if she be , 't is his own fault , since he wants no opportunities of improvement ; unless he be a natural blockhead , and then such an one will need a wise woman to govern him , whose prudence will conceal it from publick observation , and at once both cover and supply his defects . give me leave therefore to hope , that no gentleman who has honourable designs , will henceforward decry knowledge and ingenuity in her he wou'd pretend to honour : or if he does , it may serve for a test to distinguish the feigned and unworthy from the real lover . now , who that has a spark of of piety , will go about to oppose so religious a design ? what generous spirit that has a due regard to the good of mankind , will not be forward to advance and perfect it ? who will think pounds too much to lay out for the purchase of so much wisdom and happiness ? certainly , we shou'd not think them too dearly paid for by a much greater sum , did not our pitiful and sordid spirits set a much higher value on money than it deserves . but granting so much of that dear idol is given away , a person thus bred , will easily make it up by her frugality and other vertues : if she bring less , she will not waste so much , as others do in superfluous and vain expences . nor can i think of any expedient so useful as this to persons of quality , who are over-stock'd with children ; for thus they may honourably dispose of them without impairing their estates . five or six hundred pounds may be easily spar'd with a daughter , when so many thousand would go deep ; and yet as the world goes be a very inconsiderable fortune for ladies of their birth ; neither maintain them in that port which custom makes almost necessary , nor procure them an equal match ; those of their own rank ( contrary to the generous custom of the germans ) chusing rather to fill their coffers than to preserve the purity of their blood , and therefore think a weighty bag the best gentility , preferring a wealthy upstart before the best descended and best qualifyed lady : their own extravagancies perhaps having made it necessary , that they may keep up an empty shadow of greatness , which is all that remains to shew what their ancestors have been . does any think their money lost to their families , when 't is put in here ? i will only ask what course they can take to save it , and at once to preserve their money , their honour and their daughters too ? were they sure the ladies wou'd die unmarried , i shou'd commend their thrift ; but experience has too often shewn us the vanity of this expectation . for the poor lady having past the prime of her years in gaity and company , in running the circle of all the vanities of the town , having spread all her nets and us'd all her arts for conquest , and finding that the bait fails where she wou'd have it take , and having all this while been so over-careful of her body , that she had no time to improve her mind , which therefore affords her no safe retreat now she meets with disappointments abroad , and growing every day more and more sensible that the respect which us'd to be paid her , decays as fast as her beauty ; quite terrified with the dreadful name of old maid , which yet none but fools will reproach her with , nor any wise woman be afraid of ; to avoid this terrible m●rmo , and the scoffs that are thrown on superannuated virgins , she f●●es to some dishonourable match as her last , tho much mistaken refuge , to the disgrace of her family , and her own irreparable ruin. and now let any person of honour tell me , if it were not richly worth some thousand pounds , to prevent all this mismischief , and the having an idle fellow , and perhaps a race of beggarly children to hang on him , and to provide for ? cou'd i think of any other objection , i wou'd consider it ; there 's nothing indeed which witty persons may not argue for & against , but they who duly weigh the arguments on both sides , unless they be extreamly prejudiced , will casily discern the great usefulness of this institution . the beaux perhaps , and topping sparks of the town , will ridicule and laugh at it . for vertue her self as bright as she is , can't escape the lash of scurrilous tongues ; the comfort is , whilst they impotently endeavour to throw dirt on her , they are unable to soil her beauty , and only render themselves the more contemptible . they may therefore if they please , hug themselves in their own dear folly , and enjoy the diversion of their own insipid jests . she has but little wisdom and less vertue , who is to be frighted from what she judges reasonable by the scoffs and insignificant noises of ludicrous wits , and pert buffoons . and no wonder that such as they , ( who have nothing to shew for their pretences to wit , but some scraps of plays , and blustring non-sence ; who fancy a well adjusted peruke is able to supply their want of brains , and that to talk much is a sign of ingenuity , tho 't be never so little to the purpose , ) object against our proposal ; ' twou●d indeed spoil the trade of the gay fluttering fops , who wou'd be at a loss , had they no body as impertinent as themselves to talk with . the criticism of their dress wou'd be useless , and the labour of their valet de chambre lost , unless they cou'd peaceably lay aside their rivalling , and one ass be content to complement and admire another . for the ladies wou'd have more discernment than to esteem a man for such follies as shou'd rather incline them to scorn and despise him . they wou'd never be so sottish as to imagine , that he who regards nothing but his own brutish appetite , shou'd have any real affection for them , nor ever expect fidelity from one who is unfaithful to god and his own soul. they wou'd not be so absurd as to suppose , that man can esteem them who neglects his maker ; for what are all those fine idolatries , by which he wou'd recommend himself to his pretended goddess ; but mockery and delusion from him who forgets and affronts the true deity ? they wou'd not value themselves on account of the admiration of such incompetent judges , nor consequently make use of those little trifling arts that are necessary to recommend them to such admirers : neither wou'd they give opportunity to profess themselves their slaves so long , till at last they become their masters . what now remains , but to reduce to practice that which tends so very much to our advantage . is charity so dead in the world that none will contribute to the saving their own and their neighbours souls ? shall we freely expend our money to purchase vanity , and often times both present and future ruin , and find none for such an eminent good work , which will make the ages to come arise and call us blessed ? i wou'd fain persuade my self better things , and that i shall one day see this religious retirement happily setled , and its great designs wisely and vigorously pursu'd ; and methinks i have already a vision of that lustre and glory our ladies cast round about them ! let me therefore intreat the rest of our sex , who tho at liberty in the world , are the miserable slaves of their own vile affections ; let me entreat them to lay aside their prejudices , and whatever borders on envy and malice , and with impartial eyes to behold the beauties of our religious . the native innocency and unaffectedness of whose charms , and the unblameable integrity of their lives , are abundantly more taking than all the curious artifices and studied arts the other can invent to recommend them , even bad men themselves being judges , who often betray a secret veneration for that vertue they wou'd seem to despise and endeavour to corrupt . as there is not any thing , no not the least shadow of a motive to recommend vice , but its fashionableness , and the being accustom'd to it ; so there is nothing at all forbidding in vertue but her uncouthness . acquaint your selves with her a little , and you 'l wonder how you cou'd be so foolish as to delight in any thing besides ! for you 'l find her conversation most sweet and obliging ; her precepts most easy and beneficial ; her very tasks joys , and her injunctions the highest pleasures . she will not rob you of any innocent delight , not engage you to any thing beneath your birth and breeding : but will put a new and more grateful relish into all your enjoyments , and make them more delicious with her sweetness she 'll preserve and augment your honour , by allying you to the king of heaven ; secure your grandeur by fixing it on a firm bottom , such as the caprice of fortune cannot shake or overthrow ; she 'll enlarge your souls , raise them above the common level , and encourage that allowable pride of scorning to do a base unworthy action . make you truly amiable in the eyes of god and man , preserve even the beauty of your bodies as long as 't is possible for such a brittle thing to last ; and when it must of necessity decay , impress such a loveliness on your minds , as will shine thro' and brighten your very countenances ; enriching you with such a stock of charms , that time which devours every other thing , shall never be able to decay . in a word , 't is vertue only which can make you truly happy in this world as well as in the next . there is a sort of bravery and greatness of soul , which does more truly ennoble us than the highest title , and it consists in the living up to the dignity of our natures , scorning to do a mean unbecoming thing ; in passing differently thro' good and evil fortune , without being corrupted by the one or deprest by the other . for she that can do so , gives evidence that her happiness depends not on so mutable a thing as this world ; but , in a due subserviency to the almighty , is bottom'd only on her own great mind . this is the richest ornament , and renders a woman glorious in the lowest fortune : so shining is real worth , that like a diamond it loses not its lustre , tho cast on a dunghill . whereas , she who is advanc'd to some eminent station , and wants this natural and solid greatness , is no better than fortunes may-game , rendered more conspicuous , that she may appear the more contemptible . let those therefore who value themselves only on external accomplishments , consider how liable they are to decay , and how soon they may be depriv'd of them , and that supposing they shou'd continue , they are but sandy foundations to build esteem upon . what a disappointment will it be to a ladies admirer as well as to her self , that her conversation shou'd lose and endanger the victory her eyes had gain'd ! for when the passion of a lover is evaporated into the cool temper of a husband , and a frequent review has lessen'd the wonder which her charms at first had rais'd , she 'll retain no more than such a formal respect as decency and good breeding will require , and perhaps hardly that ; but unless he be a very good man ( and indeed the world is not over full of 'em ) her worthlesness has made a forfeit of his affections , which are seldom fixt by any other thing than veneration and esteem . whereas , a wise and good woman is useful and valuable in all ages and conditions ; she who chiefly attends the one thing needful , the good part which shall not be taken from her , lives a cheerful and pleasant life , innocent and sedate , calm and tranquile , and makes a glorious exit ; being translated from the most happy life on earth , to unspeakable happiness in heaven ; a fresh and fragrant name , embalming her dust , and extending its perfume to succeeding ages . whilst the fools , and the worst sort of them the wicked , live as well as die in misery , go out in a snuff , leaving nothing but stench and putrefaction behind them . to close all , if this proposal which is but a rough draught and rude essay , and which might be made much more beautiful by a better pen , give occasion to wiser heads to improve and perfect it , i have my end . for imperfect as it is , it seems so desirable , that she who drew the scheme is full of hopes , it will not want kind hands to perform and compleat it . but if it miss of that , it is but a few hours thrown away , and a little labour in vain , which yet will not be lost , if what is here offer'd may serve to express her hearty good-will , and how much she desires your improvement , who is ladies , your very humble servant . errata . p. . l. . dele ( ) p. . l. . f. patterns r. examples . p. . l del . , . l. . f. but r. than p. . l. after before add it p. . l. . f. it r. them . p. . l. . d. , p. . l. . r. unaccountable . p. . l. . aft . but add to p. . l . d. as well , p. . l . f. pet , r. but. p. . l. . d. , . p. . l. . ast . smil'd , add betwixt scorn and pity . p. . l. . r. swallow . p. . l. . aft . which , add , is to be found in , l. . del . affords us , p. l. . f. froth , r. air . p. . antep . f. this , r. that . books printed and sold by richard wilkin at the king's head in st. paul's church yard . avindication of the truth of christian religion against the objections of all modern opposers . by james abbadie . d. d. oct . a second part of the enquiry into several remarkable texts of the old and new testament , which contain some difficulty in them ; with a probable resolution of them . the second edit . vo . a discourse concerning the authority , stile , and perfection of the books of the old and new testament ; with a continued illustration of several difficult texts of scripture throughout the whole work . both by john edwards , b. d. sometime fellow of st john's colledge in cambridge , octavo . the glorious epiphany , with the devout christians love to it . the second edition . octavo . search the scriptures . a treatise shewing that all christians ought to read the holy books ; with directions to them therein . a discourse concerning prayer , especially of frequenting the daily publick prayers . all three by the reverend sym. patrick , d. d. the old religion demonstrated in the principles , and described in the life and practice thereof . by j. goodman , d. d. the second edition . twelves . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e mr nor. conduct of hum. life . mr. woltons reflect . on ant. and mod. learn . p. , . horæ succisivæ, or, spare-houres of meditations upon our duty to [brace] god, others, our selves / by ios. henshaw. henshaw, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) horæ succisivæ, or, spare-houres of meditations upon our duty to [brace] god, others, our selves / by ios. henshaw. henshaw, joseph, - . the second edition corrected and much inlarged. [ ], , [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed by r. badger for ralph mabb, london : . in two parts. the statement of responsibility appears after the edition statement. signatures: a⁶(-a ) b-g¹² h⁶, ²b-i¹². error in paging: p. misnumbered . imperfect: torn and tightly bound, with print show-through and slight loss of print. reproduction of original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . maxims. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion horae succisivae , or , spare-hovres of meditations : vpon our dvtie to god , others , our selves . the second edition , corrected and much inlarged , by ios . henshavv . london , printed by r. badger , for ralph mabb . . to the right honourable ladie , the ladie anne cottington . right honorable , i have provided a present proportionable to my skill my time and your honors knowledge of me , short : your desire many times to heare others writing out of my mouth , made mee to put this of my owne into your hands ; a rapsodie of resolves and observations , some for contemplation , others for caution , the first divine , the other morall , when you lose an houre from better and graver matters , throw it away on these ; wherin you have somewhat of god , of others , of our selves , what god is to us , what we should bee to him , to others : there cannot be much said of it , because there is but little said in it ; in all which little i intend nothing to my selfe , but to others . the generall end of reading is to know , but the end of divine reading is to good our knowledge , and if it doe good , i have my end , and my reward , whose office is to live , not to my selfe , but others , and am a servant to all by a common duety , but your honors by especiall relation to be commanded , i. h. horae succisivae , or spare-hovres of meditations . make god the first and last of all thy actions : so beginne that thou maist have him in the end , otherwise i doubt whether it had beene better thou hadst not begun . that we brought nothing into this world , is not more every where knowne , than it is of every one beleeved ; but that wee shall carry nothing out of this world , is a sentence better knowne than trusted , otherwise i thinke men would take more care to live well , than to dye rich . wealth is not the way to heaven , but the contrary ; all my care shall bee how to live well , and i am sure i shall never dye poore . sleepe is but deaths elder brother , and death is but a sleepe nicknam'd ; why should i more feare to goe to my grave than to my bed , since both tend to my rest : when i lye downe to sleepe , i will thinke it my last , and when i rise againe , account my life not continued but restor'd . too much labour toyles the body , too much looking the minde : i will deale for my study as for my stomacke , ever rise with an appetite , lest if i once surfet , i ever loath it . how hard it is for a man to forget his sinne , or remember his god , not to doe that evill which he should not , and not to leave undone that good which hee should doe , every man can tell by experience . i were no man , if i had no sinne , but if i am a christian i must not delight in sin ; if i cannot avoyd some sinnes , yet i will stand in none . to doe any thing to thinke to be talk'd of , is the vainest thing in the world ; to give almes and aske who sees , loseth the prayse and the reward : i may be seen to give , i will not give to be seene , that others are witnesse to my piety is not my fault , nor my praise ; i will never bee so ill a friend to my selfe to sell heaven for vaine-glorie . the obedience of good children proceeds not from feare , but love ; it is a very bad nature will doe nothing without blowes ; to turne to our vomit as soone as god is turn'd from his rod , and aske who is the lord till a new plague , is a state i know not whether more to be feared or pittied : if i cannot avoyd correction , i will mend with it ; not bee beaten twice for the same fault . i know not which is worse ; the bearer of tales or the receiver , for the one makes the other : i will no lesse hate to tell then to heare slaunders : if i cannot stop others mouthes , i will stop my owne eares . the receiver is as bad as the thiefe . with god a publican goes beyond a pharisie , a sigh or a groane , that cannot bee uttered , beyond a long prayer with ostentation : care not how long , or how lowd thy prayer be , but how hearty . woman was first given to man for a helpe , since for a remedy , what shall we thinke of those , that turne the remedy into a disease , and hold it in all cases for some , and in some cases for all , not onely dangerous but damnable to marry ; what is this but to teach god what hee hath to doe ? i have ever counted it safe and wise to leave that indifferent which god hath left so . god cannot endure a pharisee that saies and doth not : with his disciples , saying and doing must not bee two mens offices ; if thou canst doe but little , promise the lesse ; so though thou maist bee thought niggardly , because thou performest so little , yet thou shalt be knowne just because thou promised'st no more . a good man would so be honourable , as hee may still bee honest , not broker for preferment ; if not worthy , let him want it , but if deserving , why should he buy his due ? i will neither grow great by buying honour , nor rich by selling it . in injuries it is better to take many , than give one , in benefits the contrary : i will requite the first with bearing them , the second with requiting them . evill communication corrupts good manners . peter denied his master among the iewes , whom he confessed among the apostles : i may have a bad man of my familie , i will never have a bad familiar ; or if at any time of my court , never of my counsell . so live with men as considering alwaies that god sees thee , so pray to god , as if every man heard thee ; doe nothing which thou wouldest not have god see done ; desire nothing which may either wrong thy profession to aske , or gods honour to graunt . every night is an embleme of death , in this , that in both we rest from our labours : i will labour to long for my rest in heaven , and i shall never be loth to goe to bed to the earth , who would not desire to dye that he might be with christ ? it is good in prosperity , to make roome for adversity , that however it come unsent for , it may not come unlook'd for ; if it doe not come , wee are never the worse , if it doe come we are the better provided ; expectation , if it doe not hinder crosses , yet it lessens them . earthly things are like dreames , awake to nothing ; like shadowes set with the sun , wealth and honour will either leave us , or we them . i will labour onely for those pleasures which never shall have an end , and be more delighted that i shall be happy , than that i am so . 't is a good signe , when god chides us , that he loves us , nothing more proves us his than blowes , nothing sooner makes us his : god can love his children well , and not make wantons of them ; if i suffer , it is that i may raigne . how profitable is that affliction , that carries me to heaven ? suffering is the way to glory , sometime in this world : ioseph had never beene a courtier , had hee not first beene a prisoner . gods children are ever the better for being miserable , and end in that ; it is good for mee , that i have been afflicted ; let god use me how hee will on earth , so i may have what hee hath promised to those that love him in heaven ; who would not be a lazarus for a day , that hee might sit in abraham's bosome for ever ? gods church must be a lillie among thorns , and while i am a member of the church , i must not looke to fare better than the whole body , if they have call'd the master of the house beelzebub , well may it be endur'd to those of the household ; my comfort is if i am reviled for his sake , i shall be blessed . prosperity is like vinum merum , all wine ; it makes drunke the soule , and therefore god mingles it , that he may keep us sober ; feeds his children with a bit and a knocke , ever dishes his sweete meate with sowre sause : if wee did alwaies abound wee would grow proud , and forget our selves ; and if not sometimes , wee would despaire and forget our god : i will pray with salomon , give me neither wealth nor poverty , but a meane ; or if wealth , grace to imploy it , if poverty , patience to endure it . afflictions are the medicines of the minde , if they are not toothsome , let it suffice , they are wholesome ; 't is not required in physicke that it should please , but heale , unlesse we esteeme our pleasure above our health : let me suffer , so i may reigne , be beaten , so i may be a son . nothing can be ever too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever . there was never good but was hard to get : the prison and the hatchet , sores and crums leade to abraham's bosome , and the way thither is by weeping-crosse : if many tribulations will carry me to heaven , on gods name let me have them ; welcome the poverty , which makes me heire to those riches that never shall have an end . i will deale for my soule , as for my body , never refuse health because the phisicke that should procure it , is bitter ; let it distast me , so it heale me . there are in the world that thinke it too great sawcinesse to be our owne spokes-men to god and therefore goe to st. some-body to preferre their petitions for them : i shall ever hold it good manners to goe of my owne errants to god , he that bids me come , will bid me welcome ; god hath said , come unto me &c. it is no unmannerlinesse to come when i am call'd . all consciences like all stomacks are not alike how many doe we see digest those sinnes with ease , which others cannot get downe with struggling , one straines at a gnat , when another swallowes a camell : hee that will keepe cleere of great sinnes , must make conscience of all . i will thinke no sinne little , because the least endangers my soule , and it is all one whether i sell my saviovr for thirty pence , with iudas , or for halfe i am worth , with ananias ; whether i goe to hell for one sin , or for many . this life is but a journey unto death , and every day we are some spannes neerer the grave ; how is it that wee which are so neere our death , are so farre from thinking of it ? security is a great enemy to prevention , and a presumption that wee shall not dye yet , makes men that they doe not prepare to dye at all : it is good taking time while time is ; if it come suddenly and find thee unprepared , miserable man that thou art , who shall deliver thee from the body , & c ? therefore hath nature given us two eares and but one mouth , that we should heare twice as much as wee should speake : with all thy secrets trust neither thy wife nor thy friend , hee that is thriftie of his owne tongue shall lesse feare anothers . there are that affect not so much to have true friends as to have many , and whisper to that friend what they heare from this , and againe , to this , what from that : and glory to have it knowne , how much they are trusted , whereas they were therefore trusted that it might not be knowne : i have ever thought it a maxime in friendship , that he which will bee intimate with many , is entirely nones ; let me love and be lov'd of all , i will bee inward onely with a few : i had rather have one meane friend that i may call my owne , than the most potent where i must share with others . he that provides not for his owne is worse than an infidell ; 't is not the blame of charity that it begins at home , it is that it ends not abroad : i am not borne all to my selfe , somewhat to my friend , to my neighbour . i will so care for my owne , as i may relieve others , and so doe for others , as i wrong not my owne . much knowledge not much speech , emblem 's a wise man. i shall ever hold it neither safe nor wise , alwaies to speake what i know of my owne affaires , nor what i thinke of others ; a man may speake too much truth . pleasures like the rose are sweet but prickly , the hony doth not countervaile the sting , all this worlds delights are vanity , and end in vexation ; like iudas while they kisse , they betray . i would neither be a stoick nor an epicure , allow of no pleasure , nor give way to all : they are good sause , but naught to make a meale of , and were given not to fill the belly , but to relish the meate : i may use them sometimes for digestion , never for food . in crosses these two things must be thought on ; first whence they come , from god , hee strikes thee that made thee , next wherefore they come , for thy good either to try thee or to mend thee , if they bee harsh , yet they be gainfull : i shall ever count it a good change , to have the fire of persecution for the fire of hell , who would not rather smart for a while then for ever : let me rather have that fire which is rewarded with heaven , than these pleasures which shall be rewarded with fire . salomon's , rejoyce oh young man in the dayes of thy youth , were the finest thing in the world if it were not for that which follows , for all this thou shall come to judgement ; to goe well , lye soft , sleepe hard , if there were noe after-reckoning ; who would not say out of delight what the apostles did out of amazement , it is good for us to be here ; but when i have a stewardship to account for , and god knowes how soone , my master returning and my talent to seek ; the bridegroome entering and my oyle to buy , i have more reason to care how to redeeme my time past , than to spend the present . to grow heavy or lumpish with crosses , argues not so much want of courage , as grace : nothing more soyles the reputation of a christian , than to have his minde droope with his mammon ; what if health , friends , meanes , have all forsooke thee , wilt thou lose thy wittes together with thy goods ? all the afflictions in this world , cannot answer the joyes of that other . i will never care whose these pleasures i see be , while those i doe not see are mine , and the fountaine of pleasures whom i shall one day see , as i am seene , shall be mine . let another praise thee and not thine owne mouth ; either we are far from neighbours or ill beloved among them , when wee are faine to be our owne trumpet , and blaze our selves : the iews , not the centurion , say , he loved our nation and hath , &c. it is both honorable and humble to heare of our praises , and tell of our unworthinesse . many a little make a mickle , every day a mite will encrease our store ; i wil be ever adding to my heape of knowledge , of faith , &c. that when the master returnes i may be able to say , behold lord , thy two talents have gained other two . the building of the soule , like that of the world , is not done in a day ; grace like ezekiel's waters , is first to the ancles , then to the knees , &c. in vaine doth any thinke to bee perfect at once , in an instant ; well is it for us , if after many lessons learn'd , and heard in christ's schoole , wee get past the spoone , and with some yeares of teares and prayers come to a stature , a growth ; and with clambering and paines , like zacheus , get to see christ time was when it was said to the apostles , oh yee of little faith ; and hee was once afraid to confesse christ , that was not afterward afraid to die for him : like bees , while we are here , we are ever gathering , in his good time wee shall bee perfect , in the meane time lord suffer us not to bee tempted above that we are able . god is that to the soule which the sunne is to the world , light and heat , and with them comforts and stores it : he that hath god hath every thing ; god alone is a world of friends against millions of enemies : then will i thinke my selfe poore , miserable , distressed , left , when he leaves me . every thing almost we see , borrowes its nature from its soile ; thus the body and temper of men differ with the aire ; and the soule like the body , commonly savours something of the company it keepes , and we grow familiar with their sinnes , together with their persons ; at first winke at them , then imitate them , then defend them . i will not bee more scrupulous in the choyce of any thing than of this : hee can hardly have a good soule , that hath a bad companion . sinne at first is modest , and goes disguised with saul to endor , that after a while growes impudent , and dares looke bare-fac'd on the world ; first perswades to civill recreations , thence bids to unlawfull delights . hee that will prevent the growth of sinne , must resist the beginning ; the remedy is thought of too late , where the disease is past cure ; 't is easier preventing a sicknesse , than recovering it . custome as it lessens favours , so it lessens sins ; else the same sinne would still be monstrous , which in time is not taken notice of . goodnesse is not the gift of all but some , but perseverance onely of a few ; how many like ezekiahs sun have gone backward , and forsaken their first love ? how many have we seene , that with caiaphas , would have rent their cloaths at the name of blasphemie , have afterward sworne by the life of pharaoh : what we are , is no argument for what we will be ; every man knows his beginning , not his end ; what hee is , not what he shall be ; let him that thinketh he stands , take heed lest he fall . when i take a serious view of my selfe , and see ( besides inward discontents ) so many outward enemies of quietnesse every where , every minute ; want , sicknesse , dangers , losse of friends , of health , of life , threatning if not pursuing me : and to these my spirituall enemies so strong , my corruptions so many , my infirmities so continuall , and my selfe so overmatched with all these : with peter i beginne to sinke , and i could wish i had not beene , since i must be miserable , but when i looke up to heaven , and those joyes i am going to , i would not be lesse miserable to be so happie . god is my father , the angels are my fellowes ▪ heaven is my inheritance ; now if my inheritance be in heaven , why is not my desire there ? where our treasure is , there will our heart be also , where our treasure and our heart is , there shall we be one day : who would exchange his future happinesse for a present ? contentation is a blessing , not wealth ; true riches consist not so in having much , as in not desiring more : why ▪ then doe wee so labour to abound , and not rather to be content ? if i have but a little , my account is the lesse ; if i have much , and doe not more good , i shall adde to my condemnation , together with my store : i will ever studie rather to use my little well , than to encrease it . i will not care to bee rich , but to be good ; this onely is that treasure , that never shall have an end : let mee be rich in goodnesse , and i cannot complaine of povertie : he onely is poore whom god hates . to speake little , is a note of a wise man , to speake well of a good man : goodnesse is not seene in the length or brevity of our speech , but in the matter , the streames of the tongue runs from the current of the heart , and are like the fountaine ; it is a signe we have little goodnesse in us , when there comes little out of us : if god were more in our hearts , he would be often in our mouthes , and with more reverence . though i will never affect to speake of my goodnesse , yet i will shew it in my speech . he that will be a criticke of others actions , had need look well to his owne : 't is a foule shame to have that found in our selves , which we would take upon us to mend in others : in this i will ever follow my saviours rule , first get out mine owne beame , and i shall see better to helpe my brother out with his more . injuries , if they dye not , they kill : here onely a christian must learne to forget : for if wee forgive not men their trespasses , neither will our father , &c. in this case my care shall be onely how to put them up , and leave vengeance to whom it belongs , god is ever his iudge , that is not his owne . the malicious man is so much no mans foe as his owne ; for while he is out of charitie with others , god is so with him ; if he lov'd himselfe , hee would not hate his brother . i will love all men for his sake that made them : but the christian , because he is gods sonne , i will love doubly , for his owne sake , for his fathers sake . god lookes not at what we have beene , but what we are : it is no commendation to have beene an israelite . that we once did well , addes to our condemnation together with our sinne ; and if the righteous man forsake his righteousnesse , his reward is lost : our former goodnesse will not excuse our present evill , the end crownes us : what ever my beginning hath beene , i shall ever pray and endevour that i may dye the death of the righteous ; and my latter end may be like unto his , for as the tree falls , so it lyes . man till hee sinned was naked and was not ashamed , clothes are not more our covering than our shame , and wee may justly blush every time wee looke on them , not bragge ; the best ornament of the body , is the minde , and the best ornament of the minde , is honesty : that best becomes , which best beseems , not that which is most us'd , but most decent . i will neither looke what others doe , nor what i may doe , but what i ought to doe , many things are lawfull which are not expedient . to doe well and say nothing is christianly , to say well and doe nothing is pharisaicall ; if the hands bee not iacobs as well as the voice , wee are but impostors , cheats : if we are good trees , by our fruit they shall know us . i will not lesse hate not to doe good , than to tell of it : my faith is dead if it beare not . eating was the first sinne in the world , and it is now the sinne almost of all the world ; and as before the building of babel so still in this , all the earth is of one language , what shall we eat , or what shall we drinke , and wherewith , &c. eating and drinking have taken away our stomacks to spirituall things : i will never be so greedie as to eat my selfe out of heaven : he loves his belly well , that with esau will sell his birth-right for pottage : of the two , i had rather beg my bread with lazarus , than my water with dives . great mens words are like dead mens shoos , hee may goe bare-foot that waits for them : i will ever bee a didymus in these , beleeve onely what i see , so i shall neither be deceived with others promises my selfe , nor deceive others with them . the good mans word is his oath , his actions serve only to make good his words : he that promises either what he cannot , or what hee meanes not : is for the first a boaster , and for the last an hypocrite ; by such an one , i will bee deceived but once . dissimulation is state-policie , and wise men set out themselves as aristotle did his bookes , not to bee understood at first sight . he that alwayes speakes what hee knowes , is not wise , but hee that doth not alwayes speake what hee meanes , is not honest . as i will not have my heart at my tongues end , yet i will have my tongue speake from my heart , it is not necessary i must be dishonest , or a foole . commonly your open eares are open mouth'd , and they that are craving to heare , are apt to tell : i will neither desire to know much of another mans estate , nor impart much of my own ; never any man repented him of saying nothing . a parasite of all trades is the basest , and in two things like an eccho ; first , that he speakes only what he heares others ; and that he is nothing but voice , words : next to an ungratefull man , i would not be a flatterer . sinnes grow like grapes close , but in clusters : wee usually say , he that will sweare , will lye ; and he that will lye , will steale ; and hee that will doe all these , will doe any thing . satan is a serpent , if the head bee once in , his whole bodie will not bee long behinde . it is better to goe into the house of mourning , than into the house of laughter , &c. hee is worse than madde , that with herod will part with a kingdome for a dance . hee takes little thought for his sinnes , that thinkes to put them out of his head , as cain and saul did with musicke : hee that truly considers those joyes which never shall have an end , cannot but desire to have an end of these : where the treasure is , there will the heart be also . gods promises doe not binde him to keep us in our wickednesse , our sinnes quit him of his promise , and us of his protection , when wee leave to be of his family , wee are none of his charge , his friendship keepes pace with ours . if thou doest well , shalt thou not bee accepted ? ( sayes hee to cain ) doe well , and have well , such as wee behave our selves towards god , such shall wee finde god towards us ; now if we doe smart , thanke our selves . wee have too many that have a double heart in one body , but very few that have but one heart to two bodies , yet so is it with friends , the one cānot laugh when the other weepes ; one friend is the looking glasse of the other , where face answers face , when the one smiles the other smiles , when the one is sad the other is trobled , there is no amity where there is no sympathy ; if i doe not suffer in my saviovr , i doe not love him. can the head be ficke and the body not feele it . there is a time to laugh as well as a time to mourne , we are not deny'd the use of mirth , but the excesse , it is not forbidden fruit. hee who gave oyle to cheere the countenance , gave wine also to glad the heart : and i will not say , whether salomons draught be not sometimes in season ; drinke , that thou maiest forget thy poverty ; yet so as thou remember thy god. god never intended religion should make men stoicks , as if to mew up our selves from the world , were to single out our selves to god : and because he hath forbid the abuse of things , not to use them ; thus we should abstaine from drink , because some men have beene drunke : if that which is one mans meate proove another mans poyson , the fault is not in the meate , but in the stomake . if they be so easily abus'd , the more our thankes , our praise , if we doe not abuse them wee shall be commended for our temperance : we cannot for our want of them ; god makes us but to use them as wee should , and wee cannot have too much of them . where should ioy be but in the fountaine of ioy , or how doe wee partake of that fountaine and rejoice not ; that ioy must beginne to fill here that will be full hereafter . hee shall never sing halelujah's , that doth not first sing hosanna's : hee is no sound christian that is not taken with the glory hee shall have , and rejoyce in this , that his name is written in the booke of life . god ever helpes at a pinch , when all helpes fail then is he seen , when iacob wants at home then ioseph is heard of abroad , and when the prodigall wants abroad then god makes him thinke of home . what if he will not deliver ionah from the tempest , yet hee will from the whale : if the danger bee great , his glory shall bee the more ; never despaire then thou drooping soule , why art thou cast down , why art thou so disquieted , & c ? the goodnesse of thy god endureth yet daily . the contention of christs time is the contention of all the world , who shall be the greatest , and most men envy to be out-gone in any thing , even by those they love best : if ioseph be his fathers darling , hee is his brethrens eye-sore : and i doubt me whether davids brothers were more glad that goliath was slaine , or angry that by their brother : bad natures whom they cannot reach by imitation , they will by detraction : he casteth out devills through beelzebub , was the pharisees of christ : it argues very little goodnesse in us when we malice it in others , none but a cain ( that ever i read of ) will envy , because his workes are evill , and his brothers good ; they are desperately wicked that love not the lookes of godlinesse . it is an hard matter for a man to know much or have much and know himselfe , and whence hee hath it , if we would think worse of our selves , we should be better thought of , but now our selfe-conceitednesse breaks our necke . most men are pharisies in this , that they love the upermost seats , all would be sonnes of anak : if their bodies did but swell with their minds . the care of the most is to live honorable not well , their reputation is more car'd for than their god : occidat modò regnet : with that mother of nero , let them be damn'd so they may be dub'd : what is this but to exchange a heavenly kingdome for an earthly : hee that will be great upon any termes shall one day repent that he hath beene happie too soone . my friends faults as my owne , where i see i will remedie : i may ( happily ) hide or excuse them to others , never to himselfe , this were to kill him with kindnesse , and lest i should lose a friend , lose a soule : i am guilty of the losse of that soule i might save and do not . some friends there are , such as ionadab to ammon , pandors to their wickednesse : brethren they are but in iniquitie ; he shall be no friend to me that is a friend to my faults : and i am no friend to my selfe , if i think him my enemy that tells me of them , one day , if not now , i shall heare of them to my cost : men may , god will not winke at small ful●ts . there is a friend to himselfe , as nabal , and his charitie beginnes at home , and there it ends ; neere is his coat , but neerer is his skinne ; againe , there is a friend for gain , by diana wee live , hee shall be their friend that they can live by : so , some love christ , because they feare him , he can destroy both soule and body in , &c. others , because they neede him , but if we be true friends , though there were none of these wee would love him. friend of all compellations is the dearest , the sweetest ; and as one of ingratitude , si ingratum dixeris , omnia dixeris : so may i of friendship , call him friend , and you have said all , another selfe , or rather the same selfe multiplied ; skinne for skinne and all that a man hath will he give for his life , and yet a man's life will he give for his friend ; if our love will not follow christ through fire and water wee are but counterfeits . therfore did not god at first make many women and but one man , or many men and but one woman , that everie man should not know there were more than one woman in the world ; nor any woman more than one man , they that know more shall not be knowne ; christ shall say , depart from me , &c. i know yee not . i see many marriages in the world and never a good , one to his barnes with the foole , another to his board with the glutton , one to his cups , another to his coffers : onely those marriages are blessed from heaven , that are made in heaven , they are ill holpe up , that are married to one another , and not maried to christ . beauty is as it hits , if the heart do not answere the face , it were better missed , it will proove a snare which was an ornament : the more any have of this , the more cause they have to pray , leade us not into temptation . earth is a place of penance ; and small drinke and camells haire doth well ; t is a place of toile and labour , and men goe not to worke in their best cloathes : men should do well then to pranke up their insides a little better , and let the bodie shift : i never heard any man found fault with for his ragges , i heare it upbraided to one , that hee went in purple . it is not our meanes , but our sinnes that shuts us out from god ; i will be asham'd of nothing but my sinnes , and proud of nothing but that i am a christian. i will never care what i am in mens eyes , but in gods : beautie , wealth , honour , may make us accepted of men , but 't is onely a broken heart can doe the deed with god : never any man came to heaven for his good lookes . hee is not a iew that is so outwardly , then had not hlerusalem fallen : nor he an apostle , that doth so professe it , then had not iudas been a cast-away : the washing of the out-side cleane will not quitt us of being pharisees ; the kings daughter is all glorious within , if wee bee good christians we are best at core . the good man ever sets god betweene him and harmes ; and sayes , the lord is on my side , &c. he is no good christian that thinkes he can bee safe without him , or not safe with him. never any man was a loser by his god , or left in a danger , and stood to him : lazarus may stinke in his grave , but he shall not be seene rot there , neither the dungeon nor the denne can shut us from his providence , his care : elias ravens shall serve him in his meate : and daniels lyons , since they cannot feede him , shall fast with him , and rather starve than eate a saint : what cannot god doe where he will ? what will he not do where he loves ? oh god , they doe not know thee that distrust thee . to give with hope to receive , is to lend and not to give : or rather to put to use and not to lend : i will give where i cannot be requited , so shall my reward be in heaven . charitie is of that which a man hath , and not of that a man hath not : if the purse will not reach to a sepulcher with that counseller of arimathea , yet a pound or two of spice would bee seene : if silver and gold that hast none , yet such as thou hast , a mite would be spared : something , hath some savour . obedience is as well seene in a little as in much ; and if he which gives a cup of cold water shall not lose his reward : i can never be so poore to want this . where the cruse & meale is low , 't is not look'd that the cake should be bigge . as wee must use this world , so we must love it , as if wee lov'd it not : god would have earthly things look'd at and affected with all temperance ; we may not be peremptorie in our desire of them . but as our saviovr of his cup , father if it be thy will , and yet not my will but thy will. beggers must not be choosers : religion will teach us in modestie to submit to him , and thinke that our best , which god thinkes so . seneca an heathen but a philosopher , could say , hee was better borne , than to be a slave to his body , and they are no better that are continuall factors for it : every man layes up for a hard winter and a rainie-day : i will lay up for that day which i am sure will come , and am not suer how soone it will come . the bare desiring of earthly things , is not unlawfull ; hee who first taught us to pray , allow'd us this in ; give us this day our daily bread ; 't is the excesse , either in using , or in caring for them makes them ill to us , that are not so in them , selves : i will so desire these as i may bee the better for enjoying them and so imploy them , as i may have little to account for them ; why should i abound to my cost ? teares are a second b●●●●sme of the soule ; 〈◊〉 it is rinced anew , as the sinnes of the old worlde , so of this little world , neede a deluge . there is but one sorrow never to be repented of , the sorrow of repentance : only these teares goe into gods bottle , and thus blessed are they that mourne . others eyes are sermons unto mine , when i see a peter weeping for his denyall , it puts mee in minde of mine : why should i weepe for the losse of my friends , 〈…〉 my health , or of 〈◊〉 state , and not of my soule . there are two kindes of teares , of joy and of griefe : and two causes of these kindes : heaven and our sinnes ; the one of affection , the other of remorse , the one for what we have done , the other for what we would have , these two shall vie teares in mine eyes , to be forgiven and to be dissolved . this world is a stage , the play is a tragi-comedy of the life and death of man ; every man playes his part and exit : and it may be he that hath liv'd a begger , would not exchange with the king when he comes to dye ; for then he is rewarded , not according to what he hath beene , but what hee hath done . i wil not greatly care , what part i play , but to doe it well . home is home , be it never so homely , sayes the proverbe : men goe forth to labour , and come home to take their ease ; this world is our worke-house , and heaven is our home , why am i loth to goe to my rest ? this world is the valley of teares , and we may sooner want them , than cause to shed them : i will bee content to sow in teares , that i may reape in joy . i reade of augustus , when ever hee heard of any that dyed suddenly , hee wish'd him and his friends the like * happinesse ; he shall not choose for me : let him and his brother-heathens , pray for their fooles paradise . our church hath learn'd us a better language , from sudden death good lord deliver us . i ever thought it not a little blessing to dye by degrees . in this case the farthest way about is the nearest way home . mee thinkes it is but th' other day i came into the world , and anon i am leaving it : how time runs away , and we meet with death alway , e're wee have time to thinke our selves alive : one doth but breake-fast here , another dine , hee that lives longest doth but suppe : we must all goe to bed in another world. i will so live every day , as if i should live no more : 't is more than i know , if i shall . all goe to the same home , but all goe not the same way ; one falls by the hand of a brother , another by the fall of a house , &c. againe all goe to the same home , but all goe not the same pace , one dyes in his cradle another on his crutches , to some their life is a prey , to others a burthen : iob and ionah are weary of living , and lot and hezekiah would live longer : as for the way , i shall ever pray god that i may take my last sleepe in a whole skinne ; but for the pace , come lord iesvs , come quickly . death was given for punishment of sinne , but is the end of it ; when we lost paradise , we met with this , and againe when we part with this wee meet our paradise : they that know whither they are going , cannot but wish themselves gone , and say with our saviour , but in another sense , arise , let us goe hence . through how many dyings doe wee come to our death ? and how many deaths may wee come to ? infinite are our waies out of this life , that have but one way into it : our life is compos'd of nothing but deaths : for that wee may live , other creatures die ; again , our child-hood dyes and is forgotten when we are growne up : our youth dyes when wee are men : our man-hood dies when we are aged ; at last our age dyes and all dyes , and wee dye with it : every day dyes at night ; now if my life consist of dayes , what doe i else but dye daily ? favour is a thing to esteeme , but not to build on ; hee that stands upon others leggs knowes not how soone they may faile him : greatnesse is not eternall . i will never leane so hard upon any man , that if he breake he shall give me a fall . the things of this world are in a manner but apparitions , not so indeed : all our pompe is but like the strowing of boughes before our saviour , taken up againe straite , our provision here is like that of the gibeonites , apt to moulder , open to the theefe , and the moath , to be corrupted , and stole , wee have waters , but like those of marah , bitter ; we have riches , but we have crosses ; sweete meate but sowre sauce : they make a fair shew but they last not ; i may say of them , what my saviour did of israel , their goodnesse is but as a cloude , &c. i will use this world , but i will bee in love with that better onely ; why should i delight to be miserable ? this world is a region of ghosts , or of dying men , if not dead ; our life is but one continued sicknesse , and we are ever in a comsumption , wasting : wee now accompany those to the grave , whom shortly wee must keepe company with in the grave : every man must have his turne , and god knowes whose turne is next ; it may bee thine , it may bee mine , and mine before thine , god knowes ; thou hast more yeares , ( it may be ) and therefore as thou thinkest , some strides before ; i am no lesse subject to diseases , and therefore no whit behinde , these threaten no lesse to mee , than age doth to others : every ache , every stitch tolles the bell in mine eares , for some have dyed of these ; but every strong sicknesse digs the grave , and sayes service over mee , and cries , dust to dust , &c. since there is a time to dye , and i know not the time , i will provide for it at all times : blessed is that servant whom when the master comes he shall finde watching . no man thinkes hee shall live ever , yet most men thinke they shall not dye yet ; otherwise , they would dye better , and more care for the heaven they shall have , than the earth they must part with ; this world will not last alwaies . our life is but a day , it is now noone : who knowes how soone it shal be night ? i have a great way to goe , and but a little to spend ( a little time i meane ) my care shall be to make it hold out . as we doe not gather , so wee doe not looke for grapes on thornes , or figgs on thistles : such as the seed is , such will the fruit bee , and such as the fruite is , so will the harvest be , and one day ( if not now ) god will reward every man according to his workes , and ill shall be ill requited . sinne and punishment are like the shaddow and the body , never apart , like iacob and esau , they follow one at the heeles of another . never sinne went unpunished ; the end of all sinne if it be not repentance , is hell : if i cannot have the first , to be innocent , i wil labour for the second , to repent ; next to the not committing of a fault , is the being sorry for it . that which we usually say of men , is sometimes true of christians , foule in the cradle , and faire in the saddle ; an unhappie boy may make a good man ; he that should have seene saul killing , would little have thought ever to have heard him preaching ; we may not judge of the future by the present . he runs farre that never turnes . 't is not with god , as with men , to say i will forgive it , but i will ne're forget it ; with him sins repented of are as not done , as a broken bone well set is the faster ever after . god lookes not at what we have beene , but what we are . repentance makes us frends with god , re-intailes us in the inheritance , and by i know not what strange heavenly slight of hand , doth what you would have it . if we would but downe on our knees and aske forgivenesse all should be forgotten . our life is but a walke , wee come hither but to take a turne or two , and away ; and all our life we are going to our home , and we doe not live but travaile . some gallop it over , others goe a foot pace : the poore man curseth the houre hee was borne while he lives , because he goes no faster ; the rich worldling curseth the houre hee was borne , when he comes to dye , because he can live no longer : it is a like ungodly to bee loth to dye because we are happy , & to desire to dye , because we are miserable ; i have ill learned christ , if i have not learn'd to be content . humility is good to all , best to it selfe ; i doe not heare it said hee that boasteth of his good workes , but he that confesseth his sinnes shall finde mercy : the publican not the pharisie goes away justified . god never thinkes well of him that thinks so of himselfe and what he doth : they that scorne to bee humbled , cannot complaine to be scorned . all men would come to heaven , but they doe not like the way ; they like well of lazarus in abraham's bosome , but not at dives doore , they love heaven well , but they would not pinch for it : silly wretch , al the wealth in the world cannot buy thee into heaven , or out of thy punishment , and this thy glory shall adde to thy torment , that thou are now so well , shall one day be the worse for thee . i had rather wait for my happinesse , than smart for it . god preacheth to us no lesse in his judgements than his word ; when he strikes offenders , hee would warne the standers by , and beats some upon others backes ; when i see another shiprack'd before mine eies , it bids me look well to my tacklings . every man sees himselfe fall in his neighbour : others harmes threaten me and say with the apostle , what makes thee to differ from another ? where the sinnes are the same , oh god , it is thy mercy that thy judgements are not . 't is not an easie matter for men to beleeve that which they know ; what-ever they doe whereever they are , they are seene : but because god is invisible , they thinke they are so too , and hee sees not because hee is not seene : god is inclusively in no place , and yet hee is in every place , and heares and sees what is said and done ; if we did but consider this , wee would neither doe nor speake what wee would not have seene and heard : consideration would tye mens hands , and if they did but deliberat , they would not sinne . it is no lesse sinne to bee over earnest in purveying for the body , than over prodigall in pampering it : as well saint lukes foole as his glutton ; nabal as well as balthazar is condemn'd of folly : and i heare israel chid not for eating , but for laying up their manna . make not hast to bee rich , and make not waste of thy riches . i will neither feare povertie , nor seeke it . our eye extends but to the out-side , the skin , the righteousnesse of the scribes and pharisies will quit any of the censure of men . hee that fasts , prayes , gives , goes for current among us , i may not thinke him otherwise in his heart , that is not so in his behaviour , with us every man goes for what he seemes , wee dare not pronounce any man a leper till we see the scabbe . it was the evidence our saviovr left us , by their fruit you shall know them . hypocrites while they keepe their owne counsell , doe not onely grow among the wheat , but goe for wheat . none but god , or a prophet , god in a prophet , could give gehezi the lye , and see his sinne through his demurenesse ; only he who knowes all things , knows who are his , and shal one day gather the wheat into his barne , but shall burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire . to how many , under god , doe wee owe our selves for being : to the sheepe , the silke-worme , for food , rayment ; when wee are at our finest , wee are but like aesop's crow in stollen feathers , and if every creature should claime his owne , wee must be glad of fig-leaves againe , or ashamed of our nakednesse : why are wee more proud of our embroyderies , than our grandfires were of their aprons ? since both are but borrowed ; and what hast thou that thou hast not received ? now if thou hadst received it , why dost thou glory as if thou hast not received ? god made all the world for man , man for himselfe , other creatures to serve themselves and us ; us to prayse and give thankes to him ; and he who prepar'd a dwelling for us on earth , is gone to prepare a place for us in heaven : let us take heede lest by our disobedience wee loose our second paradise , as our fathers did their first . the covetous man hath his eyes in his feete , ever poring on the earth , all his care is , to lay up for many yeares : like spiders , men spend their bowels to catch flyes , trifles : toyle and sweate , and all that they may leave a little behind them when they dye : if they have but somewhat to leave behinde them , 't is no matter whether they have any thing to carrie with them . all are for the present , is it not good , if there bee peace in my dayes ? hee that truly remembers what hee hath lost , cannot be so delighted with what hee hath , then onely mayest thou say to thy soule , take thy rest , when thou hast wealth layd up , not for many yeeres , but for ever . i usually see parents most affect those children , that most resemble them ; i am sure it is so with god , they are best lik'd that are most like him , nothing shall ever be able to separate christ from him , that will not be seprate from christ. it is with the soule as with the graine : that which wee sowe pure wheate , comes up with chaffe and straw : there is no fruit but hath it's core , its kernell , its stone : in vaine doe wee thinke while wee live heere to be at our best . it is not look'd wee should bee angells upon earth : the best have their faults : happie is hee that hath least and fewest : our prayer must bee , lord keepe us from presumptuous sinnes : for sinnes of infirmitie , like ill weeds , grow apace ; tares there will be , well is it with us if we be not overgrowne with thornes and briars , surfetting and drunkennesse &c. and the day of the lord come upon us unawares . at usuall things wee lesse admire ; while moses doth onely what the magicians can , hee is slighted ; men are taken with something that is not ordinary . all samaria will runne out to see a man can tell them all that ever they did ; and i doubt whether the apostles drew not more after their miracles than their doctrine , when they beginne to heale and cast out divels once , simon magus will bee one too ; i will admire god for his power : but i will love him onely for himselfe . two things our saviovr commends to us from his other creatures , wisedome and innocencie , from the serpent and the dove : the wisedome of the one may stand with the innocency of the other , nay it cannot well stand without it : innocency without discretion will make us too forward with peter , and wrong our selves : againe wisedome without innocency will make us unjust stewards , and wrong our master : both doe well , and onely both doe well . the poor man is gods lottery : cast in earth , and yee shall draw heaven ; cast in a mite , and ye shall draw without measure ; for god returnes not tenne in the hundred , but a hundred for tenne . i will bee an vsurer only to god. give and it shall be given to you : he that commands the one , promises the other . almes never made their owner a bankerupt ; charitie is not so ill a servant , as to leave the master a begger . that cruse and meale shall never waste , that the prophet hath a cake of . it is an easie matter not to desire that which we have not ; to complain when wee have no cause , scarce speakes us men , muchlesse christians , but when all failes to stand our ground , and looke to heaven for a handfull of supply , speakes our faith : at a lions denne , or a firy furnace , not to turne tayle is a commendation worthy a prophet . it is no honour to overcome , when it is no danger to fight . adversity best speakes a christian in prosperity , it is as easie a matter to finde friends , as not to neede them ; but when wee have nothing left , not to leave god , nor so much as whimper , but chide downe our distrust with a deus providebit : my sonne , god will provide , tryes our temper . then is our valour commendable , when wee can endure to bee iobs . when our saviour would put to silence the distrusters of his time , he points them to the lilies and the crowes : the lilies of the field , not of the garden , which are digg'd and dung'd ; but of the field which have no gardiner , but the sun , no watering pots but the clouds , and your heavenly father ( sayes he ) clothes these : doth my father provide for others , and will he see me goe naked ? what will he thinke too much for his sonnes , that is so bountifull to strangers ? how will hee cloath them , that so cloathes the grasse ? if salomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like one of these , the sunne in all his height , shall not shine like one of us ; when he shall have chang'd our vile bodies , that they may be like unto his glorious body . distrust is a sinne which custome hath almost made commendable . every man layes up manna for to morrow , forgetting that if that be not wormes , they themselves may be so . as if there were no heaven , but pleasure and abundance : no other hell but affliction and want ; if their purse grow light , their heart grows heavy , their mirth ends with their store , and they think no man can say to his soule , take thy ease , that hath not wealth layd up for many yeares : but we are not yet what wee should bee , if wee cannot be content to be what we are , what ever it be . beggers must not be chusers ; 't is not for us to teach god which way he shall bring us unto heaven , let us thanke him that we come thither any way , and if he will have us suffer before we shall raigne , downe on our knees , kisse the rod , and not a word , not a sob . whereever god is , there are these two , increase and multiply ; abraham and lot cannot dwell together while they dwell with him , and i see israel once to bigge for goshen , that is now too little for bethlehem , give a man god and throw him into the sea , with israel , ionah , and he sinkes not ; needs must he swim that is held up by the chin . in apparell we are not to respect meerly necessity , but decency . god never meant religion should make men slovens or stoicks , as if a man could not weare good cloathes and goe to heaven , or a christian were ever bound in conscience to be out of fashion : we are not tyed to wander , or to weare sheep-skins and goat-skinns , because the apostle tels us some did , some of whom the world was not worthy , god meant that those holy men should bee patternes of piety , not of fashions . i will never be niggardly of another mans purse , deny my selfe that which god hath not . there may be pride in the meanest things in the world ; no lesse the cynick of his tub , than alexander of all the world besides : sackcloth and ashes in the same bill with purple and fine linnen , both condemn'd of pride ; to fast and to fare deliciously is strange but true ; and so much worse is that pride than this , by how much it hath a better face ; small drinke and camels haire goes away sainted , though but counterfeited when open pride is cryed downe of all hands : and of the two the least suspected is the more intolerable , i am sure the more incurable . a knowne disease is every mans cure , which when it lyes hid is never medled with : there is lesse hope of an hypocrite than an atheist . afflictions are gods mould in which he casts his children , spare the rod , and spill the child is as true in grace as nature . god receiveth no sonne whom he chastiseth not , but t is with a gentle hand , he leaves no markes behinde , and he hath soone throwne away his rod , if with unfained resolution you will doe so no more . god though he beate many of his children till they cry , yet he never beates any for crying . there is a double life in man , and must bee a double nourishment , men live as if there were no more to bee done , but feede and be warme , food and rayment are the maine businesses of the world : 't is true , wealth and friends and health are things to thanke god for , but better desires better becomes christians ; the christian man lives not by bread onely , &c. meate for the belly and the belly for meate , but god shall destroy both it and them , every good mans meate and drinke is to do the will of him that sent him . god hath given us this aire to breathe in , it doth not give but continue life , 't is the meanes of living not the author of life : god gives it us to use , not to serve . how many make this world their god , and serve it : and god ( as it were ) but their world to make use of ? i will never be a servant to my slave . god though he be ever the same in himselfe , he is not alwaies so in us , though hee love those whom he doth love unto the end , yet not without intermission . men commonly never know the benefit of a thing but by the absence of it ; wee could not so well esteeme of health , if it pleased not god we were sometime sicke : the long absence of a desired friend makes him more welcome at his returne ; thus christ is pleas'd sometime to withdraw his presence , that with more earnestnesse we might be drawne to seeke him : tell mee oh thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest , &c. as when many eyes are fixed upon one pictture , every one thinkes the eyes of the picture to be fixed on him ; so with our soules , all looke together at god , but every one must appropriate him to himselfe . to know that god is the god of abraham , the god of isaack , and the god of iacob , is but a weake assurance that he will provide for me , unlesse also he be my god ; our faith as our charity , must begin at home , and say , my lord and my god. our saviour doth not say , doe unto others as others doe unto you , but , as you would have others doe unto you . if thou wouldest have thy neighbour do thee right , doe so to him though he have done thee wrong . lex talionis was never a good christian law ; if i forgive not , i shall not be forgiven . as he cannot rise againe the resurrection of the body that doth not first dye the death of the body : no more can he be borne the birth of the soule , that doth not first dye the death of sinne . it is necessary that hee which will bee borne twice , should dye once while he lives , and hee that will once rise the resurrection of life should dye twice . that i may live ever i will dye daily . that two contraries cannot consist in the same subject , is as good divinity , as it is philosophy ; good and evill are like fire and water , ever contending till the one be conquered ; either my sinns and i must part , or god and i : i cannot be at once gods church , and the divels chappell . it is the fault of a great many , if god beare with them in their sinnes , they thinke hee countenances them : if they be not presently striken dead with vzzah , they goe on ; when they smart not , they beleeve not , and he is not fear'd till felt . sicknesse is not thought of till death , nor that till hell : forgetting that the long sufferance of god should lead them to repentance , he forbeares us that hee might forgive us ; shall i sinne because grace abounds ? god forbid . god as he is infinite in mercy , so is he in justice ; and as his mercy extends to thousands in them that love him , so do his judgments to many generations of them that hate him. that he is long in comming is no argument that hee will not come , forbearance is no acquittance : the longer our time , the greater our account , if we have liv'd long and liv'd not well , of young saints prove old divells , wee had beene better have gone to heaven young , than to have lived to these yeares to goe to hell : miserable is that mans case whose latter end is worse than his beginning . the relation betweene sinning and falling is so neere , that they are us'd promiscuously the one for the other . now it is a hard matter to fall without hurt , and once downe , it is not an easie matter to rise without helpe : where it is so dangerous to fall , and so hard to rise ; if we love our selves we will looke to our footing . most men feare to heare ill , that feare not to doe ill ; the arrantest hypocrite in the world would not be thought so , he would not be censur'd for sinne , that feares not to be damned for it , and is afraid of holding up his hand to the barre , that is not afraid of standing at the tribunal seat of god all the care is how to sleepe in a whole skinne , not so much to live well , as to die safe , keepe without the compasse of the law , though they come within the teach of hell . if this bee not to feare men more than god , i know not what is . i should wonder many times to see sin so smugge to here a iudas at his haile master and kisses ; did i not remember of what sire they come , the divell : and that he can stil personate that goodnesse he once had . he would be more shunn'd , if he could not bee mistaken , that is not suspected in a disguise where the adversary is so subtile , they had need bee wise as serpents , that would be innocent as doves . charity so forgives offences , that it is ready not only to pardon the offender , but to doe for him , and thinkes it selfe not innocent that it starves not it's enemy , while it sees him starve . what little difference is there in religion betweene not saving and killing ? we are not commended that we require not evill with the like . we have not forgiven injuries if wee doe onely not revenge them , if wrongs tye our hands from doing good where we ought and may , they prove sinnes to us , that were but crosses ; and we wrong our selves more by not doing than by suffering : and god shall so forgive us our trespasses : for with what measure i mete unto others , it shall be measured unto me againe . god deales by us as he would have us deale by others , and we must doe by others , as we would have them doe by us , and all of us deale one with another , as we would have god deale with all of us . as i cannot love god and hate my brother , so can i not bee loved of god ▪ how iustly is the fire of envy punished with the fire of hell ? it cost god more to redeeme the world , than to make it : he that made mee with a word speaking , when he redeemed me , spake , and wept , and bled , and dyed to doe it : what can i thinke too much to endure for his sake , that was made a curse for mine . it is with us heere as with gedeons fleece ; one while the ground is wet , and the fleece is drye , another while the fleece is wet , and the ground is drye . sometime wee have raine , and faire weather would doe better ; anon it is faire , and raine would be welcommer : and it fares with our bodies , as with our estates , now happily we have health , and want meanes , then againe wee have other things , and want health ; all our delight here is like our selves fading : and many times with balthazar , we are fetch'd off in the mids of our jollitie : nothing here but ebbing and flowing , tumult and alteration ; in heaven onely shall we rest from our labours : now if wee love our ease , why doe we so love our lives ? the good man takes his god as he doth his wife , for richer , for poorer , in sicknesse and in health : we may not alwaies judge of gods favour by his bounty . i am but a novice in religion , if i thinke i cannot be gods sonne and miserable . commonly those men are hottest in the pursuit of honour that least deserve it ; while deservednesse sits still , and bides his leasure that gives and takes where he list , and when , and how , and to whom ; and at last is importun'd to the place , not for the good he shall receive , but for that he may doe : he will not be great upon all termes , but will rather endure poverty , thā part with his honesty , and not sell his soule to buy a purchase what will it profit a man to gaine the world and lose his soule ? christ is in us , as the soule is in the body , hee gives life ; wee are in christ , as the branches in the vine , whence we receive life . let our care be to offer up our selves living sacrifices to him , of whom wee live and moove : 't is all hee requires , an egge of his owne bird , some minutes of that time which hee hath given us . what can i doe lesse ? one good turne requires another , if i love not those that love mee , i come short of infidells . selfe-conceitednesse is the sinne in fashion , 't is a hard matter not to thinke well of our selves ; i am not behinde the least of the apostles ( yee know the voice ) and if he had not beene buffeted , hee had beene exalted above measure , and carried higher in conceite , than he was before in his extasie : he that well remembers from what he once fell , cannot but be ashamed of what hee is and fall yet lower : oh lord , i am lesse than the least of thy mercies . malice never wants a marke . he who hath nothing , hath something to bee envied for , and if nothing else , he is envied for this , that he is content with his nothing . it is hard to bee prosperous , and bee loved at once : those that will be great , shall be envied ; it is hard but safe , to be contented with a little : but if i cannot avoyd ill tongues , my care shall be no to deserve them ; and then , let shimei curse . i seldome see sinne but in a religious tire : nay but i reserv'd them for sacrifice , was sauls to samuel : for sacrifice not for prey . goodnesse is the best disguise of evill , either seeme what thou art , or be what thou seemest : god is not mocked . their sinne is more unpardonable that sinne of purpose : malice leaves the owner as without excuse so without hope : sinnes of ignorance excuse a tanto , save some blowes . i may and doe sinne dayly against my will , i will not against my knowledge . what more glorious master than god ? what better mother than the church ? how glorious is that calling that at once serves such a master , and such a mother ? as it is our glory to serve them , so it must be our glory to doe them good service . god in us sets the world copies of piety , and wee must live to others no lesse than preach : as we are more eye , so we are more look'd at , motes in others eyes are beames in ours : many things are lawfull that are not expedient , and some things are expedient in respect of the person , that are scandalous meerely for the chaire ; that which is reproveable in another , is in us a reproach : seeing it is so , what manner of men ought we to be . promotions are neither from the east nor from the west , but from god : he that hath them and not of his gift , hath them with a vengeance who would not rather wish to want , than to be great so . there was never any that was not ambitious : every man is borne a corah , onely some more superlative than other . but of all men i most wonder at those that are ambitious onely to be talk'd of , and since they cannot bee notable they would bee notorious , and with cain bee mark'd though for murtherers . whether i know much , or am knowne of many , it matters not , onely this i will care for , that god may not say to me in the last day , i know thee not . pride is good to none , worst to it selfe : when adam would better his knowledge , hee lost his dwelling in paradise ; and when those builders of babel would mend their dwelling , they lost their knowledg . the itch of being great , potent , or pointed at , how many hath it undone ? i will never care to be or to know , that which i know shall repent me : what commendations is it to have beene some-body ? the tongue is the only betrayer of the minde : the foole while he is silent is not discovered . i will not be more thriftie of any thing , than of my speech ; i had rather be thought to know a little , than be knowne to know nothing . there is but one thing a christian need desire of god , that 's a cleane heart : create a new heart , &c. there is but this one thing that god desires of a christian , his heart : my sonne , give me thy heart ; and this i will onely desire to have , that i may give . a broken and a contrite heart , oh god , thou wilt not despise . the kings daughter is all glorious within , but yet her rayment too is of wrought gold ; our outside , our life must tell the world what we are within . if our lives doe not answere our profession , we are pharisees , we say and doe not . it is a common fault to forget what we have beene , when wee are changed for the better : how many have beene resolved for heaven in their sicknesse , that in their whole skinne have disclaim'd it , and requited the recovery of the body with a relapse of the soule to receive good at the hands of the lord , and not evill , is unreasonable to expect : but to receive good at the hands of the lord , and returne evill , is wicked and not to be endured . i will never pray more hartily to god for a blessing than for grace to manage it ; wherefore should i be blessed to my cost ? with god all things are not onely alike possible but easie , and he can as well of stones make abraham children as of iews . i will never despaire of him that can do al things , i cannot be so infinitely sinful as god is merciful . oh god , if thou wilt , when thou wilt thou canst make me whole ; why should i give my selfe over , where my physician doth not ? workes without faith are like a suite of clothes without a body , emptie : faith without workes is like a body without cloathes , no warmth , want hear ; workes without faith are not good workes , & faith without good workes is as good as no faith , but a dead faith. then onely are they themselves , when they are together , what god hath joyned let no man put asunder . our actions are never pleasing to god , when our light doth not shine before men ; let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes , and glorifie your father which is in heaven ; that your father which is in heaven may one day glorifie you . with men , confesse and suffer is good justice , but with god , the contrarie to confesse our sins is the next way to be forgiven them ; that soule is past hope that lyes speechlesse . i will ever pray ; oh lord , open thou my lips , and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise , and my owne sinnes . pray for them that curse you , doe good to them that , &c. is durus sermo , a hard saying , and against the haire ; 't is not so easie a matter to forget an ill turne , as to doe one , yet this must be if we will be christians : hee that will not be in charity shall never be in heaven . why should i doe my selfe a shrewd turne because another would ? it was the divell that first made us enemies to god , and it is still he that makes us enemies to one another ; it is not for nothing ( i have thought ) that he is painted with a clovē foote , hee loves divisions so well , and there is no greater argument of a divell incarnate than a malicious heart : say what thou wilt , but i will never beleeve thee against scripture , that thou lovest god whom thou hast not seene , that lovest not thy brother whom thou hast seene ; if wee love him we will love one another . if we will be christs disciples we must leave all , but it s not all , wee must take up our crosse too ; be readie to take it up , not of our selves , but if it be layd upon us , we must suffer willingly for christs sake , we must not suffer wilfully or throw our selves into the fire . he that bids us suffer , bids us flye , if they persecute you in one city , flye , &c. it is our commendation to endure to stroke or the faggot , it is not to seeke it when zeale runnes without discretion , warrant , it commonly makes more haste , than good speed ; christ would have us innocent , but wise too , serpents as well as doves , lay downe our lives for his sake , but not fling them downe ; we must neither goe like beares to the stake , nor like mad-men , neither runne to our martyrdome or from it : pray with our saviovr , if it be possible to misse the cup , or but to kisse it , but still not my will but thy will , we must submit all to god , and thinke that fittest for us which hee thinkes so . that which i heare from david , i would heare from every good man , thy word is a lanterne to my feete , &c. to his feete , not to his eyes alone ; if we use the word of god onely to gaze on , and see fine stories , to discourse by , not live by it ; wants his use , and wee want our goodnesse , and shall want our glory : knowledge without practice adds to our punishment together with our sinne . how many pharisees have sate in moses , that shall never sit in abrahams bosome , onely for this , because they knew and did not . workes of piety must never goe without humility ; he that prayes and is not humbled , like the pharisie in the parable , goes away worse than hee came . when thou prayest , thou askest blessing , and doe it on thy knees , if to your earthly father , how much more to your heavenly : men have inverted the course now , they drinke their health upon their knees , and pray for their health upon their tailes , god shall answere such men according to their manners , proudly . why should god stoope to their wants , that stoope not to their owne ? we cannot bee too humble when we are to speake to that majestie , whom we cannot see and live , and whom wee shall one day see and live to our cost , if we be not humbled ; thanke god thou hast knees to howe , how many would that have not ; why shouldest thou bend and cringe and bow , to thy father or thy friend , or thy betters , and not to thy god. prayer is the iacobs ladder of the soule wheron it goes up and downe to god , and conferres with him ; in our praiers wee blesse him , and by our prayers wee blesse our selves : there is no part of gods worship more acceptable or more profitable than this of prayer , and none more slighted , men come to prayer as to a thing indifferent ; wilfull negligence in leaving it undone , and coldnesse in doing of it , are the sinne almost of who not , only , oh lord , doe thou be mercifull to the neglect of thy people . there are many services and many masters , and yet no man can serve two masters , that is , two of a contrary disposition ; for there is the world , the flesh , and the divell , and ye may serve all these at once , nay yee cannot serve one and not all , the glutton he serves his belly & with esau sells his birthright his blessing for pottage : the drunkard he serves i know not well what , whether the drinke , or the company , or his appetite , or all , but instead of quenching his thirst , drownes his soule : the envious man , and the furious man are alike in this , both serve the passion , onely here they differ , the envious man with sampson , will braine himselfe so hee may braine others ; the furious man braines others so long till at length he be brained himselfe : the usurer he serves his gold ; the adulterer he serves his lust , but all serve one chiefe lord , one master , the divell , and shall all receive the same wages , which is the wages of all sinne , death ; why should god pay them for their paines , that goe not of his errands . finis . spare hovres of meditations . the second part. blessed are the poore , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven : how are they poore that have a kingdome ? or what kingdom is wealthy , if not that of heaven ? or why complain'st thou of that povertie , that saints thee ? that is a happy soule that makes even with god every night ; and every morne begins the world anew . god is love , and hee that loveth is borne of god , & god loveth him ; so there is no love lost ; by this are we knowne to be gods sons and christs disciples , if we love one another : i may love others for other respects , my enemies that they may bee good to mee , or my friends because they are so : but god i will love , because i will love him , and because he is to be beloved . when i at first looke out into the world , and see many men ( and those none of the best ) in better case , i think my selfe forgotten , & wish for more : but when i remember my account , i feare i have too much & forget those wishes ; it may bee if i had more wealth , i should be more riotous : outward losses are somtimes gainfull , and it is good for us that wee are afflicted ; it would be worse with us , if it were not sometimes thus bad ; many if they were not kept short of these would come short of heaven . he knowes us that keeps us , & if he wil have us lazar's & not dive's , bring us to heaven that way rather than another , his will be done ; let him give my goods to the poore , and my body to be burn'd , and bring me to heaven , though in a firy chariot ; i cannot complaine of the foulenes of that way that carries me to god. things which wee come easily by , we easily part with ; lightly come , lightly goe ; true friendship , as it is hard to find , so it is hardly lost , and therefore hardly lost , because hard to find : i will put up many injuries before i put off one friend ; small faults i will swallow : others i will winke at ; and if he will not be my other selfe , i will be his , and change my nature before my friend : friends like stones , get nothing by rolling . we are content with a little , when we are by our selves ; who puts on scarlet , and resolves not to be seene ? or is serv'd in plate , when there is none to take witnesse of it ? nature if it would but be private , it would not be so costly , most men are therefore covetous , because they are ambitious , and love the stage ; and desire to have much , that they may have much to shew , and set their land upon their cupboards ; i thinke they would shew more of their wit , if they shewed lesse of their substance , they doe not so much shew that to their guests as themselves , and are admir'd at , not for the abundance of these , but the want of the other . pride and vncharitablenesse are sinnes in fashion , and the one the cause of the other , many thinke they should vvant for their pride , if they should but be charitable ; i have often wondred and grieved to see a rich porch , and a poor christians walls cloath'd , and men goe naked . say what thou wilt , but i am sure with the apostle , that hee cannot love god whom he hath not seene , that loves not his brethren whom hee hath seene , and can indure to see miserable . many are therefore friends to others , that they may befriend themselves : and like leaves in winter , fall from the trees when they begin to wither , and with saint peter , know not the man. how many doe we nick-name friends at large , that prove but strangers at a pinch ; that will be your servants in a complement , and not know you in a businesse ? i will not desire of god not to have friends , but not such friends , or not to need them . we owe more to god for redeeming us , than for making us ; his word made us , but when it came to redeeme us , that word must be made flesh , and that flesh must suffer ▪ in our creation he gave us our selves ; but in our redemption he gave us himselfe ; and by giving himselfe for us , gave us our selves againe that were lost ; so that we owe our selves , and all that wee have twice told : and now what shall wee give unto thee , ô thou preserver of men , for our selves thus given and restored ? if we could give our selves a thousand times over , yet what are we to god ? and yet if wee doe give our selves to him and his service , such as we are , and such as we can , hee accepts it , and will reward it . i will never grudge god his owne . i have nothing that is not his ; and if i give it to him , he wil restore it againe with interest , never any man was a loser by god. the best ornament of the body is the minde , and the best ornament of the minde is honestie ; i will care rather how to live well , than how to go fine . i may have an ill garment , and come to heaven ; i cannot , and have an ill soule . he who first bid us cast our care upon him , did not so meane , as if we should take no care our selves ; it will not come to our share , to sit still and cry , god helpe us : salomon hath read his fortune , that will not worke in summer ; therefore shall hee starve in winter : it was the destinie sinne brought upon the world , in the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy meat , and thanke god we can have it so : he that made us without our selves , will not keepe us without our selves ; it is mercie enough for us , that we eat with sweating . i will never thinke much of my paines , where it is rewarded with a blessing . if an asse do but speake once in a world , as balaam's did , a beast have any part of a man in him , we wonder , and justly ; but let a man have every part of a beast , goe upon all foure , & wallow with the drunkard , or lose his speech together with his legges , t is ne're talk'd of . it is the property of a man to speake , as of a beast not to speake : why doe we wonder to heare a beast speake , and not wonder to heare a man not able to speak ? or how justly doth he want the blessing , that cannot aske it ? it was our saviours to his disciples , behold , i send you as sheepe in the middest of wolves ; blessed saviour , didst thou not care for thy disciples ? or if thou didst , why are they not rather sent , as lions in the middest of sheep ; than as sheep in the midst of wolves ? even because he loved them , therfore he so sent them , that out of the lions mouth they might come forth more glorious ; as there shall bee ever some poore to exercise our charitie ; so there shall bee some wicked to exercise our patience ; some bulls of basan to compasse , &c. where the enemies are so strong and so many , they had need be wise as serpents , that will be innocent as doves . desperately wicked is that of some , if i shall be sav'd , i shall be sav'd : as if heaven would come unlook'd for , and they should be sav'd , whether they would or no ▪ god never did , nor will save any man in spight of his teeth , or against his will ; as we cannot keepe body and soule together , without sweating ; no more can wee bring our soule and god together with sitting still ; never any got wealth , by barely wishing for it : and as few come to heaven , by meerely desiring it . there 's a race to be runne , and a battaile to be fought ▪ and as well in religion as in any thing , we must worke for our living . it is appointed to all men , once to dye : death is a punishment of sinne , not sinne itselfe ; yet sure it is the height of punishment when it is suddaine ; i doe not desire not to dye at all , but not all at once . i know i must dye , and i thinke of my death , yet is it not alwayes in my thoughts ; the best of us all may be taken napping . i will ever pray god when he doth fell me , not to doe it at a blowe , that i may see my selfe falling and bethink me in the fall ; and thus it is a comfortable thing to fall into the hands of the living god. he that knowes his masters will , and doth it not , shall be beaten with many stripes ; and yet i cannot say whether shall bee worse beaten , hee that may know it and will not , or hee that doth know it , and doth it not ; the one sinnes against his knowledge , the other sinnes because hee will not know , and shall one day not be knowne . god made this world not barely to looke on , but to contemplate on , and of him in it : here the christian & the philosopher part , they are led by reason , we by faith : they argue , we beleeve : they enquire the manner , how all were made , the christian , why : he is not curious in the manner , but lookes at the end , for the glorie of god , and the way to our glorie : and useth them not for spectacles , but motives , to the glorifying of him of whom he hath them ; and if wee enjoy these as we should , we shall one day enjoy him from whom we enjoy them . this world is oft compar'd unto a sea , our life is the shippe , we are the passengers , the grave is the common haven , heaven is the shore ; and well is the grave compar'd unto a haven , for there wee unload ; the things of this world are neither borne with us , nor doe dye with us ; we goe out of this world as we came into it , naked : why are wee so covetous of those things , which are so hard to get , and so certaine to be lost ? if i enjoy them all , i shall not enjoy them long : or if enjoy but some , i shall shortly have use of none . i will comfort my selfe against the want of them , with the assurance that i shall one day not have need of them . who can but once look backe upon his creation , and dares distrust god for his preservation ? whether is it easier to give , or to continue life ? to keepe thee or to make thee ? if he have given thee the greater , why dost thou distrust him for the less ? or if thou distrust him for earth , how will you take his word for heaven ? oh god , they have forgot of whō they live , that distrust thee for their life . this life is a race , and wee doe not live but travell ; but we have another race beside this , of our soule as well as of our bodie ; since both must bee runne , and the one will not tarrie for the other : i will trie who can runne fastest ; if i have finished my life & not my course , i have made more haste than good speede . every thing else hath a beginning , it is onely gods title , which was , and is , and is to come : eternity is only there ; our glory must be , not that wee have liv'd ever , but shall doe so . if wee looke but out into the world , we shall see almost as many miracles as things , that trees and plants should every yeare dye , and recover ; that the sunne should only lighten and warme the earth , and not burne it ; that the heavens should distill its raine in drops , and not in rivers full , and drowne us , where they do but wet us ; god is not lesse miraculous in preserving the world , than in making it ; and as his mercie , so his glorie is over all his workes . religion with some men is but a matter of fashion . many are of agrippa's religion , almost christians ; such men shall be saved , as they doe beleeve ; almost : god will never owne : such halfe-fac'd followers . the hypocrisie of a pharisee , would have shamed thee into an outside of christianitie , and unlesse your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnes of the scribes and pharisees , you cannot enter , &c. it is not onely want of grace , but wit , to dissemble where we may be discernd , if i will needs bee a christian , i will be one to some purpose . i heare men cōmended now adaies as the lord did the unjust steward , because they deale wisely , not honestly ; 't is held no crime to deceive , but to be seene , to be discovered , that 's a foule fault , he is a novice that doth that ; the care of many is , not to live innocent but close , & they cast , how to go ( as saul to endor ) to the divell in a disguise ; but they cosen onely mens eyes , gods they cannot ; and since they will not be knowne for what they are now , they shall not be knowne for what they would be one day . god shall say unto them , depart from me yee workers of iniquitie , i know you not . to dissemble sinne was never the way to be pardon'd it , only he that confesseth his sinne shall finde mercie : never be asham'd to say , what thou wer't not asham'd to do : blush to commit them , but not to tell of them ; it is better that the world note thee for a sinner , than god for an hypocrite . some there are that heare onely to tell , and many times make differences , where there were none meant , it is not good alwaies to tell all wee heare ; many a man speaks that in his anger , which in coole bloud , he would not owne ; and we doe a double wrong by relating that which the one is sorrie to heare , and the other to have spoken , when he is himselfe . i will heare all , and report onely the best , he that makes debate betweene others layes a baite for himselfe , it is safe and honest to compose discords , but sowe none . i will labour what i can , to set others together , but not by the eares . when wee behold ( for who can choose ? ) such a world of sinnes in every corner of the world ; buyers and sellers in the temple , and not whipped out , selling our soules for the provision of their bodies : others with zimri & cosbi out-facing judgement ; how , doe we not wonder and blesse our selves that we enjoy so good , so much , some thing , any thing ? that pharaohs leane kine are not seene amongst us , and the metamorphosis of famine , of the heavens to brasse , and the earth to iron ? that either the clouds are not shut , to with-hold their raine , or that the windowes of heaven are not opened , to raine not water , but fire and brimstone ? it is admirable where the fact is so foule , that the reprive is so long ? oh lord we have nothing to say for our selves , but acknowledge , it is thy mercie that wee are not consumed . good natures are wonne rather with intreatie than curstnesse , if wee doe not more love god , for his goodnesse that he doth preserve us , then feare him for his power that he can destroy us , his mercies are ill bestow'd and worse imploy'd , wee have not receiv'd the spirit of bondage to feare . i will love god , and honour him , but i will be affraid onely of offending him. god loves timely holinesse , remember thy creator in the daies of thy youth . nature ever begins at the wrong end , layes in , and layes up indeed , but for the theefe and the moth . with absalom the first care is taken to leave a monument behind , and when they are setled upon earth , they will see if god have any thing to say to them for heaven : & the best part is the last provided ; such shall one day have their heaven to seeke , because they will not have it to seeke now . he that will not when he may , &c. you know the proverbe : he that doth not seeke the lord , while he may be found , cannot complaine , if he do afterward seek , and not finde . all sinnes are forbidden trees to us ; and wee are so much adams sonnes in nothing as in our disobedience , ever reaching after that wee should not ; to do good , there is a lion in the way , like salomons sluggard ; but to evil , how swift are our feet ? so then , it is not going fast that carries us to heaven , but going right : i will care rather to set my foot down sure , than to take it up quicke ; what am i the neerer to goe a great pace and the wrong way . every man is his own worst foe , and his greatest enemies are those of his owne house : we may thanke our selves that we live at no more ease than we doe ; in the sweat of thy browes , thou shalt eate thy meate was of our own procuring . we had never known so much evill , if we had not desired to know too much good , our ambition hindered our preferment ; we were at first made happie , and we made our selves miserable , & now we are miserable . god hath chalked out a way to our happinesse ; now if we love misery rather than blisse , it is fit we should have enough on 't . a good man , still the longer hee lives , the better he dyes ; men should grow better , as they grow older ; not like a dead hedge , the longer it stands , the rottener . to see a man white in his leprosie leaving the world , and not his avarice ; and with s. lukes foole ; dye thinking of his barnes , is horrible . i had rather have no portion on earth , than buy it with that i shall have in heaven ; i will not ( with the curre in the fable ) part with my flesh , for its shadow . the way to sweeten death is to thinke of it , every day i live i will remember i might dye ; and i will not desire to live a day longer , than i growe some drammes better : what will it benefit me that i have liv'd some houres which i cannot answere for ? worldly minds mind nothing but worldly things . laban and nabal think of nothing but their sheep-shearing , and making merry when they have done ; their businesse is thought on , not their salvation ; for they make that no part of the businesse , onely matter of course ; grudge god his service , and in his service the length of it ; and pay god his due , as laban did iacob his wages , with an ill wil ; and would fetch it back again if they could tell how : and yet these men that will steale time from god for their profit and their businesse , will steale time from their businesse for their pleasure : he that will breake the sabbath for an houres work , will breake off his work for an houres drinking . thus they prefer the humoring of their soules , to the saving of them . i will never sell heaven for company , it is better being a good christian , than a good fellow . every man would be thought to bee in love with heaven , and yet most men are loth to shake hands with earth ; here is the difference betweene the heavenly language and ours ; they cry , how long lord , how long ? and we crie , how soone ? they think he stayes too long , and we thinke he comes too fast . i will labour to bee a follower of those , with whom i would be partner ; he hath not yet enough conn'd heaven , that is doth to goe to it ; that voice onely is worthy an apostle ; i desire to be dissolved , and to bee with christ . the just man shall live by his faith , and others live by his charitie : true faith is seene in its workes ; he that sayes he beleeves , and doth not shew it , beleeve him not . to make shew of beleeving , and not in thy workes , is to shew thy hypocrisie , but not thy saith . not every one that eats his meat in the sweat of his browes , shal eat bread in the kingdome of heaven : and yet it is not eaten but with sweating neither : but 't is such a sweat , as will make thy heart ake , and not thy lims : prizes are not had but with hazard , hee that will drink of the water of the well of bethel , with davids worthies must thorow his enemies : the water of life is not had , but with hazard of our lives . my comfort shall be , that though i lose my life for christs sake , i shall not lose my labour . or , who would not lose this life , which he is ever looking to leave , for that which he is sure ever to enjoy ? oh lord , wee want lives to lose ; i cannot endure enough , to come to heaven . this life , as if it would never be done , is ever providing for ; eternall life , as if it would never begin , is never preparing for . i will care for this life , but not dote on it ; i will remember i shall live ever , but not here . the love of the earth is the disease of the world , and that gulfe betweene abrahams bosome and us , to forsake house and land &c ▪ that they do not like of ; if christ would but leave out , that same , leave all , men would doe well enough with him : they would enjoy this world , but not with the losse of a better . againe , they would enjoy that , but not with the losse of this ; they would have their canaan , but they would have their flesh-pots ; they love the blessing , but they would not lose their pottage : with naaman , they will worship no other god , but yet , the lord be mercifull , &c. when i enter into the house of the god rimmon . they would so please god , as they might neither displease others , nor themselves , & would part stakes with god , let such juglers in religion look upon saul in the old testament , and ananias in the new , and read their judgement : what society hath light with darknesse ? the arke & dagon were never friendly householders : thou canst not at once , have two such guests , as god and the divel ; if one heaven could not hold them both , how shall one heart ? no man is so provident for his owne good , as god is for every mans ; every sinner is an absalom , to him , and he doth not only wish , would god i had dyed for thee , &c. but dyed indeed : we doe not so desire our owne salvation , as he doth all ours , promiseth , perswadeth begges our obedience , he leaves no way untried , that he may leave us inexcusable , wash his hands of us , and say , perditio tua ex te , &c. our destruction if it do come , is from our selves ; if wee could but wish well to our owne soules , we could not but do well : and yet it is not wishing , but doing well that doth the deed . i will do what i can , and i will desire to do what i should and cannot . god accepts a willing mind , and if i am willing beyond my ability , he will either make me able , or accept my wil. o god , thou that workest in me both to will and to do , work my will to thine , and my power to my will , that i may not onely will or desire , but do thy wil. god doth not looke for every thing from every one : for ten talents where he left but two : onely hee there exacts much , where he hath given much : if the seed of thorny , or stony ground bring forth no fruit , or withered , it is no marvell ; but where he hath dung'd and gooded , to expect a crop is but reasonable . the more i have , the more i have to answere for ; the greater my trust , the greater my account : let others care how to get more , my care shall be how to pay for that i have already . all lands do not yeeld the same things , and the same land doth not yeeld all things : thus god divides his blessings to us , as he doth to these , to some strength of body , to another strength of wit , to one health , to another knowledge , &c. he hath distributed to no man all things : yet , to every man some thing ; he is strangely miserable , that hath nothing ; but this doth not please , if every one have not all , they growe surly . what wilt thou give me , since i go childlesse ? could the best of the patriarkes say : it is hard and rare to see that in others , which we want our selves , and would have , and be still . whil'st i am in this world , i shall ever behold this inequalitie , and if i cannot make a covenant with mine eyes , i will with my heart : since i cannot but see it , i will learn not to repine at it : it is the lord , let him do whatsoever he will. god calls some men to martyrdome , when others would startle at a stake , and yet good christians too : all men , as all trees , are not fit for fewell , that are fit for use ; every one cannot hold out against the prison , and the hatchet : it is an easie matter to dare affliction before it come , and when it doth come , run away from it . we know not of what spirit wee are , what metall we are made of , our prayer must be , first not to meet with persecutions , and next to endure them ( but not meet them . ) earth is but our rode to heaven , and the things of this world , like high-way fruit , are common to all : the sunne shines , and raine falls alike upon the just , and upon the unjust : lest they should bee thought evils , they are given unto the good , and least they should be too well thought of , they are afforded to the evill . there is another good , which is wholly the godly's , and wholly to be sought for the kingdome of heaven , and the righteousnesse thereof : they , whose kingdome is not of this world , can see the kingdomes of this world ( with their saviovr from the pinnacle ) and contemn them , or at least not fall downe and worship them . it shall not trouble me that i am out-bid in these things by others , i will bee contented to excell them in better things , the comfort i have , and the glory i shall have . the covetous man never hath enough : like pharaohs leane kine , eates but is never the fuller ; toiles and sweats & wakes , and wants for all this ; it is a greater miserie to desire much , than to have nothing ; of no man can it be better said , all is vanitie and vexation of spirit : he is his owne tormentor , and doth at once make himselfe a hell here , and provide himselfe one hereafter ; he is never at rest till hee rest his last , which yet is the beginning of a worse torment ; so he robs himselfe , both of the pleasure of this life , and of a better . it is good to bee covetous of good things , and labour for the food which perisheth not : of this i will never have enough , but pray : lord give me ever more of this bread , ever and more . all that god made at first was good ; he made them so , he left them so : if they be not still so , the dishonour may be his , the smart will be ours ; their goodnes consists in their good usage , and our sinne in the abuse of them . god make us but to remember why they were made , and we cannot be to seek how they should be used . our saviours commendation of iohn baptist was , that hee was a burning and shining lampe : the hypocrit , like a glow-worme , shines but burnes not ; others , like hell fire , burne but shine not : and must looke to have their portion in the fire , they resemble . we are not excusable , if we doe onely shine and not burne , or burne and not shine ; the one we see condemned in the laodiceans , because they wanted heate ; the other in the foolish virgins , because they wanted light . hee must first shine one earth that will after shine in heaven , and burne on earth that will burne in hell . rest is the whetstone of labour . and that which we usually say of hope , is true of this , if it were not for rest , the heart would breake : wherefore god hath given for every day a night to rest in , and for every seven , a day and a night . we could not live if wee had not this , yet this must not be our life , to live at ease , he shall never enter into gods rest , that so loves his owne . every one almost , with the iewes , is weather wise , and prognosticates without booke , when you see a cloud arise out of the west , ye say there comes a showre , &c. hypocrites that can discerne the face of the weather , and not of the times : how vainely are men inquisitive for the provision of their bodies , and let their soules shift ? you will not plant or graft without consulting with your neighbours , and your almanack ; but in the point of salvation huddle on , and the minister and gods word is not intended ? how ill holp up art thou to know the state of the heavens , and not of thy soule ? if thou wilt needs contemplate it , behold it as thy home , not as thy calendar to better not thy knowledge , but thy life , or thy knowledge of a better life , and thy desire of that place where the father of life is , and where thou desirest to live . god made not death , neither delights he in the destruction of the living : ôh god , suffer not that which thou diddest not make , to prevaile over that which thou hast made and redeemed . man is the glory of his maker , and thy glorie thou wilt not give to another ; and suffer not us to sell that glorie thou hast allreadie given , that we lose not our share of that glorie thou hast yet to give . in some cases and some things , a man may know too much . it is not good to be prying into the privie counsailes of god : i doubt whether some mens overboldnesse with the hidden things of god , have not made them an accursed thing to them ; and pressing before their time or leave into the holy of holy's have barr'd themselves from ever comming thither at all : why should we call for light , where god will have none , & make windowes into heaven ? i will admire god in himselfe , and be content to know him no farther than in his word where this light leaves me , i will leave enquiring , and boast of my ignorance . what i have alreadie done , was done long before , and what i am yet to do , is alreadie done before god ; this shall be my comfort , that i can neither doe nor suffer any thing , without his knowledge and leave . god hath given man charge of his other creatures , and his angells charge over him , and they are now our keepers , that shall be one day our companions ; great is his love to us in their care , and great should our care be to continue this love ; and since we are alwaies in his sight , and theirs , why doe wee at all that which we would not have seene ? my care shall be , not to shunne his sight , but not to provoke his anger : what i doe , he sees : and i will doe it as i would answer it . those that honour me , will i honour : is a bargaine of gods owne making : gods honour is the way to ours , wee cannot but be blest , if we will but bee observant . i will care onely to serve him , and i am sure i shall serve my selfe . never any man lost in gods service . he who dwells not in tabernacles made with hands , will dwell in tabernacles which his owne hands have made , even the hearts of men : and we enjoy him though wee doe not see him , for no man hath seene god at any time ; he is invisible , but not insensible . our blessednesse consists here in feeling of him , in heaven in seeing of him , whom yet i doe not see , and shall one day see as i am seene : in the meane time i will doe nothing which i would not have him see , or may rob mee of his sight . i have read of the hart that hee weepes everie yeere for the shedding of his head , though to make roome for a better : thus i see the worldling goe away sorrowfull at that saying ; goe , sell all that thou hast , though it be for treasure in heaven ; men do not look at what they are to have , but what they are to part with , and are for one bird in the hand , above five in the bush ; but he that consults with his body for the saving of his soule , will never bring it to heaven . let me sowe in teares , so i may reape in joy , i will be contented with the heaven i shall have . many a man is therefore sinfull , because it is gainfull . by diana wee live , that shall bee their god , that they can live by ; but he trafficks ill for his soule , that loseth it , to fill his coffers . i had rather be poore than wicked ; it is not thy poverty but thy sins that shut thee out from god ; it is better going to heaven in ragges , than to hell in purple . it is with the growth of our soule , as with the creation of our bodie , we come up by degrees : first , with nicodemus , we must be borne againe , and then we must dwell a while at the sucking-bottle , from strength to strength : which the eunuch , from reading the scriptures to understanding them ; from understanding to applying , from applying to practising , of hearers we become knowers , of knowers doers of the word , from perfection to perfection , or rather from imperfection to perfection , from persecuting the church , with paul to preaching to it : till we come from dives doore to abraham's bosome , from eating and drinking , from marrying and giving in marriage , to be as the angells in heaven . many live as if they came but into this world , to make merry and away , and after some yeares of quaffing with nabal , die of a drunken fit : it were well for such men , as they have liv'd like beasts , if they could die like them too , never to live againe : but alas they cannot , her 's their miserie ; that they only leave their pleasures behinde them and not their sinnes . i will labour to leave my sinnes behinde mee , and have my repentance goe before me , and my good workes follow after me , and i shall meet with pleasures that never shall have an end . the eares are the doores of the soule ; without these we were but artificiall creatures , men onely in shew : hence we know , we discourse , we beleeve , we learne to speake to god , and heare god speake to us ; without these we could not speake , not know , not understand ; in a word , by these ( under god ) we are what we are ; but some ther are that cannot heare , others that will not heare . it is a lesse judgement to want the power of hearing than the will , to be borne deafe , than to become so , they that cannot heare are the more excusable ; but they that will not heare , it were farre better for such if they had no eares . every envious man is a mad-man , for he will starve himselfe , to see another thrive , he needs no other lent , than his neighbours well-fare , other mens prosperitie is his gallowes , where hee will hang himselfe a hundred times over , and at last , with achitophel , once for all : i will not so dedesire of god to have much , as not to cover much : hee that can but thinke his owne enough , will never think anothers too much . i will never grudge any mans going before me , but to heaven . most men look for the theefs paradise , to meet with christ upon his crosse , heaven upon his death-bed , and reserves his repentance , as the best bit , for the last : and meane to goe out of the world , and out of their sinnes all together . but how shall god then heare them , that before could not be heard of them ? in this case it is good being formost , why should'st thou put off repentance till to morrow , when for ought thou know'st thy soule is going to hell this night without it ? god give thee of the dew of heaven , and of the fatnesse of the earth , was isaaks blessing to mistaken iacob . first of the dew of heaven , and then of the fatnesse of the earth , ( for alas what is earth without a blessing from heaven ? ) but of esau quite contrarie , first of the fatnesse of the earth , and then of the dew of heaven ; your esau's preferre earth before heaven , and therefore have their heaven upon earth , god gives them as much as they care for : ishmael shall be made a great nation , and that 's enough ; but hee goes a wrong course for his soule , that thinkes preferrement is the way to happinesse . my indeavour shall bee not to leave a name behinde me upon earth , but to finde it written in heaven . the sun is plac'd in the heaven , as the heart in this little world of ours , keeping its seate in the middle , lends life to everie part , whereas if it had beene seated above , it would have beene miss'd below , and if below , it could not so easily have communicated above ; so that i knowe not whether wee owe more to god , for creating the sunne , or for placing it ; not in the lowest sphere then ( like another phaeton ) instead of lighting the world , it had burnt it ; or did it change place with the higher planets , wee should complaine of cold , so wisely hath god provided for our welfare , with our being , and hath set the sunne not too neare us , lest wee should complaine of it , nor too farre , lest wee should want it , but in the middle , where it is neither an ill neighbour , nor too great a stranger : when we doe but looke upon what we have , wee cannot distrust god for what wee have not , and would have . oh god , they deserve to want , that can distrust thee in sight of these . whatsoever was necessarie for our preservation was created ; and whatsoever was necessary for our salvation was written . i will neither desire to know more than god hath revealed , nor to have more than hee hath provided . great mens actions are authenticke : if herod and caiaphas but begin , christ shall have fists enough about his eares ; if abimelech lead the way , every man cuts his bough , and askes no question : with inferiours , example doth more than precept , and like men in a streame , they do not swimme , but are carried : doe any of the rulers beleeve in him ? is thought argument enough why others should not ; these see but by their candle , and if the light be darknesse , how great is their darknesse ? i will do nothing which i would not have god see , and others learne ; else my light were better under a bushell , unseene , than follow'd where it should not ; thus i shall helpe , not to light others , but to burne them . of idlenesse comes no goodnesse , doing nothing will in time come to doing ill , and from beeing idle to bee ill occupied ; the labour that is impos'd upon the soule is not to sit still , but to runne . good men must not be like davids images that have feete , and walke not ; then only have wee hope to come to our journies end , when wee keepe going . some mens devotion is like hangings , which they can take off , and tack on as they please : outsides of christians ; their hands and their eyes like some tombe which they have mark'd , are lifted up ; and they talke as the divell to our saviour , nothing but scripture : and with the pharisee give farthings in the market-place ; and yet all 's but alchymie , but counterfeit : these are ill men , but well thought of . if i am not what i should be , yet i will not seeme what i am not , or be an ill man in good esteeme ; what am i the better , to bee a cast-away with credit ? what is god to me without christ ? and what is christ to me without faith ? and what is my faith to me without charitie ? but a dead faith ? and if my faith be dead , what am i else but a dead man ? as it is vaine-glory to boast of our workes , so it is in vaine to boast of our faith without works . god as he loves young holinesse , so he loves it old ; ye are those that have continued with me , &c. was the praise of the apostles ; perseverance is the pillar of our salvation : if that fail al goes to the ground . what commendation is it to have done well ? if thou hast forsaken thy first love , if thou hast lost thy first hopes . hee must carrie his goodnes to his grave , that will have it carrie him to heaven . if we looke but on our bodies , we have matter enough of wonder , to see such a common-wealth of order ; such a world of varieties in this little world of ours : but when wee cast our eye aside , on that part wherein wee resemble god , the soule ; how doe we blush , and are asham'd at our houses of clay ? that so glorious an image should dwell so meanly , so pent up ? that the bodie should bee a companion for the soule , which shall one day be a companion for angels ? but thus was god pleas'd to allay our pride . wee should have thought too well of our selves , if we had not had some peece of us , like other creatures of the earth , earthie . it shal not trouble me what metall my bodie be made of ; if my soule be heavenly , my body shall one day be so too . when god sawe the thoughts of mans heart that they were evill , and onely evill , and continually : it is said , it repented him that hee had made man ; and that man whom he shall see so still , will have just cause to repent him , that ever hee was made , if he doth not repent him of what he hath done . god make me but truly penitent for my sin , and i shall never repent me of my being . it is a great way , and requires a long time to come to heaven ; i admire their strength , or rather weaknesse , that talke of getting it at the last gaspe , as if it could be had with a wet finger : i know those that have liv'd some yeares , and taken some paines too , to set themselves forward , and if they come thither at last , wil think they have done well too ; for my owne part , i neither desire , nor hope to enjoy it without a great deale of difficultie , anguish and agonie : and shall thinke it labour well bestowed , that i have it upon any termes . men usually measure others by their owne bushels : they that are ill themselves , are commonly apt to thinke ill of others ; since no man is free from slaunders , i will not presently beleeve the worst of any man , but i will speake only the best . our greatest enemies are within us : and therefore our greatest victorie is to subdue our selves : there is no such slavery as to be a slave to ones selfe ; it is a strange weaknesse , but ordinarie , to bee at everie mans becke , but our owne . olde men are twice children ; and some , as if they were children for yeares againe , as well as for discretion , waxe most worldly when they are leaving the world ; and as their bodies draw nearer the earth , so their minds grow more earthie ; as if they were to live anew againe , or should set up againe under-ground : it is good and commendable to use these things while wee have them , yet still so , as remembring wee must part with them . i will never be loth to part with that which i cannot enjoy long ; for to enjoy that which i shall never part with . every man for himselfe , and god for us all , is a common position , but an ungodly one ; that god is all in us , and all in all , is true : but that we should bee all for our selves is wicked ; every man for himselfe , and every man for another . thou it may bee hast enough , and to spare , another hath not enough to live ; why hath god given thee so much above others , but that thou should'st spare somwhat of thine to releeve others ? it may be thine owne case ; every man knowes his beginning , not his ending ; in the meane time thank god , that thou art not so , and help those that are . the barrennesse of the bodie is sometime a curse , but the barrennesse of the soule is accursed ; that is a punishment , this a sin , and punished with hell . we came not into this world , meerely to fill up roome , but to bring forth fruit , not for shew , but for use : our chiefe studie must be not for ease , for riches , or pleasure , but fruitfulnesse : if we are all for pleasure , our fruit is hell ; and if we are fruitfull , our pleasures shall never end . blessed are they which dye in the lord , for they rest from their labours : in this world , there is nothing but dangers and discontents , vanitie and vexation : then only shall we be at rest , when we cease to bee : if wee thought more of this , we would not thinke much of our affliction . if i am never so beleaguer'd with sicknesse , or want , or famine , or all at once , i will remember i came not into this world to take my rest , but to prepare for it . that ground is verie hard , where the travellers foot leaves not impression : and that heart 's very stonie , where gods blessing not only takes no roote , but leaves no signe , as soone forgotten as receiv'd ; 't is all he askes for all he doth , a thankfull heart : with what face can wee expect god should give us our asking , that deny him his ? god made other creatures for mans service , man for his owne : them for our use , and us for his glorie : how much , o lord , do we owe to thee for our selves and them , that hast so abounded to us , above them , and hast not made them but for us ? teach us to give our selves to thee , for them , who hast given them to us , for our selves . god is glorified in all his creatures , but not in all alike ; some glorifie him in their beauty , others in their deformity : his glorie is not lesse seene in our wants , than in our abundance : in striking with blindnesse , than in our aboundance : in striking with blindnesse , than in healing the blinde ; no lesse in ieroboams arme dryed up , than restor'd : therefore do we see some want their sight , others their feet ; and yet it may be neither for the childs sinne , nor the parents , as our saviour told the people , but that the glorie of god might be seene . againe , we see not only by nature , but by accident , one , with mephibosheth , by the negligence of a nurse , another with abimelech by the fall of a stone lose a limme , or their life : when wee see this in others , and not in our selves ; how are wee not thankfull to god for our selves beyond others ? lepers in soule ( god knowes ) and it is his mercy we are not so in bodie ; whereby wee should at once neede the helpe and want the companie of friends , and not onely bee miserable , but shunn'd . i will prayse god not only for the good which i have , but for the evill which i might have , and have not . our saviovr knew what he did , when hee taught us to pray : our father which art in heaven , &c. to give us , and to forgive us , for he onely can doe both ; none can forgive sinnes , or give grace , but god alone . yet doth he not alwaies give with his owne hand , but reacheth grace and salvation in his word and sacraments , by the hands of his ministers ; and because no man can heare his voice and live , hee speakes in them ; it is the wonder of his goodnes , that he respects not only our wants , but our infirmities , and would so appeare to us , as hee might teach us , but not fright us : thus wee see him speaking to moses himselfe , to israel by moses : he proportions the meanes answerable to our strength ; wee are not like our maker , if we think scorne to stoope to the weaknesse of our brethren . i will be all things to all , that by any means i may win some . a good tree is knowne by its fruit ; yet all trees doe not beare the same fruit ; our fruit may bee all good , though it bee not all the same : all are not workers of miracles ; 't is not lookt wee should remove mountaines , or walke upon the sea , command the windes , or appease the waters : there are other fruits of the spirit , that wee must beare : now the fruits of the spirit are these , love , peace , joy , long-suffering , &c. god make us fruitfull in these , and we shall have no neede of those . the end of all our saviovrs miracles , for the most part was , see you tell no man : it is one lesson in religion , not to be seen : and yet not precisely not to be seene , but not therefore to doe well , to be seene : our commendations must be to doe , and not say ; or if we say any thing , say , we are unprofitable servants . as the outward service of the body , without the inward sinceritie of the heart is unprofitable : so the contrary is uncivil ; gods service requires reverence , as well as holinesse . many go to god as they do to their companions , not kneeling , but sitting , or lolling along ; as if they were the iudge , not the petitioner , or were to grant suites , not to begge some ; and that unreverentnesse which they would not , nay , which they durst not use to this or that mr gentleman , they use to god : this is neither becomming christians , nor reasonable , or at least civill men . it is the fault of envie , that it sees nothing but injuries ; but of charitie that it sees none , or takes no notice of them ; but when one cheek is struck , it turnes the other : and when it can turne no way , lies downe under the stroke : he that will be righting himselfe of every wrong , doth but pluck more fistes about his eares , and set god against him too : who , if hee would but be quiet , wold revenge it to his hands ; unlesse we doubt of his power , wee will trust god with our wrongs ; and stay his leasure , that is the fittest time for our deliverance , which hee thinkes so ; in this case we are like men in a pit , the more we stirre , the more we are mired . i see moses in the mount , and with the people with a different face ; open to god , veil'd to them ; god would not alwaies have us shew our brightnesse to the world : in some cases he loves our talent in a napkin , lapt up and hid . let it suffice , hee knowes thee , that will reward thee : others , if they commend thee not , it is because they know thee not ; or if they doe commend thee , there 's all , and it may bee to thy cost . why shouldest thou lose heaven for good words ? or what art thou the better , that others commend thee , if god do not ? who therefore doth not , because they do , i will never care to have my praise ascend up to heaven , but to come downe from heaven . blessed are the mercifull for they shall receive mercie : god's promises , though they be gracious , yet they are confin'd : and he only shall receive mercy that shewes mercy ; all the wrongs thou receiv'st , cannot equall one sinne thou committest , and art forgiven : now when god hath forgiven thee thy hundred talents , which thou owedst , and could'st not pay : do not with the evill servant take thy brother by the throat for two ; be not so cruell to others , that hast god so mercifull to thee : freely thou art forgiven , freely forgive ; with what measure yee mete unto others , with the same shall it bee measured to you againe , and if you give , you shall receive good measure ; not only shaken together and pressed down , but running over . god as he doth not let goodnesse go unrequited , so doth he not requite it with a little , or inch out his blessings . he never hath done enough for those that love him ; one good turne drawes on another , and hee is ever thinking , what could i doe more for my vineyard that i have not done ? there is no pains of ours which falls to the ground unaccepted , unrewarded , who would not serve that master , whose service is perfect freedome , and the wages eternall life ? i cannot bee more mine owne friend , than by beeing god's servant , and the worlds enemie . our bodies waxe weaker , as they waxe older ; our sinnes as they waxe older , they waxe stronger ; i will labour to bee olde in goodnesse , and i cannot complain of weaknesse ; let mee but bee too strong for my sinnes ; and i have strength enough . some men doe not revenge injuries , because they cannot , they want power ; others because they want opportunitie , and doe but waite with esau : the dayes of the mourning for my father are at hand , and then i will slay my brother . it is no god-a-mercie to passe over injuries when we can do no other , he is not innocent that is so perforce : then is our goodnesse commendable , when we may hurt , and will not . it is the fault of the world , yet it is the fashion of it , to put off god to the last ; the fall of the leafe , will serve his turne : and thinke one sigh at their death , enough for all their lives before ; but true repentance as it is not for a spurt , so it is not done in an instant . he that goes about thorowly to make riddance of his sinnes , shall finde it a long businesse ; sinnes are not like servants , to be gone at a quarters warning . in many things we offend all , is the voice of an apostle ; the best have their faults , he is happie that hath least and fewest . i can never be so holy as to have no sinnes : my care shall bee to repent me of those i have ; if my repentance be daily , my score shall never be long . youth , and holinesse , doe not meet often , to see a young man dead to sin and ready for death , is admirable , but rare ; it is a good thing to be good betimes , sinnes as they growe old they growe lusty , and if they once get head , they know no master , it is a harder matter to restore to godlinesse , than to make godly ; for there must be a dedocebo te , &c. an unteaching of that evill , which they before learned , before there can be an insertion of that good which they must after practise . custome will alter nature , and an use of sinning make them in love with sinne ; it is rarely seene that a young divell proves an old saint . i will so begin , as i would hold out , with god ; otherwise , it is ill that i have begun , but worse that i hold not out . god desires not the death of a sinner , but that is not all , he doth not onely not delight in our ruine , but he desires our recoverie . if we repent , he spares us , if we returne hee receives us : for the first , mercy to forgive ; for the second , an abrahams bosome to receive ; if we wander , he recalls us , if we be obstinate , he intreats us : if we come but slowly , he will stay for us : in all his workes he is wonderfull ; but in his workes of mercy , he exceeds . i will never despaire of that goodnesse that hath no bounds ; my sinnes are infinite , but not unpardonable . hee was once a persecutor , who was after an apostle : and not behind the best of the apostles , that was once before the worst of the iewes for cruelty : god is able to make of a cast-away , a convert ; of a theefe , a disciple : of stones , children : of dead men , living saints , if the disease be desperate , the cure is the glorie of the physician ; the recoverie is more remarkeable of a dead man to life , than of a sicke man : if the danger were not great , there were lesse praise of our redemption : but when our sinnes are gone over our heads ; when the beame of the timber , and the stone in the wall crie us guiltie ; when thou art possest , and not as mary magdalen with a few divels , but with legions : not one sinne , or small sinnes , or a few sinnes , seven divels , as it is said of her , but past number ; like the starres or the sands ; and of the worst sort of divells too , that cannot easily be cast out , but with fasting and praier , and hast not onely committed them , but lived in them , and art now dead in them : when we have thus lost our selves , and him , to bee found of him and brought to our selves , pusles us for thankes : his armes are ever open , onely our hearts are shut : wee receive not , because wee aske not , wee are not received , because wee returne not , or returne to our vomit ; it is but just , when wee turne to our sinnes , that god turne to his judgements : either wee must bee cut off in our sinnes , or from them . salvation is the gift of god , it is given , and yet it is got with a great deale of struggling ; thou must fast , and watch , and fight ( as saint paul saies ) and as saint paul did too , not onely with beasts , after the manner of men ( though wicked men are beasts in a manner ) but with principalities , and powers , not the aegyptians , but the anakims , gyant sinnes , growne temptations . my glory shall be not to have no sinnes , but to have the mastery ; not that i am not set upon , but not beaten . that we shall all dye , we all know ; when wee shall dye , god knowes ; but how any man should be dead while he is alive , is strange wil some think , and would bee glad to know ; yet so it is , sin is a death , and every obstinate sinner is dead for the time . some with iairus daughter are not dead but sleepe ; others with lazarus , are not onely dead , but stinke ; and it is with sinne as with sicknesse , it weakens by degrees ; first it distempers the palate of the soule , or spoiles the stomake , so that either it refuseth meat , or distastes it , or puts it up againe ; and next it takes away the sense that they feele not their sinnes , and then are remedilesse ; and as our saviour told the iewes , they wil dye in their sins ; and this is a death men care not to be acquainted with til they be past cure : and then onely thinke of heaven , when they are going to hell , and after forty or fifty yeares living , know not what belongs to dying , more than , with ezekiah , to turne their face to the wall , and weepe when it comes : the way to dye willingly is to conne death before hand ; he that hath spent his life in providing for his death , is not troubled at his death how to be provided of a better life . my care shall be not how i may not dye , but how i may live ever . prosperitie is a great enemy to goodnesse , how hardly doe those which have riches enter into the kingdome of heaven ? i heare israel praying in aegypt , quarreling in the wildernesse ? when they were at their bricke-kills , they would be at their devotion , and no sooner are they at ease , but they are wrangling for their flesh-pots ; i think many a man had not been so bad , if he had but been poore . it is the saying of a wise father , that salomons wealth did him more hurt , than his wisdom did him good . trouble , and want do that many times , which faire meanes cannot ; wealth , like knowledge puffes up , when poverty ( as their infirmities did many in the gospell ) make men flock to christ . i will never pray more heartily to god for his blessings , than for grace to use them , nor to lessen my miseries , but to add to my strength . though my afflictions be many or often , so my strength be equall , i shall get by them ; the stronger my tryall , the greater will be both my victorie and my reward . the way to live ever , is to live well , there is no way to everlasting life , but a good life ; it is not living at ease , or at randome , or at rack and manger , in pompe and plentie , mirth and jollity , and with saul think to drive away the divell with musike . god cares not how rich , or how powerful thou art , but how good . we should so live as wee may have joy of our life , and bee made partaker of those joyes , and that life which are for ever . there are many dead men and manie deaths ; there is a death in sinne , and a death for sinne , and a death to sinne ; the two first we may thanke our selves for , if wee had not knowne sinne , we had not known death , but the last we must thanke god for , it is from him that wee dye to sinne , that have deserv'd to dye for it , who himselfe dyed for us , and hath taken our sins upon him , and at once delivered us from the sting of death , and the strength of sinne . and thankes be to god who hath given us this victorie , through our lord iesvs christ . we are in this world , as israel in the wildernes : and christ is to us as moses was to them ; if he leave us , wee know not which way to turne us ; nature cannot carrie us to god. here all our sufficiencie is from him , and we say well in our praier , for thine is the power and the glorie ; and it is by that power , that wee come to that glorie , our strength is but borrowed ; our standing but leaning upon his arme ; our going , but leading in his hand . it is with us as it was with s. paul upon the way , wee must be led , we must be carried to god ; we must pray , turne us , o lord , unto thee and wee shall be turned . of our selves wee are unable to goe , yet drawe us , and wee shall runne after thee ; so shall wee come to thee , with thee , that are rather images , that have feete , and walke not , without thee . it is betweene some sinners and god , as betweene some men & their creditors ; all their care is how to be trusted , not how to pay . my first care shall be as little as i can to come in gods debt , and my next care how to come out of it . our goodnesse must be that part of the wallet that hangs behinde us , seene of others , not of our selves : our sinnes must bee that part that hangs before us , seene both of others , and our selves . to conceale sinne , was never the way to be forgiven it ; or what art thou the safer , that thou canst conceale it from men , and not from god ? i had rather be censur'd for my sin , than be damned for it . as in moralitie so in divinitie , not to goe forward is to goe backwards ; and not to thrive in goodnesse , is not to be good . when i compare what i am , with what i have beene , i am not a little proud ; but when i compare what i should bee , with what i am , with peter i begin to sinke ; only here 's my comfort , i shall be receiv'd , not according to what i am ; but what i am in christ. every good heart is accuser , judge , and executioner of its ownfaults : why should i be afraid of standing at the tribunall of my owne conscience , and not of god ? at one i must ; and if i judge my selfe , i shall not bee judged : i will prevent gods judgements with my owne , and the feare of what i should suffer , with the sorrow for what i have done ; to him only is the last judgement terrible , that shunnes the first . wicked men as they make most shew of mirth , so they have least ; their heart and their face do not agree ; they carrie that in their owne bosome , that spoiles their laughing : they are alwaies pursued by themselves , and encountred with their own thoughts . their sleepe is dreaming , and they dreame of those judgements in their sleepe , which they have deserv'd waking : every noyse is of thunder , and everie thunder of the last day ; every shadow is a spirit , and their sinnes are so many divels about them ; they have a double hell , they dy a thousand deaths here , and hereafter dye eternally . there is no joy like the joy in the holy ghost : nay , there is no joy but that , and that is as farre above all earthly joy , as our heavenly joy shall be above this . hallelujah above hosanna . let mee but have this within , and i care not how the square goe without ? death to the wicked ever comes unwelcome , because they see it in its worst shape , ghastly . faine they would not goe , and goe they must , it is impossible they should live still , but it is intolerable to be still dying , which is the life they are to live , a living death . i will pray god to season this life to me , as i may not bee in love with it , and so to remember me of my death , as i may not be afraid of it ; and in my life so to prepare me for my death , that at my death i may not onely bee prepared , but assured of a better life . when i remember the sinnes i have already committed , and some it may be not throughly repented of ; and those which i do hourely commit , and some it may be not taken notice of : so many of infirmitie stealing upon me , and other stronger sinnes breaking in upon me : i doe not will that good which i should , or want power to that will , or perseverance to that power : i am at a stand with the apostle , and thinke , miserable man that i am , who shall deliver me from this body of death ? even he that delivered his body to death for me : oh god , thou that workest in me , both to will and to doe , worke my will to thine ; da domine quod jubes , &c. give but power to obey , and what thou wilt command . death is as hatefull to man , as old age to beautie ; and we are ever complaining of the shortnesse of our time , unlesse calamitie make it seeme long ; which yet if they be never so little over , they are weary of that which before they wished for , death : as i will not be in love with tribulations , so i will not love my life the worse for them , nor the better for wanting them : if prosperity make me fond of living , or afraid of dying , it had been better for mee , if it had not been so well ; i shall pay deare for my ease . it is better to go into the house of mourning , than into the house of laughter ; nay , the way to the house of laughter , is through the house of mourning ; so our saviour , blessed are they that mourne , for they shall be comforted : mirth , like salomons strumpets , leads to the chambers of death ; and the voluptuous man goes out of this world , as hee came into it , crying ; and into another world , where there is nothing but weeping . it is a great weaknesse to defer to doe that , which must be done , if i must once weepe , i will doe it now . it is better to cry for remorse , than for anguish . there were no such tyrant upon earth , as the envious man , if he had but his will , no man should live a quiet life , or dye a naturall death , but himselfe ; hee sees his neighbours house burning , and warmes him by the fire , and is refreshed : there is no estate that he hath not a quarrell to , no person ; his equals hee hates , because they are his equals ; his inferiors , because they are not his equals ; and his superiors , because he is not their equall : he is an enemy to all mens peace , but most of all to his own , and i think if he were put to it , himselfe knowes not what hee would be , or have others be . it is the greatest vanity in the world , to runne mad for others pleasures : what if i have not the same thing , or in the same measure ? i have enough to serve my turne , if they have more , yet they must account for it , and i will never envy any man , that he hath more to answere for to god , than i have ; i shall not account for the talents which i never had . gods blessings , and our thankes must ever goe hand in hand , one good turne requires another . wee must not thinke to serve our selves of god , and not serve him ; his blessings are not only encouragements , or rewards , but bonds . of these , the more we have , the more we owe , and our care must be , not onely to receive , but to repaie . why should we strive to come out of every mans debt , but gods . the charity of forgiving , is more difficult than that of giving , and more worth , by how much our selves are more deare to us than our goods , in the one wee are doers , but in the other sufferers , and many a man would doe for another , that would not suffer for him : i am but halfe a christian if i have only learn'd to pitie , and not to forgive : we cannot at once , remember our profession , and our wrongs , if they bee small , the matter is the lesse ; if they be great , our glorie is the more : nor only our glorie , but our reward ; it is our owne faults , if wee be not gainers by our injuries . gluttony is not onely a sinne , but a disease : not onely to be forbidden , but to bee afraid of ; other sinnes hurt in future , this in present , and robbes not only of eternall life , but of this , and destroies the body together with the soule . our bodies were not given for cellarage , to lay in bread and beare in . i will remember , that i was not therefore borne , or doe live , meerely to eate and drinke ; but therefore eate and drinke , that i may continue life . i have seldome known any wickednesse so hainous , that had not clients as well as patrons . corah had cōpanions with him in his sinne , before in his punishment . but innocency doth not go by voices , i will never looke at my partners , but my cause . i desire no other advocates , but god and the truth . it was the accusation of the old world , that they were eating and drinking , till they entred , &c. and is still of this , and will be so to the end , though this were not the end of our being , but for the continuance of it : i will use my meat , as others doe their physicke , onely for health , to satisfie not my desire , but my stomach . i can a great deale cheaper , and safer , feede my belly than my eye . we see men set not their best wares upon the stalls , but within , lapp'd up ; it is neither commendable , nor wise to shew our excellencies ( as musicians do ) in all companies ; what are we the better , that we thinke well of our selves while others thinke not so ? or what are we then worse , that others thinke meanly of us , while we think so too ? since those art never the better for thy selfe-conceitednes , nor the worse for thy humilitie , why shouldst thou make thy selfe envied for those graces which thou hast , by shewing them , and derided for making shew of those thou hast not , and would'st seeme to have ? and art at once noted of men for a boaster , and of god for a dissembler ? i will be content to be lowly in mine owne esteem , and others , that i may bee high in gods. a handsome garment is no argument of a strait body : those are not alwaies the best men that make the most shew of holinesse . demurenesse may stand with falshood : pretences are evermore suspicious ; they that are ever perfum'd , 't is to be thought have naturally ill breaths , we must not ever beleeve our senses : goodnesse is plaine , and would be knowne by her workes , but not tell of them , whilest hypocrisie is painted to hide ' its wrinkles , and would bee taken for better than it is , and with the figge-tree , it shall be curst for flourishing ; if wee are true christians , wee are both sides alike . goodnesse doth not go by yeeres ; many times you shall have that from a samuel in his long coates , which you shall not have from a saul , at forty yeeres old ; and yet it is not forwardness commends us , but perseverance : some men , like some fruits promise faire in the blossome , but wither ere they be pluck'd ; others like some graine , lye long in the ground , but grow up the taller ; it is dangerous to deferre long , but it is worse not to hold out . i will love and endevour early holinesse ; yet it is better to begin late , than to have done betimes , there is a penny for him that comes at the eleventh houre : if thy youth have been faulty , it is comfort that thy age is otherwise . it is no disparagement to have beene wicked , but to continue so ; who hath not bin overseen sometime ? hee was once a persecutor that was after an apostle . i will glorie , not that i have never done amisse , but that i am now asham'd of it . as promotion , so povertie , is neither from the east , nor from the west ; but from god. hee hath sayd to every man , rule thou here , or worke thou there , bee this , or thus . why doe men grudge at their wants , when it is not chance but providēce ? it is lesse praise to be honourable , than to be content not to bee so : our happinesse is , not to want affliction , but to beare it . the lesse i have , the more i have to come : no lazarus would change states with that dives , who if he might but live againe , would bee lazarus to choose . iob in his description of man , sayes , his daies are as the daies of an hireling , now wee doe not hire men to be idle , but to doe our businesses , our life is a long day , and this day hath many houres , and these houres have all worke ; every man is a day-labourer , and must doe his taske , to have his wages . i doe not see the penny given to those that stand in the market place , but that labour in the vineyard : 't is not for us to be lookers on , god and the holy angels are spectators ; we must be actors , doers . i will bee content to do nothing but labour , while i am here , that hereafter i may doe nothing but rest . the food of the soule , as it is farre more excellent than that of the body , so it is farre more dangerous ; for , where it saves not , it kills : how many ( with esau ) have eaten themselves out of the blessing in this , and gone from gods table , as baltazar did frō his condemn'd men ? not the presence , but the preparednesse makes the acceptance : to come , and not worthily , is to bee more bold than welcome ; it is all one to thee whether god have thy roome , or thy company ; if thou have not thy garment , thou art condemn'd in both ; let others care only to come , my care shall bee to be welcome . god is a god of pure eyes , and cannot behold sinne , and yet he continually beholds us that are altogether sinful . lord how are we bound to thy goodnesse , that onely thy eye is upon us , and not thy hand ? that thou doest but take notice of our sinnes , and not take vengeance on them ? if wee had any good nature in us , if for nothing else , yet we would be better , because thou art so good ; and dislike sinne , not for our owne sakes , but thine . god , saies the heathen , hath woollen feet , but iron hands ; yet he hath sometimes iron feet , and woollen hands ; where he would correct , and not in wrath , he makes a great noyse , but doth little , only to fright , not hurt them : where hee will judge , and not correct , he treads softly , but strikes home , and is upon them ere they are awares ; there is love in his corrections , but there is wrath in his judgements . i will pray , correct mee , oh lord , but not in thy furie , lest i bee consumed and brought to nothing . there is no living without repenting ; for all sins are against god , and all forgivenesse is from god , and there is no forgivenesse without repentance ; so then without this thou canst neither live comfortably , nor dye peaceably . i will not presently give god and my selfe over , because i have sinn'd ; but i will therefore neither give god over till he have forgiven my sinne ; nor my selfe till i have forgotten it , or remember it with detestation . i have seldome seene a rich man want friends , or a poore man enemies ; though he have scarce to live , yet he is grudg'd his life , that hee takes up roome in the earth : these men make much of this , for it is all they have to trust to . i will grudge no man this world ; it shall suffice me there is another to come , and that mine shall beginne , when this is ended . i will bee content to want this for a while , that i may enjoy the other for ever . holinesse is not borne with us , nor doth growe up with us : sometime , you shall see the hoare-head , come short almost of the long coates . i will never regard how long i live , but how well ; and rejoice , not that i dye an old christian , but an old man in christ . some men drawe nigh unto god , but with their lips , as iudas did ; others drawe nigh unto him with their whole bodie , and will for outward complement come short of none : into their sackcloath with ahab , and downe upon their knees with face with saul ; they will dye the death of the righteous as well as any , if wishes will doe it ; but their heart is not sound . not to drawe nigh unto god at all , is open rebellion ; to drawe nigh unto god , and not all , by halves is secret dissembling ; then only doe wee come as we should , when wee come ( like s. pauls sacrifice , ) our selves , our soules and our bodies : and thus if i draw nigh unto god , he will draw nigh unto me . if god only saw as we , there were no difference between holinesse in jest , and in good earnest . ahab is in ashes as well as ninivie ; nay , what doth ninivie more than ahab , to the eye ? what doe the apostles more than the pharisies , or iohns disciples than theirs ? they fast , pray , give : by the out-side wee cannot tell who serves god with his bodie , or with his heart ; wee see they are painted , god onely sees they are sepulchers ; wee see their fairenesse , but not their rottennesse ; onely god which sees their heart , shall one day unmaske it , and as they have before been applauded for what they seemed , so they shall then be punish'd for what they are . if i have only the rin'd , the out-side of christianity , and not the bulke , i am sure to be cast out : what i can , i will so carry my selfe , as i may neither bee condemn'd for beeing worse than i should be , or seeming better than i am . there is no musike like that of the word , yet it is not lik'd ; we have piped unto you , and you have not danced ; was the complaint of christs time : men have eares to heare , but not that ; any musike but that of the cymbals ; any harpe but davids ; any bells but those of aaron : they can heare others revil'd , or god prophan'd , or themselves sooth'd ; they have eares to their commendations , but not to their faults : the sluggard hath his eares in his pocket ; the drunkard hath his eares in his pot ; the proud man hath no eares , but to his commendation ; the covetous man hath no eares but to his profit ; the luxurious man hath no eares but to his pleasure ; there is no musike but in trumpets , nor in them but at banquets . but he that will not heare now , shall one day crie and not be heard , and be forc'd to heare that heavy doome , depart from me , ye workers of iniquitie , into that lake , where there is nothing but crying . it is strange , no men would be sicke , and yet some men will not bee well ; for they take courses to overthrow their health ; as if god had nothing to doe but to waite on them : they are never well when they are well , but when they are doing of ill ; where the affliction is gods , wee may challenge him of helpe ; where the disease is debauchnes , he may challenge us of sinne : when our sicknesse is his correction , it is comfortable , but when we need to bee corrected for our sicknesse it is fearefull : what god laies upon us is to be boarne ; what men bring upon themselves , is not to be answered ; and if in mercy thou art delivered , go and sinne no more , lest a worse thing come unto thee . ill weeds grow apace ; wicked men like aegyptian grashoppers ly in heaps , when the good , like noah in his arke , are two or three in a corner : our blessed saviour ( as hee could never say otherwise ) said true , the way had neede be wide that leadeth to destruction , for many there bee that finde it . they must looke to suffer , that look to reigne ; this world is gods house of correction for his children : wee must not think not to have crosses , wee must studie to make the best of them . i will thinke of afflictions before they come , that when they come , i may bid them welcom ; while they tarrie , i will make use of them , and when they go , i will take leave of them , onely as of an ague , for a well day or two , but to come againe . in heaven all vessells shall be full , but none shall runne over ; here on earth i see some runne over , and yet complain of emptinesse ; they have not enough , if they have not all : thus i have seene some beasts , not knowing when they were well , burst with feeding : they had more than enough , if they could be content another should have more than they ; if they could but be lesse envious , they would be lesse covetous : all vessels beare not the same sailes , those do but speed a tall ship , wherewith a bark is overborn : wee know not our owne strength , submitte ourselves to him that doth : hee that gives us all wee have , knowes we have all we should have , and that if wee had more , wee would sinke : that man that thinkes hee is never full , is never thankfull . whether i abound , or am poore , i will endevour but these two , to be thankfull , and to be content . crosses are harsh , but they are the best physike ; i know not whether prosperity have lost , or adversity recover'd more ; none praies so heartily for his daily bread , as hee that wants it : miserie like ionah's fish sends them to their prayers that never thought of god under their goard ; it is pitty faire weather should doe any harm ; yet it is often seen , we even adore those physicians in our sicknesse which being recovered , wee onely salute with a complement ; abundance makes many forget those friends , which want wold make crouch to ; how welcom should that state be which makes us familiar with god ? i will not , i may not wish for afflictions , nor meet them . i am good christian enough , if i can be content to be poore , and not desirous . our practice must be not to make much of crosses , but to make use of them ; yet i had rather endure a world of crosses to come to god , than to be crossed in nothing in this world , and once want him : let my sinnes rather be punished , then sooth'd : oh god , let my hell be here . christ hath many followers , but few disciples ; god hath many creatures , but few sonnes . gods flocke is a little one , one of a family , two of a tribe , like the prophet esaiahs tall tree , heere and there a berrie in the toppe of a bough : there are many of israel , but few israelites , many that have abraham to their father , but a few his children . many that came out of his loines , but few that shall sit in his bosome . goodnes goes not by multitude : the many followers may shew thy greatnesse , not thy holinesse ; the most are commonly the worst . how fondly then , how falsely do any boast of the truth of their religion by their multitude ? every thing , we say , is the worse for wearing ; it is true of the world ; the older the more corrupt : we are forewarn'd of the last daies , that they shall be notoriously wicked ; the world did almost begin with sinne , but it shall end ( in a manner ) with nothing but sinne , and that in fire : here 's our comfort , the just are no part of the world . if we had not knowne sinne , we had not knowne sicknes , and now we know not how to be wel of our sinne , but by him against whom wee have sinned ; our health is from god , our sicknesse is from our selves : heale thy selfe , is only for that physician to whom it was upbraided , it is not saul and his witch , or asa and his physicians can prevent death or a disease , without god ; all is originally from him , yet derivatively by meanes . i will use the one , but i will trust onely the other ; if wee are confident either without them , or in them , we presume . whilest we are here , we are in continuall want of somewhat , either our mindes are sicke , or else our bodies , diseases or discontents . how should wee long for that place , where we shall enjoy nothing but rest , and want nothing but a consummation of our rest ? this world is a lyer , and he will find it so , that serves it : riches like their master , are full of deceit , promise that they have not . how many have we seen that have thoght no joy but in abundance , have , after , ended their joy where they begin to abound , and at last envied the quiet rest and merry meales of their labourers ? to impatient , inconstant mindes , the present state is ever cumbersome , and they would change thogh for a worse ; if wee can but make the best of our owne , and thinke our selves well , even when others thinke not so , wee are happy men . why should i think that grievous which god thinkes fit ? if there were no providence , i would struggle : but now it is hard to kicke against the prickes . lord , be it unto thy servant according to thy will. pleasures are pleasing , but they are vanishing : the pharisies were not so truly painted sepulchers , as these , faire but rotten , fading nor onely dying , but killing . like guilded pills ( save that they are not physicke ) but small , and ill tasted ; if they were either not short , or but sweet , there were some colour for loving them . but now they are not lasting , and yet unsavoury : why are we not ambitious of those pleasures , which are beyond al time for length , and all conceit for sweetnesse ? some men are afraid to sinne , because they are afraid to smart for their sinne , they would goe on in their sinnes , if they could go away with them ; it doth not so much trouble them to be wicked , as to be tormented , and their study is not that they may not provoke god , but that they may run away from him. oh god , if we could runne out of the world , we should run farther into thy judgements . oh god , if we go downe into hell , thou art there , there is no running from the punishment , till from the sinne . all sicknesse is not of the body : every leprosie is not in the skinne , it were well for some men it were : every sinne is a disease , our soules are no lesse subject to infection , than our bodies ; some are diseas'd and do not know it , others are diseas'd and doe not care for it : both cases are hard , but the last is desperate . to make light of sin , and because thy soule is sicke even unto death , to say with the atheist & epicure , let us eat and drinke , for we must dye , is to shake hands with vengeance : hee that will not so much as aske to be heal'd ; how justly shall he dye in his leprosie . it is strange , but it is ordinary to see every man greedy to continue this life , and not to procure a better : if the head doe but ake , strait to the prophet with the shunamite , to the physicians with asa : if they bee but talk'd to of dying , with ieroboam's wife they run and ride , and send ; and as the cripple to our saviour , pul downe the tiles to come at him ; but in the matter of their soule , they are deafe to the disease : why are wee not as industrious for heaven , as for our health ; and to live ever , as to live long ? alas ! what is age without goodnesse , but a fairer marke for vengeance ? what is dives the better to out-live lazarvs , and at last dye and be damn'd ? let others trouble themselves and the world , how to maintaine this body , my care shall bee how to subject it : whilest i employ my soule only for the setting out of my flesh , what am i else but a glorious slave ? diseases though they were the fruit of sinne , and brought upon us by our selves , yet they are not dispos'd of amongst us but by god , they head doth not ake but with his leave : nor leave aking but with his helpe ; it is from above both that wee are sicke , and that wee are made whole ; to whom should i not only owe my life , but bestow it , but to him of whom i live and move ? as it is in extremities , for men to remember god , but with repining ; so it is hard in prosperity , to remember themselves , and what they have receiv'd of god ; we are apt to forget what wee have bin , when we are chang'd for the better ; pharaoh's butler hath forgot he was a prisoner : it is too true , that too many love god for their owne sakes , either they are poore , and would be rais'd ; or they are sicke and would bee heal'd ; and like beggers , no sooner are they serv'd but they are gone . i may both love my selfe , and god ; i may not love god for my selfe , i would not love my selfe but for that i am his , and i will love him but for himselfe . when i consider the yeeres i have already lived , me thinkes they are few , but evill ; evill not in respect of affliction alone , but of sin , and i am found guilty : if i consider the present , ( if there be any present , when it is ever passing ) i do but adde to my score , and if i consider the time to come ( if i have any to come , god knowes ) i do but adde to the measure of my owne sinnes , and gods wrath together with my yeeres ; since i must live , and cannot but sinne , i will study how my sinnes may not hinder me of a better life ; first , i will abhorre them , and then i will abhorre my selfe for them ; and if i could not before break my heart of them , i will now breake it for them : a broken and a contrite heart , o god , thou wilt not despise . to every one it shall one day be sayd ; give an account of thy stewardship , &c. it is that which everie man should tell himselfe and one tell another , what the apostle hath long since told us all , that we must all stand before the tribunall seate of almightie god ; the righteous thinkes long of this day , and longs for it ; because hee is long since provided for it ; the wicked thinks it coms too fast , and yet thinkes not of it till it come ; and when it is come , can think of nothing but that , and is stown'd with the thought of it : his pleasures which were never but shadowes ( yet accounted recall ) then appeare as they were , and not as they were accounted ; and those torments which were ever thought but shadowes , bug-beares , then appeare as they are , and prove reall : the comparing of what he hath enjoi'd , with what he hath lost , and that little lesse than nothing of time which he hath liv'd , with the eternitie of torment , hee is to dye in , makes him curse the time of his birth , since there is a time of death , and another death beyond all time ; so the godly and the wicked differ not more in their lives , than in their deaths , but most of all after death . oh my god! as thou hast made mee of the best sort of creatures , a man , and of the best of that sort , a christian ; so let mee be yet better , by beeing one of those whom thou hast sorted for thy selfe ; what am i better , if i am only call'd and not chosen . all bookes are not alike easie ; those that are , are not all alike profitable ; some would profit more , if they did but rellish , others would rellish better , if they were more profitable ; he doth well that doth both , utile dulci ; i will neither drowne my meat in sauce , nor dish it dry . they are not the only robbers that breake houses , guile is worse theft than outrage ; it is alike wicked to make wine of other mens grapes ( as ahab did of naboth's ) and to be drunk of our owne ; hee that will have riches in spight of heaven shall have hell to boote . the malicious man is his owne moth ; that god is better to him than hee can expect , is nothing , whilest he is better to others than hee is to him : like gideon's first miracle hee would have all the ground dry but his fleece ; if cain's sacrifice miscary , abel must not bee accepted and live ; no man may bee either greater or better with safetie . i will not looke at what i have , but what i deserve , and i shall never thinke my ▪ owne little , or anothers too much : that is a wicked heart that would have all men worse than it selfe , and hates all those whom others thinke better . god is therfore bountifull to us , that we might be so to others ; to feast those , that cannot bid us againe , and to build for those that cannot lodge us againe , is the way to that marriage-feast , and those buildings , whose builder & maker is god : he alone hath the true use of wealth that receives it onely to disburse it ; if of wealth that receives it only to disburse it ; if men were their owne friends they would make others so with this mammon ; why should the rust of that gold rise up in judgement against thee , the use of which will set thee with those that shall sit in judgement ? persecution is the dore to happines , canaan hath still the same way , a wildernesse ; who can looke for heaven cheape , that sees his saviovr bleeding ? i may not afflict my selfe , yet i shall suspect my selfe without affliction ; calmes are no lesse dangerous than stormes . some men doe not climbe , but vault into preferment at a leape ; i know not their sleight , i mistrust their quicknesse ; few men were ever great and good in an instant . all the harme i wish these , is , that their early rising do them no harme ; they that are their owne brokers in these , are likely their owne theeves in better ; and steale themselves out of heaven . favours are more binding , but aflictions are more profitable ; to have much is more glorie , but to be content with that we have is more victory ; there is no conquest like that of our selves , no conquest of our selves like that of want ; it is a hard matter not to find poverty a burden , or prosperity a snare ; this religion obtains us , that if we are not richer than others , yet we are content to be poorer ; he only hath enough that would have no more . our endevors are in vaine without god's blessing , yet in vaine shall he challenge a blessing that endevors not ; sloth is no lesse guiltie than coveteousnesse . i can doe nothing without god , yet i will not looke god shall doe all . the cause of all punishment is sinne ; and the end of all sinne is punishment . either present or to come ; how then doe we love to be punished , and yet love to sinne ? if we could but be innocent , we could not but be safe ; while i am here i cannot but sinne , but i hope to avoid the punishment through him who hath borne the punishment and the sinne . our life is but a breath ; at first god breath'd upon man the breath of life , &c. and it is gone with a breath , if he breath upon us in displeasure we die , for at the breath of his nostrills wee are all consum'd : since we doe not live but by his leave , why doe we not live to his glorie ? oh god , i have not liv'd long , yet so much of my life as i have not liv'd to thee , i have liv'd too much ; all i desire is , that as this life was thy gift to me , so it may be my gift to thee ; i i can afford god little , if not his owne . all punishments are from the same hand , iobs boyles are no lesse gods finger than pharaohs ; but all are not with the same end ; those are but chastnings upon some , that are judgements upon others . god strikes his owne because he loves them , he strikes the wicked because they love not him ; those hee corrects but these he executes ; it is a signe hee loves us when hee strikes us , and if his strokes bring us to love him , wee may brag with david , it is good for us that we have beene afflicted . god is all eare and all eye , and all in all ; grant lord , that as i am alwaies seene of thee , so i may be alwaies heard of thee : and may alwaies heare thee in thy word , and contemplate thee in thy workes ; that i may one day see as i am seene , and heare and bee heard in that heavenly quire of hallelujah's , glorie , and power , and honour be unto the lambe , and to him that sitteth on the throne , for evermore . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , similem . the new law of righteousnes budding forth, in restoring the whole creation from the bondage of the curse. or a glimpse of the new heaven, and new earth, wherein dwels righteousnes. giving an alarm to silence all that preach or speak from hear-say, or imagination. by gerrard winstanley winstanley, gerrard, b. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing w ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing w estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the new law of righteousnes budding forth, in restoring the whole creation from the bondage of the curse. or a glimpse of the new heaven, and new earth, wherein dwels righteousnes. giving an alarm to silence all that preach or speak from hear-say, or imagination. by gerrard winstanley winstanley, gerrard, b. . [ ], p. printed for giles calvert, at the black spread-eagle at the west end of pauls, london : . marginal notes. sig. a missigned a . reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. eng levellers -- early works to . conduct of life -- early works to . god -- righteousness -- early works to . a r (wing w ). civilwar no the new law of righteousnes budding forth, in restoring the whole creation from the bondage of the curse. or a glimpse of the new heaven, an winstanley, gerrard c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the new law of righteousnes budding forth , in restoring the whole creation from the bondage of the curse . or a glimpse of the new heaven , and new earth , wherein dwels righteousnes . giving an alarm to silence all that preach or speak from hear-say , or imagination . by gerrard winstanley . out of the despised poor people , which are the stones and dust of the earth , man-kind , upon whom the children of the flesh treads , shall the blessing rise up , that shall restore all things . this is sion whom no man regards , in whom the father delights to dwell : this is sion out of whom we are to expect the deliverer to come , that shall turn ungodlinesse from jacob . you learned and great men of the earth , take notice of this , and remember you have been told . london , printed for giles calvert , at the black spread-eagle at the west end of pauls . . to the twelve tribes of israel that are circumcised in heart , and scattered through all the nations of the earth . dear brethren , though you have been , and yet are the despised ones of the world , yet the blessing of the most high ( your king of righteousnesse ) is in you , and shall spread forth of you to fill the earth . you are the field wherein the treasure hath lien hide ; all the dark and cloudy dayes of the beasts time , times and dividing of time now expiring . though dark clouds of inward bondage , and outward persecution have over-spread you ; yet you are the firmament , in whom the son of righteousnesse will rise up , and from you will declare himself to the whole creation ; for you are sion whom no man regards , out of whom salvation shall come . that blessing ( which is the seed of abraham ) lies hid in you , that is and must be the alone saviour and joy of all men , from inward and outward bondage , and the restorer of the whole creation from the curse it groans under . he lies hid in you , he is hated , persecuted and despised in you , he is jacob in you , that is and hath been a servant to esau a long time ; but though this jacob be very low , yet his time is uow come , that he must rise , and he will rise up in you that are trod under foot like dust of the earth ; he will glorifie himself ●oth in you and from you , to the shame and downfall of e●au . the report of this blessed promised seed , shall go through the earth in this ministration of the spirit that is now rising up , as well as that ministration of the flesh and letter , that now begins to draw back , and his dominion , when he begins to rule the nations , shall reach from one end of heaven to the other ; the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the lord , and of his dominion there shall be no end . this is the consolation of israel , it draws near to be made manifest , wait for it with patience . you whom i writ to are the seed of abraham , and the blessing of isaac and jacob ; but 〈◊〉 me tell you , not the seed of abraham after the flesh : for ishmael and esau , are not to share in this portion ; their portions was of the earth , and they have received t●em , and spent them already by their unrighteousnesse ; your portion is the lord himself which endures for ever . the powers of the flesh are to be made servants unto the promised seed ; and now comes the time that the elder sons , that are born after the flesh , shall serve the younger sons , in whom the blessing lies ; this is the fall of esau , and the rising of jacob , and shall be really done in the sight of the whole creation as the other was . you are the abrahamites in whom the blessing remaines , that lives not now in the type , but enjoyes the substance of circumcision ; for he is not a jew , that is one outward in the flesh ; but he is a jew , that is one inward , whose circumcision is of the heart : whether he be born of the nation of the jews extant in the world , or whether he be one born of other nations in whom the blessing remains ; it is abrahams promised seed that makes a jew ; and these are they of whom it is said , salvation is of the jews . what was that seed of abraham , that is called the blessing ? it is the law and power of righteousnesse , which made abraham to forsake his isaac , his dearest relations in the flesh , rather then he would refuse the way of his maker ; and herein abraham found peace : so that this king of righteousnesse , and this prince of peace that ruled in abraham , is the blessing of all nations , for this shall save his people from their sins , and free them from all distempers of the unrighteous flesh . this is the one spreading power that shall remove the curse , and restore all things from the bondage every thing groans under . this is called abrahams seed , because abraham sprang from him , as a tree grows from the seed , which gave the tree its being and its name : and the law of righteousnesse and peace , dwelling and ruling in any one is the seed of abraham , and the severall branches of men and women in whom that power rests , are children and of the family of abraham . for it was not the man of the flesh that was called abraham , but the law of righteousnesse and peace , that did rule and govern in that body , he was the abraham ; the flesh is honoured with such a name by him that dwelt therein ; the name of the flesh before this righteous power was manifest in it , was abram . as the humane body called christ , was not the anointing , but the spirit in that body , was the christ , or the spreading power of righteousnesse , which was to fill the earth with himself . that body was but a house or temple for the present work , which was to draw down moses law , and become the substance of his types , and lambs , and sacrifices ; for that body was the lamb , that did fulfill the righteous will , by his voluntary and free-will offering up of himself , without forcing . so then : this law of righteousnesse and peace , is abrahams seed ; nay that manifestation in that humane body , was abraham himself ; for abraham is known to the creation , by acting in or from that power that ruled the flesh . and every man or woman , born of jew or gentile , in whom this power rules and breaks forth , are the children of abraham , and the man abraham in whom the spirit dwelt in a lesse measure ; for he hath failings , was a type of the man christ jesus , in whom the law of righteousnesse and peace dwelt bodily , for there was no sin or unrighteousnesse in that body . therefore christ hath the honour above his brethren , to be called the spreading power , because he fils all with himself ; and because this power did appear to the creation first in abraham of all men we hear of , therefore every one that follows after him , and that are ruled by the same law , are called children of abraham , or children of that seed . but christ the anointing he hath the preheminence , for abraham sprang from him , and all abrahamits are but a tree or vine that did spring from that one seed : for indeed the spirit of life , lies in the bottom , which lifted up both abraham and his children , and is the one seed of righteousnesse and life , from which every one springs , what name soever any righteous body is called . now this seed doth promise himself to be the blessing of all nations , and the restorer of all things from bondage ; but the nations of the earth , since that report was made , never yet enjoyed the benefit of it ; for the curse hath still rested upon the creation , and hath been rather multiplied from year to year ; so that at this very day , those in whom the first fruits of restauration appears , do see darknesse , nay thick darknesse do cover man-kind : and the curse doth rest mightily in the fire , water , earth and air ; all places stinks with the abomination of the curse ; so that a man can go into no place , but he shall see the curse and enmity is that power that rules the creatures , that makes them jar one against another . likewise miserry breaks forth upon man-kind , from these four elements of which his body is made , and the curse rests within him , and the curse dwels round about him ; but abrahams seed , is and must be the blessing of all nations , and shall spread as far as the curse hat● spread , to take it off . and this seed ( dear brethren ) hath lien hid in you , all the time appointed , and now is breaking forth . and the nations shall know , that salvation or restauration rather , is of the jews , that king of righteousnesse and prince of peace , that removes the curse , and becomes himself the blessing , arises up in you , and from you , and fils , and will fill the earth , both man-kind , and the whole creation , fire , water , earth and air , for the blessing shall be every where . and though the seed of the flesh have cast you out for evil , and you have been the despised ones of the earth , and the children of the flesh refuses to buy and sell with you , yet now your glory is rising . and the ancient prophesie of zecharie shall be fulfilled , that ten men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a jew , saying , let us go with you , for we have heard that god is with you . this new law of righteousnesse and peace , which is rising up , is david your king , which you have been seeking a long time , and now shall find him coming again the second time in the personall appearance of sons and daughters ; he will be a true davider indeed , between flesh and spirit , between bondage and libertie , between oppressours and the oppressed ; he is and will be the righteous judge ; he will lead your captivitie captive , and set you down in peace . he is now coming to raign , and the isles and nations of the earth shall all come in unto him ; he will rest every where , for this blessing will fill all places : all parts of the creation in whom the curse remains shall be shaken and moved , and the seed of the flesh shall find peace no where : he will throw down the mountaines of the flesh , fill up the low valleys of the spirit , he will make rough wayes smooth , and crooked wayes strait , he will make the earth fruitfull , and the winds and the weather seasonable ; he will throw all the powers of the earth at your feet , and himself will be your governour and teacher , and your habitations on earth shall be in peace , that so you that are the citie of the lord , new jerusalem , the place of his rest , may be the praise of the whole earth . if any one say : the glory of jerusalem is to be seen hereafter , after the ●ody is laid in the dust ; it matters not to me what they say , they speak their imagination , they know not what . i know that the glory of the lord shall be seen and known within the creation , and the blessing shall spread in all nations ; and jerusalem indeed which is abrahams children , sprituall israel gathered together , shall be the praise and glory of the whole earth ; and the restauration of all things is to be seen within the creation of fire , water , earth and air . and all bodies that are made of the compound of these four elements , are to be purged and delivered from the curse ; and all shall know that this almighty king of righteousnesse is our saviour , and besides hi●● there is none . the swords and counsels of flesh shall not be seen in this work , the arm of the lord onely shall bring these mighty things to passe , in this day of his power ; and the hearts of men shall tremble and fail them with fear to see the misery that is coming upon the world , for the glory and riches of men shall be brought low , and the lord alone shall be exalted . therefore all that i shall say is this ; though the world , even the seed of the flesh despise you , and call you by reprochfull names at their pleasure ; yet wait patiently upon your king , he is coming , he is rising , the son is up , and his glory will fill the earth . and when you see the doves flock to the windows ( not to your church-windows ) but to the teachings of the father , for his discoveries are the windows that lets the light of the father shine into the soul : and these are dreams , voices and revelations immediatly from the father himself , his own inward teaching , without which the soul is hungry , and flocks unto the inward discoveries and teaching of the father for satisfaction , forsaking all other in point of inward rest . when you see or hear of the risings up of israel , like the noise of mighty waters , carrying all before them , then rejoyce and say , your redemption draws near , and the reports from the lord are true : wait with a meek and quiet spirit for the consolation of israel , even the coming forth of the deliverer , that shall turn ungodlinesse from jacob . then shall jacob rejoyce , and israel shall be glad . so i rest january . . a waiter for the consolation of israel jerrard winstanley . the new law of righteovsnes budding forth , to restore the whole creation from bondage of the curse . chap. i. there is nothing more sweet and satisfactory to a man , then this : to know and feel that spirituall power of righteousnesse to rule in him , which he cals god . for while the flesh through hasty and violent lusts , doth rebell against the spirit , it hath no true peace , but is still pulling misery upon himself . but when the created flesh is made subject to the law of righteousnesse , and walks uprightly in the creation , in the light of that spirit , then it lies down in rest . in other writings i have declared what i know , that almighty power & ever living spirit is , which rules and preserves the whole creation ; fire , water earth and air , and of every creature in these elements ; or that is made up of all these in a compound matter as all flesh is . and something i shall here add to the rest , which i only hold ●orth to my fellow creature , man ; not customarily to make a trade of it , for fleshly ends , but occasionally as the light is pleased to manifest himself in me ; that others from me , and i from them may be witnesses each to other , of our maker how he shines forth in his own light , through each other to the profit of the creation . in the beginning of time the whole creation lived in man , and man lived in his maker , the spirit of righteousnesse and peace , for every creature walked evenly with man , and delighted in man , and was ruled by him ; there was no opposition between him and the beast , sowls , fishes , or any creature in the earth : so that it is truely said , the whole creation was in man , one within , and walked even with him ; for no creature appeared to be a visible enemy to him : for every creature gave forth it self , either for pleasure or profit of man , who was lord of all : and man lived in his maker the spirit , and delighted in no other ; there was an evennes between man and all creatures , and an evennesse between man and his maker the lord , the spirit . but when man began to ●all out of his maker , and to leave his joy and rest which he had in the spirit of righteousnesse , and sought content from creatures and outward objects , then he lost his dominion , and the creature fell out of him , and became enemies and apposers of him , and then rise up mountaines , and valleys , and hils , and all unevennesse , both in mans heart , and in mans actions . and as the man is become selfish ; so are all the beasts and creatures become selfish ; and man and beast act like each other , by pushing with their horns of power , and devouring one another to preserve self . and truly as man might see all creatures lived at rest in him in the beginning , so he may see all creatures in him now , but in a rest-lesse condition , groaning under bondage , waiting for a restauration . the covetousnesse , the subtilty , the cruelty , the pride , the envy , the devouring power that is in the flesh of man are the very distempers that are in such and such beasts and fowls : so that while man is ruled by such powers , and declares no other actions but what is in the beast ; he indeed goes in the shape of a man , but properly he is a beast of such and such a ravenous principle . and this now is the curse , man is gone out of his maker , to live upon objects ; and the creatures are gone out of man , to seek delight in pushing and devouring one another , and the whole creation of fire , and water , earth and air ; and all bodies made of these are put out of order , through mans rejecting the spirit to live upon objects . but now the time is come , that the spirit will draw all things into man againe , to live and be at rest in him , as their governour , as their lord , and man and the creation shall become even againe , and so man returning to his maker , to rest in peace in none but him . the whole creation shall be governed , preserved & comforted by the one spirit , the king of righteousnesse , and all bondage , curse and tears shall be done away : and this is that i wait for , being assured it shall be accomplished , having received a taste . but as the state of the world is , in the generality , i am made to see , that in times past and times present , the branches of man-kind have acted like the beast or swine ; and though they have called one another , men and women , yet they have been but the shadows of men and women . as the moone is the shadow of the sun , in regard they have been led by the powers of the curse in flesh , which is the feminine part ; not by the power of the righteous spirit which is christ , the masculine power . but when they come to see the spirituall light that is in every ceature , and in that power and light do walk righteously towards other creatures , as well beasts as man-kinde , that the creation as much as in them lies one by one , may be upheld and preserved in its glory ; then they begin to appear and act like men ; and rise up from the low earth of a beastly and swinish nature , to acknowledge and honour their maker in the light of himself . experience shews us that every beast doth act in oppression and cruelty , towards such creatures , as he can master at advantage . and thus doth the flesh of man , which is the king of beast : for when the wisdome and power of the flesh raigns , which in deed is adam , that man that appeared first to rule the earth , man-kinde , and by his unrighteousnesse makes it a land of barrennesse : for this first adam is such a selfish power , that he seeks to compasse all the creatures of the earth into his own covetous hands , to make himself a lord , and all other his slaves . and though he gets lands , moneys , honours , government into his hands , yet he gives the king of righteousnesse , but a company of sawning words of love and obedience ; for he makes unrighteousnesse to dwell in heaven and earth , that is , in the whole creation , by his unrighteous government , and so he becomes the chief rebell , the serpent , the devil , the murderer , oppressing the creation , setting himself above all in tyranny : and this power is the curse which the whole creation groans under , waiting for a restoration by christ the king and law of rigteousnesse , who is the restorer of all things . and here first i shall declare what adam the first man is , who to me appears to be the wisdome and power of the flesh , carrying along the creation , man , to live upon creature objects , and to loath and despise the spirit that made all , and that dwels in all things according to the capacity of every single creature : and all that adam doth is to advance himself to be , the one power ; he gets riches and goverment into his hands , that he may lift up himself , and suppresse the universall liberty , which is christ . and if he preach , or pray , or performe any service relating to the spirit , it is for this end , that he may get peace thereby , and so seeks to honour flesh by procuring his own peace , by his own wit and pollicy if that would doe . so that this adam appears first in every man and woman ; but he sits down in the chair of magistracy , in some above others ; for though this climbing power of self-love be in all , yet it rises not to its height in all ; but every one that gets an authority into his hands , tyrannizes over others ; as many husbands , parents , masters , magistrates , that lives after the flesh , doe carry themselves like oppressing lords over such as are under them ; not knowing that their wives , children , servants , subjects are their fellow creatures , and hath an equall priviledge to share with them in the blessing of liberty . and this first adam is to be seen and known in a two-fold sense . first , he is the wisdome and power of the flesh in every man , who indeed is the beast , and he spreads himself within the creation , man , into divers branches ; as into ignorance of the creatour of all things , into covetousnesse after objects , into pride and envy , lifting up himself above others , and seeking revenge upon all that crosses his selfish honours ; and into hypocrisie , subtilty , lying imagination , self-love ; from whence proceeds all unrighteous outward acting . this is the first adam lying , ruling and dwelling within man-kinde . and this is he within every man and woman , which makes whole man-kinde , being a prisoner to him , to wonder after the beast , which is no other but self , or upon every thing whereupon self is s●amped . secondly , the first adam is the wisdome and power of flesh broke out and sate down in the chair of rule and dominion , in one part of man-kind over another . and this is the beginner of particular interest , buying and selling the earth from one particular hand to another , saying , this is mine , upholding this particular propriety by a law of government of his own making , and thereby restraining other fellow creatures from seeking nourishment from their mother earth . so that though a man was bred up in a land , yet he must not worke for himself where he would sit down . but from adam ; that is , for such a one that had bought part of the land , or came to it by inheritance of his deceased parents , and called it his own land : so that he that had no land , was to work for those for small wages , that called the land theirs ; and thereby some are lifted up into the chair of tyranny , and others trod under the foot-stool of misery , as if the earth were made for a few , no● for all men . for truly the common-people by their labours , from the first rise of adam , this particular imterest upheld by the fleshes law to this day , they have lifted up their land-lords and others to rule in tyranny and oppression over them . and let all men say what they will , so long as such are rulers as cals the land theirs , upholding this particular propriety of mine and thine ; the common-people shall never have their liberty , nor the land ever freed from troubles , oppressions and complainings ; by reason whereof the creatour of all things is continually provoked . o thou proud selfish governing adam , in this land called england ! know that the cries of the poor , whom thou laieth heavy oppressions upon , is hea●d . this is unrighteous adam , that dammed up the water springs of universall liberty , and brought the creation under the curse of bondage , sorrow and tears : but when the earth becomes a common treasury as it was in the beginning , and the king of righteousnesse comes to rule in every ones heart , then he kils the first adam ; for covetousnesse thereby is killed . a man shall have meat , and drinke and clothes by his labour in freedome , and what can be desired more in earth . pride and envy likewise is killed thereby , for every one shall look upon each other as equall in the creation ; every man indeed being a parfect creation of himself . and so this second adam christ , the restorer , stops or dammes up the runnings of those stinking waters of self-interest , and causes the waters of life and liberty to run plentifully , in , and through the creation , making the earth one store-house , and every man and woman to live in the law of righteousnesse and peace as members of one houshold . and in the next place i shall declare the mystery of the spirit in a two-fold way : first , he makes the creation , man-kinde , to see , loa●h and forsake this adam , this fleshly man ▪ this devil or power of darknesse that rules in the creatures , and leads them into waies that brings misery , pain and death , which is hell , a condition of uncomfortable darknesse of the curse . secondly , he makes man-kinde to see , to love and delight in the spirit reason , which is the law of righteousnesse , that made them , and s●tles them in peace ; when in the light and power thereof , they are made to forsake the flesh with all his wayes of bondage ; for truly when the flesh is made subject to reason , that light that inlightens every thing , then it hath peace and liberty , and is freed from those heart-aking pressures and sorrows , which the flesh puls upon himself by his violent , rash , unrighteous , and unreasonable actings . the almighty hath declared three methods in discovering this mystery in the compasse of six dayes , or years near hand expired ; in every one of which he draws man-kind higher and higher into himself , out of the power of the serpent or bondage . and when he alone is advanced , he draws all men after him , which is the finishing up of the mystery . the first method is this : he was pleased to call forth moses to be his servant , and in , by and through him , he reveals himself to lie under types , shadows , sacrifices ; that man-kind by them might be led to see his maker ; and this was the covenant of an outward testimony , which moses , a man that was mixed with flesh and spirit , was mediatour of . and this secondly did point out the apostolical testimony which was to be manifested in aftertimes ; and that was to acknowledge honour , and bear witnesse of the lamb jesus christ , that was the substance of moses . for the apostles declare themselves to be witnesses of christ , the great prophet , that moses said should come after him , to whom every man should hearken , and then leave the teachings of shadows , which they receive from him . therefore say they , we eat and drank in his presence , we heard him speak , and saw his miracles , and bear testimony to the world , that the rulers of the jews slew him , and that he was raised from the dead by the almighty power . and this single appearance of the man christ jesus ( for herein the righteous law dwelt bodily ) was a more spirituall declaration then the former . and this types out the third method of divine discovery , which indeed doth finish the mystery ; and herein the lord takes up all into himself , even into the spirit that governs the creation ; for he is in all , and acts through all . and all power of righteousnesse that appears in any subject is still but the lord , in such or such a discovery ; for as the man christ jesus swallowed up moses ; and so the spirit dwelt bodily in that lamb , which was spread abroad in the types ; and man-kind is to behold the law of righteousnesse , in none , but in that his wel-beloved son . even so that single body is a type : that the same spirit that filled every member of that one body , should in these last dayes be sent into whole man-kind , and every branch shall be a joint or member of the mysticall body , or severall spreadings forth of the vine , being all filled with the one spirit , christ the anointing , who fils all with himself , and so he becomes the alone king of righteousnesse and peace that rules in man . and the powers of the flesh which is the serpent or curse , shall be subdued under him , and man-kind shall be made onely subject to this one spirit , which shall dwell bodily in every one , as he dwelt bodily in the man christ jesus , who was the son of man . now as moses declared , that the lamb jesus christ should be that great prophet to whom every one should give ear , & delivered it in general termes , leaving the particular discoveries of his new doctrine to the lamb himself when he came ; and so did not go about to imagine matters that was above his circle ; and we see the doctrine of jesus christ , when he came , far exceeded the doctrine of moses ; the one being the substance of the other , and so mo●● spiritual makings forth then the other . even so , the man christ jesus , the great prophet , declared in general termes what should be in later times , leaving it to every son and daughter , to declare their particular experiences , when the spirit doth rise up in them , and manifests himself to them . for they that believe ( saith he ) out of their bellies shall flow rivers ( or plentifull discoveries ) of the water of life . therefore as moses gave way to christ ; for when christ appeared in flesh , moses administration began to be silent and drew back , and set jesus christ in the chair to be the great prophet that should be the teacher in types after him . and the ministration of these discoveries were to raign in the world , their appointed times . even so the lamb christ jesus , or that single body , gives way to the holy ghost , or spreading spirit ; if i go not away , the comforter cannot come to you ; for he that dwels bodily in me , is to spread himself in you , that as the father in me , and i in him are one : even so i in you , and you in me , may become one wit● the father . and the testimony of the apostles declares as much : though we have known christ after the flesh , ( in one single body ) yet now henceforth know we him no more so ; but we look after that mystery , which hath been kept secret from ages and generations past , which is christ in you , the hope of glory . and therefore i must tell you that yet live in dipping , in water and observation of gospel-forms and types ; you live yet under the ministration of jesus christ after the flesh , declaring the lamb christ to remain as yet in one single person . but know you , that as the ministration of moses gave way to this ; so this ministration is to give way to the inward teachings of christ , and the spreading of the spirit , in sons and daughters , which will more excellently declare the glory of the mystery . the man christ jesus himself , told the woman of samaria ; woman the time is coming that neither in jerusalem , nor in this mountain shall men worship the father , but they that worship him shall worship him in spirit and in truth , for the father seeks such to worship him . by these words , the son of man declares , that both outward forms , customs and types of moses worship under that ministration at jerusalem , likewise all forms and customs , and types of this ministration of himself , as the lamb held forth at a distance to be our mediatour , should all cease and give way to the spirituall worship of the father in the latter dayes ; or to the spreading of the divine power in men , the one law of righteousnesse , being the teacher of all . so that upon the rising up of christ in sons and daughters , which is his second comming , the ministration of christ in one single person is to be silent and draw back , and set the spreading power of righteousnesse and wisdom in the chair , of whose kingdom there shall be no end . so as all things were gone out from the spirit , and were gone astray and corrupted . the spirit in this great mystery of truth being manifested in flesh , burns up that drosse out of the creation , and draws in all things back again into himself , and declares himself to be the alone wisdom and power of righteousnesse , that rules , dwels , that governs and preserves both in and over the whole creation . and now the son delivers up the kingdom unto the father ; and he that is the spreading power , not one single person , become all in all in every person ; that is , the one king of righteousnesse in every one . here we may see what the dividing of time is , which is the last period in which the beast is to reign● for now every ministration pleads his priviledge , till the law of righteousnesse drown up all in himself . moses yet pleads a priviledge in the practice of the jews after the flesh . the son of man , or christ in one single person ple●ds a priviledge , and not onely the true ministration of the son of man according to the apostles declaration ; but likewise many false forms , customs and observations of divine worship are raised up , through a wrong understanding of those scriptures , all plead a priviledge . and lastly , the ministration of the spirit , forsaking all types and ●ormes , worshipping the father in the substance of truth . this now pleads his priviledge , as his due right by course . so that you see here is the dividing of time . but this last ministration is the sufferer for the present , as being denied his right by the former , that ought to give way . and as the worshippers in moses ministration , envied and killed such as worshipped the son of man , the lamb : so now , those that worship christ at a distance in their severall congregations and forms , and are most zealous therein , are in these dayes the most bitterest enemies to the ministration of christ in spirit and in truth . but when this ministration of the spirit spreads himself , he will make the greatest separation that ever was . for though israels separation out of egypt amazed the world , and the separation of gathered congregations out of parish churches ( so called ) did trouble the earth , though it is no more but going out of one form into another , not into the unitie of the one spirit . yet this ministration of the spirit now rising up by right of inheritance , will take peace from the world much more : for he hath begun , and he will and shall go on , to gather the scattered of isreal together , out of all aegytian bondages , and self-seeking oppressing government , and out of all forms and customes of the beast , to worship the father in spirit and truth , being made to be all of one heart and one minde : and this shall more and more appear , as the earth grows up to be a common treasury for all . therefore let me tell you , that all your enmity will not uphold your ●orms , your imprisoning , and reviving , and making law to suppresse such as ●●e contrary to you , will never work your will , but pull miseries and shame upon your selves ; as the zealous scribes and pharisees did in killing of christ the sonne of man : therefore be patient , look up for teaching in this dividing of time , when the law of righteousnesse arises up ; and makes himself more manifest , he will reconcile all , make every one to be of one heart and one minde ; and no other power must be the restorer , but this king of righteousnesse and peace : for this is he that makes men doe as they would be done unto , and then envie and bitternes dies . now search the scriptnres , you that stand up to be teachers , that say i deny the scriptures , and let them judge me , whether i deny them or no ; but one thing you shall finde to your shame , that those scriptures of the prophets and apostles , which you seeme to preserve with such love and zealous tendernesse , shall cast the first stone at you , to stone you out of your pulpits ; for you doe not professe those scriptures in love to them , but in zealous covetousnesse to uphold your trade . for now when christ begins to arise up in sons and daughters , whereby the scriptures are honoured and proved true prophecies , promises , visions , and revelations ; you deny their testimony , and cry out visions and revelations are ceased ; and so you will ever have people to be hearing you speak the declaration , because you live by it ; but if any receive the power from on high , you cry out upon it , it is self-conceit , errour and blasphemy : well , he is at worke that will discover your shame ; wickednes shall slay the wicked , though no mans hand be upon him . chap. ii. there are three more discoveries of christ , to make the mystery of the spirit shine in its excellency . as frst , the great world , wherein are variety of creatures , as sunne , moon , stars , earth , grasse , plants , cattle , fish , fowl , and man , the lord over the lower creatures , all sweetly conjoyned to preserve each other , is no other but christ spread forth in the creation ; and so upholding the creation by hi● own wisdome and power ; for he is the maker , the preserver and restoring spirit , therefore his name is called , i , and i am , the lord , and besides me there is no saviour ; but this is christ very remote ; for though he rule in the whole creation , yet no single creature could discern o● spie him out , he is in every one , and yet that single one knew him not . and therefore this one almighty power began to make forth himself in visible descriptions before the creature● causing every creature to hold forth the light and power that is in them , that so the mighty creatour may at length be known , in the clear sighted experience of one single creature , man , by seeing , hearing , tasting , smelling , feeling , this one power of righteousnesse , as he rests in the creation , that man may be the mouth that shall make a clear discovery of christ to others from the testimony that is in himself ; for hee is to see christ within himself , before hee can see him in other creatures . and therefore , secondly , the sripture in their severall declaration , types , prophecies , visions , voyces , revelations , actings of men , in patient doing and suffering in righteousnesse , is no other but christ in the letter , lying under the experimentall words of those pen-men , setting forth the one almighty , in his severall actings , and his severall conditions , wherein he hath appeared to the view of the whole creation ; but seen and known only , by the one creature , man , in whom hee is purposed to dwell bodily . but still here is a large distance between christ and the bulk of man kinde ; for though some few particular ones have seen him , and could declare him , yet others are ignorant of him : so that the universalitie of man-kinde may see these two discriptions of christ , that is in the creation , and in the scriptures , both without themselves . and when any attains to see christ in these outward discoveries , it is full of sweet delight , but this settles no true peace ; for that delight that is fetching in from things at a distance from us , may be lost againe , and return into its proper seat againe : as the pleasant beames is of the sun , which refreshes the outward man , may be lost , for when the clouds come between , the beames returne into the sun again , which is their proper seat , and men loseth , the refreshing , warmth and hear . and therefore , thirdly , christ or the spreading power of light , is drawing the knowledge of himself , as he lies in all things , into the clear experience of man , into whole man , yea , into every brench of man-kinde and he the sonne of righteousnesse will not only shine into , but fix hinself in every one . so that perfect man shall be no other but god manifest in flesh : for every manifestation of this power in any creature , shall be seen , known , rejoyced in , and be declared of by man . the light , and heat , and spirit of the sunne , shall be declared by the sonne of righteousnesse in man : the sweet compliance of love in one creature towards another ; as the clouds to wa●er the earth , the earth to send forth the fruits to preserve the living creatures , that feeds thereupon , shall be declared by that living power , love and righteousnesse , that is seated in man towards any creature . so that , though this one almighty power be spread in the whole creation , yet it will appear to have his chief residence in man , that in , by and through man , that one spirit may rule and govern the works of his own hands in righteousnesse . every declaration of christ in the scriptures , shal be seen and known in the clear experience of every sonne and daughter ( when this mystery is finished ) for christ , who indeed is the anointing , shall fill all , and all shall be the fulnesse of the anointing : so that whatsoever a condition a man is in , it is one or other condition that the childe jesus was in , growing upwards towards man-hood ; there is child hood , youth and old●age in the anointing . for the wisdome and power of truth , that was poured upon the head of the son of man , grows upwards towards perfection in sons and daughters : even as wee see any tree , corn or cattell , grows up in the eye of man by degrees ; for as these creatures doe not attaine to perfectson on a sudden ; neither doth the spirit of righteousnesse rise up on a sudden perfection , but by degrees and therefore , he that beleeves makes not hast ; the hastie flesh would have all content on a sudden , but the spirit is moderate and rises up patiently , its powerfull and quick , and yet slow ; its slow , but yet sure ; it will sit down in peace in a man , though it run thorow many thorns and briars first . yea , i say , whatsoever condition you are in christ or the anointing being in you , appears in that condition in you . if you be in a condition of poverty , so was christ the son of man , he had not whereon to lay his head . if you be hated for rigteousnesse sake , so was he , nay it is the anointing in you that is hated . if angry , proud and tyrant-ruling flesh seek to imprison you and kill you , so they dealt with him , and it is still the righteous man in you that is opposed . if you be made to joy in the father , the spirit of truth ; it is he within you that rejoyces in himself ; if you feel a waiting , meek spirit in you , it is still christ in you , who is meek and lowly . if you feel the power of love dwell within you , leading you to love enimies , and to do as you would be done unto , it is christ in you , who is the law of love and righteousnesse , and in every condition you are in , this law of the spirit meets with the powers of your own flesh f●etting and fighting against him : for envy , frowardnesse , self-love , covetousnesse are the power of darknesse in you , that fights against the spirit , that sweetly seeks the preservation and peace of all . but that opposing power in you is the devil , serpent and power of darknesse , which christ the power of light , rising up in you ; will destroy ; and so mortality shall be swallowed up of life . and christ will not sit down in peace , rejoycing in you , till he hath subdued all these inward and outward enemies under his feet , and himself become the alone king of righteousnesse in you ; for he is that mighty king , that shall be established upon the holy hill of sion ; that is , he shall be only king , unto whom every man & woman shal be made a subject ; this king shall raigne for ever and ever : and this is he you would call god ; but indeed the power of darknesse is the god that rules in most men and women , both professours and others : and they will subject to this their god of darknesse , till the power of light christ take him away . so that whatsoever estate a son or daughter is in , it is still but christ combating with his enemies , in that estate , drawing all into himself , and destroying all oppsing powers , that himself may remain to be the one alone almighty power , spread forth every where , and so doing the will of the father , brusing the sarpents head in you ; and that he himself , who is the divine , may grow up , flourish , remaine and bring ●orth aboundance of fruit in you , when your created flesh is purged from bondage , and made subject to him . but if christ and the father be all one power and wisdome , why do you make a distinction , as if they were two ? i answer , the father is the universall power , that hath spread himself in the whole globe ; the sonne is the same power drawn into , and appearing in one single person , making that person subject to the one spirit , and to know him that dwels every where . there is not a person or creature within the compasse of the globe , but he is a sonne of the of the father ; or the breakings forth of that power in one body ; now every small creature is the light of the fa●her , though it be a dark one ; but man living in the light of the father , is called the wel-beloved sonne , because that one power of rigteousnesse dwels bodily in him , and the whole creation is drawn up into that one centre , man . and now the lord a lone is exalted in this day of his power ; for now the serpent is cast out of heaven , a●l powers of darknesse are subdued , and the spirit remaines conquerour in man , yet in single man ; and so filling the living earth , man-kinde in all his branches with himself , the one spirit . this spreading power is the fathers house , in which there are many mansions , or dwelling places ; every crerture lives herein : for in and by him every one lives , and moves , and hath his being : this is to speak truth as it is in jesus . this is sion that is above , where the father dwels in his glory . sinai is the mountaine of flesh , that is to be burned with fire , that is , the spirit of righteousnesse is the fire , that will burn-up all unrighteous powers in the flesh . and to see this power of righteousnesse spreading himself every where , destroying death , and preserving the creation , is to see him you would call god , with open face ; and you can never see him plainly and nakedly , till you come thus to see him ; therefore you priests and zealous ptofessors , learne hereafter ro know what power it is you call god : for the word god , signifies a governour , and it may as well be attributed to the devil , as to the law of righteousnesse ; for assure your selves , if covetousnesse , pride and bitter envy doe rule you , as it is apparent this dark power rules most of you , then the devil is that god you worship ; and you are strangers and enemies to the spirit of truth that dwels every where , which you seem to call your god or ruler . chap. iii. and this is no new gospel , but the old one ; it is the same report that the pen-men of scriptures gave for the everlasting gospel , god with us , or god manifest in flesh . the father exalted above all , and in all ; for the prophets and apostles declare these two things . first , the spirit spreads himself abroad in sacrifices and types , as in moses time , and then takes all into himself againe ; the spirit manifest in ▪ one person , as in the son of man ; for all the writings of old and new testament , are all centered in christ , and are swallowed up into him : and this christ is not only confined to the lamb jesus anointed , but is the enlarging of the same anointing , in the particular persons of sonnes and daughters , in whom the same spirit of truth the comforter , is to be manifest in after times . and this power shall not only fill man-kinde , and be all in all therein , but all other creatures , of all kinde according to their severall degrees , shall be filled with this one spirit , anointing : as pauls testimony reports , that the whole creation of all kindes of creatures , in whom the curse is spread through mans unrighteousnesse , doth all groan and travell , waiting for the manifestation of the sonnes of god . when man-kinde shall be restored , and delivered from the curse , and all spirited with this one power , then other creatures shall be restored likewise , and freed from their burdens : as the earth , from thorns , and briars , and barrennesse ; the air and winds from unseasonable storms and distempers ; the cattle from bitternesse and rage one against another . and the law of righteousnesse and love shall be seated in the whole creatton , from the lowest to the highest creature . and this is the work of restoration . so that all the glory and content that man takes in other creatures of the earth , it is but a rejoycing in himself ; or that spirit that is within him being more and more filled with peace to see , feel , taste , smell and hear , the power of the whole creation , to have a sweet complyancy of love in him , and with him . for now all jarring , rashnesse , violent storms , barrennesse of the earth , corruption in fire and water , enmity in cattles , oppressing principles in one man over another , are all kept and swept away like locusts , by this strong east winde , the lord himself at his coming . and every creature in his kinde sings in righteousnesse , and man lives and rules in the strength of that law , by reason whereof all teares and are wiped away . and when this glory is finished , as it must be ; for it is begun to be made manifest , for the poor they doe receive the gospel : and it is yet hid from the learned ones , the teachers and the rulers of the world . then those writings are made good , that all enemies are subdued under the ●eet of the anointing , who is this spreading power of righteousnesse , and there is no opposite power remaining . for the power that shall now appear , is no other but the lord himself , dwelling every where : and the whole creation is his ga●den wherein he walks and delights himself , and now the kingdome is delivered up in●o the fathers hand , the one spirit that fils all , and is in all . and the distinction of dominion in one single person over all , shall cease ▪ and no distinction shall be owned , but king of righteousnesse , dwelling in every one , and in the whole body of the creation ▪ all being sweetly and quietly subject to him , and he sweetly and quietly ruling in them : and this shall be that city sion , of which glorious things are spoken . and now in this new heaven and new earth , he himself who is the king of righteousnesse doth dwel and rule ; and this is the excellency of the work ; when a man shall be made to see christ in other creatures , as well as in himself ; every one rejoycing each in other , and all rejoycing in their king . o ye hear say preachers , deceive not the poeple any longer , by telling them that this glory shal not be known and seen , til the body is laid in the dust . i tel you , this great mystery is begun to appear , and it must be seen by the material eyes of the flesh : and those five senses that is in man , shall partake of this glory . this is christ rising up and drawing al things into himself . this is the spirits entrance into the father ; which is heavenly glory which rises , and shal rise higher and higer in israel , he that hath part in the first resurrection , the second death , of the bodies laying down in the dust , shal have no power , to break their peace , or hinder their glory , but shall further the increase of it . but now that power of unrighteousnesse , that rules and fights in man kinde against this , shall be destroyed , subdued , and shall never be reconciled to , nor partake of this glory . my ●eaning is this , the power of pride , and the power of humility , shal never dwel quietly in one heart together . the power of love , tendernesse and righteousnesse , and the power of envy , hardnesse of heart , and covetous unrighteousnesse , shall never dwel quietly in one heart together . uncleannesse and chasticy shal not dwel in peace together : the son of the bond-woman , rebellious flesh , shal not be heir with the son of the free-woman , flesh made subject to the law of righteousnesse within himself . there is no quiet peace in a man , til the kingdome of darknesse be conquered , and the serpent be cast out and so the heart made a fit temple or house for the spirit to dwel bodily in . a man is not counted a man from the bulk of his body of flesh , but the power that dwels in that body of flesh , is the man , either the righteous man or the wicked : and if the wicked power rule in the body of the flesh , this is he that must be burned up , subdued , destroyed , and never enter into rest . this is christs enemy . but if the righteous power doe rule , or being weak , and so is kept under by the other dark power doth hunger and thirst after righteotsnesse , that he might be king . this power is to be redeemed from bondage , and set at libety , and sit down in rest and peace . this is christ rising out of the dust , and hee shall wholly be raised up to live and dwel in the father , and the father in him , and all opposite powers of bondage , that now afflicts , shal be trod under his feet . therefore now yon zealous preachers and professors in al forms , if you have eyes look within your selves , and see what power rules within the bodies of your flesh ; if you finde that the inward power is envy , rash anger , covetousnesse , self-honouring , secret pride , uncleannesse of flesh , close dissimulation , and the like ; know you , that that power is your self , your very self , a devil , the serpent , the subtil , and yet strong power of darknesse , that would fain be counted an angle of light . and though you be called by the name of such a man , or such a woman , yet you are but the father of lies , and of the power of bondage that must be destroyed and perish : and that humane flesh , that you dwell in , being part of the creation , shall be cleansed off you , by the spirit of burning , till it be freed from you , that are the curse , the bondage of it under whom it groans . and when you are cast out , who is the serpent , it shall be a temple for the father himself to dwell in , a garden wherein he himself will take delight . for it is thou , o thou wicked power that is the curse , i say , the thorns and briars that troubles the creation , and thou must be rooted out , and sorrow , and everlasting weeping shall be thy po●tion , for thou shalt never find the prince of peace . well , i know you that would be angels of light and are not , will count this which i speak madnesse , but you shall find these words true . for all powers that are opposite to the power of righteousnesse , must , and shall be d●stroyed , and the lord alone shall be exalted in this day of his power , and this power of righteousnesse shall be exalted in flesh , as well as over flesh . who was it that put the son of man to death ? was it the humane flesh ? or the power of darkness , that ruled in flesh ? surely that power of darknesse in the flesh did it ; and that cursed power , was the scribes and pharisees ; and so now that power of enmity , that rules in those bodies of yours , making your bodies of the flesh slaves to its lusts and will , is still the scribes and pharisees , or devil , that fights against christ , and would not suffer him to rise up in flesh ; but cals his power blasphemy , because he crosses you ; for if he rise flesh , you must fall in flesh ; if he be king , as he must be , you must be his foot stool . well , mind what power rules in you , whether it be a particular , confining , selfish power , which is the devil , the scribes and pharisees . or whether it be a universall spreading power , that delights in the liberty of the whole creation , which is christ in you . the particular selfish power , when it is either crossed or shamed , it grows mad and bitter spirited , and endeavours either to kill that body it dwels in , or some others that angers it . but the power of christ , the law of righteousnesse ruling within , is not moved to any such rashnesse , it is patient , meek and loving ; and doth act righteously both to his own body , and to others , though they be his enemies . chap. iv. and truly here lies the chiefest knowledge of a man , to know these two powers which strives for government in him , and to see and know them distinctly one from the other , that he may be able to say , this is the name and power of the flesh , and this is the name and power of the lord . for these two powers are the two adams in man-kind ; they are iacob and esau , striving who shall rule in the kingdom , the flesh first . or these are the son of the bond-woman , viz. the powers of the flesh , which is the serpent , devil , or power of darknesse . or the son of the free woman , which is christ , the wisdom and power of righteousnesse , ruling in flesh , and making it free from the others bondage . and here i shall declare , what i know the first adam or son of bondage is . and secondly , what the second adam , or son of the free-woman is ; both which powers i have seen and felt manifested in this body of my flesh . first , i shall shew , how the first adam in his time of rule , hath suppressed and kept under the second man , the anointing . and then secondly , how this second man in the time appointed of his rising , doth kill and crucifie the first adam daily , with all his lusts , and freeth me from that slavery . the first adam kils and crucifies christ in me , when i consent and make provision to satisfie my pride over humility , covetousnesse over contentednesse , envy over love , lust before chasticy , esteeming the power of an humble , loving and righteous spirit , towards the poorest creatute , but a low and contemptible thing , or the like . now christ is crucified in me , he rules not , he acts not in a lively power ; but the first man of the flesh he governs the kingdom , my body in unrighteousnesse . and christ lies buried in this earthly tabernacle , under those cursed powers in my enslaved body . but then secondly , when the fulnesse of time comes , that it is the fathers will , that christ the spirit of truth shal arise above the power of unrighteousnesse in me ; that is , humility arises above pride , love above envy , a meek and quiet spirit above hasty rash anger , chastity above unclean lusts , and light above darknesse . now the second adam christ , hath taken the kingdom my body , and rules in it ; he makes it a new heaven , and a new earth , wherein dwels righteousnesse . i shall explain these two adams a little more : first then , the first adam , or man of the flesh , branches himself forth into divers particulars , to fetch peace into himself , from objects without himself . as for example , covetousnesse is a branch of the flesh or first man , that seeks after creature enjoyment or riches ; to have peace from them . pride looks abroad for honour ; envy seeks the revenge of such as crosses his fleshy ends , by reproch , oppression , or murder . unclean lusts seeks to embrace strange flesh . imagination flies abroad , to devise wayes to satisfie the flesh in these desires : hypocrisie turns himself into divers shapes ; ye sometimes into an angel of light , a zealous professour to compasse these ends . and self-love ( which is ignorant of the universal power ) lies couching in the bottom , sending those six several powers of darknesse abroad to fetch in peace to delight self , that lies at home in the fleshy heart . and all these powers make up but one perfect body of sin and death , one devil , or one compleat power of darknesse ; or that whorish power , called the beast with seven heads . and it is called the beast , because all those seven discoveries are of the flesh ; and flesh is no other , but a beast ; and the wise flesh of man , is said to be the beast , the king of beasts , that was to raign fourty two mo●ths , or for a time , times , and dividing of time , and then he should be destroyed by the man of righteousnesse , christ . and truly upon every head there is ten horns , that is , there are many branchings forth of powers from every head to satisfie self ; which are kings indeed . and they are called ten horns every head , encountering against the five senses of the left hand man , and against the five senses of the right hand man of righteousnesse , and so fights against every particular spreading forth of christ so that these kings are not to be restrained to the kings of the nations ; though that is true , such powers are enemies to christ , and they must yield up their kingdoms unto him , and those that are angry against christ are to be destroyed . but these ten horns are kingly powers of the flesh , that rules within every man , leading him captive under the body of the power of darknesse ; for there is not the branching forth of evil in any kind to delight self , but it springs forth from one or other of those seven heads , all joyning to honour and advance the beast . the man of righteousnesse christ , he is the second adam , and he spreads himself as far as the other , to undermine him , and to take the kingdom ( that is , the created flesh , or the living earth man-kind ) out of that devils hand . for christ is the spreading power of righteousnesse ; and therefore he is called , the anointing , which was poured upon that humane body , called by the name iesus , the son of man , and dwelt bodily there for a time ; but afterward was to spread in sons and daughters , many bodies . as the oyl upon aarons head , ranne down to the skirts of his garments ; if any one find rest and peace in this precious alabaster , which is the wisdome and power of the spirit , he finds it not by looking upon him at a distance from him , but by seeing and feeling that power , ruling within the body of his flesh . as thus contentednesse in all straits or poverty , to live upon providence , is this second adam in thee , killing thy discontented covetousnesse . humility and meeknesse is the same anointing which kils pride and loftines . love to enemies ; yea , the law of love flowing forth to every creature , is christ in you , which kils envy and rash anger . chastitie in the flesh , kils uncleannesse ; wisdom that is pure and plain down right , kils a subtil over-reaching imagination . sincerity and singlenesse of heart ( the same anointing ) kils hypocrisie ; and love to others , doing as a man would be done unto ; and so respecting the publick preservation of all creatures , doth kill self-love . and all these seven branchings forth of the pure spirit , makes but one body christ , or one almighty power or mercie and justice , the holy breathing , or emanuel , god in us . and every one of these seven eyes , or seven attributes of the divine , branches themselves forth into several horns of power , to destroy the man of the flesh , and to deliver man-kind from his bondage . for let the first adam run out in what shape he will ; the second adam follows after to trip up his heels ; to subdue him , and to take the kingdom from him ; that so , when all enemies are subdued , the almighty power of righteousnesse , which is the father , may become all in all . and this now declares the meaning of that speech , that christ saves his people from their sins ; not only in pardoning evil actions , and removing the evil of sorrow from them , but principally to kill and subdue the powers of the flesh , and to make a man subject to the spirit ; and now a man is saved from his sins , and not till now . and this is to be made a new creature , in whom old corrupt lusts are passed away , and every power in him is a new power . now there is no man or woman needs go to rome , nor hell below ground , as some talke , to find the pope , devil , beast or power of darknesse ; neither to go up into heaven above the skies to find christ the word of life . for both these powers are to be felt within a man , fighting against each other . and in that soul wherein christ prevails , they know that this is truth , for they find peace hi the salvation that comes out of sion . chap. v. this first man is he , by whose disobedience many are made sinners , or by whom the whole creation is corrupred ; therefore you preachers , do not you tell the people any more , that a man called adam , that disobeyed about years ago , was the man that filled every man with sin and filth , by eating an apple . for assure your selves , this adam is within every man and woman ; and it is the first power that appears to act and rule in every man . it is the lord esau that stepped before iacob , and got the birth-right , by the law of equity was more properly iacobs . though iacob , who is the power and wisdom that made flesh did draw back , and gave way ▪ that the wisdom and power of flesh should possesse the kingdom , and rule first ; till esau , by delighting in unrighteous pleasures , lost both birth-right and blessing ; and left both in the hand of iacob the king , that rules in righteousnesse , that is to rise up next . the apple that the first man eats , is not a single fruit called an apple , or such like fruit ; but it is the objects of the creation ; which is the fruit that came out of the seed , which is the spirit himself that made all things : as riches , honours , pleasures , upon which the powers of the flesh feeds to delight himself . and this is the messe of pottage which he prefers before righteousnesse , or before righteous walking in the creation towards every creature , which is christ , that power that appears in the fulnesse of time to take the kingdom and rule next . therefore when a man fals , let him not blame a man that died years ago , but blame himself , even the powers of his own flesh , which lead him astray ; for this is adam that brings a man to misery , which is the man flesh , or the strong man within that keeps the house , till the man of righteousnesse arise and cast him out , who is the second adam . and this second man is he , by whose obedience many are made righteous ; that is , by the power of christ , man-kind is purged from its drosse ; and this second man , i say , which is the righteous power , doth cast the other man ( which is the unrighteous power ) out of the house , even the heart , and makes it a temple for himself to dwell in . now these two powers did the father ordain should have their course to rule in the earth man-kinde : and this is that day and night , the light and darknesse , winter and summer , heat and cold , moon and sun , that is typed out by the fabrick of the great world ; for within these two powers is the mystery of all divine workings wrapped up . the first power , that is of darknesse , or the chaos of confusion proves selfish and hurtfull to others , tearing its own and the orher mans children , especially to pieces , by cruelty , covetousnesse and oppression ; for he that is after the flesh , persecutes him that is born after the spirit . and in the fulnesse of time ; that is , when the first man hath filled the creation full of his filthinesse , and all places stinks with unrighteousnesse , as it doth at this day ; then it pleaseth the father , that his own wisdome and power should arise up next to rule in man-kind in rigteousnesse , and take the kingdome out of the others hand , and restore all things , and establish the creation in peace , and declare himself to be the alone saviour of the world , and to be the most excellent , nay the almighty power . the first man adam , is called , the son of god , a power that the almighty was pleased should be manifest ; but this is the son of disobedience , the son that goes astray , a son causing sorrow and shame , and so becomes the serpent , the devil , the power of darknesse , the beast , the whore , the father of lies , the murder of man-kind , and the bottomlesse pit , out of which all unrighteousnesse and misery rises up . but the second adam is called , his wel-beloved son ; the son of his delight , the son bringing honour and peace ; why ? because by him the opposing power is cast out , and the wisdome and power of righteousnesse , which is the lord , is that wisdom and power that rules in and over man-kind , and the flesh is made subject hereunto without grumbling ; and so all things becomes the lords . and this son or second adam is called , the lord , the king of righteousnesse , the prince of peace , the saviour , the mighty god , the restorer of all things , the salvation , the consolation of israel , the blessing of all nations of the earth , the power of light or reason . and thus we see the father hath ordained , that the powers of dark flesh should rule over him that made him for a time , and he who is the father of all things would be a servant , and that dark flesh should be the mystery of iniquity , or antichrist , that should oppose and exalt himself above all that is called god , till by the other greater power , the father himself arising up in the creation , he be taken out of the way . this teaches every son and daughter , to wait with patience and quietnesse of spirit under all temptations , till the fathers turn come , according to his own appointment to rule in flesh ; and then their sorrows shall be turned into joy , and their mourning into laughter : all tears shall be wiped away , and they shall be delivered from the bondage , and live in freedom and peace . these two powers , i say , are typed out by iacob and esau ; iacob put forth his arm first , and it is marked by the midwife , and then he draws if in again : then esau comes fully forth , and is called the elder brother . iacob is christ , the elect or chosen one , or the almighty power and wisdome , that first put forth his arm of strength in making man-kind ; but the powers of the flesh , which , is esau , or the rejected one , the reprobate , steps before ( by permission ) and gets the government of the kingdom , ( man-kind ) first ; and he is suffered to raign , till christ supplant him , and takes both birth-right and blessing from him . or rather takes possession of his own right and kingdom , man-kind ; for he appeared first , and so by the law of equity and reason , he is the elder brother ; though esau or the powers of the flesh got the dominion to rule in the creation , by a violence , which the wisdom and power of the spirit , suffered and ordained to be . this second man is the spirituall man , that judges all things according to the law of equity and reason , in moderation and love to all , he is not a talker , but an actour of righteousnesse . but the man of the flesh , which would be counted an angel of light , cannot judge any thing in righteousnesse ; for all his judgement and justice is selfish , and confined to particular ends , not to the publick safety and preservation ; he is a great preacher and talker of righteous things , but no actour of righteousnesse , or if he do , it is , very slowly , it is when iacob over-powers him , his judgement is hasty , unadvised rashnesse , at randome , hap hazard , right or wrong , he knows not . and sometime he is moderate , for by ends to himself ; and sometimes full of bitter censures to hurt others . chap. vi . the man of the flesh , judges it a righteous thing , that some men that are cloathed with the objects of the earth , and so called rich men , whether it be got by right or wrong , should be magistrates to rule over the poor ; and that the poor should be servants nay rather slaves to the rich . but the spiritual man , which is christ , doth judge according to the light of equity and reason , that al man-kinde ought to have a quiet substance and freedome , to live upon earth ; and that there shal be no bond-man nor begger in all his holy mountaine . man-kinde was made to live in the freedome of the spirit , not under the bondage of the flesh , though the lordly flesh hath got a power for a time , as i said before ; for every one was made to be a lord over the creation of the earth , cattle , fish , fowl , grasse , trees , not any one to be a bond-slave and a beggar under the creation of his own , kinde . that so every one living in freedome and love in the strength of the law of righteousnesse in him ; not under straits of poverty , nor bondage of tyranny one to another , might al rejoyce together in righteousnesse , and so glorifiie their maker ; for suerly this much dishnoured the maker of all men , that some men should be oppressing tyrants , imprisoning , whipping , hanging thier fellow creatures , men , for those very things which those very men themselves are giulty of ; let mens eyes be opened , and it appears clear enough , that the punishers have and doe break the law of equity and reason , more , or as much as those that are punished by them . none will be offended at this , but the children of lord esau , the first man flesh , which must perish for his unrighteous government , for thereby he hath lost himself , sold or passed over his birth-right and blessing unto iacob , the king of righteousnesse that is now rising up , to urle according to the pure law of equity and reason . and when this king raigns , the city that is , the heart of every one in whom truth dwels , wil rejoyce ; but while the man of unrighteosunesse raigns in and over man-kinde , truly every body wee see is filled with sorrow and complainings , and it is not without cause . as the powers and wisdome of the flesh hath filled the earth with injustice , oppression and complainings , by mowing the earth into the hands of a few covetous , unrighteous men , who assumes a lordship over others , declaring themselves thereby to be men of the basest spirits . even so , when the spreading power of wisdome and truth , fils the earth man-kinde , hee wil take off that bondage , and gives a universall liberty , and there shal be no more complainings against oppression , poverty , or injustice . when every son and daughter shall be made comfortable to that one body , of jesus the anointed , and the same power rules in them , as in him , every one according to their measure , the oppression , shall cease , and the rising up of this universal power , shal destroy and subdue the selfish power . but this is not done by the hands of a few , or by unrighteous men , that would pul the tyrannical government out of other mens hands , and keep it in their own heart , as we feel this to be a burden of our age . but it is done by the universall spreading of the divine power , which is christ in mankind making them all to act in one spirit , and in and after one law of reason and equity . and when this universall power of righteousnesse is spread in the earth , it shall destroy babylon the great city of fleshy confusion in one hour ; that is he will pull the kingdome and government of the world out of the hands of tyrannicall , unseasonable acting flesh , and give the lands and riches that covetous , unrighteous men hath hoarded up within their own selfish power , into the hands of spirituall israel ; that so there may be no complainings , no burdens , nor no poor in canaan , but that it may be a land flowing with milke and honey , plenty of all things , every one walking righteously in the creation one to another , according to the law of equity and reason , as it was in the beginning , and as babylon measured out to others , so that it shall be , measured to him again . and suerly as the scriptures threaten misery to rich men , bidding them howl and weep , for their gold and silver is cankered , and the rust thereof cries unto heaven for vengeance against them , and the like . suerly all those threatnings shal be materially fullfiled , for they shall be turned out of all , and their riches given to a people that wil bring forth better f●uit , and such as they have oppressed shall inherit the land . the rich man tels the poor , that they ofend reasons law , if they take forth the rich ; i am sure it is a breach in that law in the rich to have plenty by them , and yet wil see their fellow creatures men and women to starve for want ; reason requires that every man should live upon the increase of the earth comfortably , though covetousnesse ●ights against reasons law . the rich doth lock up the treasures of the earth , and hardens their hearts against the poor . the poor are those in whom the blessing lies , for they first receive the gospel , and their gifts of love and tendernesse one to preserve another , shall be the condemnation of the rich : and secondly , the inheritances of the rich shall be given to those poor , and there shall be no beggar in israel . and there is equity and reason in it , for the king of righteousnesse , did not make some men to be tyrants , and others to be slaves , at the beginning , for this burden riseth up afterwards , esau stepped into the birth-right before iacob , till the time come that he shall be taken away again . in the first enterance into the creation , every man had an equall freedom given him of his maker to till the earth , and to have dominion over the beasts of the field , the ●owls of heaven , and fish in the seas . but this freedom is broke to pieces by the power of covetousnesse , and pride , and self-love , not by the law of righteousnesse . and this freedom will not be restored , till the spreading power of righteousnesse and peace rise up in the earth , making all men and women to be of one heart , and one mind , which must come to passe , for that scripture was never fulfilled yet . the powers of flesh shall never partake of this priviledge , for he is the curse that must be removed ; selfish councellours , selfish governours , selfish souldiers , shall never be honoured in setling this restoration ; the lord himself will do this great work , without either sword or weapon ; weapons and swords shall destroy , and cut the powers of the earth asunder , but they shall never build up . for the law-giver in righteousnesse shall come out of sion , that shall turn covetous oppressing ungodliness from jacob . for surely the father will give as large a liberty to his children to inherit the earth , as he gives to the beast of the field ; though they break over hedges , and eat in any pasture , they do not imprison and hang one another , the earth is a common livelyhood for them , the restraint ariseth from selfish covetousnesse , and lordly proud flesh , that hath got the government , and saith , the spirit hath given it him . indeed thou hast it for a time , not by right of blessing , but by permission , that through thy unrighteousness thou maist fall and never rise again : and that righteous jacob may arise , who hath been thy servant , and never fall again ; and then the elder shall serve the younger . i do not speak that any particular men shall go and take their neighbours goods by violence , or robbery ( i abhor it ) as the condition of the men of the nations are ready to do in this fleshly setled government of the world , but every one is to wait , till the lord christ do spread himself in multiplicities of bodies , making them all of one heart and one mind , acting in the righteousnesse one to another . it must be one power in all , making all to give their consent to confirm this law of righteousnesse and reason . for when the work is made manifest , it shall be a universall power that shall rise up in the earth ( man-kind ) to pull the kingdom and outward government of the world out of the hands of the tenant esau , king-flesh ; and this shall be made manifest in all the nations of the earth ; for the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the lord christ . and this universall power of a righteous law , shall be so plainly writ in every ones heart , that none shall desire to have more then another , or to be lord over other , or to lay claim to any thing as his ; this phrase of mine and thine shall be swallowed up in the law of righteous actions one to another , for they shall all live as brethren , every one doing as they would be done by ; and he that sees his brother in wants , and doth not help , shall smart for his iniquity , from the hand of the lord , the righteous judge that will fit upon the throne in every mans heart . there shall be no need of lawyers , prisons , or engines of pun●shment one over another , for all shall walk and act righteously in the creation , and there shall be no beggar , nor cause of complaining in all this holy mountain . therefere i say to all , wait , be patient in your present bondage , till our brethren be brought in likewise ; forsake the way of babylon , and commit your cause to him that judgeth righteously ; the work of freedom is in the hand of christ , and he is the righteous freedom ; he hath begun to spread himself , and he goes on mightily , and will go on . the poor receives the gospel daily ; christ is drawing all men after him , he is calling in the isles and nations of the world , to come to this great battell , even to deliver the oppressed , and ●o destroy the oppressour , to spoil him that spoiled , and yet was never spoiled himself ; and so to lead captivity captive , and let the prisoners of hope go free . chap. vii . when this universall law of equity rises up in every man and woman , then none shall lay claim to any creature , and say , this is mine , and that is yours , this is my work , that is yours ; but every one shall put to their hands to till the earth , and bring up cattle , and the blesting of the earth shall be common to all ; when a man hath need of any corn or cattle , take from the next store-house he meets with . there shall be no buying nor selling , no fairs nor markets , but the whole earth shall be a common treasury for every man , for the earth is the lords . and man-kind thus drawn up to live and act in the law of love , equity and onenesse , is but the great house wherein the lord himself dwels , and every particular one a severall mansion : and as one spirit of righteousnesse is common to all , so the earth and the blessings of the earth shall be common to all ; for now all is but the lord , and the lord is all in all . when a man hath meat , and drink , and cloathes , he hath enough , and all shall cheerfully put to their hands to make these things that are needfull , one helping another ; there shall be none lords over others , but every one shall be a lord of himself , subject to the law of righteousnesse , reason and equity , which shall dwell and rule in him , which is the lord ; for now the lord is one , and his name and power one , in all and among all . their rejoycings and glory shall be continually in eying and speaking of what breakings forth of love they receive from the father , singing sions songs one to another ; to the glory of him that sits upon the throne , for evermore . this universall freedom hath never filled the earth , though it hath been fore-told by most of the prophets . this is the glory of jerusalem , which never yet hath been the praise of the whole earth . and this will be no troublesome businesse , when covetousnesse , and the selfish power is killed and cast out of heaven , and every one is made willing to honour the king of righteousnesse in action , being all of one heart and one mind : truly we may well call this a new heaven , and a new earth , wherein dwells righteousnesse . and that prophesie will not generally be fulfilled till this time . if it be thus , then saith the scoffer , mens wives shall be common too ? or a man may have as many wives as he please ? i answer , the law of righteousnesse and reason saith no : for when man was made , he was made male and female , one man and one woman conjoyned together by the law of love , makes the creation of humane flesh perfect in that particular ; therefore a man shall forsake father and mother , and cleave only to his wife , for they twain are but one flesh . reason did not make one man and many women , or one woman and many men to joyn together , to make the creation perfect , but male and female in the singular number , this is enough to encrease seed . and he or she that requires more wives , or more husbands then one , walks contrary to the law of righteousnesse , and shall bear their shame : though this immoderate lust after strange flesh , rule in the bodies of men now , while the first adam is king , yet it shall not be so when the second man rises to raign , for then chastitie is one glory of the kingdom . but what if a man break that law of righteousnes , as many do under this fleshly government which is yet extant ? i answer , he shall then become servant to others , and be as a fool in israel ; the wrath of the lord shall be upon him , and lose the priviledge of sonship , till the law of righteousnesse in him become his king . and those that loses that priviledge , shall know they have lost a blessing . the proud , covetous and unrighteous men , ere many years wheel about , will tell the world by their lamentation and torment , what it is to lose the blessing of son-ship . the manifestation of a righteous heart shall be known , not by his words , but by his actions ; for this multitude of talk , and heaping up of words amongst professours shall die and cease , this way of preaching shall cease , and verbal worship shall cease , and they that do worship the father , shall worship him by walking righteously in the creation , in the strenghth of the law of love and equity one to another . and the time is now coming on , that men shall not talk of righteousnesse , but act righteousnesse . and they that in these times , will not observe this rule , to walk righteously in the creation , waiting quietly till christ come to restore all things , he shall have sorrows , troubles and discontents of heart within , vexing , grudging , rash passions , he shall have no true peace , but be filled with confusion , and be a slave to his lusts . the father now is rising up a people to himself out of the dust , that is , out of the lowest and despised sort of people , that are counted the dust of the earth , man-kind , that are trod under foot . in these , and from these shall the law of righteousnesse break ●orth first , for the poor they begin to receive the gospel , and plentifull discoveries of the fathers love flows from them , and the waters of the learned and great men of the world , begins to dry up like the brooks in summer . when this restoration breaks forth in righteous action , the curse then shall be removed from the creation , fire , water , earth and air . and christ the spreading forth of righteousnesse , shall be the onely saviour , that shall make jacob to rejoyce , and israel to be glad . there shall be no barrennesse in the earth or cattle , for they shall bring forth fruit abundantly . unseasonable storms of weather shall cease , for all the curse shall be removed from all , and every creature shall rejoyce in righteousnesse one in another throughout the whole creation . thomas dydimus , that is , the unbelief of your hearts cries out , when will these things be ? not in our time ? i cannot believe such things till i see them ? well , lay aside your doubtfull questioning , and let every one set himself to walk righteously in the law of love one towards another , and wait the lords time ; this work is to be done upon flesh , not by flesh . the lord will have none of your flesh wit , policy or strength to setle this work , for he alone will be honoured in this day of his power , it must be his own handy work , that must bring this restoration to passe , yea , and he will hasten this work , as speedily , as the midianites army was destroyed , and sodom and gomorrah burned , and as speedily , and as unlooked for , as plenty came into sama●ia ; mens unbelief cannot hinder this work of righteousnesse . the lord will do this work speedily , babylon shall fall in one hour , israel shall rise in one hour ; o when thi● righteous law shall rule in every one , there will be springings up of joy and peace , and the blessing of the lord shall rest every where . the whole earth we see is corrupt , and it cannot be purged by the hand of creatures , for all creatures lies under the curse , and groans to be delivered , and the more they strive , the more they entangle themselves in the mud ; therefore it must be the hand of the lord alone that must do it . none can remove the curse from fire , water , earth and air , but the almighty power himself . and this work is called , the restoration of all things ; for all things groan and travel in pain under bondage , waiting for this manifestation . and seeing every creature that is burdened waits for the coming in of the blessing , then surely no flesh can settle this work , for all flesh is corrupt ; this work shall not be done by sword , or weapon , or wit of the flesh , but by the power of the lord , killing covetousnesse , and making man-kind generally to be of one heart and one mind . but why hath not the lord done this all this time that is past ? i answer , covetous , wise arid lordly flesh would raign in the kingdom , man-kind first , and would be counted the onely power to govern the creation , in an excellent order . and the lord gave this dominion into his hand , bur withall told him , that if he governed the creation unrighteously , he and all the creation should die and fall under the curse . well , the powers of the flesh , lord esau was advanced , and hath ruled with such self-seeking ends , that he hath made all creatures weary of his government , and the whole earth to stink and to groan under the burden of it , longing to be delivered . for first , they that stand up to teach others , they teach for gain , and preach for hire , and fils people with division and confusion , through their pride and envy , and they do this by the authority of the governing power , by which they have ingrossed the earth into their hands . a man must not take a wife , but the priest must give her him . if he have a child , the priest must give the name . if any die , the priest must see it laid in the earth . if any man want knowledge or comfort , they teach him to go to the priest for it ; and what is the end of all this , but to get money : if a man labour in the earth to eat his bread , the priests must have the tenths of his encrease , or else some oppressing impropriatour , that shares the tithes between himself and the priest ; which law was brought in by the pope , and still upheld by such as call themselves , the christian protestants . all which is high treason and mighty dishonourable to christ the great prophet , whom they seem to shew love to ; here the earth stinks , because this hath been established by a compulsive binding power , whereby the creation is held under bondage : this is the fruit of imagination . secondly , for matter of buying and selling , the earth stinks with such unrighteousnesse , that for my part , though i was bred a tradesmen , yet it is so hard a thing to pick out a poor living , that a man shall sooner be cheated of his bread , then get bread by trading among men , if by plain dealing he put trust in any . and truly the whole earth of trading , is generally become the neat art of thieving and oppressing fellow-creatures , and so laies burdens , upon the creation , but when the earth becomes a common treasury this burden will be taken off . thirdly , for justices and officers of state , that should relieve people in their wrongs , and preserve peace , they multiply wrongs , and many , if not most times oppresses the poor , and lets the effending rich go free , by laying aside the letter of their laws , as the priests doth the scriptures ; and acts by subtil covetousnesse and smooth words to get money , or else ruling by their own wills , through envy to imprison and oppresse others , letting poor people lie in prison half a year many times , and never bring them to trial at all . and thus the people have been and are oppressed by false imprisonments and punishments ; not for the breach of any known law , but to satisfie the will of the justice , bailiffs or officer , against all reason and equity , as if the people made officers to be their aegyrtian task-masters : nay , let all men speak openly as they find , and i am sure they will say that the justices and most state officers , doth more oppresse , then deliver from oppression . and thus i see that the whole earth stinks , by the first adams corrupt government ; therefore it is the fulness of time , for jacob to arise , extream necessity cals for the great work of restoration , and when the restorer of the earth hath a little more manifested himself , he wi● make the earth a common treasury , and sweep away all the refuge of lies , and all oppressions , by making all people to be of one heart and one minde , and then the law of righteousnesse and peace , shal be the king that shal rule in every man , and over every man , who indeed is the lord himself , who is and wil be all , and in all . and now seeing there is nothing found but complainings and tears under his oppressions , it is the fulnesse or fittest time now for iacob to arise , & restore all things , who indeed is christ : and for david to raigne , who indeed is christ the great devider between flesh and spirit , & the great law-giver of peace and truth , for besides him there is no saviour ; he indeed is the blessing of all nations , and the joy of the whole earth . therefore tremble thou lord esau , thou proud and covetous flesh , thou art condemned to die , the sentence is begun to be put in execution , for the poor begins to receive the gospel ; thou shalt wast , decay and grow weaker and weaker , til thy place be no where found in earth , and christ the blessing of the creation , shal rise up and spread , and fil the earth , and all creatures shall rejoyce under his shadow . therefore you tribes of israel , that are now in sackcloth , every man with his hands upon his loins , like a woman in travel , stand stil and see the salvation of david your king ; this is called the time of iacobs trouble ; for indeed the spirit that is in you , is oppressed under the burden of cursed flesh , but he shall be delivered , the time of his resurrection is come , and his rising shal be your glory , his light shal desperse your darknesse , and cover the earth with the knowledge of himself , for the blessing shal be every where . iacobs troubles formerly was two-fold , first , his kindred and friends endeavoured to hinder him of his temporal lively-hood , and to make the earth to become a burden to him , by changing his cattell , and taking those earthly blessings from him , which the lord had given him . secondly , when iacob had a liberty to take wives , children , and cattell , and to goe live free of himself ; his kindred runs after him , and tels him , he had stolen away their gods ; and for that , begins a fresh to trouble him . and the same troubles are the portion of those in whom iacobs spirit rests . for , first , their kindred and neighbours endeavours to make them poor in the world , and to oppresse them with the burden of poverty and straits . secondly , now the father is drawing iacob out of babylon , and makes his children to forsake the forms and customs of the national worship , to worship the father in spirit and truth . now kindred and neighbours in the flesh cries our , o these men steals away our gods , and by reproaches , imprisonments or wrong dealing , seeks to oppresse and suppresse them . wel this is but stil the time of iacobs troubles , but he shall be delivered out . wel let the lordly flesh scoffe and laugh and cry , o when shal this be ! and say with the lord of samaria , it is impossible , for it is madnesse thus to speak ; wel , such may live to see it , but shal not enjoyne the blessing ; for when iacob arises , that is now very low , and be must rise , then esau shal be his servant , the elder shall serve the younger , and thy portion shal be wraped up in jacobs lap , for all is his . for now he father is raissing up a people to himself out of the dust , and of the stones , that is , poor despised people , that are trod upon like dust and stones , shal be now raised up , and be made the blessing of the earth , and the high mountaines shall be laid low , the lofty looks of men shal be pulled down , and the lord alone shall be exalted in this day of his power . chap. viii . as i was in a trance not long since , divers matters were present to my sight , which here must not be related . likewise i heard these words , worke together . eat bread together ; declare this all abroad . likewise i heard these words . whosoever it is that labours in the earth , for any person or persons , that lifts up themselves as lords & rulers over others , and that doth not look upon themselves equal to others in the creation , the hand of the lord shall be upon that labouror : i the lord have spoke it and i will do it ; declare this all abroad . after i was raised up , i was made to remember very fresh what i had seen and heard , & did declare al things to them that were with me , and i was filled with abundance of quiet peace and secret joy . and since that time those words have been like very fruitfull seed , that have brough forth increase in my heart , which i am much prest in spirit in declare all abroad . the poor people by their labours in this time of the first adams government , have made the buyers and sellers of land , or rich men , to become tytants and oppressours over them . but in the time of israels restoration , now begining , when the king of righteousnesse himself shall be governor in every man ; none then shall work for hire , neither shal any give hire , but every one 〈◊〉 work in love : one with , and for another ; and eat bread together , as being members of one houshold ; the creation in whom reason rules king in perfect glory . he that cals any part of the creation his own in particular , in this time of israels return from the mistery of aegyptian bondage , is a destroyer of the creation , a lifter up of the proud covetous flesh againe , a bringer in of the curse againe , and a mortal enemy , to the spirit . for upon israels returne from captivity , the lord himself wil burn up the curse , and restore the creation , fire , water , earth and air from that slavery , and make the earth to be a common treasury to them all ; for they are but one house of israel still , though twelve tribes ; and they have but one king , one law-giver one teacher amongst them all , even the lord himself , who is reason . the king of righteousnesse , they are all filled with one spirit , and they shall all live comfortably upon one earth ; and so the whole earth is the lords . and this is the inward and outward liberty , which the lord wil give to sion . and this work is begun , the foundation of this spiritual building is laid , and the spreading of this one spirit in every sonne and daughter , and the lifting up the earth to be a common treasury , wil make jerusalem a praise in the whole earth , and the glory of the earth indeed , and so the father of all things shall be honoured in the works of his own hands . no man shal have any more land , then he can labour himself , or have others to labour with him in love , working together , and eating bread together , as one of the tribes of families of israel , neither giving hire , not taking hire . he that is now a possessour of lands and riches , and cannot labour , if he say to others , you are may fellow creatures , and the lord is now making the earth common amongst us ; therefore take my land only let me eat bread with you , that man shall be , preserved by the lobours of others . but it any man have land , and neither can work nor wil work , but wil strive to rule as a tyrant , burdening the creation , the hand of the lord shall fal upon him , either to destruction or torment ; and if his life be given for a prey , he shall be made to work and eat his bread with the sweat of his own brows , not of others , til he know himself to be a member , not a lord over the creation ; and thus he shall be dealt with , that hath lost the benefit of sonship . all the punishment that any one shall receive for any unrighteous act , whereby he begins to bring the cause againe upon the creation , he sahll only be made a gibeonite to work in the earth , not in a prison , and the eyes of all shall be upon him ; and the greatset offence will be this ; for any to endeavour to raise up some few to rule over others , & so to set up particular interest againe , and to bring in buying and selling of land againe , the sore displeasure of the lord shall be such a peoples portion . israel is not to imprison or torment and by death or smaller punishments , but only to cause them to work and eat their own bread ▪ for he or they that inflicts any other punishment , upon fellow creatures , is an unrighteous actour in the creation , and shall himself be made a servant to all , till he by the spirit in him , is made to know himself to be equal to every man , not a lord over any , for all men looked upon in the bulk are but the creation , the living earth . this imprisoning , punishing and killing , which is the practice of the first adam , ye visible to the world , is the curse . and it is a mighty dishonour to our maker , that one part of the creation should destroy another , it was not so from the beginning , but it is an honour to our maker that every part of the creation should lend a mutual help of love in action to preserve the whole . but is not this the old rule , he that sheds man● bloud by man shall his bloud be shed ? i answer , it is true , but not as usually it is observed ; for first know , that the spirit is the man who hath determined to suffer himself to be killed , and lie dead in the streets or under the several forms of babylon government , three daies or times and a half . the serpent is he , or the wicked man that kils the man of righteousnesse , or sheds his bloud , for that space of time , which is indeed the wisdome and power of the flesh , killing the wisdom and power of the spirit , and ruling in the spirits , own house , the heart , for a time . therefore now it is declared , that the serpent or beastly power of flesh , that kils the spirit , shall himself be killed by the spirit , when the spirit begins to rise ; and i can tell you that the resurrection is begun , for all the great fightings is between flesh and spirit ; the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head . it is not for one creature called man to kill another , for this is abominable to the spirit , and it is the curse which hath made the creation to groan under bondage ; for if i kill you i am a murderrer , if a third come , and hang or kill me for murdering you , he is a murderer of me ; and so by the government of the first adam , murder hath been called justice when it is but the curse . besides none can call himself a man , till the man christ or spirit rule in him , for til then ; the greatest lord of all , is but a beast and one beast kils another ; for a man wil never kill a man ; therefore said the man christ jesus i came not to destroy but to save ; therefore such as kill are farr from being saints or children of christ , for they are the children of the serpent , whose delight and work is to kill the man-child ; but he that sheds this mans blouds , by the same man shall his bloud be shed , in the resurrection : therefore o thou proud flesh , that dares hang and kil thy fellow creatures , that is equall to thee in the creation , know this , that none hath the power of life and death , but the spirit , and al punishmens that are to be inflicted amongst creatures called men , are only such as to make the offender to know his maker , and to live in the community of the righteous law of love one with another . for talking of love is no love , it is acting of love in righteousnesse , which the spirit reason , our father delights in . and this is to relieve the oppressed , to let goe the prisoner , to open bags and barns that the earth may be a common treasury to preserve all without complainings ; for uhe earth was not made for a few to live at ease upon , and to kil such as did not observe the law of their own making , but it was made for all to live comfortably upon , and the power of life and death is reserved in the hand of the spirit , not in the hand of flesh : none ought to kil , but such as can make alive ; therefore let every one walk righteously in the creation , and trust the spirit for protection . he that makes a zealous profession of the spirit , as all professours doe , and yet doth not act this universall power of righteousnesse , in labouring the earth for a common treasury , is a meer self-lover , and he professes but himself , and is a complementing enemy to reason the king of righteousnesse : and if stil thou saist , it is the spirit , whom thou doest worship , then make it manifest to the world , what spirit this is that rules every where besids reason . and futher he that denies this community , denies the scriptures likewise , whether the preachers , prosessours , or rich men , that upholds this unrighteous power of particular propriety . therefore you dust of the earth , that are trod under foot , you poor people , that makes both schollars and rich men , your oppressours by your labours . take notice of your priviledge , the law of righteousnesse is now declared . if you labour the earth , and work for others that lives at ease , and follows the waies of the flesh by your labours , eating the bread which you get by the sweat of your brows , not their own : know this , that the hand of the lord shal break out upon every such hireling labourer , and you shal perish with the covetous rich men , that have held , and yet doth hold the creation under the bondage of the curse . this voice of the lord , work together and eat bread together , doth advance the law of reason and righteousnesse ; the rising of this is the fall of mistical babylon , the oppressing flesh : the living in the practice of this la●v of love , declares the scriptures of the prophets and apostles , to be a true declaration of the spirit , and no lie . he that denies the practice of this , lives in a continual denial of those scriptures . therefore your selfish tyth-taking preachers , and all others that preaches for hire , with all covetous professours , take notice that you are the judahs that betraid christ , and the pharisees that put him to death , and you stil persue the murder , by standing up to hinder christ from rising and coming in sons and daughters , his second time in flesh . i have now obeyed the command of the spirit that bid me declare this all abroad , i have declared it , and i wil declare it by word of mouth , i have now declared it by my pen . and when the lord doth shew unto me the place and manner , how he wil have us that are called common-people , to manure and work upon the common lands , i wil then go forth and declare it in my action , to eat my bread with the sweat of my brows , without either giving or taking hire , looking upon the land as freely mine as anothers ; i have now peace in the spirit , and i have an inward perswasion that the spirit of the poor , shal be drawn forth ere long , to act materially this law of righteousnesse . if man-kinde knew their liberty , which their creatour reason , hath given us ; none would be offended at this new law , that is to be writ in every mans heart , and acted by every mans hand . they that submit in love , and offers what they have freely to further this work , shal prosper and finde peace , for they honour our maker , by lifting up the creation in righteousnesse . they that wil not submit freely , the hand of the lord shal be as sure upon them as it was upon pharaoh , who is their type . o you great adams of the earth , that cals the earth yours , and looks upon others as servants and slaves to you , as if the earth were made only for you to live at ease and honour upon it , while others starved for want of bread at your feet , and under your oppressing government . behold the king the lord of hosts hath sent his servants , to bid you let israel goe free , that they may serve him together , in community off spirit , and in community of the earthly treasure . be not you more proud and hard hearted , then pharaoh your type , if you be , as it is like you wil , for the anti-type oft times is more powerfull then the type ; then assure your selves , plagues shal , multyply , and israel shal be pulled from under your burdens with a strong hand , and stretched out arm , and you , and all your company shal perish together . the lord hath spoke it , and he will doe it . all the men and women in england , are al children of this land , and the earth is the lords , not particular mens that claims a proper interest in it above others , which is the devils power . but be it so , that some wil say , this is my land , and cal such and such a parcel of land his own interest ; then saith the lord , let such an one labour that parcel of land by his own hands , none helping him : for whosoever shal help that man to labour his proper earth , as he cals it for wages , the hand of the lord shal be upon such labourers ; for they lift up flesh above the spirit , by their labours , and so hold the creation stil under bondage . therefore if the rich wil stil hold fast this propriety of mine and thine . let them labour their own land with their own hands . and let the common-people , that are the gatherings together of israel from under that bondage , and that say the earth is ours , not mine , let them labour together , and eat bread together upon the commons , mountains , and hils . for as the inclosures are called such a mans land , and such a mans land ; so the commons and heath , are called the common-peoples , and let the world see who labours the earth in righteousnesse , and those to whom the lord gives the blessing , let them be the people that shal inherit the earth . whether they that hold a civil propriety , saying , this is mine . which is selfish , devilish and destructive to the creation , or those that hold a common right , saying , the earth is ours , which lifts up the creation from bondage . was the earth made for to preserve a few covetous , proud men , to live at ease , and for them to bag and barn up the treasures of the earth from others , that they might beg or starve in a fruitful land , or was it made to preserve all her children , let reason , and the prophets and apostles writings be judge , the earth is the lords , it is not to be confined to particular interest . none can say , their right is taken from them ; for let the rich work alone by themselves , and let the poor work together by themselves ; the rich in their inclosures , saying , this is mnie ; the poor upon their commons , saying this is ours , the earth and fruits are common . and who can be offended at the poor for doing this ? none but covetous , proud , lazy , pamper'd flesh , that would have the poor stil to work for that devil ( particular interest ) to maintain his greatnesse that he may live at ease . what doe we get by our labour in the earth , but that we may eat bread and live together in love and community of righteousnesse , this shall be the blessing of israel . but as esau hath setled his kingdome , they that work , live in straits ; they that live idle surfet with fulnesse . and makes all places stink with unrighteous envious oppression . wel , when the lord cals forth israel to live in tents , which i believe wil be within a short time , he wil protect them ; this trumpet is stil sounding in me , work together , eat bread together , declare this all abroad . suerly the lord hath not revealed this in vain ; for i shal see the fruit of righteousnesse follow after it , which wil be the beginning of the great day of veangence to the oppessour , that hath held the earth under the bondage of civil propriety : ruling a tyrant over others : forcing the poor to work for hire : but in the day of restoration of israel is not to eat the bread of a hireling in no kind ; he is neither to give hire , nor take hire . did the light of reason make the earth for some men to ingrosse up into bags and barns , that others might be opprest with poverty ? did the light of reason make this law , that if one man have not such abundance of the earth as to give to others he borrowed of ; that he that did lend should imprison the other , and starve his body in a close room ? did the light of reason make this law , that some part of man-kinde should kil and hang another part of man-kinde , that could not walk in their steps ? surely reason was not the god chat made that law ; for this is to make one part of the creation alwaies to be quarrelling against another part ; which is mighty dishonour to our maker . but covetousnesse , that murdering god of the world , was that law-maker , and that is the god , or ruling power , which all men that claim a particular interest in the earth , do worship . for the earth is the lords ; that is , the spreading power of righteousnes , not the inheritance of covetous , proud flesh that dies . if any man can say that he makes corn or cattle , he may say , that is mine : but if the lord make these for the use of his creation , suerly then the earth was made by the lord , to be a common treasury for all , not a particular treasury for some . if any man can say , he can give life , then he hath power to take away life : but if the power of life and death be only in the hand of the lord ; then surely he is a murderer of the creation , that takes away the life of his fellow creature man , by any law whatsoever : for all laws that are made by any man to take away the life of man , is the upholder of the curse . but what if some steal or whore , or become idle , and wil not work , but live upon others labours , as rich men do , that cal the land theirs ? i answer ; if any manifest such a achanish or serpents power , as to endeavour to bring in the curse againe upon the creation , he shal not be imprisoned , hanged or killed ; for that is the worke of the midianites to kil one another ; to preserve themselves , and self-interest , but the punishment of such shal be this , he shal be set to work , and have land oppointed him to work upon , and none shal help him : he shal have a mark set upon him al this time , that every ones eie may be upon him , as upon a fool in israel : he shal be a servant to every one ; til such time as the spirit in him , make him know himself to be equal to others in the creation . if any do steal , what wil they do with it ? none shal buy or sel , and al the while that every one shal have meat , and drink , and cloaths , what need have they to steal ? their stealing shal get them nothing , but to lose the benefit of sonship ; and that is to be set alone , to eat his own bread , none having communion with him . for every one shal know the law , and every one , shal obey the law ; for it shal be writ in every ones heart ; and every one that is subject to reasons law , shal enjoy the benefit of sonship . and that is in respect of outward community , to work together , and eat bread together ; and by so doing , lift up the creation from the bondage of self interest , or particular propriety of mine and thine ; which is the devil and satan , even the god of this world , that hath blinded the eies of covetous , proud flesh , and hath bound them up in chains of darknesse . the universal spirit of righteousnesse hath been slain by covetous , proud flesh ; this years ago : but now that spirit begins to arise againe from the dead , and the same beast seeks to hinder his rising ; or else watches to kil the manchild after he is brought forth . covetous proud flesh wil kil a tyrant , but hold fast the same tyrannie and slaverie over others in his own hand ; he wil kil the traitor , but liks wel the treason , when he may be honoured or lifted up by it . look upon the mountaines and little hils of the earth , and see if these prickling thorns and briars , the bitter curse does , not grow there : truly tyrannie is tyrannie in one as wel as in another ; in a poor man lifted up by his valour , as in a rich man lifted up by his lands : and where tyrannie sits , he is an enemy to christ , the spreading spirit of righteousnesse : he wil use the bare name , christ , that he may the more secretly persecute , and kil his power . tyrannie is a subtile , proud and envious beast ; his nature is selfish , and ful of murder ; he promises fair things for the publique ; but all must be made to center within self , or self interest not the universal libertie . wel , to be short , let every one know , if they wait upon their maker they wil know , that the universal power of righteous communitie , as i have declared , is canaan , the land of rest and libertie , which flows with milk and honey , with abundance of joy and peace in our maker , and one in another . but the condition of the world , that upholds civill interests of mine and thine : is egypt the house of bondage ; and truly pharoahs task-masters are very many , both teachers and rulers . therefore thus said the voyce of the spirit in me , guiding my eie to the powers of the earth three times , let israel go free : let israel go free : let israel go free : work all together , eat bread altogether : whosoever labours the earth for any one , that wil be a burdning ruler over others , and does not look upon himself as equal to others in the creation , the hand of the lord shal be upon that labourer : i the lord have spoken it , and i wil doe it : declare this all abroad , israel shal neither give hire , nor take hire . surely this is both ful of reason and equity ; for the earth was not made for some , but for al to live comfortably upon the fruits of it : and there cannot be a universal libertie , til this universal communitie be established . all tears , occasioned through bondage , cannot be wiped away , til the earth become in use to all a common treasurie : and then jerusalem wil become a praise to the whole earth , and not til then . at this time the barren land shal be made fruitfull ; for the lord wil take off the curse : and if any grumble and say , the heaths and commons are barren , and the like , and so draw against the work : all that i say , let them go their way ; their portion is not here ; they live in the low flesh , not in the height of the spirit : and they know not the mysterie of the lord , who is now restoring israel from bondage , and fetching them out of all lands where they were scattered , into one place , where they shal live and feed together in peace . and then there shal be no more pricking briar in all the holy mountain , this shal be the glory of all , they shal lie down in rest : this is the branch ; this is israel ; this is christ spread in sons and daughters ; this is jerusalem the glory of the whole earth : where then will be the railing , persecuting priest , or the tyrant professour , that sucks after the blo●d and miserie of those , that wil not joyn 〈…〉 his forms ? but indeed as yet , as the state of the world is while the first adam yet sits in the chair , and corrupts the creation by his unrighteous wisdome and power ; i say at this time , the feirce wrath of the king of righteousnesse is threatned over this land called england , and indeed over all the whole earth , where particular interest bears rule , and enslaves the creation . and if covetous , proud flesh stil uphold this self-propriety , which is the curse and burden which the creation groans under : then o thou covetous earth , expect the multyplying of plagues , and the fulfilling of all threatning prophesies and visions for thy downfal in miserie . but if thou wouldst find mercie , then open thy barns and treasuries of the earth , which thou hast heaped together , and detains from the poor , thy fellow creatures : this is the only remedy to escape wrath : and the door of acceptance to mercie is yet open , if thou do this : the judge of truth and right waits yet upon thy comming into him . therefore , o thou first adam , take notice , that the lord hath set before thee life and death , now chuse whether thou wilt , for the time is near at hand that buying and selling of land shall cease , and every son of the land shal live of it . divide england into three parts , scarce one part is manured : so that here is land enough to maintain all her children , and many die for want , or live under a heavy burden of povertie all their daies : and this miserie the poor people have brought upon themselves , by lifting up particular interest , by their labours . there are yet three doors of hope for england to escape destroying plagues : first , let every one leave off running after others for knowledge and comfort , and wait upon the spirit reason , til he break forth out of the clouds of your heart , and manifest himself within you . this is to cast off the shadow of learning , and to reject covetous , subtile proud flesh that deceives all the world by their hearsay , and traditional preaching of words , letters and sillables , without the spirit : and to make choyce of the lord , the true teacher of every one in their own inward experience , the mysterie of the spirit , and the mystrie of babylon . secondly , let every one open his bags and barns , that al may feed upon the crops of the earth , that the burden of povertie may be removed : leave of this buying and selling of land , or of the fruits of the earth ; and as it was in the light of reason first made , so let it be in action , amongst all a common treasurie ; none inclosing or hedging in any part of earth , saying , this is mine ; which is rebellion and high treason against the king of righteousnesse : and let this word of the lord be acted amongst all ; work together , eat bread together . thirdly . leave off dominion and lordship one over another , for the whole bulk of man-kinde are but one living earth . leave off imprisoning , whiping and killing ; which are but the actings of the curse : and let those that hitherto have had no land and have been forced to rob and steal through povertie ; hearafter let them quietly enjoy land to work upon , that every one may enjoy the benefit of his creation , and eat his own bread with the sweat of his own brows : for surely this particular propriety of mine and thine , hath brought in all miserie upon people . for first , it hath occasioned people to steal one from another . secondly , it hath made laws to hang those that did steal : it tempts people to doe an evil action , and then kils them or doing of it : let all judge if this be not a great devil . well : if every one would speedily set about the doing of these three particulars i have mentioned , the creation would thereby be lift up out of bondage , and our maker would have the glory of the works of his own hands . they that offer themselves , and what treasure they have , freely , to further this work , shal find mercy , and the blessing of all nations shal be his comfortor : they that hinder this common interest of earthly community , and wil keep up the tyrannical government of old adam stil , the hand of the lord shal be upon that person , whosoever he be . thus saith the lord to all the great ones , that are cloathed with objects , and are lifted up flesh with honours in the government of the world : let israel go quietly out of your bondage that they may serve me ; if you wil not let him go , i wil not come with plagues , as upon egyptian pharoah of old , but i wil multiply my plagues upon thee , thou stout-hearted pharoah , that makes shew of love to me , and yet all is but like jehu , to lift up thy self over the remnant in the land . adam is the commer in of bondage , and is the curse that hath taken hold of the creation : and he may wel be called a-dam , for indeed he does dam and stop up the streams of the waters of life and libertie . when slaverie began to creep in upon the creation , the spirit might wel cry out in lamentation , ah-dam , a-dam , which draws together ; a head of corrupted waters , of covetous , proud and imaginary flesh , to stop the streams of the waters of life and libertie . but saith the spirit our maker , the seed from whence the creation sprang , shall bruise that serpents head , and open the dam againe , and cause the waters of the spirit which is life and libertie to run free againe without any stoppage . this a-dam stops up the waters or life and libertie in a two-fold way . fir●● , he ties up the creation , man , in chains of darknesse within it self : for there is not a man and womon ●ound , since adam's rise ( but the man christ jesus , in whom the seed ruled in power ) but they were bound up in bondage to coveteousnesse , pride , imagination , and to all the powers of the flesh : so that the free running streams of the spirit of life were stopped , that they could not run ; which hath made every one cry , o wretched man that i am , who shal deliver me from this body of sin or death ? here you see that knowledge , libertie and comfort hath been stopped or dammed up within the c●eation , ma● . secondly , this a-dam , being the power of cove●ous , proud flesh , he sets up one part of the creation , man , to rule over another , and makes laws to kil and hang thal part of the creation , that wil not submit to the ruling part and so he is become a god , ruling in the spirits own house , not preserving the creation , but does set the creation together by the ears , to k●l it self , to the mighty dishonour of our maker : therefore when the people would have saul to rule them ; the spirit declared , that that outward ruling power was the curse ; and he set him up in his wrath to be a scourge , not a blessing . now whereas the creation , man , should live in equalitie one towards another ; this a-dam hath lifted up mountaines and hils of oppressing powers , and there by that , dammed and stopped up that universal communitie : therefore at the first rising up of this serpentine power to enslave the creation , he might wel be declared by way of lamenattion , a-dam adam . covetousnesse , or self-love ; is the dam ; the letter a : before , declares , that he is a preparer to miserie , and is delivered by way of lamentation , ah : or a-dam . dovetousnesse , or self-love , is the man of sin , that appears first . the imagination arising from that couetous power is the woman , or eve , which like the ivie , clings about the tree ; and so covetousnesse and imagination , does beget between them a supposed joy , pleasure and delight ; but it proves a lie . these two , covetousnesse and imagination , the man and the woman of sin , or a-dam , and his eve , or ivie , does beget fruit or children , like both father and mother ; as pride , and envy , hypocrisie , crueltie , and all unclean lusts pleasing the flesh . and now the dam-head is made up strong , to stop the streams of waters of life and universal libertie : but in the fulnesse of time , the spirit wil break down this dam-head againe , and cause the waters of the spirit of life to flow again plentifully . and herein you may see , how the publique preachers have cheated the whole world , by telling us of a single man , called adam , that kiled us al by eating a single fruit , called an apple . alas , this adam is the dam that hath stopped up the freedome of the spirit within and without ; so that while he rules , a man can have no community with the spirit within himself , nor community of love with fellow creatures , he does so puff them up with covetousnesse , and pride , and desire of lordly rule one over another . do but look into every mean and woman , and into al the actions of the world , and tel me whether that first adam be one single man , as the publique preachers tel you ; or is not more truly that covetous , proud and imginary power in flesh , that hath dammed and stopped up the way of the spirit of life , and universal libertie ; and so he is that father of lies , and satan , that holds the creation under bondage , til the son , which is the light in the creation , shine forth , and sets us at libertie : and if the son set you free , you are free indeed . this son is the second adam , which is a-dam indeed , that stops the streams of bondage from runing and sets the creation at libertie again . chap. ix . what i have spoken , i have not received from books , nor study , but freely i have received , and freely i have declared what i have received : and the declarations of the lord through his servant shal not be in vain , the beholding and feeling of the law of righteousnesse within me , fils my whole soul with precious peace , the favour of the sweet ointment ; and i know as this power of love spreads in al mens hearts , as it wil spread , for jacob must rise : then there shall be no begger , no tears , no complaining , no oppression : but the blessing of the lord shal fil the earth : then our swords shall be beaten into plow irons , add our spears into pruning hooks , and then shall the lord be known to be the salvation of israel , and the restoration of the whole creation . i● any man be offended here , let him know , i have obeyed my maker herein , and i have peace in him . when the man , jesus christ , was one earth , there was a sweet communitie of love between all the members of that humane body : for the spirit that was within , made every member a servant to the other , and so preserved the whole body in peace ; one member did not raign over another in tyra●nie . even so , when the humane body was laid in the earth , the spirit , which indeed is christ , came again the second time upon the apostles and brethren , while they were waiting for that promise at jerusalem . and as christ then began to spread himself in sons and daughters , which are members of his mystical body , they did not rule in slavery one over another ; neither did the rich suffer the poor to beg and starve , and imprison them as now they do : but the rich sold their possessions , and gave equality to the poor , and no man said , that any thing that he possessed was his own , for they had all things common . but this community was a vexation to esau , the covetous proud flesh , and he strove to suppresse this commnuity : and the lord he gives this beast a toleration to rule months , or a time , times , and dividing of time ; and in that time to kil the two witnesses , that is , christ in one body , and christ in many bodies ; or christ in his first and second comming in flesh , which is justice and jugement ruling in man . i , but now the months are expiring , we are under the half day of the beast , or the dividing of time , and christ , or the two witnesses , are arising and spreading himself again in the earth : and when he hath spread himself abroad amongst his sons and daughters , the members of his mystical body , then this community of love and righteousnesse , making all to use the blessings of the earth as a common treasurie amongst them , shal break forth again in his glory , and fil the earth , and shal be no more supprest : and none shal say , this is mine , but every one shal preserve each other in love . as christ does thus rise and spread , those that have riches , gold and silver , and the like , and are taken into the onenesse of this spirit , they shall come , and offer up their treasures willingly , not daring to keep it : that those that have nothing may have part , and enjoy the blessing of the earth with themselves , being all members of that one body , unto whom the kings of the east , called the wise men , offered gifts , gold frankinsense and myrrhe while he was the child jesus . but those that do not come in and offer what they have , willingly , to the work of the lord , they shal be stripped naked of all , and shal either be destroyed by the blagues that shal come upon the earth ; or at best if their lives be given them , they shal be servants , and not enjoy the benefit of sonship , til the spirit of the son rise up in them , and make them free . so that this work is not done by wars councels , or hands of men , for i abhor it ; though by those the government of esau shal be beaten down , and the enemy shal destroy one another . but the lord alone wil be the healer , the restorer , & the giver of the new law of righteousnes , by spreading himself every where and so drawing al things up into himself . and the declaration of this law of righteousnesse shal rise out of the dust , out of the poor people that are trod under foot : for , as the declaration of the son of man was first declared by fisher-men , & men that the learned , covetous scholars despised : so the declaration of the righteous law shal spring up from the poor , the base and despised ones , and fools of the world ; and humane learning , and such as love the oppression of exacting tyths , shal not be honoured in his businesse : for they that stand up to be publique teachers are iudas , that come to the magistrates , and covenants with them for the tenths of every mans encrease , and they wil hinder christ from rising , and betray him into their hands ; that so the covetous and proud flesh may rule in oppression over their fellow creature quietly . and assure your selves it wil appear , that the publique preachers , that stand up customarily to make a living by their teaching others , as they cal it : these are the curse , and the spreaders of that cu●se , and the hinderers of christ from rising ; and the bitter scribes and pharisees to suppresse christ where he rises , calling him a blasphemer . for the father wil have all men to look up to him for teaching , and to acknowledge no other teacher and ruler but himself : but these men wil have al people to look for knowledge to come through them ; and that none can have knowledge but such as are taught by such preachers as they : but covetousnesse after a temporal living , and secret pride sets them to work , and they shal be ashamed ; for the lord alone now shal be exalted , and he himself wil darw up al things into himself . and al this great chang , or seting up of this new law of righteousnesse , ruling in every one , and making every one to consent and act thus in love , is but the ●●lfilling of prophesies , and visions , and reports of the scriptures : let the record be searched , and let the publique preachers deny it if they can . wel : this wil be a great day of judgment ; the righteous judge wil sit upon the throne in every man and woman : and that saying of the prophet , that he saw every man with his hands upon his loyns , like a woman in travel , is now fulfilling ; every cevetous , unrighteous heart shal smart with sorrow and shal be ready to fail them to see the miserie that is comming upon the earth : this day of judgment wil be sharp and short , shortned for the elects sake . the man of the flesh , or king esau , wil struggle hard , before he give up the body of his army ; he wil put forth all the subtil wit , and opprss●ing unrighteousnesse that he hath , before he deliver up the kingdom to iacob : but truly , gaffer dragon , you had better yeild at first ; for the longer thou stand it out , the sorer shal thy torment be ; for down thou must , and christ must rise . do what thou wilt , speak what then wilt against christ the anointing , thou shalt come off a loser : threaten , reproach , imprison , whip , work hypocritically , oppresse , kil and stay , fawn and frown , do things out of fear , or do things out of heavy rashnesse , or out of a watchful moderation , as thou thinks , stil thou shalt lose ground ; for all thou doest , is to advance self , and thou must perish , the judgment is sealed , the things that are determined against thee , are comming upon thee . thou shalt find it shal not be as it hath been , while the forty two months where in being , thou prospered and encrease in strength . but now it is done , it is done , it is done , time shal be no more to thee ; for now the man of righteousnesse shal take the kingdom , and rule for ever and ever , and of his dominion shal be no end ; he hath made himself manifest , he is in the head of his army already , gathering in the isles and nations of the earth to himself . justice and judgment are his witnesses , and that standard , which he wil maintain , and wil tread al proud flesh under his feet , for the poor receives the gospel ; he hath opened the salt-mines already , the streams thereof runs apace , and begins to over-run the banks of rotten stinking oppressing injustice , they wil purge out corruption and bring the earth ( mankind ) into a pleasant savour . the windows of heaven are opening , and the light of the son of sighteousnes , sends forth of him self , delightful beams , and sweet discoveries of truth , that wil quite put out the covetous traditional blear-eyes ; but wil mightily refresh the single eyed nathaneels : light must put out darknesse ; the warm sun wil thaw the frost , and make the sap ●o bud out of every tender plant , that hath been hid within , and lain like dead trees all the dark cold cloudy daies of the beast that are past , and silence every imaginary speaker , and declare their hypocrisie , and deceit openly , now the tender grasse wil cover the earth , the spirit wil cover al places with the abundance of fruit , that flows from himself , young and old shal al honour the lord , and be taught of no other but him ; the wheat fields which is the best grain ( the fathers own people ) shal flourish abundantly ; the bean●ge of beastly ceremonies , forms , customs , abominable actings in unrighteousnesse shal cease , there shal be lesse talking , preaching and prating , and more righteous acting , the voice of mourning shall be heard no more , the birds shall sing merrily on every bough . o rejoyce , rejoyce , for the time , that the lord god omnipotent wil raign in al the earth is beginning , and he wil be servant to the dragon , beast , and man of the flesh no longer , but wil tread down that murdering power , and make him his footstool . this is the work of the lord , that wil stop the the mouths of all hearsay and imaginary preachers ; all mouths shall be silent , and not dare to speak , till the power of the lord within give words to the mouth to utter . and when men that are ful of wast words , are made to see , they speak they know not what ; when they shal see they speak other mens words ( like parots ) not their own , and sometimes they speak words from their imagination , which may be false as wel as true for ought they know , for they have had neither voice , vision , nor revelation to warrant their words , when they see this , then they shal be ashamed and confounded in themselves . for now lip service is to be judged to death , and every one shal be fetched in to worship the father in spirit and in truth , or else they shal perish ; for mens words shal grow fewer and fewer , their actions of righteousness one to another more and more , and there shal no love be esteemed of , but what is manifest in righteous actions . and this shal be the ruler that every one shal observe , to walk righteously in the creation , towards all creatures , according to the law of equity and reason ; and this law shal be writ in every ones heart ; and he that hath this law in his heart is marked for a son or daughter : they that have it not are marked for enemies and rebels to the father , and such a one is a cain . the kingdoms of the whole world must become the kingdoms of the lord christ ; and this the nations are angry at ; therefore count it no strang thing to see wars and rumours of wars , to see men that are put in trust to act for publike good , to prove fals , to see commotions of people every where like flouds of water stirred up , raedy to devour and overflow one another ; to see kings storm against the people ; to see rich men and gentry most violent against the poor , oppressing the and treading them like mire in the street , why is all this anger ? but because the man of the flesh is to die , his day of judgment is come , he must give up the kingdom and government of the earth ( man-kind ) into the hand of his neighbour that is more righteous then he , for jacob now must have the blessing , he is blessed , yea and shal be blessed , and esau shal become his servant ; the poor shal inherit the earth . chap. x. and here now is made plain , that the first shall be last , and the last first ; the powers of the flesh or adam in me , he appeared first , and trampled the man-child , the power of righteousnesse and peace under foot . i , but when the man-child begins to rise up to rule , the other fals and becomes the tail , the last , nay must be destroyed . two kings that claimes interest in one kingdom , can never live quietly together , light and darknesse will be fighting , till the one be conquered . and surely the man of righteousnesse , or that last man that appears , shal be the first , that shal be honoured , and become the preserving and restoring power the great law-giver , that shall rule in the new heaven and in the new earth in righteousnesse . of further , the first , that is , the worshipping of god in types , ceremonies , formes and customs , in set times and places , which are the invention of the first man , which doth slight and loath the way of inward righteousnesse ; for they that live in established forms , are filled with dislike , and willingly would ●either buy nor sell , with those whom the lord hath drawn up to live in him , they cannot indure the way of the spirit , let them say and professe what they wil ; for he that is strict in a formal customarily way of worship , knows not what it is to worship in spirit and truth , or to walk righteously in the creation , but is bitter spirited and merely selfish . and this power appears first in a man , and makes people very zealous professours of god and christ , in preaching , praying and hearing . but without knowledge , what god and christ is , and they know not what they do , nor the end wherefore they do so . and their teachers in the same forms , are blind guides , and poor hearts , both shall fall into the ditch , and be mired in their own inventions most pittifully . and when you come to see your selves stick in confusion , and disorder , and knowing that your teachers have deceived you . then you will remember these words , that the first must be last . moses though he was a good man , yet he was not to enter into the la●d of canaan , which types out this to me , that the first man of the flesh shall never enter into the fathers rest . then likewise you shall see , that your zeal , was but zeal without knowledge , and that heat in you , did but carry you along to advance self , not to advance the lord . and that covetousness was the lord , chief ruler in you , which being crossed grew impatient , and that impatiency you called , it , the zeal of the lord , when experience teacheth you silence , you will not be offended at these words , but ashamed of your self . and here likewise you may see , what it is to make a sermon ; for a sermon is a speech made from the man-seer , which is chaist within ; for this anointing sees the father in every thing . and therefore christ in that one body , the lamb , was called a great prophet or seer , now that man or woman that sees the spirit , within themselves , how he enlightens , how he kils the motions of the flesh , and makes the flesh subject to righteousnesse , and so can see light in his light ; this man or woman is able to make a sermon , because they can speak by experience of the light and power of christ within them , who is indeed the man seer . but now he that speaks from imagination , or from tradition ( and not from experience of what he sees ) cannot make a sermon , as the publike preachers generally do , and so he is a deceiver , or false christ , and false prophet , that runs before he be sent , put forward by secret pride and covetousnes , to get a temporal living . therfore let none speak so discontentedly against adam , the first man by creation , that they say lived on earth about years ago , as though he brought in the misery upon all ; for the scriptures seem to declare , that there were men in the world before that time . for when cain had killed his brother abel , which in one verse moses seems to say , was the third man in the world , yet in a few verses following , writing of cains punishment , declares cains own words , thou hast set a mark upon me , and every one that sees me , wil kil me : and yet by the story before , there were no more men in the world , but his father adam and he , now abel being dead . therefore certainly this adam , or first man that is spoken of , is he that is within , as i have spoke of , which kils or surpresses abel , who is the anointing ; i am sure i have sound him the cause of my misery , and i can lay the blame of no man , but my self . the first power that appears and draws my body into disobedience . and this is he that is the causer of all your sorrow and tears , he is adam within , it is your self , your very fleshly self , be angry at none but your self . the self is the first adam that fals from the spirit ; he is those branching powers in created flesh that leads you from your maker ; therfore blame not adam without you , but blame adam the first man within you ; he within hath disobeyed , and forsaken reasons law of righteousnesse . you are the man and woman that hath eaten the forbidden fruit , by delighting your self more in the objects of the creation , then in the spirit ; for the spirit is the seed , the creation is the fruit . as the apple is the fruit from the root of the apple-tree , so selfishnesse is the fruit of the fruit , it arises up ( not from the spirit ) but from the creation . and this is the serpent whose head must be briused , that so the great maker of all things , may delight in the worke of his own hands ; when all the branchings forth of selfishnesse is destroyed , and the creation made subject only to the will of the creatour . and this wil be the winding up of the great mystery spoken of , god manifest in the flesh ( nor selfishnesse manifested in flesh ) for this i say is the serpent whose head must be bruised . now if you delight more in the objects of the earth , to please selfe , then in the spirit that made all things , then you eat of the forbidden fruit , you take the apple , and become naked and ashamed , and is made afraid to own the spirit , least you despise fellow creatures . and likewise being ashamed and afraid of the law of righteousnesse , because it doth restifie of you , that your deeds are evil ; and so begets sorrow and trouble in your heart ; you presently run and hide your self from him amongst the creatures , & runs preaching , and praying , and sheltering your self in a congregation , as a member , and so doth sow the figge-leaves of your own observing forms , and customary invented righteousnesse together , to hide your soul from the face of displeasure , that you may not see your self ; for the sight of your self is your hell . whereas indeed you should flie to the law of righteousnesse , and act righteously within the creation , and so honour the spirit by owning of him , and wait upon him til he speak peace . for nothing , wil hide you from his presence : reasons law wil shine forth & torment your unrighteous self-seeking power , and bruise that serpents head , all his hidings wil not save himself , for you must come to the fire , and that drosse must be burned up , before a reconciliation can be wrought between him and his creation . adams innocency is the time of child-hood ; and there is a time in the entering in of the understanding age , wherein every branch of man-kinde is put to his choice , whether he wil follow the law of righteousnesse , according to the creation , to honour the spirit . or whether he wil delight self , in glorying in the objects of the earth unrighteously . now if he chuse to satisfie his lusts and his self-wil , and forsake reasons law , he shal fal downwards into bondage , and lie under the powers of darknesse , and live no higher then within the circle of dark flesh , that hath no peace within it self , but what he fetches from creatures without him . but if he chuse the way of righteousnesse , and follow the light of reasons law , then he shal partake of rest , peace and libertie of the spirit , as if there were no creature objects at all ; for he that hath peace within , uses the world as though he used it not , and hath content and joy , though he have no creature to have communion with . but seeing that the man of the flesh wil and must appear to rule in the kingdome of man-kinde first ; all men are gone astray , and all flesh have corrupted their waies , and the curse is spread abroad thorow the creation : and therefore the whole creation wait for a restoration , or for the rising up of christ the second man , the blessing , who must bruise the head of bondage , and reconcile al men to peace and liberty . and as the curse is seen and felt within , so the blessing of freedom and life , must rise up , and be seen and felt within . therefore let not your blind guides deceive you any longer ; doe not look beyond your selves to adam , a man that died years agoe , though they bid you ; but look upon adam within your-self , who hath wrought your woe . and for the time to come , wait upon the rising of the second adam , the law of righteousnesse within you , to deliver you from the bondage of the first power . and here you may see the deceit of imagination and fleshly wisdom and learning ; it teaches you to look altogether upon a history without you , of things that were done years agoe , and of things that were done years agoe , of the carriage of the scribes and pharisees then against the son of man . and so carrying you first to one age of the world , then to another age of the world , travelling sea and land to find rest ; and the more that human learning and his professours travels abroad , the further off from rest they are , for they meet with nothing but confusion and starits , and no true peace : and why ? because that which a man seeks for , whereby he might have peace , is within the heart , not without . the word of life , christ the restoring spirit , is to be found within you , even in your mouth , and in your heart : the kingdome of heaven ( which is ) christ is within you , and disobedient adam is within you ; for this is esau that strives with jacob in the womb of your heart to come forth first . and this let me tel you , and you shal find it true , goe read all the books in your universitie , that tels you what hath been formerly , and though you can make speeches of a day long from those readings yet you shall have no peace , but your hearts still shal be a barren wildernesse , and encrease in sorrow till your eyes return into your selves , and the spirit come from on high to make you read in your own book your heart . wherein you shall find the mystery of iniquity , the man of sinne , that first adam , that made you a sinner . and the mystery of godlinesse , the second adam christ , who , when he arises up therein , he makes you righteous and restores you again to life . and hence it is , that many a poor despised man and woman , that are counted blasphemers , by the understanding pharisees of our age , as the learned pharisees of old called christ , and people are afraid to buy and sell them , but casts out their names for evil ; yet these have more sweet peace , more true experience of the father , and walks more righteously in the creation , in spirit and truth , then those that cal themselves teachers and zealous professours . and why ? because these single hearted ones are made to look into themselves , wherein they can read the work of the whole creation , and see that history seated within themselves ; they can see the mystery of righteousnesse , and are acquainted every one according to his measure , with that spirit of truth that is to be the blessing of the whole earth , and that enlightens al that come into the world ; these are the dust and stones so the earth , that are trod under foot : but out of this sion whom no man regards , shal the deliverer come . but now those that are called preachers , and great professours that runs a hearing , seeks for knowledge abroad in sermons , in books and uuniversities , and buyes it for money , as simon magus would have done , and than delivers it out again for money , for a l. or l. a year . and those men that speak from an inward testimony of what they have seen and heard from the lord , are celled by these buyers and sellers , locusts , ●actions , blasphemers , and what not , as the language of pulpits runs , but the lord wil whip such traders out of his temple . and truly the whole world wanders after the beast , and though the people many of them , doe see that their prheachers are blinde guides , bitter spirited : proud and covetous , yet they are ashamed and afraid to disown them , o great bondage under the devils . and hence it is that they think they are wise and learned , and the only men sent of god to preach the gospel , til the power of righteousnesse come and declare before all the world , that they are enemies to the gospel , and knows him not , for the anointing is the glad tidings , which are manifest within the heart , not a distance from men . and so christ takes these wise and learned in their own crafty covetousnes and pride , and declares them to be very silly men , the most ignorant of all , blinde guides , painted sepulchers , prophets that run before they be sent , and the great fooles of the world , and troublers of ▪ israel , and the scribes and pharisees that stand up to hinder christ from rising , or to cast reproachfull dirt upon him , where he rises , as much as they can to keep him down , and hold him under as a servant still ; and this they will doe till they be swept away amongst the refuge of lies , as part of that treasure , for that must be your portion . nay let me tel you , that the poorest man , that sees his maker , and lives in the light , though he could never read a letter in the book , dares throw the glove to al the humane learning in the world , and declare the deceit of it , how it doth bewitch & delude man-kinde in spiritual things , yet it is that great dragon , that hath deceived all the world , for it draws men from knowing the spirit , to own bare letters , words and histories for spirit : the light and life of christ within the heart , discovers all darknesse , and delivers mankind from bondage ; and besides him there is no saviour . chap. xi . well , in the next place , i must declare to you , that all that which you call the history , and have doted upon it , and made it your idol , is all to be seen and felt witin you , before you cast oft true peace . adam and christ you have heard are both to be seen within the heart , cain and abel is to be seen within : abraham ( a power that prefers the honour of righteousnesse , before a beloved isaac ) is to be seen within meek spirited moses , that rules your bodies by an outward law of righteousnesse , is to be seen within you ; killing of sacrifices , and offering them up , is to be seen within you . israel , or one that is a wrestler is to be seen within you . and this is christ the elect one that fights against your lusts . the canaanites , amalekites , philistines , and all those armies of the nations , even troops of untighteous powers , one following another , are to be seen within you , making war with israel , christ within you . the land of canaan , the habitation of rest , is to be seen within you , travelling and drudging in the wildernesse , and then comming to rest upon the seventh day , is to be seen within you . judas , a treacherous self-loving and covetous spirit . the commanders of the jews ( the chief powers that are within the flesh ) first condemning , then killing , then buying christ , is to be seen within you . christ lieing in the grave , like a corn of wheat buried under the clods of the earth for a time , and christ rising up from the powers of your flesh , above that corruption and above those clouds , treading the curse under his feet , is to be seen within . the stone that lies at the mouth of the sepulcher , your unbelief , the removing of that stone , setting you at libertie , is to be seen withing you . heaven and hell , light and darknesse , sorrow and comforts is all to be seen within , the power of darknesse , and the power of light and life is to be seen within you . good angels ( which are divine discoveries or sparks of that glory ) and bad angels ( which are the powers of the flesh let loose out of the bottomlesse pit●selfishnesse , and so working its own miserie ) are to be seen within . for man-kind is that creation , in which the great creatour of all things wil declare and manifest himself ; therefore it was said , that god was in christ . that one anointed humane body , reconciling or drawing all things into himself , and so making peace . for while al things are out of that one power of righteousnesse , jarring and flashing against him ; there is no peace in the creation , but sorrow , tears and vexation ; but when all things are made to lie down quiet in him , and acknowledge him in all , and are subject to him , the alone king of righteousnesse , now there is rest and peace every where . therefore if you look for heaven , or for manifestation the fathers love in you in any place , but within your selves , you are deceived ; for what glory soever you shal be capable of to see with your eyes or hear with your ears , it is but the breakings forth of that glorious power that is seated within for the glory of the father is not without him , but it is all within himself , or rises up from within , & is manifested abroad ; the kings daughter is all glorious within : all that glory which declares heaven , is seen within that spirit , that rules within the creation man-kind . and further , if you look for any other hell or sorrows in any other place , then what shall be made manifest within the bottomlesse pit , your very fleshly self , you are deceived , and you shall find that when this bottomlesse pit is opened to your view , it will be a torment sufficient , for from hence , doth the curse spread , and all that misery you are or may be capable of , it is but the breakings forth of that stinking dunghill , that is seated within you , & is that power of darkness , that rules within the creation , your body . if the power of righteousnesse & peace take possession and rule in you , then you shall live in rest , and be free from hell and sorrow , death and bondage , if the lamb be the light of your heart , all tears shall be wiped away , and you shall be in peace . but if the selfish power rule your heart ; then as you live now upon uncertainties , in confusion and vexation : so this manifestation of hell , darknesse and sorrows , shall multiply within you ; and when your body goes to the earth , you multiply the curse upon the creation , and so you enter into the body of the serpent , that must be burned and consumed by the power of the lord . hell and the curse doth rule within c●eated flesh in every family of the earth , and will rule till the feed of abraham ( the blessing of the lord come ) and burn up that serpent , and deliver the creation from that burden . and let me tell you , that this seed , this blessing of the lord is rising up in every family that lives after the flesh ; whether parents , brethren or sisters , they do hate , grudge and persecute those in whom the blessing begins to rise up , and tramples upon them like dust ; but out of that dust of the earth ( man-kind ) shall the deliverer come that shall turn ungodlinesse from jacob . a few years now will discover more , and then that prophecy shall be materially fulfilled , then ten men shall take hold of him that is a jew , saying , we will go with you , for we have heard that god is with you , zech. . . the heart of man is the place wherein heaven and hell , for nature and kind are both to be seen , that is , when the law of righteousnesse rules , there is christ or the kingdom of heaven within , even the manifestations of the father appears in glory to the sweet rest and peace of that soul . but when the power of unrighteousnesse rules in the heart , which is the serpent , dragon or god of this world ; this is hell or kingdom of darknesse ; for first the man sees and feels himself in bondage to his lusts , and to the powers of his flesh . this is death , and the curse that he lies under . and then secondly , the man sees himself under bondage of sorrows and torment , and the increase of this sensiblenesse , is & will be an intolerable misery . as it is said , that the king of righteousnes takes delight in nothing , but what is within himself , and what proceeds out of himself : so the heaven of an enlivened heart is not a local place of glory at a distance from him , but the seeing and feeling the father within , dwelling and ruling there ; and to behold the glory of that power proceeding forth of himself , to which he is made subject , through which he walks righteously in the creation , and in which he rests in peace . even so , the souls that are lost and ashamed in their work , are not tormented by any terrour without them in any local place , but their hell or place of torment is within themselves , seeing and feeling themselves chained up in bondage , to fears , terrours : ●●rrows , afrightments , intolerable vexations , and powers of lust , and under all that cursed darknesse , ●●till the judgement of the great day . and what misery or torment doth or shall appear ●●●m outward objects , it is but the breakings forth of their own cursednesse , that creates misery to himself , and so goes forth to fetch in torment from without . for he that hath a troubled conscience , turns every thing into gall and worm-wood to terrifie himself , thinking every bush to be a devil to torment him , he saies , he sees fearfull shapes without ; but they arise from the anguish of his tormenting conscience within , for they be the shapes and apparitions of his own caused flesh that is presented to him , which comes not from any other but out of the bottomlesse pit , the serpents powr , but rules and dwels within him , and the sight of this is like the misery of tender flesh burning in the fire . let a man lie upon his sick bed , and to the view or others the chamber is quiet , yet he saith , he seeth devils , and flames , and misery , and torments . well , this is but the rising up of his own unrighteous heart , the flames of the bottomlesse it that appear to himself . for certainly unrighteous flesh is hell , the appearance or risings up of un●ighteous flesh to its own view , is the torments of hell , pride , lust , envy , covetousnesse , hypocrisie , self-love , and the like , being crossed by the spirit of light , are the particular devils that torment the soul in hell , or in that dark condition . or if so be a man be tormented by visible bodies of f●ry , and ugly shapes , as he apprehends , they be all the creatures of his own making , and rods which the flesh hath made to whip and punish himself withall ; for a man suffers by no other but by the work of his own hands . and as he hath acted envy , venome and poison in strange wayes of oppression , walking unrighteously in the creation : even so , when his soul comes to be judged , he shall apprehend snakes , scorpions , toads , devils in bodily shapes , and flames of fire and direfull noises , and pits of darknesse , which are creatures of his own making , or the shapes and fashion of those unrighteous turnings , and windings , and actings of his unrigh●eous soul , that now appear in their own colours to his own torment , and this is ●ell . for if the flesh be righteous within , there is nothing without can trouble it when the bodies of men are laid in the grave , we have a word , that he is either in heaven or hell : now the senses of the body are not sensible of either such . but now the power that ruled in that body righteously or unrighteously , is fully manifested to it felt , if the power of righteousnesse did rule . now it enters into the spirit , the great ocean of glory , the father himself : if the power of unrighteousnesse did rule , now it enters into the curse , & encreases the body of death , corruption and enmity , and becomes the bondage and burden of the creation , that ●●●st be purged out by fire . if there be a local place of hell , as the preachers say there is , besides this i speak of , time will make it manifest but as yet none ever came from the dead to tell men on earth , and till then , men ought to speak no more then they know ; whe● i speak , i speak from what i have in some measure seen within me , and as i have received from the lord in clear light within my self . but is not hell the execution of justice ? and is not god the authour of that wrath ? as 〈◊〉 is said , is there any evil in the citie , and the lord hath not done it ? i answer , this is warily to be understood , left we dishonour the lord , in making him the authour of the creatures misery , as one of late in his pulpit , an universitie man in my hearing did relate , and by his multitude of words , darkned knowledge mightily ; therefore i shall deliver what i have received concerning this . first know , that there is mention of three gods in the scriptures . . the magistrate , i said ye are gods . . the devil , the god of this world hath blinded your eyes . . the king of righteousnesse is called god , the lord god omnipotent reigns . now the magistracie is ruling power , called god , by their righteous government a kingdom may be kept in peace , but by their unrighteous government , they trouble every body , and the people may say , thou , o our god , hast destroyed us . secondly , the devil or the powers of the flesh in every man and woman is a ruling power , called god , that brings misery to every body , and corrupts the whole creation , fire , water , earth and air . . by drawing the creature into unreasonable wayes : which wayes and works . . becomes the creatures own tormentours , when by the light of the sun of righteousnesse , man is made to see himself ; for all mens sorrows are but the risings up of their own works against themselves . therefore people may say to the devil , or their unrighteous flesh . o thou , our god , thou hast destroyed 〈◊〉 , thou hast deceived us , o god , thou promisedst peace , and afterwards writest bitter things against us . our own works are our tormenting devils . then thirdly , the king of righteousnesse is the ruling power , called god ; but he is not the authour of the creatures misery , for his dealing with unrighteous flesh , is two-fold , which is the righteous justice and judgement of the king . first , he suffers man to take his own course and to act his own will , and to follow his own l●sts , letting him alone , and permitting him a time to do what he will , for wise , proud and covetous flesh thinks himself to be a god , or an angel of light , and that his wisdom and power is the onely power . and now if the righteous king should not give him this libertie , he would say he had wrong done him , therefore reason lets him have his will to act his principles , that when the time comes that he shall be made to see himself and his works , he may be left without excuse . this declares the almighty power of patience , love and meekness in the king towards his creature , that he can suffer himself to be a servant to that cursed power in the flesh to this end , that he may take that fleshly wisdom in his craft , destroy that curse , and save his creature , man , from that bondage ; that after that man hath had trial of his own wisdom and power of his flesh and finds it a devil , and that there is no blessing in it ; he may then come to lie down in the wisdom and power of the king of righteousnesse in rest and peace . secondly , in the solnesse of time ; that is , when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes ; then the king or sun of righteousnesse arises up , and lets man in his light to see himself to be a devil . the king layes no hand upon him , but lets him see himself ; and the mans own works become the devils that torment him . if a man have sore eyes , and look in the sun , his eyes smart ; now that smart comes not from the sun , but the venome of the eyes rises up & torments it self , when the sun cause it to see or feel it self . this declares the wisdom , power , justice and holinesse of the king , that when he rises he can make flesh to see it self , and needs do no more , but shine forth and burn in his brightnesse , by whom that curse or drosse in the flesh is consumed and cannot stand ; therefore if flesh were righteous it would stand before the righteous law ; but seeing it cannot stand , it appears unrighteous , to be a devil and no angel of light . and this method of the father brings glory to his own name , that he alone is the one almighty power and wisdom . this is justice in the righteous judge , and shews , him to be the pure law , and flesh kils and torments it self . i but when the waters drowned the world , and the fire burned sodom , this was a judgement more then letting flesh see his own unrighteousnesse . i answer , the overflowings of the water in that manner to drown , and the breakings forth of the fire in that manner to burn waste and consume , were the rising up of the curse that was in the water and fire , to destroy the unrighteous flesh of man , that caused it . for when the father made the creation , he made all elements to uphold one another in righteousnesse , and one creature to preserve another ; therefore it was all very good . but this rising up of creatures to destroy one another , is the curse ; which unrighteous man , that is , the lord of the creatures hath brought upon the creation . i but how comes the fire and water to break forth to destroy at some times more then another ? i answer , when the fulnesse of time comes , that earth begins to stink with the abominations of man , then the father arises up and shews himself within the creation of fire , water , earth and air . and the curse that is brought upon this by man cannot abide the presence of the lord , but rises up and runs together into a head to oppose the lord ; but indeed it destroyes man that was the cause of it . so that the risings up of waters , and the breakings forth of fire to waste and destroy , are but that curse , or the works of mans own hands , that rise up and run together to destroy their maker , and torment him that brought the curse sorth . while water and fire are useful , the blessing of the creation lies in them , and comes from them to preserve the creation for the glory of the maker . but when they break forth to waste and destroy , this is the curse , the burden of the creation , that breaks forth to destroy unrighteous man that caused it . and it doth break forth when the lord appears in the creation ; as i said , when the sun shines the venome in sore eyes rises up and smarts : so when righteous power begins to move in the fire , and upon the water , the curse that is in these elements arises up and disturbs the creation , to the destruction of man whose work it is . i but one man kils another by wars , and such like , is not this the wrath of god upon them ? i answer in the same manner as i did before ; for as the cursed flesh in one body torments it self , when he sees himself a devil . so multitudes of bodies of men , are still but one flesh , or one earth : and when the sun of righteousnesse begins to shine into this earth , the venimous parts rise up to kill and destroy light , but in the end the flesh destroyes it self . let the power of humility and righteousnesse appear to a proud , unrighteous , covetous man , and shew him his evil , as in these dayes it doth , he swels presently , and rises up to make war to maintain himself to be an angel of light ; and pride being dispersed into divers bodies , cannot yield one to another , to preserve one another , but rise up to destroy each other in the light of the sun : the sun shines , and the dunghill casts up his stinking smell : the lord he shines , and proud flesh kils one another ; flesh kils but it self . and truly i must tell you , that all these wars , and killing one another , are but the rising up of the curse : destroying armies of men , are but the curse , the burden which the creation groans under : for in the beginning , all was very good , and the creation at first was made to preserve it self ; and this rising up to destroy the creation , is the curse . and the spirit of the father , that dwels in any humane body that is killed , doth run into the ocean of life , and purifies the creation from the curse . but did not god send the chaldeans and sabeans to punish job ? yes , the god devil did ; but not the god or righteousnesse : for the devil desired a libertie to try iob , and the righteous power , reason , gave him leave ; onely told him , he should not touch his life ; and then the devil sends these enemies , and burns his house , and kils his children ; give but libertie to the curse , and he doth much mischief . who was it that the god devil did afflict ? not an enemy to the king of righteousnesse , but a body in whom he dwelt : yea , the father did but suffer himself to be persecuted by the devil , in that humane body iob : that at last , that power of darknesse , which is the accuser of the brethren , and the bondage of the creation , might be made manifest in the light of the sun , and so be cast out justly . now the end of all is this , that unrighteous flesh that thinks himself an angel of light , and the onely power , may be proved to be a devil , and so be cast out of the creation and perish : that jacob , the king of righteousnesse , the blessing of peace , might arise up and reign for ever in the creation , when all enemies are subdued under his feet . there is a time appointed of the righteous judge , that all flesh shall see it self in its own colours ; and when the flesh doth see it self in his own beastly shapes , he will appear so deformed , so piteous a confused chaos of miserie and shame , that the sight thereof shall be a great torment to himself . therefore take notice of this , you proud , envious , covetous , bitter-spirited , and unrighteous men and women ; this self-satisfying glory in which you live , and seem to have rest , shall become your hell-torment , when you are made to see your unrighteous , treacherous self , as you must when the judge sits upon the throne . you that are now ashamed to own the righteous spirit , and fear to offend men , lest they should either reproch you , or injure you : and so will do any thing , tho●gh unrighteous , to preserve the good words of devilish men ; you shall then see you are not men , not saints , but devils and cursed enemies , even the serpents power , that must be burned . chap. xii all these declare the half hours silence , that is to be in heaven ; for all mouths are to be stopped , by the power of reasons law shining within the heart : and this abundance of talk that is amongst people , by arguments , by disputes , by declaring expositions upon others word and writing , by long discourse , called preaching , shall all cease . some shal not be able to speak , they shal be struck silent wit shame , by seeing themselves in a losse , and in confusion : neither shal they dare to speak , til they know by experience within themselves what to speak ; but wait with a quiet silence upon the lord , til he break forth within their hearts , and give them words and power to speak . and this shal be a mark of a covetous , proud and close hypocrite , to be ful of words , preaching by arguments and expositions , putting a meaning upon other mens words and writings , telling stories by hear-say of what they have read and heard from men , as the fashion is now in publique work . for none shal dare to speak ( unlesse it be those that are sealed to destruction ) but what they understand in pure experience ; every one speaking his own words , not another mans , as the preachers do , to make a trade of it ; for he that speaks from tradition and imagination , and makes a trade of his preaching to others , to get a living by , is a child of the curse , and covetousnesse is his lord , men must leave off teaching one another , and the eies of all shal look upwards to the father , to be taught of him : and at this time , silence shal be a mans rest and libertie , it is the gathering time , the souls receiving time , it is the forerunner of pure language . none shal be offended at this , but the covetous and proud serpent ; and he wil vex and fret , if the people wil not heare him preach ; and think : he hath much wrong done him , if he be slighted . wel judas , thou must be slighted , thy preaching stinks before the father , and he wil draw his people out of thy confusion , and leave thee naked and bare , and thy shame shall be made manifest to the whole creation , for indeed thou art the curse . while a man is buying his head in studying what hath been done in moses time , in the prophets time , in the apostles , and in the son of mans time ▪ called jesus the anointed , and doth not wait to find light and power of righteousnesse to arise up within his heart . this man is a pireous , barren creature , though he have all the learning of arts and sciences under the sun ; for the knowledge of arts is but to speak methodically of what hath been ; and conjecture what shal be ; both which are uncertain to the speaker : but he that speaks from the original light within , can truly say , i know what i say and i know whom i worship . this silence shal be both particular in every son and daughter , and general in the practice of all before their eies ; and lo●king upwards and waiting for teaching from the great and only teacher , christ , the great prophet ; for truly the time is come , that all flesh shal be made silent , and leave off multiplying of words without knowledge before the lord , both in p●eaching and praying . and your preachers shal be all the objects of the creation through wich the father wil convey himself into you , and manifest himself before you : these shal be your outward preachers . and the same word of power speaking in , and to your hearts , causing your hearts to open to his voyce , shall be your teacher within : and that mouth that stands up to teach others , and doth not declare the lord in a pure language , shall bear his shame , who soever he be . none shall need to turn over books and writings ( for indeed all these shal cease too ) to get knowledge ; but every one shal be taken off from seeking knowledge from without , and with an humble , quiet heart , wait upon the lord , til he manifest himself ; for he is a great king , and worthy to be waited upon . his testimony within , fils the soul with joy and singing ; he gives first experience : and then power to speak forth those experiences , and hence you shal speak to the rejoycing one of another , and to the praise of him that declares his power in you ; he that speaks his thoughts , studies and imagination , and stands up to be a teacher of others , shal be judged for his unrighteousnesse , because he seeks to honour flesh , and does not honour the lord . behold the anointing that is to teach all things , is comming to create new heavens , and new earth , wherein righteousness dwels ; and there shal not be a vessel of humane earth , but it shal be filled with christ . if you were possible to have so many buckets as would contain the whole ocean , every one is filled with the ocean , and perfect . water is in all ; and being put all together , make up the perfect ocean , which filled them all . even so , christ , who is the spreading power , is now beginning , to fil every man and woman with himself ; he wil dwel and rule in every one , and the law of reason & equitie shal be christ in them ; every single body is a star shining forth of him , or rather a body in and out of whom he shines ; and he is the ocean of power that fils all . and so the words are true , the creation mankinde , shal be the fulnesse of him that fils all in all : this is the church , the great congregation , that when the mysterie is compleated , shal be the mystical body of christ all set at libertie from inward and outward straits and bondage : and this is called the holy breathing , that hath made all new by himself , and for himself . before this truth be believed in by mankinde , you shal see much troubles in the great world ; the first adam wil strive mightily before he loose his kingdom ; he can pretty quietly hear , that christ will role in sons and daughters that are scattered abroad . but to hear that the kingdoms of the world shal be christ's dominions likewise , and that the material earth shall be his possession , as well as the earth mankind ; o this cu●s adam to the heart ; all the world will storm and be angry , when this is made known . wars and rumours of wars will multiply ; father will be against son , and son against father , the love of many shall wax cold ; and zealous professours , that live without the spirit , shall become the most bitter enemies to christ , and prove very treacherous , self-seeking , self-loving , ful of subtil policy to waste and wear out every one that seeks to advance christ , by their bitternesse and oppression : but all in vain , for christ must rise , and the powers of the flesh must fall . chap. xiii . from what hath been hitherto spoken , if there were no experience to prove it , it appears , that the first adam or fleshly man , seeks life , peace and glory to himself , from creatures and things that are without him . as first , he seeks content and peace from wife , children , friends , riches , places of dominion over others , and from such like : but that peace that is built upon such hay and stubble-foundations , will fall and come to nothing . secondly , the fleshly man seeks content and peace from sermons , prayers , studies , books , church-fellowship , and from outward forms and customs in divine worship : but that peace that is built upon this foundation of gold , silver and pretious stones , will fall and come to nothing likewise . all creatures teats are to be dried up , that the soul can suck no refreshing milk from them , before the lord teach it knowledge . some there are , nay almost every one , wonders after the beast , or fleshly man ; they seek for new jerusalem , the city of sion , or heaven , to be above the skies , in a locall place , wherein there is all glory , and the beholding of all excellent beauty , like the seeing of a show or a mask before a man : and this not to be seen neither by the eies of the body till the body be dead : a strange conceit . but , poor creatures , you are deceived ; this expectation of glory without you , will vanish , you shall never see it ; this outward heaven is not the durable heaven ; this is a fancy which your false teachers put into your heads to please you with , while they pick your purses , and betray your christ into the hands of flesh , and hold jacob under to be a servant still to lord esau . wel , what a man sees or hears to day , may be gone to morrow ; all outward glory that is at a distance from the five senses , and taken in by a representation , is of a transient nature ; and so is the heaven that your preachers tell you of . but when the second adam rises up in the heart , he makes a man to see heaven within himself , and to judge all things that are below him : he makes many bodies to be the declarers of him , who is the one power of righteousnesse that rules therein : and this is heaven that will not fail us , endurable riches , treasures that shall not wax old , and where moth and rust cannot corrupt , nor thieves break through and steal : this christ is within you , your everlasting rest and glory . and as the man of the flesh fetches in comforts from without , seeking content in and from creatures , and creature-objects ; so he envies every one that crosses his desires ; crosse him in his pride , covetousnesse and uncleannesse , and he grows extream angry at every body ; tell him that his formall and customary preaching and praying , is but self-seeking , not setting up the lord , and he is filled with rage against those that tel him so . but he never looks within to check himself , he takes no remedy there at all , and lets those devils lie quiet within ; and if any be sent , i say , from the lord , to disturb those his lusts , he will disturb that messenger , if he can ; but he will cherish himself within : he thinks that whatsoever he doth is good , and that whatsoever crosses that power that is in his heart , doth crosse the lord . but truly it is no other but the serpents power , which must be destroyed ; he fetches in content from the creatures that are without him ; and his envy and discontent runs after things and creatures that are without , which crosses his fleshly desires . but now the man of righteousnesse , christ , when he rises up in the heart , he loves all that are without him ; and he envies none but the serpent within , which troubles the creation ; and so is quite different to the other . for as soon as christ is rose up in a man , the first thing he doth , he takes , revenge of the pride , lust , envy , covetousnesse , which ruled within the flesh , and casts that serpent and dragon out of heaven : that is , out of that part of the creation ; and makes a man to cry out upon himself , and to hate and abhor his cursed lusts , which lead him captive . he makes a man to look abroad with the eie of pitty and compassion to fellow-creatures ; but to look with the eie of hatred and loathing upon the serpent , his unclean lusts , desiring nothing so much as the death of the body of sin within . so that the law of righteousnesse may reigne in peace in his soul : o thou cursed envy , cursed rash anger , cursed uncleannesse : o cursed devil , cursed father of lies , that will not suffer christ to rise up and reign : o thou enemy of all rightousnesse , thou wicked one , thou curse , thou power of darknesse , thou fleshly power , thou shalt be destroyed and subdued under christ's feet , whom thou fightest against . the greatest combate is within a man , when the king sits upon the throne , judging unrighteous flesh , and bruising that serpents head , and though this be trouble and torment for a time to the creature , yet christ at last will sit down in him , who is prince of peace , and king of righteousnesse . the created flesh of man is the beast , the king of beasts ; the same principles as are in other creatures , are in humane flesh : the difference between man and other beasts , is this , the flesh of man is made an understanding soul , capable to know reason , and to walk in his light : other beasts cannot . now the wise flesh is meerly selfish , he seeks himself in every thing he doth , and would be a lord and ruler , not only over the beasts of the field , but over creatures of his own kind , whom his maker made equall to himself ; and so strives to fetch in all other creatures , to advance his content , though it be to the losse and misery of other men . this is the beast , lord esau , the wise and covetous , self-seeking flesh , that hath sold his birth-right and blessing to jacob , for the pleasure of unrighteousnesse a small time : and now he must be turned out , and deliver all up to jacob , and he is extreamly vext , and will not yield quier possession , but stand out stifly , till he be cast out , by the universall power of reasons law . now the rule and dominion of jacob doth not bring losse and misery to any ; his law is so established in love , that the whole creation finds peace under it , sorrow and tears , beggary and oppression shall be done away , and the blessing of the lord jacob shall fill the earth . so then we see , that the great battell of god almighty , is between thi selfish power , the beast and fleshy man ; and the universall power , christ , the man of righteousnesse ; for the flesh would be wiser then its maker : for though his maker would have the whole creation , and every creature to enjoy the benefit of their creation , and no live free from straits comfortably : yet the wise and converous flesh seeks to live free in honour and quiet in himself , & makes laws to imprison , kill and waste every one , that will not conforme to his selfish government . now the father wil destroy the beast in the open field by fair play , and hath given him all advantages as may be ; for he hath given the beast thedominion , and himself is a servant under his dominion , and will undermine the wise and covetous beast , by righteous sufferings , and action as a servant : and the father encounters with the beast or dragon , in a three-fold posture of war . as first , by the sacrifices under the law , the spirit thereby declared the destruction of the beast ; and the spirit lay hid under those types and shadows , fighting against the beast ; and the wise flesh in those daies sought against his maker ; this is a distance of cannon shot . secondly , in the prison of jesus christ , the lamb , the father fought against the beast : and killed him ; for the dragon was cast out of that heaven or creation , in whom the father dwelt bodily ; for that flesh was wholly made subject to the spitit ; this was at a closer distance closing in the front : but the wise flesh hath many strong holds , even the multitudes of men and women , which he fortifies against the spirit . and therefore in the third posture , which is now begun , the father encounters , and wil encounter with the beast every where : that is , with the wise but covetous , unrighteous flesh , in every son and daughter , and so bruise that serpents head in the whole body of his army . and before he hath done , he wil fire all the strong-holds of this murder , so that he shall not have a place to keep garrison in ; for the father will subdue the whole bulk of man-kind , and make all that living earth subject to him self , and all with holy breathing : this is the spreading of the anointing : this is the glory of the elect one ; glorious things are spoken of thee , o though city of god . this holy breathing is the kingdom of heaven within you , when he rules within you , and the kingdom of heaven without you likewise , when you see the same glory rule in others , in which you rejoyce : and this is the last encounter the father wil have with the dragon . this is the great day of judgment ( judging and condemning , and putting the serpent to death every where ) this is the day of christ power , in which he wil subdue all his enemies under his feet , & deliver up the kingdom to his father therefore marvel not to see the people turn from one way of worship to another ; for the father is driving this people through al the waies , and forms , and customs , and reformation , and governments of the beast , to weary them out in all ; that so they may find rest for the soles of their feet no where , in no outward form of worship ; til they come to lye down in him ( forsaking all forms ) to worship the father in spirit and trurh ; that is , to walk righteously in the creation . and this restlesnesse of people , running from one form and custome to another , meeting with confusion and curse every where , is no other but the dividing of time , the half day or image of the beast , which is the last period of his time : then faith the angel , it is done , time to the beast shal be no more . and while it is thus , poor creatures they are in bondage within , for they know not what to do ; the way to sion is not yet cleare , and they are filled with sighings and secret mournings , to see themselves in confussion and losses to stick in the mire , but cannot come out : this is inward slaverie , under which they lie . then , poor creatures , they are under an outward bondage , under the hand of tyrant flesh , that rules the kingdom , and that divises the several fleshy forms and waies of government , to which if any refuse to conform , then they must be imprisoned , reproached or tortured by punishments , in what kind or other , by the hands of fellow creatures , that are the oppressing task masters under the tyrant flesh ; so that weak spirits are kept under in awe , either by fear or shame : and thus iacob hath been very , low but he must rise . for the antichristian captivitie is expiring , many have attained to inward freedom already , they wait upon the lord for outward freedom , that the yoke may be taken off their backs : israel's captivitie in the years in the bahylon was but a type of this antichristian slavery under l. esau , the powers of the flesh , that compasses mankind about with many straits & dangers , for acknowledging his maker . but as every thing hath his growth , his raign and end , so must this slavery have an end ; the proud and covetous hearts cry , what slavery is this ? we know not what he speaks : it is true you do not know ; but they who have lesse or more attained to the resurrection of the dead know what i say ; and shall rejoyce in the declaration of this power , waiting the lords leisure with a calm silence , til he hath gathered together our brethren that must partake of the blessing with us . chap. xiv . to see the divine power in the creation-objects is sweet ; but to see him ruling in the heart is sweeter : the first sight is at distance far off , as to see him in mear , drink , cloaths , friends , victories , riches , prosperity , to see him in the sun , moon , stars , clouds , grasse , trees , cattle , and all the earth , how he hath sweetly cause every one of these to give in assistance to preserve each other creature : or rather how he himself in these gives forth preservation and protection from one another , and so unites the whole creation together , by the unity of himself . or further , to see the divine power in prayer , in discourse , in communion of saints , in reading , in every sweet ; and refreshnigs that a man meets within all these , is the almightly comforter : but this is to behold that glory abroad , to see and meet him from home , to behold him in creatures without us : which sight and enjoyment is often , and may be totally lost and the soul left alone again , and so filled with mourning in his absence , o when shall i see my beloved , whom my soul loves . the spouse had seen christ in the manner aforesaid , but she had lost him again ; for if she had never seen him , she could not have called him her beloved , and mourn in his absence . let a man eat never so hearty a dinner , yet within a few hours he wil be empty again and ready to languish ; and thus all comforts that are taken in from any creature without us , may be , nay wil be , must be lost , that so a man may come to know the lord . but now to see the king sitting in his banqueting-houses , to see the law of righteousnesse and peace ruling and dwelling in the heart , and to be refreshed with tho●e sweet smelling spices , the discoveries of the fathers love within ; this is the word of god ; this is sweeter then the honey or the honey-comb , for this is to see him near at hand , even within the heart ruling and resting there . this is the kingdome of heaven within you ; this is the city of refuge that wil not sail a man ; this is the rock of defence and offence ; this the power that makes a man bold as a lion ; if a man be cast into any straits , his heart dies not like nabals the man of the flesh ; but he feels peace and content within , and so is at rest . let come what wil come , the man knows it is the wil of the father it shal be so , and he feels a quiet peace compasse his heart , so that he seeth and feeleth peace within ; and rejoyceth in the excellency of it , he seeth and feeleth love and patience within , and rejoyceth in the glory of that sweet ointment , that doth cast a delightful favour all his soul over . now though this man be in prison , be in straits , be forsaken of all his friends in the flesh , none wil buy nor sell with him , because they count him a man of strange opinions and blasphemies , call him an atheist , a sot , a papist , a blasphemer that hath forsaken god and goodnesse , because he wil neither preach nor pray , nor say grace when he sitteth down to meat , as the custome of professours are . yet this man is not alone , for his father is with him , the father lives in him , and he lives in the father . the father wil have his people , whom he draws up to worship him in spirit and truth , to be secret and silent ; to be flow of speech for a little season , yet quick-sighted and eagle-eyed , though they be silent , they are not sottish drones , they shall discern and judge others righteously , though others shall not discern and judge them , but by rash censure , which is not righteous . the righteous actions and patient silence , of those that are drawn up to wait upon the lord , shall be the greatest shame and condemnation to the ignorant professours , and talking people that ever broke out . the wise flesh that would be an angel of light , is full of towords , but dead to the law of righteousnesse , the saints must die to waste words , but he made alive to righteousnesse , walking uprightly in the creation , to the glory of the maker of all things ; hereby lord esau will be under-mined , and his house and kingdon wil fall about his ears . for though the man of the flesh be altogether for outward preaching , praying , observation of forms and customs , and knows not how to worship , if these be taken away : he hath no peace if these be gone . but now the man of righteousnesse sees death in all outward forms , if the inward power be wanting ; therfore his eye is stil inward , to see the law of righteousnesse ruling there , and guiding the body to be a profitable member in the creation . and this is the most excellent sight , to see the divine power in ones self , ruling , dwelling and living within ; which if it doe , that body wherein it dwels , shal be wholly subject in al his to that law of rightenesse . they that know what the power of love and the law of righteousnesse is , they know what i say , and can understand me ; but to others these reports sound strangely , and may draw words of reproach and slander from them ; but it matters not , they cannot hurt . they that live in the light , they see the lord abroad , and they see him at home , they see him in other creatures , and they see and feel him in their own hearts , in patient and quiet submitting , to what is his will ; so that there is a sweet agreement between the disposing hand of god without , and his power within . he that thus sees the lord , the antient of daies , the one almighty power , doth mightily honour him ; when nothing can be done abroad , either in adversity or prosparity , but the divine power that rules in the heart , consents , rejoices and grudges not . and now the lord is one , and his name or power one , every where . the sight of the king of glory within , lies not in the strength of memory , calling to mind what a man hath read and heard , being able by a humane capacity to joyn things together into a method ; & through the power of free utterance , to hold it forth before others , as the fashion of students are in their sermon work ; which a plough man that was never bread in their universities may do as much ; nay , they do more in kind ( as experience shews us ) then they that take tyshes to tell a story . but the sight of the king within , lies in the beholding of light arising up from an inward power of seeling experience , filling the soul with the glory of the law of righteousnesse , which doth not vanish like the taking in of words and comfort from the mouth of a hear say preacher , or strength of memory . but it continues like the sunne in the firmament shining forth , from that established power of the divine within , and the enlivened heart shall as soon be seperated from glorying in the law of righteousnesse that dwels in him ; then the heat and light of the sunne , can be seperated from the sunne . and truly let me tell you , that as a man finds abundance of sweet peace in his heart , when he is made to live in the kingdome of heaven : so the words hat this man speaks from this power within , are very profitable to others , & are good seed , wheresoever they are sown , they will spring up and bring forth fruit , for words spoken from the light of experience , have a two-fold operation upon the heart of the hearers . for first , if i lie under straits and bondage in my spirit , by reason of some inward and outward troubles , but especially by reason of the enthraldome to my own lusts that over powers me , so that i cannot do what i would . then the words of experience from the mouth of one that hath been in that condition , and is passed thorow it , sounds liberty and life to my weary soul ; i speak what i have felt in this particular . secondly , if i delight in any way of the flesh , as to seek peace in creatures abroad without me , or to seek satisfaction to my envy , self-will and lust ; and in the midst of this my folly i do occasionally hear the words of experience from some other , declaring such actions and motions to be the powers of the flesh and devil , and not of the spirit of righteousnesse . presently those words take peace from the earth ; that is , from proud flesh ; and fill the whole soul with anger , distemper , grudging , and torment . and this is another operation that pure language produces , which is a launcing of the dead flesh that the disease may be cured . for this wounding is nor to the mine of the creature , but it is a medicine sent from the lord to heal him ; to take away the evil peace from the flesh , that so the created part may lie down in rest , and be at peace in christ , which cannot be moved . for every comfort that is of the flesh shall be shaken and removed , but christ the one power of righteousnesse and peace , shall not be shaken nor moved , but stand firm for ever . and by this you may see the difference between the kingdom of the flesh and devil , which must be shaken to pieces and fall : and the kingdom of heaven or of god , that endures for ever , and is that rock due cannot be moved . chap. xv . what do you mean by the kingdom devil or flesh ? i answer , covetousnesse , the selfish power ruling in a man , is the kingdome of darknesse in that man : and as this power hath corrupted the creation ( mankind ) so it rules , or hath ruled in every single one more or lesse ; but is the curse . and every one that hath lain under the bondage of this selfish power , and is in any measure delivered , he can from that experience declare , what the power of darknesse is in whole mankind , as i have shewed how secretly and closely this selfish power branches himself forth in every one , till by the right of reasons law shining within , he is discovered and cast out . but what is it for a man to live in the kingdom of hell , devil or darknesse ? i answer , when a man takes delight in nothing , but in satisfying of the lusts of his own heart ; when the way of the flesh is pleasing , and the way of the spirit of righteousnesse is a burden to him ; when he glories in himself , and feeds with delight upon his covetousnesse , pride , envy , lust , self-will , and in every thing that pleaseth flesh . and if he can but overcome that power that checks or crosses his will , o then this man is in his kingdome , he rejoyecs and is very well pleased , but it is the kingdome of the flesh , that must be shaken and removed ; this is no other but the glorying in that which is a mans shame . what is the kingdom of heaven , or of christ ? answ. the law of righteousnesse and peace , ruling and dwelling in , mankind , is the kingdom of heaven , this is the universall power bearing rule , treading the flesh-power under his feet . what is it for a man to live in the kingdom of heaven ? ans. when mankind or any single person is so made subject to the king of righteousnesse , that all his delight is to walk according to that law towards every creature in the creation , through love to the fathers honour that made al . he glories in that law of righteousness , which he finds seated in his heart , & finds content no where else ; and when the spirit is honoured , this man is in his kingdom , he hath what he would have . while the kingdom of darknesse rules in a man , if he knows it not , his sin is the lesse , but when he comes to know the lusts of his flesh , and delight therein , in opposition to the righteous law which he sees some light in also ; this makes the man exceeding sinfull , for now he sins against the law of light shining in him , and causing him to see himself . even so when the divine power rules in a man , and he knows it nor , as it may be in some measure , this mans joy is but small ; for a man may act from the power of love and righteousnesse , and yet not see nor know the excellency of that power which guides ● him . but when a man is made to see and know the law of love and righteousnesse within him , and delights to act from that power of life and liberty , which he seeth and feeleth seated in him . now this man is carried on with much joy and sweet calmness , meeknesse and moderation , and is full of glory . this is the excellency of the work of christ , not onely to make flesh subject to rigeteousnesse , but to know himself made subject , & to rejoyce in the sweet enjoyment of that prince of peace , to make a man rejoyce , & to know the groun 〈◊〉 of his joy is unmovebale . what do you mean by divine , and divine power ? i anwer , the divine is the spreadinq power of righteousnesse , which is christ that filleth the whole creation with himself . and he is called a tree or a vine , because he doth not lie in one single person , but spreads himself in mankind , and every single body in whom he breaths , is but a bough or bud of the vine . so that look upon all together in whom christ is spread , and they make up but one vine , knit together by that one spirit , into one body ; whether they be poor or rich ; learned or unlearned ; and therefore those rich men that despise the poor ; and those learned university men that despise the unlearned , are pricks of the thorn-bush , not branches of the vine ; they be the curse that is now near to burning . and every single one alone in whom christ breaths , is but a parcel of the vine , in whom the divine power dwels and rests even as every branch of an apple-tree , is filled with the sap , which is the life of the whole tree . christ is said to be the divine , because he grows and flourishes in the time of light ; he is the sonne himself ; he is a vine or tree that grows by day in the heat of light , and so brings forth abundance of fruit to the glory of the father ; trees that grow in the heat of the sun bring sorth pleasant fruit . so those that are branches of this vine , that grows in the heat and life of one spirit the king of righteousnesse , bring forth abundance of the fruit of righteousnesse , according to the nature of the vine they grow from . therefore the saints are called , children of the day , not of the night ; for they speak what they know in experience , and what they have received feelingly from the lord ; and their actions and words are not at random , for they act righteousness within the creation , from the law of reason and righteousnesse , which they feel seated within . every one that doth act or speak from the light and power of the day-vine within himself , can give an account of his words and actions : but this is the glory , that adam , the man of the flesh hides himself from : this is the law of righteousnesse , which fleshly israel could not behold : this is the new covenant which our clergie is unacquainted with . now opposite to this divine , which is christ , there is a night-vine , which is the power of selfishnesse , or the bottom esse pit spread abroad in mankind ; and every man and woman that is guided by this selfish power of darknesse , are but branches of the night-vine . and this nigt-vine which i called lord esau , or fleshly man , hath filled the whole earth with darknesse ( under pretence of his learning and fleshly government ) so that he is a spread tree . but he is called by the spirit , the thorn-bush . the fruit that he brings forth is sour and bitter , and good for nothing but the dunghill ; for trees that grow alwayes in the shade or place of darknesse , where the heat and light of the sun doth not cooperate , brings forth unpleasant fruit . now this night-vine ( but rather thorn-bush ) is the branching forth of the wisdom and power of selfish flesh , every bud from it , is a sharp prickle : treacherous & covetous judas , is one branch from that root , and he hath risen up to a mighty great tree ; for every treacherous and covetous heart , is but the buddings forth of judas . so envious scribes & pharisees , are other branches from the same root , & these have risen up into mighty spreading trees ; for every one that is zealous without knowledge , making a profession of the spirit of righteousnesse , & yet grudging and ●aring the way of the spirit , are but the buddings forth of the scribes & pharisees , that killed christ after the flesh , and now is spread in every land and family , to hinder christ from rising , or else to suppresse and kill him againe if they could after he is risen up in sons and daughters . so covetous demas , proud simon mugus , froward nabal , unrighteous elimas , and such like , are all the buddings forth of the thorn-bush , and have covered the earth with their branches , to keep it in darknesse , and to hide the sun of righteousnesse from it . and all these are centred in the clergy , the universities are the standing ponds of stinking waters , that make those trees grow , the curse of ignorance , confusion and bondage spreads from hence all the nations over . the paying of tythes , the greatest sin of oppression , is upheld by them ; pride , covetousnesse , idlenesse , bitternesse of spirit , despising and treading all under-foot ; in whom the spirit of the lamb appears , is upheld by them ; these are the standing enemies against christ . their churches are the successours of the jews synagogues , and are houses of bondage , their universi●ies are successours of the scribes and pharisees houses of learning . and though they persecuted christ and the apostles , and would own none of their doctrines ; yet when they found that christs doctrines began to fill the earth , and to make the way of the law odious , and their trade began to fail . then did those houses of learning begin to take in and own the writings of the apostles , and to own that doctrine , prevailing with the magistracy through the deceit of their subtilety , to establish tythes in their hands still for their maintainance ( though christs doctrine threw down that oppression . ) and then from legall sacrificers , they became hearsay-preachers of the gospel , not from any testimony of light within themselves , but from the writings of the apostles , which they professe great love to , and keep charily , for their tythes sake ; and by the one they deceive the souls of people , for they preach the letter for the spirit , and by the other they pick their purses . and this is very manifest by their carriage ; for though those writings which they live by , were not writings that proceeded from any schollars , according to humane art , but from fishermen , shepherds , husband men , and the carpenters son , who spake and writ as the spirit gave them utterance , from an inward testimony . yet now these learned schollars have got the writings of these inferior men of the world so called , do now slight , despise and trample them under feet , pressing upon the powers of the earth , to make laws to hold them under bondage , and that lay-people , trades-men , and such as are not bred in schools , may have no liberty to speak or write of the spirit . and why so ? because out of these despised ones , doth the spirit rise up more and more to clearer light , making them to speak from experience ; and every fresh discovery of the father , shines more glorious then the old , till at last the creature is made to see the father face to face in his own light . but now the learned schollars having no inward testimony of their own to uphold their trade by a customary practice , they hold fast the old letter , getting their living by telling the people , the meanings of those trades-mens words and writings ; but alas , they mightily corrupt their meaning , by their multitude of false expositions and interpretations ; for no man knows the meaning of the spirit , but he that hath the spirit . and if the - father send forth any of these tradesmen , to declare the testimony which is in them , as in these dayes he sends forth many . and these true labourers shall encrease , let the universitie men do the worst they can ; yet the schollars seek to suppresse them , calling them new-lights , factious , erroneou● , blasphemers , and the like . and why do they all this ? because the light of truth that springs up out of this earth , which the schollars tread under feet , will shine so clear , as it will put out the candle of those wicked learned deceivers . and therefore many of them that are more ingennous or subtile then the rest , seeing light arises much amongst the people , begin to comply with the people , and give people their liberty to speak as well as they , and denie the tithes upon this condition , the people will give them a free contribution , and own them as the chief preachers and prophets sent of god , and to look upon themselves as underlings to the schollars . and therefore stir up people to gather into congregations , and to make choice of one man to be their preacher , though they shall have a liberty to speak in the congregation as well as he . but , all this is but deceit of the flesh , to draw people under a new bondage , and to uphold the hearsay-preaching , that in time matters may be wheeled about again , to advance the schollars , and give them the supremacy in teaching . and what is the end of all this ; but onely to hinder christ the great prophet from rising , and whereas people should all look up to him for teaching , and acknowledge no other teacher and ruler but christ , the law of righteousnesse dwelling in every mans heart ; the schollars would have the people to look up to them for teaching ; and truly let me speak what i find , the more that you look upon them , or any men for teaching , the more you shall be wrapped up in confusion and bondage . and therefore the upshot of all your universities and publick preachers , and men-teachers , is onely to hinder christ from rising , and to keep jacob under , and make him a servant and a slave to the man of the flesh . so that all this do in the world about , hear-say preaching and setled forms of worship , is no other but the spreadings forth of the thorn-bush , the fleshly man , to hinder the worship of the father in spirit and truth : and all those strict and zealous . preachers and professours of other mens words and writings , and upholders of forms and customs , are no other but the scribes , pharisees and judas , that still pursue christ in enmity . and this is the reason , why man-kind are so ignorant , and cold-spirited , in the acknowledgment of the father ; because the night-vine , or blanches of the thorn-bush , are so mighty great and thick , that they hide the light and heat of the sun of righteousnesse from it . this is the man of sin , the mysterie of iniquity , that lets and must let , till he be taken out of the way : indeed this thorn-bush doth so prick , that none dares meddle with it , unlesse he be well cloathed with christ . this thorn-bush or night-vine grows in the cold time of the night , while the sun of righteousnesse is under the clouds ; and the fruit it brings forth is unpleasant , as pride , covetousnesse , envy , self-love , hypocrisie , confusion , bondage , and all the misery under the power of darknesse , to make lord esau a compleat tyrant ; and they that act from this vine , are called children of the night . now from hence it appears , what horrible proud men the clergie are , that call themselves divines ; or christ that grows in the light of the father , when alas their light is but a candle stoln from the apostles and prophets writings , it is not their own light , it is but hear-say in them . surely their pride and covetousnesse declares them to be the false christs and false prophers , and that they are branches of the thorn-bush , that are full of sharp pricks , in regard they endeavour to uphold a forced maintenance from the people , whether they will or no ; and force the people to be silent , to hear them preach hear-say : and not to gainsay or question what they say under pain of punishment , or being counted factious , or sowers of sedition . this is the bondage the people are under , by these publique preachers : first , they are filled with confusion , by their saying and unsaying , for they know not what they say , they darken knowledge by their words . secondly , they are like to be crushed in their estates , by the power of corrupt magistrates , if they oppose these preachers . doth not their shame almost appear to all men ? ●f it do not , it will do ere long ; assure yourselve , you priests , you must fall , and be turned out as ludas , simon magus , and the scribes and pharisees , that are the greatest enemies to christ , the spreading power of righteousnesse . the father doth not send hear-say men , to be labourers in his vineyard , but such as he first fils with the divine power , and then sends them to work in his vineyard : so that still it is but christ in them , that is , the one man that is sent of the father ; for the father sends none but his beloved son . who is the law of righteousnesse and peace , the spreading power . and you shall find , you proud and covetous priests ere long , that poor despised ones of the world , that have this law in their hearts , are the labourers than are sent forth ; and you that call your selves divines , and labourers , you are traitors and enemies to the spirit ; you have had warning enough , you are left without excuse ; you are the men whose mouths must be stopped ; not by the hand of tyrannicall , humane power , as you have stopped the mouths of others , i abhor it ; for the lord himself , whom you dishonour by your hypocrasie , will stop your mouth with shame and sorrow , when he makes you to see your selves to be devils , deceivers , scribes and pharisees simon magaus's , demas's , and judas's , that are traitors to the spirit . but if you say ? you do not assume the name of day-vines , but of divines , as you whrite your selves , you are as bad under this description , of divines , or diviners , are witches sorcerers , deceivers , as balaam was ; and as the maid that got her masters much gain by divination . suerly you are no other but witches and deceivers , for you hold forth letter for spirit , make people believe that your words of hear-say are the testimony and experience of the spirit within you ; and you pick their purses extremly by this divination and sorcerie . well , your word divinity darkens knowledge ; you talk of a body of divinity , and of anatomyzing divinity : o fine languague ! but when it comes to triall , it is but a husk without the kernall ; words without life ; the spirit is in the hearts of the people vvhom you despise and tread under foot : you go on selling vvords for money to the blind people whom you have deceived ; and the spirit is not in your service , for your publique service stinks before him ; your preaching , praying , and yours and the peoples joyning in your publique worship , is abomination to the lord : for you are the men and people that draw ●igh god vvith your lips ; but your hearts are removed : love and righteous acting within the creation , is not to be found in your hands . and therefore to conclude ; seeing the alone peace of the heart lies in seeing and feeling christ the divine povver , to arise up and rule vvithin ; and every foul is in confusion , bondage and sorrovv , till he have true light and feeling hereof , as i have declared my own experience . then suerly it commands all mouths to be silent , that speak f●om hear-say , and to wait for the resurrection of christ within ; for he that speaks from hear-say , and yet saith , thus saith the lord , he lies , and he dishonours the lord : and secondly , he wrongs the soul of the heater , by deceiving them , and so walks unprofitably in the creation , by making them believe , that his divination are words of knowledge spoke from a pure testimony . suerly if the lord himself did not become the teacher of his poor despised people , we should have been overspread with the egyptian darkness , as the universitie men are by whom the earth is corrupted , and overspread with thick darknesse . well , you have prophesies and promises in the writings of prophets and apostles , wait upon the lord till you see the fulfilling of them within your selves , or to your clear experience : and leave off your much talk about words and sillables for by this nultitude of waste discourse , people are blinded , that they neither mind the prophesies of scriptures , nor wait for their fulfilling . truly i can speak in expevience , that while i was a blind professour to a strict goer to church , as they call it , and a hearer of sermons , and never questioned what they spake , but believed as the learned clergy ( the church ) believed ; and still forgot what i heard ; though the words they spake were like a pleasant song to me , while i was hearing ; and this i know is the condition of all your publipue zealous professours , let them say what they will , for they live in cenfusion , ignorance and bondage to the fleshly man . while i was such a one , i say , i was counted by some of the priests , a good christian , and a godly man , though all that was in me , was but zealous ignorance : but since it pleased the father to reveal his son in me , and cause me to speak what i know from an inward light and power of life within . now both the same priests , and the professours , whom they have deceived ; my former acquaintance now begin to be afraid of me , and call me a blasphemer , and a man of errors , and look upon me as a man of a nother world ; for my own particular , my portion is fallen to me in a good ground ; i have the lord , i have enough . i look upon them with the eye of pitty and love , seeing them as yet to lie under those strong delusious , and powers of darknesse , which i my self did lie under , waiting upon the great restorer of all things , till he manifest himself in them , and then we shall become one againe , and never be divided . o my dear friends in the flesh , despise not this word i speak ; wait upon the lord for teaching ; you will never have rest in your souls , till he speak in you : run after men for teaching , follow your forms with strictnesse , as you know i have done , you shall still be at losse , and be more and more wrapped up in confusion and sorrow of heart : i speak what i have found . but when once your heart is made subject to christ , the law of righteousnesse , looking up to him for instruction , waiting with a meek and quiet spirit , till he appear in you : then you shall have peace , then you shall know the trurh , and the truth shall make you free ; then you shall know that i speake truth . well , i wil conclude , and leave this writing in the hand of the world ; some may be offended at it , if they be , i care not : some may have their joy fullfilled in seeing a conjuncture of experience between me and them : though my words may seem sharp to some , yet i do not write them out of any envy to any man , but out of love to all ; and so doing to my fellow creatures , as i would they should do to me ; walking ( in this particular , as my endeavour is in all other ) uprightly and righteously in the creation ; speaking the truth as it is in jesus ; that is , speaking my own words , what i see and feel in my own experience , from that light of christ within , and not by hear-say or imagination , whereby humane learning in matters of divine things , deceives all the world , and laps every man up in darknesse : so i rest . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- joh. . , . rom , , epbes . . . psal. . . rev. . rom. . ● . act. . . eph. . . rom. . . cor. . . act. . . jer. . joh. . . luke ▪ ▪ . joh. . . ●oh . . cor. . col. . . joh. . luke . . joh. . joh. dan. . . cor. . cor. . dan. . . ioh. . . acts . . isa : . joh : . joe : . . i●h. . col. . . ier. . . ioh. . . rom. . eph. . . joh. . isa. . . isa. . . ioh. . ier. . . , ● thes. . co. . ephes. . . ioh. . . rom. . psa. . cor. ● . . cor. . . rev. . . mat. . . isa. . . cor. ▪ . jerem. . . isa. . . rev. . . revel. . . revel. . . ioh . ● . luke . ● . rev. . . rom. . . isa. . . gal. . . rom. . rev. . . cor. . phil. . . thes. . ▪ ephes. . . joh. . rev. . . isa. . , and chap. . . cor. . . gen. . . dan. . phil. . ● rev. . ps. . gen. . . rom. . &c. revel. . . heb. . . act. . . jam. . ioh. . hos. . . rev . act. . . eph. . , zech. . rev. . ier. . . joh. . . matth. . . cor. . . zach. . , &c. isa. . . joh . . gen. . . rom. . &c. ier. . ier. . . act. . ier. . isa. . . . rom. . . iob. . . zech. . isa. . tes . . . gen. . . mat. . . rev. . dan . cor. . gen. . exe . luk. . rev. . . mat. . act. . heb. . , , &c. isa. . , isa. . . ier. . cor. . . ex. . act. . rev. . king. zach. . . to . zach. . , . hos. . . isa. luke . . mat. . . act. . . . p. . . iudge . . . . amos. . . mic . . luk. . act. . . rev. . . rev. . . exo. . . ezra . mat. . ioh . dan. . mat. . ioh. . ioh. . . ioh. . dan. rev. . mat. . . rev. . &c. rev. . . . gen. . . rev. . . rom. . ▪ . rom. . deu. . joh. . joh. . . gen. . gen. . . gen. . . isa . . to . phil. . ▪ . col. . . rev. . . rev. . . ●er . . . loh . . ▪ cor. . . eph , . . ch. . . . ro. . . rev. . . . cor. . ro. . . isa. . . zach . rev. . . gen. . . rev. . . psa. . . the government of the thoughts a prefatory discourse to the government of the tongue / by the author of the whole duty of man. allestree, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the government of the thoughts a prefatory discourse to the government of the tongue / by the author of the whole duty of man. allestree, richard, - . pakington, dorothy coventry, lady, d. . fell, john, - . sterne, richard, ?- . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by r. smith for richard cumberland ..., london : . advertisement: p. and p. [ ] at end. the whole duty of man attributed by wing and others to richard allestree. this text variously attributed to lady dorothy pakington, richard sterne, abp. of york, john fell, bp. of oxford, and others. cf. dnb. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the government of the thoughts : a prefatory discourse to the government of the tongue , by the author of the the whole duty of man. the lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise , that they are vain , cor. . . london : printed by r. smith for richard cumberland , at the angel in st. paul's church-yard . m dc xc iv. imprimatur . edward cook. september . . the preface . the government of the thoughts was some years since designed for the press , but not till this opportunity , thought fit to make its appearance . the tract indeed in point of justice , must own its original theme , to that most excellent and learned author of the whole duty of man ; and had not the grave and darkness deprived us of so great a luminary , this treatise would have appeared in perfect lustre , with all those embellishments which so exquisite a pen could have rendred it . the main subject matter of this discourse , is to perswade men to regulate their inordinate thoughts and affections , that such an unruly member , as st. james affirms the tongue to be , may not break out into that conflagration , as all their reason cannot easily quench : for out of the heart proceeds all evil thoughts , the product of bad actions , which are concomitant to contumelious speeches : and indeed i presume , we cannot place too strong a guard on that which appears so formidable an enemy , and threatens us with so much violence , which if not speedily prevented , may in the end prove destructive . i cannot reasonably expect , that this product of my labors should find a candid acceptance of all persons ; or like the manna , accomodate every palate , especially in this censorious age , wherein some approve of nothing but the minerva of their own brain ; i wish i could not say many , ( like those foolish heathens ) adore their own maladies , applauding themselves for benevolent and prudent , by disgusting all that 's good and wholsome , which is indeed a symptom of a disaffected palate . i am not ignorant , that a speaker ventureth within the reach of censure ; and that a writer fixes himself to the stake : yet in hope that some may reap benefit by my labours , i resolve not to be discouraged , if any shall prove so malign as to render evil to my good intentions , my labour is with that omnipotency who appointed some cheap sacrifices , that the poor might serve him as well as the rich , and requiring principally willing hearts , exod. . , , &c. and he that possess'd not jewels , gold , silver , silk , purple , or of the like estimation , might produce skins and goats-hair , which were of inconsiderable value , but proved acceptable . you who enjoy a greater share of heavenly treasures , offer of your fulness ; for the almighty accepteth the poor widows mites where no more is expected . and now let us hasten to enter into that sacred way of charity , which directeth to salvation , and persevere in that truth which never deceiveth , nor is deceived ; so that at the last we may enter into the kingdom of glory . to conclude , i shall only add what st. paul said upon his departure , to the elders of miletum , acts . . and now brethren , i commend you to god , and to the word of his grace , which is able to build you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified . read happily , and practise diligently , not omitting st. paul's instructions to timothy , in his second epistle , chap. ver . . consider what i say , and the lord give you understanding in all things . the government of the thoughts . chap. i. of the chief governor , the soul. there are diversity of things , of whose being we know , whose quality we know not : all confess we enjoy a soul which commandeth , and restraineth , in us . what a one it is , none can tell . hence are those many disputes concerning its essence , seat and subject , with the subordinate faculties of it . no person hath throughly been acquainted with this secret governor in man. some philosophers have defined it a harmony : some a divine vertue , a particle of the deity : some the most exile and slender air : some , a blood : some , heat , or fire : some , number . so innate is error , that we most err concerning our own selves . . more judiciously do they define it , who attest it an immortal spirit , an incorporeal substance , created by infusion , and infused in its creaation , made to the image of the creator , capable of the light of understanding , wisdom , holiness , blessedness , and eternity : so that in its conjunction with the body , it animateth , giveth life , action , and motion , ( wherein it differeth from an angel ) and in its separation from the body for a time ( untill it shall be re-united at the resurrection ) it subsisteth , as the angels , and hath its proper acts and apprehensions , as they have : now , as the eye beholds the eye in a glass ; so the soul discerneth it self by a kind of reflex . . the soul is a divine ghost sent from heaven , into these tabernacles of clay , to give them life and govern them ; yet is it neither visible coming nor departing : it is an immortal form of mortality : the body decayeth , the soul doth not , being neither subject to time nor age : the motions thereof are eternal ; it apprehendeth things present , absent , past , and future ; it deliberateth , formeth , directeth , discourseth , judgeth , doubteth , concludeth : so excellent it is , that cicero the orator said , god hath not given any thing so divine to man ; and that there are certain lineaments thereof more beautiful than of the body . . the body is adorned by the soul ; without which , beauty it self appears gastly : and good abraham said , give me a possession of a burying-place , that i may bury my dead out of my sight , gen. . . the soul cannot be deformed by any unevenness , discomposure , or disproportion of the body which it animateth : as a beautiful creature is the same in a poor cottage , as in a magnificent palace : so is vertue , which is the beauty of the soul. could we but behold the soul of a saint , there 's no embellishment on earth so glorious ; no created beauty here of so divine a lustre . . the soul , tho now enclosed in obscurity ( having only some diviner breathings in the raptures and heavenly contemplations , which sometimes allarum it up , like moses , to the mount , or like a jacob's ladder , ascendeth it into god's presence ) hath some knowledge of its original by faith and joy unspeakable in the apprehension thereof , pet. . . which arresteth the desire , as appeared in st. peter seeing christ's transfiguration , matt. . and st. paul's wishing to be dissolved , was a signal evidence of our interest in heaven ; therefore our pusilanimity cannot deter us from it , phil. . . he knoweth whether he shall go who remembreth whence he came : but what shall be the transcendent beauty of a devout soul in its separation , when it shall be restored to its native heaven ; when it shall be all illumination , and god shall be all in all ? christ's raiment on the mount became shining white as snow , so as no fuller on earth could white them , mark . . and moses face when he talked with god , became so glorious , that israel could not behold it without a veil , cor. . . what then shall our glory be when we shall be like christ ? joh. . . chap. ii. of the faculties of the soul. the faculties of the soul are the vnderstanding , will , memory , affections , and senses internal and external . my purpose being not to enter the list with philosophers , but to direct christians , i shall not further consider these , but what concerns the practical part , and right governing the thoughts of the heart and mind , to the service of god and our mortification , and the means of qualifying our selves for it . . the heart , in scripture often taken for the principal seat of the rational soul , imparteth any faculty hereof : the mind is the inward act , the result and product of its reason , and discourses the thoughts . the learned affirm , the mind is the fountain of counsel , and soul of life : and again , we understand by the mind , and live by the soul. the mind of man is sometimes a sovereign , to govern in vertue and sanctimony it self ; and the body sometimes a tyrant , and indulging to vice , which like the worm bred in the wood destroyeth its own original : it is often misled by tumultuous passions , lusts , vain-desires , and other perturbations of a discomposed mind , which unthron'd reason dangerously gains an usurpation . . a prudent man , whose knowledge is his life , in the light , height , and use thereof , differing him not only from the brutes , but ignorant men ; doth principally enjoy himself in his mind and inward man. there is indeed in humane possessions , nothing great and excellent , but a magnanimous and good mind ; contemning external greatness , or supposed excellencies , such as power , strength , riches , beauty , wit , &c. obvious to sense in respect of that which is within , apprehensible by the enlightned understanding . . and certainly the all-wise god , who created the affections , ordained them to some excellent end and use in the soul , as hand-maids to devotion and religion : neithere would he in our regeneration , kill , but correct them , by moderating them , where they grow extream ; and retrenching them into their own channels , where they over-flow their banks , like over-rank water sources , becoming muddy and choaked up with that which they fetch in from without ; or reducing them , where they are exorbitant . . all extreams are foolish and dangerous : a stoical apathie is incompatible with a well-composed mind , as a violent passion with a prudent : the dead calm corrupteth air and water , and violent blasts disturb them ; the moderate more safely purifie ; but the mean is best . affections are , as it is said of caligula , there is no better servant , nor worse master ; they are good commanded , but mischievous reigning ; like fire , and water , very necessary , and very destructive . . without love there can be no acceptable service ; without anger , no zeal ; without fear , no co-ercive power in the soul ; without hope , no comfort ; which bringeth us to a necessary consideration of the hearts corruption ; the vanity and exorbitancy of the thoughts ; and the necessity of their regulations by some rules of practice . chap. iii. of the hearts corruptions . the corruptions of the heart , are , as in the primitive age of the world , gen. . . only evil continually . the heart is the fountain of sin ; and the evangelist tells us , mat. . . from thence spring evil thoughts , murders , adulteries , fornications , thefts , false witnesses , blasphemies , all the sins of man. all iniquity is here forged ; as it is written , isai. . . his heart will work iniquity ; hence words of falshood are conceived and uttered , isai. . . here the kingly prophet declares is the root of war , psal. . . and the royal preacher acknowledges it the seat of mischief , prov. . . error , frowardness , and that obdurateness , which excludeth all capacity of hearing god's word and judgments , which should lead us to repentance whereby we may be healed , psal. . . prov. . . . the heart is deceitful above all things ; who can know it ? jer. . . there lodgeth hypocrisie , jer. . . and many secret sins ; like that unseen multitude , which rangeth through the paths of the deeps , such are the dark councels of the heart of man , which solomon informs us , prov. . . nor is this the condition of some few , but the secret corruption of all natural men ; nor are the regenerate absolutely freed from these pollutions , being yet partly flesh : we have st. paul's word for it , gal. . . for the flesh lusteth against the spirit , and the spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would . . the danger hereof fully appears , that these are the seeds of every sin , and fomenters thereof ; yea , that which obstructeth faith and repentance ; for as the physicians affirm , if there be a fault in the first concoction , there will follow the like in the rest ; so it is here , the hearts sickness is derived to the tongue , and all the actions of man : it is a people , said the lord , that do err in their hearts , and they have not known my ways , psal. . . as the eye is deceived through a false medium ; so is the mind through the cloud of false opinion : and the wise man tells us , prov. . . that the thought of foolishness is sin , into which they must needs run , says the psalmist , who set not their heart aright , and whose spirit is not stedfast with god , psal. . . . the almighty searcheth the secrets of all hearts , and will at the great audit , make all the thoughts thereof manifest : god requireth the heart , says solomon , prov. . . and david tells you , if a man regard iniquity in his heart , the lord will not hear him , psal. . . and wisdom expresses , prov. . . that the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the lord ; and they who have wicked thoughts , run swiftly to iniquity ; and destruction is in their paths , isai. . . in the corruption of the heart , the very fibrae and remainders of sins reviving root , satan's venom remaineth : the hydra's ever-growing heads , which ( when occasions and ability so fail , that the impious cannot serve the devil in external actions ) will shew its venom in their will to sin. . in the next place , it is a very difficult thing rightly to compose the thoughts , in respect of the hearts unfathomed deceitfulness , and the mind 's unlimited agility ; in these depths of quick-shifting thoughts , sin easily hideth it self : external sins in words or works , are ( like the plague of leprosie , levit. . , . broken all abroad and covering all the skin ) nearer the cure , and by so much the more easily amended , or overcome , by how much more evident they are , not only to others , but also to our selves . . the sins of the heart are harder to be cured , the more secret , and invisibly they are committed : the thoughts are more securely extravagant , negligent and presuming by how much less they are obvious , to any pretender , or censurer without : and where the heart is smitten with some awful fear of god , and resolution to repent , maketh inquest after sin ; that which is in word , or action , is more easily and frequently found : but the sin of the mind , like jonathan and ahimaaz at bahurim , is let down into the depth of the heart , whose secret enemies are like those ligurian mountainers , whom the roman's chased , more hardly found , than vanquished . moreover , man's innate self-love and natural complacency , makes him unapt , and loth to condemn himself , in any thing wherein he conjectures others cannot . . lastly , the restless machination of satan is to suggest self-delusions , as he doth temptations to sin , whereby his baits may be swallowed . his policy is to keep the heart for his retreat ; and if any reproof happily chase away prophaneness , anger , obscenity , or calumny out of the tongue , or adultery , theft , murther , or the like , from the outward man ; yet if he can but foment and maintain any of these in the impure heart , he will find opportunity and diabolical suggestions , to make an eruption : or if not , he knoweth where he has possession , be the words and actions never so well framed , that god hath no part there , which brings me to the next consideration . chap. iv. the necessity of governing our thoughts . there is great necessity of regulating our thoughts and heart , without which , as the prophet says , isa. . . it is in vain to draw near to god with our lips. and the art of governing the affections and thoughts , must be performed by wisdom and ingtegrity . wisdom is as a mistress to tumultuous servants , at whose presence the most disorderly are suddenly composed and silenced . an understanding heart is the inward illumination of the soul , which god beholds ; without which , all external appearances of sanctity make formal hypocrites no better than aegyptian temples , grave and decent outwardly , but within , very ridiculous ; setting up for gods , apes , serpents , cats and crocodiles . . solomon , to whom god granted a free choice of any thing he would request , desired , an vnderstanding heart , kings , . . . . this was more estimable to him than riches or life ; and he , whom god was pleased to make the wisest of men , of all the holy pen-men , gave most precepts concerning the heart and mind ; and we are commanded for our further directions , to search the scriptures , which as the apostle tells us , are only able to make us wise to salvation , tim. . . and st. james requires us to ask wisdom of god , that giveth to all men liberally , and vpbraideth not , james . . he that trusteth in his own heart , is a fool , prov. . . again , the wise man like a true prognostick , tells you , that the heart of the sons of men is full of evil , and madness is in their heart while they live , eccl. . . unhappy is he who goeth on perversely in the way of his own heart , or walks contrary to the apostle's rule , cor. . . persuing the wisdom of this world , which is foolishness with god. . we must so compose our hearts , that they may be upright and sincere in the sight of god. without this , our best actions , as prayer , hearing , repentance , alms , and what-ever else we do , is worth nothing . o jerusalem , saith the lord , wash thy heart from wickedness , that thou mayest be saved : how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge in thee ? jer. . . it is but folly to labour the cure in the outward part , while the contagion and venom of sin invades the inward ; or to wash the eyes with floods of tears , where the sin of judah is written with a pen of iron , and graven with the point of a diamond , upon the table of the heart , jer. . . . the psalmist tells us , psal. . . blessed are they in whose heart are the ways of god : and that he is good unto such as are of a clean heart , psal. . . and the prophet tells you , jer. . . they shall find him who seek him with all their heart . and they that know righteousness , have the law of god in their heart , isa. . . and psal. . . their steps shall not slide ; they delight to do god's will , psal. . . and psal. . . they hide up the law of god in their heart , that they might not sin against him : the knowledge of god is pleasant unto their soul , prov. . . and prov. . . they shall have length of days and peace ; and when they go , it shall lead them ; when they sleep , it shall keep them ; when they wake , it shall talk with them , prov. . . it is a lamp and light to direct them in the ways of life to preserve them from sin. . now , however the ways of an hypocrite may seem clean in his own eyes , yet seeing the god of justice weigheth the spirits , prov. . . it highly concerneth every man to look to the ordering of this inward house , that it may be a clean temple , for god's spirit to dwell in , without whose guidance , man runs to destruction , both body and soul. if we govern our thoughts aright , we have our conversation in heaven , we walk with god : and in our many dangerous sicknesses of mind , sundry distempers , and perturbations of fluctuant thoughts , the wearied soul shall ever have recourse unto this ark for rest. . there are troublesome errors of sick minds which see false comforts instead of true . there is anxiety , impatience and grief which devoureth the heart : there is the fire of anger to inflame , envy and malice to transport , vain hopes and fears , whose vicissitudes do miserably afflict the disquiet mind . there are many perturbations , which if not prudently managed , will master reason , and violently carry men into the most dangerous precipices , from whence they cannot , when they would retrieve themselves : all which to a wise and good man , shall prove but exercises to make his victory over his own passions more glorious . . nor is he less honourable who is victor over himself , than he that conquereth others . the great conquerors of kingdoms have been overcome of their own affections ; whereby they have foolishly eclipsed all the glory of their victories . the strong may vanquish others ; but only the good can over-come themselves . i shall conclude with the saying of a pious man , i had rather over-come my own mind , than all my enemies ; and i would i were secure of my self : all the powers of hell , cannot over-come me , nor make me unhappy if my own affections betray me not . chap. v. rules of practice . for the right composure of mind and thoughts , it is very requisite to consider those rules of practice which concern the same in general ; and then that which appertaineth to some particular passions of the mind . first , have a care of thy soul as thy greatest interest , and that which surpasseth all things in the world : next have a care of thy mind , which , if well composed , is prudently content in every estate , without which even temper , nothing can prove good , or comfortable . what is strength ? sickness may anticipate , but age must bow down to the grave . what is beauty ? why those flowers quickly fade , and many times become the snare and destruction of foolish and unhappy owners . . what are honors , where a qualification of mind is wanting to manage them ? those phaetons precipitate themselves , and set the world on fire . what are riches without a mind well qualified , but snares , and easie ways to hell ? all things duly weighed to a prudent mind , which can limit it self within the desires of necessaries , a little is enough ; but to an ambitious mind , nothing can satisfie . alexander had a monstrous mind when he was grieved , that there was but one world for him to conquer . 't is the mind that maketh truly rich or poor ; that , contented in every estate , aboundeth in its own happiness ; but discontented , can be blessed in none . . the way to gain riches , is not so much by adding to an estate , as by depriving the mind of that foolish desire of having superfluity beyond use . temporal riches are but a burden to him , who hath truly placed his affections on heaven , where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt , and where thieves do not break through and steal , matth. . . that which must once be lost , is nothing worth ; which consideration possibly made stilpo answer like a philosopher , who when demetrius had taken megera , and out of a noble care to give him protection from plundering , asked him if the soldiers had taken ought from him , he answered , no ; for , said he , i saw no man that would take any knowledge , or learning from me . . the mind is sacred , and out of the reach of violent hands ; so that to make thee happy , which is the scope of a prudent desire , the way is not to labour so much , and disquiet thy self in things external , but to compose thy mind aright , to value and make a good use of what thou hast ; to get true wisdom and understanding , and well-ordered affections , quietly to endure want , or enjoy plenty : in which there is not only an admirable skill and strength of mind requisite , but also an holy habit. no precepts can suddenly make a man practically wise , or good ; which must make us resolve quickly to study this divine philosophy : and indeed , experience here discovereth a marvellous stupor , and incogitancy of most men. in any bodily dissection , we speedily consult the physician ; but in our soul's distempers , we not only delay our seeking help , but are too often impatient of offered remedies . that which thou designest to do well , speedily put in practice . . solomon's advice is , prov. . . to keep thine heart with all diligence ; for out of it are the issues of life . many think it enough to keep their tongues and their hands . but it highly concerneth all christians to keep their hearts from satan's snares ; there he beginneth all his stratagems which afterwards break out into words and actions . it is true , that bare suggestions without any delight , or consent of our own , are no more our sins , than any robbery or murder committed without our consent or knowledge : but except we are vigilant over our thoughts , and carefully stand upon our guard , satan's deluding influences will create a delight , and excite in us a consent , and concession to them ; therefore the counsel of the wise man is this , prov. . . let not thine heart decline to her ways , go not astray in her paths . . check the first beginnings of sin in thy thoughts use them roughly at the door , and think of the prophet elisha's saying , kings . . is not the sound of their masters feet behind them ? we must there chiefly observe and extinguish sin , where 't is born , and quench the sparks , before they break out into masterless flames . we must crush the cockatrice in the egg , before it proves a fiery flying serpent . we neglect not the biting of a serpent , but presently seek remedy to keep the venom from the heart : with how much more care and diligence should we look to the biting of the old dragon , rev. . . who is able , if a little neglected , to kill body and soul ? of evil seeds , spring evil plants . murder from revenge in the heart ; adultery from lust unextinguish'd there ; and god justly castigateh evil intentions , though they do not always break forth into actions . . keep a good conscience , and put on sanctity . the wicked meditate on evil ; and the prophet esay affirms , cahp. . . that their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity ; wasting and destruction are in their paths . as our actions follow our thoughts , so do they leave impressions in them , which prove occasions of their further operation ; and solomon tells you , prov. . . that the thoughts of the righteous are right ; but the counsels of the wicked are deceit . love good thoughts , and thou shalt be furnished with them ; as flowers spring out of buds , so good desires flow from celestial thoughts . we often think of those we love , and are ambitious of their acquaintance . think often of god , for his love will cause thee to detest all thoughts of evil , and will hinder the approaches of that old malicious serpent to thy heart . . fix thy thoughts on something certain . the heart is a spiritual labyrinth , in whose perplexed turnings we often lose our selves ; and the best fruits of idle and extravagant fancies , are but as the eyes , continually rolling up and down , seeing nothing intentively , but a wandring mind . it is a signal token of a composed mind , if it can contain it self , and not launch out into those vain evagations and wandring thoughts : from whence waking as out of some feverish dream , after much thinking , we can give our selves no true account , what the mind has busied it self about ; but that in long thinking , we thought on nothing to the purpose . . the mind is man's most active faculty : in a moment , with the flight of a thought , it mounts from earth to heaven , and back again from age to age ; from present , to future : like lightning , it shoots from east to west , vanishing in the appearance . it is not a little skill to arrest it so , as that we may say with david , psal. . . my heart is fixed ; o god , my heart is fixed . without this we can neither hear nor pray , otherwise than prophane hypocrites , provoking god's anger , by drawing near him with their lips , when their hearts are far from thinking on him . . seek peace with god through faith in christ ; for therein consists the true composure and happy rest of the mind . the prophet tells you , isa. . . there 's no peace to the wicked ; neither is there any true rest out of christ jesus . sin is the distemper and disquiet of the soul. until that jonah be cast over-board , we can never appease the surges of a troubled mind . this thou mayest seek by hearty sorrow for thy sins ; this restringent acrimony shall heal the fountains , that death and barrenness may no more fluctuate from the mind into thy words and actions . 't is a good symptom of recovery when the disease changeth place : so when we are pleased with repentance , who were wont to please ourselves with sin , 't is a token that sin declineth in us . . by committing thy works unto the lord , thy thoughts shall be established , prov. . . and by filling thy soul with such happy thoughts , as constant meditation , or god's word will furnish thee : and wisdom , as a monitor advises thee , ecclus. . . let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the lord , and meditate continually on his commandments ; he shall establish thine heart and give thee wisdom at thine own desire . overcome thine own mind , and in every thing as much as possibly thou canst , subject it to right reason , and let not affection or passion master it . . set thy mind ever upon some good , to prevent the rising of evil thoughts , that the tempter may never find thee at leisure to entertain him . the mind is naturally active and prone to thoughts : even when thou lyest dormant it hath its motions . imploy it then in some business , it cannot be idle . as the earth neglected , for want of culture , bringeth forth noisom weeds ; so will the mind evil and vain extravagant thoughts , if it be not duly cultivated . often the light of reason is eclipsed by the mischievous interposition of vicious thoughts : yet perplex not thy mind with too much , or too weighty affairs : proportion thy undertakings to thy strength : the mind requireth some intermissions and rest , which otherwise , like the fields , with perpetual bearing , will grow fruitless . the unballanced ship is easily overset with every gust of wind : and too much burden sinketh her . . there is an ark of god's secret counsel , which our thoughts must not pry into . there are also admirable mysteries , from whence god calleth out of the fiery bush , exod. . , . come not nigh hither , put off thy shoes from off thy feet , &c. resign thy thoughts to god's immensity : it is enough to believe his truth , tho thou canst not examine his incomprehensible secrets . if thou wilt play with these flames , thou wilt burn thy wings : god hath revealed suficiently enough to make thee happy : ambition of knowing more , destroyed mankind . . commune with thine own heart concerning that , which may advantageously make thee happy . divine soliloquies are heavenly raptures and the soul's prepossession of that blessedness . inure thy heart to ponder on good and heavenly things ; and such will thy thoughts , words and actions be . the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth , says solomon , prov. . . custom grows habitual ; therefore also the wise man saith , wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath vnderstanding , prov. . . if the wicked , the worst of fools , have any notion thereof , it can no more rest with them , than lightning in the air. . take the prophet's advice , jer. . . to set god ever before thee , as a searcher of hearts : and that which thou wouldst detest to speak before others , abhor to think with thy self . thoughts are the words of the heart , which god heareth ; who therefore saith , matt. . . wherefore think you evil in your hearts ? and solomon gives us this charge , eccles. . . curse not the king , no not in thy thought . thou must be pure in heart , if ever thou meanest to see god. let not thy heart dissent from thy tongue ; neither desire to appear more holy than thou art , if thou intendest to please him who is omniscient . . pray , and beseech the lord with the earnest supplication of the psalmist , to create a clean heart , and to renew a right spirit within thee , psal. . . to encline thy heart unto his testimonies , psal. . . then pray with the prophet , jer. . . that god would give thee a heart to know him : to prepare thy heart that thou mayst truly fear him , meditate on him , and love him above all : and that he who cast out the tumultuous rabble from jairus's house , would also be pleased to cast out of thy soul and mind , all those thoughts which offend him , or hinder the raising up thy soul to the life of grace here , whereby it may be fit for the life of glory hereafter . chap. vi. of the affections of love and delight . for the right governing the thoughts arising from some particular affections , or passions , which usually discompose and render the mind less apt for the service of god , and less comfortable to our selves , we must ever have in mind the general rule before laid down , that extream and violent passions of any kind , are distempers of the soul , which at best befool a man , if not , as hypocrates thinketh , maketh him lunatick ; they are like a deluge , which rather overflow and drown , than refresh the mind ; they are like an enraged sea , full of hazard ; they disturb the intellectuals , and distract the will. behold , how all things in troubled waters , seem wreathed , and disordered , which in the still are clearly seen ; so is it here : the calm affections are more fit for god's service , and our own . . love and delight , are great actors in this present life ; and every man hath some share in them . now our main skill is to fix 'em on right objects , as god , psal. . and upon heavenly things , as st. paul directs us , col. . . by this means we cannot fall into any excess , but shall be undoubtedly happy ; that we pervert not the order , we must not delight in , or love any object but god ; let him be our first and chief love and delight , and we shall have felicity in all that is subordinate . . let no inferiour love or delight allure us away from him who is perfect love. tho there is a time , place , and measure for secular delights , so far as they are subordinate to god's will , which may make us fit for his service , and administer occasion of expressions of thankfulness to him : but if on the contrary , they prove hurtful to us , if god loves us , he will take that away from us , which else would wean us from him . a necessary rule for them to consider , who too impatiently bear the loss of that they so much loved or delighted in . . let us neither love nor delight in any temporal things , otherwise than to hold it with a loose hand ; and let us follow the apostles advice , cor. . . to use this world as not abusing it ; for the fashion of this world passeth away . and st. john commands us in his first epistle , chap. . . that we should not love the world , nor the things that are in the world. we must be contented to part with all , when god in his good pleasure sees convenient . it was job's resolution , chap. . . the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away , and blessed be the name of the lord. chap. vii . of joy. concerning joy , rejoicing and mirth , the rules are , that god would not have us disconsolate , but to rejoice and be cheerful in him evermore , thess. . . melancholy , dejectedness , worldly sorrow , bitterness of spirit , and secret repining against god's providence , are dangerous symptoms of incredulity : for if , as the apostle says , rom. . . being justified by faith , we have peace of conscience , and cheerful access to god through christ ; there will be joy in the holy ghost : we shall rejoice in hope , and glory in our tribulations , being assured of a blessed issue thereof . . joy and rejoicing in god , in things divine and spiritual we are secure and happy . the end of temporal rejoicing , is many times clouded in sudden and unexpected sorrow . such was belshazzar's feast with a thousand of his princes , dan. . , , . the scene of joy was changed into sudden astonishment , at the sight of that dreadful hand which decypher'd his doom upon the palace wall. secular joy ▪ entertaineth deluded men , as that old lying prophet of bethel did the man of god , first feeding , then afflicting with the sad intimation of ensuing destruction , kings . , . acquaint thy self with true good , that thou mayst rejoice securely . they most delight in secular things , who are ignorant of eternal . . let not thy heart be too much transported with secular joy ; they that superabound in mirth and joy in prosperity , are too much cast down and dejected in adversity : for both extreams proceed from impotency of mind . in every exultation look with a thankful heart on the lord that gave it , and with a prudent heart on that which may quickly change this scene of mirth into heaviness . taste thy joy as the israelites did their passover , with bitter herbs , and prepared to be gone , exod. . . let the thoughts of sorrow season all thy mirth , lest a sudden surprizal astonish and vanquish thee : for foreseen dangers least prejudice the wise. . keep innocency and a good conscience : these shall comfort thee , as lamech said of his son noah , gen. . . the wise man tells you , prov. . . all the days of the afflicted are evil ; but he that is of a merry heart , that is , a good conscience , hath a continual feast . wicked mirth , sardonick laughter , and foolish jesting , as they demonstrate much levity , so do they dangerous uncomposedness , vanity and weakness of mind . in such laughter , the heart is sorrowful , says solomon , prov. . . and the end of that mirth , is heaviness : and eccl. . . behold , this also is vanity . again , the heart of the wise is in the house of moorning : but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth , eccl. . . . we read that christ wept over jerusalem , luke . . and over lazarus , john . . but we never read of his laughter : 't is a rare government of the mind to have mirth season'd with wisdom , wherein a prudent cheerfulness commendeth mirth , well regulated in an holy thankful use of that we enjoy , as the best of things , meerly secular : to imitate the austerity of cato , or the sullenness of crassus , who is reported to have laughed but once in his life ; or to be an ever weeping heraclite , or an ever laughing democritus , is to launch out into vain and unsafe extreams . indeed , of the two , tears are to be preferred before excessive laughter : for too much mirth is a symptom of folly , which fluctuates from the heart , and a true signet of forgetfulness , or ignorance of this mutable life . . and indeed voluptuousness is satan's hook which produces to destruction ; it is the mother of sin , and the nurse of the never dying worm : and as oil killeth insects , but vinegar restores them ; so joy and pleasure destroy incautious sinners ; but sharp afflictions safely cure them : so that they at last arrive to that apprehensive sense of understanding , that it is good for them to be afflicted , psal. . . never rejoice at anothers affliction , for it is odious to the almighty , and seldom evadeth such revenge as pointeth out the sin. . it is a maxim of wisdom to weigh the joy , which will prove an excellent gage for thy heart : for the prophet jeremy tells you , chap. . . that , the heart is deceitful above all things , and desperately wicked ; who can know it ? if thou rejoicest in evil , thy heart must be agreeable to it ; but if thou delightest in goodness , then a secret power and spirit of sanctity ruleth in thee . observe in musical instruments , how some strings sound at the moving of others , and accord very harmoniously : so it is with the strings of thy heart , which internally assenteth to any wicked external action . the uncircumcised heart rejoiceth at that obscenity that vexed righteous lot : the holy are cheerful and glad , like the wise merchant , matt. . , , . who when they find the treasure of god's inestimable mercy opened to them , go away rejoicing with that happy convert , acts . . while he that hath no interest therein , sitteth numbring the minutes , and thinking every divine exercise long ; goeth away either as ahab , with indignation , or with sorrow , like the rich young man in the gospel , matt. . . . dangerous perturbations of the mind , are in the dominion of sorrows ; and there is as much occasion of prudent rules to be used , as of a rudder in a storm . in every affliction , examine well thy heart for the cause : wherefore is the living man sorrowful ? man suffereth for his sin. let us search and try our ways , and turn again unto the lord , lam , . , . it is a vain attempt , and a high presumption to seek for any relief from affliction ; but by this means all other lenitives are as draughts of cold water in a hectick fit ; it is more inflaming , like david's harp to a moody saul , where the vexing spirit returneth with greater violence . . place thy sorrow upon sin , which is the right object : it is the vulgar error and danger of many , to be dejected for that loss which indeed cannot prejudice their bodies ; but take a delight in sin , which woundeth the soul , and may make them for ever unhappy . we many times grieve for that which should occasion us to rejoice . and st. paul tells us , rom. . . that all things work together for good ; and whom the lord loveth , he chasteneth , heb. . . next , let us consider the comfortable effects of god's chastisements ; it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness , unto them which are exercised thereby , heb. . . we are impatient and roar out as men under the hands of a skillful chirurgeon , when he exerciseth the lancet or cauterie to cure us . it was david's complaint , who said , i have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart , psal. . . yet in the issue confessed , it is good for me that i have been afflicted ; and declares this experience , before i was afflicted , i went astray , but now have i kept thy word , psal. . , . . give not thy heart over to excessive sorrow ; for there is a worldly sorrow to death ; and a sorrow to repentance not to be repented of , cor. . . exorbitant grief is like the immoderate overflowing of nilus , a presager of dangerous sterility . stand ready prepared for sharp encounters . ships are built to endure storms and raging seas . and prudent minds are composed to endure and make good use of sorrows . let every distress awaken thy mind to fly to thy redeemer : and then afflictions will appear like that rain which fell on the ark ; the more it poured down , the more that was lifted up , and saved from the fury of the waves : or like moses rod , to open a way through the briny floods , to our promised rest , exod. . , . chap. viii . of anger and malice . anger is an appetite of punishing any injuries received , or conceived : the product is malice , which is inveterate anger : the fruit of it is revenge , or at least a well-wisher to it ; but being weak it becomes vain . the accomplices are hatred and envy ; which shews an abhorrency to any thing which displeases our querulous palate ; for we think every thing , though good , and never so well performed , to be evil , because we may have an antipathy to the party that transacts them . . anger is an amarulency , embittering the soul : a turbulent passion , an usurped power , deposing the sovereignty of right reason : it is a spiritual infernal fire , the souls tyrant , the seed of malice , and an enemy to good council . it s rage is a precursor of destruction , ruin , and desolation ; a companion of misery , and the souls precipice . this affection is of so high a concernment , that some have writ whole tracts upon this subject : but my design in this treatise is only to consider the government of the mind and thought in relation to the service of god : with some rules of practice for the better performance of it . . there is an impious and fooolish anger ; whereof christ said , mat. . . whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause , shall be in danger of the judgment : and st. paul advises us , col. . . with this friendly exhortation , but now put off all these , anger , wrath , malice , &c. and the wise man philosophically informs you , that a stone is heavy , and the sand weighty ; but a fools wrath is heavier than both . and he gives you further notice , that wrath is cruel , and anger outragious , prov. . , . an example of which , we have in gen. . . when cain committed that fratricide upon abel : furthermore , solomon the chief anatomizer of anger , and dissecter of that passion , affirms , that an angry man stirreth up strife , and a foolish man aboundeth in transgressions : prov. . . and eliphaz the temanite , when he reproved job for cursing the day of his birth , admonish'd him in this phrase , that wrath killeth the foolish man , and envy slayeth the silly one . . there is a good anger , such as was in moses , exod. . . phinehas , numb . . . and nehemiah , nehem. . . without which there can be no zeal : for stoical apathie agreeth not with true religion : observe what a bee is without is sting , nothing but a drone ; even such is man which cannot , or will not be angry . some anger is necessary , which the holy spirit mentions , ephes. . . be ye angry , and sin not ; let not the sun go down upon your wrath . there is such use of this souls fire , that the inward man cannot subsist without it . but the skill is how to reduce it to practice : it must be as the celestial fire , wherewith the sacrifice was to be offered , which we may discern by these three distinctions : first , it is incensed only against sin , and that which any way displeaseth god , and obstructeth his service . secondly , it launcheth out only upon some particular causes and occasions , but not unadvisedly . thirdly , it goeth , like that burning lamp between the pieces of abraham's divided sacrifice , gen. . . that is , between the person , and the offence , proportionably loving the one , and hating the other : this being without gall and bitterness , but zealous in opposition to evil : for it is sin not to be angry with sin. . this affection is an excellent subservant to the mind , exciting the faculties ; it is fortitudes incentive , and zeals natural heat ; it is modesties centinel , and temperances guardian : and doth by an excellent allay of pleasure , contract the dilated heart and mind , with some unpleasing but profitable austerities ; which otherwise , would be exposed to dangerous and wicked temptations . chap. ix . rules of practice , concerning anger , and malice . in every apprehension of injury , look up to god , and say with david when shimei cursed him , let him curse for the lord hath bidden him , sam. . . consider if thou hast not offended thy maker , and provoked him to excite enemies against thee ; if upon thy inquest thou findest out the sin thou standest guilty of ; hasten and make thy peace betimes with him . think not thy self competent for greater matters , and all others inferiour to thee : that pride is like tinder in the heart , where every spark is apt to foment indignation , and kindle anger 's fire . be ever composed rather to bear an injury , than to retaliate it : indeed it is grievous to suffer ; but it is dangerous to requite it : seeing god saith , vengeance is mine , deut. . . . make a right use of all injuries : let them be as so many exercises to thy wisdom , meekness and patience ; and then thine enemy shall study to be thy friend : so that thou mayst express that with verity , which demosthenes affirmed but ironically , at his sentence of banishment : thy enemies are so courteous , that it is a very hard task to find anywhere so good friends . be angry with evil , and imitate the example of moses the meekest man , who was so provoked with the idolaters , that he expos'd many of them to the sword , exod. . . basil fitly compared this anger to a dog which barks at strangers , chases away wolves , and other instruments of evil , but forgets not to fawn on his master . . suffer not anger to be of a long duration , lest it engender into malice ; but take st. paul's advise , eph. . . let not the sun go down upon your wrath , neither give place to the devil . as he must do , who sleeps with his anger , which indeed is the devils anvil on which he forgeth his mischiefs . when we compose our bodies to rest , we commonly secure our fire from doing any harm ; and why should we be so negligent of that precious part , the soul , as to sleep with this fire of hell in our bosoms ? we are ignorant , when we close our eyes , whether we shall ever open 'em in this world , or have any time to agree with our adversary , before we appear at the great tribunal . . act nothing in furious anger ; but endeavour to allay it . a prudent man , will not put to sea in a storm , but will wait in expectation of fair weather : so in anger we must expect calm affections before we can act any thing prudently : we have a frequent proverb , and not unfit here to be used , that , a hasty man can never want wo : and solomon furnishes us with many , pertinent to our purpose , eccles. . . be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry : and prov. . . a fools wrath is presently known , and he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife , prov. . . and st. james gives this candid advice , in his epistle , chap. . . that we should be slow to speak , slow to wrath . . that advice was good which the philosopher prescribed to caesar , when you are angry , answer not , untill you have first repeated the letters of the alphabet : by that time the choler being a little digested , his judgment might be recollected , whose suddain excursion out of its seat of passion leaveth a man an incompetent judge ; for it is natural to frail mortality to think them evil , whom they have any antipathy against . architas considered well , when he said to his offending servant , 't is well for you that i am angry : and socrates , who in like case said , i would beat thee , but that i am angry . other passions , in extreams , discompose the mind , but anger precipitateth it : to be a master of other affections , demonstrateth him very moderate ; but to gain a conquest over anger declares him to be prudent . . in no passion do we more lose our friends , our advantages , our judgment , our selves ; nor give an enemy more advantage , than in anger . he is a fool that can be angry at nothing ; and he wise who will not at every thing : it is as great a vertue to conquer thy self , as it is to encounter with the fiercest lyon : he made a good choice who chose rather the meekness of moses , than the strength of sampson : he that hath vanquished his anger , hath gain'd the victory over a dangerous enemy . allay and overcome thine anger with reason , that chasing it with due revenge , it may prove justice 's hand-maid , not its mistress . . did we consider the dangerous effects it brings , we would hasten and wean our selves from it . i shall endeavour to give you a catalogue of some of the accomplices of anger , and then tell me whether it be not a passion of a pernicious consequence : to begin , it is a short madness , differing from it only in point of time ; it distorts the countenance , precipitates the mind , and so disturbeth the reason , that , for the time , it converts man to a beast : from hence prceed , the unguarded mouths , unbridled tongues ; reproaches , calumnies , contumelies , conflicts , and fruits of fury spring from that fountain : this whets the sword , and breaks the sacred bands of nature and religion , provoking men at that height by their assasinations to be butchers of men. . observe how a sudden deluge , sweeps along the verdant fields , and destroys the husband-mans most flourishing hopes ; even so rusheth the most impious deluge of anger into the mind , covering dangerously for the time , if not drowning the fairest plants of vertue , wisdom and temperance , under that bitterness of mind , and breathing of revenge , leaving neither venerable age , tender youth , nor any thing sacred or unspar'd . it depriveth thee of councel , rendreth thee obnoxious to thy friends , exposeth thee to thine enemies , and maketh thee altogether fruitless ; when patience and mildness would leave better impression and root , then the best precepts sowed in storms : in short , it makes thee assume the shape of an unjust judge , who correctest thy child , or servants fault with a greater fault of thine own intemperance . . desire and anger are the worst counsellers ; they not only disturb the soul , but deform the whole frame of the outward man : could the angry man but take a prospect of himself , and stedfastly behold , what change that passion worketh in his countenance , its impossible he could be enamoured with that distemper : he would find it as much altered from its native beauty , as the face of the thundring skie , differs from the lovely serene , or the enraging boysterous sea does from a pleasant calm : plato advised his scholars , when they were angry , to look into a glass : and if ever the odious spirit of satan looked out of the windows of man's face , 't is in his exhorbitant anger : what a deformity does it operate in the divine soul , obvious to the eye of god ? it brings along with it the same disadvantage , as those dogs of the prophane donatists , whom they fed with the bread of the holy eucharist ; for which they escaped not , without an evident sign of gods justice ; for the dogs were so inflamed with raging madness that they fastened upon their own masters , as strangers and enemies , tearing them with revenging teeth : even so it often comes to pass that impious anger , destroyeth the angry . . he that can by a regular reason , bridle his anger , reaps great advantage : first , in point of pacification , according to solomons counsel , prov. . . a soft answer turneth away wrath. secondly , in respect of victory ; for as the patient man enclineth the prudent as witnesses to his party ; so that shall more foil the outragious and violent with meekness , than by retaliation of injuries and contumelies : in which sense , what solomon says , confirms it for a truth , a soft tongue breaketh the bone , prov. . . next , thy councel better recovereth its seat by thy forbearance , and thou losest nothing of thy interest , by delaying that which thou once must express , or act . to conclude , in the most just occasions of anger , remember god's indulgence with thee : be not like that evil servant , who having found much mercy would shew none , lest thy judgment be equivolent , matth. . . . malice is the venom of the old dragon ; satan's bitter influence on the wicked , and his lively image in them . it is the fire of hell breaking out on the men of this world : it is the mother of revenge , and symptome of an unregenerate heart , the affection of a reprobate mind , the devils leaven , which must be purged out of those , who will communicate with christ our passover . malice , is the fuel of god's anger , and an obstruction to his mercy , who cannot justifie the malicious , for what he has said is just and true , mat. . . if ye forgive not men their trespasses , neither will your father forgive you . and seeing it is wholly disagreeable with the love of god ; therefore it is impossible , as st. john says , to love god , and hate thy brother , john . . concerning which , i need prescribe no other rule , than this ; if malice possess thy heart , then desert all pretences and immediately cast it out , if ever thou hopest to enter into that kingdom , where inhabits all love , peace and tranquility , with joy unspeakable , and full of glory . chap. x. of envy . envy is an inveterate grief at others welfare and prosperity ; and an evil perturbation of the mind , so odious , that to expose it to view , is a motive sufficient to make us loath and detest it : it is a tare of the wicked 's sowing , and worthy of divine revenge and punishment ; it is an impediment to piety , a path to hell , and a secluder from the kingdom of heaven : it is a pernicious attendant to posterity , a vanity and vexation of spirit , eccles. . . a fruit of unregeneration , rom. . . it is the daughter of self-love and pride , the result of carnal minds , cor. . . a work of the flesh , gal. . . it is an obstruction of edification , and growth by the sincere milk of gods word , pet. . , . . it is a blasphemous censure of the most high , whose judgment it dissalloweth , secretly murmuring and repining at his providence , who wisely disposeth of all things in heaven and earth , setting up and pulling down , and distributing to every one , according to his good pleasure , dan. . . to display it farther , it is a diabolical wisdom , a companion of confusion and every evil work , james . , , . it is the mischievous canker , which nippeth the choicest buds of vertue , attempting either to cloud them with incredulity , by reason the envious cannot attain thereto , or labouring to blast them with impious calumnies . . i need not here cite the example of antigones , and teutamus , conspiring against the truly noble eumenes ; or of philip's sycophants against aratus : nor of domitians envying agricola his worth : nor saul's envying david , cain abel , rachel her sister , the patriarchs joseph : seeing it is manifest that christ jesus , in whom were all perfections , was envyed . there 's nothing so little , but stimulateth it : nothing so sacred or high , but this hellish fury will flie at . joseph's party-coloured coat awaken'd it , and it was vigilant to strike at the saviour of the world : the natals hereof were in lucifer , envying god's monarchy , and ambitious to share in his sovereignty . . natural historians acquaint us of some countries free from serpents ; but who can inform me of any barren of envy ? i doubt it is the common plague that visits all places : like those croaking plagues of egypt , which did not spare pharoahs bed-chamber ; it deludeth the country with false opticks , thinking our neighbours fields more fruitful than our own : 't is a monster ; not of gods making , but born of depraved affections , as anger , fear , jealousie , self-love , which creates indignation , if another attain to a happy and prosperous condition : envy thinks all the world too little for its own orifice : all this availeth me nothing , so long as i see mordecai the jew sitting at the kings gate ; said ambitious haman in his envy , esth. . . and again , to whom would the king delight to do honour more than to my self , chap. . . chap. xi . arguments to be considered , by way of dissuasion against envy . that envy hurteth the invidious most , is apparent , that there is not a greater torment invented by the worst of tyrants : nothing can be more unjust to others , nor nothing more just to themselves . the serpent's poyson infecteth not himself ; but envy proves fatal to them that embrace it : for as the moth eateth the garment which breeds it ; and as the rust consumes the iron , so envy preys upon the mind that entertains it . it is more miserable that can be expressed ; for it is not only afflicted with its own misfortune , but it is disquieted at others exhiliration : whatever is a pleasure to others , is but a torment to him . another man's store , is the envious man's want ; another man's health , is his sickness ; and another man's praises , his reputed dishonour . . other sins have some remisness , anger will waste it self in time : hatred may be extinguished in the end , but envy never ceaseth : fierce lyons are tamed and become tractable , but the envious grow worse and worse . the more christ did good to the jews , curing their sick , healing their infirm , and bestowing the words of eternal life upon them , the more destructively did they envy him . it is the canker that blasteth friendship : the corruption of life and plague of nature . it is the devil 's incentive to rebellion , who when he could not in his malice hurt god , assailed man : for it instigated cain to murder his brother abel ; and the jews to crucifie the saviour of the world. . besides , it hath irrational effects : it would stop up the fountains , and vail the sun-beams : it regardeth neither bounds of natural civility , or religion . rachel envied her sister , gen. . jacob's sons their brother joseph , gen. . . the jews , the very preaching and hearing the gospel , acts . . it is the rottenness of the bones , prov. . . it slayeth the silly , job . . and lastly , it excludeth from heaven ; for what should envy lay claim to so bless'd a habitation ; where there is nothing but love and rejoicing in each other's happiness ? . furthermore , it is a perverse distemper of a diseased mind , rendring the envious his viewing of the good of others , as it were with sore eyes grieved with seeing . it delighteth and triumpheth in men's miseries : as flies feed themselves upon others ulcers , so the envious propose to themselves a pleasant entertainment by discoursing upon others misfortunes and afflictions : and to set a gloss upon their hypocrisie , they will sometimes personate the compassionate and merciful , and like subtil alchymists , pretend to extract pity , when indeed it is only to stretch their malice to a larger extent , by which means it might not be acquainted with any limitations . . sometimes proteus like , they will pretendedly act on the theatre of justice ; then will they seem zealous of laws , and due punishment of delinquents , when indeed they do but pervert judgment into wormwood , and kill or rob by authority , whom they durst not assassinate or assault by the sword , or open violence . sometimes they will assume larget pretences of sanctity , appearing like the devil at endor , in the prophet samuel's mantle , performing some things externally good , whereby they may atchieve some greater evil. even so the false apostles preached christ , of meer envy to st. paul , that they might add more affliction to his bonds , phil. . , . . it is at best but a fruit of the flesh , gal. . . meer folly , tit. . . devilish , sensual , earthly , st. james , . , . a dangerous signal of a reprobate mind , given up to destruction , rom. . , . the most that envy can acquire towards its own satisfaction , is to mourn when others rejoice , and possibly to hurt temporally , with its own external destruction of body and soul. to define it further , it is no better than the spirit of satan reigning in the envious . . this mischief sometimes craftily steals on incautious good men : as joshua was envied , for moses's sake , num. . , . and the psalmist confesseth , my feet , saith he , were almost gone , for i was envious at the foolish , when i saw the prosperity of the wicked , psal. . , . the prophet jeremiah and habakkuk , were a little infected with this contagion , which the scripture as a monitor , admonisheth all men to beware of that snare , which entrapped such good men. . the acts thereof are inconsistent with right reason , if we respect the supream giver of that which stimulateth envy ; for how irrational a presumption is it in man , to controll the providence of god ? if jacob's eyes wax dim with age , and would not permit his dear joseph to alter the imposition of his hands , or to transpose the blessing at his pleasure , how much less will the all-seeing god , permit the envious man to pervert his hands ? next we must respect the quality of the envied ; is he evil whom thou enviest ? then thy compassion is summon'd to pity him , because his sin represents him more wretched than all the world can do . is he good ? how guilty then must thou be in envying his felicity ? chap. xii . remedies against envy . endeavour to put on christ , and then thou art sure to chase away envy . it is the apostle's rule , rom. . , . let us walk honestly as in the day , not in strife and envying , but put ye on the lord jesus christ , and make not provision for the flesh , to fulfil the lusts thereof . strive by a holy imitation , to follow the example of thy lord and master , who was meek and lowly in heart , and envied no man , matt. . . christ loved all respectively : for love envieth not , cor. . . if we love for the sake of him who first loved us , we shall never be perplexed for any competent blessings he in his good pleasure bestows , but should rather wish them greater : we shall wash off that guilt of undervaluing others , and abandon that presumption of over-rating our selves ; and this sort of ambition which acts contrary to these remedies , reigns only in the dominion of the envious . . the meek moses was so free from pride and ambition , that he reprehended those that envied for his sake ; and wisht that all god's people could prophesie ; and besought the lord , that he would put his spirit upon them , num. . . discipline thy self in god's school , for there is the best and safest cure of emulation . it was a paradox to david , psal. . . vntil saith he , i went into the sanctuary of god ; then understood i their end . there thou mayst learn not to value transitory things too much ; to consider well his hand , which setteth up , and pulleth down : to refer all thy desires to the advancement of his glory ; and humbly to acknowledge , and in a high manner express thy thankfulness for those favours of providence he hath conferred on thee ; having the possession of these thoughts , thou mayest quite banish envy . . next consider where thou placest thy enmity . the psalmist found in the sanctuary , that his enemies were not to be envyed : surely , said he , thou didst set them in slippery places : thou castedst them down to destruction , psal. . . let not this memento flip out of thy mind , that god mixeth bitter with sweetness to all in this life . one hath great riches , but no child to enjoy it ; nor perhaps a generous heart to make use of those goods of fortune god hath been pleased to bestow upon him ; another is in perfect bodily health , but his soul may be sick unto death : others contrive and hoard up wealth , but with such a seared conscience , that the poorest saint is incomparably more happy . another is advanced to honours , perhaps only to make his fall the greater . another in divers respects may be very prosperous in the eye of the world ; but may resemble the moon , who is most tenebrous towards heaven , when she illuminates the earth . so it is with man very observable . that the greater lustre they shine with in the eye of the world , the more despicable they are in the sight of heaven ; for god abhorreth all those pomps and vanities , and layeth up such severe judgments for the owners , that a soul in the midst of torments is as proper an object of envy , as the glittering shadows , who are hasting thither . . o let us not forget then that we are brethren , members of one body , whereof christ jesus is the head ; therefore let us with all gentleness and meekness take st. paul's advice , gal. . . brethren , if a man be over-taken in a fault , restore such a one in the spirit of meekness , considering thy self , lest thou also be tempted . let us support one another through love , and mutually rejoice at each others happiness ; and by these means we shall cast away the works of darkness , strife and envy . chap. xiii . of impatience . impatience is a distemper of the mind , proceeding from several causes , as indignation , anger , envy , sorrow , apprehension of injuries , affliction , deluded hopes , and the like . as the diseased body cannot endure heat or cold ; so an impatient , and discontented mind , cannot comply with prosperity , or adversity . every present estate seemeth uneasie , wanting a true relish to make it palatable ; it is not only a guilt , but a punishment of the sin of ingratitude against god ; therefore the almighty threatned to send them trembling hearts , sorrow of mind , and pendulous thoughts , and fears , deut. . , , . in the morning thou shalt say , would god it were evening : and at even thou shalt say , would god it were morning . . sick of this wayward distemper was he , who being at rome , lik'd tyber best , but when at tyber gave rome the preference ; the sick person shifteth rooms and beds , as the wounded hart flieth from brake to brake , but can find no ease , whilst the fatal arrow , that messenger of death sticks fast in his side . so it is observable malecontents waver , between contempt of the present , and vain hopes of the future . but coelum , non animum mut at , he transmueth the air , not his mind ; that crosseth the ocean . wherever thy progress is , thy mind bears thee company , and according to its malignancy , a proportionable remedy must be applied . . trivial matters doth not perturb the the healthy , but a small accident discomposeth the sick. the sound and strong man can rest any where , but to the infirm , a bed of gold , or wood , produces the same ease ; and a rich palace , or a poor cottage , affords him equality of rest . so it is observable , a fixed and stable mind will rest contented any where ; he is become a proficient , and can say with st. paul , i have learned in whatsoever state i am , therewith to be content , phil. . . and a mind so serene and calm , is health to the sick , enlargement to the prisoner , and far excells a kingdom to the possessor ; whereas the impeteous mind is troubled and discomposed with every trifle . i do well , said pievish jonah , to be angry even unto death , jonah . . and all this morosety was but for a poor gourd , when at that juncture he ought to have been more concerned at so many thousand lives , which were near destruction . . to cure this , no cataplasm externally applyed can afford any operation ; but it must be a catholicon internally used , which must purge the mind of these malignant perturbations which disaffect it , and to strengthen it by a right informatio● of the understanding , and rectifying th● distempered affections , untill the mind enjoy a calm of patience . and indeed patience is a magnanimous vertue , and attended with a train of ●piritual qualifications ▪ first , it is afflictions cordial , and despair antidote , the daughter and nurse of hope , rom. . . and the saints communio● with christ , rev. . . it is the way to th● inheritance , heb. . . the seal of salv●tion , pet. . . a symptome of fait● and hope in christ , thess. . . patienc● is an equanimity in bearing adversity ; an● a fruit of charity : and the apostle gi●● you this certificate , that the fruit of th● spirit is love , joy , peace , long-suffering , ga● . . and charity suffereth long , cor. . . . impatience is a perturbation of the mind , a self-corroding , tormenting bitterness of the soul , proceeding from impotency , or levity of mind : a secret contest with , and repining at the providence of god. it is the absurdity of rich men , and the vexation of the poor : the mother of despair , and sad fury of the internal habitation ; every room , and recess thereof , it disturbeth with hideous cries , like ziim and ohim , doleful beasts in the desolations of babylon , isai. . . . it is a folly and sober distraction , wherein the deseased mind rejecteth all wholesome prescriptions ; it rebelleth against the physician , and lacerateth open its own wounds ; it is an heart-corroding canker , the internal man's woolf , which devoureth that which feedeth it ; the worm which gnaweth the soul , which prometheus-like , cherisheth the vulture which afflicteth it , and delighteth in that which grieves it : nor is the best of men free from this distemper , for david with his soul made this inquest , why art thou so sad , o my soul , and why art thou so disquieted within me , psal. . . . our blessed saviour , who was free from sin , who bare all our sorrows , in the sense of his father's wrath , acknowledged , that his soul was heavy to the death : and wrestling with that most unknown passion , cryed out upon the cross , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? he could no otherwise be sensible of hell torments , ( due to us ) in his humane soul , than by losing the present sense of the deities assistance , which wheresoever it is , makes eternal happiness : he lost in that agony a present sense , not an indeficient interest : for even then , he called god , his god ; which demonstrated a vast distance between the impatience , of desperate and irrecoverable sinners , and the estate of those good men who are under tribulation for the infirmity of their souls : the just man may be compared to the israelites , marching with the egyptians through the red-sea , where there is a way opened to their promised rest , but the waters return with a full force and drown the enemy . . as to this malady we must not plead ignorance , but be sensible that it groweth gradually : first , in unadvised anger mix● with sorrow ; which are the seminaries of impatience : next , it goes forward , to a dislike of every accident and estate ; from thence to an internal repining : so like a gangren , it invadeth the souls vitals , hope , content , and a cheerful dependance upon god's providence , and then marches forward to violent despair ; so that it behoves a man highly to prevent this danger by checking its primitive motions ; and learning to make a prudent use of every affliction , and to expel all those discomposed thoughts which nourish it ; likewise to practise in the whole course of life , that christian patience , and moderation , which becometh those , who depend on the providence of god : some motives to it , i shall shew in the next chapter . chap. xiv . motives to patience and contentedness . first , god commandeth us , by his holy apostle in several places ; as rom. . . thess. . . tim. . . heb. . . and david earnestly perswades us to this duty , psal. . from the first , to the fourteenth verse . secondly , consider well the disadvantages of impatience , and the advantages of patience ; seneca was of that good opinion , that no man could be happy who did not think himself so : it imports not what thy condition is , if thou thinkest it evil ? the patient man is happy in every estate ; because god will hear him , psal. . . and the wise man gives this result , eccles. . . the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit . and the apostle gives us this assurance , rom. . . that the lord will give him eternal life . and the evangelist gives us this encouragement , by patience a man possesseth his own soul , luke . . all affliction to him is but a wholesome bitter potion , which he freely swalloweth , as being prescribed to operate his cure , and to produce him the quiet fruits of righteousness , heb. . . the apostle likewise tells you , tim. . . that godliness with contentment is great gain . . patience allays a ponderous burden , and makes it easie ; and therein defeateth the adverse party ; the product of whose injury is the perplexity and impatience of the injured . when job exercised his affliction with patience , satan was foiled at his own weapon . as ballast , if it be well placed that it cannot move , or shoot , the sailing ship rides secure ; but if otherwise , she is foundred : even so it is with patience in the soul. it was a blessed victory obtained at job's first encounter , at which the angels of heaven could do no less than give a plaudite ; for when satan had fully charged him with all his machinations , and job had received all those fierce blows on his shield of patience ; he made this meek reply , the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the lord : and the holy ghost thus testifieth , in all this job sinned not , job . , . and job was happy in being so great a victor ; and happy are all they who imitate that invincible patience in their sufferings . . those who are impatient , must submit to that term of being evil ; and the almighty will not lend an ear to them : they are by every condition made worse , being authors of their own misery ; and make their own burdens intollerable , by striving under that , which no violence can cast off : they are satan's captives , introducing their fretful impatience only to adorn his triumphs ; they prove scorns to men , who can no less than deride , if not loath that morosity , and peevish waywardness , which causeth the impatient malecontent neither to enjoy friends nor himself . an example we have of that mirror of impatience diogenes the cynick , who being asked by alexand●r the great , if he lacked any thing ; to which he morosely replyed yea , i do , stand out of my light. now whether he embraced this churlish humour , to profess himself a votary to his own passions , or to lay claim to an equal capacity and right of contemning his friends greatness , as much as he slighted his poverty ; that i cannot expostulate : but he chose rather to inhabit in a tub , than expect the delayed beneficence of him that promised to build him a house : and certainly by this his impatience , he reaped no advantage . . consider that momentary afflictions are of no duration : if all the world , men and devils , conspired to vex and molest thee , they could not long make thee an object of their fury and malice . the apostle like a good prognostick foretells our necessities , heb. . . ye have need of patience , that after ye have done the will of god , ye might receive the promises : for yet a very little while , and he that shall come , will come , and will not tarry . then blessed are all they , who with meekness and a patient confidence expect him . be therefore patient , stablish your hearts : for the coming of the lord draweth nigh , james . . heaviness may endure for a night , but joy cometh in the morning , psal. . . however the longest day as its due must accept of a period : and the most tedious misery of a good christian shall have such a counsumation as may render him happy . . consider the extent of thy suffering : perhaps thou art envied without cause : thou owest thanks to god for that conformity to his dear son : thou art oppressed , plundred , imprisoned , exiled : but yet thou hast not resisted unto blood ▪ thou art listed , and enrolled a souldier under christ's banner ; in whom believing and patiently bearing tryall , thou canst not miscarry ; and dost thou recoil at those military charges , which have not exposed thy life to danger ? what if heavens general drew thee out , and posted thee for one of the forlorn hope of martyrdom , and the fiery tryal ? wouldst thou desert the service ? or complain of danger ? . consider nothing is befallen you , but what is common to many : paulus aemilius well observed in his sudden victory over perseus , that there is nothing durable in this world : dost thou in the loss of some secular comfort , cry with the afflicted . church , behold , and see , if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow , lam. . . if it be any comfort to have partners in mighty wo , consider well that thousands of others suffer at a higher rate : as he said , who , to comfort an embittered friend , as they beheld a populous city from the house top , considered how many heavy hearts , and weeping eyes , are now under these roofs ? from hence may be learned , that in thy afflictions , thou art not singular . . consider that many good christians excelling thee in perfections , have had a greater share of afflictions than thou couldst undergo : and st. james makes no scruple in his chap. v. . but that ye have heard of the patience of job : and therein the issue of patience : god deliver'd him to satan : behold he is in thine hand , job . . yet all that the devils malice could inflict upon him , redounded the more to illustrate his happiness : for the almighty had pronounced him righteous , and knew his strength was of that extent , loud enough to proclaim him a champion . if saul was unwilling to expose david to an unequal conflict , shall we think the almighty would hazzard us , if we were not certain to gain the conquest ? he will not venture thee into the lists , without his grace , which makes thee invincible : he views thy tryals with delight , and has a proportionable reward always ready . . therefore be not deceived nor discouraged , they are not miserable , whose sufferings are ample : 't is honourable to receive wounds in war ; for scars are honors characters , written in the face and breast of the valiant : enquire into thy own heart , and then thou canst not but express thy thankfulness , for his afflicting thee so lightly ; for no man is so miserable as wicked . consider the issue of afflictions , and the end why god afflicteth thee . the physician prescribes not bitte● pills , nor doth the surgeon exercise his lance● or cautery to kill , but to cure the patient . so god doth not delight in the death or afflictio● of a sinner , but he permitteth thee to wee● now , to prevent eternal weeping hereafter ▪ it is not thy misery that affects him , but th● health ; and he prescribeth such bitter things as are proper to thy malady ; and if lenitiv● physick , or a less quantity would effect the operation , he would not have exhausted one dra● or scruple more than he thought necessary . . patients undergo much under physicians skills , when their promising helps ar● uncertain ; how much rather ought we pat●ently to submit our selves under the hand 〈◊〉 god , who will not fail of his promise to us ▪ but upon serious consideration , thou reportest that this objection will arise , that tho● invocatest him for help , and he heareth not : t● which i answer , that it is god's infinit● mercy not sometimes to hearken to thy request , but to fulfil his own will and pleasure in order to thy salvation . thus the almighty , who is the great physician of souls , deals indulgently with all his patients . . seeing then calamity is often the discipline of virtue ; shall his stomach be averse to the antidote , who greedily swallowed down the poyson ? all impatience receives its nativity from satan , who conspires by all his treasonable diabolical arts to poyson the soul of man , and to plunge him into the pit of despair , and by rebellion to murmur at the taste of the marahs of affliction ; for it is very infallible , that satan envies the image of god in man , and is displeased when god bestows his favours on frail mortality . strive therefore in storms of misery , to calm thy mind , and be patient under every affliction ; which that thou mayst the better do , observe these rules laid down in the next chapter . chap. xv. rules for contentment . love and honor god above all things , and thou wilt not repine at any order of his providence . it was the saying of old eli , it is the lord , let him do what seemeth him good , sam. . . when we express our love to god in a regular manner ; we shall truly discern that all his judgments are just , and what he inflicts on us . his fatherly corrections , are the products of his love and wisdom for our amendment , who therefore correcteth every son , out of an earnest desire , that none should perish ; and he that indulgeth himself to his pleasure , profit , or ease , and omitteth his duty towards god , must needs be impatient of any loss which may befall him . next to thy maker , love thy neighbor as thy self ; and a trifling injury shall not molest thy quiet . . let us take the apostles advice , to be content with necessaries , tim. . . having food and raiment , let us be therewith content . and what can the richest treasures of princes afford them more than tranquility of mind ? it was a prudent speech of that indian king taxiles , to the invading alexander , what occasion have we , said he , to fight and wage war one with another , if thou comest not to take away our water , and our necessaries , by which we must subsist ? as for other goods , if i abound more in riches than you , i am ready to acquit some of them to you ; and if i have less , i will not think scorn to receive from you the like favour . and i would to god that all societies of men were so happily composed . . frequently and thankfully recount what god hath done , and still doth for thee . foolish men by their impatience , create an over-sight , and look through false opticks upon their happy estates ; and reversing often something to nothing , by which means showers of blessings are turned into curses , which brings a severe doom upon themselves . 't is the part of a fool rather to mourn for a loss , than rejoice for any profit , or gain . many reckon what they are not possessed of , not what they enjoy beyond many thousands that are dignified because , prudential and more thankful : they imagine their morose humor must not be contradicted , and their sweets must not be mixed with bitter ; but i may say to them , as job said to his wife , tempting him , thou speakest as one of the foolish women ; what , shall we receive good at the hands of god , and shall we not receive evil ? job . . . in all discontents look up to him , who is the author and finisher of our faith , christ jesus : consider that he suffered and underwent what thou couldst not perform ; yet not for himself , for he knew no sin ; but it was to work thine and the world's salvation : if through faith in him , thou canst have peace with god , thou shalt not only bear , but rejoice in tribulation , knowing as the apostle says , that it worketh patience , rom. . . if thou wilt preserve innocency and a good conscience , thou wilt advantageously acquire peace and contentment of mind , which shall compose thee in the midst of tumults in things external : but as a seditious city , or a discorded house cannot be happy ; so a discorded mind , cannot be at unity in it self . . keep within the jurisdiction of thy proper business , employment , or calling . undertake not , neither propound to thy self any thing too great for thy management . over-grasping thy hand , enervates it , and torments it with fruitless pain : and aiming too ambitiously , crucifies the heart , when they fall from the precipice of their vain proposals . art thou endowed with riches ? actively offer them to that use for which they were sent ; which is god's glory . is thy fortune slender ? contract thy mind within its limits , which is to necessity , not opinion : we read of a philosopher in his journey , which drank water in his hand , and cry'd out , with how few vtensiles is nature content ! i could wish many would follow his example , that they might enjoy that peace and tranquility of mind . . but many become their own tormenters and authors of their own discontents , proposing such strange fabricks of their babels , erecting airy castles and towers to heaven ; adding house to house , and land to land , province to province , and kingdom to kingdom ; chasing for their main concernments in the dangerous attempts of doubtful adventures , grandeur , and affluence of riches . they go remote to find that which with prudence may be produced at home , in our own bosoms , which is to be satisfied in that which god hath allotted for us , with a contented mind . . it was remarked of pyrrhus that active epirot , that fortune made him happy enough with sufficiency , to live peaceably at home , if he could have contented himself only with the sovereignty over his own subjects : but his insatiable avarice , ( which neither the sea , mountains , inhabitable deserts , nor the confines which separate asia from europe could limit ) instigated him perpetually to seek out new matter of trouble to himself and others : which his faithful friend cineas , did once prudently , tho without effect , intim●●● 〈◊〉 him , whereupon new overtures of honourable and profitable undertakings for the tarentines , occasioned by cineas quaeres . pyrrhus had said , when we have overcome the romans , there can neither - grecian nor barbarous city in all the country withstand us , but we shall conquer all the rest of italy with ease . and what shall we do then , ( said cineas ? ) pyrrhus replying , telleth him of conquering commodious sicily . again he demanded , that being won , shall our wars end ? pyrrhus replied , the way was then open enough to attain great conquests , and who would not afterwards go into africk , and so to carthage ? but when we have all in our hands , ( said cineas ) what shall we do in the end ? we will then ( good cineas , said he ) be quiet and take our ease , make feasts every day , and be as merry one with another as we can possibly . cineas having brought him to that point , said to him , my lord , what hindereth us now to be quiet and merry together , since we enjoy that presently without farther travel and trouble , which we should now go seek for abroad with such shedding of blood , and so manifest dangers ? and we know not whether we shall ever attain unto it , after we have both suffered , and caused others to suffer infinite sorrows and troubles . . learn to obtain a faithful dependance on gods providence . this ground of content the holy ghost proposeth , heb. . . let your conversation be 〈◊〉 covetousness , and be content with such things as ye have ; for he hath said , i will never leave thee , nor forsake thee . when men too much depend on second causes , they are impatient at every cross. they would impiously prescribe god the time , as jehoram would , kings , . . and rebellious israel , exod. . . or in the means , as naaman , kings , . . but in assurance that god will never fail us , we must patiently expect his help . in every affliction remember that god beholdeth thee , and his providence will give the issue with the tryal . . art thou in want , which excites thy discontent ? then call to mind what thou broughtest into this world , and what thou shalt carry out : thou hast not such possessions , houses , riches , apparel as some have ; yet no man liveth so poor as he was born. this was that which that exemplar of patience said in all his losses , naked came i out of my mothers womb , and naked shall i return thither , job . . so st. paul maketh it a ground of his exhortation to contentedness , we brought nothing into this world , and it is certain we shall carry nothing out , tim. . . kings and princes are cast out naked in the day of their nativity , and are beheld as weeping little masters of the world. the great saladine will inform you what they carry hence ; who ordered , that at his funeral one should carry a shirt or winding-sheet , on the point of an advanced lance , and go before the herse and proclaim thus , saladine the conqueror of the east , carrieth hence with him only this of all that he hath gotten . . feed not the bitter humour of discontents , for the growths thereof are sad and dangerous . give not over thy mind to heaviness , and afflict not thy self in thine own counsel , ecclus. . . the exhileration of the heart is the life of a man , and prolongeth his days . some minds are like the sea , which instantly turneth sweet showers into its own bitterness ; because they indulge to impatience , pleasing themselves with that which tormenteth them : but the prudent in every affliction , elevate their souls to god , seeking comfort in him , and consider of the life to come ; where there shall be no more curse , rev. . . no more discontent , but every heart shall be filled with joy. a prayer for patience and contentment . most gracious god , i humbly acknowledge thy fatherly goodness , in measuring to me those corrections which my sins daily provoking thy justice , most justly deserve ; and thy stupendious . mercy in sparing me , whom in thy severity thou mightest not only have made the most miserable of all men living , but mightest have cast me into that lake , which burns with fire and brimstone . lord , as thou hast in a bleeding jesus afforded me this mercy , so for his sake blot out the hand-writing of all my offences : lay no more upon me than thou wilt enable me to bear ; and never suffer me , frail dust and ashes for any temptation , to fall from thee , but give me a blessed issue out of every tryal . . and o holy father , correct me not in thine anger , lest i perish in thy fierce wrath ; neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure , lest i am utterly consumed . let thy corrections work in me a true sense and detestation of all my sins ; a filial fear to offend thee , and a fixed resolution to love and serve thee more carefully for the future : to this end , i humbly beseech thee give me assurance of my justification by christs righteousness ; my attonement with thee , and such a peace of conscience , as the world can never give nor take from me ; that i may adore thee above all , and render thee a sincere thankfulness for all thy mercies temporal and eternal ; entertaining always in my heart that assurance of my saviour , who suffered such great great , things for me , that he will not suffer me to fall under any of satans conflicts . . lord sanctifie all my afflictions to me by thy good spirit : cast out of my soul all those sins and corruptions which lye lurking to betray me to ruin : let the sum and height of my ambition be only to be thine ; give me a prudent and contented heart in every estate and condition , a faithful dependance on thy good providence , in assurance that thou who hast promised , will never fail me , nor forsake me ; that in every affliction , i may expect thy gracious deliverance . give me patience and meekness of spirit , that i may in the midst of all my troubles , find rest to my soul : let not my heart be fixed on transitory things , but on things which are above , where christ my peace , sitteth at thy right hand making intercession for me . . chase from me all impatience , bitterness of spirit , diffidence , and the secret murmurings of flesh and blood. let thy holy spirit , the comforter , dwell in me to keep and counsel me in all affairs and interests spiritual and temporal : let his joyful presence so sweeten all those marahs of affliction which thy providence shall appoint in my way to the promised rest . o let me ever rejoice in thee , and in every estate live cheerfully before thee , untill thou in thy good pleasure bring me unto the fulness of eternal joys in thy blessed presence , where thou wilt wipe away all tears from my eyes : make me glad with the light of thy countenance , and unite me to that triumphant society of saints and angels , which in perfect harmony sing their halelujahs to thee eternally , through jesus christ , my only saviour and redeemer . amen . chap. xvi . of hope . he is not living in the world that is void of hope : the child hopes to arrive to manhood , the aged to linger out a year longer : the poor hopes for wealth ; the sick for health : the imprisoned for liberty : and the afflicted that joy may be the scene of the morning : hope induces the husband-man to sow , and manure his ground , the weary traveller to endure his tedious ways , and the experienced swimmer to spread his tyred arms upon the death-threatning waves : thus is the whole span of man's life employed , in suffering and hoping . . but in hopes , there 's a vast difference : as for example , the human vain hope is of all others the most pernicious : such a hope is but the denomination of an uncertain good ; 't is a treacherous guide , leading to desperate precipices ; the ignis fatuus of the mind and the waking man's dream . it was the tempters artifice first to assail man's innocency , with vain hope grounded on a lying promise ; without this flash of vanity , satan had never gain'd so many vassals . imprimis , he sheweth the forbidden fruit ; and in a wicked elegancy preached this doctrin , in the day ye eat thereof ye shall be as gods , gen. . . thus was unhappy man caught by this alluring bait. . so he accosted the second adam , the lord of glory , when he represented to him the kingdoms and glory of the world , matth. . . satan still makes it is his business to give us a prospect of false heavens , to precipitate us into a true hell ; suggesting vain hopes that he might deprive us of the real : there is none commits the least sin , but a train of vain hopes attends it : several instances we have , as in cain's murder , amnons lust , judas's treason , or achitophel's despair : the sinner many times hopes for some other product of his resolutions , than from the sin he transacts . . the worst have not lost their hopes of some good ; but all their wishes are in vain : for the hopes of the wicked are often frustrated , but the justice of the most just judge cannot . we must expect from reason's providence ; and when time's glass is fully run , there must be something future , all which carries the face of goodness ; yet so flattering a liberty is self-hopes , that every man , especially the juvenile , who are least acquainted with fascination , and constant inconstancy of the world , relying much on hope , and depending little on memory , promise themselves great things : but when the malignants sing requiems to their souls , sudden destruction is the more terrible in its assault , by reason it poured upon them unsuspectedly ; the hypocrites hope shall perish ; their hope shall be sorrow of mind , job . . . and truly such is worldly confidence in an evil conscience : however it may appear to have purchased thee a covenant with death , and an agreement with hell , isai. . . yet it will deceive thee : however it fawns , and promises long life , and vigour in an arm of flesh , and the vain councels of men , raising thy hopes to high flights ; yet they are but phantasms of deluded men , and create an eruption in the midst of their full career , delivering up their mind to dangerous convulsions ; and by the ascent , is cast down from so high a pinacle , as renders the fall the more desperate : how often do despairing wretches wish they had never hoped , when the vanity of it is plainly demonstrated , like pharoah's chariot-wheels , they fall off , where they are most deeply engaged , between floods of returning miseries , exod. . . . now i come to shew you , there is a hope of the righteous , which never fails ; this is a prudent expectation of future happiness ; fulfilling of his promises who is yea , and amen , both in this life , and that which is to come . this is a vertue infused into our hearts by gods holy spirit , who cannot deceive , as the psalmist confirms it , psal. . . be of good courage , and he shall strengthen your heart , all ye that hope in the lord. the eye of the lord is upon them , psal. . . and they trust in him ▪ who will certainly perform his promise and thrice happy are they in whom the lord taketh pleasure , their expectation shall be gladness . . solomon says , they have hope in death , prov. . . and the apostle tells you , they are saved thereby , rom. . . hopes in any creature may be frustrated , but hope in god maketh not ashamed ; for he is good to all them that trust in him , lam. . , . this hope is not humane , or conjectural , liable to fraudulency , but theologically grounded on the infallible word of god , in whom is only our confidence , psal. . . now the object of this hope , is what god has promised ; remission of sins , grace , glory , and all things necessary for this present life , and the future ; and the instrumental motive is justifying faith , from whence it springs ; for the apostle tells you , heb. . . faith is the substance of things hoped for . the supream end , god's glory ; the subordinate , our own salvation , and present comfort , whereby we may effectually offer up our thankfulness to god to who begetteth us again to a lively hope in christ , pet. . . . st. john tells you in his first epistle , . . that he which hath this hope is purified ; and the psalmist animates you , saying , it is an expulsion of servile fear , psal. . . . . as also a dependance on god , and casting all our care upon him , a fortitude in bearing afflictions , and a joy in adversity . the subject of this hope , are god's saints ; faith and hope accord in the cause , and god's spirit giveth both ; and in the certainty , as we believe , so we hope . all they differ in is this , that faith begetteth hope , whereby faith hath the preference . secondly , faith beholdeth the the verity of god's promises , hope on the goodness of them ; as faith can entertain nothing but infallible truth for its object , so hope can enjoy nothing but goodness . faith apprehendeth the truth , and hope patiently expects the fulfilling of it . now the object of this hope hath four qualifications , good , future , difficult , and possible . . good : whatsoever is contrary to it , may be an object of fear , which has no coherence with this hope . now whereas there is a real good , so there is an appearing or seeming one , which being not sincere , creates a vain , or impious hope ; as if a man hopes for ease , pleasure , riches and honours : these are not verities , nor good of themselves , but in their use ; and so their hopes may be vain and of no duration . a man hopes a revenge on his enemy , a satisfaction of his lusts , or the like . this hope is impious , and not durable ; and must in the end render a man unhappy . but if we hope for the glory of god , our soul's health and comfort , or what is really good in it self ; this is true hope , and shall attain to that heighth of perfection , tho to transitory eyes it seems not to be durable ; as when we invocate for some temporal things , which omnipotency discerneth not to be agreéable to our necessities , or for him to grant ; as when christ prayed that the cup might pass from him ; and when moses hoped to go into canaan , christ was heard , and moses not defeated of his hope , because in both god decreed that which was best ; and that is ever consistent with true hope , which gives not the deity prescriptions , but confidently expecteth , either what it hopeth , or something better . . future rom. . , . joy is of things present , or so represented ; as when we rejoice in hope , rom. . . hope maketh that present , by a prepossession of that which is to come ; for hope acts contrary to that which is present . difficult : such are all things excellent ; perhaps deluded hope makes it an easie step to heaven and salvation . but they that indeed go that path , shall find it narrow , and inviron'd with a world of difficulties . lastly , possible ; that which is impossible to carnal reason , may be hoped for , because 't is possible to god ; therefore abraham believed above hope : and we expect the resurrection of the dead ; and some things which sinful men think possible , are impossible . . all things are possible to omnipotence , which he 'll perform ; and he will perform what he has promised . but some things he disannuls , and so are impossible . omnipotency will not lie , nor be unjust ; for that importeth impotency , and is a declining of his attributes : to hope that those asseverations god hath pronounced concerning supine sinners , shall not be accomplished , is a hope altogether vain and fruitless ; for it is impossible for the divine majesty to be untrue : to be resolute in sinning , and yet to hope for pardon , is a frivolous hope , because it is impossible for god to be unjust ; a severe lesson for presumptuous sinners , who resolve to enjoy their lusts and pleasures , glut themselves with revenge , and yet hope when this life's scene is ended , the few petitions of their epilogue shall purchase favour . . if thou goest on in this career , thou wilt be guilty of a gross absurdity ; for if thou resolvest to sin , and invocatest the almighty to be merciful , thou dost in effect beseech god to unthrone himself of his justice , and to be indulgent to an impenitent sinner . this being impossible , it concerns thee , to arise from sleep , and shake off all vain and deluding hopes , that thou mayst fix on the true and never failing , which is the anchor of the soul , a laying hold on the land of the living ; it is the ease of sorrows , grief's asswager , affliction 's comforter , and despair's antidote . again , it is faith's perspective ; the nebo where we take a view of the promised rest , and the faithful spy to discover the holy-land , bringing us the tastes from escoll , the fruits of the spirit , the possession which they hold , who enjoy no more , and yet are rich in all things . chap. xvii . rules to govern our hope . in order to this governance , endeavour to fortifie thy mind with resolution and sobriety ; which will guide to purity of life . for every one that hath this hope , purgeth himself as he is pure , john . . a true hope , with a resolution to persist in any known sin , is incompatible . the devout man's hope never faileth , of which seneca could say , that fortune hath often deserted the innocent , but good hope never . hope to the end ; for the perfection of that virtue is perseverance . we must wait for the adoption , to wit , the redemption of our body , rom. . . though deferred hope disturbs the heart ; though it tarry , wait , for it shall surely come , hab. . . what ever tryals we undergo , let us put on job's resolution , chap. . . though he stay me , yet will i trust in him . we belong to him that redeemed us ; if we hold fast the confidence , and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end , heb. . . . though through humane frailty thou sometimes art assaulted with fear ; yet be confident , and pursue the psalmists rule , who expresses , what time i am afraid , i will trust in thee , psal. . . fear and hope may inhabit together , especially where the fear of the lord doth not abrogate faith's confidence , but carnal security . treasure up the promises of god ; to that intent were they written , and divulged , that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope , rom. . . fix not thy rest on this world , or place thy confidence on any thing in it ; it is but comparable to a broken reed , a slack rope , on the raging sea , or a false friend in adversity ; and like the quick-sands , on which infatuated builders lay their foundations : as moses told israel , ye are not come to your rest , deut. . . . all temporal enjoyments are liable to vicissitudes , and no constancy to be found among the sons and daughters of men. prosperity is like a fair morning , quickly overcast with hideous storms ; like the morning dew , soon vanishing ; or like a pleasant flower , or a jonah's gourd ; such are all humane enjoyments . so that there is no sure hope , but in the almighty , who is immutable , neither deceiveth those that trust in him ; therefore , beware of vain hopes , especially those which are irrational , ( lest thou tempt the lord ) for they are fraudulent to men. such is their reliance who contemn the ordinary means in expectation of miracles , and act contrary to the express word of the most high , in vain hope of obtaining a pardon . . propose not too great things to thy self ; for we are frequently the evident authors of our own misfortunes , when we promise peace , health , and prosperity to our selves . this soaring ambition's wings are sometimes deplumed , and we fall into bitterness , when we come short of that which to our selves we so vainly promised . so that it were much better never to climb too high , than put our selves in so much danger as falling from so great a precipice ; but rather let us invoke the great being , who is the author of our hope , and the donor of all consolation , to infuse a sure hope and a stedfast confidence , by a divine inspiration into our souls . a prayer for hope . o almighty god , my earnest expectation and hope , my fortress , helper and deliverer ; though my numberless sins have deserved thy wrath , insomuch as thou mayst justly cast me off into hopeless despair , and final destruction ; yet look upon me with thy eye of mercy , through the wounds of a bleeding jesus , in whom thou hast commanded me to believe , and hast promised remission of my sins , and eternal life . for his sake alone i humbly beseech thee , give me that assurance , that in the end , i may obtain my hope , even the salvation of my soul. and though thou dost now fill my wounded spirit with bitterness , and remove from me peace and comfort , so that i forget my prosperity , and go mourning all the day long : . yet , o lord , though thou humblest my dejected soul , with ponderosity of sorrows , and makest my eyes fountains of tears , driving me to solitude and silence , with them that mourn in zion ; yet thou dost extend thy goodness to them that wait for thee , and to the soul which seeketh thee . thy mercies are renewed every morning , and thy compassions fail not , to frail dust and ashes . thou hast opened unto me the rich treasure of thy transcendent mercies , and enabled me to trust in thee : thou hast according to thy stupendious mercy begotten me again to a lively hope , by the resurrection of thy dear son from the dead , of an inheritance incorruptible : for all these blessings my soul hath acknowledged thee , to be my portion ; therefore will i trust in thee . . o lord , i know , that the hopes of the hills are vain , and so is all confidence in frail mortality ; and no hope can be happy , which is not fixed in thee . but in defiance to all satan's devices , thrice blessed must he be , whose hope thou art . he shall be like a tree planted by the waters of life , which shall never wither , but prosper ; for thou art truth it self . and o thou god , of all consolation , now speak peace to my afflicted soul , and let me not be disappointed of my hope . thou art pleased to wean me from the allurements of an unkind and diffident world , by suffering me to endure such grief and sorrow ; yet seeing thou art my hope from my youth , let me not be ashamed of my confidence ; let thy mercy be still my hope , and thy grace my strength ; amidst all the storms and surges of affliction , fasten my soul's anchor on the land of the living , my rock , who is entred within the vail , to make requests for me . . invre me with patience , untill the time of comfort , and refreshing shall return from thy gracious presence . give me the helmet of salvation , and an assurance of what thou hast graciously promised in thy word , and laid up for me in heaven . let the experience of thy former goodness in many deliverances give me a door of hope for the future , that i may more and more trust in thee . and , o thou , who art the god of hope , fill me with joy and peace in believing , that i may abound in hope , through the power of thy holy spirit . give me a strong consolation , and full assurance of thy mercy , that continuing grounded , and established in a stedfast hope of my resurrection to a life of glory , at the appointed hour , my flesh may rest in hope , and my soul be cheerfully rendred into thy gracious hands , to rest with thee , through jesus christ , my ever blessed lord and saviour . amen . chap. xviii . of fear . fear is a pensive and anxious expectation , of some danger approaching , either imminent , or a supposition of appearing so . we are timerous at any malevolency , which is real , or apparent ; and many times at that which proves not so . fear is opposite to fortitude , as one extream of participation ; and as it allayeth too much presumption by its limitation , it becomes beneficial ; but when it exceeds its extent , it grows pernicious . vertue is absent , when fortitude is not present : and he can never express his duty towards god well , or demonstrate his justice to the world , who acts contrary ; for satan is vigilant in his diabolical operations upon the timerous , offering to his view continual objects of imposterous and vain fears ; like hunters suels to chase the fearful deer from the safe ways : so satan driving through pusilanimity and timidity , that he maketh them evil for fear of men , whom the fear of god cannot make good. . to omit many acceptations of the word : i shall only handle some few ; first , there is a natural fear , and that of two sorts , in respect of the object : first , concerning the avoidance of sin , for the love of him who knew no sin. it happen'd so with adam in his state of innocency , who having heard the threatning , feared to sin , signalizing he would not be guilty of offending his creator , whom he loved above all : but however adam in the temptation lost this fear , and so sinned , yet in the rectitude of his mind , he reassumed it . secondly , in relation to the avoidance of sorrow in apprehension of god's anger against sin commited . in this christ feared , matt. . . heb. . . he that knew no sin. . the nearest to this , is the filial fear of the regenerate , who tho through infirmity they frequently sin , and fear to displease god by any offence ; as solomon declares , prov. . . the fear of the lord is to hate evil. this is the beginning of wisdom , and it is principally demonstrated in four things : first , that we place god ever before our eyes , moving as always in his presence . secondly , that we acknowledg him as the omniscient witness and supream judge of all our thoughts , words and actions . thirdly , that we fear not the creatures , as we do the creator . fourthly , that we ever perform that which is just and acceptable to him ; tho no mortal eye can testifie against us , or the world may be offended ; yet let us follow those patterns of goodness , as joseph , daniel , and many other servants of the most high. . there is a fear of infidelity in them that love the sin , but fear the punishment . this is that servile fear which the wicked affect ; which tho perhaps it may restrain them from sinful external acts , yet it is not predominant over any constant duty : for no sooner their dread is vanished , but they turn with as great eagerness in pursuit of their sinful game , as the dog to his vomit , or the sow to her wallowing in the mire . this fear is not consonant to god's children , because a guilty conscience ever attends it , as incredulity and expectation of god's just judgments on their sins , without hoping and trusting in christ's merits . a christian fortitude dissipates fears , which made the psalmist animate himself , psalm . . wherefore should i fear in the days of evil ? and psal. . . i will fear no evil , for thou art with me . again , psalm . . the lord is my light and my salvation , whom shall i fear ? the lord is the strength of my life , of whom shall i be afraid ? . the wicked fear where no fear is : they fear not god for love of him , but for self-ends and fear of punishment ; as the grecians worshiped their false gods ; and the commonalty the great lords ▪ which is a symptome of a base and impious mind , prohibited to them that are adopted heirs of the heavenly jerusalem , to whom the wise man speaks , prov. . , . be not afraid of sudden fear , neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh ; for the lord shall be thy confidence , and shall keep thy foot from being taken . and isaiah , encourages us in chap. . . . fear thou not , for i am with thee : be not dismay'd , for i am thy god , i will strengthen thee , and i will help thee . and in the chap. ver . . fear not , for i have redeemed thee . . all which precepts are to be apprehended of servile fear , which is to despond of god's mercy , rendring men desperate , not provident to avoid danger , nor importunate to flie to god for help . the first is evident in jehoram's message , behold , said that prophaner , beheld , this evil is of the lord , what should i wait for the lord any longer ? kings . . . and in that precipitate counsel , job . . curse god and die . the second effect we read in jacob , who being in danger of his life , instantly prayed , and sent presents to appease his revengeful brother . not to be afraid of god's judgments on sin , is carnal security , and stupid carelesness of seared consciences , tim. . . not to fear imminent dangers , demonstrates an improvident mind . and not to fear god's dreadful presence , must needs be imputed to sinful mortals as an ignorance of the deity , and a man 's own self . . but to be a timorous antemon , who was possessed with so large a stock of fear , that he durst not stir abroad ; but kept two servants at home to guard his head , with a brass-shield ; is not only an impious but ridiculous fear . to stand in awe of men , more than god , is the fear of hypocrites : to fear without confidence in god , for the diversion of evil ( as belshazzar , when seeing the hand-writing upon the wall , his knees trembled , and the joints of his loins were loosed ; or as saul at endor ) is such a fear , as god challenges no share in it . this fear is a perpetual torment to the wicked , and can by no means quiet the voice of their conscience : it is an imperious mischief , an anticipiation of evil , not yet come , an inducement to a man's unhappiness , not only with present evils , but with future , which , were fear banished , they could not molest him ; semblant to that fear of enevitable death , which forceth men continually to die , for fear of dying once . . but to fear god with a filial fear , proceeding of love to him , as in christian verity , the fountain of wisdom and true happiness : and with such a fear , god is well pleased ; he will deliver them , and fulfill their desire ; he will learn them the way of righteousness : they shall enjoy all that is good , and when they seem to lack , they shall be supplied most ; it shall be health , and strength to 'em , prov. . . they shall have understanding , blessings temporal and eternal , and be animated to perform acts of goodness , and deal uprightly with all men : examples of which we have in obadiah , kings . , , . and joseph , gen. . . . this fear brings more advantage to the possessor , than great riches to the wicked : it is the souls angel-guardian , innocencies keeper ; it is securities antidote , the minds centinel to awaken it , and give the alarm against the assaults of the subtile enemy . this armeth a man , with a true and unfailing confidence : 't is indeed the sum of what god requires of us , deut. . . and what the preachers doctrin , informs us of , even , the whole duty of man. eccles. . . of this only is that saying true , the mother of the fearful , never weeps much ; because such are truly blessed . . now by reason , we are but men , even frail mortals , not yet perfect in love , and so liable to many fears , and subject to many sins , failings and hazards , and thereby exposed to many dangerous and servile fears : which by the stupendious and tender mercy of the almighty , may convert it in the issue to our happiness ; but if we are so prone to sin , even under so much fear , what would we be if we were secure from all ? therefore i have thought it necessary to lay down some rules for the governing of our thoughts in fears ; which i shall shew in the next chapter . chap. xix . rules for governing our thoughts in fears . first , for god's glory , and the salvation of thine immortal soul , contemn any danger : it was our saviour's precept , fear not them who are able to destroy the body only ; for they cannot diminish thy happiness : they may indeed make an addition to thy felicity , if thou bearest well thy injuries . these objects are only dreadful to the ignorant ; like that cumane ass in the lyons skin , or the crocodile , fierce against the timerous , but fearful of the couragious ; so is the impatient , who cannot submit to take up the cross , which like moses rod , thrown down became a dreadful serpent ; but at god's command , re-assumed ; an harmless-rod ; to divide the briny floods , and open a way into the promised rest : many men heighten their own fears , deluding fancy , representing that monstrous , which right reason would discover innocent ; in a constant and prudent resolution to meet with difficulties . . fear god , and be not dismayed , josh. . . endeavour to fix thy mind upon such a basis of moderation , that thy resolution neither rise to temerity , nor fall to timidity ; neither to be obstinate , nor to be afraid of any thing : but in a medium , carry such an even temper , as that prudence may claim that priviledge to fit at the helm without the interruption of either extreams : take the prophets counsel , isai. . . sanctifie the lord of hosts , and let him be your fear , and your dread , and he shall be your sanctuary : but fear not their fear , who say a confederacy . the present fear of god createth us an eternal security : fear him and he will banish all other fears from thee . behold the psalmist how he is fortified ; though i walk in the valley of the shadow of death , i will fear no evil ; for thou art with me , psal. . . and psal. . . the lord is on my side , i will not fear what man can do unto me . and in conclusion , the fear of the lord immergeth all other fears . . in every danger , impress on thy heart the omnipotency of god , and endeavour to have an affiance in him : he that pursues this rule , shall act safely : when a fiery-furnace was threatned , shadrach , meshac , and abednego answered the incens'd king , our god whom we serve is idle to deliver us , dan. : . and david tells you , psal. . . the angel of the lord encampeth round about them that fear him , and delivereth them . and when our enemies seem most formidable , there are more for us than can be against us : as it appeared in the case of the prophet elisha , kings . . it animated the royal prophet to cry out , in the lord put i my trust ; how say ye then to my soul , flee , as a bird to your mountain ? psal. . . all confidence in men , even their councels , or an arm of flesh , is unhappy , and must come to nothing ; but god endures to all eternity : which made the psalmist declare ; therefore will we not fear , though the earth be removed : and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. . take solomon's counsel , and hearken unto the word of god , pro. . . whose hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely , and shall be quiet from fear of evil . and prov. . , . then shalt thou walk in thy way safely ; when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid . herein shall be made manifest gods power , truth , providence , mercy and justice that thou mayest trust in him ; according to the expression of the psalmist , they that know thy name , will put their trust in thee , for thou , lord , hast not forsaken them that seek thee , psal. . . love the lord thy god with a sincere heart : and the more thou lovest him , the more thou wilt rest assured of his love and protection : and the more perfect thy love is , the more it casteth out fear , john . . . take job's advice , chap. . . depart from iniquity , and say of it , as the princes of the philistines said of david , let him not go down with us to the battle , lest in the battle he be an adversary to us , sam. . . fix thy self to seek the lord , as jehosaphat did , when the armies were upon their march towards him , against whom he atchieved a glorious victory , chron. . . entertain a good conscience , it shall be a wall of brass unto thee : the safety of that makes a man assume the courage of a lyon : but if we perceive the smoak of infernal brimstone ascend there , we must needs faint , like the men of ai when they beheld their city on fire , josh. . . guilt of sin in the conscience creates sordidness in men ; they may possibly express transcendent words who possess a timerous conscience ; but as one said of the fearful dog , he must needs fear , who hath no peace in himself . . consider with david , psal. . . the end of the saints and apostles sufferings , which hath ever been happy ; and they are the more partakers of christ's glory , for bearing a share in his sufferings : consider how long they have suffered , and then thou canst not fear any of those things which thou shalt suffer : behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison , that you may betryed — be thou faithful unto death , and i will give thee a crown of life , rev. . . true it is , flesh and blood claims allowance for its infirmity ; but the more we can apply to our hearts the end of the saints , and the quiet fruits of righteousness , to them that are exercised , the less we must needs be sensible of the malignity of any creature . . endeavour for peace with god ; give him no rest till he speaks unto the voice within thee , thy conscience : and firmly resolve not to let him go , untill he bless thee , and assure thee of thy remission in christ jesus . he hath nothing to fear or molest him , whose sins are forgiven . when the sting of death is taken out , who would not be valiant ? which occasioned st. paul to express himself , cor. . . but thanks be to god , which giveth us the victory through our lord jesus christ. and st. john says in his first epistle , chap. . . and this is the victory that overcometh the world , even our faith. . in thy greatest fears pray most fervently : even so did our saviour , being in an agony , he prayed more earnestly : so did jacob in fear of his brother 's long studied revenge , gen. . . pray and beseech god that he would illuminate and open thine eyes to behold his saving health . god many times sounds his allarm to awaken our drouzy souls , and open our mouths to earnest prayer , which in prosperity are too prone to the spirit of slumber and coldness : fear hath many tongues , and can open the mouth of the dumb : even jonahs mariners in their fear will pray , and instigate others to the same duty : that one example of athis , croesus's son , sheweth what the violence of fear can do ; he who before was dumb , on a sudden cryed out , o cyrus spare my father , and by our misfortunes , learn , that thou also art but a man. a prayer against fear . o almighty lord god , who art in thy wrath and indignation dreadful against sinners , i humbly acknowledge and confess , that there is not one of thy judgments , but what the guilt of my sins have long since deserved ; even the miseries of this life , terrors of death , and future condemnation : but , o thou great god of consolation , assure me of a full and free pardon , and a remission of all my sins , and seal my peace with thee , through the blood of a crucified jesus . fill my heart and affections with that measure of thy love , as may exclude all servile fear : give me the testimony of a good conscince , to comfort me against all vain fears of the wicked . lift up the light of thy countenance upon me , and give me that assurance that thou art , and will be my defence and confidence . . and , o thou who rulest in heaven and earth , from the angel to the worm , the lowest of creatures ; and from the swayer of the scepter , to the drawer of water : thou art omnipotent , and canst do what thou pleasest , and no other god besides thee , can deliver after this sort : lord , let it be thy divine will and pleasure to deliver me from those afflictions which i fear and so much tremble at ; that i may live to praise thee , and declare thy goodness towards me in the land of the living . . and i humbly beseech thee , o father , if it be possible , let this cup pass from me ; yet nevertheless not my will , but thy holy will be done . lord , suffer me not for any tryals in afflictions or under any temptations to fall from thee : consider my frailty , remember whereof thou hast made and fashion'd me , that l am but sinful dust and ashes , which soon fade and pass away . . give me patience to endure thy fatherly hand of correction , and a full assurance that all things shall work together for my advantage : give me a fervent frame of spirit , to pray more earnestly ; and give me that faith , to which thou , who can'st not be guilty of the breach of it , hast made the promise of audience and granting my petitions . give me an invincible resolution , not to let thee depart until thou do'st bless me with some happy issue , through jesus christ , my lord and only saviour amen . chap. xx. of cares . care is the child of providence : some say , the soul's apparator to summon all its faculties to its senate or counsel . it is rather counsel's president , determining what to pursue and what to decline : it is the weight which moveth all the wheels ; which taken off , or quite run down , all the nerves of providence are loosed , and the souls faculties become inactive and resty , so as we neither affect the good , nor fear the bad. . care is the centinel which gives the allarm to awaken wisdom to its offices , and the steward of the internal habitation : it is the pilot which sitteth at the helm , to steer and direct the course ; lest industry be wanting to prudent decrees and resolutions , or sucess to industry . so necessary is this vigilancy of the soul , that without it we can neither be profitable to our selves or others , in things divine or humane : tho salvation shall neither be in his care , as the apostle mentions , who willeth , nor of him that runneth , but of god , that sheweth mercy , rom. . . yet if thou use not thy diligence to lay hold on his promises , thou shalt find , that he which created thee without thy care , will not save thee without it ; for he hath made thee a voluntary agent , and hath endowed thee with reason , that thou mightest use his ordinance , for the benefit of thy own salvation . . tho , as the apostle says , cor. . . it is neither in him that planteth , nor in him that watereth , but in god who giveth the encrease : yet if the dispensation be committed to thee , woe be to thee if thou preach not the gospel : and cursed is he that doth the work of the lord negligently : tho , as the psalmist mentions , psalm . . except the lord build the house , they labour but in vain that build it : and , except the lord keep the city , the watchman waketh but in vain ; and the builder shall work to confusion : yet if thou art a careless inhabitant of laish ; if thou art not vigilant , or in necessity build not , thou temptest the lord thy god , judges . . it is in the power of omnipotency , who said at first , gen. . . let the earth bring forth grass , the herb yielding seed , and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind . which to this day are duly performed : but except thou plant and sow , thou must not expect to reap : neither hath the almighty wisdom fixed this care in our hearts for our selves only , but likewise for them to whom he hath given dependance on us . so that if any man will not work , according to the apostle's order , let him not eat , thes. . . and , if any provide not for his own , and especially for those of his own house , he hath denied the faith , and is worse than an infidel , tim. . . . it is an exquisite care which the great being hath implanted in the hearts of mothers , for the preservation of their children , in which , they shall be saved if they continue in the faith and charity , tim. . . neither is any employment , calling , or person among the sons of men exempt from care. kings , as the honoured parents of kingdoms , embrace care of the largest size , like those aegyptian plagues , exod. . , &c. not forbearing their sacred beds : they must take care for the weal of their subjects . it was a mark of shame and dishonour which the holy ghost fixed on gallio , acts . . but gallio cared for none of these things . . christ in his suffering for us , omitted not this emblem in his crown of thorns . nor can the brutes and animals subsist without their care : god hath given them a marvellous instinct and natural sagacity , to build and lay up for themselves and their young : so that the sluggard may well be sent to school to solomon's industrious ant , labouring in summer against the winter , prov. . . and the careless daughters , who think they were born to live at ease , may learn of the provident bee , and other creatures , prudent in their kind , isa. . , &c. . care there must of necessity be used , and the best are not secluded from it ; but the malicious enemy striveth to pervert it to man's destruction , endeavouring to make some so ebrious with desire of ease , that they sleep negligently : and where he encounters with an active and industrious nature , he laboureth to introduce some vain or impious object of cares , to extract a distraction from that which should conduce to their happiness . the misery that attends infatuated mankind , is , when their cares , like the river jordan , empty their sweet streams into a dead sea of unprofitable desires and vanities . . there is no sin which hath not some unhappy cares to surround and foment it : and commonly more acts of supererogation , than salvation requireth . impious cares are revenge's , brokers , lust's panders , avarices vassals , errours nurses , mothers sin , and vice's hand-maids , in all which they but fight for a destructive helena , or a mischievous gain . how happy might adulterers , murderers and robbers be , were so much adventure , vigilancy , charge and care bestowed on god's service , as they employ in their sins ! taking more care and pains to go to hell , than by the tender mercy of god , would guide them to heaven . chap. xxi . rules concerning cares . seek first the kingdom of god , and his righteousness , mat. . . that all things necessary may be administred unto thee : let thy main care be for god's glory and thy own salvation ; to acquire that one necessary thing , which on●● gain'd , shall never be taken away or lost , luke . . martha's many incumbrances in this case , cannot avoid subordination : this is treasure in heaven , neither in danger of thieves , or moths . that same hysteron proteron , wherein worldly desires appear like those unmannerly imps in elies discomposed time , claiming to be served before god himself , must needs come to nought ; and it proves but lost labour to rise early , late take rest , and eat the bread of carefulness , psal. . . that manna which was kept all night , except only for the sabbath , was corrupted , exod. . , . all our labour to lay up , except for salvation ( the eternal sabbath ) is but lost : therefore labour for the meat which endureth to eternal life , john . . . set your affections on things above , col. . . and study a holy contempt of this world : it is affection creates us care ; and where that is , there our cares and our minds will be fixed . 't is the highest prudence to lop off vain cares , that our better placed care may be more fruitful , and to thrust out worldly thoughts : as christ did the tumultuous company at jairus house , which otherwise like those guests at bethlehem , would afford him no room : as when the superfluity of the branches are pruned off , the vine is recompenced in the fruit : so it is in the cutting off vain cares ; the more thou diminishest from them , the more fruitfully shall thy soul be augmented in spiritual things : as when elijah was taken up to heaven , his mantle fell off , king. . . so do the cares of this world , when our hearts are addicted to heavenly things . . how properly may vain , childish things , like dead leaves neer the fruitful autumn , fall off our minds , when we subscribe our selves men ? and when that which we have in possession is perfect , how easily do our worldly cares wither and fall away ; even like the glow-worms fraudulent lustre , which vanishes at the approach of the morning light ? in whatsoever state thou art , learn therewith to be content : discontent and avaritious desires force the heart , upon the sharp tenters of care : if a man be content with little , he will not care for much : cares follow riches , and augment with their encreases , mat. . . . trust in the lord , and commit thy ways to him , and he will bring it to pass , psal. . . cast thy care upon him , for he careth for thee , pet. . . and hath promised , he will never leave thee , nor forsake thee , heb. . . and the prophet declares this comfortable report , jer. . , . blessed is the man that trusteth in the lord , and whose hope the lord is ; for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters ; and shall not be careful in the year of drought . gods providence is vigilant over his servants , and it can neither err , nor be defeated : he that gave us life , will not fail to give us meat and cloathing ; he that feeds the fowls of the air , and adorns the fading flowers , with such varieties of beauty , will not forget to feed and cloath man , whom he has appointed to be lord over them . . he knoweth our necessities before we ask , and that all our care cannot add one cubit to our stature : riches and honors , for which men take such indefatigable care , come neither from the east , nor from the west , nor yet from the south ; but it is god which both giveth and taketh away . some increase in wealth , sleeping , or waking ; others with unwearied industry wax poor : labour to perform thy endeavour with cheerfulness , and commit the issue to god : by which means thou wilt avoid all diffidence and distracting care. . be vigilant over thy soul ; otherwise cares will choak up the holy seed of god's word , whereby it will become unprofitable to thee : it will eclipse the light of heavenly knowledge , it will clog the heart , and creep on like an ephialt , which having seized us , we groan under it , and can neither shake it off , nor awake to an holy expectation of the coming of christ. frequently recollect thy mind of thy mortality , frailty of life , and the vanity of all transitory things : what are riches and magnificence in this world ? they are like childrens bubbles filled with air , which vanishes in their breaking : even such are we , like dreams , or a scene , wherein our parts once acted , we must shrink into natures tyring-room , never to return . . it is uncertain what hour may be our last ; but it is certain one must come , and how nigh it may be at hand , is beyond our knowledge ; perhaps this night the sentence may come forth , and a writ of alienation on thy store laid up for many years ; and this harsh summons may reach thy ears ; thou fool , this night shall thy soul be required of thee ; then whose shall all those things be ? luke . . when the hives in their plenitude warn the masters of their republick , that they want a deduction of their colony , they swarm and flie : but if you cast a little dust among them , they presently settle . so the only expedient to settle our swarm of busie cares , is the memento of our original , that dust thou art , and to dust thou shalt return , gen. . . lastly , to remember the apostles rule , phil. . . be careful for nothing , but in every thing by prayer and supplication , let your requests be made known unto god : those wants and cares are happy which chase us to him : therefore let us depend and hope in him , and invocate him by prayer . the prayer . o most gracious and merciful lord god , who feedest the young ravens , clothest the lillies of the fields , and fillest all things with thy goodness : thou governest in heaven , and in earth , and givest to every creature subsistence and preservation in its kind : o lord i humbly acknowledge thy goodness towards me , even from the womb unto this present moment : thou hast preserved me , when i neither knew what human necessities were , nor which way to relieve them : when i reposed my self , thou preservedst me ; when i did not foresee any evil approaching , thou dissipatedst it ; when i was kept ignorant of my necessities , thy infinite mercies prevented me with blessings and provisions ; when i was lost , thou recoveredst me : and when i was dead in trespasses and sins , thou didst quicken me by thy grace ; when i understood nothing of the way of life , thou meekly didst inform me , and didst guide me in the way wherein i should walk : but above all , before ever i was , thou gavest thy son christ jesus to be the inestimable price of my redemption . . and now , o lord , i who am less than the least of all thy mercies , what shall i render thee ? nay , what can i , for all thy transcendent blessings ? thou hast not only once , like the good samaritan , but many times , as a god of infinite mercy , bound up the wounds of my soul , and taken care of me : o let thy mercy still continue towards me , and create , o god , in me a clean and a contrite heart , and renew a right spirit within me , that it may express my thankfulness aright to so great a majesty as thou art : the lyons want , the mighty suffer hunger : thou hast sent a fire among , them that live at ease and carelesly , even unto the proud and rejoicing cities ; and what am i , o lord , that thou pleasest to spare me , and dost not still feed me with the bread of anxiety and affliction , and make me drink the waters of astonishment ? . lord , fix my hopes on thy providence , and give me assurance thy mercy shall never fail me : i humbly cast all my cares upon thee , who art a protector of thy children : prospér thou my labours , whose providence descendeth to the preservation of the poorest and meanest of all thy creatures : feed me with bread of my stature , and let me never want that which thou knowest needful for me : o thou , who didst encrease the sareptan's oil and meal , so that it failed not in all the famine , bless that portion which thy providence hath measured out to me , and mine ; let thy blessing descend upon it , whether it be much or little , so that finding a sufficiency therein , i may in a thankful , holy , and prudent vse thereof , glorifie thy holy name , and live contentedly and cheerfully before thee . . give me in every estate , both in prosperity and adversity , a faithful dependance on thy gracious providence , which never faileth them that trust in thee : thou best knowest , o lord , my necessities before i ask ; let no cares of this world distract me from thy service , neither make my confidence in thee , incline to any distrust of thy goodness , or fixing my heart on the love of this present world : thou hast given thy holy son jesus ; assure me by his infallible spirit , that with him thou wilt also give me all things . . give me a heart to rest in thee , and to put all my trust and confidence in thy mercy ; instruct me , to seek thy kingdom , and the righteousness thereof , before all things which this world can give or take away : so that thou who providest for me , mayest in thy good pleasure administer to me all those things , which thou seest necessary for the relief of this life 's present necessity ; and let thy blessing evermore attend it , untill having passed through this world of cares , and valley of miseries , i may arrive to that blessed life , thy kingdom of glory , through jesus christ , our lord and only saviour , amen . chap. xxii . of jealousie . among those thoughts which discompose the mind , the jealous are not the least : and the wise man acknowledges , prov. . . that jealousie is the rage of a man ; and it is frequently so exasperating to unplacable . anger , that he will not regard any ransom , neither will he rest content , though thou givest many gifts , verse . i mention not here that jealousie , as 't is attributed to god , and sometimes importeth anger , as in ezek. . . and chap. . . or execution of justice , deut. . . nor indignation at that which molesteth those the almighty loveth , ezek. . . zach. . . or pitty to his people , joel . , . nor as in man , signifying only envy and emulation , as rom. . . and chap. . . or fear of danger to those whom we are most indulgent , as cor. . . neither do i mean that of ambition , to exclude corrivals of sinister ends , such as st. paul charged the false apostles amongst the galatians : nor of suspicion , which is an opinion or dread of some evil , sprung from symptoms of levity , or airy notions , which sometimes set friends at a great distance , and imbitter humane societies : but of that which god gave a law to israel , numb . . . . this is a perturbation of mind , compounded of fear , love , indignation , and suspition ; a bitter electuary of ingredients , though good and proper in themselves if applyed to their distinct uses : this jealousie is the bane of unhappy love ; the gall of wedlock ; the sad asmodeus , which makes the most flourishing families detestable , if not desolate : it is a tenebrous apparition of disturb'd thoughts , restless in the inquest after that which they most abhor , and dread to find : it is the souls absynthium , and overflowing bitterness , the scourge and torture of afflicted minds , really tormenting sometimes with imaginary , but often with vain evils : it is the devils master-piece , and quintessence of his envy , rendring the honourable , and ( otherwise ) happy estate of matrimony , which the almighty appointed to be the greatest worldly comfort ; he by his diabolical malice strives to make it the most odious and unhappy : therefore it may well be nominated in numb . . . the spirit of jealousie . for a worse fury could never have been contrived to perplex frail mortality . . now whereas the drama in this unhappy scene , is of two persons at least , the rules of advice in this case , must have a double address ; which is to the jealous of either party : and first , espouse not anothers sin by a foolish and impious connivance at the basest action . he that inhibiteth divorce in any other cause , as cor. . . permitteth it in the cause of adultery , mat. . . and the law allows , when the jealous man shall have set his wife before the lord , and justice shall be executed uppon her , then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity , and the woman shall bear her iniquity , numb . . . . be not rash , lest thou prove injurious to the innocent ; it is an innate corruption , to view others faults , rather than their vertues , and to surmize that to be evil which may be transacted : and this axiom may be fitly applyed , that they who are evil themselves , claim that priviledge of being jealous of others : and he that looks through a yellow glass , thinks all the world of the same colour : consider well , and then tell me , if it be not thy own guiltiness which is the false medium , that casteth that complexion on others , which indeed thou only retainest thy self . . give not place to the devil ; his malice is like those envious philistins , who cast filth into the pure fountains of humane propagation , to create a jealousie between the married pair , that by this venom he may put them at variance , whom god commanded to a perfect union . sometimes he will aggravate slight suspicions , which so encreases the rage of each other , that reason is many times lost in the battle : or else , rather than lose his game , he will suggest some vain chimera of that which never was , or perhaps never like to be accomplished : sometimes he will throw temptations before 'em , such as private meetings , whispering , or some such loose behaviour and familiarity with others , as may unhappily create suspicion in the good and prudent . . neither shall he be destitute of the service of other mischievous tongues to foment and feed this malignant humour : he that said matrimony might be happy , if the wife were blind , and the man deaf , either did , or might mean , if the wife had not wandring eyes , she would never spy out vanity , nor the husband open ears , he could not hearken to malicious reports : seriously consider the vanity of this evil , and then thou wilt prudently acknowledge , that all self-vexation is folly ; and to invert the theme , all folly is self-vexation : if with all thy art and care , thou couldst invent any stratagem beyond tormenting thy self , there were some plea for thy vexation : but none can be chast against their will , was a sentence among the heathens ; and argus's hundred eyes cannot be so vigilant , but opportunity may prove too crafty for him . . if thy jealousie be fruitless , then thou hast occasion to vex at the levity and vanity of thy own mind : if it be just , what is the monstrous object of thy hatred and malice ? assure thy self the adulteress is unhappy enough ; and there is no creature on earth more despicable and odious , nor no sin in this life , accompanied with so many varieties of plagues and judgments ; so that indeed they are great objects of pity , if all these wretched ingredients can render them to be so , as a wounded conscience , the devil 's earnest to the impenitent , and assurance of hell and damnation . . in the next place , my address shall be to those in whom there is occasion of suspicion . and first , let man himself consider how odious adultery is , and out of all measure sinful ; for he sinneth against his own body , defileth the temple of the holy ghost , cor. . , . and pierceth through his own bowels with a dart of rottenness , prov. . . and that which will render him in the end mournful : but beyond all this , in case of impenitency , which the stubborn presumer may justly suspect , it is that whereby he excludeth himself from the kingdom of heaven , cor. . , . and in the adulteresses crime , some aggravations are appertaining to it , as robbing her husband of his posterity ; obtruding a base and adulterous issue , and so stealing away his estate and inheritance , by giving it to a stranger , and fixing on an indelible character of dishonor and bastardy upon her child , who but for her impotent and ungovern'd lust , might have proved noble and legitimate . an injury which she can never expiate , nor repair to the innocuous son with rivers of tears , and streams of her infected blood. this multiplied sin is sometimes conceal'd from men , but never from the all-seeing god , who is a severe revenger of all iniquity . other sins are grievous and pernicious ; yet neither lying , stealing , idolatry , murder , nor witchcraft , can of it self dissolve the sacred bond of wedlock , as this only base act of adultery doth : therefore our saviour admits of no divorce but upon that occasion . and it is remarkable , that when god would display the loathsomness of idolatry , which most displeased him , he styl'd it whoredom , and himself a jealous god ; and certainly , though that be abolished of the bitter water , causing the curse , and rotting of the thigh with swelling , which attended that antiquated ceremony ; yet the bitter moral and substance are not quite extinguish'd , numb . . . . avoid what you are sensible of hath created your suspicion ; otherwise you are guilty , if not of adultery , yet of a just cause of jealousie . lysander punished one of his soldiers for going out of his quarters , resolving that he would have none of his , look , or go out like a plunderer . dinah's idle visits , gen. . , . proved her dishonor , effusion of guiltless blood ; her father's trouble , and her brother's curse : the wisest of men recordeth it , as the mark of an harlot , prov. . , . her feet abide not in the house ; now she is without , now in the streets , lying in wait at every corner . . it was an italian severity in sulpitius , and a diposition to part with his wife , who divorced her for going out of doors bare-headed : the law , said he , confined thee to mine eyes and approbation , and not to please others . the common law noted any , going out unvail'd , with the odious brand of adultery . so careful were they to avoid all occasions or suspicions of that sin. however foolishly strict they were , i am sure jerom's rules fore-noted is good ; whatsoever , saith he , may probably be feigned , be thou cautious it may not be feigned : thou owest this to thy husband's love , thine own indemnity and honor , and the right and credit of thy children . the prayer . o eternal and almighty god , father of lights , and of the first-born who are written in heaven , and of the spirits of just men made perfect . thou art the searcher of all hearts and reins , to whose all-seeing eye every creature is manifest , and every thought of the heart naked and open : we humbly beseech thee to take from us our stony hearts , and to give us hearts of flesh ; to subdue in us by thy omnipotent spirit , the miserable remainders of the first adam , that native inclination to sin , which continually carrieth us away captive to the laws thereof , even to that evil which we would not commit , but utterly detest , and in bitterness of soul repent of . . lord create clean hearts , and renew right spirits within us ; root out that raging spirit of jealousie , that infernal fire which lies scorching in our bosoms ; and enlighten our vnderstandings with a sound knowledge of all the mysteries of eternal life and salvation . sanctifie our wills and affections , and according to thine own gracious promise , six thy law in our inward parts , and write it deeply in our hearts , that we may know thee , from the least to the greatest . heal up those wounds which our sins have made so wide , that none but thine own hands can close them , and forgive our iniquity , and remember our sins no more . . o lord , thou didst by thy holy word , so heal the fountains , that death and barrenness was no more therein ; heal , we humbly beseech thee , the wretched corruptions of our hearts ; cleanse and sanctifie all the thoughts thereof , by the sweet and blessed influence of thy holy spirit , and so quide , govern , and direct us in the way which thou wilt have us to walk in , as that we may in all our thoughts , words and actions , be acceptable to thee : mortifie and subdue , all our evil desires and thoughts , and bring them all into subjection to thy holy will and pleasure , that we may constantly resist all temptations to sin and wickedness . . keep us , and counsel us , in all our affairs spiritual and temporal , that we may be filled with the holy fruits of the spirit of sanctification , appearing in new and hallowed thoughts , words , and actions , to thy glory , and our farther assurance before thee ; so that in our bodies and in our spirits , we may be kept blameless in this sinful and miserable world , unto the appearing of our lord jesus christ ; to whom with thee , o father of mercy , and the holy spirit , the comforter of the elect , be rendred all honor and glory , in heaven and in earth , from this time forth , and to all eternity . amen . chap. xxiii . of external actions . the external actions of men are the product and fruit of their thoughts ; and as we owe sanctimony to god , and our own consciences within , so do we good examples to our neighbors in things external . and our blessed saviour in his sermon on the mount , excites us with this doctrin , mat. . . let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works , and glorifie your father which is in heaven . . good actions proceed from a sound credence , without which they cannot be good , nor pleasing in the sight of heaven , for whatsoever is not of faith is sin , rom. . . for faith apprehending christ to our justification , renders our works acceptable to him , if they extend to fruits of regeneration ; and uniting us to christ , dedicateth us to a capacity of his sanctifying spirit , and enableth us in some measure to vanquish sin , and perform that wh●ch is holy in his sight . now the apostle mentions , st. james . . shew me thy faith without thy works , and i will shew thee my faith by thy works . and st. paul says , rom. . . a man is justified by faith only , without the deeds of the law . . though our best performances cannot justifie us before the almighty , because imperfect , yet are they never separated from true faith ; and they are the path-way to the heavenly jerusalem , though they cannot finish our happy arrival . therefore to the young-man's query , who desired to be justified by works ; our saviour replies , mat. . . keep the commandments : thus he was convinced , who had not yet learned the righteousness of faith , which saith , believe and thou shalt be saved ; thereby implying , that yet he was wanting in some things , who was excellent in others , and therefore must seek salvation by faith , and the way to heaven by sanctity . this is a condition , not an obligation of our salvation ; for as we can never acquire salvation by it , so we can never expect any without it , because our very best endeavours and performances we owe to god's honor and glory . . it is not sufficient to have a good intention , either to speak , or to do good ; for satan is well-pleased , that men should draw near unto god with their lips , if their hearts be far from him ; or that they speak well , if they will perform evil. words at best are but feminine virtues , but works are m●sculine ; of these the spiritual pharoah giveth charge to smother them . but we desire to convert our words into actions , and not only to speak , but to effect holy performances . . actions humane , natural , or civil , are no otherwise here concerned , than as they are in order to the moral , and so regulated by the law , and holy word of god , in the affirmative or negative precepts , which is the only rule of all our moral actions towards god or man. neither examples , prescriptions , universality of consent , nor commands of men , must be prevalent with us , against the express word of god : for these claim privilege only in those things which god's law alloweth , and refereth to our authority . chap. xxiv . rules in external actions . first , neither propose , nor act any thing evil or unjust , for any worldly profit , honours , or pleasures : for it is an apparent detriment to acquire the world with the loss of thy soul , mat. . . what can secular honours advantage thee , when thou art condemned by the almighty ? should all the world extol thee , and thou be canonized a saint in the opinion of the multitude , or thy actions be highly applauded , equivalent to herod's speech , and be rendred supernatural : god's angel may smite thee , and the worms destroy thee . what are pleasures ? in their birth they look towards a precipitate end ; and the vicissitude of this scene serveth only to aggravate the misery : like that ungrateful sound , which reached the ears of dives in hell , son remember that thou in thy life time , receivedst thy good things , luke . . present remembrances of past pleasures , embitter the torment . . let god's law be thy rule and counsellor , and weigh all thy actions by his standard , before thou execute any purpose . david could not enterprize before he had consulted god's oracles : nor the very heathens , before they sent for the double effataes of their priests . when the word of god is our rule , we abhor setting up strange god's in our hearts , like those who adore their own inventions , in will-worship and voluntary religion ; wherein all , even the most zealous and painful actions , as pilgrimages , superstitious fasts , foolish penance and idolatrous oblations , or costly dedications , shall be rejected , with a who required this at your hands ? isa. . . and the prophet tells you , micah . , . the lord will not be pleased with thousands of rams , or with ten thousand rivers of oil : and , he hath shewed o man , what is good : and what doth the lord require of thee but to do justly , and to love mercy , and to walk humbly with thy god ? . in religious acts , god left not israel to their own disposing in minor things , but commanded moses , see thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount , heb. . . also when god's word is our rule , we will neither lay snares upon our own consciences , placing religion in those things which god hath left indifferent , ( as they who prohibited certain meats or marriage , tim. . . ) nor will we dispense with that word in any one point which any humane authority pretends , or imposes to the contrary . . in all thy acts and designs , before thou execute them , duly and seriously consider the event , which is like a ship 's rudder , tho it comes last , it directs first and last . endeavour to gain a fore-sight , and consider the sequel . o that they were wise , saith the lord ; that they understood this ; that they would consider their latter end , deut. . . by which means thou wilt in all sinful actions , with the holy apostle , be ever ready to conclude , that the end of those things is death , rom. . . . in all thy actions fix thy self in the presence of god , by following david's example , psalm . . ever remember thou art in his sight , and that neither thy thoughts nor actions can be excluded from him ; for neither solitude nor darkness can vail thee from his all-seeing eye , psalm . , . in all thy undertakings accustom thy self to the rule of charity , for that is the fulfilling of the law , rom. . . and the fruit of god's spirit , gal. . . and there can be no performances acceptable to god , if we omit this duty and command of the apostle , let all things be done in charity , cor. . . . in all religious duties , act not the impostor , for the hypocrite doth but personate , act and counterfeit the saint ; he seems good , but is doubly impious , as the orator said of the servilii , which were very like , but not the same ; so resembling , that they were not d●stinguished abroad amongst strangers , but were known at home by their own acquaintance . but when the hypocrite hath deceived all the world , he can never defraud his own conscience . therefore let this advice be thy faithful monitor , to be just and sincere in thy deportment , before god and man : let christ's rule be thy constant pattern , whatsoever ye would that men should do to you , do ye even so to them : for this is the law and the prophets , matt. . . . transact nothing which must cost thee a bitter repentance . when the philosopher had a great price set him upon folly , replied , i will not buy repentance so dear . never act any thing against thy conscience , for fear or favour of men ; but rather esteem a good conscience before all treasure on this side heaven : in some things we sin all , but happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth , rom. . . lastly , in all thy undertakings beseech and humbly implore the almighty to direct , counsel and bless thee ; and according to the apostle's direction , in every thing by prayer and supplication , let your requests be made known unto god , phil. . . for he is unworthy to receive a blessing , who omits the duty of asking . a prayer for directions in all our actions . most merciful father , who hast promised , that if the wicked turns from his sins that he hath committed , and doth that which is lawful and right , he shall live , and his transgressions shall not be remembred . in humble acknowledgment of our manifold sins , the equity of thy judgments to give us over to our own unhappy ways , who have so long refused to be guided by thy holy word , and our own helpless impotency , to stay our selves , turn unto thee , or fix our selves in any good way to serve and please thee . . we humbly beseech thee o father , for the sake of thy dear son , to pardon all our offences , and to vouchsafe to lead us in thy paths , and the way thou appointest us to walk in : we have long gone astray like lost sheep ; and thou best knowest , o , our god , how dangerous satan's snares are to us , how many the distractions of a deceitful vain world ; how frail and infirm sinful flesh and blood ; and how many our errors : but , o lord , thy wisdom cannot err , which is immutable ; therefore renouncing our own conduct , we render our selves into thy gracious hands , humbly beseeching thee , who freely givest wisdom to all that ask , and upbraidest no man ; hold thou up our goings in thy paths , that our footsteps slide not ; direct all our ways , that we neither incline to the right nor to the left hand to offend thee ; but give us the shield of our salvation , and let thy right hand uphold us . . o thou that hearest the prayers of them that call upon thee , hear us , for our souls wait on thee ; direct and guide us ; keep us and counsel us in all our actions , that we neither design nor perform any thing but that which is pleasing to thee , and which thou wilt bless unto us ; that we may walk unblamably and prudently towards all men , and in sanctity before thee : and grant that in all our actions we may glorifie thee , and adorn the gospel of christ by our holy conversations , give good examples to our neighbours , and stop the mouths of all malicious adversaries ; so that when these days of sin are ended , that we rest from our labours , we may enter into that promised rest which remaineth for thy people , where shall be no more sin , error , nor curse . hear us , o lord , in these and all other things necessary for our bodies or souls , for jesus christ his sake . amen . chap. xxv . of a wounded spirit , what it is . solomon tells you , prov. . . the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities , but a wounded spirit who can bear ? the word signifies a smitten , contrite , or broken spirit . it is a kind of speech borrowed from corporal affliction , by stripes , contusions , bruises , or wounds , wherein by incision and launcing the sinews and veins , the body is debilitated and endangered to death , and disabled so , that it is void of supportation ; it is liable to inflamations and distempers , that every slight touch prejudices it : it depriveth a man of rest , so that he is impatient of this present posture , and more perplexed at a mutation . to express it further , it is the intense sorrow of the soul , a weak confidence , and an infeebled life of the spirit ; so that god may well nominate it , a wounded spirit . . this affliction is of that magnitude , that it exceeds all other temporal sorrows : and none can truly give their verdict of it , but they who can join and say with david , the sorrows of death compassed me , and the pains of hell gat hold upon me , psal. . . other sorrows may be mitigated , by administring to the afflicted something equivalent to the loss sustained ; as where one treasure is lost , another may be found ; or by some compensation or repair , may be retaliated ; as job had a second posterity and encrease of wealth : and elkanah declared such a medium of consolation to afflicted hannah , when he said to her , am i not better to thee than ten sons , sam. . . . but these comforts are no ways conducive to an afflicted spirit ; for furnish him with riches , the company of the dearest friends , or that which might afford relief , refreshment and delight to others , yet to him it procures no ease , no more than if you put on a rich purple robe upon broken bones : no , no , the grief is internal , and no external means can cure it . in other crosses , time will asswage , by prudence and persuasive arguments , excellent lenitives of sorrow : in some cases to divert , wine , merry society , musick , or the like means , may bear some part , which the wise man accords to , give strong drink to him that is ready to perish , and wine to those that be of heavy heart ▪ let him drink and forget his poverty , and remember his misery no more , prov. . , . . david's harp did for the time refresh saul , and charm the evil spirit : but this grief admits of no efficacy in such comforts . in other pressures we may receive ease , or be conducted from the evil , as st. paul was from the jews conspiracy , acts . . and david from saul , sam. . . but there is no flying from a wounded spirit : where ever we go our affliction attends us , even our secret tormentor in our own bosoms in short , as it is in one sense a separation from god , so no creature in heaven or earth can cure it : there is no sanctuary for a troubled soul , but only gods favourable presence : no other expedient can be used , till he return and comfort it . . so horrid in the mean time is this affliction , that the desperate traytor judas took death for his sanctuary , as an antidote against his guilty conscience ● but with what ponderosity it sits upon the hearts of god's servants , may appear by the complaints of job and others ; wherefore is light given to him that is in misery , and life unto the bitter in soul , which long for death , but it cometh not , and , dig for it more than for hid treasures ; which rejoice exceedingly , and are glad when they can find the grave , job . o , , . this was job's complaint . and the prophet complained of his birth , jer. . , , , , . and the prophet elijah being threatned by jezebel at beer-sheba , poured out himself , it is enough now , o lord , take away my life , for i am not better than my fathers , kings , . . and jonah at the loss of his gourd , expressed himself , saying , it is better for me to die than live , jonah . . chap. xxvi . what the conscience is , and the tranquility of it . the conscience is the cognition of the heart , and is a divine internal light , which we cannot extinguish ; a supream court of judicature within us , and above us ; and a silent register of our thoughts and words : it is a thousand witnesses , as the apostle says , accusing , or excusing , rom. . . such is the impartiality of this judge , that no bribery can tempt him to justifie the wicked , nor condemn the just ; but he is the first revenger of impiety , and an excluder of the guilty from absolution . . in true tranquility of conscience , the heart is cheerful in every estate and condition , rom. . , . and dreadeth no judge nor witness : it is a continual feast ; the soul's paradise ; the mind 's fair haven ; an unvaluable possession , which renders every owner happy : it is an immoveable comfort , the first fruits of heaven , and riches which shall never be taken away . as no wind can move or shake the sun-beams , so neither life nor death , prosperity or adversity can transfix this . while this is secure , tho men receive many sharp encounters , as the citizens of ai did , josh. . yet are they confident to resist ; they can resolve with that pattern of patience , job . . tho he kill me , yet will i trust in him : but if that fail , and the smoak ascendeth , their hearts are under a great consternation , josh. . . . the almighty woundeth and healeth , deut. . . job . . but it is with his justice and mercy . the wise man says , prov. . , . we wound our selve by sin : and god healeth us by afflictions , as chirurgions do with the lancet and cautery . sins are the thieves which rob us , and leave us wounded us by the way , till the good samaritan appears with his wine and oil , to cleanse , supple and bind up our wounds : he scourgeth the conscience with a sense of his anger , to make us sensible of our sins , and to bring us to an abhorrence of them . and thus he sometimes disciplines us with external afflictions . . god sometimes wounds the heart and terrifies the conscience , by the word preached ; and then we are pricked at the heart , and with st. peter's auditors cry out , men and brethren , what shall we do ? acts . . sometimes he smites the conscience with an inward sense and apprehension of his fierce wrath , and severe imminent judgments ; in which , as the psalmist complains of , psalm . , . an horrible fear overtaketh them ( like the earthquake at horeb , preceeding the still small voice of mercy , kings . , . ) in sense of a spiritual desertion , while he hideth away his face ; spiritual wants , or permission to some grievous temptation , cold fits of despair and buffetings by the messengers of satan , in all which tho there be means of comfort appointed , yet none can prevail , till the spirit of god the comforter , return and heal. . the same hand giveth the wound , and prescribeth the plaister ; as it was said , hos. . . the assyrians and jareb could not heal judah and ephraim of their wound ; so no mortal creature can administer comfort whereby to heal a wounded spirit , till he who correcteth in measure approaches and bindeth it up , jer. . . &c. he , only he , says the psalmist , psalm . . he healeth the broken in heart , and bindeth up their wounds : even he who was wounded for our sins , and bruised for our iniquities , and by whose stripes we are healed , isa. . . chap. xxvii . what things principally wound the conscience . there are some things which principally afflict and wound the conscience , and comes up , as the prophet mentions , sam. . . like those philistim spoilers , in three companies , to destroy and drive men into despair : and the first apparition and assault , is the apprehension of god's wrath , for some hainous sin committed : an instance we have in cain , having murdered his brother , cryed out , my sin , or punishment is greater than i can bear , gen. . . and judas having betray'd his lord and master , durst not approach to him to beg mercy , by reason he apprehended an implacable anger in christ. . it is certain , according to the apostles saying , that the wrath of god cometh on the children of disobedience , col. . . and that his wrath is revealed from heaven against all vngodliness and vnrighteousness of men , rom. . . and that the impenitent by their hardness of heart , treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath ; that the●e shall be indignation and wrath to them that obey not the truth , rom. . , . but when thou , who art of a wounded spirit , and broken heart , hast well considered , perhaps thou wilt find that these things are of no concernment to thee , but to those who live in sin. . the second obstacle in wounding the conscience , is sense of spiritual wants , as hope , faith , assurance of salvation , the spirit of sanctification and prayer . these being the graces of the almighty , and the presence of his holy spirit in the regenerate , may yet for the time be an hidden treasure , an immortal seed under the frozen clods , without any appearance of life . and the truly devout may weep and complain , like the penitent magdalen in the garden , for the loss of christ , when at the same season he is discoursing with them ; but they are ignorant of his presence , john . . . the third obstacle , is fear of some strong temptations and tryals , at which the afflicted and affrighted conscience is amazed , as the disciples were when jesus slept in the storm , and the ship was over-mastered with waves , and ready to travel to the bottom of the sea , upon death's errand , matt. . , . or like st. peter on the water , when he beheld the rough billows come plowing before him , cryeth out , save master , we perish , matt. . . when it evidently appears , they cannot perish who are with christ ; nor they cannot be safe who are without him . chap. xxviii . divine considerations of the afflicted . as god is just , so he is merciful ; he is no enexorable radamanth , but he is easie to be entreated : concerning whom we have a word more sure , than any testimony of man ; for the almighty , in exod. . . being his own herald , thus proclaims himself , the lord merciful and gracious , long-suffering , and abundant in goodness and truth , keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquity , and transgression , and sin. now if that which others report of the kings of israel , kings . . that they were merciful kings , could perswade them to seek mercy , and to enjoy their lives and liberties ; how much more should that , which god , who cannot lye , hath declared himself , tit. . . move the afflicted soul humbly to petition him for mercy ; who is more ready to grant it , than we are , or can be to entreat it ; for ask it we never could , except his preventing grace and holy spirit invisibly moved us . . god delights not in the death of sinners , but in their conversion , ezek. . and as it is a true prognostick of a guests being welcome by the good aspects and deportment of the family ; so it is an evident signal that a penitent sinner is welcome to heaven , by the angels loud exultations . if god in his good pleasure would have destroyed thee ; how often and justly might he have taken thee away in thy sins ? but now that his eye hath spared thee , his goodness is to lead thee to repentance , which never comes too late , if seriously performed . he terrifieth with present sense of his anger against sin , that men may be excited to repentance , and by forsaking their sin , be more assured of the mercy of god , and their own salvation . as stormy winds by shaking the trees , do fix and root them deeper , and seasonable weather purifies the air and water by their agitation ; so doth the almighty mundifie the minds and hearts of his servants , by menaces , judgments , and afflictions , cor. . . psal. . . it is god's mercy to afflict thee now , that thou mayst repent and be saved . it is the most unhappy condition of a sinner , when god concealeth his anger to the last , and then denounceth the impenitent as incorrigible , isai. . . so that if no remorsness of conscience appears , thy case is desperate . but this soul's conflict , concludes another co-ercive power in thee , resisting sin , whereby thou mayst be capable of a state of regeneration ; for tho the spirit of god at the present in its motions are but weak in thee , yet it is invincible . . st. paul tells you , rom. . , . all have sinned , and come short of the glory of god ; being justified freely by his grace , through the redemption that is in jesus christ. which plainly demonstrates , that 't is not a man 's own righteousness that can contribute to his salvation ; and david , in psal. . , . says , blessed is the man whose sins are covered , and to whom the lord imputeth no sin. not who hath no sin ; for on those terms none could be blessed . it is not in the quantity of the debt , as in st. luke . , . where fifty and five hundred are equa ly forgiven : and where an infinite majesty is offended in the least , never any of god's servants were saved , for being less guilty than thou art . thou fearest god's wrath , because thy sins are great , and appear so to thy conscience . they which are saints had some , and he that breaketh one commandment is guilty of the breach of all , and liable to the curse of the law , james . , . a diminutive wound to the heart will as surely kill , as the deepest and widest orifice . a small shelf of sands will as surely bulge the ship , as the greatest rocks . a little postern-gate , or breach in a city wall unguarded , will let in the enemy : so the smallest sins , if not covered by faith , and cured by repentance , will destroy the soul. . when we consider noah's drunkenness , david's murder and adultery , solomon's idolatry , manasses's murder , witchcraft , and idolatry ; st. paul's persecution , and st. peter's denial of christ ; it is apparent , that these committed sinful acts of a deeper die than thou canst charge thy conscience withall ; and that if god's justice should be executed according to the rigor of his law , no flesh living could be justified , psal. . . rom. . . therefore is christ the end of the law , to every one that believeth , rom. . . an instance of which we have in the patriarch abraham , the prophet david , the apostles st. peter and st. paul , and all those that are saved ; when we rely on him and his merits , by god's own covenant of grace , and the rigor and curse of the law is suspended . god therefore gave us his son , with this proviso , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life , john . . and the apostle intimates , rom. . . being justified by faith , we have peace with god. and rom. . . there is no condemnation to them that are in christ jesus . and if god justifies , who shall condemn ? . no sin is of that extent , or equivalent to the mercy of god , and the merits of christ. all actions of the creature are finite ; but the mercy of the creator , and the merits of a saviour are infinite . a drop of water holds some proportion with the sea , being both finite ; but finites with infinites holds none : fear not then , nor let pusilanimity over-rule the● if thou canst repent and believe , for there is balm in gilead , there is a physician there ; therefore let not despair seize upon thee . chap. xxix . considerations of humility . humility is religion's basis ; and god giveth grace to the humble , but resisteth the proud. when the subtle tempter cannot prevail in his perswasions to evil , he insinuateth himself into the minds of them who have performed some pious acts of christianity , by his mischievous suggestions , elevating them to a secret admiration of the same , whereby they may be deprived of that grace which enabled them to that performance . the poor publican in his humility not daring to lift up an eye toward that heavenly majesty , he had so grievously offended , having nothing to say , but only , god be merciful to me a sinner , went home justified rather than the proud pharisee , who boasted of much sanctity . . humility is the securest virtue ; but pride the worm at the root of religion , eateth up the vitality of it . now by reason it is difficult for dust and ashes to enjoy any extraordinary temporal blessings , without being puft up in mind , above his opinion of others in a lower sphere ; god justly permits many of his servants to depend on their own strength , ( like a tender nurse , who withdraws her hand a little from her charge , to make it sensible of its own weakness , and to check it from a dangerous presumption ) so that by falling under some great temptation , they may be disciplined in humility safely to distrust their own strength , and fix their dependence on god. for st. peter was in a better posture weeping , than when he presumed to lay down his life for his master ; then he fell by abjuring his lord ; but now he rose again by his bitter , but sincere repentance . now if the serious considerations of thy sins do truly humble thee , thou hast acquired a speedy way to thy repentance . . the almighty often in his great council orders the greatest enormities of some of his people to stand upon record ; that we may draw from thence this conclusion , that if we can repent sincerely of sins , of as deep a die as they are , we also shall find mercy ; but by the way , with this deep consideration , that we never entertain any of them in our thoughts , to be guilty of presumption , but as motives to repentance , whereby we may lay hold with faith on him , who freely forgiveth the penitent , not the obstinate presumptuous sinner ; and nothing more offends the divine providence , than a despairing of his mercy , ( which is a secret questioning the veracity of his promises ) and impenitency , which is the undoubted issue of incredulity . indeed there is no greater injustice to god's mercy , than by despair to persevere in sin , seeing his truth is engaged for our pardon , if we believe and repent , for he has not declared in vain , isai. . . though your sins be as scarlet , they shall be white as snow ; though they be red like crimson , they shall be as wool. chap. xxx . divine considerations of our repentance , forgiving enemies , and the love of god. consider why christ came into the world : the beloved disciple informs you , john . . because he so loved it . god sent him to save sinners ; not only them who had broken some of his commandments : but as st. paul saith , he came into the world to save sinners , of whom i am chief , tim. . . he came to call , ( as himself professeth ) not the righteous , but sinners to repentance , mat. . . mark . . he called the heavy laden not fallaciously , but indeed to ease and disburthen them of their sins , mat. . . he saved the publicans and notorious sinners , and to manifest the same in contempt of pharisaical calumnies , conversed with them . . consider , that god who commanded us to forgive , not only seventy times , but oftner , would not enjoin us that which himself could not , or would not perform . he is essentially , and so infinitely gracious , that his mercy is more than thousands of oceans , which can never be exhausted . man hath but a slender stock , a finite mercy at the best , and such as may be diminished and vanquished by injuries . he that enjoineth man to forgive without exception , could not in his justice command and require man to forgive more than himself in his abundant mercy could or was willing to assent to . add to this a consideration of his tender love ; he hath planted a paternal love and care , not only in parents for their children , but ( lest we should suppose it rather habitual than natural , taught by precept or example , rather implanted by the almighty in their natures ) in the very brute beasts of the field , and birds of the air , for the preservation of their young ; all this love in the creature is but momentany , but in god it is essential , infinite , and unchangeable . . now consider , did god give man ( suppose david ) so much love and mercy , as that upon the mediation of the tekoite , he could presently be reconciled to a rebellious absolom ; hath he given thee bowels of compassion , and an ardent zeal for thy childrens good and safety , to mourn for their transgressions , and to be ready upon the least appearance , or signs of amendment , to enter into a reconciliation with them , and canst thou conceive that god will not be much more ready to pardon thee , if thou canst heartily repent and implore forgiveness , through the merits of a crucified jesvs , the son of his love , and in whom he hath proclaimed from heaven , he is well pleased , matt. . . . the custom among the molossians was , whom plutarch mentions , that the petitioner should take up the king's son in his arms , and so kneeling before the altar , nothing was denied for the protection and safety of the suppliant . so themistocles found favour with king admetus . so likewise will our heavenly king give audience to our petitions , if we present him in the arms of faith , his beloved son christ jesus with the merits of his death and passion . a wounded spirit , a broken and a contrite heart , is an acceptable sacrifice to god , and that which he will not despise , psalm . . thou canst not reasonably think thy case detestable , for that which god approveth and loveth in thee , and hath so mercifully cherished in those he dearly loved . the royal psalmist , the man after his own heart , felt this which thou art afraid of , my heart , saith he , is wounded within me , psalm . . . consider seriously , that a calm conscience is not always the best , nor a tempestuous the worst : there is a lethargy and stupidity of an evil conscience in a carnal security : this calm is such a storm , wherein the soul , ( like the men of laish ) is quiet and secure , until some spiritual danites awake it , and the sinner goeth on like agag , thinking surely that the bitterness of death is past : as some heart-sick patient , in whom nature's strength is so far decayed , that he is insensible of the undiscovered approaches of death now imminent ; even such is the calm conscience of a secure sinner . . now , if that angel guardian , the conscience , which god and nature has placed within the breast of a righteous person , be sometimes at variance and upon the seasonable point of admonition for some sin unrepented ; we may infer it to be like the ship in which jonah fled , followed with storms , untill he was cast forth , whereby his happiness might be the greater : but the danger is desperate with those , when the mind is drowsie and will not be awakened from its guilt and impenitency ; but are given up to the spirit of slumber ; those i say , if at any time their conscience within 'em whispers and severely checks 'em , then are they ready to cry out as ahab to elijah , hast thou found me , o mine enemy ? if we are not sensible of our wounds , the sign is mortal ; therefore let us not our selves remove from that wholesome discipline , or fly that chirurgion , whose lancet threatens none but the imposthumated parts ; but rather chuse wisely that main skill of knowing , whether our consciences thus lull'd up in treacherous sleep , or disturbed by that voice within us ; which of these two , i say prognosticates the most danger . chap. xxxi . the examination of the conscience , concerning our repentance , &c. to this a serious examination is requisite ; wherein i shall lay down these particulars : first , some reasons why we must seriously examine our consciences . secondly , the main lets incident thereto . thirdly , certain rules by which we may throughly examine . fourthly , interrogatories to be proposed to the afflicted conscience . fifthly , some conclusions necessary to be drawn from the whole . . first , we ought to examine our selves ; for certainly god hath not so often commanded it in vain , lam. . . psal. . . cor. . . cor. . . secondly , without this we cannot know our sins , and so not repent , nor have any solid comfort in impenitency . we are extream apt to mistake our selves ; which if we do , we can have no sound comfort in the testimony of a good conscience , which presupposeth faith and illumination . thirdly , without this , we cannot possibly know which way we are going , the broad way to destruction , or the narrow to salvation , which were very necessary to comfort us , if we go right , or to recal and rectifie us , if wrong . fourthly , without this , we can never make a right use of god's chastisements , nor obtain any comfortable way out of 'em : neither can we distinguish his operations of mercy in us , when he humbleth us here , that we may be exalted hereafter . . now , the common obstructions to this duty , are first an evil conscience , which being wounded by a deep guilt , cannot endure any searching . secondly , native hypocrisie , misrepresenting us to our selves , by denominating us highly pious , and looking upon it as an important injury not to be counted so . thirdly , distracting cares of this life , and carnal security , which say with those jews , hag. . . the time is not come : these make men refer their repentance to the last hour , even to the hazard of their immortal souls . . now , the rules to be observed , are these : first , earnestly endeavour to find out and abandon all thy known sins . secondly , rest not in outward appearances , but entertain the illumination of god's word into the secret and dark recesses of thy heart : for , the woman in the gospel , first lighted , and then swept the room , luke . . thirdly , judge thy self as impartially as thou wouldst do an enemy . skillful painters place their work at some distance from 'em , that they may be able to judge and amend their errors . so must thou fix thy actions upon some other person ; like david , who could no● behold his sin in himself , till nathan shewed it him in another , sam. . i need not instance in judah , gen. . or in ahab , kings , . . . begin early , and be constant in this duty . if thy thoughts , after some slender pursuit , return as those men of jericho , with a non est inventus , josh. . . know that thou hast more need of greater diligence to repeat often thy examination . examin thy self by the whole law of god : and enquire what thou hast done in opposition to sin. few wicked men , but are content to observe some of god's laws , if thou wilt grant them naaman's plea only , the lord pardon thy servant in this thing . and sometimes herod , ahab and pharaoh , will have certain fits of seeming devotion and repentance . the brazen serpent will not sting : and men's corruptions are most apparent when opportunity gives them birth . . now , the interrogatories to be propounded to thy conscience , are these : first , doth sin reign in thee , so that thou yieldest a willing obedience to it ? or doth it bear sway and tyrannize over thee ? for between these there is an immense difference . true it is , all men sin , but sin reigneth only in the unregenerate ; let not sin reign in your mortal body , rom. . . and st. paul further tells ye , that the regenerate sin , rom. . . . that which i do , i allow not ; for what i would , that do i not , but wh●t i hate , that do i : for the good that i do , i would not : but the evil which i would not , that i do . from this inference , ask thy conscience whether thou wouldst have committed this evil which now wounds it ? if not , it is no more thou , but sin that dwelleth in thee . . dost thou detest all sin , because it is contrary to god's holy will ? and rather more for the love of god , than for fear of his judgments ? dost thou not only grieve for every sin which thou hast committed , but also for the ●ravity and corruption of thy will , and the infirmities of flesh and blood , disabling thee to the purer service of god ? if thou art in this state , thou art not disesteemed in the eye of the almighty : neither will god ever condemn thee , for that , which he hath given thee a competency of grace to abhor and condemn in thy self : for if we would judge our selves , we should not be judged , cor. . . the unregenerate person idolizes sin , but is afraid of the punishment ; but the regenerate abhors it , therefore god will not judge him for it , but will rather say what he said to the woman taken in adultery , neither do i condemn thee , go and sin no more , john . . . wouldst thou embrace sanctity , and is it thy heart's desire to serve god in sincerity ? so that thou can'st say with the church , isa. . . the desire of our soul is to thy name , and to the remembrance of thee . if thou dost hunger and thirst after righteousness , be assured thou shalt be satisfied , matt. . dost thou in the inward man consent to the law of god ? 't is infallibly certain , if thou dost pursue after holiness , without which , none can see god , thou art esteemed of the almighty . for our best perfection at present is this , not that we are throughly pious , but that we chase after it . . hast thou with the kingly prophet , psalm . . a respect to all god's commandments , so that thou dost not in thy heart dispense with any of them , for pleasures , profits , or any secular advantage , but wouldst earnestly enjoy that priviledge of keeping them all ? if so , let not slip the anchor of thy hope , but receive comfort : for hower satan's delusions may allure thee , and thy own corruptions may betray thee , yet thy minor serving of thy creator without exemption or dispensation to any sin , concludeth thee in a state of regeneration , the denomination following the better part , as appears in st. paul's expression of himself in the same case , rom. . . with the mind i my self serve the law of god ; but with the flesh , the law of sin. that is , groaning under the tyranny , but not dispensing with its reign . . dost thou resolve to oblige thy self to avoid sin ? then god will accept thee , cor. . . david said , i will keep thy statutes , and i have sworn , and i will perform it , that i will keep thy righteous judgments , psal. , . . it is evident he made a breach of his performance , tho his intentions were quite contrary , sam. . . dost thou conscientiously and diligently use the means to take cognizance of thy sins ; as by applying the word of god home to thy conscience ? for by the law comes the knowledge of sin. rom. . . dost thou carefully shun all occasions and incentives moving thee and enticing thee to sin and wickedness ? it is a vanity in him to detest drunkenness , who will not restrain his boon companions : it is impossible for him to hate adultery , who fixeth his eye upon the lascivious , and is entangled in the snare of the adulterer : such are apt then to forget what was mentioned in our saviour's sermon on the mount , matt. . . whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery with her already in his heart . and solomon's advice is very proper , come not near the door of her house , prov. . . for opportunity and occasion is lust's pander . . ask thy conscience whether it can presume to sin wittingly and willingly ? and whether it can be sedate in any known and unrepented sin ? if it be disturbed , dissipate thy fear ; for this very disturbance of conscience , which so much appals thee , is a principal mark of a good conscience . it is true , as the woman sang of saul and david , sam. . . saul hath slain his thousands , and david his ten thousands : so , despair hath cast away some , but presumption , multitudes . hath not thy conscience at some time , in a particular measure , been refreshed by a divine assurance of thy interest in a saviour , a resolution to forsake all thy sins , peace with god , and salvation by the merits of christ ? we commit a gross mistake , if we always judge of our state by present sense : for there are certain hours of tentation , wherein the light of grace is obscurely eclipsed to our sense , and the stupid or afflicted conscience feeleth no present illumination of god's spirit , which yet in due time shall return , and compensate our tryals , with greater advantage of assurance . . now the conclusions necessary to be considered are these : first , the almighty's judgments are ever just , yea , when flesh and blood says with nichodemus , how can these things be ? john . . when the too curious inquests after them are to be stayed with a , nay but , o man , who art thou that repliest against god , rom. . . and so also his mercies are as the unsounded deeps , beyond all apprehension of carnal reason ; often medicable by wounding and afflicting the guilty conscience ; comforting by terrifying , introducing to glory and immortality through corruption ; killing sin in the flesh by death , the fruit of sin , and guiding to heaven , ( as i may say ) by the gates of hell , and fear of damnation . . the most notorious sins committed in ignorance and incredulity , after repentance , are no arguments to despair : for the apostle tells you , cor. . , , . neither fornicators , nor idolaters , nor adulterers , nor effeminate , nor abusers ●f themselves with mankind , nor thieves , nor covetous , nor drunkards , nor revilers , nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of god ; and such were some of you : but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of our god. and the same apostle , was a blasphemer , and a persecuter , and injurious ; but obtained mercy , forasmuch as he did it ignorantly , and in unbelief , tim. . . in his conversion these sins fell off , as the viper of melita from his hand , without any danger to his life , acts . . so god pronounceth of the convert by the mouth of his prophet , ezek. . . all his transgressions that he hath committed , they shall not be mentioned unto him . . sins of the regenerate , though violent perturbations of mind , or tentations ensna●ing them , are not to be reckoned among symptoms of reprobation , or apostacy : such was peter's denyal , and davids adultery , and murder : therefore the apostle's , counsel is very charitable , gal. . . if any man be overtaken in any fault , ye that are spiritual restore such a one with the spirit of meekness , considering thy self , lest thou also be tempted . and christ hath taught us , without distinction of great and little sins , to say daily , forgive us our trespasses : this life is a spiritual combate , a truceless war against the powers of darkness , wherein the strongest may be , and often are carried away captive , and yet be healed and recovered , eph. . . their captivity concludeth not their not being true israelites , who would fain return . . every sin against knowledge doth not presently infer a reprobate mind : the most exquisite and dexterous are sometimes taken in satan's snares ; st. peter , though forewarned , denyed christ through sudden apprehension of fear : not out of malice , but infirmity : we , nay the best of men , are but partly flesh and partly spirit , so that we can neither perform the good we are inclin'd to , nor avoid the evil which we behold and detest . st. paul , and all that are regenerate , doth allow the law of god , yet sometimes feel another lawless law , carrying them away captive to sin , rom. . . . though every sin against conscience is very dangerous , and every perseverance therein , the very suburbs of hell ; yet every such enormity excludeth not repentance and remission : because sin not only allureth , but sometimes exerciseth the rage of a tyrant , and captivates us against our wills. there may also be a lethargy or epilepsie of the soul : there is such mischievous subtilty in satan , that his snares , though visible , are not always avoided ; whose messengers , though felt with grief of soul , are not always overcome ; yet he that gave waters to the horeb rock , exod. . , . can smite our harder hearts , and make the waters of life flow plentifully , to repentance , never to be repented of . . though every relapse into sin is very dangerous , yet if a man be not entangled and vanquish'd , those breaches may be repaired by repentance , pet. . . and solomon tells you , the just man falleth seven times a day , prov. . . satan doth not always present new scenes , but sometimes dresses up his old artifices , therewith to beguile : though our infirmities are numerous , god's power is made manifest , by sustaining us , that though we fall , we shall not fall away . though satan's power , subtilty , and restless malice , are very potent , yet he and his messengers are limited by their chain , and can receive no commission , if it be but to enter into a herd of swine , but from the almighty , mat. . . and the apostle tells us , cor. . . that god will not suffer us to be tempted , above what we are able : so that we may resolve , that neither life , nor death , nor any creature shall be able to saparate us from the love of god in christ jesus , rom. . . chap. xxxii . rules of practice . first , use thy utmost endeavour to possess the testimony of a good conscience , which thou canst by no means attain , but by being vigilant over thy soul , and with a fixed constancy resisting temptations . every sin , yea , even the least , woundeth the soul afresh : be not secure of minor sins , but let a good conscience be most precious unto thee ; part not from it for any pleasures , honours , or riches of this world ; but rather part from life it self . enjoy a tender conscience : a seared one , like callous flesh , is insensible of that which toucheth it ; to this , custom creates a proneness to sin , and takes away the sense of it , tim. . . tit. . . approve thy self in every action to god , fixing thy self ever in his presence , who beholdeth a far off all thou thinkest or actest , pet. . . and value not whoever is disgusted , if god approveth thee walk not according to the wisdom of the flesh , but by the rule of gods grace , which shall at last be thy rejoicing , cor. . . resign not thy self to sins dominion ; which is impossible , except thou wholly deliverst up thy self , by consenting to thine own captivity ; as the ear-bored servants , who professed love to their masters ; and so would not be manumissed and freed from them , exod. . , . detest sin and it shall not prejudice thee : no sin is so pernicious as that which is most facetious ; but espicially beware of presumptuous sins , lest they get the dominion over thee , psal. . . numb . . , . deut. . . . contemplate on god's justice and mercy together ; let them be inseparable in thy thoughts . for if thou inspectest into his justice only , thou art liable to despair upon the sight of thy sins : and if thou viewest his mercy only , thou wilt with facility presume , when thou beholdest that transcendent immensity , which is ever ready upon unfeigned repentance to pardon sinners : the sailers of old , upon the yards of their ships , conjectured the ignis lambens for a good or a bad fatality ; if they beheld but one flame , they denominated it an unlucky helena ; but if two , they accepted it for castor and pollux , good prognosticks of fair and prosperous weather : even so it is in mercy and justice , the consideration of them singly , may prove pernicious , but both linked together may compleat thy happiness . . labour for true faith in christ , who is the propitiation for our sins , john . . whose blood cleanseth us from all sin ; john . . and holding faith and a good conscience , that we may avoid being shipwrack'd , tim. . . tim. . . there was no cure for a wounded israelite against the venome of fiery serpents , but to look up to the brazen serpent , which prefigured christ apprehensible by faith ; the only medicament for sin-wounded-consciences : permit but this very sense and apprehension of god's wrath which now appaleth thee , to induce thee the more arduously to detest all sin ; and thou shalt thereby be ascertain'd , that god hath wounded thee , only to heal thee . . remember that what the law averrs , it declares only to them who are under the law , not under grace , rom. . . they are under the law who plead not guilty , and insist upon their justification by works of the law : we are under grace , who perceiving our sin and misery by the law , fly wholly to him for mercy , who freely justifieth the sinner , rom. . . the imprecations and menaces of the law are not to break the bruised reed , nor quench the smoaking flax , but to depress the heart that is elevated with an opinion of self merit , who safely go on to undo themselves after a presumptuous manner . . let thy repentance be speedy , that sin take no root in thy heart . neither let thy wound putrifie before thou apply the remedy : but ascend with all diligence to the throne of grace to implore mercy , before wrath is gone out against thee : rely on this second table , repentance , who hast lost the first , of innocency : condemn thy self , and christ will justifie thee : he only expects thy voice , to give thee audience : when thou comest with thy accusation and confessest thou hast sinned , then christ he readily receiveth the humble penitent , and proclaims thy sins are forgiven thee . observe how quickly the pardon followed david's confession ; no sooner had he acknowledged , i have sinned against the lord , but omnipotency declares by the prophet , the lord also hath put away thy sin , sam. . . st. peter quickly repented , and as quickly found mercy : esau stayed too long , and so found no place for repentance , though , he sought it carefully with tears : heb. . . if the granado fired , be suddenly retorted , it proves prejudicial to the assailant : such are the product of satan's fire-works , if thou cast out his temptations , and heartily repent thee , where any of his darts pierce thee . . give not thy self up to pensive dedolency , mundane sorrow , and fruitless solitariness ; that will but animate the bitterness of spirit : think not too much of thy afflictions , but dulcifie them with remembrance of god's mercy towards thee : assume not to thy self a worldly sorrow that is unto death , cor. . . but comfort up thy self in god , as david did , psal. . . why art thou so sad , o my soul , and why art thou so disquieted within me ? trust in god , for i shall yet praise him . and solomon tells ye , a merry heart doth good , like a medicine , but a broken spirit drieth the bones , prov. . . and again , a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance , but by the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken , prov. . . . be very attentive to god's word : for he is the god of all consolation , and the word is his mind and revealed will for the benefit of our salvation : it is a full magazine , and there is no affliction incident to frail mortality , but may there meet with a proper antidote : there thou shalt find rules to guide thee , and preserve thee from sin : there thou shalt have a prospect of the divine mercy of god in christ jesus to wash away the guilt of all thy transgressions : but then appear not only to be a hearer , but a doer of the word , and treasure up those gracious promises in thy heart ; so shalt thou in due season feel the operation of the holy spirit distilling the former , and the latter-rain upon the seed , whereby it may take root and be fruitful . . lastly , add zealous and frequent prayer , as god's servants have practised in all their distresses , psal. . . and be ascertain'd that he will not leave thee comfortless , but will at length appear with great assurance of thy salvation , and will infinitely recompence thy patience in suffering and perseverance in invocating for pardon . satan is never more baffled and infatuated in his own stratagems , than when he gains a license to wound the hearts of those who are precious in the sight of the almighty : for , as romanus the martyr told the tormentor , look how many wounds thou givest , so many mouths thou settest open , to cry to god for help ; and indeed these jewels cannot arrive to their glorious lustre , without being ground hard by affliction . the prayer . o most gracious and merciful lord god , rebuke me not in thine anger , neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure : my soul is sore vexed , but lord , how long wilt thou punish me ? have mercy upon me , for i am weak : lord heal my soul and deliver it , for i have sinned against thee ; o save me for thy never failing mercies sake : i am weary of my continual groaning , mine eyes are consumed with my grief of tears : but lord , hear thou my supplication , and receive my prayer . . o lord , i am sorely afflicted , but quicken me in thy righteousness according to thy word : in thy loving kindness , and multitude of thy tender mercies , blot out my transgressions ; wash , o wash me , and purge me throughly from my sins , and cleanse me from all my iniquities , the magnitude and number being of that extent , that my guilt flyeth in my face , and i am afraid of thy blessed presence . i acknowledge my self unworthy to look up to heaven , to appear before thee with a petition of mercy , who have so incessantly provoked thy justice : the filthy leprosie of my sins , stink and are corrupt , that they stop my own mouth ; but my heart readily answereth , that i am of all men , most unworthy of this thy condescention , in inclining thy gracious ear unto so wretched a creature as i am . . these terrors of conscience wherewith thou hast now afflicted my soul , are thy just judgments : the fears of hell , and eternal condemnation , wherewith thou hast wounded me , are incomparably less than my sins have deserved : but , lord , remember them not , who canst not forget the sufferings of thy blessed son jesus for them all . lord , i am not able to answer thee one word of a thousand , nor can thy justice require that of me , for which my saviour and redeemer hath satisfied : therefore i renounce my self , that i may be found in a bleeding jesus , not having on my own righteousness , according to the condemning letter of the law , but that i may be clothed in his righteousness , who hath long since cancelled the hand-writing of ordinances that were against me , and hath payed the debt for me . . o lord , for his sake i humbly implore thee , to convert this judgment i now labour under , into mercy : let it operate in my soul a true detestation of all sin ; a stedfast purpose to forsake all my evil ways ; a comfortable experience of thy mercy , pronouncing pardon to my afflicted conscience , by the infallible evidence of thy holy spirit , and assurance of peace with thee : o make me to hear of joy and gladness , that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce . cast me not away from thy presence , neither take thy holy spirit , the comforter , from me ; but restore me to the joy of thy salvation , and uphold and establish me with thy free spirit . . o thou who despisest not a broken and contrite heart , pour the oyl of thy mercy , and heal my wounded spirit : then will i teach transgressors thy way , that they may fear thee , and melt at the sight of thy judgments ; then shall sinners be converted unto thee , who art the fountain of all mercy and consolation : lord hear me , and incline thine ear , in this day of my calamity : lord consider , and perform thine own promise made through thy beloved son jesus christ the righteous , to whom with thee , o heavenly father , and the holy spirit , be all honour and glory , in heaven and earth , from this time forth and for ever more , amen . chap. xxxiii . the sense of spiritual wants . the next thing which wounds and afflicts the conscience , is sense of defects , and spiritual wants : as want of faith , hope and assurance of salvation ; want of sanctification , purity of heart , the spirit of prayer , and hearing , and want of ability to perform other holy duties . in these the spirit is stupified , and overcast even in the best of christians for a time : the religious person sometimes is sensible of a dulness , and want of fervency in prayer , and of a comfortable assurance , that god heareth or regardeth it , because he doth not presenty answer , or not grant our petitions . sometimes they feel a deviation of the mind , and discomposure of thoughts , in attention , and unbelief in hearing and reading the word : sometimes want of patience , want of love to god , and charity to men : in short , such a general debility , or distemper of the internal man , that he readily concludes with st. paul , that in his flesh dwelleth no good thing , rom. . . these are great maladies of the soul , and wounds of the spirit ; but it inferreth a good prognostick of a bad cause : where these are and the sinner is insensible , they are desperate symptomes . . in this case let us consider , that the very same measure of grace , which to the present sense of a regenerate man , seemeth incompetent , may yet be a sufficient measure to save him : and when he invocates the divine assistance , he is most strong , though in his own sense he is weak and deficient : for in st. paul's distress the lord thus answered his petition , my grace is sufficient for thee , cor. . . it saith not it shall be , but it is sufficient , meaning the present measure of grace he had in his possession , when he looked upon himself as a weak vessel . . the most pious , their measure of assurance is such , as they are not only enjoyned to give diligence to make their calling and election sure , that so an entrance may be administred to them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom , but they are in duty bound also to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling , phil. . . all incredulity inferreth not a reprobate sense : there is incredulity in the very elect before , and a perplexing remnant after their calling ; yea , even in their best estate here ; else why did the holy apostles pray , lord encrease our faith , luke . . and why did our saviour upbraid them with unbelief , mark . . . and saving faith differeth in degrees : so that there is a stronger and a weaker faith , yet both true , and justifying : so do all other graces , one hath a greater and more excellent measure of the spirit of prayer than another : one hath a more discerning and attentive spirit of hearing than another , and yet in either instance , the minor may be true and sufficient : for to every man is given according to the measure of christ , ephes. . . one hath ten talents , and another but two : nay , even in one and the same person 's faith , there is sometimes a grander , and sometimes a diminutive measure of confidence and assurance : and so we must judge of other gifts ; sometimes there is more fervency in prayer , and other times less . the sun doth not display his radiant beams on us always alike , neither doth the light of gods grace illuminate us after one manner . . a true saving faith may be very impotent , and the believer may be insensible for some space , but yet the gates of hell shall never prevail against it , as may appear in st. peter's example . there are doubtings and failings in the best on earth , by reason we are but here partly spiritual : we are not yet arrived to perfection : faith here must receive continual encreases , and be subject to tryals : and the like does ensue to all other vertues and graces : that true faith , never shall finally fall away , or utterly fail , though it be subject to intension and remission ; because christ interceeded for us , as he said to st. peter , behold , satan hath desired that he may sift you as wheat , but i have prayed for thee , that thy faith fail not , luke . , . because his grace by which we are called , and stand , is immutable in the counsel and decree of heaven , and are sealed up by the holy spirit of promise , cor. . . and the like we are to judge of of all the fruits of sanctification , which being the donations and graces of god , are such as he repenteth not of , neither finally withdraweth , rom. . . . thou hast indeed a true sense of thy spiritual wants , and mournest at thy corruptions of heart , which on every occasion produce sinful acts against thy maker ; if this be a heavy burden unto thee , receive this comfort , that thy sin is excluded its proper place , and become a stranger unto thee : for nothing in its own proper station is so ponderous . the danger is want of sense , and taking pleasure in unrighteousness : if a wounded person is insensible , he is either dead , or in some dangerous exstacy : no part hath sense but the living ; though it were for the present more comfortable to be whole , yet sense of smart in thy wounds inferreth life ; and indeed in gods medicaments , who makes all things operate for the best to them that love him , 't is a better state , ( in respect of the quiet fruits of righteousness , accruing to them that are thereby exercised , and the ulcerous corruptions of our souls , often necessitating our wounding that we may be healed ) than the secure prosperity of sinners ; for it is good and beneficial at the last for the just that they have been afflicted , psal. . . . when thou hearest , or readest the scriptures , art thou sensible of the want of faith , assurance , sanctification , and the spirit and fervency of prayer ? if so , be comforted : for as the solar eclipse , and descension of light towards us , can be discerned by no lustre , but it s own ; so neither can the want of grace be possibly discerned by any thing but grace . hast thou a hearty desire to have these wants of grace supplyed ? then that very holy ambition is grace it self ; without which thou couldst not desire it : our blessed lord in his sermon on the mount , math. . . pronounces , blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness ; for they shall be filled : god will never desert that soul which desireth him , and his saving health : none can hunger but the living ; and none hungers for grace , but he that subsisteth by it : but then thy desire of that seed must be ardent , not languid , such as cannot rest unsatisfied with any thing else in the world. . there may be an enervate , and oblique appetite of salvation in balaam , for fear of damnation ; but he more loved the wages of unrighteousness : the happiest thirsts for the waters of life , and afflicteth the soul till it be obtained ; and enjoys no rest , or peace without it : so that indeed this very state which so much afflicteth thee is the most secure and happy ; and thou shalt once know , that which one said in the happy event of his unhappy shipwrack , we had perished , if we had not thus perished . and when thou hast received the spirit of god in such a measure as thereby to discern the things that are freely given thee of god ; then thou shalt find , that blessed is the man whom the lord chasteneth and teacheth in his law , that he may give him rest from his days of adversity , psal. . , . . make that inquest with thy soul , whether ever thou wert possest of that , which thou art now sensible thou wantest ? if so , be assured it shall revive again , and finally overcome ; for whatsoever is born of god overcometh the world ; and this is the victory that overcometh the world , even our faith , john . . and this sense and sorrow is a signal of the recovery of the health of thy most precious part , thy soul ; as the seven times neezing of the shunamite's child presaged his reviving , kings . . if thou never yet enjoyd'st the grace which thou now beginnest to be sensible of , it now evidently is apparent thou shalt acquire it ; for this internal perplexity , is but as the motion of the waters of bethesda , a certain prognostick of a healing power descending on thee . . next ask thy self , according to that saying of the prophet , jer. . . hast thou not procured this unto thy self ? even this which thou now complainest of ? hast thou not neglected the appointed means ? if want of faith perplex thee ; hast thou not negligently heard the gospel ? hast thou laid it up in a solicitous heart ? hast thou valued it , and begged it fervently and frequently of god , above all things in the world ? thou art querulous for want of the spirit of prayer ; hast thou not neglected this duty formerly ; and dost thou now duly prepare thy self for that holy office ? dost thou use that vigilancy which christ enjoyn'd , of watch and pray ; by recalling thy profane and wandring thoughts from their extravagancies , and all attention of spirit , fixing them on the holy jesus ? thou art sensible thy heart , tongue , nor actions are not sanctimonious : appeal to thy own conscience , and then tell me , if thou hast not heretofore us'd all arts , and sollicited all things to appear in the throng , to drown the loud checks of that voice within thee , and hast looked upon it as thy utter enemy ? now if thou wouldst cease the effect , remove the occasion ; duly observe god's holy ordinances , and he will infallibly perform his promises . . enquire whether thou dost not persevere in some habitual sin ? it is a great folly to cry out of the heat , and still cast oyl on the fire : if it be an achan's wedge hidden , search for the cursed thing , josh. . , . and the plague in thine own heart , kings . . and by removing the impediment and obstruction , thou shalt be comforted : if it be a sleeping jonah , cast him over-board : and as eliphaz said to job , if thou return to the almighty , thou shalt be built up , thou shalt put iniquity far from thy tabernacles : the almighty shall be thy defence ; then shalt thou have delight in the almighty , and shalt lift up thy face unto god : thou shalt make thy prayer unto him , and he shall hear thee , job . . &c. . to reduce what has been said into practice , follow these rules ; give an audit to god's word preparedly , that is , renew thy repentance , and invocate the father of lights to illuminate thee , that thou mayst be a reverend and an attentive auditor : faith comes by hearing ; so doth sanctification , god's spirit operating upon his own ordinance to make it active : the occasion why so many hear , so often ; and so few so seldom practise and receive true comfort by it , is for want of a due preparation ; resembling them that sow among thorns : let faith and all christian graces be valuable to thee for his sake who is the author of all our happiness . how few set a right estimate on heavenly things till it be too late ? mundane vanities , are rated high , and often purchased at a dear rate ; but where are those that rise early , rest late , eat the bread of carefulness , venture sea , and land to obtain the holy city , even the new jerusalem ? be eager in the pursuit of these things thou standst in need of , and the almighty will not with-hold them from thee . . our saviour affirms to us , john . , . he that believeth in me , out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters : that is , fluency of graces proceeding from the holy ghost . if thou wilt labour , and endeavour to attain unto this faith , chase away all obstructions that do oppose thee : for a resolution to persevere in any known sin , and true faith ▪ are inconsistent . an obdurate heart is like the great stone on the mouth of the well at padan-aram , which kept men back from the waters of refreshment : these impediments , i say , must first be removed ; for sin in the affections , is like a venomous toad in the mouth of the fountain , obstructing the waters of life . . consider the operation of the almighty in thee , and compare thy misfortunes with others : if thou art not heard by the great being , perhaps thy supplication is not consonant to his will : for his design is to save thee , and infallibly to bless thee ; and if he performs that by a means suitable to omnipotency , wilt thou be impatient , with naaman , if thou art not healed according to thy way which thou proposest ? is not it enough that he will effect that which is properest and best for thee and canst thou pretend to outvie his wisdom ? perhaps he thinks it requisite to try thy perseverance and patience , whereof i confess , i know no severe object , than an opinion of his not hearing our prayers . it was no small tryal , when david cryed out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? why art thou so far from helping me , and from the words of my roaring ? psal. . . but the acclamation on the cross , carryed a louder sound , mat. . . moses was denied entrance into canaan , but was received into heaven : the cup did not pass away from christ , but god's will was perform'd in the operation of man's redemption ; and so , he was heard , heb. . . . doth thy faith endure many sharp encounters of the tempter ? then observe the almighty by this means doth more confirm it . is not every temptation as the shaking of trees , which loosing the ground , engrafts them the deeper ? thou art sensible of thy great defects in sanctity , and of many dubious conflicts between the flesh and the spirit , provoking thy soul to cry with rebecca , when perplex'd with her wrestling twins , why am i thus ? gen. . . despond not , but consider the work of him , with whom we have to do : thus he chaseth thee often to fly to him , and to consult his oracles : thus he exerciseth thee to humility , without which the most excellent graces could not save thee . he that prayed for st. peter's falling , could have prevented him from falling into that sin : but in so doing he kept him from presumption , and fitted him to confirm his brethren . . in all humility beg holiness of god , who hath expresly said , ask and ye shall have : and to consider that god is perfect holiness , is a vehement motive conducing to it ; and certainly he cannot chuse but love his own image in us , and freely give us that which he loveth : it pleased the author of our being , that solomon , before riches , revenge , and life it self , should petition him for wisdom ; upon which , he did not only grant his request , but additionally gave him riches and honour : and undoubtedly it doth so much please god , that any of his servants doth in the sense of their wants , before all things give grace the preferrence ; and they that in the sincerity of their heart petition to him for sanctity of life , he will not deny them , but will insert to their grant , more than we are able to ask or think of . the prayer . o almighty god , infinite in mercy , and perfect verity , who delightest not in the destruction of wretched creatures , nor despisest the groans of a troubled spirit ; lord , i am poor and afflicted , and do in bitterness of soul acknowledge my vileness and vacancy of grace , the corruption of my sinful nature , the misery which i have procured my self by my wilful disobedience to thy holy laws , and my impotency to any thing that is good : lord , i am as that wretched traveller , wounded and cast down ; only sensible of my wounds , but utterly unable to move , or help my self : the priest and levite pass by and afford me no relief ; neither is it in the power of the creature to assist me : nay , even thy just and holy law , which wholsomely instructs , do this and live , is so far from aiding me , or administring comfort , that my sins make it appear to me a killing letter ; or at best resembling the prophets staff , sent before by the ministry of thy servant , not able to give life , but a prospect of my sins , and rendring me guilty , before thy dreadful tribunal , and at the bar of my terrified conscience . . but , o lord , let the good samaritan , the prophet himself , christ jesus , thy dear son , and my alone saviour , inspire me with his holy spirit ; for he only can bind up my wounded soul and heal it : thou hast wounded me by an heavy apprehension of thy justice ; o now heal me by the assurance of thy mercy : strengthen my faith in christ , who freely justifieth sinners : and as thou hast in thine eternal love , given him to death for my redemption , so give me an infallible assurance that he is my saviour and deliverer : that according to thine own gracious promise in him , i may live with thee . . and o thou , who art the saviour of all the world , who sentest the holy ghost the comforter of all thy servants , to thy afflicted disciples to strengthen them , send him to my enervated and wretched soul : it is neither of him that willeth , nor of him that runneth , but of thine own infinite goodness , shewing mercy : thy omnipotence is effectual in the operation of thy good will and pleasure . o , be graciously pleased to sanctifie my corrupted will and affections : and as thou hast freely given me a will and a hearts desire to serve and please thee , that i might be saved ; so perfect thine own work in me , and establish what thou hast begun : give me , o lord , true holiness , and repair thine own image in me , that thou mayst own me for thine ; and then manifest thine own work in me , and unto me . . let not the good spirit which has possession of me , remain any longer in obscurity ; but blessed lord , manifest thy self unto my soul : and let the illumination of thy spirit break out in full assurance of faith , that i may no more doubt of thy mercies : grant me an entire victory over sin and despair , by the apparent presence of the comforter : my afflicted soul , o lord , knoweth no sanctuary to flie unto , but thy infinite mercy : unto thee , alone it gaspeth as a thirsty land ; o shower down such a plentiful dew of thy grace , which may refresh my wearied spirit , and fill me with the fruits of righteousness , which may evidently appear in my life and conversation , to thy glory , and the assurance of my election , vocation , sanctification , perseverance and salvation in thy beloved son , and my alone saviour , to whom with thee and the holy spirit , three persons , one immortal , incomprehensible , omnipotent , only wise god , be rendred all honour and glory , in heaven and earth , now and to all eternity . amen . chap. xxxiv . fear of temptations . next we are to consider the conscience afflicted with fear of temptations , and a defection through them , enclining it to a despair of grace sufficient to resist them ; by this means the soul is immerst with heaviness , through manifold temptations , pet. . . in which case it is necessary to consider , that first , a temptation is a tryal , or taking an experiment of something or other : the devil who cannot compel , tryeth men whether he can allure them to sin ; and this is apprehensively temptation . . there is a temptation of tryal , which you see , acts . . cor. . . rev. . . and st. james saith , my brethren , count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations : and blessed is the man that endureth temptation . for when he is tryed , he shall receive the crown of life , which the lord hath promised to them that love him . st. james . , . god is said to tempt no man , ( that is , to evil : evidently implying , as there is no sin in him , so neither is there any occasioned by him ) yet tried abraham ( to manifest him openly to others and himself : for no man knoweth himself , which is untried ) which denominates tempting , or proving : as you will find in exod. . . and ch. . . deut. . . and chap. . . psal. . . pet. . . and there is a temptation of seducement , which is a solicitation to defection and falling from god , by sinning , and committing evil , tim. . . thes. . . so that god tempteth , that he may discipline us , but the devil that he may destroy us . . some temptations spring from the corruption and sin inherent in the flesh , st. james . . every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts ; such as are mentioned , gal. . , . some are suggested by the tempter , who being a spirit hath power to insinuate and convey his impious notions into our minds : suggestion between spirits , are as contiguity and touching of bodies ; for whereas he cannot discover the unuttered secrets of the heart , ( it being the almighties peculiar prerogative ) but he observes mens natural inclinations and habits , by their words and actions , and so prepares baits accordingly ; thus he fishes in these depths , till he perceives his suggestions are swallowed , and the sinner taken : and by this means he presenteth such thoughts , as he conjectureth will take , by that which is obvious to the senses of men : as he fitted an opportunity of treason to impious judas , by the malice of the high priests : of lust to amnon ; of venturing on the cursed thing to achan ; of the revenge to cain ; of idolatry to ahaz , by the altar of damascus , kin. . . &c. . of temptations , there are four degrees , by which it ariseth to full maturity : first , suggestion . secondly , delight therein . thirdly , consenting . fourthly , acting the same : as st. james tells ye , chap. . , . man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts , and enticed ; then when lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin , and sin when it is finished , bringeth forth death . the first of these ( a bare suggestion ) is not our sin , if there be no delight , or consenting to it : for christ was tempted , mat. . . luke . . in all points as we are , yet without sin , heb. . . the sin is satans , when ever he suggesteth evil : the second ( as the third and fourth ) is sin in its degree ; for every delight in evil , declares a mans inclination to be such : a declining from good , and a proneness to consent and act evil . . a tryal of temptation to the just , is but as fire to gold ; it purifieth , and createth a valuation in god's esteem ; as the psalmist tells ye , psal . . precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints ; and the apostle informs ye , pet. . . that the tryal of your faith being much more precious than of gold which perisheth , though it be tryed with fire , might be found unto praise , &c. and that mirror of patience is comforted , job . . when he hath tryed me i shall come forth as gold. temptation therefore burneth out the dross , and is as a winnowing wind ; for satan by a temptation winnowed st. peter : now consider with thy self , can the refiner of gold take that care , that he will not lose it in the furnace ? can the husbandman , so opportune the wind , that he will not lose the corn , but cleanse it from the chaff ? and canst thou think that the almighty will suffer thee to be lost , by permitting thee to temptations ? no , assure thy self he cannot err : he measureth all , is faithful , and will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able , cor. . . he knoweth how to deliver his out of temptations , pet. . . therefore god commands us not to fear any of these things , which they should suffer , whom satan should cast into prison , rev. . . . there can be no conquest gained without an enemy , nor no crown without a conflict : no faith without troubles , nor no combate without some adversary : when the almighty puts thee to tryals , he stedfastly beholds how thou entertainest the enemy , and as thou standest the shock , he supplieth thee with fresh aids , as necessity requireth , and in the mean time prepareth the crown : many by a long and secure peace grow impotent ; and for want of experience unable to resist an enemy when he invadeth , perhaps their own pride ( born out of self-ignorance ) overcometh them ; or fulness may debauch them ; whereas exercise makes them vigorous , and temptations humble : lest i should be exalted above measure , saith saint paul , there was given to me a thorn in the flesh , the messengers of satan to buffet me , cor. . . and indeed conscience of a sin , and fear of punishment , makes the regenerate more religious ; and is much the firmer faith , which repentance storeth up , that ye sorrowed after a godly sort , what carefulness it wrought in you , cor. . . . the spiritual pharoah most eagerly pursueth those who are departing out of his kingdom : he passeth by his own , as captives : and chaseth those in whom he perceiveth christ liveth : when he must be cast out , then he teareth most furiously , luke . . so that his rage against thee is no argument of despair , but rather of great affiance , that satan himself , finds thou art none of his disciple ; were he secure of thee , he would let thee go unmolested to destruction , and never disquiet thee , lest any agitation should bring thee to repentance , and him to loss : this lesson our saviour taught , when a strong man armed keepeth his palace , his goods are in peace , luke . . . consider well that the best have been , and the best that live are tempted : the jebusites were left in jerusalem , for an exercise of vertue , sam. . . the apostle wrapt up into the third heaven , was buffetted by satans messengers , cor. . . every day dedicate thy first and last , . once for all , christ in whom was no sin , was tempted , heb. . . that thou are tempted , is no inference of despair : it seems a paradox , how heaven and earth are here so annexed ; we being partly spirit , and partly flesh ; that we cannot appear as we would , gal. . . we find an irksome law in our selves , opposing us : our reparation is something , and supernatural , but so short of that which shall be , that our selves ( like the israelites in ezra's time ) sound a discordious concord of sharps and flats , joy and sorrow , ezra . . we must expect perfection in heaven , for our present freedom from sin , is rather a desire to be free , than our being so . . next let us consider that god's grace ( who at his pleasure chaineth up the tempter ) is sufficient for thee , rev. . . cor. . . he restraineth him so much , that he cannot be a lying spirit in the mouths of ahab's prophets , untill he have leave ( to tempt him out to his destruction ) from him who justly permitteth to strong delusions , that they should perish in believing lies , who receive not the love of the truth , that they might be saved : omnipotence knows best how far he will suffer thee to be tempted , and accordingly measureth out a sufficiency of grace to all the regenerate : why he suffered david so dangerously to fall , or st. peter , and st. paul is dubious , except to humble them , and leave us motives to repentance ; and as for his judgments be assured they are ever just . . when thou art under any temptation examine thy self whether thou delightest in it ? if thou takest no pleasure in it , nor consentest to it , but rather startlest at it , as a thing which thy soul detests , and abhorrs , it shall not prejudice thee : now consider whether the temptation which commonly assaulteth thee is such as probably ariseth from the corruption of thine own heart , which is usually inferred by the thoughts parley from one thing to another , by direct or natural mediums : but if it be a temptation of satan's cast into thy soul , it is vulgarly abrupt , and such as thou didst not think of , incongruous , sudden , unnatural , and such as thou tremblest at , as blasphemous , sanguine , or desperate : though in some temptations he takes the opportunity of deluding our sight and hearing , joyning himself with our natural inclination to sin : and these are his messengers the apostle mentions , cor. . , . gal. . . who are like traytors corrupted by some foreign state , against their native country : now if a temptation arise of corrupted nature , the remedy must be the depression of carnal reason and affections : for if it be satan's instigations , the very discovery will infer a detestation whereby thou mayest gain the conquest ; for if we yield not to his allurements , he is utterly vanquished . . when any motion excites thee , either internally , by suggestion , or externally by persuasions of men , observe the apostles rule , job . . . believe not every spirit , but try the spirits , whether they are of god : because many false prophets are gone out into the world ; and by this thou art proved , whether thou lovest the lord thy god with all thy heart : and st. paul tells ye there must be also heresies among you , cor. . . therefore examine whether they bring any propositions against faith , the substance of the gospel , sanctimony commanded in god's law , peace , order , charity , and unity : to this end , that if we discern any thing in mens perswasions or any internal suggestions , contrary to our great law-giver , we may conclude them carnal , earthly , sensual and devilish , and so use our utmost endeavour to resist them , which may be perform'd by the practice of these rules following . thoughts to the almighty in sincere and fervent prayer , to preserve thee from temptations , and to guide all thy thoughts , words and actions , so that waking thou mayst walk sincerely in his presence , and sleeping rest assuredly in his protection : prepare and fortifie thy self against these encounters of temptations with the whole armour of god , eph. . . thou must expect tryals , for thy adversaries are formidable , such as flesh and blood , principalities and spiritual wickednesses : it is a conflict the more terrible , by being abstruse , and with an invisible , puissant , indefatigable , and restless antagonist , with whom thou canst not truce safely : therefore contrive before-hand , like the wise master-builder , to fix the basis upon a rock ; against which no winds , storms , or floods can prevail , mat. . , . . the mariner doth not design his ship only for a calm , but also against furious storms and rough seas : prepare thy self with the anchor of the soul , heb. . . hope to lay hold on christ , who therefore suffered , and was tempted , that he might deliver thee from , and in temptations : next , fraught thy self with patience , and all things necessary for tryals , which thou must in reason expect , before thou canst arrive at thy desired haven : it were great incogitancy to think that satan , who could not abstain from tempting the lord jesus , in whom was found no sin , will ever give thee a cessation from temptations , in whom he conceives some hopes of prevailing ; for he will endeavour to perplex thee , though he cannot attain to vanquish thee . . be vigilant , lest ye enter into temptation : because your adversary the devil , as a roaring lyon , walketh about , seeking whom he may devour , pet. . . and be not less vigilant for your own salvation . some have not observed whether a mischievous temptation hath hurried them , but hath been surprized and led into some desperate sins , which upon true opticks have abhorred and trembled at : thou must expect many assaults , for satan leaves them sometimes , to return with seven worse spirits , luke . . that security may destroy thee , when no other means are prevalent . be not precipitated into any sudden undertaking , but consult first the oracles of god , and there receive direction : let them be as the cloudy pillar to israel , and where that directeth , steer thy course accordingly . . follow the apostle's advice , st. james . . resist the devil , and he will flie from you : if thou surrendrest , or givest him the least advantage , he is tyrannical : next observe st. paul's exhortation to his son timothy , to flie youthful lusts , tim. . . for they are like serpents , and there 's no safe debate with them , except by fasting and prayer : therefore the exquisitest way is flight : stop thy ears to the enchanting syrens ; and with the patientest of men , make a covenant with thine eyes , not to behold that which shall prejudice thee , job . . take heed of all incentives , and inauspicious motives ; beware of tamar's ways , and dalilah's embraces ; solomon's curtisans invitations , and presented opportunities , suspected company , lascivious entertainments , betraying gifts , and whatsoever may lead thee to the paths of death . . as the subtile enemy fixes his gins , according as he finds the assaulted inclinable to be ensnared ; so be thou careful most to fortifie thy self where thou findest him placing his main batteries : and most carefully watch over thy self , where he most frequently assaileth thee : in this use perseverance , which will prove an antidote against that malice which else would destroy thee . to reckon up all the artifices of this tempter would be voluminous ; i shall only instance some few : and first he represents himself in the shape of a serpent , with his destructive commentaries on the forbidden fruit . secondly , he appears like a holy prophet , with lying visions to bewitch the foolish and impotent : next he comes like a court like sophister with ample promises of wealth , honour and pleasure ; another time he acts the pander , and produces a bathsheba , bathing her self . and lastly , he hellishly studies the secret conspirator , and assists judas in the betraying of his lord and master ; and for revenge of so horrid a fact , makes him become his own executioner ; therefore search into his gifts , and whatever they are fear the enemy : as saul said of david , sam. . . see his place where his haunt is , for he dealeth very subtily : he never pretends the least shadow of goodness , but there 's some mischief in the end of it ; he is studious of men , and where a gentle disposition is evident , he tempts to luxury ; an ambitious , to some lofty and impious designs ; and the angry to revenge : in this so important affair , thou canst not be too politick ; therefore where thou art most weak , let thy fortifications and guards be strongest . . fly idleness , that lazy matron of all evil , and basis of mischief . ever employ thy self about acts of vertue , and then there will be no space or room for the tempter . what advantage did he reap upon the royal prophet , by staining so glorious a life , which was produc'd by his few hours vacancy ? dally not with temptations ; for happy shall he be who parleys not with them , but is careful and vigilant , and is ready to say as elisha said of jehoram's messenger , kings , . . when he cometh , shut the door , and hold him fast there : is not the sound of his master's feet behind him ? the same remedy we must use to satan's messengers , who are sent to destroy us : we must crush the cocatrice eggs , lest breaking out into a fiery serpent , we cannot conquer it , but say too late , as the turk mention'd of scanderberg , this enemy should have been subdued in his minority ; for a attemptation is nourished that hour it is not mastered . . invoke the almighty constantly and fervently ; use his own words , lead us not into temptation . in many instances , these are a divine revenge on some precedent unrepented sin ; against which the sanctimonious frequently make their supplications : and if , as often as satan assaileth , we could address our selves to earnest and zealous prayers , we should worst him at his own weapon , & receive frequenter allarms to awaken us to a stronger guard ; even the shadow of the almighty . the first enemy that assailed israel in his way to canaan , was vanquish'd by prayer . when moses held up his hands , israel prevailed , exod. . the same repulse we must use to our grandest enemy . the prayer . o lod god almighty , the examiner of all hearts , and the tryer of the reins , who knowest before we ask , what our necessities are , and by thy holy spirit helpest our infirmities ; lord , i acknowledge my ignorance in not praying unto thee as i ought ; but thou alone canst make request for me , according to thy blessed will , with unutterable groans , which thou only understandest : help , i beseech thee , my infirmities , regulate my devotion , and restrain the busie malice of the tempter : direct and accept my prayers as incense in thy sight , and let them enter thy presence , through jesus christ , my only redeemer and advocate . . thou , who art truth it self hast promised , that all things shall work together for good , to them that love thee , and keep thy commandments : lord , i put all my trust and confidence in thee , and do stedfastly believe that it is good for me that i have been afflicted ; for i am assured that after the tryal of my faith , and exercise of my patience , i shall receive of thee , ( the only giver of all good things ) the quiet fruits of righteousness : but , o lord , how shall frail dust and ashes appear before thee , which is full of infirmities , fears , doubtings and failings ; for mine iniquities have taken such hold upon me that l am not able to look up : nay , they are more in number than the hairs on my head , and my heart hath failed me : neither have i to deal , o lord , with flesh and blood only ; but with invisible powers of darkness , which with restless encounters assault my soul to destroy it . . but , o lord god , of my salvation , be not thou far from me : shew thy power , and deliver me from the messengers of satan , which are too mighty for me : o rescue me , and bridle their insolent malice ; bind the strong man , and deliver thy vessel from his usurping tyranny , that i may in every faculty of my soul , serve and please thee . pardon all my sins for thy blessed son's sake , who died for me : heal my wounded soul , which hath to the anguish of my heart , so often sinned against thee : hide not thy face from me in time of my trouble , forget not my bitter affliction , which makes me go mourning all the day long , while the insulting enemy heavily oppresseth me : thou art my king , o god , and canst command deliverances : lord , i am poor , needy and destitute of help and strength to resist the fiery darts of satan . . put thy whole armour upon me , i beseech thee , that i may be able to stand . arise for my aid , o thou preserver of all men ; redeem me from the devouring lyons mouth , and for thy infinite mercies sake think upon me ; make hast to help me , and make no long tarrying , o my god : o suffer me not for any tryals to fall from thee : lay no more upon me , than thou wilt be pleased to give me strength , pat●ince and perseverance to bear cheerfully : confirm me unto the end , that i may be blameless in the day of the lord jesus : give me a blessed effect and issue out of every tryal ; that the more thou permittest me to suffer , the more experience i may acquire of thy mercy , and the greater assurance that thou wilt never fail me , nor forsake me : that i may through him , who hath by suffering vanquished death , hell , and him who hath the power of death , overcome all these spiritual wickednesses , which war against my soul. . lord , i have trusted only in thy mercy ; thou hast ordained strength in the mouths of babes and infants : o strengthen me unto the end , that my heart may rejoice in thy salvation : lord , spare me , that i may recover my strength : put thou a new song into my mouth , that i may praise thee for my deliverance , and declare unto afflicted sinners , what thou hast done for my soul : lord hear me , and have mercy upon me . thou who art ever readier to give , than poor mortals are to ask , deny not the humble and earnest requests of me the vilest and worst of sinners : this i beg , o lord , through the merits and mediation of jesus christ my only saviour and redeemer , amen . the close . having run through the several parts i intended , i shall now calculate the whole , and give a specimen of reducing it into practice . be very careful to stifle every sin in its primitive motion , and give no place to the wiles of satan , but crush , betimes the cockatrice egg , lest it break out into a serpent : permit not vain imaginations to possess thy mind , which are impossible for thee to attain , or unprofitable if they are attained ; but rather contemn , and behold them as empty shadows , and lighter than vanity . . but labour daily more and more to inspect into thy self , that thou mayst attain to that cognizance . if thou shouldst upon the enquiry be asked what is the vilest creature in the whole earths circumference , thy nearest and most intimate friend , thy conscience may report , thy own self , by reason of thy sins : and if on the contrary thou wert ask'd the question , what is the truest catholicon for it ? thy heart may readily reply , the blood of christ , which speaks better things than the blood of abel . affect not vain glory , nor popularity , lest it prove more pernicious than contempt , and avoid entertaining a male-contented mind , for that may produce thee more misery than thou art sensible of ; but think it the greatest mercy of the almighty , that in the multitudes of those blessings thou enjoyest , thou hast some crosses . god showers upon thee many blessings , lest through want thou shouldst despond ; and he mixes with them some crosses , lest by too much prosperity thou shouldst forget thy maker . . when the subtile tempter , by his instigations offers any motion of discontent , referring to thy present station ; remember st. pauls saying , which must be allowed a maxim , tim. . , , . we brought nothing into this world , and it is certain we can carry nothing out ; and having food and rayment , let us be therewith content ; but they that will be rich , fall into temptation and a snare , and into many foolish and hurtful lusts , which drown men in destruction and perdition . invocate the almighty , and with wise agur let this be thy petition ; o lord , give me neither poverty , nor riches ; feed me with food convenient for me , lest i be full and deny thee , and say who is the lord ; or lest i be poor and steal , and take the name of my god in vain , prov. . , . . be not opinionated that any sin is diminutive , for heavens vengeance is due to the least , and without gods infinite goodness and mercy , is enough to cast thee into unquenchable fire , from whence there is no redemption : remember that christ died for thee , and when thou hast committed any sin , mourn for it , and earnestly deprecate the almighty for pardon and forgiveness : often contemplate on the frailties of thy transitory life , and of deaths infallibility : wish rather a good , than a long life , and let thy verdict agree with the royal prophet's ; that one day in god's house is better than a thousand elsewhere , so that one week religiously employed is more estimable , than a life annually consumed in debauchery . . calculate once a day thy thoughts , and for what good ones thou hast entertained , return thy lands to him from whom cometh every good and perfect gift : and for what vain and idle ones has possessed thy memory , humbly implore his remission , to whom alone belong mercies and forgiveness : st matthew as a good monitor , gives thee this memento , that for every idle word that men shall speak , they shall give an account thereof at the day of judgment , mat. . . therefore shun all frivolous and prolix discourse , which will but infest thy ears , and prove insignificant , and petulant answers , which many times prove very pernicious : the words were thine when lockt up in silence , but once uttered they are out of thy possession ; and what folly and madness is it , when that sharp weapon thy tongue shall attest against thee ? . avoid hypocrisie , and let thy heart and tongue agree in a direct harmony ; for where truth and justice is the basis , no evil politicks can undermine the foundation : abhorr all falsity and dissimulation in another , and contemn it in thy self , else the almighty will detest thee , and for ever banish thee his presence ; of which the prophet david gives us that assurance , he that telleth lies shall not tarry in his sight , psal. . . set a guard upon the door of thy lips , that no obscene words proceed from thence , as thou wouldst preserve thy food from being poyson'd ; but let thy discourse favour of vertue and piety , that the hearers may be improved and well instructed : and when religion is the theme , use that reverence which so important a subject requires . . study to be a good proficient in three things , which are very necessary : first , to understand with discretion , to speak with prudence , and to perform with alacrity ; be not too credulous to all informations , neither report totally what you have lent an ear too : for if thou dost , those which were thy friends will become thy enemies , and thou wilt expose thy self to perpetual vexation : this is well observed by the son of sirach , ecclus. . , . whether it be to friend or foe , talk not of other mens lives , and if thou canst without offence reveal them not , for he heard and observed thee , and when time cometh he will hate thee . . let not malice provoke thee to divulge that which the bonds of friendship obliges thee to conceal ; but to prevent so great an eruption , make choice of such a familiar friend , who is inspired with evangelical graces , from whom thou canst never receive any prejudice ; for though there may arise some particular dissension , yet the operation of those graces will infallibly conduce to a reconciliation . next , act nothing which may be offensive to sobriety , or uneasie to thy self , neither be guilty of any thing which may induce thy friend to become thine enemy ; but when thou hast , through supineness or ignorance , committed even the least sin , with all the speed thou canst hasten to the throne of grace ; and there thou wilt upon thy true repentance , find mercy in the time of need . . be not too liberal in declaring all thou knowest , but rather disswade thy self , than thy friend to keep thy own councel : scoff not at other's infirmities , but consider and pity thy own , by endeavouring to rectifie and reform that in thy self which afterwards thou mayest be capable of performing to others : prefer not the little ebullitions of frothy obscene wit before solid reason and judgment : but if thou art disposed to use that freedom in mirth , confine it within the bounds of legality , and level it at nothing that is sacred or religious ; lest we provoke god to anger , and pull down a judgment for our prophaneness . . be no contriver of evil , though it lies in thy power to act it , for the almighty will not permit the least sin , without bitter repantance , to escape unpunished : omit not any good duty , neither enter upon any , before thou hast humbly besought god for a blessing upon thy endeavours in the performance ; and whatever thy task and undertaking is , let the operation be effected , with all diligence of alacrity ; committing the event unto him , whose omnipotence doth benedict with his grace , whatsoever action is intended for his glory : be not puft up by any good performance , for the judgment of god is far differing from the judgments of men : avoid that in thy self , which doth most displease thee in others ; and remember that as thou inspects into others , so art thou inspected by omnisciency , angels and by men. . exercise thy self as often as thou canst in religious duties ; and abridge thy self of worldly pleasures by entertaining them seldom ; that if death should suddenly summon thee , thou mayst not be surprized , but stand ready prepared : render to every man the honour due unto his function ; but esteem and venerate him more for his goodness , than greatness : and from whom thou hast received a gratuity , according to thy ability express thy thankfulness . be apprehensive of the dreadful events of notorious evil men , and detest their wicked actions : but observe the life of the sanctimonious , that thou mayst effectually imitate their blessed example , to thy joy and comfort : obey thy superiours , attend the prudent , accompany the just , and love the religious . . it is evident that corrupted nature is prone to hypocrisie , therefore it behoves us to take heed that we exercise our religion not meerly as customary , but to those higher ends for which it was designed , as the glory of god and the salvation of our immortal souls : be not rash in thy proceedings , nor confident and pertinacious in thy own opinion ; but seek advice of him that is prudent , and receive instruction of him whose judgment exceeds thy own . petition not for a long life , but a happy one ; for length of dayes oft times prolongs the evil , and augments the guilt : therefore it would deserve applause if that little time we had allotted us , were employed to the best advantage . . lastly , in thy supplications wait with patience , and be not dissatisfied if thy requests are not speedily granted ; but search the scriptures and there thou wilt find , holy job and others , that far out-stripped thee in sanctity of life , did not murmure or repine and charge god foolishly , but on the contrary did resign themselves up to his good will and pleasure : an instance we have in that pattern of patience , job . . all the dayes of my appointed time will i wait , till my change comes . he that fixes his trust in the most high , shall not miscarry ; he is neither puft up in prosperity , nor cast down in adversity , but continually fears him , who is his salvation , and his refuge . finis . advertisement . there is now ready for the press , the art of patience , and balm of gilead under all afflictions , an appendix to the art of contentment , written by the author of the whole duty of man. the second impression with additional prayers suitable to the several occasions . the contents . chap. of the chief governor , the soul. pag. chap. of the faculties of the soul. pag. chap. of the hearts corruptions . pag. chap. the necessity of governing our thoughts . pag. chap. rules of practice . pag. chap. of the affections of love and delight . pag. chap. of joy. pag. chap. of anger and malice . pag. chap. rules of practice concerning anger and malice . pag. chap. of envy . pag. chap. arguments to be considered by way of disswasion against envy . pag. chap. remedies against envy . pag. chap. of impatience . pag. chap. motives to patience and contentedness . pag. chap. rules for contentment . pag. the prayer . pag. chap. of hope . pag. chap. rules to govern our hope . pag. the prayer pag. chap. of fear . pag. chap. rules for governing our thoughts in fears . pag. the prayer . pag. chap. of cares . pag. chap. rules concerning cares . pag. the prayer . pag. chap. of jealousie . pag. the prayer . pag. chap. of external actions . pag. chap. rules in external actions . pag. the prayer . pag. chap. of a wounded spirit what it is . pag. chap. what the conscience is , and the tranquility of it . pag. chap. what things principally wound the conscience . pag. chap. divine considerations of the afflicted . pag. chap. considerations of humility . pag. chap. divine considerations of our repentance , forgiving enemies , and the love of god. pag. chap. the examination of the conscience concerning our repentance . pag. chap. rules of practice . pag. the prayer . pag. chap. sense of spiritual wants . pag. the prayer . pag. chap. fear of temptations . pag. the prayer . pag. the close . pag. books printed for , and sold by richard cumberland , at the angel in st. paul's church-yard . i. reform'd devotions , in meditations , hymns and petitions for every day in the week , and every holy-day in the year . divided into two parts . the third edition , review'd . ii. analecta : or , a collection of some of the choicest notions , and what seemed most remarkable in more than forty authors , philosophical , chymical , medical , astronomical , historical , &c. whereunto is added an appendix , containing short , but very profitable and delightful rules in many parts of the mathematicks . by t. b. gent. iii. a compleat discourse of the nature , use , and right managing of that wonderful instrument , the baroscope , or quick-silver weather-glass . in four parts . by john smith , c. m. an hue and cry after conscience, or, the pilgrims progress by candle-light in search after honesty and plain-dealing represented under the similitude of a dream ... / written by john dunton ... dunton, john, or - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an hue and cry after conscience, or, the pilgrims progress by candle-light in search after honesty and plain-dealing represented under the similitude of a dream ... / written by john dunton ... dunton, john, or - . [ ], p. printed for john dunton ..., london : . advertisements: p. [ ]-[ ] at end. reproduction of original in british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conscience -- religious aspects. conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - aptara rekeyed and resubmitted - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an hue and cry after conscience : or the pilgrims progress by candle-light , in search after honesty and plain-dealing . represented under the similitude of a dream . wherein is discovered the pritty manner of his setting out . his pleasant humours on his journey . the disappointment he met with after all his search . together , with his flight at last into another country , where he is ●●ill on his rambles . written by john dunton , author of the pilgrims guide , from the cradle to his death-bed . london , printed for iohn dunton , 〈◊〉 the black r●ven , at the corner of princes-street ▪ near the royal exchange , in cornhill , . the bookseller to the reader . courteous reader , as the author of this new and pleasant dream , was considering with himself what he had written ( in a late allegory ) concerning the pilgrims guide from the cradle to his death-bed , and of his triumphant passage from thence to a better world , &c. and how it had been acceptable to thousands in these three nations of england , scotland , and ireland , but more especially to the famous city of london . it happily came into his mind to write , as then , of those that were iournying to an heavenly country . so now of all sorts of wicked pilgrims of either sex , that are either posting directly to hell , or madly dancing and frollicking upon the brink of destruction . and here under the similitude of a certain pilgrim ( christ'ned discovery ) progressing by candle-light , diogenes like , in search after honesty and plain-dealing : all manner of vice and roguery is first p●inted to the life , in it's proper colours , and then brought to light 〈◊〉 a fatal spectacle to the thinking and gazing part of man-kind , together with the most eminent cheats of all trades and professions and therefore now that this book ( bearing my father duntons name ) may be 〈◊〉 vniversally acceptable to all man-kind , 〈◊〉 those four books have been , entituled , th●● house of weeping , dying pastors last●● legacy , heavenly pastime , and the sick man's passing-bell shall be the earnest endeavor and hearty wish of your most humble servant , iohn dunton . to the ingenious dreamer . 't is well when others with their wakeing wit , won't see what 's vice , that dreams discover it : servile applauses to no man i owe , yet on your dream my verdict i 'le bestow , more truth nor better sence , noe dreamer spake , but sir you dream as if you were awake . your cordial friend , william true-love . note , that the general sale of this authors works , hath encouraged the book-seller to the transcribing several more pleasant treatises , bearing his fathers name , which will speedily go to the press , but that which will first see the light , will be the pilgrims rambles , since his flight from the author into another country . farewell . advertisement of two books , newly printed for john dunton , at the black raven , at the corner of princes-street , near the royal exchange in cornhill . a very delightful treatise entituled , pastime , or pleasant observations newly alegoriz'd , in several pleasant , dialogues , poems , similitudes , and divine fancies : to which is added , ( ) the miraculous manner of the production of our old grandmother eve , with the supposed manner of adams first nuptial addresses to her , and the pleasant circumstances of their marriage . ( ) you have an account of eves first addresses to adam , and her industry in making a garment for her husband . ( ) you have a pleasant account of adam and eve's winter suits , their lodging and first building , with an account in what pretty manner they first invented a fire to warm them . ( ) you have abundance of supposed dialogues , very full of delightful reading : the first is between adam and eve , and eve and the serpent : the second dialogue is between cain and abel , monster sin and conscience : . between abraham and sarah , upon her laughing at the thoughts of her bearing children in her old age . . between iacob and rachel , upon his being willing to serve fourteen years to obtain her love. ( ) a dialogue between grim death , and the flying minutes . ( ) between balaam and his ass. ( ) the triumps of chastity , or a dialogue between ioseph and his mistress , upon her tempting of him to uncleanness . ( ) between ruth and naomi , upon these words , nothing but death shall part thee and me . ( ) between ionathan and david , including all the sweets of an intire friendship . ( ) a choice dialogue fancy'd between king solomon , and the queen of sheba , about the wonderful works of god throughout the whole creation ; to which is added , the glory and spendour of king solomon's court , together with the queen of sheba's glorious progress to it . ( ) between adonibezeck and one of the sixty kings he tormented under his table , supposed to be in the other world. ( ) a dialogue between iob and his wife . ( ) a fancy'd dialogue between rich dives , and poor lazarus . ( ) a very affectionate dialogue between the returning prodigal and his loving father , together with choice meditations upon our saviours great compassion to the converted thief upon the cross. ( ) a choice dialogue between iairus and his daughter after being raised from the dead , representing what ravishing sighs probably her soul might behold during all the time her body lay dead in the grave . ( ) useful meditations upon eutichus falling down dead sleeping at a sermon . with about fifty extraordinary pleasant dialogues and poems besides . price bound s . d . the progress of sin , or , the travels of vngodliness : wherein the pedigree , rise or original , antiquity , subtility , evil nature , and prevailing power of sin is fully discovered , in an apt and pleasant allegory : together with the great victories he hath obtained , and abominable evils he hath done to mankind , by the help of the devil , in all his travels from the beginning of the world , to this present day . as also the manner of his appehension , arraignment , tryal , condemnation and execution . the second edition : to which is now added , vngodliness's voyage to sea , with many pleasant additions besides . by b. keach . illustrated with five lively cuts . price bound s . an hue and cry after conscience : or , the pilgrims search after honesty and plain-dealing . musing with my self one day , how unprosperous vertue and her attendants were in the world , and how vice triumphed every where ; the thought possessed me with a melancholy damp that sat heavy on my mind ; to divert which , i could imagine no better expedient , than to wander in solitary places , and condole the unhappy estate of erring mortals . when travelling towards the private recess of nature , i was somewhat refreshed with the fragancy of the fields and groves , who breathed sweet odors , whilst the winged choirestors from every bough and blooming shrub , warbled tribute praises to their maker , and all the fleecy flocks that spread the flowry plains expressed their bleating joy , cheared with the morning sun , whose thristy beams drunk up the pearly dew , the consideration of which incited me to contemplate the harmony and order of the creation ; how from the worlds original all creatures ( man excepted ) have made good the ends to which they were created : and that he alone , who is so proud of being rational , should suffer himself to sink beneath the meanest animal , in dissenting from the will of his creator . whilst these imaginations run strongly in my mind , a sudden drowsiness sat heavy on my-eyes , and as it were compelled me to repose on a grassy bed , inameld with natures sweets , and far removed from noise and clamour , that still reign in places populous , where giving way to the soft charmer , soon i fell a sleep , and sleeping dreamed a dream . i dreamed , and behold a man stood by me , whose eyes seemed brighter than the morning star , more piercing than the sight of eagles , on his brows sat gravity and wisdom , and in his front in mistick characters understanding ●eep ingraven , and as he stood he lifted up his voice , and cryed , the secreis of the 〈◊〉 are before me , he that will discover 〈…〉 follow the light of vnderstanding . and when he had cryed , i saw in my dream a light spring up , as of a burning tapor , whose brightness dazled my eyes , which he taking in his hand , moved a softly pace towards a spacious city , whose glittering piramides reflected the sun beams , and as he moved by a strang● sympathy , methought he drew me after him , nor was i displeased , as being much desirous to see the end , or what the apparition ( for so i conceived it at first ) could make out of wonder or unusual mystery . when coming to the gates , i heard a doleful wailing , and looking up beheld a woman cloath'd in raggs , meager as famine , for her eyes were sunk , her withered breasts hung down , and on her faded cheecks want and necessity impressed their seals , and after her cry'd many infants for their dayly food , but all in vain , for i perceived she had nought to feed them with but tears , which flowed in rivolets . she had it seems been round the world to ease her mysery , but found no relief , for every where the door was shut against her , by reason avarice her mortal enemy , had incenced mankind to cast her off , vowing her destruction , for opposing his incroachments in the days of old . she passed us , and i looking after her , as grieved at such a sight , saw● charity in hebrew characters , inwove● on her tattered garments , whereat i sighed and thus expressed my self . hard fate said i , that she who was admir'd in days of old , and decently attir'd , wellcom'd in every place , made the delight , and darling of man-kind thus put to flight , shou'd feed on air , and dwell in shades of night . i would have proceeded , but was put be●sides my intention upon the approach of a female form half naked , who with ex●tended arms endeavoured to grasp th● flying air , she came not on the groun● as the former , but rod on empty clouds which she had long expected the eart● would fill with its ascending moisture though in vain , for still the vapours fle●● ascance flag'd their wings , or rising hig●● were drunk up by the sun beams , whic● made her sigh and utter frequent lamenta●tions , that intimated she had a long tim● been deceived by flattery , who had give● her a prospect of many desireable things with a promise that she should posse● them , but after all left her upon the borders of the land of doubting , where she had yet some glimering of light , and imagined she saw things at a distance , which she was hasting towards , as eagerly de●iring to possess them . now in my dream i perceived she had not passed above a furlong , but she entered a dark region , called , the province of despair , and there continued wandring in the air , till the dissolved to nothing , but as she glided along on her garments , which were made of the skins of cammelions , her name was written in the colour of an evening mist , by which i understood she was hope , and pondering with my self , i imagined i had once been familiar with her , but seeing how she lost her self , in vainly placing her mind on things below , i thus discanted . when hope on worldly things her mind does place , she feeds on air , and only shades does chace ; yet flatt'ry leads her on , till she at last doubting , her self upon despair does cast , who makes her nothing , or does chain her fast . by this time methought we had passed the gate , and the prespect represented many stately buildings , replenished with inhabitants of all crafts and occupations , with every thing desireable for the support of life , and to gratifie the expectations of those that worldly pomp and pajentry delight , more than sollid joys , when methought i was very desirous to know who it was that like a load-stone drew me after him , which the man perceiving by the earnestness of my countenance , pulled out a scrole , and opening it , i read therein many wonderful things , and conceived them to be true , because they were delivered under the seal of wisdom , chief secretary to vnderstanding , and upon the back-side was written in letters of gold discovery , which he told me was his name , and that wisdom whose servant he was , had sent him from the land of knowledge , to discover the ways of vice and folly , who have of late made many inroads into the region of vertue and understanding ; where assisted by flattery and dissimulation , they have alinated divers from ways of honesty and plain-dealing , paths now allmost unfrequented and over-grown with moss , which in the days of old were wont to be fill'd with iustling crouds , who frequently contended for the way . being thus far satisfied , i was about to give my opinion concerning his undertaking , and to inform him what little satisfaction such a discovery would give the world , as now it stands , but had not time before in my dream ; i beheld an image pale as death , with trembling steps and fluttering wings , advancing towards us , deeply sighing and complaining of the hard usage it had met with from ingratitude , avarice , and extortion , with divers others , who for the good offices it attemped to do them , had often put it to torture by ●earing it with hot irons , scosing and laughing it to scorn ; nay made an invasion upon it's life , by indeavoring to smother and stifle it ; which it had a long time born in hopes to prevaile by mild perswasions and meekness , against such rash proceeding ; but in the end being used worse and worse , and beginning to complain of such out rages to the maker of the world , whose steward she is . a pestilent fellow called atheism , who has lately invaded sion , councelled those with whom i lived to turn me out of doors , whose council they gladly embraced , hardning their hearts to that degree , that they became stones , which i perceiving and finding i could not live on such diet , i as willingly consented to leave e'm , and am now going to the celestial city , to give an account of my steward-ship , where i doubt not but i shall find better reception . now whilst i was wondering who this should be discovery whispers me in the ear and told me it was conscience ; how conscience said i , and with that i cryed out , o ingrateful world , and art thou treated so , who oughtest to be the square and ballance of good men , and ●egulator of the actions of the just , thou true essential good ! thou soul of virtue ! and thou ray divine ! now in my dream methought i was about to embrace her , but like a shade she flew from my extended arms , and vanished in a mist : yet in token of her kindness , left a strong ●●pression of her tenderness upon my soul , which made me break into this rapture : wilt thou blest guider of our ways be gone , like heaven's swift flame , no sooner blaze but done ; return , return , thou comfort of mankind , l●t some at least so great a blessing find , let some have light , though half the world be blind . scarce had i ended , when in my dream i beheld two men coming towards us laughing as loud as possible , whose unseasonable mirth , discovery noteing , and knowing they trod the paths of unrighteousness , cryed out , woe be to you that laugh now , for you shall weep hereafter . this put me upon the inquiry , when i was quickly informed they were vsery and extortion , who had been the chief agents in starving out charity , deluding of hope , and banishing of conscience . by this time having a full view of 'em , methought they so much resembled a taleyman and a broker , that i could fitly compare them to no other , and as it fell out i was not mistaken in my aime , for as they approached , i perceived they fell into the following discourse : usery . a iew say you was he that first invented the taleys , and brought 'em acquainted with usery and extortion ? extortion . yess , so our father covetousness informed me , and that he learned 〈◊〉 of a turk . use. no matter where since by that means money 's rais'd from six , to sixty in the hundred , these are prosperous days with us brother , now we may inlarge our thoughts . ext. mine are inlarg'd already , desire has no wider room than i afford to court the glittering oar. o mammon , mammon ! how much i admire thee , while with bounteous hand thou showrest on me what most delights my soul. use. yess he is a good benefactor to us , and wee 'l prove as true to him , since we have gotten such acquaintance with him ; he loves i see to have all our service and friendship to himself , for as long as we conversed with charity , he was shy and cautious . ext. ay , and kept aloft for fear we should convert what he gave us to any other use than what he intended . use. right , but now you talk of charity , prethee what 's become on her , since we gave her such sharp answers as made her despair of doing any good with us ? ext. why i believe she may be dead by this time , she has been very sick and crazy this many years . use. i heard a country fellow say about a twelve month agoe she was gotten amongst the villagers , who lodged her for a while on a pease-straw bed , and fed her on mouldy cheese and skin milk , but at that rate they soon grew weary of her , and sent her away with a pass signed by iustice curmudgeon . ext. a wood man , now you put me in mind on 't , told me he saw her since in a great forrest , and that she was gnawing the bark of the trees . use. good lack , well past doubt she 's pined to death by this time ; but it 's no matter whether so or not , since she 's like to trouble us no more . ext. ay , ay , you say very right : but can you think it ? the other day hope came to my house and told me she hop'd i would lend her some money upon her own band , that she hop'd for great preferment , and that she hop'd she should grow rich and keep a good house , that she hop'd to see prosperous and flourishing times , beyond what she had done : that she hop'd she had many friends , and many the like expressions . use. this was a very pritty fancy , i hope quoth they . ay , ay , she may hope and yet be deceived for all that , but let me tell you , though by the way she was mighty silly to hope for money of any of our profession , upon those grounds , we hop'd and hop'd again , but all would not do till we took other courses . but prethee what answer did you make her ? ext. why first i ask'd her if she had nothing but hopes to live upon , for if you han't said i , you must take up with the chammelions who ●ed on the aire . use. she told me she hop'd better , and she hop'd i would lend her some money . ext. ay said i , if you have any land to mortgage , plate or jewels to pawn or so . use. she hop'd , she said , she should have both . then said i , i hope you 'l be gone and trouble me no more , till that day comes for no penny no paternoster , and with that she went sighing out of my shop : and i believe by this time she finds that her hopes are vain . ext. ay doubtless , but she that troubled us most in the dawn of our undertakings . was conscience sawcy ? conscience , who wou'd ever be rebelling against our inclynations . use. ay indeed , i for my part found her very troublesome , although i had her in a kerb-bridle ; for when she saw me in a thriving way , by lending money upon bond and iudgement , and within a day or two , or so , sease upon all my chapmen had , and clap him into the bilboes to make him sell or mortgage his land. she would tell me of grinding the face of the poor , and begin to check me at a strange rate , for which unseasonable sa●cyness i have knock'd her down twenty times in a day , yet she would still be rebelling . ext. and i think i used her severely enough before i could be rid on her ; never were bees smoaked with brimstone , as i smoaked her with the fuel of obstinacy , by stopping my ears to her clamour , and contradicting her in all her motions . use. she was no fit companion for us , for she would often be talking of heaven and hell , and urging scripture to us , as if we minded that . ext. and presenting us with widdows and orpheans tears , the crys of the oppressed , and the distress of those we have genteely out witted and gulled of their estates , with twenty the like trivial matters ; but since we are rid of her no more on 't . now i saw in my dream that discovery came near and interrupted their discourse , &c. discovery . gentlemen are you of this city — if you are — ext. if we are ! why what if we are , or what if we are not ? but to be plain with you sir , we have lodgings every where ; but our mansion houses are in the land of covetousness , a fruitful place i 'le assure you . disc. very fine sir , but are you acquainted with plain-dealing and his brother honesty ? vse . no indeed sir , they are none of our acquaintance , nor do we desire they should ; they were our neighbours once , but proved so unprofitable and troublesome , that none of our profession cared for living by 'em : so we together with our brethren of the faculty , got a decree to banish 'em out of all places where we were concerned ; and now i believe it will be a hard matter to find 'em in these parts , for as i take it , they talk'd of iourneying to america , to take up with the native indians , when we washed our hands of ' em . disc. pray gentlemen of what profession are you , that plain dealing and honesty should be so offensive to you , i 'le assure you , i have heard a very good character of 'em in the days of old. ext. ay friend it may be so , but those days are past , and we know better things for all that , than to have any thing to do with 'em , — a couple of sneaking fellows as they are ; i am sure i am five hundred pounds the worse for the little society i had with 'em , and i believe my brother here is little less , for we are trades-men if it please you sir. disc. how trades-men , and stand at defiance with honesty and plain dealing ? vs● yess truly , and live better by far since we routed 'em , than ever before . disc. but know you not that the way of the wicked shall not prosper , and that every work shall be brought into judgment , whether it be good or evil . ext. ha! what dos he talk scripture to us ? — stay let us see , — who can this be ? — uds-lid 't is the ghost of conscience in disguise , with a candle in her hand , fly , fly i say , least she again possess us , and trouble us worse than ever . now i beheld in my dream , that they hasted to a gloomy coverture loving darkness , rather then light , because their deeds were evil . and we passed on to another path of the city , which by the many indentures that stuck up in the windows , i conceited to be sheep-skin row , where i beheld a man coming out of a dark place with a libel in his mouth , and on it was written in a mixture of letters , forgery , being habited like a scribe , for his coat was laced with the defrauded orphans sighs , and spangled with widdows tears ; wherefore i conceived it vain to inquire for hones●y or plain dealing in that place , and would have passed him , but discovery would needs discourse him : now i perceived when he addressed himself , the man started to meet a person at noon day with a light in his hand , as doubting it might be diogenes in search of an honest man , and would have turned out of the way , but that he imagined conscience lay sculking on the other side in a dark celler , whose greeting he dreaded more than an army with banners ; and therefore altering his resolves , he came blundering on , when thus i fancy'd i heard 'em dialogue . disc. well met sir , pray why in so much hast ? forgery . because i am going sir about business of consequence , delays you know sir often breeds danger . disc. are you acquainted in these parts ? forg . yess verily , i think i am , all these houses call me master , i layed their foundation upon the peoples ignorance , and made spendthrift and prodigality build the rest upon their own ruine . disc. policy indeed goes a great way , but sir , can you direct me how i may find one goodman honesty in these parts ? forg . truly i have heard something of him in my time , pray what should he be , a house-keeper or an inn-mate , or what country man is he ? disco . directly sir i can't inform yo● but this i have heard , he seldome stays long in a place , because few delight in his company , he has a brother too they call him plain-dealing . forg . a couple of plain country fellows i 'll warrant you — well unless you find either of them at my neighbour simplicities at the sign of the fools cap , a little before you , i know not where you 'l light on 'em , and so fare you well , for i must hast to make my neighbour sickleys will , least he shou'd be return'd mortus est before i come ; but if he be , it matters not much , i can put his hand to it , i have put many dead-mens-hands to wills before now , and wip'd the noses of such as gap'd for his inheritance . disc. where was your conscience then , was it asleep . forg . alass sir , i had sent her packing many a day before that , upon her checking me , for counterfeiting corporation seals , and mortgaging their lands without their knowledge . dis. and how came you off in that case ? it must certainly be known in the end . forg . o never sir ! for i repayed the money , and took up my mortgage after i had used it as long as my occasions requi●●d . but now i think further sir i must bid you adieu . oh dear ! i had almost forgot , i should have been at mr. knaveries two hours since , to affix a hand and seal to a band of l. by way of imitation — your servant sir. now in my dream i beheld he hasted towards the castle of deceit , whereupon we inquired at mr. simplicities as we were directed ; but instead of honesty and plain-dealing , we found folly and ignorance , sitting in two wicker chairs , in great state , and about them many attendance who waited by turns , but having no business with them , we hasted to papers-tree , a place for many letters famed through the world , and there we found a grave person sitting in a volumnious place , incompassed with the labours of mortals , antient and modern , here or no where thought i we may be informed , and by the information cease our further search , but my expectation failed , for i found soon after that the mans head was wonderous airey , being made up for the most part of romance and strange imagination , yet discovery would inquire , though i had before informed him , he would loose his labour . now at his approach i perceived the man was not a little affrighted , for 〈…〉 ground , he imagined 〈◊〉 might be the ghost of some deceased author whom he had hackneyd to death ; but finding his mistake , and recollecting himself , he pull'd of his hat , and made a crindging congie , which gave me opportunity to discern self-interest , in large characters on his forehead , but discovery not presently perceiving it , fell to asking him many questions , as thus . discovery . sir does this place call you master , know you all your neighbours here about ? self-interest . to both i answer in the affirmative , but pray sir why inquire you ? disc. 't is some thing i want that makes me so inquisitive . self-int . if wares you want of this kind i can furnish you with all sorts , i have what you please , you see not half my store , will it please you to walk further . now i perceived discovery had a mind to enter his cabinet of rarities as he term'd it , to make some observations , which willingness he perceiving , he lead us into a dark entery , crouded on either side with leather and past-board , where by the light discovery brought , i beheld rebellious principles peep out at one corner , sedition at an other , false doctrine stood there triumphant , and the italian art of poisoning barefaced , mahomet was rank'd with the prophets , and old hobbs with the evangelists , mugletons sermons lurked in private , and the rank weeds of atheism reached the ceeling , debauchery the baen of youth , took up a shelf for her own conveniency , and arian heresy was rampant , on the other side were musty legends , beautified with the conveniency of a new title , promising wonderous things , though not one word in the following pages , and next them stood incroachments upon the proprieties of his breathren in iniquity , and an additional impression in partner-ship , seal'd with the ignorance of his coleague . and for all this was he taken for a saint and a hero , but when as you may perceive the light of vnderstanding came to scrutenize him , all prov'd otherwise . now i dreamed that discovery began to ask him other questions , but especially if he was acquainted with honesty and plain-dealing , or knew the place of their aboad , but he protested he was altogither ignorant of them , only had read that they were many years since familiar companions with divers of the philosophers , and some few of the hermites , as for himself , he said he managed his trade well enough and needed not their assistance , and finding we were not chapmen for his turn , he whistled for a drudg in petty-coats , and telling us his dinner cool'd by this delay , dismis'd us with , your humble servant gentlemen . thus far travelling in vain , me thought i began to be weary , and intreating discovery to stay a while , sat me down on a pair of stairs to rest my self , where i had not been long , but i heard a noise above accompany'd with divers imperfect murmours , which at first i took for a leet , or court of pypouder ; but hearing at the same time a knocking , and the noise renewed of two pence , three pence , who bids more . i verily believe they were exposing honesty to sale by inch of candle , by reason of the lowness of the rate : desirous to be informed i intreated discovery to accompany me into this place of clamour who consenting , we no sooner came to the top of the ascent , but we beheld a deminitive fellow , with staring eyes , hair tuckt up , and his mouth drawn from ear to ear , standing in a kind of a tubb or quakers pulpit , with a book in his hand , as if he intended to edifie the people that were grumbling out their sentiments , when all on a sudden opening as loud as mugleton in the height of his damning dayes , and whilst the auditory stood with their mouths at half cock , expecting the issue of a long preamble , comes to the text and cryes , here gentlemen you have the true art of phoenix catching , and infalliable receipts for the philosophers stone , here are directions how to make pearls of dew drops , and how a man by easily stopping all the rivers that run into the ocean , may drain it , and catch whales dry shod , without the tediousness of a greenland voyage . by this an old woman of fourscore may be directed to restore her self to fifteen , and young gentlemen who have made over their estates by conveyance , find means to wrest them out of the hands of a griple vserer . he that has a generous flame for learning , let him buy this , and he 's made for ever . but if any of you have good money in your pockets and yet will starve your brains , you deserve to be posted for sots and blockheads to posterity . — six pence once , seven pence once , eight pence once , nine pence once , twelve pence once , twelve pence twice , thrice . 't is yours sir. now in my dream i beheld they all crowded about the party that had bought this supposed piece of rarety , and what shou'd it be but t●m thumb in folio with marginal notes , whereat the buyer perceiving his mountain expectations , had brought forth a mouse sneak'd away like a cur that had lost his tail , here i further observed that when any book of value through defect of bidding was likely to go under rate , the supervizor of these fallacies had one at hand to save it by bidding higher , or inflaming the bidders in emulation to each other , advancing it at it's double value , and if inquiry be made for whom he purchases , he has a name at his tongues end , pretending a commission , but all is false , for in the end the books return'd from whence it came : now in one corner of the room , i perceived deceit lay lurking close , but folly flew about on wings of ignorance , and self-conceit prompting the eager multitude to purchase books at a third part dearer than their neighbours would afford the very same books ; for but that that sets 'em agoing , is the rumour of some eminent mans choice , library books , which the ignorant imagine are no where to be found but there , when in plain english , this eminent mans library is the bookseller himself , and no body else : wherefore dispairing to find honesty and plain dealing in this place , we never so much as made inquiry , but en'e trudged down the same way we came up , but scarce had time to take the aire . when in my dream i beheld a man coming out of a dirty place , rubing his nose with a pair of dark colourd hands , his visage was grim , and looking this way and that way , as if he feared some danger , clap'd down a trap-door after him , and so came towards us , giving us a full but before he was aware , which made him retreat six or seven paces , and there making a full stop , stood peering at us , for having been so long in the dark , or at least by candle-light , i perceived he was grown mope eyed : but discovery desirous to unravel him , began to sift him in this manner : discovery . pray you sir what make you stand at this distance ? why so agast , do you take us for goblins ? dissention . i know not but you may , or if you are not , i take you to be little better than mad men to burn candle at this time o' th day . disc. friend it behoves us so to do , for we are upon the search , and have many dark places to discover . diss. how ! upon the search ! alas then i am undone , for if they find out ● private gimcracks , i 'm ruined for ever : nay , i believe they see me come out . what a dull rogue was i , that i did not take better observations through my peep-hole , before i ventured to open the trap. disc. why are you thus disturbed friend , is our presence so offensive ? diss. no no , no disturbance at all , nothing but a little qualm came over my stomach , 't is usual . disc. are you of this world , or that beneath us , that you came crawling out of the ground like an insect ? diss. ha! am i discovered then ! what shall i do ? but gentlemen , did you see me creep out of my cave ? disc. yess we think we did , and are desirous to know your profession ? now in my dream i beheld the man tremble and shake , looking this way and that way , as if he considered which way to run . but discovery assuring him , that if he would answer him plainly , to such questions as he demanded , no harm should befall him : he was a little comforted , and promised to do this . disc. sir your profession , that 's the first particular . diss. why sir , i 'm a terrestial incendiary , an imbroyler of friends , a mear beautifew : i have engins that cast forth granadoes , which have set citys and towns in a blaze of discention . disc. how ! what 's all this you run upon ? diss. night and day sir i have often laboured to promote mischief in that dark celler . i have a gimerack that has groand frequent with other mens propertys ; as also sedition , and little less than treason many a fair fortnight : o i have done many things for some great men of the paper professors , that have procured 'em a vension pasty on a holy day , or so ; though when they came to the touch stone , they had the face to disown 'em , and made me iack hold their staff : many a time have i heard a. hog in armour grunting about my trap-door , but was not able to turn it up with his snout : ay many a fair business have i done for my self , for when i saw my patrons in partnership for supernumerarys , unknown to each other i was upon the same lay , and supernumerated 'em both , and that i think was but one knaves trick for another . disc. and where was your conscience all this while ? diss. o sir that dropt into the lie pan , as i was straining one day upon a surfeite taken by feeding upon the fruits of honesty , and a lad that i kept call'd intrest , pist out her eyes , so that she could never find the way back again . disc. the fruits of honesty ! why 't is honesty himself that we are in search of : can you direct us where we may find him ? diss. no truly sir can't i , nor know i now where to help you to one apple of the tree of his planting , nor will it suit with my business to be concerned in such an undertaking . disc. has plain-dealing nothing neither to do in your profession ? diss. no i think not , for should he once come amongst us , all of our trade have such an antipathy against him , that he 'd either be knockt o' th head with the barr , or goarg'd with ink till he scowr'd his guts out . disc. then your's is a kind of a dangerous profession . diss. o yess , a very dang'rous one ; why it has in times of old been formidable to the nation . o had you heard what roaring bulls flew from the press , between forty and forty eight ; ay , and at divers other times you would have trembled . disc. were they so dreadful then ? diss. dreadful ! ay , i 'le warrant you it appeared they were dreadful , for they then shook the islands : but i can stay no longer , yonder comes one whose sight i must avoid , least he correct and revise me before i am ready for him . now in my dream i beheld the man left us and slunk into a dark entery , which it seems was a thorowfare , leading to the land of blackness , so that we saw him no more : but as discovery conversed with him , i saw the word imprinted pined on his sleeve , from whence i conceited him a typographer , and from that time forward , named him the engin of dissention . but we had not gone far er'e we came into feigning street , and this i perceived was chiefly inhabited by hypocricy , who had a world of votarys , and a train of green approv'd sinners to wait on her when ever she had a mind to take the aire , for you must know this is represented as a female iniquity , though too frequently incident to either sex ; she 's a great enemy to faith , and the only sister to dissimulation ; she was dressed in the habit of a nun , pretending to the greatest strictness imaginable , her cheeks were furrow'd with ●asting spittle , which many took for tears , sighs she had ever at command , and every now and then would strain a gentle groan , and would be still reproving vice in those that were most vertuous and sincere , talk much of watching , fasting , prayer and alms ; but all this talk was but in publique to gain applause or interest for in private , and with those she durst trust with the secret , she would revel it all day , and in adulterous arms spend many a night , counting religion than a ceremony , a meer shade : she 's much in fashion w●th our modern strumpets , who having so far mortified themselves that actual sin decays in them , who then , and not till then wou'd seem religious : but having quite forgot the notions embrace hypocrisie , who is ever ready to receive 'em with her open arms , and she serves well enough , if nature ne'r restores their vigor ; but if she do , off goes that shadow of a cloak , and to the trade they fall again . whilst these representations were before me , i perceived in my dream that two in female form approach'd us , talking as they came : their habit was grave and countenance composed demure , their eyes fix'd on the ground , their gaite steady and even , when within hearing me thought i heard 'em argue thus . woman . how this stratagem deceives the world , and takes the easier sort in the net of crudulity . woman . right it does so , 't is the securest cloak for vice to ●●roud it from the eyes of men that ever was deviz'd . wom. i act it so to the life , that many veryly believe me really honest . o had you seen me the other day what set faces i made , what forced sighs i fetch'd whilst tears which i command at will flow'd down my cheeks , you would have been concerned to see how the unthinking people pitty'd me , and at the self same time expressed a joy , that they had gained a proselite so truly penetential . wom. knew they that you were 〈…〉 the streets , and tread the paths of wickedness ? wom. they did , and so much the more re●oyced that they had drawn me from wickedness . wom. and what is it you further intend in this new undertaking ? wom. why , to keep 'em still in ignorance , till i have made my day get what i can , and cured the scars received in honour of venus , who is still my loadstar , though i seem to steer an o●her course . wom. hypocrisie's a misterious thin● , ● thing to dark for mortal eye to penetrate , 〈…〉 wisely managed . wom. it is — ha — my heart misgives me we are overheard . — see — see how close you lurcher stands . wom. if so your interest will be ruined . but see they come up nearer , set a good face on 't , and perhaps they 'll not believe their ears . wom. ay — ay — i 'll warrant ye . — ha what art thou man with the burning tapor in thy hand . disc. why so shy , and why this garb of hipocrisie still , think you we are ignorant who and what you are , and that we overheard not your discourse . wom. i say thou art satan yea the great deceiver who hast broken thy chain , and art come to vex , yea to fret , yea to torment us , therefore avoid , avoid i say . disc. come pull of this garb of hypocrisy and deceive the world no longer . upon which i further beheld in my dream , that they left us in hast , but had not been gone many paces , before they went into a little brandy-shop , to refresh themselves with a cup of the creature , whereupon we passed on but were not got out of feigning-street before we met a man in homely attire , wonderous grave , and of a seeming honest countenance , who without any scruple came up with us , and demanded our business in that place ? we told him we were in search of honesty and plain-dealing : why than said he , as for plain-dealing you need not search any further , for i am the very man. now i thought to my self our journey would be at an end , for if we found one , he could easily direct us to the other , and thereupon was about to express the satisfaction i conceived , but discovery wink'd at me to be silent ; and thus began to dialogue with him . discovery . sir if you are the party read this credential : it contains business of moment , tending to your happiness and future prosperity . counterfeit . credential me no credentials friend , for i am the man i tell you without reading your credential . disc. these are to let you know that i am sent to you from wisdom the queen of vertues , to import many things to you ; know you her seal sir ? count. it may be i do , or it may be i do not : but what is your business with me now i am found ? disc. i must first be satisfied whether i am not mistaken before i can impart any secret to you . count. sir if you are so shy i care for none of your secrets , yet i tell you i am plain-dealing . disc. where is your brother ? how faires the darling of virtue ? count. sir i have no brother , i have a sister indeed . disc. how sir , is not honesty your brother ? count. no sir , nor none of my acquaintance neither i 'le assure ye . disc. than you are an impostor sir , that have assumed a name that ne're will be your due , and if i mistake not , you are counterfeit , brother to dissimulation , false as empty clouds and wandering fire . count. and what then sir , may not i be a plain-dealer for all that ? disc. no sir you never can : 't is such as you who putting on a garb of seeming virtue , under that disguise act such villanys , as make the truly virtuous be dispis'd . count. nay friend , if you are angry , turn the buckle of your girdle behind you , and so farewell . now i saw in my dream he flung away in a great rage , and we kept on our course ; but stumbling upon sloath that lay in the middle of the street , i started , and in startling awake & beh●ld i● was a 〈◊〉 ; so lifting up my eyes and finding my self in a spacious meadow , i was fully convinced that all that had passed was but a dream . the birth of imagination midwif'd by fancy , proceeding from the ramblings of the soul , which in its eternal wake makes strange discoveries ; but long these thoughts had not travers'd my more capacious understanding , e're sleep that emblem of death courted my eye-lids afresh , and in his carresses grasped them so hard that my sences melted in the arms of sweet repose . when i dreamed and beheld in my dream that sundry phantasius were triping round me , representing , folly , iealouzie , self-conceit , pride , ambition , and a thousand such like airey vanities ; but whilst i was making observations on their many antick shapes and studdied postures , the curtain was drawn before the queen of faryland , whose pallace is called the castle of delusion , a strong place , to which many give themselves up voluntary prisoners , where they wander from room to room ; lead continually by the spirit of vncertainty , till they fall into the quagmire of dispaire , and there they are lost for ever . but this sceen being over , and it clearing up again , ● on a suddain found my self in the place were before i left of the search , and fancyed it to be the town of vanity by the many representations that tended to no other effect ; scarcely had these thoughts took place , but looking over my shoulder i beheld my old companion discovery , and was not a little glad i had so luckely stumbled on him ; yet had not time to vaile my bonnet and pay my respects , e're clapping me on the cheeks , he whispered in a soft tone , why have you thus unkindly absented your self in the dawn of my progress , seeing there are many wonders in the mist of deceit ( a gloomy region ) that are yet to be discovered by the light of vnderstanding . i blushed at this methought , and would have replyed , but was hindered by the unexpected approach of a fellow laden with mutton-taffata , and calves-skin ; at first i supposed him a knight arrant with shield in his hand , but afterwards found him a past-board bearer ; his pockets ratled with gimcracks of divers devices , and at his arse hung dangling a glew-pot , and a pipkin of mouldy past , many cording quires with much thread ; and on the skirt of his doublet stuck a hafted bodkin , with long eyed needles . now in my dream i wondered who this should be , once i thought it might be time , but perceiving neither hour-glass nor seith , i took him to be an actor in some farce , who thus had dressed himself in redicule to move a laughter ; but had not guest , long before discovery obliged him to make a full stop , though e're he could be steady , he started like a huffing hector at the salute of a serjeant . yet recollecting himself , cryed sir your business with me ; whereupon i perceived they began to dialogue as followeth . discovery . my business is to find out honesty and plain-dealing : can you direct me to their house friend ? book-b . their house sir , why do you imagine then that they are house-keepers : no no , never conceit it , for i remember twenty years agone they were but lodgers in our row , and then could scarcely pay their chamber rent , their gettings were so small ; and would you have 'em house-keepers in these dayes , when no body will give 'em porridge for their labour . disc. that 's hard , but time informed me , he once knew 'em in a flourishing condition and high esteem . book-b . ay he might perhaps in the first age of the world , but these days are past , and now they are held in such contempt , that i who am but a book-binder , scorn to keep 'em company . disc. then it seems friend , that you can give me no directions . book-b . no verily not i , they were hankering about my door a while agone , but my wife lead me such a weary life , till i had sham'd 'em off , with sham turkey , sheep-skin for calf , scabards instead of past-board , glew without sowing , and the like , you would not think it . as for knavery , if you have any business with him , he 's a very thriving gentleman that lives hard by , and one that i have got many a fair pound by . disc. i know friend as well as you how to find the man you mention , but our business is not with him , and so good by to you . now in my dream i beheld we passed this insiped thing , but had scarce turned the corner , before a brisk fellow bolted out of a dark alley , was upon us e're we was aware on him , and was hung round with quires of white and brown , and so covered with parchment , you would have took him to been in armour ; round his neck hung wax and wafers ; and on his crown quills brustled up in bundles , and in his hands were ●onds , indentures , releases , tickets , warrants , and a world of such like businesses ; whilst his pockets strutted with sand and ink-bottles . this thought i must be a scribe , and we had past inquirey there before to little purpose , wherefore i was for joging on ; but discovery catching me by the little finger , pull'd me back , and thus made his address . disc. sir. there are a pair of honest fellows we would fain find out , but hitherto have been successless in our search . stationer . and may be so till this time fortnight for ought i know ; but pray who are they ? disc. honesty and plain-dealing , there 's an estate fallen to 'em , and i am sent to give 'em notice , that they may return and take possession . stat. an estate ! no no , i can't believe it , unless it be in t'other world , for miracles are ceased in this : but howsoever be it as it will , i can't direct you , stationers have no business for ' em . disc. have you not heard of him of late ? stat. heard of them , yess , but 't is a pretty while a gone . i remember when i first set up , plain-dealing came sneaking to my shop in a thread-bare coat , and was for roosting amongst my stacks ; but , taking him for a spye , i bundled him up and sent him to the papermill , where they held his nose so hard to the grinstone , that they quickly obliged him to pack up his awls and be gone . disc. have you not heard of his brother the other party i mentioned , if we could find one he would direct us to the other . stat. when i lived with my master , i remember i heard him talk much of him , but do not remember he ever gave him a visit , though it seems he had been there formerly , as one more bold than welcom , which i gathered from his discourse , for he often railed against him , and called him names for the pretended injury he had done him . disc. that was unkind , for i am certain he is so just , that he would not offer the least injury to any body . stat. i know not all the particulars , but certain i am that thus he would rate him , though absent . a rascal , a villain , says he , for hindring me from gelding the quires , and pretending they shrunk in wetting if they happened to be missed , a thousand sheets cleverly gained in a morning will buy a man a good breakfast , when those that take his advice shall be obliged to keep lent all the year . nay , when i over reach'd as my manner is , and made felse numbers do with a little protestation , this sawcy iack would be whispring the lye in my ear , for which impertinency i have often snap'd him , says he , as if i would a bit his head off , and cryed , what then you slave , can a trades-man live without the faculty . disc. this was very lately sure for he was not used to be so served in the days of our forefathers . stat. not so late sir as you think , for it could not be less than forty years agone , since i heard him tell this story : nay further told me he was the very eves droper to fortune , and would as times go now make a hole in a mans stock as insensibly as the driping rain eats into the bowels of a flint , and bid me have a care of him . disc. and you took the hint i perceive . stat. ay i 'll warrant you , and so has many younger than my self . alas sir ! i have a family to maintain out of hard wax and other tackling , and therefore let people talk what they will , i know what i could write with a pint of ink , but won't give my self the trouble , and so fare ye well . now i perceived he had not gone far before he slunk into his officina like a snail into a shell , and we past on to an other quarter : and looking in at the mouth of an entery , beheld a firey-faced fellow surrounded with glass-bottles , and this put me in mind it might be him , who ( as the old wives tale has it ) girting himself round with dew bottles , was drawn up by the sun into the world in the moon , but found my self within a while after mistaken , for he proved to be a son of bacchus , and was too much delighted with his own terce , then to make such a perilous expedition , for a cup of nectar , which notwithstanding the man in the moon drinks claret , for ought he knew might prove a cup of small beer , when he came to tast it , yet discovery would enter this place , upon no other account than the german proverb , viz. in vino veritas , here says he , or no where we may stumble upon directions , but no sooner were we entered , but our ears were saluted with the noise of : wellcom , wellcom sir. boy , boy , show up stairs , and the confused tinckling of a bell , with the ratling of quart pots . i would have been gone , as imagining our inquiry here would be fruitless , but discovery over-perswaded me , and i stayed . now in my dream i beheld we were shewed into a large room , hung round with divers fancies , wherein the painter had been very exact in hitting the humour , for here sat one a spewing , there another bleeding with his pate broke , this had his face batterd with a quart pot , an other his eye struck out with a tobacco pipe , an other lay decently run through the lungs , on this side two at logger-heads , on that bottles and pots flying like hail-stones , here one tearing the cards , there another damming the dice , and shaking his empty purse , was ready to tear his own flesh for madness : the cieling blushed with volleys of oaths of a crimson dye , that spangled it like primroses , and on the floor lay scattred like sedg in meadow ditch , bundles of horrid imprecations . these things confirmed my first opinion and put me out of all hopes of intelligence in this place , but these thoughts had scarce taken air , when up comes firefacies and discovery , as loath to loose any time , thus entered into dialogue . discovery . sir have you not a down right man in your house called honesty . firefacies . not as i know off sir — but stay i have a great many guest in my house , i 'll bid the boy inquire , though i do not remember any such person has been here since i became major domo — no gentlemen he is not here the boy tells me he has asked in every room , and no body knows him . disc. that 's much , pray what company frequents your house that they are strangers to him . firef. o very good company , as my neighbour luxury , my young master spendthrift , tom gamster , and now and than old mr. vsury on the backside yonder ; especially when he has got a young heir in his clutches , that will not sell nor mortgage without the elevation of bacchus . — as for this honesty if i mistake not i have heard something on him , but they say he cannot abide to be seen in a tavern , and besides not a man that comes to my house , if the characters i have heard ( for excuse me gentlemen i know him not ) be true , but would avoid his company . discovery . is plain-dealing none of your guest neither ? firefacies . how sir , plain-dealing — ●o i think not ; why he 's a stoick philosopher , and deserves to be confined to a cave in some large wilderness , as matters are carried in this age. disc. are you acquainted with him , is he your neighbour ? firef. no sir , neither though i heard mr. self-ends say , he once lived in poverty street : yet i believe the catchpoles have been so busie about beating up his quarters , that he either lies concealed in some odd nook , or else is removed to ierico , till his beard is grown , that he him return in disguise . i must confess i had once some small acquaintance with him , which he relying on , would not suffer me to mix water with my wine , use stum or lime-juice , no nor to dash my white-wine with sider , he would be finding fault with under filling , & little bottles , double scoreing , and putting ale into my burnt claret ; when at any time i furnished a christning or a funeral , which made me shake my ears when casting up my accoumpts at the years end . i sat down by the labour in vain , nor coul'd i tell what to do till mr. knavery came one morning with his brother deceit , and counciled me to forbid him my house , or i should never be worth a groat . disc. and you took his advice i 'le 〈…〉 . firef. ay marry did i , and since i have crept up amain ; but what is 't you drink gentlemen , i hope you don't come to trouble my house for nothing ? disc. we are plain-dealings friends , our business is with him if he had been here , but seeing he is not , we must be going . firef. are you so , plain-dealings friends say you : then you are no company for me . welcome , welcome gentlemen : boy shew the way out here . now as we were going out , methought i heard him say , fare●●ell plain-dealings friends , i 'm glad yo'r gone , if he had follow'd you , i 'de been undone : if he in fashion comes , farewell our trade , by knav'ry 't is we only can be made . by this time i perceived in my dream we were got into the street , but had not leisure to consider of what had passed , e're we met with a matron decently set out , and as grave as penelope ; this thought i is a lucky hit , here past doubt we may be informed , and discovery at the first blush was of the same mind ; wherefore he proceeded to put the question to her , when turning up her head , and stareing him wishfully in the face . she demanded what time of the moon it was , which odd kind of question made him smile , as likewise desirous to know the reason of such a demand . why said she , i suppos●d you are a little crack-braind , which once a moon puts you upon extravagancies , or else you would never have undertaken such a business . honesty and plain-dealing saith she — no friend i know them not , and so goodby to ye . she scarce had left us , when being very inquisitive to know who she was , discovery informed me she was a dealer in humane flesh , and that for the better colouring the matter , she stiled her self a mid-wife , but her real business was to betray the honour of silly wenches to the lust of bully ruffians , to supply the city dames with what they wanted at home , to furnish business for love , intreagues to trapan young heirs into a wedlock noose with her over ridden bona roba's , and to put off the effects of the ladies great bellies , who have been tasting the forbidden fruit before hand , or dispence with the masters familiarity with his chamber-maid . nay , said i then , 't is no wonder she gave you such an answer . now in my dream i beheld that by this time we were come into a little croo●●ed place , and looking about , i beheld a 〈◊〉 incompassed with pots and glasses ●owring upon an old legend . thought 〈◊〉 to my self this must needs be one of the ●●ons of hipocrat●s , and therefore should be ●●ise : but whilst i was thus pondering ●ith my self , the question was asked by ●y companion , and the discourse began 〈◊〉 the following dialect . medicine . sir for what reason do you ask ●e for honesty and plain-dealing , but let 〈◊〉 be what it will , i can assure you , you are ●ome to the wrong place , for they dwell not in 〈◊〉 street , though i have cause to remember ●●em , for about years since , i lay by the heels allmost a whole winter , for harbouring ●●em in my house , though indeed it was my ●ives doings , for i was ever averse to it . disc. then you had sir some acquain●●nce with them formerly . med. ay sir , sore against my will , my ●ife as i told you before would needs per●ade me to it , and i could not say her nay , 〈◊〉 as soon as she poor soul march'd off , i ●●on got shut on 'em , she indeed would make 〈◊〉 be giving medicines to the poor , regulate 〈◊〉 bill from the conscionable gain of eleven 〈◊〉 in the shilling , to three pence or there ●●ou●s . disc. and was not that well done — i hope you take the same measures still . med. no sir i know better things i'd● have you to know ; pish ! sir i 'd have you to understand sir , i 'm now my own man , and those sneaking fellows shall never have any thing to do in my house . album greeckum●● shall be album greeckum now i 'le warrant ye ; every dunghill shall affoard me matter● of support . disc. you promise advice for nothing still sir. med. ay to blind the simple : no no , my learning that little i have cost me some money , and a world of labour ; and i thin●● it is but reason i should inch it out to the best advantage , that promise is only to decoy ' em . disc. yet you 'l perform your promise : suppose a miserable wretch lies in distress , perhaps his life in danger , and each ditch side affoards the remedy you knowing , would you not let him know it too ? med. how sir , what to spoile the faculty ; no , no , by no means : and to be plain sir , poor as they were , i 've screwed out many ● pound , for herbs i gathered in the garden of my patient : now had they known the remedy , all that had gone beside my pocket , nay some times i have ( especially where i found the guilt come ●lush ) made 'em sick and well as i have found occasion , keeping 'em on the rack for my advantage , by perpetual physick , till nature weakned , and the powrs of life decay'd , they en'e kick'd up their heels , and bid good night to ye . disc. and did your conscience sleep the while ? med. ha , ha , ha , conscience quotha ! why i had purged her guts out long before . disc. but this is a transcendant wickedness . med. 't is nothing sir , with some of our profession : wickedness ! that 's a good one : why would you debar us trying practices ? disc. at such a rate , and reason too . med. nay , nay , reason me no reason , practice is practice : but why do i thus spend my breath without a fee ? ego medicus , some and so your servant sir. now in my dream i perceived he withdrew himself into a back closet , furnished with more poisonous druggs than the e●onian● fields ; wherefore not thinking it safe to stay any longer within the wind of him , away we trudged , and ●hus i murmured to my self . art is indeed to be admir'd by all , but who are they the sons of art we call ? why those that make a conscience of a crime , who know and use that knowledge made sublime by virtue , but if she be absent then , art is not art , nor those that use it men . and so we passed on till we came to a high street , where we beheld many people passing , but could not see any favourers of our friends amongst the crowd , that we thought convenient to put the question to , as knowing it would be lost labour , by reason we saw envy , pride , hipocricy , dissimulation , and fraud walk jig by jole with the greatest part of them ; whereupon we struck off to the left hand , and there in an alley found a man a kneading , who by his whiteness , much resembled innocency at first blush ; but it seems , every like is not the same , though here we resolved to make inquiry . now in my dream i perceived he looked about him , and espi●d us , whom he supposed to be a couple of sharp set fellows that were coming to leap at a crust . but this consideration was scarcely midwif'd into his fancy , ●s the issue of his crazy brain , ere we asked for those we so much long'd to find ; viz. h●nesty and plain-dealing ▪ and we put the question hard , but the man who went as ● perceived , under the nomination of pinch-poor , after a little stamering , made ●s the subsequent reply . pinch-poor . gentlemen , i suppose you mistake the place , no such fellows as you mention can live amongst plenty of bread , there is no corn in egypt for them at this time a day . discovery . did you know them friend ? have you had any acquaintance with either of them ? pinch-p . no , by my oven lidd sir not ● : i acquainted with them ! sure sir you must be very weak to put such a question to a bread-moulder . disc. why is it any harm friend to know them ? nay to have conversation with them ? as for my part i should not think it . pinch-p . think you sir what you will , i know what i think , and beg your leave to think on . disc. do you think any harm on them ? pinch-p . yess by my maukin do i ; harm quotha ! ay , ay , harm enough i 'le assure 〈◊〉 . the battery of rotten eggs at 〈◊〉 celeberation of a triple exaultation would be more welcome than their com●any , for they handle a man ten times worse ; how many have suffered for having but the least to do with them , and sung lacrime on the wrong side , a iron or a wooden grate for many a frosty winter , whilst their wives and children were obliged to take up in the extreamities of the region of necessity , a place whether neither bakers nor mealman cares for coming ; for there is neither corn nor wind-mills , all the inhabitants are miserable poor . disc. and ought to be relieved , ought they not ? pinch-p . no sir i think not , but that they are e'ne well enough served for disdaigning to follow the fashion of the world ; they might have taken notice by my false ballances puffing and pinching , that the region of defraud was a very prosperous place . disc. ay , but those that associate with honesty and plain-dealing , ever love to be where conscience dwells , and she it seems is a stranger there . pinch-p . ay , and we are mightily pleased with her absence , for did not we set knavery on the frontires , strongly to guard the pass between the mountains of self-interest and deceit , she would be breaking in and raising a huracane to over●●●● our great diana , the very foundation of our profit . disc. but how came you at first to divorce her ? pinch-p . ha , ha , ha , what ignorance you express , by putting that question to a baker : why that which others call the popes eye , we call the eye of conscience , and seeing she was troublesome , we blinded her with mouldy meal , and stuff of twice grown corn , and then before she had leisure to clear her eye sight , gave her the slip , and stept into the other quarter , and to prevent her following , dam'd up the passage with great lumps of dough , pinch'd from the good wives loaves , which kept her back till i had time to raise the fences higher . as for the gyant i have named , he is maintained ●y my industry , to watch and ward , and is so diligent therein , that i live more and more in security . disc. but think you that security will always last ? know you not there is a tophet hot as eternal wrath can make it ? pinch-p . unless you mean my oven sir , i understand you not , a tophet said he , that 's a ●ramp word ; what of that , is it a place to bake loaves in ? disc. 't was made for such as you , that triumph in your frauds , who being bundled up , shall there be turn'd into everlasting flames . pinch-p . o grievous ! bundled up said he : why sir i hope you don't take me for a faggot : but it matters not whether you do or not , for let me tell you , d' ye hear sir , i have been so much used to poak in the fire , that the flame you mention will hardly fright me from clubbing with deceit for a fine livelyhood . but now i think on 't , while i stand prating here to no purpose , my batch will be spoiled ; therefore gentlemen , you 'd do well to be going . now in my dream i perceived he hasted to a dark place clouded with smoak , whereupon we took him to be a fellow capable to leven the whole lump of his fraternity , 〈…〉 left him to be corrected by the wooden gimcracks . but we had not gone far , but we met a fin●cal fellow with a bundle under his arm , and perceived his pockets ratled with needles , thimbles , bodkins , and sheers , so that at first i took him for a morice-dancer with bells , but he proved a meer hocuspocus , a moth that had fretted away many a yard of back furniture , and by a certain slight of hand , deceived the very sight of men ; here thought i 't is in vain to make any inquiry , wherefore i stepped over the channel to be marching on the other side , but was pul'd back by discovery , who was not willing to let this ninth part of mortality , anglice a taylor pass unquestioned , but stopped him with the following demand . disc. friend know you honesty and plain-dealing , have you made any garments for 'em of late ? taylor . sir i neither know them nor do i desire to have any dealing with them , few of my profession have occasion for such customers , if they are so hard to be pleased as is reported . disc. the report friend has cast you into an error , for they are placable , mild , gentle and easie , dealing uprightly with all men , not defrauding any , but rendering to every man what is justly his due . tayl. why there 's it now , and would you have a taylor have any thing to do with them ? why the trade would be undone then , for we must ●n'e give over planting cabbidges in hell , no slip of value must be gentily filched , nor yet a remnant saved . the report cast me into an error said he , no , no , that 's a mistake , this is just as i heard it ; besides , although i am but a younger brother of the craft , yet upon what i have heard , i have bidden honesty and plain-dealing defiance , and vowed to make perpetual war with them , and if they dare attempt my quarters , no louse was ever mauled as i 'le maule them . disc. you talk like a person with a sick fancy , is your braines crazed friend ? tayl. no i think not , mr. will with t●e whisp , but it would make a man mad of our profession , especially to be buz'd in the ears with your honesty or plain-dealing , as if you were turned their advocate , and went about to perswade us to give them house room . no , no , it will never do , we 'l have no spies upon our ways and actions . disc. friend ●re search after them for other reasons , our chief design is to find them . tayl. ay , and search you may till dooms day for ought i know , for i can give you no directions : no sir by my goos would not if i could , for ●ear if you should find them asleep ( for i believe they have little else to do ) that under pretence of returning me thanks , they should pay me a visit , and imbroyle my affairs , by curtailing my bills , sealing up the door of my cabbidg room , and ' twitting me in the teeth for cutting out two for one , putting in brown-paper instead of buckerum , and many such pretty devices incident to men of our profession . disc. if conscience had any rule in you , you would not speak so hardly of her dear companions . tayl. ha , ha , ha , that 's very pritty ! conscience say you , that 's fine indeed . why who ever heard of a taylo●s conscience prethee ? disc. say you so , then our farther inquiry as to any directions we can hope for from you , may be spared . tayl. ay , ay , very well , for it won't availe you the shread of a garment ; and so i leave you to consider on 't . upon this he step'd into a blind ale-house , tip'd off his penny pot , snatch'd his goose out of the fire , spit upon 't , whip'd out again threaded through the company , and jump'd upon his shop-board , where we left him cross-leg'd , and suddainly turning the corner , met divers married females , who had taken leave of their husbands under pretence of visiting a sick friend , seeing their children at nurse , taking their farewell of some pretended aunt or she couzen , who was coaching it into the country or so ; when indeed their business was nothing less ; for looking back , we saw 'em dive into a tavern , where their gallants attended their arrival to entertain them with love possest . but we scarce had passed them , when we stumbled upon a drove of painters and journeymen shoo-makers , who came reeling at a rate that had like to overset us , but bearing up briskly , they recoild and jostling together , decently fell , making the channel for that time their dormitorie ; so taking them for little better than rubbish , we left them to fill up the holes , and passed through a little wicket , where in my dream i perceived that envy met us , and stood in the way to hinder our progress through the region of truth , but the light of understanding struck her blind for a time , which gave us opportunity to pass by her , which we did with as much speed as possible , to avoid the hissing of her feeble snakes . now i further perceived that the way growing wider , we met a grave fellow , who resembled a philosopher , his beard was as long as cato's , and his head hoary for want of moisture ; and on his forehead was ingraven flattery . bless me thought i , sure this man must be wrong named , and may be honesty thus branded by envy , on purpose to deceive us , and render our inquiry fruitless . discovery at the first was of the same opinion , and resolved to learn it from himself , when coming up and clapping him on the shoulder , he cryed halo grandsir , at which rough salute he seemed to be offended , although he could not well perceive who we were , for age had made him dim sighted . when thus discovery began . disc. father you seem to be a grave , wise , and iudicious man , a man of elder dayes , which gives me hopes you can inform me whether honesty and plain-dealing took their iourney when they left these parts , or are they ye● remaining hereabout ? upon this , methought he put on his spectacles , and peering in our faces for a while , replyed . flattery . who are you sir , that ask me such a question ? disc. one that fain would be satisfied in this demand . flatt . you might as well asked me for the philosophers stone or a phoenix egg. disc. are they so hard to be found then ? flatt . ay exceeding difficult amongst men of my profession ! disc. what may your profession be father ? flatt . why friend , some call me a merchant , some a planter ; but indeed i am neither , yet i am a well wisher to both , and have help'd them to many a hopeful bargain . disc. a bargain father : of what , pray let us understand a little ? flatt . why in plain terms under the rose , some call me a canibal , or devourer of humane liberty , others a soul-seller , and others a plain downright kidnapper , though most imagine me a merchant . disc. a very fine trade , and is this your profession ? flatt . yess , yess , many a father have i 〈◊〉 of his children , many a master of his servant , many a bribe have i had of the wife to ship away her husband , that she might freely revel it with him she liked better ; as often has been my gain from the husband to rid him off a scolding or troublesome wife ; nay unckles have ●aum'd my fist with gold to send away their nephews , that they might injoy their estates , of which they were lest gaurdians . o many a master has sent for me at midnight , to help him off with his chamber-maid when her belly began to ris● in rebellion ; ten guineys have i had of an apprentice in a morning for the like service , when the cook-wenches belly grumbled . and all this was done under the umbrage of their straying through discontent , or their being gone into the country to visit their relations . disc. and did this satisfie their relations ? was no further inquiry made after them when missing ? flatt . yess , perhaps they might ; but then if they were husbands , wives , servants , or the like , we had got a trick to make the first inquiry , by publick crying them , but never till they were surely shop'd in the b●lboes . disc. but how came you to the fingering on them ? how contrived you to get them so safely into your clutches ? flatt . oh , many wayes : as when i saw a young lad stand discontented , i 'de make up to him , and ask him his name , place of aboad , and imployment ; in which being readily satisfied , i 'd raile against the cruelty of his father or master , telling him it was a shame , and that they were punishable for using such rigor to so hopeful a youth : then would i underfeel his resolves , by telling him of much pleasure and plenty , and by what means he might possess it , or that i would help him to a master , whose kindness should appear beyond expression ; which wrought upon him to that degree , that he went contentedly , as an ox to the slaughter , &c. disc. but met you with none that were rough and untractable ? flatt . yes many , and some came now and then to put a trick upon me , but i shew'd them a trick for their learning ; for getting them to the brims of the element , where i had a little tipling house for the purpose , i used to put opium in their liquor , which charming their senses into a slumber , under the favour of that opportunity , and the dusk of the evening , i clapt them aboard my badger , and then good by gaffer , they saw no more daylight till they found themselves out of their own country , and then though all to late , they began to ban their folly that had prompted them to leap out of the frying-pan , into the fire . disc. but some perhaps would not swallow this bait ? flatt . those i made larger offers , telling them i was indeed a merchant , and had whole islands of my own , to confirm which i had ever a voucher at my elbow . then would i send them aboard with a fine key a token to secure them , though they kn●w no other then that it belong'd to a rich cabbin , for so i told them , furnished with all that was pleasant and delightful , as also that my self would be with them in the evening , and accompany them in all hazards , which made them on their arrival , begin to command like emperours , but their courages were soon cool'd , for the purser or boatswain under pretence of conducting them to their cabbin , pulls up a trap and thrust them head and shoulders into dark durance , where they found a covey of fools lamenting their folly , and the key is returned to bait for other wood-cocks . as for the married cattle , they for the most part trappan one another under the coaksing flatterys of renewed affection , having always one of us at hand , to invite the party to a splendid entertainment near the river , when occasionally , though it seemd as if it happened by chance , we meet a person who invites us aboard , and with many perswasions , are urged to induce a complyance , which is no sooner done , but they are left under the hatches to lament their too much cr●dulity . as for the wenches , they are troled thether by such as getting some small acquaintance , pretend love and good will , feigning themselves to be officers of trust and command , and by that means they work upon the weakness of such females as are rampant for husbands ; and thus have i gulled and been instrumental in gulling a thousand : nay i have a trick of binding them , if we fear a search will be made , and by that means i have the value of them for the most part before they are released . now in my dream i perceived he would a gon on , ad infinitum : but discovery finding him a very knave in grain , & loath to spend any more time to no purpose , we left him in a fit of coughing , that had just seized him , and struck off to the left ; yet had not gone far , but up comes a fellow in whiskers , grim as the first begotten of belzebub , with eyes stareing , hair flareing about his eare , bloated cheeks , and a nose resembling a beacon , his belly strutted , and his legs were of the largest size ; at his wast hung keys ratling in chaines , and behind him hand-screws , double-da●bys , cross-bitts , and the like , which made me at first conceit him to be one of the spanish inquisitors , for on his forehead in large capitals i perceived oppression , and fan●yed that that was his name , and though i was unwilling to have any discourse with him ; yet discovery would needs inquire something , if but to unravel the monster , who bore up like a ship under sail : and thus i fancyed they began their discourse . disc. have you a habitation in these parts , or are you of some remoater part of the world ? oppression . the reason before i give my answer , why you ask i would gladly know . disc. truely friend , the cause of this inquiry proceeds from no other reason , than that we are desirous to be informed where a couple of persons ( whom i am injoyed to find out , and in whose search we have been hitherto unsuccessful ) reside , or have abiding place . oppress . perhaps i may inform you , for i have many under lock and key of divers sorts and sizes . disc. two downright men they are ; one of 'em especially , whom i hear to be gone into garments of 〈◊〉 kersey of late . oppress . but their names sir , have you not their names ? and then i can better inform you . disc. honesty and plain-dealing men were wont to call 'em , and 't is by those names i inquire after ' em . oppress . how honesty and plain-dealing say you . — no sir they are not in my custody , neither do i remember i had ev●● any thing to do with ' em . nor is it the best way to fall into my clutches , for they do , i 'll so hamper them , they ne●● was so hamperd in their lives . disc. would your conscience serve you misuse men who are vertues friends ? oppress . vertues friends , say you ; 〈◊〉 ay , to chuse , for i am her mortal foe● ▪ and as for conscience now you name he● take notice that she 's lockt up in a 〈◊〉 dungeon , shackled with extortion , han●●cuff'd with bribery , thumb-screw'd wit● oppression , and bound neck and hee with the chains of cruel usage , too sa●● to trouble me , though , till i fo●nd th● way to curb her , she would be medlin● in my affairs , and pittying those i unmer●cifully beat , and fed with bread an● water of affliction , to extort money 〈◊〉 of them , those i kept in for fees till the perished , and those i shipp'd off at mid●night for slaves . and if you should chan●● as i doubt it , to meet with the parti●● you inquire after , have me recommende● to them in this dialect , and warn the● to have a care how they fall into m● quarters . now in my dream i perceived tha● this dreadful story put discovery beside his further inquiry for not being longer able to hear such a cruelty mentioned , he stopped his ears , and made hast away , leaving this monster of a man , who could not be less than a mahometan to trudge about his business , yet looking behind me , i perceived him enter a strong place , made of the bones of mother earth , and fortified with iron ribs , through which distressed mortals breath'd their lamentations , whose sad condition whilst i was condoling , my ears were saluted with the shrieks and cryes of a female , when entring the next street called the way of all fles● , i beheld a mournful spectacle which sadded my heart ; and what should it be , but the manes of a deceased gentleman , whom they were carrying to his long home , followed by a number of mourners , who in a manner covered their faces , and breath'd out many sighs to wound the air , and groans like peals of thunder : but above all the beautyful widdow , whom tears made lovely , was most outragious . nor as i then perceived would she be comforted , but still exclaimed of her hard fortune , to be thus deprived as she said by cruel death , and her ill fated stars of all her happiness on earth , just in the spring-tide of her joys . o! said she , had i but dyed to follow thee my love , how should i have been blest you cruel powers ▪ why did you thus divide us ? but since you will not take my life , i 'll wast my days in tears and groans , i 'll banish slumber from my eyes , and sigh away my soul , no food shall ever refresh me , no● the melody of musique wound my ear , farewel all joys , all comforts all delights since he is gone to whom i owe my boundless love , never , for thy sake , more will 〈◊〉 renew my marriage bed , or see with pleasantness the face of man , but retire from all the gawdy vanities ▪ till death prove● kind , and snatch me to my lord. this stream of grief , from one so fair much afflicted me , and methought i was about to step and comfort her , and had done it , but that i beheld one very officious in that undertaking . by this time we came to the repository of the dead , and there she a fresh renew'd her sorrow , and seem'd to give it scope , to that excess , that her friends had no small trouble to keep her from rushing head-long on him in the grave . o part us not ? said she , but let me here embrace him , ever cling to his cold stiff limbs , and with my tears imbalm his senseless clay , preserve him from the injury of time , and drive away those vermin that would prey upon my love , and sport with helpless him , in whom my heart is center'd . by this time i beheld in my dream , that the torrent of grief ( which i afterward found to be all but fained ) abated , and she returned to her house , whether ●e followed , as hoping from this tra●eck sceen of woe , some instructions might be gathered : but we no sooner entered , but the sceen was changed , for standing unseen , i perceived all had left her , but him that supported her to and from the gloomy cave of death , and he it seems 〈◊〉 undertaken to comfort her , not without her own desire , when turning up her ●ail , the clouds of grief that like a win●er night , so late or'espread her face , ●ere vanished , smiles assembled in their ●audy troops to take possession , and ro●●e blushes put chill pailness to the flight , ●hen after some wanton toying , they ●hus began to dialogue . insinuation . o how i love thee ! my ●dmired , my adored mistriss . nay , my ●appyness and sole delight , how much ●m i indebted to thee for this days per●ormance — come let me imbrace my joy . dissimulation . nay sir , what is 't you ●ean ? — o ●ie . — nay , nay , this must not be , i have vow'd continency . insin . it must , my happyness , for you i stayed and sigh'd , and thought death long delay'd thus to befriend me : but since he has proved kind , come be not nice , you know i have loved you long , your virgin beauties when unsullyed were by right my due , though your too hasty parents snatched you from my armes , as charmed by gold to give you to an other . but now since fate has been propitious and removed the obstacle , i court afresh and hope to find you plyant . diss. ay sir , but what will people say , when they perceive the storm of grief i raised so soon blown over ? pray think of that . ins. nothing thou wonder of thy sex , but that the minds of woman varey , and are subject to change , and so they do of all thy sex. diss. but by that means i shall incur reproach and infamy . — could i but avoid that . ins. infamy and reproach , never fear it , i 'll protect you from the malice of blasting tongues , those tongues that blot the brightest vertue , shall not have power to fix a stain on you . your grief was acted to the life . diss. and do you think it was but acted , 〈◊〉 not real ; can you be so impartial ? ins. come thoughts are free my love , 〈◊〉 more of that , but set the day . live 〈◊〉 the living , let the dead rest silent in 〈◊〉 grave . diss. the day for what — pray what day , 〈◊〉 day is it you 'd have me set ? ins. the day to celebrate our happy ●●tials . the day to crown my wishes ●●th their highest aime . come blush 〈◊〉 thus , nor turn away your lovely face ; 〈◊〉 , shall it be the next ? diss. i know not what to say : he was my ●●sband , and methinks i should not so soon ●●●get him ; besides i 've vow'd continency . ins. o! look not back on thoughts of sad●●●s , 't will grieve his shade to see you sad , ●●en he is happy ; it looks like envying felicitie . continency no more of that ●●●ethee . diss. were 〈…〉 a little too soon methinks ●●uld love you . well i have a strugling in breast ? ins. come loose no time my lovely fair●●●●● , to morrow night shall make 〈◊〉 for all the faults and censures of 〈◊〉 day ; when in my arms safe as in 〈◊〉 of brass , you are stretched at ease , 〈◊〉 find those transports from a vigorous 〈◊〉 , that will charm you into extasie melt you into joys unspeakable , transport your soul in raptures , near resembling those above ; such as age and impotency never could bestow : no ghost no● frightful shade shall terrify my love. diss. alas sir , you talk of strange matters : what are there any ghost ? indeed i must confess i have heard of such things ; and i vow now you put me in mind on 'em , i sha●● be afraid . ins. that there are ghost that wande● round the tombs , when church-yard● yaun , and visit by the midnight gloo●● their frighted and amazed friends 〈◊〉 learned authors in all ages do affirm . diss. o lamentable ! if it be so , pardon my blushes , i must intreat you as a friend to stay all night and watch me , and to morrow 〈◊〉 cast my self into your arms ; for indeed now you have put this into my head , i dare not ly● alone ; but i hope you 'l use me kindly , and never twit me in the teeth hereafter for my suddain yielding , ●or believe me , had it no● been for fear of lying alone and seeing the ghost , i would not have married , or at least not this fortnight . ins. fear nothing my delight , i 'le eve● be obedient to your will. ha! ha ! she● won already : o! the fickle state of 〈◊〉 man kind ; but no more on 't , least 〈◊〉 the sport . to her . death has been kind , and you as kind as he , let 's hence my lovely widdow , but that name no longer than the morning dawn shall be , then it shall vanish in loves lambent flame . now in my dream i perceived they retired into a chamber richly hung , where stood a stately alcove imbroidered with gold , the soft recumbancy of love , and there we le●t them , as not imagining , where so much dissimulation and wickedness dwelt ; our inquiry would be available . we were no sooner in the street , but we stumbled upon a plain country fellow in a gray ho●●espun coat , a girdle near as big as a horse-collar about his wast , and a steepled crownd hat , much in fashion in the days of queen dick , his shooes were clouted , and his stockings you wou'd have taken for roman buskins . at sight of this man my heart began to leap , for thought i , this must be plain-dealing , or ●he devil's in 't : which discovery perceiving , smild , and nodded his head , when ●●●rching up towards him , and running his candle almost into his beard , which made him start ; he cryed , wot won you● bren a mon : and with that pulling hi● hat out of his eyes , i perceived ignoranc● on his forehead , wherefore i found i was mistaken ; yet discovery tipping him on the elbow urged him to discourse . discovery . friend whether are you travelling ? i●norance . whay waud whoo knaw ? if whoo won tall a body , that whoo will tall whoo whare whoo dwall . disc. i suppose in the country friend , but it matters not where , so be it you can inform us where honesty and plain-dealing have taken up their quarters . ign. what won you say haunestay and pla●●-daulin , thoat's whaint ? no marry dant oy . disc. we thought you might . but again have you not heard of ' em ? ign. oy marry han oy , but oy cou'd n'are zee aum . disc. that 's hard , i thought they might be taking the air in the country , seeing they have absented themselves from the town of late . ign. deer zer dy , oys knaw nauthing on aum , aw oys can zay to the mauter oys heard , oys vather zay oance they ●aume doan an liggd in whoo 's hause . disc. and pray did you hear how he entertained them ? ign. yeas varily , whoo zay whoo at virst waus varey loffing to ' aum , but whoo perceving whoo waud now let whoo remave the land-maurks , naw ne mawe a zwath of whoo 's naughbers grass , or remave his zhocks a caun an haw to whoo 's awn gront , naw ner pauster whoo 's houses in his naubours gront , when whoo waus a sleap ne anter the meausur of whoo 's caun , and manny zuch mauters , whoo won ha naw mawr to done with whoo , but zent whoo a pauking , and then whoo done aw this , and a graut dale mawr as well as whoo 's naubour's . disc. and since that time you have not heard of ' em . ign. naw ne oy , moyn vather chaurg oy , on whoo 's bleasing that oy's ha nauthing to done wiw whoo ne mawr oy's ha naw . now in r●y dream i perceived discovery grew weary of discoursing with this lump of mortality , and therefore desired him since he could give no better account to be jogging on , when after three or four scrapes , and twice bussing of his hand he left us . but as if fortune had on purpose cast blockheads in our way , we were no● sixteen paces , before we perceived a slovenly fellow come toward us , gnawing a custard , and this we took to be a pastrey man that was wont to deal in cat-peys , but it proved to be gluttony , whom it seems went up and down from morning to night , devouring all that came to his fingering , and so we let him pass , not thinking it convenient to trouble our heads with him , as knowing him to live upon the spoil of other mens tables , and the decay of their purses , drunkenness followed him in a wretched condition , spewing and staggering all the way , twice or thrice had he been in the kennel , and after him wallowed a number of fatt hostesses , calling to those that were before to stop him , but he still staggered on till he came to a prison-gate , where giving a great reel , he burst open the wicket with his head , when his body following , it closed upon him , and there i left him to bethink himself when he was sober . now in my dream i perceived vertue hasting towards us half naked , ●lying amain ; for vice with whom she had a long time contended for the mastry , had it seems gotten the victory , and was in pursuit of her , she looked me thoughts lovely and gay as the rosie morn , when auro●a's gates give way to the swift courser of the sun , who gilds the eastern clouds with purple and with gold , and as she flew towards the clouds , i heard a voice from the earth cry after her , return , return : but it seems she had been so badly used that she took no notice on 't , but kept on her way till she was out of sight . whereupon i began to consider with my self , that although vice had much inlarged his borders , yet i could not conceive but vertue had many fair territories , and made some thousands happy with her smiles , doing every where much good , though her reward was for the most part slender , which urged me to believe she might be gone for new instructions . but whilst these meandering imaginations made me heavy and dumpi●h , me thoughts fornication came on with a troop of sinners at his heels , of all ages and sexes , whereat bless me , quoth i , am i in sodom , and thereupon starting i awaked , and found it but a dream . the precedent imaginations , or wonderous fancys making a deep impression in my mind . i lay some time amazed at what had past ; but perceiving the sun was mounted high , and in his burning course & smoat on me , rousing my self an● rubbing hard my drowsie eyes , after a yaun or two & stretched my self , i got upon my feet , when looking round me , i perceived a neighbouring grove , which at a distance seemed so pleasant , that having much of the day to spend , theither i bent my steps ; and entering , was delighted with the spreading shade , which canopied me from the scorching eye of day . but as if fate had doom'd me to dull drousiness , my legs denyed support again , & a dissolveing quickly slew through every part , each sinnew , artery , and ligument grew lank ; when finding i must yield , down i cast my self on a mossey banck , beneath a flowrey shade , whose sweets defused help'd leaden handed so●●us boughs , which were of ●orce before , to make the boldest mortal own his charms . sleeping i dreamed , and in my dream beheld my self just in the state i was before , i at last awake , and discovery was at my right hand , and began to chide me for deserting him ; but had not time to utter his resentments , e're a grave old fellow briskly bore upon us , wrapt up in furrs and velvet , imbroidered and imbossed , his countenance was oft eclipsed with ●rowns on his forehead , in black characters sat ingratitude , one hand was open and the other clinch'd . this man thought i can never help us to our wish , and therefore i 'de a let him pass , but discovery before i was aware , began the following dialogue . discovery . sir you appear to be a person of no small authority in these parts , i 'de ask you a few questions . ingratitude . 't is in your power to do it , but be speedy . disc. in the first place , sir what street do you call this , for i 'm a stranger in this place ? ing. men call it self-love street , which leads you 〈◊〉 misers row. disc. i fear i 'm then out of my way , i am upon inquiry for a brace of men , and fear i have mistook the street . ing. you know their names i hope ? disc. ay , honesty and plain-dealing , do you know them sir ? ing. no sir , 't is not fit i should : i never so much as heard of them . disc. that 's strange in one arrived at your maturity : what may your business be it 'h world , that you should be so ignorant ? ing. my name 's ingratitude , i kept a shop the other day , but now i live upon my means . disc. ingratitude , why that 's a hateful name , a name that the very heathens spit at . ing. i am sorry for your ignorance sir , if you knew how i am courted , you 'd be of another opinion . disc. how courted when so old and withered : but pray sir by which sex is it ye are courted ? ing. o! by both sir , my antichambers are each morning crouded with such as come to make me presents , and congratulate my welfare . disc. 't is much it should be so : but what is 't they expect ? ing. why there 's the business , they seek by such means to ingratiate themselver into my favour , that i may do them some good turn 〈◊〉 other . disc. and you 'l do 't , if it be in your power ? ing. i flatter them with such gaudy hopes , till i inrich me by their spoils , and then good night to them . disc. and is this fair ? can you dispench with this ? ing. ay very well , i 've got a fair estate by 't , and wedded many a woodcock to my intrest . who for the good turns they did me , hoped to be preferred , or made at least amends at vsance ▪ but when i found they could do no more , but press'd me hard for some retaliation , i laugh'd them into madness , and sent them railing from my door . disc. and does not one good turn deserve another ? ing. not with me sir , 't is a thing i understand not , i 've seen those starve at my very door , that often have relieved me . disc. conscience would direct you better . ing. conscience ! ay , ay , that 's a good one ; let me alone till i take her directions . nay , i 'le warrant you she 'l never trouble her head to prescribe me rules and methods . disc. you have her sir i hope . ing. no sir i han't , i 'le tell you that , for if i had , she 'd ne'r so tamely a suffered me to hold so many persons in the chain of vain-hope to be my heirs , whose noses i intend to wipe when i have drained them dry . no , no sir , i have stifled conscience long e're this . disc. as how : pray by what means could it be done ? ing. by turning my aged father out of doors , when out of paternal love and kindness to promote my marriage , he had made o're to me what ever was his , and seeing him without a sence of pitty beg his bread , and break his heart with grief , by using artifices to prove a whore of her that bore me decently , to bar her of her dowrey , by swearing him out of his life , who was my faithful friend , and once had saved mine , because i knew that he had layed so deep an obligation on me that whilst he lived i must ever have made acknowledgements , and therefore at one bold stroak i rid my self of such an ill conveniency , and if from these you gather that either honesty , plain-dealing , or the puny thing called conscience be of my acquaintance , i 'll leave you to your dear mistake . disc. i am confirmed they are not , nor ever dare they dwell with such impiety ; and least your breath infect , or putrify the air to shed contagion on me , i 'll avoid you as a bazilisk . now in my dream i beheld that discovery hasted on with all speed , and drew me after him , leaving this piece of inhumanity to travel to the regions of destruction , and had not gone far , but a fellow crost the way with lofty looks , and often stumbled as i perceived , because his eyes w●re ever elevated , his feet were ever in a dancing motion , touching but lightly the detested soil . as for his gaudy accou●raments , he seemed a walking mercers shop , set out with the advantages of every other trade , that usually contributes to promote our ages vanity . in his face sat youth and age , his countenance was feminine , though i perceived him to partake of either sex , his pockets struted with perriwigs powders , patches , paints , washes , pomades , and a thousand such impertinencies ; his eyes were upward , and therefore he stumbled upon us before he was awar , when pride ( for so was his name ) somewhat declining from his stiffer state , he cast a disdainful look , and asked us in a haughty manner , how we durst oppose his way , but little minding his frowns discovery began to sift him . disc. sir , who are you that are thus made up of redicule ? pride . who are you sirrah , that dare be so sawcy to demand such a question ? disc. one that knows you perhaps better then you know your self . pride . that 's very brave indeed that such a sneaking fellow as you should have gained such knowledge . what you are some mope eyed light-monger , that knows not the difference between ●oon day and owl-light , and are going a lowbelling for wood-cocks i 'll warrant ye . disc. if so sir , i doubt not but i have found an overgrown one in meeting you . pride . how dare you say this to me , fly my anger , or you are dead . disc. hold , hold sir , put up your indig●ation , and let us parley a little . pride . dare you be thus impertinent to me ? i 'll make you know your distance sirrah . disc. if your anger is over sir , i would ask you a question . thus low i beg such a fa●our . pride . o do you so ! well you may go on , though i hope you will learn more manners for the future . disc. may it please you sir , to inform me where i may find honesty and plain-dealing . pride . impertinent coxcomb to ask me such a question . no sirrah i have no knowledge of any such beggarly fellows , my conversation is with those of a higher 〈◊〉 . disc. ay sir , i know you have confidence enough to exault your self above your betters . yet pride will have a fall , you are he that tramples upon humility , and dispise vertue : nay you are the eldest born of satan , that has troubled the world in all ages , one that threw your father down headlong into regions of eternal gloom , and have plung'd many millions after him , and damn'd more souls than atheism and ignorance . pride . sir stop there , i 'll not indure this ralery . know your distance . disc. a little longer you must . your anger will be bootless . you i say are the causes of division , emulation , treasons , wars and rebellion : wherefore there 's no hopes to be imbet●er●d by you , so i 'll keep my way . in my dream i perceived this tart discourse so thorrowly netled pride , that swelling with indignation till he well nigh burst , he was about to revenge the affront as he termed it , but discovery cast the mist of self-conceit before his eyes , which so dozed his little understanding , that before he could find his senses , we were out of reach . but fate soon crost us by casting ambi●ion in our way , a thing that walks on piramides , whom we found to be more turbulent than the former , for his discourse was of nothing but aspiring greatness , blood and reve●ge , grasping at crowns , scepters , and such like insignes of royalty : though as i perceived he was made up of nothing but airy imaginations , corded together with insatiable desire and thirst of glory , but so loosly that they often slipt , and indangered his falling in pieces , and therefore not finding a solid substance , we let him pass , when close at his heels followed ruine and disgrace : being almost out of hopes of finding any person of whom we might inquire , we left this street , and struck off into humility-lane , where we had yet some hopes of retriving our lost labour , but found our selves deceived , for pride and ambition it seems had been there and taken hostages of the inhabitants to be at their devotion , which did not a little trouble me , for i had flattered my self , that here our search might end ; but whilst i was musing on many things , up comes a fellow whom i afterward understood to be self-conceit , and it seems he had been a great romancer , and understood something of logick , he appeared very airy , and was as brisk as bottled ale ; thought i to my self this is a rambler , and may perhaps inform us of more then we are awar on , and therefore i urged discovery to give him the meeting , who taking the hint , readyly complyed and fell to questioning him . discovery . friend how far are you travelling this way ? self-conceit . but to the next street , called vanity buildings , a very noted pile i 'le assure ye , and a place much frequented . disc. are you known in these parts sir ? self-c. good lack a day ! what a question there is : known , yess sir , my name is self-conceit , i am the eldest son of mr. folley , descended of a very antient family ; there is hardly a house in these parts but i have some relation or other lives in it . disc. your kindred it seems then are many , and have spread themselves wide ? self-c. in truth you are in the right on 't , for i cant number them , though when i see any of them , i know them by a mark peculiar to our tribe ; that is , their fine way of speaking in their own praise . disc. but sir , to let that pass , do you know one goodman honesty and his brother plain-dealing in these parts , are they any of your tribe pray ? self-c. o hoyty toyty ! goodman honesty , and so forth . no sir , we are all masters , or at least all good men : why i hope you don't take this for a country village ? no , no , you see we are all fine folks , we have neitheir goodman's , gaffer's , nor gammer's amongst us , i thank ye sir. disc. perhaps they may sojourn here about for a night or two ? self-c. no , no , i can assure you there 's no entertainment here about for such homespun fellows , all the lodgings are taken up by great folk i 'le assure you : though i am a great shollar , and a man of prodigious parts , if i was a stranger , unless i went very gay , i should not be entertained . disc. that 's much : but a great shollar say you ! are you a great shollar ? self-c. ay marry am i : pray sir do you question it ? disc. no sir not now , but i am glad to hear it , for it may prove advantagious to my present inquiry . self-c. o me ! will it indeed and in very good earnest ? disc. ay doubtless : i think you say you are a gentleman and a great schollar ? self-c. ay , ay , you are in the right on 't , for although i must confess my father was but a weaver , yet i think my self by improvement as good as the best ; for you must know a man of parts is a gentleman , take him at which end you will. disc. ha! then you are the son of a weaver it seems , but only you are refined into gentility , by learning and the like ? self-c. yes , yes , you are in the right on 't . disc. you have read many books i suppose , and are a great linguist ? self-c. very good , you hit me to a hair , i wonder how you came to have such knowledge on me : o fy , how i under value my self with that thought , for who can imagine that a man of my prodigious parts and i earning should not be known every where ; why 't is such as i that find fame imployment , her wings would grow rough , and render her incapable of flight , did we not find her business . i dont know any think to the contrary , but my name may be known in the indies by this time , for i have sent many a piece of paper abroad in writing . disc. a letter or so perhaps about mer●handize ? self-c. no , no , i 'le assure you i have writ love-letters and madrigals , the finest pieces of wit i think this age can ●oast off : nay i have been in print in fo●●o too , and many other fine things i 'le as●●re you . disc. and by this some would guess you really 〈…〉 you pretend , a great schollar . self-c. ay , ah , how can they do otherwise ? disc. well sir , to grant that you are so , 〈◊〉 you tell me the mens names i inquire for in latin , an odd request , yet you may do me a ●indness in it , for who knows but they may have strained them to that pitch , the better to 〈◊〉 themselves , for they have many enem●es i can assure ye . self-c. in latin say you , let me see honesty and plain-dealing . — hum , — in latin say you ? — why alas ! i have left my dictionary at home . honesty and plain-dealing say you ? why i 'le vow 't is a very strange thing i should be so dull a sot , as not to have it in my mind : pish it makes ▪ me scratch . — well i have it at my tongues end , yet truly sir i must beg your pardon , i can't inform you at present , but i 'le go and inquire if you 'l stay a little . disc. no sir it needs not ; i only asked to underfeel your schollarship . self-c. underfeel me sir ! and what of that ? now you have underfelt me , i hope you take me for a schollar don't you ? disc. no indeed sir i don't , you 'd laug● 〈◊〉 if i should : a pretender perhaps 〈…〉 self-c. how sir , how ! why i have read abundance of hard words i 'le assure 〈◊〉 , as manus and domus , and the like . disc. manus and domus , pray sir what 〈◊〉 they signifie ? self-c. how silly you are , what do they signifie : why they signifie manus and domus , what would you have them signifie else ? disc. this is very pretty : but have they 〈◊〉 construction ? self-c. ay , ay , manus and domus , that 's their construction ; what construction would you have them have ? disc. ha , ha , ha. self-c. what do you laugh sir ? well , well , i perceive by my great learning you are a silly fellow , and don 't understand emphatical pronountiation ; there are two other hard words for ye , but i do ill to spend my great parts upon one of such little sence , but i 'le keep you company no longer . now in my dream i perceived that this piece of impertinence put us into a ●it of laughter , for almost a quarter of an hour , and scarcely had we recovered our ●elves , but we saw at a little distance chirst of vain glory , sister to ambition , ●nd round about her danced many airy 〈…〉 as fancy , imagination shades ▪ representing chimerars and abundance of seeming nothings , though delusion had set them out with imaginary guilding and painting to the best advantage , all her garments were filled with aire , which made 'em strut like a ships sailes , swell'd with southern blasts ; but we had seen too much vanity before , and so we let her pass with these remarks . vain-glory's an inchantress seeming fair , whose guilded baits , fond mortals do insnare ; but strip her once of her delusive charms , she 'l prove a hagg , and fright you from her arms. no blossom of success as yet appearing , we began to be in a doubt , whether we should pass further , or put in and rest us ; but before we perceive him , prodigality was upon us , now thought i with my self , this is a fair opportunity to be informed what kind of people dwell in extravagant 〈◊〉 , which we were next to enter ; but 〈◊〉 i could make observations upon his 〈◊〉 habillaments , he was making 〈◊〉 and drakes with indian ingots , 〈…〉 pleased to see them scram●led for ; though as it was strongly guest , 〈◊〉 dadd bequeathed himself to lucifer 〈◊〉 help him to 'em ; but whilst he was ●●andering away the old mans restless ●●bour , i perceived divers flatterers and ●arasites , were buzing stories in his ears , 〈◊〉 whom he gave the greatest heed imaginable , as being much delighted with the ●ound of his own praise , nor did he deny ●em any thing they asked , though to trill him on , they feigned a modesty in taking 〈◊〉 ; now vsery stood close behind a tree , ●auping for his estate in morgage , as soon as all the ready cash was melted by the ●eat of folly , or alembeck'd into the vola●●le quintisence of non est inventus , by dr. extravagance , but whilst my thoughts grew big with expectation of some rare discourse . i perceived he charged into a tavern with a train of spungers at his ●eels , where a fresh bit of live mutton was ready to wellcome him , who by her ●●rtifices , angled so deep in the fish-pond of his estate , that she cleared it of the pre●ent fry , and obliged him to call moun●ieur vsery to recruit him with ready ●own , when straight goes his fist to the ●heeps-skins ; here i perceived he re●ealed it so long , that after a second re●ruit , he was in the hight of jolitry taken captive by a band of moabites , and lead into the land of misfortune , wher● he set the organ-pipe of his past folly to the tune of fortune my foe , which mad● me run upon him in a little discant to this effect . crush't by his folly as his fate deserv'd : behold too late repentance allmost starv'd a grand destroyer , who in one years space consum'd the labour of his dads whole race , by which he 's brought to an unpity'd case . but evil got is mostly evil spent . mammon exacts again what'er he lent , to gull the souls that were on lucre bent . i would have proceeded but was disturbed by a troop of deceivers packed up in blankets , as if they had been prohibited goods , they cackled strangely , and therefore might have been taken for wild gees● but that they were deficient in wings ▪ and therefore alltogether uncapable o● flight . these thought i have been in many countries , and although they be bu● refuse , yet they may be capable of givin● us some intelligence , but methought th●● clacks going alltogether , were so c●amourous , that a beavy of oster-wenche● was but an ass to 'em ; wherefore i contriv'd how i might single one out to speak the whole sense of the rest : nor was it long ' er i found the opportunity , for the remainder staggering into a tippling can as they call it , i catcht one by the plad , which discovery perceiving , gives him a full turn , and desired his better acquaintance . the fellow stared with his mouth at half cock , and at first seem'd wonderous shy . halo , said discovery , why so agast prethee ? turn up thy foretop and know me better , for indeed his hair hung much in his eyes , when stroaking back his whiskers , he whose name was the deceiver demanded our business , and at the same time holding out his fist , fell to pauming it , emblematically expressing he wanted a fee ; but discovery as if he understood him not , told him , his business was to inquire after a couple of persons that he supposed were travelling a pilgrimage , or hid in some secret place , by reason he could no where find them . deceiver . are they coves of the crackmans , cloyers of the cackelers or queer coves , are they strumel morts rum morts or coves of the bouzin-can ▪ discovery . hey day friend ! what are you gotten into the galley-mausery of abumazer . be intelligable or adieu to ye . deceiv . be intelligable ; ay , ay , and what is it you 'd have me intelligence about ? disc. speak friend , i mean as you may be understood . dec. ay , ay , let me see your fist cross 〈◊〉 ●ond with won piece of silver , and 〈◊〉 tell you very good fortune . disc. a rush for your fortune-telling , is 〈◊〉 there ●bout with ye ; a fortune-teller say 〈◊〉 ▪ dec. ay , ay , me be very good fort●ne-teller , in very good deed and earnest ▪ disc. can you conjure friend ? dec. no , no , me no conjure , though me am not altogither unacquainted with the devil . disc. i believe so , for you somewhat resemble him : but pray what is your business in this world ? dec. ay , ay , my business be very much 〈◊〉 ye , me be called the fortune - 〈◊〉 , the king of the gipzies . disc. ha , the very same i took you for : but wethee give us a little insight into your 〈◊〉 , it may be worth hearing , and 〈◊〉 advantage our design . have you 〈…〉 progress honesty and plain - 〈…〉 after ? dec. that be a very fine question , ve●y you be surely mad to ask me dat , 〈◊〉 who am the veryest cheat in crea●●on . disc. notwithstanding you may have ●ard of 'em , though they are no company for 〈◊〉 . dec. ay , ay , and me have cheated 'em of 〈◊〉 great part of the little they had , many ● time . disc. that was unkindly done , but prethee 〈◊〉 did'st compass it ? dec. o very fine ! for me having tried ●any experiences , undergon the scourge ●●llory and huzza in the left sist , narrow●● escaping the gibbet ; and being too ●ublickly known to carry on any further ●esign without a vizor or the like . disc. what then , pray how managed you 〈◊〉 after game ? dec. why me was rambling abroad 〈◊〉 security one day , and getting my self ●retty weary when night had made the ●ields black , me being destitute and sad , 〈◊〉 crept into an old barn amongst the ●itter , where me sat a while pensive : ●ut 〈◊〉 long before me was besieged by won ●eat troop of gablers , black as you see 〈◊〉 , whom at the blush me took for queen ●abb and her fary elves , when me leap up , as being afraid of pinching , for me had heard to much of that before , & cry'd , haloo morblew willoboo aboo aboo ▪ when presently they thinking me the devil , thro down their pots , pipkins , bouzing-cans , and all their furniture , and betake themselves to run so fast , that the coves stumble over the morts and the morts overturn the doxies , that in the end they lay hecelde peckelde on a heap ▪ and the more they strive to run the more fear doth stop their flight . disc. and what succeeded this disorder ? dec. why when me perceived what they were , me call after them , and cry● me was a man , me was no devil . disc. and they returned upon this , di● they not ? dec. ay , ay , and finding their mistake we all retire to our thatched pallace where striking a light , me perceived th● way bestrowed with the spoils of the las● days gathering ; as mecelines of mamock and streams of strong liquors , whic● made them all lament their foolish fear . disc. but what insued ? dec. much friendship , and an invitation to accompany them , when i had tol● them of a thousand pranks i had play'd ▪ no man so fit ( they gabled all at once ) 〈◊〉 be superiour of order . disc. and did you take it on you ? dec. yes , and to make my self more lovely in their eyes , and seem a true egiptian rubbed my face and hands with a pomander made of soot and bacongrease , for the green husks of wal●ut were not then in season , and then was i installed with great applause , and many a vain song sung to confirm it , and young rum mort , or damzel delivered me to use as i thought fit . when morning gave a prospect to the villages , out i sent my troop of forragers , who soon returned laden with provision , nay with sheets , shirts , hens , pigs , geese , or what else came to hand , and all that day we reveld it , and all the night we spent in soft dalliance . disc. and are the villagers kind to such a strooling tribe ? dec. ay , and deny us no provision , least with horrid mutterings we should bewitch their cattle , or raise tempests to overturn their barns and houses , or with lightning flashes set them in a blaze . disc. and is this in your power ? dec. no i think not , but a foolish fear perswades the ignorant to such credulity . nay more , they fondly dream what ever we participate a part of , all the rest must consequently follow . disc. and is it nothing so ? dec. not in the least , for whilst we doze 'em with strange things , we have our divers , our filers of the cly , our tripers of the dancers , anglers , and the like , who rob their houses or their persons , which they believe to be by power of inchantation . disc. and they believe all what you tell 'em i 'll warrant you . dec. yes every syllable , for if we tell but true once in a hundred guesses , and that perhaps we gather from their own discourse , all is held as gospel , not a syllable is disbelieved , but if it be past they think they remember something like it , or perhaps flatter themselves 't is true but they have forgot it . disc. very good , and this folly is predominant ? dec. ay exceedingly . but to let that slip , over other wayes we have , for when we find a large credulity , then we perswade 'em they are born to exceeding fortune , and if we find 'em rich , pretend ●here's treasure hid in the house , that was by fate designed them near a hundred years since ; this sets them agog and have it conjured , they will , and we must be the people , then we ask them for a pledg , what jewels , plate , or linnen , &c. they most esteem , which we tell them is to be given in hostage to the powers of darkness to assist us in our discovery , and in the end they shall have that and all the treasure . disc. and this i suppose ●akes 〈◊〉 . dec , what can it do less ? it ●ickles to the life , and flatters them with mountains that scarcely come to mole-hills . disc. then you deceive ' em ? dec. ay what more , for when the day perfixed is near , away w● trudge with what we have , to far for them to find us , which makes 'em oft sit down by we●ping cross , whilst we are laughing loud . disc. a●d have you 〈…〉 randevous ? dec. yes , once a year we generally meet , and share our riches , equally relieve those that are scanty , and then seperating we leave tokens 〈◊〉 the way , that two companies should not take the self-same road , and now consider whether honesty or plain-dealing be of our acquaintance , though we often gull ' em . disc. then you know where they dwell . dec. no sir , i keep no register , but find 'em for the most part loytering on the road , or sitting over two sticks a cross in some poor cot or hovel . disc. and no where else ? dec. not as i remember , for i hate their company , though some times it proves advantagious . disc. if so friend , we must leave you , for we are their friends , and would not hear them evil spoken of . dec. in truth sir i shall e'ne be glad on 't , for my coves and morts will think me long . therefore adue . now in my dream i perceived he followed his comrades , and i was glad he left us , as being tired with his tedious harangue : but it was not long before a fellow meets us laden with globs , and astrolobles , gimcracks , mathe-matical , and divers other baubles , and had a quaint device upon his forehead , representing a triangle , and in it he had writ , the secretary of the stars . this thought i must be a ptolome , an agrippa , or a ticobrahe , but it proved none of these , but a certain quack pretender , a more imposture then the former , yet as great as ignorance will let him be , his name 's deluder . this fellow , though to the little furtherance of our design , i had a great mind to have sifted , and discovery was no less zealous to be satisfied , whereupon he thus began . disc. friend , how comes it that you travel with such a burthen ? deluder . to me it is light , who am the atlas of the world , on whom the powers above have given an understanding to ●nderprop all sciences . disc. and is so great a wisdom your's ? del. ay , and a greater than you yet have named . disc. as how , pray let me understand ? del. a secret access , to read the dark decrees of fate , unravel the volums of futurity . disc. 't is strange that mortal man should be indow'd with such a talent . del. it is indeed , few mortals e're could boast the like : why man , the stars are all at my divotion . disc. how the sta●s ! why sure you an 't in earnest ? del. that is sir , to tell me secret things , and give inlargement to my knowledge . disc. then you are the man that only can acquant us perhaps of wonders strange and new , for i suppose few things are hidden from you , if you have such bright acquaintance . del. you are in the right on 't , few things indeed ; all natures , secrets , are layed open to my view , each thing is represented as it is : the universe is strip'd before my eys , and no disguise can cover● her from my impartial view . disc. 't is rare what you express , were i● but true . del. true , why what can be more true than what we who have her inteligence from the superiour world relate . disc. you call the celestial intelligences by their names i suppose ? del. yess , and am acquainted with the smallest spark that spangled the blew arch. disc. this still increases my wonder ? del. nay more things that vulgar eys see not , i with my tube do , nightly visit : why sir i make alminacks , consider that , and then you 'l think i 'm wiser far then haly or old da●us . disc. make almanacks , that 's pritty : but pray what is 't you infer from thence ? del. o many things sir , in●erences without number . disc. as how , let us hear a little ? del. as first , sir , my large understanding is thereby manifested to the world ; each city applauds me , and each country swain admires me ; there 's not a woman but takes me for a conjurer . disc. very fine ; and you admire your self 〈◊〉 i suppose ? del. ay , and reason good , how can i do less , that hold such lofty corespondence . disc. and you undertake to discover misteries , things dark and secret . del. ay marry do i , things as dark as any dungeon . disc. and by the light of that knowledge you have obtained , by scraping acquaintance with the stars , you pretended 〈◊〉 do it . del. very right , 't is much you should hit so pat . disc. then pray sir ●ell me the names of the party 's i 'm searching after , and whether i shall find them or not ? del. are they men or women , married . or unmarried , old or young ? disc. i hope you know sir by your wonderful skill in devination . del. ay , ay , i was weak to ask such a question , but i must erect a scheem first ; as thus , so now sir , these that you take to be only cringle , crongles , are houses , and caelestial ones to i 'le asure you , and are known by the sign of the ram , bull , and many the like pritty devices ; but to let that pass , well the names of the partys i must tell you , and whether you must find them or not , and all this for a shilling , 't is as cheap as neck beef . but stay now i think on 't , i ha●'t my fee yet . disc. that you shall have sir , if your performance answer our expectation . del. well , well , let me see , iupiter is combust in aires , and venus is rampant in taurus two horned signs , well , and mercury is gotten into gemenine and threatens a rape upon virgo ; from all which i gather that the partys names are dorothy and mary , but as for finding of them at present , i think it will be no ways convenient , least you become wittals , for from the two horned signs , i devine they are just about this time in gemeni , a sporting with their gallants . disc. ha , ha , ha , — ha , ha , ha . del. how do you laugh gentlemen ? nay , nay , 't is no laughing matter , for i can assure you , you 'l be cuckolds within this half hour . ay , ay , the stars make it out as plain as the nose in your face . disc. how cuckolds and never married , well that 's very pritty i must confess . del. pish , not married , alas ! then the stars have misinformed me , for by them i gathered , you were in search of your wives ; but i must confess it is a bad day to resolve questions in , because it rained in the morning , which denotes the stars to be sullen and self will'd . disc. it rather sir denotes your ignorance , who pretend to things above your reach , deluding silly people with false stories , and if you hit upon a truth it is by guess , or else you gather it from their own discourse , and tell it them again in other words , to the same effect ; and to let you further understand your error , 't is honesty and plain-dealing we are in search for . del. say you so : well , well , i could have told you if i had cast but another scheem . disc. and can you tell us where to find them , now you know their names ? del. what kind of cloaths do they ware , have they beards , or are they close shaven . disc. if you know nothing of that , how can you inform us where to find them ? del. well sir , i find by my scheem , if they are not in the north or the south , you may chance to find them in the west or the east , either above , or under the ground ; and this is all i can tell you at present , for you see sir , it 's a cloudy day , which much impairs my understanding , but if you 'l call again to morrow — disc. no friend , we shall not give our selves the trouble , we have found you to be a very understanding cox●omb in your own conceit , and so we take our leaves . del. well , well , do as you please , and i 'le do as i think fit , for i 'le warrant you , i shall pass for an astrologer for all this , and make almanacks in spight of honesty and plain-dealings teeth . now in my dream i beheld he went g●zing upwards , till he fell into the quagmire of his own folly , and there became the laughing-stock to the whole town , which put me upon the merry pin of discanting after this manner . impostors swarm pretenders to arts rules , who build their nest upon believing fools , and pass with ignorance for men of sence , their stock 's delusion , mixt with impudence . by this time we were boarded by an animal of a large size , whom at first i took for a mountebanck , but afterward found him to be a pretended repairer of natures decays , or a cementer of casualtys and disorders , called by some , the torments . of whom discovery proceeded to make inquiry , but i had no sooner named h●nesty and plain-dealing , but the man started as if a snake had bit him by the toe , and exprest himself , as if he 〈◊〉 taken us for mad men , to make such 〈…〉 yet discovery proceeded to manage him in the following dialect . disc. be not offended sir at such an inquiry . tormento . i think friend it is a very simple question to put to one of my profession . i would have you to know that i am altogether a stranger to those you mentioned , and would not be otherways for the queen of sheba's present . disc. more 's the pitty . tormento . pitty , no , no , pitty me no pitties , i know not what belongs to that neither , for if i was conversant with any of 'em , it would spoil my trade , i could not keep people upon the rack for my advantage , and make a half years cure of a cut finger , which if i was minded i could perfect in two days . nay , sometimes by incision and impoysoning i render it incureable but by death . disc. that 's very unconscio●able i 'll tell you that . torm. ay , ay , no matter so it turns to my advantage . unconscio●able quotha , why you don't imagine that men who ●rade in blood and wounds , and get their ●ivelyhood by the misery an● affliction of ●he people , have any consci●nc do you ? disc. they ought to have more then others . torm. no they ought not , i 'le tell you that , for if they had , they could not have the heart to manage the rich , and kill the poor for experience sake . disc. o intolerable ! is the world bewitch'd so to be used , and pay for such disasters ? torm. ay , and fortifie themselves with mighty patience , whilst we slash , burn , and saw them at a rate you 'd wonder , cutting them in pieces whilst they live , and burying one part forty years some times before the other follows to the grave , in this case still the rich fare worse , for them we keep upon the tentures long , considering the old proverb , that something has some savour , but the poor , where little 's to be had , is either rejected , or quickly cured by us o● death . disc. if so , our farther inquiry may be spared . torm. yes , yes , as to my particular i● may , and now i think on 't , i can stay no longer , but must hast to get a thorn ou● of a ladies finger , gotten by too hasty gathering of roses , which i intend to make a fortnights cure at least : te● guinys worth of business , but i 'le abou● it , least another intercept me . this said , methought he left us , and was not grieved at his departure , yet pittied those that should come to his handling ; yet scarce had time to breath , when a company of makebates came josteling each other , ever ●avelling and quarrelling at trifles , spreading false rumours , jealozies , and fears , deviding families , and setting neighbours against neighbours ; and these i perceived had tongues as black as hell , being all the off spring of discord , begot●en on hisdear beloved spouse dame envy ; wherefore finding them to be a pestilential tribe , we past them , and suffered patiently their ralery , as being below our anger or our notice . this rout thus shun'd , we fell upon detraction , a megar fellow , who just turned the corner of ingratitude street , and with him discovery would needs be arguing . disc. you look friend as if you were in heaviness , pray what afflicts you ? detraction . nothing sir , but that i am a little concerned that such and such men should pretend to sence and learning , when they have no more then a horse . disc. then most men are mistaken , that repute them men of wit and vnderstanding . det. ay , ay , let me tell you , they are mistaken , for in my opinion , who should know ; they have no more sence then a corn-cutter . disc. it looks too much like malice , to say so . det. not at all sir , and there 's another , such a one , you know who i mean , a pretender to musick , and limning , and many other arts and sciences , the mearest coxcomb pretender that ever was , a very ass at fancy and design . disc. and yet he 's held to be the best our age can boast of . det. no , no , hang him , he 's a meer dunce , a booby , one that has nothing in him . disc. pray sir who are you that would spot those names that shine bright in the sphere of fame , and are inroled in capitals of gold. det. who am i sir ? why my name 's detraction sir. disc. detraction , black detraction , the eldest son of malice . nay then it is no wonder if you envy them , the honour their deserts have meritted , since your tongues more poisonous to virtue , and well deserving deeds , than acconite . det. beware sir what you say , surely you ought to use me better . disc. no , but rather worse , thou mortal foe to all good , thou stain of reputation , and conceited piece of ignorance , who fain would be thought some thing , by lessening the fame of others ; when indeed your spight is heavy wing'd , and cannot reach them , all sciences are strange to your a velling , reason scarcely ever harboured there ; and will you undertake to judge of those whom others hold the most acelebra●e . honesty and plain-dealing would fare no better at your hands , though clad in all their native innocence . det. it may be so , but you are something rough methinks , more then becomes you . disc. o never too much with such a one as you , who are the very 〈◊〉 of the age , a thing that all good men hate , a thing that fools will scarcely listen to . det. you might be softer in your expressions one would think . disc. in this case i never can , but 't is time lost to argue further with the bane of goodness and humane society , and therefore ●rudg on . now i dreamed that his inward rage ●lacked his face like the egyptian darkness , but his spleen being suppressed at ●hat time , on he passed to the region of infamy , where i perceived he had a mansion ; but we were hardly shut of him , e're disorder eyed us at a distance , having two tongues as sharp as swords , which are continually imployed in spreading the venom of mischief , and disturbing peace , raising discontents and fears , setting unsetled brains a madding , and unhindging the quiet of humane life ; therefore we thought not fit to meddle with such a pestilence , but to get rid on it . we crossed the way into pretenders street , and there methoughts we met a fellow very demure , his eyes still fixd upon the ground , whilst care was deep ingraven on his face . this is humility thought i , and was about to salute him by that name , but discovery told me it was only a pretender , whom i should hear my self to be better satisfied . disc. friend , how goes preferment in the world ? how is honesty put to sale ? pretention . verily i know not , i am of a lowly mind , and never concern my self with those affairs . disc. why is not this pretenders street , have you no mansion here ? pret. you have spoke right to both , but i came out of veritie lane when i came heither . disc. it may be so , because you had no credit there . pret. credit sir ! what mean you by it ? i fear he knows me . disc. you could not pretend to preferments , never to be reached amongst the ●umbler fry , and tell of estates lost , that was never in the possession of you nor your ancesters , boasting of honesty , loyalty , and uprightness , which you never practised . pret. hey day , and what do you infer from all this ? disc. why that you are a meer buble , a troublesome sound , the romantick part of mortality , and no more . pret. 't is uncivil i 'le tell you , to use a stranger thus . disc. no stranger i 'le assure you , for i have known you a troubler of humane society these many years , with ●ictitious stories , fond imaginations , chimacas , and fancies that were not , nor never will be . pret. i suppose sir you are mistaken in the person ; for although some call me the pretender , yet truth was my mother , and honesty begot me . disc. and where was you born , remember you the place of your nativity ? pret. i was born upon the mount of 〈◊〉 rightness , in the land of plain-dealing . disc. and this amongst the rest 〈◊〉 pretend to . pret. ay , what less : and i am con●dent you are of the same opinion , though 〈◊〉 are minded in ralery to try my patience , which i have an invinsible brigade . disc. very good , but to come a litt●● nearer to the purpose ; the land 〈◊〉 plain-dealing you say : pray what quart●● of the earth is it in , what manner 〈◊〉 country is it ? pret. why then it seems you question 〈◊〉 truth of what i have told you ? disc. perhaps not , yet would willing●ly be satisfied in this particular . pret. well , 't is a very bad thing to be de●fident . this i have pretended to a thousan● who never so much as scrupled it . disc. then you only pretended it , and no more . pret. perhaps i may not be willing to sa●tisfie you in that point . disc. you may spare your labour then and i shall take it for granted . pret. it won't much afflict me for refusing to satisfie you . disc. then you are only a pretender ▪ you express your self to be no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parents , especially those you nam● ; but on my conscience they ne● owned you . pret. you know not whether they did , or ●ether they did not , nor matter● it whether 〈◊〉 do or no. disc. o! but it does , for it 's one of 〈◊〉 we are in search of , and stand great● in need of directions to find out . pret. and what 's your business with him 〈◊〉 ? disc. we have some letters of recom●endation to him from his friends , there ● an estate asigned him . pret. an estate , say you so , this is it i 〈◊〉 looked for . why i am his son and heir , 〈◊〉 ten thousand to one whether you 'l find him ● not ; and therefore you had as good com●nicate the matter to me , and come in for a 〈◊〉 your self , for he 's such an easie man , a 〈◊〉 so soon perswaded to any thing , that 〈◊〉 he possess it , he 'd be rook●d out of it knavery and deceit , before it would 〈◊〉 to my fingering . disc. very good , but we must perform ● at we have undertaken , if possible . pret. i think it will be alltogether impossi● to find him , for now i recollect my self , i ●eve he is dead , for i ha●'t ●ad a letter 〈◊〉 him this twenty years ; therefore you 'd do well to take my advice . as for bearin● you harmless , if you fear any danger in th●● case , my brother self-will and my own 〈◊〉 shall be your counter security . disc. well , but how shall i be satisfie● that honesty was your father , and tru● your mother . pret. why sir you may believe me , as m●ny has done before you . disc. and must i rest upon that : 〈◊〉 if i can't believe you ? pret. come , come , let me whisper you the ear : you shall go half snacks with me the business , that i hope will please you ? disc. but what if such a thing should 〈◊〉 discovered , for she in whose hands it is ● wonderful discerning . pret. come , come , mr. forgery's 〈◊〉 neighbour , and he shall make a will , exac●●ly counterfeiting the plain stile and hand honesty , and i 'le get perjury to swear ● his lawful begotten son , and then who 〈◊〉 hinder me on 't ? disc. ha , this is very fine ; but let 〈◊〉 tell you sir , it 's a great way off , and it 〈◊〉 cost you a world of pains e're you can a●rive where it is . pret. pish , for an estate , who would 〈◊〉 take pains ? disc. but it 's in a country perhaps 〈◊〉 know not the way to . pret. it may be so , but can't i inquire ? disc. there are very few people upon that road that know the right way , though many are travelling theitherward to take possession of inheritance ; most of which lose themselves in the wilderness through which they pass , and never arrive at the place they imagine to reach . pret. why are there a great many possessions vacant ? if so , i had best make hast , perhaps a couple may fall to my s●are , for want of whom to occupie them . disc. you must first have directions about the way , written upon the table of your heart . pret. how , upon my heart : why how can i come at them to read them then ? disc. why with the eys of your understanding . pret. the eys of my vnderstanding say you : why i thought i h●d had but two eys in all . but tell me , for i am almost mad to know in what country it is , that i may lose no time , but be setting forward as fast is i can . disc. you must first provide your self with the wings of faith. pret. how wings ! why must i fly then ? disc. o yess , an immesurable hight . pret. why then perhaps i may chance to break my neck , or tumble into the sea , and be drownd , as fared the son of dedalus . disc. you must likewise put on you the garments of charity . pret. how , the garments of charity ; why she has gone naked this many a day : and how then should i come by her garments , pray tell me that ? disc. and must be armed with the spirit of prayer , and the shield of stedfast , belief to oppose the enemies you will meet with in the way . pret. ha , you begin to make me afraid : but i beseech you be not so tedious in coming to a conclusson . disc. these and many more things must furnish you out for such a journey : but to be brief , as for the estate or possession , it is called the reward of virtue , lying in the celestial city , and reserved by wisdom for those that love honesty and uprightness . disc. i thought it was some such business , that made you make all this adoo about it . well , well , if it be in the celestial city ( for i have heard of such a place ) y●u may travel on , and find out honesty if you can ; for now i think on 't , it would be unnatural to bereave him of what 's his due , if he be alive ▪ though i am something doubtful ; besides i am not at leasure to take such a iourney yet a while . if it had been in the city , much might have been . disc. then you are not the son of honesty , but a meer pretender , the same i took you for at first ? pret. it may be so : but seeing there is ●othing to be got by you , i shall make no further pretentions to your company , but keep on my way to vanity fair. now i dreamed that i saw him enter , a great mist arrising from the lake of self-deceiving , where we left him at the gate of error , and kept on our way , till we came into the discontented quarter . and what should first salute our ears , but the sighs and murmours of a beauteous lady in a careless and neglected dress , who in my dream i beheld to be in the greatest agonie imaginable , complaining of her hard fortune , which i soon understood to be occasioned by her being matched contrary to her inclynation , to age and gray haires . o! said she , that ever i was born to be so much unhappy , thus in the prime of all my youth and beauty to be violently cast into the arms of age , to have the roses and the lillys scarcely blown in the spring-tide of my age , sullyed with the blast of winter , with a breath to me more nauceous , than the pestilential damp that rises from the lernian lake , to have a withered lump , an emblem of death , cold in the midst o● iune , as sharp december frost , grasp me in his icey arms , and with a thousand foolings , urge me into madness ; whilst i fancy to my self the honest and happy nuptial joys of others , less beautiful , and less deserving than my self ; to think how they with vigorous lovers , who meet their egar joys with equal ardor , sweetly twine like grasping ivie , and amidst a thousand transports that possess the ravished soul , breath out sweet murmurs ▪ whilst their sences are in extasies ; and then with soon revived flame , after a panting space and happy gaze , a second time melt in each others arms , and try the utmost pleasure chast loves elezium ca● affoard , whilst rosie blushes spread their cheeks , and hummied firedarts from their sparkling modest eyas . o! wretched maid that i am , how can i think upon such happinesses , and not conclude my self unfortunate . cruel parents ! that you are to rob me of the family bliss your selve●●●joyed , by ingrafting me into a wither●d tree , a living store-house of infirmities , full of rhumatisms , dropsie , gout , seasless coughs , and everlasting ca●ta●rahs , so he breaks my rest , and disappoints me of my joys . o that i had been wedded to my grave , when base poluting gold tainted the souls of my indulgent parents , to give their darling up a sacrifice to avarice . but let me stand a sea mark to all virgins , warning them to shun the rock on which the blooming gayness of my youth is shipwrackt , on which my joys are split , those joys which many a sober youth sighed for , sought , and as his life desired . now i beheld in my dream , that after this stream of discontent had flowed in words and tears , she fell again to sighing , and wrung her hands , in which melencholy posture , she passed into procurers street , where meeting with a grave matron , who went amongst her neighbours for a sober woman , though indeed her imploy was to satisfie young ladies modest longings , and help brisk gallants to a piece of soul-ruening recreation at a dead lift . this madam , the precurator , for so is her name , soon hushed my young mistrises lamentation , and invegled her to the palice of dishonest love , where she had prepared a collation of delight , which proved so much to her satisfaction , that i afterwards understood , when ever she had occasion for love-posse● , she gave her dotard the slip , and came heither on pilgramage . the consideration of which made me discant a little to the following tune . you parents in whom age has quenth'd the fire of youthful thoughts , and eagar joys desire , consider not what tyranny you use toward those you love , when age for youth you chuse : forceing poor ladys upon impotence , who look for joys , that n'er can flow from thence , which makes 'em stray , but who 's is the offence ? 't is you's , who damn your children for a sum , and sink the dotard into cuckolddom . as love is free , so shou'd the choice be still , no ●●uelty's like forceing a free will. i would have proceeded , but was interrupted by a fellow , who met us with a fire in his mouth , vomitting smoak like mount etna . i took him at first to be one of those juglers , that by false devices gull the simple of their coine ; but soon after i found him to be a dealer in indian weed , and the pernicious liquor , invented for destruction of humane kind , and therefore would have passed him ; but discovery knowing him to be villany , alyed to knavery , he would not be so satisfied , but bearing up , cry'd , disc. hal● , friend , what 's the reason you march up and down poisoning the ai●e at this ra●e with your fogo , are you preparing your self against you come to plutos mansion ? villany . no sir you are mistaken , this smoak serves instead of brimstone and wet hay , to keep out the swarms of caterpillers . disc. then you should apply it amongst the catchpoles , here 's no need of it in this place . vill. they have so well fortified themselves by a continual usage , that , although i must confess they are of the largest sort of catterpillers , that they take it in like a bribe ; for letting a prisoner slip through their clutches , and winking at his escarpe , that they may be pay'd for a second attaque . dis. ●ut to wave this way of fooling prethee friend can you tell me where a man may find honesty and plain-dealing ? vill. are they men or women ? disc. no matter which if you know them : do you know them ? if not say so , and there 's an end on 't . vill. why you are mighty hasty sir , let me consider a little : honesty and plain-dealing ! well i can but wonder who these should be , i remember there were a couple of fellows as plain as a pike staff at my shop this morning , ten to one but they might be the same you inquire for , though i believe they 'l hardly come again , for whilst i stept down stairs to serve them a trick , by putting a cooler into their liquor , they shew'd me a trick for my tas●er , i would i could catch them : disc. these were not they friend i 'le asure you , ●or they wrong ●o man. vill. then be satisfied i have no knowledge of them , nor do i desire it . disc. that 's strange : why friend , are you not of the opinion that such good men are not worthy your acquaintance . vill. no indeed , for then i could not put a pi●● of element into each gallon of tickle ye ●o death , not cut stalks , and beating them flat in a mortar , sell them sor currant fume to the ignorant bumkins , to blacken their throats like a chimney . no nor drink a man dead , and then dive into the stoage of his breeches , and so forth . but i shall make too large a discovery to the perjudice of my business , if i should proceed , and therefore i beg your pardon sir. disc. then you know not the men we inquire for , you are not acquainted with them ? vill. your understanding , after such a relation , might inform you they are none of my acquaintance , though i have heard of them as well as my neighbours . but if you will go to my shop sir — disc. no by no means , 't is a dangerous place i perceive , and therefore you may be ●oveing , our business lys this way . vill. ay , ay , i think you are not worth my stay , i shan't have a customer on you , and so i leave you as not for my turn . now in my dream i found my self quite tired with this theam of villany , but could scarcely-fetch breath , but we heard an out-cry of stop him , stop him , and many threats of revenge . now i imagined it might be a parcel of people in persuit of some pick-pocket or shop-lifter . but casting up my eys , i perceived my self in cuckolds-row , but could not take a serious view of the many various devices that were every where portrayed , but a fat fellow with a fire-fork in his hand , came runing towards us , puffing and blowing like a po●pus , ielozic and revenge were rampant in his face , when , without giving us a word , he struck at us with main force . but discovery advancing his light , the man whose name was ielozie recoiled , but soon recovering , he thus began . ielozie . villain , rogue , or what other name shall i give you : have i found you out at last . o sir , i thought i should catch you , and now i 'le be revenged for all the dishonour you have put upon me . ●a find youth . ha , do you grin , have at you then . no , no , heathen , i shan't fear the singing of my beard this bout . now by this discourse , i perceived in my dream that he had catched the gallant upon the high ropes , yet nor dareing to venture on him unarmed , whilst he went to provide himself with a weapon , he had given him the slip , and that by an unlucky mistake , he took discovery to be the man , who as the dreadful blow was 〈◊〉 from the hand of cornutus , again interposed his tapor , which drove him to a distance , and then began to reason with him . disc. friend why are you thus inraged , what have i done , thus to incurr your anger ? iel. dare you ask me , you spawn of a spider , know you not well enough you have wronged me sufficiently , for which , i 'le thus be revenged . disc. hold , hold , friend , and let us parly a little , i know not in what i have offended , therefore pray make me sensible of it . iel. yes , yes , sirrah , i 'le make you sensible of it i 'le warrant you ; i 'le batter your coxcomb for you in return of your kindness , in making me wear antlers , i will , i will , you varlet you . disc. certainly friend you are mad or drunk , and know not what you say ; why here 's no body has injured you . iel. have they not , you insupportable rakeshame ! but by this you shall know you have . ha , you are mighty nimble ; well i shall hit you a ma●l by and by , 't is twenty to one else . disc. but won't you hear reason ? iel. no marry won't i : ud●lid sirrah , reason me no reason , nothing but braining you will serve my turn . disc. but for what pray , what is the m●aning of all this bluster ? iel. o! thou viper , can'st thou ask 〈◊〉 did not i catch you on cockhorse , was you not . ( ogrant me patience ) mounted in my saddle , ploughing with my hef●er , and dare you , have you so impudent a face as to reason the cause of this mighty indignation , that like a torrent shall overflow you , and wash you into the red sea of destruction . disc. you are mistaken friend , your rage has blinded you , i am not concious of the injury you charge me with . iel. ay , ay , so you have protested many a time , which was confirmed by my dissembling wife ; till i believed a couple of sinners before my own eys ; but i 'le do so no more i thank you . o! rage , rage , keep up i say , least i should grow tame , and lose my revenge . disc. friend your revenge is misapply'd , i never saw you till this hour . iel. how , till this hour ! let me see a little : no verily i am mistaken , you are not the man , i beg your pardon sweet sented sir. disc. see how rage makes men mistake , by captivating their sences . iel. ay , ay , ' ●is very true , for i might have been guilty of a mischief , i should have been sorry for ; but i can stay no longer to parly , least my anger cool before i find the rascal that offered me the injury , and of a lyon , i become a mutton . now i perceived in my dream he began again to stretch his legs , till being persue and overtaken by his dear do●ie , she with feigned sighs , forced tears , and soft intreats , prevailed with him to think himself mistaken , and brought back this man of indignation to his house in peace , where with deluding kisses , she attoand for her gallant , and all partys were restored to the like freedom as before , which put me on this merry pint . what madding fools , does ielozie make men ? who must in spight of all be tame again , and prove a lyon couchant in their den. leaving this place , we passed into a wide street , call'd theiving ramble , where we met a sharp fighted fellow , with abundance of implements about him , which expressed him a practitioner of standing , in the many slights and quaint devices of living upon other mens labour . this piece of deceit known by the name of the diver . discovery would needs have a little . discourse with , for who knows says he , but a man may edefie even by a lecture of wickedness , so as to avoid the snare when layed for himself , and thereupon he advanced to meet him . when in my dream i perceived the dialogue begin in the following manner . disc. ●rethee fellow what 's the reason you are so shie , why shun you us at this rate ? diver . sir i am not used to mind every body i meet , unless i have a private reason for it . disc. yet methinks you might not sneak as if you feared 〈◊〉 , we are not so dreadful . div. no not unless you had had a painted staff , or a coat with a yellow lining . disc. and suppose i had both , what then ? div. why then sir i would have shew'd you a fair pair of heels for your deverson . disc. would you so : why then it seems a●thority is dreadful to you . pray what 〈◊〉 ●our business be in the world ? div. sir i am of a trade , or as some will have it , a craft or faculty , that devides it self into many branches . disc. as how , i suppose you are your crafts master , and can inform me . div. ay if i li●t i can , though if i should , it would prove but little to your advantage . disc. howsoever you may do a kindness in giving the satisfaction demanded , and lose nothing by it . div. it may be so , but whilst i 'm discousing you , i may fortune to give you a lift for your cargo , by insensibly diving into your stoage . disc. speak plain friend , that i may the better understand you . div. ay , ay , i 'le be plain with you because i think you won't discover me , which if i did , but to wave that : well sir , if i must be plain , my pricipal profession , is the acelibrated mistery of diveing . disc. diveing , for what ? div. o! for pretious things , the indians have ten times the labour for less . disc. in what manner dive you , as plundging into the water , or so ? div. no sir , but in the stoage of gazing mortals , who are careless in watching their cargo . disc. now i understand you , you are a pocket diver , &c. div. right sir right , and therefore 't is best for you to look out sharp . disc. i had need , when i am in 〈◊〉 company . but really i have been a long time desirous to know by what insensible slight you so cleaverly gull people . div. perhaps i may rectifie your sences in that matter , a matter never atchived without much labour and industry ; and thus i begin to apply it to your understanding . in this case , when pupils come to be educated , drawn away from their parents or masters by some of our superious , as desirous of an easie , though profli●●te life ▪ there is a school as we term it , for their infant instructions , where a tutor , very expert in the business , attends on certain days to read them lectures , for the propagation of this so much practiced science , when being a little perfected at the theorick , he brings them to the practick , for hanging a pair of breeches upon a line fastned cross the room , a little bell is lightly placed by the pocket , and the young fry commanded to take what they find in the latter , without so much as tinkling the former , which if they do successfully , they have applause , and a small piece for encouragement ; but if they prove auckward , then the strapado as a momento , for the 〈◊〉 , falls to their share : but after many essays , being perfect at this , they 'l give any person the insensible bite , let them be never so carefull , unless like the mayor of queen-borough , they keep their hands in their pockets , yet if so , they have an art to remove them , by blowing tobacco dust into their eys , instead of pretending to snuff it themselves ; or sprinkling with a little small brush a little scattering of aquafortis upon that part of your hand or wrist that appears bare , if any do , and for defect of that , upon your neck or face , nay sometimes in your shoos , or as opportunity gives occasion ; which burning or smarting , puts the party into suddain confusion , till they have done their business , and seldom it is , but we go two together , by the name of budg and file , which latter is the same with the diver , who 's properly called the filer of the cly ; and then the budg by jostling or some other affront , creates a quarrel , gathers a croud , and oft is beaten to some purpose , to give his comrade opportunity to dive or nip the bung ; which latter is to cut the coat , as commonly in women , when an upper garment obstructs the ready passage ; nay having set a prize , whose stoage by the gentle jostle's , understood the budg passes on , and at a convenient place drops farthings , or some single pieces , and carefully begins to gather them just as the prize bears up , who strait crys halves , or at least stands gauping till the file has opportunity to do his business and file off ; nay in a narrow place , but especially in the dark , the budg will tumble down before you , and with miserable crys implore your aide , protesting he has broke a leg or arm , and whilst you in compassion give him your assistance towards rearing him an end , himself will give you the flam for all your guilt , and then his leg or arm 's as sound as any roach , for strait away he trudges to the next coverture . these and a cattalogue of such like slights and dexterities the divers use . disc. but are they not often intercepted in the course of such deceiving ? div. ay , and often lay'd up in the whit , a place call'd the stone doblet vulgarly ; but we have as many shapes as proteous , to prevent our being known again , suiting our habit to the place and business ; sometimes we go like country farmers , sometimes like plough-men , then like faulconer or forrester , again 〈◊〉 modish sparks , some times demure as quakers , and again like down right citizens , but all will be too long to tell . and now i think on 't , i must to the thief-catcher , from whom i have my licence , and pay my monthly contribution , least he intercept me in my ramble . now in my dream i perceived he gave the nimble trip to the next road , call'd the way of durance , where being hotly persued , he was run down in the fastnesses of stony-stay-him-there , and thence taken , sometime after was put aboard an upland frigget , which wanting a rudder , drove violently upon the rock call'd triple-tree , and shipwracked all his fortunes at a cast , which put me into a rhyming humour , as you l read. the ways of sin are ever dangerous found , for wickedness ne'r stands upon firm ground ; although the sinners way at first seems sweet , yet death and danger in the end he 'l meet . thus far having ransacked many streets in vain , methought we came into a large square place , stored with swift footed animals , exposed to sail where men of every shire assembled , to expose or purchase , here thought i , we may be satisfied how matters go in every part . but discovery perceiving i was big with such imaginations , singles me out a man that should as to the present business give me the sence ef the rest ; and who should this be , but mounsier le iockey , a big set fellow , with cheeks bloated and stretched with oaths , much like an northern bagpiper ; but i had not time to observe his other excellencies , e're discovery thus began . disc. friend you travel much i know from town to town , haunting each faire , and wake , each horse-race and all inns of note . pray have you heard of late where honesty and plain-dealing have taken up their quarters ? iockey . no not a word on 't , for you must know , few places i frequent , will entertain them . disc. but perhaps you might find them travelling on the road or so ? iock. not as i remember , or if i did , i took no notice on them , they dealing not as i suppose in horse-flesh , and i don't take notice of people upon the road , unless i have business with them . disc. then you have no business with those 〈…〉 ? iock. not in the least , none of our profession ever had . disc. that 's strange : but pray will you give a body an insight into this business , that has nothing to do with honesty and plain-dealing ? iock. if i thought you had any dealing with them , i 'de deny you your request for their sakes . disc. well , waveing that , i hope you 'l be complyant , it may much advantage us . iock. ay , ay , it may so , therefore give attention . disc. i shall , and think my self obliged for the narration . iock. it may perhaps be longer then my business may permit . disc. therefore be as concise as you can . iock. i shall . as first , he that pretends to a iockey ship , must be well stocked with impudence , and oaths , or he can never arrive at the hight of that business . he must in the next place be furnished with false mains , false tales , false ears , and false eys , if such be required to beautifie an old defective or diseased horse , or to disguise one that is stolen , or has been often blown upon ; he must likewise be skilled at making artificial snips stars and blases , for the reason before said ; he must have saddles with sharp-wires in them , which as he presses forward , passing through divers holes for that purpose , may prick the horse , and make him dance or caper , as if it proceeded from his mettlesome temper . then must he be dexterous at logging a foundered hose with lead , and by slitting the flank and pits of the eyes , blow them up with a quill as butchers do veal , to hide the defects of age or bad keeping ; he must likewise use to baffet a blind horse , whose blindness is not presently discernable ; as likewise to blow ginger and pepper into his eys , that when he comes to swear him sure sighted , he may with the least wind of his hand , hat , or noise of his switch , vantle and toss up his head , as if he was as sharp sighted as argus . he must have balls of dough , eggs , malmsey and lickerish together , with oats boyled in new wort , to make a horse that is doomed to the dogs , appear fat on a suddain , though it being but spungy , will lose faster then it is gotten , which makes many foolishly imagine such horses to be bewitched , when it is only the knavery of the iockey . he must likewise have the art of pricking a dull 〈◊〉 in the spurting place , and rub beaten glass into the holes , to make the horses winch upon the least touch , that it may be thought to proceed from his mettlesome temper . he must have the art of taking up the fetlock vein with a needle and a piece of silk , so to lame his neighbours horse , that the cure being dispaired of , he may purchase him at an easie rate ; as likewise to have a large stone ready to thrust into the fundament of any horse he likes , to make him seem by the trimbling and sweating posture it will put him into , that he is just a dying ; nor can the farrier in this cause tell what to do to him , unless he knew the cause of his grief . these and a thousand other dexterities calculated according to the meridian of knavery , are ingredients that must goe to the making of a perfect iockey ; but for this time let this suffice , because i see a chapman striking my voucher luck , i must be gone and manage him , least he fly off , and recant his bargain . therefore if you seek for honesty and plail-dealing friend , you must inquire some where else , for here 's no room for them in these parts . now i perceived in my dream , that at the racital of so much knavery , discovery shook his head , and made no answer , but left this place as dispairing to be furthered in his search , in the very tents of wickedness , and so we passed into mercyless street , where we met a fellow with sharp teeth , and long paws , monkey eyed , and hawk nosed , with the spoils of a crab-tree in his hand , and this i understood to be a catch-pole , the very catterpiller of the nation ; and although we knew we should not better our selves by his communication , yet perceiving mischief in his face , methought we were somewhat desirous of discoursing him , if but to divert him from evil purposes ; and therefore discovery put the usual question , when at the name of honesty and plain-dealing , he gave a leap , which canted him quite cross the way , crying out , i defie ye , i defie ye . which at first made me imagine he took us for fallen angels , but after many intreats , we brought him to a little more moderation ▪ when i fancyed in my dream , that thus the talk went on . disc. friend , are you acquainted in these parts ? catch-pole . ay , i think i am : but what 〈◊〉 that pray ? disc. do you know the men i ask'd you for , 〈…〉 me if you do . catch-p . pray sir what e're you are , forbear to ask me such a question , for i vow i take it as no small affront . disc. affront ! as how : pray what is offered , that may reasonably give offence ? catch-p . those you have named , call to mind past actions . disc. do you remember them ? then have you had formerly any acquaintance with them ? catch-p . yes i remember them , and put my hand to that , that ruin'd them . disc. how are they ruin'd then ? why sure it cannot be : but if it be so , pray tell us by what means it was effected ? catch-p . friend , though i hate to hear their names , yet something i 'le declare to give you an insight into the manner of it , that you may the better guess the rest . disc. it will be wondefully to our purpose , pray let 's lose no time . catch-p . no none to speak off , but to the purpose ; having run through many a mass of villanys , and been injurious too much to tell , i studied what undertaking yet not put in practice , could further me in being mischevious to man-kind ; and in conclusion , pitched upon the high preferment of being dubb'd knight of the triple tree , but upon second thought , i found in such a case , i should be instrumental , only in dispatching vice out of the world , by the assistance of hatchet or hemp. disc. and this pleased you not ? catch-p . no indeed , for i was ever such a friend to it , that i wish'd it prosperous . disc. but to what resolution came you next ? catch-p . the very business i officiate now . disc. a catch-pole ? catch-p . yes , a blood-sucking catch-pole . disc. how ! you are not sure so desperate ? catch-p . no less sir , for being fleshed to cruelty before , i now had opportunity to put it in practice . disc. as how , let 's hear a little ? catch-p . why to pass over the bribing business , putting the slip upon the creditor , taking fees extravagant on either side , and sending notice of a danger near , that i might live upon the spoyl the longer , and be ever treated with the best ; for that which i call'd civility , which in the plain sence was knavery . i took at higher games . disc. games , was you for gameing too ? catth-p . ay , a very rook at gameing , honesty and plain-dealing if you find them , knows it well enough . disc. it may be so , but more 's the pitty , ●ut howsoever out with it . catch-p . a volum scarely will contain particulars , therefore expect not i should stay to tell you all . disc. no , but the most material passages . catch-p . ay , ay , the most material passages , as thus , when any youngster had more land then wit , i had my vserer at hand to daub him in the fist with a supply of cash , which not being paid at the time perfixed , my business was to sease him , which put him into a peck of troubles , as not having wherewith in present coin to satisfie them , then would he ask me what he must do ; why truly said i , there is but one way , give me bond and judgment , and i 'le lay the cole down . this he joyfully consents to , without defesance or any other consideration , glad at his heart that he has met with such a friend , for which i had ten guineys in hand ; but this joy 's soon turned to mourning , for presently after , pretending some mistrust , i seize upon my gentleman and his substance , keep him close from those few friends he has , till i have rook'd him of that little patrimony he had left , at half the value , so that within a while , being turned out of all ; he 's forced to wander in the land of poverty , when not being capable of any business to support himself , he falls into such ways , as bring him frequently to a disgraceful end : nor is this practiced on the young , but those of elder years , the labour of an agel thus have swept away , made some hundreds miserable , and gained a plentiful subsistance on their ruine ; whilst they , their wives and children sigh'd in vain , and sought a restitution with their tears . disc. this was something barbarous ? catch-p . the more the better , such cruelty suits with my nature best ; the musick of oppression sounds the sweetest in my ears . disc. and was you never call'd to give account for this , was no notice taken on 't ? catch-p . yes , and severely handled : but i got by it though , for quickly after i found a means to ruine the complainants , by presentments , indictments , sobb actions , outlawrys , obtained without their privity and the like , when for atto●●m●nt , bills of sale insued ; which swept away the small remainder of substance . disc. but did not conscience check you ●eitterating those inhumane practices ? catch-p . conscience , i think you say : why friend , i 'm sorry you should be so ●ar out of the way , as to mention conscience to me , when i have told you thus much . disc. then you have none it seems ? catch-p . you hit me to a hair : for if i had , i had not been such a mortal enemy to honesty and plain-dealing ; but my business calls me hence , therefore be satisfied with what you have heard , and so i take my leave . now in my dream i perceived he had left us , and we e'ne was glad he had done so for i could never hear of any one that cared for his society after they heard his name for this man came of the race of him , queved● found the devil in possession , of which made me recollect a thousand more of his disorders . the burden of which , methought so sorely pinch'd the shoulders of the poor , that their lamentable crys awoke me , and beheld it was a dream . so rising from my recumbancy , and perceiving the sun had made his western throne in clouds of dust ; i was much thoughtful , and intent on what had passed , but the day being far spent , home i returned , and entered my closet to meditate of various things , but most of all of what had happened , or occured to my past fancy ; but as if sleep had gained this day , intire against my will , my noding front began to droop , and a dissolving seized my every part , when fancy or imagination soon became as active as before ; the wandering soul , that never yields to slumber , sported with various idea's , fancying my self to be in a gloomy place . i dreamed , and in my dream beheld a light much like an exhaulation rise before me , which glimering a while , preed sent my old friend discovery , at whose sight i was somewhat refreshed , though my thoughts was tired with former imaginations ; but before i could ask him any question , he told me he had been taking a view of many misterious things , and in his search met with a man in shining raiments , who had given him a prospect of deaths empire , and the course of time , telling him , the day was at hand in which they should be no more , and that we were they , on whom the ends of the world is come ; wherefore he admo●●●ed , all men every where to repent , and ●ut away the evil of their doings , for the ●our would suddainly come , in which no secret should be hid , and therefore advised them to walk honestly , &c. and that leading him to an exceeding high place , he had given him a prospect of eternity , judgement , and many glorious things . but hefore he had time to mention the particulars , we were arrived at a fair village , called the village of self-deceiving , yet he had so much time as to tell me the mans name was evangelist e're we entered it . now in my dream i perceived this village , though but a village in name , might have passed for a populous city , it being every where pestered with thro●ghing crouds of all nations ; and here it was that we rosolved to prosecu●e our inquiry , but found the inhabitants so self-conceited , that we began to dispair of gaining instructions , for every where i perceived , they were for putting far away the evil day , and flattered themselves , that if in the december of their age they cast off vice , and open their arms to virtue , she would then infallibly conduct them to the celestial city , for theither i perceived they hopped to arrive in the end , though they went the contrary road , and put off all inquiry , as to their being right 〈◊〉 wrong , till they came to the end of thei●●ace ; though as i understood , ther● were inns and stages where guides resid●●ed , on purpose to direct travellers , bu● although they offered their service without reward , yet would it not be accepted , because these guides would not suffer them to cast their eys upon the gaudy vanities , flattery and delusion had cast in the way , nor to harbour wandering thoughts , and lustful imaginations , which as i perceived , were their darling companions , and if they were check'd for entertaining them , they would presently be angry , and cry out , what a doo do you make , the way is exceeding long , and would be tiresome without these our dear companions , whom we intend to leave when we come near the celestial gate ; ay , shake them off , e're we come into the presence of the lord of that city . and thus i understood they put it off from time to time , till in the end there was no time longer , or at least so little , that grace having left 'em , they had not the power to shake off their worly companions , who had accompanied them in the whole course of their lives , but they would along with them into the regions of eternity , whether they would or no ; and there iudgement finding them wandering in an infinite labrinth of unmesurable spaces , ( for into the celestial city they were not suffered to enter ) he plundged them into everlasting confusion , appointing them their portion with hippocrites and vnbelievers , to bewail their past folly , to ages without number , considering too late , that it had been better for them to have taken the council of the wise-man , viz. remember thy creator , in the days of thy youth , &c. then by giving themselves up to covetousness , extortion , fraud , oppression , and the like , to gain a plentiful estate for those that should come after them , who perhaps by the in●oyment , were overwhelmed in pride , luxurie , vncleanness , drunkenness , and the like , to the hazard of their salvation or a death-bed repentance , which is seldome sinceir ; and wonderfully questionable whether acceptable when the party is brought to a period , and in no longer a capacity of sinning . these considerations made me sad , and i verely perswaded my self , did men but rightly understand the excellency of virtue , or were not willfully blind to the ugliness of vice , this world would prove as happy a paradice to us , as eden did to our first parents in their state of innocence . but whilst these things carryed me away , perceived in my dream , that discovery was making observations on many antick figures , and monuments with inscriptions , which represented in hirogliphics , vprightness , truth , honesty , conversation , and the like , to which some of the inhabitants had great regard ; but for the major part , i perceived they minded none of 〈◊〉 , except one richly guilded . statue inscribed self-ends , and to him they payed their dayly offerings , because as i understood , they imagined he chiefly promoted their intrest in worldly matters ; here we found likewise the foot-steps of plain-dealing , which we traced till we quite lost sight of the village of self-deceiving , and arrived at the foot of a high mountain , called , fond-imagination , on which stood the town of vain-hope , and up this mountain , divers persons were clambering , with might and main , some made such hast , that not taking good footing , when near the top , they tumbled down again unto the valley , where falling into the torrent of distrust , they were violently hurried into the lake of dispair , and there for ever lost . now in my dream , i perceived a person , whom i conceited i had formerly known , puffing and sweating to gain the ascent , which i hinting to discovery , he told me , if i would give him the hearing , he would enter into a discourse with him . ay , gladly said i , and thereupon we soon over took him , whose name was indifferency , and thus i perceived they began . disc. friend , how far came you , that you are thus disordered with heat ? it should denote you have travelled much . indifferency . no , no sir , not very much , i came but from the village of self-deceiving . that place i must confess i have lided in a long time , but it lys so low , that it gives a man no full prospect of things at a distance . disc. and therefore you are going to inhabit the mountain of fond-imagination ? ind. ay , ay , the town you see so finely scituate , was built by flattery , and thether i am bent , my materials i have sent before to be in readiness againg my arrival . disc. your materials : as what ? ind. why sir , wherewithal to subsist whilst i stay here , which i don't intend shall be long . disc. but what are they pray ? ind. why desire , and fancy , with a considerable quantity of deserts , made of alms , and good turns , and indifferency in opinion . disc. and to what purpose serve these ? ind. why to support me in the way to the celestial city , whether i am travelling . disc. alas friend , you mistake the road , this is not the way , the town before you●s call'd vain-hope , you should have struck off to the right hand , where the ways part , and for your further instructions , have read the superscriptions on the piramid of truth ▪ and that would have informed you what would have brought you thether . as thus , be faithful unto death , and i will give you a crown of life . ind. well , well , you may say what you will , but i know what i have to do i 'le warr●●● you . disc. it 's well if you are not deceived in the end : you say the town before us was built by self-flattery . ind. yes , i do so , and yet there may lye a way through it for all that . disc. 't is very unlikely , and almost impossible . this self-flattery's the world , and he bult this town of vain-hope , to delude travellers , by inticeing them out of the way , that in it they might be induc●●● 〈◊〉 rest themselves satisfied , upon the fouddation of a bare-belief , or at most a deviding the heart ( which should be wholly offered to the king of the celestial city ) between him and mammon . ind. and may not that be safely done ? disc. by no means , if ever you expect to have admition into the realms of light. ind. well , you may believe as you will , and i 'le do as i think fit , i hope i have many years to travel in yet , and in the end , if i find that this is not the right way , i can leave it , a●d strike into another . disc. it may not perhaps be in your power , a suddain tempest may overwhelm you , you may meet with diffidence , dispair , or delusion , who will hinder it . nor can you tell what time you have to travel in , for perhaps when you imagine it to be noon , the sun may be setting , and so being left in the region of death , all things returning , will be cut off , and you 'l too late find your self out of the way . therefore be sober and vigilent , least you are surprized before you expect it . ind. well , well , this shan't fright me from passing to the town before me , i find your drift , you 'd fain put me out of conceit with my business in the world , but that won't take i 'le asure you . disc. more is the pitty : but now you talk of business in the world , have you ever met with honesty and plain-dealing in your travels ? ind. do they use to ●requent this road ? disc. no verily , i believe not : but have you been in no other road than this ? ind. yes divers , as overreaching-lane , which leads to the town of deceiving , cou●ening road , and a great part of the way towards the city of extortion . disc. i suppose you found them not in any of these : but do you pretend to the celestial city , and have been a● wanderer in the crooked paths that lead to the gates of pe●dition ? ind. well , well , 't is no matter what i prete●d to : well sir , you may e'ne mind your own business , for now i 'm arrived where i would be , i shan't give you any further hearing , for every tubb must stand upon 〈◊〉 own bottom . now in my dream , i perceived we arrived at the town of vain-hope , where we fo●nd a great number of people 〈◊〉 as if they were in the greatest 〈◊〉 imaginable , every one being 〈◊〉 of his own opinion , to which they were wretchedly wedded , by error , flattery , and delusion , to whom they gave the greatest credit imaginable , and the rather because they deceived them with false glasses , called the glasses of vain-hope , which gave them a prospect of heaven and earth at once , promising them all the pleasures and delights of this world , and a full fruition of the next , which made them chose the broad way , that was spread with roses , and overshaded with gessamie , the way that leads to the land of perdition , and refuseth the thorney way of life as too tedious and troublesome ; when as they fondly imagined they lead to one and the same place , and so they supinely trifled out their days in a secure sloath and ease . till in my dream i beheld a dark cloud arrising from the land of obstinacy , overspread them , whereupon they layed them down to sleep , whilst the bride-groom passed by ; but being a little startled at the noise , they got up on their feet , and attempted to follow , but being still in a thick fog , they stumbled at every three or four steps , and in the end , fell altogether in the lake of fear and amazment , where they again found those consciences they had stifled , which now upbraided them with their neglect and folly , their slighting the golden opportunities of grace , wisdorn , for trifling vanities , spending those pretious moments wherein they should have trod the paths of righteousness , at the end of which is eternal life , in studying to overeach their neighbours circumvent , their dearest friends , meditate revenge , and hoard up ill gotten gain , which cannot avail in the day of death , nor the hour of judgement ; which repremands , and severe reflections , tormented them to that degree , that instead of looking back for succor , they rushed forward altogether , and getting out of that lake , entred another call'd hardness of heart , in which they wilfully peri●hed . at which whilst i was grieving , i beheld at a little distance , the town of presumption , to which we made with all conveniant speed , and upon our entering , observed the structures were exceeding losty , but built upon such sandy foundations , that they were threatned by every blast of fate , to be sunk in their own ruines . this place self-conceit had built . as for the inhabitants , they were so wedded to their own oppinions , that they would hearken to no instructions , yet they pretended to a right in the celestial city , and would discourse as if they were very well acquainted with it . but i soon perceived all was but conceit , they had it seems dreamed something on , and read the promises made by the celestial king , but were so confident in their own strength , that they imagined they had no need of over-shaddowing grace , and the ●reat●ing of the favorit of heaven , which made them neglect to cast away every weighty sin : that did so easily beset them , that they might be the abler to run the race . wherefore having s●ent their days allowed , to runin a fond relyance upon their own foundations ; when the storm of tryal beat upon them , they altogether sunk into ●uine and confusion , the noise of whose fall eccho'd to the remotest part of the universe . and now methought the day being spent , and our search ! heitherto fruitless ; discovery being tired , and loath to wast his light any further at this time in vain , bid me adue , and taking wing , glided like a metor through the gloomy night , till my eys could follow him no further ; but whilst i was wondering to what region he was ●●ed , methought i heard a voice as the voice of a man , sayingin , he that reads , and rightly considers these things , will be a friend to virtue , and a foe to vice. at which starting , i awoke , and found what had passed was but a dream , yet was confirmed it might not be a little useful and advantagious to mankind . finis . sir walter raleighs instructions to his sonne and to posterity instructions to his son and to posterity raleigh, walter, sir, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) sir walter raleighs instructions to his sonne and to posterity instructions to his son and to posterity raleigh, walter, sir, ?- . [ ], p. : port. printed for beniamin fisher, dwelling in aldersgate-street at the talbot, london : . signatures: [a]⁶ b-g⁸. pages and misnumbered as and respectively. contains frontispiece with portrait of sir walter raleigh. imperfect: stained with print show-through. reproduction of original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng young men -- conduct of life. conduct of life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion braue raleigh's outward figure heere you finde but the great worth and sharpenesse of his minde no tablet can containe ; no paynter's skill expresse , seeke that from his owne 〈◊〉 quill . sir walter raleighs instrvctions to his sonne and to posterity . london : printed for beniamin fisher , dwelling in aldersgate-street at the talbot , . to the reader . it was not perhaps , intended by the renowned author , that these instructions shold be made publique : they were directed to his sonne , who doth make iust & due use of them . but such is the lustre of wisedome , that it cannot be hidden . men may bequeath their wealth to their children in particular , but their wisedome was given them for more generall good - virgil willed that his deathlesse aeneis should not live ; but great augustus chose herein rather to violate his will , then to bury such treasure . wee neede not such an authority nor precedent for this publication : it is sufficient that it is a communicable good. could his noble sonne bee hereby any way impaired , he shold still have impropriated it . but now he shall gain thus much ; the world shall see that the most secret counsels of his father were iust and religious , and hath good cause to hope that a sonne so instructed can be no otherwise . suppose ( reader ) that thy father might or shold have given thee such advice ; so shalt thou be more willing to follow it and receive the benefits here prescribed ; discretion and honesty . the contents of the severall chapters contained in this booke . chap. . vvise , and vertuous persons to be made choice of for friends . chap. . great care to be had in the choosing of a wise. chap. . wisest men have beene abused by flatterers . chap. . private quarrels to be avoided . chap. . three rules to be observed for the preservation of mans estate . chap. . what sort of servants are fittest to be entertained . chap. . brave ragges weare soonest out of fashion . chap. . riches not to bee sought by euill meanes . chap. . what inconueniences happen to such as delight in wine . chap. . let god be thy protector and director in all thy actions . s. walter raleigh , to his sonne . chap. . there is nothing more becōming a wise man then to make choice of freinds ; for by them thou shalt bee judged what thou art ; let them therefore be wise and vertuous , and none of those that follow thee for gaine , but make election rather of thy betters then thy inferiors , shunning alwayes such as are poore & needie , for if thou giuest twenty guifts , and refuse to doe the like but once , all that thou hast done will bee lost , and such men will become thy mortall enemies ; take also especiall care , that thou neuer trust any friend , or soruane , with any matter that may endanger thine estate , for so shalt thou make thy selfe a bond-slaue to him that thou trustest , and leaue thy selfe alwayes to his mercie , and be sure of this , thou shalt neuer find a freind in these thy young yeares , whose conditions , and qualities will please the after thou commest to more discretion ; and then all thou giuest is lost , and all wherein thou shalt trust such an one , wil be discouered ; such therefore , as are thy inferiors will follow thee , but to eate thee vp , and when thou leauest to feed them , they will hate thee ; and such kinde of men , if thou preserue thy estate ; will alwayes be had ; and if thy friends bee of better qualitie then thy selfe , thou maist been sure of two things , that they wil be more carefull to keepe thy counsell , because they haue more to loose then thou . secondly , they esteeme thee not , because thou doest possesse , but for thy selfe ; but if thou bee subject to any great vanitie , or ill , which i hope god will blesse thee from , then therein trust no man ; for every mans folly ought to be his greatest secret . and although i perswade thee to associate thy selfe with thy betters , at least peeres ; yet remember alwayes , that thou venter not thy estate with any of those great ones , that shall attempt vnlawfull things , for such men labour for themselues , and not for thee ; thou shalt be sure to part with them in their danger , but not in their honour ; and to venture a true estate in present , in hope of a better in future , is meere madnes ; and great men forget such as haue done them seruice , when they haue obtained what they would ; and will rather hate thee for saying , thou hast beene a meanes of their preferment , then acknowledge it . i could giue a thousand examples , & my selfe knowes it , who haue tasted it , in all the course of my life ; so that i need not in a matter so knowne , giue instance in examples . let thy loue therefore bee , to loue god , thy country , thy prince , and thine owne estate before all others : for the fancies of men change , and hee that loues to day , hateth to morrow ; but let reason bee thy schoolmistris which shall guide thee aright . chap. ii. the next , and greatest care in this life , ought to be in choice of thy wife , and the onely danger therein is beautie , by which all men in all ages , wise , and foolish , haue beene betrayed . and though i know it vaine to vse reasons , or arguments to dismay thee , from being captiuated therewith , there being few that euer resistted the witcherie ; yet i cannot omit to warne thee , as of other things , which may bee thy destructiō for the present time . it is true , that euery man preferreth his fantasie in that appetite before other worldlie deserts , leauing the care of honour , credit , and safetie in respect thereof ; yet remember , though these afflictions doe not last , yet the bonds of marriage , dureth to the end of the life . nor giue thy humour libertie , in accompaning light women ; for though that humour may change in thee againe , yet the blot it leaues on thy honour will euer remaine . remember secondly , that if thou marrie for beautie , thou bindest thy selfe for all thy life , for that which perchance will neither last nor please thee one yere ; and when thou hast it , it will be vnto thee of no price at all , for the desire dyeth when it is attayned , and the affection perisheth , when it is satisfied . remember when thou wert a sucking child , thou diddest love thy nurse , and that thou wert fond of her , after a child thou didst love thy dry nurse , and didst forget the other , after that thou didst also despise her , so will it be in thy liking in elder yeares ; & therefore , though thou canst not forbeare to love , yet forbeare to linke , and after a while thou shalt find an alteration in thy selfe , and see another far more pleasing then the first , second , or third love : yet i wish thee above all the rest , have care thou doest not marry an uncomely woman for any respect , comelinesse in children is riches , if nothing else bee left them , and if thou have care for thy races of horses , and other beasts , value the shape of thy children before aliants or riches ; have care therefore of both together , for if thou have a faire wife , & a poore one , if thine owne estate bee not great , assure thy selfe that love abideth not with want ; for shee is the companion of plentie , for i never knew yet a poore woman excoeding faire , that was not made dishonest by one or other in the end . this , bersheba taught her sonne salomon ; favour is deceitfull , and beautie is vanitie , shee addeth that a wise woman overseeth the wayes of her husband , and eateth not the bread of idlenesse ; have therefore , ever more care , that thou be beloved of thy wife , then thy selfe besotted don her , and thou shalt judge of her love by these two abservations : first if thou perceive shee have care of thy estate , and exercise her selfe therein ; the other , if she please thee and study it , and bee sweet unto thee in conversation without thy instruction , for love needes no teaching nor precept ; on the otherside , bee not sowre nor sterne to thy wise , for cruelty ingendereth no other thing then hatred , let her have equall part of thy estate whilest thou livest , if thou finde her sparing , and honest , but what thou giuest after thy death , remēber that thou givest it to an enemie , and most times to a strāger , for hee that shall marry thy wife shall despise thee , thy memory , and thine , shall possesse the quiet of thy labour , the fruit which thou hast planted , enioy thy love , and spend with ioy and ease what thou hast spared , and gotten with case , and travell ; yet alwayes remember , that thou leave not thy wise to bee a shame unto thee after thou are dead , but shee may live according to thy estate ; especially , if thou hast few children , and them provided for ; but how soever it bee , or whatsfoever thou finde , leave thy wife no more then of necessitie thou must , but onely duting her widdowhood , for if shee love againe , lether not enjoy her second love in the same bed wherein shee loved thee , nor flye to future pleasures with those feathers which death hath pulled from thy wings , but leave thy estate to thy house & children in which thou deceasedst upon earth whilst it lasted . to conclude , wives were ordayned to continue the generation of man , to transferre them , and diminish them , eyther in countenance , or abilitie ; and therefore thy house and estate which liveth in thy sonne , and not in thy wife , is to bee preferred ; let thy time of marriage bee in thy young , and strong yeares ; for beleeve it , ever the young wife bewrayeth the old husband , and shee that had thee not in thy flower , will despise thee in thy fall , and thou shalt bee unto her , but a captivitie and sorrow , thy best time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for as the younger times are unfit , eyther to chuse or to governe a wife and family ; so if thou stay long , thou shalt hardly see the education of thy children , which being left to strangers , are in effect lost , and better were it to bee unhorne then ill bred , for thereby thy posterity shall eyether perish or remayne a shame to thy name , and family . furthermore , if it be late ere thou take a wife , thou shalt spend the prime of thy life with harlots , who destroy thy health , improverish thy estate , and indanger thy selfe , thy life , and bee sure of this , that how many lewd women thou haft acquiantance withall , so many enemies thou shalt purchase to thy selfe , for there never was any such affection which ended not in hatred & disdain . remēber the saying of salomon there is a way which seemeth right to a man , but the issues thereof are the wages of death . if thou canst not then abstaine from them in thy vaine , and unbridled times , yet remember that thou sowest on the sands , and purchase diseases , repentance , and hatred onely : therefore , bestow thy youth so , that thou mayest have comfort to remember it hath forsaken thee , and not to grieve at the account thereof , whilest thou art young ; thou wilt thinke it will never have an end , bebold that the longest day hath his evening , & that thou shalt enjoy it but once , that it never turnes againe , use it therefore as the spring time which soone departeth , and wherein thou oughtest to plant , and sow all provisions for along and happie life . chap. iii. take care thou bee not made a foole by flatterers , for even the wisest men are abused by these , know therefore , the flat terers are the worst kind of traytors , for they will strengthen thy imperfections , encourage thee in all evils , correct thee in nothing , but so shadow , and paint all thy vices , and follies , as thou shalt never by their will discerne evill from good , or vice from vertue , because all men are apt to flatter themselves to entertaine the additions of other mens prayses , it is most perilous , doe not therefore prayse thy selfe , and bee counted a vain-glorious foole , neyther take delight in thy prayse except thou deserve it , receive it from such as are worthy and honest , and will withal warne thee of thy faults ; for flatterers have never no other vertue , they are ever base , creeping , cowardly persons , for thou shalt not find a valiāt friend that wil venter his life for thee a flatterer , but such creeping knaues as is good for nothing else . a flatterer , is sayd to bee a beast that flattereth biting , that biteth smelling ; it is said by esay , in this manner ; my people they that prayse thee seduce thee , and disorder the pathes of thy feete , & david desireth god to cast out the tongue of a flatterer , but it is hard to know them from friends , so are they obsequious , & full of protestations ; for as a wolfe , a dog , so a flatterer resembleth a friend . a flatterer is compared to an ape , who because shee cannot defend the house like a dog , labour as an oxe , or beare burdens as a horse doth , therefore yet play trickes , and provoke laughter ; a friend thou mayest bee sure that he will in private tell thee of thy faults , he adventures this mischiefe , to hazard thy hatred , for there are few men can endure it , every man for the most part delighteth himselfe in prayse , which is one of the universall follies which bewitcheth mankind . chap. iiii. be carefull to avoyd publike disputations at feasts , or tables , amongst quarrelsome persons , and eschew evermore to bee acquainted with ruffians , for thou shalt bee in asmuch danger with a brawler in private quarrell , as in a battle wherein thou mayest get honour to thy selfe , and safetie to thy prince , & countrey ; but if thou bee once engaged , carry thy selfe bravely , that they may feare thee afterward ; to shun therefore private fights , bee well advised in thy word and behaviour , for honour & shame is in the talke & tongue of a man , jest not openly at those that are simple but remember how much thou art boūd to god who hath made thee wiser ! defame not any woman publikely , though thou know her to bee evill , for those that are faulty cannot endure to be taxt , and will looke to bee avenged of thee , and those that are not guilty cannot endure unjust reproach , & as there is nothing more shamefull & dishonest , so truth it selfe cutteth his throat that carieth her publikely . doe therefore right to all men where it may profit them , and thou shalt thereby get much love , and forebeare to speake evill things of men though it be true , if thou bee not constrayned , and thereby thou shalt avoyde malice , and revenge . doe not accuse any of any crime , if it be not to save thy selfe , thy prince , or countrey ; for there is nothing more dishonourable . i would not have you for any respect loose your reputation , or endure publike disgrace ; for better it were not to live then to live a coward , if the offence proceed not from thy selfe , if it bee it shall bee better to compound it upon good termes , then to hazard thy selfe , for if thou overcome , thou art under the crueltie of the law , if thou be overcome thou art dead , or dishonoured ; if thou therefore contend , or discourse in argument , let it bee with wise and sober men , of which thou mayest learne by reasoning , and not with ignorant persons , for thou shalt thereby instruct those : that will not thanke thee , and utter what they have learned from thee , but if thou know more then other men , utter it when it may doe thee honour , and not in assemblies of ignorant , & common persons : speaking much , is also a kinde of vanitie ; for hee that is lavish in words , is a niggard in deeds , and as salomon sayth , the heart of a foole is in his mouth , and the mouth of a wise man is in his heart , because what he knoweth or thinketh hee uttereth , and by words , & discourse , men will judge thee . for as socrates saith , such as thy words are , such will thy affections bee esteemed , and such will thy deeds as thy affections , and such thy life as thy deeds , therefore be advised what thou dost discourse of , what thou maintaynest , whether touching religion , estate , or vanitie , for if thou erre in the first , thou shalt bee counted prophane , in the second dangerous , in the third undiscreete , & foolish , hee that cannot refraine from much speaking , is like a city without wals , and lesse paines in the world a man cannot take then to hold his tongue , therefore if , thou observest this rule in all assemblies thou shalt seldome erre , restraine thy choller , hearken much and speake little , for the tongue is the instrument of the greatest good , and greatest evill according to salomon ; life , and death are in the power of the tongue : and as euripides truly affirmeth , every unbridled tongue in the end shall find it selfe unfortunate , for in all that ever i observed in the course of earthly things , i ever found , that mens fortunes are oftner mard by their tongues then by their vices , and to conclude , all quarrels , mischiefe , hatred , and destruction ariseth from unadvised speech , and in much speech there are many errors , out of which thy enemies shall sure take the most dangerous advantage , and as thou shalt be happy if thou thy selfe observe these things , so shall it be most profitable for thee to avoyd their companies that erre in that kind , & not to hearken to tale-bearers , to inquisitive persons , and such as busie themselves with other mens estates , that creepe into houses as spyes to learne newes which concerne them not , for assure thy selfe such persons are most base , and unworthy , and i will thou take heed also , that thou art not found a lyer , for a lying spirit is hatefull both to god and man , a lyar is commonly a coward , for hee dares not avow the truth , a lyar is trusted of no man , hee can have no credit neyther in publike nor private ; and if there were no more argument but this , know that our lord in saint iohn sayth , that it is a vice proper to satan , lying , being opposite to gods nature , which consisteth in truth , and the gaine of lying is nothing else but not to bee trusted of any , nor to be beleeved when wee say the truth . it is sayd in the proverbs , that god hateth false lippes , and that hee that speaketh lyes shall perish ; thus thou seest how odious , & contrary to god a lyar is , and for the world , beleeve it , that it never did any man good , except in the extremitie of saving life , for a lyar is of a base , unworthy , and cowardly spirit . chap. v. amongst all other things of the world , take care of thy estate , which thou shalt ever preserve if thou observe these things : first , that thou knowest what thou hast , and to see that thou art not wasted by thy servants and officers ; the second is , that thou never spend any thing before thou have it , for borrowing is the canker , and death of every mans estate : the third is , that thou suffer not thy selfe to be wounded for other mens faults , and scourged for other mens offences , which is , to bee suerty for another , for thereby millions of men have beene beggered and destroyed , paying the reckoning of other mens ryot , and the charge of other mens folly , and prodigality ; if thou smart for thy owne sin , the paine is endured with some ease , and above all things bee not made an asse to carry the burden of other men ; if thy friend desire thee to bee his suretie , give him a part of what thou hast to spare , if hee presse thee farther , hee is not thy friend at all , for friendship rather chooseth harme to it selfe then offereth it , if thou be bound for a stranger , thou art a foole , if for a marchant , thou puttest thy estate to learne to swimme ; if for a churchman , he hath no inheritance ; if for a lawyer , hee will find an evasion by a syllable , or word to abuse thee ; if for a poore man thou must pay it thy selfe , therefore from suretiship as from a man-slayer , or enchanter for the best profit , and returne will bee this , that if thou force him for whom thou art bound to pay it himselfe , hee wil become thy enemie , if thou use to pay it thy selfe , thou wilt be a begger , and beleeve thy father in this , and print it in thy thoughts , that what vertue soever thou hast , bee it never so manifold , if thou be poore withall , thou , and thy qualities shall be despised ; besides , poverty is ofttimes sent as a curse of god it is a chaine amongst men , an imprisonment of the mind , a vexation of everie worthy spirit ; thou shalt neyther helpe thy selfe nor others , thou shalt drowne in thee all thy vertues , having no meanes to shew them , thou shalt bee a burthen , and eye-sore of all thy friends , everie man will scorne thy company , thou shalt bee driven basely to begge , and depend on others , to flatter unworthy men , to make dishonest shifts ; and to conclude , poverty provokes a man to doe infamous and detested deedes ; let no vanitie therefore , or perswasion draw thee to that worst of worldly miseries , if thou be rich , it will give thee pleasure in health , comfort in sicknesse , keepe thy mind and body free , save thee from many perils , relieve thee in thy elder yeares , the poore , and thy honest friends , and give meanes to thy posteritie to live , and defend themselves , and thine own fame where it is said in the proverbs , that hee shall bee sore vexed that is surety for a stranger , it is further said , the poore is hated even of his owne neighbor , but y e rich have many friends . lend not to him that is mightier then thy selfe , for if thou lendest him count it but lost , bee not suretie above thy power , for it thou bee suretie thinke to pay it . chap. vi. let thy servants be such as thou mayest command , and entertayne none about the but yeomen to whom thou givest wages , for those that will serve thee without thy hire wil cost thee trouble asmuch , as they that know their fare ; if thou trust any servant with thy purse , bee sure thou take his account ere thou sleepe , for if thou put it off thou wile then afterwards for tediousnesse neglect it , i my selfe have lost thereby more then i am worth . and whatsoever hee gaines thereby hee will never thanke thee , but laugh thy simplicity to scorne ; and besides , it is the way to make thy servants theeves , which else would be truest . chap. vii . exceed not in the humour of ragges , & bravery , for these will soone weare out of fashion , but that money in thy purse will ever be in fashion , and no man is esteemed for gay garments , but by fooles and women . chap. viii . on the other side , take heed that thou seek not riches basely nor attaine them by evil meanes , destroy no man for his wealth , nor take any thing from the poore , for the cry and complaint thereof will pierce the heavens , and is most detestable before god , and most dishonourable before worthy men : to wrest any thing from the needie and labouring soule , will never prosper thee in ought if ought thou offend therein , but use thy poore neighbours , and tennants well , put not them , and their children to a needlesse superfluitie , and expences to thy selfe . he that hath pitty on another mans sorrowes shall bee free from it himselfe , and hee that delighteth in , & scorneth the misery of another , shall one time or other fall into it himselfe . remember , hee that hath mercie on the poore lendeth unto the lord , and the lord will recompence him what hee hath given . i doe not understand such for poore as are vagabonds , and beggars , but those that labour to live , such as are old , and cannot travell , such poore vagabounds , and fatherlesse children as are ordered to be relieved , & the poore tenants that travell to pay their rents , and that fall into poverty by mischance , and not by carelesse expence , on such have thou cōpassion , and god will blesse thee for ever ; make not thy hungry soule sorrowfull , deferre not the guift of the needy , for if hee curse thee in the bitternesse of his soule , his prayer shall bee heard of him that made him . chap. ix . take especiall care that thou delight not in wine , for there never was any man that came to honour , or preferment that loved it , for it transformeth a man into a beast , because heate poysoneth the breath decayeth naturall heate , brings a mans stomacke into an artificiall heate , deformeth the face , rotteth the teeth , and to conclude maketh a man contemptible , soone old , and despised of all wise , and worthy men : in thy servants , in thy selfe , and companions , for it is a bewitching , and infectious vice . and remember my words , that it were better for a man to be subject to any vice then to it , for all other vanities and sinnes are recovered , but a drunkard will never shake off the delight of beastlinesse , for the longer it possesseth a man the more hee will delight in it , and the elder hee groweth the more he shall be subject to it ; for it dulleth the spirits and destroyeth the body , as ivy doth the old tree ; or as the worme that ingendreth in the cornell of the nut take heede therefore that such a curelesse cankar possesse not thy youth , nor such a beastly infection thy old age ; for thou shalt all thy life time live but the life of a beast , and after death thou shalt shortly prove a shamefull infamie to thy posteritie , who shall study to forget that such a one was their father . anacharsis saith , the first draught serveth for health , the second for pleasure ; third for shame , fourth for madnesse , but in youth there is not so much as one draught permitted , for it putteth fire to fire , and wasteth the naturall heate , and therefore except thou hasten thine end , take this for a generall rule , that thou adde not an artificiall heat to thee by wine or spice untill thou find that time hath decayed thy naturall heate , and assoone as thou beginnest to helpe nature , the sooner shee will forsake thee , and trust not onely upon art : who hath misfortune faith salomon , who have sorrow , and griefe , who have trouble without sighing , stripes without cause , and faintnesse of eyes , even they that sit at wine , and straine themselves to emptie cuppes ; pliny sayth , wine makes the hand quivering , the eyes waterie , the night unquiet , lewd dreames , a stinking breath in the morne and all utter forgetfulnesse of things . whosoever loveth wine , shall not bee trusted of any man , for he cannot keepe a secret , wine maketh a man nor onely , a beast but a mad-man , & if thou love it , thy own wife , thy children , and thy friends will despise thee , in drinke men care not what they say , what offence they give , they forget comelinesse , commit disorders , and to conclude , offend all vertuous & honest company , and god most of all ; to whom wee daily pray for health and a life free from paine , and yet by drunkennesse , and gluttony ( which is the drunkennesse of feeding ) wee draw on . hesiod saith , a swift hasty evill untimely , and an infamous old age . and avstin describeth drunkennes , in this manner : 〈◊〉 est blandus damon dulce venenum , suave peccatum , quam , qui habet seipsum non habet , quam , qui facit peccatum non facit ; sed ipse est peccatum . innocentivo saith , quid turpius ebrioso cui foetor in ore , tramor in corpore , qui promit stulta , promit occalta , cui ●●es alebatar , facit transfermutur ; nultum serrutum ubi ●●guat ebrietas at quid nos aliud designas malum ? when diogenes saw a house to bee sold , whereof the owner was given to drinke , i thought at the last quoth diogenes , hee would spew out a whole house ; sciebam inquit quod domum tandem evomeret . chap. x. now for the world , i know it too well to perswade you to dive into the practises thereof , rather stand upon your owne guard against all that tempt you thereunto , or may practise upon you in your conscience , your reputation , or your purse ; resolve that no man is wise or safe , but he that is honest . serve god , let him bee the author of all your actions , commend all your endeavors to him that must eyther wither , or prosper them , please him with prayer , least if hee frown , he confound all your fortunes & labours like drops of rayne on the sandy ground , let my experienced advice and fatherly instructions sink deep into your heart ; so god direct you in all his wayes and fill your heart with his grace . finis .